Tech and Science Daily | The Standard

Elon Musk’s futuristic Starship soared more than six miles after lifting off from the southern tip of Texas. Then, after what seemed like a perfect landing, it exploded with such force it was tossed into the air surrounded by a ball of flames. Plus, scientists pinpoint the location of particles on the sun that are potentially hazardous to air passengers, bats equipped with minicomputers reveal echo hunting techniques, and WhatsApp launches video calls on its desktop app. 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.

Yusaku Maezawa, a billionaire online fashion tycoon, wants eight people to join him on an all-paid-for mission to the moon in 2023. He’s calling for artists to apply who are ready to “push the envelope” creatively and be willing to help other crew members do the same. Plus, we join the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit in Africa as they launch the ‘virtual ranger’ to protect endangered animals, Daan Roosegaarde’s Urban Sun project beams light into cities that can clean spaces of Covid-19 and, glow-in-the-dark sharks are discovered in New Zealand.  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.

Space hurricanes hundreds of kilometres above the North Pole could make things difficult for astronauts on the International Space Station. Space scientist Professor Mike Lockwood explains how the surprise discovery could also impact us here on Earth. Plus, a single shot of the Pfizer or Oxford vaccine is more than 80% effective at preventing hospital admission among the over-80s, Twitter expands its use of warning labels to target misleading coronavirus vaccine tweets, and scientists claim Neanderthals had the ability to perceive and produce speech like us. 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.

Professor Tim Atkins says his blood ran cold as he learned the deadly nerve agent Novichok had been discovered in Salisbury three years ago. He went on to lead the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s investigation into the poisoning of a former Russian double agent, and says he came out of it ‘a slightly different person’. Plus, an expert on chemical and biological attacks warns Covid-19 could be used as a biological weapon, a SpaceX launch aborted again and, a 10-second video artwork sells for $6.6 million.  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.

Bill Gates says he’d rather invest in vaccines than Bitcoin. During a live chat on social network Clubhouse, the Microsoft founder told host Andrew Sorkin he doesn’t choose his investments on the basis of whether they would be worth more to others. Plus, the FDA allows the Pfizer vaccine to be stored and transported at warmer temperatures, it wasn’t just Nasa’s Perseverance rover that landed on Mars - millions of people did as well, and embattled Cyberpunk 2077 runs into yet more trouble.  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.

America’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci says we can vaccinate our way out of the coronavirus pandemic, but he’s concerned anti-vaxxers could prevent us from reaching that goal. Plus, the hidden message on the Nasa Perseverance rover’s parachute revealed, Facebook and Google must now pay for news in Australia and, how 30,000 elephant 'selfies' will help in conservation. 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.

Nasa’s Perseverance rover is about to start its long-awaited Mars mission and Dr Kelsey Moore from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Lab is one of the scientists involved in looking for evidence of past life on the red planet. She tells the Standard what exactly their looking for and how likely it is they’ll find it. Plus, Spotify says its open to alternative models for calculating how artists should be paid, Sony is launching a new virtual reality system for the PlayStation 5, and we debunk the story behind the viral ‘un-scented’ perfume.  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.

Nasa has released audio of the first sounds recorded from the surface of Mars. A microphone on the Perseverance rover captures a gust of wind on the red planet, and the audio has had a wider impact than the scientists anticipated. Plus, Facebook re-friends Australia, WhatsApp users will be cut off if they don’t accept the new terms and conditions, and Twisted Metal fans could soon be bingeing on a TV series based on the iconic game.  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.

There’s more good news on the efficacy of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs: researchers say both are having a “substantial effect” on hospital admissions and the risk of serious illness. It comes as a roadmap to ease England’s lockdown measures is to be detailed today, but the plan has already been met with mixed reviews. Plus, cyber fraudsters are switching from big money scams to ‘silent stealing’ on a massive scale, NHS doctors are the first in the world to use reanimated hearts to save the lives of six children, and a new study finds people who hold extremist attitudes tend to perform poorly on complex mental tasks. 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.

