When the Eaton wildfire swept into Los Angeles, Nick Carranza, a 45-year-old content director and producer, rushed to the house of his longtime friend, who was battling 15-foot flames with no firefighters in sight. Together, they managed to extinguish the blaze using water from a neighbor's swimming pool.Carranza, a former resident of Altadena, couldn't sit on the sidelines during the crisis. He and a few of his friends created a "One Love Altadena" GoFundMe campaign to help vulnerable Altadena residents displaced from the fires."Altadena is such a diverse community with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds," Carranza said. "I knew there were going to be people in trouble."After reaching an initial target goal of $10,000, their GoFundMe continues to collect money, with proceeds going to help Black and Latino families with their own fundraising campaigns. Enlarge Image Ever since the Southern California wildfires broke out earlier this month, more than 600,000 donors have contributed to GoFundMe campaigns. As of Jan. 24, over $200 million has been raised on the platform to assist families, businesses and communities impacted by the crisis, according to a company representative.The site's California Wildfires Hub compiles a large number of individual fundraisers, and a general Wildfire Relief Fund sends "emergency relief grants of $1,000 each to individuals who have lost homes, loved ones and property due to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires."If you're interested in initiating or donating to a GoFundMe campaign to help the thousands of folks impacted by the ongoing Southern California wildfires, it's important to know where to begin, how to verify beneficiaries and what pitfalls you might encounter.How does GoFundMe work?GoFundMe is a crowdfunding platform where people create fundraising pages for themselves or loved ones facing financial hardship, whether due to expensive medical treatment, a costly accident or a natural disaster.The platform is easy to use. With a series of prompts, you can quickly set up a campaign and a fundraising goal for your cause. Once your fundraiser is live, you can add more information or change your fundraising goal. You can request a withdrawal of funds after your campaign starts, with transfers typically taking anywhere from two to five business days.To cover payment processing, a standard fee, currently 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, is deducted from the donation. Anyone can be a donor and contribute as little as $5 to a fundraising campaign.Why are people using GoFundMe for disaster relief?A major reason people are using GoFundMe for disaster relief is how easily they can spread the word through personal networks. You can share the link to your fundraising campaign via email, text or social media.For example, after I donated to several campaigns of acquaintances who lost their homes in the wildfires, I shared the links on my social media, which helped bring in more donations.GoFundMe also has an advantage over other official sources of aid because it's more immediately available. Individuals who are waiting on grants, loans or other forms of assistance often turn to GoFundMe to get quicker relief or raise awareness of their cause.How do you know if a GoFundMe page is legit or a scam?GoFundMe has measures in place to detect potential scams and prevent misuse of the platform. According to its website, the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee provides donors a full refund if there is an indication of abuse or fraud.A GoFundMe spokesperson told CNET in an email that fundraisers undergo an enhanced verification review process, which includes oversight from trust and safety experts and technical tools to help catch any misuse.That said, scams can and do happen. It's best to donate to campaign organizers and recipients you know personally or through a family member or mutual friend. Look for inconsistencies and flag anything that seems fishy -- for instance, if the story doesn't add up or if the names on the fundraising page don't match the recipients."Always do your research before donating," said Tai Stewart, founder of Saidia Financial Solutions. "There are vetting processes in place, but you should do your own due diligence."You can also do a Google reverse-image search to verify any source or location information. My friend tried this for a particular LA fires fundraiser after noticing something was off. The photo's location was in Ohio, not Altadena.In Carranza's case, he and his fellow campaign organizers make sure donations are dutifully distributed by personally contacting households in need and learning about their circumstances. For example, they confirmed that an elderly couple who ran a foster home and daycare lost both their home and source of income to the wildfires.Do funds from GoFundMe limit federal aid options?Since the wildfires broke out in LA, some experts have warned that crowdfunding donations received from GoFundMe could limit the amount of federal aid you receive.Brandi Richard Thompson, a FEMA public affairs officer, said that the agency can't duplicate assistance that individuals receive from another source, whether it's from an insurance payout or a donation.To be clear, those receiving outside donations aren't automatically disqualified from federal aid. But if someone has a GoFundMe campaign to rebuild their home because their house burned down, it could be construed as receiving funds elsewhere for the same loss."