KTH Royal Institute of Technology

New techniques have enabled researchers in Sweden to begin decoding how one of Northern Europe's most important coniferous tree species switches from growing branches to producing cones – their seed-bearing reproductive organs.

Sweden wants to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers for nitrocellulose, a raw material central to the production of conventional propellants. KTH is now launching a new competence centre to build up expertise across the entire chain – from forest-based raw materials and manufacturing to safe storage.

A new manufacturing method could help move the production of nanoscale sensors from specialized fabrication facilities to conventional semiconductor manufacturing plants.

Optical fiber has already transformed the modern world. New research now suggests it could do even more. A new flat fiber fabrication technique produces a high fidelity sensor for a wide range of applications, from batteries to bridges, according to a recently-published study.

Not happy with the heating in your office, or your apartment building? A new study shows that complicated “smart building” technology isn’t the only answer for spaces that feel too hot after lunch, or too cold in the morning.

Quantum technologies promise powerful new kinds of computers, giving scientists new tools to mimic and explore nature at its tiniest scales. At those levels, everything in nature—from atoms and electrons to light itself—follows the strange rules of quantum mechanics. But the real world is never perfectly clean: signals fade, energy leaks away and systems pick up noise from their surroundings.

A recent study shows a new and potentially more energy efficient way for information to be transmitted inside electronic systems, including computers and phones—without relying on electric currents or external magnetic fields.

New clues from genetic research may help explain what causes the most common heart defect present at birth. Researchers in Sweden have identified rare DNA changes during fetal development that can lead to a condition known as bicuspid aortic valve (BAV).

Scientists in Sweden have taken an important step toward fighting potato late blight, a plant disease that once triggered an historic famine in Ireland and now threatens to spread globally due to climate change.

Even when people with incomplete spinal cord injuries can walk, everyday functions like standing, balancing or producing steady force may remain difficult. A new study shows why.

Scientists have long known that dopamine helps the brain learn from rewards, but a new computational model shows how for people with schizophrenia this learning system can break down and simultaneously produce two very different symptoms — delusions and a loss of motivation.

Scientists in Sweden have for the first time created a fully wheat-based gel made entirely from wheat bran fiber and wheat gluten protein—an advance that could turn one of the grain industry’s least valued by products into a nutritious, sustainable ingredient in food products.

A new study revisits a century-old question about how turbulence starts. The findings could potentially influence not only aircraft engineering but even design of mechanical heart valves, and treatment of heart disease. Computer simulations at Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology indicate that very small vortices may create increasingly larger swirls of flow—the opposite of the traditional view of how energy is transferred in turbulence.

The Baltic Sea is one of the world's most oxygen-depleted major bodies of water. The reason is excessive concentrations of phosphorus, an element essential for life—and an important ingredient in fertilizer. New research shows a way to possibly convert this problem into a resource that reduces Europe's dependency on phosphate mining while revitalizing the Baltic ecosystem.

Rail commuters in cold climates like Sweden’s are all too familiar with winter train delays and cancellations. The culprit is usually rail switches that freeze up or clog with snow even though they’re heated. A new study offers a more affordable and sustainable solution to keep these crucial, track-moving components in working order.

What would happen if all the plastic in your home disappeared overnight? A Swedish family found out by volunteering for one month of near-total plastic withdrawal, in an experiment conducted by researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

Recent research in Sweden and Finland shows how used concrete’s lifespan can be extended another 50 to 100 years when incorporated into new construction.

Safer operation, better fuel efficiency and lower waste mark lead-cooled nuclear power as a potentially dramatic shift from the water-cooled nuclear stations the world has relied on since the mid 20th century. A recent Swedish study casts new light on how to avoid corrosion in the steel used to build these next-generation nuclear facilities.

Polyester and a host of other plastic products could potentially be manufactured with non-toxic and sustainable BPA alternatives identified in a multidisciplinary study published today by researchers in Sweden.

A recent advance in the science of hydrogen fuel production could enable higher output and more sustainable production of this renewable energy source, researchers with Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology report.