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In June 2024, a team of divers sank a curious assortment of 24 sculptures off the northern coast of Bali. The sculptures look like works of artand in many ways they are. But they are also memorial reefs that turn cremated ashes into structures that regenerate marine life. Over the past three years, a British startup called Resting Reef has been working to revamp the death care industry. Instead of keeping ashes inside an urn (which often ends up gathering dust on a shelf) or scattering ashes at sea (a fleeting gesture that leaves no lasting trace), you can have Resting Reef integrate them into an underwater memorial that can double as an artificial reef. Now, the results are in: Nearly a year after being placed on an otherwise barren stretch of seabed in Bali, the artificial reefs have attracted more than 46 new marine species. The site now boasts four times the fish biodiversity of the nearest comparable location thanks, in part, to the turf algae and coralline algae that have grown on the surface of the reefs, providing habitat for many marine organisms. The Bali reef pilot, which was funded by six government grants from the U.K., is the only such reef in the world. (It consists of pets ashes, but reefs made with human ashes are coming next.) The team is also in conversations with sites in Plymouth, U.K., and in Mexico. “Just as we have a cemetery around the corner, in the future well have memorial sitesmarine sitesopening around the world,” says Aura Elena Murillo Pérez, who cofounded Resting Reefs with Louise Lenborg Skajem. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] Nature’s fertilizer For all our beautiful differences when we are alive, all of us are reduced to the same chemical composition when we die. The exact composition of a person’s ashes can vary based on their weight, diet, age, and genetic makeup, but most people’s chemical signature will primarily be made up of calcium phosphate. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] This calcium phosphate is “one of nature’s main fertilizers,” says Skajem. If you spread someone’s ashes on your lawn, excess minerals will leach into the soil, but when captured as part of the mixture that makes up a Resting Reef, it will help various species attach to the structure and grow on its now bioreceptive surface. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] The exact ratio of materials is part of the company’s IP, but the team is committed to working with locally available materials. In Bali, the reefs used for the pilot are made from dog and horse ashes mixed with crushed shells and volcanic sand sourced from the island. In the U.K., the company has developed a non-cementitious formula that it says is very low on carbon. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] Redesigning death The business of death is in dire need of a redesign. The world is running out of space to bury our dead, and cremation releases an average of 500 pounds of carbon dioxide per person into the atmosphere (the equivalent of driving your car more than 500 miles). In response to the growing crisis, a number of startups have emerged over the past decade. These include companies that use biodegradable hemp coffins, shallow graves that grow into trees, and “aquamation,” which uses alkaline hydrolysis to dissolve the body in a more environmentally friendly way. By some estimates, in 2023 the green burial market was valued at $622 million and is projected to surpass $1 billion by the end of 2030. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] Resting Reef slots right into this ecosystem. The company still relies on remains from cremations or aquamations, but it was founded on the premise that we can honor our dead while giving new life to marine ecosystems around the world. When I first spoke with the founders in the spring of 2022, their focus was on oyster reefs, which are among nature’s greatest carbon sinks but have been lost to overharvesting and pollution. Now the model extends to whichever habitat is most in need of restoration. On the northern coast of Bali, that is corals. The artificial reefs come in two separate designs that can each accommodate various species: One features a ribbed texture that is ideal for benthic species like oysters; the other sports crevices and tunnels that mimic coral reefs and provide shelter for mobile species like juvenile fish. In the future, the team will have a portfolio of designs depending on the ecosystem or the intended aesthetic. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] And it’s not just about environmental impact. Resting Reef’s business model allows the company to invest in communities by employing local restoration experts (11 locals were involved in Bali) and running classes and workshops to increase marine literacy. “Kids don’t really know about what’s happening underwater, so it’s important that they become aware because we believe that they will become the guardians of the future,” says Murillo Pérez. [Photo: courtesy Resting Reef] Going beyond death More than a marine regeneration initiative, Resting Reef bills itself as a sustainable death care service that helps people build a meaningful legacy for themselves or their loved ones. Both Murillo Pérez and Skajem are certified funeral celebrants, which allows them to officiate funeral services and support families through bereavement. The 24 memorials that are currently underwater in Bali are all part of a community memorial for various pets (a spot in a Community Reef begins at $470, while a dedicated reef for your pet will cost you about $3,000). The pet memorial served as a useful pilot, but this summer Resting Reef will expand by launching its first memorial service for humans. The price of a dedicated memorial made with human ashes will begin at $5,200, which is cheaper than the average cost of a basic funeral in the United States. As of 2023, that was $6,280 for cremation and $8,300 for burial. The team will ask you to send the ashes by post, but some countries have a limit to the amount of human ashes you can send by mail. (The Royal Mail in the U.K. caps it at 50 grams.) So Resting Reef is considering other options, like collecting ashes from various funeral homes that could act as partners. For those who want to have a memorial ceremony and see the reef in person, the team offers a bespoke package called Experiential Reef. As part of the service, regardless of the tier, the team will send you a miniature version of your reef that you can keep close to you. You can opt in to have a portion of the ashes incorporated in the miniature sculpture, “because some people have difficulties letting go of the ashes,” says Skajem. And if you don’t, you still have a tangible object to remember your loved one by. Whether the distance turns out to be an issue remains to be seen, but to help people feel more connected, the team also sends regular updates in the form of impact reportsboth environmental and socialand footage of the reef as it evolves. As Skajem puts it: “That’s part of the legacy.”
