Science and Technology

Rubin Observatory spots possible large dwarf planet in outer solar system

Rubin Observatory spots possible large dwarf planet in outer solar system

The object, 2026 ED138, could be one of the largest bodies known in the outer solar system, but its size and status still need confirming.The NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has found its first candidate dwarf planet: an icy body orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune, currently about 46 times farther from the Sun than Earth is. The object, provisionally designated 2026 ED138, was announced on October 27 by the observatory and the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center.Its exact dimensions remain undetermined. Should the highest projections prove accurate, this object will count as one of the most massive entities ever…
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Key technologies attracting the highest investment outside artificial intelligence

Key technologies attracting the highest investment outside artificial intelligence

Investment outside artificial intelligence is flowing most visibly into technologies that produce electricity, move it, store it, connect people, and improve health and security. Clean energy dominates the largest publicly tracked totals: the International Energy Agency expects global investment in clean energy technologies and infrastructure to reach about $2.2 trillion in 2025.There is no definitive global top-ten ranking. Industry reports count different things: a purchased electric vehicle, a new semiconductor factory, a venture-capital round, and a power-grid upgrade are not directly comparable. The ten technologies below are therefore major investment magnets, not a precise league table. The order broadly reflects…
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Ranking the 10 costliest cyberattacks ever recorded

Ranking the 10 costliest cyberattacks ever recorded

The answer depends on what counts as a cost. A global computer worm can generate billions of dollars in estimated cleanup and lost productivity across many organizations. A breach at one company produces a narrower, often better-documented bill. The ranking below uses commonly cited nominal dollar estimates to compare both kinds of attack. It is a guide to their reported economic scale, not an audited league table: estimates for older worms are especially uncertain, and the figures have not been adjusted for inflation.1. MyDoom: approximately $38 billionFirst identified back in 2004, MyDoom propagated via email attachments, infecting systems with extraordinary…
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How these 10 innovations reduce energy demand across lighting, mobility, and computing

How these 10 innovations reduce energy demand across lighting, mobility, and computing

The most efficient energy-saving technologies do not merely swap one fuel for another. Instead, they provide identical lighting, comfort, mobility, computing, or industrial productivity while utilizing less energy. Ultimately, their overall effectiveness relies upon their adoption rate, the specific machinery they displace, and how those systems are managed.These ten innovations stand out because they address large sources of energy demand or make substantial savings possible at scale. The figures below are typical comparisons, not guarantees: local conditions and the choice of baseline matter.1. LED Lighting SystemsLight-emitting diode, or LED, lamps produce far more light per unit of electricity than incandescent…
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