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Microsoft Aurora AI shows off ‘first of its kind’ weather forecasting capabilities

Microsoft’s new AI approach to weather forecasting, Aurora, can accurately predict weather events and outperform traditional systems. Aurora is able to generate 10-day weather forecasts and predict extreme weather events more accurately, faster and at lower computational costs than traditional numerical forecasting and previous AI approaches. It does this by analysing a vast amount of diverse atmospheric data sources. The model does not only offer “greater accuracy in general, but it also means we are better at forecasting extreme events”, said Megan Stanley, a senior researcher at Microsoft Research. For instance, it predicted that Typhoon Doksuri, which wreaked havoc in the Philippines in July 2023, would reach land four days in advance of the event. Official predictions at the time…

E+T Magazine in Artificial Intelligence
Lithium-CO₂ ‘breathing’ batteries come closer to reality with new low-cost catalyst

University of Surrey researchers have made a breakthrough in developing lithium-CO₂ ‘breathing’ batteries. They revealed how the use of a different catalyst material can overcome issues with current Li-CO₂ batteries, making them more commercially viable and eco-friendly. Li-CO₂ batteries are considered to be the next frontier energy-storage technology because of their ability to greatly outperform today’s lithium-ion batteries. They have a high energy density and reduce carbon emissions by absorbing CO2. But key challenges to making the batteries commercially viable include wearing out quickly, failing to recharge and relying on expensive rare materials such as platinum. Recharging a Li-CO₂ battery requires breaking down lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃), which is formed as part of the chemical…

E+T Magazine in Power Conversion
Industry insight: Businesses urged to act now as net-zero guidance enters new era

This article has been provided by Ruaridh Welsh, consultant at EcoAct, a subsidiary of Schneider Electric. In March, the SBTi launched the draft of its revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard for public consultation. The update marks an important step forward in aligning corporate net-zero strategies with climate science. With changes to how companies are categorised, strengthened expectations on emissions reduction, and new guidance on removals and transparency, the draft standard aims to close the credibility gap in climate target-setting. This revision comes amid growing concern about the gap between global climate ambition and action. Despite over 90% of global GDP being covered by national net-zero pledges, the UN’s latest Emissions Gap Report suggests the world remains on track for…

E+T Magazine in Business Planning
Liquid carbon created for the first time, offering breakthrough for nuclear fusion reactors

Liquid carbon, a material that could play a key role in future nuclear fusion reactors, has been made by a team of scientists for the first time. A high-performance laser called DiPOLE 100-X, which was developed in the UK, was used to create the material at the European XFEL facility near Hamburg. Due to its high melting point and unique structural properties, it is thought that liquid carbon could be useful in nuclear fusion plants as a way to cool the reactors and as a moderator that can help to slow down neutrons – a crucial way to maintain the chain reactions needed. The D100-X laser created conditions that enabled the liquification of solid carbon samples for just billionths of a second, while an X-ray beam captured diffraction patterns that reveal the atomic arrangement in the liquid…

E+T Magazine in Nuclear Power
Agentic AI is learning to think like us – without relying on your copyrighted content

Neuroscience is being used to build human-like agentic AIs – and you don’t need copyrighted data to do so. Ask ChatGPT to come up with party ideas, write a plan or analyse data and it will return an answer in seconds. Ask it follow-up questions and it will use memory and context to update its response. Ask it to use its initiative, however, and the AI suddenly becomes more cautious. It will not commit to making a decision because it has been designed to sit firmly on the fence – always acting as a servant, never as its own entity. This is partly deliberate, to negate claims of bias and similar, but it is also an inherent, technical limitation of the type of large language model (LLM) that has soared to prominence in recent months. In fact, this is one of a number of limitations, coupled…

E+T Magazine
Vessel-to-grid technology on River Thames could help balance London’s power grid

UK Power Networks (UKPN) is exploring how floating batteries on board electric vessels could support London’s electricity grid. The Electric Thames project, led by UKPN, aims to reduce the river’s carbon emissions. Partners include LCP Delta, Marine Zero, ev.energy and the Port of London Authority. The aim is to address critical challenges around electricity demand, infrastructure deployment and grid impact for vessel operators using the waterway. One area the project is exploring is vessel-to-grid or boat-to-grid technology. Electric vessels can store surplus renewable energy during periods of low demand and feed it back into the grid during peak times, helping to balance supply and demand.The electric vessels will act as floating batteries, feeding surplus power back into the electricity…

