Alexa tells 10-year-old child to perform a deadly "challenge"
Echo owner Kristin Livdahl took to Twitter on Sunday to share an odd story with the world: that very day, her 10-year-old child asked Alexa for a challenge to perform. Instead of suggesting something relatively-harmless, like answering a riddle, solv.....»»
Japan records second-hottest September
Japan had its second-hottest September since records began with some regions the warmest yet, the weather agency said, in a year likely to become the warmest in human history......»»
Fires taking Amazon closer to "point of no return": Expert
A year ago, Carlos Nobre, one of Brazil's top climate scientists, was a rare voice of optimism about the future of the planet......»»
One-minute phone breaks could help keep students more focused in class and better in tests
Phones can be useful tools in classrooms to remind students of deadlines or encourage more exchange between students and teachers. At the same time, they can be distracting. Students report using their phones for non-academic purposes as often as 10.....»»
Bloomberg: New iPhone SE with Face ID and updated iPad Air launching early next year
Via Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is set to update its entry-level iPhone SE early next year, alongside updates to the iPad Air and accessories. The new iPhone SE will be a significant release, featuring a shift away from the dated forehead an.....»»
AI digests repetitive scatological document into profound “poop” podcast
What happens when you ask an AI model to summarize a bunch of crap? Enlarge / This AI prompt stinks... or does it? (credit: Aurich Lawson) Imagine you're a podcaster who regularly does quick 10- to 12-minute summary revi.....»»
Are plants and fungi trading carbon for nutrients? Not likely, say researchers
Every year, plants move 3.58 gigatons of carbon to mycorrhizal fungi, their underground partners—enough, in fact, that if it were ice, it would cover 112 million NHL hockey rinks. However, a dominant scientific theory explaining that huge transfer.....»»
Targeted grazing can be a successful, low-cost method to manage cheatgrass when timed properly
Targeted livestock grazing is a successful and cost-efficient method to manage cheatgrass in the U.S. western Great Plains when timed to coincide with cheatgrass growth rather than based solely on the time of year, according to a recent study publish.....»»
Next year’s iPhone could surprise new button
The next Apple flagship could stir surprise with a new physical button. Here's what we know about how it might work......»»
"Iyashikei" healing manga comforts readers with attention to small joys
Iyashikei is a Japanese genre that, according to Japanese studies scholar Paul Roquet, tells stories that are designed to comfort and heal weary readers by creating an aesthetic of calm. In order to achieve this, as Roquet articulates, these stories.....»»
High-resolution images of RSV may expose stubborn virus"s weak points
The complex shape of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one hurdle limiting the development of treatments for an infection that leads to hospitalization or worse for hundreds of thousands of people in the United States each year, according to the C.....»»
Deals: Apple Pencil Pro all-time low, new Apple Watch SE 2 configs from $189, iPad Air, MagSafe gear, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by a new all-time low price on Apple Pencil Pro that is now sitting at $99 shipped. While this might be an excellent condition open-box listing, it does include the full 1-year Apple warranty and now joins.....»»
Visual Intelligence in iOS 18.2 will unlock new iPhone 16 powers
Apple’s iPhone 16 line is getting an exclusive and powerful new feature later this year—likely in iOS 18.2. It uses the A18 chip, Camera Control, and smarts from Apple, ChatGPT, and Google to unlock a fresh way of interacting with the world. Here.....»»
Windows 11 24H2, the biggest update in two years, starts rolling out today
Windows 11's third annual update includes a subtle under-the-hood overhaul. Enlarge (credit: Microsoft) Microsoft will begin rolling this year's annual Windows 11 update out to consumers starting today, the company annou.....»»
To build a giant sheep, man spends 10 years smuggling, cloning, and inseminating
He takes his hobbies seriously. Enlarge / A male argali sheep in the wild. (credit: Getty Images) Readers of a certain age might remember Dolly, a Finn-Dorset sheep born in 1996 to three mothers and some proud Scottish s.....»»
Q3 sales slip at GM; September volume off at Toyota, Hyundai, Kia
U.S. new-vehicle sales are expected to drop in September and the third quarter, with analysts expecting volatility the rest of the year as affordability remains a challenge and the U.S. presidential election looms......»»
Q3 sales slip at GM; September volume off at Hyundai, Kia; Mazda gains
U.S. new-vehicle sales are expected to drop in September and the third quarter, with analysts expecting volatility the rest of the year as affordability remains a challenge and the U.S. presidential election looms......»»
The politically incorrect guide to saving NASA’s floundering Artemis Program
To get somewhere, Artemis must avoid going nowhere. Enlarge / A rendering of NASA's Lunar Gateway. (credit: NASA) Regardless of the outcome of this year’s election, the United States will have a new president in a few.....»»
iPhone 16 Pro review: I love it, but I wouldn’t buy it
The iPhone 16 Pro is a powerful and capable iPhone. But is it the one you should buy this year? I used it to find out......»»
September sales fall at Hyundai, Kia
U.S. new-vehicle sales are expected to drop in September and the third quarter, with analysts expecting volatility the rest of the year, as affordability remains a challenge and the U.S. presidential election looms......»»
It will only take 22 seconds to reduce 67-year-old Tropicana Las Vegas to dust, debris
It will only take 22 seconds to reduce 67-year-old Tropicana Las Vegas to dust, debris.....»»