Can fungi turn food waste into the next culinary sensation?
University of California, Berkeley, USA, researchers explore using Neurospora fungi to transform food waste into gourmet dishes, inspired by traditional Indonesian fermentation techniques.
Harnessing green electricity from plant ion hydraulics
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in India have discovered a method to generate sustainable electricity by harnessing the electric potential produced by plants’ ion hydraulics, influenced by their circadian rhythms.
This salt battery harvests osmotic energy where the river meets the sea
Researchers at a university in China have developed a highly efficient, eco-friendly membrane that significantly enhances electricity generation from osmotic energy in estuarine environments.
Rice husk can be used as a promising sustainable packaging material
Researchers have developed eco-friendly films from rice husk nanofibers, marking a significant step towards sustainable material use and circular economy practices.
Sugarcrete: New building material from sugarcane waste
From Superinnovators 07/02/24 The University of East London, Grimshaw architects and Tate & Lyle Sugars revealed Sugarcrete in 2023, a construction material from sugarcane bio-waste, bagasse. Meeting industry standards for compressive strength and fire-resistance, prototype testing suggests the material can offer an alternative to concrete, but with 20 times lower carbon emissions. Sugarcrete is five […]
Wooden wind turbine towers
From Superinnovators 25/01/24 Swedish startup Modvion (f. 2015) completed their first commercial wind turbine project in Dec 2023 providing a 105-meter tower made of laminated Scandinavian spruce. The turbine, near Skara, Sweden, is now spinning and accommodates an industry standard 2.0MW Vestas generator and carbon fibre blades, totaling 150 meters in height. Modvion’s novel wooden […]
World’s first flushable period pad
From Superinnovators 18/12/23 Imperial College London spin out company Fluus has developed the world’s first flushable period pad with zero microplastics and toxins. The pad consists of top and bottom sheets made from plant fibres, an absorbent core and barrier made from biodegradable polymers, and a non-toxic, plastic-free adhesive derived from tree sap. The product […]
The first European manifesto for more sustainable museums
From Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – IIT 18/12/23 The Center for Cultural Heritage Technologies of the Italian Institute of Technology (CCHT-IIT), the University of Amsterdam/Rijksmuseum, and CNRS/École Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay launch the first manifesto for sustainable conservation of cultural heritage. The manifesto aims to improve conservation practices and promote more sustainable and ecological methods […]
Wing blade track promises wind energy at 1/3 cost
From Superinnovators 08/12/23 US company Airloom Energy, supported by Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has developed a wind energy harvester with a novel design featuring vertical wings on an oval track, a stark contrast to traditional turbines. This innovative setup, unveiled last week, aims to significantly lower wind power costs, potentially to one-third of current […]
Mini electric SUV trike hill-start acceleration demo
From Superinnovators 22/11/23 US mini electric vehicle manufacturer ZEV demo’d the hill start acceleration in their 2023 SUV trike model T3-5d in video published in last month. The vehicle appears pretty nippy. It has a top speed of 41 mph, maximum range of 160 miles and prices start at $10,800. More info: https://www.zelectricvehicle.com/t3-5d-trike More info […]