Could a new approach lead to error-free quantum computers?
Nord’s numbers
Canadian startups in quantum computing assert that the new Qubit technology will enable the development of smaller, more affordable, and error-free quantum computers. However, reaching that goal presents a significant challenge.
Traditional computers mitigate errors by storing redundant copies of information across multiple locations. This method, known as redundancy, requires quantum computers to utilize many additional qubits, potentially hundreds of thousands, to replicate this redundancy.
Julianne Camiland Lemire and her team at Nord’s numbers have engineered a qubit that promises to reduce this requirement to just a few hundred. “The fundamental principle of our hardware is to utilize qubits with inherent redundancy,” she notes.
Competing qubit technologies include small superconducting circuits and ultra-cold atoms. The Nord Quartique qubit employs a superconducting cavity filled with microwave radiation. Inside this cavity, photons are trapped and bounce back and forth, allowing information to be encoded within quantum states.
This design is not entirely new; however, it’s the first instance of employing “multimode encoding.” Researchers utilize multiple properties of photons simultaneously to store information, thereby enhancing resilience against common quantum computing errors.
Victor Albert from the University of Maryland mentions that effective quantum error correction necessitates more qubits, meaning information is stored in interconnected groups rather than isolated qubits, safeguarding the system from individual failures.
The innovative Qubit incorporates a second technique that enables the effective storage of information in a four-dimensional mathematical framework.
This is why NORD’s quantitative project anticipates that their error-resistant quantum computers will be up to 50 times smaller than those utilizing superconducting circuit qubits, the most advanced yet. Moreover, the company estimates that machines built with their Qubits will consume as much power as those using conventional methods.
Despite these advancements, Nord has not yet released data on multiple kits. Furthermore, ensuring the multimode encoding functions correctly is still pending, indicating that the new Qubit has yet to be applied in computational tasks. Significant technical hurdles remain before these teams can achieve scalable quantum computing.
“It’s too early to conclude whether this fault-resistant approach will inherently outperform other methods,” remarks Barbara Telhal at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Michel Devoret from Yale University observes that while the new development is “not groundbreaking,” it enhances the science of quantum error correction and reflects the company’s grasp of technical difficulties.
Lemire expresses that the team is actively working on building additional Qubits and refining existing designs. They aim to implement a “perfect mechanism” for manipulating information stored within the Qubit, essential during quantum computational processes. The goal is to create a practical quantum computer featuring over 100 error-resilient qubits by 2029.
An anonymous collective of activists in Adelaide is persistently opposing Elon Musk’s Tesla from establishing battery factories in residential areas.
Tesla has faced global scrutiny due to Musk’s associations with the Trump administration and staunch protests fueled by beliefs that billionaires often back through his social media channels.
This week, the discontent was palpable in the South Australian capital, a significant distance from Washington, D.C.
Approximately 95% of nearly 1,000 submissions voiced opposition to Tesla’s proposals for recycling showrooms and batteries, as well as repurposing the factory. Many expressed sentiments characterized as “anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk.”
To maintain decorum, the local council revised the language in several submissions to clarify references to Musk and Tesla.
“We shouldn’t profit from support. [redacted] Who is openly [redacted]? It’s a salute [redacted]. Humans.”
The world’s richest individual has declared his departure from his government efficiency role, which has often led to chaotic and detrimental consequences, including job cuts and reduced funding for US government agencies. He is now facing challenges related to his businesses, including Tesla, amid declining sales.
Meanwhile, in Adelaide, the Marion City Council has moved past community disagreements and approved the factory project for further progression, pending state government approval. The council indicated that the project is expected to inject millions of dollars into the local economy.
Nevertheless, the protest group “Tree Not Teslas” remains committed to their cause.
Environmental organizations and others opposed to the Tesla project argue that the trees designated for removal to clear the construction site are irreplaceable. They also hold Musk personally accountable.
“Neon,” a member of Tree Not Teslas, chose to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, partly because the group identifies as a collective.
He noted the group’s traction has been “extraordinary,” and their website has attracted thousands of visits, though he admitted it is hard to gauge their overall impact.
Neon stated that the fight will persist as the state government weighs the council’s proposal to reclassify the site as community land.
“We’re going to push it further. We have to take action regarding the state government,” Neon declared.
“We’ve raised awareness and are encouraging more people to get involved. This issue extends beyond just Congress; it’s a fundamental matter for the state.”
He emphasized that their campaign primarily aims to safeguard the trees on the site. “… Our central focus is on preserving the green space,” he clarified.
“We are indeed advocates for electric vehicles and green energy.
“However, the industry that obliterates green spaces… is ironically labeled as ‘green.’
The council has asserted that the area has been inaccessible to the public since 2016 due to pollution. Neon countered, claiming the trees are vital for restoring the land.
Neon also echoed comments made by Councillor Sarah Lascomb, who opposed the proposal, arguing that the factory’s plans to recycle or reuse Tesla batteries do not cater to the needs of most consumers who use different brands.
The ongoing debate centers around electric vehicle batteries, with the possibility of recycling Powerwall batteries at the site.
Guardian Australia reached out to Tesla for a statement.
Neon mentioned that the council voted 8-3 in favor of seeking state government approval, despite community pushback that made the public consultation process feel like a formality.
Mayor Chris Hannah stated that the project would generate jobs and revenue for the community, asserting that Tesla would establish operations elsewhere if not in Marion. According to Hannah, Tesla has committed to preserving the most significant trees and replanting more than necessary.
Neon argued that replacing established trees with seedlings minimizes their ecological benefits.
Premier Peter Malinauskas indicated that the state welcomes significant industrial development and is reluctant to oppose Musk, emphasizing that it’s “his prerogative.”
A spokesperson for the state government stated that they appreciate investments in South Australia and job creation, and will indeed consider the proposal.
Astronomers have uncovered new phenomena occurring in the solar atmosphere, aided by remarkable new images of stars.
In a study conducted by Dark Schmidt and his team at the US National Solar Observatory, they utilized the California Good Solar Telescope to capture these images. By employing a technique known as adaptive optics, they minimized distortions caused by Earth’s atmosphere during solar observations, enabling them to examine the features of the corona, which is the outer atmosphere of stars.
“The level of detail is unprecedented; these are things that no one has ever observed before,” Schmidt states.
Plasma flows through the sun’s corona
Schmidt et al./njit/nso/aura/nsf
Newly revealed details include plasma flows within the corona and the plasma loops referred to as solar prominences.
The images also provide the clearest view of coronal rain observed to date, displaying plasma droplets about the size of cities falling toward the sun’s surface as they cool and become denser. “Gravity pulls them down toward the sun,” Schmidt explains.
The observations were conducted during the summers of 2023 and 2024. Researchers anticipate that some images will shed light on why the solar corona is significantly hotter than the solar surface—a difference of millions versus thousands of degrees, a perplexing enigma.
One theory involves the magnetic fields that interact and reconnect within the solar corona. “In numerous images and videos we present, you can observe intricately intertwined structures and chaotic movements at a minute scale,” notes Schmidt.
Some features captured in the images remain unexplained, such as a plasma filament splitting into multiple fragments. “Currently, we are missing a conclusive explanation,” Schmidt conveys. “This could indicate a novel phenomenon, and it’s thrilling to see how other scientists will further investigate this.”
Even though leaders in the AI chip industry have raised concerns about the emergence of Chinese competitors, tech stocks experienced an upswing on Thursday, buoyed by robust results from Nvidia.
The Stoxx Europe Tech Index increased by 0.8% on Thursday, leading to a 2.4% rise in Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML. Meanwhile, in the US, tech-focused NASDAQ futures surged by 2%, alongside a 6% pre-market gain for Nvidia’s shares.
The uptick in tech and artificial intelligence stocks followed Nvidia’s report that surpassed Wall Street expectations, with quarterly revenues jumping 69% to $44 billion (£32.6 billion). The company also expressed optimism that business transactions in the Middle East could offset losses from China.
In April, former US President Donald Trump announced restrictions on AI chip exports to China, effectively cutting off a significant revenue stream, although Nvidia continues to sell H20 AI chips to Chinese firms.
Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang cautioned that Chinese competitors are capitalizing on the vacuum left by US trade barriers. “Chinese rivals have adapted,” Huang stated to Bloomberg TV. He noted that Huawei, which has been blacklisted by the US government, is “extremely formidable.” “Like everyone, their capabilities are multiplying each year,” Huang remarked. “The volume has also significantly increased.”
While US government policies aim to shield AI technology from Chinese influences, Huang indicated that domestic businesses are simply exploring alternative options. “The importance of the Chinese market should not be underestimated,” Huang noted. “It’s home to the largest population of AI researchers globally.”
Nvidia mentioned that it anticipates losing out on $8 billion in revenue for the second quarter due to Trump’s trade restrictions.
Tech investors felt positive after a recent judicial ruling that might challenge the president’s aggressive trade regime, as the US trade court opposed Trump’s severe tariff policies. Nonetheless, uncertainty looms since the White House has already appealed this decision from the International Trade Court based in New York.
In other news, shares of Tesla, another key player in AI technology, climbed by 2.6% after CEO Elon Musk confirmed his decision to step down from his role in the Trump administration.
Musk has been “at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) since January, ruthlessly cutting expenditures across various public sectors and institutions. He announced in April his intention to resign following a decline in Tesla’s revenue and his failure to secure a Supreme Court position, which had consumed millions in support of Republican candidates.
In 2020, the Zwicky Transient Facility observed a location in the night sky that suggested the merging of two stars. This phenomenon was identified as a bright red nova, known as Submin’s Red Nova, or slrn. Two years later, astronomers revisited the same area and discovered indications that the star had engulfed nearby planets, referred to as ZTF SLRN-2020.
Earlier observations made using near-infrared telescopes revealed chemical traces such as titanium oxide and carbon monoxide. The event’s brightness was primarily in low-energy wavelengths rather than visible light, indicating a merger event involving bodies between the masses of Neptune and Jupiter.
The stars in this system are not active; the planet did not actively approach but was instead consumed by the star. This raised questions about the physical mechanisms that caused the interaction. The team examined two scenarios: one where a star expanded during its lifecycle to reach the planet’s orbit, and the other where a planet lost energy and spiraled inward toward the star, a phenomenon termed orbital attenuation.
To evaluate these scenarios, the team conducted follow-up measurements on ZTF SLRN-2020 using instruments onboard the JWST, specifically the Near-infrared Spectrometer and Mid-infrared Instrument. They also performed ground-based observations with the Gemini North Telescope Near-Infrared Imager. By combining data from these instruments, the team obtained a comprehensive understanding of the low-energy light emission patterns from ZTF SLRN-2020, revealing insights into the system’s current structure and dynamics.
Illustration of the ZTF SLRN-2020 system before and after the planet is engulfed. Left: A Sun-like star with an exoplanet akin to Neptune or Jupiter. Right: After the planet’s orbit decayed and it fell into the star, material was expelled, forming a cooler outer dust shell and a hotter inner dust disk. Created by the author using Microsoft PowerPoint.
In their analysis, astronomers identified four key characteristics. The remaining stars displayed a reddish hue, highlighting a significant presence of high-energy electrons in the star’s hydrogen, along with substantial carbon monoxide. There were also traces of phosphine, a compound typically found around gas giants and in the vicinity of young stars. Using computer modeling, the team evaluated which scenarios could realistically produce these observed patterns.
Measurements of star color indicated that ZTF SLRN-2020 is quite similar to the Sun but is roughly 70% of its size. The star is too young to have undergone the expansion associated with its later life stages. Consequently, the planet’s orbit became destabilized, leading to its gradual engulfment by the star. This collision likely released energy, igniting the star’s brightness in 2020 and stimulating the hydrogen in its outer layer.
The team theorized that during the collision, the star would have expelled material from the planet. The emissions of phosphine and carbon monoxide suggested that the ejected material originated from two different layers of dust around the star: a cold outer shell and a hot inner disk. Observations did not reveal any remnants of the planet’s core still orbiting the star, indicating that it was entirely consumed, losing even its outer layers.
The researchers deemed this event a new frontier in physics, as it marks the first observed case of planetary engulfment. The data collected from various instruments can provide future researchers with essential insights when investigating similar instances.
Nvidia surpassed Wall Street’s projections in its quarterly revenue report on Wednesday, continuing a streak of financial successes for the technology leader. For the quarter ending in April, revenue reached $44.1 billion, a 69% increase from the previous year.
The company outperformed an investor forecast of $43.3 billion. Adjusted earnings per share were reported at $0.81, falling short of the anticipated 88 cents. Additionally, data center revenue soared to $39.1 billion, marking a 73% growth year-over-year.
Nvidia remains optimistic about the AI sector, both in terms of its advanced hardware and the regulatory challenges on the horizon, which investors are keenly monitoring.
“Nvidia has once again surpassed expectations, but maintaining this lead is growing more challenging,” observed Jacob Bourne, an analyst at Emarketer. “China’s export restrictions highlight immediate geopolitical pressures, but Nvidia also faces competition as rivals like AMD strengthen their positions based on certain cost-effectiveness metrics in AI workloads.”
CEO Jensen Huang stated, “The global demand for Nvidia’s AI infrastructure is remarkably strong. Countries worldwide see AI as a vital utility, comparable to electricity and the Internet.”
The chipmaker anticipates revenues of $45 billion for the second quarter of 2026.
Nvidia’s quarterly reports over the past year reflect explosive growth. However, the company is under increasing pressure from U.S. regulations.
Donald Trump’s announcement in April regarding tightened computer chip export regulations effectively barred Nvidia from selling its primary revenue source, the H20 AI chip, to China.
“H20 products were primarily designed for the Chinese market,” the company’s first quarter revenue report stated. Consequently, Nvidia expects to miss out on $8 billion in revenue for its second quarter.
Despite this setback, Huang expressed optimism about Trump’s intentions to allow companies to export chips with limited capabilities to China.
“The president has a plan and a vision. I trust him,” he noted.
However, Huang cautioned that losing access to China’s potential $50 billion AI market could jeopardize U.S. leadership in the global AI infrastructure race. “China is one of the largest AI markets, serving as a launchpad for global success,” he stated during the revenue call.
