China Unveils New Maglev Train Prototype

China has unveiled a prototype of a new maglev train capable of reaching speeds of up to 600 km/h. The development was showcased by the company CRRC Changchun and could become the fastest magnetic levitation train in the world. Maglevs have been operating in China since 2004, but their maximum speed currently is 430 km/h. The new train is planned to be used on routes between metropolises, with large-scale line construction possibly starting in just 5 years.

Abandoned Hotel for Sale in the UK

An abandoned hotel is for sale in the UK, located 2.2 km off the coast of Portsmouth - right in the middle of the sea. The fortress was built in the 19th century to repel possible attacks from France and was owned by the navy until the 1980s. It was then resold several times to private individuals and eventually turned into a luxury hotel with 23 rooms, which closed in the 2020s due to COVID and financial problems. You can become the new owner for £1.5 million.

NVIDIA becomes first company with $4 trillion valuation

NVIDIA has become the first company in history to reach a valuation of $4 trillion. The stock price of the IT corporation has been rapidly increasing over the past few years amid the AI boom: In 2023, its market value reached $1 trillion for the first time, and in 2024 it tripled. It now confidently surpasses Microsoft and Apple, which rank second and third with valuations of $3.75 trillion and $3.1 trillion respectively.

Peter Jackson Plans to Revive the Southern Moa

Peter Jackson has conceived a plan to revive the southern moa - a giant bird that inhabited New Zealand and went extinct 600 years ago. The director is working on the project with the American biotech startup Colossal. Its specialists have already begun decoding DNA, using, among other things, a collection of 400 moa bones that Jackson himself collected together with his wife. There are no deadlines yet, but the team is serious: they have previously recreated dire wolves and bred furry 'mammoth mice'.

Twitter Creator Releases Messenger for Offline Communication

The creator of Twitter has released a messenger that allows chatting even if the internet is turned off. Bitchat connects smartphones into a network through Bluetooth. No registration is required in the messenger, and all conversations are encrypted and hidden from outsiders. It works in any situation, even if the connection is jammed.

China creates fast and energy-efficient AI

China has created a new AI that operates 7.7 times faster and is 160 times more energy-efficient thanks to smart 'maps' for data retrieval. This technology can manage smart traffic lights, enhance bank security, and train AI without significant electricity costs.

Orcas Start Feeding Humans

Orcas, also known as killer whales, were throwing their prey in front of people and observing their reactions. In most cases, people simply ignored the orcas, but some of them offered food a few more times. Among the gifts were fish, birds, rays, turtles, seaweed, and pieces of other whales. Researchers have recorded this 'generosity' almost across the entire range of the animals: off the coasts of the United States, Norway, and New Zealand. This has concerned scientists because they fail to understand the orcas' motives. It is assumed that in this way they strive to make contact with humans, play with them, and study their behavior. However, there is a possibility that orcas are simply manipulating people.

World's largest inflatable dome erected in Jinan

In the Chinese city of Jinan, the world's largest inflatable dome has been erected: its height reaches 50 meters, and the area covers 20,000 square meters. The dome is used for isolating construction sites – it helps to reduce noise levels and air pollution, making construction more eco-friendly and less disruptive for local residents.

Swimming in the Seine allowed for the first time in over 100 years

In Paris, for the first time in over 100 years, swimming in the city river is permitted. Due to severe water pollution, swimming in the Seine was banned in 1923, but before the 2024 Olympics, it was cleaned to a 'safe' level, with 1.4 billion euros spent. Now, three swimming zones with changing rooms, showers, and sun loungers have been established, and lifeguards ensure the safety of the swimmers.

An unusual wedding

The mayor of the Mexican city of San Pedro Huamelula married a female alligator named Alicia Adriana. Such a union symbolizes peace between the two ethnic groups of the region and, according to beliefs, brings luck, prosperity, and the blessing of the gods to the residents. Before the wedding, the mayor stated that they love each other.

