Researchers have uncovered how animals in Antarctica managed to survive glacial periods thousands of years ago when sea-ice encroached on their habitats. DNA evidence indicates that sea creatures used a variety of techniques, from surviving in the deep sea, to retreating into pools of unfrozen seawater. Scientists hope that by looking back in time it … Read more
NUI Galway’s Ryan Institute for Environmental, Marine and Energy Research will be officially launched on Tuesday, 10 July, by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science. The Ryan Institute has over 300 researchers making it Ireland’s largest research institute to focus on some of the most pressing environmental and energy issues of … Read more
Wavebob has been recognised as one of Ireland’s leading engineering and research companies by winning the SmartBay Innovator of the Year Award. Wavebob was recognised for innovation, engineering and leadership in the emerging wave energy market. Four additional companies were also recognised for their contribution to innovation and research by leading international companies. IBM presented … Read more
Declan Gavigan, a PhD student from NUI Galway’s College of Engineering and Informatics and the Ryan Institute, recently received the Top Young Engineers’ Award. He was awarded the prize for a paper he presented on ‘Strength and durability performance of stabilised soil block masonry units’ at the recent International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering … Read more
University of Leicester researchers are set to use new technology they have developed to monitor the impact of increased traffic on pollution levels in London during the Olympics. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are expected to draw 11 million visitors from around the world to the UK’s capital for seven weeks, and 3 million … Read more
Scientists and food industry experts in the UK are hatching a plan to turn egg shells into plastics that could be used to manufacture anything from food packaging to construction materials. They also hope to extract material from egg shells that may prove valuable in the pharmaceutical industry. The Food and Drink iNet is funding … Read more
New research suggests that melting sea ice is weakening the Arctic Ocean’s ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon. The study, carried out at the Catlin Arctic Survey’s Ice Base in March and April 2010 by a team at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada, focuses on the efficiency of an important biological ‘pump’ … Read more
New research at the University of Leicester in England is using nanotechnology to create energy efficient materials. With the increasing worldwide demand for energy there is a pressure to use the finite energy resources wisely whilst reducing one of the major areas of energy consumption, transportation, which accounts for more than 20% of the world’s … Read more
Research by a University of Leicester student has identified an environmentally friendly alternative to a major industrial use of oil. Abdelghaffar Abdelmalik, who is studying for a PhD in the University’s Department of Engineering, has discovered a way to treat palm kernel oil so that it can be used to insulate electrical transformers. Transformers use … Read more
Scotland can realise the employment, economic and environmental benefits of carbon storage. A consortium of Scottish Government, industry and researchers has shown that rocks deep beneath the Moray Firth are capable of storing decades of CO2 output from Scotland’s power stations. This emerging Carbon Capture and Storage {CCS} industry could create at least 13,000 new … Read more