Latest news with #ThomasMitchell
Sydney Morning Herald
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Albanese must play hardball with gambling industry
Victoria Devine shows a true heart and social awareness in appealing to the new federal government to minimise gambling advertising (' PM must stick to gambling vow ', May 11). When times are harder, people tend to take risks, and studies have shown those most at risk are targeted. The PM and his government must step up to ensure the gambling industry's advertising is curtailed and attempt to ensure the future of many families remains free from the harm of intrusive advertising and abusive gambling practices, especially through technology. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Highway to hell I wholly empathise with Thomas Mitchell's opinion piece (' In a jam, don't tell me which lane is faster ', May 11). I feel his anguish, especially when motoring along a freeway when a 'roadworks ahead' sign appears, providing a clear indication that things are about to slow down. Invariably, the back seat driver occupying the front passenger seat pipes up 'they're moving over to the right, darling'. Knowing it was meant helpfully, I indicate and merge to the right. Fury soon sets in, for as sure as tradies drive utes, several of those oversized pick-up trucks go whizzing by in the left lane, intent on barging into the queue ahead. With thoughts of 'I just knew I shouldn't have listened to him', the steam billowing from my ears promptly fogs up the windscreen. Mary Carde, Parrearra (Qld) Thomas Mitchell wrote another fun article in Sunday's paper (' In a jam, don't tell me which lane is faster ', May 11). He mentioned the 'Baby on Board' sticker. His comments about it reflect the erroneous view of most motorists. It is not a sticker to proclaim that others should drive more carefully around you because you may have a precious person inside. It was conceived as an alert to emergency workers that in the event of an accident they will always look to save a baby first. Susan Haylock, Mosman Maley, Huntley hit the mark What a delight it was to read two excellent articles analysing the election results. Jacqueline Maley's article details the key points from the post-election reviews conducted by the Liberal Party in 2016, 2019 and 2022 (' The Liberals still refusing to learn from their history with women,' May 11). She concludes very accurately that they have never been comfortable with feminism, and that this is a critical component in addressing equality and improving productivity. Rebecca Huntley's article includes the startling statistic that 'Australia added more renewable capacity to the energy system than the entirety of the Coalition's nuclear plan' (' Toxic fallout assured if Coalition sticks to nuclear ', May11). It was simply astounding that the Liberals depended on a consultancy to work on a completely new direction for Australia's energy needs – for free. No wonder they declined to do more work on it to give us an idea of how much energy would actually cost. The downer was Parnell Palme McGuinness' article (' Libs' failure needs a paternity test ', May 11). A paternity test points the party backwards to Howard or even Menzies. This misses the points of progress needed as described in the first two articles. To conclude that 'Albanese was the lesser of two evils' denies the focused and cohesive policies put forward by Labor to progress Australia. Bill Johnstone, Blackheath Rebecca Huntley's research underscores the federal election result. Intuitively, renewable energy feels the right fit for our vast continent, where the sun shines and the wind blows across millions of square kilometres. It would be right for Australia even without alarm over climate change. The long view of history will look back on fossil fuels as only ever an interim source of energy – eventually superseded, like horse power and steam engines. The transition to renewables may not always go smoothly, but home-based energy security and sustainability have immense appeal in a world where uncertainty prevails. Margaret Johnston, Paddington What an interesting article from Rebecca Huntley about nuclear power and its effect on the election result. She also discussed the relative popularity of renewable energy in Australia. Hidden at the bottom of the article was an interesting assertion that last year Australia added more renewable capacity to the energy system than the entirety of the Coalition's nuclear plan. If true, I have to ask first, why on earth did the Coalition put forward such a costly, problematic, taxpayer-funded scheme? Was it a death wish? Second, why did Labor not provide this information as part of their election campaign? Power supply is such an important part of the economy that Australians should know more about it. Can I suggest a new 'Power Supply' section in the Herald? A Daily Power Dashboard could be useful showing yesterday's power usage and which power source it came from, including the working life of power stations. With some actual data, maybe we could take some of the politics out of this important topic. Dick Barker, Epping Jacqueline Maley's opinion piece rightly draws attention to the Liberal Party's own analysis of its 'woman problem'. It's not like they haven't figured it out, it's just that they are apparently unable to change. In my view, people have a tendency to overrate their uniqueness. Everyone who ends up with a ministerial portfolio is faced with a steep learning curve. If they are willing and able to knuckle down and learn, they can master it. Gender is irrelevant. As for feminism, I always thought the power at the core of that idea was its potential to liberate everyone, not just biological women. If it had worked as the ultimate force for change in the human world, we would all be liberated from restrictive ideas about gender differences. Garry Feeney, Kingsgrove
Indianapolis Star
10-05-2025
- Science
- Indianapolis Star
Scientists are growing T. rex leather in a lab. It could be used to make purses.
