PL | EN

CO₂ sequestering cows and sewage treatment fish

Producing 1 kg of beef emits almost 100 kg of CO₂. Just under a quarter z of this 100 kg is the result of land use changes (e.g. deforestation) and just over half is farm emissions (methane produced by cows, greenhouse gases produced by equipment, manure and fertilisers). In some grazing systems and techniques, however, cattle can sequester carbon in the soil, compensating for emissions from other sources. This happens when animals are moved from place to place to mimic the migrations of wild ruminants. In addition, cattle, by eating plants, encourage greater biodiversity and contribute to the extension of the vegetative period of plants.

Air pollution prevents insects from being guided by the scent of the crops and wildflowers they pollinate. In addition, ozone contaminates plants almost immediately, disrupting their pollination by bees and butterflies. This gas leaves traces of different shades and shapes on the plants and discolours their leaves.

Considered a wrecker, a species of catfish known as devilfish or suckermouth may prove very useful in filtering wastewater from the ceramics industry. Ground catfish paste combined with iron-rich salt acts as a coagulant – removing 94% of the solids in the effluent and reducing the organic material index by 79%. Meanwhile, the saliva of wax moth caterpillars – a pest that attacks and destroys honey bee hives – contains enzymes that easily decompose polyethylene in about an hour, causing it to aerate. Polyethylene is a strong and very slowly decomposing plastic in nature, highly resistant to oxygen.

Read also
Hybrid work, pay raises and the AI revolution in the labor market
Hybrid work, pay raises and the AI revolution in the labor market
According to the results of a yet unreviewed experiment at Trip.com, those employed in a hybrid work model were happier and less likely to leave the company than those who worked only in the office, and the overall productivity of both groups was the same. Meanwhile, a series of studies, for example, on call centre […]
The European food crisis and controversial airdrops in the Gaza Strip
The European food crisis and controversial airdrops in the Gaza Strip
European officials, food safety experts, and industry representatives recently gathered in Brussels to discuss potential solutions to a looming food crisis in Europe. The pandemic has created several challenges, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, disruptions to shipping routes and supply chains, and unpredictable and extreme weather conditions. Sadly, in 2022, weather and climatic events in […]
Oil and gas extraction vs environment and human health protection
Oil and gas extraction vs environment and human health protection
In Italy’s Polesine region, plans to resume methane drilling threaten subsiding land between the Po River Delta and the Adriatic Sea. The Italian government has lifted the ban on gas exploration in this area that has been in force since 1961, and the scenario assumes new drilling in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of […]
Help in hopeless situations: football in the Gaza Strip and Nigerian courts
Help in hopeless situations: football in the Gaza Strip and Nigerian courts
The creators of the Nigerian app Gavel use technology and a network of volunteers to enable people to access pro bono legal services and give them a chance in the face of the country’s dysfunctional and corrupt justice system. In Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2022, Nigeria ranked 150th out of 180 countries, and […]
Jellyfish protein in forensics and DNA extraction after fires
Jellyfish protein in forensics and DNA extraction after fires
Scientists are studying brain injuries caused by domestic violence. Approx. ⅓ of women report having experienced severe physical violence from a partner, and most of them have suffered at least one traumatic brain injury (TBI). Symptoms often resemble those seen in athletes or military personnel. However, the brains of domestic violence victims were more likely […]
Previous issues