Astronaut Chris Hadfield says Moon settlement is 15 years away and Mars colonisation is possible November 11, 2015 Moon settlement will be a reality in 15 years, according to astronaut Chris Hadfield, who also said colonisation of Mars is possible. “We are on the cusp of rewriting space travel all by visualising perfection and deciding what the next thing is we need to do to make it happen,” he said in a speech [...]
Banks to use bitcoin technology blockchain as soon as 2016 November 11, 2015 Banks could integrate the technology underpinning cryptocurrency bitcoin into some parts of their business as early as next year, according to a new report. Bitcoin utilises blockchain technology which enables the transfer of financial assets using cryptographically secured networks, and consequently removed the need for a third-party intermediary. Read more: UBS plays down potential of bitcoin The report [...]
Copper could soon become crucial for global disease prevention November 11, 2015 “Antimicrobial copper” could soon become a common term in the medical world – researchers from the University of Southampton have discovered that the metal can rapidly inactivate certain viruses, stopping them from spreading and causing disease. When they placed coronavirus 229E on a surface containing copper, they found that the virus was destroyed within minutes, [...]
These UK companies are creating technologies to make ageing more pleasant November 11, 2015 A handful of companies in London and the South East have been awarded backing to turn their healthcare inventions into reality. As part of the first ever MedTechSouthEast competition, 10 firms have been selected for their innovative designs to help elderly people stay independent for longer – a crucial development in an ageing society. The [...]
Fintech revolution: Visa and Bank of America file the most fintech patents November 11, 2015 There’s a fintech revolution going on – but who’s at the forefront of it? New patent figures reveal that Visa has filed by far the most fintech patents, soaring 20 per cent ahead of its nearest rival, Bank of America. Data from Aistemos and Relecura shows which companies hold the most patents, providing an overview of [...]
Think you’re not being tracked online? Our browsing habits are captured and leaked by nine out of 10 major websites November 11, 2015 Chances are, your internet browsing habits are well known among many companies – some of which you probably haven't even heard of. New research published today in the International Journal of Communication shows 88 per cent of mainstream websites track your data and pass it on to third parties. While the information they leak is [...]
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos becomes the fourth richest person in the world, overtaking Carlos Slim November 11, 2015 Important news for billionaire watchers: last night Amazon founder Jeff Bezos became the fourth-richest person in the world, after a rally in the online retailer caused him to breeze past Mexican telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim. Amazon shares finished yesterday 0.64 per cent up, at $4.19. According to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index, that pushes his fortune up to $58.2bn [...]
Telco giants Vodafone, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin and BT reignite broadband battle November 11, 2015 The war of words between the UK’s biggest telecoms giants reached new heights yesterday, as the clock ticks down on Ofcom’s probe into the broadband market and decision on whether to carve out Openreach from BT. With Ofcom due to reveal its verdict in January, Vodafone’s boss accused BT of trying to “re-monopolise” the sector, prompting [...]
US charges hackers who made millions after targeting financial services giants in biggest ever cyber-attack November 10, 2015 Cyber criminals have taken it up a gear. The US has charged three men accused of a major hacking scheme that targeted mainly financial services giants such as JPMorgan and generated hundreds of millions of dollars. "By any measure, the data breaches at these firms were breathtaking in scope and in size," and signal a "brave new world [...]
Hardly any of us actually believe artificial intelligence will take our jobs November 10, 2015 When it comes to robots stealing jobs, it seems we consider ourselves immune – we have the "it couldn't possibly happen to me" mentality. Research from Rocket Fuel shows that just nine per cent of Britons believe artificial intelligence will negatively impact their job, with the majority expecting it to either have no impact. 10 per cent [...]