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2019
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.
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.
2018
Dealing with the plastic scourge
Society is balking at the impact of our collective plastic footprint. But some alternatives are occurring.
“Eindhoven is a clear hotspot for photonics”
How to expand an R&D company into production? The CEO of a photonics start-up explains.
10 great African innovations
From fintech to health to the environment, clever inventions are improving the lives of millions of people.
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.
Fair phone vs. iPhone
The Fairphone is a smartphone built with “ethical” components. Now it hopes to compete with the iPhone.
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.
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.
The concrete challenge
It’s the world’s most ubiquitous construction material – but it comes with a hefty environmental cost.
Amsterdam’s Waterworld
An expert discusses the challenges of creating a major district entirely with floating houses.
2017
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.
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.
Spotlight on Toulouse
Europe’s aerospace hub is a thriving, synergistic blend of industry giants, start-ups and research centres.
The architecture of sound
Towards a more intimate musical experience: Hamburg and Paris introduce innovative acoustics to their spectacular new concert halls.
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.
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
Buildings that live and breathe
From London to Hamburg to Singapore, architects draw inspiration from living organisms to design energy-efficient buildings.
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?
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 .
New materials for new records
Aluminium, carbon and even bamboo: sport results today depend highly on the materials.
The rise of open-source prosthetics
Entrepreneurs are tapping into inexpensive electronics and 3D printing to make robotic prosthesis more accessible.
2015
A revolution in lighting
Modern illumination is not only much more efficient, but increasingly responsive to the rhythms of human life.
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
The other wonder gas
By being the first to extract methane hydrates last year, Japan has launched a new global race.
Here comes the graphene revolution
The EU has committed €1 billion to this revolutionary new material. What are the challenges, what are the promises?