Month: December 2020
China lays out ‘rectification’ plan for Jack Ma’s fintech empire Ant
What a whirlwind holiday for Jack Ma and his fintech empire. The People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, summoned Ant Group for regulatory talks on December 26th, announcing a sweeping plan for the fintech firm to “rectify” its regulatory violations. The meeting came less than two months after…
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Indian startups raised $9.3 billion in 2020
The coronavirus pandemic — and a handful of other factors — slowed dealmaking for startups in India this year. Compared to their record $14.5 billion fundraise last year, Indian startups are ending 2020 with about $9.3 billion. This is the first time since 2016 that startups in India, one of…
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Scientists turn CO2 into jet fuel
Researchers may have found a way to reduce the environmental impact of air travel in situations when electric aircraft and alternative fuels aren’t practical. Wired reports that Oxford University scientists have successfully turned CO2 into jet fuel,… Source
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The ashes of Scotty from Star Trek are aboard the International Space Station
The ashes of the late James Doohan, who played chief engineer Montgomery Scott on the original Star Trek television series, have been aboard the International Space Station for 12 years— and the Sunday Times of London has the fascinating backstory of how it happened. Doohan died in 2005 at the…
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Fusion energy device sets a record by running for 20 seconds
Most technology creators would consider a seconds-long test a bitter disappointment, but it’s a rousing success in the world of fusion energy. According to Phys.org, the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device recently set a wo… Source
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HBO Max’s ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ audience helps fast-track a sequel
There’s little doubt that WarnerMedia had high hopes for Wonder Woman 1984’s simultaneous debut on HBO Max and in theaters, and that trust appears to have been well-placed. Warner Bros. is fast-tracking development of Wonder Woman 3 based on both its… Source
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