• Polymer-based EV battery that won’t freeze even at −40°C

    A polymer-based battery chemistry could enable electric vehicles (EVs) to keep working in freezing conditions, according to a study by Texas A&M University. Extreme cold weather can prevent conventional lithium-ion EV batteries from charging or discharging: as the temperature falls, the liquid electrolyte thickens or freezes, blocking the flow of electricity. Texas A&M University researchers have developed a battery that can maintain functionality in temperatures as low as –40°C. To achieve this, the liquid electrolyte was replaced with a diglyme-based low-temperate electrolyte; diglyme is a liquid organic compound with a very low freezing point, allowing the battery to remain fluid and maintain electrochemical activity even at very low temperatures. The team also replaced the battery…

  • Skyrora considers £10m investment in Sutherland spaceport amid Orbex collapse

    Skyrora, one of the UK’s most prominent space firms, is interested in buying the assets of Orbex after the rocket launch company announced it was going into administration. The Scotland-headquartered Orbex launched in 2015 and planned to build a spaceport in Sutherland at the northern tip of Scotland. It was to be one of the first vertical launch capable spaceports in the UK and would have shared this capability with Lockheed Martin to bolster that firm’s space ambitions. However, Lockheed Martin then moved its launch plans to a competing site, SaxaVord spaceport in the Shetland Isles. A series of successful funding rounds between 2022 and 2025 allowed it to continue development on its orbital rocket system, named Prime. Munich-based firm The Exploration Company announced plans to acquire…

  • Mass transit link to Bristol Airport proposed under new regional transport plan

    The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has unveiled a new Transport Vision, proposing a high-capacity mass transit network that would connect Bristol to its airport. Bristol Airport is one of the busiest airports in the UK without a direct train or tram link. It lies around 16km outside of Bristol city centre, with passengers having to get there via the often-busy road network. To make this journey and others around the city more seamless, WECA has unveiled its Transport Vision, which outlines proposals to start building a mass transit system within four or five years. The system will include an interconnected network comprising buses, rail, mass transit, upgraded streets, and active travel improvements such as better walking and cycling routes. According to WECA, congestion in…

  • Just Eat expands into autonomous delivery with UK robot trials

    Takeaway firm Just Eat has launched trials of autonomous delivery robots to transport food to customers in Milton Keynes and Bristol. The robots being deployed in Milton Keynes are developed by RIVR and resemble electronic dogs capable of navigating stairs and pavements to reach the doorstep. The firm says the robots are powered by a system dubbed ‘physical AI’, which allows them to adapt to their surroundings and avoid obstacles such as rubbish bins, grass and pedestrians while moving safely alongside traffic and cyclists. With a top speed of approximately 15km/h, they’re primarily built for ‘last-mile’ deliveries, with handover process at the restaurant similar to a courier. Each robot has a 40-litre insulated cargo bay with an internal divider to prevent spillage, and customers can unlock…

  • Samsung starts mass shipping next-gen AI memory chip

    South Korean tech giant Samsung says it is the first to deliver next-generation high-bandwidth memory chips (HBM4) at scale. The new HBM4 chips are designed for high-performance AI and computing workloads, delivering processing speeds of 11.7Gbps. Samsung says this exceeds the industry standard of 8Gbps by 46% and sets a “new benchmark for HBM4 performance”, with the chips capable of reaching up to 13Gbps. Compared with its predecessor (HBM3E), the new chip offers a 1.22 times higher pin speed and the total memory bandwidth per stack has also increased 2.7 times, reaching a maximum of 3.3TBps. Samsung said: “This achievement marks a first in the industry, securing an early leadership position in the HBM4 market.” It puts Samsung alongside rivals SK Hynix and Micron Technology in the…

  • Donald Trump orders military to buy coal power to boost flagging domestic industry

    Donald Trump has ordered the US military to purchase energy from coal-fired power plants in a bid to shore up the flagging domestic industry. In an executive order issued yesterday, Trump said it was “imperative” for the Department of War to prioritise the “strategic utilization” of coal-based energy assets. The order partially justified the move as a way to ensure a “resilient and reliable” energy grid that is not reliant on “intermittent energy sources” such as renewable energy generators. US coal output peaked in 2008 and has been steadily dropping since then, with long-term projections showing the trend continuing throughout the 2020s and into the 2030s. As a share of US electricity generation, coal has shrunk from about 50% in 2000 to below 20% today. Concerns remain about the serious…

