A new electric air-taxi service is being planned for New York City, designed to quickly transport passengers to airports like JFK in just seven minutes. The service, led by Vertical Aerospace, aims to reduce travel time using environmentally friendly aircraft. The company plans to have the air taxis ready for use by 2028.
Key Facts
Vertical Aerospace is developing an electric aircraft named Valo.
The aircraft can transport people to JFK and other airports in seven minutes.
The plan is in partnership with Bristow Group and Skyports Infrastructure.
Valo is expected to get all necessary approvals by 2028.
The aircraft is designed to be quiet, zero-emission, and affordable compared to helicopters.
Valo was showcased in New York City after its global unveiling in London.
The company aims to make urban commuting faster and more environmentally friendly.
The aircraft can fly up to 100 miles at speeds of 150 mph.
Some tech firms are adopting a demanding work culture where employees work long hours, often around 72 hours a week. This approach, known as the "996 culture," is seen as necessary to keep up with the fast-paced development of artificial intelligence (AI). Rilla, an AI-focused company in New York, is an example of a business embracing this work style to ensure rapid progress.
Key Facts
A New York-based tech company called Rilla encourages employees to work about 70 hours a week.
The company promotes a fast-paced work environment similar to China's "996 culture," where people work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.
This culture is popular in tech due to the rapid development and competition in artificial intelligence.
Rilla seeks employees with high ambition and likens them to "Olympian athletes."
The 996 work style started in China about ten years ago and was promoted by tech leaders like Jack Ma from Alibaba.
The 996 culture led to criticism in China for ignoring labor laws, which resulted in tighter regulations.
Despite criticisms, some companies believe the long hours are a "blessing" for achieving success quickly in competitive tech markets.
NASA shared infrared images of an interstellar comet called 3I/ATLAS as it left our solar system. The images were captured by NASA's SPHEREx telescope and showed the comet brightening as it vented gases like water and carbon dioxide. 3I/ATLAS is only the third object from outside our solar system to pass through it.
Key Facts
NASA released new images of comet 3I/ATLAS taken by the SPHEREx telescope in December 2025.
3I/ATLAS is the third known object from outside our solar system to pass through it.
The comet was first observed on July 1, 2025, in Chile, traveling at about 137,000 miles per hour.
At its closest approach to the sun, the comet's speed increased to 153,000 miles per hour.
Infrared images show the comet releasing organic molecules like methanol and methane.
The comet became bright as it vented water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.
The SPHEREx telescope, launched in March 2025, aims to map over 450 million galaxies and stars.
The BookTok community on TikTok appears to help young people reduce their screen time by encouraging them to read more books. Users of this platform share book reviews and recommendations, which has led some people to replace phone use with reading.
Key Facts
BookTok is a community on TikTok where people talk about books and share recommendations.
Amy Laird started reading more after realizing she spent seven hours daily on her phone.
People aged 18 to 24 spend about six hours and 20 minutes online each day on average.
A report says only about 30% of young Scots enjoy reading in their spare time.
Some BookTok videos have received over eight million interactions.
This trend has made some older books popular again.
BookTok has helped students like Amy and Isabella read regularly and reduce screen time.
A TikTok user posted a video revealing that their account had automatically blocked musician Bad Bunny, even though they had not visited his profile. This prompted others to check their accounts, with some reporting similar unexpected blocks. TikTok has not addressed these claims publicly.
Key Facts
A TikTok user, @kators88, claimed Bad Bunny was blocked on their account without their action.
The video led others to inspect their accounts, with several finding unexplained blocks.
Discussions about these unexpected blocks are ongoing in TikTok comment sections.
Another TikTok user, @enjcassel, noticed the same issue with Bad Bunny's account.
TikTok has not commented on whether automatic blocks can occur on their platform.
TikTok is under scrutiny in the U.S., with its parent company ByteDance making changes to avoid a ban.
President Trump has supported a TikTok restructuring deal to ensure U.S. control.
Bad Bunny is gaining extra attention due to his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show performance.
Two major AI companies, Anthropic and OpenAI, are competing by airing commercials during the Super Bowl. Anthropic's ads emphasize that their AI service, Claude, will not have advertisements, while OpenAI defends its approach of using ads as a way to offer free access to ChatGPT. This marks a significant moment in how these AI companies promote their services to large audiences.
Key Facts
Anthropic and OpenAI are both leading AI companies.
Anthropic plans to air commercials during the Super Bowl, highlighting that their AI service, Claude, won't have ads.
OpenAI uses advertisements to support free access to its AI service, ChatGPT.
Anthropic's Super Bowl ads are part of its first major campaign at the event.
OpenAI criticized Anthropic's ads, claiming they mislead the public about AI advertising.
More than 127 million people watched the Super Bowl last year.
Anthropic was established by former OpenAI researchers.
OpenAI plans to show a Super Bowl commercial about how their AI can empower people to create.
Researchers from Cardiff University tested AI technologies called "deathbots" that use a deceased person's digital records to create interactive chatbots. These technologies are becoming popular in the digital afterlife industry, although they are not yet widely used. The study found these AI tools intriguing but limited by current technical abilities.
Key Facts
"Deathbots" are AI programs that create chatbots using a deceased person's text messages, emails, and voice notes.
These technologies are part of a growing "digital afterlife" industry worth over £100 billion.
Dr. Jenny Kidd from Cardiff University led a study on deathbots, publishing results in a journal from Cambridge University Press.
The study explores how AI can imitate voices and personalities of the deceased but highlights technical limitations.
Researchers found interactions with these chatbots unsatisfying due to current platform limitations.
Deathbots are viewed as potentially comforting, but they cannot fully replace human processing of grief.
The use of AI in recreating digital memories gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when people animated old photos of relatives.
There is skepticism about whether deathbots will become widely popular, as traditional ways of dealing with death are still prevalent.
The article talks about people using TikTok Live to watch livestreams of bars from home. It describes how viewers enjoy watching real-life interactions at bars through these livestreams and the sense of community that develops in the comments section.
Key Facts
People watch bar livestreams on TikTok to see real-life interactions.
A popular stream is from Morgan's Arcade Bar, located over 300 miles away from some viewers.
These streams can have up to 5,000 viewers at one time.
Bar owner Morgan Taylor has faced account bans and restrictions on TikTok without clear reasons.
The comments section in these streams often forms a virtual community.
Some viewers volunteer to moderate comments to keep the environment friendly.
Viewers, like Kate, relate livestreams to watching soap operas because of the real interactions they feature.
A South Korean cryptocurrency exchange, Bithumb, accidentally distributed $40 billion worth of bitcoin to customers instead of a small cash reward. The company quickly identified the mistake and recovered almost all of the bitcoins. Bithumb has promised to enhance its systems and cooperate with regulators to prevent similar incidents.
Key Facts
Bithumb is a cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea.
The firm accidentally sent out 2,000 bitcoins instead of 2,000 won to customers.
Bithumb recovered 99.7% of the 620,000 bitcoins sent by mistake.
Trading and withdrawals for 695 affected customers were restricted within 35 minutes.
The incident was not caused by hacking or security issues.
South Korea’s financial regulator plans to investigate the incident.
Bithumb will compensate affected users and improve its verification systems.
The error is not the first large financial mistake; Citigroup also had a similar error in 2024.
Adults are using AI-generated videos to learn basic life skills, like cooking and personal care. These videos have become popular on social media, showing AI characters explaining everyday tasks. Some experts are concerned that this trend might weaken people's critical thinking skills.
Key Facts
People are watching AI videos for help with everyday tasks like cooking, personal care, and etiquette.
AI characters in these videos give simple advice on tasks, such as boiling pasta or storing food correctly.
A video with an AI steak and another with AI bread have both received millions of views.
Some videos personify food items to teach viewers about health benefits and proper food preparation.
Concerns exist that using AI for learning might harm critical thinking and memory skills.
One study from MIT found less brain activity in people who used AI to write essays.
AI-generated videos are shared widely on platforms like Instagram, reaching millions of viewers.
Other videos also advise on non-food tasks, like hair care and splitting the bill on dates.
Amazon is creating a live-action TV series based on the popular PlayStation video game "God of War." The show will follow the storylines of the 2018 and 2022 games, highlighting the relationship between Kratos and his son Atreus. It is expected to debut in 2027 or possibly 2028 on Prime Video.
Key Facts
The "God of War" TV series is based on the PlayStation game by Sony Santa Monica.
The series will adapt the storylines from the 2018 and 2022 video games.
Ryan Hurst will portray Kratos, while Ólafur Darri Ólafsson will play Thor.
Other cast members include Teresa Palmer as Sif and Mandy Patinkin as Odin.
Filming is expected to start in March 2026 in Vancouver, with hopes for a 2027 release.
Ronald D. Moore replaced Rafe Judkins as the showrunner in late 2024.
The series will be available on Amazon's Prime Video platform.
There is no trailer or confirmed release date for the show yet.
Apple is buying an Israeli artificial intelligence company called Q.AI for nearly $2 billion. This acquisition could help Apple improve Siri and create devices that can understand facial cues and "silent speech," meaning communication without talking aloud.
Key Facts
Apple is acquiring Q.AI, an AI startup from Israel, for almost $2 billion.
The technology from Q.AI can read facial expressions and tiny movements to understand silent speech.
This is Apple’s largest purchase since buying Beats in 2014 for $3 billion.
Apple aims to enhance AI capabilities in its devices, like smart glasses and headphones.
Q.AI's technology uses cameras instead of microphones to interpret user intentions, which could benefit privacy concerns.
Q.AI was founded in 2022 in Tel Aviv, and its founders have past connections to Apple.
Apple executives, including Johny Srouji, praised Q.AI for its innovative use of imaging and machine learning.
Q.AI's work could lead to new ways for Siri and Apple wearables to function without needing voice input.
The article discusses advancements in technology as part of Europe's efforts in space exploration. It focuses on developments at the Esrange Spaceport in Sweden and a variety of technological innovations featured in the program "Tech Now."
Key Facts
Adrienne Murray visits Esrange Spaceport in Sweden to explore European space race technology.
The program "Tech Now" includes various technological innovations and developments.
The episode is 25 minutes long and was first shown on February 7, 2026.
Additional topics in the series include tech's role in the Winter Olympics and innovations in CES 2026.
Future farming innovations in Australia and icebreaker technology for the Arctic are also explored.
The program covers subjects such as robotics in space exploration, AI in fashion, and environmental tech for rising sea levels.
Developments in diagnostics, like detecting cancer cases, and the role of AI and biocomputing are part of the series.
The program "Tech Now" highlights the integration of technology across various domains including agriculture, fashion, and climate research.
Apple has decided to delay its plan to launch an AI-powered health coaching service that would work with the Apple Watch and iPhone. The company is pausing development due to competitive pressures and challenges related to applying AI accurately and safely in health advice.
Key Facts
Apple planned to introduce an AI health coach service using data from the Apple Watch and iPhone.
The service was supposed to offer personalized advice on fitness, nutrition, and wellness.
Apple's development of the service has been paused recently.
The change in plans follows competition in AI-driven health services and leadership changes in Apple's health division.
The delay is partly due to concerns about ensuring accuracy and user trust in AI health recommendations.
Apple's senior VP Eddy Cue reviewed the plans and decided they did not meet company standards.
There is no official cancellation of the project, but Apple is not rushing to release it.
Apple continues to work on improving its Health app and other health-related features.
Nearly 900 Google employees have signed a letter urging the company to be more open about its work with U.S. federal immigration agencies. They want Google to end its contracts that support immigration enforcement efforts, which have intensified under the current U.S. administration. Google has contracts for cloud services with federal agencies involved in immigration.
