Amazon To Test AI-Created Material For Carbon Capture In Data Centers

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 4, 2024

Amazon is stepping up its environmental efforts by testing a groundbreaking carbon-removal material for its data centers. The company, which is tackling the growing emissions linked to the artificial intelligence systems powering these centers, has partnered with Orbital Materials, a startup that used AI to design the innovative substance.

Jonathan Godwin, CEO of Orbital Materials, explained that the new material acts like an atomic-level sponge, with cavities precisely sized to capture CO2 without interacting with other elements. This targeted approach could be a game-changer in carbon filtration.

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One of the appealing aspects of the new material is its cost-effectiveness. Godwin estimates that the material could account for just 10% of the cost associated with renting a GPU chip for AI training, significantly less than the price of traditional carbon offsets.

Meanwhile, the demand for energy in data centers is rising, as AI’s rapid development requires more power and cooling solutions. This surge poses a challenge for Amazon, which is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world’s largest cloud provider by revenue, plans to begin piloting the AI-designed carbon removal material in one of its data centers starting in 2025. This initiative is part of a three-year collaboration with Orbital, which will also gain access to AWS’s technology and open-source AI tools for further development.

Howard Gefen, General Manager of AWS Energy & Utilities, stated that the partnership would promote sustainable innovation, but financial details remain undisclosed. Orbital, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey, and London, began its journey about a year ago by setting up a lab to synthesize AI-designed materials. The startup aims to work with AWS to test additional AI-generated solutions, addressing water usage and cooling requirements in data centers. Godwin co-founded Orbital, which currently employs 20 people and is supported by investors such as Radical Ventures and Nvidia’s venture arm. Before this, Godwin contributed to materials science work at Alphabet’s DeepMind until 2022.

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Europe’s Retirement Age Varies From 57 To 67 As Pension Rules Shift

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

August 31, 2026

Retirement ages across the European Union range from 57 for some early-retirement schemes in Luxembourg to 67 in several member states. Most countries set the standard pension age between 60 and 67, while separate rules can apply based on gender, profession or contribution history.

As populations age and pension systems face greater financial pressure, governments have been gradually raising retirement thresholds. Cyprus currently sets the standard pensionable age at 65, while retirement at 63 results in a 12% pension reduction.

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Some Countries Allow Earlier Retirement

Luxembourg permits early retirement from 57 for people who have completed 480 months of mandatory contributions. Slovenia allows retirement at 60 with 40 years of insurance, while Greece permits retirement at 62 for workers with 40 years of coverage.

Hungary has a separate scheme under which women can qualify for a full pension after 40 qualifying years regardless of age. Portugal also allows some professions, including miners, quarry workers, ballet professionals and air traffic controllers, to retire from 45.

Retirement Ages Are Rising Across The EU

Belgium’s retirement age is 66 and will reach 67 in 2030, while France is gradually moving to 64. Germany is increasing its threshold from 65 to 67, with the transition continuing until 2029.

Italy sets the standard retirement age at 67 with at least 20 years of contributions. Croatia and Latvia use 65, while Lithuania is moving to 65 for both men and women. Estonia reached 65 in 2026 and will adjust the age according to life expectancy.

The Netherlands will raise its statutory retirement age to 67 years and three months in 2028. Poland retains different thresholds of 60 for women and 65 for men, while Romania sets retirement at 65 for men and 62 for women.

Slovakia’s retirement age was 64 years and one month as of July 2025. The Czech Republic links retirement age to year of birth, with the highest threshold reaching 67.

Nordic Systems Add Different Rules

Sweden uses several age thresholds for pension benefits. Public pension payments can begin at 63, while basic protection starts at 66 and workplace protections change at 69. From 2027, a formal reference age will be introduced and linked to the basic protection threshold.

Cyprus Remains At 65

Cyprus remains within the broad European range with a standard pensionable age of 65. Workers can retire at 63, but their pension is reduced by 12%.

Across Europe, pension systems increasingly combine age thresholds with contribution requirements and life-expectancy adjustments, while separate provisions remain for certain professions and groups.

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