Recently discovered human fossils from the Ledi-Geraru Research Project in a remote region of Ethiopia indicate an early presence of Homo around 2.78 million years ago and a previously unidentified species, Australian, dating back 2.63 million years.
The timeline from approximately 3 to 2 million years ago represents crucial phases in human evolution.
This encompasses the genus Homo and Paran Solo Pass, which first appeared in fossil records alongside the ancestors of Australopithecus afarensis, a species that eventually vanished.
“We typically viewed human evolution as a linear trajectory from ape-like ancestors to modern humans. However, Homo sapiens researcher Brian Villmoare from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, states that our understanding must adapt.”
“Humans have diversified into various niches multiple times throughout our history.”
“Our evolutionary tree reflects patterns not unique to us. Similar events occurred across different life forms.”
“This is something we should observe more frequently in the record of human fossils.”
“Nature has explored numerous paths toward humanity, particularly as climates became drier in East Africa, leading to the extinction of more ape-like species.”
Dr. Villmoare and his co-authors uncovered 13 human teeth at the Ledi-Geraru site in Ethiopia.
They determined that while some fossils belong to the genus Homo, others include upper and lower teeth sets from an unnamed species, Australian.
This new species differs from Australopithecus afarensis, which was first identified nearby at Khadar around 2.95 million years ago.
“The coexistence of both species in the same area suggests that human evolution resembles a branching tree rather than a linear progression,” said Dr. Villmoare.
The Ledi-Geraru site is also where paleontologists discovered the earliest jaw of Homo in 2013, dating back 2.8 million years.
“Recent findings of Homo teeth from sediments aged between 2 and 2.8 million years confirm the timeline of our lineage,” stated Dr. Villmoare.
“We know what the earliest teeth and jaws of Homo look like, but our findings extend beyond that.”
“This underscores the critical need for additional fossil discoveries to differentiate between Australian and Homo, and to explore potential overlaps in their fossil records.”
“There has been considerable geological activity in this region,” noted Dr. Christopher Campizzano, a geologist at Arizona State University.
“Numerous volcanic eruptions released ashes containing feldspar crystals, allowing scientists to date them.”
“We can date the eruptions that occurred in the landscape where these fossils were found.”
“These fossils are situated between volcanic deposits, facilitating age determination.”
“We are dating the volcanic ash from eruptions that coincided with the deposition of these fossils.”
“As this new research highlights, this was a pivotal era for human evolution,” said Professor Ramon Arrowsmith from Arizona State University.
“Geology provides critical insights into the age and characteristics of sedimentary layers, including those containing fossils.”
“Whenever an exciting new discovery occurs, paleontologists recognize that further information is essential,” commented Dr. Kay Reid, a paleontologist at Arizona State University.
“We need more fossils, which emphasizes the importance of training individuals to explore and identify new fossil sites.”
“The more fossils we uncover, the better we can understand our distant ancestors and the unique journey of survival that led to our existence.”
The findings are documented in a publication released today in the journal Nature.
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B. Billmoare et al. New discoveries of Australian and Homo from Ledi-Geraru, Ethiopia. Nature, published online August 13, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09390-4
A protective atmosphere, a welcoming sun, and abundant liquid water make Earth a remarkable place. Leveraging the extraordinary capabilities of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers are on a mission to uncover just how unique and extraordinary our planet truly is. Is it possible for a temperate environment to exist elsewhere, perhaps around a different type of star? The TRAPPIST-1 system offers an intriguing opportunity to explore this question, as it contains seven Earth-sized planets orbiting red dwarf stars—the most common type in the Milky Way.
The artist’s concept depicts TRAPPIST-1d passing in front of a turbulent star, showing the other planets in the background. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/Joseph Olmsted, STSCI.
TRAPPIST-1 is a super cool dwarf star situated 38.8 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius.
These stars are slightly larger than Jupiter, comprising only 8% of our Sun’s mass. They rotate quickly and emit UV energy flares.
TRAPPIST-1 is home to seven transiting planets designated TRAPPIST-1b, c, d, e, f, g, and h.
All these planets are similar in size to Earth and Venus, or marginally smaller, with very brief orbital periods of 1.51, 2.42, 4.04, 6.06, 9.21, 12.35, and 20 days, respectively.
They may all be tidally locked, meaning the same side always faces their star, akin to how the same side of the moon is always turned towards Earth. This results in a permanently night side and a permanently day side for each TRAPPIST-1 planet.
“Ultimately, we aim to discover whether similar environments to those we enjoy on Earth exist elsewhere, and under what conditions they might thrive,” stated Dr. Caroline Piaulett Graeb, an astronomer at the University of Chicago and the Trottia Institute for Planetary Research.
“At this stage, we can exclude TRAPPIST-1d as a potential twin or cousin of Earth, even as Webb enables us to investigate Earth-sized planets for the first time.”
Dr. Piaulet-Ghorayeb and her team utilized Webb’s NIRSpec (near-infrared spectroscopy) instrument to capture the transmission spectra of the TRAPPIST-1d planet.
They found no common molecules typically present in Earth’s atmosphere, such as water, methane, or carbon dioxide.
However, they have outlined several possibilities for the exoplanet that warrant further investigation.
“There are multiple reasons we might not detect an atmosphere around TRAPPIST-1d,” Dr. Piaulet-Ghorayeb mentioned.
“It may have a very thin atmosphere, similar to Mars, which is challenging to identify.”
“Alternatively, thick, high-altitude clouds may obscure certain atmospheric signatures.”
“Or it could be a barren rock with no atmosphere whatsoever.”
In any case, TRAPPIST-1d faces challenges as a planet orbiting a red dwarf star.
TRAPPIST-1, the host star of the system, is known for its volatility and often emits high-energy radiation flares that can strip away the atmosphere of nearby small planets.
Nevertheless, scientists remain eager to search for atmospheric signs on the TRAPPIST-1 planets, as red dwarfs are the most prevalent stars in our galaxy.
If these planets can retain an atmosphere here, it suggests they could potentially do so anywhere, even under the harsh conditions of stellar radiation.
“Webb’s sensitive infrared instruments allow us to probe into the atmospheres of these small, cold planets for the first time,” said Dr. Bjorn Beneke, an astronomer at the Institute for Planetary Research at Montreal University.
“We are using Webb to identify atmospheres on Earth-sized planets and define the thresholds between those that can and cannot sustain an atmosphere.”
Results will be published in Astrophysical Journal.
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Caroline Piaulett Graeb et al. 2025. Restrictive conditions on the potential secondary atmosphere of the temperate rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1d. APJ 989, 181; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ADF207
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Model of Australopithecus Hominin
Credit: Cro Magnon/Alamy
In Ethiopia, 13 human teeth have been found within volcanic ash layers dating between 26 to 2.8 million years ago. Researchers indicate that some of these teeth are attributed to the genus Homo, hinting that others may belong to a newly identified human lineage, suggesting a coexistence of both species.
“They shared resources and everything was fine,” says Kay Reed from Arizona State University. “I cannot be certain at this point.”
Previous finds suggested that early members of several Homo species existed in this region about 3 million years ago, including Australopithecus afarensis, the species of the well-known Lucy Fossil.
The emergence of the first representatives of the genus Homo around 2.5 million years ago showcases characteristics increasingly reminiscent of modern human traits. So, what unfolded during that period? To delve into this, Reid and her colleagues have been excavating at Ledi-Geraru, an area rich with volcanic deposits from this pivotal epoch.
In 2013, her team unearthed a chin from a 2.8 million-year-old Homo species, pushing back the timeline for the origin of this genus. Recently, her team identified 13 teeth across three distinct layers of ash.
The oldest and youngest dental specimens (dated 2.79 and 2.59 million years) also belong to the genus Homo, as per the team’s findings. Nevertheless, they postulate that the teeth from the middle layer (dated 2.63 million years) are from Australopithecus. All excavation sites are within a kilometer of one another.
“We anticipated discovering more Homo specimens, yet we also encountered Australopithecus,” Reid remarks.
Molar teeth from Ledi-Geraru, possibly from an unidentified Australopithecus species
Brian Billmore: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Moreover, Australopithecus teeth exhibit distinctive features when compared to A. afarensis and other members of the genus, leading the team to speculate that they may belong to a new species. If this hypothesis holds, it indicates a more intricate and expansive evolutionary tree leading to modern humans than previously assumed.
“This is a significant finding,” states John Hawks from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. However, he cautions against drawing firm conclusions based merely on a handful of teeth.
“When fossils span a timeframe of 200,000 years, as these teeth do, it’s challenging to assert that they coexisted,” remarks Hawks. “That’s a vast period.”
There are also concerns about the identification of distinct species from these teeth. “Many fossils exhibit characteristics that overlap with various species. It’s feasible to categorize smaller samples into distinct groups—some resembling Homo and others more akin to Australopithecus,” Hawks explains.
“The issue remains statistical; the measurements do not indicate that these teeth are substantially different. They fall within the overlapping size ranges of early Australopithecus and early Homo species.”
Neanderthals, Ancient Humans, Cave Art: France
Join New Scientist’s Kate Douglas for an enchanting journey through time, exploring significant Neanderthal and Upper Paleolithic sites in southern France, spanning from Bordeaux to Montpellier.
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A tiny disc, roughly the size of a nail, has the potential to ascend to high altitudes in sunlight while carrying sensors through some of the coldest and thinnest parts of the atmosphere. These swarms, flying higher than commercial aircraft and balloons, could reveal new insights regarding Earth’s evolving weather and climate.
These floating devices harness a phenomenon known as photophoresis. This was initially discovered over 150 years ago when chemist William Crookes invented a radiometer, a device with black and white feathers that spin when they are exposed to sunlight. The wings absorb light and release heat, increasing the momentum of nearby gas molecules. Due to the difference in temperature between the black and white sides of the wings, the black side emits more momentum, allowing the air to flow in one direction with sufficient force to turn the wings.
“We’ve embraced this lesser-known physics to develop applications that could benefit many people, enhancing our understanding of how weather and climate change unfolds over time.” Ben Schafer from Harvard University.
To create the levitating disc, Schafer and his team designed a device that spans 1 cm, composed of two sheets of aluminum oxide filled with microscale holes. When illuminated, the lower sheet, which contains alternating layers of chromium and aluminum oxide, heats up more than the top layer, similar to the black sides of the radiometer blades. This generates a directional airflow that moves upwards instead of sideways.
Under white LED and laser illumination — set to an intensity that mimics about 50% of natural sunlight — this upward force successfully lifted the device. This represents progress over previous solar-powered flyers, which required light intensity significantly brighter than sunlight. However, the tests were conducted under laboratory conditions with air pressure much lower than Earth’s surface pressure.
Fortunately, such low pressure conditions are common at higher altitudes, especially in the Mesosphere, which spans 50-85 km above the Earth. Researchers indicate that increasing the disc’s size to 3 centimeters could enable it to carry a 10-milligram payload to hard-to-reach research areas at altitudes of 75 km. Schafer has co-founded a startup, Rare Feed Technology, aiming to commercialize fleets of these high-flying devices for environmental monitoring and communications.
After sunset, computer modeling indicates that these discs could utilize the heat radiating from Earth’s surface to remain airborne. “If they can stay afloat during the night, that represents a significant advancement instead of simply descending and landing.” Igor Bargatin from the University of Pennsylvania, who is conducting similar research.
ADHD symptoms can be effectively managed through medication and therapy
Alex Di Stasi/Shutterstock
A study involving 150,000 participants in Sweden found that individuals using medications to control their symptoms face a diminished risk of suicidal behavior, criminal charges, substance misuse, accidental injuries, and traffic incidents. Prior research supports this, yet the team behind this latest study claims it’s the most substantial evidence available to date.
“This represents the best methodology, akin to a randomized trial,” states Zheng Chang from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
When considering medications for ADHD management, the wider impact of avoiding these treatments might not be fully recognized, according to Samuelle Cortese from the University of Southampton, UK. He suggests parents often become preoccupied with immediate academic challenges but should also consider potential long-term outcomes.
“Neglecting ADHD can be risky,” he emphasizes. “Current evidence indicates that treatment lowers these risks.”
Such trials involve randomly assigning individuals to either receive treatment or not, regarded as the gold standard in medical research. However, no randomized studies have yet evaluated the broader effects of ADHD medications, forcing researchers to rely on observational studies, which do not definitively prove that medication leads to noted behavioral changes.
Recently, Chang, Cortese, and their team executed a method known as target trial emulation. They utilized Swedish medical and legal records to compare patients who began ADHD medication promptly after diagnosis with those who delayed.
The results indicated that those using ADHD medications were 25% less likely to face criminal charges or experience substance problems. They also recorded a 16% reduction in traffic accident involvement, a 15% lower risk for suicide attempts, and a 4% decrease in accidental injuries.
“Understanding if medication can influence daily life beyond mere symptom alleviation is invaluable,” stated Adam Guastella during an interview with the UK Science Media Centre at the University of Sydney, Australia. “This knowledge will also assist governments and policymakers in recognizing the potential societal benefits of comprehensive care, including mental health and criminal justice outcomes.”
If you need someone to talk to, please reach out: UK Samaritans: 116123 (samaritans.org); US 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 (988lifeline.org). Find more helplines at bit.ly/suicidehelplines for other regions.
The jacket becomes thicker when it dries (left) and thinner when it gets wet (right)
Xiaofeng Jiang/Nanjing Aviation University Astronaut 2023
If you think you’ll be wearing your jacket indefinitely once the sunshine fades, a material that decreases in thickness when you sweat could be a game changer.
Researchers have previously created self-adaptive materials that help cool individuals in high temperatures by emitting excess heat as infrared radiation. However, these materials generally operate in only one direction and are not effective for retaining warmth in cooler environments.
Xiuqiang Li, a Chinese astronaut, along with his team, has crafted a jacket that consists of layers that dry and flatten when wet. This unique property allows the jacket to become thicker in cooler surroundings and thinner in warmer conditions, primarily due to human perspiration. “The amount of sweat produced serves as a timely and straightforward indicator of the body’s actual thermal needs,” notes Li.
The design of the clothing resembles that of standard down jackets but incorporates layers of cellulose derived from bacteria. This is further bolstered with polyester to ensure that the fabric’s outer layer can expand effectively. Li’s team discovered that the cellulose layer does not dry in a predictable manner and remains fixed at a certain angle for up to 12 hours, working effectively after 200 cycles of transitioning from flat to curved.
The team examined how much heat the material emitted while being worn under varying moisture levels. They found it to feel as cool as standard polyester shirts when wet, yet nearly as warm as down jackets when in a similar condition.
These assessments were akin to wearing the material directly against bare skin. “Theoretically, when the material is layered over other clothing items, such as t-shirts, the sweat produced can permeate through these inner layers, potentially triggering a response that causes thinning,” states Xiaofeng Jiang, who is also from Nanjing Aviation University.
With these insights, the team aims to enhance the fibers to ensure they generate enough warmth to be worn without additional layers.
Li believes that scaling up the production of these materials should be feasible, as bacterial cellulose is readily obtainable and cost-effective; however, the team must first confirm that it can withstand the durability expected from conventional clothing.
Illustration of a protein complex binding to DNA in the production of vital signaling molecules known as interferons.
Martin McCarthy/Getty Images
Weekly inhaler puffs, similar to those used for asthma, might safeguard you against viral infections that could make winters challenging.
This promising idea stems from encouraging animal studies involving mRNA therapies aimed at activating our natural viral defenses. “We can consider this a universal antiviral agent,” states Dusan Bogunovic from Columbia University in New York.
To fully realize this potential, the development of mRNA technology used in vaccines will be essential, but recent funding cuts in the US for mRNA vaccine initiatives pose a significant concern. “I would be surprised if this doesn’t impact such progress,” Bogunovic mentioned.
Beyond recognizing and neutralizing viruses with antibodies, our bodies have multiple inherent defenses. For instance, upon detecting a viral invasion, cells emit a critical signaling molecule called interferons. This activates around 1000 genes, resulting in the production of various antiviral proteins, each playing distinct protective roles. Some obstruct viral entry into cells and hinder the release of other viral particles.
