Recycled Concrete

Long has old concrete been a challenge for construction and demolition workers. Long has the question arisen as: "So, now that we've torn it down; what do we do with it?" Well, it turns out there might just be a solution! I was introduced to this brief article which came from a scientific paper describing some research findings. You can look at the recycled concrete article and see for yourself. For me, this is most exciting since it means that enormous amounts of waste concrete can be kept out of the landfill! Not to mention that fewer resources may need to be used to maintain high-wear concrete surfaces such as sidewalks for longer periods of time.

Transistors Detecting Herbicides

Okay, now this one is really interesting; not that concrete isn't interesting, it's just that this one seems to fit into my area of expertise a little more (you know, electricity).

This article on herbicide sensing transistors describes a scientific article that details a new technology that's still being researched that would allow specific transistors to be immersed in water or wastewater to detect certain levels of herbicides. Why is this important? Well, research is continuing to show that significant levels of herbicides can be dangerous to marine life including everything from flora to fauna. Both plants and animals can suffer from high levels of herbicides. With this emerging tech, we could see improved water and wastewater management such that industrial facilities and municipalities may be able to monitor their output, and make more informed decisions to adapt their systems.

Well, that's it for this go-around, but hopefully I can keep talking about some new and emerging tech!