Science & Tech

Meta rolls out Muse Spark, a new multimodal AI assistant across its apps and AI glasses

Meta introduces Muse Spark, a multimodal AI powering the Meta AI app and expanding to WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and AI glasses.

#meta, #ai, #musespark, #privacy

Study projects nearly 2.6 billion people could face frequent ‘hot‑dry’ heat-and-drought extremes by 2090s

A new study finds that under current trajectories about 28% of humanity—nearly 2.6 billion people—could face frequent simultaneous heat and drought by the 2090s.

#climate, #heat, #drought, #adaptation

NASA Begins Scrutinizing Artemis II’s Lunar Flyby Data as Orion Heads Home

After Artemis II's lunar flyby, NASA is analyzing 50+ GB of images, audio and measurements — including meteoroid flashes and far‑side imagery — as Orion returns.

#space, #nasa, #artemis, #moon

Anthropic’s New AI Finds Thousands of Vulnerabilities, Launches Project Glasswing

Anthropic says its Claude Mythos model uncovered thousands of previously unknown software flaws; Project Glasswing gives vetted partners guarded access for defensive work.

#ai, #cybersecurity, #open-source, #anthropic

NIH Spotlights Women's Health and BRAIN Tech Partnerships — No New Funding Announced

NIH's April 7 meetings emphasized maternal health, equity and disseminating BRAIN technologies — but released no new funding or formal policy changes.

#nih, #womenshealth, #braininitiative, #researchfunding

Glial relay in hypothalamus links blood sugar to appetite suppression

Rodent study reveals a glia‑to‑glia‑to‑neuron circuit: tanycytes release lactate, activating astrocytes that excite appetite‑suppressing POMC neurons.

#neuroscience, #appetite, #glia, #hypothalamus

NOAA‑20 Misses Ground Contact, Causing One‑Orbit Delay in Weather Data

NOAA reports a brief delay in stored mission data from polar satellite NOAA‑20 after an April 6 ground contact miss; engineers expected recovery on a later pass.

#noaa, #weather, #satellites, #satelliteops

Netflix Launches Netflix Playground: A Dedicated Gaming App for Kids Under 8

Netflix introduces Netflix Playground, a kids-only gaming app bundled into subscriptions, offering offline, ad-free games for children eight and under.

#netflix, #kidsapps, #gaming, #streaming, #parentalcontrols

Alzheimer’s Blood Tests Enter Clinical Use, Spark Debate on Early Diagnosis

FDA clears first Alzheimer’s blood tests for clinical use, raising hopes and ethical questions on early detection and patient impact.

#alzheimers, #bloodtest, #healthcare, #diagnosis, #ethics

World Health Organization Launches Global Campaign to 'Stand with Science' at Lyon Summit

WHO launches a yearlong health campaign emphasizing science and One Health at Lyon's summit to combat pandemics, AMR, and environmental health threats.

#worldhealthorganization, #standwithscience, #onehealth, #pandemics, #antimicrobialresistance

Ocean 'Dead Zones' Are More Dynamic Than Thought, Revealed by Advanced Robot Sensors

New analysis of ocean robots uncovers dynamic nitrogen cycles in Pacific oxygen-deficient zones, impacting climate and marine life.

#oceanography, #nitrogencycle, #climatechange, #biogeochemicalargo, #deadzones

Earth-Facing Sunspot Sparks Powerful M7.5 Solar Flare, Causing Brief Radio Blackout

An M7.5 flare from Earth-facing active region 4409 triggered an R2 radio blackout but no major geomagnetic storm after no significant CME followed.

#spaceweather, #solarflare, #sunspots, #noaa, #aurora

Sungrazing Comet MAPS Skims the Sun, Leaving Astronomers Waiting to See if It Survived

Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) whipped just 150,000 km above the Sun. Spacecraft images in coming days will reveal whether it held together.

#comet, #astronomy, #sun, #nasa, #space

Indonesia Enforces Under-16 Ban on Major Social Media and Gaming Platforms

A new Indonesian rule is cutting millions of children off TikTok, YouTube and Roblox, raising safety hopes—and concerns over enforcement and rights.

#indonesia, #socialmedia, #childsafety, #ageverification, #tiktok

FDA Approves Lifyorli Combo for Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer, Showing Survival Gain

FDA clears Corcept’s Lifyorli with nab-paclitaxel for platinum-resistant ovarian-type cancers, the first cortisol-receptor blocker to extend survival.

#ovariancancer, #fda, #chemotherapy, #drugapproval, #oncology