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šŸ›³ļø Worldā€™s longest wind-powered cargo ship, 480-million-year-old sex chromosomes, first-ever smart glasses with a hearing aid

Plus: Hydrogen-powered artificial gills boost sea robotsā€™ swimming, range

The world of shipping is about to change. In a landmark moment for sustainable maritime transport, the world's longest wind-powered cargo ship has just been launched in Tuzla Port, Turkey.

Dubbed Neoliner Origin, the 450-foot (136-meter) vessel promises to slash carbon emissions and chart a course toward a greener future for global shipping. It can carry 5,842 tons (5,300 tonnes) of cargo over long distances.

Following its launch, the ship will now be fitted out over the next six months. Let's take a closer look at this Must Read.

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In summer 2025, the ship will travel from Turkey to Saint-Nazaire, France. The vessel was designed by the French company Neoline and constructed by the Turkish shipyard RMK Marine.

Two masts and a huge sail power the ship. It is equipped with 3,000 square meters of sail and two 249-foot (76-meter) foldable Solidsail carbon masts. The shipā€™s masts are fitted with retractable leeboards to prevent sideways drift.

It has a loading capacity of 1,200 linear meters or 265 containers of 20 feet. It is designed to carry rolling equipment, containers, and oversized cargo.

Researchers from the University of Oregon have solved a longstanding biological mystery: octopuses utilize a specific chromosome to dictate oneā€™s sex, and it could prove to be amongst the oldest sex-determining methods in the animal kingdom.

They discovered that the California two-spot octopus possesses a chromosome that distinguishes the sex of the bearer.

Surprisingly, this chromosome has probably existed for 480 million years, which is before the evolutionary separation of octopuses and nautiluses.

In a major advancement in hearing and vision solutions, EssilorLuxottica has announced that its Nuance Audio Glasses have gained clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for over-the-counter sales in the United States.

This development is accompanied by the achievement of CE marking under the European Unionā€™s Medical Devices Regulation, which opens the door for a broader launch in select European markets next year.

Nuance Audio Glasses represent a novel entry into the med-tech segment by merging eyewear with hearing technology.  

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