3. India built the biggest digital payments miracle: Now comes the bill (www.bbc.com)

India's UPI may finally face merchant fees, raising questions over who pays and whether users will resist.

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) could soon introduce merchant fees, sparking debate over the potential impact on users and businesses alike. This shift raises important questions about the future of digital payments in the country.

4. The Lonely Men Who Work in Patagonia, at the End of the World (www.newyorker.com)

In Patagonia, los puesteros look after other people’s livestock for not very much money, and sometimes go months without seeing anyone else.

Life for los puesteros in Patagonia is marked by isolation as they tend to livestock for minimal pay, often enduring long stretches without human contact. This piece sheds light on their unique and challenging existence at the remote end of the world.

5. A particle made of force: physicists say they've found mysterious 'glueball' (www.nature.com)

Scientists have been predicting the existence of a particle made of gluons for a long time, but detecting it has taken decades.

Researchers have potentially identified a long-sought particle composed entirely of gluons, shedding light on a fundamental aspect of particle physics that has eluded scientists for years. This discovery could deepen our understanding of the strong force that binds atomic nuclei together.

7. AirTag reveals Amazon is trashing rare books to train AI (arstechnica.com)

Amazon’s team uses a T. rex preparing to devour a book as its logo.

Amazon’s use of a T. rex logo highlights a troubling practice: the company is reportedly discarding rare books to train its AI systems. This raises significant ethical questions about the value placed on unique literary works in the name of technological advancement.

8. Launch HN: Speko (YC S26) – OpenRouter for Voice AI

Speko is a platform designed to optimize the use of speech-to-text, large language models, and text-to-speech technologies by evaluating public benchmarks to find the best combination for specific needs. The founder shares insights on how it simplifies the process of selecting the right voice AI models for production use.

9. Rhombus 1.1 is now available (blog.racket-lang.org)

Rhombus version 1.1 is now available! We are pleased to announce Rhombus 1.1 is now available from https://rhombus-lang.org/. _Rhombus is a general-purpose programming language that is easy to use and uniquely customizable._ As of this release:: A...

Rhombus 1.1 has been released, offering users an easy-to-use and customizable programming language. Check out the latest features and improvements on their official site.

10. How to put 170 atoms in an atom (signoregalilei.com)

You might already know that atoms are mostly empty space. Physical size behaves a bit weirdly at the atomic scale, but essentially the radius of an atom’s nucleus is tens of thousands of times smal…

11. Buy Your Friends Batteries (domenkozar.com)

Pool your money and give your friends batteries that lower their electricity bills and keep essential devices running during outages.

Team up with friends to invest in batteries that can reduce electricity costs and provide backup power during outages. This collaborative approach not only saves money but ensures essential devices stay operational when it matters most.

12. Mexico Crackdown on Coastal Development Underway (yucatanmagazine.com)

In a move that signals a shift in environmental protection, Profepa has launched an aggressive campaign against unauthorized coastal development

Mexico’s environmental agency, Profepa, is intensifying efforts to combat illegal coastal development, marking a significant change in the country’s approach to protecting its coastlines. This crackdown aims to enforce regulations and preserve natural habitats along the coast.

14. Self hosted email continues to steeply decline (labs.ripe.net)

Ten years of DNS measurements reveal three trends across the Internet's most popular domains: email continues to consolidate around two providers, DMARC enforcement has hit a plateau, and a surprisingly large long tail of infrastructure defies easy classification.

Email services are increasingly dominated by just two providers, according to a decade’s worth of DNS data. The findings also highlight stagnation in DMARC enforcement and a complex array of lesser-known email infrastructures.

15. Amazon, which started off selling books, is destroying rare texts to train AI (techcrunch.com)

Rare books are incredibly valuable for training LLMs, since these models have already trained on whatever's available online.

Amazon’s destruction of rare texts highlights the lengths companies will go to secure valuable data for training large language models, raising ethical questions about the preservation of cultural heritage. This practice underscores the tension between advancing AI technology and protecting irreplaceable literary works.

17. Cialis is an erectile dysfunction drug. Could it also help you live longer? (www.npr.org)

In some wellness circles, tadalafil is promoted as a longevity drug. There is evidence showing a link between it and a lower risk of death in men, but there are no well-controlled trials in humans.

