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Geothermal power could provide boost to deprived UK areas

Deep geothermal technology uses the heat from naturally occurring water sources deep underground to generate a large amount of usable heat and energy. Carried out in conjunction with backbench Conservative MP Dr Kieran Mullan and experts at the University of Durham’s Energy Institute, the report finds “strong overlaps” between areas of the UK with high potential for realising deep geothermal heat and areas in need of economic improvement. A number of countries in Europe with comparable geology have already developed deep geothermal sectors, including France, Germany and the Netherlands. It is already being used to heat around 250,000 homes in Paris and across France more than 600MWh are produced annually as the government aims to increase the number of schemes by 40 per cent by 2030.…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
US buys Starlink terminals for satellite services in Ukraine

Starlink, the satellite communications company founded by Elon Musk, will now provide satellite services to the Ukrainian military under a new Pentagon contract. The terminals are expected to be purchased under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides for the embattled nation’s long-term security needs, Bloomberg reported. The US originally announced its plans to fund initiatives to provide satellite communications “terminals and services” to Ukraine last year, but the involvement of Musk's company has only been revealed today. "We continue to work with a range of global partners to ensure Ukraine has the resilient satellite and communication capabilities they need. Satellite communications constitute a vital layer in Ukraine's overall communications network and the…

E+T Magazine in Space
Early universe galaxy seen by James Webb Telescope

The distant galaxy JD1 was formed from hydrogen left over from the Big Bang and has been confirmed as one of the most distant galaxies identified to date. Astrophysicists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have been able to confirm the existence of this galaxy using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the largest and most powerful space science telescope ever launched. JD1 is approximately 13.3 billion years old, and it shows a picture of when the universe was only about 4 per cent of its present age. The faraway galaxy is located behind a large cluster of nearby galaxies, called Abell 2744. This cluster was key to the identification of JD1, as the combined gravitational strength of Abell 2744's galaxies amplifies the light from JD1, making it appear larger and…

E+T Magazine in Space
Electricity grid reforms to speed up connections of new generators

The new rules will see energy generators pushed to the back of the queue for connection if they are not progressing their project at pace in order to leave space for other projects to connect. To check whether milestones are met, the ESO will be supported by an engineering consultancy and a legal firm has been retained to ensure contractual changes are rapidly executed. The milestones that projects will have to meet are “common sense points” such as raising finance for the project, buying land, getting planning permission and breaking ground. Projects with timelines impacted by network build delays outside the control of the developers will not be negatively impacted by these changes. There are approximately 220 projects due to connect to the national transmission system before 2026…

E+T Magazine in Renewable Energy
Money & Markets: Get into AI now because it’s about to be gigantic

When an engineer scientist coded up an embryonic world wide web, few people – apart from a few visionaries judged at the time by most as borderline loons – would have guessed it would throw a huge monkey wrench into humanity’s system. All the madness that seems the hallmark of the age is basically normality plus the accelerant of new technology. That is, of course, nothing new. Before mechanisation, 90 per cent of the population were farming on the land; technology changed that to only 0.5 per cent today. In comparison, digital rage holds nothing to former disruptions. The march of technological disruption is unstoppable, as one genii after another is released from the technological lamp, and markets love them. Meanwhile, in the short-term, US politicians have been fighting over their…

E+T Magazine
Electronic skin can self-heal after a cut, researchers find

Soft electronics and robotic devices could , like human skin, recover autonomously from damage with a new design made by Stanford scientists. In its latest study, a research team described how they combined two dynamic polymers to achieve autonomous realignment in multilayered soft electronics. This could help devices recover from various forms of damage such as being hit by something or dropped to the ground. Usually, these devices are multilayered and embedded with conductive or dielectric materials to achieve functional properties while also maintaining the soft mechanical properties of the self-healing polymer matrix. Moreover, self-healing devices often require manual realignment of individual layers after damage to properly align different functional components within the polymer…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Scientists x-ray individual atom for the first time

