Who Knew It Could Be Done?

Scientists have made spider silk, which is lighter and tougher than steel, 3 times tougher by adding small amounts of aluminum, titanium or zinc  The new material could be used to make super-strong textiles and high-tech medical materials like artificial bones and tendons, as well as stronger thread for surgical operations. Now researchers are looking for alternative ways to make the silk without spiders, such as duplicating their spinning technique using silk from silkworms. It seems that producing spider silk commercially can be difficult. When kept in captivity, spiders tend to eat each other.

Scientists have created a Formula 3 racing car that is powered by a biofuel of vegetable oils combined with waste from chocolate factories. The car itself is also eco-friendly. Its body is made of plant fibers, the steering wheel is made of plant-based fibers from carrots and other root vegetables and the seat is made of flax fiber and soybean oil foam. The car was built according to Formula 3 specifications for size, weight and performance; and hopefully it will reach speeds over 145 mph when it is tested on a race track. For now, however, the race car sounds good enough to eat.

Researchers working in Vietnam found a way to fight water pollution that could save millions of lives in the coastal cities of the developing world. They cleaned factory wastewater tainted with toxic metals like cadmium, iron, lead and zinc using crushed seashells. Shells are made of aragonite, a form of calcium carbonate that swaps its calcium atoms for heavy metals, locking them into solid form. Local companies in developing countries pollute drinking water because they can’t afford expensive wastewater filtration systems, but mussel and clam shells are abundant and cheap. Companies in third world countries can afford to shell out for them.

Officials had to evacuate Australia’s Adelaide Zoo after Karta, a 27-year-old female orangutan, attempted to escape. She short-circuited an electric fence by jamming a stick into the wires connected to it. Then she piled up debris she found within her enclosure in order to climb up a concrete and glass wall. Veterinarians armed with tranquilizer guns stood by; but after sitting on top of the wall for about 30 minutes, Karta climbed back down. Now zoo officials have removed all vegetation from her enclosure that could be used for future escapes because Karta is one orangutan that doesn’t monkey around.