I’m a bit surprised someone hasn’t worked out how to engineer a microbe to make this stuff, rather than relying on refining it from pig offal. I can remember the switch from pig and ox offal-based insulins to human insulin produced in vats of bugs. That happened in the early 1980’s. The reason, in part, was the same - supply couldn’t keep up with demand.
The product (digestive enzyme) is wickedly corrosive, so it might be hard for the microbes to live with. Then again, we already have cells in our bodies which live with it. So it’s not impossible.
It’ll be a big-pharma business decision. It’s probably cheaper to make it the way we do now and if the supply is only marginally below the demand, and the new product won’t be functionally a lot better (human insulin is a good deal better than animal stuff) then the investment won’t offer a great return.
Will be interesting to see why those two ships collided up near Grimsby. One was stationary and the other had a fairly straight unwavering course.
They have a system that collects AIS data to track vessels and based on the speed and direction data etc will calculate their future path and location for traffic management and collision avoidance.
I have my suspicions but won’t post for legal reasons.
International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
Rule 5 requires that "every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.
The most important and most ignored rule.
I have been sailing in The English Channel and come close to large tankers, looking through binoculars you can see there is no one on the bridge, they are relying on automatic systems warnings
In my Dad’s time I think it was basically a firing offence not to turn up for your watch. Although it was a lot more manual and analogue in those days, and he was quite a disciplinarian.
I remember him being livid that the Captain of the Exxon Valdez wasn’t even on the bridge.
Some sources reporting that anonymous crew on Stena Immaculate claiming Solong’s bridge was empty on impact and that there was no attempt even to shut-down the engines for a considerable time.
Seems at least some crew were immediately turned loose to shop for necessities, which given the impact may have been no accident seems a mite bizarre.
As usual with anything, the media are muddying the waters beautifully.
