Aquaculture: The Good, The Bad and the Restorative
Reading Time: 3 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 […]
Regional platform to share SDG strategies for Southeast Asian nations
Reading Time: 2 minutesSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are based on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals came into effect in January 2016 and are targeted to be achieved by 2030. However, the United Nations and its member countries are aware of the reality that a lot of turbulence and headwinds must be navigated to achieve these […]
UPM researchers produce quality biochar from agro wastes using BMC
Reading Time: 2 minutesBY SHAZLAN HALAMY SERDANG: A team of researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has succeeded in creating a sustainable green technology by way of transforming agriculture wastes or biomass into bio-char through a microwave system. Compared to the conventional method, this Biomass Microwave Carboniser (BMC) innovation offers an innovative and clean technology using microwave-assisted pyrolysis […]
Mitsubishi Corp and SBC explore use of algae as feedstock gears up
Reading Time: 2 minutesSEMENGOH, SARAWAK: Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) will move into the next phase of a research collaboration which started in year 2012. The collaboration between MC and SBC has reached Phase 3 (Demonstration and Validation of Commercially Viable Microalgal Biomass Production Technologies) which will implement an outdoor facility to demonstrate and […]