• Driverless taxis and buses to hit UK roads in spring 2026

    Pilots of self-driving taxi and bus services will be launched in spring 2026, the government has announced, as it looks to attract UK investment in the burgeoning technology. Over the last few years, both MPs and the automotive sector have warned that the UK risks squandering its lead in self-driving technology if the legislation to make its operation possible on public roads is not quickly passed. But transport secretary Heidi Alexander has now confirmed that the government will fast-track driverless car pilots and introduce self-driving commercial pilots on England’s roads. Firms will initially be able to pilot small-scale ‘taxi- and bus-like’ services without a safety driver for the first time – which could be available to members of the public to book via an app – before a potential…

  • CO₂ pollution captured and converted into cement precursor in study

    A carbon capture method that converts carbon dioxide into metal oxalates – a precursor for cement production – has been developed by a team of researchers. Concrete is the most widely used manufactured material on earth. It has quite literally created the foundations of our built environment, but it comes with a massive environmental cost. The production of cement, the key ingredient of concrete, generates around 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2 every year – about 8% of the global total. Cement's lack of sustainability is well known. When producing clinker – a precursor to cement – the calcining process converts calcium carbonate to calcium oxide, releasing carbon dioxide. In addition, the reaction itself takes place at close to 1,400°C, which involves burning large quantities of fossil fuel…

  • UK backs nuclear revival with £14.2bn for Sizewell C and £2.5bn for Rolls-Royce SMRs

    The government has finally confirmed a £14.2bn investment in the upcoming Sizewell C nuclear plant, as well as a further £2.5bn for small modular nuclear reactors (SMR). The expansion of Britain’s nuclear energy capabilities are considered to be a key part of the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s energy grid. But despite the UK’s strong nuclear legacy – opening the world’s first commercial nuclear power station in the 1950s – no new facilities have opened in the UK since 1995, with all of the existing fleet except Sizewell B likely to be phased out by the early 2030s.  Initial construction works on Sizewell began last year, although the government had still not confirmed the full extent of its funding package until today. Energy secretary Ed Miliband said the decision will kickstart…

  • Sam Altman’s eyeball-scanning verification device to launch in UK

    US tech entrepreneur Sam Altman’s biometric device The Orb – which distinguishes between real people and AI bots, helping to verify who is human online – is to be launched in the UK. Altman has been instrumental in making AI accessible to people through OpenAI, a company he co-founded in 2015. OpenAI’s ChatGPT tool, which launched in November 2022, boasts over 400 million weekly active users. Having unleashed AI to the masses, Altman is now developing technologies to resolve challenges his company’s pursuit of powerful AI has caused, such as the proliferation of deepfakes. This is being addressed through Tools For Humanity, a company he co-founded in 2019. One of the technologies Tools For Humanity has developed is called the Orb, a biometric device that scans people’s irises to prove…

  • From the labs: Nanotech breakthroughs, radiation-powered batteries, plant-based filters

    Tracking the early stage developments: this issue we look at nanofiltration membranes, nanocatalysts and batteries made from nuclear waste. Lab: Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), AustriaWhat: Using recovered nickel from spent batteries to create a nanocatalyst that produces methaneStage: TRL-1 Battery waste poses a serious environmental threat. Nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) and lithium-ion batteries, for instance, consist of different components that if not disposed of properly can lead to chemical leaks, fires and pollution. While recycling and recovery processes for these batteries are technologically challenging, a team of researchers at TU Wien have developed a method that not only recovers nickel from spent Ni-MH batteries, but then uses that nickel to produce a nanocatalyst…

  • Military-grade underwater robot aims to protect Britain’s offshore infrastructure

    An underwater robot designed to prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines has been developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). The UK has around 60 undersea cables, which are crucial for global internet communication, carrying 99% of its data. More cables connect Britain’s energy grid with other European countries to allow trading of excess electricity across borders. Some estimates suggest that if the UK is to hit its target of 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, there needs to be substantial investment in the installation and maintenance of thousands of kilometres of subsea cables. Dstl has incorporated a number of systems into a commercially available remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that allows it to detect unexploded ordnance and…

