The Japan Times - Technology

OpenAI says it raised $40 bn at valuation of $300 bn

OpenAI on Monday said it raised $40 billion in a new funding round that valued the ChatGPT maker at $300 billion, the biggest capital-raising session ever for a startup.

No technical obstacles to new giant particle collider in Europe: CERN

Europe's CERN laboratory said on Monday that a detailed analysis revealed no technical obstacles to building the world's biggest particle collider, even as critics took issue with the "pharaonic" $17-billion project.

Chinese tech giant Huawei says profits fell 28% last year

Chinese smartphone maker giant Huawei said Monday that profits fell 28 percent last year as it faced international economic uncertainty and weak consumption at home.

SpaceX to launch private astronauts on first crewed polar orbit

SpaceX is set to launch the first human spaceflight directly over Earth's polar regions on Monday -- a days-long, privately funded orbital mission involving four astronauts.

Mastering Risk Assessment in Life Sciences: How Tricentis is Transforming Digital Validation

AUSTIN, TX / ACCESS Newswire / March 27, 2025 / The life sciences industry is rapidly evolving, with digital transformation at the core of its advancement. Amid increasing regulatory scrutiny and the need for speed in software development, organizations face a critical challenge: ensuring compliance while accelerating innovation. Tricentis, a leader in enterprise continuous testing, provides a holistic solution to modernize computer system validation (CSV) and embrace a more efficient computer software assurance (CSA) model.

European orbital rocket crashes after launch

The first orbital rocket launched from continental Europe crashed seconds after blast-off Sunday, in a closely watched test for the continent's bid to build a new space economy.

AI-powered drones track down fires in German forests

Inside a green orb planted in the German countryside is a high-tech aid to prevent wildfires that have grown more common and destructive with rising global temperatures.

Scientists explain why Myanmar quake was so deadly

Experts say that the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on Friday was likely the strongest to hit the country in decades, with disaster modelling suggesting thousands could be dead.

Partial solar eclipse to cross swathe of Northern Hemisphere

Skygazers across a broad swathe of the Northern Hemisphere will have a chance to see the Moon take a bite out of the Sun on Saturday when a partial solar eclipse sweeps from eastern Canada to Siberia.

Performance, museums, history: Trump's cultural power grab

Washington's Smithsonian is a sprawling chain of museums dedicated to both celebrating and scrutinizing the American story -- and the latest cultural institution targeted by President Donald Trump's bid to quash diversity efforts.

Elon Musk says xAI startup buying X platform

Elon Musk on Friday said his artificial intelligence startup xAI is buying his social networking platform X in a deal valuing the company once known as Twitter at $33 billion.

Nigeria, Sahel militants embrace DIY drone warfare

Under the cover of darkness, the jihadists moved into Wulgo, where the shores of Lake Chad meet the arid countryside of northern Nigeria.

Firms and researchers at odds over superhuman AI

Hype is growing from leaders of major AI companies that "strong" computer intelligence will imminently outstrip humans, but many researchers in the field see the claims as marketing spin.

Partial solar eclipse in northern areas on Saturday

The moon will cross in front of the Sun for around four hours on Saturday, creating a partial solar eclipse that careful skygazers will able to see in parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Chinese doctors implant pig liver in human for first time

Chinese doctors said Wednesday that they had transplanted a liver from a genetically modified pig into a brain-dead human for the first time, raising hopes of a live-saving donor option for patients in the future.

SpaceX rocket fuel makes stunning swirl in European sky

A stunning blue and white spiral spotted in skies across Europe late Monday was created by frozen fuel tumbling from a SpaceX rocket, according to weather forecasters and scientists.

Faux gras? Scientists craft 'more ethical' version of French delicacy

Foie gras — the fattened liver of ducks or geese — is a French delicacy prized for its rich, buttery flavor. But its production, which involves force-feeding the animals, has led to bans in several countries.

Does "vibe coding" make everyone a programmer?

Can a complete tech novice create a website using everyday language on ChatGPT?

Italian paper prints fully-AI edition, but not to 'kill' journalism

In a world first, an Italian newspaper is printing a fully AI-generated edition for a month in what its director said Thursday was an experiment to "revitalise journalism, not to kill it".

Infants remember more than you think, new study reveals

Our earliest years are a time of rapid learning, yet we typically cannot recall specific experiences from that period -- a phenomenon known as infantile amnesia.

Oxygen detected in most distant galaxy: 'astonished' astronomers

Oxygen has been detected in the most distant galaxy ever discovered, surprised astronomers said Thursday, offering further evidence that stars in the early universe matured far quicker than had been thought possible.

What is dark energy? One of science's great mysteries, explained

Dark energy makes up roughly 70 percent of the universe, yet we know nothing about it.

'Musky' marsupial could solve hopping kangaroo mystery

Scientists stalking a small marsupial through a remote Australian rainforest say they may have found a clue to the mystery of why its bigger kangaroo cousins hop instead of walk.

GA-ASI Achieves EMAR/FR 145 Maintenance Organization Approval for MQ-9A and MQ-9B Platforms

European Military Airworthiness Regulator Approves GA-ASI Application Approval Will Make Subsequent Certifications Easier

Mobile Global Esports Teams with International Business Superstar Amy Zhou to Power Growth in Emerging Markets

WESTPORT, CT / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Mobile Global Esports Inc. (OTC Pink:MGAM), a rising force at the intersection of esports, fantasy sports, and digital media, is proud to announce the appointment of global business icon Amy Zhou as its new Global Business Development Leader.

Dark energy seems to be changing, rattling our view of universe

Dark energy, the mysterious force thought to be driving the ever-faster expansion of the universe, appears to be changing over time, according to new observations released Wednesday.

Rarely seen cave art holds prehistoric secrets in France

Deep inside a labyrinthine cave in southwestern France, ancient humans who lived around 30,000 years ago carved horses, mammoths and rhinoceros into the walls, a fabulous prehistoric menagerie that has rarely been seen -- until now.

Record numbers forced to flee climate disasters: UN

Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee climate disasters last year, the United Nations said Wednesday, highlighting the urgent need for early warning systems covering the entire planet.

'Dark universe detective' telescope releases first data

Europe's Euclid space telescope, which is on a mission to shed light on the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, released its first data Wednesday with a little help from volunteers and artificial intelligence.

Tech firms fight to stem deepfake deluge

Tech firms are fighting the scourge of deepfakes, those deceptively realistic voices or videos used by scammers that are more available than ever thanks to artificial intelligence.

Smiles, thumbs ups and a safe return for 'stranded' NASA astronauts

Home at last: After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, a pair of NASA astronauts finally returned to Earth on Tuesday, concluding a mission that gripped global attention and became a political flashpoint.

'Stranded' NASA astronauts back on Earth after splashdown