• Gas cookers in European homes linked to 40,000 premature deaths a year, report finds

    Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from burning gas indoors is linked to 39,959 premature deaths in the EU and UK each year, according to researchers at Spain’s University Jaume I. The figures are revealed in a study estimating the health impact and economic cost associated with exposure to NO2, a toxic gas emitted by gas cookers. Around a third of European households use gas cookers at home. When in use, these indoor cookers emit NO2, as well as other pollutants, into the household. The study also estimates that exposure to NO2 is linked to hundreds of thousands of paediatric asthma cases each year, with Italy, Poland, Romania, France and the UK among the worst-hit countries. To create a map of NO2 concentration in European homes, the researchers combined existing real-world pollution…

  • UK must cut 81% of carbon emissions by 2035, climate scientists say

    Climate experts have said the government needs to cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 81% by 2035 if net zero commitments are going to be met. The reduction, which is relative to the UK’s emissions from 1990, will require “rapid but achievable action”, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) said. The independent body is responsible for advising the government on policies that it needs to implement in order to tackle climate change. In August, energy minister Ed Miliband asked the CCC to provide advice on meeting the UK’s 2035 nationally determined contribution. The UK has already cut its emissions by more than 50% since 1990, but the CCC said that “rapid reductions” in fossil fuel dependence were the best way to enhance UK’s energy security, while green investment would also help to support…

  • Royal Mail urged not to scrap its freight trains to cut emissions and road congestion

    The government has been urged to reduce track access charges and electricity costs for freight trains in a bid to get Royal Mail to reverse its decision to stop transporting mail by train. In July, Royal Mail announced it would stop using its dedicated fleet of mail and parcel carrying trains in October due to the cost of running electric trains and because its purpose-built train fleet would require expensive investment to continue operations. To make up the shortfall, Royal Mail said it would switch to delivering mail and parcels by road and has been investing in “green” trucks that use hydrotreated vegetable oil instead of diesel, as well as battery delivery vans. The firm has been running trains to transport post since 1830. The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) has delivered a…

  • Designing the ultimate theme park thrill ride

    The theme park business is a roller coaster, using new technologies to build rides that are faster, higher, longer – but also more engaging. Qiddiya Entertainment City lies roughly 45km from Riyadh and is a leading component of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to establish Saudi Arabia as a global economic and cultural leader. One objective is to increase tourism – and roller coasters are well on the way to achieving that goal. Within Qiddiya’s Six Flags theme park, construction of Falcon’s Flight is well advanced. When completed it will be the fastest, tallest and longest coaster in the world. It will take a 600ft drop off a cliff edge and then ascend a 640ft ‘airtime’ tower (‘airtime’ because riders experience weightlessness or even a more intense pushing out of…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • $100m settlement agreed by shipowner in US lawsuit over Baltimore bridge collapse

    The US justice department has said that Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, the Singaporean companies that owned and operated the Motor Vessel (MV) Dali container ship, have agreed to pay $102m to resolve a civil claim arising from the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. During the early morning hours of 26 March 2024 the MV Dali left port on its way to Colombo, Sri Lanka. However, the vessel soon lost power, rendering its steering systems unusable. Unable to alter its trajectory, Dali smashed straight into one of the support pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge immediately collapsed, causing the deaths of six people. The incident is estimated to have impacted at least 8,000 jobs and forced the closure of a waterway that caused an estimated $15m in daily losses to…

  • Blue Origin and Deep Blue Aerospace push the boundaries of space tourism with flight tests

    Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin completed the first successful flight of its second New Shepard ship, while China’s Deep Blue Aerospace has announced it will launch paying customers into suborbital space by 2027 as both firms vie for early market share in the space tourism industry. Blue Origin’s 27th mission saw the debut of the firm’s second human-rated vehicle for the New Shepard programme in a bid to expand its flight capacity to meet customer demand. On Wednesday, the uncrewed NS-27 mission finally lifted off from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in west Texas after scrapping two previous launches set to take place earlier in the month. The flight carried five payloads on the booster and seven inside the crew capsule (RSS Kármán Line), including tens of thousands of postcards as part of Club…

