Small settlements scattered throughout the region show signs of trade, fortification.

New application of Raman spectroscopy imaging allows scientists to probe the chemical composition of sailors lost at sea over 500 years ago.

Green pump for diesel, blue for gas – but what’s the difference?

Researchers confirm the terror bird fossil 20 years after its South American discovery, comparing the creature to a massive, carnivorous-like ostrich.

Not wearing hearing aids could lead to increased risks of social isolation and Alzheimer's Disease.

Both scientific ‘red herrings’ and flaws in human logic led to inaccurate ‘Pompeii effect’ hypothesis.

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Richard Lutz survives another week that was...

Initiative leads to record number of applications for STEM projects.

Scheme aims to protect thousands of jobs at risk from Covid-19.

Millennium Point Charitable Trust offers funding for education projects.

Final call for STEM organisations to apply for grant funding.

Applications now open for life-changing opportunity.

CEC celebrates forty years in business with commitment to Net Zero.

Sandwell IT director to step down after three decades of service.

FabLab pilots innovative virtual reality programme.

The eco-drag challenge is here.

Campaigners produce video in fight to save playing fields.

Celebrating the River Sherbourne through music, theatre and dance.

Holly Heywood enjoys an evening of sustainable food, drink and gardening at New Hall.

Best of the Midlands at BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Good Food Show Summer.

County FA sets gold standard for sustainable football events.

Black Country Industrial Cluster provides energy efficiency support for local businesses.

Great Big Green Week launches at Shakespeare’s New Place

Jessica Harris enjoys the RSC's take on climate change.

Apple shipped 12.6 million tablets in the third quarter (Q3), with a modest growth of 1.4 per cent year-over-year in the quarter and garnering 31.7 per cent market share, as global tablet shipments grew 20.4 per cent to reach 39.6 million units.

Chinese appliance giant Haier Group has submitted a proposal to the Indian government to form a joint venture with India's JSW Group. The proposed venture represents a significant investment of Rs 1,000 crore and requires government approval due to Haier's Chinese origins. This move comes after JSW's recent joint venture with Chinese automaker SAIC Motor.

Despite severe air pollution in Indian cities, particularly in Delhi-NCR, the market for air purifiers and anti-pollution personal care products remains small. Consumers perceive limited tangible benefits and sales spike only during peak pollution periods. While some growth occurs after Diwali, the overall market remains stagnant, with some companies exiting or scaling back operations.

Xiaomi India President Muralikrishnan B has resigned to pursue a doctorate, marking the end of his tenure during a period of recovery for the leading smartphone company. Muralikrishnan, who joined in 2018, will transition into a six-month gardening leave. His departure follows strategic executive appointments aimed at boosting offline sales and premium market presence.

"During the quarter, the company maintained the growth momentum established in the first quarter. A strong performance across all major segments, supported by a robust order book, reflects increasing demand for its diverse product portfolio," said an earnings statement from Blue Star.

According to early estimates from Counterpoint, shipments in the wearables industry fell 30% on-year in the July-September quarter with nearly every top brand including Boat and Noise seeing sharp declines in numbers. However, shipments of premium smartwatches and audio products nearly doubled, pushing up the average selling price.

US President Donald Trump's second term may benefit India's electronics industry. The US plans to impose tariffs on Chinese electronics, encouraging companies to seek alternative manufacturing hubs. India, with its growing manufacturing sector, stands to gain. Experts believe this shift could lead to increased electronics exports from India to the US. However, concerns remain about India's capacity to handle the potential surge in production.

Bajaj Electricals experienced a 59% drop in second-quarter profits, attributing the decline to weaker demand for cooling products due to monsoon rains. Despite a slight revenue increase, the company's profits were impacted by reduced demand and cost-of-living pressures. Analysts anticipate a demand resurgence in the December quarter, fueled by festive season promotions.

Infiniti Retail, that operates popular electronics retailer Croma, is preparing for a leadership transition. Shibashish Roy, the current Deputy CEO, will step into the role of CEO on November 18, 2024, succeeding Avijit Mitra. Mitra, who has been instrumental in Croma's growth.

