Latest news with #engineers
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Science
- Times of Oman
SpaceX rocket explodes into a massive fireball during test
Texas: A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded into a huge fireball while preparing for a routine test on Wednesday. The rocket, designed to be the most powerful in the world, was preparing for its tenth test flight at the SpaceX Starbase facility at the southern tip of Texas. Local officials confirmed the explosion took place at a time when the rocket was preparing for a "routine static fire test" of its engines. That means engineers were set to test the rocket's engines with the craft still held down on its launch pad. But something went wrong and the rocket exploded. SpaceX described the incident as a "major anomaly," writing in a statement on X that: "A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for." CEO Elon Musk said there were no hazards to nearby communities and asked people not to approach the site.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Second joint fault found on M62 Ouse Bridge
A second faulty bridge joint has been found on a stretch of motorway in East Monday, National Highways said drivers should expect "substantial delays" on the M62 after inspectors found a newly fitted joint on the Ouse Bridge had failed an one and two of the westbound carriageway, between junctions 37 and 36, remain Tuesday, the agency said another faulty joint had been found and said lane three on the eastbound carriageway would need to close after morning rush-hour on Wednesday. This would enable engineers to safely examine the fault, it said. In a social media post, National Highways said: "We are hoping to hear about the way forward from our specialist engineers after the joint has been assessed."Investigations to establish the cause of the earlier joint fault are continuing, it Highways told the BBC the first fault involved a newly fitted joint. The age of the latest faulty joint is not yet known, endured more than two years of delays and speed restrictions after inspectors found in 2022 eight joints on the bridge had failed. Restrictions were lifted in October 2024. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China's humanoid robot firms pay 3 times national average amid AI talent crunch
As China witnesses a boom in humanoid robotics, companies in the sector are offering salaries more than three times the urban average to lure top engineers and AI talent – underscoring a deepening talent crunch that even industry leaders acknowledge. The average monthly pay for humanoid robot algorithm engineers now stands at 31,512 yuan (US$4386), rising up to 38,489 yuan for roles requiring more than five years of experience, according to a new report released this week by online recruitment platform Zhaopin. That is nearly four times the nationwide urban average salary of 10,058 yuan per month, based on the firm's most recent compensation data for the third quarter of 2024. Mechanical design engineer roles in the field also command strong wages, with an average salary of 22,264 yuan. Soaring pay in the humanoid robotics sector stands out as a rare bright spot in an otherwise subdued hiring landscape. China's job market remains under pressure from slowing economic growth and falling corporate earnings, leading to widespread lay-offs and pay cuts across industries. The youth unemployment rate, excluding students, eased slightly to 15.8 per cent in April, down from 16.5 per cent in March, according to official data. But with a record number of graduates set to enter the workforce this summer, the labour market faces growing strain.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China's humanoid robot firms pay over x3 national average amid AI talent crunch
As China witnesses a boom in humanoid robotics, companies in the sector are offering salaries more than three times the urban average to lure top engineers and AI talent – underscoring a deepening talent crunch that even industry leaders acknowledge. The average monthly pay for humanoid robot algorithm engineers now stands at 31,512 yuan (US$4386), rising up to 38,489 yuan for roles requiring more than five years of experience, according to a new report released this week by online recruitment platform Zhaopin. That is nearly four times the nationwide urban average salary of 10,058 yuan per month, based on the firm's most recent compensation data for the third quarter of 2024. Mechanical design engineer roles in the field also command strong wages, with an average salary of 22,264 yuan. Soaring pay in the humanoid robotics sector stands out as a rare bright spot in an otherwise subdued hiring landscape. China's job market remains under pressure from slowing economic growth and falling corporate earnings, leading to widespread lay-offs and pay cuts across industries. The youth unemployment rate, excluding students, eased slightly to 15.8 per cent in April, down from 16.5 per cent in March, according to official data. But with a record number of graduates set to enter the workforce this summer, the labour market faces growing strain.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Engineers solve 'critical bottleneck' with tech that could help solve pressing global issue: 'Making a meaningful impact'
A new breakthrough from MIT engineers could make one of our most powerful climate tools more efficient. Carbon capture, or the process of pulling carbon dioxide from the air, is a promising solution to help reverse the pollution that is overheating the planet. But it has faced an annoying conundrum so far — the chemicals best at trapping the gas are often the worst at releasing it and vice versa. The researchers reported that they found a fix. By adding a simple nanofiltration step between the carbon capture and release stages, the team was able to improve efficiency by six times and make it at least 20% less expensive, according to a study published in ACS Energy Letters. "We need to think about scale from the get-go," said mechanical engineering professor Kripa Varanasi. "Making a meaningful impact requires processing gigatons of CO2. Having this mindset helps us pinpoint critical bottlenecks and design innovative solutions with real potential for impact. That's the driving force behind our work." So, how does it work? Well, most carbon capture systems use water-based chemical solutions to trap CO2 from the air. But to release that CO2 later (so it can be stored or recycled), those same chemicals become a problem. The leftover compounds interfere with the release process. "You can see how these two steps are at odds," Varanasi said. "These two systems are circulating the same sorbent back and forth. They're operating on the exact same liquid. But because they need two different types of liquids to operate optimally, it's impossible to operate both systems at their most efficient points." The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's solution is a filtration process that sorts the chemicals by electrical charge in between the two steps. This allows each part of the cycle to operate more efficiently. With this nanofiltration, the system is more resilient, making it easier and cheaper to scale up. Right now, carbon capture costs at least $600 per ton. The new approach could drop that to $450 — with researchers optimistic that it could come down to $200 with a little more development. While transitioning away from dirty fuels is still the most crucial element of bringing Earth's temperatures back into balance, that's good news for governments and companies investing in climate solutions, and for buyers on the growing carbon credit market. By making this process more efficient, there could soon be safer alternatives to today's more toxic chemical solutions, leading to cleaner air and less chemical waste. Plus, the system works with materials already available commercially — and could be retrofitted to existing systems. As Varanasi put it, "We're confident that we'll have something that can become economically viable. "This is just one example of researchers' pushing climate tech forward. Other innovators — including Trashie and LanzaTech — are also proving that solutions to pollution can be smart and profitable. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