Now Perseverance’s work begins, but how does it avoid punctures on the craggy Martian surface and send samples millions of miles back to Earth? Nasa explains. Forty dead, millions without power and water in Texas after extreme winter storm, as White House links to climate change. Britain’s first coal mine for 30 years is being planned, inflaming tensions over environmental impact versus local jobs. Meet the YouTuber who built the world’s largest working PS5 console weighing a quarter of a ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Floating down to the Red Planet by parachute is the tensest part for Mission Control after 300 million-mile journey. Banned Down Under: Facebook blocks Australian news content in payment row with government. Million-year-old mammoth’s teeth that look like a shoe sole are the oldest specimens ever DNA tested by Natural History Museum. Nintendo announced new Mario title and refreshed Zelda game for Switch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet mobility systems engineer and rover planner on the mission Tyler Del Sesto, part of the team at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Scientists fear reopening all schools could push up the coronavirus infection rate. TikTok accused by a European consumer watchdog of breaching users’ rights on a ‘massive scale’ and failing to protect children from harmful content. North Korea in the frame over of hacking Pfizer to get hands on Covid-19 vaccine data. Revealed: the tiny spy trackers embedded in marketing emails secretly watching you - and how to fight back.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The probe currently whizzing towards Red Planet has a ‘head’ equipped with laser eyes and a super-strength vaporiser to hunt for Martian chemicals and organic compounds. Fake five-star Amazon reviews offered on sale for the price of a pizza, investigation finds. Top WHO doctor says super-fast Covid tests ‘will pave return towards normality’ but those without a vaccine passport will be able to travel less. Harvard scientists think a mega-asteroid that wiped out Earth’s dinosaurs ‘came from edge of Solar System’, helped by Jupiter’s gravity field. Swimming robot investigates impact of global warming on break-up of world’s biggest iceberg. Researchers find tropical wasps babysit for neighbouring nests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientists in Japan are assessing the damage of a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck near Fukushima on Saturday night, we ask Dr Stephen Hicks, an earth sciences expert at Imperial College London, about the risk of aftershocks. Curing Covid is simple compared to beating climate crisis, warns Bill Gates. UAE Mars satellite: Probe’s first pictures of Red Planet are emailed back to Earth. Routine CT scans can find early signs of lung cancer in 70 per cent of patients, study reveals. Pensioners are playing classic Xbox titles online to help them connect with families during Covid. Forget the golf course as a presidential hobby, Joe Biden’s more interested in playing Mario Kart at Camp David.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts believe they may have recovered the true origins of Stonehenge. The ancient monument’s smaller bluestones originally formed an even older, long-lost monument in the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire, Wales, 175 miles away. Plus, a mission to head to an icy moon of Jupiter thought to potentially home extraterrestrial life gets a launch date, find out how good you are at mindreading, and lovers beware: online romance scams are on the rise during lockdown.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 storiesAsk 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.

The maker of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red, has capped off a difficult few months by confirming it's the victim of a cyberattack. The hackers are reportedly auctioning off stolen source code from the firm for potentially millions of dollars. Plus, how the Himalayas disaster showcases climate change in action, all the Covid virus in the world would fit in a coke can, and while pigs might not fly, it appears they can play video games. 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.

China’s Tianwen-1 spacecraft is set to become the second probe to enter Mars’ orbit in 24 hours. It's so far travelled 288 million miles to reach the planet, with the mission’s aim to explore for underground water and evidence of possible ancient life. Plus, astronauts of the future may be tucking into food from 3D printers, the WHO says the virus that causes Covid-19 isn’t from a lab and why scientists want to cull Pablo Escobar’s hippos. 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.

