A Chinese research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has achieved a world record by developing the shortest solid-state laser with a wavelength of 158.9 nm. Led by Dr. Pan Shilie, the team utilized a newly engineered nonlinear optical crystal called Ammonium Fluorooxoborate (ABF). This breakthrough, published in Nature, overcomes decade-long hurdles in generating deep-ultraviolet light efficiently. This laser reaches a pulse energy of 4.8 mJ with a conversion efficien

Billionaire Elon Musk has pledged to revolutionize the tech industry by moving AI data centers into Earth's orbit. Aiming to launch up to one million satellites, Musk plans to harness constant solar energy to power AI models without straining terrestrial power grids or increasing utility bills. To fund this odyssey, Musk merged SpaceX with his AI firm, xAI, setting the stage for a massive initial public offering (IPO). Musk’s vision, summarized by his quote "The sun always sh

Technical analyses highlight a surprising reality: being polite to AI models like ChatGPT or Gemini actually increases their energy consumption. Every extra word, such as "Thank you" or "Please," requires additional computational "inference" within massive data centers. While the impact of a single user is negligible, the collective "chatter" of billions of users adds a measurable strain on global electricity and water resources used for cooling. With data center power demand

Global battery leader CATL has introduced a game-changing 5C battery designed to outlast the very vehicles they power. In a recent technical showcase (January 2026), the company revealed that the battery retains 80% of its capacity after 3,000 full cycles, translating to a theoretical driving distance of 1.8 million kilometers. Its "5C" rating signifies ultra-fast charging capabilities, allowing a 0-100% charge in approximately 12 minutes. The breakthrough relies on a denser

Meta is facing a high-stakes legal battle following a class-action lawsuit alleging that WhatsApp—despite its marketing as a secure, end-to-end encrypted platform—routinely stores and analyzes user messages. The lawsuit, reportedly supported by a company whistleblower, claims that technical loopholes allow Meta to bypass the Signal protocol to access certain content and metadata, sparking a global privacy debate across major markets like India, Brazil, and Australia. Meta’s s

A recent report has ignited concerns over the integrity of large language models (LLMs) after revealing that GPT-5.2 has been citing "Grokipedia"—an entirely AI-generated encyclopedia by xAI—as a factual source. This reliance on non-human curated data risks a phenomenon known as "Model Collapse," where AI models degrade over time by training on or sourcing from synthetic data, leading to a loss of factual reality and the proliferation of "digital folklore." Experts warned in

Google has officially acknowledged a widespread issue affecting Gmail’s filtering system, leading to delayed emails and erroneous spam warnings. Users worldwide reported that promotional content is bypassing filters into the primary inbox, while legitimate messages are being flagged with warnings stating they "could not be verified." The glitch has particularly impacted users waiting for Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) codes, causing significant login delays. Google stated it

After decades of orbiting Earth, spacecraft face a predestined fate: a fiery re-entry followed by a final plunge into "Point Nemo." Located in the South Pacific, this "Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility" is the furthest point from any land, making the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) the closest humans to it when they fly overhead. Point Nemo serves as the world's largest space cemetery, housing the remains of the Russian Mir station and the Salyut series.

Following President Donald Trump's threats to annex Greenland, Danish consumers have turned to their smartphones to stage a massive grassroots boycott. The app "NonUSA" (also known as UdenUSA) has made a historic leap in the Danish App Store, surging from rank 441 to #1 in less than two weeks. Another tool, "Made O'Meter," has also broken into the top five, as users seek to identify and avoid American-made goods. These apps allow shoppers to scan product barcodes to confirm

Japan’s TEPCO announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026, the suspension of Unit 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant—the world’s largest by capacity. The shutdown occurred just hours after the reactor was brought back online for the first time in 14 years. An alarm was triggered at 12:28 a.m. local time during the withdrawal of control rods, leading the operator to halt operations for a thorough investigation into a suspected system malfunction. The Nuclear Regulatio

A new report by KPMG and Oxford Economics, presented at Davos 2026, confirms that the United States maintains a commanding lead in the global AI race with a score of 75.2/100. The U.S. advantage stems from widespread corporate adoption, massive computing power, and a seamless transition from research to commercial application. Europe secured the second spot with 48.8 points, barely staying ahead of China at 48.2 points. While Europe benefits from strong regulatory frameworks

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar announced that the company’s annual revenue surged past $20 billion in 2025, a massive jump from $6 billion in 2024. This 233% increase was fueled by a significant expansion in computing infrastructure, which reached 1.9 gigawatts (GW) this year. Friar noted that user engagement continues to break records, supported by OpenAI’s deep integration with Microsoft and the enterprise sector. Simultaneously, Policy Chief Chris Lehane confirmed at Davos that Op

A groundbreaking study from Pennsylvania State University, published in early 2026, reveals that quantum computers are prone to severe security flaws that extend deep into their physical hardware. Professor Swaroop Ghosh and Suryansh Upadhyay argue that the very features that provide quantum superiority—superposition and entanglement—also create unintended vulnerabilities like "Crosstalk," which hackers could exploit to leak sensitive data or reverse-engineer proprietary algo

Astronomers have captured a rare celestial phenomenon: the re-awakening of a supermassive black hole in the heart of the giant galaxy J1007+3540. After lying dormant for approximately 100 million years, this cosmic beast has resumed ejecting high-energy plasma jets that span nearly a million light-years across space. Using the LOFAR radio telescope array, researchers discovered that younger, brighter jets are now pushing through the ancient, fading plasma lobes left from an e

In a landmark announcement during its 2026 launch event, ASUS CEO Jonney Shih confirmed the company's withdrawal from the smartphone industry. ASUS will not release any new mobile devices in 2026, marking the end of its Zenfone and ROG Phone lineups. The strategic pivot aims to reallocate resources toward high-growth sectors, specifically AI-driven robotics and Smart Glasses. The decision reflects the harsh realities of a saturated smartphone market, where ASUS struggled to c

In a major strategic pivot, Apple has turned to its long-time rival Google to power its upcoming AI features. This multi-year partnership will see Google’s Gemini models integrated into Apple’s ecosystem, providing the backbone for a radical overhaul of Siri. Industry experts view this as a clear admission that Apple has fallen behind in the AI arms race, opting to "rent" Google’s digital brain rather than rely solely on its internal infrastructure. The deal highlights Alphab

The Egyptian Customs Authority and the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) officially announced the end of the exceptional customs exemption for mobile phones brought by travelers for personal use, effective Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 12:00 PM. This move follows the success of Egypt's local manufacturing initiative, which now hosts 15 international brands producing 20 million units annually, exceeding domestic market demand. Expatriates and tourists will be gran

Source: Xinhua Editor: huaxia The return capsule of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship is pictured at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Jan. 19, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) JIUQUAN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The return capsule of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship, carrying no astronauts, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 9:34 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Monday, according to the China Manned Space Agen

As AI continues to transform the global economy, James Reed, CEO of Reed, identifies 11 resilient professions that are poised to thrive despite rapid technological shifts. According to Reed, these "AI-proof" roles rely heavily on emotional intelligence and human connection—qualities no algorithm can replicate. Healthcare assistants, Teachers, and Paramedics lead the list, as empathy and moral judgment remain irreplaceable in crisis and learning environments. The report also h

A joint team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Institute of Technology has unveiled a revolutionary "three-in-one" method for recycling spent lithium-ion batteries. By utilizing carbon dioxide and water, the researchers created a mild carbonic acid that extracts over 95% of lithium without the need for harsh chemicals or extreme heat. This process not only recovers precious metals but also permanently sequesters CO2 within the recycled materials. As the wor