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Pompeii construction site confirms recipe for Roman concrete

Latest results from a recently discovered ancient Roman construction site confirm earlier findings. Back in 2023, we reported on MIT scientists’ conclusion that the ancient Romans employed “hot mixing” with quicklime, among other strategies, to make their famous concrete, giving the material self-healing functionality. The only snag was that…

F1 in Abu Dhabi: And that’s the championship

​A three-way fight down to the wire as the ground effect era comes to a close.  The 2025 Formula 1 World Championship drew to a close this past weekend in Abu Dhabi, and with it came the end of the current generation of cars. After a grueling 24 races,…

A big bike on a budget: Lectric’s XPress 750

​A budget e-bike that offers more than you might expect.  Almost every bit of bike testing I’ve done starts out the same way. After assembling the bike, I set the seatpost to its maximum recommended height, take it on a short test ride, and try to figure out new…

A massive, Chinese-backed port could push the Amazon Rainforest over the edge

The port will revolutionize global trade, but it’s sparking destructive rainforest routes. CHANCAY, Peru—The elevator doors leading to the fifth-floor control center open like stage curtains onto a theater-sized screen. This “Operations Productivity Dashboard” instantaneously displays a battery of data: vehicle locations, shipping times, entry times, loading data, unloading…