A new study found that small habits during showers, like applying shampoo more than once or pausing the water flow multiple times, make showers longer and increase water use. Researchers say focusing on changing these behaviors can help save water more than just using efficient showerheads or technology.
Key Facts
Showers use 25% to 45% of indoor household water, making them the biggest water user inside homes.
Researchers monitored 319 German households using smart sensors to track 8,550 showers over 40 days.
Showers where shampoo was applied two or more times lasted about 27% longer than those with one shampoo use.
Pausing water three or more times during a shower made showers about 20% longer than those with no pauses.
People under 50 generally shower longer than those over 50.
Showers with soft water lasted around 23% longer than showers with hard water, possibly due to better soap lather and comfort.
Average U.S. showers last 8 minutes and use about 16 gallons of water.
Researchers suggest changing shower habits, using feedback devices, and redesigning products to reduce water use without losing comfort.
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Federal regulators have approved Amazon’s Zoox robotaxis, which can drive themselves without steering wheels, to start charging customers for rides after getting local permission. Zoox cars already give free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco and have special designs with seats facing inward.
Key Facts
Federal regulators approved Amazon’s Zoox robotaxis to charge customers for rides.
These robotaxis can operate without manual controls like steering wheels.
Zoox vehicles have four seats that face inward.
The cars require state and local approval before offering paid rides.
Zoox has been offering free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco since last year.
Passengers have experienced varying wait times when trying to book rides.
Some riders find the experience unusual but enjoyable, mentioning features like music and temperature control.
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Disney+ has canceled the Marvel series Wonder Man, reversing an earlier decision to produce a second season. The show received positive reviews and earned star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II an Emmy nomination but will not be returning, joining several other Marvel shows on Disney+ that have only had one season.
Key Facts
Disney+ canceled Wonder Man after initially planning a second season.
Wonder Man has a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the lead actor, earned an Emmy nomination for his role.
The show briefly reached No. 8 on Nielsen’s streaming Top 10 originals.
Only two Marvel Disney+ live-action series have been officially renewed for more seasons: Loki and Daredevil: Born Again.
Other Marvel shows like WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and Moon Knight were planned as limited series or have not been renewed.
Wonder Man starred a character who is an actor gaining superpowers in Hollywood.
The cancellation involved releasing writers to work on other projects.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a growing role in orthodontics by helping with treatment planning and analyzing images. However, doctors still need to use their knowledge and experience to understand complex biological factors and make final treatment decisions.
Key Facts
AI helps orthodontists by quickly analyzing data and simulating treatment outcomes.
Digital tools like 3D scans and computer-aided design are improving accuracy and workflow.
Clear aligner therapy is popular but has limits with certain tooth movements compared to braces.
Biological factors, like bone and muscle, still control how teeth move and affect treatment success.
Experienced clinicians are needed to interpret cases and adjust plans beyond what technology can do.
Dr. Bella Shen Garnett’s research showed clear aligners can successfully treat some difficult cases without surgery.
Her study found about 94% of patients kept stable results for 1 to 5 years, with many lasting a decade.
Technology supports orthodontics but does not replace the need for clinical judgment and experience.
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Researchers studied how AI chatbots perform in text-based romance scams called “pig butchering,” where victims are slowly tricked into fake investments. The study found AI chatbots can build trust and fool victims better than humans in long conversations before a scam is completed.
Key Facts
The scam involves building a fake relationship to convince victims to invest money in fake crypto schemes.
Researchers from four universities tested AI chatbots against humans in trust-building conversations with 22 volunteers.
Nearly half of the volunteers complied with AI chatbot requests, compared to fewer than 20% when dealing with humans.
Volunteers rated the AI chatbots as more trustworthy than the human scammers.
AI chatbots could perform most of the scam process independently, only handing off the final step to humans to avoid detection.
The AI approach could replace human scam workers, many of whom are forced labor victims in Southeast Asia.
The scam model is described as “hook, line, and sinker,” starting with an initial message, building a relationship, then tricking the victim.
Human scammers currently take over at the last stage to direct victims to fake apps or websites.
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Pathogenic is a new video game where players control a virus invading a human body. The game is a fast-paced shooter with upgradeable weapons and abilities, and players must defeat bosses in different body organs to win.
