Is age verification on UK pornography viewing a good idea?
The UK is once again attempting to pass age verification checks for porn viewers. The bill asks all upload-based websites to act with a ‘duty of care’ and remove harmful or illegal content. It may sound like a good idea in theory, but the parameters are also worryingly vague....
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Bitcoin miners are reviving dying coal plants in the US
As the US strives to decarbonise the energy industry, Bitcoin miners are becoming a thorn in its side. The enormous electricity consumption needed to sustain crypto is now fuelling a partial resurrection of coal. Coal is no longer fashionable, but Bitcoin definitely is. The two, unfortunately, are now becoming intrinsically...
Why are people outraged at this music NFT startup?
A new music-based NFT company called ‘HitPiece’ has emerged online, but it has been accused of widespread theft from both mainstream and indie artists. The situation highlights the unregulated, problematic rise of NFTs. Anyone who follows creatives on Twitter – musicians, graphic designers, and producers – has likely seen...
Scientists may have just discovered a breakthrough treatment for HIV
A mixed-race woman appears to be the third person ever to be cured of the virus with a new approach that holds the potential for curing more people of racially diverse backgrounds. Globally, 37.7 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2020 (according to WHO). In Africa,...
Unlocking this trophy in Horizon Forbidden West will plant an actual tree
As Horizon Forbidden West players fight to save the planet from a rogue terraforming system, they will also simultaneously help the planet in real life. Every time the trophy ‘Reached the Daunt’ is unlocked, Sony will plant a tree. The widely anticipated sequel to Guerrilla Games’ flagship title is now...
YouTube is working on a dedicated NFT marketplace
YouTube has finally jumped on the NFT bandwagon, according to chief product officer Neal Mohan. Could this open up a fresh and lucrative avenue for creator monetisation on the platform? If you’re sick of seeing ‘Bored Ape’ PNGs plastered all over social media, you’ll have to grit your teeth and...
Julian Lennon to sell NFTs of Beatles memorabilia
John Lennon’s son, Julian, will be auctioning off various Beatles memorabilia items as non-fungible tokens, including lyric notes, guitars, and outfits. Consider yourself a Beatles super fan? Are you a crypto connoisseur with a hunger for John Lennon’s old possessions? His son Julian may just have the deal of a lifetime for you. He has today announced the launch of a Beatles memorabilia auction, where digital NFT versions of...
TikTok set to ban all content that promotes disordered eating
The app has announced major changes to its community guidelines in an effort to protect the wellbeing of users who may be vulnerable to videos glorifying unhealthy behaviour. A little over a year ago, TikTok began investigating videos promoting starvation following reports that potentially harmful pro-weight-loss accounts were still available in search results. Today, the viral video-sharing platform that’s wildly popular amongst young people (60% of its users...
EU scientists make ‘major breakthrough’ in nuclear fusion
EU scientists say they have made a major breakthrough in the quest to make nuclear fusion – the limitless energy source that powers the stars – harnessable for humanity one day. As it stands, the bar for scientific achievements in nuclear fusion isn’t exactly high, but we are, at least, continuing to raise it. Harnessing the unlimited power of the stars may well be key to sustainably powering the globe...
Samsung is repurposing fishing nets for its future devices
As part of its broader ‘Galaxy for the Planet’ initiative, the mobile giant is eliminating all plastic waste in its packaging and is using discarded fishing nets in the builds of future devices. With mobile companies relentlessly rolling out new iterations of their phones, e-waste is becoming an increasingly sizable problem as the years roll by. It’s estimated that by 2030, we’ll produce 74 million tons of gadget waste every...
