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        <title>Ars Technica</title>
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        <description>Serving the Technologist since 1998. News, reviews, and analysis.</description>
        <lastBuildDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 16:31:18 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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	<title>Ars Technica</title>
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            <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>
                
                <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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<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>
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                    <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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<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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                    <item>
                <title>Blue Origin may need external funding to hit ambitious launch targets</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/blue-origin-may-need-external-funding-to-hit-ambitious-launch-targets/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/blue-origin-may-need-external-funding-to-hit-ambitious-launch-targets/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Rafe Rosner-Uddin, Financial Times]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 14:20:04 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[artemis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blue origin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new glenn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[super heavy lift rocket]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syndication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[terawave]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/blue-origin-may-need-external-funding-to-hit-ambitious-launch-targets/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Are the pockets of Jeff Bezos not as deep as everyone thinks?]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Blue Origin is weighing its first external fundraising as part of a push by Jeff Bezos’ rocket venture to hit ambitious launch targets and tap investor appetite boosted by SpaceX’s upcoming initial public offering.</p>
<p>Chief Executive Dave Limp told employees at a recent all-hands meeting that the company would require outside investment if it were to significantly increase its launch cadence, according to details of the meeting from two people who attended.</p>
<p>He said it would “take a lot of capital” to achieve the number of rocket launches Blue Origin has targeted—more money than would be available with “just one investor,” the people added.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/blue-origin-may-need-external-funding-to-hit-ambitious-launch-targets/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/blue-origin-may-need-external-funding-to-hit-ambitious-launch-targets/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>25</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-2271539021-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Paul Hennesy/Anadolu via Getty Images</media:credit><media:text>Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, at 7:25 am EDT (11:25 UTC) April 19, 2026.</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Daredevil: Born Again S2 gives us a darker, grittier canvas</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/05/daredevil-born-again-s2-gives-us-a-darker-grittier-canvas/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/05/daredevil-born-again-s2-gives-us-a-darker-grittier-canvas/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jennifer Ouellette]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 13:15:19 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cinematography]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daredevil: Born Again]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disney plus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marvel studios]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mcu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MCU Phase Six]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[streaming television]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/05/daredevil-born-again-s2-gives-us-a-darker-grittier-canvas/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Cinematographer Hillary Fyfe Spera on how she kept things visually fresh for <em>Born Again</em>’s second season.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>We loved the first season of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daredevil:_Born_Again_season_2"><em>Daredevil: Born Again</em></a>, Marvel's hotly anticipated revival of the popular series in the Netflix <em>Defenders</em> universe, and its sophomore outing did not disappoint. The show just wrapped its critically acclaimed second season, with a third already well underway—all part of MCU's Phase Six master plan.</p>
<p><strong>(Some spoilers below, but we'll give you a heads up before any major S2 reveals.)</strong></p>
<p>From its inception, <em>Daredevil: Born Again</em> was built around the conflict between Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio), with Fisk attempting to leave his criminal past behind as the newly elected mayor of New York, and Murdock determined to abandon his vigilante activities as Daredevil to focus full time on his law practice.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/05/daredevil-born-again-s2-gives-us-a-darker-grittier-canvas/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/05/daredevil-born-again-s2-gives-us-a-darker-grittier-canvas/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:credit>Marvel Studios/Disney+</media:credit></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Rivian adds a new onboard AI assistant to its latest software update</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/rivian-adds-a-new-onboard-ai-assistant-to-its-latest-software-update/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/rivian-adds-a-new-onboard-ai-assistant-to-its-latest-software-update/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jonathan M. Gitlin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 12:45:30 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rivian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rivian Assistant]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/rivian-adds-a-new-onboard-ai-assistant-to-its-latest-software-update/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The Rivian Assistant is available for both Gen1 and Gen2 hardware.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Rivian has quickly built a reputation as one of the auto industry's leaders when it comes to vehicle software. Its clean-sheet approach to an electric vehicle's electronic architecture <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/06/vw-invests-5b-into-rivian-signaling-deep-tech-ties-and-collaborations/">earned it a $5 billion investment</a> from Volkswagen Group, and its in-house infotainment system is beloved by owners despite no plans inside the company to support phone mirroring through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.</p>
