Corvex Management raised its investment in energy firm Southwest Gas. Starboard Value bought more shares of electric utility Algonquin Power.

Apple is preparing a new update that will bring a host of new features to the iPhone. Some of the tools were announced in June, when Apple first showed off its major iOS 17 update, such as the long-awaited Journal app. That uses machine learning to understand what people have done in a day, and encourages them to write about their activities to remember them. Some are unexpected. That includes new updates to the iPhone 15 Pro’s action button: now, users can press the button to bring up a translate option, which shows a window and lets people speak text to have it appear in another language. The action button was introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro last month, as a replacement for the mute switch that can be mapped to any activity. Apple did not say then that it was planning to introduce new actions for that button. The new update also lets people add stickers as reactions on messages, collaborate on Apple Music playlists, redesigns the Apple TV app and some widgets, and more. iOS 17.2 was released as a developer beta update this week. It will likely make its way to everyone’s phones in November or December, though it will be possible to get it earlier by signing up to Apple’s public beta channel. Those on the public updates received their own update this week, in the form iOS 17.1. But the changes introduced with that update are more limited, such as new settings for the StandBy mode that shows when a phone is placed on its side and an AirDrop feature that lets transfers continue over the internet when devices are separated. Read More The Apple Watch feature everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived Apple’s plans for the future of AirPods might just have been revealed Apple TV+ and other subscriptions are about to get a lot more expensive

Scientists have spotted an infrared aurora on Uranus that could help us find alien life. On Earth, aurorae are best known in the form of the northern lights, when bright light streaks across the sky. Uranus also has its own aurora – though it is not visible in the same way, because of the different atmosphere on that planet. Researchers have known about ultraviolet aurorae on Uranus since 1986. But now scientists have confirmed there are infrared aurorae on the distant planet, too. Scientists hope that the findings could help explain the magnetic fields of other planets in our solar system. And it could help us find out whether distant planets support alien life. Aurorae happen when charged particles arrive at a planet and hit its atmosphere, brought down through its magnetic field lines. To better understand those on Uranus, researchers analysed the light from the planet and watched for a specific charged particle that changes brightness depending on how how it is and how dense the atmosphere is, so that it can be used as a thermometer. The researchers found that the density of that particle significantly increased, which suggests they are being ionised by an infrared aurorae, they say. Scientists hope that will inform our understanding of other, similar planets, as well as which worlds might be suitable for alien life. “The temperature of all the gas giant planets, including Uranus, are hundreds of degrees Kelvin/Celsius above what models predict if only warmed by the sun, leaving us with the big question of how these planets are so much hotter than expected? One theory suggests the energetic aurora is the cause of this, which generates and pushes heat from the aurora down towards the magnetic equator,” said Emma Thomas from the University of Leicester, who was lead author on the new study. “A majority of exoplanets discovered so far fall in the sub-Neptune category, and hence are physically similar to Neptune and Uranus in size. This may also mean similar magnetic and atmospheric characteristics too. By analysing Uranus’s aurora which directly connects to both the planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere, we can make predictions about the atmospheres and magnetic fields of these worlds and hence their suitability for life. “This paper is the culmination of 30 years of auroral study at Uranus, which has finally revealed the infrared aurora and begun a new age of aurora investigations at the planet. Our results will go on to broaden our knowledge of ice giant auroras and strengthen our understanding of planetary magnetic fields in our solar system, at exoplanets and even our own planet.” The findings might also help explain a mysterious phenomenon on Earth known as geomagnetic reversal, where the north and south pole switch around. Scientists still know very little about that rare phenomenon, and how it might affect things such as satellites and communications. That process happens every day on Uranus, however. Researchers hope they can use its aurorae to get better data on the nature of that reversal – and what might happen if Earth has one, too. The findings are described in a new paper, ‘Detection of the infrared aurora at Uranus with Keck-NIRSPEC’, published in Nature Astronomy. Read More People don’t know their Uranus from Eridanus when it comes to astronomy Scientists find surprise ‘layer’ underneath surface of Mars Scientists see huge explosion in space – and it could explain life

OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, have formed a new group to prepare for the “catastrophic risks” of artificial intelligence. The “Preparedness” team will aim to “track, evaluate, forecast and protect against catastrophic risks”, the company said. Those risks include artificial intelligence being used to craft powerful persuasive messages, to endanger cybersecurity and to be used in nuclear and other kinds of weapons. The team will also work against “autonomous replication and adaptation”, or ARA – the danger that an AI would gain the power to be able to copy and change itself. “We believe that frontier AI models, which will exceed the capabilities currently present in the most advanced existing models, have the potential to benefit all of humanity,” OpenAI said. “But they also pose increasingly severe risks.” Avoiding those dangerous situations will mean building frameworks to predict and then protect people against the dangerous capabilities of new artificial intelligence systems, OpenAI said. That will be one of the tasks of the new team. At the same time, OpenAI launched a new “Preparedness Challenge”. That encourages people to think about “the most unique, while still being probable, potentially catastrophic misuse of the model” such as using it to shut down power grids, for instance. Particularly good submissions of ideas for the malicious uses of artificial intelligence will win credits to use on OpenAI’s tools, and the company suggested that some of those people could be hired to the team. It will be led by Aleksander Madry, an AI expert from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, OpenAI said. OpenAI revealed the new team as part of its contribution to the UK’s AI Safety Summit, which will happen next week. OpenAI was one of a range of companies that have made commitments on how it will ensure the safe use of artificial intelligence. Read More WhatsApp update will change how you log in forever ChatGPT creator quietly changes core values from ‘thoughtful’ to ‘scrappy’

Exxon Mobil Corp. has never talked specifically about its lithium plans, because they’re still in very early stages.

Your brain doesn’t work the same when you speak to someone on Zoom, scientists have confirmed. Neural signalling is significantly less when chatting to someone through a video call rather than having a face-to-face conversation, the new study found. When researchers watched the brain of someone talking in real life, they found that there was a detailed and complex system of neurological activity. On Zoom, however, that was dramatically less. It suggests that there is still something fundamentally lacking about speaking with someone online. People’s faces are not able to light up people’s brains in the same way, the researchers suggest. That is something of a surprise: current models suggest that the brain should process people’s faces in the same way whether they are on Zoom or in real life, given the features of them are the same. But the new study suggests that there really is something fundamentally different between the two contexts. “In this study we find that the social systems of the human brain are more active during real live in-person encounters than on Zoom,” said Joy Hirsch, a Yale professor who was the lead author on the new study. “Zoom appears to be an impoverished social communication system relative to in-person conditions.” To find that, researchers studied people’s brains in real time as well as looking at other signals, such as where people’s eyes moved. As well as increased neural activity, the researchers found that people’s eyes hovered for longer on the real faces, for instance. The two people’s brains also seemed to be more co-ordinated. That suggests that there are more social cues being shared between the two people, they said. “Overall, the dynamic and natural social interactions that occur spontaneously during in-person interactions appear to be less apparent or absent during Zoom encounters,” Professor Hirsch said. “This is a really robust effect.” The study suggests that face-to-face encounters remain very important, even as technology companies and others come up with new ways for us to interact with people remotely, the authors said. “Online representations of faces, at least with current technology, do not have the same ‘privileged access’ to social neural circuitry in the brain that is typical of the real thing,” said Professor Hirsch. The findings are described in a new paper, ‘Separable Processes for Live “In-Person” and Live “Zoom-like” Faces’, published in Imaging Neuroscience. Read More The Apple Watch feature everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived Scientists find surprise ‘layer’ underneath surface of Mars Apple’s plans for the future of AirPods might just have been revealed

Germany’s Economy Ministry is prepared to support Siemens Energy AG because it sees the company as a strategic

