The English singers techno-inspired third album mines the contrasts between the electronic and the organic.

You can fit so many arguments about consumer rights into this bad boy Bambu Lab pushes a control system for 3D printers, and boy, did it not go well Security measure? Boxing out third-party tools? Or something more complex? Kevin Purdy Jan 21, 2025 6:21 pm | 29 Credit: Bambu Lab Credit: Bambu Lab Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreBambu Lab, a major maker of 3D printers for home users and commercial "farms," is pushing an update to its devices that it claims will improve security while still offering third-party tools "authorized" access. Some in the user communityand 3D printing advocates broadlyare pushing back, suggesting the firm has other, more controlling motives.As is perhaps appropriate for 3D printing, this matter has many layers, some long-standing arguments about freedom and rights baked in, and a good deal of heat. Bambu Lab's image marketing Bambu Handy, its cloud service that allows you to "Control your printer anytime anywhere, also we support SD card and local network to print the projects." Credit: Bambu Lab Bambu Lab's image marketing Bambu Handy, its cloud service that allows you to "Control your printer anytime anywhere, also we support SD card and local network to print the projects." Credit: Bambu Lab Printing more, tweaking lessBambu Lab, launched in 2022, has stood out in the burgeoning consumer 3D printing market because of its printers' capacity for printing at high speeds without excessive tinkering or maintenance. The product page for the X1 series, the printer first targeted for new security, starts with the credo, "We hated 3D printing as much as we loved it." Bambu's faster, less fussy multicolor printers garnered attentionincluding an ongoing patent lawsuit from established commercial printer Stratasys.Part of Bambu's "just works" nature relies on a relatively more closed system than its often open-minded counterparts. Sending a print to most Bambu printers typically requires either Bambu's cloud service, or, in "LAN mode," a manual "sneakernet" transfer through SD cards. Cloud connections also grant perks like remote monitoring, and many customers have accepted the trade-off.However, other customers, eager to tinker with third-party software and accessories, along with those fearing a subscription-based future for 3D printing, see Bambu Lab's purported security concerns as something else. And Bambu acknowledges that its messaging on its upcoming change came out in rough shape.Authorized access and operations"Firmware Update Introducing New Authorization Control System," posted by Bambu Lab on January 16 (and since updated twice), states that Bambu's printersstarting with its popular X series, then the P and A lineswill receive a "significant security enhancement to ensure only authorized access and operations are permitted." This would, Bambu suggested, mitigate risks of "remote hacks or printer exposure issues" and lower the risk of "abnormal traffic or attacks.""By ensuring that all interactions with the hardwaresuch as moving axes, heating components, or performing other critical actionsare verified and secure, we can minimize risks and prevent potentially dangerous situations," Bambu wrote in a FAQ. This was necessary, Bambu wrote, because of increases in requests made to its cloud services "through unofficial channels," targeted DDOS attacks, and "peaks of up to 30 million unauthorized requests per day" (link added by Bambu).While Bambu has caused attention-getting "abnormal traffic" before, and 3D printer web hacks are real, many of its customers noticed a less-touted effect: third-party software and tools, like slicers (which turn 3D designs into machine-printable "slices") and third-party screens, losing direct access to Bambu printers. Instead, "Bambu Connect" software offers devices like OrcaSlicer protocols to send printer instructions and get a printer's status. As pitched initially, this would have applied to all Bambu printers, whether on local, non-Internet-exposed "LAN Mode" or on "Cloud Mode"Notably, those who use Bambu's own slicer, Bambu Studio, would not be impacted by the incoming firmware upgrade, as that software will keep working as-is.Unfortunate misinformation circulating onlineHow did this go over? So well that Bambu issued a second blog post about the change four days later, sub-titled "Setting the record straight about our security update." Addressing "a mix of valuable feedback and unfortunate misinformation circulating online," the firm denied claims about subscription-required printing, remote file monitoring or bricking, third-party filament blocking, and other fears, uncertainties, and doubts.Using third-party software through Bambu Connect, the difference for users is "not much," Bambu Lab suggests, adding a GIF of a "seamless" authentication inside the OrcaSlicer app. More importantly, the firm said it would update LAN mode on its devices so that there is a Standard Mode with Bambu Connect in place and a Developer Mode that leaves the printer's MQTT, live stream, and FTP functions open.The MQTT protocol blocking is particularly notable, as a popular third-party screen and control device, Panda Touch, would not work without it in "Standard Mode." Bambu states in its second post that it reached out to manufacturer BTT and informed them that using undocumented ("exploited," in