Explore

NASA-Funded Project Develops Edible Cookies from Upcycled Plastic and Plant Waste

NASA-Funded Project Develops Edible Cookies from Upcycled Plastic and Plant Waste

Scientists at Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale, funded by NASA, have developed a method to create edible, protein-rich cookies from upcycled plastic bottles and plant waste. This innovative process uses specially designed yeasts to convert polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and agricultural biomass into proteins, fats, and flavorings. The PET plastic is first broken down into carbon-rich molecules using an oxidative hydrothermal dissolution process, which involves water and oxygen at high temperature and pressure. These molecules are then fed to genetically programmed yeasts, which transform them into new biological molecules. The resulting mixture is combined with fiber, starch, and sweeteners, and then extruded through a 3D printer to form 'µBites' (microbites). While taste tests are pending institutional approval, the cookies have received high marks for aroma. This research is part of NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, aiming to create sustainable food sources for astronauts on long-d...

Nasa-Funded Researchers Develop Edible 'Cookies' from Upcycled Plastic and Waste for Space Missions

Nasa-Funded Researchers Develop Edible 'Cookies' from Upcycled Plastic and Waste for Space Missions

Researchers, funded by Nasa's Deep Space Food Challenge, have successfully created edible 'cookies' from upcycled plastic and agricultural waste. This innovative technology utilizes specially engineered yeasts to convert plastics and biomass into proteins, fats, and flavorings. The resulting slurry is then processed through a 3D printer to form disc-shaped 'cookies.' Dr. Lahiru Jayakody, a microbiologist at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, who led the project, highlighted the concept by stating, 'Plastic is carbon and food is carbon.' The team has not yet received institutional approval to taste the plastic-derived cookies but reports that they 'receive high marks on aroma.' The project aims to address the challenge of feeding astronauts on long-duration space missions, such as a three-year round-trip to Mars, where resources are extremely limited. The process involves breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and other biomass using oxidative hydrothermal dissolution, then feeding the...

Scientists Develop Edible Cookies from Recycled Plastic and Agricultural Waste for Extreme Environments

Scientists Develop Edible Cookies from Recycled Plastic and Agricultural Waste for Extreme Environments

Researchers at Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale have developed a method to create edible cookies, dubbed 'µBites' (microbites), from recycled plastic and agricultural waste. This innovative process, initially conceived for NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, involves breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and agricultural waste like corn stalks and leaves using oxidative hydrothermal dissolution. This creates a liquid feedstock, which is then fed to cultured yeast. The yeast converts this feedstock into nutritious food slurries. Different strains of engineered yeast are used to produce various food ingredients, including proteins, lipids, vitamins, aromas, and flavorings, such as vanillin and beta-carotene. These ingredients are then combined into a raw dough, printed into consistent shapes using a 3D food printer, and cooked in a microwave to form the final cookie. The team presented their findings at a symposium organized by the American Chemical Society.

NASA Tests Self-Guided Terrain Camera in Near Space for Artemis Missions

NASA Tests Self-Guided Terrain Camera in Near Space for Artemis Missions

NASA has successfully conducted a balloon test of its Compact Large-sensor Imaging Camera (CLIC 2), a self-guided terrain camera designed for future Moon and Mars missions. Launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, the payload reached an altitude of approximately 126,000 feet, operating for nearly four hours in a near-space environment. The CLIC 2 system is crucial because it processes terrain data autonomously and in real-time during descent, without requiring signals from Earth. This capability is vital for safe landings in rugged, scientifically interesting terrains that are inaccessible to older spacecraft. The test is part of NASA's broader Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) program, which aims to develop a full suite of sensors and computing power to achieve highly accurate landings, such as the 50-meter target for Artemis crewed lunar missions.

Southern Illinois University Researchers Develop Edible Protein Supplements from Plastic Waste

Southern Illinois University Researchers Develop Edible Protein Supplements from Plastic Waste

Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, led by Sandhya Jayasekara, have developed a method to convert plastic bottles and agricultural waste into edible protein supplements, dubbed 'µBites.' This innovative process involves breaking down used plastic bottles and sweetcorn plant stalks through oxidative hydrothermal dissolution. The resulting components are then fed to genetically engineered yeast, which converts them into various useful ingredients, including proteins, fats, acids, vanilla flavoring, and beta-carotene. Finally, fiber, starch, and sweetener are added to create a paste that can be 3D printed into desired shapes. The team is currently awaiting institutional approval to taste the product, which they believe will be both safe and palatable, with a pleasant aroma. This initiative aims to address both plastic pollution and food scarcity.