The woman leading the United Arab Emirate’s first Mars mission tells us how their mission is attempting something never done before at the red planet. Sarah Al Amiri (UAE Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and Emirates Mars Mission Science Lead), spoke to us as their Hope probe finally reaches its destination this afternoon. Plus, a hacker has tried to poison the water supply of a Florida city, Facebook says it’ll ban conspiracy theories about all vaccines, and will there be an Anthem 2.0?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK’s selected what would be the country’s first space rocket since the Black Arrow in the 1970s. Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin’ picked out the RS1 for the attempt, which could launch from the Isle of Unst later this year.South Africa has stopped distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to a new strain of Covid-19. Scientists say the strain accounts for 90% of new cases there, with around 2,000 people finding out that the jab offers "minimal protection".Plus, Cryptocurrency Dogecoin’s hit a record high, after Elon Musk and Snoop Dogg apparently gave their backing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UAE’s first Mars satellite is zooming towards Red Planet to hunt for signs of life - we speak to their Emirates Mission director for the latest. Climate change link to helping Covid-carrying bats flourish in China forests, say scientists from the University of Cambridge. Facebook shutdown in Myanmar after military coup to stop opposition organising resistance. Revealed: How far Nasa astronaut really hit a golf ball on the Moon 50 years ago, thanks to HD photo technology. Meet archaeologist Simon Roper, a language expert and YouTube sensation whose fascinating verbal time machine reveals how medieval Londoners spoke. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientists say breast cancer is now the world’s most prevalent form of the disease, and urge people to get a check-up if they’re worried after staying away from the doctor’s surgery during the pandemic. Mysterious streaks on the surface of Mars could be caused by Martian landslides, say Nasa scientists. New anti-cheat software rolled out by Call of Duty’s publisher Activision amid gamer anger over ‘aimbots’ hacking scandal. TikTok says users who cannot prove they are aged over 13 years old will be blocked in Italy after girl dies using the video platform. AI spy cameras will monitor Amazon delivery drivers to cut crashes and ‘improve behaviour’. Thrifty locked-down shoppers are trading second hand goods like never before as eBay profits soar. German sniffer dogs detect ‘odour’ of Covid-19 with 94 per cent accuracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another SpaceX Starship super-rocket ends up in a fireball after a spectacular landing fail. Jeff Bezos steps aside from leading Amazon hands reins to cloud computing boss amid record sales. GameStop party’s over: Shares nosedive as regulators called in to investigate Reddit’s amateur investor army. Childhood exposure to pollution linked to decline in thinking skills in older age, according to University of Edinburgh research - we speak to Jemima Hartshorn, founder of Mums for Lungs. Boston Dynamics’ robodog Spot fitted with arms and grabber to pick things up via remote control. Low-tech problems for high-tech art...manga and anime art at risk in Japan amid critical artists’ pencil shortage.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Call of Duty hit by allegations of cheating in online tournaments, including the use of unfair ‘aimbots’, now a top player has very publicly quit its Warzone contest. WHO experts visit Wuhan animal disease centre in probe examining Covid-19 origins. Pandemic mental health alert: children as young as eight being treated by accident and emergency for self-harm. For wellbeing tips: childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk. Mask-wearing iPhone users will soon be able to unlock their screen using an Apple Watch. Shares app Robinhood raises $2.4 billion from venture capital amid Reddit amateur investor boom. Bomb-sniffing spinach programmed to send alerts to scientists. Passion killer...research finds traffic noise drowns out crickets’ courtship songs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall Street silver rush as Reddit’s amateur investor army moves on precious metal to dent Wall Street after GameStop victory. Voice-changing headset aims to beat internet child predators as mother warns how abuser befriended and murdered her 14-year-old son. Megarocket has a new date for Nasa’s ‘hot fire’ test to check Moon-worthiness after launchpad fail. With just a word and a hashtag, Elon Musk sends Bitcoin rocketing amid claims cryptocurrency is ‘on the verge’ of mainstream. Doorbell surveillance row: Now 2,000 US police departments are linked into Amazon’s Ring network. The 48,000-year-old teeth revealing ancestral links between Neanderthals and modern humans after Natural History Museum research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TikTok’s Dr_Will6, better known to Imperial College London colleagues as Dr Will Budd, has been educating the world about Covid vaccines on the social network – and he says ‘very happy” about the Novax injection shown to be 83.9 percent effective in trials, including against the ‘Kent’ and ‘South African’ variants. Plus, Apple boss Tim Cook hits out at those seeking to make a profit from personal data, PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal release date pushed back, and naked mole-rats found to speak in different dialects Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across most of America, GameStop is just a place to buy a video game. But on Wall Street the troubled retailer has become a battleground where swarms of smaller investors see themselves making an epic stand against the 1%. Plus, Apple is to roll out a new privacy feature to stop iPhone apps secretly shadowing users. Marking Data Privacy Day McAfee’s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset report shows how many had not used any cybersecurity solutions last year. Nintendo sued over ‘systemic problems’ with Switch controllers and, the Doomsday Clock remains at its closest point ever to midnight.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.

