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2019
TIPS: Europe finally gets its own payment system
The European Central Bank is offering a payment system to compete with digital services and credit card companies. European start-ups could benefit from it.
Cities: at the forefront of climate action
For centuries, cities have been laboratories for new progressive ideas. Facing climate change, they can act like pioneers for a sustainable lifestyle.
Recovering water out of thin air
Fog catchers have been providing water to people in dry, mountainous regions for decades. Due to climate change, more regions get drier, pushing the need for this technology.
The end of Moore’s law reign
Since the 1960s, Moore’s law has guided the production of processors and transistors. However, the continuous shrink of silicon chips approaches physical limits.
Solar desalination sees the light of dawn
New solar technologies promise a more sustainable way for water-starved communities to squeeze drinkable water out of the salty seas.
A new way of mapping
Artisense develops a 3D-vision technology for autonomous cars and robots to navigate effectively.
How we can save hydropower
The way we’ve historically generated energy from water is not good for the environment. Here’s how that’s changing.
Circular economy: still a long way to go
Recycling and refurbishment are still rare in Europe’s economies. Platforms like Refurbed offer a first contact to a more sustainable approach.
Four interesting ways to treat industrial wastewater
In the face of large-scale industrial water pollution, technologists are demonstrating the surprising value of wastewater.
The perils of ranking
Global lists are a key source of information for students choosing a university. But how relevant are they to the learning experience?
Watch out for
e-scooters!
They’re cheap, quick and convenient – but will the business model for e-scooter sharing hold up?
5 “green cities” lead the way
Searching for smart and sustainable solutions, they show how to curb energy use, reduce carbon emissions and create more livable spaces.
“We can revolutionise pest management”
A Danish start-up has created products that can replace chemical pesticides.
Using data to make cities greener
As politicians stall when it comes to dealing with climate change on a national level, local data-based projects are trying to reduce carbon emissions on their own doorsteps
The high value of mealworms
Ynsect is the leading manufacturer of insect-based protein. The start-up is launching its fourth funding round to build a new factory.
Extreme rain: how cities are preparing
Violent rainstorms are already more frequent, and they will only get worse. Europe’s metropolises are working on ways to protect themselves.
Start-ups: how to build a good prototype
To convince investors and customers, start-ups need to build a good prototype. How best to tackle this important step?
2018
Dealing with the plastic scourge
Society is balking at the impact of our collective plastic footprint. But some alternatives are occurring.
The battle for batteries
The European Commission wants to build a strong battery industry that can compete with Asia, but has it entered the game too late?
No super-vegetables for Europe
The gene-editing tool CRISPR could help farmers overcome the challenges of malnutrition. But European legislation has closed the door to that technology.
“Eindhoven is a clear hotspot for photonics”
How to expand an R&D company into production? The CEO of a photonics start-up explains.
Bringing tech to the farm
Technology is helping farmers feed the world. It can also make agriculture more environmentally friendly – for conventional and organic farmers alike.
Three hot hubs in Eastern Europe
Krakow, Vilnius and Moscow have become centres for dynamic starts. What do they offer?
Where does
my food come from?
Consumers want to know where their food comes from, but most of the time they still don’t know – a major problem in the event of contamination. Various solutions could make supply chains more transparent.
Finding fraudsters using genomic analysis
The Swiss startup OrphAnalytics uses genomics to detect academic fraud and authenticate documents.
10 great African innovations
From fintech to health to the environment, clever inventions are improving the lives of millions of people.
Europe’s answer to GPS
When Galileo is fully functional in 2020, it will provide the most precise navigation ever, even at the North and South Poles.
Lagos, capital of fintech
Lagos recently hosted the African Fintech Summit for the first time. The Nigerian city has all the attributes needed to become a hotbed for African fintech.
How to make threads “green”
French start-up Hopaal has found a way to recycle textiles and even plastic bottles to manufacture environmentally friendly clothing.
Welcome to Silicon Savannah
Kenya is brimming with innovation, hoping to establish a truly circular economy.
MOOCs: The challenge of Africa
Online courses can broaden access to higher education. But to help African students get jobs they should be integrated with local universities.
Riding the EdTech wave
Start-ups are moving into educational technology. Some offer university courses while others advance company training by designing video games.
The Herculean tasks of quantum computing
Forget the hype, quantum computing is still in its experimental infancy. Researchers must overcome five big challenges before real-world applications can emerge.
Fair phone vs. iPhone
The Fairphone is a smartphone built with “ethical” components. Now it hopes to compete with the iPhone.
