Israel Active

Scientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have developed polymers that heat up or change their physical properties (e.g., from flexible to rigid) when exposed to LED light. The practical implications are wide-ranging, including housing in off-grid environments.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Yaakov Nahmias is the founder of Believer Meats (formerly Future Meat Technologies) – see previously. He explains how his Jerusalem-based startup is Israel’s most advanced developer of cultured meat.

Israel’s GreenOnyx (see previously) has opened an indoor breeding farm to grow and produce its Wanna Greens duckweed-based lentil greens - no agricultural land, autonomous, all-year-round. GreenOnyx markets its fresh, affordable, ready-to-eat, water-based superfood on-line.

Israel’s Technion Institute is investing $20 million in establishing the Sustainable Protein Research Center (SPRC). It will partner the international non-profit Good Food Institute to accelerate alternative protein innovation. Israel is second only to the USA for investments in sustainable proteins.

For the first time since its 1966 inauguration, the International Meeting on Ferroelectricity (IMF) will be held in Israel. Technion Assistant Professor Yachin Ivry will chair the conference in Tel Aviv (26-30 Mar) with 500 participants expected. (See Wikipedia if necessary)

Tel Aviv University scientists have built one of the most advanced satellite ground stations in the world (see previously) and the first observatory for secure quantum optical communication with Earth-orbiting satellites. It also features tracking, sensing, and hyperspectral imaging.  

Is-Ko-Space 2023 (Jan 29 – Feb 3) was the first Israeli-Korean astronomy & space science workshop, and aims to encourage joint projects. It comprised 2 days of presentations and 2 days visiting Israel’s Wise Observatory in Mitzpe Ramon and Weizmann Institute’s Ne’ot Smadar observatory.

The 18th Ilan Ramon Space Conference in Tel Aviv attracted space industry leaders from NASA, the German, Italian and Greek space agencies, Portugal, Morocco, and the UAE. Israeli space startups included Ramon.Space, Helios Space and StemRad. The theme was “Earth and Space Becoming One”.

Israel’s Resugar has developed a sweetener that contains just 30 percent sugar but looks and tastes the same as pure sugar. The sucrose is combined with dietary fibers, like chicory, and natural flavors that enhance the sweetness by almost three times. Used in Nestle-Froneri low-calorie ice cream.

Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have used computers to design enzymes that can make industrial processes much more efficient. These enzymes can create better medicines, or safely break down pollutants, sewage, and agricultural waste, and then turn them into biofuel or animal feed.