An Armageddon-style plan might actually save Earth from large asteroids (Picture: iStockphoto)
NASA is making emergency preparations to deal with a ‘city-killing’ asteroid after the odds of it smashing into Earth continue to rise.
Astronomers are keeping a close eye on Asteroid 2024 YR4, which currently has a 2.3% chance of colliding with the Earth in 2032.
The 300ft wide rock is roughly the same size as the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben, and has shot to the top of NASA’s watch list after it was first discovered in December 2024.
With the ‘time-critical meteor hurtling towards our atmosphere at an alarming rate, the space agency has enlisted the help of the James Webb Space Telescope to study YR4 and gauge how much damage it would cause if it did strike our planet, the European Space Agency reports.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 currently has a 2% chance of hitting Earth with a force 100x greater than a nuclear bomb (Picture: AFP)
Based on current calculations, a strike from YR4 would be roughly equivalent to the Tunguska asteroid, which flattened 830 square miles (2,150 square km) of Siberian forest in 1908.
However, early estimates of the asteroid’s size could prove incorrect.
Scientists currently predict the size of asteroids by using powerful telescopes to measure the light reflected from its surface.
In general, the larger an asteroid, the brighter it will appear, but this is not always the case, and as all earth-based telescopes have to contend with the earth’s atmosphere, which bends and distorts light passing through it, the exact size of celestial bodies can be unclear.
To overcome this, astronomers are preparing to use the James Webb Telescope – the largest and most powerful telescope ever made, which was launched into space in 2021 and currently resides 1 million miles (1.5 million km) away from Earth.
Using its suite of infrared sensors, the JWST will also look at the heat radiating off the asteroid, which gives a much more accurate estimate of its size.
This information will allow Earth’s planetary defence organisations to determine whether action is needed to deflect the asteroid.
Astronomers have deployed the James Webb telescope to observe the giant asteroid (Picture: NASA / SWNS)
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An ESA spokesperson said: ‘Astronomers around the world are using powerful telescopes to measure the asteroid’s orbit as accurately as possible. But knowing its orbit will only tell us the asteroid could impact Earth, not how significant an impact could be.
‘It is very important that we improve our size estimate for 2024 YR4: the hazard represented by a 40 m asteroid is very different from that of a 90 m asteroid,” ESA added.’
Even at its current estimated size, experts predict that YR4 could explode with an energy of 15 megatons of TNT, were it to hit Earth, producing an explosion 100 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.
The first round of James Webb observations will begin in March, when the asteroid is at its brightest. It will then observe it again as the object moves away from the sun, which will be the last chance to view it until it re-emerges sometime in 2028.
These measurements will in turn be ‘used by ESA, NASA, and other organizations to more confidently assess the hazard and determine any necessary response,’ the ESA wrote.
Dougal Main and Beth Nichol working on their quantum computer (Picture: John Cairns)
Researchers in Oxford have managed to ‘teleport’ information from one computer to another around two metres away without sending a traditional physical signal.
The breakthrough has got a lot of headlines, and it’s definitely exciting if you’ve been waiting for the promised super-speed of quantum computers.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean there are actually experiments at the uni where students are being sent from lab to lecture without ever moving. This blockbuster understanding of teleportation is still a distant dream.
The teleportation of data is still very exciting to computer scientists, though, and here’s why.
It demonstrates that we could be close to actually building a useful quantum computer, rather than just theorising about it. You might call it a leap in the field of quantum computing.
The breakthrough involved linking up two separate processors ‘to form a single, fully connected quantum computer,’ researchers said.
Professor David Lucas (Picture: Martin Small)
It indicates that a powerful quantum computer wouldn’t necessarily have to be a single, massive, device but could be lots of smaller ones working together, making it easier to build and use.
People want to build quantum computers because they would be so much faster than our current ones, which might look like an arthritic snail next to Usain Bolt once the field really gets going.
For perspective, last year, Google said its quantum chip Willow had managed to do a calculation in minutes which would take the world’s best conventional supercomputer 10 septillion years to complete.
