Earth911 Quiz #60: New Tech and Materials Recycling

Daily, you make decisions that influence humanity’s impact on the Earth’s environment. Those choices may… The post Earth911 Quiz #60: New Tech and Materials Recycling appeared first on Earth911.

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Earth911 Quiz #60: New Tech and Materials Recycling

Flooring inspired by ‘nature’s carpet’

Sponsored: Mohawk Group took on the Living Product Challenge Petal certification to build a carpet that gives a greater lifecycle to flooring, from design to the built environment.

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Flooring inspired by ‘nature’s carpet’

Ice Home materials for future Mars dwellings are heading to space

Before astronauts ever venture to Mars , materials for a red planet habitat will undergo space testing. The inflatable Mars Ice Home , designed by Clouds Architecture Office (Clouds AO), Space Exploration Architecture (SEArch), and NASA’s Langley Research Center , could protect explorers from radiation in the extreme environment of Mars – and the materials that could comprise the dome will soon be assessed aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Mars Ice Home materials are to be blasted to space in November 2018, as part of the MISSE-11 mission. On the ISS, materials for the habitat’s wall assembly will be flight tested for an entire year, and material samples will even be mounted on the station’s exterior to see how they respond after a long period of time in space’s harsh environment. They’ll then return to Earth, so scientists can scrutinize how the materials performed. Related: NASA envisions ice dome home for future Mars dwellers Clouds AO said they are working with NASA’s Langley Research Center engineers on Mars Ice Home’s design , which they recently updated for a thicker ice wall. So far it appears the ice home could do a better job of shielding astronauts from radiation than aluminum ; Clouds AO said in a statement, “Using raytrace analysis based on the Badhwar-O’Neill 2014 model, an effective dose of 89 millisieverts per year was measured near the core of the latest Ice Home design. This represents a 48 to 50 percent reduction in radiation from Galactic Cosmic Rays, and a significant improvement of shielding over typical aluminum pressure vessels.” Ice can effectively protect humans from radiation, per Clouds AO’s design statement, and would also allow astronauts on Mars to live in a space with natural light , which would keep them connected to diurnal cycles. Water for Mars Ice Home would be sourced locally from the red planet, and could be repurposed as rocket fuel when it comes time to return to Earth. + Clouds AO + SEArch Images via NASA and NASA/Clouds AO/SEArch

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Ice Home materials for future Mars dwellings are heading to space

This startup is creating biodegradable fabric from methane-eating bacteria

The founders of Mango Materials stumbled across their idea by accident.

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This startup is creating biodegradable fabric from methane-eating bacteria

Why chemists — not just economists — are key to a circular future

We need a better understanding of the circular economy, and chemical engineers might hold the answer.

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Why chemists — not just economists — are key to a circular future

Got plants? Bio-based shoes, lingerie, auto parts and more

From corn shoes manufactured by Reebok to lingerie fabric Naia made by Eastman to all sorts of packaging and electronics, bio-based, compostable products are reaching market.

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Got plants? Bio-based shoes, lingerie, auto parts and more

Inside the strange, circular world of advanced materials

Manufacturers such as BSF, Dow and Eastman are racing to develop recyclable, reusable and durable materials with which to build the future.

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Inside the strange, circular world of advanced materials

Yoga pants, fleece jackets and the microplastics dilemma

No clothing brand intended for their synthetic products to be discharged into the environment in the former of tiny bits of plastic. Now that they know, they must step up and tackle the problem.

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Yoga pants, fleece jackets and the microplastics dilemma

Dow, BASF, Eastman stir up new formulas for safer chemicals

The market opportunity for safer chemicals to replace those suspected to hold endocrine disruptors and other toxins is estimated to be headed to $100 billion by 2020.

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Dow, BASF, Eastman stir up new formulas for safer chemicals

How Internet of things startup Verdigris gives buildings a voice

The new cloud-based company promises savings up to millions of dollars. But for starters, the upfront investment is minimal.

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How Internet of things startup Verdigris gives buildings a voice

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