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The EU needs a strong and coherent bioeconomy strategy grounded in strict sustainability safeguards, circular design, and reduced resource use, ensuring competitiveness and climate goals remain within planetary boundaries. It must also clearly define the societal value of the bioeconomy. In its opinion, ‘EU Bioeconomy Strategy: Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy’, adopted…

Some two dozen MEPs are raising concerns over Polish anti-LGBTi influence within the EU's smallest institution.

The alert concerns the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), a Brussels-based institution that describes itself as a conduit for civil society.

The MEPs are part of a cross-party coalition that seeks to defend LGBTi people, co-chaired by Luxembourg's centre-left Marc Angel and Germany's Green Terry Reintke.

They are upset that Poland has sent an individual with a dubious CV on LGBTI-rights to the EESC, who was then assigned to a group dealing on diversity.

The EESC diversity group handles issues like gender equality and gay rights.

But the Polish member, Tymoteusz Adam Zych, appears to have a history that goes against such issues, say the MEPs.

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Algae Are Used to Depollute Sewage and Produce Compost

A partnership between Brazilian and Dutch researchers has demonstrated that it is possible to convert black water – the “heaviest” fraction of household waste consisting mainly of a relatively undiluted mixture of feces and urine from toilet flushing – into a sort of alga farm.

Single-cell algae of the genus Chlorellafeed on nutrients in this effluent. As they grow, they help to remove the…

Virtual Reality, Videogames and Robots as Tools in Physical Rehabilitation

Technologies originally designed for entertainment, such as electronic games, gesture recognition sensors and virtual reality (VR) goggles, can make rehabilitation sessions more enjoyable and effective as well as help patients with motor limitations recover at least part of their autonomy.

Two projects with this aim were presented at the end of March during the 4th BRAINN Congress, held at the…

Sunglass Lens Quality Test Needs to Be Revised, Study Shows

The quality and safety tests for sunglasses that serve as a basis for technical standards in Brazil and other countries at similar latitudes should be revisited, especially to improve the acceptable limits for ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

According to a study by researchers at the University of São Paulo’s São Carlos Engineering School (EESC-USP), with support from FAPESP, the current tests do not…

89. Comité Económico e Social Europeu