While not all antiviral proteins are effective against every virus, their strategic combination can yield significant results. “Our innate immune system is remarkably robust,” Bogunovic observes.
Bogunovic points out that the rapid replication of respiratory viruses presents a challenge. However, if the body can proactively prepare these defenses, it could reduce viral replication and ensure that infections remain less severe, even before the immune system fully kicks in.
There were hopes of using interferon as a broad-spectrum antiviral, but the potential for severe side effects warranted caution. Thus, Bogunovic and his team are focusing instead on creating an antiviral agent composed of a select group of 1000 proteins induced by interferons.
They chose 10 specific proteins and introduced them into cells via mRNAs that encode these proteins. The mRNA delivery system allows for temporary protein production within targeted cells, which is critical as preformed proteins are often too large to enter cells in adequate amounts.
Experiments where human cells were infected with a range of viruses, including influenza and Zika, demonstrated that this mRNA cocktail effectively enhanced viral protection. This could provide the necessary head start in the body.
The team subsequently administered these mRNAs to the lungs of Golden Hamsters. The mRNA combination afforded strong protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, drastically reducing viral loads in comparison to untreated counterparts. “I thought, ‘This could actually be a universal antiviral,’” Bogunovic says.
Present antiviral medications are typically limited to specific viruses; hence, broad-spectrum treatments are immensely valuable. The breakthrough of antibiotics such as penicillin, which can eliminate a wide array of bacteria, has transformed medical practice.
Moreover, some combinations of proteins activated by interferons may work particularly well against specific viruses, Bogunovic mentions. This same methodology could also help in formulating specialized antiviral agents.
Effectively delivering mRNA to a significant number of vulnerable cells remains crucial. Further advancements are required, as targeting specific cell types with mRNA continues to be challenging.
“This scenario is certainly intriguing and could lead to significant developments, but we are still a distance from implementing practical and adaptable solutions,” states Aris Katzourakis from Oxford University. “This research emphasizes the vast potential of mRNA technology extending beyond vaccines. The current trend of mRNA vaccine funding in the US will likely and regrettably hinder progress in both domains.”
While antibiotic resistance remains a pressing issue, Bogunovic believes it is unlikely that viruses will develop resistance to this type of antiviral approach, given its combination of various interferon-triggered proteins that target multiple phases of the virus’s lifecycle. This combined strategy has already yielded successes in HIV treatments.
Yoga has emerged as the leading practice for enhancing sleep
ShutterStock/Drazen Zigic
After a poor night’s sleep, the last thing I feel like doing is working out, even though I know it could help me rest better. The idea of intense physical activity when I’m sleep-deprived doesn’t seem appealing. However, I was astonished to discover that pushing yourself at the gym may not be the most effective strategy for improving sleep.
A recent review of 22 studies involving over 1,300 adults suffering from insomnia evaluated how seven exercise-related interventions influenced sleep. It was found that gentler activities like yoga and Tai Chi contribute more positively to sleep quality than intense workouts, such as strength training and aerobic exercises.
Yoga (as shown in the image) has been linked with an increase in total sleep time by nearly 2 hours compared to the control group, surpassing the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy. Traditional insomnia treatments boost sleep by merely about an hour, while Tai Chi results in a 52-minute increase. Instead of helping individuals sleep longer, exercising diminished the frequency of awakenings and shortened the duration it took to fall asleep.
I must admit I found these findings surprising. I had thought one reason exercise helps improve sleep is because it tires you out. However, the results suggest this isn’t the case; intense physical activity had minimal impact on sleep.
Then what about those gentle exercises that are major contributors to better sleep? Their effectiveness may lie in their focus on breath control and bodily awareness. Research indicates that mindfulness practices, along with activities like Yoga and Tai Chi, diminish the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which manages our fight or flight responses. This leads to reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, ultimately alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms that can disrupt sleep.
However, these findings don’t suggest that other types of exercise lack value for those with insomnia. In fact, walking and jogging showed the most significant reductions in insomnia severity index scores, which assess sleep quality alongside its effects on mood, attention, and memory. Although walking and jogging didn’t seem to improve sleep duration, the reduced severity scores might indicate that mild aerobic activities assist in mitigating the daytime impacts of insomnia.
I truly appreciate this kind of research. I believe that exercise encompasses more than just pushing your body to its limits. If I’m not physically drained, I can find myself thinking that my workouts don’t matter, but that’s simply not accurate! Interestingly, reducing the intensity seems to have its unique advantages, including enhanced sleep quality. Plus, unrolling my yoga mat feels more manageable after a night of poor sleep than logging miles on the treadmill.
Grace Wade is a health reporter for New Scientist based in the US
Astronomers have been monitoring the largest black holes observed in space thus far.
Through a combination of two distinct measurement techniques, researchers have recently identified that these colossal black holes possess nearly 10,000 times the mass of the ultra-massive black holes at the center of our galaxy.
This colossal black hole is situated five billion light-years from Earth, at the core of the Cosmic Horseshoe, one of the largest known galaxies. This massive galaxy seems to gather all the galaxies in its vicinity, meaning both it and its black hole have reached their ultimate sizes.
The black hole itself weighs an astonishing 36 billion times the mass of our sun.
The discovery is particularly remarkable given that these black holes are inactive, lacking the typical surrounding luminous dusty disc.
Instead, a recent study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society utilized a combination of two established methods to ascertain the size of this mega black hole.
“The ‘golden’ method generally depends on the kinematics of stars, meaning we measure how the stars move within the galaxy,” noted Carlos Mello in an interview with BBC Science Focus. He is a PhD student at a federal university in Brazil that led the research.
The speed of stars situated at the center of a galaxy correlates closely with the mass of its supermassive black hole. Scientists report that these stars are moving at astonishing velocities, around 400 kilometers (249 miles) per second, indicating an extraordinarily large black hole.
“However, this technique is most efficient for nearby galaxies where telescopes can better resolve the area surrounding the black hole,” Mello explained.
Given that the Cosmic Horseshoe is five billion light-years away, astronomers also employed a second method that utilizes the gravitational lensing effect of galaxies.
The Cosmic Horseshoe is known for the nearly perfect ring of light formed by a gravitational lens that bends light from a background galaxy – Credit: NASA/ESA
Gravitational lenses occur when light from a distant galaxy passes by a massive “lens” object, in this case, the black hole within the Cosmic Horseshoe. The gravity from this “lens” distorts the incoming light much like a magnifying glass, amplifying the light from the background galaxy while altering its appearance.
Astronomers can utilize this distortion to gauge the mass of the lensing object.
“The Cosmic Horseshoe is exceptional because it enables us to leverage both of these powerful methods simultaneously. This gives me greater confidence in the measurements of the black hole and its mass,” Mello remarked.
Both the galaxy and its black hole have achieved immense scales by merging with neighboring galaxies. This is the typical growth process for galaxies over time; ultimately, no surrounding galaxies can merge without reaching significant mass increases.
The Cosmic Horseshoe has reached this advanced stage, existing within a bubble of relatively few bright galaxies nearby.
“This discovery provides a unique insight into the culmination of galaxy and black hole formation,” Mello stated. “By examining this system, we can enhance our understanding of how other galaxies and their ultra-massive black holes evolve over cosmic time.”
About Our Experts
Carlos Mello is a doctoral student at a Federal University in Brazil.
I spent 85 hours immersed in Death Stranding 2 before it hit me: what I was experiencing was an apocalyptic nightmare unfolding on an Earth plagued by a Death Monster. Yet, I found myself treating it as a delightful game. For countless hours, I navigated a photorealistic landscape in a pickup truck, delivering packages to remote communities and constructing new roads. My motivation to complete the main storyline was purely to unlock additional map regions, allowing me to connect with new characters and expand my road network. It felt blissful and entertaining.
I’m far from the only one indulging in games like this. The “Cozy Games” niche has flourished into a vibrant cottage industry over the past five years, featuring countless indie titles that captivate a passionate community. Successful crossovers like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Untitled Goose Game have set the bar high. This month, Steam offers a variety of charming titles including Cat’s Post Office, delightful food truck management sims, and cozy games centered around quaint bookstores. These games typically share common traits: small, often youthful development teams working remotely, brief gameplay sessions, low-stakes challenges, and stylistic visuals that serve both aesthetic and economic purposes.
Yet, it’s curious that we don’t see more luxurious mainstream, Triple A titles despite a clearly established audience for cozy gaming. Major producers like Ubisoft, EA, and Xbox struggle to innovate, opting instead to churn out the next cookie-cutter live service shooter to compete with Fortnite, often wasting millions in the process. I wonder why no one has attempted a grand open-world adventure geared toward positive interactions and gentle drama. The realms of television, film, and literature are brimming with this type of content. Where’s my video game rendition of *Call the Midwife*? Why can’t I ride a bicycle through a 1950s setting? What would be the gaming equivalent of *Downton Abbey* or *Gilmore Girls*?
A frighteningly captivating… untitled geese game. Photo: House House
I recognize the most apparent reason behind this trend. Like Hollywood, mainstream game development focuses heavily on minimizing risk, leading to an industry saturated with action, violence, and power fantasy. However, cultural discussions reveal that cozy gamers appreciate narrative and mechanics over visual fidelity. Moo Yu, Creative Director at Small Studio, mentions, “I think a cozy game of higher budget will certainly be developed. This audience values a broader spectrum of experiences across various price ranges.”
And this is a key point. High-end graphics and expansive worlds aren’t the only worthwhile goals; they represent but one form of immersive experience. Untitled Goose Game wouldn’t hold the same charm if it featured a hyper-realistic environment with a goose rendered in 100,000 texture-mapped polygons. The beauty of *Stardew Valley* lies in its vibrant retro aesthetic. The art’s appeal is not merely in high production value; it’s also about the comfort derived from limitation in both choice and outcomes. The game gently guides you, saying, “Everything will be alright.”
Beyond community authority… Mythmatch. Photo: Team Artichoke
My friend John Cartwright, an experienced game developer who mentors small studios in Australia and New Zealand, shared his thoughts when I reached out. “The cozy game’s market is limited in size, a domain often dominated by small indie teams with constrained budgets. All cozy games share a safe environment with low-stakes gameplay, which has largely remained underdeveloped, especially during the stress of Covid. The simplistic visuals were an added source of comfort and attraction.”
Creating charm is no simple feat. It can’t be manufactured with a new, expensive graphics engine or by having 500 employees working overtime. Just like you can’t establish a high-tech charm center in a desert. In larger productions, charm emerges organically, akin to monumental TV dramas, yet it’s finite and precarious. The entire notion of a cozy game as a defined genre or intentional gameplay element is still relatively nascent. Historically, games have been focused on winning, while elements emphasizing kindness and empathy have yet to be officially recognized. There’s a clever saying that contrasts games and movies: explosions are cheap, yet capturing human emotion through close-ups is a costly endeavor. Given the interactive medium’s historically limited visual naturalism, portraying drama through a date invitation can be more challenging than simply depicting conflict. But we have a century’s worth of animation to showcase how charm, comfort, and emotional closeness can be represented through the most iconic and stylized palettes.
Moo Yu remains optimistic that a cozy, epic, mainstream title will make its way into gaming’s future. He cites the fashion-centric role-playing game Infinity Nikki as an example. Until that time, I’ll continue to feign interest in the issues surrounding chiral contamination and extinction, all for the chance to save the kangaroos, meet the inventors, and traverse the stunning yet irradiated landscapes in my trusty truck. Sometimes you have to play their game to win for yourself.
What to Play
Retro Shooter…Operation Night Striker. Photo: Taito/M2
August has proven to be a fantastic month for retro arcade collections, and we can’t resist recommending one more before we venture back to contemporary titles. Operation Night Striker is a collection of four iconic Taito shooters, effectively blending action film tropes with gaming elements, including the innovative light gun classic, Operation Wolf. It also features its sequel, Thunderbolt operations, as well as two lesser-known gems: the Cyberpunk Flying Car shooter Night Striker and Space Gun, which takes a whimsical approach with its face-hugger and flamethrower. As is usually the case with these collections, new features have been integrated, and gamers playing the Switch version can utilize Joycon as a makeshift light gun. While it may not be highly accurate, it recalls the nostalgia of using the original maggot gun controller from Operation.
These vibrant, fast-paced, and delightfully absurd popcorn games perfectly capture the essence of their era, complete with smooth-scrolling 2D backgrounds, electrifying soundtracks, engaging gameplay loops, and brawny heroes. You’ll be hooked!
Available on: PC, Switch Estimated playtime: Over 10 hours
What to Read
You have to catch everything… Pikachu. Photo: Pokémon Company
In a tale that echoes the antics of Verca Salt, McDonald’s Japan had to cancel a Pokémon promotion due to massive food waste and rampant scalping. According to Eurogamer, an exclusive Pikachu card was offered as part of a limited edition Happy Meal deal, leading fans to queue for hours, resulting in fights and food waste in the streets as scalpers took advantage, listing the cards at inflated prices on auction sites.
It’s always enlightening to read Rob Fahey’s Industry Analysis on GamesIndustry.biz. This week, he discusses the fate of PlayStation, scrutinizing how consoles remain profitable despite pitfalls, including the seemingly obligatory shift to live services that have failed to yield meaningful returns.
Looking into the future, Xbox has changed the game design landscape over the last 20 years. In an interesting analysis at AV Club, they explore how gamers have responded to the commercialization of gaming and its impact on design.
Juggernaut on the Horizon…GTA VI. Photo: Rockstar Games
Rich John from Bluesky raised an interesting point:
“Is it beneficial for the industry that a behemoth like GTA VI garners so much media attention and expected revenue? How will this impact other publishers?”
To put it simply, there’s no major gaming company with high hopes for 2026, which will coincide with Rockstar’s highly anticipated release window. As illustrated in a recent industry newsletter, three major Triple A developers have adjusted their timelines, giving it a wide berth, significantly impacting development teams who might have invested years planning for that release slot. This situation can create media and marketing black holes.
However, this isn’t all negative. When GTA V debuted in 2013, it didn’t obliterate every game in its path, as seen with casual mobile games like Puzzle & Dragon and Candy Crush, both of which thrived alongside titles that garnered dedicated fanbases like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. Furthermore, monumental successes like GTA V often spark widespread attention, interest, and potential investments across the entire industry, leading to follow-up titles. Moreover, these giants often introduce innovative design elements to the market, as GTA Online was the pioneering live service experiment.
In essence, it’s beneficial; ripe with potential. While the immediate fallout could be challenging for other studios, as evidenced by GTA V, casual gamers and ardent followers of other franchises are unlikely to abandon their favorites for the latest Rockstar title. Additionally, the ripple effect of a blockbuster’s success opens avenues for future projects. Much like Hollywood post-*Star Wars*, where studios dared to venture into big-budget sci-fi genres, we could see more opportunities presented in the aftermath of such monumental success, even if it’s achieved by competitors.
If you have any burning questions or comments about the newsletter, feel free to reach out at pushbuttons@theguardian.com.
The way couples first connect can influence their relationship quality
Good face/interpretation
A global study involving 50 countries reveals that individuals who meet their partners online report lower relationship satisfaction and less emotional connection compared to those who meet in person initially.
The rise of the internet has transformed relationship dynamics. For instance, while in the mid-20th century, heterosexual couples typically met through mutual friends, by the early 21st century, this trend shifted to online interactions as primary.
To explore how these changes impact relationship quality, Malta Kowal from the University of Wroclaw, Poland, and her team studied 6,646 individuals in heterosexual relationships across all continents except Antarctica.
Participants were asked whether they started their relationship online and to rate their satisfaction levels. Additionally, they were assessed on emotional intimacy (how well they feel understood by their partner), passion, and commitment (including whether they view their relationship as long-term).
