Science Quickly ENCORE: Science’s Greatest 180s
Dec 29, 2025
Science is a journey of discovery, filled with surprising turns. Explore how nerve damage misconceptions shifted toward understanding regeneration. Discover the rethinking of adult brain neurogenesis, once deemed impossible. Uncover the intriguing history of plastic as a sustainable alternative to ivory, yet its environmental costs. Dive into the evolution of beliefs about Martian life, from canals to focusing on microbial habitats. Each topic highlights science's capacity for change and the excitement of new understanding.
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Nerves Can Regenerate After All
- Scientists long believed nerve damage was irreversible but evidence shows nerves can regenerate under the right conditions.
- Recent research even supports adult neurogenesis, challenging decades-old assumptions.
How Celluloid Replaced Ivory
- In 1864 a contest sought a substitute for ivory used in billiard balls and inspired John Wesley Hyatt to invent celluloid.
- Hyatt patented celluloid himself and it became the founding object of the plastics industry.
Sustainability Became A New Problem
- Replacing ivory reduced demand in one industry but plastic's rise increased resource extraction and created new environmental problems.
- The invention intended as sustainability ultimately reshaped consumption with harmful consequences.