Follow Slashdot stories on Twitter

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror

Comment Revolutionize or "more eco-friendly"? (Score 5, Informative) 322

From http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/06/04/roman-concrete/ While Roman concrete is durable, Monteiro said it is unlikely to replace modern concrete because it is not ideal for construction where faster hardening is needed. But the researchers are now finding ways to apply their discoveries about Roman concrete to the development of more earth-friendly and durable modern concrete. They are investigating whether volcanic ash would be a good, large-volume substitute in countries without easy access to fly ash, an industrial waste product from the burning of coal that is commonly used to produce modern, green concrete. “There is not enough fly ash in this world to replace half of the Portland cement being used,” said Monteiro. “Many countries don’t have fly ash, so the idea is to find alternative, local materials that will work, including the kind of volcanic ash that Romans used. Using these alternatives could replace 40 percent of the world’s demand for Portland cement.”

Comment I think the whole nature-nurture debate is hogwash (Score 4, Insightful) 84

To quote Matt Ridley:

The discovery of how genes actually influence human behaviour, and how human behaviour influences genes, is about to recast the debate entirely. No longer is it nature versus nurture, but nature via nurture. Genes are designed to take their cues from nurture

Goodbye, nature vs nurture

Replace human for bee or for organism and I think the quote still stands. It is not that the behaviour of an organism is for the most part determined by it genes, or either that is is determined by it nurture.

Nurture will give direction, Nature will limit the abilities.

How much you'll train a dog, it will never be able to play chess. How much you'll train a toddler, it will never be able to have capabilities to follow a scent trail like a bloodhound.

Slashdot Top Deals

In the long run, every program becomes rococco, and then rubble. -- Alan Perlis

Working...