Researchers first presented the CRISPR-Cas genomic scissors in 2012 in the journal Science. In the meantime, the molecular precision tool has revolutionised the field of molecular biology. Holger Puchta from the KIT is one of the first researchers to use these genomic scissors to make targeted modifications to the genetic material of plants. In the interview, he explains how so-called genome editing works, and why the agricultural crops that result from this technology are indistinguishable from natural plants.

A visit to the toy fair in Nuremberg with all of its disposable plastic toys inspired the CEO of wijld GmbH Timo Beelow to create sustainable alternatives to these disposable products. The Wuppertal-based start-up successfully managed to create t-shirts that are made of the renewable resource wood (“WoodShirts”) and that are easily recyclable.

On their quest for ways to save water during farming, researchers are focussing more and more on sewage treatment plants. Within the cooperation project “HypoWave” Frankfurt-based researchers headed by the agricultural expert Martina Winker aim to develop a new method in order to use municipal sewage water more effectively for farming plants. Therefore, they are focussing on hydroponics.

Although peptides are already often used in cosmetics or the pharmaceutical industry, their unused potential is even greater. Their expensive and complex production however, has limited their application possibilities thus far. The Düsseldorf start up Numaferm has developed a new tool to remedy the situation. CEO Philipp Bürling is convinced the new Numaferm technology that was developed by his business partner Christian Schwarz will significantly reduce the production costs of peptides.

Plant diseases and pests are a plague for farmers and hobby gardeners all around the world. With her ‘Plantix’ app, Simone Strey from Hanover-based start-up PEAT is now offering a novel form of support for self-help. From the photos provided by users, the software not only identifies pest infestation and nutrient deficiency in plants, but also provides advice on how to deal with disease or parasites. The geobotanist Strey and her team were honoured with the ‘Innovation Award 2017’ at this year's CeBit, the world’s biggest digital fair.

In Germany, 11 million tonnes of food are thrown away every year. With their dumplings made from old, hardened and unsold bread, Janine Trappe and her team at Knödelkult are taking a stand against such wastefulness. The dumpling makers from Constance have already saved more than 1,700 bread loaves from untimely disposal.

Insects can be delicious. At least, this is the opinion of Christopher Zeppenfeld and his team at SWARM. With the first fitness bar with a main ingredient of crickets, the founder and managing director of the start-up SWARM Protein is aiming to break down longstanding reservations towards insect-based food.

In the global search for alternatives to oil-based fuels, the scientific community is focusing increasingly on renewable raw materials. While the automotive industry is gradually offering more eco-friendly models, the aviation industry is lagging behind. In the DropIn Biofuels project at the Technical University of Darmstadt, microbiologist Johannes Kabisch and his team are working on a new generation of biofuels that could help reduce the emissions caused by aviation.

New breakthroughs in science occur almost daily. Many of them would be very useful to further a more sustainable economy and to provide food and shelter for a growing population. However, customarily, new results are published in scientific journals and many of those charge expensive subscription fees to researchers, universities, and interested readers around the world.

It’s a worn-out cliché: A woman standing in front of her packed wardrobe, complaining that there’s nothing in it she could wear. However, if the skin of the woman (or man) is extremely sensitive and is in fact allergic to many fabrics, most clothing stores do indeed not offer any wearable options. Sabine Schmidt knows this problem all too well, she herself has been suffering from severe neurodermatitis for years. Appropriate clothing is of the upmost importance under these circumstances, as inferior or chemically treated material worsens potential skin irritations.