Analysis of Rare Coding Variants in Schizophrenia-Associated Genes and Generalised Cognition in the UK Biobank
The study examined whole‑exome data from 396,848 UK Biobank participants to test whether rare damaging coding variants in schizophrenia‑linked genes affect generalised cognitive ability (g) in individuals without psychiatric diagnoses. Rare protein‑truncating variants (PTVs) and deleterious missense mutations in loss‑of‑function (LoFi) genes were associated with modest reductions in g, while PTVs in the 29 SCHEMA‑identified schizophrenia genes showed a markedly larger negative impact. Missense variants in the 101 credible‑causal genes from schizophrenia GWAS loci also lowered g, outperforming broader GWAS gene sets and LoFi genes. These results suggest shared biological pathways between schizophrenia risk and cognition in the general population.
Get a Glimpse: A Snapshot of an Industry in AI Transition
Cable and media executives surveyed by CFX in Q1 2026 reveal AI is being adopted primarily to boost operational efficiency, with 32% citing performance gains as the top driver. Cost reduction follows at 21%, while only 9% view AI as a...
Xoople Raises $130 Million in Funding to Gather Optical Data Of Earth For AI
Xoople, a Spanish data‑infrastructure startup, closed a $130 million Series B round led by Nazca Capital, MCH Private Equity, CDTI, Buenavista Equity Partners and Endeavor Catalyst. The funding will finance the development of its own optical‑satellite constellation in partnership with U.S. defense...
Buses Found Using Chinese Chips
Taiwanese bus operators Da Nan Bus and Shin‑Shin Bus discovered that 82 of their 244 electric buses were equipped with Huawei‑affiliated HiSilicon chips, violating a contractual ban on Chinese components. The chips, used in around‑view monitor systems, were allegedly concealed...
Housing Markets Run on Speed. Buyers Run on Timing.
The housing market is engineered for speed—instant listings, rapid mortgage closings, and automated insurance validation—yet buyers feel left behind. A Cotality survey shows only 8% of home seekers are confident after finding a property, rising to just 13% on closing...
AI-Driven Marketers Have a Focus Problem
AI tools now let marketers launch campaigns at unprecedented speed, turning execution into a non‑issue. However, the flood of data and simultaneous projects creates a focus bottleneck, leaving teams unsure which initiatives to prioritize. Amplitude’s AI‑driven agentic analytics—through its Global...
Paving the Road for AI Agents: Interview with Factory CEO Matan Grinberg
Factory CEO Matan Grinberg outlines his company’s strategy to commercialize autonomous AI agents that can execute complex tasks across enterprise workflows. He highlights recent product releases that integrate large‑language models with real‑time data APIs, enabling agents to retrieve, analyze, and...
AI for Scientific Research: Building the Research Platform that Science Needs with Red Hat AI
Red Hat OpenShift, combined with OpenShift AI, provides a Kubernetes‑based platform that integrates large‑language‑model customization, model serving, and observability for research institutions. The Slinky operator containerizes Slurm, allowing traditional HPC workloads to share GPU resources with cloud‑native AI jobs on the...
StreetIQ Hires Dave Mullan to Drive Programmatic DOOH Push
Australian out‑of‑home platform StreetIQ has hired Dave Mullan as sales director to accelerate its national expansion and programmatic DOOH push. Mullan will lead agency and brand growth, steer the company’s programmatic strategy across DSPs and trading desks, and oversee the...
Panmnesia Wins Government Project to Develop AI Accelerator Link Controller
Panmnesia announced on April 8 that it secured a South Korean government‑backed project to develop AI accelerator link controllers and switches using open‑standard interconnects. The initiative, part of the K‑Cloud AI semiconductor program, focuses on UALink and Ethernet technologies, with silicon...
Fortescue Accelerates ‘World’s First’ Green Grid
Fortescue Metals Group is fast‑tracking what it calls the world’s first fully integrated industrial green grid in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The off‑grid high‑voltage network will combine roughly 1.2 GW of solar, over 600 MW of wind and 4–5 GWh of battery storage...
Is The Next Wave of Wellness a Fitbit for Your Brain?
The quantified‑self movement is expanding from steps and sleep to brain health, and U The Mind is positioning itself at the forefront with a non‑invasive neuromodulation platform. CEO Mo Abouelsoud describes a device that both records neural activity and delivers...
