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More than a third of the Antarctic's ice shelf area could be at risk of collapsing into the sea if global temperatures reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels, new research has shown.

The University of Reading led the most detailed ever study forecasting how vulnerable the vast floating platforms of ice surrounding Antarctica will become to dramatic collapse events caused by melting and runoff, as climate change forces temperatures to rise.

It found that 34% of the area of all Antarctic ice shelves - around half a million square kilometers - including 67% of ice shelf area on the Antarctic Peninsula, would be at risk of destabilization under 4°C of warming. Limiting temperature rise to 2°C rather than 4°C would halve the area at risk and potentially avoid significant sea level rise.

The researchers also identified Larsen C - the largest remaining ice shelf on the peninsula, which split to form the enormous A68 iceberg in 2017 - as one of four ice shelves that would be particularly threatened in a warmer climate.

Dr. Ella Gilbert, a research scientist in the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology, said: "Ice shelves are important buffers preventing glaciers on land from flowing freely into the ocean and contributing to sea level rise. When they collapse, it's like a giant cork being removed from a bottle, allowing unimaginable amounts of water from glaciers to pour into the sea.

"We know that when melted ice accumulates on the surface of ice shelves, it can make them fracture and collapse spectacularly. Previous research has given us the bigger picture in terms of predicting Antarctic ice shelf decline, but our new study uses the latest modeling techniques to fill in the finer detail and provide more precise projections.

"The findings highlight the importance of limiting global temperature increases as set out in the Paris Agreement if we are to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, including sea level rise."

The new study, published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal, used state-of-the-art, high-resolution regional climate modeling to predict in more detail than before the impact of increased melting and water runoff on ice shelf stability.

Ice shelf vulnerability from this fracturing process was forecast under 1.5°C, 2°C and 4°C global warming scenarios, which are all possible this century.

Ice shelves are permanent floating platforms of ice attached to areas of the coastline and are formed where glaciers flowing off the land meet the sea.

Every summer, ice at the surface of the ice shelf melts and trickles down into small air gaps in the snow layer below, where it refreezes. However, in years when there is a lot of melting but little snowfall, the water pools on the surface or flows into crevasses, deepening and widening them until the ice shelf eventually fractures and collapses into the sea. If there is water collecting on the surface of the ice shelf, that suggests it could be vulnerable to collapse in this way.

This is what happened to the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002, which fractured following several years of warm summer temperatures. Its collapse caused the glaciers behind the ice shelf to speed up, losing billions of tonnes of ice to the sea.

The researchers identified the Larsen C, Shackleton, Pine Island and Wilkins ice shelves as most at-risk under 4°C of warming, due to their geography and the significant runoff predicted in those areas.

Dr. Gilbert said: "If temperatures continue to rise at current rates, we may lose more Antarctic ice shelves in the coming decades.

"Limiting warming will not just be good for Antarctica - preserving ice shelves means less global sea level rise, and that's good for us all."

Reference: "Surface melt and runoff on Antarctic ice shelves at 1.5°C, 2°C and 4°C of future warming" by E. Gilbert and C. Kittel, 8 April 2021, Geophysical Research Letters.
DOI: 10.1029/2020GL091733

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More Than a Third of Antarctic Ice Shelf Area at Risk of Collapse As Planet Warms

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Fractures from melting and run-off will indirectly lead to sea level rise. More than a third of the Antarctic's ice shelf area could be at risk of collapsing into the sea if global temperatures reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels, new research has shown. The University of Reading led the mos

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A small boy is holding his mother's hand as they make their way across a railway platform. Weighed down by a heavy burden on her back and hampered by limited vision, she loses her grip. The child tumbles onto the tracks just as an approaching train barrels toward the station.

But in the blink of an eye, a hero swoops in, scoops the child to safety, hoists himself onto the platform a split-second before the locomotive thunders past, and a tragedy is averted.

If you're thinking the man who saved the day in this scenario might be Clark Kent's alter-ego, think again because this was a series of events that recently played out in real life at India's Vangani station about 60 miles out of Mumbai.

When railway worker Mayur Shelke saw the 6-year-old boy fall into the path of the oncoming train, instinct took over. "I ran towards the child but also thought that I might be in danger too. Still, I thought I should save him," Shelke told Asian News International. "The woman (with the child) was visually impaired. She could do nothing."

A new father himself, Shelke felt impelled to act. "The child who [slipped and fell] is someone's precious child, too," he told Times Now News. "My child is the apple of my eye, so must that boy in peril have been to his parents. I just felt something stir within me and I rushed without thinking twice."

The entire remarkable incident might have gone unremarked-except that the whole thing was caught on CCTV. (Shelke reports he hadn't even mentioned it at home fearing he'd be scolded for putting himself in harm's way.) In a matter of days, the viral video took the Internet by storm.

The railway employee's quick reflexes and willingness to act in the face of grave personal danger quickly earned him much well-deserved praise. After being feted in a congratulatory ceremony, Shelke was awarded a ₹50,000 ($660) honorarium by the Ministry of Railways.

He was also gifted with a motorbike courtesy of Jawa Motorcycles as a token of their esteem. "Mayur Shelke's courage has the Jawa Motorcycles family in awe," tweeted company CEO Anupam Thareja. "Humbled by his act of exemplary bravery, truly the stuff of legends."
MORE: Police Officer Pulls Man From Wheelchair Stuck On Tracks Within Seconds Of Speeding Train - WATCH
One of the country's leading industrialists, Anand Mahindra, CEO of the Mumbai-based global conglomerate Mahindra Group was likewise impressed. "Mayur Shelke didn't have a costume or cape, but he showed more courage than the bravest movie Superhero," Mahindra tweeted.

"In difficult times, Mayur has shown us that we just have to look around us for everyday people who show us the way to a better world."
DON'T DALLY-Share This Amazing Rescue Story With Friends on Social Media... North Carolina-based writer Judy Cole has a new rom-com murder mystery debuting at Amazon: And Jilly Came Tumbling After (from Red Sky Presents).
( WATCH the BBC's footage of the daring rescue below.)

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The Moment an Indian Rail Worker Saves a Child at the Last Second From Oncoming Train

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A small boy is holding his mother's hand as they make their way across a railway platform. Weighed down by a heavy burden on her back and hampered by limited vision, she loses her grip. The child tumbles onto the tracks just as an approaching train barrels toward the station.

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-Kaisa H.

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Shrek's Pizza, Sale Road, Northern Moor, Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK

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Shrek's Pizza, Sale Road, Northern Moor, Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK

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Shrek's Pizza, Sale Road, Northern Moor, Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK

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shreks pizza

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kaden

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Taylor Lobbestael

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Forget Netflix and chill: Now's the time to pull up and park at your local drive-in theater.

Movie theaters across America have been empty for nearly three months in accordance with coronavirus restrictions. With crowd-pleasing releases like Marvel's "Black Widow" and the James Bond film "No Time to Die" delayed until fall, movie lovers have turned to Netflix, Amazon and other streaming platforms to get their fix.