<p>In the absence of phone mirroring—and the way it lets you easily use Siri or Google Assistant hands-free while driving—Rivian has now added a new AI digital helper in its latest software update, compatible with both <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/09/rivians-67-500-314-mile-electric-adventure-truck-put-to-the-test/">older Gen1 Rivians</a> (model-year 2024 and older) as well as the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/06/rivians-revamped-r1-electric-pickup-and-suv-tested-on-and-off-road/">more recent Gen2 models</a>.</p>
<figure class="video ars-wp-video ars-wp-video--horizontal">
  <div class="" style="">
    <div class="wrapper ars-wp-video-wrapper relative" style="aspect-ratio: 1.5;">
      <video class="wp-video-shortcode absolute w-full h-full object-contain left-0 top-0" id="video-2154183-1" width="1080" height="720" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RivianAssistantDeepWater.mp4?_=1"></source>Rivian's AI is deeply integrated into the car's systems.</video>
    </div>

    <figcaption>
      <span class="icon caption-arrow icon-drop-indicator"></span>
      <div class="caption font-impact dusk:text-gray-300 mb-4 mt-2 inline-flex flex-row items-stretch gap-1 text-base leading-tight text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-300">
    <div class="caption-icon bg-[left_top_5px] w-[10px] shrink-0"></div>
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      Rivian's AI is deeply integrated into the car's systems.

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</figure>

<p>The Rivian Assistant rolled out in its <a href="https://stories.rivian.com/release-notes-software-update-2026">latest software update</a>, 2026.15, to all owners with a subscription or trial for Connect+, Rivian's connectivity services. You activate it like most digital assistants, either with a button on the steering wheel, an icon on the infotainment display, or with a trigger phrase—in this case, "Hey Rivian" or "OK, Rivian."</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/rivian-adds-a-new-onboard-ai-assistant-to-its-latest-software-update/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/rivian-adds-a-new-onboard-ai-assistant-to-its-latest-software-update/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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<media:credit>Rivian</media:credit><media:text>You can't get CarPlay in a Rivian, but as of the latest software update, you will get a new AI assistant if you're a Connect+ subscriber.</media:text></media:content>
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                    <item>
                <title>Could this be the moment that drug manufacturing takes off in orbit?</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/varda-signs-deal-with-major-us-pharma-firm-to-develop-drugs-in-space/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/varda-signs-deal-with-major-us-pharma-firm-to-develop-drugs-in-space/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Eric Berger]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pharmaceutical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Varda]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/varda-signs-deal-with-major-us-pharma-firm-to-develop-drugs-in-space/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA["I do think it's a really good historical moment for the space industry."]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>NASA has enabled scientists to study the impact of microgravity on drug development for decades, beginning with the Space Shuttle. This work accelerated in the 2010s, with the completion of the International Space Station and full-time crew members devoted to scientific research.</p>
<p>There have been some notable successes during this timeframe, such as the ability to grow a more uniform crystalline form of the cancer drug Keytruda <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41526-019-0090-3">in 2019</a>. This opened up the possibility of administering the drug via injection rather than requiring a patient to spend hours in a clinic setting to receive the drug intravenously.</p>
<p>NASA subsidized much of this work, typically paying the considerable costs to transport research to the ISS and for astronaut time to conduct research there. There were, however, trade-offs, such as long lead times to get research into space. Nevertheless, it has become clear that there could be some commercial applications for making drugs in space.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/varda-signs-deal-with-major-us-pharma-firm-to-develop-drugs-in-space/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/varda-signs-deal-with-major-us-pharma-firm-to-develop-drugs-in-space/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Varda_W3_Capsule-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Varda_W3_Capsule-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Varda</media:credit><media:text>Varda's W-3 capsule landed successfully at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia.</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>The newest AI boom pitch: Host a mini data center at your home</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/the-newest-ai-boom-pitch-host-a-mini-data-center-at-your-home/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/the-newest-ai-boom-pitch-host-a-mini-data-center-at-your-home/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jeremy Hsu]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 21:59:03 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ai data centers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI GPU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[data centers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GPU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NVIDIA]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/the-newest-ai-boom-pitch-host-a-mini-data-center-at-your-home/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[The plan aims to speed up AI compute deployment while compensating residents.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Data centers may be coming to your neighborhood as side installations associated with new homes—and in exchange would offer subsidized electricity and Internet access along with backup batteries to homeowners. The company behind the plan has already begun pilot testing in preparation for a 100-home trial run this year.</p>
