🚁 China tests its biggest-ever cargo drone, Russia and Ukraine exchange blame for nuclear plant fire, does the Red Planet have a blue secret?

Plus: China’s 17,200-ton offshore platform launched, to collect 24M tons of oil annually                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 August 13, 2024 | [Read Online]( The fastest way to build AI apps Writer is the full-stack generative AI platform for enterprises. Quickly and easily build and deploy AI apps with [Writer AI Studio](, a suite of developer tools fully integrated with our LLMs, graph-based RAG, AI guardrails, and more. Use Writer Framework to build Python AI apps with drag-and-drop UI creation, our API and SDKs to integrate AI into your existing codebase, or intuitive no-code tools for business users. [Start building with AI Studio]( Local media sources have reported that China’s biggest unmanned cargo drone has taken to the air for the first time. Designed to carry a payload of just over 1.5 metric tons, the twin-engined autonomous aerial vehicle (UAV) took its maiden flight on Sunday, August 11. Developed by Sichuan Tengden Sci-tech Innovation Company, the drone completed its inaugural 20-minute flight in southwestern Sichuan province. For more on this development, check out today’s [Must-Read]([.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Full Stack Software Engineer (AWS/Node.JS/Angular) - Hybrid Chicago, W2]( > [Cloud Security Engineer]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST-READ 🚁 [China: Biggest cargo drone carries over 1.5 tons in 1st test flight]( The AVIC HH-100 has a wingspan of [52.8 feet (16.1 m)]( and a height of 15 feet (4.6 m). These dimensions would make it slightly larger than a four-seater [Cessna 172]( (a popular traditional light aircraft). The aircraft has easy loading and unloading features, high reliability and safety levels, and advanced intelligence. It is expected to support the country in [expanding its air cargo transportation capabilities]( and creating innovative smart logistics solutions for a low-altitude economy. China’s civilian drone manufacturers are testing larger payloads as the government aims to develop a[low-altitude economy](. The aviation regulator envisions a 2 trillion yuan ($279 billion) industry by 2030, representing a four-fold expansion from 2023. 🔥 [Fire at Europe’s largest nuclear plant: Russia and Ukraine trade blame]( On Sunday, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the [Zaporizhzhia facility in southern Ukraine](, witnessed a dramatic and dangerous development as a fire broke out on its grounds. The fire, which occurred in the midst of ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, prompted immediate concern over [nuclear safety](. Despite the alarming visuals, both sides have reported that there is no indication of [elevated radiation levels](. 🌊 [Red Planet’s blue secret: Mars hides vast underwater world miles before surface]( The barren, hostile Mars likely harbors a [surprisingly massive hidden reservoir of water]( trapped deep within its crust. This intriguing find comes from the data collected by NASA’s long-dead [InSight lander](. Interestingly, this underground reservoir is estimated to be large enough to cover the entire planet in a [mile-deep layer of water](. A Scripps Institute of Oceanography-led team of experts studied seismic data obtained by the lander from Martian innards. 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 > For decades, it was believed that cobras and their venomous cousins originated in Africa. A surprising new study has overturned this view of cobra origins, placing them in Asia. ([More]() > In the shallow waters that once covered Germany, a crocodile with a dolphin-like body thrived 135 million years ago. An international team of researchers recently described this new crocodile species using its fossilized remains found some time ago. ([More]() > Greenland was almost completely ice-free at some point in the last one million years, fossilized flowers from a core sample taken from the center of the island reveal. ([More]() ENERGY > China has launched its heaviest international offshore oil and gas platform. Weighing over 17,200 tons, the platform ranks as one of the largest in the world and will collect 24 million tons of oil annually. ([More]() > The world’s first synthetic aviation fuel (SAF) demonstrator plant will begin operations at London’s Oxford Airport next month. OXCCU, a carbon capture and utilization company based in Oxford, is developing a facility to produce one kilogram of SAF daily. ([More]() > Ørsted, a leading clean energy company, announced a strategic partnership with Mission Clean Energy, a utility-scale renewable energy and storage developer, to advance four standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) across the US Midwest. ([More]() INNOVATION > Chinese researchers have devised a new material that has the potential to create two-dimensional, low-power computer chips. The team formed a stable, incredibly thin layer of aluminum oxide on the surface of single-crystalline aluminum. ([More]() > Scientists have created a groundbreaking type of insulin that adjusts to blood sugar levels in real-time, potentially transforming the treatment for millions of people with type 1 diabetes worldwide. ([More]() > Researchers have made unexpected progress toward developing a new optical memory that can quickly and energy-efficiently store and access computational data. ([More]() VIDEO > AI is being used to colorise and revive footage from the Paris 1924 Olympics. Created by Alibaba, these films give viewers a chance to reflect and celebrate social progress, as a hundred years later, this year's Olympics became the first in history to reach full gender parity. ([More]() > The world's largest 3D-printed neighborhood is nearing completion in Texas. ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, How many triangles can you see in this image? The answer is: 13 Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > Groundbreaking ‘miracle’? 80% of sand used in construction in China is [man-made]( > Trump falsely accuses Harris campaign of fabricated AI crowd [photos]( > The next iPhone SE could have Apple Intelligence, which says a [lot]( > Forensic science cracks the 'unsolvable' case of a World War I soldier's identity, enabling his [re-burial]( > Reef to the Ritz: 'Fish hotels' proposed for future offshore wind [farms]( > Tropical glaciers melting to ‘unprecedented’ extent, study [suggests]( 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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