Tag: #171

Alternatives to single-use plastic are available - thanks to spider’s silk. Meanwhile, a US research team has been inspired by jumping spiders’ vision to create a highly efficient 3D camera. Thanks to their multi-layered retina, the spiders can compute distances very quickly. The camera, like the spiders’ retina, takes two images of the same area, each with a different...

A special ring could make digital communication more secure in future. Now, two students from Germany have designed a bracelet to help deaf people communicate with others in real-life conversation. The bracelet translates sign language into spoken word in real time. A sensor in the bracelet measures electric muscle activity in the forearm during signing; at the same time,...

Pharmaceutical residues can be removed from effluent using pine bark. Now, a Singapore-based research team is looking to pomegranate peel to remove 4-nitrophenol from water. The toxin is used when producing dyes, pesticides and analgesics. The pomegranate peel is converted to biochar at 600° before being ground to nanoparticles through ultrasound treatment. The particles’ surface attracts the nitrophenol, which...

Tomato waste can protect tinned food. Meanwhile another Italian startup is aiming to extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables - using waste from liquorice production. Certain materials in the ‘sweet root’ are effective against bacteria, viruses and fungal spores. In a patented process, root hairs from the plant are extracted then converted into nanoparticles, which are used...

Waste from beer production can be used as a leather alternative. If breweries aren’t inventing new types of beer, then maintaining the quality of hops is vital. Hops, after all, is what gives beer its distinctive taste. With climate change impacting consistent plant properties, a female-founded startup in Spain is mitigating the risk by growing hops vertically in 10m...

Some have turned to chickpeas as a coffee alternative. An invigorating espresso, however, remains hard to replace. Now, an Australian research team has come up with the next best thing: espresso prepared using 75% less energy than before. The trick lies in the use of ultrasound waves rather than boiling water. A transducer attached to the side of the...