<p>The “distributed data center solution” announced by the San Francisco startup SPAN would deploy thousands of XFRA nodes that contain liquid-cooled Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs operating with minimal noise, according to a <a href="https://www.span.io/blog/span-announces-xfra-a-distributed-data-center-solution-to-close-the-speed-to-power-gap-for-ai-compute-demand">press release.</a> By harnessing excess power capacity among US households, SPAN aims to quickly expand the available compute for AI workloads without the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/construction-delays-hit-40-of-us-data-centers-planned-for-2026/">costs and delays</a> associated with trying to build warehouse-size data centers.</p>
<p>“Data centers are loud, ugly, and often drive up local electricity bills,” said Chris Lander, vice president of XFRA at SPAN, in correspondence with Ars. “[This] is quiet, discreet, and makes energy more affordable for the host and community.”</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/the-newest-ai-boom-pitch-host-a-mini-data-center-at-your-home/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/the-newest-ai-boom-pitch-host-a-mini-data-center-at-your-home/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>212</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/XFRA-SPAN-Lifestyle-Brown-house-500x500.png" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>SPAN</media:credit><media:text>SPAN's XFRA node would sit alongside houses with a wall-mounted smart panel and backup battery nearby. </media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>FDA chief resigns after Trump admin forced approval of fruity e-cigs</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/fda-chief-resigns-after-trump-admin-forced-approval-of-fruity-e-cigs/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/fda-chief-resigns-after-trump-admin-forced-approval-of-fruity-e-cigs/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Beth Mole]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 21:26:47 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kennedy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marty Makary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trump]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/fda-chief-resigns-after-trump-admin-forced-approval-of-fruity-e-cigs/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Makary reportedly spent his year bucking Trump admin and making industry enemies.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Marty Makary on Tuesday resigned from his role as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, days after news broke on Friday that <a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/trump-reportedly-plans-to-fire-fda-commissioner-marty-makary/">the White House had signed off on plans to fire him</a>.</p>
<p>Trump confirmed Makary's resignation on social media, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116563249285039587">posting an image</a> that appears to show that Makary resigned from his role over a text message. The text message begins "Dr. President Trump[sic], Please accept my resignation, effective today."</p>
<p>Trump wrote in <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116563252057470018">another social media</a> post that Makary had "done a great job at the FDA," and that he was "a hard worker, who was respected by all, and will go on to have an outstanding career in Medicine."</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/fda-chief-resigns-after-trump-admin-forced-approval-of-fruity-e-cigs/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/05/fda-chief-resigns-after-trump-admin-forced-approval-of-fruity-e-cigs/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>101</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2271357224-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty | Jim WATSON</media:credit><media:text>FDA Commissioner Marty Makary speaks after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on April 18, 2026. T</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Twin brothers wipe 96 gov&#039;t databases minutes after being fired</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/drop-database-what-not-to-do-after-losing-an-it-job/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/drop-database-what-not-to-do-after-losing-an-it-job/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Nate Anderson]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 19:12:07 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[databases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hacking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[security]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/drop-database-what-not-to-do-after-losing-an-it-job/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[A case study in why credentials are revoked before firings.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>In the US, fired and laid-off workers often have their digital credentials deactivated before they learn about the loss of their jobs; indeed, the inability to log in to a corporate system may be the first an employee knows of the situation.</p>
<p>Although not a generous or humane approach to staff reduction, it does follow from the simple fact that a fired employee with access to company systems is a security risk.</p>
