Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Far-UVC: Can We Clean the Air Like We Clean Water?

2025-09-22

Over a century ago, typhoid fever ravaged cities due to contaminated drinking water. While water purification is now commonplace, airborne diseases like tuberculosis remain widespread. This article explores far-UVC light (222-nanometer wavelength), a technology that kills airborne pathogens without harming humans. Historically, 254-nanometer UVC was attempted, but caused skin damage. Far-UVC overcomes this, offering potentially superior disinfection to ventilation and filtration. Despite its promise, far-UVC's adoption is hampered by a lack of standardization and extensive clinical research. The article calls for further research and investment to bring this technology into widespread use, ultimately improving public health as dramatically as water purification has.

(worksinprogress.co)

Tech far-UVC

Optus Firewall Upgrade Causes 14-Hour Emergency Services Outage, Potentially Leading to 3 Deaths

2025-09-22

An Optus firewall upgrade caused a 14-hour outage of emergency services (Triple Zero, 000) in Australia. Initial monitoring failed to detect the issue, and it wasn't until a customer reported the problem that Optus realized the severity. The CEO, Stephen Rue, stated that staff may not have followed established procedures. At least three deaths are potentially linked to the outage, with victims believed to have attempted to contact emergency services during the downtime. Optus is investigating and has expressed remorse, vowing to improve its emergency service protocols.

(www.theregister.com)

Tech emergency services

arXivLabs: Experimenting with Community Collaboration

2025-09-22

arXivLabs is a framework for collaborators to build and share new arXiv features directly on the website. Individuals and organizations involved share arXiv's commitment to openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv only works with partners who adhere to these values. Got an idea for a valuable community project? Learn more about arXivLabs!

(arxiv.org)

Tech

OpenStreetMap Download Server Upgrade and Plea for Responsible Downloads

2025-09-22

The OpenStreetMap download server infrastructure has been upgraded, resulting in faster downloads and improved availability. To prevent abuse slowing down the service for everyone, users are urged to download responsibly. Specific recommendations include: downloading the full planet file from planet.openstreetmap.org for global data; using the pyosmium-up-to-date tool for large regions to only download updates; and monitoring automated scripts and implementing error handling to prevent repeated downloads.

(blog.geofabrik.de)

Tech download server

Wildfire Smoke: A Grim Toll of 41,000+ Annual Deaths, Projected to Soar

2025-09-22

New research reveals a staggering toll: wildfire smoke caused over 41,000 excess deaths annually from 2011 to 2020. By 2050, this number could reach 68,000-71,000 due to climate change-induced hotter, drier conditions in North America, unless stronger preventative measures are implemented. The study highlights the urgent need for carbon emission reduction and adaptation strategies, while acknowledging the potential benefits of air purifiers and controlled burns in mitigating the smoke's impact. California is projected to experience the most significant increase in smoke-related mortality, with over 5,000 excess deaths annually.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

From Failed VideoDisc to Semiconductors: The Rise of the Scanning Capacitance Microscope

2025-09-22

RCA's VideoDisc, despite its colossal failure, unexpectedly led to the invention of the scanning capacitance microscope (SCM). This technology, born from the highly sensitive capacitance sensors in the VideoDisc player, initially served as a quality control tool. While VHS conquered the home video market, the SCM found its niche in the semiconductor industry. It became crucial for measuring dopant distribution in integrated circuits, significantly contributing to the development of next-generation semiconductors. This story exemplifies the 'failure is the mother of success' principle in technological innovation, showcasing how even failed projects can give rise to unexpected breakthroughs.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Scanning Capacitance Microscope RCA VideoDisc

Earth's Future: Venus Lite or Something Else?

2025-09-22

A new study simulates Earth's fate 3.5 billion years from now when large-scale subduction ceases. Even in the best-case scenario, the simulations show Earth's surface temperature exceeding 100 degrees Celsius, turning into a boiling planet. However, even with increased atmospheric CO2, Earth wouldn't reach Venus's extreme levels. This suggests Venus's hellish state may result from a unique catastrophic event rather than simple runaway greenhouse effect. This research challenges prior assumptions and significantly contributes to our understanding of the terminal state of rocky planets.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

Tech Earth's future

Earth's 60-Year-Old Secret Companion: A New Quasi-Moon Discovered

2025-09-22

Astronomers have discovered a near-Earth asteroid named 2025 PN7, a quasi-moon that has been orbiting Earth unnoticed for about 60 years. This roughly 30-meter-diameter space rock is smaller than any previously known quasi-moon and its orbit shifts between a near-Earth orbit and a horseshoe orbit. Researchers hypothesize it may originate from the Arjuna asteroid belt, or even be a fragment of the Moon. While in close proximity to Earth, it poses no threat and offers valuable opportunities for solar system research and testing planetary exploration technologies.

