Tech and Science Daily | The Standard

President Trump is out of the hospital but is he out of the woods? We take a look at some of the Covid misinformation floating around the net. Back in the UK, government's latest coronavirus gaff involves test and trace and a really big Excel spreadsheet. How a London addiction centre is helping gamers. Instagram has its tenth birthday and Apple updates the masked face emoji to give it a smile. Will you get your X Box X in time?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.

Donald Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, says the President is being treated with dexamethasone, a steroid typically given to patients with severe cases of Covid-19. It's added to the confusing and at times contradictory updates on Mr Trump’s health since he was admitted to hospital three days ago. Plus, Proud Boys takes on a new meaning, Mars is closer to Earth than it will be for 15 years, and the Nobel Prize is awarded for medicine. 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' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has tested positive for Covid-19 and experts say he has at least three risk factors for contracting it severely: his age, weight and gender. At 74-years-old and medically obese, the US President is at a higher risk of hospitalisation or death. Meanwhile, his Democratic challenger 77-year-old Joe Biden, is also taking precautions after sharing a debate stage with him on Tuesday. Plus, 20,000 Amazon employees test positive for coronavirus, how lettuce could provide a morale boost on Mars, and a $23 million toilet is set to blast off to the moon via the ISS.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.

Google’s vice president Rick Osterloh has officially announced the Pixel 5, and he says it’s been designed with the effects of a pandemic in mind. While they didn’t predict the coronavirus crisis, they did anticipate an economic downturn. So, the latest model has lost some of its headline features to make it more affordable. But, the Evening Standard’s Mark Blunden says it will still pay to shop around. Plus, Neanderthal genes linked to severe Covid-19, scientists discover a spider web of galaxies around a supermassive black hole, and what to expect from the latest release of Apple's emojis.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.

US Democrat candidate Joe Biden’s team has sent a letter to Facebook, angry at their alleged inaction in safeguarding the election. Also, The ISS’s desperate middle of the night search for a leak. Is a super enzyme coming to eat all of our plastic? David Attenbourgh's warning about the "grave danger" facing the world. Are women being unethically targeted by eggs freezing firms? Britain’s first hydrogen train makes its debut. AirBnb hit with UK tax bill. Amazon letting you book virtual experiences. And some PlayStation 5 rumours.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.

WHO will deliver 120 million Covid-19 tests to developing nations. Microsoft 365 back up after outage – what does this mean for WFH life? Paying with your palm – Amazon’s new trick to make payments totally digitless. Life on Mars – we look at research from an Italian study. Why are some people left handed? Jetpack paramedics coming to the Lake District. New Jurrasic World themed ride announced by Universal Studios and FarmVille coming to an end.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.

The video sharing platform stumbles on after a federal judge issued a temporary injunction on the US government's attempt to remove it from stores. 64 world leaders make huge commitments to protect the environment from 64 but critics say some important ones missing. How some smartphone users are fixing their own devices despite alleged ‘planned obsolescence’. Uber wins its appeal to keep operating in London. The launch of shoebox-sized satellites. Coronavirus news – new drugs and the NHS app. Dynasty Wars 9 announced and is WhatsApp bringing in expiring photos?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.

New documents reveal Facebook is looking to change people’s perception of the world. The firm appears to be planning for wearers of its smart glasses to be absorbed in their own ‘artificial reality’ as they go about daily life. Some critics are calling the plan ‘very black mirror’ but others welcome the tech as a new way to stay connected. Plus, Amazon’s new security drone raises privacy fears, the world’s first hydrogen powered commercial airplane takes flight, and Fortnite prepares to celebrate its 3rd birthday. 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 UK’s health secretary, Matt Hancock, has already been forced to defend technical issues with the rollout of the contact tracing app. After months of delay, now people with older phones say they’re having issues downloading it. But Matt Hancock says this is a ‘tipping point’ in the fight against coronavirus, which is seeing a second wave across Britain. Plus, Google launches a Covid-19 data layer for maps, downloading iOS 14 could mean losing Fortnite, and a new project means you can ‘listen’ to images of the Milky Way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk has claimed a more affordable electric car from Tesla will be ready ‘in about three years’. But, his claim at his annual ‘Battery Day’ event did little to excite investors who wiped $50 billion from its market value. Plus, Facebook removes fake accounts that tried to disrupt US politics, Tom Cruise is heading to space, Nasa astronauts avoid a potential collision with space junks and, and Last of Us celebrations renamed amid the pandemic.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 EveningStandard' Visit standard.co.uk/tech for more tech news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twitter is investigating after a ‘horrible experiment’ appeared to suggest its image cropping tool was racially biased. A San-Francisco-based programmer tweeted two examples of a picture where President Barack Obama was cropped out when he appeared in an image with Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, saying it was ‘another example of racism manifesting in machine learning algorithms’. Plus, a ‘crazy’ year leads to record sea ice melt in the Arctic, the Halo Infinite delay could mean new features and, North America might soon see an explosion of super pigs.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.

