The British Army has successfully neutralised swarms of drones in a trial of the “RapidDestroyer” — a new kind of weapon that uses high-frequency microwaves to disable critical electronic components in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), causing them to crash. The Army said it took down two swarms of eight drones during a single test at a site in West Wales. During the entire trial period, the weapon was used to “track, engage and defeat” more than 100 drones.  RapidDestroyer could be deployed in war zones across the world, including Ukraine, where drones have become ubiquitous on the battlefield. The UK’s Defence Intelligence agency estimates that Ukraine had to defend against attacks from more than 18,000 Russian drones last year.  “With improvements on range and power, which could come with further development, this would be a great asset to Layered Air Defence,” said Sergeant Mayers, who became the first British soldier to bring down drones using a radiofrequency weapon.   View the full agenda While still under development, the weapon could provide a cheaper alternative to missile-based defence systems for specific applications, like taking down large swarms of drones. The Army estimates that each microwave blast costs just £0.10 (€0.12), with one shot enough to take out several small UAVs from a maximum range of 1km.  The RapidDestroyer was transported on a truck. Credit: GOV.UK RapidDestoyer isn’t the only direct-energy weapon the UK is working on. The British Army has also carried out several tests of DragonFire, a machine that fires high-powered laser beams at aerial targets.    These developments come amid a Europe-wide push in defence tech spending, as the continent looks to better arm itself amid tensions with the US. In March 2025, EU leaders endorsed the “ReArm Europe” plan, aiming to mobilise up to £683bn (€800bn) over the next four years to enhance military capabilities. The UK government, meanwhile, has committed to raising defence spending to 2.5% of GDP and wants to spend at least 10% of its defence budget on “innovative technologies.” Defence tech is a key theme of this year’s Assembly, the invite-only policy track of TNW Conference. The event takes place on June 19 and 20 — a week before the NATO Summit arrives in Amsterdam. Tickets for TNW Conference are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 to grab an exclusive discount. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

In the midst of the trade war between the US and China, companies like Apple have been trying to find ways to avoid the crazy tariffs imposed by President Trump on imports. A report earlier this month revealed that, as part of these plans, Apple wanted to expand its assembly line in Brazil – and now the company is already assembling the new iPhone 16e in the country. iPhone 16e is now assembled in Brazil As reported by MacMagazine, Apple has been assembling the iPhone 16e in Brazil since day one. Although iPhones have been assembled in Brazil for some time now, the company used to wait a few months before starting to produce the latest iPhone locally. Now, it seems that this is no longer the case. Customers who bought the iPhone 16e in Brazil noticed the label “Assembled in Brazil – Brazilian Industry” on the box. This is also confirmed by Apple in its Brazilian online store, as the purchase URL for the iPhone 16e reveals a model number ending with “BR/A,” which is assigned to products assembled in Brazil. iPhones imported from other countries are labeled “BE/A.” Documents from Anatel, Brazil’s telecom regulator, confirm that the iPhone 16e is assembled in Brazil, China and India. In Brazil, an iPhone 16e costs around $890. However, it can already be found for $670 at retailers, which is likely due to tariff exemptions for local production. The phone starts at $600 in the US. According to a recent report, Apple is considering expanding the capacity of its facilities in Brazil in partnership with Foxconn to avoid US import tariffs on iPhones. Although the US government has announced some exclusions to Trump’s new tariffs, a recent White House document suggested that China could be hit with up to 245% tariffs by the US. Unsurprisingly, China has also increased tariffs on US products. Products from Brazil, on the other hand, have only been hit by a 10% tariff, so Apple believes it can import iPhones from Brazil rather than China. Apple reportedly flew multiple planes with iPhones and other products from India and China before the tariffs took effect. Gadgets I recommend: Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Blockchain is best known for its use in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it also holds significant applications for online authentication. As businesses in varying sectors increasingly embrace blockchain-based security tools, could the technology one day replace passwords? How blockchain works Blockchain is a secure way to maintain, encrypt, and exchange digital records of transactions. Its security benefits stem from its decentralized nature: this distributed ledger can be accessed by participants across various nodes, and is