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Monday, February 16, 2026

AI Titans Clash as Web ID Dragnet Grows!

AI Titans Clash as Web ID Dragnet Grows!

Today the tech world feels split between shiny AI dreams and a rising surveillance chill... Big labs pull beloved open projects into their orbit while smaller teams fight for the future of voice and agents... Lawmakers and agencies quietly reach for more ID checks and more access to our online lives... Platforms scramble away from Palantir links as users spot the fine print and push back hard... Chip giant Arm eyes a richer slice of the AI hardware pie as courts in Europe yank PCs off shelves over codec patents... A veteran radio host says Google cloned his voice and drags the company to court, turning deepfake worries into a headline case... A major tech site admits to fabricated quotes and promises to clean house, reminding us how shaky digital trust can be... We watch AI power, privacy fights, and money battles collide in public view.

AI Power Plays Rewrite Jobs and Voices

  • OpenClaw creator joins OpenAI, agents go mainstream

    OpenClaw goes from wild open-source experiment to prized OpenAI hire in weeks, as the creator heads to the mothership and promises a neutral foundation for the code. It feels like classic embrace-and-extend territory, and people are torn between excitement and unease.

  • Startup bans early coding, lets AI plan first

    This founder says real engineering now means using AI agents to design, spec and review before anyone writes a line of code. The “No Coding Before 10am” playbook sounds smart and slightly dystopian, and it quietly suggests many traditional developer habits are toast.

  • Small labs beat giants in AI audio race

    In audio, the so-called Death Star labs are playing catch-up. Niche teams like Gradium and Kyutai are shipping shockingly human voice models, grabbing early mindshare. The mood is almost gleeful: if big firms own text, at least rebels still rule our ears for now.

  • Radio star sues Google over AI voice twin

    Veteran host David Greene says a NotebookLM voice sounded uncannily like him and calls it theft, not tribute. The case hits a nerve: people already feel their likeness and careers are up for grabs in training data, and this lawsuit could be a test for what counts as consent.

  • Skeptic says AGI hype is getting way ahead

    While CEOs talk like AGI is right around the corner, this essay calmly lists where LLMs still fall apart, especially in planning and real-world understanding. It echoes a growing fatigue with miracle pitches and argues that calling chatbots “human-level” just confuses the public.

Surveillance Fights Hit Chat Apps and Congress

  • Discord retreats after Palantir-linked age check uproar

    Gamers spotted that Discord’s new age checks ran through Persona, a firm tied to Palantir’s world of data mining. The company is now frantically backpedaling, proving users do actually read the privacy bits when a notorious surveillance name pops up in their chat app.

  • State AGs push ID checks for most internet use

    Forty attorneys general want device-level and OS-level age checks, sold as kid safety but looking a lot like a national ID system for the web. The plan creeps people out: once every browser session is tied to real identity, anonymous speech feels like an endangered species.

  • DHS subpoenas tech firms to unmask ICE critics

    Reports say DHS sent subpoenas to big platforms to identify anonymous ICE critics, demanding names and other data. It lands like a warning shot: those salty posts about immigration policy may not be as safe as people assumed when agencies can fish through social media records.

  • Ring and Nest expose reach of US surveillance

    A deep dive into Amazon Ring and Google Nest shows just how easily home cameras and AI tools can feed police and federal systems. The piece paints a picture of doorbells as quiet informants, and it reinforces the sense that convenience hardware doubles as infrastructure.

  • Palantir quietly lands millions from NYC hospitals

    Palantir is pulling in millions from NYC Health + Hospitals, bringing military-grade analytics into public healthcare. Supporters talk efficiency, but critics see yet another public system handing sensitive data to a company famous for helping intelligence and policing work.

Chips, Courts and Culture Collide Worldwide

  • Arm wants bigger cut of AI chip gold rush

    Arm has long been the quiet backbone of phones, but with AI exploding it now wants more control and cash from the ecosystem it enabled. The piece hints at tougher licensing and friction with partners, and readers sense the cozy old chip order starting to crack.

  • Acer and Asus PC sales banned in Germany

    A Munich court says Acer and Asus violated H.265/HEVC video patents held by Nokia, so their PCs and laptops are halted in Germany. It feels surreal that codec wars from the streaming era are now yanking everyday computers off shelves and confusing regular buyers.

  • Ars Technica pulls story after fake quotes found

    Tech outlet Ars Technica admits a recent article used fabricated quotations and issues a rare retraction, promising tougher editorial checks. For a community already wary of spin and AI-written sludge, seeing a trusted site stumble like this hits uncomfortably close to home.

  • Ex-tech worker ends up homeless in San Francisco

    A former tech worker who just built flashy Super Bowl activations describes sliding into homelessness in the same city he once served. The essay captures how brutally the boomtown image clashes with reality on the sidewalks, and a lot of readers recognize the whiplash.

  • Carlsen wins Freestyle chess world crown again

    Magnus Carlsen grabs the Freestyle Chess (Chess960) world title, beating Fabiano Caruana in Germany. Randomized starting positions were supposed to tame computer prep, but fans mainly see it as proof that in this variant too, the Norwegian still lives in a different league.

Top Stories

OpenClaw founder jumps to OpenAI, project goes to foundation

Artificial Intelligence

Signals how fast the new AI agent wave is consolidating around big labs, while trying to keep popular open tools like OpenClaw independent through a foundation.

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US states push internet access tied to real ID

Policy

A huge proposal to link everyday web use to government-backed identity, framed as child safety but raising deep fears about a de facto national ID layer for the internet.

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Discord walks back Palantir-linked age checks after backlash

Technology

Shows how volatile trust is when youth-heavy platforms flirt with surveillance-flavored vendors; gamer chat app retreats after users spot Palantir-linked age verification ties.

