>> RIGHT NOW ON THE SEASON

PREMIER OF "SCITECH NOW..."

SCIENTISTS AT SYRACUSE

UNIVERSITY ARE DEVELOPING A NEW

BAND AID, ONE THAT ADAPTS TO

YOUR INJURY AS YOU HEAL.

>> PART OF IT IS THE LOVE OF

SCIENCE AND SOMETHING TO HELP

PEOPLE LATER.

>> DIVING DEEP TO HELP CORAL

REPRODUCE.

>> WE ARE WORKING WITH

PROFLIGATING AND RESTORATION

WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF

HELPING CORAL IN THE WILD TO BE

SELF SUSTAINING.

>> THEN MAKE A FASHION STATEMENT

WEARING PLANTS.

>> IT'S TRYING TO SUNLIGHT AND

WATER.

>> AND CRAZY AS IT SOUNDS, WE'LL

INTRODUCE YOU TO THE

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP THAT IS

BURNING A FOREST TO SAVE IT.

COMING UP NEXT ON "SCITECH NOW."

>> I'M SIMON PEREZ.

WELCOME TO "SCITECH," OUR LATEST

PROGRAM BRINGING YOU THE LATEST

BREAKTHROUGHS IN SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION ACROSS

NEW YORK AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

RESEARCHERS AT SYRACUSE

UNIVERSITY HAVE DEVELOPED A

SUBSTANCE THAT COULD HAVE MAJOR

IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE.

IMAGINE A BAND-AID THAT CHANGES

AS YOUR WOUND HEELS.

LET'S HEAD OVER TO THE S.U. HILL

TO SEE HOW THIS NEW MATERIAL IS

BEING MADE.

>> YOU HAVE THESE SMART SYSTEMS

AND THIS MATERIAL THAT IS SMART

ENOUGH TO RESPOND TO THE LIVING

SYSTEM.

WE WORK WITHIN THE COLLEGE OF

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND ALSO

WITHIN THE SYRACUSE BIOMATERIALS

INSTITUTE AND THE BIOMATERIALS

INSTITUTE IS AN

INTERDISCIPLINARY INSTITUTE AND

IT HAS A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON

BIOMATERIALS.

SHAPE MEMORY POLYMERS ARE

POLYMER PLASTICS THAT HAVE THE

ABILITY TO MEMORIZE ONE'S SHAPE

AND THAT'S USUALLY THE SHAPE YOU

PREPARE THEM IN AND THEN YOU CAN

ACTUALLY DEFORM THEM INTO A

SECOND SHAPE AND LATER TRIGGER

THEM TO RETURN BACK TO THE

ORIGINAL SHAPE.

SO THERE IS A SHAPE CHANGING

FUNCTIONALITY.

WE ARE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING

THIS FOR BASIC EYE SENSE STUDY

BUT ALSO FOR THINGS LIKE TISSUE

ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE

MEDICINE.

THE MATERIALS CAN ALSO BE

DESIGNED TO DELIVER DRUGS OR

ANTIBIOTICS.

SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A

BIOMEDICAL DEVICE THAT'S BEING

IMPLANTED FOR WHATEVER REASON,

YOU CAN PREVENT INFECTION AND

YOU CAN MAYBE STIMULATE THE

LOCAL CELLS OR TISSUES TO HELP

HEAL OR HELP ACHIEVE WHATEVER

THE GOAL IS.

>> THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

OVER MANY REPEATABLE CYCLES, YOU

SEE ITS RECOVERY.

THE MARKET OF THE S & Ps, IN

FACT ALL OF THEM, THAT HAVE BEEN

IMPROVED FOR BIOMEDICAL

APPLICATIONS IN TERMS OF BEING

IMPLANTED IN THE BODY ARE

THERMALLY RESPONSIVE OR

TRIGGERED BY LIGHT.

BOTH OF WHICH ARE NON-NATURAL

STIMULIZING THE BODY BECAUSE IF

YOU ARE A HEALTHY PERSON, YOUR

BODY TEMPERATURE STAYS

CONSISTENT AT 37° CELSIUS AND

INSIDE OUR BODIES, THE

ENVIRONMENTS ACTUALLY ARE QUITE

DARK.

SO ONE THAT I'VE MAINLY FOCUSED

ON IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO

MATERIALS WHICH ARE BOTH

COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE

BIOMEDICALS AND WILL ELECTROSPIN

THEM TO FORM THIS FIBER MAT THAT

IS NOT DISSIMILAR TO THE CLOTH

YOU WOULD SEE IN CLOTHING.

THE FIBERS ARE SO SMALL THAT YOU

CAN'T SEE THEM BY THE NAKED EYE

AND THE SYSTEM THAT I'M WORKING

WITH RIGHT NOW WILL ACTUALLY

CHANGE ITS FIBER CONFIRMATION,

DEPENDING ON HOW I PROGRAM IT.

SO THIS IS OUR IMAGING SUITE.

HERE WE LOOK AT EITHER MICRON OR

NANOFEATURES ON THE MATERIALS

USING THE MICROSCOPE OR SCM.

HERE I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THE

MICRON FEATURES OF THE FIBER MAT

WHICH LOOK LIKE A SOLID MATERIAL

TO THE VISUAL EYE BUT IF YOU

LOOK AT IT ON THE MICRON SCALE,

IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE... WHAT I'M

LOOKING AT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT

THESE MATERIALS ON THE MICRON

SCALE IS I WANT TO SEE CLEAN

FIBERS.

YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE THIS IS A

LITTLE BIT OF A FUSION.

AND IF I SEE TOO MUCH OF THAT,

USUALLY I'LL TOSS THE MATERIAL

BECAUSE THAT WILL DIRECTLY

IMPACT THE MECHANICAL

PROPERTIES.

PARTICULARLY WITH THESE

MATERIALS I'M LOOKING FOR

SOMETHING HIGHLY ORIENTED AND

CONSISTENT ACROSS THE CIRCLE.

>> AND WE'VE DEVELOPED

SUBSTRAIGHTS AND VERY THREE

DIMENSIONAL SCAFFOLD USING SHAPE

MEMORY POLYMERS AND BECAUSE OF

OUR INTEREST IN USING SHAPE

MEMORY POLYMERS WITH CELLS AND

TISSUES, THE SUBSTRAIGHTS WE ARE

USING TO CULTURE CELLS ON SO WE

ACTUALLY GROW CELLS LIKE CELLS

FROM OUR BODY ON THE SUBSTRAIGHT

AND THAT SURFACE OF THE CELLS

CAN CHANGE SHAPE WHILE THE CELLS

ARE ON IT AND WE CAN STUDY HOW

THE CELLS RESPOND TO THAT AND WE

CAN DO THE SAME THING IN THREE

DIMENSION.

WE CAN HAVE THREE DIMENSIONAL

SCAFFOLDS MADE OF FIBERS AND

AGAIN WE CAN CULTURE CELLS IN OR

ON THE MATERIALS.

AND WITH THESE IN PARTICULAR,

BECAUSE THERE IS A TRIGGERING,

YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRIGGER

THE MATERIAL IN A SAFE WAY,

RIGHT?

SO THAT'S ONE REASON WE DEVELOP

RESPONSIVE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE

NATURALLY OCCURRING TRIGGERS IN

THE BODY.

THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING

CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH

ACTIVATING WITH THEM WHEN

WORKING WITH THESE PARTICULAR

MATERIALS.

SO ONCE THE MATERIALS ARE MADE

AND THEN THEE CULTURED WITH

CELLS, OVER WE END UP IMAGING

THEM USING OTHER FORMS OF MY

MICROSCOPY AND THAT ALLOWS US TO

SEE THE CELLS INTERACTING WITH

THE MATERIALS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE

FREQUENTLY ARE INTERESTED IN IS

THE MIGRATORY BEHAVIOR OF THE

CELLS.

SO WE OFTEN TRACK CELLS,

HUNDREDS OF CELLS OVER THESE

PERIODS OF HOURS OR DAYS TO

DETERMINE HOW THE MATERIAL IS

AFFECTING THE CELL MOTILITY.

