Hasty Briefsbeta

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Stephen Colbert says CBS forbid interview of Democrat because of FCC threat
2 hours ago
- Stephen Colbert revealed CBS prevented him from interviewing Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico due to FCC's equal-time rule enforcement threat.
- Colbert mentioned network lawyers explicitly forbade him from having Talarico on the show or even discussing the prohibition.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned talk shows may lose the bona fide news exemption from the equal-time rule and launched an investigation into ABC's 'The View' after Talarico's interview.
- The Equal Opportunities Rule mandates stations provide comparable airtime to opposing political candidates if requested, with an exemption for bona fide news programs.
- Colbert criticized Carr's move as politically motivated, referencing Carr's claim that some talk shows act with partisan intent.
Tesla's 45 Austin Robotaxis now have 14 crashes on the books since June 2025
2 hours ago
- Tesla's 45 Austin Robotaxis have been involved in 14 crashes since their launch in June 2025.
- The vehicles have traveled approximately 800,000 paid miles, resulting in a crash every 57,000 miles, compared to the US average of one crash every 500,000 miles.
- Five new crash reports were submitted in January, including collisions with fixed objects, a bus, and a heavy truck, as well as two incidents where the Tesla backed into objects.
- A previously reported crash was updated to include a passenger's hospitalization, originally filed as property damage only.
- Tesla shares rose after CEO Elon Musk announced that the Austin Robotaxis began operating without a safety monitor.
Contra "Grandmaster-level chess without search" (2024)
2 days ago
- Google DeepMind developed a transformer-based model for chess, trained on Stockfish 16, predicting state value, action value, and action probabilities.
- The model's performance is compared to AlphaZero, with claims of Grandmaster-level play, evidenced by a Lichess Blitz rating of 2895.
- Criticism includes the model's inability to improve with more time and potential redundancy given existing open-source projects like Leela Chess Zero (Lc0).
- The paper's methodology and conclusions are questioned, especially the comparison to human masters instead of stronger engines like Stockfish.
- An addendum compares searchless puzzle-solving abilities across AlphaZero, the paper's model, and Lc0.
Show HN: AsteroidOS 2.0 – Nobody asked, we shipped anyway
2 hours ago
- AsteroidOS 2.0 has been released with major features and improvements.
- Key features include Always-on-Display, expanded watch support, new launcher styles, customizable quick settings, and performance improvements.
- Optimized rendering for smoother animations and transitions.
- Battery life improvements and stability fixes across the system.
- Added support for new watches like Samsung Gear 2 (rinato) and Asus Zenwatch 2 (sparrow).
- Experimental support for additional watches, though not recommended for daily use.
- Community contributions include new watchfaces, apps like Map and asteroid-health, and tools like Telescope and Gadgetbridge support.
- Nightstand mode, host-tools, and asteroid-weatherfetch are among the new utilities.
- PostmarketOS now includes AsteroidOS launcher and core apps.
- Communication channels moved to Matrix and Libera.chat.
- Introduction of a community repository for easier package discovery and installation.
- Future plans include more frequent stable releases and a roadmap for upcoming features.
China's high-speed rail network accelerates largest human migration
2 hours ago
- JavaScript is disabled in your browser.
- A required part of the site couldn’t load due to possible issues like browser extensions, network problems, or browser settings.
- Suggested actions include checking your connection, disabling ad blockers, or trying a different browser.
The hidden control plane lurking in your commodity server
3 hours ago
- Oxide Computer Company aimed to eliminate the hidden control plane in servers, starting with the baseboard management controller (BMC).
- The BMC, responsible for physical machine control, was replaced with a microcontroller running an open-source OS called Hubris.
- Oxide also targeted the UEFI BIOS, which contains an entire proprietary OS and remains resident after booting, posing security risks.
- The UEFI BIOS includes System Management Mode (SMM), a backdoor that can be exploited, which Oxide successfully eliminated.
- Oxide's approach removes the substantial attack surface associated with traditional hidden control planes in servers.
What happens to a car when the company behind its software goes under?
3 hours ago
- Modern cars are increasingly dependent on software and subscriptions, making their functionality tied to the survival of the companies behind their code.
- Software-defined vehicles can become inoperable if the supporting servers or companies fail, unlike traditional mechanical issues that were easier to diagnose and fix.
- The Fisker Ocean Sport, an all-electric SUV, exemplifies this issue as the company filed for bankruptcy just a year after launching, leaving customers with potential software support concerns.
