Atkinsonvc, Durham (2025)

25/10/2025

The future ?

China has officially completed the world’s first fully automated highway resurfacing project, repairing and rebuilding 158 kilometers of the Beijing–Hong Kong–Macao Expressway — entirely without human workers on site. The project used an intelligent fleet of AI-driven construction vehicles, including autonomous pavers, rollers, and supply trucks, all coordinated via BeiDou satellite navigation for centimeter-level precision. Drones handled aerial monitoring and data analysis, while engineers supervised operations remotely through a centralized AI control system.

This achievement marks a turning point in smart infrastructure — combining automation, robotics, and satellite AI to improve safety, efficiency, and quality. By eliminating the need for on-site crews, China reduced construction time, minimized human error, and created a model for future highways worldwide.

More details/images: https://engineerine.com/china-resurfaced-158-km-of-highway-with-robots-no-humans-needed/

25/10/2025

For what purpose ?

Researchers at the Public University of Navarre have created a hologram that can actually be felt. By projecting 2,880 images every second and using ultrasonic waves, the system produces realistic sensations of pressure, texture, and motion without any physical contact. This breakthrough blends sight and touch, opening new possibilities for virtual reality, medicine, and digital communication where holograms can be experienced as if they were real objects.

21/10/2025

The future

In California’s Central Valley, a new kind of energy project is taking shape — one that blends sunlight, irrigation canals and clean power in a single innovative design. The pilot known as Project Nexus, operated by the Turlock Irrigation District, stretches solar panels across open water-channels near Turlock and Hickman. What from above looks like a massive “beach umbrella” is in fact powering local homes and farms while keeping precious water in the system.

By overlaying panels on the canal, the project taps into an ingenious double benefit: shade over the water reduces evaporation and w**d growth, while the coolness provided by the water underneath allows the panels to perform better than they might on ordinary land. The result: a roughly 1.6 MW generation capacity built on a $20 million state-funded pilot.

What’s particularly exciting is the ripple effect this concept could have. Instead of competing for open land, solar arrays are being integrated with existing infrastructure — in this case canals. For a region grappling with both drought and energy demands, the combination offers promise: clean electricity, water preservation and land-use efficiency.

If this pilot proves its worth over time, the model could be scaled across the thousands of miles of California’s water-delivery network — transforming how we think about where and how solar power is deployed.

Source: Maria Gallucci. (2025). “California’s first solar-covered canal is now fully online.” Canary Media.

21/10/2025

Worth a share

A new “Tension Buoy” system developed to support floating solar arrays on reservoirs or hydropower dams with fluctuating water levels.

The innovation lies in integrating an automatic winch into the buoy that continuously adjusts the mooring line’s length, keeping tension optimal as water levels rise or fall — solving a key challenge of traditional mooring systems which can become either too slack or too tight under changing conditions.

21/10/2025

Wow

☀️✈️ The Plane That Flew Around the World Without a Drop of Fuel 🌍

Built in Switzerland, the Solar Impulse 2 is the world’s largest aircraft powered entirely by sunlight — and it made aviation history. Designed by visionaries Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, this solar-powered marvel flew 40,000 kilometers around the globe, day and night, using nothing but the power of the sun. ⚡

With 17,000 solar cells coating its wings, the plane’s four electric motors ran silently across oceans and continents, proving that clean energy can achieve what once seemed impossible.

Solar Impulse 2 wasn’t just a flight — it was a message to humanity: innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand. 🌞💚

This record-breaking mission ignited global research into solar propulsion, lightweight materials, and energy-efficient aviation, paving the way for a cleaner, smarter future of flight.

18/10/2025

Wowsa

A teenage prodigy, Thessalonika Arzu-Embry, with an IQ of 199, has achieved an extraordinary academic journey. She completed high school at only 11, earned a bachelor's degree by 14, and finished her MBA at 16. Researchers say such intellect is one in a billion. Educational psychologists emphasize that her achievement highlights the potential of early learning programs and tailored mentorship for gifted children. Universities around the world are studying how to better support young minds like hers to balance academic acceleration with emotional development.

18/10/2025

Yes

In Singapore, scientists have achieved a groundbreaking leap in clean energy innovation — by learning how to turn raindrops into electricity. 🌧⚡ Their invention, known as a Droplet-Based Electricity Generator (DEG), captures the kinetic energy of falling rain and converts it into electric power that’s up to ten times more efficient than traditional hydropower systems.

