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2026-10-21

100 ranked items

OpenAI News Oct 20 Score 0.9283030796296298

OpenAI acquires Orchestra Bio

OpenAI is acquiring Orchestra Bio to bring AI-powered operations to life sciences R&D, helping biopharma teams accelerate drug development and advance new treatments.

AI aiopenaimodels
Simon Willison's Weblog Oct 20 Score 0.8930368689814814

eMudhra Intermediate CA Compromise

eMudhra Intermediate CA Compromise This is very, very bad news: The private keys of eight eMudhra intermediate CA certificates have been compromised. They chain to roots trusted by the Mozilla, Microsoft, Apple and Chrome root programs and by many downstream t

AI aillmsengineeringanalysis
Foreign Policy Oct 20 Score 0.8870875023148147

Trump Makes Midterm Pitch to Farmers

An $8 billion aid package aims to take the edge off the strain of the Iran war and trade chaos.

Geopolitics geopoliticsforeign-policyanalysis
Simon Willison's Weblog Oct 20 Score 0.8859229800925925

Battle Drones - a vibe coded RTS with audio-based multiplayer

My latest vibe coded game experiment is a Command & Conquer style RTS (Real Time Strategy) game called Battle Drones ( play it here ). Unlike my previous experiments , this one is actually fun to play . I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I got there by tel

AI aillmsengineeringanalysis
Foreign Policy Oct 20 Score 0.8774768541666665

What if No One Wins the Israeli Election?

Netanyahu’s opponents are ahead but will struggle to form a coalition.

Geopolitics geopoliticsforeign-policyanalysis
Schneier on Security Oct 20 Score 0.8717256319444443

Possible new Cellebrite iPhone Radio Zero-Day

Justin.sh is reporting on a confidential Cellebrite document that has been leaked to him: Cellebrite calls it Advanced Unlocks (AU from here on), not to be confused with the "advanced unlocking services" they've marketed for years. A press release from earlier

Security securitycryptographypolicy
BleepingComputer Oct 21 Score 0.8200204865740741

Stolen UpdraftCentral keys used to backdoor WordPress sites

A threat actor breached TeamUpdraft's website, a developer of popular WordPress backup and security plugins, potentially compromising UpdraftCentral connection keys that can send commands to connected websites. [...]

Security securitymalwarevulnerabilities
BleepingComputer Oct 21 Score 0.8196001162037038

Mozilla, Google, Apple block compromised eMudhra CA certificates

Certificate authority eMudhra revoked eight compromised intermediate certificates after researchers found their private keys were so weak that anyone could recover them almost instantly and use them to forge trusted certificates for legitimate websites. [...]

Security securitymalwarevulnerabilities
The Guardian — World Oct 21 Score 0.8187171490740741

Nigeria confirms Ebola case as outbreak spreads into western Africa

Case in Africa’s most populous country was detected in a woman who had travelled from Uganda Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola case in its capital, Abuja, after a woman who arrived from Uganda tested positive for the virus, the health ministry said. The woman beg

Geopolitics geopoliticsworld-newsinvestigative
The Verge Oct 21 Score 0.8183290305555556

YouTube might be testing hiding the dislike button

YouTube appears to be testing hiding the dislike button on videos, as reported by 9to5Google. At least two users on X have recently shared screenshots of the dislike button now being placed in the three-dots submenu, and a user on Reddit also shared an image o

Technology technologygadgetsconsumer
The Verge Oct 20 Score 0.8167563453703705

Judge dismisses Sam Altman’s sister’s sexual abuse lawsuit

On Tuesday, US District Judge Zachary Bluestone dismissed the lawsuit Ann Altman filed last year alleging that her brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, had sexually abused her throughout her childhood. As reported earlier by The Guardian, the judge wrote that over

Technology technologygadgetsconsumer
The Verge Oct 20 Score 0.8155304194444445

Trump is giving Nick Shirley $10,000 and launching a $25 million fraud bounty program

Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday that the Trump administration was giving right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley $10,000 and launching a $25 million bounty program for members of the public to report fraud. In December 2025, Shirley published

Technology technologygadgetsconsumer
The Verge Oct 20 Score 0.8152910675925926

Google’s more personalized Gemini AI is heading to your car

Google is bringing Personal Intelligence to Gemini AI in your car. With this update, Gemini in Android Auto and cars with Google built-in can tap into your information across Google apps, including Gmail, Calendar, Maps, Photos, YouTube, and Search. As an exam