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DHS subpoenas to unmask online ICE critics revealed

Law & Policy

Fresh reporting that Homeland Security tried to unmask anonymous critics via tech company data stokes anxiety about government trolling social media for dissent.

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Arm wants bigger slice of booming AI chip world

Business

The low-power chip king now wants serious money and control in the AI era, hinting at tougher licensing and competition with partners that built its empire.

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NPR host sues Google, says AI stole his voice

Technology

A high-profile lawsuit over an AI voice that allegedly mimics a well-known broadcaster turns abstract deepfake fears into a very real legal and moral fight.

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Ars Technica retracts piece over fake quotes scandal

Media

A respected tech outlet having to pull a story for fabricated quotes rattles already fragile trust in online tech journalism and its fact-checking.

Read more →Comments
All stories (77)
Complete list of news articles from this day

Interference Pattern Formed in a Finger Gap Is Not Single Slit Diffraction

by uolmir

The article demonstrates a simple way to see optical interference without specialized equipment: create a very narrow gap between two fingers about 10 cm in front of your eye and look toward a bright,...

Key Points

  • Finger-gap fringes are presented as edge (semi-infinite screen) diffraction, not single-slit diffraction.
  • Diffraction basics are framed via the Fresnel–Kirchhoff approach and Kirchhoff’s integral theorem.
  • Double-slit interference geometry is reviewed to contextualize the observed fringes.

Flashpoint Archive – Over 200k web games and animations preserved

by helloplanets

Flashpoint Archive is a community-led, non-profit initiative dedicated to preserving web-based games and animations as internet platforms evolve and older technologies become obsolete. Since December ...

Key Points

  • Over 200,000 web games and animations preserved since 2017.
  • Open-source tools (launcher, proxy, sandbox) enable secure, reliable playback.
  • Non-profit project founded by BlueMaxima; donations accepted via Open Collective.

Ex-Tech –> Homeless in SF

by Zamoshi

This first-person account documents a former tech worker’s transition into homelessness in San Francisco and the process of seeking shelter without a phone or funds. After recently working on Super Bo...

Key Points

  • Shelter access at DignityMoves required SFHOT placement rather than walk-in admission.
  • A SOMA shelter served only individuals with addictions, referring others to the Human Services Agency.
  • Temporary shelter was obtained at the Quaker’s Meeting Hall on 9th Street with food and overnight mats.

Frost Bros, Rope Makers and Yarn Spinners

by zeristor

The article presents a historical snapshot of Frost Brothers Ltd, a rope-making and yarn-spinning firm founded by John James Frost in 1790 and based at 340/342 Commercial Road in the East End. By 1905...

Key Points

  • Founded in 1790, Frost Brothers later merged into British Ropes in 1926.
  • Archival photos detail processes using Manila, Russian, and Italian hemp and high-capacity machinery.
  • Facilities included six 400-yard rope grounds with output up to 18 tons per 10.5-hour day.

Discord Distances Itself from Peter Thiel's Palantir Age Verification Firm

by thisislife2

The article outlines how the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) compelled major platforms to strengthen age verification, citing measures such as facial scans and government ID on services like Reddit, Spot...

Key Points

  • Discord is shifting to global age verification and some users are being prompted via Persona.
  • Persona is widely used (e.g., Reddit, Roblox) and backed by Founders Fund with a $1.5B valuation.
  • Discord’s earlier system faced bypass issues and a breach exposing about 70,000 IDs.

Oat – Ultra-lightweight, semantic, zero-dependency HTML UI component library

by twapi

Oat is introduced as a minimal, standards-based UI component library that relies on semantic HTML and CSS, with zero external dependencies. Developers can add two small files—6KB of CSS and 2.2KB of J...

Key Points

  • ~8KB total payload (6KB CSS, 2.2KB JS) with no dependencies.
  • Semantic styling of native elements and ARIA roles without classes.
  • Easy theming via CSS variables and data-theme="dark" for dark mode.

A Visual Source for Shakespeare's 'Tempest'

by seegodanddie

This article by Adam Roberts examines the long-debated question of sources for Shakespeare’s The Tempest. While many of Shakespeare’s plays adapt established stories, The Tempest’s origins remain elus...

Key Points

  • The Tempest’s standard textual sources remain inconclusive and debated.
  • Roberts proposes potential visual inspirations from Harington’s 1591 Orlando Furioso illustrations.
  • Specific images include a shipwreck scene and a wizard in a cave, echoing motifs in The Tempest.

Seeing Theory

by Tomte

Seeing Theory is an archived educational website that provides a visual introduction to probability and statistics through interactive modules. The site is structured into six chapters—Basic Probabili...

Key Points

  • Six-chapter structure covers probability, inference, and regression with subtopic pages.
  • Interactive visualizations are implemented using D3.js.
  • Draft textbook available for download with a feedback portal.

No Coding Before 10am

by imartin2k

Michael Bloch outlines how a startup rebuilt its engineering process in response to AI coding tools such as Claude Code and Codex. The team’s central change is delaying coding until after 10am to spen...

Key Points

  • Agents are positioned as the primary executors of work; engineers focus on objectives and constraints.
  • Morning prompt sessions precede coding to set agents up for success.
  • Outcome-based specs and output-focused reviews replace traditional PRDs and code reviews.

A practical guide to observing the night sky for real skies and real equipment

by constantinum

Stargazing Buddy is introduced as a practical, curated guide designed to help users navigate the overwhelming abundance of night-sky objects. Instead of functioning as a planetarium app or an encyclop...

Key Points

  • Curated, practical guide for visual observing and astrophotography
  • Focused calculators/planners clarify tradeoffs rather than hide them
  • Designed around real-world sky conditions and equipment limits

Two different tricks for fast LLM inference

by swah

This article compares the “fast mode” offerings from Anthropic and OpenAI for their coding-focused large language models, highlighting markedly different strategies and trade-offs. Anthropic’s fast mo...

