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India’s experimentation with a high-speed transportation system known as the hyperloop could soon come to pass as TuTr Hyperloop, a deep tech startup based at IIT Madras, is developing a full-scale hyperloop infrastructure capable of reaching speeds of up to 600 kmph. Chennai is the perfect location for its benefits, and the city has the opportunity to host the first Hyperloop test facility worldwide thanks to the strong technological support of the local population.

At IIT Madras’ Discovery campus in Thaiyur, the 410-meter hyperloop test track will host the technology’s first 100 kmph speed test. Once this threshold is reached, a longer track with a 600 kmph test will follow. If all goes according to plan, the technology might potentially enhance the Metro Rail system.

“TuTr engineers have successfully developed the linear induction motor prototype which is currently undergoing rigorous trials on the test track. The team is currently in the final stages of developing the levitation technology for this pod and will start testing on the tracks by the end of this month. We are working towards testing the pod propulsion and levitation technologies together in the 410 metre tube in the coming weeks,” Dr. Aravind S. Bharadwaj, the founder and director of TuTr Hyperloop, who left The Mahindra Group to assist with the commercialization of hyperloop technology, stated.

The primary goal of TuTr Hyperloop is to commercialize the technology for usage in India, not to reach 600 mph. “We have already identified real-world applications of this technology. One such potential application is to augment the existing Metro Rail network with a high-speed corridor developed with appropriate components of hyperloop technology.However, a key challenge is to develop it at a competitive cost. If we are able to cover 60km in 15 minutes, we will have a technology solution that will address a societal need. The pod can be like a bus taking 30 to 40 passengers at a stretch in a dedicated high-speed corridor,” he explained, stating that other uses for the hyperloop include transporting cargo from Chennai Port, which would ease traffic, and mining without interfering with environmentally sensitive areas.

On the IIT campus itself, the technocrat added, the pods may serve as a sustainable form of transportation. It can act as a test bed for the advancement of levitation technology and doesn’t have to move quickly.

In addition, he stated that the tube’s vacuum-sealed construction makes it possible to test hyperloop pods in environments with almost no air resistance, which is essential for reaching the high speeds involved in hyperloop transit. “The pod design has been inspired by the Falcon in the Indian context ‘Garuda’ and we are planning to extend it to 450 metres making it one of the longest hyperloop testing facilities,” Bharadwaj added.

TuTr has already established partnerships with other top European technology start-ups, including Swisspod and Hardt Hyperloop, to form part of the worldwide hyperloop community. With the Union Government serving as the main sponsor, the program has the backing of numerous academic institutions and business partners, including Indian Railways, which has granted a grant of Rs 8 crore.

Up to present, it has been granted approximately 15 crore. Prominent corporations such as L&T, Arcelor Mittal, Hindalco, Dassault, Ansys, and TI have also expressed their support for the initiative by contributing resources, funds, and experience.

According to Bharadwaj, India’s technology lagged behind Europe’s when the project was initiated, with Europe leading the race to create hyperloop technology by at least three to five years. He stated, “Now we are almost catching up with them,” IIT Madras intends to hold the Global Hyperloop Competition in February of next year in order to foster young people’s interest in hyperloop technology.

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Science

The outlook for the “Doomsday Glacier” has grown more dire. Scientists warn that the Thwaites Glacier, part of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, will deteriorate “further and faster,” potentially causing significant sea level rise that could affect “hundreds of millions” in coastal communities.

“By the end of this century, or into the next, we are likely to see a rapid increase in ice loss from Antarctica,” said Dr. Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado. “The Thwaites is essentially doomed.”

These findings are the result of six years of research by the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, involving over 100 scientists. The Thwaites Glacier, roughly the size of Florida, is among the world’s largest glaciers, and its collapse could raise sea levels by up to 65 centimeters (about 26 inches). However, if the surrounding glacial basins are taken into account, the total rise could reach closer to three meters.

Researchers noted that the volume of water flowing from the Thwaites and nearby glaciers into the ocean has doubled since the 1990s. Currently, about one-third of the glacier’s front is protected by a floating ice shelf, which limits the flow of ice into the sea. However, Scambos indicated that melting is accelerating and the ice sheet is nearing a critical point of breakup. “In the next two or three years, it will likely fracture into large icebergs,” he explained. This will expose the glacier’s front, altering how ocean waters interact with the ice shelf, though it may not immediately accelerate melting.

Key ridges in the bedrock that currently slow ice flow into the ocean are also eroding. As the Thwaites collapses, it will lose contact with these stabilizing features, leading to increased ice discharge into the ocean.

Surprisingly, researchers discovered that tidal activity is pumping warmer seawater into the glacier at high speed. This water, slightly above freezing, gets trapped beneath the glacier, melting freshwater ice and then being expelled, creating a continuous cycle.

