VR hurries to the rescue: scientists from Oxford University have come up with a set of exercises using a VR helmet which helps to cope with acrophobia (the fear of height). It is 70% more effective than sessions with psychotherapists. To test the VR-programs, people with different degrees of the fear were invited to participate, many of whom have had acrophobia for more than 30 years. In exercises using a virtual reality helmet they had to: walk along a precarious path, save a kitten who climbed a tree, play a musical instrument while standing on a balcony, etc. It is interesting to note that after just five sessions of two hours the control group decreased their fear of height by 68%. More than half of the participants decreased their acrophobia by almost 80%. Such results have never before been attained by any psychotherapeutic techniques. Scientists are encouraged because they can also develop dozens of other programs including ones to combat depression and drug addiction, all the while being available at home.

HTC is preparing to release a smartphone which has a system that uses blockchain. However, it is not completely written on the blockchain — the operating system will still use Android but it will be adapted for blockchain applications. The phone is also expected to have a wallet, which will be available only to users of Exodus smartphones. Exodus will become both a smartphone and a crypto-wallet, which will have a built-in recovery key. Supported protocols: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Lightning Network, and further expansion is planned. The smartphone will not be the only blockchain product from HTC. The company plans to create its own blockchain ecosystem.

Changpeng Zhao, the founder of the crypto-exchange Binance, with the support of Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister of Malta, is preparing a grandiose project that the world has not yet seen: a decentralized bank. The government of Malta wants to create a favorable atmosphere for the crypto-currency and blockchain communities. The headquarters of Binance is now located in Malta. The world’s first crypto-bank, Founders Bank, will not belong to any company or any legal or private person. The owners of the bank will be all those who use its financial instruments, including — acquiring tokens. Binance has already invested in the creation of the bank and 5% of Founders Bank will belong to the Maltese government itself. Joseph Muscat has promised to resolve all difficulties related to crypto-politics in the EU because he is so confident in the success of the project.