• View from Brussels: Killing the engine slowly

    One of the more controversial parts of the EU’s Green Deal includes rules that will slash greenhouse gas emissions produced by road transport and clean up all the other pollutants that driving creates. This means that by 2035, sales of new cars and vans will have to be zero-emission. This ostensibly opens the door for full-blown adoption of battery-electric mobility in order to stick to the new rules. In addition to that, the European Commission laid out its plans earlier this month for a new engine standards regime, which would also govern pollutants created by braking and tyre wear. But there are, of course, loopholes, some of which still need to be written. The Commission has to publish new methodology on how to measure the life-cycle emissions of vehicles by 2025, for example. More…

  • More households to turn to electric heaters this winter despite safety concerns

    Electrical Safety First found that 42 per cent of people will either definitely use, or are considering using, an electric heater to warm up a single room in their home because of concerns regarding the cost of central heating. Of this group, 37 per cent said they were using an electric heater for the first time. Some 90 per cent of those surveyed said they were concerned about the cost of heating their home this winter, up from 78 per cent this year. A fifth (22 per cent) of those concerned about rising energy costs have bought an electric heater in the last year, 45 per cent of them from an online marketplace. But Electrical Safety First, which is a charity, warned shoppers to buy heaters directly from reputable retailers. “Heating your home should never come at the expense of your…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Egg whites used to whisk away microplastics from water

    The scientists used egg whites to create an aerogel, a lightweight and porous material that can be used in many types of applications, including water filtration, energy storage, and sound and thermal insulation. The idea came to Craig Arnold, vice dean of innovation at Princeton, who was working on developing new materials for engineering applications, during a faculty meeting. “I was sitting there, staring at the bread in my sandwich,” he said. “And I thought to myself, this is exactly the kind of structure that we need.” Arnold asked his lab group to make different bread recipes mixed with carbon to see if they could recreate the aerogel structure he was looking for. None of them worked quite right initially, so the team kept eliminating ingredients until only egg whites remained.…

  • Pathway to decarbonise US aviation sector with biofuel identified

    Around 45,000 planes fly across the US daily, carrying some 1.7 million passengers, making it the single largest contributor to aviation carbon dioxide emissions globally and responsible for more than a quarter of all emissions from flying. The new study, led by a team of Arizona State University researchers, found that planting the grass miscanthus on 23.2 million hectares of existing marginal agricultural lands across the US – land that often lays fallow or is poor in soil quality – would provide enough biomass feedstock to meet the liquid fuel demands of the country’s aviation sector fully from biofuels. “We demonstrate that it is within reach for the United States to decarbonise the fuel used by commercial aviation, without having to wait for electrification of aircraft propulsion,…

  • UK could launch space clean-up mission by 2026

    The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has given two companies £4m to design a space clean-up mission that could launch as soon as 2026.  The winning prototype will track down and capture two defunct satellites already orbiting Earth, then cast them into the atmosphere where they will burn up. Amongst the proposals are two innovative solutions: Britain's first garbage truck for space, and a spacecraft with a robotic arm.  "For the last six decades we've been launching satellites into space without really thinking about what happens at the end of their life," Rory Holmes of ClearSpace, one of the competing companies, told Sky News.  "When they run out of fuel or when they break, we just discard them. We leave them to clog up space. "We're in a situation now where space is quite congested and all…

  • Half a million to lose Warm Home Discount, hospitality businesses opt to go dark

    Eligibility for the “winter lifeline” Warm Home Discount is changing, with the government shifting the targeting of the one-off payment, which has increased by £10 this winter to £150 for those fortunate enough to qualify for it. More than half a million households could no longer be eligible for the payment, charities have warned. National Energy Action (NEA) and Scope said that 500,000 households across England and Wales are now ineligible for the discount because Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payments are no longer qualifying benefits. Some of those living in smaller homes who were previously entitled to the assistance will also miss out. Among the 2.8 million people who are eligible are pensioners who receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit and…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Road users urged to follow changed Highway Code, at start of Road Safety Week

