Polymarket faces scrutiny after investigations revealed deceptive influencer campaigns used to fake massive winnings. In healthcare, Palantir struggles to save its £330M NHS contract amid pressure to invoke a 2027 break clause. Meanwhile, Jane Street is aggressively expanding into AI with $1B in strategic investments and plans for 500 new hires, while SoftBank scales back its Latin American tech investments.
🤖 AI & Automation
Public Service Announcement: Don’t Say You Use AI for Writing
The author argues against using generative AI to draft written content that is presented under an individual’s name, viewing such practices as a deceptive way to mask a lack of original work. They assert that relying on AI for authorship undermines professional credibility and fails to represent genuine human effort.
- Public Service Announcement: Don’t Say You Use AI for Writing — satisfice.com
Building reliable agentic AI systems
Bayer AG and Thoughtworks have developed PRINCE, a cloud-hosted platform that uses Agentic Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and Text-to-SQL to integrate decades of preclinical safety study reports. The system serves as an intelligent research assistant, enhancing data accessibility and drug development efficiency while ensuring strict pharmaceutical governance through human-in-the-loop integration.
- Building reliable agentic AI systems — martinfowler.com
‘We had to get out of the way’: The backlash over delivery robots
The rise of autonomous delivery robots on sidewalks has sparked significant backlash from pedestrians and local authorities over safety and accessibility concerns. Consequently, several cities, including Toronto and San Francisco, have implemented restrictions or bans to address issues such as sidewalk obstruction and regulatory gaps.
💻 Software Engineering
Apple Internals: Swift in the Kernel
Reverse-engineering of Apple’s macOS and iOS 27 has revealed “KernelKit,” a new framework that utilizes an Embedded Swift runtime for specific kernel extensions. While core C/C++ components like Mach and BSD remain unchanged, this development introduces new Mach-O platform IDs as a step toward creating a more memory-safe kernel.
- Apple Internals: Swift in the Kernel — blog.calif.io
cl-bbs: the schemeBBS-like textboard rewritten in Common Lisp
cl-bbs is a high-performance, anonymous textboard engine written in Common Lisp that serves as a modern clone of SchemeBBS. The application introduces new features such as persistent theme preferences, image link previews, and an admin moderation page, all while remaining entirely server-rendered without the need for JavaScript.
Improvements to std::format in C++26
The C++26 standard introduces several enhancements to the std::format library, including a parameterless std::println() for printing newlines and direct support for formatting pointer types. Additionally, the update adds a dedicated formatter for std::filesystem::path, improving ease of use and character encoding handling on Windows.
- Improvements to std::format in C++26 — mariusbancila.ro
Beyond All Reason (Free Total Annihilation Inspired RTS)
Beyond All Reason is a free real-time strategy game featuring fully simulated projectile ballistics, explosion physics, and terrain deformation. Players can command massive armies using over ten different unit classes in a highly tactical environment shaped by terrain and resource management.
- Beyond All Reason (Free Total Annihilation Inspired RTS) — beyondallreason.info
CTOs Agree: Cognitive Debt Is the New Technical Debt
Senior engineering leaders are transitioning from unmanaged AI spending toward standardized tools and measurable ROI, a shift comparable to early cloud adoption. This evolution is also redefining engineering roles, placing greater emphasis on system design and code review over traditional coding implementation.
- CTOs Agree: Cognitive Debt Is the New Technical Debt — shiftmag.dev
A 3D voxel game engine written in APL
An experimental 3D voxel game engine has been developed using APL notation to test if the language can simplify the process of game creation. The project is currently in a buggy, experimental state and requires Dyalog APL 20.0 along with various graphics dependencies for macOS, Linux, and Windows.
- A 3D voxel game engine written in APL — github.com
Project Fetch: Phase Two
Anthropic’s “Project Fetch” experiment revealed that Claude Opus 4.7 can autonomously complete robotics tasks approximately 20 times faster than the fastest human teams from a previous phase. While the model excels at coding sensor interfaces and technical planning, it still struggles with low-level robotic control and high-precision physical manipulation.
- Project Fetch: Phase Two — anthropic.com
🛡️ Security & Networking
Forward to Hell? On Misusing Transparent DNS Forwarders For Amplification Attacks
Recent research highlights how transparent DNS forwarders can be exploited to scale reflective amplification attacks by bypassing traditional protections like rate limiting and firewalls. These components allow attackers to leverage powerful anycast resolver infrastructure, effectively expanding the global attack surface of shielded DNS entities.
Mark-of-the-web and pinning installers to sites
The “mark-of-the-web” (MoTW) feature utilizes NTFS alternate data streams to attach origin metadata to downloaded files without altering their primary byte-for-byte content. This mechanism allows applications to detect a file’s download source and adjust security behaviors based on whether it originated from a trusted intranet or the public internet.
- Mark-of-the-web and pinning installers to sites — blog.randomoracle.io
Google Hits 50% IPv6
Google reports that IPv6 usage has reached a 50% milestone among its users, though APNIC Labs records a lower worldwide capability of 42%. This discrepancy stems from different measurement methodologies, as APNIC uses statistical weighting to ensure its data reflects global internet usage rather than just Google’s specific user base.
- Google Hits 50% IPv6 — blog.apnic.net
Developers don’t understand CORS (2019)
A security vulnerability was discovered in Zoom caused by the use of an image-loading hack designed to bypass Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) restrictions. This workaround allowed any website on the internet to interact with Zoom’s local web server, exposing the platform to potential exploits.
- Developers don’t understand CORS (2019) — fosterelli.co
Pondering routing more of my traffic via nodes outside the UK
Due to concerns that UK online safety policies may lead to increased internet censorship and identity verification, an author is considering routing their web traffic through nodes outside the country. This move aims to bypass potential website blocking and preserve privacy and freedom of expression.
