plastic

Texas has the same problem of sinkholes and potholes as Spain but believes it has the solution: plastic roads

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It is barely one kilometer but the promise is enormous: converting the roads into a huge plastic recycling plant. Testing began at the University of Texas at Arlington (United States) promulgated by Sahadat Hossaincivil engineer and director of the Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability at the University of Texas, but they have already taken the leap to the road. Hossain tells the story in The Conversationwhere he explains that the project was born from his obsession with recycling plastic. The engineer points out that he grew up in a low-income neighborhood of Bangladesh and that there he observed that people who lived closer to the landfills suffered more health problems than those who lived a little further away. His childhood experience has focused much of his research, focusing on the impact of materials on the environment and possible solutions for recycling them. Among the most complicated to recycle and, without a doubt, the most used: plastic. Now, under their research, in the United States they have launched a project to use plastics used in the construction of roads. And the results are being successful. Harder and more resistant In Texas they have a problem: it’s hot. Very hot, in fact. When building a road, taking the climate into account is essential. ANDIn warmer places, harder bitumens are needed. because they tolerate heat better. The problem is that asphalt also becomes more fragile and breaks more easily. The problems are even more pronounced if a wave of bad weather with a lot of water hits a fragile pavement, as has happened in Spain. A solution could go through make the asphalt a little more elastic but this has an intrinsic problem. And if the asphalt is more elastic, it also resists heat less well and in the harshest months it can soften and melt, as has happened to the United Kingdom in recent years. But this is, always, if we use traditional methods. What Sahadat Hossain’s team is testing is injecting plastics into the bitumen that binds the mixture of stones and sand that makes up the asphalt. At the moment, they are trying to inject plastics that make up between 8 and 10% of the bitumen mixture that binds the rest of the materials. It may not seem like a lot but, according to Hossain, at a test site near Dallas they used 4.5 tons of plastics that came from single-use plastic bags or bottles that were discarded to build a mile. It is a not insignificant amount if we think that we are talking about building about 1,600 meters of road while giving a new use to a material that produces about 400 million tons a year and of which barely 10% is recycled. To be useful, the process requires shred plastic until you get a very fine material that can melt with the bitumen and thus not leave elements in the air. And the result is being good. The first tests were done in university parking lot but they have already been scaling the project to roads with intense road traffic. According to their experience, the asphalt continues to resist heat (with good performance on days that exceeded 100º Fahrenheit, almost 38ºC) and is more flexible than with the traditional system, which reduces the risk of cracks and fractures. Point at The Conversationthat one of these tests has also been carried out in Bangladesh, where a heat wave caused more cracks and fractures in traditional roads while this road with plastics suffered much less wear. It is, therefore, good news when it comes to extend the useful life of the pavement and save money on maintenance. The good news is that the project is monitoring all the results with high traffic volume roads (also the adverse ones such as the possible emission of microplastics when vehicles pass by). And this test is by no means the first. In Rotterdam there was already talk of building these roads with recycled plastics a decade ago. However, its fatigue is much lower. The advantage here is that its performance can be studied under constant and high-tonnage traffic. Photo | The University of Texas at Arlington In Xataka | Until 2020, Spain had the most praised roads in Europe. Now it has something else: a hole of 13,000 million euros

This new biodegradable material is much more than a simple substitute for plastic

