West Somerset Lagoon would harness renewable energy for UK's AI boom - and create'iconic' arc around Bristol Channel The architect of the London Eye wants to build a vast tidal power station in a 14-mile arc off the coast of Somerset that could help Britain meet surging electricity demand to power artificial intelligence - and create a new race track to let cyclists skim over the Bristol Channel. Julia Barfield, who designed the Eye and the i360 observation tower in Brighton, is part of a team that has drawn up the £11bn proposal. The proposal comes amid growing concern that rapidly rising use of AI in Britain will drive up carbon emissions unless more renewable energy sources are found. The AI boom is expected to add to sharp increases in demand for electricity across the UK, which the government estimated this month could more than double by 2050. "If the decision is to go ahead with adopting more and more AI - which I am surprised is not being questioned more at a time of climate emergency - then it is going to be better with a renewable energy source," said Barfield.

This was supposed to be the year when autonomous agents took over everyday tasks. One year ago, Sam Altman, the C.E.O. of OpenAI, made a bold prediction: "We believe that, in 2025, we may see the first AI agents'join the workforce' and materially change the output of companies." A couple of weeks later, the company's chief product officer, Kevin Weil, said at the World Economic Forum conference at Davos in January, "I think 2025 is the year that we go from ChatGPT being this super smart thing . . . to ChatGPT doing things in the real world for you." He gave examples of artificial intelligence filling out online forms and booking restaurant reservations. He later promised, "We're going to be able to do that, no question."

Could Ukraine hold a presidential election right now? Will Europe use frozen Russian assets to fund war? How can Ukraine rebuild China ties? 'Ukraine is running out of men, money and time' An explosion in Moscow killed three people, including two police officers, just days after a car bomb killed a high-ranking Russian general in the same area of the capital. An official from Ukraine's military intelligence, known as GUR, told The Associated Press news agency that the attack had been carried out as part of a Ukrainian operation and the two police officers were targeted for taking part in Russia's war in Ukraine.

Three killed after Russia launches'massive' attack across Ukraine Russia carried out a massive overnight attack on several Ukrainian cities, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, a day after he warned of strikes over the Christmas period. At least three people were killed, according to Ukrainian officials, including a four-year-old child, while energy infrastructure was also targeted, leaving several regions without power. Russia launched 635 drones and 38 missiles, Ukraine's air force said, adding that 621 of them were downed. Zelensky said people simply want to be with their families, at home, and safe in the run-up to Christmas, and said the strikes sent an extremely clear signal about Russia's priorities despite ongoing peace talks. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing.

Russia has intensified its strikes on the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa, causing widespread power cuts and threatening the region's maritime infrastructure. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Moscow was carrying out systematic attacks on the region. Last week, he warned that the focus of the war may have shifted towards Odesa. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the repeated attacks were an attempt by Moscow to block Ukraine's access to maritime logistics. Earlier in December, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to sever Ukraine's access to the sea as retaliation for drone attacks on tankers of Russia's shadow fleet in the Black Sea.

Unlike its land cousin the box turtle, painted turtles do not have a hinged bottom shell that closes when the head is pulled in. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Winter has officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. With today's winter solstice, the days will start to get a little bit longer, but the cold will stick around. We humans typically handle the dipping temperatures by staying inside, sleeping more, and dressing in layers . Here are some unique ways that animals survive winter's deep freeze.

What is in the 28-point US plan for Ukraine? 'Ukraine is running out of men, money and time' Can the US get all sides to end the war? Why is Europe opposing Trump's peace plan? Three people, including two crew members of a cargo vessel, were killed in overnight Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian port of Rostov-on-Don and the town of Bataysk in the country's southern Rostov region, local governor Yury Slyusar said. Russian strikes near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa killed a woman in her car and hit infrastructure.

Intestinal parasites that still plague us today were all over Roman Britain. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. The soldiers guarding the Roman Empire's northwestern frontier had a real parasite problem. Scientists analyzing the sewer drains from the Roman fort Vindolanda (near Hadrian's Wall in northern England) found three types of intestinal parasites --roundworm,whipworm, and . The findings published in the journal mark the first time that has been documented in Roman Britain.

Rare polar bear adoption could save cub's life The cubs were born into a well-studied'celebration' of polar bears in Canada. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Scientists in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada (aka the polar bear capital of the world) have confirmed that a wild female polar bear has adopted a cub that is not her own. This rare behavior was captured on cameras during the polar bear's annual migration along Western Hudson Bay . Researchers from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Polar Bears International spotted the mother bear (designated as bear X33991) during spring 2025, when she came out of her maternity den.

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