Time to rethink the meaning of work
Automation has already eliminated numerous tasks, and now artificial intelligence will add to the carnage. Humans may have to reconsider their obsession with labour.
Meet Celonis, Munich’s first unicorn
Munich-based start-up Celonis helps companies refine their everyday processes.
Getting in on the game
Increasingly, organisations are using entertaining ways to train and motivate their employees.
How AI threatens white-collar jobs
In the beginning, technology eliminated many clerical tasks. Now the danger is extending to positions that require a high level of skill.
The turbulent world of technological unemployment
Labour-saving advances usually increase both jobs and wages, but the unequal path of change can cause major friction.
At the cutting edge of language tech
European universities and start-ups are developing translation tools that have become popular the world over.
Drone Ranger
Michael Linden-Vørnle hopes to turn Denmark into a leader.
Patrolling Europe’s low-altitude airspace
How do you keep the skies from becoming a giant, noisy, dangerous cloud of drones? Manufacturers and regulators are working on the answers.
Europe’s battle for more innovation impact
How can European countries become leaders of innovation? Two experts discuss the continent’s weaknesses and possibilities.
The race for flying cars
Everyone from Airbus to Uber is interested. They could be part of the urban landscape in the next decade.
Europe’s drone opportunity
China may have a corner on the recreational market, and the US on military uses, but Europe is poised to find its own niche.
Drones designed like bugs
Hundreds of millions of years of evolution have given insects the ability to fly efficiently and robustly. Roboticists are taking note.
Managing the new world of transport
Anticipating a decline in car ownership, start-ups like Bestmile and Amber plan to power seamless on-demand services.
The race for rail-on-demand
Flexible railway systems can offer cheaper and faster transport in greater quantities. Their potential is most promising in freight handling.
In the driver’s seat for high-speed trains
Even as concepts like Hyperloop emerge, European leadership is not in danger.
Data scientist: the sexiest job
These modern-day alchemists spin masses of raw data into gold. Here are four reasons to become one.
Hyperloop: the doubts persist
Elon Musk’s dream of a train that can travel at 1,200 km/h faces serious unresolved engineering challenges.
Hyperloop: why it can work
Recent tests have shown the viability of the futuristic train. But does this mean we will have a new mode of transportation any time soon?
Making labour less laborious
Childbirth may be the most important event in a mother’s life, but it can also be the most traumatic. Technology can help.
Putting people back at the heart of banking
With robo-advisors and improved regulation, machine learning could make financial systems friendlier and more rewarding.
The financial repairman
By providing regulators with better tools, Mathieu Rosenbaum hopes to create healthier markets.
The debate over C-sections
The procedure has advantages as well as downsides. Science can help mothers decide what is best for them.
CRISPR scissors editing embryos
Genetic engineering is developing on human embryos, raising both hopes and ethical concerns.
Plastics under fire
As environmental pressure increases, industry is responding with innovative products made from organic sources and more responsible use of plastics derived from petroleum.
Cryopreservation: a new miracle?
Women who want to delay their pregnancies can now freeze their eggs effectively and safely. But success is not guaranteed.
Europe’s shortage of children
Births are falling across the continent – although not in France. Why do women working in tech have fewer kids? And why are there more premature births?
“We’ll be thankful for all the progress in healthcare”
Physician, businessman and writer, France’s Laurent Alexandre brings a range of perspectives to the challenges posed by such new technologies as artificial intelligence.
The technology that helps women get pregnant
Swiss start-up Ava’s wristband collects data on fertility. The goal: to help couples have a baby.
Unicorns: still on the margin
Lagging behind Germany, France has produced only three start-ups valued at more than $1 billion. But it is starting to catch up.
More power from the sun
Pere Roca is making solar-panel manufacturing cheap and efficient
The search engine with a difference
France’s Qwant was built to have two competitive advantages: respecting privacy and being a credible alternative to its American rivals.
France leads a new revolution
Will the US and China dominate the development of AI? President Macron has ideas that can keep Europe in the game.
A boon for privacy, a headache for business
Europe’s new regulations protect user data. But they may also block information-sharing that affects health and safety.
Finally, intelligent dolls
The days when Barbie thinks only about what to wear are over. Smart-Gurlz has designed a doll to teach young girls about computer programming.
Fun and games in Finland
Formerly home to industry giant Nokia, the country is now a leading player in mobile phone game apps. Here’s a look at what it will take to keep winning.
Munich: the new hub for digital cars
Germany’s auto industry is embracing the hottest technologies. The capital of Bavaria is driving the shift.
