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  • Why AI is moving from chatbots to the browser

    Why AI is moving from chatbots to the browser

    Happy Friday. I’m back from vacation and still getting caught up on everything I missed. AI researchers moving jobs is getting covered like NBA trades now, apparently.

    Before I get into this week’s issue, I want to make sure you check out my interview with Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on Decoder this week. It’s a good deep dive on the main topic of today’s newsletter. Keep reading for a scoop on Substack and more from this week in AI news.

    From chatbots to browsers

    So far, when most people think of the modern AI boom, they think of a chatbot like ChatGPT. Now, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the web browser is where the next phase of AI is taking shape.

    The reason is simple: the chatbots of today don’t have access to your online life like your browser does. That level of context — read and write access to your email, your bank account, etc. — is required if AI is going to become a tool that actually goes off and does things for you.

    Two recent product releases point to this trend. The first is OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent, which uses a basic browser to surf the web on your behalf. The second is Comet, a desktop browser from Perplexity that takes it a step further by allowing large language models to access logged-in sites and complete tasks on your behalf. (OpenAI is rumored to be planning its own full-fledged browser.)

    Neither ChatGPT Agent nor Comet works reliably at the moment, and access to both is currently gated to expensive subscription tiers due to the higher compute costs required to run the reasoning models they necessitate. Perhaps most frustratingly, both products claim to do things they can’t, not just in marketing materials, but in the actual product experience.

    ChatGPT Agent is a read-only browser experience — it can’t access a logged-in site like Comet — and that severely limits its usefulness. It’s also very slow. My colleague Hayden Field asked it to find a particular kind of lamp on Etsy, and ChatGPT Agent took 50 minutes to come back with a response. It also failed to add items to her Etsy cart, despite claiming it had done so.

    While Comet is nowhere near as slow, I’ve had numerous experiences with it claiming it has completed tasks it hasn’t, or stating it can do something, only to immediately tell me it can’t after I make a request. Its sidecar interface, which places the AI assistant to the right of a webpage, is excellent for read-only tasks, such as summarizing a webpage or researching something specific I’m looking at. But as I told Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on Decoder this week, the overall experience feels quite brittle.

    It’s easy to be a cynic and think the current state of products like Comet is the best AI can do at completing tasks on the web. Or, you can look at the last few years of progress in the industry and make the bet that the same trend line will continue.

    During our chat this week, Srinivas told me he’s “betting on progress in reasoning models to get us there.” OpenAI built a custom reasoning model specifically for ChatGPT Agent that was trained on more complex, multi-step tasks. (The model has no public name and isn’t available via an API.)

    Even with the many limitations and bugs that exist today, using Comet for just a few days has convinced me that the mainstream chatbot interface will merge with the browser. It already feels like taking a step back to merely prompt a chatbot versus interacting with a ChatGPT-like experience that can see whatever website I’m looking at. Standalone chatbots certainly aren’t going away, especially on smartphones, but the browser is what will unlock AI that actually feels like an agent.

    • What could have been for Substack: Before the newsletter platform raised the $100 million round it announced this week, two sources tell me that Vice founder Shane Smith approached Substack’s co-founders about acquiring the company. It’s unclear how far the talks progressed, though Smith also discussed the idea with potential financial backers. Substack’s leadership rebuffed his takeover interest but suggested he could invest in the round they just closed. It’s unclear if he did. Neither Smith nor Substack responded to my request for comment.
    • The end of reverse acquihires? While I was out on vacation, it was interesting to observe the intense backlash to the Windsurf/Google reverse acquihire. This pattern, where the founders of a buzzy AI startup parachute into the arms of Big Tech and leave the rest of their team to pick up the pieces, is nothing new. It’s an unfortunate byproduct of the antitrust scrutiny on Big Tech, which so far seems to have figured out how to acquire what it wants by leaving behind a husk of a startup and calling its payouts “licensing fees.” But given how Cognition messaged its rescuing of Windsurf’s remaining team (“every single employee is treated with respect and well taken care of in this transaction”), I wonder if the next AI startup founder will think twice before leaving their team behind.
    • Mira Murati’s new AI lab will have an enterprise angle. I feel confident in that prediction after seeing who her financial backers are for her new lab, Thinking Machines. ServiceNow and Cisco aren’t investing in a ChatGPT competitor. Given the level of talent she has managed to assemble, the industry will be paying close attention to whatever “multimodal AI” product the team releases in the coming months. Is there room for another Anthropic-like rival to OpenAI? We’re about to find out.
    • AI researchers can’t get US visas. NeurlPS, the premier AI research conference, has experienced such high attendance demand for this year’s event in San Diego that they’ve added a second location in Mexico to accommodate approximately 500 more people. The conference’s announcement states that there have been “difficulties in obtaining travel visas” for attendees wishing to attend the main US event. Yikes.

