• Climate change and landslides: the slippery slope towards disaster?

    “In some places the whole hill comes out. When we see these places, you would never know there was a settlement there before,” says Jampa Tsering Lama, who is a Nepalese emergency coordinator for humanitarian aid organisation People in Need (PIN). The charity has helped deliver aid to people who have been hit by some of the 300 or so landslides that struck the country in 2020 alone. “When the landslide is minor, people can recover their livelihood,” Lama explains, “but if the impact is high, their livelihood and property are wrecked.” This displaces people and means “communities are not able to return to their place of origin”. When landslides strike, the effects can be devastating. In 2021 there were several major slope collapses around the world that have caused extensive damage. On 7…

  • Bizarre Tech: Slugbunny, Mini Pupper and LaserPecker 2

    Slugbunny Cute. But why? This caught my eye because why wouldn’t it? Its name is Slugbunny . But it’s not what you’d expect unfortunately. I saw the pictures and thought, wow! This must be some sort of high-tech rabbit/slug hybrid that can bounce around and leave a trail of pink slime in its wake. The hype and pics make me think it’s a Furby-type gadget that I must look after. But no. It’s just a cuddly toy in a box. I’m disappointed. Described as the “squishiest, squarest, lovable bunny plush toy out there! It’s [typo, not me] soft fur is very snugglable [that’s not a word] and easy to machine wash & dry.” It’s half slug, half bunny. But not really. Its “habitat” is a hand-crafted box with a magnetic snap and pull tab, and “it’s [AGAIN?!] playful design gives Slugbunny’s ears…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Fish oils used to create eco-friendly detergents, ousting petrochemicals

    With six-figure funding support from the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), Eco Clean is aiming to develop a more sustainable alternative to traditionally petrochemical-based surfactants, one which can be produced at scale. Surfactants – aka surface active agents – are used in detergents to disrupt the surface tension on the item being cleaned, helping to trap and remove dirt. Different types of surfactants are used as wetting agents, emulsifiers and foaming agents for a range of products. Eco Clean’s circular approach uses waste from the growing Scottish aquaculture sector to create the valuable chemical compounds, focusing in particular on the fish oils rich in fatty acids which account for around a quarter of the sector’s total by-product output. In 2020, the sector…

  • After All: Of the fateful (and sometimes nearly fatal) fatalism of fate

    This column’s topic was prompted by Dr Hannah Critchlow’s book ‘The Science of Fate. Why your future is more predictable than you think’ (Hodder & Stoughton, 2019), which I spotted – among other random volumes – inside my warm and cosy office at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge, where I now work as a Writing Fellow. Left behind by the room’s previous occupiers, they varied in subjects and were scattered higgledy-piggledy on the shelves. Dr Critchlow, a leading British neuroscientist (and my fellow Magdalene Fellow), whom I subsequently met at one of the Fellows’ lunches, used to be based in that office until taking up a protracted overseas assignment, after which she was assigned a new room in the college, but some of her books remained in her old office that became mine. So, coming…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • AI tech helps diagnose Covid-19 ‘in minutes’

    The method, developed by a team at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), can detect the virus far more quickly than a PCR test, which typically takes around  two hours. It is hoped that the technology can eventually help relieve strain on hard-pressed A&E departments, particularly in countries where PCR tests are not readily available. The technique utilises X-ray technology, comparing scans to a database of around 3,000 images belonging to patients with Covid-19, healthy individuals, and people with viral pneumonia. It then uses an AI process known as a deep convolutional neural network, an algorithm typically used to analyse visual imagery, to make a diagnosis. During an extensive testing phase, the technique proved over 98 per cent accurate, according to the researchers.…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • ‘Artificial pancreas’ uses algorithm to control diabetes in young children

    Cambridge University researchers came to the conclusion after comparing the performance of the artificial pancreas, which uses an algorithm to determine the amount of insulin administered by a device worn by the child, against ‘sensor-augmented pump therapy’. Management of type 1 diabetes is challenging in very young children because of a number of factors including the high variability in levels of insulin required and the way in which children respond to treatment differently, alongside unpredictable eating and activity patterns. Children are particularly at risk of dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia) and high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia), which can affect brain development. Image credit: cambridge university To manage children’s glucose…

