Imperial materials
Imperial College London, UK, has launched a new facility dedicated to innovation in advanced materials through collaboration between academia and industry.
Beyond the Horizon...
The UK government has set out a plan to ‘protect and support the UK’s research and innovation sector’, as discussions with the European Commission concerning access to Horizon Europe continue.
Groundwater concerns
New chemicals have been found in water taken from Danish waterworks, including several that pose health concerns. Chemists from the University of Copenhagen detected more than 400 compounds in an untargeted analysis of groundwater (Environmental Pollution, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119758).
Hungry fungi degrade polypropylene
Scientists at the University of Sydney, Australia, report they have biodegraded polypropylene with the help of fungi (npj Materials Degradation, doi: 10.1038/s41529-023-00342-9).
Peptide reverses neuron loss in Alzheimer’s mice
US researchers have shown that a novel peptide can reverse the loss of nerve cells in mice with Alzheimer's disease. It appears to interfere with an overactive enzyme involved in neurodegenerative diseases and could offer a pathway for new treatments.
UK battery sector facing US threat
AMTE Power, a Scottish battery producer responsible for developing some of the world’s first lithium-ion batteries, has warned that new incentives being offered for green technologies in the US could make it difficult for battery companies to justify basing production in the UK.
EC backs synthetic pesticide phase-out
The European Commission has welcomed calls for legislation to phase out synthetic pesticides by 2035, restore biodiversity, and support farmers in a transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.
G7 talks action
Global leaders have committed to tackling plastic pollution, supporting science and innovation, and reversing loss of biodiversity, among a roll call of pledges at the April 2023 G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers’ meeting in Sapporo, Japan.
Pandemic accord set for 2024
The 194 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) have mapped out a negotiation timetable for a global accord on pandemic preparedness, with a draft accord to be presented for approval by the World Health Assembly in May 2024.
Clariant makes catalyst claims
Speciality chemicals company Clariant has said that its energy-efficient catalyst technology made a significant contribution to climate protection in 2022.