• Chinese cities leading the way on emission reduction, study finds

    Researchers from the University of Birmingham found that a further 21 cities have cut CO2 emissions as their economies or populations have ‘declined’ over the same period - defined as passively emission-declined cities. ‘Emission peaked’ cities, such as Beijing, achieved emission decline mainly due to efficiency improvements and structural changes in energy use, whilst ‘declining’ cities, such as Fuxin (Liaoning province) and Shenyang (Liaoning province), are likely to have reduced emissions due to economic recession or population loss. The study suggests that emission targets for cities needs to be set individually considering their resources, industrialisation levels, socio-economic characteristics and development goals. Super-emitting cities with outdated technologies and lower production…

  • Hands-on review: 1More ComfoBuds Mini earbuds, Red Edition

    Earlier this year, we reviewed 1More's ComfoBuds Mini earbuds. At the time, their USP was - amongst other commendable tech spec data - that they were the ‘World’s Smallest Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds’. They might still hold that accolade for all we know. We're not aware of any competitors shouting, "Hold my beer…" and going to their workbench to wrest this tiny crown from 1More. At least, not yet. At launch, the ComfoBuds Mini came in any colour you liked, as long as it was black or white. The classics. Now, 1More has thrown caution to the wind and launched this striking(ly) red edition of the ComfoBuds Mini. How red are they? Very red. Image credit: 1More To use a Premier League football analogy, they are - despite this writer's Mancunian affiliation - what…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Fukushima plant clean-up postponed by robot development delays

    Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) had originally planned to begin removing melted fuel from the Unit 2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant last year, 10 years after the disaster triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. That plan was postponed until later this year, and now will be delayed further until about autumn next year because of additional work needed to improve the performance of the robotic arm needed for the fuel removal process, the company said. The giant arm, jointly developed by Veolia Nuclear Solutions of Britain and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has been transported to Japan and is being adjusted at a testing facility south of the Fukushima plant. The delay will not affect the overall decommissioning at the plant, which is expected…

  • Electric vehicle owners face soaring charging costs as energy price cap rises

    Regulator Ofgem announced today that energy bills will rise roughly 80 per cent in October from £1,971 to an average of £3,549. The RAC found that a 64kWh model, such as a Kia e-Niro, will cost £33.80 to charge from the first of October when the next price cap comes into place. This would have cost just £13.69 earlier this year and approximately £18.37 now under the current price cap. In comparison, petrol prices for ICE vehicles have actually come down in recent weeks after reaching highs of around 190p per litre for petrol in mid-July, gradually declining to around 170p per litre today. Diesel prices have mirrored this trend, whilst always remaining slightly more expensive than petrol. Sales of fully electric cars have been soaring in recent years, rising from less than 1,000 in 2011…

  • Biden signs order to implement $52.7bn chips law

    US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to kickstart the implementation of the $52.7bn (£44.5bn) semiconductor chips manufacturing subsidy and research law, the White House said. Earlier this month, Biden signed the bipartisan bill to boost efforts to make the United States more competitive with China's science and technology efforts. The 'Chips and Science' law also includes an investment tax credit for chip plants estimated to be worth $24bn (£20bn). Commerce secretary Gina Raimondo said the department has been preparing for months for the programme, including the launch of CHIPS.gov, which will oversee funding awards for the production of silicon semiconductors.  "We are committed to a process that is transparent and fair," Raimondo said. "This programme is intended to…

  • James Webb finds carbon dioxide on an exoplanet for the first time

    The discovery was made during an observation of a gas giant planet orbiting a Sun-like star 700 light years away. The finding suggests that Webb may be able to detect and measure carbon dioxide in the thinner atmospheres of smaller rocky planets too. WASP-39 b is a hot gas giant with a mass roughly one-quarter that of Jupiter (about the same as Saturn) and a diameter 1.3 times greater than Jupiter. Its extreme size is related in part to its high temperature (about 900°C). Unlike the cooler, more compact gas giants in our solar system, WASP-39 b orbits very close to its star – only about one-eighth the distance between the Sun and Mercury – completing one circuit in just over four Earth days. The planet’s discovery, reported in 2011, was made based on ground-based detections of the subtle…

