Mauro Santos, evolutionary biologist at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, spent some months at the ELKH Centre for Ecological Research (MTA Excellence Research Site) as a participant in the Distinguished Guest Scientist Fellowship Programme of MTA, on the request of director Eörs Szathmáry, academician. Santos dedicated his time here to some major unsolved problems in evolutionary biology, from the formation of chromosomes to the evolutionary effects of ageing. Our interview with him reveals that the pandemic might lead to new possibilities for theoretical scientists.

Researchers at Birmingham University, led by Gergely Toldi, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, who is a member of the Academy of Young Researchers, have proved that the number of regulatory T cells in the immune system of babies exclusively breastfed is significantly higher in the first three weeks of their lives than in the immune systems of babies fed with formula milk only. This adds to the health advantages of breastfeeding, some of which have effects lasting until adulthood.

As the efficacy of the first coronavirus vaccines has been proven and mass vaccinations are scheduled to start in the near future, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are now justified in hoping that our lives will go back to normal within the foreseeable future. However, what we consider as “normal” is not good in the long run in every respect. The European Academies Science Advisory Council’s (EASAC) recent report urges transformative changes to secure a sustainable future.

After Barcelona, Bergen, Cardiff, Tbilisi, and Wrocław, Budapest will be home to the newest Academia Europaea knowledge hub. The Hungarian knowledge centre will be headed by Academic Director László Lovász, whose term as President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) ended this summer. Video of the 9 December opening ceremony is available at mta.hu.

As confirmed at the latest online meeting of the Governing Board, the only institution from the European Union, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, is expected to continue its participation in the work of the nine-member Governing Board of the Alliance of International Science Organisation (ANSO), which is a non-profit, non-governmental international scientific organisation founded in 2018 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

As part of the academic work of the “Momentum” Holy Crown Research Group, a detailed monograph in English on the history of the Holy Crown and Hungarian coronations written by the renowned (and, sadly, recently deceased) professor of medieval studies János M. Bak, together with Research Professor at the Institute of History Research Centre for the Humanities and leader of the Research Team Géza Pálffy, has just been published.

The European Commission has appointed the members of an independent scientific body to prepare for the election of the next President of the European Research Council (ERC). One of the seven leading international scientists of this body is neurobiologist Tamás Freund, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

During the online press conference of the newly elected officials of the Academy, the newly elected president, who will officially take office on 1 August, highlighted the importance of cooperation between the different fields of science and the representatives of different ideologies. Tamás Freund also stressed that the MTA should rely on its 18,000-strong public body and the intellectual capital it has accumulated. As for the relationship between science and politics, he wishes to strengthen cooperation between them after building mutual trust.

The election was held throughout a 24-hour period between Monday and Tuesday evening during the 193rd General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in which academician and neurobiologist Tamás Freund came out victorious. Professor Freund will be replacing Professor László Lovász, who has served for the past 6 years at the helm of the institution founded by István Széchenyi in 1825. For the upcoming 3-year term Professor László Péter Kollár, a civil engineer, was elected as new Secretary-General, while the new Deputy Secretary-General will be the immunologist Professor Anna Erdei. The General Assembly have also elected the 3 new Vice Presidents. The leaders of the Academy may be re-elected once after their first term of office expires.