Energy
NASA shows how Sahara desert dust spread all over Europe
The dust coated the Alps and caused'blood rain' in England. In the light of the setting sun, the sky forms a veil of Saharan dust over the Wurmberg in Lower Saxony, Germany. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The wild winds of winter typically bring snow in the Northern Hemisphere. But sometimes, they carry dust .
Even Silicon Valley Says that AI Is a Bubble
An AI crash could bring down the economy. Some in the tech world think that's the price of progress. The tech billionaire Hemant Taneja admits that AI is a bubble. In fact, he welcomes it: "Bubbles are good," Taneja, the CEO of General Catalyst, a venture-capital firm, told me in an email. If AI comes crashing down, it will lead to "some spectacular failures," he said--companies will go under and people will lose their jobs--but that's a price worth paying for "enduring companies that change the world forever."
The Download: Early adopters cash in on China's OpenClaw craze, and US batteries slump
The Download: Early adopters cash in on China's OpenClaw craze, and US batteries slump Hustlers are cashing in on China's OpenClaw AI craze In January, Beijing-based software engineer Feng Qingyang started tinkering with OpenClaw, a new AI tool that can take over a device and autonomously complete tasks. Within weeks, he was advertising "OpenClaw installation support" on a second-hand shopping site. Today, his side gig is a fully-fledged business with over 100 employees and 7,000 completed orders. Feng is among a small cohort of savvy early adopters making serious cash from China's OpenClaw craze. As users with little technical background want in, a cottage industry of installation services and preconfigured hardware has sprung up. The rise of these tinkerers shows just how eager the general public in China is to adopt cutting-edge AI--despite huge security risks.
Microsoft's Copilot AI goes head-to-head with China's DeepSeek in Africa
Microsoft's Copilot AI goes head-to-head with China's DeepSeek in Africa Microsoft is investing 5.4 billion South African rand ($330 million) to expand its cloud and AI capacity in the country by the end of next year, and it also has plans to build a geothermal-powered data center in Kenya. Microsoft is making a push for more Africans to adopt its artificial-intelligence tools as the U.S. technology giant competes with China's DeepSeek for customers from the world's youngest and fastest-growing population. The Redmond, Washington-based company plans to train 3 million Africans on its AI technology this year, in partnership with schools, universities and other institutions, with a focus on South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco. It's also partnered with MTN Group, Africa's biggest telecommunications firm, to sell the Microsoft 365 suit of apps together with its Copilot digital assistant to its 300 million subscribers. The Microsoft Elevate training initiative aims to make sure cost is not a barrier to building AI literacy at scale," Middle East and Africa President Naim Yazbeck said in an interview. Chinese technology is active in Africa and our job is to compete."
British man powers DIY car with discarded vapes
The souped-up G-Wiz EV has a range of 18 miles and topped 40 miles per hour. The G-Wiz, one of the earlier electric vehicles, technically seats four passengers. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Anyone who's walked through the grounds of a music festival or even peeked into a public trash bin has likely noticed a deluge of discarded, single-use nicotine vapes. These vapes have surged in popularity, with the United Nations estimating at least 844 million of them were discarded by 2022 alone .
Scientists reveal controversial plan to launch 50,000 MIRRORS into space for 'sunlight on demand' - but sceptics warn it poses 'serious risks' to wildlife and humans
Horrifying next twist in the Alexander brothers case: MAUREEN CALLAHAN exposes an unthinkable perversion that's been hiding in plain sight Hollywood icon who starred in Psycho after Hitchcock dubbed her'my new Grace Kelly' looks incredible at 95 Alexander brothers' alleged HIGH SCHOOL gang rape video: Classmates speak out on sick'taking turns' footage... as creepy unseen photos are exposed Model Cindy Crawford, 60, mocked for her'out of touch' morning routine: 'Nothing about this is normal' Kentucky mother and daughter turn down $26.5MILLION to sell their farms to secretive tech giant that wants to build data center there Tucker Carlson erupts at Trump adviser as she hurls'SLANDER' claim linking him to synagogue shooting NFL superstar Xavier Worthy spills all on Travis Kelce, the Chiefs' struggles... and having Taylor Swift as his No 1 fan Heartbreaking video shows very elderly DoorDash driver shuffle down customer's driveway with coffee order because he is too poor to retire Amber Valletta, 52, was a '90s Vogue model who made movies with Sandra Bullock and Kate Hudson, see her now Nancy Mace throws herself into Iran warzone as she goes rogue on Middle East rescue mission: 'I AM that person' Scientists reveal controversial plan to launch 50,000 MIRRORS into space for'sunlight on demand' - but sceptics warn it poses'serious risks' to wildlife and humans Scientists have revealed a controversial plan to launch 50,000 mirrors into space to offer'sunlight on demand'. California-based startup, Reflect Orbital, is poised to secure permission to launch a 60-foot (18.3-metre) prototype mirror into orbit to beam sunlight back to the Earth's surface. Once it has reached an altitude of 400 miles (640 km), the mirror will unfurl and illuminate a patch of Earth about three miles (4.8 km) wide. Someone looking up from the ground would see a small dot of light about as bright as the moon. Reflect Orbital says its space mirrors could allow solar power plants to operate 24 hours a day, provide lighting for disaster-struck regions, and even replace street lights.
Prioritizing energy intelligence for sustainable growth
As AI drives extraordinary power demands, energy intelligence is rapidly becoming a core business metric. Loudoun County, Virginia, once known for its pastoral scenery and proximity to Washington, DC, has earned a more modern reputation in recent years: The area has the highest concentration of data centers on the planet. Ten years ago, these facilities powered email and e-commerce. Today, thanks to the meteoric rise in demand for AI-infused everything, local utility Dominion Energy is working hard to keep pace with surging power demands. The pressure is so acute that Dulles International Airport is constructing the largest airport solar installation in the country, a highly visible bid to bolster the region's power mix. Data center campuses like Loudoun's are cropping up across the country to accommodate an insatiable appetite for AI.
The Download: AI's role in the Iran war, and an escalating legal fight
Plus: GPS jamming has become an invisible battle in the Middle East. Much of the spotlight on AI in the Iran conflict has focused on models like Claude helping the US military decide where to strike. But a wave of "vibe-coded" intelligence dashboards--and the ecosystem surrounding them--reflect a new role that AI is playing in wartime: mediating information, often for the worse. These sorts of intelligence tools have much promise. Yet there are real reasons to be suspicious of their data feeds. The AI firm wants to stop the Pentagon from blacklisting it.
Man builds functional typewriter out of Lego bricks
The inkless device works a bit like a printing press. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Lego kits have become impressively intricate over the years, but the company really outdid itself with a 2079-piece typewriter in 2021. Part of its Ideas series, the brickmakers released the fully functioning mechanical keyboard. It's a unique and extremely well designed set, although not without its limits.
Japan eyes distant island for nuclear waste dump
Minamitorishima is nearly 1,250 miles east of Tokyo. The island is surrounded by a coral atoll and is only 0.6 miles wide. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Nuclear power is on the rise around the world, but with it comes an extremely pressing question: where will all of the radioactive waste be stored? For Japan, one answer may lie in literally the most remote location at their disposal.