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        <title>Ars Technica</title>
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        <link>https://arstechnica.com</link>
        <description>Serving the Technologist since 1998. News, reviews, and analysis.</description>
        <lastBuildDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 17:33:04 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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	<title>Ars Technica</title>
	<link>https://arstechnica.com</link>
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            <item>
                <title>Your doctor’s AI notetaker may be making things up, Ontario audit finds</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/your-doctors-ai-notetaker-may-be-making-things-up-ontario-audit-finds/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/your-doctors-ai-notetaker-may-be-making-things-up-ontario-audit-finds/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Kyle Orland]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 17:28:43 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[audit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[doctor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ontario]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scribe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[summary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tools]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/your-doctors-ai-notetaker-may-be-making-things-up-ontario-audit-finds/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Made-up therapy referrals, incorrect prescriptions among the common mistakes.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>In recent years, many overworked doctors have turned to <a href="https://www.athelas.com/tbh/what-is-ai-medical-scribe">so-called AI medical scribes</a> to help automatically summarize patient conversations, diagnoses, and care decisions into structured notes for health record logging. But a recent audit by the auditor general of Ontario found that AI scribes recommended by the provincial government regularly generated incorrect, incomplete and hallucinated information that could "potentially result in inadequate or harmful treatment plans that may potentially impact patient health outcomes."</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/specialreports/specialaudits/en2026/AR_2026_AI_EN.html">recent report on Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Ontario Government</a>, the auditor general reviewed transcription tests of two simulated patient-doctor conversations performed across 20 AI scribe vendors that were approved and pre-qualified by the provincial government for purchase by healthcare providers. All 20 of those vendors showed some issue with accuracy or completeness in at least one of these simple tests, including nine that hallucinated patient information, 12 that recorded information incorrectly, and 17 that missed key details about discussed mental health issues.</p>
<p>In the report, the auditor general points out multiple concerning examples of mistakes in those summaries that could have a direct and negative impact on a patient's subsequent care. That includes situations where an AI scribe hallucinated nonexistent referrals for blood tests or therapy, incorrectly transcribed the names of prescription medication, and/or missed "key details" of mental health issues discussed in the simulated conversations.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/your-doctors-ai-notetaker-may-be-making-things-up-ontario-audit-finds/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/your-doctors-ai-notetaker-may-be-making-things-up-ontario-audit-finds/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2171717851-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images</media:credit><media:text>OK, my AI notes here says you were referred for a total heart removal, let me just get that squared away for you...</media:text></media:content>
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                <title>Vaporware or not? Aptera assembles its first five validation models.</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/vaporware-or-not-aptera-assembles-its-first-five-validation-models/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/vaporware-or-not-aptera-assembles-its-first-five-validation-models/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jonathan M. Gitlin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 17:06:23 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Cars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aptera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vaporware]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/vaporware-or-not-aptera-assembles-its-first-five-validation-models/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The three-wheel, two-seat EV has been in development since 2006.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Among the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/theres-a-lot-of-hype-about-chinese-evs-is-any-of-it-true/">many advantages</a> the Chinese auto industry appears to have over foreign competitors is its ability to quickly turn a new idea into a car that customers can buy. At the other end of the spectrum, we have Aptera, which has been trying to bring a three-wheeled, ultra-efficient electric vehicle to market since 2006. Clearly, there have been more than a few stumbles along the way, but this week, the long-running saga got a new verse as the first validation models were assembled, bringing the EV one step closer to the market.</p>
<p>Aptera's new low-volume assembly line is in Carlsbad, California, and workers there just assembled five EVs, which make their way through 14 stations. “Every vehicle we run through this line teaches us something,” said Chris Anthony, co-CEO of Aptera Motors. “With five vehicles now off the line, we have a growing foundation of data, a team that is getting sharper with every build, and a process that is proving itself in real time. That is what gives us confidence as we move toward our goal of customer deliveries.”</p>