WITH LIVE CELL IMAGING, WE END

UP WITH WATCHING THE CELLS MOVE

OVER TIME AND EACH DOT IS A ONE

CELL NUCLEUS.

SO WE CAN SEE WHERE THE CELLS GO

OVER TIME AND WE'VE DEVELOPED

SOFTWARE IN THE LAB THAT ALLOWS

US TO ANALYZE THE TRACKS, THE

PATTERNS WITH WHICH THE CELLS

ARE MOVING SO THAT WE CAN TAKE

HUNDREDS OF CELLS LIKE THIS AND

ENCAPSULATE FROM THE HUNDREDS OF

CELLS, PARTICULAR MOTILITY

PATTERNS AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE

HERE IS THE RAW DATA THAT LETS

US DO THAT.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS TO GET FROM

BENCH TO BED SIDE.

A MATERIAL LIKE THIS, SOME DAY

WE HOPE IT MIGHT BE IN CLINICAL

USE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YEARS OR

POTENTIALLY DECADES FOR THE

NECESSARY TESTING TO BE DONE TO

ENSURE SAFETY AND THEN FOR

PRE-CLINICAL MODELS IN ANIMALS

AND ULTIMATELY FOR CLINICAL

TRIALS TO BE SAFELY USED IN

HUMANS.

>> I CAME TO S.U. BECAUSE I WAS

REALLY INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT

HOW CELLS AND MATERIALS

INTERACT.

SO KIND OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO

SEE THE FIELD SORT OF MOVE

TOWARDS IS FORMING MATERIALS

THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE

BODY THAT ARE INSTRUCTIVE THAT

TELL CELLS AND THE TISSUES HOW

THEY SHOULD BEHAVE, HOW THEY

SHOULD REORGANIZE TO TRY AND

BOTH HEAL IN A WAY THAT HEALTHY

AND MOVES FORWARD IN TERMS OF

TREATING A LOT OF THESE DISEASES

THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS

WITH.

>> THERE IS STILL A LOT OF

INJURIES AND DISEASES THAT WE

DON'T HAVE GOOD TREATMENTS FOR.

AND SMART POLYMERS AND SMART

MATERIALS IN GENERAL GIVE US

SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE

PEOPLE'S LIVES, YOU KNOW, REDUCE

THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FOR

THEM TO GET BETTER OR TREAT

DISEASES THAT CURRENTLY WE JUST

DON'T HAVE TREATMENTS FOR.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT

IS JUST THE LOVE OF SCIENCE AND

PART OF IT IS HELPING PEOPLE

SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

♪7

♪7

CORAL REEFS ARE MADE UP OF

THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF

INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS LIKE A BIG

UNDERWATER CITY.

BIOLOGISTS AT THE GEORGIA

AQUARIUM IN ATLANTA ARE GROWING

CORAL IN THEIR LABS TO BETTER

UNDERSTAND HOW THEY REPRODUCE IN

THE HOPES OF TAKING THAT

KNOWLEDGE TO THE SEA TO SAVE THE

REEFS.

OUR PARTNER, SCIENCE FRIDAY, HAS

THE STORY.

>> I LOVE WORKING WITH CORAL

BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY OF

THEM, THE BRILLIANT COLORS THAT

THEY HAVE, THE DIFFERENT

TEXTURES THEY CAN CREATE.

CORAL IS A COLONY AND EACH POLYP

IS ACTUALLY AN INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL

ITSELF.

AND WHEN YOU START TO SEE THE

ANIMALS DO WHAT THEY NATURALLY

DO WHEN IT COMES TO

REPRODUCTION, YOU FEEL PRETTY

PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS SUCH A

BEAUTIFUL PROCESS AND JUST HOPE

YOU CAN HELP.

WE DO A LOT OF WORK HERE AT THE

GEORGIA AQUARIUM WITH CORAL.

PART OF MY ROLE HERE IS TO HELP

CREATE HABITATS.

SO BEHIND ME YOU SEE ONE OF OUR

CREATIONS, WHICH IS THE

INDO-PACIFIC REEF TANK.

ABOUT 16 FEET DEEP, 164,000

GALLONS.