<p>Just ask the Akhter twin brothers, <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/12/previously-convicted-contractors-wiped-gov-databases-after-being-fired-feds-say/">accused of wiping out 96 databases</a> hosting US government information in the minutes after both were fired last year from their shared employer.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/drop-database-what-not-to-do-after-losing-an-it-job/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/drop-database-what-not-to-do-after-losing-an-it-job/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>156</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-1472540653-1152x648-1778610381.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-1472540653-500x500-1778610364.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images</media:credit></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>“Will I be OK?” Teen died after ChatGPT pushed deadly mix of drugs, lawsuit says</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/will-i-be-ok-teen-died-after-chatgpt-pushed-deadly-mix-of-drugs-lawsuit-says/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/will-i-be-ok-teen-died-after-chatgpt-pushed-deadly-mix-of-drugs-lawsuit-says/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ashley Belanger]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 19:00:25 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chatbot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ChatGPT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drug overdose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kratom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[openai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[overdose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wrongful death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xanax]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/will-i-be-ok-teen-died-after-chatgpt-pushed-deadly-mix-of-drugs-lawsuit-says/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Teen trusted ChatGPT to help him “safely” experiment with drugs, logs show.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p style="font-weight: 400;">OpenAI is facing down another wrongful-death <a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Nelson-v-OpenAI-Complaint-5-12-26.pdf">lawsuit</a> after ChatGPT told a 19-year-old, Sam Nelson, to take a lethal mix of Kratom and Xanax.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">According to a complaint filed on behalf of Nelson's parents, Leila Turner-Scott and Angus Scott, Nelson trusted ChatGPT as a tool to "safely" experiment with drugs after using the chatbot for years as a go-to search engine when he was in high school.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The teen viewed ChatGPT so highly as an authoritative source of information that he once swore to his mom that ChatGPT had access to "everything on the Internet," so it "had to be right," when she questioned if the chatbot was always reliable, the complaint said.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/will-i-be-ok-teen-died-after-chatgpt-pushed-deadly-mix-of-drugs-lawsuit-says/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/will-i-be-ok-teen-died-after-chatgpt-pushed-deadly-mix-of-drugs-lawsuit-says/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>179</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sam-Nelson-2-via-Tech-Justice-Law-1152x648-1778603838.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sam-Nelson-2-via-Tech-Justice-Law-500x500-1778603853.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>via Tech Justice Law, Social Media Victims Law Center</media:credit><media:text>Sam Nelson started using ChatGPT in high school, but his family alleged that the chatbot later became an "illicit drug coach."</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Microsoft will lean on your CPU to speed up Windows 11&#039;s apps and animations</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/speed-boosting-low-latency-profile-is-one-of-the-improvements-coming-to-windows-11/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/speed-boosting-low-latency-profile-is-one-of-the-improvements-coming-to-windows-11/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Andrew Cunningham]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 17:49:21 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[windows 11]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[windows 11 25h2]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/speed-boosting-low-latency-profile-is-one-of-the-improvements-coming-to-windows-11/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA["All modern operating systems do this, including macOS and Linux."]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Microsoft has heard your complaints about Windows 11, and it wants to make things better. That has been the messaging out of Microsoft <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/microsoft-keeps-insisting-that-its-deeply-committed-to-the-quality-of-windows-11/">for most of this year</a>, and the company is also going out of its way to make sure that people know what is being improved and how.</p>
<p class="p1">One of the goals on Microsoft’s <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2026/03/20/our-commitment-to-windows-quality/">long list</a> was to improve the performance of core Windows components like the Start menu and File Explorer. One of the strategies for making this happen is something Microsoft is calling the “low latency profile,” which will speed things up by calling on an extra burst of CPU speed when users open Start or other apps and context menus.</p>
