Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until March The launch of NASA's Artemis II mission, the first flight of astronauts to the Moon in more than 53 years, will have to wait another month after a fueling test Monday uncovered hydrogen leaks in the connection between the rocket and its launch platform at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Engineers pushed through several challenges during the two-day test and met many of the planned objectives," NASA said in a statement following the conclusion of the mock countdown, or Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR), early Tuesday morning. "To allow teams to review data and conduct a second Wet Dress Rehearsal, NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test." The practice countdown was designed to identify problems and provide NASA an opportunity to fix them before launch. Most importantly, the test revealed NASA still has not fully resolved recurring hydrogen leaks that delayed the launch of the unpiloted Artemis I test flight by several months in 2022. Artemis I finally launched successfully after engineers revised their hydrogen loading procedures to overcome the leak. [Read full article][1] [Comments][2] [1]:

Ars Technica

Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until March

NASA spent most of Monday trying to overcome hydrogen leaks on the Artemis II rocket.

[2]:

Ars Technica

Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until March

NASA spent most of Monday trying to overcome hydrogen leaks on the Artemis II rocket.

NASA's second Space Launch System rocket stands on Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Ars Technica

Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until March

NASA spent most of Monday trying to overcome hydrogen leaks on the Artemis II rocket.

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it SpaceX has formally acquired another one of Elon Musk's companies, xAi, the [space company announced][1] on Monday afternoon. "SpaceX has acquired xAI to form the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet, direct-to-mobile device communications and the world’s foremost real-time information and free speech platform," the company said. "This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission: scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the Universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!" The merging of what is arguably Musk's most successful company, SpaceX, with the more speculative xAI venture is a risk. Founded in 2023, xAI's main products are the generative AI chatbot, Grok, and the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. The company aims to compete with OpenAI and other artificial intelligence firms. However, Grok has been controversial, including the [sexualization of women and children][2] through AI-generated images, as has Musk's management of Twitter. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]:

SpaceX

SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

[2]:

Ars Technica

UK probes X over Grok CSAM scandal; Elon Musk cries censorship

Grok tests if UK can penalize platforms for sexualized deepfakes generated by AI.

[3]:

Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it

This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission."

[4]:

Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it

This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission."

SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy booster lift off from Starbase, Texas, in March 2025.

Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it

This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission."

Looking back at Catacomb 3D, the game that led to Wolfenstein 3D If you know anything about the history of id Software, you know how 1992's [*Wolfenstein 3D*][1] helped establish the company's leadership in the burgeoning first-person shooter genre, leading directly to subsequent hits like *Doom* and *Quake*. But only the serious id Software nerds remember *Catacomb 3D*, id's first-person adventure game that directly preceded and inspired work on *Wolfenstein 3D*. Now, nearly 35 years after *Catacomb 3D*'s initial release, id co-founder John Romero brought the company's founding members together for [an informative retrospective video][2] on the creation of the oft-forgotten game. But the pioneering game—which included mouse support, color-coded keys, and shooting walls to find secrets—almost ended up being a gimmicky dead end for the company. id Software's founders look back at an oft-forgotten piece of gaming history ## Texture maps and "undo" animation *Catacomb 3D* was a follow-up to [id's earlier *Catacomb*][3], which was a simplified clone of the popular arcade hit [*Gauntlet*][4]. As such, the 3D game still has some of that "quarter eater" mentality that was not very fashionable in PC gaming at the time, as John Carmack remembered. [Read full article][5] [Comments][6] [1]:

MobyGames

Wolfenstein 3D (1992) - MobyGames

Wolfenstein 3D is an episodic first-person shooter and a follow-up to the top-down infiltration game Castle Wolfenstein. The game puts the player i...

[2]: [3]:

MobyGames

Catacomb (1990) - MobyGames

If you look too hard for a plot you might strain yourself; in what was pretty par for the course at the time, you guide a projectile-firing hero (n...

[4]:

MobyGames

Gauntlet (1985) - MobyGames

Gauntlet is an action game where players choose characters and fight their way through hordes of enemies that assault them on the way to the end of...

[5]:

Ars Technica

Looking back at Catacomb 3D, the game that led to Wolfenstein 3D

Romero, Carmack, and colleagues discuss an oft-forgotten piece of PC gaming history.

[6]:

Ars Technica

Looking back at Catacomb 3D, the game that led to Wolfenstein 3D

Romero, Carmack, and colleagues discuss an oft-forgotten piece of PC gaming history.

OK, now imagine if there was a gun in that hand...

Ars Technica

Looking back at Catacomb 3D, the game that led to Wolfenstein 3D

Romero, Carmack, and colleagues discuss an oft-forgotten piece of PC gaming history.

Streaming service Crunchyroll raises prices weeks after killing its free tier Crunchyroll is one of the most popular streaming platforms for anime viewers. Over the past six years, the service has raised prices for fans, and today, it announced that it's increasing monthly subscription prices by up to 20 percent. [Sony bought Crunchyroll][1] from AT&T in 2020. At the time, Crunchyroll had 3 million paid subscribers and an additional 197 million users with free accounts, which let people watch a limited number of titles with commercials. At the time, Crunchyroll monthly subscription tiers cost $8, $10, or $15. After its acquisition by Sony, like many [large technology companies][2] that buy [a smaller, beloved product][3], the company made controversial changes. The Tokyo-based company folded rival Funimation into Crunchyroll; Sony shut down Funimation, which it bought in 2017, in April 2024. [Read full article][4] [Comments][5] [1]:

Ars Technica

AT&T sells Crunchyroll to Sony for $1.2B amid “streamlining” efforts

Sony will be by far the biggest US player in this rapidly growing market.

[2]:

Ars Technica

Broadcom’s prohibitive VMware prices create a learning “barrier,” IT pro says

Public schools ran to VMware during the pandemic. Now they're running away.

[3]:

Ars Technica

“Extraordinarily disappointed” users reckon with the Google-fication of Fitbit

Users seek alternatives as Google is intent on app-centric focus.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Streaming service Crunchyroll raises prices weeks after killing its free tier

Sony has made streaming anime pricier since buying Crunchyroll.

[5]:

Ars Technica

Streaming service Crunchyroll raises prices weeks after killing its free tier

Sony has made streaming anime pricier since buying Crunchyroll.

Ars Technica

Streaming service Crunchyroll raises prices weeks after killing its free tier

Sony has made streaming anime pricier since buying Crunchyroll.

Russian drones use Starlink, but Ukraine has plan to block their Internet access Ukraine and SpaceX say they recently collaborated to stop strikes by Russian drones using Starlink and will soon block all unregistered use of Starlink terminals in an attempt to stop Russia's military from using the satellite broadband network over Ukraine territory. Ukrainians will soon be required to register their Starlink terminals to get on a whitelist. After that, "only verified and registered terminals will be allowed to operate in the country. All others will be disconnected," the Ukraine Ministry of Defense said in a [press release][1] today. Ukraine Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov "emphasized that the only technical solution to counter this threat is to introduce a 'whitelist' and authorize all terminals," according to the ministry. "This is a necessary step by the Government to save Ukrainian lives and protect critical energy infrastructure," Fedorov said. [Read full article][2] [Comments][3] [1]:

Ukraine rolls out Starlink terminal verification to counter russian aerial terror | MoD News

Ukraine is introducing a “whitelist” for Starlink satellite terminals. Soon, only verified and registered terminals will be allowed to operate ...

[2]:

Ars Technica

Russian drones use Starlink, but Ukraine has plan to block their Internet access

Defense chief: "No Ukrainians have been killed by Russian drones using Starlink."

[3]:

Ars Technica

Russian drones use Starlink, but Ukraine has plan to block their Internet access

Defense chief: "No Ukrainians have been killed by Russian drones using Starlink."

