• UK faces regular bouts of 40°C heat even if climate change is tackled

    UK faces regular bouts of 40°C heat even if climate change is tackled

    The latest data from its State Of The UK Climate 2020 report shows that 2020 was the first year to have temperature, rain and sunshine rankings all in the top 10 since the beginning of weather data collection. All of the top-ten warmest years for the UK in records back to 1884 have occurred since 2002, and, for central England, the 21st century so far has been warmer than the previous three centuries. Furthermore, the last 30-year period (1991-2020) has been 0.9°C warmer than the preceding 30 years (1961-1990) and this warming trend is evident across all months and all countries in the UK. The greatest warming compared to 1961-1990 has been across the East Midlands and East Anglia where average annual temperatures have increased by more than 1°C, with the least warming around western…

  • Ministry of Defence invests £250m to advance Tempest combat aircraft project

    Ministry of Defence invests £250m to advance Tempest combat aircraft project

    The contract, signed by aerospace company and core partner BAE Systems, officially marks the start of the programme’s concept and assessment phase.  According to its developers, continued funding of Tempest underlines the government’s confidence in the progress and maturity of the programme, which will deliver the military, industrial and economic requirements of the nation’s combat air strategy. “Today marks a momentous step in the next phase of our future combat air system (FCAS), with a multi-million-pound investment that draws on the knowledge and skills of our UK industry experts,” said Ben Wallace, the UK’s secretary of state for defence. “Boosting our already world-leading air industry, the contract will sustain thousands of jobs across the UK and will ensure that the UK remains…

  • Social media companies should face consequences for misinformation spread

    Social media companies should face consequences for misinformation spread

    A poll by Morning Consult, a US data intelligence agency, has revealed that a significant majority of people believe that social media platforms are undoubtedly responsible for continuing to allow Covid-19 misinformation to circulate and that there should be consequences for the companies because of this. The poll of 2,201 US adults was conducted between July 23-25. 78 per cent of Democrats and 52 per cent of Republicans said they would support legislation holding internet companies responsible for misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and other public health crises. 35 per cent of adults said social media companies are doing a “poor” job of curbing the spread of anti-vaccine misinformation, while just 27 per cent stated they consider their performance “fair.” While the public is predominantly…

  • UK government proposes trials of high-temperature gas reactors

    UK government proposes trials of high-temperature gas reactors

    The £170m AMR demonstration programme aims to explore the potential for AMRs to play a part in the UK’s energy future; it will be delivered by the early 2030s. it is part of a larger £385m package to accelerate the development of more flexible nuclear technologies. AMRs – of which there are six main categories – are smaller than typical nuclear reactors and designed such that sections can be fabricated in a factory environment and transported to site, significantly lowering risk and cost. Some AMRs could re-use spent nuclear materials as new fuel. The government hopes AMRs could, by the 2040s, produce hydrogen and heat for heavy industry in addition to low-carbon electricity for the grid. More than a third (37 per cent) of UK carbon emissions are derived from heat, with a significant…

  • Changing the range narrative around electric vehicle performance

    Changing the range narrative around electric vehicle performance

    Range is often considered one of the most important performance metrics for electric cars. Other than high price, so called ‘range anxiety’ was and still is considered by many to be the biggest turn-off when considering the switch to an electric vehicle (EV). Flip through any car magazine or blog and an EV’s range is typically shown as a defining factor in whether or not it’s recommended compared with its peers. Range mileages running into the hundreds are presented as the be all and end all, with editors suggesting potential buyers will only be able to sleep well at night knowing they can drive half-way across Europe on a single charge. This is despite many EVs being able to travel 300 miles or more on a single charge, while the average journey distance in the UK is estimated to be only…

  • UK urged to ramp up carbon capture tech by 2030

    UK urged to ramp up carbon capture tech by 2030

    The technologies offer the most realistic way to mitigate the final slice of emissions expected to remain by the 2040s from sources that don’t currently have a decarbonisation solution, such as aviation and agriculture. Considering the scales needed, these technologies would represent a whole new infrastructure sector that could reach revenues matching that of the UK’s water sector by 2050. The carbon removal technologies most commonly used are the direct extraction of carbon dioxide from the air as well as using bioenergy with carbon capture technology to recapture carbon dioxide absorbed as the fuel grows. In both cases the captured carbon dioxide is then stored permanently out of the atmosphere, typically under the seabed. While various carbon capture projects have been implemented…

