"Water, give me water."
Professors Win Prize for Work on Polymers
The Australian Prime Minister has awarded Professor Ezio Rizzardo and Professor David Solomon a prize for developing completely new molecules. These link together in chains forming polymers. The making of polymers, polemerization, used to be a crude process. Now it can be done more precisely, tailor-made so to speak.
The end of a polymer was stopped from growing by coating it with nitroxide. This enabled knowledge to be gained after three links of growth. Importantly, the polymer could be triggered to start growing again. Different chemicals were applied to the growing polymers to see the effects. By applying what was learned, custom-made polymers were created.
The end of a polymer was stopped from growing by coating it with nitroxide. This enabled knowledge to be gained after three links of growth. Importantly, the polymer could be triggered to start growing again. Different chemicals were applied to the growing polymers to see the effects. By applying what was learned, custom-made polymers were created.
Over 60 companies want to make the new material. As well as traditional uses such as tyres and car parts, delivering drugs and products that stop evaporation are also planned. Technology is moving at a rapid pace. Even for the specialist it is becoming difficult to keep up with new things.
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Technology
Remote Sensing Reduces Farm Costs
Telemetry and remote sensing significantly cuts labor costs on agricultural properties. Water supplies for stock are being monitored remotely with water levels being relayed via radio signals back to the homestead.
Besides water levels at bores, animal weight can also be remotely monitored, but more work is needed on this. Water level, however, is by far the most important part of work on cattle stations. At Napperby station near Alice Springs the bore runs for 500km. This used to be checked three times a week. Now a physical check is done only once a week. The Fuel cost for motor vehicles is significantly reduced.
Cattle are more easily monitored because they congregate as a group at water bores. Remote drafting and weighing of cattle is being perfected and this will contribute greatly to cutting labor costs.
Besides water levels at bores, animal weight can also be remotely monitored, but more work is needed on this. Water level, however, is by far the most important part of work on cattle stations. At Napperby station near Alice Springs the bore runs for 500km. This used to be checked three times a week. Now a physical check is done only once a week. The Fuel cost for motor vehicles is significantly reduced.
Cattle are more easily monitored because they congregate as a group at water bores. Remote drafting and weighing of cattle is being perfected and this will contribute greatly to cutting labor costs.
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Agriculture
Slimy Mold the Ideal Evolutionary Subject
Predictions on what alien life could look like are limited: movie aliens are typically humanoid with various outer "textures". An understanding of the evolution of life forms on other planets can be gained by examining slimy mold in forests.
Amoebas living in slime for the most part are single-celled creatures, but they do collect together forming complex bodies that crawl. Other groups pulsate. New work has identified signals that make the little creatures congregate together.
Researchers put Phusarum polycephalum (many-headed slime mold) in a maze, then placed two pieces of food further inside the twisting corridors. The "thing" tested the paths with tendrils, backing away when it reached a dead end. Four hours later it located and devoured the food.
A map of Spain was laid out and food was placed on large cities with slime mold being released to do its work. A network of tentacles spread out over the map almost exactly the same as the highway system of Spain.
Slime mould species have been around for a billion years. They "arrived" well before plants and animals. Apparently food is easier to find in a group situation. Particular amoebas have different functions within the group. Some will sacrifice themselves for the good of the group. They will devour infectious bacteria then fall away to die. Only relatives unite together. They know who the strangers are.
Amoebas living in slime for the most part are single-celled creatures, but they do collect together forming complex bodies that crawl. Other groups pulsate. New work has identified signals that make the little creatures congregate together.
Researchers put Phusarum polycephalum (many-headed slime mold) in a maze, then placed two pieces of food further inside the twisting corridors. The "thing" tested the paths with tendrils, backing away when it reached a dead end. Four hours later it located and devoured the food.
A map of Spain was laid out and food was placed on large cities with slime mold being released to do its work. A network of tentacles spread out over the map almost exactly the same as the highway system of Spain.
Slime mould species have been around for a billion years. They "arrived" well before plants and animals. Apparently food is easier to find in a group situation. Particular amoebas have different functions within the group. Some will sacrifice themselves for the good of the group. They will devour infectious bacteria then fall away to die. Only relatives unite together. They know who the strangers are.
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Biology
Culling Could Destroy the Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian devils are still under threat despite culling programs. Far too many devils must be killed to eradicate the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), so many in fact that it could decimate the Animal itself. During the incubation period of the disease, devils have no facial deformity and these animals slip through the cull net.
Current estimates give the Tasmanian devil only 25 years for survival in the wild. Work is in progress to find a vaccine. An "insurance population" is being established on the Australian mainland. And devils in north-western Tasmania have a natural genetic resistance; the spread there is slowing.
Just why the disease developed is unknown. It began in 1996. Because devils bite each other during normal interaction, DFTD spreads rapidly. The devil population has fallen by 60 per cent due to the dangerous facial tumour disease.
Current estimates give the Tasmanian devil only 25 years for survival in the wild. Work is in progress to find a vaccine. An "insurance population" is being established on the Australian mainland. And devils in north-western Tasmania have a natural genetic resistance; the spread there is slowing.
Just why the disease developed is unknown. It began in 1996. Because devils bite each other during normal interaction, DFTD spreads rapidly. The devil population has fallen by 60 per cent due to the dangerous facial tumour disease.
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Biology
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