A Starlink terminal used by Ukrainian servicemen in Bakhmut on February 1, 2023.

Ars Technica

Russian drones use Starlink, but Ukraine has plan to block their Internet access

Defense chief: "No Ukrainians have been killed by Russian drones using Starlink."

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans 1 million satellite constellation to power it SpaceX has formally acquired another of Elon Musk's companies, xAi, the [space company announced][1] on Monday afternoon. "SpaceX has acquired xAI to form the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet, direct-to-mobile device communications and the world’s foremost real-time information and free speech platform," the company said. "This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission: scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the Universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!" The merging of what is arguably Musk's most successful company, SpaceX, with the more speculative xAI venture is a risk. But Musk strongly believes that artificial intelligence is central to humanity's future and wants to be among those leading in its development. [Read full article][2] [Comments][3] [1]:

SpaceX

SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

[2]:

Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it

This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission."

[3]:

Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it

This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission."

SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy booster lift off from Starbase, Texas, in March 2025.

Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires xAI, plans to launch a massive satellite constellation to power it

This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI's mission."

Judge rules Department of Energy's climate working group was illegal On Friday, a judge ruled that the Trump administration violated the law in forming its Climate Working Group, which released a report that was intended to undercut the rationale behind greenhouse gas regulations. The judge overseeing the case determined that the government tried to treat the Climate Working Group as a formal advisory body, while not having it obey many of the statutory requirements that govern such bodies. While the Department of Energy (DOE) later disbanded the Climate Working Group in the hopes of avoiding legal scrutiny, documents obtained during the proceedings have now revealed the group's electronic communications. As such, the judge ruled that the trial itself had essentially overcome the government's illegal attempts to hide those communications. ## Legal and scientific flaws The whole saga derives from [a Supreme Court Ruling][1] that compelled the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate the risks posed to the US public by greenhouse gases. During the Obama administration, this resulted in [an endangerment finding][2] that created the foundation for the EPA to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act. The science underlying the endangerment finding was so solid that it was left unchallenged during the first Trump administration. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]:

Ars Technica

Supreme Court sends carbon regulation back to the EPA

The US Supreme Court tells the EPA that it could regulate carbon emissions if …

[2]:

Ars Technica

What the EPA’s “endangerment finding” is and why it’s being challenged

Getting rid of the justification for greenhouse gas regulations won't be easy.

[3]:

Ars Technica

Judge rules Department of Energy's climate working group was illegal

Meant to undercut EPA regulations, the group tried to work in secret.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Judge rules Department of Energy's climate working group was illegal

Meant to undercut EPA regulations, the group tried to work in secret.

Ars Technica

Judge rules Department of Energy's climate working group was illegal

Meant to undercut EPA regulations, the group tried to work in secret.

Ongoing RAM crisis prompts Raspberry Pi's second price hike in two months The ongoing AI-fueled shortages of memory and storage chips has hit RAM kits and SSDs for PC builders the fastest and hardest, meaning it's likely that, for other products that use these chips, we'll be seeing price hikes for the entire rest of the year, if not for longer. The latest price hike news comes courtesy of Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton, who [announced][1] today that the company would be raising prices on most of its single-board computers for the second time in two months. Prices are going up for all Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 5 boards with 2GB of more of LPDDR4 RAM, including the Compute Module 4 and 5 and the [Raspberry Pi 500][2] computer-inside-a-keyboard. The 2GB boards' pricing will go up by $10, 4GB boards will go up by $15, 8GB boards will go up by $30, and 16GB boards will increase by a whopping $60. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]: https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/more-memory-driven-price-rises/ [2]:

Ars Technica

Raspberry Pi 500 makes an 8GB Pi 5 into a compact, inexpensive desktop PC

New Pi 5-powered PC also launches with optional portable 1080p monitor.

[3]:

Ars Technica

Ongoing RAM crisis prompts Raspberry Pi's second price hike in two months

The more RAM the Pi board has, the more its price is increasing.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Ongoing RAM crisis prompts Raspberry Pi's second price hike in two months

The more RAM the Pi board has, the more its price is increasing.

