Esegui ricerca
United Kingdom, Bioeconomy, Bioeconomy
Improving the imperfect: photosynthesis for the future
Improving the imperfect: photosynthesis for the future
Despite its splendour and beauty, nature is full of imperfections. Indeed, the process of natural selection relies upon minor errors in genetic duplication to produce new variants, better suited to a given environment.
Organic waste and insects: animal feed of the future?
Organic waste and insects: animal feed of the future?
More than the 70 percent of the protein sources required by animals bred in the European Union are imported from non-EU countries . Soybean dominates the protein supply for animal feed .
Could ‘superfoods’ stop disease?
Could ‘superfoods’ stop disease?
The importance of healthy eating for our well-being is scientifically proven and having a varied diet goes without saying.
Climate change threatens some of the world’s best wines
Climate change threatens some of the world’s best wines
Millions of people across Europe have enjoyed soaring temperatures in the summer of 2017 , with sizzling barbeques, good food, and fine wine.
Do microbes control our mood?
Do microbes control our mood?
If aliens were to examine a human, they would think we were just slavish organisms designed to feed microbes and carry them around. Our bodies contain ten times more bacteria than cells , and there are an estimated 3.
The Social Life of Bricks
The Social Life of Bricks
Mark Miodownik will never forget the day he became obsessed with materials. He was a schoolboy in 1985 when he was stabbed in the London Underground. “ When I saw that weapon in the police station later, I was mesmerized.
Resilient seeds - Nurturing the future of agriculture
Resilient seeds - Nurturing the future of agriculture
For the first time in its history, the Global Seed Vault on the Svalbard Islands, Norway, has authorised a withdrawal. It was requested in 2015 by Syria, a country where the war is endangering the local agricultural seed collections.
Pig plague threatens Europe
Pig plague threatens Europe
African swine fever , or ASF, is a viral disease that kills almost every pig it infects and is likened to Ebola . It gained a foothold in Georgia in 2007, when contaminated pig meat landed from a ship from South-East Africa and was fed to local pigs.
Urban agriculture is more than a hippy-style hobby
Urban agriculture is more than a hippy-style hobby
Imagine living in an inner city and buying your vegetables and fruit just moments after they’ve been harvested. Imagine waking up to the rustic sound of a cock crowing.
Free ecosystem services for better crops
Free ecosystem services for better crops
Ecosystem services are free, but often hidden. They include pollination and killing of crop pests by beneficial insects. Now, QuESSA , an EU-funded research project, due to be completed in 2017, will try and increase the visibility of such services.
Speeding up nature’s oil spill cleaners
Speeding up nature’s oil spill cleaners
Imagine if oil spills could be completely cleaned up soon after a marine accident. And this could be made possible thanks to none other than warrior microorganisms who attacked and completely broke down the oil.
Pig farmers get smart
Pig farmers get smart
Low-cost sensors and wireless communication technologies have enabled moves towards smart homes and smart cars. Using similar technologies, scientists involved in an EU-funded project called ALL-SMART-PIGS are now developing technologies that turn pigs’ farms into smart farms .
Eating Insects - New Proteins for Farm Animals
Eating Insects - New Proteins for Farm Animals
When on April 7 th World Health Day is celebrated, most experts will be blaming insects for the rising problem of vector-borne diseases. In some parts of the world, however, these little bugs are considered a healthy and tasty source of food .
When your water is contaminated
When your water is contaminated
Statistically, drinking water in Europe is the safest in the world. But according to the World Health Organisation every year more than 300.000 Europeans are falling ill due to contaminated tab water. ...
Cow fertility – not so black and white
Cow fertility – not so black and white
Holstein cattle - the black-and-white dairy cows you might see in a child’s picture book - have been bred in northern Europe for hundreds of years.
The case for low methane-emitting cattle
The case for low methane-emitting cattle
You may think that climate change is being caused by burning oil, coal and gas. But not so fast! The emission of methane from cattle is a surprisingly important factor .
Grass as the new biofuel
Grass as the new biofuel
Grass could be used to produce biofuels. The advantage of using grass crops is that they can be grown in marginal lands that would otherwise not be used .
Quick ID for water pathogens
Quick ID for water pathogens
Drinking water flowing from your tap can contain harmful bacteria, viruses and single-cell animals. And most countries do not routinely test for all these bugs.
Recipe for food sovereignty
Recipe for food sovereignty
The main concern of food producers has always been to bring safe fruit and vegetables to European plates. But now, expectations have been stepped up one notch as pressure mounted to reduce factors, related to climate change, susceptible to affect the safety of food .
Next generation cures born from the sea
Next generation cures born from the sea
The life that inhabits the world’s oceans has almost infinite variety. It remains an untapped source of diversity.
Page: 1 2 3