• Waste CO2 from city buildings delivers bumper harvests on rooftop gardens

    With an ever-expanding urban population and city sizes growing globally, researchers are looking at ways to make cities greener and more sustainable. Rooftop farms and gardens that take advantage of under-utilised roof space are a popular option, providing new food resources while simultaneously cooling the surrounding area, increasing building insulation and improving air quality. However, the conditions on rooftops, which typically face greater solar radiation, more wind exposure and lesser soil moisture, often mean that plants are smaller and less healthy. A University of Cambridge team, led by Dr Sarabeth Buckley, has theorised that repurposing the CO2 from building exhausts as a kind of fertiliser might help counter some of these challenges. To explore this, they grew corn and spinach…

  • How industry can unlock the potential of a four-day week

    The Covid-19 pandemic has spurred a massive transformation in our approach to work, with terms such as ‘flexible working’ and ‘work-life balance’ rising to prominence in our general lexicon. As our focus remains on improving employee wellbeing and quality of life, in June 2022 more than 3,300 workers at over 70 UK firms began a historic six-month trial of a four-day working week . Much has been discussed about this change: will it improve productivity; how does it affect mental health; will it be a long-term change? But by and large, these conversations have centred around office workers, suggesting that they will be the ones most able to reap the benefits of such a change. We must, however, make sure that traditionally ‘blue-collar’ workers, in particular working in the manufacturing sector…

  • Complacency of firms is leaving ‘the door open to cyber attackers’, ICO says

    John Edwards said that many firms are too relaxed about basic measures such as keeping software up to date and training staff to minimise the risk of infiltration from bad actors. The warning comes as the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a fine of £4.4m to Interserve Group, a Berkshire-based construction company, for failing to keep the personal information of its staff secure, which was a breach of data-protection laws. The ICO found that the company failed to put appropriate security measures in place to prevent a cyber attack, which enabled hackers to access the personal data of up to 113,000 employees through a phishing email. The compromised data included personal information such as contact details, national insurance numbers and bank account details, as well as special…

  • View from Brussels: Crucial networks set for better protection

    Deep in the Baltic Sea, two gas pipelines – Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 – lie empty. NS2 had not shipped a single molecule to Germany from Russia thanks to Moscow’s illegal invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of this year. At the end of September, the Danish and Swedish governments detected significant leaks of gas coming from both pipelines. An investigation by the coastguard revealed that explosions had ripped holes in the pipes. No one has claimed responsibility for the act of sabotage, although most logic points towards a Kremlin-sanctioned operation. The damage might let state-run firm Gazprom off the hook for compensation payments and only a state actor would have the resources to pull it off. More far-fetched theories say that the United States was behind the damage after President…

  • Economic decline ‘gathers momentum’ as UK output slumps again

    Output declined for the third month in a row following the protracted period of political turbulence that has dragged on the financial markets, following the disastrous unveiling of then-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and then-prime minister Liz Truss' controversial economic plans. New chancellor Jeremy Hunt has since reversed Kwarteng's mini-budget almost in its entirety in an effort to stabilise the markets and save the pound from sinking further. The influential S&P Global/ CIPS flash UK composite purchasing managers index (PMI) showed a reading of 47.2 in October, below September’s 49.1 reading. Any score below 50 is considered a contraction for the economy, while anything above is seen as growth. The index showed that there was a steep fall in output in October as manufacturers continued…

  • View from India: Renewable energy success stories suggest bright future

    Hyderabad, the capital city of Telengana, made international news earlier this month. The city has bagged the prestigious ‘World Green City Award 2022.’ Hyderabad has won top accolades in the category Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth at the International Association of Horticulture Producers (AIPH) 2022 World Green Cities Awards organised in Jeju, South Korea. Hyderabad was the only city from India that was selected for the award. Internationally, Hyderabad has raced ahead of Paris, Bogota, Mexico City, Montreal and Fortaleza in Brazil. “These international awards are a proof that the state government is strongly implementing the Haritaharam and urban development programmes... giving green fruits to the country,” said Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, the chief minister…

  • Simple laser system could help astronomers find new planets on the cheap

    The laser emits light at one billion pulses per second and comprises just two mirrors and a sapphire crystal containing a small amount of titanium. It is powered by a green laser similar to the laser pointers found in shops for under £5, which converts the light into infrared pulses with peak powers of one kilowatt. The researchers estimate that it reduces the cost, complexity and power consumption of typical ultrafast lasers by around a factor of 10, which makes it more accessible to users in other scientific disciplines. Image credit: Heriot-Watt University “Using space telescopes, astronomers have already identified thousands of stars that might have exoplanets, but each of these must be confirmed by ground-based telescopes looking for tiny fluctuations in…

  • View from Washington: Xi pushes back and forward on US chip clampdown

    At the end of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping made his first – though not entirely explicit – comments on the technology restrictions imposed by the Biden Administration around semiconductors, AI and supercomputing earlier this month. They came just hours before The Financial Times reported today (24 October) that leading Chinese memory company YMTC has asked core staff that are US citizens and US Green Card holders to leave as it seeks to comply with Washington's latest export controls. “Just as China cannot develop in isolation from the world, the world needs China for its development,” Xi told Sunday’s (23 October) concluding press conference, having just unveiled a new politburo packed with his supporters. He added that China would…

  • Lunar rock samples reveal surprisingly modern volcanic activity on the Moon

    The only samples available prior to this were those returned by the Apollo and Luna missions in late 1960s and 1970s that are all more than three billion years old. This led scientists to believe that the Moon has been geologically dead since then. But a new study from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) using the newly acquired samples found that mantle melting-point depression due to the presence of fusible, easily melted components could generate young lunar volcanism. For the small rocky Moon, the heat fuelling volcanic activity was expected to have been lost long before these eruptions two billion years ago. Scientists previously speculated that either elevated water content or heat-producing elements in the lunar interior might have…

  • ‘Deep fake’ built with AI could detect water pollutants

    The machine learning process allows websites to scan millions of images on the internet to create fresh 'deep-fakes' could also be leveraged to detect water pollution, scientists say.  The team at the University of Kansas is looking at using a similar machine-learning process to generate a type of protein structure known as beta barrels that could be used in sensors to detect metal pollutants. "These beta barrels are super useful because they can bring things across membranes," said principal investigator Joanna Slusky. "Barrels make good enzymes – there are so many different things that barrels can do." Slusky and her co-principal investigators, professors Rachel Kolodny and Margarita Osadchy of Haifa University in Israel (along with KU postdoctoral fellow Daniel Montezano), will develop…

  • Underground structure built with robots cuts time and costs

    The latest demonstrator from startup hyperTunnel was built at the firm’s R&D facility in the North Hampshire Downs. The approach is claimed to be friendlier to the environment and will use sustainable materials such as low-carbon concrete. It could also drastically improve safety in the tunnelling sector because no humans need to enter the structure during construction. A fleet of ‘hyperBot’ robots enters the ground via an arch of high-density plastic pipes and, once inside, can 3D print the tunnel shell by deploying construction material directly into the ground. The 6m-long, 2m-high and 2m-wide Peak XV ‘pedestrian-scale’ tunnel has been delivered as part of a project for Network Rail. The Network Rail project has been demonstrating the hyperTunnel process, investigating the technologies…

  • Texas sues Google over ‘indiscriminate’ collection of facial recognition data

    The state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against technology giant Google for the company's collection and use of biometric data, which it says goes against the state's Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act. The  lawsuit claims Google “indiscriminately” harvested "millions of biometric identifiers" from users and non-users of the company’s products without their consent, and profited from them.  The state claims the data was used to improve the facial recognition technology leveraged by Google Photos and the voice recognition technology used in its line of smart speakers and other home products. "In blatant defiance of that law, Google has, since at least 2015, collected biometric data from innumerable Texans and used their faces and their voices to serve Google’s commercial ends,"…