The new insights from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration build on extensive research indicating how glaciers worldwide contribute to sea level rise. In May, a study revealed that high-pressure ocean water is seeping beneath the Thwaites, causing vigorous ice melt. Study co-author Christine Dow labeled the Thwaites the “most unstable place in the Antarctic,” noting that its rapid melting could have devastating impacts on global coastal communities.

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, project that ocean levels could rise by about 60 centimeters (23.6 inches), aligning with the predictions from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. Meanwhile, experts have raised alarms about the Greenland ice sheet, which is currently the leading driver of sea level rise. If it were to melt entirely, it could result in a rise of 20 to 25 feet.

Rising global temperatures linked to climate change have warmed oceans and altered wind patterns, making glaciers more vulnerable to melting. “This is very likely connected to increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which have shifted wind patterns and ocean circulation around Antarctica,” Scambos explained. “That’s the main culprit.”

Without intervention, scientists predict that the Thwaites could completely vanish by the 23rd century.

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Business

The second annual Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator with Amazon Web Services (AWS) has begun, according to a statement released by CrowdStrike. Additionally, NVIDIA contributes to the Accelerator program’s support, enabling the next wave of cloud security and artificial intelligence (AI) firms. Through its Inception initiative, NVIDIA is partnering with AWS and CrowdStrike to target the next big disruptors in the cybersecurity sector in the U.S. and EMEA. The program will offer mentorship, technical expertise, investment, and go-to-market opportunities.

The AWS and CrowdStrike Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator with NVIDIA is accepting applications from September 16, 2024 through January 10, 2025. AWS, CrowdStrike, and NVIDIA will partner with selected businesses to deliver a free eight-week program that includes mentorship and advice from executives and industry experts. Among other exclusive incentives, startups will also receive access to enablement sessions, top-tier global cybersecurity investors, and up to $25,000 in AWS Activate credits.

During the RSA Conference in April 2025, applicants will get the opportunity to showcase their solutions at an in-person Demo Day at the AWS Startup Loft in San Francisco. The CrowdStrike Falcon® Fund may be able to provide funding to presentations that win.

“CrowdStrike and AWS created the Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator as a formative, value creation experience for innovative startups to learn, create and grow. Since participating in the Accelerator, last year’s cohort participants raised over $150 million from leading global VCs,” According to Daniel Bernard, chief business officer of CrowdStrike, “We’re proud to welcome NVIDIA as a supporter of the Accelerator program – bringing together market-leading cybersecurity, cloud and AI expertise to cultivate tomorrow’s great innovators.”

According to Bartley Richardson, director of cybersecurity engineering at NVIDIA, “For startups seeking to tackle the most pressing security challenges, the Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator provides the AI technologies, accelerated computing resources and technical expertise they need,” 

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Technology

Today, Microsoft is releasing a Windows software for web browsers, Android devices, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Windows PCs. In essence, the Windows app serves as a central location to stream Windows from a number of providers, such as Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop, and more.

With its customized home screen, support for multiple monitors, and USB redirection, this new unified app—which has been in beta for almost a year—allows you to utilize local devices like printers, webcams, and storage devices just like if they were plugged straight into a cloud PC.

This Windows application is only compatible with Microsoft work and school accounts since its main purpose is to facilitate the migration of current Remote Desktop clients for Windows and other operating systems users to Windows. For many years, Microsoft has offered comparable remote PC connection programs for Windows, such as the Remote Desktop Connection app that is still included in Windows 11. These apps are helpful for connecting from a personal laptop or PC to work PCs, including the new Windows one.

However, Microsoft’s new Windows app does not appear to support customer accounts. Microsoft’s long-term objective of fully deploying Windows on the cloud was made public last year with the stated purpose of “enable improved AI-powered services and full roaming of people’s digital experience.”

The Windows software is available on the Microsoft Store for Windows users. For macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, it can also be obtained through the Apple App Store. Today, the public preview mode for an Android version opens.

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Business

Ten cybersecurity businesses from four different nations have been chosen by Singapore to participate in its first CyberBoost: Catalyse program.

On September 17, while a Singaporean team was in the UK for an international cyber skills summit, the startup accelerator program was unveiled.

The program intends to assist cybersecurity entrepreneurs in expanding their reach beyond their home market. It is financed by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Plexal, a UK innovator cluster.

Cyberstartups in the US, UK, Singapore, and India

At the CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth (TIG) Collaboration Centre, a collaborative venture between the CSA and NUS, representatives from each firm have convened in Singapore for the program launch. The initiative was started in July 2024.

Support for Developing Growth Strategies for Six Months

For a period of six months, each firm will receive support to establish its international networks, secure financing, and create go-to-market strategies for additional geographic locations.

Additionally, the companies will have the chance to participate in and present themselves at international events such as GovWare Conference and Exhibition and Singapore International Cyber Week.

Plexal’s chief innovation officer and commercial officer, Saj Huq, stated, “Singapore is Asia’s leading smart city and the country boasts the world’s most competitive economy. Building on this, Plexal, together with CSA and NUS, are poised to support startups tap into Singapore’s dynamic market, as well as broader opportunities across the Asia Pacific and beyond.” 

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Healthcare

Global campaigners and experts are urging prompt action on the harmful effects of plastic on human health.

Their requests are in response to a recent analysis that suggests indoor spaces may be a significant contributor to the pollution caused by microplastics. Put simply, it indicates that plastic particles can enter the brain swiftly and are easily ingested.

Microplastics were found to be present in the olfactory bulb, which is located near the base of the brain, according to study conducted by Professor Thais Mauad and Dr. Luis Fernando Amato-Lourenco of the Universities of Sao Paulo and Freie Universität Berlin.

The olfactory route is probably where foreign particles enter the brain, based on the scientists’ finding of microplastics in both the nose and the bulb.

How was the finding made by the scientists?

Eight of the fifteen samples of brains obtained from the deceased citizens of Sao Paulo, Brazil, were found to contain plastic fibers and particles by the researchers.

They found that polypropylene, which is commonly used for bottles, clothes, and food packaging, was the most frequently found plastic.

Worrisomely, they also discovered that the quantity of tiny nanoplastics that more easily enter the human body is far larger than previously believed due to the presence of microplastics with a diameter of 10 microns.

According to Professor Thais Mauad, the primary researcher from the University of São Paulo, “this study finds that the olfactory pathway is a potential major entry route for plastic into the brain, meaning that breathing within indoor environments could be a major source of plastic pollution in the brain.”

“With much smaller nanoplastics entering the body with greater ease, the total level of plastic particles may be much higher. What is worrying is the capacity of such particles to be internalised by cells and alter how our bodies function.” 

Specifically, the ability of these particles to become internalized within cells worried the researchers. Put simply, they may affect the way cells work, especially when they interact with a child’s organs. Thus, they have the potential to significantly impact adult life as well.

Supporters of a UN Global Plastics Treaty that appropriately addresses the effects of plastic on human health, including the Plastic Soup Foundation and the Plastic Health Council, provided funding for the study.

What more information concerning the risks that plastics pose to human health has come to light?

This study is a response to Professor Dr. Lukas Kenner of the Plastic Health Council’s April discovery of plastic in the body.

He discovered that exposure to microplastics can cause cancer cells in the gut to spread more quickly, suggesting that plastics may be a major factor in the genesis of early-onset cancer.

According to other studies, exposure to plastics may also have negative effects on human health, such as heart disease, endocrine disruption, and lower fertility.

“Plastic has become as synonymous as air is to breathing. Time and time again scientists are peeling back the cover on plastics’ dangerous effects on human health,” according to Maria Westerbos, co-founder of the Plastic Health Council and founder of the Plastic Soup Foundation.

“The international community is only months away from the final Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, and yet policymakers are giving in to the petrochemical giants. The international community cannot waste any more time, they must finally listen to science, once and for all.” 

Nowadays, plastic is produced annually in excess of 500 million tonnes for a wide range of uses.

In addition to compiling a list of over 16,000 compounds identified in plastic items worldwide, scientists also discovered that over 4,000 of these chemicals posed a risk to the environment and public health.

A United Nations Global Plastic Treaty final round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in South Korea in November. Campaigners and scientists who are primarily worried about the draft provisions’ exclusion of measures that completely address the impact of plastic pollution on human health will be calling for quick action during the event.

The Plastic Health Council argues that all single-use plastic products should be eliminated while simultaneously reducing the production quantities of plastics through an influential treaty guided by science.

They also want governments to step up and enforce the correct testing of all chemicals in plastics, warning future generations about the ever-more concerning risks posed by microplastics.

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Entertainment

Transformers One, which opens on Friday, will be the first new animated Transformers movie in almost 40 years, despite the franchise having more than six films since 2007. Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Brian Tyree Henry, and Chris Hemsworth make up the formidable ensemble. Transformers One, which takes place on Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers, narrates the beginnings of Optimus Prime and Megatron as well as the divide that eventually made them enemies.

Based on Hasbro’s toy line, the Paramount Pictures film has one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes ratings in the franchise. There is no clear relationship between the movie and the main Transformers film series; it is a stand-alone prequel. The live-action Transformers movies, dubbed the Bayverse, include two prequels, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and Bumblee, along with five Michael Bay features.

Fans who want to rewatch the original franchise may easily do it on a single streaming service, even though the film stands alone. All of the Bayverse movies are available onParamount+ as they were released by Paramount Pictures.

Transformers, Bumblebee, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and Transformers: The Last Knight are all available for streaming onParamount+.

