Tech Developments Span Mining, Data Centers, and Urban Planning
Developments across various technology sectors made headlines recently, ranging from innovative mining techniques to debates over data center locations and the pitfalls of futuristic city projects.
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Eagle Mine, the only active nickel mine in the U.S., is testing a new process to extend its operational life. According to MIT Technology Review, the mine's owner began testing a fermentation-derived broth developed by the startup Allonnia earlier this year. The process mixes the broth with concentrated ore to capture and remove impurities, allowing nickel production from lower-quality ore. Kent Sorenson, Allonnia's chief technology officer, stated that this approach could help companies continue operating sites that have declining nickel concentrations.
Meanwhile, the location of future data centers sparked debate. Fortune reported that Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman dismissed the idea of space-based data centers, which have been suggested by Elon Musk and others. Speaking at a tech conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, Garman acknowledged the potential benefits of space-based data centers, such as harnessing solar energy and utilizing the cold atmosphere for cooling. However, he emphasized the significant obstacles, particularly the high cost of transporting equipment. "I don’t know if you’ve seen a rac," Garman said, alluding to the challenges of space logistics. Amazon currently operates over 900 data centers worldwide.
A Phys.org article highlighted the potential failures of futuristic "smart city" projects. Published on February 3, 2026, the article, written by Pascual Berrone and reviewed by Andrew Zinin, suggested that these tech-centered urban developments often face challenges. The article pointed to Dunia Cyber City, a special economic zone in Zanzibar aimed at attracting tech workers, as an example. The article was reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies, ensuring its credibility through fact-checking and trusted sources.
In other news, Nature reported a correction to a previous article concerning the coupling of tropical water and interannual CO2 growth rate. The correction, published on May 31, 2023, addressed a misapplication of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, which initially inflated the sample size. The corrected analysis resulted in slightly larger P values (0.1 on average). The relevant corrections were made to the "Observed climate-carbon coupling" section, specifically regarding the significance of water-CGR correlations between different periods.
Additionally, Nature published research on Thetis cells (TCs), a recently identified lineage of RORγt antigen-presenting cells. The research identified a population of RORγt progenitors, termed Thetis-Lymphoid Tissue inducer progenitors (TLP), that give rise to the immediate TC progenitor (TCP) and the Lymphoid Tissue inducer progenitor (LTiP). The study also identified PU.1 as a key regulator in this process. Understanding the ontogeny of TCs could potentially unlock therapeutic applications for intestinal tolerance.
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