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He used oil that we generate in the kitchen it seems that has no more life than end up discarded, but the reality is very different. The Holy Grail, right now of modern materials science, is to get rid of the oil dependencebut also solve the problem of the waste we already generate. And this is something that has become evident with fryer oil, which now has a new function: being an adhesive. A progress. A team from the University of South Carolina has killed two birds with one stone with a surprising solution: transform the fryer oil into a material that imitates polyethylenebut it is biodegradable and adhesive. But this adhesive is so strong that it has even managed to tow a car using only two steel plates joined with this material. The oil problem. The plastic we use in our daily lives is polyethylene, which is cheap, flexible and resistant. But it has a serious problem: it is of fossil origin and with how difficult its degradation is makes it contribute to global pollution. On the other hand, we have used cooking oil. It is estimated that we generate about 3.8 billion liters per year worldwideand although it is used to produce biodiesel or lubricant, converting it into high-performance thermoplastics was a barely explored field due to the complexity of its chemical composition. Breaking down the fat. What the team led by Chuanbing Tang and Olga Kuksenok has achieved It is not simply “recycling” the oilbut to deconstruct it and reassemble it at the molecular level. And this is something fundamental, since you can take advantage of both the fatty acids and the glycerol that are part of this fat. By polymerizing these components, they created aliphatic polyesters that almost perfectly imitate the mechanical properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), the plastic we commonly use in bags and packaging. A new material. The surprise came when the result of this experiment did not generate a traditional polyethylene that is inert, but rather this new material derived from oil has chemical groups that can act as molecular ‘hooks’. That is, it can stick like glue. The research wanted to demonstrate its adhesive capacity on different surfaces such as stainless steel, copper, wood or cardboard. And the results were surprising, since in cut resistance tests it surpassed other renowned commercial adhesives, and could even be used as a silicone gun to seal boxes. Moving a car. Without a doubt this is the litmus test that wanted to demonstrate that used oil has great strength behind it. To do this, they joined two steel plates with this polymer and used them to pull a four-door sedan uphill. The union in this case held without any problem. The importance. This is a big step towards the circular economy. We are not just talking about making a “less bad” plastic, but about creating new materials with high added value, such as their ability to glue the waste we have in the kitchen. And in many things it can be difficult to recycle. Imagine a future where the oil from today’s French fries becomes the bumper on your car or the sticker on your next Amazon package, only to be processed again without ending up in a landfill. This is precisely what science is trying to achieve to increase recycling strategies and dependence on fossil resources. Images | Zoshua Colah Scott Sanker In Xataka | We have been thinking for decades that plastic recycling was worth something. Maybe we were wrong

We have been hearing for years that plastic is safer than wood. Jordi Cruz does not agree (and it seems he is right)

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Science has spent decades studying what happens with E.colithe Salmonella and company when they touch the wooden, plastic or metal boards that we use in the kitchen. It is an old (and we thought unsolvable) fight, but the famous chef Jordi Cruz has spoken. He said it on TikTokbut since the ways of distributing content on the Internet are capricious, he has also said so in tens of websites. The question is whether what he said makes sense. What does Jordi Cruz defend? In essence, Cruz has commented your prints on three cutting board materials (plastic, metal and wood). Furthermore, it has gotten wet: for him, the best option is wood. As explainedwhile plastic is filled with grooves where bacteria accumulate and metal destroys the edge of the knife, wood has “natural antibacterial and antimicrobial” properties, where bacteria “get between the fibers and end up dying.” The controversy has been enormous, of course. A curious debate. That “clear” comes from the fact that for years it has been said that wood is the material that “accumulates the most bacteria”, in contrast to “non-porous” plastics that can be put in the dishwasher (and can be cleaned more easily). It is logical that seeing a famous chef say that wood is the best has made many put your hands on your head. However, Cruz is not as off track as we might think. What the evidence says. From the very beginning (the pioneering studies by Dean Cliver at the University of Wisconsin in the 90s), research they have been giving us back the same image: There is no evidence that plastic is inherently safer than wood. Appropriate (hard and closed-pore) and well-preserved wood creates a hostile environment for many bacteria. The problem is that. Wooden boards are not only more expensive, but require maintenance. And if we are not going to give it to them, plastic with all its problems is safer. Although not totally sure, of course. That is to say: the most dangerous boards are the old, scratched and poorly washed ones. The material does not matter, what is important is its state of conservation. And then? Some time ago, food safety experts stopped focusing on the material and began to look for strategies that would try to reduce the main risk derived from the tables: cross contamination. A good example of this are the recommendations of the North American USDA. For the Agency, both wood and other “non-porous” surfaces are acceptable for things like meat and chicken. Their main recommendation is another: use a table for raw meats and a different one for ready-to-eat foods (in addition to always cleaning them with hot water and soap; and subjecting them to periodic disinfection). In Europe the recommendation is similar and, in fact, he adds that although there may be more or less appropriate materials depending on the use, “in domestic kitchens the priority is hygiene and not the specific material.” What do the chefs say? What Jordi Cruz says (that a wooden board is best as a “main board”) is a general consensus between chefs and gastronomic influencers. However, it is common to restrict them to chopping cooked vegetables, fruit, bread and produce. On the other hand, also it is common to use plastic with meat and raw fish. Or what is the same, for “dirty uses.” Sometimes we get stuck in absurd debates. And this is a good example: the public debate has dedicated a lot of effort to establishing the idea of ​​”bad wood/good plastic”, when the important thing is to use several boards, assign them fixed uses and clean (and replace them) when necessary. Image | Garden House | The Anthill In Xataka | To the question of whether ultra-processed foods are as bad as we have been told, science still has no clear answer