Britain’s top coronavirus advisers warn of a need to get new infections under control. President Trump’s WeChat ban blocked over free speech claims. TikTok gets a reprieve through a Oracle/Walmart deal and a promise to give money to US education. 28 days without spots on the sun – as we enter a new solar cycle. The asteroids flying by. China is losing Australian space tracking stations. Electric and hybrid sales over take diesel cars in the UK for the first time. Could banks verify your identity using just your face? The wealthiest 1% creating the bulk of our emissions - are we surprised?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 German hospital is thought to have recorded the first death - directly or indirectly - from a ransomware attack. A woman died after the hospital’s IT systems failed following an attack by hackers and she had to be transferred to another city for treatment. Plus, 53 million tonnes of plastic waste could enter waterways every year by 2030, a new reality show plans to send the winner to outer space, the Ig Nobel prize winners are announced and, All Stars Super Mario 3D launches to mixed reviews.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sony has revealed its PlayStation 5 will be released just two days after XBox Series X and have the same price tag as its rival. It marks the start of 2020’s next-gen console war - and Sony’s armed itself with the latest instalment of Final Fantasy as well as the highly anticipated Hogwarts Legacy. Plus, hackers target the global video game industry, the discovery of a new mass extinction event and Nasa makes a surprise discovery in the orbit of a dead star. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apple unveiled a number of new products at its latest virtual event but its the new Fitness+ service that experts say should have rivals worried. The subscription-based workout platform runs off the Apple Watch, which saw two new models released on Tuesday evening. But, iPhone fans will have to wait a few more weeks to see any new updates. Plus, Kim Kardashian West boycotts social media, Scientific American endorses a presidential candidate for the first time and scientists discover the oldest known fossilised animal sperm. 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 so excited, it wants to make the planet a priority for space missions. And will Mars be next? the Evening Standard talks to the UCL team recreating the red planet's extreme conditions in London’s commuter belt for a future search for life. If 2020 wasn’t stressful enough, an asteroid is entering earth's orbit on Thursday. Creating super livestock from super sperms. LG’s winged phone to rival Samsung. YouTube’s TikTok rival soft-launches in India. And what are big tech companies doing to neutralise their carbon footprint? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The parent company of the video app TikTok has opted for Oracle over Microsoft after Trump forced it to sell the app. British chips bought by the Americans – they’ve promised jobs for the UK. Should social media companies be doing more to combat harmful online video? Worrying news out of Greenland as ice breaks off. Coronavirus surging again – how long can this go on for? And could Instagram start charging? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US political parties were among those targeted, after Microsoft security software thwarted most of the attempts. And travel firms are also being blasted for failing to secure their websites despite previous cyberattacks. Reforms have been proposed to alter laws in the UK targeting online abuse. A new study suggests the public's confidence in vaccines is improving in the UK and Europe, but there are "hesitancy hotspots". The professional gamer, Ninja, returns to Twitch, while Ubisoft announces a collaboration with the rapper Stormzy for Watch Dogs: Legion and releases its Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. The NFLStreams subreddit on Reddit gets banned. We hear about two UK-made nanosatellites the size of a shoebox, and why is NASA buying moon dirt?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.

China is demanding Twitter investigate a ‘hack’ after the account of its ambassador to the UK liked a pornographic post. Liu Xiaoming retweeted an official statement condemning the ‘attack’, saying: ‘A good anvil does not fear the hammer’. Plus, Portland bans facial recognition tech, Apple makes its own face mask, the world’s animal populations are in ‘freefall’, and a search of 10 million solar systems has turned up no signs of 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.