<p class="p1">Windows Central <a href="https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-is-working-on-major-performance-boost-for-windows-11-that-will-speed-up-app-launches-and-common-actions-by-automatically-maxing-out-cpu-in-short-bursts">has tested</a> the low latency profile available in test builds of Windows 11 and observed a noticeable increase in speed and responsiveness on the same hardware compared to the current public version of Windows 11 25H2.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/speed-boosting-low-latency-profile-is-one-of-the-improvements-coming-to-windows-11/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/speed-boosting-low-latency-profile-is-one-of-the-improvements-coming-to-windows-11/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>157</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/win11-listing.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/win11-listing-500x500.jpeg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Microsoft</media:credit></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>eBay rejects GameStop&#039;s $56B offer: &quot;Your proposal is neither credible nor attractive&quot;</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ebay-rejects-gamestops-56b-offer-your-proposal-is-neither-credible-nor-attractive/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ebay-rejects-gamestops-56b-offer-your-proposal-is-neither-credible-nor-attractive/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jon Brodkin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 17:18:04 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eBay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gamestop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ryan cohen]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ebay-rejects-gamestops-56b-offer-your-proposal-is-neither-credible-nor-attractive/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[eBay board doubts GameStop's ability to buy and operate the much larger firm.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>eBay's board of directors today rejected GameStop's $55.5 billion offer to buy the company.</p>
<p>"We have concluded that your proposal is neither credible nor attractive," eBay Chairman Paul Pressler <a href="https://investors.ebayinc.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2026/eBay-Rejects-Unsolicited-Proposal-from-GameStop/default.aspx">wrote in a letter</a> to GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen. Pressler said the board and its independent advisors thoroughly reviewed GameStop's unsolicited bid and found numerous problems.</p>
<p>"We have taken into account such factors as 1) eBay's standalone prospects, 2) the uncertainty regarding your financing proposal, 3) the impact of your proposal on eBay's long-term growth and profitability, 4) the leverage, operational risks, and leadership structure of a combined entity, 5) the resulting implications of these factors on valuation, and 6) GameStop's governance and executive incentives," Pressler said.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ebay-rejects-gamestops-56b-offer-your-proposal-is-neither-credible-nor-attractive/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/ebay-rejects-gamestops-56b-offer-your-proposal-is-neither-credible-nor-attractive/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                        </content:encoded>
                                    
                                    <slash:comments>97</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gamestop-store-1-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/gamestop-store-1-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images | Brandon Bell </media:credit><media:text>A GameStop store in Barton Creek Square mall on May 4, 2026 in Austin, Texas.</media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Google&#039;s Android-powered laptops are called Googlebooks, and they&#039;re coming this year</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/googles-android-powered-laptops-are-called-googlebooks-and-theyre-coming-this-year/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/googles-android-powered-laptops-are-called-googlebooks-and-theyre-coming-this-year/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ryan Whitwam]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 17:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[googlebooks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laptops]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/googles-android-powered-laptops-are-called-googlebooks-and-theyre-coming-this-year/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Google has revealed its vision for the AI laptop of tomorrow. ]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Google took its first swing at laptops with Chromebooks <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2011/07/ars-reviews-the-samsung-series-5-chromebook/">way back in 2011</a>. These web-first laptops have seen success over the years, mostly in enterprise and education. Google insists Chromebooks aren't going away, but the company's focus has shifted to something new: Googlebooks. That's what Google has decided to call the new line of Android-powered laptops, which will begin shipping later this year.</p>
<p>If you thought other Google products were steeped in Gemini, you haven't seen anything yet.</p>
<p>Google says it designed Googlebooks from the ground up with Gemini Intelligence, and it all starts with the cursor. Google calls this the Magic Pointer. Just wiggle the cursor back and forth, and it will activate a full-screen Gemini experience. The AI will see what's on your screen so it can make contextual suggestions and pull in data from multiple apps.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/googles-android-powered-laptops-are-called-googlebooks-and-theyre-coming-this-year/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/googles-android-powered-laptops-are-called-googlebooks-and-theyre-coming-this-year/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                        </content:encoded>
                                    
                                    <slash:comments>115</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/googlebook-1-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/googlebook-1-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Google</media:credit><media:text>Google's Android laptops are almost here. </media:text></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Android is getting a big AI overhaul in 2026</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/google-says-android-is-getting-a-big-ai-overhaul-in-2026/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/google-says-android-is-getting-a-big-ai-overhaul-in-2026/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ryan Whitwam]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 17:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gemini]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[generative ai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smartphones]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/google-says-android-is-getting-a-big-ai-overhaul-in-2026/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Google has big plans for Android in 2026, and most of it is AI. ]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Google's I/O conference is next week, and we expect to hear a lot about the company's AI endeavors. The company says there's so much to talk about that it's spilling the Android beans a little early, and yes, a lot of AI is involved. In the coming months, Google will roll out more smartphone AI features under the Gemini Intelligence banner, bringing more automation and customization to your phone.</p>
