International

Video: ‘Shattered glass of Beirut’ exhibit reflects Lebanon’s road to recovery

By Lisa McDonald / August 31, 2022

More than two years have passed since a massive stockpile of ammonium nitrate exploded at the port of Beirut, killing hundreds and displacing thousands in the capital of Lebanon. The restoration of some shattered ancient glass vessels by a collaborative international partnership serves as a microcosm for the larger restoration efforts.

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Pottery probe shows continuity of southeastern Hispaniola cultures

By Guest Contributor / August 30, 2022

Mona Passage, a strait which separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, is believed to have served as a reception area for migration groups during the early Common Era. A recent open-access study contends that despite there being a broader regional network of interaction, the stable manufacturing tradition suggests a cultural continuity in the communities that lived there.

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Video: Electrifying Africa—Swedish-Kenyan mobility startup Roam debuts electric buses and motorcycles

By Lisa McDonald / August 24, 2022

Lack of infrastructure and affordability are barriers to electric vehicle adoption in many emerging countries. Swedish-Kenyan mobility startup Roam aims to overcome those hurdles with its range of electric mobility product offerings.

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Video: Minerals Security Partnership advances multinational commitment to bolstering critical mineral supply chains

By Lisa McDonald / August 10, 2022

The Minerals Security Partnership, announced during the annual Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada convention in mid-June 2022, is an 11-member multinational partnership initiative that aims to bolster critical mineral supply chains. Learn more about who is involved and India’s possible interest in joining the partnership.

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Video: Heat waves and drought threaten structural stability of French homes

By Lisa McDonald / August 3, 2022

In addition to the health impacts of Europe’s current record-setting heat waves and drought, the weather is leading more houses to experience structural damage as the underlying soil dries and contracts. Subsidence-related damages are a major problem for French homeowners, and insurers and the government have been in talks over how to better handle such damage claims.

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Inaugural PACC-FMAs meeting convenes in Panama City

By Greg Geiger / July 29, 2022

Nearly 100 participants from 26 countries met July 24–28, 2022, in Panama City, Panama, for the inaugural Pan American Ceramics Congress combined with the Ferroelectrics Meeting of Americas.

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Video: Titanium dioxide ban illustrates the differing approaches to chemicals regulation in the EU and US

By Lisa McDonald / July 27, 2022

As the European Union prepares to ban the use of titanium dioxide as a food additive starting August 7, the United States Food and Drug Administration has no plans to change regulation of this substance. This situation illustrates the larger picture of how the EU and U.S. differ in their approach to chemicals regulation.

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Video: Fragility of the global submarine cable network and need for modernized regulation

By Lisa McDonald / July 13, 2022

The global submarine cable network carries about 95% of all global transnational communication data. However, it is vulnerable to disruption by human interference and natural disasters. To ensure continued operation, new monitoring systems and management regulations need to be put in place.

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Video: ‘Sand battery’ keeps Finnish town warm during the dark, cold winters

By Lisa McDonald / July 6, 2022

Adapting to climate change not only requires updating our existing energy systems but also designing new ways of storing and transmitting energy that can better withstand extreme environments. Finnish startup Polar Night Energy just completed the first commercial installation of their new heat storage system, which stores thermal energy using sand.

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Video: Ceramics and glass make their mark on new global conservation vaults

By Lisa McDonald / June 15, 2022

The Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, demonstrated that countries can work together for the common good through preservation and long-term protection of important societal resources. Two new global vaults making headlines will involve ceramic and glass materials, with the former material being documented and the latter used as a storage medium.

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