Technology technologygadgetsconsumer
The Verge Oct 20 Score 0.8141475490740742

Tesla and SpaceX are discussing a possible merger, Musk says

Tesla and SpaceX have formed special committees to discuss a possible merger, Elon Musk said during the latter's third quarter earnings call Tuesday. Musk, who serves as CEO of both companies, said the special committees were formed at the request of sharehold

Technology technologygadgetsconsumer
MIT Technology Review Oct 20 Score 0.8133030439814816

Robotic therapy for stroke patients

Strokes leave 5 million people with long-term impairments each year, and a growing shortage of physical therapists makes it hard for them to get the care they need. A new approach tries to solve that problem by combining artificial intelligence and human thera

Technology technologyresearchsociety
MIT Technology Review Oct 20 Score 0.8133030439814816

A reason to eat carbs

A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet can help some people lose weight, and some research has shown that it may protect against colon cancer. But a new study suggests that such a ketogenic diet may also increase the risk of cancer in the small intestine. This type

Technology technologyresearchsociety
MIT Technology Review Oct 20 Score 0.8133030439814816

Melt it, spin it, use it again

The average American throws out around 81 pounds of clothing each year, and there are few options for recycling it. MIT engineers hope to cut down on that textile waste with a new type of yarn.  The thermoplastic yarn mimics the properties of conventional

Technology technologyresearchsociety
MIT Technology Review Oct 20 Score 0.8133030439814816

Here’s the tea

When Tristan Brown, an associate professor of history at MIT, first examined a Chinese tea chest label displayed at Old South Meeting House, he had no reason to doubt its story. Descendants of the Boston blacksmith Thomas Wells had donated the label in 1987, s

Technology technologyresearchsociety
MIT Technology Review Oct 20 Score 0.8133030439814816

It’s a bird, it’s a plane … it’s a robo-puffin?

Given that water is 1,000 times denser than air, moving through those two mediums requires very different mechanics—or so one might assume. Yet birds like gulls and puffins can plunge into the sea, swim underwater, and leap back into the air to fly away. And n

Technology technologyresearchsociety
BleepingComputer Oct 20 Score 0.8132116902777778

PHP warns admins of two critical flaws, emergency patches coming tomorrow

The PHP security team is warning administrators to prepare for emergency security updates tomorrow to address two critical vulnerabilities, as information about the flaws has reportedly leaked ahead of their scheduled disclosure. [...]

Security securitymalwarevulnerabilities
BBC News — World Oct 20 Score 0.8116625356481482

Trump and Zelensky appear at loggerheads despite Oslo optimism

The Ukrainian leader's hug with Steve Witkoff in the Norwegian capital is unlikely to dispel misgivings about US policy towards his country, writes Paul Adams.

Geopolitics geopoliticsbbcworld-news
BleepingComputer Oct 20 Score 0.8108871532407408

Zeabur shutting down after second security breach in two months

Development platform Zeabur has disclosed details of a cybersecurity incident in which an attacker used leaked internal credentials stored in plaintext to compromise its infrastructure and steal over 3.2 million environment variable records and information for

Security securitymalwarevulnerabilities
War on the Rocks Oct 20 Score 0.810804862037037

Reading Pyongyang Through the Cracks of the International System

In 2023, three North Korea analysts identified what they believe most people studying the country get wrong, and how analysts can avoid those traps. Three years later, we asked them to revisit their arguments and offer fresh insights into what North Korean pro

Geopolitics geopoliticsmilitarystrategy
Microsoft Research Blog Oct 20 Score 0.8049692671296297

Called to serve: Tech, research, and positive impact

Lab Director Chris White has worked on research challenges with real-world implications—from new approaches to wartime data analysis to tools for combating human trafficking. He talks to program manager Weishung Liu about the influences that led to the work an

AI aimicrosoftresearch
CISA Cybersecurity Advisories Oct 20 Score 0.7983028180555556

#StopRansomware: SafePay Ransomware

Advisory at a Glance Title #StopRansomware: SafePay Ransomware Original Publication  October 20, 2026 Executive Summary This advisory details recent activity by the SafePay ransomware group. SafePay actors have been highly active since August 2024, target

Security securitycisaadvisoriesvulnerabilities
CISA Cybersecurity Advisories Oct 20 Score 0.7983028175925927

