Meta has announced the release of Llama 4, its newest collection of AI models that now power Meta AI on the web and in WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram Direct. The two models, also available to download from Meta or Hugging Face now, are Llama 4 Scout, a small model capable of … | Continue reading
"We’re hearing these stories all the time." Investigation finds homeowners left in limbo after insurance companies drag their feet on claims: 'Just feel completely ignored' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
Skoltech scientists discovered over 200 carbon-oxygen compounds with high energy potential, some rivaling TNT, offering new insights into non-nitrogen-based explosives and applications in energy, space, and chemical research. Skoltech researchers have conducted a theoretical stud … | Continue reading
Dropping a model release as significant as Llama 4 on a weekend is plain unfair! So far the best place to learn about the new model family is this post on the Meta AI blog. Llama 4 Maverick is now sat in second place on the LM Arena leaderboard, just behind Gemini 2.5 Pro. You ca … | Continue reading
Researchers, policymakers, and innovators around the world are taking steps to tackle the problem at its source. Scientists sound alarm after discovering new threat to brain and heart health: 'Can interfere with the normal development' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
In a previous post, I mentioned that my vision of a feed-based social network included the use of rssCloud as the notification system within RSS feeds. Back in 2022, I did some investigation regarding support of the rssCloud protocol in WordPress.com and WordPress.org sites, and … | Continue reading
Five researchers have been jointly awarded one of this year's Breakthrough Prizes in Life Sciences for their contributions to the development of Ozempic-style drugs. | Continue reading
Two prominent scientists who study multiple sclerosis — Dr. Alberto Ascherio and Dr. Stephen Hauser — are co-winners of a 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. | Continue reading
"The book is a prime example of how you can use statistics to lie." Critics sound the alarm over viral documentary pushing dangerous claims: 'Shoddy work not well supported by the facts' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
It's deep enough for watercraft to return safely. Officials celebrate as reservoir makes comeback following years of drought: 'It will come back' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
Click here to go see the bonus panel! Hovertext: All natural, in the sense of not having been made in a particle accelerator. Today's News: | Continue reading
"I'd say contact your own lawyer just in case it comes to that." Homeowner in disbelief after finding neighbor's demand taped to their door: 'I'd hold your ground' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
In today’s post, Seth Godin captures something that I’ve been thinking about but have had trouble communicating well: When someone makes an obvious mistake, it’s tempting to label them with a term that’s dismissive or even hurtful. A label is permanent, a noun, a way to sort and … | Continue reading
"I can't believe some people have no natural fear of wild animals." Park visitors watch in horror as woman risks her life next to massive wild animal: 'A literal death wish' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
Bacterial vaginosis has been declared a sexually transmitted infection and can be treated easily with a simple treatment. A landmark study has confirmed that bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition affecting nearly one in three women globally and linked to infertility, premature bi … | Continue reading
Fortunately, water regulatory organizations are holding companies accountable. Officials open investigation into major utility for failing to deliver crucial services: 'We take [this] very seriously' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
There are many challenges ahead. Officials report shocking turn of events in drought-stricken area: 'Very abundant' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
I accidentally ordered sunscreen refills instead of a new bottle of sunscreen. Problem: I did not have an old bottle. Solution: Buy an IMPROVED lotion dispenser. | Continue reading
Wherein our hero learns the arcane secrets of the u128 sword in the depths of the Underrust. | Continue reading
There’s an off chance that futarchy might solve cultural drift, if we could show that it works, then get some big place to adopt it, and also get them to set an outcome metric in conflict with civ collapse. | Continue reading
A new quantum algorithm accelerates the simulation of coupled oscillator dynamics. Quantum computers have the potential to solve certain problems far more efficiently than classical computers. In a recent development, researchers have designed a quantum algorithm to simulate syst … | Continue reading
The unlawful activities continued until 2021. Owner of mustard company pleads guilty after shocking discovery at factory — here's what's happening first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
Strauss by the Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra | Continue reading
NetEase is doing like the comics and bringing a new hero to Marvel Rivals every month for the foreseeable future. | Continue reading