But for some hardcore film fans, the viewing experience isn't the same without the in-person interactions or large screens. Cue in the drive-in theaters.

Drive-in movie theaters, an entertainment staple from the late 1950s to the early '80s, are exactly what they sound like: a large outdoor screen visible from the comfort of your own car, using a radio frequency or external speaker to hear the audio. Now they're being resurrected as a way to have an in-person viewing experience while adhering to social-distancing guidelines.
Outdoor viewing is in: Coronavirus shut down movie theaters, people flock to drive-ins instead
According to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association, there were 305 local drive-in theater options across the United States as of October 2019. While many new films are on hold, classics such as "Beetlejuice" or more recent films such as "Jumanji" are still crushing it at the drive-ins. Even a yet-to-be-released film is in on the action: "The Rental," Dave Franco's directorial debut that's set for a July 24 release, is having a screening event at the Vineland Drive-In in California on June 18.

Some indoor theaters, such as the AMC chain, plan to reopen this summer, but the drive-in is a fun option for those who prefer to continue social distancing.

Dr. Joseph A. Bellanti, a professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology-Immunology (Emeritus)

Beth Virnig, a professor of public health at the University of Minnesota who specializes in epidemiology and health services research.

Dr. Tania Elliott, an allergy and immunology specialist at NYU Langone Medical Center.

With social distancers and movie-fanatics in mind, USA TODAY has consulted three health experts in guaranteeing a fun-yet-safe family outing during the pandemic:

Keep a mask handy, just in case

While most drive-in theaters require cars to be parked more than six feet apart, Elliottsuggests bringing a mask, especially if you choose to sit in lawn chairs or visit the concession stand.

Bring snacks from home (if allowed)

Bellanti encourages individuals to bring their own soft drinks and snacks from home in order to avoid exposure when leaving the car to go to the restroom or concession stand.

"If individuals do leave the car for concession areas, it's important that items be sanitized before bringing these external items into the automobile," he says. "Wearing masks during this experience and keeping the six-foot distance is important."

Bring hand sanitizer

If you're wondering how often to sanitize your hands,Bellanti says it depends on how many external items are introduced into your car. For instance, sanitize your hands as well as the bag of chips from the concession stand.

Open the trunk of your car

Although it's preferable to stay inside your car, Virnig says it's OK to open the back hatch of your car or SUV and even sit outside to optimize your viewing experience. Or if you want to bring lawn chairs, keep them close to the vehicle.

"If you're going to sit in chairs, sit in front of your car - not next to your car - because it would encroach on that six-foot buffer we're trying to create," she says.

Bring your own garbage bag

To avoid touching the communal trash cans in the parking lot, Virnig suggests bringing along your own Hefty bag and throwing it away once you get home..

Go easy on the Big Gulp

Try to avoid drinking too much water or soda so you can minimize trips to the public restroom - assuming it's even open.

"This is the biggest risk, in addition to food concession stands," Elliott says. "Ideally, you don't use the public restroom. Virus particles can be found in feces and can aerosolize when the toilet is flushed. If people must go to the bathroom, and there is a toilet seat cover, be sure to keep it down when flushing to minimize aerosolized spread. Fully wash hands, which is better than hand sanitizer. Wearing gloves and mask will also help."

Distract your kids with board/card games

One of the beauties of a family-friendly drive-in theater is the in-person socialization, as children run around or play on the playground with others before the start of the movie.

But with such activity off-limits due to social distancing, plan alternative activities to entertain your children until the film starts.
Your coronavirus questions, answered: How can I disinfect a face mask? Should I wear gloves?
"Bring board games or other forms of entertainment to keep your kids occupied without interacting with other kids," Virnig says.

Card games, such as Uno, are easy to carry and clean up, and fun for the kids.

Relax and have fun

As important as it is to maintain proper social distancing and sanitation during the pandemic, Bellanti emphasizes the role of a positive attitude in one's overall health.

"Psychologically, it's pretty distressing and sometimes depressing to be isolated at home, so I think activities that would increase one's positive views and minimize anxiety should be encouraged."

Missing movie theaters in COVID-19 quarantine? Fill up the car and head to a drive-in

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A user's guide to drive-in movie theaters: Staying safe and having fun

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Forget Netflix and chill: Now's the time to pull up and park at your local drive-in theater. Movie theaters across America have been empty for nearly three months in accordance with coronavirus restrictions. With crowd-pleasing releases like Marvel's "Black Widow" and the James Bond film "No Time to Die" delayed until fall, movie lovers have turned to Netflix, Amazon and other streaming platforms to get their fix.

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Kindness is seeping into the classrooms and corridors of an elementary school in Minnesota thanks to a group of fifth-graders.

The kids at Parker Elementary School started a Kindness Club last year, and observers say it's having a positive impact on classroom culture.

"There had been some issues in fifth grade of kids not being very kind to each other," said Ashley Justen, a social worker at the school in Elk River. Teachers had talked to some of the students and told them things had to change because 'that's not how you treat people,' Justen said.

Fifth-grade teacher Matt Greenhoe said he had been talking with his students one day about improving the situation when one of the kids, Ady Bollinger, suggested starting the Kindness Club.

LOOK: Viral Photo Shows Two Kids Stopped in the Road to Pay Respects to Fire Department Flag Being Raised

"I said, 'That's a great idea,' and I just kind of let them go," Greenhoe said.

Since then the Kindness Club has blossomed, sprinkling kindness throughout the school.

Ady said they started the club because they want kids at Parker to feel safe in school. They also want to stop bullying and improve self-esteem, she said.

MORE: 11-Year-old Girl Has Been Granting the Simple Wishes of Nursing Home Patients

"It kind of makes the world a better place having someone your age to turn to for help," added club member Elsie Ostmoe.

The club has initiated several kindness projects. They now have a bucket on display where people can drop in notes that tell of random acts of kindness they have seen, which club members plan to read during school announcements.

Before Christmas, club members launched Operation Candy Cane, where they gave every student a small candy cane - 600 in all - with the note "Happy Holidays from the Kindness Club."

CHECK OUT: 12-Year-old Boy Gives Away Thousands of Lunches to the Homeless - and He'll Soon Have His Own Truck

During Holly Jolly Week, they put notes of kindness on the lockers belonging to students with special needs. They also have produced a slideshow about kindness that they intend to share with others.

Currently, they are rehearsing a play based on the book "Stop," about a girl who is being bullied and the friend who helps her. They plan to perform the play for first-graders.

Greenhoe said the students have given up recess time to work on the Kindness Club.

RELATED: 11-Year-old Boy Saves Drowning Man Twice His Size When No One Else Could Swim

Club members feel they have made a difference and said there is less bullying going on at Parker. In fact, there are fewer students using the Buddy Bench, a specially designated bench on the playground where students can sit if they are feeling alone and want to be invited to play with others.

Member Tessa Boche said she wants people to know they're not alone and are part of a larger community: "It makes us feel good that everyone is getting included and no one feels left out."

