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Did you know that human bones are stronger than concrete?! Pound for pound, human bones, particularly the femur, are stronger than concrete. The femur can endure pressures of up to 2,500 pounds before it breaks. In comparison, concrete typically can withstand pressures of around 3,000 to 4,000 pounds per square inch (psi). However, considering the weight and density, bone’s strength relative to its size surpasses that of concrete.

Innovation

Nuclear Recycling Coming to the U.S.

Despite increasing recognition that nuclear energy could be the most effective solution for reliable low-carbon electricity in the United States, the nuclear power industry faces significant obstacles—chief among them, the management of radioactive spent fuel. However, new initiatives to recycle nuclear waste, long delayed by legal and regulatory challenges, could address this issue and more if given the chance to thrive.

For the past 50 years, nuclear energy development in the U.S. has been hampered by bureaucratic obstacles and public fears that have stalled the construction of new, safe, nuclear plants.

Recently, however, there has been a rare bipartisan shift in favor of nuclear power. Such as at the 29th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 29), signaling that environmentalists now regard nuclear power as a clean energy source.

Nevertheless, revitalizing the U.S. nuclear power industry remains a complex challenge. Ed McGinnis, CEO of Curio, a company aiming to recycle nuclear fuel in the U.S., noted that Democrats and Republicans are both looking to nuclear, though for different reasons. This bipartisan support has led to commitments to triple nuclear capacity in the U.S. However, McGinnis pointed out that utilities are still hesitant to place orders for advanced reactors due to the complex challenges they face.

Even if utilities manage to navigate the regulatory approval process, they still need a reliable fuel supply and a safe method for disposing of spent fuel. Since 1992, the U.S. has relied heavily on imported uranium to meet the needs of its nuclear power industry.

In the United States, spent nuclear fuel—typically used in reactors for about five years—is removed once it has exhausted roughly 4% of its fissionable material. This waste, totaling over 85,000 metric tons, is initially cooled in water on-site before being placed in dry cask storage. Currently, there are more than 60 such storage sites across 34 states. The Department of Energy (DOE), tasked with overseeing the safe disposal of nuclear waste, has yet to establish a permanent repository. Because of the burden of keeping nuclear waste on their property, most companies are not likely to hop on until the waste problem is solved.

Waste recycling has been profitably employed in other countries for decades. For example, Orano, a leading global recycling company, has reprocessed over 40,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel since 1976. In February 2024, Orano and SHINE Technologies, a U.S. company specialized in sustainable energy solutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a view to developing a pilot plant in the USA for recycling used nuclear fuel from light water reactors.

Spent nuclear fuel still contains 96% of its original energy value, which could be repurposed for new fuel. Additionally, the fission process generates valuable isotopes for medical, industrial, and national security applications. Recycling could supply the U.S. with enough energy to meet its needs for the next 150 years.

“Used nuclear fuel is only waste if you waste it,” said Orano’s communications director, Curtis Roberts. Through recycling, 96% of spent nuclear fuel can be repurposed, with the remaining 4% safely stored until its radioactivity decays. This process takes about 300 years, as apposed to current methods which advise a storage range between tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of years.

The 4% also contains useful materials like krypton-85, strontium-90, and rare-earth elements that could potentially be extracted.

Culture

The Corn Cob Towers

Continuing our periodic articles on buildings, cities, and architecture, we are featuring some fascinating towers from Chicago, Marina City.

I find the building and room layouts to be particularly interesting, considering that round shapes are often less space efficient. Another aspect I like are the common areas. They create a village type of setup, despite being condensed in just a few buildings.

I am not sure if this is the type of design I would like to see take over apartment block or high-rise housing design. Regardless, it is quite interesting.

What do you think, would you ever live in something like this?

Economy

6-Year-old Boy Found in the Forest After Five Days

Relief swept through Vietnamese social media and news outlets when it was reported that a young boy, missing for five days in the tropical rainforest, had finally been found.

A search party consisting of police officers, volunteers, and soldiers grew to 150 members as they scoured the mountains of northwest Yen Bai Province. Five-year-old Dang Tien Lam had been playing in a creek with his siblings when he wandered up a hill, likely becoming disoriented and heading down the wrong slope in search of his playmates.

In the dense tropical jungle, it only takes a few hundred yards to lose all sense of direction, and this small misstep marked the beginning of a five-day ordeal that concluded when a farmer discovered the boy under a cassava bush. When he was found his clothes were completely filthy, and he was too weak to stand.

“I’m so tired, I can’t stand up, please carry me up,” Lam said to 52-year-old farmer Ly Van Nang. “[The child told me] that when he got lost, he could not find his way home, and the more he walked, the more he could not find a way out.”

Local news reported that the boy survived by eating leaves, wild fruits, and drinking water from streams. The police offered their “congratulations” on his safe return, calling it a “miracle” that he had survived and been found. Vietnam is known for its dense forests, and Yen Bai is one of its most heavily wooded provinces.

The story recalls the incident in Colombia last year, where four children were lost in the rainforest. Those children were passengers on a plane that crashed, killing all three adults on board. Ranging in age from 13 to just 12 months old, the children managed to find shelter and food and survived for 5 weeks until rescued.

Mind Stretchers

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I have no life, but I can die. What am I?

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
A month has exactly four Fridays, four Saturdays, and four Sundays. What day of the week does the 1st of the month fall on? -
- The 1st of the month falls on a Tuesday.
Explanation: If the month has exactly four Fridays, four Saturdays, and four Sundays, the 1st must be on a Tuesday.

Chris Hostetler got the correct answer first!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.