Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 3/9/25. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Here is the daily technology #threadcast for 3/9/25. The goal is to make this a technology "reddit".
Drop all question, comments, and articles relating to #technology and the future. The goal is make it a technology center.
Venice.ai's QwQ 32B Model is cheaper even than Llama 3.3 70B while being a lot more powerful!!!
The AI revolution is scarily fast!
U.S. likely to ban Chinese app DeepSeek from government devices
#deepseek #ai #us #govt
MWC 2025: Lenovo unveils range of AI-powered concept devices
#lenovo #ai #devices
Government launches data platform for Indian AI models, beefs up shared GPU capacity
#india #ai #data
How are financial fraudsters using Gen AI, and what can you do to protect yourself?
#financial #fraudsters #genai #ai
Instagram is testing a Discord-like ‘Community Chats’ feature
#instagram #discord #chats #community
AI beyond ChatGPT: what does it mean to be human in an age of thinking machines?
#ai #chatgpt #human
U.S. regulator clears path for banks to engage in some crypto activities
#banks #us #crypto #regulators
Compact robotic grippers made with shape memory alloy wires save 90% energy
Developed by Germany’s Saarland University, the grippers make use of ultra-fine shape memory alloy wires to act like artificial muscles while requiring no sensors.
Researchers from Saarland University in Germany have developed a new robotic gripping system that slashes energy consumption by 90%. Utilizing shape memory alloys (SMAs), the new robot is highly energy efficient, quiet, and lightweight.
Currently, most industrial robots consume large amounts of electricity and often run at length, rising production costs. Traditional robot grippers usually rely on compressed air (pneumatic systems), which use significant energy, are noisy, bulky, and not easily adaptable or safe for close interaction with people.
#robotics #grippers #energy #humanoid
Such systems deployed in several tasks, including holding tools in position, inserting components, assembling printed circuit boards, and moving, loading, or unloading parts.
“They are often heavy, their moving parts wear out over time, and they tend to execute a constant, highly repetitive motion pattern. This existing technology limits the extent of miniaturization that can be achieved, and small-scale gripper systems with minor grip points are challenging to realize,” stated a press release by the university.
Smart, energy-efficient grippers
According to the university’s press statement, conventional robot arms are also stiff and difficult to reprogram quickly, making them unsafe for human workers involved on production lines. However, the robotic gripper developed by the team led by Professors Stefan Seelecke and Paul Motzki from Saarland University is set to offer a much-needed solution.
Paragrahs
In late 2022 came the boom in generative AI, with the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT. Since then, tech companies have laid off tens of thousands of programmers while touting the use of AI to write code. At Google, for example, more than 25% of new code is written by AI, CEO Sundar Pichai told investors in October.
The combination of rapid advancements in AI, mass layoffs of software developers, and a continuing world of remote and hybrid work has created a novel conundrum for recruiters.
The problem has become so prevalent that Pichai suggested during a Google town hall in February that his hiring managers consider returning to in-person job interviews.
Google isn't the only tech company weighing that idea.
!summarize #nymets #mlb #juansoto
!summarize #openai #deepseek #ai #models
'Invisible' help
The cheating tools rely on generative AI models to provide software engineers with real-time answers to coding problems as they're presented during interviews. The AI analyzes both written and oral questions and instantaneously generates code. The widgets can also provide the cheaters with explanations for the solutions that they can use in the interview.
The tools' most valuable feature, however, might be their secrecy. Interview Coder is invisible to the interviewer.
While candidates are using technology to cheat, employers are observing their behavior during interviews to try to catch them. Interviewers have learned to look for eyes wandering to the side, the reflection of other apps visible on candidates' glasses, and answers that sound rehearsed or don't match questions, among other clues.
Perhaps the biggest tell is a simple "Hmm."
Hiring managers said they've noticed that many candidates use the ubiquitous sound to buy themselves time while waiting for their AI tools to finish their work.
"I'll hear a pause, then 'Hmm,' and all of a sudden, it's the perfect answer," said Anna Spearman, founder of Techie Staffing, an agency that helps companies fill technical roles. "There have also been instances where the code looked OK, but they couldn't describe how they came to the conclusion."
"More than 50% of them cheated," he said.
AI cheating tools have improved so much over the last year that they've become nearly undetectable, experts said. Other than Lee's Interview Coder, software engineers can also use programs such as Leetcode Wizard or ChatGPT.
Kirk said his startup is considering moving to in-person interviews, though he knows that potentially limits the talent pool.
"The problem is now I don't trust the results as much," Kirk said. "I don't know what else to do other than on-site."
Google CEO Sundar Pichai during an event at the Google for Startups Campus in Warsaw, Poland, Feb. 13, 2025.
"Brian, do we do hybrid?" Pichai asked.
Ong said candidates and Google employees have said they prefer virtual job interviews because scheduling a video call is easier than finding a time to meet in available conference rooms. The virtual interview process is about two weeks faster, he added.
He said interviewers are instructed to probe candidates on their answers as a way to decipher whether they actually know what they're talking about.
"We definitely have more work to do to integrate how AI is now more prevalent in the interview process," said Ong. He said his recruiting organization is working with Google's software engineer steering committee to figure out how the company can refine its interviewing process.
"Given we all work hybrid, I think it's worth thinking about some fraction of the interviews being in person," Pichai responded. "I think it'll help both the candidates understand Google's culture and I think it's good for both sides."
Amazon is also taking steps to combat AI cheating.
The company asks that candidates acknowledge that they won't use unauthorized tools during the interview or assessment process, spokesperson Margaret Callahan told CNBC.
Chungin "Roy" Lee, a 21-year-old student at Columbia University, is the founder of Interview Coder, a startup that makes software to help computer programmers cheat in job interviews with the help of AI.
Marketplace also taps into the booming resale market, projected to hit $350 billion by 2027, according to ThredUp.
"Younger buyers are drawn to affordability and sustainability," said Yoo-Kyoung Seock, a professor at the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. "Marketplace offers both."
A key advantage is trust; users' Facebook profiles make transactions feel safer than on anonymous platforms like Craigslist, according to Seock.
In January 2025, eBay partnered with Facebook Marketplace, allowing select eBay listings to appear on Marketplace in the U.S., Germany, and France. Analysts project this will drive an additional $1.6 billion in sales for eBay by the end of 2025, according to Wells Fargo.
Chinese Investors Privately Take Stakes in Elon Musk's Companies, FT Reports
Wealthy Chinese investors are funneling tens of millions of dollars into private companies controlled by billionaire Elon Musk, using an arrangement that shields their identities from public view, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
The investments are being placed through special-purpose vehicles to avoid the ire of U.S authorities and companies wary of Chinese capital during a low-point in relations between the two countries, the report said, citing asset managers and investors involved in the transactions.
Three Chinese-backed asset managers told the Financial Times that they had sold more than $30 million of shares in SpaceX, xAI and Neuralink, three Musk-controlled private technology companies, to investors over the past two years.
Germany's Merz Wants European Nuclear Weapons to Boost US Shield
German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz on Sunday said he would like talks with France and Britain about sharing their nuclear weapons, but not as a substitute for U.S. nuclear protection of Europe.
"Sharing nuclear weapons is an issue that we need to talk about...we have to become stronger together in nuclear deterrence," he said in an interview on Deutschlandfunk radio, a day after agreeing cornerstones of a coalition deal between his conservative party and the Social Democratic SPD party.
"We should talk with both countries (France and Britain), always also from the perspective of supplementing the American nuclear shield, which we of course want to see maintained."
Germany, due to its Second World War past, has bound itself to non-nuclear defense in a number of international treaties but participates in NATO weapons-sharing arrangements.
Merz said he would press for the outgoing parliament to pass two major financial packages on infrastructure and defense and changes to state borrowing rules known as the 'debt brake'.
Merz and the SPD crucially need support from the Green Party to pass the measures, and Merz on Saturday said there would be intensive talks with the Greens next week.
"We will integrate climate protection measures (in those packages)," Merz said in the radio interview.
Rocky Stock Market Faces Inflation Data Test
A critical inflation report in the coming week could further rattle an increasingly tumultuous U.S. stock market, with investors worried about an economic growth slowdown and President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Despite a gain on Friday, the benchmark S&P 500 marked its worst week in six months. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite on Thursday ended down more than 10% from its December all-time closing high, confirming it has been in a correction for several months. Investors were grappling with dramatic policy change around the world.
Trump's back-and-forth implementation of fresh tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China exacerbated broad concerns about the economy. Markets were also shaken by Germany's surprise spending plans, which drove a selloff in the benchmark German Bund.
As recent U.S. economic data has disappointed, one silver lining for stocks has been markets factoring in more interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year to account for potential growth weakening.
But Wednesday's U.S. consumer price index report could scuttle those expectations if it confirms that inflation is still simmering at levels that force the Fed to keep monetary policy tighter.
"A hot CPI print will likely scare the market," said Bryant VanCronkhite, senior portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments. "The market still wants the Fed to come to the rescue... Until inflation and inflation expectations come down, the Fed is handcuffed."
Investors are mindful of last month's hotter-than-expected CPI data that saw inflation rise 0.5% in January, its biggest monthly gain since August 2023.
Data on Friday showed U.S. job growth picked up in February, but cracks are emerging in the once-resilient labor market amid chaotic trade policy and federal government spending cuts.
The market's focus will also be on Washington, as lawmakers wrangle over a spending bill that would avert a partial shutdown of agencies late next week. Trade policy remains in the spotlight. Tariffs on foreign imports are expected to hurt corporate profits and increase consumer prices, but investors are weighing how lasting the levies will be against their potential as negotiating tools. Trump on Thursday said Mexico and Canada won't be required to pay tariffs on goods that fall under a prior trade deal until April 2.
Under the new Trump administration, the barrage of initiatives on trade and other issues, such as federal workforce cuts, has fed uncertainty for businesses and consumers.
DHS Using Lie Detectors to Find Moles, Leakers
Secretary Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland security has reportedly begun using lie-detector tests to root out deep state moles and secrets leakers.
Secretary Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland security has reportedly begun using lie detector tests to root out deep state moles and secrets leakers.
As media and the public have been tipped off about border czar's Tom Homan's deportation force raids in Democrat-run sanctuary cities, Noem's DHS has hunted down and found some culprits for having leaked the sensitive government information.
DHS staffers are being polygraphed to find out who is lying about leaking government secrets, sources told NBC News.
Rubio Set to Meet Ukrainian Counterparts in Saudi Arabia This Week
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Saudi Arabia over March 10-12 for talks with Ukrainian counterparts, a statement from the U.S. Department of State said.
Rubio will also have a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the statement from spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
Rubio will then travel to Canada over March 12-14 for the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, the statement added.
Speaker Johnson: Zelenskyy Has 'Rude Awakening'
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in an interview Sunday he is really grateful and glad that [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, in the last several days, has done an about face.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "about-face" on the minerals deal came after a "rude awakening" to the new president in the Oval Office and with his people back home, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
"I'm really grateful and glad that Zelenskyy, in the last several days, has done an about-face," Johnson told Sunday's "The Cats Roundtable" on WABC 770 AM, The Hill reported. "He's effectively apologized for all that. And he said, Oh no, no, we would like that deal after all.
"I think he had a rude awakening."
Authorities: Armed Man Shot by Secret Service near White House While Trump out of Town
An armed man believed to be traveling from Indiana was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents near the White House after a confrontation early Sunday, according to authorities.
No one else was injured in the shooting that happened around midnight about a block from the White House, according to a Secret Service statement. President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time of the shooting.
The Secret Service received information from local police about an alleged “suicidal individual” who was traveling from Indiana and found the man's car and a person matching his description nearby.
“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
The man was hospitalized. The Secret Service said his condition was “unknown.”
The Metropolitan Police Department will investigate because the shooting involved law enforcement officers. A message left Sunday for the police department wasn't immediately returned.
Pope, Responding Well, Rests as Vatican Marks Another Holy Year Event without Him
Pope Francis issued a message Sunday thanking volunteers for the “miracle of tenderness” they offer the sick, as he continued his recovery from double pneumonia and doctors reported some positive news: After more than three weeks in the hospital, the 88-year-old pope is responding well to treatment and has shown a “gradual, slight improvement” in recent days.
For the fourth Sunday in a row, the 88-year-old Francis didn't appear for his weekly noon blessing, but the Vatican distributed the text he would have delivered if he were well enough. In it, the Argentine pope thanked all those who were caring for him and others who are sick and experiencing a “night of pain.”
The doctors said that such stability “as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy.” It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14.
But they kept his prognosis as “guarded”, meaning he's not out of danger. On Sunday morning, the Vatican reported he was resting after a quiet night.
In his absence, the Vatican’s day-to-day operations continued alongside celebrations of its Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century Jubilee that brings millions of pilgrims to Rome. On Sunday, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is close to Francis, celebrated the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.
Macron's Diplomatic Comeback: from France's Domestic Crisis to Reshaping Europe's Defense
French President Emmanuel Macron is back at the center of global diplomacy, seeking to ease relations with President Donald Trump, championing a Ukraine peace plan alongside his British counterpart, and seeing his longstanding desire to boost European defense turning into reality.
Six months ago, Macron seemed weaker than ever after his call for early legislative elections produced a hung parliament, sparking an unprecedented crisis. Known for his nonstop political activism, Macron shifted his focus to foreign policy, leaving domestic struggles largely to the prime minister.
Now, he appears as the one leader who speaks to Trump several times per week and takes the lead in European support for Ukraine, while positioning himself as the commander-in-chief of the European Union’s only nuclear power.
On Thursday, EU leaders committed to strengthening defenses and freeing up hundreds of billions of euros for security in the wake of Trump’s warnings that they might face the Russian threat alone.
In a resounding declaration last week, Macron announced he would discuss extending France’s nuclear deterrent to European partners to help protect the continent.
France's nuclear power is inherited from the strategy set by wartime hero Gen. Charles de Gaulle, president from 1958 to 1969, who sought to maintain France’s independence from the U.S. and assert the country's role as a global power. That went through the development of an independent French nuclear arsenal.
Poland and Baltic nations welcomed the proposal.
Meanwhile, Germany's conservative election winner Friedrich Merz said his top priority would be to “strengthen Europe as soon as possible” and gradually move toward “real independence” from the U.S.
Only three days after his victory last month, Merz, who has called for a discussion on “nuclear sharing” with France, traveled to Paris for a working dinner with Macron.
No statement was released after the meeting, but French officials with knowledge of the matter said both men's visions for Europe align. They spoke anonymously because the talks were not to be made public.
Russia’s foreign ministry accused Macron of "demonstrative militarism dictated by the domestic agenda.”
The ministry said that Macron seeks to distract the French public from “worsening socio-economic problems in France and the European Union."
However, the French Constitution grants the president some substantial powers over foreign policy, European affairs and defense. Macron has a presidential mandate until 2027 and he has said he won't step down before the end of his term.
Macron's activism on the global stage drew criticism from opposition leaders.
Far-right National Rally party vice president Sébastien Chenu described Macron’s “moody” character as “one of the biggest issues” for French diplomacy. "He offended many people, he often changed his mind,” Chenu said.
The head of the hard-left France Unbowed group at the National Assembly, Mathilde Panot, also voiced concerns.
“The situation is too serious and the President of the Republic is too weakened for him to decide on his own," she said. "We don’t just want to be consulted. ... It’s up to the parliament to decide on such serious issues.”
Syria President Calls for Unity After Reports of Mass Killings
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for national unity and peace on Sunday, after more than 1,000 people were reportedly killed in coastal Syria in the worst clashes since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
The violence erupted on Thursday between the new security forces and loyalists of the former government along the Mediterranean coast in the heartland of the Alawite minority to which Assad belonged.
It has since escalated into the largest challenge to the new government's forces since Sharaa's Islamist-led coalition toppled Assad in December.