And the kindness is spreading: Other students are following suit by expressing random acts of kindness, like putting positive notes on students' lockers.

MORE: 7-Year-old Boy Has Helped Thousands of Veterans After Watching a Video About Homelessness

"They definitely have created a ripple effect," she said.

This is the fifth-graders' last year at Parker Elementary School, but those in the Kindness Club hope to carry on their kindness crusade into middle school.

They also hope some of the fourth-graders at Parker will continue with the Kindness Club and would like to see other schools pick up on the idea as well.
Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends On Social Media...

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Fifth Graders Launch Their Own Kindness Club at School - and Bullied Kids Are Already Benefiting

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Kindness is seeping into the classrooms and corridors of an elementary school in Minnesota thanks to a group of fifth-graders. The kids at Parker Elementary School started a Kindness Club last year, and observers say it's having a positive impact on classroom culture.

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Since COVID-19 our community has come together—and it’s an amazing transformation that I never thought I would see,” said Sandy Cannon, the resident who submitted her city’s story to Reader’s Digest. “People are supporting local businesses, the homeless population is finally being cared for, and city leaders are stepping up and making us all proud.” Eva Tapani

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Truly theres nothing here, but I felt like Antarctica was getting lonely.
Tristin Fuller

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Coastal Escape - Natai Beach, Khok Khloi, Takua Thung District, Phang-nga, Thailand

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Coastal Escape - Natai Beach, Khok Khloi, Takua Thung District, Phang-nga, Thailand

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Coastal Escape - Natai Beach, Khok Khloi, Takua Thung District, Phang-nga, Thailand

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Wyatt Eiesland

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A brave navy sailor recently plunged into choppy waters to rescue four kittens from a burning ship off the coast of Thailand.

23-year-old Thatsaphon Saii received the emergency call and dove into the water-while still wearing his pants-to swim over to the wreckage.

All eight crew members had already escaped the inferno and been picked up by a passing fishing boat.

However, four terrified kittens were left behind. They moved to the bow and were left clinging to a crane structure as the flames rapidly engulfed the ship.

Heroic Thatsaphon swam 50 feet through rough seas before he climbed aboard the sinking ship and put three cats into an old rice sack.

The other kitten, he carried one on his shoulder.

The sailor emerged with the trembling moggies and paddled with them in his arms back to the navy vessel. The kittens were dehydrated and given fresh water while they recovered onboard.

The boat, an old wooden fishing vessel, was left to burn and sink into the depths near the island of Koh Adang.
MORE: Hikers Brave Miles of Icy Mountain Trails After Rescuing Dog That Was Stranded For 2 Weeks
Thatsaphon, who's part of the Royal Thai Navy's Air and Coastal Defence Command Operation Unit 491, said: 'When we arrived it was to secure the wreckage and check for oil spills. But we noticed the cats onboard.

"I immediately took off my shirt and put on a life jacket so I could jump into the sea. The flames were at the back of the boat but it was starting to sink, so I knew I had to be quick.
RELATED: Cat Was Thought to be a Goner in California Mudslides. 3 Years Later, the 'Miracle Cat' Showed Up Again SHARE This Daring Rescue Story With Your Pals on Social Media....
"I'm so relieved that we were able to save the kittens. They would have drowned or died of thirst if they went into the sea."

All four kittens are now fully recovered from their adventure on the high seas, with navy officials currently looking after the little cats at their office.

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Heroic Sailor Dives Into Choppy Seas to Save 4 Kittens From Burning Ship

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A brave navy sailor recently plunged into choppy waters to rescue four kittens from a burning ship off the coast of Thailand. 23-year-old Thatsaphon Saii received the emergency call and dove into the water-while still wearing his pants-to swim over to the wreckage.

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sylvia hiivala

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Couple adopts 7 siblings in foster care after parents die in car crash

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“I can’t explain it — I just knew I was supposed to be their mom.”

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Carson Bingham

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shane

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Good Samaritans Distribute Free Oxygen in Delhi | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com

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Amid the disturbing news of people black marketing or hoarding essential healthcare products in the middle of the raging COVID-19 pandemic in India, some ray of hope was provided by residents of Delhi, who are still out there helping those in need.

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Jenevieve

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Baker launches company that mixes cookies with charity

Amanda Palomino has spent the last several months baking cookies while fostering dogs, and found a way to combine both of these interests through a new charitable company: Batter that Matters. Palomino, 27, lives in Bedford, New York, and told The Journal News that she began baking more during quarantine as a way to "de-stress." Her desserts were a hit with friends and family, which inspired Palomino. "I've been thinking about starting my own business for a while so I figured why not bake, spread joy, and give back," she said. In early January, Palomino started Batter that Matters, an online bakery specializing in cookies - her favorite treat to make. A portion of her profits will always be donated to charity, with the organizations changing every few months. Palomino's first charity is the SPCA of Westchester, and she picked this no-kill animal shelter in honor of the pups she's helped rescue over the last year. [The Journal News]

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Baker launches company that mixes cookies with charity Amanda Palomino has spent the last several months baking cookies while fostering dogs, and found a way to combine both of these interests through a new charitable company: Batter that Matters.

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Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

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Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

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Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

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Kristin Dunlap

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Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), Airport Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

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Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), Airport Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

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Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), Airport Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

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Kennedy

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When duty calls, Buzz Lightyear is honor-bound to answer. At least that's what one mom told her distraught toddler when he accidentally left his Buzz action figure behind on an airplane in the flurry of an unexpected, last-minute trip.

While the senior members of the Davis family didn't expect to see Buzz again, the plucky astronaut made the return trip home in style-thanks to outstanding efforts by the Southwest airlines ground crew at Clinton National Airport Little Rock, Arkansas.

Taking a cue from the Toy Story film, the Davises had inscribed their 2-year-old son Hagen's name on the sole of Buzz's space boot.

After finding the misplaced space adventurer during a routine post-flight check, operations agent Beth Buchanan was able to match the name with an Elk Grove, California boy on the passenger list.

While Buchanan was sleuthing, co-worker Jason William Hamm saw Buzz sitting on her desk. With the owner's identity confirmed, the steadfast ramp agent made it his mission to get Buzz back where he belonged.

Hamm reached out to the Davises via email to let them know Commander Lightyear would soon be California bound, but not content to send Buzz home in a boring box, he decided to take things to the next level.

