Technology
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What-Mess-agram? App merger stirs privacy fears
Facebook has announced a controversial plan to merge Instagram, WhatsApp and its Messenger app. Mark Zuckerberg says the move will benefit users, but critics say it threatens our privacy.
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Game changer as mice pass down edited genes
Gene drive technology could be the key to eradicating animal-spread diseases. Now, scientists have successfully used it in mammals for the first time. But could it spell ecological disaster?
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The curse of the drone strikes again
Unbelievable. Europe’s biggest airport, with earnings greater than a small African country, shut down by little more than a remote-controlled toy. That is what happened to Heathrow this week.
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Flying cars and iToilets: welcome to the future
Thousands of glitzy new gadgets have been launched today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Some of the innovations could transform our lives — but not necessarily for the better.
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Race to make Moon Earth’s eighth continent
Should we colonise the Moon? Yesterday morning, China successfully landed a spacecraft on the Moon’s far side. Some say a new age of lunar exploration (and exploitation) is beginning.
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Apple empire wavers as iPhone sales slow
Are we reaching the end of the Apple age? And if so, should we mourn it? This week, CEO Tim Cook warned investors that the company’s latest revenues will be lower than expected.
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Mars, meat, monkeys: the best science of 2018
Will they change the world? 2018 has been a year of fascinating experiments and mind-blowing discoveries in science. We take a look at five of the best from the past year…
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Meet Space Force, Trump’s new military branch
Is a new force to protect America in space a good idea? Launching this week, Donald Trump says it will keep the US ahead of China and Russia, but some fear the militarisation of the cosmos.
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You could soon be taking holidays in space
Would you be a space tourist? Virgin Galactic has launched a revolutionary new aircraft to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere — it could take tourists into space as early as next year.
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The seven-year-old YouTuber earning £17m a year
Is becoming a YouTuber a good career goal? Around one third of children dream of vlogging when they grow up. In 2018, the platform’s highest earning star was a seven-year-old boy named Ryan...
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Visionary or villain? The enigma of Elon Musk
Is he a role model? Elon Musk has blasted US regulators for forcing him to pay a $20 million fine after accusing him of fraud. His behaviour has grown increasingly erratic in recent months.
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We spent 1,643 years watching this video
Was it a waste of time? The UK’s most watched YouTube videos of 2018 have been revealed, with Paul McCartney’s Carpool Karaoke topping the list. Why do these videos have such appeal?
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Prize-winning film heralds era of iPhone art
Is this a good thing? The 2018 Turner Prize has been won by video artist Charlotte Prodger. The film explores her experience of coming out as gay and was shot entirely on her phone.
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Pardoned academic was 100% a spy, say accusers
Would you be a modern spy? The United Arab Emirates has pardoned and released Matthew Hedges, a British man who was convicted of spying for the government. What is being a spy really like?
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Why future bosses might microchip your hand
Is this an exciting future or a dystopian nightmare? Hundreds of workers across the world have been fitted with chips that can store personal data. Activists fear a new era of surveillance.