Rapidly Aging

Singapore has crossed the threshold of a super-aged society, with 21.4% of citizens aged 65 or older in 2026, up from 20.7% last year and 13.7% a decade ago. The milestone puts it among countries like Japan where more than one in five residents is a senior, raising questions about healthcare costs, the shrinking workforce and support for the elderly.

A Norwegian science news report describes a study finding that children and teenagers aged 9 to 18 increasingly turn to AI assistants instead of Google for information and answers. Researchers say the shift is happening fast, but the effects on how young people learn, judge sources and handle misinformation are not yet known, prompting calls for closer attention from educators and parents.

IntelliNews reports, in its Datacrunch analysis, that Europe's average car fleet is growing older while Ukraine, despite the war, is shifting rapidly to electric cars, many of them Chinese-made. The piece contrasts the EU's ageing stock of combustion vehicles with Ukraine's fast EV adoption, highlighting a widening split in Europe's car markets and growing Chinese influence in EV supply.

A new report argues the next wave of American battery demand will come not from electric vehicles but from grid-scale storage, as utilities add batteries to balance growing amounts of wind and solar power and to stabilize an aging electricity network under rising demand from data centers. Industry watchers see this as a structural shift in where battery manufacturing and investment will flow next.

A civil engineer has written a science fiction thriller exploring society's vulnerabilities in the age of artificial intelligence. The book draws on the author's engineering background to examine what happens when the infrastructure people depend on comes under threat from AI systems. It is being covered by US media as part of wider public debate over the risks of rapidly advancing AI technology.

The World Health Organization and partner organisations are discussing how traditional medicine knowledge should be governed in the age of artificial intelligence. The talks are taking place at the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, where countries negotiate how indigenous and traditional knowledge is protected from misuse, including use in AI systems.

A growing longevity industry is taking off in Dallas, with businesses focused on extending healthy lifespans expanding across the city. The report highlights how longer-living consumers are driving demand for health, wellness and anti-aging services, turning aging itself into a booming commercial sector in the Texas city.

Rapidly Aging, the project featuring members of Canopy, have premiered a new single titled 'To Keep From'. The track is the latest preview of the band's upcoming debut LP, with the premiere running exclusively through Lambgoat. Metal news aggregators are sharing the release as fans of the hardcore and metal underground look ahead to the full album.

Brookings is proposing a dedicated visa policy for direct care workers to help the United States meet the staffing needs of its rapidly aging population. The proposal argues that immigration policy should be aligned with long-term care demand, as the sector faces persistent worker shortages and rising numbers of older adults needing assistance.

Drake University is hosting its Bucksbaum Business Lecture focused on journalism in the age of artificial intelligence and new technology. Journalists will speak about how AI is changing newsrooms, reporting practices and the business of media. The event gives students and the Des Moines community a chance to hear directly from reporters working through the industry's technological shifts.

A Clinical Ageing and Longevity Medicine (CALM) 2027 event has been announced, positioning healthcare practitioners at the centre of the longevity medicine field as it shifts toward direct-to-consumer services. The announcement argues that professional medical guidance will be essential as more consumers seek anti-ageing and preventive health treatments, rather than navigating the fast-growing market alone.

Hospice News reports that technology executives in the hospice care sector are taking on changing responsibilities as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into end-of-life care operations. The article examines how AI tools are reshaping decision-making, workflow management and care delivery, giving tech leaders greater influence over strategy in hospice organizations.