When biodiversity meets the cloud
09 March 2026
Ed Baker, Acoustic Biology Researcher at the Natural History Museum and Hilary Tam, Sustainability Leader, Europe Middle East & Africa at Amazon Web Services install an environmental sensor in the pond to measure temperature at various depths. © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London
When the Natural History Museum set out to redevelop its five-acre gardens, the goal stretched far beyond aesthetic landscaping. The transformation, made possible through a partnership with Amazon Web Services, was designed to create one of the most data-rich urban nature sites in the UK. What had once been a traditional museum garden is now a digitally enhanced research environment, where soil moisture, insect wingbeats and airborne DNA are monitored with the same enthusiasm as the museum’s most prized fossils.
Find out more Cyber, environmental and safety rules converge as UK rail enters new compliance era
09 March 2026
The UK rail industry is navigating a significant regulatory transformation as cybersecurity requirements, digital infrastructure standards and environmental compliance converge to reshape operational frameworks across the sector.
The Office of Rail and Road has made cyber threats a top priority, emphasising that they are “a real and present risk” for rail. ORR underlines that duty holders must now manage cyber risk "in the same way as any other safety risk" by integrating software and IT/OT security into their Safety Management Systems.
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Wireless Broadband Alliance releases framework for secure private 5G networks
02 March 2026
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), the global industry body dedicated to advancing Wi-Fi interoperability, has published the report “Enterprise Security for Private 5G Networks.”
This comprehensive guide outlines a unified security framework and best practices to help enterprises seamlessly integrate Private 5G into their existing IT and Wi-Fi environments while safeguarding against cyber threats. Central to the report is a converged Zero-Trust model built on open standards and shared policies, promoting secure, resilient, and interoperable enterprise networks.
Find out more Gigabit broadband remains top priority for UK councils as digital inclusion gains focus
16 February 2026
Consultancy firm FarrPoint has published its fourth annual survey of digital leaders at councils across England, Scotland and Wales, revealing that expanding the coverage of gigabit broadband remains the top priority for most local authorities, just as it was last year.
The report, UK Local Government Connectivity Survey 2026, found that most respondents chose gigabit broadband (1000Mbps+) as their number one priority, whilst getting 100% of their area covered by at least "superfast" (30Mbps+) connectivity continues to feature as the second-highest priority for councils, followed by the expansion of 4G mobile coverage. On the flip side, ensuring digital connectivity is aligned with net-zero targets has disappeared off this year's list of priorities. Project Gigabit aims to help extend gigabit broadband ISP networks to "nationwide" coverage (c.99% of UK premises) by 2032, focusing mostly on the final 10% to 20% in hard-to-reach areas. Some 89.6% of premises can already access such a network, with Ofcom forecasting between 91% and 97% by January 2028.
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