While flying is a major contributor to the climate crisis, behind the scenes scientists are designing cleaner and faster airliners. By Tom Cassauwers The passenger planes of today are based on designs that have been fundamentally the same for decades. This means that flight times have also changed very little. But what if people could … Read more
Unmanned aerial vehicles will make their way into urban skies only if the safety of people below can be ensured. By TOM CASSAUWERS The Spanish resort town of Benidorm is known for its sandy beaches with clear waters, a skyline dominated by towering hotels and tourists from northern Europe. But one day in February, it also … Read more
By identifying the gender of chicks in their eggs, EU-funded technologies could help prevent the killing of millions of the birds every year. By PIETER DEVUYST Wil Stutterheim is on a mission: to stop the global poultry industry’s slaughter of billions of day-old chicks every year. Male chicks are deemed largely useless for poultry farmers because … Read more
As Europe weans itself off fossil fuels, local energy networks are tapping renewable sources to fill the gap and cut consumer bills. By ANDREW DUNNE They might look like ordinary plugs, but hook up a heat pump or electric-vehicle charger using one of the smart widgets and the result could be big environmental gains and household … Read more
By monitoring oceans and peering into ponds, European projects seek to protect an array of animal and plant life. By SOFIA STRODT In January, word emerged that scientists had discovered a new colony of penguins in Antarctica using images from Europe’s flagship Copernicus satellite network. By coincidence, the same month marked the start of an initiative … Read more
Natural materials including farm waste can make autos and other industries more sustainable, less toxic By HELEN MASSY-BERESFORD Think of the car or construction industry and lemon peel, corn starch and almond shells hardly come to mind. Yet manufacturers may rely increasingly on such raw materials as Europe seeks to reduce waste – from both agriculture … Read more