Halloween is coming and the temptation is to put on some terrifying plastic contact lenses. Science has its reservations

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Costumes, scares, moviespassages of terror and also the occasional party is undoubtedly something that we will see in this Halloween nightalthough among all these elements there is a protagonist that can undoubtedly become a risk to our health: colored cosmetic contact lenses. The color of the eyes. To dress up in the most faithful way to the character we want to resemble, eye color may be essential. In the case of Halloween, it may be interesting to have them red or some other color that conveys a feeling of fear, such as those of the famous ‘Valak’ or ‘The Nun‘. But it can undoubtedly be a serious problem for our health. And on many occasions we want something that is economical to be able to dress up and we can choose to buy these contact lenses in a store that is not specialized in these products such as a bazaar. All because to wear it for a while at night you are not going to invest a large amount of money in a special contact lens. But we forget that we are buying a product that will be in contact with our eyes, which are really delicate. Doubts. Ophthalmologist Damián Teillard through his TikTok account It alerts us to all the problems that can arise, such as infections, corneal abrasions, blurred vision or eye fatigue when colored contact lenses are used without adaptation, with poor hygiene or throughout the night. That is why you are committed to making the purchase at an authorized optician to try them the days before. The scientific evidence. But beyond what this ophthalmologist says, we also find a large amount of scientific literature that documents all of these problems. An exampleor we have in the magazine eye that reviews these cosmetic contact lenses and demonstrates the appearance of severe microbial keratitis associated with these products that are purchased without health control. More cases. We have another example in the TFOS report on the impact of contact lenses on the ocular surface, details that their inappropriate use (sleeping with them for example) damages the epithelium, alters the tear film and increases the risk of infection. Something quite common in a situation where many people opt for these contact lenses without having ever worn this product before, so they lack the recommendations to avoid problems when wearing them. In this way, the evidence on periocular cosmetics and ocular surface underlines that makeup and formulations around the eye They can irritate, destabilize the tears and increase discomfort if combined with contact lenses. Elevation of risk. With all this, we can see how buying contact lenses in bazaars or unauthorized websites that have poor quality produces a significant injury that can end in visual loss in the most severe cases. Among these complications we see the keratitis, conjunctivitis or corneal abrasions and ulcers that require ophthalmological treatment in many emergency cases. How to use it correctly. In order to avoid all these problems, the crucial thing is to purchase them from authorized opticians and with the advice of ophthalmological professionals. But you must also follow the basic recommendations for contact lenses, such as sleeping with them, putting them on with clean hands, not sharing them with several people, and always applying makeup after putting on the lenses and removing makeup with them to protect the ocular surface. With all this you can achieve a night of terror but without the eye ending up suffering from the misuse of contact lenses that we find in any bazaar or on the internet. Images | Grégoire Hervé-Bazin In Xataka | There is nothing that makes blue eyes blue. If we want to understand why, we have to turn to physics

We have a big problem with plastic. This caterpillar can help us devouring a bag in 24 hours

