<![CDATA[From Artemis II’s fiery return to life after prison or vacation, this article shows how reentry stress becomes a skill for growth.]]>
<![CDATA[New data on long-term donanemab treatment. ]]>
NHS Scotland websites linking to adult and illegal sports content
NHS Glasgow’s cyber security team is working with a GP practice after its website was linked to adult content and illegal sports streams.
The Download: an exclusive Jeff VanderMeer story and AI models too scary to release
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
Constellations
—Constellations is a short story by Jeff VanderMeer, the author of the critically acclaimed, bestselling Southern Reach series.
A spacecraft has crash-landed on a hostile planet. The only survivors are three members of the exploration team and the ship’s AI mind.
Little exists on the planet except deserts of snow. But alien artifacts lie nearby, in the form of 13 domes, spread across the terrain. Linked by cables threaded through metal posts, the domes form a series of paths—the only hope for life support.
As the team treks across the frozen hellscape, they discover the remains of countless astronauts from unknown species who followed the same route before them. Is their trail a path to salvation, or a cosmic trap?
Read the rest of this short story in full.
This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, packed with stories all about nature. Subscribe now to read the full thing when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 OpenAI has joined Anthropic in curbing an AI release over security fears
Only select partners will get its new cybersecurity tool. (Axios)
+ Anthropic said only yesterday that its new AI is too dangerous for the public. (NBC News)
+ Top models may not be so public going forward. (Bloomberg $)
+ The US has summoned bank CEOs to discuss the risks. (FT $)
2 Florida is investigating OpenAI over an alleged role in a shooting
ChatGPT may have helped someone plan a mass shooting in Florida. (WSJ $)
+ OpenAI has backed a bill that would limit AI liability for deaths. (Wired $)
+ The family of a victim plans to sue the company. (Guardian)
+ AI’s role in delusions is dividing opinion. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Volkswagen is ditching EV production for more gasoline models
The carmaker will stop making its top electric vehicle in the US. (NYT $)
+ Instead, it will concentrate on developing a new SUV. (Ars Technica)
+ Western carmakers are retreating from electric vehicles. (Guardian)
4 Elon Musk’s xAI has sued Colorado over an AI anti-discrimination law
It’s the first state bill of its kind. (Bloomberg $)
+ xAI says it will force the firm to “promote the state’s ideological views.” (FT $)
5 A fifth of US employees say AI now does parts of their job
The survey found half of US adults used AI in the past week. (NBC News)
+ Missing data could shed light on AI’s job impact. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Google DeepMind’s CEO wants to automate drug design
He hopes to develop AI capable of curing all diseases. (The Economist)
+ A scientist is using AI to hunt for antibiotics. (MIT Technology Review)
7 China’s Unitree is launching a viral robot on the international market
R1, its cheapest humanoid, will go on sale outside China next week. (SCMP)
+ Gig workers are training humanoids at home. (MIT Technology Review)
8 An experiment on Artemis II astronauts could reshape space medicine
Chips containing their cells will model spaceflight’s effects. (WP $)
9 A pro-Iran meme machine is trolling Trump with AI Lego cartoons
The videos have racked up millions of views. (Wired $)
+ You can learn to love AI slop. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Short breaks could erase 10 years of social media brain damage
Studies show that a two-week detox could have a dramatic benefit. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“AI should advance mankind, not destroy it. We’re demanding answers on OpenAI’s activities that have hurt kids, endangered Americans, and facilitated the recent FSU mass shooting.”
—Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier explains on X why he’s probing OpenAI.
One More Thing
TOM HUMBERSTONE
It’s time to retire the term “user”
People have been called “users” for a long time. Often, it’s the right word to describe people who use software. But “users” is also unspecific enough to refer to just about everyone. It can accommodate almost any big idea or long-term vision.
We use—and are used by—computers and platforms and companies. The label “user” suggests these interactions are deeply transactional, but they’re frequently quite personal. Is it time for a more human vocabulary? Read the full story.
—Taylor Majewski
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)
+ This flawless levitation trick will leave you questioning the laws of physics.
+ The World Press Photo winners expose the beauty (and brutality) of our planet.
+ Over 3 million pink flamingos gathered to create a stunning pink horizon.