Rolled out some Micro.blog improvements to uploads on the web today. For example, if AI is enabled there are auto-generated accessibility descriptions for photos, and now you can edit the description without first needing to use it in a post. Plus some more UI tweaks for uploads. | Continue reading
"People with heart failure already typically have a compromised cardiovascular system." Experts sound alarm as new research identifies major threat to heart health: 'Less able to tolerate additional stressors' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
"We will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law," a spokesperson for DHS said. | Continue reading
My son has had the worst luck with his car. A few weeks ago, broke down driving back from Arizona… after having it checked out at a mechanic. New radiator and other work in New Mexico. Now today, a similar problem out in the Texas hill country. | Continue reading
The Llama series have been re-designed to use state of the art mixture-of-experts (MoE) architecture and natively trained with multimodality. We’re dropping Llama 4 Scout & Llama 4 Maverick, and previewing Llama 4 Behemoth. 📌 Llama 4 Scout is highest performing small mode … | Continue reading
People are gathering in cities all over the United States and globally to protest an “illegal, billionaire power grab” by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They’re being put on by over 150 different organizations, including civil rights groups, labor unions, and LGBTQ+ advoca … | Continue reading
I’ve published an entirely reworked version of my Markdown Lorem Ipsum API. It’s a fix, but also a major improvement. The md-lipsum API gives you Lorem Ipsum in Markdown format, ready for use in testing and tools. The original version of it used an external API to generate the Li … | Continue reading
If there's one thing you want to do immediately after completing the kind of long, exhausting hike that's mandatory when backpacking, it's rip off those shoes and let your fiery, achy feet breathe a little. But as much as you'd like to whip out your most comfortably broken-in set … | Continue reading
I am still stinge watching my way through the second season of Strange New Worlds, but the third season of the show premieres sometime this summer, so I’d better finish it up before then. Anyway, I love this show and crew and the trailer looks appropriately kooky and wacky so let … | Continue reading
"It is crucial to exercise caution in introducing new substances." Scientists issue warning about threat lurking in common beach item: 'We are essentially sitting on a ticking time bomb' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
What happens when you minimize the chance of data leakage? | Continue reading
Chimpanzees select materials for tools based on flexibility, revealing early engineering instincts linked to human tool evolution. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography at the University of Oxford, the Max Planck Institute … | Continue reading
"You can't be serious." Shopper sparks outrage with photo of shocking snack item for sale at grocery store: 'That's just sad' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
The CoSocialist Future Search This week marks the second anniversary of the launch of the CoSocial.ca Mastodon server, which is one leg of my online presence (the other is this blog.) I’ve never been more convinced that online social interaction has to change paths and take a new … | Continue reading
A spiral galaxy known as NGC 4945 exhibits powerful winds of material blowing from the supermassive black hole located at its core in a new photo taken by the Very Large Telescope in Chile. | Continue reading
A "fully immersive experience" promises viewers a new way (and reason) to rewatch Wizard of Oz ahead of Wicked For Good's release. | Continue reading
All the broken pecan shells are in one spot under the tree. Must be some happy squirrels living here. | Continue reading
"The alternative hypothesis is that it had never gone and that in the last 190 years simply, we were unable to observe it." Experts celebrate rediscovery of species believed extinct for nearly two centuries: 'Photographed once, observed twice' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading
It's more of a standalone reboot rather than a direct sequel to 2010's TRON: Legacy. | Continue reading
Microsoft unveiled its Xbox AI era earlier this year with a new Muse AI model that can generate gameplay. While it looked like Muse was still an early Microsoft Research project, the Xbox maker is now allowing Copilot users to try out Muse through an AI-generated version of Quake … | Continue reading
Arctic sea ice hit a historic low this winter, shrinking to the smallest extent ever recorded at its seasonal peak. NASA and the NSIDC revealed that warmer air, ocean temperatures, and persistent wind patterns have limited both the formation of new sea ice and the survival of old … | Continue reading
Recording is live! Watch CSS Can We Do That on YouTube via Smashing Meets CSS online event. | Continue reading
It’s about greed. It’s about resources. It’s about the Oligarch’s thirst for control of water. New York Times: Mr. Trump and Mr. Trudeau spoke twice on Feb. 3, once in the morning and again in the afternoon, as part of discussions to stave off tariffs on Canadian exports. But tho … | Continue reading
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, yesterday: Thanks to Microsoft for 50 years of being awesome to developers! Some years the software was great. Some years the software sucked. Every year the company and its ecosystem has stood with and supported developers. I pity the man who doesn’t have e … | Continue reading