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

This year has been another feast of science and art at Aalto University
A group of people posing on large stone steps in an amphitheatre. The building behind has large windows and a green roof.

Natural luxury – Wooden crystals make fashion shine

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

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Close-up of round, embroidered patches with blue centres and brown edges, arranged in rows on a dark fabric.

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.

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Sienikasvustoa lasipurkissa läheltä kuvattuna.

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.

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Tekoäly

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.

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Three people are standing inside a large, hollow fiberglass wing.

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.

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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.

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Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen throws up NPHarvest's Nutrient Catcher, a transparent cylinder with two hoses

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.

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Jokimaisema, jossa taustalla aavikkoa. Välissä kulkee tie, jossa ajaa rekka-auto.

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.

Orange poppies and buds with bees flying, blurred cityscape in the background.

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.

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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.

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Lähikuva Aalto-1-satelliitista.

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.

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An artistic rendering of a human brain with pink and blue highlights, set against a pixelated background.

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.

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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.

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Close-up of a complex scientific instrument with golden components and various wires, in a laboratory setting.
Press releases Published:

Time crystals could power future quantum computers

A time crystal, a long-life quantum system approaching perpetual motion, has been hooked up to its environment for the first time, unlocking an intriguing way to increase quantum computational and sensing power.
A person in black touches a large stone sculpture outside a brick building under a blue sky.
Campus, Research & Art, University Published:

Glitch artwork challenges to see art in a different light

Laura Könönen's sculpture was unveiled on 14 October at the Otaniemi campus.
Book cover of 'Nanoparticles Integrated Functional Textiles' edited by Md. Reazuddin Repon, Daiva Mikučioniene, and Aminoddin Haji.
Research & Art Published:

Nanoparticles in Functional Textiles

Dr. Md. Reazuddin Repon, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Textile Chemistry Group, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, has contributed as an editor to a newly published academic volume titled “Nanoparticles Integrated Functional Textiles”.
Person standing outdoors in autumn, wearing a grey hoodie and green jacket. Trees in the background with orange leaves.
Appointments Published:

Introducing Qi Chen: Trustworthy AI requires algorithms that can handle unexpected situations

AI developers must focus on safer and fairer AI methods, as the trust and equality of societies are at stake, says new ELLIS Institute Finland principal investigator Qi Chen