World in a Pulse
Briflio distills the day's signals into one calm feed — a personalized mix of the top stories across every topic, with context, not noise.
Why We’re Banning AI
We urgently need to protect human thought and creativity. Our magazine is committing itself to remaining handmade. Ensure every publication you support does the same.
Rewilding could help vulnerable islands keep pace with rising seas
Coral-fringed tropical atolls are among the landforms most threatened by global warming, but many have a potential superpower: Healthy ecosystems may help them keep pace with rising seas. Atoll islands with native vegetation and thriving seabird populations are “naturally active systems that can change and adapt to their environmental conditions if they are allowed to do so,” said Nick Graham, a marine ecologist at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, who led an international team of scientists that studied island resilience across 28 atoll islands in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Thei
NASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Flights Over Texas Farmland
A NASA Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Transit, Texas, from Thursday, Oct. 22, through Monday, Nov. 9. These flights will measure gaseous and particulate emissions from animal feeding operations. A photo of the Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft, which will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Transit, Texas, to measure emissions in October and November 2026.Dynamic Aviation Agricultural emissions represent an important and understudied part of Earth’s land and atmosphere systems.
I'm 12 and I want to try protein powder - should I?
We asked experts how safe it is for children and teenagers to take protein supplements.
Texas vs. Florida prediction, pick, odds, spread: Longhorns look for rebound against free-falling Gators
Texas looks to avenge a loss at Florida that ultimately kept the Longhorns out of the College Football Playoff last season
ICE tactics spark debate before pivotal US midterm elections
Polls have found that Trump's hardline immigration enforcement effort has divided voters before the 2026 midterm race.
We can’t keep guessing whether AI helps students learn
On September 2, as students returned to class, New York City implemented a one-year pause on generative AI use for nearly 600,000 students across pre-K, elementary, and middle school. Los Angeles soon followed, blocking it for every student on a district-issued device. Together, the country’s two largest school systems came to the same conclusion: Better to wait a year than to keep putting untested tools in front of kids. Neither district is calling the decision permanent. Both are resp
Engaged Joe Manganiello thinks he’d still be married to Sofía Vergara if not for mystery illness
The actor, who reveals in his new memoir that he battled “autoimmune-related illnesses” for seven years, finalized his divorce from Vergara in February 2024.
Anthropic is letting METR researchers look under the hood with employee-level access
METR will publish its own assessments of Anthropic’s risks, incidents, and practices, and the frontier AI model maker has given up the right to block them.
Microplastics in water aren’t inert and make damaging chemicals on their own
One reason plastics are used so often is that they’re chemically inert, meaning bags, food containers, and cups don't react with what we put in them. Yet they can still break down into microplastics, which turn up in drinking water, human blood, arteries, and brains. The consequences of that are uncertain. “Whether microplastics can directly cause human disease is still being researched,” said Wei Min, a chemist at Columbia University.
Margaret Hamilton obituary: computer scientist who pioneered software engineering and helped us get to the Moon
Nature, Published online: 15 October 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-03233-6Programmer whose forward-thinking and reliable code helped to save the Apollo 11 mission.
Statement on measles cases in Minnesota - MN Dept. of Health
Measles can make people very sick, especially infants, young children, pregnant people and people with underlying conditions. Prevention through ...
2026 WNBA Finals predictions: Expert picks for Valkyries vs. Dream as each team seeks first title
The 2026 WNBA Finals tip off on Saturday afternoon ... so who will capture the championship?
Israeli ‘ad’ firm helped infect spyware into Al Jazeera devices
An Israeli spyware disguised as a digital advertisement firm has targeted journalists’ devices at Al Jazeera.
Imran Khan told to leave India by October 28 for participating in protest
Actor Imran Khan, a US citizen, has been ordered to leave India by October 28 due to his involvement in a protest. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office stated that foreign nationals cannot participate in protests in India. BJP leaders have accused Khan of foreign interference, while the Oppos
The Internet Is a Cruel and Enticing Place, Week #1237
Don’t worry about 3D-printed salmon, robot security dogs with Indian accents, and AI-generated religious icons, there’s going to be a new season of Girls.
