Kalakshar US

Humans produce around 4.4 billion tons of concrete every year. That process consumes around 8 billion tons of sand (out of the 40-50 billion tons in total used annually) which has, in part, led to acute shortages of the building commodity in recent years. At the same time, we generate about 10 billion kilograms of used coffee grounds over the same span — coffee grounds which a team of researchers from RMIT University in Australia have discovered can be used as a silica substitute in the concrete production process that, in the proper proportions, yields a significantly stronger chemical bond than sand alone. 

“The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,” lead author of the study, Dr Rajeev Roychand of RMIT’s School of Engineering, said in a recent release. He notes that Australia alone produces 75 million kilograms of used coffee grounds each year, most of which ends up in landfills. 

Coffee grounds can’t simply be mixed in raw with standard concrete as they won’t bind with the other materials due to their organic content, Dr. Roychand explained. In order to make the grounds more compatible, the team experimented with pyrolyzing the materials at 350 and 500 degrees C, then substituting them in for sand in 5, 10, 15 and 20 percentages (by volume) for standard concrete mixtures. 

The team found that at 350 degrees is perfect temperature, producing a “29.3 percent enhancement in the compressive strength of the composite concrete blended with coffee biochar,” per the team’s study, published in the September issue of Journal of Cleaner Production. “In addition to reducing emissions and making a stronger concrete, we’re reducing the impact of continuous mining of natural resources like sand,” Dr. Roychand said. 

“The concrete industry has the potential to contribute significantly to increasing the recycling of organic waste such as used coffee,” added study co-author Dr Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, a Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT. “Our research is in the early stages, but these exciting findings offer an innovative way to greatly reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill,” where it’s decomposition would generate large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-strengthen-concrete-by-30-percent-with-used-coffee-grounds-221643441.html?src=rss 

Mass Effect and Dragon Age studio BioWare is eliminating approximately 50 positions as parent Electronic Arts attempts to turn it into a “more agile and focused studio.” The reorganization was “unavoidable,” according to BioWare general manager Gary McKay, as it was necessary in order to meet the studio’s evolving needs.

“After much consideration and careful planning, we have built a long-term vision that will preserve the health of the studio and better enable us to do what we do best: create exceptional story-driven single-player experiences filled with vast worlds and rich characters,” McKay wrote in the announcement. “This vision balances the current needs of the studio — namely, ensuring Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is an outstanding game — with its future, including the success of the next Mass Effect.”

McKay noted that BioWare is “committed to supporting” affected staff, adding that “we’ve chosen to act now in part to provide our impacted colleagues with as many internal opportunities as possible.” The affected roles align with similar positions at other EA studios, and workers will be provided with professional assistance if they apply for any. While they will still be credited for their work on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, McKay wrote that it’s “unlikely” that everyone affected will be able to find a new position at EA.

The next Mass Effect game, which was announced in 2020, is still in pre-production with a team led by Mass Effect: Andromeda producer Mike Gamble. McKay wrote that the studio’s dedication to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf (which will be the first game in the series since 2014) “has never wavered” and that BioWare is “confident” of having enough time to make sure the next entry “reaches its full potential.”

The cuts are related to an announcement that EA CEO Andrew Wilson made in March. Wilson said the company would lay off around 6 percent of its workforce of its nearly 13,000 employees and reduce its office space footprint. BioWare is said to have around 250 workers.

Along with news of the job cuts, it emerged that EA is severing ties with game services company Keywords, which was working with BioWare on Dreadwolf. EA was unable to reach a new agreement with Keywords, an spokesperson told GamesBeat, and the existing contract comes to an end on September 27th.

Among other things, Keywords provides playtesting services. A group of quality assurance contractors in that part of the company voted to form the first video game labor union in Canada last year. EA has reportedly renewed contracts with Keywords since the June 2022 union vote, but it was unable to agree terms this time around amid the BioWare changes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bioware-cuts-around-50-jobs-to-become-a-more-agile-and-focused-studio-211513365.html?src=rss