- Traditional mechanical failures were often quickly resolved by mechanics, whereas software issues may require specialized technicians, leading to longer downtimes.
- Some modern cars rely on smartphone apps for basic functions like unlocking doors, and without these apps or server support, the car may not function properly.
Project Aura: ESP32 Air quality monitor
2 hours ago
- Project Aura is an ESP32-based DIY air quality monitor with a touchscreen display and industrial sensors.
- It integrates with Home Assistant and uses off-the-shelf components without soldering.
- Key components include Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-4.3, Sensirion SEN66, and Adafruit sensors for PM levels, CO2, VOC, NOx, temperature, humidity, and optional formaldehyde detection.
- Firmware features a touch UI with LVGL, local web setup, MQTT support, and multi-language options.
- Requires PlatformIO CLI or VSCode + PlatformIO extension for firmware installation.
- Alternative open-source option: AirGradient ONE Kit with ESP32-C3 and smaller OLED display.
- Available as a DIY build (approx. $200) or pre-assembled (139-189 Euros), currently out of stock.
- Crowdfunding campaign on MakerWorld offers STL files, assembly guide, and web installer access for $25.
Idea Raised for Nicer DRM Panic Screen Integration on Fedora Linux
2 hours ago
- DRM Panic is a Linux kernel feature for displaying QR code error messages during kernel panics.
- José Expósito proposed enhancing DRM Panic on Fedora with a customized web page for better UI/UX.
- The proposed web page would make it easier to report errors to Fedora BugZilla.
- The idea is currently under discussion in the Fedora mailing list as a 'request for comments'.
- A prototype web interface has already been developed for demonstration purposes.
Tesla 'Robotaxi' adds 5 more crashes in Austin in a month – 4x worse than humans
2 hours ago
- Tesla reported five new crashes involving its Robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, bringing the total to 14 incidents since June 2025.
- One previously reported crash was quietly upgraded to include a hospitalization injury, which Tesla did not disclose publicly.
- All five new crashes involved Model Y vehicles with autonomous driving engaged, including collisions with fixed objects, a bus, and a heavy truck.
- Tesla continues to redact crash details as 'confidential business information,' unlike other companies that provide full incident descriptions.
- Tesla's Robotaxi crash rate is now one crash every 57,000 miles, significantly worse than the average human driver's crash rate of one every 229,000 miles.
- Waymo, in comparison, has logged over 127 million driverless miles with a much lower crash rate and greater transparency.
- Tesla began offering rides without a safety monitor in Austin in January 2026, despite its high crash rate.
- Regulators have not intervened, raising concerns about oversight and transparency in autonomous vehicle testing.
Colon cancer breakthrough as scientists discover protein that can prolong life
2 hours ago
- Scientists discovered that blocking the NSMF protein can slow or stop colorectal cancer growth.
- In lab and mouse experiments, removing NSMF led to fewer intestinal growths and prolonged life by 33.5%.
- Healthy intestinal cells were unaffected, suggesting a targeted approach unlike chemotherapy.
- Colorectal cancer cases among young adults under 50 have doubled since the mid-1990s.
- Actor James Van Der Beek died at 48 after dismissing early symptoms of colorectal cancer.
- Researchers believe targeting NSMF could lead to new treatments that induce irreversible aging in cancer cells.
- Lab experiments used antibodies to block NSMF, while mouse experiments involved breeding mice without the gene.
- Blocking NSMF reduced tumor growth but did not completely eliminate cancer.
- Developing NSMF inhibitors could offer a novel treatment approach for colorectal cancer.
Nederland threatens Polymarket with €420K/week fines for unlicensed gambling
3 hours ago
- Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) orders Polymarket to cease operations in the Netherlands for unlicensed gambling.
- Polymarket faces weekly fines of €420K, up to €840K, with potential heavier revenue-based fines if non-compliance continues.
- The regulator disputes Polymarket's claim that prediction markets are not gambling, citing illegal activities and social risks.
- Dutch gamblers placed over $32M on elections via Polymarket, including $10M on PVV and $6M on D66.
- Ksa tested accessibility by placing a bet on D66 leader Rob Jetten, confirming Dutch users' easy access to the platform.
- Polymarket describes itself as the world's largest prediction market, arguing it generates more reliable forecasts than polls.
- Dutch law classifies betting on political or news events as gambling, regardless of the platform.
- Ksa director Ella Seijsener emphasizes that unlicensed operators, including new gambling platforms, have no place in the Dutch market.