Those who met their partners online scored an average of 4.20 out of 5 on the relationship satisfaction scale, whereas those who met offline scored 4.28—indicating a small but statistically significant difference. Online couples reported lower scores in intimacy, passion, and commitment.
According to Kowal, several factors might contribute to this disparity. Research suggests that partners who meet online often have less in common in terms of educational background and ethnicity compared to those who meet in person. Kowal and her collaborators propose that this might lead to differences in their everyday lives and shared values.
Kowal also points out the issue of “Choice Overload.” With dating platforms presenting numerous options, individuals may second-guess their choices, which can ultimately diminish satisfaction.
Moreover, she notes that some people tend to misrepresent themselves in online dating profiles. “You might see someone and think, ‘No way is he two meters tall; he’s more like 170 centimeters,'” Kowal explains. This kind of disparity can negatively impact relationship satisfaction.
Luke Brunning from the University of Leeds in the UK finds this research “fascinating” and “valuable” for future studies, particularly in considering how online dating may redefine relationship approaches or if shifting attitudes toward commitment drive these changes.
He further suggests that the overall difference between couples who meet online and offline is “relatively small.”
It’s a narrative straight out of a novel—this heavy-handed tech satire highlights the hypocrisy beneath it all. Yet here we are, digesting The New York Times report that reveals Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, running private schools from their compounds in Palo Alto, California, in breach of urban zoning laws. The school, serving just 14 children—including two of the couple’s three daughters—is located less than a mile from a school they founded in 2016 for low-income families.
Mention “zoning violation” to certain Americans, and it triggers reactions akin to using “cue jumpers” among the British. The real issue here, however, transcends mere permissions. (A spokesperson for Zuckerberg and Chan informed the newspaper that families were unaware of the zoning law and that private schools, or “homeschooner pods,” are relocating elsewhere.) The crux lies in Zuckerberg’s apparent withdrawal from progressive social initiatives, opting instead to realign with the Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), which has slashed funding for diversity programs across numerous charities that support affordable housing and homeless services in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Officially, these adjustments come after CZI spent a decade mastering effective philanthropy, concluding that funding would be better directed towards scientific and medical initiatives. Unofficially, this shift appears to align with a local transformation in Zuckerberg’s worldview—from promoting human potential and equality to the establishment of a “science-first charity.” In essence, it mirrors Metahead’s political maneuverings, echoing feminist t-shirt slogans during the Biden administration while embodying a more “masculine energy” during the Trump era. Trump’s Allies now lurk in the metaverse.
Zuckerberg’s political adaptability mirrors that of other tech leaders, but there may be deeper dynamics at play. Unlike scientific research, philanthropy’s social experiments often reveal uncomfortable truths. Back in 2010, when Zuckerberg donated $100 million to revitalize the Newark Public School System, some educators criticized him for imposing startup ideologies and quick fixes—like charter schools and “parent choices”—on the complex and interconnected issues of the U.S. public school system. Imagining the reactions at headquarters: “We’re trying to help—why the backlash? Why don’t these nobodies behave like billionaires at a dictator’s inauguration?”
Another interesting aspect about billionaires is their rapid loss of interest. Allegedly, one reason Zuckerberg and Chan opted to close charity schools in East Palo Alto is that Chan was reportedly frustrated with the slow progress. Given the intellects involved, that’s not entirely surprising. However, these children seem determined to evade the Ivy League while remaining impoverished. The assumption of limitless adaptability of skills among certain tech leaders is hard to retire. Consider the Bezos Day 1 Academy Fund, where the world’s third-richest man promises to oversee “Montessori-style kindergartens” with zero tuition—a significant portion of taxes directed toward national education funds.
Meanwhile, back in Zuckerberg’s Crescent Park enclave, tensions are palpable. In an area favored by Stanford professors, Zuckerberg acquired 11 properties, transforming them into compounds, complete with pickleball courts and basement excavations, reminiscent of low-rent oligarchs in London’s West End. Following years of noise, construction, and traffic disruptions due to the school, a neighbor was ready to respond when a New York Times reporter called: “I don’t want my neighborhood to be overrun.” He stated that his house is surrounded on three sides by Zuckerberg’s property. “But that’s exactly what they’ve done: they’ve taken over our neighborhood.” Replacing “world” with “neighborhood” succinctly encapsulated the situation.
GPT-5 is the latest version of OpenAI’s flagship language model
Cheng Xin/Getty Images
OpenAI has recently unveiled GPT-5, their latest AI model, marking another step in AI evolution rather than a dramatic breakthrough. Following the successful rollout of GPT-4, which significantly advanced ChatGPT’s capabilities and influence, the improvements found in GPT-5 seem marginal, indicating that innovative strategies may be needed to achieve further advancements in artificial intelligence.
OpenAI has described GPT-5 as a notable advancement over its predecessor, boasting enhancements in areas such as programming, mathematics, writing, healthcare, and visual comprehension. The company claims a reduction in the incidence of “hallucinations,” instances where AI generates incorrect information as factual. According to their internal metrics, GPT-5 claims to excel in complex and economically significant tasks across various professions, asserting it matches or exceeds expert-level performance.
Notably, however, GPT-5’s results on public benchmarks are less competitive when compared with leading models from other companies, such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini. Although it has improved from GPT-4, the enhancements are subtler than the leap observed between GPT-3 and GPT-4. Numerous users have expressed dissatisfaction with GPT-5’s performance, citing instances where it struggled with straightforward queries, leading to a chorus of disappointment on social media.
“Many were expecting a major breakthrough, but it seems more like an upgrade,” remarked Mirela Rapata from the University of Edinburgh. “There’s a sense of incremental progress.”
OpenAI has disclosed limited details regarding the internal benchmarks for GPT-5’s performance, making it challenging to assess them scientifically, according to Anna Rogers from the University of Copenhagen.
In a pre-release press briefing, Altman emphasized, “It feels like engaging with an expert on any topic, comparable to a PhD-level specialist.” Yet, Rogers pointed out that benchmarks do not substantiate such claims, and the correlation between advanced degrees and intelligence is questionable. “Highly intelligent individuals do not always hold PhDs, nor does a PhD guarantee superior intelligence,” she noted.
The modest advancements in GPT-5 may reflect broader challenges within the AI development community. Once believed to be an inexorable progression, the capabilities of large-scale language models (LLMs) seem to be plateauing, as recent results have not supported the prior assumptions that increased training data and computational power would lead to significant enhancements. As Lapata noted, “Now that everyone has adopted similar approaches, it’s evident that we’re following a predictable recipe, utilizing vast amounts of pre-training data and refining it during the post-training phase.”
However, whether LLMs are nearing a plateau remains uncertain, as technical design specifics about models like GPT-5 are not widely known, according to Nicos Aretra from the University of Sheffield. “It’s premature to claim that large-scale language models have reached their limits without concrete technical insights.”
OpenAI is also exploring alternative methods to enhance their offerings, such as the new routing system in GPT-5. Unlike previous versions where users could select from various models, GPT-5 intelligently assesses requests and directs them to the appropriate model based on the required computational power.
This strategy could potentially be more widely adopted, as Lapata mentions, “The reasoning model demands significant computation, which is both time-consuming and costly.” Yet, this shift has frustrated some ChatGPT users, prompting Altman to indicate that efforts are underway to enhance the routing process.
Another OpenAI model has recently achieved remarkable scores in elite mathematics and coding contests, hinting at a promising future for AI. This accomplishment was beyond the capabilities of leading AI models just a year ago. Although details on its functioning remain scarce, OpenAI staff have stated that this success implies the model possesses improved general reasoning skills.
These competitions allow us to evaluate models on data not encountered during training, according to Aletras, but they still represent a narrow aspect of intelligence. Enhanced performance in one domain may detrimentally affect results in others, warns Lapata.
GPT-5 has notably improved in pricing, as it is now significantly cheaper compared to other models—e.g., Claude models are approximately ten times more expensive when processing an equal volume of requests. However, this could lead to financial issues for OpenAI if revenue is insufficient to sustain the high costs of developing and operating new data centers. “Pricing is extraordinary. It’s so inexpensive; I’m uncertain how they can sustain it,” remarked Lapata.
Competition among leading AI models is intense. The first company to launch a superior model could secure a substantial market share. “All major companies are vying for dominance, which is a challenging endeavor,” noted Rapata. “You’ve only held the crown for three months.”
Elon Musk has threatened to take legal action against Apple on behalf of the AI startup Xai, alleging that the iPhone manufacturer is favoring OpenAI and breaching antitrust laws regarding App Store rankings. This statement drew a sharp response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and ignited a feud between the two former business associates at X.
“Apple is operating in a manner that prevents non-OpenAI AI companies from achieving the top position on the App Store. This clearly violates antitrust regulations. Xai is prepared to take swift legal measures,” Musk declared in a post on X.
In another post that day, he stated:
Currently, OpenAI’s ChatGPT occupies the top spot in the “Top Free Apps” category of the US App Store, while Xai’s Grok sits in fifth place. Apple has partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Neither Apple nor Xai provided any comments.
Altman replied to Musk on X, saying, “This is an unexpected claim considering we’ve heard Elon is attempting to manipulate X for his own benefit and to undermine his competitors, including those he dislikes.” Reports indicate that Musk has tweaked X’s algorithm to favor his own posts.
Altman and Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but Musk departed the startup in 2018 and withdrew his funding after proposing they take control. Musk has since filed two times for a planned shift to commercial entities, alleging “Shakespeare’s proportional deception ceit.” Altman has characterized Musk as a bitter and envious ex-partner, resentful of the company’s achievements post-departure.
Musk responded to Altman’s tweet, stating, “You got 3 million views for dishonest posts. You’re a liar; despite having 50 times your followers, my engagement has far exceeded yours!”
Altman retorted to Musk several times, initially calling the lack of views a “skill issue” or “bot-related” before posing legal questions.
Users on X highlighted through the Community Notes feature that several apps, aside from OpenAI, have claimed top positions on the App Store this year.
For instance, the Chinese AI app Deepseek reached the No. 1 position in January, while Perplexity ranked first in the App Store in India in July.
One user inquired about Grok, X’s native AI. The chatbot replied: “Based on confirmed evidence, Sam Altman is correct.”
Musk’s remarks come as regulators and competitors heighten their scrutiny of Apple’s App Store dominance.
Earlier this year, an EU antitrust regulator ordered Apple to pay a fine of 500 million euros ($581.15 million).
In early 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the iPhone manufacturer of establishing and maintaining “broad, persistent, and illegal” monopolies in the smartphone market.
Vaping offers a healthier alternative to smoking, yet it is not without risks.
Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
Fungal sequences linked to lung issues have been identified from e-cigarette mouthpieces.
While vaping is often recommended as a means to avoid smoking, the long-term health impacts remain largely unclear.
Devices designed for vaping utilize battery-powered coils to heat liquids that typically contain nicotine, generating vapors for inhalation by the user. The primary health concerns center around the toxicity of the liquid’s chemical components; however, the presence of microorganisms transferred from the device to the user’s airways has not been thoroughly investigated.
For further insights, refer to Borna Mehrad and his team at the University of Florida, who studied 25 daily users of disposable vapes. Researchers isolated microorganisms from the mouthpiece of the devices and compared them with samples taken from the participants’ mouths.
Although the sample size was limited, researchers noted that more than half exhibited a “rich colonization” of fungal species distinct from those found in the participants’ mouths, with 80% of these species linked to potential illnesses in humans.
The predominant species identified was Cystobasidium minutum, which is associated with blood infections in immunocompromised individuals. To evaluate its impact on lung health, the research team exposed mice to C. minutum, mimicking the inhalation process associated with vaping.
“Our findings showed that the fungus most frequently found in vape samples induced characteristics of chronic bronchitis in mice,” explains Mehrad. This condition is characterized by airway inflammation and can result in flu-like symptoms.
Regarding the source of these fungi, some may be present in the environment or on our hands. However, Jason Smith indicated that while this has not been tested, it is possible that some microorganisms were already within the vaping liquid when purchased. “Residual material in the vape device can create a nutrient base for mold proliferation,” he adds.
Ian Musgrave from the University of Adelaide in Australia has noted that these fungi have also been detected in shisha (commonly referred to as hookah or waterpipe), which is known to contribute to lung diseases induced by microbes. “Notably, the microbiota documented in this study were predominantly composed of potentially pathogenic fungi that are uncommon in the oral microbiota,” he remarks.
Team member Katy Deitz expressed that the results were not surprising, considering that around one-third of participants who reported respiratory complaints, such as coughing, did not properly clean their vapes.
Musgrave advocates for regular cleaning of vaping devices but stresses that current evidence does not definitively indicate that these fungal species exist in sufficient quantities on vape mouthpieces to pose a health threat.
Do Kwon, the South Korean entrepreneur behind two cryptocurrencies that were responsible for an estimated $400 billion loss in 2022 and caused significant market turbulence, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and wire fraud in a US court on Tuesday.
At 33 years old, Kwon co-founded Terraform Labs in Singapore and was the creator of the Terrausd and Luna currencies. He appeared in a federal court hearing in New York, having initially pleaded not guilty in January to nine charges, which include securities fraud, wire fraud, merchandise fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Kwon was accused of deceiving investors about Terrausd in 2021—a Stablecoin intended to maintain a value equivalent to one US dollar—leading him to plead guilty to two counts under a plea agreement with Manhattan prosecutors.
He could face a maximum of 25 years in prison when Judge Engelmeyer sentences him on December 11. However, prosecutor Kimberly Ravener noted that Kwon has agreed to a prison term of no more than 12 years if he takes responsibility for his actions. He has been in custody since his extradition from Montenegro late last year.
Kwon is among several cryptocurrency executives facing federal charges after the 2022 downturn in digital token prices led to the collapse of numerous businesses. Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX—the largest crypto exchange in the US—was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2024.
Prosecutors allege that when Terrausd dipped below $1 in May 2021, Kwon misled investors, claiming that the “Terra Protocol,” a computer algorithm, had restored the coin’s value. Instead, he allegedly arranged for the covert purchase of millions of dollars in tokens to artificially inflate the price through high-frequency trading companies.
These false representations reportedly misled retail and institutional investors, enticing them to invest in Terraform products and escalate the value of Luna.
During the court proceedings, Kwon expressed remorse for his actions.
“I made misleading statements about why it regained its value without disclosing the involvement of the trading company in restoring that PEG,” Kwon stated. “What I did was wrong.”
Kwon has also agreed to pay $80 million in civil penalties in 2024 and is prohibited from engaging in crypto trading as part of a $4.555 billion settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Additionally, he faces charges in South Korea. As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors indicated they would not oppose his potential transfer to serve his sentence overseas after completing his time in the US, Ravener stated.
I
unlocked my iPhone just as my weekly screen time notifications popped up—an accidental dismissal before I could take a screenshot—and a wave of frustration washed over me. After dedicating an exhausting week to minimizing my phone usage, aiming to reduce my daily screen time from over four hours to under one, I hoped to enhance my mental wellbeing (and maybe even launch a career as an inspirational speaker). Yet, my efforts felt futile as I couldn’t post any proof online showcasing my offline status. I even contemplated using Photoshop to fabricate a screen time report and scoured Google for a way to retrieve notifications (to no avail).
Over the last decade or so, I’ve tried various self-improvement approaches. I’ve read 105 books in a year, unintentionally eliminated sugar (even from fruit) for a spell, and dabbled in shamanism, including interpretive dance. While I might suggest mastering cooking, driving, and typing with all fingers, I can’t seem to reach myself since I’ve stopped staring at my phone.
Exchange one obsession for another… Joe Stone of Tenerife.
Photo: Courtesy of Joe Stone
“Project Screen Time” was born after I listened to a podcast where comedians recommended avoiding social media for two hours after waking. Absorbing this advice—albeit from an amateur who couldn’t quite trace its origin—I decided to avoid checking Instagram first thing in the morning… and it worked. Surprisingly, steering clear of a barrage of other people’s abs before I’d fully woken up actually lifted my spirits. Even more impressively, I found I could usually hold off until after lunch if I didn’t see anything I felt compelled to react to. This brief moment of clarity quickly morphed into a whirlwind, typical of my approach to new challenges.
