Plastics

Harnessing a principle known as triboelectrification, researchers have worked out the optimal way to generate an electrical charge in a relatively simple way. The breakthrough could provide a battery-free way to power wearables and other devices.

Lego is the largest tire manufacturer by volume in the world – even though its tires are among the smallest on the planet. The Danish toy company is now making those tires out of recycled materials like fishing nets, engine oil, and rope.

By now, you've no doubt heard that modern living is filling our bodies with microplastics. But an alarming study now shows just how much of the non-degradable particles are in our brains, and how much higher they are in dementia patients.

Although it is possible to recycle Plexiglass, it's a complex and inefficient process, so it generally just isn't done. A simple new technique, however, is claimed to break the plastic down into all of its building blocks for near-complete recycling.

Researchers have spent the last few years trying to find which type of plastic biodegrades the fastest. It turns out that a common plastic we've been using for over 100 years does, and they've learned how to accelerate that process.

Prenatal exposure to higher levels of bisphenol A, a plastic chemical known to leach into our foods and drinks, has been linked to autism spectrum disorder in boys, according to a new study that also identified the biological mechanism underlying this link.

Back in 2022, the strange-looking prototype igus:bike rolled into the spotlight boasting an angular frame, funky wheels and even bearings made using recycled plastic. Now the newly-named RCYL bike is riding into production.

Sales of vinyl records have been on the rise for a few years now, but the plastic used to create them is bad news for the enviro-conscious listener. A UK startup is hoping to change that by pressing for plant-based alternatives.

Using advanced single-particle imaging technology, researchers have ascertained the number of nanoplastics – plastic fragments smaller than a micrometer – in bottled water, finding that, on average, a liter contains 240,000 detectable fragments.

While the use of recycled plastics is normally considered a noble endeavor, a new study says it's time to think twice. In an analysis of the material from more than 10 different countries, hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals were uncovered.

Japanese scientists have developed a new type of plastic that can easily break down on demand into its base components. In seawater it starts to break down into food for marine life, and just to top it off, it can self-heal and remember past shapes.

You may have downed the blue-green algae known as spirulina while on a health kick, but now, researchers have used it to create a bioplastic that will degrade in your compost bin in the same amount of time it takes for a banana peel to break down.