• Recycled glass and construction waste turned into high-performance cement – study

    Researchers in Japan have created a cement-free soil solidifier from recycled glass and construction waste, reducing landfill and carbon emissions. Producing cement, the key ingredient of concrete, generates around 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2 every year – about 8% of the global total. When producing clinker – a precursor to cement – the calcining process converts calcium carbonate to calcium oxide, releasing carbon dioxide. In addition, the reaction itself takes place at close to 1,400°C, which requires burning large quantities of fossil fuel. Portland cement remains one of the most effective building materials but because of its significant environmental impact, researchers are looking for alternatives. A team from the College of Engineering at the Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT…

  • Robots could remotely assemble megastructures in space, Space Solar and UKAEA project shows

    Robotic technology could build infrastructure in space, paving the way for space-based data centres, solar farms and other megastructures, a project from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and Space Solar has shown. Space Solar, a UK-based space tech company pioneering space-based solar power, has used UKAEA’s test facilities for the robotic demonstrator project, called AlbaTRUSS. The firm is currently developing a large-scale solar power satellite, CASSIOPeiA, that is able to generate electricity in space that can be beamed back to Earth using high-frequency radio waves. “Up in space, the sun shines 24-7,” said Sam Adlen, co-CEO of Space Solar. “Once constructed, these satellites capture solar power and beam it back down to Earth in the form of microwaves, which can be received by…

  • UK braces for future droughts by fast-tracking its first new reservoirs in decades

    The government is fast-tracking the construction of two new reservoirs as part of plans to defend the UK’s water supplies from the possibility of climate change-induced droughts. Reservoirs, which collect and store water, are essential to keep water supply reliable and consistent even during dry weather. However, according to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, no new reservoirs have been delivered since 1992. In 2023, the UK experienced the driest February for 30 years, which was then followed by the wettest March for 40 years. This prompted the government’s National Drought Group to urge water companies to improve their plans to tackle future drought. In the same year, research from Kingfisher suggested that a number of regions in the South of England are facing “severe…

  • New 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce engine boosts performance for fast yachts and vessels

    Rolls-Royce has launched a new version of its mtu engine that provides an 11% power boost over its predecessor. The car maker has developed various components within its 12-cylinder mtu Series 2000 engine to increase its power density and efficiency for demanding marine applications, specifically those with a focus on speed. Rolls-Royce mtu is a brand of high-performance engines and propulsion systems developed by Rolls-Royce Power Systems, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Holdings. The new high-performance marine diesel engine, designated 12V 2000 M96Z, will be available to integrate into fast yachts, and patrol, police and sportfishing boats from 2026. Jörg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “The new 12-cylinder version of the mtu Series 2000 engines stands for maximum…

  • Dieselgate linked to 16,000 UK deaths and €2tn in health costs across Europe

    The UK alone has seen an estimated 16,000 extra premature deaths due to the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal that saw Volkswagen (VW) vehicles emit greater amounts of air pollution than regulators were led to believe in the 2010s. In 2015, regulators including the US Environmental Protection Agency found that VW had been intentionally installing software in its diesel cars that turned on pollution controls when vehicles were being tested by regulators, but switched them off during everyday driving. This made it appear as if the cars met tough US limits on harmful pollutants known as nitrogen oxides (NOX). It is estimated that 11 million cars worldwide were equipped with the illegal software before the scandal was revealed and the practice stopped. A report from the Centre for Research on Energy and…

  • Transport for London launches consultation on plans for greener travel

    Transport for London (TfL) is proposing a number of changes to travel in central London to incentivise the use of ‘green’ vehicles while managing traffic and congestion. TfL has announced it is to bring about changes to London’s congestion charging scheme as well as other green transport initiatives. To gather input into these proposed changes, a public consultation has been launched until 4 August 2025. The aim of these changes, according to TfL, is to help contribute towards a cleaner, greener London through increased uptake in electric vehicles (EVs) and more journeys taken by public transport. First introduced in 2003, the daily Congestion Charge was put in place to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in central London. Vehicles entering the designated zone – specifically…

