🌽Corn-based sanitary pads, China’s bacteria-powered battery, superhero self-healing polymer can protect satellites

A new study has revealed a potential game-changer in the fight against sanitary waste.

Researchers found sanitary pads made with cornstarch are 17 times more environmentally friendly than plastic-based ones. Traditional sanitary pads contain about 90% plastic, equal to the plastic found in four grocery bags per pad.

The environmental cost is staggering, with around 220,000 tons of sanitary products thrown away yearly. Much of this waste ends up in oceans, contributing to global plastic pollution. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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🌽 Corn-based sanitary pads could cut 220,000 tons of plastic waste

The study highlights using a biodegradable material called polylactic acid (PLA)—a product made from cornstarch. PLA pads dramatically reduce environmental harm.

Even though their production takes up more land, the overall impact is far lower because of their renewable sourcing and less toxic manufacturing processes.

“Research into sustainable sanitary materials has consistently shown that while many alternatives to traditional products exist, the key to widespread adoption lies in ease of production, price and scalability,” said Alice Medeiros de Lima, corresponding author of the study.

🦠 China’s bacteria-powered battery offers 99% efficiency, self-charging

Scientists in China have developed a bio-battery using electroactive microorganisms. The miniaturized, portable battery enables precise control over bioelectrical stimulation and physiological blood pressure signals.

The Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences claimed the bio-battery generated electricity from the metabolic activity of bacteria, enabling it with self-charging capabilities up to 10 cycles.

They also stressed that it could serve as a pseudo-battery for charge/discharge cycles with the coulombic efficiency of over 99.5% across 50 cycles, indicating lower energy losses.

🛰️ Superhero polymer saves satellites from space debris, can heal itself

Space debris is becoming an overwhelming problem. In LEO, objects fly at speeds of roughly 8 kilometers per second – faster than a bullet.

As collision avoidance becomes more challenging, scientists are increasingly looking at alternative methods for combating the space debris problem.

One team of material scientists at Texas A&M University has developed a polymer with a unique self-healing property. When struck by space debris, it would stretch enough to allow the object to pass through without causing major structural damage.

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