It’s now been over two decades since scientists in Scotland successfully cloned a sheep and named the newborn Dolly. In the years since, the technology that powers cloning has advanced slowly but steadily, and while many scientists fear the inevitability that one day a human clone will be created, others are pushing the field into new areas. The latest example of cloning’s ceaseless march forward is the birth of Hua Hua and Zhong Zhong, a pair of baby monkeys that are the byproduct of the first successful somatic cell nuclear transfer performed with primates.
Switzerland rules that you must stun your food before you kill it
The culinary world isn’t lacking in controversial practices. To produce the delicacy foie gras, ducks and geese are force-fed corn, and the calves used for veal are kept virtually immobile for their entire lives. Now, Switzerland has released an order to ban another controversial cooking practice: boiling lobsters alive.
Continue reading… “Switzerland rules that you must stun your food before you kill it”
Autonomous vehicles to eliminate some jobs, create others
Imagine a car with no steering wheel and no pedals, like the one General Motors says it will mass-produce by next year. The automaker made the announcement Jan. 12, creating a big splash just prior to the annual Detroit Auto Show.
Continue reading… “Autonomous vehicles to eliminate some jobs, create others”
Hong Kong is so expensive that architects are building 100-square-foot ‘tube homes’ made from concrete water pipes
For the past seven years, Hong Kong has held the title of the world’s priciest city for homebuyers, according to the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.
Pushbots vs Pullbots: How businesses can step up their game
“Why a Chatbot?”
It’s a simple, three-word question I’ve posed to various entrepreneurs recently, particularly in sectors like FinTech and InsurTech. Some of these entrepreneurs have built a chatbot as a feature, others have developed it as core to their product, and a few even offer to license their chatbot to third parties (Chatbot-as-a-Service).
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Welcome to the age of micro satellite swarms
Finnish start-up ICEYE has designed tiny micro-satellites that can image through poor weather and darkness. Their plans to launch fleets of these satellites are ambitious, but how much privacy are we owed?
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U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on Mars
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Initial tests in Nevada on a compact nuclear power system designed to sustain a long-duration NASA human mission on the inhospitable surface of Mars have been successful and a full-power run is scheduled for March, officials said on Thursday.
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DJI’s new Mavic Air drone shoots in 4K, does 43 MPH, and fits in your pocket
We were admittedly a bit disappointed when DJI showed up to CES earlier this year without any new drones to show off, but it appears that the company had something new to show off all along. At a January 23 press event in New York City, the company unveiled the Mavic Air: A lighter, more streamlined version of the company’s popular Mavic Pro.
Continue reading… “DJI’s new Mavic Air drone shoots in 4K, does 43 MPH, and fits in your pocket”
Humans will have a ‘robot second self’ in the next 20 years say experts at Microsoft
The digital alter-ego will be AI extension of yourself.
Robots won’t take as many human jobs as you may think
Automation will upend life as we know it. But that doesn’t mean all of our jobs will be completely eliminated. If anything, technology has not liberated people from the drudgery of work. It has created new constraints.
Continue reading… “Robots won’t take as many human jobs as you may think”
According to Peter Diamandis and Ray Kurzweil, these are the most dangerous and disruptive ideas
The greatest unfair competitive advantage for your small business is leveraging this critical shift in how you view the drivers of the future.
China builds ‘world’s biggest air purifier’ (and it seems to be working)
A 100-metre high air purification tower in Xian in Shaanxi province has helped reduce smog levels in the city, preliminary results suggest.
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