Bioeconomy News

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The European Investment Bank is one of the world's largest development banks.

EIB goes green

The European Investment Bank will stop financing fossil energy projects from the end of 2021. Future funding will focus on clean energy innovation, energy efficiency and renewables.

Mechanische Unkrautbekämpfung: Spezialisten der Universität Bonn stellen einen Rollstriegel ein, der über die frisch gepflanzte Versuchsfläche kämmt, um keimende Unkräuter zu entfernen.
Mechanical weed control: Specialists from the University of Bonn adjust a roller weeder that combs over the freshly planted trial area to remove germinating weeds.

Gentle weed control

Researchers from Bonn are hoping to gently optimize weed control in the cultivation of medicinal plants in order to avoid contamination.

EU building
The Europa building in Brussels is the seat of the European Council.

Genome Editing: EU to review judgment

The European Council calls on the European Commission to investigate how the handling of genome-edited plants is to be regulated in future.

FAU-Wissenschaftler haben zusammen mit internationalen Kollegen das Rätsel um die Härte von Perlmutt (im Bild das Perlmutt einer Abalone-Schnecke) geknackt.
Together with international colleagues, FAU scientists have cracked the mystery of the hardness of nacre (the picture shows the nacre of an abalone snail).

As strong as mother-of-pearl

Researchers have shed light on the structure of nacre in mussels, paving the way for break-resistant ceramic materials.

Pestizide können bereits in geringsten Konzentrationen Wirkungen auf sensitive Individuen haben. Das zeigen auch Versuche mit Wasserflöhen.
Pesticides can have effects on sensitive individuals even at very low concentrations. This was also shown by experiments with water fleas.

Pesticides: even low doses harmful

Pesticides pose greater risks than previously thought: Helmholtz researchers have shown that pollutants can affect sensitive people and ecosystems even at very low concentrations.

Insektenarten, wie diese Kleine Goldschrecke (Chrysochraon dispar), sind in ihren Beständen deutlich zurückgegangen.
The populations of insect species such as Chrysochraon dispar have shrunk considerably.

Insects disappear faster than suspected

In Germany, most insect groups are affected by species extinction - and more so than previously assumed, as a study led by the Technical University of Munich shows.

Viele Kleinbauern in Asien und Afrika leben vom Reisanbau.
Many small farmers in Asia and Africa make their living from rice cultivation.

Tackling plant disease in rice

With two multi-resistant rice varieties and a diagnostic kit, an international team of researchers hopes to eradicate the plant disease bacterial blight.

Bei vielen Industrieprozessen fällt Kohlendioxid als Abfall an. Wirtschaftlichere Prozesse sollen dazu führen, dass das Treibhausgas stofflich recycelt wird.
Many industrial processes produce carbon dioxide as waste. More economical processes are designed to allow the recycling of the greenhouse gas.

Alcohol made from CO2

Production of alcohols from CO2 through electrochemical reduction is the goal of a research consortium that wants to use a new process to reduce the energy required for electrosynthesis.

Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in the environment and pollute the oceans.

Algae versus plastic waste

Using a bacterial enzyme, Marburg researchers have made it possible for diatoms to degrade plastic waste in salt water.

Gelatine is often used for preparing desserts and baking.

Alliance for biotech gelatine

Collagen protein supplier Gelita and the US company Geltor are cooperating in the development of biotechnologically produced collagen proteins for the vegan food market.

arabidopsis
Point mutations generated by genome editing are similar to spontaneous mutations.

Genome Editing: What Max Planck researchers say

The Ethics Council of the Max Planck Society has announced its position on genome editing in plant breeding, medicine and pest control.

Nicolas Plumeré entwickelt günstige Katalysatoren als Alternative zu Edelmetallen.
Nicolas Plumeré develops inexpensive catalysts as an alternative to precious metals.

Immortal catalysts for biofuel cells

Up until now, biocatalysts were short-lived. Bochum researchers have now developed a thin protective film that can make the hydrogenases last thousands of years.

Bathymodiolus-Muscheln und andere Bewohner der Hydrothermalquellen am Mittelatlantischen Rücken vor der Küste der Azoren.
Bathymodiolus mussels and other inhabitants of the hydrothermal springs on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge off the coast of the Azores.

Mussels with many partners

Deep-sea mussels enter into symbioses with a large number of bacteria and are thus well prepared for changing environmental conditions.

Stickstoffdüngung ist wichtig, kann aber auch zu viel sein.
Nitrogen fertilization is important, but it can also be too much.

Nitrogen fertilizers: less is more

Too much nitrogen increases the protein content in wheat. But it also reduces the yield, a research team has found.

Bei 2900 °C werden am Fraunhofer IAP Bio-Fasern aus Cellulose graphitisiert. Sie erreichen die mechanischen Eigenschaften erdölbasierter Carbonfasern.
At 2900 °C, the Fraunhofer IAP graphitizes cellulose biofibers. They achieve the mechanical properties of petroleum-based carbon fibers.

Biocarbon fibers are pulling their weight

High-tech fibers made from renewable resources can be a real alternative to their petroleum counterparts, thanks to a new ultra-high-temperature process.

Durch Borkenkäfer abgetötete Fichten am Lusen im Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald. Ökologen plädieren dafür, diese Form des Totholzes vermehrt im Wald zu belassen.
Spruces killed by bark beetles in the Bavarian Forest National Park. Ecologists advocate leaving more of dead wood in the forest.

Reforestation makes forests vulnerable

Germany plans large-scale reforestation to help ailing forests. According to Würzburg forest ecologists, this will have the opposite effect and make forests even less resilient.

Pflanzenproben werden im Labor für weitere Versuche vorbereitet.
Plant samples are prepared in the laboratory for further trials.

Bayer founds crop protection join venture

Bayer and the US company Arvinas have teamed up to launch the joint venture Oerth Bio. It uses biotechnologically produced protein molecules to protect plants from pests.

Peter O'Mara from Sydney (left) and Patrick Wilde from Bochum are working on an electrochemical cell for CO2 reduction.

Feedstocks made from CO2

Enzymes were their inspiration: Using nanoparticles as catalysts, German and Australian researchers succeeded in converting carbon dioxide into valuable resources.

Spinnennetz, überlagert mit der Strukturoberfläche der Domänen eines Spinnenseidenproteins. Die Methionin-Seitenketten sind als farbige Stäbchen hervorgehoben.
Spider web superimposed with the structural surface of the domains of a spider silk protein. The methionine side chains are highlighted as colored rods.

The secret of spider silk strength

It is an amino acid that makes the silk proteins in the spider thread tensile, researchers from the University of Würzburg have discovered.

BASF erweitert das Portfolio um natürliche Inhaltsstoffe wie Vanillin, Nootkaton und Valencen.
BASF expands its portfolio to include natural ingredients such as vanillin, nootkatone and valencene.

BASF buys flavor maker Isobionics

The Dutch biotechnology company Isobionics specializes in natural fragrances and flavors and is now expanding BASF's portfolio.