PRETTY COOL.

I WORK WITH A TEAM OF BIOLOGISTS

TO TAKE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED WITH

CARING FOR CORALS IN THIS

SETTING AND BE ABLE TO BRING IT

OUT INTO THE FIELD AND BE ABLE

TO HELP THE WILD POPULATION.

WE ARE WORKING WITH PROFLIGATING

WITH HELPING CORALS IN THE WILD

TO BE SELF SUSTAINING.

CORALS ARE ACTUALLY ANIMALS.

THEY'RE IN A GROUP CALLED

LIDERIANS BUT WITHIN THEIR

TISSUE, THEY HAVE ALGAE CELLS

THAT ARE PHOTO SYNTHETIC.

BUT IT IS A SYMBIOTIC

RELATIONSHIP.

THE CORAL ITSELF PROVIDES A HOME

FOR THE CELLS TO LIVE IN AND THE

BYPRODUCT OF THOSE CELLS GIVE

NUTRIENTS TO THE CORAL, TOO.

IT'S A WIN-WIN.

YOU HEAR THE TERM BLEACHING.

CORALS ARE BLEACHING, BLEACHING

IS THE PROCESS OF LEAVING THE

TISSUE OF THE CORAL.

IF IT DOESN'T REABSORB QUICKLY

THEN UNFORTUNATELY THE CORAL

WILL ACTUALLY DIE.

BECAUSE IT DOES NEED THE

NUTRIENTS AND THE BYPRODUCT TO

CONTINUE TO BE HEALTHY AND TO

SURVIVE.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CORAL

RESTORATION FOUNDATION IN THE

FLORIDA KEYS AND WHAT THEY HAVE

OUT THERE IS AN UNDERWATER

NURSERY.

CORALS HAVE A VERY UNIQUE

REPRODUCTION STYLE.

THE TWO SPECIES THAT WE

SPECIFICALLY WORK WITH, WHICH IS

THE STAG HORN CORAL AND THE ELK

HORN CORAL, REPRODUCE ONLY ONE

WEEK A YEAR.

IT'S CRAZY.

SO THEY'RE BASICALLY CUED ON THE

TIDE, THE LUNAR CYCLE AND THE

TEMPERATURE OF THE OCEAN.

THEY WAIT FOR THE HIGH TIDE AT

NIGHT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE

CURRENT IS THE STRONGEST SO

WHETHER THEY RELEASE THEIR EGGS

AND SPERM, THEY HAVE JUST THE

RIGHT CONDITIONS FOR THEM TO MIX

AND FIND EACH OTHER.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW,

THERE IS A LOT OF DISTANCE

BETWEEN THE CORALS.

SO THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME

FINDING EACH OTHER WHEN THEY'RE

READY TO REPRODUCE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE COME INTO

PLAY.

WE WORK AS A TEAM IN THE

COLLECTION.

WE BASICALLY SEPARATE OUT THE

SPERM AND THE EGG SO WE KNOW WE

ARE GETTING A DIFFERENT GENETIC

MAKEUP AND THEN WE COMBINE THE

EGGS AND SPERM TO PRODUCE A FREE

SWIMMING PLANULA OR LARVAE AND

THEN DISPERSE IT BACK ON THE

REEF FOR THEM TO SURVIVE, THRIVE

AND GROW.

THE MAIN GOAL OUT THERE IS TO

GET A LARGE DIVERSE GENETIC

POPULATION SO OVER TIME THEY CAN

DO IT ON THEIR OWN AND WE DON'T

HAVE TO BE OUT THERE TO HELP

THEM FIND EACH OTHER.

WE BASICALLY TAKE A SMALL SUBSET

OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO

FERTILIZE IN THE WILD AND BRING

THAT BACK TO DO OUR OWN RESEARCH

SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT IT NEEDS IN

THE WILD IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.

WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT HERE ALONG

THESE SHELVES ARE PLUGS AND

TILES THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF

BEING SEEDED.

WE UTILIZE SOME ADULTS TO HELP

PROVIDE TO THE BABY CORALS WHEN

THEY'RE PLACED IN HERE AFTER

SPAWNING.