  • 2021 was one of seven warmest years on record

    The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said a series of global datasets showed 2021 was the seventh year in a row where the temperature has been more than 1°C above pre-industrial levels. An assessment collating the six datasets, including one compiled by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia (UEA), reveals that 2021 was around 1.1°C warmer than the 1850-1900 average. This was despite the presence in 2020-2022 of La Niña events, a large-scale cooling of the ocean surface temperatures in parts of the Pacific Ocean and changes in tropical atmospheric circulation, which temporarily cool global temperatures. The Met Office and UEA’s dataset puts 2021 as the joint sixth-warmest year on record, while other datasets put it between the fifth and seventh warmest, with small differences…

  • The measure of: Gran Turismo Mediterranea (GTM)

    The Gran Turismo Mediterranea (GTM) concept vessel by Rome-based Lazzarini Design pays tribute to the instantly recognisable design language of Ferrari. It has taken inspiration from the Italian carmaker’s latest hyper cars, with its designers dubbing it a ‘hyper yacht’. “We tried to imagine how a Ferrari of the seas would look,” they say. The exterior is finished in what looks like a riff on Ferrari’s recognisable Rosso Corsa red, while the superstructure is crafted from light carbon fibre that is also favoured by the automaker. Image credit: , The automotive cues continue onboard. Accessible via gullwing doors, the cabin features a racing-inspired cockpit that comes complete with pilot seats and gauges, as well as a main saloon, two double guest cabins and accommodation…

  • The measure of: Gran Turismo Mediterranea

    The Gran Turismo Mediterranea (GTM) concept vessel by Rome-based Lazzarini Design pays tribute to the instantly recognisable design language of Ferrari. It has taken inspiration from the Italian carmaker’s latest hyper cars, with its designers dubbing it a ‘hyper yacht’. “We tried to imagine how a Ferrari of the seas would look,” they say. The exterior is finished in what looks like a riff on Ferrari’s recognisable Rosso Corsa red, while the superstructure is crafted from light carbon fibre that is also favoured by the automaker. Image credit: , The automotive cues continue onboard. Accessible via gullwing doors, the cabin features a racing-inspired cockpit that comes complete with pilot seats and gauges, as well as a main saloon, two double guest cabins and accommodation…

  • View from India: Of Unicorns & EVs

    New routes to explore Home to 90 Unicorns, India is the world’s third-largest Unicorn hub. In finance terms, Unicorn refers to startup companies valued at over $1bn. As per the Hurun Global Unicorn Index for 2021, the US tops the list, followed by China, and then India, whose startup ecosystem is represented by approximately 60,000 startups.  When we look at the startup community, most of the new ones are in the fintech and e-commerce space. That’s understandable as online retail and payment gateways are preferred modes of purchase ever since the first wave of the pandemic. Moreover, the data emerging from online purchases reveal consumer preferences, and so the data becomes an asset for retailers to tailor their offerings to customers accordingly. However, as Covid has spurred the need…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK’s first hybrid commuter boat to ferry passengers along the Thames

    Uber launched its Boat service in August 2020, rebranding the existing Thames Clipper vessels, with departures from 23 piers across London from Putney in the west to Woolwich Royal Arsenal in the east. The firm has now built two new vessels at Wight Shipyard on the Isle of Wight designed to improve the sustainability credentials of its service. The hybrid design will allow the new vessels to operate solely on battery power while transporting commuters and sightseers through the capital’s Central Zone, which stretches between Tower and Battersea Power Station piers. The boats will recharge while using biofuelled power outside of central London. The technology is not reliant on shore-based charging; the new boats will use excess power from the biofuelled engines to re-charge their batteries…

  • Official Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics app rife with privacy risks

    In a detailed report compiled by Canada's Citizen Lab, researchers analysed the MY2022 app for potential privacy and security issues. The investigation found that the app collects a long list of sensitive information including device identifiers and hardware model, service provider information, a list of other apps installed on the device, WLAN status, real-time location, audio access, and access to storage, among other sensitive personal data. The collection of this data is disclosed in the app's privacy policy and is ostensibly required for Covid-19 protection controls, translation services, Weibo integration, and tourism recommendations and navigation. According to Citizen Lab, the app's encryption system also has a major flaw that potentially enables bad actors to access documents,…