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The global plastic crisis, a problem that It takes centuries to degradeI could find an unexpected ally in the world of insects. A team of scientists He has revealed how the caterpillars of the wax worm (Galleria Mellonella) are able to devour and metabolize polyethylene, The most common plastic in the worldat an amazing speed. However, they have a deadly cost for them. A decomposition that is not perfect. The investigation, presented at the Annual Conference of the Experimental Biology Societyreveals that these caterpillars, nicknamed “plastivorous”, not only chew the plastic, but that they decompose metabolically and make it an body fat in a matter of days. The most shocking data: some 2,000 caterpillars can end a standard polyethylene bag in just 24 hours. The problem of the plastic diet. Polyethylene is the plastic that we find in purchase bags, containers and endless daily use products. His chemical resistance makes it incredibly durable and, therefore, A persistent contaminant. The finding that a living being can decompose it naturally opens a Revolutionary door for waste management. However, the solution is not as simple as let out millions of caterpillars in landfills. Dr. Bryan Cassone, professor at the University of Brandon (Canada) and project leader, explains the great inconvenience: an exclusive plastic diet is deadly for worms. “They do not survive more than a few days with a plastic diet and lose a considerable mass,” says Cassone. It is as if a human swells with fat. The process is similar to that of a human consuming excess fat: The caterpillars turn the plastic into lipids that accumulate in their adipose tissue, but without the necessary nutrients to survive. It is not the first time that this possibility is explored. Given the seriousness of this problem, science does not cease in its attempt to find a solution to disintegrate the plastic we generate. Thus, in 2022 a group of Australian researchers They verified the ability of the ‘super worms’ to devour polystyrene thanks to an enzyme they had in their metabolism. But these same wax worms, object of this study, also They were already protagonists of an investigation where the capacity they had to decompose the plastic was proven. This study has taken a step further to perfectly understand its processing system and the repercussions it can have. Towards a sustainable solution: supplements and bioengineering. Although the fact that the accumulation of fat is an obstacle to research, scientists have turned this fascinating biological process into a viable solution already a large scale for pollution and for this they point to two main roads: create a mixed diet and replicate the process in the laboratory. Create a mixed diet. Scientists are experiencing with “co-supplement”, such as sugars and other stimulants, to mix with polyethylene. The goal is to formulate a feed that not only keeps the caterpillars alive, but to optimize their ability to degrade plastic, creating a circular economy system where waste becomes food. Replicate the process in the laboratory. The second way is even more ambitious. It consists of thoroughly studying biological mechanisms and intestinal microbiome of caterpillars to identify enzymes and bacteria responsible for the decomposition of plastic. If they get it, they could replicate this process of “biodegradation” in an artificial way and industrial scale, without the need to raise insects. And right now there are a lot of daily products that have been generated thanks to the use of bacteria, fungi or enzymes. In this way, the fact of extrapolating this process to the industry can be the most intelligent to control the management of plastics. From garbage to the plate. As if solving one of the biggest environmental problems were not enough, this research could have a positive and unexpected economic impact. The massive breeding of wax worms would generate a huge amount of insect biomass. According to Dr. Cassone, these worms could become a very nutritious food source for aquaculture. In this way, a waste as problematic as plastic could be revalued to enter a new value chain, contributing to the food industry. Images | Murat i̇di̇kut Tanvi Sharma In Xataka | Our problem with microplastics is so huge that they already appear even in human testicles

Almería has been the great “plastic sea” of Europe for years. Now he wants to be another sea: that of solar panels

