• GB warms up two coal plants due to temperature drops

    Two coal plants have been put on standby in Britain in preparation for an increase in the energy demand as the UK cranks up the heating to stay warm.  National Grid ESO said it had a sked Drax, which owns Britain's biggest power station, to prepare two coal-fired units. The company will also continue testing its blackout prevention scheme, which offers discounts on bills for households who cut peak-time electricity use on Monday evening. The ESO (electricity system operator) said the move means the coal-fired stations can be used as “tools for additional contingency” as needed to allow the network to run as usual, and stressed that people “should continue to use energy as normal”. The announcement comes as the UK faces  freezing temperatures and snow in many areas – ramping up demand…

  • View from India: A year of progress on many fronts

    Matters of Space Aerospace manufacturing is soaring high as the India’s defence exports were estimated at 13,000 crore rupees (INR130bn, £1.3bn) in fiscal 2021-2022. The figures are impressive. A lot can be attributed to India’s BrahMos deal with the Philippines. As per this deal, India will export the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the Philippines. Over the last five years, the biggest beneficiary of India’s defence exports has been Myanmar. What is also impressive is that the private sector has contributed towards aerospace manufacturing, taking stride in the manned and unmanned aircraft categories. Fuselage and other parts of the aero engine are being manufactured in India for the world.   Since the last two years, the pandemic had caused a lull in the missions executed by the Indian…

  • Retrofitting electrical systems can save energy and cut carbon

    Last month’s COP27 climate talks in Egypt focused on practical solutions for delivering COP26 commitments made by participating governments in Glasgow last year. These include the decarbonisation of key industries - including manufacturing, food, cloud computing and energy - by investing in new technologies, making older equipment more energy efficient and changing management practices. While we’ve been talking about retrofitting facilities for years, the urgency to do so has never been more imperative. From Europe’s hottest heatwaves to severe flooding in Pakistan, 2022 has seen some of the worst impacts of climate change hitting home. And unless we accelerate decarbonisation now to stop global temperatures rising more than 1.5°C, there will be much worse to come. On top of this, many…

  • Book review: ‘Connected in Isolation’ by Eszter Hargittai

    Uniqueness of circumstance isn’t always the best environment for scientific research. As Eszter Hargittai suggests in the introduction to ‘Connected in Isolation: Digital Privilege in Unsettled Times’ (The MIT Press, £22, ISBN 9780262047371), events that have journalists scrambling to deploy that much-overused epithet ‘unprecedented’ inevitably tend to produce ‘unreproducible’ observations, which is something scientists like to avoid where possible. And yet, there are events such as the Covid lockdowns (9/11 is another) in which “capturing the uniqueness of the moment is itself an important contribution”, not least because times were – especially at the beginning of the pandemic – ‘unusual’. With ‘Connected in Isolation’ the author’s goals are threefold. First is to “document people’s digital…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Is Iceland the coolest location for data centres?

    Life on the North Atlantic island is chilly, foggy, and windy all year round. And while they may have to wrap up warm, and are unlikely to get a tan, Icelanders have acknowledged that their natural cold climate is ideal for one particular industry: data. Iceland’s data-centre industry is booming, and there are many reasons why this may be seen as a favourable location. Not only does the country’s cool climate help drive energy costs down, but Iceland’s sustainable mix of geothermal and hydroelectric power generation could help businesses to minimise their carbon footprint, says Data Centers by Iceland , a public-private partnership established between the Association of Icelandic Data Centers (DCI) and other stakeholders to promote and improve the competitiveness of data-centre development…

  • Infrared light beam could be used to detect malaria

    The new tool could help save hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Malaria is usually detected by a blood test, but scientists have devised a method using a device that shines a beam of harmless infrared light on a person’s ear or finger for between five and 10 seconds. The tool then collects an infrared signature that is processed by a computer algorithm. Dr Maggy Lord, the i nternational team leader from UQ’s  School of Biological Sciences , said the technology would revolutionise how malaria is fought globally. “Currently it’s incredibly challenging to test large groups of people, such as the population of a village or town. You have to take blood from everyone and mix it with a reagent to get a result,” she said. “With this tool, we can find out very quickly whether a whole village…