  • Waste2Race car turns sewage into speed in drive to make motorsport sustainable

    Part technology demonstrator, part educational project and part sustainability showcase – the Waste2Race car is motoring into a net zero future. Motorsport has long been the pinnacle of speed, technology and performance. It is an intensely exhilarating and evocative environment to showcase cutting-edge engineering. Sustainability, on the other hand, can be seen to lack excitement – despite being a major driver for young engineers seeking employment – and is perceived as being dry and dull, especially with the incremental redesign of existing technology to be greener. Bringing the atmosphere of the race to sustainability development is the goal of the collaborative Waste2Race project led by the UK’s Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), which is showcasing state-of-the-art technology with its…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • A Must-Read for Engineering Leaders: Transform How You Manage Critical Documents

    Rethinking Engineering Document Management in a Time of Complexity and Change Engineering teams face growing complexity—more data, tighter regulations, and increasing pressure to deliver. This white paper explores the challenges of document management in engineering environments and offers five key considerations for building a stronger foundation. Through real-world stories, it offers a deeper understanding of how smarter practices can unlock better outcomes. Complete the form to access your essential guide.

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • E+T Podcast: Episode 13 | Is the space industry doing more harm than good?

    While most of us agree that it is not, there are issues causing increasing concern. Rocket launches, space debris and obsolete space equipment burning up on re-entry all have environmental consequences down here as well as up there. Should we be more careful with our space endeavours?

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Hospital ‘superbug' that digests medical plastic raises infection concerns – new study

    New research has challenged the widely held belief that pathogens cannot degrade medical plastics, such as those used in sutures, stents, wound dressings and implants. Researchers at Brunel University in London have discovered that a strain of bacteria commonly found in hospitals is able to ‘feed’ on plastic, potentially enabling these pathogens to survive longer in hospital wards and within patients. Much research is currently being undertaken into certain bacteria’s ability to break down various types of plastic to avoid them polluting the environment. Ronan McCarthy, professor in biomedical sciences at Brunel, led a study to discover whether pathogens in hospital settings had similar plastic-eating abilities. McCarthy said: “We were surprised to find that some hospital germs, such…

  • SWR becomes first operator nationalised under Great British Railways reform plan

    South Western Railway (SWR) has become the first operator to be nationalised by the government as part of its long-term strategy to create the publicly-owned body Great British Railways (GBR). In its manifesto, the Labour Party committed to the creation of GBR as a way to tackle ongoing issues such as high prices and poor punctuality facing many of the services run by private operators. The effective renationalisation of the UK’s rail system is planned to happen gradually as existing private contracts elapse. While SWR was the first operator to be nationalised over the weekend, all passenger services running under contracts with the department will return to public ownership by the end of 2027. Franchises C2C and Greater Anglia will be the next transferred into public ownership, with C2C…

  • Could you win a Women in Tech Employer Award?

    The Women In Tech Employer Awards 2025 aim to celebrate companies that are supporting gender diversity and recognise that attracting the female workforce is essential to encouraging growth in the tech sector. Being nominated or winning one of these prestigious awards will benefit your business by attracting new candidates, profile your work and contribute to your diversity and inclusion journey, plus it is completely FREE to enter. The final entry deadline is Friday 30 May, so why not get started on an entry today to showcase the moves you have made to address the gender balance in tech? Check out the 26 categories open for entry this year and submit for your chance to be recognised for your exceptional work attracting female tech talent, and inspire others who share the same goal. …

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Nanoparticle-infused contact lenses grant humans infrared vision – even with eyes closed

    Researchers in China have developed contact lenses that overcome the limitations of human vision to open a “brand-new window onto the world”. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye. A form of electromagnetic radiation, its wavelengths fall outside the eye’s visible range of 400-700 nanometres. If humans want to see beyond this vision range – for instance, to be able to see in the dark – they use night-vision goggles or similar technology that can ‘see’ infrared wavelengths longer than 700 nanometres. However, this may no longer need to be the case following a study by researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, China. The team infused contact lenses with nanoparticles that convert near-infrared light in the 800–1,600 nanometre range into the…