  • California bans the sale of petrol-powered vehicles from 2035

    California has taken a "historic" step in the path towards tackling carbon emissions from automation and phasing out the sale of gasoline cars over the next 13 years in America’s largest auto market. The rules issued by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) establish a clear roadmap to accelerate the introduction to the market of cleaner vehicles. The ban on petrol cars is expected to apply to 35 per cent of sales by 2026, 68 per cent by 2030 and finally reach 100 per cent in 2035.  The announcement comes after California's Governor Gavin Newsom set a target in 2020 to speed up the shift away from fossil fuels, and it has been considered as one of the world’s most stringent pieces of regulation for transitioning to electric vehicles. If successful, the new policy would allow California…

  • Summer STEM Challenge: Solar Spray Schooners

    It’s a sunny day at the seaside. A high-powered jet ski whizzes across the sea, a jet of water shooting high into the air behind it, pushing it along. WRONG! That jet of water is NOT what makes jet skis go. They need a lot more power than that little spray. (Underneath they have a high-speed prop or a much more powerful underwater water jet.) That small jet of water – the ‘visibility spout’ or ‘rooster tail’ is mostly just to look cool, although it makes the jet ski more visible, and useful for a small craft. But you can actually power a boat – or jet ski – with a big enough spray of water into the air. Here’s how… You’ll need a boat hull 40cm or more long, the longer the better, something that can be loaded up with 1,000g without water above its Plimsoll line. You’ll also need a solar…

  • Hands-on review: Zhiyun Weebill 3 professional DSLR camera gimbal

    Like the changing of the seasons, you can almost set your calendar by Zhiyun's gimbal updates. We previously reviewed the first two iterations of the Chinese firm's Weebill gimbal range. It's been one a year, every year, like clockwork. Sure enough, summer 2022 has arrived and here's the Weebill 3, right on time. What's new with you, Weebill fella? Let's get this out of the way first: the price is a little higher than Weebill 2, although actually not by much - and the extras (especially with the Combo kit) help assuage and offset that increase in cost. We're only talking £20-30 more this time around for either version. That's fair. It's certainly nothing like the hike in our energy bills, that's for sure. As for the gimbal itself, the headline features this time around are the new 'Sling…

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  • Nasa rover collects Martian rock samples eroded by water for return to Earth

    Perseverance first landed on Mars in February 2021 after a gruelling seven-month, 293-million-mile journey from Earth. Its multi-year mission is to scour the planet’s surface for signs of ancient microbial life with the ultimate goal of returning samples back to Earth and potentially pave the way for future human visitors. The latest rock samples come from the floor of the Jezero crater, where Perseverance currently resides, which was chosen as the study site because it sports a large river delta that once flowed into an ancient lake. Scientists believe that a watery Mars could have supported life billions of years ago. “These kinds of environments on Earth are places where life thrives. The goal of exploring the Jezero delta and crater is to look in these once-habitable environments for…

  • Scientists develop squashable computer

    Ryan Harne at Pennsylvania State University and his colleague have developed a type of soft cube-shaped computer that responds to being squeezed.  The computers were built by combining rows of blocks of rubber that have lines of a silver-rubber compound running through them. Different configurations of the blocks act like different circuits, which when combined and connected to electricity allow the device to perform mathematical calculations. The scientists hope these devices could be used for robots that respond to physical stimuli. One version of the computer was set up to add together two numbers. A user would tell the computer which numbers to add by squishing the component blocks to the left or to the right, connecting some of the silver-rubber lines that didn’t touch before in…

  • UK imports zero fuel from Russia for the first month on record

    Figures from the  Office for National Statistics  (ONS) show that by June the UK had already achieved its goal of phasing out Russian oil and natural gas imports.  The plunge was driven by the sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. Prior to the invasion, Russia was the UK’s largest supplier of refined oil, supplying 5.9 per cent of the UK’s crude oil imports and 4.9 per cent of gas imports, according to the ONS. Overall, Russia accounted for 24.1 per cent of all imports of refined oil. To compensate, the  ONS said the UK had been compensating by increasing imports of refined oil from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Netherlands and Belgium. “The economic sanctions applied by the UK government are likely to have driven the decreases in imports from and exports to…

