Issue 20 of the University of Malta’s Think magazine is dedicated to all things water and is ready to make a splash.

It notes that water was once thought to be the original substance of all matter. While the notion may have been inaccurate, it reflected water’s integral role in sustaining life.

“Malta’s nature as an island state is reflected in the University of Malta’s (UM) research. Its culture and economy is inevitably shaped by the sea. Research topics are as diverse as biology, law, engineering and history, showing how embedded water is at UM,” it said.

The University said that it starts off by delving into measuring our seas. This effort is spearheaded by Prof. Aldo Drago and his team. Short and long-term changes in the Mediterranean are being recorded and shared with the shipping industry, researchers and the public – the sea is safer for it.

Prof. Raymond Ellul highlights the fact that Malta’s health is facing another threat. Prof. Ellul and his team at the Giordan lighthouse in Gozo have determined the gross pollution spewed by ships travelling through the Mediterranean.

Prof. Ellul gives the lowdown on the predicaments, predictions, measurements and solutions in the hopes of curbing potentially severe problems for the Maltese Islands.

Going beneath the blue, Dr Timmy Gambin discusses our hidden cultural heritage. Think magazine shows that his plan is to map Malta’s rich seabed and manage as many of the submerged historic sites as possible.

Other research at the UM is as varied as ever. The magazine gives examples such as the Institute of Digital Games, researchers, who are delving into philosophical conundrums through games. “Do you know what soup is? I wouldn’t be so sure.”

Another example is by Dr Sarah Grech who wonders if multilingualism in Malta muddies the waters of clear and complete communication, or whether this linguistic dexterity facilitates freer expression.

Think Issue 20 also contains articles on solar-powered vehicles, virtual reality, culture, art and equipment, including two interviews, one with Maltese 3D-printing gurus Thought3D, the other with culture guru Lisa Gwen Baldacchino.

Think, the University of Malta’s research magazine, can be picked up for free in newsagents around Malta and Gozo and in Agenda bookstores, it is available online at www.um.edu.mt/think, on Issuu www.issuu.com/thinkuni or liked on Facebook.

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