ISRAEL INNOVATION PROJECT

Technion researchers have developed designs for a new type of wind turbine that rotates around a vertical axis, as opposed to the horizontal axis of traditional turbines. The design enables the blades to move at roughly the same speed as the wind, seven times slower than traditional turbines, allowing for higher efficiency and better performance at low wind speeds.

Israeli startup Electriq Global is establishing a manufacturing facility in the Port of Amsterdam that will convert hydrogen gas into a powder, which can then be turned into electricity through a proprietary dehydrogenation process. The technology allows for the simplified storage and transport of energy, moving the material via trucks or ships and allowing for the production of electricity in remote locations without electric grid infrastructure.

Israeli company DenovAI seeks to leverage artificial intelligence and computational molecular biophysics methods to develop new proteins from scratch. The technology aims to speed up the time-intensive and costly selection of potential antibodies as drug candidates in labs, with the potential to cut “discovery timelines from months to days.”

A new study from researchers at Tel Aviv University characterizes a new mechanism for the formation of metastases in the brain, cancer that typically produces survival rates less than one year. The team identified the LCN2 protein is a key factor in inducing neuroinflammation in the brain, and that inhibiting this mechanism “significantly reduced the development of brain metastases in lab models.”

Materials science startup Balena has created footwear made of fully compostable materials, hoping to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated by clothing and shoe brands. The shoes are made of a flexible thermoplastic, easily used in applications like 3D printing and injection molding, but with the ability to decompose back into the earth without leaving harmful chemicals or excessive waste.

From Weizmann Wonder Wander - NASA plans to launch Israel’s first space telescope, the Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite, into high-Earth orbit in 2026 as a part of a new partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology. With a field of view of 204 square degrees, the satellite offers 100 times the extra-galactic volume accessible for the discovery and observation of transient events, such as neutron star mergers and supernova explosions.

Engineers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed a robot that moves quickly and efficiently on both land and in water. The robot, whose movement is inspired by centipedes on land and by flippers in water, is powered by a single motor, with potential applications in search and rescue in the wake of natural disasters and in marine agriculture.

Scientists at Ben-Gurion University treated 30 mice with Alzheimer’s with a novel molecule, finding that all subjects regained full cognitive ability. The drug focuses on correcting abnormal mitochondrial activity associated with Alzheimer’s, instead of reducing the amount of plaque in the brain as many other treatments aim to do. Though the initial sample is small, researchers hope their molecule may be developed into a drug for treatment within a decade.

Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, signed a series of agreements with Argentina to build “comprehensive master plans for the water sector.” The agreement will allow for the implementation of Israeli water innovation to make the most out of the country’s natural resources, while coping with the effects of climate change and ecological destabilization.

Israeli startup Blue Tree Technologies has developed a method to reduce the sugar content in orange juice without harming the drink’s taste or nutritional value. The method targets disaccharides, sugar molecules not associated with the aroma and mouthfeel of juices, using a proprietary compound to filter the juice without harming the pulp, vitamin C, or amino acids that provide nutrients to the consumer.