The breakthrough was achieved by a team from Ohio University, Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Illinois-Chicago and others, led by Ohio University professor of physics, and Argonne National Laboratory scientist, Saw Wai Hla. Since their discovery in 1895, X-rays have been used extensively, from medical examinations to airport security screenings. Even Nasa’s Curiosity rover uses X-rays to study the material composition of rocks on the surface of Mars. Over the years, the quantity of materials in a sample required for X-ray detection has been greatly reduced thanks to the development of synchrotron X-ray sources and new instruments. But up to now, the smallest amount that can be X-rayed is an attogram, which is about 10,000 atoms or more. This is because the X-ray signal…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Voluntary AI ethics code could come ‘within weeks’, EU chief says

European Union (EU) tech chief Margrethe Vestager and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken have said the two political forces are close to publishing a set of recommendations for the ethical development of AI technologies. The politicians made the announcement on Wednesday (31 May), speaking at a meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council. “We need accountable artificial intelligence," Vestager said. "Generative AI is a complete game changer.” "We think it's really important that citizens can see that democracies can deliver," she added, hoping "to do that in the broadest possible circle – with our friends in Canada, in the UK, in Japan, in India, bringing as many onboard as possible." Vestager revealed the code could be published "within weeks", while the US Secretary of…

E+T Magazine
Biodegradable plastics shown to disrupt ocean life

Each year, between 1.2 and 2.4 million tonnes of plastic enters the oceans from rivers which can have a disruptive effect on marine ecosystems. This has led to intensive research for alternatives that decompose faster in nature. Bio-based polymers based on cane sugar are one such option. The most common bioplastic is poly-L-lactide, which is used in 3D printers, textiles, food packaging, disposable cutlery and other applications. But bioplastics also have a negative impact on biological life, with researchers finding that the behaviour of small perch exposed to bioplastics in fish food changed over a period of six months. They reacted far more when they met fellow perch than normal. In addition, there were signs of reduced movement, altered ability to form shoals and altered reaction…

E+T Magazine in Air Pollution
Ocean microbes could indicate climate change tipping point

Scientists may have identified a new indicator of a climate change tipping point – marine microorganisms. A team of scientists from Duke University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, used a computer simulation to study how global warming impacts the metabolism of the world’s ocean plankton and other aquatic single-celled creatures. Their findings showed that when temperatures crossed a certain threshold, these cells stop absorbing carbon and instead start emitting it. “They're like ‘switches’ that could either help reduce climate change or make it worse,” said co-author Holly Moeller , an assistant professor at the University of California. The team focused on a group of tiny organisms called mixotrophs, which forms most of the plankton in the ocean. They’re also common…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
Prototype home with flexible walls allows for easy layout changes

The invention aims to reduce waste and carbon, whilst also improving living conditions for those who cannot afford expensive refurbishments. Some 11 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions are from construction materials and processes, (known as embodied carbon), according to the World Green Building Council. Dubbed ‘Ephemeral’, the house allows for residents to change the very layout of the interior easily rather than being forced to engage in costly building works. The flexible wooden partition walls are made using kerfing, which allows wood to bend without breaking, the same technique employed in the construction of acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments. The resulting wooden walls are resilient, foldable and movable, meaning they can respond to the changing needs…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Collaboration at core of automotive innovation in West of Ireland

Best known for its lush landscapes, Saint Patrick’s Day, and a pint of Guinness, Ireland has a great deal to offer in terms of culture, creativity, and charming scenery. But what’s lesser known in the mainstream are the contributions local companies and institutions make in driving innovation in an array of sectors: from pharmaceuticals to the automotive industry. E&T made its way to Ireland to learn more about its R&D initiatives happening in the country’s western regions within the automotive sector. And here, we found a common theme trickling throughout all the companies and institutions we had come across which makes the West of Ireland a worthy competitor in pushing innovation: strong collaborative efforts. “A vibrant ecosystem has been growing in the West of Ireland over the last…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Lower emissions during the pandemic caused climate warming effect, study finds

