UN maps out decarbonization of polluting construction sector
The construction sector—the most polluting and difficult to decarbonize—must build less, use more sustainable materials and clean up conventional ones to slash its emissions, the United Nations said on Tuesday......»»
Combining aesthetics with fire-resistance for improved wood protection
Wood is a popular material for construction and furniture making due to its availability, easy processing, and strong mechanical properties. However, its flammability poses significant risks, particularly in historical buildings......»»
Grenfell victims were "overcome by toxic gases" after construction loophole
Governments have a duty to protect their citizens. While they won't go as far as telling us what we can and cannot put in our homes, we do expect them to ensure that the buildings we live in are safe from fire......»»
Q&A: Making the case for artisanal and small-scale mining
Artisanal and small-scale mining plays a critical role in supplying the world with minerals vital for decarbonization, but this kind of mining typically lacks regulation and can be socially and environmentally harmful......»»
Researchers create new tool to analyze embodied carbon in more than 1 million buildings in Chicago
The built environment—which includes the construction and operation of buildings, highways, bridges and other infrastructure—is responsible for close to 40% of the global greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change......»»
Research explores whether "everything as a service" will live up to its great expectations
It's no secret that the composition of the American economy is changing. As the manufacturing sector continues to decline, the balance is slowly tipping even further away from goods and towards services. In line with this larger trend, many firms hav.....»»
Transport choices can make a significant difference for climate change, researchers find
Australian transport emissions are still growing. As a result, transport is expected to be our biggest-emitting sector by 2030. So, cutting transport emissions is crucial to Australia's net-zero strategy......»»
Low-energy ion implantation enables 2D lateral p-n junction construction
The feature size of silicon-based transistors is approaching the theoretical limit, which puts forward higher requirements for the atomic level manufacturing of semiconductors. The basic idea of atomic level manufacturing is to process and manipulate.....»»
AI tool maps out cell metabolism with precision
Understanding how cells process nutrients and produce energy—collectively known as metabolism—is essential in biology. Modern biology generates large datasets on various cellular activities, but integrating and analyzing the vast amounts of data.....»»
Google Maps has been updated with a subtle but important design change
Google has redesigned the pins it uses in the Google Maps app with a new, more rounded design......»»
Exploring functional organic materials for the energy transition
Carbon, of all things, could help us to push forward the decarbonization of our industrial society. Functional carbon particles, known as carbon dots, can transform sunlight into energy and extract hydrogen from water. Prof. Dr. Dirk M. Guldi, a chem.....»»
South Africa"s coal workers face uncertainty—study shows they"re being left out of the green transition
South Africa is on the path to decarbonization—doing away with burning coal and other fossil fuels and moving towards renewable, clean energy, such as solar and wind power. However, the coal industry employs 91,000 people. If these workers lost the.....»»
Colorado"s wildfire risk is so high a fire department struggled to find insurance to build a new firehouse
The Durango Fire Protection District was repeatedly denied insurance coverage for the construction of its new downtown firehouse earlier this year because of the wildfire risk......»»
Efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty provide an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past
The Columbia River Treaty is a landmark water-management agreement, ratified in 1964, by the United States and Canada which aimed to co-ordinate water management within the Columbia River Basin, particularly through the construction of four large dam.....»»
Q&A: Rwanda is creating shiny, modern cities after the genocide—but this won"t help communities heal from the past
Over the past 17 years, Rwanda has cleared informal settlements to make way for modern urban construction. Kigali's ambitious city master plan is expected to be fully realized by 2050. But what about the people who are pushed out in the process, and.....»»
NASA has to be trolling with the latest cost estimate of its SLS launch tower
"NASA officials informed us they do not intend to request a fixed-price proposal." Enlarge / Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program and primary contractor Bechtel National, Inc. continue construction on the base o.....»»
RSA Authenticator App improves cybersecurity for federal agencies
RSA announced new passwordless, phishing-resistant capabilities that meet stringent technical standards and can help public sector agencies, contractors, and systems integrators fulfill Executive Order 14028 and National Security Memo 8 to improve th.....»»
More bad news for psychedelic drug company: FDA expands probe after rejection
Psychedelic drug company Lykos already slashed staff and overhauled leadership. Enlarge / President of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Rick Doblin speaks onstage during the 2023 Concordia Annual Sum.....»»
Nonprofits with investment income slower to recover from economic downturns, study shows
A recent study evaluates three decades of financial data from nonprofit organizations and finds that while the sector tends to bounce back quickly after periods of economic recession, some organizations bounce back more quickly than others. Specifica.....»»
From antiquity to adaptation: Tracing the genetic journey of east Asian chestnut varieties
Uncovering the genetic saga of Castanea trees, a study maps their evolutionary journey and local climate adaptations. This research reveals the genetic markers and molecular mechanisms that have allowed these nut fruit trees to adapt and flourish acr.....»»
Indirect emissions the key to agricultural emissions reduction, research suggests
Focusing on the direct emissions from the Australian agricultural sector is not the most effective way in dealing with the industry's greenhouse gas emissions, research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found......»»