Elettra participating in the Science Research Festival Trieste NEXT 2024

The thirteenth edition of "Trieste Next" took place from September 27 to 29, with the theme "The Horizons of Intelligence: Knowledge and Human-Technology Frontiers." As per tradition, the event welcomed thousands of visitors, both Italian and international, who participated in numerous events, workshops, and conferences.
The consistent participation of Elettra in this festival highlights the importance of science and technology in public dialogue and in shaping future generations of researchers. This year, four conferences were organized, all of which enjoyed excellent attendance.

When Physics Goes into the Ward
The conference with researchers from Elettra Sincrotrone and CERIC consortium featured advanced microtomography, a technique that uses synchrotron light beam to obtain detailed, noninvasive 3D images. Applied to diseases such as melanoma, pulmonary fibrosis, and osteoporosis, this technology, combined with deep learning, is accelerating the time to diagnosis and improving the accuracy of results. The future of clinical diagnostics promises faster and more personalized solutions!
Moderator: Marcello Turconi, Head of Scientific Communication, CERIC-ERIC
Speakers: Lorenzo D’Amico, Researcher at Monash University; Giulia Saccomano, PhD student at the University of Trieste on SYRMEP at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste.

The Impact of Highly Explosive Volcanic Eruptions
The topic was explosive volcanic eruptions that release gas and ash into the atmosphere, with significant impacts on the environment and society. Thanks to 3D X-ray tomography at Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, it is possible to analyse the composition of volcanic rock samples without destroying them, inside of which are bubbles, crystals, and elements that provide valuable data on magmatic processes beneath the surface. These studies, combined with numerical models, help to understand magma behaviour and improve the ability to predict eruptions. Interdisciplinary collaborations are essential to reduce volcanic risks.
Moderator: Franco Zanini, Senior Researcher, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste
Speakers: Fabio Arzilli, University of Camerino; Emily Charlotte Bamber, University of Turin; Giuseppe La Spina, National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Catania; Lucia Mancini, Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

New Smart Materials for CO2 Storage
Researchers at Elettra, in collaboration with CERIC, have explored how new smart materials are paving the way for innovative solutions for carbon dioxide storage and beyond. These materials, called Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs), feature porous structures that can be customised to capture different molecules, including CO2, in an efficient and reversible manner. Thanks to the advanced techniques used at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste's SISSI-Bio and SAXS beamlines, MOFs can be studied in terms of size, shape and atomic structure. Lithography also makes it possible to optimise the properties of these materials. These advances are crucial not only for CO2 storage, but also for other applications, such as the controlled release of drugs.
Moderator: Marcello Turconi, Head of Scientific Communication, CERIC-ERIC
Speakers: Giovanni Birarda, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste; Sumea Klokic, CERIC-ERIC; Benedetta Marmiroli, Graz University of Technology.

Adaptive Intelligence as a Survival Strategy
In collaboration with researchers from Ca' Foscari and the University of Siena, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste has uncovered how Homo Sapiens of 40,000 years ago survived climate change thanks to a more varied diet than their predecessors, introducing carbohydrates in addition to meat, which allowed them to reproduce faster than other species. At the SISSI-Bio laboratory, analysis of lithic artefacts revealed traces of starch, demonstrating the processing of carbohydrates, and traces of glue, indicating a refinement in hunting techniques using arrows. These results show an extraordinary adaptive capacity on the part of our ancestors.
Moderator: Lisa Vaccari, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste
Speakers: Giovanni Birarda, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste; Francesco Boschin, University of Siena; Marco Ferrari, SISSA; Laura Longo, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

In addition to the conferences, a group of more than 50 students from the Trieste Next International Academy visited Elettra. They were divided into groups to explore the experimental halls of Elettra and FERMI. This visit was part of an intensive three-day program designed for international undergraduate, master's, and PhD students. The program included over 60 presentations, conferences, and workshops with renowned scientists and industry professionals.