Tech and Science Daily | The Standard
Daily bulletins reporting the latest news from the world of science and technology, from the Standard.
Episodes
Episode 6: The Future of the Thames
Lucy Tobin looks to the future of the River Thames. From climate change and population growth to water shortages, pollution and emerging contaminants, she explores the challenges facing one of Britain's most important waterways. Hearing from scientists, campaigners, politicians and water industry experts, Lucy asks what needs to happen next to protect the Thames for future generations — and whethe
Episode 5: Thames Water in the Hot Seat
Lucy Tobin investigates the challenges facing Thames Water as the company comes under increasing scrutiny from customers, politicians and campaigners. From flooding and compensation disputes to rising bills, debt and sewage pollution, she examines why public trust has been eroded and puts tough questions directly to one of Thames Water's most senior executives about the future of the company and t
Episode 4: Inside London's Super Sewer
We hope you enjoy this new series from The Standard. To listen to more episodes now, check out Thames Unfiltered. In the fourth episode of Thames Unfiltered, host Lucy Tobin investigates the Tideway Tunnel — the vast engineering project built beneath the River Thames to tackle London's sewage pollution problem.Following decades of sewage spills into the river, the £4.6 billion "super sewer" was de
Episode 3: The Victorian Sewer That Built Modern London
We hope you enjoy this new series from The Standard. To listen to more episodes now, check out Thames Unfiltered. In the third episode of Thames Unfiltered, host Lucy Tobin explores the engineering marvel that is London’s sewer network.After the Great Stink of 1858 and cholera outbreaks that forced politicians to act, the Victorian system was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in the mid-20th centu
Episode 2: What Does Clean Really Mean?
We hope you enjoy this new series from The Standard. To listen to more episodes now, check out Thames Unfiltered. In the second episode of Thames Unfiltered, host Lucy Tobin asks the question:What does clean really mean?The River Thames is healthier than it was decades ago, with wildlife returning to parts of the river once declared biologically dead. But beneath the surface, the picture is f
Episode 1: How Healthy is the Thames?
We hope you enjoy this new series from The Standard. To listen to more episodes now, check out Thames Unfiltered. In the first episode of Thames Unfiltered, host Lucy Tobin asks the question:How healthy is the Thames today?Since being declared biologically dead in the mid-20th century, we explore the state of the Thames today, and who and what will impact its future.We examine the role of Thames W
Is it easier than ever to build a start up now? With AXA Startup Angel Competition judges
Small and medium-sized enterprises accounted for 99.9% of the UK’s 5.7 million new companies last year. So what does it really take to build a business from scratch today, and how easy is it to secure funding?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick sits down with Raphael Sofoluke, the founder of the UK Black Business Show and UK Black Business Week, and Izzy Obeng, the founder and CEO of Foundervi
Pesticide “Safe Levels” Questioned, SpaceX Falcon Heavy Scrubbed, and Diablo IV’s Lord of Hatred Lands — Al’s Final Episode
It’s the final show with Alan Leer, and we’re not going out quietly. A major study is mapping pesticide exposure against cancer hotspots and raising awkward questions about what “safe” even means when chemicals mix in the real world. Meanwhile SpaceX tries to get Falcon Heavy back up, but the weather does what it does. Back home, London gets a proper academic flex out of UCL, and in gaming, Diablo
London’s new Imperial–Lenovo AI hub, Apple’s iPhone privacy patch, and Nintendo hit with a tariff refund lawsuit
Al’s on for your Monday commute as White City gets a fresh AI flex — Imperial and Lenovo are launching a new London AI Technology Centre aimed at turning big-model theory into real deployments. Then we pivot to your iPhone, because Apple’s patched a privacy flaw tied to message notifications that really shouldn’t have been hanging around. And in gaming, Nintendo’s dealing with a class-action heada
London recycling robots bought, volcanic lightning explained, Cisco’s quantum switch, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, and DJI Lito drones
