dji DJI Unveils Agricultural Drones and Public Safety Partnerships DJI introduces two new industrial drones for farming alongside a new initiative that equips U.S. first responders with advanced hardware and software. These partnerships expand DJI's reach despite ongoing national security concerns and a military ban.
quantum computing Google Claims Quantum Supremacy as IBM Disputes Historic Milestone Google announces its Sycamore processor achieves quantum supremacy, but rival IBM pushes back by arguing a classical supercomputer can still perform the same task.
ibm IBM Closes $34 Billion Red Hat Acquisition to Boost Cloud Growth IBM officially completes its massive $34 billion purchase of Red Hat ahead of schedule, hoping the open-source giant will finally accelerate its lagging cloud transformation.
nasa NASA Develops Lunar GPS to Guide Future Moon Rovers NASA is working on a specialized navigation system that brings GPS capabilities to the Moon, allowing spacecraft to determine their location without relying on Earth-based tracking networks.
virginia Virginia Becomes First State to Outlaw Deepfake Revenge Porn Virginia officially bans the use of deepfake technology to create non-consensual pornography, marking a major legislative first.
artificial intelligence Algorithmic Intelligence Tricks Us Into Forgetting Its Artificial Nature Linguist Geoff Nunberg explores how modern algorithmic intelligence mimics human behavior so well that people easily forget it is entirely artificial. He warns that this illusion of true understanding carries significant consequences for society.
axon Body Camera Maker Axon Rejects Facial Recognition Following Ethics Board Review Axon's independent ethics board strongly advises against implementing facial recognition on police body cameras due to accuracy and bias concerns. The company agrees and halts commercialization of the technology for now.
amazon Amazon Secures Patent for Opt-In Drone Surveillance Technology Amazon receives a patent for a drone-based data gathering system that uses geo-fencing to monitor specific areas. The company emphasizes that the technology functions strictly as an opt-in service for authorized homes.
usb The Real Reason USB Plugs Only Work One Way The creator of the USB admits the plug's lack of reversibility is annoying, but explains that making it work both ways would have doubled the cost of the technology.
nobel prize Lithium-Ion Battery Pioneers Win 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Three scientists receive the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the lightweight, powerful lithium-ion batteries that power modern electronics and electric vehicles.
this week in science This Week in Science Podcast Explores Major Scientific Breakthroughs of the 2010s The This Week in Science podcast dedicates its final 2019 episode to reflecting on the most significant scientific discoveries and technological advancements of the past decade.
5g China Accelerates 5G Commercial Deployment to Rival US and South Korea China officially grants commercial 5G licenses to four major state-backed operators months ahead of schedule. The early rollout highlights Beijing's push to lead the global 5G race despite international scrutiny of Huawei.
spacex SpaceX Unveils New Starlink Satellite Details After Historic Launch SpaceX reveals new technical details about its Starlink internet satellites following the successful deployment of its heaviest payload ever. The company shares insights into the flat-panel design, phased array antennas, and krypton-powered thrusters.
huawei US Huawei Blacklist Disrupts Global Tech Supply Chains The United States officially blacklists Huawei, blocking the Chinese telecom giant from purchasing American technology and escalating the ongoing trade war. This move disrupts major US suppliers and threatens the global rollout of 5G networks.
amazon Amazon Tests Scout Robots for Last-Mile Package Delivery Amazon is currently field-testing a small fleet of autonomous delivery robots called Scout in Washington state. Despite growing public interest, experts note that robotic delivery remains too technologically immature to replace human drivers anytime soon.