Sciences by MarketScale

Ron Lopez, president and managing director Astroscale US, joined host Daniel Litwin on this episode of the MarketScale Sciences Podcast to discuss the growing problem of space debris and what to do about it. The space economy is an expanding trillion-dollar industry, and this mission is to keep that economy healthy. There are many earth-bound services, from GPS to ATM, that rely on satellite technology, which resides in space.

“There’s any number of different services that are space-based that are providing value to our lives here on earth,” Lopez said.

The growth in this economy is due to several factors, including the reduction in the cost of satellite launches, and competing technologies.

With a booming space economy, the concern is how to navigate the rules of space and establish businesses and government protocols. Space flight safety and lower orbit space debris are a couple of critical areas for businesses and companies to focus on, Lopez said.

Defunct satellites and space debris at an altitude of 600 kilometers will come down naturally, but above that threshold, they will remain in orbit for hundreds or thousands of years.

“There are close to 1 million objects between 1cm and 10cms large, and an estimated 130 million objects between 1mm to 1cm, floating in space,” Lopez said. “Governments and businesses need to play a role in cleaning up this debris.”

Launching satellites into lower earth orbit is more cost-efficient than launching them into a higher orbit, which increases the number of satellites in lower orbit, and means the concerns of safety and debris are more significant.

“As a result,” Lopez said, “Astroscale anticipates larger satellite failure rates. Space is big, and accidents are still a low probability, but accidents do happen, and they are high impact events.”

In addition to their space debris-removal services, Astroscale’s developing technology to dock with existing satellites to refuel and service them, which can extend the lifespan of satellites, and reduce failure rates.

There are forces that we deal with on a daily basis that are apparent and ever-present. There are, however, other forces that are exponentially stronger, that most of us will never notice. On this episode of the MarketScale Sciences Podcast, host Sean Heath sat down with Jakob Heller from Ikon Science and they discussed the pressure associated with accurately calculating pore pressure.

The planet we walk on every day is constantly undergoing colossal change, on an unusually large scale, beneath the surface, according to Heller.

“We’re dealing with geology here, so, it’s a huge time frame that people potentially, normally wouldn’t be able to grasp.” he said. “The sort of conventional pore pressure prediction techniques were sort of developed and are best -suited for relatively young, recently deposited rocks.”

The first inclination is to assume that these calculations are strictly a mathematical process, but that is not the case, Heller explained.

“The key thing in order to be able to predict pore pressure and understand what is happening, in terms of pore pressure,” Heller said, “is to understand the geology. You have to be a very good geologist because we need to try and understand how pore pressure has developed throughout the history of the geological basin we are working in.”

There is an added layer of personal pressure that the teams face as well, explained Heller.

“The work we do, in many cases, has some implications for people drilling wells, obviously. If we get our pore pressure prediction wrong, then that might have some serious ramifications," he said.

Heller also presented an explanation of “hydrocarbon migration.”

“One thing that is very important in terms of pressure and understanding pressure and how it has developed through time in a geological basin, is that it imposes a big control on the migration of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins,“ he said. “That is often the case. Especially when we’re looking at conventional reservoirs, is that hydrocarbons have migrated out of the source rock and into the reservoir, the sort of container rock, into the trap."

On this episode of the Sciences Podcast, host Tyler Kern dug deep, so to speak, on the topic of using big data for conventional and unconventional reservoirs with two geoscientists from Ikon Science. Today's guests are Gabi D'Aubeterre, Americas support team manager, and Yoryenys Del Moro, regional product champion for wells.

Del Moro said current methods are just scratching the surface of what kind of production is possible.

"To get more production, … we need to use more data, including seismic and well information," she said.

Ikon Science develops pioneering GeoPrediction software technology and solutions to help customers have better hit rates and faster production with reduced cost and cycle time. The quantitative interpretation of seismic and well data has been widely successful for conventional operations around the world, but lags in unconventional reservoirs, D'Aubeterre and Del Moro said.

"When it comes to unconventional reservoirs, we need to change our mindset from what we've done traditionally," D'Aubeterre said.

