• Truss’ plans for tackling energy crisis to be unveiled this week

    Liz Truss used her first appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today to promise to work with MPs across the House to tackle “the challenges we face” at a “vital time for our country” and to deliver action to give consumers "certainty" over soaring energy costs. Truss confirmed that her plan - which is expected to freeze household bills at around £2,500 - will be set out in Parliament. However, she rejected the idea of using a windfall tax on the bumper profits made by oil and gas giants to fund her package - which will reportedly cost the UK up to £150bn - indicating that she intends to instead push the burden onto taxpayers. Truss told the Commons: “I will make sure that in our energy plan we will help to support businesses and people with the immediate price crisis, as well…

  • California penguin receives life-saving prosthetic shoes

    The prosthetics - made of neoprene and rubber - have allowed the four-year-old penguin to get back on his feet, and ease some of the worst symptoms of his degenerative disease.  Lucas was diagnosed with a condition known as bumblefoot, which causes painful lesions on the feet and can lead to sepsis, infection and death if left untreated. The condition was a result of a spinal infection he suffered as a young chick, which left him without the ability to stand properly.  Unfortunately, Lucas's condition is permanent. For this reason, officials at the San Diego Zoo, where he resides, developed the "boots" to help him walk better and minimise the pressure on his feet when he moves. The shoes were created in partnership with the animal prosthesis organisation Thera-Paw , which makes artificial…

  • MPs demand action as data calls into question water company self-monitoring

    Data obtained by E&T through freedom of information rules has found that on average, from 2017 to 2020, of the almost 300,000 samples taken by water companies at wastewater treatment plants, just 228 water quality breaches were reported. This amounts to a failure rate of 0.08 per cent. In comparison, EA monitoring of just over 45,000 private sewage discharges found a total of 3740 breaches, equating to a failure rate of 8.3 per cent. The EA said the failure rate of private discharges, for instance at pubs, hotels and nursing homes, is higher as a percentage than for water companies because wastewater treatment is not their primary business. But chair of the EAC, Philip Dunne, told E&T it was clear based on current evidence, that “existing practices do not allow for the full picture of…

  • Work begins on new Silvertown Tunnel crossing under River Thames

    Transport for London (TfL) announced that a tunnel boring machine (TBM) has been launched at Royal Docks to excavate the 1.4km (0.9-mile) Silvertown Tunnel under the River Thames. Once it has completed the first tunnel by reaching the Greenwich peninsula, the TBM will be turned around and directed back to Royal Docks to create the second tunnel. Climate protesters have expressed concern about the new crossing’s impact on traffic and air pollution. Silvertown Tunnel is expected to open in 2025 and will be used by cars, vans, lorries and buses. TfL said that the new tunnel will reduce congestion at Blackwall Tunnel. Charges will be introduced for using both tunnels once Silvertown Tunnel opens. The level of charges, and the varying toll fees according to vehicle size, have not yet been…

  • Wind and solar farms have ‘overwhelming’ public support, poll suggests

    More than 77 per cent of Britons back renewable technologies to tackle the rise in energy costs, according to a poll of 6,114 residents across all British constituencies commissioned by RenewableUK and published today [Wednesday 7 September] by Survation.  The survey also reveals high levels of support for renewables across the board, with 76 per cent of all those polled supporting offshore wind, 81 per cent backing solar and 74 per cent in favour of onshore wind – and even higher backing from Tory voters for all three technologies. Among those surveyed, 82 per cent said they plan to vote Conservative in the next general election, despite opposition to solar farms from the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, and 84 confirmed they had done so in 2019.  “These findings are a wake-up call to every…

  • View from India: Optimise gender diversity and gender parity for better business

    Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in compliance with the Companies Act 2013, made it compulsory to have at least one woman on a board from October 2014. While most of the top 1,000 listed companies have complied with SEBI’s directive, boards still have a long way to go before they become part of more inclusive and impactful decision-making processes. Women form a substantial part of the workforce. “The world is changing in almost all dimensions. Companies could focus on gender diversity and gender parity for better outcomes. Women constitute around 50 per cent of the geography and having them on corporate boards is natural and much required. They could be catalysts for change,” said Dr SK Gupta, former MD and CEO, Insolvency Professional agency of ICMAI and MD…

