Krishna University of Sussex physicists have applied “nano-origami” to graphene to create a tiny object which behaves like a microchip. This could eventually lead to computers and phones running thousands of times faster than they do today. The researchers created the microchips from graphene and other 2D materials by creating kinks (defects) in its structure. The … Read more
How can insect farming contribute to food security? One British firm believes it has the answer. With the global population set to top nine billion by 2050, it’s estimated that food production needs to increase by around 70 per cent to meet demand, and do so sustainably. Some 820 million people go hungry globally, yet a … Read more
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced that Jaguar will stop building cars with internal combustion engines by 2025, shaking up its operations in the UK. In November, the government brought forward a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030. It had previously set a 2035 target for the transition, which was … Read more
The UK’s first homes with household appliances powered entirely by hydrogen will be built in Low Thornley, Gateshead, providing a demonstration of hydrogen-powered living. The pair of show homes will contain 100 per cent hydrogen appliances including boilers, hobs, cookers, and fires. Unlike natural gas, which is responsible for over 30 per cent of the … Read more
Plants grown in space could feed astronauts, but might new strains contribute to ending a food crisis here on Earth, too? American commercial space services company Nanoracks has ambitious plans to operate orbital greenhouses where it would create mutant crops that could save the Earth from famine amid progressing climate change. The plan seems to … Read more
Facebook’s plans to encrypt its messenger service will be a “disaster” for child safety and law enforcement, a senior National Crime Agency (NCA) director has said. In 2019, Facebook confirmed it was forging ahead with plans to bring end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to its Messenger platform, despite calls from governments that it will make it easier for … Read more
Online tuition can support disadvantaged pupils to learn remotely but access to equipment and reliable internet connections are key barriers to participation, a study has shown. The pilot from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) was carried out to assess the effectiveness of supporting the learning of pupils from low-income backgrounds during and after partial school … Read more
A major global survey of consumers and business leaders has suggested there is a growing belief among consumers and business leaders that robots handle financial tasks better than humans. According to the study by software infrastructure firm Oracle and personal finance expert Farnoosh Torabi, 2020 appears to have changed our relationship with money, with people … Read more
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has unveiled an ambitious space programme for the country over the next decade, which includes developing satellite systems and sending a Turkish astronaut on a space mission. The programme is ambitious in its timescale, with Erdogan aiming to establish “first contact with the Moon” in 2023 (‘The Moon Programme’), marking … Read more
A café run by robots has opened to customers in one of Dubai’s most popular tourist destinations – ideal in a time where social distancing is still prevalent. It is located in Dubai Festival City, a large residential, business, and entertainment development. Customers can place their orders with German-made robots, who then prepare and deliver the … Read more