Meta launches an open-weight AI model that runs on Macs
Meta and Apple have teamed up for the launch of the social media giant's newest model, Muse Spark Open, which will run locally on Apple silicon.
Tech Companies Have 'Donated' Millions to Trump's Ballroom While the President Gave $0: Report
The tech oligarchs are getting their money's worth.
How COVID reshaped college grading
Twenty-three Indiana University undergraduates are co-authors on a new study examining how the pandemic reshaped college grading, the result of a semester-long research seminar that took them from a classroom question to a published paper in a national academic journal.
Flintstones vitamins, Aleve and Claritin tablets hit in new recall - National | Globalnews.ca
Bottles of Flintstones Complete Multivitamins and Minerals tablets and 10 mg Claritin Allergy Tablets have been recalled due to distribution errors.
Use FanDuel promo code to get $350 bonus bets by targeting Seahawks vs. Broncos on Thursday Night Football
Sign up and bet with the latest FanDuel promo code on Thursday to get your bonus bets
Robots dance the ‘Macarena’ at Japan tech expo
Humanoid robots were seen performing the “Macarena” at the annual CEATEC technology exhibition in Chiba, Japan.
Government has perfected awarding grants
The federal government sent $1.26 trillion to state and local governments in FY2022, primarily through grants. States distributed $662 billion to local governments, while nonprofits received $294 billion in government grants that year. Grantmaking is essential to turning public policy into local action. Today, state agencies use grants to equip organizations to do everything from improving rural health and preventing homelessness to expanding broadband access and spurring economic development
Nandy 'minded to intervene' in Sky's £1.6bn takeover of ITV entertainment arm
The culture secretary says the deal could affect free expression in the media and the variety of Britain's news landscape.
Ryan Israel on Investing Beyond AI
As AI stocks retreat and rates remain a concern, Pershing Square CIO Ryan Israel joins Bloomberg Open Interest to explain why the firm is focused on durable businesses at attractive prices. He discusses the long-term cases for the eye-care company Alcon and Netflix, when a macro bet makes sense and
What did the Liberty Bell sound like? Science is on the case.
The Liberty Bell, with its famous crack, hasn't been rung in 180 years, but that hasn't stopped scientists from pondering what the bell might have sounded like when tolling. In honor of the nation's 250th anniversary, researchers at Penn State University have modeled its acoustic properties, drawing on data collected from one of the bell's replicas.
Power Up: Roll Out Solar Arrays Boost Space Station Power Supply
2 Min Read Power Up: Roll Out Solar Arrays Boost Space Station Power Supply From the International Space Station’s unique position 250 miles above Earth, the Sun is a vital source of energy. Solar power supports the station’s life support systems, daily activities, and hundreds of research investigations that improve life on Earth and prepare humans for deep space exploration.
I lost my hair to chemo - now my wigs are worn by A-list stars
Antonia Okonma Shittu's wig business was launched after a shock diagnosis, and she now wants to help other women feel their best.
NFL DFS, Seahawks vs. Broncos: Top daily Fantasy picks, lineup advice for 'Thursday Night Football'
DFS millionaire Mike McClure shares his top daily Fantasy picks and lineups for Seattle vs. Denver on 'Thursday Night Football'
Bus, train collide, injuring 19 at Channel Tunnel terminal
A minibus carrying truck drivers collided with a freight train near the Channel Tunnel entrance in France, injuring 19 people, five of them severely. Authorities launched an inquiry into what caused the accident.
Social Security 2027: VA disability payments to increase alongside COLA. Here’s how much the adjustment amounts to
Some good news for military veterans who collect disability and retirement benefits each month: Effective December 1, military retirement checks and Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits will increase 3.6%. (However, veterans will most likely not see the increase until December 31 or early January 2027, according to Stars and Stripes.) The increase is tied to the Social Security Administration’s announcement on Wednesday of the largest annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA
Meghan Markle dresses the part in British designers for first UK outing with Prince Harry since move
The Duchess of Sussex chose a coat and turtleneck by Joseph, the label she wore for her official debut with Harry in 2017.
