Artificial Intelligence

Samsung’s chip workers are jumping ship to rival SK Hynix 

via bloomberg.com

Summary

Lee, an engineer at Samsung’s semiconductor division, clocks out when his shift ends. He used to work longer hours, going the extra mile to excel at his projects. But lately, he’s been coming straight home to work on his job application for the chipmaker’s South Korean rival SK Hynix, sharing tips with his coworkers on how to draft a stellar personal statement. Even his boss encourages him to make the move. “My team lead tells us all to jump ship to SK Hynix,” says Lee. He and his coworkers are feeling demoralized by the $476,000 bonus that SK Hynix is set to pay its employees, flush with record profits from making the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips that power Nvidia’s AI accelerators. The figure dwarfs what chip workers at Samsung are…

Claude Science is Anthropic’s newest flagship product

via bloomberg.com

Summary

At an event for pharmaceutical executives, biotech founders, and researchers on Tuesday, Anthropic announced Claude Science, a major new product intended to support scientific research in the same way that Claude Code supports software engineering. Like Claude Code, Claude Science can autonomously carry out meaningful work when given concise, high-level instructions, and it has access to tools that make it particularly useful for research in computational biology and drug development. Along with launching and previewing Claude Science, which is now available to all paid Claude subscribers, Anthropic also announced that it will be using the product to pursue some of its own research into drugs for rare, neglected diseases. This is not Anthropic’s first foray into AI for science. In October, the company released plug-ins that help Claude make use…

Rehumanizing global health care with agentic AI

via who.int

Summary

The global health care sector is under increasing strain.  Decades of chronic underinvestment and constraints in recruitment have coincided with a surge in demand for services for aging populations. Gaps in provision are already taking a toll, with fragmented access to care and high rates of stress and burnout among staff. And it’s getting worse. The World Health Organization has warned that current shortfalls will increase to 11 million workers by 2030.  In their urgent hunt for a solution, many health-care providers are now pinning their hopes on agentic AI, with more than two-thirds (68%) having already adopted AI agents into their workforce, according to KPMG.  The technology is being deployed to automate complex back-office processes, collaborate with medical teams, and even triage patients, all in a bid to reduce…

Musk v. Altman week 2: OpenAI fires back, and Shivon Zilis reveals that Musk tried to poach Sam Altman

via bloomberg.com

Summary

In the second week of the landmark trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI, Musk’s motivations for bringing the suit were under scrutiny. Last week, Musk took the stand, alleging that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman had deceived him into donating $38 million to the company. He claimed that they’d promised to maintain it as a nonprofit dedicated to developing AI for the benefit of humanity, only to later accept billions of dollars of investment from Microsoft and restructure the company to operate a for-profit subsidiary.   This week, Brockman fired back with his side of the story, arguing that Musk had actually pushed for OpenAI to create a for-profit arm and fought a bitter battle to have “absolute control” over it. OpenAI has argued that Musk is suing…

Business & Finance

Gen Z got into repairing and handstitching clothes first — now Levi’s and Uniqlo are chasing a Patagonia-style ‘brand halo’

via apnews.com

Summary

Encouraging customers to mend worn clothes instead of buying new ones might seem like a self-defeating sales strategy. But in-store repairs and sewing workshops are becoming essential retail services for clothing brands as they try to appeal to young consumers who want to save money and the planet. While luxury fashion houses and select specialty retailers like Patagonia and L.L. Bean have offered product repairs for decades, the concept has caught on. Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co., casual wear chain Uniqlo and budget retailer Primark are a few of the apparel companies hoping to win over Generation Z shoppers with a needle and thread. Levi’s created a handstitching course for high school students after determining that many members of Gen Z lacked the sewing skills to match their interest in thrift store shopping and sustainability.…

Flesh-eating bacteria infections are surging along the Gulf Coast with five deaths reported in Louisiana

via apnews.com

Summary

Health officials in Louisiana are urging beachgoers to take precautions during a summertime surge in infections from a flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters. Louisiana has confirmed nine cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections this year, the state’s health department said last week in a news release. All were hospitalized, and five died. During the same period over the previous decade, Louisiana reported an average of seven cases and one death. “Seek medical care immediately if a wound exposed to brackish or salt water becomes red, swollen, painful, warm or discolored,” officials said in the release. “Tell the health care provider about the water exposure.” The Gulf is an ideal environment Vibrio bacteria thrive in seawater and in the brackish mix of fresh and saltwater found in estuaries and lagoons. Most infections are reported…

Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed says he got advice from Barack Obama and had a ‘really warm and inspiring’ conversation

via apnews.com

Summary

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, said Sunday he has spoken with Barack Obamaand hopes the former president campaigns with him as the party tries to unite after a bitter primary that exposed deep rifts between its progressive and moderate wings. El-Sayed said his Friday conversation with Obama was “really warm and inspiring.” The candidate did not provide details. “I was grateful for his advice. It was very warm, very inviting, and I know that he knows the critical role that Michigan is going to play,” El-Sayed told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Asked if he would like to see Obama come to Michigan to drum up support for Democrats before the midterm elections in November, El-Sayed said he “really” hoped so and that Obama “knows a lot about winning Michigan” after…

Iran-backed Houthi rebels attack crucial Red Sea port and Saudi Aramco refinery as fighting escalates

via apnews.com

Summary

Yemen’s Houthis attacked a crucial port on the Red Sea, killing people and further escalating the conflict over strategic waterways in the Middle East. They also said they attacked an oil facility on Sunday in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the latest attack by the Iranian-backed rebels on the kingdom. Meanwhile, Iran has made new demands about the restart of negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon is pressing the U.S. defense industry to accelerate production of weapons and Israel is insisting it won’t withdraw from Gaza until Hamas disarms. Here’s a look at developments across the Middle East on Sunday. Full coverage can be found here. Houthis target Aramco refinery, Red Sea port The National Resistance Forces, a Yemeni government-allied force, said at least seven people — four troops and three civilians — were…

Education

Do You Like AI Because AI Likes You? How AI Flattery Crosses Signals

via science.org

Summary

Myra Cheng, a computer science Ph.D. student at Stanford University, has spent a lot of time listening to undergraduates on campus. “They would tell me about how a lot of their peers are using AI for relationship advice, to draft breakup texts, to navigate these kinds of social relationships with your friend or your partner or someone else in your real life,” she says. Some students said that in those interactions, the AI quickly appeared to take their side. “And I think more broadly,” says Cheng, “if you use AI for writing some sort of code or even editing any sort of writing, it’ll be like, ‘Wow, your code or your writing is amazing.’ ” To Cheng, this excessive flattery and unconditional validation from many AI models seemed different from…

Education Department Takes a Preliminary Step Toward Revamping Its Research and Statistics Arm

via whitehouse.gov

Summary

In his first two months in office, President Donald Trump ordered the closing of the Education Department and fired half of its staff. The department’s research and statistics division, called the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), was particularly hard hit. About 90 percent of its staff lost their jobs and more than 100 federal contracts to conduct its primary activities were canceled. But now there are signs that the Trump administration is partially reversing course and wants the federal government to retain a role in generating education statistics and evidence for what works in classrooms — at least to some extent. On Sept. 25, the department posted a notice in the Federal Register asking the public to submit feedback by Oct. 15 on reforming IES to make research more relevant…

Adults Have Struggled to Set Rules for AI In School. These Teens Figured It Out

via npr.org

Summary

BOSTON — Over the course of one frantic, late-July weekend, 98 teens representing all 50 states put their busy lives on hold to try to do something remarkable. The students, most of them high school juniors and seniors, gathered in a precise replica of the U.S. Senate chamber and attempted what the real, adult Congress has largely failed to do: draft and pass “legislation” to help the nation’s K-12 schools navigate the questions and chaos created by artificial intelligence. Should students be allowed to use AI on assignments? What about on tests? Is it schools’ job to teach the nation’s children what AI is and how to use it? There is no national policy for AI use in schools, meaning states and school districts have had to scramble to craft…

After Years of Declines, Young Students Show Gains in Reading and Math

via npr.org

Summary

New federal test scores show younger students are making gains in reading and math — after years of declines. “I think this is an optimistic release,” Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, told NPR. Results from the long-term trend (LTT) report, released Wednesday, provide a national look at progress in reading and math for 9- and 13-year-old students. The tests, which students take on pencil and paper every few years, have asked many of the same questions since they were first given in the 1970s. The tests are part of the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) and are nationally representative of student learning. More than 30,000 students took the exams between October 2024 and March 2025. Here are five takeaways from the results: 1.…

Entertainment

AI music generator Suno loses copyright infringement legal case

via reuters.com

Summary

AI music generator Suno has lost a copyright infringement lawsuit to German licensing agency GEMA. Filed in January 2025, the filing saw GEMA argue that Suno was using songs in its repertoire – including Boney M’s ‘Daddy Cool’, Lou Bega’s ‘Mambo No. 5’, and Alphaville’s ‘Forever Young’ – to train its AI models, without obtaining any licenses or paying the songwriters. The decision was handed down on Friday (July 31) by the Munich Regional Court, and ruled that the AI platform unlawfully obtained, processed and reproduced music that was represented by GEMA. The court found that Suno’s use of the songs was in breach of both the German and US copyright law. Suno will now need to pay damages to GEMA, although the sum has not yet been confirmed. The…

