Tech
Japan successfully tests rocket engine propelled by new technology
Japan successfully tested Tuesday a rocket engine that was propelled by new technology using shock waves produced by burning a mixture of methane and oxygen gasses, with the aim of applying the propulsion method to deep space exploration in the future, the country's space agency said. The No. 31 vehicle… Read
Europe to boost battery production as electric shift accelerates
As electric car sales take off and petrol engines face being phased out by 2035, Europe is looking to develop its own battery production base. Far from being autonomous, Europe needs to accelerate domestic battery output as a national security issue as well as a boost for businesses and jobs.… Read
Astronomers seek evidence of tech built by aliens
An international team of scientists led by a prominent Harvard astronomer announced a new initiative Monday to look for evidence of technology built by extraterrestrial civilizations. Called the Galileo Project, it envisages the creation of a global network of medium-sized telescopes, cameras and computers to investigate unidentified flying objects, and… Read
Bitcoin jumps on speculation that Amazon considering crypto
Bitcoin's price surged again Monday after speculation that Amazon may be entering the cryptocurrency sector after it posted a job seeking a “digital currency and blockchain product lead.” Bitcoin jumped more than 14% in the past 24 hours, nearly reaching $40,000 per unit before settling closer to $37,000. The five-week… Read
China launches 6-month campaign to clean up apps
China’s industry ministry has announced a 6-month campaign to clean up what it says are serious problems with internet apps violating consumer rights, cyber security and “disturbing market order.” The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in an online notice that, among other things, companies must fix pop-ups on… Read
AI's human protein database a 'great leap' for research
Scientists have unveiled the most exhaustive database yet of the proteins that form the building blocks of life, in a breakthrough observers said would "fundamentally change biological research". Every cell in every living organism is triggered to perform its function by proteins that deliver constant instructions to maintain health and… Read
Can Facebook's $1 bil gamble help it regain lost cool?
Like internet personalities the world over, Kenyan TikTok comedian Mark Mwas was intrigued when Facebook announced a $1 billion plan to pay content creators like him. But the 25-year-old, whose following surged past 160,000 as entertainment-starved Kenyans flocked to the app during the pandemic, is skeptical that fans would follow… Read
Creating an Olympic soundscape at a fan-free Tokyo Games
Nuno Duarte claps in Tokyo's Aomi Urban Sports Park and the sound echoes around the empty stadium, which will host Olympic sport climbers and 3x3 basketball players -- but no spectators. "It's very strange for the athletes. They are not used to this," said Duarte, senior audio manager at Olympic… Read
AI spots shipwrecks from the ocean surface – and even from the air
In collaboration with the United States Navy’s Underwater Archaeology Branch, I taught a computer how to recognize shipwrecks on the ocean floor from scans taken by aircraft and ships on the surface. The computer model we created is 92% accurate in finding known shipwrecks. The project focused on the coasts… Read
High-tech TV tricks for fan-free Tokyo Olympics
There'll be no fans in the stands, and less media on the ground, so when it comes to covering the Tokyo Olympics, broadcasters are relying on technology to give viewers a more vivid experience. After the coronavirus pandemic forced the Games to be postponed for a year in 2020, many… Read
