Author: Dave

Scientists Reconstruct 165-Million-Year-Old Jurassic Insect Sounds

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Imagine standing in a forest 165 million years ago. Dinosaurs may have been moving through the vegetation, but they weren't the only animals making noise. High above the forest floor and among the plants, ancient cricket and katydid relatives were producing calls that may have filled the Jurassic night. Now, scientists have reconstructed what some of those 165-million-year-old Jurassic insect sounds may have been like. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, combines fossil evidence...Click for full post

Microsoft Announces Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection

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Microsoft is celebrating a quarter-century of Xbox with a new Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection, bringing one of gaming's most recognizable designs back in a modern limited-edition package. The centerpiece is the Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition, featuring a translucent green design inspired by the original Xbox. Microsoft has also introduced a matching Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition, giving longtime Xbox fans a nostalgic way to celebrate 25 years of gaming. The anniversary collection is particularly significant because Xbox originally...Click for full post

Apple Debuts New Mac mini and Mac Studio With AI Upgrades

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Apple has unveiled a major refresh of its desktop Mac lineup, introducing a new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro chips and an updated Mac Studio powered by M5 Max and the all-new M5 Ultra. The new machines put artificial intelligence at the center of Apple's desktop strategy, with substantial improvements in AI processing, graphics, memory bandwidth, and connectivity. The announcement comes as Apple increasingly positions its Macs as machines capable of running sophisticated AI workloads locally rather than...Click for full post

Cookies Made From Plastic Bottles Could Ease Food Shortages

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Imagine biting into a cookie and learning that some of its ingredients originally came from a discarded plastic bottle. That unusual idea is becoming a reality. Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are developing a technology that uses specialized microorganisms to transform plastic bottles and agricultural waste into food ingredients—including proteins, fats, vitamins and flavor compounds. The resulting protein-rich cookies, called µBites, could eventually provide food in places where traditional supplies are difficult to obtain. The research is part of...Click for full post

China Postpones Chang’e-7 Lunar Launch, Delaying Ambitious Moon South Pole Mission

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China has postponed the launch of its Chang’e-7 lunar mission after officials determined that the spacecraft did not meet the conditions required to launch during the planned 2026 window. The delay is a setback for one of China’s most ambitious robotic Moon missions, which is designed to search for water ice near the lunar south pole. The China Manned Space Agency announced the postponement on August 23, 2026, following what it described as a comprehensive assessment. Officials said the decision...Click for full post

Meta Defends Itself in Landmark Federal Trial Over Alleged Social Media Harm to Children

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Meta Platforms is defending itself in a major federal civil trial in California as 29 states accuse the company of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to keep children and teenagers hooked. The case could have major consequences for Meta, social media companies and the future of online child safety. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing one of its most significant legal challenges yet as it defends itself in a federal civil trial in the U.S....Click for full post