Using Very Large Telescope (VLT) and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), researchers from the University of Vienna, Austria, and elsewhere have investigated the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in a massive galaxy cluster known as MACS 1931.8-2635. Results of the study, published January 28 on arXiv.org, deliver important information about the nature of this BCG. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-02-brightest-cluster-galaxy-macs-.html…
Tag: Austria
Mitsubishi Heavy To Build Biggest Zero-Carbon Steel Plant
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will soon complete in Austria the world’s largest steel plant capable of attaining net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. Mitsubishi Heavy, through a British unit, is constructing the pilot plant at a complex of Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine. Trial operation is slated to begin in 2021. From a report: The plant will use hydrogen instead of coal in the reduction…
What Scientists Know About the Coronavirus Variant Spreading In the UK
An anonymous reader quotes a report from NBC News: Several European countries have banned flights from the U.K. over fears about a new coronavirus variant that has forced millions of people in Britain to cancel their Christmas plans. Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Italy all announced restrictions on U.K. travel. Others will likely follow suit as scientists warned that the…
How Europe’s Night Trains Came Back From the Dead
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: [O]ver the past decade, much of Europe’s night train network has been cut. 2013 and 2014 saw the culling of lines from Paris to Madrid, Rome and Barcelona; Amsterdam to Prague and Warsaw; and Berlin to Paris and Kiev. For many, it seemed the end of the line was nigh. But recently there…
John le Carre, Author of Spy Novels, Dies at Age 89
“This terrible year has claimed a literary giant and a humanitarian spirit,” tweeted novelist Stephen King, adding later that “The Little Drummer Girl was one of the best novels I’ve ever read.” Margaret Atwood tweeted “His Smiley novels are key to understanding the mid-20th century.” And the Associated Press tells the story of how spy-novel writer John le Carré was “drawn…
Covid-19 Christmas: How is Europe planning to tackle the holidays?
Italy is banning travel, the UK has household bubbles, Germans are isolating and Austria is mass testing. Which approach to coronavirus at Christmas is likely to work best? Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24833125-000-covid-19-christmas-how-is-europe-planning-to-tackle-the-holidays/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Microsoft Will Remove User Names from ‘Productivity Score’ Feature After Privacy Backlash
Microsoft says it will make changes in its new Productivity Score feature, including removing the ability for companies to see data about individual users, to address concerns from privacy experts that the tech giant had effectively rolled out a new tool for snooping on workers. From a report: “Going forward, the communications, meetings, content collaboration, teamwork, and mobility measures in Productivity…
Does Python Need to Change?
The Python programming language “is a big hit for machine learning,” read a headline this week at ZDNet, adding “But now it needs to change.” Python is the top language according to IEEE Spectrum’s electrical engineering audience, yet you can’t run Python in a browser and you can’t easily run it on a smartphone. Plus no one builds games in Python…
Worsening rifts, fractures spotted at 2 important Antarctic glaciers
Satellite imagery has revealed that 2 of the fastest-changing glaciers in Antarctica are fracturing and weakening faster than ever, a step towards the glaciers disintegrating and causing sea levels to rise dramatically. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/worsening-rifts-fractures-2-important-antarctic-glaciers…
Hydrogen-Powered Train Makes Its First Trip in the UK
“Trials of a hydrogen-powered train are underway in the U.K.,” reports CNBC:
The HydroFLEX train — which has been developed by a team from the University of Birmingham and Porterbrook, a rolling stock firm — uses a fuel-cell which combines hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, heat and water… It’s hoped that the technology will be available to retrofit trains already in…