News
Readers reply: what would happen to the world if computer said yes?
2+ hour, 9+ min ago (702+ words) The long-running series in which readers answer other readers" questions asks whether we could cope with a world where computer gave up saying no " This week"s question: what if Shakespeare were dropped in modern-day London? If the world runs…...
Datacentre developers face calls to disclose effect on UK’s net emissions
5+ hour, 9+ min ago (529+ words) Campaign groups write to technology secretary amid concerns that sites could double overall electricity demand Datacentre developers are facing pressure to reveal whether their projects will increase the UK's net greenhouse gas emissions, amid concerns the sites could double national…...
Thousands of pollution incidents in England downgraded without site visit, data suggests
14+ hour, 9+ min ago (709+ words) Exclusive: Whistleblower figures show large rise in "serious" to "minor" downgrades based on water company evidence Environment Agency (EA) staff have downgraded thousands of serious pollution incidents by water companies in England without visiting to investigate, data unearthed by freedom…...
‘Big energy users’: how will datacentres affect Australia’s power prices, water supply and emissions?
16+ hour, 8+ min ago (860+ words) There's a growing expectation that if you build a datacentre, you must meet your own energy needs. But there are other key policy questions that need answering Our online lives are increasingly reliant on digital data, whether it's asking an…...
A scorching summer has left Australian wildlife on the brink, but it doesn’t have to be this way | Euan Ritchie and Jess Harwood
21+ hour, 10+ min ago (737+ words) Unsettling predictions are now our catastrophic reality, but a brighter future is still within reach if our political leaders change course Soaring, scorching, record temperatures, yet again. Distressing, protracted droughts. Raging fires and devastating floods. Australia's summer is drawing to…...
‘The cows beat the shit out of the robots the first day’: the tech revolution designed to improve dairy farming
21+ hour, 10+ min ago (440+ words) Automated milking systems are recognised as a more humane solution for both cows and farmers " but they take some getting used to Last October, Dixie farmer Darren Vickers completed construction of the 2.8-acre open shed that will house both his…...
OpenAI to work with Pentagon after Anthropic dropped by Trump over company’s ethics concerns
23+ hour, 3+ min ago (630+ words) CEO Sam Altman claims military will not use AI product for autonomous killing systems or mass surveillance OpenAI said it had struck a deal with the Pentagon to supply AI to classified US military networks, hours after Donald Trump ordered…...
T rex breath and Queen Elizabeth’s car: scientists creating ‘time machine for the nose’
1+ day, 6+ hour ago (859+ words) Researchers are recreating ancient odours for museumgoers as interest in the archaeology of smell grows From the interior of Queen Elizabeth II's car to the scent of ancient Egyptian funerary practices, museumgoers are getting a whiff of the past like…...
Are blue whales blue, and what is the most common animal? The kids’ quiz
1+ day, 9+ hour ago (328+ words) Five multiple-choice questions " set by children " to test your knowledge, and a chance to submit your own junior brainteasers for future quizzes'Submit a questionMolly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children's questions. Do check out her books,…...
‘Who’d guess they’re the same species?’ What Italy’s wall lizards reveal about genetic diversity and why it matters
1+ day, 9+ hour ago (1153+ words) Understanding biodiversity within species is key to our understanding of why nature works the way it does, say researchers Twelve miles from the heart of Rome, Dr Javier "balos pauses his walk, lifts his sunglasses and points. To his right,…...