  • Scotland’s space sector aims to become the greenest on Earth

    The new sustainable space roadmap is the first of its kind in the world, and sees Scotland’s space sector declare its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment. The roadmap sets out the steps needed to achieve the long-term goals of Scottish space missions, which are to be space-debris-neutral, to have zero emissions created from on-the-ground activities, and for Scotland to gain global recognition as a leader in sustainable space. National and international expert interviews, in-depth study into other sustainability initiatives and consultation with the space industry informed the roadmap contents, which address areas such as the environmental impacts of building, fuelling and launching satellites, as well as the importance of promoting satellite data for environmental monitoring…

  • Scientists develop rechargeable cyborg cockroaches

    The RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR) researchers have equipped the robotic insects with a tiny wireless control module that is powered by a rechargeable battery attached to a solar cell, allowing the cockroaches to roam freely for long periods of time. Wireless control of the leg segments has been one of the key challenges scientists have faced when developing cyborg insects. Moreover, in order for the devices to be used for monitoring purposes, it was fundamental that their batteries were long-lasting, to ensure that the cockroaches would be under control at all times.  The scientists at RIKEN overcame this challenge by fitting their cyborg insect with an ultrathin 0.004mm-thick organic solar cell module, which was mounted on the dorsal side of the insect's abdomen. “The body…

  • Europe's largest nuclear plant goes offline as the bloc prepares for an energy shortage

    Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear plant has been knocked off Ukraine’s electricity grid after a fire caused by Russian shelling brought down its last transmission line, the facility’s operator said. The news comes as the European Union prepares for a harsh winter marked by high energy prices as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  The developments came a day before UN inspectors were due to report on their efforts to avert a potential disaster at the Ukrainian site. In a perilous mission, experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency travelled through the war zone to reach the plant last week. By the time the plant went offline, four of six UN nuclear agency inspectors had completed their work and left the site, according to Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear power plant…

  • China still leading the world in EV market readiness, report reveals

    According to EY's 'Electric Vehicle Country Readiness Index', China takes the top spot, just ahead of Norway, as its tight control of production and an infrastructure boom keep the Communist nation at the top. EY's Index looks at the preparedness of the top 14 vehicle markets for the arrival of EVs based on supply, demand and regulation. Norway, a new entrant to the index, is a close second to China due to huge uptake in demand and strong regulations. Sweden, Germany and the UK round out the top five positions respectively. The US remains in seventh position, despite recent regulatory action to encourage greater take-up of EVs. The UK is ranked in fifth place in terms of global EV readiness by the report, with consumer demand continuing to grow and consumers apparently willing to pay an…

  • View from Brussels: Wildfires show need for collective response

    Firefighters are now used to busy summers across Europe, as drier, longer sunshine months increase the likelihood of fires. It has even prompted the EU to create a dedicated crisis management scheme to help coordinate efforts on the ground and funding. But the programme is not enough to respond to every request for assistance. The EU’s head of crisis management, Slovenia’s Janez Lenarčić, admitted at an emergency meeting this week that some governments had not asked for help because they knew none was available. “At European level we have reached our capacity limit. Some overwhelming fires in some member states did in fact not lead to a request for assistance. The states in need knew that no capacities would have been available,” he told ministers from across Europe. It has prompted a…

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  • X-rays, AI and 3D printing bring lost Van Gogh artwork to life

    The researchers have dubbed the recovered artwork as ‘The Two Wrestlers’, which depicts two shirtless athletes grappling in front of an abstract background. The Dutch painter reused the canvas for an unrelated painting depicting flowers. It’s the latest in a series of recreations by PhD researchers Anthony Bourached (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) and George Cann (UCL Space and Climate Physics). Working with artist Jesper Eriksson, the UCL duo’s NeoMasters project brings lost works of art to life and has been a series the team has been working on since 2019. The team is using a newly developed process that uses X-ray imaging to see through every layer of paint, artificial intelligence (AI) to extrapolate the style used by the artist, and 3D printing to produce the final piece…