The Politics of a Subsea Data Cable Link to Antarctica
Researchers note Antarctica remains the only continent without a fiber‑optic link, despite mature subsea cable technology. The U.S. National Science Foundation is studying a cable from New Zealand or Australia to McMurdo, while a Chile‑backed effort eyes a route to King George...
EV Realty Opens Major Truck Charging Hub in San Bernardino
EV Realty launched its flagship multi‑fleet truck charging hub in San Bernardino, installing 76 high‑power ports with 9.9 MW of grid capacity. The facility can service more than 200 medium‑ and heavy‑duty electric trucks daily under the company’s Powered Properties model,...
AI-Designed Proteins Built From Scratch Can Recognize Specific Compounds
Researchers at KAIST, led by Gyu Rie Lee and David Baker, used an AI model to design artificial proteins from scratch that selectively bind specific compounds. The team experimentally validated six de novo binding proteins, including a cortisol‑responsive biosensor that functions as a chemical‑induced...
Introducing Slack CRM: Conversational Customer Management for Small Businesses
Slack announced Slack CRM, a native Salesforce‑powered customer‑management tool built directly into the Slack interface. The solution lets small teams capture leads, update deals, and log support interactions through conversational commands to Slackbot, eliminating the need for separate CRM tabs...
Small Steps, Big Impact: How SME Law Firms Are Making Legal Tech Work
SME law firms are turning legal‑tech from a buzzword into a measurable growth engine by emphasizing disciplined planning, purposeful vendor selection, and incremental implementation. Podcasts from Osprey Approach highlight that projects succeed when firms set clear outcomes, assign business ownership,...
Maggu AI Raises $3.7M to Scale Its AI Platform for Pharmacies
Maggu AI, a Brazilian AI platform for pharmacy retail, secured $3.7 million in a round led by DGF Capital. The startup integrates real‑time recommendation tools into existing pharmacy management systems, helping staff suggest products and care instructions without workflow disruption. Its...
Mining Giant Vale Orders World's First Ethanol-Powered Giant Bulkers
Vale has signed a 25‑year agreement with China’s Shandong Shipping to build two 325,000‑dwt Guaibamax‑class bulk carriers that will run primarily on ethanol. The vessels, 340 m long, are part of Vale’s multi‑fuel strategy and can also burn methanol, heavy fuel...
The End of the VSAT Parts Bin
Tactical VSAT systems are moving from a modular “parts‑bin” approach to fully integrated terminal‑modem‑interface platforms. The shift consolidates antennas, ruggedized outdoor modems and a single browser‑based control GUI, slashing deployment time and reducing field failures. Parabolic dishes still dominate high‑throughput...
Singapore: Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Inclusive AI
Singapore is deepening public‑private partnerships to drive responsible, inclusive AI adoption, as highlighted by Minister of State Rahayu Mahzam at Microsoft’s Public Sector Solutions Day 2026. Initiatives such as the AI Pinnacle Programme, SME AI Adoption Programme, and the MPowerHer...
Vancouver Drivers Can Now Find Arcadis HotSpot
Vancouver has signed a five‑year agreement with Arcadis to roll out its HotSpot digital parking platform citywide. Starting this week, drivers can use the HotSpot app to pay at on‑street meters, view parking maps and track their history. Arcadis highlights...
FCC To Vote on Changes to Audible Crawl Rule
The FCC will vote on April 20 to amend the Audible Crawl rule, which mandates an audio description of visual emergency graphics for the blind and visually impaired. After six postponements since its 2013 adoption, the agency delayed enforcement again until...
Made in the Shade: How Electric Vehicles Could Be the Perfect Partner to Rooftop Solar in Tropical Cities
Researchers from Columbia University and the Singapore‑ETH Centre published a Nature paper showing that electric‑vehicle batteries can act as distributed storage for rooftop solar in tropical cities. When thunderstorms temporarily dim solar output, parked EVs discharge to the local grid,...
Vietnam: Unlocking Global Cross-Border E-Commerce Potential
Vietnam’s cross‑border e‑commerce is emerging as a key export engine, with the domestic market reaching roughly $31 billion in 2025 and cross‑border turnover at $4.45 billion. The sector is driven by SMEs seeking lower logistics costs and direct access to global consumers,...
