Sustainable supply chain starts with the African miracle tree
Oil from the African super tree
The baobab is a majestic tree. What makes it a super tree is the fact that it survives in dry conditions by storing water in its trunk and fruit when it rains and drawing it back when the dry season comes. Each specimen is therefore a stone in the wall of the "Great Green Wall", which is intended to limit the expansion of the desert. Its seeds produce a nourishing oil that Evonik can refine into a high-purity product. These seeds thus become an additional source of income for small local farmers, who can lead a more profitable and settled life. On Elements Digital, we report on the triple benefits of the super tree. Villagers also report in a video from their perspective on what the Super Tree means for them.
Theory and practice
The consensus in panel discussions is that digitalization has many advantages, but what does the reality look like? For three years, an Evonik team worked on digitalizing the production of POLYVEST®, a base material for many adhesives and sealants. The result was astonishing: carbon dioxide emissions fell, production volumes increased, and costs remained within reasonable limits.
Humanoid robots
Who doesn't dream of a tireless, always friendly little helper? The humanoid robot appears in science fiction films, comics and even mythology. But perhaps we are the first generation to get to know them. Not tomorrow, but perhaps not in the too distant future, it could extend a cold hand to us too. In "Foresight", we take a look ahead.
Photo: AI generated
