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600 million attacks every single day
Microsoft just dropped its annual Digital Defense Report, and the numbers are staggering. Here’s the scoop, in this short podcast.
🎈 Not just a lot of hot air: Sir Richard Branson plans to copilot the world’s first stratospheric balloon flight in 2025. This balloon is nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower and will float 20 miles above the earth’s surface for amazing views. If they pull it off, it could kickstart space-like tours for regular folks … well, regular folks with $125,000 lying around for a six-hour trip.
LaserWeeder: AI-powered robotic weed control
🚜 Agricultural revamp: Carbon Robotics just raised $70 million for AI-powered robots that help farmers blast weeds with lasers. The LaserWeeder attaches to a tractor and uses AI to detect and zap weeds without disturbing the soil microbiology. Bonus? It could reduce the need for harmful herbicides. No word on the cost yet, but the video sure looks cool.
81 years old
The age of a Georgia woman who recently voted for the very first time with the help of her niece. Her husband said she didn’t need to vote … or even learn to read or write. Now that he’s passed away, she’s doing things she’s never done before. Good for you, Betty!
I’m watching this: Mats Steen suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy and passed away at 25. His parents thought he lived an isolated life, but they were so wrong. After his death, they received hundreds of emails from people who’d known him through the game World of Warcraft, revealing he’d found both friends and romance online. A new documentary about Steen’s story is coming to Netflix on Oct. 25.
Axiom Space via Gizmodo
The luxury brand Prada worked with Axiom Space to keep astronauts stylin’ on the upcoming Artemis III mission. There’s a ton of tech included in these suits, from cameras and biometric sensors to regenerable CO2 scrubbing. Details here.
400,000-plus signatures
On a petition delivered to the Kellogg’s HQ about its Froot Loops cereal. An ex-FDA food expert says those colorful rings are linked to organ damage, cancer, behavioral problems and worse. Need more proof? The Red 40 and Yellow 5 dyes in it are banned in other countries. Def not grape news.
👁️ Eye see the point: A new device from OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, called the Orb will scan people’s eyes to provide biometric identification, helping to fight the growing deepfakes (paywall link). The goal: To have an Orb in every home to scan our eyes for verification when banking online and other similar transactions. Interestingly, Altman’s AI is pushing the very tech used in developing deepfakes …
🔥 Anker recall: I mentioned this last month, but two people have already suffered burns from faulty power banks that can explode. Affected models are the Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K), Anker Power Bank and Anker MagGo Power Bank, with the model numbers A1642, A1647 and A1652, respectively. These were sold between Jan. 3 and Sept. 17, 2024. If you own one, fill out the recall form.
$40,000 selling price
For art created by robot dogs. Artist Agnieszka Pilat is teaching Boston Dynamics’ bots Basia, Vanya and Bunny to paint by holding brushes in their “mouths.” He just sits back and watches. Pretty farfetched, eh?
🛒 You’re paying more: Grocery chain Kroger is working on electronic shelf labels that can adjust prices in real time based on factors like demand or the weather. It gets worse — they’re also planning to use facial-recognition cameras to serve shoppers more tailored ads. The real worry? Over time, Kroger could build customer profiles and figure out the maximum price you’d be willing to pay. Yikes.