Science

Apple has altered its planned new system for detecting child sex abuse images after a week of criticism due to privacy concerns. The tech giant has said the system will now only hunt for images that have been flagged by clearinghouses in multiple countries. Earlier this week, Apple announced a planned feature for iPhones that

Scientists from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, have announced the discovery of a major breakthrough in quantum computing. To date, quantum scientists and computer engineers have only been able to use proof-of-concept models of quantum processors that work with just a few spin qubits, the quantum equivalent of a bit. Now,

The office of South Korea’s president has revealed that the boss of Samsung Electronics, Lee Jae-yong, has been freed early from jail in the “national interest”. Lee, the company’s vice chairman but de-facto leader, was released on parole on Friday – a year before the end of a 30-month sentence linked to the bribery of

Lionel Messi’s contract at Paris Saint Germain includes some of the French club’s cryptocurrency fan tokens. The Argentine, 34, left Barcelona due to “financial obstacles” and signed a two-year contract with the Qatari-owned PSG on Tuesday. His contract includes an option for a third year as well as cryptocurrency tokens in his “welcome package”, which

Facebook could be forced to sell GIF library Giphy after an investigation by the UK competition regulator found it could damage social media choice and the display advertising market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an in-depth investigation into the deal in April after raising a number of concerns. They included evidence that Giphy

Samsung is launching two new phones, one foldable and one flip-phone, as the South Korean company continues to commit to the niche product lines while delaying the launch of the Note 21. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is retailing for at least £1,599 in the UK – a considerable slice cheaper than the £1,799

Apple has settled a lawsuit against a security company called Corellium that makes virtual iPhones which it accused of intellectual property infringements. The lawsuit was filed in 2019 in a bid to force Corellium to shut down its virtual iOS software that allowed security researchers to detect flaws exposing iPhones and iPads to hackers. Although

A cyber espionage group from China masqueraded as Iranian hackers while breaking into and spying on Israeli government institutions, according to a new report by security researchers. The report from security company FireEye, which unmasked the group alongside Israeli defence agencies, says there is insufficient evidence to link the espionage group to the Chinese state.

Plastic waste in the world’s oceans is releasing an additive which may be “sexually exciting” hermit crabs, researchers say. The waters off the North Yorkshire coast have been found by scientists at the University of Hull to contain a chemical called oleamide leaking from plastics. According to the team, oleamide is increasing the respiration rate

NASA’s Perseverance rover has failed in its first attempt to collect a rock sample from Mars as part of the search for signs of ancient life on the planet, the space agency has confirmed. The rover is equipped with a two-metre-long robot arm which has a hollow coring bit and a percussive drill at the

Researchers in Australia have announced a new species of flying reptile from a fossil discovered in western Queensland, saying: “It’s the closest thing we have to a real life dragon.” The fossil is believed to come from the largest flying reptile ever uncovered in the country, a pterosaur that would have soared over the vast

Apple has announced a new system to be included in iPhones that will automatically scan those devices to identify if they contain any media featuring child sexual abuse. It is part of a range of child protection features launching later this year in the US through updates to iOS 15 and iPadOS and will compare

Boeing’s second attempt at an uncrewed test flight of its new Starliner capsule to the International Space Station has been scrubbed due to an “unexpected valve” problem. The resupply mission was intended to demonstrate that the spacecraft works, but instead the delay will pile the pressure on the embattled company following the failure of its

Netflix will stream a documentary next month which will follow the story of the world’s first private all-civilian space orbit. The group will board a SpaceX capsule next month and spend three days orbiting the earth, becoming Netflix’s first documentary “to cover an event in near real-time”. The privately chartered flight will be commanded, funded

Shares in China’s biggest online gaming companies slumped after state media branded their products “spiritual opium” and compared them to “electronic drugs”. The criticism – as reported by Reuters news agency – has stoked concerns that the online gaming sector will be the next to receive unwanted attention from Beijing’s regulators, following a crackdown on

Plastic pollution is creating an “evolutionary trap” for young sea turtles because they “eat anything”, according to a new study. Research led by the University of Exeter found plastic in the stomachs of small juvenile turtles along both the east (Pacific) and west (Indian Ocean) coasts of Australia. The animals travel on currents and start