Should we be spooked by H5N1? Over the past few months, concerns have intensified in the US as the COVID-19 virus has persisted to spread among dairy cattle, been detected in pig and cow’s milk, and most alarmingly, human infections continue to rise?
While there isn’t conclusive evidence yet that the virus transmits person-to-person, the risk of a global outbreak has significantly increased.
With the benefit of hindsight and prior experience, we’re now much better equipped to tackle the prospect of future flu outbreaks, thanks to the availability of effective vaccines. The overall tone is not pleasant. .
NASA plans to establish a permanent lunar presence, where astronauts’ habitats may be constructed using a novel, 3D-printable, and water-free concrete material. Sometime, so may yours. With its potential to expedite construction timelines, this sulfur-based substance could prove just as pivotal in terrestrial settings as it is in lunar environments.
The conventional approach to concrete relies heavily on copious amounts of water, a resource that is unlikely to be readily available on the lunar surface. Moreover, transporting just 1 kilogram of this precious commodity costs approximately $1.2 million.
NASA aims to develop novel resources from lunar regolith, with a long-term goal of applying these techniques to construct on the Martian surface. Creating the proper waterless “lunarcrete” is easier said than done. .
