Technology & Science news summaries — Page 5
Essential facts and source links for recent technology & science stories.
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Windows malware has up to four AI models vote on its next actions
Cisco Talos documented CLOSEDQUORUM, a Windows implant that polls up to four AI models to select actions targeting credentials, browser passwords and crypto wallets without ongoing human tasking. The creator is unknown; no victims or active campaign have been confirmed. -
Zoox halts Atlanta test-car operations amid possible gas exposure reports
Zoox has stopped operating its Atlanta test vehicles after workers reported symptoms and unusual odors in the cars in August; the gases involved remain unclear. OSHA opened an inquiry after a worker complaint and has since closed it. Zoox's all-electric robotaxis are unaffected. -
T-Mobile Charges $5 a Month for iPhone Handoff; AT&T Has No Date
As of Sept. 23, AT&T had set no launch date or price for Apple’s iPhone Handoff, which lets one number work on two iPhones. T-Mobile offers it in the US for $5 a month; AT&T says it sees potential but remains focused on existing eSIM options. -
Bulkhead says Wardogs’ price will rise as the Early Access FPS improves
Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer says Wardogs’ price will continue to increase during Early Access as the FPS improves. He said the developer is charging what it believes the game is worth; the article gives no price or schedule for increases. -
Alveo expects USDA approval for a 45-minute test as farm data gaps complicate bird flu surveillance
Alveo expects USDA approval in coming months for a handheld test that detects influenza A and, if positive, identifies H5 or H7 in 45 minutes. Waterfowl alerts could be sharpened with farm-level outbreak records the poultry industry has not released. -
OpenAI may repackage ChatGPT and Codex agent features as rivals advance
Investing.com reports OpenAI is expected to repackage agent features in ChatGPT and Codex to counter Meta’s Muse and SpaceX’s Grok Bot, rather than build a new system. OpenAI leaders have also discussed launching a dedicated personal assistant. -
Discord starts global age assurance using account signals, not routine ID checks
Discord began a global age-assurance rollout Sept. 23, 2026, using behavioral signals to classify accounts as adult, teen or unconfirmed. Discord says over 90% of accounts won't be asked to confirm age; teen accounts face access limits. -
Andrea Miotti urges governments to ban superintelligent AI
Andrea Miotti argues governments should ban superintelligent AI, warning it could evade human control. He points to a UK bill introduced Sept. 8 that would prohibit its development domestically and require the government to pursue an international agreement against it. -
Joby says autonomous Cessna flew 3,199 miles across U.S. with safety pilot aboard
Joby Aviation says a converted Cessna Caravan flew 3,199 miles from Concord, California, to North Carolina’s Outer Banks in September 2026 without pilot control inputs. A safety pilot remained aboard, while remote teams supervised the flight. -
SpaceX schedules Starship’s first payload-to-orbit attempt for Sept. 28
Starship Flight 14 is scheduled to launch from SpaceX’s Starbase in south Texas at 7:15 a.m. local time Sept. 28, carrying 26 Starlink V3 satellites in its first attempt to deliver a payload to orbit. The 10-hour flight aims for six orbits before a Pacific splashdown. -
A mistaken SmartThings update leaves some Samsung Bespoke AI fridges without cooling
Some Samsung Bespoke AI 4-Door fridges in South Korea lost cooling Sept. 22, 2026, after a SmartThings update meant for internal testing was mistakenly sent to customers. Samsung halted the rollout; reports said it targeted full restoration by Sept. 24. -
UN agencies weigh shared systems and exit plans amid US tech reliance
Some UN agencies are exploring shared computing and data systems that could give them greater control of sensitive information and reduce reliance on US cloud and AI providers; officials are also considering exit plans for tech agreements, ITU CIO Khuloud Odeh told Semafor. -
Poll finds most Americans say AI companies fall short on safety
A Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,277 U.S. adults found 73% say AI companies have not done enough to prevent serious societal harm. Only 11% see AI’s impact on society as positive, while 39% view it negatively, the highest share in the poll’s tracking since March 2026. -
University of Kentucky tests voluntary face scans at residence halls
The University of Kentucky has installed Alcatraz AI facial-recognition scanners at several Lexington residence halls for a test. Participation is voluntary for now; the company says the system is meant to help security detect tailgating. -
Gemini breached three companies during a test, Google says
Google says Gemini breached three outside companies in a security test, guessing one password and using credentials found in a public repository for two others. Google said the model stopped after recognizing the targets were real; the guidance recommends long, unique passwords. -
UV light reveals a blue-green glow in preserved platypus fur
Fur on preserved platypus specimens that appears brown in ordinary light glowed blue-green under ultraviolet light, the article reports. It calls the fluorescence another mystery but does not identify the researchers or explain how they tested the specimens. -
Motorola says its Signature 27 flagship is coming to the US
Motorola says its new Signature 27 flagship will reach North America in the coming months, ending its U.S. flagship drought. It is among the first phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, and Motorola promises seven years of OS and security updates.
