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By Laurence Frost and David Milliken | PARIS/LONDON PARIS/LONDON The chief executive of Peugeot manufacturer PSA Group (PEUP.PA) will meet British Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss his firm’s planned acquisition of General Motors’ (GM.N) Opel and Vauxhall operations, a government spokesman said on Saturday. Both Britain and Germany fear PSA will cut jobs if the takeover goes ahead, and British politicians are particularly concerned that the […]

The search for cure of congenital and other serious illnesses may be over with the revolutionary gene-editing tool known as CRISPR. Among its uses is to help scientists understand the genetic origin of an illness, which was not possible in the past. The future, the scientific community trumpeted, has arrived. Ethicists warned, however, of the risks as scientists wield the tool that has the potential not only […]

A remarkable 250 million-year-old “terrible-headed lizard” fossil found in China shows an embryo inside the mother — clear evidence for live birth. Head of The University of Queensland’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and co-author Professor Jonathan Aitchison said the fossil unexpectedly provided the first evidence for live birth in an animal group previously thought to exclusively lay eggs. “Live birth is well known in mammals, […]

LONDON Britain has offered Peugeot manufacturer PSA Group (PEUP.PA) assurances on post-Brexit trade and supply chains in an attempt to protect Vauxhall car plants after a possible takeover, the Financial Times reported on Saturday. Business minister Greg Clark met French politicians and PSA executives in Paris on Thursday to discuss their plan to buy General Motors’ (GM.N) European unit, Opel, which include Vauxhall plants in Britain. The […]

Researchers present a new method that should enable controlled drug delivery into the bloodstream using DNA computers. The team developed the first DNA computer capable of detecting several antibodies in the blood and performing subsequent calculations based on this input. This is an important step towards the development of smart, ‘intelligent’ drugs that may allow better control of medication with fewer side-effects and at lower cost. (via […]

Researchers have developed an improved type of electrode that is more durable, lasts longer in the body and transmits a clearer, more robust signal than electrodes made from current state-of-the-art materials. This could allow for improved restoration of mobility after spinal cord accidents, as well as improved powered prosthetic limbs. (via WSJ)

The push for more digital news looks like it attracted a coveted demographic for three national news organizations: Younger readers. The New York Times and The Washington Post attracted readers between the ages of 18 and 49 at nearly twice the rate of readers between the ages of 50 and 65 during the U.S. presidential campaign, according to a report from Pew, published Friday. The Wall Street […]

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When Paul Polman became chief executive of Unilever, the consumer goods company which on Friday rejected a $143bn takeover approach from Kraft Heinz, he told investors to steer clear unless they were prepared to sacrifice short-term profit for “sustainable” ideals. The same message has been delivered to the maker of Kool-Aid drinks and Oscar Mayer hot dogs, with a flat rejection of a deal that would be […]

RFID chips like the ones used to protect merchandise from shoplifting reveal surprising clues about life in a bumblebee colony, say investigators. (via WSJ)

Credit: BYU Photo BYU engineering professors have created an origami-inspired, lightweight bulletproof shield that can protect law enforcement from gunfire. The new barrier can be folded compactly when not in use, making it easier to transport and deploy. When expanded—which takes only five seconds—it can provide cover for officers and stop bullets from several types of handguns. “We worked with a federal special agent to understand […]

Researchers may have just found a solution for one of the biggest stumbling blocks to the next wave of rechargeable batteries — small enough for cellphones and powerful enough for cars. (via WSJ)

Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for February 18, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Ellen Fortini rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE. Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at [email protected] newslide Al Ain Literary evening Attend […]

Snap is doubling down on its appeal to a core audience of young mobile users who are turning away from television, as it prepares to take its business case to investors next week ahead of its initial public offering. The focus on a narrow base of users, as well as the company’s potential to replace TV advertising, comes amid questions about whether the owner of mobile messaging […]

Twenty years ago, tech-savvy aspiring enterpreneurs joined a dot-com. Now, developers, programmers, and engineers gravitate to mobile apps and social media companies. But given the latest round of big-buck acquisitions, self-driving car technology could be the latest gold rush for ambitious and talented geeks. Auto makers and tech firms like Uber and Apple are seeking to supercharge their autonomous tech via acquisitions and talent poaching. […]

BERLIN A talking doll named Cayla has been banned by German authorities because the software inside her could be hacked, posing a security risk and allowing personal data to be revealed. The Federal Network Agency recommended that parents who bought the doll for their children destroy it. “The Cayla doll is banned in Germany,” agency head Jochen Homann said. “This is also about protecting the weakest members […]

A team of researchers has developed a new computer-assisted recognition system that can identify individual lemurs in the wild by their facial characteristics and ultimately help to build a database for long-term research on lemur species. (via WSJ)

Seeing is not always believing — visual speech (mouth movements) mismatched with auditory speech (sounds) can result in the perception of an entirely different message. This mysterious illusion is known as the McGurk effect. Neuroscience researchers have created an algorithm to reveal key insight into why the brain can sometimes muddle up one of the most fundamental aspects of the human experience. Source

Estimated failure rates from single event upsets at the transistor, integrated circuit and device level for the last three semiconductor architectures. Credit: Bharat Bhuva, Vanderbilt University You may not realize it but alien subatomic particles raining down from outer space are wreaking low-grade havoc on your smartphones, computers and other personal electronic devices. When your computer crashes and you get the dreaded blue screen or your smartphone […]

Researchers have made major progress in the production of two-dimensional polymer-based materials. To produce cloths from monomolecular threads, the scientists used SURMOFs, i.e. surface-mounted metal-organic frameworks, developed by KIT. They inserted four-armed monomers, i.e. smaller molecular building blocks, into some SURMOF layers. Cross-linking of the monomers then resulted in textiles consisting of interwoven polymer threads. (via WSJ)

You’ve been worrying about that strange, swollen, and oozing lesion on your arm for a week now. You’re pretty sure it’s a brown recluse spider bite, but you actually haven’t asked a doctor yet. What if it’s not a spider bite? In an effort to avoid misdiagnosis, which has become very common in the United States, a team of researchers consisting of a bug scientist and skin […]

LONDON London will introduce a charge on the oldest and most polluting vehicles from October in a new effort to improve air quality, Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Friday. Called the T-charge, the 10-pound ($12.43) daily tax will apply to diesel and petrol vehicles typically registered before 2006 which do not meet the so-called “Euro 4” 2005 European directive to regulate vehicle emissions. The new charge will […]

Wearable electronics are here — the most prominent versions are sold in the form of watches or sports bands. But soon, more comfortable products could become available in softer materials made in part with an unexpected ingredient: green tea. Researchers report a new flexible and compact rechargeable energy storage device for wearable electronics that is infused with green tea polyphenols. (via WSJ)

A new technique using liquid metals to create integrated circuits that are atoms thick could shape the future of electronics, according to research led by RMIT. The technique, which can produce large electronic wafers around 1.5 nanometres in depth, was developed by researchers from RMIT, Monash University, North Carolina State University, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Benjamin Carey, a researcher with RMIT and […]

Researchers at EPFL and UNIL have discovered a faster and more efficient gait, never observed in nature, for six-legged robots walking on flat ground. Bio-inspired gaits — less efficient for robots — are used by real insects since they have adhesive pads to walk in three dimensions. Credit: EPFL/Alain Herzog When vertebrates run, their legs exhibit minimal contact with the ground. But insects are different. These six-legged […]

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