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In this bumper compilation you will find the following stories:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.cnet.com/science/space/october-skies-will-put-on-a-show-heres-when-to-look-up/

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematicians-harness-randomness-to-crack-a-55-year-old-conjecture-20260928/

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.theregister.com/devops/2026/09/29/fresh-css-constructs-move-web-design-beyond-ticky-tacky-little-boxes/5299614

hubie writes:Surprising Findings from Historical Data: the famous flood of 1342 was not an isolated event, but a series of events - providing insights for climate research and risk assessment:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.zdnet.com/innovation/workera-study-ai-skills-upskilling-2026/

hubie writes:As AI agents begin to operate in populations rather than one at a time, new research suggests that the number of them changes what they collectively decide:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:Whitehall unit will examine critical contracts after Capita pensions fiasco strengthens case for bringing work in-house:

Source BBC Television News: (17:18 BST 30 Sep 2026)

hubie writes:Study finds PETM was marked by a widespread browning of Earth's landscapes and trees are at the root of these drastic changes:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/trump-ai-super-intelligence-internet-response/

hubie writes:A new Finnish study links habitual coffee consumption to healthier body composition and metabolic markers, while revealing distinct associations with sex hormones in men and women:

JoeMerchant writes:Our possessions have come alive, transforming ownership from a finished transaction into a permanent, demanding relationship. Modern devices-from smartwatches to TVs-exist in a state of permanent incompletion, constantly requiring updates, configurations, and subscriptions. This turns everyday screen time into unpaid tech-support labor and maintenance rather than leisure.While features like Apple's Screen Time frame tech exhaustion as a personal failure of self-control, the author argues that your burnout is a completely rational response to a needy ecosystem. In contrast, a simple twelve-dollar Casio F-91W watch offers true luxury. Because it has remained functionally "finished" since 1989, it collects no data, requires no updates, and asks for absolutely nothing.Worth the attention if you've got the time: https://www.terrygodier.com/the-last-quiet-thingOriginal SubmissionRead more of this story at SoylentNews.

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes: "Beijing's intended strategy is to dominate the high ground of the twenty-first century":

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:First LLM to pass test did it in a parking lot at snail's pace, at considerable expense, but it still counts for something:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:XV Excalibur hailed as first US or UK underwater drone to let one off in tests:

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:The malware pretends to be a legitimate download for an app like Google Chrome:

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:Schrems campaign raises specter of another legal challenge as legislators propose changes to GDPR:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.theregister.com/systems/2026/09/23/europes-fastest-supercomputer-is-finally-getting-its-domestic-silicon-infusion/5298665

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/the-faa-is-testing-an-ai-powered-air-traffic-management-tool/

Source: BBC Television.The UK Police have announced that all 5 men arrested in connection with the suspected terrorist attack attempt at RAF Fairford are UK nationals in their 20s from the London area.For previous reporting see: https://soylentnews.org/breakingnews/article.pl?sid=26/09/27/115249The Head of Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) has given an public announcement at 15:45 BST:

hubie writes:Moon's water reserves insufficient to sustain a lunar city, astronomers find:

owl writes:https://www.righto.com/2026/09/8087-tangent-cordic.html

hubie writes:Experts have warned of the hidden health risks associated with the unregulated global trade of mummified remains:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:Pew finds growing concern over their effects on energy bills, the environment, and nearby communities:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:Discord will try to automatically estimate ages, require verification when it can't:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:Someday, AI agents will buy you anything you want - or what they think you want:

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/27/uk/fairford-arrests-uk-raf-us-intl

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:Post-eruption imaging of the Hunga caldera gives new details of its collapse:

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:Crew-15 through Crew-17 shore up astronaut access to ISS while Starliner's future remains uncertain:

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/stolen-sensitive-fbi-employee-data-significant-intelligence-risk/

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:https://www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/2026/09/22/california-tightens-datacenter-rules-on-water-and-power/5298028

owl writes:https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/09/owners-mourn-spoiled-food-after-firmware-update-bricks-samsung-smart-fridges/

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/09/china-silent-as-us-touts-plan-for-ai-safety-alerts-that-omits-tech-experts/

An Anonymous Coward writes:https://linuxiac.com/vlc-3-0-24-upgrades-to-ffmpeg-8-1-2-adds-flatpak-support/

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://arstechnica.com/reviews/2026/09/how-the-us-handed-china-control-of-the-rare-earth-supply-chain/

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://www.theregister.com/networks/2026/09/23/southern-water-taps-fiber-network-to-sniff-out-leaky-pipes/5298527

Snotnose writes:A startup hopes to convert alpha particles into electricity.Deep inside a compact laboratory, a chip no larger than a fingernail sits above a radioactive source and does something no commercial battery can.It catches nuclear decay particles in flight and converts them straight into current.No turbine. No heat exchanger. No moving parts.The device is an alphavoltaic cell, and a portable fusion startup just secured a federal defense contract worth just over five million dollars to prove it can work at kilowatt scale.So how, exactly, does a semiconductor chip turn the most hazardous decay particle into usable power?

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/09/cities-across-us-oppose-trump-fcc-plan-to-preempt-local-broadband-rules/

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/09/22/sponsored/5297693

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/scientists-bet-on-3d-printed-coral-reefs-to-revitalise-marine-life

"Arthur T Knackerbracket" writes:https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/09/there-are-now-17000-satellites-in-orbit-and-growing-should-we-be-concerned/

looorg writes:

AnonTechie writes:

hubie writes:Asking Authors About Their Own Papers:

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:We know models cheat. A new benchmark measures how much, and on what tasks:

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:https://www.quantamagazine.org/ctenophores-arent-just-beautiful-theyre-biological-wonders-20260916/

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:https://www.theregister.com/systems/2026/09/21/chinese-memory-maker-cxmt-claims-dram-production-breakthrough/5297633

An Anonymous Coward writes:Is science journalism dying? Comparing a 'science crash' 40 years ago to today

Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:Kept it secret for months - even after OpenAI 'fessed up: