material

Australia began turning waste plastic into railway sleepers in 2015, saving timber; the recycled material could last up to 50 years

by
Australia began turning waste plastic into railway sleepers in 2015, saving timber; the recycled material could last up to 50 years

Australia began experimenting with railway sleepers made from recycled plastic in 2015, turning material that might otherwise have gone to landfill into a component designed to sit beneath railway tracks. Developed by Integrated Recycling with researchers at Monash University’s Institute of Railway Technology, the Duratrack sleeper is made from about 85% post-consumer plastic waste, including … Read more

After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists planted sunflowers to pull radioactive material from contaminated water and soil; the flowers actually absorbed radioactive isotopes

by
After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists planted sunflowers to pull radioactive material from contaminated water and soil; the flowers actually absorbed radioactive isotopes

After the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists explored an unusual way of dealing with radioactive contamination by using plants to absorb radionuclides from the environment. Sunflowers emerged as a promising candidate because their roots can take up certain radioactive elements, including cesium and strontium, from contaminated water. Experiments near Chernobyl showed that sunflowers could remove … Read more

Rhode Island pilot recycled 80 short tons of fibreglass from old boats using a $105,000 NOAA grant, turning shredded hulls into cement material

by
Rhode Island pilot recycled 80 short tons of fibreglass from old boats using a $105,000 NOAA grant, turning shredded hulls into cement material

A Rhode Island pilot is demonstrating how fibreglass boat recycling could provide an alternative to sending old and derelict vessels to landfill. The programme shredded fibreglass hulls and sent the material to a cement manufacturer for use in cement production. According to a Rhode Island Marine Trade Association Foundation report, the pilot recycled 80 short … Read more

In 2002, Idaho buried nearly 300 tons of crushed waste glass beneath Highway 75; the material formed 8 to 12 inches of fill under a 200-foot road section

by
In 2002, Idaho buried nearly 300 tons of crushed waste glass beneath Highway 75; the material formed 8 to 12 inches of fill under a 200-foot road section

Idaho buried nearly 300 tons of crushed waste glass beneath Highway 75 Transport authorities in Idaho turned nearly 300 tonnes of discarded glass into road foundation material under Highway 75, creating a durable structural base while solving a local landfill crisis. The engineering trial, executed along a 200-foot stretch of highway near Ketchum, placed an … Read more

Who is Garrett Highlander? 5 things about West Virginia man arrested for sharing child sexual abuse material online

by
Garrett Michael Highlander, a 20-year-old from Morgantown, West Virginia, was arrested over alleged child sexual abuse material. (West Virginia Regional Jail)

Garrett Michael Highlander, a 20-year-old from Morgantown, West Virginiawas arrested after authorities investigated a Discord account allegedly used to discuss, seek and share child sexual abuse material. West Virginia State Police said the investigation followed multiple reports about the account, which investigators eventually linked to Highlander, as per reports. He has since been charged with … Read more

Some stars repeatedly skim past supermassive black holes, lose material and survive; scientists now think their unusually rapid spin explains why each returning flare becomes progressively dimmer

by
Some stars repeatedly skim past supermassive black holes, lose material and survive; scientists now think their unusually rapid spin explains why each returning flare becomes progressively dimmer

Representative Image (Canva) Some stars can make repeated close passes around supermassive black holes, losing part of their material each time while surviving to return again. These encounters produce bursts of light, or flares, that can recur months or even years apart. But astronomers have been puzzled by a pattern seen in some of these … Read more

Meet Tina Jin, the 15-year-old Massachusetts student who turned animal bones into a new material for cleaning polluted water

by
Meet Tina Jin, the 15-year-old Massachusetts student who turned animal bones into a new material for cleaning polluted water

A 15-year-old Massachusetts student is exploring an unusual way to make polluted water cleaner: using discarded animal bones. Tina Jin, a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, developed a filtration system that uses ground cow, lamb or pig bones arranged in multiple layers to target different contaminants in water. Her research focuses on places where … Read more