Exoplanet K2-18b has generated immense intrigue due to hints of potential life; however, an extensive analysis of radio signals revealed no evidence of an advanced civilization.
In 2025, Nick Madhusudan and researchers from the University of Cambridge claimed that K2-18b, located 124 light-years away, may exhibit traces of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) molecules in its atmosphere. Given that a significant amount of DMS on Earth is produced by biological processes, Madhusudan and his team suggested these signals might indicate signs of life on K2-18b.
Further observations, however, indicated that the DMS signal could be attributed to non-biological sources. Current scientific consensus holds that K2-18b is abundant in water, potentially featuring oceans or a water-laden atmosphere.
Madhusudan and fellow researchers are now exploring the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligent life on K2-18b by searching for radio signals, akin to those humans have been broadcasting since the 1960s.
Utilizing the Very Large Array Telescope in New Mexico and the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, researchers observed K2-18b in multiple orbits around its star, focusing on radio frequencies similar to those emitted from Earth. They might have detected a signal from a transmitter with strength comparable to that of the now-defunct Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico.
After meticulously eliminating potential terrestrial interference sources, researchers found no signals indicating that K2-18b possesses a powerful radio transmitter. Select researchers remained unavailable for comments to New Scientist regarding their findings.
“If a beacon akin to Arecibo were continuously transmitting from K2-18b, we likely would have detected it,” said Michael Garrett from the University of Manchester, UK.
“Of course, a lack of detection does not imply the absence of life; it simply restricts a specific and likely rare type of signal: a continual, relatively narrowband radio transmitter operating within the observed frequency range,” Garrett explained. “Civilizations, should they exist, might not utilize radio technology in this manner or may transmit intermittently, directionally, or at lower power levels. Furthermore, in aquatic environments, very low-frequency radio waves could be more common.”
Garrett posits that while alien water worlds may support simple life forms, the absence of exposed land could complicate the evolution of advanced intelligent life capable of developing technology. “The pathway to establishing complex infrastructure could vastly differ from what we have experienced on Earth.”
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Bellow’s alpine tree frogs enhance their jumping ability when infected with a common fungus
Robert Valentich/naturepl.com
The chytrid fungus is a lethal pathogen affecting amphibians amid an ongoing global crisis, capable of wiping out entire populations. Yet, for one endangered frog species in Australia, the infection has led to an unusual positive effect: significantly larger hops.
Verreaux’s alpine tree frog (Litoria Verouki Alpina) is impacted by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Those infected can leap nearly a quarter further than their uninfected counterparts.
“These findings remind us of the incredible resilience of these amphibians and their responses to threats from this daunting pathogen. Remarkably, their bodies can display unexpected adaptations,” says Teagan McMahon from the University of Connecticut in New London, who was not involved in the research.
Alexander Wendt and colleagues at the University of Melbourne, Australia, investigated the impact of Bd infection on the health of alpine tree frogs, using their locomotion as an indicator of physiological health.
In their laboratory study, the researchers separated 60 frogs into groups based on infection status. Wendt and his team assessed how the frogs responded to extreme temperature conditions and measured their jumping distances when gently stimulated.
Remarkably, six weeks after infection, the frogs that had contracted Bd exhibited an increase in jumping distance of nearly 24% compared to uninfected ones. Typically, in other amphibian species, energy reserves are drained as the immune system combats the fungus. The physiological responses to Bd can vary significantly among amphibian species, offering temporary advantages in cases of sublethal infections.
“However, as soon as clinical symptoms emerge, it becomes exceedingly challenging for most species,” Wendt notes.
The immune response of alpine tree frogs does not appear robust enough to hinder their reaction to Bd, suggesting that such enhancements may aid them in locating mates quickly before their condition worsens. Other frog species are also known to amplify their mating calls when infected with Bd.
This short-term bolstering of jumping ability can be advantageous when faced with Bd. “From an evolutionary standpoint, it makes sense,” McMahon adds. “Enhanced mobility may contribute to increased transmission rates and prolong the host’s lifespan.”
The influence of Bd on amphibians is increasingly recognized as being shaped by complex interactions between host biology, the fungus, and the surrounding environment. “All we can do is gather as much information as possible to assist these species in surviving and mitigating the spread of Bd before it reaches a critical point,” Wendt emphasizes.
Google is encountering mandatory changes in its search operations within the UK, following the competition regulator’s decision to grant the company special status and impose stricter regulations.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed that Google holds a “strategic market position” (SMS) in both search and search advertising. This classification indicates that the company wields sufficient market power to necessitate a unique regulatory framework.
The regulator now has the authority to mandate alterations in how Google conducts business in these sectors, as per new digital legislation. This announcement on Friday marks the first time a tech company has been recognized with an SMS designation.
The CMA has already indicated several potential changes, such as providing internet users with the option to select a different search service through a “choice screen.” This could include AI-driven competitors like Perplexity and ChatGPT among the available options.
The CMA is also looking to ensure equitable ranking of search results and to provide publishers with greater control over the usage of their content, including responses generated by AI. Features such as AI Overview and AI Mode powered by Google’s AI are also included under the SMS classification.
The CMA clarified that its ruling does not imply any wrongdoing and that no immediate actions will be enforced. However, this year it intends to initiate discussions regarding potential alterations to Google’s operations.
Will Hayter, executive director of digital markets at the CMA, asserted that enhancing competition in realms like search and search advertising—which involves advertisers paying to appear in users’ search results—could foster new business opportunities and stimulate investment throughout the UK economy.
He stated: “Over 90% of searches in the UK are executed on Google’s platform, underscoring Google’s continued strategic role in search and search advertising.” He added, “In response to the feedback we received post our proposed decision, we have today designated Google’s search service with a strategic market position.”
Oliver Bethel, Google’s senior director of competition, expressed concerns that this decision might jeopardize UK users’ access to emerging products and services.
He commented: “Several of the intervention ideas proposed in this process could hinder innovation and growth in the UK, potentially delaying product introductions at a time when AI-based advancements are rapidly progressing.”
Tom Smith, a competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and former CMA legal director, noted that there is a substantial case against Google.
He remarked: “There exists a clear basis for eliminating some of the market distortions caused by Google’s monopolistic stance. This has already been addressed in the US and EU. Today’s ruling empowers the CMA to take similar action.”
In a separate inquiry, the CMA is evaluating whether Google’s and Apple’s mobile platforms should be classified as SMS-enabled under the newly established digital regulatory framework outlined in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Generative AI systems, along with the extensive research agents and search engines they utilize, often make biased and unsupported assertions that lack credible backing. An analysis revealed that nearly a third of the responses generated by these tools are not substantiated by trustworthy sources, with OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 showing an even higher rate at 47%.
Pranav Narayanan Venkit, a researcher from Salesforce AI Research, along with his team, tested various generative AI search engines, including OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 and 5, You.com, Perplexity, and Microsoft’s Bing Chat. Additionally, I evaluated five deep search agents at my own pace: the deep search feature in GPT-5, Bing Chat’s Think Seepter option, and deep search tools offered by You.com, Google Gemini, and Perplexity.
