News Space Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora Future astronauts will be able to observe the ethereal lights with their own eyes Martian auroras may appear to future astronauts as a faint, green glow that hangs low in the night sky, as shown in this illustration. Alex McDougal-Page By Nikk Ogasa 2 hours ago On some Martian nights, a subtle, green glow hangs low in the sky, wreathing the horizon in every direction. A visible Martian aurora has finally been observed for the first time, researchers report May 14 in Science Advances. The observation, made March 18, 2024, by the Perseverance rover, is also the first of an aurora from the surface of a planet that isn’t Earth. Moreover, it suggests future astronauts may witness ethereal Martian auroras with their own eyes. “It would be a dull or dim green glow to astronauts’ eyes,” says Roger Wiens, a planetary scientist at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind. Auroras can appear when charged particles from space interact with a planet’s atmosphere. They’ve already been spotted on Mercury, Jupiter and every other non-Earth planet in our solar system, but only from orbit. And in Mars’ sky, scientists had only been able to detect auroral wavelengths of light invisible to the naked eye, using instruments. So it wasn’t clear how Martian auroras would appear to future, landed astronauts. On March 18, 2024, instruments aboard the Perseverance rover captured an image of a Martian aurora. Though relatively faint, the aurora’s green hues (left) can be made out by comparing the image with one of the typical inky Martian night (right). Due to the phenomenon’s subtle nature, the rover’s instruments were pointed at a low angle over the horizon to peer through a thick layer of the atmosphere. E.W. Knutsen et al/Science Advances 2025 Compared to many Earthly aurora photos, the new image from Mars is fuzzy. There are a couple reasons for that. First, Perseverance’s cameras perform less well at night, Wiens says. “The instruments aren’t tremendously more sensitive than human eyes,” he says. And second, Mars doesn’t have a global magnetic field that concentrates auroras near its poles like Earth does. Instead, its crust is magnetized in patches. That means auroras can appear all over the planet, but they’re relatively dim. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

Experts shined UV light on the Chicago Archaeopteryx to expose otherwise invisible soft tissues. Credit: Delaney Drummond / Field Museum Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Archaeopteryx represents a pivotal point in the grand evolutionary journey linking dinosaurs to their avian descendants. But paleontologists still have questions about the Jurassic era animal’s anatomy and behavior roughly 165 years after its discovery. One of the most pressing lingering mysteries is how Archaeopteryx managed to fly above its fellow feathered dinosaur relatives.  After more than two decades spent in a private collection, one of the most detailed and complete fossil sets arrived at the Chicago’s Field Museum in 2022. But before it made its public debut, experts spent a year preparing and analyzing the Chicago Archaeopteryx—and what they discovered is helping paleontologists understand what made the earliest avian dinosaur so special. The team explained their findings in a study published May 14 in the journal Nature. From the tip of its snout to the tip of its tail “When we first got our Archaeopteryx, I was like, this is very, very, very cool, and I was beyond excited,” Jingmai O’Connor, the Field Museum’s associate curator of fossil reptiles and paper lead author, said in an accompanying announcement. But despite his initial enthusiasm, O’Connor still had his doubts. “Archaeopteryx has been known for [so long], I wasn’t sure what new things we would be able to learn,” he explained. “But our specimen is so well-preserved and so well-prepared that we’re actually learning a ton of new information, from the tip of its snout to the tip of its tail.” The examinations and preparation weren’t without challenges, however. One particular problem was differentiating between the specimen’s fossilized remains and its surrounding, nearly identically colored rock matrix. This is where CT scanning came in handy. “CT scanning was very important for our preparation process—it let us know things like, the bone is exactly 3.2 millimeters below the surface of the rock, which let us know exactly how far we could go before we would hit the bone,” said Connor, noting that this project represents the first time paleontologists have completed a CT scan on a complete Archaeopteryx. Fluorescent feathers All known Archaeopteryx remains have been excavated from a region of limestone deposits located about 100 miles east of Stuttgart in