Adnan Bhat / Rest of World: Doctors say the rise of fantasy sports apps has led to a spike in gambling addiction in India, where gambling is illegal but fantasy gaming has no clear laws — All forms of gambling are illegal in India but there are no clear laws when it comes to fantasy […]
The state of crypto and the metaverse, as seen at SXSW, is underwhelming and pathetic, showing off only how rich its boosters are and little of social utility (Edward Ongweso Jr/VICE)
Edward Ongweso Jr / VICE: The state of crypto and the metaverse, as seen at SXSW, is underwhelming and pathetic, showing off only how rich its boosters are and little of social utility — The first SXSW in three years was taken over by crypto-mania fueled by marketing hype. — It did not really hit […]
Netflix’s Windfall Is a Perfect Class-Rage Noir
A tech billionaire confronts his burglar in the Netflix’s latest thriller.
Apple’s Latest MacBook Pros Are at Their Lowest Price Ever
Desperate for ports or need a powerful video editing laptop? The 2021 MacBooks are on sale.
Ringworld Needs to Be Updated for Television
Larry Niven’s 1970 novel will need some character and plot changes for its forthcoming TV adaptation.
A look at China-made hit fantasy RPG Genshin Impact, as China expands into the video game market once dominated by Japan by imitating its Japanese competitors (New York Times)
New York Times: A look at China-made hit fantasy RPG Genshin Impact, as China expands into the video game market once dominated by Japan by imitating its Japanese competitors — Genshin Impact, a nearly picture-perfect reproduction of Japanese fantasy role-playing games, has raked in billions of dollars …
Instacart plans to add a $0.40 fee to orders “over the next month” that goes to shoppers to help with gas prices, even if shopper’s cars are hybrid or electric (Kim Lyons/The Verge)
Kim Lyons / The Verge: Instacart plans to add a $0.40 fee to orders “over the next month” that goes to shoppers to help with gas prices, even if shopper’s cars are hybrid or electric — The move follows temporary surcharge announcements from Lyft and Uber — Grocery delivery platform Instacart announced Friday …
GM buys SoftBank Vision Fund 1’s stake in Cruise for $2.1B, increasing GM’s ownership to 80%, and says the company will invest another $1.35B in Cruise (David Welch/Bloomberg)
David Welch / Bloomberg: GM buys SoftBank Vision Fund 1’s stake in Cruise for $2.1B, increasing GM’s ownership to 80%, and says the company will invest another $1.35B in Cruise — General Motors Co. bought out the SoftBank Vision Fund 1’s stake in self-driving startup Cruise LLC for $2.1 billion …
Could we make cars out of petroleum residue?
As the world struggles to improve the efficiency of cars and other vehicles in order to curb greenhouse gas emissions and improve the range of electric vehicles, the search is on for ever-lighter materials that are strong enough to be used in the bodies of cars. Lightweight materials made from carbon fiber, similar to the […]
Microsoft’s Jared Spataro on How the Pandemic Sped Up Technological Change (and Moved Us Closer to the Metaverse)
Avatars, holograms, and other metaverse technologies will facilitate human connection in the months and years ahead.
4 Ways to Bridge the Global Skills Gap
As more entry-level jobs are automated, businesses and policymakers need to work together to ensure young people have the skills they need.
How to Make Your Organization’s Language More Inclusive
Four practices to make sure you’re sending the right message.
Technics’ Flagship Headphones Give Sony a Run for the Money
The wireless, noise-canceling EAH-A800 boast a premium feel, great sound, and more battery than you’ll likely ever need. But they’re not perfect.
Conti Leaks Reveal the Ransomware Group’s Links to Russia
Members of the Conti ransomware group may act in Russia’s interest, but their links to the FSB and Cozy Bear hackers appear ad hoc.
Big Pharma’s Ethical Dilemma: Should They Keep Selling to Russia?
Sanctions and boycotts following the invasion of Ukraine have curtailed the export of nearly every product—except medicines. That’s up to drugmakers.
Microsoft Edge now automatically generates image labels for screen readers on Windows, macOS, and Linux, improving the experience for blind and low vision users (Tom Warren/The Verge)
Tom Warren / The Verge: Microsoft Edge now automatically generates image labels for screen readers on Windows, macOS, and Linux, improving the experience for blind and low vision users — Ideal for blind or low vision web users — More than half of the images on the web are missing alt text, according to Microsoft.