E+T Magazine in Marine Transport
National Highways to link habitats with three wildlife-only bridges

National Highways is to increase the number of wildlife-friendly bridges within the next two years. National Highways, a government-owned company responsible for England’s major A roads and motorways, has announced it is to construct three additional ‘green’ bridges in the UK. These include one across the A30 in Cornwall, one as part of the A417 Missing Link scheme near Gloucester and another at Wisley in Surrey as part of the M25 Junction 10 scheme. These will be in addition to the two that have already been built – over the A556 near Chester and the A21 at Scotney Castle in Kent. A feature for decades in European countries such as France and the Netherlands, green bridges are car-free zones covered in grass that offer safe crossing points for both wildlife and humans. Steve Elderkin…

E+T Magazine in Road transport systems
Copper crunch looms as IEA warns of fragile critical mineral supply chains

Supplies of critical minerals, such as copper, that are needed to manufacture electronics are facing “painful disruptions” in coming years due to export restrictions from a small handful of countries that control the bulk of the supply, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The document has identified a number of vulnerabilities in the supply chain over the next decade. Prices of copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and other rare earth elements soared in the wake of the pandemic, but have largely returned to their 2019 levels. The exception is copper, which has remained high. The materials are particularly important for the green energy transition as nations retool to tackle climate breakdown and move away from fossil fuels. The report finds that critical…

E+T Magazine in Management of Technology
India’s planned steel boom could derail global decarbonisation targets

Decarbonisation goals hinge on India increasing its plans for green steel manufacture, says the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) in its annual report on global iron and steel production. The report, Pedal to the Metal, evaluates the progress being made toward reaching 2030 iron and steel decarbonisation goals. Key to ‘greening’ the industry is to move away from coal-based blast furnaces and transition to electric arc furnaces (EAFs), which produce significantly fewer carbon emissions even if the grid is largely coal-based. The International Energy Agency requires 38% of global steel capacity to rely on EAFs by 2030. A key finding of this year’s GEM report is that this decarbonisation goal could feasibly be reached but all depends on India, which has the largest development pipeline of steelmaking…

E+T Magazine
Brain-inspired AI chip can process data locally without need for cloud or internet

An AI chip developed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany works without a cloud server or internet connections. Unlike existing chips, the AI Pro chip designed by the team at TUM features neuromorphic architecture. This is a type of computing architecture inspired by the structure and functioning of the human brain. This architecture enables the chip to perform calculations on the spot, ensuring full cyber security as well as being energy efficient. The chip employs a brain-inspired computing paradigm called ‘hyperdimensional computing’. With the computing and memory units of the chip located together, the chip recognises similarities and patterns, but does not require millions of data records to learn. The chip’s designer is Professor Hussam Amrouch…

E+T Magazine in Artificial Intelligence
Polar ice sheets may collapse even if 1.5°C target is met, scientists warn

The polar ice sheets are unlikely to remain intact even if the world manages to keep climate change to within the 1.5°C increase as established under the Paris Climate Agreement. According to a team of researchers led by Durham University, global temperatures should instead be closer to 1°C above pre-industrial temperatures to avoid significant losses from the polar ice sheets and prevent a further acceleration in sea level rises. The findings suggest a gloomy future for the world’s ice sheets as global warming is thought to have exceeded the 1°C threshold as far back as 2015. In January, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said 2024 even exceeded the 1.5°C threshold, albeit temporarily. The Durham team reviewed a wealth of evidence to examine the effect that the 1.5°C target would…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
E+T | Expert Engineering - Building the Thames Tunnel

An engineering marvel whose ingenuity can be traced back to the humble shipworm. This year sees the 200th anniversary of work beginning on the Thames Tunnel in London – the world’s first tunnel built underneath a navigable river. Built by father and son team, Marc Brunel and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, construction on the 400-metre long Thames Tunnel began in 1825 and was finished 18 years later having endured four floods, many deaths and near-bankruptcy.