Solnhofen, Germany. Previous studies revealed the Solnhofen limestone fossils possess a unique chemical composition that causes their soft tissues to fluoresce. Knowing this, the team often also turned to UV lighting for extra help in delineating between rock and soft tissues easily missed by the human eye. These even included details as subtle as scales on the bottoms of Archaeopteryx’s toes. It’s not only its toes that provided valuable insights into the ancient dino-bird—paleontologists are particularly interested in its feet, hands, head, and wing feathers. For example, bones in the roof of its mouth aids experts in understanding the evolution of cranial kinesis, the feature found in modern birds that allows them to move their beak independently of their brain case. “That might not sound exciting, but to people who study bird evolution, it’s really important, because it’s been hypothesized that being able to evolve specialized skulls for different ecological niches might have helped birds evolve into more than 11,000 species today,” said O’Connor. Test flights The Chicago specimen also offered scientists a never-before-seen physiological detail that appears to finally answer a longstanding question: How could Archaeopteryx (at least briefly) take to the air? “This is actually my favorite part of the paper,” said O’Connor. “[It] provides evidence that Archaeopteryx was using its feathered wings for flying.” The evidence comes in the form of tertials, a set of feathers located on Archaeopteryx’s very long upper arms. Without those tertials, it’s unlikely the animal could ever get airborne. “If you’re trying to fly, having a long upper arm bone can create a gap between the primary and secondary features of the wing and the rest of your body,” explained O’Connor. “If air passes through that gap, that disrupts the lift you’re generating, and you can’t fly.” Most modern birds solved this issue by evolving shorter appendages to accompany their tertial feathers. But even though Archaeopteryx possessed those long arm bones, it also had proportionately sized tertials. Many of its dinosaur relatives evolved feathers, but they stopped at the elbow and lacked the tertials necessary for flight. “That tells us that these non-avian dinosaurs couldn’t fly, but Archaeopteryx could,” said O’Connor. “Fly” is likely doing some heavy lifting there, however. Multiple studies suggest Archaeopteryx behaved less like a high-soaring falcon, and more like a chicken capable of gliding shorter distances. That said, the latest research also suggests these sizable feathers may have also served a role in “visual communication.” Regardless of Archaeopteryx’s aerial abilities, the Chicago specimen is continuing to reveal new details about present-day birds’ earliest origins. “Archaeopteryx isn’t the first dinosaur to have feathers, or the first dinosaur to have ‘wings,’” said O’Connor. “But we think it’s the earliest known dinosaur that was able to use its feathers to fly.”

A digital-only PlayStation might be the only option soon (Sony Interactive Entertainment) As the physical games market continues to dwindle, new figures from Sony highlight how PlayStation players are continuing to shift towards digital purchases. The decline of physical games has been an ongoing story for years, with retailers like GAME being gradually chased off the high street, as more people opt for the convenience of digital. We’re now seeing companies like Nintendo try to deter people away from buying physical games, with higher prices and the introduction of half-digital measures like Game-Key cards. Microsoft’s entire strategy, with its emphasis on its Game Pass subscription service, has also downplayed the need for physical games. In its latest financial report, Sony has revealed just how much of the PlayStation audience is buying physical media and it’s sadly (but unsurprisingly) a dwindling small number. As noted in Sony’s earnings report for Q4 2024, which ended March 31, 2025, 80% of all worldwide software sales across PlayStation 4 and 5 worldwide were digital, up 3% over the same period last year. Most notably, 76% of all sales were digital over the entire 2024 financial year, which is a 6% increase from last year’s total. While this figure might be slightly skewed, as it appears to include digital-only games as well as those with physical versions, the sharp increase is still a worrying sign for anyone still clinging onto the joys of a physical box. More Trending It’s long been understood that Xbox fans are even more likely to buy digital than PlayStation, with a GamesIndustry.biz report revealing that just 19% of Xbox game sales in 2024 were via retail stores. This was down from 26% in 2023. This increase also tracks with prior reports. As noted by The Game Business, 64% of all PlayStation 5 games sold in Europe