Researchers all over the world are investing a great deal of time and effort in the development of practical quantum computers – which are still more or less in the experimental stage.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, sporting events, concerts, and exhibitions will have to take place without an audience being physically present for the foreseeable future.

Smartphones, tablets, etc. are now a normal part of everyday life. But what exactly is inside these devices that makes each new generation even more powerful than the previous one?

We take it for granted that all children should learn to read, write and do arithmetic. In the digital era, new basic skills are added to this list, as we are now facing the challenge of digital literacy.

Soon the entire world will be connected to the Internet through satellites. Providing cars, airplanes and households with easy access to the online world, from any location, will require a new generation of smart antennas.

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) – in the media, at conferences and in product brochures. Yet the technology is still in its infancy. Applications that would have been dismissed as science fiction not long ago could become reality within a few years.

The term “innovation” may well conceal the biggest black box in the business world. Every company wants to be innovative, but only a few manage to remain innovative for decades.

Humans have always been inspired by nature when it comes to technological innovations – just think of the lotus effect or the streamlined shapes in modern design. Nature is now providing a model for the next generation of computers as well.

The coronavirus pandemic has compelled countries, the global economy and every single one of us to move our daily lives to the digital world. This is happening to an unprecedented extent and at extremely short notice.

The coronavirus crisis has hit us hard. The surprise it has caused is actually itself surprising. After all, there were plenty of reports and images of Covid-19 in China – and despite this, we in Europe were not sufficiently prepared.