AI Neural Networks typically aim to replicate the functions of the human brain. But with some 86 billion neurons in our brains, well, that makes for a pretty complicated machine. Lots of potential, sure, and fascinating details to explore as they develop, but it's still a lot to handle. — Read the rest

The Dragonfly-like Meganeuropsis was a giant insect that plied the skies from the Late Carboniferous to the Late Permian, some 317 to 247 million years ago. It had a wingspan of some 28" with a body length of around 17."

Meganisoptera is an extinct family of insects, all large and predatory and superficially like today's odonatans, the dragonflies and damselflies.

The company hasn't ruled out doing other work for China.

In another high-profile failure of a successfully-crowdfunded gadget, it turns out that TechJect's robot dragonflies won't be flying their way to pledgers' pockets any time soon.

When filmmaker Paul Kroeker found a dragonfly dying on his deck, he turned the animal's final moments into a beautiful and haunting short movie. Who says insects can't be charismatic fauna?

(Via John Pavlus)

Etsy seller JesseDanger's $15,000 "Anax Imperator Machina" is a hand-made, precision clockwork dragonfly whose wings flap — made from gold and silver.

Modeled after the largest modern species of dragonfly, this is a functioning creation whose wings flutter up and down when the very tip of the tail (really the abdomen, but tail sounds cooler) is turned.

Bryce Hardy is an artist who makes otherworldly art out of ethically sourced, dead insects. He combines different insects' body parts to make these stunning, surreal creatures. It seems like such an intricate and fragile process to make these creations. — Read the rest

Here's a funny tool to help you kiss tiny bugs. It's called "Bugkiss," and has the tagline "Little Lips for Bug Lovin's." Here's a description of Bugkiss on the Legboot website:

I created a prototype product called Bugkiss. It is a small device with tiny lips on it, which can be used to kiss bugs without crushing them.

When looking at the kill rates of various animals, you might be surprised to learn that a lot of species only manage 20-30% hunting success rates. Even the Cheetah only has a kill rate in the 50s (with other cats in the 30s). — Read the rest

BugGuide.Net is a useful website that helps users identify bugs. It also provides information about all sorts of bugs if you're interested in learning more about them. Today, I learned that dragonfly nymphs swim by breathing water in and out of their bums. — Read the rest

If you want to change the look and feel of a room, there's one immediate upgrade that can shift the entire vibe almost instantly. A new lamp, preferably one with some personality and maybe even some smart-enhanced versatility, can be an insta-game-changer, assuming you make the right choice, that is. — Read the rest

Russia-sponsored hackers have been trying to break into United States local government computer networks — and two of those Russian hacking attacks on city and state network were successful, said U.S. government agencies on Thursday.

"Since at least September 2020, a Russian state-sponsored … actor … has conducted a campaign against a wide variety of U.S. — Read the rest

In a video posted to the internet by Karlos Dillard, an allegedly road-raging woman is challenged by him in the street and melts down, shouting "I have a black husband!" But there's a twist in the tale: Dillard's thirst for viral fame, swiftly exposed by internet sleuths and casting his motives in a grim light. — Read the rest

On Friday, googlers staged a workplace rally demanding the reinstatement of two suspended co-workers who'd been involved in workplace organizing against collaboration with ICE and tolerance for homophobia; on Monday, four of the organizers of the rally were fired.

For decades, it was a commonplace in western business that no one could afford to ignore China: whatever problems a CEO might have with China's human rights record could never outweigh the profits to be had by targeting the growing Chinese middle-class.

In May 2018, Google faced a series of public resignations and scandals over a secret internal project to supply AI tools to the Pentagon's drone warfare project; then, in August 2018, scandal hit again with the news that Google was secretly developing a censoring, surveilling Chinese search-tool; then came the news that the company had secretly paid Android founder Andy Rubin $90m to quietly leave the company after credible accusations of sexual abuse and assault.

The Googler Uprising was a string of employee actions within Google over a series of issues related to ethics and business practices, starting with the company's AI project for US military drones, then its secretive work on a censored/surveilling search tool for use in China; then the $80m payout to Android founder Andy Rubin after he was accused of multiple sexual assaults.

Writing in Fortune, Beth Kowitt gives us a look inside the Googler Uprising, wherein Google staff launched a string of internal reform movements, triggered first by the company's secret participation in an AI/drone warfare project for the Pentagon, then a secret attempt to build a censored/surveilling search engine for use in China, then the revelation that the company had secretly paid off an exec accused of sexual assault, to tune of $150m.

Last year, Google was rocked by a succession of mass uprisings by its staff, who erupted in fury after discovering that the company was secretly pursuing a censored Chinese search tool and an AI project for US drones, and that it had secretly paid Android founder Andy Rubin $150m to quietly leave the company after women who worked for him accused him of sexually assaulting them.

Meredith Whittaker (previously) and Claire Stapleton were two of the principal organizers of the mass googler walkouts over the company's coverup and rewarding of sexual assault and harassment, as well as other Google employee actions over the company's involvement in drone warfare and Chinese censorship; now, in a widely circulated letter to colleagues, they say that they have been targeted for retaliation by Google management.