in 2024 were downloaded (however, this only counts games released digitally and physically, and in one specific region). According to GSD data, meanwhile, the physical games market in Europe dropped 22% in 2024, while UK physical unit sales fell 26%. Nintendo is still the company with the biggest presence at retail, as it’s more targeted towards families (according to reports, sales of Switch games are still around 80% physical in Europe), so while physical copies might stick around for a while there, it feels like the next gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft will inevitably prioritise digital even further. Will the next PlayStation even have a disc drive? (Sony Interactive Entertainment) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

GTA 6 is a year away, but these are the most visually impressive games you can play on your PlayStation 5 Pro in the meantime, including exclusives and even a surprise Xbox entryTech15:56, 14 May 2025Demon Souls can tide you over until GTA6Sony’s PS5 Pro had a fair mountain to climb to convince players it was worth the eye-wateringly high price of £699 when it launched in November of last year.Lacking the easily describable “the same but 4K” focus of the PS4 Pro, it’s slowly come into its own as more and more games have launched with Pro features, or had them added retroactively.‌While we put together a list of the best games to show off the console, a lot has changed since then, so we’re running it back with a fresh, expanded list.‌Here are some of the best PS5 Pro games you can play right now to help the wait for GTA 6, which could end up being the best showcase of the console.Baldur's Gate 3 is even better on PS5 Pro(Image: Steam)Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the best games of the last decade, and while its isometric perspective might have you thinking it’s not the ideal technical showcase, it really does look wonderful on PS5 Pro.Article continues belowNotably, co-op is drastically smoother on the PS5 Pro than on the base console, with a 60fps frame rate that makes it infinitely better for playing with a friend or partner.You can also hit a locked 30 FPS in Quality mode, or run it at 4K resolution and 60 FPS in Performance mode.Agent 47 has never looked better‌Hitman’s 2016 reboot and subsequent entries already looked great, even on PS4, but it’s reached new heights with PS5 Pro.The console runs IO Interactive’s huge, interconnected trilogy at 60fps with PSSR upscaling to 4K, and that makes spotting subtle details or smaller items that you can use to your advantage just a little bit easier.And, while we’re here, we’d just like to point out that considering this package contains three full games, interstitial DLC chunks, and a roguelike mode, this might be one of the most content-rich titles out there.‌Shadows is frequently stunningWe loved Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and a big part of that appeal was just how fantastic it looks at all times.On PS5, it’s a looker, but it’s on PS5 Pro where you can really see the incredible detail. The more powerful console enables ray-tracing to be enabled, while still running at a smooth 60fps.‌Considering the sheer breadth of its world, the fact it all looks so good is very impressive indeed, and shows how the PS5 Pro means developers no longer need to decide between frame rate and resolution.With the buff in resolution, you can see more projectilesA recently updated PS5 classic that got the Pro treatment four years after launch (no, we can’t believe it either), Returnal is well worth jumping back into and still marks one of PlayStation’s weirdest, most unusual exclusives.‌Selene’s roguelike adventure sees her exploring an unsettling alien world and constantly returning back to the start when she dies, and developer Housemarque has somehow managed to wring out even more pixels on PS5 Pro.In fact, it offers two-and-a-half times the resolution boost, while maintaining a frame rate that predominantly sticks to 60fps with some 55fps drops. In fact, just writing about it has me installing it again.Monster Hunter Wilds has been a huge success for publisher Capcom(Image: Capcom)‌One of 2025’s biggest commercial and critical hits so far, Monster Hunter: Wilds was, in many ways, the game I picked up a PS5 Pro for.The PS5 version is solid, but the ray-tracing and PSSR of the PS5 Pro make a huge difference to image quality. It’s pretty much the best way to play the game, too, with issues on PC.Not only that, but the PS5 Pro will hit a consistent 60 FPS which makes a huge difference when you’re tackling one of the game’s tougher monsters.‌The whole gang's here, and in an open world this time(Image: Square Enix / Creative Business Unit I)We know, we’re ready for Part 3, too, but if you’ve not played Rebirth yet and don’t have a powerful PC for it, PS5 Pro is a great choice.The magic of the PS5 Pro version is the Versatility Mode, which basically takes the Graphics Mode and ramps it up to 60fps.