• Industry insight: Claiming R&D tax relief – who owns your IP?

    Mohamed Dafea, co-founder of R&D tax funding firm Grantica, considers the likely impact of tax reforms on innovation in the engineering sector. UK engineering has long been a hotbed of innovation, with many businesses in the sector securing R&D tax relief for their ground-breaking research. But major reform of the UK’s R&D tax regime is likely to have a significant impact on engineering firms that outsource R&D tasks, with intellectual property (IP) becoming an increasingly important factor in claims. The SME and large company R&D schemes are being merged to create a single R&D regime. Under the new scheme, companies of all sizes can claim qualifying payments for contracted-out R&D, subject to certain conditions. Who can claim? The question of exactly who can make a claim has become…

  • Space scientist Simon Foster talks astronaut applications and space commercialisation

    Simon Foster on collaborating with his Imperial peers, inspiring the next generation of scientists and looking to the skies for what’s coming next. Dr Simon Foster is a space scientist and outreach specialist based in the department of physics at Imperial College London. He has conducted scientific research into the long-term (100-1,000 years) variations in the Sun’s energy output and how these variations impact the Earth’s climate. Foster has also worked on numerous shows for the BBC, Sky One, Channel 4, Science Channel and Discovery Channel, and once applied for the astronaut training programme. Q What inspired you to pursue a career in space science, and was there a defining moment when you knew this was your path? I have found space fascinating since I was a small child. One of…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK battery start-up Volklec to manufacture lithium-ion batteries by end of 2025

    Volklec will begin battery production from its base later this year, with plans to build a 10GWh £1bn gigafactory by the end of the decade. The Coventry-based battery manufacturing business officially launched in May 2024. It has now announced it has partnered with Asian battery supplier Far East Battery (FEB) to help it scale up production of its lithium-ion batteries. Production will start later this year at Coventry’s Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), which provides customers with labs, production lines and cell assembly facilities. Specialists from FEB in China will work with Volvec to ensure its manufacturing line is ready for the start of production. Imran Khatri, Volklec founder, said: “Volklec has been established to help the UK’s decarbonisation drive. As a proud investment…

  • Avride’s autonomous robots begin restaurant deliveries in Tokyo

    Avride has announced that its automated pavement robots will begin delivering restaurant orders to customers in several neighbourhoods in Tokyo. The Texas-based firm has been operating a commercial delivery service using its robots since 2021 on the Ohio State University and the University of Arizona campuses, as well as some districts in Moscow, Russia. The Tokyo service represents a broader roll-out and the firm’s first deployment of its robots in Japan. It is being launched in partnership with Rakuten, one of Japan’s largest e-commerce and technology companies. It first trialled robotic delivery pilot programs in 2019. Starting today, the robots will be delivering a wide range of products from restaurants including a branch of Starbucks and groceries from various supermarkets. …

  • Search for flight MH370 resumes 11 years after disappearance

    A new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is now underway by Ocean Infinity more than a decade after the aircraft went missing. Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappeared in mysterious circumstances on 8 March 2014, after communications from the plane were cut during what was supposed to be a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. There were 239 people onboard the Boeing 777 flight. In 2016 the Australian crash investigator overseeing the then ongoing search said in an interview that he believed the plane plunged into the sea at almost 400km/h. The dramatic descent suggested that no one was in control of the aircraft at the time of the crash. A 495-page report into its disappearance, published in July 2018, said the Boeing 777’s controls were likely deliberately manipulated to…

  • China puts new 400km/h bullet train through its paces on the track

    China's CR450 high-speed train prototype is currently undergoing rigorous testing and evaluation in Beijing. In December 2024, the CR450 prototype – the latest model in the Fuxing bullet train series – was officially unveiled after seven years of development. The prototype is now closer to commercial operation with its developers, CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles and CRRC Sifang Co, revealing that the model is now undergoing testing on the tracks. Its speed surpasses that of its predecessor, CR400 Fuxing, which currently operates at speeds of 350km/h. According to China State Railway Group, the CR450 will operate at speeds of 400km/h – however it is capable of running at 450km/h. As the new prototype is put through its paces at the Beijing test centre, engineers at the Locomotive and…

