A Space Suit To Turn Pee Into Water | A Bitcoin Mine Causing A Health Crisis In Texas

Jul 24, 2024

Researchers develop a space suit inspired by 'Dune' to turn astronaut pee into drinking water. A Bitcoin mine in Texas causes health issues due to loud fans. The podcast explores solutions for space missions and challenges of noise pollution in the AI and cryptocurrency industries.

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ANECDOTE

Bitcoin Mine Health Crisis

Residents of Granbury, Texas, experienced migraines, hearing loss, and panic attacks after a Bitcoin mine opened.
These health issues were attributed to the constant noise from the mine's cooling fans.

INSIGHT

Astronaut Pee Recycling

Astronauts currently rely on diapers during spacewalks due to the lack of a better waste management system.
Inspired by the 'Dune' stillsuit, a new system is being developed to convert astronaut urine into drinking water inside the spacesuit.

ANECDOTE

Noise Levels at the Bitcoin Mine

Andrew Chow visited Granbury, Texas and measured noise levels from the Bitcoin mine peaking at 91 decibels.
The noise caused vibrations residents could feel in their beds and homes, causing significant sleep disruption.

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Researchers developed a prototype of a space suit that could replace the high-absorbency diapers that astronauts wear on space walks. And, a bitcoin mine's cooling fans are so loud they rattle windows. Residents of Granbury, Texas, are having migraines, panic attacks, and hearing loss.

A ‘Dune’-Inspired Space Suit To Turn Astronaut Pee Into Water

On the International Space Station, resources are precious. That includes every single drop of water—which is why astronauts drink their own filtered and recycled pee. That might sound a little undignified, but things get worse when astronauts go out for a space walk. If nature comes calling, their only option is a super-strength diaper.

Inspired by the stillsuits that recycle water in Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’ series, researchers have come up with a way to keep astronauts clean, dry, and hydrated while they’re hard at work. They’ve designed a system that turns astronauts’ pee into nice, clean drinking water while they’re suited up.

The researchers reported on their prototype in the journal Frontiers in Space Technology. Guest host Rachel Feltman talks with Sofia Etlin, a researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine, about the inspiration behind the stillsuit and how it works.

A Noisy Bitcoin Mine Is Causing A Health Crisis In A Texas Town

For the past several years, there’s been constant hype about AI, bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies. We’ve learned that it takes a massive amount of energy, water, and other resources to run the data centers that make these technologies possible, putting climate goals at risk. But these buzzy technologies could have an impact on public health, too.

Residents of the small town of Granbury, Texas, say bitcoin is more than just a figurative headache. Soon after a company opened up a bitcoin mine there a couple years ago, locals started experiencing excruciating migraines, hearing loss, nausea, panic attacks, and more. Several people even ended up in the emergency room. The culprit? Noise from the mine’s cooling fans.

Guest host Rachel Feltman talks with Andrew Chow, technology correspondent at TIME, who investigated the health crisis in Granbury.

Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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