India doubles state-backed venture capital, approves $1.1 billion fund
India will authorize a $1.1 billion state-backed venture capital program that will channel government funds to startups through private investors, redoubling efforts to fund high-risk areas such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and other sectors commonly referred to in the industry as deep tech. The Rs 1,000 billion fund, first outlined in India’s finance minister’s […]
AI griefbots could change the way we grieve – but there are serious risks ahead
When Lolo (not his real name) lost his mother to cancer, his grief was unfathomable. In her mid-20s, working as a content creator in China, she was troubled by the unfinished nature of their relationship. Their bond has always been complicated, shaped by unspoken resentments and a childhood where caring was often followed by criticism. […]
Research reveals that ‘impossible’ mantle earthquakes actually occur all over the world
Earthquakes that shake the Earth’s middle layers may be more widespread than scientists thought. A new map of these mysterious deep earthquakes shows they occur all over the world and may have a variety of causes. This is interesting, said study lead author Simon Klemperer, a geophysicist at Stanford University. That’s because mantle earthquakes were […]
New map reveals water equivalent to 13 Great Lakes hidden beneath the continental United States
Determining how much water there is across the landscape is not easy. Only 1% of the Earth’s freshwater is on the surface and relatively easy to see and measure. But below that, measurements vary widely, depending on the depth of the water table and the porosity of the ground, which can’t be seen directly. Reed […]
This week’s science news: China turns deserts into carbon sinks, Viking-era graves hold giants with brain surgery, the beginnings of the real world, and nature’s last-minute Valentine’s gift ideas
This week’s science news was full of surprising stories about ecological change. Topping the list was the discovery that China has planted so many trees around the Taklamakan Desert that it has turned one of the world’s largest and driest places into a carbon sink that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits. The effort […]
Major Indian pharmacy chain exposes customer data and internal systems
A security lapse by one of India’s largest pharmacy chains allowed an outsider to gain complete administrative control of its platform, exposing customer order data and sensitive medication management functions, TechCrunch has learned exclusively. The issue affected DavaIndia Pharmacy, the pharmacy arm of Zota Healthcare, which operates a large network of retail stores across India. […]
Airbnb announces one-third of customer support is now handled by AI in the US and Canada
Airbnb says its custom-built AI agents currently handle about one-third of customer support issues in North America, and the company is preparing to roll out the feature globally. If successful, the company believes that in a year’s time more than 30% of all customer support tickets will be handled by AI voice and chat in […]
President Trump is bringing auto pollution and other greenhouse gases back into America’s skies. The health risks we all face from climate change include:
On February 12, 2026, the Trump administration took a major step in its efforts to unravel U.S. climate policy, moving to rescind the 2009 endangered status designation. The certification is a formal recognition that the six greenhouse gases that cause climate change, including carbon dioxide and methane from burning fossil fuels, endanger public health and […]
SEC closes investigation into Fisker
The Securities and Exchange Commission closed its investigation into bankrupt electric vehicle startup Fisker last September, about a year after it began its investigation. TechCrunch has learned that the investigation ended when financial regulators responded to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in January. The SEC’s FOIA Division announced that it had identified “approximately […]
India partners with Alibaba.com to boost exports despite past ban on Chinese technology
The Indian government has partnered with China’s Alibaba.com on an export-focused program aimed at helping startups and small businesses reach overseas buyers. The move highlights New Delhi’s selective engagement with China-linked technology platforms, years after imposing a blanket ban on consumer apps and games. This week, the Government of India’s Startup India Initiative announced a […]