New research scanned has found 30,000 enzymes that could degrade 10 types of plastic. Writing to the Guardian, Margaret Squires ponders if it all might go awry: "Wonderful to know that microbes are evolving to eat plastics. I just hope they don't get too good atit. Looking round this room, I would lose the keyboard I am typing this on, the phone, the file boxes, half the vacuum, plugs, the front-doorbell receptor, probably one handbag and all the CDs and DVDs. It would be terrifying to come in one morning and find that they had all jellified."
Definition of middle-aged
When does middle age start? Depends who you ask. It's a nebulous term really - the Cambridge Dictionary defines it as "the period of your life, usually considered to be from about 45 to 60, when you are no longer young, but are not yet old." Middle age describes the third quarter of life – the period after young adulthood and before old age. As life expectancy has increased, each life phase has changed. In 1950 people moved into midlife at about 35 and claimed a government pension at 60, which signalled the start of older age. In the 21st century midlife started at about 45 and superannuation was claimed at 65 – typically signifying the end of the midlife period. Hal Dunkelman tells the Guardian: "Rather than being a chronological process "middle age is when the soul collapses with secretly accumulating disgust", a definition I heard on the radio late one night many years ago. I'm happy to say that, at 82, my soul is still buoyant."
Lloyd Murcott of Whangamatā writes: "Many years ago, an elderly neighbour told me his story about getting his motorcycle licence in Raetihi. He apparently couldn't get his motorcycle to start when the time came for the test ride. He proceeded to push his motorcycle the length of the main street and back again without it firing up. The officer issued him his motorcycle licence for his efforts."
Did you know...
Letizia Ramolino was born in 1750. In her 85 years of life, she gave birth to Napoleon Bonaparte, saw the French monarchy collapse, witnessed the French Revolution, and saw her son crowned emperor. Then she saw his death, the collapse of his empire, and the restoration of the monarchy. She died in 1836, 15 years after her most famous son.
