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Europe has opened a door to a universal wallet. The web’s inventor wants to enter
Imagine you’re moving to the destination of your dreams. A tropical paradise by the sea? An enchanting mountain village? A sun-kissed chateau surrounded by vineyards? Take your pick. All you need to do is pack a smartphone. You catch a cab to the station, scan a turnstile, and board a train to the airport. On arrival, you stroll through a biometric corridor and straight on to your plane. After your flight touches down, you collect a rental car. You flash a digital driver’s licence to unlock the door. You drive to your new home. On the way, you stop off…This story continues at The Next Web
Imagine you’re moving to the destination of your dreams. A tropical paradise by the sea? An enchanting mountain village? A sun-kissed chateau surrounded by vineyards? Take your pick. All you need to do is pack a smartphone. You catch a cab to the station, scan a turnstile, and board a train to the airport. On arrival, you stroll through a biometric corridor and straight on to your plane. After your flight touches down, you collect a rental car. You flash a digital driver’s licence to unlock the door. You drive to your new home. On the way, you stop off…
This story continues at The Next Web
First metal part 3D-printed in space paves way for deeper cosmic missions
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have used ESA’s metal 3D printer to forge the first-ever metal part made entirely in space. The achievement was part of a collaboration between ESA and Airbus that looks to develop Europe’s capabilities in space manufacturing. It could mark a step toward greater autonomy for long-term missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. “Creating spare parts, construction components, and tools on demand will be essential for long-distance and long-duration missions,” said Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic exploration at ESA. Built by Airbus, the 180kg printer can be used to repair or…This story continues at The Next Web
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have used ESA’s metal 3D printer to forge the first-ever metal part made entirely in space. The achievement was part of a collaboration between ESA and Airbus that looks to develop Europe’s capabilities in space manufacturing. It could mark a step toward greater autonomy for long-term missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. “Creating spare parts, construction components, and tools on demand will be essential for long-distance and long-duration missions,” said Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic exploration at ESA. Built by Airbus, the 180kg printer can be used to repair or…
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Europe’s biggest floating solar farm could power a large town
Berlin-based renewable energy firm Q Energy has secured €50mn in debt finance to complete work on Europe’s largest floating solar farm, set to power up next year. The plant is already under construction at the site of a former quarry in the Haute-Marne region of France. Once finished, the farm will comprise 134,649 floating solar panels covering an area equivalent to 180 football pitches. The huge 73MW array will cater to the electricity needs of around 37,000 people, Q Energy estimates. Floating solar farms — or “floatovoltaics” — work much like their land-based cousins, but on water. Each one comprises…This story continues at The Next Web
Berlin-based renewable energy firm Q Energy has secured €50mn in debt finance to complete work on Europe’s largest floating solar farm, set to power up next year. The plant is already under construction at the site of a former quarry in the Haute-Marne region of France. Once finished, the farm will comprise 134,649 floating solar panels covering an area equivalent to 180 football pitches. The huge 73MW array will cater to the electricity needs of around 37,000 people, Q Energy estimates. Floating solar farms — or “floatovoltaics” — work much like their land-based cousins, but on water. Each one comprises…
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Vega launches Sentinel-2C in ‘fitting’ swan song for European rocket
Europe’s first-generation Vega rocket has blasted a payload into space for the last time. Vega lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana in the early hours of this morning. It was carrying Sentinel-2C, an Earth observation platform that will now join Europe’s fleet of Copernicus satellites. LIFTOFF of #Sentinel2 C on the last Vega rocket from @EuropeSpacePort in Kourou, French Guiana on 5 September 2024! pic.twitter.com/QzAZPkqBTr — European Space Agency (@esa) September 5, 2024 The European Space Agency (ESA) called the launch a “fitting” farewell for a rocket that was primarily responsible for deploying small Earth observation satellites…This story continues at The Next Web
Europe’s first-generation Vega rocket has blasted a payload into space for the last time. Vega lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana in the early hours of this morning. It was carrying Sentinel-2C, an Earth observation platform that will now join Europe’s fleet of Copernicus satellites. LIFTOFF of #Sentinel2 C on the last Vega rocket from @EuropeSpacePort in Kourou, French Guiana on 5 September 2024! pic.twitter.com/QzAZPkqBTr — European Space Agency (@esa) September 5, 2024 The European Space Agency (ESA) called the launch a “fitting” farewell for a rocket that was primarily responsible for deploying small Earth observation satellites…
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ASML CEO: Export curbs on China are more about US economics than security
Reports that the Netherlands plans to implement (under US pressure) new export restrictions of ASML equipment to China are increasing. In the name of national security, the US chip war against China has been escalating since 2022, when Washington took the first decisive steps to curb the Asian country’s semiconductor ambitions. Part of the US strategy has been applying pressure to ally countries such as the Netherlands — home to ASML. The Dutch tech company is the sole manufacturer of the world’s most advanced chipmaking machines. The Netherlands has curbed exports of ASML’s most sophisticated machines for high-end chips since…This story continues at The Next Web
Reports that the Netherlands plans to implement (under US pressure) new export restrictions of ASML equipment to China are increasing. In the name of national security, the US chip war against China has been escalating since 2022, when Washington took the first decisive steps to curb the Asian country’s semiconductor ambitions. Part of the US strategy has been applying pressure to ally countries such as the Netherlands — home to ASML. The Dutch tech company is the sole manufacturer of the world’s most advanced chipmaking machines. The Netherlands has curbed exports of ASML’s most sophisticated machines for high-end chips since…