“China’s AI will progress with or without U.S. chips,” he remarked. “The issue isn’t whether China has AI—it’s already happening; the real question is if one of the world’s largest AI markets will rely on American chips.”
The company revealed that the recent SEC claims could cost them $5.5 billion. They noted only $4.6 billion in claims in the first quarter tied to H20 excess inventory and purchase obligations. Some materials may also be reused, affecting forecasts.
In an interview with Ben Thompson, Huang described the loss as “deeply painful.” Reports suggest a revenue loss of $15 billion. In the first quarter alone, the company could not ship an additional $2.5 billion in H20 revenue.
“We have never written off so much inventory in history,” Huang remarked. “We’re not just losing $5.5 billion; we’ve also missed out on $15 billion in sales… and potentially… $3 billion in taxes.”
The tightened export regulations pose challenges: a committee within the U.S. Congress indicated that Nvidia is seeking feedback on China’s groundbreaking AI model, especially regarding Deepseek, an AI firm that mirrors products from U.S. AI companies without the same computational power.
The committee’s report alleges that Deepseek “secretly leaked American user data to the Chinese Communist Party, manipulated information to align with CCP propaganda, and trained on materials unlawfully acquired from the company.”
Despite the tightening export restrictions, analysts believe Nvidia has shown remarkable resilience this quarter.
“Amid industry integration and rising competition, geopolitical tensions have created a tougher business landscape. Nevertheless, the company has effectively focused on its operational core,” Investing.com commented.
“We’ve effectively managed supply and demand dynamics within data centers. Thus, the $4.5 billion impact from H20 during the quarter underscores NVIDIA’s ability to adapt to market changes,” they added.
Analysts also speculate that U.S.-China negotiations “might yield positive outcomes for Nvidia,” according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.
“Nvidia is the sole chipmaker propelling the AI revolution. This narrative is underscored by their results and Jensen’s optimistic remarks,” Ives stated. “This indicates a significant lead in the broader tech landscape, suggesting the AI revolution is poised for further growth, despite the tariff challenges posed by Trump.”
Though Nvidia’s Chinese operations remain uncertain, analysts note a surge in demand for Nvidia chips in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The company has benefited from AI opportunities arising from Trump’s visit, which secured $600 million for U.S. businesses.
Nvidia announced plans to sell hundreds of thousands of AI chips to Saudi Arabia, including to a startup supported by the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, employing 18,000 individuals with the latest technology.
This exceptional footage captures a large group of sharks calmly feeding on decaying corpses off the coast of Hawaii.
The marine White Tip and Tiger sharks displayed no aggressive behavior toward one another or the film crew, and they shared the bloated remains with ease.
Marine biologists at the University of Hawaii Manoa conducted a study on this event, publishing their findings in the Science Journal Frontier of Fish Science.
First Author Dr. Molly Scott stated, “To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting the feeding aggregation of tiger sharks and marine white tip sharks.”
“These species are seldom seen together in the wild due to their vastly different habitats.”
Ocean white tips can grow to lengths of up to 2 meters and are threatened by roaming sharks, although they occasionally visit Hawaii’s Oshima during the spring and summer.
In contrast, tiger sharks can reach lengths of 4 meters and are more coastal, preferring to stay in the same area throughout the year.
According to Scott, witnessing these two species in the same location is “incredibly rare,” especially as they shared the food with no conflict.
“We observed up to 12 small individual sharks feeding intermittently on very decomposed corpses, and we saw no aggressive behavior, whether interspecific or intraspecies,” she noted.
“This amazed me. I expected some aggressiveness when multiple sharks were feeding around these small corpses, but it appeared that each shark understood its role in the social hierarchy.”
It appears that the social order allowed the larger sharks to feed first, except that smaller female tiger sharks tended to dominate the two largest marine white tips.
“Some individuals, like female tiger sharks, may have been either shy or bold about their size,” Scott explained. “They might not have been welcomed to join in, as the feeding order was already established before they arrived.”
The smallest sharks remained just beneath the surface, snacking on scraps.
While all these sharks are primarily hunters, they may engage in cleaning when opportunities arise, such as when they detect a body.
The floating carcass was first spotted in April 2024 by a tourist boat about 10 km off the west coast of Big Island.
The observed feeding lasted 8.5 hours, with at least nine marine white tip sharks and five tiger sharks participating, while a few individuals were in the water the whole time.
“None of the photographers reported any frightening, aggressive, or harmful interactions with the sharks,” Scott remarked. “I hope this presents a new perspective that sharks are not the mindless predators they are often portrayed to be.”
Researchers also aim for this unusual observation to deepen the understanding of shark behavior, particularly their interactions with one another.
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Excavation of Mongolia’s medieval wall system by archaeologists
Gideon Shelach-Lavi et al. 2025
Long before the construction of the Great Wall of China, other significant walls were erected on the Eurasian steppes, not with the intent of safeguarding the Mongolian army. Recent diggings indicate that they were established to regulate movement and to showcase power, similar to modern boundary walls.
The Great Wall of China spans thousands of kilometers, with its longest segment measuring approximately 8,850 kilometers. This section originates from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and served as a physical barrier against Mongol incursions.
In contrast to large fortifications, the earlier systems consist of a network of trenches, walls, and enclosures approximately 4,000 km wide across northern China, Mongolia, and Russia.
This infrastructure was developed between the 10th and 12th centuries by various dynasties, primarily the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234 AD). It was primarily constructed by the people of Siberia and the Zurchen from northeastern China, who were herders.
Gideon Shelach-Lavi from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, along with his team, has utilized satellite imagery and drones to explore and map these ancient walls. They are now investigating a 405 km section excavated in Mongolia, including one of the enclosures.
The structure features a trench about 1 meter deep and 3 meters wide, with the earth piled on one side, forming a compact earth wall that stands 1-2 meters tall. At intervals, a thick square stone enclosure approximately 30 meters wide was added along the wall.
The purpose of these walls is still unclear, as historical records are scarce, and they were not built at natural geographical divides, according to Shelach-Lavi.
Many historians believed they were constructed to thwart Genghis Khan’s army, which reigned over the Mongol Empire from 1206 to 1227. However, Sherach Ravi asserts that these structures would not have been particularly effective for defense. “They were not designed to repel military invasions,” he states.
Instead, he theorizes that the walls were primarily a demonstration of power — showing that the region was under the control of the Jin Dynasty. The walls allowed for the regulation of people through the enclosure gates, managing the flow of people, goods, and animals. He suggests that even though they may not have stopped armies, the walls might have been effective in preventing smaller attacks.
“The objective seems to be guiding individuals towards these enclosures, allowing for control and taxation,” he explains. “It’s all about monitoring movement, which is not so different from what we observe today.”
The findings at the enclosure also illuminate the lifestyle of the inhabitants. “This is a picturesque area,” remarks Sherach Ravi. “We have uncovered extensive evidence of livestock grazing, hunting, and fishing.”
Moreover, within the enclosure, researchers discovered stone platforms or benches that could have served as stoves or beds for the Han Chinese during the Song Dynasty, who were in conflict with the Jin Dynasty.
This suggests that significant resources went into building and maintaining garrisons, indicating that people lived there year-round and engaged in agriculture. “This is remarkable, as even today, farming activities are minimal in this region,” he notes.
Recent studies indicate that humpback whales often collide with objects due to their surprisingly limited vision.
This gentle giant struggles to discern fine details until it is quite close, which may explain the unfortunate incidents of these animals becoming entangled in fishing nets or crashing into small vessels.
To gain insights into how humpback whales perceive their surroundings, a group of marine biologists examined the left eye of a deceased whale after it had been stranded.
In the study, the researchers found that the rear part of the whale’s eye was considerably thicker than anticipated. This suggests that the distance from the retina to the lens (the eye’s focal length) is much shorter than expected.
A shorter focal length implies that the whale’s capability to resolve finer details is significantly lower than previously believed.
This theory was further supported by the team’s count of the neurons responsible for transmitting visual information to the brain, which revealed a stark contrast.
While a typical human eye has around 40,000 retinal ganglion cells per square millimeter, humpback whales possess only about 180.
Humpback whales are known to collide with small boats as they fail to detect them – Credits: Getty Images/Marnie Griffith
This level of poor vision typically doesn’t hinder whales, but Professor Lori Schweikert from the University of North Carolina Wilmington noted in BBC Science Focus.
“Apart from prey, humans, and some bird species, many animals possess relatively low vision,” says Schweikert.
“However, their visual capabilities are often adequate for their survival needs in their natural habitats. For humpback whales, they may primarily need to recognize large shapes, such as a big school of prey or other swimming whales.”
Humpbacks can identify large objects from a distance, but finer details come into focus only when they are about 45-60 meters away, or within 3-4 lengths of their bodies.
This means whales may struggle to see thin strands of fishing nets.
“At close range, they should be able to identify such structures,” Schweikert adds.
About our experts
Professor Lori Schweicart serves as an assistant professor of biology and marine biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her research centers on the physiological mechanisms involved in light reception within marine settings.
The Birch Glacier triggered an avalanche of ice, snow, water, and rocks as its edge collapsed.
Jean-Christophe Bott/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Many glaciers in the Swiss Alps separated from the mountains, resulting in debris, mud, and ice crashing down onto the village of Blatten.
Authorities had been warning for weeks about the potential collapse of the Birch Glacier due to visible cracks in the ice. Earlier this month, both residents and livestock were evacuated from Bratten, a village situated in the valley beneath the glacier, which houses around 300 individuals.
Webcams and drone footage captured on the 28th show massive clouds of debris swirling through the Alpine valley as the glacier gives way, with immense flows of mud and rock blanketing the hillside and much of the village.
A press briefing in a nearby settlement on May 28th reported one person missing, though there were no immediate casualties. Much of Bratten is now covered beneath debris. The glacial collapse also registered as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale, according to seismic data.
Images from the location indicate that, in addition to the village, vast expanses of forest have been devastated, which has dammed the nearby Lonza River, heightening the risk of floods in the area.
“Nature is more powerful than humanity. Those living in the mountains understand this. However, today we witnessed an exceptional event. It’s deeply disturbing to see the aftermath,” reported a Swiss news outlet.
As global temperatures rise, Alpine glaciers are becoming increasingly unstable. Official statistics show that in Switzerland, glaciers lost 10% of their volume between 2022 and 2023.
The melting of glaciers leads to the collapse of rocks and ice, resulting in debris flows into the valleys below. Research indicates that climate change is contributing to an increase in small rockfalls and landslides in the Alps.
However, further investigation is necessary to understand the specific events that transpired in Blatten, as stated by Mylène Jacquemart from ETH Zurich, who will assess the extent of the glacier failures and the underlying reasons. “Clearly, incidents similar to Bratten are rare. This is a complicated sequence of processes,” she elaborated.
Jack Mart emphasized the challenge of detecting changes in the frequency and severity of significant landslides.
“The alterations induced by climate change in the alpine regions (such as increased melting, reduced snow cover, warmer temperatures, and more rain than snow) negatively affect rock stability,” she noted. “Yet, could this series of events have occurred without climate change? It’s possible. A crucial question in hazard management is whether there is a noticeable rise in the frequency of certain events. Are occurrences that previously happened every decade now becoming more frequent?
Recent studies reveal that these pests have been accompanying humans since they ventured out of caves approximately 60,000 years ago, possibly earning the title of “the first true urban pest.”
Researchers indicate that understanding the symbiotic relationship between bed bugs and blood-sucking parasites could enhance predictive models for the spread of pests and diseases as urban populations swell. This finding was detailed in a study published in the journal Biology Letters on Wednesday.
Through genetic analysis, Virginia Tech researchers have found that the populations of bed bugs that fed on humans began to dwindle until the last ice age around 20,000 years ago.
At this point, the two lineages began to diverge.
“The most thrilling part is the resurgence of human-associated strains and a rise in effective population,” stated Lindsay Miles, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech. News Release from Wednesday.
Bed bug populations also surged approximately 12,000 years ago when humans began forming large settlements that evolved into cities like Mesopotamia. The study noted that furniture and blood-sucking pests such as rats and cockroaches became domestic nuisances.
The research indicated a decline in the bat bedbug.
The analysis of demographic patterns “offers compelling evidence that human-associated lineages closely followed the demographic history and movement of modern humans toward the first city,” concluded the researchers.
“Bed bugs shared living spaces with early humans, and as humans migrated, they took along a subset of the population, leading to reduced genetic diversity in those strains associated with humans,” explained Warren Booth, an associate professor of urban entomology at Virginia Tech.
The team observes an “effective population size,” which refers to the number of breeders contributing to the next generation, allowing them to glimpse past trends, according to Miles.
The earliest human civilizations emerged around 10,000 years ago, creating optimal conditions for the “proliferation of pests in communal cities,” as noted by Miles and Booth in the study results.
In the concluding episode of Ted Lasso’s second season, Ted sends a straightforward text to his ex-wife: “Knock, Knock.” It’s not particularly unusual, but the striking part is that this seems to be the very first message he ever sent to his son’s mother. Until now, she’s never texted him back. The empty spaces surrounding the message indicate that the characters have a history of communication.
This issue has been a thorn in the side of television. Why does Emily in Paris receive her boyfriend’s first text saying, “Hey, how about Paris?” Or when Rebecca mistakenly texts her crush using her eccentric ex-girlfriend’s best friend’s phone—why is their conversation history nonexistent when she sees a message about a house party several episodes later? In 2021, Wired journalist Zack Jason highlighted in a series of articles that these characters have no texting history, making it “not allowed and awkward to witness.”
It seems that studios and streamers have taken note. Nowadays, television writers strive to accurately portray their characters’ texting history.
In the dark comedy currently airing, friends and neighbors often text one another. When Jon Hamm’s character Coop wishes to meet up with his lover, we see a long history filled with previous booty calls, and even sexy snapshots. When his son texts his crush, it’s evident that she has previously replied with just “K.” Meanwhile, the newly released thriller series The Stolen Girl showcases text threads bursting with emojis between spouses and colleagues. Ted Lasso’s approach was revised in Season 3; viewers can now observe Ted’s interactions with various people, including a message to his upstairs neighbor stating, “I swear to you, I’m not playing music.”
“I swear to you, Mrs. Shipley, I’m not playing music”… A very unusual call in Ted Lasso’s Season 3. Photo: Amelia Tate
“It drives us all mad when there’s no text history. That’s something we’ve fought for years,” states Dave Henri, managing partner at Modern Motion, a California-based graphic design firm. The Magic Phone software can be installed on a set of prop devices. The app syncs with a Bluetooth keyboard that allows crews to trigger notifications, or a bubble that pops up when someone is typing, enabling actors to send past messages and display appropriate responses in real-time. Magic Phone allows productions to incorporate text message histories complete with convincing timestamps, and its realism is employed in several Apple TV+ productions, including morning shows, shrinks, and Ted Lasso.
“I believe studios and creatives are recognizing that viewers are accustomed to analyzing these devices,” Henri adds. “A lot of thought goes into this now because fans know to look for errors.”
A contemporary worker, Rodgers, collaborated on Ted’s extensive text history in Season 3. He notes that it went through 25 to 30 revisions before the visuals were perfected. “We engaged with the writers, directors, and showrunners, reflecting on what Ted had previously told his mother or what he said to his doctor three months back,” states Rogers. Several graphics were adjusted post-premiere to enhance viewer experience for those watching the show later. “If they realized that sending a message at 10:53 AM wasn’t feasible, they aimed to rectify it to ensure it was flawless.”
Ambika mod of The Stolen Girl. Photo: Matt Squire/Disney
An astonishing amount of effort goes into crafting what appears on the screen for just a moment. “You’re simply sending text messages, and there are 13 or 14 iterations. We think about what a character’s phone displays, what the contact image should be, or whether we even need that image,” Rogers explains. A unique gag for observant viewers shows that Ted’s mother had texted him previously, attaching a photo of a router without a plug and stating that her internet was down. “We loved the three or four different photos they provided of that router. That’s how detailed we get.”
While adding Easter eggs like this can be enjoyable, past texts must not distract from the central plot. This is because the audience tends to miss the “hero text” being sent or received during crucial moments. Script editor Charlie Neal faced this dilemma with The Stolen Girl. Important texts were written into scripts by head writers, but he filled in the conversation history, subsequently approved by writers and producers. “What’s needed is to keep the focus on what’s significant,” he emphasizes. Past texts must not be “quirky, attention-catching, or lengthy” as viewers’ attention can drift away. Conversely, overly mundane messages may also distract. If silence prevails, it becomes distracting too.
Neal even drew inspiration from his own real-life text exchanges. “What do you text your colleagues about?” might be something like, “I’m heading out for coffee, would you like something?” However, he had to ensure that nothing was added that could misrepresent the story or alter the audience’s perception of characters. Continuity is paramount—if a character receives a text on one day, it must be visible in the next day’s history, occasionally amidst random messages.
A booty call between friends and neighbors. Photo: Amelia Tate
In the end, Neal wrote 10-20 historical texts for each interaction, although only one or two appear on the screen. At one point in The Stolen Girl, a character scrolls through the DMs sent to a media outlet’s social media profiles, and Neal even had to “channel the voices of internet trolls” to craft these messages. He was also tasked with assigning names to the senders. All names displayed onscreen must receive approval from the legal department; for instance, if a journalist named Amelia Tait appears alongside another journalist named Amelia Tait, Neal named the troll after a fellow crew member.
Ultimately, while texting history may not make or break a show, it is certainly appreciated by the audience. “Today’s television viewers are so perceptive that they will notice if the minor text dated April 26th contradicts anything else in the script,” observes Neal. Actors enjoy interacting with these sound devices as well. “Helping an actor visualize and react to the message is truly one of the best experiences,” Henri remarks. Interestingly, Harrison Ford was reportedly a fan of the Magic Phone on a reduced set, and Kandy even notes how one actor’s typing appears like that of a skilled hacker due to the software, despite their actual method resembling “hunting and pecking with just two fingers.”
Nowadays, if a character’s text history is absent, viewers might feel confident that it was a deliberate choice. “When a typing bubble repeatedly appears and vanishes without any action, it’s a modern metaphor for unresolved communication,” Kandy points out—almost a sign that the text is meant to signify something. The team behind crafting these messages is pleased that their work is finally receiving recognition. “We often go unnoticed or are overshadowed in industry roles,” Rogers states. “But we’re continually evolving,” or to put it another way, people may not exclaim “OMG” at the moment, but if you know, you know (iykyk).
Envisioning a specific action is a strategy effectively employed by athletes to achieve outstanding results.
Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
This article is part of a special series exploring the fundamental possibilities of human imagination. Click here for more details.
Are you feeling anxious about upcoming events? Picture a magical anti-anxiety pill in front of you for a moment, and let it dissolve your nerves. Visualize the package, feel yourself taking the pills from the foil, and then imagine bringing it to your mouth, dropping it, and recalling the sensation of swallowing.
These were the instructions given by Jens Gaab, a colleague at the University of Basel in Switzerland, in a recent study investigating the potential of the placebo effect. University students preparing for exams were instructed to practice this visualization twice a day for three weeks.
Surprisingly, it proved effective. Participants who engaged in this mental exercise reported reduced test anxiety compared to a control group who had to monitor their anxiety levels as the trial approached. “And they performed significantly better,” Gaab notes. It is now widely recognized that placebo pills can alleviate symptoms, and the findings from Gaab and his team indicate that such effects can be achieved through mere imagination. This is only one of the many incredible ways in which our imagination can enhance our health, happiness, and success. So, how can we maximize these advantages?
Why does visualization work?
The effectiveness of visualization is well-documented in sports science. “Multisensory imagery can be a game changer…
A A standalone spinoff from FromSoftware’s immensely popular single-player dark-fantasy game Eldenling, the multiplayer-focused Eldenling Night League is an intriguing mix that often feels like a blend of various gaming experiences.
Each session, whether solo or in a team of three, begins as players enter a compact, dense world, striving to gain strength as the rapidly closing ring constricts around them. Instead of facing other players, you will combat various monsters and explore locations directly drawn from Eldenling’s universe. After every match, players obtain upgrade materials to enhance future runs and advance the game’s narrative alongside rogue elements. This complexity can be quite overwhelming.
Race against the clock… Eldenling Night League. Photo: Bandai Namco
Each session presents a frantic race against time to develop an in-flight strategy that takes you across the map. The match unfolds over three days. In the first two days, you can quickly become a local boss, acquire minor buffs with powerful passive abilities, gain weapons with impactful skills, or evade the encroaching rings to ensure successful runs. Each night culminates in a more formidable battle than ever faced, heightening the stakes.
It’s a thrilling yet intense experience as you gear up for the final day. As dawn breaks, you find yourself ready to enter the desolate arena and confront one of several challenging mega bosses designed for group play.
Nightreign is predominantly tailored for a trio of players. You can venture solo, but this poses a significant risk. If you inadvertently fall victim to a boss attack and perish, there’s no one to revive you. Furthermore, many enemies intended for teamwork can easily overwhelm an individual player.
Going solo is not advisable… Eldenling Night League. Photo: Bandai Namco
Ultimately, this game emphasizes momentum. The urgency you feel while navigating the world is palpable. Every moment prompts the question: Am I wasting time exploring this corner? Can I defeat this boss quickly enough to secure a reward? It’s an exhilarating experience as you rush to assess equipment and make build decisions on the fly, yet it strays from the traditional FromSoftware formula, as many elements have been adapted for speed.
For instance, there’s no stats option for leveling up. Leveling has been simplified to button mashing at rest areas. While the world is filled with numerous minor enemies, defeating a couple in quick succession will only help you reach level 2; engaging with them feels minimal since tackling bosses is the key to gaining strength.
This momentum gives Nightreign a “one more run” allure, but the fast pace diminishes much of the world to mere distractions that squander your time. The glitches we’ve encountered in the review versions contribute to this irritation. Spending five minutes on a dragon only to glitch through the wall feels particularly frustrating.
One of the most criticized mechanics in the Dark Souls series was the necessity to return to the boss arena upon death. Fans were relieved when Eldenling allowed respawning just outside the arena. However, Nightreign’s experience feels like a cumbersome regression, almost Sisyphean. Each run demands approximately 35 minutes to reach the final boss, yet these bosses often have unique mechanics capable of obliterating unsuspecting teams with just a few hits. You find yourself rolling that boulder up the hill repeatedly, which feels awfully punishing.
Given Elden Ring’s triumph in adapting FromSoftware’s intricate design philosophy into an open world, it’s disappointing that the developers seem to have missed the mark with Nightreign. The repetitive nature of the game and its reliance on content borrowed from Eldenling—often haphazardly arranged—leaves the world feeling more like a fan-made mod than a unique title.
The efforts to preserve established gameplay mechanics are commendable, and defeating massive enemies alongside friends adds to the gratification of overcoming what initially felt like an insurmountable challenge. Nonetheless, the game’s pacing issues and dependence on Eldenling’s assets detract from the overall experience.
Last week, The Guardian engaged with the creators of Lili, Macbeth’s video game, which was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival. The prominent quote from this piece stated, “Shakespeare will write for today’s game.” Shakespeare was immersed in the Elizabethan era of theatre, a time when, much like contemporary video games, plays were regarded as mere popular entertainment and often overlooked for serious analysis or preservation! Authorities at the time similarly fretted over the violent and obscene nature of these plays and their potential influence on the masses.
If he were to embrace the notion of a 21st-century Shakespeare crafting games, what type would that entail? Our key argument is that Shakespeare was invested in populism and entertainment. Thus, if we focus on pure profit, he might develop casual smartphone games—akin to Tencent’s massively popular multiplayer arena game, King of Honor, which raked in $2.6 billion (£1.9 billion) last year. However, while the Bard had a fascination with royalty and honor (and certainly making money), it’s a stretch to envision Hamlet as a multiplayer arena-style battler. Surely, our noble characters would barely utter, “O, this would melt, thaw, and settle into dew. Before it evaporates with a barrage of sc-heat.” There’s also little room for the intricacies of storytelling or military rhetoric in battle royale games like Fortnite, despite Shakespeare’s acknowledged affinity for conflict and mortality.
No, if Shakespeare were to return in the early 21st century, it seems he would gravitate towards open-world role-playing adventures. In such a realm, he would have the freedom to craft nuanced stories with an array of characters in diverse settings. The marsh of King Lear could transform into a desolate wasteland, echoing the ravages of Fallout. Macbeth’s Castle might resemble Elden Ring’s ghostly dungeons or settings in The Witcher 3. Verona, home to Romeo and Juliet, could present a captivating yet troubled rendition reminiscent of GTA’s Los Santos. The persistent themes of Shakespeare—war’s nature, revenge, madness, and free will—are at the heart of fantasy RPGs. His talent for incorporating characters from all walks of life is mirrored in the intricate social hierarchies of expansive open-world games. Shakespeare’s historical narratives blend real and fictional figures, akin to the Assassin’s Creed series, which also grapples with themes of identity, disguise, and fantasy.
“This castle has a comfortable seat”… The Witcher 3 represents the kind of open-world RPG that a reborn bard could inspire. Photo: CD Projekt Red
Moreover, open-world games possess a similarly free-form structure and psychological depth as Shakespeare’s theatrical works. They feature subplots, side quests, nonlinear timelines, and morally complex characters. Vast and sprawling, these games invite diverse interpretations; audiences often become both spectators and participants within the narrative. Likewise, Shakespeare aimed for his audiences to engage with the performance, utilizing asides, quips, and monologues to blur the lines between the stage and the audience. Today’s vocal and interactive gamers share more with Shakespeare’s Elizabethan viewers than with the polite crowds of modern theater.
This intriguing intersection of Shakespeare and open-world games is gradually gaining recognition. A few years back, the RSC commissioned three artists to explore live theater interactions with technology. One such artist, digital creator Adam Clarke, experimented with staging Shakespeare’s performances in Minecraft. Recently, I viewed Grand Theft Hamlet, an incredible documentary showcasing efforts to perform Hamlet within Grand Theft Auto during the COVID lockdowns. After all, if any genre can technically express Shakespeare’s fundamental philosophy, it’s that of open-world online video games, where everyone is merely a player on the great stage of life.
What to play
An intriguing strategy sim… Lift Lift. Photo: Adriaan de Jongh
It’s always refreshing to witness a familiar video game genre reimagined thoughtfully. Lift Lift, created by Dutch designer Adriaan de Jongh and his small team, offers a fresh take on tower defense games—think Plants vs. Zombies. In this version, the landscape is significantly more expansive, incorporating tactical elements like the capacity to lay the groundwork for new towers before gathering the necessary resources. With engaging visual aesthetics and sound effects, this strategy sim proves appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike.
Available on: PC Estimated playtime: Over 15 hours
What to read
It’s a flesh scar… Elden Ring. Photo: Bandai Namco
Writer, director, and gaming enthusiast Alex Garland has confirmed his involvement in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Elden Ring, produced by A24 and Bandai Namco. If realized, the initial moments of the film will depict the protagonist’s repeated defeats at the hands of the Tree Sentinel Knight.
Pac-Man officially turns 45! The BFI features articles tracing the game’s development, from its origins as a pizza-inspired saga to the distinct personalities of the ghosts. However, Ms. Pac-Man remains the superior game.
Game design icon Peter Molyneux recently participated in a Q&A at the Nordic Game 2025 Conference, where gi.biz shared his intriguing insights on the fate of Project Milo. If you have to ask what it is, you may never know.
For those intrigued, check out Hurt Me Plenty, an exquisite coffee table book exploring the finest first-person shooters from the 2000s. It dissects titles like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Half-Life 2, and Unreal Tournament, along with an obscure gem known as Code Name: Nina—an insightful overview of this pivotal era in shooter game design.
What is the strangest game you’ve ever played? Last year, I explored Harold Halibut on Game Pass, which stands out as one of the most bizarre experiences I’ve encountered. I’m eager to hear about other unusual gaming journeys.
I’ve played many peculiar titles. Seaman (the fish who speaks with Leonard Nimoy’s voice), Mr. Mosquito (where you embody a mosquito), and Catamari Damacy (where you roll up a massive ball of trash for the King of the Universe) have all left an imprint. I’ve also ventured into more obscure games like the Spectrum classic Fat Worm Blows a Sparx (you are a microscope worm trapped in a computer), the strange Amiga adventure Tone’s Tass Town (where you’re caught in a punk-infused 1980s dimension), and the quirky PlayStation 2 voyeur simulator Polaroid Pete (you’re a photographer capturing odd happenings in a park).
My personal favorite is Sega’s Ambulance Emergency Call, a game reminiscent of Crazy Taxi. If you collide too much, you have to perform CPR while transporting a critically ill patient. It was a notable arcade hit, yet it surprisingly didn’t make it to home consoles—I can’t fathom why!
If you have a blocking question or anything to share about the newsletter, please reach out to pushingbuttons@theguardian.com
On Tuesday, Donald Trump’s media organization announced that institutional investors are set to acquire $2.5 billion in stock, with plans to build Bitcoin reserves from the generated revenue.
Around 50 institutional investors are expected to put $1.5 billion into a private placement for Trump Media and Technology Group, the firm behind Truth Social, along with a $1 billion conversion of senior notes into common stock, as per the company’s statement.
Trump Media aims to utilize its revenues to establish a “Bitcoin Treasury Department.” This initiative will mirror the president’s actions and develop a “strategic Bitcoin Reserve” for the U.S. government.
Devin Nunes, former Congressman and current CEO and Chairman of Trump Media, stated in a press release: “We view Bitcoin as the pinnacle of financial freedom. Currently, Trump Media holds cryptocurrency as a significant portion of their assets. Nunes added that purchasing a substantial amount of Bitcoin will enhance subscription payments and promote a true social “utility token,” which is a form of cryptocurrency used for app purchases on a designated blockchain.
During his initial term, Trump, who once described cryptocurrency as “not money,” critiquing its value as “based on thin air,” has since shifted his perspective on technology. He was the first major candidate to accept donations in cryptocurrency during his campaign. Since assuming office, he has introduced his own cryptocurrency.
Just last week, Trump compensated 220 individuals involved in another cryptocurrency venture, Trump’s Memecoin, leading to allegations that he has blurred the lines between his responsibilities as president and personal interests during a lavish dinner at a luxury golf club in Northern Virginia.
At an event hosted at his Mar-A-Lago club in Florida during the May 2024 presidential election, Trump received confirmation that supporters from the cryptocurrency sector would significantly fund his re-election. He plans to address major Bitcoin events throughout the campaign, with Vice President JD Vance scheduled to speak at a gathering this week.
RNA is believed to have been crucial in the initiation of life
Shutterstock/nobeastsofierce
The quest to decipher how dormant molecules might have sparked life brings researchers closer to their goal. A team has developed a method using partially replicable RNA molecules, suggesting that genuine self-replication could eventually be achieved.
RNA is a pivotal molecule in the discussion of life’s origins, as it can store information like DNA and catalyze reactions akin to proteins. While neither function is perfect on its own, the dual capability has led many scientists to theorize that life originated with self-replicating RNA molecules. “This was the molecule that governed biology,” says James Atwater from University College London.
Nonetheless, engineering self-replicating RNA molecules is a challenging task. RNA can form double helices similar to DNA, which can also be copied in a similar manner. By separating the two helices and adding RNA nucleotides to each strand, one could theoretically produce two identical helices. However, the binding between RNA strands is so strong that it complicates their separation for replication.
Recently, Attwater and his team found that a trio of RNA nucleotides (triplets) can be tightly bonded, preventing the strands from re-zipping. “Three is the sweet spot,” Attwater elaborates, noting that longer combinations are prone to errors. Thus, in their methodology, the team mixed RNA enzyme double helices with the triplet sequences.
By acidifying the solution and heating it to 80°C (176°F), the helices can be separated to allow for triplet pairing. When the solution is then made alkaline and cooled to -7°C (19°F), the highly concentrated liquid remaining as water freezes activates the RNA enzymes, which then bind the triplets together to form new strands.
Currently, researchers have succeeded in replicating RNA enzymes of up to 30 nucleotides in length from an original strand of 180 nucleotides. They believe that enhancing enzyme efficiency could lead to full replication.
Attwater highlights that this “very simple molecular system” possesses intriguing characteristics. One is the potential correlation between triplet RNA sequences and the triplet code that dictates protein sequences in modern cells. “There may be a connection between the biological mechanisms employed for RNA replication and the way RNA is utilized in present-day biology,” he explains.
Additionally, the team has identified that the triplet sequences most likely to facilitate replication exhibit the strongest bonding. This suggests that the earliest genetic code may have consisted of this set of triplets, which adds another layer of interest.
Researchers contend that the conditions required to support this process might naturally occur. Given the need for freshwater, it’s likely that such processes transpired on land within geothermal systems.
“The materials we see today can be found on Earth. Icelandic hot springs display a mixed pH, similar to what we use,” Attwater notes.
“RNA nucleotide triplets convey highly specific functional information in every cell,” remarks Zachary Adam from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “This research is captivating as it may indicate a purely chemical role (rather than informational) for RNA nucleotide triplets that could predate the emergence of living cells.”
Champagne glasses clink at a bustling party in Bangkok, where elegantly dressed guests share laughter and mingle. They take turns posing with a cat, casually shifting it from one person to another. But as the camera focuses, it becomes evident that this is no ordinary pet; it’s a cub resembling a lion. A woman in a striking red cocktail dress playfully lifts the cub to her face for a kiss, all while the camera clicks.
Such clips flood social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, providing insight into Thailand’s rapidly growing lion trading industry. According to recent reports from The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand and the Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, the number of lions in captivity has more than tripled since 2018. A network of lion farms has emerged to cater to this rising demand, often managed by individuals lacking proper wildlife care experience.
Lion breeder Patama Wadee Champituck greets visitors in her nursery, where the scent of kitten formula fills the air.
“When we began, we had little experience,” she admits, noting that she has sold over 80 lions across Thailand.
The buyers include both Thai nationals and foreigners, all of whom are affluent. Prices for Thai lion cubs start at $5,000 (£3,700), with rare white cubs fetching as much as $15,000. Owning a lion comes with hefty expenses, including the need for a secure enclosure and as much as 10kg of fresh meat daily.
Most buyers desire the youngest lions possible. Although some customers purchase directly from the farm, others work with agents promoting the cubs on social media.
As these animals grow, complications frequently arise. “Some buyers can’t handle their lions,” says Patamawadi. “They often ask us to take them back.”
The report reveals that this “buyback” system forms the basis of the farm’s business model, allowing owners to experience lion ownership without a long-term commitment. Older lions can be used for breeding or sold to zoos, generating profit at each life stage.
Frequent transfers between facilities hinder the tracking of individual lions, which contributes to discrepancies between official data and actual numbers. The report identifies at least 444 captured lions, with 138 registered since 2018 with the Department of Thai National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation. Researchers believe true numbers may be significantly higher due to a lack of registered sales or breeding activities.
Despite regulatory efforts, numerous loopholes persist, enabling the trade to thrive. In 2019, the government enacted the Wildlife Conservation Act, regulating ownership of non-native, CITES-listed species like lions that were previously broadly protected. Unfortunately, this legislation inadvertently fueled lion trading by creating legal avenues with significant surveillance gaps. Owning a lion requires a license; however, breeding does not have the same restrictions. Anyone legally owning a lion can breed it, and cubs only need registration once they are 60 days old, with hybrid species, such as ligers, entirely excluded from the law. Consequently, this industry, valued at over $1 million (£740,000) annually, continues to flourish.
Taweesak Anansiriwattana, a Bangkok veterinarian known as Dr. Vee, operates in a clinic on the city’s outskirts. “I do not endorse keeping lions as pets,” he states. Over the past five years, he has dealt with over 25 privately owned lions. “Our humid climate leads to common skin infections,” he adds, noting malnutrition is prevalent since many owners feed their lions only chicken when they require organ meats like liver and intestines to thrive. Enclosure requirements mandate a minimum of 3m x 3m, but Dr. Vee found that less than half of the households he visited met these criteria.
Adult animals including rare white lions and cubs from breeding farms. Photo: Anna Norman Belmdez
“There are significant welfare issues affecting these animals,” states Tom Taylor, Operations Chief of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, who co-authored the report. “Many facilities provide miserable conditions, keeping lions in dark, barren enclosures, with inadequate diets.” To satisfy demand, breeders frequently separate cubs from their mothers early, prompting rapid return to breeding cycles. Inbreeding is especially prevalent among white lions and hybrids, increasing their perceived value.
Lions not indigenous to Thailand are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. While the captive population offers little conservation benefit, Taylor warns that it opens pathways for human trafficking and elevates risks to wild lion populations. “We have credible reports indicating that Thai lions are being illegally exported, both alive and for their body parts,” he noted, explaining that these lions may be filling the market gap created by restrictions on the tiger trade.
Public safety also emerges as a critical concern, evidenced by reports of lions escaping from private enclosures and entering public areas. In 2024, a viral video featured a man driving a lion in a convertible car, triggering widespread alarm. In response, the National Parks Director announced that the government is contemplating amendments to existing laws, including tighter regulations around lion ownership.
The report advocates for emergency bans on individual ownership and commercial breeding, increased licensing requirements, and restrictions on lion cafes and photo ops. These practices are believed to elevate the allure of exotic pets. “Many individuals are attracted to owning a lion without fully grasping the ethical, financial, and safety repercussions,” states Taylor. He points out that similar trends are emerging for other non-native species, such as ring-tailed lemurs and red pandas. “We hope this report encourages the public to consider the origins of these animals, their rearing conditions, and what happens when they grow too large and dangerous to manage.”
For more coverage on extinction, explore our dedicated pages and follow Guardian App biodiversity journalists Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield.
Elon Musk has openly criticized Donald Trump’s tax plan, asserting that the US president’s financial strategy undermines the cost-saving initiatives implemented by Tesla executives.
These comments from the billionaire entrepreneur were shared with CBS during a comprehensive interview set to air this weekend on Sunday morning. Previews shared on social media included his sentiment saying, “I’m disappointed after witnessing the enormous spending bill that will escalate the fiscal deficit, harming the efforts of the Doge team.”
Musk has been at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) since January. He later informed that he would step back from the Trump administration in April following a significant drop in Tesla’s revenue.
The proposal now seems to resonate with one major piece of Trump’s legislation, which was passed by the House of Representatives last week.
The legislation fulfills several of Trump’s campaign promises, including extending tax cuts for individuals and corporations while eliminating clean energy incentives established by Joe Biden.
However, the bill also allocates funds for the construction of barriers along the US-Mexico border and includes measures for the large-scale deportation of undocumented immigrants. The Non-partisan Congressional Budget Office predicts the bill will contribute approximately $2.3 trillion (£1.7 trillion) to the deficit, even after considering the tax cuts.
This comment fuels speculation about a potential rift growing between the billionaire and the president, whom Musk financially supported last year. Altogether, Musk’s Super Political Action Committee contributed $200 million (£148 million) to Trump’s presidential campaign before the elections in November.
F1 enthusiasts know the excitement surrounding the annual release of the officially licensed games. Luckily, F1 25, developed by Codemasters in Birmingham, continues this tradition. Players can look forward to the return of the story mode, Brake Points, enhancements in My Team, the ever-popular career mode, and an intriguing partnership with F1: Film. Perhaps the most exciting feature is the option to race three tracks in reverse direction alongside the standard layout.
F1 25 feels like a culmination of prior advancements. For instance, last year’s F1 24 introduced a new physics model that underwent refinement post-launch; it is now fully optimized for improved car handling and tire wear, complemented by stunning graphics, as Codemasters transitions to this year’s advanced console.
Stunning graphics… F1 25. Photo: Electronic Arts
This advancement allows the company to explore fantasy elements that diverge from reality. One notable feature is the narrative surrounding the fictional Conor sports team, which unfolds across 15 chapters filled with engaging soap opera-style storylines and varied racing actions.
At its core, the beloved career mode, My Team, has upped the management aspect by placing you in the role of a new team owner, which has garnered considerable focus from Codemasters. This installment requires you to select one of your two hired drivers to stay in the corporate lane, making strategic driving choices more impactful than ever. In a similar vein, new parts must be assigned to specific drivers, enhancing the authenticity and realism of the gameplay, as emphasized by Codemasters.
As always, you can take your skills online, challenge opponents under varied standards, and engage in split-screen play with friends. A new addition, the Challenge Career mode, allows for timed scenarios offline, enabling players to compete globally on leaderboards. While this feature aims at pushing you beyond your comfort zone, its benefits will only be fully realized post-launch. Notably, scenarios from F1: Film will be available as post-release episodes, giving players an opportunity to experience the thrill of driving a Formula One car, as portrayed by Brad Pitt in his role as a fictional racer.
For fans of Formula One, there’s an exciting opportunity to experience the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, Zandvoort, and Austria in reverse, with modifications made to accommodate new pit lanes. This reversal adds a completely fresh and engaging twist to the racing experience.
With real-world regulations evolving and significantly impacting car performance, Formula One appears to be at the pinnacle of its era, and F1 25 beautifully exemplifies this, blending a captivating mix of nail-biting realism with fantastical elements. F1 25? The peak of F1.
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Dele Zeynep Walton sensed something was off when she emerged from a caravan in New Forest at 8 am, camping with her boyfriend. Initially frustrated by the early start, she quickly realized the car was off course, and upon approaching, found her mother appeared “hysterical.” “Right away,” she recalls, “I thought, ‘That’s Amy.'”
Amy, Walton’s younger sister, was 21 and had been struggling with mental health issues for several months. She had a passion for music technology and art, with her stunning self-portraits adorning their family home in Southampton. A big fan of Pharrell Williams, she once received five calls to join him on stage at a concert. However, as her mental health declined, she became increasingly unreachable. “For two months, I had no idea where she was or what she was doing,” Walton says.
That October morning in 2022, Walton uncovered a devastating truth. Amy was found dead in a hotel room in Slough, Berkshire, presumed to have taken her own life. In the following days, Walton and her family would begin to understand Amy’s path—a journey facilitated by a complex web of online connections.