I swapped one fixation (constantly checking my phone) for another (intentionally not doing so). In the second week, my screen time plummeted to two hours a day. By the third week, it was down to one-and-a-half hours, and I decided to aim for under 60 minutes. A part of me was impressed that this newfound ability was working well and I appeared to be normal. However, I couldn’t keep this “gift” to myself, gradually boring my friends, acquaintances, and even service workers with tales of my newfound discipline.
Eventually, my quest took on new disruptions. I resented having to pull up maps on my phone, and while cycling, I often found myself lost. Want to show someone a photo or meme? Sorry, you’ll have to Google it on their device instead. I even hesitated to order an Uber after a night out, enduring the agony of watching the app slowly crawl toward my location while my screen time ticked away.
My frustration amplified when my screen time statistics didn’t reflect my efforts. I barely glanced at my phone by 2 PM, yet the data indicated I had used it for 36 minutes. Conspiratorial thoughts began to surface. My screen time report was divided into blue (social), turquoise (entertainment), and orange (productivity and finance). Yet, the majority of my time appeared as a prominent gray. What on earth could that gray signify?!
Eventually, “screen time” was added to my list of taboo topics (along with Taylor Swift’s music and lore, and my interest in Ron DeSantis) that were off-limits at home. My lowest moment occurred while sharing my weekly statistics with a friend. He inquired why “Settings” was my third most-used app. That was simply where I went to check my screen time.
My meltdown over not being able to celebrate my record low screen time (51 minutes a day!) served as a wake-up call. What started as a quest to reduce screen time morphed into a new phone addiction. Instead of escaping the urge to seek validation online, I found an alternate way to gain approval. Nevertheless, all was not lost. This realization nudged me toward the acceptance that I would likely never be a moderate person. I can’t rely on self-regulation (my latest regime—skin care—involves LED masks that automatically shut off after 10 minutes; I fear wearing them in the office could evoke comparisons to a vibrant Hannibal Lecter).
Ultimately, I gave up trying to recapture the elusive Screen Time Report. Instead, I resolved to share fewer aesthetic charts from settings that I could post online. Almost instantly, my DMs exploded with queries about how I managed to refrain from scrolling. I responded to every single one, and a rush of dopamine flooded my reward centers. That day, my screen time was recorded at 3 hours and 36 minutes.
A
The humidity in Tokyo has reached 35 degrees, and, unfortunately, so have the death tolls. Since the Edo period, summer in Japan has been tied to the emergence of supernatural entities. This season is notorious for a malevolent spirit’s presence. As temperatures rise, the boundaries between the living and the deceased start to dissolve, allowing trapped ghosts to potentially cross into our world.
Amidst this stifling atmosphere, I found myself exploring the mist-wrapped landscape of Japan in Silent Hill F. Set in the fictional town of Holy Island during the 1960s, players step into the dusty shoes of Hinako, a misunderstood teenage girl. Regardless of the summer season, Hinako’s journey begins in a dark setting as she escapes from her abusive, alcoholic father, wandering the intricately crafted streets of her homeland. Unable to live up to the beauty of her older sister, she faces ridicule from her peers.
“Gender is a central theme in the story,” hints series producer Motoi Okamoto. “We can’t delve into too much detail, but the 1960s marked the beginning of the women’s rights movement in Japan, which significantly influenced our choice of setting.”
Silent Hill F. Photo: Konami
Despite the town’s eerie ambiance, Evisugaoka presents a beautifully luxurious virtual environment. As we explore the streets, we’re compelled to inspect every cobblestone nook, slide open translucent bamboo doors, and admire the exquisite details of each Inazumi Shrine. This is a refreshing departure from the typical depictions of Japan in games, often portraying neon-lit Tokyo or the epic tale of an ancient samurai.
“Japanese horror games set in Japan haven’t seen any significant releases in the last decade,” claims Okamoto. “While Silent Hill has traditionally blended Western and Japanese horror, I’ve noticed Japan’s essence slowly diminishing. This is why Silent Hill F aims to enhance the Japanese theme more robustly.”
It doesn’t take long for the town’s unsettling charm to devolve into pure terror. As fog envelops Evisugaoka, Hinako is pursued by a puppet show, chasing the strikingly beautiful red tendrils sprouting from the ground. These crimson flowers can ensnare your feet during battles, leaving you helpless as a mannequin-like monster gazes upon you with judgment.
Dust coating…Silent Hill F. Photo: Konami
Notably, Silent Hill F does not feature firearms; instead, Hinako wields various makeshift weapons: daggers, baseball bats, and even magic. The gameplay consists of intense melee combat, with perfectly-timed dodges and counters replenishing Hinako’s stamina for follow-up attacks, evoking a dark, Souls-like survival horror atmosphere.
“One of my early goals for this game was to incorporate more action,” explains Okamoto. “However, being a horror game, we can’t fully commit to action without balancing it with tense moments. I believe we’ve achieved a delicate equilibrium.”
At first, I was doubtful. The initial hour of Silent Hill F felt cumbersome and repetitive, with attacks and dodges that lacked precision, resulting in disorienting early deaths. But as I persevered through the frustrations, I eventually found myself more engaged during a heightened battle—a sign that the combat rhythm is there. While the uneven difficulty in this preview build may need adjustments before release, I’ve experienced a late demo boss that killed me over 30 times, yet the brutal battles meld seamlessly with survival horrors.
Stress built into the system…Silent Hill F. Photo: Konami
“Many people say they enjoy the thrill of horror games, but I believe what they truly appreciate is the tension,” remarks Al Yang, the game director from Neobaldo’s Konami. “The fear of the unknown is one aspect, but constant jump scares quickly become tiresome.”
Instead, Silent Hill F embeds stress into every system. Drawing from Lovecraftian elements, players must monitor a sanity meter and make offerings at shrines to stabilize Hinako’s mental state. “You need to keep track of how close your candle is really,” Yang emphasizes. That creates tension.”
As I navigated through the compact alleys, the tightly arranged streets transitioned into misty rice fields and eerie abandoned farms. Yet, despite the horrors lurking in Evisugaoka, every monster carries a relatable human thread in Silent Hill F. As the town descends into chaos and Hinako searches for her friends, flashbacks and poignant dialogues keep players invested in her journey across time. Like previous installments, each encounter possesses a dream-like quality, further grounded by the meticulously crafted 60s setting.
“When navigating historical periods, if you delve too deeply, it can become disconnected from our familiar reality and veer into fantasy,” states Ryukishi07, the screenwriter for Silent Hill F, regarding the 60s setting. “While rooted in reality now, there’s little space for interpretation. I’ve always appreciated the possibilities that arise from the interplay between past and present—that’s right where fantasy and reality converge.”
It feels fitting to revisit Silent Hill during Japan’s equivalent of Halloween. This franchise, once thought to be lifeless and buried, now rises again, much like the spirit of Japan.
“When I became involved with Silent Hill, my vision was to deliver more than just a remake,” Okamoto shares. “We could have merely appeased old fans with nostalgia, but I was hopeful for progression. I believe fans can place more faith in Silent Hill’s revival…and that this journey will continue.”
Silent Hill F is set to release on PC, PS5, and Xbox on September 25th.
Concerns have been raised that AI could exacerbate racism and sexism in Australia, as human rights commissioners expressed during internal discussions within the Labor party regarding new technologies.
Lorraine Finlay cautioned that while seeking productivity gains from AI is important, it should not come at the cost of discrimination if the technology remains unregulated.
Finlay’s remarks came after worker Sen. Michel Ananda Raja advocated for the “liberation” of Australian data to tech companies, noting that AI often reflects and perpetuates biases from abroad while shaping local culture.
Ananda Raja opposes a dedicated AI law but emphasizes that content creators ought to be compensated for their contributions.
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Discussions about enhancing productivity through AI are scheduled for the upcoming federal economic summit, as unions and industry groups voice concerns over copyright and privacy issues.
Media and Arts organizations have raised alarms about the “ramping theft” of intellectual property if large tech corporations gain access to content for training AI systems.
Finlay noted the challenges of identifying embedded biases due to a lack of clarity regarding the datasets used by AI tools.
“Algorithmic bias means that discrimination and inequality are inherent in the tools we utilize, leading to outcomes that reflect these biases,” she stated.
Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP
“The combination of algorithmic and automation biases leads individuals to rely more on machine decisions and potentially disregard their own judgment,” Finlay remarked.
The Human Rights Commission has consistently supported an AI Act that would enhance existing legislation, including privacy laws, and ensure comprehensive testing for bias in AI tools. Finlay urged the government to quickly establish new regulations.
“Bias tests and audits, along with careful human oversight, are essential,” she added.
Evidence of bias in AI technologies is increasingly reported in fields like healthcare and workforce recruitment in Australia and worldwide.
A recent survey in Australia revealed that job applicants interviewed by AI recruiters faced potential discrimination if they had accents or disabilities.
Ananda Raja, a vocal proponent for AI development, noted the risks of training AI systems using exclusively Australian data, as well as the concerns of amplifying foreign biases.
While the government prioritizes intellectual property protection, she cautioned against limiting domestic data access, warning that Australia would be reliant on overseas AI models without adequate oversight.
“AI requires a vast array of data from diverse populations to avoid reinforcing biases and harming those it aims to assist,” Ananda Raja emphasized.
“We must liberate our data to better train our models, ensuring they authentically represent us.”
“I am eager to support content creators while freeing up data, aiming for an alternative to foreign exploitation of resources,” Ananda Raja stated.
She cited AI screening tools for skin cancer as examples where algorithmic bias has been documented. To combat bias and discrimination affecting specific patients, it is essential to train these models on diverse datasets to protect sensitive information.
Finlay emphasized that any release of Australian data needs to be handled fairly, but she feels the emphasis should be on establishing appropriate regulations.
“It’s certainly beneficial to have diverse and representative data… but that is merely part of the solution,” she clarified.
“We must ensure that this technology is equitable and is implemented in a manner that recognizes and values human contributions.”
Judith Bishop, an AI expert at La Trobe University and former data researcher at an AI firm, asserted that increasing the availability of local data will enhance the effectiveness of AI tools.
“It is crucial to recognize that systems developed in different contexts can be relevant, as the [Australian] population should not exclusively depend on US data models,” Bishop stated.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has also voiced concerns regarding the lack of transparency related to the data applied by AI technologies.
In her statement, she urged tech companies to be transparent about their training datasets, develop robust reporting mechanisms, and utilize diverse, accurate, and representative data for their products.
“The opacity surrounding generative AI’s development and deployment poses significant issues,” Inman Grant remarked. “This raises critical concerns about the potential for large language models (LLMs) to amplify harmful biases, including restrictive or detrimental gender norms and racial prejudices.”
“Given that a handful of companies dominate the development of these systems, there is a significant risk that certain perspectives, voices, and evidence could become suppressed or overlooked in the generated outputs.”
lThe latest headphones from London-based Nothing feature an eye-catching design that breaks away from the typical aesthetics of noise-canceling models, offering a striking appearance reminiscent of both the Walkman and the Doctor Who Cybermen of the ’80s.
The large, translucent design certainly makes a statement, marked by intricate details, dot matrix printing, and physical buttons. However, it lacks any flashy LED elements that could be found on the company phone.
Priced at £299, these unconventional headphones enter a competitive market, challenging top names like Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser.
The visible components through the clear plastic exterior are purely decorative. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Striking, translucent ear cups extend from a sleek aluminum body, attached via adjustable black steel arms to ensure a perfect fit.
Weighing in at 329g, they are reasonably heavy but offer effective clamping that holds them securely without excessive pressure. The ear cushions are slim yet exceptionally comfortable, ideal for warm days, though the headband padding is somewhat lacking, potentially leading to discomfort after prolonged listening.
The right ear cup features five buttons and two ports: a power switch, USB-C port, and headphone jack at the base, along with a concealed Bluetooth pairing button on the inner edge. A rolling button controls volume and pauses playback, also toggling the noise-canceling feature.
The buttons and control levers are beautiful and tactile, providing a clear sense of touch. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Below the roller, there’s a paddle that moves from side to side. The last button outside the ear cup activates your smartphone’s voice assistant, but it can be adjusted for other functions like noise cancellation. Having multiple tactile buttons is a refreshing change from the touch or single-button setups common in many headphones.
Battery life offers 30-35 hours with noise cancellation on, or up to 80 hours without, which aligns with competitors and is sufficient for a week of commuting or travel. A full charge takes just 2 hours.
These headphones support Bluetooth 5.3 and can connect to two devices simultaneously. Additionally, they feature a standard 3.5mm headphone jack for audio playback via USB-C.
Specifications
Weight: 329g
Dimensions: 189.3 x 173.9 x 78mm
Driver: 40mm
Connectivity: Multipoint, 3.5mm, Bluetooth 5.3 with USB-C charging and audio
Bluetooth Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Rated battery life: 35 hours ANC
Sound by KEF, Noise Cancellation by Nothing
Thin yet comfortable memory foam ear cushions provide a sound-friendly seal. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Partnering with KEF, a renowned British speaker manufacturer, has resulted in well-tuned audio for the Headphone 1 model. The sound profile is fairly balanced, delivering a punchy low-end while maintaining clarity in the mids. The sound stage is relatively wide, showcasing decent detail and great separation.
These headphones perform best with noise cancellation off; enabling it can narrow the sound stage and obscure more complex tracks. While they may not compete with the top-tier models for fine nuances, they offer a pleasant listening experience across various genres.
The noise cancellation is reasonably effective but lags behind the best in the industry. It handles lower frequencies well but struggles with higher pitches, particularly voices, even at maximum noise cancellation settings, lacking an option for focusing on a specific environment.
The transparency mode sounds natural but can be overly intrusive, amplifying ambient noise too much, which, while good for awareness, detracts from the music. Call quality is satisfactory, providing clarity even in noisy environments.
The Nothing x App, available on Android and iPhone, allows users to adjust settings, complete updates, and access comprehensive equalizers. Users can enable spatial audio for a more immersive movie-watching experience.
Sustainability
The physical power switch is well-positioned next to the USB-C and 3.5mm audio ports. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
These headphones are repairable, with replacement ear cushions available through customer service, but they are not constructed from recycled materials.
Price
The Nothing Headphone 1 retails for £299 (or equivalent in Euros/US Dollars at $299/$549) and is available in both white and black options.
In comparison, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is priced at £399, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is available for £350, Sonos Ace for £399, Beats Studio Pro costs £350, Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless retails for £199, and Fairbuds XL is priced at £219.
Verdict
The Nothing Headphone 1 distinguishes itself in a sea of similarly styled noise-canceling headphones. However, its bold design, particularly in white, tends to attract more attention than some may prefer.
While they deliver decent sound quality, their noise-cancellation capabilities don’t quite measure up to competitors at this price point. Additionally, the headband lacks adequate padding for long listening sessions.
With impressive battery life, excellent connectivity, and a robust app, they are certainly usable. However, additional physical buttons for playback and other controls would enhance the overall experience.
At the £300 price mark and its equivalents, there are better options available that combine superior sound quality, noise cancellation, and comfort. Thus, these headphones may suit those looking for a distinct visual statement rather than purely performance.
Pros: Striking design, superb button controls, excellent sound quality, effective noise cancellation, well-designed apps for Android and iPhone, impressive spatial audio, 3.5mm and USB-C compatibility, Bluetooth multipoint, and a decent case.
Cons: The headband padding is somewhat thin, they are relatively heavy, not foldable for transport, average noise-cancellation performance, attract significant attention, and are priced on the higher side.
The headphones can rotate flat but do not fold for easy storage or travel. A larger case is provided. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Microorganisms residing in your gut might be contributing to your insomnia, according to new research conducted in China. Conversely, your sleep patterns can also impact your gut health.
While earlier studies have hinted at a connection between sleep habits and gut health, a recent analysis featured in the journal General Psychiatry suggests that this relationship may indeed be causal. This implies that sleep can influence your gut directly, and vice versa.