Making the blue greener
From an environmental standpoint, marine exploitation has been a catastrophe. Innovation is showing the way towards sustainable oceans.
Using 3D printers to build houses
Digital technologies can save time and money in construction, but the complexity of the processes will make automation difficult.
Heating, a major trial
Temperatures in cities need to fall – and fast. But how?
An enigmatic cosmic flash
Astronomers add a piece to the puzzle of why radio telescopes keep picking up fast bursts from the universe.
Asia: Europe stays in the game
As Chinese research increasingly dominates science, Danish universities have set up a centre in Beijing to foster exchanges.
Fighting energy waste in buildings
Buildings accounts for a huge proportion of the world’s energy consumption. Zoom on some innovative solutions to cut the waste.
A brief history of photonics
The foundations of this new technology were laid more than 150 years ago.
Displays of the future
From LCD televisions to the latest force-sensitive touchscreen technology, electronics and photonics are pushing the envelope ever outward.
Harnessing optics to handle the data crunch
Photonics may hold the answer to coping with huge volume. But a big challenge remains: converting electronic data into light on silicon chips.
The concrete challenge
It’s the world’s most ubiquitous construction material – but it comes with a hefty environmental cost.
Building circuits of light
Move over, electrons. Ton Backx and his team are putting photons front and center as they lay the groundwork for the coming era of photonics.
“People just forget to take their medicine”
Edwin Hermkens is cofounder of MedApp, a Dutch start-up created in 2015 to help patients remember to take their medication. He explains how they do it.
Sharing artfully
WeTransfer is a Dutch start-up expanding into the US and into mobiles, while remaining faithful to its user base: the creative scene. The new CEO explains his strategy.
Amsterdam’s Waterworld
An expert discusses the challenges of creating a major district entirely with floating houses.
Explaining the future
Faced with growing challenges, Europe can rely on its scientists to ensure its future competitiveness.
From telephones to cardiac diseases
Dubbed the Bill Gates of the Alps, Austrian entrepreneur Daniel Mattes recently launched his third start-up.
2017
The return of French Tech
A new technophile President and the inauguration of the giant Station F incubator are providing France with the visibility it needs.
Barcelona: Costa del sport
The capital of Catalonia is a technology hub with a vibrant start-up environment. A celebrated football team’s innovation hub was the catalyst.
Clashing over noise and waves
Danish scientists express doubts about the breakthrough detection of gravitational waves. A Portuguese physicist explains the controversy.
Leaders in cybersecurity
Europe is often at the forefront in the fields of digital safety, antivirus protection and encryption. Here are three examples.
Is big business gobbling up public funds?
A quarter of European research money goes to companies. As the EU drafts the next iteration of its Horizon 2020 programme, experts discuss the pros and cons.
“Encouraging impact thinking”
An expert in technological change discusses the EU’s research programme and identifies the next challenges for innovation in Europe.
“Our device can diagnose a heart attack in 90% of cases”
A Danish start-up makes artificial intelligence available to emergency-care services.
The German cloud
The country is getting a lot of attention for its strict privacy laws. But is it the only option for a data-safe harbor in Europe?
Silicon photonics: the next revolution
Say goodbye to copper wires. Silicon photonics promises greater energy efficiency, lightning-speed processing and innovative health devices.
The next frontier: quantum cryptography
As familiar encryption systems reach their limits, the strange world of particle physics offers new solutions.
Patch me if you can
To spread viruses and malware, hackers take advantage of loopholes in IT system. Vulnerability fixes exist, but users download them all too rarely.
Europe’s new research élite
Eight success stories show how European scientists are shaping tomorrow’s world.
Search for rigour
While the scientific method strives for objectivity, experimental results are still prone to unconscious bias and error.
The data disaster
Recent months have seen a major increase in cybercrime. But that’s not the only threat to our private information.
Artificial empathy
The decapitation of the robot named hitchBOT has offered greater insight into social robotics.
”Only 2.5% scale up successfully”
After testing its business model, a start-up has to begin producing regular income. This is a tricky step, and few are successful.
Six lessons from the Start-up Nation
With its 2,000 new high-tech companies, Israel has become the Silicon Valley of the Middle East.
Nuclear tombs for the ages
Radiation-eating bacteria could make underground storage of nuclear waste safer.
Welcome to Health Valley
Building on skills honed over the centuries, western Switzerland has become a world leader in biotech.
Energy efficiency: greening the bottom line
Contrary to popular belief, sustainable solutions can be good for business. A look at some of Europe’s most innovative efforts.