She loved music and art… some of Amy’s self-portraits in her family home. Photo: Peter Fluid/Guardian
Walton, a 25-year-old journalist, pieced together that Amy had engaged with a suicidal promotion forum that the Guardian opted not to name. This site is linked to at least 50 deaths
in the UK and is currently under investigation by Ofcom, a regulator under the online safety law. Police investigating Amy’s death revealed that at this forum, Amy learned how to obtain the substance that ended her life and met the man who flew to Heathrow to accompany her at the end. (He was initially charged with assisting suicide, but no further action was taken.)
Sitting in the garden of her parents’ house in Southampton, Walton describes how she came to write about the events that transpired. Her book, Logoff: Human costs in the digital world
is partly a tribute to her sister and partly an exploration of the implications of everyday web browsing, fate, and the digital world that can perpetuate harm.
“I thought: I need to dedicate myself to uncovering this. Why is the public unaware of these ongoing harms? Because they are constant.” She references Vlad Nikolin-Caisley from Southampton, saying that earlier this month, a woman was arrested
on suspicion of aiding his suicide.
With a review of Aimee’s death in June, Walton hopes that online factors will be included in the investigation and that “online harm” will be acknowledged as a cause or contributing factor in her sister’s death.
This phrase has become familiar to her. “Until I lost Amy, I didn’t understand what ‘online harm’ meant,” she reflects. She first heard the term from Ian Russell, Molly’s father and a campaigner for online safety. Molly Russell was 14 when she took her life after being exposed to images and videos of self-harm. Uniquely, the coroner stated that online activity “had contributed to her death in a minimal way.” Walton hopes a similar perspective will be taken in her sister’s case, believing that calling it “suicide” alone fails to account for the impact of the digital world and places unfair blame on Amy while leaving it unregulated.
“We can become vulnerable at any time in our lives”… Amy’s photo. Photo: Peter Fluid/Guardian
Initially labeling her sister’s death a “suicide,” Walton now feels this term no longer adequately reflects Amy’s situation. When suicide is seen as a voluntary action, how much choice does a person really have when influenced by an intentional online community? And if individuals are genuinely free to choose, Walton questions, how does the algorithm continuously presenting Amy with self-harm content shape her experience? “That’s where it becomes hard for me to label it a suicide,” Walton asserts. “My intuition tells me Amy was groomed and that her decision was not entirely hers.”
Her deep dive into these issues has transformed Walton into an activist. She collaborates with Bereaved Families for Online Safety
and serves as a young people’s ambassador for People vs Big Technology. “We must address these issues head-on,” she emphasizes. “If we don’t, it fosters the belief that online safety is solely a personal responsibility.”
Walton recounts how police indicated that the man who accompanied Amy at the hotel had shared the room for 11 days prior to her passing. The room contained Amy’s notes, but Walton mentioned they were so filled with pain that they were unreadable. He later told police that he was “working.” She reveals that the man called 999 after Amy ingested the toxic substance but declined to administer CPR. Amy has since been linked to 88 deaths in the UK and the toxic substances are purportedly sourced from Kenneth Law, a Canadian under investigation by the National Crime Agency.
A New York Times investigation revealed the forum was established by two men. Walton visited the forum herself, wanting to trace her sister’s final interactions. “Many posts essentially say, ‘Your family doesn’t care about you; you should do this.’ They phrase it, ‘When are you getting on the bus?'”
Walton views this forum as a form of radicalization towards extreme behaviors that individuals may never have contemplated. She is alarmed by the thought that the man with Amy may have been “living a twisted fantasy as an incel, where a vulnerable young woman seeks to end her life.”
Prior to Amy’s death, Walton held a neutral stance on technology. Now, she describes, “The digital world is a distorted reflection of our offline world, amplifying its dangers.” In her book, her consideration of online harm victims spans a range of experiences, from Archie Batasby, who visited TikTok on the day he suffered a life-changing brain injury, to Meareg Amare Abrha, a university professor in Ethiopia who was killed after posting provocatively on Facebook. She also contemplates Amazon workers striving for better pay and conditions, alongside “Tony,” a 90-year-old neighbor who faced digital exclusion yet taught Walton how to use smartphones.
“For too long, the facade of technology has been equated with progress and innovation, which is a notion I challenge in my book,” she asserts. She recalls infamous public figures like Zuckerberg, Cook, Pichai, Bezos, and Musk, questioning, “Where are the engineers?” and stressing the interconnectedness of these power networks.
“The campaign allows survivors to regain control”… Amy’s bedroom in her family home. Photo: Peter Fluid/Guardian
Yet, Walton sometimes describes her experience as akin to being the digital equivalent of climate scientists from the 1970s. She acknowledges that her relationship with technology is complex, much like Amy’s. Her cherished memories of playing together revolve around their family computer in their parents’ bedroom.
“Chadwick and the Despicable Egg Thief – there’s video of us playing at 3 years old. We’ve played Color Games repeatedly. I’ve been taking photos with a ‘Digicam’ since I was 8, not to mention Xbox, Nintendo, computers—all just for fun!”
In a way, Walton describes her existence as a “double life.” Her book critically examines her own habits. While writing it, she lived in tracksuits, yet none of her Instagram
posts reveal this journey. She uses the app to limit her screen time and shares TikToks about “logoff.” Video calls have also allowed her family to “grieve together” after her sister’s passing, many of whom reside in Türkiye.
Promoting her book has made it tough to detach from screens. “I feel like a hypocrite!” she admits. “My screen time this week is nine and a half hours.” A day? “I don’t like it,” she replies, “I typically average six hours.”
Ultimately, she doesn’t aim for perfection, stating, “I’m in control of it all, guys.”
In her book, Walton notes, “The campaign allows survivors to reclaim the control that was taken from them,” a sentiment that resonates with her as the process seems exhausting. “Did I say that?” she questions, surprised. “But if I hadn’t engaged in this, where would that anger go? It would consume me and make me unwell.”
She has also engaged local MPs (first Royston Smith, then Darren Puffy), and Secretary of State Peter Kyle to seek answers about what occurred with Amy. “When we discuss online safety, it’s often framed in terms of protecting children. While that’s crucial, I also represent Amy; it’s about all of us. We can become vulnerable at any stage in our lives. If we focus solely on children’s safety, we become 18 and still don’t know how to navigate a healthy digital life,” she explains.
“I feel it’s my duty to Amy since I wish I could have shielded her.” Her eyes glisten with unshed tears.
Balancing her grief with activism has proven challenging. “Some days I genuinely can’t handle it, or I just need a day in bed, as my body struggles to keep pace with all the emotional weight.”
“But this is my mission. Those in power only act if they feel the weight of this pain. If Mark Zuckerberg experienced the loss of a child due to online harm, perhaps he would finally understand, ‘Oh my God, I need to pay attention.'”
In the UK and Ireland, contact Samaritans at Freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, call or text National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, chat at 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to reach a crisis counselor at 741741. Crisis Support Services in Australia can be reached at Lifeline at 13 1114. Additional international helplines are available at befrienders.org.
The Gobi Wall is a 321 km long edifice constructed from soil, stone, and wood, located in the Gobi Highlands desert of Mongolia. It represents the least understood segment of the medieval wall system that extends from China to Mongolia. In a recent study, archaeologists sought to uncover information about the builders, purpose, and timeline of this structure. Their findings indicate that the principal structure and its usage evolved during the Xi Xia dynasty (1038-1227 CE), a time notable for its sophisticated frontier defense systems and significant geopolitical transformations.
Aerial drone photograph depicting preserved stone segments of the Gobi walls traversing the hillside. Image credit: Golan et al. , doi: 10.3390/land14051087.
Stretching 321 km through Mongolia’s highland desert, the Gobi Wall forms part of a comprehensive wall system that once extended across China to Mongolia.
Previously, its origins, functions, and historical significance remained largely uncharted.
“The medieval wall system spans roughly 4,000 km across the vast territories of northern China and Mongolia, making it a distinct segment of Siberia,” remarked Professor Gideon Sheraha Ravi from Hebrew University and his collaborators.
“It stands out as one of East Asia’s most expansive yet mysterious architectural structures.”
“In recent years, numerous projects have delved into various sections of this wall line, yielding substantial research findings.”
“Such studies have established that this extensive system of earthen walls was constructed by different empires from the 10th to the 13th centuries.”
“Among the various parts of the system, the segment within the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia is the least explored and, as of yet, unrecognized.”
“Our investigation concentrates on a 321-km segment of this wall line in the Omnogovi region of Mongolia, which we refer to as the Gobi Wall.”
In this study, Professor Shelach-Lavi and his co-authors uncovered new insights into the building and purposes of the wall.
They found that the wall and its associated garrison were primarily constructed during the Xi Xia period (1038-1227 CE), a dynasty governed by the Tangot peoples in western China and southern Mongolia.
This era is marked by the growth of frontier defense strategies amid considerable geopolitical upheaval.
Contrary to conventional perspectives that view walls solely as defensive constructions, this research emphasizes the multifaceted roles of the Gobi walls in boundary integration, resource regulation, and imperial governance.
While the main construction and habitation phases align with the Xi Xia dynasty, the research also refuted evidence for consistent habitation of this remote area from the 2nd century BC to the 19th century AD.
The fortress comprises a plunging earth foundation bolstered by stone and wooden reinforcements, showcasing the adaptive use of local materials within this arid, isolated setting.
Additionally, ecological and spatial assessments from this study indicate that the wall routes were strategically selected based on resource accessibility, particularly water and timber.
The fort’s location and garrison positioning utilized natural geographical features such as mountain paths and sand dunes to enhance the wall’s effectiveness.
“This study challenges long-held beliefs regarding the empire’s frontier systems in Asia,” stated Professor Sheraha Ravi.
“The Gobi Wall was not merely a barrier, but an adaptive mechanism for regulating movement, commerce, and territorial authority in a demanding environment.”
This finding sheds light on how environmental adaptation and state power interacted within medieval empires, offering broader insights into ancient infrastructure and its relevance to contemporary political and ecological contexts.
“This study advocates for a wider rethinking of medieval frontiers, not just as static defensive barriers, but as dynamic management frameworks,” asserted the archaeologist.
“The Gobi Wall illustrates the Xi Xia Statecraft model, which uses architectural endeavors to manage population dynamics and territorial delineations.”
“Such an understanding aligns with a theoretical framework that perceives frontiers as zones of control and interaction, rather than rigid dividers, prompting a broader comparative analysis throughout Eurasia.”
The findings were published in a paper in the journal land.
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Dangoran et al. 2025. Exploring the Gobi Wall: Archaeology of a large medieval frontier system in the Mongol Desert. land 14(5): 1087; doi: 10.3390/land14051087
lAptops are essential tools, housing countless important documents, images, and cherished memories. Losing them is about more than just work interruptions. Here’s what to do if the unfortunate occurs:
What should I do if my laptop is lost or stolen?
Try to locate it using Microsoft or Apple’s Find My services. Lock it remotely and mark it as lost to safeguard your data.
Remove it as a trusted device from services like your Apple or Microsoft account, cloud services, online shops, or other browser apps.
Change the password for your primary accounts, such as your Apple or Microsoft account, starting with email accounts that a thief might access through password resets.
In the UK, call 101 to report the theft to the police, providing details like the laptop’s make, model, color, and serial number.
Reach out to your insurance provider. If you have coverage, your laptop might be included in some home contents policies.
Inform your bank about credit cards that might have stored information on your laptop.
Contact the laptop’s manufacturer to report the theft and request to blacklist the serial number.
What should you do immediately after getting a new laptop?
Once you acquire a replacement laptop (whether new or used), there are several precautions you can take to ensure its safety.
Establish strong passwords or long pins that are difficult to guess. Enable and utilize face or fingerprint recognition, and ensure your laptop locks the screen after a brief period or when the display turns off.
If not already activated, enable device encryption in the Privacy and Security Settings.
Set up two-step verification for your Microsoft or Apple account, along with any other accounts you use.
Regularly back up your data. On Windows, you can use Windows Backup to save files and settings, or utilize Microsoft’s OneDrive Cloud Service (5GB free). For Macs, use Time Machine to back up to an external drive, and sync iCloud with apps and files (5GB free). Alternatively, copy files to an external drive but ensure sensitive documents are encrypted before backup.
Store important documents in the cloud. Microsoft and Apple offer cloud services, but there are numerous alternatives, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Proton Drive.
Keep your proof of purchase secure, and remember your laptop’s color, model number, and serial number.
Consider insuring your laptop under your home contents policy. You may need to add it to a list of high-risk or high-value items, especially when leaving home. Alternatively, seek dedicated laptop or gadget insurance, which often includes theft protection.
Greenhouse gas emissions have led to a temperature rise of 1.44°C from pre-industrial levels
Chris Conway/Getty Images
Experts now warn that the world may experience its first year with warming exceeding 2°C by the decade’s end.
Each year, researchers at the Met Office, the UK’s National Weather Service, analyze observational climate data and collaborate with global agencies to forecast the climate for the next five years.
Their projections indicate that by 2029, the average annual temperature could surpass 2°C above pre-industrial levels, a significant and alarming point in the climate crisis.
“Just a few years ago, this seemed implausible,” stated Adam Scaife during a Met Office briefing. He labeled such an occurrence as “entirely unprecedented.”
The objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement aim to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an additional target of restricting the increase to below 1.5°C. These goals require stability in temperature rise for decades.
Last year marked the initial instance of temperatures exceeding the 1.5°C benchmark, attributed to escalating emissions and strong El Niño conditions. There exists an 86% probability that at least one of the next five years will breach this threshold. Global to 10 Years Climate Update produced by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has revealed this information.
Additionally, there is a 70% probability that the average warming will surpass 1.5°C in the 2025-2029 timeframe, up from a 47% chance in the 2024 report on the 2024-2028 period. Scaife remarked, “These new forecasts imply we are close to experiencing a year with an average increase of 1.5°C being typical.” “These numbers are alarming.”
According to estimates from the WMO/MET office team, there’s about a 1% chance of seeing warming above 2°C. “While it’s a rare event, it’s not impossible,” said Leon Hermanson, during a Met Office update. “It’s not the scenario we want, but it is what science predicts.”
Scaife emphasized that if the average annual temperature exceeds 2°C, a “perfect storm” of elements will likely be necessary. These may include a robust El Niño that drives heat from the Pacific, intensifying warming across Eurasia, alongside a positive Arctic oscillation.
