Microbe buddies convert heat- trapping methane to energy
Researchers from the Department of Energy at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have recently discovered that the ubiquitous heat-trapping methane gas can be converted into beneficial and environmental-friendly energy by simply creating a harmonious environment for two very different microbes. Per biotechnology news portal Bionity.com on April 13, the discovery published in the Bioresource Technology journal […]
Something’s fishy about new canola project
A joint research between Nuseed, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) have developed canola containing omega-3 oil through plant-to-plant gene transfer. Genes from microalgae were transferred to canola for it to produce canola oil which is rich with long chain DHA, at level equal or better […]
Because necessity is the mother of inventions
BY P. KANDIAH The inconvenience of fitting and using a dust bag in a vacuum cleaner inspired Sir James Dyson (as he is referred to now) to develop a bag-less vacuum cleaner which innovation has brought much comfort to those tashed with vacuuming floors. Dyson’s bagless vacuum cleaner has taken the world by suprise. Pharmaceutical […]
Transforming spinach leaves into beating human hearts
BY LUKA ZUPANČIČ US scientists have managed to transform spinach leaves into functional beating heart tissues with their own vascular networks, possibly opening up a new branch of tissue engineering science based on plant mimicry. The scientific field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine emerged in the last decade as an answer to the […]
Way forward with information technology in oil palm fields
The Informatics Department of FGV R&D Sdn Bhd (FGVR&D) was established with a vision to exploit and maximise the use of information technology in research and development. One of FGVR&D’s strength is the great resources and experience it has in oil palm research, especially breeding new planting materials. The foundation of FGVR&D research is grounded […]
Offshore security surveillance gets serious attention
Safety and security has been a growing concern recently throughout the world. The main reason being is accidents – fire and explosions and criminal activities, such as act of terrorism and piracy. Land is not the only place for such threat, seas and oceans are getting the same as well. In past years, different ways and/or […]
Turning food waste into tires
Researchers at The Ohio State University have discovered that food waste can partially replace the petroleum-based filler that has been used in manufacturing tires for more than a century. In tests, rubber made with the new fillers exceeds industrial standards for performance, which may ultimately open up new applications for rubber. As Katrina Cornish explains […]
Gene editing for PRRSV resistance in pigs
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a disease that reared its head in the 1980s and has been the bane of both pigs and their farmers on a global scale ever since. Most vaccines have failed to cease the spread of the virus in which it continues to evolve rapidly. In addition to causing respiratory […]
Woolly Boolly! They’re resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth
Researchers from Harvard University announced their plan to bring the woolly mammoth back to life using CRISPR/Cas9 within two years’ time. This would not only allow us to learn more about the prehistoric behemoth, but would also represent a first step towards preservation of endangered species. Eminent geneticist George Church and his team at Harvard […]
Engineers shrink microscope to dime-sized device
THE University of Texas at Dallas have created an atomic force microscope on a chip, dramatically shrinking the size — and, hopefully, the price tag — of a high-tech device commonly used to characterise material properties. “A standard atomic force microscope is a large, bulky instrument, with multiple control loops, electronics and amplifiers,” said Dr […]