What civil engineers are reading this week

• 7 for Seattle: Must-sees at the ASCE 2025 Convention city

  With the Society’s annual flagship event headed for Seattle this fall, a list of reasons to go could not be kept to a top 5, so here are 7 ways civil engineers can connect with the city.

• Massive underwater mud wave found beneath the Atlantic seafloor

  Scientists have found giant buried mud waves in the Atlantic, revealing the ocean began forming earlier than thought and contributed to ancient climate change. 

• Seen from space, giant ‘Saharan dust’ plume swirls before hitting Florida

  A May 28 satellite photo captured a giant comma-shaped cloud of “Saharan dust” being blown above the Atlantic Ocean. The hazy mass hit North America a week later.

• With apologies to that first little pig in the fable, building with straw has lots of upside

  A new housing development in Oregon is leveraging straw bale construction to make the residences there more eco-friendly and energy efficient. What does the future hold for this material?

• This EV battery fully recharges in 18 seconds – it just got green light for mass production

  The British VarEVolt battery has been granted the certification needed so it can be manufactured on a large scale, meaning more electric vehicle makers can use it in their cars.

• Shrinking urban canopy? New AI tool can help

  An open-source artificial intelligence model helps cities monitor vegetation loss in real time and plan smarter greenery investments based on population density and vulnerability.