  • Hands-on review: OneOdio Focus A10 Hybrid Bluetooth ANC headphones

    We recently reviewed OneOdio's dedicated studio-oriented wired headphones, the Monitor 60 . They were strictly for listening to audio in the old-school way. The Focus A10s on review here are a return to the thoroughly modern world of Bluetooth 5.0, true wireless, active noise-cancelling headphones. This is the Silver, 'Hybrid', version, which distinguishes it from last year's Black model. This Silver iteration (actually more of a blue-grey) is described as 'upgraded' by the company, although there's no obvious indication on the website as to what exactly this upgrade amounts to. Still, seeing as OneOdio has been operating as an audio manufacturer for over a decade, it's probably safe to assume it knows what it's doing when it comes to iterating and refining a product. The silver highlights…

  • Laser-based communication system enables HD video from space probes

    Researchers have reported new results from Nasa’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration project, which develops and tests new advanced laser sources for deep-space optical communication. Nasa currently relies on radio communication systems to communicate with Mars rovers and probes. However, this incurs average delays of around 20 minutes between the Earth and Mars. The ability to perform free-space optical communication throughout the solar system would go beyond current capabilities and allow for high-definition images and video as well as a much more responsive way to control probes. The demonstration system consists of a flight laser transceiver, a ground laser transmitter and a ground laser receiver. The downlink transmitter has been installed on the Psyche…

  • Ofgem decision adds to fears that grid will not be ready for net zero

    Ofgem published its final determinations for DNOs last week. The regulator allowed the networks a total of £22.2bn investment between 2023 and 2028, claiming this amount would allow for the scale of investment required without adding to customers’ bills. However, the DNOs had initially asked for £3.16bn of ‘load-related expenditure’ – the portion of investment that covers network reinforcement. Experts say reinforcing the UK’s ageing electricity network will be vital with millions of electric vehicles and heat pumps due to be rolled out in the coming years. Ofgem had proposed allowing DNOs £2.83bn of load-related expenditure in their draft determination this summer, but the regulator’s final decision was £2.62bn. This decision came just months after an analysis from E&T revealed a potentially…

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    E+T Magazine

  • UK, Italy and Japan join forces to build next-generation fighter jets

    UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is due to visit an RAF base today (Friday December 9) to launch the first major phase of the programme, which aims to develop the next generation of combat aircrafts in collaboration with Italy and Japan.  Downing Street is hoping that the jets, called Tempest in the UK, will take to the skies by 2035 and serve as a successor to the RAF Typhoon. By leveraging new technologies such as advanced sensors and innovative data systems, the aircrafts of the future are set to ensure the UK and allies are “outpacing and out-manoeuvring those who seek to do us harm”, Sunak said.  Artist impression of a fighter jet over UK Parliament Image credit: PA Media The programme will build on the substantial progress already made in the UK by BAE Systems…

  • Cash usage halved in 2021 as debit card fees pile more pressure onto retailers

    The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) annual Payments Survey found that cash usage fell to just 15 per cent of all transactions that year compared to 30 per cent in 2020. Some 90 per cent of retail spending, and 82 per cent of transactions, were carried out using either debit or credit card payments, forcing retailers to spend a total of £1.3bn to accept payments from customers in 2021. The BRC said that the costs associated with accepting these payments have also been rising. Debit card fees increased by an estimated 28 per cent compared to 2020, and total Merchant Service charges increased by 12 per cent. This translated into an additional £141m in costs imposed by card firms onto retailers just to process debit card transactions. More than four-in-five card transactions were made using…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Rail fares could rise if Hitachi takeover of Thales is approved, CMA warns

    Signalling systems are used across mainline rail and urban metro routes – such as the London Underground – to control the movement of trains and maintain reliable services. The rail arms of both Hitachi and Thales are major global suppliers of signalling systems for mainline and urban tracks. In August 2021, Hitachi announced a €1.7bn deal to acquire the Thales Ground Transportation Business. A recent market study carried out by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) found that supply of mainline signalling in Great Britain suffered from a lack of competition, with the market essentially being limited to only two suppliers – Siemens and Alstom. The body made a number of recommendations intended to increase competition from alternative suppliers, such as Hitachi and Thales. The principal…