  • Ofgem needs more powers to save businesses amid energy crisis, BCC says

    In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and both leadership candidates for the Conservative party, the body called for extra support for both businesses and households as the UK sits on the brink of a recession. BCC research has shown that over the last 18 months, businesses have faced “unprecedented inflationary pressures”, with two thirds of firms in Q2 2022 expecting further price rises. Energy bills, raw materials, and labour costs are all cited as the top drivers of price rises. The study also found a reduction in the percentage of firms expecting to grow in the next twelve months, from 63 per cent in Q1 to 54 per cent in Q2. In January, some 23 per cent of businesses surveyed were looking to scale down or even consider closure in response to rising…

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  • Sponsored: How to choose the right IT rack to support digital transformation efforts

    IDC forecasts that direct digital transformation (DX) investment growth between 2022-2024 will hit $6.3 trillion – equating to 55% of all ICT investment by the end of 2024. Data centres are the very heart of the digital economy and their infrastructure, especially within micro data centres and edge computing environments, is often the basis of digital transformation efforts. However, these efforts differ from one business to the next and the mission-critical architecture that underpins these transformative projects can be the very difference between success and failure. Often overlooked as one of the most basic IT requirements, rack systems provide foundational infrastructure on which this scalable architecture is built. In fact, rack systems provide the building blocks of many businesses…

  • Japan considers developing new nuclear reactors in major policy shift

    Eleven years after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japan is considering a sharp U-turn on its nuclear strategy.  In a surprise statement, Kishida revealed he had directed a government panel to look into how “next-generation nuclear reactors equipped with new safety mechanisms” could be used to help Japan achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The panel's conclusions are expected to be published at the end of the year.  The plan is effectively a total reversal of the nuclear safety measures the country imposed after a powerful  tsunami destroyed Fukushima Daiichi’s backup electricity supply, causing three of its six reactors to suffer meltdowns . In order to prevent a similar disaster from repeating itself, Japanese authorities shut all existing…

  • PPE could be recycled to make stronger concrete

    The team of engineers, from RMIT's School of Engineering, is investigating the feasibility of recycling three key types of PPE - isolation gowns, face masks and rubber gloves - into concrete. Published in the journals 'Case Studies in Construction Materials', 'Science of the Total Environment' and 'Journal of Cleaner Production', the three studies demonstrate the potential for PPE to be used as reinforcement materials in structural concrete. The studies found shredded PPE could increase the strength of concrete by up to 22 per cent and improve resistance to cracking. Industry partner Casafico Pty Ltd is now planning to use the research findings in a field project. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, an estimated 54,000 tonnes of PPE waste has been produced on average globally each…

  • Rise in UK vehicle production suggests global chip shortage could be easing

    According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), production was up 8.6 per cent to 58,043 units compared to the same time last year. In 2021, the UK car industry saw the worst output for the month of July since 1956 as the sector struggled with ongoing staff shortages associated with the ‘pingdemic’ alongside strained supplies of semiconductors. The chip shortage forced Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, General Motors, Nissan, Daimler, BMW, Renault and Toyota to shut factories, scale back production or exclude high-end features such as integrated satellite navigation systems, which rely on sophisticated semiconductor technology. US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo recently warned that the global semiconductor crisis is expected to last through 2023 and perhaps longer…

  • View from India: New fuel efficiency rules help in drive towards greener transport

    The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued an official statement to the media that prior to this notification, compliance with annual fuel consumption standard was applicable to vehicles of M1 category (motor vehicle used for carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats, in addition to the driver's seat) with gross vehicle weight (GVW) up to 3.5 tonnes. With the amendment, the intent is to expand the ambit of vehicles for compliance with FCS, and therefore introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles. In one move towards green transport, the Bharat Stage (BS) VI standards on emissions have have applied to new motor vehicles since 2020. This could take care of vehicular toxic emissions. And now, fuel efficiency is another dimension that could be addressed. Ah…