Bambu's terms) MQTT protocols "was unsustainable and would place customers in an awkward situation once we updated the system." Big Tree Tech has posted its own version of their talks and history, suggesting that it never got full answers from Bambu, but it plans to ensure the devices work with Developer Mode in the future.Private key already extractedOpen source hardware hacker and YouTube creator Jeff Geerling posted a video on Monday, titled "I probably won't buy another Bambu Lab printer." Geerling doesn't traffic in motives or conspiracy but speaks to broader concerns about Bambu's messaging, treatment of third-party hardware, and customer rights. As for security, "Every IoT [Internet of Things] device has these problems, and there are better ways to secure things than by locking out access, or making it harder to access, or requiring their cloud to be integrated," Geerling said.At the Hackaday blog, the mood was a good deal more adversarial. In a post on Monday about Bambu Lab's "announcement that it would be locking down all network access" to affected printers, it was noted that Bambu Connect, a "fairly low-effort Electron-based affair" (i.e., a containerized web application), has had its certificate and private key extracted. This encryption is "the sole thing standing in the way of tools like OrcaSlicer talking with authentication-enabled Bambu Lab printers," Hackday's post states.Repair advocate Louis Rossmann, noting Bambu's altered original blog post, uploaded a video soon after, "Bambu's Gaslighting Masterclass: Denying their own documented restrictions." Rossmann also took aim at Bambu's Terms of Use, suggesting that the company was asking buyers to trust that Bambu wouldn't enact restrictive policies they otherwise wrote into their user agreements.Ars has reached out to Bambu Lab for comment and will update this post with any response.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 29 Comments

Strategic napping canaid recovery from sleep deprivationJean Gaumy/Magnum PhotosSleep researchers dedicate their careers to understanding how and why we sleep so what do they do to get a better nights rest?It might be reassuring to know that even the experts arent always able to practise what they preach. I think youll find a lot of sleep researchers are not very good at sleeping, says Malcolm von Schantz at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.This article is part of special series investigating key questions about sleep. Read more here.But one thing many of them agree on is that consistency is crucial. Heres what else they had to say:MAKE A PLANIt is about prioritisation and planning. So I try not to have meetings before 10 oclock, for example, because I am more of an evening type: I quite like to go to bed late and wake up late. So Im thinking ahead in terms of whats best for me with my sleep timing, my circadian timing, how can I try and arrange my schedule to support that?Steven Lockley, TimeshifterCONTROL YOUR LIGHTINGWe dim our lights in our house pretty much when the sun sets, and then, in the mornings, turn the lights on inside as much as possible and certainly open up the window shades to get the sunlight in the house as soon as the sun is coming up. I think those are really important things: minimise light at night, maximise light in the morning.Christopher Depner, University of UtahKEEP COOLSleep science has shown that your body [temperature] should drop a full degree

President Trump announced a private sector AI infrastructure investment of up to $500 billion.OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank will work together to create a venture named Stargate.The US aims to maintain AI leadership against China as geopolitical stakes remain high.President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a private sector investment of up to $500 billion for artificial intelligence infrastructure across the country.OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank will work together to create a venture named Stargate, with the president calling it "the largest AI infrastructure project in history" while touting the role of the US in leading the effort."Together these world-leading technology giants are announcing the formation of Stargate a new American company that will invest $500 billion at least in AI infrastructure in the United States," he said."Put that name down in your books, because I think you're going to hear a lot about it," he added.Trump said the venture would create more than 100,000 American jobs, with the investment set to be made over the next four years.OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, and SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son attended the White House announcement.Altman, in his remarks, said he was "thrilled" by the venture and said it'll be the "most important project of this era.""The fact that we get to do this in the United States is just wonderful," he said. "I believe that as this technology progresses, we will see diseases get cured at an unprecedented rate."And Ellison, at the White House, described Stargate as a "very exciting program for Oracle to be a part of."AI is energy-hungryFor foundation models to keep improving, companies that use them like OpenAI and Anthropic need lots of fuel.That fuel comes in the form of chips, energy, and talent, and the Trump administration's policies on each stand to shape the future of computing, potentially