#34 Agriculture, Electric vehicules and a Protest march
Discover 3 recent science news in our #PeerusWhatsNew, now on Medium.
1 Two researchers from CSIRO have made a disturbing discovery for the future of agriculture. Two of the most devastating insects for crops have crossed to give birth to multiple hybrids discovered in Brazil.
Two species of caterpillars, Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea, attack a wide variety of crops including corn, tomato, soya, cotton, peppers, cucumbers and salads. The larvae slip into the fruit to devour it from the inside. These caterpillars have also developed a worrying resistance to pesticides.
“This hybridization represents a new threat that is likely to spread around the world. These caterpillars attack a very wide variety of crops and seem able to withstand all attempts at control”, alerted Tom Walsh, one of the co-authors.
2 Sweden has just inaugurated a road that incorporates a system to charge electric vehicles while driving. Inspired by the tram, this device will be tested for two years under real conditions.
By 2030, Sweden has set itself the goal of no longer using fossil fuels for transport. To meet this ambitious challenge, the country is accelerating its adoption of electric vehicles.
In this purpose, Sweden has just inaugurated a two kilometers long eRoadArlanda, the first electrified road in the world designed to recharge electric vehicles as they circulate.
3 In Washington, hundreds demonstrators have expressed their dissatisfaction with the current political situation and its consequences on the environment and science.
This follows the climate-skeptical President Donald Trump’s announcement of the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and his support to the coal industry.
“Science makes America great again” said a protester’s sign, an obvious nod to President’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”.
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