Secretly working multiple full-time remote jobs may sound like a nightmare — but Americans looking to make their financial dreams come true willingly hustle for it.Over the past two years, Business Insider has interviewed more than two dozen "overemployed" workers, many of whom work in tech roles. They tend to work long hours but say the extra earnings are worth it to pay off student debt, save for an early retirement, and afford expensive vacations and weight-loss drugs. Many started working multiple jobs during the pandemic, when remote job openings soared.One example is Sarah, who's on track to earn about $300,000 this year by secretly working two remote IT jobs. Over the last few years, Sarah said the extra income from job juggling has helped her save more than $100,000 in her 401(k)s, pay off $17,000 in credit card debt, and furnish her home.Sarah, who's in her 50s and lives in the Southeast, said working 12-hour days is worth it for the job security. This security came in handy when she was laid off from one of her jobs last year. She's since found a new second gig."I want to ride this out until I retire," Sarah previously told BI. Business Insider verified her identity, but she asked to use a pseudonym, citing fears of professional repercussions. BI spoke to one boss who caught an employee secretly working another job and fired him. Job juggling could breach some employment contracts and be a fireable offense.Overemployed workers like Sarah told BI how they've landed extra roles, juggled the workload, and stayed under the radar. Some said they rely on tactics like blocking off calendars, using separate devices, minimizing meetings, and sticking to flexible roles with low oversight. While job juggling could have professional repercussions or lead to burnout, and some readers have questioned the ethics of this working arrangement, many workers have told BI they don't feel guilty about their job juggling — and that the financial benefits generally outweigh the downsides and risks. In recent years, some have struggled to land new remote gigs, due in part to hiring slowdowns and return-to-office mandates. Most said they plan to continue pursuing overemployment as long as they can.Read the stories ahead to learn how some Americans have managed the workload, risks, and stress of working multiple jobs — and transformed their finances.

It’s fairly easy to block the constant, incessant advertising that appears on YouTube. Google would prefer that you don’t, or pay up (quite a lot) to make them go away. Last weekend, the company started its latest campaign to try and badger ad-block users into disabling their extensions. Since then, it looks like YouTube has escalated things and is now intentionally slowing down videos. Posters on Reddit and the Brave browser forum have observed videos being blacked out on first load, approximately for the length of pre-roll ads, with a pop-up link that directs users to the ad-blocking section of this technical support page. “Check whether your browser extensions that block ads are affecting video playback,” suggests Google. “As another option, try opening YouTube in an incognito window with all extensions disabled and check if the issue continues.” PCWorld staff has seen this in action, using uBlock Origin Lite. Google Ad-block extension developers quickly got around the pop-up issue earlier this week, with one AdGuard representative calling the process “a classic cat-and-mouse game.” But if Google wanted to instigate a more serious crackdown on users blocking ads without paying up, it could do so easily—and we’ve seen it pull this same move before. Posters on the latest issue speculate that the slowdowns might be tagged to specific Google or YouTube user accounts that were detected blocking ads previously, which would bypass any kind of interaction with a specific browser or extension. I can’t independently confirm that’s happening, but it wouldn’t surprise me. It also wouldn’t shock me if Google is seeing a larger percentage of YouTube users blocking advertising, as is the case all across the web, as the quantity of advertising rises while quality takes a nosedive. YouTube video creators are having to get, well, creative to seek alternate revenue beyond basic AdSense accounts, as sponsored videos are now constant across the platform and more channels put new videos behind paywalls on YouTube itself or via other platforms like Patreon. YouTube is attacking the issue from other angles as well. Tech-focused creators that show how to use third-party tools to block ads or download videos from the site (again, without paying the steep fees for YouTube Premium) are getting their videos taken down and their accounts flagged, for violation of the extremely vague policy around “harmful and dangerous content.” If I may editorialize a bit: Google, if you want more people to subscribe to YouTube Premium and remove advertising, you need to make it cheaper. Charging $14 per month just to get rid of ads is the same cost of a premium subscription from other sources where users can watch full movies and series. YouTube as a platform is a much lower bar and just doesn’t compete at that level. I’m not going to pay that much to get rid of ads, not when it doesn’t actually get rid of all the ads—those sponsored and subscriber-only videos are still all over the place—and the site is filling up with AI slop. “Premium Lite,” which neuters the offerings for mobile and music-focused users, doesn’t make the cut either. And to be clear, I have no problem paying for the stuff I watch. I already pay more than $15 a month to support the individual YouTube channels I enjoy, like Second Wind, Drawfee, and several tech podcasts. But I do it via Patreon because sending that money through YouTube feels gross. If Google wants people to pay up, it needs to lower the price enough so that it’s no longer worth the hassle of blocking them. It’s a lesson that the music, movie, and game industries learned a long time ago as they fought the initial wave of internet piracy… and now seem to be forgetting again.

