California Becomes the First Official Sanctuary State for Trans Youth Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom passed SB 107, a law that prohibits other states from prosecuting families seeking gender-affirming care in California. The new legislation (which was introduced by state senator Scott Wiener) makes the state the first official sanctuary for transgender youth, ensuring that no out-of-state subpoenas will interfere with a child’s right …
Scientists have found that wax worms (which are the caterpillar larvae of wax moths) have saliva with two enzymes that break down durable polyethylene—a widely produced plastic. The discovery was made when “one scientist, an amateur beekeeper, cleaned out an infested hive and found the larvae started eating holes in a plastic refuse bag.” As Dr Federica Bertocchini of the Biological Research Centre in Madrid …
GE Research recently unveiled the Pipe-worm, a long, soft-bodied robot that can clean and even repair pipes. Inspired by the movement of earthworms and the in-the-dark navigation of cockroaches, the Pipe-worm is an autonomous, flexible device. It uses air or oil pressure to expand and contract artificial muscles to generate movement. To know where to go (and even generate a map), two antennae bolstered by …