creating winners and losers along the way.The stakes are high. Growing AI in America isn't just a money-maker, it's a geopolitical card played against the other big global tech player: China.Trump on AITrump on Monday revoked the Biden Administration's Executive Order on AI from October 2023. The order pushed for greater transparency from large companies developing and using AI.After winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump appointed a new AI and cryptocurrency czar in venture capitalist David Sacks.In his first term as president, Trump issued an executive order focused on AI leadership and non-regulatory approaches to expanding and maintaining it.ChipsIn his final weeks in office, President Joe Biden's Department of Commerce published new, sweeping export restrictions on the kind of semiconductors required for AI.The regulations, set to go into effect early in Trump's second term, would restrict and cap the amount of computing power companies can amass in most countries outside a list of 18 allies.If maintained by the Trump administration, the impact of these changes will likely be to concentrate AI data centers in the US.Last week, Biden signed an executive order to grant federal sites to construct data centers and "clean energy."TalentThe two ways AI companies acquire game-changing talent are in question as the US transitions from Biden to Trump.The first is mergers and acquisitions. Nvidia, along with Microsoft and OpenAI, are the subject of a Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission investigation into possible antitrust violations.The scrutiny created a cooling effect across the AI ecosystem. Trump's anti-regulation tendencies suggest a more open field for mergers and acquisitions in his term.The second factor impacting the availability of AI talent in the US is the H-1B visa program. In recent weeks, there has been some disagreement within Trump's party regarding the program, which is designed to facilitate the immigration of skilled workers to the US.Energy and data centersAI also needs chips, but assuring an ample supply of those is for naught without enough energy to run the data centers. Since AI chips are hungrier than traditional computer chips, power is the most important limiting factor to the industry's growth."They have to produce a lot of electricity," the president said on Tuesday. "And we'll make it possible for them to get this production done easily, at their own plants if they want."Trump's views on energy production and the climate crisis differ greatly from Biden's. The new president has long focused on continuing American leadership in fossil fuel production.

Meta executives met with advertisers in recent days to reassure them following some company changes.Meta has cut third-party fact-checkers and replaced them with community notes.It said it would let users see political content and lift restrictions on certain discussion topics.A Meta executive says the company has recently met with advertisers to reassure them that the changes it has made regarding free speech won't lead to harmful content running rampant on its platforms.Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Nicola Mendelsohn, head of Meta's global business group, said the company had been in contact with advertisers after CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta would stop using third-party fact-checkers on its platforms and instead rely on user-made community notes. He also announced that users would again have the option to see political content on their feeds."From an advertiser perspective, we've obviously been talking to them over the last week," said Mendelsohn in a roundtable discussion with Business Insider. "What they've shared back actually is the reassurance that all the commitments that we have to brand safety, brand suitability on the platform, none of that changes."Zuckerberg posted a video earlier this month announcing some of the changes around content moderation. He blamed the existing systems for causing "too much censorship" and said it was time for Meta to return to its "roots around free expression."The company has also removed some restrictions on certain topics, such as gender and immigration, allowing users to post what could previously have been determined to be hate speech.The changes sparked concerns among advertisers, the Financial Times previously reported. Mendelsohn said advertisers will still have control over where their ads are placed."So, for example, if you have an advertiser that doesn't want to be next to societal issues, political issues, their ads won't appear next to it," Mendelsohn said.Mendelsohn said the advertisers Meta had been speaking to wanted to understand more about what was happening."They wanted to get past the headlines," she said, adding that it is "all still very early days" in the new era of Meta.The changes around content moderation were among other broader changes at Meta, which included rolling back its DEI programs and a push to cut low performers faster. The company has ushered in these changes amid President Donald Trump taking power."From a US perspective it is a different political and societal change that we're seeing there," Mendelsohn said. "But from a company perspective, I don't feel or see anything different."Got more insight to share? You can reach the reporter Hugh Langley via the encrypted messaging app Signal (+1-628-228-1836) or email ().