The Raspberry Pi 5.

Ars Technica

Ongoing RAM crisis prompts Raspberry Pi's second price hike in two months

The more RAM the Pi board has, the more its price is increasing.

A century of hair samples proves leaded gas ban worked The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cracked down on lead-based products—including lead paint and leaded gasoline—in the 1970s because of its toxic effects on human health. Scientists at the University of Utah have analyzed human hair samples spanning nearly 100 years and found a 100-fold decrease in lead concentrations, concluding that this regulatory action was highly effective in achieving its stated objectives. They described their findings in a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. We've known about the dangers of lead exposure for a very long time—arguably since the second century BCE—so why conduct this research now? Per the authors, it's because there are growing concerns over the Trump administration's move last year to deregulate many key elements of the EPA's mission. Lead specifically has not yet been deregulated, but there are hints that there could be a loosening of enforcement of the 2024 Lead and Cooper rule requiring water systems to replace old lead pipes. “We should not forget the lessons of history. And the lesson is those regulations have been very important,” [said co-author Thure Cerling][1]. “Sometimes they seem onerous and mean that industry can't do exactly what they'd like to do when they want to do it or as quickly as they want to do it. But it's had really, really positive effects.” [Read full article][2] [Comments][3] [1]:

EurekAlert!

Banning lead in gas worked. The proof is in our hair

University of Utah researchers analyzed samples of Salt Lake residents’ hair going back a century to document a 100-fold decrease in lead con...

[2]:

Ars Technica

A century of hair samples proves leaded gas ban worked

“We should not forget the lessons of history. And the lesson is those regulations have been very important.”...

[3]:

Ars Technica

A century of hair samples proves leaded gas ban worked

“We should not forget the lessons of history. And the lesson is those regulations have been very important.”...

Archived hair samples from a baby (right) and adult (left).

Ars Technica

A century of hair samples proves leaded gas ban worked

“We should not forget the lessons of history. And the lesson is those regulations have been very important.”...

Notepad++ users take note: It's time to check if you're hacked Infrastructure delivering updates for Notepad++—a widely used text editor for Windows—was compromised for six months by suspected China-state hackers who used their control to deliver backdoored versions of the app to select targets, developers said Monday. “I deeply apologize to all users affected by this hijacking,” the author of a [post][1] published to the official [notepad-plus-plus.org][2] site wrote Monday. The post said that the attack began last June with an “infrastructure-level compromise that allowed malicious actors to intercept and redirect update traffic destined for notepad-plus-plus.org.” The attackers, whom multiple investigators tied to the Chinese government, then selectively redirected certain targeted users to malicious update servers where they received backdoored updates. Notepad++ didn’t regain control of its infrastructure until December. ## Hands-on keyboard hacking Notepad++ said that officials with the unnamed provider hosting the update infrastructure consulted with incident responders and found that it remained compromised until September 2. Even then, the attackers maintained credentials to the internal services until December 2, a capability that allowed them to continue redirecting selected update traffic to malicious servers. The threat actor “specifically targeted Notepad++ domain with the goal of exploiting insufficient update verification controls that existed in older versions of Notepad++.” Event logs indicate that the hackers tried to re-exploit one of the weaknesses after it was fixed but that the attempt failed. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]:

Notepad++ Hijacked by State-Sponsored Hackers | Notepad++

[2]:

Notepad++

[3]:

Ars Technica

Notepad++ users take note: It's time to check if you're hacked

Suspected China-state hackers used update infrastructure to deliver backdoored version.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Notepad++ users take note: It's time to check if you're hacked

Suspected China-state hackers used update infrastructure to deliver backdoored version.

Ars Technica

Notepad++ users take note: It's time to check if you're hacked

Suspected China-state hackers used update infrastructure to deliver backdoored version.

