Scientists have found a way to turn plastic into diamonds
By recreating the extreme conditions of exoplanets, a team of researchers have successfully managed to produce nanodiamonds from PET plastic. As the climate disaster worsens, our need for technological solutions becomes more urgent. Over the last decade, research into climate innovation has produced a mixed bag of results despite the...
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Co-Op faces legal issues over facial recognition technology
The Big Brother Watch is accusing shopping chain Co-Op of misusing facial recognition technology in βOrwellianβ policy that matches shoppers against a database without their consent. Are you a frequent Co-Op shopper? Itβs likely youβve been inputted into a database via facial recognition technology. Big Brother Watch has sent an...
This eye implant could cure blindness for millions of people
Scientists in Sweden have developed a bioengineered cornea that can successfully restore sight. Itβs made from proteins in pigskin, which are a by-product of the food industry. For the millions of people across the globe who are blind or have impaired sight as a result of damage to their corneas...
Michigan researchers develop transparent solar powered windows
A team of researchers at Michigan State University have just developed the worldβs first fully transparent solar window. Is this the beginning of a more self-sufficient future for modern cities? Imagine a future where the light shining in through our windows actively powers our bulbs when the sun goes down....
Scientists believe βspace bubblesβ could help ease climate change
Researchers at MIT are advancing a concept to slow or potentially reverse climate change. It involves placing massive silicon bubbles at the direct point between the sun and our planet. Admittedly, this concept is a little wacky, but when we hear that research in the field of solar geoengineering is...
Innovative βsand batteryβ is green energyβs beacon of hope
Two young engineers have succeeded in using sand to store energy from wind and solar by creating a novel battery capable of supplying power all year round. When you think of batteries, you probably think of lithium. If youβre old enough to remember when one started corroding inside your CD...
Drug that increases human lifespan to 200 years is in the works
Taken in pill form, the drug would eliminate cells in the human body that are responsible for advancing the ageing process β potentially doubling our lifespan. But is this desirable? Are you ready to live an additional hundred years? British computational biologist Dr Andrew Steele has published a new book on the longevity of human life, arguing it is entirely feasible for us to live well beyond a single century with...
How a forensic spray is keeping women safe
SmartWater β a technology that was originally designed to catch burglars and thieves β is being used by victims of domestic abuse, allowing police to prosecute harassers for restraining order breaches. In the last year, around 2.3 million people in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse, with around one in five of the UKβs reported homicides during that time allegedly related to this form of violence specifically. The issue...
Sharing βdeepfake pornβ could soon be illegal in the UK
A government-backed review has warned that current laws do not go far enough to cover βdisturbing and abusive new behaviours born in the smartphone era.β During the past decade, numerous steps have been taken to confront the threat of sexual harassment online posed by evolving digital trends. In 2015, revenge porn β the distribution of sexually explicit images or videos of someone without their consent β was made...
Interactive global map shows the damage of climate change in real time
Prior to 2022, attaining digital renderings of our planetβs geology has been a lengthy and arduous task. Mapping company Esri has recently changed that, creating an interactive timespan of the globe between 2017 to 2021. As huge parts of the world endure record heatwaves courtesy of climate change, we're left to ponder where the planet will be in decades to come. The good news is that we can now digest our...