  • Thomas Edison’s nickel-iron battery tech revived for modern energy storage

    Improvements to battery chemistry inspired by nickel-iron designs developed more than 120 years ago could be used in energy storage today, according to a study by University of California (UCLA). UCLA researchers have developed a nickel-iron battery prototype that charges in seconds and works for more than 12,000 cycles, equivalent to more than 30 years of daily recharging. They built the technology from tiny clusters of metal, then embedded them in an ultra-thin carbon-based conductor to make electrodes – inspired by the chemistry used by Thomas Edison in his early-1900s nickel-iron battery concept. Edison hoped the technology could provide electric cars with faster recharging and greater range than the lead-acid batteries of the time, but his designs became obsolete as petrol cars began…

  • Natilus unveils double-deck blended-wing jet to replace 737s and A320s

    US aerospace manufacturer Natilus has unveiled a double-decker version of its Horizon blended-wing aircraft that it claims will enter commercial service in the early 2030s. The Horizon Evo will have a triangular shape when viewed from above, which the firm has claimed will boost passenger capacity by around 30% while making it 25% lighter than aircraft such as the Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A320. Able to hold around 200 passengers, it is also supposed to be quieter than traditional jets while flying at speeds of around Mach 0.8, and will be fully compatible with standard airport infrastructure. The latest version will have a spacious upper deck cabin for passengers, as well as a lower deck for standard cargo containers. Other improvements include pressurisation advances for passenger comfort…

  • Industrial waste heat is a ‘vast reservoir of untapped potential’ – new study

    Capturing and reusing the vast amounts of heat generated by industry could boost the UK’s competitiveness, according to the Royal Society. A report published by the society, with support from Heriot-Watt University researchers, has revealed that industrial heating accounts for around 14% of UK emissions – but around half of the energy used in UK industry is lost as waste heat. If this heat was captured and reused rather than released, it could cut emissions, reduce operational costs for businesses and contribute towards net zero. Professor Mercedes Maroto‑Valer OBE, deputy principal for global sustainability at Heriot‑Watt University, said: “This report shines a light on one of the UK’s most overlooked energy resources. Industrial waste heat is often treated as an inevitable by‑product…

  • Record renewables auction puts UK on track for 2030 clean power goal, Miliband says

    Britain’s largest-ever renewables auction is set to deliver record numbers of new solar and onshore wind projects, energy secretary Ed Miliband has announced. Together with last month’s auction to build a raft of new offshore wind turbines, a record 201 projects have been approved this year, with a total generating capacity of around 14.7GW. The government said that the latest rounds put the UK “on track for its 2030 clean power target” for low-carbon sources such as wind, solar and nuclear to produce at least as much electricity as the country consumes over the year. Based on the average size of past developments, the solar projects could cover more than 40 square miles of mainly farmland – just under the size of the Manchester. However, the solar industry believes that modern panels…

  • Japan restarts reactor at world’s largest nuclear power plant after 14-year shutdown

    Japan has taken a major step in its nuclear recovery by restarting a reactor at the world’s largest nuclear power plant for the first time since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) has brought Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant’s unit 6 reactor back online, with commercial operation scheduled to begin in March. The reactor has a capacity of about 1,360MW and is the first Tepco-operated unit to come online since the Fukushima disaster, which saw all Japan’s nuclear plants shut down pending regulatory change. The disaster occurred when a massive earthquake and resulting tsunami wrecked the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant beyond repair. The meltdown was considered the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, Ukraine, in April 1986. Tepco is…

  • Taiwan rejects claim it will move 40% of its chip production to US

    The US wants 40% of Taiwan’s semiconductor production to take place in the US – a proposal firmly rejected by Taiwan. Taiwan’s vice-premier Cheng Li-chiun said it would be “impossible” to move 40% of the country’s semiconductor production capacity, rejecting proposals that it could simply relocate its established supply chain ecosystem outside the country. This is the latest in the semiconductor trade and technology negotiations that have been ongoing between the Taiwan and the US for many months. Taiwan is home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker, TSMC, and the US is its biggest customer base; soaring demand for AI-related technology has only fuelled Taiwan’s trade surplus with the country. While TSMC has invested billions into building chip factories in the US, the bulk of its…

