Two research groups, from the University of Maryland and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, almost simultaneously introduced chemical solutions capable of removing the molecules that provide wood with its colour. Don’t be surprised if this renewed traditional material rapidly revolutionises architecture and electronics.

Cities allowed for the creation, storage, and passing of information throughout millennia. Without them, we wouldn't have had many of the political, scientific, artistic, and technological revolutions we've had over the years. Indeed, the city of the future will quite certainly look different from the city of today. What are the phenomena changing the nature of today's cities?