If you’re in the homebuying market, you’ve probably come to realize that the grass is always greener in the listing description—both literally and figuratively. Real estate agents sometimes get creative with Photoshop edits on listing photos, often brightening up the grass and editing out unsightly objects, like a neighbor’s clunker car or wires cluttering a bedroom. They also use some descriptive language that can be, well, deceptive. Adjectives like cozy and charming may evoke good feelings in potential buyers, but they’re high on the list of frequently used adjectives that probably don’t mean what you think they do. Photos and descriptions give you a teaser, but nothing beats an in-person tour for catching any potential sneaky details. Still, there are certain phrases to keep an eye out for as you're browsing for your next dream home online. Below, we're rounding up 10 common words or phrases often found in real estate listings should raise red flags, according to real estate pros. Related Stories“Charming”DreamPictures//Getty ImagesOr, similarly, unique. “Often, this means the property has some quirks that might not appeal to everyone,” real estate expert Yawar Charlie, director of the luxury estates division at Aaron Kirman Group, says. “It could be anything from a funky floor plan to unconventional finishes.” Think about resale value and whether any of these quirks might be a dealbreaker for future buyers, should you choose to sell“Cozy”Cozy is most likely a code word for lacking square footage, Charlie says. “When they call it cozy, they’re hinting that it might be a bit cramped,” he says. “Check for square footage and layout specifics.”“Home Being Sold As Is”"As is" is perhaps one of the biggest red flags in real estate. “It often signals that the property may have significant issues the seller is trying to offload,” says Nikki Bernstein, a global real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers Scottsdale.According to Bernstein, an "as is" condition indicates that the seller is likely emotionally detached and unwilling to negotiate on price or concessions. It also suggests they may be withholding information, indicating there could be hidden problems waiting to be uncovered during inspection, she says. “As is might as well be a warning: ‘Buyer beware,’” Bernstein says. “Fixer Upper”Mableen//Getty ImagesIf you’ve got a design-build background or are looking for homes that are worth renovating, a property advertised as a fixer-upper might make for a fun challenge. But this phrase usually means the property has seen better days and needs some TLC, which is not what most buyers are looking for. Charlie's advice? Bring a contractor or a handyman to the home inspection with you. “You’re not just checking for cosmetic issues; you want to get the lowdown on structural problems, electrical updates, and plumbing repairs,” Charlie says. “A fixer-upper can quickly turn into a money pit.”If you choose to pursue a home that needs a fair amount of love, make sure you’ve got the right loan, Virginia Realtor and real estate broker Michelle Brown cautions. For example, a FHA 203K loan lets buyers roll home improvement costs into their mortgage.“Investors’ Dream”This phrase typically signals the property is in poor condition but priced low for potential profit through renovations or redevelopment, Brown says. This is another instance where you’ll want to have a contractor with you to get a full picture of all the repairs that may be needed.“Make This Home Your Own”This phrase signals the home is likely outdated and in need of cosmetic updates at the very least, New Jersey Realtor Larry Devardo says. Listings that advertise “potential” or say “home has endless possibilities” are also indicators that repairs and updates are needed, he says. “Great Bones”DreamPictures//Getty ImagesOn the upside, “great bones” means the home is structurally sound with strong infrastructure, Maryland Realtor Ellie Hitt says. On the downside, it likely needs a lot of cosmetic updates to bring it up to date with modern conveniences and aesthetics.“Needs TLC”Often, when a home requires cosmetic work, “TLC” is noted, indicating the property needs someone who is willing to put in a little bit of elbow grease, agent Karen Kostiw of Coldwell Banker Warburg says. You may be thinking of new carpet, updated cabinets, and a few other touch-ups, but in some cases, TLC could actually mean the property requires a gut renovation.“Motivated Seller”Translation: The seller is eager to sell, possibly due to financial issues, a pending foreclosure, or a property that has been on the market for a while, says Jeffrey Borham, owner of Tampa Bay, Florida Team Borham. “This could be an opportunity for negotiation,” he adds. “However, investigate why the seller is motivated; there could be hidden issues that have deterred other buyers.”Similarly, “priced to sell” could mean a whole host of things, ranging from the property needs some work or the seller wants to start a bidding war, New York City Broker Sean Adu-Gyamfi of Coldwell Banker Warburg says.“Hot Listing”Some agents advertise “hot listings” on the MLS to create urgency, even if there are no other offers, Misty Spittler, a licensed public insurance adjuster and certified roof inspector, says. Don’t feel pressured, though. She recently had a client bid $20,000 over asking on a listing advertised as hot. Spittler’s inspection found $30,000 of necessary repairs, so the client was able to renegotiate.Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

Synopsys was already facing a slowdown in China. Now it's trying to assess the impact of new export restrictions.

