For 75 years Empa has been conducting wood research. Despite (or perhaps expressly because of) this long history, wood is a material with a bright future. It is not just a construction material made from renewable sources – its microstructure also conceals many usable characteristics and scope for further processing.

The current "Focus" paints a portrait of the diverse research activities of Empa concerning the topic of wood.

And also in this issue: The garden hose fibre: Lightweight summer jacket and bullet-proof vest in one – is that possible? --- Operation Cleanup: How laser technology helps to clean diesel exhaust.