- Europe's free satellite service just made it easier to track wildfires
ars-technica· 07-ago
Copernicus Browser adds wildfire visualization amid record wildfire season.
- OpenAI’s expensive smart speaker will use moving parts to seem “more alive”
ars-technica· 07-ago
Gurman report claims OpenAI confirmed the speaker is not an Apple ripoff.
- New official 30th anniversary Quake mission pack adds new maps and mechanics
ars-technica· 07-ago
19 new maps continue the story from MachineGames' other campaign additions.
- Flesh-eating screwworms feast on humans in Mexico; human cases top 500
ars-technica· 07-ago
Six deaths reported among screwworm cases, one directly attributed to the flies.
- DeepMind’s hurricane breakthrough has surprised weather scientists
ars-technica· 08-ago
Open source WeatherNext model can make accurate predictions with lower-resolution weather data.
- How snails engineer their slime
ars-technica· 07-ago
Collagen and calcium work in tandem to achieve varying mechanical properties of different kinds of mucus.
- The ultimate eclipse chase: A Concorde raced against the Moon's shadow
ars-technica· 07-ago
Fitted with telescopes, the plane did our longest imaging of the Sun's corona.
- The first self-driving vehicle on Mars has proven to be a smashing success
ars-technica· 08-ago
About 90 percent of the distance driven by Perseverance has been autonomous.
- DOGE's wild, unverifiable savings claims discredited in US government report
ars-technica· 07-ago
DOGE's inflated "Wall of Receipts": 96% of grant savings unverifiable, GAO says.
- Judge rules Meta caused "public nuisance" and must fund mental health treatment
ars-technica· 07-ago
New Mexico judge orders $567M fund to help address youth mental health crisis.
- Here’s why AI agents lie and cheat to reach their goals
mit-tech-review· 03-ago
MIT Technology Review Explains: Let our writers untangle the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. When two OpenAI models hacked into the website Hugging Face in July, they weren’t trying to make money or commit sabotage—they were just looking for answers…
- The Download: reward hacking explained and suspected Iranian cyberattacks
mit-tech-review· 03-ago
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Here’s why AI agents lie and cheat to reach their goals When two OpenAI models hacked into Hugging Face last month, they weren’t trying to make money or commit sabotage—they were…
- Trump’s AI protectionism has come for robotics
mit-tech-review· 03-ago
This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. Humanoid robots usually elicit more cringe than awe: They stumble, kick children, and despite advances are still worse at using their hands than my toddler. It’s a nascent industry, and such robots…
- The Download: US robot restrictions and ICE’s DNA grab
mit-tech-review· 04-ago
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Trump’s AI protectionism has come for robotics —James O’Donnell Humanoid robots usually elicit more cringe than awe: They stumble, kick children, and despite advances are still worse at using their hands than my toddler. It’s…
- NASA’s new dark-energy space telescope can also detect killer asteroids
mit-tech-review· 05-ago
At the end of August, NASA is set to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Its goal is to help us better understand how the universe works, from the glue-like dark matter that keeps galaxies together to the elusive dark energy that drives the expansion of the cosmos.…
- The Download: NASA’s new telescope and Chinese tech import curbs
mit-tech-review· 05-ago
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. NASA’s new dark energy space telescope can also detect killer asteroids At the end of August, NASA is set to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space…
- Puzzle Corner
mit-tech-review· 05-ago
Ready for a fresh set of puzzles? Click here for the September/October 2026 Puzzle Corner, brought to you by Michael S. Branicky, ScD ’95, of the Puzzle Corner Puzzle Crew (aka PC2), which also includes Edward Faulkner ’03, MEng ’04, and Abe Kunin ’03. This column includes solutions to the May/June issue. Send problems, solutions (by October…
- The Download: Google’s AI shake-up and Meta’s rogue model
mit-tech-review· 06-ago
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Google’s AI empire is being reshaped. Here’s what’s changed. After a wave of painful losses in the tech talent wars, delays to its next flagship model, and murmurings of poor morale,…
- How ideas of a vast censorship network moved from the online fringe to Trump policy
mit-tech-review· 07-ago
This article was produced in partnership with Type Investigations, with support from the Wayne Barrett Project. One morning in April 2025, employees of a small office in the US State Department got the email many of them had been dreading. For months, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency had been cutting a wide swath through…
- The Download: a censorship conspiracy theory and the first virus created by AI
mit-tech-review· 07-ago
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. How ideas of a vast censorship network moved from the online fringe to Trump policy For years, narratives about a “censorship-industrial complex” spread in right-wing circles. The theory claimed that, under…
- After Rippling blew millions on AI in months, it built an employee ROI tool
techcrunch· 07-ago
After its own AI usage wake-up call, Rippling this week unveiled AI Spend Console, a product that tracks individual and team employee AI spending.
- Chinese AI model Kimi escaped its cybersecurity testing environment, researchers say
techcrunch· 07-ago
In the Kimi test, the sandbox designed to contain the experiment was not properly configured.
- Cloudflare launches Kitesurf, a browser built for AI agents
techcrunch· 07-ago
Kitesurf is a cloud-hosted browser designed for AI agents instead of people. It uses less computing power than Chromium for common automation tasks, helping developers build browser-based AI agents more efficiently.
- Computer maker Framework notifies ‘all customers’ of a data breach
techcrunch· 07-ago
Framework told "all" of its customers that hackers accessed their names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses in a data breach.
- Host your own piece of Disrupt: Apply to run a Side Event at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
techcrunch· 07-ago
You put together the concept — from a founder mixer, an after-hours panel, a themed party, a morning run, whatever fits your goal — and the TechCrunch team helps put it in front of the attendees already in town for Disrupt.
- OpenAI says it slowed Astra model development over security concerns
techcrunch· 07-ago
OpenAI said this model, which is still in development, reached its "critical cybersecurity threshold," meaning it could independently identify and carry out cyberattacks against traditionally well-protected real-world systems.
- Security researchers scanned the Polish web and found courts, hospitals, and airports at risk of hacks
techcrunch· 07-ago
Researchers found common points of failure, like software used to organize and display web content, could have allowed hackers to run riot through government websites.
- Today’s the last day to get up to $400 off your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ticket
techcrunch· 07-ago
Starting today, you can take an additional $100 off your founder, investor, or attendee TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass, which is a nice bonus on top of our current discounted pricing.
- Trump administration has spent nearly $4B to cancel offshore wind farms
techcrunch· 07-ago
The Trump administration has now convinced developers to abandon 12 offshore wind leases. The latest will cost taxpayers $1.2 billion.
- Wacom’s MovinkPad 11 is a fun, midpriced entry point for digital artists
techcrunch· 07-ago
The MovinkPad 11 a versatile little graphics tablet that can help make your wildest digital art dreams come true.
- The only instant cameras worth your money
the-verge· 07-ago
There’s something magical about using instant cameras that smartphones can’t match. You can capture a moment, print it out, and then give the photo as a gift or hold onto it. Image quality won’t be all that good, but imperfections are part of the allure. We tested instant camera models from popular brands and landed on a handful that we think are the best. Some aim to preserve the classic experience above all else, while others support companion apps and the ability to print stored photos. Fujifilm’s latest Instax cameras are the best out there for most people. The company’s Instax Mini Evo is a bit pricey, but it produces great-looking images and offers a lot of creative control. If you’re shopping on a tighter budget, the Instax Mini 13 also takes good photos but has fewer features. The…
- Fenix Flexin isn’t even denying using AI to make ‘Rubberz’ anymore
the-verge· 07-ago
That cover art is almost certainly AI too. | Image: Fenix Flexin It took long enough, but now LA rapper Fenix Flexin appears to have admitted using AI for the 80s synth pop-themed song "Rubberz." His comments follow the producer Medasin's videos claiming that an AI tool called Treblo (formerly Sonauto) was used to make the song, and the company releasing an AI detector that identifies it as Treblo AI-created. In a reply to a comment pointing out that Tyga admitted to relying on AI for his own controversial '80s-influenced album $tarface, on one of his Instagram posts, Fenix said: never said I didn't use AI , i said it had nun to do w recording process . I didn't even know what da app was till we mixed … Read the full story at The Verge.
- OpenAI puts the brakes on a new model because it’s supposedly too powerful
the-verge· 07-ago
OpenAI says it is pausing "internal activities" around an in-development AI model, Astra, because it doesn't yet meet new security standards the company is putting in place. The announcement follows its recent disclosure that OpenAI models accidentally hacked Hugging Face. Anthropic and Meta have also since admitted that they had AI models that went rogue and breached other organizations. Recent internal evaluations of an OpenAI model called Astra indicate that it offers "significant advancements in agentic coding and cybersecurity," according to the company. "These results, in addition to expert assessments, have led us to conclude last n … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Watching Roku’s AI channel is like eating from a trough
the-verge· 07-ago
The appeal of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels has always been the way they make it easier to (re)discover classic films and series. But Roku's latest experiment in the FAST space has less to do with traditionally produced entertainment and is entirely focused on giving viewers access to a constant source of AI-generated content. This week, Roku added four new channels to its library of streamable programming. Along with dedicated feeds for old episodes of Mad TV, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and a variety of Black sitcoms, the platform also debuted a 24/7 stream filled with projects from Colin Petrie-Norris' AI startup, … Read the full story at The Verge.
- The gaming site sponsored by Walmart lays off its editorial staff
the-verge· 07-ago
Restart, a games media website launched in late 2024 that was sponsored by Walmart, has laid off its "entire editorial team," according to a Friday post from Brandy Berthelson, the site's former editor-in-chief. Other staffers have also posted about being laid off. Restart is operated by Moonrock, a content marketing agency, though its editorial mission page says it's "powered" by Walmart. That page outlines how Walmart is (or was) involved: When we mention a game, we'll provide purchase links that will take you to Walmart using a partner tracking code. This link provides us with 0% of the sale if you decide to buy the product, but it doe … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Disney Plus tries a new AI-powered search
the-verge· 07-ago
Disney’s AI tools for Disney Plus and ESPN. Disney is testing a new AI-powered tool for Disney Plus that uses a natural language search, a voice query, or a suggested prompt to create a customized row of show and movie recommendations. Disney Plus, like other streaming services, can recommend shows to watch based on your viewing history. But the company says this new tool, which is "a limited beta experiment" that's in testing with a "small group of select subscribers," is intended to recommend content that "fits the moment." The feature is the latest in a broader push to offer AI-powered recommendation tools that help you find something to watch among massive catalogs of streaming … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Nitecore’s latest power bank is the lightest and most compact yet
the-verge· 08-ago
The Nitecore NB10000 Gen 4 power bank is a great option for endurance athletes and backpackers. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge There's two things you should know about me, your intrepid reviewer: I hate the feature creep associated with modern power banks, and I love shaving grams off the gear I carry when backpacking, bikepacking, and trail running. So imagine my delight when Nitecore released a new generation of its ultralight NB10000 battery. After a few weeks with it I can confidently say: Haribo be damned! The $83.95 NB10000 Gen 4 weighs just 146 grams, according to my scale, and measures 1.45 x 11.6 x 4.68cm (0.57 x 4.57 x 1.84 inches), according to Nitecore's spec sheet. That makes it the lightest and most compact 10,000mAh power bank I can find. Even when … Read the full sto…
- Microsoft Edge is about to lock out older ad blockers, just like Chrome did
the-verge· 07-ago
Microsoft Edge is ending support for the Manifest V2 extensions platform, which will cut off the uBlock Origin adblocker and others like it, just like Google Chrome did earlier this year. According to Microsoft, there are only 58 extensions on the Edge Add-On Store "with any meaningful usage" that still use MV2, and only three of those aren't available on the newer MV3 platform. Anyone still using these extensions can switch to a different adblocker, like uBlock Origin Lite. Or they could use a different browser, like Opera, which still supports existing MV2 extensions and says it will continue to do so "for as long as it's technically rea … Read the full story at The Verge.
- Is this $450 laptop from an unknown brand too good to be true?
the-verge· 08-ago
Cute name, especially if it were a wookiee. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Finding a good laptop under $500 was hard enough before RAMageddon. They nearly always had cheap hardware and underpowered, often outdated chips. That's what made the MacBook Neo so disruptive: It offered great build quality and good-enough performance starting at $599. Windows laptops couldn't touch it. Even though it's gone up to $699, it's still the laptop to beat. So when little-known Chinese brand Chuwi announced a $450 Windows laptop with an aluminum build and a brand-new Intel Wildcat Lake processor, it sounded too good to be true. It is. Chuwi UniBook Score: 3 ProsCons It's $450 Tons of ports for a small laptop (though none are very … Read the full story at The Verge.
- My favorite feel-good show is back
the-verge· 08-ago
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 139, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, barbecue sauce, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been reading about Johnny Knoxville and Google Zero and the history of the bicycle, @all-ing everyone in all my WhatsApp chats just because I can now, rereading There Will Come Soft Rains because this week is when it happens, seeing if Sabbath can help fix my screentime problems, once again moving everything around in my home office, eating altogether too much of the fabulous Trader Joe's snack mix, testing th … Read the full story at The Verge.