Artificial Intelligence
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…
Musk v. Altman week 2: OpenAI fires back, and Shivon Zilis reveals that Musk tried to poach Sam Altman
Summary
In the second week of the landmark trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI, Musk’s motivations for bringing the suit were under scrutiny. Last week, Musk took the stand, alleging that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman had deceived him into donating $38 million to the company. He claimed that they’d promised to maintain it as a nonprofit dedicated to developing AI for the benefit of humanity, only to later accept billions of dollars of investment from Microsoft and restructure the company to operate a for-profit subsidiary. This week, Brockman fired back with his side of the story, arguing that Musk had actually pushed for OpenAI to create a for-profit arm and fought a bitter battle to have “absolute control” over it. OpenAI has argued that Musk is suing…
Why having “humans in the loop” in an AI war is an illusion
Summary
The availability of artificial intelligence for use in warfare is at the center of a legal battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon. This debate has become urgent, with AI playing a bigger role than ever before in the current conflict with Iran. AI is no longer just helping humans analyze intelligence. It is now an active player—generating targets in real time, controlling and coordinating missile interceptions, and guiding lethal swarms of autonomous drones. Most of the public conversation regarding the use of AI-driven autonomous lethal weapons centers on how much humans should remain “in the loop.” Under the Pentagon’s current guidelines, human oversight supposedly provides accountability, context, and nuance while reducing the risk of hacking. AI systems are opaque “black boxes” But the debate over “humans in the loop” is…
Business & Finance
The supertanker tycoon making millions on Hormuz shuttle runs
Summary
Just a few weeks into the war, one of the Persian Gulf’s top oil producers quietly began sneaking its crude out of the Strait of Hormuz. Before long, the covert project became so successful that the United Arab Emirates was already approaching its pre-war rate of flows through the waterway by the time the US and Iran signed their interim peace deal. The UAE’s aggressive push to get barrels safely out of the strait relied on tactics normally associated with sanctioned countries like Iran, Russia and Venezuela: the ships traveled “dark” without their transponders (and often under the cover of literal darkness) before offloading their cargo into other tankers waiting outside the waterway, and then returning back to collect more. Crucially though, officials in Abu Dhabi needed enough ships to make the…
Alibaba gets reprieve on lobbying ban tied to DoD blacklist
Summary
A federal judge ordered the Pentagon to give Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. a reprieve from a law that caused all of its lobbyists to drop it as a client while she considers the constitutionality of the measure, in a case set to test the US’s ability to curtail Chinese companies’ activities. Washington’s most powerful lobbying firms rushed to sever ties with Alibaba and other Chinese tech giants after a new law targeting entities allegedly aiding China’s military took effect last week, Bloomberg News previously reported. The restriction bars the Defense Department from working with any company represented by lobbyists who also work for entities blacklisted by the Pentagon for allegedly aiding the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. In practice, the provision forced lobbyists to choose between the sanctioned Chinese companies and US defense…
Oil, gas tankers cross Hormuz via Oman-side route after U-turns
Summary
Oil and gas shipping along a US-protected corridor in the Strait of Hormuz showed signs of recovering Sunday, a day after a batch of vessels performed unexplained U-turns and detours in the vital energy corridor. Six oil and gas freighters were observed navigating on a route that cleaves close to Oman’s coast. Those are only what’s observable, with many ships known to sail through with their transponders off to avoid digital detection. Western navies continue to say that, while traffic continues, the threat risk is “substantial” and that the center of the strait has been mined. Two other small tankers exited the Persian Gulf by sailing closer to Iran. The oil market is fixated on what’s moving through Hormuz and how, a task that’s become tougher because of ships trying…
Nvidia supplier Hon Hai’s sales beat on continued AI demand
Summary
Nvidia Corp.’s server assembly partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. reported a bigger-than-expected 40% jump in quarterly sales and said AI demand is growing further. Shipments of AI racks are expected to maintain their momentum in the current quarter, while demand for information and communications technology products is entering peak season, the company said in a statement Sunday. Overall operations are expected to grow both quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year, it said. Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, has established itself as a key AI hardware player by assembling servers that house Nvidia accelerators. Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are setting aside about $725 billion for AI spending this year, even as warnings abound about overcapacity and questions about how to monetize the technology persist. Concerns about a rush to build power-guzzling data centers have also grown…
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…
After Years of Declines, Young Students Show Gains in Reading and Math
Summary
New federal test scores show younger students are making gains in reading and math — after years of declines. “I think this is an optimistic release,” Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, told NPR. Results from the long-term trend (LTT) report, released Wednesday, provide a national look at progress in reading and math for 9- and 13-year-old students. The tests, which students take on pencil and paper every few years, have asked many of the same questions since they were first given in the 1970s. The tests are part of the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) and are nationally representative of student learning. More than 30,000 students took the exams between October 2024 and March 2025. Here are five takeaways from the results: 1.…
Overworked and Understaffed: Special Ed Teachers Turn to AI for Help
Summary
Editor’s note: NPR uses only the first names of minors in this story because it discusses their learning disabilities and placement in special education. BAY POINT, Calif. — The sun would just be rising when teacher Mary Acebu began her days. She’d blast music on the way to work to get energized and get to her classroom by 6:30 to prepare for her students’ arrival at 8. Often, it’d be dark by the time she headed home, sometimes with paperwork in tow. Like so many special education teachers around the country, this was Acebu’s life for much of the 10 years she’s been teaching at Riverview Middle School, in this small, unincorporated northern California town. “I don’t do that anymore,” she says with a laugh. That’s because Acebu has been…
Entertainment
How to Help Those Impacted by the Earthquakes in Venezuela
Summary
Venezuela is once again in a state of national emergency, and this time not for political reasons. The South American country was struck on Wednesday night (June 24) by twin earthquakes that caused the collapse of multiple buildings, primarily in the coastal region of La Guaira, north of Caracas, as well as in the capital city. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, and were felt across the region, according to the Associated Press. By midday Thursday (June 25), the news agency reported at least 164 fatal victims while “many more were feared dead.” Related Danny Ocean, Lasso & More Use Social Media to Spread Word for Help After Venezuela Quakes: ‘My Heart Is Shattered’ On social media, videos shared…
Jalen Brunson, Lionel Messi & Alysa Liu Lead 2026 ESPYS Nominations: Full List
Summary
The 2026 ESPYS are returning to New York City. Ahead of the award show slated for July 15, the ESPYS nominations were revealed in full on Thursday (June 25). This year’s award show will be hosted by Marcello Hernández, and fan voting is now open. The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in Manhattan is slated to host the event, with the 2026 ESPYS set to air live on July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. In the best athlete category for men’s sports, New York Knicks champion and superstar guard Jalen Brunson is among the nominees, alongside soccer deity Lionel Messi, L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. As for the best athletes in women’s sports category goes, the nominees include Team USA hockey’s…
Ryman Hospitality Reviewing Offers for Potential Grand Ole Opry Sale
Summary
Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP) has engaged Morgan Stanley to evaluate potential offers in purchasing a portion of its Opry Entertainment Group (OEG), which includes flagship venue The Grand Ole Opry House and the Opry’s original Nashville home, the Ryman Auditorium. The Opry is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. Bloomberg was first to report the news earlier on Wednesday (June 24), stating that RHP was interested in selling up to 70% of OEG. Related Luke Combs, Opry Entertainment To Open New Category 10 Venue in Florida: ‘I’m Super Pumped’ Jack White's Wife Olivia Jean Files for Divorce After 4 Years of Marriage Kazumasa Izawa of JASRAC on Meeting the New Challenges of Japanese Music Worldwide: Billboard Global Power Players Interview In response, RHP issued a statement, acknowledging that bringing in partners…
‘The Ring’, ‘Lilo & Stitch’ star Daveigh Chase has died, aged 35
Summary
Daveigh Chase who starred in The Ring and Lilo & Stitch has died, aged 35. The actress died from sepsis after suffering from meningitis in a Los Angeles hospital, according to her manager John Ryan. “She was the greatest. She loved cats. She worked with cat rescues with us. She was very to herself, ” he told BBC News, noting that Chase would often retreat to her home in Las Vegas for years at a time and turn down big studio films to do independent projects. “She was not very Hollywood,” Ryan added. “She’d rather eat at Bob’s Big Boy and go home with the cats. She loved acting but wasn’t into the fame scene.” Chase landed her first TV role in Hollywood at the age of seven, booking a…
Environment & Sustainability
Air pollution may cause childhood obesity by disrupting impulse control, study finds
Summary
Babies exposed to higher levels of neurotoxin more likely to have difficulty controlling impulses later, research shows Exposure to common air pollution may cause childhood obesity because it affects children’s ability to control impulse, new first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed research finds. Particular matter 2.5 (PM2.5) is a neurotoxin that has been linked to obesity, and Mt Sinai researchers say they have for the first time identified impulse control as a potential pathway. The study found that babies exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 during their first year of life were more likely to develop difficulties with controlling impulses later in childhood. Continue reading... Babies exposed to higher levels of neurotoxin more likely to have difficulty controlling impulses later, research shows Exposure to common air pollution may cause childhood obesity because it affects…
‘Why take those jobs away?’: the unionized workers decrying Trump’s war on wind
Summary
Workers proud of their efforts to grow renewable energy say US president pursuing ‘personal vendetta’ at their expense Donald Trump has blamed everything – from “national security” issues, the deaths of birds and whales, and cancer – in his decades-long campaign against windfarms. But as the Trump administration continues to undermine the industry, what worries workers most are their jobs. Since taking office for the second term, Trump has issued an executive order aiming to halt all wind-energy leases and permits, attempted to issue stop-work orders on wind projects under construction, and paid more than $2.6bn in settlements to buy out wind energy leases. And hundreds of workers have been affected. Continue reading... Workers proud of their efforts to grow renewable energy say US president pursuing ‘personal vendetta’ at their…
Good Morning, Earth!
Summary
A bright orange sunburst illuminates Earth’s atmosphere during an orbital sunrise in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Caucasus Mountains. NASA/Chris Williams NASA astronaut Chris Williams took this photo of an orbital sunrise from the International Space Station on June 26, 2026. In 24 hours, the space station makes 16 orbits of Earth, traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets. Learn more about the orbiting laboratory. Image credit: NASA/Chris Williams The post Good Morning, Earth! appeared first on NASA Science. A bright orange sunburst illuminates Earth’s atmosphere during an orbital sunrise in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Caucasus Mountains. NASA/Chris Williams NASA astronaut Chris Williams took this photo of an orbital sunrise from the…
2025 SBIR/STTR Ignite Phase I Welcome Webinar
Summary
NASA SBIR/STTR Program SBIR/STTR Home Opportunities Phase I Phase II Post Phase II Phase III SBIR Ignite I-Corps TABA Resources Submissions Success Stories Get In Touch 2025 Ignite Phase I Welcome Webinar On July 1, 2026, the NASA SBIR/STTR program hosted a webinar to welcome the 2025 NASA SBIR and STTR Phase I awardees, who were selected in April 2026. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) SBIR/STTR Phase I SBIR/STTR Phase II The post 2025 SBIR/STTR Ignite Phase I Welcome Webinar appeared first on NASA Science. NASA SBIR/STTR Program SBIR/STTR Home Opportunities Phase I Phase II…
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
Hardware creator makes hat that is both a ‘functioning art piece’ and also uses a Noctua fan to deliver six-hours of personal cooling
Summary
England, a country built on brick designed to retain heat, experienced a historic heatwave last month. Having experienced the blistering 37°C/98.6°F peak myself, there's little I would not have done to escape that heat—even donning a silly-looking personal cooling wearable didn't seem beyond the pail. Hardware channel Making Stuff with Mike is based in Denmark, which has also experienced its share of record-breaking heat. So, the YouTuber created a "functioning art piece" to keep him cool during the in-tents heat of BornHack 2026. The 'art piece' in question is a hard hat with an unusual centerpiece jutting out of it: A mini-chimney with a 120 mm Noctua fan mounted on top (via Hackaday). The fan structure is 3D printed, with a custom USB-to-fan-header adapter inside. The fan itself runs off…
Xbox to lay off over 3,200 employees
Summary
Earlier in June, Bloomberg reported that Xbox was planning to make major layoffs in July. Subsequent reporting claimed South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games, Keeper studio Double Fine, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 maker Ninja Theory, State of Decay creator Undead Labs, and Blade studio Arkane were all at risk of being shut down by Microsoft. Earlier in June, Bloomberg reported that Xbox was planning to make major layoffs in July. Subsequent reporting claimed South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games, Keeper studio Double Fine, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 maker Ninja Theory, State of Decay creator Undead Labs, and Blade studio Arkane were all at risk of being shut down by Microsoft. Earlier in June, Bloomberg reported that Xbox was planning to make major layoffs in July. Subsequent reporting claimed South of…