Unconventional reservoirs pose a unique challenge for geoscientists. While the rock or sandstone in conventional reservoirs effectively traps oil and gas until it's drilled, this same trapping mechanism is not present in more difficult reservoirs.

"In an unconventional reservoir, the oil and gas are trapped, and there are low velocity and low permeability for that natural gas to flow naturally," D'Aubeterre said. Fracturing the rock and shale to extract that oil and gas makes a challenge for geoscientists and engineers.

Del Moro agreed, saying complications exist when geoscientists and engineers look to fracture the right area of rock for the right natural resource to produce oil and gas, and not water.

"So you need to apply the techniques that allow you to define and detect what you're looking for in the shales, fractures, and natural fracture zones," Del Moro said, explaining seismic data allows you to do that.

D'Aubeterre and Del Moro shared specific examples of quantitative interpretation of seismic and well data in unique settings and how the machine learning and integration is key.

Whether you prefer yogurt, kimchi, kefir, or kombucha, probiotics are all around us. But how do we really harness the benefits of this good bacteria, and capitalize on consuming foods that keep us healthy? The answer -- Prebiotics.

Tackling the science, consumer habits, and marketing behind prebiotics in this episode of Sciences Podcast are scientists John Davidson, Director of Innovation & Education for Deerland, and John Deaton, VP of Science & Technology for Deerland Sciences. We talk about how and why it is important to prime your gut with prebiotics, in order to truly harness the power of probiotics. From a marketing standpoint “probiotics were first out of the gate,” Deaton says, “but it’s not as simple as consuming a probiotic.”

Probiotic organisms are not very shelf-stable, nor very resilient to our stomach acids. This is why a prebiotic is so important. As non-living organisms, prebiotics are a food source or a compound, and much easier to manage in application. But, for real efficacy, prebiotics must be consumed in large doses. Herein lies the crux that Deerland has tackled head-on.

How do we provide a prebiotic that is small, consumable, and reduces the main side effect of gas, caused by fermentation in the gut? Davidson explains the groundbreaking science of their prebiotic, which is “based on bacteria phase technology.” Davidson and Deaton have reduced the dosage of necessary prebiotics from over 1 gram, to “Only 15 mg a day required for efficacy.”

In short, Deerland has “Really revolutionized the whole prebiotic space.” Says Davidson. The science is in, but the hard work isn’t over. “Consumer education is gonna be the key.” Says Davidson. Consumers may love the idea of probiotics, but don’t know that their efforts are futile without the symbiotic help of prebiotics.

Luckily, the probiotic and prebiotic market is only growing, with business owners taking note of this health phenomenon. Deerland is ready and waiting to bring their prebiotic to the mainstream.

The first modern freezer hit homes in the early 1900s. Since then, modern refrigeration and freezers have come a long way; the laws of thermodynamics, though, haven’t changed. The way in which people treat and manage their walk-in freezers often incurs more costs for a company, whether that's in maintenance or energy costs, and it all ties back to thermodynamics. Research by scientists like today’s guest, though, KPS Global's Technical Fellow James Costanza, has made modern industrial walk-in freezers more efficient, longer-lasting, and environmentally friendly.

Costanza first breaks down how energy flows, from a higher level to lower level of energy. He elaborates on the biggest thermodynamic challenges facing the construction of walk-in freezers today: conductance, convection, condensation, and radiation. These challenges have faced scientists and engineers since refrigeration began evolving over 200 years ago.

“Historically the cold storage industry...has been relatively stagnant in significant innovations,” Costanza said. But he continues to explain how KPSG has married elements of strength, such as insulated panels, and elements of thermal properties to craft a single product (a “FUSIONFRAME system”) that is a significant improvement in the industry, for the customer and the environment.

Perhaps the biggest challenge to Costanza and his team is condensation. He said condensation is “...the single largest issue related to storage of cold storage envelopes.“ So how do engineers battle the ongoing threat of condensation build-up, material deterioration, and mold growth? He explains the design in laymen’s terms, emphasizing how important it is to minimize condensation, particularly in food preparation spaces. The engineering group and manufacturing group at KPSG has pulled off a true feat of science in their innovative new design of walk-in freezers.

