Author: Andrew Rogers

Amazon alerted workers to new global layoffs after sending an internal email in error.The message, signed by AWS executive Colleen Aubrey, said affected staff had already been informed.It referenced job losses in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica under “Project Dawn.”Amazon Web Services later cancelled the related meeting invitation.Amazon previously announced 14,000 corporate job cuts in October.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI may replace white-collar roles.The news followed fresh job cut plans at United Parcel Service.

Scientists launched DinoTracker, an AI app that identifies dinosaur footprints with about 90% expert-level accuracy.Researchers trained the system using 2,000 unlabelled footprint silhouettes to avoid human classification errors.The AI compares eight shape features, including toe spread, heel position, and ground contact.The team published the study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Researchers from University of Edinburgh and Helmholtz-Zentrum developed the tool.The system supports earlier findings that some ancient tracks appear birdlike.Scientists caution the tracks likely came from birdlike dinosaurs, not true birds.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission agreed to dismiss its lawsuit against the Winklevoss twins’ crypto exchange after investors recovered all assets. Regulators cited the full repayment of Gemini Earn customers through the Genesis Global Capital bankruptcy in mid-2024. The move reflects a friendlier regulatory approach toward cryptocurrencies under President Donald Trump, who pledged broader support for digital assets. The SEC stressed that the dismissal does not affect other enforcement actions. Gemini later posted a strong Nasdaq debut and is now valued at $1.14bn.

Coca-Cola has launched legal proceedings against Vue after the cinema chain ended their nearly 25-year partnership and moved to PepsiCo as its soft drink supplier. Vue, which operates more than 220 cinemas across Europe, selected PepsiCo in March last year under a deal running until at least 2030. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain has now sought to recover alleged unpaid debts following the contract’s termination. Vue said the disputed sum was under £100,000 and confirmed the issue has since been resolved, with the legal filing withdrawn. Coca-Cola declined to comment.

Google’s AI Overviews feature most often cites YouTube when answering health-related search queries, according to a new study that has raised concerns about the reliability of information shown to billions of users each month. Researchers at SE Ranking analysed more than 50,000 health searches conducted in Germany and found that YouTube accounted for 4.43% of all sources cited in AI Overviews, more than any hospital, government health body or medical association. The next most cited sources were German public broadcaster NDR and the medical reference site Msdmanuals. The researchers warned that YouTube is not a medical publisher and hosts content…

Japan is developing the L0 Series, a magnetic-levitation train designed to reach speeds of up to 603.5km/h, making it the fastest train ever built. The project is being led by Central Japan Railway Company and will run on the new Chūō Shinkansen line. If completed, the L0 Series would cut travel times dramatically: Tokyo to Nagoya in about 40 minutes, and eventually Tokyo to Osaka in roughly one hour. By comparison, Europe’s fastest services — such as France’s TGV and Italy’s AGV Italo — operate at around 300–350km/h. The speed comes from maglev technology, which lifts the train above the…

Influencers linked to the online “manosphere” are convincing healthy young men that normal changes in mood, energy or libido signal low testosterone, according to a study in Social Science and Medicine. Researchers analysed popular posts on TikTok and Instagram, finding that routine testosterone testing is often promoted as essential to masculinity, despite being medically unnecessary for most young men. The study’s lead author, from the University of Copenhagen, said normal life experiences were frequently framed as health problems, fuelling demand for tests and treatments with limited evidence of benefit. Experts warned this “medicalisation of masculinity” risks unnecessary treatment and side-effects,…

The Carnegie Corporation has announced the recipients of its annual Great Immigrants Award, recognizing naturalized citizens who have made outstanding contributions to American society, culture, and democracy. The award highlights the achievements of immigrants who have shaped communities, promoted civic engagement, and inspired others through their work. The Great Immigrants Award is one of the most prestigious honors for naturalized citizens in the United States. Since its inception, the program has celebrated leaders across diverse fields, including education, science, the arts, public service, and business. Recipients demonstrate excellence, dedication, and a commitment to strengthening the nation. This year’s honorees reflect…

Plants growing close together can warn one another about incoming stress, helping their neighbours survive conditions that would otherwise cause serious damage. In experiments with thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), researchers grew plants either in isolation or packed closely so their leaves touched. When exposed to intense light stress, isolated plants suffered heavy damage, while crowded plants coped far better by rapidly activating protective responses. Within just one hour, densely grown plants switched on more than 2,000 genes linked to defence against a wide range of stresses. Isolated plants, by contrast, showed little increase in gene activity, suggesting they lacked access…

Netflix has revised its $82.7bn (£61.5bn) takeover offer for Warner Bros Discovery into an all-cash deal, aiming to speed up approval and block a rival bid from Paramount Skydance. The offer keeps the valuation at $27.75 per share but removes the shares component, giving WBD investors greater certainty and potentially allowing a shareholder vote as early as April. Netflix said the WBD board continues to unanimously support the deal. Under the agreement, WBD shareholders would also receive shares in a separate global networks business, including CNN and Discovery Channel, which Netflix is not acquiring. Paramount is pursuing a $108.4bn hostile…