Artificial Intelligence to Replace Voice Actors in the USA

The Screen Actors Guild in the USA has decided to try using AI for game voiceovers. Now, professional actors can create their own digital voice copies, and game studios will have to pay them for using them.

Adidas and Hello Kitty present

Adidas and Hello Kitty have announced plush slippers to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Japanese cat. Currently, they are only available in Japan, but will be released in other countries in the coming weeks. The price will be around $50.

Philips Creates Palm Vein Lock for Secure Access

Philips has developed a door lock that can be unlocked by scanning the veins in the palm of the hand. The technology works even with dirty hands and is more secure than Face ID, as it is nearly impossible to forge a vein pattern. Additionally, the lock features a built-in doorbell, PIN code unlock, and access through an application. The price of the lock is $360.

Chinese authorities learn how to hack iPhones

Chinese researchers have managed to intercept data transmitted via AirDrop, thereby being able to obtain the sender's phone number and email address.

Kia's Innovative Modular Truck with Interchangeable Bodies

Kia has created a modular truck with interchangeable bodies that can be attached with magnets and latches. While the front remains the same, the rear can be transformed into a van, pickup truck, minibus, motorhome, or business shuttle. This is currently a concept, but there are plans to introduce something similar into production by 2025.

Oldest Traces of Photosynthesis Found in Ancient Organisms on Earth

Paleontologists have found the oldest traces of photosynthesis in organisms on Earth. They discovered deposits of ancient marine sedimentary rocks in Australia that contain traces of photosynthesis in the cells of cyanobacteria. They are about 1.8 billion years old. Further study of these findings will help refine how and when the first organisms capable of using solar energy to obtain nutrients appeared on our planet.

Prohibition on phones at work does not increase productivity

Prohibition on phones at work does not increase productivity. Scientists conducted a long-term observation in the European branch of a global pharmaceutical company. At the beginning, employees were completely banned from using phones for personal purposes. The rule was introduced in the 1990s out of concerns that employees would be distracted while working with hazardous chemicals. However, over the years, they expressed their dissatisfaction with this policy. After allowing some employees to use phones, their work productivity did not decrease. At the same time, their stress decreased due to the opportunity to stay connected with their loved ones.

Artificial Intelligence Replaces Translators

Duolingo, the language-learning company, dismissed about a thousand translators in December as their work is now successfully, and most importantly - freely, performed by artificial intelligence.

Miraculous Escape: iPhone Survives Fall from 5 Kilometers

The iPhone fell out of an airplane from a height of 5 kilometers and did not shatter. The smartphone was sucked into a hole when the window of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger plane blew out during takeoff. Two days later, the smartphone was found and identified through the electronic ticket purchased for the flight. No one was injured during the incident.

ChatGPT to Be Integrated into Cars: Volkswagen as the First Partnership

ChatGPT will be embedded even in cars. The first in line is Volkswagen: you will be able to talk about practically anything with the car company. By the end of the year, the chatbot will appear in Tiguan, Passat, Golf models, as well as in ID electric cars. It will be initially launched in Europe and then in the USA.

A Japanese Man's Unusual Approach to Polygamy

A Japanese man married four women for money, cunningly bypassing Japan's prohibition on polygamy. He simply divorces each woman immediately after the wedding and continues his relationships outside of marriage. In this way, he has already married four women. Surprisingly, the ladies are entirely supportive of this unconventional approach by their beloved and have already borne him several children. He dedicates time to each of them according to a schedule and lives off their single mothers' benefits. His ultimate dream is to have 54 children, thus breaking the record for the most children by a Japanese general.

81st Golden Globe Awards

The 81st Golden Globe Awards have passed. The film Oppenheimer took a record-breaking 5 statues, also becoming the Best Dramatic Film. The Descendants became the Best Dramatic TV Series, while Some of Us were left without awards in the main categories.

Taylor Swift's Cat Olivia Benson Earns More Than Female Singer's Boyfriend

Taylor Swift's cat, Olivia Benson, has a fortune of $90 million, while American footballer Travis Kelsey has $40 million. The cat's earnings were calculated based on the value of her appearances in music videos and advertisements.

Capsule euthanasia machine

Switzerland has approved a capsule machine for euthanasia, created by euthanasia advocate and doctor Philip Nitsche. The idea behind the capsule is to provide a peaceful, reliable, and medication-free method of suicide. The machine is created using 3D printing technology and utilizes an inert gas to achieve its goal. After the gas is administered, the person doesn't simply die within 30 seconds, but does so in a state of euphoria induced by the gas.

Robot butler created

Stanford students have built a robot butler that can cook, clean, and even shave its owner. The robot's brain is a laptop with a trainable neural network: first, a person demonstrates how to correctly perform a certain task, and then the robot learns to handle it on its own.

Blogger-Chemist Nigel Brown Creates Ring from Purple Gold

Blogger-chemist Nigel Brown has created a ring made of purple gold - a rare alloy with aluminum. No one makes solid jewelry out of purple gold because the process is too complicated: the proportions of different alloys must be very precise. Brown spent dozens of attempts to achieve the purple color. He lost several grams of gold in the process, but in the end, he managed to make a ring of the desired color.

Cost of social network X drops by 71% after purchase by Elon Musk and rejection of the Twitter name

The cost of social network X dropped by 71% after its purchase by Elon Musk and the decision to abandon the Twitter name. Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022 and renamed the platform in July 2023. According to Fidelity's estimations, the value of X was approximately $12.5 billion by the end of November 2023. The number of monthly users of the social network decreased by 15% in the first year after its acquisition by the businessman.

Turquoise side lights

Mercedes-Benz has installed turquoise clearance lights on its cars, making it the first car manufacturer in the world to do so. This color has been chosen to indicate a car being driven by an autopilot system. The company has obtained the corresponding approval from the US regulator, but it is currently valid only in two states - California and Nevada. This color will be used to display the operation of the automated driving system. Therefore, when a driver sees turquoise lights on a nearby vehicle, they will understand that the car is being driven by an autopilot.

Scientists have debunked the myth of the curse of Tutankhamun.

For many years, it was believed that people involved in the opening of the tomb later died due to mystical circumstances, which was referred to as the curse of Tutankhamun. Now, scientists have refuted this fact and stated that the cause of the researchers' deaths was the fungus Aspergillus, which causes the so-called 'cave disease'. The pathogen was found in the tomb.

Courier Wins €3.8 Million Lottery and Remains Dedicated to His Colleagues

In Northern Ireland, a courier won €3.8 million in the lottery - and continued working as a delivery driver to not let down his colleagues. The man learned about his win on Christmas Eve but still showed up for his shift, allowing his colleagues to take a break. Now, he and his wife are planning a vacation.