Cloud storage centers suck up much energy. But when Microsoft tried putting data centers underwater a couple of years ago, it found the strategy significantly reduced energy use and improved performance. Could underwater data centers make cloud computing greener? https://youtu.be/xNAxD6FNsY0
Technology allows us to go back in time and explore ancient cultures. Welcome to METATUT, the first Egyptian city in the Metaverse inspired by King Tutankhamun. https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/news-and-trends/the-metatut-a-metaverse-inspired-by-king-tutankhamun/440857 What if a great civilization returns to life and completes its architectural and cultural projects in the 21st century? What will it look like?
Good article about using Open Education Resources (OER). If you have used OER in your courses, what has been your experience? https://www.higheredjobs.com/Articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=3289&Title=Four%20Reasons%20to%20Consider%20Using%20Open%20Education%20Resources%20%28OER%29
Digital nomads are "people who embrace a location-independent, technology-enabled lifestyle that allows them to travel and work remotely, anywhere in the world," according to one firm that links independent consultants with clients. As of June 2022, more than 25 countries and territories had issued digital nomad visas to draw remote workers, which has increased since the pandemic started. The Indonesian government, however, is taking a slightly different approach through a "second home visa" that permits wealthy foreigners, professionals, investors, and retirees to stay in the country for up to 10 years. https://youtu.be/Rdwm8ePtvXQ
The collapse of FTX has rocked the crypto industry. It marks one of the most severe problems for crypto to date, with questions rising about the health of other industry giants such as Binance and Crypto.com. https://youtu.be/eKWiclVitVk Is it time to abandon crypto exchanges, or is there still a place for centralized firms in an industry that prides itself on decentralization?
The University of Essex creates jobs for students. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-63936076 The University of Essex has invested about £100,000 to fund at least 7,500 hours of work in a part-time roles on its campuses. Students will be working in administrative and creative roles across the university, focused on improving the student experience further and helping the university recover from the impact of the pandemic.
The idea of a four-day or shorter workweek is gaining momentum worldwide — a big thanks to the remote work boom during the Covid-19 pandemic. A recent study from 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit group that has been conducting four-day week pilot programs in several countries, found that employees expressed satisfaction with their overall productivity and performance. https://youtu.be/RrFaNO3rTaA
No more tiny toiletry sets at European hotels due to Union’s efforts to reduce plastic waste. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/no-more-tiny-toiletry-sets-at-european-hotels-due-to-unions-efforts-to-reduce-plastic-waste/ The measure follows concerning reports as each European country is producing almost 180 kilograms of plastic waste on an annual basis. The report of the European Commission points out that packaging is one of the main uses of plastic materials as 40 per cent of plastic and 50 per cent of paper used across the EU goes for packaging.
A team of researchers may have finally figured out why people are far more likely to get colds and the flu when temperatures drop during the winter. The new study, which the scientists' peers call a breakthrough, draws a link between colder air temperatures and a weakened immune system. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(22)01423-3/fulltext
A group of engineers at MIT have developed a rather interesting solution to be deployed in remote locations or for assistance in emergencies: solar cells made of ultralight fabric that can turn any surface into a power source. https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/mit-paper-thin-solar-cells The ultralight solar cells are one hundredth the weight of regular ones.
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