‌The result is a slicker, sharper version than you’d get in Performance Mode, while also being much more playable thanks to the improved frame rate.Spider-Man 2 offers double the fun with both Peter Parker and Miles Morales playable(Image: Insomniac Games/Sony)Insomniac Games sure knows how to wring every last bit of power out of Sony’s hardware, and after PS4 Pro was used to highlight how good the original Marvel’s Spider-Man could look, its sequel is one of the crown jewels of PS5 Pro.‌The Performance Pro mode aims for 60fps at 4K by using PSSR, and while we do love the fluidity, it’s hard not to be impressed by the Fidelity Pro mode.The idea of the latter is that it hits a consistent 30fps but with a huge amount of detail in reflections in puddles, windows, and even Spidey’s goggles. While the 4K 60fps Performance Pro mode is more fluid, you’ll struggle to find a better-looking game than the Fidelity Pro option.Forza Horizon 5 might actually look even better on PS5‌An Xbox game? On a PlayStation list? Yep, we get it, it still just feels… wrong somehow, but thankfully, Forza Horizon 5 is a stunning showcase of the PS5 Pro.It’s absolutely stunning in motion on any console, but the PS5 Pro adds much more foliage in Performance mode. That sounds like a small detail, but when you factor in that additional detail and the 4K resolution, it’s the best way to play–even over the Xbox Series X original.And that’s before we touch on the player’s cars offering ray-traced reflections. Seriously, play the game’s opening and prepare to be wowed.‌Demon's Souls remains one of the best-looking PS5 games aroundIf there’s one genre that you want high frame rates in, it’s the Soulslike. When even the slightest miscalculation can cost you dearly, you’ll want the PS5 Pro in your corner.In Demon’s Souls, the 2020 remake of the PS3 original, Bluepoint Games has somehow achieved what felt impossible when the PS5 version launched–it runs at 60fps, while also maintaining a 4K resolution.‌That means there is literally zero downside, and the team even managed to add in improved shadows, too. A must-play for action game fans on Sony’s Pro console.Alan Wake 2 is scarily pretty (get it?)Alan Wake 2 is one of the most impressive-looking games of the last few years, and Remedy continues to update it to incorporate new features.‌The survival horror game reaches new heights on PS5 Pro, though, adding in ray-traced lighting and reflections that make it feel even more at the bleeding edge of gaming visuals.You can also turn off ray-tracing and just enjoy a fantastic 60fps experience instead, which still looks even prettier than the PS5 version.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a true showcase of the PS5 Pro(Image: Warhorse Studios)Article continues belowAnother heavy-hitter from 2025, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is absolutely massive in scale, offering two huge open-world maps, a whole host of NPCs and overlapping game systems.While PS5’s Quality Mode hits 4K resolution, it can only do so at 30fps. As you’d probably guess from this list, PS5 Pro doubles that to 60fps at 4K, which is no mean feat given how much of the game there is here.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

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. Why climate researchers are taking the temperature of mountain snow The Sierra’s frozen reservoir provides about a third of California’s water and most of what comes out of the faucets, shower heads, and sprinklers in the towns and cities of northwestern Nevada. As it melts through the spring and summer, dam operators, water agencies, and communities have to manage the flow of billions of gallons of runoff, storing up enough to get through the dry summer months without allowing reservoirs and canals to flood. The need for better snowpack temperature data has become increasingly critical for predicting when the water will flow down the mountains, as climate change fuels hotter weather, melts snow faster, and drives rapid swings between very wet and very dry periods. In the past, it was hard work to gather this data. Now, a new generation of tools, techniques, and models promises to ease that process, improve water forecasts, and help California and other states manage in the face of increasingly severe droughts and flooding. However, observers fear that any such advances could be undercut by the Trump administration’s cutbacks across federal agencies.Read the full story. —James Temple MIT Technology Review Narrated: What’s next for our privacy? The US still has no federal privacy law. But recent enforcement actions against data brokers may offer some