IT TAKES A WHILE FOR IT TO GROW

ON THAT MATERIAL SO WE TRY TO

GIVE IT AS MANY MONTHS AS

POSSIBLE.

SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT

NOW IS ONE OF OUR SETTLED CORALS

FROM CORAL SPAWNING DOWN IN KEY

LARGO.

WE HAVE NAMED HIM BABY GROOT AND

SOME OF THE THINGS WE LOOK FOR

WHEN WE CHECK ON HIM, THE

COLORATION OF THE TISSUE, NUMBER

OF POLYPS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED.

WE ALSO LOOK FOR THE BASE OF THE

CORAL TO BE ENCRUSTING ALONG THE

SEDIMENT MATERIAL WHICH IS WHAT

HE IS DOING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS

GOOD.

THIS IS PROBABLY ABOUT NINE

YEARS WORTH OF WORK TRYING TO

GET TO THIS POINT.

BUT HE LOOKS REALLY, REALLY GOOD

RIGHT NOW.

HE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL TODAY,

ACTUALLY.

I THINK IT CERTAINLY IS AN

UPHILL BATTLE BUT IT'S A BATTLE

THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGHT

FOR THEM.

THEY NEED OUR HELP.

AS A BIOLOGIST, YOU HAVE TO BE

VERY COMFORTABLE WITH FAILURE,

BUT WITH FAILURE COMES SUCCESS.

WE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING

TO HAPPEN TO THE REEF, BUT I

WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE

FUTURE, I CAN LOOK AT MY

DAUGHTER AND SAY I TRIED.

FASHIONISTA, THIS STORY IS FOR

YOU.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CLOTHES

MADE FROM PLANTS.

NYLON IS A PREFERRED FABRIC IN

THIS ARENA.

IT'S STRONG, SHRINK RABAT,

WRINKLE RESISTANT AND CHEAP TO

PRODUCE.

BUT IT IS NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY

FRIENDLY.

NYLON IS A KIND OF PLASTIC

CREATED FROM CHEMICALS FOUND IN

PETROLEUM, A NATURAL BUT

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE.

AND THE ENERGY THAT FUELS THE

CHEMICAL PROCESS TO CREATE NYLON

IS ALSO MOSTLY GENERATED FROM

COAL AND NATURAL GAS.

NOW SCIENTISTS ARE CHANGING THE

FABRIC OF FAST FASHION.

RESEARCHERS AT NEW YORK

UNIVERSITY'S TANDON SCHOOL OF

ENGINEERING ARE DEVELOPING A

MORE SUSTAINABLE NYLON.

THEY START BY USING CHEMICALS

FROM PLANTS TO CREATE THE NYLON.

THE TEAM WOULD ALSO USE SOLAR

ENERGY TO POWER THE PRODUCTION

PROCESS.

MAKING THIS MATERIAL EVEN MORE

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.

THEY CALL IT THE SOLAR TEXTILES

PROJECT AND IT'S ALREADY

GENERATING BUZZ.

THE TEAM RECEIVED A 2016 GLOBAL

CHANGE AWARD RESEARCH GRANT FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN

FASHION FROM THE H & M

FOUNDATION, THE NON-PROFIT ARM

OF GLOBAL FAST FASHION RETAILER

H & M.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MIGUEL

MODESTINO IS WORKING WITH THIS.

INSTEAD OF STARTING WITH

PETROLEUM, HIS PROCESS WOULD

START WITH PLANTS.

>> SO YOU HAVE PLANT OF CORN,

THEM YOU TAKE THE CORN OUT AND

USE THE CORN FOR FOOD BUT THEN

YOU HAVE THE PLANTS LEFT BEHIND

SO PEOPLE WHAT THEY USUALLY DO

IS CUT THEM AND THROW IT AWAY OR

THEY USE IT FOR LIKE, YOU KNOW,

NOT HIGH VALUE PRODUCTS SO WE

CAN TAKE THAT AND CHEMICALLY

TRANSFORM IT INTO DIESEL THAT

YOU CAN USE TO RUN YOUR CAR.