‘Wicker Man’ sequel director Justin Hardy dies weeks before premiere

via bbc.co.uk

Summary

The Wicker Man sequel director Justin Hardy – son of the original Wicker Man director Robin – has died weeks before the film’s premiere. The BBC reports that the filmmaker and writer died aged 61 due to a heart attack on Friday. Hardy’s family said they were “devastated” to share the news in a statement, describing him as “so full of life right to the end, and incredibly energised to be working towards premiering his latest film this month. “We are all so proud of him and heartbroken he won’t be with us at his premiere,” the statement continues. “He was a man of family, of boundless creativity and of devotion for everyone he held dear.” Hardy’s Wrath Of The Gods – the second sequel to The Wicker Man – is scheduled to premiere at horror film festival…

Arlene Smith, Co-Founder of Pioneering 1950s Girl Group The Chantels Dies at 84

via apnews.com

Summary

Arlene Smith, one of the co-founders and lead vocalists of the pioneering 1950s girl group The Chantels, has died at 84. The news was confirmed by Smith’s manager and friend, Paul Errante, to the Associated Press, who said the singer, who co-wrote and sang lead on the group’s signature yearning 1957 Billboard Hot 100 No. 15 hit “Maybe,” had died of a heart attack at a New York City hospital on Wednesday (July 29). The Chantels were formed in early 1950s by a group of school friends from St. Anthony of Padua in the Bronx and were one of the first Black girl groups to score national chart success. With a combination of flawless harmonies and emotion-packed lovesick ballads such as “The Plea” and “He’s Gone,” the group’s mix of…

One dead and at least 16 injured after car rams into crowd at Berlin Pride event

via apnews.com

Summary

German police are searching for a suspect after a vehicle struck a crowd at a Berlin Pride parade, killing one person and injuring 16. Police said the van drove into people walking in Tiergarten Park in the centre of the German capital, near to where thousands had gathered at one of Europe’s largest celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community. The Associated Press reports that the suspect was known to police “as a member of Islamic circles” in Berlin. Witnesses described hearing “a dull bang” as chaos erupted at Tiergarten on Saturday night (July 25). Police officials said a van drove through the park shortly before 10pm and hit several people. The vehicle was later found, having been abandoned after crashing into a tree. “There was a dull bang… after that, there were…

Environment & Sustainability

The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Capabilities

via nasa.gov

Summary

The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is America’s civil space program and the global leader in space exploration. The agency has a diverse workforce of just under 18,000 civil servants, and works with many more U.S. contractors, academia, and international and commercial partners to explore, discover, and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity. Capabilities Unholtz-Dickie Model 2XSAI240-T5500-3-43 Electrodynamic Shaker System Continuous rating 55,000 lbf peak, 143g max free table acceleration, 90 inches/sec maximum velocity, 3 in peak-to-peak stroke, 6’x6’ hydrostatic slip table with 6,000,000 in-lbs. of pitch moment, 36”x72” Guided expander head Unholtz-Dickie Model 2XSAI240-T-1000-32LH/ST Electrodynamic Shaker System Continuous rating 22,000 lbf, peak, 200g max free table acceleration, 70 inches/sec maximum velocity, 2 in peak-to-peak stroke, 48”x48” slip table with 140,000 in-lbs. of pitch…

The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Overview

via nasa.gov

Summary

The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is America’s civil space program and the global leader in space exploration. The agency has a diverse workforce of just under 18,000 civil servants, and works with many more U.S. contractors, academia, and international and commercial partners to explore, discover, and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity. Overview The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) provides testing of articles that includes sinusoidal, random, shock, classic (half sine, saw tooth, etc.) shock response spectrum (SRS), imported pulse, superimposed – random on random and sine on random, gunfire and sine burst. The lab provides closed loop vibration test systems typically consisting of electrodynamic shakers, instrumentation, signal conditioning, a controller and amplifier. Video documentation, high speed data and synchronized multiplexed test records provided.…

Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL)

via nasa.gov

Summary

Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Overview Capabilities Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Overview The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) provides testing of articles that includes sinusoidal, random, shock, classic (half sine, saw tooth, etc.) shock response spectrum (SRS), imported pulse, superimposed – random on random and sine on random, gunfire and sine burst. Read More Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) NASA KSC Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Capabilities Click here for more information on capabilities inside the The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL). Read More Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) NASA KSC Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System The post Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) appeared first on NASA Science. Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Overview Capabilities Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) Overview The Vibration Test Laboratory (VTL) provides testing of…

Standards & Calibration Laboratory Capabilities

via nasa.gov

Summary

Standards & Calibration Laboratory Capabilities Direct Current: DC voltage, current, and resistance Alternating Current: AC voltage, power, current, phase, capacitance, inductance, frequency, and field strength RF and Microwave: RF power, attenuation, network analysis, rise time, and modulation Photometric, Radiometric, Fiber Optic: Luminous intensity, luminance, illuminance, spectral radiometry, fiber optic power and attenuation, fiber optic wavelength Video: video waveform amplitude, burst frequency error, differential gain, noise spectrum analysis, video frequency Thermodynamics: temperature sensing, humidity, dew point, infrared radiation, flow (GN2, GHe, and air), liquid flow (H2O) Mass, Force, Torque: mass, force, torque generation and rotational speed Dimensional:- length, parallelism, ID, OD, flatness, angle, optical alignment, and surface texture Pressure, Vacuum: static pressure, vacuum Miscellaneous- sound pressure level, vibration pickup sensitivity, gas detection NIST-traceable standards for dimensional, pressure, mass, temperature, and electrical…

Food & Travel

You’re Invited to Eater World’s Fare: A Global Culinary Celebration

via wsj.com

Summary

Grab your soccer jersey and TSA-approved bottle of ranch, because Eater is hosting a sprawling, one-day-only culinary event — our largest ever! — to commemorate the biggest weekend in international soccer. On Saturday, July 18 at Pier 36 in New York City, join us for Eater World’s Fare, an immersive, family-friendly event where food-lovers can congregate and eat their way through delicious representations of food from around the globe, prepared by heavy-hitter chefs and some of the most seasoned folks in the food game.  You don’t need to understand the offsides rule to appreciate a great empanada, and there’s no language barrier when it comes to bonding over noodles, tacos, and the collective stress of a penalty kick. Food and sports are universal unifiers, and this summer’s truly global sports…

The Best Sun Protection Shirts Our Editors Tested for Summer Adventures

via arstechnica.com

Summary

Warmer days are upon us, and that means spring and summer outdoor adventures are in full swing. It’s hard to stay inside on a sunny day, with warm and dry weather typically offering the best conditions for activities like hiking, biking, and even water sports. The flip side to perfect weather, however, is that you’re increasing your exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. In order to best protect yourself, it’s important to dress appropriately – and for many outdoor activities, that means wearing a sun shirt. This is particularly true if you’re heading to the beach, as scientists have found that a chemical found in many sunscreens (oxybenzone) is converted by coral into a substance that actually harms them. If you want to protect the ocean, you’ll need to…

Book Your Travel Early: Flight Prices Are Rising as Fuel Costs Surge

via apnews.com

Summary

As oil and jet fuel prices climb due to the war in Iran that’s disrupting shipping lanes in the Middle East, airlines are warning that ticket prices will rise, too. Jet fuel costs have jumped sharply since the conflict began on February 28. According to reporting from the Associated Press. Fuel is one of the airline industry’s biggest expenses, typically accounting for about a fifth to a quarter of operating costs. Threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is the sole sea passage from the Gulf to the open ocean, is having the biggest impact on pricing pressures. Nearly 20 percent of global oil supply moves through that chokepoint, and although the waterway is…

Is Mexico Safe Right Now? What US Travelers Should Know

via apnews.com

Summary

Mexico is experiencing localized travel disruptions after a federal security operation in Jalisco on February 22, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The country remains open to tourism, but there are developments travelers should be aware of. Mexican authorities confirmed the operation targeted a senior leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). In the hours that followed, roadblocks and vehicle fires were reported in parts of Jalisco, the western Mexican state that includes the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta and the city of Guadalajara. Mexico’s Defense Secretariat confirmed the operation and said intelligence cooperation with the United States took place, noting that information “was provided” by US authorities while Mexican forces conducted the mission. President Claudia Sheinbaum said that “in most of the national territory, activities are developing…

Gaming

I Played the Game Recommended by the Weeknd, and It Could Be 2026’s Sleeper Hit

via washingtonpost.com

Summary

In an interview with The Washington Post, music superstar Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd, recommended a game called About Fishing. It's a fairly innocuous title, and while it's partially accurate — the game is about fishing — it doesn't quite convey the creepy atmosphere found within. In an interview with The Washington Post, music superstar Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd, recommended a game called About Fishing. It's a fairly innocuous title, and while it's partially accurate — the game is about fishing — it doesn't quite convey the creepy atmosphere found within. In an interview with The Washington Post, music superstar Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd, recommended a game called About Fishing. It's a fairly innocuous title, and while it's partially accurate — the…

