Hasta La Gadget!

Hart remembered one of her “worst days” ever while appearing on the latest episode of the “Pod Meets World” podcast.

Humans produce around 4.4 billion tons of concrete every year. That process consumes around 8 billion tons of sand (out of the 40-50 billion tons in total used annually) which has, in part, led to acute shortages of the building commodity in recent years. At the same time, we generate about 10 billion kilograms of used coffee grounds over the same span — coffee grounds which a team of researchers from RMIT University in Australia have discovered can be used as a silica substitute in the concrete production process that, in the proper proportions, yields a significantly stronger chemical bond than sand alone. 

“The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,” lead author of the study, Dr Rajeev Roychand of RMIT’s School of Engineering, said in a recent release. He notes that Australia alone produces 75 million kilograms of used coffee grounds each year, most of which ends up in landfills. 

Coffee grounds can’t simply be mixed in raw with standard concrete as they won’t bind with the other materials due to their organic content, Dr. Roychand explained. In order to make the grounds more compatible, the team experimented with pyrolyzing the materials at 350 and 500 degrees C, then substituting them in for sand in 5, 10, 15 and 20 percentages (by volume) for standard concrete mixtures. 

The team found that at 350 degrees is perfect temperature, producing a “29.3 percent enhancement in the compressive strength of the composite concrete blended with coffee biochar,” per the team’s study, published in the September issue of Journal of Cleaner Production. “In addition to reducing emissions and making a stronger concrete, we’re reducing the impact of continuous mining of natural resources like sand,” Dr. Roychand said. 

“The concrete industry has the potential to contribute significantly to increasing the recycling of organic waste such as used coffee,” added study co-author Dr Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT. “Our research is in the early stages, but these exciting findings offer an innovative way to greatly reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill,” where it’s decomposition would generate large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-strengthen-concrete-by-30-percent-with-used-coffee-grounds-221643441.html?src=rss

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but someone in the new Star Wars needs to find a map to somewhere before someone else does. Yes, same as it ever was, even Ahsoka cannot escape the mapification of Star Wars storytelling—from the map to Luke Skywalker to Wayfinders and unknown regions of the galaxy, the franchise…

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Facebook’s “state-controlled media” labels appear to reduce engagement with content from authoritarian nations. A new study reveals that, with the added tags, users’ engagement decreased when they noticed content labeled as originating from Chinese and Russian government-run media. However, the labels also appeared to boost user favorability of posts from Canadian state media, suggesting broader perceptions of the country play into the tags’ effectiveness.

Researchers with Carnegie Mellon University, Indiana University and the University of Texas at Austin conducted the set of studies which “explored the causal impact of these labels on users’ intentions to engage with Facebook content.” When users noticed the label, they tended to reduce their engagement with it when it was a country they perceived negatively.

The first experiment studied 1,200 people with US-based Facebook accounts — with and without state-controlled media labels. Although their engagement with posts originating from Russia and China went down, it only had that effect if they “actively noticed the label.” A second test in the series observed 2,000 US Facebook users to determine that their behavior was “tied to public sentiment toward the country listed on the label.” In other words, they responded positively to media labeled as Canadian state-controlled and negatively toward Chinese and Russian government-run content.

Meta

Finally, a third experiment examined how broadly Facebook users interacted with state-controlled media before and after the platform added the labels. They concluded the change had a “significant effect” as the sharing of labeled posts dropped by 34 percent after the shift, and user likes of tagged posts fell by 46 percent. The paper’s authors also noted that training users on the labels (“notifying them of their presence and testing them on their meaning”) significantly boosted their odds of noticing them.

“Our three studies suggest that state-controlled media labels reduced the spread of misinformation and propaganda on Facebook, depending on which countries were labelled,” Patricia L. Moravec, the study’s lead, wrote in the paper’s summary.

However, the studies ran into some limitations in determining correlation vs. causation. The authors say they couldn’t fully verify whether their results were caused by the labels or Facebook’s nontransparent newsfeed algorithms, which downlink labeled posts (and make related third-party research exceedingly difficult in broader terms). The paper’s authors also note that the experiments measured online users’ “beliefs, intentions to share, and intentions to like pages” but not their actual behavior.

The researchers (unsurprisingly, given the results) recommend social companies “clearly alert and inform users of labeling policy changes, explain what they mean, and display the labels in ways that users notice.”

As the world grapples with online misinformation and propaganda, the study’s leads urge Facebook and other social platforms to do more. “Although efforts are being made to reduce the spread of misinformation on social media platforms, efforts to reduce the influence of propaganda may be less successful,” suggests co-author Nicholas Wolczynski. “Given that Facebook debuted the new labels quietly without informing users, many likely did not notice the labels, reducing their efficacy dramatically.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebooks-state-controlled-media-labels-appear-to-reduce-engagement-212703277.html?src=rss

LG Electronics is set to showcase its Energy Management Solution at IFA 2023, highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainable living. The centerpiece of this display is the “Net-Zero House”, which embodies LG’s vision of a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Central to this vision is the comprehensive LG Home Energy Platform, an integrated solution designed for efficient household energy management, heating, and cooling. This platform combines the Energy Storage System (ESS) and the Therma V R290 Monobloc air-to-water heat pump (AWHP).

The LG Home Energy Platform offers a holistic approach to sustainable living. By integrating the LG ESS and LG Therma V AWHP, the platform not only provides effective heating and cooling but also streamlines energy management across all stages, from production and storage to consumption and conservation. The Therma V AWHP is a pivotal component of this platform, offering year-round indoor comfort with a strong focus on energy efficiency.

Designed to meet the decarbonization objectives in Europe, the Therma V R290 Monobloc employs R290 refrigerant, which boasts a low Global Warming Potential (GWP) of three. This system effectively extracts heat from the surrounding air and is compatible with existing radiators, contributing to reduced carbon footprints and enhanced energy conservation.

The Energy Storage System (ESS), which can be integrated with the Therma V, represents an innovative means to maximize renewable energy utilization within homes. It also functions as a backup power source during blackouts. Surplus energy generated during daylight hours, particularly from solar panels, can be stored in the ESS battery. This stored energy can later be channeled into the AWHP’s integrated water tank for heating purposes in the evening when energy consumption tends to peak.

A Focus On The Essential Services

Additionally, the ESS can power home appliances during periods of high energy demand, boosting overall energy efficiency and self-sufficiency. In case of power outages, the ESS ensures that essential services such as heating, refrigeration, and lighting remain operational. Any surplus energy can be stored for later use or sold to contracted electricity providers.

Moreover, the ESS can integrate with a wide array of LG home appliances, from washers and refrigerators to ovens, dishwashers, and even electric vehicle chargers. A visual representation at the Net-Zero House demonstrates how stored energy flows to various appliances, reducing reliance on the electrical grid and cutting down monthly power expenses.

Remote management

The Home Energy Platform is compatible with the energy management solution called LG ThinQ Energy, a system that allows users to remotely manage their smart appliances, control the HVAC system, and monitor energy storage and consumption via smartphones. Appliances equipped with Energy Saving Mode, accessed through the ThinQ app, further contribute to efficient energy usage.

Lyu Jae-cheol, President of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company, emphasizes the company’s dedication to sustainable solutions that enhance lives and support the environment. Visitors to LG’s booth at IFA 2023 will have the opportunity to explore the Net-Zero House and learn about LG’s latest innovations geared toward a more sustainable future.

Net-Zero House: LG Unveils Integrated Energy Management Solution At IFA 2023

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