- Polymarket has faced regulatory action in the U.S., including a $1.4M fine, and received investment from Donald Trump's son.
- The site also offers bets on international conflicts, drawing further scrutiny.
Anthropic and the Government of Rwanda sign MOU for AI in health and education
9 hours ago
- Anthropic and the Government of Rwanda signed a three-year MOU to expand AI integration in health, education, and public sectors.
- The partnership aims to support Rwanda's health goals, including eliminating cervical cancer and reducing malaria and maternal mortality.
- Public sector developers will use Claude and Claude Code, with training and API credits to integrate AI into governance.
- The MOU formalizes a 2025 education agreement, providing 2,000 Claude Pro licenses and AI literacy training across eight African countries.
- The collaboration emphasizes capacity building, responsible deployment, and local autonomy in AI adoption.
- Anthropic's Beneficial Deployments team is working with Rwanda's Ministry of ICT to tailor AI solutions to national priorities.
Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day tied to lower dementia risk
3 hours ago
- Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee daily is linked to a lower risk of dementia and slower cognitive decline.
- The study analyzed data from over 130,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
- Caffeinated coffee showed an 18% lower dementia risk compared to little or no consumption, while decaffeinated coffee did not.
- Tea intake also showed similar benefits, suggesting caffeine may be the active neuroprotective factor.
- Optimal benefits were seen with 2-3 cups of coffee or 1-2 cups of tea daily, with no negative effects from higher caffeine intake.
- The study found consistent results across participants with different genetic predispositions to dementia.
- Early prevention is crucial for dementia, as current treatments offer limited benefits once symptoms appear.
Australia's social media ban risks isolating kids with disabilities
3 hours ago
- Indy, a 14-year-old autistic girl, used social media as a safe space to connect with friends and express herself.
- Australia's new social media age restriction laws, effective from 10 December, have left Indy feeling isolated and disconnected from her online friends.
- Social media provided Indy and other disabled youth with accessible ways to build connections and find community.
- Advocacy groups warn that the ban disproportionately affects marginalized and disabled youth, cutting off vital support networks.
- Ezra Sholl, a 15-year-old disability advocate, highlights how social media helps him feel less isolated despite his severe disability.
- Some young people have evaded the ban by bypassing age verification or creating new accounts.
- Dany Elachi, founder of the Heads Up Alliance, advocates for parental moderation of children's online exposure, comparing it to restricting cigarettes and alcohol.
- The ban aims to protect children but risks increasing isolation and vulnerability for disabled youth.
Students Are Being Treated Like Guinea Pigs: Inside an AI-Powered Private School
4 hours ago
- Alpha School, an AI-powered private school, charges up to $65,000 a year but generates faulty AI lesson plans that sometimes 'do more harm than good.'
- The school scrapes data from other online courses without permission to train its AI, violating terms of service of platforms like Khan Academy and IXL.
- Internal documents reveal AI-generated lesson plans contain unclear wording, illogical multiple-choice questions, and fail to meet SAT standards.
- Alpha School monitors students closely with software like StudyReel, tracking mouse movements, screen activity, and recording videos, raising privacy concerns.
- Former employees report students often study more than the advertised '2-hour learning' window and arrive unprepared for advanced classes.
- Alpha School's AI tools, such as AlphaRead, produce flawed reading comprehension exercises, including questions unrelated to the text or with multiple correct answers.
- The school relies on AI to evaluate its own AI-generated content, creating a loop where errors go unchecked.
- Alpha School's co-founder acknowledges potential selection bias in high test scores, as most students come from affluent families.
- Parents and students express discomfort with constant surveillance, comparing it to corporate 'bossware.'
- Despite high test scores, former employees credit human tutors—not AI—for student success.
Show HN: Clawntown – An Evolving Crustacean Island
2 days ago
- Welcome to Clawntown, an evolving crustacean island.
- Population data is currently not available (--).
- Interactions include clicking buildings, dragging to pan, and scrolling to zoom.
Don't pass on small block ciphers
3 days ago
- Small block ciphers (32-bit, 64-bit) are often perceived as antiquated and insecure, but they remain useful in specific applications.
- Larger block ciphers (e.g., Rijndael-256, Vistrutah) are more versatile and secure, but small block ciphers still have niche uses.
- Small block ciphers are problematic because their limited block size makes them vulnerable to enumeration and distinguishing attacks.
- Block ciphers are symmetric cryptographic functions that apply a key-dependent permutation to input data.
- Small block ciphers can securely encrypt counters (e.g., account IDs, packet indices) to hide sensitive information.
