Author
Jean-Christophe Piot
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2018
CRISPR scissors editing embryos
Genetic engineering is developing on human embryos, raising both hopes and ethical concerns.
Heating, a major trial
Temperatures in cities need to fall – and fast. But how?
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.
2017
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.
2016
Rail safety: back in the spotlight
Trains are particularly safe. But IT bugs and problems with the signalling systems represent a constant security threat.
Driverless trains: the difficult next step
Will autonomous locomotives one day operate outside urban areas?
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.
2015
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.
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.
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.
2014
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.