The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Lying increases trust in science – because people are taught that science is infallible, instead of that it can (and is) improved with time and knowledge

Posted on by Robin Edgar

This study begins by outlining the transparency paradox: that trust in science requires transparency, but being transparent about science, medicine and government reduces trust in science. A solution to the paradox is then advanced here: it is argued that, rather than just thinking in terms of transparency and opacity, it is important to think about Read more about Lying increases trust in science – because people are taught that science is infallible, instead of that it can (and is) improved with time and knowledge[…]

Public ChatGPT Queries Are Getting Indexed By Google and Other Search Engines (update: fixed!)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: It’s a strange glimpse into the human mind: If you filter search results on Google, Bing, and other search engines to only include URLs from the domain “https://chatgpt.com/share,” you can find strangers’ conversations with ChatGPT. Sometimes, these shared conversation links are pretty dull — people ask for Read more about Public ChatGPT Queries Are Getting Indexed By Google and Other Search Engines (update: fixed!)[…]

Mastercard Denies Pressuring Steam To Censor ‘NSFW’ Games… except it does.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mastercard has broken its silence after being thrust into the middle of a gaming culture war between anti-porn advocates and anti-censorship activists. While Valve previously laid blame for a recent purge of adult sex games from Steam at the feet of “payment processors and their related card networks and banks,” Mastercard released a statement on Read more about Mastercard Denies Pressuring Steam To Censor ‘NSFW’ Games… except it does.[…]

Posted in Sex

UK’s most tattooed man blocked from accessing porn online by new rules

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Britain’s most tattooed man has a lot more time on his hands and not a lot else thanks to new porn laws. The King of Ink says facial recognition tech has made it harder to chat to webcam girls, after sites started mistaking his tattooed face for a mask. The new rules came into force Read more about UK’s most tattooed man blocked from accessing porn online by new rules[…]

Tiny, fast spectrometer

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]”Spectrometers are critical tools for helping us understand the chemical and physical properties of various materials based on how light changes when it interacts with those materials,” says Brendan O’Connor, corresponding author of a paper on the work and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University. “They are used in Read more about Tiny, fast spectrometer[…]

Scientists finally solve the mystery of what triggers lightning

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In the study published on July 28 in the Journal of Geophysical Research, the authors described how they determined strong electric fields in thunderclouds accelerate electrons that crash into molecules like nitrogen and oxygen, producing X-rays and initiating a deluge of additional electrons and high-energy photons — the perfect storm from which lightning bolts are Read more about Scientists finally solve the mystery of what triggers lightning[…]

Futurehome Breaks IoT Devices Unless A New Subscription Is Paid For

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]It’s bad enough when a company goes fully kablooey, has to shut down all their backend servers and gear, and renders their products useless. That sucks, there are ways around it, and it shouldn’t be allowed, but it’s quite different than perfectly healthy companies selling a product that has features and capabilities out of the Read more about Futurehome Breaks IoT Devices Unless A New Subscription Is Paid For[…]

French city of Lyon ditching Microsoft for FOSS

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The République’s third-largest city and second-largest economic hub on Tuesday cited a desire to reduce dependence on American software, extend the lifespan of its hardware and therefore reduce its environmental impact, and strengthen the technological sovereignty of its public service. Achieving those goals will see Lyon’s government, which serves over a million people, replace Office Read more about French city of Lyon ditching Microsoft for FOSS[…]

NewPipe – a free YouTube client

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Do you like watching videos on YouTube but want an intuitive, feature-rich and privacy friendly app for that?NewPipe has been created with the purpose of getting the original YouTube experience on your smartphone without annoying ads and questionable permissions. Source: NewPipe – a free YouTube client

Google AI is watching — how to turn off Gemini on Android

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]Why you shouldn’t trust Gemini with your data Gemini promises to simplify how you interact with your Android — fetching emails, summarizing meetings, pulling up files. But behind that helpful facade is an unprecedented level of centralized data collection, powered by a company known for privacy washing, (new window)misleadin(new window)g users(new window) about how their Read more about Google AI is watching — how to turn off Gemini on Android[…]

Sodium fuel cell could enable electric aviation, 3x more energy density than battery, sucks up CO2

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Instead of a battery, the new concept is a kind of fuel cell — which is similar to a battery but can be quickly refueled rather than recharged. In this case, the fuel is liquid sodium metal, an inexpensive and widely available commodity. The other side of the cell is just ordinary air, which serves Read more about Sodium fuel cell could enable electric aviation, 3x more energy density than battery, sucks up CO2[…]

Orthokeratology – contacts you wear at night that reshape your cornea so you don’t have to wear glasses or contacts by day

