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Is Biodegradable Plastic Actually Possible?

Season 1 Episode 4 | 10m 12s

The Earth is covered in plastic—and we keep making more of it. Caitlin Saks and Arlo Pérez Esquivel join chemist Malika Jeffries-EL in her Boston University lab to explore just what it takes to break down plastics. Berkeley scientist Ting Xu shows how her lab is innovating a truly biodegradable plastic that fully breaks down plastic into its constituent molecules—in nature—in a matter of WEEKS.

Aired: 08/18/21
Extras
Can chemistry help us save precious art?
Will antibodies be the heroes of the COVID pandemic?
What can we do to keep our infrastructure—and yes, our cars—running smoothly?
How did the molecules that make our world—and us—come to be?
Can we turn atmospheric carbon dioxide into stone to help slow global warming?
Explore the properties of glass and how it forms the basis of the fiber optic network.
Methane—the potent molecule we use to heat our homes—is also seriously heating our planet
Why is water so crucial to us—and to all life on Earth? The clues lie in our sweat.
Latest Episodes
Can chemistry help us save precious art?
Will antibodies be the heroes of the COVID pandemic?
What can we do to keep our infrastructure—and yes, our cars—running smoothly?
How did the molecules that make our world—and us—come to be?
Can we turn atmospheric carbon dioxide into stone to help slow global warming?
Explore the properties of glass and how it forms the basis of the fiber optic network.
Methane—the potent molecule we use to heat our homes—is also seriously heating our planet
Why is water so crucial to us—and to all life on Earth? The clues lie in our sweat.