Environmentally-friendly

Just like us, crop plants are subject to bacterial infections. And while antibiotics are often used to kill those microbes, compounds extracted from fly larva fat may prove to be a more eco-friendly alternative.

While 3D printing technology does allow for the quicker and cheaper construction of buildings, such structures are typically made of concrete, which isn't very eco-friendly. Soon, though, it may be possible to print buildings out of local soil.

Although superglues can be quite useful, they're typically made from harsh chemicals, plus it's very difficult to "unstick" them once they've set. Now, however, scientists have created a plant-based superglue that can easily be removed when needed.

Not only are diamondback moths quite harmful to brassica-genus crops such as cabbage, broccoli and canola, but they're also very resistant to insecticides. Help may be on the way, though, in the form of a genetically-engineered version of the moth.

Concrete is a mix of cement, an aggregate such as gravel, and water. For added strength, steel fibers are often added. Now, scientists are claiming that a new type of fiber-reinforced concrete could soon serve as a lighter and greener alternative.

A new juice kiosk recycles its own orange peels into the cups used by the customers.

Microfluidic chips are typically made out of plastic, but scientists are now taking a more eco-friendly approach, using wood.

​Living in the soil, roundworms can infect plants via their roots, which is why many plants have evolved to produce an immune response when the worms are detected. Now, scientists have harnessed that response to create an eco-friendly form of crop protection.

​An estimated 429,000 people die from malaria annually. And while it's tempting to spray heavily for the mosquitoes that spread the disease, conventional insecticides are also toxic to humans and other animals. Now, however, a neurotoxin has been discovered that only kills the offending mosquitoes.

​It was a year ago that we first heard about Transcend Air Corporation's Vy 400, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that will ferry passengers in and out of cities. Now, the Boston-based company has announced plans for floating environmentally-friendly landing pads for the aircraft.

​Do meal kits have a larger carbon footprint than regular grocery store shopping? A team of environmental researchers set out to crunch the numbers ​discovering that despite the extra plastic waste meal kits may produce less environmental emissions than conventional grocery shopping.

​Given that they're applied to items such as furniture and home insulation, it would really be best if flame-retardant coatings didn't emit toxic fumes. That's why scientists from Texas A and M University have developed a non-toxic alternative, made from natural renewable materials.