    Some noteworthy career moves

    • Zuckerberg’s new Superintelligence lab is getting considerably bigger. This week saw the addition of OpenAI’s Jason Wei and Hyung Won Chung, which means that Meta has now poached 5 of OpenAI’s 21 “foundational contributors” to o1. Augustus Odena and Maxwell Nye, co-founders of the Adept AI startup that Amazon reverse acquihired to kickstart its AGI lab, also joined, along with Mark Lee and Tom Gunter from Apple. Meanwhile, the entire team behind the voice AI startup PlayAI has officially joined (some companies are still small enough for Big Tech to acquire outright). And in what should be an ominous signal to everyone in the broader AI group currently undergoing DOGE-style interviews with Alexandr Wang’s new team, VP of Product Connor Hayes has moved over to run Threads.
    • Anthropic’s head of engineering, Brian Delahunty, joined Google Cloud to lead AI agent engineering. Meanwhile, Boris Cherny and Cat Wu returned to Anthropic after an alarmingly brief tenure in leadership roles at Cursor. Paul Smith is also leaving ServiceNow to be Anthropic’s first chief commercial officer.
    • Reddit CMO Roxy Young is leaving amid what appears to be a broader leadership reshuffling.
    • More brain drain at Tesla: This time it’s Troy Jones, head of sales for North America.
    • Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kristin Cabot (that couple from the Coldplay concert) have been put on leave pending an internal investigation.

    If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to The Verge, which includes unlimited access to Command Line and all of our reporting.

    As always, I welcome your feedback, especially if you have thoughts on this issue or a story idea to share. You can respond here or ping me securely on Signal.

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  • RSV vaccine to be offered to premature babies in Northern Ireland

    RSV vaccine to be offered to premature babies in Northern Ireland

    Getty Images A baby boy is sleeping on a white sheet. He is wearing a white sleepsuit and has a blue hospital wristbandGetty Images

    The new programme will cover infants born very prematurely and too early to benefit from the RSV vaccination given to their mothers

    A vaccination programme to tackle respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is to be extended to cover premature babies born in Northern Ireland.

    A long-acting injection is to be offered for eligible children from this autumn.

    RSV is a common, but highly infectious, respiratory virus that affects the breathing system, particularly in young children and older adults.

    It infects 90% of children by the age of two and is one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in the first year of life.

    An RSV vaccine has been available to pregnant women in Northern Ireland since last September and is offered from 28 weeks of pregnancy.

    The new programme will cover those infants born very prematurely and too early to benefit from the RSV vaccination given to their mothers.

    The single Nirsevimab injection offers about 80% protection and replaces Palivizumab, which gives 55% protection and is administered up to five times.

    It follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

    Pacemaker Press A man is sitting at a table. He wears glasses and has a black suit on and a stripped tie.Pacemaker Press

    NI’s chief medical officer says there has been a decline in the uptake of childhood immunisations

    Chief Medical Officer Sir Michael McBride said: “Vaccinations have been extremely effective in eradicating diseases and protecting children and other vulnerable groups from serious illness and death.

    “Worryingly, we are now seeing a decline in the uptake of childhood immunisations.

    “Vaccinations offer children the very best start in life. Quite simply, if children aren’t vaccinated, they’re not protected.”

    Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said the new vaccine would strengthen winter preparedness in the health service and reduce pressures on GPs, emergency departments and hospital admissions.

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  • A Woman Catches Her Date in a Big Lie

    A Woman Catches Her Date in a Big Lie

    Photo-Illustration: Marylu Herrera

    In this week’s story, a woman who’s been dating a guy she met online realizes he hasn’t been completely honest with her: 47, single, New York

    6:30 a.m. I’m an assistant principal, so my body is set to this wake-up time, even though I’m not working at all this month. The first thought that crosses my mind is, Yay! I get to see Erik tonight. We only hang out on Wednesdays because he’s training for a marathon and trains super-early every morning except Thursday.

    9 a.m. Quickly look at my closet to see if I have anything to wear for tonight. I decide that I really want to turn it up, so I pull out a little black dress I’ve never worn before. I met Erik on Hinge about six weeks ago. There are a few issues — he lives on Long Island, for one, and he’s overly sexual (which I don’t mind but sometimes makes me wonder if he only wants me for sex). But I’m really into him and after a multiyear dry spell, it feels great to have a crush.

    I’ve never been married, but I’ve had a few long-term relationships that were fun while they lasted. I’d really love to find the one. In the words of Charlotte from Sex and the City, “I’ve been dating since I was 15! I’m exhausted! Where is he?”

