Apple's Emergency SOS feature foils attempted sexual assault

An iPhone owner this week credited Apple's Emergency SOS feature with thwarting a sexual assault attempt in Virginia Beach, Va., an attack that could have turned deadly had police not received the automated alert.
Read more: https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/12/30/apples-emergency-sos-feature-foils-attempted-sexual-assault?source=Snapzu

This Chick-fil-A employee has become a local celebrity after a video of his drive-thru demeanor went viral

A Chick-fil-A employee in Wilmington, North Carolina, has caught the attention of his community with his infectiously upbeat customer service and bright attitude. A regular customer took video of employee Jeremiah Murrill one day as she placed her drive-thru order at the restaurant.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/29/us/chick-fil-a-employee-local-celebrity-trnd/index.html?source=Snapzu

Nintendo's Tokyo store isn't large enough for its fan base

Just before Christmas, a trip to Nintendo Co.’s flagship store in Tokyo would have required an hour’s wait just to get in and buy a plush Mario toy or a set of chopsticks bearing Luigi’s face. Opened in November on the sixth floor of the renovated Shibuya Parco shopping mall, the constantly packed 300-sq.-meter showcase exhibits the appeal of Nintendo’s intellectual property contrasted against the conservatism that leads it to habitually underestimate its popularity.
Read more: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/12/29/business/corporate-business/nintendos-tokyo-store-isnt-large-enough-fan-base/#.XgoBoiROmaM?source=Snapzu

CIA developed tech to restrict anti-aircraft missiles given to allies, researcher says

The CIA developed technology to restrict anti-aircraft missiles once they are given to allies, a Dutch researcher said according to a Reuters report. The researcher, Jos Wetzel, said at a cybersecurity conference in Germany over the weekend that the technology would be used for shoulder-fired missiles called Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS). This could convince U.S. officials to distribute these weapons more often, Reuters reported.
Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/cia/476325-cia-developed-tech-to-restrict-anti-aircraft-missiles-given-to?source=Snapzu

Bentley hints at using solid-state EV batteries as ‘liberator’ of vehicle design

Nobody expects Bentley to be a major player for electric cars. But VW's luxury brand is talking about how solid-state batteries could redefine interior space in an EV.
Read more: https://electrek.co/2019/12/30/bentley-hints-at-using-solid-state-ev-batteries-as-liberator-of-vehicle-design/?source=Snapzu

California's groundbreaking privacy law takes effect in January. What does it do?

Last year, California passed a landmark privacy law that gives consumers more control over their data. The legislation gives residents unprecedented rights to control what information companies collect on them and how it is used. The California Consumer Privacy Act will go into action 1 January 2020, giving residents of the state a whole new arsenal of tools to protect their data and personal information online – and saddling businesses with a lot more responsibility.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/30/california-consumer-privacy-act-what-does-it-do?source=Snapzu

Study uncovers how brain damage increases religious fundamentalism

Research has found religious belief is associated with certain regions of the human brain, but there is still much to learn about how these areas influence religious belief. A new study in the journal Neuropsychologia found that lesions in a particular brain region tend to increase religious fundamentalism.
Read more: https://www.psypost.org/2017/05/study-uncovers-brain-lesions-increase-religious-fundamentalism-48860?source=Snapzu

Neil Innes, 'Monty Python' collaborator, dead at 75

Neil Innes, a writer, musician and "Monty Python" collaborator, has died at the age of 75.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/30/entertainment/neil-innes-dead-scli-intl/index.html?source=Snapzu

I'm testing an experimental drug to see if it halts Alzheimer's

In January, we broke the news that we may finally know what causes Alzheimer’s disease. For decades, it had been thought that the condition is caused by a protein called beta-amyloid going awry in the brain. But in 2019, evidence pointed the finger elsewhere: at Porphyromonas gingivalis, a type of bacteria involved in gum disease.
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24432613-800-im-testing-an-experimental-drug-to-see-if-it-halts-alzheimers/?source=Snapzu

Climate change could render assets ‘worthless’, Bank of England governor warns

Climate breakdown could render investments held by millions of people “worthless”, the outgoing governor of the Bank of England has warned. Mark Carney suggested the financial sector had not yet woken up to the looming crisis and was “not moving fast enough” to divest from fossil fuels.
Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-finance-assets-worthless-mark-carney-bio-divestment-a9263861.html?source=Snapzu

Chinese state 'likely' linked to cyber spies targeting human rights workers

Sky News exclusively reveals evidence of collusion between an espionage group's activities and China's government.
Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/chinese-state-likely-linked-to-cyber-spies-targeting-human-rights-workers-11897164?source=Snapzu