<p>“What we are building here is not just vehicles but the system to build them well,” said Steve Fambro, co-CEO of Aptera Motors. “Each cycle through the line improves precision, efficiency, and repeatability. This is how we plan to meet our customers’ expectations when they finally get their hands on their own Aptera vehicle.”</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/vaporware-or-not-aptera-assembles-its-first-five-validation-models/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/vaporware-or-not-aptera-assembles-its-first-five-validation-models/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>16</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/0C0A5419-1-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/0C0A5419-1-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Aptera Motors</media:credit><media:text>These are the first five Apteras to be built on its new low-volume assembly line in Carlsbad, California.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Cisco announces record revenue and 4,000 layoffs in the same day</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/05/cisco-announces-record-revenue-and-4000-layoffs-in-the-same-day/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/05/cisco-announces-record-revenue-and-4000-layoffs-in-the-same-day/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Scharon Harding]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 16:47:43 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Biz & IT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cisco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[layoffs]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/05/cisco-announces-record-revenue-and-4000-layoffs-in-the-same-day/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Layoffs are "not a savings-driven resutrcture," CFO says. ]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Following a quarter in which his company delivered record revenue, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins announced that the company's latest round of layoffs begins today.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://blogs.cisco.com/news/our-path-forward">blog post</a> yesterday, Robbins was quick to boast that Cisco’s fiscal Q3 2026 earnings saw revenue increase 12 percent year-over-year to $15.8 billion. He told employees that he and the rest of Cisco’s executive leadership team “could not be prouder of the growth you have all delivered for Cisco.”</p>
<p>But that pride could apparently not save the company’s successful employees from unemployment.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/05/cisco-announces-record-revenue-and-4000-layoffs-in-the-same-day/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/05/cisco-announces-record-revenue-and-4000-layoffs-in-the-same-day/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>20</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2251821138-1024x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1024" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2251821138-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images</media:credit><media:text>The Cisco Systems GmbH headquarters building in Garching, Germany. </media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Forecasters predict wildfires, floods, severe heatwaves from incoming El Niño</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/forecasters-predict-wildfires-floods-severe-heatwaves-from-incoming-el-nino/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/forecasters-predict-wildfires-floods-severe-heatwaves-from-incoming-el-nino/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 13:09:46 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drought]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[El Niño]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/forecasters-predict-wildfires-floods-severe-heatwaves-from-incoming-el-nino/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Ocean heat plus human-caused global warming is a grim recipe for deadly climate extremes.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Scientists said this week that a developing El Niño is likely to amplify heatwaves, droughts and floods this year, but warned that the long-term warming caused by burning fossil fuels remains the main driver of climate extremes.</p>
<p>El Niño is the warm phase of a semi-regular temperature oscillation in the tropical Pacific Ocean, during which massive amounts of heat stored in the ocean are released into the atmosphere, temporarily raising the average annual global surface temperature by as much as 0.3 degrees Fahrenheit.</p>
<p>During an online briefing this week, researchers said that the consequences of a moderate or strong El Niño today are more damaging than those of similar events just a few decades ago because the entire global climate system is now substantially warmer.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/forecasters-predict-wildfires-floods-severe-heatwaves-from-incoming-el-nino/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/forecasters-predict-wildfires-floods-severe-heatwaves-from-incoming-el-nino/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>50</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/spain-wildfire-1024x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1024" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/spain-wildfire-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Carlos Gil Andreu / Getty </media:credit><media:text>Spaniards fought wildfires in Spain in July 2022 that spread through dry fields and forests.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Motorola Razr Fold review: Fits neatly in your pocket but not your budget</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/motorola-razr-fold-review-looking-for-an-edge/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/motorola-razr-fold-review-looking-for-an-edge/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ryan Whitwam]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 13:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foldables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[motorola]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[motorola razr fold]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartphones]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/motorola-razr-fold-review-looking-for-an-edge/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The Razr Fold has a lot going for it, but like all foldables, it's wildly expensive.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Motorola was early to foldable phones, announcing its first Razr-branded foldable in 2019. Since then, the company has churned out a series of foldable flip phones, but the new Razr Fold is its first attempt at a tablet-style foldable. Samsung, Google, and others have been making devices like this for a while, so we know the formula, and the Razr Fold doesn't change the game.</p>
<p>Like the competition, the Razr Fold has flagship specs and a giant foldable display that fits in your pocket. It also comes with a hefty $1,900 price tag. While Motorola has made progress overcoming some traditional shortcomings of foldables, the phone still feels rather impractical, while still being very cool.</p>
