Today’s physics news: Shrimps and uranium extraction, Curiosity’s locomotion system working

Uranium from seawater idea boosted with shrimp shells

A happy coincidence in the seafood industry has raised the prospects of harvesting uranium – the fuel source for nuclear power – from seawater. Oceans hold billions of tonnes of uranium at tiny concentrations, but extracting it remains uneconomical.  A report at the 244th meeting of the American Chemical Society described a new technique using uranium-absorbing mats made from discarded shrimp shells.

BBC

Curiosity Mars rover takes first drive

The Mars robot, which landed on the Red Planet two weeks ago, turned its six wheels briefly on Wednesday to satisfy engineers that its locomotion system was in full working order.

BBC

Shared Services Centre is ‘below standard’ and new tasks won’t help it improve, says STFC head

The performance of the “already over-stretched” Shared Services Centre for the UK research councils may suffer further when new bodies begin to use the centre in the coming months, it has been warned.  Writing in the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s annual report for 2011-12, John Womersley, chief executive of the STFC, says that service levels at the centre remain “significantly below expected standards”.

Times Higher Education

Scottish students to enjoy most generous funding in UK

Scottish students will enjoy the most generous funding in the UK after Scottish National party (SNP) ministers in Edinburgh increased spending on the poorest students and widened access to automatic loans.

The Guardian

Vestas to cut 1,400 more jobs as it reports quarterly pre-tax loss

Vestas, the Danish wind turbine maker, is to shed another 1,400 jobs, bringing total redundancies for the year to more than 3,700, after the world’s biggest wind turbine maker slumped to a quarterly pre-tax loss.  Chief executive Ditlev Engels said: “2013, as it looks today, is probably going to be the toughest year that the wind industry has seen for a number of years.”

The Guardian