  • HS2 Birmingham Interchange station will create 1,000 jobs, mayor says

    After years of planning, disagreement and reviews, construction work preparing the land for the Birmingham Interchange High Speed 2 (HS2) station has already begun. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has described the station as “transformational for the Midlands economy”, adding that “opportunities for people and businesses in the region are being created right now, years before the station is open”. The station will be situated across the motorway from the NEC exhibition halls, providing direct transport links to the existing Birmingham International station and airport. The hub is expected to open in 2026. Artist's impression of the urban realm at Interchange / HS2 Image credit: HSA HS2 will connect London to Manchester and Leeds via Birmingham, with a Y-shaped…

  • New Climate Party vows to ‘take on’ Truss at the next election

    The Climate Party was launched on the same day that it was announced that Liz Truss had won the Conservative leadership contest. Speaking at the launch of his new party, Ed Gemmell said: “We’re throwing the gauntlet down to Liz Truss on real leadership. Forget trying to appeal to people with a short-term political expediency of just the next election. We want to see climate leadership. “We will take on you and all your candidates that are in marginal seats; we will be there biting at the heels of all those candidates who are taking away the votes of centre-right climate-conscious voters. And we are going to take on the Net Zero Scrutiny Group.” The government currently has a target of net zero emissions by 2050, whereas the pro-business Climate Party backs a 2030 decarbonisation target…

  • Mobile app detects Covid-19 from the sound of someone's voice

    Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect Covid-19 infection in people’s voices by means of a mobile phone app, according to research to be presented on Monday at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Barcelona, Spain.  One of the main symptoms of Covid-19 is inflammation in the upper respiratory tract and vocal cords, which usually leads to changes in the patient's voice. Therefore, University of Maastricht scientists decided to investigate whether these symptoms could be used as an accurate method for diagnosing the disease, particularly in low-income countries where PCR tests are expensive or difficult to distribute.  With an 89 per cent accuracy rate, the AI model was able to make Covid-19 diagnostics more accurately than rapid antigen tests, according…

  • Liz Truss promises to ‘deliver’ on energy crisis as she becomes PM

    Liz Truss has been declared the winner of the Tory leadership contest, defeating Rishi Sunak to become Boris Johnson's successor as the UK's new Prime Minister.  In her victory speech, Truss said she has a "bold plan" to cut taxes and grow the UK economy and promised to  "deliver" when it comes to the energy crisis by not only dealing with bills but also addressing the long-term supply issues. According to reports in The Times and The Daily Telegraph, Truss' strategy to ease the impact of the rising energy costs could include the freezing of energy bills. This package might take the form of a furlough scheme similar to that introduced by then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, but the specifics of such a policy are reportedly still being debated. On Sunday, Truss…

  • Government to reform GDPR data protection laws

    The Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, is expected to present the government's new Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to MPs for scrutiny in the House of Commons for the first time, a piece of legislation she has described as “one of Brexit’s biggest rewards”.  Among other changes, the proposals would see the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws reformed, with the new data regime set to deliver about £1bn in businesses savings, according to Dorries. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the reforms will remove the “prescriptive requirements” of data laws inherited from the EU and give organisations greater flexibility to protect personal data in “more proportionate ways” rather than each following the same processes regardless of their…

  • View from India: Boardrooms benefit from female input

    European countries lead in appointing women as directors on a company’s board. Recently the European Union (EU) states have set the ball rolling. They’ve given initial approval to a directive requiring firms listed on EU stock exchanges to appoint women for at least 40 per cent of non-executive director roles and 33 per cent of all board jobs by 2027. Norway has taken lead with 45 per cent representation of women. In India, there’s only 4.7 per cent representation. So that means there’s plenty of room for scaling women’s representation in corporate boardrooms. “Women’s participation in the boardroom doesn’t really need any law enforcement and should happen automatically,” says Asish K Bhattacharyya, founder and managing director of executive training business Nonlinear Insights. “Over the…