Al’s in your ears for the Friday commute, because London’s recycling future just got a bit more robotic — Imperial-linked Recycleye has been acquired, and the bin-sorting glow-up continues. Then it’s proper science cinema: researchers get closer to explaining why volcanoes throw lightning tantrums mid-eruption. After the break, Cisco shows off a universal quantum switch prototype — basically plumb
Fleming Centre approved in Paddington, UK ramps up AI cyber defence, and Xbox teases new Discord Game Pass perk
Alan Leer in your ear for the Thursday commute, because London’s just green-lit a new research hub in Paddington aimed at taking on antimicrobial resistance — the superbug problem that makes modern medicine quietly terrifying. Then it’s CyberUK season: ministers want AI companies helping build national cyber defence, while security chiefs warn the worst threats are coming from hostile states. Afte
PlayStation age verification hits the UK, UCL bowel cancer trial follow-up, and London’s Open Science week at the Crick
London’s open-science crowd takes over the Francis Crick Institute, UCL and UCLH share a seriously encouraging bowel cancer trial follow-up, and Sony starts nudging UK PlayStation users toward age verification ahead of June. Plus, Oppo’s next flagship tees up its UK arrival, and Fallout 76 gets its latest tune-up. Read more at standard.co.uk — and follow Tech and Science Daily from The Standard fo
London Parkinson’s gut-bacteria clue, UK robotics adoption hubs, Hubble’s Trifid Nebula anniversary
Al’s on the mic with a tight commute sprint: London-led researchers say gut bacteria could help flag Parkinson’s risk years before symptoms — then it’s a UK move to get robots out of the lab and into actual workplaces, with “one-stop shop” adoption hubs. After the break, Hubble celebrates 36 years with a gorgeous Trifid Nebula update. More at standard.co.uk — follow Tech and Science Daily from The
BAFTA Games winners in London, Tesco’s QR-code barcodes, Breakthrough Prize gene therapy, and a new clue to finding rare earth minerals
Al’s back with a tight commute sprint: London rolls out the red carpet for the BAFTA Games Awards, as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 nabs Best Game and Dispatch hoovers up the craft gongs. Then Tesco quietly tries to bin the barcode — swapping in QR codes on sausage packs, because even your weekly shop is basically software now. We’ve also got a proper science win as Luxturna’s sight-restoring gene t
OpenAI’s London office move, UK emergency-response robots, and Pragmata finally launches
Al’s in your ears with a proper commute sprint: OpenAI locks in a permanent London office for 2027, the UK trials robots for the kind of hazardous incidents you really don’t want humans walking into first, and a major immunity study hints at how the post-Covid landscape could shape the next outbreak response. After that, gaming gets loud — Pragmata finally lands — and Fortnite quietly opens up Sav
Starmer summons TikTok & Meta to No.10, cancer drugs go “off-label” (properly), and Microsoft Patch Tuesday is massive
Al’s on with a quick commute sprint: Downing Street drags TikTok, Meta, X and mates into No.10 to talk kids’ online safety — because infinite scroll isn’t exactly a public service. Then a genuinely hopeful medical headline: a major trial looks at using existing targeted cancer drugs “off label”, guided by tumour genetics, with actual evidence and guardrails. After the break, it’s Patch Tuesday cha
District line gets LiDAR track scanning, UK battery materials push, Adobe PDF zero-day patch, and Webb redraws the planet–star line
Al’s back with a quick sprint through the stuff shaping your day — starting on the District line, where TfL expands LiDAR scanning to check the network without sending everyone down the tunnel. Then it’s a very UK-flavoured battery boost, with a new £25m innovation round aimed at materials, recycling, and supply-chain resilience.After that: a genuinely urgent one — Adobe patches an Acrobat/Reader
Anthropic withholds “Mythos” AI as Project Glasswing launches, ICO uses an LLM for case admin, Tech.eu Summit London agenda lands — plus Bond game delay
Alan Leer's on the mic for your London commute as Anthropic admits it’s built an AI model it won’t release — and launches Project Glasswing with a who’s-who of tech to secure critical software. We also hit a London bit of calendar-watching as Tech.eu reveals what it’s pushing at its London summit, and a UK transparency drop as the ICO details how an LLM helps turn messy complaints into real cases.
