Bioluminescent tech has applications as far reaching as fishing and planetary defense
A few years ago, Paige Whitehead was swimming off of Savary Island when she noticed the water around her was glowing; fast forward to 2024 and she was about to go on stage to pitch an entirely new technology on the show Dragons' Den.
"Now our enzyme produces bright light for six hours, and is visible for 24 hours, which is just huge compared to before." NASA's planetary defense team looks for asteroids and other Near-Earth Objects and takes measures to redirect them if they approach too close to Earth. That includes missions like DART , which successfully pushed two asteroids away from the planet in September, 2022.
The groundbreaking thing about the technology is that it is 100 per cent biodegradable. The enzymes are naturally occurring, and will degrade in the natural environment. The plastic out of which the tubes the glow sticks are made are also backyard compostable, itself a new development in material sciences. Whitehead is interested in pursuing FDA approval for the technology, since everything used is already food-grade.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Gusts exceeding 100 km/h possible as wind threatens B.C. coastWarnings span Victoria area, eastern Vancouver Island, southern Metro Vancouver and Haida Gwaii
Read more »
BC Ferries cancels sailings between Vancouver Island, B.C.’s Mainland, due to strong winds forecastBC Ferries has cancelled several sailings and says more could get called off on routes to and from Vancouver Island on Tuesday amid adverse weather warnings.
Read more »
Storm closes multiple highways on Vancouver Island due to downed treesCrews across Vancouver Island continue to work to resolve issues raised by the storm overnight, including clearing highways to reopen them.
Read more »
Indigenous tradition, modern pop culture collide in Vancouver Island artist's workK’ómoks First Nation artist Andy Everson honoured with award in Nov. 19 ceremony
Read more »
Bomb cyclone to touch down southwest of Vancouver IslandEnvironment Canada says strong winds are expected to sweep over B.C.’s coast as a “bomb cyclone” arrives several hundred kilometres southwest of Vancouver Island on Tuesday.
Read more »
Vancouver Island doctors set up overdose prevention sites without government blessingDoctors say they're setting up unsanctioned overdose prevention sites on the grounds of Nanaimo General and Royal Jubilee hospitals this week because the B.C. government hasn't lived up to its promise to set aside space for the sites.
Read more »