<p>Is "cool" enough reason to spend almost two grand on a phone, though?</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/motorola-razr-fold-review-looking-for-an-edge/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/motorola-razr-fold-review-looking-for-an-edge/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>32</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Razr-Fold-3-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Razr-Fold-3-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Ryan Whitwam</media:credit><media:text>The Razr Fold is Moto's first big foldable with an 8.1-inch internal screen.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Desperate Trump taps &quot;Tim Apple,&quot; Jensen Huang, Elon Musk to attend Xi summit</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/desperate-trump-taps-tim-apple-jensen-huang-elon-musk-to-attend-xi-summit/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/desperate-trump-taps-tim-apple-jensen-huang-elon-musk-to-attend-xi-summit/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ashley Belanger]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 11:00:58 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apple]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elon Musk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jensen Huang]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NVIDIA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[semiconductors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Taiwan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tim Cook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[us-china trade war]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xi Jinping]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/desperate-trump-taps-tim-apple-jensen-huang-elon-musk-to-attend-xi-summit/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Xi meeting may force Trump to pivot on chip restrictions and Taiwan.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Donald Trump has very little leverage heading into two days of meetings with China's leader, Xi Jinping, in Beijing this week, experts say.</p>
<p>The thinking goes that Trump came into office with a plan that has since largely failed. He hoped to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, settle things down with Israel and Gaza, launch his Liberation Day tariffs, and quickly diversify US supply chains, all of which would have given him substantial leverage over China.</p>
<p>But none of that happened, and instead, Trump's escalations in Iran have only handed China even more leverage heading into talks, and Xi knows it.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/desperate-trump-taps-tim-apple-jensen-huang-elon-musk-to-attend-xi-summit/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/desperate-trump-taps-tim-apple-jensen-huang-elon-musk-to-attend-xi-summit/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>138</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2243556893-1024x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1024" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2243556893-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Contributor | AFP</media:credit><media:text>Donald Trump struck a trade truce with China's President Xi Jinping last year.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Solar drone with jumbo jet wingspan broke a flight record—then it crashed</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/solar-drone-with-jumbo-jet-wingspan-broke-a-flight-record-then-it-crashed/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/solar-drone-with-jumbo-jet-wingspan-broke-a-flight-record-then-it-crashed/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jeremy Hsu]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 21:48:27 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[commercial drones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drone strikes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[military drones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Skydweller Aero]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar impulse 2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar powered aircraft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[US Navy]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/solar-drone-with-jumbo-jet-wingspan-broke-a-flight-record-then-it-crashed/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The final flight and complex legacy of a pioneering solar-powered aircraft.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>A solar-powered drone has been lost at sea after a record-breaking flight lasting eight days between late April and early May. The crash also marks the untimely demise of the pioneering aircraft Solar Impulse 2, which previously performed the world’s first <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/06/solar-impulse-2-first-solar-power-atlantic-flight/">solar-powered crossings</a> of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans before becoming an uncrewed test platform for US military missions.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.skydweller.aero/perpetual-flight/">carbon-fiber aircraft</a> could perform such feats of aeronautical endurance while running solely on renewable energy and batteries because of a 236-foot (72-meter) wingspan—comparable to a Boeing 747 jumbo jet’s wings—covered with more than 17,000 solar cells. The company <a href="https://www.skydweller.aero/">Skydweller Aero</a> purchased and modified the original Solar Impulse 2 aircraft to become a test platform for “perpetual uncrewed flight” with the capability of carrying up to 800 pounds (363 kilograms) of payload.</p>
<p>Skydweller Aero was conducting <a href="https://www.skydweller.aero/news/skydweller-aero-successfully-demonstrates-perpetual-flight/">test flights</a> for maritime patrol mission scenarios with the US military, and the company also holds contracts with the <a href="https://www.skydweller.aero/news/skydweller-aero-navy-contract-beyond-5g/">Navy</a> and <a href="https://www.skydweller.aero/news/usaf-awards-skydweller-nokia-federal-contract-for-airborne-5g-network/">Air Force</a>. So the Skydweller drone was operating in that capacity when it took off on its final flight in the early morning hours of April 26.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/solar-drone-with-jumbo-jet-wingspan-broke-a-flight-record-then-it-crashed/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/solar-drone-with-jumbo-jet-wingspan-broke-a-flight-record-then-it-crashed/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>48</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/skydweller-predawn-flight-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Skydweller Aero</media:credit><media:text>The solar-powered drone operated by Skydweller Aero has wings as wide as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.</media:text></media:content>
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                <title>FCC angers small carriers by helping AT&#038;T and Starlink buy EchoStar spectrum</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-angers-small-carriers-by-helping-att-and-starlink-buy-echostar-spectrum/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-angers-small-carriers-by-helping-att-and-starlink-buy-echostar-spectrum/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jon Brodkin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 20:44:38 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AT&T]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EchoStar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FCC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spacex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[starlink]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-angers-small-carriers-by-helping-att-and-starlink-buy-echostar-spectrum/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Approval is no surprise after FCC chair pressured EchoStar to sell licenses.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>The Federal Communications Commission yesterday <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-secures-win-americas-leadership-next-gen-connectivity">approved</a> EchoStar's sales of spectrum licenses to AT&amp;T and Starlink operator SpaceX. The deals are worth $40 billion in total.</p>