unalterable. All users retain control as a group, meaning no single person can change the ledger. How could this provide security benefits? One advantage is the ability to create a 'self-sovereign ID' that alters the way that a user identifies themselves online. Essentially, it creates a private ID for a user that they control, rather than relying on a centralized institution: they can logon to a particular website or service using their identity on the blockchain. These identities utilize cryptographic keys, rather than passwords: your private key would be used to authenticate you through verification with a corresponding public key. It could be further bolstered by two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA): for example, when logging onto your bank account. Key advantages It's easy to see how this could bring significant security advantages. We all know the dangers inherent in passwords, from phishing to simple user error: reusing the same, easy-to-guess password, for instance. With a blockchain-based authentication system, it should be possible to significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, because the decentralized nature of the technology simply removes the centralized databases that are key targets for such attacks. What advantages is this providing in the real world? There are numerous examples. For example, R3 Corda is a distributed ledger technology designed for financial services, enabling the secure exchange of data and value between parties. Such technology could be used in such areas as Know Your Customer (KYC) in finance, enabling banks and other operators to verify someone's identity without putting their privacy at risk. In healthcare, it is being used to prevent unauthorized access to medical records and to enable the secure sharing of patient data. Infosys BPM reckons that the blockchain tech market in healthcare could exceed $215 billion by the end of 2036. Challenges ahead Like any rapidly developing technology, blockchain poses challenges in the security space and beyond. Let's look at a few. Cost: Blockchain can be pricey, consuming large amounts of energy and computing power to validate transactions. The United Nations University found in 2023 that if Bitcoin was a country, it would consume more energy than Pakistan. Unfamiliar technology: Despite the growing prevalence of Bitcoin and the like, most people – and organizations – still have little idea of how blockchain actually functions. This could slow down the adoption of the technology. Legal and regulatory issues: Digital identities are a tricky area, with different jurisdictions and countries holding varying standards. That could make it difficult to build global traction. Storage requirements and scalability: Blockchains require storage, a challenge that could grow as the technology is utilized more widely. It is vital to focus on the scalability of the solution, ensuring that it delivers the speed required. Interoperability challenges: Without international standards, it's unclear how interoperability would be achieved. It's vital that identities can be verified across different devices, sectors and even international borders. The future of passwords That's not to downplay the potential of blockchain as a security tool. With its decentralized nature and use of cryptography and private and public keys, it provides huge advantages. Even challenges around power consumption, cost and regulations could be addressed as the technology expands in use. However, while no-one can predict the future, it seems highly unlikely that passwords will vanish anytime soon. Passwords offer key advantages that provide them with an enduring appeal: they're simple and universal; they're flexible as they can easily be reset; and despite the risk of hacks and breaches, they remain effective, simply because they're either right or wrong. Protect both the logon and the password Yes, they can be vulnerable. Ideally, users they will opt for multi-factor authentication, combining passwords with other security measures – this could include blockchain-based methods. Protecting both the logon with effective MFA such as Specops Secure Access works best in combination with strong password security. As long as passwords remain in use, organizations need to ensure their active directories are free of weak or compromised passwords. Specops Password Policy makes it easy to enforce a strong password policy, while also scanning your active directory for breached or compromised examples. It currently blocks more than 4 billion compromised passwords –and the list is always growing. The reality is that individuals and organizations continue to rely on passwords for security online. This fact – combined with the challenges around adopting new technologies like blockchain – mean organizations simply cannot afford to neglect password security, at least for the foreseeable future. Interested in better protection around passwords and end user logons? Get in touch to learn more. Found this article interesting? This article is a contributed piece from one of our valued partners. Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorApril 17, 20255 Min ReadTanapong Sungkaew via Alamy Stock PhotoDisinformation is on the rise as various media platforms make it easy for anyone to smear an enterprise for fun, strategic advantage, political gain, or even outright blackmail. Coping with this trend is proving to be both challenging and expensive. Disinformation is the deliberate spreading of false information with the intent to deceive or manipulate a target audience, often for political, economic or social gain, states Craig Watt, a threat intelligence consultant with cybersecurity firm Quorum Cyber. "This is different from misinformation, which is the sharing of false information without ill intent," he observes in an online interview. Disinformation can arrive in various forms, including propaganda, industrial sabotage, and conspiracy theories, says George Vlasto, head of trust and safety at Resolver, a unit of Kroll, a risk and financial advisory services firm. "The common theme is a narrative-based attack on a specific issue, entity or person," he notes via email. Disinformation Damage Disinformation can hurt an enterprise in several ways. Perhaps the most pernicious harm is reputational damage resulting from the spread of false information. "This can lead to a loss of trust among clients and partners," Watt says. "Erosion of trust can also manifest within the organization itself, affecting employee morale and productivity." Related:Direct financial losses can occur if false information is spread about a company’s financial stability, resulting in plummeting stock prices, Watt says. "Disinformation can also disrupt business operations if false information is disseminated regarding things such as supply chain issues." Specific disinformation can quickly metastasize into widespread misinformation, Vlasto warns. "If a particular piece of disinformation is widely shared by unwitting Internet users, it can rapidly become difficult to contain and may have a significant impact on brand reputation," he says. "Widely shared false allegations, even when disproved, can linger in the public imagination for a long time." A Growing Threat Disinformation is definitely on the rise, Watt says. "Technology advancements within social media and other digital platforms have made it easier to spread disinformation quickly and to a widespread demographic," he explains. "Additionally, advancements in artificial intelligence have enabled the creation of more sophisticated and convincing false content." Most ominously, disinformation is increasingly being weaponized as a tool for political and social manipulation, often by state-sponsored campaigns that aim to influence elections, destabilize societies, and undermine democratic institutions, Watt warns. Related:Protection Strategies The most effective way to protect against disinformation is to own the narrative, Vlasto states. "Monitor disinformation trends relevant to your sector and preempt these [falsehoods] with clear factual updates about your business," he says. Having a well-understood playbook in place to counter false narratives is also important, especially during significant political or business events, Vlasto says. "For example, if you're engaged in a sensitive M&A process, consider how you would respond to false information about the potential transaction," he explains. Protecting against disinformation involves a combination of awareness, critical thinking, and proactive measures, Watt says. Verify sources by checking their credibility and reputation before believing or sharing information, he suggests. "Information should also be cross-referenced across multiple reliable sources to ensure its accuracy." "Verify, verify, verify, and make sure the information is coming from the best and highest source," recommends Lisa Silverman, a senior managing director at risk and financial crimes advisory firm K2 Integrity. "If someone sends you something, ask where they got their information and, ideally, verify it through another -- hopefully an unbiased and trusted -- source." Related:If information seems truly wacky, double- and triple-check it, Silverman suggests. Yet also understand that seemingly preposterous information can sometimes be true. "We recently had a situation where a retired and very senior military officer had been reporting a piece of information about his career for about 10 years," she says. "When we undertook what we thought would be a routine verification as part of a larger project, that information turned out to be completely inaccurate." This revelation caused significant concern for the client, Silverman says, "yet the matter was eventually addressed without the public scandal that would have occurred if the facts had come out in a different way." Critical Thinking Watt advises individuals and teams to embrace critical thinking and to always be skeptical of sensational claims and clickbait headlines. "Before sharing any information, take a moment to verify its authenticity," he recommends. Sharing false information, even unintentionally, can contribute to the problem. Watt also recommends disinformation targets to report the fabrication to the operator of the