  • World’s tallest 3D-printed building completed using robot construction technique

    The world’s tallest 3D-printed building, the 30-metre Tor Alva (White Tower), has been completed in Switzerland using a unique robotic construction technique. Built in the sparsely populated mountain village of Mulegns, the project was a collaboration between researchers at ETH Zurich and cultural foundation Origen. The White Tower consists of 32 sculptured white concrete columns that rise up over four storeys, becoming thinner and more branched as the tower extends upwards. The branches fan out like a tree to create a domed space at the top. Instead of relying on traditional concrete formwork, the construction team opted for an additive manufacturing process, whereby an industrial robot applies the concrete layer by layer into free-form elements without any supportive casting moulds…

  • WWI wreck off California coast revealed for first time in stunning deep-sea images

    Researchers have used advanced deep-sea imaging technology to provide detailed, high-definition images and video of a First World War submarine lying off the coast of California. On 17 December 1917, the US Navy submarine USS F-1 sank following a collision with its sister ship, which made a hole in the hull. It rapidly filled with water, resulting in the death of 19 crew members. The wreck, which was discovered in 1975 to still be intact, lies approximately 7.2km off the coast of La Jolla, California, in about 457 metres of water. During a series of deep-sea training and engineering dives earlier this year, researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), a non-profit marine research firm based in Massachusetts, managed to capture high-resolution images of the wreck for…

  • Microsoft Aurora AI shows off ‘first of its kind’ weather forecasting capabilities

    Microsoft’s new AI approach to weather forecasting, Aurora, can accurately predict weather events and outperform traditional systems. Aurora is able to generate 10-day weather forecasts and predict extreme weather events more accurately, faster and at lower computational costs than traditional numerical forecasting and previous AI approaches. It does this by analysing a vast amount of diverse atmospheric data sources. The model does not only offer “greater accuracy in general, but it also means we are better at forecasting extreme events”, said Megan Stanley, a senior researcher at Microsoft Research. For instance, it predicted that Typhoon Doksuri, which wreaked havoc in the Philippines in July 2023, would reach land four days in advance of the event. Official predictions at the time…

  • Lithium-CO₂ ‘breathing’ batteries come closer to reality with new low-cost catalyst

    University of Surrey researchers have made a breakthrough in developing lithium-CO₂ ‘breathing’ batteries. They revealed how the use of a different catalyst material can overcome issues with current Li-CO₂ batteries, making them more commercially viable and eco-friendly. Li-CO₂ batteries are considered to be the next frontier energy-storage technology because of their ability to greatly outperform today’s lithium-ion batteries. They have a high energy density and reduce carbon emissions by absorbing CO2. But key challenges to making the batteries commercially viable include wearing out quickly, failing to recharge and relying on expensive rare materials such as platinum. Recharging a Li-CO₂ battery requires breaking down lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃), which is formed as part of the chemical…

  • Industry insight: Businesses urged to act now as net-zero guidance enters new era

    This article has been provided by Ruaridh Welsh, consultant at EcoAct, a subsidiary of Schneider Electric. In March, the SBTi launched the draft of its revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard for public consultation. The update marks an important step forward in aligning corporate net-zero strategies with climate science. With changes to how companies are categorised, strengthened expectations on emissions reduction, and new guidance on removals and transparency, the draft standard aims to close the credibility gap in climate target-setting. This revision comes amid growing concern about the gap between global climate ambition and action. Despite over 90% of global GDP being covered by national net-zero pledges, the UN’s latest Emissions Gap Report suggests the world remains on track for…

  • Liquid carbon created for the first time, offering breakthrough for nuclear fusion reactors