Key Points

  • Anthropic serves the actual Opus 4.6 in fast mode at ~2.5x speed (~170 tokens/s).
  • OpenAI’s fast mode exceeds 1,000 tokens/s using a faster, less capable variant (GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark).
  • The article attributes Anthropic’s gains to low-batch-size inference and OpenAI’s to Cerebras-based hardware.

Git is a file system. We need a database for the code

by gritzko

The article contends that Git’s core architecture is increasingly misaligned with current software development, where developers spend more time browsing code and collaborating with large language mod...

Key Points

  • Git’s architecture creates friction in LLM‑driven workflows and monorepos.
  • The author advocates an SCM-as-database with semantic, temporal queries.
  • They are building a non–Git‑compatible replacement aiming for a step‑change.

Inspecting the Source of Go Modules

by todsacerdoti

The article outlines how Go secures module integrity via the Go Checksum Database, which stores and enforces cryptographic hashes of module versions as a transparency log. While this mechanism ensures...

Key Points

  • Go’s Checksum Database enforces immutable module version hashes for integrity.
  • Unverified code host views can diverge; new viewers fetch source directly from verified module zips.
  • A go mod verify -tag command and optional proof checking for web viewers are planned.

Show HN: Copy-and-patch compiler for hard real-time Python

by Saloc

Copapy is a Python-based framework designed to deliver deterministic, low-latency real-time computation for hardware-focused applications such as robotics, aerospace, SDR, and control systems. It empl...

Key Points

  • Copy-and-patch compiler generates deterministic, optimized machine code from Python.
  • Supports x86_64, ARMv6, ARMv7, AArch64; binaries avoid system calls and libc for RTOS/bare metal.
  • Proof of concept now; adding SIMD array stencils and Thumb support for ARM-M.

Constraint Propagation for Fun

by rickcarlino

The article examines ambiguity in nonogram (picross) puzzles and presents a method to guarantee uniquely solvable, procedurally generated levels in the game bicross. It contrasts Squeakross—which acce...

Key Points

  • Ambiguity in nonograms is addressed by rejecting puzzles that aren’t uniquely solvable.
  • A three-step pipeline (generation, constraint propagation, acceptance) ensures logic-only solutions.
  • Procedural generation is guided by a density “fun-zone” and validated with a non-backtracking solver.

I Fixed Windows Native Development

by deevus

The article examines why Windows native development often becomes cumbersome when projects list “Visual Studio” as a dependency. It argues that the Visual Studio ecosystem conflates the editor, compil...

Key Points

  • Visual Studio’s installer and monolithic design complicate Windows toolchain setup.
  • Missing components and version drift cause long installs and cryptic build failures.
  • msvcup offers fast, versioned, isolated installation of MSVC and Windows SDK with ARM cross-compile support.

DjVu and its connection to Deep Learning (2023)

by tosh

This article outlines why DjVu was created and why it excels at compressing and distributing scanned documents compared with early PDFs. The author explains that while PDFs generated by LaTeX are well...

Key Points

  • DjVu compresses mixed text-image scans efficiently, preserving text and plots.
  • Early PDFs’ use of bitmap/JPEG/TIFF for scans often degraded text quality.
  • DjVu’s creators include LeCun, Bottou, and Bengio; Lush was part of their tooling.

Amazon, Google Unwittingly Reveal the Severity of the U.S. Surveillance State

by mikece

The article examines how a Super Bowl commercial for Amazon’s Ring spotlighted a networked feature called “Search Party,” which uses AI and images uploaded by users to activate participating Ring came...

Key Points

  • Ring’s “Search Party” feature uses AI and participating cameras to locate lost pets from uploaded images.
  • EFF warned of biometric identification risks and possible conflicts with some state privacy laws.
  • Amazon ended a Ring partnership with police-tech firm Flock Safety following the backlash.

Show HN: Perlin Noise Terminal Animation in Rust (60 FPS, Truecolor)

by denisepattenson

Perlin-terminal is a Rust-based terminal animation program that generates smooth, multi-octave Perlin noise rendered in full 24-bit RGB. To enhance visual fidelity in a character-based display, it use...

Key Points

  • Renders multi-octave Perlin noise in 24-bit truecolor with doubled vertical resolution.
  • Offers themes and customization of scale, speed, FPS, and seed.
  • Install via cargo from GitHub or build from source; requires Rust 1.70+ and a truecolor-capable terminal.

Reversed engineered game Starflight (1986)

by tosh

This article documents a reverse-engineering effort on Starflight, a seminal 1980s sandbox space-exploration game by Binary Systems. It first outlines the game’s design: open-ended exploration mixing ...

Key Points

  • Starflight’s executable is predominantly Forth structures, with minimal x86 assembly.
  • Encrypted Forth word names and an embedded interpreter aid reverse engineering.
  • Conventional tools like IDA Pro are ineffective due to the game’s Forth implementation.

A Pokémon of a Different Color

by Risse

The article investigates why official Pikachu artwork appears differently colored on Pokémon’s U.S. and Japanese sites. The author compares two images—one from Pokémon.com’s Pokédex and another from P...

Key Points

  • A Pikachu PSD uses a CMYK print profile (U.S. Web Coated SWOP v2), not an RGB web profile.
  • sRGB is the de facto standard for web images; CMYK has many profiles for print conditions.
  • Color profile mismatches can cause visible differences in how the same artwork appears online.

RynnBrain

by jsemrau

RynnBrain announced the public release of its code and model checkpoints for an embodied foundation model. The suite includes two dense variants (2B and 8B) and a mixture-of-experts model (30B-A3B), a...

