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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope say they have detected the “strongest evidence yet” that life exists outside our solar system.   Scientists at the University of Cambridge found signs of the gases dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and/or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b. On Earth, these gases are only produced by living organisms like phytoplankton, suggesting that K2-18b may also support life.  Located 124 light years away, K2-18b is almost three times the size of Earth and inhabits a region in space where temperatures might allow liquid water. This has long made the exoplanet a top candidate…

Songs generated by AI tools such as Suno and Udio are flooding Deezer — but the French music streaming platform is trying to fight back.  Deezer said on Wednesday that users are adding over 20,000 fully AI-generated tracks to its platform each day. This bot-made audio now makes up 18% of “total uploaded content” — almost double the 10% figure the company shared in January.  Aurelian Herault, Deezer’s chief innovation officer, said the flood of AI-generated slop songs is an issue that shows “no sign of slowing down.” In January, Deezer launched a tool that detects AI-generated music. The algorithm…

A new contest is searching for solutions to a defining problem of the AI era: soaring energy consumption. The Energy Innovation for AI Startup Challenge launches amid growing concern over the environmental cost of artificial intelligence. Just last month, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that global electricity demand from data centres is set to more than double by 2030 — with AI the main driver. Demand from dedicated AI data centres alone is forecast to more than quadruple. The surge threatens to deepen an already critical issue. Last year, Growth in global energy demand soared to almost twice its…

The British Army has successfully neutralised swarms of drones in a trial of the “RapidDestroyer” — a new kind of weapon that uses high-frequency microwaves to disable critical electronic components in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), causing them to crash. The Army said it took down two swarms of eight drones during a single test at a site in West Wales. During the entire trial period, the weapon was used to “track, engage and defeat” more than 100 drones.  RapidDestroyer could be deployed in war zones across the world, including Ukraine, where drones have become ubiquitous on the battlefield. The UK’s…

Paebbl has opened its first demo plant in Rotterdam as it looks to ramp up its carbon capture technology.   When we visited Paebbl’s sprawling facility in June last year, it was a mishmash of prototype machines, batch samples, machinery, and equipment — some of it still in its packaging. Now, the site is purportedly the world’s biggest plant capable of continuously mineralising CO2. Paebbl said the plant was completed in “record time” with the help of Dutch engineering companies Spie and Vicoma. The project also received an undisclosed financial investment from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).   Andreas Saari, co-CEO and…

The Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs have ruffled feathers across the world — and reignited Europe’s push for digital sovereignty.  One of the key focus points has been Europe’s cloud infrastructure, which is currently dominated by US tech giants: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Together, the “big three” account for more than 50% of the continent’s cloud market. “Europe has been heavily reliant on US tech and cloud for decades,” said Mark Boost, CEO of UK-based web hosting company Civo. “But there are alternatives, where France, Germany, and the UK have full control of their…

“The Future is Here,” declares a glowing neon sign at the entrance to IQM’s quantum data centre in Munich. It’s a bold claim — but one the Finland-based startup is determined to fulfil. To the right of the entrance sign stands a hefty, metal blue door. My host, physicist Frank Deppe, IQM’s head of quantum processing unit (QPU) technology, ushers me inside. Opened last year as part of IQM’s European expansion, the facility hosts six state-of-the-art superconducting quantum computers — used for the company’s own research and offered as a cloud-based service to scientists around the globe. IQM’s Munich quantum…

Dutch neobank Bunq, Europe’s second-largest digital bank, is gearing up to expand across the Atlantic. The fintech company has filed for a broker-dealer licence with US regulators, completing the first phase of its two-step expansion strategy. The licence will allow Bunq to offer American users investment options — stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds — alongside cash management tools. These will include features like automatic transfers and Mastercard-backed debit cards. However, Bunq isn’t diving into the deep end just yet. This phased approach lets the company gather real-world data and user feedback before it applies for a full US banking licence…

If you’ve been scrolling social media over the past week, you may have noticed miniature action figure versions of friends, family, or colleagues neatly wrapped in a blister pack. These plastic-fantastic portraits are the latest AI-powered photo trend to sweep the internet — especially LinkedIn. After digital avatars and Studio Ghibli-inspired selfies, we now have the action figure, produced using ChatGPT’s free image generator.  It’s all fun and games, right? But look closer, and behind the gloss and giggles lies some pretty crucial fine print. With this action figure, sustainability is not included.  Mel Morris, the founder of research engine…

Motorheads have long theorised that the extreme downforce generated by high-performance cars could one day let them drive upside down. Now, British carmaker McMurtry has turned that wild idea into a reality for the first time. In a stunt that would make Batman jealous, McMurtry drove its insanely fast electric Spéirling flipped over. More impressively, it did that for over a minute while keeping the vehicle completely stationary — save for a quick acceleration to prove the car wasn’t tied down.  While it might look like the car has defied gravity, in reality, it’s basic physics coupled with some clever…