    Liquid carbon, a material that could play a key role in future nuclear fusion reactors, has been made by a team of scientists for the first time. A high-performance laser called DiPOLE 100-X, which was developed in the UK, was used to create the material at the European XFEL facility near Hamburg. Due to its high melting point and unique structural properties, it is thought that liquid carbon could be useful in nuclear fusion plants as a way to cool the reactors and as a moderator that can help to slow down neutrons – a crucial way to maintain the chain reactions needed. The D100-X laser created conditions that enabled the liquification of solid carbon samples for just billionths of a second, while an X-ray beam captured diffraction patterns that reveal the atomic arrangement in the liquid…

  • Agentic AI is learning to think like us – without relying on your copyrighted content

    Neuroscience is being used to build human-like agentic AIs – and you don’t need copyrighted data to do so. Ask ChatGPT to come up with party ideas, write a plan or analyse data and it will return an answer in seconds. Ask it follow-up questions and it will use memory and context to update its response. Ask it to use its initiative, however, and the AI suddenly becomes more cautious. It will not commit to making a decision because it has been designed to sit firmly on the fence – always acting as a servant, never as its own entity. This is partly deliberate, to negate claims of bias and similar, but it is also an inherent, technical limitation of the type of large language model (LLM) that has soared to prominence in recent months. In fact, this is one of a number of limitations, coupled…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Vessel-to-grid technology on River Thames could help balance London’s power grid

    UK Power Networks (UKPN) is exploring how floating batteries on board electric vessels could support London’s electricity grid. The Electric Thames project, led by UKPN, aims to reduce the river’s carbon emissions. Partners include LCP Delta, Marine Zero, ev.energy and the Port of London Authority. The aim is to address critical challenges around electricity demand, infrastructure deployment and grid impact for vessel operators using the waterway. One area the project is exploring is vessel-to-grid or boat-to-grid technology. Electric vessels can store surplus renewable energy during periods of low demand and feed it back into the grid during peak times, helping to balance supply and demand.The electric vessels will act as floating batteries, feeding surplus power back into the electricity…

  • National Highways to link habitats with three wildlife-only bridges

    National Highways is to increase the number of wildlife-friendly bridges within the next two years. National Highways, a government-owned company responsible for England’s major A roads and motorways, has announced it is to construct three additional ‘green’ bridges in the UK. These include one across the A30 in Cornwall, one as part of the A417 Missing Link scheme near Gloucester and another at Wisley in Surrey as part of the M25 Junction 10 scheme. These will be in addition to the two that have already been built – over the A556 near Chester and the A21 at Scotney Castle in Kent. A feature for decades in European countries such as France and the Netherlands, green bridges are car-free zones covered in grass that offer safe crossing points for both wildlife and humans. Steve Elderkin…

  • Copper crunch looms as IEA warns of fragile critical mineral supply chains

    Supplies of critical minerals, such as copper, that are needed to manufacture electronics are facing “painful disruptions” in coming years due to export restrictions from a small handful of countries that control the bulk of the supply, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The document has identified a number of vulnerabilities in the supply chain over the next decade. Prices of copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and other rare earth elements soared in the wake of the pandemic, but have largely returned to their 2019 levels. The exception is copper, which has remained high. The materials are particularly important for the green energy transition as nations retool to tackle climate breakdown and move away from fossil fuels. The report finds that critical…

  • Interview: How Fiona Erskine turns engineering know-how into page-turning fiction

    Fiona Erskine is both a chemical engineer and a mainstream thriller writer. While the ‘engineer by day, writer by night’ dictum keeps her careers separate in real life, there is plenty of crossover in her fictional worlds. There have not been many engineering novelists. In fact, it is a profession that generates mainstream literary figures at a rate of roughly one per century. In the twentieth there was Nevil Shute, aeronautical engineer and designer of airships. In the twenty-first there is the UK’s Fiona Erskine – “engineer by day, writer by night” – who has “turned rock into fertilizer, recovered and recycled precious metals, brought medicines to market, made amazing new polymers, exported electricity and directed international construction projects”. Erskine would be the first to admit…

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