Showing posts with label award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label award. Show all posts

Australian Researcher Discovers a New Chlorophyll

A new form of chlorophyll has been identified in Shark Bay stromatolites by Min Chen of the University of Sydney. She has been awarded the Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.

Chlorophyll had previously been found in four forms. It is a plant pigment that makes sugar giving energy to plants. The new type called chlorophyll f operates in the upper red end of the visible spectrum. Future uses include solar cells and new kinds of food crops.

The new type of chlorophyll was found by studying cyanobacteria within stromatolites. It was an accidental discovery. The intention was to understand more about chlorophyll d. Both types of chlorophyll are similar, but have different bonding structures.
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Science

Biolytix Was Faulty From the Start

Authorities and individuals need to be careful about adopting a lauded new invention because a new concept can be a real furphy. Dean Cameron developed a sewerage system that was claimed to be the greenest yet.

Biolytix won the 2007 Asia Innovation Award, EPA Sustainable Industries Award, Clunies Award, Premier's Smart Business Award and the Global Environmental Award, such was the euphoria generated by the new system. Though a lifetime guarantee was given it was known from the beginning that if anything went wrong a complete rebuild became necessary.

The product was sold in all Australian states with 80 per cent of them not working correctly. Joe Langford of Everhard Aqua Nova warned of the potential problems from Biolytix from the start. Mr Langford even lobbied government, to no avail. He said the concept was sound. The problem was in its construction - it was poorly made.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service spent a lot of money installing them. It has absorbed the loss. Thousands of customers across the country are left with faulty system. The cost to repair them ranges from $3,000 to $12,000. Biolytix the company is now in liquidation.
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Society