Science and Technology

Tuesday, 20 December 2022 06:00

Should Elon Musk step down as head of Twitter? Users vote Yes!

Elon Musk’s reign over Twitter — marked by chaos from his snap decisions, massive layoffs and endless product u-turns — could be taking its most dramatic turn yet, if Twitter users have their say. A poll put up by Musk on Sunday asking if he should step down as head of the company closed today with users voting resoundingly in favor of him leaving. Nearly 17.4 million people responded over 12 hours, and 57.5% of them voted “Yes” versus 42.5% of them voting “No” — a margin of 15% supporting him leaving. “I will abide by the results of this…

Monday, 19 December 2022 05:58

What can America’s Patriot missile do for Ukraine?

Patriot missile systems have long been a hot ticket item for the United States and allies in contested areas of the world as a coveted shield against incoming missiles. In Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific, they guard against potential attacks from Iran, Somalia and North Korea. So it was a critical turning point when news broke this week that the US has agreed to send a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine — something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sought for months to augment his country’s air defences. US officials have confirmed the agreement, and an official announcement is…

Saturday, 17 December 2022 05:54

New study shows rising cases of Chronic Kidney Disease in diabetics: What to know

A new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the rate of chronic kidney disease in the U.S. has markedly increased in recent years, along with increased rates of diabetes. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in people with diabetes. Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has CKD, and any type (including type 1 and type 2 diabetes) can spur kidney disease. Less than 10% of patients with early-stage kidney disease are aware they have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)—knowledge is crucial because early intervention is…

Monday, 12 December 2022 06:07

China’s ‘monster drone’ TB-001 UAV spotted in ‘heavy bomber, missile truck’ mode

China’s Tengoen TB-001 drone was photographed recently carrying a full load of air-to-ground munitions of missiles and bombs, indicating the force-multiplier effect the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) can have on the battlefield. The TB-001 is a Medium Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) drone with three engines, first unveiled in September 2017 and has been in service with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since 2021. China presently has the most extensive and diverse range of drone systems, both stealth, non-stealth, jet-powered and propeller-driven, in the world. The country is preparing fervently for a Taiwan conflict with a possible face-off with the United…

Sunday, 11 December 2022 05:37

Certain disease-causing pathogens are released when you flush toilets. This is how that affects you

Every time you flush a toilet, it releases plumes of tiny water droplets into the air around you. These droplets, called aerosol plumes, can spread pathogens from human waste and expose people in public restrooms to contagious diseases. Scientific understanding of the spread of aerosol plumes – and public awareness of their existence – has been hampered by the fact that they are normally invisible. My colleagues Aaron True, Karl Linden, Mark Hernandez, Lars Larson and Anna Pauls and I were able to use high-power lasers to illuminate these plumes, enabling us to image and measure the location and motion…

Friday, 25 November 2022 06:11

Nigerian start-up uses tech products to help the visually impaired

A Nigerian start up called Vinsighte is using technology to assist the visually impaired, with several products including "smart" reading glasses that convert text to audio. About 15.3% of the world's blind population resides in Africa, according to the World Health Organization, where they often lack the resources and support needed to succeed in school and everyday life. "I wanted to just try and see if we could build something that could solve the problem and that was where it all started," said Vinsighte CEO Kolawole Tomi. The company distributes its products to schools and institutions and estimates it has…

Thursday, 24 November 2022 06:01

This drug costs $3.5m per dose. This is what it’s used for

U.S. health regulators on Tuesday approved the first gene therapy for hemophilia, a $3.5 million one-time treatment for the blood-clotting disorder. The Food and Drug Administration cleared Hemgenix, an IV treatment for adults with hemophilia B, the less common form of the genetic disorder which primarily affects men. Currently, patients receive frequent, expensive IVs of a protein that helps blood clot and prevent bleeding. Drugmaker CSL Behring, based in Pennsylvania, announced the $3.5 million price tag shortly after the FDA approval, saying its drug would ultimately reduce health care costs because patients would have fewer bleeding incidents and need fewer…

Tuesday, 22 November 2022 05:44

‘Impossible to intercept’: Russia shows how its Avangard Hypersonic Missile gets loaded