platform where it was found. Vlasto believes that maintaining situational awareness is essential for spotting the migration of a narrative from the margins to the mainstream. "Like any risk mitigation strategy, the best way to deal with disinformation is at the greatest distance from your core interests," he suggests. "Don't wait until the digital barbarians are at the gate -- plan your response options in advance and ensure you have early visibility of emerging risks." Looking Forward "We can't control the intent of disinformation actors or the capabilities at their disposal," Watt acknowledges. "However, by gaining awareness of how disinformation tactics are employed, we can begin to halt the progress of these campaigns and contribute to the free sharing of legitimate content." About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

We are looking for a dynamic and results-driven Amazon Account Manager to join our partners (time zone: Europe).What You Will Do:✔️ Brand & Storefront Management: Create and develop brands, manage storefronts, and enhance brand positioning.✔️ Account Health & Performance: Monitor and maintain account health, ensuring compliance with key metrics.✔️ Product Line & Launches: Systematize the product assortment and successfully launch new products.✔️ Listing Optimization & Audits: Create new product listings, optimize existing ones, and conduct regular audits.✔️ Sales & Pricing Analysis: Track sales performance, monitor prices, and develop pricing strategies.✔️ Competitor Research: Analyze competitors and identify opportunities for growth.✔️ Inventory & Logistics: Oversee warehouse stock levels and ensure timely replenishment.✔️ Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with the design team, SEO copywriters, and Amazon PPC specialists to enhance listing performance.✔️ Promotions & Discounts: Manage Amazon promotions, coupons, and discounts to maximize sales.✔️ Financial & Sales Reporting: Handle financial reports, analyze Amazon reports, and solve account-related issues.✔️ Innovation & Growth Strategies: Research and implement new tools and strategies to drive sales growth.✔️ Data & Reporting: Maintain structured and detailed reporting documentation.What We Expect From You:✔️ 3+ years of experience as an Amazon Account Manager.✔️ Proven expertise in regulated or complex product categories, such as dietary supplements, children’s products, electronics, or cosmetics.✔️ Hands-on experience with leading Amazon analytics and seller tools, including:Helium10, Keepa, Jungle Scout, AMZ Scout, Seller Assistant App, Sellerboard, Tactical Arbitrage, Zik Analytics, Terapeak, eRank, etc.✔️ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.✔️ Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with a high level of detail orientation.✔️ Proficiency in Google tools and ability to self-learn and quickly find solutions.✔️ English proficiency (B2 -C1).Interested? Apply now and join international team.

This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. US office that counters foreign disinformation is being eliminated The only office within the US State Department that monitors foreign disinformation is to be eliminated, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, confirming reporting by MIT Technology Review. The Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI) Hub is a small office in the State Department’s Office of Public Diplomacy that tracks and counters foreign disinformation campaigns. The culling of the office leaves the State Department without a way to actively counter the increasingly sophisticated disinformation campaigns from foreign governments like those of Russia, Iran, and China. Read the full story. —Eileen Guo What is vibe coding, exactly? When OpenAI cofounder Andrej Karpathy excitedly took to X back in February to post about his new hobby, he probably had no idea he was about to coin a phrase that encapsulated an entire movement steadily gaining momentum across the world. “There’s a new kind of coding I call ‘vibe coding’, where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists," he said. “I’m building a project or webapp, but it’s not really coding—I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works.”  If this all sounds very different from poring over lines of code, that’s because Karpathy was talking about a particular style of coding with AI assistance. His words struck a chord among software developers and enthusiastic amateurs alike.  In the months since, his post has sparked think pieces and impassioned debates across the internet. But what exactly is vibe coding? Who does it benefit, and what’s its likely future? Read the full story. —Rhiannon Williams This story is the latest for MIT Technology Review Explains, our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. These four charts sum up the state of AI and energy You’ve probably read that AI will drive an increase in electricity demand. But how that fits into the context of the current and future grid can feel less clear from the headlines. A new report from the International Energy Agency digs into the details of energy and AI, and I think it’s worth looking at some of the data to help clear things up. Here are four charts from the report that sum up the crucial points about AI and energy demand.  —Casey Crownhart This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. We need targeted policies, not blunt tariffs, to drive “American energy dominance” —Addison Killean Stark President Trump and his appointees have repeatedly stressed the need to establish “American energy dominance.”  But the White House’s profusion of executive orders and aggressive tariffs, along with its determined effort to roll back clean-energy policies, are moving the industry in the wrong direction, creating market chaos and economic uncertainty that are making it harder for both legacy players and emerging companies to invest, grow, and compete. Read the full story. This story is part of Heat Exchange, MIT Technology Review’s guest opinion series, offering expert commentary on legal, political and regulatory issues related to climate change and clean energy. You can read the rest of the pieces here. MIT Technology Review Narrated: Will we ever trust robots? If most robots still need remote human operators to be safe and effective, why should we welcome them into our homes? This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which  we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The Trump administration has cancelled lifesaving aid to foreign children After Elon Musk previously promised to preserve it. (The Atlantic $)+ DOGE worker Jeremy Lewin, who dismantled USAID, has a new role. (Fortune $)+ The department attempted to embed its staff in an independent non-profit. (The Guardian)+ Elon Musk, DOGE, and the Evil Housekeeper Problem. (MIT Technology Review)2 Astronomers have detected a possible signature of life on a distant planet It’s the first time the potential for life has been spotted on a habitable planet. (NYT $)+ Maybe we should be building observatories on the moon. (Ars Technica) 3 OpenAI’s new AI models can reason with images They’re capable of integrating images directly into their reasoning process. (VentureBeat)+ But they’re still vulnerable to making mistakes. (Ars Technica)+ AI reasoning models can cheat to win chess games. (MIT Technology Review) 4 Trump’s new chip crackdown will cost US firms billionsIt’s not just Nvidia that’s set to suffer. (WP $) + But Jensen Huang isn’t giving up on China altogether. (WSJ $)+ He’s said the company follows export laws ‘to the letter.’ (CNBC)5 Elon Musk reportedly used X to search for potential mothers of his children Sources suggest he has many more children than is publicly known. (WSJ $)6 Local US cops are being trained as immigration enforcers Critics say the rollout is ripe for civil rights abuses. (The Markup)+ ICE is still bound by constitutional limits—for now. (The Conversation)7 This electronic weapon can fry drone swarms from a distanceThe RapidDestroyer uses a high-power radio frequency to take down multiple drones. (FT $) + Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone defense. (MIT Technology Review)8 TikTok is attempting to fight back against misinformationIt’s rolling out an X-style community notes feature. (Bloomberg $) 9 A deceased composer’s brain is still making music Three years after Alvin Lucier’s death, cerebral organoids made from his white blood cells are making sounds. (Popular Mechanics)+ AI is coming for music, too. (MIT Technology Review)10 This AI agent can switch personalities Depending what you need it to do. (Wired $) Quote of the day “Yayy, we get one last meal before getting on the electric chair.” —Jing Levine, who runs a party goods business with her husband that’s heavily reliant on suppliers in China, reacts to Donald Trump’s plans to pause tariffs except for China, the New York Times reports. The big story AI means the end of internet search as we’ve known it We all know what it means, colloquially, to google something. You pop a few words in a search box and in return get a list of blue links to the most relevant results. Fundamentally, it’s just fetching information that’s already out there on the internet and showing it to you, in a structured way. But all that is up for grabs. We are at a new inflection point. The biggest change to the way search engines deliver information to us since the 1990s is happening right now. No more keyword searching. Instead, you can ask questions in natural language. And instead of links, you’ll increasingly be met with answers written by generative AI and based on live information from across the internet, delivered the same way.  Not everyone is excited for the change. Publishers are completely freaked out. And people are also worried about what these new LLM-powered results will mean for our fundamental shared reality. Read the full story. —Mat Honan We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + Essential viewing: Sweden is broadcasting its beloved moose spring migration for 20 days straight.+ Fearsome warlord Babur was obsessed with melons, and frankly, I don’t blame him.+ Great news for squid fans: a colossal squid has been captured on film for the first time! 🦑+ Who stole my cheese?