Rather than let the astronaut take off incognito, Hamm launched his charge aboard a specially designed shuttlecraft that would ensure Buzz received a true hero's welcome when he landed.
CHECK OUT: Boy Recreates Iconic Scene From Toy Story to Mark His First Day of School "To Commander Hagen. I am very excited to return to you upon completing my mission. I was able to explore the airport and spaceport in Little Rock, Arkansas while I was away, and I have included photos of my adventure. My journey has taught me a lot but I am so thankful to return to my buddy."
Along with a brightly decorated box highlighted with a string of memorable Toy Story quotes, Hamm tucked a series of adventure photos he'd taken of Buzz at different airport locales inside, along with a handwritten note that read:
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As the parent of an autistic child, Hamm truly understood how much the loss of a treasured toy could mean."I wanted it to be a beautiful experience when he opened it up," he told The Washington Post. "I just thought he would love it. I had no idea who he was, but I knew somebody was missing Buzz and was probably really sad."
RELATED: Little Boy's Stuffed Bambi Was Rescued From Frozen Canal - They Didn't Think People Would Care PASS on the Generosity-Share This Story With Friends... North Carolina-based writer Judy Cole has a new rom-com murder mystery debuting for Kindle at Amazon: And Jilly Came Tumbling After (from Red Sky Presents).
When Buzz arrived, Hagen's mom Ashley was so touched by Hamm's care and creativity she was overcome with emotion.

"I cried when I opened it. You could see all the love he put into it," Davis told The Washington Post, but in addition to her tears, she couldn't help but be tickled as well. "I wonder how many people chuckled when they saw the box with Buzz on it, as it made its way 'to infinity and beyond,' from Arkansas all the way to California."

To let Hamm know Buzz had touched down safely, the Davises sent him a video with footage of the beaming face on their son during their "out of the box" reunion. While he'd made it his mission to go above and beyond, according to Hamm, the smile on the face of that happy toddler was all the thanks he needed.

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Southwest Air Employee Goes to 'Infinity and Beyond' to Reunite Buzz Lightyear With Excited Toddler

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When duty calls, Buzz Lightyear is honor-bound to answer. At least that's what one mom told her distraught toddler when he accidentally left his Buzz action figure behind on an airplane in the flurry of an unexpected, last-minute trip.

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Elizabeth Ann, the cloned black footed ferret, at age 32 days. Video by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Her birth represents the first cloning of an endangered species native to North America, and may bring needed genetic diversity to the species.

Elizabeth Ann, the cloned black footed ferret, at age 32 days. Video by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Credit...

Last year, Ben Novak drove across the country to spend New Year's Eve with a black-footed ferret. Elizabeth Ann had just turned 21 days old - surely a milestone for any ferret but a particularly meaningful one for Elizabeth Ann, the first of any native, endangered animal species in North America to be cloned.

Dr. Novak, the lead scientist of the biotechnology nonprofit Revive & Restore, bought a trailer camper to drive his wife and identical twin toddlers from North Carolina to the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center near Fort Collins, Colo. (They made one pit stop in Texas to see Kurt, the first cloned Przewalski's horse.)

Dr. Novak spent less than 15 minutes with Elizabeth Ann, whose black mask, feet and tail were just beginning to show through her downy white fur. "It felt like time stopped," Dr. Novak said.

Thankfully, time has not stopped for Elizabeth Ann, who now looks bigger, browner and considerably more like a ferret. Her successful cloning is the culmination of a yearslong collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Revive & Restore, the for-profit company ViaGen Pets & Equine, San Diego Zoo Global and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Cloned siblings are on the way, and potential (cloned) mates are already being lined up. If successful, the project could bring needed genetic diversity to the endangered species, and it marks another promising advance in the wider effort to use cloning to retrieve species from the brink of extinction.

The black-footed ferret, the first species to be reintroduced to former habitats with the help of artificial insemination, has long been a model species for new conservation technologies. So it is fitting that the ferrets have become the second species to be cloned for this type of genetic rescue. (Elizabeth Ann follows in the footsteps of Kurt the horse.)

"Pinch me," joked Oliver Ryder, the director of conservation genetics at San Diego Zoo Global, over a Zoom call. "The cells of this animal banked in 1988 have become an animal."

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The endangered black-footed ferret is North America's only native ferret species. Credit... Ryan Hagerty/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

In the early 1900s, black-footed ferrets burrowed throughout the American West, according to Pete Gober, the Fish and Wildlife Service's national black-footed ferret recovery coordinator. But the ferrets vanished after their primary food source, prairie dogs, were nearly wiped out by poisoning, plague and habitat loss. "We thought they were gone," Dr. Gober said.

The species was thought to be extinct in the wild until 1981, when a ranch dog named Shep dropped a dead black-footed ferret on a porch near Meeteetse, Wyo. The rancher's wife took the dead ferret to a local taxidermist, who realized he was holding a freshly killed extinct species, and alerted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

The newly discovered population flourished for a few years but was nearly extinguished by canine distemper and sylvatic plague, a disease from the same bacterium that causes bubonic plague in humans. The Fish and Wildlife Service captured the remaining 18 ferrets, but only seven passed on their genes, leaving behind a population with limited genetic diversity that is vulnerable to pathogens or health disorders caused by inbreeding. All black-footed ferrets alive today are essentially half-siblings - except for Elizabeth Ann.

The path toward cloning a black-footed ferret began in the 1980s, at a conservation biology conference. Dr. Ryder, the geneticist at the San Diego Zoo, happened to sit at a banquet table with Tom Thorne, who worked at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Seizing the moment, Dr. Ryder asked if Dr. Thorne if he would consider sending skin biopsies from black-footed ferrets to the Frozen Zoo, a growing collection of cryopreserved samples of animal tissue. "I told him we didn't know what they might be able to be used for," Dr. Ryder said. "I don't recall a resounding yes."

On October 23, 1985, Dr. Ryder unexpectedly received a box from Wyoming. "Well, hot dog, we have black-footed ferret individuals," he recalled saying.

Dr. Ryder's lab received more samples in 1988, one belonging to a ferret named Willa who was caught in the wild. Willa had offspring but they had died; by black-footed ferret standards, she was brimming with potential genetic diversity. The Frozen Zoo established a cell culture from Willa and stored it in their enormous freezer, which cradles the cells of 1,100 different species of animals including an extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper and the highly endangered vaquita, a porpoise species, at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ben Novak, the lead scientist of the biotechnology nonprofit Revive & Restore, with Elizabeth Ann at age three weeks. Credit... Revive & Restore

In 2013, the Fish and Wildlife Service approached Revive & Restore to explore how biotechnology, which the nonprofit develops in pursuit of the de-extinction of species, could help increase the genetic diversity of black-footed ferrets. The following year, Revive & Restore sequenced the genomes of four black-footed ferrets.

First there was Balboa, who was born by means of artificial insemination using cryopreserved, genetically diverse sperm. Second was Cheerio, who was born naturally and shares ancestry from all seven founders; Novak calls him an "every ferret." The last two ferrets came from tissue samples at the Frozen Zoo, one male called "Studbook Number 2" and one female named Willa. "When we looked at Balboa, we saw from an empirical standpoint that a great deal of genetic diversity had been rescued by reaching back into the past," Dr. Novak said.

Revive & Restore designed a proposal and submitted it to Fish and Wildlife. In 2018, the nonprofit received the first-ever permit to research cloning an endangered species. Revive & Restore partnered with the commercial cloning company ViaGen Pets & Equine to design the cloning process.

The first trial began around Halloween. The Frozen Zoo sent Willa's cryogenically preserved cell line to ViaGen's lab in New York. ViaGen created embryos and implanted them into a domestic ferret surrogate. At day 14, an ultrasound confirmed heartbeats.

The surrogate was shipped to the conservation center and was watched 24 hours a day for signs of labor. On Dec. 10, Elizabeth Ann was delivered via C-section. "Our beautiful little clone," Dr. Novak said.

On Elizabeth Ann's 65th day of life the technicians drew her blood, swabbed her cheek and sent the samples to Samantha Wisely, a conservation geneticist at the University of Florida, who confirmed that Elizabeth Ann was, in fact, a black-footed ferret.

Video

Elizabeth Ann being weighed on a scale. Video by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Elizabeth Ann will live out her days at the conservation center, soon to be joined by sisters (other clones of Willa) and potential mates (clones of Studbook Number 2). Researchers will monitor their health and watch them grow and scamper in the artificial burrows inside their cages, Dr. Gober said. When the clones reach sexual maturity, they will breed, and then their offspring will be bred back with wild black-footed ferrets to ensure there is no mitochondrial DNA left over from the surrogate mother.

"It will be a slow, methodical process," said Dr. Wisely, who is working on a paper on the bioethics of cloning the species. "We need to make absolutely sure that we're not endangering the genetic lineage of black-footed ferrets by introducing this individual."

The pandemic may slow things down, Dr. Ryder said. But if all goes according to plan, the clone's diverse genome could help protect black-footed ferrets against pandemics of their own: not just canine distemper and sylvatic plague, but also SARS-CoV-2, which is highly contagious among minks, close relatives of ferrets. In the fall, 120 black-footed ferrets received an experimental Covid-19 vaccine.

Revive & Restore is still working toward its moonshot projects, which include resurrecting the passenger pigeon and woolly mammoth. Restoring these more quixotic species would be a much more expensive, complicated and controversial undertaking. Some conservationists argue that funding de-extinction would waste resources in an underfunded field amid an accelerated extinction crisis. In Dr. Novak's eyes, any technology that could help bring a mammoth back to life is a technology that could assist the recovery of already endangered species.

In the Frozen Zoo, the cells of long-dead creatures await their moment to come back to life, in a way. "If the technologies are developed in the future but nobody has saved any cells, that would be an opportunity that's lost," Dr. Ryder said. "The time to save these cells is now." Dr. Ryder's lab has already regrown and refrozen more of Willa's cells, replacing the ones that became Elizabeth Ann.

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Meet Elizabeth Ann, the First Cloned Black-Footed Ferret

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Elizabeth Ann, the cloned black footed ferret, at age 32 days. Video by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Her birth represents the first cloning of an endangered species native to North America, and may bring needed genetic diversity to the species. Elizabeth Ann, the cloned black footed ferret, at age 32 days.

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Kylee

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Archaeologists Discover ‘Dazzling’ 3,000-Year-old Egyptian City, Left ‘As if it were yesterday’

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A 3000-year-old ‘golden city’ called Aten has been discovered in Egypt, in great condition, dating to the reign of Amenhotep III.

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Seth

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According to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, two-thirds of Americans are either somewhat or very worried about the "newer, potentially more contagious" COVID-19 variants that have triggered huge overseas outbreaks and are now spreading in the United States.

Those concerns are valid. But maybe it's time for Americans to start worrying a little less.

To be clear, worrying less about variants doesn't mean abandoning precautions; nothing will suppress cases and shorten the U.S. pandemic like wearing a mask, avoiding indoor gatherings, staying 6 feet apart and getting vaccinated.

Yet in recent days health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have begun sounding less pessimistic about the dangers of a fourth, variant-driven wave - and more optimistic about a return to something resembling normal life as soon as this summer.

Asked if the worst of the pandemic was behind the U.S., Fauci told Yahoo News Tuesday that "it might be."

"I'm not absolutely, 100 percent certain," he continued, but "there's a really good chance that we will do fine, at least in the immediate future."

By now, most Americans are probably familiar with B.1.1.7 (the so-called U.K. variant), B.1.351 (the so-called South African variant) and P.1 (the so-called Brazilian variant). Each of them has spike-protein mutations that confer certain advantages, making them more transmissible (like B.1.1.7) or more likely to evade our immune defenses (like B.1.351 or P.1). Some cases have already been detected in the U.S., and many more have likely gone undetected. As Dr. Eric Topol recently put it, B.1.1.7 in particular could be "our last major obstacle to achieving containment of the virus in the U.S.," because it is "doubling" roughly every 10 days and is expected to become the "dominant" strain here by the middle of March. And new homegrown variants - including one in California that seems more contagious, and one in New York that could dodge the immune system - seem to make headlines every day, even though scientists have yet to prove they pose significant new risks.

That's where fears of a fourth wave come from.

At the same time, however, the precautions taken by both individuals and public officials in response to America's deadly holiday surge have helped turn the tide of transmission. Warming weather means less indoor crowding. More than 13 percent of the U.S. population - a large number of them living or working in medical settings where outbreaks tend to begin - have received at least one dose of an extremely effective vaccine that not only confers near-complete protection from disease and death within weeks but likely reduces transmission of the virus by more than 85 percent. The pace of vaccination is about to pick up, with 140 million doses set for delivery in the next five weeks and an additional 200 million expected by the end of May (followed by another 300 million by July).

Meanwhile, the upside of America's horrifically high case count, which nearly tripled from 9 million to 26 million between November and February, is that tens of millions of Americans have already acquired some degree of immunity through infection. In Los Angeles County alone, an estimated 35 percent of the population has already had COVID-19; in Miami-Dade County, that number could be more than 50 percent.

As a result, U.S. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been plummeting by 15 to 20 percent a week for the past month and a half, completely reversing their winter spike. Though still too high, today's average daily case count (68,000) is the lowest since Oct. 24. Deaths, a lagging indicator, are down more than 20 percent during the past two weeks. We're heading in the right direction.

B.1.1.7 could still capitalize this spring if we let down our guard and go too far in relaxing restrictions. But the current trajectory of the pandemic - and the current prevalence of the virus - does play a role in determining the size and severity of any future wave.

For a variant to qualify as dominant, it simply needs to account for a majority of cases. That sounds scary in a headline, especially when we're discussing a variant such as B.1.1.7, which is 50 percent more transmissible than earlier versions of the virus (and potentially more deadly). But here's the thing: 51 percent of a big number is a lot scarier than 51 percent of a smaller number, and the number of cases in the U.S. is getting smaller every day. When figuring out how much we should worry, that's relevant too.

Consider this example from Youyang Gu, an independent data scientist trained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has proved to be one of the pandemic's most accurate forecasters. First, on Twitter, Gu made an important distinction. "The claim that the 'variant is doubling every 10 days' is false," he wrote. "It's the *proportion of the variant* that is doubling every 10 days." Then he illustrated how if "overall prevalence drops during the studied time period, the true doubling time of the variant is actually much longer [than] 10 days."