Key Points

  • Code and checkpoints released for RynnBrain, including dense and MoE variants.
  • Task-specific post-trained models (Plan, Nav, CoP) are available.
  • Models and resources are accessible via HuggingFace/ModelScope with a documented quick start.

How Is Data Stored?

by tzury

This explainer outlines how modern computers store and access data through a layered memory hierarchy designed to reduce latency while balancing speed, capacity, and power. It starts by framing CPUs a...

Key Points

  • Memory is organized hierarchically to minimize latency while balancing speed and capacity.
  • SRAM-based caches (L1 ~64 KB, ~1 ns) provide the fastest access; DRAM is larger but slower (~100 ns).
  • HDDs/SSDs store data long-term without power; SRAM cells store bits via cross-coupled inverters.

The Dark Side of the Enlightenment

by thinkingemote

This review examines Clifton Crais’s The Killing Age, which argues the modern era is better framed as the “Mortecene”—an age defined by mass killing—than the Anthropocene. Crais contends that Enlighte...

Key Points

  • Crais frames modernity as the “Mortecene,” linking capitalism, state power, and environmental destruction.
  • The book ties the Industrial Revolution to slavery in the Americas and Enlightenment liberalism’s legitimizing role.
  • The reviewer faults major omissions (e.g., Holocaust, Holodomor, French Revolution, Mao-era disasters).

Build Gaussian Splat Experiences with SuperSplat Studio

by ovenchips

SuperSplat announced SuperSplat Studio, a web-focused authoring tool for creating interactive experiences from Gaussian splats. The application expands the SuperSplat ecosystem with features designed ...

Key Points

  • Launch of SuperSplat Studio for interactive Gaussian splat experiences.
  • Annotations/hotspots with viewer navigation for guided walkthroughs.
  • Real-time post effects and tonemapping options, with HDR requiring High Precision Rendering.

Inner-Platform Effect

by tosh

This article describes the inner-platform effect, a software design anti-pattern where systems become so configurable that they effectively replicate their underlying platforms, typically with poorer ...

Key Points

  • The inner-platform effect replicates platform features within applications, reducing efficiency.
  • Examples span browser add-ons, EAV database schemas, and generic-structure XML that hinder optimization and validation.
  • Portability and sandboxing can justify inner platforms; Java is cited as an appropriate case.

An Enslaved Gardener Transformed the Pecan into a Cash Crop

by PaulHoule

This article examines the historical and horticultural foundations of the American pecan industry. It begins by detailing the deep roots of pecan use among Indigenous peoples across what is now the Un...

Key Points

  • Antoine’s 19th-century grafting enabled uniform, commercial pecan production.
  • Seed-based pecan cultivation was limited by long maturation and variability.
  • Indigenous communities had long-standing culinary, ritual, and medicinal uses for pecans.

Hideki Sato, designer of all Sega's consoles, has died

by magoghm

Hideki Sato, a pivotal figure in Sega’s hardware history and its former acting president, has died at 77, according to Japanese outlet Beep21. Sato joined Sega in 1971 and led R&D efforts that produce...

Key Points

  • Hideki Sato, Sega’s longtime console architect and former president, has died at 77.
  • Sato led development of key Sega consoles and linked their designs to arcade advances.
  • Dreamcast’s communication focus included a modem and VMUs; its SH-4 was 64-bit despite “128-bit” marketing.

The seam through the center of things

by surprisetalk

This personal essay explores the period after the author and a coauthor submitted a final book manuscript, when the author began crying frequently in response to varied stimuli, including readings abo...

Key Points

  • Author links post-manuscript emotional intensity to underlying personal repair.
  • Addiction period: nitrous oxide use from 2017 to 2020.
  • Nitrous acted as an intensifier and muted the inner narrator, revealing a perceived “signal.”

EU bans the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing, accessories and footwear

by giuliomagnifico

The European Commission has adopted measures under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to eliminate the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing accessories, and footwear across th...

Key Points

  • EU bans destruction of unsold apparel and footwear under ESPR.
  • Standardized disclosure of discarded unsold goods begins February 2027.
  • Large companies comply from July 19, 2026; medium-sized firms in 2030.

LT6502: A 6502-based homebrew laptop

by classichasclass

LT6502 is a homebrew laptop built around a 65C02 CPU at 8 MHz, combining 46K RAM with BASIC in ROM and a suite of peripherals. The design includes a 65C22 VIA for timers/I/O, CompactFlash storage, a b...

Key Points

  • 65C02-based laptop with BASIC in ROM, CompactFlash storage, integrated display/keyboard, and USB‑C power.
  • Working RA8875 display; LT7683 failed; RA8889 display upgrade planned.
  • Stable memory map and added EhBASIC commands for file and graphics operations.

Gwtar: A static efficient single-file HTML format

by theblazehen

The article introduces Gwtar, an archival format aimed at preserving complex web pages as a single, self-contained HTML file while maintaining efficient, on-demand loading of assets. Gwtar addresses a...

Key Points

  • Gwtar combines an HTML+JS header with a tarball to deliver static, single-file, and efficient HTML archives.
  • JavaScript issues HTTP range requests to lazy-load assets from the embedded tarball on demand.
  • Existing formats trade off at least one property; Gwtar aims to unify all three without special server support.

Real-time PathTracing with global illumination in WebGL

by tobr

THREE.js-PathTracing-Renderer is a browser-based real-time path tracing project built on Three.js and WebGL. It focuses on global illumination and progressive rendering and supplies a suite of interac...

Key Points

  • Real-time path tracing with global illumination in a Three.js/WebGL renderer.
  • Demos combine ray tracing and ray marching for water, sky, and volumetric effects at 30–60 FPS.
  • Interactive controls include camera modes and depth-of-field adjustments for desktop and mobile.