+ Behold the galaxy’s enormity in this comparison of its largest known star to Earth
How blindness shapes personality: a neuro-ecological account
IntroductionThe established link between personality and psychological well-being underscores the need to understand how major life changes, such as vision loss, reshape an individual’s disposition. While previous research has produced inconsistent findings, the roles of concurrent environmental factors and underlying neural mechanisms have remained largely unexplored.MethodsThis study employed an integrated neuro-ecological framework to investigate how blindness influences personality. We recruited 46 blind participants and 41 sighted controls, who completed comprehensive assessments including the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory, social and lifestyle questionnaires, and multimodal neuroimaging, including structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion MRI, and resting-state functional MRI.ResultsBlind participants showed higher agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness, while reduced neuroticism compared to sighted controls, and these personality trait differences were attenuated after accounting for trait anxiety. These differences were partially mediated by increased perceived social support from friends. Furthermore, mobile phone usage habits showed an interaction with blindness on personality traits. Neuroimaging identified both shared and vision-specific neural correlates of personality. For instance, blindness-related changes in white matter integrity of the anterior thalamic radiation and forceps minor mediated the reduction in neuroticism. Moderated mediation models further revealed that the strength of these neural pathways was regulated by environmental factors, such as social support and mobile phone self-control.DiscussionCollectively, these results indicate that personality patterns in blindness are a dynamic process involving the interplay of neural plasticity and environmental modulation, rather than a direct consequence of sensory loss alone.
Zingerone alleviates acute seizures by reducing intrinsic hippocampal neuronal excitability in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy
BackgroundEpilepsy is a complex neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Neuroinflammation and excessive neuronal excitation are key pathogenic factors, but current therapies fail to target these mechanisms effectively, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic agents. Zingerone, a bioactive compound derived from ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. However, its acute anticonvulsant efficacy and underlying mechanism in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether zingerone exerts anticonvulsant effects by modulating neuronal excitability.MethodsA lithium chloride-pilocarpine-induced acute TLE rat model was established. Rats were randomly assigned to control, pilocarpine, and zingerone treatment groups (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg, i.p.). Seizure activity was evaluated via behavioral scoring (Racine scale) and electroencephalography (EEG). Immunohistochemistry (IHC), hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and immunofluorescence were used to assess hippocampal microglial/astrocytic activation and neuronal damage. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed to analyze intrinsic neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.ResultsAcute administration of zingerone (150 and 300 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number and duration of Racine stage IV/V generalized seizures. Zingerone dose-dependently inhibited microglial (IBA1+) and astrocytic (GFAP+) activation (p < 0.01 for 150 mg/kg; p < 0.001 for 300 mg/kg) and preserved neuronal integrity in the hippocampal CA1 region, as evidenced by reduced neuronal shrinkage, pyknosis, and increased NeuN+ neuron density. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that zingerone (10 μM) decreased the firing frequency of CA1 pyramidal neurons (p < 0.05), prolonged the inter-spike interval (p = 0.0026), reduced the action potential peak (p = 0.041), increased the rheobase current (p = 0.042), and increased afterhyperpolarization amplitude (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, Zingerone also modulated excitatory synaptic transmission onto CA1 neurons.ConclusionZingerone exerts acute anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects in a TLE rat model by suppressing hippocampal neuroinflammation and reducing the intrinsic excitability of pyramidal neurons. These findings highlight zingerone as a promising natural compound for developing novel adjuvant therapies for drug-resistant TLE.
Exploratory assessment of cerebrospinal fluid-related microdynamics after mild traumatic brain injury using intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging
AimThis study aimed to characterize regional alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) microdynamics following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compare f-value–based CSF motion between patients with TBI and healthy controls.MethodsIn this prospective observational study, 14 patients with mild TBI and 14 healthy volunteers underwent IVIM MRI using a 3-Tesla scanner. The f-value, reflecting incoherent CSF-related microfluidic motion, was quantified across predefined supratentorial and infratentorial regions of interest. Group differences in mean f-values were evaluated, and longitudinal changes were assessed in three patients who underwent follow-up MRI.ResultsThe TBI group exhibited a significantly higher mean f-value in the left cerebellopontine angle (CPA) compared with controls. Exploratory trends toward lower f-values were also observed in several supratentorial regions, including the left lateral ventricle and right frontal subarachnoid space. Longitudinal analysis revealed increasing f-values in supratentorial regions over time—suggesting partial recovery—whereas infratentorial regions demonstrated decreasing or stable trajectories.ConclusionMild TBI may be associated with region-specific alterations in CSF microdynamics, characterized by increased motion in the CPA and exploratory reductions in selected supratentorial regions. Although preliminary, these findings highlight the potential of IVIM MRI as a complementary tool for investigating post-traumatic abnormalities in CSF motion.