Imagine, Gu went on, that on day zero you have 100 cases, and the variant is responsible for 10 of them. It's this percentage - as opposed to the raw number of B.1.1.7 cases - that's doubling every 10 days. Despite all the frightening news alerts, such doubling doesn't necessarily doom us to a big new wave of infections. Instead, it could look something like this:

Day 0: 100 total cases / 10 variant cases ➡ 10 percent variant

Day 10: 75 total cases / 15 variant cases ➡ 20 percent variant

Day 20: 50 total cases / 20 variant cases ➡ 40 percent variant

In Gu's hypothetical scenario, the proportion of the variant is doubling every 10 days, and it's well on its way to becoming dominant. But cases still fall by 50 percent overall.

Of course, the actual U.S. pandemic won't follow this precise arc. But it's certainly possible for cases to drop even as an opportunistic variant such as B.1.1.7 inexorably accounts for a larger and larger share of them. For proof, see Tuesday's plunging curves in the U.K., Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal and Israel - all countries where B.1.1.7 predominates.

The U.S. isn't as good at maintaining mitigation measures as its overseas counterparts. But it's better than most at vaccination, and it's a lot further along at acquiring protection through prior infection. Since B.1.1.7 doesn't seem to evade either type of immunity, the share of susceptible individuals here is smaller than it is elsewhere, and it's shrinking every day.

Whether these complementary forces keep a fourth wave at bay remains to be seen. Our existing vaccines offer strong protection against variants, but some - like the South African variant and possibly the new New York variant - are better at slipping past our immune system. If they take off in the U.S., updated, tailor-made vaccines - which are already in development and fast-tracked for approval - would be deployed in response.

Either way, Americans should not assume that another spike is inevitable. In fact, the leading forecasting models currently predict a modest "plateau" in infections during March or April followed by continued decline. And even if cases do level off or temporarily rise, deaths and hospitalizations will keep falling as increasing numbers of older, high-risk Americans get vaccinated. As the New York Times reported Thursday, "New cases among nursing home residents" - among the first Americans to get vaccinated - "fell by more than 80 percent" from late December to early February, "nearly double the rate of improvement in the general population." Deaths inside the facilities fell by 65 percent even as they spiked nationwide.

"We need to outrun the variants by getting people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can, because the most prevalent variant is the U.K. variant," Fauci told Yahoo News Tuesday. "And that's the one that the vaccine is quite good against - I mean, really quite good. So now's the time to really put the pedal to the floor here and just say, 'Let's go get people vaccinated.'"

If we do that, normality may be in sight. Last week, President Biden would only commit to a return to normal "by next Christmas," saying, "I don't want to overpromise anything here."

"I think we'll be in a very different circumstance, God willing, than we are today," Biden predicted. "A year from now, I think that there'll be significantly fewer people having to be socially distanced, having to wear a mask."

Reaching so-called herd immunity - the theoretical threshold when 75 to 90 percent of the population is protected and the virus runs out of people to infect - might prove to be unattainable in the U.S.; the vaccines won't be approved for children (roughly 20 percent of Americans) until next year, and another 24 percent of Americans tell Yahoo News and YouGov they won't get vaccinated at all. Meanwhile, the virus will keep circulating and evolving in countries that, unlike the U.S., can't afford to reserve enough doses to inoculate their entire population in 2021.

Yet Biden's prediction of a return to normal after Christmas may be a significant underpromise. The end of the U.S. COVID-19 crisis - the state of emergency that has required us to stay home and stay masked to keep hospitals from overflowing and vulnerable people from dying - should arrive sooner. By this summer, vaccines for the virus will be available to all Americans. Around the same time, Gu estimates, the number of "susceptible" Americans - which he defines as anyone older than 45 who lacks immunity - will have fallen from about a third of the population at the start of 2021 to 10 percent or fewer.

At that point, COVID-19 would look less like a pandemic and more like a public health problem on par with familiar flu or cold strains, with little threat of severe illness and zero burden on hospitals. And at that point, we may finally be able to remove our masks and hug our friends and family.

As Gu puts it, " Normality will happen ... with or without herd immunity."

If officials want the buy-in they need to stave off a fourth wave, they might consider spending less time speculating about the possibility of perpetual masking and distancing even after vaccination and more time telling us how soon all of it could end - if we work together toward that common goal.
____ Read more from Yahoo News:

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Why experts like Dr. Fauci think 'there's a really good chance' the worst of the U.S. pandemic is behind us

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According to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, two-thirds of Americans are either somewhat or very worried about the "newer, potentially more contagious" COVID-19 variants that have triggered huge overseas outbreaks and are now spreading in the United States. Those concerns are valid. But maybe it's time for Americans to start worrying a little less.

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Pilot Pete's Coffee & Treats, West 1st Street, Elmhurst, IL, USA

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Pilot Pete's Coffee & Treats, West 1st Street, Elmhurst, IL, USA

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Pilot Pete's Coffee & Treats, West 1st Street, Elmhurst, IL, USA

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Carson Bright

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Chicago Coffee Shop Owner Has Collected 6,000 Warm Coats for the Homeless–And Delivered Them With Coffee

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Pilot Pete’s Coffee and Treats in Illinois has collected and donated more than 6,000 warm coats for the homeless.

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Callum

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Alone on the windswept island Skokholm, wardens have found Stone Age tools and a pottery shard from an unlikely survey plot-down a rabbit burrow.

The finds date to 3,750-9,000 years ago, and include tools for making seal hide clothes and boats and the shard of a funerary urn, suggesting the small island could have been used for ritual burial.

Richard Brown and Giselle Eagle, the only humans on the island since COVID-19 arrived, discovered the first of two "bevelled pebbles" outside of a burrow where, rather than tomb-robbers or artifact hunters, it had been dug up from the ground by the island's rabbits as they strove to make their underground home.

Snapping a photograph, they sent it to Dr. Toby Driver of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, who replied back that "the photos are clearly of a late Mesolithic 'bevelled pebble."

"These are common and distinctive finds amongst flint scatters of this age found on coastal sites all the way from [northern] France up to western Scotland, and also on some northern English coasts," he added, according to the Skokholm Blog, managed by Brown and Eagle.

"We had our eye in, and it wasn't long before we found another very likely candidate for a bevelled pebble along Little Bay Wall (again exposed by the digging of Rabbits)," wrote the pair two days later when they happened upon another find.

"Although we couldn't find any more stones at the original site in the lee of the knoll, we did find a piece of pottery which to our (very) untrained eyes looked old."

Once again they alerted an expert and received an analysis that the thick-walled pottery shard was part, not of ancient food storage, but rather of a funerary urn. Jody Deacon at the National Museum of Wales told them that they are "common in Ireland and seem to turn up more frequently in the western areas of Wales".

