July 8, 2025

Why the US and Europe could lose the race for fusion energy

Fusion energy holds the potential to shift a geopolitical landscape that is currently configured around fossil fuels. Harnessing fusion will deliver the energy resilience, security, and abundance needed for all modern industrial and service sectors. But these benefits will be controlled by the nation that leads in both developing the complex supply chains required and…

Technology

Lightyear stops production on €250,000 solar-powered EV

January 24, 2023

Solar-powered electric vehicle maker Lightyear said it’s halting production on its flagship Lightyear 0, its premium EV with a sticker price of €250,000. Despite only starting production on the vehicle three months ago, Lightyear is restructuring to focus on building a more affordable model, the Lightyear 2 for around €40,000, reports Electrek. The news comes […]

Lightyear stops production on €250,000 solar-powered EV by Rebecca Bellan originally published on TechCrunch

Bluedot’s debit card for EV owners offers cheaper charging, cash back

January 24, 2023

Electric vehicles accounted for nearly 6% of all new cars sold in the U.S. in 2022, an increase from 3.1% the year before, and that number will continue to grow over the coming years. While it’s still a young industry, the ecosystem surrounding EVs — from EV charging and installation to insurance products and parking […]

Bluedot’s debit card for EV owners offers cheaper charging, cash back by Rebecca Bellan originally published on TechCrunch

McKinsey, eyeing the MLOps space, buys Tel Aviv-based Iguazio

January 23, 2023

The same day Microsoft invested billions in OpenAI, McKinsey snatched up an enterprise-focused AI firm, Iguazio, for a relative steal. The consulting giant reportedly paid around $50 million for Iguazio, a Tel Aviv-based company offering an MLOps platform for large-scale businesses — “MLOps” referring to a set of tools to deploy and maintain machine learning […]

McKinsey, eyeing the MLOps space, buys Tel Aviv-based Iguazio by Kyle Wiggers originally published on TechCrunch

A few pieces of good news on climate change (and a reality check)

January 23, 2023
When it comes to climate, the picture can look bleak.  Emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change reached a new peak in 2022, according to early estimates. And climate disasters seem to be hitting at a breakneck pace. In 2022, the world experienced record heat waves in China and Europe, and devastating floods…

Microsoft invests billions more dollars in OpenAI, extends partnership

January 23, 2023

Microsoft today announced that it’s extending its partnership with OpenAI. The latter will receive a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment from the company — the exact dollar amount wasn’t disclosed — that OpenAI says will be used to continue its independent research and “develop AI that is increasingly safe, useful and powerful.” OpenAI will remain a capped-profit […]

Microsoft invests billions more dollars in OpenAI, extends partnership by Kyle Wiggers originally published on TechCrunch

Germany is looking into PayPal’s terms for merchants

January 23, 2023

Veteran tech giant PayPal is facing an antitrust investigation in Germany — where the Federal Cartel Office (FCO) has announced it’s looking into its rules on surcharges. The regulator is concerned that restrictions PayPal imposes on merchants could be harming competitors and inflating costs for consumers by restricting price competition. Clauses in PayPal’s terms the […]

Germany is looking into PayPal’s terms for merchants by Natasha Lomas originally published on TechCrunch

The Download: amazing space, and and geoengineering restrictions

January 23, 2023
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. How the James Webb Space Telescope broke the universe When the James Webb Space Telescope sent its first images back to Earth in July last year, researchers gathered excitedly to pore over them.…