Dr. Ph.D., who leads the research at an affiliated brain hospital of Nanjing Medical University in China, told BBC Science Focus that this study could “reshape our understanding of insomnia and spark interest in microbiome-based interventions.”
In the future, treatment for insomnia could involve gut-focused solutions such as probiotics (found in yogurt or sauerkraut), prebiotics (fiber sources), or even fecal transplants.
“Moreover, gut microbiomes may act as biomarkers, tracking the effectiveness of these treatments and enabling personalized care,” Shangyun noted.
Researchers employed a statistical approach known as Mendelian randomization (using genetic data to determine causal relationships) to explore the connection between insomnia and the gut microbiota.
They identified specific genes connected to insomnia and assessed whether individuals with these genes were more likely to harbor certain gut microorganisms.
The researchers also reversed the inquiry, examining whether specific gut microorganisms could affect the likelihood of developing insomnia.
For their analysis, scientists used data from 387,000 individuals with insomnia alongside gut microbiome data from 26,500 individuals, all sourced from European populations. Thus, these findings may not apply universally.
Intestinal microbiomes comprise the community of bacteria and yeasts inhabiting the digestive system – Credit: Tom Leach / Science Photo Library
The analysis suggested that 41 types of gut bacteria may contribute to insomnia, at least in part.
However, Shangyun indicated that certain microorganisms hold more significance than others. Notably, they identified 14 groups associated with a higher likelihood of insomnia, while others were linked to a lower chance.
In contrast, the research found that insomnia is associated with a decrease of 43-79% in a specific group of seven bacterial types.
Furthermore, insomnia correlated with a 65% increased likelihood of 12 bacterial groups being four times more prevalent in the intestines.
A particular class of bacteria, known as Odlibacter, was found to be closely tied to insomnia risk. This type of gut bacteria is often linked to improved gut health.
Overall, this study highlights a vicious cycle: certain gut bacteria may lead to insomnia, while a lack of sleep can alter gut microbiota.
Shangyun emphasized the need for further research before healthcare providers can recommend gut health strategies to enhance sleep quality.
Read more:
About our experts
Dr. Shi Shangyun is a scientist at the Faculty of Psychiatry, affiliated with the brain hospital at Nanjing Medical University in Jiangsu Province, China.
Researchers have successfully created a chromosomal-level genomic assembly of a sweet potato cultivar known as “Tanzania.”
“Tanzania” sweet potato variety. Image credit: Benard Yada from the National Crop Resources Institute in Uganda.
The sweet potato is a crucial global staple crop that supports millions of people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Its inherent resilience to harsh climates significantly contributes to food security.
Despite its importance, this humble root vegetable has hidden its genetic complexities for many years.
Sweet potato DNA is exceptionally intricate. While humans have two sets of chromosomes from each parent, sweet potatoes possess six sets.
This phenomenon, known as Hexaploidy, involves deciphering genetic codes that aim to piece together a set of six distinct, albeit similar, encyclopedias mixed together.
Utilizing advanced DNA sequencing and other state-of-the-art technologies, Professor Zhangjun Fei and his team at the Boyce Thompson Institute have produced the first complete genetic blueprint of “Tanzania,” which is widely appreciated in Africa for its stress tolerance and high dry matter content.
The key challenge was organizing the 90 chromosomes of the plant into six original sets known as haplotypes.
The researchers succeeded in either completely or incrementally separating this intricate genetic puzzle.
“Having this complete gradual genome provides an unprecedented level of clarity,” Professor Fei noted.
“This allows us to explore remarkable details of the sweet potato’s genetic narrative.”
The research team found that the sweet potato genome is a mosaic formed from various wild ancestors, some of which remain unidentified.
Approximately one-third of the genome is derived from ipomoea aequatoriensis, a wild species from Ecuador believed to be a direct progenitor of sweet potato cells.
Another significant portion is similar to the wild species of Central America, Ipomoea batatas 4x, though actual wild donors have yet to be discovered.
Dr. Shan Wu, a researcher at the Boyce Thompson Institute, stated:
“In sweet potatoes, ancestral sequences are intermixed within the same chromosome, resulting in a unique genomic structure.”
This complex genetic heritage suggests that sweet potatoes can be tentatively classified as segmented allopolyploids—hybrids that effectively function as though derived from a single species while originating from different ones.
This genomic merging and recombination grant sweet potatoes exceptional adaptability and disease resistance, essential for subsistence farmers globally.
“The six sets of chromosomes in sweet potatoes also contribute to their resilience,” Professor Fei added.
“With multiple versions of key genes, these plants can retain backup copies that assist them in surviving droughts, resisting pests, and adapting to diverse environments. This phenomenon is referred to as the polyploid buffer.”
“However, to fully comprehend the genetic capabilities of sweet potatoes, we need to decode multiple varieties from various regions, as each can possess unique genetic traits absent in others.”
Survey results were published this month in the journal Nature Plants.
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S. Woo et al. Gradual chromosomal level assembly provides insight into the genomic architecture of hexaploid sweet potatoes. Nature Plants Published online August 8, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41477-025-02079-6
Textbooks frequently depict primates as having evolved and dispersed exclusively in warm tropical forests, largely based on fossil evidence found in tropical regions. However, a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Reading indicates that the earliest primates may have thrived in North America’s cold climate, experiencing hot summers and frozen winters.
Primates have transitioned to historically diverse climates: (a) For all primates, transition between the main climates of temperate (top), arid (left), tropical (bottom), and cold (right). The size of the arrows represents the percentage of phylogenetic branches with each transition. (b) Climate transition of early primates living between 650,780,000 years ago. (c) Climate transition of species that lived between 47.8 and 2303 million years ago. (d) Climate transition of species that have lived from 2,303 million years ago to the present. Image credit: Avaria-llautureo et al. , doi: 10.1073/pnas.2423833122.
In this research, Jorge Avalia Lautulo from the University of Reading and his team harnessed statistical modeling alongside fossil data to reconstruct ancient environments and trace where the common ancestors of modern primates existed.
“For decades, the prevailing belief was that primates evolved within warm tropical forests,” stated Dr. Abaria Lautzleo.
“Our findings dramatically overturn this narrative. We discovered that primates did not originate in the lush jungles but in the cold, seasonal environments of the Northern Hemisphere.”
“Understanding how ancient primates adapted to climate change offers insights into how current species might respond to modern shifts in climate and environment.”
Primates, capable of relocating swiftly in response to rapid weather changes, excelled at reproducing, ensuring that offspring survived to establish new species.
As they migrated, primates moved towards entirely different, more stable climates. On average, those remaining in similarly unstable regions were about 561 km apart.
Early primates might have hibernated through the frozen winters, much like today’s bears, sleeping through the coldest months to slow their heart rates and conserve energy.
Some small primates continue this behavior today; for instance, the dwarf lemur in Madagascar digs underground, sleeping for several months during colder periods, shielded from freezing temperatures by layers of roots and leaves.
It wasn’t until millions of years later that primates reached tropical forests.
They began in cold habitats, gradually migrating through temperate zones, arid desert-like areas, and ultimately arriving at today’s hot, humid jungles.
As local temperatures and precipitation fluctuated drastically, primates were compelled to seek new habitats, which facilitated the development of new species.
“Our research indicates that non-tropical, changing environments exerted strong selective pressures on primates with greater dispersal capabilities, encouraging primate diversification and the eventual colonization of tropical climates millions of years post-origination,” the authors concluded.
Their paper was published on August 5th in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Jorge Avalia Rautreo et al. 2025. Radiation and geographical expansion of primates due to diverse climates. PNAS 122 (32): E2423833122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2423833122
An AMPD1 variant from Neanderthals reduces enzyme activity by 25% in lab-produced proteins and up to 80% in muscles of genetically modified mice. This variant is present in all sequenced Neanderthals but absent in other species. It entered the modern human gene pool through interbreeding approximately 50,000 years ago, leading to its presence in up to 8% of today’s Europeans.
Maccak et al. Research indicates that genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals impair essential enzyme functions in muscle performance. Image credit: Holger Neumann/Neanderthal Museum.
The enzyme AMPD1 is crucial for muscle energy production and overall muscle function.
A decrease in its activity due to genetic mutations is the leading cause of metabolic myopathy in Europeans, with a prevalence of 9-14%.
In a recent study led by Dr. Dominik Macak from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, researchers compared ancient Neanderthal DNA with modern human genomes.
They discovered that all Neanderthals have specific AMPD1 variants absent in other species.
Enzymes produced in the lab with this variant exhibited a 25% decrease in AMPD1 activity.
In genetically modified mice, this reduction in muscle tissue activity reached 80%, negatively affecting enzyme performance.
Moreover, the study shows that modern humans acquired this variant from Neanderthals who lived in Europe and Western Asia before interacting with modern humans around 50,000 years ago.
Currently, approximately 1-2% of non-African individuals carry Neanderthal DNA.
The Neanderthal AMPD1 variant is found in 2-8% of Europeans today, indicating general acceptance in the gene pool.
“Interestingly, most individuals with these variants do not face serious health concerns,” noted Dr. McCuck.
“However, enzymes seem to significantly influence athletic performance.”
Analysis of over 1,000 elite athletes across diverse sports showed that those with non-functional AMPD1 are less likely to reach the highest athletic levels.
“Having defective AMPD1 enzymes decreases the chances of achieving elite athletic ability by half,” Dr. McCuck said.
While AMPD1 activity appears to have moderate significance in contemporary Western societies, it becomes crucial under extreme physical conditions, such as those faced by athletes.
Researchers highlight the need for studying genetic variation within physiological and evolutionary contexts to grasp biological implications.
“Cultural and technological advancements in both modern humans and Neanderthals may have lessened the necessity for extreme muscle performance,” explains Dr. Hugo Zeberg, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Karolinska Institute.
“Understanding how current gene variants influence human physiology can yield valuable insights into health, performance, and genetic diversity.”
Survey results were published in the journal Natural Communication on July 10, 2025.
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D. McCuck et al. 2025. Muscle AMPD1 exhibited reduced deaminase activity in Neanderthals compared to modern humans. Nat Commun 16, 6371; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-61605-4
Updown Cemetery Girl’s Skeletons Reveal West African Ancestry
M George et al.
The discovery of two unrelated young men buried in British cemeteries during the early Middle Ages suggests they may have had grandparents from West Africa. The exact means by which their ancestors arrived in the UK remains unknown, but this insight implies that Anglo-Saxon immigration was far more complex than previously assumed.
Following the Romans’ withdrawal from England in 410 AD, the British Isles were invaded and settled by Germanic tribes including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. To explore the possibility of migration from other regions, Duncan Sayer and his colleagues from The University of Central Lancashire conducted an analysis of ancient DNA obtained from skeletons in two 7th-century cemeteries located on the southern coast of England.
One of these cemeteries is found in Kent, where a wealth of traded artifacts from various regions were unearthed, including Frankish pottery, buckles, and brooches. Burial customs at this site indicate that items such as cookware, cutlery, and combs were included with the dead.
The other site is the Matravars cemetery in western Dorset, which had fewer individuals interred with Romano-British practices.
While the majority of individuals buried here had ancestry from Northern Europeans or Western British and Irish, both the Updown girl and the young man from Worth Matravers exhibited genetic ties to West Africa, likely from grandparents.
In both cases, mitochondrial DNA, inherited maternally, traced back to Northern Europe; however, the autosomal DNA, inherited from both parents, revealed 20-40% ancestry from West African groups such as Esan, Yoruba, Mende, and Mandinka.
This indicates that the West African DNA likely traces back to their grandparents, marking the first known genetic link between Britain and Africa during the early Middle Ages.
Both individuals were interred as typical members of their community. DNA analysis revealed that the Updown girl had relatives—a grandmother and an aunt—buried in the same cemetery, who were approximately 11-13 years old when she died.
Examination of the carbon-nitrogen isotope ratios in the bone samples of the young man from Worth Matravers, who lived between the ages of 17 and 25, suggested insights into his diet during his growth period.
“His dietary habits suggest he was born and raised in the UK,” notes team member Ceiridwen Edwards from Huddersfield University.
Edwards indicates that evidence of West African DNA in York existed during the Roman period; however, Sayer contends that the proportion of West African DNA in these individuals is significantly lower than that of descendants from the Roman era. “This finding pertains to grandparents, rather than survivors of the Roman legions or administrators stationed for centuries,” he asserts.
Moreover, there is no evidence to support the notion that these individuals were enslaved, according to Sayer:
Instead, it suggests a context of transactions and mobility of people and goods. At some point, West Africans may have arrived in England aboard trade ships and settled here.
Sayer speculates that their arrival could have been tied to North Africa’s connection with the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century, driven by military interests in accessing gold from sub-Saharan Africa. “The revitalization of this trade route coincides with a time when we can identify these grandparents,” he remarks.
“This research underscores the dynamic state of what we refer to as post-[Western] Rome and the early medieval period in England,” comments Marina Soares da Silva at the Francis Crick Institute in London. “The authors propose a trade route supported by Byzantine governance in North Africa, which I consider a plausible scenario.”
According to Sayer, 7th-century England was not merely a collection of isolated communities in a ‘dark age,’ but rather dynamic societies engaging in trade and genetic exchanges with West Africa and beyond.
Historic Herculaneum – Discover Vesuvius, Pompeii, Ancient Naples
The exploration of history and archaeology takes you on an intriguing journey where the past comes alive through Mount Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Antibiotic resistance poses a significant challenge to humanity, emphasizing the urgent need for new antibiotics. While the majority of antibiotics are derived from fungi and bacteria, Archaea presents largely untapped sources for discovering new antibiotics. In a recent study, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania employed deep learning techniques to investigate paleozoans. By analyzing the proteomes of 233 archaeal species, we discovered 12,623 potential antibacterial compounds.
Torres et al. Synthesized 80 alkierins, 93% of which showed antibacterial activity in vitro against Acinetobacter baumannii, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus spp. Image credits: Torres et al, doi: 10.1038/s41564-025-02061-0.
“Previous attempts to discover new antibiotics have mainly focused on fungi, bacteria, and animals,” stated Dr. Cesar de la Fuente, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.
“Historically, we have leveraged AI models to identify antibiotic candidates across various sources, from the DNA of extinct organisms to the compounds found in animal venom.”
“We are now applying these methodologies to a new dataset: hundreds of proteins from ancient microorganisms.”
“There are undoubtedly other life forms waiting to be investigated.”
In contrast to bacteria and eukaryotes (which include plants, animals, and fungi), Archaea represents a distinct branch on the evolutionary tree.
While they may resemble bacteria under a microscope, archaeal organisms differ fundamentally in their genetics, cell membranes, and biochemistry.
These unique features enable them to thrive in some of Earth’s most extreme environments, such as heated seabed vents and scalding hot springs like Yellowstone National Park.
Archaea typically flourish in isolation from other organisms, and their biology has evolved in unprecedented ways, with limited evolutionary pressure, exposure to toxic substances, and extreme temperatures.
This presents a promising, yet largely uncharted, source for novel molecular tools, including compounds that may act like antibiotics but function differently than existing treatments.
“Our interest in archaeal organisms stems from their biochemical adaptations to extreme environments,” remarked Dr. Marcelo Torres from the University of Pennsylvania.
“We hypothesized that having survived billions of years under such conditions, they might possess unique strategies to fend off microbial rivals.”
To uncover antibiotic compounds within Archaea, the researchers utilized artificial intelligence.
They adapted an upgraded version of APEX, an AI tool initially designed to identify antibiotic candidates from ancient biological sources, including proteins from long-extinct animals like woolly mammoths.
With thousands of peptides (short amino acid chains) known for their antimicrobial properties, the AI can predict the likelihood that a given amino acid sequence will exhibit similar effects.
By re-calibrating APEX 1.1 to incorporate data from thousands of additional peptides and pathogenic bacteria, the scientists established tools to forecast which peptides in Archaea might inhibit bacterial proliferation.
