- Scientists exploring the deep sea off Australia have discovered what may be the longest animal ever seen: a siphonophore measuring an estimated 150ft!
- Siphonophores are deep-sea predators made up of many small clones that act together as one and spread out like a single long string in the water, wild right?
- Learn more here.
Bionic 2-D Printed Corals Could Help Save Reefs
- Researchers from Cambridge University and UC San Diego have 3D printed coral-inspired structures that are capable of growing dense populations of microscopic algae; opening a door for more bio-inspired materials for coral conservation!
- The research team took their nature-inspired blueprints and used a rapid 3D bioprinting technique – originally used to make artificial liver cells – to produce dense populations of microscopic algae that grew at 100 times the normal rate!
- The custom-made 3D bioprinter uses light to print coral micro-scale structures in seconds. The printed coral copies natural coral structures and light-harvesting properties, creating an artificial host-microenvironment for the living microalgae.
- “Our goal here was to use corals as inspiration to develop more productive techniques for growing microalgae as a form of sustainable energy,” said Daniel Wangpraseurt, a marine scientist at the University of Cambridge.
- Read more here.
Blossoming Friendships Between Orangutans & Otters
- At the Pairi Daiza zoo in Belgium, primates and otters have formed a new friendship.
- The connection formed when a family of Asian small-clawed otters were moved to live in the river that runs through the enclosure that houses the orangutan family, as part of a program to maintain the primates well-being.
- Learn more here.
Recycled Aluminum Could Allow for Next-Gen Energy Storage
- What happens to renewable energy when the sun does not shine, or the wind does not blow? The Swedish company Azelio offers what it says is a more environmentally friendly energy storage option: store solar power, or power from any source for that matter, without batteries by using an alternative manufactured out of recycled aluminum.
