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Submission + - A geometric link: Convexity may bridge human and machine intelligence (phys.org)

Submitted by alternative_right
alternative_right writes: To briefly explain the concept, when we humans learn about a "cat," we don't just store a single image, but build a flexible understanding that allows us to recognize all sorts of cats—be they big, small, fluffy, sleek, black, white, and so on.

Taken from mathematics to describe—for example—geometry, the term convexity was applied to cognitive science by Peter Gärdenfors, who proposed that our brains form conceptual spaces where related ideas cluster. And here's the crucial part: Natural concepts, like "cat" or "wheel," tend to form convex regions in these mental spaces. In short, one could imagine a rubber band stretching around a group of similar ideas—that's a convex region.

Submission + - Why do killer whales keep handing us fish? Scientists unpack the mystery (sciencedaily.com)

Submitted by alternative_right
alternative_right writes: "Orcas often share food with each other — it's a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other," said study lead author Jared Towers, of Bay Cetology in British Columbia, Canada. "That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well."

Submission + - California Senate approves wiretapping for business purposes 1

Submitted by dszd0g
dszd0g writes: California Senate voted 35-0 (3 no votes) to approve SB690 to allow wiretapping without consent for a "commercial business purpose."

"Existing law prohibits tapping a communication wire or intercepting or recording a telephone communication, as specified, without the consent of all parties. Existing law exempts specified communication intercepts, including those in a correctional institution and those required for utility maintenance purposes. A violation of these provisions is punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony."

The senate now approved an exception for a "commercial business purpose."

Consumer Reports is encouraging Californians to reach out to your representatives to oppose this bill and approve the California Opt Me Out Act (A.B. 566) and the California Location Privacy Act (A.B. 322).

Submission + - Iranian hackers are exploiting lazy American security and nobody seems to care (nerds.xyz)

Submitted by BrianFagioli
BrianFagioli writes: The U.S. government is sounding the alarm about a growing cyber threat tied to Iran. A new joint advisory from CISA, the FBI, NSA, and the Department of Defense warns that Iranian-affiliated hackers and hacktivists could be preparing cyberattacks against vulnerable American systems.

The targets? Critical infrastructure and defense-related companies, especially those with links to Israeli research or technology. According to the agencies, these threat actors are already scanning for exposed systems running outdated software, using default passwords, or connected directly to the internet without proper security.

And if that sounds like old news, that’s part of the problem.

This isn’t theoretical. During the Israel-Hamas conflict last year, Iranian actors breached dozens of U.S. industrial systems, including water utilities and manufacturers. Many were compromised through unsecured PLCs and HMIs left wide open online.

The same tactics are still in play. From website defacements to DDoS attacks and hack-and-leak operations, Iranian-aligned groups are combining technical intrusions with social and political messaging. Some work directly with ransomware gangs, stealing data and threatening public leaks if demands aren’t met.

The advisory makes it clear that the U.S. remains an active target. Sadly, it’s not because of sophisticated zero-days, but actually, because many organizations continue to ignore basic cyber hygiene. Sigh.

The suggested mitigations are mostly common sense. Disconnect OT systems from the public internet. Kill default passwords. Apply patches. Use MFA. Monitor logs. And perhaps most importantly, rehearse incident response plans like your business depends on it. After all, it might.

Too often, organizations with the least resources are left running the most critical infrastructure. That reality hasn’t changed, and neither has the threat.

Submission + - Study finds online searches reduce diversity of group brainstorming ideas (phys.org)

Submitted by alternative_right
alternative_right writes: While the study found no statistically relevant difference between the creativity of individuals with access to internet search and those without, as those individuals were clumped into groups, internet search appeared to stymie their production of ideas.

"This appears to be due to the fact that Google users came up with the same common answers, often in the same order, as they relied on Google, while non-Google users came up with more distinct answers," wrote lead author Danny Oppenheimer, a professor in CMU's Department of Social and Decision Sciences.

Submission + - NASA teams with Netflix to stream rocket launches and spacewalks this summer (nerds.xyz)

Submitted by BrianFagioli
BrianFagioli writes: NASA is coming to Netflix. No, not a drama or sci-fi reboot. The space agency is actually bringing real rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, and even views of Earth from space directly to your favorite streaming service.

