Aalto in 2024: Love pictured in the brain, wooden crystals that make fashion shine, recovering minerals from wastewater and more

Natural luxury – Wooden crystals make fashion shine

Biomaterials and 3D-printing conjure a sparkle out of wood without harming people or the environment.

-> Read more

Kudos asks why we fear fungi but not microplastics

The Kudos Pavilion, a so-called “library of material relations”, blurs the boundaries between buildings and living organisms while inviting us to reflect not only on our relationship with materials but also on our values.

-> Read more

Five things everyone should know about AI in the workplace

Generative AI seems to be everywhere these days, but does it really make work easier and businesses more productive? Or will jobs disappear entirely? Although research on AI’s impacts remains limited, one thing is certain: our workplaces are set to change, says Professor Jukka Luoma.

-> Read more

Aalto’s new community-built sauna floats on repurposed wind turbine blades

Made from tough fibreglass, wind turbine blades are notoriously difficult to recycle. Now, Reverlast, a company founded by Aalto University alumni, is transforming them into durable floating structures designed to withstand even harsh marine conditions. The company’s first project is Aalto University’s new community sauna, which will be ready for testing just in time for the holidays.

-> Read more

The butterfly effect – bending and turning artificial muscles with light

In the future, the innovation could be used in for example the development of smart textiles, soft robotics and medicine.

-> Read more

NPHarvest: Recovering minerals from wastewater

Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen founded NPHarvest Oy based on his doctoral thesis with the aim of improving the nutrient cycle by recovering minerals from wastewater. The company’s first round of funding was a success.

-> Read more

Humans have driven the Earth’s freshwater cycle out of its stable state

A new analysis of freshwater resources across the globe shows that human activity has pushed variation in the planet’s freshwater cycle well outside of its pre-industrial range.

-> Read more

Researching urban greenery as critical infrastructure

Urban greening plays a crucial role in building a climate-resilient, biodiverse and prosperous city. Urban green spaces, streetscapes and courtyards are not just "decoration", but instead critical infrastructure that provides answers to many societal challenges.

-> Read more

Metsähovi Radio Observatory turns 50 and gets new telescopes

Students helped design and build the new telescopes, which expands the opportunities for multidisciplinary space research and education.

-> Read more

Finland's first satellite Aalto-1 space journey ends

The first Finnish satellite, Aalto-1, which has been orbiting Earth for seven years, flew over Finland for the final time in September before burning up in the atmosphere. Built by students and researchers, Aalto-1 marked the beginning of a new space age in Finland, says Professor Jaan Praks, who led the project.

-> Read more

Finding love: Study reveals where love lives in the brain

Researchers have taken looking for love to a whole new level, revealing that different types of love light up different parts of the brain.

-> Read more

A deep dive into radical creativity – making creative thinking and culture visible through cinema and MOOC

Radical creativity drives innovation and transformation. It is essential for navigating and thriving in a world of complex challenges and uncertainty. That is why Aalto University invites Finnish organisations, communities, influencers, and individuals to harness creativity as a key driver of economic and societal renewal and growth. There are two ways to get involved: first, companies and organisations can host screenings of the Radical Creatives documentary to inspire creativity and experimentation.

-> Read more

-> More about the movie here

Second, the free online course will teach you what radical creativity is and how to apply it in individual, organisational, and leadership contexts. You will discover how to drive deep change—whether in business, the arts, or technology.

-> Diving into Radical Creativity MOOC