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Amazon fungus can live solely on polyurethane

February 8th, 2012

Hidden within the depths of the Amazon rainforest sits a fungus capable of eating plastic, Yale researchers have discovered.

Pestalotiopsis microspora was found to digest polyurethane, a synthetic polymer developed in the 1940s which is often used in shoes, modern appliances and vehicle parts. Read the rest of this entry »

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Creation of artificial life form moves one step closer

February 3rd, 2012

Scientists have moved the possibility of making an artificial life form from scratch a step further with the creation of self-assembling cell membranes.

In nature, cell membranes are created from molecules that have heads that mix with water and tails that repel water. These collectively make a double layer barrier, capable of sequesting the contents of the cell. Read the rest of this entry »

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Scientists develop ‘healthier cigarettes’

January 27th, 2012

Cigarette buttResearchers from Cornell University claim to have developed a 'healthier cigarette', by reducing the free-radicals passing through the filter.

By using the natural anti-oxidants lycopene and grape seed extract in the filter of the cigarette, the researchers "drastically" cut the harmful free radicals entering the body. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chemical risk method ‘reduces data requirement 21-fold’

January 12th, 2012

A new method for assessing chemical risk that reduces the data requirements 21-fold from previous models has been developed in the US.

James Englehardt, professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Miami, believes his method, which goes beyond simply predicting the risk from individual substances, is far more efficient than current methods. Read the rest of this entry »

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Synthetic photosynthesis moves a step closer

January 6th, 2012

hydrogenScientists have managed to create highly efficient electrodes capable of mimicking a key step in natural photosynthesis.

The application is expected to have significant benefits in the field of sustainable fuels, for which artificial photosynthesis is a major goal. Read the rest of this entry »

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