  • FCA proposes crackdown on high-risk cryptocurrency investing

    The price of cryptocurrency started booming near the start of the Covid-19 pandemic leading many people to start investing in the highly volatile currencies. But the past year has seen wild fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin, which is the most sought-after cryptocurrency. In July the value of one Bitcoin fell as low as £21,000 before rising rapidly to a peak just under £50,000 by the beginning of November. Since then, its value has again plummeted by nearly 50 per cent to just £31,000. The FCA said it wanted to address concerns about the ease and speed with which people can make high-risk investments by proposing a significant strengthening of its rules on how high-risk financial products are marketed. Under newly proposed rules, it will ensure firms that approve and communicate financial…

  • Needle destruction system prevents accidental jabbing of healthcare workers

    A recent survey found that the vast majority (94 per cent) of practising surgeons in the UK have either been personally affected by a needlestick injury (NSI) or have seen a colleague experience one. The Royal College of Nursing also reported last year that the pressures of the pandemic and lack of training accounted for a 50 per cent rise in sharps injuries. While the risk of infection following an NSI is low, the risks of contaminating HIV, hepatitis or another bloodborne illness are still concerning. To tackle the issue, UK firm NeedleSmart has designed an end-to-end vaccination and safe needle destruction system aimed at reducing the 100,000 NSIs experienced by NHS workers in the UK each year. As well as destroying the hypodermic needle, it also provides a full audit trail of each…

  • How dinosaur fossil analysis could address modern day challenges

    Last October, the UN released a promo video, during which an animated dinosaur walks into the UN General Assembly and warns actors posing as delegates that humans will go extinct if we don’t address the climate crisis. Shock-tactic publicity stunt, it may have been, but according to palaeontologist Phil Manning from Manchester University, real dinosaurs, through the fossils they’ve left behind, actually have something to tell us about how to live more sustainably – if we ask the right questions. “We know that studying the fossil record can help quantify how living things interact with their environment,” he says. “But what if we could reverse-engineer enough information from these fossils to help us devise more sustainable solutions for current problems?” Manning is known for using high…

  • ‘You’ve got criminals thinking this is an easy way to launder money’

    “There were a lot of very disappointed online retail clients over Christmas,” says Matt Gracey-McMinn. “They were essentially victims of bot attacks.” Shoppers hoping to buy electronic goods over the internet experienced premium stock scarcity on legitimate vendor sites and were forced to redirect their trade to re-seller sites. This is where they were exposed to extortionate price uplifts that exploited the pre-Christmas demand increase. None of this is necessarily illegal, says the head of Threat Research at Manchester-based Netacea, but the power of scalper bots (that digitally jump the customer queue to snap up bulk stock of in-demand products) is now becoming a tool for the murky world of organised crime. “It’s got to the point where the US government is exploring a bill to legislate…

  • London needs to charge drivers by the mile to cut emissions, says mayor

    A new 'net zero by 2030' report, published today by consultancy Element Energy and commissioned by the Mayor of London, sets out the scale of the action required to move London towards a greener future and net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The report specifies the key actions urgently required in order to reduce air pollution, tackle the climate emergency and cut congestion in the capital city to create a healthier city fit for the future. According to the report's findings, between 2000 and 2018, London achieved a 57 per cent reduction in workplace greenhouse gas emissions, a 40 per cent reduction in emissions from homes, but just a 7 per cent reduction in emissions from transport. The research commissioned by the Mayor, Sadiq Khan, found that at least a 27 per cent reduction in London…

  • Microsoft to buy Activision Blizzard in $68.7bn deal

    Activision is responsible for publishing several of gaming’s largest franchises including 'Call of Duty', 'Warcraft', 'Destiny' and even the popular mobile game 'Candy Crush'. As well as PC gaming and mobile, the acquisition will help Microsoft’s Xbox cement its foothold in the console market, particularly with its Game Pass service which has been dubbed the 'Netflix of gaming'. The service currently has 25 million subscribers and Microsoft has major ambitions for further expansion. It said many of Activision Blizzard’s games will come to the service now that the takeover has been announced. Microsoft is paying $95 a share in the deal - a 45 per cent premium on Activision Blizzard’s closing value at the end of the last week. The company has nearly 10,000 employees, with studios around…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Not just another brick in the wall

