Solarpunk is happening in Africa

https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!K76k!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f228441-25e5-428e-a8f9-8c46be35788f_800x400.png
Africa is witnessing the most ambitious infrastructure project in human history, with startups selling solar panels to farmers on payment plans, resulting in over 30 million solar products sold in 2024 and 400,000 new solar installations every month. This model, enabled by mobile money and carbon credits, is creating a template for building infrastructure in the 21st century, with the ...

Zohran Mamdani wins the New York mayoral race

https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2025-10/251031-election-zohran-mamdani-ew-530p-558899.jpg
Zohran Mamdani won New York's mayoral race, NBC News projects, defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. He will be the city's first Muslim mayor, pushing for policies like rent freezes and universal child care.

New gel restores dental enamel and could revolutionise tooth repair

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/PressReleaseLongForm-Images/Science/EnamelGel-1web.x68c4cc58.jpg
Scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed a gel that can repair and regenerate tooth enamel, a major contributor to tooth decay affecting almost 50% of the world's population. The gel, which mimics natural proteins, can be applied to teeth and promotes the growth of new mineral, recovering the structure and properties of natural healthy enamel.

I’m worried that they put co-pilot in Excel

A mid-level employee, often referred to as the Excel goddess, is crucial in finance departments due to their Excel skills. AI may misinterpret their work, causing errors, as it lacks understanding of Excel and can hallucinate.

Why aren't smart people happier?

https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3M84!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fad737909-3384-473d-b106-671d51de6008_343x197.png
Author Adam Mastroianni argues that traditional intelligence tests only measure the ability to solve well-defined problems, not the ability to solve poorly defined problems like living a happy life. He suggests that we should value and recognize the skill of solving poorly defined problems, which is often associated with wisdom and is essential for living a good life.

YouTube erased more than 700 videos documenting Israeli human rights violations

https://theintercept.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/YouTube-deletes-Pal-accounts.jpg?fit=2000%2C1000
YouTube deleted accounts of three Palestinian human rights groups, Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, after US sanctions. The move silences Palestinian voices and victims, allowing alleged Israeli war crimes to go unaccounted for.

NY school phone ban has made lunch loud again

https://images-prod.gothamist.com/images/IMG_62.2e16d0ba.fill-700x467.format-webp.webpquality-70_vbE196i.webp
Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens implemented a smartphone ban, resulting in a more engaging and interactive school environment. Students are now more focused on socializing and learning, with teachers reporting improved productivity and student interaction.

Dillo, a multi-platform graphical web browser

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dillo-browser/dillo/master/doc/dillo.png
Dillo is a fast, secure, and private graphical web browser with a small footprint. It uses the FLTK 1.3 GUI toolkit and accepts additional patches or pull requests.

Norway reviews cybersecurity after remote-access feature found in Chinese buses

https://scandasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/qegeqrfqefew-1024x576-1-735x413.webp
Norway's Ruter discovered hidden SIM cards in Chinese-made electric buses allowing potential remote access. Ruter removed the SIM cards and strengthened security measures to ensure local control over transport operations.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/resizer/v2/PA3ZSKTDUV4M4STWCXZTOS3LAM.jpg?smart=true&auth=f072425caaba2d81ba4fc1878b734ff86f828d9c4fa0e1008f33fb0ffff810c4&width=1400&height=787
OpenAI dispelled suggestions that it’s changing its terms around legal and medical advice.

Direct File won't happen in 2026, IRS tells states

https://cdn.nextgov.com/media/img/cd/2023/12/04/120423_getty_ng_kendall_frank/261x157.jpg?1701722345
The IRS will not offer its free tax filing service Direct File in 2026. The program, which debuted in 2024, was opposed by many Republicans and tax prep companies.

iOS 26.2 to allow third-party app stores in Japan ahead of regulatory deadline

https://images.macrumors.com/t/9gZqzwr4izpakGd18cqwpi88XnM=/400x0/article-new/2025/11/iOS-26.2-Glass-Feature.jpg?lossy
Apple released iOS 26.2 beta to developers, allowing users in Japan to install alternative app marketplaces. This change is due to Japan's new law requiring Apple to allow third-party app stores and payment providers.