<p>The orders, issued by the agency's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Space Bureau, aren't surprising given that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr essentially forced EchoStar to sell the licenses. Last year, Carr <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/05/fcc-threatens-echostar-licenses-for-spectrum-that-spacex-wants-to-use/">threatened to revoke</a> the licenses after <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1041417129693/1">SpaceX alleged</a> that EchoStar subsidiary Dish Network “barely uses” the spectrum to provide mobile service to US consumers.</p>
<p>Dish had obtained a deadline extension for its network deployment obligations from the Biden-era FCC, and Carr objected to the agreement made with the previous administration. After Carr's threat, the Charlie Ergen-led EchoStar struck deals to sell spectrum licenses to <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/09/spacex-complaints-to-fcc-pay-off-with-17-billion-spectrum-buy-from-echostar/">SpaceX for $17 billion</a> and to <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/08/att-to-buy-echostar-spectrum-for-23b-further-entrenching-big-3-oligopoly/">AT&amp;T for $23 billion</a>.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-angers-small-carriers-by-helping-att-and-starlink-buy-echostar-spectrum/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-angers-small-carriers-by-helping-att-and-starlink-buy-echostar-spectrum/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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<media:credit>Getty Images | Joan Cros Garcia-Corbis</media:credit><media:text>AT&amp;T's stand at Mobile World Congress on February 27, 2023, in Barcelona, Spain.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Protein in Homo erectus teeth suggests Denisovans gave us some of their DNA</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/protein-in-homo-erectus-teeth-suggests-denisovans-gave-us-some-of-their-dna/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/protein-in-homo-erectus-teeth-suggests-denisovans-gave-us-some-of-their-dna/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[John Timmer]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 20:27:54 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Denisovans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[evolution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homo erectus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human evolution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paleontology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[proteins]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/protein-in-homo-erectus-teeth-suggests-denisovans-gave-us-some-of-their-dna/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Distinct form of tooth protein in <i>Homo erectus</i> shows up in Denisovans&#8212;and us.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Humanity's ancestry has grown far clearer thanks to our ability to obtain ancient DNA. We now know that, as humans left Africa, they interbred with the groups they met there, Neanderthals and Denisovans. Evidence from the Denisovan genome also suggests that this was nothing new; the Denisovans had apparently interbred with an even earlier group. But the identity of that group remained a bit of a mystery.</p>
<p>Now, some evidence from ancient proteins suggests that the mystery group was <em>Homo erectus</em>, a species that left Africa over a million years ago and spread throughout Eurasia. And, thanks to the Denisovans, it appears that modern humans inherited some of that <i>Homo erectus</i> DNA.</p>
<h2>In the teeth</h2>
<p>Without access to all the repair enzymes made by living cells, DNA rapidly degrades. The double helix fragments, and bases change identity or fall off entirely. While cooler, drier environments slow this process, it sets a hard limit on how far back in time we can obtain DNA sequences. So far, it seems that <i>Homo erectus</i> remains on the far side of that time limit.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/protein-in-homo-erectus-teeth-suggests-denisovans-gave-us-some-of-their-dna/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/protein-in-homo-erectus-teeth-suggests-denisovans-gave-us-some-of-their-dna/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>14</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-1152x648.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-500x500.jpeg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Qiaomei Fu, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences</media:credit><media:text>One of the teeth used in the analysis.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Foiled plot tried to sneak 49 lbs of cocaine into Australia via Xerox printers</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/foiled-plot-tried-to-sneak-49-lbs-of-cocaine-into-australia-via-xerox-printers/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/foiled-plot-tried-to-sneak-49-lbs-of-cocaine-into-australia-via-xerox-printers/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Scharon Harding]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 20:06:09 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[3d printers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[australia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[printers]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/foiled-plot-tried-to-sneak-49-lbs-of-cocaine-into-australia-via-xerox-printers/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The drugs had an estimated worth of over $9 million USD. ]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Four Australian men have given new meaning to the term “<a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/hp-avoids-monetary-damages-over-bricked-printers-in-class-action-settlement/">bricked printers</a>.”</p>
<p>According to a press release from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) today, three men have been sentenced for trying to use five printers to smuggle 22.4 kg (49.4 pounds) of cocaine into Australia.</p>
<p>In 2019, Australian news outlets <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/mick-gatto-danny-awad-and-john-tambakakis-sentenced-to-15-years-news-melbourne/1f121762-891b-4414-8e5f-23a2dfd6346e">reported</a> that the printers were Xerox brand and that the drugs had a street value of approximately 9.3 million AUD to over 12.4 million AUD ($6.7 million to over $9 million).</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/foiled-plot-tried-to-sneak-49-lbs-of-cocaine-into-australia-via-xerox-printers/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/foiled-plot-tried-to-sneak-49-lbs-of-cocaine-into-australia-via-xerox-printers/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>69</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:credit>Tony Avelar/Bloomberg via Getty Images</media:credit></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>AI invades Princeton, where 30% of students cheat—but peers won&#039;t snitch</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ai-driven-cheating-widespread-even-at-elite-schools-like-princeton/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ai-driven-cheating-widespread-even-at-elite-schools-like-princeton/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Nate Anderson]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 19:47:24 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Princeton]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ai-driven-cheating-widespread-even-at-elite-schools-like-princeton/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Old "honor code" systems are under strain.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Pity poor Princeton.</p>