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During the First Andalusian Congress on Agriculture, Energy and Water held at the University of Almería, a path that begins to materialize today was already glimpsed. In that meeting, Professor Ángel Carreño He stressed that the use of photovoltaic plates In greenhouses, intensive agriculture could revolutionize. “With just 1% shadow with solar panels on the roof, the energy needs of a greenhouse could be covered,” he said. Seven years later, this forecast is specified in a pioneering project that aims to make a qualitative leap to the Almeria agricultural model: Dynamic Aquasave. From the plastic sea to the energy sea. The scenario of this innovation cannot be more unique. NASA confirms that the “plastic sea” Almeria is one of the few human constructions visible from space. According to the BBCunder its 32,000 hectares of white plastic, about four million tons of foods are produced every year to export them to Europe, generating about 5.1 billion dollars annually, which represents 40% of the GDP of the province. It is in this context where Dynamic Aquasave arises, with the promise that the plastic sea can be transformed into an energy sea, capable of producing not only food, but also electricity. How will it be? The University of Almería, together with Barre greenhouses, the Technalia Technology Center, the Uual-Anecoop Foundation and with CDTI financing, leads this project. The contract was signed in November 2024 and was ratified in February 2025 In the official act of the Department of Engineering of the UAL. The system consists of installing transparent or semi -transparent solar panels on the greenhouse cover, which are automatically oriented thanks to an algorithm. These panels fulfill a double function: they act as a dynamic shade to control excessive radiation and, at the same time, generate electricity. As He explained Professor Diego Luis Valera to Diario de Almería, “integrates, in the same system, photovoltaic generation and dynamic shadow governed by algorithms, something that does not exist in the market with the parameters required by a greenhouse adapted to the southeast of Spain.” The planned benefits are clear: up to 30% water savings, less needy need, a more stable microclimate, energy for self -consumption or sale and better working conditions within greenhouses. Forecasts The Dynamic Aquasave prototype will be installed at the Uual-Anecoop Foundation, where a greenhouse will also be enabled to compare yields. The experimentation phase is scheduled for the fall of 2025 and will last at least two agricultural campaigns. The project also has the collaboration of the University of Córdoba, which develops specific software and hardware for the control of the orientable panels. The combination of agricultural engineering, artificial intelligence and renewable energy makes it a unique proposal in the international scene. The digital layer. Dynamic Aquasave is not just solar energy. According to has detailed Valera to Diario de Almería, also seeks to provide the field of an artificial intelligence layer. With sensors and automatic learning algorithms, the system can predict dates and kilos of harvest before cutting, adjusting irrigation and nutrient supply in real time, and reducing the water and carbon footprint. In addition, the equipment works in passive microclimate systems: low -cost solutions that allow regulating temperature and humidity without spending energy, favoring biological pest control and reducing inputs. The project also supports international research and transfer networks, which seek that these innovations do not stay in laboratories, but arrive as soon as possible to real farms. Although the problems are not going to go. The European garden also drags criticism. Technology can relieve some challenges, but not solve them all. No algorithm can, by itself, reverse the overexploitation of aquifers or the social problems of the Almeria field. On the one hand, academic investigations cited by the British environment They remember that growth has been sustained thanks to the overexploitation of underground aquifers, some in deficit for more than two decades, and that 30,000 tons of plastic waste are generated every year. On the other hand, The newspaper El Salto The other face denounces: migrant workers living in precarious settlements, with low salaries and marathon days. Although Dynamic Aquasave represents a technological leap, but the Almeria model also needs to face its social and environmental side. A challenge beyond energy. Although We have already explained in Xataka As solar panels can be an improvement for crops, the challenge, however, goes beyond engineering. The key will be that the plastic sea not only becomes a sea of ​​solar panels, but an agricultural space that combines innovation with social justice and environmental sustainability. Only then, Almería may go from being a green miracle to become a world agriculture model of the future. Image | Kallerna and Unspash Xataka | How much electricity produces each country from the map with renewable energy, exposed in a graphic