<p>App automation will be a major element of Android going forward, Google says. Automation for apps is expanding after Google began testing it <a href="https://arstechnica.com/reviews/2026/03/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-review-private-and-performant/">earlier in 2026</a> with DoorDash and Uber on Pixel and Samsung phones. It was a very frustrating experience at launch, but Google says it has spent the intervening months fine-tuning the system.</p>
<p>Google promises that Android will be able to handle more complex automations across apps. For example, the robot could find a course syllabus in Gmail and then hop to a shopping app to add the necessary books to your shopping cart. Google also suggests taking a picture of a travel brochure and telling Gemini to book something similar in the Expedia app.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/google-says-android-is-getting-a-big-ai-overhaul-in-2026/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/google-says-android-is-getting-a-big-ai-overhaul-in-2026/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>90</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Android-IO-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Android-IO-500x500-1749567268.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Ryan Whitwam</media:credit></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Amazon employees are &quot;tokenmaxxing&quot; due to pressure to use AI tools</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/amazon-employees-are-tokenmaxxing-due-to-pressure-to-use-ai-tools/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/amazon-employees-are-tokenmaxxing-due-to-pressure-to-use-ai-tools/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Rafe Rosner-Uddin, Financial Times]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 13:33:05 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Amazon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[syndication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tokens]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/amazon-employees-are-tokenmaxxing-due-to-pressure-to-use-ai-tools/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Workers are using an internal AI tool to automate non-essential tasks.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Amazon employees are using an internal AI tool to automate non-essential tasks in a bid to show managers they are using the technology more frequently.</p>
<p>The Seattle-based group has started to widely deploy its in-house “MeshClaw” product in recent weeks, allowing employees to create AI agents that can connect to workplace software and carry out tasks on a user’s behalf, according to three people familiar with the matter.</p>
<p>Some employees said colleagues were using the software to automate additional, unnecessary AI activity to increase their consumption of tokens—units of data processed by models.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/amazon-employees-are-tokenmaxxing-due-to-pressure-to-use-ai-tools/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/amazon-employees-are-tokenmaxxing-due-to-pressure-to-use-ai-tools/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                        </content:encoded>
                                    
                                    <slash:comments>310</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/getty-amazon-warehouse-1152x648.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/getty-amazon-warehouse-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images | Nathan Stirk </media:credit></media:content>
            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>Once again, SpaceX has set a new record for the tallest rocket ever built</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/spacex-completes-fueling-test-setting-stage-for-first-launch-of-starship-v3/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/spacex-completes-fueling-test-setting-stage-for-first-launch-of-starship-v3/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Stephen Clark]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 11:00:34 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commercial space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[launch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spacex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starbase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[starship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[starship flight 12]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/spacex-completes-fueling-test-setting-stage-for-first-launch-of-starship-v3/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[SpaceX cleared an important milestone Monday on the road to launching a new version of Starship.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>For the third time in three years, SpaceX has stacked a new version of its enormous Starship rocket on a launch pad in South Texas, just a few miles north of the US-Mexico border. The newest-generation Starship, known as Starship Version 3, is taller and more powerful than the ones that came before it.</p>
<p>The upgrades on Starship are numerous. Perhaps the most notable changes are higher-thrust, more efficient Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage, a new reusable lattice-like structure at the top of the booster for hot staging, and three—not four—modified grid fins to help bring the first stage back to Earth for recovery and reuse.</p>
