Despite the fact that Ransomware has been around for some time, software giants like Microsoft keep releasing updates and software that include vulnerabilities. Customers are helpless because they cannot see the software code to see if the products they buy are faulty. Should not companies that let the thieves in, be held responsible?

There is surprisingly little information and debate on how to electrify our roads. If all cars become electric, how much electricity will be needed, how is it produced and distributed?

Mass death of bees has led to loss of productivity in farmed crops as they do not pollinate the way they used to. To bee or not to bee is ecologically a larger question than this. Recent studies show that a chemical cocktail from farming including pesticides and insecticides has spread to wild flora as well. It is possible that future farming will have to become organic to continue.

In 2016 a massive cyber attack was carried out by code that was stored in compromised Internet connected devices such as security cameras. As The Internet of Things expands to our homes, the likelihood of our devices being hacked is a real concern. Every connected home will need a sturdy firewall, but how many will think about it when buying a WiFi coffee machine?

A large ice berg twice the size of Wales is expected to break off from the Antarctica. Ice Bergs calve off from glaciers occasionally. The concern is whether this one to break off from Larsen C Ice Shelf will mean that the glacier will start to retreat. Rising sea levels may be a reality sooner than predicted due to record warm years. Rapidly melting Greenland ice suggests a point of no return.

Stanford University researchers have developed a semiconductor that is flexible and biodegradable. Made of cellulose and non toxic materials, this invention could be a solution to electronic waste.

Icelandic linguists are concerned of the future of their language, as the software behind Internet of Things and smartphone apps are likely not to speak Icelandic. If households speak English to their fridges and mobiles, will smaller language groups survive in the long run?

The Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrency Bitcoin. It is one of the most discussed emerging technologies by the financial sector and seen as the next technological revolution by social and cultural visionaries. But is it hype, or a real technological change in progress?

Nikola Motor Company has revealed their Semi Truck runs on hydrogen and electricity. Tesla will reveal their electric-only version in September. While electric goods transport is easier to realise for short-range distances, manufacturers face the challenge of organising recharge or refuel stations on long-distance routes. How ecological will electric semi-trucks be, if the infrastructure they require is massive?

A UK-based company D30 has developed a gel with amazing shock-absorbing abilities. The gel reacts to impacts by turning from soft and flexible material to hard protective armour. The technology is already utilised in several industries from sports to defence to help people avoid severe injuries.

Maas Global's Whim and Tuup are apps that combine public and private transport options to offer consumers ease of mobility. The mobility-as-a-Service market is expected to grow rapidly and create new opportunities for different transport business models.

Festo presents OctopusGribber, a robotic “hand” which mimics the multi suction cup tentacle of the octopus. How Industrial robots grab objects with “pliers” or single suction cups has prevented them from replacing human hands some tasks on production lines. Biomimicry in engineering may bring forward new innovations that enable robots to bypass manual touch.