Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • The ancient technology getting a second wind

    Old ships, powered by the wind, are being refurbished to sail small amounts of cargo around the world. While there are only a few hundred still in use, newer ships and sails are being designed and built with new technology to make the vessels more fuel efficient and produce zero emissions. While many of them are in the prototype phase, some of these ships are able to go into smaller ports and harbors that larger vessels can’t reach.

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  • The world's first 3D-printed neighborhood now has its first houses

    3D-printed homes offer a solution to affordable housing in remote and underserved areas. New Story, nonprofit in San Francisco that specializes in 3D printed homes, recently expanded its work to Tabasco, Mexico. After using 3D printers to help communities in El Salvador, Bolivia, and Haiti rebuild after natural disasters, the nonprofit has brought its model to create an affordable neighborhood in rural Mexico. Partnering with Icon, the developers of a 3D printer, and a local nonprofit, Echale a Tu Casa, the initiative has created its first homes for residents.

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  • Solar Panels as Solution for SEPTA's Power Outage Problems

    Storing solar energy improves the resilience of public transportation systems to disruptions in the energy grid. With the potential of extreme heat or weather conditions to cause issues in the reliability of electrical power, Philadelphia’s SEPTA public transportation system has begun to invest in solar power. By storing solar energy in batteries at various hubs, the public transportation system can avoid delays caused by local outages.

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  • Oakland's 'Pothole Vigilantes' Take Street Repairs Into Their Own Hands

    In Oakland, CA, two men deemed the Pothole Vigilantes have paired up to fix every pothole in the city. Made possible by crowdfunding the venture, the two have now developed public meetups to teach others how to fix potholes themselves. This has caught the attention of city officials, who, partly because of this effort, have passed a $100 million plan to repave Oakland streets.

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  • Termite and ventilation system

    Buildings with permeable surfaces increase energy efficiency, mimicking natural structures. In Harare, Zimbabwe, the Eastgate Centre employs methods borrowed from termite mound construction to efficiently regulate the building's temperature. By employing insights that scientists had gained by studying the airflow in termite mounds, the Centre’s architects used materials with a high thermal mass, increased surface area, and maximized ventilation.

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  • Fish Below Your Feet and Other Solutions for a Living Harbor

    Around the world, scientists are eco-engineering urban waterfront areas to encourage marine species diversity. Seattle’s Central Waterfront area was recently enhanced with a textured and angled concrete sea wall to encourage the growth of algae and invertebrates, a built-up seafloor to attract juvenile salmon who like shallow water, and light penetrating glass bricks in the sidewalk, which boost seaweed growth and entice shade-avoidant salmon smolts. The project also enhances the human experience with more pedestrian access, better storm water management, and a new pier park with direct water access.

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  • Mastering mobility through education and collaboration

    There is a lack of new and local talent in the mobility industry, so the Michigan Mobility Institute started the Detroit Mobility Lab to issue master's degrees in mobility after a 9-12 month program. The Lab partners with local universities and industry professionals to equip new workers with the interdisciplinary skills needed for the rapidly-evolving industry. This is one of several ways that the city of Detroit is working to provide curricula and resources to address the lack of available workers.

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  • You Flushed the Toilet. They Made Some Bricks.

    A civil engineer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in Australia is converting biosolids, or disinfected leftovers from the water treatment process, into bricks for building. He claims they look, smell, and work the same as conventional fired clay bricks, but with an added benefit of saving land and energy and reducing carbon emissions.

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  • Beet juice, molasses and mag: Colorado's search for the right highway de-icing mixture

    As Colorado searches for the most effective and efficient de-icer for its winter weather, the state weighs the pros and cons of using agricultural by-products like beet juice and molasses as base ingredients. The quest for finding the perfect de-icer comes up against environmental concerns – especially considering the robust outdoors of Colorado – as well as budget limitations and effectiveness.

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  • Bringing back historic wildlife migration corridors to the mountains

    In North Carolina, a group of planners and conservationists are working to install wildlife corridors along a stretch of I-40, allowing animals like elk and bears to cross safely. The plan has myriad benefits: stopping fatalities, reducing traffic accidents, and improving wildlife habitat. Climate change only makes such corridors more crucial, because wildlife will be increasingly on the move.

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