The next time you go shopping for a new purse, your choices could go beyond traditional materials such as leather, nylon, cotton and polyester to include … Tyrannosaurus rex skin? Yes, the remnants of the prehistoric predator are being used to create synthetic T. rex leather, which can be turned into accessories including purses. That's the plan for a trio of companies – The Organoid Company, Lab-Grown Leather Ltd., and VML – working on "a high-quality alternative to traditional leather that's cruelty-free and eco-friendly," said the collaborators in an April 25 news release. The goal of a "luxury fashion item," hitting later this year, would be the first example of leather developed from an extinct species, the companies said. "With T-Rex leather we're harnessing the biology of the past to create the luxury materials of the future," said Bas Korsten, global chief creative officer, Innovation & CCO EMEA at VML, the agency behind the 2024 Super Bowl "Mayo Cat" campaign and 2023's Mammoth Meatball, made of lab-grown meat. Cosmos 482: Here's when the Soviet-era spacecraft may return to Earth The team at The Organoid Company, a Netherlands-based biotech, will use fragments of T-Rex collagen protein recovered from fossils to recreate the prehistoric protein and engineer the new DNA into specialized cells for leather production. Another biotech company, the U.K.-based Lab-Grown Leather Ltd., will then use those specialized cells to produce skin, made with the T-Rex collagen protein, which is then tanned to form T-Rex leather. "This project is a remarkable example of how we can harness cutting-edge genome and protein engineering to create entirely new materials," said The Organoid Company CEO Thomas Mitchell. T. Rex leather could serve as a more environmentally friendly option to traditional leather and also eliminate "animal cruelty concerns," the companies said. But some detractors consider the project misleading. University of Maryland vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Holtz, Jr. pointed out to Live Science, a science news site, how the lab-created skin won't be authentic because there's no actual T. rex skin or DNA to serve as a basis. "What this company is doing seems to be fantasy," he said. Calling the announcement a "gimmick," Tom Ellis, professor of synthetic genome engineering at Imperial College London, told NBC News, 'I doubt that our knowledge of dinosaur evolution is good enough to be able to design a collagen gene specifically from T. rex." But researchers have found collagen in an 80-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil and that can be used as a template, they say. The Organoid Company is creating a T-Rex protein by using fragments of the T-Rex collagen protein from fossils, the companies said in a statement to USA TODAY. "An important distinction is that (the companies) are starting with the language of proteins, amino acids, rather than the DNA itself," according to the statement. "This encodes what the 3D structure looks like and from this they can then recreate or 'molecularly resurrect' the DNA which is put into special cell lines for leather production." The result of this reconstruction of ancient protein sequences is T. Rex leather, which is structurally identical to T. rex skin. "A biomaterial inspired by prehistoric biology," Mitchell said. Eventually, T. rex leather could be used beyond handbags and clutches to cover chairs and vehicle seats. "The production of T-Rex leather demonstrates VML's commitment to pioneering new grounds and shaping the future of our industry," Korsten said. Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@
USA Today
10-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Scientists are growing T. rex leather in a lab. It could be used to make purses.