Amazon devices chief Panos Panay sees a future where AI devices replace the need to use apps
Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, Amazon devices chief Panos Panay described a future where ambient AI devices work in the background, anticipating users' needs instead of waiting for commands.
Trump cancels Pentagon plans to livestream firing squad execution
On Thursday, Donald Trump called off the Pentagon’s highly controversial plans to livestream a firing squad execution that is still on schedule for December 3. Trump supports the execution of Nidal Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others in the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood.
Nearly 600 California earthquakes help validate models that forecast next-day seismic risk
The University of Bristol–led study, published in Nature Communications, could help millions of people living in earthquake-prone countries make better-informed decisions about seismic risk, particularly during ongoing periods of increased earthquake activity.
Verastem's KRAS inhibitor shows promise in pancreatic cancer
Verastem Oncology reports encouraging early results for its KRAS G12D inhibitor, which it’s studying in more than 200 patients with advanced solid tumors like metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
Broncos vs. Seahawks prediction, odds, time: 'Thursday Night Football' picks by advanced model
SportsLine's model has revealed its Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos picks for 'Thursday Night Football'
Somalia says it will hold elections in 2027
Critics say unilateral decision to call polls is a recipe for more conflict.
Wholesale inflation reaches levels last seen in 2022 amid soaring energy costs
Wholesale inflation rose more than expected last month on a big jump in fuel costs as rising prices become a bigger economic challenge for millions of Americans, and a growing political problem for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. The Labor Department’s producer price index—which captures inflation before it reaches consumers—soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from 5.6% in August and the biggest increase since December 2022, the government said Thursday. On a monthl
Snoop Dogg Concert Canceled After Promoter Arrested in Drug-Money Investigation
Snoop Dogg was set to play a concert in Costa Rica later this year, but it's been canceled following possible ties to a drug money case.
Bluesky expands its AI-powered Attie app to let anyone build websites, games, and more
Bluesky is bringing “social vibe coding” to its experimental Attie platform, allowing users to create interactive experiences like games, quizzes, and websites that can tap into the social network's audience.
Black Sea drone attacks enter NATO country's territorial waters for first time
Russian drones are suspected of sinking a cargo ship and leaving chemical tankers ablaze near the Black Sea coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, respectively. The latest attacks mean that at least seven ships have been attacked in the exclusive economic zones of NATO member countries—and even within Romania's territorial waters if Russian involvement is confirmed in the case of the chemical tankers. Such attacks have spurred requests for NATO to redeploy counter-drone systems to provide more protection.
NASA Satellites Observe Historic 2026 El Niño
6 Min Read NASA Satellites Observe Historic 2026 El Niño This visualization compares three ocean data products, sea surface temperature anomaly, apparent visible wavelength, and sea surface height anomaly, over the same months in 2025 and 2026.
Cannabis doesn’t make you violent – despite what recent reports have claimed
A review found a link between cannabis use and violence, but weaknesses in the evidence make claims that users are twice as likely to be violent misleading.
Notre Dame vs. BYU prediction, pick, odds, spread: Irish hit the road for top-10 showdown with Cougars
Two unbeaten powerhouses clash in Provo as CJ Carr leads the Fighting Irish against a stout Cougars defense
At least 7 crew members missing after drone attacks on ships in Black Sea
Emergency teams are searching for 7 missing crew after two chemical tankers were attacked in the Black Sea.
Dementia cases are expected to more than double by 2050. A new study reveals who’s most at risk
More and more of our loved ones could develop dementia, as the number of diagnoses is projected to more than double by 2050, according to new research. In the absence of large-scale prevention efforts, the number of people who are diagnosed with dementia each year could total 24.7 million by 2050, up from 11.4 million in 2023, according to a study by Australian researchers published in JAMA Psychology. Women and people who live in low- and middle-income countries already have higher rates of
The Hailey Bieber Adanola Collection Just Dropped & It's Giving Pilates Ballerina
Inspired by Hailey’s deep love for dance and background in ballet, the instinctive way dancers layer, adapt and personalise their outfits.
Last chance to save up to $200 on your TechCrunch Founder Summit pass: Early booking ends Oct. 16
Savings of up to $200 end October 16 for TechCrunch Founder Summit. These savings for Founder and Investor Passes vanish after Friday. Join 1,000 founders and investors on November 4 at Boston’s SoWa Power Station. Bring your toughest questions and make the day count for your business.
Singer or clanker? YouTube Music will tell you with new gen AI labeling.
Genuine human creativity takes time, but you know what doesn't? AI slop. There are countless AI models out there that can make something that passes for music, and you might come across those tracks on streaming services without realizing it. Google says it will begin labeling that content in YouTube Music, building on similar disclosures in the main YouTube app. Google is not outright banning AI music or even speaking ill of it.
NASA to Help Unlock Mysteries of Mars’ Moons in Upcoming Mission
NASA is playing an important role in JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission, to advance our understanding of Mars’ moons and build on the agency’s long history of exploring the Red Planet. The mission aims to characterize and determine the origin of Mars’ moons Phobos and Deimos and deliver a sample of Phobos to Earth. The MMX spacecraft is targeting launch from JAXA’s Tanegashima Space Center in Japan at 3:41 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 19 (4:41 a.m. JST on Tuesday, Oct.
RFK Jr.’s Chimpanzee Conspiracy Theory
The health secretary believes that a common respiratory virus leaked from a government lab.
Who is Tanner McKee? Eagles QB gets biggest opportunity yet with Jalen Hurts sidelined
The former Stanford quarterback takes over for Jalen Hurts with Philadelphia trying to end a three-game skid and remain in the NFC East race
Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro pleads not guilty to torture charges
Maduro and his wife were charged with leading a state-sponsored repression campaign that tortured scores of victims during his presidency from 2013 to 2026.
A timeline of New York City trying to ban horse carriages in Central Park
The iconic but controversial horse-drawn carriages in New York City might finally halt as Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin reached a deal Tuesday to outlaw them. If enacted, the proposed bill would ban rides for hire starting June 1, 2028. Other mayors have contributed to this effort, but none facilitated a full ban. Mamdani could be the first to achieve the full support of City Council to effectively ban horse-drawn carriages. How prior mayors
Russell Brand ‘turned monster-like during hotel room rape’
The woman said Brand was ‘camp, friendly and effeminate’ when they first chatted after his cabaret show.
US firm targets military robotics integration with shared autonomy core
Developed by WingXpand, the xPAIR autonomous control system can operate across uncrewed aerial vehicles, ground robots and watercraft.
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio - Slashdot
Meta has released Muse Spark Open, an 816-billion-parameter open-weight model optimized to run locally across two 512GB M5 Ultra Mac Studios using Apple's MLX framework. Meta says it's the "most capable U.S. open-weight model to date." MacRumors reports: Muse Spark Open has 816 billion total parame.
NASA Welcomes All Ages, Experience Levels for Space Apps Challenge
Registration is open for the 2026 NASA Space Apps Challenge, a two-day global event on Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15, where teams work to create solutions inspired by NASA’s most ambitious exploration goals and making use of the agency’s free and open data.
Many popular foods may now use salt substitutes, says FDA
The FDA has finalized a rule allowing manufacturers to use salt substitutes in dozens of standardized foods.
Jayden Daniels takes blame for Commanders' embarrassing gaffe vs. Giants: 'It was a failure'
Daniels defended Dan Quinn on Thursday and shouldered full responsibility for Washington letting the clock run out in field goal range
Several people dead or missing after Istanbul floods
Three people have died and several are reported missing after torrential rain triggered severe flooding across Istanbul
Half of the world’s population has been exposed to heat waves and wildfire smoke at the same time
Climate change is a global phenomenon, meaning that everyone, in some way, will feel its devastating impacts. And increasingly, those impacts are happening simultaneously: Over the past two decades, more than half of the world’s population has experienced simultaneous heat waves and wildfires, occurring on the same day, a study found. Researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, published their findings this week in the journal Science Advances. The study looked at 20
Marvel fans to meet Welsh villain - complete with Cardiff accent
Lauren Morais will play villain Lisa Molinari in the new Disney+ superhero series VisionQuest.