A team from Stockholm University analysed air quality data captured during the Covid pandemic shutdowns in South Asia. They found that the concentration of short-lived cooling particles in the air was greatly reduced, while the concentration of long-lived greenhouse gases was barely affected. Emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxides and other air pollutants lead to the formation of particles in the air that can offset the full climate warming caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. But there has been a lack of knowledge about this ‘masking effect’. In order to determine the size, large-scale experiments involving huge regions would be required, which is infeasible, except during the Covid pandemic when those conditions were replicated. The activity of many industries…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Don’t panic about Skynet-style superintelligence

What would we do without science-fiction futures? It would certainly be a lot harder to explain the potential threat of artificial intelligence to human society without the armoury of doomsday storylines that have permeated the genre since Karel Čapek gave us the word 'robot' for obedient smart automaton, which went on to kill off most of humanity. If we are not hunted by the self-aware Skynet in the Terminator franchise or turned into the most inefficient batteries ever conceived we are imprisoned forever for our own protection only to be saved because it turns out that despite being superintelligent, the machine blows a fuse when it is introduced by some pesky human to some logical incompatibility that sends it into an infinite loop. If you were writing open letters and giving interviews…

E+T Magazine in Computing
Scotland's deposit return scheme in jeopardy if glass ban is not reversed

The first minister said the Scottish government is looking at options on how the scheme can progress without damaging Scottish businesses, but if no alternative can be found, the proposals may not continue. Scotland’s DRS is due to begin in March 2024, with the earlier start date forcing ministers to seek an exemption from UK-wide legislation which aims to ensure there are no trade barriers between the four nations. The UK government agreed the temporary exemption from the Internal Market Act, but insisted the Scottish scheme cannot include glass in order to match a similar initiative in England due to begin in 2025. Under plans outlined for Scotland, shoppers would pay a 20p deposit every time they buy a drink in a can or bottle, with that money refunded to them when the empty containers…

E+T Magazine in Recycling
Copper mining firm to use AI to increase extraction rates

The use of new digital technology to optimise concentrator performance at BHP’s Escondida operation in Chile could generate more value from an existing resource. Metals like copper, nickel and cobalt are expected to be in short supply over the coming decades given demand growth from green energy sectors such as offshore wind and solar farms and electric vehicle batteries. “We expect the next big wave in mining to come from the advanced use of digital technologies. As grades decline at existing copper mines and fewer new economic discoveries are made, next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics will need to be used to unlock more production and value from our existing mines,” she said. BHP estimates the world would need to double the amount…

E+T Magazine
Cutting-edge farming projects to get share of £30m

The 'Farming Innovation Programme' is funding research and development projects to help farmers and growers produce food more sustainably. Up to £30m has been awarded to cutting-edge farming projects that are intended to help boost food production, move towards net zero and create a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. The projects announced today include: • Ground-breaking genetics research projects which could reduce methane emissions in cattle by 17 per cent per generation and produce a reliable UK-grown protein source that can replace soya in human foods. • Investigations into the use of drones and artificial intelligence to inspect and monitor animals to enable farmers to take action should animals go missing or need attention. • Efforts to develop biopesticides…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
Uber Eats to make takeaway deliveries with 2,000 autonomous robots

The firm is partnering with Nvidia-backed startup Serve Robotics who say the robots could help to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, while improving the efficiency of last-mile delivery. Serve began operating in Los Angeles this year to make deliveries from some 200 restaurants across the city. It said the number of deliveries have grown over 30 per cent month over month since the service launched. “We are thrilled to be growing our partnership with Uber,” said Dr Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics. “This partnership is a major step towards mass commercialisation of robotics for autonomous delivery. “We are excited to continue our work with Uber to bring this innovative technology to more cities across the country.” Serve says its sidewalk robots are capable…

E+T Magazine in Robotics
Adding rock dust to farmland could absorb vast amounts of CO2, study finds

