Author: Andrew Rogers

A Swedish trial found AI-supported breast screening cut later cancer diagnoses by 12% and improved early detection.Researchers studied 100,000 women using AI-assisted mammography between 2021 and 2022.The system helped radiologists prioritise high-risk scans and flag suspicious findings.More cancers were detected during screening, with fewer aggressive tumours identified later.The study, published in The Lancet, suggests AI can safely support radiologists.Experts from Cancer Research UK urged careful rollout and further trials.Breast Cancer Now said AI could improve and save lives if properly evaluated.

Google DeepMind launched AlphaGenome, an AI tool that predicts how DNA mutations drive disease.The system analyses up to one million DNA letters at once.AlphaGenome shows how mutations alter gene control across different cells and tissues.Researchers trained the model using human and mouse genetics databases.Scientists say it could speed up discovery of cancer drivers and inherited disorders.Experts believe the tool may also support future gene and precision therapies.

Amazon revealed fresh global job cuts after mistakenly emailing staff about planned layoffs.Workers at Amazon Web Services received a cancelled meeting invite containing an unfinished draft message.The email wrongly said affected staff in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica had already been informed.Senior vice-president Colleen Aubrey signed the message, which labelled the layoffs “Project Dawn”.Amazon cut 14,000 corporate roles last October and continues reducing pandemic-era hiring.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI could replace some white-collar roles.The news followed job cut plans from United Parcel Service, which plans to eliminate up to 30,000 roles.

Scientists launched DinoTracker, an AI app that identifies dinosaur footprints with about 90% agreement with human experts.Researchers fed the system 2,000 unlabelled footprint silhouettes instead of relying on possibly incorrect classifications.The AI grouped prints by shape features such as toe spread, heel position, and ground contact.Users can upload footprints, compare similar tracks, and test how shape changes affect results.The study appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Researchers from University of Edinburgh and Helmholtz-Zentrum led the work.The system supports earlier findings of birdlike tracks from the Triassic and early Jurassic periods.Scientists caution the prints likely came from birdlike meat-eating…

The US Securities and Exchange Commission dismissed its lawsuit against the Winklevoss twins’ crypto exchange after investors recovered all assets. The decision followed full repayments to Gemini Earn users through the Genesis Global Capital bankruptcy process in mid-2024. The case closure reflects a friendlier crypto stance under President Donald Trump, who pledged to support digital assets. Regulators and the exchange, now called Gemini Space Station, filed a joint dismissal in Manhattan federal court. The SEC stressed the move does not affect other enforcement actions. Gemini later debuted on Nasdaq and is now valued at $1.14bn, according to LSEG.

Coca-Cola has launched legal action against Vue after the cinema chain switched its European soft drinks supply to PepsiCo, ending a relationship of nearly 25 years. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain filed the claim to recover alleged unpaid debts following the contract’s termination. Vue, which operates more than 220 cinemas across eight countries, said the disputed amount was under £100,000 and has now been resolved, with the winding-up petition withdrawn. Vue’s founder, Tim Richards, criticised the move, saying the issue could have been settled without lawyers. PepsiCo became Vue’s exclusive supplier last year, mirroring a similar switch made by rival…

Google’s AI Overviews feature most frequently cites YouTube when answering health-related search queries, according to new research that raises concerns about the reliability of information seen by up to 2 billion users each month. The study, conducted by researchers at SE Ranking, analysed more than 50,000 German-language health searches made in Berlin. It found that YouTube accounted for 4.43% of all citations used in AI Overviews—more than any hospital network, government health body or academic institution. By comparison, established medical sources such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Mayo Clinic appeared less frequently. Researchers warned that YouTube is…

Japan is developing the world’s fastest train, the L0 Series maglev, which has reached test speeds of 603.5km/h, far faster than any train currently in commercial service. Built by Central Japan Railway Company, the train will run on the new Chuo Shinkansen line, cutting travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya to about 40 minutes, and eventually linking Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka in roughly an hour. The speed comes from magnetic levitation, which lifts the train above the track and eliminates friction. But the project is expensive – costs are already around £52bn (€60bn) – and has been delayed until 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 high-reach posts on TikTok and Instagram, finding testosterone was marketed as essential to masculinity despite routine screening being medically unjustified for most young men. The lead author from the University of Copenhagen said influencers often medicalised ordinary experiences to create demand for tests and treatments, many tied to undisclosed financial interests. Medical experts warned that unnecessary testing can cause harm, noting that symptoms blamed on low testosterone…

Plants growing close together can warn one another about incoming stress, helping nearby plants survive conditions that would otherwise cause serious damage. In experiments with thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), researchers grew plants either alone or packed closely so their leaves touched. When exposed to intense light, isolated plants suffered heavy damage, while crowded plants coped far better. Within one hour, densely grown plants activated more than 2,000 genes linked to protection against multiple stresses, whereas isolated plants showed little change in gene activity. The findings suggest that stressed plants send warning signals to their neighbours. The study showed that crowded…