[The case] would have to be reviewed to make sure they aren't duplicating the benefit that they receive from the federal government," Richard Thompson said.However, if someone makes it clear they're raising money only for temporary needs (food, shelter or clothing), that shouldn't affect how much they can receive from the federal government.FEMA's California Wildfires page provides information on programs, funding and resources available to residents impacted by the wildfires. The deadline to apply for FEMA rental assistance for displaced residents is March 10, 2025.If you raise money on GoFundMe, do you have to pay taxes on it?Personal gifts usually aren't tax deductible, so you shouldn't worry too much about paying taxes on the fundraising money you receive. "You can think of it as if a friend gave you $10," Stewart said. "You wouldn't report that as income on your taxes."However, depending on how the payments were processed for your campaign, income from Venmo, Zelle, PayPal or via credit card could likely fall under the 1099-K category, Stewart said.If payments exceed $5,000, a 1099-K tax form will be sent to the person receiving the campaign funds, but that doesn't automatically mean it's taxable income. It's best to consult a tax professional to go over the specifics and understand your tax responsibilities.If you donate to GoFundMe, is it tax deductible?You should do research before making a donation to see if the crowdfunding page contains any tax information.Some GoFundMe campaigns are posted by nonprofits, which is usually disclosed on the campaign page, or you can do a search for tax-exempt nonprofits with the IRS's lookup tool. If you are donating to an organization that is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, you can get a tax write-off for your charitable contributions.Otherwise, if you're offering a donation to an individual or a household, the way you would give money to a friend or family member, it's considered a personal gift, Stewart said.How is GoFundMe helping LA wildfire victims?Carranza is just one of the many individuals using the crowdfunding platform to help those displaced by the fires. By extending a hand to Altadena residents, he and his fellow organizers learned about other folks in need. Many of the displaced, without technical access or English-speaking capacity, didn't have their own GoFundMe campaigns.For example, Carranza encountered a woman living in a borrowed car with three cats. The fires destroyed her home, workplace and car."Sometimes people need the help but aren't always ready to ask for it," Carranza said. "Just show up however you can."Read more:

UnitedHealth has confirmed the ransomware attack on its Change Healthcare unit last February affected around 190 million people in America nearly double previous estimates.The U.S. health insurance giant confirmed the latest number to TechCrunch on Friday after the markets closed.Change Healthcare has determined the estimated total number of individuals impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack is approximately 190 million, said Tyler Mason, a spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group in an email to TechCrunch. The vast majority of those people have already been provided individual or substitute notice. The final number will be confirmed and filed with the Office for Civil Rights at a later date.UnitedHealths spokesperson said the company was not aware of any misuse of individuals information as a result of this incident and has not seen electronic medical record databases appear in the data during the analysis.The February 2024 cyberattack is the largest breach of medical data in U.S. history and caused months of outages across the U.S. healthcare system. Change Healthcare, a health tech giant and UnitedHealth subsidiary, is one of the largest handlers of health, medical data, and patient records; its also one of the biggest processors of healthcare claims in the United States.The data breach resulted in the theft of massive quantities of health and insurance-related information, some of which was published online by the hackers who claimed responsibility for the breach. Change Healthcare subsequently paid at least two ransoms to prevent further publication of the stolen files.UnitedHealth previously put the number of affected individuals at around 100 million people when the company filed its preliminary analysis with the Office for Civil Rights, the unit under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that investigates data breaches.In its data breach notice, Change Healthcare said that the cybercriminals stole names and addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, and government identity documents, which included Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, and passport numbers. The stolen health data also includes diagnoses, medications, test results, imaging, and care and treatment plans, as well as health insurance information. Change said the data also includes financial and banking information found in patient claims.The breach was attributed to the ALPHV ransomware gang, a prolific Russian language cybercrime group. According to testimony by UnitedHealth Groups CEO Andrew Witty to lawmakers last year, the hackers broke into Changes systems using a stolen account credential, which was not protected with multi-factor authentication.How the ransomware attack at Change Healthcare went down: A timeline

X refused to take down video viewed by Southport killer9 hours agoGraham FraserTechnology reporterGetty ImagesForensic police at the scene of the attack of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney in April last year.Australia's internet regulator says X refused to take down a video of a high-profile stabbingThe body, eSafety, said it "noted with great sadness" that Rudakubana viewed the violent footage of the attempted murder of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel.It said other major tech firms complied with its request to take the video down, but X - owned by Elon Musk - only blocked it in Australia, meaning Rudakubana was able to view it minutes before leaving his home to carry out his deadly attack.The 18-year-old has been sentenced to a minimum of 52 years for the murders.X has been contacted for comment.Police officers who investigated last July's Southport murders - which sparked riots across England - discovered a number of devices during a search of the 18-year-old's home in Banks, Lancashire.They have said it could take years to uncover what was in Rudakubana's internet browsing history, which he deleted before he left the house to carry out his attack.A search on X for the stabbing of the bishop was the only thing that remained, police have said.He was attacked in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley in April 2024 - an incident deemed an act of terror by the police.The attack on the