Innovation

——The construction industry is responsible for many unrecyclable and contaminated materials that end up in landfills while raw materials such as building sand, are already becoming noticeably scarce. Architecture and design could look towards a renewable, yet still under-the-radar resource: mushrooms.

——Manned spaceflight is entering an era of renaissance. Soon, humans could walk again on the Moon, bringing humans closer to the next goal: Mars. With that comes the tangible idea of permanent colonies in space. But let’s be honest: Are we ready to treat space more responsibly than Earth? A conversation about ethics, society and sustainability in space with astrophysicist Dr. Erika Nesvold.

——Apple, Google and Microsoft have teamed up to get rid of passwords. With FIDO Alliance’s passkey authentication, a sensible alternative is ready for use. On the end of an era and new opportunities for cybersecurity. 

——Completely autonomous driving will fundamentally change our world, particularly in cities. We may soon be getting around with robotaxis. They’re already out on the streets in China and the US. In Germany, the provider Mobileye is now taking the next step.

——Just like magic: vehicles today can be equipped with new functions via over-the-air software updates, making visits to a mechanic or a dealership a thing of the past. However, before car manufacturers can fully exploit the future potential of these technologies, safety issues must first be resolved and suitable approval procedures established.

——Researchers and companies are working with new technologies to create a 3D experience for televisions, headphones—and even for cars. It could change our relationship to sound forever.

——Thanks to a new technology, cars in the future will be able to change color at the push of a button — and thus save energy on air conditioning. The tech behind this comes from e-book readers, of all things.

——Special airbags are designed to save the lives of winter sports enthusiasts caught in an avalanche. The technology is likely to become more and more important in light of the increasing popularity of ski mountaineering and backcountry tours. Here’s a look at how they work.

——The Hubble Space Telescope has been in operation for more than thirty years and has brought humanity closer to the universe, even though its mission got off to a rocky start.

——Lightning causes billions in damages worldwide every year. The technology company Trumpf hopes to remedy this situation using a laser cannon.

——Nuclear fusion has been talked about for decades as an inexhaustible and environmentally friendly energy source. What sounds so enticing in theory, however, has continued to fail in practice thus far. The following are five problems that nuclear fusion is still struggling with today.

——“A world without traffic fatalities is the Vision.”

——Intelligent robots can feel and sense just like we humans do: That's what some researchers claim when it comes to "emphatic machines." AI ethicist, Joanna Bryson, considers such a statement misleading.

——Some questions leave even the brightest minds scratching their heads. Five mysteries which human intelligence has failed to unravel to this very day.

——There are pressing environmental problems and technologies that could solve them. Conservation X Labs wants to build this bridge.

——Vaccines based on mRNA are a ray of hope during the corona pandemic. In the future, the technology could be used to conquer completely different diseases.

——Recommending products, taking care of office work, defeating human champions in games of strategy: these are all no problem for artificial intelligence these days. Now algorithms are also meant to penetrate the spheres of language, music and the fine arts. But how creative can a computer really be?

——Paper devours almost half of the world’s wood production. What if paper could be produced in a smarter and more ecological way?

——Mr. Marshall, what do you think about...self-experimentation?

——In the search for new and sustainable energy sources, a research team in Clausthal, Germany, is getting down and dirty—and plans to transform sewage into a valuable raw material.

——It was once believed to work like a hydraulic machine, then researchers imagined the human brain as a telephone switchboard.