Court orders restart of all US offshore wind construction The Trump administration is no fan of renewable energy, but it reserves special ire for wind power. Trump himself has [repeatedly made false statements][1] about the cost of wind power, its use around the world, and its environmental impacts. That animosity was paired with an executive order that blocked all permitting for offshore wind and some land-based projects, an order that has since [been thrown out][2] by a court that ruled it arbitrary and capricious. Not content to block all future developments, the administration has also gone after the five offshore wind projects currently under construction. After temporarily blocking two of them for reasons that were never fully elaborated, the Department of the Interior settled on a single justification for blocking turbine installation: [a classified national security risk][3]. The response to that late-December announcement has been uniform: The companies building each of the projects sued the administration. As of Monday, every single one of them has achieved the same result: a temporary injunction that allows them to continue construction. This, despite the fact that the suits were filed in three different courts and heard by four different judges. [Read full article][4] [Comments][5] [1]:

AP News

FACT FOCUS: Trump misrepresents facts about wind power during Cabinet meeting

President Donald Trump is taking on “green” energy initiatives, criticizing wind power particularly.

[2]:

Ars Technica

Court: “Because Trump said to” may not be a legally valid defense

The "arbitrary and capricious" standard strikes down another administration action.

[3]:

Ars Technica

US blocks all offshore wind construction, says reason is classified

Projects with hardware in the water stopped due to Department of Defense fears.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Court orders restart of all US offshore wind construction

Trump admin's "it's classified" ploy put on hold in five different cases.

[5]:

Ars Technica

Court orders restart of all US offshore wind construction

Trump admin's "it's classified" ploy put on hold in five different cases.

For most of the five projects, construction is already fairly advanced.

Ars Technica

Court orders restart of all US offshore wind construction

Trump admin's "it's classified" ploy put on hold in five different cases.

OpenAI picks up pace against Claude Code with new Codex desktop app Today, OpenAI launched a macOS desktop app for Codex, its large language model-based coding tool that was previously used through a command line interface (CLI) on the web or inside an integrated development environment (IDE) via extensions. By launching a desktop app, OpenAI is catching up to Anthropic's popular Claude Code, which already offered a macOS version. Whether the desktop app makes sense compared to the existing interfaces depends a little bit on who you are and how you intend to use it. The Codex macOS app aims to make it easier to manage multiple coding agents in tandem, sometimes with parallel tasks running over several hours—the company argues that neither the CLI nor the IDE extensions are ideal interfaces for that. [Read full article][1] [Comments][2] [1]:

Ars Technica

OpenAI picks up pace against Claude Code with new Codex desktop app

The macOS app does everything the CLI, IDE, and web interfaces do.

[2]:

Ars Technica

OpenAI picks up pace against Claude Code with new Codex desktop app

The macOS app does everything the CLI, IDE, and web interfaces do.

The Codex macOS app follows the exact basic design you'd expect.

Ars Technica

OpenAI picks up pace against Claude Code with new Codex desktop app

The macOS app does everything the CLI, IDE, and web interfaces do.

Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025 A debilitating infection from the parasitic Guinea worm is inching closer to global eradication, with an all-time low of only 10 human cases reported worldwide in 2025, [the Carter Center announced][1]. If health workers can fully wipe out the worms, it will be only the second human disease to be eradicated, after smallpox. Guinea worm (*Dracunculus medinensis*) is a parasitic nematode transmitted in water. More specifically, it's found in waters that contain small crustacean copepods, which harbor the worm's larvae. If a person consumes water contaminated with Guinea worm, the parasites burrow through the intestinal tract and migrate through the body. About a year later, a spaghetti noodle-length worm emerges from a painful blister, usually in the feet or legs. It can take up to eight weeks for the adult worm to fully emerge. To ease the searing pain, infected people may put their blistered limbs in water, allowing the parasite to release more larvae and continue the cycle. [Read full article][2] [Comments][3] [1]:

The Carter Center

Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low: Only 10 Human Cases Reported in 2025

Only 10 human cases of Guinea worm were reported worldwide in 2025, the lowest number ever recorded, bringing the ancient disease closer than ever ...

