From brain maps to living bridges: the innovations set to reshape life in 2025

EU-funded researchers will continue pushing the boundaries in 2025 with advances to benefit society and the environment. © chayanuphol, Shutterstock.com

From solar energy beamed from space to genetic brain maps and live self-repairing bridges, research in 2025 is promising. And we may see more changes that make cities greener and cleaner. By Anthony King Whoever thinks research is not exciting might be in for a surprise. In 2025, we could witness genetic decoding of the … Read more

Roasting chestnuts, recycling walnuts: turning festive treats into sustainable new materials

Nut shells contain cells with unique interlocking structures that make them interesting for transformation into strong, biodegradable materials. © Elena Veselova, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are exploring how to make strong and sustainable new materials from hard-to-crack nutshells. By Jack McGovan Dr Notburga Gierlinger, an Austrian researcher specialising in the study of the structure and composition of plant materials, is particularly fascinated by nuts. Confronted with a pistachio or walnut, she would open it with caution, intrigued by … Read more

Frosty business – digging deep to uncover snow’s hidden secrets

Snow plays a major role in our climate system, but it still holds many unanswered questions. © LedyX, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are braving extreme Arctic conditions to shed light on snow’s crucial role in Earth’s climate system. By Michaela Nesvarova An average temperature of -30°C and up to 24 hours of darkness a day. Those were the working conditions for a team of EU-funded scientists who spent nine months researching snow in the Arctic. … Read more

Waste not, want not: turning food waste into fertile soil for sustainable growth

Efforts to recycle food production waste into natural fertilisers are a win-win for farmers and the environment. © LamoonfilmPhoto, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are turning food processing waste into a valuable resource, transforming discarded biomaterials into natural fertilisers. By Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro In Catalonia there are 7.7 million residents and approximately 7.9 million pigs. That’s over one pig per person. Large-scale pig farming has led to an excess of nitrogen in the soil, a problem shared … Read more

Cutting waste, not corners – how advanced lasers are shaping eco-friendly manufacturing

Improvements in laser technology could help increase sustainability in manufacturing. © OlegDoroshin, Shutterstock.com

A new generation of lasers using ultrashort bursts of light is showing great potential for the sustainable manufacturing of precision parts. By Gareth Willmer German mechanical engineer and research manager Martin Osbild is a fan of avoiding waste. At home, he would far sooner repair than replace broken household items – from washing machines to … Read more