    12 p.m. Earbuds ready, sneakers on, I head out the door to walk downtown, then over the Brooklyn Bridge, then back. Every day I try to get a long walk in. I love having summers off. I’m not exactly doing “nothing” — I’m volunteering at a food bank for a few nights each month, plus some one-off volunteer jobs. I also try to see friends and family members who I don’t have much time or energy for during the school year. I take as many trips with family as I can and just hang out the old-fashioned way — beach days, lazing around together, etc. Whenever I can get out of the city, I try to hike.

    Erik loves hiking too. It’s one of the many things we have in common, as well as a love of traveling, dive bars, Italian food, and being outdoors in general. Also, he works in business development and is in between projects right now, so we’re both work-free and living our best lives this summer.

    4 p.m. He texts, “I’m going to rampage you tonight.” I don’t think rampage is the right word. I don’t call him out on it. Did he mean ravage? Or wreck? Hmmm. He’s not the smartest guy I’ve ever dated. And yet, I’m still a little wet just thinking about it. Sex with Erik is next-level incredible.

    6 p.m. Quick call from my sister who thinks the fact that Erik only sees me on Wednesdays is a bright-red flag. I’m not sure. I know for a fact he’s training for a marathon and that it’s super-important for his physical and mental health, so I’m not going to weaponize it.

    9 p.m. We are back at my apartment after a nice little Italian dinner — dress looked great — and having sex. Our bodies fit so well together. I am practically screaming every time he goes down on me, and then again from the penetration. We both come and then take a shower together. It seriously feels like we’re in a movie — it’s all so hot and erotic.

    11 p.m. This is the second time he’s slept over, and I love it. We watch a little TV and cuddle, then we both pass out. He spoons me, while we sleep, for a lot of the night.

    DAY TWO

    9 a.m. I’ve been lying here, fake sleeping, simply enjoying being in bed with this hot man. Finally, he’s awake too.

    10:30 a.m. I know it’s very Love Island–coded but … he makes me breakfast. Avocado toast and scrambled eggs. Both are so good. I’m in charge of the coffee since he’s off caffeine right now.

    12 p.m. We are back in bed having sex. When I said Erik was sexual, I meant that he’s always hard and ready to go, very touchy, constantly trying to fool around. Like, even if we’re drinking at a dive bar, his hand is up my skirt trying to finger me. He’s also asked for nudes several times, but I’ve wisely, and unwaveringly, declined. I work in the school system!

    3 p.m. After a day of fucking (and a break for some food), it’s time for him to go back to Long Island. He has to get back to training tomorrow, and also he has some meetings and pitches coming up that he has to prepare for. Our little love bubble is over until next week.

    7 p.m. Washing all my sheets and cleaning up my apartment. Erik texts that he’s home and missing me already.

    9 p.m. We aren’t exclusive — we haven’t had the boyfriend-girlfriend talk yet, nothing even close. So I scroll the apps a little on my phone. There’s a guy who messaged me named Peter who says we went to college together. I am almost 50 years old so that was a long time ago, but he’s right and I vaguely remember him. We start chatting and talking about our lives and careers. It’s not very flirtatious, more like old friends reconnecting. He looks, how do I put this nicely: old. Erik, who is the same age as Peter, looks a million times better. But looks aren’t everything.

    DAY THREE

    10 a.m. I’ve barely had my second cup of coffee when Erik starts texting me for nude pics, and asking if I want to call him and “talk dirty.” He knows I don’t have work, so I try to come up with another excuse. I lie and say, “My parents and sisters are here!” Of course my parents and sister literally left for California today to visit another family member, but he’ll never put that together.

    12:30 p.m. Another text from him asking what I’m wearing. He says he’s horny and wants to see my pussy. It’s a little much. I’m glad he’s thinking about me, but it’s not my thing and he knows it.

    3:40 p.m. Get my nails done, then stop at a bookstore to pick up a beach read for an upcoming trip to Fire Island. My gay best friend is there all summer, and I always go for a few nights to witness his debauchery.

    5 p.m. A few more “show me your tits” texts from Erik. I get one as I measure my apartment for a new kitchen table; another one as I contemplate what’s for dinner.

    6 p.m. I decide to pick up sushi at a place I love, but it’s about 20 blocks away. I consider leaving my phone at home so I get a break from Erik’s texts, but luckily the only one I get is Pete from college asking if I’d like to have brunch some time. What a fucking Puritan in comparison to Erik. Brunch!