More and more voices think that keeping food in plastic is not a good idea

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A kitchen that boards has a drawer up to numerous tuppers with the tapas on the other hand. Although it is not the only place, we open the fridge and find even more stacked: some keep the leftovers of noon, others contain freshly taken food from their original container. Behind this daily life – so assumed that goes unnoticed – hides an uncomfortable question: are we storing our food well? The plastic under suspicion. Light, cheap, resistant: plastic became the great ally of modern cuisine. However, recent studies call their safety when they come into contact with food. A BBC report He explained That thousands of chemicals are part of their composition and that some can migrate to food, especially when they come into contact with fatty, acid or hot foods. The problem is not only the food we keep, but also the use we give: the microwave, the dishwasher or the rayons due to repeated use accelerate the release of compounds. And microplastics. To them is added another invisible problem. As Delish magazine has pointed outtuppers release microplastics, tiny particles that have already been found in blood, lungs and even human placenta. A health problem. The debate about tuppers is not a simple kitchen detail: what is at stake is hormonal health. Many of the compounds that migrate from food plastics are classified as endocrine disruptors, substances capable of altering the balance of our hormones. The best known case is bisphenol A (BPA), used for decades in rigid plastics and linked to fertility and development problems. The European Food Security Authority (EFSA) recently reviewed its safety and reduced tolerable intake at a level 20,000 times lower than the previous one. Something similar happens with phthalates, employees to give flexibility to plastic and also associated with hormonal and reproductive alterations, As the BBC has detailed. Plans b. However, trusting alternatives is not a guarantee either. The Guardian He has warned that compounds used as BPA substitutes – the so -called BPS and BPF – have similar effects on the body. AND, According to a study cited by The I Papermore than 3,600 chemicals of plastic containers present in humans have been identified, many of them barely studied. Therefore, some expert voices are overwhelming. Lisa Zimmerman, from Food Packaging Forum, summarized it like this For the same medium: “If you care about your health, you should throw your plastic tuppers and use glass or steel.” The stations also influence. Beyond chemicals, summer heat adds another threat: bacteria. In statements collected by El Confidencialdietitian Judit Carreira, from the Sant Pau Hospital, explained that high temperatures favor food poisoning. Its advice is clear: transport the taperes in thermal bags or portable refrigerators, avoid exposing them to the sun and, above all, separating raw cooked in the fridge to prevent cross contamination. “When you return from the supermarket, the meat and the raw fish should be removed from the container and stored in a clean taper,” He has insisted. He also remembered the four basic food security rules: clean, separate, cook and cool. So, throw all my tuppers? It is not about emptying the kitchen, but of changing habits. Various media They coincide In a series of recommendations: Avoid reheating in plastic: although the container indicates “suitable for microwave”, heat accelerates chemical migration. Reserve them only for cold or dry foods, never for oily, acid or hot meals. Replace them if they are scratched, deformed or with persistent smell. Opt for glass, steel or ceramics for hot meals or prolonged conservation. Now, not all alternatives are perfect. Ceramics, although it is considered safe if it is certified, can be a problem in cases of artisanal productions. The mail reported a few months ago The case of a family of Getxo (Vizcaya) poisoned with lead after drinking for years of an enameled ceramic jug bought in Andalusia. Lead, prohibited in pottery since the 60s, can cause abdominal pain, anemia or neurological alterations. An easier life, at risk. It is true that tuppers have made our lives easier, but they have also exposed us to a chemical soup not yet known. Science still investigates the cumulative effects, but there is consensus on something simple: heat, fat and plastic do not combine well. Perhaps the true luxury of modern cuisine is not accumulating containers of all sizes, but choosing containers that take care of our health. Image | Unspash Xataka | I have a decade teleworking and I have discovered the best productivity trick: plan a weekly meal menu

When a man removed the protective plastic to his monitor he realized that it was not the protective plastic

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Remaking the protective plastics of new devices is all A category within the ASMR. Stretching the film to reveal the completely new and bright surfaces gives a taste, except when what we remove is not a protective plastic and we end up loading the device. It is just what happened to this Reddit user with his new monitor. What happened. User tells Messaywaffle123. He had just bought a new 4K monitor and everything was going well until he realized that he was still wearing what he thought was the protective plastic. “It worked perfectly for five minutes before curiosity seized me,” he says in a post that has more than 700 comments. At least the monitor was second -hand and it only cost him $ 100. What is that layer. As you can imagine, that layer should not be removed since it is actually the polarizing filter and is part of the panel. The LCD screens They have several polarizing filters that are responsible for filtering the light to show the images. In this case he only removed a corner of the outer layer and, from what is seen in the images, he hit it again. The marks of stretching the plastic are noticed, but the screen is still seen. If I had completely eliminated it, the screen would look white as can be seen in This video where we see an LCD screen without the polarizing filter. It can be replaced. If the same thing happened to this user and you have removed the polarizing layer unintentionally, You can buy one and try to replace it manually. This is what many users recommend in Reddit’s thread responses, although most admits that it is not a simple task since it is very easy for bubbles or dust to remain. Other cases. It is not the first what happens And not only in monitors, similar things have also happened On TVsoften because when the real protective plastic removal, it was carried behind the lower layer. There have been more cases. We recently saw how Nintendo warned buyers of the new Switch 2 that were removing the protective layer. It was not really a polarizing filter, but a layer to prevent the screen from breaking into pieces if it suffered an impact. Samsung also happened with the first fold: Some users removed the plastic from the interior screen, leaving it unusable. Image | Reddit In Xataka | In 2011 someone published in Reddit “A858”. Fourteen years and thousands of messages later, the mystery is still disound