Engineering healthier humans
Drawing on their knowledge of algorithms, design and materials, engineers can help improve healthcare in many arenas.
When robots steal our jobs
A universal basic income would mitigate the negative effects of automation. But it might be more effective if combined with apprenticeships.
Should english be the only language of science?
The playing field is not level, say the advocates of plurilingualism.
The european robotics industry fights back
Asia’s acquisition of two of the continent’s crown jewels came as a wake-up call. To stay competitive, Europe must innovate.
Spotlight on Toulouse
Europe’s aerospace hub is a thriving, synergistic blend of industry giants, start-ups and research centres.
Invasion of the job snatchers
Make no mistake, the intelligent machines of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will lay waste to human employment – unless governments act.
Team players
Machines are getting much better at learning from humans and interacting with them. The next challenge: getting robots to talk to each other.
Medicine: the debate over Big Data
Should doctors have access to huge datasets? The potential to improve healthcare is obvious, but privacy remains equally important.
An entrepreneur searching for meaning
Determined to understand what internet users are thinking, Christian Henschel now manages one of Europe’s leading platforms in mobile intelligence.
Detecting hacks in real time
Dutch start-up Bitsensor tries to help applications protect themselves better from cyberattacks.
Cobots: our new partners at work
Collaborative robots are boosting productivity, but they will also require us to rethink how we approach our jobs.
Tackling the gender gap
New initiatives are helping women climb the ladder at technical universities.
Life-saving lessons
Linking engineering and medicine has led to better diagnostics, drugs and treatments. But it’s not always easy to collaborate successfully.
The missing link in primate paralysis
A wireless brain-spine interface allows monkeys to walk again.
Searching for meaning, not just words
An Austrian start-up helps machines understand human language.
Avoiding the sound of silence
With Europe’s ageing population, hearing loss will become a major concern for public health. A new generation of technologies can slow the process.
How noise kills
Sound pollution has become one of the main health hazards in European cities. New technologies may provide some solutions.
From toys and cable to shoes
As CEO of Sarenza since 2007, Stéphane Treppoz has turned the online seller into a key style site in 28 countries.
Successful and resolutely European
Not every start-up wants to move to America. Here are four that have remained loyal to their home turf.
Galileo puts Prague on the cosmic map
Long known for its scientific creativity and skilled workforce, the Czech capital is redefining itself as a hub for space technology.
Keeping innovators at home
The European Commission turns its attention to four key aspects of the problem.
Europe sees the light
To reach their full potential, the most innovative European start-ups often have no choice but to let American giants buy them. But this is changing.
A new frontier for artificial intelligence
Using algorithms to process sound is a booming field. Here are four promising innovations.
Sound from all directions
The latest innovations provide listening experiences that are more immersive than ever. Some technologies even use bones to transmit sound.
“We work with the biggest pool of artists in Europe”
Berlin-based start-up Gigmit connects musicians and concert organisers through an online platform, hoping to revolutionise the market.
The electronic biped
Humanoid robots are finally learning to charm us. Can French-founded SoftBank Robotics stay ahead of the competition after a decade at the forefront?
Where have all the start-ups gone?
America is all too attractive for Europe’s innovative technology, but there are ways to stop the haemorrhage.
Europeans who have returned
Home is not just where the heart is – increasingly, it’s also where you find the innovators, the money and the quality of life.
Flying the “big science” flag
Europe is once again on the hunt for emerging research and development trends that will spawn radical social and economic rewards in years to come. Discover three of the candidate projects.
Opening up the echo chambers
Researchers look for solutions to address the distortion of online information.
The architecture of sound
Towards a more intimate musical experience: Hamburg and Paris introduce innovative acoustics to their spectacular new concert halls.
A new genetic revolution
The ability to modify sequences of DNA with pinpoint precision promises new drugs, healthier livestock and better crops.
Speaking of algorithms
Artificial intelligence raises thorny questions that will be keeping human brains very busy.
Architect of virtual worlds
Denmark’s Unity Technologies has revolutionised the video game industry. Its founder, David Helgason, describes how it happened.
Balancing pleasure and health
Our eating habits are often based on accepted wisdom without scientific basis. Researchers are now trying to sort the facts from the myths.
Focus on Russia
Russia has produced an array of new tech companies since the late 2000s. But these start-ups remain virtually unknown outside the country’s borders.
Machines as caregivers
Artificial intelligence has enormous potential for health care – from diagnostics to rehabilitation to services for the elderly.
