undefined 12, 2025
First view of the Sun's south pole filmed by spacecraft
ESA’s Solar Orbiter has captured the first images of the Sun’s south pole, revealing details of its atmosphere and magnetic activity. These insights will help scientists understand solar cycles, magnetic pole reversals, and predict solar storms that can disrupt Earth’s satellites and power grids. The probe also tracked chemical elements and solar material movement, filling key gaps in solar modeling and advancing efforts to forecast space weather.
New audio tech could let you listen privately without headphones
Scientists are developing ways to precisely direct sound, potentially eliminating the need for earbuds. Using acoustic metasurfaces—engineered materials that bend sound—researchers created “audible enclaves,” where only people in specific spots can hear audio. By steering ultrasonic waves to intersect and convert into audible sound, they’ve achieved private listening zones. Though still a prototype, this tech could enable discreet conversations in public spaces like libraries and offices.
Apple WWDC 2025: the 13 biggest announcements
At WWDC, Apple unveiled major updates across its platforms. All operating systems now use year-based names (e.g., iOS 26). A new “Liquid Glass” design refreshes UI elements, while core apps like Safari, Camera, and Phone get sleek redesigns. iPadOS 26 adds windowing and the Preview app. macOS 26 improves Spotlight and adds the Phone app. New AI tools include screen-aware Apple Intelligence and live translation. AirPods get camera control, and Vision Pro now supports PSVR2 controllers. Apple also opened its AI model to developers.
Disney and Universal sue AI image creator Midjourney, alleging copyright infringement
Disney and Universal have sued AI company Midjourney, accusing it of copyright infringement for generating images of iconic characters like Darth Vader, Elsa, and the Minions without permission. The studios allege Midjourney scraped the internet to train its tool and ignored demands to stop. They seek an injunction and damages. The case joins a wave of lawsuits over AI training on copyrighted material, including suits by artists, authors, and record labels against major AI firms.
World first: brain implant lets man speak with expression, and sing
A man with severe speech loss can now speak and sing expressively using a brain implant that translates his neural activity into real-time speech. The AI-powered brain–computer interface decodes tone, pitch, and emphasis, allowing for natural, personalized communication within 10 milliseconds. Published in *Nature*, the study marks a major leap over previous BCIs, offering continuous, expressive speech using a synthetic voice modeled on the participant's own.
Source: interestingengineering
Ground telescopes capture 13-billion-year-old light from universe’s birth in a first
From a mountaintop in Chile, scientists have achieved a first: measuring the Big Bang’s faint polarized light from Earth. Using the CLASS telescope, Johns Hopkins researchers detected how the universe’s earliest stars scattered ancient microwave signals, revealing key details about the "Cosmic Dawn" over 13 billion years ago. The breakthrough offers new insight into the universe’s first moments—once thought only possible to observe from space—and sharpens our understanding of dark matter, neutrinos, and the formation of the cosmos.
A new kind of AI bot takes over the web
AI tools like ChatGPT are quickly replacing traditional Google searches, sparking a surge in bot traffic that’s quietly transforming the internet. A new report shows bots that retrieve real-time content for AI responses grew 49% in early 2025. These bots “read” far more than humans ever could — often without permission. While some publishers are striking licensing deals, most AI scrapes still go unpaid, challenging media sites to adapt to a future where AI, not people, is their primary audience.
Roman-era 'fast food' discovered in ancient trash heap on Mallorca
2,000 years ago, Romans on the island of Mallorca were snacking on songbirds, new archaeological findings reveal. Researchers discovered thrush bones in a trash pit near a Roman-era fast-food shop in Pollentia, pointing to the small birds being a popular street food. The study suggests vendors grilled or pan-fried the birds — likely served on plates or skewers — and that thrushes, chickens, and rabbits were common fare. This sheds light on Roman culinary habits and shows how street food was a key part of urban life in the ancient empire.
Bayesian yacht that sank off Sicily killing 7 to be raised in late June under updated recovery plan
A salvage company plans to raise the *Bayesian* superyacht off Sicily in late June. The British-flagged yacht sank last August during a storm, killing seven people, including tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter. Teams recovered debris and will remove the 72-meter mast before lifting the 56-meter yacht upright. The operation began in May but paused after a diver’s death. The yacht capsized in under 15 seconds due to winds over 70 knots. A criminal probe is ongoing.
Source: interestingengineering
Swedish fighter jet autonomously flies real combat mission using onboard AI
Saab’s Gripen E fighter jet completed its first test flights with an AI agent, Centaur, flying real combat maneuvers autonomously. Conducted under Project Beyond, the AI handled Beyond Visual Range missions, guiding the pilot and flying independently in real airspace. The third flight tested Centaur against a real Gripen D, cutting off some data to assess resilience. This marks a breakthrough in integrating AI into frontline fighters without redesigns. Further missions are planned.
