05.03.26 NEWS ... A new study finds Ukrainian refugee kids who began learning Estonian in school in 2022 caught up quickly to their local non-native speaking peers, even starting from scratch.

05.03.26 NEWS ... Although everyday activities of Estonia's residents are becoming increasingly digital, high-speed cable internet has not reached everyone's doorstep. Settlements with fast internet access have a higher average income per person than elsewhere, according to a study by Estonian geographers.

05.03.26 NEWS ... A forestry worker in Lääne-Viru County filmed the rare sight of a lynx bringing down a roe deer, then going on to consume it, Maaleht reported.

04.03.26 NEWS ... Doctors at Tallinn Children's Hospital found in a study published nearly a decade ago that most obese elementary school children suffer from serious health disorders. According to endocrinologist Ülle Einberg, the situation has not improved much in the meantime and Estonia's food environment for children needs rapid change.

04.03.26 NEWS ... The Ministry of Education plans to begin teaching by 2030 at the latest in the new building of the Tõnismägi State High School in Tallinn, which will be built on Endla tänav next to the National Library.

04.03.26 OPINION ... References to "scientific consensus" should cease in situations where our knowledge is in fact incomplete. Estonia's public institutions must improve the quality of research and ensure greater political independence in decision-making on both energy and medical issues, writes Argo Rosin.

04.03.26 NEWS ... The LGBTIQ+ community is seen as the most hated target in the context of political violence, according to Estonia's youth, a recent study found.

03.03.26 NEWS ... A prolonged cold spell has come to an abrupt end and the first above-freezing temperatures of spring have set both maple sap and insects in motion. ERR looked into whether spring has truly arrived for the plant and insect worlds.

02.03.26 NEWS ... Although e-cigarettes are often considered safer than conventional cigarettes, their vapor still poisons lung cells and causes epigenetic changes in tissues, as well as entirely new diseases. According to doctors, the widespread use of vaping among young people, combined with other lifestyle factors, will lead to an explosive increase in the burden of cancer on society in the coming decades.

02.03.26 NEWS ... Rapid changes in society leave a direct mark on young people's metabolism. Researchers at the University of Tartu studied the health of two otherwise similar generations and unexpectedly found that slimmer young people in the younger generation developed higher blood sugar levels.

02.03.26 NEWS ... The Ministry of Education and Research wants to use paid master's programs to create more flexibility and bring private funding into higher education. Universities say there is no need to fear that one-year programs will begin to replace traditional free studies.

01.03.26 NEWS ... Ice coverage in the Baltic Sea is quickly receding as the temperature warms up, says Rivo Uiboupin, professor at the Institute of Marine Systems at TalTech.

28.02.26 NEWS ... Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable tool in Estonian hospitals, aiding both stroke and radiation therapy treatment while saving doctors hours of valuable time. At the same time, the new technology brings false alarms and added responsibilities and runs up against the country's e-state data challenges.

26.02.26 NEWS ... Social media and digital culture shape Estonian schoolboys' beauty ideals more than expected, often promoting unattainable, even absurd standards, writes EBS researcher Mehruba Shabaab Haque.

26.02.26 NEWS ... Academic freedom is in very good shape at Estonian universities, incoming Tallinn University rector Priit Reiska tells ERR in an interview, adding that maintaining that freedom depends on preserving the distinct profiles of universities.

25.02.26 NEWS ... The University of Tartu will create a mussel farm in Haapsalu Bay that will help improve the rundown condition of the coastal area.

23.02.26 NEWS ... As it shifts fully to Estonian, an Ida-Viru County vocational school is ending its Russian-language continuing education programs, despite state funding that remains for them.

23.02.26 NEWS ... Estonia is extending vocational programs to four years and boosting their general education component, giving students a stronger foundation to continue into higher education.

23.02.26 NEWS ... The only intestinal simulator in Estonia has arrived at the Estonian University of Life Sciences and researchers plan to use it to test health-beneficial compounds from food by-products.

21.02.26 NEWS ... A new dedicated drone academy is set to open this fall at Tallinn University of Applied Sciences (TTK). Director Ott Pärna believes all students should receive drone training.

21.02.26 NEWS ... Estonian universities are increasingly offering students the option of passing a final exam instead of writing a thesis in order to obtain a master's degree. Some see this as a practical solution, while others believe graduates may not acquire sufficient professional skills.

20.02.26 NEWS ... Winter weather can feel colder than it is. Also called wind chill, "feels like" temperatures factor in moisture, body heat loss and wind, an Estonian meteorologist explains.

20.02.26 NEWS ... The antics of a large dog on the women's cross-country sprint finish straight at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics have brought the breed a lot of global attention.

20.02.26 NEWS ... Estonia's Education and Youth Board (Harno) is holding trial e-exams in March and April to test schools and a new online system ahead of next year's full rollout.

19.02.26 NEWS ... The Ministry of Education's updated guidelines on school financing say parents should not have to pay for materials or equipment deemed necessary to fulfill the curriculum. Schools say this raises questions about where to draw the line.

