• Rio Tinto’s lithium mine project in Serbia poised to get green light

    Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) industry could be given a boost if the Rio Tinto lithium mine in Serbia gets the green light, two years after the project was called off. To increase the production of EVs there needs to be a ramp-up in the minerals used to produce them. Lithium is crucial as this light yet energy-dense metal is a key component of the batteries that will power these vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries have resulted in a huge spike in demand for lithium over recent years. However, there has been speculation as to whether there will be sufficient resources to meet demand. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has forecast that the supply of lithium by 2030 will reach 420,000 metric tons, not quite reaching the forecast demand, which is estimated at 443,000 metric tons. However…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Northrop Grumman’s Manta Ray drone completes testing as it is seen gliding in the ocean

    Northrop Grumman, the multinational aerospace and defense technology company, has for the past four years been developing a massive uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) called Manta Ray for the US military. In 2020, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a military research and development agency, released a request for proposals on a new class of UUV that is capable of performing long-duration, long-range and payload-capable undersea missions without human supervision. Northrop Grumman answered the call with a type of UUV called an extra-large glider, which features a propulsion mechanism that includes an hydrodynamic hull and a buoyancy system that enables the craft to glide forward using minimal power to undertake long missions. Taking its name from the massive ‘winged…

  • Report warns that UK is heading towards its ‘first deepfake election’

    With voters heading to the polls in just a matter of weeks, a Centre for Policy Studies report warns that with deepfake content already spreading rapidly, this could become the UK’s first deepfake election. You may have come across some suspicious videos on social media platforms recently. Perhaps you have seen a satirical TikTok video showing Rishi Sunak saying that he could not care less “about energy bills being over £3,000”? Or maybe a video of the shadow health secretary Wes Streeting calling his Labour colleague Diane Abbott a “silly woman” on Politics Live? A report from the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) called Facing Fakes warns that given the current general election campaign, we should be particularly wary of deepfakes aimed at spreading election misinformation and disinformation…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Labour Manifesto: party plans energy, rail and infrastructure shake-up

    The Labour Party has finally unveiled its manifesto for the next general election, making pledges to introduce measures designed to improve the UK’s energy and transport infrastructure while bolstering industry. Energy Labour has reaffirmed its commitment to create a new publicly-owned energy firm called Great British Energy that will aim to boost domestic electricity production through investments in low-carbon sources such as renewables and nuclear. As part of the plans, it will work with the private sector to “double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind by 2030”. It will also boost investment in carbon capture and storage, plus hydrogen and marine energy, and will ramp up long-term energy storage. The UK’s current plan, as announced under the Tories, is to fully…

  • Swimming microrobots deliver cancer-fighting drugs directly to metastatic lung tumours

    Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed microscopic robots, known as microrobots, that swim through the lungs to deliver cancer-fighting medication directly to metastatic tumours. The lungs are the most prominent organ for cancer metastasis. This is cancer that has developed in other areas of the body, or other parts of the lungs, and then spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to the lungs. Currently there is no specific treatment tailored for advanced metastatic tumours in the lungs. Chemotherapy is a common approach; however, its effectiveness has proven suboptimal due to poor lung accumulation and targeting issues. The microrobots deliver drug-loaded nanoparticles to the tumours to inhibit the progression of lung metastasis. To create the microrobots…

  • Designing Hyper Energy Efficient Facilities

    This webinar will mainly focus on some key regulations and standards for: Last update of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2024), published in the Official Journal of Europe on May 8, 2024Deploying and prescribing building automation, controls and building management standards as key contribution for the Energy performance of buildings (ISO 52120-1, IEC 63044 Serie,etc.)Prescribing the measures required for energy-efficient and prosumer electrical installation in buildings (IEC 60364-8 Serie)Being prepared for Buildings Electrical Flexibility (EN 50491-12 serie, IEC 63402 serie, example of GOFLEX indicator-France)Designing and measuring Energy data collection for buildings in conjunction with ISO 50001 (EN 17267, IEC 62974-1, IEC 61557-12)This Webinar offers a guide to these…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Thermal Health Monitoring for the Built Environment: Accelerating Product Development with COMSOL Simulations