UCL’s cancer “visibility” breakthrough, UK signal jammer ban plan, brain organoids boom, Cyberpunk PS5 Pro upgrade
A UCL team in Bloomsbury is finding ways to make tumours less “invisible” to the immune system, while the government looks to clamp down on signal jammers — the sneaky gadgets that help thieves blank your doorbell, tracker, or shop alarms. After that, we go full sci-fi-but-real with lab-grown mini brain models, then land in gaming with Cyberpunk showing off on PS5 Pro. And yes, there’s even a “not
BNW Preview: Michael Pollan
For Episode Nine, Evgeny is joined by Michael Pollan, journalist, author, and one of the leading voices exploring the human mind. Drawing on his new book A World Appears, Pollan makes an impassioned case for consciousness as something precious, private, and increasingly under threat. Together, they explore how social media and AI are not just competing for our attention, but beginning to shape att
London hosts quantum alliance talks, telecoms bill rules tighten, and Nature warns of AI “fake disease” chaos — plus April’s Game Pass hits
Al’s on the mic for a quick commute-friendly sprint: London’s hosting a 13-nation quantum pow-wow as the UK tries to help write the rules for the next big tech era. Then up to Sheffield, where researchers say the way we make chips could get a lot greener if supply chains shift closer to home. Also: telecoms firms re-promise to stop the sneaky bill stuff, with legacy inflation-linked rises heading
London fibre speed record, new UK Online Safety reporting rules, and Starfield lands on PS5
Alan Leer is in with a proper commute-friendly sprint through today’s tech and science. London researchers linked to UCL hit a bonkers fibre speed record — using existing installed cable — while the UK’s Online Safety regime gets sharper as a key reporting duty kicks in today. Then we go brainy with a study teasing out a “neural fingerprint” for psychedelics, before switching to gaming where Starf
Artemis II Moon Flyby, TfL Tests Smart Tube Safety Tech, and UK Skynet Satellite Row
Al’s back in your ears with a proper mixed bag: TfL quietly tests smarter detection tech on Tube tracks (eyes peeled at Mile End) and roads with radar cameras, while the UK’s next-gen Skynet military satellite plan sparks a very serious “who controls what” debate. Then we go full cosmic — Artemis II swings behind the Moon and pushes past an Apollo-era distance record — before a clean-energy resear
London Tech Week goes “Deep Tech”, UKRI chair pick named, and scientists find ‘trade winds’ inside cells
London Tech Week tees up a new Deep Tech Stage for June, the government names its preferred candidate to chair UKRI, and researchers report something that sounds made-up but isn’t: “trade winds” inside cells that help move proteins as cells migrate. Plus, April gaming season begins — and yes, Goat Simulator 3 is on Switch 2 today. More on all of it at standard.co.uk, and follow Tech and Science Da
UCL stem-cell therapy breakthrough, CMA probes Microsoft, and a “sound laser” gravity leap — plus Arc Raiders Flashpoint
UCL teams up on a stem-cell therapy plan to help babies with Hirschsprung disease — the kind of story that actually changes lives. Then it’s the UK CMA poking around Microsoft’s business software ecosystem, because “it’s fine, everyone uses it” is not a competition policy. In the lab, a phonon “sound laser” shows off a wild new way to measure gravity with extreme precision. After the break: Arc Ra
London Games Festival kicks off, UK gene breakthrough for childhood epilepsy,
Al’s running you through a very modern mix: London Games Festival turns the city into one big playable space, UK genomic science pulls a major epilepsy-linked diagnosis out of the “dark genome”. After the break, space science gets strange — microgravity may mess with sperm navigation — and Apple’s iOS 26.4 UK age checks arrive with equal parts safety intent and privacy drama. More at standard.co.u
London’s new biotech lab space, UK physics funding cut backlash, meningitis B outbreak briefing, Windows 11 emergency fix
Al’s back in your ears with a very London Monday mix: shiny new lab space opening up in West London for biotech teams who actually need benches, not buzzwords — while UK scientists kick off about deep cuts to theoretical physics funding. Then it’s a straight public health update as UKHSA publishes its technical briefing on the meningitis B outbreak response, plus what the NHS is doing on vaccines.
UCL hormone patches for prostate cancer, UK deepfake detection push, AI “scientists” debate, Minecraft Tiny Takeover
London does what London does best: quietly drops a UCL-led trial suggesting a simple skin patch could treat locally advanced prostate cancer as well as injections — with real potential to widen patient choice. Then it’s a very 2026 combo of deepfake detection work from DSIT, the UK’s age-assurance direction of travel, and MPs asking what we actually know about kids, phones, and brain development.A
