Militaries and startups use artificial intelligence to sift through vast amounts of data and power autonomous underwater vehicles, boosting efforts to surveil the seabed.

When do rules encroach too far into territory that should be reserved for discretion? When should officials have interpretive leeway?

SIgnal noise X is reportedly blocking links to secure Signal contact pages Signal has recently become a popular organizing tool among government workers. Kevin Purdy Feb 17, 2025 10:49 am | 51 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreX, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, is seemingly blocking links to Signal, the encrypted messaging platform, according to journalist Matt Binder and other firsthand accounts.Binder wrote in his Disruptionist newsletter Sunday that links to Signal.me, a domain that offers a way to connect directly to Signal users, are blocked on public posts, direct messages, and profile pages. Error messagesincluding "Message not sent," "Something went wrong," and profiles tagged as "considered malware" or "potentially harmful"give no direct suggestion of a block. But posts on X, reporting at The Verge, and other sources suggest that Signal.me links are broadly banned.Signal.me links that were already posted on X prior to the recent change now show a "Warning: this link may be unsafe" interstitial page rather than opening the link directly. Links to Signal handles and the Signal homepage are still functioning on X.Binder, a former Mashable reporter who was once blocked by X (then Twitter) for reporting on owner Elon Musk and accounts related to his private jet travel, credited the first reports to an X post by security research firm Mysk.Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging platform, with data stored not on Signal's servers but on users' devices. It is a tool frequently used by reporters and investigators working with confidential sources and informants. Signal has used by many government employees to communicate among themselves, as agents of X owner Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have gained increasing access to official data systems.Twitter/X has previously blocked or restricted links to outside services. Twitter briefly banned all links to Instagram, the federated service Mastodon, and other platforms in mid-December 2022, only to reverse its policy less than 48 hours later. In April 2023, ahead of Substack debuting a "Notes" feature allowing for short posts from creators, Twitter blocked links to Substack, and again undid the change after pushback from users.Ars has reached out to X 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. 51 Comments

Mars in focus NASA nominee previews his vision for the agency: Mars, hard work, inspiration Jared Isaacman says NASA should invest a "reasonable amount of resources" in Mars. Eric Berger Feb 17, 2025 10:39 am | 31 Jared Isaacman emerges from the Dragon spacecraft on Thursday morning. Credit: SpaceX webcast Jared Isaacman emerges from the Dragon spacecraft on Thursday morning. Credit: SpaceX webcast Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe likely next leader of NASA, private astronaut and pilot Jared Isaacman, has kept a low profile since the announcement last year that he was President Donald Trump's choice to lead the space agency.This is understandable, as Isaacman must still be confirmed by the US Senate. No date has yet been put forward for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). Typically, during this interim period, nominees meet with Senators behind closed doors before their hearings and limit public comments that could put them in the hot seat during the confirmation process.This has meant that we've heard little from the person who is in line to lead NASA over the next four years as the space agency confronts a number of issues. These include reconfiguring the Artemis Program, a potential pivot toward Mars, an aging International Space Station, Mars Sample Return, a limited pipeline of science missions, and the likelihood of budget cuts. On top of all of this there is the uncertainty and unease federal workers face as the Trump Administration scrutinizes their activities for efficiency and, in some cases, loyalty.Breaking his silenceHowever, Isaacman made some of his most in-depth remarks yet on his vision to lead the space agency this weekend on the social media site X. Commenting on an image of Mars, it is notable that Isaacman chose to focus on the benefits of sending humans to the red planet."When I see a picture like this, it is impossible not to feel energized about the future," he wrote. "I think it is so important for people to understand the profound implications of sending humans to another planet."Among these, Isaacman cited the benefits of advancing state-of-the-art technologies including propulsion, habitability, power generation, in-situ resource utilization, and manufacturing."We will create systems, countermeasures, and pharmaceuticals to sustain human life in extreme conditions, addressing challenges like radiation and microgravity over extended durations," he said. "These advancements will form the foundation for lower-cost, more frequent crewed and robotic missions across