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After All: Can engineers learn from a ladybird?

At a recent dinner at my Cambridge University college, I was introduced to a young American engineer – the son of one of our Visiting Fellows. “What kind of engineering are you into?” I asked him. “Origami,” he answered. He must have misheard me due to my accent. “Sorry, I was curious about your field of engineering – not your favourite hobby,” said I. He smiled. “I work for an origami engineering company, where we are finding practical applications for that ancient Japanese art of folding paper and other objects.” “I know what you mean,” I interrupted. “I’ve always been hopeless in folding up my shirts to put into a suitcase without making a huge mess and have to ask my wife to do it. As my late mum used to say, my hands grew from a wrong spot, haha.” My patient interlocutor…

E+T Magazine in Biotechnology
UK scientists make quantum breakthrough

The team of scientists has come a step closer to making multi-tasking 'quantum' computers, far more powerful than even today's most advanced supercomputers. The University of Sussex and Universal Quantum team used a new technique, which they dub ‘UQ Connect’, to use electric field links to enable qubits to move from one quantum computing microchip module to another with unprecedented speed and precision. The technique allows chips to slot together like a jigsaw puzzle to make a more powerful quantum computer. The scientists were successful in transporting the qubits with a 99.999993 per cent success rate and a connection rate of 2424/s. Both of these numbers are world records and orders of magnitude better than previous solutions. “It’s fantastic to see that the inspired work of the…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
3D lidar system improves safety of autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles typically come equipped with lidar systems that use pulsed lasers to map objects and scenes in order to allow autonomous robots, vehicles and drones to navigate their environment. Kyoto University researchers have developed a non-mechanical 3D lidar system, which fits in the palm of the hand, that can be used to measure the distance of poorly reflective objects and automatically track the motion of these objects. “With our lidar system, robots and vehicles will be able to reliably and safely navigate dynamic environments without losing sight of poorly reflective objects such as black metallic cars,” said lead researcher Susumu Noda. “Incorporating this technology into cars, for example, would make autonomous driving safer.” The new system is possible thanks to a unique…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Google's AI bot makes costly mistake in its own promotional materials

The shares of Alphabet – the parent company of Google – fell over 7 per cent after its new AI chatbot was found to contain inaccurate information. Bard is an AI tool created by Google to compete with ChatGPT , a free app that generates text in response to a prompt, including articles, essays, jokes and even poetry. The popularity of the app has skyrocketed over the past few months, leading Microsoft to incorporate its technology into a new version of its search engine, Bing. In an ad promoting Bard, the bot was asked : “What new discoveries from the James Webb space telescope (JWST) can I tell my nine-year old about?” Bard replied that JWST was the first telescope to take pictures of a planet outside the Earth's solar system. This answer is incorrect. The milestone was actually claimed…

E+T Magazine
Impact of minimum service levels on striking railway workers investigated by MPs

The bill, which is currently working its way through Parliament, would allow the secretary of state to make regulations setting out the minimum service required for rail during industrial action. Unions and workers would have to comply with these or face losing protections against being sued or dismissed. The Transport Committee wants stakeholders to submit evidence to help it understand how a minimum service level on the rail network could be defined and the factors that should be taken into account. This includes whether it would be set with reference to proportion of the timetable, service frequency, network coverage, key routes or other benchmarks.   The bill has proved highly controversial, attracting strong opinions both for and against. Unions and opposition parties have been…

E+T Magazine in Ethical Aspects
The arts can teach STEM a thing or two

Many people feel the goal for education should not solely be the acquisition of knowledge but how to use it and how to adapt it as needs change. As well as producing well-rounded students, some believe that a blended approach can bring more meaning to all subject areas and create a more equal educational experience, regardless of ability level. Graeme Lawrie is partnerships director at ACS International Schools. He says the subject disciplines are fading and that IT is not a separate subject any more. And that’s a good thing, as students use skills learned in one lesson in other areas. For example, if you can learn to program in Python, then you can create automated systems to process data collated in other subjects, he reasons. “Quite often we see that kids who are learning to do 3D design…

