2018 Computing & Technology Events — Verified Historical Highlights
2018 Computing & Technology Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 14 Jan Neuroscience Research on Brain Activity and Social Behavior: A groundbreaking study published in Biological Psychiatry revealed that increased brain activity in the habenula region of rodents leads to social problems, which can be prevented by decreasing neural activity.
- 24 Jan First primate cloning breakthrough achieved: Chinese scientists successfully cloned two macaque monkeys using somatic cell nuclear transfer, a technique that produced Dolly the sheep. This advancement could aid in creating genetically identical primates for medical research. source: axios.com
- 28 Jan Strava app accidentally reveals military base locations: The fitness tracking app Strava released a global heatmap of user activity, inadvertently exposing the locations of military bases worldwide. This raised security concerns among military personnel and governments. source: bbc.com
- 12 Apr Tesla Withdraws from NTSB Investigation: Tesla Inc. has withdrawn from the National Transportation Safety Board investigation into a fatal Model X accident in California, after angering the NTSB by prematurely releasing investigation details.
- 16 Apr Syrian Civil War: Chemical weapons investigation: On April 16, 2018, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) began an investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. This investigation followed the recent missile strikes and aimed to determine the facts surrounding the incidents. source: reuters.com
- 30 Apr Russia Launches First Floating Nuclear Power Plant: Russia's first floating nuclear power station, the Akademik Lomonosov, set sail from St. Petersburg across the Baltic Sea. This innovative maritime nuclear power plant represents a significant technological advancement in energy production.
- 05 May FAA Safety Order for Boeing 787 Aircraft: The Federal Aviation Administration issued a safety directive requiring Boeing 787 aircraft with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines to operate within an hour of an airport due to global safety concerns that led to groundings by Air New Zealand and Air China.
- 13 May China's Domestic Aircraft Carrier Sea Trials: China's first domestically built aircraft carrier began sea trials in Dalian, marking a significant milestone in the country's naval modernization and military technological capabilities.
- 14 May Dutch Government Cybersecurity Measure: Following actions by the United States and United Kingdom, the Dutch government announced it would phase out antivirus software products from Kaspersky Lab as a precautionary cybersecurity measure.
- 25 May GDPR becomes enforceable in European Union: On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became enforceable across the European Union. The GDPR introduced stringent data protection and privacy rules, aiming to give individuals greater control over their personal data and to harmonize data protection laws across EU member states. source: euronews.com
- 30 May California restores net neutrality rules: On May 30, 2018, California's state legislature passed a bill to restore net neutrality rules, aiming to ensure equal access to the internet. This move came after the federal repeal of net neutrality regulations. source: bbc.com
- 02 Jun Google terminates military AI contract amid ethical concerns: On June 2, 2018, Google announced it would not renew its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for Project Maven, an initiative to develop artificial intelligence for analyzing drone footage. The decision followed internal and external criticism over the ethical implications of the project. source: theverge.com
- 08 Jun IBM Summit Supercomputer Unveiled: Oak Ridge National Laboratory revealed the IBM Summit supercomputer, a groundbreaking 10-megawatt system with an estimated 200 petaflops processing power, set to be the world's top-ranked computer.
- 11 Jun US Repeals Net Neutrality Rules: The Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal net neutrality rules, allowing internet service providers to prioritize certain content. This decision sparked widespread debate about internet access and regulation. source: nytimes.com
- 26 Jun Tesla Fatal Crash Investigation: The US National Transportation Safety Board revealed details about a fatal double-fatality crash involving a Tesla Model S, highlighting that the vehicle was traveling at 116 mph and its lithium-ion battery was involved in the incident. Tesla subsequently introduced speed limiters in response.
- 20 Jul Major cybersecurity breach in Singapore: On July 20, 2018, Singapore's Ministry of Health reported a significant cybersecurity breach affecting the personal data of 1.5 million patients. The breach involved unauthorized access to the personal information of patients who visited specialist outpatient clinics between May 1, 2015, and July 4, 2018. The incident raised concerns about data security and privacy in the healthcare sector. source: straitstimes.com
- 28 Aug Physicists observe Higgs boson decay into bottom quarks: On August 28, 2018, researchers at CERN reported observing the Higgs boson decaying into a pair of bottom quarks, confirming a significant prediction of the Standard Model of particle physics. source: nature.com
- 11 Sep British Airways Cybersecurity Breach: RiskIQ, a cybersecurity firm, reported discovering software used to collect credit card information from the British Airways website. The 'supply-chain attack' was noted to be similar to a previous incident involving Ticketmaster, raising concerns about online payment security.
- 12 Sep SNCF Driverless Train Development: The French national railway company SNCF announced plans to develop prototypes for autonomous passenger and freight trains, with expected availability by 2023, signaling a significant technological advancement in transportation.
- 22 Sep Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Reopens: After 134 days of closure due to extensive Kilauea volcanic activity that caused significant damage to park infrastructure, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was reopened to the public. This event marks the resilience of the local community and park management in the face of natural geological challenges.
- 05 Oct Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded: The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Arthur Ashkin for optical tweezers, and Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland for groundbreaking work in laser beam technology.
- 18 Oct China's artificial moon project announced: On October 18, 2018, China announced plans to launch an 'artificial moon' that would illuminate urban areas at night. The project aims to reduce electricity costs and enhance nighttime visibility. source: bbc.com
- 24 Oct Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opens to traffic: The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the world's longest sea-crossing bridge, officially opened to traffic, connecting Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai. source: news.gov.hk
- 28 Oct Hitachi Chemical Inspection Falsification: Hitachi Chemical, a Japanese company, publicly admitted to falsifying inspections of a critical material used in semiconductor manufacturing, raising serious concerns about quality control in the tech industry.
- 15 Nov First High-Speed Railway in Africa: Morocco inaugurated the Kenitra-Tangier high-speed railway line, marking a significant milestone in African transportation infrastructure. This project represents a major advancement in Morocco's transportation technology and regional connectivity.
- 01 Dec World's First 8K Television Channel Launched: Japanese broadcaster NHK pioneered the world's first super-high definition 8K television channel, marking a significant milestone in broadcast technology and media innovation.
- 18 Dec Elon Musk Opens Boring Test Tunnel: Elon Musk unveiled the Boring Test Tunnel in Hawthorne, California, a 1.6km underground passage designed to demonstrate high-speed urban transportation technology, potentially revolutionizing urban transit infrastructure.
- 27 Dec 35th Chaos Communication Congress Held: The Chaos Computer Club hosted its 35th annual Chaos Communication Congress in Leipzig, Germany, bringing together hackers, technology experts, and digital rights advocates.
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