It has been seven years since chemists at the University of Konstanz presented a completely new class of plastics that resemble biomaterials in structure. The so-called mineral plastic was a hydrogel consisting of nanoparticles of calcium carbonate (lime) crosslinked with polyacrylic acid in water. Hardly any energy is consumed in its production, as room temperature is sufficient. It also has self-healing properties and is easily recyclable. But the mineral plastic had a crucial flaw: due to its chemical components, it was not biodegradable.

Every year, fungal diseases cause major yield losses in cereals worldwide. At the molecular biological level, there is a constant arms race between plants and their pathogens. Fungi use certain molecules, known as effectors, to trick the plant's immune system. The plant, in turn, learns to recognize these effectors and still activate its defenses. The fungi then change their effectors, and the plant must again develop immune receptors to recognize them. And so the game goes on and on.

Enzymes are at the core of biotechnology. As biocatalysts, they are supposed to help the chemical industry to move away from environmentally harmful processes and to enable particularly sustainable processes. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now transformed the enzymes into a new form: As foams, the biocatalysts prove to be extremely stable and active.

Aspects such as animal welfare and environmental protection play an increasingly important role when buying meat products. The increasing demand for plant-based alternatives also drives the development of so-called lab-grown meat. In this process, muscle stem cells from chickens or cattle are grown in a bioreactor and formed into meat-like structures using a 3D printer - without any animal having to suffer or die. The first Clean Meat products are already on the market in Singapore and the USA.

Whether it's a car, a wind turbine or an airplane, for a machine to run smoothly it usually needs lubricants, but these are traditionally based on fossil raw materials. In the PolyBioFe project, partners from research and industry have produced lubricating greases that consist almost entirely of renewable raw materials. The project focused primarily on developing a bio-based alternative to polymer thickeners, which are an important component of lubricants for rolling bearings.

Innovations from the bioeconomy are important drivers for mastering the major challenges of the future, such as climate change, food security, raw material scarcity and species loss. With its bioeconomy strategy, the German government initiated the shift toward a sustainable and resource-conserving economy years ago and put the promotion of bioeconomic innovations on the political agenda. However, the establishment of bio-based technologies also requires acceptance among the population.

Paper or packaging usually consists of pulp obtained from wood. However, paper production is very energy-intensive. Moreover, wood grows only slowly and demand has increased in recent years, as the raw material has long since become an important source for sustainable products such as bio-based plastics. But there are alternatives: Cellulose can also be obtained from other plants such as grass.