Black holes are among the most profound predictions of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Originally studied as a mere mathematical consequence of the theory rather than as physically relevant objects, they soon became thought of as generic and sometimes inevitable outcomes of the gravitational collapse that initially forms a galaxy. In fact, most physicists have suspected that our own galaxy revolves around a supermassive black hole at its center. There are other ideas too – such as “dark
The ACLU and Clearview AI, a controversial facial recognition company, reached a legal settlement earlier this week that’s been hailed as a huge win by both parties. The big story here is that Clearview AI can no longer sell its databases to third party companies — but that’s not exactly news. Up front: The suit was filed in 2020 by the ACLU. It alleged that Clearview AI had failed to comply with the Illinois biometric information privacy act (BIPA). As Tech Crunch’s Taylor Hatmaker recently wro
In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla’s Supercharger network in the US (and in North America, in general) will open up to non-Tesla EVs. This will expand the Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot, which was launched last November and is currently available in France, Norway, and the Netherlands. While Elon — being Elon — didn’t disclose a specific timeframe, he did hint at the addition of a different connector: “It’s a little trickier in the US because we have a d
In the last few years, our awareness of the impact of carbon emissions has skyrocketed. In response, many cities are trying to reduce the use of cars (particularly ICEs) within inner urban areas in favor of pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit. But does such an approach actually make a real difference to air pollution levels? Let’s take a look: What’s the problem with cars? You probably know the stats, but let’s take just a quick refresher. According to joint research from Harvard Universit
Sonos is a fascinating company. In the 20 years since its inception, the business has carved out an enviable niche with its multi-room audio service. In fact, it’s hard to think of any other consumer technology company that holds such a sway over the market. From TVs to headphones, laptops to games consoles, most sectors, there are few companies that dominate their spaces quite like Sonos. This isn’t to say the company doesn’t have competitors — I’ve written in great depth about my adoration of
Despite rapid improvements in advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), the technology is still falling short in collisions, as the latest tests from the American Automobile Association (AAA) reveal. ADAS systems are widely available — and are often called semi-autonomous, as they combine automatic vehicle acceleration with braking and steering. The AAA tested three different ADAS-equipped vehicles: a 2020 Tesla Model 3 with Autopilot, a 2021 Subaru Forester with EyeSight, and a Hyundai Santa
Ai-Da sits behind a desk, paintbrush in hand. She looks up at the person posing for her, and then back down as she dabs another blob of paint onto the canvas. A lifelike portrait is taking shape. If you didn’t know a robot produced it, this portrait could pass as the work of a human artist. Ai-Da is touted as the “first robot to paint like an artist”, and an exhibition of her work called Leaping into the Metaverse opened at the Venice Biennale. Ai-Da produces portraits of sitting subjects using
In the context of work, the digital divide has become less about access to devices and connectivity and more about skills and mindset. Many experienced professionals have never learned more than the rudimentary basics of email, web search and Microsoft Office. Instead, they lean hard on nearby colleagues or the IT helpdesk when things go wrong. By contrast, young people have already demonstrated a competitive edge in the virtual workplace. They come equipped with a more intuitive grasp of digita
If you’re searching for a new job or switching careers, a good CV will really make or break your application. After all, it represents a snapshot of your professional life. But how do you make sure that you’re putting your best foot forward? The general consensus around CVs is constantly changing. From gimmick CVs printed on donut boxes to wacky application videos, hiring managers have pretty much seen it all. Our advice is to ditch the stunts and spend time crafting an attractive resume that’s
For most of its existence, Google has been seen as a software and services company. It’s the company millions rely on for search, emails, and documents. But if today’s Google I/O presentation is anything to go by, Google really wants to make sure it’s known as a hardware company too. Granted, Google has been building its hardware portfolio for years now, but that’s sometimes felt like a sidegig for the company — more products that could end up in the Google graveyard. That really changed when th