Russia’s disconnection from Western online services raises fears of a “splinternet”, networks with incompatible protocols diverging from today’s global internet (James Ball/MIT Technology Review)
James Ball / MIT Technology Review: Russia’s disconnection from Western online services raises fears of a “splinternet”, networks with incompatible protocols diverging from today’s global internet — If Russia disconnects from—or is booted from— the internet’s governing bodies, the internet may never be the same again for any of us.
Avive, which is building a connected, data-sharing response service for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergencies, raises a $22M Series A (FinSMEs)
FinSMEs: Avive, which is building a connected, data-sharing response service for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergencies, raises a $22M Series A — Avive Solutions, Inc., a San Francisco, CA-based developer of an intelligent AED and connected response platform for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest …
James Webb Space Telescope takes highest resolution infrared image
The James Webb Space Telescope has sent back its clearest image yet
‘BirdBot’ has robotic legs more efficient than more complex devices
Robotic legs with an unconventional design inspired by flightless birds can run 300 per cent more efficiently than the same device would if designed traditionally
Online Safety Bill: Will UK’s new law protect people from harm online?
The final draft of legislation designed to protect people from “harmful content” online goes before Parliament today, but critics warn it is likely to have unintended negative consequences
Russia’s Killer Drone in Ukraine Raises Fears About AI in Warfare
The maker of the lethal drone claims that it can identify targets using artificial intelligence.
The Amazon Warehouse Walkout Is Just the Latest Push
Amazonians United has coordinated its first multistate walkout for better pay after racking up wins across the nation for the past three years.
Deepfake Zelensky Was Quickly Defeated. The Next One May Not Be
The response to a video impersonating the Ukrainian president gives a blueprint for how to stop more sophisticated attempts.
PayPal expands its services to allow users to send money into Ukraine and temporarily waives fees for customers sending funds to Ukrainian PayPal accounts (Aisha Malik/TechCrunch)
Aisha Malik / TechCrunch: PayPal expands its services to allow users to send money into Ukraine and temporarily waives fees for customers sending funds to Ukrainian PayPal accounts — PayPal is expanding its services to allow its users to send money to Ukrainians, the company announced on Thursday.
New York-based online insurance marketplace Policygenius raises a $125M Series E, bringing its total funding to $225M (PYMNTS.com)
PYMNTS.com: New York-based online insurance marketplace Policygenius raises a $125M Series E, bringing its total funding to $225M — Policygenius has raised $125 million in new growth capital, the InsurTech firm announced in a news release Thursday (March 17). — The company, based in New York City …
Bored Ape Yacht Club’s $APE token hit a peak of $39.40 per token during its airdrop, but later sank as low as $7.50 (Andrew Hayward/Decrypt)
Andrew Hayward / Decrypt: Bored Ape Yacht Club’s $APE token hit a peak of $39.40 per token during its airdrop, but later sank as low as $7.50 — ApeCoin, the Ethereum token built for the expanding Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT ecosystem, launched this morning and rapidly rose in value before shedding much of its […]
Q&A: Climate Grand Challenges finalists on accelerating reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions
This is the second article in a four-part interview series highlighting the work of the 27 MIT Climate Grand Challenges finalists, which received a total of $2.7 million in startup funding to advance their projects. In April, the Institute will name a subset of the finalists as multiyear flagship projects. Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel […]
Physicists find direct evidence of strong electron correlation in a 2D material for the first time
In recent years, physicists have discovered materials that are able to switch their electrical character from a metal to an insulator, and even to a superconductor, which is a material in a friction-free state that allows electrons to flow with zero resistance. These materials, which include “magic-angle” graphene and other synthesized two-dimensional materials, can shift […]
Investing in a stronger MIT
MIT plans to make significant investments in the next fiscal year to support the Institute community, strengthen its research enterprise, and enhance its digital and physical infrastructure. The Institute announced in October that its pooled investments recorded a return of 55.5 percent — the strongest annual performance in more than 20 years — bringing the […]
The Path to a Carbon-Neutral Future Through Digital Technology and Platform Innovation – SPONSOR CONTENT FROM ALIBABA GROUP
Sponsor content from Alibaba Group.
Research: To Excel, Diverse Teams Need Psychological Safety
Findings from a study of 62 drug-development teams.
How the War in Ukraine Is Further Disrupting Global Supply Chains
It may accelerate a shift to regional suppliers.
NASA Finally Rolls Out Its Massive SLS Rocket, With Much at Stake
The agency’s long-awaited, costly Space Launch System is finally ready for a practice countdown before the first Artemis mission this spring.
