Photo: Jonathan Snyder/Wired.com NEW YORK CITY — When it's finally completed in 2016, New York City's Second Avenue Subway Line will be the culmination of 75 years worth of planning, millions of tons of extracted slag, and over $17 billion in spending. But that's not the point. What's important is that this long-awaited public transportation [...]
Initial tests in the measuring chamber confirm that paving slabs coated with titanium dioxide can reduce ambient nitrogen oxide levels. (Credit: Copyright Fraunhofer IME) ScienceDaily (Aug. 18, 2010) — The concentrations of toxic nitrogen oxide that are present in German cities regularly exceed the maximum permitted levels. That's now about to change, as innovative paving [...]
ScienceDaily (May 16, 2010) — The received wisdom that ivy destroys buildings has been overturned by a new study by Oxford University. Ivy clinging to an old wall. The received wisdom that ivy destroys buildings has been overturned by a new study by Oxford University. (Credit: iStockphoto/Carol Gering) In a three-year project, Oxford researchers analysed [...]
This bird eye view taken on April 20, shows the 33.9 kilometer Saemangeum seawall in Gunsan, some 200 kilometers south of Seoul. S.Korea on April 27 formally marked completion of the world's longest seawall, the first step in a massive project aimed at reclaiming the ocean for industry, tourism and agriculture by 2020. South Korea [...]
The passive sensor-transponder continuously monitors the protective coating of concrete bridges, allowing corrosion damage to be detected at an early stage. (Credit: Image copyrighted/courtesy of Fraunhofer IMS) ScienceDaily (Apr. 24, 2010) — Concrete bridges have to be strong enough to cope with a wide variety of different impacts: frost, heavy traffic and emissions all take [...]
Terje Rønning, R&D Manager at cement producer Norcem and chairman of the board of the Concrete Innovation Centre (COIN). (Credit: Sverre Jarild) ScienceDaily (Apr. 9, 2010) — The cement used in Oslo's new Bjørvika tunnel kept 8,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the environment — the equivalent of 60 million vehicle trips through the tunnel. [...]
Editor's Note: Scientific American's George Musser will be chronicling his experiences installing solar panels in Solar at Home (formerly 60-Second Solar). Read his introduction here and see all posts here. Earlier this week I posed the question of whether old houses will ever be able to reduce their energy needs by the factor of five [...]
ScienceDaily (Mar. 31, 2010) — Top a building with a light-colored "cool roof," and it reflects sunlight, cutting air conditioning bills in summer, but increasing winter heating costs. Choose black shingles, and the roof soaks up sunlight to cut winter heating costs but makes the roof bake in the summer sun. One or the other. [...]
Masdar City aims to be powered solely by renewable energy sources. The world's first zero-carbon city is being built in Abu Dhabi and is designed to be not only free of cars and skyscrapers but also powered by the sun. The oil-rich United Arab Emirates is the last place you would expect to learn lessons [...]
A view of the Map Ta Phut industrial estate is seen in Rayong province, eastern Thailand February 17, 2010. Credit: Reuters/Sukree Sukplang BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand's Central Administrative Court said on Wednesday it would allow seven companies on the Map Ta Phut industrial estate to restart construction work suspended due to an environmental row. Among [...]
Quality Science & Technology news and images, which may possibly support or even inspire one's interests.