SK hynix to invest over $60 billion in chip plants in South Korea, but the memory crisis still seems a long way from being over
Summary
SK hynix, one of the three biggest memory manufacturers (along with Samsung and Micron), seems to be investing a lot of money into AI, and the South Korean government is happy to see that renewed investment. This time, it's to the tune of 100 trillion won (or $65 billion as of the time of writing). As reported by Reuters, SK hynix is looking to build new chip plants with that funding, one of which will be for storage chips. 80 trillion won (around $52 billion) will be spent on NAND flash memory production, and 20 trillion won (around $13 billion) will be spent on a chip packaging plant that is estimated to be operational by late 2027. South Korea is becoming one of the major players in the AI boom.…
‘Meta will need to reduce or possibly stop AI investment in datacenters, as it already has excess capacity’: The AI infrastructure bubble feels the heat
Summary
As a PC gamer, you'll be all too familiar with the sky-high prices of memory and storage components. To put it most simply, these frankly eye-watering price tags are largely due to big tech's major players buying up as much DRAM and flash chips as possible in order to fuel their AI ambitions. Well, that strategy may have backfired as some are now trying to figure out what to do with an excess of compute capacity. Meta is moving into the cloud business in order to sell off its glut of AI compute capacity, according to Bloomberg this week. The plan is in its earliest phase, with those close to the matter claiming the company is still considering its approach. One idea reportedly being considered is to sell access to…
Health & Wellness
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…
Wealth and health divide: Obesity rates plateau in rich nations but surge in developing world
Summary
Obesity has long been the invisible health crisis looming over humanity, with rates climbing globally. There is some positive news now emerging from a multi-decade study spanning several nations. A recent study published in Nature by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of health scientists, analyzed obesity-related data from 232 million people aged 5 years or older, spanning 45 years. Obesity has long been the invisible health crisis looming over humanity, with rates climbing globally. There is some positive news now emerging from a multi-decade study spanning several nations. A recent study published in Nature by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of health scientists, analyzed obesity-related data from 232 million people aged 5 years or older, spanning 45 years.
Lifestyle
Apple Just Raised Prices on These Devices by Hundreds of Dollars, but Many Are Still Discounted for Prime Day
Summary
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple products are expensive, and they always have been. That's no secret. But some of them just got a lot more expensive: On Thursday morning, Apple announced a series of price hikes on key products in its lineup, affecting Macs and MacBooks, iPads, Apple TVs, HomePods, and Vision Pro. If you're in the market for a new Apple laptop or tablet, that market just got a good deal pricier. Which Apple products are now more expensive? Visit Apple's official website, or the Apple Store in person, and it won't look like anything's different. But if you compare today's prices on the following items to yesterday's, you'll notice some seismic…
Meta Quietly Added Facial Recognition to Its Smart Glasses
Summary
According to a report from Wired, Meta has been quietly installing facial recognition in its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta smart glasses for the last few months. Internally called "NameTag", the feature, if activated, will use AI to identify people captured by Ray-Ban Meta's camera, alert the wearer when it recognizes someone, and store faceprints on users' phones. How Meta's "NameTag" works The software has not been switched on, but if it is, it will use Meta's AI app to transform images of anyone photographed with Meta glasses into a biometric faceprint, and check against a database of faceprints stored locally on the user's Meta AI mobile app. If it finds a match, the user will be notified. If it doesn't, the faceprint will be indexed into a folder named…
That Email From ‘Microsoft’ Is Actually a Scam
Summary
We all get enough spam messages these days that we can avoid the obvious scams: If an unknown number texts you asking for money, or a spammy email address warns you about a computer virus, you'll likely delete them and move on. But if the message comes from a company you trust, like Microsoft, with a legitimate email address at that, you wouldn't be blamed for assuming that email was real. In this specific case, however, it's not, and you should be wary when interacting with it. As reported by TechCrunch's Zach Whittaker, scammers are sending emails from a legitimate internal Microsoft email address: msonlineservicesteam@microsoftonline.com. Microsoft uses this address to send a host of important messages, like two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, as well as other PSAs about user accounts. If…
