Waiting To Unload: Global Supply Chain Disruption Visible From NASA Satellites
The pandemic has disrupted global supply chains and markets in ways that have led to backlogs of cargo ships at key ports. Booming demand for…
Transportation
New Research Examines COVID-19 Spread on School Buses
Although in-school transmission of COVID-19 among K-12 students is low when safeguards are in place, the risk of acquiring COVID-19 during school bus transportation is…
It’s Electrifying! How Earth Could Be Entirely Powered by Sustainable Energy
Can you imagine a world powered by 100% renewable electricity and fuels? It may seem fantasy, but a collaborative team of scientists has just shown…
Aviation’s Contribution to Cutting Climate Change Likely to Be Small – Non-CO2 Effects Important
Although the emissions targets for aviation are in line with the overall goals of the Paris Agreement, there is a high likelihood that the climate…
Pathogenic Invasions: Changing Community Networks Impact Disease Spread
The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the importance of understanding precisely how diseases spread throughout networks of transportation. However, rigorously determining the connection between disease…
Environmental Trade-Offs of Autonomous Vehicles: Convenience Will Likely Come at a Cost
Optimistic predictions expect reliable autonomous vehicles to be commercially available by 2030, at a time when mobility is undergoing a profound shift away from traditional…
Ultra HD 3D Holographic Head-Up Display Could Improve Road Safety
Researchers have developed the first LiDAR-based augmented reality head-up display for use in vehicles. Tests on a prototype version of the technology suggest that it…
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…
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…