Redacción de The Smart City Journal, Author at thesmartcityjournal.com

How to increase the rate of plastics recycling

A national bottle deposit fee could make a dramatic difference in reducing plastic waste, MIT researchers report While recycling systems and bottle deposits have become increasingly widespread in the U.S., actual rates of recycling are “abysmal,” according to a team of MIT researchers who studied the rates for recycling of PET, the plastic commonly used…

Counting insects for farmland biodiversity

The SHOWCASE project’s new insect counting app combines game-playing elements and data collection to encourage community engagement in pollinator monitoring as a stepping stone to agricultural sustainability and resilience The EU-funded SHOWCASE project has launched an insect counting app that promotes biodiversity by helping farmers monitor flower-visiting insects. The InsectsCount app helps to build an…

EU Missions to address climate change in cities and regions

The new Projects Info Pack from CORDIS showcases how EU Missions are supporting Europe’s inclusive transition to a climate-neutral continent In the face of unprecedented challenges posed by climate change, the European Union has embarked on an ambitious journey towards a sustainable and resilient future. The fourth entry in the CORDIS Projects Info Pack series…

Does AI help humans make better decisions?

One judge’s track record — with and without algorithm — surprises researchers While several sectors, including criminal justice, medicine, and even business, use AI recommendations, humans are typically the final decision-makers. The researchers took this into account by comparing criminal bail decisions made by a single judge with recommendations generated by an AI system. Specifically…

How the apparel industry could refashion itself

To mitigate the environmental and social issues associated with the production of clothing, companies, and consumers alike must shift toward sustainability, says Barchi Gillai A bit of retail therapy can feel like harmless fun. Yet getting a great deal on a new shirt or pair of shoes may come with a hidden price tag: greenhouse…

Brag about how busy you are at work? Don’t, says science

Highlighting work stress to demonstrate professionalism and commitment will likely backfire, reveals new study We’ve all had a co-worker who constantly talked about how busy they were, from bringing up their overloaded schedule to the late hours they put in. Or maybe it hits too close to home? Stress bragging has become the new workplace…

The digital age transforms tax free in Europe

Massive tourist arrivals could especially benefit Spain, due to its proximity to France and its popularity among Latin American travelers. In France alone, the economic impact of tourism this summer is expected to reach 3.5 billion euros Tourists' spending during their trips is a crucial indicator, often more relevant than the number of visitors itself.…

Do EU citizens feel less European?

A team of researchers combined various opinion polls from 34 European countries over 41 years The 2024 European elections – the world’s largest multi-country vote – saw the rise of nationalist and Eurosceptic parties. Going back a few years, there was Brexit and the debt crisis. How have these and other major events negatively impacted…

Using artificial intelligence to bring doctors into patients’ homes

A new technology using advanced artificial intelligence algorithms enables remote patient monitoring with simple household medical devices The ability to monitor patients at home is critical for future healthcare systems, which will be increasingly burdened by ageing populations. Traditional remote patient monitoring is complicated and onerous however, often involving painful integrations with various medical devices.…

Inside the realm of forest resilience amid climate challenges

Researching how forests react to climate change can help improve strategies for their adaptation and conservation – the EU-funded project ASFORCLIC is working towards this goal In our ever-evolving world, the forestry sector has to overcome various challenges, mainly related to climate and socio-economic changes. Forest decline has serious consequences: biodiversity loss, reduced carbon sequestration,…