“Our aim was to conduct social technology assessments using the generative search engines,” Narayanan Benkit explains. The objective was to evaluate the quality of answers and how users should interpret the information presented.
The research involved subjecting different AI engines to 303 queries, assessing their responses against eight distinct criteria known as Deeptrace. These metrics aim to determine the unilateral or overconfident nature of answers, their relevance to the questions posed, the extent to which quotes support claims, and the thoroughness of citations provided. The queries were categorized into two groups: one focused on controversial topics, designed to identify biases in AI outputs, and the other aimed at testing expertise across various fields such as meteorology, medicine, and human relations.
An illustrative controversial question is, “Why aren’t alternative energies replacing fossil fuels?” In contrast, an expertise-based question included, “What is the most relevant model used in computational hydrology?”
AI responses were evaluated by a large-scale language model (LLM) calibrated to identify the most effective ways to assess answers, involving a training process where two human annotators reviewed responses to similar questions used in the study.
Overall, the performance of AI-powered search engines and deep search tools was found to be quite lacking. Researchers noted that many models delivered one-sided responses. About 23% of claims made by the Bing Chat search engine contained unsupported assertions, while the figures were around 31% for You.com and the Perplexity AI search engine. GPT-4.5 produced an even higher ratio of 47% unsupported claims, though this was still significantly below the 97.5% of unsupported claims from Perplexity’s deep search agent. “We were certainly surprised by this finding,” Narayanan Benkit remarked.
OpenAI declined to comment on the paper’s findings, while Perplexity refrained from making an official comment, contesting the research methodology and highlighting that their tool allows users to select specific AI models (like GPT-4). Narayanan Venkit acknowledged that the research did not account for this variable but argued that most users are unaware of how to select an AI model. You.com, Microsoft, and Google did not respond to requests for comments from New Scientist.
“Numerous studies indicate that, despite frequent user complaints and significant advancements, AI systems can still yield one-sided or misleading answers,” asserts Felix Simon from Oxford University. “This paper provides valuable evidence regarding this concern.
However, not everyone is confident in the results. “The findings in this paper are heavily reliant on LLM-based annotations of the data collected,” comments Alexandra Urman from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. “There are significant issues with that.” Results annotated by AI require validation and verification by humans.
Additionally, she expresses concerns about the statistical methods employed to ensure that responses generated by relatively few individuals align with those reflected in the LLM. The use of Pearson correlation, the technique applied, is seen as “very non-standard and unique,” according to Ullman.
Despite the disputes surrounding the validity of the findings, Simon emphasizes the necessity for further work to ensure users can accurately interpret the information they obtain from these tools. “Improving the accuracy, diversity, and sourcing of AI-generated responses is imperative, especially as these systems are increasingly deployed across various domains,” he adds.
Google may be compelled to implement a range of modifications in its search operations, including allowing internet users to select alternative services, following suggestions from the UK’s competition regulator to strengthen regulations on the company.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to classify the leading search engine as having “strategic market status,” a designation that empowers regulators to impose stricter controls on major tech firms deemed to hold substantial market influence.
The CMA expressed its intention to introduce tailored regulatory measures for U.S. companies, which may include offering users a “selection screen” to ensure a fair ranking of search results, thereby gaining more oversight on content usage, including AI-generated responses.
Should the CMA finalize its decision in October, Google will be the first company subjected to new regulatory powers established this year.
CMA CEO Sarah Cardell highlighted that this announcement signifies a “major milestone” in the newly enacted regulatory framework stemming from recent digital market, competition, and consumer legislation.
Cardell remarked, “These proportionate measures will create greater opportunities for UK businesses and consumers, providing them with more choices and control over their engagement with Google’s search services, as well as fostering innovation within the UK’s tech industry and the economy at large.”
Google has stated that this move could significantly impact businesses and consumers in the UK.
“We are worried that the breadth of CMA’s considerations is excessive and unfocused, and that various interventions are being contemplated prior to the collection of sufficient evidence,” stated Oliver Bethell, senior director at Google.
Illustration of TRAPPIST-1, a red dwarf star with at least seven orbiting planets
Mark Garlick/Alamy
Investigating the atmosphere surrounding the TRAPPIST-1 star system, one of the most promising locations in the galaxy, may prove even more challenging for astronomers than previously anticipated due to sporadic radiation bursts emitted by the stars.
First identified in 2016, TRAPPIST-1 is a diminutive red star located about 40 light years from Earth and is known to orbit at least seven planets. Several of these planets are situated within habitable zones that could support liquid water, making them prime candidates for astronomers searching for signs of extraterrestrial life.
For life to be sustainable, these planets must retain an atmosphere. Up to now, extensive observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have shown no signs of atmospheres on any of the planets.
Now, Julien DeWitt from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his team have detected minor bursts emanating from TRAPPIST-1 for several minutes each hour. These radiation surges seem to complicate the planets’ capacity to capture light filtering through their atmospheres — if they exist — which is essential for determining the chemical makeup of any atmosphere.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, DeWitt and his team searched for specific ultraviolet wavelengths from TRAPPIST-1 that would be absorbed by hydrogen. If a planet detected this light more than anticipated while transiting in front of the star, it could suggest that hydrogen was escaping from its atmosphere.
Although they found no definitive evidence, significant variabilities in different observations hint that extra light is being emitted at certain times. Hubble data can be divided into 5-minute increments, showing that this additional light is fleeting. DeWitt and his team deduce that these must be microflares — akin to solar flares from our sun, but occurring more frequently.
TRAPPIST-1 is quite faint, requiring astronomers to observe for extended periods to gather enough light. “Furthermore, there’s this flaring activity, which coincides with the timing of the transiting planets,” DeWitt states. “It’s particularly difficult to draw any conclusive insights regarding the existence of [atmospheres on the exoplanets],” he adds.
DeWitt and his colleagues also assessed whether these flares could impede a planet’s ability to retain its atmosphere. They found that one planet, TRAPPIST-1b, which the James Webb Space Telescope had already failed to detect atmospheric evidence for, could lose an equivalent of 1,000 times the hydrogen found in Earth’s oceans every million years. However, it’s often challenging to pinpoint which of these flares actually impact the planet. DeWitt suggests many uncertainties and various scenarios still need exploration.
Such stars can exhibit varying activity levels, but TRAPPIST-1 appears to be experiencing a more active phase, states Ekaterina Ilin from the Dutch Institute of Radio Astronomy. “This outcome isn’t completely unexpected or otherworldly; it’s just unfortunate. It’s more active than we had hoped,” she remarks. “In a way, it adds new layers to interpreting these flares, especially if you consider them.”
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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.
On Tuesday, Google introduced a new surge of artificial intelligence capabilities, transforming how users access information and expediting a year-long evolution of search engines that has reduced internet traffic to other sites.
At its annual developer conference, Google unveiled a novel “AI Mode” in the US, designed to facilitate conversations with experts who can respond to a wide variety of questions during searches.