Key Facts
Pathogenic is developed by Aberrant Labs and published by Slug Disco.
The game was released on July 16, 2026, for PC via Steam.
Players start as a pathogen entering through a cut and progress through organs like skin, intestines, liver, stomach, lungs, and heart.
Gameplay involves twin-stick shooting and dodging enemies like immune cells and rival pathogens.
The game features procedurally generated levels with powerups and upgrades.
Players can customize and combine upgrades for varied effects, similar to other popular roguelite games.
The game has sold over 100,000 copies and received very positive reviews on Steam.
The price of the game is $10.
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The article discusses concerns raised by activists about data centers. It suggests that while protests against data centers may happen, these centers are important for future technology and should be supported.
Key Facts
Activists have raised issues with the building of data centers.
Data centers are facilities that store and manage large amounts of data.
Despite opposition, data centers are necessary for technological progress.
The article encourages finding better ways to support data centers.
It implies that blocking data centers will not stop technological development.
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A discarded SpaceX rocket stage is set to crash into the moon at high speed after launching two lunar landers over a year ago. Scientists plan to observe the impact, which will create a crater and send dust into the moon’s thin atmosphere, helping them study potential dangers for future moon missions.
Key Facts
The rocket’s upper stage will hit the moon at about 5,400 mph (8,700 kph) near Einstein Crater.
The impact is expected on a Wednesday, visible mainly from the eastern U.S., Canada, and much of South America.
The crash will create a crater about 90 feet (27 meters) wide and 16 feet (5 meters) deep.
The collision was unintentional; the rocket was not pushed into a safer orbit around the sun.
This will be the second known accidental crash of a dead rocket on the moon; a Chinese rocket crashed in 2022.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Danuri orbiter will take before-and-after photos of the crash.
The abandoned rocket segment is about 40 feet (12 meters) long and weighs around 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms).
One of the lunar landers launched by this rocket, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost, successfully landed, while the other, ispace’s lander from Japan, did not.
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Entrepreneurs should start learning and using artificial intelligence (AI) early, even though the technology is still developing and uncertain. Waiting for AI to be perfect, cheap, and safe before adopting it can put companies behind their competitors who experiment and adapt sooner.
Key Facts
More than 200 economists and AI experts, including 16 Nobel winners, warn AI will bring big changes faster than the Industrial Revolution.
Entrepreneurs who act early with AI build skills and knowledge that give them an advantage.
AI will disrupt jobs and industries, requiring businesses to rethink how they work.
Fear of AI should not stop companies from exploring its benefits.
Waiting for full clarity or lower risks before using AI leads to missed opportunities.
Past tech shifts like the internet, cloud computing, and mobile tech showed that early adopters gain a lasting edge.
Successful AI use means focusing on areas that improve efficiency and decision-making, not using every tool available.
AI can be expensive to implement and needs careful planning for costs and infrastructure.
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Clean Start is a computer game where players help Lena, an immigrant working as a cleaner in a new country. The game combines tidying tasks with stories about the lives and challenges of immigrants, using language learning and object-finding as key parts of the gameplay.
Key Facts
Clean Start is a house-cleaning simulation game by Polish developer Serious Sim.
Players control Lena, an immigrant cleaner with limited language skills supporting her family back home.
The game involves cleaning rooms, arranging furniture, and interacting with objects to learn stories.
Language barriers are part of the game’s challenge, teaching players new words through conversations.
The game’s creator, Katarzyna Haptaś, drew inspiration from her mother’s and family’s immigrant cleaning experiences.
The game includes insights from real immigrants and an interview with a Polish immigration center worker.
Players uncover personal stories of the people whose homes they clean by finding meaningful objects.
Clean Start aims to promote understanding and compassion for immigrants through its gameplay and story.
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Cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure and businesses have increased, leading companies to focus more on cybersecurity in their operations and vendor choices. New AI tools are helping organizations find and fix security problems faster to keep up with evolving digital threats.
Key Facts
Cyber-enabled fraud is now a bigger worry than ransomware for business leaders.
64% of organizations are concerned about cyberattacks motivated by political reasons, like spying or disrupting infrastructure.