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E-Commerce
Researchers funded by the U.S. Navy have used gene-editing technology to make house spiders produce red fluorescent silk. This might seem like a quirky scientific novelty, but the breakthrough is a critical step toward modifying spider silk properties and creating new supermaterials for industries ranging from textiles to aerospace. The team at Germanys University of Bayreuth, led by Professor Thomas Scheibel, successfully applied CRISPR-Cas9a molecular tool that acts as genetic scissors to cut and modify DNA sequencesto spiders for the first time. The study, published in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie, demonstrates how this technology introduces modifications that enhance the extraordinary properties of spider silk, turning it into a next-generation supermaterial. In a press release, professor Thomas Scheibel, chair of biomaterials at the University of Bayreuth and senior author of the study, said, Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders. His team injected a solution containing CRISPR-Cas9 components into female Parasteatoda tepidariorum, a common house spider species. To facilitate the process, the spiders were anesthetized with carbon dioxide and manually held under a microscope. The solution, which included a gene encoding a red fluorescent protein (called mRFP), was delivered into the eggs within the females abdomens before mating with males so the resulting baby spiders could carry the gene modification. [Image: Edgardo Santiago-Rivera and Thomas Scheibel] What are scientists trying to do? The experiment set two objectives: first, to disable a gene called sine oculis, responsible for the development of all spider eyes, in order to study its function. And then second, to insert the fluorescent protein gene into the MaSp2gene, which produces the silk thread spiders use to move hunt, hike, and chill out. In modified specimens, disabling sine oculis caused total or partial eye loss, confirming its critical role in visual development. According to the study, without this gene spiders fail to form eye structures, though the cornea develops normally. But the breakthrough with far-reaching industrial implications is the silk modification. The injected fluorescent protein gene successfully integrated into the MaSp2 gene, causing fibers produced by the modified spiders to glow red under ultraviolet light. [Image: Edgardo Santiago-Rivera and Thomas Scheibel] According to Scheibel, they have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to incorporate a desired sequence into spider silk proteins, thereby enabling the functionalisation of these silk fibres. He says that the ability to apply CRISPR gene-editing to spider silk is very promising for materials science researchfor example, it could be used to further increase the already high tensile strength of spider silk. This accomplishment was no small feat. Spider genomes are complex, and their embryonic developmentmarked by unique cell migration stagescomplicates genetic editing, according to the researchers. In fact, only 7% of egg sacs that were treated with the CRISPR solution contained modified offspring, a low efficiency rate typical for species with large broods (common house spiders carry about 250 spiders per sac). Additionally, the spiders they used are cannibalistic nature, which required them to be reared in isolation (not all spiders are cannibalistic in nature, but many do eat their males after mating and others eat each other). [Image: Edgardo Santiago-Rivera and Thomas Scheibel] The race for super silk It’s a very promising development indeed. Spider silk is one of natures strongest materials. Certain types of spider silk are significantly lighter and tougher than Kevlar. Silk is also far more elastic, which means it can stretch and return to its original shape without losing its strength. To top all this, spider silk production by spiders (or other animals, more on this later) does not involve the industrial processes, high energy consumption, and pollution associated with the manufacturing of synthetic materials like Kevlar. This is a major area of interest for biomimicry and sustainable materials. Until now, modifying spider silks properties required costly, lab-based post-extraction processing, which is difficult to scale. This study shows that altering silk directly within the organism is feasible, paving the way for custom-designed silks with enhanced properties. While spider silk remains unmatched in natural performance, CRISPR-edited silkworms are emerging as scalable alternatives. Silkworms can be farmed en masse (unlike solitary, cannibalistic spiders), and recent advances show their engineered silk reaches 1.3 GPa tensile strength, comparable to high-tensile steel, which is a steel alloyed with chromium, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, silicon, and vanadium. Companies like Kraig Biocraft Laboratories already use CRISPR toproduce spider-silk hybrids in silkworms, targeting industries like textiles and medical sutures. However, spider silk holds unique advantages over those genetically modified silkworms. Its dragline fibers are inherently stronger and 10 times finer. Using the method developed by Scheibels team, potential CRISPR-enhanced spiders are likely to gain more superpowers, like getting closer to Kevlar or gaining better electrical conductivity. Where super silk might be used In medicine, spider silks biocompatibility makes it ideal for dissolvable surgical sutures