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Morningside Park, a beloved neighborhood park in Miami with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, will soon pilot an innovative approach to coastal resilience. BIOCAP tiles, a 3D-printed modular system designed to support marine life and reduce wave impact along urban seawalls, will be installed on the existing seawall there in spring 2025. BIOCAP stands for Biodiversity Improvement by Optimizing Coastal Adaptation and Performance. Developed by our team of architects and marine biologists at Florida International University, the uniquely textured prototype tiles are designed to test a new approach for helping cities such as Miami adapt to rising sea levels while simultaneously restoring ecological balance along their shorelines. The project receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency. Ecological costs of traditional seawalls Seawalls have long served as a primary defense against coastal erosion and storm surges. Typically constructed of concrete and ranging from 6 to 10 feet in height, they are built along shorelines to block waves from eroding the land and flooding nearby urban areas. However, they often come at an ecological cost. Seawalls disrupt natural shoreline dynamics and can wipe out the complex habitat zones that marine life relies on. Marine organisms are crucial in maintaining coastal water quality by filtering excess nutrients, pollutants and suspended particles. A single adult oyster can filter 20-50 gallons of water daily, removing nitrogen, phosphorus and solids that would otherwise fuel harmful algal blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen levels and damage marine ecosystems. Filter-feeding organisms also reduce turbidity, which is the cloudiness of water caused by suspended sediment and particles. Less water turbidity means more light can penetrate, which benefits seagrasses that require sunlight for photosynthesis. These seagrasses convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and energy-rich sugars while providing essential food and habitat for diverse marine species. A robotic 3D printer extrudes concrete in layered, intricate channels. [Photo: Sara Pezeshk] Swirling shapes, shaded grooves Unlike the flat, lifeless surfaces of typical concrete seawalls, each BIOCAP tile is designed with shaded grooves, crevices and small, water-holding pockets. These textured features mimic natural shoreline conditions and create tiny homes for barnacles, oysters, sponges and other marine organisms that filter and improve water quality. The tiles swirling surface patterns increase the overall surface area, offering more space for colonization. The shaded recesses are intended to help regulate temperature by providing cooler, more stable microenvironments. This thermal buffering can support marine life in the face of rising water temperatures and more frequent heat events driven by climate change. Another potential benefit of the tiles is reducing the impact of waves. When waves hit a natural shoreline, their energy is gradually absorbed by irregular surfaces, tide pools and vegetation. In contrast, when waves strike vertical concrete seawalls, the energy is reflected back into the water rather than absorbed. This wave reflectionthe bouncing back of wave energycan amplify wave action, increase erosion at the base of the wall and create more hazardous conditions during storms. The textured surfaces of the BIOCAP tiles are designed to help diffuse wave energy by mimicking the natural dissipation found on undisturbed shorelines. The design of BIOCAP takes cues from nature. The tile shapes are based on how water interacts with different surfaces at high tide and low tide. Concave tiles, which curve inward, and convex tiles, which curve outward, are installed at different levels along the seawall. The goal is to deflect waves away from the seawall, reduce direct impact and help minimize erosion and turbulence around the walls foundation. A collection of 3D-printed concrete BIOCAP tiles. [Photo: Sara Pezeshk] How we’ll measure success After the BIOCAP tiles are installed, we plan to assess how the seawall redesign enhances biodiversity, improves water quality and reduces wave energy. This two-year pilot phase will help assess the long-term value of ecologically designed infrastructure. To evaluate biodiversity, we will use underwater cameras to capture time-lapse imagery of the marine life that colonizes the tile surfaces. These observations will aid in documenting species diversity and habitat use over time. To assess water quality, we have developed a specialized prototype tile with sensors that can measure pH, dissolved oxygen levels, salinity, turbidity and temperature in real time. This data will provide insight into how the tiles affect local water conditions. Finally, to measure wave attenuation and the reduction of wave force, we will mount pressure sensors on both the BIOCAP tiles and the adjacent traditional seawall sections. This comparison will allow us to quantify differences in wave energy across varying tidal conditions and storm events. As coastal cities confront the dual challenges of increasing threats from climate change and environmental degradation, the BIOCAP project offers what we hope will be an example of a resilient, nature-based solution that benefits both humans and the environment. In the coming year, well be watching with hope as the new BIOCAP tiles begin to