Tag Archives: construction

Physicists Start Construction of Groundbreaking Graviton Detector

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Igor Pikovsky, a physicist at Stevens Institute of Technology, along with his team, is pioneering an innovative experiment aimed at capturing individual gravitons—particles previously believed to be nearly undetectable. This groundbreaking work signals a new era in quantum gravity research.

Expected detection of single graviton signatures from gravitational waves in future experiments. Image credit: I. Pikovski.

Modern physics faces a significant challenge. The two foundational pillars—quantum theory and Einstein’s general theory of relativity—appear contradictory at a glance.

While quantum theory depicts nature through discrete quantum particles and interactions, general relativity interprets gravity as the smooth curvature of space and time.

A true unification demands that gravity be quantum in nature, mediated by particles called gravitons.

For a long time, detecting even a single graviton was deemed nearly impossible.

Consequently, the problem of quantum gravity has mostly remained a theoretical concept, with no experimental framework for a unified theory in view.

In 2024, Dr. Pikovsky and his collaborators from Stevens Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, and Nordita demonstrated that *detecting gravitons* is indeed feasible.

“For ages, the idea of detecting gravitons seemed hopeless, which is why it wasn’t considered an experimental question,” Pikovsky stated.

“Our findings indicate that this conclusion is outdated, especially with today’s advanced quantum technologies.”

The breakthrough stems from a fresh perspective that combines two pivotal experimental innovations.

The first is the detection of gravitational waves—ripples in spacetime generated by collisions between black holes and neutron stars.

The second innovation is the advancement in quantum engineering. Over the last decade, physicists have mastered the cooling, control, and measurement of larger systems in true quantum states, leading to extraordinary quantum phenomena beyond the atomic scale.

In a landmark experiment in 2022, a team led by Yale University professor Jack Harris showcased the control and measurement of individual vibrational quanta of superfluid helium exceeding 1 nanogram in weight.

Dr. Pikovsky and his co-authors realized that by merging these two advancements, it becomes possible to absorb and detect a single graviton. A passing gravitational wave could, theoretically, transfer exactly one quantum of energy (or one graviton) into a sufficiently large quantum system.

The resulting energy shift may be minimal but manageable. The primary hurdle lies in the fact that gravitons seldom interact with matter.

Nevertheless, in quantum systems scaled to the kilogram level, it is feasible to absorb a single graviton in the presence of strong gravitational waves generated by black hole or neutron star mergers.

Thanks to this recent revelation, Dr. Pikovsky and Professor Harris are collaborating to construct the world’s first experiment specifically designed to detect individual gravitons.

With backing from the WM Keck Foundation, they are engineering centimeter-scale superfluid helium resonators, moving closer to the conditions needed to absorb single gravitons from astrophysical gravitational waves.

“We already possess essential tools; we can detect single quanta in macroscopic quantum systems; it’s merely a matter of scaling up,” Professor Harris elaborated.

The objective of this experiment is to immerse a gram-scale cylindrical resonator within a superfluid helium container, cool the setup to the quantum ground state, and utilize laser-based measurements to detect individual phonons (the vibrational quanta transformed from gravitons).

This detector builds upon an existing laboratory system while advancing into uncharted territory—scaling masses to the gram level while maintaining exceptional quantum sensitivity.

Successfully demonstrating this platform sets the stage for the next iteration, which will be optimized for the sensitivity required to achieve direct detection of gravitons, thus opening new experimental avenues in quantum gravity.

“Quantum physics began with controlled experiments involving light and matter,” Pikovsky noted.

“Our current aim is to bring gravity into this experimental domain and investigate gravitons much like physicists studied photons over a century ago.”

Source: www.sci.news

Transforming Home Construction: Essential Strategies to Maintain Temperatures Below 2°C

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Sawa residential building in Rotterdam

Sawa Housing: Sustainable Wood Construction in Rotterdam

Image Credit: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock

To combat global warming and maintain temperatures below 2°C, cities must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from construction and infrastructure by over 90% within the next 20 to 40 years. This necessitates significant shifts in building design, material choices, or both.

