• Hands-on review: Xplora XGO3 child’s GPS smartwatch

    We previously reviewed Xplora's XGO2 GPS smartwatch for children, as well as its more grown-up oriented stablemate, the XMOVE activity tracker. Both are great products for their respective target markets. Now the XGO3 is here to kick things up a notch on the wrists of the children in your life. The core features and funtionality of the XGO3 have been carried over from the XGO2 – phone, messages, voice messages, GPS, SOS and safety zone, school mode, step counter, stopwatch, alarm, camera, photo gallery, emojis etc – but there are also obvious, headline improvements. Primarily, the screen is now larger with thinner bezels for the watch face and a less obvious camera 'eye' at the top. These improvements all help make the XGO3 look more high-end – more like Mum or Dad's adult smartwatch…

  • Plastic film boosts plant growth by converting UV light

    The thin film coating is made from europium, an element typically used for control rods in nuclear reactors due to its ability to absorb neutrons. Developed by researchers from Hokkaido University in Japan, the technology can improve plant production speed and has the potential to help address global food supply issues. During photosynthesis, plants convert visible light to energy. But in addition to visible light, sunlight also contains ultraviolet (UV) light. The team aimed to provide plants with additional visible light to use in photosynthesis by employing a wavelength-converting material (WCM) that can convert the UV light into red light. Researchers developed a WCM based on a europium complex and made a thin-film coating that can be applied to commercially available plastic sheets…

  • Orbital Nasa instrument uncovers huge methane plumes

    The agency’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) mission is mapping the prevalence of key minerals in the planet’s dust-producing deserts – information that will advance our understanding of airborne dust’s effects on climate. But EMIT has demonstrated that it is also good at detecting the presence of methane, which is estimated to be 80 times more effective, ton for ton, at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide in the 20 years after release. Nevertheless, while carbon dioxide lingers for centuries in the Earth’s atmosphere, methane only persists for about a decade, meaning that if emissions are reduced, global warming effects could also be slowed in a comparatively short timeframe. The device, which is called an imaging spectrometer, has identified more…

  • COP27 provides ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ for Africa’s clean energy future

    ' Pathways for Africa’s Energy Future ', a report from Finnish marine and energy technology company Wärtsilä, provides energy system modelling of three African countries: Nigeria, South Africa and Mozambique. It finds that these countries could leapfrog some developed nations by not embedding fossil fuel-based systems. To enable such a massive transformation a combination of climate finance, effective planning and system reforms will be essential. The report demonstrates that replacing coal with renewable energy and flexibility from engines and energy storage is the most cost-effective way to reduce energy costs, increase energy access and improve reliability. The modelling also finds that renewable energy could reliably provide power for close to 100 million people in South Africa, Mozambique…

  • Climate change having increasingly dire impact on human health

    The Lancet Countdown is an annual report tracking climate change and the impact it has on global human health. It said that climate change is exacerbating food insecurity, health impacts from extreme heat, the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and life-threatening extreme weather events. Furthermore, delay in the adoption of low-carbon energy sources has left households dependent on dirty fuels, vulnerable to energy poverty and exposed to dangerous levels of fuel-derived air pollution. Governments continue to subsidise fossil fuels to a sum of hundreds of billions of dollars annually – sums that are often comparable to their total health budgets, the report found. “The world faces a critical juncture,” it said. “A health-centred, aligned response to the compounding crises can still…

  • ‘Reshaping Engineering’ challenge 2023 launched by Engineers Without Borders UK

    Engineers Without Borders UK, the international movement working to put global responsibility at the heart of engineering, has opened applications for its second 'Reshaping Engineering' challenge. Delivered in collaboration with AzuKo, the month-long virtual design challenge is open to students and professionals working in technical and non-technical roles, who will collaborate to tackle a real-world brief. Participants will need to commit to approximately five hours per week from Monday 23 January to Friday 3 March (around 20 hours in total). This time will include both live and asynchronous sessions led by Engineers Without Borders UK and collaborators. Following registration, participants will be assigned teams consisting of either students or professionals. Each team will be assigned…

  • Penguin-inspired design cuts ice build-up on electric wires and wind turbines

    Ice build-up can cause immense damage to infrastructure and lead to blackouts in some of the worst cases. Whether it is on wind turbines, electric towers, drones, or aeroplane wings, dealing with the problem typically depends on techniques that are time-consuming, costly and use a lot of energy, along with various chemicals. A team of researchers from McGill University in Canada believe they have found a promising new way of dealing with the problem after studying the wings of Gentoo penguins who swim in the ice-cold waters of the south polar region, with pelts that remain ice-free even when the outer surface temperature is well below freezing. “We initially explored the qualities of the lotus leaf, which is very good at shedding water but proved less effective at shedding ice,” said…

  • Emissions from Chinese-backed power plants equivalent to whole of Spain

    A policy brief from Boston University’s 'Global Development Policy Centre' (GDPC) estimated that the emissions generated from the China-backed facilities could consume 1.7 per cent of the global carbon budget needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The findings come from GDPC’s China’s Global Power (CGP) Database which tracks power plants outside of China that are financed through Chinese investment and loans. The facilities cumulatively generate 171.6GW of electricity across 1,423 power units (representing 648 power plants) in 92 countries around the world. Some 113.5GW is already operational, with an additional 58.1GW under construction or planning. Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced in September 2021 that China would stop supporting the construction of coal-fired power plants overseas…

  • MPs call for clampdown on ‘predatory practices’ by big tech firms

    A report from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (BEISC) has concluded that fines imposed on large tech firms for breaching anti-trust laws in the UK have been viewed as ‘a small business cost’ and has called for more stringent action. Proposals for a Digital Markets Competition and Consumer Bill were trailed by the government in the Queen’s Speech. The new measures that would empower the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) and Digital Markets Unit (DMU) to rein in abusive tech giants by dropping the turnover threshold for immunity from financial penalties from £50m to £20m, and hiking potential maximum fines to 10 per cent of global annual income. The Committee said that there is “strong evidence of abuses of market dominance” within digital markets and warned…

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  • Rocket startup builds giant 3D-printing robot for new space hardware

    Rocket builder Relativity Space has built a giant 3D-printing robot that could allow the company to build all kinds of large-format products besides the rockets it plans to launch, Relativity's chief executive Tim Ellis said. The LA-based startup is targeting the debut launch of its mostly 3D-printed flagship rocket Terran 1 for the end of this year, Ellis said. The rocket is one of a handful of small US launch vehicles being offered by new companies to send small satellites into orbit. Relativity's upgraded 3D printer, the latest in a lineup named Stargate, will primarily be used to build its bigger, next-generation Terran R rocket, Ellis said. However, he added that the company might also explore projects in such areas as clean energy and "materials for other applications." Speaking…

  • 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…

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