Some exciting research is coming out of the Eindhoven Universtity of Technology (EUT) that could help to significantly reduce vehicle pollution. The idea being looked at by EUT scientists involves creating roadways made from concrete that’s been blended with titanium dioxide.

The titanium dioxide would effectively eliminate up to 45 percent of the nitrogen oxides that touch the augmented roadways by converting them to nitrates which are then simply washed away by rainfall.

Simluations done on one square kilometer of titanium dioxide enhanced pavement in the Netherlands showed a reduction in nitrogen oxide vehicle pollution by 25 – 45%.

The overall road building costs of using titanium blended pavement increases by 10%, however, based on the results of this study, the value seems more than worth it.

Oh electric cars, how I love thee. It’s not enough that you cut carbon emissions, noise pollution and reliance on oil and all that entails, but you may even reduce road rage?

BMC Physiology recently published a study that saw rats exposed to gasoline fumes for six weeks for periods of 30 minutes per day. The gassy rats didn’t fare well apparently. They “exhibited an increase in lipid peroxidation and a decrease in Ache as well as superoxide dismutase.”

In English, this means that the rats got mean. Angry and mean.

The study suggests that exposure to gasoline vapors may be a contributing cause to people trying to shoot each other on Los Angeles freeways or duke it out on the Long Island Expressway.