the solar system, creating a flywheel effect to accelerate world-changing discoveries."Additionally, Isaacman said taking the first steps toward humanity living beyond Earth was critical to the long-term survival of the species, and that such an achievement would inspire a new generation of scientific and technological leaders."Achieving such an outrageous endeavorlike landing American astronauts on another planetwill inspire generations of dreamers to build upon these accomplishments, set even bolder goals, and drive humankinds greatest adventure forward," he wrote.Upon being asked about his thoughts about sending humans to Mars during the launch window in late 2028 or early 2029, Isaacman said he remains on the outside of NASA's planning process for now. But he did say the United States should start to put serious effort toward sending humans to Mars."We should invest a reasonable amount of resources coupled with extreme work intensity and then make them a reality," he wrote. "Even getting 90% there in the near term would set humankind on an incredible trajectory for the long term."NASA needs a leaderIn his comments Isaacman was careful to offer an uplifting and inclusive message. This has been his approach since his arriving in the space community about five years ago, with the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, and Polaris Dawn last year. He has sought to inspire people to be interested in space, advance commercial spaceflight, and broaden access. With his two Crew Dragon missions, Isaacman brought a variety of people to space and raised funds for charity. He is broadly liked within the space community for these reasons.Some critics have raised concerns about conflicts of interest, as Isaacman has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to SpaceX for his two flights. Will he unduly favor the spaceflight company founded by Elon Musk as leader of NASA? There is also hope within the space community, as well as NASA itself, that Isaacman can bring dynamic leadership and ease the considerable uncertainty hanging over the space agency at present. The NASA employees I have spoken with, almost universally, would welcome his confirmation sooner rather than later.Although Isaacman's remarks this weekend were general in nature, we can draw some information from them. First of all, Isaacman does not appear to be foreclosing on the idea of a lunar component for NASA's deep space exploration program. He mentions "Moon to Mars" in his comments. However it is likely that NASA's lunar program will become more focused, with the goal of learning what we can on the Moon to support human missions to Mars.As for Mars itself, it seems clear the Isaacman's spaceflight goals align with those of Trumpwho, despite creating the Artemis lunar program during his first term, has always been more interested in sending humans to Marsand Musk, who founded SpaceX with the express purpose of putting humans on Mars.Eric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 31 Comments

A microscopic image of a neuroblastoma tumourSimon Belcher/AlamyA cancer therapy that uses genetically engineered immune cells, called CAR T-cells, has kept a person free of a potentially fatal nerve tumour for a record-breaking 18 years.This is, to my knowledge, the longest-lasting complete remission in a patient who received CAR T-cell therapy, says Karin Straathof at University College London, who wasnt involved in the treatment. This patient is cured, she says. AdvertisementDoctors use CAR T-cell therapy to treat some kinds of blood cancer, like leukaemia. To do this, they collect a sample of T-cells, which form part of the immune system, from a patients blood and genetically engineer them to target and kill cancer cells. They then infuse the modified cells back into the body. In 2022, a follow-up study found that this approach had put two people with leukaemia into remission for around 11 years, a record at the time.But CAR T-cell therapy usually fails against solid tumours like neuroblastoma, which occurs when developing nerve cells in children turn cancerous, typically before age 5. Such tumours often strongly resist being attacked by the immune system, reducing the effectiveness of the modified T-cells.This is why Cliona Rooney at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and her colleagues were surprised to find that a person who had neuroblastoma during childhood who they had treated with CAR T-cell therapy as part of a trial in 2005 remained cancer-free more than 18 years later. These results were amazing to get complete responses in neuroblastomas with this approach is quite unusual, says Rooney. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday.Sign up to newsletterThe person had received the treatment at age 4 after several rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy failed to fully eradicate their cancer. At the time, the team also treated 10 other people with the same condition whose cancer had also relapsed after standard treatment, and they all experienced virtually no side effects, says Rooney. One of these participants showed no signs of cancer nearly nine years later, before they dropped out of the study, making follow-up impossible. The remaining nine participants eventually died due to their cancer, mostly within a few years of receiving the treatment.It is unclear why some people responded so much better than others. Thats the $1 million question, we really dont know why, says Rooney.One reason could be that each individuals T-cells behave slightly differently depending on their genetics, prior exposure to infections and various lifestyle factors, such as their diet, says Rooney. Indeed, the team found that CAR T-cells persisted in the blood for longer in participants who survived for longer.Another explanation could be that some participants tumours were more immunosuppressive and resisted the CAR T-cells more strongly, says Rooney.Rooneys team is now exploring new ways to engineer the cells so that they can benefit more people. We have to improve them and make them more potent, without increasing toxicities, she says.Such endeavours are likely to yield further success, says Straathof. Now weve seen a glimpse of what is feasible.Journal reference:Nature Medicine DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03513-0 Topics:medicine

MindSocial media is enabling health symptoms and mass psychogenic illnesses to spread quickly around the world. But by knowing how it happens, you can protect yourself 17 February 2025 Deena So OtehCenturiesago, witches and shamans would mutter curses with the intention of spreading illness. Today, certain social media feeds may serve the same purpose.We arent talking about sharing dubious claims about quack treatments and fad diets, but rather information that exaggerates threats to our health. Through the power of suggestion, these posts can trigger real symptoms ranging from Tourettes-like tics to headaches, muscle pain, fainting fits and even cognitive impairment.That negative expectations can influence our health is already well established it is called the nocebo effect and there is increasing interest in how it can pass from person to person. Scientists have shown that the phenomenon can be highly transmissible, spreading through face-to-face conversations, blogs and most worryingly social media.Online information can spread nocebo effects faster and farther than has previously been possible, says Kate Faasse at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. This is quite scary, given how many people seek health information on the internet and through social media in particular.Contagious nocebo responses are so common that you may have experienced one yourself ever witnessed someone vomit and then felt nauseous? Fortunately, recent research is offering new ways to protect ourselves from these mind viruses.The placebo effects oppositeEven if you have never heard of the nocebo response, you will probably be familiar with its counterpart the placebo effect. In many situations, this can lead to people feeling better as a result of the mere expectation of relief. Taking a sham pill presented as

Hundreds of FAA probationary employees were fired over the weekend, their union said.The firings, which include air traffic controllers, come as the agency faces staffing shortages.The FAA is the latest government agency to be impacted by Trump's aims to cut federal spending.Hundreds of Federal Aviation Association employees have been fired, according to their union, just weeks after a deadly Washington, DC, plane crash.The firings were carried out "without cause" and were not based on employees' "performance or conduct," the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists said in a February 15 statement.Some employees received a termination email on Friday, and the union said it is possible that others received termination emails over the weekend or could be "literally barred from entering FAA buildings" when they return to work on Tuesday.The union said the emails were sent from an 'exec order' Microsoft email address, not a .gov address.The White House, FAA, and the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.The White House's move to reduce the FAA workforce comes after a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger plane outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January, killing 67 people. The tragedy underscored staffing challenges within the FAA and potential safety shortcomings in federal aviation policy.Following the crash, Trump promised to make "rapid" improvements to US air travel,blaming the the crash on the FAA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on February 16 that "President Trump has ordered that I deliver a new, world-class air traffic control system that will be the envy of the world."Aviation industry leaders have warned that long-standing understaffing within the FAA could put future"This draconian action will increase the workload and place new responsibilities on a workforce that is already stretched thin," said David Spero, National President of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, in the February 15 statement.The National Air Traffic Controllers Association also told Business Insider that it is "analyzing the effect of the reported federal employee terminations on aviation safety."The FAA workforce includes thousands of government employees at all levels of