The double-edged promise of AI
Some people fret that artificial intelligence will end civilization as we know it, others believe it can solve every problem.
“People should trust their telephones”
Izanami Martínez is implementing a new, more efficient way to see the doctor – with the smartphone.
War without humans
Lambèr Royakkers of the Eindhoven University of Technology analyses the dangers of having machines make life-or-death decisions.
“Our robots are better than Amazon’s”
A German start-up improves warehouse automation.
The power of nudging
Gently swaying people to act differently is a trick long known to advertisers. Several initiatives have proven its benefits for implementation of private and public policy.
It’s time to eat better
If 10 billion people are to be fed we need to drop fashionable, damaging diets that have no evidence base and get behind rational advances in food science.
Grandma’s mixer gets fancy
Cooking blenders are invading European kitchens, with the promise of healthy and fresh nutrition without time wasted on cutting and stirring.
“Traffic remains a challenge”
A Danish expert explains his strategy for making urban life sustainable and liveable.
Challenging innovation
A study has questioned the benefits of robotic keyhole surgery for prostate cancer, so why are some experts still championing the technique?
Dealing with a sea of plastic
Polymer packaging makes up most of the world’s marine debris. New biodegradable or edible containers could offer a better solution.
Artificial intelligence: where it all began
With its leading research institutes and ground-breaking innovations, Europe plays a major role in the field of AI.
Construction: back to the roots
Wood has seen a slow-paced renaissance since the early 1990s, but ambitious proposals for timber structures now seem to appear.
2016
The inevitability of free papers
Scientists are making headway in challenging the traditional publishing model for research papers. The big winners may include ordinary citizens.
Buildings that live and breathe
From London to Hamburg to Singapore, architects draw inspiration from living organisms to design energy-efficient buildings.
Why open science?
The birth of a movement in four main questions.
Uncovering Jupiter’s mysteries
After travelling 3 billion kilometres, a space probe begins to explore our largest planet.
The queen of online advertising
British entrepreneur Sarah Wood founded the tech start-up Unruly, an online video ad platform that was acquired last year by News Corp for nearly €135 million.
Science in the age of big data
The digital revolution and the ability to process huge amounts of information have changed the way research is done. Here are three examples.
MOOCS: this revolution will wait
They’re more and more exclusive And they’re often full of already highly qualified students. Are Massive Open Online Courses failing to democratise education?
Labs without borders
Designers working with biologists and engineers: not so long ago such collaboration would have been unusual. Now it is at the heart of European Science.
Medicine: ethical questions
Sharing medical data leads to more targeted treatments, but also bears the risk of abuse. Adam Molyneaux of Sophia Genetics discusses the complexities.
All eyes on Eindhoven
Once dominated by light-bulb manufacturer Philips, the Dutch city is now home to a dynamic university and its circle of start-ups.
Medical solutions inspired by biology
Sharks are a useful model, both for their slick skin and for their antibodies that can be used to treat cancer.
Power to the people
Citizen science relies on the public’s curiosity and enthusiasm – not to mention computing capacity – to supplement the work of scientists.
“Children should learn to code without realising it”
Technology Will Save Us teaches programming using toys in a whole new way.
The Impossible Project: Giving a second life in a digital world
Polaroid enthusiasts have recreated instant film that can be used in old cameras and developed a new camera as well.
The circular economy: a boost for growth
How Europe is shifting towards a more sustainable system by reusing, remanufacturing and recycling.
Turning nature into a factory
How a salamander inspired a robot, a protein became a sensor and a molecule helped design a water purifier.
Insects in the spotlight
Beetles, butterflies and spiders are some of the bugs that inspire engineers. What makes these insects so prone to imitation?
Rock-solid climate solution
A technique for turning CO2 into stone has been pioneered in Iceland, but another kind of immoveable object could prevent large-scale success.
Leaders in smart energy
Throughout Europe, companies large and small are attacking bad habits and wasteful appliances.
All Eyes on Ireland
Dublin’s “Silicon Docks” may be known as a welcome destination for U.S. tech giants, but the Emerald Isle has plenty of native innovation to shout about .
Our weighty new view of the universe
The recent discovery of gravitational waves has given us a completely new tool for observing the sky. Technologist spoke to some of the scientists listening for the miniscule ripples in space-time.
The connected athlete
Amateurs can now enhance their performance and their health by using wireless devices and biosensors that monitor behaviour, environment and physiology.
Rail safety: back in the spotlight
Trains are particularly safe. But IT bugs and problems with the signalling systems represent a constant security threat.
