This study tested sustainable alternatives to sand for Texas rain-garden soils, using waste materials like crushed glass, oyster shell, and expanded shale mixed with clay. All alternatives performed as well as sand in draining stormwater. These findings support affordable, scalable, and environmentally friendly strategies to reduce urban flooding amid rising climate-driven flood risks.

This research focuses on strengthening fragile mRNA molecules to create vaccines that are more stable, effective, and easier to distribute. By modifying mRNA structure to resist degradation, vaccines could be stored at higher temperatures and maintain potency, expanding access—especially in low-resource regions—and improving global readiness for future pandemics.