Given that is ‘vastly’ longer than the universe has even existed, your basic processior wouldn’t ever come close to solving it before Earth got swallowed up by the Sun dying.
The new research was published in Nature, which told how it’s thought to be the first time logical gates were ‘teleported’, even though data has previously been ‘teleported’ without moving qubits (quantum bits).
Logical gates are operations which manipulate qubits to tell them which state they should be in.
Study lead Dougal Main said: ‘Previous demonstrations of quantum teleportation have focused on transferring quantum states between physically separated systems. In our study, we use quantum teleportation to create interactions between these distant systems.’
Professor David Lucas, principal investigator of the team, said: ‘Our experiment demonstrates that network-distributed quantum information processing is feasible with current technology.
‘Scaling up quantum computers remains a formidable technical challenge that will likely require new physics insights as well as intensive engineering effort over the coming years.’
It might soon be time for cyber experts to find a new way of keeping data safe, if future computers will be able to crack encryption as easy as a nut.
Inside Bentley tower’s $6m apartments with high-rise parking in Miami (Picture: Brosda&Bentley)
Imagine shelling out millions to live in a luxury high-rise, only to face the hassle of hauling groceries from the parking garage to your penthouse.
It’s a quintessential first-world problem, but one Bentley is determined to eliminate with its groundbreaking new residential tower set to open in Miami in 2028.
The automaker has teamed up with Dezer Development to introduce the Dezervator—a futuristic car lift that redefines convenience for upscale living. Dubbed the pinnacle of ‘seamless privacy,’ this innovative system allows residents to drive directly into their apartments, bypassing the usual parking lot grind.
No more schlepping bags or sharing elevators with neighbors. Bentley’s vision? Effortless luxury, from garage to living room.
The 61 apartments are on the market for a cool $6,000,000 each (Picture: Brosda&Bentley)
Each apartment on the east side of the development will have a 144m garage built into the side of their room, while those on the west will have a 106 square metres area,which is able to house three cars.
The luxury residences will be spread over 62 floors, with each apartment also coming equipped with a private heated swimming pool and summer kitchen on the balcony, along with a stunning view of the ocean.
Prices start at $5.8million (£4,700,000), with some rooms offering over 6,000 square feet of real estate space.
Other amenities include a built-in cinema, whisky bar and beauty salon, along with a private residents restaurant manned by award-winning celebrity chef Todd English.
Apartments contain a lift in the garage which transports cars directly up into the high-rise rooms (Picture: Brosda&Bentley)
Each apartment comes a built-in swimming pool and summer kitchen on the balcony (Picture: Brosda&Bentley)
Four-legged friends will also be pampered at an on-site pet spa ‘designed in partnership with Bentley Motors’ which features washing and drying services.
Ben Saltmer, the product and life-style design manager for Bentley, said: ‘We have applied the same attention to detail that goes into our cars into this very building.
‘Each space is different, but with distinctive Bentley design cues styled harmoniously throughout — right down to a functional area like the Bentley pet spa concept.
‘Despite practicality being paramount, the area should have an elevated experience. We achieve this through exquisite materiality and subtle Bentley design signatures, an ethos we’ve followed throughout the design of the building.
‘For instance, in the pet spa we’ve used the Bentley diamond motif when giving the surfaces a non-slip quality. This diamond signature extends graphically to the shelving above the main bath area that houses towels, shampoos, and pet-friendly fragrances.’
The building’s cinema has also been designed to mimic the concept of a Bentley car interior.
Saltmer said: ‘A cosseting sofa wraps around the back of the rear three walls, embracing residents in the space.’
Residentd also have a access to a private cinema, spa and whisky bar (Picture: Brosda&Bentley)
Bentley is not the only car manufacturer to move into real estate lately, with Mercedes Benz also opening two luxury towers in recent months.
The new tower is the brand’s first real estate project in the US and one of the largest under construction in Florida.
It first launched Tower 1 last year and sold all 100 apartments in just four days.
