Telescope #113

• Forever chemicals are notoriously difficult to remove from water sources, posing significant health and environmental risks. However, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a promising new filtration material that could offer a natural solution to this stubborn problem. The material, made from natural silk and cellulose, has shown impressive results in removing PFAS and heavy metals from water. Additionally, it possesses antimicrobial properties that prevent the filters from becoming fouled over time. DETAIL

• Largest glacier in Italy’s Dolomites could disappear completely by 2040. Marmolada glacier has seen 70 hectares of its surface disappear in the last five years - the equivalent of 98 football fields.? The glacier is losing 7 to 10 centimetres of thickness per day, according to scientists, and risks melting away completely by 2040. DETAIL

• Google Research is leveraging artificial intelligence to help cities combat extreme heat. The team's newly developed Heat Resilience tool analyzes satellite and aerial imagery to assist urban planners in quantifying the potential impact of cooling interventions. It's an AI-powered system that uses object detection and other models to assess elements such as green space coverage and roof reflectivity. This granular approach allows city officials to visualize the effects of strategies like planting more trees and adding cool roofs with highly reflective surfaces. DETAIL

• On 9 September, the long-awaited report from former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi into EU competitiveness was published. The future of European competitiveness report has a strong focus on climate and energy, laying out a joint decarbonisation and competitiveness plan, along with plans for boosting security and reducing dependencies, closing the innovation gap and more. DETAIL
• Unilever is pioneering a novel approach to fragrance creation by repurposing leftover plants and flowers that would otherwise go to waste. The consumer goods giant has partnered with scientists at the University of Nottingham and Bridge Farm Group — which grows plants and flowers in over 60 acres of greenhouse space — to pilot the extraction of essential oils from leftover petunias, roses and marigolds. DETAIL
• The vast majority of large companies across the world have been increasing sustainability-related investments over the past year, as C-suite executives have become more concerned about the impact of climate change on their companies, while simultaneously also become more focused on the direct business benefits and opportunities presented by their climate and sustainability initiatives, according to a new survey released by global professional services firm Deloitte. DETAIL

HEALTH

• A new study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)Trusted Source has found a new pill that combines low doses of three different anti-hypertensive medications surpassed a current high-quality standard care treatment plan starting with only one anti-hypertensive drug. DETAIL

DIGITAL / TECHNOLOGY / SCIENCE / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• At Apple's Glowtime event, the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10 were introduced. However, the introduction of the next-generation AirPods Pro and other anticipated products was postponed. DETAIL
• Qualcomm, Samsung and Google have announced that they are working on new smart glasses based on mixed reality (AR and VR) technology. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon stated in an interview that these glasses will work in relation to a smartphone. In this sense, it is very different from Apple's vision, which includes the Vision Pro. DETAIL
• Revolutionizing communications: World's first petahertz frequency mixer developed. Petahertz frequency mixers developed by MIT researchers will enable the transmission and processing of much larger amounts of information at ultra-high speeds. DETAIL

• LG’s new foldable, stretchable, twistable display to take on fashion industry. With the stretchable displays now a reality, the company is planning to further enhance their capabilities before concluding the project this year. DETAIL

• The European Court of Justice ruled that Google's practice of promoting its own shopping search results ahead of rivals was unfair and discriminatory, and upheld a €2.4 billion fine imposed on the company in 2017. DETAIL
• As demand for cosmetic surgery increases in Europe, passport control can be problematic for many people. Airport computers use the distance between the pupils, ears, nose and mouth, and the width of the mouth and eyes to check identity. People who have undergone major facial reconstruction or cosmetic procedures can experience problems for this reason. DETAIL
• Although technology sometimes makes our lives easier, it can also produce frightening results. A teenager in Detroit was arrested after his house was raided in a 3D-printed gun sting, CBS News reports, amid a federal crackdown into illegal weapons parts produced with consumer fabrication tech. DETAIL

ENERGY / TRANSPORTATION

• Researchers have created an ultra-thin perovskite solar cell with a checkerboard pattern that shields the perovskite layer from UV degradation. The design developed by a team at the Nova University of Lisbon includes a luminescent down-shifting encapsulant, which enhances UV photon conversion and boosts overall efficiency. DETAIL

• StoreDot has transferred its silicon-dominated battery technology to prismatic cells. Until now, the Israeli company mainly focussed on pouch cells in their development work. Now, for the first time, they are providing key data on the fast-charging capability of the prismatic alternative. DETAIL
• Local technology company Reeder has introduced its own production electric vehicle. The vehicle, whose full name is ReeV Fancy, is a small electric vehicle in the L6e category. Designed for urban use, the vehicle comes with a 7.5 kWh LFP battery capacity. Its maximum range was announced as 100 km. It is stated that the highest speed the vehicle can reach is 45 km/h. Watch the video...

CYBERSECURITY

• GigtoGig, a UK-based temporary staffing agency, accidentally publicly exposed a treasure trove of worker data, exclusive Cybernews research has revealed. Agency has leaked the passports of tens of thousands of gig workers, exposing them to identity theft and various other frauds. DETAIL

HUMANITY / CURIOSITY

• Genetic analysis of a Neanderthal fossil found in France reveals that it was from a previously unknown lineage, a remnant of an ancient population that had remained in extreme isolation for more than 50,000 years. The fossil, dubbed Thorin after a character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, was discovered in 2015 at the Grotte Mandrin in the Rh?ne Valley in southern France. Thorin was part of a small group who lived between 42,000 and 50,000 years ago. The group seems to have been a remnant of a far more ancient Neanderthal population that diverged from the main Neanderthal population and then stayed genetically isolated. DETAIL

• Australia intends to set a minimum age limit for children to use social media, citing concerns about mental and physical health. The plan has sparked backlash from digital rights advocates who warn the measure could drive dangerous online activity underground. DETAIL
• HBO has kicked off its search for the next Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, with the studio posting an open casting call for its forthcoming TV adaptation. DETAIL