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Innovations paving the way for wetland restoration

Innovations paving the way for wetland restoration

World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on the 2nd of February to raise awareness about wetlands and the important role they play in our planet’s ecosystem. We are losing wetlands three times faster than forests, nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s, with 35% of the world’s wetlands disappearing in the last 50 years. Wetlands are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world economies and more. Innovators worldwide are now finding ways to restore and protect key areas and reverse their rapid loss. More…

international day for national disaster reduction
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International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

 

October 13th is known as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The date aims to encourage both citizens and the government to take part in becoming more disaster-resilient communities. As we approach this important date, we investigate the next-generation technology that has been helping cities prepare and tackle climate disasters.

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crab shell
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Renewable battery from crustacean shells

Renewable battery from crustacean shells

 

As the world transitions towards deploying green energy solutions and electric vehicles, batteries are becoming a vital storage tool, necessary to facilitate the energy transition. However, the chemicals used in conventional batteries such as lithium-ion can take hundreds or thousands of years to break down and are often corrosive and flammable. Consumer gadget batteries have been known to catch fire on aircrafts or caused fires in waste and recycling sites. Moving away from fossil fuels isn’t enough, the batteries used for green technology also need to be eco-friendly. To solve this problem, a team of researchers from the University of Maryland’s Center for Materials Innovation, led by Liangbing Hu, have developed a renewable zinc battery that uses an electrolyte extracted from crustacean shells. More…

Patent a product
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Biometric technology: A passwordless future?

Biometric technology: A passwordless future?

Biometric technology has come a long way in recent years. We are using facial and fingerprint recognition more and more in our everyday lives and although technically they can be duped, they are still more secure than traditional security measure like passwords. Biometrics allow accounts to be intrinsically linked to an individual, rather than co-opted by hackers who can guess passwords, making them a promising technology for a world that is increasingly online. With this in mind, could passwords be a thing of the past? And what are the benefits and drawbacks of biometric technology? More…

air pollution
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Innovations helping to tackle air pollution

Innovations helping to tackle air pollution

 

In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly designated the 7th of September as the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies. The aim is to stress the importance of and urgent need to raise public awareness and to promote and facilitate actions to improve air quality. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 99% of the world’s population is now breathing polluted air, 7 million people die each year due to air pollution and it is one of the main avoidable causes of death and disease globally. To tackle this, innovators have been developing technologies to help improve the air we breathe. More…

plant-based food
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Top plant-based food innovations

Top plant-based food innovations

 

With the rise of veganism and evidence that meat and animal products significantly contribute to CO2 emissions, consumers are demanding more and more plant-based products. Plant-based food innovations have exploded in recent years, diversifying the range of products already available, improving their quality and providing consumers with more choice. In this infographic we explore some of the top plant-based innovations already available to consumers and those that are still under development. You can view the relevant patents mentioned in PatBase by clicking here. More…

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Can patents help save the environment?

Can patents help save the environment?

 

Ever since 1421 when the very first patent was recorded in Florence, patents and their protected inventions have helped shape the modern world we live in today. Patents protect inventions, granting their owners exclusive rights over them for a period of time and allowing them to reap financial rewards. They have supported technological and economical advancements, as well as helping to solve problems through innovation. More…

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Green hydrogen: the future of energy?

Green hydrogen: the future of energy?

 

Modern society relies heavily on electricity and requires an increasing number of watts to function. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted in their 2019 report that global energy demand will increase between 25% and 30% by 2040. Considering how reliant we are on oil and coal, this would increase CO2 emissions thus exacerbating climate change. With this in mind, innovators are turning their attention to more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions such as green hydrogen. The new German Ambassador to the UK, Miguel Berger, who was previously the State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, stated at the Hydrogen for Life 2022 conference that it is crucial we speed up the efficiency of renewable energy, including hydrogen in order to move away from fossil fuels. He also spoke about the potential for Germany and the UK to work together in this area to develop and implement new, innovative solutions more quickly. Let’s take a closer look at what green hydrogen is and the different areas of innovation. More…

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International Asteroid Day

International Asteroid Day June 30th 2022

International Asteroid Day has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly as June 30th. It is observed annually on the anniversary of the largest extra-terrestrial impact in modern history, the 1908 Tunguska blast in Siberia. On that date, an asteroid estimated to be 43 yards across flattened 770 square miles of unpopulated forest in Siberia. The mission is to raise global awareness about asteroids as well as to “inspire, engage and educate the public about asteroids opportunities and risks”- this includes reaching research goals into asteroids and planetary defence.

Of course, this is all made possible by innovations in the field of space exploration – take a look at three exciting innovations which are allowing us to deepen knowledge of space and asteroids! More…

desertification and drought
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World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2022

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2022

Droughts are among one of the greatest threats to sustainable development, among developing countries and developed countries alike. Studies have estimated that by 2050, over 75% of the global population will be affected by drought. The UN has designated the 17th of June as a World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, in order to raise awareness about the probable threat of extreme water shortages if we do not collectively act to treat land as a limited and precious natural capital. The UNCCD says that “everyone has a role to play, because everyone has a stake in the future”. More…

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