Upon scanning 233 archaeal species, over 12,000 potential antibiotic candidates were identified.
The authors labeled these molecular compounds, and chemical analysis indicated they differ from known antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), notably in their charge distribution.
The team subsequently selected 80 archaeal compounds for further testing against live bacteria.
“Finding new antibiotic molecules individually feels like searching for needles in a haystack,” commented Famping Wang, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.
“AI accelerates the search by pinpointing the location of the needle.”
Antibiotics can function through various mechanisms. Some disrupt bacterial membranes, while others inhibit protein synthesis within the organism.
Notably, the researchers found that unlike many known AMPs that target the outer defenses of bacteria, Alcaeasen operates by disrupting internal electrical signals that are vital for cell survival.
Tests on drug-resistant bacteria revealed that 93% of the 80 alkadeins exhibited antibacterial activity against at least one bacterial strain.
The team chose three alkaiersins to evaluate in animal models.
Four days following a single dose, all three alkaiersins halted the spread of drug-resistant bacteria commonly acquired in hospitals.
One of these compounds exhibited activity on par with polymyxin B, an antibiotic often used as a last resort against drug-resistant infections.
“This study underscores the vast potential for discovering new antibiotics within Archaea,” stated Dr. De La Fuente.
“As the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria rises, exploring unconventional sources for new antibiotics is essential.”
A paper detailing the results was published today in Nature Microbiology.
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MDT Torres et al. Deep learning reveals antibiotics in the archaeal proteome. Nat Microbiol. Published online on August 12, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41564-025-02061-0
On July 24, 2025, with 4,608 Mars Days, or Sols, into the mission, NASA’s Curiosity rover captured a stunning image of a wind-shaped rock resembling coral formations in Gale Crater on Mars.
This image of Papsolok was captured on July 24, 2025, by Curiosity’s Mahli instrument. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.
One of the rocks shaped by the wind was photographed by Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (Mahli), which is located on the end of the rover’s robotic arm.
“At the time this image was taken, it was known as Paposo, and the rock was roughly 5 cm (2 inches) from the Mahli,” a member of the Curiosity team stated.
On the same day, Curiosity observed another coral-like rock through a remote microimager, which is part of the ChemCam instrument.
This image of the wind-shaped rock was captured by Curiosity’s remote microimager on July 24, 2025. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.
“Curiosity has identified many small features like these, which originated billions of years ago when liquid water existed on Mars,” the researchers noted.
“Minerals dissolved in water permeated the rock’s cracks, eventually drying and leaving behind hardened minerals.”
“Over years of wind erosion, surrounding rocks have been worn down, resulting in these distinctive shapes.”
“This natural process is commonly observed on Earth and also results in fascinating rock forms on Mars, including those that resemble flowers.”
Curiosity Rover took this selfie on October 11, 2019, at Glen Etive, where it drilled twice. Just to the left of the rover are two drill holes labeled Glen Etive 1 (right) and Glen Etive 2 (left). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.
Launched on November 26, 2011, Curiosity is the fourth rover the United States has dispatched to Mars.
The mission, overseen by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, involves nearly 500 scientists from the US and around the world.
Curiosity is exploring a 154 km (96 miles) wide crater and collecting rock, soil, and air samples for analysis.
The car-sized rover, comparable in height to a basketball player, utilizes its 2.1 m (7 feet) long arms to place tools near selected rocks for research.
Human Y (right) and X chromosomes observed with scanning electron microscopy
Power and Syred/Science Photo Library
A recent study involving over 30,000 individuals has revealed that men who experience a loss of Y chromosomes in a substantial number of immune cells are at a higher risk for narrower blood vessels, a significant factor in the development of heart disease.
“The loss of Y chromosomes greatly impacts men,” states Kenneth Walsh from the University of Virginia, who was not involved in the research. “Men’s lifespan averages six years shorter than women’s, primarily due to the instability of sex chromosomes.”
Loss of the Y chromosome is one of the most prevalent mutations following conception in men. This phenomenon typically occurs in leukocytes, the immune cells responsible for attacking and eliminating pathogens, as the rapidly multiplying stem cells that generate white blood cells undergo division. The cells without Y chromosomes accumulate and become more frequent as individuals age; approximately 40% of 70-year-old men show detectable losses.
This issue gained traction in 2014 when Lars Forsberg from Uppsala University in Sweden and his colleagues noted that elderly men with significant Y chromosome loss in their blood typically had a lifespan that was five years shorter than those without it. Walsh later linked this loss to heart disease.
Forsberg and his research team have now uncovered further connections between Y chromosome loss and specific cardiovascular issues. They analyzed data from Swedish cardiopulmonary bioimaging studies, which provided detailed vascular scans of 30,150 volunteers aged between 65 and 64. None of the participants exhibited symptoms of cardiovascular disease; however, they were assessed for vascular stenosis or atherosclerosis.
Among the male participants, 12,400 possessed the necessary genetic information to evaluate their Y chromosome loss. They were categorized into three groups: those with no detectable Y loss in leukocytes, those with less than 10% loss, and those with over 10% loss. Atherosclerosis scores for these groups were then compared with each other and with a female cohort in the study.
The researchers discovered that approximately 75% of men who had the highest Y chromosome loss exhibited narrowed blood vessels, while around 60% of those with less than 10% loss showed similar findings.
Despite some atherosclerosis being observed even in those with undetectable Y loss, about 55% of men and roughly 30% of women in this category had been affected. “Clearly,” Forsberg noted, “[loss of Y] involves other factors.”
In the coming months, Thimoteus Speer and colleagues from the University of Goethe in Frankfurt studied men undergoing angiography, an X-ray technique for examining blood vessels due to suspected cardiovascular disease. They found that over the next decade, individuals who lost Y chromosomes in more than 17% of their immune cells were more than twice as likely to die from a heart attack compared to those with less affected cells.
“The findings of Lars Forsberg and our study are quite consistent,” Speer remarked. “He observes increased coronary atherosclerosis, correlating it with a higher risk of mortality from myocardial infarction [heart attack], emphasizing the relationship with coronary atherosclerosis.”
Walsh acknowledges that neither study definitively proves that Y chromosome loss directly causes these outcomes. However, statistical analyses suggest its independent effect aside from smoking or aging— the primary risk factors for mutations.
The pressing question remains: how does Y chromosome loss impact health? Previous research by Walsh indicated that removing chromosomes from mouse immune cells adversely affects the cardiovascular system by driving fibrosis, which is the formation of scar tissue. However, heart attacks and atherosclerosis are typically more associated with inflammation and lipid metabolism defects than fibrosis. Both Speer and Walsh assert that more research is essential to unravel this relationship.
With a deeper understanding of the underlying processes, Speer hopes that future blood tests for Y chromosome loss will guide proactive interventions. “[These tests] may help in identifying patients who could particularly benefit from specific treatments,” he concludes.
The impact of social media polarization transcends mere algorithms. Research conducted with AI-generated users reveals that this stems from fundamental aspects of the platform’s operation. It indicates that genuine solutions will require a re-evaluation of online communication frameworks.
Petter Törnberg from the University of Amsterdam and his team created 500 AI chatbots reflecting a diverse range of political opinions in the United States, based on the National Election Survey. Utilizing the GPT-4o Mini Large Languages Model, these bots were programmed to engage with one another on simplified social networks without commercial influences or algorithms.
Throughout five rounds of experiments, each consisting of 10,000 actions, the AI agents predominantly interacted with like-minded individuals. Those with more extreme views garnered greater followership and reposts, increasing visibility for users attracted to more partisan content.
In prior research, Törnberg and his colleagues explored whether different algorithmic approaches in simulated social networks could mitigate political polarization. However, the new findings appear to challenge earlier conclusions.
“We expected this polarization to be largely driven by algorithms,” Törnberg states. “[We thought] the platform is geared towards maximizing engagement and inciting outrage, thus producing these outcomes.”
Instead, they found that the algorithm itself isn’t the primary culprit. “We created the simplest platform imaginable, and yet we saw these results immediately,” he explains. “This suggests that there are deeply ingrained behaviors linked to following, reposting, and engagement that are at play.”
To see if these ingrained behaviors could be moderated or counteracted, the researchers tested six potential interventions. These included time series display only, diminishing the visibility of viral content, concealing opposing viewpoints, amplifying sympathetic and rational content, hiding follower and repost counts, and obscuring profile bios.
Most interventions yielded minimal effects. Cross-partisan engagement shifted only by about 6% or less, while the prominence of top accounts changed by 2-6%, but some modifications, like concealing bios, worsened polarization. While some changes that reduced user inequality made extreme posts more attractive, alterations aimed at softening partisanship inadvertently drew more attention to a small group of elite users.
“Most activities on social media devolve into toxic interactions. The root issues with social media stem from its foundational design, which can accentuate negative human behavior,” states Jess Maddox of the University of Georgia.
Törnberg recognizes that while this experiment simplifies various dynamics, it provides insights into what social platforms can do to curb polarization. “Fundamental changes may be necessary,” he cautions. “Tweaking algorithms and adjusting parameters might not be sufficient; we may need to fundamentally rethink interaction structures and how these platforms shape our political landscapes.”
This excerpt is from our human stories newsletter, focused on the archaeological revolution—sign up to receive it monthly.
In human stories, I aim to address common questions about human evolution. In February 2021, I tackled a query that many find perplexing—whether Neanderthals and modern humans are distinct species (short answer: species boundaries are ambiguous).
This month, we confront another frequently asked question: Do Denisovans, the extinct human group once prevalent in Asia, have a designated species name? If so, what should that name be?
The debate regarding the “official” name of the Denisovans has been lively since their discovery in 2010. Notably, in June, the skull of Harbin, dubbed the Dragon Man from northern China, was classified as Denisovan through molecular evidence. This marked the first acquisition of a Denisovan skull, giving us insights into their facial features.
While participating in New Scientist discussions, host Rowan Hooper asked why Denisovans lack a species name. Why can’t we refer to them as Homo Denisovanensis, similar to how Neanderthals are called Homo Neanderthalensis?
I preferred a straightforward explanation: insufficient information has hindered a definitive classification of Denisovans. Their DNA shows significant divergence from Neanderthal DNA; yet, we require detailed insights into their anatomy and skeletal structure.
However, this inquiry is multifaceted. First, we must identify which fossils unequivocally belong to Denisovans. This involves analyzing numerous specimens and decades of research, complicating the resolution. Secondly, we need to determine which of the assigned names should take precedence under our classification norms—a legal question that adds to the complexity.
Who’s Included and Who’s Excluded?
A brief reminder about Denisovans: they are an enigmatic group of humans initially identified in 2010 from fragments of a finger bone discovered in the Denisova Cave in Siberia’s Altai Mountains. Genetic analysis revealed they were distinct from both modern humans and Neanderthals. Moreover, many contemporary individuals, especially in Southeast Asia and Melanesia, carry Denisovan DNA.
This suggests that Denisovans were quite widespread in East Asia over the past several hundred thousand years. So, where are the Denisovan fossils?
Fifteen years later, a handful of Denisovan fossils have been actively categorized. For example, mandibles discovered on the Tibetan Plateau were identified through fossil proteins and sediment DNA. Similarly, a jawbone retrieved from the Pengle waterway off the coast of Taiwan was confirmed as Denisovan in April.
Nonetheless, we still lack a complete skeleton. Identifying the Harbin skull as Denisovan brought us closer to understanding their appearance, yet many more discoveries are necessary.
Numerous human fossils in East Asia potentially belong to Denisovans. However, categorizing these remains has proven challenging, as they often do not resemble established species like modern humans, Neanderthals, or even Homo Erectus. If adequate specimens surface, thus confirming their Denisovan identity, our understanding could significantly improve, leading to a formal classification.
But how do we determine which fossils are Denisovan? Ideally, we seek molecular evidence of preserved DNA or protein for comparison with the original Denisovan remnants. However, many fossils remain unanalyzed or inaccessible.
One notable effort to address this issue was a preliminary study submitted by a team led by Xijun Ni from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in March 2024. By comparing 57 human fossils for various physical traits, they constructed familial relationships between these findings.
The team found three primary groups among Eurasian hominins: Modern Humans, Neanderthals, and a third group composed of the original Denisovan fossil, the Tibetan cave jawbone, the Pengle jawbone, and the Harbin skull. This third category appears to represent those we refer to as Denisovans.
This is an intriguing proposition, but others disagree.
A collection of contentious fossils from Hualongdong, southern China, offers a wealth of material: an almost complete skull, 14 teeth, an upper jaw, six isolated teeth, and additional fragments dating back around 300,000 years.
While the NI team classified the Hualongdong specimens as part of the Denisovan group, a study led by Xiujie Wu in July suggested that these teeth did not show clear correlations, proposing instead that they may belong to a different hominin group. Another interpretation could be that the Denisovans at Hualongdong were somewhat disparate from those in other regions.
In the meantime, other intriguing fossils from Asia continue to emerge. Among them are specimens from Dariscal and Jinniushan, both around 260,000 years old, which Ni’s team has suggested might also belong to the Denisovan lineage.
As the list of contending Denisovan fossils grows, we must decide how to categorize them.
The Harbin Skull
Hebei Geo University
Homo — What Does It Mean?
Interestingly, I was part of the team that described the Harbin skull in 2021, and we named it Homo Longhi. So, could that be the name we assign to Denisovans?
However, last year a competing proposition was put forth by Woo and Christopher Beh from the University of Hawaii, who suggested that we should center around fossils from Xujiayao in northern China, proposing to call this new species Homo Jurensis—fossils that would include the original Denisovan findings.
This idea’s strength lies in the resemblance of Xujiayao fossils to Denisovan remains, a point also observed by the NI team. However, Bae and Wu aimed to designate the Xujiayao fossils as “type specimens.”
This raises two issues: the classification of fossils and the naming protocols. Let’s examine each aspect separately.
In classification, the Homo Jurensis proposal faces challenges. Bae and Wu classify the Harbin skull as Homo Jurensis or Denisovan, yet it lacks sufficient resemblance to warrant such designation. A study published in June demonstrated molecular evidence clearly linking the Harbin skull to Denisovans. Hence, identifying those fossils as Denisovan would contravene objective realities, making Homo Jurensis seem unfounded.
What about taxonomy? This area is intricate. A crucial factor is the concept of priority, where the first proposed name tends to gain precedence. Hence, Homo Longhi might likely take precedence over Homo Jurensis as it was suggested three years earlier.
Are there alternative names for Denisovans?
The excavators of Denisova Cave never formally classified Denisovans as a distinct species. Anatoly Derebianco, part of that team, suggested the name Homo Sapiens Altaiensis, implying they would serve as a modern human subspecies—yet this proposal lacked formal status, rendering it typically insignificant.
This year, Derebianco has published a series of papers discussing what Denisovans could be. His references include locations in Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Iran, referring to them collectively as Homo sapiens denisovan. I remain unsure if formal explanations were provided, as only abstracts were published, and if completed, it occurred post the naming of Homo Longhi.
Lastly, it’s possible that one of the names was assigned to an Asian human fossil within an obscure publication decades ago. If the fossil is ultimately identified as Denisovan, the name takes precedence (assuming it was adequately introduced). Nevertheless, Wu, Bae, Ni, and others assessed this notion in 2023 and concluded that many crucial fossils were not appropriately named. For instance, there was a suggestion to label Dali’s skull as Homo Dariensis, yet such ideas amounted to informal statements rather than formally recognized classifications.
Your head might be swirling from this cascade of names and species classifications, so let’s recap: the critical takeaway is our evolving understanding of Denisovans, which brings us closer to officially designating their name.
Given our comprehension of taxonomic norms and their significance, Homo Longhi could emerge as the official designation. Although I can’t influence the decision, they will always remain Denisovans in my mind.
The landscape of the internet is shifting, moving away from traditional users and towards automated web-browsing bots. A recent report indicates that, for the first time this year, non-human web browsing bots make up the majority of all traffic.