“Canada aims to triple its housing construction rates amidst widespread housing shortages in the U.S., Australia, and many other countries,” explains Shoshanna Saxe from the University of Toronto. “How can we simultaneously meet these housing demands while significantly curbing pollution?”

Despite challenges, Saxe is optimistic. “We are already constructing buildings that meet sustainability goals; we just need to scale up our efforts,” she asserts. “Our expertise and knowledge are long-established; we need to utilize them effectively.”

Globally, the construction sector generates 10-20% of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from cement production. Thus, understanding current construction emissions is crucial for countries and cities to plan reductions aligned with international climate objectives.

However, Saxe’s research team discovered a surprising lack of studies estimating construction emissions at the city level in Toronto.

“We developed a method to estimate city-level construction emissions and forecast future emissions to adhere to climate limits,” says team member Keegan Rankin, also from the University of Toronto.

Rankin’s analysis covered 1,033 cities, integrating existing models used for assessing the environmental impact of construction. He utilized data on city population, construction investment, and employment from sources like ExioBase. “These datasets were readily available, but combining them innovatively was unprecedented,” Saxe notes.

The team concluded the rate at which each city must reduce construction emissions to meet global carbon budget limits for a 2°C increase. “Understanding these budgets is essential for effective planning,” says Saxe.

The findings indicated that focusing solely on single-family homes to address housing needs would exhaust these budgets; cities should prioritize developing more efficient apartment buildings.

Employing alternative materials like wood and recycled concrete can help lower emissions, but good design remains paramount, adds Saxe.

“It’s a common misconception that merely building with wood resolves emission issues,” she clarifies. “Wood also emits greenhouse gases, and overly optimistic assumptions about forests may only lead to minimal emissions reductions.”

“Thoughtful building design is vital to minimize wasted space and materials,” Saxe emphasizes.

Rankin asserts that cities are uniquely positioned to implement change. “Cities are actively pursuing climate action and hold significant sway over construction practices,” he remarks. “As we identified in Toronto, many cities lack the resources to make informed budgeting choices.”

“Achieving the Paris Agreement’s goals hinges on addressing construction sector emissions, irrespective of reductions in other emissions,” says Prajar Pradhan from the University of Groningen. “Viewing emissions from a city budget perspective is also pivotal.”

It’s crucial to design buildings for low emissions not only during construction but throughout their lifespan, states Susan Roaf from Heriot-Watt University in the UK. “We cannot populate our growing cities with inefficient, pollution-heavy ‘zombie buildings,'” she cautions. Natural ventilation solutions can be a key factor in sustainability.

To reduce construction emissions effectively, prioritization of projects is essential. Saxe points out, “Canada continues to invest heavily in oil and gas infrastructure. We could accommodate housing for 10 million people without increasing emissions simply by reallocating those resources.”

Topics:

  • Climate Change/
  • Sustainability

Source: www.newscientist.com

How Lab-Grown Lichens Could Revolutionize Habitat Construction on Mars

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Synthesized lichen that shines bright blue under ultraviolet light.

As I explore the fascinating world of lichens, I often find myself captivated by their unique growths on tree branches, rocky outcrops, and gravestones. Although I have encountered numerous lichens during my research on symbiosis, discovering them in a laboratory flask swirling in an incubator was a novel experience. Recently, I’ve begun to contemplate the insights lichens can provide, not just about our past but about the potential for our future.

The green liquid in the incubator may not resemble typical lichen, as this is actually a synthetic alternative. According to Rodrigo Ledesma Amaro, director at the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein, this co-culture comprises fungi (yeast) and cyanobacteria. Much like natural lichens, the fungal component acts as a structural host while cyanobacteria leverage sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create sugars during photosynthesis.

What drives the creation of such “potion”? As Ledesma-Amaro explains, genetically edited yeast can produce useful products—food, fuels, and medications—which can be created sustainably through photosynthesis. Today’s synthetic lichens present exciting opportunities within the biotechnology sector. They hold potential for repairing infrastructures, mitigating climate change, and even crafting habitats on Mars.