You deserve a travel power adapter you actually like for your next trip

via theverge.com

Summary

When I was a writer for The Wirecutter more than a decade ago, we were obsessed with finding and recommending the singular best version of any specific product, because it felt like there was so much crap to wade through online. Today I wistfully long for the Amazon of 2013, before it came to be overrun by endless samey garbage from alphabet soup "brands" called things like HORUSDY and EHEYCIGA. If you're really looking for the cheapest thing you can get, you'll find those same products without the dropshipping markup on Aliexpress; and if you want the "best" thing, even seemingly personal recommendations on sites like Reddit are fraught as companies astroturf the site hoping to game AI search. So when I find a bit of kit that I really…

Xbox Could Be Planning To Make Xbox 360 Games Playable On PC

via theverge.com

Summary

Xbox 360 games could be coming to PC, as a new report claims that Microsoft is aiming to bring classic titles from a bygone era to new platforms. According to the document (via The Verge), Xbox 360 games will also be playable on "Xbox PCs," handheld gaming PCs, and Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Series X|S successor, Project Helix. This expanded backwards compatibility will tie into a larger roadmap for upcoming features. The report also claims that developers who make their Xbox 360 games compatible with PC will be allowed to set their own price and decide if they want their title to be available through Xbox Game Pass. This follows Microsoft's recent announcement of original Xbox games for PC, with the first four titles--Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Fuzion Frenzy, Conker: Live…

Anthropic sees OpenAI cybersecurity disaster and says ‘hold my beer,’ reveals it accidentally hacked 3 companies in as many months without noticing

via wired.com

Summary

First reported by Wired, AI company Anthropic revealed in a July 30 blog post that its AI agents escaped testing environments on three separate occasions since April, accessing the internet and successfully hacking unidentified companies. The whammy: Anthropic claims it only realized this after OpenAI's recent Hugging Face fiasco⁠—where one of its prototype agents hacked at least one other company⁠—led it to conduct a review of its own operations. The incidents occurred as part of testing with an external firm, Irregular. The AI agents were supposed to be constrained to a simulation, hacking fictitious companies as part of a "capture-the-flag challenge." Notably, while OpenAI's alleged rogue AI incident occurred after the agent overcame its testing limitations, Anthropic stated that its models were mistakenly granted internet access due to a "misconfiguration"…

Health & Wellness

A child’s language may predict the arrival of depression and anxiety disorders years before onset 

Summary

NIH-funded, AI-powered analysis of interviews suggests that a youth’s framing of stressful events is a strong indicator of risk for future disorders. NIH-funded, AI-powered analysis of interviews suggests that a youth’s framing of stressful events is a strong indicator of risk for future disorders. NIH-funded, AI-powered analysis of interviews suggests that a youth’s framing of stressful events is a strong indicator of risk for future disorders.

New CRISPR approach may open path to hepatitis E treatment by blocking viral RNA

Summary

Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum have developed a novel antiviral concept: Using the CRISPR/Cas13 system, they were able to specifically suppress the replication of the hepatitis E virus in human cells. Hepatitis E is a common cause of acute liver inflammation worldwide, yet effective specific therapies are still lacking. The team has now demonstrated that the virus can be targeted using an RNA-directed CRISPR system. The results, published on May 4, 2026, in the journal JHEP Reports, open new perspectives for the development of antiviral strategies. Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum have developed a novel antiviral concept: Using the CRISPR/Cas13 system, they were able to specifically suppress the replication of the hepatitis E virus in human cells. Hepatitis E is a common cause of acute liver inflammation worldwide,…

Why only some patients get liver disease: New protein pathway may help forecast alpha1-antitrypsin outcomes

Summary

Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder affecting 100,000 people in the U.S., causes a progressive and incurable lung disease. A subset of patients with the condition—about 10% to 15%—also develop liver disease because of the accumulation of the aggregated protein variant resulting from the genetic error that causes the disease. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a previously unknown biological process that helps explain why only a subset of the affected population develop liver disease. Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder affecting 100,000 people in the U.S., causes a progressive and incurable lung disease. A subset of patients with the condition—about 10% to 15%—also develop liver disease because of the accumulation of the aggregated protein variant resulting from the genetic error that causes the disease.…

Scientists uncover surprising health benefits of watermelon

Summary

Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health. Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health. Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality…

Lifestyle

How to Protect Yourself From This Massive Ongoing Cryptocurrency Hack

via techcrunch.com

Summary

It seems no sooner does someone come up with a method to keep your digital data safe than hackers find a way to subvert it. Today's case in point: Bad actors have stolen more than $130 million in cryptocurrency from users of offline hardware wallets, devices specifically meant to be a safe option for securing bitcoin. Hackers are attacking cold crypto wallets As TechCrunch reports, multiple groups of hackers have gained access to Coldcard crypto wallets and are continuing to drain funds in an ongoing theft. The wallets, made by Coinkite, are considered "cold," meaning they are not connected to the internet or any other device, and users' keys or seed phrases exist entirely offline. By contrast, "hot" wallets are connected to the internet and include apps and browser extensions.…

