Science

THE WORLD'S first space hotel will open its doors to cash-flushed guests from 2027. The Voyager Class space station will host up to 400 people and feature bars, cinemas, restaurants and even a gym. Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC), the US company behind the bonkers project, has announced that it will begin construction in 2025. The station will be a large metal ring built in orbit around Earth that will rotate to generate artificial gravity. Pods attached to the outside of the station can be hired out by tourists as well as scientists working on space research. "The station will be designed from the start to accommodate both national space agencies conducting low gravity research and space tourists who want to experience life on a large space station with the comfort of low gravity and the feel of a nice hotel," according to the OAC website. Construction costs have yet to be revealed by the company, which is based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. According to … [Read more...] about World’s first SPACE hotel opening in 2027 with bars, gym and room for 400 guests

Here are the key points from Chancellor Rishi Sunak's budget speech: • Economy expected to return to pre-COVID levels by the middle of next year, six months earlier than previously thought • GDP growth forecast for this year downgraded to 4% (from 5.5%) according to Office for Budget Responsibility • Unemployment expected to peak at 6.5% • Forecasts show government borrowing reaching £355bn in 2020/21, of 17% of the national income - the highest level since the Second World War. For 2021/22 it climbs to £234bn, 10.3% of GDP. • Debt is set to peak at 97.1% of GDP in 2023-24. • An additional £65bn in spending in response to coronavirus takes total fiscal support to £407bn • £1.6bn will go towards continuing the vaccine roll-out and improving future preparedness • Chancellor confirms furlough scheme will be extended until the end of September, with the government paying 80% of salary though employers will asked to put in 10% from July and 20% from August • Help for … [Read more...] about Budget 2021 key points: What was announced in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s speech?

A brain injury charity is hoping for a "cultural change" in how head injuries are treated in sport as MPs launch an inquiry into links with neurodegenerative disease. It comes amid claims the scope of the inquiry does not go far enough, "neglecting issues" at school and youth level. The sporting world also continues to learn of players and competitors who have been diagnosed with dementia , including members of the triumphant 1966 England World Cup football squad . In one study published in 2019, footballers were found to be three-and-a-half times more likely to die of a neurodegenerative disease than people of a similar age. Peter McCabe, chief executive of the charity Headway, will appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee on 9 March to give evidence to the parliamentary inquiry into the link between sport and long-term brain injury. Advertisement He said: "Increased scrutiny from this influential cross-party group of … [Read more...] about Brain injury charity hopes for ‘cultural change’ as inquiry examines link between sport and dementia

The budget doesn't just have ramifications on the Treasury - other parts of the economy will feel the effects of the announcements for months and years to come. Taking a look at specific policies, Sky's specialist correspondents have broken down what Rishi Sunak 's headline speech means in their areas. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Budget 2021: What did Rishi Sunak announce? Get more live budget updates here Sunak wants to stave off unemployment and give confidence to businesses By Paul Kelso, business correspondent Advertisement Like the rest of us, Rishi Sunak probably wanted to look forward to life after COVID , but the continued grip of the virus on the UK did not give him, or us, that luxury. So this Budget was most significant for being yet another emergency statement, committing £65bn to broadly extend state support to business and individuals for another seven months to … [Read more...] about Budget 2021: Climate, health and culture – what are the wider impacts of the budget?

ROBLOX is finally going to add voice chat to the game – after years of only offering text. Here's a quick guide on everything we know about the upgrade so far. What is Roblox voice chat? Roblox is a wildly popular "building" game like Minecraft. Until now, players could only communicate via text – but that's about to change. "Text chat is the core of Roblox communication today," said Roblox engineering chief Adam Miller. "In the future, we expect to open up communication through safe voice chat." There's no official release date for voice chat. Is Roblox voice chat safe? While most fans are happy about voice chat, there are some concerns around safety for younger players. We still don't have all the details on how the system works. Until then, it's impossible to say if it's safe for youngsters. And arguably no online communication system is truly ever safe – for kids or adults. But Roblox is at least thinking about safety, security and privacy. … [Read more...] about Is Roblox adding voice chat? Release date and fan reaction