Alarmingly, over half of this bot traffic stems from malicious sources, including those harvesting unsecured personal data online. Yet, there’s a rising trend in bots designed by artificial intelligence companies, aimed at gathering data for model training and responding to user interactions. Notably, OpenAI’s ChatGPT-User accounts for 6% of total web traffic, while Claudebot, created by Anthropic, represents 13%.
AI firms argue that data scraping is crucial for keeping their models updated, while content creators voice concerns about these bots being tools for vast copyright violations. Earlier this year, Disney and Universal took legal action against AI company Midjourney, claiming that its image generators were reproducing characters from popular franchises such as Star Wars and Despicable Me.
Given that most creators lack the financial means for prolonged legal battles, many have turned to innovative methods to protect their content. They implement online tools that complicate AI bot scraping, with methods like misleading bots, causing AI to confuse images of cars with cows. While this “AI addiction” tactic helps safeguard creators’ work, it may also introduce new risks on the web.
Copyright Concerns
Historically, imitators have profited off artists’ work, which is primarily why intellectual property and copyright laws exist. The advent of AI image generators like Midjourney and OpenAI’s DALL-E has exacerbated this issue.
A key concern in the U.S. is the fair use doctrine, allowing limited usage of copyrighted materials without permission under certain circumstances. While fair use laws are designed to be flexible, they hinge on the principle of creating something new from the original work.
Many artists and advocates believe that AI technologies blur the lines between fair use and copyright infringement, harming content creators. For example, while drawing an image of Mickey Mouse in The Simpsons universe for personal use may be harmless, AI can rapidly produce and circulate similar images, complicating the transformative aspect and often leading to commercial exploitation.
In an effort to protect their commercial interests, some U.S. creators have pursued legal action, with Disney and Universal’s lawsuits against Midjourney being among the latest examples. Other notable cases include an ongoing legal dispute involving the New York Times and OpenAI regarding alleged misuse of newspaper stories.
Disney sues Midjourney over its image generator.
Photo 12/Alamy
AI companies firmly deny any wrongdoing, asserting that data scraping is permissible under the fair use doctrine. In an open letter to the US Bureau of Science and Technology Policy in March, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane, cautioned against strict copyright regulations elsewhere in the world. Recent attempts to enhance copyright protections for creators have been critiqued for potentially stifling innovation and investment. OpenAI previously claimed it was “impossible” to develop AI models catering to user needs without referencing copyrighted work. Google shares a similar stance, emphasizing that copyright, privacy, and patent laws create barriers to accessing necessary training data.
For now, public sentiment seems to align with the activists’ viewpoint. Analysis of public feedback on copyright and AI inquiries by the U.S. Copyright Office reveals that 91% of comments expressed negative sentiments regarding AI.
The lack of public sympathy for AI firms is attributed to the overwhelming traffic their bots create, which can strain resources and may even take some websites offline—and the content creators feel powerless to stop them. While there are methods to exclude content-crawling bots, like tweaking a small file on a website to prevent bot access, these requests are sometimes ignored.
Combatting AI Data Addiction
Consequently, new tools have emerged, empowering content creators to better shield their work from AI bots. This year, CloudFlare, an internet infrastructure company known for protecting users from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, launched technologies to combat harmful AI bots. Their approach involves generating a labyrinth of AI-generated pages filled with nonsensical content, effectively distracting AI bots from accessing genuine information.
A tool called AI Labyrinth is designed to manage 50 billion requests per day from AI crawlers, according to CloudFlare. The objective of AI Labyrinth is to “slow, confuse, and waste the resources of AI crawls and other bots that disregard the ‘no crawl’ directive.” Following this, CloudFlare introduced another tool that compels AI companies to pay for accessing their websites or restricts raw content usage.
An alternative strategy involves allowing AI bots to access online content while subtly “poisoning” it, rendering the data less useful. Tools like Glaze and Nightshade, developed at the University of Chicago, serve as a focal point of resistance. Both tools are freely available for download from the university’s website.
Since its 2022 launch, Glaze defends by introducing imperceptible pixel-level modifications, or “style cloaks,” to artists’ works, causing AI models to misidentify art styles (e.g., interpreting watercolors as oil paintings). Launched in 2023, Nightshade degrades image data in a way that leads AI models to create incorrect associations, such as linking the word “cat” with images of dogs. Both tools have been downloaded over 10 million times.
Nightshade Tool alters AI perceptions of images.
Ben Y. Zhao
Tools designed to combat AI data addiction are empowering artists, according to Ben Zhao, a senior researcher at the University of Chicago involved with both Glaze and Nightshade. “These companies have trillion-dollar market caps, and they essentially take what they want,” he asserts.
Using tools like these allows artists to exert more control over the use of their creations. “Glaze and Nightshade are interesting, innovative tools that demonstrate effective strategies that don’t rely on changing regulations,” explains Jacob Hoffman Andrews from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a U.S.-based digital rights nonprofit.
Self-sabotaging content to deter copycats is an old strategy, notes Eleonora Rosati from Stockholm University. “For instance, cartographers might include fictitious place names, making them evidence of plagiarism if rivals replicate them. A similar tactic was noted in music, where the lyrics website Genius claimed to have embedded unique apostrophes to prove Google’s unlicensed use of their content. Google denies this claim, and the lawsuit was dismissed.
The term “sabotage” raises eyebrows, says Hoffman Andrews. “I don’t view it as disruptive; these artists are modifying their content, which they have every right to do.”
It remains uncertain how many unique measures AI firms are implementing to handle data tainted by these defensive tactics, yet Zhao’s findings indicate that 85% of these methods maintain their efficacy, suggesting AI companies may deem dealing with manipulated data more troublesome than it’s worth.
Disseminating Misinformation
Interestingly, it’s not just artists experimenting with data poisoning tactics; some nation-states might employ similar strategies to disseminate false narratives. The Atlantic Council, a U.S.-based think tank, recently revealed that the Russian Pravda News Network has attempted to manipulate AI bots to spread misinformation.
This operation reportedly involves flooding the internet with millions of web pages masquerading as legitimate news articles, aiming to boost Kremlin narratives regarding the Ukraine war. A recent analysis by NewsGuard, which monitors Pravda’s activities, found that 10 out of 10 major AI chatbots have output text aligning with Pravda’s viewpoints.
The effectiveness of these tactics emphasizes the challenges inherent in AI technology: the methods employed by well-intentioned actors can inevitably be hijacked by those with malicious intent.
However, solutions do exist, asserts Zhao, though they may not align with AI companies’ interests. Rather than arbitrarily collecting online data, AI firms could establish formal agreements with legitimate content providers to ensure their models are trained on reliable data. Yet, such arrangements come with costs, leading Zhao to remark, “Money is at the heart of this issue.”
As per the textbook definition, we have lost the capability to synthesize vitamin C. However, studies on animals indicate that this loss may have actually provided a survival advantage by helping their ancestors combat parasitic infections.
Most animals produce vitamin C using an enzyme known as Gulo. Yet, in our primate ancestors, the Gulo gene underwent mutation approximately 60 to 70 million years ago, leading to the loss of this capability. Similar losses are observed in various other animal groups, including certain bats and rodents like guinea pigs.
The conventional theory posits that if an animal consumes adequate vitamin C in its diet, mutations affecting the Gulo enzyme do not pose a disadvantage, which is why natural selection hasn’t preserved the enzyme. This mutation is considered neutral.
It appears that there is an additional advantage. For animals with functional enzymes, blood levels of vitamin C stay stable, while in humans, these levels may drop significantly, especially if individuals go without food for several days.
If producing vitamin C carries benefits, why do some animals lose this ability? The common evolutionary explanation is that such losses could enhance protection against diseases and parasites.
These freshwater parasites can penetrate the skin and develop within the host. Many symptoms associated with schistosomiasis stem from the immune response to the eggs laid by adult worms, causing the resulting disease.
To investigate whether vitamin C deficiency could bolster protection against parasites, Agathocleous and his colleagues deleted specific Gulo genes in mice.
When these mice were fed a low vitamin C diet, they did not exhibit the typical fecal symptoms or excrete feces after being infected with schistosoma. In contrast, mice with functional Gulo enzymes released numerous eggs, most of which did not survive.
“What we demonstrated provides evidence of a potential benefit,” Agato Creos states. Although it remains unproven that the loss of Gulo in our ancestors was a conscious evolutionary choice to fend off disease, these findings suggest that such a scenario is plausible.
“Many textbooks illustrate this as a ‘use or lose it’ case concerning a gene. Many scientists, including myself, contend that there is enough evidence to affirm this evolutionary advantage related to gene loss.” Deborah Good at Virginia Tech, who did not participate in the study, remarked, “Parasite protection could indeed be a factor in this.”
Weaver Ant chains can easily surpass all other creatures.
Weaver Ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), found from India to northern Australia, create long chains to gather leaves and construct nests. They grip one another by holding onto the abdomen of the ant in front using their mandibles.
To assess their strength, Chris Reed from Macquarie University in Sydney and his team provided the Weaver Ants with paper leaves instead of real ones for nesting. They attached a transducer to the tip of the paper leaf to measure the force exerted by a group of up to 17 ants while rolling the paper.
Researchers discovered that individual ants could generate an average pulling force of 60 times their body weight, while in teams of 15, each ant was capable of pulling over 100 times their weight. Consequently, the average power contribution per ant nearly doubled in group settings.
This finding seemingly contradicts the well-established principle of teamwork known as the Ringelmann effect, which posits that larger groups tend to diminish individual productivity due to loss of coordination and motivation.
The researchers did not calculate how Weaver Ants compare to humans in terms of strength, but Reid noted that even without scaling up to human size, they would pose formidable opponents in a tug-of-war. “Even a guinea pig-sized Weaver Ant could outpull a human,” he remarked. “Their key advantage lies in having six legs, which provides excellent traction.”
This might explain their ability to counteract the Ringelmann effect, according to Reid. The precise mechanism behind their collective strength remains unclear, but one theory suggests that some ants are anchored to the ground while others are pulling, effectively creating a force ratchet.
“When comparing Weaver Ants with other species, their ability to exert force on the ground is extraordinarily high, significantly surpassing that of other ants,” Reed stated.
Insects and Ecosystem Expedition Safari: Sri Lanka
Embark on a journey to the heart of Sri Lanka’s diverse biodiversity on this unique entomology and ecosystem-focused expedition.
Flammability assessments on western juniper trees (Juniperus occidentalis)
Rebecca Koll
In a laboratory at the University of Exeter, UK, Rebecca Koll is examining conifer species to explore critical questions related to future forest fire dynamics.
Wildfire severity is on the rise globally as temperatures continue to increase. This is largely attributed to heightened heat, prolonged drought, and stronger winds, all of which elevate the risk of igniting timber when sparks occur.
Yet, Koll is among a team of researchers who believe that factors beyond drought are influencing fire risk. “Is climate change actually altering the properties of the plants? I’m quite certain it is,” she shares.
She posits that climate stress factors could be modifying leaf chemistry. With an increase in UV radiation, plants may produce more volatile compounds as a stress response.
While global initiatives aimed at restoring the ozone layer may mitigate UV radiation risks, studies indicate that climate change, especially the uptick in hot, clear days in Northern and Eastern Europe, has resulted in rising ground-level UVB levels in recent years. Models predict that this may escalate later in the century.
Koll is currently engaged in a project examining changes in leaf chemistry and flammability by exposing 87 conifer species to elevated UVB levels. Using climate-controlled chambers with optimal temperature and moisture regimens, they simulate exposure levels tripled compared to current conditions. After 4 to 8 weeks, the trees undergo analysis and combustion tests to evaluate their flammability.
“It’s designed to be an ideal environment. These plants are in a very favorable climate, except we bombard them with radiation,” Koll explains. “We’re observing early signs of yellowing in areas that should remain green. Their biochemical reactions during various tests are altering the chemistry of their leaves,” she elaborates.
The pivotal question remains whether these biochemical shifts will lead to heightened flammability and if they elucidate the increasing intensity of forest fires. “We’re already elevating UV levels in our natural settings,” Koll notes. “This may imply that the risk extends beyond drought to include the direct impacts on plant biology.”
Uncovering these insights could provide scientists with a clearer understanding of wildfire risks in the predominantly coniferous regions of the Northern Hemisphere. “This is fundamentally what leads to severe home destruction,” Koll states. “The natural surroundings are becoming increasingly flammable.”
This project is among the initial experiments conducted at the University of Exeter’s Global Weather Simulator, a newly established facility dedicated to plant research that opened this year. The climate control chambers can recreate variations in wind, precipitation, heat, and atmospheric variables to analyze how plants and insects respond to rapid climatic shifts.
Matthew Robson of the University of Cumbria emphasizes that this research may confirm the significance of leaf compound changes in determining certain tree species’ flammability. “The relative impact of these climatic factors on volatile and combustible carbon-rich compounds has not been thoroughly explored, which makes the current research at Exeter particularly intriguing,” he states.
American medical journals are cautioning against the use of ChatGPT for health-related information after a case involving men who developed a rare condition following their discussions with chatbots about eliminating table salt from their diets.
A chronicled case in internal medicine highlights that a 60-year-old man experienced bromism, also referred to as bromide toxicity, after consulting ChatGPT.
This case study mentioned that bromism was a “well-recognized” syndrome in the early 20th century, contributing to psychiatric hospitalizations for about one in ten individuals during that period.
After learning about the negative effects of sodium chloride (table salt), the patient sought guidance from ChatGPT on eliminating chloride from his diet and disclosed that he had been consuming sodium bromide for three months. This action occurred despite previous reading that “chloride can be exchanged for bromide, but is likely for other purposes such as cleaning.” Sodium bromide was historically used as a sedative in the early 20th century.
The article’s author, an alumnus of Washington University in Seattle, emphasized that this incident underscores “how the use of artificial intelligence contributes to preventable health outcomes.”
They noted that the lack of access to the patient’s ChatGPT conversation logs hindered their ability to ascertain the specific advice the man received.
Regardless, the author found that when querying ChatGPT for alternatives to chloride, the responses also included bromide, lacking specific health warnings, and did not inquire about the author’s reasons for seeking such information; “I think healthcare professionals typically would do that,” they remarked.
The author cautioned that ChatGPT and other AI applications can “generate scientific inaccuracies and critically debate results, ultimately spreading misinformation.”
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, was approached for a statement.
The company recently announced an upgrade for its chatbot, asserting that one of its notable strengths lies in health-related queries. Powered by the GPT-5 model, ChatGPT excels in answering health questions and aims to be more proactive in “flagging potential concerns” like serious physical and mental illnesses. However, it stressed that chatbots cannot replace expert advice.
An article published last week before the release of GPT-5 indicated that the patient had likely interacted with an earlier version of ChatGPT.
While recognizing that AI could serve as a conduit between scientists and the public, the article warned that the technology also risks disseminating “decontextualized information,” emphasizing that medical professionals would rarely suggest sodium bromide in response to inquiries about replacing table salt.
The authors encouraged physicians to consider using AI in understanding where patients derived their information.
The author narrated that a patient suffering from bromism introduced himself at a hospital and expressed concern about a neighbor possibly being addicted to him. He also mentioned having several dietary restrictions and was noted to have paranoia regarding the water provided to him despite intense thirst.
The patient attempted to leave the hospital within 24 hours of admission and was subsequently sectioned before receiving treatment for mental health issues. Once stabilized, he reported various other bromism symptoms, including facial acne, relentless thirst, and insomnia.
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ith Dulcet Welsh Tones, an actor reminiscent of Michael Sheen, invites players into the enchanting world of Mandrake. He affectionately describes Chandri’s village as “small” yet “complicated,” noting that “everyone has their own story.” The narrative alternates between a snug wooden cottage and a mossy forest inhabited by mythical creatures. The protagonist, a wizard-gardener, “smelt into the art of greenery and growth,” often returning home to transform into a sumptuous vegetable, some of which can be found in local supermarkets, while others are distinctly magical.
