Sometimes the best choice is not between paper or plastic, but for both paper and plastic. In February, an earthquake in New Zealand destroyed the spire and top half of the tower and caused structural damage to the Christchurch Cathedral. Construction of a temporary paper-and-plastic structure will begin in January. Tokyo-based Shingeru Ban Architects designed [...]
Graphite Lubricates Hip Replacements
December 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
All-metal hip replacements wear down less than metal-on-polyethylene medical devices, but no one knew why. Turns out that it is because the all-metal joint implants are lubricated with graphite and not proteins as previously thought, according to research published by scientists in the U.S. and Germany. The discovery could help efforts to design materials for [...]
Virtual Patients Help Test Medical Devices
December 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Though people want a medical device or procedure to be fully tested before it is done on children or pregnant women, there is concern about actually doing the tests on those growing bodies. Shirley S. Wang reports in The Wall Street Journal that concern is just one reason why “virtual patients” are becoming the increasingly [...]
Tox21 Robot Goes to Work
December 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Earlier this year, a new robot was installed at the National Institutes of Health’s Genomics Center in Rockville, Maryland. This month, it started testing chemicals in a first-of-its-kind library — including failed pharmaceuticals — for potential toxicity. Rebecca Trager reports for Chemistry World: [The Tox21] robotic screening system jointly initiated by three key US health [...]
Senate Introduces Implant-Monitoring Bill
December 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Hip replacements are supposed to relieve pain, improve mobility, and last about 15 years. However, pain is rampant as all-metal hip implants are failing widely within a couple of years. As lawsuits pile up, researchers are trying to compare implants made from various kinds of materials, but incomplete tracking and performance records make it difficult. [...]
Hydrogel Heals Third-Degrees Burns Without Scars
December 22, 2011 By 2 Comments
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a jelly-like hydrogel and wound treatment method that could help heal injuries ranging from severe burns to foot ulcers on diabetics without scarring. On Friday, the team published results of preliminary studies with mice. Further animal testing is planned before human trials on this patent-pending hydrogel, according to [...]
Soda Giants’ Quest for Plant-Based Plastic Bottles
December 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are trying to make plastic soda bottles out of 100% plant-based materials. Last week, media outlets reported that both companies gave updates on their progress. Coca-Cola announced that it plans to work with three biotech companies and could have all-plant bottles out to consumers in a few years. PepsiCo, which said in [...]
“Shrilk” Could Replace Plastic in Consumer and Medical Applications
December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Inspired by insects, a low-cost material called Shrilk may someday be used instead of plastic in consumer and medical applications ranging from bagging trash and diapering babies to suturing wounds and scaffolding for tissue regeneration, according to researchers at Harvard University. Shrilk got its name because of its composition: fibroin protein from silk and from [...]
More Companies Making Tire Rubber From Sugars
December 19, 2011 By 1 Comment
Demand for both natural and synthetic rubber is up around the world. But the supply is getting tight because the necessary petrochemical intermediates for synthetic rubber are getting harder to find. Therefore, tire manufacturers are turning to several biotech firms for help in controlling volatile raw material costs by making the intermediates from sugars. Melody [...]
Building Houses and Bridges From Used Plastic
December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Call it green architecture. Used plastic bottles — whether used as is or recycled first — are finding a useful second life as building materials for homes and bridges around the world rather than filling up landfills. Sarah Firshein writes for Curbed about Alfredo Santa Cruz. As Argentina’s economy collapsed a decade ago, he hoped [...]