Venmo’s New App Design Comes With a Great Privacy Update
Summary
For me, Venmo has always been the app to settle quick debts. Someone puts their card down at dinner, and I Venmo them my share; I covered costs on a trip, and the group Venmos me in return. But Venmo has always seemed like it wanted to be more than that. The app feels like a hybrid between a banking service, a social media platform, and a place to buy and sell crypto. None of that is changing with its new redesign; in fact, it feels like it's leaning into that multi-use experience more than ever. But it is making a big privacy change, at least for new users, that probably should have been there from launch. How Venmo is changing in the coming weeks Venmo is launching a redesigned…
Marketing & SEO
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…
Yahoo CEO: Google AI Mode is the biggest threat to web traffic
Summary
Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone said AI-powered search — especially Google’s AI Mode — is putting the open web’s core traffic model at risk and argues AI search engines must send users back to publishers. “I think that the LLMs are one big reason that they’re under threat, with AI Mode in Google being the biggest challenge.” “Those publishers deserve [traffic], and we’re not going to have the content to consume to give great answers if publishers aren’t healthy.” Why we care. Many websites are seeing less traffic from answer engines like Google and OpenAI — and I think it’ll only get worse. So it’s encouraging to see Yahoo trying to preserve the “search sends traffic” model. As he said: “We have very purposefully highlighted and linked very explicitly and bent…
Meta is passing Europe’s digital taxes directly to advertisers
Summary
Starting July 1st, Meta will add “location fees” to ad buys targeting users in six countries — effectively offloading the cost of European digital services taxes onto the advertisers themselves. The numbers. Fees will match each country’s digital services tax rate: France, Italy, Spain: 3% Austria, Turkey: 5% UK: 2% How it works in practice. Per Meta’s email to advertisers — “$100 in ads delivered to Italy will cost $103, plus any applicable VAT on top of that.” The fine print. The fees apply to where the ad is delivered, not where the advertiser is based — meaning a US brand running campaigns targeting French users will pay the French rate regardless. Why we care. This is a direct, unavoidable cost increase hitting European campaigns on July 1 — with…
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 CAPSTONE Completes Extended Mission Testing Lunar Technologies
Summary
5 Min Read NASA’s CAPSTONE Completes Extended Mission Testing Lunar Technologies The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) has achieved all primary and extended mission objectives. Credits: NASA As NASA prepares for a sustained human presence on the Moon, missions will increasingly require spacecraft that can navigate and communicate without a direct connection to Earth. NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, validated and advanced these capabilities. Designed to test and validate technologies in lunar orbit, CAPSTONE launched in June 2022 and became the first U.S. commercial mission at the Moon. The spacecraft tested operations in three-body orbits around the Moon, using the combined gravity of Earth and the Moon to reduce the fuel needed to maintain a stable lunar path.…
NASA’s Artemis II Breaks Agency Streaming Record
Summary
From left: The Artemis II crew—NASA astronaut Christina Koch; CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen; and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover—take time out for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on April 6, 2026. NASA NASA’s live coverage of the Artemis II mission mission drew unprecedented public interest – including more than 149.4 million views of the launch, lunar flyby, splashdown on NASA-owned platforms, including the 24/7 streams covering the mission and the Orion spacecraft views – demonstrating strong, sustained global engagement throughout the mission. Around the Clock Live Broadcast NASA’s Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon broadcast set unprecedented viewership records across the agency’s streaming platforms, drawing a combined peak of 3,662,554 viewers—rising to 3.66 million when including more than 411,130 concurrent viewers on X and Twitch—surpassing previous milestones, including the launches of Artemis I (2022) and the James Webb…
La NASA adjudica nuevas misiones científicas para Base Lunar y adelanta nuevas oportunidades
Summary