Regulator commits to implementing report’s recommendations including improving workplace cultureArb has committed to implementing the recommendations of an independent commission which found too much responsibility and risk lies with architectural trainees on their route to registration. A report by the commission on professional practice experience (PPE) said too much responsibility given to trainees undermines the quality of their work experience. The study was funded by Arb after the regulator proposed removing the minimum two-year duration of PPE but decided after a consultation that this might not address the problems which arise for those looking to gain the required experience. Arb chair Alan Kershaw The report was written by a group of four commissioners, Ryder Architecture partner Peter Barker, associate professor at the Bartlett Felicity Atekpe, former Liberal Democrat adviser Polly Mackenzie and chaired by former Sheffield Hallam University vice-chair Chris Husbands. Arb has confirmed it will implement the report’s three headline recommendations to significantly improve workplace culture, ensure learning providers co-ordinate trainees’ acquisition of competency outcomes and to remove constraints to flexibility and innovation across the profession. However, the regulator said it is yet to make detailed decisions on how to approach individual actions, and said it will announce next steps this summer. Some actions recommended in the report include requiring all architects to undertake CPD on mentoring and deepening links between employers and education providers. It also called for Arb to describe individuals who are in initial education and training as “trainee architects”, and to set minimum standards for a new streamlined and standardised Record of Competency. Arb chair Alan Kershaw said: “The Commission’s evidence is extensive in demonstrating that too much responsibility and risk lies with trainees on their route to registration, that this is not fair nor efficient, and that it must change.  “Its report provides a compelling vision for how to improve the experience of those trainees and the opportunities to create that change. Such a transformation will be fundamental to how future architects achieve the competencies they need to deliver high quality architecture.  “We are grateful to the commissioners for the clear path they have set out for us now to consider and progress.”  Husbands added: “This report is the result of extensive engagement with a variety of stakeholders, and it reflects a shared recognition that we must do more to support trainees on their journey to becoming architects.  “The current system places too much burden on individuals, and change is both necessary and possible. Our recommendations offer a practical roadmap for reform - one that requires commitment and collaboration from all parts of the sector. We’re encouraged by ARB’s positive response and look forward to seeing this work progress.”

Leeds University Source:&nbsp Shutterstock The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has approved three ‘new-style’ master’s qualifications at the University of Leeds, which are not based on Parts 1-3 The courses are the first to be green lit since the ARB proposed reforming architectural education by moving away from Parts 1 to 3 and scrapping the requirement for a minimum two years of professional practical experience.  The University of Leeds will offer a two-year MArch course, whereby students must meet the ARB’s competency outcomes, as well as two five-year integrated architecture and engineering courses. One of the courses includes a paid year-long industrial placement.  Students of the five-year integrated masters will receive an MArch and an MEng, meaning they will be able to become registered professional architects, civil and structural engineers or building services engineers.Advertisement However, while graduates of the course will have met the ARB's Academic Outcomes, they will still need to meet its Practice Outcomes before being able to register as an architect. All three University of Leeds courses have been approved by the regulator’s accreditation committee, but will only be formally confirmed following a statutory advisory consultation with relevant professional bodies. The courses will open for direct entry and internal transfer from September 2025.  ARB chair Alan Kershaw said: ‘We’re thrilled to see the first new-style degrees reach this stage of the accreditation process, including two integrated qualifications that will take students from their undergraduate degree through to a master’s that meets our academic outcomes.  ‘This represents real progress in our work to modernise architectural education and training, and shows how innovative learning providers can make the most of the flexibility opened up by ARB’s education reforms.’ Advertisement University of Leeds architecture lead Justin Lunn said: ‘[Our] new integrated programmes … are the realisation of a long-held vision to create a unified approach to education with a goal to produce graduates who have expertise across disciplines, allowing them to be more effective and collaborative professionals from the beginning of their career.  ‘We’d been at an advanced stage of planning for Part 2 as an addition to our Part 1 course when ARB’s education reforms were announced, and we realised that they were an opportunity to implement an improved offer.’ RIBA board chair Jack Pringle commented: ‘We are clear that creating new, more flexible and affordable routes to becoming an architect is a must, to ensure the profession is inclusive and representative of more sections of society. ‘Widening access to architecture also helps maintain the skills and talent pipeline to meet future housing and infrastructure needs, so we very much welcome new integrated courses. ‘We are particularly keen to see the development of a five-year admission to registration route emerging as a viable educational model, and will work with schools and the ARB to support this development. ‘We also look forward to working with schools of architecture to ensure that all new routes to the register work for students, universities and employers alike.’ 2025-04-17 Will Ing comment and share

Amid a pause before a possible trade war, an expert weighs in on what consumers may see and pay in the near future.

