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Nature reports that the nuclear power sector is increasingly turning to small modular reactors (SMRs) as a way to overcome the cost overruns and construction delays that have long plagued large-scale nuclear plants. These smaller, factory-built designs promise faster deployment and lower upfront capital costs than traditional gigawatt-scale reactors.
Scientists have outlined a new enzymatic approach that reuses byproducts to synthesize thiophosphate molecules, compounds valued for their applications in chemistry and biology. The method relies on biological catalysts rather than traditional chemical synthesis routes, offering a more sustainable pathway to these materials.
Researchers sequenced high-quality genomes from several Myotis bat species, including M. lucifugus and M. velifer, using field-collected tissue and cell lines to capture full sex-chromosome data. They combined this genomic data with lab experiments on PKR antiviral proteins in engineered human cells to study how bats' immune genes evolved under viral pressure.
Scientists are exploring methods to repurpose radioactive waste material as fuel for radioisotope power systems used in deep-space missions. The approach would recycle byproducts from nuclear reactors instead of relying solely on scarce isotopes like plutonium-238 that are currently used to power spacecraft.
Scientists report that ocean surface temperatures have reached their highest levels ever measured, coinciding with an intensifying El Niño weather pattern. The warming trend spans large portions of the world's oceans and is being tracked closely by climate researchers monitoring its effects on marine and atmospheric systems.
Alabama has launched a state investigation examining how OpenAI obtained or used data connected to Hugging Face's model repository. Details of the alleged breach or improper access remain limited, but the inquiry signals regulatory scrutiny of how leading AI firms acquire training resources.
Lego Skylines was revealed during Gamescom's Opening Night Live as a new city-building game coming to Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2, though no release date was announced. It's developed by Iceflake Studios, the team currently handling Cities: Skylines II after Paradox Interactive took the sequel away from original creator Colossal Order, and published by Paradox.
New Zealand's government has proposed legislation that would prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms and AI companion apps. The move mirrors similar restrictions enacted or debated elsewhere, aiming to shield minors from harms tied to online engagement and AI-driven interactions.
Retailers are running early Labor Day discounts on kitchen gear, including a 50% price cut on All-Clad's 6-quart D3 Mother of All Pans, now $150, and $62 off a Cuisinart air fryer oven and grill, now $158. Both items are pulled from WIRED's tested and recommended kitchen picks ahead of the fall cooking season.
Security researchers found that attackers can embed HTML invisible to human readers—such as white-on-white text or zero-size fonts—inside emails. When an AI-powered summarizer processes the message, it reads this hidden text as legitimate content and can produce a summary containing false or malicious instructions for the recipient.
At the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing (August 22-26), robots competing in a 100-meter sprint and standing high jump beat human world records set by Usain Bolt and others, marking a jump from last year's event where they trailed human performance. Some sprinting robots couldn't stop in time, crashing into barriers, falling, and in a few cases breaking apart with sparks or catching fire, while separate tasks like hanging laundry showed robots still moving far slower than humans.
A poll conducted among readers asked what Google should prioritize for the Pixel 12, and a decisive 64% chose better hardware alone. About 19% wanted equal focus on hardware and AI, a similar share preferred more competitive pricing, and fewer than 2% wanted AI prioritized on its own.