The first U.S. trials in people put CRISPR to the test in 2019

When it was unveiled in 2012, people had great hopes that the gene editor CRISPR/Cas9 could treat or even cure hundreds to thousands of genetic diseases. This year, researchers in the United States began testing the gene editor in people, a crucial first step in determining whether the technology can fulfill its medical promise.
Read more: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/crispr-gene-editor-human-clinical-trials-top-science-stories-2019-yir?source=Snapzu

We're on the verge of AI developed drugs becoming a reality

There’s plenty of hype around AI and we will see some disappointments. But in the case of drug discovery, this technology has already had a significant effect.
Read more: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ai-drugs-medicine?source=Snapzu

China Blocks American Books as Trade War Simmers

Novels and nonfiction titles alike have been delayed without explanation, cutting off U.S. authors and publishers from a vast market.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/27/business/us-china-books-trade-war.html?source=Snapzu

New industry develops around sucking carbon dioxide out of atmosphere | CBC News

Carbon Engineering's groundbreaking plant is one of many projects hoping to help in the fight against climate change by turning its main driver — carbon dioxide — into a useful product that can be profitably removed from the atmosphere.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-industry-develops-around-sucking-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-1.5410203?source=Snapzu

Mazda claims long-range EVs are worse for the planet than diesels

Mazda made assumptions about how EVs are made, but are they the right ones?
Read more: https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/29/mazda-says-long-range-evs-worse-than-diesels/?source=Snapzu

Oculus Quest, Oculus Link, And Valve Index Are Bringing VR Into The Mainstream

VR technology has absolutely dominated the 2019 holiday season as numerous major retailers—both physical and online—continue to sell out of 64GB and 128GB Oculus Quest headsets.
Read more: https://vrscout.com/news/oculus-quest-link-valve-index-mainstream-vr/?source=Snapzu

10-year-old boy forced to take off clothe before boarding a flight over snake picture

A New Zealand family said their 10-year-old son was forced to take off his T-shirt and wear another one before boarding a flight because it had picture of a snake on it. On December 17, Stevie Lucas embarked on a family trip from New Zealand to South Africa to visit his grandparents. His parents Steve and Marga said security officers at Johannesburg airport told them snake toys and printed clothing was not allowed on board.
Read more: https://www.mazechmedia.com/2019/12/10-year-old-boy-forced-to-take-off-clothe-before-boarding-a-flight-over-snake-picture/?source=Snapzu

MC Charge : How McDonalds is redefining the Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure in Sweden

Ever since the 2008 release of the Tesla Roadster — the first mass-produced highway-legal electric vehicle (EV) powered by a lithium-ion battery — automakers, from General Motors to Toyota, have been rushing to launch their own electric cars.
Read more: https://nerdytechnos.com/2019/09/29/mc-charge-this-is-how-mcdonalds-is-redefining-the-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure-in-sweden/?source=Snapzu

Kenya Installs the First Solar Plant That Transforms Ocean Water Into Drinking Water, and It Could Be the Solution to the Global Lack of Water

The Earth is a watery place. In fact, 71 percent of our planet is covered in water. Despite this, one in nine people do not have access to safe drinking water – that’s around 785 million people.
Read more: https://theheartysoul.com/kenya-installs-the-first-solar-plant-that-transforms-ocean-water-into-drinking-water/?source=Snapzu

The year Chinese diplomacy went social

This year saw a marked changed in tone from China, as more diplomats began using Twitter.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50832915?source=Snapzu

A new hope for "Star Wars" in "The Mandalorian" season finale

Once upon a time there was a lone gunslinger known only as The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal). When first we meet him — that would be in early November, when “The Mandalorian” debuted on day Disney+ launched — he is a member of a bounty hunter guild at a time when jobs are scarce and pay is low. In order to survive he takes a job from a shady client who happens to be an ex-Empire official, played by iconic German filmmaker Werner Herzog.
Read more: https://www.salon.com/2019/12/27/a-new-hope-the-mandalorian-finds-redemption-for-star-wars-in-its-season-finale/?source=Snapzu

Bitcoin's Purported Creator Says His Fortune May Remain Locked

Many investors doubt that Craig Wright has an extensive trust to access.
Read more: https://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/news/bitcoin-alleged-creator-fortunes-locked-2155620?source=Snapzu

Elon Musk says Las Vegas tunnel will hopefully be operational in 2020

Elon Musk said that Las Vegas is "hopefully" getting a fully operational underground commercial tunnel in 2020.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/28/tech/elon-musk-las-vegas-tunnel/index.html?source=Snapzu

‘The Witcher’ Is Officially Netflix’s Highest Rated Original Series On IMDB

I have to admit it – I didn’t see this coming. While I did think The Witcher looked considerably good from early trailers, I didn’t imagine we would end up seeing fans rally around it truly like this. While Netflix’s The Witcher series is based on the original books, it has also been embraced by legions of fans of the video games. The result?
Read more: https://learnworthy.net/the-witcher-is-officially-netflixs-highest-rated-original-series-on-imdb/?source=Snapzu

