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Accidentally Solving Robotics by Watching 1 Million Hours of YouTube

2025-06-30

Accidentally Solving Robotics by Watching 1 Million Hours of YouTube

Researchers accidentally solved a long-standing robotics problem by training a model called V-JEPA 2 on one million hours of YouTube videos. Instead of predicting the next word, V-JEPA 2 predicts the next moment in reality, learning to understand physics through observation. Unlike previous language-dependent models, V-JEPA 2 demonstrates impressive zero-shot generalization, successfully completing complex tasks like grasping and placing objects in unseen environments. While limitations like camera pose sensitivity and long-horizon drift remain, this research opens new avenues for robotics, hinting at a future where robots might possess comprehension comparable to ChatGPT.

(ksagar.bearblog.dev)

AI

Microsoft Cracks Down on Low Performers with New Performance Management Policies

2025-04-22

Microsoft Cracks Down on Low Performers with New Performance Management Policies

Microsoft is implementing stricter performance management policies, including a two-year rehire ban for underperforming employees. This reflects a broader tech industry shift towards higher performance expectations and less leniency. The new policies include options for exiting low performers and an improved Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), aiming for greater transparency and accountability. This follows recent layoffs of underperforming employees without severance.

(www.businessinsider.com)

Tech Performance Management

D&D's OGL Victory: Community Uprising Forces WotC to Retreat

2025-04-23

D&D's OGL Victory: Community Uprising Forces WotC to Retreat

Wizards of the Coast's (WotC) attempt to revise the Open Gaming License (OGL) for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in early 2023 backfired spectacularly. The proposed changes, which included royalty payments for creators exceeding certain revenue thresholds and unclear digital platform applicability, sparked widespread outrage within the D&D community. Facing intense backlash, WotC ultimately abandoned the revised OGL and released a Creative Commons-licensed System Reference Document (SRD), securing the long-term openness of core rules and releasing a new similarly licensed reference book. This victory highlights the power of community action and the importance of open gaming licenses.

(arstechnica.com)

Game Open Gaming License Community Action

UK Fusion Firm First Light Fusion Pivots Away From Reactor Construction

2025-04-28

UK Fusion Firm First Light Fusion Pivots Away From Reactor Construction

UK-based nuclear fusion company First Light Fusion has suffered a 60% valuation drop after abandoning plans to build its first reactor due to funding issues. The company's 'projectile fusion' technology, involving firing a projectile at a fuel cell, proved too costly to develop into a power plant. Instead, First Light will now license its 'amplifier' technology, which boosts fusion reactions, to other nuclear power companies. This pivot aims for a more capital-efficient model and faster revenue generation. The decision comes amidst increased competition from China's advancements in fusion technology and highlights the challenges in commercializing this promising but complex energy source.

(finance.yahoo.com)

Tech

Artificial Leaf Converts CO2 to Usable Fuel Using Sunlight

2025-04-24

Artificial Leaf Converts CO2 to Usable Fuel Using Sunlight

Researchers have created a postage-stamp-sized artificial leaf that converts CO2 into C2 molecules using sunlight. Unlike previous biological approaches, this device utilizes an inorganic material, copper, for enhanced durability and stability. The device, composed of a photoanode and photocathode, facilitates an organic oxidation reaction and C2 product creation. These C2 chemicals are precursors for various industrial products, including plastics and airplane fuel. Future work focuses on increasing efficiency and scalability.

(newscenter.lbl.gov)

Tech artificial photosynthesis CO2 conversion

GlobalFoundries Acquires MIPS, Expanding its RISC-V Processor Portfolio

2025-07-09

GlobalFoundries Acquires MIPS, Expanding its RISC-V Processor Portfolio

GlobalFoundries (GF) announced a definitive agreement to acquire MIPS, a leading provider of AI and processor IP. This strategic move expands GF's customizable IP offerings, differentiating its process technologies with enhanced IP and software capabilities. MIPS's Atlas portfolio, based on the open RISC-V architecture, focuses on real-time computing for applications like autonomous mobility, industrial automation, and data centers. The acquisition will allow GF to offer more flexible RISC-V based solutions, strengthening its position in the rapidly evolving AI market.