[2]:

Ars Technica

Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025

When the eradication program began in 1986, there were a 3.5 million cases.

[3]:

Ars Technica

Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025

When the eradication program began in 1986, there were a 3.5 million cases.

A patient with a guinea worms emerging, at the Savelugu Case Containment Center. The worm is wrapped around a moist bandage, to prevent it breaking and causing infection

Ars Technica

Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025

When the eradication program began in 1986, there were a 3.5 million cases.

Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra review: Intel's best laptop CPU in a very long time Intel's Core Ultra lineup of desktop and laptop processors has been frustrating to review. None of them has been across-the-board awful or totally without redeeming qualities. But Intel has struggled mightily this decade to produce new processors that are straightforward, easy-to-recommend improvements over their predecessors. The company's 12th- and 13th-generation Core chips offered big boosts to CPU performance over the 11th-generation CPUs, for example, but they also usually came with a significant hit to battery life, and they only minimally improved the GPU. The first-generation Core Ultra chips, codenamed Meteor Lake, improved the GPU but couldn't beat the CPU performance of older chips. Last year's Core Ultra 200V series, codenamed Lunar Lake, boasted good battery life and solid graphics performance but weaker CPU performance; better-performing Core Ultra 200H chips (codenamed Arrow Lake) improved CPU performance but came with lesser GPUs and some [other missing features][1]. The Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed Panther Lake, finally put an end to the years of uneven zig-zagging advancement we've seen in the last half-decade. [Read full article][2] [Comments][3] [1]:

Ars Technica

Microsoft’s “Copilot+” AI PC requirements are embarrassing for Intel and AMD

Microsoft demands an NPU capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second.

[2]:

Ars Technica

Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra review: Intel's best laptop CPU in a very long time

Intel manages big boosts to CPU and GPU speed without blowing up battery life.

[3]:

Ars Technica

Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra review: Intel's best laptop CPU in a very long time

Intel manages big boosts to CPU and GPU speed without blowing up battery life.

The Asus Zenbook Duo, powered by Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 processor.

Ars Technica

Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra review: Intel's best laptop CPU in a very long time

Intel manages big boosts to CPU and GPU speed without blowing up battery life.

DOJ released Epstein files with dozens of nudes and victims' names, reports say The Epstein files released by the Department of Justice on Friday included at least a few dozen unredacted nude photos and names of at least 43 victims, according to news reports. The DOJ missed a December 19 deadline set by the [Epstein Files Transparency Act][1] by more than a month, but still released the files without fully redacting nude photos and names of Jeffrey Epstein's victims. The New York Times [reported][2] yesterday that it found "nearly 40 unredacted images that appeared to be part of a personal photo collection, showing both nude bodies and the faces of the people portrayed." While the people in the photos were young, "it was unclear whether they were minors," the article said. "Some of the images seemed to show Mr. Epstein’s private island, including a beach. Others were taken in bedrooms and other private spaces." The photos "appeared to show at least seven different people," the article said. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4405/text [2]:

The Government Published Dozens of Nude Photos in the Epstein Files

The photos, which showed young women or possibly teenagers with their faces visible, were largely removed after The New York Times began notifying ...

[3]:

Ars Technica

DOJ released Epstein files with dozens of nudes and victims' names, reports say

DOJ reportedly failed to redact nearly 40 nude photos and 43 victims' names.

[4]:

Ars Technica

DOJ released Epstein files with dozens of nudes and victims' names, reports say

DOJ reportedly failed to redact nearly 40 nude photos and 43 victims' names.

Epstein survivor Haley Robson holds up a photo of her younger self during a news conference on the Epstein Files Transparency Act at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on November 18, 2025.

Ars Technica

DOJ released Epstein files with dozens of nudes and victims' names, reports say

DOJ reportedly failed to redact nearly 40 nude photos and 43 victims' names.

