think_admin, Author at THINK Magazine

What did the Past Sound Like?

The way Maltese sounds has evolved over the decades. While written examples of Maltese have survived, records of how it was spoken are much more scarce. However, thanks to the efforts of Prof. Alexandra Vella (UM), Prof. Ray Fabri (UM) and Dr Michael Spagnol, we now have the opportunity to hear firsthand what Maltese sounded like 60 years ago!

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Ilħna mill-imgħoddi

Kaxxi fuq kaxxi, miksijin bl-għabra, jistennew is-sekondiera tagħmel ir-ronda tagħha. Is-sekondi jsiru minuti. Isiru sigħat. Ġranet. Xhur. Snin sħaħ. Deċennji, sewwasew.

A career fashioned in Malta

Heidi Ruggier wanted to study film. Today she’s president and founder of Toronto-based public relations company Matte PR, advisor with Ryerson University’s School of Fashion programme, and mentor with Toronto Fashion Incubator. In her world, that’s a perfectly logical outcome. Words by Cassi Camilleri.

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Hidden treasures in the waste

Using fish waste could reduce overfishing

Processing fish and seafood is wasteful. Malta’s researchers join a collaborative project which brings academic institutions, governmental entities, and SMEs together to reduce that waste. Dr Alexia Massa-Gallucci and Manya Russo from AquaBioTech Group tell the story.

circular economy fish

Science alone cannot save your fertility

Fertility is decreasing worldwide as people have children later in life. Prof. Jean Calleja Agius wants to engage youths to understand reproductive physiology, fertility care, and its preservation.

Ghost in the shell

In 1947, excavation works exposed a new type of pottery in a burial site outside Żebbuġ, Malta. Like many other antique pots, the find contains foraminifers – single-celled organisms living in shells. Dr Ing. John Charles Betts and Dr Catriona Brogan write about how these creatures can unlock the secrets of the Neolithic era.

Ten years of jellyfish spotting

The unpalatable reputation of jellyfish as nasty stingers (although few are) can impact tourism. Prof. Alan Deidun writes about how jellyfish capture the collective imagination: their grace and beauty, their power station-stopping capabilities, and how scientists can learn from children.

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Conservationists’ hide-and-seek with seabirds

The Maltese Archipelago hosts nocturnal open seafaring pelagic birds. They have perfected their hiding methods on the rocks, which is great for their survival, but a challenge for researchers. Dilek Sahin writes.

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Better information for smarter decisions

Information alone rarely changes behaviour. Fossil fuel cars are no exception. Dr Thérèse Bajada (Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, University of Malta) searches for an optimal mix of facts and emotions to engage people on their mobility choices.

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Pandemic breather

Barely two weeks of the coronavirus lockdown measures had passed before people started posting images of cleaner waters and purified air over industrial zones; nature was healing in our absence. Some of them proved to be hoaxes, but others helped us imagine a better world. Martina Borg spoke to some of Malta’s leading researchers and environmentalists to make sense of the feel-good news.

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