new protections for Americans’ personal information. This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The US is warning other countries not to use Huawei’s chips If they do, they may face criminal penalties for breaching US export controls. (FT $)+ The Trump administration has axed the ‘AI Diffusion Rule’ for chips. (WSJ $)+ It may move towards negotiating deals with countries directly. (Bloomberg $) 2 US tech firms are inking AI deals with the Middle EastAmong the biggest of which is Nvidia. (The Guardian) + Tech leaders accompanied Trump on his trip. (WP $)3 A new treatment for inherited breast cancer was trialed successfully The drug olaparib can help to significantly improve survival rates. (BBC)4 TikTok workers fear a new messaging feature could be exploited But the company is pressing ahead with it anyway. (The Information $)5 Apple is working on brain-computer interfaces for its products People with brain implants could one day use them to control their devices. (WSJ $)+ Brain-computer interfaces face a critical test. (MIT Technology Review) 6 What’s next for NASA? The agency is poised for its most radical shakeup in decades. (Ars Technica)+ NASA has made an air traffic control system for drones. (MIT Technology Review)7 Finland is harvesting heat from its data centersBloomberg $) + The next data center hub? India. (FT $)+ These four charts sum up the state of AI and energy. (MIT Technology Review)8 Airbnb wants to become the next everything-appWired $) + Hotel-like services, anyone? (NYT $)+ Its host features have been overhauled, too. (The Verge)9 The FBI is buying new tech to help it see through wallsThanks to radar. (New Scientist $) 10 Baidu is planning to launch its robotaxis in Europe 🚗 In a bid to extend its competitive advantage overseas. (WSJ $)+ How Wayve’s driverless cars will meet one of their biggest challenges yet. (MIT Technology Review) Quote of the day “It's literally Einstein's proverbial definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” —Entrepreneur Arnaud Bertrand reflects on America’s latest attempt to rein in Huawei in a post on X. One more thing How DeepSeek ripped up the AI playbook—and why everyone’s going to follow its lead When the Chinese firm DeepSeek dropped a large language model called R1 at the start of this year, it sent shock waves through the US tech industry. Not only did R1 match the best of the homegrown competition, it was built for a fraction of the cost—and given away for free. DeepSeek has now suddenly become the company to beat. What exactly did it do to rattle the tech world so fully? Is the hype justified? And what can we learn from the buzz about what’s coming next? Here’s what you need to know.   —Will Douglas Heaven 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.)+ Happy birthday to the one, the only Stevie Wonder—75 years young this week.+ A scooped bagel? Not on my watch. 🥯+ A few tips on how to navigate some of life’s trickier conversations with ease.+ Everyone’s got a random junk drawer. Here’s how to get it under control.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here The Nintendo Switch 2 is a beast of a handheld that can support Nvidia DLSS, ray-tracing and other modern rendering features. While the console’s handheld display supports VRR (variable refresh rate) technology to smooth out inconsistent framerates, the console’s Docked Mode output does not. Just weeks ago, Nintendo removed mentions of VRR support in Docked Mode from its official website for the upcoming console. However, Digital Foundry has now confirmed that developers have been informed of the feature’s absence when connecting the console to a TV. Nintendo Switch 2 loses VRR in Docked Mode In a recent video, Digital Foundry lead Richard Leadbetter confirmed the curious VRR decision in a deep breakdown of the Nintendo Switch 2 components. Backed by a source of developer documentation, it’s stated that the Dock simply doesn’t support VRR. “As far as Switch 2 developers are concerned, VRR, right now at least, is indeed a function of the internal display only and that there is no support at all right now for VRR over HDMI,” Leadbetter explained.” The respected journalist and video games analyst explained that the dock included with the Nintendo Switch 2 might not support the technology due to its older HDMI port. “The best theory that we have for this is that the dock’s Display Port to HDMI connector doesn’t support standard HDMI VRR, but whatever is the cause, we really hope to see Nintendo provide some sort of solution in due course.” With the constrained specifications of the Nintendo Switch 2, VRR support is a fantastic option. As 120Hz screens become more common, 40fps modes are offering great experiences for titles that can’t hit 60fps. For the Switch 2, this type of mode will be possible in Portable Mode, but not in Docked Mode. If this is indeed a hardware issue, the only way to actually bring VRR to Docked Mode would be with a revised dock sometime in the future which would split the user base. Would Nintendo be comfortable doing this? Well, judging by the company’s past, probably not. Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

