Skip to main menu 17.04.25 NEWS ... A new basic school for more than 400 students is set to open next September in the fast-growing village of Tiskre, just outside Tallinn, with construction set to begin in the coming weeks.
17.04.25 NEWS ... Although the incidence and mortality rates of heart disease in Estonia have significantly declined over the past ten and even twenty years, approximately 7,500 people still die prematurely each year. One of the key factors in heart disease is cholesterol.
17.04.25 NEWS ... A new study highlights the diverse values and identities of Estonia's Russian-speaking youth, who place greater emphasis on achievement, career success, validation and material well-being. Those with stronger Estonian skills are also more likely to be engaged in Estonian society and its information space.
15.04.25 NEWS ... The number of families in Tallinn seeking to enroll their children in Estonian-language schools has grown, while fewer students are applying to former Russian-language schools transitioning to Estonian instruction. According to Tallinn Deputy Mayor Aleksei Jašin (Eesti 200), this trend is especially noticeable in the Haabersti and Lasnamäe districts.
15.04.25 NEWS ... Excessive use of headphones and listening at high volumes can cause hearing loss among middle school graduates, according to a study conducted for the first time among Estonian students.
15.04.25 NEWS ... For the brain to function normally, it needs a protein called BDNF. Low levels of this protein have been linked to depression, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. A recent discovery by scientists could help lead to the development of future medications that prompt the brain to start producing it on command.
14.04.25 NEWS ... Four high schools in Tallinn that organize joint entrance exams for high school candidates require applicants to disclose their school preferences and limit applications to certain academic tracks. Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise argues this violates the law.
14.04.25 NEWS ... Blood centers are constantly in need of new donors, but one recurring issue is keeping more Estonians from donating — low hemoglobin levels, usually caused by iron deficiency.
11.04.25 NEWS ... Marketing exotic bird chicks requires determining their sex, but this can only be done in a genetics lab. Until now, hobby farmers in Estonia have sent genetic samples off to labs across Europe for testing. Now, a bird farm in Võru County plans to set up its own genetics lab to handle the process.
10.04.25 NEWS ... The cormorant, a large seabird, is not the invasive species or greedy glutton that destroys fish stocks as sometimes portrayed. Instead, it is an effective check on the round goby, an invasive species now found in Estonian waters, ornithologist Kaarel Võhandu said.
09.04.25 NEWS ... In recent years, wind turbine development meetings in local communities across Estonia have become heated. However, many of the same people show up to discussions across the country. ETV's "Impulss" looked at who these traveling protestors are and what they do.
09.04.25 RESEARCH-EDUCATION ... While many Estonians associate the country's manors with beautiful architecture and landscaping, Associate Professor Kristina Jõekalda and Professor Linda Kaljundi, both of the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), have compiled a book on the phenomenon that stresses the historical complexity of manors.
08.04.25 NEWS ... Estonia's schools should retain the right to decide whether or not to give pupils behavior and due diligence grades, says Estonian Association of Teachers board member Heiki Haljasorg. Mari-Liis Sultsi, director of Tallinn Art High School, if teachers are given extra responsibilities, the change should also be reflected their salaries. According to the Ministry of Education, the current evaluation system is outdated.
07.04.25 NEWS ... Hundreds of wind turbines are already operating in Estonia and the oldest has been running for several decades. But what happens to the parts when a turbine reaches the end of its life cycle?
05.04.25 NEWS ... The Ministry of Education and Research wants to amend the Language Act to officially include Southern Estonian languages in the region's school schedules — a change the Võro Institute has been advocating for decades. The hope is that the amendment will lead to the emergence of more teachers for smaller languages.
05.04.25 NEWS ... Starting this fall, Tartu Tamme High School, in cooperation with the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ), will offer its high school students a veterinary studies track. Estonia continues to face a significant shortage of veterinarians, and through this collaboration, the university hopes to attract future vet school students.
04.04.25 NEWS ... This week, Tallinn Zoo welcomed its third and fourth polar bears, with sisters Skadi and Kaja arriving from Rostock Zoo in Germany on Wednesday. The two newest arrivals made their debut in the Polarium the next day.
04.04.25 NEWS ... Vocational education in Estonia will become partially paid starting September 1, charging tuition for students who have already completed higher education or recently graduated from vocational school.
03.04.25 NEWS ... Two polar bear sisters arrived at Tallinn Zoo on Wednesday and are quickly adjusting to their new home. Chief veterinarian Aleksandr Semjonov noted that while other zoos in warmer regions have had to give up the species, Estonia's favorable climate allows the zoo to currently care for four female polar bears.
02.04.25 NEWS ... U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers recovered an armored vehicle that had sunk into a bog on Monday. Former lake basins and drained bogs may appear to be solid ground but can in fact be deep and unstable, an Estonian geologist says.
02.04.25 OPINION ... The defining issue for society in the next century will likely be managing massive climate-driven migration, involving hundreds of millions of people. The green transition is expensive — but failing to carry it out will cost many times more, writes Kalle Olli.
02.04.25 NEWS ... From April 4 to May 2, traffic will be closed overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on a section of Astangu tänav in Tallinn's Haabersti to ensure a safe migration route for frogs heading to nearby ponds to spawn.
01.04.25 NEWS ... Although Estonian may seem like a minor language, it ranks among the top 5 percent of the most spoken languages in the world. According to a linguist, this is remarkable — just like the fact that it is possible to receive a higher education in the national language in Estonia.
01.04.25 NEWS ... A recent study indicates that large amounts of microplastics and various additives released during plastic degradation are entering Estonian soil through sewage sludge used in landscaping and agriculture.