Each raindrop striking a nanostructured surface coated with triboelectric and semiconductor materials generates a sudden voltage surge — as high as 140 volts from a single droplet. This means even a gentle drizzle can create enough energy to power sensors, LED lights, and small electronic devices, offering a practical renewable solution for urban environments.

Inspired by Singapore’s dense cityscape and tropical climate, the system is designed to work flawlessly in humid, stormy conditions without losing performance. Experts believe this incredible “rain power” technology could transform wet climates into powerful energy hubs — proving that every storm holds a spark of potential.

18/10/2025

Amazing !

In a remarkable fusion of agriculture and technology, China is transforming traditional rice paddies into massive, scannable QR codes by precisely planting different rice varieties with contrasting colors. Created using GPS-guided machinery, these living mosaics form patterns that, when viewed from above, allow tourists to scan them with smartphones.

The scan directs users to interactive digital content showcasing local farming history, crop cycles, and even agri-tourism services like farm stays and organic produce ordering.

This innovative approach turns farmland into a cultural canvas and a dynamic educational tool, merging rural heritage with modern connectivity to cultivate not just food, but also tourism, awareness, and pride in rural innovation.

15/10/2025

Yes 🙌

In Estonia, a heartwarming transformation is taking place on quiet village roads and city outskirts — abandoned post boxes are being repurposed into mini dog shelters. These once-forgotten structures, which previously held mail and memories, are now lined with thick layers of felt and wool, offering warmth and shelter to stray dogs facing harsh Baltic winters. The interiors are padded, insulated, and elevated slightly to prevent moisture seepage, ensuring each furry guest stays dry and safe.

Locals and volunteers refurbish these boxes using sustainable materials, often painting them with friendly paw motifs and placing water bowls beside them. In colder months, the wool lining traps heat, turning the compact space into a cozy nook for overnight rest. These shelters are positioned near areas frequented by strays — rural bus stops, open marketplaces, or wooded trails.

Some upgraded units even have transparent front flaps to shield against wind while allowing visibility. Others include tiny side pouches stocked with kibble, thanks to community caretakers who refill them regularly. GPS-tagged in a few cities, these boxes are mapped for vet services and feeding routes.

Beyond shelter, they symbolize compassion — a small, repurposed space extending dignity and care to voiceless wanderers. The initiative has inspired other European towns to think creatively about urban upcycling for animal welfare.

What was once a relic of communication now becomes a quiet gesture of kindness — delivering warmth without a single envelope.

15/10/2025

Wow

A single bat can eat 1,000 insects nightly, guarding crops and gardens.

But even distant artificial lights drive some species away, shrinking their habitat and silencing one of nature’s most effective pest controllers.

15/10/2025

Yes 🙌

Finland has introduced an inspiring initiative that turns old phone booths into free heated micro-shelters. Each booth is equipped with warm seats, lighting, USB charging ports, and Wi-Fi, providing people with a safe place to rest and warm up during harsh winters. There are no fees or registration requirements, making them accessible to anyone in need.

This project highlights Finland’s thoughtful approach to both social care and sustainable urban design. By repurposing unused infrastructure into life-saving shelters, the country demonstrates how innovation and empathy can work together to solve real-world problems and support community well-being.

09/09/2025

Great idea !

In South Korea, the future of farming is sprouting upward — inside shipping containers turned into high-tech vertical farms. These compact, mobile units are stacked with hydroponic systems and powered by solar-paneled roofs, growing fresh produce year-round in the middle of urban environments. It's a smart, space-saving solution for feeding dense cities while slashing water use and food miles.

Each container is a self-contained ecosystem, fitted with LED grow lights, climate control systems, and stacked trays where vegetables like lettuce, herbs, and microgreens grow without soil. Instead, the plants float in nutrient-rich water, constantly recycled to use up to 90% less water than traditional farming. With no dependence on weather, pests, or seasons, crops grow faster and cleaner — often ready to harvest in just a few weeks.

The containers are topped with solar panels that power the lighting, fans, and water pumps, making the farms energy-efficient and grid-light. These mini-farms can be placed in schoolyards, parking lots, or rooftops — bringing ultra-fresh produce straight to local markets, cafeterias, or even restaurants.

South Korea’s container farms are a shining example of how technology and sustainability can meet in tight urban spaces. They're modular, mobile, and scalable — a blueprint for farming that doesn’t just conserve space, but redefines it.

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