Moxa AIG-302 ThingsPro Edge

View CSAF Summary Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to obtain and disclose sensitive information. The following versions of Moxa AIG-302 ThingsPro Edge are affected: Moxa AIG-302 ThingsPro Edge firmware CVSS Vendor Equipm

Security securitycisaadvisoriesvulnerabilities
CISA Cybersecurity Advisories Oct 20 Score 0.7983028175925927

HMS Networks PEAK-System PCAN Windows drivers

View CSAF Summary Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could crash the Windows kernel. The following versions of HMS Networks PEAK-System PCAN Windows drivers are affected: PEAK-System Device Driver Setup PCAN Windows CAN device drivers CVSS Vendor

Security securitycisaadvisoriesvulnerabilities
CISA Cybersecurity Advisories Oct 20 Score 0.7983028175925927

Hitachi Energy MicroSCADA X SYS600 Product

View CSAF Summary Hitachi Energy is aware of multiple vulnerabilities that affect MicroSCADA X SYS600 product versions listed in this document. These vulnerabilities can be exploited to carry out various attacks on the product. Please refer to the Recommended

Security securitycisaadvisoriesvulnerabilities
CISA Cybersecurity Advisories Oct 20 Score 0.7983028175925927

Hitachi Energy RTU500 Product

View CSAF Summary Hitachi Energy is aware of vulnerabilities that affect RTU500 product versions listed in this document. These vulnerabilities if exploited can have impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability of the product. Please refer to the Reco

Security securitycisaadvisoriesvulnerabilities
InfoQ Oct 21 Score 0.7483022175925926

TornadoVM 7 Enables GPU-Native Workloads From Java Applications

TornadoVM, an open-source heterogeneous programming framework for Java has reached version 7.0. It automatically accelerates Java programs on multi-core CPUs and GPUs and provides a rich GPU programming ecosystem in Java that can be used with any mainstream JD

IT itengineeringarchitecture
New Scientist Oct 20 Score 0.7416638652777777

1 in 4 cases of depression may be caused by off-kilter body clocks

Depression has long been linked to chemical imbalances, but many cases may actually be related to disrupted body clocks that could be treated with melatonin therapies and early morning sun exposure

Science scienceresearchsociety
Econbrowser Oct 20 Score 0.7375535050925925

Jet Fuel Prices Up

Then, when next you fly; or ship something high value from abroad. From EIA (thru 10/9): Note that the current price is nearing 2022 levels. From IATA (through 10/16):

Economy economymacroeconomicsenergyresearch
NASA News Oct 20 Score 0.7372363370370371

NASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Flights Over Texas Farmland

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Oct. 15, 2026, and has been updated to correct the location of the flights. A NASA Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Amarillo, Texas, from Thursday

Science sciencenasaspace
NASA News Oct 20 Score 0.733623837037037

NASA’s SR-1 Freedom Advances with Progress on Nuclear Power Module

Destined for Mars and beyond, NASA’s Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom will be humanity’s first fission-powered spacecraft to travel outside Earth’s orbit. Announced during NASA’s “Ignition” event, this mission will demonstrate nuclear electric propulsion in deep

Science sciencenasaspace
GitHub Blog Oct 20 Score 0.7301095805555555

How 3 Java Champions are using GitHub Copilot for increased productivity

Three Java Champions share how they use GitHub Copilot to solve problems, accelerate development, and keep humans responsible for the results. The post How 3 Java Champions are using GitHub Copilot for increased productivity appeared first on The GitHub Blog .

IT itgithubdevelopment
NASA News Oct 20 Score 0.7300414296296296

NASA Experimental Mars Helicopter Blade Designs Target Longer Flights

NASA researchers are developing the future of flight on Mars, laying the groundwork for helicopters with the ability to fly higher and farther while conducting science on the Red Planet. Using high-fidelity computer simulations and wind tunnel tests, engineers

Science sciencenasaspace
Econbrowser Oct 20 Score 0.7295498013888889

Insurance for AI Hyperscaler Debt, et al.