    This webinar will explore how lean technical teams can leverage simulation to reduce the cost and increase the speed of product development cycles in the advanced materials sector. In developing next-generation printed electronic sensors for thermal health monitoring, Vector Homes has invested in digital tooling to accelerate development. Digital twins are used to verify printed sensor performance and guide future design iterations. Collaborations with the Energy House 2.0 allow for characterising in situ real-world performance in a state-of-the-art environmental chamber. Vector Homes is working to accelerate and decarbonise affordable house-building in the U.K. It is collaborating with housing associations, contractors and developers to reduce the cost, carbon footprint, and complexity…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Scientists urge drastic cuts to nitrous oxide emissions to prevent rampant global warming

    Emissions of potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N20), which have been rising steadily since 1980, could have “dire consequences for the planet”, researchers from the Global Carbon Project (GCP) have said. It’s estimated that agricultural production accounted for around 74% of human-driven N2O emissions in the 2010s – a gas thought to have 300 times more global-warming effect than carbon dioxide. In a report – Global nitrous oxide budget (1980-2020) – researchers attribute its production primarily to the use of chemical fertilisers and animal waste on croplands. It is also produced from stationary combustion sources, predominantly from the burning of coal at electric power plants. At a time when greenhouse gas emissions must decline to reduce global warming, in 2020 and 2021 nitrous…

  • New report calls for urgent action as shipping industry falls behind climate goals by 17%

    A report from the Sea Cargo Charter reveals that the shipping industry fell behind minimum international climate goals by 17% on average in 2023 – a shortfall of 165 million metric tonnes of CO2e. Shipping accounts for 3% of global CO2 emissions. Currently, dry bulk, general cargo and tankers account for around 400 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. With global trade predicted to quadruple by 2050, there is an urgent need for the industry to reduce emissions. The UN maritime agency, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), sets climate goals for the maritime industry. In July 2023, the IMO revised its greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy, setting a new ambition to reach net zero GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050. The Sea Cargo Charter (SCC), a global transparency initiative…

  • EU study finds pricing carbon emissions does not result in economic losses for regulated firms

    A EU study examining the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) policy found that pricing carbon emissions does not have a negative economic impact for those manufacturing firms regulated under the policy. A study by Imperial College Business School, in collaboration with the University of Virginia and University of Mannheim, examined whether the ETS, which came into force in 2005, has resulted in a decline in economic activity for those manufacturers that have been regulated under the policy. The ETS is a ‘cap and trade’ policy that establishes a price for the right to emit CO2. This is achieved by imposing a cap on the total emissions from more than 12,000 power and manufacturing plants in 31 countries across Europe. The cap covers 40% of the EU’s emissions. The researchers found the manufacturing…

  • Yara officially opens Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant in Norway

    Norwegian chemical company Yara International has opened the largest green hydrogen and green ammonia production facility in Europe at Herøya Industrial Park, Norway. During an inauguration event, the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, officially opened Yara’s 24MW renewable hydrogen plant at Herøya Industrial Park. Hydrogen at the plant is produced with electrolysis of water and renewable energy, replacing natural gas as feedstock. This shift is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 41,000 tonnes annually from the site. Since it was founded in 1905, Yara has established itself as a global crop nutrition company, producing, distributing and selling nitrogen-based mineral fertilisers and related industrial products. Its ambition now is to drive the green transition…

  • Evil Engineer: The Bioship of my dreams

    This month, the Evil Engineer brings a villain reaching for space with an unconventional ship back down to Earth. Dear Evil Engineer, You might recognise my name. I am indeed that biotech entrepreneur, who – after making Evil + Treachery magazine’s 30 Under 30 list in 2018, then the cover two years later when my start-up reached unicorn status – was exposed by a newspaper investigation and companion documentary series. Since then, I’ve been charged with a list of crimes that would make an FTX founder blush. My lawyer has advised me that I am certain to be condemned to decades in prison. So, I’m going to forfeit my bail and escape somewhere with no extradition treaty: space. I plan to drift through space for the rest of my life, an astronomical nomad. For this, I’ll need a spaceship…