  • Treat waste as a resource for sustainability, say engineers

    The report - 'Waste as a Resource: A sustainable Way Forward' -   advocates an approach that prioritises waste streams according to their usefulness to materials and emissions reduction, as well as to their utility to the wider energy system. The report is an update of a previous IMechE report, issued in 2009, and builds on that report's advocacy to view waste not as a problem but rather as a resource. This requires a further rethink of recycling and waste policy. In the report, the IMechE recommends that the government should: Replace the waste hierarchy with a model that genuinely delivers on the prevention of waste. The existing waste hierarchy has outlived its usefulness, the report states, and there needs to be a considerable reassessment of the way we view and deal with waste…

  • Offshore industry says wind turbine installation rate must triple to meet energy targets

    Meeting the government's four-fold increase target for offshore renewable energy 2030 could be “potentially achievable” if the rate of wind turbine installation would double or triple, the report says.  The research found that almost half of the offshore wind projects needed to reach the target are only at the concept stage, despite the deadline for the government's targets being less than eight years away. When it comes to offshore wind, it typically takes more than 13 years to move from the planning to the operation stage due to planning and approval delays. As a result, the UK is at risk of missing net zero targets, according to the report. OEUK is a trade body for the UK offshore energy industries, covering both renewables and oil & gas. “As of late August, OEUK knew of around 40…

  • Crushed plastic bottles could create nanodiamonds for quantum sensors

    An international team, headed by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), the University of Rostock and France’s École Polytechnique, conducted a novel experiment to determine what goes on inside ice planets such as Neptune and Uranus. The researchers fired a laser at a thin film of simple PET plastic and investigated what happened using intensive laser flashes. One result was that the researchers were able to confirm that it really does 'rain diamonds' inside the ice giants at the periphery of our solar system.   This method could establish a new way of producing nanodiamonds, which are needed, for example, for highly-sensitive quantum sensors. The group has presented its findings in the journal Science Advances . The conditions in the interior of icy giant planets such as Neptune…

  • Hands-on review: Mio MiVue 798 dash cam and MiVue 818 dash cam

    From something of a slow-burn start as an optional car accessory, the dash cam market has exploded in recent years, producing an avalanche of new cams and new companies. Accordingly, when it comes to choosing your first dash cam, the sheer weight of options can seem daunting. Fortunately, the quality today of even the most cheap and cheerful models is sufficiently good that they'll still see you right in terms of at least proving what happened on the road, in the event of any legal debate. Where your shopping choice gets a bit gnarlier is when you want to step up to crystal-clear footage to capture the smallest crucial details, such as the registration on a moving number plate as a hit-and-run driver exits stage left at speed. Whilst there are some long-established heavy hitters in this…

  • Amazon switched off its solar rooftops after fires, report says

    Amazon reportedly took all US solar rooftops offline last year after they caused at least six "critical fire or arc flash events" in warehouses between April 2020 and June 2021, affecting 12 per cent of such facilities.  “The rate of dangerous incidents is unacceptable and above industry averages,” an Amazon employee wrote in an internal report viewed by CNBC, which described the company's intention to ensure its systems were designed, installed and maintained properly before “re-energising” any of them. The solar rooftop programme was launched in 2017, followed two years later by founder Jeff Bezos' Climate Pledge, promising the largest online retailer would zero out emissions by 2040 . By April 2022, Amazon had onsite solar at 176 facilities, according to its website.  In Amazon’s 2021…

  • James Webb Space Telescope takes ‘historic’ exoplanet picture

    For the first time, astronomers have used Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope to take a direct image of a planet outside our solar system, in what has been described as a “historic moment for astronomy”.  The exoplanet chosen was HIP 65426 b, which is about six to 12 times the mass of Jupiter and between 15 to 20 million years old - a young age compared to the 4.5-billion-year-old Planet Earth. Since the planet is a gas giant, similar to Jupiter, it would never be habitable by living organisms. The image, as seen through four different light filters, shows how Webb’s powerful infrared gaze can easily capture worlds beyond our solar system.  “This is a transformative moment, not only for Webb but also for astronomy generally,” said Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of physics and astronomy…

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