Civil Engineering – Page 3 – PossibleThreat Articles

Fire blankets can protect buildings from wildfires

October 15, 2019 0 Comments Civil Engineering, Construction, Earthquakes, Ecology, Engineering and Construction, Natural Disasters, Thermodynamics, Wildfires

Wrapping a building in a fire-protective blanket is a viable way of protecting it against wildfires, finds the first study to scientifically assess this method of defense. Rigorous testing reveals that existing blanket technology can protect structures from a short wildfire attack, but for successful deployment against severe fires and in areas of high housing density, technological advancement of blanket materials and deployment methods, as well as multi-structure protection strategies, are needed.

News Science

Creating 2D heterostructures for future electronics

October 12, 2019 0 Comments Civil Engineering, Electronics, Engineering and Construction, Graphene, Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Spintronics, technology

New research integrates nanomaterials into heterostructures, an important step toward creating nanoelectronics.

News Science

Contextual engineering improves success of projects in non-industrial societies

October 11, 2019 0 Comments Civil Engineering, Construction, Engineering, Engineering and Construction, Environmental Policies, Security and Defense, STEM Education, surveillance

Humanitarian engineering projects often focus on bringing western technologies to non-industrialized societies. But environmental and cultural factors in these locations may be very different from conditions in the West, and the projects may not meet client needs if engineers do not fully understand the context in which they are operating.

News Science

Fast-acting German insecticide lost in the aftermath of WWII

October 11, 2019 0 Comments Anthropology, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Environmental Issues, Fossils, Geochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Origin of Life, Pollution

A new study explores the chemistry as well as the complicated and alarming history of DFDT, a fast-acting insecticide.

News Science

New test diagnoses Lyme disease within 15 minutes

October 11, 2019 0 Comments Biochemistry Research, Chronic Illness, Civil Engineering, Joint Pain, Lyme Disease, Medical Technology, Microarrays, Veterinary Medicine, Virology

Current testing for Lyme disease, called the standard 2-tiered approach or the STT, involves running two complex assays (ELISA and western blot) to detect antibodies against the bacterium, and requires experienced personnel in a lab, and a few hours to carry out and interpret. Biomedical engineers have developed a rapid microfluidic test that can detect Lyme disease with similar performance as the STT in a much shorter time — 15 minutes.

News Science

Physicists look to navigational 'rhumb lines' to study polymer's unique spindle structure

October 11, 2019 0 Comments Biochemistry, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science, Organic Chemistry, Physics

A new study describes how spheres can be transformed into twisted spindles thanks to insights from 16th century navigational tools. Researchers show how polymers can contract into spiral structures, known as loxodromes, that have complex patterning ten times smaller than the width of a human hair.

News Science

Controlling superconducting regions within an exotic metal

October 11, 2019 0 Comments Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Computers and Internet, Engineering and Construction, Hacking, Materials Science, Physics, Quantum Computers

Researchers have created a metallic microdevice in which they can define and tune patterns of superconductivity. Their discovery holds great promise for quantum technologies of the future.

News Science

Twist-based refrigeration: Twisting and coiling 'twistocaloric' yarns to keep cool

October 10, 2019 0 Comments Civil Engineering, Electronics, Engineering and Construction, Materials Science, Nature of Water, Petroleum, Thermodynamics, Wearable Technology

Researchers have discovered a new technology for refrigeration that is based on twisting and untwisting fibers. They demonstrated twist-based refrigeration using materials as diverse as natural rubber, ordinary fishing line and nickel titanium wire.

News Science

Five patterns of gun ownership by motivation, practices, other features

October 10, 2019 0 Comments Anger Management, Civil Engineering, Engineering and Construction, Intelligence, Privacy Issues, Racial Issues, Religion, Security and Defense, Weapons Technology

Can firearm owners be grouped into distinct groups based on the number and types of firearms owned, primary reason for having firearms and other patterns of ownership? A new study says, yes.

News Science

Explained: The lifetime of an evaporating liquid drop

October 10, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Engineering and Construction, Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Nature of Water, Physics

The lifespan of a liquid droplet which is transforming into vapour can now be predicted thanks to a new theory. The new understanding can now be exploited in a myriad of natural and industrial settings where the lifetime of liquid drops governs a process' behavior and efficiency.