However, despite the currently low odds, the likelihood of experiencing a 2°C year is projected to rise sharply over the coming years unless there is a marked decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.
It has only been a decade since the Met Office and WMO first affirmed the potential for temperatures to exceed 1.5°C. At present, the world is perilously close to breaching this threshold, with the report estimating that the long-term average temperature is currently 1.44°C above pre-industrial levels.
“Where we stood at 1.5°C back in 2015 is now where we find ourselves at 2°C,” remarked Hermanson. “If current trends continue, that probability will increase rapidly.”
Chris Hewitt of the WMO stated that there remains a chance to avert the direst consequences of climate change. “Every fraction of a degree matters,” he emphasized, pointing out the need for drastic emission reductions to approach the 1.5°C target.
The recently identified Transneptunian object, which was named in 2017, stands out as one of the most prominent objects in our solar system, measuring approximately 700 km in diameter, thus qualifying as a dwarf planet.
All cut-out images of 19 detections for 2017 2017. Image credits: Chen et al, arxiv: 2505.15806.
Transneptunian Objects (TNOs) are small celestial bodies that orbit the Sun at distances greater than that of Neptune.
In the 30 years following the discovery of the first TNO outside Pluto, numerous research initiatives have been launched to explore the expansive regions of the outer solar system, resulting in the identification of over 5,000 TNOs to date.
The newly discovered TNO is significant for two main reasons: its unique trajectory and substantial size.
“The object’s aphelion—the furthest point in its orbit from the Sun—is over 1,600 times the distance of Earth’s orbit,” states Dr. Sihao Chen, an astronomer at the Institute of Advanced Research and Boundary Research.
“Conversely, its perihelion—the closest point in its orbit to the Sun—is 44.5 times that of Earth’s orbit, akin to Pluto’s orbit.”
“This extreme trajectory takes around 25,000 years to complete, suggesting a complex gravitational history,” he adds.
“We likely experienced a close encounter with a massive planet, compelling us into this wide orbit,” comments Princeton University astronomer Dr. Elitas Yang.
“There may have been multiple phases in this transition.”
“The object might have initially been ejected into the Oort Cloud, the outermost region of the solar system, which is home to numerous comets.”
“Many extreme TNOs appear to follow similar trajectories, but 2017 OF201 stands out as an anomaly,” remarks Dr. Jiaxuan Li, also from Princeton University.
“This clustering is interpreted as indirect evidence suggesting the presence of another celestial body, often referred to as Planet X or Planet Nine, which could be influencing these objects through gravitational forces.”
“The existence of 2017 OF201 as an outlier in this clustering could potentially challenge this hypothesis.”
Astronomers estimate the diameter of 2017 OF201 to be 700 km, making it the second-largest object on such an extensive orbit.
“2017 OF201 can only be detected about 1% of the time when it is relatively close to us,” Dr. Chen notes.
“The presence of this solitary object implies that there may be around 100 other similar objects with comparable trajectories and sizes.”
Researchers discovered 2017 OF201 as part of an ongoing initiative to identify TNOs and potential new planets in the outer solar system.
The detection involved identifying bright spots in astronomical image databases from the Victor M. Blanco Telescope and the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), as well as attempting to trace groups of possible spots that indicate TNO movement across the sky.
Scientists identified 2017 OF201 in 19 different exposures collected over a span of seven years.
“Although advancements in telescopic technology have allowed us to explore distant realms of the universe, much remains to be uncovered within our own solar system,” concludes Dr. Chen.
The team’s paper has been published online at arxiv.org.
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Sihao Cheng et al. 2025. Discovery of new planet candidates in extremely wide orbits: 2017 OF201. arxiv: 2505.15806
Researchers conducted an extensive study of bone artifacts from 26 Paleolithic caves and rock shelter locations in the Cantabria area of Spain and southwestern France.
173 work (a) and raw (b) taxonomic identification of bone objects: (1) blank, Tito Bastilo, sperm whale. (2) A launch point with a huge base, Islitz and a blue whale. (3) Lassempouy, Fin Whale; (4) Rascaldas, a sperm whale; (5) A launch point with a giant base, Hermitia and a gray whale. (6) Unclear object, St. Michelle, a sperm whale. (7-10) Santa Catalina, raw fragments of fin whale bones. Image credit: McGrath et al., doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-59486-8.
“The largest creatures on Earth, whales were a vital source of nourishment and materials like oil and bone,” stated Dr. Christa McGrath, the lead author and an archaeologist from the University of Barcelona, along with her co-researchers.
“Hence, they are thought to have been instrumental in the survival of various coastal human populations.”
“Nonetheless, tracing the origins of human and near-human interactions is challenging since coastal archaeological sites are particularly prone to the impacts of rising sea levels, complicating the preservation of evidence regarding early human-mammal relationships.”
The authors examined 83 bone tools from various cave and rock shelter locations around the Bay of Biscay in Spain, along with an additional 90 bones from the Santa Catalina Cave in Biscay province.
Utilizing mass spectrometry and radiocarbon dating methods, they identified the species and age of the artifacts.
The earliest two dates were from the Cantabrian sites of Las Caño and Ergeyo, which dated to 20,200-19,600 and 19,600-19,000 years ago, respectively.
“Our findings show that the bones came from at least five large whale species, with the oldest dating back around 19,000-20,000 years,” mentioned Senior author Dr. Jean Mark Petitillon, an archaeologist at Toulouse-Jean-Jalaise University and CNRS University.
“This provides some of the earliest known proof of humans utilizing whales as tools.”
“Zoomorphometry is an effective method for studying past marine mammal diversity, especially when key morphological features are absent in the bone remains and artifacts.
“We identified gray whales that not only existed in Biscay Bay but are now confined to the North Pacific and Arctic oceans.”
“Moreover, chemical analysis of the bones indicates that the feeding patterns of these ancient whales varied slightly from those of contemporary ones, highlighting potential shifts in behavior and marine environments.”
“This discovery not only enhances our understanding of the early human use of whale remains but also illuminates the role whales held in ancient ecosystems.”
The team’s study is set to be published in the journal Nature Communications.
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K. McGrath et al. 2025. Late Paleolithic whale bone tools in the Bay of Biscay reveal insights into human and whale ecology. Nature Communications 16, 4646; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-59486-8
Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have captured incredible new images of the Galaxy Cluster Abell S1063.
This Webb image illustrates the colossal galaxy cluster Abell S1063. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/Webb/H. Atek & M. Zamani, ESA & Webb/R. Endley.
Abell S1063 is a significant cluster of galaxies located about 4.5 billion light years away in the constellation Grus.
This cluster houses approximately 100 million solar masses, including 51 confirmed galaxies, with potentially over 400 more yet to be identified.
The enormous mass of Abell S1063 bends and magnifies light from galaxies located behind it, an effect known as gravitational lensing.
“Upon closer examination, this dense grouping of massive galaxies is encircled by glowing light streaks, and these warped arcs are the essence of our interest: faint galaxies from the distant past of the universe.”
“Abell S1063 was previously explored by the Frontier Fields program using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.”
“It possesses a remarkable gravitational lens. The immense size of these galaxy clusters causes light from the distant galaxies positioned behind them to curve around them, forming the distorted arcs visible here.”
“Similar to a glass lens, it directs light from these remote galaxies.”
“The resulting image, while distorted, is bright and magnified, making it possible for observation and study.”
“This was Hubble’s objective — to investigate the early universe using galaxy clusters as a magnifying glass.”
“The image reveals an astonishing array of structures around Abell S1063, showcasing distorted background galaxies at various distances, along with numerous faint galaxies and previously unseen features,” the researchers noted.
“This image is classified as a deep field. It focuses on a single segment of the sky for an extended period, gathering as much light as possible to detect the faintest distant galaxies that aren’t visible in standard images.”
“It comprises nine distinct snapshots of different near-infrared wavelengths, totaling approximately 120 hours of observation time, enhanced by the gravitational lensing effect. This marks Webb’s deepest observation of a single target to date.”
“Thus, directing such observational capability at a large gravitational lens, like Abell S1063, could uncover some of the earliest galaxies formed in the early universe.”
SpaceX is set to launch the Starship Megarocket on a crucial test flight this Tuesday, following two earlier unsuccessful attempts. Both previous launches ended in failure when the upper-stage vessels exploded in the Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Caribbean, resulting in substantial debris.
The upcoming Non-White Crime Launch, marking Starship’s 9th Test Flight, is scheduled for liftoff from the Starbase facility in Texas, with a launch window opening at 7:30 PM.
Standing at 400 feet, this spacecraft represents the most powerful rocket ever created and comprises two main components: a first-stage booster known as Super Heavy and the upper-stage spaceship. The Megarocket is central to CEO Elon Musk’s ambitions for Mars exploration.
Following Tuesday’s test flight, Musk is anticipated to deliver a presentation from Texas titled “The Road to the Road Beyond the Lifespan.”
Musk has recently shifted his focus back to SpaceX and Tesla, having stepped back from his prominent presence in the Trump administration. Since the start of the current presidential term, he has overseen significant layoffs across the federal government as part of efficiency initiatives.
Future testing will be closely monitored following the two prior failures of Starship. This will be the first flight utilizing the Super Heavy booster from a previous mission, which successfully returned to Earth.
SpaceX aims for Starship to be a completely reusable system. In three previous test flights, the company successfully executed a spectacular “catch” maneuver, returning the Super Heavy booster to the launch tower’s robotic arm.
The Starship’s most recent flight in early March was cut short after mission control lost contact with the upper vehicle approximately nine minutes post-liftoff.
Footage from Florida and the Caribbean revealed a cloud of smoke, with debris scattered across the sky. The Florida airport issued a temporary ground stop due to “space-fired debris.”
In another test on January 16th, the upper-stage vehicle exploded over the Caribbean, with dust and debris falling on the Turks and Caicos islands; fortunately, local authorities reported no injuries or significant property damage.
The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation into both incidents and confirmed last week that SpaceX must pause flights again, enlarging the hazard zone along the rocket’s path in accordance with updated safety protocols.
While previous flights had a hazard zone extending 885 nautical miles, Tuesday’s mission will see this area expand to 1,600 nautical miles, affecting the Florida Channel and covering both land and water at launch sites in South Texas, including the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.
In this latest test flight, SpaceX plans to experiment with various “nominal scenarios” using the Super Heavy booster. Consequently, the first stage will not return to the launch site as part of the catch maneuver. According to the company.
Once in orbit, the upper-stage vehicle will attempt to deploy eight simulated Starlink satellites, which are designed to burn up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The mission control team will also aim to re-ignite one of the Raptor engines while in space.
Musk envisions using the spacecraft for future Mars missions, but SpaceX officials indicate that humans will likely complete hundreds of test runs before embarking on journeys with the next-generation rocket.
The Internet can often feel overwhelming, filled with negative headlines, false information, and chaotic social media. Yet, there’s also a bright side.
Consider Shadow and Jackie, a joyful couple residing in a home with stunning views of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, California. They have two children, Sunny and Gizmo, who are on the verge of embarking on their own journeys. In many ways, they embody modern American dreams, akin to reality stars and majestic bald eagles.
Since October 2015, the family has been live-streaming their nest through the environmental nonprofit group Big Bear Valley (FOBBV). Over the years, fans have tuned in to watch the Eagles share meals (primarily fish), relax, and playfully bother one another. Sandy Steers, executive director of FOBBV, occasionally playfully nudges Jackie’s tail or wing “to get a reaction from her.” “It’s quite amusing,” she notes.
The Eagle Cam concept originated with Stairs. She became interested in the nest long ago, returning when Jackie’s parents, Ricky and Lucy, were still there. “I was captivated watching Jackie grow through a spotting scope,” she recounts.
Over the years, viewer numbers have soared, with the YouTube page boasting over 638,000 subscribers and 46,000 active viewers at the time of this writing. Numerous news outlets and articles refer to these Eagles as “celebrities.” Additionally, FOBBV sells merchandise like a stuffed toy of Shadow and Jackie ($30), a tote bag ($20), and a sweatshirt ($45).
“What fascinates people is how captivating nature is and how many of us haven’t had the chance to truly observe it,” Stairs observes. “It fosters a connection with oneself and one’s emotions.”
The emotions these Eagles inspire are palpable. In addition to the birds, this platform showcases other facets of nature, reflected in a healthy comment section.
“I adore Jackie, Shadow, Sunny, and Gizmo; you’ll forever hold a special place in my heart!” one viewer expressed during a live chat.
“It’s about witnessing this wonderful family flourish,” another fan shared.
The Eagles earn such devoted admiration due to their personalities, Steers explains. “Jackie is serious and definitely in charge,” she clarifies. “Shadow understands all her rules, yet he remains independent.”
Jackie and Shadow’s relationship can be likened to a romantic comedy. After Ricky and Lucy moved on, Jackie nested with her first mate, Mr. B. However, a persistent young eagle kept appearing, and despite Mr. B’s efforts to ward him off, he eventually gave up and departed.
Have they always been bald eagles? “That’s largely the case, but not always,” Steers comments.
Currently, the family is well-settled. Sunny and Gizmo are the fifth and sixth chicks of this couple. The Eagle Log, maintained by FOBBV members, regularly updates the nest’s progress and recently confirmed Gizmo’s gender based on size and behavior. Sunny’s gender is still unknown, but clarity is anticipated in the days to come.
At 11 weeks old, the young eagle is nearing flight readiness. The fledge watch is currently underway, as fans eagerly await their first flights.
“They’re not entirely prepared for me,” says Steers, “but perhaps it’s just a wish that they’ll linger a bit longer.”
I first learned about Eagle Cam from a friend a few years back, but since Gizmo and Sunny hatched in March (both Pisces), I’ve kept the live stream running in a tab on my computer. During work breaks, I check in on the feathered family. It’s a delightful escape for me.
I’ve watched Sunny and Gizmo transform from small, fuzzy grey balls into large, sleek creatures with fierce beaks and sharp claws. I’ve seen Jackie feed the eaglet fish and witnessed Gizmo leaping into the air, practicing her flying (“We call it ‘winging’,” Steers notes).