(www.cnn.com)

Tech near-Earth asteroid

AI Cracks Long-Standing Fluid Dynamics Challenge

2025-09-22

Researchers have leveraged AI to make a breakthrough in fluid dynamics. Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs), they discovered new families of unstable singularities with unprecedented accuracy—precise enough to predict Earth's diameter within centimeters. This achievement heralds a new era of computer-assisted mathematics, combining deep mathematical insights with cutting-edge AI to tackle long-standing challenges in mathematics, physics, and engineering.

(deepmind.google)

Tech

Red Onion Skins: An Unexpected Ally in the Fight for Sustainable Solar Energy

2025-09-21

Researchers from the University of Turku have developed a bio-based UV protection film for solar cells using an extract from red onion skins. This film outperforms commercial plastic films, blocking almost all harmful UV light while maintaining high visible light transmittance. The key is anthocyanins and other compounds in the onion skin that provide both UV absorption and stability. This sustainable alternative could revolutionize solar cell protection, especially for applications like smart packaging and wearable devices where recycling is difficult.

(www.zmescience.com)

Tech solar cells

Prehistoric Symbols Rewrite the Story of Writing

2025-09-21

Challenging the long-held belief that Sumerians invented writing around 3400 BCE, new research suggests prehistoric humans used a consistent system of symbols thousands of years earlier. These symbols, found across multiple European caves, consist of simple shapes like dots, lines, and triangles. This suggests a far earlier development of symbolic thinking and information exchange than previously thought, potentially hinting at an ancient global network of communication. The discovery redefines our understanding of writing's origins and implies advanced cognitive abilities in early humans.

(www.openculture.com)

Tech Prehistoric symbols Writing origins Human cognition

US-UK Tech Prosperity Deal: A Quantum Leap in Collaboration

2025-09-21

President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer signed the Technology Prosperity Deal (TPD), a landmark agreement boosting US-UK collaboration in AI, civil nuclear energy, and quantum computing. The deal fosters joint initiatives between leading research institutions, streamlining regulations, accelerating breakthroughs in healthcare and energy, and enhancing national security. Key areas include AI standards development and scientific research, securing nuclear fuel supply chains, and establishing quantum technology benchmarks. This collaboration promises transformative benefits for both nations.

(www.whitehouse.gov)

Tech tech collaboration

France's Nuclear Miracle: How a Laggard Became a Leader

2025-09-21

In the 1970s, while the global nuclear power industry faltered, France experienced a remarkable surge. Through political will, streamlined regulation, and a unique tax system that incentivized local communities, France built numerous nuclear power plants in a decade, achieving low-carbon electricity generation and becoming Europe's largest electricity exporter. Key to their success were: single buyer, simplified approvals, localized supply chains, fleet building, and economic benefits shared with local communities. While facing cost increases and tighter regulations later, France's nuclear model remains a valuable lesson for other nations, notably China.

(worksinprogress.co)

Tech France

Google's PSP Encryption Protocol Lands in Linux 6.18

2025-09-21

Google's PSP Security Protocol, an in-transit encryption protocol for TCP network connections, is merging into the mainline Linux 6.18 kernel. After thirteen review rounds, this support for encrypting data in transit is slated for inclusion. Designed for simplicity and scalability compared to IPsec, Google's PSP is currently only implemented for Mellanox MLX5 NICs. While it supports various modes including tunneling, its primary focus is as a more efficient TLS replacement leveraging superior offload capabilities.

(www.phoronix.com)

Tech

The Xanadu Tragedy: An Epic of the Hypertext Dream

2025-09-21

This article recounts how Vannevar Bush's Memex concept inspired two pioneers, Doug Engelbart and Ted Nelson, who respectively created the NLS and Xanadu systems, attempting to build an ideal internet based on hypertext. Engelbart's NLS demonstrated the potential of hypertext, but ultimately failed to gain widespread adoption due to technological limitations. Nelson's Xanadu was a grander vision, aiming to create a "docuverse" connecting all knowledge, but due to technical challenges, funding issues, and Nelson's personality, it ultimately failed to achieve its ambitious goals. The article explores missed opportunities in the development of the internet and the balance between technical and humanistic considerations, prompting reflections on the future form of the internet.

(www.astralcodexten.com)

Tech hypertext

LaLiga's Anti-Piracy Crusade: Collateral Damage on the Open Web

2025-09-21

LaLiga, Spain's top football league, is facing backlash for its aggressive anti-piracy tactics. Partnering with Telefónica, LaLiga uses a broad IP address blocking scheme, approved by Spanish courts, that has resulted in widespread outages for legitimate websites and services, including Amazon, Cloudflare, GitHub, and even Google Fonts. Despite claiming a massive increase in takedown notices, only 11% of targeted streams were actually taken offline. This heavy-handed approach has sparked legal challenges and criticism, yet LaLiga shows no signs of slowing down its controversial campaign.

(reclaimthenet.org)

Tech digital rights management internet freedom

APL's Double-Efficiency Solid-State Refrigeration Breakthrough

2025-09-21

Researchers at Johns Hopkins APL have developed a new solid-state thermoelectric refrigeration technology using nano-engineered materials, boasting double the efficiency of commercially available bulk materials. This scalable technology, called CHESS, addresses the growing demand for energy-efficient cooling solutions. Tested in real-world refrigerators, CHESS demonstrated nearly a 75% efficiency improvement. Its minuscule material requirements allow for mass production using semiconductor chip manufacturing, driving down costs and paving the way for wider adoption, potentially extending from small-scale refrigeration to large-scale HVAC applications and beyond.

(www.sciencedaily.com)

Tech Solid-State Cooling Nano-materials Thermoelectric

DEA's New Covert Surveillance Tech: Credit Card Cameras

2025-09-21

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is employing increasingly sophisticated surveillance techniques. Newly revealed procurement data shows the agency purchased 57 audio-video recording devices disguised as credit cards from Swiss company Nagra. These devices, boasting 16GB of storage, are part of a larger trend of the DEA utilizing covert technology, having previously hidden cameras in everyday objects such as streetlights and toolboxes. This latest acquisition underscores the DEA's commitment to advanced surveillance capabilities in its law enforcement operations.

(www.independent.co.uk)

Tech Surveillance Technology Covert Cameras

Gummy Bear Power Bank Conquers Ultralight Backpacking

2025-09-21

A backpacker's quest for weight reduction led to the purchase of a Haribo gummy bear-shaped 20,000mAh power bank. Weighing in at a mere 9.9 ounces, this lightweight marvel is 0.4 ounces lighter than its predecessor, causing a stir in the ultralight backpacking community. In this niche where every ounce counts, this power bank's arrival is akin to discovering a Volkswagen Beetle outperforming a Tesla Cybertruck. Despite the inability to charge via its built-in gummy bear cable, its portability and playful design have won over many backpackers.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech ultralight backpacking

BYD's Yangwang U9 Xtreme Shatters Production Car Speed Record

2025-09-21

BYD's all-electric hypercar, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, has officially become the world's fastest production car, achieving a staggering 308.4 mph at Germany's ATP Papenburg high-speed oval. This surpasses the previous record held by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+. Powered by four electric motors generating over 2,978 bhp and utilizing a 1,200V ultra-high voltage platform and BYD's Blade Battery technology, the U9 Xtreme boasts incredible performance. Only 30 will be produced globally, and the price is expected to significantly exceed the £200,000 price tag of the standard U9.

(www.topgear.com)

Tech

Newtonianism for Ladies: Science, Fashion, and a Dash of Controversy

2025-09-21

Algarotti's *Il Newtonianismo per le dame* uses a dialogue between a narrator and a Marchioness to explain Newtonian physics, cleverly blending scientific education with entertainment. Poems dedicated to prominent figures and a lighthearted approach to optics, rather than mechanics, characterize the text. While seemingly promoting female scientific literacy, the portrayal of the Marchioness's understanding sparks debate: some see her as a passive recipient of knowledge, while others highlight the book's depiction of a woman's curiosity about science alongside fashion.

(www.whipplelib.hps.cam.ac.uk)

Tech science popularization gender studies

Holographic Display Tech: Bringing Your Videos to Life

2025-09-21

HLD technology enhances standard 2D video with shadows and lighting effects, making the content appear as if it's on a holographic stage. You can create these videos using AI video generation tools (e.g., Kling, Veo, Runway), real-world footage (e.g., iPhone, DSLR), or digital renderings (e.g., Blender, Cinema4D, Maya). An Adobe Premiere Pro/After Effects template and user guide will be provided to add lighting effects. Additionally, you can build real-time applications using tools like Unity3D and Unreal Engine. Templates, tutorials, and user guides will be available soon.

(lookingglassfactory.com)

Tech holographic display video enhancement

Meta's Smart Glasses Demo Disaster: A Self-Inflicted DDoS and a Nasty Bug

2025-09-21

Meta's new smart glasses suffered multiple demo failures at Meta Connect. CTO Andrew Bosworth explained it wasn't Wi-Fi, but a resource management miscalculation that triggered all Ray-Ban Meta glasses to simultaneously start their AI, creating a self-inflicted DDoS attack on the dev server. A separate WhatsApp video call failure stemmed from a new 'race condition' bug causing the display to miss the incoming call notification. Despite the demo failures, Bosworth remains confident in the product.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Amazon Kills Commingling: AI-Powered Assistant and a Brand-First Approach

2025-09-21

Amazon announced at its annual Accelerate seller conference the end of its controversial "commingling" program, a move met with enthusiastic applause from sellers. This program, which pooled identical items from different sellers, had allowed counterfeit and expired goods to be mixed with legitimate ones, harming brand reputations. Amazon cited diminishing efficiency gains from commingling due to its improved logistics network, and the $600 million annual cost to brands for re-labeling. This decision reflects Amazon's stronger commitment to brand protection and direct partnerships, as seen in its renewed relationship with Nike. Alongside this, Amazon launched an AI-powered seller assistant to optimize operations and resolve issues. While the AI assistant garnered attention, the termination of commingling resonated most strongly with sellers, signifying a more brand-friendly Amazon marketplace.

(www.modernretail.co)

Tech Commingling Brand Protection

Windows 10's Demise: A Refurbished Tech Market Emerges Amidst E-waste Crisis

2025-09-21

Microsoft's impending end of support for Windows 10 threatens to render nearly 400 million PCs obsolete, creating a massive e-waste problem. In response, companies like Back Market are refurbishing older laptops, pre-installing Chrome OS Flex, and offering them as an alternative to buying new machines. While the initiative is small-scale, it signifies a growing effort to repurpose old PCs, combating Microsoft's perceived 'planned obsolescence' and offering a more sustainable solution.

(www.windowscentral.com)

Tech Planned Obsolescence

Teen Surrenders in 2023 Las Vegas Casino Cyberattack

2025-09-21

A teenager has surrendered to Las Vegas authorities in connection with the 2023 cyberattacks that crippled MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. The attacks, using vishing, resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. The suspect faces six felony charges and prosecutors are seeking to try him as an adult. The arrest is part of a larger FBI investigation that has already indicted four other individuals. While MGM refused a ransom demand, suffering approximately $100 million in losses, Caesars reportedly paid a portion of a ransom demand and experienced less disruption.

(www.casino.org)

Tech

Cyberattack Disrupts European Airports, Causing Flight Delays

2025-09-20

A cyberattack targeting check-in and boarding systems at several major European airports on Saturday caused widespread disruptions and delays. While the impact on travelers seemed limited, experts warned of vulnerabilities exposed in the security systems. The attack focused on Collins Aerospace's MUSE software, affecting multiple airports and forcing manual check-in and boarding. While some flights were cancelled or delayed, many airports reported minimal operational impact. The incident highlights the aviation industry's reliance on shared digital systems and the inherent security risks.

(apnews.com)

Tech aviation security

Samsung's Pre-installed AppCloud Raises Privacy Concerns in WANA

2025-09-20

A pre-installed app called AppCloud on Samsung's A and M series smartphones in West Asia and North Africa (WANA) is raising serious privacy concerns. Developed by the controversial Israeli company ironSource (now owned by Unity), AppCloud is difficult to uninstall and its privacy policy is hard to find. The app allegedly collects sensitive user data like biometric information and IP addresses without explicit consent. Given ironSource's history of questionable privacy practices, AppCloud's presence is alarming, especially in countries where Israeli companies are legally barred from operating. The article calls on Samsung to immediately stop pre-installing AppCloud, make its privacy policy readily available, and ensure user data protection.

(smex.org)

Tech

SpaceX Aims for Starship's Orbital Return and Catch

2025-09-20

SpaceX plans to attempt a groundbreaking feat next year: landing a Starship rocket back at its Texas launchpad after returning from low-Earth orbit. This ambitious goal presents a significant geographical challenge, requiring precise navigation within a narrow corridor to avoid landmasses. Previous 10 test flights ended with ocean splashes. Following successful upcoming tests, SpaceX will aim to send the new Starship V3 (171ft tall) into orbit. Starship's design prioritizes full reusability—Super Heavy boosters are already recovered and reused, but upper stage recovery is slated for next year at the earliest. A successful orbital flight and return-to-launch-site landing, requiring flight over parts of Mexico and South Texas, will mark a major milestone in Starship's development.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Reusable Rocket

Philips Launches World's First Native DICOM JPEG XL Pathology Scanner

2025-09-20

Philips announced the addition of the Pathology Scanner SGi to its SG300 and SG60 scanner offerings. This scanner features configurable DICOM JPEG and DICOM JPEG XL output, making it the world's first to offer native DICOM JPEG XL output. DICOM JPEG XL output files are up to 50% smaller while maintaining high image quality, allowing pathology labs to more efficiently store, manage, and analyze growing volumes of digital pathology data, improving workflows both on-premise and in the cloud. Analysts see this adoption of DICOM in pathology as a significant step towards scalable, interoperable imaging workflows, reducing infrastructure costs and enabling integration with a wider range of AI tools.

(www.philips.com)

Tech Digital Pathology

Category: Tech