Four new stamps highlighting Irish scientific discoveries made by scientists who work in pioneering research and development in Ireland have been launched by An Post.
The €1 stamps focus on studies around new forms of light, fighting superbugs, emissions absorption and predicting neonatal seizures.
They were unveiled by former president and climate justice campaigner Mary Robinson, Professor Luke O'Neill from Trinity College Dublin and the Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson, at the international Schrodinger at 75 Conference in Dublin.
The stamps were developed by An Post and SFI and are focused on innovative and impactful areas of academic research that are being carried out in Irish institutions.
The New Forms of Light stamp recognises the work of Dr. Kyle Ballantine, Professor John Donegan and Professor Paul Eastham at the School of Physics and AMBER SFI Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin.
They discovered a new form of light that does not follow our existing rules of angular momentum, a finding that could change our understanding of electromagnetic radiation and help to improve speed and security along fibre-optic cables.
The Fighting Superbugs stamp focuses on the discovery of a new protein complex by PhD student Fergus Collins, Professor Colin Hilland and Professor Paul Ross from the APC Microbiome Institute and Moorepark Teagasc Food Research centre.
Found in the intestines of mackerel, it can kill a wide range of harmful bacteria.
The design of new crystals by Professor Mike Zaworotko, Director of the SSPC SFI research Centre and Bernal Chair is the topic of the Emissions Absorption stamp.
The materials can perform a specific function based on a specific need including the absorption of harmful gases.
The final stamp, called Neonatal Seizures, is around research by scientists Professor Geraldine Boylan, Professor Liam Marnane, Dr Andrey Temko and Dr Gordon Lightbody at the INFANT Research Centre at University College Cork.
Seizures in babies are very difficult to detect, as there may be no obvious outward signs, making intervention and treatment very difficult.
The only accurate tool for diagnosing seizures is Electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring - a measure of electrical brain activity.
But the INFANT team has developed a tool that uses artificial intelligence to read the electrical impulses and warn staff when intervention is required.