A gargantuan iceberg dumps 152 billion tons of freshwater as it melts

Scientists perplexed to find something under Saturn's ‘death star’ moon This startup produces blocks out of difficult-to-recycle plastics Jan 23, 2022 [View in browser]( Good morning. There's a humongous iceberg on the loose, and it dumped 61 million Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water since 2017. One question stands though, will it do good or bad for the environment? Moving on, we have news from Saturn's moon, Mimas. Scientists now have a good reason to believe that there's a liquid ocean beneath the so-called 'Death-Star' satellite. And finally, we take a look at a startup's bid to find a use for the non-recyclable plastics we just can't seem to give up. This is The Blueprint. Keep going. SCIENCE [Scientists Perplexed to Find Something Under Saturn's 'Death Star' Moon]( [The giant crater on Saturn's moon Mimas.]( A recent study reveals that there might be more to Saturn's eerie moon, Mimas, than previously believed, although it might not seem so at first glance. Alyssa Rhoden and her colleagues [released new research]( where they spotted the possibility of the moon hiding an ocean world. The reason behind their assumption is related to its orbit. - Mimas' orbit around Saturn takes just 22 hours and 36 minutes and creates a process called "tidal heating." In other ocean worlds like Europa, tidal heating produces enough of a rise in temperature to allow for water to exist. Wobble wobble. Rhoden and her team had previously noticed a tiny wobble in Mimas' orbit around Saturn and had deduced that an icy sea sloshing inside Mimas could be the source of this movement. This led the scientists to question whether the tidal heating might have been able to melt enough ice inside Mimas to create a sea. Even though Rhoden and her team do not guarantee that oceans can exist on Mimas, they do say the possibility is there. Does that mean that [life could also be present there]( The answer to this question will only emerge with time and more research. [Read More]( INNOVATION [This Startup Produces Blocks out of Difficult-to-Recycle Plastics]( [Three ByBlocks]( While many solutions have been sought out to address the problems arising from our incessant use of single-use non-recyclable plastics, such as [banning plastics altogether]( and engineering [plants that can recycle all kinds of plastics]( the issue persists. Now, a startup called ByFusion has come up with an innovation [that can shape all kinds of plastics]( even non-recyclable ones, into super-efficient and convenient building blocks. These blocks are called ByBlocks and they can be used in construction to build almost everything that engineers can think of. - To produce these eco-conscious blocks, ByFusion uses something called Blockers. These Blockers take all kinds of plastics and squeeze them into construction blocks. Best of all, the plastic does not need to be pre-sorted or cleaned before it is squeezed, saving precious time and resources. As a result, the company has produced 16-by-8-by-8-inch (0.4-by-0.20-by-0.2 meter) building blocks that come in three distinct models. The first model is designed with pegs that can interlock, the second is totally flat, and the third consists of a combination of the two. Weather woes. The ByBlocks work just as well as cement blocks, they just have one catch: They are susceptible to sunlight. However, this can easily be solved by coating them in clear paint or pairing them with a weather-resistant material. [Read More]( SCIENCE [A Gargantuan Iceberg Dumps 152 Billion Tons of Freshwater As it Melts]( [The A68A iceberg ]( A new study conducted with satellites has revealed that 152 billion tonnes of freshwater, equivalent to 20 times the amount of water in Loch Ness or 61 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, is dumped into the seas as the megaberg A68A melts. The gargantuan iceberg melted around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia over 3 months in 2020/2021. - In July 2017, [the A68A iceberg separated from its source]( and began its 3.5-year, 2,500-mile (4,000 km) journey across the Southern Ocean. At the time of its formation, it was considered the biggest iceberg on Earth (2,208 sq mi - 5,719 sq km) and the sixth-largest on record. It has also been found that its melting [could have a significant impact]( on South Georgia’s marine habitat where the iceberg has now landed. The potential Ecological impact: Anne Braakmann-Folgmann, the lead author of the study explains that they are curious to figure out if this had a positive or negative impact around South Georgia, and notes that “because A68A took a common route across the Drake Passage, we hope to learn more about icebergs taking a similar trajectory, and how they influence the polar oceans.” The researchers have also been tracking the iceberg to make sure it does not get stuck on the seafloor as this can be very disruptive both for fauna and ocean currents. This, however, was not a danger for A68A as by the time it reached South Georgia, its keel had been reduced enough to easily avoid the seabed. And even better, the iceberg will likely give local plankton something to feed on and change the local biome. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS In July 2017, the A68A iceberg separated from its source and research reveals that it dumped 152 billion tonnes of freshwater into the ocean. Do you think something good can come out of such a huge glacial meltdown? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Yes, the local ecosystem is going to love the extra nutrients.]( [No, I expect it to harm its immediate environment.]( [What if it releases forgotten pathogens into wild?]( [It'll probably do some good and some bad.]( Yesterday’s Results Yesterday we asked if you think cryptocurrencies can ever overcome their infamous volatility? 39% think they don't have to, as stock trading was never non-volatile, fair. A good 33% think they can't as there's no governing body trying to keep them stable. Some 16% think we'll see some stability if nations can stop poking at them. And finally, 12% actually believe we will see stability in the long run. What did you expect? It's not much different from equity trading. 39% No, because it's decentralized. 33% Maybe, if nations can make up their mind about it. 16% Yes, in the future it will. 12% [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [How a Zig-Zag Coast Guard Search Pattern Helps Save Lives]( Turns out, the Coast Guard uses different search patterns according to what they are searching for. [How a Zig-Zag Coast Guard Search Pattern Helps Save Lives]( AND ANOTHER THING... - Quantum computing in silicon just made a major breakthrough. The breakthrough suggests the possibility of [almost error-free quantum computing](. - Surprise, Steam Deck [will support games with Epic's Easy Anti-Cheat]( software. (Engadget) - [Meet HMS Nelson and Rodney]( Two of the most unique battleships in history. - Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos lose billions as [tech stocks and crypto suffer steep falls](. (The Independent) - A 22-year-old undergrad student has [managed to build chips in his parents’ garage](. - Microsoft [disables Excel 4.0 macros by default]( to block malware. (BleepingComputer) - A brain-dead person just scored [two kidneys from genetically modified pigs](. After only 23 minutes, he could even pee again. [Share to Win]SHARE TO WIN [All products]( Share The Blueprint! Give your friends deeper insights into engineering and tech, and win exclusive IE swag for free. [Read Details]( Share your link Copy & share your referral link with others. [ [Referral Program Terms and Conditions]( Prepared by Loukia Papadopoulos, Utku Kucukduner and Mert Erdemir Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? [Subscribe]( [About Us]( | [Advertise]( | [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe [here.]( © Copyright 2021 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]