Author: Vidya Saras

XRP’s price action in 2025 is similar to the one that preceded a 2,500% price boom in early 2017 after the altcoin snapped its 8-year downtrend.

Ethereum’s transition to proof of stake — The Merge — is near: devnets are being stood up, specifications are being finalized and community outreach has begun in earnest. The Merge is designed to have minimal impact on how Ethereum operates for end users, smart contracts and dapps. That said, there are some minor changes worth highlighting. Before we dive into them, here are a few links to provide context about the overall Merge architecture: The rest of this post will assume the reader is familiar with the above. For those wanting to dig even deeper, the full specifications for The…

In a Web3 world often dominated by roadmaps, utility promises, and high-stakes speculation, Based Minis by Peekcell stands out as a refreshing reminder of what NFTs can truly represent: creativity, joy, and a sense of community. This solo art NFT project has captivated the attention of collectors and art lovers alike, becoming a strong contender for “base grail” status in the digital art space. But what exactly makes Based Minis so special, and why are so many people excited about their potential? Let’s dive into the journey of Based Minis, the creative mind behind the project, and why this collection…

The proposal urges Meta to replace some of its cash and bonds with BTC, but broader support is unlikely. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, should consider investing in Bitcoin, according to a recent shareholder proposal. The proposal calls Bitcoin “the most inflation-resistant store of value available” and highlights Bitcoin’s strong one- and five-year performance. Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities like bonds account for $72 billion of Meta’s $256 billion assets. That $72 billion subtotal is “consistently diminishing shareholder value,” per the proposal, and Meta arguably has a fiduciary duty to consider assets with higher appreciations even if those…

Jonathan Lachman, the previous head of special projects at OpenAI, recently left to join a new artificial intelligence research lab founded by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, according to two people familiar with the discussions. It’s the most high-profile hire Murati has made since leaving OpenAI in September last year to start the much-hyped venture, which is focused on the exploration of so-called artificial general intelligence.Murati has poached roughly 10 researchers and engineers in total so far from competitors including OpenAI, Character AI, and Google DeepMind. Her startup is still in its early stages—it doesn’t have a name, nor a…

Republicans should focus their energy on getting results quickly in three policy areas: securing the border, unleashing American businesses, and supporting growing families.

In a two-part series, MIT News explores the environmental implications of generative AI. In this article, we look at why this technology is so resource-intensive. A second piece will investigate what experts are doing to reduce genAI’s carbon footprint and other impacts.The excitement surrounding potential benefits of generative AI, from improving worker productivity to advancing scientific research, is hard to ignore. While the explosive growth of this new technology has enabled rapid deployment of powerful models in many industries, the environmental consequences of this generative AI “gold rush” remain difficult to pin down, let alone mitigate.The computational power required to train generative…

Residents across the United States are being inundated with text messages purporting to come from toll road operators like E-ZPass, warning that recipients face fines if a delinquent toll fee remains unpaid. Researchers say the surge in SMS spam coincides with new features added to a popular commercial phishing kit sold in China that makes it simple to set up convincing lures spoofing toll road operators in multiple U.S. states. Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) warned residents to be on the lookout for a new SMS phishing or “smishing” scam targeting users of EZDriveMA, MassDOT’s all electronic…

Apple TV+ The first episode of “Severance” season 2 had the unenviable task of following the show’s spectacular season 1 finale, and instead of instantly providing answers, it immerses viewers back into some of the key mysteries established in season 1. The whole episode takes place within the Lumon office, with no glimpses at the outside world or what the characters there may be getting up to. The only clues we get are through exposition given to Mark S. (Adam Scott) and the rest of the gang, who are told that their…

UnionDigital Bank (UD), the digital bank subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines; and JuanHand, the country’s leading pure fintech cash lending app, has partnered to rapidly expand access to credit for the underserved communities in the Philippines. The alliance between these industry leaders helps enable immediate access to capital for creditworthy Filipinos, especially for those with little to no credit history. By combining UD’s cutting-edge digital banking infrastructure with WeFund’s fintech lending expertise, the collaboration aims to pave the way for greater financial inclusion. “At UD, our commitment to financial inclusion goes beyond just providing access, it’s about empowering…