New materials for new records
Aluminium, carbon and even bamboo: sport results today depend highly on the materials.
The science of beer
Brewing is often considered an art. For the researchers at BeerDeCoded, it’s a serious scientific endeavour.
Putting goods back on the tracks
Some smaller countries are showing how efficiency-enhancing innovations can begin to shift some goods transport away from lorries.
Ending the pain
Computer simulations and data analysis can now help prevent injuries, while individual prostheses hasten the recovery process.
Innovation from the East
What if your fuse box could talk to you? Created in the midst of Ukrainian turmoil, Ecoisme can analyse home energy consumption in real time.
Driverless trains: the difficult next step
Will autonomous locomotives one day operate outside urban areas?
“The tech community can save lives”
A journalist explains how start-ups can improve the day-to-day existence of refugees and help make their dreams a reality.
Electricity’s bright future
Petrol power helped shape the 20th century, but its decline may define the 21st. So how will the future of urban transport look?
The rise of open-source prosthetics
Entrepreneurs are tapping into inexpensive electronics and 3D printing to make robotic prosthesis more accessible.
A plane’s dirty little secrets
Careful study of the waste carried by aircraft now offers valuable clues on how infectious diseases spread.
Lights out over Ukraine
Hackers were most likely behind a power outage that affected 700,000 people in western Ukraine in December 2015. What actually happened?
The beauty of waves
A Dutch innovator offers a visible view of an invisible world.
Going with the flow
The fight against congestion is getting some new tools: mobile phones and complex algorithms.
“Our developers work better in Bali than in Copenhagen”
A young Danish entrepreneur chose to leave Europe for an exotic location.
Self-driving cars? Don’t hold your breath
Safely mimicking all foibles in software and hardware of driving will take at least another decade, if not longer.
All Eyes on Sweden
Some of the most significant triumphs in online innovation, like Spotify and Skype, are Swedish creations.
From games to health
Smart glass and phone apps may have been developed for gamers, but now they are among the many technologies crossing over into the healthcare field.
Urban Mobility: is Europe too timid?
There are bright ideas for how to make our cities more fluid, but they won’t do much good unless decision-makers show more vision and courage.
Clearing congestion
It can be difficult to effect behavioural change in large cities, but Stockholm and London have shown that a well-conceived nudge will deliver results.
Blockchain: on the verge of revolutionising society
The technology behind Bitcoin holds immense potential that we’re just now beginning to fathom.
Bikes are back
Cycling is healthy and good for the environment – so no wonder bicycle use in some European cities has doubled since the early 2000s.
Zoom on Spain
Spain has become a technological leader in fields from mapping to aeronautics to graphene production.
Why we don’t sleep
Bad nights are disruptive to a person’s life. Fortunately, scientists are constantly learning more about the causes.
“A start-up should solve a social problem”
Blitab co-founder Kristina Tsvetanova discusses the challenges of launching a social start-up.
The Vizzualiser
Relying on attractive and informative data visualisations, Craig Mills is on a mission to use hard evidence to bring environmental issues to life.
Tick-tock goes the body clock
You can sleep when you’re dead, they say. In the meantime, though, circadian rhythms are best not tampered with.
Why we sleep one third of our time
You may think you’re resting, but your brain is fulfilling critical tasks from building memories to reinforcing learning to clearing toxins.
Extreme scientists on the cutting edge
Six researchers reveal just how far they go to discover some of nature’s deepest secrets or test novel technologies.
Hello, is there life out there?
Thanks to the digital revolution, finding alien life, if it exists, is getting closer.
“Modern life is just too interesting to sleep longer”
We spend one third of our time sleeping, but scientists still don’t know why. A prominent researcher reviews the most likely explanations.
Searching for the future Galileos and Keplers
Will Europe ever be able to compete with Silicon Valley? The answer lies not only in our universities and research parks but also in our primary and secondary schools.
2015
Keeping the data safe
What if Estonia’s system is hacked? And what if an unsavoury government, domestic or foreign, got hold of Estonia’s information?
Five estonians to watch
Inspired by Skype, ambitious entrepreneurs have the confidence to believe their dreams can come true
Life after Skype
Estonian programmer Jaan Tallinn helped create the file-sharing application Kazaa and then the famous video-call system. Now he wants to save the world.
Wind turbines without blades
The idea sounds preposterous, but Spanish start-up Vortex Bladeless is convinced that it can win over the sceptics.
Can you trust what you read?
