Mind if I (E)merge?

“One day soon an emerging technology highlighted in this report will allow you to virtually teleport to a distant site and actually feel the handshakes and hugs of fellow cyber travelers. Also close to becoming commonplace: humanoid (and animaloid) robots designed to socialize with people; a system for pinpointing the source of a food-poisoning outbreak in just seconds; minuscule lenses that will pave the way for diminutive cameras and other devices; strong, biodegradable plastics that can be fashioned from otherwise useless plant wastes.” Scientific American (and that’s not an oxymoron) with an interesting look at the Top 10 Emerging Technologies Of 2019. (In my house, all ten are Tik Tok.)

+ “Within hours, the mound will be sorted, ground, chopped, shredded, cleaned and heated into a sort of garbage caramel, then resurrected as tiny pseudo-plastic pellets that can be made into everyday items like trays and packing crates.” WaPo: Revolutionary recycling? A new technology turns everyday trash into plastic treasure.

+ OK, I buried the lede a bit in this section: This slippery new coating could make toilets less filthy.