Oxford scientists have had to put the stoppers on their trials of a new Covid vaccine as a UK Patient has had an adverse reaction, Apple files a counter lawsuit accusing the makers of Fortnite of being greedy,  San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is back - this time in virtual action, plus Sonic the Hedgehog is about to turn 30 and we could be about to get some extra added bonus games, and a very unusual earthquake appears to have rocked the states all the way from New jersey to Brooklyn.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After PUBG Mobile and Mobile Lite were banned in India last week citing security concerns, the corporation now wants to work directly with the Indian government to find a solution. New reports suggest businesses of the future will be based on a mix of AI tech, and robots could be introduced to help care for the elderly after Pepper was a hit with older adults. And talking of bots, Amazon's autonomous delivery vehicle Scout has a development boost. Also, an aquanaut wants to build the marine version of the ISS, and a new floating Apple store opens in Singapore. Get your lightsabers ready as The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu launches today on PS4. Did a Chinese rocket booster land dangerously close to a school playground? And, it's Star Trek Day 2020! 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' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK health secretary Matt Hancock has dramatically raised hopes of a Covid-19 vaccine in the coming months. He told LBC radio it was ‘looking up’ that a jab could be available soon after trials if it's approved - potentially by early next year. Plus, Virgin Galactic’s next crewed test flight planned for October, 90s game Doom played on a pregnancy test and, cheating on Fall Guy: Ultimate Knockout to be stamped out.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.

Experts warn Facebook’s bid to stop misinformation in the week leading up to the US election by banning paid political ads will do little to stop the organic spread of fake news. They also say - and the President agrees - it’ll limit the ability to counteract bogus claims at crunch time. Plus, the FTSE 100 makes gains despite a sudden sell off of tech stocks across the Pond, the moon is rusting and it might be Earth’s fault and, grinning turtles make a comeback.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate and Restless Development said their Failure to Act report shows social networks are failing in their own misinformation policies. A new £500-million funding package will support trials of a 20-minute test for Covid-19. Also as tensions continue to escalate between India and China along its disputed land border, the Indian government has blocked more Chinese phone apps. A quantum breakthrough means the world is one step closer to having a totally secure internet. By the year 2245 half the planet's atoms could be digital data. Wildfires have set a record for carbon emissions so far this year. And Europe's Vega rocket is back in action, as SpaceX set to launch 60 Starlink satellites today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FBI says its foiled attempts by a group with links to the Kremlin to "interfere in US public debate" with the shutdown of several accounts on Facebook and Twitter. In India, Facebook execs face a grilling over hate speech and political bias. New research suggest steroids could reduce risk of death by 20% in Covid patients, ZTE drops the worlds first Selfie camera phone and Joe Biden jumps into Animal Crossing on Nintendo.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Australian media laws could mean Facebook rips news sharing from its pages there in a row over whether the social networking giant, and Google, pay for certain services, Ubisoft's apologising for imagery that showed a terrorist using a fist raised in a similar way to Black Power activists. Actress Bella Thorne says sorry for leading OnlyFans users up the garden path about $200 photographs; plus Elon Musk's latest invention for Tesla means speed limit signs will be detectable while on autopilot.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.

Doctors and dentists are among medical experts in the UK warning people not try some Tik Tok beauty hacks at home. They say advice encouraging people to do things like whiten their teeth with bleach, or use eyelash glue on lips, can be harmful. Also, Amazon's new fitness band can analyse your emotions by listening to your voice, Countdown's Susie Dent's been giving Alexa lessons in local dialects, and Katy Perry's busy week's rounded off with the release of a new video game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today sees the launch of the new season of Fortnite, which as teasers had previously revealed will have a Marvel theme and it’s the first time in Fortnite's history that an entire season will be themed around an existing IP.  The White House has announces significant funding over the next 5 years in a dozen scientific centres dedicated to the study of artificial intelligence and quantum information science and why flat faced dog breeds popularity may be their undoing.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing has accused the US of sending a U-2 spy plane into a no-fly zone to "trespass" on live-fire exercises. Also, AI vs. a human fighter pilot... who won? Scientists find out how our perception of probability changes our ability to make decisions. Then in gaming, possible new modes for Call of Duty have been leaked, and ArenaNet bring Guild Wars 2 over to Steam. How much has Bella Thorne made on OnlyFans in less than a week? Could you handle less screen time if it meant winning $1000? And a 166 million-year-old dinosaur bone has been discovered in Scotland.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.

