Year: 2016

Impact Lab > 2016
Business, Economy, Future, Hot Issues, Latest Trend, Money Talk, New Viewpoints, Science & Technology News

Cash is on the verge of extinction in these countries

My dad, a former Wall Street trader always advised me “cash is king” and to “hold on to it” when the economy gets tough.

But in the Netherlands, cash is definitely not getting the royal treatment. In so many places, it has simply ceased to be recognised as legal tender. More and more Dutch stores, from upscale health-food store Marqt to my local baker and bagel shop, take pin — or debit — cards exclusively. Some retailers even describe going cash-free as “cleaner” or “safer”.

Continue reading… “Cash is on the verge of extinction in these countries”

Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Employment, New Inventions, new technology, Robotics, Robots, Science & Technology News, Technological Unemployment

Construction Expert Says Robots Will Cause Thousands of Builders to Lose Their Jobs

Skyscrapers in the City of London could soon be built by robots rather than by people, according to the boss of one of the UK’s biggest construction firms. The result would be huge productivity gains as more work could be done by fewer people – but also mass layoffs as traditionally labour-intensive construction projects hire fewer and fewer staff.

Continue reading… “Construction Expert Says Robots Will Cause Thousands of Builders to Lose Their Jobs”

Birth, Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, cutting edge, DNA, Genetics, Legal Issues, Medical Breakthrough, Medicine, New Discoveries, Science & Technology News

Three-parent baby technique produces world’s first baby

 

The world’s first three-parent baby has been born.

Scientists revealed the birth of a baby boy, now five months old, usingDNA from three parents.

Fertility experts hailed the breakthrough as “great news and a huge deal” for the future of reproduction.

But they expressed concern that it was only achieved because US scientists crossed the border to Mexico to take advantage of lax regulation.

Continue reading… “Three-parent baby technique produces world’s first baby”

Biotech, Breakthrough Thinking, cutting edge, Great New Product, Healthcare, Inventions, Latest News, Medical Breakthrough, Medicine, Nanotechnology, new technology, Science & Technology News

Nanotech bandage: Healing wounds in days

Egyptian researchers have developed a bandage embedded with nanoparticles for the treatment of wounds using the anti-epilepsy drug Phenytoin, known for its capacity to treat skin injuries.

The bandage can heal wounds in a few days, after just one application to soft tissue. Wounds normally take several days to a few weeks to heal completely, and some may only heal after several months or up to two years.

Continue reading… “Nanotech bandage: Healing wounds in days”

Alternative Transportation, Aviation, Business, cutting edge, Drone, drones, Ideas, New Inventions, new technology, Science & Technology News, Uber

Uber plans self-flying drone taxis

If you summon an Uber in 10 years’ time, you will probably get a car that drives itself. But then again, you may not be travelling in a car at all.

The taxi-hailing app is working on technology that would allow airborne passenger drones to fly its users short distances around cities, it has emerged, raising the prospect of a future in which skylines are dotted with Uber aircraft shuttling commuters back and forth.

Continue reading… “Uber plans self-flying drone taxis”

Banking, Business, Economy, Finance, Latest News, Money Talk

Six Global Banks Lead Standardizing Global Payments via Blockchain

Starting a modern payments network underpinned by Ripple and supported by rules and governance for global settlement.

Ripple, which earlier this month completed a $55 million Series B financing round, has announced that a number of global banks are joining forces to establish the first interbank group for global payments based on distributed ledger (blockchain) financial technology.

Continue reading… “Six Global Banks Lead Standardizing Global Payments via Blockchain”

Batteries, Battery, Business, Drone, drones, New Inventions, new technology, Science & Technology News

Fuel cells about to power the drone industry

Just as their commercial use begins to spread, fuel-cell technology is improving the way drones are powered

Canadian companies are placing big bets on a better way of powering drones.

So far these stealthy units — long used by military forces for intelligence-gathering, surveillance and striking targets — have been powered by internal combustion engines or lithium polymer batteries.

Continue reading… “Fuel cells about to power the drone industry”

Current Events, cutting edge, Drone, drones, Inventions, Latest Trend, Military, military drones, New Discoveries, New Inventions, new technology, Science & Technology News

The Anti-Drone Arms Race

Last week, the director of the Federal Aviation Administration reported that his department is receiving an average of 2,000 new registration requests for drones every day, and that it has registered up to some half a million drones since new rules went into effect in January. But as sales of drones have increased, so too have other more worrying numbers. The FAA also says it receives more than 100 reports per month of drones flying around airports and other forbidden places, where they could damage infrastructure or accidentally collide with the engine of a landing airplane.

Continue reading… “The Anti-Drone Arms Race”

Automobiles, Crazy Stuff, Current Events, cutting edge, Electric Automobile, Electric Vehicles, new technology, Record Breaker, Science & Technology News

Electric Dragster Sets Land Speed Record: 341 Mph

 

This Monday out on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah, an electric vehicle broke the land speed record for EVs with a two-way average speed of 341 mph. The vehicle, called the Venturi Buckeye Bullet-3, or VBB-3, was developed and built by a team of engineers from Monaco-based Venturi Automobiles and The Ohio State University. The third iteration of the Buckeye Bullet uses two electric motors that can put out 1,500 horsepower (1,119kW) apiece, powered by eight lithium-ion battery packs.

Continue reading… “Electric Dragster Sets Land Speed Record: 341 Mph”

Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.