Cleaning Up With Bacteria
Now scientists have found a two-for-one deal in bacteria that will eat toxic chemicals 24/7 and make electricity that could be used to operate small electronic devices. As long as the bacteria are fed, electricity is produced, up to 24 hours a day.The new study involved desulfitobacteria, already known for their ability to breakdown and detoxify some of the most problematic environmental pollutants. The bacteria are very diverse in their metabolic capabilities, which mean they will be able to convert a large number of different foods into electricity. The bacteria can handle extreme heat, radiation and lack of water which means this technology could then be used to reclaim wastewaters, thus cleaning up polluted sites (or oil spills in oceans) and industrial disasters and generating electricity at the same time!
Peanuts For All
If peanuts are the bane of your existence, rejoice! Scientists have discovered that baking peanuts with a type of harmless fungus helps dramatically reduce the allergic properties of peanuts. However, they’re still working on the taste factor and are currently only able to reduce a peanut’s allergic potency by 70%, which means people who suffer from severe peanut allergies have to still look for warning labels on their favourite chocolates.
Comet Bomber By NASA
NASA To Attack Incoming Comet: Bad Hollywood movie plot or a shot at reality? On July 4 this year, NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft concludes a six-month, 268-million-mile voyage to comet Tempel 1 by sending a projectile missile crashing into the cosmic traveller. The impact should create a stadium-sized crater, allowing scientists to study pristine material inside the comet dating back to the formation of our solar system.
Colour Your Sport Red
If you’re an athlete looking to enhance your performance further, you might want to talk to the coach about the colour of your team’s uniforms. Scientists have discovered that athletes wearing scarlet or red uniforms have a slight advantage over others decked in different colours. Having compared four sports from the 2004 Summer Olympics — boxing, tae kwon do, Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling — scientists came to the conclusion that, when evenly matched, persons in red clothing came out top. Scientists also looked at the Euro 2004 soccer championship and found red jersey-wearing teams scored more goals versus teams in white or blue uniforms. All said and done, red jerseys are not likely to pull you out of last place though.
Spray ‘n’ Trust
A new study reveals that the hormone oxytocin, usually used to induce labour in pregnant women, can also make you trust a stranger with your cash! Giving people whiff of oxytocin reduced people’s aversion to betrayal, overcoming an unwillingness to deal with strangers. Apparently the animal world’s already worked this out, and they use the hormone to approach each other. Don’t start with the con jobs yet, because it takes nearly an hour for the hormone to reach the brain and it’s not easy to make people sniff something unfamiliar or spray them either! They just might mace you back!
Written by Faze contributor James Chung