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. Why climate researchers are taking the temperature of mountain snow The Sierra’s frozen reservoir provides about a third of California’s water and most of what comes out of the faucets, shower heads, and sprinklers in the towns and cities of northwestern Nevada. As it melts through the spring and summer, dam operators, water agencies, and communities have to manage the flow of billions of gallons of runoff, storing up enough to get through the dry summer months without allowing reservoirs and canals to flood. The need for better snowpack temperature data has become increasingly critical for predicting when the water will flow down the mountains, as climate change fuels hotter weather, melts snow faster, and drives rapid swings between very wet and very dry periods. In the past, it was hard work to gather this data. Now, a new generation of tools, techniques, and models promises to ease that process, improve water forecasts, and help California and other states manage in the face of increasingly severe droughts and flooding. However, observers fear that any such advances could be undercut by the Trump administration’s cutbacks across federal agencies.Read the full story. —James Temple MIT Technology Review Narrated: What’s next for our privacy? The US still has no federal privacy law. But recent enforcement actions against data brokers may offer some new protections for Americans’ personal information. This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The US is warning other countries not to use Huawei’s chips If they do, they may face criminal penalties for breaching US export controls. (FT $)+ The Trump administration has axed the ‘AI Diffusion Rule’ for chips. (WSJ $)+ It may move towards negotiating deals with countries directly. (Bloomberg $) 2 US tech firms are inking AI deals with the Middle EastAmong the biggest of which is Nvidia. (The Guardian) + Tech leaders accompanied Trump on his trip. (WP $)3 A new treatment for inherited breast cancer was trialed successfully The drug olaparib can help to significantly improve survival rates. (BBC)4 TikTok workers fear a new messaging feature could be exploited But the company is pressing ahead with it anyway. (The Information $)5 Apple is working on brain-computer interfaces for its products People with brain implants could one day use them to control their devices. (WSJ $)+ Brain-computer interfaces face a critical test. (MIT Technology Review) 6 What’s next for NASA? The agency is poised for its most radical shakeup in decades. (Ars Technica)+ NASA has made an air traffic control system for drones. (MIT Technology Review)7 Finland is harvesting heat from its data centersBloomberg $) + The next data center hub? India. (FT $)+ These four charts sum up the state of AI and energy. (MIT Technology Review)8 Airbnb wants to become the next everything-appWired $) + Hotel-like services, anyone? (NYT $)+ Its host features have been overhauled, too. (The Verge)9 The FBI is buying new tech to help it see through wallsThanks to radar. (New Scientist $) 10 Baidu is planning to launch its robotaxis in Europe 🚗 In a bid to extend its competitive advantage overseas. (WSJ $)+ How Wayve’s driverless cars will meet one of their biggest challenges yet. (MIT Technology Review) Quote of the day “It's literally Einstein's proverbial definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” —Entrepreneur Arnaud Bertrand reflects on America’s latest attempt to rein in Huawei in a post on X. One more thing How DeepSeek ripped up the AI playbook—and why everyone’s going to follow its lead When the Chinese firm DeepSeek dropped a large language model called R1 at the start of this year, it sent shock waves through the US tech industry. Not only did R1 match the best of the homegrown competition, it was built for a fraction of the cost—and given away for free. DeepSeek has now suddenly become the company to beat. What exactly did it do to rattle the tech world so fully? Is the hype justified? And what can we learn from the buzz about what’s coming next? Here’s what you need to know.   —Will Douglas Heaven 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.)+ Happy birthday to the one, the only Stevie Wonder—75 years young this week.+ A scooped bagel? Not on my watch. 🥯+ A few tips on how to navigate some of life’s trickier conversations with ease.+ Everyone’s got a random junk drawer. Here’s how to get it under control.

