Industry
Mozilla's new CEO: AI is coming to Firefox, but you can turn it off
PCWorld reports that Mozilla's new CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo plans to integrate AI features into Firefox while maintaining user choice to disable them. This strategic shift addresses Firefox's stagnant market share and aims to compete with AI-centric browsers without compromising privacy principles. The optional AI implementation reflects Mozilla's commitment to transparency and user control in an increasingly competitive browser landscape. Mozilla recently confirmed that it's shifting gears and bringing AI features to its Firefox browser. However, according to the newly appointed CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, the AI features will always be optional and possible to switch off completely.
6 Scary Predictions for AI in 2026
Could the AI industry be on the verge of its first major layoffs? Will China spread propaganda to slow the US data-center building boom? Where are AI agents headed? AI-powered robots are just one of the topics likely to grab headlines in 2026. When OpenAI declared a "code red" this month to refocus its teams on competing with Google, I couldn't help but think back to December three years ago when the companies' roles were reversed.
Google's new default AI model: Gemini 3 Flash is faster and stronger
Google launched Gemini 3 Flash as its new default AI model, offering up to three times faster performance than Gemini 2.5 Flash while being more cost-effective. PCWorld reports the model excels in multimodal tasks, scoring 81.2% in MMMU-Pro benchmarks and performing comparably to Gemini 3 Pro and OpenAI's GPT-5.2. This upgrade enhances Google's AI products with improved visual understanding, making advanced AI capabilities more accessible for everyday workflows and data analysis. Google has now launched Gemini 3 Flash, a faster and more cost-effective AI model based on Gemini 3. According to Google, Gemini 3 Flash is up to three times faster than Gemini 2.5 Flash, and it outperforms previous Flash models in all internal tests. In several benchmark tests, Gemini 3 Flash performed on par with both Gemini 3 Pro and OpenAI's GPT-5.2. In the multimodal test MMMU-Pro, it even topped the list with a result of 81.2 percent. The Flash model is supposed to be adapted for fast and repetitive workflows.
Explore NASA's most detailed map of the night sky yet
'We essentially have 102 new maps of the entire sky.' Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. NASA aimed big for its SPHEREx's first 3D cosmic map . Only six months after starting operations, the orbital space telescope has completed its inaugural infrared scan of the entire sky. Although infrared isn't visible to the human eye, the map's 102 wavelengths remain detectable across the universe--to the right instruments. "It's incredible how much information SPHEREx has collected in just six months--information that will be especially valuable when used alongside our other missions' data to better understand our universe," Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA, said in a statement .
Engadget's favorite games of 2025
Each course is littered with boost pads, and there's a boost meter you can keep persistently charged by taking turns just right. Because this is what some may call a "video game-ass video game," you can also make your ship jump, skipping entire turns or launching into a fiery wreck in equal measure.
Putting data centres in space isn't going to happen any time soon
Putting data centres in space isn't going to happen any time soon Could AI's insatiable thirst for colossal data centres be fixed by launching them into space? Tech companies are eyeing low Earth orbit as a potential solution, but researchers say it's unlikely in the near future due to a mountain of difficult and unsolved engineering issues. The huge demand for, and investment in, generative AI products like ChatGPT has created an unprecedented need for computing power, which requires both vast amounts of space and gigawatts of power, equivalent to that used by millions of homes. As a result, data centres are increasingly fuelled by unsustainable sources, like natural gas, with tech companies arguing that renewable power can neither produce the amount of power needed nor the consistency required for reliable use. To solve this, tech CEOs like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have suggested launching data centres into orbit, where they could be powered by solar panels with constant access to a higher level of sunlight than on Earth.
The coldest body temperatures humans have survived
In some remarkable cases, people have survived after their core temperature has plummeted into the 50s. The human body needs to maintain the same internal body temperature or else many vital systems fall apart. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Whether you prefer sweltering summers or frigid winters, significant temperature changes mean only one thing to your body: bad news. Humans are homeotherms, meaning that our core body temperature stays roughly constant.
The Download: China's dying EV batteries, and why AI doomers are doubling down
The Download: China's dying EV batteries, and why AI doomers are doubling down China figured out how to sell EVs. Now it has to bury their batteries. In the past decade, China has seen an EV boom, thanks in part to government support. Buying an electric car has gone from a novel decision to a routine one; by late 2025, nearly 60% of new cars sold were electric or plug-in hybrids. But as the batteries in China's first wave of EVs reach the end of their useful life, early owners are starting to retire their cars, and the country is now under pressure to figure out what to do with those aging components. The issue is putting strain on China's still-developing battery recycling industry and has given rise to a gray market that often cuts corners on safety and environmental standards.