A nonprofit organization dedicated to tracking meteors has been severely disrupted following a cyberattack. The attack has been described as a critical blow to the group's operations. As a result, the organization expects to remain largely out of commission for several weeks. The incident highlights the growing vulnerability of scientific and research-focused nonprofits to cyber threats.
Anthropic and OpenAI have announced plans to embed independent safety evaluators within their respective AI laboratories. The move is intended to enable closer oversight of AI development at two of the industry's most prominent organizations. Researchers have welcomed the proposal, calling the level of access it offers unprecedented in the AI sector. However, experts caution that genuine oversight will require strong transparency measures and true independence from the companies being evaluated. They also stress that effective long-term accountability will ultimately depend on formal government regulation.
An AI-generated film titled 'Odysseus: The Fall' has been released by AI company Fountain 0, written and directed by cofounder Ash Koosha, who also voices the lead role and composed the music. The 2.5-hour production arrives in the wake of Christopher Nolan's well-received big-budget adaptation of The Odyssey, which reignited public interest in the classic epic. Critics have panned the AI-made film, suggesting it may actually turn viewers off the source material rather than inspire them. Fountain 0's only prior release was an AI short film, 'Dreams of Violets', which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year.
Merriam-Webster has expanded its dictionary with 1,400 new definitions, reflecting the evolving nature of the English language. The update includes contemporary terms such as 'cuffing season,' 'shishito,' and 'glow-up.' These additions capture words that have gained widespread usage in everyday conversation and culture. Such periodic updates are a standard practice for the dictionary publisher to keep its reference material current and relevant.
Also: Laika Studios debuts a stunning full-length trailer for its stop-motion feature, Wildwood.
A new report warns that e-waste from the artificial intelligence boom has been vastly underestimated by previous studies. By 2050, AI-related electronic waste could fill approximately 23 million shipping containers — enough to circle the globe six times. The higher estimate stems from the report's broader methodology, which accounts for all infrastructure supporting data center servers, not just the servers themselves. The findings were published by the nonprofit Basel Action Network (BAN), which argues prior assessments failed to capture the full environmental footprint of AI. The report underscores that despite AI feeling intangible to users, its physical infrastructure leaves a significant and growing waste trail.
Valve is developing new system-level compatibility tools for SteamOS that go beyond its existing Proton layer. The new additions aim to bring support for Arm-based chipsets into the Steam ecosystem. Valve is also working to enable compatibility with Android APKs through these updated layers. The move signals Valve's ambition to broaden the hardware and software reach of SteamOS significantly. These developments suggest Steam could soon run on a wider range of devices and support mobile-style applications.
Meta is preparing to release a version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses that does not include a camera. The move comes after the company faced public criticism and accusations that its camera-equipped glasses could be used for covert surveillance, earning them the label 'pervert glasses.' The camera-free variant appears to be Meta's attempt to address those privacy concerns and broaden the product's appeal. The development signals Meta's recognition that the camera feature has been a significant barrier for some potential customers.
Social media platform X has introduced a new feature allowing users in the United States to trade financial assets directly through Cashtags. Cashtags, which are ticker-style symbols prefixed with a dollar sign, have long been used on the platform to discuss stocks and markets. The new functionality bridges the gap between financial conversations on the platform and actual market participation. This integration means users no longer need to leave X to act on investment discussions happening in their feed.
California is considering weakening its state-level net neutrality law in response to demands from the Trump administration. Federal broadband grant conditions reportedly prohibit states from enforcing their own net neutrality regulations. The conflict puts California in a difficult position, as accepting federal broadband funding may require abandoning its own consumer internet protections. California's net neutrality law, one of the strongest in the country, was enacted after the federal repeal of national net neutrality rules. The state must now weigh the financial benefits of federal broadband grants against the cost of scaling back its regulatory framework.
Automattic's CFO Mark Davies and legal chief Andy Missan signed reciprocal severance agreements while CEO Matt Mullenweg was temporarily absent from his role. The deals were structured so that each executive signed the other's agreement. Under the terms, both officials would receive one year of salary along with additional equity vesting if their departures meet the qualifying conditions. The agreements were put in place during the period when Mullenweg had stepped back from leading the company.
The results are only a slight improvement over missing the entire brain structure.
Elisa de Martel, the former chief financial officer of Waymo, has joined British self-driving startup Wayve. De Martel departed from Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, in January. She will be based in Silicon Valley in her new role at Wayve. The move marks a significant executive addition for Wayve as it competes in the autonomous driving space.
A new Resident Evil film directed by Zach Cregger aims to bring the franchise closer to its source material after years of deviation. Paul W.S. Anderson's 2002 original was a commercial success but left many hardcore Capcom fans unsatisfied with its departures from the games. Video game adaptations have long carried a mixed reputation, shaped partly by high-profile failures like the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film. Cregger's approach reportedly emphasizes the blend of comedy and horror that defined Capcom's original games. The new project is being positioned as a more faithful interpretation of the beloved survival-horror series.
Scientists have developed a new method to help decipher ancient scrolls using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning technology. The technique allows researchers to assess which scrolls are most promising for further detailed analysis. Notably, even portable, handheld XRF devices are sufficient to carry out this initial screening process. This development could significantly streamline the study of fragile historical manuscripts by prioritizing the most valuable candidates before more intensive analysis is undertaken.
There may be a simpler and more effective fix for rogue agents, hiding in plain sight.
Walmart is selling physical preorders of Metroid Ravenous for $59.88, a $10 reduction from the standard $69.99 retail price, bringing it roughly in line with the digital version. The game is a 2D side-scrolling entry in the Metroid series for Nintendo Switch 2 and marks the franchise's return to that format since Metroid Dread in 2021. Nintendo unveiled the title at its September 2026 Direct, showcasing protagonist Samus navigating varied environments and battling enemies and bosses. Metroid Ravenous is scheduled to launch on January 28th, 2027, though it is unclear how long the preorder discount will remain available. Separately, the previous entry, Metroid Dread, is currently discounted to $41.99 on Amazon as part of Nintendo's Customer Appreciation sale running through September 26th.
Specialized has released the Diverge Pro 4, a gravel bike engineered to perform on rough and unpaved terrain. The bike is designed to excel where road conditions deteriorate, making it particularly suited for gravel and off-road riding. Its geometry and components are tuned to handle challenging surfaces with confidence and control. The Diverge Pro 4 positions itself as a capable option for riders seeking a bike that thrives beyond smooth pavement.
The ShinyHunters hacking group has published thousands of Florida drivers' personal records online. The breach targeted a Florida state motor vehicle database, compromising sensitive driver information. The gang had reportedly demanded a ransom payment from the state agency responsible for the database. After the agency declined to pay, the hackers followed through on their threat by publicly releasing the stolen files.
Apple is reportedly planning to re-enter the server hardware market, driven by surging demand for AI computing power, according to The Information. The company discontinued its Xserve server line back in 2011 and has since stayed out of enterprise hardware. Strong interest from AI developers in Apple's Mac Mini and Mac Studio has led to product shortages, signaling a market opportunity. Apple's energy-efficient ARM-based M-series chips are seen as a competitive advantage in the AI infrastructure space. A potential partnership with Nvidia is being considered, though any new server product is not expected to launch before 2029.