  • Wireless charging motorways need careful energy management for affordability

    Wireless charging technology that is built into roads has been trialled a number of times in the past and is considered to be one possible solution to “range anxiety” in electric vehicles. Today, it takes a lot of time to charge an electric vehicle and a car’s range may only be a few hundred miles. With wireless charging lanes, a driver may simply move into the charging lane, much like today’s high-occupancy vehicles move into special lanes (in the United States) to avoid dense traffic. “Electrifying transportation is great, since you can eliminate carbon emissions,” said senior author Oliver Gao. “You can energise your car while driving in the charging lane. But if you’re managing a charging highway that can provide energy to cars, you’re buying and selling electricity on an industrial…

  • TfL's income increased by £100m from the expansion of London's Ulez

    One year after Transport for London (TfL) expanded the area included in the Ulez, official figures have shown the economic impact of the decision.  The analysis by the RAC found that between the start of November 2021 and the end of June 2022, an average of 1.9 million journeys were made into the zone every month, resulting in £112.5m of revenue from those required to pay. That is compared with revenue of less than £19m between February and September 2021, before the Ulez was expanded, thereby resulting in a £93.6m increase. The Ulez was first launched in April 2019, requiring all vehicles passing through the city centre to meet strict emissions standards or pay a fee. Within months, the number of more polluting vehicles fell by a third, as people were pushed to walk, cycle or use public…

  • World-leading engineers celebrated at IET Achievement Awards

    The IET has named the winners of its 2022 Achievement Awards. The IET Achievement Medals exist to recognise individuals from all over the world who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of engineering, technology and science in any sector. This can be through research and development in their respective technical field or through their leadership of an enterprise. One of this year’s most significant awards, the Faraday Medal, goes to Dr Chad A Mirkin for his contributions to nanotechnology and nanoengineering, including the invention and development of spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) – technology which is being used in the early detection of diseases, identification of new genetic markers and has led to a new therapeutic pipeline for gene regulation and immunotherapy. …

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Hands-on review: OneWorld 65 International Adapter with 65W PD Charger

    Mains-power compatible in practically every country on Earth, the OneWorld 65 International Adapter houses one 65W USB PD charging port with QC; two USB-C smart-charging ports; two USB-A smart charging ports, and a 10A AC universal power outlet, enabling you to charge up to six devices simultaneously. For all but the most rabid gadget enthusiast, this should be more than enough I/O for the modern traveller. The OneWorld 65 has been designed using Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors, which are valued for their efficiency at transferring current (amongst other chemical advantages) and handling power supply and conversion. The goal here is to maximuse energy transmission to the devices connected to the adapter, with less energy lost to heat. The real-world result is that devices should charge…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Underwater microphones to record the melting of icebergs

    An expedition of scientists and an artist are deploying underwater microphones in the ocean off Greenland to record the sounds of melting icebergs, The Guardian has reported.  Over the next two years, the hydrophones will capture the sounds of melting Arctic sea ice and under subaquatic audio every hour, being  lowered to different levels and temperatures to record earthquakes, landslides, wildlife, pollution and meltwater, creating an archive of the “ocean’s memory”. The recordings will be used in scientific research, as well as in a mixed-media installation to explore human impact on the world’s oceans, the newspaper reported.   “I’m interested in hearing the acoustic pollution,” the artist said. “The sea levels are rising and that will have an impact I’d imagine on the sound range…

  • Face masks fit men better than women, MIT sensors confirm

    Developed by MIT researchers, the sensor measures physical contact between the mask and the wearer’s face and can be applied to any kind of mask. Using this sensor, the researchers analysed the fit of surgical masks on male and female subjects, and found that overall, the masks fit women’s faces much less closely than they fit men’s faces. “What we realized by analysing our collected data from the individuals in the study was that the masks that we use in daily life are not very suitable for female participants,” said Canan Dagdeviren, corresponding author of the study. The researchers hope that their sensor will help people to find masks that fit them better, and that designers could use it to create masks that fit a wider variety of face shapes and sizes. The sensor can also be used…

