Tech Life Data and me
Also on Tech Life this week, will there be enough electricity for the demands of artificial intelligence ? The International Energy Agency tells us about the challenges of powering the AI boom. And we find out how to grow an island in The Maldives. The tech involved could protect low-lying territories from erosion and rising sea levels.
We enjoy reading your messages about the one item of tech you simply can't do without. If you want to tell us about your must-have piece of tech, please get in touch by emailing techlife@bbc.co.uk or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320.
Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn
Editor: Monica Soriano
Image: A scientist holds a DNA sample with the results on a computer screen in a laboratory. Credit: Westend61/Getty Images
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Kai Trump's endorsements have made her a teenage millionaire
Kai Trump, the eldest of President Donald Trump 's grandchildren, is already following in her family's business-forward footsteps with multiple name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals amounting to more than $1 million. Before heading to the University of Miami next fall to begin playing on the school's golf team, Kai, 18, has already scored deals with Accelerator Active Energy, Leaf Trading Cards, and TaylorMade Golf. With more than six million followers on social media, Kai has an NIL valuation of at least $1.2 million, according to On3. That's among the top female student-athlete NIL earners alongside Louisiana State University gymnast Livvy Dunne, who had an NIL valuation of $4.1 million, and basketball player Flau'jae Johnson, who has an NIL valuation of $1.5 million, according to Sports Illustrated. NIL deals enable college athletes to earn money from endorsements, sponsorships, collaborations, and other opportunities based on their personal brand, rather than their athletic performance. Trump reportedly intends to sign an executive order establishing national standards for the National Collegiate Athletic Association's NIL program, according to people familiar with the plan, as CBS News reported earlier this week. Kai, who attended The Benjamin School in Palm Beach, Florida, has leveraged her personal brand to secure such deals. She has approximately 1.8 million followers on Instagram, 3.2 million on TikTok, and 1.17 million on YouTube. Her latest NIL deal is with Accelerator Active Energy, a sugar-free energy drink that has also partnered with Dunne. The eldest Trump grandchild utilizes her social media following to offer fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the political landscape in Washington, D.C., and her experiences with golf. While Kai is well-known to fans of Trump, as she is the daughter of the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., her public prominence skyrocketed last year after she delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention. She told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that she 'always wanted' to create content on social media and serve as a role model for younger people. However, her true passion lies in golf, a game popular with her grandfather. Kai told Fox News Digital that she intends to pursue a professional golf career after college. 'If I have two hours, I'm not going to hit a few balls, go on my phone, scroll. No, I'm going to take full advantage of the time I have on the course. So, I mean, I think that's going to get me onto the next level for sure,' Kai told Fox News. One of Kai's NIL deals is with TaylorMade Golf, a leading manufacturer of golf equipment and apparel. Kai also has access to some of the best golf teachers in the world, including her mother Vanessa Trump's new boyfriend, Tiger Woods.


Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent recall for chicken sausages over fears it contains shards of plastic
Ready-to-eat chicken sausages have been recalled nationwide over fears of throat lacerations, health officials announced. Massachusetts-based Kayem Foods Inc has voluntarily recalled 24,000 pounds of its 'All Natural Al Fresco Chicken Sausage Sweet Apple with Vermont Maple Syrup' after customers reported finding white pieces of plastic inside of them. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Thursday it is 'concerned that some products may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers.' 'The problem was discovered after the firm notified (USDA-Food Safety Inspection Service) that it received three consumer complaints reporting white pieces of plastic in the chicken sausage products,' the agency said. Affected products were produced on June 28, 2025, and have a use- or freeze-by date of October 1, 2025. Each 11-ounce package contains four sausages and has the lot code 179 printed on the back package label. They also have 'P-7839' printed on the inside of the USDA mark of inspection. The sausages were sold at Walmart and other retailers in 26 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico. No injuries have been reported. FSIS urged customers concerned about potential injuries to contact their doctor. FSIS is urging customers who have purchased the affected products to not consume them. They should instead toss the sausages out or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Any potential foreign material that has possibly made its way into the chicken sausages could pose a choking hazard to consumers. Roughly 5,000 Americans die from choking every year, the majority of whom are children and the elderly due to difficulty swallowing. It's unclear