Mistletoe branches are considered lucky charms in many places. Here, the white berried mistletoe (Viscum album) with its white berry fruits is particularly widespread. It grows on deciduous trees such as birches, poplars or apple trees and is considered a semi-parasitic plant because it extracts water and the mineral salts it contains from the host plant. The white berries of mistletoe have now attracted the interest of materials scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPIKG) in Potsdam.

Germany wants to become climate-neutral by 2045, and greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 65% as early as 2030 - this is what the German government has stipulated in the new Climate Protection Act. To achieve this ambitious goal, production processes must also become more sustainable - for example, in the manufacture of hydrogen. It is seen as the energy carrier of the future. However, production is very energy-intensive. Partners from science and industry now want to tackle this problem.

From sausage spreads to cold cuts or burgers: plant-based sausage and meat alternatives are now part of the standard range in many supermarkets. However, they are still the exception on the menus of German restaurants. That could soon change. After the Netherlands and the UK, Singapore-based food tech startup Next Gen Foods, led by German co-founder Timo Recker, is now launching its plant-based chicken brand TiNDLE in Germany.

Methane from biogas plants is supposed to be a more climate-friendly alternative to natural gas. However, besides methane, carbon dioxide is also produced in the biogas plant. Although this is biogenic and therefore less problematic than CO2 from fossil sources, these emissions must be avoided if global warming is to be limited to 1.5 degrees. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a process for this, which they now want to scale up step by step.

Whole-cell biocatalysts - sounds complicated, but simply means that cells of an organimus are used to produce valuable products - such as yeast for beer or bread. Even complex chemical molecules such as pharmaceuticals can be produced in this way. The microorganisms grow in a bioreactor or fermenter and produce the desired products through their metabolism. Researchers have long been asking the question: Are all cells equally productive or is there a kind of "division of labor"?