(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostAI boom enters its ‘nasty’ phase as economic realities set inArtificial intelligence (AI) has entered its “nasty” phase – the fast-moving, volatile period when economic reality constrains ambitions and markets separate winners from losers. The capital expenditure boom, accelerated US-China competition and strategic retrenchment threaten to erase as much wealth as the industry’s unprecedented expansion has created. Returns on capital face mounting pressure to deliver outsize performance. Investors are wary and impatient, rotating portfolios towards... (opens original source in a new tab)James David Spellman·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)CoinDeskUnlike the FTX collapse, the $89 million Coldcard exploit has investors sending bitcoin back to exchangesThe Coldcard vulnerability has smaller bitcoin holders moving funds onto exchanges for safety, according to blockchain analytics firms. This is opposite of the trend seen following the FTX collapse in late 2022. (opens original source in a new tab)Omkar Godbole·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)WiredThe James Webb Telescope Is Changing Astronomers’ Understanding of the Ancient CosmosFrom how galaxies form to the beginnings of the universe, the images from the space telescope are giving cosmologists new data to explore—and theories to build out. (opens original source in a new tab)Jay Bennett·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)WiredThere Are 2 Eclipses This August. Here’s How to See ThemEverything you need to know about the solar eclipse and lunar eclipse that will occur in August 2026. (opens original source in a new tab)Javier Carbajal·2 August 2026
Clean Energy (opens original source in a new tab)CleanTechnicaEmber’s Electric Coaches Show Intercity Bus Electrification Is Already HereEdinburgh makes electric transit visible. The city has electrified regional rail, trams and a growing number of electric buses, including large battery-electric double-deckers that stand out from the pavement. That progress is important, but it is not especially surprising. Urban buses were always expected to be among the first heavy ... [continued] The post Ember’s Electric Coaches Show Intercity Bus Electrification Is Already Here appeared first on CleanTechnica. (opens original source in a new tab)Michael Barnard·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostWhy US, EU curbs on Chinese power inverters risk upending green supply chainsA United States ban on new foreign-made power inverters has aligned Washington with Brussels in attempting to push Chinese suppliers off Western grids, a shift analysts caution will be neither quick nor painless as a supply squeeze looms in a market China dominates. The administration of US President Donald Trump last week announced restrictions on new foreign-produced connected power inverters, citing national security concerns. While the measure did not explicitly name China, suppliers in the. (opens original source in a new tab)Mia Nurmamat,Xiaofei Xu·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostChina sees flurry of commercial property deals as investors sniff out bargainsMajor Chinese cities including Shanghai are witnessing a significant uptick in commercial property transactions, as investors snap up space in prime locations in the expectation that the market may finally be on the road to recovery. The value of office buildings, hotels and shopping malls across China has slumped in recent years amid a prolonged real estate crisis. But with prices in some cities now starting to stabilise, investors are hunting for potential bargains, according to analysts. The. (opens original source in a new tab)Daniel Ren·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostFirst impressions count as Chinese buyers open their homes to UBTech’s consumer humanoidsWhen 39-year-old Beijing investor Song shelled out 159,800 yuan (US$23,680) for a companion robot, he knew it would not be cooking meals or scrubbing floors. For him, becoming one of China’s first owners of a consumer humanoid was more about embracing the cutting edge. “The happiest part is often the waiting,” Song said of his decision to buy the female version of the U1 Pro, made by Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics. For years, humanoid robots have been confined to factory floors and structured... (opens original source in a new tab)Minxiao Chang·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostFirst impressions count as Chinese buyers open their homes to UBTech’s consumer humanoidsWhen 39-year-old Beijing investor Song shelled out 159,800 yuan (US$23,680) for a companion robot, he knew it would not be cooking meals or scrubbing floors. For him, becoming one of China’s first owners of a consumer humanoid was more about embracing the cutting edge. “The happiest part is often the waiting,” Song said of his decision to buy the female version of the U1 Pro, made by Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics. For years, humanoid robots have been confined to factory floors and structured... (opens original source in a new tab)Minxiao Chang·2 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostStronger social security? Proposed law sparks a pushback by gig workersGuangzhou delivery vehicle driver Zhang Liang watches on warily as more graduates, former factory workers and other jobseekers join him plying their trade on the roads. “The streets are flooded with delivery drivers and payouts per order have plummeted,” Zhang said. “To make what we earned last year, we have to stay on the road longer and ride faster, leading to a sharp rise in traffic accidents among us.” Official estimates put the nation’s flexible workforce at nearly 300 million, most of whom (opens original source in a new tab)He Huifeng·2 August 2026
Clean Energy (opens original source in a new tab)CleanTechnicaJanus Battery Swap Trucks Show The WayRecent CleanTechnica stories from Michael Barnard have highlighted CATL’s joint venture to introduce electric truck swap infrastructure to Europe. That company provides turnkey solutions for swap stations and batteries. Electric truck swap developments extend to other areas of the globe as well. Janus Electric is a company in Australia that ... [continued] The post Janus Battery Swap Trucks Show The Way appeared first on CleanTechnica. (opens original source in a new tab)Christopher Arcus·2 August 2026
