Month: August 2024

Exclusive: Some fellows fear tech billionaire could bring institution into disrepute with incendiary comments The Royal Society is facing calls to expel Elon Musk from its fellowship over concerns about the tech billionaire’s conduct. The Guardian understands Musk, who owns the social media site X, was elected as a fellow of the UK’s national academy …

Royal Society facing calls to expel Elon Musk amid concerns about conduct Read More »

It is beautifully made but achingly familiar so could struggle to lure players away from what is already out there It is fair to say that the video game industry is undergoing a period of alarming disarray. Studios are closing, development budgets are exploding and profitable genres are becoming saturated by mega-budget pick-me candidates that …

Concord: Sony’s online shooter is flying but not yet soaring in a very crowded airspace Read More »

Researchers say their creation has memory, which it can use to perform better by gaining experience Researchers have found a soft and squidgy water-rich gel is not only able to play the video game Pong, but gets better at it over time. The findings come almost two years after brain cells in a dish were …

Scientists enable hydrogel to play and improve at Pong video game Read More »

Non-traditional pets get millions of online views. But the rising trend poses questions about animal welfare In a quiet neighborhood in California’s capital, residents have gotten used to the screaming temper tantrums of a two-year-old. “No, Merlin!” they’ll hear his mother shout whenever he’s had enough of his favorite snack. “No more ice cubes!” “We …

Pigs sipping White Claw and cows in the kitchen: should we be worried about offbeat pets going TikTok viral? Read More »

Case is seen by many as unsettling example of how AI might be used to influence groups of voters and democracy A company that sent deceptive calls to New Hampshire voters using artificial intelligence to mimic Joe Biden’s voice agreed on Wednesday to pay a $1m fine and bolster its caller identification and authentication features, …

Company that sent fake Biden robocalls in New Hampshire agrees to $1m fine Read More »

The minds behind the forthcoming Monster Hunter Wilds talk about creating a world of extremes for players to explore Out in the desert, the skies begin to darken. You’re here to hunt the Doshagama, a kind of scaly lion with a squashed face that roams the dunes in small packs, an intimidating beast. But the …

‘Even more vicious and threatening than before’: the fantastical creatures of Monster Hunter Wilds Read More »

Olympic hero Michael Johnson and archer Matt Stutzman interview stars including Kadeena Cox in Rising Phoenix. Plus: five of the best podcasts about classic movies • Don’t get Hear Here delivered to your inbox? Sign up here If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I am really, really interested in drugs. …

Get set for the Paris Paralympics with tales of true grit and determination Read More »

In this week’s newsletter: The opening night in Cologne revealed unexpected comebacks, surprising debuts, and a long overdue TV tie-in • Don’t get Pushing Buttons delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Today is the opening day of Gamescom, the Cologne expo that is now the biggest event in the video game calendar. This year, …

Pushing Buttons: Indiana Jones, Civilisation VII, that Dune MMO and all the other news from Gamescom Read More »

Victor Miller proposed customized ChatGPT bot to govern Cheyenne, Wyoming – but fared badly at the ballot box A mayoral candidate in Wyoming who proposed letting an artificial intelligence bot run the local government lost his race on Tuesday – by a lot. The candidate, Victor Miller, announced his run for mayor of Cheyenne earlier this …

US mayoral candidate who pledged to govern by customized AI bot loses race Read More »

Exclusive: Instructions show how to trick teenagers into sending intimate photos to blackmail them financially How can children be protected from online sextortion fraud? Detailed written manuals and video guides to financially motivated sexual extortion – commonly known as sextortion – are available freely online, with criminals offering specialist and tailored tuition for further payment, …

Video sextortion guides and manuals found on TikTok and YouTube Read More »