The secret is in the plastic

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With a simple adChina unleashed an unprecedented form of commercial war, one in which there were no tariffs or tariffs, but by manipulating a strategic resource that the West never knew how to diversify in time. In a few weeks, the scarcity threat of these Rare Earth Materials and Icans has caused paralysis alerts in sectors that move the economies of the world. The entire planet desperately seeks what Beijing dominates with iron fist. And everything starts with plastic. The strategic origins. As we said, the partial suspension of rare earth exports by China has put on alert to governments around the world, but for the Beijing leadership These raw materials have been a priority issue during Almost half a century. Unlike other powers that began to assess their use in a later way, China’s interest in rare earth elements dates back to the late 1970s, when the country tried to overcome the structural deficiencies inherited from the inherited Maoist industrial model. Under the leadership of Deng Xiaopingwhich happened to Mao Zedong In 1978, China became aware of the strategic value of these elements not only for their industrial utility, but also for its Military and Technological Potential. While Mao prioritized the amount of iron and steel, without paying too much attention to its quality, Deng promoted a more technical and focused modernization. His executing arm was Fang Yia trusted technocrat who assumed as a viceprimer minister and head of the State Commission of Science and Technology, from where reorganized the strategy National towards a more sophisticated exploitation of mineral resources. A decisive advantage. The turning point occurred in the Baotou cityin interior Mongolia, where the greater site Iron mineral from China, key to war production under Mao. Fang and his team of scientists took A critical decision: Also take advantage of the important rare earth concentrations contained in the site. There abounded light elements such as hill, useful for manufacturing ductile iron and glass, and the Lantano, essential in oil refining. In addition, there were medium reservations Samarioused in heat -resistant magnets necessary for supersonic aircraft and missiles engines. By 1978, while relations with the United States improved, Fang already publicly articulated The cross value of rare earths in industries that went from ceramics and steel to electronics and defense. That same year he brought Chinese engineers to Visit factories by Lockheed Martin and McDonnell Douglas in the United States, a trip that would mark the convergence of industrial ambition and technological learning. A chemical revolution. And here comes one of the keys to this domain. The real advance came when Chinese engineers managed to develop a Separation technique Much cheaper chemistry than used in the United States or the USSR. While the West depended on complex facilities in stainless steel and expensive nitric acid, China opted for Use plastic materials and hydrochloric acid, much cheaper. The use of plastic is not trivial. This innovation, together with lax environmental standards, allowed China to flood the market with Rare earth at low costcausing the progressive closure of refineries in the West. In fact, the process of deindustrialization outside of China consolidated the Asian monopoly. At the same time, Chinese geologists discovered that the country housed approximately the Half of global reserves Known of rare earths, including exceptional deposits of heavy rare earths in the country’s center-south, keys for magnet technologies in electric vehicles, medical equipment and other critical applications. An consummated domain. I remembered The New York Times That, in the 90s and 2000s, Chinese engineers perfected the refining of heavy rare earths, raising China to an almost total domain position in this segment. The famous phrase De Deng Xiaoping in 1992 (“Middle East has oil, China has rare earths”) synthesizes the strategic vision that had already materialized. This policy was not random: Deng and Fang formed the next generation of leaders to continue with this approach. One of them was Wen Jiabaogeologist specialized in rare earths, formed during the turbulent years of the Cultural Revolution. Wen, who amounted to VicePrimer Minister in 1998 and Prime Minister in 2003, declared during a visit to Europe in 2010 that almost nothing related to rare earth occurred Without his speech direct. This continuity in the political elite guaranteed that the exploitation, refined and control of the global rare earth market became central pillars of the Economic and Geopolitics Strategy from China. The economic offensive. Thus we arrive at the current moment. He counted The Financial Times That, until now, Chinese economic sanctions had been notoriously inaccurate, based on diffuse boycots or administrative blockages that rarely reached their political objectives. Neither South Korea withdrew his antimile shield after commercial reprisals, nor Australia changed his foreign policy when China stopped buying his wine. Even sanctions against US defense companies were more a symbolic gesture than A coercive tool real. But the new measures on rare earths mark A turning point: They are specific, measurable and directly affect key industrial sectors. The threat is no longer abstract; translates into factories on the edge of closureblocked supply chains and western governments forced to reconsider their commercial positions. Everything is calibrated. The effectiveness of this offensive lies in the improvement of the Chinese normative arsenal. Beijing has developed a legal framework that not only restricts exports, but requires foreign companies to avoid the use of Chinese minerals in products for industry American defense. This extraterritorial clause has been designed with intelligence: instead of direct confrontation, it seeks to generate pressure between third countries, pushing them to act as diplomatic intermediaries that urged Washington to soften their commercial policies. The simultaneous fall of exports to Japan, South Korea and India shows that China is willing to Accept economic costs limited to reinforce their strategic position and dilute the direct confrontation narrative. West is late. Thus, the most revealing is not The maneuver China itself, but the Lack of preparation of the West. From the first cut of exports to Japan in 2011, governments and industries knew that … Read more