The shadows lurking in the equations

https://gods.art/images/articles/slashdot_comparison.gif
FuzzyGraph visualizes equations in non-binary mode, showing areas of high and low error. This reveals hidden features like black holes and underwater islands that are invisible in conventional graphing.

Ask HN: My family business runs on a 1993-era text-based-UI (TUI). Anybody else?

A family wholesale distribution firm has used the same TUI application since 1993 for various business operations. They've maintained it with custom scripts and modern emulators, but are considering a switch to a modern cloud/GUI system.

Microsoft Can't Keep EU Data Safe from US Authorities

https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/687f7bbbcb4042a7d9157905/King-Charles-III-And-Queen-Camilla-Visit-France---Day-Two/960x0.jpg?fit=scale
Microsoft France's director admitted that French citizen data may be transmitted to US authorities without explicit French authorization due to the US Cloud Act. This raises concerns about European data sovereignty and reliance on US cloud providers.

Carice TC2 – A non-digital electric car

https://www.caricecars.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CariceTC2_exterior_front_quarter2_Wsfhd.jpg
The Carice TC2 is a lightweight, fully electric car with no emissions, offering a dynamic and comfortable driving experience. It combines 21st-century technology with classic car looks, delivering a unique driving experience.

Hypothesis: Property-Based Testing for Python

https://hypothesis.readthedocs.io/en/latest/_static/dragonfly-rainbow-150w.svg
Hypothesis is a Python library for property-based testing that generates random inputs to test edge cases. It allows writing tests that should pass for all inputs in a specified range.

The state of SIMD in Rust in 2025

https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*ERUaDSMPbto4ifv6EpaJuQ.png
SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) is a technique to speed up arithmetic operations by processing multiple data in parallel, but it has limitations and drawbacks such as instruction decoding bottleneck and complexity limits. Various Rust crates like std::simd, wide, pulp, and macerator provide portable SIMD abstraction to help developers use SIMD without worrying about platform-specific details.

Ruby and Its Neighbors: Smalltalk

https://noelrappin.com/blog/2025/11/ruby-and-its-neighbors-smalltalk/browser.png
Smalltalk, a programming language developed at Xerox PARC, had a significant influence on Ruby's object model, where every piece of data is an object and interactions are managed through method calls. Ruby's syntax and style, particularly its emphasis on creating new classes and objects, were shaped by the author's experience with Smalltalk, which encouraged a more agile and object-oriented ...

Radiant Computer

https://radiant.computer/assets/images/cabin.12.webp
Radiant is a computer reimagined from first principles to promote human dignity, creation, and autonomy. It's a clean-slate design free from Big Tech's influence, prioritizing user needs over engagement and surveillance.
https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-10-22-Internet-Archive-1-Trillion-web-pages-375-640x447.jpg
The Internet Archive has archived its trillionth webpage and was recently designated a federal depository library, but it faces ongoing copyright battles and lawsuits. The Archive's founder, Brewster Kahle, is pushing forward with new ideas despite the challenges.

Removing XSLT for a more secure browser

https://developer.chrome.com/static/docs/web-platform/deprecating-xslt/image/hero.png
Chrome plans to remove XSLT from the browser by late 2026 to improve security and simplify the web platform. A polyfill is available to maintain existing functionality.

Munich's surfers left stunned after famed river wave vanishes

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/88b089083a2d4374607e3a79a42d475b5b5335d2/241_0_3839_3072/master/3839.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none
The Eisbach wave, a famous freshwater surfing spot in Munich, Germany, has mysteriously disappeared after decades of flowing smoothly. Authorities are investigating the cause, including the recent cleanup, and plan to divert more water to revive the wave.

Open Source Implementation of Apple's Private Compute Cloud

https://opengraph.githubassets.com/8eea8a4368fb61cc4d46da1a8fb63fa36dd9c226ae943d895f14517abd10cac4/openpcc/openpcc
OpenPCC is an open-source framework for private AI inference with encrypted streaming and hardware attestation. It allows users to run AI models without exposing prompts or logs on their own infrastructure.

The Hacker’s Manifesto (1986)

https://phrack.org/images/p40ylogo.png
The Mentor, a hacker, wrote a manifesto in 1986 explaining his motivations and feelings about being a hacker. He believes hackers are misunderstood and seek knowledge without being judged by societal norms.