E+T Magazine in STEM Education and Skills
Satellites track microplastic hotspots in the ocean

The satellites are able to track soapy or oily residue in seas and oceans which have been shown to carry microplastics. Microplastics – tiny flecks that can ride ocean currents hundreds or thousands of miles from their point of entry – can harm sea life and marine ecosystems, and they’re extremely difficult to track and clean up. But the researchers believe satellites could offer day-by-day timelines of where microplastics enter the water, how they move and where they tend to collect, for prevention and clean-up efforts. Data recorded by the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (pictured) showed less surface roughness – that is, fewer and smaller waves – in areas of the ocean that contain microplastics, compared to clean areas. In preliminary testing, they used the technique to…

E+T Magazine in Waste Management
Spain spends €258m on trains that don’t fit through tunnels

Spain recently spent €258m (£228m) in designing 31 trains that will be delayed by several years due to a major design flaw. The train designs were meant to be used in the FEVE line, which runs through the areas of Asturias and Cantabria. This line dates back to the 19th century, and so its tracks have track gauges narrower than the standard 1,435mm (4ft 8.5in), something that the manufacturer failed to notice in the designs. Renfe, Spain’s national rail operator , Adif, the track company, and the country’s Left-wing coalition government have all faced harsh criticism after failing to notice the design fault. CAF, the Basque manufacturer in charge of the construction of the trains, first raised concerns about the sizing in March 2021. The company had signed a €258m (£228m) contract…

E+T Magazine in Railways
Blasting lunar dust into orbit could help tackle global warming, scientists say

The Earth is slowly warming up as humanity emits greenhouse gases which cause the atmosphere to trap an increasing amount of the sun’s energy. But astronomers at the University of Utah believe that one strategy to reverse this trend is to intercept a fraction of sunlight before it reaches our planet. For decades, scientists have considered using screens, objects or dust particles to block just enough of the sun’s radiation – between 1 and 2 per cent – to mitigate the effects of global warming. The authors of the new study argue that launching lunar dust from the moon could be a cheap and effective way to shade the Earth. They applied a technique used to study planet formation around distant stars, which is typically a messy process that kicks up lots of astronomical dust that can form…

E+T Magazine in Space
CMA rejects Microsoft's takeover of Activision

Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of gaming firm Activision Blizzard could result in higher prices, fewer choices and less innovation for the British video game market, the UK's regulator has said. The CMA has published the conclusions of its investigation into the $68.7bn (£56.7bn) merger, which would see Xbox-maker Microsoft acquire hit titles such as Call of Duty and Candy Crush. The deal has been hailed as the "biggest takeover in tech history". The investigation has included holding site visits and hearings to hear directly from business leaders at Microsoft and Activision, analysing over three million internal documents from the two businesses, commissioning an independent survey of UK gamers, and gathering evidence from a range of other gaming console providers, game publishers…

E+T Magazine
Microsoft launches ChatGPT-powered version of Bing

Microsoft has announced it will leverage the success of OpenAI's ChatGPT technology, incorporating it into a new version of its search engine Bing. The move has been seen as a threat to Google, which currently has dominance in web search, and has also recently announced the development of its own AI-powered chatbot technology, Bard. “AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all – search,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO at Microsoft. “Today, we’re launching Bing and Edge powered by AI co-pilot and chat, to help people get more from search and the web.” "The race starts today," he added. ChatGPT is a free app that generates text in response to a prompt, including articles, essays, jokes and even poetry. It has become spectacularly…

E+T Magazine in Computing
Blackouts possible as Drax employees plan strikes over wages

Around 180 workers, who are members of Unite, have rejected an eight per cent pay increase as it was deemed to be a “substantial” pay cut in real terms. The current inflation rate according to the retail price index (RPI) stands at 13.4 per cent. When Drax is fully operational it generates seven per cent of the UK’s electricity, but the proposed strike action would force Drax to temporarily shut down. Due to tight supplies of natural gas and concerns over energy security, Drax was asked to start warming some of its elderly coal generators in January as energy demand soared amid low temperatures. A similar request was made in December, although the extra power ended up not being needed. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a classic case of greed by a company which is already…