"We must preserve national unity (and) civil peace as much as possible and, God willing, we will be able to live together in this country," Sharaa said from a mosque in Damascus
Though himself an Alawite, Haidar was part of the leftist opposition to the Assads and was imprisoned for more than a decade under their rule.
Defence ministry spokesman Hassan Abdul Ghani said the security forces had "reimposed control" over areas that had seen attacks by Assad loyalists.
"It is strictly forbidden to approach any home or attack anyone inside their homes," he added in a video posted by SANA.
Education Minister Nazir al-Qadri announced that schools would remain shut on Sunday and Monday in both Latakia and Tartus provinces due to the "unstable security conditions".
SANA reported a power outage throughout Latakia province due to attacks on the grid by Assad loyalists.
The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources in Syria, has reported multiple "massacres" in recent days, with women and children among the dead.
The Observatory and activists released footage showing dozens of bodies in civilian clothing piled outside a house, with blood stains nearby and women wailing.
Other videos appeared to show men in military garb shooting people at close range.
AFP could not independently verify the images or accounts.
The leaders of Syria's three main Christian churches as well as the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze minority issued statements calling for an end to the violence.
Aron Lund of the Century International think tank said the violence was "a bad omen".
The new government lacks the tools, incentives and local support base to engage with disgruntled Alawites, he said.
Strategy founder Michael Saylor has proposed that the United States government acquire up to 25% of Bitcoin’s total supply over the next decade for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
“Acquire 5-25% of the Bitcoin network in trust for the nation through consistent, programmatic daily purchases between 2025 and 2035, when 99% of all BTC will have been issued,” Saylor wrote in a document titled “A Digital Assets Strategy to Dominate the 21st Century Global Economy.”
25% supply allocation far exceeds previous proposal
If the US government acquired 25% of Bitcoin’s total supply, it would hold 5.25 million BTC — far more than the 1 million BTC (5% of the supply) that Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis proposed in the Bitcoin Act introduced in July 2024.
The researchers employed heteroepitaxial growth technology to develop the platform. This process involves growing a crystalline layer on a substrate of a different material, allowing for the integration of different materials with varying properties.
Think of it like laying bricks on a surface that isn’t the same material as the bricks—but making sure they line up neatly. This method enabled the integration of NV centers within the diamond lattice. These centers are crucial for detecting subtle changes in magnetic fields, which is a highly useful function for monitoring EV batteries.
For creating the diamond quantum sensor platform, scientists first chose a non-diamond substrate compatible with heteroepitaxial growth. Then, by utilizing chemical vapor deposition (CVD), they deposited diamond films onto the substrates. This allowed them to have precise control over the diamond’s crystalline structure.
Next, they added a 150-micrometer-thick nitrogen-vacancy (NV) diamond layer, which allowed the sensor to detect tiny magnetic changes. This layer had a spin coherence time (T2) of 20 microseconds, meaning it could maintain quantum information long enough for accurate measurements.
Finally, they aligned the NV centers along specific directions within the diamond lattice. This resulted in a nitrogen defect concentration of eight parts per million (ppm), which is a key factor in quantum sensor performance.
Additionally, to improve accuracy, the research team added a tilt correction mechanism to adjust for small misalignments in the diamond crystal. This ensured the sensor performed well, like traditional diamond-based sensors. The diamond quantum sensor with NV centers was now ready for testing.
“The ability to measure currents accurately while minimizing interference makes this sensor a promising candidate for monitoring battery systems in electric vehicles, where precision and reliability are paramount,” said Mutsuko Hatano, one of the researchers and a professor at the school of engineering at ISCT.
Next, the team behind the study plans to find ways to increase the density of NV centers in the diamond sensors so that they could deliver much better performance. Hopefully, current and future research will soon enable the integration of this promising quantum technology into EVs on a large scale.
Robotic hand grips toys, bottles like humans with 99.69% accuracy, avoids mishandling
The innovation offers a promising solution for people with hand loss.
Engineers have developed a prosthetic hand that can grip plush toys, water bottles, and other everyday objects like a human. The hand adjusts its grasp to avoid damaging or mishandling whatever it holds.
Developed by Johns Hopkins University researchers, the bionic hand identified and manipulated 15 everyday objects, including delicate stuffed toys, dish sponges, and cardboard boxes, as well as pineapples, metal water bottles, and other sturdier items.
The device achieved the best performance compared with the alternatives, successfully handling objects with 99.69% accuracy and adjusting its grip as needed to prevent mishaps during the experiments.
Prosthetic hand based on human hand’s physical and sensing capabilities
“The goal from the beginning has been to create a prosthetic hand that we model based on the human hand’s physical and sensing capabilities—a more natural prosthetic that functions and feels like a lost limb,” said Sriramana Sankar, a Johns Hopkins PhD student in biomedical engineering who led the work.
“We want to give people with upper-limb loss the ability to safely and freely intmultifinger system with rubberlike polymerseract with their environment, to feel and hold their loved ones without concern of hurting them.”
Crucially, the technology only needs electricity briefly, in the form of electric pulses, rather than continuously. Once an object is grabbed, no additional energy is required to maintain the grip.
Not only are these grippers energy efficient, but no additional sensors are needed when in operation. The SMA wires provide position feedback through electrical resistance and AI-driven control.
The design makes the grippers compact and lightweight, making them conducive to integrate into small spaces and safer around human workers. They are also easily programmable and can quickly adapt to different object shapes and tasks, even ‘on the fly’. There is no noisy compressed air or mechanical parts that can wear down, making them suitable for cleanroom environments.
The EnforceAir2 Maritime system is designed to provide reliable performance in addressing the need for counter-UAS technology to detect and neutralize threats coming from rogue drones. According to the company, its advanced RF-cyber technology is non-disruptive, ensuring safety and effectiveness, making it a practical solution for protecting maritime assets, ports, harbors, and transportation routes.
EnforceAir2 Maritime includes several key components designed for optimal performance in maritime environments. The EnforceAir2 SDR – Maritime Version is built with advanced, maritime-tested materials to withstand harsh sea conditions. It works in conjunction with the Radome Antenna (Maritime Version), an ultra-wide-band antenna that offers broad frequency support and 360° coverage, suitable for both ground-level and shipboard use.
As the company states further, the EnforceAir2 Maritime is also designed for easy integration with existing naval defense systems, featuring a compact and durable design for flexible installations and scalable deployment options.
It operates without interfering with communication and navigation systems, helping to maintain operational continuity while providing reliable protection against drone threats to maritime assets and personnel.
The latest solution builds on D-Fend’s experience with thousands of successful deployments worldwide, addressing real-life challenges for a wide range of users. EnforceAir, the company’s core offering, focuses on mitigating drone threats in the military, public safety, airports, prisons, major events, critical infrastructure, and other high-risk environments.
Shade tolerance and fire safety
The PV maker highlighted three advantages of the Hi-MO X10 over standard TOPCon panels. Its anti-dust design allows rainwater to wash away dust, reducing maintenance and preventing hotspots, with a 2.04% average energy gain.
The panel’s shade tolerance minimizes power loss by redirecting current around shaded areas, reducing shading losses by 70%. Additionally, its fire prevention mechanism lowers thermal hotspots, with temperatures staying around 80°C under shading, compared to over 130°C for conventional TOPCon panels, reducing fire risks.
Former FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried has reportedly been sent to solitary confinement after taking part in an interview with right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson, which was not approved by prison authorities.
“This particular interview was not approved,” a representative for the US Bureau of Prisons told The New York Times on March 7.
Bankman-Fried did not receive permission to take interview
According to a person briefed on the situation, after Bankman-Fried’s interview with Carlson was published, he was sent to solitary confinement at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he has been held since August 2023.
Bankman-Fried continues appeal battle
While Carlson didn’t directly ask Bankman-Fried if he expected a pardon from US President Donald Trump, he appeared receptive to some Republican ideas during the interview.
However, since the interview aired, speculation has grown within the community about a possible Trump pardon.
