The industrial strategy white paper, published in November 2017, sets out the government’s plans to strengthen the UK economy. Central to its vision are proposals to raise the country’s level of productivity through investment in R&D, infrastructure and skills.
Lithium-ion batteries power everything from mobile devices to airliners and electric cars. But when overcharged, there is a risk of spontaneous combustion. Japanese scientists believe they have created a safer battery by introducing a flame-extinguishing chemical that doesn’t reduce performance.
The cyber-breach of the UK NHS earlier in 2017, which froze computers in hospitals across the country, highlighted the growing problem of cyber-attacks and corporate espionage. Jesse Klebba, CEO of Urgent Technology comments.
In late 2018, German car giant Audi plans to open a shipping-container-sized plant in Laufenberg, Switzerland, to make 400,000 litres/year of ‘e-diesel’, a drop-in fuel replacement for petroleum.
A new catalyst has been developed for artificial photosynthesis, allowing water to be split more efficiently into protons and oxygen gas.
A simple colour-change test to detect fluoride in drinking water could prevent a crippling bone disease in developing countries.
2017 has been a year of change. SCI itself has undergone some major changes, from the development of a new website – going live next year – to the introduction of our Bright SCIdea Challenge to encourage entrepreneurship in students.
It was entirely appropriate that UK business secretary Greg Clarke unveiled the UK government’s long-awaited White Paper on Industrial Strategy at the Francis Crick Institute in London at the end of November.
Russian researchers have developed new fertilisers based on nanopowders of transition metals.