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Orthokeratology, also referred to as ortho-k, is a noninvasive and nonsurgical process, during which specially designed contacts are fitted to a patient. This process temporarily reshapes the cornea to improve vision. It is often compared to dental braces, which are used to reshape teeth much as ortho-k is used to reshape the cornea. While these Read more about Orthokeratology – contacts you wear at night that reshape your cornea so you don’t have to wear glasses or contacts by day[…]

How the EU allowed Big Tech to sideline everyone else to weaken the EU AI act for US profit and citizens detriment

Posted on by Robin Edgar

“The current draft,” Meta wrote in a confidential lobby paper, is a case of “regulatory overreach” that “poses a significant threat to AI innovation in the EU.” It was early 2025, and the text Meta railed against was the second draft of the EU’s Code of Practice. The Code will put the EU’s AI Act Read more about How the EU allowed Big Tech to sideline everyone else to weaken the EU AI act for US profit and citizens detriment[…]

computer chip Vagus nerve stimulation receives US approval to treat arthritis

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a vagus nerve stimulator for rheumatoid arthritis – the first such device to be cleared for an autoimmune condition, potentially paving the way for broader uses. The pill-sized device is surgically implanted along the vagus nerve – a bundle of nerve fibres connecting the brain to Read more about computer chip Vagus nerve stimulation receives US approval to treat arthritis[…]

The pandemic’s secret aftershock: Inside the gut-brain breakdown

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A new international study confirmed a significant post-pandemic rise in disorders of gut-brain interaction, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia, according to the paper published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Building on prior research, investigators used Rome Foundation diagnostic tools to analyze nationally representative samples from both 2017 and 2023 — offering the Read more about The pandemic’s secret aftershock: Inside the gut-brain breakdown[…]

Nanodevice uses sound to sculpt light, paving the way for better displays and imaging

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The findings could have broad implications in fields ranging from computer and virtual reality displays to 3D holographic imagery, optical communications, and even new ultrafast, light-based neural networks. […] The new device is deceptively simple. A thin gold mirror is coated with an ultrathin layer of a rubbery silicone‑based polymer only a few nanometers Read more about Nanodevice uses sound to sculpt light, paving the way for better displays and imaging[…]

Visa and Mastercard Fielding A Ton Of Complaints Over “NSFW” Games Disappearing On Platforms, acting as censors

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A week or so ago, Karl Bode wrote about Vice Media’s idiotic decision to disappear several articles that had been written by its Waypoint property concerning Collective Shout. Collective Shout is an Australian group that pretends to be a feminist organization, when, in reality, it operates much more like any number of largely evangelical groups Read more about Visa and Mastercard Fielding A Ton Of Complaints Over “NSFW” Games Disappearing On Platforms, acting as censors[…]

Google Is Rolling Out Its AI Age Verification to More Services, and I’m Skeptical

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Yesterday, I wrote about how YouTube is now using AI to guess your age. The idea is this: Rather than rely on the age attached to your account, YouTube analyzes your activity on its platform, and makes a determination based on how your activity corresponds to others users. If the AI thinks you’re an adult, Read more about Google Is Rolling Out Its AI Age Verification to More Services, and I’m Skeptical[…]

Apple throws usual tissy fit at law and now sells iPad Repair Parts for Astronomical Prices

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In late May, Apple announced what seemed on its face to be a big, positive development for iPad owners: It was going to begin selling repair parts for iPads to the general public, which is a requirement of a series of new right-to-repair laws. “With today’s announcement, we’re excited to expand our repair services to Read more about Apple throws usual tissy fit at law and now sells iPad Repair Parts for Astronomical Prices[…]

After the UK, online age verification is landing in the EU

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy are the first to test the technical solution unveiled by the European Commission on July 14, 2025. The announcement came less than two weeks before the UK enforced mandatory age verification checks on July 25. These have so far sparked concerns about the privacy and security of British users, Read more about After the UK, online age verification is landing in the EU[…]

Technique to print microscopic colour pixels for tiny microsensors developed

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Half a billion years ago, nature evolved a remarkable trick: generating vibrant, shimmering colors via intricate, microscopic structures in feathers, wings and shells that reflect light in precise ways. Now, researchers from Trinity have taken a major step forward in harnessing it for advanced materials science. A team led by Professor Colm Delaney from Trinity’s Read more about Technique to print microscopic colour pixels for tiny microsensors developed[…]

Palo Alto Networks inks $25b deal to buy human and machine identity manager CyberArk

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Palo Alto Networks will buy Israeli security biz CyberArk in a $25 billion cash-and-stock deal confirmed today. It’s Palo Alto Networks’ largest purchase to date, and one of the most expensive acquisitions this year coming in behind Google paying $32 billion for cloud security upstart Wiz in March. CyberArk provides identity security and privileged access Read more about Palo Alto Networks inks $25b deal to buy human and machine identity manager CyberArk[…]