Did you know that transporting a single brick to Mars can cost more than a million pounds?
This makes the future construction of a Martian colony seem so expensive that it will likely never be pulled off – but now, scientists at The University of Manchesterhave developed a way to potentially overcome this problem.
By creating a concrete-like material that’s made of extra-terrestrial dust along with the blood, sweat and tears of astronauts.
As mad as it sounds, it’s absolutely true.
In the Manchester-based scientists’ study – which was published today in Materials Today Bio – it’s revealed that a protein from human blood, combined with a compound from urine, sweat or tears, could glue together simulated moon or Mars soil to produce a material stronger than ordinary concrete – which is perfectly suited for construction work in extra-terrestrial environments.
ADVERTISEMENT
So how does it actually work then? Well, to get a little more into the complexity of it all, scientists have basically demonstrated that a common protein from blood plasma, known as human serum albumin, could act as a binder for simulated moon or Mars dust to produce a concrete-like material.
The resulting material – which has compressive strengths as high as 25 MPa – has been aptly-named AstroCrete.
ADVERTISEMENT
Scientists have created a concrete-like material that’s made of extra-terrestrial dust with the blood, sweat and tears of astronauts / Credit: The University of Manchester
However, the scientists found that by incorporating urea – which is a biological waste product that the body produces and excretes through urine, sweat and tears – this could further increase the compressive strength of the material by over 300%.
This means that the best-performing material could eventually have a compressive strength of almost 40 MPa – substantially stronger than ordinary concrete.
Dr Aled Roberts, from The University of Manchester, who worked on the project, said that the new technique holds considerable advantages over many other proposed construction techniques on the moon and Mars, adding that: “Scientists have been trying to develop viable technologies to produce concrete-like materials on the surface of Mars, but we never stopped to think that the answer might be inside us all along.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The scientists have calculated that over 500 kg of high-strength AstroCrete could be produced over the course of a two-year mission on the surface of Mars by a crew of six astronauts.
If used as a mortar for sandbags or heat-fused regolith bricks, each crew member could produce enough AstroCrete to expand the habitat to support an additional crew member, doubling the housing available with each successive mission.
The material – named AstroCrete – was developed at The University of Manchester / Credit: The University of Manchester
“It is exciting that a major challenge of the space age may have found its solution based on inspirations from medieval technology,” Dr Roberts continued.
The scientists investigated the underlying bonding mechanism and found that the blood proteins denature, or “curdle”, to form an extended structure with interactions known as “beta sheets” that tightly holds the material together.
“The concept is literally blood-curdling,”Dr Roberts explained.
Featured Image – The University of Manchester
News
Ryanair introduces immediate £500 fines for ‘unruly’ passengers
Emily Sergeant
Ryanair is majorly clamping-down on passenger conduct by introducing a new immediate fining system.
In a bid to get onboard conduct to an acceptable level, Europe’s largest budget airline has today confirmed (12 June) that it has introduced a £500 fine for disruptive passengers whose unruly behaviour results in them being offloaded from the aircraft.
The airline – which prides itself on being one of the most ‘punctual’ in the continent – says passengers expect to travel in a ‘comfortable and stress-free environment’ that’s free from ‘unnecessary disruption’ caused by a tiny number of people travelling onboard the aircraft at the same time as them.
Ryanair has introduced immediate £500 fines for ‘unruly’ passengers / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
While it’s no secret that passenger disruption is a problem that’s increasingly affecting the airline industry as a whole, Ryanair says it’s ‘committed’ to tackling unruly behaviour for the benefit of its passengers and crew.
The company intends to continue to pursue disruptive passengers for civil damages, but at a minimum, they will now be issued with a £500 fine immediately.
“It is unacceptable that passengers are made suffer unnecessary disruption because of one unruly passenger’s behaviour,” a Ryanair spokesperson commented as the fines were announced today.
The airline says it’s committed to tackling this for the benefit of its passengers and crew / Credit: Pxhere
“To help ensure that our passengers and crew travel in a comfortable and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption caused by a tiny number of unruly passengers, we have introduced a £500 fine, which will be issued to any passengers offloaded from aircraft as a result of their misconduct.
“While these are isolated events which happen across all airlines, disruptive behaviour in such a confined shared space is unacceptable.
“We hope that our proactive approach will act as a deterrent to eliminate this unacceptable behaviour onboard our aircraft.”
Featured Image – CCNull
News
Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester has won big, as our region has been chosen as the first place to get a dedicated Primark Home store.
Following the opening of its debut Home location in Belfast earlier this year, Primark has now announced that the home of its first ever Great Britain site will be here in Greater Manchester – arriving at the popular Trafford Palazzo this summer.
The 11,900 sq ft, two-floor store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof.
Manchester shoppers can discover an expanded range of homeware and lifestyle essentials to give their home the glow-up it deserves, including high-quality essentials like cotton bedding and towels, soft furnishings, small furniture, and quirky ceramics.
The new store will feature Primark’s recently-launched ‘Edit’ – an elevated collection of home products such as chic tableware, plush towels, and luxury home fragrances.
It will also include a dedicated Travel Shop to help customers get holiday-ready all year round, with a range of stylish and practical travel essentials.
Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer / Credit: Primark Corporate
The addition of the new Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo doesn’t mean that any of the other Primark shops across Greater Manchester will be going anywhere though, so shoppers can still continue to get their Primark fix at the main Trafford Palazzo store, as well as on Market Street in Manchester city centre, and right through to the boroughs in places like Bolton, Oldham, Bury, and Wigan.
“The opening of Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo is an incredibly exciting moment for us,” commented Mark Whittaker, who is the Managing Director at Peel Retail and Leisure.
The store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof / Credit: Primark Corporate
“Not only because we are the first destination in Great Britain to do so, but the opening is going to be adding a leading concept to our already unique mixture of immersive shopping and leisure experiences.
“Primark Home will have something for everyone, and we look forward to the store opening in summer.”
Emily Sergeant -
13th September 2021 
