Category: Innovation

Just off the coast of Tela, Honduras, a coral reef has caught the attention of the marine science community. This reef defies what we know about coral survival. Despite threats like warm waters, boat traffic, agricultural runoff, and murky water, the Tela Bay reef isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving. Live coral cover here is around 65%, compared to the Caribbean average of just 18%.

Scientists are trying to understand what makes the Tela Reef so resilient and whether its secrets can help save other threatened reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. Research by National Geographic and the University of Miami highlights the presence of elkhorn coral—a critically endangered species—flourishing in Tela under conditions that have devastated it elsewhere, like in the Florida Keys.

Andrew Baker, a marine scientist from the University of Miami, explained that Florida’s elkhorn populations are struggling with rising temperatures. He suggests that introducing genetic diversity from resilient populations like Tela’s might help.

Various theories have been proposed to explain Tela’s resilience. One suggests that periodic influxes of saline water from the Gulf kill harmful bacteria and algae. Another theory is that the reef’s richness makes it less attractive to fishermen, leaving the coral undisturbed. A more promising idea is that the coral in Tela hosts heat-resistant symbionts—microorganisms that live inside coral cells and provide energy through photosynthesis. These symbionts may help the coral cope with warmer, more acidic water.

In addition to the unique coral, Tela Bay also has a population of long-spined sea urchins, which were nearly wiped out in the 1980s. These urchins graze on algae that could otherwise overwhelm the coral.

Scientists are not waiting for a definitive answer. They’ve established a coral breeding center in Tela, aiming to spread the genetic traits of Tela coral to reefs worldwide. The University of Miami’s Coral Reef Futures Lab and the Florida Aquarium in Tampa are already cross-breeding Florida elkhorn coral with samples from Tela.

An Austrian chef who lost nearly all use of his legs is back in the kitchen thanks to an innovative device created by a friend.

The device, a C-shaped metal hook suspended from ceiling rails, allows Chef Peter Lammer to move freely around the kitchen while keeping his hands free for cooking tasks.

Ten years ago, Lammer, from Salzburg, was in a motorcycle accident that left him 80% disabled, despite extensive physical therapy.

The accident brought severe pain, mental strain, and a bleak financial outlook. However, Lammer’s friend, Bernhard Tichy, who ran a local zip line course, was inspired by Lammer’s passion for cooking and family. Together, they designed a device called Standing Ovation. It lets disabled users sit on a bicycle seat attached to a hook, which is connected to a ceiling rail. This setup allows them to slide along the workspace, with the device bearing their torso weight, leaving their hands free for work. When lifting, a spring system absorbs additional weight, reducing strain on the legs.

With Standing Ovation, Lammer can pull a pot off the stove and glide to the prep station with just a small push.

“All the experts said I would never be able to do a standing job again,” Lammer told Reuters from the kitchen of his Salzburg restaurant, Johanneskeller.

Cone snail venom could be the key to developing better diabetes treatments, according to a recent study. Researchers found that the toxin from the Conus geographus, one of the most venomous creatures on Earth, might also help create new drugs for other hormone-related conditions.

The team, led by scientists from the University of Utah, identified a component in the venom that mimics somatostatin, a human hormone that regulates blood sugar and several other hormones. This toxin, called consomatin, helps the snail immobilize its prey. In humans, somatostatin prevents dangerous spikes in blood sugar and other hormone levels. However, consomatin is more stable and specific than somatostatin, making it a promising model for drug development.

The researchers found that consomatin targets the same protein as somatostatin but does so more precisely, affecting only blood sugar levels without influencing other hormones. This makes it more targeted than the most precise synthetic drugs currently available for hormone regulation.

Though using snail venom as a treatment might be risky, understanding its structure could lead to safer drugs for endocrine disorders. Consomatin’s stability is due to an unusual amino acid that prevents it from breaking down quickly, a feature that could inspire longer-lasting medications.