We have a problem with plastic recycling. Japanese scientists have created one who self -destructs in the sea

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In summer, more than once we have been scared thinking that a plastic was, in reality, a jellyfish. Far from that triviality, a major problem is hidden. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)more than eleven million metric tons of plastics end up in the oceans every year. Although a new wave of change is brewing in Japan with plastics that get rid of. Short. A group of researchers from the Riken Center for the science of emerging matter and the University of Tokyo has developed a plastic capable of degrading completely in salt water in a matter of hours, As explained in a press release. The demonstration. The team has shown how a small piece of the new material disappeared in a container with marine water after being agitated for about an hour. Although no marketing plan has yet been detailed, the project leader, Takuzo Aida, He has affirmed Reuters That research has aroused great interest, even from the packaging sector. A deep problem. The urgency of this advance is framed in an increasingly serious environmental crisis. According to UNEPplastic pollution could be tripled by 2040, reaching up to 37 million metric tons annual in the oceans. Therefore, the investigation has not wanted to limit itself in the visible, but also in the microplastics that are infiltrated in all the ecosystems of the planet. Long journey. According to They have explained Scientists, this new material is the result of more than thirty years of research in supramolecular polymers. Unlike traditional plastics, which remain united by very resistant covalent bonds, they use weakest and most reversible links. This allows the material to maintain its resistance, but decompose rapidly under the appropriate conditions. The point. To achieve this, they needed a “passage key” that was in salt. Technically, They have detailed Reuters that the combination of hexametafostato sodium (a food additive) and ions of Guanidinio (employees in fertilizers) formed saline bridges that provided stability to the material. However, by immersing themselves in salt water, these bridges are broken and, within a few hours, there is no trace of the plastic. The resulting material is resistant, colorless, igniphed and not toxic. It can even waterproof with a hydrophobic coating, without losing your ability to break down if your surface is scratched or drilled. Although it has its limitations. As The project manager has indicated to Reuterswhen decomposing, plastic releases nitrogen and phosphorus, elements that can be reused by microorganisms or plants. However, if they accumulate in a uncontrolled way, they could alter coastal ecosystems, favoring phenomena such as algae flowers. To avoid this, the researchers propose a controlled recycling system in seawater treatment plants, which would allow to recover the materials and reuse them in new supramolecular plastics. Biodegradable, but enough? The novelty of Japanese plastic contrasts with the limitations of other called biodegradable plastics. According to the researchersmaterials such as polylactic acid (PL), although they degrade on land under industrial conditions, persist in the ocean, where they fail to break down and end up forming microplastics. Other more recent alternatives, such as certain recyclable plastics developed in Europe, offer greater durability and recyclabilitybut they still face similar challenges: slow degradation in the marine environment and dependence on specific management systems. One step further. That moment could be closer than it seems. Meanwhile, jellyfish will continue to be jellyfish. But at least, the plastic that imitates them could begin to disappear. Image | Unspash Xataka | We thought we had found a safe and sustainable alternative to oil derived. We have to keep looking

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