Scientists are growing T. rex leather in a lab. It could be used to make purses. Scientists say they want to create design durable and sustainable high-end accessories made with artificial dinosaur leather. They got the genetic building blocks from Tyrannosaurus rex fossils. Show Caption Hide Caption Fossilized dinosaur footprints found on boulder An Australian researcher discovered dozens of three-toed dinosaur footprints on a boulder in Callide Basin. The next time you go shopping for a new purse, your choices could go beyond traditional materials such as leather, nylon, cotton and polyester to include … Tyrannosaurus rex skin? Yes, the remnants of the prehistoric predator are being used to create synthetic T. rex leather, which can be turned into accessories including purses. That's the plan for a trio of companies – The Organoid Company, Lab-Grown Leather Ltd., and VML – working on "a high-quality alternative to traditional leather that's cruelty-free and eco-friendly," said the collaborators in an April 25 news release. The goal of a "luxury fashion item," hitting later this year, would be the first example of leather developed from an extinct species, the companies said. "With T-Rex leather we're harnessing the biology of the past to create the luxury materials of the future," said Bas Korsten, global chief creative officer, Innovation & CCO EMEA at VML, the agency behind the 2024 Super Bowl "Mayo Cat" campaign and 2023's Mammoth Meatball, made of lab-grown meat. Cosmos 482: Here's when the Soviet-era spacecraft may return to Earth The team at The Organoid Company, a Netherlands-based biotech, will use fragments of T-Rex collagen protein recovered from fossils to recreate the prehistoric protein and engineer the new DNA into specialized cells for leather production. Another biotech company, the U.K.-based Lab-Grown Leather Ltd., will then use those specialized cells to produce skin, made with the T-Rex collagen protein, which is then tanned to form T-Rex leather. "This project is a remarkable example of how we can harness cutting-edge genome and protein engineering to create entirely new materials," said The Organoid Company CEO Thomas Mitchell. T. Rex leather could serve as a more environmentally friendly option to traditional leather and also eliminate "animal cruelty concerns," the companies said. But some detractors consider the project misleading. University of Maryland vertebrate paleontologist Thomas Holtz, Jr. pointed out to Live Science, a science news site, how the lab-created skin won't be authentic because there's no actual T. rex skin or DNA to serve as a basis. "What this company is doing seems to be fantasy," he said. Calling the announcement a "gimmick," Tom Ellis, professor of synthetic genome engineering at Imperial College London, told NBC News, 'I doubt that our knowledge of dinosaur evolution is good enough to be able to design a collagen gene specifically from T. rex." But researchers have found collagen in an 80-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil and that can be used as a template, they say. The Organoid Company is creating a T-Rex protein by using fragments of the T-Rex collagen protein from fossils, the companies said in a statement to USA TODAY. "An important distinction is that (the companies) are starting with the language of proteins, amino acids, rather than the DNA itself," according to the statement. "This encodes what the 3D structure looks like and from this they can then recreate or 'molecularly resurrect' the DNA which is put into special cell lines for leather production." The result of this reconstruction of ancient protein sequences is T. Rex leather, which is structurally identical to T. rex skin. "A biomaterial inspired by prehistoric biology," Mitchell said. Eventually, T. rex leather could be used beyond handbags and clutches to cover chairs and vehicle seats. "The production of T-Rex leather demonstrates VML's commitment to pioneering new grounds and shaping the future of our industry," Korsten said. Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
Daily Record
30-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
New call to scrap PIP eligibility rule to help more people with fluctuating health conditions claim
A new online petition is calling for a change to eligibility rules for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). At present, people making a new claim for PIP must be able to demonstrate that the functional impact of their health condition has been present for at least three months and is likely to remain for at least nine months. However, petition creator Thomas Mitchell argues that this is 'unfair' and does not take into account people with fluctuating conditions such as epilepsy. He is urging the UK Government to 'scrap this rule' to enable more people with long-term health conditions to access additional financial support. The 'Scrap the '3-Month Before and 9-Month After' Rule for PIP Eligibility' petition, has been posted on the Petitions Parliament website and states: ' Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants must have faced difficulties for at least three months before applying and expect them to continue for at least nine months after claiming" It continues: "We think this rule is unfair and fails to account for fluctuating conditions like epilepsy, where someone may go months without symptoms but still face significant challenges. We think it could prevent many disabled and seriously ill people from accessing the support they need. 'We urge the UK Government to scrap this rule and ensure that PIP eligibility fairly reflects the real-life impact of disabilities and long-term conditions, including those that fluctuate.' At 10,000 signatures, the petition would be entitled to a written response from the UK Government, at 100,000 it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament. You can view it online here. The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there are now 3.7 million people across Great Britain receiving additional financial support through PIP (PIP). More than 20,000 Scots on PIP will see their award transferred to Adult Disability Payment (ADP) this Spring. Over the 2025/26 financial year, PIP and ADP will provide weekly support of between £29.20 and £187.45, some £116.80 or £749.80 every four-week pay period. Both disability benefits are designed to help with the additional costs of living with a disability, long-term illness, or physical or mental health condition. Five most commonly recorded PIP health conditions These are the main disabling conditions recorded by the DWP at the end of January, 2025. Disabling conditions recorded by DWP These are the main disability categories, the umbrella term by which more than 530 other conditions fall under. This list is only an overview of conditions, disorders and diseases and how the DWP