Tesla: There’s None So Blind As Those Who Will Not See…

What is a company capable of turning entire industries upside down and ultimately changing the world worth? According to the markets on Tuesday, $420 per share, making it worth $75 billion, greater than traditional carmakers such as Ford or GM. But in practice, Tesla is worth more, much more.
Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2019/12/26/tesla-theres-none-so-blind-as-those-who-will-notsee/#441b6e54665a?source=Snapzu

General Motors wants self-driving cars to lose the steering wheel

General Motors has a bold plan for testing its self-driving cars: rip out the steering wheel and let them roam on public streets. The company is currently petitioning the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for permission to begin the test, according to Reuters. And while the company seems convinced that the cars would be able to operate safely even without human controls, it wouldn’t be the first time an automaker was overly optimistic about its autonomous vehicle tech.
Read more: https://futurism.com/the-byte/general-motors-self-driving-cars-lose-steering-wheel?source=Snapzu

Sony has a patent for a new PlayStation controller

On Dec. 26, Sony was approved for a patent on a new type of PlayStation controller. The patent is on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) database, but it isn’t quite clear what Sony intends to do with the controller. The design itself is similar to the familiar DualShock 4 design that most players are used to with the PlayStation 4. The new controller has the same layout for its face buttons, directional pad, and analog sticks. The only real departure on the front of the controller is that there’s no PlayStation button visible on the patent design.
Read more: https://www.polygon.com/platform/amp/2019/12/27/21039289/sony-new-playstation-controller-back-triggers-ps5-ps4?source=Snapzu

Tesla Patents New Chemistry for Better Batteries

Elektrek reports that Tesla is patenting a new chemical additive to improve lithium ion battery technology. The company's solution—literally, it’s electrolytes with additives dissolved inside—works with nickel manganese cobalt compound (NMC) lithium ion batteries and other kinds.
Read more: https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/a30346407/tesla-patent-battery-chemistry/?source=Snapzu

Scientists Develop New Material to Make Lithium Ion Batteries Self-Healing and Easily Recyclable

Lithium-ion batteries are notorious for developing internal electrical shorts that can ignite a battery’s liquid electrolytes, leading to explosions and fires.
Read more: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/new-material-makes-lithium-ion-batteries-self-healing-and-recyclable/?source=Snapzu

Artificial Intelligence Identifies Previously Unknown Features Associated with Cancer Recurrence

December 27, 2019 — Artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed by the RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP) in Japan has successfully found features in pathology images from human cancer patients, without annotation, that could be understood by human doctors.
Read more: https://www.itnonline.com/content/artificial-intelligence-identifies-previously-unknown-features-associated-cancer-recurrence?source=Snapzu

Spotify is pausing political ads in 2020

The move follows stricter bans by other platforms like Twitter and Google
Read more: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/27/21039239/spotify-political-ads-paused-music-platform-ban-early-2020?source=Snapzu

A brutal year: how the 'techlash' caught up with Facebook, Google and Amazon

What goes up must come down, and in 2019, gravity reasserted itself for the tech industry. After years of relatively unchecked growth, the tech industry found itself on the receiving end of increased scrutiny from lawmakers and the public and attacks from its own employees.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/dec/28/tech-industry-year-in-review-facebook-google-amazon?source=Snapzu

French publishing boss claims she was groomed at age 14 by acclaimed author

Vanessa Springora describes relationship with Gabriel Matzneff, then 50, in new book
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/27/french-publishing-boss-claims-she-was-groomed-at-age-14-by-acclaimed-author?source=Snapzu

Japan warns of North Korea election meddling in United States

Japan's national intelligence agency issued a warning regarding potential North Korean interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and South Korea's parliamentary election next year.
Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2019/12/27/Japan-warns-of-North-Korea-election-meddling-in-United-States/9491577398112/?source=Snapzu

The New Banking App That Swears — They Won’t Become Evil…..