01.04.25 NEWS ... If the state pushes forward the development of the applied research center Metrosert but leaves engineering researchers at the technical university in increasingly poor conditions, it is fertilizing the branch that bears the apple while at the same time sawing through the trunk of the apple tree, said TalTech Vice-Rector Erik Puura.
31.03.25 NEWS ... Countries along the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, including Estonia, may experience more flooding in the future. Researchers say one of the most at-risk areas is the Pärnu region, where a combination of strong winds and high water levels could lead to widespread flooding.
31.03.25 NEWS ... Good architecture should combine beauty and practicality. Among Estonian buildings, the Viru Center is often considered the ugliest. In contrast, the beauty of the Riigikogu building and the Estonia Theater is rarely questioned, experts Tiina Meeri and Risto Vähi find.
28.03.25 NEWS ... The first round of coalition talks on education and research policy took place on Friday, during which it was agreed, among other things, that a student's first degree at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels should remain tuition-free.
28.03.25 NEWS ... Sudden downpours are becoming more intense in Estonia, research shows. Experts believe that urban water systems should seek to imitate nature, for example, by creating controlled flood zones.
26.03.25 NEWS ... If you ever find yourself at a quiz where you're asked which country in Europe has the largest phosphate rock reserves, you can confidently answer: Estonia. "Impulss" explored what Estonia's phosphate rock is and how it could be used in the future.
25.03.25 NEWS ... On Saturday (March 29) around midday, a large portion of the Northern Hemisphere's population will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. From Estonia, the Moon will cover up to 16 percent of the Sun's diameter.
25.03.25 NEWS ... For about a decade, the prevailing view in the media has been that single mothers were not shunned in Estonian villages. However, a new study by Estonian researchers, based on a variety of archival sources, suggests the opposite.
24.03.25 NEWS ... A month ago, President Alar Karis announced the AI Leap (TI-hüpe), which will introduce artificial intelligence into schools this fall to explore how it can be used purposefully. But what are education institutes planning to do?
20.03.25 NEWS ... A working group at the University of Tartu's School of Theology and Religious Studies has begun work on a new Estonian-language translation of the Bible. The aim is to complete the new translation within ten years.
20.03.25 NEWS ... Due to the relatively mild winter, the spring flood period may not materialize, experts have said. This means that the newly arrived spring could turn out to be prone to drought, and so negatively impact farmers growing spring crops.
17.03.25 NEWS ... A recent study indicates that the feeding areas of white-tailed eagles and cormorants in the Baltic Sea overlap. Both species hunt fish, but the white-tailed eagle also preys on water birds, including cormorants.
17.03.25 NEWS ... Climate change is affecting the Baltic Sea and every winter less ice coverage forms. When there is less ice, the waves become stronger.
17.03.25 NEWS ... The principals of several smaller Estonian high schools say that the annual school rankings published by daily Postimees based on data from the Education and Youth Board (Harno) provide an incomplete view of things, undermining the true value of the work done within their communities.
16.03.25 NEWS ... The Baltic Sea, which has been used as a trade route for centuries and has been at the center of numerous wars, is a unique place in the world, according to marine archaeologist and diver Ivar Treffner. It holds an immense number of well-preserved shipwrecks.
16.03.25 NEWS ... This week, a new technology was tested in Jõgisoo, Harju County, as part of a nearly €1.3 million research project. Using cosmic radiation and artificial intelligence, the technology aims to assess the technical condition of bridges without the need for destructive testing.
14.03.25 NEWS ... Final exams at Estonia's basic schools will be held two months earlier this year to reduce the need for separate high school entrance exams. The Education and Youth Board (Harno) plans to roll out e-exams in 2027, however the math e-exam will take longer to develop.
11.03.25 NEWS ... Butterflies in early March are a rare sight even for entomologists, but recent warm weather in Estonia has already drawn out the first brimstone and small tortoiseshell butterflies of the year — and some lucky folks have already spotted them.
10.03.25 NEWS ... This year, Estonia's Ministry of Education and Research has allocated small school support to 18 local governments for the operation of 27 schools.
05.03.25 NEWS ... In the cultural discussion program "Kultuuristuudio. Arutelu," Academician Jaak Aaviksoo stated that language development should be focused on areas where it spreads, takes root and thrives.
27.02.25 NEWS ... Bilingual toddlers often use two languages within a single sentence. While this mode of expression is often looked down upon in society, it is actually the child's attempt to communicate more precisely at a time when they are not yet able to do so more effectively. As they grow older, their tendency to code-switch diminishes.
26.02.25 NEWS ... On Friday at dusk, those with a telescope and a keen eye may be able to spot all the planets of the Solar System at once, from Mercury to Neptune.
26.02.25 NEWS ... Many may wonder why some conductors wave their arms enthusiastically while others barely move. Interviews with conductors and orchestra musicians reveal that today's conductors must increasingly consider their orchestra's needs when choosing a conducting technique.
25.02.25 NEWS ... Young specialists who have earned a doctoral degree say it has generally been beneficial in their professional lives and has not caused any drawbacks. Rather than valuing the prestigious title itself, they place greater importance on the analytical and project management skills acquired during their studies.
25.02.25 NEWS ... On September 1, 2025, Estonia will launch the TI-Hüpe (AI- Leap) educational program in partnership between both the public and private sectors, The program will provide Estonian school students and teachers with free access to AI learning applications and has an annual budget of €6.5 million.
21.02.25 NEWS ... This week, Tallinn Secondary School of Science terminated its employment relationship with teacher and education director Madis Somelar, who, according to daily Postimees, sent inappropriate messages to a student at the high school. A criminal case was not initiated.