Plastic Polymer Cables That Rival Fiber Optics
MIT scientists demonstrate a hair-like plastic polymer cable that can transmit data 10 times as fast as USB How fast does data flow? The answer: not fast enough. The search for more efficient data-transfer solutions to meet the ever-increasing.....»»
The 2024 Acura ZDX Type-S: This electric SUV feels polished but heavy
It's a badge-engineered Ultium EV, but Acura is responsible for all the software. Enlarge / When fitted with the optional carbon-fiber appearance pack, the ZDX manages to give off station wagon vibes. But others thought it looked.....»»
AI video throwdown: OpenAI’s Sora vs. Runway and Pika
Workers in animation, advertising, and real estate test rival AI systems. Enlarge (credit: FT) OpenAI has been showcasing Sora, its artificial intelligence video-generation model, to media industry executives in recent w.....»»
Researchers make a plastic that includes bacteria that can digest it
Bacterial spores strengthen the plastic, then revive to digest it in landfills. Enlarge (credit: Han Sol Kim) One reason plastic waste persists in the environment is because there's not much that can eat it. The chemical.....»»
Plastic pollution talks move closer to world-first pact
A fourth and penultimate round of UN-led negotiations to solve global plastic pollution wrapped up in Ottawa early on Tuesday with a world-first pact said to be within reach by year's end but without a cap on the production of polymers......»»
If plastic manufacturing goes up 10%, plastic pollution goes up 10%—and we"re set for a huge surge in production
In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon emissions budget......»»
Tesla"s freshened Model 3 Performance is a crazy fast, 510-hp bargain
Tesla adds adaptive suspension, improved sport seats and carbon-fiber interior accents. The performance trim is also the only Model 3 eligible for the $7,500 EV credit, making it a bargain......»»
Making sustainable biotechnology a reality: Joined forces aim to improve biocatalysts
Everything biobased: plastic, medicine, and fuel. It seems like a futuristic utopia. But for how long? A collaboration of researchers now proposes an idea to accelerate the development process. By combining machine learning and laboratory automation,.....»»
New research confirms plastic production is directly linked to plastic pollution
A research paper published in Science Advances reveals a direct correlation between plastic production and plastic pollution, such that every 1% increase in plastic production is associated with a 1% increase in plastic pollution in the environment......»»
Microsoft’s Phi-3 shows the surprising power of small, locally run AI language models
Microsoft’s 3.8B parameter Phi-3 may rival GPT-3.5, signaling a new era of “small language models." Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) On Tuesday, Microsoft announced a new, freely available lightweight AI language model.....»»
A global plastics treaty is being negotiated in Ottawa this week—here"s the latest
Plastic pollution spans the globe, yet national policies are generally not effective enough, and have so far focused primarily on waste management rather than targeting the root cause. To make matters worse, the global trade in plastic waste tends to.....»»
Buckle and Band offers a new take on designer Apple Watch bands for sophisticated owners
Silicone straps, plastic leather, and Apple's introduction of FineWoven accessories aimed at reducing its carbon footprint have left those looking for a solid luxury Apple Watch band without many options — until now.Buckle and Band's Apple Watch ba.....»»
Negotiations on global plastic treaty to resume in Canada
Negotiators from 175 countries are meeting from Tuesday in Canada to nail down a binding global treaty to end plastic pollution with many sticking points to be resolved five months after the last round of talks in Kenya......»»
Q&A: Why are we drowning in single-use plastics, and what can we do about it?
Plastic is ubiquitous. It's in the clothes we wear, wrapped around the food we eat and in the toothpaste we use. It floats in the oceans and litters the snow on Mount Everest......»»
NASA"s Roman space telescope"s "eyes" pass first vision test
Engineers at L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York, have combined all 10 mirrors for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Preliminary tests show the newly aligned optics, collectively called the IOA (Imaging Optics Assembly), will direct.....»»
Plugging the leak on laundry pollution
Joaquim Goes, an ocean biochemist at Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, had to look twice when he first saw the tiny strands of fiber floating in a water sample from the Hudson River. An expert in microplastics detection, he.....»»
Type of plastic film on high tunnels can filter sunlight, influence plant growth
High-tunnel growing systems, sometimes called hoop houses, have gained popularity for their ability to enhance growth conditions and extend the growing season of horticultural crops. Now, a team led by Penn State researchers has demonstrated that gro.....»»
New plastic coating discovery gives greater functionality to 3D printing
Scientists and engineers have developed a new coating for plastic particles that are used in 3D printing, which significantly increases their functionality and opens up new possibilities for commercial application......»»
Scientists develop framework to measure plastic emissions and bolster U.N. efforts to reduce pollution
University of Toronto (U of T) scientists have developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions akin to the global standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers say the approach will boost identification of the bigge.....»»
Plastic pollution can kill variety of ocean embryos
High levels of plastic pollution can kill the embryos of a wide range of ocean animals, new research shows......»»
Novel method developed for phosphorescent multi-color carbon dots
A research team has devised a novel method to prepare carbonized polymer nanodots capable of emitting multi-color ultra-long room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) from blue to green......»»