As cities face growing climate and biodiversity challenges, EU-funded researchers are harnessing the power of nature to create greener, healthier and more resilient urban spaces. By Ali Jones In an industrial quarter outside Buenos Aires, a hummingbird hovers over a vibrant bed of plants and flowers. Two years ago, the area was a stretch of … Read more
EU-funded researchers are exploring the role of architecture in designing living spaces that harness the healing power of nature to improve the health and well-being of urban populations. By Bárbara Pinho Dr Carmen García Sánchez likes to ride her bike in the Danish countryside. That is how she first discovered how closely post-war Danish architecture … Read more
EU-funded researchers are accelerating the rollout of self-driving trucks on public roads to solve driver shortages and improve safety and sustainability in Europe’s logistics sector. By Bárbara Pinho In the not-so-distant future, unusual looking cargo vehicles – sporting large black windscreens and with no human driver behind the wheel – could become a common sight … Read more
Crops like chickpeas, fava beans, lentils and quinoa could help make Europe’s food systems more environmentally friendly and sustainable. By Michael Allen On Marianne Mulhall’s organic dairy farm in southeast Ireland, the winter wheat crop is looking better than usual. By spring, it is often a bit yellow and withered, a sign that it is … Read more
EU-funded researchers have developed adaptable robots that could transform the way we recycle electronic waste, benefiting both the environment and the economy. By Kaja Šeruga Just outside the historic German town of Goslar, a sprawling industrial complex receives an endless stream of discarded electronics. On arrival, this electronic waste is laboriously prepared for recycling. Electrocycling … Read more
EU-funded researchers are developing a smarter system of sustainable cooling, replacing toxic refrigerants with safer, more efficient and recyclable metals. By Kaja Šeruga As a young engineering student contemplating the direction of his doctoral research, Jaka Tušek knew he wanted to push the boundaries of science. “I wanted to work on breakthroughs, tackle something new … Read more