According to a March 7 X post from crypto predictions platform Polymarket, “the odds of an SBF pardon have nearly doubled,” since the interview was published.
It is already known that these constants “govern everything from the stability of atoms to the formation of stars and synthesis of carbon and other elements essential to life.”
For instance, in any solid, atoms oscillate around fixed positions due to thermal energy. The speed of these vibrations depends on two key factors: bond strength and atomic mass. Both these factors are determined by quantum mechanics and electromagnetism, which are governed by fundamental constants.
By analyzing how these constants influence atomic interactions, the study authors discovered that the constants place a strict upper limit on how fast atoms can vibrate in solid materials. This means there is a maximum possible frequency for phonons, which are the collective vibrations of atoms in a material.
Francisco Alvarez to miss significant time with hand fracture in latest Mets injury crusher
He sustained the fracture on a swing during live batting practice on Saturday.
PORT ST. LUCIE – For a second straight season the Mets will be without Francisco Alvarez for a significant stretch.
The catcher fractured the hamate bone on his left hand and will undergo surgery Monday that will sideline him for 6-8 weeks, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
Alvarez sustained the fracture on a swing during live batting practice on Saturday.
“It’s a big blow when your starting catcher goes down,” Mendoza said Sunday at Clover Park. “But guys will step up. Guys will get opportunities, what we have in house and I am sure [president of baseball operations] David [Stearns] will be looking outside.”
Mendoza added the expectation is Alvarez will need the full eight weeks because he is a catcher and the injury occurred on his glove hand. By that timeline, Alvarez would return to the Mets’ lineup in early May.
Last season Alvarez slipped rounding first base and tore a ligament in his left thumb that necessitated surgery that cost him seven weeks.
His initial return gave the Mets’ lineup a jolt, but he struggled for most of the second half, finishing with a .237/.307/.403 slash line with 11 homers and 47 RBIs.
Backup Luis Torrens will move into the starter’s role in Alvarez’s absence.
The catching depth in camp includes Chris Williams, Hayden Senger and Jakson Reetz.
“These guys can handle a pitching staff, they can receive so we feel good,” Mendoza said. “[Torrens] will get a good opportunity now.”
Alvarez will join pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas on the injured list to begin the season.
APL advances laser-based manufacturing to meet defense needs
The U.S. must rapidly scale manufacturing to meet the demands of current and future conflicts, according to Morgan Trexler, program manager for Science of Extreme and Multifunctional Materials at APL. To address this, APL is advancing laser-based additive manufacturing research, enabling the rapid development of mission-ready materials that keep pace with evolving operational challenges.
Using AI-driven models, the team identified new manufacturing conditions for laser powder bed fusion, a metal 3D-printing method. Their findings challenge existing assumptions, revealing a wider processing window for producing dense, high-quality titanium with customizable mechanical properties.
Patrick Michael LaFontaine (born February 22, 1965) is an American former ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and spent his entire playing career with the league's New York State-based teams. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.
LaFontaine played for the New York Islanders from 1983 until 1991, the Buffalo Sabres from 1991 until 1997, and the New York Rangers from 1997 until his retirement in 1998, scoring 468 goals and 1,013 points along the way before his career was ended by concussions. His 1.17 points per game (1,013 points over 865 games) is the best among American-born ice hockey players, active or retired. In 2017, LaFontaine was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.[1] LaFontaine served as an executive of the Buffalo Sabres as the president of hockey operations until March 2014.
Co-author Brendan Croom explained that the discovery redefines how materials processing is approached. For years, certain processing parameters were considered off-limits due to the risk of poor-quality results. By using AI to explore a broader range of possibilities, the team identified new processing regions that enable faster printing while maintaining or even enhancing material strength and ductility. This development now allows engineers to optimize processing settings based on specific performance needs.
Furthermore, these findings could benefit industries relying on high-performance titanium parts by enabling the production of stronger, lighter components at higher speeds, enhancing efficiency in shipbuilding, aviation, and medical devices, while advancing additive manufacturing for aerospace and defense.
APL advances laser-based manufacturing to meet defense needs
The U.S. must rapidly scale manufacturing to meet the demands of current and future conflicts, according to Morgan Trexler, program manager for Science of Extreme and Multifunctional Materials at APL. To address this, APL is advancing laser-based additive manufacturing research, enabling the rapid development of mission-ready materials that keep pace with evolving operational challenges.
Using AI-driven models, the team identified new manufacturing conditions for laser powder bed fusion, a metal 3D-printing method. Their findings challenge existing assumptions, revealing a wider processing window for producing dense, high-quality titanium with customizable mechanical properties.
When Steve Storck, chief scientist for manufacturing technologies in APL’s Research and Exploratory Development Department, joined the laboratory in 2015, he identified key limitations in the field. One major barrier to using additive manufacturing across the Department of Defense was materials availability, as each design required specific materials, yet robust processing conditions were lacking for most.
Titanium was one of the few materials that met DoD needs and had been optimized to match or exceed traditional manufacturing performance. The team recognized that expanding the range of materials and refining processing parameters was crucial to fully unlock the potential of additive manufacturing.
However, photons may take centuries to escape the dense solar core, making them incapable of providing real-time information. Neutrinos, on the other hand, pass through almost instantly, yielding real-time insights into what’s happening deep inside the Sun.
New developments required
While the neutrino method sounds interesting, it is still not known how much scientists can learn about the density structure of the sun from them. Although existing neutrino experiments have provided valuable insights, more data is needed for precise measurements.
This is why scientists await further information from upcoming experiments such as the JUNO and DUNE. The former stands for Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory. It is an experiment in China designed to study neutrinos from nuclear reactors.
The latter, the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, is a major experiment in the US that will study neutrinos from both artificial sources (like particle accelerators) and natural sources (like the sun). One of its key goals is to detect rare solar neutrinos, including hep neutrinos, which are produced in the sun’s core during fusion reactions.
Manus is a general AI agent that bridges minds and actions: it doesn’t just think, it delivers results. Manus excels at various tasks in work and life, getting everything done while you rest.
Manus AI, developed by the Chinese startup Monica, has garnered significant attention for its innovative AI capabilities.
Eni places innovation at the centre of its strategic vision and it has transformed the businesses by investing significantly in research, development, and the implementation of technologies to progressively decarbonising its energy mix and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, according to a press release.
Fusion to revolutionize the global energy transition path
Fusion energy is expected to be transformational to contribute to energy security and decarbonization. The process sees two hydrogen isotopes fuse together under intense heat and pressure to form a helium atom, releasing large amounts of emissions-free energy through a safe, cleaner, and virtually inexhaustible process.
“Fusion energy is meant to revolutionize the global energy transition path, accelerating the decarbonisation of our economic and industrial systems, helping to spread access to energy, and reducing energy dependency ties within a more equitable transition framework,” said Claudio Descalzi, Eni CEO.
Precision and safety
The concurrent process of building and cooking is achieved using the 3D printer’s infrared heater made from laser-induced graphene (LIG). According to the researchers, this ultra-thin heating element provides precise temperature control, with food layers reaching 278.6°F (137°C) on the surface and maintaining at least 221°F (105°C) on the sides throughout the printing process.
The printer uses just 14 watts of power—a fraction of the 1,000-2,000 watts consumed by conventional ovens and air fryers. The team tested their new printer using a special starch-based cookie dough. As the printer extruded each new layer of dough, the infrared heater immediately cooked it.
The process also enables the food item to maintain its shape while destroying any harmful bacteria. As the team points out, immediate cooking prevents slumping and deformation when printed food items wait to be baked.
The saga between Myles Garrett and the Browns has come to a lucrative end.
The superstar defensive end inked a four-year extension on Sunday.
The deal averages $40 million per year and included $123 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Garrett last month told reporters that he would not sign an extension with the team and had previously requested a trade.
Analysis of the 3D printer showed that it has superior qualities to conventional cooking methods. Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the research team discovered that the infrared-cooked samples maintained consistent internal structure without the dramatic swelling in oven-baked items.
