FTC Launches Probe into AI Chatbots’ Impact on Children’s Mental Health

📍 Washington, D.C., 5 September 2025 — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing to investigate the potential risks posed by AI chatbots to children’s mental health and privacy. The inquiry will involve formal requests for internal records from major technology firms, including OpenAI, Meta Platforms, and Character.AI. The investigation aims to assess whether […]

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New programme of work during the pause in REF 2029 – UKRI

Research England welcomes the pause in the development of Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 for a short period to take stock and ensure alignment with the UK government’s priorities and vision for higher education. REF response Research England will work closely with colleagues in the devolved funding bodies and engage further with the sector to finalise […]

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Google avoids being dismantled after US court battle – and it’s down to the rise of AI

Tada Images A year ago, Google faced the prospect of being dismantled. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) and a new court judgment has helped it avoid this fate. Part of the reason is that AI poses a grave threat to Google’s advertising revenues. “Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include […]

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Pets on skinny jabs? Here’s how to help them lose weight naturally

Olya m/Shutterstock.com Losing weight is hard. Anyone who has tried to lose weight and keep it off will describe how difficult it can be. If your pet is a little more rotund than is healthy, then helping them regain and retain their waistline can be even trickier. Drugs such as Ozempic (the brand name for […]

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Further investment in NCUB university-business collaboration – UKRI

Research England has committed to support the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) in its delivery of their 2025 to 2029 ‘forward plan’. This new round of funding reflects continued commitment to strengthening collaboration across the research and innovation system. Supporting growth through collaboration Stronger collaboration between universities and businesses is central to realising […]

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Alibaba Reportedly Developing New AI Chip as Xi Urges Global Cooperation in AI

📍 Beijing, China — Chinese tech giant Alibaba is reportedly developing a new artificial intelligence (AI) chip, as China accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor technology. The initiative comes amid tightening U.S. export restrictions and growing competition in the global AI sector. The chip, which is being designed by Alibaba’s semiconductor division T-Head, […]

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Delivery Drones Poised to Reshape U.S. Logistics Industry by 2028

📍 Washington, D.C. — Delivery drones are expected to significantly disrupt the U.S. logistics industry by 2028, according to new survey data released by Tech.co. The findings reveal that 17% of logistics professionals believe drones will be the most transformative technology in the sector within the next two to three years. The anticipated shift comes […]

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Mars has a solid core, resolving a longstanding planetary mystery — new study

NASA Scientists have discovered that Mars has an interior structure similar to Earth’s. Results from Nasa’s Insight mission suggest that the red planet has a solid inner core surrounded by a liquid outer core, potentially resolving a longstanding mystery. The findings, which are published in Nature, have important implications for our understanding of how Mars […]

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How do bodies decompose? Cape Town forensic scientists are pushing frontiers of new detection methods

Cape Town has consistently been one of the metropolitan regions in South Africa with the highest murder rates. It has more than double the national average, and is currently ranked second overall and 16th worldwide. Many victims are discovered only after their bodies have decomposed, burned, or been exposed to the elements. That makes identification […]

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New mechanism found in protein that gives blood its red colour – UKRI

The findings challenge decades of scientific assumptions and provide new insights into fundamental biological processes. Scientists have discovered that carbon monoxide (CO) separates from haemoglobin through at least two distinct steps, overturning the long-held belief that this process occurs in a single event. Haemoglobin discovery challenges assumptions The research, published in Nature Communications, represents the […]

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