Researchers have made a breakthrough with a so-called miracle material to break the efficiency record for solar panel electricity generation. A team from the Chinese solar technology firm Longi set a new world record of 33.9 per cent for a silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell, breaking the previous record set in May this year by King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. The new efficiency record also broke the theoretical limit of 33.7 per cent for the first time of standard single junction cells, which are found in commercial solar panels. “This provides meaningful empirical data to demonstrate the advantage of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells over crystalline silicon single junction solar cells in terms of efficiency,” the company noted in a statement. “The emergence of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem technology has opened up a new track for the development of next-generation high-efficiency solar cell technology. This means that the same area, absorbing the same light, can emit more electricity.” The theoretical efficiency limit of silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells is 43 per cent, however this level is unlikely to ever be realised on a commercial scale. The first production of ultra-efficient perovskite solar panels could begin in China, with researchers from Nanjing University saying earlier this year that a design breakthrough has made mass production possible. According to the researchers, the next-generation panels will be 50 per cent cheaper and 50 per cent more efficient than traditional silicon cells, however the efficiency rates will still be a long way off the levels achieved in the lab. UK startup Oxford PV, which is a spin-out from the University of Oxford, is already in the process of commercialising the technology, with hopes of beginning full-scale production at a German facility later this year. “Current silicon solar panels have reached their physical limits. We’ve got a way to transform the efficiency of these solar cells with perovskite,” Chris Case, Oxford PV’s chief technology officer, told The Independent in August. “The biggest challenge by far is durability and reliability. We already have great efficiency – much greater than current silicon cells – so most of our research and development is spent enhancing reliability, not efficiency.” Perovskite has been hailed as a “miracle material” for its potential to revolutionise everything from high-speed telecommunications to renewable energy technologies. Its potential for solar panels is not limited to the efficiency gains compared to traditional silicon cells, but also new ways of using them. Recent breakthroughs include self-healing solar panels that can maintain their efficiency for tens to hundreds of years, as well as double-sided solar panels capable of generating electricity from the Sun’s energy on both sides. The material could also be used in applications ranging from building-integrated solar panels to space-based electricity generation. Read More How tech could turn our homes into renewable energy power stations Hundreds of years after it was discovered, one material is about to change the world Millions could abandon electrical grid with new solar panel advance Millions of Australians left without mobile and internet network after Optus outage Guidance urges parents not to buy smartphones for primary school children

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To unlock the ISO 9mm in Call of Duty: Warzone Season 6, complete free Sector F4 of the Battle Pass once the update goes live.

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Being two-faced doesn’t have a positive connotation, but let’s set that aside for the duration