    Children at Ravenfield Primary School, Rotherham, officially launched the Week. Nine children - a figure representing the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed every week across Britain in 2021 - held Road Safety Week placards. The changes to The Highway Code aim to help improve road safety for people walking, cycling and also horse riding and were publicised by the government earlier this year. The Code sets out a hierarchy of road users, with those who can cause the most harm having the greatest responsibility to protect others on the road. Road Safety Week is coordinated by Brake, the road safety charity, and in support of the Department for Transport’s 'THINK!' Campaign. Brake also runs the National Road Victim Service, providing bereaved and seriously injured families with dedicated…

  • UN calls for investment in sustainable cold food chains

    In the face of rising global food insecurity and global warming, two UN agencies have published a report urging governments, international development partners and industry to invest in sustainable food cold chains to decrease hunger, provide livelihoods to communities, and adapt to climate change. Launched during COP27, the global climate summit taking place in Egypt, the report is the result of work by  the Sustainable Food Cold Chains initiative from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).  “At a time when the international community must act to address the climate and food crises, sustainable food cold chains can make a massive difference,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director. “They allow us to reduce food…

  • How to keep data centres online

    While we all welcome the increased use of biofuels such as biodiesel to reduce carbon emissions, data centres need to be aware of the additional risks this poses to backup generators. The increased use of some bio components/materials within the fuel industry makes the environment within the fuel tank more appealing to microorganisms. Present in large concentrations, these can create issues by blocking filters and corroding metal parts within the fuel system – issues that are not likely to be covered by generator OEM warranties. What can data centres be doing to ensure that they stay online? Since the adoption of ultra-low sulphur diesel back in 2006, authorities such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have documented the increased risk of severe and rapid corrosion of fuel…

  • The eccentric engineer: The surprising origins of the train set

    The earliest model trains are almost as old as the earliest trains. Indeed, the first were probably working models of real engine designs, so definitely not for children. By the 1850s, though, model trains had become a market in themselves with the arrival of the wonderfully named ‘Birmingham Dribblers’, more properly called ‘carpet railways’. These live steam trains didn’t run on rails at all, but just steamed across the carpet, often leaving a trail of boiling water and highly flammable fuel in their wake – hence the name. Despite their failings, these were expensive precision engineering models, very much not aimed at the average child. As time passed and the steam train became ubiquitous, other bespoke model railways began to appear in Europe and America, often working on clockwork…

  • ‘Artistic visualisations put forward ideas in a way scientists and engineers can’t’

    “I’ve always been a visual thinker, as well as being someone who’s interested in the technical details,” says Jack Challoner, “and I’ve always appreciated the power of the image to capture the interest, to inspire and to make people curious.” The author of ‘Seeing Science’ explains that his new book provided him with “the opportunity to investigate this a bit more”. Rather than “just presenting images”, here was an excuse to “think about why they are so important” to enabling our understanding of the world. Author of more than 40 books aimed at promoting the public understanding of science, Challoner explains that much of his career has involved working intensively with visuals. He says he jumped at the chance to produce ‘Seeing Science’, which combines and balances both approaches. While…

  • Handheld diagnostic device could increase access to testing in future pandemics

    Inspired by the challenges that many people faced when trying to access Covid-19 testing, scientists at UCLA have developed a device that serves as an all-in-one lab kit for fast and efficient diagnostics.  Using swarms of pinhead-sized magnets inside a handheld device, the automated tests can be easily manufactured, deployed and performed at a doctor’s office, health clinic or at mass testing sites in airports and schools at the onset of any major infectious disease. The technology, outlined in the journal Nature , could help the authorities better prepare for future pandemics by decentralising testing and maximising the use of resources. The researchers tested their device in a clinical study with test samples from individuals who experienced Covid-19 symptoms. More than 100 test results…

