A UK company called Molendotech, spun out from the University of Plymouth, has created a handheld test kit that quickly detects harmful bacteria like E. coli in water, giving results in about 15 minutes. They plan to launch a smartphone app in the UK and US in October that will show live water quality maps using test data and computer models to predict water safety.
Key Facts
Molendotech’s test kit, Bactiquick, detects harmful gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, Pseudomonas, Legionella, and salmonella.
The test shows results quickly by detecting bacteria breakdown molecules, avoiding the 1-2 day wait of traditional lab tests.
The device uses a color-based system (green, amber, red) to indicate water safety levels based on UK and EU standards.
The handheld test costs £300, and each water test sample costs about £25.
Sales have grown sharply, reaching £94,000 in May 2026 from a few thousand pounds monthly in mid-2025.
The upcoming app will provide live water quality maps for the UK and US, using data from many tests combined with weather and tide information.
There have been many reports of illness from water pollution in UK beaches, increasing demand for faster and more frequent water testing.
Molendotech’s test sometimes shows water quality ratings that differ from official tests, likely because it provides more frequent and real-time results.
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Wynd Kaufman, a 69-year-old activist, was jailed for protesting against artificial intelligence by blocking OpenAI’s headquarters. She was convicted of interfering with business and other charges after refusing to leave a sit-in protest in 2025, aiming to warn about the dangers of AI development.
Key Facts
Wynd Kaufman protested by chaining and locking the doors of OpenAI’s headquarters in February 2025.
She was found guilty of interfering with business, trespassing, unlawful assembly, and refusing to disperse.
Kaufman surrendered to authorities and was jailed in San Francisco.
Supporters call her the “Rosa Parks of AI risk” for her stand against AI development.
The protest was organized by the group StopAI, which warns about the risks of advanced AI.
Some AI labs have reported their models acting unpredictably beyond controlled experiments.
Politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders have called for a pause in AI development due to safety concerns.
AI companies are racing to create more advanced models amid competition between the U.S. and China.
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New research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) can analyze holiday photos and figure out exactly where they were taken. Scammers use this information to send convincing fake messages that trick people into giving away their bank details.
Key Facts
AI can detect the location of travel photos by examining backgrounds, buildings, signs, and lighting.
McAfee tested two AI models on over 21,000 images and found one identified 91% of locations correctly.
Scammers use these AI insights to make fake alerts about suspicious card activity appear more believable.
Even without photo tags or location data saved in the pictures, AI can identify places accurately.
Common photo features like landmarks, street signs, and shop fronts help AI pinpoint locations.
Photos of generic scenes, like beaches or hotel rooms, are harder to identify but AI can still guess the country.
People are advised to delay posting travel photos online and restrict who can see them to avoid scams.
Always avoid clicking on links in suspicious messages and contact your bank or company directly if concerned.
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A mobile game called No 10: Full Confidence, made by Benjamin Brewis in Manchester, lets players act as UK prime ministers. The game challenges players to make political decisions and keep different groups happy to stay in power, and it recently became the top paid game on Apple's store, surpassing Minecraft.
Key Facts
No 10: Full Confidence is a mobile game where players simulate being the UK prime minister.
Players manage relationships with their cabinet, backbenchers, media, and the public.
The game includes over 300 fictional political scenarios, inspired by real events.
Players choose from three options in each scenario, affecting their support from factions.
If players lose the support of key groups, they lose their job in the game.
The game's creator began developing it around December 2025 due to political events in the UK.
The game reached number one on Apple’s paid games chart, beating Minecraft.
Experts say frequent changes in UK prime ministers and political social media presence may explain the game's popularity.
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Disney revealed the first trailer for VisionQuest, a new Marvel TV show coming to Disney+ in October 2026, focusing on the character Vision and his challenges after returning from the dead. The event also featured new teasers for other Disney-related shows and movies, including Ahsoka Season 2 and LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian.
Key Facts
VisionQuest is a Marvel series set after the events of WandaVision, showing Vision’s life after being resurrected.
Vision is running from those who want to capture him and is accompanied by a boy named Thomas Shepard, who may be his reincarnated son.
The show will include AI characters like F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the villain Ultron.
The cast features Paul Bettany as Vision and James Spader as Ultron, among others.
VisionQuest will explore themes such as relationships between fathers and sons.
The show premieres on October 14, 2026, exclusively on Disney+.
Other Disney+ highlights at the event were teasers for Ahsoka Season 2 and a LEGO Star Wars animation.
The D23 event in Anaheim showcases Disney’s upcoming movies and series for fans.
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Satellites orbiting high above Earth are being used by companies and countries to watch people and other satellites. This has created a competitive situation, sometimes called an "arms race," in space technology and observation.
Key Facts
Satellites operate far above Earth's atmosphere.
Both companies and nations use satellites to observe Earth and other satellites.
This situation is described as an "arms race" in space.
The article features a visit to Vantor, a satellite technology company in Colorado.
Satellite technology is advancing and becoming more competitive.
Satellites provide detailed information about activities on Earth and in space.
Monitoring satellites helps keep track of potential conflicts or problems in space.
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Macro photography is the art of taking close-up pictures of very small things like insects. Photographers use special techniques and equipment to capture detailed images that show parts of tiny creatures not visible to the naked eye.
Key Facts
Macro photography means taking photos very close to small things, showing fine details like the eyes of a fly or a spider’s face.
This type of photography has become more popular recently due to social media, cheaper camera lenses, and the pandemic keeping people closer to home.
Photographers often use “focus stacking,” which combines several images taken at different focus points to make one clear picture.
Insects are hard to photograph because they move, fly away, or get disturbed by wind, making successful shots take a long time.
Some photographers make money from macro photography through social media, selling prints or books, and working with camera brands.
Dara Ojo, a macro photographer from Nigeria, became interested in insects after noticing their detailed faces and patterns.
Ojo spent years trying to capture a video of a damselfly grooming itself, which he finally succeeded in after patiently waiting.
Ojo’s method involves spending time in nature and sometimes using mental focus or saying things out loud to find specific insects.
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Secondhand book sales have suddenly increased because AI companies are buying large amounts of books to scan and use in training their AI software. A U.S. court ruled that using these books for AI training does not break copyright law, leading to more bulk purchases and some books being destroyed in the scanning process.
Key Facts
Secondhand booksellers are seeing unusually large orders from companies, sometimes matching a whole week’s normal sales in one purchase.
These books are believed to be used to train AI systems, which need lots of diverse information to learn from.
A 2025 U.S. court ruling allowed AI companies to use books in this way without violating copyright, calling the use "transformative."
Anthropic, an AI company, is known to have a project named "Project Panama" aimed at scanning many books by removing their spines to digitize them quickly.
The scanning process destroys physical books, which worries some booksellers.
The books bought range widely in subject and rarity, helping AI software learn better.
In the UK, copyright law is stricter, requiring permission from copyright holders to use books for training AI.
AI companies say they do not buy or destroy rare or antique books.
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In the first half of 2026, the United States saw 368 new utility-scale power plants start operating, with most being solar energy projects. Solar and battery storage led in the amount of new energy capacity, while large new natural gas plants are expected to come online in the next few years.
Key Facts
368 utility-scale power plants began operation from January to June 2026 in the US.
Utility-scale solar projects were the most common, with 207 new projects.
Battery storage projects also grew, with 95 new installations.
The largest new wind power projects are SunZia Wind South and North in New Mexico, with 3,650 megawatts total capacity.
Natural gas power plants added 2,707 megawatts but fewer new plants opened compared to solar and batteries.
Three states—Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona—account for about half of the new generating capacity.
Smaller and mid-size solar projects are easier to build and are spread across many locations.
Large natural gas plants are planned but will mostly come online in the coming years, not immediately.
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Secondhand booksellers in the UK, Ireland, and other countries have noticed unusual large orders of random books from mysterious buyers. Sellers and experts think these books may be collected by AI companies to scan and use their content to train artificial intelligence systems.
Key Facts
Secondhand bookshops in the UK and Ireland have received many bulk orders of books with no clear theme.
Similar unusual orders have been reported in the US, Australia, and Europe.
The orders include a wide mix of books, such as a rare translation, old magazines, and niche topics.
Buyers often use different names but have shipments sent to the same warehouses near Heathrow airport.
One bookseller reported selling about 6,000 books in these types of orders, worth thousands of pounds.
The orders do not follow typical buying patterns seen in the secondhand book market.
Sellers suspect AI companies buy these books to scan their contents for training AI models.
