Science and Technology News

AI can degrade cognitive skills. Here’s how you can use it to your advantage instead

Artificial intelligence can be a handy tool but too heavy use risks weakening critical thinking skills, one expert says.

Discord suspends livestreams in Brazil after teen’s suicide

Popular messaging platform Discord said Monday it had complied with a Brazilian government order to suspend livestreaming and video calls in the country after a teen girl was allegedly goaded into taking her own life during a broadcast.

See photos of a rare underground eel discovered after TikTok video

A tiny fish seen in a social media video sparked the discovery of a new genus and species, scientists say.

States take Meta to trial in California in the biggest fight yet over social media harms to children

Of the thousands of lawsuits Meta faces over child safety on its platforms, none may be more consequential than one going to trial this week in California.

Quebec man ordered to pay $1,000 over use of fake AI-generated court cases

A Quebec man has been ordered to pay his ex-wife $1,000 after filing court arguments that included fake legal cases generated by ChatGPT.

New space object ‘black hole star’ discovered by astronomers

The object looks like a star the size of our solar system, but produces 100 billion times more energy than any star -- a mighty blast of power closer to what is produced by a black hole.

Can you use AI as your therapist? An expert shares advice

It’s time to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool in mental health spaces, an expert says, while remaining cautious about the support it can provide.

Ottawa wants to block kids from social media. How would age verification work?

Canada is one of a number of countries around the world moving toward social media age restrictions.

Low water in Rome’s drought-hit Tiber river exposes ancient ruins of Nero’s Bridge

Scorching temperatures and a long, dry summer have given locals and tourists alike a rare opportunity to see the remains of a 2,000-year-old bridge that once spanned the Tiber river that weaves through the centre of Rome.

Spain removes remains of 11th century kings from monastery as wildfire rages

Spanish authorities on Thursday removed the remains of three kings who ruled the Aragón region in the 11th century from a monastery threatened by a wildfire.

France’s top court blocks bill banning social media for under-15s

The Constitutional Council ruled that the proposed bill could not prohibit minors from social media “without infringing upon freedom of expression and communication,” was too broad to consider the individual situation of each minor or the specific risks of each platform, and raised privacy concerns.

Kids keep getting hurt and killed on e-bikes. Should parents be held responsible?

New York state requires riders of all forms of e-bikes to be at least 16, and New York City imposes additional restrictions, including a 15 mph (24 kph) speed limit. California, in contrast, has no statewide minimum age for lower-powered bikes, though riders must be at least 16 to use e-bikes that can go up to 28 mph (45 kph).

Hacking group claims mass data theft from Shell, Philips, GE, Fiserv and dozens of others

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