undefined 17, 2026
Source: interestingengineering
12-year-old US student claims nuclear fusion feat, eyes Guinness world record
12-year-old Dallas student Aiden Macmillan claims to have achieved nuclear fusion at a makerspace after years of self-study sparked during Covid lockdowns. After building multiple prototypes, his device reportedly generated neutrons, suggesting fusion occurred. Macmillan now hopes to set a Guinness World Record as the youngest person to achieve fusion.
Claims that AI can help fix climate dismissed as greenwashing
A reported analysis says tech firms overstate AI’s climate benefits by blurring traditional AI with energy-intensive generative AI. Reviewing 154 claims, researchers found no evidence that tools like chatbots or image generators deliver measurable emissions cuts. Analysts call this greenwashing that distracts from rising data-centre energy use, while most climate claims lack solid, independent proof.
They are in love but don't speak the same language
A New Haven couple, David Duda and Hong Liang, rely on smartphone translation apps to communicate across an English-Mandarin language barrier. Using tools like Microsoft Translator, they read live translations to sustain daily conversations and their marriage. The technology demands patience and focus, imperfectly conveying meaning but enabling intimacy that would otherwise be impossible.
How dark web agent spotted bedroom wall clue to rescue girl from years of harm
A BBC investigation follows US Homeland Security agent Greg Squire as he works to rescue an abused girl known as “Lucy,” whose images circulated on the dark web. Lacking digital clues, his team identified her location through tiny details in photos, including a region-specific sofa and distinctive bricks. The work ultimately led to her rescue and her abuser’s arrest, while highlighting the emotional toll on investigators.
Because of AI, Western Digital hard drives are sold out
A surge in AI-driven demand has pushed Western Digital to sell nearly all its hard drive supply to a handful of major enterprise customers through at least 2026. As data centers prioritize HDDs for cheap, large-scale storage, retail buyers are being sidelined. Hard drives’ AI-fueled resurgence now leaves everyday consumers facing shortages and fewer non-subscription storage options.
How the sound of sport is being reimagined for deaf fans
At the Tokyo Deaflympics, new technologies reimagine sound so deaf spectators can see, feel and even hold it. Visual onomatopoeia, AI-powered text and sign-language displays, vibration wearables and tactile music devices turn noise into shared sensory experiences. Designed with deaf users, the innovations show how inclusive technology can transform sport and public spaces for everyone.
AI helps archaeologists solve a Roman gaming mystery
Researchers have used AI to decode the rules of a Roman-era board found in Heerlen, the Netherlands. Simulating thousands of possible games, they determined it was likely a two-player “blocking” game, now called Ludus Coriovalli, where players placed pieces to avoid being blocked. The study reveals previously unknown Roman gaming practices and demonstrates how AI can reconstruct lost historical games from wear patterns.
Alibaba unveils Qwen3.5 as China’s chatbot race shifts to AI agents
Alibaba has launched its Qwen3.5 AI model series, offering both open-weight and hosted versions with multimodal capabilities for text, images, and video. The models support coding, AI agents, and 201 languages, aiming to compete with Western and local rivals. Alibaba claims Qwen3.5 performs on par with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind models, reflecting its push into agentic AI and global AI ambitions.
Ancient rock art depicting hunters discovered in Egypt's Sinai Desert, spanning a period of 10,000 years
A rock shelter on Egypt’s Umm Arak Plateau in the southern Sinai Desert contains 10,000 years of rock art, from 10,000 – 5500 B.C. hunting scenes to medieval inscriptions. The 330-foot-long shelter shows humans, animals, weapons, horses, geometric designs, and Nabataean inscriptions. Likely a lookout and rest site near ancient mines, the discovery sheds light on long-term human activity and Egypt’s interaction with the Sinai environment.
One night in the audience of Netflix’s most ambitious live show yet
Netflix has rebooted Star Search, streaming live to its 300 million+ subscribers. Amateur performers in singing, dance, comedy, and magic compete to dethrone champions and win $500,000. Hosted by Anthony Anderson with judges Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jelly Roll, and Chrissy Teigen, the show features real-time audience voting via apps, blending the 1983 format with modern interactivity and social-media-style star-making over a five-week live run.