This story first ran in The Logoff. Sign up here to get stories like this delivered to your inbox every weekday. Good evening, and welcome to the first edition of The Logoff the newsletter that gives you the Trump news you need so that you can log off and get back to the rest of your life.Theres so much going on today, but I want to focus on the legal fight over birthright citizenship, as its outcome will affect millions of people.What did the law say before Trump? Under the Constitution (the 14th Amendment, to be precise), almost everyone born on US soil automatically becomes a US citizen, no matter their parents immigration status. Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday that would change that: It would deny automatic citizenship to babies born to parents who are both immigrants in cases where neither parent is a naturalized citizen or legal permanent resident. (My colleague Ian Millhiser has more details here.)So what happened today? Eighteen states filed a federal lawsuit to block the order from taking effect, and the case seems destined to go all the way to the Supreme Court. There, most legal observers expect the justices to side with the states (and with 125 years of legal precedent) that birthright citizenship is constitutional. There are no guarantees (particularly not with this Court) but its likely that this executive order is destined for failure.So where does this leave us? Barring something unexpected, birthright citizenship will likely survive. You should pay attention for two reasons: First, theres always a chance of a shock result in court. And second, the order itself is an indication of how thoroughly Trump has dragged once outlandish ideas into the GOP mainstream. Whats the larger lesson here? Trump opened his presidency with a barrage of policy changes, and nowhere were the changes bigger than on immigration. Almost all of it will be challenged. Some orders will survive; others will be the subject of lengthy legal battles. Where those battles end up will determine whether Trump succeeds in a radical overhaul of the immigration system or just a series of changes to it. And itll be a long time before we have final answers.And with that, its time to log off Juanita Escobar for VoxThis is a crimson-rumped toucanet. And birds like these are a big reason why Colombia has a thriving ecotourism industry. My colleague Benji Jones wrote all about it here.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: Politics

At this point, its probably more realistic to lay out what franchises and brands Fortnite hasnt crossed over with. Epics Battle Royale shooter is a melting pot of licensed absurdity, where Luke Skywalker and Hatsune Miku and perform an array of memetic dances on the virtual corpses of everyone from Goku to Ariana Grande. The homogenized ur-brand of it all makes it hard for the latest in a long line of announced crossovers to stand out at this point, but its latest with the world of Legendarys Monsterverse is definitely a cut above the rest and not just because it involves monsters taller than most things on Fortnites island map. Late last week Epic and Legendary kicked off a big new collaboration as part of Fortnites latest season, bringing skins inspired byGodzilla vs. Kong and The New Empire to the shooter. But beyond that Godzilla (himself a bit of a crossover queen, as of late) now has a physical presence on Fortnites map. Randomly at some point in a game, a massive portal can pop up somewhere on the island, and the first player to run through is transformed into Godzilla to lay waste to their foes. If youre not Godzilla, you can ping bullet after bullet at the kaiju to try and deplete his healthbar, getting rewards if you end up doing the most damage. If youare Godzilla, you get to spend as much time as youve got slowly but surely stomping, heat-beaming, and skree-onking your way through the map, leaving a trail of smashed buildings and dead players in your wake. Whats genuinely impressive about it all is that being on either end of this apocalyptic scenario is fun as hell. Godzilla is unwieldy and slow, but in a way that emphasizes the strength and scale youre playing with, and the sheer carnage he can enact tearing through scenery or by melting players with blasts of his breath walks the fine line between feeling powerful enough to be threatening, but not so overwhelming as to be impossible to fight back against. But its when youre on the ground that is the most fun, arguably: whether youre miles away from Godzilla or perilously close to his ample stomping feet, Fortnite has absolutely nailed the feeling of scale youd want out of such an encounter. The look is on point (well, in terms of replicating Legendarys version of Big G), the sound design is on point, but its definitely the size and scope, almost unlike anything elseFortnite has done in years, that makes Godzilla feel so special. You can see him almost across the map, as tall as some of the highest mountains on the island. Your screen judders as he moves closer, or when a neon-pink jolt of energy screeches past you. Regardless of which version ofFortnites battle royale youre in theres a certain level of destructibility thats part of the games dynamic, and Godzilla changes that entirely, capable of taking down whole buildings worth of cover in a blast. And again, as chaotic as it can be, there feels like a fairness to it all: the beams are potent, but slow enough