E37: Can computers help us recycle more plastic? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/can-computers-help-us-recycle-more-plastic/ or watch at https://youtu.be/7zw_RtUXemkSummary: Researchers wanted to find a way to improve plastic recycling using a computer program. Abstract: Plastic pollution is a big environmental challenge facing us today. We use a huge amount of plastic in our daily lives but recycle very little. In fact, the average person living in North America consumes around 230lbs (104kg) of plastic each year! When a problem is this big, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. But if everybody makes small changes, it soon adds up to something big! Recycling old plastic helps to reduce the amount of new plastic we make. However, it is difficult to identify and separate all the different types of plastic by simply looking at them. We wanted to find a solution to this. Our study shows that computers with cameras can learn to recognize 12 types of plastic. They can then use this knowledge to identify plastics as they move along a conveyor belt. Our findings could revolutionize plastic recycling and bring us one step closer to solving the global plastic challenge. About us: Science Journal for Kids is a non-profit organization that “translates” academic papers into easy-to-understand science articles for school students. Why? Because children have the right to know about the latest scientific discoveries. #science #article #teach #STEM #students #readaloud #recycle #plasticpollution #spectroscopy #machinelearning #plasticidentification This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com