Apple has urged users to update their devices following a security breach (Picture: Getty Images)
Millions of Apple users have been told to update their devices after a major security breach.
Apple warned that the hack was an ‘extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals’ and crooks could have gained ‘full admin access’.
This means hackers could have run any type of software on a person’s device.
So far there has been no confirmed cases of hackers trying to infiltrate admin access to people’s phones.
The tech giant posted in a statement: ‘A physical attack may disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device.
‘Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.’
The devices that are impacted include the iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.
The breach was caused because of a failure with the USB Restricted Mode.
Apple also warned that there could be ‘specific targeted individuals’ (Picture: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
This is designed to usually block software from accessing Apple devices that have been locked for more than one hour.
WhatsApp said those targeted included journalists and other members of civil society who were targeted by spyware owned by Paragon Solutions, an Israeli maker of hacking software, WhatsApp said.
The software uses zero-click hack, which means people do not have to click malicious links to be impacted.
The alleged attacks were discovered in December and it was not known how long the people had been hacked for.
WhatsApp said it is in the process of informing people who have been impacted.
These include battery problems, high usage of data, slow performance, apps you don’t recognise, unusual activity, strange pop-ups and sudden decline in performance.
The mutual insitution shares profits with members rather than shareholders (Picture: In Pictures via Getty Images)
If you bank with Nationwide, you could be due a windfall — a welcome prospect for those in need of a cash boost.
The building society operates as a mutual rather than a traditional bank, meaning it’s owned by and run for the benefit of its members.
As such, Nationwide shares profits among account holders (rather than shareholders) as part of its Fairer Share Payment initiative, with almost 4 million customers nabbing a £100 bonus earlier this year.
‘The Fairer Share Payment is our way of rewarding those members who choose us for their everyday banking as well as having savings or a mortgage with us,’ the bank said in a statement.
The exact details of Nationwide’s next one-off payout have yet to be announced, but ahead of the Board’s decision, this year’s eligibility criteria can help you work out what to expect.
When will the Nationwide bonus be paid out?
Last time around, the bank contacted eligible members by May 31, with bonuses deposited into members’ accounts between June 13 and June 28.
Nationwide plans to release information such as the amount and exact payout dates around the same time in 2025, so there’s still a while to wait.
However, all the hard work’s done for you, so you don’t need to make a claim or request the money yourself.
Exact dates should be revealed in May (Picture: Jaque Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
If you think you qualify and haven’t heard anything from Nationwide by June, get in touch. And don’t forget to stay aware of fraudulent attempts at obtaining your personal information to apply for the payment.
Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert said it was ‘likely’ Nationwide would run the bonus scheme again this year, adding: ‘In previous years, the scheme has been announced in May and paid in June, though whether you got it depended on if you met the qualifying criteria in the first three months of the year – so now’s the perfect time to maximise your chances.’
Who is eligible for the Nationwide bonus?
If the scheme comes with the same prerequisites as it did for 2023-2024, to be in the running, customers must hold both a qualifying current account as well as a qualifying savings or mortgage account.
Each of the bank’s current accounts were eligible, providing certain criteria are met.
The first of these is that the account was open on March 31, the end of the financial year — although those who switched accounts between January 1 and March 31 were exempt from any additional requirements.
Over 4 million customers are eligible (Picture: In Pictures via Getty Images)
Otherwise, Nationwide explained that FlexAccount, FlexDirect or FlexBasic holders must have either received £500, made two payments from their account, or completed at least 10 payments out of the account between January and March to qualify.
Meanwhile, FlexPlus account holders must have paid their monthly fee, and FlexOne, FlexStudent or FlexGraduate customers need to have made at least one payment in or out during March.
Those with investment accounts and stocks and shares weren’t included in the criteria, but savings account holders qualified if they had a minimum of £100 in total across Nationwide personal savings accounts or cash ISAs at the end of any day in March.
When it came to mortgages, customers must have owed at least £100 on their residential mortgage with the building society on March 31.
