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An innovative project in the UK is aimed at replicating photosynthesis in a bid to produce biofuels. This project is being carried out by a team at the University of East Anglia (UEA), with assistance from the University of Cambridge and the University of Leeds. The intention is to find a simple and efficient process for producing hydrogen, with funding coming from the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences research council. The hydrogen produced using this technology then be used either as a fuel for i

A new technology developed by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland provides drivers with warnings of black ice on the roads. This automatic detection system will warn a driver in advance that a road is dangerous due to the presence of ice. According to VTT, this uses a novel, real-time method of obtaining information on road surface friction and employs data collected from the car’s in-built sensors. This compares the speeds of the drive shafts and axles in an array of driving conditions, with an al

Germany intends to refurbish or replace at least 300 road bridges between now and 2020. It’s reported that this will result in costs of between US$ 4.81 billion (€3.60bn) and $8.92 billion (€6.7bn), based on 2010 prices. Many of the bridges affected are from the 1960s to 1980s and thought no longer suitable for the heavy transport traffic of today. Another claimed factor behind the necessity for the multi-billion dollar investment is that damage resulting from global warming was not taken into account when

A further US$ 9 billion is required to complete the development of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), according to the National Economic and Social Development Board of Thailand. The new investment will cover development of roads, special economic zones, border towns, ports and facilities at important checkpoints in the GMS’s six states of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Yunnan Province of China. The North-South Economic Corridor's transport network will, it’s reported, be confirmed onc

The government of Qatar is set to award more than 30 road projects costing a combined US$27.5 billion in 2013, as the country continues to prepare to host the FIFA World Cup tournament in 2022. The upcoming Qatar Projects 2013 conference will discuss details of potential contracts, and the event will feature owners, stakeholders and contractors in the country's project sector. Conference topics include reducing costs for workforce, materials and resources as well as raising efficiencies and transparency in