10 selected Research Luxembourg results – September 2026

27 October 2026

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Luxembourg News in Science & Research

How can Luxembourg’s vineyards be protected from climate change? And what has been the impact of free public transport? Here is the latest science news from the Grand Duchy.

This article was originally in French and German on science.lu

Faced with drought, researchers test new ways to protect vineyards

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Techonology (LIST)

How can vineyards withstand increasingly frequent and prolonged periods of drought? This is the question being investigated by LIST and the Luxembourg Institute of Viticulture (IVV) as part of the DryVineyard project.

This year’s drought has caused severe water stress. Not all vines respond in the same way: older vines planted in deep soils generally have greater water reserves available to them than younger vines or those growing in rocky soils. To help vineyards adapt, researchers are testing several solutions: soil management techniques to improve water retention, more drought-resistant rootstocks (the lower part of a vine onto which the grape-producing variety is grafted), and planting trees between vine rows. Trees provide shade and cool the plots, but they also compete with vines for water and nutrients.

Climate change is making weather conditions more unpredictable and extreme, with dry periods alternating with very wet seasons. Scientists are therefore seeking to identify combinations of solutions suited to each vineyard, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Press Release

Practical recommendations to better support and protect young AI users

University of Luxembourg (ULIDE)

How can children and teenagers be prepared for a world where AI is increasingly present? A report by ULIDE (Institute for Digital Ethics) focusing on young people in Luxembourg shows that AI is now part of learning, social media, video games and online relationships. The challenge is to guide its use while protecting independent thinking and mental well-being. Launched in 2025, ULIDE studies the social and ethical challenges of AI.

Researchers highlight both the benefits of AI, such as supporting learning and reducing loneliness, and its serious risks: misinformation, dependence on chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude, personal data collection, manipulation, deepfakes and weakened critical thinking. They recommend six priorities: integrating AI literacy into education and prevention programmes; equipping teachers and parents with practical tools; strengthening reporting and support systems; involving young people in decision-making; developing ethical standards; and basing public policy on ongoing scientific evaluation.

The broader goal is to make AI a tool that young people can use safely and responsibly, rather than a threat.
Press Release

Free public transport in Luxembourg: significant social benefits, but little impact on traffic congestion

Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)

Can free public transport really reduce car dependency? According to a LISER Policy Brief, the policy delivers mainly social benefits, while its impact on car use and traffic congestion remains limited.

Six years ago, Luxembourg became the first country in the world to make public transport free nationwide. The study finds that between 2020 and 2023, the share of people using a car daily fell from 34.5% to 29.9%, while bus and train use increased. However, public transport often complements rather than replaces car travel. Free services do make it easier to access work, leisure and cultural activities, particularly for young people, unemployed individuals and lower-income households.

The report concludes that free public transport can promote social inclusion, but must be combined with other measures to achieve lasting reductions in car use.
Press Release

Luxembourg’s industrial output falls by 5% in the first half of 2026

STATEC

Luxembourg’s economy experienced a mixed start to 2026, according to a recent STATEC report. Industrial output fell by around 5% in the first half of the year, significantly more than in the euro area. The decline was particularly sharp in the manufacture of metal products (-24%) and steel production (-13%). Industrial employment has also fallen since 2023, with nearly 1,100 manufacturing jobs lost, although employment has tended to stabilise since 2025.

The construction sector is also feeling the effects of the crisis, with around 4,700 fewer employees than at the end of 2022. Rising energy prices are another concern: over two weeks, diesel prices increased by €0.30 per litre, petrol by €0.17 and heating oil by €0.29.

Despite these challenges, some indicators remain stable. STATEC forecasts GDP growth of 1.2% in 2026

Luxembourg relies heavily on foreign workers

STATEC

What do the latest STATEC figures reveal about how Luxembourg is changing? The country now has 691,000 inhabitants, up from 365,000 in 1981. This growth is accompanied by considerable diversity: foreign nationals account for 47% of the population in 2026. Luxembourg also remains heavily reliant on foreign workers, with 223,000 cross-border workers in 2025, nearly 125,000 of whom live in France.

