Autumn Statement 2015: This is what chancellor George Osborne is doing for science November 25, 2015 During today's Autumn Statement, chancellor George Osborne made new promises to invest in science for the country's future. “In the modern world one of the best ways you can back business is by backing science,” he told the House of Commons. “That’s why in the last Parliament, I protected the resource budget for science in [...]
This is set to be the warmest year ever recorded on the planet November 25, 2015 It's very likely that 2015 will be the hottest year ever recorded, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). In a report released today, the intergovernmental body said the average global surface temperature from January to October this year was around 0.73°C above the 1961-1990 average of 14.0°C, and around 1°C above the pre-industrial period [...]
European banks will start using roboadvisers next year, says Morgan Stanley November 25, 2015 Roboadvisers are on the verge of making a huge entrance into Europe's banking sector, according to Morgan Stanley. In an outlook report by its EMEA analysts, the company said it expects high-street banks across the continent to start adopting the robotic finance experts as soon as next year, as they face intense pressures to cut [...]
Apple buys Star Wars motion capture startup Faceshift November 25, 2015 Apple has acquired a company which specialises in motion capture and facial recognition technology and which worked on the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens film, further fueling speculation that it's making a move into virtual reality. Apple confirmed the previously rumoured purchase to TechCrunch, saying: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss [...]
Why Japan’s fintech startups are turning to London November 24, 2015 There are a few major reasons why I decided to start my business in London instead of Tokyo. Firstly, the UK’s fintech scene is open, fairer and more equal and there’s many opportunities to network and engage with the community in London. All of these factors are contributing to greater competition, creating more synergy and [...]
Britain’s brightest bulbs from the tech industry to present to Commonwealth politicians and businesspeople in Malta November 24, 2015 A group of digital start-ups will travel to Malta between 27 and 29 November to showcase the UK’s burgeoning tech scene in front of politicians and businesspeople from across the Commonwealth. Backed by government-supported organisation Tech City UK, the entrepreneurs will be attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which will be themed around adding [...]
International Space Station flyover: How to trick your kids into thinking they’ve seen Santa tonight November 24, 2015 The International Space Station (ISS) has been in orbit for 16 years, but it seems this is the year parents have realised they can use it to play a devious trick on their kids: duping them into thinking it's Santa's sleigh. Yep – with excellent timing, the ISS will appear several times over the UK [...]
UK startups: We need to weaponise Europe’s diversity to ensure its digital future November 24, 2015 Attempts are being made to knit Europe’s rich tapestry of 28 national ecosystems together into a single digital market to create a more robust, borderless breeding ground for the European web giants of the future. If the EU pulls it off, the regulatory and legislative framework that has anchored but at times hindered the continent will be lifted [...]
Tech unicorns face fresh bubble fear November 24, 2015 Traders are piling up short interest on early stage technology firms after a string of young companies made market-busting initial public offerings (IPOs). The so-called “unicorns” – companies which are valued at $1bn before they have launched onto the stock market – are being targeted by traders betting their share prices will fall. Although they [...]
Fallout 4 review: Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic wasteland is a masterpiece November 23, 2015 ★★★★★ | PS4, XBO, PC Games like Fallout 4 don’t come around very often. Developer Bethesda is known for creating huge and richly detailed open worlds (the best example of which being its celebrated fantasy RPG, Skyrim). But while its games are piled high with incredible things to do and see, they’re also infamous for [...]