Home loans through subsidiaries such as The Mortgage Works, UCB Home Loans Corporation Limited, or Derbyshire Home Loans Limited are excluded from the bonus, as are commercial mortgages and those not completed by March 31.
If you’re not sure whether you fit the bill, you can use Nationwide’s eligibility checker to work it out (although be aware this criteria may change for 2025).
This article was first published on December 12, 2024.
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Here’s a new addition for the nightmare box: a gaping mouth that greedily drains gallons of murky water into a frothing hole.
It is known as the Glory Hole, and to be honest, we were as surprised as you about that.
The orifice was activated for the first time in six years last week, and since then onlookers have been pulling up to stare.
It was automatically triggered when water levels at the Monticello Dam in Napa reached their maximum level, so some of the fluid in the reservoir had to be released.
Officially known as the Morning Glory Spillway, it has only rarely been activated, when levels are so high that Lake Berryessa is at risk of flooding.
Canada geese perch on the rim of the Glory Hole during a drier day (Picture: San Francisco Chronicle via Getty)
Approach the hole at your own risk (Picture: AP)
Its suction power protects the whole luscious landscape (Picture: Ken Cantrell/Zuma Wire/REX/Shutterstock)
Swimming near it is stricly prohibited, as if you get sucked inside the vortex of spiralling water, you won’t be coming out alive.
Chris Lee, the general manager for the Solano County Water Agency, told the LA Times that the plunging water hole is ‘definitely worth seeing. I’ve been lucky enough to see it a few times. … It’s just not that common.’
The 72-ft wide spillway got its name because it is said to resemble the Morning Glory flower…. obviously.
It isn’t the only famous glory hole around, either.
Visitors have called it ‘shallow’ and ‘superficial’ (Picture: Getty Images)
Travellers hoping for a cheap and cheerful break may want to avoid one of the US’s most popular destinations – Miami.
The sunny spot in Florida just placed last in the latest Which? world city survey, which asked more than 1,500 UK tourists to rate their experiences of cities outside of Europe over the past year.
Almost 2,500 destinations were assessed across seven categories, including the quality of cultural attractions, accommodation, and food and drink.
Visitors dismissed it as ‘overrated’, and the destination scored pretty dismally across all categories, finishing up with two stars for food and drink, accommodation, ease of getting around and lack of crowds.
Meanwhile, Miami’s cultural attractions and value for money were rated even lower, earning just one star each. One particularly unimpressed Which? member even described it as a ‘total rip off’.
The city’s only saving grace? Its shopping options, which earned a three-star rating – the highest of all categories.
The sunny Floridian city was declared ‘overrated’ by Which? members (Picture: Getty Images)
Is Miami really that expensive?
Many criticised the city’s high prices, but it’s certainly possible to keep costs down on a trip to South Florida.
According to budgetyourtrip.com, travellers spend between $106 (£85) and $597 (£482) per day in Miami, so it all depends on how extravagant you wish to be.
A one-week trip to the city – including accommodation, food, local transportation and sightseeing – usually costs $1,806 (£1,458) for one person and $3,612 (£2,916) for two people.
Prices for a one-night stay at a three-star hotel on Booking.com start at £76.44 for one night, based on two adults sharing one room. However, if you’re looking for centrally-located hotels, you can expect to pay over £100 per night.
The cost of food in Miami can also vary depending on what you eat. Street food is a more affordable option costing around $8-15 (£6-12), while meals at mid-range restaurants typically range between $15-35 (£12-28) per person.
The price of beer varies depending on the venue too. In casual bars, a domestic beer typically costs between $5-8 (£4-9), while craft beers can set you back between $7-12 (£5-£9.60) range between $5-15 (£4-12).
Cocktails tend to be pricier, ranging between $12-$20 (£9-16) at casual bars. While in high-end venues such as rooftop bars prices can climb to $25-30 (£20-£24).
Metro’s Alice Giddings visited the Floridian city last year in search of the best (and cheapest) experiences she could find, and ventured to the TikTok famous La LeGGenda Pizzeria for ‘the best pizza in the world’.