On the social front, median disposable income reached €4,170 per month in 2025, while the at-risk-of-poverty rate stood at 14%.

This annual STATEC publication brings together key indicators to help explain the country’s demographic, social, economic and environmental changes.

One in four migrants returns home: an opportunity for local economies, with the right support

Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)

What if return migration could help develop migrants’ countries of origin? A new LISER Policy Brief finds that around one in four migration journeys ends in a return home, bringing resources that can benefit local communities, including savings, skills gained abroad and international networks.

However, these returns do not always translate into economic or social gains. Their impact depends in part on the support available to returning migrants. The report recommends simplifying business creation, improving access to credit so returnees can invest their savings, and better recognising professional skills acquired abroad. Crucially, returnees and local communities should be involved in designing policies that affect them.

With the right policies, return migration can turn experience gained abroad into a driver of development in countries of origin.
Press Release

Study reveals how brain tumours suppress the immune system

Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL)

How does glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, evade the body’s defences? A study by LIH in collaboration with CHL shows that glioblastoma not only alters the tumour environment but also reprogrammes certain immune cells circulating in the blood.

Researchers identified an immune signature – a set of characteristics indicating a particular immune response – in patients with glioblastoma. Monocytes, blood-circulating cells involved in immune defence, are pathologically reprogrammed, potentially contributing to tumour progression. Other immune cell populations decline, suggesting a broader disruption of the immune system.

These findings could help guide the development of new immunotherapies. However, further research is needed to determine whether this immune signature is specific to glioblastoma.
Press release

New book explores how European law can adapt to the rise of artificial intelligence

University of Luxembourg (FDEF)

A new book on artificial intelligence and European law, produced in collaboration with researchers from the University of Luxembourg’s Department of Law, examines how European rules can keep pace with the rapid growth of AI.

The book explores practical applications, including AI in tax administrations, algorithmic workforce management, data sharing between companies, access to justice through tools such as ChatGPT, fraud detection and automated contracts. It also addresses fundamental questions: Who is liable when an autonomous AI makes a decision? Could AI ever have legal status? And how can citizens’ rights be protected?

The researchers stress that AI must be accompanied by effective safeguards, clearly defined accountability and ways for citizens to challenge decisions made by AI systems.
Press Release

Working conditions affect the health of women in Luxembourg’s cleaning sector

Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)

How does working in the cleaning sector affect women’s health and well-being? This is the central question of the participatory research project WISH, whose new report examines their daily working lives and the challenges they face.

Conducted by researchers from LIH and LISER, the study gives cleaning workers a voice. Through expert interviews and collaborative workshops, the women were able to share their experiences directly. Their accounts highlight several factors that can affect their health, including work pace and workload, working hours, equipment, relationships with colleagues and management, professional recognition, and career development opportunities. These working conditions have both physical and psychological consequences.

Through this research, the team is helping to develop tailored measures to improve working conditions in the cleaning sector.

A hidden force in the quantum vacuum intrigues physicists

University of Luxembourg (FSTM)

In a recent study, physicists at the University of Luxembourg have identified an unexpected quantum interaction between atoms when they are considered as a collective system. This force is repulsive and has a surprising property: its strength decreases with the square of the distance, just like Newtonian gravity, even though its physical origin is entirely different.

The phenomenon arises from quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field that exist even in a vacuum. At the scale of a pair of atoms, the effect would be extremely weak. However, collective electron oscillations in molecules, materials or nanostructures could amplify it enough to make it measurable. The team is now investigating whether this force can be observed experimentally and how its properties might be controlled.

Through their work, the researchers are paving the way for more precise measurements of tiny forces and movements, as well as improved detection of phenomena at the atomic scale.
Press Release

Author: Diane Bertel
Editor: Lucie Zeches (FNR) ; Nicolas Stamets (Research Luxembourg)