Tech and Science Daily | The Standard

Britain’s defence tech gets a major boost as the Ministry of Defence signs a £316 million contract to equip Royal Navy ships with DragonFire laser weapon systems — capable of hitting a £1 coin from over a kilometre away. We break down what this leap in naval protection means for jobs, defence, and the UK’s future warfare capabilities.Plus, one of the UK’s largest prostate cancer studies gets underway, aiming to transform diagnosis and reduce harm for thousands of men.We also speak to Professor Mark Rowlands about why Plymouth has been crowned the happiest place in the UK to be a dog.Also in this episode:UCL scientists identify what triggered a huge ‘earthquake swarm’ near Santorini, detecting magma flows deep beneath the seafloor.James Webb Space Telescope spots a supermassive black hole that shouldn’t exist, challenging theories of early-universe formation.Cricket 26 launches ahead of the Ashes, with updated squads, stadiums and “Bazball”-inspired modes.Google tests Quick Share compatibility with Apple’s AirDrop, hinting at smoother cross-platform file transfers.For all the latest news, head to standard.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London’s tech scene is awash with fresh investment as AI startups and fintech innovators pull in major funding rounds. We break down what this wave of cash means for the future of jobs and housing, amid London’s booming AI ecosystem.Plus, AI data scraping battles are intensifying. With lawsuits flying, we speak to Fastly co-founder Simon Wistow about the escalating fight over how AI companies use online content.Also in this episode:Google releases Gemini 3, rolling advanced AI tools directly into SearchNASA tracks a rare interstellar comet as it passes through our solar systemPhysicsX, a London “physical AI” startup, has just extended its Series B to more than £117 millionLondon fintech SAPI raises £60m to support small businesses with flexible repayment tools.Rent-to-own platform Keyzy secures funding to buy £130m in homes for aspiring first-time buyersAll that, plus the latest from London’s thriving tech and science scene, in today’s Tech & Science Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this replay preview of Brave New World, Evgeny Lebedev is joined by bestselling author and modern Stoic thinker Ryan Holiday to unpack today’s media landscape, the rise of echo chambers, and what Stoic leadership looks like in a noisy world.Listen to the full conversation on the Brave New World podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Several major online platforms have been taken offline following a Cloudflare outage.Spotify, X, Facebook and Canva were all hit when the network broke down in what the company called an “internal service degradation”.A magnetic micro robot that can travel through tiny blood vessels to deliver medication right where it’s needed has been developed by scientists in Switzerland.We speak to professor of Robotics and Intelligence Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich Brad Nelson about the new technology, and how it could impact treatment for stroke and brain tumour patients.Also in this episode: Google CEO Sundar Pichai says no company "including us” would be immune if the AI bubble burstsBrit ordered to repay £4m million in cryptocurrency after hacking celebrity social media accountsCambridge researchers warn AI could become a “cognitive poison” in schools without a radical rethink of how education is delivered and assessedUK volcanic rocks coils turn CO2 into stone locking away decades of industrial emissionsIBM and UFC debut an AI system that gives real-time stats to commentatorsThis episode’s thumbnail image shows how small the latest ETH micro robot is. Credits: Luca Donati / lad.studio Zürich Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mental health charity is warning that vulnerable people are being exposed to potentially dangerous advice when they turn to AI for support.Mental Health UK say without safeguards to ensure AI chatbots rely on trusted sources, users could be exposed to serious risks.Plus, businesses are pouring billions into artificial intelligence, but new data shows much of that work never makes it into daily use.We speak to Valliance AI’s senior tech value partner Tarek Nseir about what’s holding businesses back from realising the benefits of AI.Also in this episode:Criminals are using £20,000 gadgets to break into keyless cars according to a BBC investigationHow a jab for a common virus could lead to new treatment for multiple sclerosisThe tiny ‘cell hotels’ launched into space to reveal how human gut cells behave in zero gravityThe tap-in, tap-out tech being rolled out to make train to airport travel easierWeather warning as the cold snap hits after Storm ClaudiaThe high-tech greenhouses using LEDs to grow strawberries in December Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientists have found evidence that humans may have a previously unknown “remote touch” ability - sensing objects beneath surfaces or buried in sand without direct contact. We're joined by Dr Elisabetta Versace, the study’s lead author and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Queen Mary University of London, who explains how humans can sense objects without touching them.Valve unveils new ‘Steam Machine’ games console to rival Xbox and PlayStation that plays PC games through your TV.Project Fetch: Anthropic carry out experiment to test if AI LLM Claude can help train a robot dog.Jeff Bezos’s space firm Blue Origin successfully lands rocket booster for the first time - to heat up the space race against Elon Musk’s SpaceX.Also in this episode:Samsung hikes memory chip prices by up to 60% as shortage worsensOnePlus 15: MKBHD calls latest smartphone “not normal”Tired of waiting for Spotify Wrapped? You can now find your weekly listening stats Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. John Krystal is a Professor at Yale School of Medicine, recognized for his pioneering research on ketamine's rapid effects on depression. He discusses the pharmacology of ketamine, explaining its transformative potential in mental health care. Listeners learn how ketamine influences glutamate and NMDA receptors, leading to rapid antidepressant responses. Dr. Krystal also shares its historical use as a battlefield anesthetic and its surprising effectiveness compared to traditional antidepressants, shedding light on a new frontier in psychiatric treatment.

On this replay preview of Brave New World, Evgeny Lebedev is in conversation with Dr Peter Attia — a leading physician, longevity expert, and bestselling author.Together they explore Medicine 3.0 — Peter’s blueprint for extending both lifespan and healthspan — and why emotional wellbeing is just as vital as physical health.“It doesn’t matter how healthy you are,” Peter says, “if the most important relationships in your life are not happy.”Listen to the full conversation on the Brave New World podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this replay preview of Brave New World, Evgeny Lebedev is joined by Dr Aubrey de Grey — a pioneering biomedical gerontologist and co-founder of the SENS Research Foundation.Known for his radical views on ageing, Dr de Grey believes we can and should treat ageing as a medical condition, not an inevitability.In this fascinating conversation, Evgeny and Aubrey explore everything from the ethics of life extension and the science behind reversing cellular damage, to how society might change if ageing becomes optional.Listen to the full conversation on the Brave New World podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A flotilla of Indigenous leaders have made a symbolic journey from the glaciers of the Andes to Belém, Brazil in time for the COP30 climate summit.Their mission: to demand a greater role in climate talks and protections for their territories, as extraction industries and climate change press ever deeper into Indigenous lands.Super Typhoon Fung-wong has weakened after battering the Philippines this weekend.Wind speeds of around 115 mph dropped to between 80 and 100 mph as the storm moved northeast towards Taiwan.An international team of scientists has achieved a world-first, creating plasma 'fireballs' to discover how powerful jets from distant black holes stay stable.Pablo Bilbau, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Oxford, explained what they’ve been doing and whyAlso in this episode:China has partially lifted export controls on key computer chips used in car productionA new national forest has been confirmed for the Oxford-Cambridge corridorScientists say camels and llamas could help unlock new treatments for brain disorders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.