Interesting Engineering: New plastic stays solid on land but vanishes in seawater within hours
To tackle the growing pollution crisis, scientists at RIKEN in Japan have developed a new type of plastic that remains stable during everyday use but rapidly dissolves in saltwater, breaking down into harmless compounds.
The new plastic is based on supramolecular polymers, which are materials made from small molecules linked by reversible bonds, unlike traditional plastics that rely on strong covalent chains. Due to the nature of their bonds, supramolecular polymers can self-heal when broken and pressed back together and are also easy to recycle using specific solvents, making them simple to reuse and repurpose.
Interesting Engineering: Porsche’s battery recycling initiative aims to transform EV production
Later, the automobile manufacturer plans to develop a recycling network for high-voltage batteries in collaboration with external partners.
“With the help of innovative recycling processes, we strive to increase our independence from volatile and geopolitically unstable raw material markets,” said Barbara Frenkel, Executive Board Member for Procurement at Porsche.
“Circular Economy is a core pillar of our sustainability strategy, and with this pilot project, we want to underscore our ambitions.”
ScienceAlert: Huge Trees Hiding in Plain Sight May Be a Species Totally New to Science
A species of old-growth tree that is totally new to science has been hiding out in a narrow slice of mountain rainforest in Tanzania. Scientists have named the canopy-piercing tree Tessmannia princeps, and they suspect it could live for as long as 3,000 years.
In 2019, botanist Andrea Bianchi and two local plant experts, Aloyce and Ruben Mwakisoma, were surveying the tropical rainforests in the Udzungwa mountains in south-central Tanzania when they suddenly encountered a 40-meter- (130-foot-) tall ‘unarmed’ stranger.
Last Updated: 29.Mar.2025 15:10 EDT