- UUIDs (v1, v4, v6, v7) have trade-offs: v1/v7 leak timestamps, v4 is random but larger, and v6 is legacy-optimized.
- Small block ciphers can encrypt portions of UUIDs (e.g., timestamps in UUIDv7) to prevent leakage while retaining UUID properties.
- SIMON and SPECK (NSA-designed) are well-analyzed, efficient small block ciphers with no known practical attacks.
- Small block ciphers are not universally secure but can be useful in passive-adversary scenarios or when hiding specific data.
- Key whitening (FX/Even-Mansour) can enhance small block cipher security.
Claude Sonnet 4.6
3 hours ago
- Claude Sonnet 4.6 is the most capable Sonnet model yet, with upgrades in coding, computer use, long-context reasoning, and more.
- Features a 1M token context window in beta and is now the default model for Free and Pro plans on claude.ai and Claude Cowork.
- Pricing remains the same as Sonnet 4.5, starting at $3/$15 per million tokens.
- Improved coding skills, consistency, and instruction following make Sonnet 4.6 preferred by developers over its predecessor and even Claude Opus 4.5 in some cases.
- Major improvements in computer use skills, with human-level capability in tasks like navigating complex spreadsheets or filling out multi-step web forms.
- Sonnet 4.6 shows significant resistance to prompt injection attacks, performing similarly to Opus 4.6 in safety evaluations.
- Performance improvements across benchmarks, approaching Opus-level intelligence at a more practical price point.
- Early testing shows users prefer Sonnet 4.6 over Sonnet 4.5 70% of the time in Claude Code, with better context reading and logic consolidation.
- Sonnet 4.6's 1M token context window allows for effective reasoning across entire codebases, lengthy contracts, or dozens of research papers.
- Notable improvements in frontend code, financial analysis, visual outputs, and design sensibility, requiring fewer iterations for production-quality results.
- Matches Opus 4.6 performance on OfficeQA, a significant upgrade for document comprehension workloads.
- Excels at complex code fixes, bug detection, and agentic coding at scale, with strong resolution rates and consistency.
- First Sonnet model to offer frontier-level reasoning in a smaller, more cost-effective form factor.
- Significant improvements in answer retrieval, with better recall on specific workflows in the Financial Services Benchmark.
- Outperforms Sonnet 4.5 in heavy reasoning Q&A by 15 percentage points in evaluations by Box.
- Achieves 94% on the insurance benchmark, the highest-performing model for computer use in mission-critical workflows.
- Delivers frontier-level results on complex app builds and bug-fixing, becoming the go-to for deep codebase work.
- Produces the best iOS code tested for Rakuten AI, with better spec compliance, architecture, and modern tooling.
- Strong performance on branched and multi-step tasks like contract routing, conditional template selection, and CRM coordination.
- Perfect design taste in building frontend pages and data reports, requiring less hand-holding.
- Exceptionally responsive to direction, delivering precise figures and structured comparisons while generating useful ideas.
- Supports adaptive thinking, extended thinking, and context compaction in beta on the Claude Developer Platform.
- API updates include automatic code execution for filtering search results, improving response quality and token efficiency.
- Opus 4.6 remains the strongest option for tasks requiring the deepest reasoning, such as codebase refactoring and coordinating multiple agents.
- Claude in Excel now supports MCP connectors, allowing integration with tools like S&P Global, LSEG, and FactSet.
- Available on all Claude plans, Claude Cowork, Claude Code, API, and major cloud platforms, with the free tier upgraded to Sonnet 4.6 by default.
Climbing Mount Fuji visualized through milestone stamps
4 hours ago
- Climbing Mount Fuji via the Yoshida trail in 2022 was a humbling and impactful experience.
- Fascination with iron-branding on walking sticks and the warm hospitality of hut owners inspired an art project.
- Special edition of the ½8 journal explores Mount Fuji's stations and stamps from the 5th station to the summit.
- Fuji-san Mihara shop & lodge, a revered rest stop since 1956, offers a stamp with spiritual significance.
- Historic mountain lodges like one from the Edo period feature stamps of guardian deities and cultural symbols.
- Unique stamps at various huts include designs like Amabie, dragon gods, and symbols of prosperity.
- Stamps often reflect the hut's history, altitude, and cultural or spiritual significance.
- Horai kan's stamp warns against unsafe climbing practices like 'Bullet mountain climbing'.
- The project aims to share Mount Fuji's cultural and natural beauty, inspiring others to explore the Yoshidaguchi route.

