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News

Wash Them Down the Microplastic Sink

Most of us are familiar with the ongoing problem of plastic pollution in our oceans. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that over 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year. Through UV degradation and choppy currents, these big pieces of plastic break down into tiny microplastics (pieces less than 5mm in size) which threaten marine animals that mistake these pollutants for food.

Robots Helping Humans

From vacuuming floors in homes to serving food in restaurants, robots have become suffused into our daily lives. Now, robots have a new function in our healthcare system, as behavioral therapists for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Plant virus reported in new crop hosts

Scientists at the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul have identified the first Mastrevirus, a plant virus causing disease in crops worldwide, to infect both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. While this finding has interesting implications for gene editing via viral vectors, it may also impact pathogen management and food security.

Rock Climbing is the New Frontier of Therapy

Only two years ago, the gravity-defying sport of climbing made its Olympic debut. Featuring iron-hardened athletes and impossible acrobatics, climbing might seem far from a therapeutic experience. However, some scientists from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) see things differently.