Daily Innovation News

October 21^st 2024

⚡️ Energy

🇬🇧 UK firm claims breakthrough with self-powering fusion system for limitless clean energy

A UK-based company, ENG8, has reportedly developed a world-first catalyzed fusion system, capable of generating electricity indefinitely without external power input. Their EnergiCell technology, based on low energy nuclear reactions (LENR), fuses hydrogen nuclei to directly produce photons and electricity. Independent validation has confirmed the system's ability to generate net energy, with potential applications ranging from household devices to industrial-scale power. While some experts remain skeptical, ENG8 sees this as a transformative solution for global clean energy needs.

🇺🇸 US approves world’s largest 2 GW geothermal project to power 2 million homes

The US has approved the Fervo Cape Geothermal Power Project in Utah, which will generate up to 2 gigawatts of clean energy using enhanced geothermal systems. Covering 631 acres, this innovative project will create human-made reservoirs to harness heat from underground rock, providing power to over 2 million homes. It marks a significant step toward the country’s goal of a carbon-free power sector by 2035 and advances geothermal energy development on public lands.

🇺🇸 US firm General Atomics launches open-source FUSE software to accelerate fusion reactor development

General Atomics has released FUSE, an open-source software platform designed to speed up fusion energy research by allowing advanced simulations on standard computers. Written in the Julia programming language, FUSE integrates plasma physics, engineering, and cost analysis, enabling faster and more accurate simulations. This tool is expected to help overcome key challenges in fusion reactor design, contributing to the global push toward achieving clean, sustainable fusion energy.

🚘 Transport

🇨🇳 Chinese automaker Chery unveils autonomous flying car, completes 50-mile test flight

Chery has revealed its fully autonomous flying car, the "Land and Air Vehicle," which completed a successful 50-mile test flight. The innovative vehicle, designed without a steering wheel or accelerator, can seamlessly switch between flying and driving modes, offering a solution to urban traffic congestion. Alongside this, Chery also introduced its advanced solid-state battery, which aims to extend EV ranges to 1,500 km by 2027.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

🇺🇸 US researchers create AI system to boost manufacturing speed, quality, and sustainability

Engineers in the US have developed an AI-driven system using Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) that optimizes manufacturing processes, enhancing speed, quality, and reducing waste. This breakthrough, published in the Journal of Manufacturing Systems, allows factories to dynamically adapt to changes like machine breakdowns, improving productivity without human intervention. The system, co-developed with General Motors, could transform industries like automotive and electronics by reducing costs and environmental impact.

💊 Healthcare

🇺🇸 US researchers develop handheld device for 1-hour blood tests from a finger prick

Scientists in the US have created a handheld device that can perform blood tests in under 70 minutes using just a single drop of blood. This innovative tool uses sound waves to isolate disease biomarkers, eliminating the need for needles and lengthy lab waits. By detecting antibodies and other biomarkers quickly and efficiently, the device could revolutionize bedside diagnostics for a wide range of conditions. The research was published in Science Advances.

🇨🇦 Canadian researchers repurpose ALS drug to target resistant brain tumor cells in glioblastoma

Scientists in Canada have found that edaravone, a drug used to treat ALS, shows promise in suppressing cancer stem cells responsible for therapy resistance in glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. The study, published in Stem Cell Reports, reveals that edaravone, when combined with ionizing radiation, effectively targets these cells, potentially reducing tumor recurrence. As an already approved drug, edaravone could swiftly move to clinical trials, offering hope for improved glioblastoma treatment.

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