Google’s UK boss Ronan Harris insists the tech giant will always pay the tax that it's required to… but that it was up to the government to decide on the amount. Tech firms are facing accusations they don’t pay enough in the countries where they operate but Harris says for Google, the ‘bone of contention’ is that most of their payments go to California. Plus, UK police are getting a new Taser ‘that’s more painful and has a higher risk of hitting passers-by', the Earth has lost 28 trillion tonnes of ice in 23 years and pregnant women might have to cut caffeine altogether.  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.

Donald Trump has issued an emergency order making it easier for doctors to treat Covid-19 using the blood plasma of those who’ve recovered from the disease. But, while the president may hope this new push could help him make up ground in the polls… studies show the treatment is far from a breakthrough. Plus, AI could block harmful content as its being live streamed and, did a Russian cosmonaut spot UFOs from the ISS? 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.

It's emerged Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg's faced more questions in congress over why the company bought rival Instagram. Netflix has apologised after thousands campaigned to get a poster for new film Cuties removed due to its portrayal of an 11 year old girl, US news providers ask Apple to take less of their profits through subscription services and China's Alibaba tries to smooth the path for long term peace with Donald Trump.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As 950,000 pupils receive their GCSE results, “the dream” is to land a job in tech, according to a new Samsung survey, Google's tackling troubles with its G-suite services including Gmail, Its official, Apple is the world's biggest company, Elon Musk’s Space X has raked in some extra funding, AirBnB's gearing up for what would be the biggest share sale of the year, and much to residents disgust Florida Keys is about to be invaded by 750 million genetically modified mosquitos.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientists think losing your sense of smell with Covid-19 could be an indication the disease affects sufferer's brains and nerve centres. Is Honey better than an antibiotic? President Trump’s TikTok battle rumbles on. Apple Music is getting a remix. Will your car be driving you to work? Do antibiotics affect birth control medicines? Meanwhile, Californian Uber users may not be able to ride from this week after a dispute over workers rights. And after a quarter of a century, we say goodbye to Internet Explorer! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SpaceX is launching a record-breaking rocket mission, with an emphasis on recycling, Kanye West's taking on Tik Tok with ideas for a religious themed rival, the US tightens restrictions on Huawei’s access to chip technology, and Epic v Apple - who will win the gaming battle?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.

Google pens a letter to Australians saying new laws could harm their internet freedom. The Wakashio splits in two – endangering Mauritian wildlife. Is mindfulness doing more harm than good? Facebook's under fire for alleged ‘political bias’. Cornavirus research questioning whether lockdowns are making kids more susseptible to allergies. And your country needs you! UK coronavirus vaccine trials need more people. 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.

One of the world's most popular games on iPhones was taken down after makers Epic games offered an update that let players buy in-game currency at a lower rate if they bought direct - bypassing Apple. TikTok's US employees are planning to take on the Trump administration, as they say its executive order would make it illegal for their employer to pay them, but the administration has yet to reply to the accusations and find out why life’s a beach with new tech for flip flops.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.