A novel phase-difference transcranial alternating current stimulation system enables precise dual-site neuromodulation
Precise modulation of large-scale brain networks requires neuromodulation technologies capable of delivering frequency-locked stimulation with accurate and stable inter-regional phase control. However, conventional transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) systems generally lack robust dual-channel phase regulation and are rarely validated under realistic biological impedance conditions. Here, we present a novel phase-difference tACS system (PD-stim) designed to deliver programmable, high-precision phase offsets between stimulation targets. We performed a comprehensive engineering and in vivo validation of PD-stim, assessing biological impedance stability, waveform fidelity, amplitude stability, and phase-delivery accuracy. Impedance measurements obtained from the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of rats demonstrated stable frequency-dependent profiles during stimulation. Benchmark comparisons against a clinically approved tACS device revealed comparable waveform fidelity and amplitude stability under both a standardised resistive load and in vivo recording conditions. Using simultaneous dual-channel oscilloscope recordings, PD-stim consistently generated stable sinusoidal waveforms with high phase-delivery accuracy across theta (8 Hz), beta (20 Hz), and gamma (40 Hz) frequency bands, under both biological and resistive conditions. Together, these results establish PD-stim as a precise, stable, and biologically robust dual-site neuromodulation platform that overcomes key technical limitations of existing tACS systems. This work provides a rigorously validated engineering framework for future mechanistic investigations of phase-specific modulation in distributed brain networks, while not addressing functional or therapeutic outcomes.
A survey on data augmentation for EEG-based emotion recognition and cognitive workload decoding
Electroencephalography (EEG) is extensively employed in emotion recognition and cognitive workload decoding. However, signal characteristics and inter-subject variability pose significant challenges for deep learning models, particularly due to data scarcity and limited generalization. Although data augmentation (DA) is a critical approach to addressing data scarcity, a notable paucity of systematic reviews exists within deep learning frameworks focused exclusively on these two tasks. Through a systematic review of relevant literature, we summarize commonly used public EEG datasets, input representations, and deep learning classifiers. Subsequently, we focus on analyzing the specific applications and effectiveness of seven categories of DA methods in emotion recognition and cognitive workload decoding. The investigation identifies current challenges in this field, explores future research directions, and provides valuable references for researchers seeking to select and apply DA techniques to enhance model performance.
Effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on prognosis in patients with postherpetic neuralgia and comorbid depression undergoing interventional neuromodulation therapy: protocol for a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
BackgroundPostherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is often accompanied by depression, creating a vicious cycle that exacerbates symptoms and contributes to suboptimal treatment outcomes, even with interventional therapies. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has demonstrated potential in alleviating both pain and mood disturbances. However, its efficacy in enhancing prognosis when used alongside interventional neuromodulation therapy for PHN accompanied by depression remains inadequately explored and requires further investigation.ObjectiveThis study aims to generate preliminary evidence on the efficacy and safety of rTMS in enhancing prognosis and alleviating pain in patients with PHN and mild to moderate depression undergoing interventional neuromodulation therapy.MethodsThis study is a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 174 adult patients with PHN. Participants will be randomly assigned, stratified by interventional neuromodulation therapy, to either the rTMS group (n=87) or the control group (n=87). Both groups will undergo either 10 Hz rTMS or sham stimulation for five consecutive days. The primary outcome is the incidence of poor prognosis at 3 months post-discharge. Secondary outcomes include the incidence of poor prognosis at 6 months post-discharge; Visual Analog Scale (VAS) sleep scores; short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) scores; Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores; patient satisfaction; Pain Disability Index (PDI) scores; Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20 (MFI-20) scores; pregabalin oral doses; and the need for tramadol or antidepressants. Safety outcomes will include assessments of headache, pain at the stimulation site, neck pain, insomnia, muscle soreness, dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, irritability, tachycardia (heart rate > 100 bpm), and epilepsy. Data will be analyzed using a modified intention-to-treat approach.DiscussionThis study aims to provide preliminary evidence on the efficacy and safety of 10 Hz rTMS in improving prognosis and alleviating pain in PHN patients with mild to moderate depression undergoing interventional pain management.Trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/project/edit?pid=261070, identifier ChiCTR2500096978.