RAIN ON ME !
On the horizon , how about electricity from raindrops ? The Hong Kong City University research team has figured out a way of generating a 140-volt flash of electricity from one raindrop , enough to power 100 small light bulbs for just a little while . Imagine what harnessing the power of a monsoon could do ?
GREEN WINGS
If there ’ s one thing humans love doing it ’ s exploring the world , but one of the side effects of aviation is soaring levels of carbon dioxide . That ’ s the bad news . The good news is that airline company Delta is pouring millions into becoming carbon neutral by 2030 . If they manage it they ’ ll be the first airline to do so . Let ’ s hope others follow their brilliant example !
MORGAN BEEMAN
Hollywood A-lister Morgan Freeman knows the importance of bees . The film legend has converted his 124-acre ranch into a honey bee sanctuary . Thanks Morgan , you ’ re bee-rilliant .
SOMETHING FISHY ’ S GOING ON !
Twenty-four-year-old Lucy Hughes was shocked to find out how much natural waste was produced by the fishing industry . The product design graduate from Sussex University has created an ingenious invention – a translucent and biodegradable plastic-like material made from fish waste and agar ! There are hopes it could soon replace single-use plastics .
OTTERLY AMAZING
Back from the brink , thanks to intensive conservation work , is the beautiful sea otter ( Enhydra lutris ). These little mammals were once hunted for their luxurious fur . Numbers dwindled from an estimated 1 million to just 1-2,000 in the early 20th century . A true keystone species , these guys help keep kelp fields in check and are crucial to the marine ecosystem . Thankfully , sea otters are now protected by law and numbers are increasing . They ’ ve still got a long way to go , but it ’ s a great start !
MAKE ROOM FOR THE BOOM !
Dutch scientists spent seven years designing a passive free-floating piece of technology that collects ocean rubbish . The 600-metre-long boom was launched on its first mission in 2019 , and successfully collected plastics ranging from one-ton ‘ ghost nets ’ to masses of microplastics from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . The aim of this project is to reduce this large expanse of rubbish by 50 per cent in the next five years . You can learn more at https :// theoceancleanup . com
Words : Caroline Pattenden . Illustration : Takayo Akiyama
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