A leading scientist says another pandemic-causing ‘Disease X’ could be around the corner. Mark Woolhouse from the University of Edinburgh says it's a matter of when, not if and this pandemic might be a virus they don’t even know about yet. Plus, there were signals on Twitter that Covid-19 was circulating before it was officially announced, earning more than $75K a year could buy you happiness, and scientists have created two more embryos of the world’s most endangered mammal.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.

Twitter is turning to its users to help combat fake news. The platform has launched Birdwatch, where people can flag tweets they believe to be misleading, provide evidence to the contrary and discuss them with others, on a separate site. Plus, Facebook News, featuring the Evening Standard, launches in the UK, regular naps are linked to better mental agility, and take a walk with Dolly Parton as Apple launches celebrity-guided workouts.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.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has launched a record 143 small satellites into a polar orbit from Florida, beating the previous record of 104. It's also the firm's first dedicated ‘rideshare’ mission, where it offers to transport packages to orbit for $1m. Plus, creators of humanoid robot Sophia plan to mass produce the AI robots by the end of the year, scientists believe there’s a new homegrown strain of Covid-19 in California, we speak to the professor working on a laser to remove cancers; and, Cyberpunk 2077's latest patch creates more problems for players. 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.

Children’s charity the NSPCC is warning a move to encrypt Facebook Messenger and Instagram chats will mask online predators. Security expert Brian Higgins on malware discovered inside government-issued laptops used by children to home-school during Covid-19 pandemic, which reportedly connected to Russian servers. SpaceX now has a ‘constellation’ of 1,000 internet-beaming satellites orbiting Earth after launching 60 at once. Lockdown loneliness: Neuroscientist Dr Byron Creese talks about a University Exeter and King’s College London study revealing how over-50s are suffering anxiety and depression. And, a Black Mirror-style chatbot being developed by Microsoft aims to digitally resurrect deceased loved ones.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twitter’s admitting it didn’t move fast enough to quell conspiracy theories that sparked the Capitol riots. QAnon’s hoards are being urged to “go back to your lives” after Trumpian reckoning did not materialise. A Call of Duty champion gamer is retiring at 25 years old with thumb problems caused by too much time playing on consoles. Are ‘sniper bots’ snapping up new PS5 consoles before you can get your hands on one? Meet the AI expert preparing young people to beat the robots in the workplace of tomorrow. Satellites are helping count elephants and beat the poachers from hundreds of miles above Earth  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Washington DC is in tech lockdown for inauguration day as cybersecurity experts reveal behind-the-scenes artificial intelligence strategies to stop repeat of Capitol violence. Nasa Moon shot faces delay after hydraulics problems found to cause ‘megarocket’ misfire. Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon and now the 91-year-old astronaut gets his Covid-19 jab. Beware the passive-aggressive Zoom eye roll because new software lets bosses scans people’s emotions and tiny expressions for ‘biosurveillance’ software. Netflix Tiger King star Joe Exotic misses out on Trump pardon...he had a limo waiting outside prison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Strong signal’ of space radio waves found far, far away at edge of universe, offering clues to how cosmos is made. Bumble unblocks politics filter after vigilantes used it to catfish Capitol riots suspects. We speak to UCL’s Dr Angeliki Zarkali about a new eye tests helping predict Parkinson’s-linked brain decline 18 months before it starts. Trump orders probe into security risks of Chinese drones in US government UAV squadrons. Paper maps? Trump administration issues doomsday space directive for when all the GPS satellites crash in space. First look at Wallace and Gromit’s cracking augmented reality app offering a ‘new form of storytelling’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warning over fake coronavirus vaccines as UK police reveal spike in elderly being targeted. Get ready for 24hr coronavirus vaccination centres..but mind your stress levels. Branson’s Virgin Orbit reaches space with satellite rocket launch…as Nasa’s ‘megarocket’ tests fails on launchpad. WhatsApp delaying privacy changes amid user back lash…as Signal goes down under download pressure from new sign-ups. Deliveroo’s value shoots up by billions as investors pump in cash ahead of stock market floatation. You have zero followers: Joe Biden starts his Twitter account from nothing at the weekend, but has nearly 1 million followers today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samsung unveils its flagship Galaxy S smartphone, and it's the first model that works with the S-Pen stylus. The release has raised questions over whether this is the first step to phasing out the separate Note handset range. Plus, Apple is reportedly planning a major redesign of its MacBook pro this year, Google has completed a $2 billion takeover of fitness wearable maker Fitbit, the Riders Republic release is delayed, and the Mars digger is declared dead. 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' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twitter chief Jack Dorsey says banning Donald Trump from the platform is the right decision… but it sets a dangerous precedent. Mr Dorsey tweeted that "having to take these actions fragment the public conversation," adding that while he took no pride in the ban, "offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real.” Plus, Airbnb cancels reservations in Washington area ahead of inauguration, Cyberpunk 2077 announces first major update, and Archaeologists find world's oldest animal cave painting.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.