Thanks to major European initiatives, scientific publishers are feeling the pressure to crack down on plagiarism
Flu: the disease that won’t go away
Why does the common illness keep outsmarting scientists?
From selfies to the fifth dimension
Rapidly evolving camera technology is changing our very notion of photography.
The russian legacy
As the big neighbour to the east rattles its sabre once again, Estonia is confident that its technology will allow it to survive, no matter what
A revolution in lighting
Modern illumination is not only much more efficient, but increasingly responsive to the rhythms of human life.
“People underestimate Eastern Europe’s start-ups”
Part car, part plane, Aeromobil needs just a 200-m straightaway to deploy its wings and take off.
The land of e-everything
From medical records to taxes to ID cards, Estonians rely on – and trust – information technology more than any other nation in the world.
The importance of darkness
For most organisms the absence of light is vital, too.
Human: too much brightness?
One of the basic certainties that unites all life on this planet: night follows day follows night. But then we started to mess with it.
Year of the light
Everywhere you turn, optical engineering is at the heart of new technologies. No wonder 2015 has been named the Year of Light.
Winners and losers of biodiversity
The presence of a single species – Homo sapiens – is having a dramatic impact, allowing some to thrive and pushing others to the brink of extinction.
The shades of grey
The vision of a world in which everyone lives longer and better is attractive – but for societies the changes will be over-whelming. An ethicist and a sociologist discuss the implications.
“It’s about dynamics, emotions and relationships”
Victor Henning and two business-school pals describe how they’ve accidentally made science fun.
When 80 became the new 40
Life spans in the developed world have doubled over the past two centuries — and scientists are working hard to decipher the code of aging.
Sharing: business or benevolence?
Everyone has heard of Uber and AirBnB, but they are not the only game in town. Some platforms are purely altruistic, some very capitalistic.
Growing perfect grapes
Is France ready? One winery has taken the plunge, using real-time sap flow measurements to more accurately manage the irrigation of its vines.
From plastic waste to homes
Can you clean up litter and house people with one idea? Yes, says an innovative Danish student.
Climate engineering
Prudent plan B or desperate measure?
The farmer and the little blue bird
A French farmer considers Twitter a fabulous way to forge a connection between farmers and consumers.
Fields of innovation
To improve crop yields, the agricultural world is turning to such cutting-edge technologies as drones, robots and networked sensors.
How old are you really?
Age is so much more than years elapsed since your date of birth.
Growing spinach where the sun doesn’t shine
Once seen as a “towering lunacy”, vertical farms are all the rage from the U.S. to Europe to Asia.
“Poland must be doing something right”
Daria Tataj, founder and CEO of the Warsaw-based consultancy Tataj Innovation, explains the reasons for Poland’s success.
Sending a signal
Computer-science wizard Frederic Jacobs creates a new app that makes cryptography seamless and freely available to millions of mobile users
The sweet smell of sweat
Everyone knows that animals use odours to communicate. Now a growing body of research suggests that humans do, too.
“We reach a young audience that no longer buys newspapers”
Marten Blankesteijn, co-founder of Blendle, the new Dutch start-up whose app is already being referred to as the iTunes of the press.
Augmented humans? Not so fast!
Human augmentation elicits reactions that are not unanimously positive.
“Understanding the target is key”
David Becker, the co-founder of Swiss-based Zkipster, explains how his firm became a micro multinational with eight employees on three continents.
7 ways to hack for profit
Cybercrime has gone mainstream – to the distress not only of individuals but also of targets as large as American cities.
Too little, too much
To guarantee an uninterrupted flow of electricity, Europe must improve its storage capacity and build a super grid.
The sins of peer review
More than one million scientific articles are published every year. The process that was established to control their quality is increasingly being called into question.
A tank full of sunshine
Solar energy won’t fulfil its potential until the storage problem is solved. Here’s how.
“A Swiss Army knife for genetic engineering”
Prize-winning French biologist Emmanuelle Charpentier explains her revolutionary discovery.
Master of fragrances
The exclusive creator of Hermès perfumes Jean-Claude Ellena revisits his brilliant career, revealing a glimpse of his perfumer’s palette.
The DNA gold rush
Thousands of labs and hospitals are eagerly awaiting the portable sequencers that will make bedside genetic analysis a reality.
Humans, dogs – and now e-noses
Canines still take the lead when it comes to sniffing out smells. But the latest research shows that machines are closing the gap.
