Study: Earth's Inner Core Is Changing Shape
Scientists at the University of Southern California have discovered that Earth's inner core — previously considered a solid sphere — is changing shape at its edges, with deformations of up to one kilometer occurring within just a few years.
The research team, led by John Vidale, analyzed 168 pairs of earthquake waves from 42 locations near Antarctica's South Sandwich Islands between 1991 and 2023, comparing seismic data received at stations in Alaska and Canada to detect these structural changes.
Located approximately 3.2K miles deep, the inner core reaches temperatures of 5.2K°C and consists primarily of solid iron and nickel. It's surrounded by a liquid outer core that plays a crucial role in generating Earth's magnetic field.
Narrative A
The discovery of inner core deformation represents a groundbreaking advancement in understanding Earth's internal dynamics. The changes suggest a more dynamic and interconnected relationship between the inner and outer core than previously thought, potentially affecting the planet's magnetic field generation and rotation patterns.
Narrative B
The observed changes might have alternative explanations beyond shape deformation, such as unrelated changes in the outer core or convection within the inner core itself. The limited data coverage and indirect nature of seismic measurements make it challenging to definitively determine the exact nature of these changes.
Nerd narrative
There's a 44.4% chance that most protons that currently make up Earth (and you) will eventually decay, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Musk Makes $97.4B Bid for OpenAI Amid Leadership Feud
A consortium led by Elon Musk has reportedly submitted a $97.4B bid to acquire OpenAI, significantly below the company's recent valuation of $157B, escalating the Musk-OpenAI CEO Sam Altman power struggle.
Altman immediately rejected the offer via X, countering with an offer to buy the platform which he referred to as 'Twitter' — X's title before it was changed by Musk — for $9.74B. Musk responded to the OpenAI's chief offer, calling him a "swindler."
The investor group includes Musk's xAI, Baron Capital Group, Valor Management, Atreides Management, Vy Fund, and Eight Partners VC. The group's stated goal is reportedly to return OpenAI to its original nonprofit mission.
Narrative A
OpenAI must transition to a for-profit structure to secure the massive investments needed to develop advanced AI models and maintain competitiveness in the evolving AI landscape. It has already demonstrated success through ChatGPT's rapid adoption and projected $11.6B in revenue this year. A role for Musk would further broaden its horizons.
Narrative B
Musk's criticism of AI "wokeness" and unsupported claims about AI bias appear to mask his true motives undermining competitors while promoting his own AI venture, xAI. His inflammatory rhetoric and personal attacks on Altman reveal less about AI ethics and more about his apparent desire to dominate the AI landscape.
Nerd narrative
There's a 90% chance that before 2026, OpenAI's commercial operations will cease to be governed by its nonprofit board of directors, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UN Halts Yemen Operations After Houthi Detention of Staff
The United Nations has temporarily suspended all operations in Yemen's Saada region following the detention of eight UN staff members by Houthi authorities, marking an escalation in the ongoing tension between the humanitarian organization and the rebel group.
Prior to these recent detentions, the Houthi rebels had already held at least 24 UN workers in custody, with none being released, and have publicly displayed detained staff on television, accusing them of collaborating with Western intelligence agencies and Israel.
Seven UN agencies, including the World Food Programme, World Health Organization, and UNICEF, currently operate in Saada, a Houthi stronghold in Yemen's north, providing critical humanitarian support to millions of people in dire need of assistance.
Establishment-critical narrative
The detention of UN staff represents a necessary security measure to prevent potential espionage and foreign interference in Yemen's internal affairs. The UN's presence requires proper vetting and oversight to ensure humanitarian work isn't being used as a cover for intelligence gathering. The situation demands careful scrutiny of international organizations operating in Houthi-controlled territories.
Pro-establishment narrative
The arbitrary detention of humanitarian workers severely undermines critical aid operations in a country facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. These actions by the Houthis directly harm millions of vulnerable Yemenis who depend on UN assistance for survival. The international community must take immediate action to secure the release of detained staff and restore vital humanitarian operations.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Yemen will no longer be classified as being in a state of civil war by January 2028, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK: Assisted Dying Bill Sponsor Proposes Swapping High Court Approval With Expert Panel
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has announced her intent to propose an amendment to her assisted dying bill. If introduced, it would replace High Court judge approval of assisted dying applications with that of an expert panel.
The prospective system would establish a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission, chaired by a High Court judge or former senior judge, to authorize expert panels to review each application.
Each panel, termed "Judge Plus," would include a legal chair, psychiatrist, and social worker to assess mental capacity and identify any risk of coercion in assisted dying requests. Leadbeater stated on X that the new system would create a "multidisciplinary layer of protection."
