Scientists have found a way to turn plastic into diamonds
By recreating the extreme conditions of exoplanets, a team of researchers have successfully managed to produce nanodiamonds from PET plastic. As the climate disaster worsens, our need for technological solutions becomes more urgent. Over the last decade, research into climate innovation has produced a mixed bag of results despite the...
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This eye implant could cure blindness for millions of people
Scientists in Sweden have developed a bioengineered cornea that can successfully restore sight. It’s made from proteins in pigskin, which are a by-product of the food industry. For the millions of people across the globe who are blind or have impaired sight as a result of damage to their corneas...
Scientists believe ‘space bubbles’ could help ease climate change
Researchers at MIT are advancing a concept to slow or potentially reverse climate change. It involves placing massive silicon bubbles at the direct point between the sun and our planet. Admittedly, this concept is a little wacky, but when we hear that research in the field of solar geoengineering is...
Innovative ‘sand battery’ is green energy’s beacon of hope
Two young engineers have succeeded in using sand to store energy from wind and solar by creating a novel battery capable of supplying power all year round. When you think of batteries, you probably think of lithium. If you’re old enough to remember when one started corroding inside your CD...
There may be no link between serotonin levels and depression
A major review of 17 existing studies has uncovered ‘no convincing evidence’ depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. According to new research, depression may not be caused by low levels of serotonin. The finding comes after University College London conducted a major review of 17 existing studies and realised there...
NASA plans to send swimming robots to habitable ocean worlds
Most nearby planets thought to be habitable are completely covered in water. With many taking years to get to, NASA has secured funding for a project that will help us get a look into their depths. As humans come to grips with the possibility of one day living on another...
Drug that increases human lifespan to 200 years is in the works
Taken in pill form, the drug would eliminate cells in the human body that are responsible for advancing the ageing process – potentially doubling our lifespan. But is this desirable? Are you ready to live an additional hundred years? British computational biologist Dr Andrew Steele has published a new book on the longevity of human life, arguing it is entirely feasible for us to live well beyond a single century with...
NASA’s JWST telescope delivers deep infrared images of Universe
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has delivered the most detailed and vivid images of the early Universe to date. Within these snapshots, thousands of distant galaxies are visible. Feast your eyes on the deepest infrared images of the universe to date. I’ve got a headache. These mind-blowing snaps arrive courtesy of NASA and its powerful James Webb Space Telescope. Unsurprisingly, the results are transfixing millions across social media. Firstly, the $10bn...
Are space-built supermaterials a secret weapon against climate change?
‘Earth is a terrible place to make things,’ according to aerospace engineer Andrew Bacon. Here’s how low gravity provides the unique conditions to build high-performance materials which may arm us against climate change. Finding ways of building sustainable technologies in a sustainable way is a requirement which perpetually limits our fight against climate change. Here’s one ingenious (albeit strange) solution to this problem. In our endeavours to replace fossil fuels with...
AI is being taught to monitor coral reef health through its ‘songs’
Who’s making the hardest beats under the sea these days? We’ll soon find out, because British scientists have trained AI to track the sounds of coral reefs to monitor their health. It’s not all Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo narratives down there, but regardless, the ocean is a noisy place - especially in areas where sea life is abundant. In particular, the complex soundscapes discovered amongst coral reefs can offer up...
