There are moments in history that require capability, vision, skills and will. Amaero Engineering recently demonstrated an additive manufacturing process at the Avalon Airshow that gives us [Australia] the capability to manufacture complex metallic components by laser-based additive manufacturing - 3D printing. In a global-first, they have created a Jet-Engine using a 3-D printer. This is a partnership between Monash University…
The Federal Minister for Industry & Science, the Hon Ian Macfarlane MP and Carnegie CEO, Dr Michael Ottaviano switched on the world’s first grid connected wave energy array power plant today, February 19th. The world’s first grid-connected wave energy array is now pumping enough electricity to power between 1,500 to 2,000 households in Western Australia. At the moment, the Department of Defence…
Variations on a theme: Some great work from Amanda Cox at the New York Times looking at US Labour Markets: At every age, the chances of not working have changed in the last 15 years. Teenagers are far more likely not to work. Older people are retiring later and working more. In the ages in between — the periods of…
The UK's National Air Traffic Services offers an animated tour of just how flight paths are managed. A fascinating and beautiful visualisation. Links Nats24
The ongoing debate on national infrastructure investment for telecommunications in Australia is mind-numbing. I was a teenager when the Snowy Mountains Scheme was completed. An inter-generational non-partisan development that strengthened the country. I am not sure we demonstrate the ability to replicate such developments? Those concerned with the demographic challenges facing the country over the next generation and the implications for…
Executive Director of the Lowy Institute, Michael Wesley, gave a short presentation in Melbourne, with the broad theme being that coming years are likely to see Australia facing the most challenging global environment in our history. Read on at CoreEcon.. Australia's next great challenge?.
Andrew Leigh says: Jeff Borland has a splendid article (gated, sorry) in the latest Australian Economic Review on what happens to the labour market in recessions. 4 Key points: The impact across industries differs greatly. In past recessions, employment tends to fall in agriculture, manufacturing and construction, but also tends to rise in ‘recreation and personal services’, and sometimes also in…
'Buy American' Rider Sparks Trade Debate . The stimulus bill passed by the House last night contains a controversial provision that would mostly bar foreign steel and iron from the infrastructure projects laid out by the $819 billion economic package. [washingtonpost.com - Business]
First Ever Video Of Dynamics Of Carbon Atoms Makes Spintronic-based Computing Look More Promising. Researchers working with TEAM 0.5, the world's most powerful transmission electron microscope, have made a movie that shows in real-time carbon atoms repositioning themselves around the edge of a hole that was punched into a graphene sheet. This is the first ever live recording of the…