The ‘unbelievably tasty’ Salame & Bell Peppers Pizza cost around $23 (£18.50). And while it may not be cheap as such, according to Alice, ‘it was worth every penny’.
And when it comes to purse-friendly retail therapy, she says: ‘For an amazing boutique to shop in that won’t break the bank, head to the Wynwood Shop. From artwork to jewellery and clothing to sunnies, the cost of the items will set you back just $20, rather than the hundreds I got used to seeing on price tags.’
For getting around, Alice recommends avoiding Ubers, which can quickly add up, commenting: ‘The Metrorail and Metrobus have a £4.44 ($5.65) daily fare cap, no matter how many times you ride.’
Known for its white-sand beaches, Art Deco architecture, vibrant nightlife scene and year-round sunshine, Miami is undoubtedly an attractive destination to tourists. Yet it also has a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the US.
A recent study by real estate company Redfin declared it the second most unaffordable city in America after Providence in Rhode Island.
According to Redfin, an annual income of $84,920 (£68,450) is required to pay the average rent price of $2,373 (£1,912) per month, yet the estimated median income in the city last year was $57,157 (£46,070), nearly 40% lower.
Sky-high rent prices and the cost of living are just a few reasons why Miami is often criticised, according to a recent Reddit thread.
Miami is known for its vibrant nightlife and Art Deco architecture (Picture: Getty Images)
One user, AdviceHistorical7057, asked in the Miami subreddit: ‘Why does everyone hate it here?’ to which WrongLeadership5351 replied: ‘The cost to living ratio is terrible.’
Another, MyCatHasCats, commented: ‘There are a million people, traffic is the worst and houses are unaffordable $2,800 for a 1,000 sqft 3 bedroom apartment is absolutely bonkers.’
‘For me, it’s the s*** pay, insane cost of living and perpetual traffic,’ Keepinitoldskool said, while another added: ‘The drivers are horrible, the people are shallow and superficial, and everything is expensive as hell.’
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Residents of Miami have called out the city’s ‘absolutely bonkers’ rent prices (Picture: Getty Images)
In another Reddit thread, one user asked: ‘Does anyone have any positive experiences living in Miami?’
While the question prompted varied responses, people continued to cite its unaffordability as a major downside.
‘Nope. The worst city in the US,’ wrote No_Target7407. ‘Unless you enjoy constant noise, highly rude people, materialism, vanity, insane traffic and people who think they’re superior.’
Another, Freelennial, commented: ‘I lived in Miami for a year and loved the sunshine, beaches, nightlife and food options. However, the awful people, bad service, classism, superficiality and horrible job made it hard for me to give it a glowing review.’
Why do people love Miami?
Despite its pricey reputation and low Which? scores, the Magic City is still a dream destination for many. Miami-born Jules Castro claims there’s much more on offer than you might think.
The 26-year-old, who moved to the UK in 2023, tells Metro: ‘Tourists who come to Miami only for Instagram stories and mainstream clubs are missing the magic of the city entirely. Miami’s multicultural community means that the arts and design scene is unlike anywhere else.
‘Local artists are always pushing forward inclusivity in a way that invites tourists to see the heart of the city off the beaten path, whether in North Beach or Little Haiti.
‘The food scene is amazingly international, and the seafood is incredibly fresh – new restaurants like Tam Tam and Four show the city at its best.’
There are plenty of other reasons to keep Miami on your bucket list too:
Year-round sunshine – With warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, Miami’s tropical climate draws travellers in year-round. Even in winter, temperatures rarely drop below 18°C.
Vibrant Nightlife – Miami has long been a famous party destination, with the city’s nightlife expanding underground during the 1920s Prohibition era through speakeasies and secret bars. Today, Miami is a world-famous party spot renowned for buzzing rooftop lounges, rooftop bars and clubs.
Stunning architecture – Miami Beach has the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world, with over 800 preserved structures built between the 1920s and 1940s. A walk along Ocean Drive ‘feels like stepping into a movie’, according to Tripadvisor reviews.