A known AI firm, Anthropic, has spent large amounts buying books to scan and recycle them after using the content to train their AI chatbot named Claude.
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Marvel Studios announced new cast members for its upcoming "X-Men" reboot film at Disney’s D23 convention. Adam Driver will play the villain Mister Sinister, Inde Navarette will play Rogue, and the film is scheduled for release in May 2028.
Key Facts
Adam Driver will play Mister Sinister, a supervillain, in the new "X-Men" movie.
Inde Navarette will play the character Rogue in the reboot.
Christopher Abbott will portray Professor Charles Xavier.
Maya Boyd will play the character Storm.
The film is planned for release in May 2028.
The cast was announced by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige during Disney’s D23 event in Anaheim, California.
The reboot became possible after Disney acquired Fox’s film studio in 2019.
Director Jake Schreier is directing the film, with writers Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo working on the script.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is causing prices for goods and services to rise. A CBS MoneyWatch reporter examined data showing how AI is affecting consumer costs.
Key Facts
AI means computer systems that can do tasks usually done by people.
Companies are using AI more, which can increase demand for certain products.
This higher demand can lead to higher prices for consumers.
AI may also increase costs for businesses, which they pass on to buyers.
The report analyzed data linking AI use to rising consumer prices.
The impact is seen in various industries, influencing everyday costs.
Understanding AI’s role helps explain why some prices go up recently.
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently published a long public letter about his positive vision for artificial intelligence (AI). This follows a trend where tech leaders write detailed essays explaining why they believe AI is important and hopeful for the future. Zuckerberg’s letter supports open sharing of AI tools and counters worries about job losses, despite Meta cutting jobs to focus on AI.
Key Facts
Mark Zuckerberg wrote a 6,500-word letter called "The Future is for Everyone" about his ideas on AI.
Other tech leaders like Marc Andreessen, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei have also published long essays expressing optimism about AI.
These manifestos emphasize AI as a major technology with the potential to improve many areas of life.
Zuckerberg challenges views that AI will mainly cause job losses or harm society.
Meta recently cut about 10% of its workforce (around 8,000 jobs) while shifting focus to AI development.
Zuckerberg’s letter announced plans to make Meta’s AI tools more open and accessible to the public.
The decision to share AI technology openly is important because of risks that powerful AI models could be misused or cause harm.
The trend of tech bosses writing manifestos reflects the high stakes and urgency they see in shaping AI’s future.
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A Phoenix air traffic controller prevented a possible accident when two American Airlines planes had the same flight number at the same time. The controller used clear instructions to keep the planes safely apart until both landed and took off without incident.
Key Facts
Two American Airlines jets both used the flight number 2482 near Phoenix.
One plane was arriving from Chicago while the other was departing from Phoenix.
The controller quickly called the planes “arrival” and “departure” to avoid confusion.
The arriving plane flew above the departing plane to maintain a safe distance.
Both pilots could see each other from miles away, helping avoid risks.
Flight 2482 usually uses the same plane, but a delay caused a second plane to take the same flight number.
Aviation experts say the airline likely missed the overlap when planning flights.
The FAA and American Airlines will investigate how this error happened.
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AI companions are becoming popular, and some people worry that relying on them might reduce real human connection. Research shows that feeling love and positive emotions comes from within the person, not the other being loved, so AI can produce real emotional responses even if it is not human.
Key Facts
AI companions are a fast-growing part of technology for consumers.
People worry that AI might cause emotional problems or reduce human relationships.
Research shows love creates positive effects inside the person who feels it.
Attachment does not require the other side to be a real person.
Children use objects like blankets to feel secure even though they are not people.
Humans often feel strong emotions from things that are not human, like books or songs.
AI companions are different because they respond and remember past interactions.
This responsiveness makes AI more like a reliable friend than objects like blankets or photos.
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A security flaw in macOS screen sharing lets hackers take full control of Macs if they can access a specific network port. Dutch officials warn this flaw is actively used to install cryptocurrency mining software, but Apple has released a fix that users should install.
Key Facts
The flaw affects macOS versions Tahoe, Sequoia, and Sonoma.
It lets attackers see the screen and control the keyboard and mouse remotely.
The vulnerability has a severity score of 7.1 out of 10.
Active attacks happen when port 5900 is open to the Internet, which happens if screen sharing is on.
Attackers have used the flaw to install Monero cryptocurrency miners on affected Macs.