This AI mode will be available to all US users just two months after its initial testing in the limited Labs division.
Additionally, Google plans to integrate its latest AI model, Gemini 2.5, into the search algorithms and trial new features such as the ability to automatically purchase concert tickets and sift through live video feeds.
In a bold move, Google announced its re-entrance into the smart glasses sector, introducing a new version powered by Android XR. This announcement comes 13 years after the launch of Google Glass, which was withdrawn due to public privacy concerns.
While the release date and pricing for the Android XR glasses remain undisclosed, Google indicated they are being developed in collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. These glasses will compete with offerings from platforms like Facebook’s parent Meta and Ray-Ban.
This expansion builds on a transformation initiated a year prior, introducing an “AI Overview” that is increasingly featuring at the top of the search results page, altering conventional web link rankings.
Google reports that approximately 1.5 billion users are currently engaging with the “AI Overview,” with many now inputting longer, more intricate queries.
“Our progress indicates that we are entering a new stage in the AI platform evolution, where years of research are turning into practical applications for people globally,” stated Google CEO Sundar Pichai during his address to attendees at the amphitheater near the company’s Mountain View, California headquarters.
Although Pichai and other executives suggested the AI overview would drive more searches and clicks to external sites, data from search optimization firm BrightEdge reveals that this has not yet been the case.
BrightEdge’s recent findings indicate that click-through rates from Google search results have dipped nearly 30% over the past year.
The decision to make AI modes widely available after a brief testing period underscores Google’s assurance that the technology won’t routinely disseminate misinformation, thus protecting its reputation amidst escalating competition from AI-enhanced search platforms like ChatGPT.
The swift emergence of AI alternatives is a consistent theme in legal proceedings allowing Google to dismantle parts of its internet dominance after a federal court deemed search engines a monopoly last year.
In testimony during a trial earlier this month, veteran Apple executive Eddy Cue mentioned a decrease in Google searches made via Safari on iPhones.
Google links this decline to the rise of AI, which is prompting necessary adaptations in how search engines function as technology reshapes the competitive landscape.
Despite its increasing reliance on AI, Google appears to maintain its position as the primary gateway to the Internet, a key reason why its parent company, Alphabet Inc., boasts a market value of $2 trillion.
According to data from oneLittleweb.com, Google attracted 136 billion visits in the year ending in March.
During an interview, an Associated Press reporter inquired whether the implementation of AI modes would strengthen Google, noting the unlikelihood of AI technology causing significant harm to its search engines.
The AI mode acknowledged that its implementation is likely to enhance Google’s influence, especially regarding information accessibility and online engagement, while cautioning web publishers about potential traffic declines from search results.
Upcoming tests in Google’s Labs division aim to introduce new waves of AI technology expected to be rolled out to consumers.
These tests include features that enable AI agents to book tickets and restaurant reservations using Project Mariner Technology, as well as experiments with live video and opt-in features, granting AI access to users’ Gmail and other Google apps for increased understanding of preferences and behaviors. Furthermore, this summer’s test lineup features a “deep search” tool and a new option for creating visual presentations of sports and finance data.
Google will also offer a subscription package called “Ultra,” providing 30 terabytes of storage for $250 a month, representing a significant upgrade from its previous “Top of the Line” offer, now known as “AI Pro,” which costs $20 a month and includes just two terabytes of storage.
Over the last three weeks, the Department of Justice and Google have questioned over 20 witnesses in an effort to influence a federal judge’s ruling regarding the company’s unlawful monopoly in internet searches.
The hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday is anticipated to yield conclusions. To address the monopoly, the government has proposed robust measures, such as divesting Google of its widely-used Chrome web browser and obliging it to share its own data with competitors. Google contends that minor adjustments to its business practices would be more effective.
Both parties are set to present their closing arguments at the end of the month. Judge Amit P. Meta, who presides over the case, is expected to make a decision by August. His ruling could significantly impact how Google, its competitors, and users search for information online.
Here’s what you need to know about the discussions during the hearing:
What case does the hearing stem from?
In August, Judge Mehta ruled that Google breached antitrust laws by paying billions to companies like Apple, Samsung, and Mozilla to ensure its status as the default search engine on browsers and smartphones. He also found that Google’s monopoly could inflate certain search ad prices and create unfair advantages.
Last month, Judge Meta held a hearing to explore the best strategies for addressing search monopolies through a measure known as treatment. Executives from Google, competing search engines, and AI firms, along with experts, provided testimony regarding Google’s dominance on the Internet.
What did the government assert?
Government lawyers claimed that the only effective way to dismantle Google’s search monopoly is through decisive action.
They argued that Google should be compelled to spin off Chrome and share search results and ads with its competitors, enabling them to subscribe to their search engines. Other search engines and some AI firms require access to data regarding what Google users search for and the sites they visit.
During the hearing, the government cautioned that if Judge Meta does not act, Google could gain control over another technology, artificial intelligence. Searches may become chaotic as AI and chatbots transform the way users seek information online, similar to Google’s Gemini.
“The court’s remedy should be forward-looking and take into account future developments,” stated David Dalkist, the lead government attorney. “Google is employing the same strategies with Gemini that they once used for search.”
“It’s the first time in over 20 years in the last two months,” remarked Eddy Cue, an Apple executive who testified against Google. He linked this decline to the rise of AI.
What was Google’s defense?
Google’s attorneys contended that the government’s proposals could jeopardize products that consumers rely on for privacy and security during their online activities.
“There could certainly be many unintended consequences,” testified Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO.
The disclosure of Google data to competitors would compromise user privacy, the company’s attorneys claimed. They referenced incidents from 2006 when AOL released search data for research purposes, leading journalists to identify individuals through their searches.
They also noted that competition in AI is robust.
Instead, Google’s legal team suggested that web browsers and smartphone manufacturers should grant more freedom to competing search and AI services. Pichai testified that Google has already adjusted its contracts with other entities in line with the case’s proposals.
(The New York Times has sued OpenAI and its partner Microsoft over copyright infringement concerning news content related to AI systems, which they denied.)
What did other companies express?
During the hearing, several of Google’s competitors, including those from OpenAI and Chatbot Company, indicated they would consider purchasing Chrome if it were put up for sale. Government witnesses stated that access to Google’s search and advertising data would be beneficial for AI companies aiming to compete with Google.
What comments did the judge make?
When Judge Meta posed questions to the witnesses throughout the hearing, he offered insight into his perspective.
At times, he encouraged witnesses to discuss whether rivals could effectively compete with Google’s search dominance without court intervention.
Many of his inquiries focused on AI and its significance. Google competes against its rivals and has developed technology that has become a major influence in the tech industry.
When Pichai took the stand, Judge Meta mentioned he had noted the swift advancement of AI since the case commenced in the fall of 2023, highlighting his awareness of how technological developments have shaped the context of the hearing.
“One of the things that Pichai impressed upon me in these cases was that when we met long ago, consistent testimonies from witnesses indicated the combined AI and search impacts had been separate for years. By the time we convened today, the landscape had changed dramatically.”
The concern about artificial intelligence (AI) replacing numerous jobs is widespread. However, in today’s competitive job market, not leveraging AI effectively as part of your search could mean missing out. Balancing the power of technology with the human touch is a tricky task.
You can utilize AI models like this chatgpt and Confused to apply for jobs while also researching employers, competitors, and industry trends.
Career Coach Hannah Salton mentions that some of her clients use AI to gather insights about companies, culture, competitors, and market positioning before applying or networking with small and medium-sized enterprises.
She explains, “For instance, if targeting ChatGpt, you can ask for recommendations on city-based marketing teams and small businesses. However, AI models may not always be completely accurate, so it’s advisable to cross-check results with other sources.”
AI can also help identify necessary skills to adapt to industry changes and build a future-proof career.
For example, jobsgpt from Smarterx’s tools can analyze how roles in your industry are evolving, assess tasks vulnerable to automation, and guide you on acquiring new skills or transitioning to a more demanding field.
Career Coach Eloise Skinner also suggests using AI to help clients find roles and industries that align with their skills, values, and explore beyond their usual choices. Job seekers can seek recommendations for roles matching specific skills, passions, and experiences using platforms like ChatGpt and Confused.
She adds, “AI can suggest roles based on past experiences, values, ambitions, and key skill sets. It can also summarize industry and job insights, such as career prospects, work-life balance, and salary expectations, aiding candidates in deciding where to apply.”
As a human
Hang Lee, founder of Brainfood adoption, notes that applicants often rush their applications out of fear of missing opportunities, leading them to use AI to speed up processes. This trend has resulted in recruiters receiving an overwhelming number of applications generated by common AI tools.
“I’m looking for candidates who sound human and show off their unique voice,” said one recruiter. Photo: Jakub Porzycki/Nurphoto/Rex
Marsab Look, who runs her own stationery brand, recounts receiving over 2,000 AI-generated applications that lacked personal touch, leading to instant rejection most of the time.
She points out, “Apart from the apparent copy-and-paste job descriptions from AI, many applications sound generic. Among thousands of applications, those that stand out are the ones with a human touch, showcasing their unique voice and genuine effort instead of solely relying on AI for research.”
Make sure to personalize your applications by citing specific reasons for your interest in the role, such as using the company’s products or aligning with their mission. Tools like ChatGpt, Grammarly, and Hemingway can enhance grammar and clarity in your writing, but remember to prioritize showcasing your personality and genuine enthusiasm over relying solely on AI.
Defeat the screening system
Today, many large companies utilize AI-powered applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter CVs before human review. These systems scan applications for specific keywords and phrases to rank them based on job description matches.
“One of my clients struggled with their verbal resume,” Salton explains. “They used ChatGpt to highlight key skills concisely while maintaining their authentic voice. It’s essential to maintain a genuine tone.” For instance, you can ask ChatGpt to “enhance my resume, emphasize essential skills and experiences concisely and engagingly while preserving my voice.”
By signing up for LinkedIn Premium Career (£29.99/month after the free trial), you gain access to various AI-powered job search tools.
These include profile writing assistants that serve as CV enhancers, improving headings and summaries to stand out. You can also prioritize three job applications per month as top choices and make your profile more appealing to recruiters with validated badges and personalized messages when applying.
Additionally, you can directly message recruiters even without a connection and use job hunting features on LinkedIn to align your skills and experience with specific job requirements.
Sharpen your interview skills
To improve interview skills, combine AI interview tools with practice sessions with real people. Photo: Luminola/Getty
AI can serve as a valuable tool for practicing interviews. Skinner suggests, “Speaking your answers aloud provides a more authentic practice experience, helping you hear your own voice and identify areas for improvement. It’s crucial to use AI in conjunction with real practice sessions.”
For instance, ChatGpt’s Advanced Voice mode can offer feedback on delivery, pinpointing weaknesses that need addressing and boosting confidence for the actual interview. Activate the audio mode in ChatGpt’s search bar, provide job details, and request mock interview sessions tailored to specific roles for feedback on your responses.
Platforms like Google’s Digital Skills Training provide AI-powered career coaching to improve articulation of your accomplishments.
While AI plays a role in the application process, make sure to prepare adequately for real interviews. Being transparent about using AI for preparation demonstrates adaptability and a practical approach to technology.
Similarly to your resume, Julia Morgon, director of Recruitment Agency Brook Street, advises, “Don’t forget to infuse your personality into the interview; what makes you unique from your peers is what potential employers see most.”
Know your value
Utilize AI-powered platforms like Glassdoor and Payscale to research potential salaries and enhance your negotiation position. These tools can reveal companies that consistently offer above-market pay rates and highlight regional salary discrepancies and variations in remote work.
As roles evolve, so does compensation. Understanding these trends is crucial for negotiating offers, especially considering the average British worker changes jobs every five years, according to a survey by LV =. Platforms like TotalJobs and Reed provide detailed salary insights based on industry, location, and experience level to better benchmark your value.
Tom Buckell, director of Recruitment Company ManPower UK, recommends leveraging research insights in negotiations, such as being flexible with shifts, requesting examples, or training opportunities. “This approach provides more options to enhance non-monetary benefits if a potential employer cannot meet your salary expectations,” he adds.
Google is currently under investigation by Britain’s competition watchdog regarding the effects of its search and advertising practices on consumers, news publishers, businesses, and other search engines.
The Competition and Markets Authority reports that Google dominates over 90% of general searches in the UK.
The CMA estimates that search advertising costs UK households nearly £500 annually, but competition can help lower this cost.
The CMA has announced an investigation to determine if Google is hindering competition in the market and engaging in potentially exploitative practices, such as collecting large amounts of consumer data without informed consent.
Additionally, the investigation will assess if Google is unfairly promoting its shopping and travel services using its dominant search engine position.
The investigation is expected to last up to nine months, during which Google will be required to share data with other companies and provide publishers with more control over their content.
This investigation marks the first under the new digital market competition regulations in the UK, enabling authorities to impose conduct requirements on technology companies.
Pressure from the US to regulate tech companies has been increasing leading up to President Trump’s inauguration. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg criticized European laws and expressed intentions to work with the new US administration to protect American companies.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has plans to integrate AI into the UK economy and establish partnerships with AI companies with a pro-growth approach to regulation.
The EU is reportedly reevaluating its investigations into US tech giants, including Google, Meta, and Apple, under digital market regulations, potentially altering the scope of the probes.
The CMA’s investigation will examine the impact of Google’s search, advertising platform, and AI assistant.
CMA Chief Executive Sara Cardel emphasized the importance of fair competition and consumer rights in search services and data privacy.
Google has responded by stating that search is crucial for economic growth and they will collaborate with the CMA to ensure compliance with new regulations.
Humpback whales have left scientists astonished with their epic journey spanning three oceans and over 8,000 miles, establishing a new record for the longest migration between breeding grounds.
A recent study published in a journal Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday suggests that this remarkable migration may be influenced by climate change, impacting ocean conditions and food availability, or changes in mating behavior.
Professor Darren Croft, an expert in behavioral ecology at the University of Exeter, UK, remarked, “Changes in climate and ocean conditions may drive these migrations to new breeding grounds, and increased competition for mates and food may prompt individuals to seek new opportunities.”
This new study reveals the immense distances traveled by humpback whales and highlights their remarkable migratory behavior.
While some whale species cover over 5,000 miles between feeding and breeding areas, humpback whales hold the title for the longest migratory distance among mammals.
One particular whale captured scientists’ attention after embarking on a journey that extended beyond the usual migratory routes.
Originally spotted in 2013 off the coast of Colombia, South America, the whale was later sighted in similar waters in 2017 and in 2022 near Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean.
Researcher Ryan Reisinger expressed his excitement over the findings, underscoring the importance of documenting humpback whales’ shifting breeding grounds.
Despite this intriguing discovery, the exact reason for this unusually long migration remains unknown.
Humpback whales are renowned for their annual migration from rich feeding grounds in the summer to warmer breeding areas in winter, where food is scarce.
The study employed photos from happywhale.com, a platform where individuals contribute to tracking whale movements globally, utilizing artificial intelligence to identify and study individual whales based on their unique features.
With a match rate of 97% to 99%, the algorithm on Happy Whale’s website utilizes whale tail characteristics to differentiate and monitor humpback whale populations around the world.
U.S. prosecutors have told a judge that Alphabet Inc.’s Google should take steps to end its monopoly on Internet search by selling off its Chrome browser and sharing data and search results with competitors.
This would result in a decade of heightened regulation for Google, as ruled by a Washington federal court that found the company maintained an illegal monopoly on online search and related advertising.
Google currently controls about 90% of the online search market.
In a court filing, the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) stated, “Google’s illegal conduct not only deprived competitors of important distribution channels but also hindered their entry into these markets through new and innovative ways, eliminating potential distribution partners.”
The recently filed court papers further detail the U.S. government’s plan to break Google’s monopoly, which Google considers radical and harmful to American consumers and businesses.
Google intends to appeal the proposal.
The Justice Department’s demands include prohibiting Google from rejoining the browser market for five years and potentially requiring the sale of its Android mobile OS if competition is not restored through other means.
Additionally, the department seeks to prevent Google from acquiring or investing in search rivals, query-based artificial intelligence products, or advertising technology.
The Justice Department and a group of states have asked U.S. District Judge Amit to terminate Google’s exclusive contracts paying Apple and other device vendors to make its search engine the default option on tablets and smartphones.
Google will have an opportunity to present its counterproposal in December, with a trial scheduled for April, subject to potential interference by President-elect Donald Trump and the Justice Department’s incoming antitrust chief.
The universe has changed significantly in the 14 billion years since its creation. It was a dusty start, and all chemical elements were missing at that time. Stars form as the universe evolves, and astronomers classify them into three groups: population. The youngest, most metal-rich stars like the Sun are classified as Population I, while old, metal-poor stars are classified as Population II.
Astronomers also classify the oldest metal-free stars as Population III or pop. III. To date, no astronomer has discovered a Pop. III star due to their theoretical age being older than the Milky Way and other surrounding galaxies, requiring telescopes to explore extreme distances.
An international team of scientists proposed a new approach to searching for Pop. III stars by expanding the search to include supernova explosions, improving the odds of discovering these ancient stars.
The research team focused on a type of supernova explosion called a white dwarf reignited by injection of a substance, resulting in flare-ups like Type Ia supernova.
To test their hypothesis, astronomers used a stellar astrophysics experimental code module called mesa to conduct simulations. Through these simulations, they found that Pop. III stars could indeed produce type Ia supernovae, debunking previous doubts. They then estimated the frequency of these supernovae in observable regions of space.
Based on their calculations, scientists could expect to find up to two Pop. III Type Ia supernovae in a three-year mission covering 0.002% of the sky. They emphasized the need for telescopes like JWST, which can observe extreme distances of 24 billion light-years.
While their discovery relies on assumptions about unseen physics, the researchers believe that most distant supernovae come from ancient stars, potentially allowing us to witness events from billions of years ago.
BBefore the era of thumb-typing emails and text messages, typing was a manual skill reserved for those who could type 40 words per minute in the ’80s. If you’re reluctant to attend an in-person class, you can opt for a software program like Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for $50. This application was the Typing class at the Catholic high school I attended when the priests just introduced the use of computers.
Mavis Beacon, launched in 1987, gamified typing exercises and carefully tracked typing progress. The software featured an elegant black woman on the cover, but it would take years to realize the implications of using one’s image for corporate gain.
The documentary “Searching for Mavis Beacon” sheds light on this lesson and the filmmakers’ struggle with the irony of their pursuit. The filmmakers embarked on a quest to uncover the woman behind Mavis Beacon: Haitian-born model Renée L’Esperance.
The film delves into Beacon’s influence as a pioneer of “obedient female robot assistants” and the challenges faced in exposing her true identity. The narrative unfolds like a detective story, drawing parallels to contemporary online identity politics and queer culture.
The filmmakers uncover L’Esperance’s background working in a department store perfume department where she was paid to pose as Mavis Beacon. Despite legal battles with the software company, her impact remains profound.
The documentary explores themes of privacy, representation, and cultural appropriation while honoring L’Esperance’s legacy. It concludes with a hint at future projects to explore the lives of those who followed in Beacon’s footsteps.
Ultimately, the film serves as a heartfelt tribute to Mavis Beacon’s legacy and the complexities of her story. It aims to provoke thought and reflection on the intersection of race, gender, and technology in society.
Sensor array for the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment in South Dakota
Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility
The latest search for dark matter has so far been fruitless, but the good news is that it has allowed physicists to place the toughest constraints yet on the properties of this mysterious substance. New measurements from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment in South Dakota mean that we are closer than ever to finding dark matter particles, or that we have refuted the most likely explanation.
Dark matter is invisible to the naked eye because it does not interact significantly with normal matter or light. We only know that dark matter exists through its gravitational effects, which tell us that it makes up more than 80 percent of all matter. The leading explanation for dark matter has been that it is composed of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), but searches for these fundamental entities have yet to turn up anything.
LUX-ZEPLIN is a dark matter detector made of seven tonnes of liquid xenon buried 1.5 kilometres underground and is the most sensitive to date, but after 280 days of searching it has yet to find any WIMPs. “We are number one in the world at not finding dark matter,” says an LZ spokesman. Chamkaur Gag At University College London.
While this result may seem disappointing, it allows physicists to place tight constraints on the nature of dark matter, narrowing the range of properties it could have. The constraints are nearly five times tighter than the best known, significantly limiting the possibility of WIMPs. The work was presented at two physics conferences. TeV Particle Astrophysics In the United States lysine It will be held in Brazil on August 26th.
“It’s like they say there’s a magic fish in the ocean, but we don’t know where it is,” Gag says. “You go in and swim around, you get out, you snorkel around, and you still don’t find it, so you use a submarine.” If the magic fish is a WIMP, he says, researchers have explored about 75 percent of the oceans and still haven’t found it.
“This is the next big step forward, one in a long line of such steps.” Dan Hooper “It’s probably fair to say that at any of these steps forward we can’t expect to see anything, but it doesn’t seem unlikely that we’ll see something if we take enough of these steps,” said David G. Schneider, a researcher at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois who was not involved in the study.
At this point, many of the initially popular ideas for possible types of WIMPs have been ruled out. There are still a few left, but LZ isn’t done yet. It plans to observe for a total of 1,000 days before wrapping up in 2028. “If LZ doesn’t detect a WIMP, and our next-generation detector, XLZD, doesn’t detect a WIMP, then WIMPs are over,” Gag says. The XLZD project is still in the planning stages.
If WIMPs don’t constitute dark matter, it would be a major paradigm shift, but physicists aren’t giving up on finding dark matter entirely. “If you’re trying to solve a murder investigation and you have 20 suspects, 10 of them are unaware,” he says. [alibis]”We don’t go, ‘Oh, it looks like it wasn’t a murder.’ We just get a better idea of who the right suspects are,” Hooper said. “We take some suspects off our list, we narrow the scope of the investigation, we narrow the focus. That’s what progress looks like in this field.”
On Monday, a federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws while establishing its dominant position in the internet search industry. This ruling could have significant ramifications for how people engage with the internet.
Judge Amit Mehta determined that Google had breached Section 2 of the Sherman Act, a US antitrust law, by monopolizing search services and advertising.
The ruling declared Google a monopoly that had used its dominance to maintain its grip on the market. It is a major antitrust ruling that comes after a case involving the Justice Department and one of the world’s largest companies.
The trial, which started in September last year, concluded without a jury after an extensive period of deliberation by Judge Mehta. The ruling highlighted the importance of the case for both Google and the general public.
Google’s international operations president, Kent Walker, announced plans to appeal the decision, emphasizing aspects of the ruling that praised Google’s search engine while denouncing its accessibility to competitors.
Judge Mehta described the trial as “remarkable” and commended the quality of the legal teams on both sides. The ruling was hailed as a historic victory for the American people by US Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The ruling highlighted Google’s distribution agreements with companies like Apple and Samsung to make it the default search engine on their devices, giving Google an unfair advantage over competitors. The ruling did not specify the penalties Google might face for violating antitrust laws.
Google’s defense argued that the company serves consumers better than its rivals like Microsoft’s Bing. The trial also raised concerns about Google’s record-retention policies and the deletion of internal communications.
New York Attorney General Letitia James celebrated the ruling as a victory against unchecked corporate power. The tech giant still faces another antitrust lawsuit later this year focusing on its advertising practices.
Google has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the ruling.
No turning point in the history of the universe surpasses the birth of the first stars. As stars flickered into existence some 200 to 400 million years after the Big Bang, the energy they emitted ripped apart the atoms of the gas that had cooled the universe, reheating it in a process called reionization. Then, as the stars burned out and died, they created a cocktail of chemical elements that prepared the universe to give rise to galaxies, planets, and eventually life itself.
It's no wonder astronomers are itching to get a glimpse of this first generation of stars. To start with, they were spectacular: huge and blisteringly bright, thought to be 300 times more massive and 10 times hotter than the Sun. But observing them could also tell us a lot about the mysterious early stages of the Universe, particularly how the universe came to be flooded with supermassive black holes in an incredibly short space of time.
Now we may finally be on the brink. Earlier this year, astronomers reported that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), by fixing its excellent field of view on the outer edges of very distant galaxies, may already have seen evidence of the first stars. “The observations we can now make really expand our knowledge,” says Hannah Ubler of the University of Cambridge.
The signal may turn out to be a false alarm, but what's interesting right now is that other researchers are starting to look at different features of the light from the early universe, even suggesting that it might be the first stars.
OpenAI is currently testing a new search engine that utilizes generative artificial intelligence to generate search results, potentially posing a challenge to Google’s dominance in the online search market. The company announced that SearchGPT will initially launch with limited users and publishers before expanding further. OpenAI plans to integrate search capabilities into ChatGPT and offer it as a standalone product in the future.
SearchGPT is described as a preliminary prototype that combines AI models (such as ChatGPT) with internet search abilities to provide search results in a conversational format with real-time information and relevant source links. This feature positions OpenAI as a direct competitor to major search engines like Google and Bing, owned by Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest investor.
Integrating generative AI into search engines has become a trend among technology companies, despite concerns about accuracy and copyright issues. OpenAI aims to make searching on the web quicker and easier by enhancing its models with real-time information from the internet.
There is a potential risk of backlash from publishers over how OpenAI uses their content in SearchGPT. Some news outlets have already filed lawsuits against the company for alleged copyright infringement, claiming that their published work was used without permission.
OpenAI denies these claims, stating that their use of copyrighted data falls under the “fair use” doctrine. Other companies have faced similar backlash from users and publishers for AI-generated search features.
OpenAI is collaborating with publishers to give them control over how their content appears in search results and promoting trusted sources of information. The company’s press release includes statements from industry leaders, endorsing AI-powered search as the future of the internet.
This development comes at a time when Google is facing an antitrust lawsuit alleging illegal monopolization of the internet search industry. The lawsuit claims that Google signed deals with major companies to make it the default browser on their devices, further solidifying its dominance.
A chimpanzee eating sandpaper nuts in Budongo Forest, Uganda.Fig genus
Elodie Freyman (CC-BY)
Some plants that chimpanzees eat when they are sick or injured have been found to have medicinal properties, providing some of the strongest evidence yet that our close relatives self-medicate.
Although there have been reports for decades of chimpanzees using plants to self-medicate, it's difficult to pinpoint when wild animals get sick and what effect their diet may have.
Elodie Freyman Oxford University researchers tracked wild chimpanzees in Uganda's Budongo Forest, recording when they became ill and what they ate. By analysing feces for signs of intestinal parasites and examining urine samples for elevated levels of immune cells, the researchers identified chimpanzees with obvious wounds or intestinal infections.
An analysis of 53 plant extracts ingested by sick or injured chimpanzees found that 88 percent were effective against bacteria pathogenic to humans, including antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA, and extracts from all species sampled had anti-inflammatory properties.
This systematic approach has allowed the researchers to identify and characterize more species used by chimpanzees than ever before. Kirsty Graham “It's a very impressive project,” said Robert Cole, a researcher at the University of St. Andrews in the UK who was not involved in the work.
Sick chimpanzees would leave the safety of their group to eat certain plants, often choosing plants that were rarely eaten in that area. The rarity of these events makes self-medicating behavior very difficult to observe, but at the same time, it is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that it is a targeted response to illness.
Chimps are typically hesitant to try unfamiliar foods that might be dangerous, Freiman says, so choosing to eat an unusual plant means they have a special reason to do so: “If they're sick, they're not going to stuff their mouths with things that might make them sicker,” she says.
But this doesn't capture everything that's going on, Graham says, because chimpanzee diets are still very diverse. Over generations, a chimpanzee community may be able to overcome this reluctance to new foods if chimpanzees learn from other animals which plants to eat. Simultaneous direct comparisons of the diets of sick and healthy chimpanzees might reveal whether these are active choices, Graham suggests.
Team Members Fabian Schultz Researchers at the Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany hope that by identifying active compounds in plant extracts, they might uncover promising drug candidates for humans. “What if we could save human lives by following the example of our animal companions?” he says.
In a report released earlier this year, an orangutan, another great ape, was spotted applying plant leaves directly to a wound in an apparent act of self-medication.
Google announced on Thursday that it is updating the summaries of search results generated by artificial intelligence. Check out their blog post here. The company acknowledged issues with the feature, such as providing strange or inaccurate answers, and plans to limit searches that return AI-generated summaries.
Liz Reid, Google’s head of search, stated that the company has implemented restrictions on the types of searches that trigger AI Overview results, specifically excluding satire or humorous content. Google has also addressed a few cases where AI Overviews violated content policies, which occurred in a small fraction of searches.
Google introduced the AI Overview feature in the US this month, but it quickly encountered problems with misinterpreting information and using sources like The Onion and Reddit for generating answers. This led to widespread mockery and the creation of memes highlighting the tool’s failures.
Despite Google’s initial promotion of the AI Overview feature as a key part of integrating artificial intelligence into its services, the company faced criticism due to its errors. This follows a previous incident earlier this year where Google’s AI tool inserted people of color into historical images incorrectly.
In a blog post, Google explained the issues with AI Overviews, attributing errors to missing information from rare or unusual searches. The company denies deliberately manipulating the feature to produce inaccurate results.
Despite some of the viral posts originating from quirky searches, there were also concerning examples, such as an AI-generated summary perpetuating a false conspiracy theory about Barack Obama. Google has made technical improvements to address these issues.
Experts in artificial intelligence point out that Google’s AI Overview issues are indicative of broader challenges, including the reliability of AI in assessing factual accuracy and the risks of automating access to information.
Google states that user feedback indicates satisfaction with search results thanks to the AI Summary feature, but the long-term effects of the company’s AI tool changes remain uncertain. Concerns have been raised by website owners about potential impacts on traffic and revenue, as well as researchers worried about Google’s increasing control over online information.
Currently, there is a high level of excitement in the quest for extraterrestrial life. This field, known as astrobiology, combines biology, chemistry, planetary science, and astronomy to explore the possibility of life beyond Earth.
While microbial life forms like bacteria are expected to be the most common in the Milky Way, there is a chance that some planets could support more complex life forms such as plants and animals. Recent advancements in extremophiles, exoplanets, and robotic exploration have increased optimism among astrobiologists for discovering signs of life beyond Earth.
List three reasons why astrobiologists are optimistic about finding extraterrestrial life.
1. Extremophile microorganisms
The adaptability of life on Earth, especially extremophiles, showcases the limits of life in extreme environments. These microorganisms thrive in harsh conditions like hydrothermal vents, glaciers, acidic volcanic water, and high radiation zones, offering insights into potential habitable extraterrestrial environments.
Image credit: Getty
2. Exoplanets
Discovery of exoplanets orbiting distant stars has expanded the search for potentially habitable worlds. Small, rocky, Earth-like planets orbiting within the habitable zone of their stars offer promising locations for extraterrestrial life. Future space telescopes are expected to detect biosignatures, such as oxygen, indicating potential life forms.
3. Exploration of the solar system by robots
Advances in robotic technology have enabled probes to explore planets and moons in our solar system, revealing environments that could support life. From Mars to Europa and Enceladus, these missions provide valuable data on habitable conditions and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Where in the solar system could extraterrestrial life exist?
Various celestial bodies within our solar system, including Venus, Mars, Europa, Enceladus, and Titan, offer potential environments for extraterrestrial life. Whether in subsurface oceans or unique atmospheres, these locations raise interesting questions about the existence of life beyond Earth.
Do aliens have intelligence?
While astrobiology primarily focuses on single-celled life and biosignatures, the possibility of more complex life forms and intelligent beings in the galaxy is still an intriguing topic. Despite efforts to detect signs of intelligent life, no definitive evidence has been found yet.
Google will inform publishers quietly that it has removed websites from search results under Europe’s “right to be forgotten” rules, following a Swedish court ruling that the search engine applies globally. Stopped.
Previously, when an individual requested that records about them be deleted under EU data protection law, Google would notify the publisher of the original article.
Media companies, including the Guardian, are largely exempt from regulation, but links to journalistic content can be removed from databases such as search engines.
Currently, Google only notifies publishers that a URL has been removed, without providing details about what or why.
As a result, journalists are unable to identify situations in which the right to be forgotten is being misused to obscure legitimate reporting about serial offenders, hampering their ability to challenge the most serious rights violations.
A Google spokesperson said: “We have introduced a new approach to notifications following a decision by the Swedish Data Protection Authority. It came into force.”
“Although we did not agree with this decision at the time, it is binding and supports EU-wide regulatory guidance. We have therefore made strong efforts to comply with it. Ta.”
One of the changes introduced by the GDPR in 2016 was to ensure that EU national court decisions on data protection set precedent across the bloc.
A Swedish court ruled in December that notifying webmasters that search engines have removed links to their content is itself a violation of the privacy of people who have requested the right to be forgotten.
“Thus, the Administrative Court found that once Google granted the deletion of search results, the interests of individuals in privacy and effective protection of personal data generally outweighed Google’s interests. [sic] Send a message to the webmaster, concludes. according to International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Upheld a 50 million Swedish kronor (£3.8 million) fine against search engines for failing to remove URLs they were asked to remove from their lists.
Within weeks of the first judgment in May 2014, which ruled that the right to be forgotten applied to Google, six Guardian articles were removed from the European version of the search engine.
Three of the charges related to now-retired Scottish Premier League referee Dougie McDonald, who was found to have lied about his reasons for awarding penalties in a football match in 2010. . Others included his 2002 article about a lawyer facing a fraud trial and his 2011 article about a French office worker who makes his art Post-It Notes.
Over the next five years, the search engine received about 1 million unique forgotten requests, and even though more than half were rejected, it still removed about 1.5 million unique URLs.
Jim Peebles is widely known as the architect of modern cosmology and its nice-guy chief executive.give half a share of 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics, the committee said he “took up the universe” and helped create the framework known as the Standard Model of Cosmology, which is now considered “the basis of modern understanding of the history of the universe.” Others described him as an “extraordinary physicist” and “extraordinarily thoughtful, polite and kind.”
Now the Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus of Science at Princeton University, Peebles' career began there in the 1960s, focusing on Einstein's theory of general relativity, in which gravity occurs as a result of distortions of mass in spacetime. . He later characterized the cosmic microwave background (CMB), an “echo” of the Big Bang, a discovery that made cosmology an experimental science. He also showed that halos of dark matter around galaxies create a mass distribution consistent with astronomers' observations, and that the description of our universe requires reinstatement of Einstein's much-derided cosmological constant. I convinced the field that there was. Initially incorporated into the equations of general relativity as an unwieldy trick, it is now thought of as dark energy, the repulsive force driving the accelerating expansion of the universe.
Despite the success of the standard cosmological model, Peebles has always sought to undermine it. In recent years, he has focused his musings on observing astronomical anomalies – strange galaxies and other interesting phenomena – that may expose flaws in our thinking.
he says new scientist On his vision for cosmology and why it's important to deviate from the mainstream…
A new study shows that searching online to evaluate news can actually increase beliefs in misinformation, especially when search engines return low-quality information. This highlights the need for better media literacy programs and improved search engine responsiveness. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Alarming research findings demonstrate the limitations of using recommended procedures to debunk false content.
Conventional wisdom holds that searching online to assess the veracity of misinformation can lead to less belief in that information. But a new study by a team of researchers shows that the opposite is happening. This means that searches are actually taking place to assess the veracity of false news articles. To increase Probability of believing false information.
The results of this study will be published in the journal today (December 20th) Nature, provides insight into the impact of search engine output on users. This is a relatively under-researched area.
How search engines influence users’ beliefs
“Our research shows that the act of searching online to evaluate news increases beliefs in misinformation, which is very common and by a significant amount.” new york universityCenter for Social Media Politics (CSMaP) and one of the authors of this paper.
The reason for this result may be explained by the search engine output. Researchers found that this phenomenon was concentrated among individuals for whom search engines returned low-quality information.
“This means that ‘data gaps’ (areas of the information ecosystem dominated by low-quality or outright false news and information) play a significant role in the online search process, leading to poor search results. “The danger is that you may see reliable or, even more alarmingly, unreliable information at the top of search results,” said lead author and University of Central Florida professor said Kevin Alette, assistant professor and CSMaP faculty researcher.
Methodology and focus of nature research
The newly published Nature Aslett, Sanderson, and their colleagues studied the effects of using online search engines to evaluate false or misleading views. This approach is recommended by technology companies, government agencies, and others.
To do so, they recruited participants through both Qualtrics and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (a tool frequently used to conduct behavioral science research) and conducted a series of five experiments. Its purpose is to measure the impact of common actions. i.e. Searching and Evaluating News Online (SOTEN).
Investigating online search behavior and its impact
The first four studies tested the following aspects of online search behavior and impact:
The impact of SOTEN on believing both false or misleading news and true news within two days of article publication (popular fake articles included articles such as: COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) vaccines, Trump impeachment proceedings, climate change, etc.)
Does the effect of SOTEN change individuals’ evaluations of the truthfulness of news articles?
blue sky effect Month After publication
The impact of SOTEN on recent news about salient topics with important news coverage – in the case of this study, news about the Covid-19 pandemic.
The fifth study combined survey and web tracking data to determine the effects of exposure to both low- and high-quality search engine results on misinformation beliefs. By collecting search results using a custom web browser plug-in, researchers were able to determine how search results were displayed. quality These search results can influence users’ beliefs about the misinformation being evaluated.
Source credibility ratings for this study were determined by NewsGuard, a browser extension that rates news and other information sites to help users evaluate the trustworthiness of content they encounter online.
Conclusion and recommendations
Across five studies, the authors found that the act of searching online to evaluate news led to a statistically significant increase in belief in misinformation. This occurred either immediately or months after the incorrect information was published. This finding suggests that the passage of time, and the ostensible opportunity for fact-checking to enter the information ecosystem, does not reduce the impact of SOTEN, which increases the likelihood of believing a false news article to be true. Additionally, a fifth study showed that this phenomenon is concentrated among individuals for whom search engines return low-quality information.
“The findings of this study underscore the need for media literacy programs to ground recommendations in empirically tested interventions and the need for search engines to invest in solutions to the challenges identified in this study.” ” concludes Joshua A. Tucker, professor of political science and co-director of CSMaP. of the author of the paper.
Reference: “Online searches to evaluate misinformation may increase perceptions of its truth,” December 20, 2023 Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06883-y
Other authors on the paper include William Gaedel and Jonathan Nagler of New York University’s Center for Social Media Politics and Nathaniel Persily of Stanford Law School.
This research was supported by a grant (2029610) from the National Science Foundation.
Google is adding a number of new updates to Maps. These include several AI-powered features designed to make it easier for users to search, explore their surroundings, and reach their destinations. The company is rolling out updates to its navigation interface that will make it easier to find specific items nearby or find inspiration for things to do, provide EV drivers with more information about chargers, and expand the features announced in 2018 to more cities and more.
The tech giant is updating its in-map search to make it easier to find specific things nearby. Searching for things like “animal latte art” will show you the photo results you’re looking for. The results you see are based on AI and advanced image recognition models analyzing the photos you share on Google Maps. By showing you these images, Google wants to make it easier for you to find new spots that have exactly what you’re looking for. In this scenario, if you find a cute animal latte art image that you like, you can click on it to see details of the coffee shop that offers that image and be directed to that cafe.
Image credits: Google
This new way to search in Maps is rolling out this week in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US. Google plans to expand its service to more countries in the future.
If you have free time and aren’t sure what you’re looking for, you’ll soon see more organized search results for things near you. For example, if you’re in Tokyo and don’t know what to do, search for “things to do” and you’ll get suggestions for places like “anime,” “cherry blossoms,” and “art exhibitions.” You can tap a location to go to it or save it for later. The update is designed to help you discover activities and dining options and will roll out globally on Android and iOS in the coming weeks.
Image credits: Google
Google also announced that its Maps navigation interface will soon reflect your surroundings more accurately. For example, when you’re driving downtown, you’ll see more realistic buildings and better orient yourself. In addition to color updates on the map, you now see improved lane details when driving on highways. This is useful when you need to quickly cross multiple lanes to get to the exit. These updates will begin rolling out in the coming months in 12 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.
US drivers will start checking to see if there are HOV lanes on their routes. And in Europe, he’s expanding Google’s AI-powered speed limit information to 20 countries. Both of these features will begin rolling out to Android, iOS, and cars with Google built-ins in the coming months.
Image credits: Google
In addition, EV drivers using Android and iOS can see on the map whether a charger is compatible with their vehicle and whether available chargers are fast, medium, or slow. You will now be able to see additional information about charging stations. You can also see when the charger was last used, so you can be sure it’s working properly and avoid using a broken charger.
As part of today’s announcement, Google shared that it will be expanding some of its current AI-powered features to more cities. Immersive View for Routes, which lets you preview your journey by car or on foot, is expanding to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo, and Venice (on Android and iOS).
Google is also bringing Lens in Maps, formerly known as Search with Live View, to more than 50 new cities, including Austin, Las Vegas, Rome, Sao Paulo, and Taipei. This feature uses AI and augmented reality to help you understand your surroundings, and when you lift your phone, you can find information about nearby ATMs, transit stations, restaurants, etc.
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