Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Adam Scott, a familiar face in the entertainment industry since the 90s, has had a diverse career spanning films like Hellraiser IV: Bloodline, Star Trek: First Contact, Knocked Up, and Step Brothers. One of his most memorable roles was as Ben Wyatt in Parks and Recreation, where he played a state auditor and the anxious policy wonk turned devoted husband to Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler.Since his time on Parks and Recreation, Scott has continued to work in both comedy and drama, appearing in shows such as The Good Place and Veep, as well as taking the lead in the Apple TV hit Severance. His film work has also been notable, with roles in Madame Web alongside Dakota Johnson and as an absent father in Stephen King’s The Monkey.In addition to his acting career, Scott also runs a podcast series called U Talkin’…, where he deep-dives into bands like U2, REM, and Talking Heads. He has also expressed his fandom on occasion, such as when he met his hero Mark Hamill on Jimmy Kimmel.Now, Adam Scott is set to star in the supernatural horror film Hokum, which is scheduled to release in cinemas on May 1st. Fans have the opportunity to ask him questions about his career and upcoming projects, with responses to be published in a reader interview series. Questions must be submitted by 3pm BST this Thursday, April 16th.

Sperm whales produce a series of rapid clicks, known as codas, that researchers have now shown contain vowel‑like elements and phonetic rules akin to those of human speech.Using advanced acoustic analysis and artificial‑intelligence tools, a team led by linguist Gašper Beguš at UC Berkeley found that variations in click length, pitch rise, and fall encode distinct “vowel” sounds, creating patterns comparable to languages such as Mandarin, Latin and Slovenian.The findings, published in the Proceedings B journal, describe the whale communication system as “highly complex” and one of the closest animal parallels to human phonology, indicating a case of independent evolution of language‑like structures.The research was conducted by Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), which has been recording sperm whales off Dominica. The project recently released video of a collaborative birth, underscoring the species’ rich social lives.According to Project CETI founder David Gruber, the whales’ “chit‑chat” occurs when individuals press their heads together near the surface, a behavior he likens to intimate, face‑to‑face conversation rather than distant shouting.By removing silent gaps between clicks, the team uncovered rhythmic patterns that function like human vowel modulation—altering vocal fold tension to shift an “A” into an “E.” This level of linguistic sophistication surpasses that observed in other vocal animals such as parrots and elephants.Behavioral ecologist Mauricio Cantor (not involved in the study) noted that the discovery reveals multiple interacting layers of structure in whale signals, a complexity previously unappreciated.Project CETI aims to identify at least 20 distinct vocal expressions—covering actions like diving, sleeping, and social bonding—within the next five years, moving toward a functional understanding of cetacean communication.Gruber remains optimistic, comparing current progress to a two‑year‑old child speaking a few words, and hopes that future research will bring the field to a five‑year‑old level of linguistic capability.

The ongoing conflict in Iran has led to a significant increase in oil prices, with the world's top 100 oil and gas companies reaping enormous profits. In the first month of the war, these companies banked more than $30m every hour in unearned profit, according to exclusive analysis for the Guardian. This translates to estimated windfall profits of $23bn for the month of March, with Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, and ExxonMobil among the biggest beneficiaries.The surge in oil prices to an average of $100 (£74) a barrel has resulted in a substantial increase in profits for these companies. If the oil price continues to average $100, the companies are expected to make $234bn by the end of the year. The analysis uses data from a leading intelligence provider, Rystad Energy, analysed by Global Witness.The excess profits come from the pockets of ordinary people as they pay high prices to fill up their vehicles and power their homes, as well as from businesses incurring higher energy bills. Dozens of countries have cut fuel taxes to help struggling consumers, but this has resulted in reduced revenue for public services.Pressure is growing for windfall taxes on the war profits of oil and gas companies, with the European Commission considering a request from the finance ministers of Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Austria. The ministers argue that this would help ease the burden on the general public and finance temporary relief measures.Aramco is expected to make a war profit of $25.5bn in 2026 if the oil price averages $100. This is on top of the huge profits habitually made by the majority state-owned Saudi company – $250m a day between 2016 to 2023. ExxonMobil, which has a long record of denying climate change, will take in $11bn in unearned war profits in 2026 if the $100 price endures.The impact of the Iran war is likely to be long lasting, with the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, describing it as the biggest shock ever to the global energy market. The UN's climate chief, Simon Stiell, warned that fossil fuel dependency is ripping away national security and sovereignty, and replacing it with subservience and rising costs.

A remarkable cactus species in eastern Brazil has evolved a unique method to attract bats for pollination. Coleocephalocereus goebelianus grows a fuzzy structure, known as a cephalium, near its flowers. This unusual body part acts as an acoustic beacon, focusing the high-pitched squeaks made by bats and helping them navigate towards the flower.Bats use echolocation to navigate and find objects in the dark by emitting high-frequency sounds, which are beyond human hearing. The cephalium's dense structure may also help reduce background noise, making the bats' echolocation clearer.The cactus's tall stature above surrounding plants amplifies its acoustics, making it easier for bats to locate the flower. This adaptation is crucial for the cactus's pollination, as it blooms at night and relies on bats as pollinators.Similar adaptations can be seen in carnivorous pitcher plants, which use curved dish-like openings to reflect bat calls and help them find the pitchers. In these cases, the bats roost inside the pitchers, and their dung fertilizes the plant.This unique evolutionary strategy highlights the fascinating ways in which plants have adapted to their environments to ensure pollination and survival.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a warning that a closure of the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a major energy crisis. The strait, located between Iran and Oman, is a critical passage for global oil shipments, making it a vital artery for the world's energy supplies.A disruption in this region could have significant implications for the global economy, potentially leading to higher oil prices and increased volatility in energy markets. The IMF's warning underscores the importance of maintaining stability in this critical region.