As a portrayal of rural life, Mandrake stands out as more enriching and appealing than most. It exudes a charm akin to classics like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley, inviting players to immerse themselves in the cyclical rhythms of crop cultivation, scenic exploration, and engaging dialogues with quirky, upbeat townsfolk. However, there’s more beneath the surface. If you find the farming aspect dull, you can wander the fantastical paths of this brinonic-inspired realm, perhaps engaging with the deceased or harmonizing with the river.
Comfortable cultivation… Mandrake. Photo: Failbetter Game
Expect the peculiar in Failbetter’s latest release, the esteemed UK studio known for its acclaimed titles. Set within a shared fictional universe, their RPGs and atmospheric survival experiences have showcased masterful prose and mesmerizing world-building. The city of London has “fallen,” now submerged in an eerie underworld called Naisse, located along the shores of dark, vast seas.
These titles are steeped in a blend of terrifying humor and fascinating narratives. The Mandrake Foreground location presents a more accessible way to engage with the environment. As game director Adam Myers puts it, the charm of a Rural Life Sim is its capacity to “zoom in on one community over time.” Through days, nights, and seasons, players observe evolving spaces and their inhabitants. Myers reveals that he developed a profound understanding of the environment from a distinctly unfamiliar perspective.
However, Mandrake seeks to veer away from the lush trends dominating the genre. They cultivate expansive fields of wheat and prepare multiple meals daily. “Growing crops in large, rectangular, monocultures is not ideal,” Myers asserts. “And you won’t always find banquet-worthy ratatouille in your inventory with just 30 clicks.”
Complicating rural Sims in the countryside… Mandrake. Photo: Failbetter Game
Gift Giving, a conventional method for players to integrate with NPC neighbors in this genre, arrives with a twist. Players can’t simply hand out gifts (“That’s a bit annoying,” Myers jokes). Instead, they must articulate their reasoning for offering gifts, forming connections based on obligations.
The goal is not just to replicate patterns found in other rural life simulations but to “complicate” them with both thoughtful systems and unconventional influences. Myers passionately discusses esoteric elements such as anthropology, British folklore, and Renaissance alchemy. The world brims with quirky and mysterious legends, and among its peculiarities lies a “Quesimonastic organization” amid the Welsh backdrop, notably devoid of sheep.
The comforting ritual of country life may serve as a Trojan horse for a distinct and eccentric approach to failure. “One of the pitfalls we’ve encountered before is being too strange, too swift, too brash,” admits Myers. “We need to provide players with a firmer foundation to navigate the complexities more comfortably.”
These ancient forests undoubtedly harbor ominous creatures. Villagers may conceal numerous mental secrets. It’s reasonable to assume that Myers and his team will explore the depths of these eerie landscapes. However, perhaps there’s a crucial distinction in the tone they wish to maintain—one that is welcoming and “emotionally kind.” Unlike some other Failbetter titles, death doesn’t loom closely here. As Myers shares, “You probably won’t be able to consume yourself with this.”
Lamer noted that detailed analyses and FEMA’s approximate maps can often exaggerate flood risk, which tends to be what clients typically seek.
“I was asked, ‘Please prove we aren’t in the flood plain.’ We’re working 30 feet above the river,” Lamer shared regarding FEMA’s initial mapping. “That’s the flaw in these maps.”
It’s a nationwide practice to adjust FEMA maps both before and after they are officially confirmed.
Syracuse Professor Prall, who has researched flood policy, alongside academic Devin Lee, analyzed five years of data on modifying the FEMA map. They found over 20,000 buildings in 255 counties across the U.S. were remapped outside special flood hazard zones from 2013 to 2017 via various appeal processes. Despite this, more than 700,000 buildings remain within the special hazard flood areas in those counties.
According to Prall, the agency has approved the majority of map revisions, with Lamer, who has processed hundreds of applications, noting only one rejection. Thus, achieving a 92% success rate with the Camp Mystic exemption is actually standard.
“If it’s not likely to be approved, we won’t submit it,” Lamer remarked. There’s little financial motivation for clients to pursue the process further unless the data demonstrates reduced flood risks compared to FEMA’s findings.
FEMA’s high-risk flood zones often expand after agents finalize new maps; however, property owners and communities can subsequently mitigate those zones.
A study by Pralle and Lee in their work, Risks of Public Policy, Crisis, reveals that alterations to special flood hazard zones are increasingly frequent.
Their research indicates that the appeal system presents consistent incentives for decreasing federal flood map designations.
“FEMA lacks the resources to double-check everything,” Prall stated.
A FEMA spokesperson mentioned that the agency reviewed the Camp Mystic case and submitted elevation data following its protocol, asserting that the approval of the amendment “will not significantly alter the reality of flood risks and dangers.”
Storms like those that have impacted Camp Mystic are projected to occur more frequently in a warming world. To address existing knowledge gaps, independent organizations are creating data-driven tools for better predicting heightened heavy rain risks.
For instance, First Street utilizes a global climate model to anticipate extreme weather events and integrate this data into risk maps. The firm provides information and analysis notably to individuals, banks, investors, governments, and more.
The national analysis revealed that more than twice as many buildings fell within the 100-year flood plain when compared to FEMA’s mapping. Porter noted that this inconsistency stemmed from heavy precipitation risks that FEMA maps failed to capture.
The company’s 100 Years of Flood Zone mapping for Camp Mystic indicates that events like this will impact both old and new campsites. In certain locations, flood zones extend beyond both Hewitt and the FEMA’s unenforced 100-year flood plain, while in other spots, they are much narrower and closer to the engineering work of Hewitt.
Steubing from the flood plains association mentioned that indications suggest the July 4 flood was anticipated to be the first significant event in 800 years, but emphasized that more assessments are necessary, as some engineering firms continue to evaluate the flood’s extent. It’s still unclear how accurately the flooding corresponds to various risk maps.
While First Street’s mapping includes climate risks, it too has its limitations, lacking the detailed river analyses completed by Hewitt.
“I don’t have boots on the ground,” Porter remarked.
In an ideal scenario, flood mapping would merge comprehensive ground engineering, current rainfall and river flow data alongside forecasts of future climate risks. According to Steubing, flood plain managers need more adaptive tools to represent different flood scenarios accurately. These should differentiate between rapid surface run-offs and slow, sustained storms, ultimately leading to better risk assessment for individual communities.
Texas is working to address various historical data gaps to move toward this goal, Steubing explained.
However, many regions, including some near Camp Mystic, have never been thoroughly studied or mapped.
To fill these gaps, the state is funding a new FEMA program called Basic Level Engineering. This initiative aims to estimate basic flood levels in under-researched areas using high-resolution LIDAR data and contemporary modeling techniques. The new mapping is intended to complement existing FEMA maps rather than replace them, and the updated mapping is now accessible statewide, including regions near Camp Mystic, representing an advancement that will aid in mitigating future disasters.
Donald Trump has indicated that Nvidia can sell more advanced chips in China than is currently allowed.
During a Monday briefing, Trump addressed the recent development, revealing his groundbreaking agreements with NVIDIA and AMD. He has authorized an export license allowing the sale of previously restricted chips to China, with the US government receiving 15% of the sales revenue. The US president defended the deal after analysts labeled it as potentially resembling “shakedown” payments or unconstitutional export taxes. He expressed hope for further negotiations regarding a more advanced Nvidia chip.
Trump mentioned that Nvidia’s latest chip, Blackwell, would not be available for trade, but he is considering trading “a slightly negatively impacted version of Blackwell,” which could see a downgrade of 30-50%.
“I believe he’ll be back to discuss it, but it will be a significant yet unenhanced version,” he remarked, referring to Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang, who has had multiple discussions with Trump about China’s export limits.
Huang has yet to comment on the revenue-sharing agreement pertaining to the sales of Nvidia’s H20 chips and AMD’s Mi308 chips in China.
The H20 and Mi308 chips were prohibited from being sold to China in April, even though the low-power H20 was specially designed to meet the restrictions set by the Biden administration. Nvidia previously stated last month that they hoped to receive clearance to resume shipments soon.
Nvidia’s impact is a major driver of the AI boom, garnering significant interest from both China and the US, which has led to heightened scrutiny among analysts in Washington and concerns from Chinese officials.
“I’m worried about reports indicating the US government might take revenue from sales of chips akin to advanced H20 sales,” he told the Financial Times.
Trump justified the agreement on Monday: “I stated, ‘Listen, I want 20% if I approve this for you,'” emphasizing that he hasn’t received any personal money from the deal. He suggested that Huang provided 15% as part of the agreement.
“I permitted him only for the H20,” Trump clarified.
He referred to the H20 as an “outdated” chip that is “already in a different form for China.”
However, Harry Cleja, research director at the Washington office of the Carnegie Mellon Institute of Strategic Technology, labeled the H20 as a “second tier” AI chip.
“The H20 is not the premier training chip available, but the type of computing dominating AI tasks today—particularly the ‘inference’ model and ‘agent’ products—are what the field is focused on,” Kresja told the Guardian, referring to systems employing advanced inference to autonomously resolve complex issues.
“Lifting H20 export restrictions undoubtedly provides Beijing with the necessary tools to compete in the AI realm.”
The US government has been attempting for several years to defend national security, especially concerning artificial intelligence development and the provision of technology that could be weaponized.
China’s Foreign Ministry remarked on Monday that the country has consistently articulated its stance on US chip exports, accusing Washington of utilizing technology and trade measures to “maliciously suppress and hinder China.”
Revenue-sharing contracts are quite rare in the US, reflecting Trump’s latest interference in corporate decisions after pressuring executives to reinvest in American manufacturing. He has requested the resignation of Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, regarding its connections with Chinese companies.
Trump has also suggested imposing 100% tariffs on the global semiconductor market, exempting businesses that commit to investing in the US.
Taiwan’s TSMC, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, announced plans in April to expand its US operations through a $100 million investment. However, foreign investments of this magnitude require government approval from Taiwan.
The Guardian confirmed that TSMC has yet to apply for this approval. The company has not responded to requests for comment.
Paleontologists have discovered a variety of animals, including saber-toothed predators, burrowing foragers, and large salamander-like creatures that flourished in southern Pangaea about 252 million years ago, just prior to the mass extinction of the Permian period.
Artistic rendering of an evening about 252 million years ago during the Late Permian Epoch in the Luangwa Basin, Zambia. This scene features several sabertooth Golgonopsians and Dishnodons in the beak. Image credit: Gabriel Ugueto.
“The extinction at the end of the Permian was catastrophic for life on Earth,” stated Professor Christian Saidal of the University of Washington.
“Yet, we do not have a complete understanding of which species managed to survive.
“The fossils we gather in Tanzania and Zambia provide a broader perspective on this remarkable period in our planet’s history.”
All new fossils were uncovered in three basins in southern Africa: the Roof Basin in southern Tanzania, the Luangwa Basin in eastern Zambia, and the Zambezi Central Basin in southern Zambia.
The majority were found by team members during several month-long excavation trips to the region over the past 17 years.
Others were analyzed from specimens excavated decades ago, preserved in museum collections.
“These regions in Zambia and Tanzania are home to incredibly well-preserved fossils from the Permian era,” Professor Saidal remarked.
“They provide us with an unparalleled glimpse into terrestrial life leading up to the mass extinction.”
The Permian period marks the conclusion of what paleontologists term the Paleozoic era.
During this time, animal life, which first emerged in our oceans, began to colonize land and developed complex terrestrial ecosystems.
The Permian epoch saw a diverse range of amphibians and reptile-like creatures inhabit environments ranging from early forests to arid valleys.
The mass extinction at the End-Permian wiped out many of these ecosystems, paving the way for the Mesozoic era, which witnessed the evolution of dinosaurs, the first birds, flowering plants, and mammals.
For decades, scientists relied on the Kalu Basin in South Africa for their best understanding of the Permian, the corresponding extinction, and the onset of the Mesozoic Era, which boasts nearly complete fossil records from before and after that mass extinction.
However, since the 1930s, paleontologists have noted that the fossil records in the Tanzanian and Zambian basins are comparably pristine.
This excavation represents the most extensive analysis of the local fossil record from the period surrounding the Permian mass extinction to date.
“The quantity of specimens found in Zambia and Tanzania is extraordinarily high, and their condition is so exquisite that paleontologists are able to draw species-level comparisons with those in South Africa,” Professor Sidor explained.
“We recognize that there is no better location on the planet to make such precise conclusions and comparisons to glean sufficient detail about this era.”
In the Series of 14 Articles published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, researchers have detailed numerous new species of dicynodonts.
These small, burrowing, reptile-like herbivores first emerged during the Central Permian.
By the time of the mass extinction, the Dishnodons had beak-like snouts featuring two small tusks; many of them dug holes and became the dominant plant-eating animals on land.
The findings also uncover several large saber-toothed predators known as Golgonopsians, along with new species of amphibians, such as large salamanders.
“We can analyze two distinct geographical regions of Pangaea and observe the happenings before and after the Permian extinction,” Professor Saidal concluded.
“This allows us to explore critical questions regarding which species survived and which did not.”
In a new paper published in the journal Iscience, astrophysicists at the University of Fudan have explored the potential for sending nanocrafts from Earth to black holes located 20-25 light years away. This mission aims to investigate the properties of strong gravitational fields and the fundamental aspects of physics.
Black holes represent the strongest gravitational fields known in the universe and serve as ideal laboratories for testing Einstein’s general theory of relativity under extreme conditions. Professor Bambi discusses the speculative nature and challenges of launching small spacecraft to the nearest black hole, yet emphasizes that it remains a plausible endeavor. Image credit: Cosimo Bambi, doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113142.
“While we lack the necessary technology today, it may be feasible in 20 or 30 years,” stated Professor Cosimo Bambi, an astrophysicist and black hole specialist at the University of Fudan.
“Two significant challenges lie ahead: identifying a nearby black hole and developing a probe that can survive the journey.”
Currently, the closest recognized black hole to Earth is Gaia BH1, which was discovered in September 2022 and is located 1,560 light-years away.
However, it is anticipated that many undiscovered black holes may exist closer to Earth.
Simple estimations suggest that, despite significant uncertainties, the closest black hole could potentially be within only 20-25 light years.
“Our understanding of stellar evolution implies that black holes might be hidden just 20 to 25 light years from Earth, but detecting them is not straightforward,” noted Professor Bambi.
“Since black holes do not emit or reflect light, they are nearly invisible to telescopes.”
“Scientists typically rely on observing nearby stars and their interactions with light to identify and study these elusive objects.”
“New methods have been developed for detecting black holes, and I believe it is reasonable to expect the discovery of something nearby within the next decade.”
Once a target is located, the subsequent challenge will be reaching it.
Traditional spacecraft powered by chemical fuels lack the efficiency needed for such long journeys.
Professor Bambi suggests nanocraft as a promising solution—tiny probes consisting of microchips and light sails.
Lasers from Earth would propel the sails using photons, accelerating the craft to one-third the speed of light.
“At that speed, a craft could arrive at a black hole 20 to 25 light years away within about 70 years,” he explained.
“The data collected would then take roughly another 20 years to return to Earth, leading to a total mission duration of approximately 80-100 years.”
“When the craft nears a black hole, researchers could conduct experiments to answer some of the most pivotal questions in physics.”
“Does a black hole truly possess an event horizon? Can light escape the gravitational pull beyond that point?”
“Do the laws of physics alter in proximity to black holes?”
“Is Einstein’s general theory of relativity upheld in the universe’s most extreme conditions?”
“The laser system alone could cost 1 trillion euros, and currently, we lack the technology to fabricate nanocrafts,” Professor Bambi stated.
“Nevertheless, in 30 years, those costs might decrease, and technological advancements could align with these ambitious concepts.”
“While it may sound quite outlandish and resembles science fiction, past disbeliefs—like the detection of weak gravitational waves or imaging black hole shadows—have been proven wrong over time.”
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Cosimo Bambi. Interstellar missions to test astrophysical black holes. Iscience. Published online on August 7th, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2025.113142
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