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Dennis Lee | Revolutionizing Space Investment Economics with Fuel-free Electric Propulsion
Spacecraft today are limited by a critical constraint: fuel. Traditional satellites depend on stored propellant fuel, which eventually runs out – cutting missions short and limiting long-term investment returns. Vortex Space Systems is changing this paradigm with an innovative new approach: fuel-free orbital propulsion. This innovation comes at a time when the space propulsion market is booming – expected to reach 6.4 billion US dollars by 2028. This includes the total US market for both fuel-based and electric propulsion systems. The electric propulsion segment alone is projected to grow to 291 million dollars by 2028, with a steady annual growth rate of 11.9%.
The GEMS Project: Harvesting Geothermal Energy from Abandoned Mines
Geothermal power is a rapidly developing form of renewable energy, where heat is harvested directly from the Earth’s crust. One potentially abundant source of this energy is water in disused coal mines, which absorbs heat from the surrounding rock. There are thousands of these mines throughout Britain. With the right approach, Durham Energy Institute estimates that there is enough energy within them to meet the heating demands of every building lying over the coalfields. If achieved, this goal would not only be a significant step towards decarbonising the British economy; it could also provide immense benefits to disadvantaged former mining communities in the region.
This video provides information to help you navigate emergency department visits to ensure your loved one receives effective care. The focus will be on how to manage seizure emergencies – either seizures arising for the first time or those caused by epilepsy.
Can Technology, Law and Data Work Together for a Carbon-free Future? iENERGY has the Answer!
iENERGY is a two-year research and innovation project from Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, funded by the European Union. The iENERGY project arose in response to one of the most important questions of our time: How can we effectively combine technology, law, and data to accelerate the transition to a carbon-free future?
This video provides information to help you navigate emergency department visits to ensure your loved one receives effective care. The focus will be on how to manage seizure emergencies – either seizures arising for the first time or those caused by epilepsy.
Dr. Jacob Bueno de Mesquita | Curbing the Spread of Infectious Diseases with Germicidal Ultraviolet Technology
Viruses responsible for COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory illnesses are exhaled by infected individuals, even when they don’t have symptoms. It is common for those infected to have no idea they are breathing out infectious particles. Some people, so-called ‘superspreaders’, tend to exhale more infectious particles than most other people, elevating the amount of airborne virus within a room and the risk of spreading infection. Airborne infectious particles pose risks in many indoor spaces – schools, public transit, workplaces, healthcare settings, gyms and restaurants. They linger in the air and are inhaled by others, leading to new infections and further transmission. How can we break this chain of transmission?
Dr Kristina Landscheidt | Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy: New Hope for Healing Acute and Chronic Wounds
Chronic wounds are a major medical challenge. They are very slow to heal and prone to infection, causing significant discomfort and complications for patients. Dr Kristina Landscheidt and Professor Ole Goertz at Martin‐Luther Hospital, Berlin, have been investigating an innovative treatment that could offer improved patient outcomes: extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Their team’s recent study provides evidence that this treatment can significantly speed up the healing process for acute and chronic wounds.
Miguel-Ángel Climent – Jaime Ramis | Identifying Cracks in Corroding Reinforced Concrete Using Ultrasound
Reinforced concrete is a cheap and versatile material that combines the high compressive strength of concrete with the ability to resist stress provided by embedded steel bars. While reinforced concrete can be highly durable, exposure to harsh environments can reduce its lifetime. One of the main threats is the corrosion of the steel bars, which causes solid oxides to build up. As these oxides build up, they put pressure on the concrete, causing cracks to form and grow. Over time, pieces of the outer concrete layer can flake off or separate. As the steel corrodes, it no longer sticks well to the surrounding concrete, and the metal bars become thinner. If left untreated, this can weaken the structure.
Dr. Jon Reinders | Revolutionizing Corn Breeding: Gene Editing Inside the Plant
Corn is a cornerstone of agriculture, vital to food systems across the globe. Yet improving corn varieties through traditional breeding is a slow, labor-intensive process, and can take years to achieve the desired combination of traits like drought resistance, disease tolerance, or high yields. Now, a groundbreaking innovation from Dr. Jon Reinders and his team at Corteva Agriscience offers a faster, safer, and more precise alternative: editing corn genes directly inside the plant itself.
Dr. Robert Arnold | A Diagnostic Breakthrough for Aerodigestive Disorders in Rural Communities
When people experience problems with swallowing, voice, breathing, or persistent coughing, the cause often lies within the aerodigestive tract – the complex system that spans the mouth, nose, throat, windpipe, and esophagus. Diagnosing these issues can be especially difficult in rural areas, where access to specialists and diagnostic tools is limited. Patients may face long delays, repeated referrals, and missed or incorrect diagnoses – resulting in avoidable suffering and even death. To address this gap, Dr. Robert Arnold of Southeastern Biocommunication Associates first developed the Comprehensive-Swallow Voice Assessment (or CSA).
The PROSPECT Mission: Uncovering the Moon’s Natural Resources
Space agencies around the world are more motivated than ever to return to the Moon. Their renewed interest is driven by scientific interest and a potential treasure trove of natural resources. Many researchers are considering how water resources on the Moon’s surface could support life-sustaining systems, or be a source of hydrogen and oxygen propellant for future missions. In recent years, scientists have accumulated a tantalising body of evidence for abundant water ice on the Moon: with data suggesting that certain regions could harbour far more than previously thought. However, questions remain over how much is really present, what form it takes, and where it originated.
Professor Ben Baker | How Computational Methods Can Distinguish Between Hip-Hop Dance Styles
Dance plays a vital role across human cultures, with communities developing different styles for artistic expression. While experts can describe differences between dance genres in words, these descriptions are only meaningful to those with relevant background knowledge. In a recent study, Professor Ben Baker and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania developed a computational system for analyzing and classifying bodily movement using 17 features, such as how expanded a dancer’s body is, or how frequently they make sharp movements.
Minecraft Meets AI: How Virtual Agents Learn to Collaborate
A conversational agent is a type of AI system that can interact with humans using their own language. AI researchers aim to create agents that can have natural conversations with humans while also carrying out instructions in interactive virtual worlds. Not only do these worlds provide researchers with a convenient platform to specify tasks for their conversational agents – they also allow them to gather large amounts of data, and to evaluate the performance of their systems. In recent research, Chris Madge, Massimo Poesio and other members of the ARCIDUCA team at Queen Mary University of London show how conversational agents can be deployed within the virtual world of Minecraft.
Niek Lopes Cardozo – Samuel Ward | Is Parallel Development the Key to Accelerating Nuclear Fusion?
The world urgently needs to transition away from fossil fuels to combat climate change. Nuclear fusion – a different process than the well-known nuclear fission – has long been seen as a potential large-scale safe and clean energy source. Now, after decades of research around the globe, dozens of companies are racing to demonstrate different fusion reactor concepts within the next decade. A new paper by Professor Niek Lopes Cardozo and his colleague Samuel Ward at Eindhoven University of Technology analyses which innovation strategy would work best for developing fusion energy.
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