Friday, November 29, 2024

The Obtain: Fowl flu, and waterless concrete for the moon

How frightened ought to we be about chicken flu? The previous few months have seen some doubtlessly worrisome developments within the US, together with the continued unfold of the virus amongst dairy cattle, the detection of the virus in a pig in addition to cow’s milk, and—most regarding of all—the rising variety of human infections.

We don’t but have any proof that the virus is spreading between individuals, however the threat of a possible pandemic has elevated since MIT Expertise Overview final lined this matter a few months in the past.

The excellent news is we’re in a a lot better place to sort out any potential future flu outbreaks than we had been to face covid-19 again in 2020, provided that we have already got vaccines. However, on the entire, it’s not trying nice. Learn the total story.

—Jessica Hamzelou

This story is from The Checkup, our weekly e-newsletter supplying you with the within observe on all issues well being and biotech. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Thursday.

The moon is just the start for this waterless concrete

If NASA establishes a everlasting presence on the moon, its astronauts’ houses might be made from a brand new 3D-printable, waterless concrete. Sometime, so would possibly yours. By accelerating the curing course of for extra fast building, this sulfur-based compound may turn into simply as relevant on our residence terrain as it’s on lunar soil.

Conventional concrete requires massive quantities of water, a commodity that can be in brief provide on the moon, and sending simply 1 kilogram of it to the moon prices roughly $1.2 million.

As a substitute, NASA hopes to create new supplies from lunar soil and ultimately adapt the identical methods for constructing on Mars. However creating the right waterless “lunarcrete” is simpler stated than carried out. Learn the total story.

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