Researchers probing the origins of coronavirus have caught 200 bats in caves in Thailand. They hope to find a close match to the disease that will help shed light on the pandemic that has so far infected more than 20 million people and caused the deaths of 748,000 worldwide. Plus, Facebook and Instagram step up efforts to combat the spread of misinformation, WeChat plays down a looming US ban, and a faraway galaxy that looks like the MilkyWay could re-shape our thinking about how galaxies evolve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his daughter is one of the first recipients of a newly approved coronavirus vaccine that could begin rolling out in October. But experts are cautious about the claim, warning an unsafe jab could further worsen the pandemic. Plus, Twitter rolls out new tools to help curb abuse, a new cousin of the T-Rex has been discovered in England, and the Halo Infinite release is postponed to next year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Cook has been welcomed into an elite club... The Apple boss has hit billionaire status, joining Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Microsoft’s Bill Gates. The tech giants are enjoying soaring share prices amid the pandemic as the world shifts online. Plus, calls grow to ban killer robots, Nasa followers mistake Jupiter for a pizza and, Google could start monitoring your baby’s heartbeat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are reports Twitter's entering the race to buy Tik Tok, but can the social media giant even afford it? How a potential TikTok ban has got sales booming for VPNs. Are we edging towards better Alzheimer's treatment? The potential rise of deadly bacteria in our oceans, and the potential loss of popular fish n chip staples from our seas. How coronavirus is affecting valuable climate research. And the oil slick devastating an island in the Indian Ocean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US President signed executive orders targeting the two Chinese apps to “protect national security”. So what exactly do the orders say? Ireland welcomes TikTok's plans to build a data centre, while Mark Zuckerberg becomes a 'Centibillionaire' after the rollout of Instagram Reels. SpaceX launches another 57 Starlink satellites, and a couple of others hitch along for the ride. EA Sports announces UFC 4 release and Dr Disrespect returns to streaming. Also we find out where a 240-million-year-old "stubby crocodile with a very, very long neck" used to live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The social media platform's removed posts from President Donald Trump that claimed children are 'immune' from the coronavirus. Meanwhile the US Secretary of State has outlined plans to ban "untrusted Chinese apps" from US app stores, as TikTok says it wants to open a data centre in Ireland. A new report though suggests a complete re-think of how data is collected and used is needed to prevent tech giants dominating our lives. Also, is there racial inequality in AI? And an FBI swat team raided the house of a YouTuber. Sony says Covid has vastly increased its game sales for PS4, while Capcom announces a series of characters from Rival Schools will join Street Fighter V. Find out about superbolt lightning in Jupiter's clouds... and which animal has been given the green light by the government to be re-introduced in Devon? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The likely cause of a devastating explosion in Beirut appears to be thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate that Lebanon’s prime minister says was left lying unsecured in a warehouse for six years. The chemical is commonly used for fertiliser.. So, what needs to go wrong to cause a disaster like this one? Plus, Nasa astronauts speak of their surprise at splashdown, Google+ users could receive $12 and scientists discover eleven new colonies of emperor penguins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is demanding a cut from the sale of TikTok’s US unit if Microsoft - or any other American firm - buys it. The President also warned if there’s no deal then he’s banning the app from next month. Plus, hospitals around the world fended off millions of cyberattacks at the height of lockdown, a new supersonic jet could fly to Sydney from London in five hours and, Fortnite finally releases drivable cars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hear about the astronauts' 19-hour journey from the International Space Station and what was so different about this landing. Also how it's left Nasa optimistic about the future of human spaceflight despite an unexpected off-shoot to the mission. Trump 'plans to act' on security risks posed by Chinese software in social media apps while Microsoft is in talks to buy the US arm of TikTok and the company's owners ByteDance decide to move their head office to London. Egypt invites Elon Musk to visit the country so they can prove the pyramids weren't built by aliens, and Sir David Attenborough's back with a new TV show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Profits for the three months run up to June have been revealed by techs “big four” and after questions of how big is too big came up in congress it has emerged they are doing even better than expected. Should they pay for services like news though? Australia thinks so and just passed a new law, plus  New York  congress woman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is back in action and is fighting for the US Military to stop targeting and trying to recruit youngsters on Twitch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump, a long time critic of the big tech companies, says he’s ‘watching closely’ as bosses of Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple are grilled over accusations their companies stifle competition. The President has urged Congress to crack down on them at an antitrust hearing - otherwise he’ll do it himself. Plus, Nasa’s mission to Mars is underway, a ‘life-changing’ rapidcoronavirus test could be available by Christmas, and a quarter of Britain’s mammals are facing extinction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tech titans Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple all face Congress as questions are raised about "how big is too big"? The  quartet have reportedly racked up $5tn dollars between them. Also, the US is recommending two ex-Twitter colleagues are released after being accused of spying for Saudi Arabia, Kodak recieves US government backing for a stab at pharmaceuticals and it looks like the UK could be poised for space flight soon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google's new subsea cable will connect the US, the UK and Spain in a “significant upgrade” to current internet infrastructure. There’s been a discovery of kelp off the coast of Scotland, Ireland and France that has survived since the last Ice Age. We find out about some seriously-detailed martian maps that are going to help NASA's Mars 2020 rover land on The Red Planet, and hear about the UK researchers selecting the samples that'll be brought back to Earth. Also, why is daily internet use making older adults happier? We find out just how successful Valorant's launch was, and about a new rank system being introduced to the game. And not one, but two, whale stories! First, Talequah is pregnant again... she's the orca that stole everyone's hearts by carrying a dead baby calf with her for thousands of miles, and as the Natural History Museum gets ready to re-open, it's dusting off the 25 metre-long whale skeleton that hangs in its entrance.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.