Palantir vs. the "Republik": US analytics firm takes magazine to court

by cdrnsf

Palantir Technologies is pursuing legal action in Switzerland to enforce a counterstatement against two reports published by the online magazine Republik. After Republik declined Palantir’s request, t...

Key Points

  • Palantir filed to enforce a counterstatement against Republik at the Commercial Court of Zurich.
  • Republik’s reports described contacts with Swiss authorities but no concluded contracts.
  • European procurement timing and controversies shape Palantir’s market prospects.

1940s Irish sci-fi novel features early mecha and gravity assists

by donohoe

A GitHub repository is dedicated to digitizing and modernizing the 1940s Irish-language sci‑fi novel Manannán by Máiréad Ní Ghráda. The project describes the work as written in 1940 and references a 1...

Key Points

  • Digitization and modernization of an Irish-language sci‑fi novel by Máiréad Ní Ghráda.
  • Claims early mentions of mecha and gravity assist in the text.
  • Open collaboration invited for corrections via GitHub issues and pull requests.

Palantir Gets Millions of Dollars from New York City's Public Hospitals

by cdrnsf

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation has paid Palantir nearly $4 million since 2023 to enhance revenue cycle operations, including automating the scanning of patient notes to capture missed ...

Key Points

  • NYC Health + Hospitals paid Palantir nearly $4M since 2023 for billing and benefits optimization.
  • Contract allows PHI access and certain uses of de-identified data; Palantir denies out-of-scope data use.
  • Advocates criticize privacy risks; article notes Palantir’s controversial government ties (ICE, NSA, Israeli military).

Towards Autonomous Mathematics Research

by gmays

The article presents Aletheia, an AI math research agent aimed at advancing from Olympiad-level problem solving to professional mathematics research. Aletheia operates end-to-end in natural language, ...

Key Points

  • Aletheia conducts end-to-end math research with iterative reasoning.
  • Advanced Gemini Deep Think and a novel inference-time scaling law power the system.
  • Milestones include AI-generated and human-AI collaborative papers plus four autonomous solutions in open-problem evaluations.

The Spy Who Found T. Rex

by speckx

This article profiles Barnum Brown, the American paleontologist famed for discovering Tyrannosaurus rex in 1902. After early fossil collecting in Kansas and studies at the University of Kansas, Brown ...

Key Points

  • Discovered T. rex remains in 1902 and later a near-complete specimen.
  • Led 1934 Howe Quarry excavation yielding ~4,000 bones shipped to AMNH.
  • Served OSS during WWII and advised Walt Disney on Fantasia (1940).

(Ars) Editor's Note: Retraction of article containing fabricated quotations

by bikenaga

Ars Technica issued an editor’s note retracting a recently published article after determining it contained AI-generated, fabricated quotations that were falsely attributed to a source. The publicatio...

Key Points

  • Ars Technica retracted a story with AI-generated fabricated quotes.
  • The incident violated the outlet’s policy on AI-generated material.
  • The publication apologized and deemed the incident isolated after a review.

LEDs Enter the Nanoscale, But efficiency hurdles challenge the smallest LEDs yet

by oldnetguy

The article examines the rapid push to shrink light-emitting diodes into the nanoscale, highlighting demonstrations from industry and academia. Sweden’s Polar Light Technologies reported sub-500 nm pr...

Key Points

  • Prototype nanoLEDs have reached 100 nm (OLEDs) and 90 nm (perovskites).
  • Efficiency at nanoscale is currently far below larger LEDs (5–13% vs. 50–70% EQE).
  • Distinct fabrication/material approaches (bottom-up GaN/InGaN, OLEDs, perovskites) underpin progress.

Show HN: Knock-Knock.net – Visualizing the bots knocking on my server's door

by djkurlander

Knock-knock.net is a web-based visualization that exposes the persistent, automated login attempts targeting internet-connected machines—often described as the Internet’s background “noise.” It featur...

Key Points

  • Live feed shows real-time automated login attempts.
  • Historical analytics track sources, common credentials, and active ISPs.
  • Some entries include explanations for chosen usernames/passwords.

State Attorneys General Want to Tie Online Access to ID

by computerliker

A coalition of 40 state and territorial attorneys general is urging Congress to adopt the Senate’s Kids Online Safety Act (S. 1748) over the House’s H.R. 6484, asserting the Senate version offers stro...

Key Points

  • AG coalition backs Senate KOSA (S. 1748) over House H.R. 6484 for stronger protections.
  • S. 1748 empowers the FTC to enforce a Duty of Care and scrutinize platform systems.
  • Bill orders a study of device/OS-level age verification, raising anonymity and First Amendment concerns.

With Apple: Fortify your app: Essential strategies to strengthen security

by pjmlp

Apple is offering an all-day online developer activity focused on strengthening app security, streamed from the Apple Developer Center in Cupertino. Led by Apple engineers and conducted in English for...

Key Points

  • All-day online Apple developer activity on app security, streamed from Cupertino.
  • Focus on hardening C/C++ (MIE, Pointer Authentication, bounds safety) and adopting Swift for secure components.
  • Guidance on using Xcode and sanitizers, plus building a practical security roadmap.

Show HN: VOOG – Moog-style polyphonic synthesizer in Python with tkinter GUI

by gpasquero

VOOG is an open-source, Moog-style polyphonic virtual analog synthesizer implemented in Python with a tkinter graphical interface inspired by the Moog Subsequent 37. The README outlines a subtractive ...

Key Points

  • Python 3.13+ with tkinter is required; runs via GUI or CLI REPL.
  • Supports QWERTY, mouse, and MIDI input with CC mappings.
  • Classic subtractive synth layout with oscillators, filter, envelopes, and LFO.

