ICRISAT pioneers world’s first pigeonpea speed breeding technique
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Pioneers Speed Breeding for Pigeonpea The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has pioneered the world’s first pigeonpea speed breeding protocol, further bolstering food security in Asia and Africa. The new convention promises to substantially cut the time required to develop new […]
Malaysia’s race towards net zero
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe Urgency of Climate Action and the Role of Technology in Decarbonisation The urgency of climate action is no longer a distant echo but a blaring siren. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and ecosystem disruptions are stark reminders of the consequences of our inaction. Climate change brings about frequent and unfavourable meteorological phenomena, such […]
Eye in sky to monitor methane emissions
Reading Time: 3 minutesMethaneSAT: A Milestone in Global Methane Emission Reduction MethaneSAT, a revolutionary satellite designed to motivate and enable urgent methane reduction actions, achieved a significant milestone on March 4, 2024, with its successful launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Developed by a collaborative effort of several esteemed organizations, including the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Ball […]
Borneo state of Sarawak to produce green aviation fuel
Reading Time: 3 minutesSarawak Pioneers in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) can reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent. By mid-June in 2022, SAF powered some 450,000 flights. For example, the popular low-cost carrier, AirAsia, is currently exploring options to introduce SAF into its fuel mix before 2025. However, last year, sustainable aviation fuel […]
Brazil-M’sia dialogue: Resolve irregularities in healthcare sector
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn a landmark seminar themed “Brazil-Malaysia: Equitable Access to Medicines,” held recently in Kuala Lumpur, experts from both countries converged to address pressing issues surrounding healthcare accessibility and medication affordability. This collaborative initiative, organised by the Embassy of Brazil in Kuala Lumpur, aimed at fostering dialogue and exchanging “best practices” between the two countries. His […]
Soft Robots Nature-Inspired Innovations for Durability, Flexibility, and Versatility
Reading Time: 2 minutesResearchers are increasingly interested in developing soft robots, which are often safer and more adaptable than those with only hard surfaces. Those qualities make soft robots highly appealing in many applications, including working with humans or grasping delicate objects. Nature provides frequent inspiration for these projects, particularly as developers consider the most feasible ways to […]
Malaysia’s rusty old water pipes get cameo slot at international forum
Reading Time: 2 minutesNot everybody would want ‘to wash dirty linen in public’. But during a panel discussion at an international water forum, one Malaysian delegate did just that – in an attempt to speak truth to power! President of the Malaysia Water Association, Dr. Ir Mohmad Asari Daud, simply told the forum “What is what” in a […]
Collaborate first before peddling Petri Dish outcomes to the market place
Reading Time: 2 minutesA FORUM called on scientists to collaborate among themselves and relevant government agencies as well as experts in the private sector and academia before attempting to peddle their research innovations for commercialisation. The Women in Science Forum 2024, themed “From Lab to Market,” was hosted by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman at its Sungai Long Campus […]
We Salute our allies then and now to, EDF we say “Terima Kasih”
Reading Time: 3 minutesHERE at The Petri Dish, we dedicate ourselves to fostering a vibrant science ecosystem in Malaysia. We strive to bring the wonders and complexities of the scientific world to our readers, empowering them to understand the scientific issues shaping our country and the planet. This mission, however, would not be possible without the invaluable support […]
Communicating Science
Reading Time: 2 minutesWHEN historians examined Western civilization in the twentieth century, one area of intellectual accomplishment that stood out above all others was the twentieth century’s “age of science”. Science discovered our very sense of who we are, how our minds work, how our world came to be, how it works and our proper role in it, our […]