  • UN warns that current climate policies risk catastrophic 3.1°C global temperature rise

    The continuation of current climate policies by governments around the world will lead to a “catastrophic temperature rise of up to 3.1°C”, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned. The 2015 Paris Agreement saw countries commit to keeping global warming to an absolute maximum of 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures, and ideally no more than a 1.5°C rise. But a UNEP report found that nations would need to commit to cutting their annual greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 and 57% by 2035 in the next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – and back this up with rapid action. If such commitments are not achieved, the 1.5°C goal will be gone “within a few years”. Updated NDCs are to be submitted early next year ahead of the COP30 climate talks in Brazil…

  • Modelling Cables & Power Electronics

    The shift toward the electrification of vehicles and the expansion of the electrical grid for renewable energy integration has led to a considerable increase in the demand for power electronics devices and modernised cable systems — applications that will help ensure a consistent and long-term electricity supply. Simulation is used to drive the design of new power electronics devices (such as solar power and wind turbine systems), which are required to operate efficiently for varying levels of power production and power consumption (in the case of electric vehicles). A multiphysics modelling and simulation approach plays a critical role in meeting design goals and reducing the overall production time. The COMSOL Multiphysics software offers a wide range of capabilities for the modelling of…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Intel scores fresh win over €1bn EU antitrust fine

    US chipmaker Intel has won a fresh victory in its long-running battle against the EU’s competition watchdog the European Commission for allegedly abusing its market dominance in the computer chip market. The almost two-decades-long legal battle began in 2009 when the European Commission fined Intel €1.06bn for “abusing its dominant position in the market for x86 CPUs”. The Commission accused Intel of engaging in a series of anticompetitive practices aimed at excluding competitors from the computer chips market. This it said was in breach of EU antitrust rules. The practices included ‘conditional rebates’ (rebates to computer manufacturers if they bought its x86 CPUs) and ‘naked restrictions’ (paying computer manufacturers to limit, delay or cancel the sale of products containing computer…

  • ‘Comprehensive blueprint’ to take a strategic approach to Great Britain’s future energy system

    Energy ministers from the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments have commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to create a strategic spatial energy plan (SSEP) for the Great British energy system. The aim of the SSEP is to help construct a “comprehensive blueprint” to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy. “We require a plan that works for all of Great Britain, contributing towards a more sustainable and secure energy system, as well as boosting economic opportunity and domestic performance,” the ministers said in a letter to Fintan Slye, director of NESO. This first iteration of the SSEP will focus on electricity generation and storage, including hydrogen assets. It will assess optimal locations, quantities and types of energy infrastructure…

  • Qatar Airways launches Starlink-equipped Boeing 777 offering passengers internet at altitude

    Starlink has enabled passengers to use their own internet-enabled devices while onboard a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 flight from Doha to London. Engineered and operated by SpaceX, Starlink provides high-speed, reliable internet service through its vast constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Having integrated the Starlink service onto a Qatar Airways Boeing 777, passengers are now able to access fast internet at 35,000 feet to stream videos, play games and make video calls from their own devices. To prove Starlink’s reliability onboard, Qatar Airways’s CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer made a video call with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk during the flight: Qatar Airways says it will equip 12 Boeing 777-300s with the Starlink service by the end of 2024 before rolling it out across its entire…

  • Sellafield not achieving value for money with ‘intolerable risks’ persisting, finds watchdog

    Ongoing concerns over project management, the pace of delivery and staffing at Sellafield mean it is not yet achieving value for money, a new National Audit Office (NAO) report has said. Sellafield, located on the coast of Cumbria, began operating as a commercial-scale nuclear power station in 1956. In the intervening years, it has grown to be the UK’s most complex and challenging nuclear site, with highly hazardous materials stored in its facilities from across the country. As such, the scale of the decommissioning operation is vast and will last until 2039.The site is owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which is an executive non-departmental body sponsored by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. In its report the NAO found that while progress has been…