  • Book review: ‘Tomorrow’s Parties: Life in the Anthropocene’

    ‘Tomorrow’s Parties: Life in the Anthropocene’ (The MIT Press, £15.99, ISBN: 9780262544436) is the latest in the 'Twelve Tomorrows' series, an annual anthology of sci-fi short stories published in partnership with MIT Technology Review that explores the application and impact of emerging technologies in our future. This instalment has a noble aim: to use fiction to examine visions of life in a world reshaped by climate change and other forces, while avoiding hopepunk or ‘material for doomscrolling’. Instead, it takes the welcome approach of ‘rational optimism’. Editor Jonathan Strahan has brought together high-calibre contributors. The writers (who span many continents) include Hugo Award winners, plus a Philip K. Dick Award winner, and the collection opens with an interview with science…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Germany inaugurates world's first all-hydrogen rail line

    Germany's inauguration of a railway line powered entirely by hydrogen has been hailed as a “world premiere” and a significant step forward for green train transport. The fleet, which cost £93m (£78m), is expected to prevent 4,400 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere each year, according to regional rail operator LNVG.  The trains were provided by French industrial giant Alstom and are described as a "zero emission" mode of transport. Each of the trains has been fitted with a fuel cell, installed on its roof, which allows them to mix hydrogen on board with oxygen present in the ambient air, producing the electricity needed to pull the train. Other partners in the project are the Elbe-Weser railways and transport company (evb) and the gas and engineering company Linde,…

  • England will receive 1,000 new EV chargepoints with £20m scheme

    The UK is badly in need of improved infrastructure for EVs. A study from last year found that installations needs to be ramped up by five times the current rate if the plan to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 is to be achieved. https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2021/02/five-fold-increase-in-ev-charging-point-installations-needed-by-2030-expers-say/ Freedom of Information requests sent to local UK councils found that 52 per cent spent nothing on chargepoints in 2021 despite booming EV sales. The DfT’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme will see local authorities and industry working together to create new, commercial EV charging infrastructure for residents, from faster on-street chargepoints to larger petrol station-style charging hubs. It is the first tranche…

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    E+T Magazine

  • UK and Ukraine negotiate ‘landmark’ digital trade deal

    The UK and Ukraine have kicked off talks on a digital trade agreement, aimed at providing support for “Ukrainian jobs, livelihoods, and families” following Russia’s invasion. The digital trade agreement is expected to support Ukrainian businesses by cutting red tape and helping them to trade with the UK more efficiently, as well as  make it easier for UK companies to work with Ukrainian businesses and support their economic recovery. The announcement was made today (Wednesday August 24) - a symbolic date that acknowledges both the 21st anniversary of Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union, as well as marking six months since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 2022.  The negotiations began yesterday (Tuesday), when international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan…

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    E+T Magazine

  • Nasa develops laser designed to detect water on the Moon

    Previous experiments have confirmed the existence of small amounts of water across the Moon, although most technologies cannot distinguish between water, free hydrogen ions and hydroxyl. An instrument known as a heterodyne spectrometer could zoom in on particular frequencies to definitively identify and locate water sources on the Moon. It requires a stable, high-powered, terahertz laser - which is also small enough to take on space missions - and this has now been prototyped by Nasa. “This laser allows us to open a new window to study this frequency spectrum,” said Dr Berhanu Bulcha, an engineer at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “Other missions found hydration on the Moon, but that could indicate hydroxyl or water. If it’s water, where did it come from? Is it indigenous to the formation…

  • Sponsored: Scale deployment of sustainable, resilient data centres at the network edge

    Deploying distributed network edge data centres at scale has unique challenges related to power and cooling, remote management, environmental impact and cybersecurity, due to a wide variety of locations and environments. Data centre owners and operators must elevate sustainability from a concern, to a core value to minimise energy use, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and waste. These data centres must also be designed to meet resiliency and performance targets. This white paper looks at best practices to deploy sustainable and resilient data centres at scale at the network edge. Key Learning Points: What is the network edge? How the telco cloud and IT cloud architectures will converge into a single and complementary architecture. Different distributed local edge data centres that…

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