  • North short-changed £140bn in transport funding over 12 years, says IPPR

    The North of England would have received an additional £140bn in transport funding if it had received the same amount of money that London received from 2010-2022, a think tank has said. According to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), the money would have been enough “to build seven Elizabeth Lines” and demonstrates the disparity in spending by Conservative-led governments over the period. Its independent analysis of Treasury figures found that while Londoners received around £1,183 per person in taxpayer funds to build out the capital’s transport infrastructure, areas in the North only received £355–£603 per person during the same period. In response to the figures, IPPR is calling for a ‘Great Northern Rail’ plan to improve the rail network across the North, following…

  • Science and tech R&D to receive £86bn boost in upcoming spending review

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a £22.5bn-a-year commitment in research and development (R&D) aimed at supporting advancements in areas such as AI, sustainable energy technologies and life sciences. The R&D funding package forms part of this week’s spending review, which sets out how public funds are to be allocated over the next four years. The first of the spending review announcements was made last week when Reeves revealed £15.6bn will be invested in local transport in city regions in Northern England, Midlands and the South West. She has said this new £86bn R&D package will be used to “turbo-charge” the UK’s fastest-growing sectors, from tech and life sciences to advanced manufacturing and defence. It forms part of the government’s plan to “invest in Britain’s renewal” through…

  • Ocean currents hold vast energy potential, particularly off Africa, study finds

    Eastern and south-eastern coasts of Africa have currents that put them among the world’s top potential locations for ocean energy production, according to a study by Florida Atlantic University. Global energy demand continues to rise. According to data from the International Energy Agency, last year global energy demand rose by 2.2% – considerably faster than the average annual demand increase of 1.3% between 2013 and 2023. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have published a study looking at the potential of using ocean currents to meet our growing energy demand. “Marine energy is much more predictable and reliable than many other forms of renewable energy because unlike sun and wind, which regularly do not produce electricity, ocean currents never stop moving around the planet…

  • Commercial moon landing attempt by ispace ends in likely crash

    A commercial spacecraft from Japanese firm ispace appears to have crashed on the surface of the Moon as it attempted to land. The Resilience lunar lander began its descent last night just after 8pm UK time. But mission control lost all contact with the craft around two minutes before it was scheduled for a soft touchdown. The Hakuto-R Mission 2 that sent the lander into orbit launched on January 15 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It was intended to be a technology demonstration that could prove the viability of reliable transportation and data services on the Moon. The proposed landing site for the mission was the far northern Mare Frigoris – a location chosen because it allows for continuous line-of-sight radio communication from Earth. But this morning, ispace issued another update saying…

  • Amazon commits to clamping down on fake reviews in the UK

    Amazon has said it will swiftly deal with businesses attempting to “pull the wool” over consumers’ eyes on its UK online marketplace. Fake reviews on Amazon is a persistent problem that has been ongoing for many years. In 2020, a study by University of California, Los Angeles estimated that 30-40% of online reviews in certain categories on Amazon – particularly electronics, health and beauty and home goods – may be suspicious or fake. This proliferation of disinformation is a growing issue given the significant influence it has on consumer choices. The UK’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), estimates that around 90% of UK consumers use star ratings and online reviews, and as much as £23bn of UK consumer spending is potentially influenced by online reviews…

  • Teardown: Apple iPhone 16e

    Apple has finally launched an updated model of its entry-level smartphone in the shape of the iPhone 16e. Like the previous SE models before it, the cheaper iPhone 16e borrows from earlier designs – namely taking the dimensions and display from the 2022 iPhone 14 rather than the more modern ‘Dynamic Island’ approach seen on more recent handsets. The device has been stripped back in various ways compared with the latest generation iPhone 16 to meet the less expensive £599 price point. This includes dropping support for MagSafe charging, eliminating the ultra-wide camera and omitting some niche features such as Camera Control. With the inclusion of the latest generation A18 chip, which is paired with 8GB RAM, it’s clear that Apple is prioritising support for its nascent AI features over…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • ISS astronauts to be kitted out with biometric wearables to help track fitness and sleep

    Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will be equipped with a wearable device that will collect biometric data such as total sleep time and heart rate variability during sleep. The project from the ISS National Laboratory, Booz Allen, Axiom Space and Oura aims to utilise edge computing to analyse biometric data in near real time, enabling crew members to make informed decisions about whether they are prepared for critical tasks. The astronauts will be fitted with Oura rings – commercially available devices that are capable of capturing metrics such as body temperature, menstrual cycle and blood oxygen. “This technology will provide crew members with detailed insights into their sleep quality and biometrics, which will help them to understand how this directly impacts their…

  • Recycled EV batteries power new 10MWh battery storage system at Rome airport

    Recycled electric vehicle (EV) batteries from automakers Nissan and Stellantis have found a second life powering a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) at Italy’s largest international transport hub. The Nissan LEAF has been on the road for almost 15 years. With its lithium-ion battery typically lasting between 8 to 12 years – or between 160,000 to 240,000km – many of these batteries have now reached end of life. Lithium-ion battery recycling is an issue. While traditional lead-acid batteries are widely recycled, the same is not true for the lithium-ion versions. They not only contain hazardous materials, but also have a tendency to explode if disassembled incorrectly. As such, these batteries are finding a second life in various BESS projects. One example of this is the…

  • City region local transport to get £15bn boost as part of upcoming spending review

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a significant “long-overdue investment” in local transport in England’s city regions. City regions in the North, Midlands and the South West will receive a £15.6bn funding boost for buses, trams and local train infrastructure. Reeves travelled to Greater Manchester to announce the investment, the first to be revealed from next week’s spending review. This investment in local transport projects will help ensure regions outside London and the South East also benefit from transport infrastructure. In her speech, Reeves said that Britain “cannot rely on a handful of places forging ahead of the rest of the country” and today’s funding is part of a “new economic model – driven by investment in all parts of the country”. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander…

  • Industry insight: Why businesses can no longer resist implementing digital changes

    This article has been provided by Sue Williams, managing director of Hexagon Consultants. A recent report from Make UK revealed that two-thirds of manufacturers and engineers plan to address rising operational costs by boosting internal productivity, with 29% intending to leverage technologies such as cloud computing and AI to achieve this. As technology continues to advance, the engineering industry can no longer resist the pressures to adopt it. Over recent years, the engineering industry has faced various challenges, to navigate these effectively and to differentiate from competitors, it’s increasingly important for the industry to embrace the capabilities of technology. The recent surge in tech across the industry Resistance to change and additional high setup costs are commonly…

  • Sellafield's ‘intolerable risks’ threaten to push decommissioning bill past £136bn

    Decommissioning Sellafield nuclear plant is not happening fast enough, and could add further costs to a project that is already estimated to cost £136bn, MPs have said. A report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found that Sellafield Ltd has missed most of its annual targets for retrieving waste from several buildings on the site, including the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS). The MSSS has been leaking radioactive water into the ground since 2018, amounting to roughly an Olympic swimming pool’s worth every three years. While the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) accepts that the leak is the “single biggest environmental issue” at Sellafield, it said that the radioactive particles are “contained” in the soil and do not pose a risk to the public. Sellafield, on the coast of…

  • Meta strikes 20-year deal to power AI data centres with nuclear energy

    Meta has signed a 20-year deal with a nuclear plant to buy electricity that will power the data centres behind its AI efforts. Constellation Energy, which owns nuclear plants across the US, will sell the output of the Illinois-based Clinton Clean Energy Center to Meta from June 2027. Nuclear energy provides consistent, reliable and high-capacity power, so it is particularly useful for keeping the lights on at data centres. It’s also a low-carbon form of energy for firms that have set themselves net zero targets. Meta said: “We have heard from across the ecosystem that existing nuclear power plants will not be able to stay online indefinitely without partners and investments that help extend existing operating licenses and increase generation capacity. “It’s clear that there are many…

