Weekend takeaway: Recognising sci-tech’s finest

24 Feb 2017

Image: Bosko/Shutterstock

From Irish tech firms at Mobile World Congress to counting the winners at the Oscars, we cover all the important areas in the sci-tech world this week.

1. Hidden no more: The African-American women of NASA’s history

While Black History Month is largely a US custom every February, the release of Hidden Figures on this side of the Atlantic has inspired us to celebrate some of sci-tech history’s finest.

2. Meet the 30 mighty Irish firms attending Mobile World Congress 2017

The best of the Irish mobile technology community will be on display at Mobile World Congress 2017.

3. The secret duo that hold the Oscar winners in their hands

A behind-the-scenes account of the final process that decides the Oscar winners, right up to the opening of the envelope.

4. 15 promising start-ups blossoming in Paris

Check out these great start-ups from Paris that are guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

5. Cork tech company to deliver 4G in the sky at Mobile World Congress

Software Radio Systems has struck a deal with SmartSky Networks to bring 4G and Wi-Fi speeds to the skies.

6. Robots won’t replace humans, they’ll work with us

Speaking at the Turing Lecture in Dublin, Dr Guruduth Banavar detailed where he believes AI is going. Luckily, it won’t be like in the movies.

7. 5 start-ups share their different routes to success

We spoke to five Enterprise Ireland-funded start-ups about their journey so far.

8. It will cost State more than €35bn to meet 2030 emissions targets

A new report issued by the IAE has thrown serious doubt on the possibility of Ireland meeting its already scaled-down 2030 emissions targets.

9. Statements flow in from Silicon Valley criticising transgender ruling

The tech community has united once again in opposition of a decision by US president Donald Trump to roll back protections put in place for transgender students in American schools.

10. Top tech companies still have a massive gender gap

Women fill less than a quarter of the tech roles in some of the biggest tech companies in the world.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com