Worlds

India has emerged as the world’s third most polluted country. In 2023, India’s air quality, with an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre, was better than only two countries…

Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels.com China’s LONGi Group is laying off up to 30% of its workers to accelerate cost-cutting, according to Bloomberg. Staff reduction at LONGi Group started in November 2023, and this is an acceleration of layoffs, according to sources who had been briefed by senior management but asked not to be identified by Bloomberg. LONGi’s staff numbers peaked at around 80,000 in 2023. However, the Xi’an-based solar panel maker disputed the 30% figure and said…

The Toaster is claimed to be the world's most portable bike rack and from the looks of things, that may very well be the case. It folds flat when not in use, and can accommodate up to five bikes of almost any wheel size.Manufactured by Atlanta, Georgia-based startup AHHA, the Toaster is made of powder-coated aluminum with stainless steel fasteners, and it reportedly tips the scales at 14 lb (6.4 kg). When folded down, it forms a 30 x 32 x 2-inch (762 x 813 x 51-mm) rectangular package.Setting the device up is a matter of…

An 8-year-old girl from Melbourne, Australia, has become one of the world’s youngest homeowners after being listed as a property owner at the age of six.In December 2021, Ruby McLellan became the owner of a four-bedroom property valued at US $440,000 and located on the outskirts of the second-most populous city in Australia. Ruby purchased her first home alongside her siblings, Angus, 14, and Lucy, 13.According to Australian Law, anyone under 18 years of age can own and purchase a property with their name on the house…

The 108-m (356-ft) long Radia Windrunner is designed to transport cargo too big for the road, to short, semi-prepared airstrips on rough terrain. It would dwarf the majestic 84-m (275-ft) long Antonov An-225 Mriya, which is sadly no longer with us.With the notable exception of the Large Hadron Collider, there's really no machine in history with single parts larger than today's mammoth wind turbines. Some offshore turbines, for example, are being built with blades more than 140 m (459 ft) long. One of the reasons why…

The inter-galactic visitor is a cold, active cryovolcanic comet zipping through the skies and has earned a wicked nickname – the ‘Devil Comet’ – since it periodically explodes violently.A periodical comet, named ’12P/Pons-Brooks’ is scheduled to greet Earth from its closest point in the dark skies from April 21 as it zooms towards the sun on its return journey after 71 years, exciting the international scientific community.This week, the comet gave its early glimpses to humanity as a bright, tiny spot which was captured…

The discovery of the world’s oldest fossilized forest in South West England, dating back 390 million years, provides crucial insights into the early forms of tree life and their impact on Earth’s landscapes during the Devonian Period. This groundbreaking research emphasizes the significant role of early trees in stabilizing environments and shaping the evolution of river systems. A forest of Calamophyton trees. Credit: Peter Giesen/Chris BerryThe oldest fossilized forest ever discovered on Earth, dating back 390 million…

California startup Stratolaunch completed the first powered flight of its Talon-A hypersonic vehicle as it works to develop a reusable version that’s capable of carrying science payloads and flying them at five times the speed of sound.The M3 MacBook Airs are as Good as Ever, and That’s the ProblemThe company’s massive aircraft, named Roc, launched on Saturday from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California while carrying TA-1 in its belly. The plane then released the hypersonic vehicle at an altitude of around 35,000…

Image: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority The City of Liverpool, England, has unveiled advanced proposals to build the world’s largest tidal power generator on the River Mersey. If it’s built, Mersey Tidal Power would become the largest tidal range scheme in the world. It would power more than 1 million homes for more than 120 years. The dam-like Mersey Tidal Power would be a barrier between the Irish Sea and a tidal basin. It would be fitted with turbines and tap into one of the…

Instagram has overtaken TikTok as the world’s most downloaded app after its copycat video feature Reels helped it recover ground lost to its Chinese-owned rival.The photo- and videosharing app soared in popularity after its launch in 2010 alongside reality royalty such as the Kardashians and is a cornerstone of the influencer phenomenon, but has faced stiff competition on its own territory in recent years from TikTok, the short video platform.However, Instagram’s launch in 2020 of a short-form video feature widely seen as…