Divest/Invest
Global mayors are declaring their commitment to divest from fossil fuels and invest in a sustainable future
09.22.20
True
$200 billion of COVID-19 recovery funding is being used to bail out fossil fuel companies. These mayors are combatting this and instead investing in green jobs and a just recovery.
Learn more on how cities are taking action: c40.org/divest-invest
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Last year, we shared the sad impact that plastic pollution has had on some of our planet's most beautiful places. With recycling not turning out to be the savior it was made out to be, solutions to our growing plastic problem can seem distant and complex.
We have seen some glimmers of hope from both human innovation and nature itself, however. In 2016, a bacteria that evolved with the ability to break down plastic was discovered in a Japanese waste site. Two years later, scientists managed to engineer the mutant plastic-eating enzyme they called PETase—named for polyethylene terephthalate, the most common plastic found in bottles and food packaging—in a lab.
Here's an explainer of how those enzymes work:
Ending Plastic Pollution with Designer Bacteria youtu.be
Now researchers have revealed another game-changer in the plastic-eater—a super-enzyme that can break down plastic six times faster than PETase alone.
<p>The super-enzyme is a bit of a frankenzyme, created by linking different enzymes together. "When we linked the enzymes, rather unexpectedly, we got a dramatic increase in activity," Prof John McGeehan, at the University of Portsmouth, UK, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/28/new-super-enzyme-eats-plastic-bottles-six-times-faster" target="_blank">told The Guardian.</a> "This is a trajectory towards trying to make faster enzymes that are more industrially relevant. But it's also one of those stories about learning from nature, and then bringing it into the lab."<br></p><p>This new research has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2006753117" target="_blank">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.</p><p>Combining enzymes could be the key to making various kinds of plastics and combined materials fully recyclable. "There's huge potential," said McGeehan. "We've got several hundred in the lab that we're currently sticking together."</p><p>For example, combining the plastic-eating enzymes with existing enzymes that break down natural fibers could allow fabrics made of mixed materials to be recycled, McGeehan told The Guardian. "Mixed fabrics [of polyester and cotton] are really tricky to recycle. We've been speaking to some of the big fashion companies that produce these textiles, because they're really struggling at the moment."</p><p>This newest research isn't the first to improve upon the plastic-eating bacteria discovery. In April, a French chemistry company called Carbios <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/08/scientists-create-mutant-enzyme-that-recycles-plastic-bottles-in-hours" target="_blank">shared their own mutant enzyme</a> that can degrade 90% of plastic bottles within 10 hours. However, that enzyme, which originally discovered in a pile of composting leaves, requires heating above 70 degrees Celsius (nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit), whereas this new super-enzyme works at room temperature. </p><p>Not that it's a cutthroat competition. We are talking about helping out the entire planet and saving life as we know it, after all. McGeehan suggested that the researchers work together with the private sector to get the enzymes working out in the real world. "If we can make better, faster enzymes by linking them together and provide them to companies like Carbios, and work in partnership, we could start doing this within the next year or two," McGeehan told The Guardian.</p><p>McGeehan did emphasize<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/29/world/plastic-eating-super-enzyme-scli-intl-scn/index.html" target="_blank"> to CNN</a> that the super-enzyme is "still way too slow" to be commercially viable at this point, but it is a huge step in the process. "We were actually quite surprised it worked so well," he told CNN.</p><p>Here's to science coming up with solutions to the problems human scientific advances have created, and here's to learning to live in better balance with nature in the process.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- An accident resulted in a plastic-eating mutant that just might save ... ›
- We haven't just paved paradise—we've plastered it in plastic ... ›
- It may sound weird, but Lego is quietly trying to ditch plastics ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Divest/Invest
Global mayors are declaring their commitment to divest from fossil fuels and invest in a sustainable future
09.22.20
True
$200 billion of COVID-19 recovery funding is being used to bail out fossil fuel companies. These mayors are combatting this and instead investing in green jobs and a just recovery.
Learn more on how cities are taking action: c40.org/divest-invest
popular
Dan Rather, 88, says we are in 'a moment of reckoning unlike any I have seen in my lifetime'
09.24.20
Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather has become a beloved voice of reason, knowledge, and experience for many Americans on social media the past few years. At 88, Rather has seen more than most of us, and as a journalist, he's had a front row seat as modern history has played out. He combines that lifetime of experience and perspective with an eloquence that hearkens to a time when eloquence mattered, he called us to our common American ideals with his book "What Unites Us," and he comforts many of is with his repeated message to stay "steady" through the turmoil the U.S. has been experiencing.
All of that is to say, when Dan Rather sounds the alarm, you know we've reached a critical historical moment.
