Asti shows how the European countryside can reverse depopulation through agriculture and cultural heritage. By PIETER DEVUYST Near the north-western Italian town of Asti, known for its vineyards and sparkling white wine, Alberto Mossino helped cultivate a different crop: maize. On a farm surrounding a 19th-century villa he revived the production of Ottofile maize, which is … Read more
EU manufacturers are increasingly embracing digital technologies to improve agility. By HELEN MASSY-BERESFORD A plant that makes electric shavers in the northern Dutch town of Drachten is gearing up for a test meant to help European industry thrive in increasingly competitive international markets. The plant run by consumer-electronics company Philips is part of a research project … Read more
Greater understanding of how corals reproduce and react to climate change will bolster conservation and restoration. By JACK MCGOVAN Dr Núria Viladrich of Spain was forced by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 to cancel a planned visit to the US Virgin Islands, where white-sand beaches and rum-coconut cocktails weren’t the main attractions. She wanted access to … Read more
Aircraft flaps and emergency power units are part of efforts to reduce the aviation industry’s contribution to global warming. By TOM CASSAUWERS Each time a plane takes off or lands, flaps on the wings extend or retract to maintain stability and serve as a visual reminder that an aircraft is composed of thousands of complicated parts. … Read more
While the industry consumes lots of trees and produces plenty of waste, grass packaging and new construction materials point toward a more sustainable path. By TOM CASSAUWERS Switzerland is renowned for its mountains, cheese and chocolate. Less well known is how Lindt, a Swiss chocolate producer, is packaging the delights in greener ways. The paper packaging … Read more
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that causes high fevers, is chronic and can be fatal, has prompted researchers to come up with better detection methods and an expected vaccine. By VITTORIA D’ALESSIO A disease caused by parasitic worms has long blighted the lives of millions of people in tropical and subtropical countries including Burkina Faso and Madagascar. … Read more