E+T Magazine
Musk’s Grok AI chatbot sparks yet more controversy with Holocaust ‘scepticism’

Following controversial statements made by Elon Musk‘s Grok concerning ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, the AI chatbot is once again in hot water for making posts showing scepticism of facts about the Holocaust. Last week the Grok AI chatbot made headlines worldwide for bringing up ‘white genocide’ in unrelated chats on X (formerly Twitter). It replied to dozens of innocuous questions on X by providing the relevant answers and then tagging on unrelated information about ‘white genocide’ – a narrative that South African-born Musk has referenced many times through his own posts on X. He alleges that white farmers or Afrikaaners are being “brutally killed” and discriminated against under policies to remedy the legacy of apartheid. There was much speculation as to why the chatbot was doing…

E+T Magazine in Artificial Intelligence
Hybrid eVTOL makes ‘world first’ fan-in-wing mid-air transition from vertical to winged flight

Horizon Aircraft achieved a major milestone when its large-scale Cavorite X7 demonstrator became the first to transform between vertical lift and high-speed cruise modes using a fan-in-wing design. Many companies around the world are working on electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) solutions. Most of these are aimed at short-haul flights in urban areas. However, Horizon, a Canadian aerospace engineering company, is targeting various civilian and defence applications in the emerging regional air mobility market. Its hybrid eVTOL aircraft will take off like a helicopter but then convert into a plane, with projected speeds up to 450km/h and operational ranges over 800km with fuel reserves. The company first unveiled its Cavorite demonstrator prototype in 2021. Four years later…

E+T Magazine in Aerospace
Legal aid cyber attack exposes sensitive applicant data dating back to 2010

A cyber attack on the UK’s legal aid systems in April was able to extract a “large amount of information” relating to applicants including criminal records. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) believes the group accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who have applied for legal aid through the government’s digital service since 2010. The breach is particularly concerning given the sensitive nature of the data leaked. It was originally detected on 23 April, following which the service took steps to bolster its security. But on Friday it discovered the attack was more extensive than originally understood. The data may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and…

E+T Magazine in Ethical Aspects
Industry warns UK risks missing clean energy boom without electricity price cuts

British industry has urged the Chancellor to slash electricity prices to boost the economy and the net zero transition. In an open letter to Rachel Reeves, manufacturers and climate groups such as UK Steel, the Chemical Industries Association, Green Alliance and E3G have urged the government to move policy costs off electricity prices and into general taxation. The signatories represent a range of organisations across the industrial supply chain, including manufacturers, infrastructure investors, trade bodies, engineers, consultants and climate organisations. They argue that without urgent action on lowering electricity prices, which are among the highest in Europe, it will have vast economic impacts, as well as hindering the UK’s net zero transition. Last year UK Steel highlighted…

E+T Magazine in Business Planning
Netflix to show generative AI ads midway through streams by 2026

Netflix has revealed it plans to introduce ‘interactive’ advertising driven by generative AI to its platform next year. The streaming giant Netflix made a number of advertising-related announcements during its second annual Netflix Upfront event for advertisers and media buyers held in New York this week. One of these is AI-generated advertising, which will debut during shows streamed on its platform in 2026. In 2007 when Netflix launched its streaming service, it upended how viewers watch films and series. No longer fixed to TV schedules, they could now watch what they wanted when they wanted to. This viewing could all be done uninterrupted by advertising. However, this changed at the end of 2022 when Netflix launched its ad-supported streaming plan. Viewers did not seem to mind. In…

E+T Magazine in Artificial Intelligence
Musk’s AI chatbot Grok injects ‘white genocide’ into unrelated queries on X

Elon Musk’s AI Grok chatbot has been bringing up ‘white genocide’ in unrelated chats on X, sparking concern about how conspiracy theories could easily be spread. On Wednesday users of X (formerly Twitter) posed innocuous questions to the platform’s AI chatbot Grok. The questions ranged from baseball players to building scaffolding, with one user even asking Grok to talk like a pirate. The bot not only replied to these questions, but also added unrelated information about ‘white genocide’ in South Africa. For instance, an X user asked Grok “is this true” concerning a post from New York Magazine about the romantic relationships of actors in the film series Pitch Perfect. Grok responded: “The claim of white genocide in South Africa is highly contentious. Some, like Afriforum [local lobby…

E+T Magazine in Artificial Intelligence
Airport expansion plans risk undermining UK climate targets without boosting economy

