Virtual worlds pioneer targets sports for revival of metaverse dream


On a typical visit to a sports stadium, you don’t bump into 20-metre-tall giants outside the gates. But this isn’t your typical sports stadium. It’s the MLB virtual ballpark — the first metaverse for a pro sports league. The venue opened on July 8, for a watc

Generative AI could undermine upcoming elections in US and India, startup warns


AI image generators could undermine upcoming elections in the world’s biggest democracies, according to new research Logically, a British fact-checking startup, investigated AI’s capacity to produce fake images about elections in India, the US, and the UK. Ea

European consumers believe society isn’t ready for AI, survey finds


The rapid rise of AI has evoked mixed feelings to say the least. Some experts champion it as a “force for good,” while others forewarn it poses a “risk of extinction.” To assess how European consumers feel about artificial intelligence, decision intelligence c

These antimicrobial spacesuits could solve astronauts’ laundry woes


Wardrobe malfunctions are never fun. When on Earth, they might be a nuisance or prove somewhat embarrassing. In space however, they could be a matter of life and death. Not to mention, how do you handle, uhm, laundry on the Moon? The European Space Agenc

VanMoof: What startups can learn from the rise and fall of an ebike superstar


Since launching in 2009, VanMoof, known for its sleek, high-tech city bikes, developed an almost cult-like following — from the streets of Amsterdam to New York.  Today, what was once the world’s most-funded ebike startup is bankrupt, leaving riders angry,

These tiny robotic tentacles could travel into the lungs to treat cancer


Scientists have developed tiny robotic tentacles that travel into the lungs to detect and treat cancer. The device is just 2.4 mm in diameter and ultra-soft.  It’s sent to the periphery of the lungs from the end of a bronchoscope — a thin tube with a light an

European startups: I think we’re going to need a better battery


Next year, a Dutch company will put a new kind of battery in a drone and — if all goes according to plan — that drone will fly for 50% longer than it could with a standard lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Flight times of nearly an hour, say, rather t

Microsoft’s Teams and Office bundling may breach EU competition rules


On Thursday, the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s bundling of its Teams app with its Office suite, which includes Word, Excel, and Outlook. The EU is concerned that this practice may be in breach of the bloc’s competition

New zinc battery tech can store and produce green hydrogen on demand


While our transition to renewable energy is critical if we are tomeet our climate targets, fully relying on sources such as solar and wind still presents a major challenge: efficient and sustainable storage. Now, a German research consortium led by Fraunhofer

Berlin tech companies join forces to plant trees when you travel by train


German multi-modal travel unicorn Omio has teamed up with compatriot search engine Ecosia to create a tree-planting rail travel booking tool. It means users will be able to search and book train journeys through Ecosia’s website, powered


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