<p>The ultra-elite university has a <a href="https://finance.princeton.edu/report-treasurer">mere $38 billion</a> in endowment money. Many of its dorms <a href="https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2023/09/princeton-opinion-column-rising-heat-dangerous-princeton-must-act-to-install-air-conditioning-for-all-dorm-building">lack air conditioning</a>. And it's in New Jersey.</p>
<p>I kid about New Jersey, of course. Despite <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/09/business/new-jersey-gas-station-self-service-ban">not being allowed to pump one's own gas</a> there, the "Garden State" grew on me during three years spent in the Princeton area. I still keep up with its goings-on, which led me to <a href="https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2026/05/princeton-news-adpol-proctoring-in-person-examinations-passed-faculty-133-years-precedent">this week's article in the Daily Princetonian</a> on how AI was disrupting the university's long-running traditions.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ai-driven-cheating-widespread-even-at-elite-schools-like-princeton/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ai-driven-cheating-widespread-even-at-elite-schools-like-princeton/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>151</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-128091999-1152x648-1778700444.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-128091999-500x500-1778700429.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images</media:credit><media:text>Students at Princeton.</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>The physics of how Olympic weightlifters exploit barbell&#039;s &quot;whip&quot;</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/the-physics-of-how-olympic-weightlifters-exploit-barbells-whip/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/the-physics-of-how-olympic-weightlifters-exploit-barbells-whip/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jennifer Ouellette]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 19:05:35 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acoustics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Physics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports science]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/the-physics-of-how-olympic-weightlifters-exploit-barbells-whip/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The type of bar matters when it comes to how it bends and recoils, but why is still a mystery.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Olympic weightlifting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_weightlifting">consists</a> of three basic movements performed on a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbell">barbell</a>: the snatch, the clean, and the jerk (with the latter two executed in combination). At such an elite level, athletes seek to exploit every possible advantage, including how a barbell bends and recoils in response to loaded weight and applied force—a property known as flexural bending in physics and dubbed the "whip" by Olympic athletes. Scientists are learning more about the underlying mechanisms of the whip, according to a presentation at <a href="https://acousticalsociety.org/philadelphia/">this week's meeting</a> of the Acoustical Society of America in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>Joshua Langlois, a graduate student at Pennsylvania State University, competes in Strongman competitions as a hobby. He also has friends who compete at the national level in Olympic weight-lifting events. "They told me how they use the whip," Langlois said during a media briefing. "When they dip down, they can feel when the bar flexes back up and use that to accelerate the movement upward to increase the amount they can lift."</p>
<p>Langlois decided to conduct a modal analysis, i.e., how an object moves or vibrates, to quantify the whip and better understand the mechanics, as well as what makes for a good barbell at the elite level. He suspended four 20-kg men's barbells (women use 15-kg barbells)—with 50 kg loaded on each end—from elastic resistance bands so that the bar was essentially floating in space. Then he attached accelerometers at each end of the bar where the vibrational mode patterns occur. Next, he tapped set locations across the bar with a small hammer, measuring the acceleration at the endpoints, which enabled him to map out how the bars moved in response. He compared the vibrations of different barbells, as well as a single barbell loaded with different weights.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/the-physics-of-how-olympic-weightlifters-exploit-barbells-whip/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/the-physics-of-how-olympic-weightlifters-exploit-barbells-whip/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>33</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:credit>Binyamin Mellish/CC0</media:credit></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>NASA provides some details about Artemis III, but hard decisions remain</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/nasa-provides-some-details-about-artemis-iii-but-hard-decisions-remain/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/nasa-provides-some-details-about-artemis-iii-but-hard-decisions-remain/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Eric Berger]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 18:37:29 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[artemis iii]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lunar landers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NASA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[orion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[space]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/nasa-provides-some-details-about-artemis-iii-but-hard-decisions-remain/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA["NASA also is defining the concept of operations for the mission."]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>NASA announced Wednesday that it will fly the Artemis III mission in low-Earth orbit and that it continues to target 2027 for this stepping-stone flight that will help land humans on the Moon.</p>
<p>The space agency chose the orbit close to Earth—as opposed to a higher orbit—because it would preserve the final remaining Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for launching the Artemis IV landing mission later this decade. Instead, NASA will use a "spacer" to simulate the mass and overall dimensions of an upper stage but without propulsive capabilities.</p>
