Digital democracy to dark matter: how Horizon supports research and innovation in Poland
Poland lays claim to a long and illustrious scientific legacy. From the revolutionary insights of astronomist Nicolaus Copernicus to the pioneering discoveries of Marie Skłodowska-Curie, Polish researchers have contributed to advancements in nuclear and particle physics, medicine, virology, nutrition, economics, linguistics, and far more. Through its flagship funding programmes, most recently Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) and Horizon Europe (2021-2027), the EU has invested over EUR 2 billion across 10 000 research and industry organisations in Poland. Recipients include almost 100 acclaimed principal investigators awarded research excellence grants, and more than 280 early-career researchers accepted into the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellowship programme. The eight projects in this Pack highlight the breadth of the research supported through Horizon in Poland. They include the commercialisation of biotechnology that can turn waste methane into high-grade ecological products, the advancement of techniques to recover valuable materials from used tyres, bolstering trust in the democratic process, strengthening defence against radiological attacks, earthquake modelling, novel biological fertilisers, investigations into the nature of dark matter, and more. Together, these projects showcase the continuing importance of Poland’s contributions to science, research and innovation, and the country’s central role in tackling major challenges of our time.