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question 27: why do we look for the meaning of life?

There are no simple answers to questions about the meaning of life. We are – but we know not why. The issue has always fascinated us, and the answers you get depend entirely on who you ask. Why are we so eager to find meaning? Why is it so hard for us just to take life for what it is?  Read more

question 40: can wood possibly replace oil in the future?

If oil belonged to the 20th century, it looks as if wood could be the raw material of the 21st century – as indeed it was in earlier times. Good news for a country that's more than half covered by forest. To get back to nature and replace plastics with paper and other wood-based materials we need a whole new kind of engineering. No wonder that protein engineering is a hot research field in a country like Sweden.  Read more

question 48: which species must we preserve for the future?

Is there any point in trying to preserve all the Earth's biological species? Or are some more valuable than others? How can we decide? Modern molecular biology is a big help.  Read more