welcome marine life, offering a glimpse into how nature might reclaim and thrive along our urban shorelines. Sara Pezeshk is a postdoctoral fellow in architecture at Florida International University and Shahin Vassigh is a professor of architecture at Florida International University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Rice, the worlds most consumed grain, will become increasingly toxic as the atmosphere heats and as carbon dioxide emissions rise, potentially putting billions of people at risk of cancers and other diseases, according to new research published Wednesday in The Lancet. Eaten every day by billions of people and grown across the globe, rice is arguably the planets most important staple crop, with half the worlds population relying on it for the majority of its food needs, especially in developing countries. But the way rice is grownmostly submerged in paddiesand its highly porous texture means it can absorb unusually high levels of arsenic, a potent carcinogenic toxin that is especially dangerous for babies. Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist and associate professor at Columbia University, has studied rice for three decades and has more recently focused his research on how climate change reduces nutrient levels across many staple crops, including rice. He teamed up with researchers from China and the U.S. to conduct a first-of-its-kind study, looking at how a range of rice species reacted to increases in temperature and carbon dioxide, both of which are projected to occur as more greenhouse gas emissions are released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities. The new study was published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Previous work has focused on individual responsessome on CO2 and some on temperature, but not both, and not on a wide range of rice genetics, Ziska said. We knew that temperature by itself could increase levels, and carbon dioxide by a little bit. But when we put both of them together, then wow, that was really something we were not expecting. Youre looking at a crop staple thats consumed by a billion people every day, and any effect on toxicity is going to have a pretty damn large effect. For six years, Ziska and a large team of research colleagues in China and the U.S. grew rice in controlled fields, subjecting it to varying levels of carbon dioxide and temperature. They found that when both increased, in line with projections by climate scientists, the amount of arsenic and inorganic arsenic in rice grains also went up. Arsenic is found naturally in some foods, including fish and shellfish, and in waters and soils. Inorganic arsenic is found in industrial materials and gets into waterincluding water used to submerge rice paddies. Rice is easily inundated with weeds and other crops, but it has one advantage: It grows well in water. So farmers germinate the seeds, and when the seedlings are ready, plant them in wet soil. They then flood their fields, which suppresses weeds, but allows the rice to flourish. Rice readily absorbs the water and everything in itincluding arsenic, either naturally occurring or not. Most of the worlds rice is grown this way. The new research demonstrates that climate change will ramp up those levels. What happens in rice, because of complex biogeochemical processes in the soil, when temperatures and CO2 go up, inorganic arsenic also does, Ziska said. And its this inorganic arsenic that poses the greatest health risk. Exposure to inorganic arsenic has been linked to cancers of the skin, bladder and lung, heart disease and neurological problems in infants. Research has found that in parts of the world with high consumption of rice, inorganic arsenic increases cancer risk. Ziska and his colleagues took the data from their field trials and then, based on per capita consumption data in seven of the top rice-consuming countries in Asia, projected how disease risk could also increase. They found that in those seven countriesVietnam, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Indiadisease risk rose across the board. There is a toxicological effect of climate change relative to one of the most consumed staples in the world, Ziska said, and the consumption is one of the hallmarks of whether youre going to be vulnerable to that effect. Researchers have known that rice can contain high levels of arsenic and regulators have suggested exposure limits, especially for infants who are particularly vulnerable and tend to eat a lot of rice. This new research should put extra pressure on regulators to set more stringent thresholds, the authors say. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never set limits for arsenic in foods. The researchers also point to the potential of various interventions that could limit exposure to inorganic arsenic from rice, including developing strains of rice that are less absorbent and educating consumers about alternatives to rice. Rice has always been a food where arsenic is an issue, and climate change is making it worse, said Keeve Nachman, one of the reports authors, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and a longtime researcher of health risks related to food production and consumption. This is one more reason to interveneto control peoples exposure. The number one thing we can do is everything in our power to slow climate change. Georgina Gustin, Inside Climate News This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here.