Key Facts
Around 900 Google employees signed a letter demanding more openness about Google's work with U.S. immigration authorities.
Google provides cloud services to U.S. federal agencies, including those involved in immigration enforcement.
Employees are concerned about Google's ties to immigration enforcement, particularly due to recent intensified efforts.
In 2018, Google stopped a contract with the Pentagon after employee protests.
Employees also want Google to withdraw its technology used in immigration operations.
The letter follows similar calls from employees of other tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft.
Google has partnerships with companies like Lockheed Martin and Palantir, involved in U.S. military and immigration operations.
Google representatives have not commented on the employee demands.
The release of a horror-themed DC Universe (DCU) movie focusing on the Batman villain Clayface has been delayed. The film, written by Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins, was originally set for September but will now come out in October.
Key Facts
The "Clayface" movie is a spinoff from the Batman universe.
Director James Gunn is leading the DCU initiative, which includes this spinoff.
The film's script is by Mike Flanagan, and James Watkins is directing.
The movie will feature a horror take on the villain Clayface.
Initially scheduled for September, it will now release on October 23.
The delay is due to the release of another movie, "Practical Magic 2."
Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, the character who becomes Clayface.
The story involves a scientist, played by Naomie Ackie, trying to help Hagen.
Apple plans to redesign its MacBook Pro by late 2026. Expected features include a slimmer design, touchscreen capabilities, and an OLED display. The new model might also introduce advanced chips and the "dynamic island" feature.
Key Facts
Apple aims to release a redesigned MacBook Pro in late 2026.
The new design may include a slimmer body and possibly touchscreen technology.
An OLED display is expected, which offers better color and contrast.
The MacBook Pro might use new M6 Pro and M6 Max chips for improved performance.
Apple may introduce the "dynamic island" feature for better use of screen space.
Some users feel Apple releases new models too frequently.
A U.S. court ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who claimed she was raped by a driver. The jury found Uber responsible because the driver acted on the company's behalf. Uber plans to appeal the decision.
Key Facts
A U.S. court ruled that Uber must pay $8.5 million to Jaylynn Dean, who said a driver raped her in 2023.
The case was heard in Arizona, where a jury decided Uber was responsible for the driver's actions.
The court's decision could affect 2,500 other similar cases against Uber.
The jury found Uber liable under the "apparent agency doctrine", meaning the driver represented Uber while working for them.
Dean's other claims for negligence and defective safety systems by Uber were rejected.
The court did not award Dean more than $144 million in additional punitive damages.
Uber argued its drivers are independent contractors and that the assault was not foreseeable.
Uber plans to appeal the verdict and maintains it invests in rider safety.
Waymo, a company developing self-driving cars, uses remote workers in the Philippines to help guide its vehicles when technology falls short. During a U.S. Senate hearing, concerns were raised about security and labor issues related to this practice.
Key Facts
Waymo uses remote assistance operators to help its self-driving cars in difficult situations.
Some of these operators are based in the Philippines.
The operators do not drive the cars; they provide guidance when needed.
Concerns include potential cybersecurity risks and the impact on U.S. jobs.
Waymo emphasizes that remote workers are monitored for qualifications and background checks.
The company operates its autonomous ride-hailing services in several U.S. cities and plans to expand.
The hearing involved testimony from Tesla and discussion of federal safety standards for self-driving cars.
Apple TV has confirmed that "Down Cemetery Road" will return for a second season following the success of its first season. Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson will reprise their roles, and the new season will involve a mystery linked to a black market in ancient artifacts.
Key Facts
Apple TV confirmed Season 2 of "Down Cemetery Road" on December 12th, 2025.
The first season's success led to the decision to produce a second season.
Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson will return as Zoë Boehm and Sarah Trafford.
The Season 2 plot involves the investigation of a case that leads into the world of black market antiquities.
A serial killer becomes part of the storyline for Season 2.
No release date is set for Season 2, but it's expected around 2027.
There is no trailer available for Season 2 yet.
The first season is available for streaming on Apple TV.