The high price of inaction
For more than 40 years – ever since the Great Oil Crisis of 1973 – scientists, governments and media have been warning that the world must reduce its dependence on fuels derived from hydrocarbons. Initially, the main worry was supply – would the world run out of oil and gas before we found alternatives? But by the 1980s, an even greater danger came to the fore: climate change, aggravated by the massive amounts of CO2 being spewed into the atmosphere by oil-derived fuels.
2014
“Stock-exchange listing is a marketing boon”
It’s a good way to raise money, but it can also hinder a company’s development, explains Tereza Tykvova.
The young man and the sea
Activism in action: a 20-year old takes on the mass of floating plastic garbage.
Think yourself healthy
The vagus nerve, which connects the brain to various organs, plays an essential role in the mind-body relationship. Can you train it to make you happy?
E-cigarettes: the burning question
They definitely help people stop smoking, but they may be just another ticking time bomb. Are they a positive solution or an unhealthy crutch?
The invisible killers
With its horrible symptoms and 80% mortality rate, Ebola fever is especially frightening. The cases in Spain and the U.S. served as a reminder that procedures for strict disinfection, while simple on paper, are less so in practise. Even the Western health system cannot entirely protect us from this virus.
The content hunter
Martin Stiksel, founder of Last.fm, is back with an even more ambitious project: to organise the entire web according to each user’s behaviour.
Beating the Superbugs
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise, but the pipeline for new drugs is drying up. Researchers are developing new strategies to avoid a resurgence of illnesses that once seemed easy to cure.
Rise of the geek lawyers
How science fiction can inform a generally staid profession about the legal issues of the future.
“The field has finally reached scientific maturity”
Happiness can be understood objectively, says pioneer researcher Ruut Veenhoven.
Happy? Your smartphone will know
New technologies and citizen science offer innovative ways to track and quantify emotions. They are uncovering new ingredients in the recipe for happiness.
New ways of fighting bacteria
Four novel approaches to keep killers in check.
“It reminds me of papyrus”
The worst design sins to avoid, according to usability guru Jakob Nielsen.
Attack of the clones
Annoying to some but completely normal to others, copying has become an established business model in the world of start-ups and smartphone apps.
Take it, use it, change it, create
You no longer need to be an electronics wizard to build sophisticated devices. “Makers” like the four profiled on these pages are unleashing their creativity thanks to Raspberry Pi and Arduino boards.
Biohackers who want to change the world
The biohacking movement, which appeared in the U.S. in the late 2000s, has now spread to Europe.
Bzzzz… here come the kamikaze mosquitoes
In an effort to combat dengue fever, Brazil has authorised the dissemination of a transgenic insect. Now the question is: will the critters do their job?
Privacy, after Snowden
People are increasingly concerned about the safety of personal data. The market is responding with new encryption products that are easy to use.
The audiophile
Four Danes have created award-winning upmarket headphones. One of them describes the challenges of fusing design and audio engineering.
A world of invisible colours
Chemical cameras reveal a world that is invisible to the human eye. Smaller and cheaper devices are now finding uses from agriculture to cancer diagnostics.
“You have to be aggressive online”
Crowdfunding demands a well-planned communication strategy, explains Daniela Castrataro, co-founder of the Future of Crowdfunding conference.
Microscopy: Going beyond the limits of light
Super-resolution techniques have pushed back the limits of optics, becoming an essential tool in the life sciences.
Power from thin air
Mobile devices need energy – lots of it. Instead of focussing only on improving battery performance, some scientists are looking at the ambient energy that is all around us.
The other wonder gas
By being the first to extract methane hydrates last year, Japan has launched a new global race.
To frack or not to frack
Can America’s shale-gas revolution be repeated in Europe? The furore over earthquakes and chemicals has obscured more important issues.
Here comes the graphene revolution
The EU has committed €1 billion to this revolutionary new material. What are the challenges, what are the promises?
Bacteria, on your plate
Already sold in health-food stores as nutritional supplements, micro-organisms could help feed the world if prices came down.
It’s food, but not as you know it
From lab-hatched eggs to caterpillar croquettes, the food of the future may not be familiar, but that doesn’t mean it won’t taste good.
The power of thought
An amazing project may enable paralysed humans to walk again, with the help of an exoskeleton controlled directly by their thoughts.
“New social norms will have to be accepted”
The latest portable technology will connect humans from head to toe. But it could also endanger both our safety and our social lives, warns Wijnand IJsselsteijn.
“Getting the story out is more important than getting it right”
Cleverly manipulated Internet buzz can be more effective than an expensive marketing campaign. Marketing expert Ryan Holiday reveals some of his tricks.