Methane and Global Warming
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY DR ZELINA ZAITON IBRAHIM ON November 2, 2021, the United States, the European Union, and partners, formally launched the Global Methane Pledge during the twenty-sixth Conference of Parties meeting (COP26). Malaysia has joined the Pledge. More than 100 countries have committed to reducing global anthropogenic methane emissions across all sectors, by at least 30 percent […]
Is sustainable development achievable?
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY DR CHEE SU YIN TO SOME FOLKS, the words sustainable and development can never exist side by side. Their essence is on opposite sides of the spectrum. A juxtaposition. The term “sustainable” seeks to exhort nature while “development” is usually associated with destroying it. You cannot develop and conserve at the same time. Surely when […]
NTU S’pore produces oil from microalgae to replace palm oil in food production
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA TEAM of scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has developed a method to effectively produce and extract plant-based oils from common microalgae, using a newly discovered method that could serve as a healthier and greener alternative to palm oil. Palm oil is the world’s most popular vegetable oil, used in around half […]
Aquaculture: The Good, The Bad and the Restorative
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY DR ANNETTE JAYA RAM, DR ABE WOO SAU PINN, DR AILEEN TAN SHAU-HWAI CENTRE for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) at Universiti Sains Malaysia is deep in research on cultivating bivalves and seaweeds as natural bio-remediators, to reverse the adverse effects of unchecked aquaculture farming. Penang’s aquaculture sector, though a thriving global export industry […]
Research team finds a single gene can affect entire ecosystem
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA RESEARCH team from the University of Zurich (UZC) has shown that a single gene can affect an entire ecosystem and the discovery of the “key gene” could change the current strategies of biological diversity conservation. The UZH researchers and their colleagues from the University of California report that a mutation in a single gene dramatically changes […]
Local researchers proposed superpowered microalgae for wastewater treatment
Reading Time: 4 minutesBY AISHWURIYA KUNASHANKAR & SAARANI VENGADESEN WHAT do you get when you put a bioplastic expert, a microalgae specialist, and a cancer researcher together? A Marimo. Read further to know how a multidisciplinary team is moving from the concept stage to a proposed sustainable plan that can play a role in reducing environmental footprint. The Petri […]
Energy management comes before time management
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY JOYCE WONG JIN YI ONE of the most frequently asked questions to me is, ” How can you complete so many tasks successfully in a short time?” “Is there any secret in your time management?” I smiled and answered: “Yes, the secret in time management is energy management”. Yes, energy is everything. When it comes […]
Paris Climate Change Pact
Reading Time: 4 minutesWorld science community reacts to US withdrawal from agreement BY RYAN BUSHEY President Trump recently declared he was unilaterally withdrawing the United States from the landmark Paris Climate Change Agreement, defying the vast majority of the scientific and business community. The pledge— which includes 195 countries that have agreed to implement plans for reducing greenhouse […]
From coffee-waste to biofuels
Reading Time: 2 minutesFuture Americano, cappuccino and latte drinkers could help produce the raw material for a greener biofuel that would reduce our reliance on diesel from fossil fuels. Purpose-grown feedstocks (used to extract oils) for biodiesels are controversial because of their cost and the demand they place on land and water. However, spent coffee grounds, which have […]
Ooho! Edible water blob may replace plastic bottles
Reading Time: 3 minutesTo combat the rising waste of plastic water bottles, a start-up company called Skipping Rocks Lab has come up with a solution by creating edible water bottle. This edible water bottle comes by the name of ‘Ooho!’ and it resembles very much like a large droplet of water. To be more precise, it is a […]