The importance of labs in healthcare is vital. Lab work helps clinicians understand and diagnose patients, and for labs to work smoothly and give feedback that can potentially change lives, they need quality software. Today, we’re joined by Deanna Shukis, M.S., CT(ASCP), senior application and implementation specialist for Psyche Systems, a company that creates lab information systems (LIS) that enable pathologists, physicians, and medical labs to streamline the delivery of vital medical results.

Shukis, a former cytotechnologist, talks with us today about the concept, “Life is a Case,” examining the real end results when it comes to improving a patient’s health or even saving a life.

Though the lab is very clinical, Shukis shared that what happens in the lab isn’t about numbers on a barcode. “There is actually a lot of humanization in the lab. Yes, there are just numbers and data on the specimens, but ultimately, those in the lab know that this specimen is a person, a human life, and what happens with the results will impact their life,” she said.

“The ‘Life of a Case’ diagram follows all the steps needed from ordering, collecting, transporting, and analysis. The ‘case’ follows steps, and each step must be completed successfully to move forward. It’s about checks and balances to meet regulatory compliance but also the perspective of care and concern because these results could possibly change patient’s life,” Shukis said.

Deanna also talked about the software the Psyche team developed about six years ago to meet the needs of a changing industry. “The industry was evolving, especially with the need for molecular diagnostic components, which were missing. We met with clients and did much research internally to develop something that addressed not only molecular diagnostic components but also more areas like DNA sequencing and toxicology," she said.

"The new software also enables versatility for all lab operations. Previously, different labs would do their analysis and prepare a report for the physician, so then he or she may have had multiple reports to understand the results. Our software covers all areas and creates a comprehensive report for doctors so they can then develop a plan for the patient’s future.”

Find out more about how Psyche developed the software and is playing a focused role in patient care by listening to the podcast.

Considering that our oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet’s surface and contain more than 97 percent of the Earth’s water, it’s surprising to realize that only about 5 percent of the world’s seafloor has been mapped in detail, leaving approximately 65 percent of the Earth (excluding dry land) unexplored. With so much of our planet yet to discover, governments, organizations, and private funding are furthering mankind’s ventures into sea, helping us to unravel the mysteries of the deep.

Yet, there is a high degree of difficulty and cost in exploring undersea. Vessels are one of the most critical elements in any ocean-going venture, carrying food, water, fuel, and the equipment necessary to the crew’s survival while on mission. These vessels must also house specialized tools and technologies that allow scientists and researchers to explore underwater environments, including cutting-edge computers and navigational and communications systems. For video production staffs responsible for capturing potentially once-in-a-lifetime discoveries in these extreme environments, their equipment must be rugged, dependable, and of superior quality in order to provide quality image streaming to shoreside teams and online viewers.

On today’s MarketScale Science podcast, we got to sit down and chat with Ed McNichol, Video Operation Manager on contract for Ocean Exploration Trust. OET was founded in 2008 to engage in pure ocean exploration, seeking out new discoveries in the fields of geology, biology, maritime history, archaeology, and chemistry. With all scientific research conducted at the highest international academic standards, OET pushes the boundaries of ocean engineering, technology, education, and communications, sharing their expeditions with explorers around the world via live telepresence.

“The most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen at the bottom of the ocean is what we’re just about to see next. It’s just such a mystery. And whatever’s just outside the reach of our lights, no matter how tired I am at sea, that’s what keeps me energized and engaged, because it’s such an unknown. So, I can’t fall back and say there’s any one particular thing I’ve seen that stands out because it’s all such a magical, mysterious area of our planet," McNichol said.

As OET’s contracted Video Operations Manager, Ed shoulders a lot of responsibility. He must ensure that each expedition is optimally captured and recorded on film. While new technology such as satellite equipped vessels have made a great impact on ocean video exploration, evolving technologies and companies like Cinedeck's are helping to refine and optimize undersea video production.