It's Halloween season and while some might believe they have a haunted house, a charity has warned it is more likely that the ghastly goings-on are actually to do with dangerous electrical faults. Experts are warning that typical experiences associated with haunted houses could present a much more scary reality, leaving your home exposed to a fire. Flickering lights and green slime oozing from the walls may sound like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie but are far more likely to be explained by electrical faults linked to wiring, than any ghoulish ghost. “We’re all familiar with scenes in horror movies where the lights constantly flicker and trip,” explained Richard Harvey, electrical installation safety engineer at Electrical Safety First. “But the reality is far more scary than any ghost. Flickering lights or bulbs that keep blowing are likely caused by a loose connection in your wiring rather than the supernatural.” Green slime oozing from plug sockets is also a warning to look out for this spooky season. “A green goo-like substance oozing from your plug sockets is far more likely to be linked to deteriorating wiring than a mutant invasion,” Harvey added. “When green goo appears, it can adversely affect protective components within your socket and leave you exposed to risk of electric shock in the future. It is mostly seen in wiring predating 1960 and is a chemical reaction between the plastic and copper.” The consequences of faulty electrics can be far more frightening than a property plagued by the paranormal, leaving your home exposed to fire and those living in it at serious risk. “A far more effective way of tackling these ghostly signs isn’t to call the Ghostbusters,” Harvey noted. “A competent and registered electrician will be able to rid your home of any potentially dangerous electrical faults to ensure your property is safe.” Blood-curdling fines of up to £30,000 may be issued to private landlords in England who do not ensure their property is inspected once every five years under legislation introduced in 2021. Living in an unsafe home can be far more frightening than any horror film. Whilst most landlords provide good and safe accommodation for renters, rogue landlords face hefty fines if they actively neglect to comply with the laws. Electrical Safety First recommends using a competent and registered electrician to undertake an electrical safety inspection on your property. Landlords and households can find a registered electrician using the charity’s Find an Electrician tool. Households are also warned to be aware of a change of smell in the home. Whilst movies associate unusual smells including sulphur, with ghostly goings on, strong smells, similar to that of fish, could be burning plastic on plug sockets. Six signs your house is haunted by dodgy electrics Lights that continue to blow or flicker – If you’re constantly finding yourself in the dark, there is a possibility a loose connection is at fault rather than a ghost. An unpleasant smell similar to fish – Whilst unpleasant smells such as sulphur are often associated with hauntings, an unwelcome smell, similar to fish, can often be associated with the burning smell of sockets or plastic. Don’t overlook it, report it immediately to your landlord. Green goo oozing from the sockets – Unlikely a mutant invasion and more likely a chemical reaction linked to old wiring that can adversely affect protective components in your sockets. Yellow sockets – If your plug sockets are yellowing or discolouring in any way, this could be a sign of overheating and a possible risk of fire waiting to happen. Cracked or broken sockets and switches – Whilst this may seem like a small inconvenience, it is often indicative that the property has not been checked and further much bigger faults could be present. The electricity keeps tripping – If your electrics continue to trip the reality is far more concerning than the paranormal. Tripping electrics are an indicator that your circuits are overloaded or that the wiring in the property is deteriorating. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Exxon Mobil Corp. boosted dividends more than expected and posted a surprise cash flow increase, reaping the benefits

Investors face a growing risk that climate change will result in a sudden loss of value, with existing

It’s been a brutal year for the developers of Kariba, one of the planet’s largest carbon projects. That

Tinder has introduced a feature that allows friends and family to take full control of your dating life – well, kind of. Dating debriefs with friends are a given with 75 per cent of singles admitting to discussing their dating life several times a month. Now, with Tinder Matchmaker, the platform is giving your nearest and dearest a say in the matter by allowing them to take over your profile and check out hopeful potentials. It works by inviting others, regardless of whether they have a Tinder profile or not, to view and suggest dates. But ultimately, the main user has the final say. "For years, singles have asked their friends to help find their next match on Tinder, and now we're making that so easy with Tinder Matchmaker," Melissa Hobley, Chief Marketing Officer at Tinder said. She continued: "Tinder Matchmaker brings your circle of trust into your dating journey and helps you see the possibilities you might be overlooking from the perspective of those closest to you." The popular dating app has partnered with rapper Coi Leray to bring the feature to life. "Handing your phone over to the friend group was the original vibe check. Obviously you want your friends to like whoever you’re crushing on, and Tinder Matchmaker is a fun way to get the bestie seal of approval even before the match," the 'Players' rapper said. Intrigued? Here's how to try out Tinder Matchmaker for yourself: A Tinder Matchmaker session can be started directly from a profile card, or within app settings. Users can share their unique link with up to 15 friends in a 24 hour period. After following the link, the matchmaker can either log in to Tinder or continue as a guest (after completing an age verification prompt and agreeing to Tinder’s terms as outlined). Matchmakers have 24 hours to play cupid before the session expires, where they can recommend profiles for the Tinder user but won’t be able to chat or send messages on their behalf. Once the session expires, Tinder users will have the opportunity to review the profiles their matchmakers’ Like for them. Profiles that received a Like from a matchmaker will be marked as a “recommendation” (profiles sent a Nope won’t change). The Tinder user still makes the final call on who to Like - but now knows who their friends are rooting for. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.