Popular sciences

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Description

The „Academia” magazine was founded on the initiative of Professor Andrzej B. Legocki, a President of the Polish Academy of Sciences in 2003 – 2006. In the beginning it was published only in English as a reply to the growing demand for a current information on the Polish Academy of Sciences` activities, expressed by foreign scientists and Poles living abroad and interested in Polish science.

Since 2005 the magazine is published both in Polish and English.

The „Academia” is an exceptional - on the Polish market - scientific magazine for the general public, propagating achievements of Polish scientists here and abroad. Authors of articles in „Academia” explain their subject in a way that is accessible not only for all sorts of academics but also for students, pupils and all other readers interested in scientific topics for the general public.

ISSN

1731-7401

Publishers

Polish Academy of Sciences

Editorial Staff

Jolanta Iwańczuk (Editor-in-Chief, Earth Sciences)

Daniel Sax (Editor, English-Language Version)

Marcin Pietras (Biological & Agricultural Sciences)

Justyna Orłowska (Journalist)

Andrzej Figatowski (Graphic Designer)

Anna Bielec (Project Coordinator)

Scientific Council

Marek Konarzewski, President of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Chairman)

Dariusz Jemielniak (Deputy Chairman)

Andrzej Buko

Katarzyna Czarnecka

Patrycja Dołowy

Paweł Golik

Janusz Jurczak

Tomasz Kapitaniak

Marek Krawczyk

Krzysztof Nowak

Anna Zawadzka

Publisher:

Polish Academy of Sciences

Communication and Science Information Department

Defilad sq. 1,

00-901 Warsaw, Poland

e-mail: academia@pan.pl

Volumes

Select number

Content

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges

1 Contents

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges

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2 Editorial

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 3

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3 Hope for the Future

Alicja Józkowicz , Józef Dulak , Stanisław Szala

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 4-7

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Abstract

Treating a genetic disease? An easy task! Just replace the faulty gene with a correct one. Unfortunately, that idea is very difficult in practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

Alicja Józkowicz

Józef Dulak

Stanisław Szala

4 Home at Last

Barbara Fedyszak-Radziejowska

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 8-11

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Abstract

The stereotype of a Polish peasant riding a pitiful horse-drawn wagon still lingers in the minds of many Poles. Is that what rural Poland really looks like today? How has EU accession changed farmers' attitudes and awareness?

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Authors and Affiliations

Barbara Fedyszak-Radziejowska

5 Christianity and Islam

Jerzy Zdanowski

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 12-15

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Abstract

As followers of Christianity and Islam make up nearly half of the Earth's population, the relations between these two major religious systems and two civilizations are crucial for our world and its future.

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Authors and Affiliations

Jerzy Zdanowski

6 Allergy Fighters

Barbara Wróblewska

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 16-19

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Abstract

One fifth of Europe's population suffers from allergic reactions to a specific type of food. The prevalence of such hypersensitivity has stimulated a very intensive search for technologies yielding food products that are safe for such allergy sufferers to consume.

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Authors and Affiliations

Barbara Wróblewska

7 The Big Mix

Czesław Druet

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 20-23

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Abstract

Water masses that differ in temperature and salinity come into contact along turbulent fronts and form vast eddies. The ocean is just as complex a medium as the atmosphere, and the two are inextricably intertwined.

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Authors and Affiliations

Czesław Druet

8 An Opening or a Separation?

Joanna Kurczewska

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 24-27

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Abstract

To be able to sensibly discuss European unification, we first need to recognize the extant frontiers and divisions. One of the fundamental tasks for sociologists should be to study and understand the essence of these borders and borderlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

Joanna Kurczewska

9 Forgotten Heritage

Roman Kozłowski

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 28-30

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Abstract

Restoring historic buildings to their former splendour using materials similar or identical to those used in the past poses a great challenge to the conservation community.

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Authors and Affiliations

Roman Kozłowski

10 Biological Barcodes

Wiesław Bogdanowicz , Agnieszka Draber-Mońko , Tadeusz Malewski

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 31-33

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Abstract

Vast numbers of species are still waiting to be discovered. Although nothing can replace the work of classical taxonomists, biologists now want to speed up and simplify the identification of species by creating catalogs of genetic barcodes.

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Authors and Affiliations

Wiesław Bogdanowicz

Agnieszka Draber-Mońko

Tadeusz Malewski

11 Narrowing the Gap

Tadeusz Baczko

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 34-35

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Abstract

Innovation offers a way to narrow the development gap. While innovativeness chiefly manifests itself on the company level, successful innovation requires both conducive measures in many socioeconomic domains and a change of attitudes among entrepreneurs, investors, and public administration.

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Authors and Affiliations

Tadeusz Baczko

12 Weighing Our Future

Anna Ziomkiewicz-Wichary , Sławomir Kozieł , Alicja Szklarska , Anna Lipowicz

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 36-37

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Abstract

The ongoing changes occurring within society are a difficult topic for study. One needs to posit a research thesis carefully and then to be very patient: emerging trends only become visible in the longer term.

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Authors and Affiliations

Anna Ziomkiewicz-Wichary

Sławomir Kozieł

Alicja Szklarska

Anna Lipowicz

13 Julia Sets

Feliks Przytycki

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 38-39

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Abstract

In 1904, the Swedish mathematician Helge von Koch first described a geometrical extraordinary figure with a "self-similar" edge, which he dubbed a "snowflake:' Nowadays such "self-similar" but "rough" sets are called fractals, well-known for their exceptional beauty, and are a subject of intense research.

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Authors and Affiliations

Feliks Przytycki

14 Longing for Mars

Andrzej W. Ziemba , Natalia Andrzejewska-Zalewska

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 40-43

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Authors and Affiliations

Andrzej W. Ziemba

Natalia Andrzejewska-Zalewska

15 Sources of Art

Marta Leśniakowska

ACADEMIA. The magazine of the Polish Academy of Sciences | 2008 | Nr 1 (17) 2008 Challenges | 46-47

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Abstract

The Institute of Art is Poland's sole interdisciplinary research unit, lacking a university counterpart, that pursues research and documentation work in the humanities within two specific domains: the study and history of art.

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