🐘 Lasers detect illegal ivory, River salt battery, Self-righting boat

Plus: Video calls from Mars?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 April 26, 2024 | [Read Online]( Ivory tusks are known to be illegally traded mainly due to the high demand for ivory products valued for their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance in certain cultures. Now, scientists have developed a laser-based approach to detect the difference between illegal elephant ivory and legal mammoth tusk ivory. For more on the tech, don’t miss today’s [Must-Read]([.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Machine Learning Engineer]( > [Software Development Engineer III, AI Research & Education]( 🎙 New podcast [Â]([Redefining astronomy with smart telescopes]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ 🐘 New laser tech using Raman spectroscopy detects illegal elephant ivory Scientists at the Universities of Bristol and Lancaster employed a laser tech known as [Raman spectroscopy](. They noted in a statement that this non-destructive technology involves shining a high-energy light at an ivory specimen. Their method detected small [biochemical differences]( in the tusks of elephants and mammoths. When this technology was tested on mammoth and elephant tusk samples from London’s Natural History Museum, the results were accurate and quick. Ivory tusks are highly sought after in illegal trade. They are prized for their cultural significance and aesthetic appeal. Unfortunately, this demand fuels poaching and trafficking, creating a lucrative [black market.]( 🧂 New battery uses river salt to generate electricity Researchers have created a [semipermeable membrane]( that significantly boosts the osmotic energy extracted from salt gradients, such as those found in estuaries where fresh and saltwater mix. They essentially created a new battery that uses river salt to generate electricity. The team used a unique [nanofluidic membrane]( with multiple layers. Small cellulose channels assist in ion movement on the inside, while on the outside, a polyaniline network facilitates electron movement. In laboratory tests, the new design’s output power density was more than twice as high as commercial membranes. In particular, it was 2.34 times higher than a commercial RED membrane and maintained performance for 16 days of [nonstop operation.]( 🛥️ Hong Kong: ‘World’s biggest self-righting fireboat’ recovers in 6 secs The Hong Kong Fire Services Department has spent US$16 million (HK$125 million) on a [self-righteous fireboat]( that can recover from a complete capsize in as little as six seconds. The government body responsible for procuring and overseeing the operation of the new fireboat claims it’s the ‘[world’s biggest](.’ The giant vessel is intended for use in the waters around Hong Kong, particularly in the eastern waters, where there has been an increase in emergency incidents. It measures 98 to 127 feet (30 to 39 meters) in length and weighs about 200 tonnes. Its self-righting capability allows the vessel to roll back to an upright position from a heeled position anywhere in the range of [roll motion.]( Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > In an exceptional discovery, paleontologists have uncovered fossil tracks in the Fujian Province of southeastern China. They believe the footprints were left by a gigantic raptor some 90 million years ago. ([More]() > In a feat of microfabrication and tissue engineering, scientists just developed miniature colons and gave them cancer. In a bid to mimic the disease as closely as ever, the approach could be a step closer to a cure. ([More]() > Microbial life has been discovered 13 feet beneath the surface of Earth’s most hostile desert — the Atacama in northern Chile. A novel extraction procedure was used to ensure that recovered DNA was from living organisms.  ([More]() ENERGY > Researchers have developed a highly flexible capacitor with unmatched energy density. It could advance energy storage across medicine, aviation, electric vehicles (EVs), consumer electronics, defense, and more. ([More]() > Researchers have developed a small-scale energy storage device capable of stretching, twisting, folding, and wrinkling. It could pave the way for truly adaptable and comfortable wearables. ([More]() > The world’s leading battery manufacturer, CATL, has launched the Shenxing Plus — a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell. It aims to alleviate range anxiety in electric vehicle (EV) drivers. ([More]() INNOVATION > OpenAI has become the first firm to receive Nvidia’s advanced AI processor DGX H200. Billed as the world’s most powerful GPU, it will help OpenAI advance the development of GPT-5. ([More]() > NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment could lead the way to high-definition videos from millions of miles away in deep space — including Mars. ([More]() > NASA and Nokia have teamed up to bring 4G connectivity to the Moon. The 4G network will help pave the way for permanent habitability on other planets. ([More]() VIDEO > The World AI Creator Awards has announced a plan for a "Miss AI" beauty pageant. Female-presenting AI influencers will be judged on their beauty, technology, and influence. ([More]() > An Ohio company has started selling a robot dog with an attached flamethrower. The "Thermonator" robot also has a napalm-throwing option and laser sighting. ([More]() > The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered carbon-based molecules on a viable exoplanet. That means there should be an ocean on the planet's surface. ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, Which nozzle increases water pressure to the max? Is it (a) the curved taper, (b) the straight taper, or (c) the consistent cylinder? The answer is: C Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > Indian nuclear facilities found to have radioactive influence on Southern Tibetan [Plateau]( > Gravity might reverse—or undo—the Big Bang, according to 5,000 [robots]( > Road workers find stone and pottery — and reveal ancient settlements in [Poland]( > More than 4,000 ship engines caught up in Japanese fuel data [scandal]( > A simple ‘twist’ improves the engine of clean fuel [generation]( > Japan comes face to face with its own space [junk]( Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. [🛩️ Aerospace:]( The latest on propulsion, satellites, aeronautics, and more. [🧑🏻‍🔧 Engineer Pros:]( The latest in engineering news, career updates, and insider knowledge. 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