<p>If all goes according to plan, this is the version of Starship that SpaceX will use to begin experimenting with in-orbit refueling, a capability engineers must master before sending ships anywhere farther than low-Earth orbit. In the near-term, refueling will enable Starships to fly to the Moon to serve as landers for NASA's Artemis program. Starship remains an iterative development program, and new versions are in the pipeline, but Starship V3 should mark a step toward SpaceX actually using Starships in space, rather than solely proving they can get there and get home.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/spacex-completes-fueling-test-setting-stage-for-first-launch-of-starship-v3/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/spacex-completes-fueling-test-setting-stage-for-first-launch-of-starship-v3/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/starshipflight12wdr1-1152x648-1778542487.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/starshipflight12wdr1-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>SpaceX</media:credit><media:text>SpaceX's Starship V3 rocket undergoes a launch rehearsal Monday at Starbase, Texas.</media:text></media:content>
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                <title>Linux bitten by second severe vulnerability in as many weeks</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/05/linux-bitten-by-second-severe-vulnerability-in-as-many-weeks/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/05/linux-bitten-by-second-severe-vulnerability-in-as-many-weeks/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Dan Goodin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 22:28:19 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Biz & IT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exploits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Linux]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vulnerabilities]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/05/linux-bitten-by-second-severe-vulnerability-in-as-many-weeks/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Production-version patches are coming online and should be installed pronto.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>Linux users have been bitten by yet another vulnerability that gives containers and untrusted users the ability to gain root access, marking the second time in as many weeks that a severe threat has caught defenders off guard.</p>
<p>The threat, known as Dirty Frag, allows low-privilege users, including those using virtual machines, to gain root control of servers. Attacks are particularly suitable in shared environments, where a server is used by multiple parties. Hackers can also gain root as long as they have access to a separate exploit that gives a toehold into a machine. Exploit code was leaked online three days ago and works reliably across virtually all Linux distributions. Microsoft has <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/05/08/active-attack-dirty-frag-linux-vulnerability-expands-post-compromise-risk/">said</a> it has spotted signs that hackers are experimenting with Dirty Frag in the wild.</p>
<h2>Immediate and significant threat</h2>
<p>The leaked exploit is deterministic, meaning it works precisely the same way each time it’s run and across different Linux distributions. It causes no crashes, making it stealthy to run. A vulnerability known as Copy Fail, disclosed <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/04/as-the-most-severe-linux-threat-in-years-surfaces-the-world-scrambles/">last week</a> with no patches available to end users, possesses the same characteristics.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/05/linux-bitten-by-second-severe-vulnerability-in-as-many-weeks/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/05/linux-bitten-by-second-severe-vulnerability-in-as-many-weeks/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>91</slash:comments>
                
                
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                <title>Audi has a new Q9 flagship coming soon: Here&#039;s its interior</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/take-a-look-inside-audis-new-big-three-row-q9-suv/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/take-a-look-inside-audis-new-big-three-row-q9-suv/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jonathan M. Gitlin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 22:01:57 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Cars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Audi Q9]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/take-a-look-inside-audis-new-big-three-row-q9-suv/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Audi made sure to consult American tastes for its first full-size SUV.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<aside class="pullbox sidebar fullwidth">Audi provided flights from Washington, DC, to Munich, Germany, and accommodation so Ars could see the new Q9 (and drive something you can read about later). Ars does not accept paid editorial content.</aside>
<p>MUNICH—Later this summer, Audi will unveil its new flagship model. In the past, that role had been filled <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/04/flagship-sedans-like-the-audi-a8-are-a-dying-breed/">by the A8</a>, but that was before SUVs found so much favor; even in Europe, a majority of car buyers now swing that way. But forget Europe for a moment. The new Q9 is Audi's first full-size SUV, underscoring the importance of the North American market. Late in development, the company even redesigned the cupholders to fit those giant insulated mugs that briefly became a retail obsession.</p>
<p>We can only show this exterior-camouflaged Q9 for now, but the photos show the production interior. Or at least that's one of the possible trims; if you want the interior to evoke more of an Endor or Tatooine feel rather than Mustafar, there are beiges and browns, including an interesting open-grain olive wood alternative to the coarse carbon fiber you see here. The mix of different textures really helps elevate the Q9's interior, which leaves glossy finishes behind in favor of matte wherever possible.</p>
<p>The view up front was inspired by the way the brand's 2021 <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/09/audi-subverts-the-luxury-sedan-with-new-grandsphere-concept/">Grandsphere concept</a> wrapped its dash around front seat occupants. The Grandsphere didn't have to rely on actually available technology, and it didn't bother with screens for the future it was imagined for. The Q9 doesn't have that luxury, but it does have acres of digital real estate. The main instrument display and infotainment screens curve around the driver, but they aren't particularly tall, so you have a clear view down the hood over the interaction light that runs along the base of the windshield and provides an additional visual cue when you use your turn signals or hazard lights.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/take-a-look-inside-audis-new-big-three-row-q9-suv/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/05/take-a-look-inside-audis-new-big-three-row-q9-suv/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>113</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:credit>Audi</media:credit><media:text>Audi is building a full-size SUV to rival the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.</media:text></media:content>
