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  Birds migrate thousands of miles without a GPS, using the Earth’s magnetic field to orient themselves. It’s been a long mystery how they were able to do this, but now, scientists may have found the key reason behind it: a molecule in the eye that’s sensitive to magnetism and gives birds a working internal compass.  A group of biologists, chemists, and physicists tested a 40-years old theory according to which a light-sensitive molecule interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field via a quantum chemical process. To do this, they looked at a light-sensitive protein called cryptochrome 4 (CRY4) from the retina of European robins (Erithacus rubecula). “We think we may have identified the molecule that allows small migratory songbirds to detect the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field, which they undoubtedly can do, and use that information to help them navigate when they migrate thousands of kilometres,” Peter Hore, researcher and co-author of the paper. European robins live throughout E

  A collaborative partnership between Lockheed Martin, Australian manufacturer Omni Tanker and UNSW Sydney will look to develop and commercialize world-first composite tank technologies, thanks to a grant from the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). The co-funded project  announced  as part of AMGC’s Commercialisation Fund launch and worth a total $AUD1.4 million will utilize two revolutionary home-grown technologies to solve the challenges of using composites for the transportation and storage of liquid hydrogen with applications on the ground, in the air, underwater and in space.   Combining nano-engineering technology developed by UNSW in partnership with Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker, and Omni Tanker’s patented OmniBIND™ technology, the collaboration will result in the development of two new operational scale propellant tanks for storing cryogenic liquid fuels for commercial and civil satellite programs: a “Type IV” fluoropolymer-lined carbon fiber c

  Though carbon fiber and fiberglass share some similar attributes and are used interchangeably in a handful of different industrial and everyday applications, the two materials are vastly different from one another. For instance… Strength: Though either material is substantially stronger than steel, industrial carbon fiber is more than 20 percent stronger than the best fiberglass. Carbon fiber boasts a strength-to-weight ratio roughly twice that of fiberglass. Stiffness: Carbon fiber is significantly less flexible than fiberglass and is the preferred material for applications in which stiffness and rigidity are essential (mechanical components for example). Carbon fiber tensile modulus is 4 times that of fiberglass. For applications in which flexibility is required or rigidity isn’t imperative, fiberglass is often the preferred choice.  Weight: Compared to metals like steel and aluminum, both carbon fiber and fiberglass materials are remarkably light in the weight given their inherent

  Every year, about 400,000 people receive silicone breast implants in the United States. According to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a majority of those implants need to be replaced within 10 years due to the buildup of scar tissue and other complications. A team led by MIT researchers has now systematically analyzed how the varying surface architecture found in these implants influences the development of adverse effects, which in rare cases can include an unusual type of lymphoma. “The surface topography of an implant can drastically affect how the immune response perceives it, and this has important ramifications for the [implants’] design,” says Omid Veiseh, a former MIT postdoc. “We hope this paper provides a foundation for plastic surgeons to evaluate and better understand how implant choice can affect the patient experience.” The findings could also help scientists to design more biocompatible implants in the future, the researchers say. “We are pleased that w

  15 new hydrogen-powered buses have been ordered for Indian roads. Indian bus manufacturer Tata Motors today (June 30) said it had received an order for the buses from Indian Oil Corporation as part of its effort towards ushering a hydrogen economy in the county. Indian Oil hopes the initiative will act as a stepping-stone for various other key programs, which propose to introduce hydrogen-based mobility on different iconic routes and important sectors in the country. As well as supplying the buses, Tata Motors will also collaborate with Indian Oil to undertake R&D projects and collectively study further the potential of fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles. Commenting on the company’s involvement in the landmark project, Girish Wagh, President of Commercial Vehicle Business Unit at Tata Motors said, “We are delighted to win this prestigious tender from IOCL for it adds to Tata Motors’ rich legacy of introducing future-ready technologies for cleaner and greener public tran

  As of Jun 18, Korea had a total of 93 hydrogen charging stations, 23 of which were installed this year. The government aims to build an additional 87 stations by yearend, bringing the total to 180. Accordingly, we expect installations to accelerate in 2H21. The two major operators of hydrogen charging stations in Korea are HyNet (established in Sep 2019) and Kohygen (Mar 2021, a specialized constructor/operator of hydrogen charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles, such as buses and trucks). We note that the business of commercial hydrogen charging stations has only recently been launched. Under the control of the Ministry of Environment, 16 private hydrogen charging stations are to be built, 10 of which are to be operated by Kohygen, 2 by HyNet, and 1 each by Hyundai Steel, E1, GS Caltex, and Daedo HyGen. For reference, Hyosung Heavy Industries is the number-one domestic installer of hydrogen charging stations. Source:Business Korea

  NPROXX has worked closely with ULEMCo to assist in the design of the conversion, deriving a design solution that places the hydrogen storage tank in the roof space of the ambulance. This will give the ambulance a payload of up to 900kg while offering a low-floor chassis for easy patient access. Named ZERRO, the prototype vehicle will be powered by a combination of a 30kW fuel cell with NPROXX’s type IV pressure vessel and a 400V 92kWh battery. The fuel cell will act as a range-extender to charge the battery when needed and will give the ZEROO an expected average daily range of 200 miles and a top speed of 90mph. Philipp Breuer, Sales Manager (Automotive & Heavy-Duty Vehicles) at NPROXX, said, “Emergency ambulances need to be ready to go at any time, so speed of re-fuelling and range are key factors when looking to transition these vehicles to a decarbonized energy source. Source:NPROXX