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. OpenAI: The power and the pride OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT 3.5 set in motion an AI arms race that has changed the world. How that turns out for humanity is something we are still reckoning with and may be for quite some time. But a pair of recent books both attempt to get their arms around it.In Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI, Karen Hao tells the story of the company’s rise to power and its far-reaching impact all over the world. Meanwhile, The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future, by the Wall Street Journal’s Keach Hagey, homes in more on Altman’s personal life, from his childhood through the present day, in order to tell the story of OpenAI.  Both paint complex pictures and show Altman in particular as a brilliantly effective yet deeply flawed creature of Silicon Valley—someone capable of always getting what he wants, but often by manipulating others. Read the full review.—Mat Honan This startup wants to make more climate-friendly metal in the US The news: A California-based company called Magrathea just turned on a new electrolyzer that can make magnesium metal from seawater. The technology has the potential to produce the material, which is used in vehicles and defense applications, with net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions. Why it matters: Today, China dominates production of magnesium, and the most common method generates a lot of the emissions that cause climate change. If Magrathea can scale up its process, it could help provide an alternative source of the metal and clean up industries that rely on it, including automotive manufacturing. Read the full story. —Casey Crownhart A new sodium metal fuel cell could help clean up transportation A new type of fuel cell that runs on sodium metal could one day help clean up sectors where it’s difficult to replace fossil fuels, like rail, regional aviation, and short-distance shipping. The device represents a departure from technologies like lithium-based batteries and is more similar conceptually to hydrogen fuel cell systems. The sodium-air fuel cell has a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries and doesn’t require the super-cold temperatures or high pressures that hydrogen does, making it potentially more practical for transport. Read the full story. —Casey Crownhart The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The US state department is considering vetting foreign students’ social mediaAfter ordering US embassies to suspend international students’ visa appointments. (Politico)+ Applicants’ posts, shares and comments could be assessed. (The Guardian)+ The Trump administration also wants to cut off Harvard’s funding. (NYT $) 2 SpaceX’s rocket exploded during its test flight It’s the third consecutive explosion the company has suffered this year. (CNBC)+ It was the first significant attempt to reuse Starship hardware. (Space)+ Elon Musk is fairly confident the problem with the engine bay has been resolved. (Ars Technica)3 The age of AI layoffs is hereAnd it’s taking place in conference rooms, not on factory floors. (Quartz)+ People are worried that AI will take everyone’s jobs. We’ve been here before. (MIT Technology Review)4 Thousands of IVF embryos in Gaza were destroyed by Israeli strikesAn attack destroyed the fertility clinic where they were housed. (BBC)+ Inside the strange limbo facing millions of IVF embryos. (MIT Technology Review) 5 China’s overall greenhouse gas emissions have fallen for the first timeEven as energy demand has risen. (Vox)+ China’s complicated role in climate change. (MIT Technology Review) 6 The sun is damaging Starlink’s satellitesIts eruptions are reducing the satellite’s lifespans. (New Scientist $)+ Apple’s satellite connectivity dreams are being thwarted by Musk. (The Information $) 7 European companies are struggling to do business in ChinaEven the ones that have operated there for decades. (NYT $)+ The country’s economic slowdown is making things tough. (Bloomberg $) 8 US hospitals are embracing helpful robotsThey’re delivering medications and supplies so nurses don’t have to. (FT $)+ Will we ever trust robots? (MIT Technology Review) 9 Meet the people who write the text messages on your favorite show They try to make messages as realistic, and intriguing, as possible. (The Guardian) 10 Robot dogs are delivering parcels in AustinWell, over 100 yard distances at least. (TechCrunch) Quote of the day “I wouldn’t say there’s hope. I wouldn’t bet on that.” —Michael Roll, a partner at law firm Roll & Harris, explains to Wired why businesses shouldn’t get their hopes up over obtaining refunds for Donald Trump’s tariff price hikes. One more thing Is the digital dollar dead?In 2020, digital currencies were one of the hottest topics in town. China was well on its way to launching its own central bank digital currency, or CBDC, and many other countries launched CBDC research projects, including the US.How things change. The digital dollar—even though it doesn’t exist—has now become political red meat, as some politicians label it a dystopian tool for surveillance. So is the dream of the digital dollar dead? Read the full story. —Mike Orcutt We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.) + Recently returned from vacation? Here’s how to cope with coming back to reality.+ Reconnecting with friends is one of life’s great joys.+ A new Parisian cocktail bar has done away with ice entirely in a bid to be more sustainable.+ Why being bored is good for you—no, really.