Last-second rocket abort in Norway, UK trials app limits for teens, and a keyboard Android lands on Kickstarter
Al’s on in London after a proper space tease overnight: Isar Aerospace gets the go-ahead in Norway… then aborts in the final checks. Back on Earth, City Hall grills TfL with automated vehicles in the mix, and the UK pilots app limits, social media bans and digital curfews for teens at home. After the break: a God of War patch aimed at nasty save issues, and a BlackBerry-style keyboard phone makes
UK 2G switch-off warning, Britain’s airborne climate lab grounded, sodium-ion battery cold-weather leap, TfL refreshes Baby on Board badges
London gets a tiny-but-mighty commute update as TfL redesigns the Baby on Board badge — because sometimes a bit of visual signalling does more than a thousand glares. Alan Leer also breaks down the government’s latest numbers on getting a million people online, plus what the UK’s 2G switch-off guidance means for older phones and those sneaky “smart” devices you forgot even exist. After the break,
Night Shifts and Type 2 Diabetes, WMO Climate Imbalance Warning, Beaver Carbon Sinks, and Minecraft’s “Chaos Cubed” Update
Al’s on with a very real London problem: doing nights and trying to manage type 2 diabetes when the only “fresh option” is whatever’s blinking inside a vending machine. Then it’s MPs dragging the big platforms back into the spotlight over harmful algorithms, before we go global with the UN weather agency warning the planet’s climate is more “out of balance” than ever. After that, a rare bit of eco
London’s “Virtual Histology” X-ray Leap, Earth’s Rotation Slows, Artemis II Nears Launch, Amazon’s Phone Comeback
Al’s back with a Monday that goes from UCL turning tissue diagnosis into a 3D zoomable scan… to climate change literally slowing Earth’s spin. Lovely. We also hit the UK’s new plan to back fewer, bigger innovation bets, NASA edging Artemis II closer to its next launch window, and in gaming: Manor Lords drops a big update while Resident Evil celebrates 30 years by selling millions and turning up th
London’s new biotech lab space, UK physics funding cut backlash, meningitis B outbreak briefing, Windows 11 emergency fix
shiny new lab space opening up in West London for biotech teams who actually need benches, not buzzwords — while UK scientists kick off about deep cuts to theoretical physics funding. Then it’s a straight public health update as UKHSA publishes its technical briefing on the meningitis B outbreak response, plus what the NHS is doing on vaccines. After the break, a rare sperm whale birth gets proper
London TB drug target breakthrough, UK Fusion Strategy 2026, Crimson Desert launches, CS2 reload overhaul, New Sonos Speakers
Al’s on with a London health story that actually matters: Imperial and LSHTM flag a promising new target in the fight against drug-resistant TB. Then the government drops its Fusion Strategy 2026 — the long bet on “sun in a box” energy and the jobs that come with it. After that, a quick science detour into why static electricity is still weirdly mysterious. And then it’s a bigger gaming block: Cri
TfL’s New Radar Speed Cameras, UK AI Copyright U-Turn, CERN’s New Particle, Starfield PS5 Date, and a Major iPhone Hack Warning
Al’s back with your hit of tech and science. Today, TfL starts trialling radar-based speed cameras across the capital — sharper kit, more lanes, less “I didn’t see the sign, mate.” Then it’s a UK U-turn on AI and copyright after creatives push back, plus CERN doing CERN things with a newly spotted particle. After that: a smart new way to read proteins using DNA sequencing tech, Starfield finally l
London’s new infrastructure blueprint, UK quantum cash boost, and a molten exoplanet with a magma ocean
London’s drawn up the big infrastructure wishlist — and yes, “digital connectivity” is finally treated like a grown-up utility, not a nice-to-have. Then it’s a UK quantum push that’s basically: stop selling the clever stuff too early. After the break, we’re off-world for a newly identified molten exoplanet that’s swimming in magma and sulphur, before a smart-watch health story that’s promising… bu
BNW Preview: Gary Brecka
A special preview from our sister podcast Brave New World, featuring a new episode from its latest series.For Episode Four, host Evgeny Lebedev is joined by human biologist, longevity science monolith and founder of The Ultimate Human, Gary Brecka. Together, they explore why so many people feel stuck at a “six out of ten,” what Gary believes to be the cause of fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, soren
London museum accessibility win, a “4D camera” breakthrough, and Tomb Raider’s free Challenge Mode update
Alan Leer is on the mic today with a London story that actually slaps: University of Westminster researchers land a UKRI award for inclusive, co-created audio description — the kind that makes museums feel like they’re for everyone, not just people who can see every label from six inches away. Then it’s a UK-wide reality check as the Women in Tech Taskforce asks what would actually fix inclusion i
