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...
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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...
How AI can lead to verbal abuse and unhealthy attachments
Smartphone app Replika is enabling users to find companionship in artificially intelligent chatbots. But what happens when the human emotion of users gets in the way of keeping things casual? It’s getting a little too real in the world of tech right now. The recent and rapid expansion of the metaverse,...
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...
Concerns about user privacy in the metaverse continue to grow
Tech giant Meta is working on body pose tracking technology, clothing that detects movement, and in-home sensor devices to enhance the metaverse experience - but has yet to outline any details of data privacy and user safety. As the digital and physical world have become increasingly interwoven, we’ve become accustomed to having our everyday habits tracked, collected, and stored as data by the world’s biggest tech companies. We wear watches that...
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...