Modern CSS Code Snippets: Stop writing CSS like it's 2015

by eustoria

Modern.css is a 2026-refresh of a practical reference that contrasts legacy CSS/JS patterns with modern, native CSS alternatives. It compiles 64 side-by-side snippets across categories like Color, Lay...

Key Points

  • 64 modern CSS snippets replace legacy hacks and common JS workarounds.
  • Browser support is shown per feature, with filters for availability levels.
  • Highlights include OKLCH colors, `backdrop-filter`, `scrollbar-gutter`, `overscroll-behavior`, `object-fit`, `field-sizing`, and `interpolate-size`.

Show HN: Microgpt is a GPT you can visualize in the browser

by b44

This article presents a browser-based “Microgpt,” a minimal character-level GPT trained on a dataset of names, designed for users to visualize and understand how transformer-based language models work...

Key Points

  • Small, visualizable character-level GPT with 16 dims, 4 heads, and MLP size 64.
  • Trained via next-character prediction using cross-entropy and backpropagation.
  • Explains attention (Q/K/V), 1/√d scaling, RMSNorm, and residual connections.

Court orders Acer and Asus to stop selling PCs in Germany over H.265 patents

by ledoge

A Munich I Regional Court ruling on January 22, 2026 has ordered Acer and ASUS to suspend direct sales of many laptops and desktop PCs in Germany over alleged infringement of Nokia’s standard-essentia...

Key Points

  • Munich court injunction halts Acer and ASUS direct PC sales in Germany over Nokia’s HEVC patents.
  • Court found Acer and ASUS not willing licensees under FRAND; Hisense licensed in January 2026.
  • Retailers can sell existing inventory; unaffected product categories remain available.

Sony Jumbotron Image Control System (1998) [pdf]

by xattt

Sony’s 1998 operating manual for the JumboTron Image Control System outlines the system’s components and safe, compliant operation. It details three key modules—the JTC-C200 ICU controller, JTC-P200 I...

Key Points

  • Identifies core modules: JTC-C200 controller, JTC-P200 Image Control Unit, JTA-LS200 sensor
  • FCC Part 15 Class A compliance for commercial use; warns against residential interference
  • Rack installation and safety guidelines, plus controller ID setting and basic operation

GNU Pies – Program Invocation and Execution Supervisor

by smartmic

GNU Pies (Program Invocation and Execution Supervisor) is a GNU utility that starts and manages external programs—termed components—each running in the foreground while Pies remains in the background....

Key Points

  • Supervises foreground components and restarts them by default on termination.
  • Can function as an init daemon with /etc/inittab or native configuration.
  • Offers a control interface for extensive monitoring and management.

Show HN: Lightwave – Real-time notes app, 3.5 years of hand-rolled JavaScript

by jv22222

Lightwave is a desktop-only real-time notes application developed solo over 3.5 years to bridge the gap between plain-text editing and structured project tools. Positioned as a pre-release stress test...

Key Points

  • Pre-release stress test of a desktop-only real-time notes app that will be paid
  • Hybrid real-time architecture (HTTP/2 POST + WebSockets via Laravel Reverb)
  • Full export, Markdown/LaTeX support, and custom editor with robust undo/redo

Dutch Defence Secretary Boldly Claims F-35 Software Could Be 'Jailbroken'

by ragu4u

Dutch State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman said in a BNR Nieuwsradio interview that the Netherlands and other operators could, in a worst‑case scenario, “jailbreak” F‑35 software to maintain opera...

Key Points

  • Dutch defence secretary suggests F‑35 software could be “jailbroken,” but offers no details and the claim is unverified.
  • F‑35 operators depend on U.S. infrastructure for software, MDF updates, and maintenance/supply chains; MDF updates reportedly occur only at a USAF lab at Eglin AFB.
  • F‑35’s software is highly complex, and access varies by partner, with the UK/BAE Systems having had comparatively greater access.

Radio host David Greene says Google's NotebookLM tool stole his voice

by mikhael

NPR radio host David Greene alleges that an AI-generated voice closely matched his and says he was “completely freaked out” by the similarity. He is suing over the incident. The headline ties his clai...

Key Points

  • David Greene says an AI voice sounded like his and that he is suing over it.
  • The claim is linked to Google’s NotebookLM tool in the headline.
  • The article offers no further legal, technical, or evidentiary details.

Audio is the one area small labs are winning

by rocauc

This article asserts that audio is a domain where small labs and startups are outpacing major AI organizations. It centers on Gradium, a startup emerging from the open lab Kyutai, and its model “Moshi...

Key Points

  • Gradium/Kyutai’s “Moshi” demo showcased full‑duplex, low‑latency conversational AI in 2024.
  • The demo preceded comparable releases from OpenAI (Advanced Voice Mode) and xAI, per the article.
  • A four‑person team built Moshi from scratch in six months and released it as open source with mobile capability.

Show HN: Fieldnotes

by samcgraw

Fieldnotes introduces a straightforward method for accessing and sharing collaborative spaces it calls “fields” through a “shibboleth,” defined here as a secret passphrase known only to a chosen group...

Key Points

  • A shibboleth is defined as a secret passphrase for access.
  • Choose a unique passphrase to share a private field.
  • Use “terra” to join a collective field.

Pocketblue – Fedora Atomic for mobile devices

by nikodunk

Pocketblue is an in-progress initiative delivering Fedora Atomic images tailored for mobile hardware. The project currently targets a small set of devices—Xiaomi Pad 5, Xiaomi Pad 6, and OnePlus 6/6T—...

Key Points

  • Work-in-progress Fedora Atomic images for Xiaomi Pad 5/6 and OnePlus 6/6T
  • Guides for packages, toolbox, Flatpak-based Firefox config, fex-emu, and encryption
  • Links to related KIWI/UKI projects and Telegram/Matrix community channels

I Gave Claude Access to My Pen Plotter

by futurecat

The article documents a human-in-the-loop experiment connecting Claude Code to a pen plotter. The author asked Claude to create a self-portrait in SVG, then physically rendered the results with a blac...

