Severe traffic periods were reduced by 99 percent. Photo courtesy of Houston Airports

Years of physical improvements and other initiatives paid off this holiday season at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Despite seeing a record number of flyers, traffic congestion at the airport dropped by an astounding amount.

“Our goal was to deliver a seamless journey during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year,” said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports. “The results show that our investments in infrastructure, technology and customer service are paying off. We are proud of our team and the traveling public for working together to make this holiday season a success. Our coordinated efforts between Houston Airports and Houston Police kept traffic flowing smoothly at our departure curbs while passengers followed instructions and used cell phones lots effectively. These efforts, paired with infrastructure improvements like the new International Arrivals Curb and expanded Terminal C garage entrance, demonstrate our commitment to delivering world-class service and efficiency.”

The holiday flying season officially lasts from December 20 to January 6. Data from Houston airports shows that between December 20 and December 30, 1.7 million passengers passed through IAH, a 21 percent increase over the same period in 2023. However, the number of heavy traffic periods fell 90 percent and periods of severe traffic fell 99 percent. To put it another way, passengers at IAH spent 4.4 hours in severe traffic during Christmas 2023. This past Christmas, it was just 2 minutes, an astounding reduction.

This was accomplished with the long-awaited new IAH International Arrivals Curb, which opened for public use on December 14. The new arrivals curb features seven lanes for dedicated drop-off and pick-up, greatly increasing the places for passengers to enter and exit the airport. IAH also opened the previously closed entry roadway lane before Thanksgiving, further reducing traffic snarl.

For those leaving their cars at the airport, a new cashless, automated system was built at HAS garages and ecoparks. New curbside agents were also hired, and Houston police helped direct traffic during the stressful and busy time.

“Our focus is always on providing a safe, stress-free experience,” said Kelly Woodward, chief operating officer for Houston Airports. “These upgrades allowed us to accommodate record passenger numbers while keeping traffic flowing. It’s a win for travelers and our city.”

IAH will continue to improve in 2025 as the new International Central Processor terminal comes fully online. As IAH becomes one of the main Gateways to Latin and South America, it will continue to serve the increasing number of flyers heading south of the border. Some time in 2025, 11 new lanes will open on the upper level, keeping traffic moving briskly.

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This story originally appeared on our sister site, CultureMap.com.

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Axiom Space-tested cancer drug advances to clinical trials

mission critical

A cancer-fighting drug tested aboard several Axiom Space missions is moving forward to clinical trials.

Rebecsinib, which targets a cancer cloning and immune evasion gene, ADAR1, has received FDA approval to enter clinical trials under active Investigational New Drug (IND) status, according to a news release. The drug was tested aboard Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) and Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3). It was developed by Aspera Biomedicine, led by Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute (SSCI).

The San Diego-based Aspera team and Houston-based Axiom partnered to allow Rebecsinib to be tested in microgravity. Tumors have been shown to grow more rapidly in microgravity and even mimic how aggressive cancers can develop in patients.

“In terms of tumor growth, we see a doubling in growth of these little mini-tumors in just 10 days,” Jamieson explained in the release.

Rebecsinib took part in the patient-derived tumor organoid testing aboard the International Space Station. Similar testing is planned to continue on Axiom Station, the company's commercial space station that's currently under development.

Additionally, the drug will be tested aboard Ax-4 under its active IND status, which was targeted to launch June 25.

“We anticipate that this monumental mission will inform the expanded development of the first ADAR1 inhibitory cancer stem cell targeting drug for a broad array of cancers," Jamieson added.

According to Axiom, the milestone represents the potential for commercial space collaborations.

“We’re proud to work with Aspera Biomedicines and the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, as together we have achieved a historic milestone, and we’re even more excited for what’s to come,” Tejpaul Bhatia, the new CEO of Axiom Space, said in the release. “This is how we crack the code of the space economy – uniting public and private partners to turn microgravity into a launchpad for breakthroughs.”

Chevron enters the lithium market with major Texas land acquisition

to market

Chevron U.S.A., a subsidiary of Houston-based energy company Chevron, has taken its first big step toward establishing a commercial-scale lithium business.

Chevron acquired leaseholds totaling about 125,000 acres in Northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas from TerraVolta Resources and East Texas Natural Resources. The acreage contains a high amount of lithium, which Chevron plans to extract from brines produced from the subsurface.

Lithium-ion batteries are used in an array of technologies, such as smartwatches, e-bikes, pacemakers, and batteries for electric vehicles, according to Chevron. The International Energy Agency estimates lithium demand could grow more than 400 percent by 2040.

“This acquisition represents a strategic investment to support energy manufacturing and expand U.S.-based critical mineral supplies,” Jeff Gustavson, president of Chevron New Energies, said in a news release. “Establishing domestic and resilient lithium supply chains is essential not only to maintaining U.S. energy leadership but also to meeting the growing demand from customers.”

Rania Yacoub, corporate business development manager at Chevron New Energies, said that amid heightening demand, lithium is “one of the world’s most sought-after natural resources.”

“Chevron is looking to help meet that demand and drive U.S. energy competitiveness by sourcing lithium domestically,” Yacoub said.

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This article originally appeared on EnergyCapital.