The future impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on society and the labour force have been studied and reported extensively. In a recent book, AI Superpowers, Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China, wrote that 40 to 50 per cent of current jobs will be technically and economically viable with AI and automation over the … Read more
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Sinkholes: when the ground fights back after centuries of exploitation
First, it swallowed a car. A few hours later, two terraced buildings. At 9pm on January 20, a crater measuring 4 sq metres appeared in Walmer Street, Manchester. Another sinkhole shocked local Scottish walkers, swallowing a section of coastal path between Dysart and West Wemyss on February 4. And, in early March, a sinkhole … Read more
How to train 21st century engineers for tech discoveries
The year is 1985. Portable CD players like the Sony Discman are the epitome of consumer technology: a battery-operated device that allows you to listen to music anywhere (provided you brought the CDs as well). A recent graduate from electronics and computer engineering programs understands how the portable CD player works. They cannot build it … Read more
Dyson’s move may not be about Brexit – but the timing was bound to fan flames
If a private company with around 5,000 employees moved its headquarters overseas a few years ago, it might not have attracted much attention beyond concerns for the local economic impact. But these are no ordinary times. The announcement that Dyson is switching its HQ from the English county of Wiltshire to Singapore has provoked a … Read more
Whisper it – jet engines are getting quieter
With no sign of our appetite for air travel diminishing, we need to create quieter aircraft that are easier to live with. In fact, while those living near airports may beg to differ, data included in the Airports Commission report into a new runway for London shows a very significant reduction in aircraft noise … Read more
Want more innovation? Try connecting the dots between engineering and humanities
_This article is a part of The Conversation’s series on unique courses. For other articles in this series, read here and here. _ Today’s college students may benefit from an exciting array of subjects to study. But they seem to miss the most important education of all: how to relate their specialization to others … Read more