Here's what Cities: Skylines 2’s new developer is updating first Back in November, *Cities: Skylines 2* publisher Paradox [made the surprising announcement][1] that longtime series developer Colossal Order would be ceasing work on the series as part of a "mutual" breakup. Now, we're getting our first glimpse into the kinds of patches and upgrades new developer Iceflake (*Surviving the Aftermath*) is prioritizing for the popular city-builder going forward. In [a City Corner Developer Diary][2] posted late last week, Iceflake focuses mainly on the visual improvements it's planning for its first major *Cities: Skylines 2* patch. Chief among these is improvements to the game's user interface that Iceflake admits can "sometimes be a bit confusing when it comes to communicating things." The new patch will include a "streamlined" onboarding process for new cities, more expressive and context-aware icons, and toolbars with clearer colors and visual style. A new in-game Encyclopedia will also let players search through information about different gameplay topics, though that feature likely won't be ready for Iceflake's first patch. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]:

Ars Technica

Cities: Skylines upheaval: Developer and publisher announce “mutual” breakup

Paradox subsidiary Iceflake Studios will take over work on the storied city simulation.

[2]:

Cities: Skylines II - City Corner #1 - Upcoming Visual Updates - Steam News

The first City Corner Developer Diary from Iceflake

[3]:

Ars Technica

Here's what Cities: Skylines 2’s new developer is updating first

Visual upgrades include new UI, realistic snow cover, better lighting.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Here's what Cities: Skylines 2’s new developer is updating first

Visual upgrades include new UI, realistic snow cover, better lighting.

It's beginning to look a lot like winter!

Ars Technica

Here's what Cities: Skylines 2’s new developer is updating first

Visual upgrades include new UI, realistic snow cover, better lighting.

Interview: Civilization VII’s devs on the big update meant to win critics back It has been difficult at times for new mainline releases in the Civilization series of games to win over new players right out of the gate. For *Civilization VII*—which launched [just shy of one year ago][1]—the struggles seemed to go deeper, with some players saying it [didn't feel][2] like a Civilization game. *Civ VII’*s developers, Firaxis Games, announced today it is planning an update this spring called "Test of Time" that rethinks a few unpopular changes, in some cases replacing key mechanics from the original release. I spoke with Ed Beach, the Civilization franchise's creative director, as well as Dennis Shirk, its executive producer, about what's changing, the team's interpretation of the player backlash to the choices in the initial release, and Firaxis and 2K's plans for the future of the Civilization model. [Read full article][3] [Comments][4] [1]:

Ars Technica

Civilization VII review: A major overhaul solves Civ’s oldest problems

Not all changes will be popular, but it's a great launching point for a new age.

[2]:

Ars Technica

Civilization VII, one month later: The community and developers chime in

Executive Producer Dennis Shirk talks with Ars about the state of the game.

[3]:

Ars Technica

Why Civilization VII is the way it is, and how its devs plan to win critics back

Firaxis' Ed Beach and Dennis Shirk talk major overhauls in "Test of Time" update.

[4]:

Ars Technica

Why Civilization VII is the way it is, and how its devs plan to win critics back

Firaxis' Ed Beach and Dennis Shirk talk major overhauls in "Test of Time" update.

The new update plans to make it possible for these cities to stick to their Egyptian roots throughout a whole game of *Civ VII*.

Ars Technica

Why Civilization VII is the way it is, and how its devs plan to win critics back

Firaxis' Ed Beach and Dennis Shirk talk major overhauls in "Test of Time" update.

