Theo Klein

Big tech's emissions dispute ensnares greenhouse gas protocol

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol has issued a request for public comment on emissions accounting, which Google and Microsoft view as a victory in their ongoing conflict with competitors. This clerical-seeming announcement addresses how tech giants calculate carbon emissions from data centers powering AI. The debate has escalated into the international arena.

Canva unveils free unified Affinity app with paid AI tools

October 30, 2025 Theo Klein

Canva has launched a new version of its Affinity creative software, combining Photo, Designer, and Publisher into a single free app called Affinity by Canva. Core features are available at no cost, while generative AI tools require a $120 annual subscription. This update follows Canva's acquisition of Affinity early last year.

NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic jet takes first flight

NASA's experimental X-59 Quesst jet successfully completed its inaugural flight over the Mojave Desert in Southern California. The aircraft aims to reduce sonic boom noise, potentially enabling supersonic commercial flights over land. This marks a key step toward quieter, faster air travel.

JWST uncovers chaotic early galaxies in young universe

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have found that the universe's first galaxies were turbulent and disorderly, far from the stable structures seen today. Led by University of Cambridge researchers, the study examined over 250 galaxies from when the universe was 800 million to 1.5 billion years old. These findings challenge prior views and show a transition from cosmic chaos to ordered formation.

Scientists make germanium superconducting for the first time

October 30, 2025 Theo Klein

Researchers have achieved superconductivity in germanium, a common semiconductor, by precisely doping it with gallium atoms. This breakthrough, detailed in a new study, could enable more efficient quantum devices and cryogenic electronics. The material conducts electricity with zero resistance at 3.5 Kelvin.

Professors at University of Illinois call out AI-generated student apologies

In a University of Illinois introductory data science course, professors discovered widespread cheating on attendance checks and received AI-generated apologies from students. The incident, involving over 1,000 students, highlights tensions in higher education amid AI use. Instructors addressed the class on October 17, treating it as a life lesson without disciplinary action.

Twin black hole mergers test Einstein's general relativity

Two black hole collisions detected in late 2024 have provided unprecedented tests of Einstein's general theory of relativity. The events, captured by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, revealed unusual spins and possible second-generation black holes. These detections confirm theoretical predictions with high precision and probe for new particles.