BNW Preview: Carl Pei
For Episode Eight, Evgeny is joined by Carl Pei, founder and CEO of Nothing, the London-based consumer tech company trying to make devices feel fun. Carl explains how Nothing evolved from earbuds to smartphones, why he believes design and “focus-first” features can counter distraction, and what it means to build products with a distinct, instantly recognisable identity.Evgeny and Carl also ex
UK digital ID reality check, London MS genetics breakthrough, and NASA’s Van Allen Probe re-entry
The UK’s shiny digital ID plan gets a proper timetable reality check — small features first, big promises later. Over in London, a major MS genetics study pushes the science past its old “one-size-fits-one-ancestry” problem, and NASA’s Van Allen Probe A is making a dramatic return to Earth. Plus: a multivitamin ageing headline with a big pinch of salt, a UK games studio closure, and Whoop deciding
BNW - Will Ahmed Preview
Evgeny Lebedev is joined by Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of WHOOP, to explore recovery, sleep, and why “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Will shares how overtraining as a Harvard athlete led him to build a wearable focused not on steps, but on the missing piece of performance: how ready your body actually is.He explains what WHOOP tracks - sleep quality, strain, heart rate variability (HRV
KCL palliative care savings, UK ADHD evidence check, clock magnetism vortices, China brain-computer push, Marvel Rivals patch, Pixel 10a review
Al’s on the mic with a London-led study suggesting specialist palliative care can improve quality of life and ease pressure on the NHS — yes, a rare win-win. Then the UK ADHD debate gets a much-needed reality check as experts say the bigger issue isn’t overdiagnosis… it’s unmet need and long waits. After that, we jump to physics where atom-thin magnets start forming tiny vortices like it’s complet
British Science Week kicks off, UK launches new AI research lab, and Nothing unveils Phone (4a) Pro in London
Al’s on the mic as British Science Week kicks off today — ten days of pure “go on then, show me how it works” energy across London and the UK. Then the government backs a new fundamental AI research lab, aiming for proper long-term breakthroughs, not just flashy demos. After that, Cambridge researchers give robots a better sense of touch with graphene-based “artificial skin”… and scientists unveil
London scientist wins major medical prize, UK boosts satellite comms, laser flips magnet, Congo carbon warning, LoL patch, new Apple M5 Macs
a UCL researcher picks up the 2026 Novo Nordisk Prize for work that’s shifting Duchenne muscular dystrophy from “nothing we can do” to “we can actually intervene.” Then the UK Space Agency drops fresh cash on satellite comms, because in 2026 even “space” is basically an internet argument. Elsewhere, researchers flip a magnet with a laser like it’s casual, a Nature paper raises a big red flag about
Met handheld facial recognition pilot, UK 6G security principles, AI paper-faking warning, Nintendo Indie World, and Rainbow Six gets Solid Snake
The Met starts trialling handheld facial recognition ID checks — because apparently London wasn’t futuristic enough already. Then we’ve got the UK laying down security expectations for 6G networks at MWC, plus a proper side-eye moment as new reporting suggests some chatbots will happily fabricate academic papers if you ask nicely. After the break: Nintendo’s Indie World roundup, Rainbow Six Siege
Tube fares change, UK tests teen social media limits, iron + blue LED chemistry breakthrough, and Pokémon turns 30
Your commute’s doing that thing again: Tube and rail fares are increasing, while buses and trams stay frozen (for now). Alan Leer also dives into the UK’s real-world trial of teen social media limits — bans, curfews, the lot — and what it could mean for platforms and parents alike. Then it’s global gadget season at MWC, where Lenovo and Samsung are pushing the “adaptable devices” future, whether y
Brave New World Preview: Dr Sabine Donnai on Mapping the Microbiome and the Secrets to Longevity
For this episode of Brave New World, Evgeny is joined by Dr Sabine Donnai, a physician specialising in precision medicine, preventive health, and is the founder of Viavi Healthcare. They explore brain health beyond standard scans, discussing how gut function, inflammation, environmental exposure, and stress interact over time. Drawing on Evgeny’s own test results, Sabine explains why she beli
O2’s Starlink phone satellite service, London’s Knowledge Quarter AI drug push, faster UK cyber fixes, NASA’s “planetary parade” sounds, and Resident Evil Requiem launch