From FT yesterday: These are the large players in the AI boom; consider smaller players also involved in the AI boom. From the Economist: Credit markets are coming for CoreWeave. The price of a five-year bond issued by the “neocloud”, which rents out data-cent

Economy economymacroeconomicsenergyresearch
NASA News Oct 20 Score 0.7283076333333334

NASA Provides Progress Update on Moon Base Rovers

As NASA works to build the Moon Base, crewed and robotic lunar rovers will play a crucial role during early development through technology demonstrations, astronaut transport, terrain mapping, scientific investigations, and resource prospecting. Data from thes

Science sciencenasaspace
New Scientist Oct 20 Score 0.7283027541666667

1000 human mathematicians pledge to shun AI in their research

There is a growing backlash against the way AI companies have gone about tackling mathematical problems – and now some mathematicians are opting to avoid AI altogether

Science scienceresearchsociety
NASA News Oct 20 Score 0.7278627259259259

Webb Captures Stellar Jets

An image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope released on Oct. 6, 2026, reveals a cauldron of cosmic creation. Webb has unveiled numerous stars formerly hidden by clouds of dust in a stellar nursery known as NGC 7129, which resides about 3,300 light-years fr

Science sciencenasaspace
ScienceDaily — Top Science Oct 20 Score 0.7249950939814814

Scientists finally uncover why statins can cause muscle pain

Scientists have uncovered a surprising reason why statins, the widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs that help prevent heart attacks and strokes, can sometimes cause muscle pain, weakness, and even severe muscle damage. Using advanced imaging technology

Science scienceresearchdiscoveries
ScienceDaily — Top Science Oct 20 Score 0.7246872236111112

Hurricane warning maps are improving, but a dangerous problem remains

A new study reveals that improved hurricane forecast graphics may help people identify threatened areas without making them more likely to recognize the danger or take protective action. Researchers also found that a widespread misunderstanding of the hurrican

Science scienceresearchdiscoveries
ScienceDaily — Top Science Oct 20 Score 0.7242538902777778

Astronomers uncover new secrets of the Universe’s first five minutes

Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in understanding the Universe’s earliest moments, measuring the amount of helium formed in the first five minutes after the Big Bang with unprecedented precision. Using one of the world’s most powerful telescopes,

Science scienceresearchdiscoveries
InfoQ Oct 20 Score 0.7233022175925926

GitHub Actions Runner Controller 0.15.0 Targets Reliability at Scale

GitHub has released Actions Runner Controller (ARC) 0.15.0, introducing reliability, scalability, and observability improvements for organisations running self-hosted GitHub Actions runners on Kubernetes. By Craig Risi

IT itengineeringarchitecture
Google Cloud Blog Oct 20 Score 0.6974687935185184

Managed RAG search inside the sovereign perimeter: Gemini on GDC enterprise search

National security agencies and other sovereign and highly regulated organizations handle incredibly sensitive data such as classified reports, field manuals, and sensitive multi-modal datasets. Search and multimodal intelligence that’s available in the public

IT itgcpcloud
Marginal Revolution Oct 20 Score 0.6968804050925925

Saving for the machines

From Jesús Fernández-Villaverde: When machines can perform a growing share of tasks, growth depends on two margins: how the task structure affects the returns to accumulating machines, and how strongly capital accumulation responds to those returns. I argue th

Economy economyeconomicscommentaryblog
Google Cloud Blog Oct 20 Score 0.6924687935185184

Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Sonnet 5.5 are now available in Google Antigravity

Whether you are iterating on a quick bug fix or planning a complex migration, different tasks call for different models. In keeping with Google Cloud's commitment to an open ecosystem and to give developers the right model for every job, Claude Opus 5.5 and Cl

IT itgcpcloud
Marginal Revolution Oct 20 Score 0.6923841087962962

Tuesday assorted links

1. Freddie as AI skeptic (and I have given my predictions in fact). 2. Claims about Shakespeare and Marlowe. 3. How did "artificial intelligence" get its name? 4. How is the econ job market this year? 5. AI can now ace econometric coding. 6. The quasi-Riemann

Economy economyeconomicscommentaryblog
Marginal Revolution Oct 20 Score 0.6737831828703703

The net fiscal impact of immigration should include gains from trade

Immigration affects natives through both labor markets and public budgets, yet these channels are usually studied separately. We combine them in a general-equilibrium model with search-and-matching frictions, skill-specific progressive labor taxes, capital tax

Economy economyeconomicscommentaryblog
Marginal Revolution Oct 20 Score 0.6727086458333332

On Brazilian food

Every now and then I will write a piece on food for Works in Progress. Here is my piece on eating in Brazil: Brazil, like most large nations, also offers multiple cuisines. For instance you can go to Minas Gerais for pork and beans. Minas beans would be my fav

Economy economyeconomicscommentaryblog