Instagram Is Starting to Crack Down on Creepy Smart Glasses Videos

via bbc.com

Summary

In a recent story posted on Instagram, Instagram head Adam Mosseri revealed the social media platform is banning smart glasses videos where people are being harassed and exploited for views. "If you're posting content that is taking advantage of people and harassing them, like a lot of these pickup line kind of videos that we've heard of and seen, then we're going to take the content down," Mosseri said. "We don't want people to be surreptitiously taking videos of other people and harassing them and then posting them on our platform. So we're trying to fight that every way we can." Hidden camera prank videos and "pickup" type videos are obviously not new, but the easy availability of camera glasses has led to a spike in this kind of content,…

This Period-Tracking App Actually Keeps Your Data Private

via techcrunch.com

Summary

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Period tracking is a simple job that plenty of apps can do. But most apps these days—including those that track health data—store information about you on their own servers and sometimes even share that data with advertisers. The Mozilla Foundation has tested several of the most popular period-tracking apps, and it identified one as better than the rest at keeping your data private: Euki.  Privacy is especially important for period trackers in light of the political and legal battles that surround abortion and birth control. We know that police have used other data, like messages and search history, to prosecute people for alleged abortions. It’s understandable if you don’t want tech companies to keep or share data about your reproductive…

Why It’s a Bad Time to Buy an iPad Mini Right Now

via bloomberg.com

Summary

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The iPad mini is in a league of its own when it comes to Apple tablets. It's too small to be a laptop replacement for most users, and probably isn't most artists' first choice as a digital drawing device. Instead, it's an iPad for extreme portability, for jumping between ebooks and Netflix before slipping into a coat pocket. It's the closest thing Apple has to a phablet, especially when paired with an Apple Pencil. For lack of a better word, it's perhaps Apple's "funnest" device. And yet, you shouldn't buy one—at least, not right now. That's because on Thursday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is readying an OLED iPad mini for later this year, possibly in October. It would…

Marketing & SEO

Google indexed Claude Chats because Anthropic didn’t block your private chats from search engines

via wired.com

Summary

Sadly, every so often, you hear of content being indexed and exposed on Google and other search engines. Often the issue is not necessarily with the search engine but with the site that hosts and holds that information. Those sites often do not set the proper blocking mechanisms in place to communicate to Google and other search engines that the content should not be indexed and shown within the search results. That is what happened recently with Anthropic’s Claude Chats showing up in Google, Bing and other search engines. More details. Wired’s story named Private Claude Chats Exposed in Google and Bing Search Results explained how private chats from Claude were found on the web on Google, Bing and other search engines. The chats included politics, health discussions and more,…

Used or cited: The two ways brands appear in AI search

via theverge.com

Summary

Ranking within Google’s traditional search results provides diminishing returns. Ads, AI Overviews, and other search engine results page (SERP) features push organic links further down the page. As the search landscape changes, how should brands adapt to ensure they’re represented in AI-powered responses? The more you know about how AI engines use your brand’s information and when they cite it, the better you can use AI search to your advantage. With that knowledge, you can move beyond whether AI models know your brand and start developing your own AI visibility strategy. Collapse of the click economy It’s important for most brands to understand AI search and begin developing an AI SEO strategy as quickly as possible. While a full transformation from organic to AI search appears to be years away,…

How AI may increase the value of SEO expertise

via wsj.com

Summary

By now, you’ve heard the doom and gloom. In April, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman warned that AI could push U.S. unemployment to 20%-30% over the next two to five years. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that AI could wipe out half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. Ford CEO Jim Farley has said AI could replace “literally half” of white-collar workers in the U.S. SEO is a white-collar job. So does that mean our jobs will be eliminated, too? The answer isn’t as obvious as you might think. Yes, the world is changing. But if you’ve been doing SEO for a while, you should be used to that by now. SEOs have always been forced to wear strange combinations of hats: part technical analyst, part content strategist, part…