  • How solarpunk ideals can inspire the robots of tomorrow

    'Solarpunk' is an art movement depicting a sustainable future where technology meets nature, the world is at peace and humans collaborate with robots to build a better quality of life. All of these ideals sound very Utopian, but with the fast-paced advancement of technology - and society’s urge to become greener - the future could easily resemble solarpunk if the correct steps are taken. If robots are envisioned as the turning point to reach this optimistic future, industry is currently heading in the right direction. We have seen robots take the place of pets, nurses, factory and retail workers - including ones that make good conversation. The latter, however, still creates hesitancy among people due to fear of the singularity , a hypothetical point at which technological growth becomes…

  • MPs reject motion to force a vote to ban fracking in the UK

    Newly resigned Prime Minister Liz Truss' government won the vote on fracking legislation by 326 votes to 230 in the House of Commons on Wednesday, despite the lack of votes of 30 Conservative MPs.  The motion discussed was one put forth by Labour to force a vote on the banning of fracking, a very controversial  process of hydraulic fracturing, which uses high-pressure liquid to release gas from shale formations. The moratorium on fracking had been in place since 2019 following a series of earth tremors, but the ban was lifted in September 2022 by Truss. At the time, Conservatives representing seats in northern England hit out at the move to end the ban, which unequivocally breaks a clear Tory manifesto promise. Due to the controversial nature of the motion, as well as the growing animosity…

  • Regulator wants new measures to boost North Sea oil production

    The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) said that production remained low in 2021 versus pre-pandemic levels but that current project pipelines and a new licensing round would boost drilling activity. Production totalled around 480 million barrels in 2021, compared with 600 million in 2019. The NSTA’s Wells Insight Report found that pre-pandemic drilling operations were taking place in 141 wells in 2019. But last year, drilling operations began on only 66 wells, including five exploration, five appraisal and 56 development wells, similar to levels recorded in 2020. The report suggests that a focus on second wellbores, the new licensing round and maintaining existing wells could all help boost production in years to come. NSTA head of technology Carlo Procaccini said: “Amid the energy…

  • US grants $2.8bn to boost the production of EV batteries

    The United States has announced it will award $2.8bn (£2.5bn) in grants to boost the US production of electric vehicle batteries and the minerals used to build them in 12 states.  The grants mark the latest push by the Biden administration to help reduce the country's dependence on China, a country that currently produces 75 per cent of the batteries used in electric vehicles, according to officials.  "This is critically important, because the future of vehicles is electric,'' Biden said at a White House event with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. "By undercutting US manufacturers with their unfair subsidies and trade practices, China seized a significant portion of the market. Today we're stepping up... to take it back, not all of it, but bold goals." The funding recipients, first…

  • National Grid trialling tech to boost power line capacity amid renewables influx

    ‘Dynamic Line Rating’ (DLR) technology is being trialled for first time in the UK following successful deployment on National Grid’s electricity networks in the US. DLR uses sensors and a data analytics platform to highlight available spare capacity on overhead power lines when available. Based on the US trial, National Grid said the system has the potential to unlock 0.6GW of additional capacity, enough to power more than 500,000 homes and save £1.4m in network operating costs annually. The sensors continuously monitor the transmission lines and apply advanced analytics to calculate the Dynamic Line Rating which is determined by a power line’s physical and electrical properties, such as size, resistance and maximum safe operating temperature, as well as the local weather conditions.…

  • Shapeshifting AI material created that learns and adapts to changing conditions

    The material is composed of a structural system made up of tunable beams that can alter its shape and behaviours in response to dynamic conditions. The research findings – which posit future applications in the construction of buildings, airplanes and imaging technologies, among other areas – have been published in the journal Science Robotics . When the material is placed in aircraft wings, for example, it could learn to morph the shape of the wings based on the wind patterns during a flight to achieve greater efficiency and manoeuvrability of the plane. Building structures infused with this material could also self-adjust the rigidity in certain areas to improve their overall stability during an earthquake or other natural or manmade disasters. Using and adapting concepts from existing…

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