"[This is the] First Bronze Age burial urn fragment from the west Pembrokeshire islands," remarked Dr. Driver upon hearing the news. "The prehistory of Skokholm has changed completely in only a few days."
CHECK OUT: Ancient Biblical Scrolls and Rare Coins of 'Immeasurable Worth for Mankind' Discovered in Desert Cave
Similar examples from west Wales dated to about 2,100 and 1,750 BCE, or around 3,750 years ago.

From nature reserve to national reserve
MORE: Paleontologists Uncover Rarer-than-Rare Fossil of Oviraptor on Nest of Eggs With 24 Embryos Inside
Situated two miles off the coast of Pembrokeshire, in Wales, the island of Skokholm, meaning "wooded island" in the language of the Norse peoples who settled it in the Viking Age, is just one-mile long and a half mile across at the widest point.

Nicknamed, "Dream Island," rabbits and seabirds, along with other sea life are the only inhabitants outside of primitive campers seeking an overnight experience in nature. The island was bought and turned into a nature reserve by the The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
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Colonized every summer by tens of thousands of shearwaters, petrels, gulls, guillemots, puffins, and razorbills, there is also a plentiful population of rabbits. Rabbits, according to Danièle Cybulskie writing at Medievalists, were brought over to Britain by the Normans, and warrens were created for them on islands like Bannow, and probably Skokholm, to protect them from predators so as to supply a stable food and fur resource.

Nearby Skomer Island is better known for its well-preserved prehistoric archaeology, and archaeologists Driver and Louise Barker from the Royal Commission, who have carried out archaeological surveys there, intend to pay a little visit to Skokholm after quarantine restrictions ease to investigate the site further.

"Now Skokholm is producing some amazing prehistoric finds," write the Commission in a release. "It seems we may have an Early Bronze burial mound built over a Middle Stone Age hunter gatherer site, disturbed by rabbits. It's a sheltered spot, where the island's cottage now stands, and has clearly been settled for millennia."

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Down the Rabbit Hole: Bunnies in Wales Dig Up Treasure of 9,000-Year-old Artifacts

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Alone on the windswept island Skokholm, wardens have found Stone Age tools and a pottery shard from an unlikely survey plot-down a rabbit burrow. The finds date to 3,750-9,000 years ago, and include tools for making seal hide clothes and boats and the shard of a funerary urn, suggesting the small island could have been used for ritual burial.

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Sadie Schmidt

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pine bluff shooting: student has died of his wounds

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Student shot in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, school shooting has died

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A 15-year-old boy who was shot Monday at a junior high school in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, has died from his injuries, police said.

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Jayce Grotte
Stray Dog Kept Sneaking Into Dollar Store For a Stuffed Unicorn – Now He and the Toy Have a New Forever Home

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Shoplifting and petty theft are no laughing matter-except when the culprit is a cute canine kleptomaniac determined to liberate a certain stuffed purple unicorn from the confines of a North Carolina Dollar General store.

According to the store staff, the dogged doggo was a repeat offender-making five separate attempts to be reunited with his favorite cuddle-buddy.

"The store called and said they had a stray dog in the parking lot that kept coming into the store," Joe Newburn, head of the County Animal Services Department, told McClatchy News. "He'd walk in, go to that unicorn and try to get it. He did it four or five times before they locked the door and called us to come get him. Maybe he had a stuffed animal like that in his original home. I don't know, but he wanted that purple unicorn bad."

The persistent "pup-a-traitor" was eventually collared but rather than the hoosegow, he found himself at the local animal shelter, where he was booked in as a stray and given the name Sisu (a nod to a character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon).

While Dollar General might have been hard-pressed to sell a plushie covered in doggie drool, Samantha Lane, the animal control officer tasked with escorting Sisu to the shelter decided it was in everyone's best interest to keep the pair together, so she purchased the $10 toy and took it along.

"He kept going to that one particular unicorn," Lane told Inside Edition. "He likes to sleep on it, lay on it... He just loves his unicorn."

Not long after his arrival, the shelter posted pictures of Sisu and a report of his exploits to their Facebook page, saying: "This is what happens when you break into the Dollar General consistently to steal the purple unicorn... but then get Animal Control called to lock you up for your B&E and larceny."
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Almost immediately, they were inundated with praise for the thoughtful animal control officer as well as interest from potential adopters.

Although he'll have to wait out his stray hold, shelter updates indicate that Sisu has new pet parents waiting in the wings to bring him-and his BFF unicorn-home.
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Along with a thank-you gift for Officer Lane and a pet food donation to Duplin County Animal Services, Dollar General plans to send a "few extra purple unicorns for the adoptive family," company spokesperson Crystal Luce told People.

Now, while we firmly believe in the adage "crime doesn't pay," for this heart-stealing hound with an unwavering devotion to stuffed his unicorn, we're willing to make an exception.

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Stray Dog Kept Sneaking Into Dollar Store For a Stuffed Unicorn - Now He and the Toy Have a New Forever Home

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Shoplifting and petty theft are no laughing matter-except when the culprit is a cute canine kleptomaniac determined to liberate a certain stuffed purple unicorn from the confines of a North Carolina Dollar General store. According to the store staff, the dogged doggo was a repeat offender-making five separate attempts to be reunited with his favorite cuddle-buddy.

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Tristin Fuller

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Despite our efforts to sort and recycle, less than 9% of plastic gets recycled in the U.S., and most ends up in landfill or the environment.

Biodegradable plastic bags and containers could help, but if they're not properly sorted, they can contaminate otherwise recyclable #1 and #2 plastics. What's worse, most biodegradable plastics take months to break down, and when they finally do, they form microplastics, tiny bits of plastic that can end up in oceans and animals' bodies, including our own.

Now, scientists at the the Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have designed an enzyme-activated compostable plastic that could diminish microplastics pollution, and holds great promise for plastics upcycling.

The material can be broken down to its building blocks-small individual molecules called monomers-and then reformed into a new compostable plastic product.

"In the wild, enzymes are what nature uses to break things down-and even when we die, enzymes cause our bodies to decompose naturally. So for this study, we asked ourselves, 'How can enzymes biodegrade plastic so it's part of nature?" said senior author Ting Xu , who holds titles of faculty senior scientist in Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division, and professor of chemistry and materials science and engineering at UC Berkeley.

At Berkeley Lab, Xu is leading an interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers from universities and national labs around the country to tackle the mounting problem of plastic landfill posed by both single-use and so-called biodegradable plastics.

Most biodegradable plastics in use today are usually made of polylactic acid (PLA), a vegetable-based plastic material blended with cornstarch. There is also polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polyester that is widely used for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering.