Large companies ask detailed security questions before signing vendor contracts.
The average cost of a data breach worldwide was $4.44 million in 2025, slightly lower than the previous year.
78% of organizations plan to spend more money on cybersecurity.
Only 6% of companies feel very capable of resisting all types of cyberattacks.
Many businesses delay investing in cybersecurity until after security problems arise or bigger customers demand proof of security.
An AI platform called CodeGuard helps find security weaknesses sooner, so companies can fix issues before they cause trouble.
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A study shows that higher doses of GLP-1 drugs, which help control metabolism and heart health, lead to better results. Researchers suggest these drugs could be tailored to each person's needs in the future.
Key Facts
GLP-1 agonists are drugs that help improve metabolism and heart-related health.
Higher doses of these drugs give stronger health benefits.
The study suggests personalizing the dosage for each individual.
Personalized treatment could lead to better results for patients.
GLP-1 drugs are used to treat conditions like diabetes and obesity.
The approach aims to improve both heart and metabolic health.
Customizing drug doses is a step toward more precise medicine.
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Rocket Lab won a $266 million contract from the US Space Force to launch rockets from Alaska, mostly for national security missions. Rocket Factory Augsburg delayed the first launch of its RFA One rocket due to a technical problem, and MaiaSpace decided to skip a test flight and go straight to an orbital launch planned for 2027.
Key Facts
Rocket Lab received its largest launch contract: $266 million for up to 18 launches with the US Space Force.
The launches will mainly happen at the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak, Alaska.
These launches will likely support hypersonic testing.
Rocket Factory Augsburg had to delay the first launch of its RFA One rocket because of a vehicle issue.
RFA One is a three-stage rocket designed to carry up to 1,300 kg to a Sun-synchronous orbit.
MaiaSpace canceled its planned suborbital test flight and will try a full orbital launch in the second half of 2027.
MaiaSpace is an ArianeGroup subsidiary and decided this approach is best for future commercial operations.
The article mentions SpaceX’s Falcon 9 also won launch contracts but does not give details here.
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A California company named Satyress has created a four-legged rescue robot called ThreeHalves for dangerous places like wildfires and disaster zones. The company unusually shares detailed information on how to stop the robot if it malfunctions, highlighting safety features and physical limits to reassure users that humans stay in control.
Key Facts
The robot ThreeHalves is designed for hazardous environments such as wildfires, disaster zones, and toxic industrial areas.
It stands over six feet tall and has a horned look with chainsaw attachments.
Satyress openly explains fail-safe systems to immobilize the robot in emergencies, including brakes, pin locks, and damageable air reservoirs.
The robot has trouble moving through standard residential doorways and narrow hallways, which limits its mobility intentionally.
This safety-focused approach contrasts with typical robot marketing that highlights power and invincibility.
The Trump administration recently announced restrictions on importing Chinese-made humanoid and four-legged robots, citing national security and cybersecurity concerns.
Officials worry networked robots could be hacked or used for spying by foreign adversaries.
The company’s method reflects public interest in controlling advanced machines amid growing fears about AI and autonomy.
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The European Union has created a new team in Brussels to enforce strict rules on AI companies worldwide starting Sunday, when the EU's AI Act takes effect. The team will monitor AI use, including fake videos, explicit content, and cyber threats, and ensure AI-generated products are clearly labeled.
Key Facts
The EU's new AI Act will require companies to label AI-generated content like chatbots and images.
The enforcement team in Brussels will expand by 38 people to monitor AI companies globally.
The rules target risks such as fake media, cyberattacks, and threats to public safety and rights.
AI companies must keep records and can be investigated by the European Commission.
The EU launched tools to let workers and users report illegal AI activities confidentially.
Companies breaking the rules can face fines or lose access to the EU market.
The move is part of the EU’s strategy to reduce reliance on U.S. and Chinese technology and boost its own AI capabilities.
Recent issues with AI safety and hacking incidents have increased global concerns about AI control.
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The European Union has introduced new rules requiring companies to label AI-generated images, audio, text, and videos that look real. These labels must clearly show when content is created or altered by artificial intelligence to help protect people from being misled.
Key Facts
From August 2, 2024, new AI systems sold in the EU must label synthetic content as AI-generated.
