Biodegradables won’t solve our plastic crisis. Despite our efforts to recycle, the overall amount of plastic that is recycled is less than 9% in the U.S.¹. Many people do not recycle for several reasons, such as a lack of knowledge for what is recyclable and where to sort it, or they lack access to appropriate and convenient recycling facilities. To combat this issue, today’s biodegradable plastics are advertised as a solution to the world’s increasing plastic pollution problem. However, these materials come with their own challenges.
Over the last decade there has been a health craze brewing over kombucha (kuhm-boo-chuh) and other fermented drinks and food (e.g., yogurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kimchi). Like coffee and tea, kombucha has origins dating back to over 2,000 years ago. As kombucha spread across the world due to expanding trade routes, so did the number of beneficial health claims. What is kombucha and does this superfood live up to its reputation?
Hello! Here’s what’s happening in the world of STEM this week.
We’ve got a helicopter on Mars, a potential AIDS vaccine, and unfortunately, the death of Yahoo Answers. Seems pretty momentous, doesn’t it? Let’s see what else is going down.
While the idea of growing babies outside of the body in artificial wombs sounds like something out of a work of science fiction, research has brought it much closer to becoming reality. Over the last decade, research groups have been exploring the possibility of artificial gestation (pregnancy) in a number of different ways.Continue reading “Artificial Wombs: From Science Fiction to Reality”