bishop during mass at the The Good Shepherd Church sparked unrest in the Australian city.Removal of videoAfter the attack on the bishop, which was livestreamed, eSafety said it worked "collaboratively where possible" with technology companies to remove the video from platforms."Immediately following the Wakeley attack, companies including Google, Microsoft, Snap and TikTok acted quickly to cooperate with eSafety and ensure the Wakeley stabbing video could not be accessed from their platforms," the regulator said."Some of these companies took additional, proactive steps to reduce further spread of the material."eSafety subsequently contacted Meta - owner of Facebook and Instagram - and X, telling the companies to remove the material "under the provisions of Australia's Online Safety Act".Meta did respond and took action which was welcomed by eSafety, but X decided to not remove the video from its platform, it said.Instead, according to the regulator, X geoblocked the footage in Australia, meaning people outside the country and those within it using a VPN could still watch it.In June last year, eSafety abandoned a legal battle to have the footage removed.X has not responded to the BBC's request for comment.Southport knife attacks

Character AI, a platform that lets users engage in roleplay with AI chatbots, has filed a motion to dismiss a case brought against it by the parent of a teen who committed suicide, allegedly after becoming hooked on the companys technology.In October, Megan Garcia filed a lawsuit against Character AI in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, over the death of her son, Sewell Setzer III. According to Garcia, her 14-year-old son developed an emotional attachment to a chatbot on Character AI, Dany, which he texted constantly to the point where he began to pull away from the real world.Following Setzers death, Character AIsaidit would roll out a number of new safety features, including improved detection, response, and intervention related to chats that violate its terms of service. But Garcia is fighting for additional guardrails, including changes that might result in chatbots on Character AI losing their ability to tell stories and personal anecdotes.In the motion to dismiss, counsel for Character AI asserts the platform is protected against liability by the First Amendment, just as computer code is. The motion may not persuade a judge, and Character AIs legal justifications may change as the case proceeds. But the motion possibly hints at early elements of Character AIs defense.The First Amendment prohibits tort liability against media and technology companies arising from allegedly harmful speech, including speech allegedly resulting in suicide, the filing reads. The only difference between this case and those that have come before is that some of the speech here involves AI. But the context of the expressive speech whether a conversation with an AI chatbot or an interaction with a video game character does not change the First Amendment analysis.To be clear, Character AIs counsel isnt asserting the companys First Amendment rights. Rather, the motion argues that Character AIs users would have their First Amendment rights violated should the lawsuit against the platform succeed. The motion doesnt address whether Character AI might be held harmless under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the federal safe-harbor law that protects social media and other online platforms from liability for third-party content. The laws authors have implied that Section 230 doesnt protect output from AI like Character AIs chatbots, but its far from a settled legal matter.Counsel for Character AI also claims that Garcias real intention is to shut down Character AI and prompt legislation regulating technologies like it. Should the plaintiffs be successful, it would have a chilling effect on both Character AI and the entire nascent generative AI industry, counsel for the platform says. Apart from counsels stated intention to shut down Character AI, [their complaint] seeks drastic changes that would materially limit the nature and volume of speech on the platform, the filing reads. These changes would radically restrict the ability of Character AIs millions of users to generate and participate in conversations with characters.The lawsuit, which also names Character AI corporate benefactor Alphabet as a defendant, is but one of several lawsuits that Character AI is facing relating to how minors interact with the AI-generated content on its platform. Other suits allege that Character AI exposeda 9-year-old to hypersexualized contentand promoted self-harm toa 17-year-old user.In December, Texas Attorney GeneralKen Paxton announced he was launching an investigation intoCharacter AIand 14 other tech firms over alleged violations of the states online privacy and safety laws for children. These investigations are a critical step toward ensuring that social media and AI companies comply with our laws designed to protect children from exploitation and harm, said Paxton in a press release.Character AI is part of aboomingindustryofAIcompanionshipapps the mental health effects of which are largely unstudied. Some experts have expressed concerns that these apps could exacerbate feelings of loneliness and anxiety.Character AI, which was founded in 2021 by Google AI researcher Noam Shazeer, and which Google reportedly paid $2.7 billion to reverse acquihire, has claimed that it continues to take steps to improve safety and moderation. In December, the company rolled out new safety tools, a separate AI model for teens, blocks on sensitive content, and more prominent disclaimers notifying users that its AI characters are not real people.Character AI has gone through a number of personnel changes afterShazeer and the companys other co-founder, Daniel De Freitas, left for Google. The platform hireda former YouTube exec, Erin Teague, as chief product officer, and named Dominic Perella, who was Character AIs general counsel, interim CEO.Character AI recently began testing games on the web in an effort to boost user engagement and retention.TechCrunch has an AI-focused newsletter!Sign up hereto get it in your inbox every Wednesday.

ZDNET's key takeaways The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a premium flagship meant for users who want the most out of their phone, with a starting price of $1,299. Key improvements include new Galaxy AI features, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. No major shifts to camera hardware, battery size, and charging speeds. more buying choices Samsung's Big Bad Galaxy phone has arrived, and it's almost everything I expected. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, which starts at the same bold price as last year, $1,299, remains the company's do-everything handset, with a more durable display, an upgraded camera system with some handy editing tricks, and the latest Qualcomm processor keeping things running. Oh, and yes, AI is everything, everywhere, all at once.Also: Samsung Unpacked 2025: Five biggest announcements, including S25 Edge and AR glassesWhile last year's Galaxy S24 series ushered in Samsung's Galaxy AI era, this year feels more like the company cementing itself as the leader in the space, besting Apple and even Google (for now) on features and capabilities. Of course, how decorative that honor is ultimately depends on how invested you are in using AI.I've spent the past day and a half testing the S25 Ultra and wasn't too surprised to find myself both fascinated and bored. After all, this is now Samsung's fifth iteration of the S-series Ultra model, and the changes year-over-year have been modest, to be generous. But if you're currently using a three- to four-year-old handset and considering an upgrade, take this first-hand testimonial -- I'm not calling it a full review yet -- to heart. (And if you're an enthusiast, it'll matter just as much to you.) details View at Samsung The Galaxy S Ultra has always been a big-phone, two-handed affair, and that holds this year. When I first unboxed the S25 Ultra, it felt like the fanciest calculator ever (and I mean that in a nice way), with its round edges and tall stature. Coming from the OnePlus 13 I recently reviewed -- which, on paper, is relatively similar in size -- the S25 Ultra had a bolder and more striking presence. From left to right: iPhone 16 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Kerry Wan/ZDNETFortunately, the device is not as top-heavy as I remember previous models being, even though Samsung encased the four rear cameras with thicker rings this time around. In fact, the S25 Ultra is lighter than its predecessor by 16 grams, earning it the title of the thinnest Galaxy S Ultra ever. You'll likely hear more about the "thinnification" of phones later this year.Also:I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S25 - and the AI features were surprisingly polishedThe other notable design upgrade with the S25 Ultra is the Corning Gorilla Armor 2 layered over the front display. It doesn't take away from the anti-reflection surface treatment that made headlines on last year's S24 Ultra, yet promises improved drop protection and scratch resistance. I believe it. My S24 Ultra last year had numerous micro scratches after just days of testing, while my S25 Ultra review unit has remained pristine so far.Now if only Samsung could bring back the glory days of psychedelic Aura Glow finishes, because these S25 Ultra colors are uninspiring. Perhaps it's the nature of titanium finishes or the harsh reality that consumers are more likely to opt for safer colors with black, white, and silver hues than poppy and bright. Regardless, you'll want to slap on a case if you want to give your S25 Ultra even a touch of personality.Under the hood is a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the same processor powering competing Android phones like the OnePlus 13 and Honor Magic 7 Pro. The most notable benefit of the chipset comes in the form of AI experiences -- specifically, a 40% increase in NPU performance compared to last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: We tested both, and the winner is not so obviousIn layman's terms, on-device AI features should take up less bandwidth and power to operate while also functioning quickly. I saw the results in person, placebo effect or not, as my S25 Ultra can swiftly remove subjects (along with their shadows) from the background of photos via Generative Edit and pull up Gemini search results in a matter of seconds.You can also chalk up the performance to the enhanced Gemini app, which can now be fired up with a long press of the power button. Previously, Samsung phones were limited to Bixby -- or Google Assistant, if you made some sketchy, backend modifications -- so this change is a breath of fresh air. It makes transitioning from any other Android phone that uses Gemini as the default assistant much more burdenless.Speaking of which, the new Gemini-Bixby hybrid AI agent, as Samsung confusingly puts it, can handle natural-sounding, conversational chains of actions, such as looking up the upcoming schedule of your favorite sports team and adding the date(s) to your calendar. While the agent-like capability mainly works across Google and Samsung apps, some third-party services like Spotify are supported, too.Also:I may finally ditch my Google Pixel for a Samsung Galaxy phone in 2025. Here's