A team from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) applied 56 tonnes of finely ground basalt rock from quarries to three hectares of farmland in Plynlimon, Powys. The basalt rock dust particles, which are less than 2mm in size, absorb and store carbon at faster rates than occur with the breaking down, or weathering of the naturally occurring rocks at the sites, reducing the timescale from decades to just months. It’s estimated that the ‘Enhanced Rock Weathering’ process could remove up to two billion tonnes of CO2 a year from the atmosphere globally by 2050. This would include up to 30 million tonnes in the UK – around 30 per cent of annual greenhouse gas removal targets as part of national net zero plans. While other studies from around the world suggest the process could be very…

E+T Magazine in Research and Innovation
View from Brussels: Firefighting gets knowledge boost

Wildfires are getting more common and causing more damage than ever, thanks largely to climate breakdown. Hot summers coupled with longer droughts create the ideal conditions for uncontrollable blazes. Last year was Europe’s second-worst fire season: 830,000 hectares of land burned and more than €2 billion in damages were inflicted. That is just the financial cost; the immense toll on some communities and day-to-day life cannot be measured. That is why forecasting where fires are going to strike, making sure firefighters are trained correctly and providing them with the very best equipment is oh so important in saving lives, livelihoods, biodiversity and areas of outstanding beauty. The European Union’s Patent Office (EPO) is on the case and last week launched an initiative aimed at checking…

E+T Magazine in Climate Change
Cost of carbon offsets could double by 2030, report warns

Carbon offsetting, along with emerging carbon capture and storage technologies, are being widely relied on to meet net-zero CO2 targets. Although many businesses have made some commitment to reaching net-zero by 2050, many are relying on carbon offsetting rather than directly reducing their own emissions. The PwC report estimates that in 2022, FTSE 350 companies publicly reported purchases of voluntary carbon offsets totalling £38m. Based on current pricing models, PwC has calculated that by 2030, this same volume of offsets would cost companies more than £135m. This is then expected to continue to rise until 2050, when the cost of the same volume of offsets may peak at £365m. The report also identifies that 80 per cent of the volume of offsets reported to have been purchased in 2022…

E+T Magazine in Business Planning
Disused Sardinian mine proposed as location for underground telescope

The Einstein Telescope is a proposed underground infrastructure to host a third-generation, gravitational-wave observatory Albert Einstein predicted gravitational waves in 1916 on the basis of his general theory of relativity as ripples in spacetime. The telescope is expected to capture the waves and observe a volume of the universe much larger than is seen by the tools currently used, known as interferometers. The new telescope will build on current laser-interferometric detectors such as Advanced Virgo and Advanced LIGO, whose breakthrough discoveries of merging black holes and neutron stars over the past five years have ushered scientists into the new era of gravitational-wave astronomy. It will achieve a greatly improved sensitivity by increasing the size of the interferometer from…

E+T Magazine in Space
China launches new crew for state-owned orbiting space station

The Shenzhou 16 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan launch centre on the edge of the Gobi Desert in north-western China atop a Long March 2-F rocket. The crew, including China’s first civilian astronaut, will overlap briefly with three astronauts currently aboard the Tiangong station, who will then return to Earth after completing their six-month mission. A third module was added to the station in November, and Chinese space programme officials said on Monday (29 May) that they have plans to expand it, along with launching a crewed mission to the Moon before 2030. China built its own space station after it was excluded from the International Space Station, largely due to US concerns over the Chinese space programme’s intimate ties with the People’s Liberation Army, the military branch…

E+T Magazine in Space
App encourages children to stick with ‘lazy eye’ treatment

Around one in 50 children are affected by the visual impairment amblyopia, which can usually be treated through patching therapy. This involves the child wearing a patch over the unaffected eye – normally for three hours a day for six months – to force the 'lazy' eye to work. However, the success rate is only 50 per cent, as children often struggle to wear the patch properly and with many busy households eventually giving up on the treatment. Medics at the University of Southampton have joined up with mathematicians and game designers to create an app to encourage children to build a positive association with their eye patch and wear it more often. The phone app consists of several different computer games designed by graduates of the University of Southampton’s Winchester School of…

E+T Magazine in STEM Education and Skills

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