LeydenJar, a Dutch manufacturer developing batteries that can store huge amounts of energy, has announced that it will open its first factory in Eindhoven. 

The young innovators shared plans to begin production in 2026, as they continue to create the world’s most energy-dense battery.

LeydenJar’s super-chargers might be small, but they’re extremely powerful!

What does LeydenJar do?

LeydenJar started in solar technology, before a failing project proved more hopeful in the battery world. 

READ MORE | 7 innovative Dutch projects for a sustainable future

Now they are focused on their greater, greener vision: the “battery of the future” — a battery that holds twice the amount of energy and can be recharged in just 5 minutes. 

Better battery life means longer driving ranges, shorter charging times, and vastly increased functionality for all electrical goods. Fully charged phone in just a few minutes? Ja, please!

Speedy, superior AND sustainable

LeydenJar’s new Eindhoven home, the PlantOne factory, will produce enough power to fuel four million smartphones annually. So, how are they contributing to a greener future? 

Well, their flagship anodes (a part of the battery) are made of pure silicon (AKA one of the most useful elements to humankind) instead of conventional graphite-based batteries.

This means they can store up to 70% more energy.

READ MORE | 13 forward-thinking things Dutch people do

Higher energy density and thinner designs are the key here — and a single charge lasts much longer.

Even better, the climate change impact of LeydenJar’s production is decreased by up to 85% when compared to regular batteries.

With its new Eindhoven factory, LeydenJar will continue its mission to reduce society’s greenhouse gas emissions, working towards the EU goal of being net zero by 2050.

Do you currently own an electric or hybrid vehicle in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!

Did you see it last night? Dutch skies were graced by the beautiful Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, on Sunday evening.

The Lights were particularly visible to the naked eye in the northern provinces, but were also seen in Hoek van Holland and Enschede, reports the NOS.

Missed catching a glimpse of them? Take a look at last night’s captures:

How do the Northern Lights work?

Auroras are caused by solar flares from the sun. Charged particles enter spaces and are drawn to the north and south poles of Earth, where the magnetic field is strongest.

The particles pass through Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and collide. Energy is released and creates the colourful patterns in the sky that seem to dance.

Typically, the Aurora Borealis is seen much further north in Scandinavia, but they’re visible in the Netherlands for a few days in the year.

Your best chance at spotting the lights is to find a light-pollution-free area in the Netherlands on a dark night with a clear sky.

Did you see the Northern Lights last night? Have you seen them before? Tell us about it in a comment below!

You’d best avoid wearing a red riding hood when traversing the Dutch wilderness, as wolves in the Netherlands are becoming increasingly bold towards humans. One Utrecht court, however, is determined to change that.

Over the years, as wolves in the Netherlands bounced back from near extinction, a distinct problem unveiled itself: the animals are no longer afraid of people.

Whilst less fearful wolves might seem adorable from a distance, the court warned that they were still fully capable of being aggressive and biting the people (and animals) they come into contact with.

The wolves’ behaviour is a “threat”, says Utrecht court

One long, drawn-out legal battle about the emboldened canines’ behaviour later, the court’s decision was not in the wolves’ favour.

It was decided that the animals’ behaviour posed a “serious threat to public safety” and that it was time to bring out the big guns.

Errr… the big paintball guns, that is.

As other methods of scaring the animals off — including pulling out the pepper spray — have proved to be largely ineffective, this was the only option left on the table. (Somehow. )

In the future, the European Commission also hopes to change the wolves’ protected status, enabling them to be hunted.

What do you think about the court’s decision to allow firing paintball guns at the wolves? Tell us all your thoughts in the comments below!

Close your eyes and picture a steaming burger bun, juicy patty, and cheese that melts and bubbles.

If you live in the Dutch municipalities of Amsterdam, Haarlem, or Zwolle, seeing these images on a billboard could be a thing of the past.

The cities want to ban all meat advertisements on municipality-owned advertising spots, like bus shelters.

Why? Climate change, of course.

But will it work?

While it’s an interesting step by the municipalities, whether it will reduce meat consumption is still unclear.

“You are introducing extra regulations again with this, while we already have a lot of them,” Henriette van Swinderen, Director of the Bond van Adverteerders (Associaton of Advertisers), tells RTL Nieuws.

“We’d rather look at other ways about what we as an industry can do to play a role in behavioural change.”

But for Sjoukje Goldman, a researcher in sustainable marketing at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the intention is different.

“This is a way to convey a message. As a municipality, you make a statement with this.”

Following in footsteps

The municipality of Utrecht already voted to ban meat advertisements earlier this month. Previously, the city also banned fuel, car, and air travel ads.

