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Fertility startup ‘rejuvenates’ human eggs to boost chances of conception


German biotech startup Ovo Labs has developed new technologies to “rejuvenate” human eggs, potentially boosting the chances of conception.  The therapeutics are designed to enhance in vitro fertilisation (IVF), one of the most transformative advances in reproductive medicine. The first baby was born via IVF more than 40 years ago. Since then, the technology has helped millions of women get pregnant. However, IVF can put significant emotional, psychological, and financial strain on patients. It is often unsuccessful on the first attempt. Some try multiple times without success. For many, IVF ultimately does not lead to parenthood. Ovo Labs wants to…

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Boaty McBoatface submarine takes NATO-backed quantum tech underwater


UK startup Aquark Technologies has used Boaty McBoatface — the internet’s best-loved submarine — to test its quantum sensing technology underwater for the first time. The NATO-backed company put its so-called “cold atom” system inside the autonomous submarine. Boaty McBoatface then descended to the bottom of a giant indoor tank at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton. The idea was to test how Aquark’s quantum tech — which must be completely isolated from external disturbances to function — would fare in the temperatures and pressures of an underwater environment.  Boaty Mcboatface with its quantum payload being lowered into the…

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Lawtech startup Noxtua upgrades ‘sovereign legal AI’ amid ‘volatile’ geopolitics


Berlin-based startup Xayn has rebranded itself after its flagship product, “Noxtua” — a “sovereign European legal AI” aimed at law professionals.  Alongside its new name, Noxtua has secured €80.7mn in funding to refine its AI models and expand to new markets.  The lead investor in the round was C.H.Beck, one of Germany’s oldest publishing houses. Noxtua will use the firm’s database of over 55 million law-related documents to train a new AI model called Beck-Noxtua.  Beck-Noxtua will join Noxtua’s suite of AI models, which work a bit like ChatGPT. However, unlike more general-purpose chatbots, all of the company’s models are…

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‘Electrotech’ can cut Europe’s reliance on fossil fuel imports, report finds


Europe can dramatically cut its dependence on imported fossil fuels by adopting electricity-based technologies, according to a new report. Electric vehicles, heat pumps, and renewables could cut global reliance on imported fossil fuels by 70% when used to replace them in transport, heating, and power, according to energy think tank Ember. The think tank refers to this trio of technologies as “electrotech.” Replacing imported fossil fuels with these three key levers would save importers $1.3 trillion (€1.14 trillion) globally each year, Ember said. Cutting reliance on US, Russian fossil fuels Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 exposed one of Europe’s…

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Fusion energy could be ‘decisive building block’ for Europe’s energy security


Highly dependent on imported fossil fuels and renewable energy technologies from foreign powers such as the US, China, and Russia, Europe’s energy security is in a precarious state. One potential fix? Harnessing nuclear fusion — the same atom-colliding reaction that powers the Sun and stars. While not yet proven commercially, fusion energy could provide Europe with a vital source of safe, locally produced, always-on clean power. Another plus is that future fusion power plants will likely run on abundant fuels like deuterium and tritium, which aren’t confined to specific geographies. Francesco Sciortino, co-founder and CEO of German startup Proxima Fusion,…

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