Samsung India Electronics' revenue grew by a mere 4% in FY24, reaching Rs 102,626 crore, marking its slowest growth in eight years. This slowdown, largely attributed to a stagnant smartphone market and heightened competition, is believed to be behind recent layoffs and cost-cutting measures.

The gaming console uses Wi-Fi 7, a wireless standard that uses the 6GHz band for connecting to the internet. However, the band itself is embroiled under controversy with telecom operators pushing for it to be reserved for mobile internet services.

Apple established a new subsidiary in India, Apple Operations India, marking its first direct presence in the country. This subsidiary will focus on research, design, testing, and providing support to third-party manufacturers. This move signifies Apple's commitment to expanding its operational footprint in India beyond assembly and sales.

Apple could double its iPhone production in India to over $30 billion annually if the US imposes tariffs on Chinese imports. This shift could create 200,000 jobs and increase India's share in iPhone production to over 26%. However, the move depends on US policy and India's ability to address cost and policy challenges.

Sony India, experiencing substantial growth in its gaming sector due to the PlayStation 5's success, is now eyeing India as a key market. Despite anticipating moderated growth this fiscal year, the company remains committed to expanding its gaming presence, including software and peripherals. Sony India last week filed its annual returns to report over 50.1 per cent growth from its 'other business' segment at Rs 1,363.54 crore, which houses its gaming and B2B business.

Although stakeholder discussions are still going on, the 5% cut of the total import quota will be implemented from April 1 of the upcoming fiscal. This cut is based on the data provided by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.

Sault, a new consumer electronics company, is set to significantly increase its sales volume by FY25. Focusing on tier-2 towns, the brand plans to expand its reach within western India and eventually target southern markets. Sault will incorporate in-house manufacturing for certain products while continuing partnerships for others, aiming for nationwide expansion and exploring digital sales channels.

Industry executives said the latest generation chipsets, set to power high-end Android handsets, are already around 20% more expensive than their predecessors due to a more complex circuitry and advanced manufacturing process. High demand for premium handsets is also contributing to improving the product mix of chipset makers towards more high-end chipsets.

Apple India's dividend payout to its Irish holding company more than doubled to ₹3,302 crore in FY24, exceeding its net profit for the first time. This comes as iPhone sales surged in the country, boosting Apple India's revenue by 36%. While analysts acknowledge the impressive revenue, they also point to stagnant operating margins and increased inventory as potential challenges.

DAEWOO India has brought on C.M. Singh as its new Joint Managing Director. Singh brings over 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held leadership positions at LG, Videocon, TCL India, and Sukam. DAEWOO aims to leverage Singh's expertise to expand its presence in the consumer durables sector and reach new markets across India.

Indian consumer electronics brand Elista plans to expand globally. The company aims to generate Rs 1,500 crore in revenue by 2026. Elista will expand its presence in over 35 countries in the next two years. The brand recently entered the Tanzanian market.

I have no idea what the website was but the ancient swag tape measure still works

The duo Autechre added just over 20 hours of music to its catalog on November 4, with the simultaneous release of a dozen live recordings, made over the course of a little under a year, between late August 2023, in Melbourne, and early May 2024, in Lyon. As I’ve done in the past, I’m going […]

I joke that since I’m not very handy, after the apocalypse my main utility will be sending out a community newsletter. It occurs to me I can also, when duty calls, serve as a DJ in the no doubt much-needed chill-out room. Let’s kick things off, then, in our virtual decompression zone, with the album […]

I want to thank everyone — present and past — who participates in the Disquiet Junto. This ever-changing and growing — and yet consistently paced — community of musicians around the world has been running since the first week of January 2012. The Junto projects are very centering for me to work on each week, […]

Each Thursday in the Disquiet Junto music community, a new compositional challenge is set before the group’s members, who then have five days to record and upload a track in response to the project instructions. Membership in the Junto is open: just join and participate. (A SoundCloud account is helpful but not required.) There’s no […]