Meanwhile, Bloemendaal has also decided that the city will no longer show ads for meat, dairy, or products that are sourced from fossil fuels.

What effect do you think banning meat ads could have? Share your opinion in the comments below!

At a climate march in Amsterdam on November 12, the one and only Greta Thunberg gave a speech to thousands of protesters. All went smooth — until she had her mic SNATCHED out of her hands by an activist.

The man who took the microphone is a former member of the Dutch political party Water Natuurlijk. The party has made it clear that his actions didn’t reflect their views, as the AD writes.

What exactly went down?

Let’s give you some context: it all started before Thunberg took the stage. 

A Palestinian activist had her speech cut short when she called Israel a “country of terrorism” and uttered the controversial slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.

When it was Greta’s turn to speak, Thunberg said that we should “listen to the voices of those who are oppressed (…) [because], there can be no climate justice without international solidarity”.

READ MORE | How do the Dutch feel about climate change?

This was when the man felt compelled to cut her short, brutally grabbing her mic. Why did he do it? “[He] came for a climate demonstration, not a political meeting”.

Although several people cheered him on, he was quickly taken offstage — and Greta continued her speech.

He regrets it… maybe

After the hubbub, the man realised that maybe this wasn’t the best way to go about it. It happened on a whim, and he was likely so overcome with emotion that he couldn’t control himself. 

As of now, the man hasn’t released any statement, despite international interest in him. He’s turned down several interview requests, and it seems like he won’t speak on the incident anytime soon.

What do you think of the man’s behaviour? Tell us in the comments!

Amsterdam’s Museumplein may soon see a unique ban on its horizon, and it’s not what you might expect. The Party for the Animals (Partij voor de Dieren or PvdD) is pushing for a ban on displaying tulips on the iconic plaza.

You might wonder, what’s wrong with the cherished symbol of Dutch culture? Well, this proposal addresses a specific issue — the environmental impact of the tulip industry.

A blooming controversy

While tulips are charming and deeply entrenched in Dutch society, the PvdD labelled the display of tulips as a “publicity stunt” by an industry they perceive as environmentally damaging, reports Het Parool.

They claim that the tulip industry contributes to pollution in their use of pesticides.

READ MORE | The Dutch and tulips: how did tulips in the Netherlands become a thing? 

Pesticides aren’t just harmful to insects and the environment. They’ve also been found to be associated with a higher number of locals developing Parkinson’s disease.

Green alternatives

While this proposal may seem like a curveball, it’s not without its merits. The PvdD suggests promoting alternative, eco-friendly displays on Museumplein.

READ MORE | Amazing drone shots of Dutch tulip fields: photo report

Another important point is that pesticides are used in the open fields, where the actual bulbs are grown. 

This is what the Party wants to fix: to reduce the amount of pesticides used and find other, less polluting options for Museumplein and the rest of the city.

These green alternatives would not only provide a visually pleasing experience but also align with the city’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

What do you think about this potential tulip ban? Tell us in the comments!

After completing this impressive feat, the new, student-designed, sun-fuelled car is apparently a force to be reckoned with.

This two-seated vehicle dubbed the “Stella Terra”, was designed by students at the Eindhoven University of Technology, the Guardian reports.

However, before they send their creation out into the world, the Stella Terra has to undergo a series of tests.

One such test was zooming over the irregular landscape of North Africa — and it passed the 1,000-kilometre driving test with flying colours.

Cutting-edge technology

The car is fuelled by solar panels installed on its roof, weighs a light 1,200 kilograms, and has a range of 710 kilometres on a sunny day, reports TU Eindhoven in a press release.

According to the Solar Team Eindhoven’s manager, Wisse Bos, the technology used to keep Stella Terra is lightyears ahead of anything on the current market.

Don’t live in a sunny climate? In places like the Netherlands, this car could still serve you, but over shorter distances, thanks to its rechargeable lithium (Li)-ion battery.

Even if the weather isn’t hot enough to fry an egg, the car’s solar panels are so blindingly strong that the energy produced can charge electronic devices.

READ MORE | 27 ways to thrive in the gloomy Dutch weather

The team of 22 student innovators, ages 21 to 25, took a year off of their studies to make this dream a reality.

Their goal? To serve as “an inspiration to car manufacturers such as Land Rover and BMW to make it a more sustainable industry”.

Would you drive a solar-powered car? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Last weekend, several mysterious packages washed up on the coast of the Dutch North Sea. Their contents were somewhat unorthodox: they were drugs.

The North Holland police unit tells RTL Nieuws that, although weird things wash up on the coast regularly, this is their first time seeing something like this.

A spokesperson says that packages of drugs are being found across “the entire width of the coast”.

And there’s another problem: the drugs are not just on the coast, but also in the sea. And sea creatures are consuming them.