Macworld People have high hopes for the Apple Watch in 2025 after the Apple Watch Series 10 disappointed in 2024. Despite rumors of major design changes, the Apple Watch 10 turned out to be more or less identical to every Apple Watch sold over the last few years. The display was just a tad larger and the body was slightly thinner, but overall it was very similar to the Series 9. At this point you might look to the old adage: “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. Apple’s Watch follows a proven formula that has brought a lot of success. It should be no surprise that the company isn’t rocking the boat. That might be forgivable, but Apple didn’t even update the Apple Watch Ultra or Apple Watch SE in 2024, leaving both with an older processor generation. Luckily this year it looks like Apple will deliver some long awaited Apple Watch features. Read on to find out what’s in store for Apple Watch Series 11 in the fall of 2025? Here’s what we’ve heard so far about the 2025 Apple Watch. We’ll run though what’s expected for each Apple Watch model below, starting with the Apple Watch Series 11. Apple Watch Series 11: Release date Launch at September iPhone event: Tuesday September 9 (probable) Pre-order from September 12 On sale from September 19 For years now, Apple has announced the new Apple Watch together with the new iPhone at a September event, with both products going on sale the following week. We haven’t heard anything to make us think that won’t be the case again this year. The most likely date is the second Tuesday of September, which is September 9. Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 11 will probably begin that Friday (September 12) with general availability in stores a week later (September 19). Apple Watch Series 11: Price Likely to start at $399, unless Apple has to raise prices Ever since the Apple Watch Series 3, Apple has kept starting prices the same for the aluminum Apple Watch and we don’t expect a price hike this year. This means that the Series 11 will start at $399 and the larger version will cost $429, with an extra $100 for cellular capability and higher prices for various bands. With the Series 10, Apple also offered a titanium case for $699/$749, which includes LTE like the Ultra. Rumors suggest Apple will keep that option around with the Series 11, likely at the same price. However, no discussion of future Apple product pricing is complete without mentioning U.S. tariffs, which are changing rapidly and could have a big impact on pricing. It’s simply too difficult to predict whether tariffs will increase the Apple Watch’s price, the odds are significant. Apple Watch Series 11: Design The Apple Watch Series 11 is likely to look nearly identical to the Series 10.Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry Rumors throughout 2024 told us to expect more significant changes to the Apple Watch design last year, and then the Series 10 debuted and it looked like a very slightly flattened Series 9. This year, there aren’t even any rumors of big design changes. Currently, all signs point to an Apple Watch that is identical in appearance to the Series 10, with the possible exception of new colors, possibly sky blue to match the MacBook Air and iPhone 17. Apple Watch SE 3: Release date, price and design Launch at September iPhone event: Tuesday September 9 (probable) Pre-order from September 12 On sale from September 19 Apple hasn’t updated the Apple Watch SE since 2022 and that update was an extremely minor one, bringing a new chip and crash detection with a lower price of $249. It was initially rumored that 2024 would bring a substantial update to the budget watch with a plastic redesign, but that didn’t happen. Then Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that a plastic SE redesign would arrive in 2025 alongside the Series 11. However, a rumor in March claimed that the new Apple Watch SE had run into production issues and was in “serious jeopardy.” So Apple may need to switch to an aluminum design for the new SE or stick with the current model for another year. The Apple Watch SE hasn’t been updated since 2022.Henry Burrell / Foundry Apple Watch Ultra 3: Release date, price and design Launch at September iPhone event: Tuesday September 9 (probable) Pre-order from September 12 On sale from September 19 We do expect that there will be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 2025. Rumors so far point to 5G and satellite texting capabilities, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The Apple Watch Ultra 2025 might also be slimmer. And yes, the display might be even larger. In addition to that you can expect all the features coming to the Apple Watch Series 11. Apple Watch 2025: Features coming to the Apple Watch Apple has been working on incorporating a microLED display on the Apple Watch for several years, according to various leaks and rumors, but it’s not expected to debut on the Series 11 this year. Some think this display shift will come to Apple Watch Ultra first, but even that isn’t expected in 2025. Health We’re not expecting any new health sensors. Apple’s blood glucose monitoring initiative is still years from ending up in a watch, it seems, and while there have been rumors of high blood pressure monitoring, that’s apparently not quite ready to appear this year, either. Specs So what will be new? You can bet on a new S11 SiP (system in package), offering somewhat better performance. Don’t expect a big boost in battery life, though—that has been a near constant 18 hours for nearly the entire lifespan of the watch. Apple Intelligence and the new Siri could be one of the new features of watchOS 12 and the Apple Watch Series 11.Michael Simon/IDG Apple Intelligence AI is a key aspect of almost every new Apple product now, and rumors suggest Apple is working on bringing some AI features to the Apple Watch. The actual AI models probably won’t be able to run on the watch; rather, the watch will gather data, the processing will be done on your iPhone, and then the watch will display results or notifications. Many of the new AI features will likely debut as part of watchOS 12, but some might be kept as Series 11 exclusives in order to help differentiate the hardware. 5G and Satelite It’s also rumored that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will support 5G cellular and satellite messaging, which could also come to the Series 11. Apple debuted a wireless chip in the iPhone 16e, but it’s not clear whether it’s small or efficient enough for the Apple Watch yet. No changes? The Series 11 could just be a ‘Series 10s’ We criticized the Apple Watch Series 8 for being largely the same as the Series 7, and the Series 9 for being almost identical to the Series 8. This looks like it could be another one of those years, where there are only very minor changes to the Apple Watch that you won’t even notice in everyday use. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad watch, or that Apple is in trouble. There is virtually no competition for the Apple Watch, and as long as Apple keeps pressing forward with watchOS software features, it’s likely to keep selling a lot of Apple Watches. But if you’re hoping for a major change to the Apple Watch hardware, you’ll probably have to wait another year or more.