    9:30 p.m. Ready to turn my phone off, curl up to my new book, and have a quiet evening. I see that Erik has texted again but honestly, I don’t even want to read it. His energy is interrupting my Zen today. Do I have to cut this guy out of my life? The sex is so good, but man, he was fucking weird and aggressive today.

    DAY FOUR

    10:30 a.m. By the time I have coffee and do a morning Zoom about some summer volunteer work I’m interested in, I’m ready to open Erik’s latest text from last night. I’m already in a bad mood because I’m almost positive this guy is no longer for me, and that sucks. And then, when I see that he’s sent an unsolicited dick pic, I’m actually shook. I feel a mixture of “how fucking obnoxious to send me this” and also, if I’m being honest, “man, I love that D.”

    12:15 p.m. I keep looking at the pic, trying to figure out how to handle it. Do I break up with him over text? Do I try to explain that this behavior is inappropriate? Do I lighten up and have some fun? But then I look at the pic and finally shift my eyes from the actual penis to his hand that’s holding it, and I almost drop my phone. He’s wearing a wedding ring. It all hits me like a ton of bricks. This fucker is married! I cannot breathe.

    3 p.m. After feeling frozen for a few hours, I call my best friend from childhood who works in law enforcement. I ask her to do a deep dive on him on one of those background-check sites, and she found out he has three kids and a wife. Keep in mind, I very specifically and directly asked him if he was married when we met, and he said he was never married and had no kids. I’m literally shaking.

    7 p.m. After a long walk around the city, I decide to call him. He doesn’t pick up. I text him that it’s urgent he call me back. I wake home in silence, fuming and fighting back tears. When I come home, I kick my shoes off and just sit at my kitchen table, frozen.

    9 p.m. He calls back, the shady fucker. I confront him about all of it. He’s silent for a minute and then he says, “I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry.” I tell him that he’s a piece of shit and to never contact me again.

    11 p.m. I’m upset. I would never touch another woman’s man. I go to sleep feeling sick over it.

    DAY FIVE

    6 a.m. I’m awake even earlier than usual, spiraling a little. There’s a big part of me that wants to contact his wife. I don’t know what to do.

    9:45 a.m. I contact Hinge and report him as a fraud. I mean, I honestly can’t believe that he had his whole face on Hinge and wasn’t afraid for his wife or friends of theirs to see his profile!

    1:30 p.m. One of my best friends meets me in Central Park for an emergency walk and talk session. The main thing, I tell her, is that I feel really violated that I didn’t have the choice to sleep with a married man (someone else’s man). It goes against everything I stand for. The other thing is, I just feel sad for his wife and kids.

    4 p.m. One of my volunteer jobs is tonight. It involves feeding unhoused people, so I’m able to focus on good people and good acts of kindness, not that jerk.

    9 p.m. I come home, shower, put on cozy pajamas and text Pete back about that brunch. Not because I’m ready to move on so quickly but because he seems like a lovely, normal person and it’s hard to find single people my age.

    DAY SIX

    8 a.m. I wake up feeling a little better today, but I’m also now freaked out that this guy knows where I live and so much other stuff about me. I feel foolish for being so trusting.

    12 p.m. One of my summer goals was to learn Italian because I’m going to Italy with my sisters in the fall, so I take an online course. It’s hard and I’m terrible with languages. However, I do notice that I go two hours without thinking about Erik and the betrayal.

    3:45 p.m. Pete says he’s free tomorrow. He’s a doctor and has the day off. I try to find a way to tell him that I’ve just gone through hell with a guy I was dating, and I’m not in the best place for a “date,” but then I decide not to overthink it. We make a plan.

    8 p.m. I get a drink with my friend from the park yesterday. She’s concerned for me, I can tell. I’m embarrassed that I ignored the red flags. She promises me it could have happened to anyone and that it’s a good thing I’m optimistic by nature. That makes me feel like crying, because right now I don’t feel like I’ll ever be optimistic about a guy again.

    DAY SEVEN

    7 a.m. Again, I wake up a little less shook than the day before, and the day before that.

    9:30 a.m. I can’t help but go online and see what’s cooking. It’s just a habit by now, I guess. There’s one guy who I matched with a while ago, who sent a “how’s it going?” message. Something about his photos and profile seem too good to be true. I ask him if he wants to do a quick hello over FaceTime (so I’ll know he’s not a catfish) and he unmatches me. Jesus Christ.

    12:30 p.m. Pete chose a super-cute restaurant in the West Village for brunch, and I’m walking there now. It’s kind of nice showing up for a date when you really have no desire to date them. Takes all the pressure off.

    3:30 p.m. We actually had a great time! He was supersweet. He’s divorced and has teenagers and just seems really healthy, gentle, not toxic. I’m not sure I’m attracted to him, but we had a really great conversation and a warm hug good-bye. I think it’s an epidemic how fucked up these men are in our generation, but I will hold space for the fact that there are exceptions, and Pete might be one of them.

    7:30 p.m. Pete texts asking for a link to one of the places I volunteer. He wants to participate on his day off next week. I make a mental note about how nice it is to get a text about wanting to help people in need, rather than “show me your tits.” Hopefully that chapter is behind me, and happy days with nicer people are in my future.

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  • How Star Clusters Age: The Pleiades, the Hyades, and the Orion Nebula Cluster

    How Star Clusters Age: The Pleiades, the Hyades, and the Orion Nebula Cluster

    The Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades are all open star clusters located near each other. They’re easily located in the night sky. The Pleiades, aka the Seven Sisters, and the Hyades are close together, and the ONC is a little further away below Orion’s Belt in the Orion Nebula.

    Researchers in Iran and Germany have used observations of all three, alongside computer modelling, to uncover a new connection between the three. They say that these three well-known clusters represent three different evolutionary stages of open clusters. Their results are in a paper in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society titled “Are the ONC, Pleiades, and Hyades snapshots of the same embedded cluster?” The lead author is Ghasem Safaei, from the Department of Physics, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences, in Iran.

    “Most Galactic field stars are not formed in isolation; rather, they originate within star clusters (SCs) embedded in giant molecular clouds that are initially compact structures,” the authors explain in their paper. “The early evolution (first ≈10 Myr) of young, gas-embedded SCs is primarily dominated by the removal of residual gas from star formation, driven by feedback from massive stars through ultraviolet (UV) radiation, stellar winds from OB stars, and supernova explosions.” This loss of mass signals what’s to come for the clusters, as they gradually evaporate over time until the cluster association is lost and their stars become field stars.

    The Hyades, Pleiades, and the ONC shown in context. The three are in the same region of the sky, prompting astronomers to wonder if they’re connected somehow. Image Credit: Safaei et al. 2025. MNRAS

    The ONC, Pleiades, and Hyades are all open clusters, but they’re different ages with different stellar populations. The ONC is the youngest, only 2.5 million years old, and is an active star formation region. There are different estimates for its number of stars. Some say about 2,800, some say about 4,200 and some say as many as 10,000. The number is difficult to determine because the ONC is young and still contains clouds of gas and dust that birthed the stars, which can obscure its members.

    The Pleiades is older at about 100 million years. It contains about 1,059 stars, and is dominated by 14 hot young stars that are seen with the naked eye. Its stars are more loosely scattered than the ONC’s.

    The Pleiades, or Subaru in Japan, is an open cluster about 440 light-years away. It's the most obvious naked eye open cluster in the night sky. Image Credit: NASA, ESA and AURA/Caltech The Pleiades, or Subaru in Japan, is an open cluster about 440 light-years away. It’s the most obvious naked eye open cluster in the night sky. Image Credit: NASA, ESA and AURA/Caltech

    The Hyades is the oldest of the three. It’s about 700 million years old, has about 400 stars, and is more widely dispersed than the other two. About one-third of its stars are in the cluster’s extended halo, and astronomers think these stars are escaping the cluster. Eventually, all clusters ‘evaporate’ like this and generally only exist for several hundred million years.

    The Hyades cluster is the closest cluster to Earth. It's about 153 light-years away and contains hundreds of stars in a spherical grouping. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI. The Hyades cluster is the closest cluster to Earth. It’s about 153 light-years away and contains hundreds of stars in a spherical grouping. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI.

    The researchers used N-body simulations to study how clusters evolve. They started out with a young cluster that’s an analog of the ONC. They varied the parameters, including the total mass, the half-mass radius, and the core radius to see what combination generated the observed current ONC. “Additionally, we examine the cluster’s evolution over 800 Myr to determine whether it could reproduce the present-day properties of the Pleiades and Hyades along its evolutionary path,” the researchers explain in their paper.

    They found that due to rapid gas expulsion driven by the Milky Way’s tidal field, the simulated ONC suffered significant mass loss. About 100 million years into the simulation, the cluster retained only 47% of its initial 4,200 stars. After 700 million years, it retained only 9%.

    “These evolutionary stages closely match the properties of the Pleiades and Hyades, suggesting that an ONC-like cluster may have been their precursor,” the authors write in their research.

    “Our highly precise stellar dynamics calculations have now shown that all three star clusters originated from the same predecessor,” says Prof. Dr. Pavel Kroupa from the Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics at the University of Bonn, a co-author of the publication.