Sheffield Wednesday's prospective new owners, Arise Capital Partners, are engaged in discussions with the EFL to potentially ease the club's transfer ban this summer. The ban, which prevents the club from paying for new players until January 2027, was a consequence of multiple late payment of wages under the previous ownership of Dejphon Chansiri.The club will begin next season in League One with a -15 point deduction, as the purchase price of £18m by Arise does not meet the EFL's requirement to repay creditors 25p in the pound upon exiting administration.Although the EFL is firm on the points deduction, they have indicated a possible flexibility on the transfer fee embargo. This would enable Arise to build a competitive squad if their takeover is approved. The club currently has seven players under contract at the end of the season, with most of Henrik Pedersen's squad, who are free agents, expected to leave.To secure approval for the takeover, Arise must agree to an EFL business plan with strict limits on spending and wage bills. However, the American private equity company is hopeful of being allowed to pay some transfer fees. Previously, Wednesday had a three-window transfer embargo but were granted special dispensation to register players, including the signing of Marvelous Nakamba from Luton in January.Arise, comprising David and Michael Storch and Tom Costin, aims for their takeover to be approved before the final game of the Championship season on 2 May. The Independent Football Regulator will take over the EFL's owners and directors' test on 5 May, which could cause further delays.

Barratt Redrow, the UK's largest housebuilder, has announced plans to dramatically cut back on buying new land, citing the impact of geopolitical events in the Middle East. This move is expected to put additional pressure on Labour's ambitious target of building 1.5m new homes over five years.The company intends to approve between 7,000 and 9,000 plots of land for purchase in its current financial year, significantly lower than its previous guidance of 10,000 to 12,000 plots. This reduction follows an already cautious approach to land buying this year.The decision to curtail land buying plans has been attributed to geopolitical uncertainty, which is expected to impact mortgage rates and build costs. As a result, Barratt Redrow now expects to spend between £700m and £900m on land this year, down from its previous guidance of £800m to £900m.This move comes after another major UK housebuilder, Berkeley Group, announced plans to stop buying new land and implement a hiring freeze due to similar concerns over geopolitical volatility.Labour's housebuilding target of 1.5m new homes over five years has already faced challenges, with only 116,000 new homes started in England in the first year of Labour's term, falling short of the required 300,000 annually. The Centre for Policy Studies thinktank has highlighted the significant gap between the current rate of housebuilding and the target.Oli Creasey, head of property research at Quilter Cheviot, noted that Barratt Redrow's reduced land purchase guidance, combined with Berkeley Group's decision to slow land purchases, raises concerns about the housebuilding sector's outlook.In related news, Barratt Redrow has confirmed its £100m target for cost cuts following its £2.5bn takeover of Redrow in 2024, with £20m in savings achieved last year and £50m expected this year.

The UK government is facing pressure to increase its military budget to ensure national security during a period of global volatility. A Treasury minister has argued that balancing welfare and defence spending is not a zero-sum game, suggesting that it is possible to increase investment in both areas.James Murray, the chancellor's deputy, stated that the government is committed to the biggest sustained increase in defence investments since the cold war. However, he did not provide a timeline for the publication of the delayed defence investment plan.Former defence secretary and head of Nato, George Robertson, has accused the Treasury of 'vandalism' for not sufficiently boosting the armed forces. He suggested that defence should be prioritized over welfare spending, warning that the UK cannot defend itself with an ever-expanding welfare budget.The government has committed to reaching 2.5% of GDP on defence from April next year and 3% in the next parliament. However, military chiefs believe there is still a £28bn shortfall after years of the armed forces being hollowed out by successive administrations.Murray countered Robertson's views, stating that the welfare system is not a fixed entity and includes targeted measures like the removal of the two-child benefit cap, which helps hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.The debate over public spending cuts to fund defence has sparked an angry reaction on the left, with veteran MP Diane Abbott accusing Robertson of prioritizing 'guns over butter' and warning that such an approach could cost Labour votes.

The Dutch insurer Aegon has agreed to sell its historic UK operation to Standard Life for a total consideration of £2 billion. The package includes a cash payment of £750 million and the issue of 181.1 million new Standard Life shares to Aegon. By merging Aegon's UK business—home to 3.7 million customers and 2,000 employees—with Standard Life, the combined group will serve 16 million customers and manage roughly £480 billion of assets under administration, creating the largest retirement‑savings and income platform in the United Kingdom. Aegon, which traces its UK roots back to the 1831 founding of Scottish Equitable, first acquired the business in 1998 and rebranded it in 2009. The sale is part of a broader restructuring that will see Aegon's headquarters relocate to the United States and the company rebrand as Transamerica. Following the transaction, Aegon will become Standard Life's biggest shareholder, holding a 15.3% stake and securing the right to appoint one non‑executive director to the board. Standard Life CEO Andy Briggs described the deal as a catalyst for the group's ambition to become the UK's leading retirement‑savings business. He outlined a plan to realise approximately £110 million of cost savings over the next three years, noting that only half of these efficiencies are expected to materialise in the initial period. Briggs also addressed potential job impacts, stating that while there will be some redundancies, the effect will be "more modest" compared with other recent industry consolidations. The transaction follows Standard Life's own recent evolution: Phoenix Group acquired the former Standard Life Aberdeen insurance arm for £3 billion in 2018, rebranded the business as Standard Life, and has since seen Aberdeen reduce its stake to around 10%. Analysts view the deal as a strategic win‑win: Aegon accelerates its pivot to the US market, while Standard Life gains scale, a broader customer base, and a stronger balance sheet to compete in a highly consolidated UK pensions market.