A team of scientists from Massachusetts Institute (MIT) has developed a process to convert CO2 - the planet's primary warming agent —- into a powdery, harmless fuel that could be converted into clean electricity.Researchers at MIT exposed CO2 to catalysts and then electrolysis, turning  the gas into a powder called sodium formate, which can be safely stored.The MIT process gets closer to an ambitious dream: turning captured CO2 into a feedstock for clean fuel that replaces conventional batteries. A refrigerator-sized fuel cell has also been developed as the next stage.  Hopefully more to come on this breakthrough.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientist-discover-h

In a thoughtful article in The Daily, Michael Pascoe reminds us of the human obligation of governments, individuals and communities who are better off in terms of wealth, influence and power responsibly giving back to others.https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2024/01/06/michael-pascoe-scary-world"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting the development of several designs that could help deploy small reactors virtually a

The Hydra 400 is a pioneering new generation of heavy lift drone using hybrid propulsion technology. Compact and portable, the drone can be transported in the back of a Hilux or similar and assembled ready for flight in six minutes.The drone is powered by single spool jet turbines, producing 500N (50kg) thrust providing a maximum lift of 400kg. See https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2023/09/army-to-showcase-jet-propelled-drone-with-laser-guided-missile

3D printing for missiles. Created at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland under the agency’s Game Changing Development program, this family of copper-based alloys known as Glenn Research Copper, or GRCop, are designed for use in combustion chambers of high performance rocket engines. See https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/marshall/3d-printed-rocket-launched-using-innovative-nasa-alloy/

Simple on-animal sensors could be a game changer for Australian beef cattle nutrition, according to University of Queensland research. Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation master’s student Tamara Freitas-Kirk is using wireless technology and motion detection cameras to monitor individual food intake of a trial herd.“Current methods are only able to estimate feed intake of a herd, assuming all animals are consuming a predetermined amount,” See https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2023/11/beefing-cattle-supplements