StepChange Innovations Blog

The Impact Science Fiction Has Made on Technology Today

Post author:guestpost
Post published:11/05/2013
Post category:Uncategorized

When a majority of us hear "Science Fiction," we immediately associate it with "Star Trek." The imaginations of writers and special effects incorporated in this genre have paved the way for a great deal of technology that we are now taking for granted. As you watch science fiction shows and movies of the past, you can see how we've adapted technologies and how some of the items we use today are reminiscent to those devices created by writers and developers.

Increasing M&A activities expected in the chemical industry

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:30/04/2013
Post category:Business Chemistry

In 2012 and Q1 2013, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the chemical industry was low. Now, according to consensus view of the world´s leading consultancy firms, M&A activities in the chemical industry are expected to take off.

Big pharma´s patent wars in India

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:24/04/2013
Post category:Business Pharma

The Indian Supreme court has rejected a key patent of Novartis for their cancer drug Glivec. The verdict adds to a series of strikes against multinational pharmaceutical companies to gain patent rights in India, potentially one of the biggest pharmaceutical markets in the world.

Progress in seawater desalination

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:03/04/2013
Post category:Ecology

Membrane technologies are applied for seawater desalination to address one of the world´s biggest challenge: scarcity of clean water. Scientific progress is reported with nano-scaled perforated graphene membranes. Potentially this would allow more affordable water desalination and give access to abundant clean water.

fireworker workwear

Smart textiles – hope for the European textile industry for a better future?

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:21/03/2013
Post category:Textile

Smart textiles are a big hope for the European textile industry for future business opportunities. The article outlines the differences to wearable electronics and functional textiles, and explains the challenges for the development of smart textiles.

Greenpeace zero discharge campaign

Zero discharge programme in textile industry moving to version 2

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:13/03/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

The joint roadmap of the zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (ZDHC) programme in the textile industry is moving to version 2. An environmental management system and work streams are suggested. Greenpeace criticized some of the proposed changes to the roadmap.

Inventor Jack Andraka

Teenager invents cheap and highly selective cancer diagnostics test

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:24/02/2013
Post category:Biology Pharma

15 year old teenager Jack Andraka invented a pancreatic cancer test many times faster, considerably cheaper and more accurate than the current testing standard in today’s standard cancer diagnostics.

Sustainable colouration concepts: Issues in textile processing of cotton

Post author:Christian Schumacher
Post published:05/02/2013
Post category:Ecology Textile

Cotton processing has various ecological problems, from polluted effluents to high water and energy consumption. Various concepts to improve this situation are discussed in this article. Best available technology can achieve zero discharge, especially by careful selection of dyes and processes, proper effluent treatment and recycling concepts. Future prospects include modified cellulose fibres, by chemical modifications, or bioengineered cotton.