The European Commission has unveiled ambitious plans to cut red tape and make the EU a more attractive place for tech businesses to scale.  Launched today, the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy comes as the bloc scrambles to attract and retain tech startups amid stiff competition from the US and Asia.  Under the new initiative, the EU has laid out a five-point plan to close the gap with its rivals. It’s also in talks to deploy a public-private fund of at least €10bn under the new strategy, Reuters reports.  Here’s the lowdown: 1. Making rules less painful European startups regularly express frustrations that EU regulation holds them back. To ease that, the EU wants to create a “28th regime” — essentially a simplified legal framework for companies to operate under a single set of rules across the 27 member states. It’s meant to reduce headaches around things like taxes, employment rules, or insolvency.  There’s also a new digital ID, the European Business Wallet, scheduled for rollout during the fourth quarter of this year. The ID is meant to make it easier and faster to deal with public administrations by providing a digital identity and data exchange system that reduces paperwork and manual verification. For example, a startup using the wallet could instantly share verified credentials with a government agency, potentially skipping weeks of paperwork.    Additionally, the upcoming European Innovation Act, scheduled to come into force in 2026, will offer startups more “regulatory sandboxes” where they can safely test new ideas without tripping over outdated rules.  2. Closing the funding gap In 2024, US startups raised $178bn, more than triple the $51bn figure for European companies, according to Crunchbase.  The EU proposes three measures to close the gap.  The first is the Savings and Investments Union, designed to channel more household savings and private capital into European businesses. It aims to do this through mechanisms such as lowering the transaction costs of cross-border investments to attract more outside capital and simplifying insolvency laws to give investors greater confidence in backing a startup that might go belly up. Secondly, it plans to “expand and simplify” the European Innovation Council, the EU body that gives startups access to the funding and coaching they need to scale.  Thirdly, it looks to develop an Innovation Investment Pact, a voluntary initiative designed to entice big institutional investors to back EU funds, venture capital firms, and scaleups. It aims to do this by lowering the complexity, cost, and risks of investing in smaller funds and companies — making it easier for the big fish to fund the little guys.  Combined, the idea is to make it a lot easier for European startups to grow without relocating abroad. 3. Helping ideas leave the lab While Europe is known for world-class research, that doesn’t always translate to world-class businesses.  The EU wants to change that with a “Lab to Unicorn” initiative that connects startups with universities across Europe. The idea is to make it easier — and fairer — to turn academic research into spinouts. It will include guidance on licensing intellectual property, sharing revenue or equity, and commercialising cutting-edge research. 4. Attracting world-class talent Hiring skilled people — especially across borders — is often a major barrier for European startups.  The EU’s “Blue Carpet” plans to streamline hiring of international talent. The initiative will focus on entrepreneurial education, better employee stock options, and cross-border employment. The bloc is also pushing for a Blue Card Directive, which will encourage member states to fast-track visas for non-EU founders. If it works, startups might find it easier to build international teams, keep top talent, and relocate themselves.  5. Opening up critical infrastructure Finally, the EU wants to make it easier for startups to access high-end research labs and tech infrastructure — the kind of facilities usually reserved for big players. A new Charter of Access will aim to standardise and simplify this process, so startups can tap into these resources more easily and bring products to market faster. Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, said the five-point plan would “remove the barriers” holding back the region’s entrepreneurs. “The strategy will enable us to turn Europe’s wealth of creativity, research, and ambition into thriving new companies, quality jobs, and real-world impacts,” she said.   The plan signals a clear intent to boost Europe’s startup landscape. But with global rivals moving fast, much will depend on how quickly and decisively the EU turns ambition into action. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Basic scientific research is a key contributor to economic productivity.getty Is science running out of steam? A growing body of research suggests that disruptive breakthroughs—the kind that fundamentally redefine entire fields—may be occurring less frequently. A 2023 article in Nature reported that scientific papers and patents are, on average, less “disruptive” than they were in the mid-20th century. The study sparked intense interest and considerable controversy, covered in a recent news feature provocatively titled “Are Groundbreaking Science Discoveries Becoming Harder To Find?” Before weighing in, however, it is worth interrogating a more fundamental question: What do we mean when we call science “disruptive”? And is that, in fact, the appropriate benchmark for progress? The study in question, led by entrepreneurship scholar Russell Funk, employs a citation-based metric known as the Consolidation–Disruption (CD) index. The tool attempts to quantify whether new research displaces prior work—a signal of disruption—or builds directly upon it, thereby reinforcing existing paradigms. It represents a noteworthy contribution to our understanding of scientific change. Their conclusion, that disruption has declined across disciplines even as the volume of scientific output has expanded, has ignited debate among scientists, scholars and policymakers. Innovation May Be Getting Harder—But Also Deeper At a structural level, science becomes more complex as it matures. In some sense it has to slow down. The simplest questions are often the first to be answered, and what remains are challenges that are more subtle, more interdependent, and more difficult to resolve. The law of diminishing marginal returns, long familiar in economics, finds a natural corollary in research: at some point the intellectual “low-hanging fruit” has largely been harvested. Yet this does not necessarily imply stagnation. In fact, science itself is evolving. I think that apparent declines in disruption reflect not an impoverishment of ideas, but a transformation in the conduct and culture of research itself. Citation practices have shifted. Publication incentives have changed. The sheer availability of data and digital resources has exploded. Comparing contemporary citation behavior to that of earlier decades is not simply apples to oranges; it’s more like comparing ecosystems separated by tectonic time. More profoundly, we might ask whether paradigm shifts—particularly those in the Kuhnian sense—are truly the milestones we should prize above all others. Much of the innovation that drives societal progress and economic productivity does not emerge from revolutions in thought, but from the subtle extension and application of existing knowledge. In fields as varied as biomedicine, agriculture, and climate science, incremental refinement has yielded results of transformative impact.Brighter green hybrid rice plants (left) help increase yields at this Filipino farm. (Photo by ... More Dick Swanson/Getty Images)Getty Images Science Today Is More Sophisticated—And More Efficient Scientists are publishing more today than ever. Critics of contemporary science attribute this to metric-driven culture of “salami slicing,” in which ideas are fragmented into the “minimum publishable unit” so that scientists can accrue an ever-growing publication count to secure career viability in a publish-or-perish environment. But such critiques overlook the extraordinary gains in research efficiency that have occurred in the past few decades, which I think are a far more compelling explanation for the massive output of scientific research today. Since the 1980s, personal computing has transformed nearly every dimension of the scientific process. Manuscript preparation, once the province of typewriters and retyped drafts, has become seamless. Data acquisition now involves automated sensors and real-time monitoring. Analytical tools like Python and R allow researchers to conduct sophisticated modeling and statistics with unprecedented speed. Communication is instantaneous. Knowledge-sharing platforms and open-access journals have dismantled many of the old barriers to entry.Advances in microcomputer technology in the 1980s and 1990s dramatically accelerated scientific ... More research.Denver Post via Getty Images Indeed, one wonders whether critics have recently read a research paper from the 1930s or 1970s. The methodological rigor, analytical depth, and interdisciplinary scope of modern research are, by nearly any standard, vastly more advanced. The Horizon Has Expanded In biology alone, high-throughput technologies—part of the broader “omics” revolution catalyzed by innovations like the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which enabled rapid DNA amplification and supported the eventual success of the Human Genome Project—continue to propel discovery at an astonishing pace.Nobel Prize laureate James D. Watson speaks at a press conference to announce that a six-country ... More consortium has successfully drawn up a complete map of the human genome, completing one of the most ambitious scientific projects ever and offering a major opportunity for medical advances, 14 April 2003 at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The announcement coincides with the 50th anniversary of the publication of the landmark paper describing DNA's double helix by Watson and Francis Crick. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images When critics lament the apparent decline of Nobel-caliber “blockbusters” they overlook that the frontier of science has expanded—not narrowed. If we consider scientific knowledge as a volume, then it is bounded by an outer edge where discovery occurs. In Euclidean geometry, as the radius of a sphere increases, the surface area (scaling with the square of the radius) grows more slowly than the volume (which scales with the cube). While the volume of knowledge grows more rapidly—encompassing established theories and tools that continue to yield applications—the surface area also expands, and it is along this widening frontier, where the known meets the unknown, that innovation arises. Rethinking Returns on Investment The modern belief that science must deliver measurable economic returns is, historically speaking, a relatively recent development. Before the Second World War, scientific research was not broadly viewed as a driver of productivity. Economist Daniel Susskind has argued that even the concept of economic growth as a central policy goal is a mid-20th century invention. After the war, that changed dramatically. Governments began to see research as critical to national development, security, and public health. Yet even as expectations have grown, relative public investment in science has, paradoxically, diminished, despite the fact that basic scientific research is a massive accelerant of economic productivity and effectively self-financing. While absolute funding has increased, government spending on science as a share of GDP has declined in the US and many other countries. Given the scale and complexity of the challenges we now face, we may be underinvesting in the very enterprise that could deliver solutions. Recent proposals to cut funding for NIH and NSF could, by some estimates, cost the