Senior author Professor Helena Safavi noted that the precision of the toxin could be incredibly useful in treating diseases. “Venomous animals have evolved to fine-tune venom components to target specific physiological processes, often relevant to disease,” she said. Safavi explained that consomatin, which shares an evolutionary lineage with somatostatin, has been refined by the cone snail over millions of years into a highly effective weapon.

Consomatin works by rapidly lowering blood sugar, leaving the snail’s prey unresponsive, while a second component prevents blood sugar levels from recovering. Dr. Ho Yan Yeung, the study’s lead author, suggested that the venom might contain other glucose-regulating molecules, not just insulin- and somatostatin-like toxins.

Continuing our periodic articles on buildings, cities, and architecture, we are featuring some fascinating towers from Chicago, Marina City.

I find the building and room layouts to be particularly interesting, considering that round shapes are often less space efficient. Another aspect I like are the common areas. They create a village type of setup, despite being condensed in just a few buildings.

I am not sure if this is the type of design I would like to see take over apartment block or high-rise housing design. Regardless, it is quite interesting.

What do you think, would you ever live in something like this?

Despite increasing recognition that nuclear energy could be the most effective solution for reliable low-carbon electricity in the United States, the nuclear power industry faces significant obstacles—chief among them, the management of radioactive spent fuel. However, new initiatives to recycle nuclear waste, long delayed by legal and regulatory challenges, could address this issue and more if given the chance to thrive.

For the past 50 years, nuclear energy development in the U.S. has been hampered by bureaucratic obstacles and public fears that have stalled the construction of new, safe, nuclear plants.

Recently, however, there has been a rare bipartisan shift in favor of nuclear power. Such as at the 29th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 29), signaling that environmentalists now regard nuclear power as a clean energy source.

Nevertheless, revitalizing the U.S. nuclear power industry remains a complex challenge. Ed McGinnis, CEO of Curio, a company aiming to recycle nuclear fuel in the U.S., noted that Democrats and Republicans are both looking to nuclear, though for different reasons. This bipartisan support has led to commitments to triple nuclear capacity in the U.S. However, McGinnis pointed out that utilities are still hesitant to place orders for advanced reactors due to the complex challenges they face.

Even if utilities manage to navigate the regulatory approval process, they still need a reliable fuel supply and a safe method for disposing of spent fuel. Since 1992, the U.S. has relied heavily on imported uranium to meet the needs of its nuclear power industry.

In the United States, spent nuclear fuel—typically used in reactors for about five years—is removed once it has exhausted roughly 4% of its fissionable material. This waste, totaling over 85,000 metric tons, is initially cooled in water on-site before being placed in dry cask storage. Currently, there are more than 60 such storage sites across 34 states. The Department of Energy (DOE), tasked with overseeing the safe disposal of nuclear waste, has yet to establish a permanent repository. Because of the burden of keeping nuclear waste on their property, most companies are not likely to hop on until the waste problem is solved.

Waste recycling has been profitably employed in other countries for decades. For example, Orano, a leading global recycling company, has reprocessed over 40,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel since 1976. In February 2024, Orano and SHINE Technologies, a U.S. company specialized in sustainable energy solutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a view to developing a pilot plant in the USA for recycling used nuclear fuel from light water reactors.

Spent nuclear fuel still contains 96% of its original energy value, which could be repurposed for new fuel. Additionally, the fission process generates valuable isotopes for medical, industrial, and national security applications. Recycling could supply the U.S. with enough energy to meet its needs for the next 150 years.

“Used nuclear fuel is only waste if you waste it,” said Orano’s communications director, Curtis Roberts. Through recycling, 96% of spent nuclear fuel can be repurposed, with the remaining 4% safely stored until its radioactivity decays. This process takes about 300 years, as apposed to current methods which advise a storage range between tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of years.

The 4% also contains useful materials like krypton-85, strontium-90, and rare-earth elements that could potentially be extracted.