Hong Kong: AI, IoT for Sewer Infrastructure Management
Hong Kong Polytechnic University unveiled a multi‑tiered AI and IoT platform that modernises sewer infrastructure management. The system uses deep‑learning algorithms and real‑time sensors to prioritize high‑risk pipe segments, cutting inspection time by roughly one‑third. Predictive analytics achieve 85% accuracy...
CMS Launched First Wave of Its Health Technology Ecosystem
On April 9, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the first wave of its Health Technology Ecosystem, showcasing interoperable digital tools from more than 50 companies. The rollout introduces a "Kill the Clipboard" initiative, digital Medicare cards, and...
OpenAI Introduces ChatGPT Pro $100 Tier with 5X Usage Limits for Codex Compared to Plus
OpenAI unveiled a $100 ChatGPT Pro tier that delivers five‑times the Codex usage limits of the $20 Plus plan, including a temporary 2× boost through May 31 2026. The new tier expands local‑message and cloud‑task caps across GPT‑5.4, GPT‑5.4‑mini, and GPT‑5.3‑Codex models, while the...
Andrii Bondarenko: Companies that Can Turn Complexity Into Understandable, Effective Product Will Win in Transportation
TruckRoute.AI, founded by former media executive Andrii Bondarenko, is the first U.S. logistics platform that uses generative AI to create freight routes while automatically handling truck restrictions, tolls, weather, and DOT permits. The global market for transportation‑optimization software, already over $8.5 billion,...
Carbon Removal Lessons From Denmark: A Reality Check for the UK
The UK aims to embed durable carbon‑dioxide removal (CDR) credits into its Emissions Trading Scheme by 2029, relying on a Carbon Contract for Difference (CCfD) to bridge the cost gap with allowance prices. Denmark’s earlier CDR tender collapsed when cost...
Greener and More British: How the UK Is Slowly Future-Proofing Itself From Further Energy Cost Spikes
New analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows the UK’s electricity mix is shifting away from imported fossil fuels toward domestically generated clean power. Over the past two decades the country has expanded solar farms, onshore wind and...
Asian Start-Ups Evolve to Reshape Industries with AI
Asia‑Pacific’s tech landscape is pivoting from consumer‑focused apps to AI‑powered solutions for traditional industries. South Korea leads the charge, with four of the ten fastest‑growing firms based in Seoul and a 2024 R&D spend of $86 bn, or 5.1% of GDP....
From Bingo to Melbourne Flower Show: Humanitix Uses Ticket Fees as ‘Engine for Good’
Humanitix, the Australian ticketing social enterprise, has scaled from charity bingo nights to handling 120,000 tickets for the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. Its revenue surged to $14 million in 2024, a more than three‑fold increase since 2021, while it...
Clients Uncomfortable About Widespread Use of AI
A Law Firm Marketing Club survey of 642 clients shows a clear divide between acceptance of digital tools and unease about AI. While 45% are comfortable with AI assisting research, only 32% feel at ease with AI handling case management,...
Apiiro Launches Command-Line Interface to Bring AI-Native Security Into Software Development Workflows
Apiiro Ltd. unveiled a command‑line interface (CLI) that embeds AI‑native security directly into software development pipelines. The tool targets the surge of AI‑generated code, offering six agent‑driven skills—Scan, Risks, Fix, Guardian Agent, AI Threat Modeling, and Secure‑Prompt—to let AI assistants...
How Kia Cracked Reddit: Inside the Tasman Campaign that Delivered Standout Results
Kia Australia leveraged Reddit’s community‑driven format to launch the Tasman model campaign, focusing on relevance over traditional social. The brand used long‑form, Reddit‑native ads that mimicked real threads, targeting niche outdoor and automotive subreddits. The effort delivered a 480% lift...
Commission Okays Drone Regulation Reforms
Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) approved four draft notifications on April 7 to broaden drone spectrum use, raise technical standards, and tighten operational oversight. The new rules replace visual‑line‑of‑sight limits with provisions for beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) missions, logistics, surveillance and...
The Nintendo Switch Ended Handheld Gaming as We Knew It
The Nintendo Switch, with 155 million units sold, redefined portable gaming by uniting console and handheld experiences. Its success, amplified by the Switch 2 launch in 2025, effectively collapsed the traditional handheld gaming category, a space once dominated by devices like the...
