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Imperial researchers report early-but-serious results for a psychedelic-assisted depression treatment, while UK scientists kick off about research funding uncertainty. After the break, it’s the “update your browser right now” Chrome zero-day, a fresh Artemis II countdown rehearsal date from NASA, and in gaming, John Wick steps out in a suit and into an untitled new action game. Plus: Apple tees up a 4 March event, so your next phone upgrade might want to calm down for a minute. More on all of it at standard.co.uk — and follow for your weekday briefing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government’s proposing a first-ever official Thames bathing spot at Ham and Kingston — which is either progress or the start of a new kind of group chat argument. Then: the UK moves to pull AI chatbots into the Online Safety net, with child-safety rules catching up to fast-moving tech. Also, Oxford researchers find public support for health-data sharing for AI is real — but only if the safeguards are, too. After the break, MIT shows off computing that uses waste heat instead of electricity, Google warns the EU about building “tech sovereignty” walls, and in gaming, 007 First Light drops a new story trailer. We finish with Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 earbuds — priced like a Zone 1 lunch, but aimed straight at your commute. For more on all of it, head to standard.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

King’s College London says loose fabric can track movement better than skin-tight sensors, meaning your next health tracker might be… a shirt button. Then we’ve got the UK pushing telecoms giants to bin surprise mid-contract price hikes (about time), plus Microsoft scrambling to patch Windows and Office bugs that hackers are already exploiting. After that: China tests new Moon-mission hardware, and Silent Hill fans get a late-night update. More on all of it at standard.co.uk — and hit follow so you don’t miss the next one! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TfL’s talking upgrades for 2026 — the sort that decides whether your commute is “fine” or “character-building”. Over in the US, Instagram’s “endless scroll” is being argued over in court, while Samsung confirms Galaxy Unpacked for 25 February, and Steam quietly tries to stop Early Access from promising the moon. More at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TfL starts trialling new bus shelter designs across the city — brighter, safer, and hopefully less bleak in the rain. Then the UK competition regulator gets Apple and Google to commit to fairer app store rules, before we head to Exeter where scientists are gene-editing wax moths to speed up infection research and tackle antimicrobial resistance. After the break: an ancient fossil find that rewrites early plant-eaters on land, a fresh Helldivers 2 update, and a quick word for iPhone owners if iOS is acting up. More at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Tech and Science Daily from The Standard: the UK sets out new measures aimed at protecting universities from foreign interference, as concerns grow about pressure on researchers and sensitive collaboration. Plus, a record-setting DDoS attack is linked to the AISURU/Kimwolf botnet — a reminder that insecure everyday devices can end up powering serious cyber disruption. And in gaming, Sony confirms a 60+ minute State of Play landing this week, with major updates expected for the PS5 slate. We also look to science, with new research pointing to an empty lava tube beneath Venus, and a fresh method for measuring energy loss in nanoscale systems that could help shape future electronics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're kicking the week off by reverse-engineering spider silk like it’s no big deal. We’ve got King’s College scientists explaining the tiny “molecular stickers” that help make nature’s toughest fibres… After the break, OpenAI launches Frontier — the latest attempt to turn “AI agents” into something your workplace can actually deploy — plus a gaming exclusivity wrinkle with Nioh 3 and a consumer gadget that looks.... interesting. More at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Al’s back with your London-first tech and science sprint. Sutton just waved through a £1bn expansion of the London Cancer Hub — yes, it’s labs, but also somehow a pub and padel court. Then we hit the UK’s Data (Use and Access) Act updates landing today, before a quick detour into a promising new CAR-T-style cancer treatment result (mouse-mode, but still exciting). After the break: NASA’s Artemis II timing, Nintendo’s Partner Showcase, and Google teasing the Pixel 10a with UK pre-orders locked for 18 Feb. More at standard.co.uk — and follow for your weekday briefing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today: a Lancet study puts an AI stethoscope through its paces in 205 London GP surgeries — aiming to catch serious heart conditions earlier. The government’s dropped a brand-new National Cancer Plan for England, with big survival targets and big promises. Plus, the International AI Safety Report 2026 lands with fresh warnings about deepfakes and rising risk… before we lighten it up with a next-gen Xbox timeline tease and a look at the Fairphone 6, built for people who’d rather repair than replace. More at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Brave New World, Evgeny is joined by psychologist, author, and researcher Dr Jim Fadiman, a central figure in the modern understanding of psychedelics, who also goes by the “father of microdosing”. Drawing on decades of research and thousands of user reports, the conversation traces the history of psychedelics - from early scientific study in the 1950s and 60s, through prohibition, to today’s renewed interest in clinical and psychiatric settings. Jim discusses why most formal research has focused on high doses, how observational reports have shaped microdosing research, where evidence is strongest and still emerging. Evgeny and Jim look ahead to the future of psychedelics in medicine, the balance between scientific caution and public interest, and what a first step might look like for someone curious but sceptical. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Leers is on with your weekday tech-and-science fix from London. Today: a new Imperial-led study asks if Boots and Tesco loyalty card data — from consenting volunteers — could help spot early cancer warning signs sooner. Plus, why handwriting is making a comeback (yes, really), Valheim celebrates five years of Viking chaos, and Notepad++ issues a sobering reminder that software updates need proper security behind them. For more, hit standard.co.uk — and follow Tech and Science Daily so you’re never the last to know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Leer is on mic in London, and today’s briefing is basically: cleaner transport, messier politics, and the internet doing internet things. West Ealing to Greenford becomes the unlikely star of the show as a battery-only train starts carrying passengers. Then it’s a UK science funding wobble, before we head online: Google says it’s smashed a massive proxy network, and an antivirus update story proves reality still writes the worst plot twists. In gaming, Apex Legends gives the original Switch an expiry date, and Apple quietly keeps older iPhones on life support — because not everyone’s upgrading every year, are they? More at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TfL’s flirting with the idea of dragging the Overground out to Stevenage — because apparently we’re collecting Hertfordshire now. The Online Safety Act hits a new phase as Pornhub says it’ll block new UK users unless they verify their age, and we look at the bigger question everyone’s dodging: what happens when “free” telly (Freeview) starts to look like an expensive legacy network with a 2034 off-switch looming? After the break, there’s slick global science with a quantum “refrigerator” that turns noise into something useful, a supply-chain cyber story that proves your vendor’s problems become your problems, plus a quick hit of gaming fixes and phone-world chaos — including Nothing taking a rare year off the flagship treadmill. More over at standard.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ starts trialling AI plus robot-guided tools to speed up lung cancer diagnosis — less waiting, more answers. Up the country, the MoD pushes forward “wingman drones” designed to fly alongside Apache helicopters, because 2026 is really leaning into the sci-fi timeline. Then we swerve hard into gaming: Terraria drops its massive Bigger and Boulder update, Steam owner Valve gets pulled into a huge UK lawsuit over pricing and commissions, and Sony adds PS5 read receipts — so now your mates can see you’re ignoring them. More at standard.co.uk — and don’t forget to follow for your next weekday hit! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the NHS is eyeing drones to move urgent pathology samples across south-west London — because the South Circular simply cannot be trusted. We’ve also got a new Oxford estimate putting a chunky price tag on how cold snaps and heat spikes quietly strain the NHS, plus a battery-recycling method that tries to do three jobs at once. Then it’s a quick hop into gaming with Arc Raiders’ latest roadmap, before Apple drops a new AirTag that’s trying to be better at finding your stuff — and worse at finding other people. More on all of it at standard.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.