building materials

  • New Spring-Loaded Screw Turns Drywall Into Sound-Absorbing Panels

    New Spring-Loaded Screw Turns Drywall Into Sound-Absorbing Panels

    The smooth featureless walls around your home are easy to paint and great for hanging artwork, but they’re also very effective at transmitting soundwaves from room to room — a less desired feature. Adding soundproofing is one solution, but a cheaper and easier way is to install drywall using these clever spring-loaded, sound-damping screws instead.


  • How Sand Mining Could Destabilise the World

    How Sand Mining Could Destabilise the World

    The world consumes gargantuan quantities of sand for all kinds of things, which along with related materials like gravel and crushed rock, accounts for 85% of all mineral extraction on Earth. A new study details the massive environmental toll it takes — and how we can fix it.