Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has promised that in 2024 the country’s military will have a million drones. His nation already deploys hundreds of thousands of small drones, but this is a step change – a transition to an armed forces with more drones than soldiers. What does that mean for the future of war?

This technology has already transformed the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “At this point in Ukraine, anything that moves – a soldier…

A COMMON experience for many PhD students working in labs – the glass beaker and fume cupboard kind – is to feel like a glorified robot. So much science, especially the testing of new materials that students are often left to carry out, can require repetitive drudgery that feels like a waste of time and talent.

Artificial intelligence and actual robots might seem like an obvious way to offload some of this menial work, but, for a long time, the complexity of even simple…

IF YOU ask the AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT what the rise of artificial intelligence means for humanity’s future, it proffers a measured response, concluding that “the future of humanity with AI is not predetermined, and its impact will depend on how AI is developed, regulated, and integrated into various aspects of society”.

Sensible stuff but, let’s be honest, evasive. If you really want to get to grips with how the era of AI will pan out for us, you are better off asking Scott Aaronson and Boaz Barak, computer scientists at the University of Texas at Austin and Harvard University, respectively. They have already gone to the trouble of boiling down the lengthy discourse on the matter to a handful of outcomes – and given each a whimsical name. “Our goal was to map out the scenarios that people are currently talking about,” says Aaronson.

Discussing it at length over dinner, they ended up convinced that just five future worlds cover all the possible endpoints of our development of AI. The pair then wrote a post on Aaronson’s blog, hoping that “The five worlds of AI” would help people in the field talk meaningfully to each other about end goals and regulation. “We took a humorous tone, but we are serious about trying to ground the debate,” says Barak.

Here, then, is a vaguely choose-your-own-adventure style exploration of their five worlds. It is a bit of fun, with the twist that, depending on how we play things, we could wind up in an AI-assisted utopia…or wipe out humanity.

The…

Zubin Kanga describes himself as a pianist, composer and technologist. In his latest work, Cyborg Pianist, which premiered at Kings Place, London, he commissioned composers to create new works that fused cutting-edge technology with classical piano. Using technologies such as MiMu motion detection gloves, brainwave sensors and artificial intelligence, Kanga hopes to create a new repertoire for the classical piano and bring it into the 21st century. “We now have this capability of becoming these cyborg musicians”, he says, “and generate a new way of making music using these new technologies.”

Cyborg Pianist is available now on CD and digital

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Can the intensely thrilling experience delivered by a rollercoaster be matched by a ride simulator using just a VR headset and motion platform? Thrill engineer Brendan Walker’s experiment, in collaboration with Middlesex University, UK, has been designed to answer this very question by monitoring and comparing riders’ emotional states onboard both a real ride and its simulation. Walker believes the use of this motion platform technology with virtual reality could open the door to a whole metaverse of thrill ride possibilities waiting to be imagined.⁠

Earlier this year, the Joint European Torus (JET) turned 40. JET is a fusion energy tokamak device based in Oxfordshire, UK, operated by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. When powered up, plasma rushes around the reactor’s core at 150 million°C, hotter than the centre of the sun.

After decades of research, JET is set to close. But as we discovered on a recent visit, the reactor has made huge steps forward for fusion power, paving the way for the next generation of reactors.

JET is the only fusion machine able to operate with tritium within its fuel mix, and has provided valuable experimental data for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a next-generation tokamak currently under construction near Marseilles, France. The aim is that ITER will produce 10 times more energy than what is put into it, and it could bring us closer to the promise of a clean, unlimited energy source. Join Alex Wilkins as he explores JET and gets insights into the future of fusion.

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Steady Energy, a startup originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, aims to revolutionize the energy-intensive heating industry, starting with residential and district heating. Recently, the company successfully secured EUR 2 million in seed funding led by VTT, Yes VC, and Lifeline Ventures. This funding will be utilized by Steady Energy to conduct research and development activities aimed at showcasing the functionality of their innovative plant. The company plans to construct a 1:1 scale mockup, powered by electric heat, to demonstrate the potential of their groundbreaking concept.

By the year 2030, Steady Energy envisions the establishment of the world’s first LDR-50 reactor-based heating plant. The LDR-50 district heating reactor is a compact modular nuclear reactor that has been under development at VTT since 2020. With a heat output of 50MW, the LDR-50 is designed to operate at temperatures around 150 degrees Celsius and at a pressure below 10 bar (145 psi). Compared to traditional reactors, the operating conditions of the LDR-50 are less demanding, which simplifies the technical requirements to meet the high safety standards of the nuclear industry.

