Google’s Eric Schmidt: Humans are better off than ever – and it’s down to technology March 6, 2015 Humankind has never had it so good and we should be thankful for the role of technology in getting us to that point, according to Google’s Eric Schmidt. Speaking at the WorldPost's Future of Work conference, the executive chairman of the software giant said he wanted to talk about “why we are so unhappy – [...]
The non-bank of Facebook, AliBay, and AI: The future of global fintech March 5, 2015 The global fintech industry has seen some remarkable developments since we launched Level39 two years ago. But what of the future? I’d like to suggest two possibilities for what might happen, and challenge one that, contrary to some current thinking, I don’t think will. FACEBOOK: THE NON-BANK BANK More than any other social media platform, [...]
Mobile World Congress 2015: The eight best gadgets you need to know March 5, 2015 This week a record-breaking 92,000 people congregated in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, where the likes of Samsung and LG announced an eclectic mix of smartphones, smartwatches and even smart sofas. Here are some of the best – and weirdest – gadgets we’ve seen. 1. SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE Since the S3, Samsung’s annual [...]
Abbvie just bought one of the best pharmaceutical investments ever: Pharmacyclics’ Imbuvrica was worth just $6.6m a decade before the $21bn deal March 5, 2015 In 2006, a small US pharmaceutical company called Pharmacyclics bought a little-known cancer drug for just $6.6m (£4.3m). That same cancer drug, Imbruvica, turned out to be a better investment than anyone could ever have imagined – this morning Pharmacylics was taken over by AbbVie for $21bn, after the US pharma giant fought against rivals [...]
Upwardly mobile March 4, 2015 This week a record-breaking 92,000 people congregated in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, where the likes of Samsung and LG announced an eclectic mix of smartphones, smartwatches and even smart sofas. Here are some of the best – and weirdest – gadgets we’ve seen. KODAK IM5 Rumours of the once-giant US camera maker’s demise remain [...]
Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg’s 5 best quotes from Mobile World Congress March 4, 2015 Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has been answering audience questions at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. From issues surrounding free speech to what it takes for someone to get hired at Facebook Zuckerberg faced a mix of tough and softball questions. Here are the five best quotes from Zuckerberg's answers: 1. Answering what Facebook looks for [...]
Former Virgin exec plots telecoms bid March 4, 2015 THE MAN who engineered Virgin Media’s $24bn (£15bn) blockbuster sale to Liberty Global has unveiled ambitious plans to take advantage of frenzied deal activity in Europe’s telecoms market. Ex-Virgin Media finance boss Eamonn O’Hare’s dramatic come-back, revealed last night, will involve raising cash in London to snap up struggling telecoms assets across the continent. Along [...]
We always sniff each other after a handshake, even if we don’t realise we’re doing it March 4, 2015 Our noses are excellent guides when it comes to discerning what other people are all about – their hormones, their fear levels, whether they are suitable mates. And what better way to get a strong whiff of someone than after a handshake? During skin contact, we rub numerous chemicals on to each other's skin, leaving [...]
It’s in the genes – you’re more like your father than your mother March 3, 2015 Even if you look and behave more like your mum, inherently you're more like your dad. Research from the University of North Carolina has revealed that all mammals, humans included, have more in common genetically with their fathers than their mothers. This is because although we inherit equal amounts of genetic material from each [...]
Your gym workout can tell how long you have left to live, scientists from Johns Hopkins University claim March 3, 2015 Ever wanted to know how long you have left to live? Well, you could find out on your next workout. At least that's the claim being made by cardiologists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who say they've developed a formula to estimate your risk of dying over the next decade, based on [...]