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BMW installs ‘motionless’ wind energy device at Mini factory
US startup Aeromine has installed the UK’s first “motionless” wind turbine atop BMW’s Mini factory in Oxford. The 3-metre-tall, box-shaped device captures wind flowing up and over the building. Specially designed wing-like airfoils create a vacuum behind the unit which forces air up through a chamber where it turns a fan inside, generating power. Aeromine’s device has no visible moving parts. The bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations, and the risks to wildlife like birds or bats. By amplifying wind speed, Aeromine’s system can harness energy more efficiently. Each unit has a power rating of 5kW — equivalent to about…This story continues at The Next Web
US startup Aeromine has installed the UK’s first “motionless” wind turbine atop BMW’s Mini factory in Oxford. The 3-metre-tall, box-shaped device captures wind flowing up and over the building. Specially designed wing-like airfoils create a vacuum behind the unit which forces air up through a chamber where it turns a fan inside, generating power. Aeromine’s device has no visible moving parts. The bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations, and the risks to wildlife like birds or bats. By amplifying wind speed, Aeromine’s system can harness energy more efficiently. Each unit has a power rating of 5kW — equivalent to about…
This story continues at The Next Web
Uh oh, Elon: Half of European marketers plan to cut spending on X ads
The advertising exodus from X is set to accelerate. In 2025, almost half of marketers in Europe and North America plan to cut their spending on the platform. That’s according to a new study from Kantar, a market research firm based in the UK. The company found that trust in ads on X is now “historically low.” Unsurprisingly, the company’s reputation has plummeted under the leadership of Elon Musk. When Musk bought the platform in 2022, trust from marketers stood at a worrying 22%. Two years later, it’s down to a dismal 12%. Trust isn’t their only concern. Only 4%…This story continues at The Next Web
The advertising exodus from X is set to accelerate. In 2025, almost half of marketers in Europe and North America plan to cut their spending on the platform. That’s according to a new study from Kantar, a market research firm based in the UK. The company found that trust in ads on X is now “historically low.” Unsurprisingly, the company’s reputation has plummeted under the leadership of Elon Musk. When Musk bought the platform in 2022, trust from marketers stood at a worrying 22%. Two years later, it’s down to a dismal 12%. Trust isn’t their only concern. Only 4%…
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Boutqiue ebike maker Cowboy bags €5M as it races to do what VanMoof couldn’t
Belgian ebike maker Cowboy has bagged €5mn as it looks to achieve full-year profitability next year — and not suffer the same fate as VanMoof. The funding round was led by Cypress Capital, a Hong Kong-based VC with strong ties to Taiwan, the global hub of bicycle manufacturing. “Cypress Capital is not just a financial investor — which is great to have as well, especially in this climate — but a strategic one,” Cowboy’s founder and CEO, Adrien Roose, told TNW. While Cowboy’s hyper-connected ebikes are assembled in Europe, it sources about half of its parts from Taiwan, Roose said.…This story continues at The Next Web
Belgian ebike maker Cowboy has bagged €5mn as it looks to achieve full-year profitability next year — and not suffer the same fate as VanMoof. The funding round was led by Cypress Capital, a Hong Kong-based VC with strong ties to Taiwan, the global hub of bicycle manufacturing. “Cypress Capital is not just a financial investor — which is great to have as well, especially in this climate — but a strategic one,” Cowboy’s founder and CEO, Adrien Roose, told TNW. While Cowboy’s hyper-connected ebikes are assembled in Europe, it sources about half of its parts from Taiwan, Roose said.…
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Stability AI adds its best 3 text-to-image models to Amazon Bedrock
Stability AI has added three new image generators to Amazon Bedrock, a platform for building apps. Stable Image Ultra, Stable Diffusion 3 Large, and Stable Image Core are all now live on the service. The trio are Stability’s “top three text-to-image models,” the company said. By adding them to Bedrock, the London startup hopes to reach new audiences — and customers. Scott Trowbridge, VP of business development at Stability, told TNW that the move will “drive enterprise adoption of our models.” Amazon, meanwhile, receives another boost to Bedrock. A Bedrock for Stability? Launched last year, Bedrock provides a fully-managed service…This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Amazon
Stability AI has added three new image generators to Amazon Bedrock, a platform for building apps. Stable Image Ultra, Stable Diffusion 3 Large, and Stable Image Core are all now live on the service. The trio are Stability’s “top three text-to-image models,” the company said. By adding them to Bedrock, the London startup hopes to reach new audiences — and customers. Scott Trowbridge, VP of business development at Stability, told TNW that the move will “drive enterprise adoption of our models.” Amazon, meanwhile, receives another boost to Bedrock. A Bedrock for Stability? Launched last year, Bedrock provides a fully-managed service…
This story continues at The Next Web
Or just read more coverage about: Amazon
CERN for AI may be the EU’s ‘last chance’ to gain on foreign competition
With the EU lagging behind the US and China on artificial intelligence, the idea of a CERN for AI has been gaining traction — even reaching the high ranks of the European Commission. “I will propose to set up a European AI Research Council where we can pool all of our resources, similar to the approach taken with CERN,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in July. The concept still remains at a proposal level and details are scarce. But according to a Belgium-based think tank, the idea presents an opportunity for the EU to finally to join the field’s global…This story continues at The Next Web
With the EU lagging behind the US and China on artificial intelligence, the idea of a CERN for AI has been gaining traction — even reaching the high ranks of the European Commission. “I will propose to set up a European AI Research Council where we can pool all of our resources, similar to the approach taken with CERN,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in July. The concept still remains at a proposal level and details are scarce. But according to a Belgium-based think tank, the idea presents an opportunity for the EU to finally to join the field’s global…
This story continues at The Next Web