Curation

Potentially dangerous particles leach from disposable plastic face masks (DPFs) when exposed to water, a Swansea University study reports. Researchers examined seven DPF brands, ranging from standard plain masks to novelty children’s masks. All were found to contain significant levels of pollutants, including lead, antimony and copper.

Heatherwick Studio has revealed a concept for an electric vehicle (EV) that can "vacuum up" air pollution generated from other cars while in motion. Designed for IM motors, the Airo model will be installed with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering system that is capable of actively cleaning air.

Microsoft, Boeing and JPMorgan are among the firms to join the newly formed Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance, which seeks to accelerate investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reach zero-emission flights. Founding members of the alliance include Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, Netflix and Salesforce.

Factors that could help predict a woman’s age at natural menopause have been identified in a study in the Menopause Journal. Using a comprehensive set of potential predictors, researchers determined that higher levels of oestradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone, irregular menstrual cycles and menopause symptoms all strongly indicate a woman is nearing menopause.

US startup Watershed has developed an online calculator enabling companies to estimate if remote working will reduce or increase their emissions and by how much. The firm’s model is based on New York City, San Francisco, Houston, Toronto and London, and offers a figure based on the number of staff, where they live, how they get to work and office size. Shopify and Stripe are among Watershed’s client base.

UK startup Deep Branch has raised €8m ($9.5m) to convert CO2 into animal feed to combat the deforestation caused by soya being grown for conventional feed. Deep Branch’s system feeds hydrogen and carbon into a microorganism to produce a high-value protein that can be transformed into animal feed pellets.

Gig economy workers are increasingly turning to or developing software extensions to spotlight pay discrepancies from their employer apps. Software engineer and UberEats courier Armin Samii launched UberCheats, which calculates the shortest distance between a trip’s start and end points and compares them with Uber data. The Driver’s Seat Cooperative helps over 600 gig workers in 40 cities monitor their earnings, and the UNI Global Union’s open source WeClock gathers data on wages and working conditions. (Wired)

Mister Loo, which operates a chain of pay toilets in Thailand, saw sales grow during 2020 on the back of increased hygiene awareness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swiss start-up, which aims to become the “Starbucks of toilets”, charges THB10 ($0.33) for “premium” air-conditioned facilities and THB5 ($0.17) for regular ones. Other pay toilets cost around THB3 ($0.09). Attendants clean and disinfect the toilets after every use. Premium toilets also feature sensor-operated equipment, so users don't have to touch anything. Additionally, some facilities include relaxation areas where users can check health indicators, including blood pressure and body fat. (Nikkei Asia)

RWE and bp have each secured 3 GW of capacity in the Crown Estate Round 4 offshore wind leasing process. Bp won two 1.5 GW sites in the Irish Sea and RWE won two offshore wind sites in the North Sea’s Dogger Bank. Meanwhile, Total has secured a 1.5 GW project off the coast of East Anglia and a joint venture between Flotation Energy and Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios won the final 480 MW project in the Irish Sea. (reNews)

Climeworks is among the climate-focused firms receiving investment from Microsoft, supporting the technology giant’s efforts to hit its 2030 target to become carbon negative. The investment will aid Climeworks’ plans to increase deployment of its carbon-removing technology. Microsoft also announced two more investments from its $1bn Climate Innovation Fund – Congruent Ventures and the Southeast Asia Clean Energy Facility. (Axios)

This story has been reported to death, and has received attention from various commentators, mainstream publications, meme sites and, of course, Elon Musk. If, however, you’ve missed the hoo-ha around GameStop’s stock, this is a decent summary.

UK downloads of health apps have substantially increased during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, an Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA) report shows.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced US venture capitalists to abandon the "20-minute rule" and seek startup investment opportunities across a greater geographical catchment area.