Articles by Allan Adamson
China's New Digital Currency Will Resemble Facebook's Libra
Mu Changchun, a senior official at China's central bank said the digital currency will bear similarities with Facebook's Libra. It could be ready as early as Nov. 11.
Apple Updated Siri To Deflect Sensitive Topics Like Feminism, Says Report
Leaked documents revealed of an internal project to rewrite Apple’s Siri. The project was to ensure the voice assistant can avoid or deflect questions on sensitive topics such as feminism and the #MeToo movement.
Google Bans Ads For Unproven Medical Treatments Including Stem Cell Therapy
Google will no longer show ads for unproven medical treatments and those with insufficient clinical testing to warrant widespread use. The ban will include stem cell therapies and gene therapies.
Facebook Rolls Out Vaccine Pop-up Window To Combat Misinformation
Educational popup windows will appear on Facebook and Instagram when a user searches for vaccine-related content. U.S.-based users will be connected to the CDC for reliable information on vaccines.
Researchers Identify Chemicals In The Body That Protect 9/11 Responders From Lung Disease
The first responders who did not develop OAD have higher levels of metabolites, which the body makes when it breaks down fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Here's how to boost levels of these chemicals.
ESA Earth Science Satellite Aeolus Nearly Collided With SpaceX Starlink Satellite
ESA said it had to maneuver one of its satellites to avoid colliding with a SpaceX Starlink satellite. The space agency informed Elon Musk's company about the potential collision, but the latter refused to take action.
Instagram, WhatsApp, And Deepfakes Videos Pose Disinformation Threat To 2020 US Presidential Election
Instagram, WhatsApp, and deepfake videos could be used to manipulate voters ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Here's what makes Instagram an ideal venue for spreading disinformation.
No More Fillings? Scientists Find New Way To Repair Tooth Enamel
Researchers from China found a way to repair the human tooth enamel. They said the process is far better than currently available treatments in that the repair would be permanent.
Paris Testing Noise Radar System That Can Identify And Ticket Loud Cars
Paris, France is testing a new noise radar system that can identify loud moving cars and their location, and automatically ticket them. The government will test the technology for two years to identify the noise levels that will trigger fines.
US Immigration Officers Can Now Create Fake Social Media Account To Check Foreigners Entering The Country
The fictitious accounts will be used to monitor information that individuals who seek visas, green cards, and U.S. citizenships post on social media. The officers' review of social media accounts, however, has some limitations.
China's Chang'e-4 Mission Finds Gel-Like Substance On The Far Side Of The Moon
China’s Chang'e-4 mission found a gel-like substance with unusual color while exploring the far side of the moon. It made the discovery during lunar day 8, which started on July 25.
Google To Pay Up To $200 Million In FTC Settlement Over YouTube Child Privacy Violations
Google will pay the FTC to end investigations into allegations that YouTube violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The settlement will cost the search engine company between $150 and $200 million.
Hackers Hack Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's Account, Breach Linked To Compromised Phone Number
A group of hackers called the 'Chuckling Squad' took over Twitter CEO and cofounder Jack Dorsey's account on his own platform. @jack posted offensive and strange tweets, suggesting that his account has been compromised.
Craig Wright Who Claims He Is Bitcoin Inventor Satoshi Nakamoto Ordered To Pay Billions From Cryptocurrency Haul
A U.S. district court in Florida ordered computer engineer Craig Wright to pay the estate of his former colleague half of his cryptocurrency holdings. Wright claims to be the bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto.
Manhattan-Sized Raft Of Volcanic Rock Floating In The Pacific Could Restore Great Barrier Reef In Australia
The massive pumice rock the size of Manhattan was spotted days after an underwater volcanic eruption. It will drift through to the Australian coast over the next seven to 10 months.
NASA Chief Jim Bridenstine Says Pluto Should Be Classified As Planet
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine thinks that Pluto should still be classified as a planet. The IAU downgraded the status of the icy body to dwarf planet when it adopted a new definition for planethood.
US Government Prepares Against Ransomware Attack Ahead Of 2020 Presidential Election
A ransomware attack could cause delay and jeopardize the 2020 presidential election. Homeland' security's CISA is now working with election officials and private sectors to protect election databases.
Supercomputer Aitken To Simulate Landing For NASA Artemis Moon Missions
The supercomputer Aitken will model different methods of entry, descent, and landing for the Artemis spacecraft. It can run thousands of complex simulations at up to 3.69 petaFLOPs of theoretical performance power.
Amazon Sells Thousands Of Banned And Unsafe Products, WSJ Investigation Finds
The Wall Street Journal investigation found that Amazon is selling more than 4,000 problematic products. These items are mislabeled, banned, or declared as unsafe by federal agencies.
Audible's Speech-To-Text Feature Prompts Lawsuit From Book Publishers
Seven book publishers filed a lawsuit against Amazon's Audible over the Caption speech-to-text feature. Audible contends the feature does not allow listeners to read at their own pace or flip through the pages.
White House Reportedly Mulls On Project That Will Collect Data From Smart Devices To Prevent Violence
Donald Trump earlier linked mass shootings in the country to mentally ill people. The President is now reportedly presented with a project that involves collecting data from smart devices to prevent mass violence.
First Crime In Space? NASA Astronaut Anne McClain Accused Of Hacking Bank Account From ISS
NASA astronaut Anne McClain allegedly hacked into her estranged spouse's bank account while onboard the ISS. The case appears to be the first allegation of a crime committed in space.
Watery Planets With Dense Atmosphere, Long Days Could Be More Hospitable To Life Than Earth
Astronomers found that watery planets with dense atmospheres, continents, and long days could be more conducive to life than Earth. These exoplanets could create oceans optimally hospitable to life.
Trump Challenges Court Ruling That He Violated US Constitution By Blocking Twitter Users
Trump unblocked several followers from viewing his tweets on the @realDonaldTrump Twitter account. A federal judge in New York ruled this constitutes a violation of the Constitution.
AI Facial Recognition Software Catches Murder Suspect Who Was Applying For A Loan
The man from Fujian province in China was caught while trying to burn the body of his girlfriend. Authorities were tipped off by an online lending company that uses artificial intelligence to verify identity of loan applicants.
Gene-Editing Tool CRISPR Used To Create Shape-Shifting Gels That Can Deliver Cancer Drugs, Antibiotics
Researchers used CRISPR to create smart materials that change their form on command. They designed hydrogels that can deliver cancer drugs that will be released in the presence of a tumor or antibiotics for an infection.
Google Shuts Down 210 YouTube Channels Linked To Hong Kong Disinformation Campaigns
Google disabled 210 YouTube channels that participate in a coordinated attempt to spread disinformation about the protests in Hong Kong. The search engine company made the move to protect the integrity of its video-sharing website.
NASA's Europa Clipper Mission On Track For 2020s Launch
NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft is on track for mid-2020s launch. The mission, however, is not to find signs of alien life. The probe will simply study the moon's habitability.
Walmart Sues Tesla Over Solar Panels That Caught Fire At Stores
Walmart alleged that Tesla's solar panels installed on top of its stores have caught fire. The retailer claimed that since November 2018, at least seven Walmart stores experienced fires because of Tesla's solar systems.
NASA Scientists Find Warm Water Below Helheim Greenland Glacier
NASA scientists found that Helheim was surrounded by warm water along with its entire depth of over 2,000 feet below the surface. Helheim is one of Greenland's fastest-retreating glaciers.