April 17, 20253 min readNorth America May Be Dripping Away Deep under the MidwestA long-lost slab of Earth’s crust may be pulling away the bottom of the oldest part of North America, scientists sayBy Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson Victor Josan/Alamy Stock PhotoSomething very strange appears to be happening deep, deep beneath the Midwest and Ohio Valley.North America’s geological core has persisted for billions of years—it’s what scientists call a craton, a massive block of continental rock that withstands the natural recycling system of plate tectonics. Typically, scientists think of cratons as unchanging, nigh on eternal. But new research published on March 28 in Nature Geoscience suggests that a long-lost geological plate may be siphoning rock from the bottom of the North American craton, eroding it from below, right under our feet.Such a scenario would not be unprecedented—scientists have evidence that the North China craton thinned dramatically millions of years ago—but it would certainly be surprising and intriguing to study in real time. “Cratons are the oldest cores of continents, so they have been sitting near the Earth’s surface for billions of years,” says Claire Currie, a geophysicist at the University of Alberta, who was not involved in the new research. “They’ve persisted through time, so this is quite unusual.”On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The scientists behind the new research had no intention of finding an eroding craton, according to study co-author Junlin Hua, a geophysicist at the University of Science and Technology of China. The team merely wanted to apply a new, more precise analysis technique to the data gathered by North America’s rich network of more than 6,000 seismometers in hope of seeing the continent in more detail than ever before.The work relied on the seismometer network’s observations of more than 200 earthquakes, each of which produced multiple types of seismic waves. These waves are affected in specific ways by changes in the material they pass through—for example, there are particular effects when that material is relatively cold or warm or strong or weak. By analyzing the waves, scientists can reverse engineer a map of Earth’s innards, Hua says. And the researchers sought to conduct this work in a way that would account for every wiggle in the trove of seismic data, a laborious process.A map produced by the authors ofa new study in Nature Geoscience shows the relative seismic velocity of material that is 200 kilometers below Earth’s surface and located around the base of the North American craton. Cratons are characterized by high seismic velocity. On this map, blue represents rock through which seismic waves travel faster; red represents rock through which seismic waves travel more slowly. The black dashed line outlines the borders of the North American craton.Nature Geoscience, Hua et al.It was months into the analysis when Hua started to recognize that the work was turning up something surprising. The craton itself looked normal enough: a slab of dense rock, about 200 kilometers thick, through which seismic waves traveled relatively fast—what scientists refer to as high-seismic-velocity material—that abruptly transitioned to material with lower seismic velocity as the craton gave way to younger rock.But beneath part of the craton—underneath much of the Midwest and Ohio Valley—something strange was happening. Here, a patchy pattern of material with that same high seismic velocity sagged to a depth of nearly 600 kilometers, almost to the lower mantle. Those measurements, Hua says, suggest that in this area, North America’s craton is dripping downward into the mantle in a way he and his colleagues didn’t expect and couldn’t quite explain.What got them unstuck was considering a relic of geological history that lies hidden below North America: remains of the Farallon plate. This was an oceanic plate that stretched between the Pacific and North American plates some 100 million years ago, when the dinosaurs were at their peak. Most of the Farallon plate was eventually shoved beneath North America. Its remnants linger in the lower mantle, some 800 kilometers below Earth’s surface, and indeed showed up in the cross sections of seismic velocities that Hua and his colleagues made.A diagram demonstrates the researchers’ theory for what’s happening underneath the North American craton. The material in the map shown above sits near the top of the areas illustrated in this diagram,where the layer labeled “Cratonic lithosphere” bulges downward into the upper mantle. The Farallon slab (purple), sinks down through the lower mantle. Between the two stretches a relatively narrow region where cratonic material is dripping down, fed by horizontal movement at the base of the entire craton.Nature Geoscience, Hua et al.When the scientists used computer modeling to test theories of what could pull cratonic material downward, the Farallon slab was key: drips formed only when the slab was incorporated into the model. Hua calls the slab “a big sinker” that pulls material off the craton and down into Earth.Right now, Currie says, this is just a hypothesis—but one that she calls “intriguing.” Currie would like to see other signals of the cratonic drip—for example, is the surface of Earth being pulled down at all over this region? She would also like to see stronger explanations for how the craton gets pulled down into material denser than it is because it ought to float above such material.Still, the research is a surprising glimpse of activity in an environment that scientists have long considered unchanging, Hua says. “The continent is not something static,” he says. “It has a dynamic component.”