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Sign up with geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP factor Cameron English on episode 196 of Science Truths and Misconceptions as they break down these newest newspaper article:
Reasonable folks understand it’s a good idea to prevent dangerous snakes and other harmful animals. What’s not extensively understood, nevertheless, is that venom from these animals has actually currently yielded efficient medications– for instance, the very first ACE inhibitor utilized to deal with hypertension. The list of essential drugs we might originate from venom is apparently unlimited and consists of whatever from non-addictive pain reliever to budget friendly insulin discovered in the venom of snails.
Making palm oil in bioreactors utilizing soybean cells might be among the options that assists us decrease logging in west Africa and South America. The idea is easy in concept: utilizing gene-editing innovation, scientists engineer soybean to produce the oil we normally receive from palm kernels. These souped-up soybean cells flourish on nitrogen and sugar and “grow” in lab bioreactors. The huge obstacle might be energy intake. Could electrical energy needed to run the bioreactors balance out some or all of the ecological advantages of this brand-new palm oil source?
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Plastics are exceptionally beneficial. From smart phones to IV bags, pipes and furnishings (to call simply a couple of examples), plastics can be discovered in much of the innovations we utilize without a reservation. The issue is, disposed of plastic can add to contamination, specifically in establishing nations that do not have advanced waste-disposable facilities.
Luckily, biotechnology might yield naturally degradable plastics with very little ecological footprints, in addition to tools that help us recycle artificial plastics. Could these innovations make a substantial damage in our cumulative plastic issue in the coming years?
Kevin M. Folta is a teacher, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Teacher Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta
Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his site and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg
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