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421. 'Off Switch' Discovery Could Help Clear Our Brains of a Common Parasite
There's a parasite living in the brains of 40 million Americans, and most of these human hosts are completely unaware.
422. Wooden compass with single red arrow leads people with dementia to their homes
aumens introduces a wooden compass with a single red arrow to help lead people with dementia safely to their homes.
423. An amateur codebreaker may have just solved the Black Dahlia and Zodiac killings
Two retired LAPD homicide detectives say that both notorious cases are solved -- with a single culprit -- thanks to the work of a novice sleuth. 
424. With the rise of AI, web crawlers are suddenly controversial
For decades, a humble text file governed the behavior of web scrapers. But as the AI industry grows, the social contract of robots.txt is falling apart. 
425. Show HN: AI 3D Model Generator
Generate production-ready 3D assets from text, sketches, or reference images with AI. PBR materials, UVs, decimation, rig-ready meshes, batch creation, and in-browser previews.
426. Correspondence Between Don Knuth and Peter van Emde Boas on Priority Deques 1977 [pdf]
427. Lea Verou's PhD Thesis
428. World's largest functioning musical instrument: Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia
429. Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi Games (Yields) Reduced Burnout Risk
Background: Unrelenting pressure and an “always-on” culture can leave no time for genuine rest among young adults. While playing video games has been noted to afford cognitive escapism and relaxation, critical questions remain about the influence of popular video games, such as Super Mario Bros., and their potential effects on young adults’ burnout risk. Objective: This study examined the extent to which, if at all, popular video games such as Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi could foster childlike wonder. It also investigated the potential of these games to reduce burnout risk among young adults. Methods: We used a mixed methods approach. First, qualitative data were collected through 41 exploratory, in-depth interviews (women: n=19, 46.3%; men: n=21, 51.2%; prefer not to disclose sex: n=1, 2.4%; mean age 22.51, SD 1.52 years) with university students who had experience playing Super Mario Bros. or Yoshi. Second, quantitative data were collected in a cross-sectional survey (N=336) of players of Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi to examine the games’ affordance of childlike wonder, overall happiness in life, and burnout risk. Results: Insights from in-depth interviews showed that players appreciated the ability of Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi games to instill childlike wonder, enhance happiness in life, and reduce burnout risk. Quantitative analyses showed that the games’ affordance of childlike wonder positively affected young adults’ happiness (b=0.30, SE=0.04, t=6.80, 95% CI 0.21-0.38; P<.001). In turn, overall happiness significantly reduced the risk of burnout (b=–0.48, SE=0.05, t=–9.55, 95% CI –0.572 to –0.377). Results showed that happiness fully mediated the impact of childlike wonder on burnout, as the direct effect of childlike wonder on burnout risk became insignificant (b=–0.08, SE=0.04, t=–1.88, 95% CI –0.16 to 0.01; P=.06), while the indirect effect of childlike wonder on burnout risk was significant (b=–0.14, bootstrapped SE=0.03, 95% CI –0.20 to –0.09). Conclusions: The findings showed the significant positive effect of popular video games such as Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi on fostering players’ childlike wonder, increasing happiness, and reducing burnout risk. This study was among the first to identify childlike wonder as an emotional pathway through which mainstream video games could enhance well-being and reduce burnout. By moving beyond escapism and nostalgia, it offers a new perspective on how well-designed, globally familiar games can function as accessible, resilience-building digital microenvironments. These findings contributed to research bridging gaming and mental health and have practical implications for game designers, educators, and health professionals interested in promoting mental wellness through everyday play. Trial Registration:
430. The Duodecimal Bulletin, Vol. 55, No. 1, Year 1209 [pdf]
431. AI Police Reports: Year in Review
In 2024, EFF wrote our initial blog about what could go wrong when police let AI write police reports. Since then, the technology has proliferated at a disturbing rate. Why? The most popular generative AI tool for writing police reports is Axon’s Draft One, and Axon also happens to be the largest...
432. Fujifilm to begin shipping 40TB Ultrium tape cartridges in January 2026
Fujifilm boosts capacity within existing LTO-10 drives using updated magnetic particle and base film technology.
433. Factory farming in Africa: development banks like it, but it's bad for climate
Development banks have spent over US$1 billion on factory farming in Africa, locking in high greenhouse gas emissions. Natural farming systems are a better choice.
434. Spice: A 40-year old open-source success story (2011)
435. Terrence Malick's Disciples
Bilge Ebiri explores filmmaker Terrence Malick’s vision of grace and his far-ranging influence on American cinema.
436. Salmon Recipe
Code Breakdown of IOCCC28 Winner Salmon Recipe
437. I was wrong about TypeScript part 1
438. Starlink Hits 9M Customers, Adds More Than 20k Users a Day
Customer numbers for SpaceX's Starlink internet have surged by 1 million in the past six weeks, the company said on X.