🐍 A snake antivenom, Corn-based sanitary pads, China’s bacteria-powered battery, world's largest ship launches in Tasmania

Researchers finally did it: they concocted an antidote that neutralizes the poisonous effect of the world's most lethal snakes, including black mamba, king cobra, and tiger snakes.

Traditional antivenoms typically come from animals like horses or sheep immunized with a single snake species’ venom. The antibodies are then extracted and purified. Though effective, this method often triggers adverse reactions because the antibodies have non-human origins.

The new antidote took on an entirely new approach thanks to a unique human donor who had survived hundreds of snake bites from 16 snakes and self-immunizations over the course of 18 years. So, this real superhero gave scientists not only the ingredients to make an antidote but one that would work across the board, regardless of the snake. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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🐍 Human-derived antivenom neutralizes 13 of world’s deadliest snakes’ toxins

After extracting antibodies from the snake superhero’s blood, the scientists matched the major neurotoxic substances on the panel. Following this, they attempted to use each antibody on mice and devised a cocktail.

The final formulation included three components, successfully protecting the body in 13 out of 19 species they tested. Next, scientists will treat dogs in Australia that have been bitten by venomous snakes.

In the end, scientists don’t know if they’ve developed a single pan-antivenom cocktail or two designed for elapids and viperids.  

🦠 Shocking twist: Electricity-making bacteria may power clean energy breakthroughs

Scientists have found that some bacteria breathe by generating electricity. As older life forms, they evolved to respire in oxygen-deprived environments, including deep-sea vents and the human gut.

They perform “extracellular respiration,” mimicking how batteries discharge electric current, enabling bacteria to thrive without oxygen. Tests even showed that bacteria placed on conductive materials kept growing and generating electricity, so they breathed through the surface.

The new work has laid the foundation for harnessing carbon dioxide through renewable electricity, where bacteria function similarly to plants with sunlight in photosynthesis. It opens the door to building smarter, more sustainable technologies with biology at the core.

🚢 World’s largest electric ship with 275-ton battery power launches in Tasmania 

The world’s largest electric ship with a 275-ton battery power launched in Tasmania. It is set to operate between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Uruguay across the Rio de la Plata. The vehicle makes a historic shift toward clean energy in maritime transport.

Hull 096 boasts the largest battery installation ever on a ship. The ESS is four times larger than any maritime battery system built to date. Power from the batteries drives eight electric water jets, allowing the boat to travel across the river in 90 minutes.

Furthermore, the ship's interior will feature the largest shopping area on any ferry.

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