Tech and Science Daily | The Standard

As we approach Christmas we’re being reminded to look into the privacy of the tech we buy. The company behind Firefox, Mozilla, has released its annual list of tech products which may put users’ privacy at risk.Researchers have found the Omicron variant multiplies 70 times faster than the Delta Variant. The team in Hong Kong also found it replicates less well in human lung tissue which could indicate it causes a lower severity of disease. A ransomware attack on a payroll company could threaten the Christmas pay checks for workers at Tesla, Sainsbury’s and Honda, plus how it could be linked to a major software flaw leaving millions of web servers vulnerable to the attack. Cyberpunk 2077 developer will pay less than $2million in proposed class-action settlement. Intel believes the Metaverse will need a thousand-fold increase in computing capability.Also - Ubisoft working on a remake of the stealth classic Splinter Cell, the mars rover makes important rock discovery, and the first ever SMS message goes up for sale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NASA says its Parker Solar Probe has become the first to ‘touch the sun’. It’s Parker Solar Probe has successfully flown into the sun’s Solar Atmosphere, Dr Francisco Diego from UCL explains what the probe can learn from the sun, and why it’s so important. Plus - British astronaut Tim Peake issues a warning about space debris. Why Apple and Google have a ‘duopoloy’ over the smartphone market. Scientists find covid infection is more likely than vaccines to cause rare heart problems, and why seven crypto ads were banned by a watchdog. Plus the supermassive black hole altering the path of stars, and fast-food chain Applebee’s promoted the first ‘metaverse meal’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts at the University of Southampton are trialling a new covid vaccine that doesn’t require a needle, and could prove more effective than current jabs. Their vaccine instead uses a jet of air to give patients their dose. Scientists at the uni say it’s also designed to predict mutations in the virus, and could protect against future variants. MPs have called for ‘major changes’ to the draft Online Safety Bill. Poppy Wood from Reset discusses how important the legislation will be. Is WFH the future for workers? We speak with Zoom about how video-call tech has become so prevalent. Elon Musk announces Tesla accepting Dogecoin as payment, and the giant glacier which could crash into the ocean in 3-5 years. Plus, record temperature recognised for the Arctic, Nike invests in virtual trainer firm, and why Rocket Scientists and Brain Surgeons aren’t what they’re cracked up to be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A UK robotics firm Elon Musk must sent viral on the weekend, now wants to work on his Tesla Bot project. Elon retweeted a video by Engineered Arts, showing off their hyper-realistic robot ‘Ameca’. We speak to Will Jackson from the company about their plea to Elon for a collaboration. Peleton have responded AGAIN to Sex and the City’s recent bombshell with their own parody advert. Crypto news: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hacked on Twitter, and how maxnaut missed out on thousands of dollars selling his NFT. Asthma patients experience worse symptoms at night, scientists say. Robots will soon be cleaning train carriages, and all you need to know about the Geminid meteor shower. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An asteroid over 1,000ft tall is due to pass Earth this weekend at over 14,700mph. Omicron: masks are back almost everywhere indoors in England. Elon Musk: influencer? Botox jabs cheating row leads to bans at Saudi ‘Crufts for camels’ pageant. Squashed in space...how sleeping bags could stop damage to astronauts’ eyeballs. Species relying on hydrothermal ‘lungs of the deep sea’ at extinction risk from mining, study finds. And just like that, Peleton responds to SATC storyline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Health Organisation reports the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has now spread to 57 countries. UCL Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of the government’s SAGE advisory group, warns the strain's doubling time of two to three days is “very fast” and we can expect “a very large peak”. Game Awards 2021: what game has impressed you for its technical capabilities? And why the computer scientist who claims he invented Bitcoin will get to keep crypto billions.Plus: Literally hotter than the Sun...a two-star space system has been discovered. We reveal Twitter's annual report on 2021, British archaeologists discover a crucifixion victim from nearly 1,900 years ago when Romans ruled Britain. And finally, the boss who sacked 900 staff on a Zoom call apologises. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Research by the University of Westminster and University College London suggests patients will more likely reveal delicate health conditions such as STIs to an AI chatbot, but still want an IRL doctor to discuss cancer. Matrix Resurrections title to be released at Game Awards, but is that really Keanu in trailer? Halo Infinite set for release - how much free storage space will you need? No digital romance for Tinder lovers after Amazon AWS cloud outage. Omicron: could UK reproduction rate be higher than thought? Would you shop on TikTok? App unveils first live e-commerce event. Ctrl>Alt>Delete...Hubble space telescope’s been rebooted. Life imitating art as hacker Gary Bowser hit with $10 million Nintendo fine in piracy case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is a new Sonic the Hedgehog game called Frontiers on the horizon? speculation for an announcement is around the Game Awards this week. Mina Smallman, the mother of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, has spoken out after two police officers were jailed for taking pictures of her dead daughters and sharing them on WhatsApp. Omicron: South Africa data ‘suggests variant results in less severe illness’. Coroner urges social media firms to make internet safer after schoolgirl death. The US Space Force is eyeing a base on the Moon to beat China. Has Trump’s new social media venture really raised $1 billion? Covid booster is Gold for Spandau Ballet’s Kemp as Santa in vaccine push.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, one of the inventors of the coronavirus Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, urges governments not to squander preparedness learning to fight future pandemics. We speak to TikTok on Year of 2021 who reveal the popularity of Nathan Evans and PinkPantheress...but is this a career option? Bitcoin bloodbath: crypto limps into Monday after weekend crash. Nasa approves $400 million funding, including human ‘space reef” after ISS dies. Is that a garden shed on the Moon? Chinese rover spots “mystery hut”. Plane powered by liquid hydrogen planned for transatlantic flights. Singer Grimes releases cold break-up track packed with digs at her ex Elon Musk.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SpaceX has broken its own record for the number of rockets sent to space in a single year. The latest Starlink launch from Florida marks the 27th for Elon Musk’s private space firm in 2021 - beating the 26 it achieved last year. Experts say booster jabs can offer a good level of protection against the new Omicron variant of coronavirus - a new study suggests it may provide protection from hospital admission and death.Meanwhile Germany introduces new restrictions for unvaccinated people - they’ll be barred from non-essential shops and public events. Scientists have found cooling after volcanic activity more than 400 million years ago ‘may have triggered a mass extinction event’. The battery design breakthrough that could make electric cars safer, cheaper and more sustainable, and Reddit reveals new ‘live features’ like voting and comment counts. Also, researchers use gene editing to create single-sex mice litters and how plastic pollution is creating new communities of life in our oceans. And - Microsoft Windows tells off users if they try to download Chrome. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meta has reversed its ban on cryptocurrency ads across its platforms - creating a huge boost for the crypto economy. Jack Dorsey’s Square is changing its name to ‘Block’ and major cryptocurrency firms will be questioned by the US Congress for the first time. Scientists believe they’ve found ‘the trigger’ which causes extremely rare blood clots with the AstraZeneca vaccine and Pfizer boss says annual covid vaccinations will be a thing for years to come. Spotify Wrapped is here - and don’t we all know it - plus Christmas shoppers are warned about fake online reviews. Match settles a legal fight with the founders of Tinder for $441million, thousands of e-scooters are seized by the Met and an injured sea turtle has become the first of its kind in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The scientist behind the Pfizer jab has told the public not to ‘freak out’ over Omicron. Dr Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, stressed that it is likely vaccines will still provide protection against the variant. Women’s safety campaigners have launched a petition to bolster the UK Online Safety Bill. Seyi Akiwowo, CEO of Glitch - a UK charity that aims to end online abuse particularly for women and girls - tells us why more needs to be done. It comes as twitter announces it will remove images tweeted without consent. Elon Musk has made a controversial joke about whistleblowers whilst promoting Tesla’s new ‘Cyberwhistle’. The worst street in the UK for broadband is revealed and Twitch gets a new tool to detect people evading bans. Plus why the builders of Stonehenge had a bit of a sweet tooth and good news for iRobot Roomba owners… it now knows how to avoid your Christmas tree. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Markets have fallen after the Moderna chief executive said that existing covid vaccines will struggle with Omicron. WHO Covid-19 special envoy for vaccine research, Dr Samba Sow, tells us what we know so far about the variant. We find out about the new Twitter boss - Parag Agrawal - after the departure of the tech giant’s co-founder Jack Dorsey. The mystery of ‘where the Earth’s water comes from’ might’ve been solved by a team of researchers at the University of Glasgow. MI6 say that more help is needed from the tech world to combat potential threats and how you get your hands on a 170ft yacht - for the right amount of crypto. Plus, why algorithms used in UK government decision-making are about to be revealed, Meta is ordered to sell Giphy and a new human support robot by Toyota gets its first trial in a UK home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Online retailers look set for a happy Cyber Monday, after data suggested Black Friday sales are currently on track to beat the last two years. A vaccine chief says that all adults in Britain are to be offered booster jabs to step up the battle against the Omicron Covid-19 variant. We hear from astronomer, presenter and author VirtualAstro about how anyone can get into stargazing and you don’t even need a telescope to do it. Plus experts are warning how online marketplaces can be a ‘hotbed’ for dangerous products, how more work needs to be done to create green jobs, Australia’s plans to unmask trolls and a Banksy-inspired NFT which is driving ‘seismic’ change in the art world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the day we’ve been waiting for - Black Friday - but across the UK, Extinction Rebellion’s been blockading 13 Amazon warehouses. An XR spokesperson claims the action is to draw attention to the e-retail giant’s “exploitative” practices, as well as the “wastefulness” the cyber sales extravaganza. But if you want to find a good deal, we’ve spoken to Katie Watts from Money Saving Expert. Covid: a mutant variant in South Africa that has doctors in the UK very worried. PinkPantheress tells us about her rise to music stardom on TikTok like Lil Nas X and Doja Cat. Twitter says it’s solved the ‘disappearing tweet problem’. A study’s claiming women struggle more with daily tasks like ‘using the phone’ than men as they age. If you are in Belgium this weekend, you won’t find an Uber. And, why musicians may want to slow down the tempo of their tracks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following NASA’s successful mission to deflect an asteroid, an astronomer working on the mission has told us how likely a collision is, and why we need to be prepared. Professor Alan Fitzsimmons also discusses the second phase of investigations, which comes after the rocket collides with the asteroid Dimorphos. India is expected to ban almost all private cryptocurrencies. It’s as leaders in the country are planning to create an official digital currency. A man is to be given the world's first 3D printed prosthetic eye at London hospital. A cannabis drug trial for brain tumours gets green light. Ban to be introduced on default passwords for smart devices. And, a mosaic found on farmland “Most exciting roman discovery in a decade”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NASA has officially launched its first ever asteroid deflection mission. The space agency’s ‘DART’ rocket launched from California, and is due to reach its target in September next year. The mission is a trial in case of space rock heads towards Earth in future. We speak to the team behind Robot 'teleport' tech that lets you hug loved ones anywhere in the world. New guidance has been issued for drug which can cut the chances of pregnant women having a miscarriage. Samsung to build £12billion computer chip plant. Warning of computer games and console shortage this Christmas. Study finds tropical trees grow less in warmer climates, and therefore taking less CO2. And, Albert Einstein's notes on theory of relativity sell for over £10m. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We speak to the Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca who says they're working on new antibodies to help better protect vulnerable people from covid-19 for around 12 months. It’s as the pharmaceutical giant opens a brand new £1billion Research and Development centre in Cambridge. It’s designed for a range of projects involving AI technology and advanced robotics. Good news for IBS patients: study finds bacteria can be used to identify effective diet changes. Do your chores: do household jobs hold the key to better brain function? Clean up your act - Lush deactivates social media accounts over online safety. How sugar-loving microbes could be the future of powering our cars. Dodge to start production of first 'e-muscle cars' in 2024 as it phases out petrol sports cars. And, the Octopus-inspired fabric that can change colour to match its surroundings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spotify has stopped shuffling albums automatically after a request from Adele. She’s called on the streaming service to make the change, so music fans can listen to the tracklisting as it was intended. Some Tesla drivers were literally locked out of the cars over the weekend. It’s after an outage struck the app - which was promptly fixed. President of El Salvador outlines plans for volcano-powered 'bitcoin city'. All new UK homes to be built with electric car chargers under new law. DuckDuckGo to bring in new tool to stop app tracking. Instagram and Facebook messenger facing a longer wait for end-to-end encryption. Scientists discover new 'weird, hot, black ice' phase of water. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Swedish musician is building copyright software with fellow producers, using £1 million funding from Spotify and YouTube. New star wars: US Space Force satellite jammers to knock out Chinese and Russian comms. Climate change conspiracies appeared on Facebook during Cop26 eco summit. We’ll hunt criminals down with your Fitbit data, Scotland Yard warns...but could it frame the innocent? Dyson launches VR store to test out virtual vacuum cleaners and hairdryers. Crypto consortium bid to buy constitution fails as price of rare 1787 document rockets. Nightmare before Christmas as Crazy Frog makes comeback.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands of people living with HIV will be eligible for the six times-a-year shots, so they’ll no longer need daily pills to keep viral load low. Apple right-to-repair bombshell: what does it mean for your iPhone, and why is this happening now after so much pushback? Biggest space ship in history set for orbital launch in New Year, teases Elon Musk. A deceased rhino is helping scientists to save her species after dying at 40 years old. Prince William: British overseas territories “on front line” of climate crisis. Los Angeles gets arena name-change after $700 million crypto investment...as Ethereum crowdfunding bid to buy US constitution raises $13 million. Sustainable chocks away as RAF sets world record for first successful flight using synthetic fuel, but how eco-friendly is it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The e-retailer says UK-based Visa credit customers cannot buy goods after 19 January in a Brexit-based commissions row - we speak to the Evening Standard’s City Editor Oscar Williams-Grut on what this means for customers. Resident Evil Village and Call of Duty: Warzone in running for Game Awards 2021 amid pandemic surge in console purchases. Dog and bone for 21st century...meet Dr Ilyenag Hirskyj-Douglas, the canine computing expert who built a videophone for her faithful labrador. TikTok updates software in bid to curb dangerous viral dares. Vaccine research sparks record number of cyberattacks. And make it snappy...how your fingers are the fastest part of your body. Blur star Damon Albarn: I’ve seen climate change in action as Iceland glacier melted. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Panic as Moscow defence chiefs bomb old space hardware 280 miles above Earth into 1,500-chunk shrapnel cloud, sending seven on ISS scrambling for ‘lifeboat’ escape pods. Xbox at 20: What are the 70-plus classic titles Microsoft has repurposed for newer consoles? Netflix hit Tiger King to be turned into five-act mini-opera. Are you ready to clock-on for work in the metaverse? Bitcoin has major upgrade...as crypto’s value slumps again. Activision deploys anti-cheating tech to ban crooked CoD gamers, but is it spyware? Spectacular Leonid meteor shower expected to light up skies with visibility from Earth...with a clear sky.