that you can dramatically try to outrun the path they burn across the ground. Getting stomped by Godzilla is less about immediately squelching you and more about the displacement of it, sending you and anyone else nearby flying back, all the better to bask in the scale of it. It doesnt feelunfair to go up against Godzilla, but he likewise doesnt feel like a pushover as people vie to do the most damage to him, weaving yourself between their gunfire and Godzillas own irradiated bolts of heat ray in equal measure. Fortnites Godzilla has a sense of weight to him that jars with a lot of the breezy movement that otherwise defines the shooter (especially this season, which has re-implemented a lot more movement mechanics to make players feel brisker and capable of smoother traversal). Hes disruptive in the best sense: he might only be around for a few minutes in a match, if he has the chance to appear at all, but regardless of where you are, when hedoes show up, he commands attention. And what else should the King of All Monsters do, but demand that by his mere presence? Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

After premiering at Fantastic Fest way back in 2023, the Troma re-do starring Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon is finally oozing into release.

Innovative technology linked with the brain is already helping restore the quality of life for many disabled individuals, such as one paralyzed patient who piloted a virtual drone by simply thinking. This breakthrough in neurotechnology, detailed in a recent study, demonstrates the exciting possibilities becoming available for those with motor impairments who want to enjoy recreational activities like playing video games.The study, published in Nature Medicine, was founded on paralyzed individuals' desire to engage in hobbies like sports or gaming, activities that may normally be difficult due to loss of movement in the body. By designing a brain-computer interface (BCI) to address this issue, researchers have made tremendous progress in showing how people who have developed physical impairments can enjoy games and socialize with friends in unprecedented ways.Implementing a Brain-Computer Interface The BCI created in the study was tested on a research participant with tetraplegia (or paralysis in all four limbs) caused by a spinal cord injury. The BCI separated the hand into three finger groups: the thumb and two pairs of fingers (the index and middle fingers and the ring and little fingers). To link this technology to the brain, electrodes are attached to the motor cortex and then exit the skin to be connected to a computer.It takes the signals created in the motor cortex that occur simply when the participant tries to move their fingers and uses an artificial neural network to interpret what the intentions are to control virtual fingers in the simulation, said Matthew Willsey, a University of Michigan professor of neurosurgery and first author of the study, in a statement.The signals are then sent to the computer and control the movement of a quadcopter through a virtual obstacle course. The participant involved in the study was tasked to complete the course, which involved maneuvering the drone through multiple rings as quickly and as accurately as possible.A Chance to Rise UpThe research was conducted as part of the BrainGate2 clinical trials, which intend to determine how people with tetraplegia can use a neural interface to control assistive devices and navigate communication software. The trials represent a critical opportunity for those with neurological injuries or diseases that inhibit the ability to use both hands: this includes cervical spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, muscular dystrophy, and ALS among other conditions.The paralyzed participant has worked with researchers as far back as 2016, and expressed a particular interest in flying the virtual drone. A major theme of the study's results was the sense of enablement that the BCI gave the participant. He voiced his enthusiasm to complete the quadcopter sessions, as they made him feel like he could figuratively rise up out of his bed or chair. New Possibilities for Disabled PatientsPrevious BCIs have tested movement through point-and-click cursors and robotic arms that can grasp objects, but this newly developed BCI targets more complex finger control that could allow a paralyzed individual to perform activities like playing a musical instrument or using a digital video game controller.The possibilities for BCIs to give disabled patients access to a wider range of activities are growing as neurotechnology evolves. A noteworthy outcome of this development is that these people will feel more connected with others, fostering a healthy level of socialization and helping them overcome barriers related to their disability that sometimes go unnoticed.People tend to focus on restoration of the sorts of functions that are basic necessities eating, dressing, mobility and those are all important, said Jaimie Henderson, a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University and a co-author of the study. But oftentimes, other equally important aspects of life get short shrift, like recreation or connection with peers. People want to play games and interact with their friends.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Brain Gate. Clinical TrialsJack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.