At times, the atmosphere is serene—perhaps the eaglets are napping while Jackie and Shadow hunt. I also relish the tranquility of the trees swaying in the breeze and the shimmering lake. As Steers recently remarked in The Eagle Log, “Sometimes a quiet day of observation, appreciation, and love is essential for all beings’ joy.”
European officials have initiated an investigation into four adult websites suspected of inadequately preventing minors from viewing adult content.
Following a review of the companies’ policies, the European Commission criticized PornHub, StripChat, XNXX, and XVideos for not implementing adequate age verification procedures to block minors from accessing their sites.
This inquiry has been launched in accordance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a comprehensive set of regulations aimed at curbing online harm such as disinformation, cyber threats, hate speech, and counterfeit merchandise. The DSA also enforces stringent measures to safeguard children online, including preventing mental health repercussions from exposure to adult materials.
The committee noted that all four platforms employed a simple one-click self-certification for age verification.
“Today marks a significant step toward child protection online in the EU, as the enforcement action we are initiating… clearly indicates our commitment to hold four major adult content platforms accountable for effectively safeguarding minors under the DSA.”
While no specific deadline has been set for concluding the investigation, officials stressed that they aim to act swiftly on potential next steps based on the platforms’ responses.
The platforms can resolve the investigation by implementing an age verification system recognized as effective by EU regulators. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
The DSA regulates platforms with over 45 million users, including Google, Meta, and X, while national authorities in each of the 27 member states are responsible for those that fall beneath this threshold.
On Tuesday, the committee announced that StripChat no longer qualifies as a “very large online platform.” Following the company’s appeal, its oversight will now be handled by Cyprus rather than Brussels, under its parent company, Techinius Ltd.
However, this new designation will not take effect until September, meaning that the investigation into age verification remains active.
The child protection responsibilities of StripChat will continue unchanged.
Aylo FreeSites, the parent company of Pornhub, is aware of the ongoing investigation and has stated its “full commitment” to ensuring the online safety of minors.
“We are in full compliance with the law,” the company remarked. “We believe the effective way to protect both minors and adults is to verify user age at the point of access through their device, ensuring that websites provide or restrict access to age-sensitive content based on that verification.”
Techinius has been approached for comments. A Brussels-based attorney, recently representing the parent company of XVideos (Web Group Czech Republic) and XNXX (NKL Associates) in EU legal matters, has also reached out for statements.
And has Ted been sharing ideas ever since?Ted – an abbreviation for Technology, Entertainment, Design – is a non-profit media organization based in the U.S. that hosts its annual conference…
Yes, and they offer motivational online talks. With the powerful tagline “Ideas change everything.”
So, what about them? They are concise.
A lecture? Above all? Historically speaking.
How brief are they? Just 6 minutes.
Who do you refer to? That’s Elif Shafaq.
Turkish and British authors? She’s a novelist, essayist, public speaker, and activist. She spoke at the Hay Festival in Wales.
What did she say? When she first delivered a Ted Talk, she was allowed 19 minutes, but after a decade, the limit was reduced to a strict 13.
Why? That’s what she asked Ted.
And what did Ted reply? According to Shafaq, Ted responded:
How did that make her feel? “It’s disheartening. We can’t engage for more than a few minutes,” she noted, pointing out that we live “in the age of hyperinformation.”
Is it too much to handle? Exactly. “We’re unable to process so much information,” she added. “In the long run, we may lose compassion, leading to fatigue, decreased morale, and paralysis.”
My goodness, sounds severe. Is it true our attention spans have diminished? The absence of longitudinal studies means we can’t be certain, but the public appears to believe so.
Do tell me more. But let’s continue along that line. Research fromKing’s College London in 2022 found that 49% of individuals think their attention spans are decreasing, while 50% say they can’t stop checking their phones…
Probably young people. Not just them; it’s also a challenge for middle-aged individuals. Moreover, 50% believe the typical adult attention span today is merely 8 seconds.
Sorry, what were we discussing again? The short attention span.
Oh yes, I figured as much. But how about books? Are they getting shorter too? Interestingly, a 2015 survey suggested books are now 25% longer than they were 15 years ago.
I can relate, but something is changing. Nonetheless, this year’s longlist for the international booker prize features eight books with fewer than 200 pages.
What about movies? Surely they’re getting longer? The simple answer is: No. A slightly longer explanation: likely due to marketing strategies, as studios aim to increase ticket sales.
Wait, so it seems our attention is waning while films are getting longer? Very astute. Someone should address this in a Ted Talk.
Say: “Can I make a difference in just 13 minutes?”
At the Springwood Library in the Blue Mountains, librarians arrive holding cat carriers in each hand.
Around 30children form semicircles. From each carrier, a pair of bright, sci-fi-like eyes peer into the eager crowd.
“That’s the most fascinating thing ever,” exclaims one child.
Preschoolers have just finished enjoying Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell’s *Track Cat* for the annual national simultaneous storytime.
Metacut, the two friendly robot pets, are special guests on their inaugural library tour throughout Blue Mountain, New South Wales.
The Blue Mountains City Council states that lifelike cat replicas can offer comfort and alleviate stress, particularly for children and individuals dealing with anxiety and dementia.
Metacut features an artificial heartbeat and non-allergenic fur. Photo: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian
Metacuts are capable of meowing and purring. They boast animated LED eyes, soft, hypoallergenic fur, and silicone legs. Yes, the artificial heartbeat resonates within.
With integrated sensors in their head, chin, and back, the cats respond to human interaction, exhibiting realistic movements upon specific voice commands.
When someone says, “I love you, Metacut,” their eyes light up with a glowing heart symbol.
Ewan, captivated by the black cat, bursts into laughter every time it turns its head towards him.
“He’s hooked,” chuckles Ewan’s mother, Amy Cameron, suggesting it’s because it resembles their family cat, Diego.
Meanwhile, 10-year-old Stella becomes enamored with the white cat’s fur, asserting that it evokes “real feelings.” Her six-year-old brother, Charlie, reminisces about Snuffle Pass, their late orange cat.
Stephanie Lambilis and her children Stella (10) and Charlie (6) play with a Metacut at Springwood Library. Photo: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian
Dr. Rosemary Dillon, CEO of Blue Mountains City Council, mentions that the council decided to acquire Metacut for the community after discovering them at the 2024 NSW Public Library Association Conference.
Dillon noted that library visitors started interacting with the Metacut, often seeking it out over the human staff.
Metacut has become unexpectedly popular amongst older patrons, Dillon adds. “A significant number of seniors frequent the library for companionship,” she states. “This offers an additional layer of engagement for them.”
Loneliness is a pressing national public health issue, with recent surveys indicating that one in four Australians feels isolated.
Associate Professor Alyssa Milton, a children’s mental health specialist at the University of Sydney, asserts that Metacuts may offer a comforting and reliable connection.
“Robotic pets, or real ones, can help children feel secure and acknowledged,” she explains. “Research indicates that robotic animals show promise in assisting children with various neurological developmental challenges.”
Storytime leader Elissa demonstrates one of the robot cats for the children at Springwood Library. Photo: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian
Milton emphasizes that libraries and community spaces play a crucial role in diminishing feelings of social isolation, and Metacut provides an alternative for families who face limitations in owning real pets due to housing circumstances or allergies.
Feedback from Springwood indicates that Metacut has become a favorite.
The children eagerly line up to interact with the animatronic pets.
Stephanie Lambilis, the mother of Stella and Charlie, mentions that the family made a special trip to Springwood just to see the cat. “It’s gentle and sweet,” she comments.
Suggestions for cat names are welcome through the “CAT-FLAP” nomination box at the library until June 7th. Naturally, Stella has submitted her choice, Snuffle Pass.
Professor Adam Guastella, a child neurodevelopment expert at the University of Sydney, mentions that robotic animals can enhance learning and social interaction.
“Early findings indicate that…robotic dogs can foster improved social communication in children with autism,” notes Guastella.
Elissa takes the cat from her carrier as children line up to meet the furry animatron. Photo: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian
Dr. Nathan Caruana, a cognitive psychology lecturer at Flinders University, concurs that the concept holds promise.
“Children crave attention, and it seems they find motivation with something that doesn’t pass judgment,” he explains.
However, Caruana emphasizes that his research is ongoing, and conclusive evidence supporting the use of robots as mental health tools is still developing.
After completing this tour, the robotic duo will return to what the council describes as their “previous” residences: Springwood and Katoumba Library, while also visiting other libraries for special events.
A new “coronal adaptive optics” system has been developed by astronomers at the NSF’s National Solar Observatory and New Jersey Institute of Technology to generate high-resolution images and films by eliminating atmospheric blurring.
This image captures a 16-minute time-lapse film that illustrates the formation and collapse of a complex plasma stream measuring approximately 100 km per 100 km in front of a coronal loop system. This marks the first observation of such flows, referred to as plasmoids, raising questions about the dynamics involved. The image, taken by a Good Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory with the new coronal adaptive optics system CONA, showcases hydrogen α light emitted by the solar plasma. While the image is artificially colored, it reflects the real color of hydrogen alpha light, with darker colors indicating bright light. Image credit: Schmidt et al. /njit /nso /aura /nsf.
The solar corona represents the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere, visible only during a total solar eclipse.
Astronomers have long been fascinated by its extreme temperatures, violent eruptions, and notable prominence.
However, Earth’s atmospheric turbulence has historically caused blurred images, obstructing the observation of the corona.
“Atmospheric turbulence, similar to the sun’s own dynamics, significantly degrades the clarity of celestial observations through telescopes. Fortunately, we have solutions,” stated Dr. Dark Schmidt, an adaptive optics scientist at the National Solar Observatory.
CONA, the adaptive optics system responsible for these advancements, corrects the atmospheric blurring affecting image quality.
This cutting-edge technology was funded by the NSF and implemented at the 1.6-meter Good Solar Telescope (GST) located at Big Bear Solar Observatory in California.
“Adaptive optics function similarly to autofocus and optical image stabilization technologies found in smartphone cameras, fixing atmospheric distortions rather than issues related to user instability,” explained Dr. Nicholas Golsix, optical engineer and lead observer at Big Bear Solar Observatory.
The second film depicts the rapid creation and collapse of a finely detailed plasma stream.
“These observations are the most detailed of their kind, highlighting features that were previously unobserved, and their nature remains unclear,” remarked Vasyl Yurchyshyn, a professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
“Creating an instrument that allows us to view the sun like never before is incredibly exciting,” Dr. Schmidt commented.
Another film captures the dynamic movements across the solar surface, influenced by solar magnetism.
“The new Collar Adaptive Optical System closes the gap from decades past, delivering images of coronal features with resolution down to 63 km. This is the theoretical limit achievable with the 1.6 m Good Solar Telescope,” Dr. Schmidt stated.
“This technological leap is transformative. Discoveries await as we improve resolution tenfold,” he emphasized.
The team’s findings are detailed in a published paper in today’s issue of Nature Astronomy.
____
D. Schmidt et al. Observation of fine coronal structures with higher order solar adaptive optics. Nature Astronomy Published online on May 27, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02564-0
Greetings and welcome to TechScape. In this week’s edition: Apple faces challenges on several fronts, OpenAI is ramping up its ambitions, and Trump is alienating some of his supporters through cryptocurrency ventures.
Apple Grasped in Three Challenges: Tariffs, AI, and Fortnite
Once unassailable, Apple has begun to reveal vulnerabilities. CEO Tim Cook struggles to address the tariff threats that could inflate iPhone prices. The AI capabilities offered by Apple lag behind those of its competitors. Moreover, the company continues to face legal difficulties with Fortnite, losing ground in a high-stakes battle that has significant implications.
On Friday, the President issued a warning regarding a 25% tariff on iPhones not produced in the U.S. Trump stated: “I have informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect iPhones sold in the U.S. to be manufactured and assembled domestically, not in India.”
A significant majority of iPhones are assembled in China, with Trump enforcing a 145% tariff on exports. Cook, enjoying an exemption from these tariffs, mentioned in a recent earnings call that most iPhones sold in the U.S. next quarter will originate from India, presumably aiming to ease political tensions between China and the U.S.; however, it seems his strategy is falling short.
Cook opted not to join Trump on a recent trip to the Middle East, a decision that reportedly irritated the president. New York Times. Trump notably remarked that Cook was conspicuously absent among high-tech executives during his speech in Riyadh, indicating that Cook’s absence could have costly ramifications for Apple.
Domestically, Apple faces scrutiny over its prolonged efforts to weave generative artificial intelligence into its products. Currently, Apple holds over half the market share for smartphones in the U.S., yet its AI offerings fall short of the competition. For instance, Apple’s struggles with Siri remain evident as it frequently fails to play the desired song, rendering Google’s Assistant far more appealing. Create a podcast that captures intriguing aspects from Wikipedia, easily overshadowing Apple’s efforts.
Discover more about Trump’s tariff threats.
At its 2024 annual developer conference, Apple unveiled plans for its Apple Intelligence features. Summary of failed notifications. An insider spoke to the media regarding internal disarray within Apple’s AI division; this is striking for a company that prides itself on its confidentiality. Competing firms are ecstatic with their new flagship phones, leveraging AI capabilities that Apple cannot match. Siri remains nearly as incompetent as it was 15 years ago, and while the Vision Pro isn’t an AI solution, its poor performance tarnishes Apple’s reputation.
Legally, Apple continues to face setbacks in its litigation against Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, portraying itself as a beleaguered player in the tech industry. In late April, a U.S. federal judge revealed that Apple, despite circumventing orders, was infringing on regulations by failing to allow developers to link to alternative payment methods. The judge accused Apple’s top executive of “lying under oath.”
Photo: DadoRuvić/Reuters
Fortnite has made a comeback on the App Store five years after its ban, with Epic allowed to sidestep Apple’s 15% to 30% commission. While Fortnite is a popular title, it does not represent the majority of Apple’s overall App Store revenue. This legal outcome may weaken Apple’s once-tight control over its software ecosystem, allowing developers to better navigate payment options outside of the app, posing a significant threat to Apple’s digital services revenue.
Learn more about Fortnite’s responses.