aviation, including systems specialists, safety inspectors, mechanics, air traffic control, and administrative staff. Probationary employees, who the union said have been most impacted by the firings, are typically new hires.The FAA is one of many government agencies to face staffing cuts from Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.Thousands of employees at the Agency for International Development, the Office of Personnel Management, the Forest Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and more have received similar termination notices in recent weeks as the administration vows to slash federal spending.Are you an FAA employee or an affected federal worker? If so, reach out to this reporter on a non-work device at allisonkelly@businessinsider.com or on the secure messaging app Signal at alliekelly.10

New Zealand launched a new tourism campaign to boost its economy amid a recession.The campaign targets Australians, who are key to New Zealand's tourism recovery post-pandemic.Locals criticized the campaign's timing and its slogan, which some have called tone-deaf.New Zealand's tourism sector needs a boost. But the country's latest ad campaign is getting attention for the wrong reasons."Everyone must go!" the government of New Zealand's latest tourism campaign reads. The roughly $287,000 (NZD 500,000) campaign, launched Sunday, is aimed at Australians, who make up 44% of the country's annual international tourists.Australian tourism numbers to the island nation still haven't recovered entirely after the pandemic, sitting at 88% compared to 2019. And New Zealand's economy weakened overall in 2024, falling into a recession with the highest unemployment rate in nearly four years in November."What this Tourism New Zealand campaign says to our Aussie mates is that we're open for business, there are some great deals on, and we'd love to see you soon," Tourism Minister Louise Upston said in a press release. "The campaign tagline of 'Everyone must go' lets Australia know that New Zealand is a 'must visit' destination, and that we're ready and waiting to welcome them now."But locals see it differently. The timing of the campaign, which comes amid government job cuts and a large number of New Zealanders moving out of the country has many complaining that the slogan is tone-deaf and referential to the bathroom."I think 'Everyone Must Go' might refer to the need for toilets in some of our high-tourist spots. I mean, the queues are ridiculous," Green Party Tourism spokesperson Celia Wade-Brown told RNZ.Brown and Labour's tourism spokesperson, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, agreed that the campaign lacks a long-term plan for the industry."I mean, it makes New Zealand sound like we're in a clearance bin at a sale," Tangaere-Manuel told RNZ. "The irony of that messaging is, that's how Aotearoa New Zealanders are feeling right now. There's been so many cuts, so people feel like 'well, what's not on the list of cuts'," Tangaere-Manuel added.The government of New Zealand didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment about these critiques.This isn't New Zealand's first effort this year to attract more tourists. On January 27, the government eased visa restrictions to allow digital nomads to work remotely in the country.Roughly two weeks later, the government relaxed restrictions on golden visas, known as Active Investor Plus (AIP) visas, to make them more flexible in an effort to attract more investors to New Zealand.

The Nintendo Switch 2 could get free-to-play sensation Marvel Rivals, according to developer Netease Games, with the popular hero shooter's developer admitting it has a Switch 2 dev unitTech13:01, 17 Feb 2025Updated 17:14, 17 Feb 2025Superhero battles on the go with Switch 2? Sign us up!(Image: NetEase Games)While Nintendo announced the Switch 2 console in January, we won't hear anything further until April 2, with some suggesting that gives other publishers the chance to reveal their offerings for its launch game lineup in the interim.After hearing even Rockstar Games could offer up a title alongside Nintendo stalwarts Mario and Link, as well as a new Mario Kart title, we've never been more excited to hear more although not quite excited enough to buy the console for over 30,000 on the black market.Still, as we edge closer to April 2 and news on the system's price and release date, one free-to-play phenomenon could come to the console.Marvel Rivals has more heroes joining its ranks this week(Image: NetEase Games)Marvel Rivals has been amassing players quicker than you can say "Infinity Saga", with the game hitting 10 million across all platforms in just 72 hours.Developer Netease has been speaking to IGN at the DICE Summit, and has commented on the potential of the game running on Nintendo's new hardware.Were already in contact with Nintendo and working on some development kits, said the game's producer Weicong Wu.And whenever we find that we could provide great performance for our game on Switch 2, were open to that."The reason why we didnt launch it onto the Switch, it was the first generation of that device they cannot provide a great experience for our gameplay. So if it could achieve that goal, were open to that.Given Marvel Rivals popularity, it's fair to say it'd be a big deal if it came to Switch 2, but given the game currently supports crossplay but not cross-progression, players might have to start from the bottom of the ladder again if it does happen.Article continues belowThe game, which has reportedly been pinching players from Blizzard's Overwatch 2, recently added characters from the Fantastic Four, with loads of characters apparently datamined. The Human Torch and The Thing arrive later this week.While we wait for the likes of Blade and Captain Marvel, its chief rival (see what we did there?) held an Overwatch 2 Spotlight last week that aims to sway players back. Catch our rundown of what's new ahead of tomorrow's fresh season.