Technology
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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.
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The simple invention that could save the world
Is focus the key to success? Yesterday was World Toilet Day — and it was no laughing matter. Bill Gates has spent seven years and £155 million reinventing loos. They may save thousands of lives.
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Driverless cars ponder who should die first
Are some lives worth more than others? The rapid development of self-driving technology is raising questions about who should be saved in car crashes, and bringing up old ethical dilemmas.
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Meet Britain’s youngest self-made millionaire
What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Akshay Ruparelia was just 17 when he set up his online estate agency — it is now worth millions. He talks The...
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‘Go out into the world and make a difference’
What does it take to be an entrepreneur? On top of her studies, sixth-former Joana Baptista has already founded three companies. She talks to The...
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Potato plastic, robot cleaners and edible bugs
Does change mainly come from inventions? The shortlist for the James Dyson Award has been announced, celebrating clever inventions from around the world. Many have a strong environmental focus.
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Book reveals Hawking’s last warning to humanity
Is humanity in danger? Genetically modified superhumans, climate chaos and an AI apocalypse — Stephen Hawking’s final book, which was published yesterday, predicts a future full of peril.
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Lunacy! Moon movie accused of insulting US
Is First Man anti-American? The film, which comes out today, tells the story of Neil Armstrong’s historic walk on the Moon – but does not show him...
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Armchair assassins enter ethical minefield
Are drone pilots morally indefensible? With a click of a button, they can kill dozens. Now, the British Army is training ethicists to teach them about the morality of remote-control killing.
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Level up! UK’s first esports degree launched
Is it a waste of time? Students at Staffordshire University have begun studying for a controversial new degree in esports. Meanwhile, competitive gaming is becoming bigger than ever.