Author: Andrew Rogers

A new miniaturized ultrasound could make early breast cancer detection easier. The portable technology allows frequent screenings, helping identify tumors sooner and improving chances of successful treatment. Experts say this innovation could transform routine breast health checks. Traditional breast imaging, like mammograms, can be costly, time-consuming, or uncomfortable. The new portable ultrasound is small, easy to operate, and could be used more often, allowing earlier identification of abnormalities. Frequent monitoring may detect cancers at earlier stages when they are most treatable. The device works by sending sound waves into breast tissue to create images that highlight unusual growths. Its compact…

Scientists believe cosmic dust helped deliver life’s building blocks to early Earth.At the University of Sydney, researchers now recreate this dust in the laboratory.PhD researcher Linda Losurdo produces cosmic dust from scratch using plasma physics.She simulates dying stars by energising gas mixtures inside a vacuum chamber.The process creates carbon-rich dust containing organic CHON molecules.These compounds form the chemical foundations of life.Studying lab-made dust may explain why meteorites carry organic material.The work could clarify whether life’s ingredients formed in space or on Earth.The findings appear in the Astrophysical Journal.*

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply warned soaring shipping costs could push up consumer prices in 2026.Procurement leaders see growing cracks in global supply chains affecting computers, machinery, and transport equipment.A late-2025 survey showed supply disruption concerns at a two-year high.Shipping and logistics recorded the sharpest increases, with 22% reporting costs rising over 10%.Computer and electrical equipment prices have already climbed, hitting brands like Lenovo and Dell.CIPS said price volatility may become permanent amid geopolitical tensions and rising tariffs.

West Ham United banned a season-ticket holder after he held up an oversized anti-board banner.Joshua Wood received a five-match ban for breaching stadium regulations on banner size.The banner read “Time 2 Sell – Name Your Price” and targeted the club’s owners.The club said CCTV showed Wood picking up the banner without prior approval.Wood denied bringing it into the ground and said other fans asked him to help display it.He plans to appeal, claiming the ban punished protest through technicalities.

A Swedish trial found AI-supported breast screening reduced later cancer diagnoses by 12%.Researchers studied 100,000 women undergoing routine mammography in Sweden.The AI system helped radiologists prioritise high-risk scans and flag suspicious findings.AI-supported screening detected 81% of cancers early, compared with 74% using standard reading.The study also found 27% fewer aggressive cancer subtypes in the AI group.Researchers published the findings in The Lancet.Experts say AI could ease radiologist workloads but should not replace human readers.

Google DeepMind launched AlphaGenome, an AI tool designed to identify genetic drivers of disease.The system predicts how DNA mutations disrupt gene regulation across different tissues.AlphaGenome can analyse up to one million DNA letters simultaneously.Most inherited diseases and many cancers stem from regulatory mutations, not protein-coding genes.Researchers trained the AI on large human and mouse genetics databases.Scientists say the tool could accelerate disease research and guide new gene-based treatments.

Amazon revealed fresh global job cuts after an internal email reached workers by mistake.Staff at Amazon Web Services received a cancelled meeting invite containing a draft layoff notice.The message wrongly said affected employees in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica had already been informed.Senior vice-president Colleen Aubrey signed the email and called the layoffs “Project Dawn”.Amazon cut 14,000 corporate roles in October and continues reducing pandemic-era hiring.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI could replace some white-collar roles.The news followed job cut plans at United Parcel Service, which will eliminate up to 30,000 roles.

Scientists have launched DinoTracker, an AI-powered app that identifies dinosaur footprints with about 90% expert-level accuracy.Researchers from the University of Edinburgh and Helmholtz-Zentrum trained the system on 2,000 unlabelled footprint silhouettes.The AI compares shapes using eight key features, including toe spread and heel position.Users can upload footprints, explore similar tracks, and test shape variations.The system supports earlier findings that some ancient tracks look birdlike, though scientists caution they likely came from bird-like dinosaurs, not true birds.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its lawsuit against the Winklevoss twins’ crypto exchange after investors recovered all assets. Regulators cited full repayments to Gemini Earn users through the Genesis bankruptcy process in mid-2024. The decision reflects a more industry-friendly approach under Donald Trump, who supports cryptocurrency adoption. In 2023, the SEC accused Gemini and Genesis of illegally selling securities through a lending program. Genesis froze $940m in assets during the 2022 market crash but later returned crypto in full. Gemini also settled with New York regulators and accepted a lending ban.

Coca-Cola has sued Vue Entertainment after the cinema chain ended their 25-year partnership and switched to PepsiCo as its soft drinks supplier. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain filed legal action to recover alleged unpaid debts following the contract’s termination. Vue operates more than 90 cinemas in the UK and Ireland and selected PepsiCo as its exclusive supplier until at least 2030. Vue’s founder, Tim Richards, criticised the move, saying the dispute could have been resolved without lawyers. Vue later confirmed the case had been withdrawn, stating no money is now outstanding and the disputed sum was under £100,000.