Proposals to expand Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton airports would make it more difficult for the UK to meet its climate obligations while failing to deliver the mooted economic benefits, MPs have said. In recent months, the government has granted consent for Heathrow to finally build its long-debated third runway, while transport secretary Heidi Alexander has signalled she is inclined to approve a second runway at Gatwick later this year. Meanwhile, both Luton and Stansted airports have been given permission to expand their terminals in order to allow for higher passenger capacity. Addressing a group of MPs at a meeting of the Environmental Audit Committee, Johann Beckford, senior policy adviser at Green Alliance, called for a “moratorium” on airport expansions due the long-term extra carbon…

E+T Magazine in Business Planning
Spain and Portugal blackout traced to abrupt loss of power at Granada substation

An abrupt loss of power generation at a substation in Granada triggered the recent unprecedented blackout across Spain and Portugal, Spanish authorities have revealed. On 28 April a major incident saw millions of households and businesses across Spain, Portugal and southern France lose power in what was the largest power cut in Europe’s recent history. A sudden loss of 2.2GW of electricity in southern Spain triggered a series of grid disconnections. The blackouts lasted approximately 10 hours, causing significant disruptions in most areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish authorities have now pointed to a specific origin of the blackout. Sara Aagesen, Spain’s third vice-president of the government and minister of ecological transition and demographic challenge, told Reuters that following…

E+T Magazine
IET Comment: EV adoption hinges on more than tech

This comment is provided by Farooq Yaqub, automotive and mobility expert, chartered engineer and member of the IET’s Council. Growing up, many people warmly remember the freedom of learning to ride a bicycle and travelling longer distances. This feeling of excitement, especially coasting downhill, doesn’t fade as we get older; it simply shifts gears or changes lane. Think of car enthusiasts who develop a desire for performance, from hot hatches to supercars. While European and global legislation pushes for electric vehicles (EVs), manufacturers often miss a key question, drowned in short-term financial obligations: what do customers really want? Different consumers have different priorities. It’s crucial for product positioning to align with the target audience, from a small city car…

E+T Magazine in Recycling
Bi-directional AC chargers installed at council fleet depot in vehicle-to-grid trial

A Welsh county council has installed a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charger at its fleet depot that uses AC rather than DC current. Denbighshire County Council has a fleet of more than 400 vehicles at its depot, of which more than 100 are electric vehicles (EVs) and can now make use of this AC charger. The depot generates its own electricity from solar panels linked to a battery storage system as part of a smart local energy system. V2G is bi-directional charging for an EV: power can be supplied from the grid to charge the EV, and it can also go from the EV back to the grid. V2G allows an EV to be charged when electricity costs and the associated carbon emissions are low. It then allows electricity to be sent back to the grid, for example at times of peak demand – when an EV owner could get…

E+T Magazine in Electric Vehicles
Climate advisers criticise Port Talbot steel closure over local economic impact

The government’s climate advisers have criticised the way in which blast furnaces at the Port Talbot steelworks were closed, arguing that not enough regard was given to economic impact on the local area. Tata Steel announced it was closing the plant in January 2024 as it struggled to compete with cheaper steel from China and Europe. This was just months after the government struck a deal with the firm to invest £500m in the plant to help it transition over to electric arc furnaces (EAFs) so it could produce low-carbon steel. The Climate Change Committee (CCC), which provides climate change advice to the government, said the shift to EAFs alone will halve total emissions from industry in Wales. Blast furnaces are infamously emission-intensive because of their reliance on fossil fuels,…

E+T Magazine
Potential Manchester-Liverpool rail link could slash commute times and create 22,000 jobs

A newly-proposed railway line linking Manchester and Liverpool could cut the commute time between the two cities to just 20 minutes, local leaders have said. Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region respectively, said the railway could provide a £90bn economic boost to the north-west by 2040. The new railway, which could begin construction in the early 2030s, is forecast to support 22,000 jobs while being built. Both Liverpool and Manchester were originally going to be included in Phase 2 of the HS2 project, but this was cancelled in 2023 by the Conservative government as part of a series of cost-saving measures. That government committed £17bn to the Liverpool-Manchester line following this cancellation, and the project’s inclusion in…

E+T Magazine in Built Environment Technologies

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