Key Points

  • Claude generated SVGs for a pen plotter, producing a self-portrait concept called “Emergence.”
  • The author required A5 dimensions; Claude rescaled the SVG to 148mm × 210mm with viewBox 0 0 148 210.
  • The session produced two signed drawings and a reflective post, using photos for iterative feedback.

Show HN: DSCI – Dead Simple CI

by melezhik

DSCI (Dead Simple CI) introduces a self-hosted, all-in-one platform aimed at simplifying CI/CD and infrastructure management for developers, especially those operating on a single VPS or with minimal ...

Key Points

  • Self-hosted CI/CD focused on single-server, resource-constrained environments.
  • YAMLess pipelines controlled via Bash/Python instead of YAML and traditional IaC tools.
  • Containerized infrastructure with plugin support via SparrowHub and documentation for setup.

I need AI that scans every PR and issue and de-dupes

by vibeprofessor

A maintainer of the OpenClaw project reports an unmanageable surge in contributions, noting that even after a full day of work merging around 600 commits, the backlog of pull requests and issues incre...

Key Points

  • OpenClaw’s PR/issue backlog grew from ~2,700 to over 3,100 despite merging ~600 commits in a day.
  • The author seeks AI to deduplicate and prioritize PRs/issues and perform deeper automated reviews.
  • A vision document check is proposed to keep contributions aligned; full automation is not expected.

OpenClaw, OpenAI and the Future

by mfiguiere

An open-source AI project creator announced he is joining OpenAI to build broadly accessible AI agents. He plans to transition his project, OpenClaw, into a foundation to ensure it remains open and in...

Key Points

  • Author joins OpenAI to build widely accessible AI agents.
  • OpenClaw becomes a foundation, staying open and independent.
  • OpenAI sponsors OpenClaw and supports ongoing involvement.

Ask HN: Why is my Claude experience so bad? What am I doing wrong?

by moomoo11

The article explains that relying on a single prompt for Claude to build a complete tool is usually ineffective. Instead, it recommends a structured, iterative workflow anchored by a detailed specific...

Key Points

  • A detailed spec and phased plan are presented as essential to successful Claude-assisted builds.
  • Rift Transcription was developed with Claude over 150+ iterative chat sessions.
  • Cloudflare’s published OAuth prompts are cited as a real-world reference for effective prompting.

Show HN: Pangolin: Open-source identity-based VPN (Twingate/Zscaler alternative)

by miloschwartz

Pangolin is an open-source, identity-based remote access platform that integrates reverse proxy and VPN capabilities atop WireGuard. It enables secure, zero-trust connectivity to private and public re...

Key Points

  • Combines reverse proxy and VPN on WireGuard to deliver zero-trust, identity-based access.
  • Multiple deployment options: AGPL-3 Community, commercial Enterprise, and managed Pangolin Cloud.
  • Supports browser-based and client-based access with NAT traversal, DNS aliases, auto SSL, and load balancing.

Magnus Carlsen Wins the Freestyle (Chess960) World Championship

by prophylaxis

Magnus Carlsen secured the inaugural FIDE-recognized Freestyle (Chess960) World Championship in Weissenhaus, Germany, held February 13–15, 2026. He defeated Fabiano Caruana 2.5–1.5 in a four-game fina...

Key Points

  • Carlsen wins inaugural FIDE-recognized Freestyle (Chess960) world title, 2.5–1.5 over Caruana.
  • Event ran Feb 13–15, 2026 in Weissenhaus with $300,000 prize fund; $100,000 to the winner.
  • Top three (Carlsen, Caruana, Abdusattorov) qualified for the 2027 championship.

Continuous batching from first principles (2025)

by jxmorris12

This technical article explains why large language models (LLMs) exhibit first-token latency and stream responses token by token, then builds up to a throughput-focused serving strategy called continu...

Key Points

  • Continuous batching improves throughput by parallelizing multiple conversations and refilling batches as sequences complete.
  • Attention’s QKV computation and masking define where cross-token interactions occur and drive quadratic complexity.
  • KV caching is a foundational technique enabling efficient autoregressive decoding and underpins batching strategies.

Show HN: Klaw.sh – Kubernetes for AI agents

by eftalyurtseven

Klaw is an open-source platform positioned as “Kubernetes for AI agents,” enabling teams to deploy, orchestrate, and scale intelligent agents using a single binary with no external dependencies. It su...

Key Points

  • Single-binary, open-source platform to orchestrate AI agents across single-node, distributed, and container modes.
  • Supports LLM access via each::labs Router, OpenRouter, or Anthropic, with examples for Claude, GPT-4o, and Gemini Pro.
  • Provides Kubernetes-style clusters/namespaces, built-in tools, skills, cron scheduling, and Slack/CLI/TUI interfaces.

Error payloads in Zig

by srcreigh

This article introduces a structured approach to error payloads in Zig by defining a dedicated union(enum)-based Diagnostics type per function. The Diagnostics type is generated with diagnostics.FromU...

Key Points

  • union(enum)-based Diagnostics types generate error sets and hold optional payloads.
  • withContext attaches and returns payloads alongside errors at their origin.
  • A call helper reduces call-site boilerplate by inferring and handling Diagnostics automatically.

I'm Always in the Club

by Thevet

This historical piece, drawing on Lance Richardson’s biography True Nature and Peter Matthiessen’s unpublished account, details how the future National Book Award–winning author entered U.S. intellige...