  • Boeing-built satellite unexpectedly breaks up in orbit causing space debris concerns

    A Boeing-built satellite has unexpectedly broken up in geostationary orbit, sending shards of debris into space. The reason for the satellite’s destruction is unclear, but multiple organisations are tracking the path of the debris to ensure it does not cause further collisions with other orbiting bodies. Space debris is becoming an increasingly pressing issue to mitigate. As the number of satellites in orbit increases, so does the risk that some of it will collide with manned and unmanned space assets. It is estimated that around one million pieces of debris larger than 1cm are in Earth’s orbit, and around 100 trillion pieces of old satellite are not being tracked. The US Space Force confirmed the break-up of Intelsat 33E on 19 October at 4.30am GMT. It said it was currently tracking…

  • E+T Off The Page: The ethics and economics - does space tourism stack up?

    The ethics and economics - does space tourism stack up?

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Mercedes-Benz opens in-house battery recycling facility in southern Germany

    The automotive manufacturer says the battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim will generate enough recycled materials to produce more than 50,000 new battery modules per year. Car batteries contain valuable and scarce raw materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt. To recover these materials for use in new batteries for its future electric vehicles (EVs), Mercedes-Benz has opened a mechanical-hydrometallurgical recycling plant. The mechanical-hydrometallurgical process not only sorts and separates plastics, copper, aluminium and iron, but the multi-stage process is also able to individually extract valuable metals such as cobalt, nickel and lithium. These recyclates can then be used in the production of new battery cells. Unlike the established pyrometallurgy process, the auto giant says…

  • NHS given approval to use AI for X-ray fracture detection to ease pressure on radiologists

    The NHS has been given approval to start using AI to examine X-rays in a bid to improve detection of fractures in urgent care. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which publishes guidelines on the use of health technologies by the NHS, said that clinical evidence finds that AI can improve detection rates in comparison to just using a professional to review X-ray scans without increasing the risk of incorrect diagnoses. It approved the use of four AI tools – TechCare Alert, BoneView, RBfracture and Rayvolve – that can be used in urgent care settings in England while further evidence is generated to demonstrate the technology’s benefits. The committee heard missed fractures are reported to be the most common diagnostic error in the emergency department. Missed…

  • US oil drilling industry in Gulf of Mexico granted a delay over marine species protection rules

    A US court has granted the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) more time to assess how endangered species should be protected from oil exploration and drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. According to the US Energy Information Administration, the Gulf of Mexico’s federal offshore oil production accounts for 14% of total US crude oil production. In August 2024, Earthjustice, Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth, among others, won a case at the US District Court to protect endangered and threatened marine species from offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The judge ruled that the required assessment – known as the “biological opinion” and prepared by the NMFS to ensure that Gulf fossil fuel exploration and drilling companies offer the necessary environmental protections …

  • First revamp of UK airspace in 70 years could reduce delays and cut carbon emissions

    The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has set out detailed plans to modernise Britain’s airspace in an effort to reduce delays and noise pollution, as well as cut carbon emissions. Dubbed the “biggest shake-up to airspace design in 70 years”, the changes are designed to fulfil commitments made by Labour in its manifesto. The CAA has a launched a consultation on proposals to establish a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS), which will be formed from a team of aviation experts who will work with domestic airports to improve the way planes operate in UK airspace. The body will initially focus on London, which has the most congested airspace in the country. The aviation sector took a massive hit during the pandemic due to the widespread shutdown of air travel and huge reductions in demand from…