X-ray analysis also revealed that the final product had uniform porosity throughout the food, indicating thorough cooking without compromising structural integrity. Moreover, COMSOL simulations confirmed even heat distribution, showing that heat penetrated only 1-2 mm from the top layer, preventing overcooking of the lower layers.
Judge Rogers also noted that several of OpenAI’s co-founders, including Altman and president Greg Brockman, made “foundational commitments” not to use OpenAI “as a vehicle to enrich themselves.” In her ruling, Judge Rogers said that the Court is prepared to offer an expedited trial in the fall of 2025 to resolve the corporate restructuring disputes.
Marc Toberoff, a lawyer representing Musk, told TechCrunch that Musk’s legal team is pleased with the judge’s decision and intends to accept the offer for an expedited trial. OpenAI hasn’t said whether it’ll also accept and did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Judge Rogers’ comments on OpenAI’s for-profit conversion aren’t exactly good news for the company.
Tyler Whitmer, a lawyer representing Encode, a nonprofit that filed an amicus brief in the case arguing that OpenAI’s for-profit conversion could jeopardize AI safety, told TechCrunch that Judge Rogers’ decision puts a “cloud” of regulatory uncertainty over OpenAI’s board of directors. Attorneys general in California and Delaware are already investigating the transition, and the concerns Judge Rogers raised could embolden them to probe more aggressively, Whitmer said.
There were some wins for OpenAI in Judge Rogers’ ruling.
Israel Cutting Off Its Electricity Supply to Gaza
Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza. The full effects of that are not immediately clear, but the territory's desalination plants receive power for producing drinking water.
Sunday's announcement comes a week after Israel cut off all supplies of goods to the territory to over 2 million people. It has sought to press Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire. That phase ended last weekend. Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.
Hamas has pressed to start negotiations on the ceasefire's more difficult second phase instead. The militant group on Sunday said it wrapped up the latest round of ceasefire talks with Egyptian mediators without changes to its position, calling for an immediate start of the ceasefire's second phase.
Sen. Ron Johnson: Trump Gives 'Atrophied' Tea Party Life
While the "establishment" managed to "marginalize" the Tea Party movement for more than a decade, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., says President Donald Trump's revitalized Make America Great Again movement has given the Tea Party Patriots validation, new life, and a voice again.
"The Tea Party sort of went dormant or atrophied after 2014, '15, '16, until Trump came on the scene," Sen. Johnson told The Hill. "And he reignited it in a different form."
The senator gave his first speech at a Tea Party rally in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 2009, but its movement was squelched and turned into a "pejorative" for its opposition to the Obama administration and its policies, he said.
Sen. Graham: Ukraine Aid Pause May Be 'Worse Than Afghanistan'
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., quickly rebuked Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy for balking at President Donald Trump's minerals deal – sticking to a demand for security guarantees – but Graham issued a warning on the subsequent pause of Ukraine aid.
"As long as the fighting is going on, if we pull the plug on Ukraine, it would be worse than Afghanistan," Graham said in a televised interview Sunday, pointing back to former President Joe Biden's failed unconditional 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan that left 13 U.S. service members dead.
"Until we have a ceasefire, I would give Ukraine what they need in terms of intelligence and weapons to defend themselves."
UAW President Fain: Tariffs Will Help Fix the 'Bleeding' Economy
President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico "aren't the end solution" to fixing the American economy, but "they are a huge factor in fixing this problem,' United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said Sunday.
"Tariffs are an attempt to stop the bleeding from the hemorrhaging of jobs in America for the last 33 years," Fain said in an interview on ABC News' "This Week." "We're in a crisis mode in this country."
He added that the United States has lost "millions of jobs" since the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994.
"There is no single issue in this country that has affected our economy and working class people and their jobs than NAFTA, the USMCA, and our trade laws," said Fain, referring to the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. "We're in a triage situation."
Musk Agrees With Sen. Mike Lee: 'Exit NATO Now'
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, urged the U.S. to reevaluate its funding and continued participation in the North American Treaty Organization this weekend, and the bold statement got the attention of Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk.
"Exit NATO now!" Lee wrote in a midnight X post, sharing a video of nude, chest-painted women marching in protest in Paris.
Lee's post got the attention of Musk minutes later.
"We really should," Musk replied on X. "Doesn't make sense for America to pay for the defense of Europe."
NATO has been criticized for almost a decade by President Donald Trump, who has long questioned why the U.S. is on the hook for the majority of funding for World War II-era European defense alliance.
“The last eight years have been a come true,, and I will always cherish my time being a part of the Raleigh community,” Keatts wrote in a statement posted on X. “… I am extremely proud of what we accomplished during my time here. Prior to my first season, the NCAA informed us that we were being investigated due to the actions of the prior staff. We were able to guide the program through five years of investigations and penalties and came out on the other side with back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, and for the first time in 37 and 40 years, an ACC Championship and trip to the Final Four.
'Say Thank You' Rubio Tells Poland Amid Starlink Spat
Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski of "making things up" and suggested on Sunday he was ungrateful, in a strong rebuke after Sikorski said Ukraine may need an alternative to the Starlink satellite service.
Poland pays for Kyiv to use the services of Elon Musk's Starlink, which provides crucial internet connectivity to Ukraine and its military.
Musk, a high-profile figure in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, said in a post on his X social media platform on Sunday that Ukraine's "entire front line would collapse if I turned it (Starlink) off."
He said he was "sickened by ... years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose."
Trump's on-again, off-again tariff threats against Canada, Mexico, China and others have left the US financial markets in turmoil and consumers unsure what the year might bring.
Stock markets just ended their worst week since the November election.
Measures of consumer confidence are down, as shoppers -- already battered by years of inflation -- brace for the higher prices that tariffs can bring.
And widespread government layoffs being engineered by Trump's billionaire advisor Elon Musk add further concern.
Some signs are mixed.
A widely watched Atlanta Federal Reserve index now predicts a 2.4 percent contraction of real GDP growth in the year's first quarter, which would be the worst result since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Air Force Intercepts Aircraft in Restricted Zone Near Mar-a-Lago
Federal officials maintain a permanent flight restriction over Trump's club that expands to a radius of 30 nautical miles when the president is in residence.
North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement that Sunday's incident, which took place as Trump finished a round of golf at his West Palm Beach golf course, saw F-16s deploy flares to get the attention of the civilian pilot. Jets also conducted an intercept on Saturday morning shortly after Trump arrived at the course from his private Mar-a-Lago club and residence.
The airspace intrusions in the heavily congested south Florida airspace have prompted fighter jet intercepts but did not alter Trump's schedule or impact his security, officials said. NORAD says the flares may have been visible from the ground but that they burn out quickly and don't pose danger.
Small Plane Crashes Near Airport in Pennsylvania
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there were five people aboard the Beechcraft Bonanza.
A single-engine airplane with five people on board crashed Sunday in a parking lot near a small airport in suburban Pennsylvania, officials said.
The fiery crash happened around 3 p.m. just south of Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township, according to police, who could not immediately provide information on fatalities or injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there were five people aboard the Beechcraft Bonanza.
Footage shared on social media showed black smoke billowing from the plane's wreckage and multiple parked cars engulfed in flames at the crash site about 75 miles west of Philadelphia.
Former CDC Director Accuses West of COVID Cover-Up
The former director of the CDC from 2018 to 2021, Dr. Robert Redfield, said American and British intelligence agencies conducted a counterintelligence operation on the public to quash narratives that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
Redfield, who told the Mail he had seen most of the United States' intelligence on COVID-19 in 2021 before leaving his position, made his assessment about a coverup pointing to ties the former head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, had to the intelligence community starting in "2004," the Mail reported.
The intelligence community "pulled a lot of the strings to protect their agents inside China's military-linked laboratories," Redfield said. "The role of the intelligence community is much deeper than meets the eye. It was so effective. I think it was not just the Americans — the British had to be involved, too.
Later in the interview, Redfield reaffirmed his past position there was "not even 1% chance" that COVID-19 was a spillover event from animals to humans.
