“NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to sample an asteroid is bringing its rubbly haul back to Earth Sunday. Scientists hope to use high-powered lab equipment to study the sample of asteroid Bennu to learn more about how our solar system has evolved over billions of years.”
From Axios.
Telegraph | Conservation & Biodiversity
“A shimmering mole that swims through sand has been rediscovered nearly 100 years after wildlife experts thought it had gone extinct.
De Winton’s golden mole, which was last seen in 1936, was found living on beaches on the north-west coast of South Africa.”
From Telegraph.
“The island in the Bristol Channel is home to 95% of England’s breeding Manx Shearwaters, a species that was once on the brink of extinction on Lundy.
Thanks to a project that eradicated rats from the island in 2006, the Shearwater population has soared from about 600 in 2001 to more than 25,000. Puffins have increased in number from 13 in the year 2000 to 1,335 in 2023.
The island has also attracted new arrivals, such as Storm Petrels, which first bred on Lundy in 2014 and now have more than 150 pairs.”
From BBC.
“Over eight years they re-engineered LCC – now LCCICCG – to become a trained PET specialist.
The enzyme is now so efficient that it can completely break the PET polymer down to its constituent monomers—the chemicals producers need to make new plastic.
Prof Marty likens it to breaking apart a pearl necklace.
‘We are using an enzyme that you can consider a molecular scissors,’ he says. ‘We break down the link between the pearls, liberate the pearls and in this way, after purification, we can sell these pearls again.'”
From BBC.
“Lithium extended an almost monthlong run of declines, taking its drop this year to 75%, with expectations the rout in the electric-vehicle battery metal is far from over.”
From Bloomberg.