YouTube is the latest tech giant to suspend Donald Trump’s account. The video platform says the President’s account will be taken down for “a minimum of seven days” due to concerns about “the ongoing potential for violence”. Plus, Indian Jones video game teased, Cyberpunk 2077’s multiplayer mode details revealed, CES 2021 highlights such as success of Sextech, and Nasa confirms the existence of a rare triple-star exoplanet.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.

The Covid-19 pandemic has emerged as an early theme at CES 2021. From Samsung’s trio of robots aimed to improve life at home - including pouring you a glass of wine at the end of a long day - to LG’s autonomous CLOi Robot that uses ultraviolet light to kill germs in high-traffic areas. Plus, tech giants continue their crackdown on those involved in last week’s insurrection of Capitol Hill, a massive data leak exposes 400GB of information scraped from more than 214 million social media accounts, and bitcoin investors are warned they could lose all their money.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.

The world’s biggest consumer technology show is turning to tech to help it adapt during a global pandemic. CES 2021 kicks off today, and it will be entirely virtual for the first time ever. Plus, far-right social media platform Parler is squeezed offline as Amazon becomes the latest tech giant to remove its support, scientists in Japan investigate a new mutant coronavirus strain, tonight’s the last night to see a rare trio of planets meet in the sky and a study shows ‘Grumpy Cat’ may have been unable to communicate his emotions.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' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Internet spreadsheet detectives pool resources to hunt Capitol invasion Trump mob - as the hunt intensifies to track down suspects over the invasion of the Capitol building, internet detectives are teaming up to aid the police investigation. Donald Trump’s back on Twitter…but Facebook have banned the president until he leaves the White House. Research suggests Pfizer/BioNTech is effective against highly-infectious Covid-19 mutations. New world’s richest person Elon Musk suggests WhatsApp users to swap over to Signal as Facebook reveals privacy changes. Sony’s new AI television ‘mimics human brain’. And, Scientists believe our Ice Age ancestors feeding leftover meat to wolves during harsh winters may have played a role in the domestication of dogs more than 14,000 years ago. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social media giants block Trump after deadly Capitol Hill invasion we speak to Richard Bingley, chief executive of UK-based Global Cyber Academy and Meaghan Spencer, the Evening’s Standard’s Social and SEO Editor. The facial recognition cameras able to identify people wearing facemasks. Elon Musk’s SpaceX monster Starship rocket fires up engines. Trump presses ahead with oil drilling permits in Alaska wilderness. The house that Bezos built: Amazon plans to construct affordable homes. Tesla’s new customisable Beatbox horn revealed by TikTok user Sydonce using Ludacris, the new update allows drivers to blast other road users with bespoke sounds - even goats Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgia is fifth state to report case of mutant strain of Covid-19 first found in UK. A court has denied Wikileaks founder Julian Assange bail, despite his extradition being blocked to the US. YouTube u-turn as streaming platform reinstates talkRadio page after ‘review’ over Covid ‘misinformation’. Trump bans transactions with eight Chinese apps including Alipay. Minecraft Earth will shut down this summer as fewer people on street in lockdowns. Pineapple leaves are being turned into disposable drone parts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Online shops are refusing to deliver to Britain after Brexit over tax changes. Samsung will go virtual for its launch of the Galaxy S21 with its 8K video capability and 108MP camera. Report reveals thousands of hours of government internet shutdowns and social media censorship in 2020 cost economies $4 billion. Clock on for a shift at the International Space Station from the comfort of your armchair in VR goggles. Fortnite developer Epic Games buys abandoned shopping mall for new headquarters. World’s 500 richest people added nearly $2 trillion to their bank accounts last year, led by Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. The Mooch moves to Bitcoin - former Trump spokesman Anthony Scaramucci launches cryptocurrency fund. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's what's on today: A British pensioner is first man in the world to receive the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine shot. Microsoft fears Russian hackers in Solarwinds breach viewed its source code. Bitcoin surges to record high as speculators fight feared Covid inflation. Nasa releases spooky sounds of the noise a supernova makes. SpaceX will try to ‘catch’ its Super Heavy rocket using the launch tower. Japanese developers finally release a PlayStation One gaming they have been working on….two decades late. Plus more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tesla boss Elon Musk says he tried to set up a meeting with Apple to see if they’d consider buying the car maker. But, chief executive Tim Cook rejected the request. After a turbulent few years, Tesla’s market value is now $616 billion. Plus, Cyberpunk 2077 sells 13 million games, Joe Biden won’t inherit any of Donald Trump’s @POTUS followers and, KFC brings its KFConsole to life. 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.