"One final thing: How come COVID-19 can no longer infect bats when it's so efficient at infecting humans? This never happened with SARS and seems a pretty telling point to me."
Redfield speculated that scientists in Wuhan had been conducting gain-of-function research on COVID-19 to develop a universal carrier for vaccines that could be aerosolized and used in civilian and military applications.
"It would have been great to make a universal vaccine that could be used for every antigen you want," he said. "There was just one problem: The vector they used to develop it was not contained and caused the worst global pandemic we've seen in over 100 years."
Sen. Rick Scott Defends Musk's Federal Job Cuts
The president of the United States is Donald Trump, and the agency heads are the one who manage each of their departments, so they have got the decision.
Sen. Rick Scott defended Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency's recommendations for federal job cuts, telling CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that Americans are "fed up" with government spending and waste.
The Florida Republican said when it was pointed out to him that Musk was neither elected nor confirmed by the Senate, "Musk does not have the power to fire people.
"The president of the United States is Donald Trump, and the agency heads are the one who manage each of their departments, so they have got the decision. That's what Elon Musk has told me time and time again."
US Shipbuilders, a Shadow of What They Were, Welcome Trump's Support
Shipbuilding has been in steady decline in the US since the end of the Cold War but some in the industry now hope for a revival of the sector, as was promised last week by President Donald Trump.
The United States was once a world leader in both commercial and naval construction, but has fallen far behind its main rival China.
Trump has now promised to reverse this, declaring in an address to Congress on Tuesday that he would "resurrect" the sector and create an Office of Shipbuilding in the White House.
"We used to make so many ships," Trump said, promising tax breaks. "We're going to make them very fast, very soon."
"Our market has changed dramatically since World War II, when shifting administrative priorities, from Republican and Democratic administrations, curbed programs to support our industry," he said.
The US naval fleet has shrunk from 471 vessels after the Cold War in 1992 to 295 today, Paxton said.
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the US Navy's current plan to build a fleet of 390 vessels by 2054 -- with the purchase of 364 new vessels because of the decommissioning of older models -- would cost an average $40 billion a year.
Paxton said the Trump administration needs a comprehensive strategy for the industry -- including ways to reduce administrative and regulatory obstacles -- if it is to achieve its shipbuilding goals.
The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a wave of early retirements and career-switching, while slowing training. And amid historically low US unemployment, industry wages have had trouble competing.
Still, naval shipbuilding contributes, directly or indirectly, more than $40 billion to the country's GDP.
The industry continues to build "lots of ships," mainly for the domestic market, said Paxton, while adding that Trump probably wants a much larger US share of the global market.
US shipyards not only produce and maintain ships for governmental bodies -- from the US Navy to agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) -- they also produce and maintain the roughly 40,000 commercial vessels.
Mark Carney to Replace Trudeau as Canada's Prime Minister
Former central banker Mark Carney will become Canada's next prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader Sunday as the country deals with U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and annexation threat and as a federal election looms.
Carney, 59, replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remains prime minister until his successor is sworn in in the coming days. Carney won in a landslide, winning 85.9% of the vote.
"There is someone who is trying to weaken our economy," Carney said. "Donald Trump, as we know, has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell and how we make a living. He's attacking Canadian families, workers, and businesses; and we cannot let him succeed, and we won't."
Trump's trade war and his talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American anthem at NHL and NBA games. Some are canceling trips south of the border, and many are avoiding buying American goods when they can.
The surge in Canadian nationalism has bolstered the Liberal Party's chances in a parliamentary election expected within days or weeks, and Liberal showings have been improving steadily in opinion polls.
"We have made this the greatest country in the world, and now our neighbors want to take us. No way," Carney said earlier.
After decades of bilateral stability, the vote on Canada's next leader now is expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with the United States.
Carney is expected to trigger an election shortly afterward. Either Carney will call one, or the opposition parties in Parliament could force one with a no-confidence vote later this month.
Russian Advances in Kursk Threaten Kyiv's Only Bargaining Card
The Russian army's advance in the Kursk region against Ukrainian troops is threatening Kyiv's only territorial bargaining card at a critical time in the war, CNN reported on Sunday.
Last August, Ukraine had launched its surprising incursion into Kursk and managed to capture territory that was seen not only as a useful possession to be exchanged for Russian-occupied territory but also was a campaign that sought to divert Moscow's resources from the front lines in the east.
However, observers now say that the current Russian advances have put Ukraine in a much weaker position and are likely to become more intense, especially since Kyiv also faces a completely different diplomatic picture after President Donald Trump halted U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing, according to CNN.
A Palestinian activist who led the disruptive protests at both Columbia University and Barnard College has been arrested by ICE agents at his campus apartment, according to his lawyer.
President Trump is giving this anti-Israel campus rabble-rouser a ticket to study abroad — for good.
A Palestinian activist who led a coalition of twisted radicals seeking the “total eradication of Western Civilization” responsible for riotous protests at Columbia University and Barnard College has been arrested by ICE agents, according to his lawyer.
Columbia University Apartheid Divest leader Mahmoud Khalil, who completed his graduate studies at Ivy League Columbia in December, also potentially faces having his visa revoked and his green card canceled following President Trump’s crackdown on unrest at colleges, attorney Amy Greer said Sunday.
Soon after his detention, Khalil’s supporters issued a press release calling the arrest “a racist targeting” which “serves to instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others.”
A petition demanding Khalil’s immediate release posted on Action Network garnered more than 349,000 signatures by Sunday evening.
Last September, Khalil and Columbia United Apartheid Divest, which has vowed to escalate its tactics “until the empire crumbles,” were among those taking part in the campus takeover at the start of the school year.
Davante Adams signing $46 million contract with Rams after Jets exit
Davante Adams is heading back to the West Coast — and it won’t be for another Aaron Rodgers reunion.
The wide receiver, who spent the final 11 games of the 2024 season with the Jets after they paired him with Rodgers, inked a two-year, $46 million deal — with $26 million of that money guaranteed — with the Rams, according to NFL Network.
In the last 100 days, Josh Allen got engaged, won NFL MVP and on Sunday he was rewarded with a new record-breaking contract.
Allen and the Bills agreed to a six-year, $330 million contract that includes $250 million guaranteed, making it the largest guaranteed money handed to a player in NFL history, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Allen, who still had four years left on his current deal, is signed with Buffalo through 2030.
The Bills QB led the team to the AFC Championship game appearance along with a division title last season while throwing 3,731 yards.
“The same way we are very comfortable accepting Nazis don’t deserve to live, fascists don’t deserve to live, racists don’t deserve to live, Zionists, they shouldn’t live in this world,” said James.
James later offered a tepid apology, but laid the blame at the foot of “right-wing agitators,” claiming they were targeted for being “visibly queer and black.”
Last spring’s encampment continued to expand until April 18, when Columbia president Minouche Shafik — who soon after resigned under pressure — finally called on the NYPD to enter the campus and break it up after protesters ignored warnings to leave.
Cops arrested 108 participants at Columbia, which sparked a movement of solidarity protests of similar encampments at university campuses across the country.
An ICE agent reportedly told Khalil’s lawyer Greer the agency was enforcing a State Department edict to revoke Khalil’s student visa as well as his green card, pursuant to President Trump’s recent pledge to deport foreign student “agitators” responsible for fomenting campus unrest.
The news comes just days after Trump announced plans to yank about $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia due to its noncompliance with anti-discrimination laws.
The Theory of Everything (ToE) is a hypothetical framework in physics that aims to unify all fundamental forces and particles in the universe into a single, coherent model. It’s the holy grail of theoretical physics—a single theory that reconciles general relativity (which describes gravity and the large-scale structure of the universe) with quantum mechanics (which governs the behavior of particles at the smallest scales).
Currently, we have two incredibly successful but incompatible theories:
General Relativity: Einstein’s theory of gravity, where massive objects warp spacetime, and that warping dictates how objects move. It’s deterministic and works beautifully for planets, stars, and galaxies.
Quantum Field Theory: The framework behind the Standard Model of particle physics, which describes the electromagnetic, strong, and weak nuclear forces, along with particles like quarks, electrons, and photons. It’s probabilistic and excels at the subatomic level.
The problem? Gravity doesn’t play nice with quantum rules. At extreme scales—like near black holes or during the Big Bang—general relativity predicts singularities (infinite densities), while quantum mechanics demands finite, probabilistic outcomes. A Theory of Everything would resolve this clash, ideally explaining everything from the tiniest particles to the cosmos in one consistent language.
Leading Candidates
Physicists have proposed several approaches:
String Theory: Suggests that fundamental particles aren’t points but tiny, vibrating one-dimensional "strings." Different vibrations correspond to different particles. It naturally includes gravity (via the graviton) and requires extra dimensions (typically 10 or 11), which are "compactified" at scales we can’t see. It’s elegant but lacks experimental evidence so far.
Loop Quantum Gravity: Focuses on quantizing spacetime itself, treating it as discrete rather than continuous. It avoids singularities but hasn’t fully integrated the Standard Model particles.
M-Theory: An extension of string theory that unifies its five versions, proposing 11 dimensions and introducing "branes" (higher-dimensional objects). It’s a leading contender but, again, untested.
Quantum Gravity Models: Other ideas, like asymptotically safe gravity or causal dynamical triangulation, try to bridge the gap with different mathematical tricks.
Why Haven’t We Found It?
No ToE has been experimentally confirmed. String theory and M-theory predict phenomena (like supersymmetry or extra dimensions) that current experiments, like those at the Large Hadron Collider, haven’t detected. Loop quantum gravity struggles to reproduce the full Standard Model. Plus, testing these theories often requires energies or conditions (e.g., Planck-scale physics) far beyond our technological reach.
What Would It Mean?
A working ToE could explain mysteries like dark matter, dark energy, the nature of black holes, and the universe’s origin. It might not "solve" everything in practical terms—chemistry or biology would still have their own complexities—but it’d give us the ultimate rulebook for reality’s building blocks.
As of March 10, 2025, we’re still searching. It’s a work in progress, driven by math, imagination, and the hope that nature’s deepest secrets are within our grasp. What do you think—any bets on which approach might win?
!summarize #china #ai #autonomous #aiagent
!summarize #china #ai #manus
Meet the 21-year-old helping coders use AI to cheat in Google and other tech job interviews
As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, employers are trying to build workarounds to prevent candidates from cheating in virtual job interviews.
After landing internship offers from Amazon, Meta and TikTok, computer science student Chungin "Roy" Lee has decided to move to San Francisco.
But he won't be joining any of those companies.
Instead, Lee will be building his own startup that offers a peculiar service: helping software engineers use artificial intelligence to cheat in their technical job interviews.
"Everyone programs nowadays with the help of AI," said Lee, a 21-year-old student at Columbia University, which has opened disciplinary proceedings against him, according to documents viewed by CNBC. A Columbia spokesperson said the university doesn't comment on individual students.
"It doesn't make sense to have an interview format that assumes you don't have the use of AI," Lee said.
Lee is at the forefront of a movement among professional coders who are exploiting the limitations of remote job interviews, popularized during the Covid pandemic, by using AI tools off camera to ensure they give hiring managers the best possible answers.
The hiring process that took hold in the work-from-home era involved candidates interviewing from behind a Zoom screen rather than traveling, sometimes across the country, for on-location interviews, where they could show their coding skills on dry-erase boards.
!summarize #tesla #automotive #canada
How Facebook Marketplace is keeping young people on the platform
Facebook Marketplace keeps users engaged with free listings, local pickups, and resale growth, helping Meta stay relevant despite declining teen activity.
Meta's Facebook's influence remains strong globally, but younger users are logging in less. Only 32% of U.S. teens use Facebook today, down from 71% in 2014, according to a 2024 Pew Research study. However, Facebook's resale platform Marketplace is one reason young people are on the platform.
"I only use Facebook for Marketplace," said Mirka Arevalo, a student at Buffalo University. "I go in knowing what I want, not just casually browsing."
#facebook #marketplace #socialmedia
Launched in 2016, Facebook Marketplace has grown into one of Meta's biggest success stories. With 1.1 billion users across 70 countries, it competes with eBay and Craigslist, according to BusinessDasher.
"Marketplace is the flea market of the internet," said Charles Lindsay, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Buffalo. "There's a massive amount of consumer-to-consumer business."
Unlike eBay or Etsy, Marketplace doesn't charge listing fees, and local pickups help avoid shipping costs, according to Facebook's Help Center.
"Sellers love that Marketplace has no fees," said Jasmine Enberg, VP and Principal Analyst at eMarketer. "Introducing fees could push users elsewhere."
!summarize #ai #robotics #agi #humanoids
!summarize #kawasaki #kaleido #robotics #ai
Scientists create highly-sensitive diamond quantum sensors to monitor EV batteries
Upon testing the sensor using optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) technique, researchers found that it could measure small currents as low as 10 milliamperes over different time durations.
As EV manufacturers aim for cars with longer range, faster charging, and improved safety, the demand for effective EV battery management technology is increasing. The sensors currently used for monitoring EV batteries often suffer from heating and energy losses, struggle with low accuracy, and sometimes fail to detect small fluctuations in battery current, leading to less efficient energy management.
Diamond quantum sensors can overcome many of these challenges. However, one catch is that the diamond crystals used for these sensors are usually minute, measuring only a few millimeters wide. The limitation posed by their size—which stems from difficulties in manufacturing larger diamond substrates—restricts how these sensors can be used in different industries.
In a bid to address the problem, Japanese researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo (ISCT) have created a large-area diamond substrate with nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers on a non-diamond substrate. This setup works like the perfect platform for highly-sensitive diamond quantum sensors for EV batteries.
Powerbeats Pro 2 Review | A hard to beat workout experience
#powerbeats #apple #pro2
Apple MacBook Air laptops powered by M2 and M3 chips being phased out
#apple #macbook #m2 #m3
New iPad Air and MacBook Air are more expensive in India than in the U.S.
#india #apple #macbook #ipad
Why are Indian firms racing to build local AI?
#india #ai #local
Inorganic, polymer electrolytes built at same vessel to boost EV battery performance
Researchers develop a class of hybrid sulfide-polymer materials through an innovative one-pot, in situ synthetic paradigm
Researchers have developed inorganic and polymer battery electrolytes simultaneously, which can be used across chemistry.
Developed by researchers from the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, the hybrid electrolytes are a mix of solid-state inorganic electrolytes — which move the particles extremely efficiently — and polymer electrolytes.
Researchers revealed that a new technique from Amanchukwu Lab builds inorganic and polymer electrolytes in the same vessel at the same time. This “one-pot” in-situ method creates a controlled, homogenous blend, pairing the conductivity of the inorganic solids with the flexibility of the polymers.
#polymer #ev #battery #materials
New military system bolsters drone defense operations, provides 360° safety
Rugged, MIL-STD 810H maritime cradles for the SDR and antenna ensure durability and quick redeployment.
Israeli company D-Fend Solutions, known for its radio frequency (RF) cyber-based counter-drone technology, has announced the launch of EnforceAir2 Maritime.
This version of its EnforceAir2 system is designed to support Counter-UAS operations in maritime environments.
#military #israel #drone #defense
Advanced protection for maritime assets and ports
Rogue drones can disrupt critical command and control systems by targeting sensitive areas of a vessel, such as navigation or communication equipment, and making them inoperable. Additionally, drones equipped with devices like GPS jammers can be used for electronic warfare, interfering with onboard systems.
Furthermore, drones can be used in more advanced cyberattacks, such as GPS spoofing, which sends false location data to a vessel, causing navigational errors. They can also broadcast fake Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals, creating phantom vessels on radar and making it harder for crew members to maintain situational awareness.
