Industry
Biscotti once fed Roman navies and Christopher Columbus's expeditions
Biscotti once fed Roman navies and Christopher Columbus's expeditions Long before it met espresso, this crunchy pastry kept sailors fed. Roman writer Pliny the Elder was the first writer to mention biscotti in 77 CE. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Step into a typical Italian restaurant in the U.S. and you'll likely find "biscotti" on the menu. Typically served with a glass of sweet wine or cappuccino, these log-shaped crunchy cookies are a beloved treat that most of us associate with cozy dinners and Little Italy.
'Architects of AI' named Time Magazine's Person of the Year
'Architects of AI' named Time Magazine's Person of the Year Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2025 is not a single person. Instead, the magazine has recognised the year's most influential figure as the architects of artificial intelligence (AI). Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, Meta head Mark Zuckerberg, X owner Elon Musk and AI godmother Fei-Fei Li are among those depicted on one of the magazine's two covers. Experts say it highlights how quickly AI, and the firms behind it, are reshaping society. It comes as a boom in the technology, ushered in by OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, continues at pace.
The Download: solar geoengineering's future, and OpenAI is being sued
The Download: solar geoengineering's future, and OpenAI is being sued Solar geoengineering aims to manipulate the climate by bouncing sunlight back into space. In theory, it could ease global warming. But as interest in the idea grows, so do concerns about potential consequences. A startup called Stardust Solutions recently raised a $60 million funding round, the largest known to date for a geoengineering startup. My colleague James Temple has a new story out about the company, and how its emergence is making some researchers nervous. So far, the field has been limited to debates, proposed academic research, and--sure--a few fringe actors to keep an eye on.
China launches massive aerial drone carrier in show of prowess
Flags flutter as soldiers participate in a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing in September. The maiden flight of the unmanned Jiutian drone mothership has highlighted its advances in unmanned aerial vehicles capable of unleashing weaponized swarms. China conducted the maiden flight of what is considered to be the world's largest drone mothership, underscoring its advances in unmanned aerial vehicles capable of unleashing weaponized swarms. The unmanned Jiutian completed its first mission in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday without elaborating. The aerial vehicle has been likened to an aircraft carrier for its ability to host multiple drones and missiles.
Intel and AMD accused of allowing chips in Russian missiles
A woman and her relatives look at her home, which was damaged during a night of Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Novi Petrivtsi, outside Kyiv, on Saturday. Microchip manufacturers Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Texas Instruments were accused in a series of lawsuits of failing to keep their technology out of Russian-made weapons used to kill and wound civilians in Ukraine. Those companies -- along with a company owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway -- demonstrated willful ignorance" as third parties resold restricted chips to Russia to power drones and missiles in violation of U.S. sanctions, according to one of the five suits, filed Wednesday in state court in Texas. The lawsuits, filed on behalf of dozens of Ukrainian civilians by Mikal Watts and prominent law firm Baker & Hostetler, cite five attacks between 2023 and 2025 that killed dozens of people. One attack allegedly involved Iranian-made drones with components associated with Intel and AMD, while the others involved Russian-made KH-101 cruise missiles and Iskander ballistic missiles.