AND THEN WHAT IS USED IN THE

DIESEL PRODUCTION PROCESS, THE

WASTE WE CAN TURN IT INTO NYLON.

>> STARTING THE PROCESS WITH

PLANT WASTE WOULD PREVENT CARBON

EMISSIONS FROM HITTING THE AIR

SIMPLY ABOUT I NOT WORKING WITH

PETROLEUM BYPRODUCT.

IF ALL THE NYLON IN THE WORLD

WAS PRODUCED FROM PLANTS,

APPROXIMATELY 4.7 MILLION TONS

OF CARBON DIOXIDE WOULD BE

CAPTURED BY TEXTILES EACH YEAR.

THEN THERE ARE THE CARBON

EMISSIONS TYPICALLY GENERATED

FROM TRANSFORMING PETROCHEMICAL

BYPRODUCT TO THE NYLON FABRIC.

THESE CHEMICAL PROCESSES REQUIRE

ELECTRICITY AND HEAT THAT WOULD

USUALLY PULL ENERGY FROM A GRID,

ENERGY OFTEN CREATED BY COAL AND

NATURAL GAS.

IN HIS PROCESS, THESE STEPS

WOULD UTILIZE ENERGY FROM THE

SUN.

>> YOU CAN IMAGINE HAVING NOW A

SOLAR FARM CAPTURING YOUR ENERGY

FROM THE SUN ATTACHED DIRECTLY

TO A CHEMICAL PLANT ON THE SIDE

PRODUCING THE CHEMICALS THAT YOU

WANT.

>> MODESTINO ENVISIONS USING THE

SUN TO GENERATE HEAT FOR TWO

THERMAL CHEMICAL REACTIONS THAT

TURN CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS INTO

NYLON USING A SOLAR CONCENTRATOR

THAT FOCUSES THE SUN'S HEAT IN

THE WAY A MAGNIFYING GLASS WOULD

BE USED TO START A FIRE.

>> YOU USE THE SOLAR

CONCENTRATOR TO PROVIDE THE HEAT

NECESSARY AND PRODUCE THE BASE

THAT WOULD REACT AND PRODUCE THE

SALT AND THAT SALT YOU CAN

POLYMERIZE INTO NYLON THROUGH

CHEMICALS.

>> THE RESULT IS A STICKY

SUBSTANCE THAT WILL BE RINSED,

MELTED DOWN AND SPUN INTO

THREAD.

>> THIS IS NYLON POLYMERIZED AND

YOU GRAB IT AND PULL IT OUT AND

THEN YOU CAN ROLL IT LIKE THIS.

>> ON A MOLECULAR LEVEL, THIS

ECOFRIENDLY NYLON IS EXACTLY THE

SAME AS THE NYLON IN THESE

JACKETS.

FOR THE H & M FOUNDATION, IT

COULD BE AN IMPORTANT STEP

TOWARD THEIR GOAL, A MORE

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE

FASHION INDUSTRY.

>> IF WE CAN MAKE NYLON, WHICH

IS AN OIL-BASED PRODUCT, IF WE

CAN MAKE THAT FROM NOT FROM OIL

BUT FROM SOMETHING ELSE, AND

IT'S THE SAME PRODUCT, SO IT

DOES NOT MEAN A COMPROMISE FOR

YOU AS A CUSTOMER, AND THEN

THAT'S A WHOLE NEW AVENUE IN HOW

TO PRODUCE THINGS.

>> IT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS

INNOVATION FOR THE FASHION

INDUSTRY.

NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE

PLANT-BASED METHOD WOULD BE OF

PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE

RETAIL ARM OF H & N.

THEY WANT TO BE CLIMATE POSITIVE

BY 2040.

THE COMPANY WILL REDUCE NOR

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAN IT

EMITS.

>> I THINK IT IS VERY EXCITING

MOMENT WHERE FASHION AND GLOSSY

FASHION AND DESIGN MEETS

SCIENCE.

AND IT'S THESE SUPER UNEXPECTED

AND INTERESTING JUNCTIONS WHERE

NEW SOLUTIONS COME ALIVE AND

PEOPLE START TO THINK OUTSIDE OF

THE BOX.

