🚛 Truck crash design, 'Electro Adhesion,' and Mars supercomputers

Plus: Engineering students' war effort devices                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 March 14, 2024 | [Read Online]( Sponsored by A new truck design engineered by researchers in Sweden shows promise in mitigating the deadly severity of car-truck collisions. That is, crash tests revealed how the design reduces passenger car compartment deformations by 30-60 percent. Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are inherently more dangerous to passenger cars in collisions. Between 14-16 percent of all car occupant fatalities in both the EU and the U.S. involve HGVs, and the occupants of the car are the victims in 90 percent. For more on this design, don’t miss out on today's [Must Read.]( 👀 Are you more of a video person for all things engineering, tech, military, and more? For our weekly top 5 IE Originals videos delivered every Friday, [Subscribe now.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Project Engineer, Engine Components]( > [Senior Mixed Signal Design Engineer]( 🎙 New podcast [Shaping liquids for Space optics with Moran Bercovici]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ 🚛 This truck design protects cars in head-on crashes Large trucks’ [geometry, stiffness, and sheer mass]( drastically increase crash severity compared to car-on-car impacts, even at moderate speeds. Current safety standards assume two modern passenger cars with the highest safety ratings will withstand an 80-kilometer-per-hour collision without fatalities. Still, the same isn’t true for vehicles striking a truck. The challenge lies in the size and structural rigidity mismatch between[trucks and cars.](Even at moderate collision speeds, the consequences can devastate those in passenger vehicles. The Chalmers University of Technology team focused on a critical point – protecting the passenger car’s cabin in a head-on collision. Traditional truck designs don’t allow this, so the research aimed to transform how trucks and cars interact [during crashes.]( ⚡Scientists stick materials with electricity in a shocking discovery Researchers at the University of Maryland in the U.S. have successfully demonstrated the [binding of hard materials]( using no tape or glue — but electricity. The team used graphite electrodes and acrylamide gel in their experiment. When five volts (V) were applied, the gel adhered strongly to the [positively charged electrode]( and couldn't be pried away by hand. In fact, an attempt to do so resulted in the gel tearing before it could be disconnected from the electrode. Interestingly, by simply reversing the polarity of the electrodes, the gel separated from the graphite electrode very easily and then adhered to the other electrode, which was now positively charged. Repeated experiments to test the system involved other metals, gel compositions, animal tissues, and [fruits and vegetables.]( 🚀 NASA uses world’s fastest supercomputer to simulate Mars crew landings NASA is using [state-of-the-art supercomputers]( to simulate future crew landings on Mars. Since 2019, they've used NASA's FUN3D software on supercomputers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). Then, in 2023 they used Frontier, the world’s fastest exascale supercomputer, to simulate a complete test flight. NASA is investigating the use of [retropropulsion rather than parachute landings]( due to Mars’ thin atmosphere. To date, Mars rover landers have weighed roughly 1 ton. By comparison, a crewed spacecraft with cargo and life support systems could weigh somewhere between 20 to 50 tons. It would also be roughly the size of a two-story house. While their work is far from finished, the OLCF team believes Frontier is well-positioned to help provide the framework for [future Mars colonists.]( IE+ Love what you're reading? Join our vibrant online community, explore fascinating scientific breakthroughs, get special discounts and stay in the know with our exclusive weekly premium newsletter. Upgrade to IE+ for quality reporting beyond the headlines – plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR Data Power-Up with Bright Data [Bright Data]( elevates businesses by collecting web data into turning it into actionable insights. Our global proxy network and web unblocking tools enable businesses to build datasets in real time and at scale. They provide a competitive edge in Ecommerce, Travel, Finance, and beyond. Tap into the value of clean and structured data for market research, ML/AI development, and strategic decision-making. With our scalable solutions, you can efficiently enhance your data strategy, ensuring you're always one step ahead. [Start with our free trial and see the difference yourself](. HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > Where there is water, there may be life. However, reports presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference cast doubt on Europa as a potential haven for life. ([More]() > A new study shows most particles emitted during light braking carry an electric charge – something that could potentially be exploited to help reduce air pollution from vehicles. ([More]() > Scientists hypothesize that inflammatory stress is spreading among people at unprecedented rates, impairing human decision-making and behavior at scale. 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([More]() > The agility of ANYmal, a dog-like robot, has been enhanced with neural network training, enabling it to complete a basic parkour course at up to 6 feet (2 meters) per second. ([More]() > Researchers are taking cleaner transportation to the skies by creating and evaluating new batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically. ([More]() VIDEO > Introducing SOMATIC, a robotic cleaning service designed to transform the landscape of commercial building maintenance. With its innovative flat monthly fee structure, the bot appears to significantly enhance the effectiveness of cleaning operations. ([More]() > IE examines the world's largest fog harvester. An ancient water conservation technique inspires an innovative solution to address water scarcity in fog-abundant areas. 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