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Hutchison, C. A. I. et al. Design and synthesis of a minimal bacterial genome. Science 351, aad6253 (2016).
Google Scholar
Baek, M. et al. Accurate prediction of protein structures…

Wednesday, 7 January, 2026

Actress Jessie Buckley has said she was “brutalised” on the 2008 TV talent show that catapulted her to fame.
The 36-year-old was the runner-up on the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, about the search for an actress to play Nancy in a West End production of…


INDIANAPOLIS AND LONDON (January 7, 2026) – Corteva Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) and bp (NYSE: BP, LSE: BP.L) today announced the launch of Etlas, their new 50:50 joint venture that will produce oil from crops – including canola, mustard and sunflower – for use in the production of biofuels like sustainable (or synthetic) aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (RD). Etlas will harness both Corteva’s century-long expertise in seed technology to develop crops ideally suited to produce SAF and RD as well as bp’s expertise in refining and marketing fuel for the commercial transportation market.
Etlas aims to produce one million metric tonnes of feedstock per year by the mid-2030s, which could produce over 800 thousand tonnes of biofuel. Initial supply is scheduled to begin in 2027 for use in co-processing at refineries as well as at dedicated biofuels plants.
Leading industry estimates have global demand for SAF growing to as much as 10 million tonnes by 20301 — from about 1 million tonnes in 2024, while global demand for RD could rise to as much as 35 million tonnes by 20302 from approximately 17 million tonnes in 2024. Etlas is designed to provide a reliable, scalable supply of feedstock to help meet this expected demand.
The feedstock Etlas uses will be harvested from crops that are grown on existing cropland, between main food cropping seasons. Such intermediate crops can help improve soil health while providing farmers with a new revenue stream. As they use existing cropland during times when it has previously been unproductive like a fallow or cover period, they also do not lead to additional demand for land.
Judd O’Connor, executive vice president of Corteva’s seed business unit added: “By helping found Etlas, Corteva continues to deliver on two critical parts of our mission: to help fuel the world and to support farmers. Agriculture is part of the solution, and we are excited to see Etlas come to life.”
Philipp Schoelzel, senior vice president, biofuels growth, bp added: “This capital light joint venture creates optionality in our biofuels value chain, strengthening our position and helping deliver attractive returns. We’re excited to collaborate with Corteva to deliver what our customers want.”
Ignacio Conti, Global Business Development Director at Corteva will be the new Etlas Chief Executive Officer and Gaurav Sonar, vice president, Novel Feedstocks at bp will become its Chair of the Board of Directors.
“As the aviation industry looks for reliable, sustainable and cost-competitive sources of SAF, it is clear farmers have a critical role to play,” said Etlas CEO, Ignacio Conti. “Etlas brings together global leaders in agriculture innovation and energy production to harness this demand by leveraging technological expertise and trusted relationships with farmers around the world to help scale production and boost supply while offering farmers new revenue streams.”

Herrman, H. et al. Time for united action on depression: a Lancet–World Psychiatric Association Commission. Lancet 399, 957–1022 (2022). This is an essential multidisciplinary contribution that underscores whole-of-society and…

PARIS – Snow, ice and high winds brought transport chaos to swathes of Europe for a third day on Jan 7, with hundreds of flights cancelled and passengers stranded.
Airports in Paris and Amsterdam were the worst affected, with the Dutch authorities saying more than 1,000 travellers had been forced to spend the night at Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest hubs.
Six people have died in weather-related accidents
as the continent reels from the most bitter cold snap of the winter so far.
Five of those deaths were confirmed in France on Jan 6, while a woman died in Bosnia as heavy snow and rain sparked floods and power outages across the Balkans.
For those without homes and sleeping on the streets, the cold snap has come as a huge shock.
Mr Boubacar Camara, from Guinea, told AFP news agency he had “no choice but to keep on going”.
“You just have to stay strong, make sure you don’t die, you know,” said the 19-year-old, who is sleeping in a tent in the French capital.
“We can’t do anything about the cold – I’m not used to this at all.”
More than 100 flights were cancelled on Jan 7 at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and 40 more at the French capital’s other main hub, Orly.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot told local media he was “hoping the situation returns to normal this afternoon”.
All public bus services in Paris and the surrounding suburbs were also suspended because of icy roads, with almost half of the country’s mainland on alert for heavy snow and black ice.
Schiphol Airport said more than 700 flights had been cancelled so far and warned that the number was likely to increase.
Belgium’s biggest hub, Brussels Airport, also confirmed 40 flight cancellations on Jan 7.
Britain saw temperatures plunging, with hundreds of schools shutting their doors for a third day in Scotland, where the authorities warned some rural communities could be “cut off” by snow.
The Eurostar rail service connecting London with continental European cities was also disrupted again on Jan 7, with passengers facing cancellations and delays.
Nordic countries were also facing snow-related chaos, with officials in eastern Sweden warning that power cuts were “likely” because of heavy snowfall.
Trams were suspended in the western city of Gothenburg, and the authorities in the wider region warned people not to drive and stay at home if possible.
In Denmark, the authorities in the far-north region of North Jutland warned people to brace themselves for heavy snow but said the situation was under control.
“For now, calm prevails in North Jutland, but we are taking the weather forecast very seriously,” the police wrote in a statement.
“We also urge citizens to prepare and keep safety advice in mind, especially if they have to travel in difficult traffic conditions.” AFP

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