But the problem with conventional biodegradable plastic is that they're indistinguishable from single-use plastics such as plastic film, so a good chunk of these materials ends up in landfills. And even if a biodegradable plastic container gets deposited at an organic waste facility, it can't break down as fast as the lunch salad it once contained, so it ends up contaminating organic waste, said co-author Corinne Scown at the Berkeley Lab's Energy Technologies Area.
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Another problem with biodegradable plastics is that they aren't as strong as regular plastic. That's why you can't carry heavy items in a standard green compost bag. The tradeoff is that biodegradable plastics can break down over time, but still, Xu said, they only break down into microplastics, which are still plastic, just a lot smaller.
Putting enzymes to work
So Xu and her team decided to take a different approach-by "nanoconfining" enzymes into plastics.
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In a series of experiments, reported in the journal Nature, Xu and co-authors embedded trace amounts of commercial enzymes Burkholderia cepacian lipase (BC-lipase) and proteinase K within the PLA and PCL plastic materials. The scientists also added an enzyme protectant called four-monomer random heteropolymer, or RHP, to help disperse the enzymes a few nanometers (billionths of a meter) apart.

In a stunning result, the scientists discovered that ordinary household tap water or standard soil composts converted the enzyme-embedded plastic material into its small-molecule building blocks called monomers, and eliminated microplastics in just a few days or weeks.
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They also learned that BC-lipase is something of a finicky "eater." Before a lipase can convert a polymer chain into monomers, it must first catch the end of a polymer chain. By controlling when the lipase finds the chain end, it is possible to ensure the materials don't degrade until being triggered by hot water or compost soil, Xu explained.
Looking to the future
In addition, they found that this strategy only works when BC-lipase is nanodispersed - in this case, just 0.02 percent by weight in the PCL block, rather than randomly tossed in and blended.

"Nanodispersion puts each enzyme molecule to work-nothing goes to waste," Xu said.

And that matters when factoring in costs. Industrial enzymes can cost around $10 per kilogram, but this new approach would only add a few cents to the production cost of a kilogram of resin because the amount of enzymes required is so low, and the material has a shelf life of more than 7 months, Scown added.
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Developing a very affordable and easily compostable plastic film could incentivize produce manufacturers to package fresh fruits and vegetables with compostable plastic instead of single-use plastic wrap. And as a result, save organic waste facilities the extra expense of investing in expensive plastic-depackaging machines when they want to accept food waste for anaerobic digestion or composting.
SHARE This Plastics Breakthrough With Pals on Social Media...
Since their approach could potentially work well with both hard, rigid plastics and soft, flexible plastics, Xu would like to broaden their study to polyolefins, a ubiquitous family of plastics commonly used to manufacture toys and electronic parts.

The team's truly compostable plastic could be on the shelves soon. They recently filed a patent application through UC Berkeley's patent office.

"When it comes to solving the plastics problem, it's our environmental responsibility to take up nature on its path. By prescribing a molecular map with enzymes behind the wheel, our study is a good start," Xu said.

That's exciting news indeed.

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Scientists Create World's First Truly Biodegradable Single-use Plastic That 'Eats Itself' in Just 2 Weeks

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Despite our efforts to sort and recycle, less than 9% of plastic gets recycled in the U.S., and most ends up in landfill or the environment. Biodegradable plastic bags and containers could help, but if they're not properly sorted, they can contaminate otherwise recyclable #1 and #2 plastics.

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Lauren Baker

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Compiled by the Editors of Reader’s Digest Canada

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Good News Stories That Will Brighten Your Day

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Need some good news for a change? We’ve rounded up the most heartwarming and inspirational good news stories from across the globe.

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Mckenzie Horlacher

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OLYMPIA, WA - Later this month, Washington will double indoor capacity and allow for smaller crowds to return to large sporting events, as all 39 counties move into Phase 3 of the state's Roadmap to Recovery plan.

Gov. Jay Inslee promised a "boatload of good news" during a televised briefing Thursday afternoon, laying out significant reopening plans and revealing the state will enter the next tier of vaccinations earlier than expected.

"On March 22, every county in the state of Washington will be eligible to move forward to Phase 3 in our reopening plan," Inslee said. "This means our restaurants, gyms, fitness centers, movie theaters - some of the hardest-hit businesses in Washington state - will be able to return to 50 percent capacity."

Inslee said Phase 3 also allows for indoor and outdoor events, like high school graduations and concerts, to resume with up to 400 attendees. While specific industry rules are still in the works, the governor said Phase 3 also permits alcohol service until midnight instead of 11 p.m.

One of the most significant changes announced Thursday is the return of crowds for professional sports, which will allow for 9,000 fans to attend the Seattle Mariners' opening day.

"It's been a year now since we've had a reduction in our chance to be spectators at sporting events," Inslee said. "We're now at the point where we can safely move forward. What this means is on opening day, we will be singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.'"

Welcome home. We are excited to announce that 9,000 fans will be able to safely return to @TMobilePark, beginning on Opening Night, April 1st. Everything you need to know https://t.co/hQaZOfaEaI pic.twitter.com/LbChMr6dSs
- Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) March 11, 2021

Generally, large outdoor venues with permanent seating can welcome fans at 25 percent capacity, up to 9,000 people. Events in smaller indoor and outdoor facilities are capped at 50 percent, or 400 people maximum.

Phase 3 allows for high school sports, rodeos and other events, all with safety precautions in place, including distancing and mandatory mask use. Student-athletes can also resume high-contact sports, including basketball, wrestling and cheerleading, including competitions with spectators.

"Assuming we continue to make progress, we're going to reevaluate this capacity limit in April and potentially increase the capacity limit on areas such as minor league baseball," Inslee said.
Read the state's full guidelines for events on the governor's website.
The governor's announcements Thursday featured another overhaul in how the state evaluates reopenings, abandoning the regional approach in favor of counties and simplifying the metrics.

Moving forward, the state Department of Health will evaluate each county based on the rate of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations every three weeks. Inslee said a built-in failsafe would also move a county backward if their ICU beds were 90 percent full. The state's first review of Phase 3 counties will take place on April 12.

(Office of the Governor)

Phase 1B2 will begin March 17

Another piece of welcome news Thursday centered on vaccine eligibility, which will now extend to the second tier of Phase 1B on March 17, nearly a week earlier than planned.

Phase 1B2 allows vaccination for the following groups, in addition to all previously eligible people:

(Washington State Department of Health)

"This is another tremendous step forward in our fight against this pandemic," Inslee said. "We're glad to be able to advance this even a week earlier than we thought we were going to be able to do, to get more shots into arms as quickly as possible."

Inslee concluded his remarks with a reminder that successfully moving forward will require all Washingtonians to keep up their defense until enough people are immunized.

"The reason we're able to make this progress today is because we have been safe, we have been diligent, we have been intentional, we have cared about our loved ones and ourselves. We've got to understand we are still in this fight. We have these variants out there and this thing can spring back on us again. The way I look at it is we're hitting COVID with the left, with the vaccine; we've got to hit it with the right and continue to pound it with masks and everything else we know works. We've got to keep pounding it until it's down on the canvas and can't get back up. If we do this, we ought to have tremendous confidence with having a good summer."

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Phase 3 Begins March 22 In Washington: Here's What It Allows

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OLYMPIA, WA - Later this month, Washington will double indoor capacity and allow for smaller crowds to return to large sporting events, as all 39 counties move into Phase 3 of the state's Roadmap to Recovery plan. Gov.