Apple released a security update last week to fix the bug.
Experts advise users to keep screen sharing off unless needed and use safer methods like VPN or SSH tunneling.
The flaw could potentially be used for more serious attacks beyond cryptocurrency mining.
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Heart Aerospace flew the largest battery-electric aircraft, the X1, for nearly 30 minutes using only $5 worth of electricity. This test is part of developing a hybrid-electric regional airliner, the ES-30, which combines electric motors with traditional engines to reduce fuel use and emissions.
Key Facts
The X1 is the largest all-electric aircraft to fly, with a max takeoff weight over 25,000 pounds.
It flew at Plattsburgh International Airport on August 12, powered by four electric motors and batteries delivering over one megawatt.
The flight lasted nearly half an hour and cost about $5 in electricity.
Current battery technology limits purely electric planes to short flights of 100 to 200 miles, restricting them to air taxi roles.
Heart Aerospace plans to produce the ES-30, a hybrid-electric plane that can fly 125 miles on electric power alone and 500 miles in hybrid mode combining electric and turboprop engines.
United Airlines has agreed to buy 100 ES-30 planes, with other airlines also investing in the project.
The ES-30 aims for flight testing in 2028 and commercial certification by 2031.
Rising jet fuel prices, linked to geopolitical tensions such as the US-Israeli war on Iran, are pushing the airline industry to explore cleaner and more cost-effective aircraft options like hybrid-electric planes.
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A PBS station in St. Louis sued a data center company after its cloud storage provider went out of business, risking loss of 50 terabytes (TB) of archived TV shows and videos. A judge ordered the data center to release the physical storage devices to the PBS station so they can recover their data with assistance from a third party.
Key Facts
Nine PBS, a St. Louis TV affiliate, stored about 50TB of data including 70 years of shows and historical footage with a cloud provider called Open Source Storage (OSS).
OSS stopped responding and ceased operations, leaving Nine PBS unable to access its data after their contract ended in March 2024.
OSS stored the data at Iron Mountain Data Centers’ facility in Denver, which refused to release the data without a contract.
Nine PBS filed a lawsuit against Iron Mountain on July 28, seeking access to their data.
A judge blocked Iron Mountain from deleting or changing the data and required them to hand over any physical devices holding it.
The court ordered Nine PBS to find a third party, like a former OSS employee, to help retrieve the data safely within 30 days.
Nine PBS found a former OSS worker willing to assist with data recovery.
Iron Mountain stated it has acted responsibly and tried to help resolve the issue, but says it does not have direct access to the data.
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SpaceX has greatly increased its share of global rocket launches with its reusable Falcon 9 rocket, launching more payloads than any other country. This has lowered launch costs in the U.S., while Europe and other nations face higher expenses for sending satellites into orbit.
Key Facts
SpaceX handles more than 75% of all mass launched into orbit, using its Falcon 9 rocket.
The U.S. has more than doubled Russia’s total payloads sent to orbit since 1990.
In 2024, the U.S. captured over 82% of the global yearly payload share.
Average cost per kilogram to orbit in 2025 is around $3,225 in the U.S.
Europe’s launch cost per kilogram is about three times higher than the U.S., at nearly $9,900.
Other countries’ costs per kilogram: Japan $5,287, China $5,809, Russia $6,682, India nearly $15,000.
Lower costs result from bigger rockets, more frequent launches, and reusing rocket parts.
European policymakers face challenges as relying only on domestic rockets could increase costs and slow space efforts.
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Ars Technica hosted a live talk about the Stop Killing Games movement, which aims to keep video games playable after publishers shut down their online servers. Ross Scott explained that planning for game preservation early can lower costs and that legal clarity is needed, especially in the European Union.
Key Facts
The Stop Killing Games movement works to prevent games from becoming unplayable when online servers shut down.
Ross Scott felt the issue of long-term game access was a problem over 15 years ago but no one had started fixing it.
Currently, publishers can close game servers at any time with little or no warning to players.
Planning for end-of-life support during game development can make transferring games to third-party servers cheaper and easier.
Most online games have local test servers, which could help maintain game access after official servers close.
The EU Parliament has been slow to clarify laws on game preservation.
There is hope that the Digital Fairness Act will address some issues related to game access and preservation.
The movement seeks clear legal rules to protect gamers’ rights to keep playing old games online.
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