Amazing Roman Engineering Still Used Today

Daily Upsider on August 29, 2024

Thanks to the advanced craftsmanship of ancient Roman architects and their remarkably durable building materials, many of the empire’s most impressive structures still stand today, attracting millions of tourists—over 6 million visit the Colosseum alone each year. However, perhaps the most astonishing engineering feat of ancient Rome is its iconic aqueducts, one of which continues to supply water to the city millennia after it was built.

While the Romans didn’t invent the aqueduct Roman engineers perfected the concept. The Acqua Vergine, originally built as the Aqua Virgo during Emperor Augustus’s reign in 19 BC, still delivers water to Rome more than 2,000 years after its creation. Though it has undergoing several restorations over the centuries.

The extraordinary longevity of Rome’s aqueducts and other ancient structures can be attributed to the city’s near-miraculous concrete recipe. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found that Roman concrete possesses a unique ability to self-heal, thanks to the presence of lime clasts (small mineral chunks) and a technique known as “hot mixing,” where lime is mixed at extremely high temperatures. Today, scientists are exploring the secrets of this ancient material with the hope of applying Rome’s ancient wisdom to modern construction practices.

Another interesting fact of Rome’s historical water engineering prowess is that the city boasts more water fountains than any other city in the world. Although estimates suggest there may be as many as 3,000 fountains, many of them are no longer in operation.

If you want to know how Roman aqueducts work, and how incredible long they can be, check out this video. It is very good! It also explains how the aqueducts were not used for what you might think they were used for.

FDA Approves Drug That Targets Brain Cancer Gene Mutation

Daily Upsider on August 27, 2024

This month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug for IDH-mutant low-grade glioma, a type of brain cancer. The drug, vorasidenib, is a targeted therapy that inhibits the IDH gene mutation, slowing cancer growth.

The IDH gene was first identified in 2008 by Dr. Bert Vogelstein and his team at Johns Hopkins, who mapped the genetic blueprint of brain cancer. This discovery revealed that IDH mutations are common in certain brain tumors, which had not been previously recognized.

Typically, treatment involves surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Vorasidenib may allow some patients to delay these additional treatments. According to Matthias Holdhoff, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center brain tumor program, this drug could become a new standard for treating slow-growing IDH-mutant gliomas.

A phase 3 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that vorasidenib significantly improved progression-free survival for 331 patients with grade 2 IDH-mutant glioma, compared to a placebo. Vogelstein’s research also led to a new classification for gliomas, distinguishing between those with IDH mutations, which generally have better outcomes, and those without, such as glioblastoma, a more aggressive form of brain cancer.

About 80% of low-grade gliomas have IDH mutations. These tumors, which mostly affect younger adults, grow more slowly and are linked to longer survival rates compared to high-grade gliomas. Vogelstein notes that understanding diseases through research ultimately leads to better treatments.

The IDH discovery has also spurred further research into other brain cancers. Johns Hopkins University holds patents for the IDH discovery, licensed to Servier Laboratories, which funded the phase 3 trial. The university and its inventors, including Vogelstein, will receive royalties from this licensing agreement.

Removing Microplastics Now

Daily Upsider on August 27, 2024

Earlier this week we featured an article about two highschool students that developed a novel water filtration device that uses sound waves to remove microplastics from water. They are now working on a way to implement this technology across a wide range of industries and use cases that are badly in need of such a device.

However, researchers just recently discovered another method of removing microplastics contamination from drinking water that is right at your fingertips.

A group of scientists discovered that simply boiling water can remove between 25% and 90% of the microplastics present.

In a study conducted by Guangzhou University, researchers tested two types of tap water—hard water and soft water. Hard tap water is richer in minerals, especially calcium carbonate (limescale), compared to soft water. Anyone who uses an electric kettle or coffee maker is familiar with the limescale buildup that requires periodic cleaning. When the scientists boiled the hard tap water, the calcium carbonate precipitated out of the solution, effectively trapping a variety of plastic particles ranging in size from 5 to 10 micrometers. Remarkably, 90% of these particles were captured in the limescale layer.

The researchers noted, This simple boiling water strategy can ‘decontaminate’ [nano and microplastics] from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” in their paper published in February. Even in soft water, which contains less calcium carbonate, roughly 25% of the microplastics were removed. It’s worth noting that most bottled water sold in the U.S. is hard water, as is much of the tap water across the country. Some brands use reverse osmosis or other methods to dissolve minerals, then sell the water as either soft water or ‘mineral water’ after re-adding minerals.

It is estimated that there may be as much as 7 credit cards’ worth of plastic circulating in your body at any given time. While the long-term effects of this contamination are still unknown, studies in mice have found microplastics in every organ, including the brain and placenta.

If you don’t want to wait for the slower, more comprehensive solutions, like the sonic filter, filtering and boiling your drinking water could be a great option. Or just drink tea I guess.

94-Year-Old Becomes Oldest to Tackle World’s Fastest Zip Line

Daily Upsider on August 27, 2024

A 94-year-old Englishman, David Aris, took on the world’s fastest zip line to raise money for his local hospice care. David, a great-grandfather, lost his wife, June, to cancer five years ago. St John’s Hospice, which cared for June in her final months, also provided end-of-life care for a friend of David’s, Mr. Kilby.

David and Narelle, Mr. Kilby’s 70-year-old widow, visited Zip World in Penrhyn Quarry, Wales, where they rode the zip line, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h), to raise funds for the hospice.

“I’d heard of the zip line, but I didn’t consider it until Narelle suggested it,” David told the media. “When I called to book and mentioned I was 94, they said I was likely the oldest person to try it, and it turned out to be true!”

David described the experience as nerve-wracking but exhilarating, noting that the ride was over in less than a minute due to its speed.

David and Narelle have raised over £9,500 through JustGiving to support the hospice that helped them during a difficult time.

Carbon Dioxide Bricks

Daily Upsider on August 27, 2024

A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo, in collaboration with Tokyo University of Science and Taiheiyo Cement Corporation, has developed a groundbreaking method to recycle concrete from a demolished school building and carbon dioxide from the air into new bricks strong enough to be used in house construction.

The process involves pulverizing the old concrete into a fine powder, which is then mixed with captured carbon dioxide. The mixture is then pressurized in layers using molds and heated to form solid concrete blocks. This innovative technique not only makes it easier and more feasible to recycle old materials but also traps carbon dioxide, reducing environmental impact. Moreover, these “refreshed” blocks can be reprocessed into new blocks if the buildings are later demolished.

The researchers explain that the recycled concrete blocks undergo a carbonation process over three months, which typically takes years in natural conditions. During this process, compounds like portlandite and calcium silicate hydrate in the concrete are transformed into calcium carbonate, strengthening the material over time. To expedite this process while ensuring the recycled blocks remain strong, the team pressurizes the carbonated powder with a calcium bicarbonate solution, then dries it to solidify the blocks. This recent experiment builds on previous efforts by layering and compacting the material inside molds, resulting in denser and stronger blocks compared to earlier methods.

This research is part of the C4S project (Calcium Carbonate Circulation System for Construction), led by Professor Takafumi Noguchi, with material development headed by Professor Ippei Maruyama. The project’s goal is to create durable recycled concrete blocks, known as “calcium carbonate concrete,” by incorporating carbon dioxide from the air or industrial exhaust. “As part of the C4S project, we intend to construct a real two-story house by 2030,” says Professor Maruyama. “In the coming years, we plan to scale up to a pilot plant, improve production efficiency, and develop larger building elements as we work towards commercializing this material.”