  • Brompton’s new folding bike features wheel rims made from 100% post-consumer aluminium scrap

    On its mission to manufacture a completely net zero bike by 2050, London-based folding bike company Brompton has partnered with Hydro, a German aluminium and renewable energy company, to create an aluminium wheel rim made with 100% recycled, post-consumer aluminium scrap. Founded in 1975, Brompton still makes every one of its folding bikes by hand in its London and Sheffield factories. Featuring a three-part fold, a Brompton is able to transform into a small locked package in under 20 seconds. Having become a certified B Corp recently and with the aim of producing net zero bikes by 2050, Brompton is now looking to its supply chain and the environmental footprint of the materials used during manufacturing. According to a study by the European Cyclists’ Federation, the materials used to…

  • Nokia CEO makes world’s first ‘immersive’ phone call over a cellular network

    Nokia has made the first cellular call using the new 3GPP Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS) codec, which enables users to hear 3D spatial sound in a fully immersive real-time experience. Currently, calls via smartphones over a cellular network are monophonic: the audio is compressed into a single channel rendering the sounds flatter and less detailed. However, Nokia has been working to change that with IVAS, a new voice and audio codec standardised by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), which brings together standards organisations to develop mobile protocols. IVAS technology, which is part of the upcoming 5G Advanced standard, enables high-quality, live immersive audio across any connected device, including smartphones, tablets and PCs. The technology enables a three…

  • Extreme weather causes $41bn in damages and 2,500 deaths in just six months

    Extreme weather has been responsible for an estimated $41bn in damages and 2,500 deaths in just the six months since COP28, Christian Aid has said. The charity pinpointed four extreme weather events in that time that were all scientifically shown to have been made more likely or more intense by climate change. These included: – Flooding in south and south-west Asia, which killed at least 214 people and resulted in $850m in insured damages in the UAE alone. – Simultaneous heat waves in west, south and south-east Asia that killed over 1,500 people in Myanmar, despite the fact that heat deaths are “notoriously under-reported”. The heatwave is expected to slow growth and increase inflation. – Finally, cyclones in east Africa, which caused flooding that killed 559 people, and was made about…

  • Genetics testing company 23andMe to be probed over a data breach that affected 7 million users

    Data protection watchdogs in Canada and the UK have announced a joint investigation into a data breach at genetics testing company 23andMe that affected seven million customers in 2023. Since 2006, San Francisco-based genetic testing company 23andMe has sold over 12 million DNA testing kits. It analyses customers’ saliva to provide insights into health and ancestry. In October 2023, 23andMe reported a security breach in which hackers gained access to the personal information of millions of customers by using old passwords. In some cases, the information accessed included family trees, birth years and geographic locations. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) will examine the scope of information that was exposed…

  • Apple to integrate AI into MacOS, iOS and Siri later this year

    Apple has announced plans to integrate AI, including ChatGPT, into its mobile and desktop operating systems, as well as its Siri personal assistant. Dubbed ‘Apple Intelligence’, the plan will see its devices gain new abilities, such as being able to understand and create language and images, take action across apps and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. The new features could be particularly useful in educational settings, where they will allow users to tidy up notes taken during meetings or seminars. A ‘Rewrite’ tool can alter text for use in specific situations, such as a presentation or a meeting. Apple has long positioned itself as an advocate for privacy online, but maximising the utility of AI as a personal assistant relies on understanding personal…

  • The EU’s initiative to create a highly accurate digital twin of Earth goes live

    The European Commission has activated the Destination Earth (DestinE) digital twin system from the LUMI Supercomputer Center in Kajaani, Finland. Launched in 2022, DestinE is a flagship initiative of the European Commission that aims to develop a highly accurate digital twin of the Earth. The model will monitor, simulate and predict the interaction between natural phenomena and human activities. The aim is that with this data we will be better prepared to respond to major natural disasters, adapt to climate change and assess the potential socioeconomic and policy impacts of such events. “The launch of the initial Destination Earth is a true game changer in our fight against climate change,” said Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age. “DestinE…

  • LinkedIn forced to disable advertising tool for European users in compliance with EU ‘rulebook’

    LinkedIn has disabled a feature allowing advertisers to target European users based on membership in ‘LinkedIn Groups’ after concerns over compliance with rules set out in the European Commission’s Digital Services Act (DSA). In August 2023, Europe’s landmark rules for online platforms – the DSA – came into effect, which aims to rein in Big Tech and protect the safety of users online. The law aims to create a ‘rulebook’ for online platforms by regulating companies’ content moderation policies and advertising practices. It also requires that platforms share details of their algorithms with regulators and, in certain cases, independent researchers. The latest platform to make changes under this act is Microsoft-owned LinkedIn. Following complaints that advertisers were able to target users…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • UK energy import reliance will grow if renewables are not boosted, think tank warns

    As the North Sea’s oil and gas output declines, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) calls on the next government to support renewable energy to prevent reliance on foreign energy imports over the next five years. The UK climate think tank has published a new report – Future energy security – that finds that the rise in British renewables will play a much larger role in bolstering the UK’s energy security than potential new domestic oil and gas production. The UK’s energy mix is currently dominated by oil and gas, and the decline in North Sea oil and gas production since the turn of the century has caused imports to rise. According to the report, in 2024 around 66% of the end-use energy used by consumers requires imported energy. This includes imported gas and oil-based fuels…

  • Group of 17 secondary schools in London collectively decide to ban smartphones

    A group of state schools in Southwark, south London, have announced they will go smartphone-free, including confiscating phones used at school. There has been much media coverage in recent years of young people’s addiction to their smartphones and encountering potentially harmful content online. In April 2024, Ofcom revealed that around a quarter of children aged five to seven (24%) own a smartphone. It also found that the use of social media sites or apps in this age group has increased year-on-year. The UK government has saod that it is aware of this growing issue but has yet to take decisive regulatory action. At the end of last year, it announced it was looking at different options to improve parental controls and regulate the online world, with an outright ban for under-16s being…

  • Engineering report calls on next government to commit to a bold, long-term industrial strategy

    The National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC), led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, has launched a policy document that is calling on the next government to take a bold, long-term and holistic approach to tackling complex challenges. The report – Engineering a resilient and prosperous future: policy priorities for the next UK parliament – which is directed to all political parties, outlines the importance of engineering to help tackle the complex challenges we are facing today. It argues that reversing persistently low economic growth involves fostering innovation, supporting small businesses and investing in strategic sectors. This will enable the UK to tackle climate change, upgrade our ageing infrastructure and build warm and healthy homes, as well as shape the role the UK plays…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • Over 40 companies show commitment to stop space junk by signing ESA’s Zero Debris Charter

    More than 40 companies, research centres and international organisations have signed the Zero Debris Charter from the European Space Agency (ESA), showing a commitment to ensure future missions become debris neutral in space by 2030. According to ESA, there are currently 130 million pieces of space debris larger than a millimetre orbiting Earth. Not only does this ‘space junk’ pose a threat to satellites and spacecraft, several of which have been damaged or destroyed already, but once a week a satellite or rocket body reenters uncontrollably through our atmosphere. In November 2023, ESA introduced an internal standard to significantly limit the production of debris in Earth and Lunar orbits by 2030 from its own missions. This ‘zero debris approach’ will rely on debris mitigation and remediation…

  • Clean energy investments expected to hit $2tn in 2024 – double that of fossil fuels

    Global investment in clean energy technologies and infrastructure is expected to hit $2tn (£1.6bn) in 2024, twice that likely spent on fossil fuels, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said. But while the figures suggest ramping-up investment in low-carbon energy, the amount spent on oil and gas is still too high to meet 2050 climate goals. The increased funding was largely due to improving supply chains and lower costs for clean technologies, the IEA report found, although it warned that that there are still “major imbalances” and shortfalls in energy investment flows in many parts of the world. It highlights the low level of clean energy spending in emerging and developing economies outside China, which is set to exceed $300bn for the first time – led by India and Brazil. Yet…

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