Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.

Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

@southwesterntrains is this actually a thing?

It’s been great working with you Chris. Looking forward to the next 11 years.

The use of crayons was the giveaway. 😜

Why employees smuggle AI into work Many staff are using AI at work without the permission of their employers.

Are you banned from using AI at work? Do you use it anyway? You are not alone.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Quartz has begun using generative AI to create news articles based on original reporting elsewhere. A writer from TechCrunch described an AI-written version of their article about how to delete social media accounts as "sloppy" t.co/u5RAHPwu0s

Will young developers take on key open source software? The founders of important open source software are getting older, who will take over?

The original developers of popular open source software are looking to retire. What happens next? Is there a new generation of software developers that believe in the open source model and want to take it on?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Space exploration: How to make moon dust into oxygen Engineers are working on systems that can turn lunar regolith into useful elements like oxygen.

Let's say you are on the moon. Some oxygen would be good right? Here's how it could be made.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Hundreds of Subreddits Are Considering Banning All Links to X Dozens of big subreddits have already banned all Twitter links, and posts about potential bans are some of the most popular on the site.

New from 404 Media: hundreds of subreddits, including some of the most popular, are considering banning all links/content/screenshots from X/Twitter. r/NFL, r/hockey, r/baseball, r/nba, r/formula1, r/ComicBookMovies, r/MadeMeSmile, so many more. Some already have. www.404media.co/hundreds-of-...

Cryptocurrencies and personal AI: Tech to watch out for in 2025 Will 2025 be a hinge year for cryptocurrency and will personalised AI appear on your phone?

Making predictions is a mug's game. But here we go anyway.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Sweden's green industry hopes hit by Northvolt woes Financial problems at battery maker Northvolt have shaken hopes for Sweden's green industry sector.

Sweden had high hopes for a green industrial revolution. But a high-profile battery plant has run into problems and now the whole strategy is being questioned. Checkout this from Maddy Savage in Sweden.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Someone impossible to buy for? Perhaps AI can help With vast amounts of data do draw on, AI should be able to come up with good gift ideas, but does it?

AI is not great at choosing Christmas gifts... see this from Susie Bearne.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Why is vintage audio equipment booming? Music lovers are buying up old cassette, CD and record players and getting them fixed.

What's your music format of choice? If you love CDs, records or even cassette tapes, then you are part of a growing band. Many are turning to older formats and those that can repair CD, record or cassette players are being swamped with work.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Good Old Days   Pity the poor children of today, with their calendars stuffed with chocolates,   never to know the thrill of opening a small cardboard door and discovering behind it   a picture of a bell. Brian Bilston

Today’s poem is called ‘The Good Old Days’.

How robots are taking over warehouse work At Ocado's newest warehouse robotic arms are helping to pack customer orders.

NYT gets access to Amazon warehouses where robots are at work. Interestingly Amazon robots still have not cracked "picking" work - or selecting items from a mixed box or carton.
www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/b...
However, in the grocery sector, Ocado is good at this.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...

Chocolate makers stoke boom for Indian cocoa beans India produces only a tiny fraction of the world's cocoa beans, but that could be changing.

New chocolate makers are popping up in India to meet the nation's growing demand for treats. One problem - India is struggling to raise cocoa production to meet demand... more here.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I was pretty sure I would be living on the moon by now.

Europe's flying taxi dreams falter as cash runs short Makers of a new generation of European electric aircraft are struggling to raise money.

Do we want flying taxis? Of course! When will we get them? Don't hold your breath. They might be technically brilliant but Europe's leading electric aircraft start-ups are in trouble. More from Theo and I here...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Reengineer | Chris Baraniuk | Substack A newsletter about how climate change affects technology and infrastructure – and what we can do about it. Click to read The Reengineer, by Chris Baraniuk, a Substack publication. Launched 13 minutes ...

🚨I have a big announcement, everyone!!🚨

Today, I'm launching my newsletter: The Reengineer.

It’s about the surprising ways in which climate change is impacting technology, buildings and infrastructure – and how we can make those things more efficient, to slash emissions.

www.thereengineer.pro

Energy bills: The difficulty of making your home energy efficient It can be hard to find good advice on how to make homes more energy efficient.

NEW: I have been speaking to homeowners about how hard it can be to make their homes more energy efficient. There IS good advice out there - but you may not always find it easily... 🏠🤔

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Autonomous vehicles: How mines control driverless trucks Big mining firms are switching to driverless trucks and other autonomous equipment.

The driverless vehicle revolution is well underway in the mining industry. 300-tonne trucks are zipping around mines with no one at the wheel and other mining kit is being automated as well. Zoe Corbyn visited a remote Australian mine to find out more.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Secret World of Freelance Journalism For ten years - and counting - science and technology journalist Chris Baraniuk has worked full-time as a freelance journalist

Just THREE WEEKS left until my talk on freelance journalism at UCL! I am VERY excited and thinking of lots of tips / advice to share with people keen to establish themselves as a freelancer. ✍️

The talk is free and open to the public!

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-secret...

Robots and AI systems are taking on more and more warehouse work. But that kind of automation is really expensive and so far it's only been the biggest companies that have been able to afford it. That could be changing though. See my latest feature. www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...

I'm reading "Be Useful", Schwartzenegger's self help book, and honestly the man is immensely wise and likeable but this is an incredible Accidental Partridge

Cory Doctorow: What Kind of Bubble is AI? Of course AI is a bubble. It has all the hallmarks of a classic tech bubble. Pick up a rental car at SFO and drive in either direction on the 101 – north to San Francisco, south to Palo Alto – and...

This piece from Cory Doctorow is really god, and some well-needed skepticism about the expansive claims about AI.

"What Kind of Bubble is AI?"

locusmag.com/2023/12/comm...

‘Lord Of The Wings’ Food Truck Trademark In New Zealand Defeated By Tolkien Estate Readers here shouldn’t need to be reminded that the Tolkien Estate, through its company Middle-Earth Enterprises, is known to be extremely aggressive with its enforcement of intellectual prop…

‘Lord Of The Wings’ Food Truck Trademark In New Zealand Defeated By Tolkien Estate www.techdirt.com/202...

Tech Trends 2024: AI and electric vehicle deals From an AI slowdown to humanoid robots doing real work - tech trends to watch out for in 2024.

So far humanoid robots have not been up to much. Sure, they can perform a few party tricks, but when are they going to start doing some useful work? Soon.... according to companies working on them. More on that and other tech matters to watch for next year here.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...

The quest to find healthy and cheap sweeteners Start-up firms are producing new sweeteners but will they be able to compete with sugar?

One day we'll do what the doctors tell us and cut the sugar from our diet. Until that day comes, what about better sweeteners? Start-up companies have got some promising ideas. More here. www.bbc.co.uk/news/busines...

Our Lex editor shares some wisdom:

What I have learnt in 37 years of financial journalism - www.ft.com/content/2d92...