When London Had ‘Formula 1 Races’ In the Sky

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Hard to imagine now, the Aerial Derby in London was an incredibly popular aerial race that had millions of people looking up at the London sky every year. Starting in 1912, it featured many well-known figures in the world of aviation. Some of these were Bert Hinkler, the “Australian Lone Eagle”, who was the first to fly solo from England to Australia, and Tom Sopwith, founder of Sopwith and Hawker. Despite its popularity, however, it was only active for eight years, stopping after disputes over venues and withdrawal of major sponsors. Read full article here

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A look inside the lab building mushroom computers

The Unconventional Computing Laboratory at the University of the West of England is pushing the boundaries of computing, working to see if mushrooms can be used to carry out computing and sensing functions. By stimulating the mycelium—the branching, web-like root structure of the fungus—researchers can get it to produce electrical activity and see if it can be used to create complex, multi-dimensional functions that are more precise than traditional computers. This could lead to a whole new world of possibilities, such as using mushrooms to create fault-tolerant, energy-efficient computers and even mapping neural networks. It’s truly a fascinating field of study – and one that could shape the future of computing. Read full article here

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