Worlds first designer baby is born in Mexico and has three parents
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Now that we have access to advanced gene editing techniques, such as CRISPR, it is inevitable that we will progressively use these technologies to edit the human genome and create genetically altered human beings. The world’s first baby to be born from a new...
New programmable material breakthrough lets plastic flowers bloom
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Who needs to buy real flowers any longer when plastic ones are good enough? Tick tock. Shape-shifting objects can now have their own version of a biological clock, thanks to a new material that transforms at a given time. Morphing materials are interesting because...
Komatsu unveils its 250 ton autonomous dump truck for strip mines
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF With no human driver this huge dump truck has no cab and never turns around. Autonomous vehicle technology is still in its infancy, which means that most self-driving vehicles still have a way for humans to take over when needed. But as Komatsu demonstrates...
Microsoft experiments with underwater datacenters
The oceans are home to coral reefs, ship wrecks and now – datacenters Continuing its long tradition of datacenter experimentation in the name of efficiency, Microsoft announced it has been testing an unusual new datacenter concept – placing servers underwater out in the ocean. Close to half of today’s society...
