An official survey released Saturday said that China’s factory activity expanded in September at the fastest pace in five years, as the country’s vital manufacturing sector stepped up production to…
more ...Smart Windows Let Heat in During Winter, Keep It Out During Summer
Solar power is definitely the wave of the future. But in the future instead of a roof covered with solar panels, your own windows might not only be collecting power…
more ...Untangling US Tax System
Nearly all U.S. taxpayers say American tax law, which runs tens of thousands of pages, is an incredibly complicated, annoying mess. And there is no agreement on how to fix…
more ...Unintended Social Consequences Catching up to Facebook
Years of limited oversight and unchecked growth have turned Facebook into a force with incredible power over the lives of its 2 billion users. But the social network has also…
more ...IMF Chief tells Central Bankers to not Dismiss Bitcoin
Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, has a message for the world’s central bankers: Don’t be Luddites. Addressing a conference in London on Friday, Lagarde said virtual…
more ...Researchers Seek Cheaper, Energy-efficient Ways of Producing Clean Water
Having enough clean drinking water has been a challenge in many parts of the world, whether it’s a place where water is scarce or abundant. The World Health Organization finds…
more ...Search for Cheaper, Energy-efficient Ways of Creating Clean Water
Having enough clean drinking water has been a challenge in many parts of the world, whether it is a place where water is scarce or abundant. The U.S. Department of…
more ...Telescope Moves Forward on Land Sacred to Native Hawaiians
A long-running effort to build one of the world’s largest telescopes on a mountain sacred to Native Hawaiians is moving forward after a key approval Thursday, reopening divisions over a…
more ...Tree-trimming Company Hit With Record Fine for Hiring Undocumented Workers
The government has fined U.S. tree-trimming company a record $95 million for knowingly hiring undocumented immigrants. U.S. prosecutors said the fine against Philadelphia-based Asplundh Tree Expert Co. was the largest…
more ...Even With Billions Online, Digital Gender Divide Persists
Around the world, women are using technology to overcome barriers in education and employment. Getting online, however, remains a challenge for many women in developing countries. In the United…
more ...Senegalese Music Start-ups Race to Be West Africa’s Spotify
Senegalese start-ups are testing a fledgling market for online music platforms in French-speaking West Africa, where interest in digital entertainment is growing but a lack of credit cards has prevented…
more ...Saudi Women Will Drive, But Not Necessarily Buy New Cars
What’s your dream car to drive? Saudi women are asking that question after the kingdom announced that females would be granted licenses and be allowed to drive for the first…
more ...US Supreme Court to Hear New Challenge to Labor Unions
A Supreme Court with a reconstituted conservative majority is taking on a new case with the potential to financially cripple Democratic-leaning labor unions that represent government workers. The justices deadlocked…
more ...Switzerland Tests Delivery by Drone in Populated Areas
Drones will help deliver toothbrushes, deodorant and smartphones to Swiss homes this fall as part of a pilot project, the first of its kind over a densely populated area. Drone…
more ...Calming Cars, Human-scented Robots: Advances in Smell Technology
Would you buy a car that sprayed soothing odors when you’re stuck in rush-hour traffic? Or how about a robot that smells like a human being? Scientists say that new…
more ...Calming Cars and Human-Scented Robots: Scientists Hail Breakthrough in Smell Technology
Would you buy a car that sprayed soothing aromas when you are stuck in rush-hour traffic? Or how about a robot that has the scent of a real person? Scientists…
more ...Global Learning XPRIZE Aims to Prove World’s Poorest Children Can Educate Themselves
Can children who have never been to school teach themselves basic reading, writing and math skills using only a tablet computer? Elon Musk and the XPrize Foundation are betting $15…
more ...Equifax Apologizes as U.S. Watchdog Calls for More Oversight
Equifax Inc promised to make it easier for consumers to control access to their credit records in the wake of the company’s massive breach after the top U.S. consumer financial…
more ...Carmakers Welcome Arrival of Saudi Women Behind the Wheel
Saudi Arabia’s decision to lift its ban on women driving cars may help to restore sales growth in an auto market dented by the economic fallout from weak oil prices,…
more ...Trump: Foreign Country Plans to Build, Expand 5 US Auto Sector Plants
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday a foreign leader told him at the United Nations last week that the country would soon announce plans to build or expand five automobile…
more ...Mercosur Could Seek Trade Deals With Canada, Australia, New Zealand
The South American trade bloc Mercosur could seek trade deals with Canada, Australia and New Zealand this year, an Argentine official said Wednesday, as largest members Brazil and Argentina seek…
more ...Study: Weather Extremes, Fossil Fuel Pollution Costing US $240B
Weather extremes and air pollution from burning fossil fuels cost the United States $240 billion a year in the past decade, according to a report Wednesday that urged President Donald…
more ...Venezuela Craft Brewers Rare Bright Spot in Crisis Economy
With Venezuela’s economic crisis leaving consumers struggling to buy basic staple foods, small Caracas brewery Social Club might seem out of place selling craft beer that costs per bottle what…
more ...Republican Tax Plan Seeks Big Cuts, Retention of Popular Deductions
A blueprint of a Republican tax overhaul plan proposes tax cuts to wealthy Americans, businesses and the middle class while protecting deductions such as those for mortgage interest and charitable…
more ...Irma’s Destruction of Trailers Challenges Keys’ Lifestyle
Architect Kobi Karp has a vision for affordable housing in the Florida Keys: residences set at coconut-tree height to keep them dry, atop concrete columns holding them in place. …
more ...Twitter Will Allow Some Users to Post Super Size Tweets
Twitter is going to allow some users to super size their tweets. The company just announced it’s doubling the length of a tweet from 140 characters to 280 characters for…
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