Amazon is giving Prime members 10% off sale items at Whole Foods and weekly discounts on best-selling items. The deals are starting Wednesday, but only at stores in Florida. The discounts will hit Whole Foods stores nationwide by this summer, Amazon said. To take advantage of the deals, Prime members must scan their Whole Foods... Continue Reading →
Could artificial intelligence soon become conscious?
Forget about today’s modest incremental advances in artificial intelligence, such as the increasing abilities of cars to drive themselves. Waiting in the wings might be a groundbreaking development: a machine that is aware of itself and its surroundings, and that could take in and process massive amounts of data in real time. It could be... Continue Reading →
In Major Win Over ‘Corporate Bullying,’ Seattle Approves Tax on Amazon to Combat Homelessness
Overcoming weeks of extortionist threats and other forms of "corporate bullying" from the world's largest retailer, Seattle's City Council on Monday unanimously approved a new tax on Amazon—which paid nothing in federal income taxes last year—and other major companies in an effort to provide essential services for the homeless and combat the local housing crisis.... Continue Reading →
Hospitals can save billions by improving operational efficiencies; Qventus just raised millions to help
A lot of money — about $140 billion — is lost every year in the U.S. healthcare system thanks to inefficient management of basic internal operations, according to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association. While there are many factors that contribute to the woeful state of healthcare in the U.S., with... Continue Reading →
You’re twice as likely to live the American Dream in Canada
The notion of an American Dream can be boiled down to a simple concept: a meritocracy in which place of origin and social status do not preclude success for hard workers. Talk of that dream fading has been present since the Great Recession sucked 9 million jobs out of the economy and knocked down already-depressed... Continue Reading →
Using “Nanodrops” to Repair Corneas Could Ultimately Replace Glasses
New eye drops developed by researchers from the Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Bar-Ilan University in Israel can improve both nearsightedness and farsightedness, the inventors claim. However, so far the “nanodrops” have only been successfully tested on pigs’ corneas. The eye drops are “a new concept for correcting refractory problems,” said David Smadja, one of the ophthalmologists who worked... Continue Reading →
Scientists Grow Full-Sized, Beating Human Hearts From Stem Cells
Of the 4,000 Americans waiting for heart transplants, only 2,500 will receive new hearts in the next year. Even for those lucky enough to get a transplant, the biggest risk is the their bodies will reject the new heart and launch a massive immune reaction against the foreign cells. To combat the problems of organ... Continue Reading →
This home-building robot can lay more than 1,000 bricks an hour — and construct a home quicker than a human
A construction crew can build a small home in about four to six weeks. To shave time and labor costs, some homebuilders have chosen to automate part of the process instead. A new robot, developed by Perth-based company Fastbrick Robotics, may be the speediest homebuilding machine yet. Called the Hadrian X, it's essentially one long... Continue Reading →
Costa Rica Is Planning To Abolish All Fossil Fuels
Costa Rica’s green credentials already put the Central American nation near the top of the list when it comes to battling climate change, but if their newly elected President is to be believed, then it’s going to climb higher still. In his inaugural speech, which he turned up to riding a hydrogen-fueled bus, Carlos Alvarado... Continue Reading →
The teen who built a prosthetic arm for his dad
Robbie Frei is passionate about the potential of 3D printing. After all, he’s seen its potential first-hand. Robbie’s father is a Marine veteran who lost part of his right arm in Iraq. One challenge was that he couldn’t play video games with his children. So Robbie designed a 3D-printed adapter for him. He’s since made... Continue Reading →