Self-watering soil could reduce water use in agriculture
A new type of soil that can pull water from the air and distribute it to plants could be the key to reducing water use in agriculture during droughts. The soil was created by...
Category: Innovation
Predicting tornadoes on UK cold fronts for the first time
Weather forecasters can more accurately predict when a tornado is likely to hit the UK thanks to a new tool devised in a partnership between the University of Leeds and the Met Office. Around...
Solar-powered system extracts drinking water from dry air
Researchers have significantly boosted the output from a system that can extract drinkable water directly from the air even in dry regions, using heat from the sun or another source. The system brings the...
Plastic-eating enzyme cocktail digests plastic six times faster than PETase
The same team who re-engineered the plastic-eating enzyme PETase have now created an enzyme ‘cocktail’ which can digest plastic up to six times faster. The combination of two enzymes breaks PET into its building...
Simulation model may reduce climate footprint of oil production
Future offshore oil and gas fields are most likely to be “satellite developments” that are less expensive and emit less greenhouse gases than other fields because they do not require new production platforms, report...
Concrete made with industrial by-products saves sewage systems
An eco-friendly zero-cement concrete made with industrial by-products is battling the corrosion and fatbergs that plague sewage systems. General corrosion and build-ups of fat in sewers and pipelines cost billions in repairs and replacement...
Water-saving toilets leak millions of litres every day
Water-saving toilets in the UK are wasting around 400 million litres every day. Up to 8% of dual flush toilets, which are designed to save water, could in fact be leaking. About 400 million...
Oxygen-powered fuel cell could charge mobile phones
A fuel cell that uses oxygen from the air could power portable devices such as mobile phones. Because the cell continues to produce energy as long as fuel is available, it is particularly effective...
5G wireless may lead to inaccurate weather forecasts
A study has for the first time modelled the impact of 5G radiation “leakage” on forecasting. The upcoming 5G wireless networks that will provide faster cell phone service may lead to inaccurate weather forecasts,...
Human hair helps mop up oil spills
A project in France is trialling the use of human hair to mop up oil pollution in oceans. Coiffeurs Justes plans to stuff 40 tonnes of human hair into nylon tubes that will absorb...
How to beat the summer heat without relying on air conditioning
A so-called ‘Cold Tube’ could fight rising summer temperatures while using less energy than conventional air conditioning. Researchers say the chilled panels can work both indoors and outdoors. Many people beat the summer...
Designers transform Brooklyn Bridge into innovative infrastructure
An international design competition to reimagine how the iconic Brooklyn Bridge could be made more accessible, safer and sustainable for pedestrians and cyclists has announced the finalists. Some of the biggest names in the...
Plugging in bricks to power your home
Which of the world’s cheapest and most familiar building materials can be converted into energy storage units that can be charged to hold electricity, like a battery? Red bricks, say researchers from Washington University...
Disposed PPE could be turned into biofuel
Plastic from used personal protective equipment (PPE) can be transformed into renewable liquid fuels, says a new study about COVID-19. Experts from The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies have suggested a strategy that...
The secret to more efficient solar cells
The search for the perfect solar cell is not yet over. Norwegian researchers are now adopting a new approach to the cells’ raw material, crystalline silicon, with the aim of making the electricity-generating cells...
Make your own greenhouse gas logger
Researchers have developed a simple logger for greenhouse gas flows. It is built using inexpensive and easily available parts, and could help map local methane emissions properly. Methane, CH4, is one of the most...
Plantain shows promise for the car industry
Car manufacturers have been using natural fibres for decades. Now, researchers have shown that plantain, a starchy type of banana, is a promising source of composite materials for the automobile industry. Some high-end sedans...
Taxis turned into smart city sensors in China
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are trialing a mobile sensing platform in the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Tianjin that places sensors on taxis. Their goal is to improve smart urban services by encouraging...
Concrete innovation promises leaner structures
Scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have developed self-pre-stressed concrete elements. Their innovation makes it possible to build leaner structures that use less material. A team of scientists...
World’s tallest Passive House building gets the green light
The City of Vancouver has approved a rezoning application, paving the way for construction of the tallest Passive House building in the world. The 60-storey mixed-use residential building will be 178 meters high. Vancouver...