  • Why engineering dominates the world of predatory open-access science journals

    Why engineering dominates the world of predatory open-access science journals

    When you meet engineering academics at a conference, it's interesting to ask them about predatory publishing. They may spill the beans about occasions when they've been approached by 'predatory' journal owners, often using poor English and offers that sound too good to be true, one insider at the IET says. In engineering, those who are tempted by such offers may consider speed-to-publication as one of the top baits that fishy journals use these days to offer open-access publishing at a price. Light-speed publishing can only be offered because such journals fail to respect scientific integrity, ethics and a thorough peer-review process. Experts and guardians of scientific publishing argue it makes these journals dangerous and blemishes the hard-earned reputation of science. New data reviewed…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX
  • Rising number of EVs risks causing blackouts on UK electricity grid, MPs warn

    Rising number of EVs risks causing blackouts on UK electricity grid, MPs warn

    The Committee, which is made up of MPs, has urged the government to provide a clear policy framework to ensure that the charging infrastructure required is delivered in line with net-zero ambitions to phase out ICE vehicles from 2030 . It also expressed concerns that accessible charging infrastructure is currently lacking for drivers who live in rural or remote areas or who don’t have off-street parking. Charging habits may need to change alongside a strengthening of the National Grid to meet the demand from new electric vehicles, the Committee said. It wants the government to encourage drivers to top up batteries frequently rather than recharging from empty to full in one go, which puts more strain on the electrical grid. During its inquiry, the Committee heard evidence from energy…

  • Wireless charger reaches new heights, powering up multiple devices

    Wireless charger reaches new heights, powering up multiple devices

    Most phones, tablets and laptops still rely on plugs and sockets, with wireless charging requiring devices to be kept in close contact with a charging pad. New technology developed at Aalto University could be a key step towards true wireless charging for consumer electronics. While many researchers are working on “free-position wireless charging” (which would allow devices to be moved from set charging points) the most common solutions involve complex control and detection functions. A transmitter must first detect a device presence and position to be able to charge it. This is usually achieved with cameras or sensors, adding bulk and cost to the device. The new wireless charging device takes an entirely different approach by creating power transfer channels in all directions around it…

  • Superabsorbent nappy polymers could be recycled into stationery

    Superabsorbent nappy polymers could be recycled into stationery

    The study focused on disposable nappies, of which 3.5 million tonnes end up in landfill every year. The superabsorbent properties of nappies come from SAPs: a matrix of polymers which expand when damp. In nappies, the material is based on polyacrylic acid. There are two broad types of recycling: mechanical recycling and chemical recycling. Mechanical recycling – by far the most common – involves separating plastics by type, shredding them, melting them, and forming fresh feedstock. Although this feedstock is still useful, it is lower quality than raw plastic feedstock because it contains plastic manufactured by various companies containing all sorts of polymers. “There’s just so many problems, everything usually gets down-cycled and ends up as carpet fibres or park benches,” said Professor…

  • Ministry of Defence acquires Sheffield Forgemasters

    Ministry of Defence acquires Sheffield Forgemasters

    The Ministry of Defence will buy Sheffield Forgemasters, saying it intends to invest up to £400m into the firm for defence-critical plant, equipment and infrastructure over the next decade. The cost of the acquisition is £2.56m for the entire share capital of the company, plus debt assumed. The intervention will secure Sheffield Forgemasters’ role as a key supplier into the MoD for the long term, and is structured to invest substantial new capital into the modernisation of defence-critical assets, including plans for a replacement heavy forge line and building; a flood alleviation scheme, and major machine tool replacements. The company’s main driver of revenue and profitability over recent years has been manufacturing specialist forgings and castings for submarine platforms and surface…

  • Audio-visual cues to assist disabled to become mandatory on public transport

    Audio-visual cues to assist disabled to become mandatory on public transport

    The Department for Transport (DfT) said it will bring forward new regulations to force bus companies to provide the announcements on services and will offer £3.5m grants to help smaller firms achieve this. It will also work with Network Rail to improve safety with a new programme to install all station platforms with tactile paving, while a 'Passenger Assist' app will simplify communication with rail staff. Legislation covering taxis and private hire vehicles will also be introduced to protect disabled passengers from being overcharged. Accessibility minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “Disabled passengers should be empowered to use all forms of transport with the same confidence as everyone else – whether by taxi, train, bus or ferry. Today’s measures will have a positive, real-life impact…