“Synthetic lichens replicate the symbiotic nature of natural lichens but grow significantly faster,” says Ledesma-Amaro. Their use of yeast facilitates large-scale production of valuable compounds, like caryophyllene—a vital ingredient in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and fuel. Notably, alternative synthetic lichens could be engineered for carbon capture and storage, while ongoing research pursues their use in revitalizing aging concrete structures worldwide. The future application of lichens could even extend beyond Earth, with NASA exploring ways to cultivate engineered lichens on the Moon and Mars for building purposes.

The Science of Symbiosis

Though unassuming, lichens exemplify the essence of symbiosis, where diverse species coexist harmoniously. Typically, lichens consist of fungal partners that host photobionts—algae or bacteria—that produce food through photosynthesis while the fungus shelters them. This arrangement enables lichens to thrive in extreme conditions, fostering scientific interest in creating synthetic counterparts.

Lichens demonstrate two key benefits: their interdependent nature allows them to accomplish more together than individually, and their resilience enables survival in harsh environments. In some regions like Svalbard, where around 700 lichen species exist, they tolerate frigid temperatures, salinity, and other extreme conditions. Curious scientists continue to explore how these organisms endure aridity and temperature fluctuations.

Lichens represent a fascinating life form sustained through a symbiotic relationship.

Jose B. Luis/naturepl.com

Researchers propose that lichen resilience stems from biomolecules formed by filamentous fungi, which provide protection to the entire community. Moreover, their slow growth allows them to persist with minimal resources. Together, these qualities offer lichens unique advantages over single-species organisms.

Space Lichens: The Future of Exploration

These attributes have sparked interest from NASA due to lichens’ ability to withstand simulated and real space conditions. For instance, lichens like Cirquinaria girosa survived outside the International Space Station for over 18 months. Their capacity for growth within rocks and survival in space conditions has intrigued scientists and advocates alike.

Kongrui Jin, a biomaterials engineer at Texas A&M University, recognizes the potential of lichens in future space habitats. Proposals for extraterrestrial homes often use inflatable structures, reducing the need to transport materials from Earth. However, opportunities exist to produce building materials directly from Martian regolith using lichen-based solutions.

Lichens have survived in space, proving their resilience and adaptability.

ESA

“We aim to merge these fungi with photosynthetic species like cyanobacteria,” Jin elaborates. “This combination can convert sunlight into organic nutrients while binding Martian soil particles into cohesive structures.” The biomaterials produced could be utilized with 3D printing technology for constructing habitats.

Jin’s research illustrates the potential of lichens in transforming Martian regolith into conducive building materials. They also offer routes toward producing biominerals and biopolymers, leading some futurists to envision them as key players in terraforming Mars. Yet even without strict planetary protection measures, lichens will need shielding from the harsh Martian surface conditions to flourish.

The Future of Architecture with Lichens

While colonizing other planets remains a distant goal, the application of lichens offers immediate benefits on Earth. They can aid in bundling rubble for construction, notably in rebuilding after natural or human-made disasters. Furthermore, incorporating methods that sequester carbon in concrete production could significantly lessen its environmental impact.

Jin and her colleagues successfully demonstrated that integrating lichen-based combinations of fungi and cyanobacteria can grow in concrete, precipitating calcium carbonate to repair structural cracks efficiently. “This method shows much higher survival rates compared to other microbes in challenging conditions,” she states. These synthetic lichens can extract nitrogen from the air, negating the need for external nutrient supplementation.

Meanwhile, Khakhar is exploring ways to enhance lichen growth by selecting and modifying fast-growing microorganisms. His lab is developing synthetic lichens similar to Jin’s, paving the way for sustainable production of building materials through biomanufacturing, termed “mycomaterials.”

My journey into the world of symbiosis reveals that lichens embody complex ecosystems—a vivid lesson in interdependence and their futuristic potential in shaping our materials. The next time you encounter a lichen adorning a tree or tombstone, take a moment to reflect on the incredible possibilities these organisms hold for our future.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Pompeii’s Construction Site Unveils the Secrets of Roman Concrete Production

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Ceramic roof tiles and tuff blocks uncovered at an ancient construction site in Pompeii

Pompeii Archaeological Park

A recently uncovered ancient building site in Pompeii, preserved since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, has enabled archaeologists to finally understand the process behind Roman concrete production.