China’s PV maker unveils anti-dust solar module with 24.8% efficiency, 670 W power
Installing Longi’s latest Hi-MO X10 back-contact solar panels on a 10,000 m² rooftop could produce 189,000 kWh more power annually than a 630 W TOPCon system.
Chinese solar PV solutions giant Longi has unveiled its Hi-MO X10 anti-dust solar panel at the Jinan International Solar Energy Utilization Conference. The series features HPBC 2.0 cell technology, a uniform half-cell (6×24) design, and measures 2,382×1,134×30 mm. The panel offers 640–670 W power output with 23.7–24.8% efficiency.
The Hi-MO X10 series features anti-dust technology, boosting energy generation per unit area by over 10% compared to TOPCon panels. First introduced in October 2023 with Longi’s first-generation BC products, the technology has undergone over two years of testing.
#china #pv #solar #panels #energy
Minimal degradation over 30 years
The module’s open-circuit voltage ranges from 53.70 V to 54.30 V under standard test conditions and 51.04 V to 51.61 V under nominal operating conditions. Short-circuit current varies between 15.13 A and 15.60 A, with a temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius.
Longi states the module’s degradation is 1% in the first year, with an annual rate of up to 0.35% over 30 years. The company also claims its latest module improves per-watt energy output by 2% and, combined with HPBC 2.0, increases overall energy yield by up to 10% over competing TOPCon modules.
Installing Hi-MO X10 (660 W) panels on a 10,000 m² rooftop could produce 189,000 kWh more power per year than a 630 W TOPCon system, according to Longi’s estimates. This translates to an annual revenue boost of $15,700 and close to $370,000 over 30 years.
Scientists suggest the upper limit for room temperature superconductivity
Superconductors are known for existing at freezing temperatures, but they also have a hidden upper limit that includes room temperature.
Superconductors are game-changing materials that can transform everything, ranging from healthcare to energy transmission and quantum computing. But there’s a catch—they work at extremely low temperatures (close to absolute zero).
This limitation has prevented us from harnessing their full potential. To address this challenge, scientists have been actively working on developing room-temperature superconductors, but they often wonder — is there an upper temperature limit for superconductivity?
#science #room #superconductivity #upperlimit
The answer to this question is crucial to determining whether superconductivity can truly exist at room temperature. For instance, if a theoretical upper limit exists below room temperature, then achieving room-temperature superconductivity would be fundamentally impossible.
Finally, a team of researchers from Queen Mary University of London has found the answer. In their new study, they reveal the factors affecting the upper limit and the maximum temperature range suitable for superconductivity.
The power of fundamental constants
The study authors shed light on the role of fundamental physical constants—such as electron mass, Planck’s constant (h), electron charge, and the fine-structure constant (α).
AI speeds up titanium alloy production with higher strength for submarine manufacturing
Using AI-driven models, the team identified new manufacturing conditions for laser powder bed fusion, a metal 3D-printing method.
A Johns Hopkins research team is using AI to enhance titanium alloys, improving strength and production speed for applications from deep-sea exploration to space travel.
Manufacturing high-performance titanium alloy parts for spacecraft, submarines, and medical devices has traditionally been a slow, resource-intensive process. Despite advances in metal 3D printing, optimizing production conditions has still demanded extensive testing and refinement.
To tackle this issue, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) identified processing techniques that enhance both production speed and strength of advanced materials.
#ai #titanium #alloy #production
Neutrinos could give us real-time access to the solar core, help study its density
Scientists no longer need to rely on theoretical models to study the solar core. Neutrinos, resulting from nuclear fusions, can give us ready insights into the sun’s density structure.
In December last year, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe flew 3.8 million miles above the sun’s surface. This is the closest a man-made object has ever gotten to the sun. While the mission marked a significant achievement in space research, scientists aim to study not just the solar surface but also the activity inside its core.
This is because the internal solar environment plays an important role in determining the weather in space and also the Earth’s climate conditions. Scientists currently rely on theoretical models to understand the Sun’s density profile.
#neutrinos #solar #core #energy
Now, a new study explores the possibility of studying the sun’s interiors using neutrinos. The study suggests that neutrinos emitted during nuclear fusion could offer real-time insights into the processes occurring deep within the sun’s core. This information could help us predict solar activity more accurately.
Catching neutrinos from the sun
Generally, scientists use the Standard Solar Model (SSM) to understand the sun’s internal activity and predict the changes its core undergoes over time. This is a theoretical model based on fundamental principles of physics and observations made by scientists.
However, the authors of the new study propose a more direct approach. It is well-known that the solar core continuously emits neutrinos due to fusion reactions. These tiny, nearly massless particles travel through the sun and escape into space, with some reaching our planet.
World’s largest tritium fuel facility planned by UK, Italy to bolster fusion reactors
UKAEA and Eni will collaborate to develop advanced technological solutions in fusion energy and related technologies.
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has taken a significant step to support future fusion power plants. The UKAEA has partnered with Eni, an Italian firm, for the construction of the world’s largest and most advanced tritium fuel cycle facility. The step is expected to give a strong support to future fusion reactors as tritium is a vital fuel for fusion power stations.
The collaboration also aims to jointly conduct research and development activities in the field of fusion energy.
#tritium #fuel #uk #italy #fusionreactors
UKAEA revealed that the tritium recovery and re-use will play a fundamental role in the supply and generation of the fuel in future fusion power plants and will be crucial in making the technology increasingly efficient.
UKAEA-Eni H3AT Tritium Loop Facility
The “UKAEA-Eni H3AT Tritium Loop Facility” is designed to serve as a world-class facility providing industry and academia the opportunity to study how to process, store and recycle tritium, according to the recent announcement.
UKAEA and Eni will collaborate to develop advanced technological solutions in fusion energy and related technologies, including skills transfer initiatives.
Eni will contribute to the H3AT project with its expertise in managing and developing large-scale projects, helping to de-risk its roadmap. This partnership combines UKAEA’s extensive expertise in fusion research and development with Eni’s established industrial-scale capabilities in plant engineering, commissioning, and operations.
China’s new 3D printer employs graphene, AI to build and cook food simultaneously
The 3D food printer, developed by researchers from Hong Kong, uses infrared heating to contain bacterial formation and ensure food safety, while consuming just 14 watts of power.
Researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a new 3D printer to make food layer by layer using graphene and artificial intelligence (AI). The 3D printer can create complex edible structures and features precision infrared heating to maximize product quality and safety.
#china #3d #printer #graphene #ai #food
This combination helps overcome some significant flaws with other existing automated food production techniques, including issues with food safety and the general need for technical expertise oversight. The former is a substantial concern as current 3D printers tend to create food in two significant steps.
The first involves extruding some cold food paste to make the item. This is then typically transferred to an oven or fryer for cooking and sterilization. While functional, this approach often results in deformed shapes and increased contamination risks as the food moves between machines. The new 3D printer, however, integrates these separate steps into one as it is capable of building and cooking the food simultaneously.
Musk may still have a chance to thwart OpenAI's for-profit conversion
Elon Musk lost the latest battle in his lawsuit against OpenAI, but a judge appears to have given the billionaire reasons to be hopeful.
Elon Musk lost the latest battle in his lawsuit against OpenAI this week, but a federal judge appears to have given Musk — and others who oppose OpenAI’s for-profit conversion — reasons to be hopeful.
Musk’s suit against OpenAI, which also names Microsoft and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as defendants, accuses OpenAI of abandoning its nonprofit mission to ensure its AI research benefits all humanity. OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015 but converted to a “capped-profit” structure in 2019, and now seeks to restructure once more into a public benefit corporation.
Musk had sought a preliminary injunction to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Northern California, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, denied Musk’s request — yet expressed some jurisprudential concerns about OpenAI’s planned conversion.
Judge Rogers said in her ruling denying the injunction that “significant and irreparable harm is incurred” when the public’s money is used to fund a nonprofit’s conversion into a for-profit. OpenAI’s nonprofit currently has a majority stake in OpenAI’s for-profit operations, and it reportedly stands to receive billions of dollars in compensation as a part of the transition.
!summarize #technology #ai