E+T Magazine
Royal Holloway University gets drone testing hangar go-ahead

Runnymede Borough Council has approved Royal Holloway University's plans to build an 895-square-metre drone hangar. The facility, which would be 13.5m high, will allow operators to develop and test specialist electric drones in a "confined, safe space, without disrupting residents or those on campus", the university said. The drone hangar is expected to be part of the new Omnidrome Research and Innovation Centre at the university for world-leading research, innovation, education and knowledge exchange for air, land and water-based drones. The building will be a "showcase facility" for the university, planning documents said, which will operators to develop and test specialist electric drones in a confined, safe space, without disrupting residents or those on campus. The application…

E+T Magazine in Aerospace
HS2 Ltd underestimating the project’s impact on biodiversity, report claims

The Wildlife Trusts, which represents 46 local trusts that look after more than 2,300 nature reserves between them, claims there were “fundamental flaws” in the way that HS2 Ltd has assessed the value of nature. Phase 1, which covers 140 miles of track between London and the West Midlands, will cause at least 7.9 times more nature loss than accounted for by the firm, the report claims. Phase 2a of HS2 is also more damaging than calculated, with around 3.6 times more biodiversity loss than claimed. HS2 Ltd has committed to no net biodiversity loss for replaceable habitats along Phase 1 and 2a of the route, as well as a net gain for biodiversity along Phase 2b. Compensating for nature losses relies on accurate baseline assessments of the value of wildlife habitats along the route. For…

E+T Magazine in Railways
View from Brussels: The curious case of the Channel cable

The Aquind interconnector between Hampshire and Normandy was announced in 2016. The 150-mile-long planned cable will have a capacity of 2 gigawatts and add vital cross-border energy potential to both the French and British power markets. Aquind would be the latest in a growing list of UK interconnectors, which includes the 1GW BritNed Dutch link, the 3GW of French cable capacity, the 1GW Belgian Nemo link, 1.4GW provided by the North Sea Link with Norway and 1.4GW under construction that will tie the UK to Denmark. More capacity means more customers for clean energy production, less risk of energy supply disruption and extra support for grid managers. Interconnectors require a lot of investment but can also trigger further cash injections in other parts of the energy chain. But Aquind…

E+T Magazine in Power Trading
Carmakers must take drastic action to meet climate goals, report says

The 'Pathway Report' - commissioned by electric vehicle (EV) makers Polestar and Rivian - uses open-source data to model the current trajectory for emissions stemming from the car industry. Passenger vehicles currently account for 15 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions globally. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change believes these emissions need to be reduced by 43 per cent by 2030 to stay on track with climate goals, but the sector is currently far from meeting this. Without urgent action, it will have spent its full emissions budget by 2035, the report said, although “a major redirecting of resources and focus” could still bring it in line with Paris Agreement goals. The report outlines immediate, clear actions that car manufacturers can take between now and 2030, including…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
3D-printed food research serves up smorgasbord of edible options

Two professors in the agricultural and biological engineering department of the University of Florida have been researching the potential of 3D printers to print food. Adam Watson and Ziynet Boz have used the 3D printers in their lab to make edible designs made from a viscous food substance like mashed potatoes. Although the process would not be a solution to world hunger, the scientists have pointed out how it could make a significant impact on different communities. For example, 3D-printing food could help people suffering from dysphagia or difficulty swallowing, as it can change the textures of different meals. Researchers 3D-print food/ University of Florida Image credit: University of Florida In addition, 3D food printers could also be used for humanitarian

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
New science and energy security ministers created in Cabinet reshuffle

Prime minister Rishi Sunak's Cabinet reshuffle has resulted in the creation of a new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and a dedicated Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The current business minister, Grant Shapps, will take on the role of minister for the new Energy Security and Net Zero department, while f ormer culture minister Michelle Donelan has been appointed to run the department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Additionally, Kemi Badenoch will now lead the joint Department for Business and Trade, while Lucy Frazer has joined the Cabinet as culture secretary, which has been refocused to centre around sports and the creative arts. Sunak also replaced sacked Tory party chairman Nadhim Zahawi with Greg Hands, who had been operating as trade minister…