Located near Naples, Pompeii was entombed under layers of volcanic ash in 79 AD. Excavation efforts commenced in the 1880s but were halted until early 2023, when extensive new diggings began.

The latest excavations revealed a nearly intact concrete workshop, featuring inscriptions on the walls detailing work schedules and material quantities. Numerous concrete tools, heaps of quicklime, and salvaged roof tiles were also discovered.

Admija Masic of the MIT research team expressed amazement at the site’s remarkable preservation, stating it provides insights into Roman concrete techniques that “laboratory recreations simply cannot achieve.”

“The material was just as it was at the moment the eruption halted the city,” Masic mentioned. “Studying it felt as if I were transported back to 79 A.D., standing beside the workers mixing and pouring concrete.”

The team’s revelations indicate that established assumptions about Roman concrete production should be reconsidered.

Historical records suggest that Romans utilized slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) for concrete, combining it with water before mixing it with other components like volcanic ash.

Contrarily, chemical analyses of dry, premixed materials found in Pompeian workshops show that ancient builders actually employed a hot mixing technique using quicklime, or calcium oxide. This method involved combining the lime with all other ingredients including volcanic ash and minerals, before adding water, which was heated as a result of the chemical reaction, causing some concrete to set.

“Our findings demonstrate that quicklime was crucial to structural concrete,” Masic states. “In contrast, slaked lime was typically used for finish mortar and plaster, where a smooth surface and workability were paramount.”

The hot-mixing method offers the advantage of lime remnants, known as crusts, remaining in the concrete post-hardening, which can autonomously heal small cracks and defects.

“These lime fragments serve as reservoirs of calcium that can dissolve and recrystallize in crevices and fractures, or interact with volcanic ash to enhance the microstructure of the concrete,” Masić explains.

A modern concrete worker would easily understand the Roman concrete-making technique at Pompeii and could seamlessly transition into the workshop to start working, he states. “The chemistry is ancient, yet the technology is readily recognizable.”

Historic Herculaneum – explore Vesuvius, Pompeii, and ancient Naples

Embark on a captivating expedition through the remnants of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, and Herculaneum, where history and archaeology unfold.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Archaeologists Uncover New Insights into the Construction and Purpose of the Gobi Walls

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The Gobi Wall is a 321 km long edifice constructed from soil, stone, and wood, located in the Gobi Highlands desert of Mongolia. It represents the least understood segment of the medieval wall system that extends from China to Mongolia. In a recent study, archaeologists sought to uncover information about the builders, purpose, and timeline of this structure. Their findings indicate that the principal structure and its usage evolved during the Xi Xia dynasty (1038-1227 CE), a time notable for its sophisticated frontier defense systems and significant geopolitical transformations.

Aerial drone photograph depicting preserved stone segments of the Gobi walls traversing the hillside. Image credit: Golan et al. , doi: 10.3390/land14051087.

Stretching 321 km through Mongolia’s highland desert, the Gobi Wall forms part of a comprehensive wall system that once extended across China to Mongolia.

Previously, its origins, functions, and historical significance remained largely uncharted.

“The medieval wall system spans roughly 4,000 km across the vast territories of northern China and Mongolia, making it a distinct segment of Siberia,” remarked Professor Gideon Sheraha Ravi from Hebrew University and his collaborators.

“It stands out as one of East Asia’s most expansive yet mysterious architectural structures.”

“In recent years, numerous projects have delved into various sections of this wall line, yielding substantial research findings.”

“Such studies have established that this extensive system of earthen walls was constructed by different empires from the 10th to the 13th centuries.”

“Among the various parts of the system, the segment within the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia is the least explored and, as of yet, unrecognized.”

“Our investigation concentrates on a 321-km segment of this wall line in the Omnogovi region of Mongolia, which we refer to as the Gobi Wall.”