Firefly Aerospace Targets Late 2026 for Blue Ghost Mission 2 to Lunar Far Side

Firefly Aerospace Targets Late 2026 for Blue Ghost Mission 2 to Lunar Far Side

Firefly Aerospace is preparing its Blue Ghost Mission 2 for a late 2026 launch, aiming to send a lander to the far side of the Moon. This mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The Blue Ghost lander will carry the LuSEE-Night radio telescope and an ESA lunar relay satellite. The primary objective is to study the Moon's geology and explore the Cosmic 'Dark Ages' by leveraging the radio-quiet environment of the lunar far side, which naturally blocks radio noise from Earth. The mission also includes an orbiter, Elytra, which will slightly increase the radio noise on the lunar far side. The combined system, with the lander stacked on Elytra, will stand 6.7 meters tall. This mission is one of several commercial lunar landers targeting the Moon in 2026, alongside Intuitive Machines' IM-3 and Astrobotic's Griffin Mission One.

Lunar Orbiter 1 Developed Its Photographic Film Without Returning to Earth

Lunar Orbiter 1 Developed Its Photographic Film Without Returning to Earth

Lunar Orbiter 1, NASA's pioneering spacecraft, was not only the first American probe to orbit the Moon but also a testament to advanced imaging and...

Scientists Develop Algae-Based System to Reduce Lab-Grown Meat Production Costs by Up to 90%

Scientists Develop Algae-Based System to Reduce Lab-Grown Meat Production Costs by Up to 90%

Scientists Develop Algae-Based System to Reduce Lab-Grown Meat Production Costs by Up to 90%

NASA's Roman telescope could reveal the universe like never before

NASA's Roman telescope could reveal the universe like never before

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is due to launch Aug. 30 from Florida. Here's how it could transform what we know about the universe.

Astronomers Detect Saturn-Mass Object Drifting Without a Star, Suggesting Abundant Free-Floating Worlds

Astronomers Detect Saturn-Mass Object Drifting Without a Star, Suggesting Abundant Free-Floating Worlds

Astronomers have directly measured the mass of a Saturn-mass object, designated KMT-2024-BLG-0792/OGLE-2024-BLG-0516, that appears to be drifting through the Milky Way without a host star. This object, weighing approximately 0.22 Jupiter masses (or 70 Earth masses), was detected through a short gravitational microlensing event observed by Earth-based telescopes and the Gaia spacecraft. The event, which lasted less than a day, involved the object passing in front of a background red giant, bending and magnifying its light. The absence of a lensing signature from a host star suggests the object is either gravitationally unbound or on a very wide orbit. This measurement provides concrete evidence of a planetary-mass object existing independently in space, supporting earlier population models that theorized the existence of numerous such bodies.

Scientists Uncover Reasons for Astronaut Constipation and Associated Health Risks in Space

Scientists Uncover Reasons for Astronaut Constipation and Associated Health Risks in Space

A new NASA-backed study has identified the primary reasons why astronauts experience constipation in space and revealed potential health risks associated with this issue during long-duration missions. Researchers analyzed over 400 blood samples from 52 astronauts who spent more than two months on the International Space Station (ISS) between 2006 and 2018. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that microgravity causes food to move more slowly through the intestine. This slower transit allows gut bacteria to break down complex carbohydrates more thoroughly, eventually leading them to ferment proteins instead. This protein fermentation, which begins within weeks of arriving in space and persists until return to Earth, results in changes in astronauts' blood samples, indicating a shift in gut microbial activity. While dietary changes, such as altered caffeine, fish, and fat intake, can influence constipation, they account for less than one-third of the observed metabolic changes, co...

On This Day: Lunar Orbiter 1 Overcame Early Trouble to Map the Moon

On This Day: Lunar Orbiter 1 Overcame Early Trouble to Map the Moon

The journey of Lunar Orbiter 1, the first American spacecraft to orbit the Moon, was not without its complexities. Launched in 1966 as part of NASA...