Books about fast-evolving fields can, obviously, get out of date pretty quickly. One solution: turn it into an iPad app that gets updated as needed.
But WikiCells is no mere As Seen On TV™ gadget and Edwards says it’s no mere conceptual provocation either—the launch in Paris proves this. The technology already exists: Electrostatic charges can transform a sugar processing bi-product called bagasse, mixed with chitosan and alginate, into an edible shell membrane. Now any food you might find wrapped in plastic in the store can come in a shell made just using this technology. You’ll be able to peel the shell off and compost the skin like a banana peel or, take a step beyond biodegradable, eat the whole thing like you would chew a grape.
The influential, often in-your-face pop megastar and her mother, plus several Harvard-based charities, are teaming up on a broad effort to make the world more … sensitive.
The Kilobot, a little robot that can coordinate with other Kilobots to perform simple tasks, is now available for purchase by anyone, from curious computer programmers to evil geniuses.