Sharks on cocaine

Often, smugglers dump drugs into the sea, either as a method of smuggling or to avoid being caught by authorities. The result? Sea creatures can ingest them. And get high.

Cocaine, for example, dissolves very easily in water, so a small tear in a pack is enough to make the drugs consumable by sea creatures.

This can make the animals confused, disoriented, and aggressive — and more dangerous to people.

It’s kind of a lose-lose for everyone, and we doubt sharks have underwater Narcotics Anonymous support groups.

New methods of drug dealing

Why exactly are drugs washing up along the Dutch coast? Well, it’s all part of a new drug-dealing method.

Since it’s becoming harder to smuggle packages of drugs in sea containers, many smugglers now hide drugs under torpedoes that are bolted under boats.

READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #56: have a liberal attitude towards party drugs 

Another method involves dumping packages at sea with GPS trackers. This way, boats can find the packages and get them to where they need to be.

The police urge anyone who finds a suspicious package not to open it and to call 112 immediately. (In other words: this is not the time to start a questionable side hustle. )

Have you ever heard of something like this happening? Tell us in the comments!

People collapsing of heat? Rising sea levels drowning out the country? These problems could be faced by future generations if the NL doesn’t act now.

We’re all used to complaining about the cold weather in the Netherlands. But by 2100, the Dutch population might think of our current temperatures as a golden era.

Yup, according to experts, if we keep up the carbon dioxide emissions, Dutch weather conditions will only go south for future generations, RTL Nieuws reports.

40-degree weather, every other year

For the last six years, a group of 40 researchers at the Dutch Royal Meteorological Institute (KNMI) have collected data to determine what the future will hold depending on our environmental choices nowadays.

Researcher Karin van der Wiel of the KNMI believes 40-degree weather would occur every other year in the Netherlands if we continue to burn fossil fuels at our current rate.

READ MORE | How do the Dutch feel about climate change?

She also says, “the number of tropical days will increase to 35 per year” — as opposed to the average of 5 days we currently experience per year.

In the most extreme scenario, temperatures could occasionally even rise up to 50 degrees Celsius.

The consequences? More death. That’s right — in those circumstances, the Netherlands would experience something very not-Dutch: people dying of heat.

But there is hope

Still, the KNMI wants to remind us that we aren’t completely doomed, and there is still an opportunity to turn this around.

If the Netherlands manages to cut back on emissions, then temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius would be a rare occurrence.

High temperatures aren’t the only threat for “our children and grandchildren”, says oceanographer Sybren Drijfhout.

Sea levels off the European coast are reportedly rising by roughly 2.5 millimetres per year, which isn’t a good sign for a country that has a large portion of its land below sea level…

READ MORE | The Dutch built cities on sinking land: how will this fare with climate change?

However, reducing emissions would also ensure that sea level rise is kept in check.

In short, if we want to avoid all this hassle, we should start to evaluate how much greenhouse gasses we’re letting into the atmosphere.

How do these predictions about the Netherlands’ future climate make you feel? Let us know in the comments below!

Is it fireflies? Fireworks? Nee, it’s Studio Roosegaade’s latest art installation, SPARK — and it’s simply stunning.

After displaying in cities such as Melbourne, Bilbao and London, it’s time for Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde to bring his twinkling baby home.

The Dutch premiere of this gorgeous light artwork will take place in Leeuwarden on 3, 4, and 5 November — and it’s free for everyone.

But what exactly is it?

SPARK is an artwork consisting of thousands of biodegradable “sparks.” The piece is inspired by fireflies and offers an eco-friendly silent alternative to fireworks.

READ MORE | Leiden switched off its lights for a moment, and it was beautiful

Picture yourself, Disney princess-style, surrounded by a sky of thousands of silent sparks. Can’t imagine it? Here’s a sneak peek.

The goal of SPARK is to celebrate the interconnectedness of people and nature whilst also offering a sustainable alternative to the traditional fireworks that are used during festivities such as the Olympic games and New Year’s Eve.

READ MORE | GROW: Dutch design studio lights up the future of agriculture

“SPARK has a more hypnotic effect than traditional fireworks. It brings peace, like a campfire. And just like a campfire, it brings people together,” Roosegaarde explains in a press release.

I’m in! Tell me how to see this

Grab your favourite people, perhaps a hot flask, your childlike wonder, and head to Leeuwarden’s Oldehoofsterkerkhof.

READ MORE | Seeing stars: a Studio Roosegaarde and UNESCO Netherlands project

Taking place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night of the first weekend in November, you can enjoy the view between 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM.

Ready to contemplate existence under a sea of sparks? We’ll see you there.

Will you be enjoying this art installation? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!