BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, has announced plans to construct a charging network across China. This network aims to enable EVs to charge as quickly as refilling with gasoline.
Founder Wang Chuanfu revealed the “supere platform” at a home event in Shenzhen on Monday. This platform will support a peak charging speed of 1,000 kW, allowing cars to travel 400 km on a five-minute charge.
BYD’s 1,000 kW charging speed is double that of Tesla superchargers, offering faster charging speeds than before in the industry. Fast charging technology is crucial for increasing EV adoption.
Tesla, already struggling, saw its shares drop 15% on March 10, prompting concerns for owner Elon Musk. The company faces challenges in meeting sales targets and producing self-driving cars, with increasing competition from more affordable EV models from Chinese companies like BYD.
Tesla stocks dropped 4.8% on Wall Street, marking an eighth consecutive weekly decline. Baron.
Wang emphasized the goal of reducing EV charging times to match gasoline vehicle refueling times. The new charging architecture will debut with the Han L Sedan and Tang L SUV, priced from 270,000 yuan ($37,330).
BYD plans to build over 4,000 ultra-fast charging stations to support the new platform, but no specific timeline for construction was provided. Previously, BYD owners relied on public charging poles from other manufacturers or third-party operators.
While Tesla has been offering superchargers in China since 2014, other Chinese EV companies like NIO, Li Auto, Xpeng, and Zeekr have also established charging facilities.
BYD’s sales primarily come from plug-in hybrids, with aims to sell 5-6 million units this year.
Donald Trump stated on Sunday that negotiations are ongoing with four interested parties looking to acquire TikTok, and the Chinese-owned app is facing an uncertain future in the United States.
According to U.S. law, TikTok was mandated to be sold by its Chinese owner or face a ban in the country. When asked about the possibility of a deal on Sunday, Trump told reporters, “It could happen.”
“We are in discussions with four different groups, and there is significant interest, ultimately the decision lies with me,” he said aboard Air Force 1.
“All four potential buyers are reputable,” he added.
The TikTok ban came into effect on January 19th due to concerns that the Chinese government could potentially exploit the video-sharing platform to spy on Americans and manipulate public opinion.
TikTok was temporarily removed from the U.S. market and disappeared from app stores as the legal deadline approached, leaving millions of users disappointed. Trump paused the ban two and a half months after starting his second term in January, seeking a resolution with Beijing. TikTok later resumed its operations in the U.S. and returned to the Apple and Google App Stores in February.
Among the potential TikTok buyers is an initiative called “The People’s Bid for TikTok,” spearheaded by real estate and sports mogul Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty Initiative. Another interested group includes Microsoft, Oracle, and internet personality MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson.
TikTok does not appear to be in a rush to sell its platform.
But since then, the tech giant has been increasingly burning from researchers who say it’s not doing something of a kind. “My impression is that the response of the expert physics community is overwhelmingly negative. Personally, people are just furious.” Sergei Frolov at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Microsoft’s claim is based on an elusive, exotic quasiparticle called Majorana Zero Modes (MZMS). These can theoretically be used to create topological kibits, new types of qubits, i.e. components of information processing within quantum computers. Due to their unique properties, such qubits can be excellent at reducing errors and can address the major drawbacks of all quantum computers used today.
MZM is theorized to emerge from the collective behavior of electrons at the edges of thin superconducting wires. Microsoft’s new Majorana 1 chip contains some such wires, and according to the company it contains enough MZM to create eight topological maize. A Microsoft spokesperson said New Scientist Chip was a “big breakthrough for us and the industry.”
However, researchers say Microsoft does not provide sufficient evidence to support these claims. In addition to the press release, the company published its paper in the journal Nature He said the results confirmed the results. ” Nature The papermark shows a peer-reviewed confirmation that not only did Microsoft have been able to create majorana particles, but it also helps protect quantum information from random interference, but also allows for reliable measurement of information from that information. A Microsoft press release said.
But the editor Nature It explicitly made it clear that this statement was incorrect. A published report on the Peer-Review process states, “The editorial team wants to point out that the results of this manuscript do not represent evidence of the existence of Majorana Zero Mode in the device on which it was reported.”
In other words, Microsoft and Nature They are directly contradictory to each other. “The press release says something completely different [than the Nature paper]” I say Henry Legg At St Andrews University, UK.
This is not just an unorthodox aspect of Microsoft’s papers. Legg points out that two of the four peer reviewers initially gave rather critical and negative feedback. The peer review report shows that by the final round of editing, one reviewer still opposed the publication of the paper, and three others registered with it. spokesman for Nature I said New Scientist The ultimate decision to publish it came down to the possibilities we saw for future experiments with MZM on Microsoft devices.
Also, one of the reviewers is rare. Hao Chang Legg says that at China’s University of Tsingea, previously collaborated on MICSOFT and MZM research. The work published in Nature In 2018, it was later withdrawn, and the team apologized, “.” Scientific rigor is insufficient” After other researchers have identified inconsistencies in the results. “That’s very shocking Nature You can choose the judge who retracted the paper just a few years ago,” says Legg.
Chang says there was no conflict of interest. “I wasn’t an employee at Microsoft either. [the firm]. Of the more than 100 authors of Microsoft Paper recently, I have worked with three before,” he says. “It was seven years ago, but back then they were Tu Delft students. [in the Netherlands]not an employee of Microsoft. “
Microsoft says the team wasn’t involved in the selection of reviewers and was not aware of Zhang’s participation until the review process was completed. Nature The decision was based on a spokesman who said, “The quality of the advice received can be seen from the reviewer’s comments.”