In this study, Professor Shelach-Lavi and his co-authors uncovered new insights into the building and purposes of the wall.

They found that the wall and its associated garrison were primarily constructed during the Xi Xia period (1038-1227 CE), a dynasty governed by the Tangot peoples in western China and southern Mongolia.

This era is marked by the growth of frontier defense strategies amid considerable geopolitical upheaval.

Contrary to conventional perspectives that view walls solely as defensive constructions, this research emphasizes the multifaceted roles of the Gobi walls in boundary integration, resource regulation, and imperial governance.

While the main construction and habitation phases align with the Xi Xia dynasty, the research also refuted evidence for consistent habitation of this remote area from the 2nd century BC to the 19th century AD.

The fortress comprises a plunging earth foundation bolstered by stone and wooden reinforcements, showcasing the adaptive use of local materials within this arid, isolated setting.

Additionally, ecological and spatial assessments from this study indicate that the wall routes were strategically selected based on resource accessibility, particularly water and timber.

The fort’s location and garrison positioning utilized natural geographical features such as mountain paths and sand dunes to enhance the wall’s effectiveness.

“This study challenges long-held beliefs regarding the empire’s frontier systems in Asia,” stated Professor Sheraha Ravi.

“The Gobi Wall was not merely a barrier, but an adaptive mechanism for regulating movement, commerce, and territorial authority in a demanding environment.”

This finding sheds light on how environmental adaptation and state power interacted within medieval empires, offering broader insights into ancient infrastructure and its relevance to contemporary political and ecological contexts.

“This study advocates for a wider rethinking of medieval frontiers, not just as static defensive barriers, but as dynamic management frameworks,” asserted the archaeologist.

“The Gobi Wall illustrates the Xi Xia Statecraft model, which uses architectural endeavors to manage population dynamics and territorial delineations.”

“Such an understanding aligns with a theoretical framework that perceives frontiers as zones of control and interaction, rather than rigid dividers, prompting a broader comparative analysis throughout Eurasia.”

The findings were published in a paper in the journal land.

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Dangoran et al. 2025. Exploring the Gobi Wall: Archaeology of a large medieval frontier system in the Mongol Desert. land 14(5): 1087; doi: 10.3390/land14051087

Source: www.sci.news

Trump Approves UAE Agreement for Construction of Largest AI Campus Outside the U.S.

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The United Arab Emirates and the United States have formalized a Gulf State agreement to establish the largest artificial intelligence campus outside of the U.S., a key development during Donald Trump’s Middle East visit that included multiple AI-related deals.

Nevertheless, the agreement has sparked concerns due to previous administration restrictions based on fears that China could gain access to important technologies.

The deal to construct the campus will enable the UAE to enhance access to state-of-the-art AI chips. While the U.S. and UAE did not specify which AI chips would be featured in the data center, sources informed Reuters of a potential allowance for the UAE to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips annually starting in 2025.

Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, was seen on television talking with Donald Trump and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Abu Dhabi palace on Thursday.

This agreement marks a significant win for the UAE, as it navigates its long-standing relationships with allies while also engaging with China, its largest trading partner. The Gulf nation is investing billions to establish itself as a leader in AI. However, its ties with China have previously limited access to U.S. chips under the former Biden administration.

This transaction illustrates the Trump administration’s belief in its ability to securely regulate chip management by mandating that U.S. companies oversee their data centers.

While the U.S. has led in AI technology and innovation, China has recently become a formidable competitor. Despite Trump’s optimism, there are concerns that significant agreements with Gulf countries could diminish U.S. control over this rapidly growing technology, coupled with fears that China might leverage these data centers for its own advantages.

Leading CEOs from AI and semiconductor firms, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Nvidia’s Huang, seem supportive of such transactions, as they present opportunities to showcase their products on a global scale and derive substantial benefits.

According to the White House, the AI contract encompasses investment, construction, and funding in U.S. data centers that match the scale of those in the UAE.

“The agreement also commits the UAE to align its national security regulations more closely with those of the United States.

The focal point of the announced contract is a 10-square-mile (25.9 square kilometers) AI campus in Abu Dhabi, boasting a capacity of 5 gigawatts for AI data processing.