NASA gears up for one more key test before launching Artemis II to the Moon If all goes according to plan Monday, NASA's launch team at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will load 755,000 gallons of super-cold propellants into the rocket built to send the Artemis II mission toward the Moon. The fuel loading is part of a simulated countdown for the Space Launch System rocket, a final opportunity for engineers to rehearse for the day NASA will send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day voyage around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. The Artemis II mission will send humans farther from Earth than ever before. The astronauts will be the first to launch on NASA's SLS rocket and the first people to travel to the vicinity of the Moon in more than 53 years. Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA's launch director for the Artemis II mission, will supervise the practice countdown from a firing room inside the Launch Control Center a few miles away from the SLS rocket at Kennedy Space Center. In a recent briefing with reporters, she called the Wet Dress Rehearsal—"wet" refers to the loading of liquid propellants—the "best risk reduction test" for verifying all is ready to proceed into the real countdown. [Read full article][1] [Comments][2] [1]:

Ars Technica

NASA gears up for one more key test before launching Artemis II to the Moon

A good test would clear the way for launch of Artemis II as soon as next Sunday, February 8.

[2]:

Ars Technica

NASA gears up for one more key test before launching Artemis II to the Moon

A good test would clear the way for launch of Artemis II as soon as next Sunday, February 8.

The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for NASA's Artemis II mission stand atop Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Ars Technica

NASA gears up for one more key test before launching Artemis II to the Moon

A good test would clear the way for launch of Artemis II as soon as next Sunday, February 8.

Narwhals become quieter as the Arctic Ocean grows louder For most of their evolutionary history, narwhals have relied more on sound than sight to survive in the Arctic’s dark icy waters. The speckled toothed whales—sometimes referred to as “unicorns of the sea” for the long, spiral tusks that protrude from the heads of males—navigate, hunt, and communicate using echolocation. By emitting a series of calls, whistles, and high frequency clicks—as many as a thousand per second—and listening for the echoes that bounce back, they are able to locate prey hundreds to thousands of feet deep and detect narrow cracks in sea ice where they can surface to breathe. But as global temperatures continue to rise, the acoustic world narwhals depend on is rapidly shifting throughout their range, from northeastern Canada and Greenland to Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and Arctic waters in Russia. It’s getting louder. [Read full article][1] [Comments][2] [1]:

Ars Technica

Narwhals become quieter as the Arctic Ocean grows louder

Increasing shipping traffic is interfering with the whales’ ability to hunt and communicate.

[2]:

Ars Technica

Narwhals become quieter as the Arctic Ocean grows louder

Increasing shipping traffic is interfering with the whales’ ability to hunt and communicate.

Male narwhals.

Ars Technica

Narwhals become quieter as the Arctic Ocean grows louder

Increasing shipping traffic is interfering with the whales’ ability to hunt and communicate.

Fungus could be the insecticide of the future Exterminators keep getting calls for a reason. Wood-devouring insects, such as beetles, termites, and carpenter ants, are constantly chewing through walls or infecting trees and breaking them down. The fight against these insects usually involved noxious insecticides; but now, at least some of them can be eliminated using a certain species of fungus. Infestations of bark beetles are the bane of spruce trees. Eurasian spruce bark beetles *(Ips typographus) *ingest bark high in [phenolic compounds][1], organic molecules that often act as antioxidants and antimicrobials. They protect spruce bark from pathogenic fungi—and the beetles take advantage. Their bodies boost the antimicrobial power of these compounds by turning them into substances that are even more toxic to fungi. This would seem to make the beetles invulnerable to fungi. There is a way to get past the beetles’ borrowed defenses, though. Led by biochemist Ruo Sun, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, found that some strains of the fungus *Beauveria bassiana* are capable of infecting and killing the pests. [Read full article][2] [Comments][3] [1]:

PubMed

Phenolic compounds: current industrial applications, limitations and future challenges - PubMed

Phenolic compounds are natural bioactive molecules found mainly in plant tissues that have shown interesting bioactivities, such as antioxidant, an...

[2]:

Ars Technica

Fungus could be the insecticide of the future

Plant chemicals made more potent by insect pests are detoxified by the fungus.

[3]:

Ars Technica

Fungus could be the insecticide of the future

Plant chemicals made more potent by insect pests are detoxified by the fungus.

Ars Technica

Fungus could be the insecticide of the future

Plant chemicals made more potent by insect pests are detoxified by the fungus.