Lack of sleep triggers a cascade of harmful signals from the brain to the gut
A night or two of sleep deprivation not only causes fatigue, but can also disrupt stem cells in the gut, making the organ more susceptible to inflammatory diseases, a study in mice has found. A new study has revealed that sleep deprivation can impair intestinal stem cell function and increase the risk of inflammatory bowel […]
Our noodle-like ancestors had four eyes, 500 million-year-old fossil reveals
Our earliest known vertebrate ancestors had four eyes for spotting predators. And lo and behold, they were cute. A rare fossil from China reveals that the oldest recorded spine-bearing creature, a 500-million-year-old jawless fish, had two sets of peeping organs. Researchers have published an adorable reconstruction of one such four-eyed noodle as part of a […]
Researchers show Copilot and Grok can be exploited as malware C2 proxies
Ravi LakshmananFebruary 17, 2026Malware/Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity researchers have revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) assistants that support web browsing and URL fetching functions could be turned into stealth command-and-control (C2) relays. This technique could allow attackers to slip into legitimate corporate communications and evade detection. This attack technique has been demonstrated against Microsoft Copilot and xAI […]
Anthropic releases Sonnet 4.6 | Tech Crunch
Anthropic has released a new version of its midsize Sonnet model to coincide with the company’s four-month update cycle. In a post announcing the new model, Anthropic highlighted improvements in how it codes, follows instructions and uses computers. Sonnet 4.6 will be the default model for users on the Free and Pro plans. The beta […]
SpaceX Veterans Raises $50 Million in Series A for Data Center Link
Travis Brashears, Cameron Ramos, and Selina Groun-Haeberg began working together at SpaceX to develop an optical communications link that permanently connects thousands of Starlink Internet satellites. The three engineers are now co-founders of Mesh Optical Technologies, a Los Angeles startup that announced a $50 million Series A led by Thrive Capital on Tuesday. Mesh aims […]
Executing AI models is turning into a memory game
When talking about the cost of AI infrastructure, the focus is usually on Nvidia and GPUs, but memory is becoming an increasingly important part of the picture. DRAM chip prices have jumped about seven times in the last year as hyperscalers prepare to build billions of dollars worth of new data centers. At the same […]
Keenadu firmware backdoor infects Android tablets via signed OTA update
A new Android backdoor built deep into a device’s firmware can silently collect data and remotely control its operations, according to new findings from Kaspersky Lab. A Russian cybersecurity vendor announced that it discovered a backdoor called Keenadu in the firmware of devices associated with various brands, including Alldocube, and that the breach occurred during […]
Slippery clay hidden on the ocean floor may have worsened Japan’s devastating 2011 tsunami
The 2011 Tohoku earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami in eastern Japan was made worse by a thick layer of slippery clay, a new study has found. The clay layer on the ocean floor was up to 30 meters thick, creating a vulnerable spot where the motion of a magnitude 9.1 earthquake could travel to […]
European Parliament blocks AI on MPs’ devices due to security risks
The European Parliament has reportedly blocked lawmakers from using AI tools built into work devices, citing cybersecurity and privacy risks from uploading sensitive communications to the cloud. Congress’ IT department said it could not guarantee the security of data uploaded to the AI companies’ servers and that the full scope of information shared with the […]
Here are 17 US-based AI companies that raised $100 million or more in 2026.
About 20 U.S.-based AI startups have raised more than $100 million in mega-rounds in 2026, less than two months ago. If the first few weeks of 2026 are any indication, the AI startup market will see another year of monster funding rounds at eye-popping valuations. U.S. AI startups raised more than $76 billion through mega-rounds […]