This issue’s ‘Kaleidoscope’ section reflects on how engineering can help improve planetary wellbeing and provide solutions to the challenges facing 21st-century society in fields ranging from health or energy to fire-fighting. 

The section features articles by various experts, most of whom are affiliated with UPF’s Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DTIC), which has been awarded the Spanish State Research Agency's María de Maeztu (MdM) seal of scientific excellence. The main aim of the department’s MdM strategic programme ‘Artificial and natural intelligence for engineering and beyond’ (2023-2026) is to promote research focused on planetary wellbeing.