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Turtle Beach brought out a wireless guitar controller for the PS5 and PS4 and it is compatible with Fortnite Festival's rhythm rocking music game and finally back in stockTech17:11, 17 Feb 2025The Riffmaster guitar controllerIts been a while since weve seen a wild peripheral for the modern consoles and this guitar-based controller is excellent for Fortnite fans.Back in the day, Guitar Hero and Rock Band rhythm games were massive and these kinds of controllers were a must-buy for the Xbox 360 and PS4.But it felt like theyd dropped away into the history books with the arrival of PS5 and Xbox Series X.However, the sound lovers at Turtle Beach have given us a fresh rock and roll machine to button bash on with the Riffmaster and its great fun.It's been hard to get for a while but we've finally got our hands on a unit for a review.And there are some subtle game-changing improvements in this device over previous guitar controllers, with the most important being its superb battery life.It looks like a real rock metal guitar but is about two-thirds the normal sizeREAD MORE: Daily Star's newsletter brings you the biggest and best stories sign up todayREAD MORE: Xbox's multiplatform strategy pays off as it becomes biggest publisher in the worldThe light-to-hold Riffmaster is an all-black plastic pseudo-guitar that looks like something a member of Kiss would be melting faces with.The version we tried is compatible with both PS5 and PS4 and is pitched at modern gamers who love rocking along to the musical section Fortnite Festival, in the Fortnite free-to-play game.For those not in the know, Fortnite Festival is a game within the game developed by Harmonix, the same people behind the classic Rock Band video games.Here you can jump into a band with three pals or random folk online and play along to famous songs by pressing certain button combinations in rhythm to the music.The Riffmaster puts those control inputs into a guitar-shaped form, rather than just a tradition DualSense design, meaning you can pretend to be a proper rock god playing along to some of the worlds greatest riffs.The guitar comes packaged with the collapsible neck folded inwards, which makes storage much easier when youre not using the device, and simply clicks into place with a plastic slider to keep the neck upright when jamming.All the core DualSense buttons are there, this time mapped in bright greens, blues, reds and yellows on the neck of the Riffmaster so that you can finger-press your way through songs by the likes of Ariana Grande, 3 Doors Down, Papa Roach and Blink 182.Theres a guitar strap in the box too to help you sling this mini beast - which is about two-thirds the size of an actual electric guitar - over your shoulder for the authentic look.You'll certainly look the part in your living room acting all Jimmy HendrixOn the main body of the device is a D-pad to help you navigate menus, and volume up/down/mute controls as well as a whammy bar for those cool guitar effects and a strumming pad to help you build up the correct rhythm to a song.Theres a 3.5 mm audio jack for those wanting to quietly rock their socks off using headphones.On the back of the neck they hide away a Playstation thumb stick control too, a first for these kinds of devices, and it works really well when also navigating through games as weve come to expect from this kind of modern control method.The unit is switchable between left and right handers too, so easy for anyone to pick up and play no matter how you rock guitars.Its all very intuitive and works perfectly the instant you pop in the wireless dongle to your console and boot up the game.And shout out too to the 30-odd foot low latency wireless connection. No cables means total freedom to air guitar your night away in the living room like a dodgy Jimmy Hendrix.Also, the built-in battery is rechargeable and runs for up to a massive 36 hours before needing a USB-C plug in to recover.Thats loads of gaming for your charge.The neck is collapsible which is great for storage(Image: Turtle Beach)READ MORE: Sky Glass owners can now skip annoying ads and share iPhone pics on their TVsAll in, this is a lovely and very welcomed new addition to gaming gadgets that elevate the experience of titles like Fortnite Festival and Rock Band 4.The Riffmaster looks great, rocks hard and is effortless in its wireless plug-and-play mechanics.VERDICT 5/5Article continues below*Reviewed on PS5. Device provided for review by maker.