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Politecnico di Milano


Ultrafast computers controlled by light: a new frontier opened by Politecnico di Milano and CNR

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano and CNR have developed a new ultrafast computer technology controlled by light, potentially hundreds of times faster than traditional electronics. The technology manipulates the state of electrons in matter using oscillating light, enabling operations at rates above 10 terahertz.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 10, 2026

A study by the Politecnico di Milano confirms the relationship between migration and water scarcity

A recent study by Politecnico di Milano researchers reveals that environmental migration in Somalia is primarily driven by water scarcity, with over three-quarters of cases linked to droughts and food insecurity. The study emphasizes the need for community-led solutions, coordinated policies, and international collaboration to address ...

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Food·DateFeb 26, 2026

MAPPI: a new system to learn how a plant's leaves, stem and roots mutually communicate under environmental stress

Researchers developed MAPPI, a system that enables real-time visualization of how a plant's leaves, stem, and roots communicate with each other in response to environmental stress. The system reveals bi-directional communication between leaves and roots, overcoming limitations of traditional microscopy.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScience Advances·TypeImaging analysis·DateFeb 11, 2026

Politecnico di Milano: Individual behaviour matters more than we think in spreading epidemics

Research by Politecnico di Milano finds that even a small percentage of individuals who don't follow health measures can significantly increase the infection peak and strain healthcare facilities. The study emphasizes the need to monitor and adapt public health strategies to individual urban contexts, making interventions more effective.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 10, 2025

Pollution and cardiac arrest: a study by the Politecnico di Milano reveals a direct link between peak air pollution and cardiac risk

Researchers found a strong association between nitrogen dioxide levels and increased risk of cardiac arrest, with a 7% rise for every 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase. The study highlights the importance of considering environmental data in health forecasting systems.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalGlobal Challenges·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 14, 2025

Hi-tech viticulture: the Politecnico di Milano has created virtual vineyards for self-driving tractors

Researchers develop system to test and optimise self-driving strategies for agricultural tractors in a virtual environment, creating realistic vineyard scenarios and evaluating control algorithms. The goal is to reduce human presence and improve agricultural automation solutions based on sensors and predictive algorithms.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalAgriEngineering·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 11, 2025

An intelligent catalyst for sustainable chemistry

A research team at Politecnico di Milano has created a single-atom catalyst capable of selectively adapting its chemical activity. The catalyst, composed of palladium encapsulated in an organic structure, can 'switch' between two key reactions in organic chemistry by varying reaction conditions.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 31, 2025

Brexit: is it farewell to capital? The UK has turned off the tap for EU startups. Europe still invests across the channel

A recent study by Politecnico di Milano found that UK investors cut back on European investments after Brexit, while EU investors waited for clarity before increasing their investments. This suggests that Brexit raised uncertainty in the market for financing innovative entrepreneurship.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalResearch Policy·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 16, 2025

Controlling bacteria with light: from tackling antibiotic resistance to “bacterial robots”

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano have developed a system that allows bacteria to sense light and convert it into electrical signals without genetic modification. This method has the potential to develop next-generation antimicrobial platforms and biocompatible 'bacterial robots' for targeted drug delivery.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalThe European Physical Journal Plus·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 3, 2025

TEMPO molecule enhances stability and performance of perovskite solar cells: a step toward lightweight, durable solar panels

Researchers develop a bulk passivation technique adding TEMPO to perovskite films, boosting efficiency beyond 20% and maintaining performance for several months. The approach is fast, solvent-free, and compatible with roll-to-roll processing, making it promising for large-scale production.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalJoule·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 22, 2025

Development of a chaotic light receiver for secure communication in hostile environments

A team of researchers from Télécom Paris and Politecnico di Milano has developed a system of optical micro-antennas integrated into a programmable photonic chip, which can adapt in real time to restore chaotic signals. This innovation paves the way for chaos-based encryption for secure high-speed communication in hostile environments.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 8, 2025

New frontiers in recycling waste vegetable oil: A research project for the circular economy

A research project from Politecnico di Milano proposes a novel method to recycle used vegetable oil into valuable resources like bio-lubricants and air purification devices. The project optimizes waste treatment processes while reducing waste and promoting European independence in critical raw material supply.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalRSC Sustainability·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 18, 2025

Politecnico di Milano and Georgia Tech unveil new scenarios for asteroid deflection

Researchers from Politecnico di Milano and Georgia Tech analyzed NASA's DART mission to asteroid Dimorphos, revealing a viable mechanism for ejecta evolution and understanding the impact of an asteroid's shape on deflection. The studies suggest that sending multiple smaller impactors can increase the asteroid push while reducing costs.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Communications·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 20, 2025

Milan under stress due to heat waves: study reveals districts most at risk of cardiovascular emergencies

A study by Politecnico di Milano reveals districts most at risk of cardiovascular emergencies during heat waves in Milan. The research found that 23% of the city's population in 18 vulnerable districts face a 22% increased risk, while 20 low-vulnerability districts show no significant increase.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalPopulation and Environment·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 10, 2024

Alternative materials to plastics for packaging are not always more sustainable

A recent study analyzed 53 peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessment studies and found that conventional plastics are not always the least environmentally friendly choice. Bioplastics emerge as a viable alternative for climate change and fossil resource depletion, but other environmental impact categories show some disadvantages. The analysi...

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalWaste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMay 16, 2024

Floating solar’s potential to support sustainable development by addressing climate, water, and energy goals holistically

A new study published in Nature Energy suggests that floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) could produce 20-100% of the electricity expected from Africa's planned hydropower dams. This approach would reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainable development by avoiding large dams' negative effects on communities and ecosystems.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Energy·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 18, 2024

Learning the intrinsic dynamics of spatio-temporal processes through Latent Dynamics Networks

Politecnico researchers developed a new type of neural network called Latent Dynamics Network (LDNet) that can accurately predict the evolution of complex systems in low-dimensional spaces. This approach offers significant innovations over traditional methods, enabling up to 5 times more accurate results with a reduction of over 90% in...

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Communications·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMar 6, 2024

Pollution: Impact of agricultural activities on PM2.5 in Lombardy is comparable to that of urbanization, industry and transportation

Agricultural activities in Lombardy have a significant impact on PM2.5 concentration, comparable to other known sources of pollution. The study used innovative GEOAI models to analyze the relationship between land use and air pollution, providing new insights into agricultural pollutants.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalChemosphere·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2024

Positronium laser cooling

Researchers successfully cooled positronium atoms to record-low temperatures of 170 K, significantly reducing their transverse velocity component. This achievement has far-reaching implications for precision spectroscopy and the study of quantum electrodynamics.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 27, 2024