A future Mars civilization has the potential to be built with the blood, sweat, and tears of astronauts — literally. A study has found that mixing proteins from blood plasma, urea from urine and human sweat with Martian soil makes a material stronger than the concrete we use on Earth. They estimate that a six-person crew could create almost 500 kg of the material (dubbed “AstroCrete”) in two years, with production scaling up whenever new crew members are added to the mission.
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Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
