Land animals evolved from ocean ancestors – new study unravels the genetics behind the transition

This is a summary of an extensive research paper about how land animals evolved from sea creatures around 550 million years ago.

They studied the genetics of animals and found that there are specific things that the animals adapted to in their new environment. 

While the summary is interesting, I encourage you to read the detailed paper. 

 

https://theconversation.com/land-animals-evolved-from-ocean-ancestors-new-study-unravels-the-genetics-behind-the-transition-278609

US scientists turn bourbon waste into high-performance electrodes

Here's a use for "stillage," that is the waste byproduct of distilling bourbon. 

It turns out that the material makes a great material for supercapacitors - an energy storage device that's similar to a battery in this context. 

Creativity for the win. 

https://interestingengineering.com/science/us-bourbon-waste-electrodes-supercapacitors

This Popular Food Was Found to Remove Microplastics from the Human Body in a New Study

Kimchi is a delicious solution to the problem of microplastics accumulating in the human body. 

In summary "The lactic acid bacterium found in the dish helps bind nanoplastics inside the intestine, allowing them to remain together when exiting through the bowel."

The answer is that we should all be eating more fermented vegetables. 

https://people.com/popular-food-found-to-remove-microplastics-from-human-body-new-study-11932883

Wind & Solar Generated A Record 17% Of U.S. Electricity In 2025 - CleanTechnica

In spite of the derision, we've reached a point where wind and solar power generation in the US combined to provide about 17% of the total power in 2025. 

It's only a modest increase over 2024, but it's nice to see it headed in the right direction. 

https://cleantechnica.com/2026/03/20/wind-solar-generated-a-record-17-of-u-s-electricity-in-2025/

Ultra-fast EV truck charger hits 1 MW using just 500 kW grid power

Here's a novel approach to fast, high capacity charging that larger vehicles need. 

What researchers have done is to integrate several components, and a little bit of electronic management.  They created a system that can draw smaller amounts of power at any given time by using batteries and other pieces of tech to increase the amount of power and allow for speed an efficiency - at over 98% efficient it blows away current fast charging. 

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/mega-ev-truck-charger

Chinese Orbiter Crushes Starlink With a 2-Watt Laser From 36,000km Above Earth

A team in China has developed a laser that can transmit data from a high earth orbit to a ground station that far exceeds the data stream that SpaceX uses in starlink. 

It's the next evolutionary step in seamlessly transmitting data from deep space - and to allow for transmission worldwide in near-real time via a satellite. 

With fewer satellites, and the potential for lower cost. 

https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/03/chinese-satellite-outpaces-starlink-2-watt-laser-from-orbit/

Humans in The Andes Appear to Have Evolved a Strange Genetic Ability : ScienceAlert

Here's a story about people in a region of Argentina, high in the Andes, who have evolved to be able to process high levels of arsenic. 

Humans have lived there for over 7,000 years, and the arsenic level in the water is 200 times what is considered the safe limit. Yet, these people have thrived there. 

Another amazing example of adaption and a form of evolution to meet the surroundings. 

Aside: there are some among us who stupidly ask why there are still monkeys if we evolved from them. I would ask why are they still here if some have evolved to process arsenic? That's clearly an ability they don't have, ergo they shouldn't exist, right?

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-in-the-andes-appear-to-have-evolved-a-strange-genetic-ability