<p>The additional information released this week follows a decision made by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman three months ago to <a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/02/nasa-shakes-up-its-artemis-program-to-speed-up-lunar-return/">shuffle the agency's Artemis plans</a> in order to accelerate a lunar landing.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/nasa-provides-some-details-about-artemis-iii-but-hard-decisions-remain/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/nasa-provides-some-details-about-artemis-iii-but-hard-decisions-remain/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>66</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/55193180468_5de0cf977a_o-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
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<media:credit>NASA</media:credit><media:text>A crescent Earth slips behind the limb of the Moon in this view recorded by the Artemis II crew Monday.</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>A new US military wargame series began by simulating a nuclear weapon in orbit</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/a-new-us-military-wargame-series-began-by-simulating-a-nuclear-weapon-in-orbit/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/a-new-us-military-wargame-series-began-by-simulating-a-nuclear-weapon-in-orbit/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Stephen Clark]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 18:04:33 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commercial space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[military space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nuclear weapons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[space command]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[space force]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stephen whiting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[us space command]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[US Space Force]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/a-new-us-military-wargame-series-began-by-simulating-a-nuclear-weapon-in-orbit/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>US Space Command is inviting commercial companies to participate in a new series of classified wargames. The first exercise simulated a scenario involving a potential nuclear detonation in orbit.</p>
<p>Gen. Stephen Whiting, the senior officer in charge of Space Command, discussed the new wargame series Tuesday in a discussion hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Space Command is responsible for military activities in space and is separate from the Space Force, which provides the people and equipment to support those operations.</p>
<p>The new wargames, called Apollo Insight, combine military and commercial expertise to respond to simulated threats in space. Space Command plans to conduct four Apollo Insight "tabletop exercises" this year.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/a-new-us-military-wargame-series-began-by-simulating-a-nuclear-weapon-in-orbit/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/a-new-us-military-wargame-series-began-by-simulating-a-nuclear-weapon-in-orbit/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>58</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/8794937-1152x648-1778693220.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/8794937-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>US Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich</media:credit><media:text>Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of US Space Command, delivers a keynote address during the Space Force Association’s 2024 Spacepower Conference in Orlando, Florida, on December 11, 2024.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Neanderthals drilled cavities to treat a toothache 59,000 years ago</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/neanderthals-drilled-cavities-to-treat-a-toothache-59000-years-ago/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/neanderthals-drilled-cavities-to-treat-a-toothache-59000-years-ago/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Kiona N. Smith]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 18:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anthropology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bioarchaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Neanderthals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[osteoarchaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paleoanthropology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teeth]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/neanderthals-drilled-cavities-to-treat-a-toothache-59000-years-ago/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[“Every time I go to the dentist, I think about that guy,” researcher says.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>The world’s first dentist was a Neanderthal, according to a recent study.</p>
<p>59,000 years ago in what’s now southwestern Siberia, a Neanderthal had a toothache. It must have been a doozy because they were desperate enough to sit still while someone drilled into the tooth with a sharp stone tool, removing the infected tissue and ultimately relieving the pain.</p>
<p>The process left behind a hole in the tooth that paleoanthropologist Alisa Zubova of the Russian Academy of Sciences and her colleagues recognized, tens of millennia later, as dental work. Archaeologists unearthed the tooth at Chagyrskaya Cave in Russia, and it’s now the oldest known evidence of dentistry—or <i>any</i> direct medical treatment.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/neanderthals-drilled-cavities-to-treat-a-toothache-59000-years-ago/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/neanderthals-drilled-cavities-to-treat-a-toothache-59000-years-ago/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>61</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/molar-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/molar-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Zubova et al. 2026</media:credit><media:text>The hole in the chewing surface of this molar was drilled by a Neanderthal with a stone tool.</media:text></media:content>
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                <title>Altman forced to confront claims at OpenAI trial that he&#039;s a prolific liar</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/altman-forced-to-confront-claims-at-openai-trial-that-hes-a-prolific-liar/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/altman-forced-to-confront-claims-at-openai-trial-that-hes-a-prolific-liar/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ashley Belanger]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 17:48:05 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[agi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[artificial general intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elon Musk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[openai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sam altman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[xAI]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/altman-forced-to-confront-claims-at-openai-trial-that-hes-a-prolific-liar/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA["Very painful": Altman relives his Muskian reaction to losing control over OpenAI.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Elon Musk and Sam Altman had very different experiences while testifying at a <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/musk-and-altman-face-off-in-trial-that-will-determine-openais-future/">trial that will determine OpenAI's future</a>, including who runs it, where its research funding comes from, and who can profit from its boldest new technologies.</p>
