A team of researchers from Berlin has developed a charging solution that makes lithium-ion batteries last much longer than they do now. It uses a pulsed current (PC) protocol that results in reduced mechanical stress and cracking in graphite particles within batteries and suppressed structural degradation in cathodes. Using PC charging can double the service life of commercial lithium-ion batteries with an 80% capacity retention. High-frequency pulsing with square-wave current produced the best results.

DAWN is a project from Synhelion that aims to remove the dependency on fossil fuels from the transport sector, particularly in aviation. It uses a 65-foot-high solar tower surrounded by a mirror field that concentrates solar rays to produce synthetic fuels using solar heat. The tower has an energy storage system that allows it to generate solar fuel even when there's no sunlight. DAWN is scheduled to begin production in the latter half of the year. Synhelion says DAWN will produce several thousand liters of fuel per year.

The German Government recently transferred a total of 3,000 BTC, worth ~$175M, to centralized exchanges (e.g., Kraken, Bitstamp, and Coinbase) and potentially to an institutional service or OTC. This indicates a significant sale or reallocation of the government's Bitcoin holdings.

Bitcoin's price went back up to $57k after briefly dropping below $55k, triggering almost $160M in BTC liquidations amidst selling pressure from the German government and the Mt. Gox estate liquidations.

The German state of Saxony's government's offloading of Bitcoin seized from a movie piracy website continues, with an additional 1,127 BTC transferred to exchanges on Wednesday. This brings the total sell volume to over $340 million. The state still holds over $1 billion in confiscated BTC. It is expected to continue selling, despite some criticism from government officials.

Germany is almost finished selling its Bitcoin. It has less than 5,000 BTC remaining after recent transactions totaling ~$600M worth of Bitcoin to various exchanges, suggesting the nation's massive sell-off, valued at approximately $3 billion, might end as early as next week.

Germany's crypto wallet balance reached zero after the government transferred all of its remaining bitcoin to various exchanges and market makers.

German authorities have finished its "emergency sale" of ~50k Bitcoin, netting an "unprecedented" €2.6B ($2.88B). The funds are held in custody pending the conclusion of ongoing criminal trials. The sale was expedited because of BTC's volatility.

A 60-year-old man in Germany is the seventh person with HIV to be announced free of the virus after receiving a stem-cell transplant. The patient received stem cells which only had one copy of a gene that has been suggested as the best target for an HIV cure. The findings widen the donor pool for stem-cell transplants - roughly 1% of people of European descent carry mutations in both copies of the gene, while 10% of people carry one mutated copy. The procedure, which is risky and offered to people with leukemia, is unlikely to be rolled out for most individuals with HIV.

The GitHub repository titled "Statewide Visual Geolocalization in the Wild" is associated with a research project presented at the European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV) in 2024. The project is led by a team of researchers including Florian Fervers, Sebastian Bullinger, Christoph Bodensteiner, Michael Arens, and Rainer Stiefelhagen. The repository serves as a resource for implementing the methods discussed in their paper, which focuses on visual geolocalization techniques applicable in real-world scenarios. The repository includes essential components such as installation instructions, dataset information, training procedures, and evaluation methods. Users are guided to install Jax with GPU support and clone the repository to set up the environment. The dataset utilized for training and evaluation consists of street-view images sourced from the Mapillary platform, along with aerial imagery from various locations in the United States and Germany. For training, users are instructed to configure dataset paths in a YAML file and execute a training script that leverages available GPUs. The results of the training process are stored in a designated output directory. The evaluation process involves creating a reference database for a specified search region, which includes generating embeddings for different cells and creating a FAISS index for efficient retrieval. The repository also provides a script for localizing query images against the reference database, allowing users to assess the performance of the model through recall metrics at various distances. The results indicate the effectiveness of the model in accurately localizing images based on the pretrained weights. Additionally, the repository encourages users to cite the work if they utilize the code or data, providing a citation format for reference. Users are also invited to report any issues they encounter while using the repository, fostering a collaborative environment for further development and improvement of the geolocalization methods presented.

In 2025, marketing professionals will have numerous opportunities to enhance their strategies and network at various conferences. As the marketing landscape evolves, driven by trends such as retail media and artificial intelligence, these events will serve as platforms for sharing innovative ideas and insights. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), taking place from January 7-10 in Las Vegas, is a key event for those in the consumer technology sector. It provides a venue for global brands to connect, showcase new products, and engage in immersive experiences. Another significant gathering is the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, scheduled for March 7-15 in Austin, Texas. This event unites professionals from technology, film, music, and television, offering a rich mix of networking, discovery, and professional development through various sessions and showcases. In late April, the Possible conference will occur in Miami Beach, Florida. Co-founded by notable figures in the marketing industry, this event focuses on networking, masterclasses, and workshops tailored for the marketing ecosystem, encompassing brands and technology. The ANA Brand Masters Conference, set for May 7-9 in Los Angeles, aims to equip marketers with actionable strategies to foster brand growth. Attendees will have the chance to engage with industry leaders and learn from past speakers from well-known companies. The IAB NewFronts, scheduled for spring with the location yet to be determined, will act as a digital content marketplace, bringing together various stakeholders in the media and advertising sectors to discuss upcoming innovations. The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place from June 16-20 in Cannes, France, is another highlight. This prestigious festival attracts thousands of advertisers and thought leaders from around the world, celebrating creativity and impactful work in the industry. In the fall, Advertising Week New York will gather marketing and advertising professionals to explore the latest trends and insights shaping the industry. This four-day event has previously featured speakers from major brands, providing practical knowledge for attendees. The Digital Marketing Exposition & Conference (DMEXCO) in Cologne, Germany, is another essential event, focusing on digital marketing and technology. It offers a platform for industry leaders to engage in discussions about the future of the digital economy. The ANA Masters of Marketing Conference, scheduled for October 21-24 in Orlando, will delve into the future of marketing, featuring workshops and discussions on industry challenges and opportunities. Lastly, the Programmatic I/O conferences in Las Vegas and New York will focus on the latest trends in commerce media, connected TV, and privacy, helping professionals refine their programmatic strategies. These conferences represent valuable opportunities for marketing professionals to stay informed, network, and gain insights into the rapidly changing landscape of the industry.