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Exactely 40 years ago, on August 30, 1984, NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery launched for its maiden flight. Discovery became one of the most successful and frequently flown shuttles in NASA’s fleet, participating in numerous missions, including the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and missions to the International Space Station, before its retirement in 2011.

World News

Amazing Roman Engineering Still Used Today

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.

Innovation

Plastic from Corn Waste

An Indian entrepreneur is using sugar, cellulose, and corn fibers to create a plastic-like bag for small Indian businesses. His company, Bio Reform, has already replaced 6 million plastic bags at checkout counters across India.

Based in Hyderabad, Mohammed Azhar Mohiuddin conceived the idea during the pandemic. He focused on society’s heavy reliance on plastic, particularly plastic shopping bags, and sought an alternative.

While large brands were switching to paper or jute alternatives, small and medium businesses in India found biodegradable bags too expensive. Mohiuddin researched a biodegradable polymer called PBAT (Polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate), developed in the 1980s using corn and potatoes.

After navigating scams and government quarantines to find suitable machinery in Gujarat, his presentation on PBAT secured nearly $100,000 (RS1 crore) in seed funding, allowing him to launch the project. “I tried to balance both my studies and the operations of the company—from collecting raw material, assisting workers to manufacture bags, delivering the products in the market,” Mohiuddin told The Better India. “I used to sleep in a corner in the factory.”

Despite facing bankruptcy, university challenges, and a backlog of orders, Bio Reform eventually turned a profit and now produces nearly 500,000 bags annually, with a gross revenue of $180,000.

“Issues related to plastic pollution are not limited to affecting aquatic life and animals anymore. Today, microplastic has reached our bloodstream. Bottled water contains microplastics. Addressing this is an important and urgent problem,” he told TBI.

Good News

‘Squirrel Spa’

Breyana Elwell, who once disliked rodents, began caring for the local squirrels after noticing them struggling with the heat in New Braunfels, Texas.

She set up a "squirrel resort" on her deck, where the animals could cool down, eat, and rest during the hottest parts of the day. It all started when a squirrel found relief from a fan she left on. Encouraged by the sight, she continued providing comfort to more squirrels, eventually gaining attention on TikTok and receiving fans from companies to expand her efforts. Here’s a video of the adorable resort she made.

@breeintheforest

The cutest little muffins 🐿️🥜 #fyp #trend #squirrel #deer #hot #summer #viral #resort #furbaby #wholesome #kindness

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Mind Stretchers

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I can fill a room, but I take up no space. What am I?

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Larger than life! - Chris Hostetler go the correct answer first!

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