Important Innovations

New Green Plastic Dissolves in Water Source:  Denxybel Montinola's green plastic Innovation from Young Filipino Physicist The world is awash in plastic waste with million of tons being dumped every year.  From a young Filipino biophysicist comes an alternative, sustainable plastics solution from the plentiful products of his native land The Philippines - mango peels and seaweed.  The inventor is Denxybel Montinola, who is currently part of the research team at the Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Green, Sustainable, Dissolvable  Plastic His green plastic from mango peels and seaweed is sustainable and dissolves in water.  That means no plastic packaging and waste being dumped.  Reports indicate that it is stronger and performs better than traditional plastic.  It can be used for packaging but in the future has the resiliency and robustness to serve as a means to protect burns and stop bleeding.

Twin Spacecrafts Working Together Source:  NASA Powered by Old Fashioned Steam The maneuvers of two cubesats in space today is a big success for NASA.  The twin, small satellites are powered by steam. Their fuel tanks are filled with water, converted into steam by thrusters to enable flight. One of the satellites, with some help from NASA on the ground, commanded the other satellite to close the 5.5 mile gap between them.  It did so successfully.  NASA says this demonstrates that cubesats can work together and even swarm on missions in deep space.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Steam Powered Twin Spacecrafts : Cubesats in Command Source:   NASA Cubesat High Theater in Low Earth Orbit Two cubesats (small satellites) powered by steam performe...

Plant Based Meat Wars Source:  Impossible Burgers Big Rollouts Start On August 9th, 7200 Burger Kings in the US will have the Impossible Burger on their menus.  It's a national rollout for a plant-based burger patty created by Stanford University Professor Emeritus Pat O'Reilly Brown.  His burger was a big crowd pleaser and innovation award winner at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  Journalists and attendees commented that "it tastes so good, who needs meat?". He's been rolling out the alternative meat burger in restaurants since 2016. Consumer concerns about the health implications of eating beef and the unrelenting slaughter of animals are accelerating growth in the alternative meat industry globally. Meat Substitute Competition There is another big contender in the faux meat arena - Beyond Meat of Los Angeles.  Founded by entrepreneur Ethan Browne, the company also produces plant based meat substitutes.  It just announced that Subway

New Stars Discovered by Astronomers Source:  NASA  Star Discovered May Be Older Than Time A very old star just discovered by astronomers is presenting an intergalactic cosmic riddle.  Astronomers have found a star that they think may be older than the universe.  Best estimates by astronomers is that the universe is 13.8 billion years old.  But they have found a star close to earth that is estimated to be 14.5 billion years old, based on its very low metal content.  The star is HD 140283, nicknamed the Methuselah Star. It's raising a lot of fascinating questions.  Is that beautiful twinkling star older than time and the universe itself? The Methuselah Star The questions come from many including a top physicist at the UK's Royal Astronomical Society Dr. Robert Mathews.  He calls it a riddle of cosmic proportions. How can the universe contain stars older than itself?  This question sparks questions about how accurate calculations are about the age of the universe. 

New Interactive Bike Fit System Source:  Right Bike New Innovation from New Zealand It's called the Right Bike system and the company behind the innovation is Velogicfit of New Zealand.  It helps cyclists choose the perfect fit for their frame to enable the perfect ride.  This is an innovative and interactive bike sizing and finding stand, developed for bike stores to provide their customers a customized bike that perfectly fits them. 3D Cameras The system uses a built-in 3D camera that captures key measurements on the cyclist as they go through a series of movements. It takes a couple of seconds.  Then the system goes into the interactive phase.  The cyclist selects on a 32 " touchscreen TV the types of bikes they like.  Using the measurement data, the system recommends the best options for the cyclist to do their best biking.  This system is so robust it can even accommodate a growing child and recommend adjustable bikes.  It's a new gadget to enable cyclists

3D Printed Adult Human Hearts Source:  Carnegie Mellon University's Add caption Big Bioprinting Step Forward to Make that Happen Engineers and scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh have just invented a new bioprinting technique using hydrogel that brings the world steps closer to printing fully functional human hearts.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: 3D Printing Human Hearts : Breakthrough  Bioprinting Method Source:  Carnegie Mellon University Big Step Toward Printing Functioning, Adult Human Heart A break...

Permafrost is Thawing & No Longer Permanent Source:  Siberia's Permafrost Melt Disrupting Land Global Wake-Up Call Scientists are pointing out that the effects of global Climate Change are particularly evident in Russia, where 2/3rds of the land is permafrost.  But that is dramatically changing.  Global warming is savagely reducing the permafrost in Siberia, which is one of the coldest human habitats on Earth.  The permafrost is thawing away. Twice the Warming Siberia and the Arctic are warming at least twice as fast as the rest of the world.  Melting permafrost is causing severe flooding during springtime in Siberia.  It's changing and disrupting the landscape and in some cases destroying homes.  The permafrost melt is changing the habits of migratory animals and is threatening entire villages. Raging, Massive Forest Fires In the last several weeks, 8 million acres of forest in Siberia have been engulfed in massive fires.  The fires have been touched off b