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Before delving into the prospects of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, let’s reflect on the legacy of its predecessor. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by the fusion of digital, physical, and biological systems, has already transformed the way we live and work. It brought us AI, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and more. However, it also raised concerns about automation’s impact on employment and privacy, leaving us with a mixed legacy.

The promise of the Fifth Industrial Revolution.

The Fifth Industrial Revolution represents a quantum leap forward. At its core, it combines AI, advanced biotechnology, nanotechnology, and quantum computing to usher in a new era of possibilities. One of its most compelling promises is the extension of human life. With breakthroughs in genetic engineering, regenerative medicine, and AI-driven healthcare, we are inching closer to not just treating diseases but preventing them altogether. It’s a vision where aging is not an inevitability, but a challenge to overcome.

The electronics industry has been in continuous development over the past decades, leading to the development, fabrication and sale of a broad range of consumer devices. In recent years, many engineers have been focusing their efforts on flexible electronics that can be used to create wearable devices, such as smartwatches, earbuds, fitness trackers, and even smart jewelry, and electronic implants for medical applications.

While significant progress has been made towards the development of , the widespread commercialization of a growing number of electronics has raised significant concerns related to their sustainability. Some research teams have thus been trying to identify environmentally-friendly materials and fabrication strategies, which could mitigate the adverse impact of the electronics industry on the planet.

Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea recently introduced a new method to create organic and flexible electronic devices with recyclable components. This method, outlined in a paper in Nature Electronics, relies on reusable materials and eco-friendly solvents that have a minimal impact on the environment.

A research team at Osaka Metropolitan University has fabricated a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor using diamond, which of all natural materials has the highest thermal conductivity on earth, as a substrate, and they succeeded in increasing heat dissipation by more than 2X compared with conventional transistors. The transistor is expected to be useful not only in the fields of 5G communication base stations, weather radar, and satellite communications, but also in microwave heating and plasma processing.

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University are proving that diamonds are so much more than just a ‘girl’s best friend.’ Their groundbreaking research focuses on gallium nitride (GaN) transistors, which are high-power, high-frequency semiconductor devices used in mobile data and satellite communication systems.

With the increasing miniaturization of semiconductor devices, problems arise such as increases in power density and heat generation that can affect the performance, reliability, and lifetime of these devices.

Icelandic researchers and scientists are on a mission to transform the renewable energy landscape by delving into the heart of a volcano.

They have set their sights on revolutionizing renewable energy by exploring the possibilities of drilling directly into a volcano’s magma chamber. The magma chamber is an underground reservoir where molten rock collects before exploding as lava.

The ambitious Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) project aims to tap into a magma chamber of Krafla in northern Iceland by 2026.

Electricity could be used to enhance a specific chemical reaction in the synthesis of prospective medicinal drugs.


As the world moves away from gas towards electricity as a greener power source, the to-do list goes beyond cars. The vast global manufacturing network that makes everything from our batteries to our fertilizers needs to flip the switch, too.

A study from UChicago chemists found a way to use electricity to boost a type of chemical reaction often used in synthesizing new candidates for pharmaceutical drugs.

Published Jan. 2 in Nature Catalysis, the research is an advance in the field of electrochemistry and shows a path forward to designing and controlling reactions—and making them more sustainable.

Google introduces AutoRT, SARA-RT, and RT-Trajectory.


Imagine having a personal helper robot that can tidy up your home or cook a tasty meal with just a simple request. Sounds futuristic, right? But for robots to understand and tackle these everyday tasks, they need a deep understanding of the world around them.

Google’s recent announcement brings us closer to this futuristic reality. They’ve unveiled a trio of advancements—AutoRT, SARA-RT, and RT-Trajectory—that push the boundaries of robotics research. These breakthroughs aim to help robots make faster decisions, comprehend their surroundings better, and move around more efficiently.

Explore the digital archaeology of computing’s past with the unearthing of 86-DOS version 0.1-C, the oldest ancestor of MS-DOS

A code archaeologist has unearthed a treasure trove for tech historians: the oldest-known ancestor of Microsoft’s iconic MS-DOS.


Discover the hidden gems of computing history as a code enthusiast shares the earliest-known iteration of 86-DOS online from an archive.