Woman loses €830,000 to scammer in France

In France, a woman divorced her husband and lost about €830,000 to a scammer who pretended to be Brad Pitt for two years. In 2023, the scammer gave the woman expensive jewelry, for which she paid about €5,000 in delivery costs. Later, 'Pitt' asked her to transfer €800,000 for kidney cancer treatment. The woman was convinced she was communicating with the real actor by photos and videos, which later turned out to be photoshopped or generated by a neural network.

China creates the fastest robot dog in the world

China has created the fastest robot dog in the world. The machine Black Panther V 2.1 is made of strong and lightweight carbon fiber, reaching speeds of up to 10 m/s. The robot will be improved until it surpasses the fastest athletes.

Firefighting Planes Turn Los Angeles Pink

Firefighting planes turn Los Angeles pink with a fire-retardant mixture. The substances added to the water include phosphorus and ammonium sulfate compounds. A pink dye is also added so firefighters can see where the treatment has been applied. When heated, the mixture releases carbon dioxide, which helps to extinguish the flames.

The TV Killer at CES 2025

At the technology exhibition CES 2025, the TV killer was showcased. The Jmgo O2S Ultra 4K is an ultra-short-throw projector that creates a 100-inch picture from just 14.6 cm away. It almost fits in the palm of your hand: the device's dimensions are 31.2 x 29.0 x 14.0 cm.

BepiColombo Sends New Images of Mercury

The European spacecraft BepiColombo has sent new images of Mercury, taken during its final flyby just 295 km away from the planet. In the six years since its launch, the spacecraft has made six close approaches and now aims to enter a permanent orbit around Mercury for further study - if all goes according to plan, this will occur by the end of 2026.

Lamborghini Sells Its Most Expensive Car

Lamborghini has sold its most expensive car - the unique Egoista fetched a record $117 million. The concept car was built as a one-of-a-kind in 2013 and was never intended for sale, but an unnamed billionaire, who wished to remain anonymous, made an offer that could not be refused.

Slovenian Startup PaintCam Launches Paintball Surveillance Cameras

Slovenian startup PaintCam is launching surveillance cameras that shoot paintball pellets at intruders. Depending on the model, they can include facial and animal recognition systems, night vision, as well as warning lasers and speakers. Prices start at €2000.

More Frequent Magnetic Storms This Year

This year, magnetic storms will occur even more frequently - a giant coronal hole has appeared around the Sun. It covers a quarter of the star's circumference and has caused a stream of fast solar winds. Because of this, there will be problems with GPS, satellites, and the mental health of weather-sensitive individuals.

Crocodile in Indonesia Pretends to Be a Drowning Man

In Indonesia, a crocodile was spotted 'pretending' to be a drowning man. The predator dived into the water, flipped onto its back, and waved its paws as if trying to stay afloat. Witnesses suggested that it was trying to attract attention in order to lure a victim. Such behavior has not been observed in crocodiles before, but other tactics are known that confirm their inventiveness in hunting.

NASA to Send ‘Space Vacuum’ to the Moon

As soon as next week, NASA will send a 'space vacuum' to the Moon to collect soil samples. The device will shoot compressed air downwards and suck in the lifted rock fragments for further analysis and data transmission back to Earth. It is said that this technology will aid in the search for helium-3 and other resources. The main advantage is that it is cheaper than drills.

Chinese Eufy Creates New Transforming Vacuum Robot

Chinese company Eufy has created a robot vacuum cleaner that can transform into a handheld version. In its upright format, the motor power increases threefold (from 8,000 to 30,000 Pa), and in autonomous mode, there is an automatic container cleaning function at the charging station. The price is $550.

Rare Planetary Parade in January

On January 21, a rare planetary parade will take place - Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn will be visible in the sky. The phenomenon will last until January 25. Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye. At the end of February, we will witness another similar event: Mercury will join these six planets. This means that all the planets of the Solar System, except for Earth itself, will be visible in the sky.

Unique Wheelchair Wheels

In South Korea, unique wheels have been developed that transform wheelchairs into all-terrain vehicles, capable of easily traveling over curbs and even stairs. They are resistant to punctures and can roll over obstacles 1.3 times higher than their radius. Currently, it's a prototype, but there are plans to further develop it for use in robots and other applications in the future.

Neuralink implants third brain device

Elon Musk stated that Neuralink has implanted a brain device in a third patient. The device is intended to help people with spinal cord injuries. It allows paralyzed patients to control external devices, such as computers or smartphones, with their minds. In 2025, the company plans to install around 20–30 more implants.

Mini-Garden in the Shape of a 'Space Egg' Shown at CES

At CES, a mini-garden in the shape of a 'space egg' was showcased. Plantaform uses 'fogponics' watering technology, devised by NASA engineers for gardening aboard starships. The system grows greens on its own and cleans itself after the harvest.

Solar Panel Coat Invented in the USA

In the USA, a coat made of solar panels was invented. Anker uses perovskite solar cells and is equipped with a USB output for phone charging. LED strips make it look like clothing from the characters in 'Blade Runner'.

Swiss Invent Burnout Detector

In Switzerland, a burnout detector for employees has been invented. You need to hold cortiSense in your mouth for 3-5 minutes, and it will measure the cortisol level, which indicates the employee's stress level.

BMW Turns Windshields into Screens

The automaker has introduced the Panoramic iDrive system, which turns the windshield into an interactive display. Information about the car's condition, speed, traffic jams, weather, and custom widgets is projected onto the glass.

Inflatable Farms for Deserts Developed in Jordan

Inflatable farms for deserts have been invented in Jordan. The AirFarm modules are 75% lighter than traditional container farms and can be set up in just 12 hours. The resulting garden uses aeroponics to grow vegetables with minimal resources, making the project ideal for arid regions.

CES 2025 Introduces the 'Death Tablet'

At CES 2025, the 'Death Tablet' was introduced. It's an iPad Pro that comes with a smart ring capable of recognizing the owner's demise. Once the tablet realizes it has become 'orphaned', it will erase all data and browser history, post a farewell message on social networks, and then play the song 'Never Gonna Give You Up'.