Yobi Teams with Microsoft to Deliver Predictive Consumer Intelligence on Azure
Yobi Ventures announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft to embed its consented behavioral intelligence models into Azure, giving U.S. enterprises predictive consumer insights at scale. The platform anonymizes transaction and interaction data, allowing marketers to build AI‑driven acquisition and revenue‑optimization...
A New Memory Chip Survives 700°C and Could Enable AI in Space
Researchers at the University of Southern California have demonstrated a memristor memory chip that functions at 700 °C (1,300 °F) without degradation. The device uses a tungsten electrode, hafnium‑oxide insulator and a graphene interlayer that blocks tungsten filament formation. It retains data...
After a Nearly a Decade, GSA on Track to Fully Implement TDR
In his first 100 days, GSA Administrator Ed Forst moved to complete the decade‑long rollout of Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) across all Multiple‑Award Schedule (MAS) contracts. The agency will issue MAS Refresh 31 later this month, mandating TDR for the remaining...
The Transformation of Legal Counsel: From the Trusted Advisor to the Strategic AI Adopter
Corporate legal departments are moving from static AI policy checklists to operational governance that runs throughout the AI lifecycle. In‑house counsel such as eBay’s AI Ambassador Chiara Imelda Wirz are translating EU AI Act and U.S. rules into day‑to‑day processes,...
Van Oord Completes Low-Noise Monopile Installation
Van Oord successfully installed three monopile foundations at the Hollandse Kust West offshore wind farm using GBM Works' VibroJet® jetting solution together with CAPE Holland's vibro‑lifting tool. The low‑noise method, deployed from Van Oord's new installation vessel Boreas, fluidises dense...
Don’t Go Chasing AI Yet: A Framework for Prioritizing SEO Vs. AI Search via @Sejournal, @Hethr_campbell
SearchEngineJournal’s on‑demand webinar warns marketers not to chase AI blindly, urging a strategic comparison of traditional SEO and generative‑engine optimization (GEO). Speakers Alex Hernandez and Orli Millstein outline a diagnostic framework that matches AI visibility to a company’s business model,...
From Reactor Designs to Real Projects: SMRs Enter the Execution Era as AI Power Demand Accelerates
The small‑modular reactor (SMR) sector is shifting from design hype to concrete execution, with vendors securing licensing approvals, fuel contracts, supply‑chain partners and financing. In Q1 2026, companies such as X‑energy, GE Hitachi, NuScale, Oklo, Holtec and Rolls‑Royce moved beyond announcements...
AI-Based Monitoring Reveals Protein Deficiencies in People Taking GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Weight Loss
A new real‑world study used an AI‑driven nutrition‑tracking app to examine dietary habits of adults on GLP‑1 receptor agonists semaglutide and tirzepatide. Participants ate significantly fewer calories, with notable drops in protein and micronutrient intake. The AI analysis flagged nutritional...
You Can Now Clone Yourself on YouTube With an AI Avatar Tool
YouTube has introduced an AI avatar‑clone tool that lets creators generate Shorts using a digital twin of their own likeness and voice, removing the need to appear on camera. The avatar reproduces the creator’s appearance and speech, and every video...
Agentic Payments In B2C Commerce: Where We Are Now
Agentic commerce remains in its infancy, with US consumer adoption of AI‑driven checkout staying under 5% and showing little momentum. The protocol arena is split between Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol and OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol, while Alibaba’s Alipay and the...
ZYT and Lisheng Technology Form Strategic Partnership on Intelligent Driving
ZT Y and Lisheng Technology signed a strategic partnership on April 3, 2026 to co‑develop intelligent driver‑assistance systems. The agreement covers chip adaptation, system integration and large‑scale manufacturing, with joint projects on mainstream automotive‑grade chips and a multi‑chip ecosystem to...
Unlocking the Hidden Metabolism of Algae to Advance the Promise of Renewable Fuels and Sustainable Biomass
Researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center used isotope‑assisted metabolic flux analysis to map how the green microalga *Chlamydomonas* rewires its central metabolism when supplied with both light and acetate. The mixotrophic cells activate carbon‑conserving pathways, suppress costly processes,...