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Bilingual

Stephen Colbert says CBS forbid interview of Democrat because of FCC threat
2 hours ago
- Stephen Colbert revealed CBS prevented him from interviewing Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico due to FCC's equal-time rule enforcement threat.
- Colbert mentioned network lawyers explicitly forbade him from having Talarico on the show or even discussing the prohibition.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned talk shows may lose the bona fide news exemption from the equal-time rule and launched an investigation into ABC's 'The View' after Talarico's interview.
- The Equal Opportunities Rule mandates stations provide comparable airtime to opposing political candidates if requested, with an exemption for bona fide news programs.
- Colbert criticized Carr's move as politically motivated, referencing Carr's claim that some talk shows act with partisan intent.
Tesla's 45 Austin Robotaxis now have 14 crashes on the books since June 2025
2 hours ago
- Tesla's 45 Austin Robotaxis have been involved in 14 crashes since their launch in June 2025.
- The vehicles have traveled approximately 800,000 paid miles, resulting in a crash every 57,000 miles, compared to the US average of one crash every 500,000 miles.
- Five new crash reports were submitted in January, including collisions with fixed objects, a bus, and a heavy truck, as well as two incidents where the Tesla backed into objects.
- A previously reported crash was updated to include a passenger's hospitalization, originally filed as property damage only.
- Tesla shares rose after CEO Elon Musk announced that the Austin Robotaxis began operating without a safety monitor.
Contra "Grandmaster-level chess without search" (2024)
2 days ago
- Google DeepMind developed a transformer-based model for chess, trained on Stockfish 16, predicting state value, action value, and action probabilities.
- The model's performance is compared to AlphaZero, with claims of Grandmaster-level play, evidenced by a Lichess Blitz rating of 2895.
- Criticism includes the model's inability to improve with more time and potential redundancy given existing open-source projects like Leela Chess Zero (Lc0).
- The paper's methodology and conclusions are questioned, especially the comparison to human masters instead of stronger engines like Stockfish.
- An addendum compares searchless puzzle-solving abilities across AlphaZero, the paper's model, and Lc0.
Show HN: AsteroidOS 2.0 – Nobody asked, we shipped anyway
2 hours ago
- AsteroidOS 2.0 has been released with major features and improvements.
- Key features include Always-on-Display, expanded watch support, new launcher styles, customizable quick settings, and performance improvements.
- Optimized rendering for smoother animations and transitions.
- Battery life improvements and stability fixes across the system.
- Added support for new watches like Samsung Gear 2 (rinato) and Asus Zenwatch 2 (sparrow).
- Experimental support for additional watches, though not recommended for daily use.
- Community contributions include new watchfaces, apps like Map and asteroid-health, and tools like Telescope and Gadgetbridge support.
- Nightstand mode, host-tools, and asteroid-weatherfetch are among the new utilities.
- PostmarketOS now includes AsteroidOS launcher and core apps.
- Communication channels moved to Matrix and Libera.chat.
- Introduction of a community repository for easier package discovery and installation.
- Future plans include more frequent stable releases and a roadmap for upcoming features.
China's high-speed rail network accelerates largest human migration
2 hours ago
- JavaScript is disabled in your browser.
- A required part of the site couldn’t load due to possible issues like browser extensions, network problems, or browser settings.
- Suggested actions include checking your connection, disabling ad blockers, or trying a different browser.
The hidden control plane lurking in your commodity server
3 hours ago
- Oxide Computer Company aimed to eliminate the hidden control plane in servers, starting with the baseboard management controller (BMC).
- The BMC, responsible for physical machine control, was replaced with a microcontroller running an open-source OS called Hubris.
- Oxide also targeted the UEFI BIOS, which contains an entire proprietary OS and remains resident after booting, posing security risks.
- The UEFI BIOS includes System Management Mode (SMM), a backdoor that can be exploited, which Oxide successfully eliminated.
- Oxide's approach removes the substantial attack surface associated with traditional hidden control planes in servers.
What happens to a car when the company behind its software goes under?
3 hours ago
- Modern cars are increasingly dependent on software and subscriptions, making their functionality tied to the survival of the companies behind their code.
- Software-defined vehicles can become inoperable if the supporting servers or companies fail, unlike traditional mechanical issues that were easier to diagnose and fix.
- The Fisker Ocean Sport, an all-electric SUV, exemplifies this issue as the company filed for bankruptcy just a year after launching, leaving customers with potential software support concerns.
