Chinese tech giants pause stablecoin plans after Beijing steps in, FT reports
Chinese tech giants, including Alibaba-backed Ant Group (688688.SS) and e-commerce company JD.com have halted plans to issue stablecoins in Hong Kong ...
A groundbreaking innovation in road maintenance has emerged as scientists in the UK and Chile unveil self-healing asphalt made from biomass. By using AI-powered technology, this asphalt can "stitch" itself back together, offering a sustainable solution to the UK's billion-pound pothole crisis.
The Future of Road Repair: Self-Healing Asphalt
Potholes are a significant issue in the UK, with the repair bill for these crumbling roads estimated at a staggering £16 billion. Although the government has pledged £1.6 billion to address the problem this year, experts argue that this is still far from enough. Fortunately, a team of researchers from King's College London, Swansea University, and Chile have developed a revolutionary solution: self-healing asphalt. This innovative material, which can repair itself, could drastically reduce the long-term costs of road maintenance.
How It Works: AI and Biomass in Road Maintenance
This self-healing asphalt is made from sustainable, plant-derived materials known as spores. These microscopic, porous materials are incorporated into the asphalt mixture, which releases oil when cracks start to form. The oil triggers a natural healing process, similar to how biological organisms heal themselves after injury. This natural "stitching" process eliminates the need for costly human intervention, making road repairs more efficient and sustainable.
Google Cloud’s AI technology has played a critical role in this development. By using machine learning, scientists simulated the behavior of bitumen (a key component in asphalt) and studied its crack formation. This data-driven approach has accelerated the development of more durable and self-repairing road materials.
A More Durable Future for Roads
The potential benefits of self-healing asphalt are immense. Early lab tests have demonstrated that microcracks in the road surface can be fully healed within an hour, offering quicker, more effective repairs than current methods. This technology not only reduces maintenance costs but also increases the longevity of roads, leading to less frequent repairs and a more sustainable infrastructure.
Addressing the UK's Pothole Crisis
The UK's pothole crisis is a long-standing issue, with millions of pounds being spent annually to patch up damaged roads. While the government has made some progress with a £7 million AI initiative to detect and repair potholes faster, many motorists feel that more needs to be done. A recent Auto Express survey revealed that only 46% of drivers supported the use of AI for pothole detection, with some drivers insisting that the focus should be on repairing existing damage instead of predicting new problems.
However, the promise of self-healing asphalt may change these opinions. With its ability to automatically repair cracks before they become major issues, this AI-powered asphalt could reduce the need for frequent maintenance and alleviate some of the frustration of pothole-ridden roads.
The Road Ahead: A Sustainable Future
Incorporating AI and biomass materials into road infrastructure represents a significant step toward sustainability. According to Dr. Jose Norambuena-Contreras, a senior lecturer at Swansea University, the new self-healing asphalt “positions our research at the forefront of sustainable infrastructure innovation, contributing to the development of net-zero roads with enhanced durability.” This approach not only addresses the pothole problem but also reduces the UK’s dependence on traditional road repair methods, such as using petroleum-based materials.
This research shows great promise in paving the way for smarter, more sustainable infrastructure. While there are still challenges to overcome in scaling the technology, the team’s work provides hope that the UK could soon see roads that heal themselves—helping to solve the pothole crisis once and for all.
Conclusion: A Bright Future for British Roads
The introduction of self-healing asphalt could change the future of road repair in the UK, reducing the need for constant maintenance and making roads safer and more durable. By embracing this innovative solution, the UK could save billions in the long term and take a giant step toward more sustainable infrastructure. As technology continues to evolve, AI-powered self-healing asphalt may just be the key to a pothole-free future.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
A team of Argentine paleontologists has uncovered one of the oldest known dinosaurs, a nearly complete skeleton of a long-necked herbivore that roamed Earth 230 million years ago in what is now La Rioja province.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck Papua province in Indonesia on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
Five days after historic floods that have killed at least 66 people and damaged 100,000 homes, Mexico is still struggling to provide aid to the worst-affected communities and locate 75 missing individuals, amid growing criticism of the government’s response to the crisis.
Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted on Wednesday, shooting volcanic ash 10 km (6.2 miles) into the sky, the country's volcanology agency said, forcing authorities to raise the alert system to its highest level.
Britain must urgently prepare for global warming of at least 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050, its climate advisers said on Wednesday (15 October), warning the country is ill-prepared for extreme weather that is already occurring.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment