Artificial Intelligence
Chatbots are surprisingly effective at debunking conspiracy theories
Summary
It’s become a truism that facts alone don’t change people’s minds. Perhaps nowhere is this more clear than when it comes to conspiracy theories: Many people believe that you can’t talk conspiracists out of their beliefs. But that’s not necessarily true. It turns out that many conspiracy believers do respond to evidence and arguments—information that is now easy to deliver in the form of a tailored conversation with an AI chatbot. In research we published in the journal Science this year, we had over 2,000 conspiracy believers engage in a roughly eight-minute conversation with DebunkBot, a model we built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo (the most up-to-date GPT model at that time). Participants began by writing out, in their own words, a conspiracy theory that they believed and the…
Transforming commercial pharma with agentic AI
Summary
Amid the turbulence of the wider global economy in recent years, the pharmaceuticals industry is weathering its own storms. The rising cost of raw materials and supply chain disruptions are squeezing margins as pharma companies face intense pressure—including from countries like the US—to control drug costs. At the same time, a wave of expiring patents threatens around $300 billion in potential lost sales by 2030. As companies lose the exclusive right to sell the drugs they have developed, competitors can enter the market with generic and biosimilar lower-cost alternatives, leading to a sharp decline in branded drug sales—a “patent cliff.” Simultaneously, the cost of bringing new drugs to market is climbing. McKinsey estimates cost per launch is growing 8% each year, reaching $4 billion in 2022. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT In clinics…
The looming crackdown on AI companionship
Summary
As long as there has been AI, there have been people sounding alarms about what it might do to us: rogue superintelligence, mass unemployment, or environmental ruin from data center sprawl. But this week showed that another threat entirely—that of kids forming unhealthy bonds with AI—is the one pulling AI safety out of the academic fringe and into regulators’ crosshairs. This has been bubbling for a while. Two high-profile lawsuits filed in the last year, against Character.AI and OpenAI, allege that companion-like behavior in their models contributed to the suicides of two teenagers. A study by US nonprofit Common Sense Media, published in July, found that 72% of teenagers have used AI for companionship. Stories in reputable outlets about “AI psychosis” have highlighted how endless conversations with chatbots can lead…
Can an AI doppelgänger help me do my job?
Summary
Everywhere I look, I see AI clones. On X and LinkedIn, “thought leaders” and influencers offer their followers a chance to ask questions of their digital replicas. OnlyFans creators are having AI models of themselves chat, for a price, with followers. “Virtual human” salespeople in China are reportedly outselling real humans. Digital clones—AI models that replicate a specific person—package together a few technologies that have been around for a while now: hyperrealistic video models to match your appearance, lifelike voices based on just a couple of minutes of speech recordings, and conversational chatbots increasingly capable of holding our attention. But they’re also offering something the ChatGPTs of the world cannot: an AI that’s not smart in the general sense, but that ‘thinks’ like you do. Who are they for? Delphi,…
Business & Finance
Senate takes first step to end shutdown as Bernie Sanders says moderate Democrats voting with GOP are making a ‘horrific mistake’
Summary
The Senate took the first step to end the government shutdown on Sunday after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, angering many in their caucus who say Americans want them to continue the fight. In a test vote that is the first in a series of required procedural maneuvers, the Senate voted 60-40 to move toward passing compromise legislation to fund the government and hold a later vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire Jan. 1. Final passage could be several days away if Democrats object and delay the process. The agreement does not guarantee the Affordable Care Act subsidies will be extended, as Democrats have demanded for almost six weeks. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York…
Donald Trump booed as the first sitting US president at a regular-season NFL game since Carter in 1978
Summary
President Donald Trump became the first sitting president in nearly a half-century at a regular-season NFL game, attending the Washington Commanders’ contest against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. There were boos from some spectators in the stands when Trump was shown on the videoboard late in the first half — standing in a suite with House Speaker Mike Johnson — and again when the president was introduced by the stadium announcer at halftime. The jeering continued while Trump read an oath for members of the military to recite as part of an on-field ceremony during the break in the game. “I’m a little bit late,” Trump told reporters earlier when he got off Air Force One after landing at Joint Base Andrews, following a flyover of Northwest Stadium during the game. He…
Worried your flight will be canceled? Here’s what to know about refunds and how to deal with airlines
Summary
If you have upcoming travel plans anytime soon, you might notice fewer options on the airport’s departure board. Airlines are scaling back flights at dozens of major U.S. airports to ease the pressure on air traffic controllers, who have been working unpaid and under intense strain during the ongoing government shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe. Many controllers have been putting in long hours and mandatory overtime while lawmakers are at a standstill over how to reopen the government. Major hubs like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among those affected, and the ripple effects could mean more cancellations, longer delays and fuller flights for travelers across the country. The cutbacks will impact hundreds if not thousands of flights daily. Here’s what to know about the FAA’s order —…
MLB’s Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches so gamblers could win in-game prop bets
Summary
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been charged with taking bribes from sports bettors to intentionally throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls instead of strikes to ensure successful bets. According to an indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, Clase and Ortiz helped bettors from their native Dominican Republic win in-game prop bets on pitch speed and outcome by throwing certain pitches slower and down in the dirt, well out of the strike zone. Both pitchers have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July while Major League Baseball investigated what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Ortiz, 26, was arrested by the FBI on Sunday at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday.…
Education
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…
PEN America Warns of Rise in Books ‘Systematically Removed From School Libraries’
Summary
PEN America released its list of the most-banned books of the 2024-2025 school year on Wednesday – and warned that the number of books challenged or banned in public school districts across the country has risen exponentially in the past two years. The group dedicated to free expression counted 6,870 bans during the past academic year. While that’s down from a total of 10,046 bans imposed during the 2023-24 school year, it’s still a sharp rise from the period of 2021-2023, which averaged just under 3,000 incidents of book banning each year, in what it calls a “disturbing normalization of censorship” in public schools. PEN America defines a school book ban as “any action taken against a book based on its content and as a result of parent or community…
A New Nation’s Report Card Shows Drops in Science, Math and Reading Scores
Summary
New test scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, show eighth-graders’ science scores have fallen 4 points since 2019 and 12th-graders’ math and reading scores have fallen 3 points in the same time period. The tests were administered between January and March 2024. This is the first NAEP score release since the Trump administration began making cuts to the U.S. Education Department. Those cuts, included laying off more than half the workers at the Institute of Education Sciences, IES, the arm of the department charged with measuring student achievement and overseeing and processing the data that comes from the tests students take. After those cuts, the department also canceled about a dozen national and state assessments of student progress through 2032…
Advocates Warn of Risks to Higher Ed Data if Education Department is Shuttered
Summary
Even with the government shut down, lots of people are thinking about how to reimagine federal education research. Public comments on how to reform the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the Education Department’s research and statistics arm, were due on Oct. 15. A total of 434 suggestions were submitted, but no one can read them because the department isn’t allowed to post them publicly until the government reopens. (We know the number because the comment entry page has an automatic counter.) A complex numbers game There’s broad agreement across the political spectrum that federal education statistics are essential. Even many critics of the Department of Education want its data collection efforts to survive — just somewhere else. Some have suggested moving the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to another…
Entertainment
‘KPop Demon Hunters 2’ Aiming for 2029 Release
Summary
First the good news: You have not seen the last of Rumi, Mira, Zoey and the Saja Boys. Then the not-so-good news: but you’ll have to wait four years. According to a brief mention at the end of a story about how KPop Demon Hunters reportedly fumbled toy merchandising for the smash Netflix animated musical in Bloomberg, the business site reported that Netflix and Sony have finalized a deal for sequel. But, because animated films can take a long time to complete, the movie isn’t expected to release until 2029. According to Variety, Netflix and Sony declined to comment on the report. “We’ve set up so much for potential backstory,” co-director Maggie Kang told Variety in July about the plans for another go-round from her and directing partner Chris Appelhans. “Obviously, there’s a…
Director responds to rumours of raves being planned for Rome Colosseum
Summary
The director for the Rome Colosseum has responded to rumours that the historic site would soon be used for raves. Simone Quilici, who was recently appointed as the director for the landmark, spoke out to clarify that those running the site now will not be using it to host any electronic music events or raves. He clarified the stance after he previously got people talking by saying that he would be using his time as director to bring more concerts to the amphitheatre, which is nearly 2000 years old. Those comments soon got momentum, and were spread across multiple social media accounts alongside AI-generated images of intense light shows at the historic site, insinuating that raves would be taking place soon. Now, speaking to The Associated Press, Quilici has responded…
Jeremy Corbyn set to make a cameo in drag pantomime this Christmas
Summary
Jeremy Corbyn is set to appear in a drag pantomime this winter. Taking part in a festive stage performance in the UK capital, the former Labour leader and MP for Islington North will be joining the cast of a “gloriously camp” production inspired by Wicked. Titled Wicked Witches: A Popular Panto, the production will be held at the Pleasance Theatre near Caledonian Road later this year. It will see Corbyn take on the role of the ‘Wizard of Oz-lington’. For the production, which will run between November 18 and December 31, the MP will perform alongside drag artist Gigi Zahir, who will play the wicked witch Adelphaba (as per BBC News). Also on the bill is Eleanor Burke – playing the good witch, Kelly Oz-Born – as well as Lew…
Jack deJohnette, influential jazz drummer, dies aged 83
Summary
Influential jazz drummer Jack deJohnette has died at the age of 83. The drummer reportedly died on Sunday (October 26) in hospital in Kingston, New York, due to congestive heart failure, the New York Times confirmed. DeJohnette’s family also took to social media to share the news, writing: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Jack DeJohnette. He died peacefully in Kingston Hospital, NY. He was surrounded by his wife, family, and close friends. Jack was a NEA Jazz Master. His legacy will live on”. Blue Note Records hailed deJohnette as “one of the all time greats”, while McCoy Tyner’s son called him “a force of power and an innovative master of jazz drumming as well as piano”. Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta also called him a “titan and hero”,…
Environment & Sustainability
Are we all living in Florida now? The rise of ‘don’t say climate’ politics.
Summary
Last May, as blistering-hot weather broke records across South Florida and smoke from distant wildfires in Mexico turned the sky hazy, Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor, signed legislation erasing most mentions of “climate change” from state law. “We’re restoring sanity in our approach to energy and rejecting the agenda of the radical green zealots,” he wrote on X. Back then, it felt like just another Florida story, a fresh example of the culture war overriding reality. In hindsight, it was a preview of where the country was headed. President Donald Trump’s second term has plunged the United States into “don’t say climate” politics. Even as horrific floods and fires unfolded around the country this year, Republicans in Congress reversed the country’s only climate plan. The administration has deleted “climate change”…
The EV Battery Tech That’s Worth the Hype, According to Experts
Summary
Major battery breakthroughs seemingly happen every day, but only some of that tech ever leaves the lab. WIRED breaks down what’s actually going to change EVs and what’s just a dream. By Aarian Marshall, Wired This story was originally published by Wired. Major battery breakthroughs seemingly happen every day, but only some of that tech ever leaves the lab. WIRED breaks down what’s actually going to change EVs and what’s just a dream. By Aarian Marshall, Wired This story was originally published by Wired. Major battery breakthroughs seemingly happen every day, but only some of that tech ever leaves the lab. WIRED breaks down what’s actually going to change EVs and what’s just a dream. By Aarian Marshall, Wired This story was originally published by Wired.
I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot
Summary
Money talks – and his essay denouncing ‘near-term emissions goals’ at Cop30 mostly argues the case for letting the ultra-rich off the hook Let’s begin with the fundamental problem: Bill Gates is a politics denier. Though he came to it late, he now accepts the realities of climate science. But he lives in flat, embarrassing denial about political realities. His latest essay on climate, published last week, treats the issue as if it existed in a political vacuum. He writes as if there were no such thing as political power, and no such thing as billionaires. His main contention is that funds are very limited, so the delegates at this month’s climate summit in Brazil should direct money away from “near-term emissions goals” towards climate “adaptation” and spending on poverty…
Here are the 5 issues to watch at COP30 in Brazil
Summary
Global leaders will gather in northern Brazil next week to begin the 30th annual Conference of the Parties, or COP30, the United Nations climate summit that takes stock of just how much the world’s nations are doing to address climate change — or, depending on your capacity for optimism, how little. As U.S. President Donald Trump refutes the legitimacy of global warming — he recently called it the world’s “greatest con job” — his international counterparts are preparing to negotiate the terms of adapting their nations to its consequences. Meanwhile, poor and developing countries, which have contributed comparatively few emissions to the global carbon ledger, have yet to receive the climate-related aid long promised to them by rich and developed countries. This stymies their preparation for the effects of a…
Food & Travel
Is Your Favorite National Park at Risk During the Shutdown? It Depends on the State.
Summary
The federal government’s shutdown had an immediate impact, that will be increasingly felt for however long the shutdown continues, on the National Park Service. According to the AP, parks remain “generally” open, but services are pared back, facilities may be closed, and most staff are furloughed. This follows what has already been a tumultuous year that has seen deep staffing cuts and high visitation. The agency is leaning on limited fee revenue and skeleton crews to keep access open while protecting life and property — a trade-off that will vary widely by site. Certain states working to keep parks open Utah officials said the state will support keeping its “Mighty 5” (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion) accessible during the lapse, though visitors should expect minimal services. Colorado…
Hotel Prices Keep Climbing in New York City 2 Years After Airbnb Crackdown
Summary
Two years after New York City’s sweeping crackdown on Airbnb, visitors looking for affordable accommodations in the Big Apple face an even more expensive new reality in a city already known for being pricey. New data shows that short-term rentals are all but erased from the five boroughs, and hotel prices are continuing to go up. In July 2025, the average nightly rate for a hotel room in NYC hit $283, a 7 percent increase over two years prior, according to data from CoStar first published in the Wall Street Journal. Fall and into the holiday season sees much higher nightly rates — last year September had a record-setting month where average rates reached $417 per night. These spikes are not temporary: occupancy has outpaced 2023 levels in every month…
FAA Slashes Flights at 40 Major US Airports in Light of Government Shutdown
Summary
Everyone knows flying in the US can be a little bumpy, both literally and figuratively. But it’s about to get significantly more delayed in light of the current US federal government shutdown, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made a significant announcement on Wednesday, November 5. Citing the immense strain on staff from the record-long government shutdown, it announced it would cut flight traffic by 10 percent at 40 of the country’s busiest airports. The announcement was made at a press conference by US Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, who oversees the FAA, following vague comments earlier in the week to completely close some portions of US air space if the shutdown continued. Unconfirmed sources tell media outlets the scale-back will happen gradually, beginning with a four percent…
How to Find the Next Big Restaurant Before the Hype, From ‘Knife Edge’ Host Jesse Burgess
Summary
For more than a century, the Michelin Guide, a tire company’s marketing plan that turned into the world’s most famous restaurant guide, has cultivated an aura of exclusivity — white-tablecloth temples, anonymous inspectors sworn to secrecy, and career-changing recognition that can boost business. Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, the new Apple TV+ series produced by Gordon Ramsay and hosted by Jesse Burgess, takes viewers behind the scenes of what it’s like for chefs chasing stars. And with that, rare direct access to Michelin inspectors. “I think it’s incredulous that they have kept everything so secret for 125 years,” Burgess told me. “And the fact that they granted this access … was monumental and groundbreaking.” Words like that could read as hyperbole. He wasn’t exaggerating. Still, the inspector interviews that appear…
Gaming
Raising a digital digit to Nvidia, China reportedly set to ban foreign-made AI chips from state-funded data centers
Summary
New data centre projects in China must use homegrown AI hardware going forward. According to Reuters, new government guidance will soon be passed down, apparently requiring state-funded data centres to only use AI chips manufactured domestically within China. Though data centre projects have drawn $100 billion in state funding since 2021, it is not yet clear how many will be affected by this decree. It's China's latest bid to break away from US-made tech, and follows news back in August that data centre operators were being instructed to source at least 50% of their chips from domestic manufacturers. Now, data centres that are less than 30% complete are being instructed to remove already installed chips if they're foreign-made. One facility in a northwestern province that planned to deploy Nvidia chips…
Electronics researchers have developed a new way to stack transistors in a die, to keep Moore’s law alive for as long as possible
Summary
For 60 years, Gordon Moore's observation that transistor counts in integrated circuits would double roughly every two years has been spookily accurate. Ever-smaller transistors and ever-larger chips have made this possible, but with the physical limits of both impacting the growth of computing, new methods are required to continue the growth. One semiconductor research team claims to have achieved just that by stacking not chips or dies, but individual transistors. The work by the team at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia was published in Nature Electronics (via El País), and as is always the case for such academic research, it's all very complicated. Basically, though, it comes down to the idea that chip makers are looking to go up, rather than using smaller transistors…
‘The world became stupider’ when Internet Archive’s Open Library was hit by a lawsuit: ‘We survived, but it wiped out the library’
Summary
Internet Archive, a non-profit library dedicated to archived websites, music, books, apps, and all kinds of information on the internet, has been subjected to multiple lawsuits since its foundation in 1996. And one aimed at its library has reportedly had a major effect, according to what its founder told Ars Technica. Internet Archive might be most well known for its website archiver, The Wayback Machine, but, in 2020, its Open Library was sued by four major book publishers. Effectively, the Open Library is a digital library, where the Internet Archive would 'loan' digital versions of physical books it owns, to emulate a library. These books would be lent at a 1-1 rate with what it owned. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, it created the National Emergency Library in…
Rockstar accused of ‘the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry’ after firing dozens of employees who were allegedly attempting to form a union
Summary
A Bloomberg report says Grand Theft Auto 6 studio Rockstar Games has fired "dozens" of employees over what the Independent Workers of Great Britain union alleges is a "brazen" act of union busting. Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive denies that allegation, and says the employees were fired for misconduct. The report says that between 30 and 40 Rockstar employees working in multiple offices in the UK and Canada were fired on October 30, all of them part of a private trade union chat group on Discord. An IWGB rep told the site that some of the fired employees were members of the union, while others were attempting to organize. Rockstar: not only making history in terms of profits, but in enacting the most brazen act of union busting the games…
Health & Wellness
They found cancer’s hidden power hubs and learned how to melt them away
Summary
Texas A&M researchers found that in an aggressive kidney cancer, RNA builds “droplet hubs” that activate tumor genes. By creating a molecular switch to dissolve these hubs, they stopped cancer growth in lab and mouse tests. The work reveals how RNA can be hijacked to fuel disease, and how breaking its scaffolding could lead to new therapies for multiple pediatric cancers. Texas A&M researchers found that in an aggressive kidney cancer, RNA builds “droplet hubs” that activate tumor genes. By creating a molecular switch to dissolve these hubs, they stopped cancer growth in lab and mouse tests. The work reveals how RNA can be hijacked to fuel disease, and how breaking its scaffolding could lead to new therapies for multiple pediatric cancers.
New treatment cuts cholesterol by nearly 50%, without statins or side effects
Summary
Researchers have developed a DNA-based therapy that targets the PCSK9 gene to lower cholesterol naturally. Using polypurine hairpins, they increased cholesterol uptake by cells and reduced artery-clogging lipid levels. The results show dramatic drops in PCSK9 and cholesterol levels in animal models, pointing to a safer and more effective alternative to statins. Researchers have developed a DNA-based therapy that targets the PCSK9 gene to lower cholesterol naturally. Using polypurine hairpins, they increased cholesterol uptake by cells and reduced artery-clogging lipid levels. The results show dramatic drops in PCSK9 and cholesterol levels in animal models, pointing to a safer and more effective alternative to statins. Researchers have developed a DNA-based therapy that targets the PCSK9 gene to lower cholesterol naturally. Using polypurine hairpins, they increased cholesterol uptake by cells and reduced…
Colder climates impact firefighters’ cognitive and physical abilities, research finds
Summary
Decision making ability, memory, response times and dexterity all saw a significant drop in cold temperatures, according to University of Chichester research on firefighter search and rescue performance. Decision making ability, memory, response times and dexterity all saw a significant drop in cold temperatures, according to University of Chichester research on firefighter search and rescue performance. Decision making ability, memory, response times and dexterity all saw a significant drop in cold temperatures, according to University of Chichester research on firefighter search and rescue performance. Decision making ability, memory, response times and dexterity all saw a significant drop in cold temperatures, according to University of Chichester research on firefighter search and rescue performance. Decision making ability, memory, response times and dexterity all saw a significant drop in cold temperatures, according to…
Depression doubles mortality rates and increases suicide risk 10-fold—timely treatment can reduce risk by up to 30%
Summary
A comprehensive meta-analysis in depression and mortality, led by the Department of Psychiatry at the School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has found that people with depression have twice the risk of death than those without depression, and a nearly 10-fold increased risk of suicide. However, timely and effective treatment can significantly reduce these risks and improve survival rates. A comprehensive meta-analysis in depression and mortality, led by the Department of Psychiatry at the School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has found that people with depression have twice the risk of death than those without depression, and a nearly 10-fold increased risk of suicide. However, timely and effective treatment can significantly reduce…
Lifestyle
The First Four Things to Do When Your Flight is Canceled
Summary
Flight cancellations under the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) government shutdown order have begun, with hundreds of flights and thousands of travelers across 40 U.S. airports affected. This could continue for as long as the shutdown lasts (and potentially impact many more travelers as the busy holiday season approaches). While flight cancellations are never fun, the cascading effect of due to the government shutdown could make dealing with one even more frustrating. Here are four actions you should take right away if your itinerary is cut. Enable alerts from your airline Flight cancellations often happen with little to no notice, sometimes when you're already en route to your destination, and airlines are certainly scrambling to comply with the FAA's shutdown order. As they continue to pare down their schedules, there's a…
NYT Games Subscribers Can Now Make Custom Wordles for Their Friends
Summary
The New York Times has announced a new feature that allows you to make your own Wordle puzzle to share with friends. You need to be a Games or All-Access subscriber to create puzzles, but no subscription is needed to solve them. You aren't roped to regular Wordle's five-letter structure, either: Allowable puzzles can be anywhere from four to seven letters long. They must be on an allowable word list; as with regular Wordle, this means no proper nouns, for the most part. Profanity is not allowed, nor are gibberish entries like “ASDFGJ” (I tried). Here’s a link to a Wordle-style puzzle with four letters that I created for you—because I consider all of you my friends. (This is not the puzzle I've used to create the screenshots in this…
Federal Agencies May Move to Ban These Popular Wifi Routers
Summary
The security of a popular wifi router brand is under scrutiny from multiple federal agencies, and devices could be pulled from shelves in the United States in the future. According to reporting from the Washington Post, the US Department of Commerce has proposed a ban on routers from TP-Link Systems, a move that has now received support from Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Defense. What is the issue with TP-Link? The proposal reportedly stems from security concerns with routers sold by TP-Link Systems, which is in California but was spun off from the Chinese-based TP-Link Technologies. Commerce officials have warned that the devices handle sensitive data and may be subject to influence by the Chinese government. For example, there is concern that TP-Link is required to provide information to…
WhatsApp Is Rolling Out Passkey Support for Encrypted Backups
Summary
In the beginning, WhatsApp users could not protect their chat backups with encryption—while all communications were encrypted end-to-end, backups weren't afforded the same protection. Since 2021, however, WhatsApp has offered two ways for users to encrypt these backups: a standard password, or a 64-digit encryption key. There are security issues with both of these methods. Passwords can be secure, but let's be real, many of us use very simple passwords that are easy to remember, and, in some cases, we even repeat passwords from account to account to make things easier on our brains. If your password for WhatsApp backups is the same password you use for your email, and the latter gets leaked, hackers can easily break into your WhatsApp backups. Not good. (Side note: Please use a strong…
Marketing & SEO
DOJ and Google wrap up ad tech monopoly hearing
Summary
The Justice Department and Google wrapped a two-week hearing over how to address Google’s illegal monopoly in online advertising technology, setting up a pivotal antitrust showdown that could reshape the digital ad industry. Driving the news. The hearing, held in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, concluded after testimony from more than two dozen witnesses – including Google executives, rival ad tech leaders, publishers, and expert economists. The Justice Department wants Google to sell off its ad exchange and possibly parts of its publisher tools to restore competition. Google argues that a breakup would disrupt publishers and advertisers, especially small businesses that depend on its systems. Both sides will deliver closing arguments in November, with Judge Leonie Brinkema expected to rule in the coming months. Why…
Meta: AI interactions will shape content and ad recommendations
Summary
Meta will soon begin factoring in how people interact with its generative AI tools to personalize the content and ads they see across Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. More than 1 billion people use Meta AI monthly, according to their internal data. By turning AI chats and prompts into signals, Meta is making its recommendation engine more data-rich, potentially boosting ad relevance for brands and personalization for users. Why we care. By adding this new signal to it’s recommendations engine, this could reveal real-time interest and intent, making ad targeting sharper and potentially more effective. By tapping into these AI-driven signals, brands can reach audiences with more relevant content at the exact moment their interests emerge. Rollout. Users will start receiving notifications and emails Oct. 7, weeks ahead of the…
FTC probes Google and Amazon over ad pricing disclosures
Summary
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether Google and Amazon misled advertisers by failing to properly disclose terms and pricing for ads on their platforms, according to people familiar with the matter. Driving the news: The FTC’s consumer protection unit is examining Google’s internal ad pricing processes and whether it raised costs without informing advertisers. Amazon’s real-time ad auctions are under scrutiny, including whether it disclosed reserve pricing — minimum price floors for sponsored listings. Both investigations build on prior antitrust actions against Google’s ad business and Amazon’s marketplace practices. Why we care. Digital advertising is a multi-hundred-billion-dollar industry, with Google leading the market and Amazon quickly rising as the third-largest player. Lack of transparency in how ads are priced and placed could mean advertisers are paying more than they…
Large Language Model SEO (LLM SEO)
Summary
Google is no longer the only place people search. Millions now bypass search engines entirely and turn to large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for answers. ChatGPT alone fields over 2.5 billion prompts a day and serves more than 120 million users daily. This creates a massive opportunity. LLM SEO is how you get your content in front of those systems. The idea is to make your content so clear and credible that a model has no choice but to pull from it. That means writing in a way machines can process, and people still want to read. Do it right, and you’ll show up where the traffic is already shifting. This isn’t a future concern. It’s happening now. If you don’t adapt, readers will still get…
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
October’s Night Sky Notes: Let’s Go, LIGO!
Summary
4 Min Read October’s Night Sky Notes: Let’s Go, LIGO! An artist’s impression of gravitational waves generated by binary neutron stars. Credits: R. Hurt/Caltech-JPL by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific September 2025 marks ten years since the first direct detection of gravitational waves as predicted by Albert Einstein’s 1916 theory of General Relativity. These invisible ripples in space were first directly detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Traveling at the speed of light (~186,000 miles per second), these waves stretch and squeeze the fabric of space itself, changing the distance between objects as they pass. Waves In Space Gravitational waves are created when massive objects accelerate in space, especially in violent events. LIGO detected the first gravitational waves when two black holes, orbiting one…
NASA, International Partners Deepen Commitment to Artemis Accords
Summary
Representatives of the Artemis Accords signatories, including acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, met Sept. 29, 2025, for a principals meeting during the 76th International Astronautical Congress in Sydney. Credit: NASA/Max van Otterdyk NASA, along with leaders from global space agencies and government representatives worldwide, convened on Monday to further the implementation of the Artemis Accords — practical principles designed to guide the responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The meeting was held during the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) taking place in Sydney. In opening remarks, acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy highlighted the five-year anniversary of the Artemis Accords next month. “When President Trump launched the Artemis Accords in his first term, he made sure American values would lead the way –…
NASA signs US-Australia Agreement on Aeronautics, Space Cooperation
Summary
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and Australian Space Agency Head Enrico Palermo signed an agreement Sept. 30, 2025, in Sydney that strengthens collaboration in aeronautics and space exploration between the two nations. Credit: NASA/Max van Otterdyk At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) taking place in Sydney this week, representatives from the United States and Australia gathered to sign a framework agreement that strengthens collaboration in aeronautics and space exploration between the two nations. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and Australian Space Agency Head Enrico Palermo signed the agreement Tuesday on behalf of their countries, respectively. “Australia is an important and longtime space partner, from Apollo to Artemis, and this agreement depends on that partnership,” said Duffy. “International agreements like this one work to leverage our resources and increase our capacities…
Headquarters and Center Chief Counsel Contacts
Summary
Headquarters General Counsel Iris Lan Deputy General Counsel Bryan R. Diederich (Acting) Chief of Legal Operations Christine Pham (Acting) Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Procurement, Headquarters Karen Reilley (Acting) Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group, Headquarters Karen Reilley (Acting) Associate General Counsel for General Law Practice Group, Headquarters Katie Spear Associate General Counsel for International and Space Law Practice Group, Headquarters Rebecca Bresnik Agency Counsel for Ethics, Headquarters Adam Greenstone Agency Counsel for the Acquisition Integrity Program, Headquarters Adam Supple (Acting) Agency Counsel for Intellectual Property, Headquarters Trenton Roche Centers Chief Counsel, Ames Research CenterChristine Pham Chief Counsel, Armstrong Flight Research Center Brett Swanson Chief Counsel, Glenn Research Center James Jackson (Acting) Chief Counsel, Goddard Space Flight Center Dave Barrett Chief Counsel, Johnson Space…
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
NASA is kind of a mess: Here are the top priorities for a new administrator
Summary
After a long summer and fall of uncertainty, private astronaut Jared Isaacman has been renominated to lead NASA, and there appears to be momentum behind getting him confirmed quickly as the space agency’s 15th administrator. It is possible, although far from a lock, the Senate could finalize his nomination before the end of this year. It cannot happen soon enough. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is, to put it bluntly, kind of a mess. This is not meant to disparage the many fine people who work at NASA. But years of neglect, changing priorities, mismanagement, creeping bureaucracy, meeting bloat, and other factors have taken their toll. NASA is still capable of doing great things. It still inspires. But it needs a fresh start. Read full article Comments
YouTube TV, ESPN, and Disney: the latest on the blackout
Summary
On October 31st, ESPN, ABC, Nat Geo, and over 20 other Disney-owned channels went dark on YouTube TV. As the two sides disagree about terms for a new content distribution contract, Google has accused Disney of trying to raise prices for its customers in an effort to boost its own Hulu + Live TV and Fubo offerings. Meanwhile, Disney claims that Google is being unreasonable and seeking preferential treatment and below-market rates, and streamed College GameDay for free during the dispute. It’s quite different from their 2021 carriage blackout, which was resolved within a couple of days. The two don’t seem any closer to an agreement at this point, as the war of words continues, and now Google is even giving YouTube TV customers a $20 credit for the inconvenience.…
Arturia’s KeyStep mk2 MIDI controller is a shortcut to flow state
Summary
Don’t mind my desk toys. Arturia's KeyStep is one of the most popular MIDI controllers ever made, especially with modular synth users and the DAWless crowd. It's small, cheap, has an easy-to-use sequencer, and offers decent connectivity. But it was also released way back in January of 2016. The world of music gear moves more slowly than, say, smartphones, but Arturia has several controllers released after the KeyStep that are already on their third generation. The $139 KeyStep mk2 takes this classic and updates it with a host of new sequencing and composition features developed by Arturia over the years. Compared to the original, the KeyStep mk2 has double the numb … Read the full story at The Verge. Don’t mind my desk toys. Arturia's KeyStep is one of the…
The tale of the Fire Phone, Amazon’s very strange smartphone
Summary
When Jeff Bezos decided Amazon needed to get in the smartphone game, he went all in. And the resulting device, the Fire Phone, wound up more densely packed with big ideas than just about any gadget you'll find anywhere. There was just one tiny problem: they were mostly bad ideas. The Fire Phone shipped in 2014 with a feature list a mile long. The screen had a 3D effect! There were, like, 400 cameras! There was a whole home screen filled with something called "delighters!" But the Fire Phone was, above all, a way to buy things on Amazon. That was what Bezos wanted, after all. It's just not what users wanted. Verge subscribers, don't fo … Read the full story at The Verge.