<p>Musk—who filed the lawsuit alleging that OpenAI under its current leadership has abandoned its nonprofit mission to build AI that benefits humanity and instead serves to enrich people like Altman—<a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/elon-musks-7-biggest-stumbles-on-the-stand-at-openai-trial/">spent three grueling days on the stand</a>. At times, he lost his temper, as OpenAI's lawyer, William Savitt, tried to poke holes in Musk's claims that OpenAI executives teamed up with Microsoft to "steal a charity" after duping Musk into donating $38 million in early funding.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Altman did not face such a grilling from Musk's lawyer, Steven Molo. Instead, Altman appeared jittery at first but steeled his nerves rather quickly. He hopped off the stand after about four hours of rather calmly discussing evidence that he's hoping shows that Musk's claims about OpenAI's for-profit restructuring are disingenuous. Since Musk filed the lawsuit, Altman has insisted that Musk is only after revenge, supposedly stemming from his jealousy that he was not picked as OpenAI's CEO and that his rival company, xAI, now lags behind.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/altman-forced-to-confront-claims-at-openai-trial-that-hes-a-prolific-liar/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/altman-forced-to-confront-claims-at-openai-trial-that-hes-a-prolific-liar/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>82</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2275321598-1152x648-1778689523.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2275321598-500x500-1778689508.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>JOSH EDELSON / Contributor | AFP</media:credit><media:text>Sam Altman testified Tuesday during the trial over Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Windows Update is getting better at saving your PC from buggy drivers</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/windows-update-is-getting-better-at-saving-your-pc-from-buggy-drivers/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/windows-update-is-getting-better-at-saving-your-pc-from-buggy-drivers/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Andrew Cunningham]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 17:20:01 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[windows 11]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[windows 11 24h2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[windows 11 25h2]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/windows-update-is-getting-better-at-saving-your-pc-from-buggy-drivers/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Driver recovery can automate what used to be an irritating manual process.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Hardware driver updates can be a blessing and a curse. When they're good, they can fix bugs, improve performance, and add new capabilities, giving your PC a minor upgrade without requiring any extra effort or investment. When they're bad, they can make a once-reliable PC slower and unstable, handing you a one-way ticket to blue screen town (or <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/06/microsoft-is-trying-to-get-antivirus-software-away-from-the-windows-kernel/">whatever color the Windows error screen is these days</a>).</p>
<p>While gamers and other enthusiasts may be in the habit of downloading and installing new driver updates for their systems, most PC users just let Windows Update handle driver installation and updates. PC manufacturers can submit their own tested and validated versions of drivers for distribution via Windows Update, which (at least in theory) should maximize stability and minimize problems.</p>
<p>But mistakes happen, and sometimes a driver update is distributed that causes more problems than it fixes. Normally when this happens, the company either needs to submit an updated fixed driver to Windows Update, or the user is on the hook for either rolling back the update or finding and downloading a better driver themselves.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/windows-update-is-getting-better-at-saving-your-pc-from-buggy-drivers/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/windows-update-is-getting-better-at-saving-your-pc-from-buggy-drivers/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>64</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/windows-11-band-aid-patch-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/windows-11-band-aid-patch-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Aurich Lawson / Ars Technica</media:credit></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Amazon devices chief says a new smartphone is “just not the goal”</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/amazon-exec-downplays-new-fire-phone-rumors-no-clear-path-that-makes-sense/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/amazon-exec-downplays-new-fire-phone-rumors-no-clear-path-that-makes-sense/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Scharon Harding]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 17:06:57 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amazon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[amazon alexa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartphone]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/amazon-exec-downplays-new-fire-phone-rumors-no-clear-path-that-makes-sense/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA["We know what customers need right now.”]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>In March, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/amazon-plans-smartphone-comeback-more-than-decade-after-fire-phone-flop-2026-03-20/">Reuters</a> reported that <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/amazon-is-reportedly-developing-an-ai-centric-smartphone/">Amazon was developing a new smartphone</a>. Citing four anonymous “people familiar with the matter,” the publication said that Amazon was exploring using Alexa as an operating system and developing the phone, codenamed Transformer, to push people to use Amazon’s AI and other services. At the time, the sources said that Transformer could still be canceled, and Amazon declined to comment on the report to Ars Technica.</p>
<p>In an interview published on the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/99ab7093-d680-40ad-baa7-1c32302bb363">Financial Times</a> (FT) today, Panos Panay, Amazon's head of devices and services, said building a new phone isn’t Amazon’s goal.</p>
