The UK government are developing an app that will enable people to access government services, benefits, and their driving license using facial recognition technology.
Furthermore, the government are also looking at ways to expand the use of biometric technology to combat crime.
Read More: Breitbart
India are beginning trials of a new DNA vaccine against covid. Although initial data shows only 67% effectiveness, it has been heralded as a key moment in the fight against Covid. DNA vaccines are administered into the skin, without the need of an injection. The strand of viral DNA then trains the immune system to recognize the virus.
There are about a dozen DNA vaccines in the later stages of development, with many more in the early stages of development. Scientists believe the technology could be used to fight other diseases.
DNA vaccines have the advantage over RNA vaccines as they are quick to produce and do not require to be stored at the very low temperatures that RNA vaccines need.
Read More: Nature
China have said they believe pressure from big companies in America on President Biden has reversed his decision on allowing sales of computer chips to Huawei for use in advanced vehicle technology.
Biden approved the sales despite car companies like Toyota and Nissan scaling back production because of a global shortage of computer chips.
Read More: Breitbart
A new cyberattack targetting iphones has been detected. The “Zero Click” attack exploits iMessage, and allows hackers to gain controls without any human interaction.
A successful zero-click attack was observed this month on a fully patched iphone 12.
“Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals,” said Ivan Krstić, head of Apple security engineering and architecture. “While that means they are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data.”
Read More: Fox Buisness.
In a relatively short period of time the AI technology of deep fakes has managed to create images which look real. Websites now exist where you can buy fake people photos.
People might use them on their gaming profiles. However, very often they are used for nefarious purposes. Such as online trolling, people seeking to infiltrate intelligence organisations, and dangerous political organisations.
The technology takes images of real people and feeds it into the program. The program then learns the way a human face is built, and using complicated mathematical modelling can recreate a human face, with parameters set by you; for example, gender, race, age.
Read More: The New York Times
Amazon have rolled out their Amazon One payment system in two of their physical shops in Seattle. The payment system allows shoppers to pay using a wave of their hand over the device.
Amazon have said that they are in talks with other companies who are interested in the device.
“In most retail environments, Amazon One could become an alternate payment or loyalty card option with a device at the checkout counter next to a traditional point of sale system,” it said.
The technology could be used as an alternative form of ID and be applied in many situations, beyond retail.
It works by scanning the unique vein pattern under the user’s skin, this is unique to each person. The technology is more secure than fingerprints, and extremely hard to forge.
Read More: BBC
Elon Musk has been working on the Neuralink chip. A computer that is implanted into the brain and interfaces with a person’s brain.
As part of the development of the chip Musk has been experimenting with pigs. He has released a video showing a pig which has had the chip for two months.
Read More: BBC
As the Coronavirus pandemic has caused banks to shut down, more customers are using mobile banking apps to conduct their business. However, the FBI have warned there is an increase in the number of fake banking apps and other malware. Cyber criminals are seeking to steal personal data and gain access to bank accounts
Trojan banking apps have also been created. These apps masquerade as games or utilities which activate when a user opens their banking app. The trojan then takes over showing a fake log in screen.
Read More: AppGate
Three US universities are working on a surveillance system to track Covid-19. The technology would be similar to the surveillance system in place in China which is used to create the Chinese Social Credit system.
University of Southern California, Emory University, and the University of Texas Health Science Center received federal funding to develop the contact tracing app. The system would track users locations in real time, their symptoms and give them a virus risk score.
Apple and Google have also announced they are working on bluetooth technology that could be used in third party apps for contact tracing.
Read More: Breitbart
Researchers are working on a new U.V. light technology which is completely safe for humans, but kills Covid-19. The team at Columbia University has said it is a game changer.
The findings are in line with other studies which show the potential for U.V. light to kill Coronavirus in the air and on surfaces. However Democrats this week mocked the President for asking the question is UV light could give a potential cure for Coronavirus.
David Brenner of Columbia University said:
Our system is a low-cost, safe solution to eradicating airborne viruses minutes after they’ve been breathed, coughed or sneezed into the air. Not only does it have the potential to prevent the global spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, but also future novel viruses, as well as more familiar viruses like influenza and measles.
Columbia University reported:
[The new technology] uses lamps that emit continuous, low doses of a particular wavelength of ultraviolet light, known as far-UVC, which can kill viruses and bacteria without harming human skin, eyes, and other tissues, as is the problem with conventional UV light.
…
The research team’s experiments have shown far-UVC effective in eradicating two types of airborne seasonal coronaviruses (the ones that cause coughs and colds). The researchers are now testing the light against the SARS-CoV-2 [coronavirus] virus at Columbia in a biosafety laboratory, with encouraging results, Brenner said.
Read More: Breitbart
A flaw in Apple iPhones and iPads has been discovered that could have given hackers access to devices for years.
ZecOps, a San Francisco-based mobile security forensics company discovered the issue whilst investigating a sophisticated cyber attack against a client in 2019.
Apple has said they have fixed the issue with their Mail App. To activate the hack a black email was sent that would trigger a crash and reset of the operating system, this then opened the door to the hackers to steal your data.
Read More: Reuters
President Trump has signed an executive order which will allow the U.S. to mine the moon for minerals.
The hope would be that mining the moon would extend our ability to travel into space, in particular a launch pad to Mars.
Scientists have also pointed to the depletion of mineral resources on earth. It is thought lunar minerals could help with our need to build renewal energy sources, and long life batteries. Such technologies require rare minerals, which we have only a limited supply of on earth.
“Metals such as lithium or cobalt – which you need – are mainly in places like China, Russia or Congo. And it’s difficult to get them.” said Professor Benjamin Sovacool of Sussex University.
Read More: BBC
The big tech giants Apple and Google are teaming up to help develop technology to contact users if they have been in contact with someone who has Covid-19.
Initially they hope to work with third party apps.
However, they hope the need for users to download an app will not be needed as users will be encouraged to have such a feature as standard.
They hope to use bluetooth technology to trace who a person has been in contact with, how close and for how long. This data would then determine the risk that a person could have contracted the virus.
However, many are alarmed at the privacy concerns us technology poses.
“Privacy, transparency and consent are of utmost importance in this effort and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with interested stakeholders,” Apple and Google said in a joint statement.
“We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyse.”
President Trump said his administration needed time to consider the development.
“It’s very interesting, but a lot of people worry about it in terms of a person’s freedom,” he said during a White House press conference.
“We’re going to take… a very strong long at it, and we’ll let you know pretty soon.”
Read More: BBC
Catholic Archbishop Vigano has asked bishops, and priests to pray exorcism at this time of “terrible tribulation”. He has said the Evil One has gone on a “frenzy” and has increase his attempts to “tempt souls into sin”.
The Archbishop has called on clergy to use Holy Saturday, traditionally a day of quiet meditation to be used. It is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. And according to Catholic tradition is when Christ descended into hell to preach to the souls in torment.
Vilano said, “I should like to ask all my brother Bishops and Priests to join me as I recite this Exorcism, knowing the power of this Sacramental – especially when it is recited together with all other Priests – to help the Church in Her fight against Satan. I should also like to recommend that all of you wear a stole, the sign of your Priestly power, and Holy Water.”
Read More: Life Site News