Weekend takeaway: Discover a world of change

15 Dec 2017

Image: AstroStar/Shutterstock

Change is constant. Discover everything you need to know this week, from net neutrality to twin solar systems and education in Finland.

10 reasons you need to pick up an Inspirefest 2018 ticket now

inspirefest-2017

Volunteer Eunice OreOluwa Fasan at Inspirefest 2017. Image: Conor McCabe Photography

You only have until 24 December to pick up a Super Early Bird ticket to Inspirefest 2018. Here’s why you won’t want to miss out.

Inside a Finnish school: What Finland can teach the world about education

Inside a Finnish school: What Finland can teach the world about education

Kirsi Haapamäki from Mightifier (in grey top) and a typical class at Kalastama Elementary School, Helsinki. Image: John Kennedy

What is the secret to the success of the Finnish education system? John Kennedy discovers that the answer lies in diversity, inclusion and equality.

Net neutrality neutered: Make way for internet fast and slow lanes

FCC chair Ajit Pai gets the decision he craved and is now making way for a multi-lane internet.

NASA announces discovery of solar system’s ‘twin’ in distant space

Solar system

Image: Andrus Ciprian/Shutterstock

With the help of artificial intelligence, NASA has announced the discovery of another solar system equal in the number of planets to our own.

Deaf astronomers finally have a multilingual dictionary for space terms

Deaf astronomy

The Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope at the European Southern Observatory’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. Image: Y Beletsky (LCO)/ESO

Deaf astronomers around the world are jubilant as the publication of a multilingual dictionary for astronomical terms is announced.

How can we fix the leaky pipeline and keep women in STEM?

RIA

Image: Royal Irish Academy

A new report from the Royal Irish Academy has made recommendations to improve the retention of women in engineering and computing in Ireland. Dr Claire O’Connell reports.

Empire strikes Fox: Disney is now guardian to a galaxy of content

Empire strikes Fox: Disney is now guardian to a galaxy of content

Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Image: Lucasfilm/Disney

Fox deal gives Disney considerable leverage over the global content industry.

AI breakthrough helps us get one step closer to nuclear fusion success

Nuclear fusion reactor

Model of a working nuclear fusion reactor. Image: Cholpan/Shutterstock

As we edge closer and closer to a working nuclear fusion reactor, a new breakthrough in AI could send us over the tipping point.

UN report warns of the mounting volume of electronic waste

UN e-waste report

Electronic waste. Image: Natalia Ramirez Roman/Shutterstock

Our discarded electronics pose a serious threat to our planet and our health.

Spotify and Deezer urge EU to tackle tech gatekeepers

Spotify app

Spotify app on mobile. Image: Pe3k/Shutterstock

Music streaming companies are concerned that Apple could gain an unfair hold over the flourishing market.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com