The Guardian · 9 Jun, 05:00
Universities in northern England are partnering with NHS trusts to drive innovation and economic growth, with the University of Huddersfield's health research complex being a notable example. This collaboration is helping to attract private sector investment and improve regional productivity.
The University of Huddersfield has established a national health innovation campus, which includes a £11m centre named after local healthcare advocate Emily Siddon. The campus features a community diagnostic centre and an MRI scanner simulator, and has supported 380 companies since September 2023. The university's approach involves partnering with NHS trusts, such as Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, to drive innovation and economic growth. This model is being replicated by other universities in the UK, which are working with health trusts and councils to further research and support local economies.
Why it matters: The partnership between universities and NHS trusts is significant because it can help to drive economic growth, improve regional productivity, and attract private sector investment. The University of Huddersfield's health research complex is a notable example of this approach, and its success could be replicated by other universities in the UK. The collaboration is also helping to address the financial challenges faced by universities, with many institutions facing financial difficulties due to a shortage of funding.
£11m: the cost of the Emily Siddon centre at the University of Huddersfield's health research complex; 380: the number of companies supported by the complex since September 2023; £10m: the operating surplus of the University of Huddersfield in the 2024-25 financial year; £2bn: the amount of funding available from West Yorkshire's investment zone; 40: the number of universities near bankruptcy with just two months of cash in the bank; £158bn: the contribution of the UK higher education sector to the economy through teaching, research, and innovation activities; 18m: the number of jobs provided by higher education and hospitals in the US, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; £1.1tn: the income generated by higher education and hospitals in the US, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
To me it wasn’t rocket science that getting people healthy, fit and able to work would make the single biggest impact on productivity. - Prof Liz Towns-Andrews
The Guardian · 9 Jun, 05:00
The world's first wind-powered underwater datacentre has started operating off the coast of Shanghai, China, as part of efforts to address energy challenges created by the country's AI boom. The datacentre has a capacity of 24 megawatts and is powered by a nearby offshore windfarm.
The Shanghai Lingang undersea datacentre demonstration project, a joint effort between HiCloud Technology and China Communications Construction, has begun operations. Located over 6 miles off the coast of Shanghai, the datacentre is submerged 10 metres below the surface of the water and is powered by a nearby offshore windfarm. The project was launched in May and has a capacity of 24 megawatts. This is not China's first underwater datacentre, as HiCloud launched the world's first commercial underwater datacentre in Hainan in 2023.
Why it matters: This development is significant as it addresses the energy challenges created by China's AI boom. Traditional datacentres consume a lot of power and water, but the underwater datacentre reduces power consumption by over one-fifth and eliminates the need for freshwater supplies. The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health warned that the water footprint of datacentres could reach 9.3tn litres by 2030.
24 megawatts (datacentre capacity), 10km (distance from coast), 10 metres (depth below surface), 1.6bn yuan (£177m) (investment), 9.3tn litres (potential water footprint of datacentres by 2030), 2030 (target year for increased clean energy supplies)
Microsoft was earlier in proving the concept, while China moved further on commercial deployment because it was able to bring together market demand, industrial capability, marine engineering and policy support more quickly into a commercial project. - Dr Hanjiang Dong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Guardian · 9 Jun, 05:49
The UK government is expected to announce radical regulations on social media to protect young people, potentially including a ban on under-16s accessing certain features, but not a blanket ban on social media use. The move comes amid growing concerns about online harm and the need for urgent action.
The UK government is set to make a major announcement about social media regulations, expected to include measures to protect young people from online harm. The announcement, anticipated to be made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is likely to involve blocking under-16s from accessing certain features such as infinite scrolling, disappearing messages, and push notifications. This move follows the Online Safety Act, which was introduced 11 months ago to regulate online access for young people.
Why it matters: The regulations are significant as they aim to address growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people's mental health and wellbeing. Campaigners and parents have expressed concerns that current measures are not enough, and that more needs to be done to protect young people from online harm. The UK government's move is also seen as a response to the exponential speed of emerging online harms and the need for urgent action.
11 months (time since the Online Safety Act was introduced), 16 (age limit for certain social media features), 14-24 (age range of young people interviewed by the Ada Lovelace Institute about growing up online)
None
Ars Technica · 8 Jun, 20:55
Apple's iOS 27 will run on all iPhones that can run iOS 26, from iPhone 11 and second-generation iPhone SE onwards, while iPadOS 27 drops support for a few older iPads.
Apple has announced that iOS 27 will be compatible with all iPhones that can run iOS 26, including iPhone 11 and second-generation iPhone SE. However, iPadOS 27 will drop support for the 3rd-generation iPad Air, 8th-generation iPad, and 5th-generation iPad mini. The updates bring performance improvements, including an updated CPU scheduler ported from newer devices. Some features, like Apple Intelligence, require newer devices with at least 8GB of RAM.
Why it matters: This is significant because it shows Apple's efforts to extend the lifespan of older devices by providing them with the latest software updates. However, some advanced features will still be limited to newer hardware, highlighting the ongoing disparity in capabilities between older and newer devices.
iPhone 11, second-generation iPhone SE, 3rd-generation iPad Air, 8th-generation iPad, 5th-generation iPad mini, 8GB of RAM, A13 Bionic chip, A12 Bionic chip, M1 chip
Ars Technica · 9 Jun, 00:59
The FCC has waived a requirement for Amazon to launch half of its 3,232 satellite broadband constellation by July 2026, giving the company more time to deploy its spacecraft.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has lifted a deadline for Amazon to launch half of its satellite broadband constellation, known as Amazon Leo, by July 2026. Amazon had won regulatory approval for the constellation in July 2020, with the condition that it launch half of its 3,232 satellites by July 30, 2026, and the entire constellation by July 30, 2029. Amazon had requested an extension or waiver of the deadline, and the FCC has decided to waive the requirement, removing the time limit for the 50% deployment milestone but keeping the July 2029 deadline for the entire constellation.
Why it matters: This decision gives Amazon more time to deploy its satellite constellation, which is significant because it allows the company to continue its plans to provide broadband internet services via satellite. The waiver also reflects the challenges of launching a large number of satellites on a tight deadline.
3,232 (total number of satellites in the constellation), 1,616 (number of satellites required to be launched by July 2026, now waived), July 30, 2026 (original deadline, now waived), July 30, 2029 (deadline to have all first-generation satellites in orbit)
Ars Technica · 8 Jun, 19:00
Google's NotebookLM is getting a significant update, moving to the Gemini 3.5 model, adding support for more file types, and integrating Antigravity. This update brings improved performance, efficiency, and capabilities to the AI-powered note-taking tool.
Google's NotebookLM, a generative AI-powered note-taking tool, is receiving a major update. The update includes a switch to the Gemini 3.5 model, which promises faster and more efficient processing. Additionally, NotebookLM will support more file types and have streamlined web source integration. The update also includes embedded support for Antigravity, although the exact implications of this are not specified. Google claims that the updated NotebookLM outperforms the previous version on all core evaluation dimensions.
Why it matters: This update is significant because it brings improved performance, efficiency, and capabilities to NotebookLM, making it a more powerful tool for users. The switch to Gemini 3.5 model also aligns with Google's efforts to optimize its AI models for better performance and cost-effectiveness. This update may also indicate Google's continued investment in its AI-powered note-taking tool, which was launched in 2023.
65% - the win rate of NotebookLM with the updated Gemini 3.5 model compared to the older model in Google's core evaluation dimensions
NPR News · 9 Jun, 05:48
Summary not available.
NPR News · 9 Jun, 05:07
Summary not available.
NPR News · 9 Jun, 05:18
Summary not available.