MIT, often cited as one of the world’s most prestigious universities, puts almost all of its course materials online for anyone to access for free.
100 Mind-Blowing Materials Facts
In the 1830s, the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, wanted to disassemble the Giza Pyramids and use them as pre-cut building materials. Thankfully, the Quantity Surveyor for the project fudged the figures and made it look like it would cost too much to save them.
Squeaky floors were the best home security in 17th-century Japan. You’d expect Japanese feudal lords to live in pristine houses with the sturdiest materials – and that is mostly true, save for their squeaky, creaky floors. Nightingale floors were flooring systems that “chirped” when somebody walked on it. They were installed in temples and palaces to alert of intruders. The floors were built in a way that the flooring nails rub against jackets or clamps, causing squeaking noises.
Marie Curie’s belongings still have radioactive residue in the present day. Marie Curie’s contributions to science had her named by many as the mother of modern physics. One of the works she was most known for was her study of radioactive materials and the discovery of elements such as polonium and radium. However, her research took a toll on her health. Radioactive exposure not only led to her death due to aplastic anaemia – but her clothes, furniture, and books remain radioactive to this day. Now, over a century later, her notebooks have to be stored in a lead box, as they will still be radioactive for another 1,500 years.
A waffle iron inspired one of the first iconic Nike shoes. Nowadays, running shoes have a wide range of different technology and materials. However, that wasn’t the case back in the 1950s. Bill Bowerman of Nike wanted to make a lighter running shoe that could be worn on different surfaces. As such, the idea of using a waffle texture sole came to him during breakfast with his wife. Check out the waffle sole on the recently retired Nike Tailwind ‘79.
X-rays can’t detect real diamonds. The reason for this is that the X-ray cannot penetrate or identify the materials in the diamond.
70% of the world’s toys are made in China. Other countries like Japan only produce 19% of goods that are shipped internationally. Most manufactured toys are made from materials such as traditional plastics to wooden toys.
Shoes can take up to 1,000 years to break down. If you thought clothes took crazy long to decompose, you’d have to look down at your shoes. Depending on different materials such as EVA and other foams, the average shoe will take 1,000 years before it is fully broken down.
A man once ate an entire plane. You read that right. Michel Lotito was a famous French entertainer known for eating inedible things. Lotito ate metal, glass, rubber and other industrial materials. He disassembled, cut, and ate items such as bicycles, shopping carts, televisions, and – most notably – a Cessna 150. The 680kg plane took roughly two years to be “eaten” by Lotito from 1978 to 1980.
The heaviest football weighed almost 10 kilos and was used in the early 1900s before lighter materials were created.
More than $700 million worth of aluminium cans are thrown out by Americans every year. Aluminum is one of the most recyclable materials on the market, and it’s also the most valuable. This is because aluminum is relatively rare yet is used in many different areas ranging from soda cans to airplanes. Despite the amount of lost aluminium from binned aluminium cans, more than seventy-five per cent of all aluminium produced on US soil has been recycled and is being put to use.
1 Million Recycled Laptops = Energy Savings of 3,500 Homes. Most laptops reach landfills rather than the recycling bin. Americans need to recycle as much electronic waste as possible, including laptops. Doing so comes with significant energy savings. For example, a million recycled laptops save enough energy to power 3,500 homes for a year. That’s an incredible energy savings and cuts back on further production of new laptops from new materials.
In modern times, the most commonly used graffiti materials are spray paint and marker pens.
AI Can Boost the Operating Profits of the Automotive Industry: According to Capgemini’s Accelerating Automotive’s AI Transformation report, major automakers will be able to increase operating profits by 16 per cent through the deployment of Artificial Intelligence in production facilities and supply chain operations. Gains will come from reductions in operating costs, including raw materials, labour, administration, logistics, maintenance, and inspection.