• Microsoft’s AI expansion sees its emissions jump 25% in one year

    Microsoft’s emissions have increased by 25% in the last year alone, as the tech giant ramps up construction on the data centres needed to fulfil its AI ambitions. AI requires thousands of specialised, power-hungry chips (GPUs) running continuously in data centres that require huge amounts of energy to run, and thousands of litres of water to keep cool. Even during regular use, asking an AI chatbot a series of 10 to 50 questions can consume the equivalent of 500ml in data centre cooling. In its latest sustainability report, Microsoft admitted: “Our total emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and 3) increased 25% year over year, driven primarily by the expansion of our data centre infrastructure and pausing our use of non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates as we prioritise investments…

  • Underground sensors could predict landslides days in advance

    Networks of sensors below ground could provide a reliable warning of impending, dangerous landslides days before they happen. Scientists at University of California San Diego (UCSD) have spent four years installing advanced in-ground monitoring technology including a range of sensors of varying costs and sensitivity. They also expanded coastal lidar surveys, using the advanced laser imaging technology to map the surface elevation to precisely track the state of cliffs and beaches before and after failures. Roughly 70% of the California coast is made up of eroding coastal cliffs. These cliffs are home to important infrastructure like highways, railways, coastal access points, energy facilities, and structures, and can be deadly to beachgoers when a cliff collapse occurs. The researchers…

  • World’s largest cargo aircraft targets 2029 flight

    The enormous WindRunner cargo aircraft is edging closer to take-off as its developer secures key engineering partners ahead of a 2029 test flight. Conceived by US-based startup Radia, WindRunner, which has roughly 12 times the cargo volume of a Boeing 747, has been designed to transport oversized payloads. After a decade in development, the firm has moved past the initial design phase and is now working to combine its various advanced technologies into a single, functioning system. For this phase, Radia is teaming up with French aerospace company Latécoère, to develop the aircraft’s electrical architecture, and UK-based aerospace engineering firm Stirling Dynamics, to oversee the integration of its flight control systems. "Building WindRunner requires more than designing a revolutionary…

  • Satellite sensor system could sniff out nuclear weapons in space

    Scientists have proposed a space-based sensor system that could be used to detect if satellites are carrying a nuclear weapon. In 2024, the US warned that Russia could be developing a new satellite designed to carry nuclear weapons into space following a suspicious launch into low-Earth orbit just prior to the attempted invasion of Ukraine. A nuclear detonation in low-Earth orbit, the region about 100 miles to 1,200 miles above Earth’s surface, would release trillions of highly energetic electrons that would destroy many of the satellites in space, disrupting telecommunications networks, GPS, space-based internet, and more. In a new paper published in Nature, MIT professor Areg Danagoulian proposes a satellite-based sensor system that could orbit close by a suspect satellite and detect…

  • Sizewell B nuclear plant given 20 year extension

    EDF and the government have signed an agreement to extend the lifespan of Sizewell B power station in Suffolk until 2055. Since early 2024, French energy giant EDF has been petitioning the UK government to allow it to continue operating the Sizewell B nuclear power plant for 20 years beyond its planned 2035 closure date. The fate of the power station has now been decided upon with the two parties having signed on a Contract for Difference (CfD) agreement to extend the lifetime out to 2055. CfD is a government scheme to incentivise investment in renewable energy projects by offering developers a 15-year contract that guarantees a fixed price (or strike price) for the electricity they generate, providing a more stable revenue stream. Under the agreement, a strike price of £70.50/MWh (2025…

  • Fiat’s tiny £8,995 EV makes UK debut

    The super compact, two-seater Fiat Topolino EV has landed in the UK and US, with prices starting at £8,995 in the UK. The Fiat Topolino is so small that it is not actually classified as a car, rather a quadricycle. Measuring just 1.4 metres wide and 2.5 metres long, the model is best placed for short, urban trips. It features a 6kW electric motor and 5.5kWh battery, with a top speed of 45km/h and range of up to 74km. A single-speed automatic transmission and three-position drive selector (drive, neutral, reverse) makes it easy to drive for first time EV users. The vehicle has space for only two passengers, but by offsetting the front seats, it can also carry 63-litres of storage, including a dashboard-mounted compartment. First launched in its home country of Italy in 2023, the Topolino…

  • World's first commercial nuclear satellite takes flight

    The world’s first commercial nuclear-powered satellite has been launched into orbit atop of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Space manufacturer City Labs said its Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability (BOHR) power system will act as a dedicated power source for its test CubeSat, providing continuous, long-duration electrical power independent of solar energy. City Labs’ nuclear technology is designed to allow space assets to continue operating when traditional power systems fall short. This includes in deep space, permanently shadowed lunar regions, and long-duration autonomous sensor networks. With the US Department of Defence seeking less vulnerable power systems for military satellites, the BOHR CubeSat could point towards a future where tritium is used as an energy source instead of solar for…

  • FBI seizes more than 600 drones to protect World Cup matches

    The FBI claims it has seized over 600 drones near World Cup venues across all 11 host cities in the US in a bid to stop disruption to the tournament. Posting on X, the agency said that “unprecedented law enforcement coordination” was required to ensure that matches did not face disruption. Since the start of the tournament, all World Cup stadiums and surrounding event spaces have been designated as strict “No Drone Zones.” The rules mean that taking off, landing, or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a violation of federal and local regulations that could see civil fines up to $75,000, or criminal fines up to $100,000. While a massive number of drone seizures have taken place, no actual World Cup matches have been delayed by drones so far. But there was minor disruption during…

  • Ethernet at 50: How a half-century-old technology keeps reinventing itself

    Many computing technologies have come and gone but Ethernet endures. Or at least something called Ethernet... When he took to the stage in Cupertino, California, at the influential Hot Interconnects conference last summer, Amin Vahdat, Google’s chief technologist for AI and infrastructure, said networks have to change to support the hunger for computing that his company’s applications need. “We have to unlearn a lot,” he claimed. Today, Ethernet serves a vast range of requirements. “The same host network stack was used to service [wide-area network] communication at very low data rates to AI communication at the highest levels of bandwidth, the lowest levels of latency, the lowest levels of jitter,” said Vahdat. Yet the new network envisaged by Vahdat and others working on large-scale…

  • Scotland mulls AI data centre ban as energy concerns grow

    The Scottish government is considering a temporary pause on new data centre applications following concerns about the sector's energy demand and environmental impact. Pressure has been mounting from Scottish campaigners against a raft of proposed hyperscale data centres across the country. There are currently 24 projects in the planning stages that if approved would put pressure on the grid and impact renewable energy supplies, water resources and climate targets. The Scottish National party (SNP) has debated the issue internally after public pressure and pushback from local councils including Edinburgh and East Ayrshire, as well as the Scottish Green Party. The SNP’s policy-making body, the National Council, then voted to officially back calls for a temporary moratorium on all new unapproved…

  • Microsoft insists AI isn't replacing workers as it cuts 2% of global workforce

    Microsoft is cutting around 4,800 roles, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, mostly from its Xbox gaming division. In a blog post, chief people officer Amy Coleman said that the roles eliminated “are not being replaced by AI” but did concede that the technology is “changing how work gets done”. This includes automation of some tasks and a need to continue “adapting as the work evolves”. Like its contemporaries, the firm is heavily invested in AI and plans to spend roughly $190bn (£142bn) on data centres, powerful hardware, and securing massive energy grids in 2026 alone. This represents a 61% increase from last year. The job cuts will lead to a number of closures, while four Xbox game development studios – Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory and Undead Lab – are…

  • Can harvesting water from the air solve the global water scarcity problem?

    Novel metal-organic frameworks could support commercially efficient water harvesting from air – even in low-humidity desert regions. Imagine if there was an off-grid system that could produce 300,000 to 500,000 litres of water per day, in the desert, sourcing it only from the air,” says Magnus Bach, VP of business development at technology company Atoco. “That would be pretty amazing.” Aptly, Bach is outlining Atoco’s vision from the company’s offices in Dubai, UAE – one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, which also has one of the highest rates of consumption per capita. The company, according to Bach, is closing in on making its dream a reality. This summer, it plans to deploy 3m prototypes of its atmospheric water-harvesting technology in south-western US and the Middle…

