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Wind in his sails: Michael Bloomberg unveils climate initiative ‘Beyond Carbon’June 13, 2019

Entrepreneur, philanthropist, former mayor of New York and Johns Hopkins engineering graduate announces in his MIT commencement address that climate crisis 'is unlike any other ever faced by humankind'

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Most detailed X-ray image of batteries yet to reveal why they still aren’t good enoughJune 13, 2019

Researchers have developed the most comprehensive view yet of lithium-ion battery electrodes, where most damage typically occurs from charging them repeatedly. Manufacturers could use this information to design batteries for smartphones or cars that are both more reliable and longer-lasting, say the researchers

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Protecting our energy infrastructure from cyber attackJune 13, 2019

Researchers use a new, holistic methodology to address cyber vulnerabilities in today’s energy systems

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Chip design drastically reduces energy needed to compute with lightJune 13, 2019

Simulations suggest photonic chip could run optical neural networks 10 million times more efficiently than its electrical counterparts

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Innovation: How do you measure up?May 29, 2019

In a fast-moving and globalised economy, innovation is no longer optional but essential in order to achieve success, writes Joe McDonald, who clarifies what is meant by ‘innovation’ and considers the characteristics of those organisations that embed it apparently so seamlessly into their day-to-day operations

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Counter-intuitive climate change solutionMay 29, 2019

A seemingly counterintuitive approach - converting one greenhouse gas into another - holds promise for returning the atmosphere to pre-industrial concentrations of methane, a powerful driver of global warming

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Gas versus electric? Fuel choice affects efforts to achieve low-energy and low-impact homesMay 29, 2019

If you want to make your home as energy-efficient and green as possible, should you use gas or electric for your heating and cooling needs?

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Bringing human-like reasoning to driverless car navigationMay 29, 2019

Autonomous control system 'learns' to use simple maps and image data to navigate new, complex routes

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Factors affecting fire safety in heritage buildings: An analysisMay 20, 2019

The recent fire at Notre Dame in Paris has, once again, turned the spotlight on how susceptible heritage buildings are to fire and recent analysis has indicated that most of the devastating fires that have occurred in historical buildings occurred during restoration works, through faulty electrical systems or through adverse weather events, writes Pat Hunt

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Notre Dame: Medieval stonemasons built vaulted ceilings to protect against firesMay 20, 2019

The challenge of restoring Notre Dame after the fire in April presents an opportunity to unravel the techniques of the time, says Professor David Wendland, chair of construction history at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg in Germany, who recently deduced how intricate, late Gothic vaults were constructed

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Floods will cost the UK billions, but AI can help make sewers the first defenceMay 20, 2019

The UK will need to spend £1bn a year on flood management to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, but artificial intelligence can use data to help make decisions about how water should flow in and around human settlements, to avoid the worst effects of flooding, writes Jonathan Sykes

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How an Irish electrician’s simple but effective invention has gone viral and saved livesMay 7, 2019

After winning the New Frontiers programme's ‘Most Innovative Product’ award, entrepreneur-electrician Sean O'Tuama has ambitions to make his Firemole invention the ‘go-to’ brand for fire prevention in the home, writes Ken Mitchell

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Greener, more efficient natural gas filtrationMay 7, 2019

Novel membrane material removes more impurities, without the need for toxic solvents

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Notre Dame Cathedral fire: Four experts offer initial analysisApril 23, 2019

Following the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, four experts offer initial thoughts and analysis

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Could ultracapacitors replace batteries in future electric vehicles?April 23, 2019

Ultracapacitors have been making the news of late but could they viably replace batteries in the EVs of the future?

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A Jetsons future? Assessing the role of flying cars in sustainable mobilityApril 23, 2019

A study of the environmental sustainability impacts of flying cars, formally known as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or VTOLs, finds that they wouldn't be suitable for a Jetsons-style short commute

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Five things to consider before speed limiters are added to carsApril 9, 2019

The recent announcement that EU rules for fitting speed limiters to new cars from 2022 was welcomed by many as a move that will save lives. However, not everyone is convinced by this 'guardian angel' technology, writes John McDermid

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What Cape Town’s drought can teach other cities about climate adaptationApril 9, 2019

Cities need to build their capacity to adapt to this range of impacts, and one of the best ways to do this is to learn from other cities’ experiences. One very recent case that cities are watching is Cape Town’s severe drought and the threat of 'Day Zero' – when the city’s taps were due to run dry

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Energy monitor can find electrical failures before they happenApril 9, 2019

Sensor can monitor wiring in a building or ship, and signal when repairs are needed

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Cyclone Idai: Rich countries are to blame for disasters like this – here’s how they can make amendsApril 9, 2019

We have about 12 years to prevent the Earth’s climate from crossing the 1.5℃ warming threshold, beyond which the effects are likely to become significantly worse. The west has a duty to shoulder most of the burden, and to do so, it needs to rethink its entire approach to international development

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