Xiaomi Releases Air Purifier for Pet Owners

Xiaomi has released an air purifier specifically designed for owners of fluffy pets. The Beon X3 Pet Air Purifier can capture floating fur during shedding season, destroy bacteria and viruses, and eliminate unpleasant odors from the litter box. Additionally, it features a platform on top where the pet can sit majestically without blocking the air duct. In China, it is priced at ¥1899.

Germany Opens World’s First Solar Fuel Plant

Germany has opened the world’s first solar fuel plant. A field of mirrors absorbs heat and transfers it to a thermochemical reactor, where from carbon dioxide and water, synthetic fuels are created that can then be converted into kerosene, gasoline, and diesel. Currently, the plant can generate only 1000 tons annually, but by 2033, they plan to build an entire network in various countries, increasing production to 1 million tons and reducing dependency on fossil fuels.

Glastonbury Festival Visitors to Aid Science

This year, Glastonbury Festival visitors will be urinating for the benefit of science. The festival organizers have agreed on a collaboration with a startup that has figured out how to recycle urine into eco-friendly fertilizer. Moreover, they have even been awarded a government grant of $91,000 to collect urine from festival visitors.

Fighting poachers in Africa

In Africa, radioactive chips have been implanted in rhino horns to combat poachers. This measure aims to make it easier to catch smuggled horns at customs. It is said that this does not harm the animals themselves, but it protects them from poachers.

Illustration from the Cover of the First Harry Potter Book Sold at Auction for $1.9 Million

An illustration from the cover of the first Harry Potter book was sold at auction for $1.9 million. The watercolor painting by Thomas Taylor was used for the cover of the debut book in the series in 1997. It became the most expensive Harry Potter-related item ever sold at auction. The previous record holder was the first edition, sold for $421,000.

Toilet Stands Installed on a Baseball Field in the USA

In the USA, toilet stands have been installed on one of the baseball fields. The organizers ironically say they want to provide fans with the most comfortable experience possible, including a special person to bring food and drinks. Tickets for the toilet row will be sold separately at a higher price.

Failed Rocket Launch in Henan Province

In China's Henan province, there was an unsuccessful launch of the Tianlong-3 carrier rocket. Videos of powerful explosions have spread on social media. Immediately after launch, the device deviated and fell one and a half kilometers from the test site, causing a forest fire. None of the 800,000 city residents were injured.

LeBron James will play for the Lakers with his 19-year-old son Bronny

LeBron James will play for the Lakers with his 19-year-old son Bronny - he was selected in the draft. A year ago, Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest during training but managed to rehabilitate and make it to the NBA. LeBron always said that it was his dream to play with his son.

Rent a Cave House in the USA

In the USA, you can live in a cave with all the amenities. An unusual house is for rent in the state of Ohio. Inside, there are two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a billiards area. At the entrance, there is a hot tub, a small barbecue area, and even a charging station for an electric car. The house can supposedly be rented long-term, but there have been no such clients yet, so it is being rented out daily for $780 a day.

ChatGPT Passed the Turing Test

ChatGPT passed the Turing Test and demonstrated that it possesses human intelligence. The experiment involved 500 randomly chosen people who communicated with 4 interlocutors - among them GPT-4, GPT-3.5, ELIZA (the ancestor of GPT), and one real person. The result: In 54% of cases, people see GPT-4 as a peer; 33% mistakenly identified neural networks; GPT-3.5 was named human in 50% of cases; even ELIZA gathered 22% humanity. From this experiment, scientists concluded that all future versions of ChatGPT will be indistinguishable from humans.

ESA Scientists Inspired by Lego

ESA scientists found inspiration in Lego and created 'building blocks' for lunar bases from cosmic dust. ESA space bricks were 3D printed from raw materials made from a 4.5 million-year-old meteorite, polylactide, and regolith simulant to test if they can be used as lunar building blocks. Some of the samples will also be displayed in LEGO stores.

OpenAI to Disable ChatGPT API for Chinese Companies

Chinese AI developers are actively expanding their customer base following the news of restricted access to OpenAI's API for users from China. ChatGPT is not available in mainland China, but local startups had access to the platform through the API. Chinese users started receiving emails with warnings about regional unavailability and OpenAI's plans to block API traffic starting July 9. In response, Chinese AI companies such as Baidu, Alibaba Cloud, and Zhipu AI have announced various inclusive programs for users who have decided to switch to their AI models.

Robot Suicide in South Korea

For the first time in South Korea, a robot committed suicide. The machine, from the startup Bear Robotics, was working in the administration of the city of Gumi, but at some point it went crazy, spun like a top, and fell off the stairs.

Car for Dogs

Hyundai has unveiled a concept autonomous car for dogs called Dogability. This innovative car would be able to independently transport your pets to the park or veterinarian. The car would be activated by a nose print and would even have the ability to dry off a wet passenger if they get caught in the rain.

Driver of Electric Suitcase Arrested for the First Time in Japan

For the first time in Japan, a driver of an electric suitcase has been arrested. The historic arrest took place in Osaka, and the offender was a Chinese citizen. The girl was riding a lazy suitcase through the streets of the city. She was surprised by what happened and explained that she had not even thought about the need for a driver's license when operating such a vehicle.

China Creates World's First Carbon Fiber Metro Train

China has created the world's first passenger metro train made of carbon fiber. Thanks to it, the train not only looks cool, but also weighs 11% less than regular trains, resulting in less wear on the tracks, less noise, and consumes 7% less energy. In addition, the train is equipped with autopilot and will operate at a speed of 140 km/h, almost twice as fast as current trains.

Space tug

NASA has tasked SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, to create a space tug that will bring the ISS down from orbit and sink it in the Pacific Ocean in the 2030s. The space tug, which has been allocated $843 million for development, is required to dock with the ISS and enable a controlled reentry into the atmosphere, during which it will likely be destroyed. By the way, SpaceX will also be responsible for launching the private space station Starlab, which is intended to serve as an alternative to the ISS.

Butterfly Discovery: Painted Ladies Can Fly Across the Ocean

Scientists have discovered that painted lady butterflies can fly across the ocean. These insects make nonstop flights for a distance of 4200 km, migrating from Europe to South America.

China Completes World's Largest Maritime Highway

China has completed the construction of the world's largest maritime highway in the south, connecting the cities of Shenzhen and Zhongshan. This 24 km transportation complex includes the largest suspension sea bridge made of box girders, two artificial islands, and the widest 8-lane underwater tunnel. The entire highway is also covered by a 5G network. The project took seven years and $1.5 billion to complete, reducing travel time between the cities from two hours to just half an hour.

New Series on Harry Potter in the Works

Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod are working on a series about Harry Potter. The duo, known for their work on Game of Thrones, The Descendants, Shameless, and other high-profile projects, are set to bring an honest adaptation of Rowling's books to the screen. The franchise's creator herself has joined the project as a consultant. The premiere is scheduled for 2026.