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Secretive game developer codes hit 'Balatro' in Canadian prairie province

There are no photos or videos of LocalThunk, an anonymous computer programmer who lives in the vast and desolate prairies of Canada's Saskatchewan province, far from Silicon Valley.

Scientists observe 'negative time' in quantum experiments

Scientists have long known that light can sometimes appear to exit a material before entering it -- an effect dismissed as an illusion caused by how waves are distorted by matter.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket experiences rare failure

SpaceX's highly reliable Falcon 9 rocket has experienced a rare failure that means the latest batch of the company's Starlink satellites won't make it into orbit, the company said Friday, as regulators opened an investigation.

AI makes writing easier, but stories sound alike

Books and movies of the future could all start to feel the same if creative industries embrace artificial intelligence to help write stories, a study published on Friday warned.

UN says dust levels in air dropped slightly in 2023

The amount of dust in the air eased slightly in 2023, the United Nations said Friday, warning that poor environmental management was fuelling sand and dust storms.

3D genome extracted from 'freeze-dried' woolly mammoth

About 52,000 years ago, the skinned hide of a Siberian woolly mammoth was exposed to conditions so frigid that it spontaneously freeze-dried, locking its DNA fragments into place.

Nearby exoplanet could be first known ocean world: Webb telescope

A planet relatively close to Earth could be the first ever detected with a potentially life-sustaining liquid ocean outside our Solar System, according to scientists using the James Webb space telescope.

Musk's Neuralink eyes more test subjects for its brain tech

Elon Musk on Wednesday said his Neuralink startup is "moving on" to a second test patient as its tech for linking brains and computers improves.

Astronauts stuck on ISS 'confident' Starliner will bring them home

A pair of NASA astronauts left stranded on the International Space Station without a clear departure date expressed confidence Wednesday that their Boeing Starliner spaceship would soon bring them home.

Microsoft drops OpenAI board seat as scrunity increases

Microsoft has ditched plans to take up a non-voting position on the board of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, according to a letter seen by AFP on Wednesday, as regulators step up scrutiny of deals involving AI companies.

Microsoft gives up OpenAI board seat amid regulator scrutiny

Microsoft has ditched plans to take up an observer seat on the board of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, according to a letter seen by AFP on Wednesday, as antitrust regulators step up their scrutiny of the artificial intelligence market.

Eastern religions join call for ethical AI

Sect leaders from major Eastern religions on Wednesday signed on to a Vatican-led code for AI ethics that also includes major tech companies at a ceremony in the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Key dates in Cyprus's post-independence history

This month marks 50 years since the dramatic events of 1974 left the Mediterranean holiday island of Cyprus divided to this day.

Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket blasts off for first time

Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket blasted off for the first time smoothly on Tuesday, carrying with it the continent's hopes of regaining independent access to space.

Countdown to first launch of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket

After four years of delays, Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket is set to blast off for the first time on Tuesday, carrying with it the continent's hopes of regaining independent access to space.

AI boom reshapes Wall Street as TSMC joins trillion-dollar club

The entry of Taiwanese chip giant TSMC into the elite club of the world's most valuable companies is further proof that the generative AI revolution is shaking up Wall Street.

'Ready to come out?' Scientists reemerge after year 'on Mars'

The NASA astronaut knocks loudly three times on a what appears to be a nondescript door, and calls cheerfully: "You ready to come out?"

Beryl foreshadows future hurricanes, says UN weather agency

The World Meteorological Organization, which is tracking Hurricane Beryl's deadly course through the Caribbean, told AFP that more storms with its hallmarks could be expected in the future.

Trafficked Cambodian artefacts returned from US

Buddhist monks in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh chanted blessings and threw flowers on Thursday to welcome 14 trafficked artefacts repatriated from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Black British music in spotlight at new exhibition

What do a champagne bottle signed by Stormzy, Beethoven's tuning fork and a giant peacock Carnival costume have in common? They're all currently on display in a first-of-its-kind exhibition at the British Library.

Biden takes stage with Elton John to celebrate LGBTQ milestone

US President Joe Biden paid tribute to LGBTQ pioneers and British music legend Elton John performed his hits as the pair inaugurated on Friday a historical site in New York City celebrating the 1969 "Stonewall riots".

Experts press Swiss foundation over Nazi-era art collection

A Swiss foundation must do more to trace the provenance of works in a vast art collection acquired in questionable circumstances during World War II, a team of experts said Friday.

Meteorites strike Mars far more often than thought, probe finds

Mars is bombarded with basketball-sized meteorites on a nearly daily basis, fives times more often than previously estimated, seismic recordings from a NASA spacecraft have revealed.

How restoration can help coral reefs

Record-high sea temperatures are bleaching coral reefs worldwide and putting a new focus on attempts to restore these key marine ecosystems.

'Power rivalry in space': China lunar mission fuels US misinformation

A historic lunar mission has demonstrated China's growing scientific prowess, but the feat has set off a torrent of misinformation targeting the United States that researchers say reflects their bitter competition in space.

NASA picks SpaceX to carry ISS to its watery graveyard after 2030

NASA on Tuesday said it had picked SpaceX to build a vessel to carry the International Space Station back through Earth's atmosphere and on to a final resting place in the Pacific Ocean after it is retired in 2030.

'Wake-up call': third of adults not doing enough physical activity

Nearly a third of all adults are not doing enough physical activity, posing a growing threat to health across the world, a major study said on Wednesday.

German giant Siemens to revive historic base in Berlin

German industrial giant Siemens on Tuesday launched an urban development project worth 4.5 billion euros ($4.8 billion) in the area of Berlin known as Siemensstadt, where the company enjoyed its pre-war heyday.

US to launch satellite to better prepare for space weather

The United States is aiming Tuesday to launch a new satellite expected to significantly improve forecasts of solar flares and coronal mass ejections -- huge plasma bubbles that can crash into Earth, disrupting power grids and communications.

China lunar probe returns to Earth with samples

A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the Moon returned to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first.

UNESCO wants to add Stonehenge to list of endangered heritage sites

The UN's cultural organisation said Monday it recommended adding Stonehenge, the renowned prehistoric site in England, to its world heritage in danger list, in what would be seen as an embarrassment for London.

China lunar probe to return to Earth with samples

A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the Moon is expected to return to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first.

Webb spots giant star clusters shaping galaxy in early universe

The James Webb space telescope has discovered massive clusters of stars in the early universe so huge and densely packed that they influenced how their galaxy formed, astronomers said on Monday.

China, France to launch satellite to better understand the universe

A French-Chinese satellite will blast off Saturday on a hunt for the mightiest explosions in the universe, in a notable example of cooperation between a Western power and the Asian giant.

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