Dedicated to social, economic & most importantly climate justice through sustainable technologies/methodologies.
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Aluminum (Al) is present in the daily life of humans, and the incidence
of Al contamination increased in recent years. Long-term excessive Al
intake induces neuroinflammation and cognition impairment.
Though titanium does not play any role in the human body (most ingested titanium passes through without being absorbed) it is the most biocompatible metal, making it the prime choice for biomedical implants - often alloyed with aluminum and/or vanadium.
The element is non-toxic even in relatively large doses, but in certain situations titanium is a fire hazard, including when in the form of a powder or metal shavings and when reacting with liquid oxygen.
Research project from Eirini Malliaraki
illustrates ideas for drone programming, from gesture to emotion recognition:
1-month graduate project // Royal College of Art & Imperial College// May 2017
Taking inspiration from the interaction between falconers and their
birds of prey, as well as from common daily gestures, cybernetics,
dance, and robotics, several themes were explored, namely:
- a gesture-based interaction scheme that attempts to create a more intuitive and natural way to communicate with aerial robots
- ways in which aerial robots can become more autonomous by interpreting their environment in richer ways
- ways in which they can communicate their intentions and give feedback
- ways in which an aerial robot can understand and react to human emotions and eventually influence our behaviour
Parrot AR Drone, Node js, Javascript, Affectiva Emotion analysis SDK
The Sierra Club released a new analysis Friday that found that transitioning all 1,400+ U.S. Conference of Mayors member-cities to 100 percent clean and renewable electricity will significantly reduce electric sector carbon pollution nationwide and help the U.S. towards meeting the goals of the Paris climate agreement.
According to the Sierra Club analysis, if cities belonging to the U.S. Conference of Mayors were to move to 100 percent clean and renewable electricity, it would reduce electric sector carbon emissions by more than that of the five worst carbon polluting U.S. states combined. If the 100 percent energy targets were achieved by 2025, the total electric sector carbon pollution reductions would fill anywhere from 87 percent to 110 percent of the remaining reductions the U.S. would need to achieve in order to meet the goals of the Paris agreement.
The analysis of National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Energy Information Administration data comes before the start of the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Miami Beach, from June 23-26, where members will consider a resolution that would establish support for the goal of 100 percent clean, renewable energy in cities nationwide.
In addition, the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign and the co-chairs of Mayors for 100% Clean Energy announced Friday that 118 mayors across the country have endorsed a goal of powering their communities with 100 percent clean, renewable energy such as wind and solar.
Thirty-six cities across the U.S. have now committed to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy. This growing list of cities most recently includes Columbia, South Carolina, which this week unanimously voted to transition entirely to clean, renewable energy by 2036. Other cities including Los Angeles and Denver are studying pathways to 100 percent clean energy.
Seismic airguns exploding in the ocean in search for oil and gas have devastating impacts on zooplankton, which are critical food sources for marine mammals, according to a new study in Nature. The blasting decimates one of the ocean’s most vital groups of organisms over huge areas and may disrupt entire ecosystems.
And this devastating news comes on the heels of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s proposal to authorize more than 90,000 miles of active seismic blasting. Based on the results of this study, the affected area would be approximately 135,000 square miles.
In the study, scientists found that the blasts from a single seismic airgun caused a statistically significant decrease in zooplankton 24 hours after exposure. Abundance fell by at least 50 percent in more than half (58 percent) of the species observed. The scientists also found two to three times more dead zooplankton following airgun exposure compared to controls and, shockingly, krill larvae were completely wiped out.
Credit: Drexel
University. A series of concrete core samples being prepared for testing for
reactivity with de-icers.
1. The new method for producing concrete uses
by-products of coal furnaces, the metal industry and silicon and ferrosilicon
alloys – fly ash, slag and silica fume.
2. It has proved more resistant to salt
deterioration than current concrete mixes used for road and pavement surfaces.
3. Calcium chloride salt, used to de-ice roads,
reacts with calcium hydroxide in concrete, forming calcium oxychloride. This
can expand when formed, creating internal pressure and producing cracks in the
concrete.
4. The new concrete mix contains less calcium
hydroxide, therefore producing less calcium oxychloride than Portland cement,
while also using recycled materials.
5. It is hoped that the new mix will allow the
lifespan of concrete roads and pavements to reach the designed target of 20-40
years.
By Nicolas Zart The concept of low- to no-pressure travel through tubes has been around for a few hundred years, but it’s clearly facing a revival of inspiration lately.
