Hybrid-Electric Plane Concept May Reduce Aviation’s Air Pollution Problem
Proposed design could reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 95 percent, a new study finds. At cruising altitude, airplanes emit a steady stream of nitrogen oxides…
Transportation
Where to Sit in a Car and Which Windows to Put Down to Prevent COVID-19 Transmission
Airflows inside passenger cars and implications for airborne disease transmission. A new series of computational fluid dynamics simulations suggests that, for two people who must…
Smarter Traffic Signs With Doppler Radar, Traffic and Weather Sensors for Real-Time Driver Alerts
Smart traffic signs combining Doppler radar and video with acoustic and weather sensors can track traffic volume and alert drivers in real-time to hazards ahead….
How Airflow Inside a Car May Affect COVID-19 Transmission Risk – What Works Best for Windows and Ventilation
A new study uses computer simulations to track airflows inside a car’s passenger cabin, providing potential strategies — some of them counterintuitive — for reducing…
Mitigating Climate Change and Extreme Heat With Reflective Pavements
MIT postdoc explains how reflective pavements can significantly — and often indirectly — mitigate climate change and extreme heat. Extreme heat events — like those…
Taking to the Skies: Air Taxis Could Significantly Reduce Fuel Consumption and Traffic Congestion
If air taxis become a viable mode of transportation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have estimated they could reduce fuel consumption significantly while alleviating traffic…
Futurebus: Contactless Bus Designed for the COVID-19 Pandemic Age
A new public transportation design concept aims to give passengers the confidence to take a bus ride by minimizing contact, using anti-microbial fabric and installing…
What Moves People? MIT Brings Behavioral Science to Urban Transportation
MIT Associate Professor Jinhua Zhao, who will direct the new MIT Mobility Initiative, brings behavioral science to urban transportation. It’s easy to think of urban…
Mit: Stiffer Roadways Could Improve Truck Fuel Efficiency and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Study finds simple changes in road resurfacing practices could improve gas mileage for heavy vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Every time you hear a…
Microwave Air Plasma Thruster: Fossil Fuel-Free Jet Propulsion
A prototype design of a plasma jet thruster can generate thrusting pressures on the same magnitude a commercial jet engine can, using only air and…
New Smartphone App Can Tell When Parts on Your Car Need Replacing
A new smartphone app analyzes a car’s sounds and vibrations, letting you know if your tires need air, spark plugs are bad, or air filter…
New Model Explores Exploding Growth in Global Transportation Connectivity
According to a study at MIT using a new model that determines regional connectivity via air travel, global connectivity increased 140% between 1990 and 2012,…
Stiffer Pavements Could Reduce Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions
A team of engineers used mathematical modeling to look at the effect of pavement deflection on vehicle fuel consumption across the entire U.S. road network,…
VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel Vehicle Travels 1626 Miles on One Tank of Fuel
A step in the right direction, a VW Passat TDI set the world record for longest distance on one tank of clean diesel fuel. The…
NASA to Test Jet Engine with a Helping of Cereal and Crayons
While foreign objects continue to present dangers for commercial and military airliner passengers, NASA’s Aviation Safety Program is working on new technology that will use…
NASA Reviews Ideas for Greener Aircraft
For the past year, leading aircraft manufacturers, Lockheed Martin, The Boeing Company and Northrop Grumman, have been trying to meet NASA’s challenge and develop green…