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                <title>After banning foreign routers, FCC says existing ones can get updates until 2029</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-slightly-relaxes-foreign-router-ban-allows-software-updates-until-2029/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-slightly-relaxes-foreign-router-ban-allows-software-updates-until-2029/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Jon Brodkin]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 20:48:33 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[routers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wi-fi routers]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-slightly-relaxes-foreign-router-ban-allows-software-updates-until-2029/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[FCC extends waiver allowing routers and drones to get patches for two more years.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>The Federal Communications Commission is relenting a bit on its restrictive router rules, saying it will allow foreign-made routers to receive software and firmware updates until at least January 1, 2029. The FCC also expanded the waiver to cover more types of software updates.</p>
<p>Previously, the FCC said routers currently on the market or already sold to consumers could receive security patches and other updates only until March 1, 2027. On Friday, the agency announced a <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-454A1.pdf">waiver extension</a> that lets devices receive updates until January 1, 2029, and said the waiver may eventually become permanent.</p>
<p>The software-update cutoff date is part of a sweeping set of rules the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/trump-fcc-prohibits-import-and-sale-of-new-wi-fi-routers-made-outside-us/">FCC announced</a> in March. Claiming that restrictions are needed for national security reasons, the FCC imposed a ban on new hardware and related limits on software updates for routers that were authorized for sale before the ban was implemented.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-slightly-relaxes-foreign-router-ban-allows-software-updates-until-2029/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/fcc-slightly-relaxes-foreign-router-ban-allows-software-updates-until-2029/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>134</slash:comments>
                
                
                <media:content url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/eero-wi-fi-router-1152x648-1778529597.jpg" type="image/jpeg" medium="image" width="1152" height="648">
<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/eero-wi-fi-router-500x500-1778529583.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Getty Images | Justin Sullivan</media:credit><media:text>Eero wireless routers at a Best Buy store on March 24, 2026 in Burbank, California.</media:text></media:content>
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                <title>Data center guzzled 30 million gallons of water, and nobody noticed for months</title>
                <link>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/data-center-used-30-million-gallons-of-water-without-initially-paying/</link>
                                    <comments>https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/data-center-used-30-million-gallons-of-water-without-initially-paying/#comments</comments>
                
                <dc:creator>
                    <![CDATA[Ashley Belanger]]>
                </dc:creator>
                <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 20:37:00 +0000</pubDate>
                		<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ai data center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[data center]]></category>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/data-center-used-30-million-gallons-of-water-without-initially-paying/</guid>

                                    <description>
                        <![CDATA[Can AI save us from the AI industry’s endless thirst for water? Outlook not so good.]]>
                    </description>
                                                                <content:encoded>
                            <![CDATA[<p>A curious case in Georgia serves as a warning for many parts of the US hastily approving data center developments without first updating their water systems to better monitor for severe upticks in usage.</p>
<p>On Friday, Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/08/georgia-data-centers-water-00909988">reported</a> that one of the country's biggest data center developments had guzzled nearly 30 million gallons of water without paying for it. Even worse, the water grab came at a time when nearby drought-stricken residents were warned to restrict their personal water consumption, and some reported sudden decreases in water pressure.</p>
<p>An investigation conducted by utility officials in Georgia's Fayette County found that the Quality Technology Services (QTD) facility had two industrial-scale water hookups that weren't being monitored. "One water connection had been installed without the utility’s knowledge, and the other was not linked to the company’s account and therefore wasn’t being billed," Politico reported.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/data-center-used-30-million-gallons-of-water-without-initially-paying/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/data-center-used-30-million-gallons-of-water-without-initially-paying/#comments">Comments</a></p>
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                                    <slash:comments>178</slash:comments>
                
                
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<media:thumbnail url="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2191236730-500x500.jpg" width="500" height="500" />
<media:credit>Robert Rusu / 500px | 500px</media:credit></media:content>
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