>> THE SOLAR TEXTILES TEAM IS

STILL IN THE RESEARCH PHASE.

BUT THEY PLAN TO START

APPROACHING COMPANIES THAT

PRODUCE NYLON THROUGH THE

CONNECTIONS THE TEAM HAS MADE

VIA THE H & N FOUNDATION.

>> FOR THEM IT'S MAGICAL BECAUSE

THEY BELIEF IN FASHION

PRODUCTION PROCESS AND

INNOVATION.

THEY'RE HIGHLY UNSUSTAINABLE BUT

IF YOU MANAGE TO CAPTURE THE

CLOTHES BY PRODUCING CLOTHES

FASTER THAN YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

>> THIS NEXT STORY IS GOING TO

SOUND COUNTERINTUITIVE BUT WE

ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW

ENVIRONMENTALISTS IN NORTH

CAROLINA ARE SETTING FIRE TO A

FOREST TO SAVE IT.

THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT.

>> THIS WAS PLANTED IN THE

1970s WHEN THE MAIN GOAL OF

THE FOREST SERVICE WAS TO

PRODUCE TIMBER AND LOBLOLLY WAS

A FASTER GROWING SPECIES.

THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.

THESE TREES STARTED GROWING HERE

IN 1890.

>> THIS IS THE LONG LEAF PINE

FOREST.

IT IS THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEM IN

NORTH CAROLINA'S COASTAL PLAIN.

CENTURIES OF TIMBER HARVESTING

AND URBANIZATION REMOVED MOST OF

THE LONG LEAF PINE FOREST ACROSS

THE SOUTHEAST.

THAT'S WHY THE U.S. FOREST

SERVICE IS RESTORING THE LONG

LEAF PINE FOREST IN THE NATIONAL

FOREST.

BUT TO DO THAT REQUIRES FIRE.

ONCE THE LOB LOLLY PINE TREES

ARE HARVESTED, FIRE IS VITAL TO

RESTORING THE LONG LEAF PINE

FOREST.

ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST

ENDANGERED ECOSYSTEM.

>> WE ARE HAVING A FIRE EVERY

TWO YEARS, THREE YEAR CYCLE, TO

TRY AND GET WHAT YOU ARE SEEING

HERE ESTABLISHED.

>> SO THIS WAS JUST BURNED A

COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

ARE YOU AMAZED?

LOOK AT THIS NOW.

IT'S ALL GREEN.

>> IT RECOVERS PRETTY QUICK.

WITH THE MOISTURE THAT WE

RECEIVE AND ALL THAT STUFF, THE

TYPE OF SOIL ALLOWS QUICK

GROWTH.

SO HAVING FIRE IN THE AREA

KNOCKS DOWN THE UNDERSTORE WHERE

WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MORE

MANAGED FIRE AND OPENS UP THE

SUNLIGHT AND OXYGEN AIR TO GET

TO NEW GROWTH.

>> VERY DEPENDENT ON FIRE TO

SURVIVE.

IT GROWS AS A GRASS WHEN IT'S

LITTLE SO IF THE FIRE CAN BURN

OVER IT AND CLEARS EVERYTHING

AROUND IT, IT RESPONDS BACK

REALLY QUICKLY.

IT'S NATURALLY JUST ADAPTED TO

FIRE REGIME.

SO THEN YOUR LONG LEAF GRASS

STAGES, SEEDLING RIGHT HERE, IT

LOOKS JUST LIKE A CLUMP OF

GRASS.

SO WHEN THE FIRE BURNS OVER IT,

IT BURNS IT AS IF IT IS GRASS

AND THE BUD IS BELOW THE SURFACE

PROTECTED EXTRA THE FIRE.

IT SPENDS TWO TO THREE TO FIVE

YEARS GROWING THE ROOT SYSTEM

AND STAYS AS GRASS.

EVENTUALLY SOMETHING CLICKS IN

IT AND IT STARTS, IN A

ELONGATION CHUTE.

THE BARK IS VERY GOOD INSULATOR.