- Pondering routing more of my traffic via nodes outside the UK — neilzone.co.uk
📊 Business & Finance
SoftBank struggles to find major LatAm startup deals; only two completed in last two years
SoftBank is scaling back its technology investments in Latin America as the region’s venture capital boom begins to fade. The company reports difficulty finding startups ready for major funding, having completed only two new deals over the past two years.
- SoftBank struggles to find major LatAm startup deals; only two completed in last two years — bloomberg.com
Palantir battles to save £330M NHS contract as pressure mounts for 2027 break clause (FT)
Palantir is fighting to preserve its £330 million, seven-year contract with NHS England as political and public pressure mounts to invoke a 2027 break clause. The tech giant faces scrutiny over how the deal was awarded, even as it decries the increasing politicization of procurement processes.
Jane Street eyes AI-driven trading and major investments like $1B in CoreWeave and Anthropic
Jane Street is expanding its presence in the artificial intelligence sector through strategic investments and efforts to integrate technology into its trading processes. To support this growth, the firm plans to hire more than 500 new employees following a recent expansion to 3,500 staffers.
- Jane Street eyes AI-driven trading and major investments like $1B in CoreWeave and Anthropic — wsj.com
🔬 Science & History
The case against geometric algebra (2024)
The author argues that Geometric Algebra is fundamentally flawed due to its overreliance on Hestenes’ Geometric Product. Additionally, the article criticizes the field’s “zealous” culture for alienating mainstream mathematicians and preventing widespread academic acceptance.
- The case against geometric algebra (2024) — alexkritchevsky.com
The Lost Story of Alan Turing’s “Delilah” Project
The recently auctioned “Bayley papers” reveal new details about Alan Turing’s top-secret “Delilah” project, a portable voice-encryption system developed during World War II. These wartime documents also provide fresh insight into Turing’s contributions to the field of electrical engineering.
- The Lost Story of Alan Turing’s “Delilah” Project — spectrum.ieee.org
Your brain was never designed for this much bad news
The human brain’s evolutionary negativity bias makes individuals particularly vulnerable to the overwhelming, constant stream of global bad news provided by modern technology. This persistent exposure can lead to “news fatigue” and feelings of powerlessness, prompting many people to avoid following current events altogether.
- Your brain was never designed for this much bad news — sciencedaily.com
Armstrong Effect
The Armstrong effect refers to the production of static electricity through fluid friction, first observed in 1840 when escaping steam from a boiler generated visible sparks. Following this discovery, William Armstrong developed an electrostatic generator known as the “Armstrong hydroelectric machine” that used multiple steam jets to create large-scale electrical discharges.
- Armstrong Effect — en.wikipedia.org
Greece unveils restored Parthenon facade unseen in full for 2 centuries
Restorers have added two new marble blocks to the Parthenon’s western side, filling gaps that have been empty for approximately 220 years. This project is part of a long-term effort to repair damage from war and weather while restoring the ancient temple’s original geometric proportions.
Lean bulk, cut, body recomp. Calculate maintenance calories
MacroCodex is a free app that uses an algorithm based on personal calorie intake and weight data to calculate maintenance calories more accurately than traditional statistical formulas or wearable devices. By analyzing individual progress over approximately three weeks, the tool provides personalized results specific to a user’s body rather than relying on population averages.
- Lean bulk, cut, body recomp. Calculate maintenance calories — macrocodex.app
Google Can’t Math Parsecs
Google’s interactive unit converter contains a bug that yields incorrect values for parsecs when mathematical operations are performed on them. The error, which is off by a factor of approximately 57.3, appears to stem from a confusion between degrees and radians during angle interpretation.
- Google Can’t Math Parsecs — lesswrong.com
Spielberg on the “UFO” term, Loeb on humans as probes, and SpaceX shares wobble
Steven Spielberg has expressed a preference for the term “UFO” over “UAP,” while Avi Loeb suggested that humans may function as self-replicating biological probes. Additionally, the report addresses recent volatility in SpaceX’s stock following its first week of trading on the exchange.
🌍 Society & Design
Polymarket’s Deceptive Influencer Marketing Scandal
A Wall Street Journal investigation has revealed that Polymarket paid dozens of social media creators to produce deceptive videos featuring fake massive winnings to create a false impression of success. These campaigns used fraudulent bets to simulate large profits and reportedly targeted users in the United States, despite the platform being banned there.
- WSJ: Polymarket pays creators for deceptive betting videos targeting banned US users. — wsj.com
- They Looked Like They Were Getting Rich on Polymarket–But None of It Was Real — wsj.com
- Polymarket Paid Dozens to Post Videos of Themselves ‘Winning’ with Fake Bets — m.slashdot.org
Windows UI Evolution
This article traces the evolution of Microsoft Windows’ user interface regarding how it handles unassociated file extensions, spanning from Windows 386 through Windows 10. It details the progression from manual configurations via INI files and simple error messages to more integrated program selection dialogs and modern, flat user interfaces.
See in CMYK
“See in CMYK,” an interactive experiment by artist Stefanie Posavec, the Exploratorium, and Google Arts & Culture Lab, explores the science of color printing. The tool uses Gemini AI to transform user photos into unique posters by replacing traditional halftone dots with custom, AI-generated icons.
- See in CMYK — artsandculture.google.com
SUV buyers undeterred by warnings of risk to pedestrians
A Swansea University study has found that informing drivers about the increased safety risks SUVs pose to pedestrians and cyclists does not significantly deter them from purchasing these vehicles. Because awareness alone has a negligible effect on buying decisions, researchers suggest that governments may need to implement financial penalties to effectively reduce the number of large vehicles on the road.
- SUV buyers undeterred by warnings of risk to pedestrians — theguardian.com