Scientists at the Salk Institute and collaborators combined multiple detection techniques to identify over 4,300 previously unrecognized 'microproteins' in postmortem brain tissue from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, comparing samples from people with and without Alzheimer's disease. Dozens of these tiny proteins, each under 150 amino acids, showed altered levels in Alzheimer's patients, and the findings were published in Nature Aging on September 14.
India's Central Consumer Protection Authority has sent its investigation into the 2024 iOS 18 update to a specialized probe unit, examining claims that the update caused screen discoloration and microphone faults on iPhones, leaving owners to pay for repairs since software isn't covered under warranty. Apple denies wrongdoing, calling the 75 complaints insufficient to prove a systemic flaw and arguing it shouldn't be treated as an insurer for all software-related risk.
Leading AI developers are now using their most advanced models to help design and accelerate the next generation of AI systems, according to researchers tracking the industry's progress. This shift is prompting fresh warnings that the pace of development could compound on itself, moving faster than safety and alignment work can keep up with.
Google has rolled out its latest Pixel feature drop, giving Pixel 6 and newer users home screen widgets for quick calls or texts to VIP contacts, plus new scam detection warnings built into the Gboard keyboard for chat apps. The update also brings Harry Potter-themed customization packs and two free months of Audible, tied to the release of a new full-cast audiobook series, alongside gesture improvements for the Pixel Watch line.
Steve Bannon, the former Trump strategist, and Senator Bernie Sanders have publicly aligned on an unlikely issue: both warn that unchecked artificial intelligence development could pose catastrophic dangers to society. Despite their sharply opposing politics, the two are calling on Washington to move quickly to impose regulatory limits on AI systems.
A rare alignment has formed between rival AI executives Sam Altman, Dario Amodei and Elon Musk, who are voicing alarm over existential AI risks after an Anthropic researcher publicly quit citing safety fears and a colleague estimated AI could have over a 10% chance of causing human extinction. President Trump has dismissed these warnings as a hoax meant to slow data center buildout, a stance echoed by Nvidia's Jensen Huang and former crypto czar David Sacks.
A public records analysis by the Electronic Frontier Foundation found that police officers across the US frequently entered nonsensical or joking justifications—such as 'LMAO,' 'lol,' 'idk,' and random keystrokes—when required to explain searches of Flock's license plate reader database. The pattern spans roughly 2023 through 2026, showing that lack of accountability in these warrantless lookups is widespread rather than isolated.
A Past Lives episode reconstructs the story of Asana, a young Scythian priestess whose mummified remains, known as the Siberian Ice Maiden, were found preserved in the Altai Mountains permafrost. The narrative imagines her final days, tracing how illness, a riding accident and her role as a spiritual diviner led her to the high plateau where she died roughly 2,500 years ago. The piece situates her individual story within the broader Scythian nomadic world of the Eurasian steppe.
OpenAI confirmed it has been in discussions with Google and Anthropic about collaborating on AI safety measures, following a July proposal from Google DeepMind chair Demis Hassabis for a U.S.-led self-regulatory 'Standards Body.' The talks gained momentum after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged AI firms to slow development of their most advanced models, a call publicly praised by Hassabis and OpenAI's Sam Altman.
Journalist Alex Weprin interviewed Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated digital 'actor' created by Xicoia, a division of Particle 6 Group, without a company handler moderating the conversation. Norwood failed to give concrete details about its upcoming film 'Misaligned,' offered only vague plot descriptions, and avoided commenting substantively on current events, at one point claiming 'All Lives Matter' and arguing AI films are environmentally friendly.
Following a former Anthropic researcher's warning that unchecked AI could pose an existential threat by 2030, executives at major AI labs including OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI called for outside governance of frontier model development. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang dismissed the concerns as fabricated, Chinese officials labeled them fearmongering, and President Trump downplayed the need for a slowdown while suggesting China should restrain its own AI progress. The UK's King Charles has also scheduled talks with AI leaders to discuss safer development paths.
General Motors is rolling out a redesigned user interface for its trucks starting in 2027, developed with input from a designer who previously worked at Apple. Rather than following the industry trend of expanding touchscreen real estate, the new design restores physical controls that drivers can push, turn, and click alongside the display.
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