On November 18, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing how its Avangard Hypersonic Missile, which it claims is “impossible to intercept,” is loaded into the launch shaft. The Avangard is a hypersonic glide vehicle that entered service in December 2019. It can be fired by various ICBMs, including the country’s newest and most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, the RS-28 Sarmat. In 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the weapon can travel toward targets “like a meteorite, a fireball.” According to the Russian military, placing a rocket into the launcher is a skill. A loader removes the missile…

Monday, 21 November 2022 06:03

Hackers found a way to unlock your Android phone without your password. This is what to do

Your phone’s lock screen is supposed to be a safeguard against the world (and accidental unlocks in your pocket). When it’s locked, your phone can’t be opened without either the passcode, a face scan, or a fingerprint. If you lose your phone or someone snatches it from you, you can rest assured they won’t be able to do anything with it. Except right now they can, thanks to a recently discovered vulnerability allowing anyone to bypass an Android device’s lock screen. As reported by Bleeping Computer, cybersecurity researcher David Schütz discovered a way to unlock both a Google Pixel 6…

Saturday, 05 November 2022 06:19

Russia’s cheap homemade drones bring Ukrainian counter offensive to a halt

Since October 10, 2022, when Russia retaliated fiercely against the Ukrainian intelligence-masterminded terrorist attack on the Kerch bridge, world attention has been riveted on the Russian use of inexpensive Geran-2 drones. Russia has used the Iranian-designed drones, which reportedly cost under $20,000/- a pop, to effortlessly knock out 40% of Ukraine’s power generation infrastructure, despite Western-supplied MANPADS and AWACS support. Even as Ukraine and its Western curators are struggling to put together an effective counter to the Geran 2 drone, Russia has escalated its use of inexpensive drones, this time all along the frontline where Russian forces have brought the…

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Friday, 04 November 2022 06:11

WhatsApp Groups can now upgrade to Communities with larger membership. This is how the new feature works

WhatsApp today is officially launching Communities, the new feature offering larger, more structured discussion groups that first entered into testing earlier this year. Designed to help organizations, clubs, schools and other private groups better communicate and stay organized, Communities bring a number of new features to the messaging platform, including admin controls, support for sub-groups and announcement groups, 32-person voice and video calls, larger-file sharing, emoji reactions and polls. Communities themselves can support groups of up to 1,024 users and offer end-to-end encryption. Some of the features developed for Communities, like emoji reactions, large-file sharing (up to 2GB) and the…

Thursday, 27 October 2022 06:47

US-supplied AGM-88 HARM missiles are failing to breach Russian defenses in Ukraine

According to this Russian Telegram channel, Ukraine struck Russia’s Belgorod region with HARM missiles last night. It’s claimed all the missiles were brought down. Citizens have posted photographs of the wreckage with markings indicative of HARM. The AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles (ARM), which the US plugged into Ukraine as a game-changing weapon system, hasn’t been a stellar performer, going by the frequency with which RuMoD claims to be downing the missile. The missile’s use against civilian targets would corroborate that assessment. HARM was built for carriage by NATO aircraft. Ukraine modified its MiG-29 fighters with US help to carry and…

Wednesday, 26 October 2022 06:27

Iran’s Shahed-136 drone vs US’ Switchblade 300s drone: Which is more combat efficient?

Ukrainians say the drones buzz like flying mopeds or chainsaws. In recent days Russia has unleashed a deadly wave of drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, the capital. Most of the drones appear to have been the Iranian-made Shahed-136, a “kamikaze” model that detonates on impact. They have only recently made an appearance in Ukraine but quickly left their mark. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, claims that Russia has ordered 2,400 Iranian drones. What impact might they have on the war? Kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munitions or “suicide” drones, have proliferated in recent years. Their effectiveness varies. Switchblade…

Tuesday, 25 October 2022 06:17

Germany’s defense system used in Ukraine clashes with Russian missiles

Germany announced earlier this month that it was rushing to deliver the first IRIS-T SLM system in the wake of a massive Russian attack on Ukraine’s capital. Over a week later, the first photographic evidence of the system is flooding the internet. The German government had received severe criticism for the slow transfer of advanced weaponry to Ukraine. While the US promised to expedite the delivery of NASAMS in the wake of Russia’s air raid, Berlin rushed to deliver the first unit of IRIS-T. The wreckage of an IRIS-T SLM missile was photographed on October 19, reportedly in or close…

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