Cyberattack Knocks Texas City’s Systems Offline The assault started on April 18, when some of the systems in the city’s internal network were reported as unresponsive, and prompted the immediate activation of the incident response plan. To secure its network, Abilene disconnected critical assets and the systems that were impacted by the attack, the city’s officials announced on Monday. “We also launched an investigation and engaged industry-leading cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident and notified relevant authorities,” the officials said. The city’s IT department has been working over the weekend to restore services and minimize impact on operations, Abilene’s officials said, noting that systems are monitored for any unusual activity. originally posted at
Google Starts Scanning Your Photos—3 Billion Users Must Now Decide https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/04/22/google-starts-scanning-your-photos-3-billion-users-must-now-decide/ When Google added photo scanning technology to Android phones, it caused a huge backlash, with the company accused of “secretly” installing new monitoring technology on Android phones “without user permission.” At the time, Google assured me that SafetyCore was an enabling framework and would not actually start scanning photos or other content. The new app, it said, “provides on-device infrastructure for securely and privately performing classification to help users detect unwanted content. Users control SafetyCore, and SafetyCore only classifies specific content when an app requests it through an optionally enabled feature.” originally posted at
No Big Bang? A Theory of Repeating Bursts Could Explain Everything A bold new theory suggests the universe didn’t begin with a single Big Bang, but instead unfolds through a series of ultra-fast, invisible bursts called “temporal singularities.” These fleeting events flood space with energy and matter, forming the galaxies and structures we see today — without needing dark matter or dark energy. The model challenges long-held cosmological assumptions and offers a fresh explanation for the universe’s expansion, proposing that these singularities, although unobservable, may be the true drivers of cosmic evolution. originally posted at
Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday aged 88 At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God." originally posted at
Scientists Found a 520M y.o Miracle: a Fossil With Brains and Guts Intact A remarkable fossilized larva has been discovered by scientists with its brain and guts still intact. The fossilized creature is one of the earliest ancestors of a group known as arthropods, which includes insects, crabs, and lobsters. A unique window into the past, the ancient critter has allowed experts a chance to better understand evolutionary links between the arthropods of the past and those of the present day. originally posted at
Sunbird rocket shocked scientists by becoming the fastest object in history A new chapter in space revolution is about to begin with something we never would have thought of. A British company called Pulsar Fusion has presented a project that is nothing short of ambitious: a nuclear fusion rocket they have nicknamed Sunbird. This rocket is capable of reaching 800,000 km/h and, according to their calculations, it could reduce the trip to Mars by more than half the time, going from the current estimated 7–10 months to just around 4 months. We’ll tell you everything this feat involves and how it may be that we’re witnessing the future of space travel! originally posted at
$578,646,289 Bitcoin Withdrawal Stuns Major US Exchange Kraken A massive withdrawal has just rocked the crypto space, and one popular USD-based cryptocurrency exchange in particular. The talk is of a staggering 7,002 BTC, equivalent to around $578,646,289, leaving Kraken in an unknown direction. originally posted at
Einstein's dream of a unified field theory accomplished? https://phys.org/news/2025-04-einstein-field-theory.html During the latter part of the 20th century, string theory was put forward as a unifying theory of physics foundations. String theory has not, however, fulfilled expectations. That is why we are of the view that the scientific community needs to reconsider what comprises elementary forces and particles. originally posted at
The White House Launches Revolutionary “Podcast Row” On Thursday, March 27, The White House launched its revolutionary new media gateway called “Podcast Row,” embracing dozens of well-known political podcasters. “We are so proud to welcome new media voices and podcasters from around the country who have massive audiences and are talking to everyday Americans like you.” “This is what’s it’s all about – new media, new voices, and getting the president’s message out to all Americans. These podcasters are speaking to administration officials, cabinet secretaries, White House officials, and we are having a lot of fun,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a formal White House greeting. originally posted at
Strategy just bought almost $2 billion Bitcoin near the local top of $86k https://cryptoslate.com/strategy-just-bought-almost-2-billion-bitcoin-near-the-local-top-of-86k/ Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, has acquired 22,048 additional Bitcoin between March 24 and March 30, bringing its total holdings to 528,185 BTC, according to a March 31 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The purchase, valued at approximately $1.92 billion, was executed at an average price of $86,969 per Bitcoin, including fees and expenses. Bitcoin began an upward movement when Strategy purchased the new Bitcoin, followed by a 5.7% increase into the purple channel below. However, the price reversed on Friday, leading to a drop to $82k. Strategy’s latest Bitcoin purchase is in the red by over $100 million as of press time. originally posted at