A new paper published in Current Biology suggests a novel twist on an old saying: Instead of "monkey see, monkey do," the paper proposes "chimp see, chimp pee." Well, not in so many words. But the study, which involved 20 captive chimpanzees at the Kumamoto Sanctuary at Kyoto University, does suggest that when one chimp urinates, others urinate too. In humans, urinating together can be seen as a social phenomenon, said Ena Onishi, a study author and a doctoral student at Kyoto University, in a press release. This behavior, which is called tsureshon in Japanese, is represented in art across centuries and cultures and continues to appear in modern social contexts. Our research suggests that this phenomenon may have deep evolutionary roots.Contagious PeeingWhen researchers at the Kumamoto Sanctuary saw something strange in the behavior of their captive chimpanzees, they set out to study it. Instead of urinating alone, the chimps appeared to urinate together, at around the same time, with one chimp initiating the behavior and other chimps continuing it. Calling the behavior contagious urination, the researchers wanted to see whether it was at all similar to contagious yawning, whereby a chimpanzee or a human yawns, causing onlooking chimps or humans to do the same.Since there were no prior studies on contagious urination in any species, we drew parallels to contagious yawning, another semi-voluntary physiological behavior, said Onishi in the release.Observing the Kumamoto chimpanzees for over 600 hours, then documenting the almost 1,330 urinations that occurred during that time, the researchers determined whether the chimpanzees urinations were synchronized. They also determined whether the chimps urinations were influenced by their physical proximity and their social closeness.We found that chimpanzees, our closest relatives, tend to urinate in response to the urination of nearby individuals, Onishi said in the release.According to the researchers, the results reveal important insights into the social groupings of chimps, helping us understand how they get and stay together, through cohesion, connection, and, apparently, urination. Read More: Are Chimpanzees Capable of Empathy?Synchronized Peeing PatternsAfter analyzing their observations, the researchers concluded that the chimps urinations were synchronized, occurring at around the same time much more frequently than if they were randomized. But their analysis also identified other trends in the chimpanzees urination, too. For instance, the chimps urinations were more synchronized when the chimpanzees were closer together in terms of their physical proximity, though not in terms of their social closeness.We initially expected that any social influences might resemble those seen in yawning such as stronger contagion between socially close pairs, Onishi said in the release. However, our results showed no evidence of effects related to social closeness.Instead, the researchers revealed a strong influence of social hierarchy, with higher-status chimps urinating alone and lower-status chimps urinating in response to the higher-status individuals.We observed a clear influence of social rank, with lower-ranking individuals being more likely to follow the urination of others, said Onishi in the release. We were surprised to discover that the contagion pattern was influenced by social rank.Though the purpose and mechanisms of contagious urination remain a mystery, the researchers say that their results are unprecedented, representing the first formal study of contagious urination in any species.This was an unexpected and fascinating result, as it opens up multiple possibilities for interpretation, said Shinya Yamamoto, another study author and an associate professor at Kyoto University, in the release. These findings raise intriguing questions about the social functions of this behavior. Article Sources:Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Current Biology. Socially Contagious Urination in ChimpanzeesProceedings of the Royal Society B. Contagious Yawning in ChimpanzeesSam Walters is a journalist covering archaeology, paleontology, ecology, and evolution for Discover, along with an assortment of other topics. Before joining the Discover team as an assistant editor in 2022, Sam studied journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.