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Microsoft is celebrating 20 years of its Xbox console on Monday, and it could be time to dust off your very old 360 CDs because the company’s also updating some of its relatively ancient titles. World’s biggest spaceship fires up all engines for first time. China’s developing a mega-ship able to launch satellites into space and retrieve boosters from ocean. The 1.5C global heating pledge is ‘barely alive’ after Cop26, warns Greenpeace boss. Apple is bricking iPhone Face ID if you try and fix yourself. Childhood cancer survivors ‘at greater risk of ill health as they age’. FBI probes ‘ongoing situation’ after hacking breach sends thousands of emails. The Bureau is investigating how hackers compromised its network to send deluge of fake messages warning of cyberattack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adele and Ed Sheeran’s impact on the vinyl shortage means that smaller artists face an even bigger wait when it comes to pressing. A lack of availability of materials and supply chain issues means there’s currently a global backlog. Couldn’t the big guys just use an NFT? Scientists say that an asteroid near Earth is actually a chunk of the Moon and researchers have found a way to make sustainable, biodegradable, vegan glitter with the same shine as the original. Why PS5 shortages could be about to get a lot worse, a new therapy that has reversed paralysis in mice and SpaceX’s internet-from-space initiative - Starlink - launch 53 more satellites. Plus Vodafone says it’s set to become the largest provider of ultra-fast broadband in the UK and how you could soon take a trip back in time to ancient Greece. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four astronauts blasted off on Wednesday night - after being delayed by nearly two weeks. The 600th person to travel to space - astronaut Matthias Maurer - talked to us before his historical launch on a SpaceX rocket. Elon Musk goes through with the results of his Twitter poll and sells $5billion of his Tesla shares. We speak to the retired GP who has discovered a dinosaur with an ‘unusually large nose' and find out about the study that’s given hundreds of patients with rare diseases a diagnosis for the first time. Plus, the new ‘soft robots’ which could be used to go inside the human body, the world’s most premature baby, venomous sharks found in the River Thames and an ancient hangover cure unearthed by archaeologists.Hear more about the ISS mission here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prince Harry says he warned Twitter boss Jack Dorsey ahead of the Capitol riot in January. He claims he emailed the CEO saying that the platform was allowing a coup to be staged - a day before the attack. Google has won a £3billion legal fight over UK iPhone ‘data misuse’, one of Apple’s original computers has sold at auction and scientists have made a groundbreaking breakthrough with inflammation. Plus the latest scientific crossing of Antarctica, how we’re one step closer to a potential ‘Britcoin’ and all about Sir Peter Jackson selling his visual effects studio - Weta Digital. And, the app which can match your photos of your pet with classic works of art. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four astronauts have safely returned to earth after 6 months onboard the International Space Station. Their return paves the way for four replacements who could blast off as early as Wednesday.Environmentalists call out the Cambo oil field project for jeopardising deep sea life. How choosing the right bedtime could impact your heart, Can air travel ever really be green? Plus members of notorious cyber gang REvil have finally been caught, endurance swimmer and ocean advocate Lewis Pugh on the magnitude of COP26. We'll also tell you the reason why thousands of phone boxes - including a number of those iconic red ones - have been saved from closure and why Instagram’s ‘plant a tree for every pet pic’ trend might not be all it seemsHear Lewis Pugh's 'coldest swim on earth' hereHear more on green aviation here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Be careful what you poll… A vote on Twitter by Elon Musk has urged him to sell 10% of his stake in Tesla in order to pay tax. The poll was done in response to a "billionaires tax" proposed by US Democrats. The successor to the Hubble Space Telescope is set to launch in six weeks... after more than a decade of delays. Astronaut Wang Yaping has made history by becoming the first Chinese woman to walk in space. The US offers bounty of up to $10m for information on hacking group known as ‘DarkSide’. Has frozen semen from the 1960s repopulated an extinct species of cow? Why SpaceX has had to delay four astronauts’ return to Earth. A mysterious app climbs top of the charts but no one really knows why. And, a nine-foot-tall joystick breaks records. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you baulked at those £200-plus Adele concert tickets, how about watching KSI and Ava Max for nothing....the catch? It’s all in the popular cartoon-like social gaming world Roblox. We speak to global head of music, Jon Vlassopulos on the line from Lisbon’s Web Summit. The Evening Standard’s City news editor Simon Freeman talks VR and future tech with Web Summit CEO, Paddy Cosgrave. Ancient ‘shipyard’ building galaxies found 11 billion light years away. Tech bosses face criminal charges ‘within months not years’ of new internet safety laws, warns Culture Secretary Dorries. Hoping for gains, New York mayor wants his first wages in bitcoin. Up, up and away for Israeli startup using hot air balloons to capture frozen carbon above the clouds. Highly endangered chicks hatch at British zoo...only 200 remain in wild.Listen to our other podcasts:Women Tech Charge: interviews with incredible women leading in Science, Technology, Engineering and MathsThe Leader: a daily news podcast helping you make sense of the day’s most important stories Ask your Smart Speaker to ‘play the news from the Evening Standard' Visit standard.co.uk/tech for more tech news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Nintendo says it can’t keep up with Christmas Switch demand. Just when you thought dealing with one pandemic was quite enough, it’s being suggested governments can use their Covid-19 knowledge to tackle future public health crises. Metaverse is a load of hype, says Microsoft president. British man on Twitter hacking charge now held over $784K crypto heist. Critical thinking must beat power structures in climate fight, says UN secretary-general António Guterres. Break out the Scrabble...Squid shame as gamer with familiar username attacked by trolls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#WebSummit2021: crypto’s the big thing plus climate ideas at Lisbon's Covid-era mega expo. Facebook says it will shut down its facial recognition database. Biden: China and Russia showed lack of leadership with Cop26 no-show. #Cop26 art of the possible: how hydroelectric dams-on-wheels are saving lives in Malawi. Nasa races to fix Hubble Space Telescope after safe mode reboot. And,Jay-Z joins Instagram...but who’s the single (ladies) account he’s followed? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frances Haugen is suggesting her former boss Mark Zuckerberg step down as she reveals more on the dark arts influencing the social network’s internal algorithms. The Queen tells Cop26 climate summit leaders: ‘Rise above politics to save planet’. SpaceX astronaut medical alert as Nasa delays ISS launch. It’s being reported that Apple’s side-lining the iPad to push iPhone 13 production. Why has Elon Musk gone viral on Chinese social media? Red light, don’t buy the spin-off crypto...Squid Game token collapses. Meanwhile, SoftBank is investing $93 billion in a crypto-gaming non-fungible tokens platform. Bat squeaks bird of year prize from feathered rivals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A World Meteorological Organisation report warns heat waves over 50C to become usual as global warming shapes planet. Cop26: ‘One minute to midnight for climate crisis, warns Boris Johnson, despite controversial tax breaks for flights. Solar System’s fastest trick or treat for costumed astronauts aboard International Space Station. James Bond GoldenEye game no longer verboten under 90s German censorship ban. Sega and Microsoft look at creative mega gaming empire. Hello...is it streams you’re looking for? Pre-order album record for singer Adele. Wombles swap Wimbledon Common litter picking to go plant-based for day with Sir Paul McCartney. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Zukerberg’s announcement that Facebook will now be known as ‘Meta’ has sparked a huge reaction - both serious and comical. We find out from an astronaut why trips to the moon might be closer than we think. Europe investigates UK chip-designer sale and a new species of early human who lived 500,000 years ago has been named by scientists. Also why giant pandas are black and white, Jupiter’s swirling ‘Great Red Spot’ far deeper than we realised and how one business is using robot waiters to combat the staff shortage. Plus we tell you about a new feature that can turn your selfies into videos of the undead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another day another Facebook drama. The social media site orders its staff to ‘preserve all internal communications’ as legal threat looms. The company has been under scrutiny since a former employee shared thousands of its documents to politicians and the media. Why we’re about to embark on a new chapter in physics and it’s been 50 years since Britain’s only ever satellite rocket launch. Twitter is giving paid ‘Blue’ subscribers early access to more new features. Also, how digital art is helping one man cope with Parkinson’s and the Sir David Attenborough polar ship, aka Boaty McBoatface, makes its debut. Plus, Instagram finally gives everyone the ability to add links directly to stories and how you can now get your hands on a hoverbike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Japanese scientists have created the first ever ‘thinking’ robot. The machine was able to move around and dodge barriers on its own - thanks to the use of its brain-like neurons. Scientists in China claim to have built the world’s first programmable quantum computers. Microsoft says that 59% of UK firms will miss the 2050 net zero target. TikTok and Snap try to prove they’re not like Facebook. Apple reveal new ‘shareplay’ feature. Ministers face High Court battle over WhatsApp use. And, new report finds singing lemurs have rhythm like humans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nasa scientists may have found signs of what could be the first planet ever to be discovered outside our galaxy. If confirmed, the world would be thousands of times further away than the many exoplanets we have found so far. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has revealed his latest Blue Origin venture. The NSPCC says “safety is not a priority” for those at the top of Facebook. Why The Recycling Association says the PM had "completely lost the plastic plot". Marine Conservation Society and Whale and Dolphin Conservation charities are asking policymakers to #ListenToTheOcean. MPs say that UK research will be frozen because of delays to Brexit negotiations. And finally, Facebook hire Britney Spears’ lawyer to fight an upcoming TV series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tesco shoppers were left frustrated over the weekend as the website and app were both down. The UK’s largest supermarket said its online services were affected due to an “attempt to interfere with its systems”.What are the new measures meaning fewer scam phone calls?, MPs prepare for whistleblower’s Facebook revelations. Levels of climate-warming greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reach record highs. Tesla pulls its new Full Self-Driving beta due to software 'issues'. Australia’s plans for parental consent for minors on social media. And finally, how to avoid the wait and get Microsoft's new OS now... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Top movie director Paul Feig has joined calls for blanks to be banned from movie sets. It’s after the death of 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins on the set of new movie Rust. Trump's new social network overwhelmed with trolls before official launch. Bitcoin Boom: the latest on the crypto's recent rise in value. Twitter sets up spaces for all users.Triceratops skeleton sells for $7.7million to US buyer. Ai-Da robot freed from customs in Egypt.Tax on big tech companies to be scrapped in favour of new global rules.New health app that rewards users with shop vouchers. Scientists examine physics behind ducks swimming in a row. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Youtuber Arun from Mr Whose The Boss tells us why Google and Apple have begun making their own processing chips, and what the thinking is behind Samsung’s new Z-flip colours.Donald Trump sets up his own social media, after being banned by Twitter and Facebook. It’s going to be called TRUTH social.UK childrens charity the NSPCC says social media companies don’t take child safety seriously enough. Elon Musk gets the green light for underground Tesla Tunnels.Woolly mammoths extinction caused by climate change, not humans.50% of Brits search online for answers to contentious questions before asking another person. Did the Vikings discover America before Columbus? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look at Google’s brand new Pixel 6 devices, which come with the tech giant’s own Tensor processor, a new array of cameras and updates for five years. Facebook has been fined over £50million for not providing enough information to the competitions watchdog over its takeover of Giphy. Facebook urged to publish research into harm its platforms cause to children. How VR could be key in future cancer treatments. Amateur investors to be warned off Crypto. How old-tech could make its way into our currency, and, an Orionid meteor shower is set to peak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We look at the brand new Apple Macbooks and Airpods - as fans rejoice at the return of ports. Charlotte Henry from the MacObserver gives us the lowdown on the new tech, including the brand new Airpods. Boris Johnson pitches green investment opportunities in the UK. How an infrared helmet could help dementia patients with memory loss. NASA’s Lucy probe in trouble as problems emerge with solar panels. Armchair astronomers: we need your planets. Vienna Tourism Board sets up Onlyfans. Diver discovers 900-year-old sword off Israel Coast. First check-out free store launched by Tesco. And, The £19 iCloth? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the busiest week of the month known in the industry as ‘Tech-tober’ - as Apple, Google and Samsung all hold launch events this week. We speak with tech Youtuber Supersaf about what’s coming up. Facebook to hire 10,000 to work on ‘metaverse’. FIFA hints at new video game series. Is iPhone-scanning tech a threat to democracy? British Museum will display the ‘world’s oldest surviving map of the stars’. Ford transforming UK factory into electric-car powerhouse, and Greta Thunberg rick-rolls crowd at climate concert. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An investigation by Motherboard finds an intriguing explanation about all the fast food references in the Amazon owned e-sports platform’s 125GB data dump. Nasa’s asteroid hunter Lucy is ready for launch, first stop: Jupiter. Pollution expert on how billionaires’ space tourism rockets are contributing to killing Earth. Climate crisis: rich countries forecast to belch more pollution into air this year despite eco pledges. Avicii: late EDM icon’s father confirms tribute concert to support young mental health. Universal Soldiers...US troops to get Microsoft’s futuristic augmented reality goggles. Rude awakening for Canadian woman as plunging meteorite smashes on to her bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heir to throne's broadside against space race to colonise new planets. Feel awkward haggling for a discount with a salesperson? Do it with AI. Earth 2100: forecast materials will run out to make phones, solar panels and heart pacemakers. Cheat death with healthy heart diet rich in nuts, seeds and tofu, says study. Spike in child Covid infections but drop for older teens and young to middle-aged adults. Astronomers spy new Jupiter-sized gas-giant planet in our Milky Way galaxy. Where’s Wally...mission to count walruses from space. Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert picks up a tribute for her vaccine work by meeting penguin namesake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re at Retail Week Live in London’s North Greenwich, kicking off by meeting CCP Games boss Hilmar Pétursson, maker of space quest EVE, to talk about the increasingly blurred lines between our real and digital worlds. William Shatner’s due to blast off from a Texas launch pad in a Blue Origin rocket. Global chip shortage: It might be a bit harder to get your hands on Apple’s shiny new iPhone 13 soon. There’s a strange radio signal coming from the centre of our galaxy and scientists don’t know what it is. Who remembers that time Elon Musk broke the “unbreakable” window of his Cybertruck during a public demo? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inventors behind the Zephyr reckon the solar-powered military spy plane could stay airborne for incredibly long period to beam down civilian broadband into hard-to-reach parts of the world. Shetland’s rocket dram...Scotland’s most northern whisky islands seals space deal. Floating alien jellyfish and smell of Black Death takeover Tate Modern to explore art and science. Carcass of supersonic WWII Nazi V2 rocket blasted from Germany discovered in English field. Facebook wants to alert users when Instagram is down rather than rely on third parties. Pub offers drinkers pints and crisps in exchange for gadget e-waste. Humans 2.0 as exoskeletons boost walking skills for amputees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Russia steal the plans for the Oxford-Astra Zeneca Covid vaccine and clone it to create their own Sputnik V version? Expectant mums are being urged to get a jab as it’s revealed nearly a fifth of all critically ill patients with Covid in England are pregnant women. Blue Origin’s released footage of William Shatner getting ready to become the oldest human to ever fly into space. Brace yourselves… the Earth’s about to get hit by an enormous solar flare. OceanX reveals more about a “massive” mysterious creature filmed during a search of a shipwreck in the Red Sea. The first lunar rocks brought back to Earth in more than 40 years appear to have revealed a secret. Nuclear and particle physicists are working on an Electron-Ion collider that will let them see the quarks and gluons found inside protons. And finally, will electric cars ever appear in the Fast and Furious franchise? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview with Tom Scott, professor of Nuclear Materials at the University of Bristol, who’s returned from his fourth site visit in Ukraine. Twitch data hack: now Amazon blames ‘configuration error’ for data leak. Well done, Britain - you’re eating less meat and it’s helping save our planet. China Moon shot: Chang’e-5 robot has collected ‘youngest lava’ from lunar surface. Major discovery as Nasa’s Perseverance rover finds evidence of Martian lake. Elon Musk says he’ll move Tesla from California to Texas after California Covid row. Listen up, Apple! Microsoft to study your right to repair Windows computers and Xboxes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.