2023 | Dezeen

Recycled plastics often contain more toxic chemicals says Greenpeace
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/05/26/recycled-plastics-greenpeace-report

These suggest that recycled plastics often contain higher concentrations of toxic chemicals such as flame retardants, benzene and other carcinogens than virgin plastic. Recycled plastics also contain “numerous endocrine disruptors that can cause changes to the body’s natural hormone levels”, according to the Greenpeace report.

Plastic recycling a “toxic endeavour”

Chemicals in recycled plastics have been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and other health issues, the report says. These can affect not just the end-user of the recycled product, but also frontline communities and workers involved in the process.

Le mythe du #recyclage vertueux des #plastiques prend encore un coup.
#greenwashing ( #écoblanchiment, en bon français)

UN Human Rights Council experts “express alarm” over executions connected to Neom
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/05/05/un-human-rights-council-experts-alarm-executions-neom

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The United Nations Human Rights Council has issued a statement denouncing the planned executions of three people for reportedly opposing the Neom mega project in Saudi Arabia.

#grands_projets_inutiles #opposition

Un immeuble à ossature bois apparente sans aucune pièces métalliques d’assemblage. Shigeru Ban toujours aussi époustouflant !

Shigeru Ban’s timber-skeleton Tamedia building left engineers « incredulous »
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/03/17/tamedia-office-building-shigeru-ban-timber-revolution

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The system was informed both by traditional Swiss craftsmanship and the elaborate joints of Japanese miyadaiku carpentry – used to construct some of the world’s longest-surviving wooden structures such as Horyuji Temple in Nara, which is over a thousand years old.

To ensure the stability of the joints at such a large scale without the need for metal fastenings, Blumer milled the spacer beams into an oval rather than a traditional round shape to prevent them from rotating.

In addition, the building’s structural frame is made entirely from slow-grown glued-laminated spruce sourced from at least 1,000 metres above sea level in the Steiermark region of neighbouring Austria.

“These conditions give the timber better properties than trees with a faster growth rate, including improved dimensional stability,” reported Swedish wood magazine Trä.

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NASA uses AI to make hardware that is “three times better in performance”
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/03/06/nasa-uses-ai-to-design-hardware-that-is-three-times-better-in-performance

The resulting components feature “almost bone-like” organic shapes that are able to tolerate higher structural loads than parts produced by humans.

In fact, McClelland found that the AI-designed components have up to 10 times lower stress concentrations while saving up to two-thirds of the weight.

“The structures tend to perform much better,” he said. “They’re somewhere on the order of three times better in performance.”

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Ukraine issues postage stamp featuring « prophetic » Banksy artwork
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/02/28/banksy-postage-stamp-ukraine-war

The Ukrainian postal service Ukrposhta has released a stamp featuring an image by British artist Banksy and the words FCK PTN! to mark one year since the start of the war in Ukraine.

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Paul Cocksedge suspends over 2,000 pieces of coal in Liverpool Cathedral
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/02/20/liverpool-cathedral-coalescence-paul-cocksedge-installation

British designer Paul Cocksedge has created a sculpture made from high-carbon coal, which was hung and illuminated inside Liverpool Cathedral as a comment on our fossil fuel dependency.

Named Coalescence, the installation consists of more than 2,000 pieces of coal with a combined weight of over half a tonne, which according to Cocksedge is the amount of coal consumed by a 200-watt light bulb if illuminated for a year.

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Cap_able blocks facial recognition software with knitted clothing
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/02/07/cap_able-facial-recognition-blocking-clothing

Italian fashion start-up Cap_able has launched a collection of knitted clothing that protects the wearer’s biometric data without the need to cover their face.

Named Manifesto Collection, the clothing features various patterns developed by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to shield the wearer’s facial identity and instead identify them as animals.

Cap_able designed the clothing with patterns – known as adversarial patches – to deceive facial recognition software in real-time.

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MIT study finds huge carbon cost to self-driving cars
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/01/31/self-driving-cars-emissions-mit-study

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The study found that with a mass global takeup of autonomous vehicles, the powerful onboard computers needed to run them could generate as many greenhouse gas emissions as all the data centres in operation today.

#voiture_autonome #GES

Rezvani Motors unveils « world’s most aggressive SUV »
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/01/30/rezvani-motors-vengeance-aggressive-suv-vehicle

Automotive company Rezvani Motors has launched a car with security features including electrified door handles and pepper spray-emitting wing mirrors that are more commonly found on military vehicles or in video games.

“The Rezvani Vengeance is the world’s most aggressive and most capable three-row SUVs,” said the Californian brand.

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AL_A wins approval for world’s first magnetised fusion power plant
▻https://www.dezeen.com/2023/01/13/fusion-power-plant-uk-amanda-levete

Amanda Levete’s firm AL_A has received planning permission for a prototype fusion power plant in Oxfordshire, UK, which is being developed with Canadian energy company General Fusion and the UKAEA.

Designed to create “fusion conditions in a power plant-relevant environment”, construction of the facility at the Culham Science Centre is set to begin later this year after being granted planning permission.

It is being developed by Canadian energy company General Fusion and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) as a demonstration facility for the technology, which aims to be a sustainable alternative to burning fossil fuels.

Encore un effet d’annonce ?
#fusion #nucléaire