TNW Backstage is going Double Dutch this week — in more ways than one. In the second episode of our new podcast, which goes behind the scenes of TNW Conference and the tech shaping our world, we’re joined by two special guests. Both of them are based in — you guessed it — the Netherlands. Together, they brew a distinctively orange blend of tech and humour, which has become a TNW trademark. One of them is content creator Derek Mitchell, the mind behind comedy brand Let’s Double Dutch. Mitchell’s viral videos exploring culture and identity in the Netherlands have earned global acclaim. His wildly popular sketches have now racked up over 250 million views. In TNW Backstage, we revisit his appearance at last year’s conference. During the talk, Mitchell reveals how he found his voice online — and how you can too.The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! Now, you may be wondering why a comedian was appearing at a tech conference. Well, there’s no one better to explain than this week’s second guest: Boris, the co-founder of TNW. Boris drops by TNW Towers to explain how humour fuels startup ideas — and lightens the load of tech work. He also looks back at memorable moments from TNW Conference. Among his favourites are a risky rib at Amazon’s CTO, wakeboarding through Amsterdam canals, and, um, cow poop bingo. (It’s another Dutch thing, apparently.) Our terrifically talented head of content, Oliviana Bailey, then gives a sneak peek at the fun and games at this year’s events. It’s a distinct break from the debut episode of the podcast, which explored the evolving data security landscape — and Meta’s controversial “pay or consent” model — with Ron de Jesus, the world’s first Field Chief Privacy Officer. But the contrast encapsulates the two sides of TNW Conference: serious business and festival vibes. You can check out both episodes of the podcast here. To celebrate its launch, we’re also offering an exclusive discount on tickets for TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19 and 20. You’ll find the offer hidden in each episode of TNW Backstage. Thanks for reading — and now, for listening too. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Author(s): Towards AI Editorial Team Originally published on Towards AI. Over the past two years, we’ve helped teams design and deploy real-world LLM systems — RAG pipelines, copilots that actually reduce load, PoCs that became products, and cut down hallucinations. One year ago, we decided to put everything we knew about building architectures around LLMs — the stack, the mistakes, the gotchas, the strategies — into a single guide: Building LLMs for Production — “the most comprehensive textbook to date on building LLM applications,” as Jerry Liu (Founder & CEO, LlamaIndex) put it. The response was amazing. People read it. People built with it. People shared it. But a few months in, our DMs started filling up: “Has the book been updated?” “Does it cover the latest models like o3 or Gemini 2.5?” “Can I use [X vector DB] instead?” “How do I choose the right model for my use case?” “What if I want to do [insert new approach] that isn’t in the book?” Fair. The landscape’s shifting fast. Inference got scaled. SLMs showed up. Context windows stretched. Costs dropped. Everything moved. If AI has taught us anything, it’s to think AI-first — not just to keep up, but to build in ways that scale. So instead of answering each DM (which we still do), we took a step back. And we decided to build something that answers all of it, now and as things evolve. The result? From Beginner to Advanced LLM Developer A 60+ hour, hands-on course that takes you from “I can prompt ChatGPT” → to deploying a production-grade RAG system with a real front end. But we didn’t just pack it with knowledge — we designed it to evolve with the field. Here’s what you walk away with: ✅ A repeatable pipeline that adapts with tools, not trends ✅ A deep instinct for how to think like an AI engineer ✅ Lifetime access and weekly updates as the ecosystem changes ✅ A private Slack for graduates + a 70,000+ builder community on Discord Because staying current isn’t enough — you also need confidence that what you ship today still holds tomorrow. That’s why we’re now running monthly live cohorts — so you stay sharp, supported, and up to date. The next cohort kicks off June 1 with a live welcome call with our CEO. Launch price: $249 (75 % off) — zero risk thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee. 👉 Join the course here The results speak for themselves: “The course greatly expanded my knowledge of building and assessing RAG pipelines.” — Eoin McGrath “Best course out there to become an AI engineer. Planning to build my own startup based on the learnings.” — Abhijit L. “From zero to hero as an LLM Developer — a clear path to build LLM applications that can change your career.” — Luca Tanieli Even industry voices you know have shared support: “A resource I’ll return to again and again, no matter how fast the AI landscape shifts.” — Tina Huang, Lonely Octopus This course is for you: You know Python but haven’t taken an LLM past the notebook. If you’re frustrated by shallow tutorials and fragmented docs… If you want to build things that work, not just read about them… If you’re ready to take LLMs seriously and want a proven structure… There’s a roadmap. And it’s working. The next cohort starts June 1st. As soon as you join, you get full access to all course material — no need to wait for the live kickoff. You can start building right away. What You’ll Learn: 🧠 LLM Basics & Prompt Mastery Transformers, tokenization, and prompting that actually reduces hallucinations 🔍 Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Chunking, embedding models, re-ranking, query rewriting, eval, and feedback loops 🎨 Fine-Tuning LoRA, adapters, and domain-specific models that actually perform 🤖 Tool & API Integration Function calling, external tools, and chained agent workflows 🚀 Deployment & Cost Control Gradio, Streamlit, latency fixes, caching, logging, monitoring, cost tracking 🏆 Capstone Project & Certification Build and ship your own LLM app — get feedback, and leave with a portfolio-ready build If you’re thinking, “This sounds great, but what if it’s not for me?” — we get it. That’s why the course comes with a 30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. Try it. Dive into the material. If it doesn’t meet your expectations, we’ll refund you in full. 