how the products became contaminated. This usually happens due to fragments falling off machines during processing or improper sealing of the packaging. The recall is the latest in a series of those tied to foreign materials that have somehow made their way into food. Earlier this month, grocery store giant Publix issued two recalls of its ground beef products within a week due to foreign material. These recalls impacted the chain's locations at the Limestone Marketplace Publix in Gainesville, Georgia, and in the Abernathy Square Shopping Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia. And in May the chain was at the center of a baby food recall over fears the products were contaminated with lead. No illnesses were reported for either Publix recall. The FSIS urged customers with questions about the Kayem Foods recall to contact Joellen West at 617-889-1600 x247 or jwest@ Another sausage brand was recalled in April for the same issue. Johnsonville recalled its cheddar bratwursts, sold in groups of five in sealed firm tray packages. At least two customers reported plastic in their sausages, although no injuries occurred. The sausages were produced on February 5 and are no longer on shelves, but officials fear some could still be lurking in freezers. They were sold in 10 states. Anyone who has the affected sausages is being urged to throw them out or return them to stores for a full refund. It follows an urgent recall for Tony's Chocolonely chocolates over fears that they too could contain 'hard or sharp foreign objects.' The states include Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. Recalled sausages have a package code 'B9FOD' and an establishment number of 'Est 1647' on the label. Johnsonville reported the contamination to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, which revealed the recall. Officials said: '[We] are concerned that some product may be in consumers' freezers. 'Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.' Johnsonville is a highly popular sausage brand in the US, and is sold in more than 45 countries worldwide. It is also the largest sausage brand in the US by revenue, making more than $1billion annually.


The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
AI clones of Miss England contestants enter pageant competition with eerie ‘digital twins'
AN EERIE new AI round for the Miss England pageant has been introduced with "digital twins" of real-life contestants. Hopefuls can now walk down a virtual catwalk and wear just about anything their heart desires all thanks to the power of AI. 5 5 The so-called "Miss England Avatar Round" give beauty queens the chance to step into the world of AI technology. Organisers behind the famed contest believe it's the first beauty pageant in the world to introduce such a round. Over the course of two-hours, each participant can develop a fully-animated digital clone of themselves, capable of delivering presentations and making virtual appearances. Afton McKeith, daughter of I'm A Celeb star Gillian McKeith, was the first Miss England semi finalist to complete the filming process this week. A sample video shows her virtual clone interacting, wearing an array of outfits and even speaking in different languages. "This is not actually me, I am Afton's digital twin," the avatar says. "I have no human needs, no sleep, no stress, no make-up disasters. "Just pure calculated perfection. "Very soon digital twins won't be a novelty, they will be attending meetings, handling interviews and running entire lives. "Lets face it, wouldn't you rather send your avatar to your 9am meeting if you could?" mum's an I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! legend. But Afton's more likely to be found backstage at a pageant than in the jungle Miss England has got tech firm MirrorMe on board to make the new round possible. Contestants need to record voiceovers and movements to bring their avatars to life, allowing them to explore how they might represent themselves in future digital interviews, business pitches, or public speaking engagements - with the ability to speak more than 140 languages too. The Miss England business avatar round will be one of ten rounds in the next Miss England semi final that contestants can opt to enter. A winner will be judged on the highest combined views for their AI video presentations on the MirrorMe website, Vimeo and YouTube. The real Afton, 25, said: "It's such an exciting honour to be the first Miss England contestant to experience the Avatar Round. "This initiative is a brilliant way to encourage more young women to step into the world of business and technology. "A digital twin can be a powerful asset as it allows you to create content that can be reused, save time on filming and even license your likeness to companies for campaigns or educational tools. "It's about working smarter and exploring new ways to build your brand, create income and stay present even when you're not physically available." Angie Beasley, who has run the Miss England competition for 23 years, added: 'Miss England has always been about more than just looks. "With the rise of remote working, AI and virtual platforms, I felt it was time to reflect the world our contestants are stepping into. "This round is about confidence, presence and impact — whether you're in the room or on a screen. "It's an empowering way to bridge beauty, brains and modern tech. "This innovative new round opens the door for contestants to embrace technology in a whole new way, highlighting their adaptability, creativity, and communication skills in the digital space." 5 5