Artificial Intelligence
Flock is tightening its rules in response to a growing surveillance backlash
Summary
The police-tech giant Flock is announcing today that it will change officers’ access to its nationwide network of license plate readers, in an apparent effort to quell a growing backlash and win back contracts lost amid concerns about mass surveillance and police abuse. Several changes aim directly at a problem that has made recent headlines: officers abusing Flock’s technology to stalk and harass current or former romantic partners. Flock’s 120,000 cameras form a nationwide network that police departments can use, giving officers access to an enormous pool of searchable location data. A recent Washington Post investigation found 46 cases in which officers were accused of using Flock’s cameras for unauthorized purposes like stalking. To combat that, the company will start requiring officers to enter a criminal case number before conducting…
Samsung’s chip workers are jumping ship to rival SK Hynix
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
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
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…
Business & Finance
Canada demand for trucks tariff relief imperiled trade talks
Summary
Trade talks between the US and Canada collapsed Friday in part amid a last-minute standoff over cutting US tariffs on Canadian medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, people familiar with the matter said. Both countries had the outline of a deal, which would have lowered US sectoral tariffs on autos, steel, aluminum and lumber, and were locked in talks Friday. But the two sides remained at odds over the treatment of larger vehicles, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private negotiations. The Canadians insisted on the additional relief in a phone call late Friday, and the Americans balked, the people said. Under the deal the two countries were working toward, the regular auto tariff would have been lowered to 15% from the current 25%. Canada wanted that relief…
Abdul El-Sayed used Mamdani’s social media playbook to overcome a 9:1 spending deficit. Now he’s facing slander about 9/11
Summary
Abdul El-Sayed won a hard fight in Michigan’s Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate against Rep. Haley Stevens. He eked out a win by 15,000 votes, or about 1% of the almost 1.5 million votes cast during the election on Aug. 4, 2026. El-Sayed had a consistent populist message during the primary campaign. He told The New York Times, “I can walk into almost any room, and I can say: ‘Money out of?’ and everybody’s like: ‘Politics.’ ‘Money in your?’ ‘Pocket.’ ‘Medicare for?’ ‘All.’ People know what we’re about.” Now El-Sayed, the former director of the Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services of Wayne County, has to shift his effort and messaging to a general election campaign against Republican Mike Rogers. I am a political scientist who studies campaigns…
90% of executives say AI hasn’t boosted productivity. Some are still cutting jobs
Summary
Business leaders and investors face a deepening paradox: Companies are pouring more money into artificial intelligence than ever, but they’re not seeing the gains in productivity that they expect. Even CEOs are starting to admit this disconnect. One Atlanta Federal Reserve study found that about 90% of executives believe AI has not yet boosted productivity at their companies. Other evidence suggests that the broader increase in productivity seen since 2021 is more likely due to remote work or factors other than AI, like downsizing in sectors such as technology. I study how technology is changing the way businesses operate, and the research I’ve conducted with colleagues offers an important explanation for why these expected gains don’t materialize: AI-driven layoffs and the resulting job insecurity are actively destroying the very conditions…
TikTok settles children’s privacy suit with DOJ for $400 million
Summary
TikTok has reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, ending a 2024 lawsuit alleging the company violated federal children’s privacy laws. The DOJ said Friday that TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and another $100 million after an order vacates an earlier consent decree against its predecessor company, Musical.ly. “This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents,” said U.S. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. in a statement. “The Department’s priority is ensuring that children are protected online and that companies entrusted with their personal information meet their legal obligations. This resolution secures a substantial recovery while reinforcing the protections that families expect and deserve.” Since the DOJ’s lawsuit in 2024, TikTok has undergone major changes, most notably in the ownership structure of its…
Education
Do You Like AI Because AI Likes You? How AI Flattery Crosses Signals
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
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…
15 States Have Laws That Allow Corporal Punishment in Schools. Here’s Where, and Why
Summary
One day, about eight years ago, when Tessa Davis’ son was in kindergarten, she got a call from his school outside Little Rock, Ark. She said the school told her he had grabbed a girl’s jacket in the cafeteria and twisted it – they thought he was trying to choke her. Given his past misbehavior, Davis said, the school gave her two options: He could either be suspended for three days or a school administrator could paddle him. NPR is only identifying her son by his first initial, C, because this story details his behavioral struggles and how he’s been disciplined in school. Davis said she couldn’t afford to miss three days of work to stay home with C. “I was kind of at, just like my breaking point,” Davis…
The School Year Begins in LA with One Big Change: Limited Screen Time
Summary
This year brings a new challenge for Armaghan Khan and many other teachers in the nation’s second-largest school district: Ban screen time for younger students, and significantly limit it for older kids. “This is going to be a big impact for me,” says Khan, who’s spent his career in the Los Angeles Unified School District. “I would say about 75% of our work was on some kind of screen-based activity.” As a science teacher, Khan has embraced technology — not only because his students at Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School can perform large-scale experiments on their laptops, like a car crash simulator to understand things like Newtonian forces, but also because it’s his best option. “My hands are kind of tied in terms of just what I can offer,” he…
Entertainment
RetcH Talks ‘Point Guard’ Video, ‘FTW 2’ & Four-Year Hiatus: ‘I Have a Totally New Perspective on This Whole Thing’
Summary
Last month, RetcH dropped his first album in four years since 2022’s Administrative Segregation. During the hiatus, the New Jersey rapper was both dealing with lingering legal issues, while also enjoying the fruits of his labor. “When I really think about that time, what I was doing was just running around enjoying life. I was having a good time,” he tells me during our hour-long convo at Billboard’s New York City office. “I had just got off house arrest after I got sentenced to three years for a probation violation, which stemmed from catching a gun charge in California. I also still had an open case at the time, which ended up coming back around later on.” He’s now ready to get back to work and has a new perspective…
AI music generator Suno loses copyright infringement legal case
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
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
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…
Environment & Sustainability
NASA Launches First Scientific Balloon of Fort Sumner Campaign
Summary
A scientific balloon carrying the Salter mission, a technology test flight, launched Aug. 22, 2026. This was the first flight of NASA’s 2026 Fort Sumner campaign. NASA/Kevin Dillon The Salter Test Flight launched at 8:31 a.m. MDT (10:31 a.m. EDT) Saturday, Aug. 22 from the agency’s balloon launch facility in Fort Sumner, marking the first successful scientific balloon flight of the campaign. The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of around 123,000 feet, and flew for a total of 4 hours, 8 minutes. The flight tested hardware for future balloon missions. A piggyback mission for Cubes in Space carried around 100 tiny payloads with small experiments designed by students ages 11-18. A scientific balloon carrying the Salter mission, a technology test flight, launched Aug. 22, 2026. This was the…
Lunar Orbit and Surface IMM Runs
Summary
OCHMO OCHMO Standards Home Human Spaceflight Standards Aerospace Medical Certification Standard Aviation Medical Certification Standards Human Integration Design Handbook Human Rating Guidance Mission-Enabling Assessments Technical Briefs All Technical Briefs Fundamentals of Human Health During Space Flight Medical Operations & Clinical Care Vehicle Systems, Interfaces, Structure & Environmental Design Safety, History, Contingency, & Mishaps Integrated Medical Model Overview Low Earth Orbit Lunar Orbit and Surface Martian Orbit and Surface Deep Space Exploration All IMM Documents Space Medicine Pre/Post-Flight Medical Care In-flight Medical Care Reference Library Food in Space Vehicle Acceleration Limits Library Decompression Sickness Prebreathe Reference Library More Mishap Investigation Handbook Newsletters Lunar Orbit and Surface IMM Runs Integrated Medical Model Runs for ≤30 Day Missions 10.5-day Orion Optimization 2024 Lunar Cis-Lunar Orbiter Docked PRA Detailed Lunar Risk Medical Risk Based…
Low Earth Orbit IMM Runs
Summary
OCHMO OCHMO Standards Home Human Spaceflight Standards Aerospace Medical Certification Standard Aviation Medical Certification Standards Human Integration Design Handbook Human Rating Guidance Mission-Enabling Assessments Technical Briefs All Technical Briefs Fundamentals of Human Health During Space Flight Medical Operations & Clinical Care Vehicle Systems, Interfaces, Structure & Environmental Design Safety, History, Contingency, & Mishaps Integrated Medical Model Overview Low Earth Orbit Lunar Orbit and Surface Martian Orbit and Surface Deep Space Exploration All IMM Documents Space Medicine Pre/Post-Flight Medical Care In-flight Medical Care Reference Library Food in Space Vehicle Acceleration Limits Library Decompression Sickness Prebreathe Reference Library More Mishap Investigation Handbook Newsletters Low Earth Orbit IMM Runs Integrated Medical Model for 31-180 Day Missions ISS – 180 days (6-month PRA Update) ISS PRA EVA Model 2019 ISS PRA Update 2021 Risk…
NASA Integrated Medical Model (IMM) Overview
Summary
OCHMO OCHMO Standards Home Human Spaceflight Standards Aerospace Medical Certification Standard Aviation Medical Certification Standards Human Integration Design Handbook Human Rating Guidance Mission-Enabling Assessments Technical Briefs All Technical Briefs Fundamentals of Human Health During Space Flight Medical Operations & Clinical Care Vehicle Systems, Interfaces, Structure & Environmental Design Safety, History, Contingency, & Mishaps Integrated Medical Model Overview Low Earth Orbit Lunar Orbit and Surface Martian Orbit and Surface Deep Space Exploration All IMM Documents Space Medicine Pre/Post-Flight Medical Care In-flight Medical Care Reference Library Food in Space Vehicle Acceleration Limits Library Decompression Sickness Prebreathe Reference Library More Mishap Investigation Handbook Newsletters The NASA Integrated Medical Model (IMM) What is the IMM? The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) is a sophisticated, stochastic (probabilistic) risk assessment tool used by NASA to evaluate the…
Food & Travel
You’re Invited to Eater World’s Fare: A Global Culinary Celebration
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
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
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
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
Rockstar employees frustrated by GTA 6 leaks, though they may have only whet appetites for the reveal
Summary
Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reports that some Rockstar employees are feeling "angry" and "frustrated" that, despite submitting to strict security measures following the 2022 hack that revealed Grand Theft Auto 6 to the world—namely the abolishment of remote work—a leak has once again sprung. Someone going by the name "Cyberleek" has been posting new GTA 6 gameplay clips every day for the past few days. The leaker may even have access to a build of GTA 6, though it's unclear if it's the full game or only a portion. Meanwhile, the official GTA 6 reveal is still scheduled for next week, and will still air exclusively on Netflix for the first six hours. It's unlikely that the leaks will have any measurable impact on GTA 6's sales. It's already sold an…
Sony reportedly reverses course on live service co-op Horizon game after ‘negative player feedback’
Summary
The developers at Guerilla Games are making a last-minute pivot for their live service co-op game set in the Horizon universe after receiving negative player feedback during recent playtests, Bloomberg reports. Horizon Hunters Gathering was supposed to be a live service co-op action game where you group up as a team of animated heroes and fight mechanical beasts. Players reacted poorly to it over the three playtests earlier this year—one of which had to compete with Marathon's server slam weekend that was going on at the same time. Instead of pulling the plug on it, like Sony has done to several live service games, it gave the studio several months to reboot it into a regular co-op game with a story and a smaller scope. According to Bloomberg's sources, Sony…
Sony reportedly strips live-service elements from Horizon multiplayer game
Summary
Sony is reportedly reworking Horizon Hunters Gathering after the multiplayer project received poor feedback during private testing, dealing another blow to PlayStation’s troubled push into live-service gaming. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Guerrilla Games has been working on a reboot of the project since June. The studio is reportedly moving away from the game’s original live-service design and instead plans to turn it into a smaller co-op multiplayer with a story mode. Sony is reportedly reworking Horizon Hunters Gathering after the multiplayer project received poor feedback during private testing, dealing another blow to PlayStation’s troubled push into live-service gaming. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Guerrilla Games has been working on a reboot of the project since June. The studio is reportedly moving away from the game’s original live-service design and…
Thimbleweed Park 2 is happening because Ron Gilbert’s friend knows a rich guy who’s a big fan of the original and wanted more
Summary
BloombergHave you ever said to yourself, 'If I was rich I'd get Looking Glass Studios back together and have them make a proper goddamn Thief sequel!'? Or, you know, whatever game gets you really wound up about such things. It's a pleasant fantasy, but not something that ever actually happens—except, apparently, in the case of the recently announced Thimbleweed Park 2. In a new interview with Bloomberg, Thimbleweed Park creator Ron Gilbert said he didn't want to work with a conventional publisher because his experiences with them haven't been entirely great. "I don’t mind the publisher earning back their money," Gilbert said. "It’s just that once they have earned back their money and become whole, they still want the majority of the money. Or there are really goofy terms, like…
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
Seven of the Most Common WhatsApp Scams (and How to Avoid Them)
Summary
Most typical WhatsApp scams aren’t high-tech security breaches. They aren’t orchestrated by state-sponsored hacker groups with a bottomless wallet and military-grade technology. In fact, most of them are run by low-tech crime syndicates relying on social engineering techniques to take advantage of people’s blind spots and trust in others. Meta removed 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts associated with cyber crime and digital scams just in the second half of 2025. But the attacks show no sign of slowing down because they are low on cost and easy to spin up, with chatbots executing most of the legwork on autopilot. However, there’s a flip side to all this: social engineering only works when you don’t know what to look for. Most of these scams follow a specific playbook and have a similar…
How to Protect Yourself From This Massive Ongoing Cryptocurrency Hack
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
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
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…
Marketing & SEO
Google indexed Claude Chats because Anthropic didn’t block your private chats from search engines
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
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
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
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
CDC Director Susan Monarez ousted just weeks after confirmation
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…
Suspected Minnesota shooter’s rifle magazine had ‘Kill Donald Trump’ inscription
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,…
Trump ramps up DC power grab
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.…
Nvidia revenue jumped 56 percent last year, beats Wall Street expectations
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
NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor
Summary
From left, Artemis II crew NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen are photographed on April 29, 2026, in the White House Oval Office with President Donald J. Trump. Credit: White House President Donald J. Trump will award each of NASA’s Artemis II crew members the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28, during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, completed a 10-day mission around the Moon on April 10. During a historic test flight as the first astronauts to fly aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, these crew members were the first to travel beyond…
NASA Selects University Teams to Help Advance Aviation Research
Summary
4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA has selected four university teams to help the agency transform the future of aviation through projects ranging from high-supersonic propulsion systems to low-noise routes for small aircraft flying through cities. The agency made awards through its University Leadership Initiative, which offers student teams the opportunity to contribute to real-world flight research that advances NASA’s goals in aeronautics. This year’s awardees are pursuing projects that align with NASA strategic objectives, including innovation in commercial high-speed aircraft, the development of new tools that can lead to transformational aviation breakthroughs, safer and more efficient air traffic management, and the integration of new air transportation options into the national airspace. “With these four new awards, the University Innovation project is leaning in on NASA’s aeronautics…
Parse.ly Test
Summary
3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 11:50 p.m. EST on March 6, 2020, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceXs 20th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-20) mission. NASA/Tony Gray and Tim Terry NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting 11:39 a.m. EST Saturday, Dec. 5, for the launch of its 21st commercial resupply services (CRS-21) mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. CRS-21 will deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment for NASA and is the first mission under the company’s second Commercial Resupply Services…
Behind the Lens: Meet NASA Johnson’s Photographers
Summary
7 Min Read Behind the Lens: Meet NASA Johnson’s Photographers NASA Johnson Space Center’s Imagery Acquisition Group poses for a group photo on Aug. 10, 2026. Credits: NASA/Robert Markowitz The Imagery Acquisition Group at NASA’s Johnson Space Center poses for a group photo in Houston, Texas on Aug. 10, 2026. Back row, from left, are NASA photographers Bill Stafford, James Blair, supervisor Mark Sowa, and NASA photographers Robert Markowitz and Luna Posadas Nava. Front row, from left, are NASA photographers Morgan Gridley, Helen Arase Vargas, and former NASA photographer Josh Valcarcel. NASA/Robert Markowitz Photographers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston have documented some of the most defining moments in human spaceflight. From astronaut training and engineering tests to mission control operations and milestone celebrations, their images preserve the history of exploration while capturing the people and…
Sports
Report: Argentina-PR moved, Chicago unrest cited
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
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
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
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
Doodle generative compositions in your browser with Musical Spirograph
Summary
So pretty. | Screenshot: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge I remember having a Spirograph as a kid and being obsessed with it. Its geometric patterns are hypnotic and gorgeous. I also love generative music composition. So bringing those two things together in a browser tab, I'm hooked. Musical Spirograph is a relatively simple concept. A set of points dash around the screen according to mathematical equations, generating hypotrochoids and epitrochoids. Those points pass through a series of concentric rings which trigger specific notes. Honestly, that alone is fun enough, but you can customize it quite a bit. There are six different virtual rotors to pick from, you can have up to three arms drawing … Read the full story at The Verge.
W. Kamau Bell has the most practical ‘most indispensable tool’
Summary
I’m just as confused as you. | Image: Aundre Larrow W. Kamau Bell is one of those people who has always just seemed to be there. From Totally Biased, to Politically Re-Active, United Shades of America, and We Need to Talk About Cosby, his blend of comedy, social commentary, and political activism has helped him stand out. He's won a Peabody and four Emmys, been a Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, received honors from the ACLU, and been crowned the Ambassador of Fishbone by founding member Chris Dowd. Bell is, if nothing else, a busy man. So we're very grateful that he took time between episodes of his podcast Who's With Me, his comedy tour, and Substack of the same name, promoting his upcoming … Read the full story at The Verge.
An okay laptop with 16GB of RAM is better than a nice laptop with 8GB, and this $520 HP OmniBook proves it
Summary
The OmniBook 3 isn’t a sweet treat, but it gets things done on the cheap. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Laptop prices are out of whack. $500 used to get you a tolerable laptop, and $900 got you a really good one. They often had similar CPU, RAM, and storage options because that stuff was comparatively cheap; the difference was often in build quality and screen rather than power. But RAMageddon has thrown everything off. Even laptops like the $950 Surface Laptop now start with 8GB of RAM, which isn't enough. And on the lower end, where manufacturers are struggling to compete with the $700 MacBook Neo, they're cutting corners on storage, CPU, and build quality too. However, one low-cost laptop has bucked this and genuinely…
Two great new repairable gadgets
Summary
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 141, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, I'm newish here too, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been getting back into the Installer groove, trying out some ergonomic Switch 2 grips I bought on Etsy, researching bike stuff because I'm about to get a Velotric e-bike, inching my way through the fourth book in The Dark Tower series, trying to figure out what feels off about Sonic in the new Fortnite season, wondering why Mark Zuckerberg needs a castle, and swatting at a few too many flies that have snu … Read the full story at The Verge.