    The ONC, the Pleiades, and the Hyades are like snapshots from a family album. The ONC is the toddler, the Pleiades is the adult, and the Hyades is the grandparent.

    “From this we can learn that open star clusters seem to have a preferred mode of star formation,” said Kroupa in a press release. “It appears that there is a preferred physical environment in which stars form when they evolve within these clouds,” says the astrophysicist.

    The model shows that ONC likely had an initial mass of between 1200 and 2000 solar masses. It also showed that it’s initial population is between 4,000 and 5,000 stars, which lines up with the approximately 4,200 identified by some astronomers. The model also showed that to produce these three differently-aged clusters, they had to be a rich in binary stars. It also showed that mass segregation played an important role, where more massive stars “sink” toward the cluster’s center, while less massive stars gather on the periphery.

    This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the Trapezium Cluster, the most well-known part of the Orion Nebula Cluster. Since the ONC is young, there's still plenty of gas and dust that obscures its view. Image Credit: C.R. O'Dell and S.K. Wong (Rice University) and NASA/ESA This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the Trapezium Cluster, the most well-known part of the Orion Nebula Cluster. Since the ONC is young, there’s still plenty of gas and dust that obscures its view. Image Credit: C.R. O’Dell and S.K. Wong (Rice University) and NASA/ESA

    Overall, the model’s results agree well with the observed properties of all three clusters. “In this study, we successfully reproduced the dynamical evolution of the ONC, Pleiades, and Hyades, suggesting that the Pleiades may have been similar to the ONC about 100 Myr ago and will be similar to the Hyades around 700 Myr in the future,” the authors write.

    Over time, according to the simulations, clusters like the ONC can lose 85% of their stars, yet still retain a coherent structure, as Hyades shows. This is after passing through an intermediate stage that resembles the current Pleiades cluster. “Our simulations reveal substantial mass loss over time, with clusters losing 50–60 per cent of their mass in 110 Myr and 70–85 per cent in 794 Myr, consistent with the observed evolution of the Hyades,” the authors write.

    “This research gives us a deeper understanding of how star clusters form and develop and illustrates the delicate balance between internal dynamics and external forces such as the gravitational pull of the Milky Way,” said study co-author Prof. Akram Hasani Zonoozi.

    Many discoveries in astronomy concern distant objects, impossible to observe without powerful telescopes and modern equipment. But these three clusters are easily seen and located in the night sky, with the naked eye or maybe with binoculars. Anyone with access to the night sky in the right part of the world can observe these clusters and think about these findings.

    Our Sun was once a cluster star, but at almost five billion years old, it long ago left its cluster behind is just another field star, now.

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  • BSEK puts off automated paper checking

    BSEK puts off automated paper checking


    KARACHI:

    The results of the 2025 annual matric examinations will be declared by July 31, said the chairman of the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK), Ghulam Hussain Soho, on Friday. However, he added that in case of any unforeseen technical or administrative delay, results will be announced in the first week of August.

    Speaking to The Express Tribune, the BSEK chief said that nearly 180,000 students appeared in this year’s matric exams, making result preparation a logistical challenge. To address concerns of transparency and efficiency, he said that both manual checking and Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) systems will be used for assessment this year.

    Soho clarified that the previous software system, found to be both expensive and lacking transparency, has been scrapped after a review of its contract. A new, cost-effective system is being planned to streamline the process without compromising quality.

    The chairman further stated that OMR sheets will be used for compiling award lists this year, while from next year, all Class X exams and selected Class IX papers will be conducted using the OMR system to enhance transparency and expedite result processing. The goal is to complete result preparation within one month in the future.

    Chairman Soho also disclosed plans to revamp the existing mark-sheet, citing deficiencies in its design and quality. The BSEK will study mark-sheets from national and international educational boards to introduce a redesigned document that will feature improvements in weight, font size, colour scheme, security features, and overall design aesthetics, he added. The redesigned mark-sheet is expected to be introduced from next year to ensure both durability and protection against forgery.

    The chairman said that the BSEK is moving towards full digitisation of its services. An online portal is being developed, through which students will be able to easily access their personal data, forms, roll number slips, and examination results. He added that efforts are underway to automate all board operations.

    Chairman Soho revealed that the BSEK plans to make 70% of matric exam questions multiple-choice based in the coming years. This change aims to align students with the format of competitive entry tests such as ECAT and MCAT, enabling them to adjust to the testing pattern earlier and reducing reliance on expensive entry test preparation academies. This initiative, aimed at relieving financial pressure on parents and psychological stress on students, will be implemented after necessary approvals from the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC).

