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“The combination of readily available and relatively harmless substances and high energy efficacy gives our method potential to work for large scale extraction.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scientists have experimented with many types of materials in hopes of making EV batteries, their storage, and their recycling more efficient. One of the latest breakthroughs, developed by a team from Linnaeus University in Sweden and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in India, is derived from perhaps the most unexpected substance yet: urine. The new method, which the scientists described in a study published in the scientific journal ACS Omega, summarized by Anthropocene, can be...

Tracing a journey from a minor equestrian family to the pinnacle of Roman power, this documentary explores the career of the future Emperor Vespasian. Follow the path through early military service in Britain and political challenges during the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Vespasian - The General Who Became Emperor Documentary | 1:06:04 The People Profiles | 1.66M subscribers | 275,077 views | April 21, 2023

Pecunia non olet: Money Does Not Stink atqui ex lotio est: yet it comes from urine Monkey Closets: a History of Public Restrooms | 20:16 The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered | 1.61M subscribers | 99,506 views | September 15, 2025

Taxes may be as certain as death, but they've changed a lot. Over the centuries, governments have levied taxes on everything from facial hair to the right to cover up—and officials accepted payments of beers, beds, and even broomsticks. Here, from history, are a few taxes we’re glad to not have to pay anymore: Rome's Toilet Tax Ancient Romans valued urine for its ammonia content. They found the natural enemy of dirt and grease valuable for laundering clothes and even whitening teeth. And like all valuable products, there was a scheme to tax it. Emperor Vespasian (r. A.D. 69-79) earned...

In his biographies of the Roman emperors, Suetonius describes a conversation between Vespasian and his son Titus, who disapproved of his father taxing the urine that tanners and other industries collected from public restrooms: “When Titus found fault with him for contriving a tax upon public conveniences, [Vespasian] held a piece of money from the first payment to his son’s nose, asking whether its odor was offensive to him. When Titus said ‘No,’ he replied, ‘Yet it comes from urine.’” This sentiment has been summarized in the proverb, “Money doesn’t stink.” Currency, in other words, is morally neutral. Its buying...