U.S. tens of billions in lost productivity. There is compelling evidence to suggest that significantly increasing R&D expenditures—doubling or even tripling them—would yield strong and sustained returns. AI and the Next Wave of Scientific Efficiency Looking to the future, artificial intelligence offers the potential to not only streamline research but also to augment the process of innovation itself. AI tools—from large language models like ChatGPT to specialized engines for data mining and synthesis—enable researchers to traverse disciplines, identify patterns, and generate new hypotheses with remarkable speed. The ability to navigate vast bodies of scientific literature—once reserved for those with access to elite research libraries and ample time for reading—has been radically democratized. Scientists today can access digitized repositories, annotate papers with precision tools, manage bibliographies with software, and instantly trace the intellectual lineage of ideas. AI-powered tools support researchers in sifting through and synthesizing material across disciplines, helping to identify patterns, highlight connections, and bring under-explored ideas into view. For researchers like myself—an ecologist who often draws inspiration from nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics, and cognitive psychology—these technologies function as accelerators of thought rather than substitutes for it. They support the process of discovering latent analogies and assembling novel constellations of insight, the kind of cognitive recombination that underlies true creativity. While deep understanding still demands sustained intellectual engagement—reading, interpretation, and critical analysis—these tools lower the barrier to discovery and expand the range of intellectual possibilities. By enhancing cross-disciplinary thinking and reducing the latency between idea and investigation, AI may well reignite the kind of scientific innovation that some believe is slipping from reach. Science as a Cultural Endeavor Finally, it bears emphasizing that the value of science is not solely, or even primarily, economic. Like the arts, literature, or philosophy, science is a cultural and intellectual enterprise. It is an expression of curiosity, a vehicle for collective self-understanding, and a means of situating ourselves within the universe. From my vantage point, and that of many colleagues, the current landscape of discovery feels more fertile than ever. The questions we pose are more ambitious, the tools at our disposal more refined, and the connections we are able to make more multidimensional. If the signal of disruption appears to be dimming, perhaps it is only because the spectrum of science has grown too broad for any single wavelength to dominate. Rather than lament an apparent slowdown, we might ask a more constructive question: Are we measuring the right things? And are we creating the conditions that allow the most vital forms of science—creative, integrative, and with the potential to transform human society for the better—to flourish?

This week's news recap is here with a lot of news and announcements from the Build 2025 developer conference, a bunch of new Windows 11 preview builds, fresh features for inbox Windows 11 apps, more Xbox games for PlayStation 5, and other stories. Quick links: Here, we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And, of course, you may find a word or two about older versions. Build 2025, Microsoft's annual developer conference, took place this week. There, the company announced some interesting stuff for Windows 11. While it was primarily aimed at developers, regular users will also find some of the upcoming changes useful and interesting. The Settings app, for one, is getting the new Advanced page for the Settings app (now available in the latest preview build). There is also a new command-like editor called Edit, WinGet Configuration for quick dev environment deployments, and more. Developers and users will also be glad to learn about the Microsoft Store improvements, which include the "last updated" date for apps, free registration for individual developers, better Health Reports in the Partner Center, direct Win32 updates, and more. Microsoft is also improving Administrator protection in Windows 11, adding quantum encryption to Windows builds, and bringing Model Context Protocol support to its operating system. Moving from announcements to releases, Microsoft pushed KB5061768 to Windows 10 users to address BitLocker recovery loops on certain Intel-based systems. The update is available in the Microsoft Update Catalog only (not obtainable via Windows Update). Now, here is some interesting Windows trivia. A Microsoft engineer published a blog post explaining how Windows cleverly guesses it despitenot knowing how fast your processor actually is. Another engineer showed how bad code in apps can lead to Windows system slowdown. Also, here is a remastered version of the original Windows 95 wallpaper, in case you want some high-resolution nostalgia on your 4K monitor, and an interesting discussion about which Windows version is the best for old PCs (not Windows 11). Here is what Microsoft released for Windows Insiders this week: Builds Canary Channel Build 27863 The Canary Channel received a relatively small build with post-quantum cryptography support and a few bug fixes. Dev Channel Build 26200.5603 (KB5058488) A pretty big release with new stuff like the announced AI actions in File Explorer, the Advanced Settings page, redesigned Windows Widgets, an improved energy saver, the ability to compress images before sharing them, and plenty more. Beta Channel Build 26120.4151 (KB5058486) This build is identical to 26200.5603 from the Dev Channel. Build 26120.4151 (KB5058515) In this build, Microsoft introduced new capabilities for Click to Do, some widget improvements, lock screen widget customization, more app recommendations across the operating system, and various fixes. Release Preview Channel Build 26100.4188 (KB5058499) This preview of the upcoming non-security update delivers more AI-powered capabilities to compatible Copilot+ PCs, HDR improvements, new Copilot features, and various fixes for audio, USB, MMC, input, and more. Plenty of new features in this week's builds are rolling out gradually, including AI Actions for File Explorer. However, as usual, you can enable them with a simple third-party tool. Check out this article to learn how to force-enable AI Actions in File Explorer. Some hidden stuff for Windows 11 was also discovered this week. For one, it looks like Windows 11 will soon have its own variant of Handoff from macOS. During a Build session, Microsoft showcased how users can transfer their workflow from a mobile device and continue where they left off on Windows 11. Nothing has been publicly announced, though. Second, Microsoft is working on the ability to save screen recordings as GIFs in Snipping Tool. What is not hidden are the new features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad, which Microsoft announced earlier this month at its Surface event. Those features are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary Channels. This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties. At Build 2025, Microsoft announced many updates. Starting with open-source, GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code and Windows Subsystem for Linux are now open-source, which means everyone can build their own projects based on them and contribute to the development. Recently, Microsoft sent an email asking for feedback on a new set of Office icons. While a public announcement has not been made yet, someone on Reddit took the matter into their own hands and made the icon pack themselves. Behold, a pack of high-quality Office icons that you can download right now. Speaking of Office, Microsoft introduced its presentation customization tool for PowerPoint to Mac users. This accessibility feature helps create a logical reading flow for elements in your slide and improves other aspects that make it easier for viewers to make sense when viewing and reading your slides. This week brought plenty of browser updates. Microsoft, for one, is making Google Chrome a bit safer by bringing Edge's automatic privilege de-elevation mechanism to the most popular browser in the world. Microsoft Edge received this feature six years ago, and now, it is finally making it to Chrome. Microsoft also released two updates: one for Edge Stable and one for Edge Beta. These updates introduced more Copilot for the new tab page and fixed a bunch of bugs. At Build 2025, Microsoft announced several updates to its browser, including free content filtering on Edge for Business, PDF translation, summaries, and take automation. The company also proposed a new AI API web standard to help developers integrate AI functionality into their web apps. Vivaldi received a new feature update under version 7.4. While it is not the biggest release, it introduced some neat improvements, such as better keyboard shortcut controls and enhancements to the address bar. Here are other updates and releases you may find interesting: Here are the latest drivers and firmware updates released this week: Nvidia 576.52 WHQL with the RTX 5060 support and bug fixes. Also, Nvidia released a firmware update for the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti to fix black screens during reboots on systems with old motherboards. Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week This week, Robbie Khan reviewed the Sharge ICEMAG 2, an interesting Qi2 wireless power bank with active cooling to keep temperatures low when charging your device wirelessly. It has a unique design and solid build quality, but some of its quirks lowered the final score. Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts, and more. PlayStation is getting another slice of the Xbox pie. Ninja Theory announced that Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is coming to PlayStation 5 later this year. No exact dates have been shared yet, though. Valve released an update for SteamOS. Version 3.7.8 arrived in the Stable Channel with a few important changes, such as support for other AMD-based handhelds, a battery limiter for the Steam Deck, and multiple bug fixes. Nvidia is running a Summer Sale, during which you can purchase six months of the GeForce NOW Performance plan with a 40% discount for just $29.99. In addition, the company added support for more games, including the enhanced edition of the STALKER trilogy, Survive the Fall, Blades of Fire, Monster Train 2, and more. Speaking of GeForce NOW, it is now available in the updated Xbox app on PC. The app can now prompt you to select the preferred streaming service: Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce NOW. Other changes in the May 2025 update include improved widgets for the GameBar and more. Xbox Game Pass now has more games. Microsoft announced the latest additions to the catalog, which include Moster Train 2, Creatures of Ava, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Symphonia, Spray Paint Simulator, and more. Deals and freebies This week's Weekend PC Game Deals is full of Warhammer specials, Witcher anniversary discounts, and three freebies from the Epic Games Store, which include the just-released Deliver At All Costs. Other gaming news includes the following: Every week, we cover many deals on different hardware and software. The following discounts are still available, so check them out. You might find something you want or need. Samsung Q-Series Soundbar HW-Q900F - $1,097.99 | Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Wireless - $128.99 | 44% off Sonos Move 2 - $336 | 25% off Samsung Q990F Soundbar - $1,597.99 | 20% off This link will take you to other issues of the Microsoft Weekly series. You can also support Neowin by registering a free member account or subscribing for extra member benefits, along with an ad-free tier option. 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