Mutant Enzyme Breaks Down Plastic in Hours New research published by French scientists in the journal Nature addresses their discovery and manipulation of a mutant bacterial enzyme that can break down PET plastic into raw materials in a matter of hours. After optimization experiments, Carbios (the organization behind the discovery) broke down one metric ton of waste by 90% in 10 hours. Their scientists then used …
As porn consumption reaches what may be an all-time peak, MEL Magazine writer Chris Bourn wondered “How did X become the edgiest letter?” The 24th letter in our alphabet is the second-least used, but has come to represent all things “adult” and is intrinsically connected to porn. This can be traced back to the introduction of 1968’s audience-advisory ratings, which attributed X to movies with …
After recognizing that society has long-embraced the belief that there is a finite—even minuscule—number of basic human emotions, the editorial team at The Cut has introduced 78 new complex emotions based on the idea that if you can say it, you can feel it. As the brain loves concepts and classifications, words like FOMO and hangxiety have found a place in our vernacular. The Cut’s …