The campus will be developed by G42, a company backed by Abu Dhabi, but U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stated that “U.S. companies will manage data centers and supply American-managed cloud services throughout the region.”

In a U.S. fact sheet, Qualcomm, a chip manufacturer involved in AI engineering centers, noted that Amazon Web Services, the cloud division of the technology and commerce firm, will collaborate with local partners to enhance cybersecurity and cloud integration.

Historically, the U.S. pursued protective measures to limit China’s access to advanced semiconductors.

Regulations are being relaxed under Trump, and AI Czar David Sacks informed Riyadh on Tuesday that the Biden administration’s export controls “are not intended to include friends, allies, or strategic partners.”

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Granting the UAE access to cutting-edge chips made by companies like Nvidia signifies a substantial change.

“This transition will enable the UAE to strengthen its technological partnership with the U.S. while sustaining trade relations with China,” said Mohamed Soliman, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.

“It doesn’t imply a severance from China; rather, it reflects a reorientation of our technology strategy to adhere to U.S. standards and protocols, especially in key areas like computing, cloud computing, and semiconductor supply chains,” he stated.

AI was a key topic when Bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Washington on the last day of Biden’s administration.

G42 and MGX, the state-affiliated entities spearheading the UAE’s AI investment initiative, have also invested in U.S. firms such as OpenAI and Elon Musk’s Xai, while Microsoft committed $1.5 billion to G42 last year.

The companies indicated that the agreement was bolstered by security guarantees, and under U.S. influence, G42 has started dismantling previous Chinese hardware and divesting from Chinese investments.

Nonetheless, Chinese firms like Huawei and Alibaba Cloud continue to operate in the UAE, and the flow of AI chips to China has been monitored by various nations, including Malaysia, Singapore, and the UAE, according to sources who spoke with Reuters in February.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Scientists are on the verge of uncovering the secrets behind the construction of Egypt’s ancient pyramids.

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A recent study published in July suggests that Egypt’s oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, may have been constructed using advanced technology. The study proposes that a hydraulic lift system was used during the construction of the pyramid to raise the massive blocks needed for its construction.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser was built as the final resting place of King Djoser, the first or second pharaoh of Egypt’s Third Dynasty during the Old Kingdom, around 4,700 years ago. The pyramid rises in six tiers to a height of 62 meters above the Saqqara plateau, equivalent to the height of a 14-storey building.

If proven true, the existence of this hydraulic lift system would offer an explanation for how the ancient Egyptians were able to construct such monumental structures with the technology available at the time. The study also suggests that a nearby enclosure, known as Gisr el-Mudir, may have served as a “check dam” to capture water and sediment, supporting the hydraulic system.

Map of the Saqqara plateau showing the waterway from the Gisr el-Mudir Dam to the water treatment facility near the Pyramid of Djoser. The water is then routed to the pyramid’s pipe network to power the hydraulic elevators. – Image courtesy of Paléotechnique, Paris, France

The study proposes that a sophisticated system of water treatment plants outside the pyramid combined with the Gisr el-Mudir and a ditch controlled water quality and flow. Water would flow into a shaft inside the pyramid where a float system potentially carried building stones to their needed locations. A plug system at the base of the shaft could then drain the water for the process to start again.

Xavier Landreau, president of Paleotechnique and lead author of the study, emphasizes the importance of this discovery in questioning established historical narratives and the technical knowledge possessed by the ancient Egyptian architects. The study also raises the intriguing question of whether the same hydraulic system used to construct the pyramid could have been used to bury the king in his final resting place within the pyramid.

About the Experts

Xavier Landreau: President of Paleotechnique and lead author of the study. Paleotechnique is a research practice that combines hydrology, geotechnical engineering, physics, mathematics, materials science, and history to explore the origins of civilization.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Citizens in Georgia rally against proposed construction of major monkey breeding facility in their community.

