Since December 2023, there have been nine volcanic eruptions near the coastal town of Grindavik, forcing residents to regularly evacuate. Arnhildur Palmadottir, founder and owner of Reykjavik-based s.ap arkitektar, says she and her son, Arnar Skarpheoinsson, came up with the idea in 2018, after the 2014-15 Holuhraun eruption, the largest outbreak in Iceland for over 300 years. She said: "We had this eruption in Holuhraun, which is close to Vatnajokull, the biggest glacier that we have, and we had like an enormous amount of material just running over the landscape. And when we saw those numbers we thought, 'whoa, I mean this is like molten concrete in a way, without the cement, so why can't you just do something with it?'" Their lava-forming proposal focuses on how the destructive force of lava might be used to transform the global construction industry, which is heavily reliant on concrete, steel, and other high-impact materials. Palmadottir and Skarpheoinsson believe a lava flow could contain enough building material for the foundations of a city to rise in a matter of weeks, without the climate impacts associated with traditional construction. However, they don't expect their vision to become a reality until around 2150. For the project, human construction workers wouldn't be able to handle the lava due to temperatures comparable to molten glass, according to those involved in the project. Instead, various methods and technologies would be used to shape and mould the rock into desired forms - from 3D printing, controlled flows, cooling chambers, and robots. Read more from Sky News:Trump's 50% tariffs on Canada to be matched 'dollar for dollar''Scores of people' kidnapped from mosque in Nigeria "We think about it as robots that would travel the lava fields and just kind of gather the molten lava and then create some kind of structures out of that," said Palmadottir. She also referred to the prefabrication method, which would enable them to guide the molten lava into a factory where pressure and heat would be used to bring about results. The architects argue volcanic basalt rock is similar to traditional construction concrete used today, but would be available at virtually no cost. They say basalt and lava could be transformed into durable, low-impact building elements. "We have seen that lava can be very different. It has different material properties," said Skarpheoinsson. "We can see in nature columnar basalt that's very crystallised and very strong and could theoretically be used as a structural material." Palmadottir said Iceland's construction industry has expressed an interest, as it seeks ways to reduce its carbon impact. "The building industry is interested in this because, for example, concrete producers have to lower their CO2 emissions because it's the biggest emitter in the building industry," she said. "And also, they are using this material already and concrete is 98% basalt anyway." The project was Iceland's contribution to the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale in 2025. "This project is about shifting perspective," said Palmadottir. "What would it mean to live in a lava-built city? What would that change about architecture, about how we relate to the land and to each other?"

Many of the UK's chains could introduce "policies to prohibit and/or restrict the wearing of camera-enabled smart glasses", according to the industry's trade body. Money blog: Products that have most increased in price All of the major operators are considering their approach to the tech, according to the UK Cinema Association (UKCA), as they respond to the rise of what some people have dubbed "spy glasses" or "pervert glasses". The wearable technology features cameras embedded inside the frame and facilitates discreet recording. A small light flashes during taping. But no bans have been issued to date, as far as the UKCA is aware, as moviehouses seek to balance possible film recording and privacy concerns with the accessibility benefits some users can get from the glasses. Patrons with a visual impairment or who are hard of hearing can benefit from the spectacles, according to UKCA chief executive Phil Clapp. These glasses can be useful to some moviegoers. Bespoke subtitling can come with some smart frames, Mr Clapp said. Why now? While smart glasses are not a new concept, Meta's have proven popular, with more than seven million pairs sold in 2025 alone. An ad campaign fronted by billionaire Kylie Jenner has also brought new attention to the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled glasses. As well as taking pictures and recording video, Meta glasses enable conversations with AI, listening to music and taking calls. They also feature a screen on the right lens, allowing wearers to read messages, translate a conversation or look at a map without taking out their phone. How are others responding? Theatres, pubs and restaurants have been taking a stance on the technology as its popularity grows. One of the UK's biggest pub chains, Wetherspoons, has implemented an effective ban by not allowing people to record with the glasses in their pubs. The owner of theatres across London, the Edinburgh Playhouse and the Bristol Hippodrome, ATG Theatres, will also prevent attendees from recording using the glasses. His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service told The Guardian "the use of Meta glasses is prohibited" over restrictions on taking images or videos within courts and tribunals. A Meta spokesperson said the glasses "provide critical new technology for people in the blind and low-vision community". "Limiting how people can use this technology would be a major step backwards," they added. "Naturally, some places shouldn't be filmed at all, and that's reasonable, but rules should be applied consistently. Our glasses have a light that turns on to let people know when a photo or video is taken, something smartphones and other cameras don't have." Have you been filmed using Meta glasses? If so, our Sky News Explains team would like to hear your story. Please email us at news@skynews.com

