Renaissance for wood construction
Timber buildings may soon be on course for a comeback, driven by an unprecedented push for sustainable development.
It was the renewable fuel that propelled human evolution, and remains valuable in heating the technological age.
Crafting in wood is part of our national heritage, but traditional woodworking skills are undervalued by modern industry.
While chiefly remembered for being the first man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong preferred to emphasise his technical background once stating: 'I am, and ever will be a white socks, pocket protector, nerdy engineer'.
E&T grabs hold of wood this issue to review this much-loved, long-established and renewable material, used for centuries for everything from heating to building, via manufacturing and art. Plus the latest news, reviews, regular columns and much more besides.
The E&T podcast: download episode 21
In this special edition of the E&T podcast, we take a different approach as features editor Vitali Vitaliev chairs a round-table discussion between author Anthony Peake and science writer Piers Bizony on the nature of life and death.
Ultrabooks - the future of the laptop? 
The quest for the perfect laptop is almost as old as portable computing itself. Could the latest contender, Intel's Ultrabook, spell the end of the search?
One2ten - Ten of the most unusual wooden products ever made
We select ten of the most bizarre items to have been made out of wood.
Solid state drive innovation - data's new home?
Solid state drives now offer an attractive storage alternative for enterprise users - but is the range of options and pace of innovation proving more of a headache than a help to IT specifiers?
RCA showcases furniture-making finalists
This month we look at the work of 12 students from the Royal College of Art who were set a challenge of designing and manufacturing a seat from American hardwood.
Wood components in materials research
There is more to wood than meets the eye as researchers looks to its components for next-generation materials.
Meet the inventor of Chirp
A new smartphone app called Chirp allows short-range data exchange using digital 'birdsong'. Sounds like fun, but there's a very serious side to chirping, says inventor Patrick Bergel.
Reuse the key to big-science electronics
Big-science experiments are expensive so electronics designers are turning to off-the-shelf technologies to keep costs under control.
The Restoration of the Cutty Sark
After the devastating fire in 2007, the Cutty Sark has undergone a complete makeover. We take a look at the engineering behind the legendary ship's revival.
Wooden high-rise buildings
Eco-friendly engineered wooden panels are helping architects reach for the ply.
Icons of the 1960s: the leaders of the technology pack
We talk to author James M Clash, whose new book paints a picture of the iconic individuals who sculpted the technical landscape of the 1960s.
Biotech violins - better than a Stradivarius?
Improving the tonal quality of wood may allow modern instrument makers to match the legendary quality of violin master Antonio Stradivari.
At sea with a Viking satnav
The Vikings' seafaring exploits relied on some ingenious navigation techniques.
Wood in warfare
After years of being ignored in favour of metals and plastics, wood is getting a high-tech military makeover.
BYOD - beyond the device divide
The 'bring your own device' proposition is about more than just who owns the computing tool you do your work on: followed through to its fullest extent, BYOD could cause changes to enterprise communications provisioning models that have been around for decades.
Safety and security convergence - a new era?
We are moving toward a world where every connected system is becoming safety critical - so ICT professionals should step up to the principles of ultra-rigorous system design and build.
For and Against: Google's Street View
For
Google’s online geographic systems are really helping the way we see the world
Head of Geography Outdoors
Profile: Shane Winser
Shane Winser is the head of Geography Outdoors at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) the centre supporting field research, exploration and outdoor learning. She has a long history of encouraging the use of innovative technologies to support exploration and discovery, and sharing the results of such endeavours with a wide range of audiences.
Against
Google’s online geographic systems aren’t helping the way we see the world
Reporter and commentator
Profile: Chris Edwards
Chris Edwards is a reporter and commentator on electronics, IT and synthetic biology. He has two decades’ experience of journalism as an editor and writer. He is a long-standing contributor to E&T and other IET publications, including Flipside. He also writes for the Guardian.
Google Street View is really giving us a better view of the world
‘World’s first full-HD Android tablet’ has 1.6GHz quad-core processing and 8MP rear camera with video capture
Canon’s first ever interchangeable lens compact squeezes digital SLR quality into a smaller, simpler space
A 12-item multitool with a twist - fold-out legs and the Steady’s body serve as a tripod with a camera mount
The Nexus 7 8GB model features 7in HD touchscreen, 9+ hour battery life and quad-core processing
With YouView technology, Freeview can use broadband for full-HD catch-up services (iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player etc)
Bristling with 20 buttons, the customisable G600 makes it easier to play massively multi-player online games
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