PARIS: Scientists have found bits of polystyrene in the guts of tiny, soil-dwelling organisms in the Antarctic, raising concern that microplastics pollution has already “deeply” entered the world’s most remote land-based food systems. While the infiltration of microplastics throughout the oceans is well-known, researchers said their findings provided the first […]
Science & Technology
SAN FRANCISCO: Alphabet Inc’s Google on Monday (Jun 22) said it would start showing fact-checking labels on Google Images search results globally, as tech companies come under increasing pressure to combat the viral spread of misleading claims online. Google will display the “fact check” labels underneath thumbnails that appear in […]
NAIROBI: Skywatchers along a narrow band from west Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, India and the Far East witnessed on Sunday (Jun 21) a dramatic “ring of fire” solar eclipse. So-called annular eclipses occur when the moon – passing between Earth and the sun – is not quite close enough […]
Japan’s Fujitsu develops new AI-video recognition technology to check proper handwashing TOKYO: Three months after the World Health Organization recommended singing “Happy Birthday” twice during hand washing to fight the coronavirus, Japan’s Fujitsu Ltd has developed an artificial intelligence monitor it says will ensure healthcare, hotel and food industry […]
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook on Monday (Jun 15) added a digital payments feature to its WhatsApp messaging service, starting in Brazil but with an eye to expanding around the world. WhatsApp users in Brazil can use the encrypted mobile messaging service to send money or make purchases, Facebook said in a […]
BEIJING: Rescued from a farmer’s fish pond, a young pangolin’s release back into China’s wilderness this week was hailed as a small victory in the battle to save the critically endangered animal. The freeing of the scaly creature in the eastern province of Zhejiang came after Beijing’s Forestry and Grassland […]
IBM disclosed Monday it will no longer offer facial recognition or analysis software in a letter to Congress calling for new efforts to pursue justice and racial equity, new Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna said. International Business Machines Corp disclosed Monday it will no longer offer facial recognition or analysis […]
The first Arab space mission to Mars is preparing to lift off within weeks. Fuelling is due to begin next week. The UAE believes its Hope project will prove a game-changer for space exploration It will take seven months to travel the 493 million km (308 million miles) to […]
Britain is about to pass a significant landmark – at midnight on Wednesday it will have gone two full months without burning coal to generate power. A decade ago about 40% of the country’s electricity came from coal; coronavirus is part of the story, but far from all. When Britain […]
Scientists want people to send them their wildlife experiences under the coronavirus lockdown. They are keen to hear recordings of dawn choruses, animals in unusual places, and views of the night sky without pollution. The Earth Project is a global citizen science study co-ordinated by scientists across UK universities. It […]