About this episode

This episode discusses advancements in de-extinction technology and breakthroughs in battery safety and cartilage regeneration.

A massive step forward for de-extinction . A biotech company called Colossal Biosciences (the one bringing back the Wooly Mammoth) has successfully hatched 26 live chicks using an artificial environment. These chicks were born from a 3D-printed lattice structure designed to mimic a natural eggshell, including a membrane that allows for oxygen exchange. While currently using chicken embryos, the ultimate goal is to scale this technology to resurrect the South Island giant moa, an extinct 12-foot bird from New Zealand. Because a moa egg is 80 times the size of a chicken egg, no modern bird could safely lay one, making these artificial shells a necessary gateway for bringing the species back. Next, we look at a breakthrough in safety in our electrified future. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed "fireproof" sodium-ion batteries that features an internal "smart firewall". Traditional lithium ion batteries can suffer from thermal runaway, a chain reaction where temperatures skyrocket and lead to explosions. This new design uses a liquid electrolyte that solidifies into a physical barrier when internal heat exceeds 150°C (302°F)…

People in this episode

Host: Andrew McGivern

Topics covered

• de-extinction
• biotechnology
• battery safety
• cartilage regeneration
• environmental science

Keywords

• de-extinction
• Colossal Biosciences
• sodium-ion batteries
• cartilage regeneration
• biotechnology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Colossal Biosciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Stanford

Products: sodium-ion batteries, lithium ion batteries

Places: New Zealand, South Island

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