The Know Daily - Tuesday 5 March 2024

_{Read in 5m 20s ∙ Listening to Charli XCX ∙}

We know that solar power is one of the renewable energy sources that might save the planet - but did you know that the technology was pioneered by a woman? Mária Telkes (1900-1995) was a Hungarian-American physicist who dedicated her career to studying solar energy, ultimately registering more than 20 patents. Oh, and she also became known as the “Sun Queen”. 👑 

With thanks to Wild Nutrition for keeping news that's conscious of your wellbeing free and available to all. Wild Nutrition is B Corp pioneering naturally-sourced, scientifically studied Food-Grown supplements.

🇺🇸 What is Super Tuesday?

Today, voters in 15 US states and one US territory decide on who they think should be their candidates for president.

Why is it called “Super” Tuesday?
It’s an “important new phase” of the presidential primaries, said CNN, given that multiple states vote on the same day. Both Democrats and Republicans will have a say on who they want to see on the ballot in November. 

Super Tuesday is important, “even though neither Democratic President Joe Biden nor former President Donald Trump has had to sweat the competition this year”, added CNN.

How does the voting work?
Based on the outcome of each contest, party officials known as delegates are allocated to the top candidates - and a certain number of delegates is needed to officially select the presidential nominee at each party's convention this summer, BBC News explained. Associated Press has this handy guide to the delegate system.

Approximately one-third of the total delegates - 865 Republican and at least 1,420 Democratic - are up for grabs on Super Tuesday.

Who’s likely to win?
In short, Trump and Biden. The Trump campaign anticipates winning at least 773 delegates on the day and securing the Republican nomination later in March, said the BBC. The former president currently holds an estimated 244 delegates, while his Republican competitor Nikki Haley has 43.

And for the Democrats, current president Joe Biden is the presumed candidate and it’s “highly unlikely” anything will change that, said Sky News’ US correspondent Mark Stone.

But there are still some key moments to watch out for. Even though Haley is unlikely to win, she is still in the race - and Super Tuesday could be her last opportunity to slow down Trump's progress.

🍌 Banana breakthrough

The world’s first genetically modified banana has been approved for consumption in Australia. 

And we need one because…? 
Scientists in the state of Queensland developed the genetically modified (GM) variety in a bid to safeguard banana production against the growing threat posed by a fungal disease (known as Panama Tropical Race 4, or TR4). 

As ABC News explained, there is currently no treatment or cure for the disease - so while it is not yet widespread in Australia, scientists created the GM banana as a “safety net” for the future.

How does the tech work?
Scientists discovered a gene that is nearly immune to Panama TR4 in a wild banana. They then created a variety of the Cavendish banana - the most commonly-grown type in Australia - that included this gene. 

Lead scientist Professor Dale stressed that there is “nothing scary” about the process of creating the GM crop, stating: “we have moved a banana gene from one banana to another”.

So when is it landing on supermarket shelves?
Not anytime soon. While scientists have stressed that the banana is safe to eat, it’s still considered a “back-up option” in case Panama TR4 becomes more prevalent in Australia.

Got it. What’s the bigger picture?
GM crops are widely grown in many countries worldwide, but some places - including the UK and EU - have only approved a few for farmers to grow, said New Scientist. However, a much wider range of products have been approved for eating.

Professor Dale told ABC News that gene editing was necessary to “future-proof” crops such as bananas, allowing scientists to create varieties that can withstand a “much more challenging climate”.

💬 Wiki wonder: Less than 20% of biographies on English-language Wikipedia are about women - and one US museum is hosting a Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon aimed at fixing that.

💰 Brum budget: Birmingham City Council will vote today on a range of proposed cuts to local services and a council tax rise of 21% over the next two years. More on this here.

📺 Media watchdog: Ofcom has ruled that Laurence Fox’s “misogynistic” comments about journalist Ava Evans on GB News in September broke broadcasting rules.

📈 Tobacco tally: The number of people smoking pipes, shisha and cigars in the UK has risen fivefold over a decade, a new study has found - with the increase greatest among young adults.

🧀 Un-brie-lievable: The world’s “cheesiest nation” has been revealed, according to Euronews - and the country taking top spot may surprise you.

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Trivia answer: A) Garlic has been celebrated with a festival on the Isle of Wight since 1983 - and this year is no different.

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