Oil spill cleanup
Is the cure worse than the disease? Katrina Krämer looks at the new alternatives to traditional dispersants and surfactants
Do the dispersants used to clean up oil spills do as much – or more – damage than the oil itself? That’s the worry being addressed by scientists trying to find new ways to clean up those slicks. Taking inspiration from nature, researchers are using cacti and fern leaves to do it.
Original images with expired licence replaced 14 May 2019