3 America is in the grip of a flu outbreak
Infections have reached their highest levels since the covid pandemic. (Bloomberg $)
+ All but four states have reported high levels of flu activity. (CNN)
+ A new strain of the virus could be to blame. (AP News)
4 Humanoid factory robots are about to get a lot smarter
Google DeepMind is teaming up with Boston Dynamics to help its Atlas bipedal robots complete tasks more quickly. (Wired $)
+ In theory, the deal could help Atlas interact more naturally with humans, too. (TechCrunch)
+ Why the humanoid workforce is running late. (MIT Technology Review)
5 NASA’s budget for 2026 is better than we expected
It’s a drop of just 1% compared to last year, despite a series of brutal cut proposals. (Ars Technica)
6 Nvidia’s first self-driving cars will hit the road later this year
Watch out Tesla! (NYT $)
+ They’re a pretty smooth drive, apparently. (Ars Technica)
+ The company is also going full steam ahead to produce new chips. (Reuters)
7 Elon Musk’s fans are using Grok to make revenge porn of one of his sons’ mothers
Ashley St Clair says her complaints have gone unanswered. (The Guardian)
+ This is what happens when you scrap nearly all rules and safety protocols. (404 Media)
+ Authorities across the world are attempting to crack down on Grok. (Rest of World)
8 A Greenland ice dome has melted once before
And if temperatures remain high, it could do so again. (New Scientist $)
+ Inside a new quest to save the “doomsday glacier.” (MIT Technology Review)
9 A Chinese chatbot went rogue and snapped at a user
Tencent’s AI assistant Yuanbao told them their request was “stupid” and to “get lost.” (Insider $)
+ At least it’s not being overly sycophantic… (MIT Technology Review)
10 Lego’s bricks have been given a smart makeover
They contain tiny computers to bring entire sets to life. (The Verge)
+ The tech will create fun contextual sounds and light effects. (Wired $)
Quote of the day
“The goal of this administration is to basically make vaccines optional. And we’re paying the price.”
