Artist creates solid block of Beijing smog

As Beijing experiences its first “Red Alert” smog emergency, an aptly-timed bit of quirky performance art is making the round on Chinese social media and the English-language press today. A artist from Shenzhen who calls himself “Brother Nut” spent 100 days walking around Beijing with an industrial vacuum cleaner. He then collected dust into a …

Humans living underground – doesn’t look like fun, but interesting topic for #microbiome work

Heard this story on NPR yesterday:  ‘A Universe Beneath Our Feet’: Life In Beijing’s Underground : NPR.  It discusses the growing trend in Beijing for people to be living in apartments / basements comlpetely underground.  This is happening for multiple reasons and it clearly has some potential big consequences.  It does seem like a possible …