Scientists say the new mutant coronavirus strain discovered in the UK could more easily infect children. Experts say that data indicates it may be able to better spread among youngsters than other strains, but that analysis is still ongoing. Christopher Walken has revealed he’s never sent an email or text. Plus, Antarctica can no longer lay claim to being Covid-free, Apple ‘renews focus on self driving car’ and, Black Panther makes its debut on Fortnite. If you want to hear more about the mutation, listen hereListen 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 storiesAsk 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.

Stargazers are being treated to a once-in-generation spectacle on Monday as Saturn and Jupiter appear in the night sky as if they’re nearly touching. Nasa’s Dr Henry Throop explains how to see the 'Christmas star’. Plus, Tesla debuts into the S&P 500, over 2 million PUBG Mobile accounts banned in a week, and how the pandemic changed our conversations on Twitter.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' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sony pulls Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store after glitches backlash. US government and private companies at ‘grave risk’ from massive cyber-attack, officials warn after Treasury spying scandal. Twitter tests Spaces ‘chat room’ feature for conversations with strangers. Scientists’ warn goliath factory ships are stripping oceans of marine life in quest for fish. Zoom lift 40-minute call limit on free accounts over festive period.Artificial intelligence Top Gun co-pilots American U-2 spy plane with human for first time. Peak inside the vast Indiana Jones-style warehouse storing Science Museum artefacts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World Health Organisation scientists will take samples from bats and other animals in Wuhan to discover how COVID-19 spread across the world, hoping to prevent future outbreaks. Data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft reveals Saturn’s moon Enceladus could support life in its subsurface ocean. Facebook takes out full page newspaper attack ads in a row with Apple over the way users are tracked. Vodka and toothpaste from thin air: London’s Science Museum showcases tech that captures fumes to turn them into everyday objects. Heathrow third runway court case - campaigners fear 700 extra daily flights. Fitbit turns user ‘stress’ data into music for a soundtrack to 2020.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Billions of dollars were spent on US government’s hobbled anti-hacking software, which spies still managed to find a way around with trojan horse. EU rules mean yearly checks for Big Tech firms on how they are tackling harmful content. Virgin Media reveals record 2020 data usage as Britain stayed home amid pandemic. Call of Duty: Warzone Season One “battle pass” update features new scenarios, maps and weapons. Royal Mail launches post-by-drone ‘skyports’ to access remote locations Study shows kangaroos communicate with humans in similar way to domesticated animals. Twitter goes wild for German Brexit satire of The Crown trailer - with Boris Johnson mocked as ‘The Clown’.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.