The recent decision by the Melbourne City Council to terminate contracts with operators of shared e-scooter schemes due to safety concerns has sparked a significant debate. While safety should always be a top priority, it is essential to reevaluate the misconceptions surrounding e-scooter safety and their potential long-term benefits for sustainable transport. One key aspect
Technology
A recent ruling by a US judge has brought Google’s monopoly status into question, claiming that the tech giant has used its dominance to cement its position in the market. This ruling aligns the US regulator closer to the European Commission’s stance on tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon. The landscape of the internet
Lithium-metal batteries have long been hailed as the next frontier in battery technology, offering significantly higher energy densities than the current lithium-ion batteries that dominate the market. However, despite their potential, lithium-metal cells have been plagued by a number of limitations, particularly in terms of their short lifespan. Researchers at the University of Science and
The field of robotics has seen significant advancements in recent years, particularly in the development of robotic grippers that can pick up and manipulate various objects. However, many of these grippers are complex and expensive, limiting their widespread use in energy-efficient and cost-effective robots. Researchers at Purdue University and MIT have taken a different approach,
Cognitive flexibility, the ability to switch between different thoughts and mental concepts rapidly, is a crucial human capability. This capability enables multitasking, quick skill acquisition, and adaptation to new situations. While artificial intelligence (AI) systems have made significant advancements in recent years, they still lack the same level of flexibility as humans when it comes
The luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) has been around since the 1970s, with the goal of improving solar energy capture by using luminescent materials to convert and concentrate sunlight onto photovoltaic (PV) cells. This technology offers advantages over traditional concentrators by being able to harvest diffuse light and being used in applications like building-integrated photovoltaics. However,
Recent research conducted by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has shown that new Australian homes are up to 50% more airtight than those tested in 2015. This increase in airtightness is a positive development for homeowners, as it brings with it a range of benefits including better comfort, lower energy bills, and improved indoor air
Wireless internet has become an essential part of our daily lives, enabling us to stay connected, browse the internet, and stream media content. With the increasing demand for wireless internet access, there is also a surge in power consumption, leading to a rise in carbon emissions globally. To address this issue, researchers are now focusing
Push puppet toys have long fascinated children and adults alike with their ability to move and collapse with the push of a button. Now, a team of UCLA engineers has taken inspiration from these toys to create a new class of tunable dynamic materials with a wide range of applications, from soft robotics to space
The recent federal court ruling concerning Google’s maintenance of dominance in internet search through an illegal monopoly is a significant development in the tech industry. The ruling highlights Google’s strong-arming tactics towards competitors, which has raised concerns about fair competition in the market. Judge Amit Mehta’s decision to challenge Google’s monopoly is a step in