a new life-sciences flex lands in King’s Cross as Genomics opens up shop in the Knowledge Quarter and shows off agentic AI for drug discovery. The government claims it’s finally speeding up cyber fixes across public services — about time — and O2 starts selling a satellite bolt-on powered by Starlink for those “why do I pay for this contract?” dead zones. After that, NASA turns the Solar System in
UCL’s laser-drone forest scans, UK digital jobs snapshot, ASML chip breakthrough, “super agers” brain clue, and Xbox leadership shake-up
UCL researchers are using lasers and drones to scan forests in 3D — turning climate arguments into hard numbers. Then we zoom out to the UK’s latest digital sector stats, before heading global as ASML pushes forward the EUV tech that underpins the chips in basically everything. After the break, there’s a fascinating “super agers” brain clue — and in gaming, Xbox hits the big reset button at the to
London’s historic womb transplant birth, UK regulates Netflix-style streamers, Uber’s robotaxi play, and Firefox’s AI off switch
Al’s on today’s proper jaw-dropper: London doctors announce a UK first — a baby born after a womb transplant from a deceased donor. Then it’s back to the paperwork side of the future as the government drags Netflix, Prime Video and the rest into tougher Ofcom-style rules. After the break, Uber tries to become the backstage crew for robotaxis everywhere, scientists reveal a new way to see DNA’s 3D
UK cyber crackdown calls, cross-border digital ID, “Hall drift of light,” and Xbox Games Pass lineup
Al brings you today’s Tech and Science Daily from The Standard. We cover a push for a more interventionist UK cyber strategy, new findings on barriers to international digital identity, a quantum photonics milestone involving light drift, early-stage research into an intranasal vaccine approach, and the latest Xbox Game Pass arrivals and departures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more
MHRA Pauses PATHWAYS Trial, UK Space Weather Mission Moves Toward Launch, NASA Rolls Artemis II Back Again
Today, the MHRA puts the brakes on the UK’s PATHWAYS puberty blocker trial work while safety concerns get addressed, the UK’s space-weather mission heads toward its launch site (because satellites don’t protect themselves), and NASA’s Artemis II rocket gets rolled back for more fixes — yes, really. After that: a quick cyber patch warning, a punchy Arc Raiders update, and Samsung’s Unpacked week la
TfL ad banned, UK’s 48-hour takedown rule, China’s open-source AI surge, Avowed update
TfL gets an advert banned by the ASA for reinforcing a harmful stereotype, while the UK moves to force platforms to remove abusive intimate images within 48 hours — or face serious penalties. After the break, we hit the global AI acceleration story, and a proper gaming palate-cleanser with a big Avowed update. More on all of it at standard.co.uk — and follow Tech and Science Daily from The Standar
TfL clamps down on pedicabs, Bristol’s sensor shoe, Microsoft’s 10,000-year glass storage, Call of Duty ad banned
London finally starts putting the brakes on pedicab chaos — licences, checks, and fare caps that might save tourists from heartbreak and the rest of us from the noise. Outside the M25, a Bristol engineer builds a sensor-packed insole designed to spot dodgy gait changes before they turn into nasty falls. Then it’s full sci-fi: Microsoft shows off laser-written glass storage that could keep data saf
Waymo vs London black cabs, Discord age checks go global, and a Majorana quantum breakthrough
Waymo’s robotaxis are already causing aggro by plugging into black-cab-only charging bays, the Tube gets hit with “SMS blaster” scam tech, and the UK tells businesses to “lock the door” on cyber criminals. Plus, a major quantum result finally makes elusive Majorana qubits readable in real time, and Discord’s teen-by-default settings roll out globally with age checks on the horizon. For more head t
Psychedelic depression breakthrough in London, Chrome zero-day patch, Artemis II rehearsal update, and a John Wick game reveal
Imperial researchers report early-but-serious results for a psychedelic-assisted depression treatment, while UK scientists kick off about research funding uncertainty. After the break, it’s the “update your browser right now” Chrome zero-day, a fresh Artemis II countdown rehearsal date from NASA, and in gaming, John Wick steps out in a suit and into an untitled new action game. Plus: Apple tees up
London’s First Thames Bathing Spot, UK Targets AI Chatbots, and MIT’s “Computing With Heat”
The government’s proposing a first-ever official Thames bathing spot at Ham and Kingston — which is either progress or the start of a new kind of group chat argument. Then: the UK moves to pull AI chatbots into the Online Safety net, with child-safety rules catching up to fast-moving tech. Also, Oxford researchers find public support for health-data sharing for AI is real — but only if the safegua
Smart clothing “button” breakthrough in London, UK clampdown on broadband bill hikes, Silent Hills Transmission and Microsoft rushes zero-day fixes