  • Electrification to drive 60% of UK’s carbon cuts by 2040, say climate advisors

    The government’s climate advisors have said that electrifying key parts of the UK economy will be responsible for an estimated 60% of the planned cuts to carbon emissions by 2040. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has presented its recommendations on how to achieve this goal, which include broad uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) by consumers and business as well as the mass installation of heat pumps. It said that near-term investments in the low-carbon economy would yield savings later on, and that by 2050 household energy bills could be £700 cheaper than today, with household driving bills also predicted to be £700 cheaper. Energy price shocks have been responsible for over half of recessions since the 1970s, but it said a decarbonised electricity system would hedge against major spikes…

  • SpaceX identifies cause of Starship explosion and plans design changes

    SpaceX has identified why its Starship super heavy rocket exploded during a test flight last month. On 16 January, Starship lifted off from a launchpad in Texas and all 33 of its Raptor engines started up successfully. But after several minutes of flight time the upper stage dramatically broke up and disintegrated over Caribbean airspace, forcing several planned flights to alter their course to avoid falling debris. SpaceX said the “most probable root cause” for the failure was identified as a harmonic response several times stronger in flight than had been seen during testing, which led to increased stress on hardware in the propulsion system. “The subsequent propellant leaks exceeded the venting capability of the ship’s attic area and resulted in sustained fires,” it said in a blog…

  • Mercedes starts road testing its 620-mile range solid-state battery

    Mercedes’ EQS prototype electric vehicle (EV), equipped with a lithium-metal solid-state battery, has begun real-world testing. While car makers including Volkswagen, Toyota and Nissan have all announced plans to produce solid-state EVs, Mercedes-Benz claims it has launched the “world’s first solid-state battery vehicle from a global OEM”. To develop the solid-state battery, engineers came together from both the company’s passenger car and Formula 1 teams. These engineers also collaborated with Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), a UK-based subsidiary specialising in F1 technologies, as well as the Mercedes-Benz Centre of Competence for Battery Systems in Stuttgart. A key partnership in the battery’s development was with US-based Factorial Energy, which provided the cells…

  • AI tool to help extend lifespan of railway bridges

    An AI tool designed to keep bridges in operation for longer has been developed by ETH Zurich researchers. The team developed a model for railway bridges made of reinforced concrete – which are particularly common in Switzerland – that provides an initial assessment of structural safety. They also developed an AI assistant that helps engineers to design new bridges. The average lifespan of a bridge is typically considered to be around 75-100 years depending on the materials used and the amount of traffic, although this can be extended through careful maintenance. “Switzerland is facing a situation in which a considerable proportion of its infrastructure is nearing the end of its planned service life and must be inspected and strengthened if necessary,” said doctoral researcher Sophia Kuhn…

  • Swarms of small underwater drones to attract marine life to artificial 3D-printed reefs

    A swarm of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) will be used to monitor artificial reefs off the coast of Cyprus. Equipped with sensors and high-definition cameras, the AUVs will feed data from the reefs to scientists in the EONIOS project. The project, launched in June 2024, brings together French AUV developer Arkeocean, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), Cypriot tech firm SignalGeneriX and French consulting company Lanego. This R&D partnership aims to develop a micro-AUV swarm system with docking stations embedded into nature-based artificial reefs. The reefs have been designed and built by CMMI with 3D printing techniques using an eco cement mixture. The aim of the reefs is to help restore marine habitats because high sea surface temperatures have killed off many…

  • Interview: SkedGo CEO says ‘mobility as a service’ is evolving to put people first

    Mobility as a service (MaaS) apps are ‘changing the way the world moves’, says SkedGo CEO John Nuutinen. But if we are to achieve greater accessibility and travel equity, systems must evolve to become more tailored to individual and local needs. “We’re now in the second phase of MaaS,” says John Nuutinen. “The first was interesting because it bounced around ideas like how to make a profit. But one of the things we started to discover is that the value of MaaS can’t be assessed on profit alone.” The CEO of SkedGo, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, maintains that there’s now an increased recognition of the value of subsidised MaaS capabilities in terms of societal and environmental benefit. “And that’s a good thing,” he adds. “In the future we’ll see the commercialisation of these systems…