(mips.com)

Tech Processor IP

Why Computer Scientists Consult Oracles

2025-01-06

Why Computer Scientists Consult Oracles

Computational complexity theorists use hypothetical 'oracles'—devices that instantly answer specific questions—to explore the fundamental limits of computation. By studying how different oracles affect problem difficulty (e.g., the P vs. NP problem), researchers gain insights into inherent computational limitations and inspire new algorithms. For example, Shor's algorithm, a quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers crucial to modern cryptography, was inspired by oracle-based research. Oracles serve as a powerful tool, pushing the boundaries of theoretical understanding and driving innovation in fields like quantum computing.

(www.quantamagazine.org)

Development computational complexity quantum computing

Cilla's Low-Budget OB Inserts

2025-04-22

This new series of Cilla featured OB inserts produced cheaply, often piggybacking on other, usually sports, OBs in nearby locations. For example, the crew would film a sports event in Worcester and then immediately film Cilla inserts in the same location. Cilla would announce live that cameras were in a specific street, inviting residents to come out and say hello. The result was a floodlit street, PA system, and live interviews, all achieved with a remarkably low budget.

(mcr21.org.uk)

Misc TV production low-budget production live broadcast

Graceful Shutdown in Go: Best Practices

2025-05-04

Graceful Shutdown in Go: Best Practices

This article delves into best practices for implementing graceful shutdowns in Go. By catching SIGTERM and SIGINT signals, leveraging the context package, and utilizing http.Server.Shutdown, the article demonstrates how to smoothly stop a service, preventing data loss and resource leaks. It covers signal handling, timeout mechanisms, stopping new requests, handling pending requests, and releasing critical resources, providing a complete example to help developers build robust and reliable Go applications.

(victoriametrics.com)

Development graceful shutdown

Doom and Doom II Get Physical Releases, Including a Playable Game Box!

2025-04-16

Doom and Doom II Get Physical Releases, Including a Playable Game Box!

Limited Run Games is releasing physical editions of Doom and Doom II, with the highlight being the "Will it Run Edition." This $666 limited edition (666 copies!) features a game box that actually runs the original Doom, along with cassette soundtrack, certificate of authenticity, and trading cards. Cheaper options include a Big Box Edition ($100) and a standard edition ($30). The games themselves have been enhanced with 60fps, 16:9 support, improved weapon switching, gyroscopic aiming, local 4-player co-op, online play, new maps, community mods, and a brand-new episode, "Legacy of Rust." The playable game box is a nod to the game's meme-worthy ability to run on nearly anything.

(www.engadget.com)

Game Physical Release

Open Codex: A Local, Open-Source AI Command-Line Assistant

2025-04-21

Open Codex: A Local, Open-Source AI Command-Line Assistant

Open Codex is a fully open-source command-line AI assistant inspired by OpenAI Codex, running locally without needing an API key. It leverages local language models like phi-4-mini for natural language to shell command translation. Features include one-shot and interactive modes (coming soon), command confirmation, clipboard support, colored terminal output, and cross-platform compatibility (macOS, Linux, Windows).

(github.com)

Development local model

Major Security Flaw: eSIM Cards Compromised, Millions of Users at Risk

2025-07-09

Security Explorations, a research lab of AG Security Research, has uncovered a critical vulnerability in eSIM technology. They successfully compromised a Kigen eUICC card, extracting the private key for the GSMA consumer certificate. This allows attackers to download arbitrary eSIM profiles from mobile network operators, gaining access to sensitive user data and network keys. The vulnerability exploits previously known Java Card flaws from 2019, proving eSIMs are not as secure as advertised. Millions of users relying on Kigen eSIMs are at risk, highlighting a significant weakness in eSIM architecture.

(security-explorations.com)

Tech eSIM security Java Card vulnerabilities

Data Commons MCP Server Goes Public: A New Data Engine for AI Applications

2025-09-24

Data Commons MCP Server Goes Public: A New Data Engine for AI Applications

Google's Data Commons has publicly released its MCP Server, a standardized interface allowing AI agents to directly access Data Commons' vast public datasets. This simplifies data access, accelerates development of data-rich AI applications, and helps reduce Large Language Model hallucinations. A successful example is the ONE Data Agent, developed in partnership with the ONE Campaign, which uses the MCP Server to quickly search tens of millions of health financing data points, empowering global health advocacy. The MCP Server integrates seamlessly into various AI development workflows, such as Google Cloud Platform's ADK and Gemini CLI.

(developers.googleblog.com)

AI

The Electromagnetic History of Firesign Theatre: A Psychedelic Trip Through Counterculture Comedy

2025-04-25

The Electromagnetic History of Firesign Theatre: A Psychedelic Trip Through Counterculture Comedy

This review of Jeremy Braddock's new book, *Firesign: The Electromagnetic History of Everything as Told on Nine Comedy Albums*, explores the groundbreaking American comedy troupe Firesign Theatre. Active during the 1960s and 70s, they created a series of influential albums using advanced recording techniques and surreal humor, reflecting the counterculture movement. The review draws parallels between Firesign Theatre and the Beatles, analyzes their critiques of media, politics, and technology, and examines the lasting appeal of their work in the digital age. Their unique blend of experimental audio and sharp social commentary continues to resonate with fans decades later.

(lareviewofbooks.org)

Misc Firesign Theatre Counterculture Comedy Audio Collage

Cracking the Protein Folding Code: The 55% Mystery

2025-04-16

Cracking the Protein Folding Code: The 55% Mystery

Yale researchers have discovered that all globular proteins maintain a consistent core packing density of 55%. Published in PRX Life, this finding reveals that this isn't a coincidence, but rather a result of the protein core reaching a 'jammed' state. The complex shapes of amino acids prevent denser packing compared to spherical objects (64%). This research opens exciting possibilities for drug therapeutics, biomaterials design, and even offers insights into the origins of life.

(phys.org)

Tech protein folding biophysics

Palatable Elemental Diet Shows Promise in Treating Gut Microbial Overgrowth

2025-04-24

Palatable Elemental Diet Shows Promise in Treating Gut Microbial Overgrowth

Cedars-Sinai researchers have developed mBiota Elemental, a palatable elemental diet (PED) that effectively reduces key gut microbiome taxa and improves symptoms in patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO). A clinical trial showed normalized breath tests and symptom relief in most participants, with no serious adverse events. The improved palatability of this PED addresses a major limitation of previous elemental diets, leading to high adherence rates. This non-antibiotic approach offers a potential new treatment option for SIBO and IMO.

(medicalxpress.com)

Tech Gut Microbiome Elemental Diet

Trump White House Launches Controversial 'Lab Leak' Website

2025-04-19

Trump White House Launches Controversial 'Lab Leak' Website

The Trump White House has replaced the previous covid.gov and covidtests.gov websites with a new page titled "Lab Leak: The True Origins of COVID-19." This site promotes the theory that the COVID-19 pandemic originated from a lab leak in Wuhan, China, criticizing the Biden administration's response and its handling of Dr. Anthony Fauci. This move has sparked controversy within the scientific community, with some scientists claiming factual inaccuracies and misleading information, lacking scientific basis, and portraying it as political propaganda. Supporters, however, believe the site reveals the truth and applaud the administration's transparency.

(www.npr.org)

Tech COVID-19 origins lab leak political controversy

CAPTCHA is Dead: The Ticketing Industry's Bot War

2025-05-25

Ticketing websites face a persistent challenge: bots used by scalpers to snatch tickets. Traditional CAPTCHAs, such as image and audio recognition, have been defeated by advanced machine learning. Behavior-based anti-bot technologies, while effective, compromise user privacy; while proof-of-work methods are too inexpensive for scalpers. The author proposes a "BAP theorem," stating that anti-bot systems can only satisfy two out of three properties: "bot-resistance," "accessibility," and "privacy." Ultimately, websites must choose between high privacy and high security; technical solutions alone are insufficient. Legislation and social approaches might be more effective.

(behind.pretix.eu)

Tech anti-bot ticketing

Ghostty's Embeddable Terminal Emulator Library, libghostty, Launches

2025-09-24

The Ghostty project has released libghostty, an embeddable library for any application to integrate a modern, fast terminal emulator. The first release, libghostty-vt, is a zero-dependency library (not even libc!) providing an API for parsing terminal sequences and maintaining terminal state, directly extracted from Ghostty's core. A Zig API is available for testing now, with a C API coming soon. libghostty aims to solve the common shortcomings of existing terminal emulator implementations—incompleteness, bugs, and slow speed—offering developers a stable, reusable solution. Future plans include expanding functionality with input handling, GPU rendering, and more.

(mitchellh.com)

Development embeddable library

Interactive Git Add in Go: Enhanced Functionality

2025-05-30

Interactive Git Add in Go: Enhanced Functionality

This Go implementation of Git's interactive add functionality (`git add -i`, `git add -p`) offers a superior user experience. Beyond replicating the original Perl script's features, it introduces powerful additions: global filtering with regex, auto-hunk splitting, and improved search/navigation. It can be installed as a Git command and includes comprehensive unit tests. Enjoy enhanced control over staging your changes!

(github.com)

Development

Ann: A Decentralized Annotation Server for Empowering Applications

2025-05-20

Ann is a minimal ActivityPub-based decentralized social media built around Web Annotations, essentially comments, recommendations, or likes on any content. It's not a standalone webpage, but a server designed for integration with other applications. Imagine comment sections in Gemini browsers, private research paper annotation systems, article recommendation feeds, browser plugins for adding and viewing comments across the web, or even AI training datasets. Ann's vision is a web independent of JavaScript and trackers, empowering applications with annotation capabilities, giving users choice, privacy, and control over their content consumption.

(mccd.space)

Development web annotation

Musk's NASA Pick Fails, Leaving Agency Facing Budget Cuts and Uncertain Future

2025-06-01

Musk's NASA Pick Fails, Leaving Agency Facing Budget Cuts and Uncertain Future

Jared Isaacman, Elon Musk's favored nominee for NASA administrator, has unexpectedly failed to secure the position, sparking concern within the agency. Isaacman's nomination failure is attributed to Musk's controversial role in the government and opposition from within the administration. This leaves NASA facing substantial budget cuts, a 24% reduction, jeopardizing its future. NASA insiders express grave concerns, with some predicting the agency's decline. The Trump administration hasn't named a replacement, but retired Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast is a leading contender, raising concerns about his military background and its implications for NASA's civilian space mission.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

Instagram Now Supports 3:4 Aspect Ratio Photos

2025-05-30

Instagram Now Supports 3:4 Aspect Ratio Photos

Instagram now supports photos with a 3:4 aspect ratio, meaning uploads in this format will appear exactly as shot, according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri. He notes that most phone cameras default to this ratio. The update supports both single photo uploads and carousels, although square and 4:5 aspect ratios remain options. This follows Instagram's January move to rectangular profile grids, reflecting the increasing prevalence of vertical photos and videos.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech aspect ratio

Data Warehouse Architecture: A Deep Dive from Classic to Cloud-Native

2025-09-24

Data Warehouse Architecture: A Deep Dive from Classic to Cloud-Native

This comprehensive guide explores data warehouse architecture, from classic three-tier models to modern cloud-native designs. It covers key layers like data integration, storage, and access, detailing the pros and cons of various architectures (hybrid, single-tier, two-tier, three-tier, star schema, snowflake schema, etc.) and their use cases. Emerging trends like lakehouse, data mesh, and real-time pipelines are also discussed, along with how to choose the right architecture, schema, and tools to optimize performance and cost. Real-world examples from Helsana and WashTec showcase how companies modernized their data infrastructure for improved efficiency and insights.

(www.exasol.com)

Development data warehouse data architecture

Rust CUDA: Bringing High-Speed GPU Computing to Rust

2025-04-11

Rust CUDA: Bringing High-Speed GPU Computing to Rust

The Rust CUDA project aims to make Rust a top-tier language for extremely fast GPU computing using the CUDA Toolkit. It provides tools for compiling Rust to highly optimized PTX code and libraries for interfacing with existing CUDA libraries. Addressing past challenges in integrating Rust with CUDA, it offers a comprehensive suite of crates covering various aspects of the CUDA ecosystem, including GPU-side functions, CUDA driver API wrappers, and OptiX support for ray tracing. While still in early development, the project seeks to propel the Rust GPU computing industry forward.

(github.com)

Development

Thousands Mistakenly Believe They Won the Lottery Due to Coding Error

2025-07-01

Thousands Mistakenly Believe They Won the Lottery Due to Coding Error

Thousands of Norwegians mistakenly thought they'd won life-changing sums in the Eurojackpot lottery due to a manual coding error by Norsk Tipping, the state-owned operator. A conversion error multiplied winnings by 100 instead of dividing, briefly displaying vastly inflated jackpots on their website. While no incorrect payouts were made, the mistake led to the CEO's resignation and sparked concerns about the company's internal controls. This isn't Norsk Tipping's first recent blunder; previous technical issues and regulatory breaches have also been reported. The new acting CEO aims to restore public trust.

(www.theregister.com)

Misc Lottery error Coding mistake CEO resignation

From Zero to Hero: My Vim Journey and Why You Should Try It Too

2025-04-24

From Zero to Hero: My Vim Journey and Why You Should Try It Too

A seasoned developer recounts his transition from traditional text editors to Vim. Initially intimidated by Vim's shortcuts, he discovered the 'Vim language' – a system of keybindings that dramatically boosted his efficiency. Mastering Vim motions and commands allowed precise, rapid text editing, extending these gains to writing and browsing. While acknowledging the steep learning curve, the author argues that Vim's payoff is substantial, making it worthwhile for any developer.

(www.ssp.sh)

Development

OpenAI Eyes Chrome Acquisition Amidst Google Antitrust Case

2025-04-23

OpenAI Eyes Chrome Acquisition Amidst Google Antitrust Case

OpenAI's head of product, Nick Turley, testified that the company would be interested in acquiring Chrome if Google is forced to divest, Reuters reports. This comes as part of the US Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google. OpenAI previously attempted to partner with Google to integrate its search technology into ChatGPT but was unsuccessful. Currently, OpenAI is building its own search index, but progress is slower than initially anticipated.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech

DeepSeek v3: Significant Improvements to the Transformer Architecture

2025-01-28

DeepSeek v3: Significant Improvements to the Transformer Architecture

DeepSeek v3 achieves state-of-the-art benchmark performance with significantly less compute than comparable models. This is due to key architectural improvements: Multi-head Latent Attention (MLA) drastically reduces KV cache size without sacrificing model quality; improved Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) tackles routing collapse via auxiliary-loss-free load balancing and shared experts; and multi-token prediction boosts training efficiency and inference speed. These improvements demonstrate a deep understanding of the Transformer architecture and point the way forward for large language models.

(epoch.ai)

AI

Public Domain Day Film Remix Contest Winners Announced!

2025-02-08

The 2025 Public Domain Day Film Remix Contest has concluded! Queline Meadows's "When I Leave the World Behind" took first place, masterfully blending film, images, music, and text to evoke a powerful sense of nostalgia. Samantha Close's "The Archive Boogie" and Samara Meyer's "THE SITUATIONSHIP" won second and third place respectively, showcasing the breadth of 1929 cinema and the richness of public domain resources, and a daring sapphic love story. Three honorable mentions further highlighted diverse film styles: Jeremy Floyd's "Moving Pictures Aren't What They Used to Be," William Webb's "Hoffman's Honeymoon," and DIEGO DIAZ & CAN SARK's "The Wayback Machine." All entries can be viewed on the Internet Archive.

(blog.archive.org)

Game film remix internet archive

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