  • Ofcom opens spectrum for satellite broadband including Starlink and Telesat

    Operators can now access more airwaves in order to provide a wider range of broadband services, including the previously unavailable 14.25-14.5 GHz band, which doubles capacity available for a range of services to transmit data to satellites. Non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite systems orbit the Earth, tracked by satellite dishes as they move, and can deliver high-speed and responsive internet access. A gateway Earth station (connected to the internet) tracks a non-geostationary orbit satellite as it moves across the sky. The satellite relays data to a user terminal – such as a dish fixed to the side of a house – which in turn is connected to a router. Elon Musk’s Starlink is currently being used to provide connectivity in Ukraine , a country that has faced significant damage to…

  • Global carbon emissions remain at record high, research finds

    If the world continues with current levels of emissions, there is a 50 per cent chance that global temperature rises will hit only 1.5°C – the threshold imposed by the Paris Climate Agreement – in nine years, they said. The Global Carbon Project has involved more than 100 scientists from 80 organisations across 18 countries, and its results – published in the journal Earth System Science Data – come as countries meet for the COP27 round of climate talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The new report projects total global CO 2  emissions of 40.6 billion tonnes (GtCO 2 ) in 2022, up slightly from 2021 and close to the record 40.9 billion tonnes emitted pre-pandemic in 2019. The main driver of this growth is expected to be emissions from oil and gas, which are projected to rise 1.0 per cent compared…

  • E&T Innovation Awards 2022 winners revealed

    Now in its 18th year, the E&T Innovation Awards - held in person again this year, last night (Thursday 10 November)  at the Hilton London Bankside - continue to highlight and celebrate the very best new innovations across the breadth of science, engineering and technology.  Leaving behind the memories of past hybrid events, the evening saw a spirit of enthusiasm and a commitment to work together to create, design and build innovative solutions to global problems, which will help make the world a better place. Hosted by Dr Shini Somara, an award-winning mechanical engineer and computational fluid dynamicist, TV producer and broadcaster, children’s book author and regular E&T columnist - the awards are the ultimate celebration of innovation in the engineering and technology sector.  For…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Japan to invest $500m in new advanced chip venture

    Japan is looking to re-establish itself as a lead maker of advanced semiconductors, with the creation of a new venture. The country's government has revealed it will invest u p to ¥70bn (£427m) in Rapidus, a new semiconductor company led by tech firms including Sony Group Corp and NEC Corp. The company is expected to begin manufacturing in the second half of the decade. “Semiconductors are going to be a critical component for the development of new leading-edge technologies such as AI, digital industries and in healthcare,” Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, said at a news briefing. The announcement comes in the midst of a global semiconductor shortage, and a trade conflict between China and the United States that has led US President Joe Biden to impose…

  • Spatial leading the way as audio enters new worlds

    Speaking at this year’s  Audio Collaborative conference , an annual event organised by data analytics company Futuresource Consulting,   presenters and panellists throughout the day discussed the key issues around the future of audio for both the industry and the consumer. Delivering the conference keynote speech, Carsten Olesen, president of Harman, said that “audio is critical for immersion and believability in virtual spaces”, noting that there were 76 million Fortnite viewers globally for an Ariana Grande virtual gig in 2021, with that figure only representing 20 per cent of active users. “It’s too big to ignore, from an industry perspective,” Olesen added. Virtual worlds such as Fortnite, Roblox and the Metaverse all need immersive audio to deliver an optimal experience. Music fans…

  • Back Story: Zainab Adigun, ‘Being underrepresented means I can spearhead change’

    Shini Somara:  What is the overall mission of the Association For Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK)? Zainab Adigun: AFBE-UK provides support and promotes higher achievements in Education and Engineering, particularly among students and professionals who are from ethnic minority backgrounds. It is estimated that by 2050, the proportion of UK citizens from ethnic minority communities will reach 20-30 per cent, yet only 9 per cent of UK engineers are from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds. 29.9 per cent of engineering graduates are from BME backgrounds, so at AFBE-UK we look to retain and increase the interest of under-represented groups into STEM and improve diversity and inclusion within the industry. We achieve this through a range of educational and mentoring programmes…