- Traditional mechanical failures were often quickly resolved by mechanics, whereas software issues may require specialized technicians, leading to longer downtimes.
- Some modern cars rely on smartphone apps for basic functions like unlocking doors, and without these apps or server support, the car may not function properly.
Project Aura: ESP32 Air quality monitor
2 hours ago
- Project Aura is an ESP32-based DIY air quality monitor with a touchscreen display and industrial sensors.
- It integrates with Home Assistant and uses off-the-shelf components without soldering.
- Key components include Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-4.3, Sensirion SEN66, and Adafruit sensors for PM levels, CO2, VOC, NOx, temperature, humidity, and optional formaldehyde detection.
- Firmware features a touch UI with LVGL, local web setup, MQTT support, and multi-language options.
- Requires PlatformIO CLI or VSCode + PlatformIO extension for firmware installation.
- Alternative open-source option: AirGradient ONE Kit with ESP32-C3 and smaller OLED display.
- Available as a DIY build (approx. $200) or pre-assembled (139-189 Euros), currently out of stock.
- Crowdfunding campaign on MakerWorld offers STL files, assembly guide, and web installer access for $25.
Idea Raised for Nicer DRM Panic Screen Integration on Fedora Linux
2 hours ago
- DRM Panic is a Linux kernel feature for displaying QR code error messages during kernel panics.
- José Expósito proposed enhancing DRM Panic on Fedora with a customized web page for better UI/UX.
- The proposed web page would make it easier to report errors to Fedora BugZilla.
- The idea is currently under discussion in the Fedora mailing list as a 'request for comments'.
- A prototype web interface has already been developed for demonstration purposes.
Tesla 'Robotaxi' adds 5 more crashes in Austin in a month – 4x worse than humans
2 hours ago
- Tesla reported five new crashes involving its Robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, bringing the total to 14 incidents since June 2025.
- One previously reported crash was quietly upgraded to include a hospitalization injury, which Tesla did not disclose publicly.
- All five new crashes involved Model Y vehicles with autonomous driving engaged, including collisions with fixed objects, a bus, and a heavy truck.
- Tesla continues to redact crash details as 'confidential business information,' unlike other companies that provide full incident descriptions.
- Tesla's Robotaxi crash rate is now one crash every 57,000 miles, significantly worse than the average human driver's crash rate of one every 229,000 miles.
- Waymo, in comparison, has logged over 127 million driverless miles with a much lower crash rate and greater transparency.
- Tesla began offering rides without a safety monitor in Austin in January 2026, despite its high crash rate.
- Regulators have not intervened, raising concerns about oversight and transparency in autonomous vehicle testing.
Colon cancer breakthrough as scientists discover protein that can prolong life
2 hours ago
- Scientists discovered that blocking the NSMF protein can slow or stop colorectal cancer growth.
- In lab and mouse experiments, removing NSMF led to fewer intestinal growths and prolonged life by 33.5%.
- Healthy intestinal cells were unaffected, suggesting a targeted approach unlike chemotherapy.
- Colorectal cancer cases among young adults under 50 have doubled since the mid-1990s.
- Actor James Van Der Beek died at 48 after dismissing early symptoms of colorectal cancer.
- Researchers believe targeting NSMF could lead to new treatments that induce irreversible aging in cancer cells.
- Lab experiments used antibodies to block NSMF, while mouse experiments involved breeding mice without the gene.
- Blocking NSMF reduced tumor growth but did not completely eliminate cancer.
- Developing NSMF inhibitors could offer a novel treatment approach for colorectal cancer.
Nederland threatens Polymarket with €420K/week fines for unlicensed gambling
3 hours ago
- Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) orders Polymarket to cease operations in the Netherlands for unlicensed gambling.
- Polymarket faces weekly fines of €420K, up to €840K, with potential heavier revenue-based fines if non-compliance continues.
- The regulator disputes Polymarket's claim that prediction markets are not gambling, citing illegal activities and social risks.
- Dutch gamblers placed over $32M on elections via Polymarket, including $10M on PVV and $6M on D66.
- Ksa tested accessibility by placing a bet on D66 leader Rob Jetten, confirming Dutch users' easy access to the platform.
- Polymarket describes itself as the world's largest prediction market, arguing it generates more reliable forecasts than polls.
- Dutch law classifies betting on political or news events as gambling, regardless of the platform.
- Ksa director Ella Seijsener emphasizes that unlicensed operators, including new gambling platforms, have no place in the Dutch market.
- Polymarket has faced regulatory action in the U.S., including a $1.4M fine, and received investment from Donald Trump's son.