19.02.26 NEWS ... A large share of waste is biological in origin and therefore suitable as food for bacteria. As part of his doctoral research, a materials scientist at the University of Tartu created so-called 3D-printed hotels from hydrogel for microbes. There, they can live and function — and in the process upcycle waste — without interference from the external environment.

18.02.26 NEWS ... ERR posed questions about the Estonian language and culture to five of the most popular large language models and compiled a ranking based on their responses. Grok provided the sharpest answers, while Estonian researchers are also satisfied with the performance of a model trained specifically on Estonian-language material.

17.02.26 NEWS ... According to Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200), the government has no plans to stop providing free higher education in Estonian.

17.02.26 NEWS ... The Baltic Sea's water level has dropped significantly since the start of the year as high-pressure systems and easterly winds have pushed seawater into the North Sea. In the long term, however, this is expected to have a positive effect as oxygen-rich water flowing back from the North Sea will significantly improve the Baltic Sea's ecosystem.

16.02.26 NEWS ... The current cold snap has often brought the hardy out for a spot of winter swimming, if social media is anything to go by.

15.02.26 NEWS ... The Education and Youth Board (Harno) is discussing the possibility of using artificial intelligence to grade mother tongue final language exams in the future with Tallinn University.

13.02.26 NEWS ... Estonia's Annual Museum Awards were presented in Rakvere Thursday night, spotlighting standout exhibitions, research and community work across the country.

12.02.26 NEWS ... Teen crime peaks in the afternoon and evening, but accessible after-school programs can significantly reduce that risk, Estonia's 2026 Human Development Report finds.

12.02.26 NEWS ... Riding a self-driving bus can be scary, but in Estonia, a recent doctoral thesis shows hands-on experience and clear rules help passengers feel safer and more willing to ride.

12.02.26 NEWS ... Tallinn University's (TLÜ) new rector says he supports the continuation of a higher education which is free to all.

10.02.26 NEWS ... A study conducted last year reveals a significant shift in the digital habits of young people in Estonia: artificial intelligence is increasingly being used not just as a learning tool, but also as a conversational partner.

10.02.26 NEWS ... Many residents of Ida-Viru County are currently expected to both retrain in a new profession and transition to Estonian-language education at the same time. A recent study shows that this dual pressure is making vocational training and retraining inaccessible for many, potentially leaving some local residents excluded from both the labor market and the education system altogether.

05.02.26 NEWS ... Researchers at the University of Tartu's Institute of Physics have developed a new technique to improve the quality of three-dimensional images. The method allows computational imaging systems to increase the depth of field of holograms — the portion that appears in focus — by up to five times after the fact.

04.02.26 NEWS ... Mental health care is no longer accessible to many Estonians due to a shortage of free psychiatry appointments. Mental health apps may offer initial support, but they are no substitute for a real psychologist.

04.02.26 NEWS ... When thinking of protests, what often comes to mind is the image of demonstrations, slogans and angry chants. However, a recently defended doctoral dissertation on protest culture shows that protest is not merely a political act of resistance, but a broader cultural phenomenon — a way for society to interpret, express and transform itself.

04.02.26 NEWS ... There is no comprehensive overview of how bats wintering in Estonia are faring as national monitoring does not extend to the basements of private homes. To fill in these gaps, researchers are asking residents for help.

03.02.26 NEWS ... Estonia's new nationwide school admissions system, SAIS3, is behind schedule, forcing 9th graders to apply to vocational and high schools this spring using older platforms.

03.02.26 NEWS ... Stereotypes about groups like arrogant Mulks and jokester Hiiu islanders don't hold up: a unique study of 80,000 Estonians found personalities remarkably similar nationwide.

03.02.26 NEWS ... Transporting critically ill newborns across the city puts lives at risk, pediatricians warn, calling for a maternity hospital next door to Tallinn Children's Hospital.

02.02.26 NEWS ... 2026 in Estonia began with a much colder, drier and sunnier January than usual, ranking among the coldest starts to the year in the past 25 years.

31.01.26 NEWS ... A 12th-century monk's slightly out of left field recommendation to treat iron with pork fat had scientific merit, University of Tartu experiments have proved.

30.01.26 NEWS ... A study based on data from the Estonian Biobank shows that previously unstudied genetic variants may slow the breakdown of medications, leading to their buildup in the body. The risk of side effects is higher for people who take multiple medications at the same time.

30.01.26 NEWS ... Although statistics confirm the undeniable warming of the climate, people's short memory and the volatility of the weather make every sharp cold snap come as a major surprise.

29.01.26 NEWS ... Estonia is moving to make school vaccinations opt-out, not opt-in, as nurses emphasize letting students have a real say in their health-related decisions.

29.01.26 NEWS ... Anthropologist Francisco Martínez hopes his new book, "The Future of Hiding," might help change perceptions about Estonia's oft-misunderstood eastern region Ida-Viru County by giving a voice to those living there, who often go unheard.