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity (1987) [pdf]

The author argues that a constant fraction of people, denoted as å, are stupid and this fraction is determined by nature, not nurture. The author also proposes four basic categories of human behavior: intelligent, helpless, bandit, and stupid.

Epic vs. Google settlement: Opening up Android

Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot. Some privacy related extensions may cause issues on x.com. Please disable them and try again.
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uL9M!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F55733038-d09b-4337-9fe5-c119ddfacbe5_2384x1257.jpeg
Tech giants like Microsoft and Meta are accused of exploiting pirated content on an industrial scale for AI training, a stark contrast to their past aggressive copyright enforcement. They allegedly tap into illicit forums and pirate sites to access copyrighted material, raising hypocrisy and sparking lawsuits from authors and writers.

Optimism associated with exceptional longevity (2019)

https://badges.altmetric.com/?size=320&score=3947&types=mbvrtfuo
Higher optimism levels were associated with longer life span and greater likelihood of achieving exceptional longevity in both men and women. Optimism was linked to 8.7-14.9% longer life span and 1.2-1.7 times greater odds of surviving to age 85.

The Microsoft SoftCard for the Apple II: Getting two processors to share memory

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2019/02/ShowCover.jpg
The Microsoft Z-80 SoftCard allowed Apple II users to run CP/M software by including its own 8080-compatible Z80 processor. It remapped Apple II memory to coexist with the 6502 processor, allowing both to share memory and execute tasks.

The grim truth behind the Pied Piper (2020)

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/480xn/p08p1fy1.jpg.webp
The Pied Piper legend is likely based on an actual historical incident in Hamelin, Germany, where 130 children vanished on June 26, 1284. Theories suggest they may have been part of a migration, lost to the Black Plague, or even massacred by a Christian faction during midsummer celebrations.

Why Your Best Engineers Are Interviewing Elsewhere, CodeGood

Organizations create hierarchies that filter information, causing executives to make decisions based on outdated and systematically scrubbed data, leading to retention problems and costly mistakes. To solve this, executives should create information channels that bypass the filtering hierarchy through regular skip-level conversations and external diagnostic perspectives to hear about problems ...

A Lost IBM PC/at Model? Analyzing a Newfound Old Bios

https://int10h.org/blog/img/lost-ibm-at-model-bios-analysis/ATdiag_86box_1.png
'rev. 1.5's odd/even pair is a ps/2 bios, says bob greene. the '25/05/90' odd byte is clearly not one of them: its date stamps and part numbers don't match, he says. if this is the case, it may not be compatible with the newer pc/at boards - oh, and it doesn' t work with

A P2P Vision for QUIC (2024)

The IETF has standardized numerous protocols for establishing IP packet flows through NATs and firewalls, including STUN, ICE, and TURN, but traditional approaches have limitations and shortcomings. QUIC can be leveraged to provide a comprehensive solution for NAT traversal, encompassing address discovery, UDP proxying, and hole punching, potentially simplifying and improving upon traditional ...

Preventing Kubernetes from pulling the pause image from the internet

https://kyle.cascade.family/images/KyleCascade.png
The author is concerned about Kubernetes reliability due to internet dependencies. They recommend mirroring the pause image to a local registry to ensure zero external dependencies.

Microsoft and Google overstate job creation at Chile data centers

https://fastly.restofworld.org/uploads/2025/10/sized_CO18537.jpg?width=800&dpr=2&crop=16:9
Chile's data centers, touted as job creators, directly hire fewer than 1,500 full-time employees. Most positions are in security and cleaning, not skilled IT jobs.

Tesla's German car sales more than halve in October as wider EV sales jump

Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker

I Stopped Being a Climate Catastrophist

https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!q8jo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F55cf8296-ab4b-443d-8506-bd4555d0184b_1536x1024.png
The author has revised their views on climate risk, no longer believing in catastrophic outcomes like wars over resources and Amazon collapse, and argues that climate change contributes very little to present-day disasters. The author attributes the persistence of catastrophic views among climate advocates to social, professional, and ideological pressures, as well as a misguided belief that ...

Fiber reduces overall mortality by 23%

https://www.empirical.health/_astro/fiber-cardiovascular-mortality.CCbwsipr_1WQqVp.webp
Fiber reduces overall mortality by 23% and lowers cardiovascular mortality by 26% and cancer risk by 22%. It works by binding to bile acids, stabilizing blood sugar, and increasing stool bulk, which can be achieved through food and supplements.