  • EU tightens rules to limit vehicle emissions including from brakes and tyres

    Road transport is currently the largest source of air pollution in cities, but the new Euro 7 standards, coupled with CO 2 emission standards, would “give the automotive supply chain a clear direction for reducing pollutant emissions, including using digital technologies”, the European Commission said. In 2035, all cars and vans sold in the EU will have zero CO 2 -emissions under proposals confirmed last month . But even in 2050, more than 20 per cent of cars and vans – and more than half of the heavier vehicles – driving on EU roads are expected to continue to emit pollutants from the tailpipe. The new proposal tackles emissions from tailpipes as well as from brakes and tyres, the latter two of which will continue to be relevant even for battery electric vehicles. It replaces previously…

  • Dear Evil Engineer: Just how big a structure could I build in space?

    Dear Evil Engineer, I have been unable to get climate change off my mind. Watching our leaders utterly fail to decarbonise with the urgency scientists warn us is necessary makes me more certain by the day that Earth’s ecosystems face collapse in my lifetime and billions of people will die. It got me thinking – what a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity this presents! My fellow high-net-worth villains are building private bunkers and mouthing off about the need to terraform Mars as a back-up planet, but I have an alternative proposal. I’d like to build a habitable megastructure in space that people – that is, those willing to pay a very reasonable resettlement fee – can live inside indefinitely while Earth succumbs to climate change. Could you advise me approximately how large a structure…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Is bitcoin's energy efficiency all we believe it to be?

    Belief is a powerful drug. It’s easy to believe that computer technology and electronics will make the world more efficient and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, not least by reducing how much of that energy needs to be performed by physical things acting in a wasteful way. But this is the same set of core technologies that gave us bitcoin. In a demonstration of how perverse incentives can be in economics, bitcoin and the other blockchain protocols that evolved around it fell into an arms race that make just burning currency for heat look vaguely sensible.   The first miners just used the Intel processors in desktop PCs. But that quickly changed as the value of bitcoin and interest in mining for it increased. The protocol behind the cryptocurrency was designed to ratchet up the amount…

  • The bigger picture: Nasa's inflatable heat shield

    Nasa has r evealed an ‘inflatable heat shield’ that may change future space missions. ‘LOFTID’ (Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator) is set to be launched in November. Once in orbit, it will inflate, before descending back to Earth. Nasa hopes that a large inflatable aeroshell protected by a heat shield could slow down a spacecraft enough to survive atmospheric entry. If successful, the technology could eventually allow humans to land on Mars. Image credit: Nasa/Cover Images One challenge Nasa faces is delivering heavy payloads safely to destinations with an atmosphere, stating “current rigid aeroshells are constrained by a rocket’s shroud size. One answer is an inflatable aeroshell that can be deployed to a scale much larger than the shroud…

  • View from India: New 'garden terminal' unveiled at Bangalore airport

    The statue of Chieftain Nadaprabhu Kempegowda stands in a theme park near the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The statue, which is 108ft tall and has a sword weighing four tonnes, is known as the Statue of Prosperity, or Pragatiya Pratime. This is the first and tallest bronze statue of a founder of a city according to the World Book of Records. Prime Minister (PM) Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore Express, India’s first semi high-speed train, which will connect Bangalore-Mysore-Chennai. This is the first Vande Bharat service in south India, and the fifth across India. The train has an intelligent braking system for better acceleration and deceleration, and a GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system. The coaches have automatic doors and are designed…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UN satellite system to detect prolific methane emitters from space

    Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas providing more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide within the first 20 years of it reaching the atmosphere. It is currently estimated to contribute at least a quarter of today’s climate warming. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we must cut methane emissions at least 30 per cent by 2030 – the goal of the Global Methane Pledge – to keep the 1.5°C temperature limit within reach. The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will allow it to corroborate emissions reported by companies and characterise changes over time. It will be part of the body’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) strategy. “As UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report showed before this climate summit…

Community Rules & Guidelines