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When Chinese automaker BYD announced plans to build a massive factory in the hardscrabble city of Camacari, in Brazil’s northeastern Bahia state, locals saw a new beginning. After years of economic stagnation following Ford’s exit from the region in 2021, there was hope that the global leader in electric vehicles would bring back well-paying jobs and a brighter future.The timing seemed right. Brazil, the world’s sixth-largest auto market, is seeing a surge in EV salesand BYD is leading the charge. For Camacari, the deal promised to fill the economic vacuum left by the American company, which had once been the city’s largest employer. Then plans went off track.A December raid led by Brazilian authorities rescued 163 Chinese nationals said to be working in “slavery-like” conditions at the site. A video from the Labor Prosecutor’s Office showed dormitories with beds lacking mattresses and makeshift cooking facilities. The company postponed plans to begin its first production line in March and has not established a new timeline, spreading fears among Camacari workers.“When BYD announced it was coming here, it sparked a lot of hope in us,” said Luizmar Santana Pereira, a metalworker and former Ford employee, who has been working as a taxi driver. “We’ve been waiting for this job opportunity, but so far, we haven’t seen it.”After the raid, a spokesperson based at BYD’s China headquarters denied wrongdoing, saying in a post on the Weibo social media site that the accusations were an attempt at “smearing” Chinese brands and China. The post also blamed “foreign forces” for the allegation and criticized media reports.In a statement disseminated in Brazil, the carmaker adopted a more conciliatory tone. The company said it “does not tolerate disrespect for Brazilian law and human dignity” and rescinded the contract with Chinese construction company Jinjiang, which had brought the workers. In Brazil, ample room for BYD to grow EVs are spreading fast in Brazil, Latin America’s most populous nation. Sales jumped 85% in 2024, reaching over 170,000 units, including fully electric and hybrid vehicles, according to the Brazilian Association of Electric Vehicles. That accounted for about 7% of new car sales in the country.The growth is spearheaded by BYD. Seven out of 10 EVs sold in the country are from the brand, which also leads hybrid sales. In major cities such as Sao Paulo and Brasilia, imported BYD cars and dealerships have become a common sight. In Brazil’s capital, it’s the best-selling brand, whether EV or gas-powered.Another Chinese EV maker, GWM, also recently announced plans to open a factory in Brazil after acquiring a shuttered Mercedes-Benz facility in the industrialized state of Sao Paulo.BYD’s inroads in Brazil are in tandem with the company’s global growth. The world’s leading EV company logged a record $107 billion in revenue in 2024 as its sales of electric and hybrid vehicles jumped 40%, surpassing American rival Tesla. This year, plans include the inauguration of its first car factory in Europe, currently under construction in Hungary.Brazil’s policies are driving EV sales and production, according to Adalberto Maluf, national secretary of Urban Environment and Environmental Quality.In an interview with The Associated Press in Brasilia, Maluf cited incentives enacted in 2024 that favor electric motors, tax reductions for lower-emission cars and a new air quality program with nationwide monitoring and pollution reduction goals.Brazil is the one of the top 10 emitters of greenhouse gases, contributing around 3% of global emissions, according to nonprofit Climate Watch. However, pollution from energy does not play a big role, as about half of greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation, mostly in the Amazon, followed by agriculture. About 85% of the country’s electricity comes from renewable sources.For Maluf, who worked for almost nine years at BYD Brazil, the country is attractive to Chinese electric car makers for reasons ranging from the size of its market to the presence of several auto parts suppliers and the strong political relationship between the two countries.“Brazilians have no geopolitical issues with China. If you ask, ‘Are you against China?’ most people won’t have a strong opinion about it,” he said.“In the U.S., however, they do, because it’s part of the president’s rhetoric,” he added, referring to President Donald Trump’s frequent comments about China “ripping off” America on trade. It’s unclear what is next for BYD factory Since the raid, BYD has not allowed press visits inside its Camacari premises, citing concerns about trade secrets. It’s unclear if BYD is still on track to turn the former Ford site into its largest plant outside China by the end of 2026.When AP journalists visited in March for several days, they saw only a few construction workers at the large site. And one day, while standing on the street adjoining the premises, three BYD guards, one who kept his hand on his gun, incorrectly accused the journalists of flying a drone inside factory boundaries and demanded to see identification. Minutes later, security guards on motorcycles approached, honking and ordering the journalists to stop filming workers.BYD said its security guards acted appropriately and declined to answer other questions about its operations in Brazil.While the future of the factory is unclear, the raid and the presence of Chinese workers have gotten the attention of labor unions.“The Metalworkers Union will not tolerate Chinese workers on the production line. If that happens even in the beginning of the production, we will call for a work stoppage,” Jślio Bonfim, the union president, told AP. Bonfim added that there were no objections with BYD employing Chinese technicians and managers, but the factory floor must employ only Brazilians. It was unclear if BYD had agreed to that.Despite the raid and seemingly slow pace of construction, in the Camacari region the shift from Ford to BYD is increasingly visible. A three-decades-old dealership for the American brand named Indiana, in tribute to the U.S. state, now shares space with a BYD reseller, Mandarim. A local hotel started distributing instructions specifically to Chinese guests, asking them not to hang washed clothes in common areas. And a state lawmaker introduced a bill to rename the city’s Henry Ford Avenue, where the plant is located, to BYD Avenue. Fabian Maisonnave, Associated Press
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