Tres representaciones digitales muestran módulos de aterrizaje lunar comerciales de Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines y Firefly en la Luna. La NASA anunció el 30 de junio que estos módulos de aterrizaje entregarán más investigaciones científicas y demostraciones tecnológicas de la NASA en la superficie lunar para el programa Base Lunar de la agencia. Créditos: Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Firefly Read this news release in English here. La NASA anunció el martes la selección de tres empresas para llevar a cabo cuatro nuevas misiones a la Luna a finales de 2028 como parte del programa Base Lunar de la agencia. Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace e Intuitive Machines entregarán cargas útiles científicas de la NASA a la superficie lunar mientras la agencia construye el primer puesto de avanzada en otro mundo. “Estas nuevas adjudicaciones a…
NASA Seeks Industry Input to Accelerate Lunar Surface Technologies
Summary
3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Artistic concept of lunar surface technologies and infrastructure capabilities, including in-situ resource utilization oxygen production systems, surface power systems, in‑space manufacturing tools, and advanced nanomaterials production. NASA Long-term lunar exploration requires technology, infrastructure, and operations that function together cohesively on the surface of the Moon. To accelerate the development of key lunar surface systems and reduce risk, NASA and industry must work together in the design, development, testing, and evaluation of innovative solutions that support U.S. space priorities. NASA is seeking feedback on a draft solicitation for the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator, an effort to help develop emerging capabilities in surface power, in-situ resource utilization, advanced manufacturing, and innovative nanomaterials. The draft is available for review by U.S. organizations, including industry, educational institutions, and non-profits. Investments in 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
Katalyst’s satellite rescue mission is now in pursuit of NASA’s Swift
Summary
High above the remote Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and the northernmost part of Australia, an air-launched rocket fired into space on Independence Day weekend to kick off a weekslong pursuit of a NASA astronomy satellite perilously close to falling out of orbit. The endeavor to rescue NASA's Swift satellite is the first mission of its kind. NASA put out a call for commercial companies less than a year ago to propose how they could rapidly build and launch a small satellite to latch onto the Swift spacecraft and boost its altitude so that it doesn't come down in a few months. Katalyst Space Technologies responded with the best offer. NASA awarded the company a contract last September to build and launch a mission to rescue Swift. A little…
Former Xbox studios Double Fine and Compulsion will keep games after going indie
Summary
Microsoft is spinning off four of its Xbox game studios - Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs - as part of the restructuring announced today. However, two that are going independent, Double Fine and Compulsion, will get to keep their franchises and games catalog, according to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. "Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions will return to management and transition to independent studios with their IP, catalog, and runway for their next games," Sharma says in a memo. Compulsion and Double Fine have also shared statements about their futures. Here's Compulsion's: When Compulsion Game … Read the full story at The Verge. Microsoft is spinning off four of its Xbox game studios - Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs -…
I spy
Summary
I’m just doing my job, but turns out, it feels lousy holding other people’s privacy in your hands. I've long argued that Hollywood has simultaneously set and ruined our expectations for smart glasses. But after binge-watching two seasons of Netflix's A Man on the Inside, this is perhaps the first time I've seen Hollywood, perhaps inadvertently, illustrate the biggest cultural problem with smart glasses as they stand today. In a nutshell, Ted Danson plays Charles Nieuwendyk, an elderly widower who finds a new purpose working for a private investigator. Armed with a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, a voice recorder, and a smartphone, Nieuwendyk infiltrates a retirement home, and several privacy-infringing hijinks ensue as he hunts for the je … Read the full story at The Verge.
There were not one, but two asteroid encounters this weekend
Summary
As the United States of America celebrated its 250th birthday on terra firma with fireworks displays this weekend, two Asian countries made some splashes of their own farther from Earth. On Sunday, an aging Japanese spacecraft named Hayabusa2, which completed its initial sample-return objective more than half a decade ago, found success with an extended mission that saw the vehicle fly by a peanut-shaped asteroid named Torifune. Hours later, the Chinese space agency released images from a spacecraft, Tianwen-2, arriving at its target asteroid following a journey of 1 billion km. At this small asteroid, the Chinese spacecraft will attempt to retrieve samples and return them to Earth late next year. Read full article Comments As the United States of America celebrated its 250th birthday on terra firma with fireworks…