11-Mile-Thick Diamond Layer in Mercury

Daily Upsider on August 13, 2024

A bi-disciplinary scientific study has identified a likely 11-mile-thick layer of diamonds at the boundary between Mercury’s core and mantle.

This finding is significant given that Mercury, despite being one of the closest planets to Earth, remains the least understood in our solar system.

Diamonds, which are pure carbon, are abundant throughout the solar system under the right conditions of pressure and temperature. Mercury’s surface, observed by the MESSENGER spacecraft from 2011 to 2015, appears grey due to its high graphite content. Graphite, another form of pure carbon, suggested to researchers that diamonds could be present below the surface.

“We know there’s a lot of carbon in the form of graphite on the surface of Mercury, but there are very few studies about the inside of the planet,” said Yanhao Lin, a staff scientist at the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research in Beijing and co-author of the study published in June in Nature Communications.

The researchers used a special pressure chamber to simulate conditions similar to those at Mercury’s core-mantle boundary—70,000 times Earth’s sea level pressure and 2,000°C (3,630°F). They mixed graphite with elements believed to be present in Mercury’s mantle, including silicon, titanium, magnesium, and aluminum. Under these conditions, the graphite transformed into diamond crystals.

By analyzing data from the MESSENGER mission on Mercury’s mineral composition and depth, the authors estimate the diamond layer is about 11 miles thick. However, mining these diamonds is not feasible due to their depth, similar to why Earth’s mantle cannot be mined.

“However, some lavas at the surface of Mercury have been formed by melting of the very deep mantle. It is reasonable to consider that this process is able to bring some diamonds to the surface, by analogy with what happens on Earth,” said Bernard Charlier, head of the department of geology at the University of Liège in Belgium and a coauthor of the study. While mining equipment would need to endure temperatures above 500°F, past asteroid mining achievements and plans from companies like Trans Astra suggest future possibilities.

Long Distance Surgery

Daily Upsider on August 13, 2024

Dr. Luo Qingquan has pioneered a groundbreaking approach in telesurgery by using a control center to operate robotic tools and remove a lung tumor from a patient located 3,000 miles away. Dr. Luo, stationed at Shanghai Chest Hospital on China’s Pacific Coast, guided the surgery for a patient at a hospital in Kashgar, Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

This innovative procedure was made possible by the Chinese-made 5G Medbot, which enabled Dr. Luo to apply his precision and decades of experience across three time zones in real-time. This advancement marks a new era in telesurgery, potentially transforming healthcare access in rural areas where the shortage of expert medical professionals previously meant limited or no treatment options.

Shanghai Chest Hospital, renowned as the first facility in China to offer robot-assisted surgeries and the leader in such procedures nationwide, demonstrates the potential of this technology.

Globally, the scarcity of specialist surgeons significantly hampers medical progress, especially in low- and middle-income countries. With only about 1.1 million surgeons worldwide and half as many anesthesiologists, even high-income nations face shortages. According to a Lancet review, low- and middle-income countries have only 0.7 specialist surgeons per 100,000 people, compared to 5.5 in high-income countries. Consequently, 48% of the global population relies on just 20% of the world’s surgical workforce.

The 450° Centigrade Solution

Daily Upsider on August 12, 2024

Japan is pioneering a new approach to plastic recycling that could change the game.

Nearly 400 million tons of plastic is produced annually, and about half designed for single use. Only about 25 percent of global plastic waste is recycled, while most ends up in landfills or oceans, posing severe threats to marine ecosystems and human health.

Despite its reputation for cleanliness, Japan generates almost 40 kg of single-use plastic waste per person annually. This challenge has driven Japanese innovators to seek novel solutions.

The Science Behind the Solution
Environment Energy, a Japanese company, plans to launch a commercial plant in 2025 using their innovative HICOP (High-efficiency Oil Production) method. This process converts plastic waste into crude oil, potentially processing 20,000 tons of plastic annually.