lists the main disabilities being claimed for. Haematological Disease Infectious disease Malignant disease Metabolic disease Psychiatric disorders Neurological disease Visual disease Hearing disorders Cardiovascular disease Gastrointestinal disease Diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract Skin disease Musculoskeletal disease (general) Musculoskeletal disease (regional) Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders) Genitourinary disease Endocrine disease Respiratory disease Multisystem and extremes of age Diseases of the immune system Unknown or missing Total number of PIP claimants (January 2025) - 3,694,536 Below is an overview of PIP and ADP. Even though new claims for PIP have been replaced in Scotland by ADP, it shares most of the same eligibility criteria. Full guidance on ADP can be found on the website here. Who might be eligible for PIP or ADP? To be eligible for PIP or ADP, you must have a health condition or disability where you: have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply. In addition to what we have outlined above, if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP or ADP. preparing, cooking or eating food managing your medication washing, bathing or using the toilet dressing and undressing engaging and communicating with other people reading and understanding written information making decisions about money planning a journey or following a route moving around There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the website here. DWP or Social Security Scotland will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they will look at: whether you can do it safely how long it takes you how often your condition affects this activity whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment How are PIP and ADP paid? PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP. PIP and ADP payment rates 2025/26 You will need an assessment to work out the level of financial help you will receive and your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support. Payments are made every four weeks. PIP is made up of two components: Daily living Mobility Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you. You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances: Daily living Standard rate: £73.90 Enhanced rate: £110.40 Mobility Standard rate: £29.20 Enhanced rate: £77.05 How you are assessed You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need, for PIP. Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware that the health professional and DWP determine which type of assessment is best suited for each claimant. You can find out more about DWP PIP assessments here. Adult Disability Payment assessments will not involve face-to-face assessments, unless this is preferred by the claimant - find out more about the changes here. How do you make a claim for PIP? You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the website here. Before you call, you will need: How to apply for ADP People can apply for ADP, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
Telegraph
25-04-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
T-Rex leather handbags could be made using fossil DNA
T-Rex leather accessories could be available by the end of the year. Lab-Grown Leather, based in Newcastle, teamed up with The Organoid Company to grow extinct hides using dinosaur DNA. A full-length collagen sequence will be generated for the dinosaur, which will be used to grow new skin. Until recently, it was thought dinosaur DNA would be impossible to find because the fragile strands do not survive over tens of millions of years. However, in the past decade, paleobiologists found collagen preserved in dinosaur fossils, including an 80 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex. 'Innovative and ethically sound' In 2023, Lab-Grown Leather became the first biotech company to successfully culture fully natural animal skin, and now believes it can use its technology to recreate T-Rex hide. The team believes the leather will be tough and durable, and hopes to have its first product available by the end of the year. Prof Che Connon, of Lab-Grown Leather, said: 'We're unlocking the potential to engineer leather from prehistoric species, starting with the formidable T-Rex. This venture showcases the power of cell-based technology to create materials that are both innovative and ethically sound.' Lab-Grown Leather was the first to create animal skin without using a scaffold to coax the tissue into the correct alignment. Instead, scientists managed to recreate the biochemical and biophysical cues that occur in the body to make the cells spontaneously arrange themselves in the correct pattern. It means that there is no need to use animal-derived serums to help kick off the growth process or blends and fillers that other synthetic meat and skin companies need, which prevents products from feeling natural. Without the need of artificial scaffolds or fillers, the leather that is produced is 100 per cent animal tissue, without any extra animal products. To create T-Rex leather, the team plans to piggyback on recent research that extracted a fragment of the collagen protein from a T-Rex fossil. The Organoid Company will use the fragment to recreate what the full-length T-Rex collagen would have looked like, then convert it into a DNA sequence and engineer it into the Lab-Grown Leather cell line genome. If all goes well, it should produce a dense network of T-Rex collagen, similar to a dermis. The dermis is the structural part of skin, which is all that remains after tanning, so the process should re-create T-Rex leather. Thomas Mitchell, the chief executive of The Organoid Company, added: 'This project is a remarkable example of how we can harness cutting-edge genome and protein engineering to create entirely new materials. 'By reconstructing and optimising ancient protein sequences, we can design T-Rex leather, a biomaterial inspired by prehistoric biology, and clone it into a custom-engineered cell line.' 'Ground-breaking collaboration' Fossils suggest that T-Rex skin was scaly, rather than having feathers like many dinosaurs, so the result is likely to be close to that of modern reptiles. The experts are working alongside VML, a Netherlands-based innovation company, which helped to create the first meatball made from the DNA of a woolly mammoth in 2023. The team took the DNA sequence for mammoth myoglobin, a key muscle protein in giving meat its flavour, and filled in the gaps using elephant DNA. 'With T-Rex leather, we're harnessing the biology of the past to create the luxury materials of the future,' said Bas Korsten, the global chief creative officer at VML. 'This ground-breaking collaboration represents the intersection of creative innovation and cutting-edge biotechnology, much like we did with our mammoth meatball project.'