Culture – Despite scoring just two stars for its cultural attractions, Miami is a melting pot of cultures, heavily influenced by Latin American and Caribbean influences. Little Havana is the city’s ‘Cuban heart’, offering colourful street art, cafecitos, cigars and salsa everywhere you turn. The Wynwood neighbourhood, meanwhile, is home to countless art galleries, eclectic bars and open-air street art installations.
LGBTQ+ friendly – Miami is often referred to as a ‘gay mecca’, with the city attracting more than 1 million LGBTQ+ visitors. The city has a long history of LGBTQ+ nightlife too, dating as far back as the 1930s, and you can find gay bars and drag shows all over town.
Beaches – Miami’s beaches are world-famous, all white sand and crystal-clear waters. From the renowned South Beach with its world-famous art deco background to the more hidden Virginia Key Beach – there’s plenty to explore.
A warning has been issued to people illegally streaming Sky Sports (Picture: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Sky TV has issued a warning to anyone illegally streaming their content, saying they could face ‘significant consequences’.
A streaming operation which provided illegal access to Sky Sports and Sky Cinema has recently been closed down by police and its mastermind jailed, meaning users can no longer get free or heavily discounted access to the content.
Gary McNally was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison last month after admitting two charges under the Fraud Act 2006.
He set up a service called Each Online, which operated between 2017 and 2020, and at its peak it illegally streamed a World Championship boxing match from Sky to 2,000 users.
Each Online was an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, which refers to any service using the internet to deliver live television.
IPTV services themselves aren’t illegal, with Sky Stream and Sky Glass two examples of legitimate IPTVs which use the internet rather than a satellite dish.
Some illegal streaming services use hardware like the Amazon Fire TV Stick (Picture: Getty Images)
But the term is often used by fraudsters advertising their services, which could be accessed online, via social media, or using hardware like the Amazon Fire TV Stick or a Roku dongle.
Sky first became aware of McNally in June 2020 after an investigation found he was using legitimate NOW accounts to gain illegal access to Sky content.
They referred the case to the police, who searched two homes in Birmingham in September 2021.
During the searches they found laptops, hard drives and NOW TV devices believed to have been used by McNally to operate pirate IPTV services.
McNally, 55 and from Acocks Green, was sentenced at Birmingham crown court last month.
Speaking after the sentencing, Sky’s head of anti-piracy, Matt Hibbert, told GB News: ‘Today’s sentencing highlights the significant consequences that can arise for those that get involved in illegally streaming content.
‘We are grateful to the West Midlands Police for acting so robustly to take down a highly sophisticated illegal streaming operation.
‘We will continue to work with law enforcement to protect our content and help keep consumers safe from criminal piracy networks.’
The Intellectual Property Office estimate that online copyright infringement costs the UK economy about £9billion and causes more than 80,000 job losses every year.
The experience takes you deep to the ocean floor, where you go into a detailed retelling of the ship’s history (Picture: Eclipso)
At the bottom of the mid-Atlantic ocean, a dusty leather suitcase sits on the sand as fish slowly swim by. Surrounded by mangled, corroded wreckage from the Titanic, you wouldn’t notice it unless you looked hard.
It belonged to William Harbeck, a cinematographer onboard the fated maiden voyage of the Titanic in 1912. But at 12,500ft below the sea, the film inside will never be recovered.
Except, the leather suitcase isn’t real. But Mr Harbeck and the story behind it is, detailed in a new fully immersive virtual reality experience of the Titanic, ahead of its 113th anniversary of the sinking.
Just off of the bustling Camden High Street in north London, a small staircase leads customers to Titanic: Echoes of the Past, a VR experience Metro was able to try out.
Users can step onboard a ship, go down below the waves with a submarine and hear more about the history of the Titanic which many aren’t aware of.
The 3D immersion allows you to walk around while exploring the grand decks, wander through the lavish rooms, and even visit the captain’s chambers.
Karl Blake-Garcia, the venue director for Eclipso London, told Metro the program took two years to fine-tune the technology and create the content, characters, and scenes.
