Plastic fantastic - the future of biodegradables

Petroleum-based plastics can take many years to biodegrade which is why they are causing immense amounts of waste. Luckily poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is an alternative to harmful plastics since it is biodegradable and is not dependent on fossil resources.  Although PHB has been to expensive to produce it still provides hope for the search of renewable sources of plastics.

Deep-reef coral hates the light, prefers the shade

Coral reefs are known for their mesmerizing environments. They are not always similar due to the different depths. A team of researchers studied coral populations from three habitats on coral reefs.  They came to realize that although the deep slope receives fewer sunlight than the other depths, it is still far more abundant and was observed to grow faster. The researchers concluded that deep corals have adapted to low light conditions and continue to exploit nutrients and plankton.

Global warming blamed for smaller species

A research has led scientists to think global warming has lead to smaller species. They found that 38of 85 animal and plant species showed a documented reduction in size. Amongst the shrinking species were strawberries, cotton, crayfish, toads, frogs and iguanas. Research has shown a reduction in weight of animals such as the polar bear and the graceful warbler bird. The ideology is that the warmer the weather, the more calories that are burned which explains the less weight. On the other hand there are some who believe species can adjust to any climate change and therefore global warming should not be blamed.