Science/Tech – News South Africa

You Found Satoshi? Let’s See the Receipts

Yesterday at 17:00 PM, via Wired

Two new projects, including one from a Pulitzer-winning reporter, claim they’ve solved the mystery of Bitcoin’s creator. So why does the hunt continue?

Pentagon Makes Deals With A.I. Companies to Expand Classified Work

Yesterday at 15:26 PM, via New York Times

The agreements with six technology companies come amid the Defense Department’s dispute with Anthropic.

17 Best Graduation Gifts That Aren’t Totally Cringe (2026)

Yesterday at 14:01 PM, via Wired

From tech to home goods, these giftable gadgets are as practical as they are cool.

Spotify adds ‘Verified’ badges to distinguish human artists from AI

Yesterday at 13:29 PM, via BBC News

The music streaming platform will review criteria such as artists’ live dates and social media presence.

OpenAI’s Big Reset + A.I. in the Doctor’s Office + Talkie, a pre-1930s LLM

Yesterday at 13:00 PM, via New York Times

Will the rising tide of A.I. adoption lift all boats?

The Invisible Force Making Food Less Nutritious

Yesterday at 13:00 PM, via Slashdot

fjo3 shares a report from the Washington Post: Surging concentrations of carbon in the atmosphere, caused largely by burning fossil fuels, have produced potent changes in the way plants grow — from increasing their sugar content to depleting essential nutrients like zinc. Experts fear the degradation of Earth’s food supply will cause an epidemic of hidden hunger, in which even people who...

What Chef Jon Kung Swears By in the Kitchen (2026)

Yesterday at 13:00 PM, via Wired

Plus, their definitive takes on sharpening knives and washing rice.

We are preparing to transform the moon and Mars. The public must have a say in this future | Ben Bramble

Yesterday at 13:00 PM, via The Guardian

The Artemis missions are paving the way to civilizational decisions. It’s time to ask not just what we can do – but whether we should do it

This month’s splashdown of Artemis II was rightly celebrated as a technical achievement. Four astronauts traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history and returned safely. It is an extraordinary thing to send people into deep space and bring them...

Do You Need Aluminum Luggage? (2026): Rimowa, Away, Carl Friedrik

Yesterday at 12:30 PM, via Wired

All-metal carry-ons give you the turn-left-on-a-plane look, but are they really worth the cost of a vacation?

Soundcore Nebula P1 Projector Review (2026): Compact and Portable for Indoor-Outdoor Viewing

Yesterday at 12:03 PM, via Wired

This all-in-one indoor-outdoor projector from Anker is compact, affordable, and water-resistant—but not cinema quality.

This Treatment Could Reverse Osteoarthritis Joint Damage With a Single Injection

Yesterday at 11:30 AM, via Wired

Osteoarthritis has no cure, but researchers have developed new therapies that help aging or damaged joints repair themselves in a matter of weeks.

Why So Many People Already Own Shares of Elon Musk’s SpaceX

Yesterday at 11:01 AM, via New York Times

Even before the rocket company holds a major initial public offering, many people own stock in it through so-called special purpose vehicles.

This Indigenous Language Survived Russian Occupation. Can It Survive YouTube?

Yesterday at 11:00 AM, via Wired

YouTube’s search and recommendation algorithms are driving children to Russian-language content even when they seek out videos in Kyrgyz, creating a cultural shift that concerns some parents.

Belgium Plans To Nationalize Nuclear Power Plants

Yesterday at 09:00 AM, via Slashdot

Belgium plans to buy its seven aging nuclear reactors from French power giant Engie in a “full takeover” aimed at securing domestic energy supplies, extending reactor operations, and developing new nuclear capacity. “The move would also mean suspending plans to decommission nuclear operations in Belgium,” reports the BBC. From the report: The move would reverse the phase-out of nuclear energy...

UK Biobank has my data, but I’m not worried. I know the benefits are too great to consider pulling out | Polly Toynbee

Yesterday at 09:00 AM, via The Guardian

Longitudinal studies are a research jewel, shedding light on motor neurone disease, cot deaths, Alzheimer’s and more. Don’t let the security breach in China put you off joining one

One thing Britain is exceptionally good at is collecting and using health data for research, studying cohorts of people over many decades. A shudder of alarm rippled through the research world at the news this week...