The Nobel Prize in Chemistry – for a breakthrough in the study of proteins

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 10, 2024

A discovery in the field of proteins earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The discovery solves one of the most difficult problems in biology and could be used to create drugs and vaccines. Honorees were David Baker and Demis Hassabis. Both work for London-based research lab Google DeepMind, a division of Google. Professor John Jumper also received part of the award.

KEY FACTS

David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their scientists’ research into the structure of proteins. The prize is worth SEK 11 million ($1.1 million).
Demis Hassabis is one of the founders of DeepMind. John Jumper led the development of the protein prediction software AlphaFold, and David Baker is a professor at the University of Washington.
Half of the prize was awarded to Baker “for computational protein design,” and the other half was split between Hassabis and Jumper “for protein structure prediction,” the academy said.
Proteins are the building blocks of life and are found in every cell of the human body. The discovery solves one of the most difficult problems in biology and could be used to create drugs and vaccines.
This is the third prize awarded this year. Yesterday, the Nobel laureates in physics were announced, and the day before that, discoveries in medicine were honored.

IMPORTANT QUOTE

“The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is dedicated to proteins – the ingenious chemical weapons of life. David Baker has achieved the almost impossible feat of creating entirely new types of proteins. Demis Hassabis and John Jumper have developed an artificial intelligence model to solve a 50-year-old problem: predicting the complex structures of proteins. These discoveries have enormous potential,” the Nobel Committee said.

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KEY STORY

The Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded on Monday. The prize went to the discoverers of micro RNA and its role in gene regulation. Yesterday, the distinction for physics went to scientists who made discoveries that give more opportunities to machine learning. John Hopfield of Princeton University and Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto were honored for their pioneering work on artificial neural networks, which underpin much of modern artificial intelligence.

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EU Farm Output Prices Decline For The First Time In Nine Months

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 12, 2026

EU Market Adjustments Signal New Price Trends

Agricultural output prices across the European Union declined in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a shift after several quarters of increases. Data from Eurostat shows that farm gate prices fell by 1.9% compared with the same period in 2024.

Crisis of Declining Prices In Select Markets

Cyprus recorded one of the more notable decreases in agricultural input costs among EU member states, with prices falling by 2.6% compared with Q4 2024. The reduction eased cost pressures for the local agricultural sector following periods of higher prices earlier in 2025. Across the EU, prices for goods and services consumed in agriculture remained relatively stable. Non-investment inputs such as energy, fertilisers and feedingstuffs showed limited overall changes during the quarter.

Country-Specific Divergence In Price Movements

Eurostat data highlights considerable variation across member states. Fifteen EU countries recorded declines in agricultural output prices. Belgium registered the largest decrease at 12.9%, followed by Lithuania (8.2%) and Germany (6.0%). At the same time, twelve countries reported increases in output prices. Ireland recorded the strongest rise at 6.8%, followed by Slovenia (5.6%) and Malta (4.2%).

Stability In Agricultural Inputs Amid Commodity Shifts

Agricultural input prices also showed mixed developments. Eleven member states recorded declines, including Cyprus (2.6%), Belgium (2.1%) and Sweden (2.0%). Other countries experienced moderate increases, including Lithuania (4.2%), Ireland (3.3%) and Romania (2.5%). Among major agricultural commodities, milk prices declined by 4.1% while cereal prices fell by 8.9% across the EU. In contrast, fertilisers and soil improvers increased by 7.9%, reflecting continued volatility in input markets.

Outlook For EU Agriculture

The latest Eurostat data points to uneven price developments across the EU agricultural sector. While input prices remained broadly stable in many markets, movements in output prices varied significantly between member states. These trends highlight the need for farmers and policymakers to adapt to shifting commodity prices and changing cost structures across the European agricultural market.