A 15-foot-long reticulated python at Chester Zoo - named Jodie Foster after the Hollywood star – had already undergone surgery for a malignant fibrosarcoma when it later returned and began invading her jawbone. Ian Ashpole, a veterinary officer at the zoo who carried out the treatment, said: "When the tumour came back and started destroying part of her jawbone, we knew more surgery on its own probably wasn't going to be enough. "We were facing the possibility of losing her as the tumour made it more and more difficult for her to eat." Alongside cancer specialists at the University of Liverpool, the zookeepers decided to treat Jodie with electrochemotherapy. According to Mr Ashpole, "this is the first time it's ever been used" for a snake. Jose Alvarez Picornell, of the university's department of Small Animal Clinical Science, added that it's an "emerging treatment" for animals. In an improvised treatment, Jodie was anaesthetised in her own habitat before being carried to the zoo's veterinary centre. Mr Ashpole said that the python is so big, "we had to put two operating tables together, effectively making one the size of a double bed". He then removed the tumorous mass and removed part of Jodie's diseased jawbone before electrochemotherapy was administered to target any remaining cancerous cells. The treatment combines the cancer drug bleomycin with a series of carefully controlled electrical pulses delivered directly to the tumour site. The pulses temporarily make cancer cells more permeable, allowing the drug to enter more effectively, and mean lower doses of chemotherapy can be used – often in a single procedure. See more from Sky News:Kyiv attack 'one of most brutal'Criminal probe into girl's deathInside company building AI lovers It's been a success, says Mr Ashpole: "Seeing her back to her normal bright and feisty self has been incredibly rewarding. "A few months ago, we genuinely didn't know whether she'd survive. Now she's eating normally, exploring her habitat and behaving exactly as we'd hope." Despite losing part of her jawbone, Jodie's appetite and hunting ability have not been affected, the zoo said. A final check confirmed she remains free of any signs of the cancer returning, a spokesperson added.

The social media firm will pay $300m immediately and a further $100m after an order vacates an earlier consent decree against its predecessor company, Musical.ly, the DoJ said on Friday. As part of the consent agreement, the Federal Trade Commission said TikTok, then known as Musical.ly, was aware that young children used the app and ​had failed to get parental consent to collect their names, email addresses and other personal information. It ‌paid ⁠a $5.7m (£4.18m) fine. The settlement comes as social media companies face a wave of lawsuits over children's safety and privacy, and a growing number of countries are banning young kids and teens from social media apps. The DoJ sued TikTok and ByteDance in 2024 for allegedly failing to protect children's privacy, and illegally collecting their information. The defendants were accused of violating a law requiring online services aimed at children to obtain ​parental consent to collect personal information from users under 13. Associate attorney general ​Stanley E Woodward Jr said the Justice Department's priority "is ensuring that children are protected ⁠online and that companies entrusted with their personal information meet their legal obligations". "This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents," he said in a statement. ​TikTok did not immediately comment. ByteDance in January agreed to establish a majority American-owned joint venture to secure US data and avoid a US ban. The government noted that since the complaint was filed, TikTok has undergone ​significant changes to its ​ownership, management, compliance functions, ⁠and privacy practices. The DoJ said the settlement "ensures that American families continue to benefit from stronger protections without the delay and uncertainty ​of protracted litigation". The TikTok US joint venture said in a ​court filing that all users must enter their date of birth to use the site. TikTok said it has developed sophisticated age-moderation systems that identify children under 13 pretending to be older. Read more from Sky News:Prostate cancer cases surge in UKMurder probe after human remains found ⁠That ​court filing said TikTok has hundreds of personnel ​trained in underage moderation and deletes tens of thousands of underage accounts. Separately, TikTok is also among other companies facing scrutiny after comments from Ireland's justice minister that social media companies have a big responsibility in not allowing posts that "glorify criminal behaviour" after five teenagers died when the car they were in was driven the wrong way up the M9. TikTok said it has removed all of the flagged content and banned accounts that violate its policies against criminal behaviour. It comes as Instagram's parent company, Meta Platforms, is on trial in a federal court in Oakland, California, over allegations it violated the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), along with various state statutes. Google's YouTube in 2019 paid $170m (124.6m), and Epic Games in 2022 paid $275m (£201.6m) for COPPA violations.

With his fuzz of chaotic grey hair and love of philosophy, Palantir boss Alex Karp isn't your average tech bro. Not least because he recently published a pro-West manifesto that has been described as the "ramblings of a supervillain". His highly-controversial data analytics firm is known by critics as "the world's most dangerous tech company" - so what does it actually do and why does it sit right at the heart of the NHS? Niall is joined by Sky's technology correspondent, Rowland Manthorpe, for the latest episode of our series looking at the most important people in tech that you might have never heard of. Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk