Australia, UK Open Probe Into Clearview Over Data Privacy

Australian and British privacy regulators opened a joint probe into Clearview AI, saying they want to examine how the company’s facial-recognition technology uses people’s data, just days after the company suspended operations in Canada. From a report: The Australian Information Commissioner and the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office said they will focus on the company’s use of “scraped” data and biometrics of…

Hungriest of black holes among the most massive in the universe

We now know just how massive the fastest-growing black hole in the Universe actually is, as well as how much it eats, thanks to new research led by The Australian National University (ANU). Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-hungriest-black-holes-massive-universe.html…

Saharan-fed sunsets in the US

A massive Saharan dust plume is moving into the southeast US, bringing technicolor sunsets and suppressing tropical storms. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/saharan-dust-cloud-us-sunsets-june2020…

Emperor penguins are good dads

On this Father’s day, a special shout-out to one of the most exceptional dads in nature, emperor penguins. They endure the harshest winter conditions on Earth for their offspring. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/male-penguin-eggs…

Facebook Says it Doesn’t Need News Stories For Its Business and Won’t Pay To Share Them in Australia

Facebook has rejected a proposal to share advertising revenue with news organisations, saying there would “not be significant” impacts on its business if it stopped sharing news altogether. From a report: On Monday, the social media giant issued its response to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which has been tasked with creating a mandatory code of conduct aimed at levelling…

Scientists identify cleanest air on Earth

Researchers say they’ve identified the cleanest air on the planet – free from particles caused by human activity – over the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/scientist-identify-cleanest-air-on-earth-southern-ocean…

Australian Researchers Set Record For Carbon Dioxide Capture

Researchers from Monash University and the CSIRO have set a record for carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) using technology that resembles a sponge filled with tiny magnets. Phys.Org reports: Using a Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) nanocomposite that can be regenerated with remarkable speed and low energy cost, researchers have developed sponge-like technology that can capture carbon dioxide from a number…