Starting this summer, NASA+ will be available on Netflix, giving the space-curious a front-row seat to live mission coverage and other programming. The space agency is hoping this move helps it connect with a much bigger audience, and considering Netflix reaches over 700 million people, that’s not a stretch.

This partnership is about accessibility. NASA already offers NASA+ for free, without ads, through its app and website. But now it’s going where the eyeballs are. If people won’t come to the space agency, the space agency will come to them.

Submission + - Space is hard (spacenews.com)

Submitted by RUs1729
RUs1729 writes: For-profit companies are pushing the narrative that they can do space inexpensively. Their track record reveals otherwise: cutting corners won't do it for the foreseeable future.

Submission + - Microsoft Authenticator will stop supporting passwords. (cnet.com)

Submitted by Avantare
Avantare writes: Microsoft Authenticator will start using more secure passkeys in August.
Microsoft Authenticator houses your passwords and lets you sign into all of your Microsoft accounts using a PIN, facial recognition such as Windows Hello, or other biometric data, like a fingerprint. Authenticator can be used in other ways, such as verifying you're logging in if you forgot your password, or using two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security for your Microsoft accounts.
In June, Microsoft stopped letting users add passwords to Authenticator, but here's a timeline of other changes you can expect, according to Microsoft.

        July 2025: You won't be able to use the autofill password function.
        August 2025: You'll no longer be able to use saved passwords.

https://support.microsoft.com/...

Submission + - Chinese military-tied company is choosing new hires at Ford battery plant (justthenews.com)

Submitted by schwit1
schwit1 writes:

Chinese company appears to be in charge of hiring workers for Ford’s new battery plant in Michigan, contradicting the company’s statements that it will be an American-owned and operated project, and amplifying concerns from locals about potential national security implications.

The plant has generated significant controversy because of Ford’s partnership with China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited, known as CATL, which closely collaborates with the Chinese military and government. The U.S. Defense Department earlier this year marked CATL as a Chinese Military Company to warn American firms about the risks of doing business.

Despite the security concerns about its partner, Ford has promised that the battery manufacturing facility, which the company says will help it develop a reliable U.S.-based supply of electric vehicle batteries in Marshall, Michigan, would be completely owned and operated by the American firm. The only contribution from CATL, the company has said, will be Ford’s licensing of its proprietary battery technology.

At the same time, online job listings on multiple recruiting platforms show that CATL’s American subsidiary—Contemporary Amperex Technology Kentucky (CATK)—has posted job listings for roles at the factory, seemingly contradicting Ford’s assurances and revealing a far more active role in management by the Chinese company.

Exit quote: "The Ford plant has drawn scrutiny from Republicans in the Michigan legislature who are concerned that the state government failed to properly vet the project and Ford’s partners in the endeavor."

Who got paid off?

Submission + - DoJ deal gives HPE the go-ahead for its $14 billion Juniper purchase (telecoms.com)

Submitted by AmiMoJo
AmiMoJo writes: HPE has settled its antitrust case with the US Department of Justice (DoJ), paving the way for its acquisition of rival kit maker Juniper Networks. Under the agreement, HPE has agreed to divest its Instant On unit, which sells a range of enterprise-grade Wi-Fi networking equipment for campus and branch deployments. It has also agreed to license Juniper's Mist AIOps source code – a software suite that enables AI-based network automation and management. HPE can live with that, since its primary motivation for buying Juniper is to improve its prospects in an IT networking market dominated by Cisco, where others like Arista and increasingly Nokia and Nvidia are also trying to make inroads.

Comment: Pour one out for Juniper.

Submission + - China Conducted Test Flight of Kerosene-based Hypersonic Vehicle (scmp.com)