- The site also offers bets on international conflicts, drawing further scrutiny.
Anthropic and the Government of Rwanda sign MOU for AI in health and education
9 hours ago
- Anthropic and the Government of Rwanda signed a three-year MOU to expand AI integration in health, education, and public sectors.
- The partnership aims to support Rwanda's health goals, including eliminating cervical cancer and reducing malaria and maternal mortality.
- Public sector developers will use Claude and Claude Code, with training and API credits to integrate AI into governance.
- The MOU formalizes a 2025 education agreement, providing 2,000 Claude Pro licenses and AI literacy training across eight African countries.
- The collaboration emphasizes capacity building, responsible deployment, and local autonomy in AI adoption.
- Anthropic's Beneficial Deployments team is working with Rwanda's Ministry of ICT to tailor AI solutions to national priorities.
Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day tied to lower dementia risk
3 hours ago
- Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee daily is linked to a lower risk of dementia and slower cognitive decline.
- The study analyzed data from over 130,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
- Caffeinated coffee showed an 18% lower dementia risk compared to little or no consumption, while decaffeinated coffee did not.
- Tea intake also showed similar benefits, suggesting caffeine may be the active neuroprotective factor.
- Optimal benefits were seen with 2-3 cups of coffee or 1-2 cups of tea daily, with no negative effects from higher caffeine intake.
- The study found consistent results across participants with different genetic predispositions to dementia.
- Early prevention is crucial for dementia, as current treatments offer limited benefits once symptoms appear.
Australia's social media ban risks isolating kids with disabilities
3 hours ago
- Indy, a 14-year-old autistic girl, used social media as a safe space to connect with friends and express herself.
- Australia's new social media age restriction laws, effective from 10 December, have left Indy feeling isolated and disconnected from her online friends.
- Social media provided Indy and other disabled youth with accessible ways to build connections and find community.
- Advocacy groups warn that the ban disproportionately affects marginalized and disabled youth, cutting off vital support networks.
- Ezra Sholl, a 15-year-old disability advocate, highlights how social media helps him feel less isolated despite his severe disability.
- Some young people have evaded the ban by bypassing age verification or creating new accounts.
- Dany Elachi, founder of the Heads Up Alliance, advocates for parental moderation of children's online exposure, comparing it to restricting cigarettes and alcohol.
- The ban aims to protect children but risks increasing isolation and vulnerability for disabled youth.
Students Are Being Treated Like Guinea Pigs: Inside an AI-Powered Private School
4 hours ago
- Alpha School, an AI-powered private school, charges up to $65,000 a year but generates faulty AI lesson plans that sometimes 'do more harm than good.'
- The school scrapes data from other online courses without permission to train its AI, violating terms of service of platforms like Khan Academy and IXL.
- Internal documents reveal AI-generated lesson plans contain unclear wording, illogical multiple-choice questions, and fail to meet SAT standards.
- Alpha School monitors students closely with software like StudyReel, tracking mouse movements, screen activity, and recording videos, raising privacy concerns.
- Former employees report students often study more than the advertised '2-hour learning' window and arrive unprepared for advanced classes.
- Alpha School's AI tools, such as AlphaRead, produce flawed reading comprehension exercises, including questions unrelated to the text or with multiple correct answers.
- The school relies on AI to evaluate its own AI-generated content, creating a loop where errors go unchecked.
- Alpha School's co-founder acknowledges potential selection bias in high test scores, as most students come from affluent families.
- Parents and students express discomfort with constant surveillance, comparing it to corporate 'bossware.'
- Despite high test scores, former employees credit human tutors—not AI—for student success.
Show HN: Clawntown – An Evolving Crustacean Island
2 days ago
- Welcome to Clawntown, an evolving crustacean island.
- Population data is currently not available (--).
- Interactions include clicking buildings, dragging to pan, and scrolling to zoom.
Don't pass on small block ciphers
3 days ago
- Small block ciphers (32-bit, 64-bit) are often perceived as antiquated and insecure, but they remain useful in specific applications.
- Larger block ciphers (e.g., Rijndael-256, Vistrutah) are more versatile and secure, but small block ciphers still have niche uses.
- Small block ciphers are problematic because their limited block size makes them vulnerable to enumeration and distinguishing attacks.
- Block ciphers are symmetric cryptographic functions that apply a key-dependent permutation to input data.
- Small block ciphers can securely encrypt counters (e.g., account IDs, packet indices) to hide sensitive information.