  • Australia aiming to become ‘most cyber-secure country’ by 2030

    Australia is a ssembling an offensive cyber team with a view towards becoming the world's "most cyber-secure country" by the end of the decade, a government minister has revealed. The announcement of the strategy comes on the heels of the Optus and Medibank Private cyber attacks, which Claire O’Neil, the country’s home affairs minister, described as “the worst in Australian history”. The two attacks occurred within three weeks of each other in September and October 2022. In response to these attacks - and an overall increase in cyber-security incidents across the globe - the Australian government has launched a programme to develop a new cyber-security strategy that will replace the one designed in 2020.  Speaking at the National Press Club, O’Neil said the strategy will be led by cyber…

  • How AR can make sure automakers keep up with electric vehicle demand

    Electric vehicle (EV) ownership in the UK passed a significant milestone in September 2022, with the registration of the nation’s one millionth plug-in car, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). But while the appetite for EVs among car buyers is evident, what is less clear is whether UK automakers will be able to keep pace with demand, both at home and abroad. On the one hand, registrations of new EVs have seen far less impact from Covid-19 and the subsequent economic downturn when compared to registrations of new petrol and diesel cars, the SMMT notes. Of more than 225,200 new cars registered in September, almost 17 per cent were pure-electric models and 18 per cent hybrid-electric. At the same time, EVs still comprise just a fraction of the total car population…

  • Back Story: Rebekah Reavell, ‘Follow what you want to do, even if it seems scary’

    Shini Somara: What did you study and why? Rebekah Reavell: Last year I finished my Motorsport Engineering Masters at Oxford Brookes. Before that I completed a Bachelors in mechanical engineering with automotive at Leeds. At my all-girls school, I was encouraged to study English and Economics A Levels because I enjoyed reading, but halfway through, I decided to change career direction and follow my passion for automotive racing. I still had to complete the A Levels I had chosen, but then went on to do a Foundation year in Engineering to get into university. During my teenage years, I had no clue what engineering was about. I thought engineers just built buildings and bridges, which did not interest me at all. Careers advisors suggested following the subjects we enjoyed. No girls from my…

  • Christmas STEM Challenge: Santa’s Aerosleigh

    Santa Claus has a big job on his hands. One calculation reckons that without his team of elves and herds of reindeer Santa would have to travel at half the speed of light to get to everyone. We reckon we can make the job easier with an Aerosleigh, which uses propellers rather than reindeer for propulsion. But there’s a big problem with sleighs: they work by sliding on ice or snow. And these days we have global warming: good for Rudolf but bad because it’s melting that ice and snow! So if the weather doesn’t give ice and snow, what can Santa Claus do? How can he get presents to all those good children at Christmas? Santa must get through! But we may have the solution: be an Aerosleigh where you take along your own ice, and put it underneath, between the sleigh and a smooth surface. …

  • ‘Amma’: a theatrical journey using virtual reality to tackle weighty issues

    ‘Amma’ is a hybrid theatrical-VR experience that aims to bring audiences on a journey to Bangladesh and back, following a woman’s recollections of the War of Independence. This war was fought in 1971 between West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and ended with the establishment of an independent Bangladesh. In many ways, women hold important roles in Bangladeshi society. Its two political dynasties are led by women and the growth of its economy is in no small part thanks to the millions of women who work in the garment industry. However, while researching the war in the run-up to its fiftieth anniversary, director Abdul Shayek noticed that there were few stories of ordinary women like his late mother, who migrated from Bangladesh to the UK when he was three years…

  • Hands-on review: MacMate wireless charging station

    Back in October, we reviewed the OneWorld 65 global multi-device charger , a plug that will happily deliver you reliable AC wall-socket power in practically any country on Earth. Now, here's a companion piece from OneAdaptr, the company behind both products. The MacMate dovetails perfectly with the OneWorld 65, but also makes for a fine standalone multi-device charger. If you already have the OneWorld 65, the addition of the MacMate extends its usefulness (OneAdaptr actually sells a bundle of both products, dubbed the 'MacMate Pro'), but the MacMate is a perfectly useful and desirable product by itself. Image credit: OneAdaptr Compatible with any Apple MacBook Air or MacBook Pro USB-C charger (30W, 35W, 61W, 67W, 87W, 96W or 140W), you plug the MacMate's cable…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Novel antenna design provides stepping stone towards 6G networks

