Macromolecules for polymers

Even in 2020, the iPhone X and XS remain excellent smartphones. Both sport a stunning 5.8in OLED screen, alongside 12Mp cameras and Qi wireless charging. They may have been succeeded by the iPhone 11 series, but like so many Apple smartphones they've held up extremely well, most notably with many years of iOS support. That makes them a worthwhile investment now, while if you've already got one it's worth hanging onto for a while yet. The iPhone has had a glass front and back for a number of years now, so the X and XS will need protecting. Here are our top case picks across both models. Apple iPhone XS Leather Folio We'll start in the most obvious place, and that's Apple. This is by far the most expensive option directly from Apple for the iPhone XS. Apple no longer offers it for the iPhone X, although you might be able to find a third-party seller on eBay . The folio case gives you the additional protection of a front cover (which the other Apple cases … [Read more...] about Best iPhone X and XS cases

Alienware and Cherry have worked together to cram what both companies are calling the “first true” mechanical keyboard into a gaming laptop. Starting March 18th, you’ll be able to purchase Alienware’s M15 R4 or M17 R4 laptops and upgrade them to a Cherry MX mechanical keyboard for an extra $150 at checkout. The laptops will house a new kind of Cherry switch called the MX Ultra Low Profile, which is 3.5mm thick (compared to the 11.9mm-sized MX Low Profile switch). The switch is built with stainless steel wings that swing open and push down — picture the way a DeLorean’s car doors open and close. (Cherry not-so-subtly teased these new switches with a picture of the famously heavy car that’s built with stainless steel). The rest of the switch is made of thermoplastic polymer that can withstand high temperatures. Cherry touts 1.8mm of total travel for this switch, which the company says provides a satisfying amount of feedback. The design of the switch is also said to improve typing … [Read more...] about Alienware’s latest gaming laptops can now be configured with Cherry MX switches

A quarter of the fish from Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf sampled as part of a new study had microplastics in their guts. The discovery comes after experiments were carried out by two masters students from the Joint Graduate School in Coastal and Marine Science . Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than five millimetres long. They are either manufactured to be small or derived from larger plastics which have broken down into smaller pieces. The study by Devina Shetty and Veronica Rotman has been labelled as one of the first into how microplastics are affecting New Zealand’s fish species. READ MORE: Microbeads are banned, but plastic-filled products are everywhere Chemicals found in household plastics linked to premature birth risk NZ homes dispose of 1.76 billion plastic containers each year, report reveals Researchers uncover first evidence of plastic in Antarctica's food chain Shetty focused on six fish species commonly found in the Hauraki Gulf – snapper, … [Read more...] about Quarter of fish in Hauraki Gulf have microplastics in their guts, study finds

The amount of broken down plastic particles in the global ocean could double by 2050, researchers warn. Dutch and Kiwi researchers have predicted  that without proper handling  or removal of already accumulated plastic pollution, the world's "microplastic" problem could double in size by the middle of the century. "The legacy of the last 70 years of a throw-away society will live on through the generation of ever smaller synthetic polymer fragments in soils, freshwater ecosystems and eventually the ocean," their Scientific Reports journal report says. READ MORE: How to stop accidentally consuming plastic particles from packaging We eat a 'credit card' size worth of plastic each week NZ lags behind on microplastic research Our health in a plastic-wrapped world "The systematic removal of plastic waste from the natural environment should be encouraged and coordinated at a global scale." Microplastics are harmful to marine life, and a study released earlier this year … [Read more...] about Ocean microplastics could double by 2050, a scientific study warns

The standard set of concerns that most 3D printing enthusiasts have during a project are things like bed adhesion, over-extrusion, and warping. Alessio Lorusso is different. He’s worried about how well his prints will hold up against magnetic storms. Lorusso is not necessarily your average 3D printing fan, whatever that may be. He’s the founder of a company called Roboze , which carries out industrial 3D-printing technology for extreme end-use applications. How extreme? Try space: The place where no one can hear you scream, let alone respect the integrity of your additive manufacturing. This week, Roboze was officially selected by the University of Colorado Boulder as a partner to help it realize its goal of optimizing the design for, and 3D-printing of, a CubeSat that will be sent into orbit to measure the electromagnetic waves emitted by lightning discharges on the Earth’s surface. This CubeSat, a type of nanosatellite the size of a shoebox, will enable remote analysis of the … [Read more...] about New 3D printed satellites are impervious to heat, cold, and cosmic radiation