Touch-and-go tablet and computer screens
(Copyright: Getty Images) The new iPad launched yesterday amid its usual fanfare. But could dwindling supplies of a crucial component make such events a thing of the past? Another iPad launch, another event filled with intense anticipation and speculation. This time Apple’s CEO Tim Cook revealed that the latest iteration of iPad will feature a […]
The young people struggling in the 2020 economy
Getty Images Will economic strains caused by the pandemic further radicalise younger generations? The pandemic has had a disproportionate economic impact on young people. And in the US, where the crisis is colliding with a bitter presidential election, the strains are expected to leave a mark on their politics, further widening the gap with older, […]
A staple of science fiction
Meal in a pill For decades, the idea of a future where meals were condensed into tablets was so popular that it became cliché. So why are we not eating them now? It is a constant theme of early science fiction, and one you are almost certainly familiar with: the man or woman of the […]
Africa, Clooney and an unlikely space race
(Science Photo Library/Getty Images) Plans to launch an African space agency are underway, and as Jonathan Kalan discovers, the indirect involvement of George Clooney in the continent’s ambitious goals provides an unusual twist. What do George Clooney and Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir have in common? They both have their eyes on space – and in […]
Green light for UK commercial telecoms Moon mission
SSTL Artwork: The aim is to get the spacecraft ready for launch at the end of 2022 UK satellite company SSTL has got the go-ahead to produce a telecommunications spacecraft for the Moon. The platform, which should be ready for launch in late 2022, will be used by other lunar missions to relay their data […]
‘Gob-smacking’ vision for future UK transport
Getty Images People in the UK need to shift from cars to public transport to address the challenge of climate change, the government says. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Public transport and active travel will be the natural first choice for our daily activities. “We will use our cars less and be able to rely […]
How the Netherlands is turning its back on natural gas
Getty Images The Netherlands is closing its largest gas field, and seeking new methods to heat homes instead (Credit: Getty Images) Natural gas has provided the Netherlands with cheap heat for generations. As the country’s largest gas field slowly closes down, a wealth of clean alternatives are opening up to keep homes warm. Gerrit Biert’s […]
Canada data firm AIQ may face legal action in UK
Getty Images Facebook claims AIQ spent $2m (£1.43m) during the Brexit referendum The UK’s Information Commissioner is considering legal action against Canadian data firm AggregateIQ (AIQ). It follows testimony from co-founder Jeff Silvester to Canadian MPs in which he claimed to be co-operating with the watchdog’s inquiry into Cambridge Analytica. In a statement, commissioner Elizabeth […]
How the rich are driving climate change
Getty Images In many developed nations, there is an aspiration to high-carbon lifestyle choices, such as eating meat (Credit: Getty Images) The world’s wealthiest people make a huge contribution to climate change through carbon-hungry activities. How can we reduce emissions from the rich? In 2018, Stefan Gössling and his team spent months scouring the social […]
Local testing data to be shared with councils
Reuters Local authorities are to be given access to postcode-level data about the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in their areas after it was agreed with the Department of Health. Labour leader Keir Starmer said there had been a “lost week” due to city officials not having full testing data. The prime minister […]