Page 20 - News

Camera on tripod and open laptop on rocky ground with person photographing Milky Way galaxy at night.

Viltrox AF 35mm f1.2 LAB FE: A Night Lens for Astrophotographers

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Astrophotographers need a fast 35mm lens that keeps stars sharp in the corners, adds depth to the foreground and does...

Schoolboy holding a football and wearing a backpack, standing by a table with a clear box and students in the background.

School Phone Bans During Break Times: Are We Saving Childhood or Rewriting Teenage Social Life?

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

When the bell goes, the courtyard bursts into life. Not through yelling or the sound of running feet, but in...

Person scanning QR code on parking meter with smartphone in sunny outdoor parking lot.

How to avoid fake QR code scams at parking meters

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

The man in the navy suit is running late. He gets out of his car with his phone in his...

Worker in safety gear charging a modern turquoise and white train on red dirt railway in desert.

Fortescue’s 14.5 MWh Battery Locomotive Is the World’s Largest Land-Based Mobile Battery

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Far from urban stations and conventional overhead electrification, Fortescue is placing its faith in a battery-electric freight locomotive so immense...

Woman looks shocked as smoke rises from overloaded power strip on wooden floor in living room.

Why Daisy Chaining Power Strips Is Playing With Fire

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Someone did what millions of people do without a second thought: they took another power strip, connected it to the...

Three workers in orange safety suits examining plans near a large white yacht docked at a harbour.

France Repairs Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 Million Launchpad Superyacht

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

A floating palace of glass and steel, as large as an apartment block, sits beneath a cocoon of scaffolding. Sparks...

Young man sitting relaxed at a desk with a laptop, steaming cup of tea, and notebook near a window.

Why Doing Nothing Is a Smart Productivity Strategy

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

The timer on her screen turned red: 00:00. With two hours until the deadline, 46 unread emails and three Slack...

Man presenting satellite communication data with Earth graphics on screen and satellite model on table.

Ka Band: Safran’s Quiet Rise in Space Communications

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Above us, a subtle revolution is transforming the way satellites communicate with Earth - and determining who profits from it....

Two people smiling and chatting at a café table with drinks, while a server brings food in the background.

What Men Notice on a First Date

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

The waiter places two menus on the table, the candlelight trembles, and all at once you are acutely conscious of...

Couple sitting on sofa watching a movie projected on a wall in a cosy, modern living room.

How a Laser TV Turns Your Living Room into a Home Cinema

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

The lamps were switched off, yet the room was far from black. A streetlight traced a faint stripe over the...

Man working on cybersecurity coding at desk with laptop and dual monitors showing lock and network graphics

CyberVolk VolkLocker Ransomware Blunder Exposes a Shared Encryption Key

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

A recent incident demonstrates how one carelessly written line of code can transform supposedly “cutting-edge” ransomware into a fortunate discovery...

Man walking in park at sunset holding paper with number 45, two joggers in background, benches along path.

The age when happiness drops sharply: why the midlife low point arrives around 47

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

People often assume that the real low point arrives in retirement, once the children have left home and the knees...

Young man in white shirt holding transparent panel at a table with satellite models and Earth displayed behind.

Atomic-6 Space Armor: RF-Transparent Satellite Protection Against Orbital Debris

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Insurers can see it, and satellite operators can too. This danger once belonged in footnotes and scientific journals. It now...

Young man using desktop computer displaying Windows 11 on screen in a modern home office.

Black Friday deal: MacBook Air M4 13-inch at €819

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

This is likely to be one of the best Black Friday deals, and it is rapidly coming to an end....

Person reviewing two documents labelled TESENSH and TESEINN at a wooden desk with laptop, coffee, and notepad.

How to Use AI to Write Your CV Without Losing Your Voice

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

AI offers an appealing shortcut: a CV that presents you at your best in minutes rather than months. The real...

White electric car on display with a smartphone showing maps on the bonnet and a paper map on the floor.

Google Maps offline trick for low-data road trips

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Open a map, zoom in and out, change your route twice, look up a café-and another slice of your data...

Woman in sportswear sitting at a table, focusing on a smart ring and smartphone with audio app nearby.

The £19 smart ring that flags illness up to 48 hours early

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

That is the tension: a budget smart ring that monitors overnight blood oxygen patterns and quietly suggests you could be...

Colleagues in a meeting room with laptops, a presentation on productivity displayed on screen, and two people by a coffee mac

How to Negotiate Your Contract for a Four-Day Week Pilot

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

It may sound ideal, but it can still make your stomach turn. Does it mean a genuine cut in working...

Four diverse engineers examining a quantum computer with glowing components on a table in a modern lab.

Lucy: France’s Photonic Quantum Processor Connects to a National Supercomputer

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

At the CEA’s secure Bruyères-le-Châtel site, a photonic quantum processor known as “Lucy” has been installed and connected to a...

Flight attendant handing a blanket and eye mask to a seated woman on an airplane.

Seven Freebies to Ask for on Your Flight for Better Cabin Comfort

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

Comfort still comes with a useful trick. You do not need to buy a premium ticket to be more comfortable...

Person using a car key fob to unlock a key wrapped in foil on a kitchen table with a car visible outside.

Why aluminium foil protects your keyless car key from thieves

Harriet L. Whitmore • August 31, 2026

There is a very specific reason for it. Anyone driving a modern car with keyless entry is, quite literally, carrying...