Google confirms AI headline rewrites test in Search results

via theverge.com

Summary

Google is testing AI-generated headline rewrites in Search results, describing it as a small, narrow experiment for now. What’s happening. Google confirmed to The Verge (subscription required) that it’s testing AI-generated titles in traditional Search results, not just Discover. The test is “small” and “narrow,” and not approved for broader rollout. It impacts news site but isn’t limited to them. The goal is to better match titles to queries and improve engagement, Google said. One example showed Google replacing original headlines with shorter or reworded versions, sometimes changing tone or intent (e.g., reducing “I used the ‘cheat on everything’ AI tool and it didn’t help me cheat on anything” to “‘Cheat on everything’ AI tool.”). Why we care. Google Search is already sending fewer clicks. Now you also have to…

Politics & Society

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CDC Director Susan Monarez ousted just weeks after confirmation

via thehill.com

Summary

Susan Monarez, the longtime government scientist recently confirmed as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has been let go from her position after less than a month in the role. A source familiar with the situation confirmed to The Hill that Monarez is ousted as CDC director. The Senate confirmed her on July 29. The Washington Post was first to report Monarez's firing. The Hill has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for comment. Prior to being nominated to lead the CDC, Monarez had served as acting CDC Director shortly after the start of the second Trump administration. She previously served as deputy director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). President Trump chose Monarez as his second choice after…

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Suspected Minnesota shooter’s rifle magazine had ‘Kill Donald Trump’ inscription

via thehill.com

Summary

The suspected shooter who killed two children at a Minnesota church on Wednesday wrote incendiary messages on gun magazines, including one that read “Kill Donald Trump.” The images appeared in a manifesto posted online around the same time as the shooting on Wednesday morning. The manifesto included a lengthy written note from the suspected shooter as well. The video had been taken down from YouTube as of late Wednesday afternoon. The video also showed messages written on rifle magazines that said "For the Children" and "Where is your God." "This level of violence is unthinkable," said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, in a post on X where she discussed the messages. "Our deepest prayers are with the children, parents, families, educators, and Christians everywhere. We mourn with them,…

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Trump ramps up DC power grab

via x.com

Summary

President Trump is ramping up his power grab over Washington, D.C., on everything from the city’s law enforcement to a takeover of its transportation hub and key cultural center. He’s called for the death penalty in D.C. murder cases, cleared out homeless encampments, and is promising to fix everything from fences to light fixtures in what he calls a “beautification” of the city. On Wednesday, his Transportation secretary also announced a takeover of managing Union Station, where National Guard troops have been stationed for weeks. It marked the latest escalation by Trump to encroach on the city’s key institutions and landmarks, and that timing, according to a source close to Trump World, is no coincidence ahead of Congress coming back. “Trump is on very firm political footing on this issue.…

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Nvidia revenue jumped 56 percent last year, beats Wall Street expectations

via thehill.com

Summary

Nvidia reported a solid jump in second-quarter revenue Wednesday, beating Wall Street expectations for its highly anticipated earnings report. The chipmaker reported $46.7 billion in second-quarter revenue, up 6 percent from the previous quarter and 56 percent over the past year. Wall Street analysts had forecasted revenue of roughly $46 billion, according to consensus estimates. Nvidia has become one of the most powerful and richest U.S. technology companies amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including generative AI chatbots and image generators, which use immense computing power. Nvidia has risen to prominence as the top U.S. manufacturer of the semiconductor chips widely used to run AI programs. The company has also found itself caught in the crossfire of the U.S-China battle over AI. Nvidia and AMD, another major U.S.…

Science

Advanced Mini-laboratories Automate Space Station Research

via nasa.gov

Summary

2 Min Read Advanced Mini-laboratories Automate Space Station Research NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson swaps out sample processors in the Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP). Credits: NASA The International Space Station hosts hundreds of science experiments at a time. Some experiments can take hours to perform, and researchers need to account for astronauts’ limited time. Fully automated devices, like Redwire’s  ADvanced Space Experiment Processors (ADSEPs), have been designed to conduct more space science with less crew time. Within each ADSEP facility there are three to four “mini-laboratories”, called cassettes, that allow multiple studies with different needs to be performed at the same time. The latest model, ADSEP-4 can accommodate four cassettes and features imagery capabilities. Since 2017, ADSEPs have conducted and supported two dozen investigations aboard space station with new…

NASA Will Attempt to Observe Rocket Part’s Lunar Impact

via nasa.gov

Summary

The Moon’s rocky, uneven, and otherworldly surface features are highlighted by the terminator – the difference between light and darkness. NASA Using ground-based telescopes and space-based assets, NASA and SpaceX are tracking a used Falcon 9 upper stage from a commercial mission expected to impact the Moon on Wednesday, Aug. 5, near the Einstein and Bell craters. The impact poses no danger to Earth and NASA scientists are planning to collect lunar data from the event and refine techniques for tracking objects in space.  On Jan. 15, 2025, SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket and successfully deployed Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander to the Moon under NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Solar activity and gravitational forces caused the stage’s unplanned return to the Moon. NASA and SpaceX…

