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Study Reveals Key Factors in Roman Concrete's Longevity
Researchers analyze Roman concrete from a 1,900-year-old latrine, revealing carbonation as a vital factor in its durability alongside the known pozzolanic reaction. These insights could inform the development of more sustainable concrete materials.
San Francisco mayor seeks stricter rules for autonomous vehicles after Waymo traffic issue
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie requested tougher regulations for autonomous vehicles following a July 4 incident where Waymo robotaxis caused significant traffic jams. Lurie emphasized the need for automated vehicles to reliably operate during emergencies, proposing four core operational capabilities for companies.
Trump health nominees face Senate hearing scrutiny, struggle with confirmation
Erica Schwartz and Sean Kaufman, Trump administration nominees, faced tough questioning during a Senate hearing. Schwartz, nominated for CDC director, was challenged on her stance against anti-vaccine rhetoric, while Kaufman, vying for ASPR head, struggled with his unflattering reputation in public health preparedness.
New monkey species 'Likweli' discovered in Congo Basin
A new species of Colobus monkey, named Likweli (Colobus congoensis), has been identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This discovery, based on genetic and physical evidence, underscores the urgent need for biodiversity conservation in the region.
Fortnite introduces 36 AI-powered characters for creators
Epic Games is launching 36 AI-powered characters for Fortnite creators starting July 30. These characters will feature unique voices and personas, expanding creative options for user-generated content.
T-Mobile cancels free-line promotions in forced plan migration due to technical errors
T-Mobile canceled free-line promotions for some customers during a forced migration to new plans, leading to complaints. The company acknowledged the issue, citing technical errors, and is working to restore benefits to affected users.
MLB prohibits dugout iPads for AI-driven in-game strategies
Major League Baseball has banned the use of dugout iPads for AI-driven in-game decision-making. This mid-season policy change comes after reports that up to a third of teams had been using custom AI applications, warranting league intervention to maintain competitive integrity.
China and Russia reportedly devise plan to counter SpaceX's Starlink
A joint investigation reveals China and Russia are enhancing military cooperation targeting SpaceX's Starlink. Documents indicate plans for space weapon development and strategies to neutralize the satellite network, with implications for military satellite operations worldwide.
Decoy Font Obscures Text from AI Interpretation
Decoy Font is a new TTF font that makes text difficult for AI to interpret by hiding each letter behind a decoy. The font's design leverages optical illusions to present a readable message only at certain distances, effectively protecting written content from AI systems.
Leaves: New Text-UI Tool for Disk Usage Visualization
Leaves is a new disk usage analyzer inspired by WinDirStat, displaying hierarchy in nested rectangles proportional to size. It functions in text mode, making it suitable for remote connections without graphical environments, increasing accessibility for users working in such scenarios.
Ukrainians Protest Dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov
Ukrainians held protests against the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who promoted drone and digital military integration. The protests reflect dissatisfaction among younger citizens and soldiers regarding the decision, as Fedorov was seen as vital in modernizing Ukraine's military amid ongoing conflict.
Google Health Outage Disrupts Sync for Fitbit and Pixel Watch Users
On July 15, a seven-hour Google Health outage disrupted data sync for Fitbit and Pixel Watch users worldwide. The issue has been resolved, and users can recover data from local storage. The outage's cause remains unknown but highlights reliance on cloud services.
Motorola Faces Criticism Over Confusing Software Update Promises for Edge 70 Max
Motorola released the Edge 70 Max with unclear software update commitments, promising security updates through 2031 but only "up to 3 years" of OS updates. This inconsistency complicates consumer understanding of support timelines, highlighting ongoing issues with Motorola's update policies across regional markets.
Middle managers key to AI adoption, with high accountability and optimism
A Salesforce survey reveals that over two-thirds of middle managers are optimistic about AI's impact on work, with 78% feeling accountable for their teams' AI adoption. Managers are reporting significant time savings and recognize their role in facilitating AI's integration into business processes.
Proton's CTO discusses trust, privacy, and competition with Big Tech
Bart Butler, CTO of Proton, discusses the company's commitment to privacy and user trust amid challenges. Proton's shift to a nonprofit model and its Swiss location aim to balance competition with privacy principles.
GOES-19 weather satellite enters Safe Hold mode
The GOES-19 weather satellite has entered Safe Hold mode due to a system anomaly. This is significant as it may affect weather monitoring capabilities until the issue is resolved.
WhatsApp introduces in-call mic mode settings for iPhone users
WhatsApp has added in-call controls for iPhone users to switch between Apple’s microphone modes, improving audio management during calls. This feature allows users to choose settings like Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum directly from the call interface, enhancing call quality and user experience.
KizunaShelf Launches as Customizable Media Tracker for Personal Collections
KizunaShelf has been introduced as a customizable tool for tracking personal media collections. It allows users to define their own data schema, enhancing the flexibility and control over how they organize and manage various media types.
Sony Removes Hundreds of Movies from PlayStation Store Accounts Due to Licensing Issues
Sony has removed over 550 movies and TV shows from PlayStation Store customers' accounts due to licensing agreements with StudioCanal. This follows previous incidents in 2022 and 2023 where customers experienced similar removals without any refunds or recourse, highlighting ongoing issues with digital ownership rights.
British Steel nationalized to safeguard employment and UK steel supply
The UK government has taken British Steel into public ownership to secure jobs and primary steel production capabilities. This move grants the government greater control over operational strategy amid ongoing financial losses and aims to prevent total dependence on global steel supply.