    The BSEK has also decided to raise the passing marks to 40% from the upcoming academic year to improve academic standards and motivate students to work harder. Chairman Soho affirmed that all these reforms are part of the BSEK’s broader strategy to modernise examination systems and enhance transparency in line with contemporary educational standards.

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  • A link between gut bacteria and genes in colitis flare-ups

    A link between gut bacteria and genes in colitis flare-ups

    Researchers have identified a gut-genetic interaction that could trigger an overactive immune response in the colon — offering one possible explanation for the pain and bleeding of ulcerative colitis, and why it behaves so differently from patient to patient. Their research is published Friday in the journal Science Immunology.

    Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease that affects more than 1.2 million people in the United States, according to a 2023 study of medical claims data. It falls under the umbrella of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD — a group of conditions that includes Chron’s disease and is marked by unpredictable flare-ups, long-term discomfort, and treatments that often work inconsistently.

    “This study demonstrates that it’s not just an imbalance of microbes in your gut or genetics that induce intestinal inflammation — but the interaction between the two,” said Hisako Kayama, an associate professor of immunology at Osaka University and co-senior author of the study.

    At the center of that inflammatory response is a protein called STING that helps the body recognize the DNA of bacteria and viruses and mount an immune response. Healthy people are able to keep this response under control with the help of a gene called OTUD3, which acts as a biological brake. But in some people, their OTUD3 gene variant leads that brake to fail — causing the immune system to treat harmless bacteria as a threat. Unchecked, the protein can drive chronic inflammation, particularly in the gut, which is home to many different types of “good” bacteria.

    The protein STING is very important in fighting bacterial infections, said co-author Dr. Kiyoshi Takeda, a professor of immunology at Osaka University. “But the problem is that the overactivation of STING causes inflammation.”

    To explore how this interaction plays out, the researchers studied mice bred specially to have a genetic vulnerability to colitis similar to humans. When feces from the ulcerative colitis patients was transferred to the colons of the mice, they developed more severe colitis symptoms than mice with a normal version of the gene. If they didn’t have the gene variant or the microbial trigger, the disease didn’t develop.

    In total, researchers used tissue and gut bacteria from 124 patients — including 65 with ulcerative colitis and 59 with colorectal cancer — plus 12 healthy people as controls.

    The culprit was a molecule called cGAMP, which is made by certain gut bacteria. In healthy mice, researchers know that OTUD3 helps break down excess cGAMP so the immune system doesn’t overreact. But in mice without a working version of that gene, cGAMP built up, overactivating STING and causing inflammation.

    The findings could help explain why some patients respond poorly to current ulcerative colitis treatments, which typically suppress the immune system as a whole. By pinpointing a single inflammatory pathway, the study opens the door to more precise, personalized therapies — especially for patients who carry this specific gene variant.

    Still, the researchers caution that any treatment targeting the STING protein directly must be used carefully, since suppressing it too much could leave patients vulnerable to infection. Alternative approaches, such as targeting cGAMP-producing bacteria, could allow STING to keep doing its job in the rest of the body while dialing down inflammation in the colon.

    The variant gene that colitis sufferers have is common. According to past genome-wide studies, it appears in about 53% of Europeans, 52% of Americans and 16% of Japanese people. Not everyone with it develops the disease, lending credence to the idea that it’s the interaction between genes and microbes that triggers inflammation.

    “This study is helpful in demonstrating a specific example — a genetic variant and a microbial signal — that leads to inflammation,” said Dr. Jonathan Jacobs, a gastroenterologist and microbiome researcher at UCLA who was not involved with the study. “That’s exciting,” he said, because it offers a clear mechanism that ties together many of the risk factors scientists have long observed in inflammatory bowel disease.

    Even if it turns out not many people are vulnerable to this particular gut-genetic interaction, he said, the research could lead to more personalized treatment. “It moves us closer to precision medicine,” Jacobs said.

    The shift toward more targeted treatment could make a world of difference for patients like Anderson Hopley, a volunteer with the Orange County and Los Angeles chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation who was diagnosed with Crohn’s this year.

    “I know people who have medication that’ll work for a couple years, maybe even just a couple months, and then it kind of randomly stops,” he said. “They have to adjust everything.”

    Although Hopley has Crohn’s, not ulcerative colitis, he said the new study still resonates.

    “I think it’d be really nice to know what causes this,” he said. “Even if there’s not a cure yet, just having an answer — some clarity — would be a step in the right direction.”

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  • TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept: World’s Thinnest Tri-Fold with Pioneering Dual Inward-Folding Design

    TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept: World’s Thinnest Tri-Fold with Pioneering Dual Inward-Folding Design

    Foldable phones have come a long way, but TECNO’s new concept is aiming even higher. The PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept is not just another folding phone. It’s a tri-fold, dual-inward folding device that unfolds into a massive 9.94-inch display while staying thinner than anything else in its category.

