Eco-innovation in Costa Rica: UCR chemical engineering student Eddie Alvarado Elizondo developed a compact, eco-friendly tablet disinfectant that dissolves in water in under 9 minutes and can kill 99.99% of pathogens, aiming to cut packaging and storage needs. Climate hit to local farming: Heavy rains in Costa Rica’s Caribbean are damaging cacao plantations, with some producers reporting flower losses of 50–60%, threatening harvests months ahead. Tech for public knowledge: “Discover Costa Rica,” a free interactive map, launched in Spanish and English with geographic, ocean, cultural, historical, and scientific content built with UCR partners. Waste-to-nature lessons: A Costa Rica orange-waste experiment shows how dumping orange peels and pulp on degraded pasture helped regrow forest over 16 years, boosting tree diversity and woody biomass. Global science & health link: ILiAD Biotechnologies reported Phase 2b results in The Lancet Infectious Diseases for its intranasal pertussis vaccine, with trial sites including Costa Rica. Local governance & waste controversy: Mora’s landfill plan in Picagres faces a new land-use certificate dispute tied to a proposed industrial park and garbage-truck access.