When I heard there’s a new banking app starting to trend, I had to take a look.I’ll be the first to admit, I haven’t looked at banking options for awhile I figured “they‘re all bad if you really look into it, so why bother?”. Actually… they’ll pay you AND a charity $25 each if you try it, so now you kinda have to for the sake of the children (or whatever).
Read more: https://link.medium.com/H4jjnUQTM2?source=Snapzu

The Rise — And Rise — Of Mass Surveillance

Eavesdropping bureaucrats have been replaced by algorithm-driven facial recognition technology. But the real impact of indiscriminate surveillance may be in our minds.
Read more: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/meghara/mass-surveillance-2010s?origin=web-hf?source=Snapzu

Don Imus, Legendary 'Imus in the Morning' Host, Dies at 79

The controversial radio personality passed away on Friday morning at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in College Station, Texas.
Read more: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-imus-legendary-imus-morning-host-dies-at-79-1265052?source=Snapzu

Court rules Turkey Wikipedia ban violates rights

Turkey’s highest court on Thursday ruled that the country's ban on the Wikipedia website violates freedom of expression,
Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/technology/475948-court-rules-turkeys-wikipedia-ban-violates-rights?source=Snapzu

Russia commissions intercontinental hypersonic weapon

Russia’s defense minister reported to President Vladimir Putin that a new hypersonic weapon of intercontinental range became operational Friday following years of tests. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed Putin that the first missile unit equipped with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle entered combat duty, the Defense Ministry said.
Read more: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-12-27/russia-hypersonic-weapon?source=Snapzu

Tesla secures $1.29 billion loan from Chinese banks for Shanghai factory

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc entered into agreements with lenders in China for a secured term loan facility of up to 9 billion yuan ($1.29 billion), according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. The electric car maker said it has also signed agreements for an unsecured revolving loan facility of up to 2.25 billion yuan, adding that both the loans will be used for its Shanghai car plant. (bit.ly/2tU35dI)
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-china-loan/tesla-secures-1-29-billion-loan-from-chinese-banks-for-shanghai-factory-idUSKBN1YU19F?source=Snapzu

Ryan Reynolds Confirms Deadpool 3 at Marvel Studios

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to every Deadpool fan out there, because franchise star and producer Ryan Reynolds certainly has some good news for you. There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the release of a third Deadpool movie following Disney's purchase of Fox, the company responsible for the first two films.
Read more: https://comicbook.com/marvel/2019/12/27/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-3-marvel-studios/?source=Snapzu

YouTuber jailed for insulting Morocco's king

Mohamed Sekkaki was arrested for criticising King Mohammed's speeches.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50924562?source=Snapzu

Creators of Gay Jesus Netflix Special Hit With Christmas Eve Attack

A petition asking the streaming giant to ban 'The First Temptation of Christ' circulated online before the attack.
Read more: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/creators-gay-jesus-netflix-special-hit-christmas-eve-attack-1264961?source=Snapzu

Baidu Takes AI Crown, Achieves New Level of Language Understanding

The ability to talk with an artificial intelligence (AI), be it a computer or robot, has been a staple of science fiction for decades. Despite modern advances, anyone who has used Siri, Alexa, Cortana or the Google Assistant knows we’re still a ways off from what’s portrayed in science fiction.
Read more: https://www.webpronews.com/baidu-takes-ai-language-crown/?source=Snapzu

Europe's Mars lander passes parachute test

Ground tests designed to validate the deployment of the parachutes that will be used on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars lander next year have started well at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. ESA’s ExoMars 2020 mission consists of the UK-built Rosalind Franklin rover, which will look for signs of past or present life, and the Russian Kazachok surface platform, which will monitor the local environment at the landing site.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/dec/26/europes-mars-lander-passes-parachute-test?source=Snapzu

Amazon wants to patent technology that could identify shoppers by their hands

Today, visitors to Amazon Go cashierless stores need to scan an app to get in. In the future, Amazon may instead ask to just scan their hands instead. The US Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Amazon on Thursday for a touchless scanning system that would identify people not by their faces but by characteristics associated with the palms of their hands, including wrinkles and veins.
Read more: https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/26/21037923/amazon-go-hand-scanning-patent-biometrics-whole-foods-identity?source=Snapzu

VW's prototype charging robot can find your EV in the parking garage

Tesla isn't the only car maker with grand visions of EV charging robots. Volkswagen has created a prototype charging robot that would navigate to your car in the parking garage, saving you the trouble of hunting for a coveted (and likely rare) EV charging spot. The autonomous helper would hitch itself to a "battery wagon" at a base station and deliver a combined 50kW to your EV on request, whether it's through an app or a smart grid. While that won't be enough to fully recharge most EVs, it should give you plenty of range for your ride home.
Read more: https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/26/vw-ev-charging-robot/?source=Snapzu

Amazon has its best holiday season ever

Amazon said this holiday season was another record-setter. The overall retail sector had a big year too, signaling that the decade-long economic expansion in the United States still has some legs left in it.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/26/business/amazon-holiday-sales/index.html?source=Snapzu

Boeing documents show 'very disturbing picture' about the 737 MAX

Boeing provided new documents to federal investigators that 'point to a very disturbing picture' about the 737 MAX aircraft. CEO Dennis Muilenburg resigned on Monday.
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7825537/Boeing-document-dump-shows-disturbing-picture-737-MAX-official.html?source=Snapzu