that reduce scarring and artificial tendons mimicking natural elasticity. Researchers are also developing 3D-printed scaffolds infused with silk proteins to regenerate bone or cartilage, leveraging silks porous structure to support cell growth. For drug delivery, silk microcapsules could release medications at controlled rates, improving treatments for chronic diseases. New applications can integrate silk in sensors for real-time health monitoring in implants or conduct electricity for flexible electronics. The U.S. Navys funding of the research makes sense too, given its interest in lightweight body armor. Spider silk can outperform Kevlar, while its elasticity reduces blunt-force trauma. In aerospace, silk composites could replace carbon fiber, cutting aircraft weight by 40% and improving fuel efficiency. NASA already explores silk-based materials for radiation shielding in space habitats, capitalizing on its strength-to-weight ratio. Companies like AMSilk and Spintex engineer spider silk proteins into biodegradable textiles, reducing reliance on synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuels. Adidas has prototyped ultralight running shoes with silk midsoles, while Airbus tests silk-based cabin panels to lower aircraft emissions. Spintex claims that its energy-efficient spinning process1,000 times more efficient than plastic productioncould revolutionize sustainable fashion, addressing the industrys 10% global carbon footprint. Right now, Scheibels team is already exploring CRISPR edits to add moisture-responsive shrinking or toxin-detecting color changes to silk. Once they achieve whatever new wundersilks theyor the U.S. Navyhave in mind, they will have to come up with a way to mass-produce them. This evokes images of farms full of millions of genetically modified spiders, which sounds as fun as a rave with 10,000 zombies from The Last of Us. But the spider farms may never happen: As the researchers mention, many spiders are cannibals and the success rate of modification is still very low, so this will be a challenge. That is what makes genetically modified silkworms ideal to make spider-like silks, as they have been farmed for silk production since the neolithic, about 6,000 years ago, when Yangshao culture in China realized that silkworms could be raised to harvest cocoons that then got weaved to create silk fabric. The solution may be taking the successful spider DNA modifications they develop and using other animals to produce them, like silkworms or goats (yes, spider-goats are a thing). I’ll leave you at this point. Good luck in your dreams tonight, my arachnophobic friends.
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E-Commerce
If you’ve always wanted to donate to Wikipedia but needed an extra nudge to do so, a new capsule collection by the German fashion brand Armedangels could be that reason. To mark Wikipedia’s forthcoming 25th anniversary next year, Armedangels designed a 14-piece collection that turns design features from the Wikipedia user interface and experience into brand elements. Its signature bright cobalt blue, called “hyperlink blue,” is a key color, along with white and yellow core colors. One design, featured on a T-shirt and sweatshirt, uses an iconic 1972 image of Earth called “Blue Marble” that was taken during the Apollo 17 mission and is in the public domain. [Photo: Armedangels] A text excerpt from “The Blue Marble” Wikipedia page is below the image, which is one of the most widely reproduced images in the world and “celebrates the freedom of knowledge,” according to the product description. Wikipedia’s serif W logo is featured throughout. The collection is available now via the Armedangels website. The Armedangels x Wikipedia collection includes items that equate knowledge to progress, with shirts promoting freedom, peace, and equality. Ball caps with slogans like “Open Source of Information” and “Yes, I know,” are fan merch for people who love going down multi-tab Wikipedia rabbit holes. The items range in price from about $16 for socks, $48 for hats, $57 for T-shirts, and $114 for sweatshirts. [Photo: Armedangels] The nonprofit Wikimedia Foundationwhich also operates tools like Wikimedia Commons and Wikibookssaw annual revenue of more than $180 million in 2024, more than $170 million of which came from donations (though it says just 2% of Wikipedia readers donate). Some hypebeast apparel might be able to nominally improve that percentage, and it comes as the site itself has become a political lightning rod, facing increasing attacks from some on the right. [Photo: Armedangels] Armedangels says every piece is made from 100% recycled material, and 12% of sales proceeds go to the Wikimedia Foundation. It’s “sustainability meets free knowledge,” as the fashion brand says. “Because when we know better, we do better.” Like the pro-reading, anti-book-ban capsule collection for Penguin Random House by Online Ceramics, Armedangels x Wikipedia lends street-fashion cred to book smartsand it raises money for valuable education resources at a time when anti-intellectualism is on the rise, and our information ecosystem has become especially polluted. Supporting a free online encyclopedia is one way to fight back. For Wikipedia, its volunteers, readers, and fans, the site is an effective line of defense against misinformation and ignorance. Now they have a limited-edition streetwear line that feels the same way.
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E-Commerce
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