  • Recyclable, self-healing circuit boards could tackle global e-waste crisis

    A new type of circuit board material could help keep e-waste out of landfills, according to a new study by Virginia Tech researchers. Often ending up in landfill, the toxic additives or hazardous substances within discarded electronic devices leach into soils and ecosystems. Data from the UN’s Global e-waste monitor report published last year found that worldwide generation of e-waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling. A record 62 billion kg of e-waste was generated globally in 2022 – up 82% from 2010, and on track to rise a further 32% (to 82 billion kg) in 2030. To combat this ‘tsunami’ of e-waste, a team at Virginia Tech has been researching a new class of recyclable circuit materials to replace traditional circuit board plastics. Combining expertise…

  • Sizewell C nuclear plant nears green light as UK and France prepare for summit

    The upcoming Sizewell C nuclear power station could finally be given the green light at a summit next month, more than a year after construction began. The government considers the expansion of Britain’s nuclear energy capabilities a key part of the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s energy grid. Following Hinkley Point C, which is expected to be generating by the end of the decade, Sizewell C should become the next station to be brought online at some point in the mid-2030s. Its design is based heavily on Hinkley Point C in an attempt to speed up the construction process and allow teams from one project to move over to the other once Hinkley has been completed. But while formal construction works began in January 2024, the final investment decision for Sizewell C still hasn’t been…

  • British Army revamp puts lasers and drone swarms on the front line

    The British Army is ramping up its investment in modern weaponry such as drones and lasers as part of a broad revamp of the UK’s defence capabilities. The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) aims to make the Army “10x more lethal” by combining more people and armoured capability with air defence, communications, AI, software, long-range weapons and land drone swarms. The major funding package includes more than £4bn for autonomous systems and a further investment of nearly £1bn for Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) this parliament. The DEW investment will include the DragonFire laser, which is expected to enter service onboard Royal Navy ships in 2027. The laser can track and potentially destroy targets including drones, missiles and aircraft with exceptionally high accuracy. Meanwhile, a new…

  • Sports video piracy constitutes ‘industrial scale theft’, report finds

    Big tech is “clearly unwilling” to address the surge of pirated streaming of football matches and other premium TV, a report from media analysts Enders has claimed. Sports broadcasting is big business, and broadcasters spend billions securing rights to live games. For instance, at the end of 2023, Sky Sports secured a record £6.7bn deal to broadcast Premier League football matches in the UK to the end of the 2028–29 season. To watch these matches, fans have to pay a high subscription fee. However, there is a way around it through illegal, pirated streaming. According to the Enders report, pirated feeds account for a “double digit percentage” of all viewing of premium sports and television, based on private data from broadcasters and analysis of internet data. The report reveals that…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK’s new industrial strategy could be derailed by high energy prices, manufacturers say

    Britain’s manufacturers have said the government’s upcoming Industrial Strategy will be “fatally flawed” if it fails to tackle the high energy costs faced by the sector. According to Make UK, which represents the sector, industrial energy costs in the UK are currently four times as high as the US and 46% above the global average. Last year, UK Steel highlighted how high prices had crippled domestic steel producers, which are paying as much as 50% more than competitors in France and Germany. The upcoming Industrial Strategy will prioritise eight ‘growth’ sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services. In addition, the UK’s net zero plans will see many industries…

  • New law to overhaul UK airspace promises quicker, lower-emission flights

    A significant overhaul of UK airspace to modernise flight paths will be implemented under new government plans. The government has announced the launch of the UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS), which is tasked with redesigning flight paths in the skies above the country. UKADS will be fully operational by the end of the year and is being run by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS). Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS, said: “The UK’s airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. “We handle a quarter of Europe’s traffic despite having only 11% of its airspace, with one of the best safety and delay records anywhere. However, we have to modernise airspace if we are to maintain this level of performance as traffic grows towards three million flights per year.” The UK…

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