A Piece of Mars is Being Sold in the USA

A piece of Mars is being sold in the USA. The meteorite weighs almost 25 kg. This rare stone landed on Earth after a powerful collision of an asteroid with Mars. As a result of the impact, the fragment was ejected into space. Millions of years later, it entered Earth's gravitational field and landed in the Sahara Desert, in the Agadez region. A professional meteorite hunter discovered it in 2023. The auction will take place on July 16 as part of the Geek Week scientific week. The price for the lot has already exceeded 1.9 million dollars. It is expected that the final amount could significantly exceed the stated upper estimate of 4 million dollars.

Tesla Builds Oasis Supercharger

Tesla has built a massive charging station called Oasis Supercharger for electric cars, powered by the Sun. It is located near the highway between Los Angeles and San Francisco and is self-sufficient with electricity generated solely by solar panels covering 121,000 square meters. The station has a total of 168 chargers, making it one of Tesla's largest.

Spanish Police Arrests Google Pixel Users

Spanish police are massively detaining Google Pixel phone users. It turns out these are the favorite phones of drug dealers and gang members in Spanish Catalonia. This is mainly related to the ability to install GrapheneOS, which protects the phone from surveillance and provides maximum privacy.

13-year-old student becomes Microsoft bug hunter

A 13-year-old student became a bug hunter for Microsoft and rewrote the rules of the game. The young talent discovered a serious vulnerability in Microsoft Teams and wrote such a professional bug report that he was invited to the MSRC cybersecurity team. As a result, Microsoft lowered the minimum age to participate in the bug bounty program to 13 years. Over the summer, the boy found 20 vulnerabilities and took 3rd place in the international hacker championship Zero Day Quest - among adult specialists from all over the world.

Swedish Sculptor Oskar Nilsson Brings Long-Deceased Faces Back to Life

Swedish sculptor Oskar Nilsson is engaged in a very important and exceedingly complex task - he recreates the faces of long-deceased individuals down to every wrinkle. He has been collaborating with museums worldwide since the late 1990s, restoring appearances based on remains found during excavations. For maximum accuracy, he conducts DNA analysis (to determine hair color, eye color, etc.) and uses forensic methods to reconstruct muscles, skin, hair, and other details layer by layer.

Soft Touchscreen Developed in England

A soft touchscreen has been developed in England that is capable of transmitting tactile sensations. In the future, thanks to this technology, it will be possible to literally 'touch' clothing, furniture, or other goods directly through the screen in an online store before purchasing.

Men with bellies are more attractive than muscular athletes

Men with bellies are more attractive to women than muscular athletes, Chinese scientists have found. 283 female participants from different countries were shown 15 black-and-white photos of men with various body types and asked to rank them by attractiveness. The conclusion: the most attractive body type for women had a body mass index from 23 to 37. Women associate body fat with high testosterone levels, which symbolizes masculinity.

Norwegian Restaurant ‘at the Edge of the World’

The Norwegian restaurant 'at the edge of the world', where seal can be served for dinner. Huset is located in Longyearbyen, the northernmost town in the world, on the Arctic island of Svalbard, and is said to be one of the best Norwegian restaurants overall. They have one of the largest wine collections in Scandinavia (around 20,000 bottles), and they mainly cook with what local hunters and fishermen catch.

Astronomers capture a dead star exploding twice for the first time

Astronomers have captured a dead star exploding twice for the first time. The supernova is located approximately 60,000 light-years from us: the primary detonation only destroyed the helium shell, after which the shock wave triggered the core explosion and completely annihilated it. The image was taken with a telescope in Chile.

Jaguar Ruins its Own Reputation

Jaguar ruined its own reputation - the brand's sales in Europe plummeted by almost 98%: from about 2000 cars per month a year ago to just 49 now. This downfall happened following the rebranding in November 2024, when the brand abandoned the iconic predator in the logo and replaced it with simple letters in a circle. The online audience reacted very negatively to the new style – and sales plummeted subsequently. A good example of why a strong identity should not be changed without a compelling reason – otherwise, you might end up with empty showrooms.