Digital Surveillance Enhances Fishery Enforcement in Indonesia
Indonesia employs advanced digital surveillance to improve fishery enforcement, utilizing satellite technology and analytics. This innovative approach helps monitor compliance with fishing regulations over vast maritime regions, addressing traditional enforcement limitations.
Sony to Close PS3 Store in 2027, Prompting Preservation Efforts
Sony will close the PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita in 2027, prompting efforts to preserve game data. The RPCS3 emulator, compatible with over 2,600 PS3 titles, is leading the preservation push, significant as Sony plans to end physical disc production by 2028.
Dutch Navy Tests Uncrewed Systems for Future Maritime Defense
The Royal Netherlands Navy is conducting a five-week mission to test uncrewed systems, including drones and autonomous vessels, as part of its future defense strategy. This initiative aims to enhance operational safety and effectiveness while reducing crewed operations in high-risk environments.
Whispr: Open Source Voice-to-Text Tool Utilizing Cloudflare AI
Whispr is an open-source voice-to-text tool that captures audio, transcribes it using Whisper, and formats the result with an LLM for auto-pasting. This integration leverages Cloudflare Workers to enable efficient processing and ease of use for users.
Bluesky Acquires Trademark Rights for ATProtocol
Bluesky has acquired the trademark rights for 'ATPROTOCOL' and its variants to protect the atproto community from legal threats. This acquisition ensures that developers can continue using the term without fear of potential legal action from another company.
New MOFs Can Harvest Water from Air, Designed by Berkeley Chemist
Researchers have developed a new type of metal-organic framework (MOF) that can extract water from dry air. This MOF traps water overnight and releases it the next morning, producing approximately 1.3 liters of water every 12 hours using solar energy. This advancement holds importance for water-scarce regions and contributes to ongoing efforts in reticular chemistry.
Bethesda employees protest Xbox layoffs at Zenimax HQ
Hundreds of employees protested against job cuts at Xbox's parent company, Zenimax. The rally demanded Microsoft resume contract negotiations with union workers and criticized the lack of bargaining over layoffs.
Buzz Aldrin auctions historic pen used during Apollo 11 mission for $857,600
A felt-tip marker and piece of plastic from Apollo 11 sold for $857,600 at Sotheby’s. The items were crucial in solving a potential mission-ending problem during their lunar landing, exemplifying the intersection of history and memorabilia sales.
Judge Blocks Trump's Visa Policy Targeting Content Moderation Researchers
A federal judge halted a Trump-era policy aimed at deporting non-citizens engaged in content moderation and disinformation efforts. The ruling is significant as it safeguards the immigration status of these researchers amidst concerns of potential political bias in enforcement.
Firefox Gecko Engine Compiled to WebAssembly
The Gecko engine of Firefox has been compiled to WebAssembly, allowing the Firefox interface to run directly in the browser. This capability demonstrates advancements in running complex applications on the web and may influence future browser development.
Roblox discontinues its video chat service Roblox Connect
Roblox has shut down Roblox Connect, its video chat service introduced in 2023, as users 13 and older prefer party voice chat. The company cites that the Party Voice feature is more aligned with current user engagement on the platform.
Fountain 0 announces AI-generated film 'Odysseus: The Fall'
Fountain 0 has revealed its AI-generated film 'Odysseus: The Fall', set to release digitally this summer. This project, helmed by Ash Koosha, is a low-budget alternative to Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey, reflecting a trend toward AI-generated content in the film industry.
Voxatron Alpha Version Released with Game Design Tools
Voxatron, a voxel-based fantasy console, has launched its Alpha version featuring games and design tools. Users can create their own games and access a collection of user-made content through an in-game BBS.
Misfits Attic announces Duskers 2.0 funded by Stray Signal
Misfits Attic has announced the sequel to its game Duskers, titled Duskers 2.0, which is funded by Stray Signal. The announcement occurred during PC Gamer’s PC Gaming Show, where a teaser trailer for the game was released.
Brazil demands clearer age safeguards from Apple for betting apps
Brazilian officials have issued Apple a five-day deadline for detailed responses on age restrictions for betting apps. The requirement arises after concerns that existing measures fail to prevent minors from accessing gambling platforms.
Citi analysts predict strong Copilot growth, surprising Jim Cramer
Citi analysts expressed optimism about Microsoft's Copilot AI, expecting increased adoption and revenue growth into fiscal 2027. This assessment diverges from the prevailing criticism surrounding Copilot, which has seen sluggish uptake and mixed feedback.
IEEE Expels Dr. Fei-Yue Wang for Violations
Dr. Fei-Yue Wang has been expelled from IEEE as of June 21, 2026, due to violations leading to a Level 1 Expulsion. This decision aligns with IEEE's ongoing efforts to uphold research integrity within its membership.
Samsung adds Amazon Music as pre-installed app on Galaxy phones
Samsung has announced that Amazon Music will be pre-installed on its Galaxy phones and tablets. This update not only increases the number of third-party apps on devices but also offers a three-month free subscription to new users.
FreeBSD 16 Eliminates Last GPL Code from Base System
FreeBSD 16 has removed the last piece of GNU GPL code from its base system, specifically the dialog implementation. This change marks the complete retirement of any GPL-licensed software, reflecting FreeBSD's ongoing shift towards its own licensing and development practices.
House Advances Sunshine Protection Act for Permanent Daylight Saving Time
The House voted 308 to 117 to advance the Sunshine Protection Act, proposing permanent daylight saving time in the US. This legislation aims to eliminate the biannual clock changes, but its future in the Senate remains uncertain due to mixed opinions among lawmakers.