In Belgium, ecological rugs are made from human hair.

In Belgium, the Hair Recycle project was launched, in which human hair is processed into rugs that absorb oil and other dangerous substances. Hairdressers across the country collect clients' strands and give them to be recycled. Project co-founder Patrick Janssen explains that 1 kilogram of hair can absorb up to 8 liters of oil and hydrocarbons. Ready-made mats can be placed, for example, in the sewer, so that harmful substances do not pollute the water.

The annual Ice and Snow Festival is in full swing in Harbin, China.

There are dozens of giant sculptures and installations on the grounds. The total area of the park is 810 thousand sq.m. The figures are illuminated with colorful neon lights.

At CES 2023, a VR headset was introduced that simulates the pain of stab and gunshot wounds.

OWO Second asking Haptic Gaming System prompts users to wear special clothing. And then, during games, it launches electrical signals through it, simulating very painful injuries.

Piano of the future.

The Japanese company Roland introduced the piano of the future with speaker drones in honor of the 50th anniversary of the work. So far, this is not a finished commercial project, but a concept demonstrating the latest developments and experiments of the company.

Scientists have predicted a global melting of glaciers.

According to climatologists, by the end of the 21st century, the number of glaciers on Earth will be reduced to 80%. Even if the global temperature remains at 1.5 degrees, we will lose almost half the mass of glaciers. This entails negative consequences, including avalanches, flooding, as well as problems with tourism and cultural property in the affected regions.

Samsung showed a new tablet Flex Hybrid.

Samsung showed a new tablet Flex Hybrid. It has a flexible display that can be folded and stretched. Initially, the device has a 10.5-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and if you push the right side, you get 12.4 inches (16:10)

France is phasing out paper checks in stores.

From April 1, French stores will no longer automatically issue paper checks to customers. But they can be requested if necessary. So it will be possible to reduce harm to the environment: to produce less paper and paints. In France, about 30 billion sheets of paper are spent annually on checks. 2.5 million trees are cut down to make them. However, most people throw away the receipt immediately after purchase.

For the first time, a robot lawyer will defend a client in court.

Artificial intelligence will help the defendant to challenge the ticket for violation of traffic rules. The virtual assistant will work on a smartphone and listen to the arguments of the court, after which it will analyze them and give hints to the defendant. The creators promise to cover any fines in case of loss. Company director Joshua Browder explained that he wants to completely replace some of the lawyers to save clients money.

Cracked RSA encryption

Chinese scientists say they have cracked RSA encryption using a quantum computer using just 372 qubits - even fewer than IBM's quantum solutions on the market. They argue that even the current power of quantum computers is enough to easily crack the vast majority of the current encryption algorithms on the Internet.

In Italy, they created a car that runs on garbage.

The car can reach speeds up to 380 kilometers per hour. The new Bertone GB110 uses Select Fuel, a patented method for converting plastic waste into liquid fuel. Representatives of the company said that the new car is something of a work of art, which allows for a number of modifications in accordance with the unique tastes of the owner. For starters, Bertone plans to produce 33 of these cars. Buyers will receive these machines by spring 2024. Their price is still unknown.

Astronomers have found the perfect planet for all lovers of the New Year holidays.

TOI-778 b, 530 light-years from Earth, is slightly larger than Jupiter. And it rotates so close to its star that the year there lasts 4.6 days. The tree may not be removed.

Crypto satellite Crypto2

Elon Musk's SpaceX company, using a Falcon 9 rocket, launched the Crypto2 crypto satellite the size of a coffee mug into space - the device will protect blockchains and Web3 protocols from hacking. The satellite has 30 times more computing power than the previous one, Crypto1, which has been in space since May last year.

The longest flight

GoPro has posted on their YouTube channel a breathtaking 360-degree video of a wingsuit flight over Mont Blanc, which is 4809 meters high. Fred Fugen, Vincent Kotte and Nick Scalabrino made the longest wingsuit flight in history - the flight length was 7.5 km.

LOL Verifier gadget

Programmer Brian Moore created the LOL Verifier gadget, which allows you to send a message "LOL" only if you really laughed. The device has a built-in microphone and a neural network trained to recognize human laughter. It checks if the sender of the acronym laughed out loud: if so, it adds an emotion verification mark to the text.

BMW introduced a car that can change color on the go.

iVision Dee has 32 shades for customization. In addition, the model is devoid of any controllers and dashboard - all information about the state of the car is displayed directly on the windshield using combined reality technologies. Basic control is done using a voice assistant, which can be customized (even use your own virtual avatar). So far, this is all a concept and it is not known whether the car will go on sale.

Denmark is building two artificial "energy islands" to cover its energy needs.

One in the North and one in the Baltic Seas. The island (28 billion euros) will be a hub of steel, cement and sand, surrounded by platforms and wind turbines. An island in the North Sea will supply 3-10 gigawatts of electricity. High-voltage equipment will also be placed there to convert electricity from AC to DC, and, accordingly, for transmission over greater distances than traditional wind farms.

AI has learned to turn a recording from a voice recorder into a studio recording.

Adobe introduced a neural network that allows you to record sound from the cheapest headphones as if you were using professional studio equipment. Enhance Speech removes background noise and makes the sound deeper and richer. The service is free for Adobe account holders.

The last astronaut on the first manned space mission, Apollo 7, has died.

Walter Cunningham from 11 to 22 October 1968 worked out the maneuvers necessary for docking and entering lunar orbit. Thanks to his work, Neil Armstrong landed on the moon.

Rights to the Moon

The Chinese authorities may claim the territory on the moon in the event of astronauts landing on the Earth's satellite - the head of NASA Bill Nelson. He admits that as a result of the rivalry between the two countries in space, Beijing will gain a foothold in the most resource-rich areas on the surface of the moon and will not allow Washington to go there.

World's first wireless OLED TV

Displace has unveiled the world's first 55-inch wireless OLED TV with 4K support. This miracle works from four batteries, which are enough for daily 6-hour use for a month. But there is a caveat: the video is broadcast to the screen using a special base station via Wi-Fi, but it already needs an outlet.