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Last week's Innovate2006 conference in Zaragoza included a pre-conference tour of the region with an interesting visit of Endesa and one of the largest Spanish windmill farms, located just a few miles north off Zaragoza.

Yet another consultation is under way into the safety of nanotechnology. This time you have an opportunity to give your views on "the use of nanotechnologies in relation to food".

Intellectual property battles are not always settled in the marketplace. Epic, life-and-death struggles often take place in the judicial arena.

Without access to easy to use analysis tools, patents are becoming an expensive hindrance to many small companies, says Mick McLean, Head of Economics and Public Policy at Scientific Generics.

A cross-continent project to develop fusion as an energy source has moved once step closer to reality with the signing of a formal agreement.

On 8 June the European Commission starts the evaluation of the biofuels technological platform it will support in 2007 - 2013. But the choice will be mired in political treacle.

Manchester Metropolitan University has recruited academic and industrial partners to a £5 million programme that will assess the problems confronting the global airline industry and help to develop solutions.

The European Union was trumped last week when France announced plans to boost the country's biofuel use to 10 per cent by 2015.

Scottish Health Innovations has signed a licensing agreement with ExtraMed Ltd giving the company the right to develop and market an endoscopy reporting system developed at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

A team of Danish researchers has devised a method for developing faster silicon computer chips, and is now seeking investment to develop the technique.

Swiss researchers have devised a way to make X-ray imaging much more sensitive – and capable of being incorporated into current medical imaging equipment.

OncoMethylome Sciences is planning to raise funds via an IPO. Its diagnostics can detect early-stage cancer and predict the response to particular cancer drugs.

The controversial proposal for a new European Institute of Technology hit more political turbulence, as the EU’s research commissioner questioned whether it should receive preferential funding.

This week, from May 22 to May 27, the World Health Organisation (WHO) holds its Annual Assembly meeting in Geneva, which brings together representatives from all 192 member countries. As usual for such an august gathering, it will cover a wide variety of topics, including the controversial issue of intellectual property.

Durham Scientific Crystals is looking for funding to commercialise cadmium telluride, a semiconductor used in medical and security imaging.