Beyond Infinity

Popular Russian-based FaceApp uses machine learning and facial recognition technology to show how you might look when you're older. But what else is being done with your precious biometric data, once you've clicked 'Agree' to all the T's&C's?

The US space agency will launch a nuclear-powered drone to the solar system's second largest moon to fly between multiple locations over hundreds of kilometers, take samples and look for prebiotic chemistry. Called 'Dragonfly', the mission will image the surface, gather weather data and perform seismic studies to detect subsurface activity and structure.

NASA wants to gradually commercialise the International Space Station and is offering 2 paying visitors up to 30 days each on board at US$35K a night. If this sounds cheap, you might want to consider your transport costs, which come in at US$58 million for the round trip.

New Zealand is one of the most ambitious and advanced users in the Western world of artificial intelligence to streamline government decision-making. But there are concerns about the need for explainability.

A dangerous and hard-to-treat ulcer is spreading among residents and visitors on the Mornington Peninsula. The Victorian Government and health authorities are scrambling to understand the enigmatic bacteria which causes infection. To restrict a possible disease vector, an extensive 'fogging' campaign may be used to target mosquitos from October. But activist Simon Mulvany of Save The Bees Australia has grave concerns about the effects of pesticides on bees and other insects. His petition on change.org garnered well over 8000 signatures in 3 days.

A staggering 350 million litres of recycled water is pumped into the ocean off Victoria's Mornington Peninsula every day. The Hinterland Environmental Water Scheme aims to further purify this water and redirect it to nearby farming areas. We chat to HEWS board members Russell Joseph and Alana Jones about this exciting proposal, which has recently attracted Federal Government funding.

A staggering 350 million litres of recycled water is pumped from Gunnamatta beach, just south of Melbourne, into Bass Strait every day. The Hinterland Environmental Water Scheme aims to purify this water and redirect it to nearby farming hinterland. HEWS board members Russell Joseph and Alana Jones argue the case for better use of a precious resource on the Mornington Peninsula.

Companies claiming to be able to crack iPhone security measures for law enforcement are getting more commercial and now openly tout their services.

Some say Sir Fred Hoyle, an English astronomer famed for his work on nucleosynthesis, the process by which elements are created within stars, was not an easy man to get along with. Physicist Dr. Tony Heyes discusses Sir Fred's theories, collaborations, and controversies; concluding he deserved, and should have received the Nobel Prize.

Some say Sir Fred Hoyle, an English astronomer famed for his work on nucleosynthesis, the process by which elements are created within stars, was not an easy man to get along with. Physicist Dr. Tony Heyes discusses Sir Fred's theories, collaborations and controversies. He reckons he deserved, and should have received, the Nobel Prize.

Whether it's antibiotics polluting the world's major rivers, illicit drugs - especially ice - showing up in sewerage processing facilities or excrement on our beaches, the world's waterways are increasingly under threat from human effluent.

An app-based 'deadbeat debtors' map can warn users if they're in close proximity of anyone on a government financial blacklist. It's another way pressure is applied to those who fall foul of China's powerful social credit system.

Simon Young, founder and CEO of Lithodomos VR, updates us on his company's exciting expansion into museums around the world, where you can put on VR goggles and plunge into what life was really like thousands of years ago. He explains how the Lithodomos Explore app gives access to the company's large library of historical landmarks exactly as they were, in VR or panoramic 360 mode. (As a gift to Beyond Infinity listeners, keep an ear out for the Lithodomos Explore app's complementary access code!)

Uber names Melbourne, Australia as the first market for Uber Air outside the US, after Dallas and New York. Riders could get from the CBD to the airport in 12 minutes for about the same price as an Uber X. Testing from now and beginning services in 2023, subject to regulatory approval.

"Imagine this for a second....whoever controls the data controls the future" - thus didn't speak the Zuck... but it's hard to tell when his speech and face are faked. PLUS: the global social experiment of putting a smart phone in billions of hands and totally addicting everyone rolls on, with barely known (and scary) consequences.

Big improvements are on the way for the popular navigation service, including the ability to quickly report car accidents and traffic hazards, speed camera locations, local speed limits across 40 countries and AR-assisted navigation for walkers.

The tech giant is taking a stand to force Chrome browsers to view its ads. But will people just switch to the faster-loading Firefox, which allows ad blocking add-ons?

Physicist Dr Tony Heyes explains the equation inscribed on Stephen Hawking's grave in Westminster Abbey and how it refers to the temperature of a black hole. And it wasn't the equation the late eminent physicist, mathematician and author had wished for.

Looks like heart disease drug Ticagrelor could double as a new kind of antibiotic that's effective against drug-resistant bacteria.

John explains what happened when thousands of attempts, possibly originating in the Russian Federation, were made to break into our program website beyondinfinity.com.au. It's an unfortunate sign of the times and a salutary reminder of the importance of security awareness and vigilance.