    It folds down to just 11.49mm, which is already slimmer than most dual-fold phones. Unfold it, and you’re looking at a sleek 3.49mm profile. On paper, that makes it the thinnest tri-fold phone we’ve seen so far.

    TECNO’s New Tri-Fold Concept Might Be the Most Ambitious Foldable Yet

    What makes this concept interesting is its G-style fold. Instead of folding outward and leaving the screen exposed, it folds inward from both sides. This keeps the flexible display protected when the phone is closed. That might not sound like a big deal, but anyone who has used a foldable knows how fragile those screens can be.

    TECNO created a custom dual-hinge setup to pull this off. A smaller waterdrop hinge handles one side, creating a tight fold without a gap. The larger hinge folds the other part over the top. Once closed, everything locks into place, keeping the phone slim and secure.

    This design isn’t just about protection. It also supports multiple use modes. You can partially fold the device and use it in a hovering position, which is useful for things like video calls, watching content, or running dual apps side by side.

    Big Screen, Small Compromises

    Once fully opened, the phone gives you a nearly 10-inch display with minimal visible creasing. That turns the phone into a proper mini-tablet, great for multitasking, media consumption, or even mobile work. It’s the kind of screen real estate that justifies a foldable format.

    TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold

    TECNO also claims this device packs a powerful processor, a triple camera setup, and a large battery of over 5000mAh. Those specs sound ambitious for something this thin, but they make the concept far more exciting. It’s not just about showing off a cool fold. It’s aiming to deliver a flagship experience in a form factor that still fits in your pocket.

    The company also used advanced materials to get the weight and thickness down. The back cover uses Titan Fiber that’s only 0.3mm thick, and the hinge relies on high-strength steel. These choices suggest TECNO wants this to be more than just a fragile prototype.

    A Step Beyond Last Year’s Prototype

    This isn’t TECNO’s first shot at a tri-fold concept. In 2024, they introduced the PHANTOM Ultimate 2 at MWC, and it caught a lot of attention. The new model looks like a clear evolution, refining the design while pushing even harder on thinness and functionality.

    We don’t know yet if this phone will ever hit stores, but TECNO says it will be shown again at MWC 2026. That could be a sign they’re serious about moving from concept to reality.

    The Bottom Line

    The PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold Concept might not be ready for store shelves just yet, but it shows where foldables could be heading. With a compact design, smart engineering, and a focus on real usability, TECNO is putting pressure on bigger brands to innovate or fall behind.

    If TECNO can turn this concept into something people can buy, it could be one of the most exciting foldables in years.

    Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.Follow Gizchina.com on Google News for news and updates in the technology sector.


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  • US FDA advisers recommend against Otsuka's PTSD combination treatment – Reuters

    1. US FDA advisers recommend against Otsuka’s PTSD combination treatment  Reuters
    2. Otsuka, Lundbeck’s PTSD Bid for Rexulti Hits Speedbump as FDA Questions Efficacy  BioSpace
    3. First New PTSD Drug in Two Decades On the Horizon?  Medscape
    4. Don’t Look Back: US FDA AdComm Offers No Flexibility For Rexulti’s Post Hoc Bid In PTSD  insights.citeline.com
    5. Psychiatric Times Experts Weight in on FDA Advisory Decision for PTSD  Psychiatric Times

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  • Perplexity in talks with phone makers to pre-install Comet AI mobile browser on devices – Reuters

    1. Perplexity in talks with phone makers to pre-install Comet AI mobile browser on devices  Reuters
    2. Exclusive: OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome  Reuters
    3. Perplexity’s Comet is the AI browser Google wants  The Verge
    4. Hands on: An early look at Comet — and how AI browsers could change the internet  Computerworld
    5. Perplexity in talks with phone makers to pre-install Comet AI mobile browser on devices By Reuters  Investing.com

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  • UAE: Power Slap set to return to Abu Dhabi in a highly anticipated event on October, 2025 – Times of India

    UAE: Power Slap set to return to Abu Dhabi in a highly anticipated event on October, 2025 – Times of India

    1. UAE: Power Slap set to return to Abu Dhabi in a highly anticipated event on October, 2025  Times of India
    2. POWER SLAP MAKES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RETURN TO ABU DHABI ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 24 DURING SHOWDOWN WEEK  ufc.com
    3. Power Slap Returns to Abu Dhabi for October 24 Event During UFC 321 Showdown Week  FightBook MMA
    4. Power Slap makes highly anticipated return to Abu Dhabi in October during Showdown Week  MSN

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