TO KILL THE TREE, THE FIRE IS

GOING TO HAVE TO GET HOT ENOUGH

TO POP BEHIND THE BARK WHERE THE

NUTRIENTS FLOW UP AND DOWN SO

THIS BARK JUST INSULATES THE

TREE AND ALSO WITH THE FISHERS

IN HERE, THE HEAT WILL CHANNEL

UP THE TREE INSTEAD OF JUST

SITTING HERE CAREFUL MANAGEMENT

HELPS PRESERVE AND RESTORE THE

LONG LEAF PINE FOREST, WHICH IS

A MIX OF TALL TREES IN SAVANNAH

PLUS BOGS AND RAISED SWAMPS.

>> PRIOR TO THE EUROPEAN

SETTLEMENT WAS 90 MILLION ACRES.

AS OF TODAY WE HAVE AROUND FOUR

MILLION ACRES OF THAT HABITAT

LEFT.

THE MAJORITY OF HABITAT IS ON

NATIONAL FOREST LAND ACROSS THE

COUNTRY.

>> THE LONG LEAF PINE IS ONE OF

THE MOST ECOLOGICALLY

ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT SPECIES

IN THE SOUTH.

900 PLANT SPECIES PLUS HUNDREDS

OF BIRDS, MAMMALS, REPTILES AND

AMPHIBIANS ARE FOUND IN THE LONG

LEAF PINE FOREST.

>> A SMALL DIFFERENCE IN

ELEVATION MAKES A HUGE

DIFFERENCE IN THE VEGETATION AND

HOW WATER IS RETAINED ON THE

LANDSCAPE.

>> 29 OF THOSE SPECIES ARE

ENDANGERED, INCLUDING THE RED

WOODPECKER.

>> THE GOOD THING ABOUT

WOODPECKER, THEY'RE PRIMARY

CAVITY EXCAVATOR.

THEY MAKE THE CAVITY INTO THE

TREE.

A WHOLE SUITE OF SPECIES WILL

USE THAT CAVITY FOR NESTING FOR

SOME LIFE STAGE.

>> WITH SUCH A UNIQUE LANDSCAPE,

IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT IT IS

ALSO HOME TO THE LARGEST

COLLECTION OF CARNIVOROUS PLANTS

OF ANY NATIONAL FOREST.

>> YOU ARE ON THE, WE HAVE THE

VENUS FLY TRAP.

AGAIN THEY TEND TO BE FOUND IN

THESE NUTRIENT POOR AREAS THAT

ARE NOT TOO DRY, ARE NOT TOO

WET.

IT HAS TO BE JUST RIGHT.

THEY CAN'T JUST GROW ANYWHERE.

AND WHEN YOU ARE A LITTLE

CARNIVOROUS PLANT LYING FLAT ON

THE GROUND, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH

TO SHADE YOU OUT AND NONE OF

THESE THINGS CAN LIVE WITHOUT

SUNLIGHT.

THEY'RE COMPLETELY FIRE

DEPENDENT.

SMALL DIFFERENT MICROHABITATS

WITHIN A LARGER LANDSCAPE JUST

INCREASES YOUR DIVERSITY,

INCREASES THE VALUE, THE

ECOLOGICAL VALUE OF THAT AREA.

>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF

"SCITECH NOW." TO LEARN MORE

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM, JOIN THE

CONVERSATION WITH YOUR

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS

ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

I'M SIMON PEREZ.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON "SCITECH

NOW."

♪7

♪7

ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF

"SCITECH," WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN

YOU MIX A MILLION POUNDS OF

APPLES WITH CHEMISTRY?

WE'LL TAKE YOU TO ALBANY TO FIND

OUT.

WE'LL TAKE A CLOSE LOOK, MAYBE

CLOSER THAN YOU WOULD LIKE, AT A

RODENT THAT COULD HOLD THE KEY

TO LIVING LONGER.

THEN WE TAKE A VERY VIRTUAL

REALITY TRIP TO INFINITY AND

BEYOND AND WE ALL KNOW ABOUT 3G,

4G AND 5G, HOW FAST CAN WIRELESS

COMMUNICATION GO?

IT'S ALL ON THE NEXT "SCITECH

NOW."

♪7

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