King’s College London says loose fabric can track movement better than skin-tight sensors, meaning your next health tracker might be… a shirt button. Then we’ve got the UK pushing telecoms giants to bin surprise mid-contract price hikes (about time), plus Microsoft scrambling to patch Windows and Office bugs that hackers are already exploiting. After that: China tests new Moon-mission hardware, an
TfL’s 2026 upgrade plan, Instagram in court over “endless scroll”, and Samsung Unpacked confirmed
TfL’s talking upgrades for 2026 — the sort that decides whether your commute is “fine” or “character-building”. Over in the US, Instagram’s “endless scroll” is being argued over in court, while Samsung confirms Galaxy Unpacked for 25 February, and Steam quietly tries to stop Early Access from promising the moon. More at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
TfL’s new bus shelters, Apple & Google app store shake-up, and gene-edited moths, plus Helldivers 2 update
TfL starts trialling new bus shelter designs across the city — brighter, safer, and hopefully less bleak in the rain. Then the UK competition regulator gets Apple and Google to commit to fairer app store rules, before we head to Exeter where scientists are gene-editing wax moths to speed up infection research and tackle antimicrobial resistance. After the break: an ancient fossil find that rewrite
PlayStation’s hour-long State of Play, UK universities warned on foreign interference, and the botnet lurking in your living room
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard: the UK sets out new measures aimed at protecting universities from foreign interference, as concerns grow about pressure on researchers and sensitive collaboration. Plus, a record-setting DDoS attack is linked to the AISURU/Kimwolf botnet — a reminder that insecure everyday devices can end up powering serious cyber disruption. And in gaming, Sony
London spider silk breakthrough, OpenAI Frontier AI agents, Nioh 3 exclusivity twist, and JLab’s speaker-headphones
We're kicking the week off by reverse-engineering spider silk like it’s no big deal. We’ve got King’s College scientists explaining the tiny “molecular stickers” that help make nature’s toughest fibres… After the break, OpenAI launches Frontier — the latest attempt to turn “AI agents” into something your workplace can actually deploy — plus a gaming exclusivity wrinkle with Nioh 3 and a consumer g
London’s £1bn Cancer Hub green light, UK data-law changes, Artemis II window, Nintendo Partner Showcase and Pixel 10a tease
Al’s back with your London-first tech and science sprint. Sutton just waved through a £1bn expansion of the London Cancer Hub — yes, it’s labs, but also somehow a pub and padel court. Then we hit the UK’s Data (Use and Access) Act updates landing today, before a quick detour into a promising new CAR-T-style cancer treatment result (mouse-mode, but still exciting). After the break: NASA’s Artemis I
London AI Stethoscope Trial, England’s New Cancer Plan, AI Safety Report, Next-Gen Xbox Hints, and Fairphone 6
Today: a Lancet study puts an AI stethoscope through its paces in 205 London GP surgeries — aiming to catch serious heart conditions earlier. The government’s dropped a brand-new National Cancer Plan for England, with big survival targets and big promises. Plus, the International AI Safety Report 2026 lands with fresh warnings about deepfakes and rising risk… before we lighten it up with a next-ge
Brave New World Preview
For this episode of Brave New World, Evgeny is joined by psychologist, author, and researcher Dr Jim Fadiman, a central figure in the modern understanding of psychedelics, who also goes by the “father of microdosing”.Drawing on decades of research and thousands of user reports, the conversation traces the history of psychedelics - from early scientific study in the 1950s and 60s, through prohibiti
Boots loyalty card data study aims to spot cancer sooner, Valheim turns 5
Alan Leers is on with your weekday tech-and-science fix from London. Today: a new Imperial-led study asks if Boots and Tesco loyalty card data — from consenting volunteers — could help spot early cancer warning signs sooner. Plus, why handwriting is making a comeback (yes, really), Valheim celebrates five years of Viking chaos, and Notepad++ issues a sobering reminder that software updates need pr
West London’s rapid-charge battery train, UK science funding row, Google proxy takedown, Apex on Switch, and Apple’s old-iPhone updates
Alan Leer is on mic in London, and today’s briefing is basically: cleaner transport, messier politics, and the internet doing internet things. West Ealing to Greenford becomes the unlikely star of the show as a battery-only train starts carrying passengers. Then it’s a UK science funding wobble, before we head online: Google says it’s smashed a massive proxy network, and an antivirus update story
TfL’s Overground Push to Stevenage, Pornhub Blocks New UK Users, Is Freeview Ending in 2034?