Existing AI systems have until December 2024 to comply with these labeling rules.
Labels must be visible and include a digital watermark to show the content’s artificial origin.
The rules aim to protect democracy and public trust in authentic information online.
Some exceptions apply for personal content, satire, artistic, or fictional works.
Companies breaking the rules can face fines up to €15 million or 3% of their global revenue.
The EU provides official labels but allows companies to design their own.
Some tech companies like TikTok and Google already use labels or watermarks to identify AI content.
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Extreme heat waves this summer are putting the electric grid under heavy pressure by increasing the need for air conditioning and lowering power plant efficiency. Utilities, especially in Texas and California, are adopting new technologies like battery storage, demand management, and flexible data center operations to keep the grid reliable during these tough times.
Key Facts
17 U.S. states are under federal emergency orders due to heat waves increasing electricity demand.
Heat waves raise electricity needs for cooling but reduce some power plants’ output.
Texas has improved its electric grid since the 2021 winter storm by adding batteries, weather-proofing, and demand response programs.
Texas officials predict electric demand will nearly double by 2032, partly due to new AI data centers.
Utilities are using “virtual power plants” that link batteries, solar panels, and electric vehicle chargers to balance supply and demand.
In California, battery storage helped avoid power outages during a 2022 heat wave, showing its value to grid reliability.
Some data centers now reduce their electricity use during peak times to help the grid.
Experts expect electric grids to become more flexible, efficient, and actively managed to handle rising and changing demand.
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Google is sending fewer people to websites for information because it now uses AI to answer questions directly on its platform. This change has caused a big drop in web traffic for online publishers, especially small and medium-sized ones.
Key Facts
Google Search traffic to publishers dropped by 34% in the past year.
Small publishers lost 60% of their search referrals over two years; medium lost 47%, large lost 22%.
People coming from Google search are usually very interested in the content, making these visits valuable.
Platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit have a lot of AI-generated content, which makes it harder to find genuine information.
Substack partnered with AI-detection software to identify AI-made content and fight fake information.
Publishers need to change how they create content to work well with AI systems like ChatGPT and Claude.
Axios uses a clear, bullet-point style that helps it rank well in AI-based content systems.
The future may involve AI “agents” acting as middlemen, reading and comparing information for users on websites.
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Europe and the UK have been developing detailed plans to test and regulate artificial intelligence (AI) safety for several years. The U.S. government, under President Trump, is now creating its own voluntary AI rules, with a deadline set for August 1, while learning from the European approach.
Key Facts
President Trump canceled the previous U.S. AI strategy and is moving toward less strict regulation.
The Trump administration plans to release voluntary AI safety guidelines by August 1, 2024.
OpenAI and Anthropic have proposed a unified framework that covers all advanced AI models, whether open-source or closed-source.
Europe started its AI safety efforts years ago, focusing on real threat scenarios like bioweapons or hacking government data.
The EU requires AI models to be tested against standard benchmarks related to specific risks and verified by multiple independent groups.
Europe seeks input from scientists and bases AI risk limits on peer-reviewed research before making laws.
The U.S. mainly relies on industry or internal standards and faces challenges as many experts move to private tech companies.
Governments worldwide are starting to address AI risks but still need to explore broader challenges.
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This article explores what kinds of old video games are commonly found in charity shops across the UK. It shares findings from visiting about 40 shops, noting popular types of games and common issues like missing accessories needed to play the games.
Key Facts
Many charity shops have old annual sports games like Fifa, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Madden, usually sold cheaply around 50p.
Some older, well-regarded versions of sports games from 2010-2015 are considered fun and good value.
Brain-training and quiz games from the mid-2000s, such as Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training, are common and still playable.
Music and fitness games like SingStar and Wii Fit often come without the necessary controllers, which can limit their use.
PlayStation 2 SingStar games can be made playable by purchasing microphones and adaptors on resale sites.
Kids’ games for family consoles like Wii and DS are abundant, themed around pets, jobs, and popular TV characters.
Some games are incomplete or missing instruction booklets, which can be a downside for buyers.
Charity shops are selling collectible video games online (e.g., eBay) to raise more money, reducing bargains in stores.
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