There is a low-key bee in Australia, which does not brew honey, has different habits and looks than traditional bees, loves to live alone, does not live in a hive, does not have yellow stripes, and even wears a unique "mask". But it could make the multibillion-dollar global plastic industry disappear.
Humble Bee, a biotechnology start-up based in New Zealand, has found that the masked bee's glass-paper nesting material is not only water-proof as expected, but also resistant to flame, heat, and heat. Humble Bee is now reverse engineering bee nesting materials to mass produce biodegradable materials that can replace plastics, and its price will be very competitive.
Veronica Harwood Stevenson, founder of the company, said: "plastic particles and chemicals have penetrated ecosystems and organisms around the world, as small as the baby's fetal blood, as far as the most remote Arctic lakes," said Veronica Harwood-Stevenson, the company's founder. It's all universal. It's terrible. There are many kinds of plastics, one of which we are studying, but we are studying its most useful industrial properties. I believe it can be used in many industries. " It all began when Veronica stumbled upon in a research paper. The study explains how "cellophane-like" nesting materials for a solitary bee have the potential to become bioplastics.
To find enough bees from the hylaeus subfamily in New Zealand, she went to Nusa, Queensland, where she met Chris Fuller of Kin Native Bees. Chris would use specially made blocks of wood to capture nesting bees from the same honeycomb.
Convinced of the research she was doing, she put her home savings and the bright creative challenge prize she received from the Wellington Regional Economic Development Bureau to support her previous assumptions. Wellington is consolidating its reputation as a powerful entrepreneurial center, and Veronica is now working with the Ferrier Institute at the University of Victoria to study bees. "We're in the early stages, but we're working on some manufacturing technologies," she said, referring to bionics. This is about copying the natural environment, and we've been designing for centuries, from bird-inspired wing design to beak-inspired improvements to train shape. "
Humble Bee received NZ $160000 ($147000) in the first round and NZ $500000 in the second round. The first round of investment was backed by a number of companies. Callahan Innovation, a government agency in New Zealand, has also pledged up to NZ $1.2 million.
"Outdoor clothing is definitely our most interesting area, as more and more outdoor clothing is using chemicals. "if you like to explore the environment, you don't want your favorite products to destroy the environment," Veronica said. "I started talking to these companies a long time ago, and I know they'll be interested." Two years ago Greenpeace said its tests showed toxic chemicals were widespread in outdoor equipment from tents to shoes. These chemicals are used to add waterproof and anti-fouling finishes. "We also want it to be suitable for large industrial applications such as textiles and healthcare," she added. In the future, Humble Bee wants to reduce plastic waste. But Veronica recognizes that plastics are useful for certain products-such as electronics and certain medical devices.
Chris provides pollination for macadamia nut growers. When Veronica contacted him about her project, he said, he was eager to help. "it's in my spirit and it's very important to reduce toxins in the environment," he said. "the reason I entered the pest control industry was to help farmers reduce the use of pesticides."
Australia's plastics industry says it supports all efforts to reduce waste and improve environmental outcomes. Peter Bree, director of innovation in Australian chemistry, said: "multinational companies are looking to start-ups for research and development on bioplastics, so we look forward to seeing more activity in this area. The history of polymer development is full of destruction and innovation. The new material will continue to replace the old material and will achieve improved and better results. "
John Bentley thanked Veronica for her approach and said if we could replace plastic products with biological products such as bees and seaweed instead of using fossil fuels, then let it go. People are looking forward to finding a way to get rid of plastic.
Netizen Wayne Stinson thinks nature is the best solution.
Perhaps one day, we can also wear honeybee nesting materials to explore the nature!