  • Laser defence system takes out missiles in successful MoD trial

    A defence system that uses powerful lasers to eliminate missile threats on the battlefield has been trialled by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The laser is being designed to be fitted a range of RAF aircraft, including the intelligence-gathering Shadow R2 and A400M transporter. During the trial, at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden, the operational system defeated a range of infrared heat-seeking missiles being fired simultaneously. The MoD said it was able to take down all of the missiles during the trial “with pinpoint accuracy”. The system uses Thales’s Elix-IR threat-warning system to identify the launch of missiles, using a series of algorithms to filter out background clutter so that only valid threats are tracked. Once detected, an alert is sent to the Miysis system – developed…

  • Simulation technology could help future lunar missions to collect Moon dust

    Teleoperated robots for gathering Moon dust are a step closer, according to new research by scientists at the University of Bristol. The new race for the Moon is well under way. With its Artemis programme, Nasa is aiming to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. It expects to return humans to the lunar surface by 2030 and build a permanent research station near the Moon’s south pole shortly after. But Nasa is far from alone in the race. The UK Space Agency estimates that more than 250 missions may go to the Moon in the next decade. Alongside a boom in lunar lander missions this decade, several public and private organisations are now researching how best to extract valuable resources, such as oxygen and water, from readily available materials such as lunar regolith (moon dust…

  • Saudi Arabian megacity is using 20% of the world's available steel

    The Neom gigaproject under construction in the Saudi desert is reportedly using one-fifth of the entire world’s available steel. The project was first announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in October 2017. Neom is intended to be an independent, liberal, high-tech megacity with its own tax and labour laws and judiciary. It will cover three countries (Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan) across 26,500km2 of empty desert along the Red Sea. Neom is owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and is part of Saudi Vision 2030, a plan that seeks to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil. In July 2022, Saudi Arabia presented the first designs for one region of Neom called The Line, a ‘linear city’ expected to accommodate nine million people. The Line consists…

  • Transport secretary vows to clamp down on ‘out-of-control’ HS2 costs

    Transport secretary Louise Haigh has said the costs of HS2 have been allowed to “spiral out of control” and has launched an independent review to get spending back on track. In 2013, HS2 was estimated at just £37.5bn (in 2009 prices) for the whole high-speed network, which included now-binned extensions from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds. But earlier this year, HS2 chair Jon Thompson admitted that costs for just Phase 1 (which will join Old Oak Common in west London to Birmingham Curzon Street and open around 2030) are now estimated to be between £49bn and £56.6bn at 2019 prices. Adjusting for inflation involves “adding somewhere between £8bn and £10bn”, he added. Haigh blamed the soaring costs on a combination of poor project management, inflation and poor performance from the supply…

  • Engineering a cyber defence: The new skills needed to fortify critical infrastructure

    Cyber-informed engineering could empower mainstream engineers with the know-how they need to secure operational tech against rising cyber threats. Cyber threats targeting operational technology (OT) have posed a hazard for infrastructure engineers for more than a decade. Increased integration with IT systems has brought in extra attack vectors that can expose OT environments to the downstream consequences of hacks primarily launched against line-of-business applications. Either way, OT attacks are differentiated in that they have physical consequences, such as production outages, equipment damage, environmental harms and human injuries or casualties. Waterfall Security’s 2024 threat report found that in 2023 there were 68 cyber attacks with physical consequences in/on OT networks (at more…

  • UK government urged to mandate solar panels on all newbuild homes from 2025

    A cross-party group of MPs, environmental groups and fuel poverty charities have written an open letter to the government calling for solar panels and heat pumps to be mandatory on all newbuild homes. The open letter, addressed to housing minister Matthew Pennycook, has been signed by a group of 35 MPs from the Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Labour and Green parties, as well as more than a dozen fuel poverty charities and environmental organisations including Solar Energy UK, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition and the Energy Saving Trust. The letter is in regard to the Future Homes Standard (FHS), which is due to come into effect next year. With heating and powering buildings accounting for 30% of the UK’s total energy usage, the aim of the FHS is to ensure all newbuild homes produce 75-80…

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