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Nov 15

Scientists accidentally create mutant enzyme that eats plastic bottles -

Scientists have created a mutant enzyme that breaks down plastic drinks bottles – by accident. The breakthrough could help solve the global plastic pollution crisis by enabling for the first time the full recycling of bottles.
The new research was spurred by the discovery in 2016 of the first bacterium that had naturally evolved to eat plastic, at a waste dump in Japan. Scientists have now revealed the detailed structure of the crucial enzyme produced by the bug.
The international team then tweaked the enzyme to see how it had evolved, but tests showed they had inadvertently made the molecule even better at breaking down the PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic used for soft drink bottles. “What actually turned out was we improved the enzyme, which was a bit of a shock,” said Prof John McGeehan, at the University of Portsmouth, UK, who led the research. “It’s great and a real finding.”
The mutant enzyme takes a few days to start breaking down the plastic – far faster than the centuries it takes in the oceans. But the researchers are optimistic this can be speeded up even further and become a viable large-scale process.
(via Scientists accidentally create mutant enzyme that eats plastic bottles | The Guardian)

(Source: theguardian.com, via )

workingclasshistory:

On this day, 15 November 2011, in Trinidad, Bolivia, a group of disabled Bolivians began a march to capital La Paz. The march was to encourage the government to increase support for disabled people and to tackle societal stigma about disability. The march grew to 200 including children, with 1,000 supporters in La Paz. When the march entered La Paz in February 2012 they were met with riot police who attacked the march. In the aftermath an embarrassed Evo Morales conceded several of their demands.
Today a far-right coup plot is ongoing in Bolivia which has forced Morales to resign. This is a brief article about the resistance from an Indigenous perspective: https://libcom.org/news/they-are-not-evo-supporters-they-are-altenos-dammit-13112019 https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1264312253753922/?type=3

(via )

3 Indiana Judges Suspended After White Castle Brawl That Left 2 Of Them Wounded -

(Source: NPR, via npr)

Nov 14

ancientorigins:

Amazing Historic Persian Garden in the middle of Desert! Shahzadeh Mahan Garden is the 9th Iranian Garden that has been registered on UNESCO’s World Kerman, Iran

(via )

splatteronmywalls:

sleepybarong:

“Set” -collage, 16,6x12,7 cm
My favourite Egyptian deity.

(via the-netjeru-oasis)

historyarchaeologyartefacts:

Bathtub (granite: 196 cm, 152 cm, 53 cm) m made for tsar Alexander I, Russia 19th c.[705x555]
Source: https://reddit.com/r/ArtefactPorn/comments/9wpwua/bathtub_granite_196_cm_152_cm_53_cm_m_made_for/

(via endless-endeavours)

(Source: pr0paganda, via viceviolet)