Tribometers have a very wide range of applications in research – from sports to defence and security technologies. Researchers and engineers at Riga Technical University (RTU) are currently building a large-scale research device, of which there are only a few in the world. The frame and main m…

What if surfaces could not only fight microbes themselves but also make it possible to check whether they are still protected? This is exactly the kind of invention that young Latvian scientists are working on. How an idea born during the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into an unusual spray-on coatin…

Is it safe to eat grandma’s jam after removing the mouldy top layer? And what about bread if one slice has gone mouldy? Many moulds produce fungal toxins that can affect health, but the problem is that the harm caused by mould can be cumulative and may only become apparent years later rather than i…

The primary task of hospitals is to care for people’s health, yet their operations also consume substantial resources, generate waste and contribute to climate change, which in turn poses a threat to human health. How can hospitals reduce their environmental impact without increasing the workload o…

Pottery fragments found during archaeological excavations can reveal much more than might initially seem. By analysing their composition and structure, researchers can determine where the clay was sourced, what materials were added to it, and how ancient people made their vessels. In Latvia, this t…

The travelling exhibition “Research Latvia 2026”, created by the Ministry of Education and Science, offers a unique opportunity to discover 12 outstanding Latvian scientists and their contributions to the development of society and research. In November, the travelling exhibition and the science ca…