NASA Awards 2026 Innovative Technology Concepts

via nasa.gov

Summary

A collage of artist concepts highlighting the novel approaches proposed by the 2026 NIAC awardees. Credit: NASA The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has created 18 new awards to support visionary ideas to improve aerospace technologies in areas ranging from the exploration of the solar system to understanding the universe. The 18 NIAC Phase I awards total $3.2 million. Each award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial investigation. The NIAC projects are about early-stage concept development and are not considered official NASA missions. “NASA has outlined an ambitious vision for the future of space exploration, we’re returning the Moon to stay, advancing to Mars, and pushing to deepen our understanding of space,” said Greg Stover, director of the Advanced Research and Technology division within the Research and…

NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Discovers Field of Honeycomb Textures

via nasa.gov

Summary

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered an expanse of terrain covered in surface features called polygons. Scientists have never seen so many of these features in one place and are unsure how they formed. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS As NASA’s Curiosity rover recently began climbing up a Martian valley nicknamed “Valle Grande,” it sent back images that were a familiar sight to mission scientists: honeycomb-like textures called polygonal fractures, each one about 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 centimeters) across. The mission has spotted small patches of these geometric shapes several times before, but nothing at the scale discovered in Valle Grande. In a 360-degree panorama that the rover captured on June 19 and 20, the 4,930th and 4,931st Martian days, or sols,…

Sports

Report: Argentina PR Moved, Chicago Unrest Cited

Report: Argentina-PR moved, Chicago unrest cited

via espn.com

Summary

A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. A friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been…

Phillies' Schwarber 1st In NL To Reach 50 Homers

Phillies’ Schwarber 1st in NL to reach 50 homers

via espn.com

Summary

Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season, a three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead en route to a comfortable 9-3 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season, a three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead en route to a comfortable 9-3 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run of the season, a three-run shot off reliever Justin Hagenman in the seventh inning that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead en route to a comfortable 9-3 victory over the New…

Kane Among Those Thrilled To See Return Of Toews

Kane among those thrilled to see return of Toews

via espn.com

Summary

Like so many around the NHL, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who won three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks playing alongside Jonathan Toews, is eager to see the return of his former running mate, who signed with the Jets this offseason. Like so many around the NHL, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who won three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks playing alongside Jonathan Toews, is eager to see the return of his former running mate, who signed with the Jets this offseason. Like so many around the NHL, Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who won three Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks playing alongside Jonathan Toews, is eager to see the return of his former running mate, who signed with the Jets this offseason.

Source: Steelers Sign Peppers With Elliott Injured

Source: Steelers sign Peppers with Elliott injured

via espn.com

Summary

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, a source confirmed to ESPN, after starting safety DeShon Elliott left Sunday's season opener against the Jets with a knee injury.

Technology

Flock Cameras Can Track Every Car in America. Police Love Them. Citizens Don’t

via nytimes.com

Summary

Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1 Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1 Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1 Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1 Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1 Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1 Article URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/us/flock-cameras-can-track-every-car-in-america-police-love-them-citizens-dont.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49251978 Points: 14 # Comments: 1

Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t understand how to live

via theverge.com

Summary

Mark Zuckerberg explains it all Recently, a man I was rock climbing with told me about how he'd used AI to make a motivational poster for himself, which he'd hung on his bedroom wall: a bear, walking a slackline over a canyon, holding a sign that said, "Do cool shit." I made what I hoped was a polite noise. What reaction was this man looking for? He probably hoped someone, maybe me, would say it was cool or inspiring. It seemed I was not the first person he'd told about this poster. "You know, it's funny," he said to me. "No one ever says anything about it." I have been thinking about this now for several days. There's a sort of turducken of things that I find off-puttin … Read…

Amazon backs power plant that may become top source of US climate pollution

via arstechnica.com

Summary

Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0 Article URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49249971 Points: 4 # Comments: 0

Anker’s travel charger works in almost any country and is down to $20

via theverge.com

Summary

Anker’s Nano Travel Adapter can power up to five devices at once. | Image: Anker If you’ve got international travel coming up, an adapter is essential for keeping your phone, earbuds, power banks, and other gadgets charged. Anker’s Nano Travel Adapter is one of our picks from our guide to the best gadgets for summer travel because it can charge up to five devices at once, yet it’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It’s also available in black for just $19.99 ($6 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Anker (with code WS7DV2BNB82J) matching its best price to date. Anker Nano Travel Adapter (5-in-1, 20W) Where to Buy: $25.99 $19.99 at Amazon (black) $25.99 $19.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2V9Q3TQ) The Nano’s four built-in…