Lifeboat Foundation

Airbus unveils a hydrogen-powered engine, marking a significant step toward zero-emission aviation and a greener future for the industry.

European aviation giant Airbus sets its sights on reducing carbon emissions throughout its production process, starting with overhauling its maritime fleet, the company announced in a press release.

In a move to align with its commitment to sustainable aerospace and reduce the carbon footprint of its industrial operations, Airbus is set to upgrade its maritime transport fleet for transatlantic assembly transport. The plan, unveiled in an official release, outlines a comprehensive strategy to reduce CO₂ emissions and enhance environmental sustainability in the aerospace sector.

A new “structure reduces the amount of materials necessary – bringing down the weight, volume, and, crucially, the cost of manufacturing.”

In what can provide a major boost to renewable energy generation initiatives, a cutting-edge tidal turbine blade has been indigenously developed in Scotland at a more affordable price.

The turbine was manufactured by a team of design engineers from the University of Edinburgh and is slated to help reduce the levelized cost of tidal energy. The new “structure reduces the amount of materials necessary – bringing down the weight, volume and, crucially, the cost of manufacturing the blade,” said the team in a statement.

An ancient landscape that has remained hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) for at least 14 million years has been revealed by a new satellite data and radar imaging study. According to the researchers, the preservation of this primordial scenery attests to the fact that the EAIS has remained relatively unchanged for eons, yet this stability could soon be threatened by an unprecedented rise in global temperatures.

The study authors used satellite data to identify undulations in the ice sheet’s surface that provided clues as to the nature of the terrain beneath. Using radio-echo sounding techniques, they were then able to image the landscape covered by the ice over an area of 32,000 square kilometers (12,355 square miles).

“The land underneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is less well known than the surface of Mars,” explained study author Professor Stewart Jamieson in a statement. “And that’s a problem because that landscape controls the way that ice in Antarctica flows, and it controls the way it might respond to past, present and future climate change.”

Researchers at EPFL and Northwestern University have unveiled a groundbreaking design for perovskite solar cells, creating one of the most stable PSCs with a power-conversion efficiency above 25%, paving the way for future commercialization.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) stand at the forefront of solar energy innovation, and have drawn a lot of attention for their power-conversion efficiency and cost-effective manufacturing. But the way to commercialization of PSCs still has a hurdle to overcome: achieving both high efficiency and long-term stability, especially in challenging environmental conditions.

The solution lies in the interplay between the layers of PSCs, which has proven to be a double-edged sword. The layers can enhance the cells’ performance but also cause them to degrade too quickly for regular use in everyday life.

HyperloopTT’s groundbreaking Express Freight system is redefining shipping with speed and sustainability.

In a groundbreaking development, HyperloopTT, a prominent player in the transportation and technology licensing industry, has revealed details of its cutting-edge HyperloopTT Express Freight design, poised to transform the world of freight transportation, in a press release.

Partnering with the award-winning design consultancy Tangerine, HyperloopTT has introduced a revolutionary freight capsule system designed to offer unprecedented speed, efficiency, and sustainability to the shipping industry.

SEOUL, Oct 23 (Reuters) — South Korea’s Samsung SDI (006400.KS) said on Monday it will supply Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) with electric vehicle (EV) batteries for seven years starting 2026, marking the first battery supply deal between the two companies.

“The latest supply deal marks the first ever partnership between Samsung and Hyundai Motor Group in the field of electric vehicle batteries,” Samsung SDI said in a statement.

The battery maker, which supplies to General Motors Co (GM.N), Stellantis (STLAM.MI), and BMW (BMWG.DE) among others, added that it will supply prismatic batteries manufactured at its factory in Hungary for Hyundai Motor’s EVs targeting the European market from 2026 through 2032.

Desert-dwelling bacteria that feed on sunlight, slurp up carbon dioxide, and emit oxygen could be incorporated into paint that supplements the air in a habitat on Mars.

It’s called Chroococcidiopsis cubana, and scientists have developed a biocoating that emits measurable amounts of oxygen on a daily basis while reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air around it. This has implications, not just for space travel but here at home on Earth, too, according to a team led by microbiologist Simone Krings of the University of Surrey in the UK.

“With the increase in greenhouse gasses, particularly CO₂, in the atmosphere and concerns about water shortages due to rising global temperatures, we need innovative, environmentally friendly, and sustainable materials,” says bacteriologist Suzie Hingley-Wilson of the University of Surrey.

Amazon is always on the frontier of technological advancements, and in a recent move, the e-commerce giant announced its plans to deepen its collaboration with Agility Robotics. As part of their ongoing partnership, Amazon will commence tests using the bipedal robot, Digit, in its operations. This exciting development comes after Amazon’s strategic investment in Agility Robotics through the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund.

For those unfamiliar with Digit, it’s a marvel of modern robotic engineering. Developed by Agility Robotics, Digit stands out with its unique bipedal design. It isn’t just any robot; it’s designed with two legs, allowing it to move and operate in human-like ways, making it exceptionally fit for environments crafted for humans. Equipped with advanced sensors like LIDAR, it perceives its surroundings and avoids obstacles with ease. Its arms are adept at maintaining balance, carrying objects, and interacting with various elements of its environment.

Continue reading “Amazon Field-Testing Awe-Inspiring Digit Bipedal Robot” »

This also means faster robotics and self-driving cars.

Foxconn, the largest producer of iPhones, is joining hands with the biggest chipmaker in the world, NVIDIA, to develop artificial intelligence factories that will power a range of applications like self-driving cars, more generative AI tools, and robotic systems, said a press release.

Dubbed AI factories, they are data centers that will power a wide range of applications, including the digitalization of manufacturing and inspection workflows, the development of AI-powered electric vehicle and robotics platforms, and language-based generative AI services.