The Titanic set off from Southampton, England, in 1912 (Picture: Shutterstock)
The ship was ornate and filled with passengers from all walks of life (Picture: Shutterstock)
The story begins on a research ship heading to the wreckage of the Titanic (Picture: Eclipso)
The engine room is also featured (Picture: Eclipso)
‘We consulted two researchers that have spent a large part of their life researching the Titanic,’ he added.
In the virtual simulation, you’re guided by ‘Dive’, a narrator in the form of a floating bubble who explains the surroundings, ranging from the wreckage on the ocean floor to the various passengers you see in their rooms.
To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s London news hub.
The almost dizzying experience is made more real by surround sound on the VR headset, and technology alerts you if you’re close to a wall while walking around.
The experience follows Mr Harbeck as he films various areas onboard the Titanic before it sank.
Mr Harbeck boarded the Titanic in April 1912 as a second-class passenger and is believed to have been working with the White Star Line, the company operating the Titanic, to film its maiden voyage. He died in the sinking.
Another passenger featured in the simulation is a Chinese sailor – based on one of the six Chinese sailors who were onboard the Titanic.
In the simulation, you hear the sailor’s story after discovering his amulet, long lost on the sea floor after the boat sank.
‘We wanted to show that there was a wealth of diversity on the Titanic, sailing to the States for a new beginning, a new life. There were people from all different backgrounds who were on the ship,’ Karl said.
There are also many interactive elements you wouldn’t expect – such as fish which react when you reach out to touch them and a ship bell which rings if you brush by it.
Technology in the exhibit was so detailed, that Metro reporter Sarah Hooper was able to read a menu lying on the table during one scene. In another, she could read the label on a wine bottle.
In one portion, users can walk along the top deck of the Titanic (Picture: Eclipso)
You’re able to interact with others in the experience (Picture: Eclipso)
The venue in Camden may look chaotic, but each marking on the floor helps make the VR Headset work (Picture: Eclipso)
One scene not included is the actual sinking. Karl said Eclipso didn’t want to make light of the tragedy.
‘We wanted to pay homage to the actual ship itself, the stories of the people that were on it, and we do give you a little glimpse at the end of the impact between the ship and the iceberg,’ he said.
‘We want to educate, we want to entertain, and we want people to be able to touch parts of history that you would never be able to touch.’
For Karl, the experience was deeply personal. His great-grandfather helped to build the Titanic when it was still in a Belfast shipyard.
‘This allows me to go back and almost experience something that he did in his lifetime. It’s over 100 years later and I’m witnessing something he helped to build,’ he said.
Privacy hawks sounded the alarm about the government’s action, calling the move an ‘unprecedented attack on privacy rights’.
Users across the world encrypt their data through Apple’s Advanced Data Protection tool (Pictures: Muhammed Selim Korkutata/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Big Brother Watch said: ‘We are extremely troubled by reports that the UK government has ordered Apple to create a backdoor that would effectively break encryption for millions of users.
‘Breaking encryption will not make us safer. Instead, it will erode the fundamental rights and civil liberties of the entire population.’
Using the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, branded the Snoopers’ Charter by critics, the government demanded Apple create a back door to their encrypted data.
The Act, which the Home Office issued last month, can force companiesto comply when the government needs to collect evidence.
Apple could be forced to follow the order or have to withdraw its encrypted services from the UK.
This would not stop the government from demanding access to the encrypted data of millions of users in other countries.
The Home Office reportedly made the order last month (photo by Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images)
Previous attempts by the US government to access encrypted files have been rejected by the tech giant.
The Home Office and Apple have been approached for comment, although the order notice cannot be made public legally.
The Home Office said: ‘We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices’.
Apple describes privacy as a ‘fundamental human right’ on its website.
The government’s diktat was not aimed at a single account but instead demanded complete access to view encrypted material across the cloud.
The primary target of the government’s order is Apple’s additional Advanced Data Protection service
Many platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have end-to-end encryption (Picture: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