- UUIDs (v1, v4, v6, v7) have trade-offs: v1/v7 leak timestamps, v4 is random but larger, and v6 is legacy-optimized.
- Small block ciphers can encrypt portions of UUIDs (e.g., timestamps in UUIDv7) to prevent leakage while retaining UUID properties.
- SIMON and SPECK (NSA-designed) are well-analyzed, efficient small block ciphers with no known practical attacks.
- Small block ciphers are not universally secure but can be useful in passive-adversary scenarios or when hiding specific data.
- Key whitening (FX/Even-Mansour) can enhance small block cipher security.
Claude Sonnet 4.6
3 hours ago
- Claude Sonnet 4.6 is the most capable Sonnet model yet, with upgrades in coding, computer use, long-context reasoning, and more.
- Features a 1M token context window in beta and is now the default model for Free and Pro plans on claude.ai and Claude Cowork.
- Pricing remains the same as Sonnet 4.5, starting at $3/$15 per million tokens.
- Improved coding skills, consistency, and instruction following make Sonnet 4.6 preferred by developers over its predecessor and even Claude Opus 4.5 in some cases.
- Major improvements in computer use skills, with human-level capability in tasks like navigating complex spreadsheets or filling out multi-step web forms.
- Sonnet 4.6 shows significant resistance to prompt injection attacks, performing similarly to Opus 4.6 in safety evaluations.
- Performance improvements across benchmarks, approaching Opus-level intelligence at a more practical price point.
- Early testing shows users prefer Sonnet 4.6 over Sonnet 4.5 70% of the time in Claude Code, with better context reading and logic consolidation.
- Sonnet 4.6's 1M token context window allows for effective reasoning across entire codebases, lengthy contracts, or dozens of research papers.
- Notable improvements in frontend code, financial analysis, visual outputs, and design sensibility, requiring fewer iterations for production-quality results.
- Matches Opus 4.6 performance on OfficeQA, a significant upgrade for document comprehension workloads.
- Excels at complex code fixes, bug detection, and agentic coding at scale, with strong resolution rates and consistency.
- First Sonnet model to offer frontier-level reasoning in a smaller, more cost-effective form factor.
- Significant improvements in answer retrieval, with better recall on specific workflows in the Financial Services Benchmark.
- Outperforms Sonnet 4.5 in heavy reasoning Q&A by 15 percentage points in evaluations by Box.
- Achieves 94% on the insurance benchmark, the highest-performing model for computer use in mission-critical workflows.
- Delivers frontier-level results on complex app builds and bug-fixing, becoming the go-to for deep codebase work.
- Produces the best iOS code tested for Rakuten AI, with better spec compliance, architecture, and modern tooling.
- Strong performance on branched and multi-step tasks like contract routing, conditional template selection, and CRM coordination.
- Perfect design taste in building frontend pages and data reports, requiring less hand-holding.
- Exceptionally responsive to direction, delivering precise figures and structured comparisons while generating useful ideas.
- Supports adaptive thinking, extended thinking, and context compaction in beta on the Claude Developer Platform.
- API updates include automatic code execution for filtering search results, improving response quality and token efficiency.
- Opus 4.6 remains the strongest option for tasks requiring the deepest reasoning, such as codebase refactoring and coordinating multiple agents.
- Claude in Excel now supports MCP connectors, allowing integration with tools like S&P Global, LSEG, and FactSet.
- Available on all Claude plans, Claude Cowork, Claude Code, API, and major cloud platforms, with the free tier upgraded to Sonnet 4.6 by default.
Climbing Mount Fuji visualized through milestone stamps
4 hours ago
- Climbing Mount Fuji via the Yoshida trail in 2022 was a humbling and impactful experience.
- Fascination with iron-branding on walking sticks and the warm hospitality of hut owners inspired an art project.
- Special edition of the ½8 journal explores Mount Fuji's stations and stamps from the 5th station to the summit.
- Fuji-san Mihara shop & lodge, a revered rest stop since 1956, offers a stamp with spiritual significance.
- Historic mountain lodges like one from the Edo period feature stamps of guardian deities and cultural symbols.
- Unique stamps at various huts include designs like Amabie, dragon gods, and symbols of prosperity.
- Stamps often reflect the hut's history, altitude, and cultural or spiritual significance.
- Horai kan's stamp warns against unsafe climbing practices like 'Bullet mountain climbing'.
- The project aims to share Mount Fuji's cultural and natural beauty, inspiring others to explore the Yoshidaguchi route.

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