FDA Says Giant, Genetically Modified Salmon Is Environmentally Safe
Genetically Engineered Salmon Transgenic Atlantic salmon called AquAdvantage grow at twice the rate of their natural counterparts. These fish are the same age. AquaBounty
AquAdvantage salmon--otherwise known as the "FrankenFish"--has been approved for consumption already. But now the FDA has ruled on its environmental impact, and not everyone agrees with the ruling. The AquAdvantage salmon, a genetically modified fish that grows year round and much faster than a natural salmon, has been approved for human consumption for years now (at least in the US). But one consistent hurdle to getting the "FrankenFish" on supermarket shelves is the suspected environmental impact. See more... |
Superomniphobic Material Repels Any Liquid You Can Think Of
Superomniphobic Surface, Up Close Liquids bounce right off this stuff. via JACS
A new kind of liquid-repelling coating sends any liquid bouncing, rolling, or wicking away. We’ve seen lots of hydrophobic materials before, but these water- and liquid-repelling materials often work within constraints. Some liquids bounce or wick away, while others--based on properties like viscosity or surface tension, or whether the substance in questions is organic or inorganic--are not affected by the hydrophobic qualities of the material. But a team of University of Michigan materials science is reporting a breakthrough that could have big implications for everything from stain-free clothing to protective surface coatings and chemical resistant protective suits: a superomniphobic coating that is resistant to pretty much any liquid we know of. The coating is derived from an electrospun coating that is carefully structured in a cross-linked pattern that essentially makes it impervious to attack from any contact angle, and that’s really the critical piece to this. See more... |
Video: Water Droplet Bounces Off a Superhydrophobic Nanotube Array
Water Meets a Superhydrophobic Surface
Hydrophobic materials have all kinds of practical applications, from creating surfaces that never have to be cleaned to making supertankers and container ships glide more efficiently through the water. But practical applications aside, this amazing video from Caltech -- showing the crazy, beautiful ways water droplets interact with a carbon nanotube array --might be mistaken for art rather than science. See more... |
In New Study, Babies Think A Silvery Robot Is Human, As Long As It Acts Friendly
Andrew Meltzoff, Morphy the Robot, and Rajesh Rao University of Washington Want to know what makes us human? Ask a baby At 18 months old, babies have begun to make conscious delineations between sentient beings and inanimate objects. But as robots get more and more advanced, those decisions may become harder to make. What causes a baby to decide a robot is more than bits of metal? As it turns out, it takes more than humanoid looks--babies rely on social interaction to make that call. A study at the University of Washington's Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences took a sample of 64 18-month-old babies, who were all tested individually. The experimental test had the babies sit on their parents' laps, facing a remote-controlled humanoid robot. Sitting next to the robot was Rechele Brooks, one of the researchers on the study. Brooks and the robot (controlled remotely by an unseen researcher) would then engage in a 90-second skit, in which Brooks interacted with the robot as if it was a child, asking questions like "Where is your tummy?" and "Where is your head?" The robot would in turn point to its different parts. The robot would also imitate a few arm movements, like waving back and forth. See more... |