It is not possible to rent or stream the original 1986 animated movie The Transformers: The Movie, therefore those hoping to do so are out of luck. On the other hand, you can buy it on Blu-Ray or DVD. In the Transformers universe, there have also been many animated films released; one such film being the War for Cybertron Trilogy, which had its Netflix debut in 2020.

Transformers One is being released 40 years to the week after the television program debuted on September 17, 1984.

To tie into the most recent Transformers movie, Hasbro has naturally produced new action figures, including exclusive editions. Here are a few items for you to look at.

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Science

Scientists have detected the closest confirmed pair of supermassive black holes ever observed, located just 300 light-years apart. This extraordinary discovery was made using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

The black holes reside in the galaxy MCG-03-34-64, about 800 million light-years from Earth. Both black holes are actively consuming gas and dust, a process that makes them shine brightly as active galactic nuclei (AGN), detectable across multiple wavelengths of light.

Black holes are regions of space where gravity is so intense that nothing, not even light, can escape. They form when massive stars collapse under their own gravity, creating a point of infinite density known as a singularity, surrounded by an event horizon.

This AGN pair is the closest of its kind discovered in the local universe.

Anna Trindade Falcão, the lead researcher from the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, expressed surprise at the discovery, which was made by chance. NASA explained that AGN binaries were likely more common in the early universe when galaxy mergers were frequent. This find offers a unique, close-up glimpse of a nearby example of this cosmic phenomenon.

Hubble’s high-resolution imaging revealed unusual diffraction spikes, indicating a region of concentrated glowing oxygen gas. Chandra’s X-ray data further confirmed the presence of two strong sources of high-energy emissions, confirming the existence of the two supermassive black holes.

This discovery provides astronomers with a rare opportunity to study closely interacting supermassive black holes. The two black holes will continue their spiral journey and are predicted to merge in around 100 million years. When that happens, they will generate gravitational waves—ripples in spacetime—that future observatories like the planned Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) could detect.

The discovery underscores the importance of multi-wavelength astronomy and highlights the crucial role that long-serving space telescopes like Hubble and Chandra continue to play in expanding our understanding of the universe.

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Business

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved Microsoft’s hiring of nearly all of Inflection AI’s employees, following an investigation launched in July. While the CMA recognized that the move represented a “relevant merger situation,” it concluded that the hire would not harm competition in the UK’s AI sector.

In March, Microsoft announced it had brought on board most of Inflection AI’s team, including two co-founders, Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan. Along with the workforce, Microsoft also gained a license to Inflection’s intellectual property, giving it access to the startup’s AI models and chatbot development.

Inflection’s main product, a chatbot named Pi, focuses on “emotional intelligence” by offering a “kind and supportive” user experience. Despite this, the CMA determined that the impact on competition would be minimal, citing Inflection’s small market share and lack of standout features compared to competitors.

The investigation follows growing scrutiny over tech giants hiring talent and acquiring intellectual property from innovative AI startups without formal takeovers. In a similar case earlier this year, Amazon hired key employees from San Francisco-based AI startup Adept and obtained a license for its AI systems, sparking calls from U.S. Senators for regulatory review.

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Business

An Israeli startup that uses AI to help manage diabetes treatment has announced many new partnerships with US health institutions and businesses and is getting ready to establish itself there.

The endo.digital platform from DreaMed Diabetes is intended to give treatment suggestions to millions of diabetics without access to endocrinologists.

One of the recently inked agreements is a data integration one with Abbott, a major player in the medical device industry and one of the top producers of diabetic devices.

Thanks to the arrangement, patients with diabetes who use the Abbott FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitor can now send data to their doctors for remote monitoring via the endo.digital platform.

In order to expedite its global market expansion, DreaMed has also inked agreements with top US health systems, such as Yale New Haven Health, as well as a development and licensing arrangement with a foreign business.

A $3 million funding round led by eHealth Ventures, a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage investments in digital health, has also been concluded. The company has also received grants, other non-diluted funding sources, and equity financing totaling about $30 million.

Eran Atlas, the CEO and co-founder of DreaMed, said, “The last two years have been very challenging for the Israeli high-tech industry as a whole, and for the field of digital health in particular,”  Atlas was called up for emergency reserve duty by the IDF on October 8, spending six months in uniform.

“We managed to overcome the difficulties of the coronavirus, the economic crisis and the war, and we are preparing for a large-scale deployment in the US and then to other countries, with a significant revenue stream and the raising of new capital,”  he added.

“We have the backing of the two leading Israeli health maintenance organizations: Clalit Health Service, which supported the technological development, and Maccabi Health Fund, which is one of the partners of the eHealth Ventures fund. The partnerships and commercial agreements are a jumping off point for the company’s next stages of growth.”

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted DreaMed its fifth approval in November, enabling the business to broaden the scope of its suggested care plans for diabetics following a set regimen of insulin supplied by injection or pump.

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