Science & Technology News – Page 274

Energy, Environment, Science & Technology News

Why ‘flammable ice’ could be the future of energy

June 20, 2019

Last year, Japan succeeded in extracting an untapped fuel from its ocean floor – methane hydrate, or flammable ice. Proponents argue that it will offset energy crises, but what are the environmental risks?

Buried below the seabed around Japan, there are beds of methane, trapped in molecular cages of ice. In some places, the sediment covering these deposits of frozen water and methane has been eroded away, leaving whitish mounts of what looks like dirty ice rearing up out of the seafloor.

Put a match to this sea ice and it doesn’t just melt, it ignites

Continue reading… “Why ‘flammable ice’ could be the future of energy”

Automation, Driverless cars, Science & Technology News, Transportation

Lyft’s robo-taxis have made more than 50,000 rides in Las Vegas

June 19, 2019

If you’ve been to Las Vegas in the last year, you might have seen one of Lyft’s self-driving cars tootling up and down the Strip. Heck, you might even have ridden in one.

The company has just revealed it’s now given more than 50,000 automated rides to paying passengers in the city, up from 30,000 in January 2019. Lyft says the figure makes it the largest commercial self-driving car program currently operating in the U.S.

Lyft partnered with vehicle technology firm Aptiv to launch the service, with locals and tourists alike able to request a ride in the usual way, via the Lyft app. It uses 30 modified BMW 540i cars, all kitted out with Aptiv-made sensor, cameras, and software to ensure a safe ride.

Continue reading… “Lyft’s robo-taxis have made more than 50,000 rides in Las Vegas”

Electric Automobile, Elon Musk, Science & Technology News, Tesla

Tesla pickup truck to be priced below $50,000, makes Ram seem puny

June 19, 2019

The target starting price is even lower.

This is a real shocker. In fact, it’s a bit hard to believe.

According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the upcoming Tesla truck will have a target price of under $50,000. This seems an impossible figure given the fact that other Tesla products (aside from the Model 3) start at a price that’s much higher. However, Musk stated this in a recent Ride The Lightning Podcast:

“You should be able to buy a really great truck for $49k or less.”

Continue reading… “Tesla pickup truck to be priced below $50,000, makes Ram seem puny”

Entertainment, Record Breaker, Science & Technology News, Tourism, Travel

New Details Revealed for 204,000-ton Mega Cruise Ship

June 19, 2019

Dream Cruises which is a luxury cruise line based in Asia has revealed further details about its huge new 204,000-ton mega ship which will arrive in 2021. She will have the largest cabins in the industry, groundbreaking features including a roller coaster and will even cruise from the U.S. west coast.

If you thought the Oasis-class cruise ships were big then how about the new Global-class from Dream Cruises! They rival the world’s largest class cruise ships at an impressive 204,000 gross tons and a maximum passenger capacity of 9,500 or 5,000 at double occupancy across a total of 2,503 cabins.

Continue reading… “New Details Revealed for 204,000-ton Mega Cruise Ship”

DNA, Human Behavior, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, Science & Technology News

His DNA solved a century-old jailhouse rape. The victim: His Grandmother

June 19, 2019

Commercial DNA tests showed that Hiram and Bruce were related. But their link proved to be much deeper — and darker — than either could have imagined.

As a black teenager in Compton, California, in the 1970s, Hiram Johnson began to wonder about his father’s fine curly hair, and the light-brown skin that strangers sometimes thought was white.

Hiram knew only a few things about his father’s childhood. Fred Johnson was raised in Jackson, Mississippi, by his mother, Bernice. Fred said that Bernice was a “beautiful black woman,” but he never said a word about his father. All Hiram knew was that his grandfather probably wasn’t black.

Continue reading… “His DNA solved a century-old jailhouse rape. The victim: His Grandmother”

Architecture, Engineering, Entertainment, Science & Technology News

The world’s first rooftop infinity pool with 360-degree views is set to be built in London.

June 19, 2019

The proposed Infinity London tower, whose construction could begin in 2020, would be 55 stories tall and adorned with a rooftop infinity pool with transparent sides and a transparent floor.

Swimmers would enter and exit the pool via “a rotating spiral staircase based on the door of a submarine, rising from the pool floor,” the company designing the pool said.

The pool’s designer, Alex Kemsley, explained to INSIDER how this actually works.

Continue reading… “The world’s first rooftop infinity pool with 360-degree views is set to be built in London.”