  • Deep learning could help visualise X-ray data in 3D

    Deep learning could help visualise X-ray data in 3D

    According to the scientists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a versatile solution to the issues posed by big data processing in the medical sector. Scientists who use the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Argonne, to process 3D images, could turn X-ray data into visible, understandable shapes at a much faster rate. A breakthrough in this area could have implications for astronomy, electron microscopy, and other areas of science dependent on large amounts of 3D data, the scientists said. “In order to make full use of what the upgraded APS will be capable of, we have to reinvent data analytics. Our current methods are not enough to keep up. Machine learning can make full use…

  • View from Washington: An Ugly Truth

    View from Washington: An Ugly Truth

    “They’re killing people.” With three words, President Biden this month slammed social media over the proliferation of Covid-19 disinformation. They did not sound like a warning – even a final warning – but the words of a man who has had enough and intends to do something about it. They did another thing. They completely broke with the view that the new economy has largely fallen prey to unintended consequences and been a victim of its unprecedented growth and reach. They attributed agency and responsibility. There was also a clear if not explicitly stated sense that the comment was aimed at one company in particular: Facebook. Is this view justified? After reading 'An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination', it is hard to see things differently. An exemplary piece of…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX
  • Five research centres established for digital manufacturing in UK

    Five research centres established for digital manufacturing in UK

    The funding is being awarded through the 'Made Smarter' programme, a public-private partnership aiming to support the development of new digital technologies in manufacturing. The government said in a statement that adoption of data-driven innovations, such as use of AI and blockchain in supply chains or advanced robotics in manufacturing, will help manufacturers increase productivity and sustainability. Nearly half the funding (£25m) will go towards five new research centres established at universities around the UK to accelerate the development of new manufacturing technologies. Each centre will focus on a different area of manufacturing: The Digital Medicines Manufacturing Research Centre will aim to create digital supply chains which enable medicines to be supplied on demand and clinical…

  • Broadband outages have tripled since the pandemic began, affecting 15m people

    Broadband outages have tripled since the pandemic began, affecting 15m people

    The survey of 4,000 people by Uswitch.com, found that over three in ten experienced an outage during office hours. Extrapolated to the population, this hit the economy to the tune of nearly £5bn. A third of people used their mobile data during an outage, the research found, and almost two thirds of these burned through their whole monthly allowance during this time. Edinburgh was found to suffer the highest number of outages, losing more than nine million hours of broadband in total over the last year. Residents of Belfast, however, saw the shortest amount of downtime, with the city reporting only 11 hours of downtime in 12 months. With many people in office roles poised to take on a hybrid working approach where they spend a portion of their week at home, the robustness of the UK’s broadband…

    IET EngX
    IET EngX
  • Why ethical awareness should be at the front of your skills portfolio

    Why ethical awareness should be at the front of your skills portfolio

    ‘Well’ said our engineer ruefully, … ‘it has been a pretty business for me. I have lost my thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what have I gained?’ ‘Experience,’ said Holmes, laughing. Sherlock Holmes’s remark in the 1892 story ‘The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb’ should be taken as a warning shot across the bows for those of us who, finding ourselves out of our depth in a new and challenging situation, fail to catch on quickly enough. And, as like as not, find ourselves in an ethical quagmire. It happened to me a long time ago. In the context of a contractual commitment by my employer to deliver certain items of equipment on time and at a specified cost, three things became clear at a late stage. First, that the company had misled the client – and perhaps also itself – as…

  • TikTok to open cyber-security centre in Ireland

    TikTok to open cyber-security centre in Ireland

    The Chinese social media giant has announced that Dublin will be the first location of what it calls regional 'fusion centres' around the world, designed to help the company respond to security incidents in real time, 24 hours a day. Roland Cloutier, the platform’s chief security officer, said these centres are intended as the next step for TikTok to ensure security is “built-in from the start”. “When people use TikTok, we know they’re entrusting us with their data and we take our duty to protect that data very seriously,” he said. “Our global security organisation operates a ‘follow the Sun’ approach, so that people on teams around the world are always focused on protecting people’s information and ensuring that our next-generation entertainment platform can anticipate and stay ahead of…