According to Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy, the pressure required by the LDR-50 reactor is comparable to that of a household espresso machine, even lower than that of a district heating network. This unique feature ensures that in the event of a malfunction causing a leak, the leakage remains contained within the heating plant, posing no danger to individuals or the environment.

Heating constitutes approximately 50% of all energy consumption in European households. Out of the estimated 500 TWh of annual district heat consumption in Europe, around 300 TWh is currently produced by burning fossil fuels. The decarbonization of residential heating in Europe represents a market with immense growth potential, amounting to hundreds of billions of euros. Presently, there are approximately 3,500 district heating networks throughout Europe, catering to the needs of 60 million people. Unfortunately, these networks heavily rely on fossil fuels. However, successful large-scale decarbonization of district heating has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nyman highlights that approximately 75% of district heating systems in the European Union currently rely on fossil fuels, and the situation is even worse in China. Nuclear energy, already a major source of low-carbon electricity, holds the potential to extend its benefits to other energy sectors, including heating, through the utilization of small modular reactors (SMRs). These reactors are not only safer than traditional reactors but also more affordable. Steady Energy’s goal is to establish a demonstration plant for district heating purposes, ideally in Finland, with a long-term vision of operating multiple plants worldwide. This will enable the production of carbon-neutral heat for residential, commercial, and industrial applications, making it the world’s leading nuclear energy technology optimized for the heating sector.

Safety is of paramount importance in nuclear power, and the LDR-50 reactor incorporates a passive heat removal solution that plays a vital role in ensuring its safety. Passive systems enable the fulfillment of extremely stringent safety requirements through simplified technology.

The LDR-50 reactor module consists of two nested pressure vessels, with the intermediate space partially filled with water. In the event of compromised heat removal through the primary heat exchangers, the water in the intermediate space begins to boil, providing an efficient passive heat transfer route into the reactor pool. This system operates without relying on electricity or any mechanical moving parts that could fail and disrupt the cooling function. This innovative design was awarded a patent in 2021.

According to Timo Ahopelto, Founding Partner at Lifeline Ventures, Steady Energy is well-positioned to start its business in Finland due to the country’s nuclear power expertise, national energy policy, and the presence of a world-class district heating network. Jyri Engeström, Founder and Partner at Yes VC, emphasizes that Europe and the United States have recognized the potential of small reactors and anticipate their integration into energy production within the current decade. The global market for small reactors is expected to be highly significant.

Jussi Manninen, Executive Vice President of VTT, asserts that VTT has been dedicated to driving scientific innovation for the betterment of the world and businesses for the past 80 years. Addressing the pressing issue of climate change, VTT is committed to exploring future technologies and developing cutting-edge solutions to build carbon-neutral societies. Steady Energy embodies this commitment and represents the hope that VTT aspires to bring to the world.

Steady Energy will tailor its business models to meet the specific requirements of its customers and is prepared to directly deliver heating plants to them. Each unit of the LDR-50 reactor has a capacity of 50 megawatts, making it suitable for heating a small city. Multiple reactors can be deployed in a single heating plant, and the technology can be adapted for other purposes such as desalination or steam production for industrial applications, particularly in areas suffering from water scarcity.

Tommi Nyman concludes by emphasizing the necessity of discontinuing combustion-based heating in order to preserve the planet and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. Alongside renewable energy, nuclear energy provides a reliable source of power and heat that caters to the needs of modern society and contributes to the global fight against climate change.

The Steady Energy project has been incubated through VTT LaunchPad, a science-based spin-off incubator that brings together VTT researchers, technology, and entrepreneurial expertise with the aim of transforming industries. VTT LaunchPad supports incubator teams in developing VTT-owned intellectual property into viable spin-off companies.

Steady Energy, a startup originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, aims to revolutionize the energy-intensive heating industry, starting with residential and district heating. Recently, the company successfully secured EUR 2 million in seed funding led by VTT, Yes VC, and Lifeline Ventures. This funding will be utilized by Steady Energy to conduct research and development activities aimed at showcasing the functionality of their innovative plant. The company plans to construct a 1:1 scale mockup, powered by electric heat, to demonstrate the potential of their groundbreaking concept.

By the year 2030, Steady Energy envisions the establishment of the world’s first LDR-50 reactor-based heating plant. The LDR-50 district heating reactor is a compact modular nuclear reactor that has been under development at VTT since 2020. With a heat output of 50MW, the LDR-50 is designed to operate at temperatures around 150 degrees Celsius and at a pressure below 10 bar (145 psi). Compared to traditional reactors, the operating conditions of the LDR-50 are less demanding, which simplifies the technical requirements to meet the high safety standards of the nuclear industry.