E+T Magazine
UK to invest £113m in zero-carbon flight technologies

Electric flying taxis and hydrogen-powered aircraft are just some of the projects that will receive a share of the funding, which was announced by the business and transport secretaries. While aviation is only responsible for around 2 per cent of anthropogenic carbon emissions, this is expected to rise as the number of passengers is expected to double by 2037. The sector is also more difficult to decarbonise than ground-based transport or electricity networks. The UK was one of the first countries to include curbing aviation emissions in their climate targets in 2021. Among the projects to receive some of the funding is Bristol-based electric aircraft manufacturer Vertical Aerospace, which will develop high-end, lightweight batteries, as well as projects led by Rolls-Royce to develop…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Book review: ‘The First City on Mars’ by Justin Hollander

Before anyone seriously thinks about building a city on Mars – and Elon Musk has already stated that we’ll see a settlement of a million people there by 2050 – there are two competing ideas to address. First, is simply that we can’t do it. It’s tens of millions of miles away. The Red Planet has less than half of Earth’s gravity and the same amount of sunlight. The only building materials are sand and rock. There’s no atmosphere to speak of and what water there is comes in the form of ice. So, if you want to grow your own food, you’d have to melt that first using small nuclear reactors. Talking of radiation, there will be plenty of it, so you’ll need decent shielding. The second idea, which is what ‘The First City on Mars: An Urban Planner’s Guide to Settling the Red Planet’ (Springer, …

E+T Magazine in Space
Sponsored: Applying C-V2X test solutions across the automotive workflow

The functionality and safety of systems that incorporate V2X must be verified across a variety of situations and conditions. As the breadth and depth of such testing increases, it quickly becomes too expensive, impractical, and risky to use actual vehicles on closed or public roads. Verification will increasingly depend on detailed simulation and testing in the lab. Click here to view the white paper registration page . Key Learning Outcomes: Understand the role of V2X communication Learn to utilise testing and simulation Explore how to perform wireless testing of V2X systems Download free whitepaper

E+T Magazine in Automotive Engineering
BP backs down on climate pledges despite soaring profits

BP revealed it earned $28bn (£23bn) in 2022, following the sharp increase in fuel prices brought about by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The company also announced it would be scaling back on its plans to reduce the amount of oil and gas it produces by 2030. BP now expects its fossil fuel production to fall by 25 per cent by 2030, compared to a previous expectation of 40 per cent. BP was one of the first oil and gas giants to announce an ambition to cut emissions to net zero by 2050, and had previously promised that emissions would be 35-40 per cent lower by the end of this decade. The change in policy has been justified by chief executive Bernard Looney, as part of a plan to address energy security following the disruption to oil and gas markets caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine. BP…

E+T Magazine in Fossil Fuels
Electric trucks emit 63 per cent less emissions than diesel, study finds

Researchers from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) compared the life-cycle emissions of electric, hydrogen, natural gas and diesel trucks and buses in Europe. Battery electric models were found to be able to deliver the greatest emission reductions even when using the EU’s average electricity grid mix, which is currently not fully renewable but is expected to improve during the lifetime of the vehicles. To meet Paris Agreement goals, Europe urgently needs to decarbonise its trucks and buses, which are the highest emitting vehicles on the road. While they represent only 2 per cent of road vehicles, they contribute around a quarter of transport-related emissions. The methodology in the study addresses not only CO 2 emissions resulting from vehicle tailpipes but also…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
View from India: Aero India commences next week

The Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, which has hosted the Aero India show since 1996, continues to be the venue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the event. This is the 14th edition of Aero India, globally recognised as a premier aerospace event. As per the Aero India website, a total of 731 exhibitors have registered so far. Of these, 633 are Indian exhibitors. A lot is expected from Aero India, with its theme 'The runway to a billion opportunities'. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has informed the media that he has appealed to foreign diplomats for collaboration with India’s military manufacturing capabilities during the event. The thrust areas could be on drones, as well as focusing on cyber technologies and radars. The event is expected to be a blend of…

E+T Magazine in Aerospace

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