SEAS researchers grew green algae inside shelters that recreated pressure conditions on Mars. The shelters were made from bioplastics derived from algae. The experiments demonstrate the possibility of ...

The earliest useful plastics were made out of natural materials like cellulose and casein, but since the Bakelite revolution, ...

Plastic pollution is a mounting global issue, but scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have taken a bold step forward by creating a new bioplastic inspired by the structure of leaves.

Society has long struggled with petroleum-derived plastic pollution, and awareness of microplastics' detrimental effects on food and water supplies adds further pressure. In response, researchers have ...

Plastic has become such a ubiquitous material in our daily lives because, up until recently, there hasn’t really been anything like it. It’s strong and durable, relatively cheap to make, and easy to ...

A new method to produce strong, biodegradable plastic from bamboo is reported in Nature Communications this week. The bioplastic resembles oil-based plastics in strength, shapability, and thermal ...

Aimplas, a Spain-based technological center that provides solutions to the plastics industry, says it is leading the Bioprocess project, which aims to improve the mechanical and barrier properties of ...

At the urging of the plastics industry, the USDA is considering allowing materials such as bioplastic cups, coffee pods and compostable plastic bags into the organic compost waste stream. Farmers and ...

As humanity increasingly looks to the stars, the dream of establishing sustainable colonies on Mars becomes more realistic. A significant breakthrough in this direction was recently made by scientists ...