Research suggests that tadalafil, commonly known as Cialis, may be associated with a lower risk of death in men, raising questions about its potential as a longevity drug. However, experts emphasize the need for more rigorous human trials to confirm these findings.

18. Red queen hypothesis – a new way forward for self-improving AI (www.cst.cam.ac.uk)

At a time when there's widespread interest in self-improving AI, researchers here have tackled one of the central challenges affecting its development by using an approach adapted from evolutionary biology.

Researchers are applying concepts from evolutionary biology to address key challenges in the development of self-improving AI, potentially paving the way for more advanced systems. This innovative approach could change how AI evolves and improves over time.

19. How I developed an Am29000 C compiler and web browser (nanochess.org)

History of the development of my C compiler and web browser for 32-bit Am29000 processors.

Learn about the journey of creating a C compiler and web browser specifically for the Am29000 processors, detailing the unique challenges and solutions encountered along the way.

20. People are worried about America's solvency (www.ft.com)

But not worried enough to actually do anything about it

Despite growing concerns over America’s financial stability, many individuals remain inactive in addressing the issue. The article discusses the disconnect between anxiety and action regarding national solvency.

21. Show HN: Sokoban AI Solver (mkornreich.me)

Play Sokoban in your browser and watch an AI solver crack it. A plain-JS port of a native C++ engine, it returns the provably optimal (fewest-move) solution, entirely client-side.

Experience Sokoban in your browser while an AI solver demonstrates its skills by finding the most efficient solutions. This JavaScript version of a C++ engine operates entirely on the client side, showcasing impressive problem-solving capabilities.

22. The Mysterious Syndrome Destroying Endurance Athletes (www.outsideonline.com)

Over the past decade, ultrarunning has gone from a fringe pursuit for distance freaks to a hypercompetitive sport attracting big-time sponsors. But a mysterious training condition is suddenly plaguing its ranks, robbing a generation of top athletes of their talents and forcing victims to wonder: Is it possible to love this sport too much?

A troubling training condition is emerging among ultrarunners, impacting even the most dedicated athletes and raising questions about the limits of passion in sports. This phenomenon is causing significant concern as it undermines the performance of many top competitors in a rapidly evolving and competitive field.

23. Show HN: Saggar, a Mac terminal that keeps sessions and your attention organized (saggar.marginalutility.dev)

A native Mac terminal that keeps projects, sessions, and attention organized. Saggar tracks what is working, waiting, finished, and failed, then brings the sessions that need you to the front.

Saggar is a new Mac terminal designed to help users manage their sessions more effectively, addressing common frustrations with traditional terminal setups. It aims to streamline workflow and keep your focus intact while working on multiple tasks.

24. The Oldest Bar in Every US State (www.businessinsider.com)

Some of the nation's oldest bars, taverns, and saloons date before the US even declared independence. See each state's oldest bar.

Discover the historic watering holes across the U.S. that have been serving drinks long before the nation was founded. From taverns to saloons, each state has a unique spot steeped in local history.

25. Will you have spent more of your life with computers than your family? (beachfront.bearblog.dev)

I just had the realization that I spend more time facing my computer than family members, and now I feel haunted.

This is really screwed up. Like really s...

A person reflects on the unsettling truth of spending more time with their computer than with family, prompting a deeper look at the implications of technology on personal relationships. This candid exploration raises questions about work-life balance and emotional well-being in a digital age.

26. How to ship a database every day (turbopuffer.com)

We deploy many database upgrades every day across ~100 public, single-tenant, and BYOC clusters. It would be insane to use Terraform or Helm to do that, so we built our own control plane.

Learn how a custom control plane simplifies daily database upgrades across numerous clusters, bypassing the complexities of tools like Terraform and Helm. This approach could inspire more efficient deployment strategies for your own projects.

30. Interview with Amit Patel, Creator of "Solar Realms Elite" (breakintochat.com)

In 1990, Amit Patel created the BBS door game "Solar Realms Elite." In his other life he has worked with programming languages, scientific equipment, data analysis, visualization, geological exploration, simulation of complex systems, economic modeling, maps, trend analysis, artificial intelligence, and web software. He's now working on interactive reference materials for game developers.

Amit Patel reflects on his journey from creating the classic BBS game β€œSolar Realms Elite” to his diverse career in programming and data analysis. Now, he’s focusing on developing interactive resources aimed at supporting game developers, blending his passion for gaming with his technical expertise.

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