A young city tree can die long before anyone notices. Above ground, it may still look alive; below the pavement, its roots may already be struggling with dry soil, compacted ground or poor growing conditions. TalTech professor Muhammad Mahtab Alam wants to make that hidden stress visible with a sensor- and AI-based system that helps cities know when trees need water – and how to keep urban greenery alive in a changing climate.
Science
Why does the same fertility treatment produce a considerable number of eggs in one woman, but only a few in another? One possible answer may lie in the egg cell’s immediate surroundings – the environment in which the egg grows and matures before ovulation.
Estonia’s startup scene is often described through success stories: big exits, fast-scaling teams, and the hunt for the next unicorn. But the researcher at TalTech Department of Business Administration Entrepreneurship and International Business Unit Jan Harima suggests a different lens – one that focuses less on single wins and more on what happens to people, money and know-how over time.
Microplastics are among the most insidious pollutants in the world’s seas, travelling invisibly across ecosystems and leaving long-lasting impacts. In his doctoral thesis defended at TalTech, researcher Arun Mishra has drawn a detailed map of how these particles move, concentrate, and persist in the eastern Baltic Sea.
At TalTech’s School of Science conference, early stage researcher Kärol Soodla from the Department of Cybernetics explained something most of us never think about: why some muscles get tired quickly, while others can hold us upright all day long.
Synthesising the complex sugars found in human breast milk is not just a chemical challenge – it is a key to a healthier future for infants.
At TalTech’s School of Science conference, postdoctoral researcher Bruno Grafe showed how real-time monitoring can help prevent environmental accidents and make mining cleaner and smarter.
Estonian peat has been historically used as fuel, last decades valorized as a gardening substrate, but new research shows it has the potential to play a key part in UV-blocking coating, protective cosmetics, smart packaging or next-generation bioplastics. By reimagining this familiar material, researchers are revealing possibilities that could reshape how Estonia uses one of its abundant natural resources.
TalTech is preparing a new development plan that will define the university’s direction for the next decade. In an interview with Trialoog, Vice-Rector for Entrepreneurship Erik Puura says the university must be guided both by instinct and by a clear strategy.
Under the leadership of Kristiina Kaldas, senior researcher at the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology at Tallinn University of Technology, efforts are underway to give new life to oil shale industry waste and to develop a more sustainable chemical industry.