Articles

EV charging method boosts battery life by 23% without slowing charging times

2026-05-12T14:02:43Z

A new AI-based charging method can adapt fast charging to a lithium-ion battery, extending its battery life without increasing charging times. A key barrier to electric vehicle (EV) adoption is access to fast charging to enable commuting and driving ...(read more)

Keir Starmer announces plan to nationalise British Steel

2026-05-12T11:51:57Z

Sir Keir Starmer has announced plans to nationalise British Steel in order to address concerns around security and to bolster domestic industries. New legislation will give the government the ability to safeguard UK steelmaking capacity and avoid a s...(read more)

Long-lasting solar-powered system pulls drinking water from desert air

2026-05-12T11:24:07Z

A hydrogel-based system could offer a long-term solution for harvesting potable water from ambient air, according to a study. Hydrogels have been researched for many years as a means to produce water at low cost almost anywhere. The materials, which ...(read more)

Fuel cell harvests energy from microscopic organisms to power ocean sensors

2026-05-12T11:16:34Z

An underwater fuel cell that recharges itself by consuming microscopic marine life could keep ocean sensors in the water powered for longer. Replacing batteries for underwater sensors can be a tricky endeavour, especially if they are located far out ...(read more)

AI bots account for more than half of all web traffic, with 40% classified as malicious

2026-05-11T14:44:51Z

AI-driven automation now outpaces human activity on the internet, with 40% found to be malicious, according to a report by Thales. Global tech firm Thales has published its 2026 bad bot report: bad bots in the agentic age, which highlights the extent...(read more)

Lithium-ion battery fires occur every five hours across the UK

2026-05-11T11:27:01Z

UK fire brigades are tackling a lithium-ion battery fire every five hours, according to new research. Figures from global business insurer QBE reveal that the UK’s fire brigades were called to 1,760 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in 2025, equi...(read more)

Britain’s worst performing rail operators are all privately-owned, official data shows

2026-05-11T10:41:10Z

The UK’s worst train operators have been revealed, with CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railway topping the table for most cancellations in 2026, according to official data. Local Insider used the industry-standard ‘period cancellat...(read more)

AI breaks down defensive football tactics to boost scoring potential

2026-05-08T14:37:16Z

A new study uses AI to simulate ‘what if’ scenarios in football, revealing how coordinated team behaviour can improve the chances of scoring goals. Football is a team sport built around coordinated play to score goals – but improving goal-scoring pot...(read more)

Inkjet printing could cut OLED display costs by up to 35%

2026-05-08T13:19:32Z

Making OLED displays using age-old inkjet printing (IJP) technology could reduce the cost of manufacturing by up to 35%, new research suggests. Unlike more common backlit LCDs, OLED displays produce light from the pixels themselves and can produce im...(read more)

Centrica buys Severn gas plant amid data centre boom in South Wales

2026-05-08T12:06:51Z

Energy firm Centrica has confirmed that it has purchased an 850MW gas plant in South Wales near an area tipped to become a data centre hotspot in the coming years. The 16-year-old Severn Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) was purchased by the firm fro...(read more)

Brain implant delivers artificial sight to people with complete blindness

2026-05-08T11:28:16Z

A new wireless brain implant designed to provide artificial vision has been successfully implanted in a third participant. Developed over many years by a team led by the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Intracortical Visual Prosthesis (ICVP) sys...(read more)

Autonomous sailing drones to patrol vast waterways along US-Canada border

2026-05-07T13:54:52Z

The US Coast Guard has announced plans to deploy autonomous Saildrone vessels across the Great Lakes to boost maritime surveillance and security across borders. The Great Lakes, one of the largest freshwater systems in the world, straddles the border...(read more)

Wind turbines beside railway tracks capture power from passing trains

2026-05-07T13:10:03Z

Three wind turbines have been installed alongside the East Coast Main Line to capture energy from passing trains. As the front of a train hits stationary air, it creates a high-pressure zone leading to significant turbulence that can be used to spin ...(read more)

Amazon begins its first UK drone deliveries from Darlington fulfilment centre

2026-05-07T12:54:48Z

Amazon has become the UK’s first retailer to make deliveries via drone following a series of customer trials. The firm first sought permission to launch drones from its Darlington fulfilment centre in early 2025 after using them for deliveries at var...(read more)

UK-US consortium unveils plan for UK’s first commercial fusion power plant

2026-05-07T11:16:31Z

A UK-US industry consortium has been launched to develop Britain’s first private-sector-led fusion power plant. The UK Infinity Fusion Consortium consists of US-based fusion energy firm Type One Energy, UK-based fusion firm Tokamak Energy and global ...(read more)