Looking at the issue, both Leg and Frolov are making more fundamental challenges to Microsoft’s methodology. Experiments using MZM have proven extremely difficult to perform over the past decades. This is because imperfections and obstacles within the device can produce false signals that mimic quasiparticles even if they are not present. This was a challenge for researchers related to Microsoft, including the withdrawn 2018 paper. The withdrawal notice explicitly refers to new insights into the impact of the failure. To address this, Microsoft has been working on 2023. The procedure has been published in the journal Physical Review b It was called the “Topology Gap Protocol” and claimed to tease these differences.
“The whole idea of this protocol was that it was a binary test of whether Mallorna is there,” says Legg. His Unique analysis of code and data However, Microsoft implemented the protocol in 2023, which showed that it was less reliable than expected and changing the format of the data is sufficient to turn the failure into a path. Legg says he raised these issues with Microsoft before its publication. Nature Paper, yet the company was using protocols in new research.
NatureA spokesman for the journal’s editorial team “are aware that some people are questioning the effectiveness of the topology gap protocol used.” Nature Paper and other publications. This was an issue that we were also aware of during the peer review process. “Through the process, the reviewer determined that this was not an important issue at the end of the day, the spokesman said.
Microsoft says it will respond to leg analysis of the 2023 paper. Physics Review B. “Criticism can be summarised as a leg that will build a false strooger for our paper and attack it,” said Microsoft’s Chetan Nayak. He challenged some points to Legg’s work, saying that the 2023 paper “showed that we can confidently create topology phases and Mayorana Zero modes,” and the new paper only strengthens those claims.
A Microsoft spokesperson said: Nature The paper was submitted for review and the company built on its confidence and not only created multi-kut chips, but also tested how to operate these kitz as needed for a working topological quantum computer. The company will release more details at the American Physics Society’s Global Physics Summit in March, the spokesman said. “We look forward to sharing our results and transforming our 20+ year vision of quantum computing into a concrete reality, along with the additional data behind science.”
But for Frolov, the assertion that incomplete results from the past can be ignored as the company is trying to build a more sophisticated device lies in false logic. Legg shares this view. “The fundamental issues of obstacles and materials science don’t go away just because we start manufacturing more fancy devices,” he says.
Four British parents who are suing Tiktok for the alleged unlawful deaths of their children express concerns about the suspected deletion of their child’s data from social media platforms.
These parents have filed a lawsuit in the US claiming that four children died in 2022 after participating in the “Blackout Challenge,” a viral trend that emerged on social media in 2021.
A week after the lawsuit was filed, Tiktok executives mentioned that certain data had been deleted due to legal requirements. UK GDPR regulations mandate that platforms do not retain excessive personal data.
The parents were surprised by how quickly their child’s data was removed.
Isaac and Lisa Kennevan. Lisa expressed doubts on Tiktok’s claim of removing her son’s data.
“My initial reaction was that it’s a complete lie,” said Lisa Kennevan, whose son Isaac passed away at 13.
Liam Walsh remains skeptical about Tiktok deleting data on her daughter Maia, who passed away at 14, as the investigation is ongoing. He has issued a statement.
Ellen Room is advocating in Congress for the introduction of “Jules’ Law” in memory of her 12-year-old son Julian.
“If you have a physical diary in [your children’s] bedroom, I’m sure you’d read it to understand. Nowadays, they’ve moved online, and social media serves as a diary for kids. So why not examine their online diaries for potential answers?” she remarked.
Archie Battersbee and her mother, Hollie Dance. Dance has struggled to obtain access to Archie’s data despite him being under 13 when he passed away. Photo: Distribution materials
Hollie Dance should have automatic rights to the data, as her son Archie Battersbee was 12 years old, but she faces challenges in accessing it. “There are still three [of his] active accounts. I can see them myself,” she noted.
Tiktok has stated that searches related to dangerous challenges have been blocked since 2020. The platform aims to remove harmful content preemptively and direct users to safety resources.
Dance mentioned that she has screenshots of dangerous challenges that were easily accessible.
The parents expressed their wish to restrict their children’s access to social media and were unaware of the limited rights they have to their children’s data.
“Essentially, we’re handing the kids loaded guns,” Kennevan remarked. “A child’s brain isn’t fully developed until around 25. The amount of exposure to content isn’t healthy. They’ve witnessed harmful content, such as porn, at ages 10 and 11. They don’t need social media.”
Isaac Kennevan passed away at 13.
This year, the Online Safety Act was enforced, obliging platforms to take action against illegal or harmful content. Walsh expressed skepticism towards Ofcom.
Dance suggested that the organization should screen all videos before they are uploaded to the platform.
Walsh revealed that a US court exposed a video of her child, leading to a damaging impact on her mental state. She intends to press manslaughter charges against the company in UK courts.
Room explained that the family resorted to a US lawsuit after being unable to file a case in the UK due to legal constraints.
Ellen Room and her son Julian; Ellen highlighted how social media is akin to a child’s diary. Photo: Distribution materials
She emphasized on making a difference for other families and parents. “It’s challenging and emotionally draining, but we’re going to make an impact here,” she mentioned.
An Italian vocal critic has been warned by WhatsApp about targeting military-grade spyware last week, raising concerns about potential use by a strong European government. A Libyan activist in Sweden, proposed Sweden, was also warned.
WhatsApp discovered that Husam El Gomati’s mobile phone, along with the phones of 89 other activists, journalists, and civil society members, were compromised in late December.
The messaging app, owned by Meta in California, stated that El Gomati and others may have been “compromised” by spyware created by Paragon Solutions, an Israeli-based company recently acquired by a US private equity firm.
Paragon declined to comment, but sources close to the company revealed that they had around 35 government customers, described as democratic governments.
Regarding El Gomati, Facebook shared a document from Libya linking him to a network involving Tripoli, Zawia, and the Italian Intelligence leader, connected to an illegal migration route and detention center, which was promptly discovered.
Criticism has been voiced for a long time about Italy supporting Libya’s coastal guards and militias to prevent people from crossing the Mediterranean, causing chaos among some activists.
El Gomati expressed concerns about protecting Libya’s confidential sources of information, highlighting the implications of Paragon’s spyware, called Graphite, which can intercept encrypted messages on apps like Signal and WhatsApp.
He emphasized the importance of safeguarding information as activists in Libya expose corruption and class control, stating that such issues can be a matter of life and death.
El Gomati mentioned the intrusive nature of spyware, particularly its ability to eavesdrop on conversations and access personal photos, raising significant privacy concerns.
Paragon, like other military-grade spyware manufacturers, was founded by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, primarily selling spyware to government clients for targeting purposes. They reportedly secured a contract with the US Immigration Agency under the Biden administration, subject to review due to concerns about compliance with new regulations on spyware use.
El Gomati contacted The Guardian following a story about Italian investigative journalist Francesco Cancelleri, the Editor-in-Chief of a news outlet known as Fan Page.
While it’s unclear which government may have targeted El Gomati and Cancelleri, WhatsApp notified individuals in over 20 countries, including Europe, about potential surveillance.
There are ongoing concerns regarding the release of Osama Nazim, also known as Al-Ramli, the former chief of Libya’s judicial police, accused of war crimes and other offenses. The International Criminal Court has questioned Libya’s handling of his release and return without consultation.
Privacy athleticist is a new app that emphasizes the risk of using citizens’ driver’s license, passport, and welfare documents as an “essential ID scheme lunch pad”.
Last week, Peter Kyle, a technology secretary, introduced a GOV.UK app and a GOV.UK wallet plan.
These include proof of rights to work in the UK, welfare rights, veteran ID cards, and DBS certificates. This technology incorporates biological authentication security like face scanning. Similar electronic government apps have been implemented in countries such as Poland, Estonia, and Iceland.
Kyle suggests that while paper documents will still be used, the convenience of the app is “inevitable” as more people find it “convincing.” He is working diligently to make this a reality.
Kyle explains that this app features a digital document wallet similar to those found on Apple and Google smartphones, “completely revolutionizing shopping, banking methods, and travel methods.” Ta.
Mock -up of digital driving license pages stored in Gob.uk ‘Wallet’ on a smartphone. Photo: Faculty of Science/PA
However, the athleticist is now requesting transparency regarding the impacts of new systems on privacy before deployment.
“Kyle may not be in charge of the department for science, innovation, and technology, but the future government may easily utilize optional digital wallets as a fundamental ID scheme launch pad.”
“By including our face recognition data, this vast identity system becomes highly sensitive and tempting for hackers, becoming a honeypot.”
James Baker, Open Rights Group campaign manager, comments:
“Are we heading towards a world that prioritizes convenience? One of the potential concerns is the development of a national identity database where all interactions are monitored.
Kyle unveiled this technology this week with a presentation inspired by Silicon Valley launches. He mentioned that the app will be launched in June, and the wallet will continue to “securely store government-issued digital documents.” The hope is that this app will integrate with various government services, from paying vehicle tax to managing welfare benefits and interacting with NHS.
Authorities are using apps and wallets that are highly secure on modern smartphones, incorporating facial recognition checks similar to those used for digital bank card payments. There is no central database of documents stored in the wallet, requiring hackers to access individual mobile phones.
A government spokesperson explains: “By using the same technology as securing a digital bank card, even if the mobile phone is stolen, access by the thief is not possible, making the digital driver’s license much more secure than a physical copy.
“It is evident that digital identity is not only advantageous but also opens up new possibilities, such as maintaining call centers and in-person support for those requiring assistance with digital services.”
The credentials stored in the wallet should be more challenging to forge than paper documents. Additionally, consolidating numerous essential documents in one place eliminates the risk of losing or damaging physical copies with digital updates and streamlined paperless applications.
It also enhances privacy in certain scenarios, for example, citizens no longer need to reveal their names and addresses when purchasing age-restricted items like alcohol or fireworks.
If this system is outdated or misused, the government reserves the right to revoke qualifications as needed. However, if this is done unjustly, citizens can still utilize paper copies.
A group of authors claimed that Mark Zuckerberg authorized Meta to use “pirated copies” of his copyrighted books to train the company’s artificial intelligence models. This claim was made in a filing in US court.
According to the filing, internal meta-communications revealed that the social network company’s CEO warned that the data set used was “known to be pirated” within the company’s AI executive team. The filing also mentioned support for the use of the LibGen dataset, an extensive online archive of books.
The authors suing Meta for copyright infringement, including Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman, made these accusations in a filing in California federal court. They alleged that Meta misused their books to train Llama, a large-scale language model powering chatbots.
The use of copyrighted content in training AI models has become a legal issue in the development of generative AI tools like chatbots. Authors and publishers have been warned that their work may be used without permission, putting their livelihood at risk.
The filing referenced a memo with Mark Zuckerberg’s approval for Meta’s AI team to use LibGen. However, discussions about accessing and reviewing LibGen data internally at Meta raised concerns about the legality of using pirated content.
Last year, a US District Judge ruled that Meta’s AI model infringed an author’s copyright by using copyrighted text. Despite rejecting claims of depriving the author’s name and copyright holder, the plaintiff was granted permission to amend its claims.
The authors argued this week that the evidence supports their infringement claims and justifies reinstating the CMI case and adding new computer fraud claims.
During Thursday’s hearing, Judge Chhabria expressed skepticism about the fraud and the validity of CMI claims but allowed the writers to file an amended complaint.
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in cash to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its voice assistant, Siri, violated users’ privacy and listened to them without their consent.
iPhone owners complained that Apple routinely recorded private conversations after users unintentionally activated Siri and made those conversations available to third parties, including advertisers. The preliminary settlement was filed Tuesday night in federal court in Oakland, California, and must be approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.
Voice assistants typically respond when you use a “hotword” such as “Hey, Siri.” The two plaintiffs said references to Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants prompted advertisements for those products. One person said he received an advertisement for a well-known surgical treatment after a personal discussion with his doctor. The plaintiffs argued that Apple did not receive consent before recording their conversations and, in fact, could not have obtained consent because one of the plaintiffs was a minor and did not have an Apple account at the time of the recording.
The complaint alleges that the violations continued from September 17, 2014 to December 31, 2024. The violation allegedly began with the addition of a “Hey, Siri” function to Siri, which led to unauthorized recordings. Estimated tens of millions of class participants can receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, such as an iPhone or Apple Watch.
Apple denied any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement. The company has consistently emphasized the importance of privacy. In 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook criticized other technology companies for their surveillance, saying: ‘[t]His desire to prioritize profit over privacy is nothing new.” The company further countered in a letter to Congress. 2018 Apple’s iPhone devices do not “listen” to you, other than detecting the audio trigger “Hey Siri.”
But in a 2019 Guardian report cited in the original complaint, an Apple whistleblower revealed that contractors regularly listen to users’ private conversations when performing quality assurance on Siri. He said that he had done so. These conversations included confidential medical information, drug deals, and recordings of couples having sex. Some of these conversations were recorded by mistake, the whistleblower said, because Siri can mistake things like the “zip sound” as a wake word.
At the time, Apple said that only a “small percentage” of Siri requests are evaluated for quality, and those requests are not tied to a user’s Apple ID. “Siri responses are analyzed in a secure facility, and all reviewers are obligated to comply with Apple’s requests.” Strict confidentiality requirements. “The company then paused A quality improvement program has been installed to stop audio recording by default.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday. Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to a similar request. They could seek $1.1 million in fees and costs, up to $28.5 million in a settlement fund.
For Apple, whose net income was $93.74 billion in its most recent fiscal year, $95 million is equivalent to about nine hours of profit.
A similar lawsuit on behalf of users of Google’s voice assistant is pending in federal court in San Jose, California, which is in the same district as the Oakland court. The plaintiffs are represented by the same law firm that worked on the Apple case.
Over the past weekend, the internet was buzzing with the name of David Mayer, sparking intrigue and speculation online.
David Mayer gained temporary fame on social media when ChatGPT, a popular chatbot, seemed reluctant to acknowledge his name.
Despite numerous attempts from chatbot enthusiasts, ChatGPT consistently failed to produce the words “David Mayer” in its responses. This led to theories that Mayer himself may have requested the omission of his name from ChatGPT’s output.
OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, clarified that the issue was a software glitch. An OpenAI spokesperson mentioned, “One of our tools mistakenly flagged the name, preventing it from appearing in responses. We are working on a fix.”
While some speculated that David Mayer de Rothschild could be involved, he denied any connection to the incident, dismissing it as a conspiracy theory surrounding his family’s name.
The glitch was not related to the late Professor David Mayer, who was mistakenly linked to a Chechen militant. It is speculated that the glitch may have been influenced by the GDPR privacy regulations in the UK and EU.
OpenAI has since resolved the “David Mayer” issue, but other names mentioned on social media still trigger error responses on ChatGPT.
Helena Brown, a data protection expert, highlighted the implications of the “right to be forgotten” in AI tools. While removing a name may be feasible, erasing all traces of an individual’s data could pose challenges due to the extensive data collection and complexity of AI models.
Given the vast amount of personal data used to train AI models, achieving complete data erasure for individual privacy may prove challenging, as data is sourced from various public platforms.
Two Microsoft employees, recently terminated for organizing a vigil in memory of slain Palestinians in Gaza, allege that their dismissal was a form of retaliation by the company for their pro-Palestinian stance.
Abd Mohamed, a researcher and data scientist, along with Hossam Nasr, a software engineer, orchestrated the vigil outside Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington headquarters on October 24th, only to be fired later that evening.
Nasr voiced, “Microsoft caved to internal and external pressures to retaliate by terminating my employment and shutting down events. It wasn’t due to policy infractions, but simply because we dared to humanize Palestinians and challenge Microsoft’s association with a military accused of genocide.” Nasr’s show of support for Palestine has garnered attention on social media and employee communication platforms within Microsoft.
Both individuals were part of No Azure for Apartheid, a group within Microsoft advocating against the sale of the company’s cloud computing technology to Israel.
The group is urging Microsoft to terminate all Azure contracts and partnerships with Israel, demand a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict, and uphold the freedom of speech for employees.
Microsoft refuted claims that the dismissals were related to activism. A company spokesperson emphasized the importance of maintaining a professional work environment while ensuring compliance with policy and behavioral expectations.
Mohamed and Nasr contest the notion that the vigil was disruptive or violated Microsoft’s policies. They assert that the event was conducted to raise funds for humanitarian efforts in Gaza and followed standard procedures for employee charity events.
More than 200 employees participated in the vigil, either in person or virtually, as reported by There is no azure in apartheid.
Nasr and Mohamed maintain that they had engaged with Microsoft beforehand to address any concerns about the vigil, which was an act of remembrance for Palestinian lives lost in the conflict and to spotlight Microsoft’s ties with Israel.
At the time, Nasr received a call from Microsoft at 9 p.m. on October 24, although groups had announced his termination on social media earlier.
The No Azure for Apartheid group views the terminations as retaliatory and accuses Microsoft of intimidating Palestinian voices. They seek reinstatement and clarification on the premature disclosure of the dismissals.
Around a fifth of Brits believe that extraterrestrials have visited Earth, and an estimated 7% think they have seen a UFO. In the US, the figures are even higher and rising: the number of people who believe that UFO sightings are likely evidence of extraterrestrial life has risen from 20% in 1996 to 34% in 2022. Around 24% of Americans say they have seen a UFO. New Paper of Proceedings of the International Astronomical UnionDr Tony Milligan of King’s College London argues that belief in alien visitors is no longer an eccentricity but a widespread societal problem.
The idea that aliens may have visited Earth is becoming more and more popular. Image by Fernando Ribas.
This belief has now grown to the point that politicians, at least in the United States, feel they must respond.
The Department of Defense’s alleged disclosure of information about UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) has attracted bipartisan attention across the country.
Many of them draw on familiar anti-elitist tropes that both parties are happy to employ, such as the idea that a cabal of military and private commercial interests is hiding the deeper truth about alien visitation.
The truth is thought to involve sightings, abductions, and the reverse engineering of alien technology.
People who believe in a cover-up are even more numerous than those who believe in alien visitations: A 2019 Gallup Poll found that a staggering 68% of Americans believe the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is releasing.
This political bias has been decades in the making: Jimmy Carter promised to release the documents during his 1976 presidential campaign, several years after his own UFO sightings were reported. As with many other sightings, the simplest explanation is that he saw Venus.
OpenAI announced on Friday that it had taken down the accounts of an Iranian group using its chatbot, ChatGPT, to create content with the aim of influencing the U.S. presidential election and other important issues.
Dubbed “Storm-2035,” the attack involved the use of ChatGPT to generate content related to various topics, including discussions on the U.S. presidential election, the Gaza conflict, and Israel’s involvement in the Olympics. This content was then shared on social media platforms and websites.
A Microsoft-backed AI company investigation revealed that ChatGPT was being utilized to produce lengthy articles and short comments for social media.
OpenAI noted that this strategy did not result in significant engagement from the audience, as most of the social media posts had minimal likes, shares, or comments. There was also no evidence of the web articles being shared on social media platforms.
These accounts have been banned from using OpenAI’s services, and the company stated that it will continue to monitor them for any policy violations.
In an early August report by Microsoft threat intelligence, it was revealed that an Iranian network called Storm 2035, operating through four websites posing as news outlets, was actively interacting with U.S. voters across the political spectrum.
The network’s activities focused on generating divisive messages on topics like U.S. presidential candidates, LGBTQ rights, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
As the November 5th presidential election approaches, the battle between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican opponent Donald Trump intensifies.
OpenAI previously disrupted five covert influence operations in May that attempted to use their models for deceptive online activities.
Increasing plant-based food consumption is known to benefit both health and the environment, yet only a few individuals fully commit to a vegan diet.
However, a recent study suggests that following a vegan diet for just eight weeks could potentially reverse one’s biological age. Researchers discovered that participants who adhered to a vegan diet showed a reduction in their estimated biological age, as indicated by DNA methylation, an epigenetic marker.
Dr. Lucia Aronica, along with other co-authors from BBC Science Focus, explains, “DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications regulate gene activity and expression.” These modifications change in specific ways as we age, allowing scientists to track and understand the aging process.
The study, as detailed in BMC Medicine, involved 21 adult identical twin pairs, where one twin followed a vegan diet while the other maintained an omnivorous diet for eight weeks. Blood samples were taken before and after the study to measure DNA methylation levels and assess the effects of each diet.
Results demonstrated that only the vegan group showed a slowing of the epigenetic aging clock, with some participants appearing almost one year younger by certain measures. A vegan diet was associated with reduced estimated ages of various organ systems, such as the heart, hormones, liver, and inflammatory and metabolic systems.
The average reduction in biological age for the vegan group was a remarkable 0.63 years. However, researchers caution that these findings should be interpreted carefully due to other factors like weight loss, as participants in the vegan group lost an average of 2 kilograms more than those in the omnivorous group.
Despite the promising outcomes, further research is necessary to understand the long-term effects of a vegan diet on aging and to differentiate between the effects of dietary composition and weight loss.
Experts like Dr. Hou Lifang suggest that additional studies are needed to validate these results, emphasizing the need for caution when drawing broad conclusions. While the study provides valuable insights, more research is required to fully comprehend the impact of a vegan diet on aging.
About our experts
Lucia Aronica focuses on epigenetics and gene-environment interactions in health outcomes. She is currently leading epigenetic analysis in the largest low-carb vs. low-fat diet study for weight loss. Aronica teaches nutritional genomics at Stanford University.
Varun Dwaraka is a bioinformatics researcher specializing in aging, epigenetics, and genetics. He has co-authored various publications on DNA methylation, tissue regeneration, and the epigenetic clock.
Hou Li-Fan, MD, MS, PhD, is a Professor of Preventive Medicine, integrating epidemiology with molecular technologies in disease studies focused on molecular markers and disease prevention.
Google states that nearly 66% of jobs in the UK could be “augmented” by AI, with only a small percentage of jobs at risk of complete elimination. The company emphasizes the importance of supporting workers to utilize AI technology to improve efficiency rather than fearing job loss.
Debbie Weinstein, managing director of Google UK, highlights the low adoption rate of AI tools in workplaces and emphasizes the need for people to feel confident and capable in using these technologies to unlock their full potential.
Research commissioned by Google from think tank Public First reveals that 61% of UK jobs will be significantly impacted by AI, with only 31% remaining unaffected by the technology. Certain industries like social care, transportation, and accommodation and food services, which involve complex physical labor, are less likely to be automated.
Public First estimates that only a few jobs will become obsolete due to AI, with the majority of jobs expected to be enhanced instead. Google has partnered with various organizations to introduce AI technologies in a way that enhances worker capabilities without replacing them.
The government is also supporting the adoption of AI across the economy to drive growth and provide new opportunities for workers. Minister for AI, Feriel Clarke MP, emphasizes the importance of AI skills training to help workers thrive in the changing job market.
Public First predicts that full adoption of AI over the next six years could bring significant economic benefits to the UK, with an annual growth rate of 2.6% driven by technology alone. Google claims that using generative AI could save the average UK worker 100 hours a year, marking the biggest improvement in productivity since the introduction of Google Search.
Despite some controversies surrounding AI tools like Gemini AI, Google continues to invest in AI products and features to enhance user experiences. The company aims to revamp Google search with AI Briefs, although this has faced criticism for potentially reducing traffic to publisher sites.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has denied reports that surfaced last week that he plans to donate $45 million a month to a super PAC working to elect President Donald Trump.
Musk appeared on Jordan Peterson’s show on Tuesday and said the allegations were “simply not true.” “I’m not giving $45 million a month to Donald Trump,” he said.
“What I’ve done is I’ve created a pack, or a super pack, or whatever you want to call it,” he said. “It’s called the America Pack.”
Super PACs (short for political action committees) are independent political organizations that allow donors to give unlimited amounts, but there are contribution limits on individuals and organizations other than super PACs.
After his interview with Peterson, Musk Reply “Yeah right,” he commented on a clip of X’s interview, as well as another tweet addressing the reports. To tell“Yeah, that’s ridiculous. I donate some money to America PAC, but at a much lower level. The PAC’s core values are supporting meritocracy and individual liberty. Republicans are largely, but not entirely, on the side of meritocracy and liberty.”
The denial came days after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who has enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination in August.
Also on Tuesday, The New York Times report The super PAC employed former staffers from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. “The super PAC has created an air of mystery around Trump, with other outside groups knowing almost nothing about its plans,” the Times reported.
But aides to DeSantis’ initial campaign manager, Genera Peck, and Phil Cox, former chairman of the Republican Governors Association, said the campaign was seeking to become one of the major groups supporting Trump, which could help increase its legitimacy within the Republican establishment.
“It’s about promoting the principles that made America great in the first place,” Musk said on Peterson’s show. “I wouldn’t say I’m, like, a MAGA,” he added, referring to Trump’s catchphrase. “I think America is great. I’m more of a MAG, someone who makes America greater.”
Musk did not disclose how much he plans to donate to the PAC.
AmericaPac already has the backing of Musk’s friends and allies in the tech industry, the Times reported. reportJoe Lonsdale, who co-founded the software company Palantir with Peter Thiel, Major Political Donors President Trump’s new running mate is Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio.
The Winklevoss twins, crypto entrepreneurs who have accused Joe Biden of waging a war on cryptocurrencies through regulation, have also contributed to the effort, The Wall Street Journal reports. reportIn June, they praised Trump as a “pro-Bitcoin, pro-crypto and pro-business.”
A building damaged by a drone strike in Kiev in October 2022
Roman Fritzina/Associated Press/Alamy
A group of climate experts estimates that the first two years of Russia's war in Ukraine will result in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to about 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The extra warming caused by these emissions will lead to extreme weather events around the world, with impacts estimated at $32 billion.
Ukraine intends to add these climate-related costs to the list of damages for which Russia is responsible and for which it seeks compensation.
“This will be an important pillar in the compensation case we are building against Russia,” Ukrainian Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strylets said in a statement.
“These are the costs to economies and societies caused by extreme weather events due to emissions-driven climate change,” said Leonard de Klerk, a climate businessman and founder of the War Greenhouse Gas Accounting Initiative.
The group today Fourth evaluation The report estimated the impact of the war from February 2022 to February 2024. It found that rebuilding bombed-out buildings, roads and other infrastructure was the biggest source of emissions, accounting for almost a third of the 175 million tonnes – a figure that also includes reconstruction that has yet to take place.
The remaining third is a direct result of the war, with fuel use accounting for the largest proportion.
About 14% of the total is due to passenger airlines having to reroute flights to avoid Russia and Ukraine. For example, a flight from Tokyo to London now travels over Canada instead of Russia, increasing flight times from 11 to 15 hours.
About 13 percent is due to an increase in wildfires recorded on satellite imagery, which is due not only to weapons-fired fires but also an end to fire management in occupied territories, the assessment said.
In most cases, there is a great deal of uncertainty around the figures as there are no official figures to rely on, and instead the group must rely on open source assessments and figures from past conflicts.
There's also the issue of how far to go in assessing the cascading effects of war: “We try to be as comprehensive as possible,” de Klerk says, “but at the same time, there are limitations. Some effects are too remote or too hard to quantify.”
Estimating how much damage additional emissions will cause (known as the social cost of carbon) is another tricky area: “The science of trying to put a monetary value on future damages is still developing,” says de Klerk.
The estimated figure of $32 billion Based on 2022 research The social cost of carbon is about $185 per tonne of CO2.
If this amount, which is growing every day, were to be paid, De Klerk thinks that one part should be sent to Ukraine to be used for measures such as reforestation and helping to capture some of the carbon, while the other part should go to the countries most affected by global warming, probably through the existing system. Green Climate FundBut where that money will go is a political decision that has yet to be resolved.
Low-income and small island nations have fought for decades to establish the principle that high-income countries with large greenhouse gas emissions should compensate them for loss and damage caused by their emissions. A loss and damage fund was finally established last year as part of an international climate agreement.
A former Meta engineer filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing the company of discriminatory practices in handling content related to the Gaza war. He claimed that he was fired by Meta for trying to fix a bug that was throttling Palestinian Instagram posts.
Feras Hamad, a Palestinian-American engineer on Meta’s machine learning team since 2021, sued the social media giant in California, alleging discrimination and wrongful termination over his firing in February.
Hamad accused Meta of bias against Palestinians, citing the removal of internal communications mentioning deaths of Gaza Strip relatives and investigations into the use of a Palestinian flag emoji.
The lawsuit alleged the company did not investigate employees posting Israeli or Ukrainian flag emojis in similar situations. Meta did not immediately respond to the allegations.
These allegations align with ongoing criticism from human rights groups about Meta’s moderation of Israel-Palestine content on its platform, including an external review in 2021.
Since last year’s conflict outbreak, Meta has faced accusations of suppressing support for Palestinians. The conflict erupted in Gaza in October after Hamas attacks, resulting in casualties and a humanitarian crisis.
Earlier this year, about 200 Meta employees raised similar concerns in a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other leaders.
Hamad’s firing seems linked to a December incident involving a troubleshooting procedure at Meta. He raised concerns about restrictions affecting Palestinian content on Instagram.
The lawsuit mentioned a case where a video by a Palestinian photojournalist was wrongly classified as explicit, sparking further issues.
When Apple’s first iPhone was released in 2007, all of its apps were created by Apple.
According to his biography by Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs was reluctant to allow apps from third-party developers on the iPhone. He eventually succumbed to pressure with the launch of his App Store in 2008. However, the company wanted to maintain strict control over what was allowed on the platform: email. 2021 release schedule revealed.
The case, which will be heard over the next five months in Melbourne’s Federal Court, will center on Apple’s control over its empire. At the same time, Google, which has prided itself on having a more open ecosystem than Apple, will have its practices tested.
Two cases in Australia’s Federal Court were adjourned in April 2021, pending the outcome of a similar case in the United States. Epic Games, the maker of the popular game Fortnite, has spent the past three years in a global legal battle against Apple and Google, alleging abuse of market power over their app stores.
Fortnite announced a deal with Google in 2020 after Epic Games offered its own in-app payment system that bypasses the one used by the platform and reduced the fees Apple and Google receive on in-app payments. Removed from Apple’s app store.
Epic lost a 2021 antitrust lawsuit against Apple, but won a lawsuit against Google late last year. Although the Australian cases were initially separate, they are now integrated into one monolith. Judge Jonathan Beech decided to hear the two cases and a related class action at the same time to avoid duplication of witness evidence.
David and Goliath?
In an Australian lawsuit that originally began in 2020, Epic Games argued that Apple’s control over in-app purchases and Apple’s actions in banning the Fortnite app were an abuse of market power, and that it significantly reduced competition in app development. He claimed to have lowered it. The company also claims that Google has harmed Australian app developers and consumers by preventing them from distributing apps and choosing in-app payments on Android devices.
As with mobile phone operating systems, the litigation between Apple and Google has many similarities, but there are also important differences. Apple’s iOS and App Store are completely closed and controlled by Apple. This means that if you have an app on your phone and a payment is made through that app, it has to go through Apple.
Similar rules apply to the Play Store in Google’s Android operating system, but Google also allows apps to be “sideloaded,” or installed directly onto a phone without using the app store. It also allows phone manufacturers like Samsung to have their own app stores. Fortnite is still available on Android, but only through sideloading or the Samsung Store.
Companies charge fees for transactions in their app stores. In Google Play, he charges a commission of 15% for the first million dollars a developer earns each year, and above that he increases to 30%. If an Apple developer’s revenue in the previous year was less than $1 million, he would pay a 15% fee, but if it was more than that, he would pay a 30% fee.
Fees are common in the industry, with Epic’s own store charging developers a 12% fee.
Epic argues that it should be able to offer its store as a competitor to Apple’s store, and that it should also be able to offer alternative payment options within its official game store apps.
Google claims to be more open than the Apple App Store, but it was this openness that hurt the tech company in the US lawsuit. The jury found that tying the Google Play Store to in-app payments was illegal and that the company had entered into anti-competitive agreements with some developers to keep their apps on the Play Store.
In the Apple case, the judge took a narrower view, considering mobile game transactions specifically rather than app stores as a whole. The judge found that Apple is not a monopoly and is in competition with Google and other companies. The judge also upheld Apple’s concerns about the security implications of opening the App Store and sided with the company’s pursuit of intellectual property royalties through in-app payments.
Apple is expected to file a similar lawsuit in Australia. The company believes there is little difference between the cases and that the principles underlying Australian competition law are similar to US antitrust principles.
Apple sees Epic not as David the Goliath, but as a multibillion-dollar company seeking more profits at the expense of iPhone users’ safety.
Google claims that it not only offers customers a choice in the app store, but also offers alternative options for developers to sell their content outside of Google Play. It also points to permissions that allow sideloading of apps while maintaining user security, which Epic claims it is trying to water down.
“It’s clear that Android and Google Play offer more choice and openness than other major mobile platforms, and are a good model for Australian developers and consumers,” Google’s Government Affairs statement said. Vice President for Public Policy Wilson White said in a post this week. .
“We continue to have a right to sustainable business models that keep our users safe, grow our businesses in partnership with developers, and keep the Android ecosystem thriving and all Australians healthy. We will vigorously defend it.”
Apple forced to make changes to EU App Store
Initial submissions will last two weeks, followed by three months of evidence from fact witnesses and experts, followed by two weeks of final submissions, ending in mid-July.
Witnesses expected to testify include Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, who is in Melbourne for the hearing, as well as key executives from Apple and Google.
A concurrent class action lawsuit on behalf of Australian developers and consumers will fail if Epic’s lawsuit fails.
The case is unlikely to be resolved by the end of the year, and Beach is not expected to issue a verdict within six months, after which it could be appealed.
Whether or not Epic wins the battle, Apple and Google may ultimately lose the app store war. Apple has been forced to implement changes to its App Store in the European Union, including allowing alternative payment options and marketplaces, under the Digital Markets Act. As a result, Apple last week reinstated Epic’s developer account in the EU.
Epic says Apple’s implementation of these changes is incomplete, but other governments, including Australia, may follow suit.
Bitcoin’s mysterious founder Satoshi Nakamoto dismissed early concerns about the cryptocurrency’s potential to consume large amounts of electricity and contribute to carbon emissions, according to newly released emails.
The true identity of Bitcoin’s creator was never revealed, but after Bitcoin’s creation in January 2009, Nakamoto (a pseudonym) remained active in online forums and emails until late 2010, after which he was removed from the project and stopped communicating with him. .
A new study led by the University of South Carolina Leonard Davis School of Gerontology suggests that fasting-mimetic dieting (FMD) cycles can significantly reduce disease risk factors and decrease human biological age. FMD was developed by Professor Walter Longo and his team, involving a five-day diet high in unsaturated fats and low in overall calories, protein, and carbohydrates. The diet mimics the effects of water-only fasting while providing necessary nutrients and making fasting more manageable for individuals.
During the five-day fasting period, participants were allowed to consume specified amounts of plant-based soups, energy bars, energy drinks, chip snacks, and tea and given supplements to ensure they didn’t miss out on important vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.
Previous studies have shown the various health benefits of FMD, including promoting stem cell regeneration, reducing chemotherapy side effects, and decreasing signs of dementia in mice. The recent study focuses on the effects of FMD on human immune system aging, insulin resistance, liver fat, and biological age.
The research team analyzed two groups of men and women aged 18-70 who received three to four cycles of FMD per month. The results showed reductions in diabetes risk factors, reduced fat in the abdomen and liver, and rejuvenation of the immune system. Data analysis also demonstrated that FMD participants lost an average of 2.5 years in biological age.
Professor Longo hopes these findings will encourage more doctors to recommend FMD cycles to patients with elevated risk factors for disease and to the general public interested in improving their health and vitality. He suggested that healthy people between the ages of 20 and 70 should consider trying FMD two or three times a year, cautioning that there may be concerns when used in combination with certain diabetes medications.
About our experts:
Walter Longo is the Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences and Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology in Los Angeles.
A recent study suggests that the megalodon’s body shape might not have been as chunky as previously thought. Contrary to popular belief, researchers now suspect that this prehistoric fish, also known as the megalodon (Otodus megalodon), may have had a more elongated form, akin to modern slim sharks.
The typical estimation of the megalodon’s length is between 15 to 20 meters (50 to 65 feet), and they inhabited the earth’s oceans from 15 million to 3.6 million years ago. However, the fossil record contains limited evidence of the megalodon, mainly consisting of teeth and vertebrae rather than intact skeletons.
While previous estimates of its body size were based on the bodies of contemporary great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharius), resulting in the assumption of a thick and round body shape, a new study published in the Old Trogia Electronica journal suggests that the megalodon was more than just a larger version of the great white shark. The study contends that the animal may have had similarities to the slimmer modern mako shark.
So what’s the controversy?
Essentially, two groups of scientists are at odds over the actual size and shape of the megalodon.
A study led by scientists from DePaul University and the University of California, Riverside (UCR) employed a CT scanner on a live great white shark to compare its vertebral skeleton to existing reconstructions of the megalodon’s spinal column. This study suggests significant enough differences between the two sharks to propose that the megalodon was not merely a larger great white shark.
However, a UK-based research team utilized advanced 3D modeling to study the body structures of various shark species, including great whites, mako sharks, and salmon sharks. With this approach, they concluded that the megalodon may have been even larger than previously anticipated, with a dorsal fin comparable in size to an adult’s height.
The earlier study’s authors critiqued the new findings, asserting that they rely on circular logic and lack statistical validation. They also mentioned the absence of raw data for future researchers to verify or reproduce the study’s results. Their study was peer-reviewed by prominent shark experts from around the world, although not by the authors of the new study.
Yeah, but…can Jason Statham still defeat Megalodon?
Regardless of the megalodon’s shape, the lifespan and dietary habits of this extinct shark remain unclear. To further advance their understanding, researchers will need to find a complete or near-complete skeleton. The potential elongated body of the megalodon, if confirmed, could prompt a reassessment of its life, diet, and extinction causes.
As for the debate over the megalodon’s size and shape, the fact that it was a large, formidable predator is indisputable. However, the question of whether Jason Statham could defeat it in battle remains up for discussion.
“Even with the interpretation of the megalodon’s shape as more slender, I don’t think the odds for that matchup will change significantly,” Cooper stated. “Regardless of which theory you favor, whether the shark was fat or skinny, the short answer is that megalodon was still a very large shark. Either way, it’s a massive challenge for Statham.”
About our experts
Jack Cooper is a postdoctoral researcher in palaeontology at Swansea University. His research covers scientific report, scientific progress and the Fish Biology Journal.
Professor Catalina Pimiento is a Senior Lecturer in Paleontology at Swansea University. Her research specializes in Frontiers of ecology and evolution, natural ecology and evolution, and scientific progress.
Professor John Hutchinson is Professor of Evolutionary Biomechanics at the Royal Veterinary College. His research spans nature communications, anatomy journal, and scientific progress.
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