The HICOP process uses catalytic cracking, a method from petroleum refining, to break down plastic molecules at temperatures up to 450°C. This approach is safer than pyrolysis, yielding high-quality oil composed of 50 percent gasoline and 50 percent diesel. The system can process about 120 tons of waste per month with minimal downtime, and the resultant oil can be used for fuel, home heating, or as raw material for new plastic production.

HICOP represents a significant advancement in chemical recycling, breaking plastic into its constituent parts to allow for higher-quality end products. The process uses catalysts to convert plastic into hydrocarbon gases, which are then concentrated into crude oil. This method is versatile, handling mixed plastic waste and PVC with low contamination rates.

The Road Ahead
Innovations like HICOP offer hope for reducing the environmental impact of plastic consumption by converting waste into usable fuel or raw materials. However, experts caution that this technology is not a complete solution. Reducing plastic use and improving existing recycling methods are also essential.

As Environment Energy prepares to bring its first commercial plant online in 2025, the success of this venture could inspire global shifts in plastic waste management. Japan’s plastic-to-oil technology is a crucial piece of data that could have a massive effect.

“Our core purpose is to create a circular economy where waste becomes the source of new materials,” explained Environment Energy CEO Suji Noda.

Art Historian Finds Hidden Henry VIII Portrait in Social Media Post

Daily Upsider on August 9, 2024

Social media can lead to surprising discoveries, like a recent one in the UK where an art consultant and historian noticed a lost work of art in the background of a photo posted on X.

The discovery happened in the judge’s room of the Shire Court in Warwickshire, England, during a soiree hosted by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire.

Dr. Adam Busiakiewicz, an art historian and consultant for Sotheby’s, came across the post on X by Warwickshire Lieutenancy by chance. He noticed a portrait with a distinctive arched top depicting Henry VIII. The painting, showing the king holding a sword and wearing golden chains, reminded Dr. Busiakiewicz of a set of portraits from centuries ago that depicted European royals like Henry, Richard III, and Catherine de Medici.

The painting was created by an anonymous artist known as the Sheldon Master. Ralph Sheldon, either an associate, relative, or descendant, incorporated the works into an architectural frieze at his Warwickshire estate, Weston House, where they were displayed until at least the 18th century.

Today, only a few of these paintings survive in public and private collections, with most disappearing after a 1781 auction. Busiakiewicz visited Warwickshire to inspect the work and noted that it matched the size and style of other known paintings in the set, suggesting it was the work of a skilled artist.

The Restaurant at the End of the World

Daily Upsider on August 8, 2024

The Svalbard archipelago, where Longyearbyen is the main settlement, sits at the edge of the polar ice. Originally a coal mining town, Longyearbyen is now transitioning to offer unique experiences as its last mine closes next year.

One such experience is dining at Huset, where the tasting menu features dishes served on reindeer antlers and ivory bones. For example, cured reindeer heart is presented as a slice of ruby ribbon, while preserved neck meat is served with a smoky, leathery texture. The heart reportedly has a subtle campfire flavor with a delicate jelly-like texture.

In this polar region with four months of darkness, wildlife thrives despite the harsh conditions. Seals, walruses, reindeer, polar bears, and white ptarmigan are common. All are protected, though hunting permits are available for certain species during specific times of the year.

Local hunters provide Huset’s head chef, Alberto Lozano, with ingredients. For a dish featuring waffle, seal meat, béarnaise sauce, and pickled blueberry, the seal meat comes from seals hunted by a dog-sledding company. Huset’s Instagram shows Lozano and his team foraging for local mushrooms and mountain sorrel, which appear briefly in late summer. These foraged items are used in dishes like pickled mushrooms and sorrel marshmallows.

While many ingredients are sourced from Norway or beyond, such as plankton powder from the Netherlands, Huset’s emphasis on local ingredients is notable. In a place where most food traditionally arrives by boat from warmer regions, incorporating local elements reflects significant effort and planning.