  • Octopus enters home battery market with own product range

    Octopus Energy has launched the 2kWh and 5kWh ‘Nook’ home battery range to “help people tap into the cheapest energy possible”. The announcement was made by the energy supplier’s founder and CEO Greg Jackson (above) at an event held as part of London Climate Action Week. Consisting of two different sizes depending on the size of property, the batteries will charge when electricity on the grid is cheapest and then discharge the power into the home when electricity is at its most expensive. “Home batteries are a brilliant piece of tech and one of the smartest ways to cut energy bills right now. Offering Octopus batteries to our customers is a big step in our mission to help people to tap into the cheapest energy possible,” said Jackson. The smaller of the two – Nook Cube – is a shoebox…

  • Plasma process turns spent coffee grounds into solid carbon fuel

    A “world-first” plasma technology rapidly transforms wet organic waste into a valuable energy resource without any need for pre-drying, according to a study. Researchers at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) in South Korea have developed a “world-first” flame plasma pyrolysis (FPP) technology to rapidly convert wet spent coffee grounds into usable biochar, a carbon-rich form of charcoal. Coffee is a popular drink worldwide and one that generates an enormous amount of waste. Once coffee is brewed, its spent wet grounds often end up thrown away and in landfill or incinerated, where it contributes to carbon emissions. For many years research has been undertaken as to how to convert this vast waste resource into fuel or carbon products. But to do so requires the…

  • Ukraine’s nuclear plants to receive UK-made uranium fuel supplies through loan

    The UK will provide a £210m loan to Ukraine to enable it to purchase enriched uranium for its fleet of nuclear power plants. The country has faced relentless attacks on its energy infrastructure since the start of the war with Russia in 2022. A report by Eurelectric in February estimated that approximately 50% of Ukraine’s total energy infrastructure and production capacity has been destroyed during the war, with over 67% of thermal generation capacity lost. The country has four long-standing nuclear power plants, although Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station has been under Russian control since 2022. The remaining three lie deep within Ukraine’s territory and are reliable energy generators for a country that faces challenges trying to meet the electricity demand of its people in the face…

  • New 30-metre-wide underground tank to clean up sewage pollution in Lake Windermere

    A water company is to build a new 30-metre-diameter stormwater storage tank to divert pollution from England’s largest lake. United Utilities has pledged its commitment to improve water quality in Lake Windermere following years of pressure from campaigners over repeated sewage and wastewater discharges. Windermere, within the Lake District in Cumbria, is a Unesco world heritage area. As the largest natural lake in England, it is 18km in length and 1.6km at its widest. Known as a ribbon lake because of its long and narrow dimensions, it is home to unique native wildlife, including the Arctic char, and is a popular swimming spot. However, like many waterways in the UK, it suffers from sewage pollution. Campaign group Save Windermere was founded in 2021 to put pressure on water companies…

  • E+T Podcast: Episode 23 | Is the future of clean energy hiding 5km underground?

    Is deep geothermal energy the missing piece in the UK’s green transition? In this episode of E+T Off the Page, hosts Tim Fryer and Jack Loughran sit down with Dr. Ryan Law, CEO of Geothermal Engineering Limited, to look inside the UK's first operational deep geothermal power plant at United Downs in Cornwall. The episode covers how geothermal energy succeeds as a reliable, green, 24/7 base-load power source where intermittent options like wind and solar face daily challenges. Dr. Law also explains the massive "lithium bonus," detailing how extracting critical minerals directly from deep geothermal fluids is completely reshaping the economic landscape of clean energy. The discussion also dives into the real-world logistics of deep-earth engineering, exploring the unique financial, planning…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • New baldness drug boosts hair coverage by up to 86% in six months

    A new oral treatment for male pattern hair loss is on the horizon following successful late-stage clinical trials. Male pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia, is a very common hereditary and hormonal condition affecting men of any age. From puberty there may be telltale signs of the condition, including noticeable hair loss on top of the head or a receding hairline. Over time, affected follicles shrink completely and stop producing hair. Due to its prevalence, the market is a awash with all kinds of treatments and ‘miracle’ cures – from pills to ointments – in the hope they will stimulate hair growth. Into this busy marketplace has entered a newcomer with a non-hormonal drug that has shown some very promising results in phase 3 clinical trials. Developed by US-based biopharmaceutical…

    E+T Magazine
    E+T Magazine

  • £8.3bn a year ‘wasted’ as Britain pays more for infrastructure than peers

    Transport infrastructure projects in the UK cost far more and take far longer than European equivalents, according to a new report. The report says the UK gets much less infrastructure than counterparts such as Germany, Italy and Spain despite spending the same amount – and it is down to what it calls infrastructure investment cost premium. In other words, there are too many complex, time-consuming and expensive hurdles to overcome in the planning stages, causing construction to be delayed and completion dates pushed back. Meanwhile, equivalent infrastructure schemes in Europe are approved and built much faster. The report – Building more for less – published by think tanks Britain Remade and the Centre for British Progress, finds that on average the UK pays 65% more per unit of infrastructure…

  • Fast-tracked Heathrow runway review paves way for 2029 planning decision

    Construction on Heathrow’s third runway could start in the early 2030s after the government pushed through “the fastest ever review of a national policy statement”. The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a public consultation on the framework for future decisions on Heathrow’s third runway prior to a final planning decision in 2029. The consultation proposes that any scheme must have a clear strategy to create jobs and realise the economic benefits of expansion, be compatible with the UK’s legally binding climate targets, not breach legal air quality limits, and ensure noise emissions do not worsen for local residents. Planning proposals from developers looking to build the third runway will be assessed against these criteria. Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave the initial go-ahead…

  • Floating nuclear power plants could power data centres from offshore

    A London-based energy firm wants to develop Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPP), which comprises small modular reactors (SMR) built into commercial shipping vehicles. Core Power is launching a feasibility study into the proposal that would see an SMR design developed by BWXT built directly onto a floating vessel. The Generation III+ integral pressurised water SMR design has a capacity of 195 megawatts (MWe) of electricity and 575MWth per reactor. Standard modern nuclear reactors typically generate between 1,000MWe and 1,600MWe, which would rate the power output of the ship at about one-fifth to one-eighth of the size of a traditional nuclear plant. FNPPs are designed to be built in shipyards and moved close to end users and areas of high demand. By shifting construction into a controlled…

  • Norway greenlights world’s first full-scale ship tunnel

    Norway will start building the first full-size ship tunnel in the world next year after the government allocated NOK 8.6bn (£671m) in its budget for the long-delayed project. The Stad Ship Tunnel project will allow coastal ferries and small passenger ships to bypass the Stad peninsula in Norway’s Vestland county for the first time. The Stad peninsula is considered to be one of the most dangerous and exposed areas along the Norwegian coast for ships, and some 33 maritime deaths have occurred in the area since the Second World War. Ships also have to contend with storms that occur along the peninsula for roughly 100 days in the average year, frequently forcing them to drop anchor and wait until the weather has cleared. The tunnel will allow them to bypass this and ensure uninterrupted navigation…

  • Snapchat unveils £1,600 standalone AR glasses with AI assistance

    Snapchat has announced a pair of augmented reality glasses dubbed SPECS that can overlay “contextual AI assistance” over the world around you. The firm made a previous attempt at smart glasses in 2016, but they failed to take off with consumers and Snapchat took a £30m hit to its finances from the venture. Since then, a number of technologies have advanced that could give smart glasses more utility – particularly AI, which can provide far more context to surroundings that equivalent technologies could in 2016. Snapchat is not the only social media firm taking on the augmented reality space, with Meta recently releasing models with Ray-Ban and Oakley that are equipped with cameras, microphones and AI capabilities. Unlike Meta’s devices, SPECS can operate entirely on their own and don…

  • A mini-fridge-sized lab on the ISS could unlock the secrets of quantum computing

    Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have upgraded a device the size of a mini fridge that is designed to cool atoms to near-absolute zero as a way to develop new quantum technologies. The Cold Atom Lab (CAL) enables orbiting scientists to leverage the unique environment of microgravity to accomplish cutting-edge research that cannot be done anywhere else. It can cool matter down to below -237°C, only slightly hotter than absolute zero (-273.15°C). At this extreme cold, atoms form a large quantum object called a Bose‑Einstein condensate, which is often thought of as a fifth state of matter, beyond solids, liquids, gases and plasma. This collection of matter waves follows the rules of quantum mechanics despite being much larger than subatomic particles, and the microgravity…

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