This Species Of Beetle Can Survive Being Run Over By A Car
In a new study published in Nature, researchers from University of California, Irvine, Purdue University and other institutions delve into the material makeup of the beetle’s armor.
In a new study published in Nature, researchers from University of California, Irvine, Purdue University and other institutions delve into the material makeup of the beetle’s armor.
Toyota has commissioned FuelCell Energy to build a system to make renewable electricity, hydrogen, and water for the car maker’s largest port facility in North America. The project is Toyota’s latest in a series of moves in reach of an ambitious corporate goal: net zero emissions from its operations by 2050. ... FuelCell Energy brought Tri-gen to fruition working with the U.S. Department of Energy, several California agencies, and the University of California at Irvine. Read More
Deadline: Open until filled
Trinity Consultants, Inc., has full time opportunities for Environmental Engineers at several locations throughout the U.S. We are looking for the best and brightest Chemical, Civil and Environmental Engineers to join our team. Trinity will be onsite at the University of California Irvine on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 hosting onsite interviews for this role. Students can apply online at https://app.joinhandshake.com/jobs/2869755
And scientists have just used a suite of tools to discover the physical and mechanical properties that give the diabolical ironclad beetle its incredible fortitude. "The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it's not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank," said materials scientist David Kisailus of the University of California Irvine.
“Small increases in global temperatures can lead to large increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme events, including heatwaves, cold waves, droughts, and floods,” lead author Omid Mazdiyasni, a civil and environmental engineer at the University of California, Irvine, told The Indian Express.
The researchers state that the new process can make use of the low-grade silk that is normally wasted because it has no applications. “This elegant and clever study describes a sustainable and biodegradable silk-based replacement for microplastic encapsulants, which are a pressing environmental challenge,” says Alon Gorodetsky, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of California at Irvine, who was not associated with this research.
Academics, advocates and activists met for a panel discussion at UC Irvine to hash out the pros and cons of a proposal to build a desalination plant in Huntington Beach, with environmentalists once again warning it would damage marine environments and raise water bills.
"The ironclad is a terrestrial beetle, so it's not lightweight and fast but built more like a little tank," said David Kisailus, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Irvine and co-author on the study, in a release. … To study the tiny tanks, a member of the research team, Jesus Rivera, captured beetles and brought them back to the lab. First, researchers discovered the beetle's exoskeleton could withstand around 150 newtons of force -- 39,000 times its body weight.
Cephalopods are such exciting sources of inspiration,” says Alon Gorodetsky, a materials scientist at the University of California, Irvine.
“Cephalopods are such exciting sources of inspiration,” says Alon Gorodetsky, [associate professor], a materials scientist at the University of California, Irvine. “The things they do, how they move, even their brains—it’s like science fiction stuff.” … In this segment, Ira chats with Gorodetsky and other technologists about an array of cephalopod-inspired innovations, from adaptive camouflage to self-healing materials. Read More
Applicants chosen from 14 schools across California and the country were given $100,000 in seed money, and a year-and-a-half to raise more and put together the engineering teams to fully realize their home builds. Now, they'll be competing to see which squad built the most sustainable home, and winners of the Decathlon will get the satisfaction of victory over some of their best and brightest peers.
“The diabolical ironclad beetle is so strong, it can survive being run over by a car. Scientists and engineers have been studying what it can teach the rest of us. I’ve been speaking about that with professor David Kisailus, professor of materials science at the University of California, Irvine: ‘First of all the name, diabolical, gives you visions of something of horror, and ironclad makes you think this thing must be incredibly robust…’” [2:56:28 – 2:59:47] Listen Now
At the University of California, Irvine, environmental engineering professor Brett Sanders and his team are building computer models that show both historic flooding and areas at risk because of climate change, to give residents access to as much information as is available. He hopes to make the program more widely available as they get more funding.