Articles

A key component of smart city frameworks, efficient waste management is necessary for sustainable urban development. Innovative approaches that combine waste management, the use of renewable energy, and increased energy efficiency are needed to address pressing concerns including resource optimization and environmental sustainability. A thorough approach makes it possible to synthesize interdisciplinary knowledge to address the intricate problems that smart cities face. Fair resource allocation, cutting-edge energy conversion technologies, the adoption of the circular economy, the integration of renewable energy systems, and larger societal issues must all be given top priority in research. Waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies offer a practical way to manage waste in cities and produce energy simultaneously. Utilizing renewable energy is also essential for lowering emissions of pollutants and promoting environmental progress. An overview of smart city concepts is given in this chapter, with particular attention paid to the significance of waste management, the potential of WTE systems, applications of renewable energy, digital advances for waste handling, governance structures, and the main obstacles related to urban waste management.

This study systematically reviews how EU countries determine electricity reliability standards using the Value of Lost Load and Cost of New Entry metrics. It highlights major inconsistencies in national approaches and calls for more harmonised, transparent frameworks to ensure secure, cost-efficient, and climate-aligned energy transitions across Europe.

A variety of rotary molecular machine prototypes powered by light, chemical energy, or electrons have been synthesized and their operation in solution, gels, or on surfaces has been demonstrated. However, little data regarding their performances have been disclosed. Here, we report on the synthesis of molecules incorporating a five-arm rotor and the direct measurement of the work required to block the rotation around the central atom.

King’s career illustrates how one woman in mid-twentieth-century America transformed the scope of microbiological work. Her career showed that precise observation and persistence could open paths for women in a field long dominated by men.