Construction

A lab worker removes crane hoist from a load of rebar used to construct full-scale buildings and bridge spans that are then pushed to the limit in field tests.

This ‘earthquake lab’ is designing buildings to withstand natural disasters

At Spain’s Institute of Science and Concrete Technology, engineers are trying to find ways to keep buildings and bridges from falling down. The lab is getting attention after the deadly earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February.

This ‘earthquake lab’ is designing buildings to withstand natural disasters
A tiger crosses a road in India’s Ranthambore National Park.

GPS tracking could help tigers and traffic coexist across Asia

GPS tracking could help tigers and traffic coexist across Asia
A man stand next to a machine with large slabs of wood.

Building high-rises, hotels and stadiums out of wood — for climate's sake

Building high-rises, hotels and stadiums out of wood — for climate's sake
A view of the old quarter of Sanaa, Yemen, November 14, 2018.

UNESCO project aims to save Sanaa's historic mud brick towers

UNESCO project aims to save Sanaa's historic mud brick towers
a man mixes cement in argentina

Prefabricated homes may fix Argentina’s housing crisis — and put builders out of work

Prefabricated homes may fix Argentina’s housing crisis — and put builders out of work
A woman scrapes mortar off of a salvaged brick with a flat end of a chisel so the brick can be reused.

‘Symbolic rubble’ from crumbling adobe homes preserves the past and eases trauma after Mexico earthquake

Oaxaca is moving along with rebuilding after Mexico's worst earthquake of the century. But some are hoping to slow down the process.

‘Symbolic rubble’ from crumbling adobe homes preserves the past and eases trauma after Mexico earthquake
Mexico City

When disaster hits home: The Mexico City quake one month on

When The World's Monica Campbell returned to her home in Mexico City, she arrived to chaos. People were trying their best to rebuild or they were leaving altogether. Her neighborhood in particular was among the hardest hit.

When disaster hits home: The Mexico City quake one month on
The elevator at Washington DC's historic Old Post Office Pavilion.

Elevators are kind of a big deal

Tom Sybert, host of the Elevator Radio Show Podcast, believes elevators are one of the most important inventions of the modern world. Here are three reasons why.

Elevators are kind of a big deal

How the Hunger Games salute is inspiring Thai protesters

The military coup in Thailand hasn't been popular. Protests are frequent, and now they're using a popular symbol from the movie The Hunger Games, a three-finger salute, to signal their displeasure. That story and more in today's Global Scan.

How the Hunger Games salute is inspiring Thai protesters

Irish and out of luck? Come to Canada, says the construction industry

What do you do when you have too many jobs? In British Columbia, construction companies are recruiting Irish tradespeople to fill thousands of vacant positions.

Irish and out of luck? Come to Canada, says the construction industry
The World

Greener Concrete

Making concrete is responsible for up to eight per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. A team of researchers led by Kyle Riding at Kansas State University has developed a greener concrete...and it utilizes landfill waste!

Greener Concrete

King County in Washington trying to convert sewage to energy

King County wants to make you a deal. They'll give you access to their sewage for free. You just have to do something with it. If this sounds like a bit of a raw deal, hang on. That sewage is actually warm, and could become a source for clean, renewable heat for buildings.

King County in Washington trying to convert sewage to energy

New effort to dismantle aging U.S. dams aims to improve wildlife habitats

Some 1,000 U.S. dams have been dismantled in the past 100 years — but the pace has definitely been accelerating in recent years. Now, there's a major initiative underway to take apart old dams that serve little purpose as a way of restoring fish habitat and rebuilding aquatic ecosystems.

New effort to dismantle aging U.S. dams aims to improve wildlife habitats
The World

Placehacking: Scaling the Building Towering Above London's Skyline

For the Geo Quiz, we are looking for a glassy, triangular building that rises up more than 1,000 feet, enough to make it the tallest building in the European Union.

Placehacking: Scaling the Building Towering Above London's Skyline
The World

Russia's Blue Bucket Brigade Tackles Corruption

The Blue Bucket Brigade is perhaps Russia's first grass roots anti-corruption movement. Their goal is to shame politicians into ending some of their perks.

Russia's Blue Bucket Brigade Tackles Corruption