You will eat the bugs!
Now you will eat the plastic too...
(FR post)Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Edible Cookies Because That’s the Future We Deserve
The future of food is looking a little grim.
In the event we turn all arable land on this planet into a barren heath incapable of growing food, humankind may have to resort to reaping what we sowed by eating our own plastic pollution.
A team of researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale just demonstrated that this was possible by using specially engineered yeast to create tasty — and yes, edible — cookies which they 3D printed out of plastic waste.
The yeast breaks down the components of plastic compounds and agricultural byproducts like discarded plant stalks into proteins, fats, acids, and flavorings that we can eat. When these are combined together, the mixture is fed into a 3D printer that spits out cookies of any desired shape.
The researchers chose to print their cookies as the Greek letter µ, creating what they call “µBites” — or micro bites. They haven’t actually eaten one of their µBites yet, as they wait for university approval, but they’re not hedging their bets: the cookies will be safe and tasty.
What will they do next?
😄
I had a good friend back in the 70s, came home from a tour in 'nam, resettled in civilian life fairly well. He met a fine young woman and finally married her and they had a child.
His wife developed post partum depression and attempted suicide. I was working part time with a behavioral therapist at the time and I tried to be as supportive as possible to him... her I don't think I ever saw during the post partum period.
He was terribly shaken by her inability to cope and overcome the depth of the depression. After a few suicide attempts she succeeded and he was left alone with an infant. I did my best to be supportive but I soon convinced him to try the therapeutic practice where I worked. It was a combination of private counseling plus group therapy.
In time my friend successfully responded to treatment, met a fine woman and remarried. In the process we had drifted apart somewhat and I eventually moved away.
The one thing that always left a strong impression on me was the mother's inability to make any inroads into that depression, her determination to commit suicide. I believe the illness was something chemical, hormonal if you will. But it was just intransigent to any sort of treatment available at that time. 😥