Latest Stories from Jamie
This AI-designed enzyme devours plastic waste in days
Scientists have developed an entirely new enzyme capable of completely breaking down plastic in a matter of days. This has renewed hope that we can begin to effectively manage the world’s leading waste crisis. In all likelihood, most of your throwaway plastic will outlive you by some 350 years before it decomposes. Depressing thought, right? Now consider that one million single-use plastic bottles are purchased every minute, while up to five...
The start-up creating animal-free dairy from cow cells
A Boston based start-up has successfully cultivated mammary cells from a cow in a lab, meaning real dairy can be produced without an animal being involved. Can this eventually become even more popular than alt-milk products? If, despite mounting peer pressure, you’re still consuming cow milk on a daily basis, there may soon be a more ecological and entirely cruelty free way of doing so. As mammals we’ve (in the main)...
South Korea has 15-acre floating city backed by the UN
Atop large, buoyant concrete platforms anchored to the seabed, a South Korean city will house 12,000 by the mid-century. Able to rise and fall with the water, this trailblazing project has now been backed by the UN. By the mid-century, some 800 million people will be residing in conurbations where surrounding sea levels could rise by more than half a meter. When this happens, many of the 500+ threatened cities...
EU commission warns Musk won’t have free rein of Twitter
The Tesla chief has acquired Twitter for $46bn and plans to re-evaluate the platform’s stance on free speech and cancel culture. The EU commission now warns that any plans to loosen moderation policies must be handled carefully and that Musk won’t be given free rein. The drawn out Twitter saga has finally reached its end. Sort of. Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk has officially secured ownership of the platform, fronting $21bn...
Contactless payment implants are now officially a thing
In London, a tech company called Walletmor is implanting customers’ hands with contactless payment microchips. Is this the future of financial convenience, or a step too far? For the price of £230, which somewhat ironically is way beyond the contactless payment limit, London tech company Walletmor will implant your hand with a microchip that can be used to make contactless purchases. If you’re down for a little augmentation and like...
How to get involved in Earth Day 2022: ‘Invest in Our Planet’
Earth Day 2022 is almost upon us, and as we near vital climate target deadlines this year’s theme: ‘Invest in Our Planet’ is pressing for increased spending on solutions. Here’s how you can get involved on the day. A year on from the previous Earth Day, which arrived amid Covid restrictions, we can once again celebrate in person. Though, the level of ‘progress’ we’ve made in that time probably...
Climate change is threatening larger bees and global pollination
New research suggests that as our planet warms, larger bees such as the bumblebee will become less prominent. Scientists now warn of potential ‘cascading’ effects on plant pollination and entire ecosystems. Climate change is ruining summers in more ways than one, according to new research. A cohort of US scientists, who study the knock-on effects of global warming to our natural ecosystems, have determined that populations of large bees could drastically...
Climate change to enter the GCSE curriculum in 2025
The Department for Education in the UK is planning to create a new GCSE qualification focused on ecological teachings and how students can help protect the planet. This will reportedly come into effect in 2025. If only we knew then what we know now, right? Perhaps if we’d known the full extent of the threats carried by climate change, we’d have responded with some level of urgency back in the 1950s...
Ukraine moves to digitally preserve its national landmarks
Amid the continued conflict with Russia, Ukraine is moving to digitally preserve its national landmarks in case of potential damage or destruction. Crowdsourced Polycam scans are helping to build detailed renderings for future restorations. Crowdsourced material is becoming increasingly important for Ukrainians amid Russia’s invasion. Some of those who’ve remained within conflict areas, whether by choice or force, have been documenting events on a daily basis in the hope that the...
You Decide – is horror’s portrayal of ageing women problematic?
In the modern age of horror, elderly women playing the roles of ghoulish antagonists is fast becoming an obsessive genre trope. Many such films hold up in a commercial and critical sense, but is this perhaps indicative of harmful gender values still present within Hollywood? The Shining is one of my all-time favourite movies. Personal bias aside, though, one could argue that its most harrowing scene unintentionally sums up Hollywood’s...
