SIMA 2, which can figure out how to solve problems inside virtual worlds, could lead to more general-purpose agents and better robots. Google DeepMind has built a new video-game-playing agent called SIMA 2 that can navigate and solve problems in a wide range of 3D virtual worlds. The company claims it's a big step toward more general-purpose agents and better real-world robots. Google DeepMind first demoed SIMA (which stands for "scalable instructable multiworld agent") last year. But SIMA 2 has been built on top of Gemini, the firm's flagship large language model, which gives the agent a huge boost in capability. The researchers claim that SIMA 2 can carry out a range of more complex tasks inside virtual worlds, figure out how to solve certain challenges by itself, and chat with its users.

Science Ask Us Anything What is human composting? A new'Ask Us Anything' podcast episode digs into how human bodies can be turned into nutrient-rich soil. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Do you know what want to have happen to your body after you die? Do you want to be cremated, buried, or given an epic Viking burial? While it may seem macabre, it's important to think about so our loved ones don't have to while their in the throes of grief. On this episode of, editors Sarah Durn and Annie Colbert dig into a novel way people are choosing to handle their bodies after they die: human composting.

It doesn't look or feel quite like a OnePlus phone, but with speed and battery life like this, who cares? Doesn't get too warm while gaming. Software update policy still doesn't match that of Apple, Google, or Samsung. Cameras are still a step below the top dogs. OnePlus has been churning out Android smartphones for over a decade, yet it still feels like the company is fighting an uphill battle to get a foothold in the US.

Philly's'transit vigilante' created a real-time bus tracker for his neighbors With a sports timer and some clever coding, Max Goldberg built a DIY display that tells South Philly commuters exactly when their next bus will arrive. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Philadelphia's mass transit system has had a rough go of it lately. The Pennsylvania city's main public transit provider, SEPTA, has been dealing with massive service cuts, including the elimination of entire bus routes. But South Philly resident Max Goldberg is undeterred.

Researchers around the world are racing to turn pain--medicine's most subjective vital sign--into something a camera or sensor can score as reliably as blood pressure. The push has already produced PainChek--a smartphone app that scans people's faces for tiny muscle movements and uses artificial intelligence to output a pain score--which has been cleared by regulators on three continents and has logged more than 10 million pain assessments. Other startups are beginning to make similar inroads. The way we assess pain may finally be shifting, but when algorithms measure our suffering, does that change the way we treat it? This story is from the latest print issue of MIT Technology Review magazine, which is full of fascinating stories about our bodies. Someone I know became a conspiracy theorist seemingly overnight.

Apple's passkeys replace traditional passwords on Mac with biometric authentication and encryption, offering stronger security through Touch ID and Face ID verification.

Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump have both posted AI-generated videos on social media. Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump have both posted AI-generated videos on social media. T he New York City mayoral election may be remembered for the remarkable win of a young democratic socialist, but it was also marked by something that is likely to permeate future elections: the use of AI-generated campaign videos. Andrew Cuomo, who lost to Zohran Mamdani in last week's election, took particular interest in sharing deepfake videos of his opponent, including one that saw the former governor accused of racism, in what is a developing area of electioneering. AI has been used by campaigns before, particularly in using algorithms to target certain voters, and even, in some cases, to write policy proposals.

AI Relationships Are on the Rise. Secret chatbot flings are creating new legal challenges for married couples when it comes to infidelity. Rebecca Palmer isn't a psychic, but as a divorce attorney she can often see what's coming next. For many people today, as AI saturates every aspect of life --from work to therapy--the allure of an AI romance is tantalizing. Chatbots are dependable, can provide emotional support, and, for the most part, will never pick a fight with you.