According to Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy, the pressure required by the LDR-50 reactor is comparable to that of a household espresso machine, even lower than that of a district heating network. This unique feature ensures that in the event of a malfunction causing a leak, the leakage remains contained within the heating plant, posing no danger to individuals or the environment.

Heating constitutes approximately 50% of all energy consumption in European households. Out of the estimated 500 TWh of annual district heat consumption in Europe, around 300 TWh is currently produced by burning fossil fuels. The decarbonization of residential heating in Europe represents a market with immense growth potential, amounting to hundreds of billions of euros. Presently, there are approximately 3,500 district heating networks throughout Europe, catering to the needs of 60 million people. Unfortunately, these networks heavily rely on fossil fuels. However, successful large-scale decarbonization of district heating has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nyman highlights that approximately 75% of district heating systems in the European Union currently rely on fossil fuels, and the situation is even worse in China. Nuclear energy, already a major source of low-carbon electricity, holds the potential to extend its benefits to other energy sectors, including heating, through the utilization of small modular reactors (SMRs). These reactors are not only safer than traditional reactors but also more affordable. Steady Energy’s goal is to establish a demonstration plant for district heating purposes, ideally in Finland, with a long-term vision of operating multiple plants worldwide. This will enable the production of carbon-neutral heat for residential, commercial, and industrial applications, making it the world’s leading nuclear energy technology optimized for the heating sector.

Safety is of paramount importance in nuclear power, and the LDR-50 reactor incorporates a passive heat removal solution that plays a vital role in ensuring its safety. Passive systems enable the fulfillment of extremely stringent safety requirements through simplified technology.

The LDR-50 reactor module consists of two nested pressure vessels, with the intermediate space partially filled with water. In the event of compromised heat removal through the primary heat exchangers, the water in the intermediate space begins to boil, providing an efficient passive heat transfer route into the reactor pool. This system operates without relying on electricity or any mechanical moving parts that could fail and disrupt the cooling function. This innovative design was awarded a patent in 2021.

According to Timo Ahopelto, Founding Partner at Lifeline Ventures, Steady Energy is well-positioned to start its business in Finland due to the country’s nuclear power expertise, national energy policy, and the presence of a world-class district heating network. Jyri Engeström, Founder and Partner at Yes VC, emphasizes that Europe and the United States have recognized the potential of small reactors and anticipate their integration into energy production within the current decade. The global market for small reactors is expected to be highly significant.

Jussi Manninen, Executive Vice President of VTT, asserts that VTT has been dedicated to driving scientific innovation for the betterment of the world and businesses for the past 80 years. Addressing the pressing issue of climate change, VTT is committed to exploring future technologies and developing cutting-edge solutions to build carbon-neutral societies. Steady Energy embodies this commitment and represents the hope that VTT aspires to bring to the world.

Steady Energy will tailor its business models to meet the specific requirements of its customers and is prepared to directly deliver heating plants to them. Each unit of the LDR-50 reactor has a capacity of 50 megawatts, making it suitable for heating a small city. Multiple reactors can be deployed in a single heating plant, and the technology can be adapted for other purposes such as desalination or steam production for industrial applications, particularly in areas suffering from water scarcity.

Tommi Nyman concludes by emphasizing the necessity of discontinuing combustion-based heating in order to preserve the planet and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. Alongside renewable energy, nuclear energy provides a reliable source of power and heat that caters to the needs of modern society and contributes to the global fight against climate change.

The Steady Energy project has been incubated through VTT LaunchPad, a science-based spin-off incubator that brings together VTT researchers, technology, and entrepreneurial expertise with the aim of transforming industries. VTT LaunchPad supports incubator teams in developing VTT-owned intellectual property into viable spin-off companies.

Nematode worms given glowing shapes inside their bodies show how electronics can be directly 3D printed within a living organism. The technique could one day be used to create and maintain implants or computer-brain interfaces in humans.

Electronic implants are already widespread, from pacemakers to bionic ears, but inserting them into the body can risk infection and they can be difficult to fix if they malfunction.

Now, John Hardy at Lancaster University, UK, and his colleagues have developed a technique …

Welcome to Your AI Future! is an unsettlingly surreal short film, set in a future in which the world has been destroyed, but one human has been found by an apparently well-meaning artificial intelligence, which is keen to help – to the best of its ability.

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