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Residents are expressing concerns about the facility itself and the potential for monkeys to escape, which has occurred in the past. Similar incidents have been reported at other facilities in the United States, including one operated by Oregon Health & Science University. In Portland, there have been no reports of harm to nearby residents,

“We’re facing a jungle – the noise, the smell, the risk of disease,” stated Penny Reynolds, who resides across the street from the land designated for the Bainbridge facility.

Safer Human Medicine has reassured residents that they take all necessary precautions to ensure that all waste remains on-site and is sent to the city’s wastewater treatment plant, and that most of the noise is contained on-site with no detectable odors.

Greg Westergaard, the CEO of monkey breeder Alpha Genesis, mentioned that establishing a monkey facility entails significant effort.

“It would involve extensive training and infrastructure,” he explained. “There will be unpleasant odors and wastewater from cleaning.”

Residents of Bainbridge point to the backgrounds of several executives at Safer Human Medicine, two of whom previously held leadership roles at companies that were under investigation, as a reason to be skeptical of their efforts.

CEO of Safer Human Medicines, Jim Harkness, is the chief operating officer of Envigo. He recently pleaded guilty. Thousands of dogs were abandoned, leading to a $35 million fine. Former Chief Operating Officer Kurt Derfler has left Charles River Laboratories. The Department of Justice issued a subpoena The probe was part of an inquiry into the potential smuggling of wild monkeys from Cambodia, and Charles River Laboratories stated at the time that any concerns about its involvement were “unwarranted.”

Neither Mr. Harkness nor Mr. Derfler faced individual charges related to those incidents.

Safer Human Medicine declined an interview request. “Envigo was functioning under unprecedented circumstances brought on by the pandemic,” they said in an email. They also stated that “we have been committed to operating responsibly and ethically in this field for decades and will continue to do so.”

Long-tailed macaques, also known as crab-eating macaques, are climbing the pillar in Indonesia in 2023.Chaidir Mahyudin/AFP via Getty Images file

Safer Human Medicine has stated that they do not use wild-caught macaques. Herpes BThe macaques will be sourced from Asia, but the specific location has not been disclosed.

Community activism in Bainbridge has made an impact. What was initially promoted as a “significant investment” is now overseen by Rick McCaskill, executive director of the Bainbridge and Decatur County Development Authority. Approximately $400 million and 260 jobs Things took a turn quickly. Following pushback from the community, Bainbridge leaders decided in February to Withdraw support for the Safer Human Medicine Project.

“The division and fear within the community seemed to outweigh the benefits of the project,” McCaskill remarked.

Monkeys used for research are housed at seven national primate research centers, each with its own breeding colonies, as well as other facilities across the country. While the national primate research centers mostly utilize rhesus macaques, pharmaceutical companies tend to prefer long-tailed macaques, which Safer Human Medicine intends to use.

Animal testing for drug development was formerly mandatory in the United States, but President Joe Biden will lift the ban in 2022. FDA Modernization Act 2.0 Signed into LawAllow non-animal options where possible. Several members of Congress voted this year to The bill was submitted. We advocate for a shift away from animal testing.

“There are various alternatives available today, such as AI, computer models, and organs on chips,” stated Jim Newman, spokesperson for the American Association for Medical Progress, a group that supports animal testing when necessary, “but current options can only reduce the number of animals to a certain extent.”

An artist’s rendering of a monkey enclosure proposed for Bainbridge, Georgia.Safer Human Medicines

Currently, researchers still rely on monkeys for certain tests, and some animal researchers cite a U.S. Shortage of long-tailed macaques — Imports reportedly dropped by over 20% in 2020 due to China halting exports, leading to a surge in prices of long-tailed macaques.

Safer Human Medicine believes that their proposed facility can address the monkey shortage, intending to start with 500 to 1,000 monkeys and then expand. They stated that the facility would be funded by industry and private donors in the US, without specifying them.

The extent of opposition from local residents to the facility remains unclear. Some local politicians who opposed the facility lost recent elections, but it is uncertain if their defeat was linked to their stance.

Nevertheless, Faircloth asserted that her group has no intention of backing down.

“If we don’t stand up for our rights, they will walk all over us,” she declared. “And we can’t allow that to happen.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com