Could laboratory-grown meat be the answer to our environmental problems, and how would this impact on the EU agricultural sector? Source: © European Union - EP

A new technique to simplify gene editing might herald a new era of genetic modification. What are the benefits and potential dangers of this technique, and how should policy-makers respond? Source: © European Union - EP

Organoids are artificially grown organs that mimic the properties of real organs. What new possibilities for treating diseases, drug development, and personalised and regenerative medicine do organoids provide? Source: © European Union - EP

What will be the impact of radio frequency identification tags, and other short-range communication devices, on how the Internet of Things transforms our way of life? Source: © European Union - EP

The 3D-printing sector has proven its commercial viability in recent years, reaching the high street and, indeed, many homes. The technology is already used in some medical domains such as dentistry and prosthetics, and many scientists are now exploring methods of printing biological materials. Even if reports about lifesaving 3D-printed hearts are certainly premature, the technology has several m...

How can information technology contribute to alleviating traffic gridlock in our increasingly congested urban areas? Source: © European Union - EP

Synthetic biology is expected to begin to design, construct and develop artificial (i.e. man-made) biological systems that mimic or even go beyond naturally-occurring biological systems. Applications of synthetic biology in the healthcare domain hold great promise, but also raise a number of questions. What are the benefits and challenges of this emerging field? What ethical and social issues aris...

Many "assistive technologies" are under development. They could help people with disabilities to participate more fully in society. But what if we already had enough technology for a truly inclusive society? Source: © European Union - EP

Many "assistive technologies" are under development. They could help people with disabilities to participate more fully in society. But what if we already had enough technology for a truly inclusive society? Source: © European Union - EP

Through advances in technology, big data has become a major asset and can open up numerous opportunities in all areas, but how can we use this in the context of health care and ensure it benefits everyone? Source: © European Union - EP

Through advances in technology, big data has become a major asset and can open up numerous opportunities in all areas, but how can we use this in the context of health care and ensure it benefits everyone? Source: © European Union - EP

Blockchain technology could shake up many aspects of our daily lives, from the currency we use to the purchases we make. But what is the impact on our social values, and what can policy-makers do about it? Source: © European Union - EP

Blockchain technology could shake up many aspects of our daily lives, from the currency we use to the purchases we make. But what is the impact on our social values, and what can policy-makers do about it? Source: © European Union - EP

Will the efforts to combat rising CO2 level in the atmosphere lead us to re-discover wood as a primary material for the construction industry or as a source of renewable energy? Massive reforestation campaign could increase the supply and availability of wood for the economy of tomorrow. Reforestation could significantly contribute to carbon capture out of the atmosphere, and it could positively a...

Will the efforts to combat rising CO2 level in the atmosphere lead us to re-discover wood as a primary material for the construction industry or as a source of renewable energy? Massive reforestation campaign could increase the supply and availability of wood for the economy of tomorrow. Reforestation could significantly contribute to carbon capture out of the atmosphere, and it could positively a...

Could introducing more precision agriculture in Europe allow us to obtain food resilience, while ensuring sustainability and jobs, and taking into account the EU's wide agricultural diversity? Precision agriculture (PA), or precision farming, involves using technology to improve the ratio between agricultural output (usually food) and agricultural input (land, energy, water, fertilisers, pesticide...

Could introducing more precision agriculture in Europe allow us to obtain food resilience, while ensuring sustainability and jobs, and taking into account the EU's wide agricultural diversity? Precision agriculture (PA), or precision farming, involves using technology to improve the ratio between agricultural output (usually food) and agricultural input (land, energy, water, fertilisers, pesticide...

What options exist, especially in terms of new technologies, for reducing the carbon footprint of the livestock industry? How effective might they be, and what could be done to encourage their implementation? Source: © European Union - EP

What options exist, especially in terms of new technologies, for reducing the carbon footprint of the livestock industry? How effective might they be, and what could be done to encourage their implementation? Source: © European Union - EP

Quantum mechanics is the physics of the small, and has some weird consequences, such as particles sometimes being in different places at once. These effects could be used to develop new technologies in the areas of sensing, cryptography, and computing. However, a lot of work remains to be done on developing useful devices, and their powerful new applications could have unintended consequences for...

Quantum mechanics is the physics of the small, and has some weird consequences, such as particles sometimes being in different places at once. These effects could be used to develop new technologies in the areas of sensing, cryptography, and computing. However, a lot of work remains to be done on developing useful devices, and their powerful new applications could have unintended consequences for...

Christian Kurrer with James Tarlton. Electric cars are projected to become cheaper than equivalent gasoline cars by 2025, when accounting for their lower running costs. Their widespread adoption would be a big help for the EU in meeting its targets on greenhouse gas emissions and air quality. However, there could be challenges ahead for our electricity grid, the automobile industry, and our supply...

Christian Kurrer with James Tarlton. Electric cars are projected to become cheaper than equivalent gasoline cars by 2025, when accounting for their lower running costs. Their widespread adoption would be a big help for the EU in meeting its targets on greenhouse gas emissions and air quality. However, there could be challenges ahead for our electricity grid, the automobile industry, and our supply...

Lieve Van Woensel with Sarah McCormack. Will intelligent robots bring us benefits in relation to security and safety, or will the vulnerabilities within these systems mean that they cause more problems than they solve? Source : © European Union - EP

Lieve Van Woensel with Sarah McCormack. Will intelligent robots bring us benefits in relation to security and safety, or will the vulnerabilities within these systems mean that they cause more problems than they solve? Source : © European Union - EP