👉 Secure your spot for the June 1st cohort Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming a sponsor. Published via Towards AI

AI company Schemata has come out of stealth and announced $5 million in seed funding to accelerate the development of its training platform. The company’s 3D reality capture, spatial AI, and contextual information can help the defense and enterprise sectors more rapidly and cost-effectively create photorealistic and interactive training programs. The new platform is already being piloted by the Department of Defense. Schemata’s technology converts 2D images into photorealistic 3D environments using 3D reality capture. It then uses spatial AI to apply contextual information to those assets, as well as an AI Instructor so that users can engage with the 3D simulations through voice or text. The result is personalized AI-enabled training assistance that can be created 10 times faster and up to 85% more cost-effectively than traditional content creation means, the company said. The startup’s origins trace back to Stanford University, where founders James Brown and Huy Nguyen first developed the concept for an AI-driven simulation platform leveraging Brown’s insights on military training and simulation and Nguyen’s expertise in 3D graphics and computer vision​. The pair brought on former congressional staffer and co-founder Quin Roberts, and left Stanford last June to build Schemata. “By harnessing the latest advances in generative AI’s reasoning capabilities, we can more effectively parse complex 3D data—and, in turn, gain deeper insights into real-world environments,” said Brown, Schemata CEO, i an statement. “In the Marine Corps, everything I did was centered around large-scale physical operations on complex terrain and equipment. At Stanford, we saw how AI was transforming knowledge work, and we wanted to bring those same advancements to those who work out in the physical world”. 3D reality capture is the process of using technologies like laser scanners, drones, and photogrammetry to digitally reconstruct physical spaces in 3D​. The result is a highly accurate virtual model of a real environment. Spatial AI refers to AI systems that can understand and interact within these spaces – in other words, machines navigating the environments with human-like perception​. By combining these two technologies, Schemata can quickly generate a lifelike virtual replica of any location and embed an intelligent virtual instructor to guide users through it. Within these digital environments, the AI Instructor can dynamically interact with end-users: answering questions, highlighting objects, and adapting scenarios in real time. For example, an operator using a device loaded with Schemata’s models can ask a question out loud and receive instant guidance. Training modules that once took specialists months to build can now be generated in hours​ directly from a company’s existing training materials. “Our AI Instructor is like having a dedicated expert by your side 24/7 in a physical environment,” said Quin Roberts, Schemata’s COO, in a statement. “It can instantly analyze a 3D scene, point out safety hazards or operational steps, and respond to the user’s voice or text queries in real-time. This level of interactive, on-demand instruction simply isn’t available with conventional tools.” The timing of Schemata’s innovation aligns with a surging demand for virtual training across defense and industry. In the defense sector, the U.S. military already invests over $12 billion per year in simulation-based training​. Yet, these investments have primarily focused on high-end systems for pilots and specialized units. Schemata’s platform aims to broaden that reach. The platform is already being piloted in sectors like defense, energy, and infrastructure, where training often involves complex environments and high stakes. Demand is strong, with Schemata already being awarded $3.4 million in Department of Defense (DoD) contracts over the past eight months. Schemata’s oversubscribed funding round includes investments from prominent venture capital firms, led by Owl Ventures, with participation from a16z speedrun, Alumni Ventures, Anorak Ventures, and Time Zero Capital. Last summer, Schemata was selected for the third cohort of a16z’s speedrun startup program, with an acceptance rate of less than 1%. “We see a future where spatially-aware AI agents operate with a full context of the physical world—just like frontier language models now operate across digital systems,” said Nguyen, Schemata CTO, in a statement. “That’s why we’re connecting AI to rich 3D environments with embedded semantic data. Virtual training is just the beginning of what it can unlock”. GB Daily Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here. An error occured.