We’ll control gadgets with our minds ‘by 2030’

And other stories from the stranger side of life

Smartbands

Smart assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant, may one day be able to spot oncoming colds and chronic health conditions before they appear, according to a new report on the future of consumer technology. These gadgets will be able to monitor a user’s health by noticing differences in their breathing, voice and heart rate. The report, carried out by Vodafone, also predicted that in 2030 we will be wearing devices which allow us to control gadgets with our minds. “These will detect the brain signals made when people say words in their head and give commands without people having to speak,” explained The Times.

Fight Club given new ending in China

The movie Fight Club has been given a new ending in China. At the end of David Fincher’s cult film from 1999, Edward Norton’s character kills off his imaginary alter ego and then watches as multiple buildings explode. But in China, the exploding building scene is replaced by a black screen and a closing message which reads: “The police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding.”

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Melania Trump’s auction falls flat

Three items put up for auction by former first lady Melania Trump failed to reach the desired monetary threshold of $250,000 for an opening bid. When the auction for the items – a custom, wide-brimmed white hat worn by Trump during an official White House state visit, a watercolour of Trump wearing the hat and a non-fungible token of the illustration – ended, only five bids appeared to have been placed.

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