Death of the Password? FIDO Alliance Reveals Its New Plan
After a decade of work, the FIDO Alliance says it’s found the missing piece in the bridge to a password-free future.
Eufy’s Video Doorbell Dual Keeps One Eye on Your Packages
This smart doorbell uses two cameras to help keep porch pirates at bay.
Grocery delivery app Getir raises a $768M Series E at an $11.8B valuation led by Mubadala with Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global, and others participating (Dan Taylor/Tech.eu)
Dan Taylor / Tech.eu: Grocery delivery app Getir raises a $768M Series E at an $11.8B valuation led by Mubadala with Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global, and others participating — Confirming earlier rumours, Getir has reined in $768 million at a decacorn valuation of $11.8 billion.
Tokyo-based mobile banking app Kyash raises a $41M Series D from Block, Greyhound, and others; report says it is Block’s first investment in Asia (Kate Park/TechCrunch)
Kate Park / TechCrunch: Tokyo-based mobile banking app Kyash raises a $41M Series D from Block, Greyhound, and others; report says it is Block’s first investment in Asia — Kyash, a Tokyo-based mobile financial app, has raised $41.2 million (4.9 billion JPY) Series D funding. — The round comes from a number …
Sources: Alibaba and Tencent are planning to cut tens of thousands of jobs combined this year as companies try to cope with China’s regulatory crackdown (Reuters)
Reuters: Sources: Alibaba and Tencent are planning to cut tens of thousands of jobs combined this year as companies try to cope with China’s regulatory crackdown — Alibaba Group (9988.HK) and Tencent Holdings (0700.HK) are preparing to cut tens of thousands of jobs combined this year …
Watch emu-inspired robot legs that use less energy to run
Robotic legs that mimic flightless running birds like emus and use just two motors per leg can run more efficiently than more complex devices
Sensors inspired by dandelion seeds can record signs of climate change
Tiny sensors that can drift in the breeze like dandelion seeds can help record environmental signals across a wide area
7 Great Deals to Get You Through the Workweek
If you’re anything like me, you’re looking for every way to stay focused until Friday. Noise-canceling headphones (and other gadgets) just might help.
The End of Infinite Data Storage Can Set You Free
The belief that we could save endlessly online turned us all into information hoarders. What society needs instead is better systems for preserving public knowledge.
How to Back Up Your Digital Life
Backups are boring, but they’ll save your bacon. Here’s how to make sure your data lives on, even when your PC doesn’t.
French cloud service OVHcloud files an antitrust complaint about Microsoft with the European Commission; sources say complaint focuses on Microsoft’s licensing (Wall Street Journal)
Wall Street Journal: French cloud service OVHcloud files an antitrust complaint about Microsoft with the European Commission; sources say complaint focuses on Microsoft’s licensing — France’s OVHcloud has filed a complaint that Microsoft is abusing its position to hurt competition
Sources: Yandex is in negotiations to sell its media unit, including Yandex News and personal recommendations site Yandex Zen, possibly to social network VK (TechCrunch)
TechCrunch: Sources: Yandex is in negotiations to sell its media unit, including Yandex News and personal recommendations site Yandex Zen, possibly to social network VK — Sources say the company is seeking a media exit as top exec hit with sanctions over propaganda charge
Bored Ape Yacht Club launches ApeCoin, or the $APE token, with 1B in total supply, and forms the ApeCoin DAO, whose founding members include Alexis Ohanian (Lucas Matney/TechCrunch)
Lucas Matney / TechCrunch: Bored Ape Yacht Club launches ApeCoin, or the $APE token, with 1B in total supply, and forms the ApeCoin DAO, whose founding members include Alexis Ohanian — Even among the fastest-growing crypto startups, Yuga Labs has had a particularly explosive year. — The startup is behind …
A possible new Covid-19 vaccine could be accessible for more of the world
While many people in wealthier countries have been vaccinated against Covid-19, there is still a need for vaccination in much of the world. A new vaccine developed at MIT and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center may aid in those efforts, offering an inexpensive, easy-to-store, and effective alternative to RNA vaccines. In a new paper, the […]
A fabric that “hears” your heartbeat
Having trouble hearing? Just turn up your shirt. That’s the idea behind a new “acoustic fabric” developed by engineers at MIT and collaborators at Rhode Island School of Design. The team has designed a fabric that works like a microphone, converting sound first into mechanical vibrations, then into electrical signals, similarly to how our ears […]
Fixing Data Overload in Health Care
A five-step approach to get the right data into the right hands at the right time.