Apple is about to hold its Worldwide Developers Conference, a major live event where it will update all of its platforms. The event is usually notable for bringing new software updates to all Apple products, including the latest versions of major operating systems like the iPhone’s. But this year, it is expected to be most significant not for updates platforms but entirely new ones. Apple is due to show off its headset at the event, after years of waiting. But that won’t be all. Here’s everything you need to know about what might be coming when Apple kicks off the conference on Monday. Headset The headset is likely to be the star of the show. There’s still lots we don’t know about it – but it seems fairly clear that it is going to be announced, in some form, during the WWDC keynote. You can read our full rundown on everything expected from the headset here. New Macs Nominally, WWDC is intended as a software event. But hardware is sometimes released during it – and it tends to be the kinds of professionally-focused, high-end hardware that developers like to see. This time around that’s rumoured to be new Macs. And potentially lots of them. Reports have suggested thatApple is working on a brand new 15-inch MacBook Air, as well as updated versions of the Mac Studio and 13-inch MacBook Air and Pro. All of them are likely to get new Apple Silicon chips, presumably versions of the M2. One final Mac might be conspicuous in its absence: the Mac Pro. Apple has committed to update that computer with its own Apple Silicon processors, but it is yet to arrive; it might have been written off entirely, had Apple not hinted that it was still on its way. There are no rumours to suggest that it is coming this time around, either. But WWDC would be a good opportunity to surprise people with one, especially given that developers are probably going to need powerful computers to develop all those mixed reality apps. iOS 17 The new version of iOS is usually the headline star of WWDC, though it is likely to be upstaged by the headset this year. Nonetheless, a number of big changes are expected this year. Chief among them may be changes to the Lock Screen, which follow similar additions such as widgets last year. One of the most intriguing is a report from Bloomberg that the phone will be able to turn into a smart home display when it is laid on its side, and you can read more about that here. The Wallet and Control Centre are also likely to get their own big upgrades, according to various reports. But it’s not clear what exactly those changes might be. The new update is also rumoured to be bringing new mental wellbeing features, in the form of a journal and mood tracking tools that will integrate with the Health app. The Health app itself might also launch on the iPad. Apple will probably make the new update available to developers straight after the event, and then release it for a public beta a few weeks after that. It will then come to everyone around the time of the release of the iPhone, in September. (All of the other updates detailed below will probably arrive on much the same schedule, though MacOS sometimes takes a little longer.) WatchOS 10 The Apple Watch is also rumoured to be getting some significant upgrades, which could quite fundamentally change it actually works, according to a number of rumours. The headline part of that is rumoured to be a new focus on widgets, of the kind that are already on the iPhone, according to reliable Apple reporter Mark Gurman. They will become the “central part” of the Apple Watch’s interface, he said. That will presumably mean moving away from standalone apps. That in itself might not be so much Apple’s choice: while apps for the Watch were a key part of the marketing early on, reports suggest that users are a lot less interest in downloading new applications for their watch than they are for bigger platforms such as the iPhone. But the change should also make it easier to flick between information from various apps more quickly, too. You’ll be able to see information quickly, at a glance. (Something like this was available on the first version of the Watch, and it was actually called Glances.) It will also mean that there may be more services available on the iPhone. Apple is likely to use the same frameworks for Apple Watch widgets as those on the iPhone – meaning that developers will be able to port them over without much extra work. The Watch could also benefit from some of the same health features that are coming to the iPhone. Those tend to work in concert, and are likely to do the same this time around: so that users can track their wellbeing on their watch and have it sync with their phone, for instance. All of this is notable in part because the Apple Watch’s hardware is expected not to change much, with the exception of the first upgrade to its performance in a number of years. Last year saw the introduction of the Apple Watch Ultra and other upgrades – but this year it seems to be the software that is bringing fresh updates to the Apple Watch line. ... and other software updates Every Apple product always gets its own operating system update at WWDC: expect everything from the Mac, to the TV and even the HomePod to get software updates. But little has been leaked about what we should expect on those systems. And in recent years, those updates have been modest, at least on some platforms; tvOS’s update last year only really added support for game controllers, for instance. This time around, much of the work is presumably happening on the headset, and engineers may have been redirected to that. That might mean two things: there could be relatively few updates given the lack of resources, and those updates that do come might be focused on building compatibility with the headset. Surprises WWDC usually packs time for a few surprises, even if they are small or not especially significant. This time around, the scope for surprises is probably lower – Apple will probably have its hands full explaining the headset – but there is always the chance that something unexpected and un-leaked will be announced. Read More Apple is about to launch its biggest product in years. Here’s what you need to know Twitter loses head of trust and safety amid ongoing worries about dangerous content Air Force official ‘misspoke’ in tale of AI drone killing human in US test mission Apple is about to launch its biggest product in years. Here’s what you need to know Twitter loses head of trust and safety amid ongoing worries about dangerous content Air Force official ‘misspoke’ in tale of AI drone killing human in US test mission

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'Amy's profile includes 'children's advocate.' That obviously doesn't include protecting children from child labor and exploitation,' a netizen said

Twitter is refusing to stand by a $1 billion contract with Google to use its cloud hosting services, according to reports. Elon Musk’s company is in the process of moving away from Google Cloud before the contract expires on 30 June, Platformer reported, leaving the social media firm’s trust and safety teams in peril. The move appears to be part of radical cost-cutting measures that have been underway since Mr Musk’s takeover of Twitter in October 2022, which has already seen thousands of employees laid off and a reduction in infrastructure spending. The deal with Google Cloud relates to hosting services, which include protecting accounts and fighting spam on Twitter. The effort to move to a different platform is reportedly “running behind schedule”, which could potentially impact Twitter’s ability to detect and remove spam and child sexual abuse material. Twitter did not respond to a request for comment – the company’s PR team was effectively eliminated during the lay-offs – while Google is also yet to respond. A separate report from The Information last month claimed that Twitter also delayed payments to Amazon Web Services. The latest issues come after internal documents revealed that Twitter’s advertising revenue is down by more than half since Mr Musk’s takeover. The company’s main revenue stream was initially hit by advertisers withdrawing over concerns related to the direction of the platform and its leadership, though Mr Musk claimed in April that “almost all advertisers have come back or said they are going to come back”. Twitter’s valuation since Mr Musk bought the company for $44 billion has dropped to around $15 billion, according to estimates from investment firm Fidelity. Newly-appointed Twitter chief executive Linda Yaccarino, who took over from Mr Musk last week, has been tasked with improving relationships with advertisers, while Mr Musk focuses on “overseeing product, software and sysops as the firm’s chief technology officer. Read More Twitter ad sales down by more than half since Elon Musk takeover, report claims