India’s pharmaceutical exports have soared by 103% since 2013-14, establishing the nation as the ‘pharmacy of the world’, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From $11.82bn in 2013-14, India’s pharma exports jumped to $24.46bn in 2021-22 – the country’s best-ever performance.
Some of the smallest gears ever created have been made in a lab – and made to rotate using light as the energy source (Nature Chemistry, doi: 10.1038/s41557-022-00917-0).
India’s petrochemical demand is expected to triple by 2040, requiring a $240bn investment, according to a study by Engineers India. Booming consumerism means demand for the top 52 petchem products could soar to 87m t/year by 2040 – up from the current 26m t/year. Some $80bn of the $240bn investment required has been announced and is in various stages of execution, says the study.
A team of international researchers studying the root mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases, such as those that cause dementia, have discovered a potential new therapeutic route to untangling the clumps of protein that are a hallmark of most of these diseases. Finding ways to stop these misfolded proteins from building up in the brain is a key goal for research.
The same protein target for sulfonylurea drugs in diabetes may be promising as a target for treating Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers believe.
A new nano-enzyme can depolymerise lignin to generate low molecular weight products under mild conditions. Lignin is the second most abundant renewable carbon source on earth, but it is frequently burnt as fuel due to difficulties in degrading it to useful chemicals.
In a world first, researchers in Germany have made and analysed materials under pressures approaching one terapascal (1x1012Pa). Before now, materials have been squished beneath tiny diamond anvils at pressures of around 200GPa, but the new record-breaking pressures are 600-900GPa.
A simple-to-make fibre has been made to work as an actuator, like those in human muscles. The fibre is 75% more efficient at converting energy to movement, can handle 80% more strain, and stretch to more than 900% of its length before it breaks, compared with similar materials.
A team of scientists has shown for the first time that plants can grow on Moon regolith, collected during the Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions. There is renewed interest in the lunar environment since NASA announced its Artemis programme, which will return humans to the moon.
Rio Tinto (RT) and BP have agreed to cooperate on a one-year biofuel trial to reduce carbon emissions from RT’s marine fleet. BP will supply its B30 biofuel comprising 30% fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) blended with very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO).