Industry
A Sad Kind of Convenience
The death of physical media is getting closer--and we may miss it when it's gone. When I was 16, I did something I'm embarrassed to admit: I waited in a long line to buy a video game called Assassin's Creed III . Over the past few days, though, that experience has become ever so slightly tinged with nostalgia. Last week, Sony announced that, starting in 2028, new PlayStation games will be available only as digital downloads rather than physical discs. Will kids ever get to embarrass themselves like this again?
Mystery of Hannibal's infamous Alps crossing gets a major clue
Science Biology Mystery of Hannibal's infamous Alps crossing gets a major clue In 218 BCE, the Carthaginian general crossed the rugged mountain range with 40,000 men, 7,000 horses and 37 war elephants. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . In 218 BCE, Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the Alps with a squadron of 37 war elephants to invade Italy.
Wild '90s video shows wooden rollercoaster track shaking with each ride
Technology Engineering Wild '90s video shows wooden rollercoaster track shaking with each ride When it opened in 1992, The Rattler was the world's fastest and tallest wooden coaster of its kind. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. The Rattler operated for a decade before being converted into a hybrid steel and wooden coaster in 2012. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .
Your family's 300 stake in OpenAI
Sam Altman wants Americans to share in AI's wealth. The proposal may be more revealing as a political narrative than as a policy plan. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's oft-discussed promise that Americans will share in the wealth AI creates was in the news again last week. On Thursday, the reported that Altman is in talks with President Trump about giving the US government a 5% stake in OpenAI. In some ways, Altman's plan is old news. He wrote about a more radical version of this back in 2021, proposing that companies above a certain valuation (not just AI companies) pay 2.5% of their market value each year into a fund that sends Americans annual disbursements.
How healthy is your brain? We now know how to find out
How healthy is your brain? In our efforts to keep our brains healthy, how do we know what is working? It shouldn't have been difficult: 72 x 72. From the back seat, my daughter, newly confident in mental maths, wanted to check her answer. Whether it was because it was the end of the day, I was trying to park or something else, I stalled, cognitively speaking. Lately, though, I have had the sense that my brain isn't firing on all cylinders.
El-Obeid under siege by RSF: Could this be Sudan's next el-Fasher?
El-Obeid under siege by RSF: Could this be Sudan's next el-Fasher? Half a million people are trapped in the Sudanese city of el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group tries to enforce its dominance over the Kordofan and Darfur regions during a civil war that has wrought devastation on the country for three years. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of an impending humanitarian "catastrophe" as el-Obeid is expected to be the next site for major ground clashes between the RSF and Sudanese military. Many countries have also raised the alarm about atrocities being carried out in the city. El-Obeid, which has been cut off by continuous drone attacks for months, is under threat after the mass atrocities carried out by the RSF in el-Fasher, capital of North Darfur state.
#RoboCup2026 – humanoid league knockout stages
This weekend saw the finale of the league competitions at RoboCup 2026 in Incheon, South Korea, with the winners in the small, middle, and large humanoid divisions decided. You can watch the action from one of the semi-finals in the middle division, which saw HTWK take on Rhoban. Although the competitions have drawn to a close, RoboCup 2026 continues today with a symposium, which brings together researchers and practitioners from around the world to present and discuss innovative research in robotics and artificial intelligence. You can find out more here . Lucy Smith is Senior Managing Editor for Robohub and AIhub.
What if the Universe Isn't as Uniform as Scientists Think?
What if the Universe Isn't as Uniform as Scientists Think? A study based on 47 million galaxies found that the cosmic web retains patterns on enormous scales, which could force a reevaluation of a pillar of cosmology. One of the fundamental pillars of modern cosmology may be beginning to wobble. A study published in Nature has found evidence that the universe may not behave the same way in every direction on the largest observable scales. "What we found is a network of enormous filaments and walls of galaxies that remain aligned and interconnected across billions of light-years," says Francesco Sylos Labini, research director of physics at the Enrico Fermi Research Center in Italy and the study's lead author. What Should the Universe Look Like?