  • Laser-powered tool could help Mars rovers find signs of ancient life

    Scientists have developed a laser-based device that could be installed on a future Mars rover as a tool for finding signs of former life on the Red Planet. The University of Bern team has developed a miniature, laser-powered mass spectrometer that can analyse the chemical composition of a rock sample in detail as fine as a micrometre (one-thousandth of a millimetre). The tool has already been used to sample gypsum from a quarry in Algeria in an attempt to replicate the kind of materials and conditions that might be experienced on Mars. The team analysed the rock using the tool to understand its ability to distinguish between potential microbial fossils and natural rock formations. These include morphology – which is irregular, sinuous and potentially hollow – as well as the presence of…

  • 1.8GW LionLink interconnector project announces preferred UK landfall location

    LionLink, a subsea interconnector project between the UK and the Netherlands, has selected Walberswick, Suffolk, as its preferred landfall location. In November 2024, energy regulator Ofgem approved five major new undersea energy links, one of which is LionLink. The LionLink interconnector will deliver a new 1.8GW electricity link between the UK and the Netherlands. It is being developed by Dutch transmission system operator TenneT and its UK project partner National Grid Ventures, the investment arm of the National Grid. The project is referred to as a multi-purpose or hybrid interconnector because for the first time it will connect the Dutch and UK energy grids via a 2GW offshore wind farm in Dutch waters. An offshore converter platform at the wind farm will feed energy into the electricity…

  • Hackers steal $1.5bn in the ‘biggest cryptocurrency heist ever recorded’

    On 21 February 2025, hackers stole approximately $1.5bn in digital assets from Bybit’s Ethereum wallet. The Dubai-based cryptocurrency platform Bybit has called it the “biggest cryptocurrency heist ever recorded”. Bybit was founded in 2018 and has more than 60 million users worldwide. It offers access to various cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum. Ethereum is the second-biggest cryptocurrency by market value after Bitcoin. An Ethereum wallet is a software or hardware interface that allows users to store and manage their Ethereum-based tokens securely. However, a hacker managed to gain control of an Ethereum wallet and transfer the contents to an unknown address. According to Bybit, the hack occurred when the company was making a routine transfer of Ethereum from an offline “cold…

  • UK’s net zero economy grows 10% in a year, adding £83bn and nearly a million jobs

    The UK’s net zero economy has grown 10% in the past year alone, providing an £83.1bn uplift to the economy, analysis has revealed. The study, which was carried out by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) on behalf of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), suggested that the sector was “vital” for the government’s efforts to boost the UK’s economic growth. Net zero businesses now support the equivalent of 951,000 full-time jobs, which are typically better paid than the UK average, with employees earning an average of £43,076 per year. This compares to median gross annual earnings for full-time employees across the UK of £37,430 in April 2024. The ECIU estimated that they generate £105,500 in economic value, which is 38% above the UK average. It also found that the economic…

  • TfL trials electric construction vehicles to cut carbon emissions

    Transport for London (TfL) is trialling a new way to cut its carbon emissions by utilising zero-emission construction vehicles. For future works, TfL will begin employing an electric excavator and wheel loader to replace equipment traditionally powered by fossil fuels. It has already trialled the vehicles at three locations in Redcliffe Gardens in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The electric vehicles use a method of recharging provided by Charge Fairy, a British electric charging start-up. It provides real-time updates on the machines’ charging levels when on-site – this feeds into a team that can then send a charging van to the site. This method of bringing the charger to the vehicle allows the construction machines to be recharged in an hour. TfL said that developments in how…

  • Musk suggests deorbiting ISS early after clash with Danish astronaut

    Elon Musk has recommended that the International Space Station (ISS) be deorbited earlier than currently planned after getting into a spat with a Danish astronaut. Nasa is currently planning to decommission the ISS in 2031, instead supporting the creation of private Earth-orbiting space stations with the agency as one of many customers. But writing on X (formerly Twitter), Musk said: “It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the Space Station. It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility.” “Let’s go to Mars,” he added. When pushed on his comment by another user on the platform, Musk said he recommended the ISS be deorbited “2 years from now”, which would be at least three years earlier than currently planned, but said it was ultimately “up to the President…

