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US judge rules against Google in antitrust case, Elon Musk to interview Trump, China claims superiority over West with DC warship power system

Plus: World’s first intelligent robotic whale shark developed in China

INTERESTING ENGINEERING SHOP

A federal judge ruled on Monday that Google has violated antitrust laws while establishing its dominance over the internet search market.

Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google maintained a monopoly over search services and advertising, a conclusion that could reshape how people interact with the Internet.

“After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Mehta stated in his ruling. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

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MUST READ

This decision marks one of the most significant antitrust rulings in decades. It comes at the end of a high-stakes legal battle between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one of the world’s most powerful tech companies.

The trial, which began in September of last year, saw no jury, and Judge Mehta took a considerable amount of time to deliberate before reaching his conclusion. Closing arguments concluded in early May, and Mehta acknowledged the importance of the case for both Google and the public.

In response to the ruling, Google announced plans to appeal. Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs, noted that while the decision recognizes the superiority of Google’s search engine, it also unfairly restricts its availability.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced that he will be interviewed by billionaire tech and media mogul Elon Musk on Monday, August 12.

Trump shared the news on his social media platform, Truth Social, without providing further details.

The former president is set to discuss the matter with Musk after Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

A team of Chinese engineers has taken the lead on direct current (DC) technology for warships, a move that could give China a strong naval advantage over the US.

What’s more, it realizes Thomas Edison's vision, who favored DC in his lifetime but lost the “war of the currents” to Nikola Tesla.

According to SCMP, several relatively new western warships use AC power, and this has caused issues including total electrical failures. These include Britain’s Type 45 destroyers and America’s Zumwalt-class destroyers.

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HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> Researchers have developed a new way to unify quantum and traditional internet—a novel “transmitter and receiver” approach for sending entangled photons across optical fibers. (More)

> Chinese scientists have discovered that the isotopic composition of snail shells recorded the evidence of a “once in a lifetime” super rainstorm that occurred in July 2021. (More)

> Researchers have used slime mold to create a cleaner filament structure of the universe than any human-designed algorithm. The mold was also sensitive to smaller features and traced dark matter more easily. (More)

ENERGY

> Spain’s Guggenheim Museum recently completed the installation of an 80 kW photovoltaic system consisting of 300 solar panels on its roof. For regular visitors, though, the panels will be hard to spot since they blend into the design rather than sticking out. (More)

> US-based Bloom Energy has achieved a major milestone in fuel cell technology—its Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) platform can now generate electricity with an incredible 60% efficiency when using 100% hydrogen. (More)

> Tesla is currently testing the potential for its current Supercharging V4 (with V3 cabinets) to charge at over 300 kW. (More)

INNOVATION

> China’s Shenyang Aerospace Xinguang Group has successfully created the world’s first intelligent robotic whale shark. The nearly five-meter-long, 350-kilogram bionic marvel can replicate the movements of a real whale shark with remarkable precision. (More)

> Researchers have made use of novel ultrafast electron microscopy techniques to track millisecond changes in a material during electrical pulsing. (More)

> Sony has a new video about its “2-Layer Transistor Pixel” sensors, which was the world’s first stacked CMOS sensor that separates photodiodes and pixel transistors to alternate substrate layers. This should increase saturation, widen the dynamic range, and reduce noise. (More)

VIDEO

> A wildcat kitten and its mum have been caught on a thermal imaging camera. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) are using the technology to find well-camouflaged animals in the wild. (More)

> Retired buses have made a rare reappearance on Glasgow's streets to celebrate 100 years of serving the city. (More)

IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS

In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, How many metallic balls are required to form this pyramid?

The answer is: 140

Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on Instagram and Facebook! 

FROM THE WEB

> Five biomedical engineering seniors created a total knee replacement method for canines that may improve surgery success and accessibility

> The annual Perseid meteor shower is upon us, promising a spectacular display of celestial fireworks

> US startup Calcarea wants to equip cargo ships with reactors that turn carbon dioxide from the engines into ocean salts, which could lock it away for 100,000 years

> A monk and a hippo have joined forces to tackle Bangkok’s plastic pollution

> Majority of trees in NYC could be making air quality worse, say Columbia researchers

> NASA has discovered massive bursts of plasma emitted from the sun were strong enough to shift its magnetic field

Additional Reads


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🧠 AI Logs: Insights into the intricacies and developments within the realm of artificial intelligence.

🎬 IE Originals:Weekly round-up of our best science, tech & engineering videos.

🟩 Sustainability: Uncover green innovations and the latest trends shaping a sustainable future for the tech industry.

Electrical: From AI to smart grids, our newsletter energizes you on emerging tech.

🎓 IE Academy: Master your field and take your career to the next level with IE Academy


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