Submitted by hackingbear
hackingbear writes: SCMP reported that, in a groundbreaking demonstration of technological prowess, China's Feitian 2 hypersonic vehicle successfully completed its test flight, showcasing advanced capabilities in seamless mode transitions and fuel efficiency, marking a significant leap forward in aerospace engineering. China's Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) said in a statement that the test represented the first successful acquisition of real-flight data for a rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) engine using a kerosene-hydrogen peroxide propellant, proving key capabilities, including variable-geometry intake operation, thrust-varying acceleration and autonomous flight with variable angle of attack. The RBCC engine represents a revolutionary concept, integrating the benefits of traditional rocket engines and air-breathing ramjets within a single system. Its core objective is to maximize the use of atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizer during atmospheric flight, drastically reducing the oxidizer weight the vehicle must carry, thereby significantly boosting the payload capacity and fuel efficiency. Although it is less efficient at converting propellant to thrust than liquid hydrogen, the mixture of kerosene-hydrogen peroxide eliminates the need for complex cryogenic systems, allowing pre-fuelling and long-term standby readiness. The successful demonstration of RBCC engine capabilities and autonomous flight systems suggests that hypersonic vehicles could soon become a reality for both military and civilian applications. Moreover, the test evaluated the vehicle’s autonomous flight capabilities, enabling it to adjust its angles of attack based on mission parameters and environmental conditions. The ability to smoothly transition between flight modes and adapt to environmental conditions opens new possibilities for rapid global travel and advanced defense systems. Notably, NPU is subject to US sanctions and requires specific US Commerce Department approval to buy sensitive US-made research equipment and components, while Chinese authorities publicly accused the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) carrying out extensive cyberattacks against the university.

Submission + - Nonprofit Led by Microsoft's AI-Is-Not-Optional Exec Seeks Same Policy for Kids

Submitted by theodp
theodp writes: Business Insider reports that Julia Liuson, president of the Microsoft division responsible for developer tools such as AI coding service GitHub Copilot, recently sent an email instructing managers to evaluate employee performance based on their use of internal AI tools. "AI is now a fundamental part of how we work," Liuson wrote. "Just like collaboration, data-driven thinking, and effective communication, using AI is no longer optional — it’s core to every role and every level." Liuson told managers that AI "should be part of your holistic reflections on an individual’s performance and impact."

Liuson is also a member of the tech exec and K-12 school administrator-laden Board of Code.org, the tech giant-funded nonprofit (Microsoft is a $25M+ Code.org Lifetime Supporter) that recently teamed with tech CEOs (led by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella) and leaders to launch a new Code.org-orchestrated national campaign to make CS and AI a graduation requirement. Other Code.org Board members include Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, who helped forged Microsoft's alliance with OpenAI and whose assistant held Microsoft's controversial OpenAI Board 'observer' seat until the relationship came under regulatory scrutiny (OpenAI is a Code.org In-Kind Supporter and a supporter of Code.org's TeachAI initiative).

Microsoft has recently boasted of big AI and Copilot wins in the Los Angeles Unified School District (the nation's 2nd largest school district, with 409,000 students), which is led by Code.org Board member Alberto M. Carvalho, as well as the Broward County Public Schools (247,000 students, touted as " the largest K–12 adoption of Microsoft Copilot in the world"), which was formerly led by Code.org Board member Robert Runcie. What about Google? Well, it's bringing its AI chatbots to 105,000 students at the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (the nation’s third-largest school district).

The tech industry-driven K-12 AI frenzy of 2025 certainly evokes memories of the tech industry-driven K-12 CS frenzy of 2013, when Code.org emerged on the scene — with Microsoft President Brad Smith and Head of Google.org Maggie Johnson as founding Board members — and quickly scored partnerships with the New York City Public Schools (the nation's largest school district), Chicago Public Schools, and Broward County Public Schools. Given the much-bigger population of potential AI users and creators, as well as the staggering sums of money at stake, will the K-12 AI frenzy put the K-12 CS frenzy to shame?

Submission + - AI tool detects 9 types of dementia from a single brain scan (medicalxpress.com)

Submitted by schwit1
schwit1 writes: The tool, StateViewer, helped researchers identify the dementia type in 88% of cases, according to research published online on June 27, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It also enabled clinicians to interpret brain scans nearly twice as fast and with up to three times greater accuracy than standard workflows. Researchers trained and tested the AI on more than 3,600 scans, including images from patients with dementia and people without cognitive impairment.

Submission + - Defense Department to stop sharing satellite weather data. (npr.org)

Submitted by Dustin Destree
Dustin Destree writes: Maybe it's conspiracy theory, maybe it's connected, but I remember something about AccuWeather wanting this to happen so only they could get the data, and then sell it to others. No more hurricane data, and it'll be so much easier to deny climate change when you can no longer see the sea ice retreating, or can't afford (if they sell it) access to the data proving so!

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