  • Paris Agreement action could boost energy jobs by eight million

    Paris Agreement action could boost energy jobs by eight million

    “Currently, an estimated 18 million people work in the energy industries – a number that is likely to increase, not decrease, to 26 million or by over 50 per cent if we reach our global climate targets,” said co-author Dr Johannes Emmerling, an environmental economist at the RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment in Italy. “Manufacturing and installation of renewable energy sources could potentially become about one third of the total of these jobs, for which countries can also compete in terms of location.” The study is based on a global dataset of 'job footprints' in 50 countries, including major fossil fuel-producing economies. The dataset used in this study included data from China, India, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and other additions. The team…

  • Plastic accumulation in seafood increases risk of dangerous bacteria

    Plastic accumulation in seafood increases risk of dangerous bacteria

    Researchers from the University of Portsmouth tested a theory that microplastics covered in a layer of microbes called a biofilm were more likely to be ingested by oysters than microplastics that were clean. Although the experiment was carried out on oysters under laboratory conditions, scientists believe similar results could be found in other edible marine species that also filter seawater for food. “We know microplastics can be the mechanism by which bacteria are concentrated in coastal waters and this shows that they are more readily taken up by shellfish and can be transferred to humans or other marine life,” said lead researcher Dr Joanne Preston. Microbes have been known to readily colonise microplastics that enter the ocean. This study makes a comparison between the uptake rates…

  • Sponsored: Nine Calculations Every Power Systems Engineer Should Know

    Sponsored: Nine Calculations Every Power Systems Engineer Should Know

    Power Systems Engineers need validated tools that help them solve complex problems – and a mathematics tool is central to this work. Maths and data analysis tools may be used for simple design calculations, data analysis, and more intensive mathematical tasks. This whitepaper explores a variety of applications within electrical power systems engineering. Each application is created using Maple, with sections of each Maple document displayed to show the mathematics and algorithms required for a solution. Key Learning Points: Discover some of the most important calculations used in power systems engineering Learn how calculation management software can help engineers solve complex problems Get links to full application examples created within Maple Download Here

  • Government pushes road freight greening with £20m funding boost

    Government pushes road freight greening with £20m funding boost

    The funding will go towards trials of zero-emission road freight vehicles and supporting infrastructure, paid for by the Department for Transport and managed by Innovate UK. The six successful projects include a trial and demonstration of 20 electric DAF trucks by Leyland Trucks intended for public sector use; a trial of a 20km-long stretch of “electric road system” by Costain near Scunthorpe, and a green hydrogen truck feasibility study by Arcola Energy focused on Scottish transport. Scotland minister Iain Stewart said of the hydrogen truck study: “It’s great news that a study involving Scottish utility, logistics companies and the University of St Andrews to design a potential trial for hydrogen fuel cell trucks and new refuelling infrastructure has received a share of £20 million UK…

  • Glenfiddich uses own whisky waste to fuel trucks

    Glenfiddich uses own whisky waste to fuel trucks

    The company said it has installed fuelling stations at its Dufftown distillery in north-eastern Scotland which use technology developed by its parent company William Grant and Sons. It will convert its production waste and residues into an Ultra-Low Carbon Fuel (ULCF) gas that produces minimal carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. Glenfiddich said the transition to using fuel made from the distillery’s waste product is part of a “closed-loop” sustainability initiative. Stuart Watts, distillery director at William Grant, said traditionally Glenfiddich has sold off spent grains left over from the malting process to be used for a high-protein cattle feed. However, through anaerobic digestion – where bacteria break down organic matter, producing biogas – the distillery can also use the…

  • New Nokia phones focus on ruggedness, XXL screens and nostalgia

    New Nokia phones focus on ruggedness, XXL screens and nostalgia

    The latest Nokia-branded handsets are made by Finnish firm HMD Global, which is licensing the Nokia brand after the parent company closed its phone unit in 2015 . The Nokia XR20 is described as “life-proof” and comes with a tough build and three years of software updates. The device is designed to handle extreme temperatures; a drop to the ground from 1.8m; one hour under water, and is built to survive harsh environmental conditions. It is also one of the largest phones on the market, with an 81mm width that should make it comfortable for those with larger hands. Nokia XR20 Image credit: Nokia The display is covered with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus, which HMD said allows it to survive even when being kicked, flipped and spun screen-first across a concrete…

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