    The surface of the antenna is composed of an artificial thin-sheet material with sub-wavelength thickness that can be changed by switching the meta-atoms on its surface between radiating and non-radiating states. This process is equivalent to turning on and off switches by controlling the electric current. This allows the surface of the antenna to achieve complicated radio wave manipulation through software control, including highly directed beams. “The concept provides an analytical approach to synthesise antennas with the desired radiation patterns for different specific uses by simply changing the antennas’ shape and structure,” said researcher Dr Wu Gengbo. The antenna relies on the successful combination of two research advances, namely amplitude-modulated (AM) leaky-wave antennas…

  • Soft robot demonstrates self-healing capabilities

    The research team has created SHeaLDS – self-healing light guides for dynamic sensing – which creates damage-resistant soft robots that can self-heal from cuts at room temperature without any external intervention. In order to ensure the self-healing process takes place correctly, the team developed a process that allowed the robot to identify when it has suffered damage.  To do this, researchers have pioneered a technique using fibre-optic sensors coupled with LED lights capable of detecting minute changes on the surface of the robot. These sensors are combined with a polyurethane urea elastomer that incorporates hydrogen bonds, for rapid healing, and disulfide exchanges, for strength. “Our lab is always trying to make robots more enduring and agile, so they operate longer with more…

  • Book interview: ‘There Are No Facts’ by Mark Shepard

    Way back in the 19th century, Friedrich Nietzsche argued that truth was impossible and the best we could hope for was to work in the realm of interpretation. “There are no facts,” he declared at various times (with variant wordings) in his career, because for the German-Swiss philosopher at least, there was no such thing as ‘absolute truth’. Here in the 21st century, Mark Shepard has borrowed Nietzsche’s famous words for the title of his analysis of ‘attentive algorithms, extractive data and the quantification of everyday life’. It’s a provocative use of the quotation because we tend to think that our digital ecosystem based on zeros and ones must be ‘true’ to work properly. But you can see why it appealed to Shepard because, that same technology has accelerated the spread of information…

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    E+T Magazine

  • EU should mandate electric freight trucks by 2035, say Unilever and Maersk

    In a joint letter to the EU Commission, the coalition writes that the deadline is “not just feasible but necessary” if the EU is to meet its climate neutrality commitments by 2050. The target would also help to provide investment certainty for vehicle manufacturers to increase their electric and green hydrogen offerings, the companies write. Major truckmakers have already announced that half of their sales will be zero emission by 2030, but binding rules are needed to ensure that investments and the ramp-up of supply happen on time. In October this year, electric vehicle specialists Tesla announced that it would start production on a fully electric lorry with a range of up to 500 miles. The firm first announced its intentions to produce such a vehicle in 2017 , although it has only…

  • EUMETSAT invests in new weather and climate satellites

    Europe’s meteorological satellite agency is looking to expand its low-Earth-orbiting fleet with new, complementary satellite systems.  In a meeting in Darmstadt, Germany, the EUMETSAT Council has authorised the start of a new preparatory phase for improved weather and climate satellite systems.  The €26.8m (£23.2m) investment is expected to allow engineering activities to continue on the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) Aeolus and EPS-Sterna missions, which aim to improve measurements of winds and atmospheric temperature and humidity, respectively. The two programmes will be reevaluated in two years' time, at which point the EUMETSAT Council will decide whether to continue funding the initiatives.  Aeolus mission concept / EUMETSAT Image credit: EUMETSAT “Our…

  • Cumbria coal mine gets government approval despite climate change fears

    The £165m project would see coking coal being extracted from the mine in order to be used in the production of steel, rather than electricity generation. First proposed in January 2021, the government initially decided not to intervene in local planning decisions despite the fact that the mine’s approval would be antithetical to the UK’s climate change targets. This controversial decision led to a strong backlash from environmental campaigners leading the government to put the project on pause while it reconsidered whether it would be allowed to go ahead or not. But the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has now confirmed that the project can continue, saying it was “satisfied that there is currently a UK and European market for the coal”. “The Secretary of…

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