
Museum exhibit explores the ‘afterlife' of plastic trash
How does garbage shape our world? That's the driving question behind 'Castaway: The Afterlife of Plastic,' on view at Harvard University's Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Staged by Mexico City-based art collective TRES, the exhibition considers tiny bits of plastic waste — 'castaways' — from far-flung places that, in the words of the collective, have 'serious implications.' Members of TRES documented, collected and photographed plastic trash in Australia, on the beaches of Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Historic Aussie-first breakthrough in fight against condition impacting 40 million
In a groundbreaking leap forward in the global fight against HIV, researchers at Melbourne's world-renowned Doherty Institute have developed a revolutionary method that could one day pave the way for a cure, using the same mRNA technology that powered COVID-19 vaccines. This discovery gives fresh hope to the nearly 40 million people around the world living with HIV. While today's treatments can keep the virus under control, they can't remove it completely. That's because HIV hides in a type of white blood cell, staying asleep and undetectable. But if treatment stops, the virus can wake up and spread again. For decades, this hidden "reservoir" has been one of the biggest obstacles to finding a cure. Now, researchers believe they've found a way to reach these sleeping cells and wake the virus up in a safe and controlled way, while the patient is still on their usual medication. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Dr Michael Roche, a Senior Research Fellow at the Doherty Institute, explained how his team used mRNA wrapped inside tiny fat-like bubbles called lipid nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are designed to travel directly to infected cells. Once inside, the mRNA sends instructions to the cell to make a protein called Tat — a natural HIV protein that tells the virus it's time to wake up. "Tat is a protein that helps the virus 'wake up' when the virus wants to," Dr Roche said. "Here we are using Tat to wake the virus up when we want to." This process is often called the "shock and kill" strategy. The idea is to force the virus out of hiding while the patient is still on HIV medication, so the virus can't spread and can instead be targeted and destroyed by the immune system or future therapies. The discovery is still in early stages, but it's the first time mRNA has successfully reached and activated the HIV reservoir in a lab setting. The team's next step is to test the treatment in animal models to check if it's safe and if it works. "We are looking for two signals," Dr Roche said. "Firstly, safety. Secondly, efficacy — whether it can wake up dormant HIV in animals." These trials will take a few years. Only after passing those tests can human trials begin — first to ensure the treatment is safe, and then to test how well it works in people. A key advantage is that this therapy uses the same technology that powered the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. "Our therapeutic is based on the same technology — mRNA and lipid nanoparticles — used in the COVID vaccines," Dr Roche said. "The global rollout of these vaccines has shown that this approach can be scaled and distributed globally." He pointed to a new BioNTech mRNA facility in Rwanda, which is being set up to support production in areas with a high burden of HIV. The team is also focused on making sure the treatment, if successful, can be made affordable and accessible. "We are committed to ensuring any cures we develop are scalable, accessible and affordable," Dr Roche said. Aussies warned over widespread danger emerging in homes Concerning roadside find reveals dangerous trend landing Aussies in hospital Controversial 'alcohol alternative' coming to Woolworths this month In Australia, around 29,000 people are living with HIV. New infections have dropped over the past decade thanks to wider access to HIV prevention medication (PrEP), regular testing, and strong treatment programs. The country recorded its lowest number of new HIV cases in over 20 years in 2022. But some challenges remain. In 2023, there was a slight increase in new cases, mostly among people born overseas and those infected through heterosexual contact. Still, the long-term trend is positive, and now, with this research, a cure no longer feels out of reach. If successful, this approach could one day mean people living with HIV no longer need daily medication, and may even be able to live completely free of the virus. As the world watches closely, Australia's scientists are once again leading the charge. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Researchers taking the wind out of cyclone devastation
Although Alfred was an ex-tropical cyclone by the time it reached Queensland in March, it still managed to cause over a billion dollars' damage. For most, the toll had it landed as a Category 5 system generating winds in excess of 250km/h, doesn't bear contemplating. Yet for an elite team of Australian National University researchers, it's the kind of scenario that lives rent free in their heads. The group is on course to establish how aerosols might hold the key to stopping destructive cyclones in their tracks. The small airborne particles have been shown to stunt storm development, according to the study's lead author Associate Professor Roslyn Prinsley. With climate change making cyclones more dangerous, she is convinced innovative solutions have become crucial. "Others have looked at the impact of aerosols on a fully grown cyclone, when it might be about to hit land," she explained. "We thought, it may be easier to stop them before they start." Prof Prinsley and her colleagues have already shown it's possible. The trick lies in understanding the complex physics of how clouds form, including how tiny particles interact, how heat is released and how these processes impact one another other. Past efforts to modify storms have failed because researchers couldn't reliably predict their behaviour. Without accurate forecasting models, attempts to alter cloud formation have largely proved to be guesswork. However understanding how aerosols of different sizes disrupt extreme weather systems at the formation stage has provided the way forward. "We found coarse aerosols initially dampen vortex acceleration, while fine or ultrafine aerosols boost it first but later weaken it more than coarse aerosols," Prof Prinsley said. "Getting these aerosols to where they're needed is another challenge we're looking at - it would require several aircraft to disperse the aerosols over a few hours." She is confident Australia will become a global leader in the somewhat obscure scientific space, with the coastline off Western Australia providing a ripe testing ground. Cyclones that form there, the ones that will never hit land, are the best to test. The ANU team is collaborating with a Silicon Valley start-up also aiming to weaken cyclones before they threaten lives. The Australian research is the only long-term solution," according to Aeolus co-founder Koki Mashita. "In many parts around the world, the intensification of these events due to climate change has already led to significant increases in insurance premiums. "As we look into the next few decades, properties will truly become uninsurable and we will need to intervene."

Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Program focuses on vital horticultural relationship
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Ryan Pankau will present a free program exploring the essential connection between plants and pollinators Tuesday, June 17, at 6 p.m. at the Danville Public Library, 319 N. Vermilion St. This presentation will shed light on the often-overlooked world of pollination and its critical role in both food production and ecosystem health. Pankau will discuss the wide variety of pollinators—from bees and butterflies to hummingbirds and beetles—and the ways in which they support biodiversity and human life. 'Without pollinators, our world would look very different,' Pankau said. 'So many of the foods we enjoy every day—apples, cherries, zucchini—rely on the work of pollinators. But beyond that, they play an essential role in sustaining entire plant communities and the wildlife that depends on them.' Pollinators contribute to approximately 35% of global food production and are also essential in the creation of medicines, dyes, and natural fibers. In North America, the vast majority of pollinators are insects, with bees taking the lead. However, flies, wasps, moths, beetles, butterflies, and even hummingbirds all play important roles in maintaining the balance of our natural world. For more information about this program or to get registered, visit