Science Tech Updates

Plastic gets a do-over: Breakthrough Discovery Recycles Plastic from the Inside

May 9, 2019, Uncategorized, Chemistry/Nanotechnology, Environment/Geology

Unlike conventional plastics, the monomers of PDK plastic could be recovered and freed from any compounded additives simply by dunking the material in a highly acidic solution. (Credit: Peter Christensen et al./Berkeley Lab)

Scientists have made a next-generation plastic that can be recycled again and again into new materials of any color, shape, or form. Because plastics contain various additives, like dyes, fillers, or flame retardants, very few plastics can be recycled without loss in performance or aesthetics. Even the most recyclable plastic, PET – or poly(ethylene terephthalate) – is only recycled at a rate of 20-30%, with the rest typically going to incinerators or landfills, where the carbon-rich material takes centuries to decompose.

Now a team of researchers at the U.S...

Two Neutron Stars Collided Near the Solar System billions of years ago

May 9, 2019, Astronomy/Space

Astrophysicists Szabolcs Márka at Columbia University and Imre Bartos (GSAS’12) at the University of Florida have identified a violent collision of two neutron stars 4.6 billion years ago as the likely source of some of the most coveted matter on Earth.

Astrophysicists have found signs of a cosmic event that created elements that sent gold and silver to Earth. Astrophysicists Szabolcs Márka at Columbia University and Imre Bartos (GSAS’12) at the University of Florida have identified a violent collision of two neutron stars 4.6 billion years ago as the likely source of some of the most coveted matter on Earth.

This single cosmic event, close to our solar system, gave birth to 0.3% of the Earth’s heaviest elements, including gold, platinum and uranium...

Pigment-producing Stem cells can Regenerate vital part of Nervous system

May 8, 2019, Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

“This research holds promise for treating serious neurodegenerative diseases that impact millions of people each year. Our researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have discovered what could be a critical and non-invasive way to use stem cells as a therapy for these diseases,” *said UMSOM Dean,* E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor.

Researchers discover certain skin-related stem cells could help in treating neurogenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) affect millions of people worldwide and occur when parts of the nervous system lose function over time...