The energy consumption of cryptocurrency transactions is now under scrutiny. According to the White House Office of Science and Technology, the energy used for cryptocurrency transactions is between 120 and 240 billion kilowatt-hours per year, which is more than what some countries like Argentina and Australia use in an entire year. The United States leads
Technology
China’s government has urged users of computer equipment that is deemed sensitive to stop buying products from Micron Technology Inc. This move is seen as China’s way of escalating the feud over technology and security with the United States. The Cyberspace Administration of China has stated on its website that Micron’s products have unspecified “serious
When John Podesta left his job as an adviser to President Barack Obama almost a decade ago, he believed that hundreds of miles of new power transmission lines would be installed in the Southwest, increasing the reach of clean energy throughout the region. Podesta, who returned to the federal government to work on climate issues
Social robots are increasingly being used to support education, but do the sounds they make affect their performance, particularly when dealing with teams of humans? Teamwork is a key factor in human creativity, boosting collaboration and new ideas. Danish scientists have investigated whether robots using a voice designed to sound charismatic would perform better in
Generative AI has become increasingly popular in recent years, with companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google investing heavily in its development. However, the question of who can afford to invest in such technology is rarely discussed. OpenAI reportedly lost around $540 million last year while developing ChatGPT and estimates that it will require $100 billion
Canadian airline, WestJet, has reached a tentative deal with its pilots union, following the cancellation of nearly 100 flights in anticipation of a strike. The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) had notified WestJet on Monday that 1,800 pilots would stop work starting early Friday morning if a deal was not reached with company executives
MIT researchers have developed FlexBoard, a flexible breadboard that allows for rapid prototyping of interactive sensors, actuators, and displays on curved and deformable surfaces. The breadboard, which is made of thin plastic, connects two pieces of the same material via a living hinge pattern, similar to the caps of condiment bottles and the spines of
Microsoft has announced that China has unconditionally approved its plan to acquire video game company Activision Blizzard. China and the European Union are the two largest economies that have approved Microsoft’s planned $69 billion takeover of the California-based game publisher, which is responsible for popular titles such as World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and
Electric trucks are the future of heavy transportation, and they are being produced in Europe, North America, and China. While they have been rolled out faster than expected, it will still take a while for them to overtake polluting diesel trucks in number. Electric heavy trucks require massive amounts of energy to propel their heavy
In industries such as aerospace, transportation, energy, and defense, sensors are vital to measuring and monitoring various factors under harsh conditions to guarantee human safety and the integrity of mechanical systems. However, these environments often require highly sensitive, reliable, and durable sensors. Development of a High-Temperature Sensor Researchers at the University of Houston have developed