Astatine is the last member of the halogen family, which also includes fluorine and chlorine. These chemical elements have a distinct feature: they are able to form an unusual kind of bond with molecules. Yet for astatine, the existence of this specific halogen bond had never before been proven. This is because in its natural state, astatine is the rarest …

For over a decade now, the use of digital tools and internet connectivity has greatly developed among households, including among working classes. Yet very few studies exist on this part of the population’s specific uses of digital technology. In the context of the Poplog project, which counts Télécom ParisTech among its partners, Dominique Pasquier, a researcher in sociology, has studied …

Alessio Virzì, Biomedical Engineer – PhD student in Medical Image Processing, Télécom ParisTech – Institut Mines-Télécom, Université Paris-Saclay The original version of this article (in French) was published on The Conversation, in connection with Alessio Virzì’s participation in the competition “My thesis in 180 seconds”. What area have you chosen to focus on for your thesis? I am interested in …

Did you know that materials have health problems too? To diagnose their structural integrity, researchers are increasingly using techniques similar to those used in the medical field for humans. X-rays, temperature checks and ultrasound imaging are just a few of the tools that help detection of abnormalities in parts. The advantage of these various techniques is that they are non-destructive. …

How can emergency response services be improved? The H2020 Q4Health project raised this question. The European consortium that includes EURECOM, the University of Malaga and RedZinc has demonstrated the possibility to relay video between first responders at an emergency scene and doctors located remotely. To do so, the researchers had to develop innovative tools for 4G network slicing. This work …

Fabrice Flipo, a philosopher of science and technology and researcher at Institut Mines-Télécom Business School, has specialized in political ecology, sustainable development and social philosophy for nearly 20 years. Throughout the fundamental research that shapes his more technical teaching, he tries to produce an objective view of current political trends, the ecological impact of digital technology and an understanding of …

Stéphanie Tillement, IMT Atlantique – Institut Mines-Télécom It will take a long time to learn all the lessons from the Fukushima accident, and even longer to bring about a change in the practices and principles of nuclear risk governance. Yet several major themes are already emerging in France in this respect. Next Sunday, March 11, 2018 will mark the 7-year …

Pollution in urban areas is a major public health issue. While peaks in the concentration of fine particles often make the news, they are not the only urban pollutants. Volatile organic compounds, or VOC, also present a hazard. Some are carcinogenic, while others react in the atmosphere, contributing to the formation of secondary pollutants such as ozone or secondary aerosols—which …

The issue of digital trust has never been more relevant. The 15th IMT Personal Data Values and Policies Chair Meeting, held on 8 March a few weeks before the European general data protection regulation (GDPR) enters into force, was devoted to presenting its book “Signes de confiance : l’impact des labels sur la gestion des données personnelles” (Signs of Trust: The …

Patrick Maillé, IMT Atlantique – Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) and Bruno Tuffin, Inria The European Union has required wireless network operators to stop charging roaming fees during trips to other EU countries. For nomad users who regularly travel throughout Europe, this added comfort is truly appreciated: no more fears of additional charges.  However, while the benefit is real, some questions about roaming costs …