Science and Technology: Serbian students attend science conference

01/12/2008

A conference in Serbia highlights scientific achievements. Also in science and technology news: Romania inaugurates a new seismological observatory, and Growtech Eurasia 2008 closes in Ankara.

Serbian students presented their projects at the Step into Science event. [File]

The Step into Science conference took place in Petnica, Serbia, from Thursday (November 27th) through Sunday. The event, meant to promote the scientific achievements of talented high school and university students, brought together 95 participants with 65 original scientific projects.

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Romanian authorities inaugurated a new seismological observatory in the southeastern town of Eforie on November 22nd. The observatory is the most modern of its kind in southeastern Europe and has state-of-the-art equipment imported from the United States. The project received 1m euros of financing from the ministry of research. The facility is unique in the region as it can monitor seismic activity all over the world, said Gheorghe Marmureanu, director of Romania's Earth and Physics National Institute.

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Turkish professor Kerim Allahverdi won election to the European Academy of Sciences (EAS), Anadolu news agency reported on November 21st. He became the first Turkish member of the organisation. Allahverdi is a senior researcher at the Marmara Research Centre of Turkey's Scientific and Technological Research Council. The EAS performs cutting-edge research and promotes the development of advanced technologies.

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The 8th International Horticulture, Agriculture, Floriculture and Technologies Fair (Growtech Eurasia 2008) closed in Turkey's southern province of Antalya on Sunday (November 30th). A total of 390 companies from 20 countries, including the host country and Greece, presented the latest achievements in agricultural technology at the three-day fair.

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The Albanian national digital registry began operating on Thursday (November 27th) in Tirana. The registry is expected to become functional throughout the country by December 10th. The OSCE, the EU and the government praised the move.

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Bulgarian archaeologist Veselin Ignatov and his team have discovered a very well-preserved bronze chariot believed to be 1,800 years old. According to Ignatov, the team found the chariot in the grave of a rich Thracian aristocrat during excavations near the southeast village of Karanovo.

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The second edition of the In the Skin of the Scientist festival will take place between December 5th and December 7th in the 25th of May Museum in Belgrade. The event, meant to popularise science and support scientific progress, will bring together 140 young scientists to present their achievements in physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and mathematics.

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Turkcell, Turkey's biggest mobile phone operator, won a tender on Friday (November 28th) for a third-generation mobile phone licence. Turkcell outbid Vodafone and Avea by offering 358m euros for the A-type license. The company said it will launch the system by the middle of next year.

(Various sources 24/11/08-01/12/08)