Over the last year, the pandemic has unleashed the true power of science and technology, pharma, biotechnology and research. The stage has been set for innovative breakthroughs in the domains. For India, Covid is a crisis turned into an opportunity. “With concerted efforts, a huge community of entrepreneurs has come forward to create kits, face … Read more
Video games have become a vital social tool during the lasts year’s lockdowns as a way to keep in touch with friends, a new study has found. In a survey from Gaming accessories firm HyperX, more than half of 13 to 18 year olds said they used games as a way to socialise with friends. … 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
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
A global team of experts has put together a list of the most urgent biosecurity threats, with bioengineering threats such as DNA-based surveillance among the top-ranked concerns. The exercise was facilitated by the Centre for Existential Risk (CSER) and the BioRISC project, both based at the University of Cambridge. A group of 41 academics and … Read more
An investigation by OpenAQ has found that the average level of air pollution in the world’s largest cities is nearly four times higher than the maximum levels recommended by the WHO. According to estimates, 90 per cent of the world experiences harmful levels of air pollution; the problem is particularly acute in cities in the … Read more
It could prove necessary to vaccinate domestic animals such as cats and dogs against Covid-19 to curb the spread of the virus, scientists have suggested. It has been proven that coronavirus can infect a wide range of species, including cats, dogs, mink and other domesticated animals. Experts from the University of East Anglia (UEA); the … Read more
The Singaporean Minister for Home Affairs has confirmed that the state’s police force has the authority to access Covid-19 contact-tracing app data for the purposes of criminal investigations, raising potential privacy concerns. Singapore’s TraceTogether app was developed in less than two months and was among the first Covid-19 contact tracing apps to be launched. The … Read more
Niche social media platforms like Gab, 4Chan and Telegram have been described as “deeply problematic” due to the amount of misinformation they carry, including broad scepticism over the coronavirus vaccine. Sarah Connolly, who works as director of security and online harms for the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), was asked by … Read more