TfL’s flirting with the idea of dragging the Overground out to Stevenage — because apparently we’re collecting Hertfordshire now. The Online Safety Act hits a new phase as Pornhub says it’ll block new UK users unless they verify their age, and we look at the bigger question everyone’s dodging: what happens when “free” telly (Freeview) starts to look like an expensive legacy network with a 2034 off
NHS AI + Robot Lung Cancer Trial in London, Terraria Bigger & Boulder Update, Steam Faces UK Lawsuit
Guy’s and St Thomas’ starts trialling AI plus robot-guided tools to speed up lung cancer diagnosis — less waiting, more answers. Up the country, the MoD pushes forward “wingman drones” designed to fly alongside Apache helicopters, because 2026 is really leaning into the sci-fi timeline. Then we swerve hard into gaming: Terraria drops its massive Bigger and Boulder update, Steam owner Valve gets pu
NHS drone deliveries in London, a £3bn temperature bill for the NHS, and a new AirTag
Today, the NHS is eyeing drones to move urgent pathology samples across south-west London — because the South Circular simply cannot be trusted. We’ve also got a new Oxford estimate putting a chunky price tag on how cold snaps and heat spikes quietly strain the NHS, plus a battery-recycling method that tries to do three jobs at once. Then it’s a quick hop into gaming with Arc Raiders’ latest roadm
London’s new AI hub, the UK’s Cambridge supercomputer boost, a chunky Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero patch and NASA’s Artemis II quarantine milestone
We’ve got a brand-new hub landing in the capital, while the UK government tries to make public-sector data actually useful, and throws serious horsepower at Cambridge to power it all. Plus: NASA’s Artemis II crew goes into quarantine, because the Moon doesn’t wait for your sniffles. After the break, it’s a reminder to respect your password manager (Under Armour breach), a big AI law move out of So
London’s start-up ranking, CERN’s €860m pledge, and a shake-up in global vulnerability tracking
London’s picked up another “start-up friendly” badge, and we're quietly asking whether that translates into anything real for founders beyond bragging rights. We also head to CERN, where an €860 million pledge is sharpening the focus on what comes next for big, headline-grabbing particle physics, and the very practical tech that tends to spill out of it. After the break, it’s a proper cybersecurit
Brave New World Preview
For episode five of Brave New World, Evgeny is joined by Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences - the company working on de-extinction and species preservation, including its flagship woolly mammoth project. Together, they explore what “bringing back” an extinct species actually means in practice: rebuilding fragmented ancient DNA, comparing it to a close living relative (the Asian e
Solar storm hits severe levels, Brick Lane data-centre row, EU “high-risk” tech phase-out
Alan Leer is in the host seat in London, watching the Sun kick off like it pays rent here — a severe space-weather event has operators on satellite-watch and grid-watch. Back on the ground, Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery row turns into the most modern London argument imaginable: do we prioritise homes, or the server farms that keep the city’s digital heartbeat going? Meanwhile, the EU moves toward fo
China’s London mega-embassy approved, ChatGPT age prediction, quantum security warning, 2XKO hits console
Alan Leer on the mic from London with a security-flavoured tech-and-science roundup: the government green-lights China’s mega-embassy by the Tower with data-cable nerves in the background, OpenAI makes ChatGPT guess who’s under 18, and researchers remind us quantum computers aren’t magically “unhackable” — they’re just expensive and complicated. Plus, Riot’s 2XKO finally lands on console, and ther
Tube 4G hits halfway, UCL’s Ring Nebula “iron bar”, BBC goes YouTube-first, RuneScape turns 25
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard, Alan Leer is on the Tube signal beat as TfL’s 4G and 5G rollout in the London Underground reaches the halfway mark. Then we head skyward, with a UCL-led team spotting a strange iron “bar” hidden inside the Ring Nebula.Also on the slate: the BBC is reportedly lining up YouTube-first content to win over younger viewers, RuneScape turns 25 with a wav
TfL ticketing tech shake-up, UCL’s sound-reacting humanoid robots, and AMD’s modular PC hints
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard, Alan Leer coversTfL’s ticketing tech getting a major operational change, UCL robots learning to react to sound in real time, and we round up UK robotics policy, AMD’s CES reveals, a Final Fantasy VII update, and the latest Android 16 beta fixes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Whooping Cough Vaccine Breakthrough, TfL Pedicab Crackdown, and UK Fusion Manufacturing Push
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard, London researchers share new findings on how whooping cough vaccination during pregnancy can protect infants at the upper airway, TfL edges closer to regulating pedicabs in 2026, and a UK fusion-focused manufacturing initiative targets a key materials challenge using multi-metal 3D printing. Plus: why flu activity remains elevated in early 2026, a
Piers Linney MBE on AI’s “Make-or-Break” 2026, UK Digital ID U-Turn, Animal Crossing 3.0 Drops
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard, former Dragon’s Den investor Piers Linney joins Alan Leer to unpack new Tech Show London research on why AI spending is rising in UK business but implementation is lagging — and whether 2026 is make-or-break for the AI boom. Plus, the UK government reportedly rolls back the mandatory element of digital ID right-to-work plans, Animal Crossing: New
UCL brain-scan breakthrough, primate bonding study, UK food label push, NASA ISS medical return, and Star Wars Outlaws on Game Pass
Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard, Alan Leer covers new UCL brain imaging research separating Parkinson’s from Lewy body dementia, an Imperial-linked primate study on bonding behaviours, Which? calling for mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labels in the UK, NASA’s early ISS Crew-11 return after a medical issue, plus Star Wars Outlaws landing on Xbox Game Pass and the latest Android
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