"Soil organisms are important ecosystem engineers"

Climate change and industrialization are putting ecosystems under pressure worldwide. The precious resource soil is also affected by this and endangers biodiversity. Nico Eisenhauer has been studying the effects of global change on soil biodiversity for years. The Jena biologist is primarily investigating how the interaction between plants and soil organisms is affected. It is earthworms and springtails in particular that serve the researcher as a gauge of biodiversity.

Biodegradable packaging made from popcorn

Popcorn is a popular snack - but that's not all. The grains could also be a new resource for replacing conventional plastic or Styrofoam. A team led by Göttingen researcher Alireza Kharazipour has spent ten years taking a closer look at popcorn grains to find out whether they are suitable for the production of new sustainable products. As a result, a process has been developed with which 3D molded bodies for various packaging can be produced from a popcorn granulate.

nova-Institut (2021): Turning off the Tap for Fossil Carbon

The report "Turning off the Tap for Fossil Carbon" shows how demand is being met today and how it could be met by renewable carbon in 2050.

Impregnating outdoor textiles sustainably

Outdoor textiles must be practical and functional: they should protect equally well against rain, wind and dirt. To meet these high demands, the textile industry has so far used so-called hydrophobing agents for impregnation. However, these usually consist of petroleum-based fluorine compounds, which have been proven to harm the environment and people. Rudolf GmbH, a company specializing in textile chemicals, now wants to launch a fluorine-free alternative made from renewable raw materials.

Creating new food additives from hemp

Hemp is one of the oldest crops in the world. Various parts and species of the plant are used to produce textile fibers, building materials, medicinal products, but also foodstuffs. The food industry relies primarily on the healthy ingredients of the hemp plant, which are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but also vitamins and minerals. Industrial hemp, on the other hand, is cultivated specifically for industrial use.

"Perennial grain crops are a resource-saving alternative"

Many plants only live for one season and have to be resown every year. This also applies to important food crops such as wheat, corn and barley. However, regular sowing, plowing, harvesting and fertilizer application damage biodiversity, groundwater and soil. Maria von Korff Schmirsing is convinced that perennial crops can solve the problem. The plant researcher wants to make food production more sustainable by breeding perennial cereal crops.

"Microalgae on building facades can green the city"

Microalgae are a beacon of hope for the bioeconomy. Not only manufacturers of food and animal feed rely on them, but microalgae are also becoming increasingly important for the production of biofuel and new plastics. Linus Stegbauer now wants to establish these talented single-celled organisms in the construction sector. To this end, the Stuttgart chemist wants to develop biointelligent facade elements for buildings that are coated with a special biofilm made of microalgae.

Using bacteria to produce plastic from waste

Plastics are versatile and durable, but it is precisely their long durability that is the problem: petroleum-based plastics do not decompose and pollute the environment. Bio-based alternatives made from renewable raw materials do exist. But they are not environmentally friendly per se unless they are also sustainably produced, recyclable or biodegradable. This is the approach taken by the PHABIO APP project.