whyThe important thing is knowing how to phrase your commands. For example, when I asked the AI agent to createa Spotify playlist for road trips and send it to my wife, it responded that it was unable to do so. When, instead, I asked it to findsongs that were good for road trips, it curated the list and drafted a modifiable text message. Ladies and gentlemen, AI. Kerry Wan/ZDNETConsidering last year's S24 series introduced Google's Circle to Search feature, and this year's S25 series is doing the same for the enhanced Gemini-Bixby experience, it wouldn't be farfetched to say that Samsung, not Google, makes the best AI phone on the market right now.Some other new Galaxy AI tools like AI Select and Now Brief only reinforce that statement, with the former being an adaptive, context-aware screen selection tool, and the latter giving you daily summaries of the weather, calendar events, and news.Also: Samsung appliances are about to get smarter and wiser - thanks to AII just wish Now Brief showed me more than just political news; even with my topic preferences within my Samsung News app set to technology and sports, the app still wakes me up with an "Uplifting Morning Prep" Spotify playlist and the latest scoop on the US president signing executive orders. The new 50MP ultrawide lens pulls in four times more detail than the previous generation's 12MP sensor, according to Samsung. Kerry Wan/ZDNETOne of the key reasons to buy a Galaxy Ultra phone continues to be the camera, though Samsung hasn't improved the specifications much this year -- at least on paper. The only hardware change is the 50-megapixel ultrawide lens (up from 12MP), which, from my initial shots, yields greater detail and vividness, especially when capturing macro photos. The rest of the lenses, such as the 200MP wide, 50MP 5x telephoto, and 10MP 3x telephoto, are identical to last year's S24 Ultra.Also:The best Android phones to buy in 2025There's a bigger focus on the software side of things, with Samsung introducing helpful photo and video features like 10-bit HDR video recording by default to capture a wider dynamic range, a new Audio Eraser feature that lets you adjust the volumes of various frequencies (classified as audio subjects like voices, wind, and noises), and the ability to record in Galaxy Log mode.The latter feature allows you to better spot overexposed areas and adjust the dynamic range as you're recording videos, while also applying LUTs in post for better color and light control. I'll be testing the shooting mode more in the coming days.ZDNET's buying advice (for now)My first full day of testing theSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultraconfirms several things for me. While most aspects of the phone, such as the vibrant, glare-free display and versatility across the cameras and AI features, are easy to appreciate, the upgrades this year feel iterative and safe.In ways, Samsung has even taken a few steps back, with the S Pen stylus no longer supporting Bluetooth controls and gestures, and the company opting for Qi2-ready cases instead of embedding the actual technology within its phones.It's understandable that early adopters and tech enthusiasts might feel underwhelmed by the S25 Ultra. But when I consider consumers who are coming from an S21 series, Pixel 6 or 7, or even an older iPhone, Samsung's new flagship handset checks almost every box you can think of. And you may even score a generous trade-in deal through your local carrier or retailer.Featured reviews

Colossal Biosciences is now valued at over $10 billion and is working on ambitious projects to ... [+] resurrect multiple long extinct species.gettyContinuing its audacious blend of ambition and cutting-edge science, Colossal Biosciences has secured $200 million in Series C funding to accelerate its groundbreaking efforts to resurrect the woolly mammoth. The company is also researching ways to bring back the Dodo and the Tasmanian Tiger.The Dallas-based biotechnology company, founded in 2021, is spearheading the nascent field of de-extinction, the process of restoring long-lost species to their natural habitats and, potentially, reshaping ecosystems.The woolly mammoth, a giant that roamed the icy expanses of the planet during the Pleistocene epoch, became extinct around 4,000 years ago and is at the center of Colossals mission.Its a mission that is less a nostalgic yearning for a prehistoric past than it is a solution to combat climate change, the companys founders have said. By reintroducing mammoths to Arctic environments, they hope to rejuvenate grasslands and reduce permafrost thawa major source of methane emissions.The potential ripple effects of such an ecological intervention have raised profound ethical and scientific questions but have nonetheless captivated researchers, investors and the public alike.MORE FOR YOUThe Science Behind De-ExtinctionColossal Biosciences approach to de-extinction is rooted in cutting-edge advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology.The process begins by extracting DNA from preserved specimens of extinct species. For the woolly mammoth, scientists analyze DNA recovered from frozen remains to identify the genetic differences between the mammoth and its closest living relative, the Asian elephant.With 99.6% shared DNA, the Asian elephant is the woolly mammoth's closest living relativegettyThen, using CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary gene-editing tool, researchers splice mammoth-specific genes into the genome of the Asian elephant to create a hybrid embryo.This hybrid embryo, which would be gestated in a surrogate elephant or synthetic wombanother technology Colossal is building that may have applications in fertility treatmentis designed to exhibit traits such as long fur, subcutaneous fat and cold tolerance, all hallmarks of the woolly mammoth.The same principles apply to the resurrection of the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo, with scientists relying on the closest living relatives of these species, such as the numbat and Nicobar pigeon, respectively.Why The Woolly Mammoth?As explained previously, the woolly mammoth has the potential to not just be a symbol of the Ice Age but also as a climate-change combatant. Colossals vision for reintroducing mammoths into the tundra ecosystem hinges on their ability to replicate behaviors that promote grassland regeneration.Mammoths trampling could compress snow layers, reducing heat transfer to the soil and slowing permafrost melt. Moreover, they might encourage the growth of grasslands that reflect more sunlight than darker forest canopies, thus mitigating the albedo effecta measure of how well the Earth reflects sunlight.Its an ecological experiment thats rooted in the theory of Pleistocene rewilding, which posits that restoring extinct megafauna could revive degraded ecosystems. Skeptics, however, warn that such interventions could yield unintended consequences, including competition with existing species and other unforeseen ecosystem dynamics.The Dodo and Tasmanian Tiger ProjectsWhile the woolly mammoth project garners most of the attention, Colossals work on the dodo and Tasmanian tiger underscores the broader implications of de-extinction.The dodo, a flightless bird native to Mauritius, went extinct in the late 1600s due to overhunting and habitat destruction. Reviving it could serve as a case study in restoring island ecosystems, which are particularly vulnerable to species loss.The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, presents another compelling challenge. Extinct since the 1930s, this carnivorous marsupial once played a crucial role in its ecosystem. Its reintroduction could help control invasive species in Tasmania. Colossal plans to leverage the thylacines genome, pieced together from museum specimens, to create a living, breathing representative of the species.The Road AheadThe excitement around de-extinction is tempered by significant ethical and practical concerns. Critics question whether resurrected species can truly be considered the same as their extinct counterparts or if they are mere approximations.Furthermore, the potential risks of introducing genetically engineered organisms into the wildfrom ecological disruptions to disease spreadwill be the subject of careful consideration.Another challenge lies in securing the habitats necessary for these species to thrive. For instance, Asian elephants, already endangered, face numerous threats and their use as surrogates raises questions about animal welfare. The success of de-extinction efforts could divert resources from conserving endangered species that still have viable populations as well.Either way, Colossal Biosciencesnow valued at $10.2 billion after its recent round of fundingis poised to redefine conservation biology. De-extinction offers a tantalizing glimpse into a future where science could restore lost wonder but it also compels us to reflect on our responsibility to protect what remains.Does the idea of bringing these long-extinct animals back to life fill you with curiosity and awe? Take this test and find out if you care for animals the same way you care for people: Animal Attitude Scale

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsA Real Pain (2024)The Rock (1996)Untitled Amy Adams Werewolf Adjacent Movie (2024)The end of the month is almost always bone dry when it comes to new films to watch on any of the streaming services. But for the final weekend of January 2025, theres a trio of great Hulu movies that you need to stream. And they couldnt be more different from each other.Our first pick for the week is an understated character study between two men, while the second is the prototypical action movie of the mid-90s. Finally, our last pick is a movie that we arent allowed to refer to by name.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedSearchlight PicturesJesse Eisenberg wrote, directed, and stars in A Real Pain alongside Kieran Culkin. The film follows David Kaplan (Eisenberg) and his cousin, Benjamin Benji Kaplan (Culkin), as they accompany a Holocaust tour group in Europe to reconnect to their identities as Jewish men.However, the cousins are estranged following Benjis recent suicide attempt, and the obvious friction between them affects the group. This journey isnt just about David and Benjis cultural and religious history. Its about their bond and whether anything can be done to save their connection.Watch A Real Pain on Hulu.Buena Vista Pictures DistributionThe Rock is such an unapologetic, big, dumb action movie that its hard not to love it. Director Michael Bay got Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage to ham things up together after Ed Harris Brigadier General Francis X. Hummel leads a team of renegade marines to seize control of Alcatraz Island and threaten the city of San Francisco with a bioweapon attack if their demands arent met.John Mason (Connery) is a former MI6 agent who may be the only man alive who successfully escaped Alcatraz. In exchange for a pardon, Mason agrees to accompany Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Cage) on a mission to Alcatraz to disable the weapons and free the hostages. However, Mason still has some enemies in the U.S. government, and even Hummel cant trust the men under his command to do the right thing when millions of lives are on the line.Watch The Rock on Hulu.Searchlight FilmsWe know this film has a title, but since the name contains an expletive, we arent allowed to use it on this site. Regardless, one of last years under-the-radar releases has found a streaming home on Hulu. Amy Adams plays an unnamed mother who is suffering from a very severe case of postpartum depression. Shes given birth to a new son, and neither her husband (Scoot McNairy) nor anyone around in her life can understand what shes going through.Even the mother is at a loss when she starts undergoing an apparent metamorphosis into a canine. At least she isnt turning into an actual werewolf! But the question at the heart of this film is whether the mothers transformations into a dog are real or if shes losing her mind and her marriage to a delusion.Watch Untitled Amy Adams Werewolf Adjacent Movie on Hulu.Editors Recommendations

Its been almost three years since Sony announced the WH-1000XM5 its current flagship wireless headphones. And if a recently uncovered Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing is any indication, the wait for the XM5s successor may soon be over. The Walkman Blog found an FCC Label and Location document filed by Sony on January 22, 2025 for a set of headphones bearing the model number YY2984. Theres no reference to WH-1000XM6 and Sonys internal headphone codes (YY1234) are sequential in order of release date, and not connected to type or kind of product. So while the timing and the diagram strongly suggest the existence of the XM6, we cant say for sure.Related:Sony WH-1000XM6: the design and features we want Sonys next headphones to deliverRecommended VideosIf these are in fact the WH-1000XM6, the diagram points to two new design elements that could distinguish these new cans from the XM5. The most obvious of these are the removable ear cushions. On the XM5, the ear cushions can be replaced, but they arent designed to be easily removed. Because of this, Sony chose to print the FCC ID information on a semi-circular label applied to the earcups mesh grille. If you roll the edge of the ear cushion back a bit, its plainly visible.Please enable Javascript to view this contentOn this new FCC diagram, the label location is on the interior of the earcup itself, and can only be accessed if you remove the ear cushion. The diagram doesnt show how the cushion stays attached, though magnets have proven to be the method of choice on many flagship models, like the Apple AirPods Max, Sonos Ace, and Master & Dynamic MW75.The less obvious change is the section where the headband meets the earcup.A broken set of Sony WH-1000XM5 posted to Reddit by user oidzbio. oidzbio / RedditWhen Sony released the XM5, it abandoned the fold-up/fold-flat design of the WH-1000XM4 in favor of a fold-flat design with a hidden internal yolk. This met with some resistance from observers who preferred the older design. But the biggest issue with the XM5s design is its durability, not its lack of a second fold. Reddits r/SonyHeadphones community gets regular posts from users sharing sad photos of their XM5, broken at the point where the headband slider meets the rotating earcup pivot.Sony WH-1000XM5 right earcup diagram (left) and the FCC diagram for YY2984. SonyIt looks like Sony is sticking with the hidden yolk, but the drawing suggests a more robust connection, possibly with a folding hinge. Sony used a similar construction on its ULT Wear headphones from 2024.The Walkman Blog believes it has found evidence for other features, including:Bluetooth version is 5.3 (BR/EDR/LE), which could mean LE Audio will be supported. That would be consistent with Sonys recent earbuds like the LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit, both of which support LE Audio and Auracast.Fast charging, andAn improved antenna design.The report also suggests that the new cans will get a May 2025 launch, based on the confidentiality dates found in the FCC documents. That would be consistent with the timing of the XM5 launch (May 2022).For now, however, we wait. But keep your eyes peeled: between now and May were likely to get leaked photos of these new headphones whether they turn out to be the WH-1000XM6, or some other Sony model.Editors Recommendations

The presidents embrace of rival Sam Altman sends a not-so-subtle message to the Tesla CEO.

On its last business day, the Biden administration issued a report that now has an unlikely fan.Elon Musk is using the report as evidence in his antitrust suit against Sam Altman and OpenAI.Biden's outgoing DOJ also weighed in on Musk's behalf.Former President Joe Biden left Elon Musk what amounts to a parting gift: a pair of scholarly papers drafted by his Justice Department and his Federal Trade Commission.Both describe the potential illegality of overly-cozy partnerships between giant cloud service providers like Microsoft and leading artificial intelligence developers like OpenAI.Musk is now using these Biden administration filings as fuel for his ongoing 2024 lawsuit against colleague-turned-rival Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO. The two men helped co-found OpenAI in 2015, with Musk sinking $44 million into the venture before their falling out three years later.Musk's lawsuit accuses Altman of betraying OpenAI's founding mission as a non-profit research lab dedicated to keeping AI technology safe and freely available for the good of mankind.Under Altman's leadership, OpenAI is now "a $157 billion for-profit, market-paralyzing gorgon," the most recent version of the lawsuit alleges.The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who in 2023 launched a competing AI effort, is seeking to break up the mutually beneficial he says monopolistic partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft.Under the partnership, the software giant provides vital cloud server space and funding a "$13 billion commitment," the lawsuit alleges. In return, Microsoft gets exclusive rights to the startup's technology, a suite of AI products that includes ChatGPT.Musk's lawsuit, filed in federal court in Oakland, California, accuses Altman of racketeering, calling the four-year-old Microsoft-OpenAI alliance an unregulated "de facto merger." He seeks to void the companies' licensing agreement and pocket cash damages.Microsoft "stands to make hundreds of billions from its methodical infiltration of, and increasing leverage over, the non-profit, its technology, and employees," the suit alleges.Musk spent at least $277 million backing President Donald Trump's campaign for reelection. Still, the Biden administration's recent support of Musk's claims is not surprising, his attorney, Marc Toberoff, told Business Insider on Friday.Concern over Big Tech monopolies goes beyond politics, the lawyer said."The DOJ and FTC took principled stands," Toberoff said of the back-to-back Biden administration filings. "Concern over OpenAI and Microsoft transcends party, because their coordinated conduct threatens the safe and effective development of by far the most transformative technology of our time."The DOJ filing was the first to drop into the Musk v Altman docket.Dated January 10, it supports Musk's claims that Microsoft and OpenAI violated federal antitrust laws by letting two people serve on the boards of directors of both companies a practice called "interlocking directorates."LinkedIn billionaire Reid Hoffman served on the boards of OpenAI and Microsoft from March 2017 until March 2023, the lawsuit alleges.The lawsuit also alleges that Deannah "Dee" Templeton, Microsoft's vice president of partnerships and operations, served on both boards from November 2023 until July 2024.Altman's side has countered that neither Hoffman nor Templeton both named as defendants in Musk's lawsuit remain on OpenAI's board.In late December, Musk asked the US District Court judge presiding over his lawsuit to bar the defendants from "benefiting from wrongfully obtained competitively sensitive information or coordination via the Microsoft-OpenAI board interlocks."The DOJ filing supported that request.Having directors serve on the boards of intertwined companies lets them share sensitive information, potentially undermining fair competition, the DOJ told Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.The FTC's filing was next to drop into the Musk v Altman docket.Dated January 17 the last full business day of the Biden administration it casts a critical eye on three multi-billion-dollar partnerships involving AI, listing them as "Microsoft-OpenAI, Amazon-Anthropic, and Google-Anthropic."Microsoft's $13.75 billion investment in OpenAI dwarves those of the other two partnerships, the report says. The report pegs Amazon's investment in Anthropic at $8 billion and Google's investment in Anthropic at $2.55 billion."These partnerships involve relationships between the world's current largest Cloud Service Providers ("CSPs") and two of the most prominent AI model developers," the report reads."These partnerships therefore have potential for significant impact on AI technology, workers, and consumers," it warns.By Inauguration Day, Musk's lawyers had attached the report as Exhibit 3 to to its latest court filing.Musk and his co-plaintiffs "agree with the analytic frameworks" of the FTC and DOJ findings, Musk's side wrote.Attorneys for Altman and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.The lawsuit's next court date is February 4.