Yesterday, President Trump again refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the election when directly asked if he would—yet another democratic norm being toppled. Afterward, Rather posted the following words of wisdom—and warning—to his nearly three million Facebook fans:
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b43c7ddff3a85bd02e222f4060064b95"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/theDanRather/posts/10164278832490716"></div></div><p><em>"There is no more time for silence. There is no more time for choosing party over country. There is no more time for weighing the lesser of two evils. All women and men of conscience must speak or they are complicit in America lurching towards a dangerous cliff of autocracy and chaos. </em></p><p><em>This is a moment of reckoning unlike any I have seen in my lifetime. I have seen this country in deep peril, as the hungry begged for sustenance during the Great Depression, as the Nazis marched across Europe and the Japanese across Asia, as missiles were moved into Cuba, as our political leaders were murdered, as a president ran a criminal conspiracy from the Oval Office, as planes were hijacked into skyscrapers. All of these were scary times, but through it all I never worried about a president actively undermining American democracy and inciting violence to do so - even Nixon, for all of his criminal activity. </em></p><p><em>What Donald Trump said today are the words of a dictator. To telegraph that he would consider becoming the first president in American history not to accept the peaceful transfer of power is not a throw-away line. It's not a joke. He doesn't joke. And it is not prospective. The words are already seeding a threat of violence and illegitimacy into our electoral process. </em></p><p><em>I suspect he is doing this because he feels he needs to. It is the same reason he sought dirt on Joe Biden, because he is deeply afraid of losing. Losing an election could mean losing in a court of law. It could mean prison time and ruin. But I suspect Trump's motives are more instinctual. He needs to hold on to power for the sake of power. He cannot lose, even if he has to cheat to win. Even if he has to blow up American democracy. He considers little if any about 200,000 plus deaths from COVID. Why would he care about our Constitution or Bill of Rights? </em></p><p><em>There is no sugarcoating the dangers and darkness we live in. But I remain heartened that the majority of Americans do not want this. Trump is in danger of losing states that he should be winning handily. Yes, his base is energized and numerous. But so is the opposition. I have seen opposition parties in foreign countries channel the morality of their causes to bring great change. And most of those opposition movements didn't have the strength, power, and resources of those who stand against Donald Trump. </em></p><p><em>Donald Trump has himself defined the stakes of the election. This is a battle for American democracy as we've known it. We are well past warning shots. Allies across the political spectrum are ringing alarm bells. Right now, all those seeking to defeat Donald Trump know winning a close election may not be enough. The size of a victory will likely matter. Failing that, what happens? I don't know. But I would say we all should try to remain steady. Try to conserve our energy for the battles ahead. Be committed to your community, your country, and your conscience. If enough Americans of decency and courage come together, the future of this nation can be better, fairer, and more just."</em></p><p>Thank you, sir, for reminding us of the true American values that should always be kept front and center, and for keeping us from slipping into despair over what we see happening to our democracy and over how many people seem blind to the reality right in front of them. You are truly a national treasure, Mr. Rather. </p>
From Your Site Articles
- 'It's OK to be scared' and 9 other messages we all probably need to ... ›
- Dan Rather had some important advice for taking care of yourself ... ›
- Dan Rather's gut-wrenching reaction to the Florida school shooting ... ›
- Dan Rather had the perfect response to Trump's complaint about 'a ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
popular
One's white. The other's black. But their mom wants you to know they're still identical twins.
09.29.20
Editor's Note: We used "black" in lowercase for our headline and the body of this story in accordance with emerging guidelines from the Associated Press and other trusted news outlets who are using uppercase "Black" in reference to American descendants of the diaspora of individuals forcibly brought from Africa as slaves. As part of our ongoing efforts to be transparent and communicate choices with our readership, we've included this note for clarity. The original story begins below.
On February 26, 2019, Stacy and Babajide Omirin of Lagos, Nigeria got quite the shock. When Stacy delivered identical twins through C-section one came out black and the other, white.
The parents knew they were having identical twins and expected them to look exactly the same. But one has a white-looking complexion and golden, wavy hair.
"It was a massive surprise," Stacy told The Daily Mail. "Daniel came first, and then the nurse said the second baby has golden hair. I thought how can this be possible. I looked down and saw David, he was completely white."
<p>"I called my husband in so he could see what we had here," she continued, "I didn't understand. He couldn't believe what he saw either. They are so adorable and it felt like we had been given a miracle."</p><p>The boy's father was overjoyed when he saw the unique pair arrive into the world.</p><div id="a217f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cbf8a0ff942b1e7558cad6db2625917d"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhttg5DKnU/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Login • Instagram</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>"Their dad was really overwhelmed and immediately named My Twin 2 (David) 'Golden,' so he fondly calls him Mr. Golden," Stacy told <a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/rare-black-and-white-twin-babies-albinism-danielanddavid2/?" target="_blank">Bored Panda.</a> "He was all overjoyed seeing his boys. He stood for more than 10 minutes staring at them and said he was just looking at God's wonderful work and that they are his best gift ever."<br></p><p>David was born with a condition called oculocutaneous albinism which affects one in 20,000 births each year. </p><p>It occurs when the body produces little or no melanin, resulting in a lack of hair pigment and light skin. It can also cause visual problems, but Stacy says Daniel is perfectly healthy.</p><div id="f3994" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cb1d1b67f4ff8d0bf878bb53472a7788"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0;
border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);
width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center;
width:100%;">
<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);
display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
</div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCvUOPljElN/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;
word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Login • Instagram</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p>According to <a href="https://actiononalbinism.org/page/4rjyujp24gelam590fs8o7p66r" target="_blank">Action on Albinism</a>, albinos in Nigeria suffer from a "high level of discrimination." Nigerians with albinism are more prone to live in poverty, resulting in a lack off access to education and basic healthcare.<br></p><p>A study conducted in 2014 found 41% of persons with albinism interviewed exhibit mental health issues related to being a person with albinism. </p><p>The twins are often the center of attention when the family goes out in public, so they started an Instagram page to create "awareness" about their unique family. "We opened an account for them because we believe they have a story to tell to the world," Stacy said.</p><p>"I have to answer questions all the time when we are out. People say ''excuse me madam, which one of the kids is yours?''" she said. "I just say both of them are mine and people look at me as if I am joking."</p><p>Some women have told the family that they pray at night in hopes of having twins like Daniel and David. "They are special to everyone and I love them. It feels special to be their mother because they are a special kind of twins," Stacey said.<br></p><p>"I believe I am blessed and I am so proud of them."</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Jason Momoa Wants To Remake 'Twins' With Peter Dinklage ›
- Toddler twins discussing being 'in quarantines' is painfully adorable ... ›
- Miracle twins have different fathers and the dads couldn't be happier ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
By signing up you agree to Upworthy's privacy policy.
Trending Stories