A new tool could make it easier to study scarce plant molecules. Researchers co-led by the University of California San Diego have developed so-called microbial cell factories—using E. coli and yeast—to produce a special class of plant hormones, known as strigolactones, at unprecedented levels. By amplifying production of strigolactones, which occur in such low amounts in plants, researchers now have the ability to study these elusive plant molecules in much greater depth than before. The work could help improve sustainable agricultural practices by offering deeper insights into how plants make and use their natural hormones to adapt and survive.  

Two new papers document progress in neuroprosthetic technology that lets people feel the shape and movement of objects moving over the "skin" of a bionic hand.

Researchers have developed an adhesive polymer that is stronger than current commercially available options while also being biodegradable, tunable, and reusable. The findings – described in Science – show how the common, naturally occurring polymer P3HB can be chemically re-engineered for use as a strong yet sustainable bonding agent. 

The Golden Jubilee University National Hospital has become the first hospital to co-design friendly and reusable theatre caps made from sustainable plant-based material as part of a research project being led by the University of Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt University.

The project aims to reduce waste created by single-use disposable theatre cap products used by NHS Scotland while alleviating patient anxiety and improving the identification of theatre staff roles. Around 800,000 single-use disposable theatre caps are consumed every year in Scottish hospitals. The new caps are made from cellulosic fibre which is derived from plant-based material. They offer a sustainable alternative to traditional disposable options.

A University of Massachusetts Amherst-Ernest Pharmaceuticals team of scientists has made “exciting,” patient-friendly advances in developing a non-toxic bacterial therapy, BacID, to deliver cancer-fighting drugs directly into tumors. This emerging technology holds promise for very safe and more effective treatment of cancers with high mortality rates, including liver, ovarian and metastatic breast cancer.

Is it possible to feed the planet in a healthy way while reducing the use of land and water? A study conducted by researchers from the Glob3science Lab of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano and published in Nature Sustainability, proposes a global model that makes the best use of agricultural and water resources, making the adoption of the EAT-Lancet universal reference diet a sustainable possibility.