    Solar panels are a common sight on rooftops the world over, but what about the vertical façades of offices, apartment blocks and houses, which offer a vast and, as yet, largely untapped resource for power generation, particularly in cities where high rises dominate? Research teams and tech innovators are aware of the potential and working to develop a range of brick- and block-based products that combine structural strength with electricity generation, electricity storage and even wastewater processing. For the first time in hundreds of years, walls could gain new intrinsic functionality. In the following panels, we highlight four of the most promising technologies being put through their paces in the lab. The ability to scale-up power generation across a much larger surface area than a…

  • Tree-planting drones could help restore the world’s forests

    Forestry engineers have mastered the job of harvesting commercial forests efficiently, but replanting those forests or establishing new ones is still largely people-powered, using a spade and a bag of seedlings. Using drones to deliver seed packages may change all that and become a standard tool in the forester’s toolkit, alleviating the perennial shortage of labour for the back-breaking job of manually planting trees in often difficult and remote terrain. Using drones to plant seeds could help to cool the planet by rapidly establishing new forests, replanting timber-harvested areas, reseeding in fire-devastated zones more quickly, and accessing difficult-to-reach areas. Several young start-ups have developed drones to rapidly plant seeds from the sky, many claiming headline-grabbing promises…

  • Zombie nation: the challenge to tackle the UK’s productivity slump

    Things seemed to be going so well. From the mid-1990s, productivity improved by a third for two decades helped by automation and computerisation, figures produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. Even the bursting of the dot-com bubble was little more than a blip on the graph. Then the 2007 credit crunch clamped down on investment plans as the world’s economy hurtled into the Great Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008. As companies struggled to make sales in 2009, the common productivity measurements of output per hour and output per worker both fell by 5 per cent. But the fear began to dissipate, helped along by cheap lending supported by central banks around the globe. The central bank governors expected some and ideally most of this easy money to find its way to companies that…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Humans have now breached ‘safe planetary boundary’ for pollutants

    There are an estimated 350,000 different types of manufactured chemicals on the global market including plastics, pesticides, industrial chemicals, chemicals in consumer products, antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. Plastic production alone is estimated to have increased by 79 per cent between 2000 and 2015. These are all wholly novel entities, created by human activities with largely unknown effects on the Earth system. Significant volumes of these novel entities enter the environment each year.  A team including researchers from Stockholm and Gothenburg Universities have now assessed the impact that the cocktail of synthetic chemicals and other “novel entities” flooding the environment have on the stability of the Earth’s systems. “There has been a 50-fold increase in the production…

  • Aldi opens first checkout-free supermarket for public testing

    The Aldi Shop&Go concept store in Greenwich, south-east London, opened at 7am this morning for public testing, having been tested by Aldi colleagues in recent months. The German discount supermarket’s new shop will also allow customers to buy alcohol, using facial age-estimation technology to check whether they appear to be over the age of 25. The move follows in the footsteps of such rivals as Amazon and Tesco, who have both opened similar checkout-free stores. Aldi staff will use a series of high-tech cameras to follow customers as they do their shopping and then bill them when they leave. Aldi has been trialling the store with employees over the past few months. Customers must first register with Aldi’s Shop&Go app, which will then allow them to enter the store, pick up their items…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK start-up attracts $200m ahead of driverless delivery trials for Asda and Ocado

    Wayve's AV2.0 technology, which has been designed around a “camera-first sensing suite”, has been designed to adapt depending on the needs of the fleet operator. It uses machine learning to help it quickly adapt to new cities and environments as well as different vehicle types by making use of “petabyte-scale” driving data harvested from its partner fleets. Wayve said their approach allows it to more easily scale for commercial deployments in different cities when compared to other autonomous systems which typically rely on an expensive and complex array of sensors and are operationally limited by HD maps and rules-based control strategies. Image credit: Wayve Last year, the firm signed deals with Ocado and Asda to start testing deliveries which will feature…

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