<p>The company already tried selling a smartphone in 2014, but it discontinued the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/07/review-amazons-fire-phone-offers-new-gimmicks-old-platform-growing-pains/">Fire Phone</a> about a year later following <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/23/amazon-fire-phone-flops/">poor sales</a>.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/amazon-exec-downplays-new-fire-phone-rumors-no-clear-path-that-makes-sense/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/amazon-exec-downplays-new-fire-phone-rumors-no-clear-path-that-makes-sense/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>32</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IMG_9877-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IMG_9877-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Andrew Cunningham</media:credit><media:text>The original Amazon Fire Phone from 2014.</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Anthropic blames dystopian sci-fi for training AI models to act “evil”</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/anthropic-blames-dystopian-sci-fi-for-training-ai-models-to-act-evil/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/anthropic-blames-dystopian-sci-fi-for-training-ai-models-to-act-evil/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Kyle Orland]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 16:31:18 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthropic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clause]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[morals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sci-fi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/anthropic-blames-dystopian-sci-fi-for-training-ai-models-to-act-evil/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[But training on "synthetic stories" that model good AI behavior can help.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Those with an interest in <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tag/ai-alignment/">the concept of AI alignment</a> (i.e., getting AIs to stick to human-authored ethical rules) may remember when Anthropic claimed its Opus 4 model <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/08/is-ai-really-trying-to-escape-human-control-and-blackmail-people/">resorted to blackmail to stay online</a> in a theoretical testing scenario last year. Now, <a href="https://x.com/AnthropicAI/status/2052808787514228772">Anthropic says</a> it thinks this "misalignment" was primarily the result of training on "internet text that portrays AI as evil and interested in self-preservation."</p>
<p>In <a href="https://alignment.anthropic.com/2026/teaching-claude-why/">a recent technical post on Anthropic's Alignment Science blog</a> (and an accompanying <a href="https://x.com/AnthropicAI/status/2052808787514228772">social media thread</a> and <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/research/teaching-claude-why">public-facing blog post</a>), Anthropic researchers lay out their attempts to correct for the kind of "unsafe" AI behavior that "the model most likely learned... through science fiction stories, many of which depict an AI that is not as aligned as we would like Claude to be." In the end, the model maker says the best remedy for overriding those "evil AI" stories might be additional training with synthetic stories showing an AI acting ethically.</p>
<h2>"The beginning of a dramatic story..."</h2>
<p>After a model's initial training on a large corpus of mostly Internet-derived data, Anthropic follows a post-training process intended to nudge the final model toward being "helpful, honest, and harmless" (HHH). In the past, Anthropic said this post-training has leaned on chat-based reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), which it said was "sufficient" for models used mostly for chatting with users.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/anthropic-blames-dystopian-sci-fi-for-training-ai-models-to-act-evil/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/anthropic-blames-dystopian-sci-fi-for-training-ai-models-to-act-evil/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>174</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-1155287857-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-1155287857-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images</media:credit><media:text>Don't blame me, I'm just copying the robots in my favorite sci-fi stories!</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Gravitational lens shows a galaxy just 800 million years post-Big Bang</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/gravitational-lens-shows-a-galaxy-just-800-million-years-post-big-bang/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/gravitational-lens-shows-a-galaxy-just-800-million-years-post-big-bang/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jacek Krywko]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 15:53:20 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[astronomy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[galaxy evolution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gravitational lens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Webb telescope]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/gravitational-lens-shows-a-galaxy-just-800-million-years-post-big-bang/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Early galaxy has elements produced by the Universe's first supernovae.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>For decades, astronomers looking through telescopes like Hubble have been trying to catch a glimpse of the ancient epoch when the Universe's first generation of stars ignited. But the small galaxies that were the building blocks of the cosmos we know today were too faint to spot, even by the most powerful instruments. Now it seems astronomers finally have two things on their side: the Webb Space Telescope and a bit of luck.</p>
<p>In a recent paper in Nature, a team of scientists led by Kimihiko Nakajima, an astronomer at the Kanazawa University, Japan, used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe an ultra-faint galaxy called LAP1-B as it existed roughly 800 million years after the Big Bang. It’s the most chemically primitive galaxy we’ve ever seen.</p>
<h2>The magnifying glass</h2>
<p>The LAP1-B is 13 billion light-years away from Earth. To observe an object that faint and distant, even the huge, gold-coated beryllium mirrors of JWST were not enough on their own. We spotted it due to a massive cluster of galaxies called the MACS J046, which warps the spacetime between us and the LAP1-B.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/gravitational-lens-shows-a-galaxy-just-800-million-years-post-big-bang/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/gravitational-lens-shows-a-galaxy-just-800-million-years-post-big-bang/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>19</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-1004x648.png" type="image/png" medium="image" width="1004" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-500x500.png" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>NASA</media:credit></media:content>
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