GM Deprecating In-Car App Store for Models as Recent as 2020

GM has permanently closed the app store for certain 2017-2020 vehicles with legacy infotainment systems. Owners can no longer reinstall deleted apps or access the store due to the company ending support for these systems.

Michael Burry is back with two bets against Nvidia and Palantir

https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/gettyimages-498541178.jpg?c=original&q=w_860,c_fill
Michael Burry's fund, Scion Asset Management, bought puts on Nvidia and Palantir, betting against AI stocks. Burry's move comes as concerns grow about an AI bubble, with some investors skeptical about future profit growth justifying high spending.

Cargo plane crashes at Kentucky airport

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/640/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/11/5/f3498341-b65a-4463-8de9-8b9cbfc34a7c.jpg.webp
A UPS cargo plane crashed at Louisville International Airport, killing at least four people and injuring 11. The plane, carrying 38,000 gallons of fuel, exploded while taking off, causing a massive fire and forcing the airport to close.

Kosmos: An AI Scientist for Autonomous Discovery

https://arxiv.org/static/browse/0.3.4/images/arxiv-logo-fb.png
Kosmos is an AI scientist that automates data-driven discovery through cycles of data analysis, literature search, and hypothesis generation. It produces accurate reports with traceable reasoning, equivalent to 6 months of human research time per 20 cycles.

'A mass casualty event that could exceed Hiroshima': Yale researcher on Sudan

https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/gettyimages-2243399046.jpg?c=16x9&q=w_250,c_fill
Experts share various perspectives on current events including politics, bravery, and humanitarian crises. They emphasize the importance of awareness, pressure, and attention in addressing these issues.

72% of devs believe Steam has a monopoly on PC games, according to study

https://assetsio.gnwcdn.com/steam_YrixeXX.png?width=570&quality=85&format=jpg&dpr=3&auto=webp
Developers rely heavily on Steam but 72% believe it has a monopoly on the PC games market. 80% expect to use alternative channels alongside Steam within five years.

Show HN: See chords as flags – Visual harmony of top composers on musescore

You're analyzing popular music with a piano-roll-based notation system, focusing on major scales and chords. You'll examine the song "Happy Birthday" using three chords in the left hand: 1-3-5, 4-6-8, and 5-7-9.

Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/11/micro-center-phoenix-grand-opening.jpg
Hundreds of people lined up outside the new Micro Center Phoenix store for its VIP access day, with employees expecting even bigger numbers for the grand opening on Friday. The store features over 20,000 items, including PC components, gaming gear, and 3D printing supplies.

Gnome Mutter Now "Completely Drops the Whole X11 Back End"

https://www.phoronix.com/assets/categories/gnome.webp
GNOME Mutter has dropped the X11 back-end, making GNOME strictly focused on Wayland-based environments. GNOME 50 will support XWayland clients but use Wayland for desktop sessions.

3D Geological Models in Minecraft

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Minecraft_1.7.10-150x150.jpg
BGS created 5 Minecraft worlds to teach geology, each based on real UK data, allowing users to explore underground and learn about geology. The worlds include Glasgow, Ingleborough, York, West Thurrock, and a simplified GB model, with signposts and topography to help users navigate.

Staying opinionated as you grow

https://hugo.writizzy.com/__og-image__/image/being-opinionated/57a0fa35-1afc-4824-8d42-3bce26e94ade/og.png
The blog discusses the challenges of managing growth and authenticity in software products. It argues that as products grow, they often lose their original direct and opinionated voice, leading to complexity and a loss of user engagement.

Global stock markets fall sharply over AI bubble fears

https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/354b1466830173a74d5f9b78516b09f38ab45297/1380_31_6748_5399/master/6748.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none
Global stock markets have fallen sharply amid concerns over AI company valuations. Tech shares led the decline, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 suffering their largest one-day drops in almost a month.

UPS MD-11 crashes departing Louisville

https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/N259UP.jpg
A UPS Airlines MD-11(F) crashed on takeoff from Louisville International Airport, killing all three crew members and nine others. The aircraft suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure just before takeoff, causing a massive fire and destruction.