Bloomberg released a report on Monday, revealing that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is questioning whether his early support of Trump was beneficial. While this is a valid inquiry, it appears that Zuckerberg has maintained control over his digital empire without yielding to the second-term president. He has neglected his company’s diversity and equity initiatives, potentially paying the price for Trump’s volatility. The chef should ponder the return on his $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration, as he seems to be dancing on a razor’s edge while avoiding bullets aimed at his feet.
OpenAI’s Expansive Week Beyond ChatGPT
Jony Ive and Sam Altman. Composite: Getty Images
This week, OpenAI secured two multi-billion dollar deals as it strives to expand beyond ChatGPT. Comparatively, its major rivals were preoccupied with launching a new version of their flagship model, Claude. While some may find this lack of product releases concerning, I’d argue it’s crucial for staying competitive against behemoths like Google, valued at $2 trillion, and Microsoft, worth $3.3 trillion. If you’re not innovating but instead planning to acquire a startup founded by an iPhone designer for billions, you’re not truly in the game.
On Wednesday, OpenAI confirmed its intention to buy IO, an unproven hardware startup co-founded by Jony Ive, for $6.4 billion. Sam Altman and Ive released a blog post announcing that the IO team would integrate with OpenAI to “collaborate more closely with the San Francisco research, engineering, and product teams.” Although Ive will not be employed by OpenAI, his company is set to oversee the design aspects for OpenAI, including software. Bloomberg.
The merger’s objective appears to be clear: to develop AI-infused hardware that achieves the same iconic status as the iMac and iPhone. However, the market for devices focused solely on democratizing AI remains ambiguous. The Human Pin— a product reminiscent of what Ive creates and backed by Altman and Apple alumni—did not gain traction.
Read more about this ambitious acquisition.
On Thursday, OpenAI announced plans for a massive data center investment in Abu Dhabi, projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars. This project is part of Stargate, a $500 million initiative in AI led by Nvidia, Oracle, OpenAI, SoftBank, among others. Initially envisioned as a domestic initiative, Stargate has evolved into a global venture through its collaboration with the UAE, following Trump’s AI announcement.
As these startups initiate major advancements, OpenAI’s CEO has garnered considerable public attention this week. Two newly published books—one complimentary and one critical—chronicle the rise of OpenAI. “Optimists” by Keach Hagey in the Wall Street Journal presents a biography of Altman, while “The Atlantic Empire” by Karen Hao delineates the timeline from the company’s founding through Altman’s recent suspension and reinstatement in 2023. Together, they provide a dual narrative exploring the complexities of Sam Altman’s character. The underlying question remains: is he a visionary or a ruthless figure with a relentless pursuit of progress?
Regardless, armed with billions and having recruited Apple’s second-most recognizable figure, Altman seems determined to fill the void left by Steve Jobs.
Stay Updated on This Week’s AI News
Trump Hosts Crypto Investors at a Private Dinner
Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
Trump hosted a dinner for prominent crypto investors at a private golf club in Virginia on Thursday night. According to an analysis by The Guardian, nearly half of Trump’s top investors have incurred losses on their investments. Niamh Rowe reports:
Among the 220 winners, 95—approximately 43%—have collectively lost $8.95 million since the token’s launch in January, based on trading histories and portfolios as of May 21.
The user “Gant” has reportedly faced the most significant loss, racking up a $1.06 million deficit despite ranking fourth on the leaderboard, while “Meow” has lost $621,000 despite attaining VIP status.
$Trump has become part of the “Meme Coin” movement, referring to cryptocurrencies inspired by internet phenomena. Although Trump is a significant figure in the online culture surrounding cryptocurrency, he doesn’t equate to a meme like Dogecoin’s Shiba Inu mascot.
The definition of a Memecoin provided by Coinbase aligns $Trump with other tokens. Coinbase notes that a Memecoin is “often backed by an enthusiastic online community” and “associated with entertainment rather than practical utility.” Trump’s coin lacks any tangible financial or physical backing, representing a volatile speculative asset.
Learn more about Trump’s cryptocurrency escapades.
Elon Musk’s so-called “brand debacle” is currently unfolding in Adelaide, where residents have overwhelmingly rejected plans for a Tesla factory.
The city of Marion in South Australia is contemplating the sale of 2,664 square meters of public land. This site, which is contaminated and not accessible to the public, is being targeted by Tesla for a battery factory.
The council has engaged with the community and compiled a report detailing “geopolitical or symbolic critiques presented in submissions,” which highlight potential benefits like 100 full-time jobs, increased fee income, $56 million in economic output, and a “Tesla-led training initiative.”
Out of approximately 1,000 submissions to local councils, 95% requested the proposal be retracted, citing “anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk sentiments,” as well as concerns about the environmental impact and the loss of green spaces.
While environmental issues were a factor, the primary reason residents opposed the project was Musk himself.
Opponents of the proposal didn’t hold back on their reasons for rejection—indeed, the City of Marion opted to censor some of the submissions.
“Elon Musk is [redacted] Humans and a [redacted]!” one commenter stated.
“Elon Musk and Tesla are a [redacted] against humanity,” another wrote.
“Elon Musk has completely misjudged [redacted], viewing others through a dull lens. Additional submissions suggested that the site was inappropriate for Musk. [redacted] would be a sly choice.”
“We shouldn’t profit from our support of someone who [redacted] openly [redacted],” was another perspective on Tesla’s move to Marion.
Aesthetic concerns were also raised: “Dear God,” a resident complained. “This isn’t good for anyone… [and] it mainly disrupts my roller skating route.”
More than half of the 948 community submissions came from outside the council, but locals opposed the development by a ratio of 11 to 121.
Supporters appreciated the job creation, skill development, and the “novel approach” of one of the world’s wealthiest figures.
Musk continues to face backlash due to his involvement in the Trump administration, where he established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), leading to severe cuts in government programs.
Tesla’s recent profit slump has led analysts to associate the branding crisis with Musk’s actions in the White House.
Musk has refuted claims that branding is an issue, attributing the challenges to the “macro demand for vehicles” in the current economic landscape.
Mayor of Marion, Chris Hannah, indicated that most Australians are not likely to view the project through a political lens.
“However, there is indeed a core group with strong anti-fascist sentiments, directing their criticisms towards Elon Musk and his affiliations,” he remarked.
Hannah mentioned that a “natural” community reaction combined with a political campaign aims to boost the “no” votes.
“If this decision prevents the factory from moving forward, Tesla will simply relocate it elsewhere in Australia, which wouldn’t adversely affect Elon Musk’s interests,” he stated.
Many submissions referenced Musk’s interventions in U.S. and European politics, along with his controversial salute earlier this year.
According to a piece in The Guardian, a critic remarked: [sic] …This is likely to invite protests and negative attention that the neighborhood neither needs nor wants.
Tesla and South Australian government officials have emphasized the economic advantages for the region in their supportive letter, but a handful of residents contended that the land should be allocated for productive use.
Marion City staff have officially recommended that the council proceed with the land sale to Tesla, with a proposal set to be discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Pre-packaged foods like pasta and rice are staples in a balanced diet, but items like potato chips and sugary snacks are clearly less healthy. For many processed packaged foods, label claims can muddle the lines between what is genuinely nutritious and what isn’t.
Recent studies indicate that ultra-processed foods can elevate the risk of over 30 health issues, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, as well as mental health concerns. Therefore, the degree of processing and its effects on our bodies should be increasingly scrutinized.
While every food contributes to a healthy, balanced diet, not all foods hold the same nutritional value. It’s vital to approach your nutritional plan without solely relying on the claims made on food labels; consider how these foods fit into the broader context of your life and your goals, taking into account your unique health needs, financial situation, work commitments, and other life pressures.
Additionally, there’s no need to panic over headlines that warn of a “50% increased risk” of a disease from certain foods. While this sounds alarming, such statistics represent relative risks for the general population, not the individual.
This implies that these figures are not absolute; they depend on variables like the quantity of food consumed, frequency of intake, dietary diversity, and overall health risks.
Nutrition doesn’t exist in isolation, but understanding evidence, avoiding exaggerations, and considering context can help us make healthier choices. Below are some commonly misunderstood supermarket products.
“Premium” Ready Meals
Prepared meals such as lasagna, shepherd’s pie, and curry often labeled as “Finest” or “Best” are marketed as convenient shortcuts to balanced nutrition. Although the ingredient lists may seem appealing, including pasta, meat, cheese, and spices, cooking these dishes at home from scratch remains a more nutritious choice.
Ready meals frequently contain preservatives and stabilizers, often being overly salty for preservation, safety, and enhanced flavor.
Manufacturers that use fewer ingredients typically do so to cut costs, resulting in dishes that are often unbalanced and lacking in vegetables.
Cooking at home offers the added advantage of incorporating more vegetables and whole grains into your meals. Consider adding veggies to your ready-made meals for better nutrition without sacrificing convenience.
read more:
Plant-Based “Milk”
Plant-based milk alternatives are marketed as “healthier” substitutes for traditional dairy products. However, they are not direct nutritional equivalents.
Dairy products undergo minimal processing, while plant-based alternatives are often highly processed, involving heating, juicing, and extracting, with nutrients like calcium added later but prone to settling at the bottom. If the carton isn’t shaken well, these nutrients often go undetected.
The health benefits of plant-based milk alternatives are still up for debate, as while they are great for those who cannot or choose not to consume traditional dairy, long-term consumption effects haven’t been thoroughly investigated.
Meat Alternatives
Much like plant-based milk, meat substitutes derive their health halo from being “plant-based.” However, it’s worth noting that chips, candy, and beverages can also be made from plants. The true benefit lies in consuming whole foods rather than heavily processed plant-based ingredients.
Reducing meat consumption, particularly processed varieties, is associated with improved overall health, but replacing one unhealthy component with another doesn’t necessarily yield health benefits.
Meal Replacement Drinks
These beverages often claim to deliver complete nutrition within calorie-controlled portions while requiring minimal preparation effort. While they might be useful in specific situations, such as illness or injury, they come with caveats.
While these drinks contain essential nutrients, they often lack natural food’s vital “biological activity,” compounds that promote health. Also, relying heavily on these formulations reduces dietary diversity, key for spreading risk and enjoyment in one’s diet, making it crucial to seek professional guidance for balanced nutrition.
Breakfast Cereals
Breakfast cereals can vary widely in nutrient content. Some are minimally processed and low in sugar, such as oats, while others are sugary and closely resemble dessert items.
This category features a wide range of products. Some bars are heavily processed, high in salt, sugar, and additives, yet context plays a significant role. Replacing whole foods with these bars may not promote health, but if you’re swapping out less healthy snacks, they can present some benefits. For many, the convenience, shelf-stability, and predictability of these bars can be advantageous, though they’re likely not a nutritious daily staple for most people.
Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captured a stunning new image of the Face-On Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 3507.
This Hubble image illustrates the NGC 3507, a barred spiral galaxy located 46 million light years away in the constellation Leo. Image credits: NASA/ESA/Hubble/D. Thilker.
NGC 3507 is situated approximately 46 million light years from Earth in the Leo constellation.
Also referred to as Hipass J1103+18, Leda 33390, or UGC 6123, this galaxy spans nearly 50,000 light years.
It was discovered on March 14, 1784, by the German-British astronomer William Herschel and is paired with the large spiral galaxy NGC 3501.
A Hubble astronomer explained, “NGC 3507 is classified as a barred spiral because its prominent spiral arms emerge from the edge of the galaxy’s central bar instead of its center.”
“In this image, we focus on NGC 3507, which is alongside its galactic companion NGC 3501, though NGC 3501 lies outside the frame.”
“While the NGC 3507 follows the typical spiral galaxy structure, its companion has a more dynamic appearance as it travels through space.”
“Though both are classified as spiral galaxies, they present themselves differently depending on the observed angle.”
“Features like spiral arms, dusty gas clouds, and vibrant star clusters are vividly displayed for galaxies as distant as NGC 3507 and NGC 3501,” the researchers noted.
“Distant galaxies tend to lack fine details.”
“See if you can identify other distant galaxies in this image; they often appear orange or yellow, showcasing hints of spiral arms with variations from round stars to elongated shapes.”
Along with its distant neighbors, NGC 3507 also features much closer objects, identifiable by four light spikes, which represent a star in the Milky Way, located merely 436 light years from Earth.
A newly identified genus and species of the Eusauropod dinosaur has been discovered from a fossilized partial skeleton, which includes almost complete skulls, located in Ganshu province, China.
Skull of niedu in side view. Image credits: Li et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-03210-5.
The newly recognized dinosaur species existed during the mid-Jurassic period, roughly 165 million years ago.
Named niedu, it is an early representative of the long-necked, exclusively herbivorous dinosaurs known as Eusauropoda.
“Sauropod dinosaurs, which are massive herbivores from the early Jurassic to the late Cretaceous period, have been found across all continents,” stated Dr. Ning Li, a researcher at a Chinese university of Earth Sciences.
“Due to global warming events occurring during the Late Jurassic, Eusauropod has become the sole surviving sauropod lineage.”
“In the middle and late Jurassic, non-neosauropods thrived, including taxa like Schnosaurus, Omeisaurus, and core forms of Mamenchisaurus.
Fossils of niedu were gathered from the base of the Xinhe Formation near Jinchan city in Gansu province, northwestern China.
The specimen comprises five cervical vertebrae and nearly complete mandibles, alongside 29 distinct caudal vertebrae.
The skull of niedu measures approximately 31 cm in length and 12.5 cm in height.
A sauropod dinosaur being chased by two carnivorous dinosaurs. Image credit: Lida Xing.
“Finding a well-preserved skull is uncommon in non-neosauropod eusauropods due to their fragility,” the paleontologist noted.
“The skull of niedu is exceptionally well maintained and nearly complete.”
“However, the left side of the skull shows deformation due to internal compression.”
“Most cranial sutures are clearly visible on niedu,” they added.
According to the researchers, niedu marks the earliest sauropod discovered in Gansu province.
“niedu is significant,” they concluded.
“We also present more information that enhances our understanding of sauropod evolutionary history in northwestern China.”
The paper was published in the journal Scientific Reports on May 23rd.
____
N. Li et al. 2025. A new Eusauropod (dinosaurs, sauropods) from the central Jurassic in China. Sci Rep 15, 17936; doi:10.1038/s41598-025-03210-5
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