  • Accelerating the development of next-gen perovskite solar cells

    A new manufacturing technique paves the way for low-cost and scaleable solar generation, according to new research by the University of Sheffield. While solar power is deemed an environmentally friendly technology, the materials used to manufacture solar panels may have a significant environmental impact. Often these are scarce and expensive elements, such as copper and indium, that need to be mined and refined. UK-based solar tech firm Power Roll is developing lightweight and flexible solar cells made from perovskite materials. The use of perovskite materials in solar energy is the subject of increasing research and investment, as these materials are flexible, lightweight, cheap to produce, scalable and as efficient as today’s leading solar photovoltaic materials, which are mainly silicon…

  • Vodafone trialling drones that can remotely repair network outages

    Vodafone has trialled a suite of next-generation drones that can restore connectivity to malfunctioning mobile masts in a bid to cut network down time. Backhaul fibre cables linking masts are typically buried in the ground, making them susceptible to damage by mechanical diggers and vandalism. Across Europe, Vodafone on average deals with between 75 and 100 such cable breaks every year. This suite of drones would be able to create a wireless link between masts when an underground cable is severed. In a test earlier this month in Spain, Vodafone worked with Google-affiliated firm Taara to demonstrate how two industrial-grade drones equipped with Taara’s light beam terminals could be used to deliver a temporary connection. In the test, one drone was securely tethered to a mast, and the…

  • Trump’s fast-tracking of fossil fuel projects puts US wetlands and waterways at risk

    US President Donald Trump’s decision to fast-track a number of fossil fuel projects could cause significant damage to the US’s wetlands and waterways, green campaigners have warned. During his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order – “Declaring a National Energy Emergency” – that required the US Army Corps of Engineers to “facilitate the nation’s energy supply”, including permitting under the Clean Water Act the filling of wetlands and dredging or building in waterways. In a press briefing, the White House said the decision was needed to meet the rising domestic energy demand, strengthen economic security and prop up the American energy industry. But according to the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), more than 600 applications earmarked to be fast-tracked risk destroying…

  • Microsoft launches new chip that offers a ‘breakthrough in quantum computing’

    Microsoft claims its new Majorana 1 chip shows that quantum computers capable of solving meaningful, industrial-scale problems are just years away, not decades. Quantum computing is heralded as the next frontier of computing technology. While it is still in its infancy, scientists believe that with its ability to solve problems that are unsolvable on classic computers, the technology could help power innovation in a range of fields, from drug discovery and smarter encryption software to manufacturing and AI. The race to develop quantum computing chips is on. IBM launched the IBM Heron quantum chip over a year ago, and in December 2024 Google launched its 105-qubit Willow quantum chip that it claims demonstrates “state-of-the-art performance across a number of metrics”. The biggest challenge…

  • Industry insight: Accelerating silicon photonics innovation

    Professor Graham Reed, a globally recognised leader in silicon photonics at the University of Southampton and one of the driving forces behind the UK’s Cornerstone Photonics Innovation Centre, discusses how this field has evolved over the past few decades and what is in store for its future. Silicon photonics (SiPh) is an exciting field. It is the application of photonic systems with silicon as the optical medium. Over the years, SiPh has developed into a mainstream technology driven by advances in optical communications. It can be used in a wide variety of applications ranging from telecoms and sensing to lidar, AI and quantum. The Cornerstone Photonics Innovation Centre (C-PIC) based at the the University of Southampton has been established as the UK’s technology hub for SiPh. As an open…

  • France sets fusion energy milestone by maintaining a plasma reaction for 1,337 seconds

    France has achieved a milestone in the development of fusion energy having maintained a high-confinement plasma operation for 1,337 seconds – surpassing the recent Chinese record of 1,066 seconds. The milestone was reached on 12 February 2025 at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). A plasma reaction was successfully sustained for over 22 minutes inside the WEST Tokamak reactor located at the CEA Cadarache facility in southern France. This marks a 25% improvement on the record set just a few weeks prior at the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak located at China’s Hefei Institutes of Physical Science. Fusion is a potential source of almost limitless clean energy, which is seen as vital for energy security and the climate crisis. It uses the same…

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