Bitcoin, China, Green Friendly, Science & Technology News

Bitcoin mining is shockingly mostly powered by green energy

June 19, 2019

A game-changing CoinShares report reveals that three-quarters of bitcoin mining is done using renewable energy including hydroelectric power.

By CCN: Contrary to popular opinion, it appears that Bitcoin mining might not be as bad for the environment as people think. In a highly detailed report, CoinShares research reveals that 74% of mining activity runs on renewable energy.

“We show that Bitcoin mining is mainly located in global regions where there are ample supplies of renewable electricity available. And…we calculate a conservative estimate of the renewables penetration in the energy mix powering the Bitcoin mining network at 74.1%, making Bitcoin mining more renewables-driven than almost every other large-scale industry in the world.”

Continue reading… “Bitcoin mining is shockingly mostly powered by green energy”

Amazon.com, drones, Science & Technology News, Shopping

Amazon unveils a chopper-plane mashup to deliver packages

June 19, 2019

Amazon unveiled its newest drone design for its Prime Air fleet on Wednesday. (Jordan Stead / AFP)

Amazon.com Inc. has unveiled a revolutionary new drone — part helicopter and part science-fiction aircraft — that the company expects to use for test deliveries of toothpaste and other household goods starting within months.

The new device takes off vertically, then tilts to fly horizontally like a plane. It also features artificial intelligence, using a suite of sensors the company said will allow it to fly robotically without threatening traditional aircraft or people on the ground.

Continue reading… “Amazon unveils a chopper-plane mashup to deliver packages”

Electric Automobile, Human Behavior, Science & Technology News, Transportation

EU will force electric cars to emit a noise below 20 km/h on July 1

June 19, 2019

Starting July 1, all electric vehicles with four or more wheels in the EU will be required to emit noise of at least 56 decibels if the car is going 20 km/h or slower, the New Atlas reports.

This makes a ton of sense as electric cars don’t make any of the engine noises we’ve grown accustomed to from standard Earth-killing gasoline cars. Making sure pedestrians can hear cars coming could increase the safety of visually impaired individuals, as well those of us who have the bad habit of walking into traffic while looking at their phones.

Continue reading… “EU will force electric cars to emit a noise below 20 km/h on July 1”

Big Problems, government, Legal Issues, privacy, Science & Technology News

The best reason for your city to ban facial recognition

June 17, 2019

The technology isn’t ready. Society isn’t ready. And the law isn’t ready.

This week, San Francisco became the first major U.S. city to bar itself from using facial recognition systems. The city’s Board of Supervisors voted 8–1 on Tuesday to prohibit the police and other public agencies — though not private companies — from using the emerging technology in any form as part of a larger bill to regulate broader surveillance efforts.

Some cheered the move as a victory for privacy and civil liberties. Some criticized it as a blow to law enforcement and public safety. And cynics dismissed it as an empty gesture, given that San Francisco wasn’t using facial recognition technology in the first place. Continue reading… “The best reason for your city to ban facial recognition”

Money Talk, Science & Technology News, Tourism, Travel

Bunq launches travel card to make foreign exchange fees disappear

June 15, 2019

Fintech startup Bunq provides full-fledged bank accounts. But if you’re happy with your existing bank, the company is launching a new free tier so that you can cut down on banking fees.

The Bunq Travel Card is a Mastercard without any foreign exchange fee. The company uses the standard Mastercard exchange rate but doesn’t add any markup fee — N26 also uses Mastercard’s exchange rate. Most traditional banks charge you 2 or 3 percent for foreign transactions.

When you get a card, you can then top up your account in the Bunq app. You can also send and request money with other Bunq users. But it isn’t a full bank account.

Continue reading… “Bunq launches travel card to make foreign exchange fees disappear”

Automobiles, Great New Product, Science & Technology News, Transportation

No more flats: Michelin and GM to bring airless tires to passenger cars by 2024

June 15, 2019

Plenty of things can go wrong when you’re driving a car, though thankfully the vast majority of trips go without a hitch.

Tire punctures, for example, are a real headache, but thanks to a collaboration between Michelin and General Motors (GM), the deflating experience could soon be a thing of the past.

Following years of research, Michelin announced this week that it’s ready to hit the road with UPTIS, its “unique puncture-proof tire system,” and is partnering with GM for real-world trials using Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles. Testing starts this year and if all goes well, airless tires could be coming to a passenger car near you as early as 2024.

Continue reading… “No more flats: Michelin and GM to bring airless tires to passenger cars by 2024”