Oceania
Mercy review – Chris Pratt takes on AI judge Rebecca Ferguson in ingenious sci-fi thriller
It is the year 2029 and an LA cop finds himself accused of murdering his wife. I rish writer Marco van Belle delivers an entertaining script for this real time futurist thriller-satire set in LA in 2029, in a world (as they say) where AI is wholly responsible for assessing criminal guilt or innocence. Veteran Russian-Kazakh film-maker Timur Bekmambetov directs, bringing his usual robust approach to the big action sequences, and Chris Pratt stars as the LAPD cop accused of murder. The film's ostensible target is the insidious power of AI, though the movie partakes of today's liberal opinion doublethink, in which we all solemnly concur that AI is very worrying while not having the smallest intention of doing anything about it. Pratt plays Detective Chris Raven, an officer with a drinking problem but nonetheless a poster boy for LA law enforcement in 2029 for having brought in the first conviction under the city's creepy new hi-tech justice system, ironically entitled Mercy (it doesn't appear to be an acronym).
World's oldest-known rock art found in Indonesian cave
Science Archaeology World's oldest-known rock art found in Indonesian cave The claw-like drawing of a human hand is roughly 67,800-years-old. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. A drawing of a claw-like hand on the wall of a cave in Sulawesi, Indonesia is now the oldest known rock art in the world. The roughly 67,800-year-old art exceeds the previous record holder in the same region of Southeast Asia by 15,000 years or more. The drawing is detailed in a study published today in the journal, and helps fill in the archaeological timeline of how and when Australia was first settled.
The 10 weirdest and wildest musical instruments of 2026
The 28th annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition includes a Fiddle-Henge, a modified bicycle wheel, and a'Demon Box.' Finalists this year include the Post-Digital Sax, described as a cyborg woodwind. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. No, not the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards--it's time to announce the finalists for the 28th annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition . From March 13-14, creators from around the world will assemble at Georgia Tech in Atlanta to demonstrate their unique, innovative, and frequently bizarre music-making contraptions . The top ten selections include entries from Australia, Poland, India, and the United Kingdom, but all of this year's instruments push the boundaries of musicality, performance, and artistry in new, unexpected ways.
AI 'reveals' what it thinks about people in towns across the UK - and claims residents in Middlesbrough are the most stupid while those in Grimsby are the least sexy
Cause of death revealed for chess grandmaster who died'unexpectedly' at age 29 Savannah Guthrie in total'PANIC': Today co-workers' brutal true thoughts about her revealed while she's on sick leave... leaving her asking the same humiliating question'The woman is your average mother after too many vinos': Hilarious'drunk' Victoria Beckham dancing videos go viral as fans point out how'happy' Nicola Peltz looks to be with her Palm Beach's old money elite expose the outrageously dirty secret of newbie Netflix reality stars... and name'tackiest' most hated influencer, as turf war explodes America accuses Britain of'letting us down' by giving away Chagos islands as Reeves takes a jab at Trump in Davos America's spirits industry hit again as two iconic brands shut down . Kate and William's second honeymoon era! Subtle gestures on latest engagement that show couple are more in love than ever Inside dramatic FBI raid on Jake Paul's $8million Calabasas mansion: His own mom reveals explosive never-before-told full story Trump warns Iran the whole country will be'blown up' if he is assassinated David and Victoria Beckham'will only speak to son Brooklyn again if he SPLITS from wife Nicola Peltz' Tommy Lee Jones's daughter was pregnant three months before her shock death, court documents reveal Blake Lively's'greatest friend ever' Taylor Swift calls Justin Baldoni a'b****' in juicy texts, explosive court papers claim I suffered EIGHT miscarriages... then I made a simple diet swap and got pregnant with twins at 43 AI'reveals' what it thinks about people in towns across the UK - and claims residents in Middlesbrough are the most stupid while those in Grimsby are the least sexy READ MORE: Is AI making us STUPID? Daily Mail's Wellness Explained examines A damning study asked ChatGPT its opinions on towns and cities across the UK - revealing the bias built in to the popular AI model. Researchers from the University of Oxford questioned ChatGPT on a range of attributes across the UK - including intelligence, racism, sexiness, and style. When asked which UK towns and cities are the most intelligent, ChatGPT claims that Cambridge tops the list.
TR-49 review – inventive narrative deduction game steeped in the strangest of wartime secrets
The UK game developer's latest is a database mystery constructed from an archive of fictional books. According to the tantalising lore of this mystery game, two engineers created a machine that feeds on the most esoteric books: treatises on quantum computing, meditations on dark matter, pulp sci-fi novels and more. In the mid-2010s, when the game is set, Britain finds itself again engulfed by war, this time with itself. The arcane tool may hold the key to victory. You play as budding codebreaker Abbi, a straight-talking northerner who is sifting through the machine now moved to a crypt beneath Manchester Cathedral.
River of waste 'visible for miles' dumped at mountain beauty spot
River of waste'visible for miles' dumped at mountain beauty spot A farmer says she is devastated by a disgusting river of fly-tipped waste dumped down the side of a mountain. Katie Davies, whose family has owned land on Bwlch Mountain in Treorchy for 90 years, said the clean up could cost thousands of pounds and could also harm her sheep which graze on the land. Travel blogger Nathan Dixon, who captured drone footage showing the scale of the discarded waste, said the mess could be seen from three to five miles away, adding that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Rhondda Cynon Taf council said it always took action to hold those responsible for fly-tipping to account, while Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said fly-tipping was a serious crime. Davies, who runs small family business Nantymoel farm which produces Welsh beef and lamb, said the mess keeps me up at night.
My friends in Italy are using AI therapists. But is that so bad, when a stigma surrounds mental health? Viola Di Grado
An estimated 5 million Italians are in need of mental health support but are unable to afford it. An estimated 5 million Italians are in need of mental health support but are unable to afford it. My friends in Italy are using AI therapists. But is that so bad, when a stigma surrounds mental health? State provision for psychological health services is lamentable.
Finger-prick diabetes blood test could be early warning for children
All UK children could be offered screening for type 1 diabetes using a simple finger-prick blood test, say researchers who have been running a large study. Currently, many young people go undiagnosed and risk developing a life-threatening complication called diabetic ketoacidosis that needs urgent hospital treatment. Identifying diabetes earlier could help avoid this and mean treatments to control problematic blood sugar levels can be given sooner. Some 17,000 children aged three to 13 have already been checked as part of the ELSA (Early Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes) study, funded by diabetes charities. Imogen, who is 12 and from the West Midlands, is one of those found to have diabetes thanks to the screening.
Spat deepens between Elon Musk and Ryanair's O'Leary
Elon Musk has suggested he could buy Ryanair and called for its chief executive to be fired amid a deepening spat between the pair. The budget airline on Tuesday branded the Tesla chief executive an idiot, and used the extraordinary row to promote its January sale. Musk and Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary have been trading insults over the past week after O'Leary rejected the idea of using Musk's Starlink technology to provide wi-fi on flights. The two are among the world's most outspoken business chiefs, with Musk the world's richest man with an estimated net worth of $769bn (£573bn), and O'Leary running Europe's busiest airline. A statement on Ryanair's X account on Tuesday evening said: Perhaps Musk needs a break?? Ryanair is launching a Great Idiots seat sale especially for Elon and any other idiots on'X'.
This deadly dog 'spaghetti' has ancient origins
Environment Animals Pets Dogs This deadly dog'spaghetti' has ancient origins Heartworm is one of the most widespread dog parasites. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Every year, millions of dogs come face-to-face with a life threatening parasite coiled up inside one of their vital organs--heartworm. The spaghetti-looking parasite can be fatal when left untreated. New research into the widespread canine parasite suggests that heartworm has a deeper and more complex history than scientists previously believed and some may have originated in Australian dingoes.