South America
This AI-Powered Robot Keeps Going Even if You Attack It With a Chainsaw
A single AI model trained to control numerous robotic bodies can operate unfamiliar hardware and adapt eerily well to serious injuries. A four-legged robot that keeps crawling even after all four of its legs have been hacked off with a chainsaw is the stuff of nightmares for most people. For Deepak Pathak, cofounder and CEO of the startup Skild AI, the dystopian feat of adaptation is an encouraging sign of a new, more general kind of robotic intelligence. "This is something we call an omni-bodied brain," Pathak tells me. His startup developed the generalist artificial intelligence algorithm to address a key challenge with advancing robotics: "Any robot, any task, one brain.
'Ukraine is only first': Zelenskyy warns against Putin's expansionist goals
How is Russia replenishing its military? What is a'coalition of the willing'? How China forgot promises and'debts' to Ukraine How are Europe, the US pulling apart on Ukraine? 'Ukraine is only first': Zelenskyy warns against Putin's expansionist goals Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the world is in "the most destructive arms race in history" as he calls on the international community to act against Russia now, asserting in his address to the United Nations General Assembly that President Vladimir Putin wants to expand his war in Europe . "Ukraine is only the first, and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries, and Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it," Zelenskyy said on Wednesday at UN headquarters in New York. Moscow has denied the claims of incursions into NATO members' airspace, accusing European powers of levying baseless accusations.
Meet the history-making Nasa astronauts headed for the Moon next year
The commander of Nasa's next mission to the Moon said that he and his crew would see things that no human has ever seen. Reid Wiseman told a news conference that it was likely that his spacecraft would fly over large areas of the Moon that previous Apollo missions had never mapped. Yesterday, Nasa announced it hoped it would be able to launch the first crewed Moon mission in 50 years as early as February 2026 . Mission specialist Christina Koch explained that the astronauts would be able to study the lunar surface in exquisite detail for a full three hours. Believe it or not, human eyes are one of the best scientific instruments that we have, she said.
A Former Apple Luminary Sets Out to Create the Ultimate GPU Software
Demand for AI chips is booming--and so is the need for software to run them. Chris Lattner's startup Modular just raised $250 million to build the best developer tools for AI hardware. At a certain point between building Apple's developer tools, leading a core part of Google's AI infrastructure team, and clashing with Elon Musk during a stint as Tesla's Autopilot chief, Chris Lattner's vision for his life's work started to come into focus. AI was taking over the world, and demand was growing for the chips that powered it. But the software stack for those chips was dominated by just a few big companies.
Twenty injured in Yemen drone attack on Israel, rescuers and military say
Rescuers say 20 people have been injured in southern Israel after the Israeli military said a drone was launched from Yemen. The Israel Defense Forces said the drone struck the town of Eilat on the Red Sea coast, with attempts made to intercept it. The Magen David Adom emergency medical service said 20 people were taken to Yoseftal Hospital - two with serious limb injuries. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
Italy condemns 'drone attack' on Gaza aid flotilla and deploys frigate
Italy condemns'drone attack' on Gaza aid flotilla and deploys frigate Italy's defence minister has condemned what he said was an overnight drone attack by unidentified perpetrators on a flotilla trying to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid. Guido Crosetto also said he had ordered an Italian Navy frigate to head towards the 52 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which are mostly off the coast of Crete, to assist Italian citizens on board. The GSF said several boats reported explosions and unidentified objects being dropped, as well as drones overhead and communications jamming. It accused Israel of a dangerous escalation. Israel's government has not commented.
Even a rebrand may not be able to save America's most storied gaming event
Even a rebrand may not be able to save America's most storied gaming event In this week's newsletter: since 1988 the Game Developers Conference has been a core part of the gaming calendar - but exorbitant costs and Trumpism put that at risk E very year for as long as I have been alive (read: since 1988), the annual Game Developers Conference has been held in California. It started out as essentially a house party: a gathering of 27 people in the living room of Atari designer Chris Crawford. By the mid-90s it had left Chris's house and grown to more than 4,000 attenders, and in 2005 found a permanent home in San Francisco's Moscone Center. These days, about 30,000 game development professionals of all kinds attend every year. The online GDC Vault is a precious trove of game development history and useful advice for any gaming discipline.
Why archaeologists are studying a skate park
Plus dire wolves' bad knees and other weird things we learned this week. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. What's the weirdest thing you learned this week? Well, whatever it is, we promise you'll have an even weirder answer if you listen to's hit podcast . It's your new favorite source for the strangest science-adjacent facts, figures, and Wikipedia spirals the editors of can muster.
Global Sumud Flotilla reports explosions as drones fly overhead
Is recognising Palestine a way to'save face' for Western leaders? Activists say Israeli drones carried out several attacks on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, dropping explosive devices near several boats but causing no injuries. Chile's president draws parallel between Gaza and Holocaust at UNGA
Russia says no choice but war after Trump U-turn on Ukraine
How is Russia replenishing its military? What is a'coalition of the willing'? How China forgot promises and'debts' to Ukraine How are Europe, the US pulling apart on Ukraine? The Kremlin has announced it has "no alternative" but to continue waging war, as it pushed back on United States President Donald Trump's sudden sea change towards Ukraine that saw him brand Russia a "paper tiger". Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov hit back at Trump's claim that Ukraine could in effect win the war, declaring on Wednesday that Russia would be continuing its offensive on Ukraine "to ensure our interests and achieve the goals".