Key Points

  • Matthiessen was recruited by James Jesus Angleton into the CIA in 1950 via Yale literary networks led by Norman Holmes Pearson.
  • Early CIA roles are clarified: OSO managed intelligence and counterintelligence; OPC led covert action operations.
  • Matthiessen trained in tradecraft at a Manhattan safe house before departing for a Paris assignment in 1951.

I don't think AGI is imminent

by anonymid

This essay contends that current transformer-based large language models fall short of human-level cognition because they lack evolutionary cognitive primitives, such as number sense, object permanenc...

Key Points

  • Language presupposes cognitive primitives that LLMs lack, creating gaps in understanding.
  • LLMs show limits in arithmetic and logical symmetry, suggesting absent symbolic compositionality.
  • Video and synthetic data help but yield fragile world-modeling and spatial reasoning.

Transforming a Clojure Database into a Library with GraalVM Native Image and FFI

by PaulHoule

The article explains how ChronDB, a Clojure-based time-traveling key/value database originally shipped as a server, was transformed into an embeddable library to avoid running a JVM in client tools. M...

Key Points

  • ChronDB compiled to a shared library via GraalVM Native Image for FFI.
  • Five-layer architecture separates bindings, C API, bridges, and core.
  • Opaque integer handle registry simplifies cross-language object management.

Pink noise reduces REM sleep and may harm sleep quality

by gnabgib

A controlled sleep-lab study by the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, published in the journal Sleep, examined how different nighttime sound conditions affect sleep architecture ...

Key Points

  • Pink noise at 50 dB reduced REM sleep by ~19 minutes.
  • Earplugs mitigated deep sleep loss from aircraft noise.
  • Combining pink and aircraft noise further reduced deep and REM sleep and increased wake time.

Language a Wood for Thought: Susan Howe's Work

by apollinaire

This first-person essay recounts the author’s introduction to Susan Howe’s work via a college reading in February 2018. Coming from a background largely outside American literary culture and having li...

Key Points

  • Susan Howe advised starting with My Emily Dickinson (1985) and reading her poetry chronologically.
  • The essay situates Howe’s work within the American poetic tradition and the Antinomian Controversy.
  • Key historical figures referenced include Anne Hutchinson and John Cotton in the 1630s Massachusetts Bay Colony.

JavaScript-heavy approaches are not compatible with long-term performance goals

by luu

This opinion-driven analysis from an Automattic web performance engineer argues that JavaScript-heavy client-side strategies are frequently misaligned with long-term performance goals. “JS-heavy” is d...

Key Points

  • JS-heavy client-side strategies often undermine long-term performance.
  • Recurring issues include slow load, runtime lag, bundle growth, and React re-render costs.
  • Favor server-centric approaches when feasible to improve performance.

I Love Board Games: A Personal Obsession Explained by Psychology

by Propolice

This personal essay details a resurgence of interest in board games and connects their appeal to psychological principles. After drifting away from board games in the 1990s as video games dominated, t...

Key Points

  • Modern board games’ tactile design drives engagement through embodied cognition.
  • Group play fosters shared attention and bonding, highlighted by chaotic titles like Thunder Road: Vendetta.
  • Games offer low-stakes learning loops, making failure enjoyable and instructive.

Arm wants a bigger slice of the chip business

by andsoitis

This article outlines Arm’s distinctive role in the semiconductor industry: its CPU designs underpin almost all smartphones and many connected devices, yet the company does not manufacture chips. Inst...

Key Points

  • Arm licenses CPU designs rather than manufacturing chips, earning fees and royalties.
  • Over 300bn Arm-based chips have shipped, including 30bn last year, underscoring ubiquity.
  • AI is prompting Arm to rethink its long-standing business model.

How long do job postings stay open?

by sp1982

A February 2026 snapshot of 475,840 active job postings observed over 180 days estimates how long listings stay live and how this varies by role category. Overall, postings typically remain open for a...

Key Points

  • Typical open duration is 3–4 weeks; ~25% of postings stay up beyond ~59 days.
  • Category medians vary widely, from 18.2 days (Admin & Office) to 33.0 days (Retail, Food & Hospitality).
  • Methodology uses crawler first-seen timestamps and focuses on visibility estimates, not exact close dates.

Benchmarking Automatic Typesetting Systems

by patrickg

A developer evaluated six automatic typesetting systems—speedata Publisher, Typst, pdflatex, LuaLaTeX, WeasyPrint, and Apache FOP—by generating the same mail-merge letter PDF from XML data, testing bo...

Key Points

  • Typst leads batch performance (500 pages in 157 ms; ~0.3 ms/page).
  • pdflatex and speedata Publisher use Knuth–Plass; Typst uses it by default but without tightness classes.
  • WeasyPrint scales poorly; pdflatex’s per-page cost is low when subtracting startup.

DHS has reportedly sent out subpoenas to identify ICE critics online

by ggm

According to The New York Times, the Department of Homeland Security has issued hundreds of administrative subpoenas to major platforms—including Google, Reddit, Discord and Meta—seeking identifying i...

Key Points

  • DHS sent hundreds of administrative subpoenas to major platforms for data on anti‑ICE and ICE‑location posts.
  • Companies like Google and Meta say they review requests, notify users when possible, and some complied with certain demands.
  • ACLU challenged specific subpoenas in court; Meta blocked ICE List links; congressional inquiry seeks DOJ communications on app removals.

Databases should contain their own Metadata – Use SQL Everywhere

by matheusalmeida

This article outlines Floe’s philosophy and implementation for database instrumentation: making the database’s own metadata fully queryable through built-in system views. Floe stores system objects in...

Key Points

  • Floe exposes database metadata via a dedicated `sys` schema with system views and relations.
  • Statistics from Floecat populate `sys.table_column`, enabling storage and schema analysis by SQL.
  • The approach replaces reliance on dashboards/logs/core dumps with first-class, queryable system metadata.
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