  • Hinkley Point C trials acoustic deterrent technology to protect fish near the plant

    An acoustic fish deterrent system has been shown to keep target species away from Hinkley Point C’s cooling water intakes in the Severn Estuary. Hinkley Point C, the UK’s first new nuclear plant in a generation, is planned to open in 2029. Located on the Severn Estuary in Somerset, it has direct access to seawater for cooling its steam turbines, with the cooling system including four intake heads on the seabed that draw water into the plant via tunnels. The Severn Estuary is an important habitat for fish and marine life, so the challenge is to prevent these species from being drawn into the cooling system. Power station developer EDF Energy, the UK arm of French state-owned firm EDF, has put in place three separate fish protection systems that it said cost more than £700m in total. The…

  • Lockheed Martin’s new undersea drone can cling to ship hulls to recharge

    Lockheed Martin has unveiled an autonomous undersea drone that can hitch a ride on the surface of larger vessels to maximise efficiency. The Lamprey Multi‑Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV) is designed to perform a wide range of missions, including surveillance and reconnaissance or deploying equipment to the seafloor. It can also be equipped to launch anti‑submarine torpedoes in active conflicts. The rectangular craft is able to attach itself to the hull of larger sea vessels using either a docking mechanism or suction cups, allowing it to conserve energy. While attached it can use built-in hydrogenators – effectively mini generators – to recharge its battery, so it can reach its intended target completely charged and be deployed for the maximum amount of time possible, Lockheed…

  • Industry insight: Why collaborative robots are becoming central to modern industry

    This article is provided by Allan Lagasca, smart industrials worldwide leader at STMicroelectronics. The use of robots in industry is nothing new. For decades, factories have relied on manufacturing automation to improve speed, precision, and consistency. But where robots have previously been separated from human workers – for very good reasons - the next wave of robots will see robots and humans working in close collaboration. Collaborative robots, or “cobots”, are reshaping the relationship between humans and technology, and are one of the fastest-growing segments of the overall robotics market. According to research, the cobot market was already worth $2.95 billion in 2025 and is projected to at a CAGR of 23.1% between 2026 and 2033. Why cobots make senseThe opportunity for closer…

  • EV sales off to strong start in 2026 as nearly one in three new cars plug-ins

    Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 32% of all new cars registered in January 2026, according to independent transport research organisation New AutoMotive. The figures reveal that BEVs accounted for 20.9% of the UK new car market, down slightly on January 2025. PHEVs accounted for 11.9% market share, a significant 27% year‑on‑year increase compared with last January. In the van segment, electric vans saw their strongest January on record at 10.6% of new registrations in a month where nearly one in six of all new vans had a plug. Hybrid EVs accounted for 33.9%, the most among vehicle types, while petrol vehicles accounted for 28.1%, an 18% decrease compared to last January. According to New AutoMotive, with PHEVs being the standout…

  • EU accuses TikTok of addictive design that may breach digital rules

    The EU has blamed TikTok for implementing an “addictive design” that could breach Europe’s new content rules. In preliminary findings, the European Commission (EC) said that features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system are designed to keep users on the platform for as long as possible in a way that could cause both physical and mental harm. The EU’s Digital Services Act, which was introduced in 2022, does not directly ban social media companies from making their platforms addictive, but it does compel them to avoid “systemic risks”, including harm to minors, mental health impacts and disrupted sleep. But the EC’s investigation has found that TikTok did not adequately assess how its features could harm the wellbeing of its…

  • Ministry of Defence rolls out AI-enabled field gear for the UK’s front-line soldiers

    The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a £86m contract to BlackTree Technologies to equip soldiers with AI-enabled radios, headsets and tablets. Known as the dismounted data system (DDS), the system integrates soldiers’ kit into a shared network and will improve situational awareness and enable faster decision-making. Through DDS, soldiers will receive precise voice and visual data about their surroundings. As inference runs directly on the AI-enabled hardware, rather than in the cloud, it marks a shift toward edge computing in front-line operations. The equipment uses waveforms specifically engineered for military communications in harsh combat environments. It supports self-forming, mobile wireless networks that allow troops to maintain connectivity and share situational data…

  • National Grid examines wireless power as a possible alternative to cables and pylons

    The National Grid is investigating whether it could deploy large-scale wireless electricity transmission as part of plans to strengthen the UK’s energy network. The Wireless Power Transmission project will consider whether ground-based wireless technology can supplement overhead lines and cables or even replace them. Going wireless has the potential to play a role in moving energy from offshore renewables to the grid onshore, making it easier and cheaper, as well as offering an alternative way to transmit power in natural landscapes where traditional infrastructure can prove controversial for its aesthetic disruption. The project will also assess whether wireless transmission can deliver benefits during emergency responses, such as storms, and help better serve customers in remote areas…

  • Rust-based material could boost lithium-ion battery capacity

    Carbon spheres infused with iron oxide or rust could boost lithium-ion battery energy storage and sustainability, according to a study. Researchers at Germany’s Saarland University and Austria’s University of Salzburg have collaborated to create a lithium-ion battery electrode that offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to nickel and cobalt. Their study looks at replacing those materials with iron oxide, the main component of rust, which is cheap, abundant and widely available. The Salzburg team created tiny, highly porous, hollow carbon spheres. Known as carbon spherogels, these novel materials – around 250 nanometres in diameter – offer a large surface area that supports high electrochemical capacity. The Saarland team then introduced finely dispersed iron oxide into these…

  • World’s first five-tonne class eVTOL switches from vertical to forward flight and back again

    Chinese start-up AutoFlight has successfully conducted a transition flight with its five-tonne-class electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The demonstration took place at AutoFlight’s test facility in Shanghai, where the Matrix eVTOL completed a public full transition flight. In other words, it lifted off vertically like a helicopter, switched into forward flight like an aeroplane and then returned to vertical mode to land. The firm says this is the first time this complex manoeuvre has been achieved by a five-tonne-class eVTOL, and validates its eVTOL technologies across complex aerodynamic systems, high-power electric propulsion and advanced flight control systems. While most eVTOL prototypes to date have been more of the taxi-style aircraft carrying one of two passengers…

  • E+T Podcast: Episode 20 | Rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector: are there any takers?

    Venezuela sits on some of the largest oil reserves on the planet — but after years of nationalisation, sanctions, brain drain and crumbling infrastructure, is that oil actually worth the trouble? In this episode, we step away from the politics and dig into the realities of reviving Venezuela’s oil industry. What would it take to get production back online? Who would invest, who would take the risk, and how long would it really take to make a difference to global oil markets? Joining the discussion alongside E+T regulars Tim Fryer and Jack Loughran is Alan Gelder, senior vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at Wood Mackenzie, who brings a clear-eyed view of the technical, financial and geopolitical hurdles — from heavy crude and broken refineries to sanctions, emissions…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK government to crack down on deepfakes with ‘world-first’ detection framework

    The government has announced plans to collaborate with tech firms, including Microsoft, and other partners to develop tools to combat the unprecedented growth of deepfakes. The aim is to mitigate the proliferation of harmful AI-generated deepfake content, which the government says is now an “urgent national priority”. While deepfakes have existed for almost a decade, rapid advances in generative AI in recent years have driven their scale and sophistication across the internet. As its name suggests, AI technology is used to create images and videos that appear highly realistic but are in fact fake. The ability to create convincing deepfakes quickly and cheaply is available to almost anyone, with little to no technical expertise required. According to recent government figures, the rise…

  • Nvidia and Dassault Systèmes to pioneer AI-fuelled virtual twins

    Nvidia will partner up with Dassault Systèmes to combine their AI infrastructure and virtual twin technologies. The announcement was made during Dassault Systèmes’ flagship 3DExperience World conference currently taking place in Houston, US. Speaking at the event, Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang said: “We are partners in bringing this technology to the world. This is the start of a platform shift that is the largest integration of our technologies in history.” Joining him on stage, Pascal Daloz, CEO of Dassault Systèmes, added: “Together with Nvidia, we are building industry world models that unite virtual twins and accelerated computing to help industry design, simulate and operate complex systems in biology, materials science, engineering and manufacturing with confidence. “This partnership…

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