Progressive narrative
Proposed changes to the assisted dying bill are a step forward in protecting the rights of terminally ill people while ensuring their safety. By introducing a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission and expert panels, the bill addresses concerns about the unworkable demands on the High Court. These changes ensure robust safeguards without overburdening individuals during their final months.
Conservative narrative
Swapping High Court oversight with a so-called "expert panel" seriously risks weakening safeguards before this law has even passed. Removing judicial scrutiny could undermine protections for the vulnerable, handing significant power to unelected individuals operating without public accountability. This sets a dangerous precedent, and could be the start of a slippery slope in assisted dying legislation.
Nerd narrative
There's an 83% chance that assisted dying for terminally ill adults will be legal for the majority of UK residents before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump: Hamas Should Release All Hostages by Saturday or 'Let All Hell Break Out'
US Pres. Donald Trump said on Monday that the cease-fire deal in Gaza should be canceled if Hamas does not release all Israeli hostages this coming Saturday. Trump said "let hell break out" if the hostages were not returned, though he added that it was Israel's decision.
Trump's comments came after Hamas announced that it would indefinitely postpone the next release of hostages over alleged Israeli violations of the cease-fire, such as shooting displaced civilians and preventing aid from entering the strip.
Trump also said regarding his plan to displace Gaza's population that he could withhold aid to Egypt and Jordan if they did not agree to accept Palestinians. Both countries, as well as other Arab states, have rejected the plan. Trump has also said that Palestinians would not be allowed to return to Gaza if they left.
Pro-establishment narrative
Preventing the collapse of the cease-fire in Gaza is imperative to both regional security and humanitarian concerns. Both sides must work through the issues on the table and continue negotiating, as no one benefits from a return to war.
Pro-Israel narrative
Unlike his predecessor, Donald Trump has been a great friend to Israel and is committed to freeing the hostages from their terrorist captors. For too long, Israel has had its hands tied and been prevented from winning this war. Now, with a friendly administration in Washington, Israel can set the terms of the future.
Pro-Palestine narrative
It has been clear since day one that Netanyahu would do everything he could to sabotage the cease-fire and return to the war to ensure his political survival. Trump has taken the bait and is giving Netanyahu the needed cover to prevent negotiations from progressing. Indeed, why would Hamas move forward with a deal that Israel seeks to undermine?
Nerd narrative
There's a 6% chance that Israel will establish direct governmental control of the Gaza Strip in 2025, according to the Metculus prediction community.
South Korea: Teacher Stabs First Grader to Death
A female teacher in her 40s confessed to fatally stabbing an eight-year-old student at an elementary school in Daejeon, South Korea, on Monday after reportedly luring the victim into an audiovisual room with the promise of a book.
The teacher — who had been receiving treatment for depression since 2018 — had returned to work on Dec. 31 after taking a brief medical leave and expressed frustration at not being allowed to teach classes upon her return.
Four days before the incident, the teacher had reportedly displayed violent behavior, including putting another teacher in a headlock and damaging school property, prompting education officials to visit the school on the morning of the attack.
Narrative A
The education system failed to protect students by allowing a teacher with documented mental health issues and recent violent behavior to remain in contact with children. The lack of teacher mental health monitoring and intervention protocols directly contributed to this preventable tragedy.
Narrative B
The incident reflects broader societal issues, including inadequate mental health support for educators and systemic pressures that can lead to psychological distress. The teacher's actions, while inexcusable, highlight the urgent need for comprehensive mental health resources and support systems in educational institutions.
Nerd narrative
There's a 66% chance that Psilocybin will be a clinically approved treatment for end-of-life anxiety by 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Judges Rule Against Trump Administration
A US judge in Rhode Island on Monday ordered the Trump administration to "immediately restore frozen funding" after he heard arguments from a coalition of 22 US states that the administration hadn't released the funding after the Jan. 31 order to do so.
This comes after a different federal judge in Boston on Monday extended a temporary restraining order that has paused a deadline set by the Trump administration for federal workers to accept a "Fork in the Road" buyout, which was offered in an email from the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) nearly two weeks ago.
Judge John McConnell's ruling in the funding freeze case relates to a Jan. 27 memo sent by the US Office of Business and Management (OBM) shutting down payments for all federal grants, contracts, and financial assistance. The administration rescinded the memo, but McConnell still issued the stay.
Republican narrative
These judges are guilty of judicial overreach and their unlawful orders may be worthy of impeachment. The judiciary should not be limiting the president or those in his administration from doing their jobs. Democrats, who strangely support government waste and fraud, can sue all they want, but Trump, Musk, and the rest will continue their efforts to make the government again work for the people.
Democratic narrative
Republicans' desire to install Trump as a king is creating a constitutional crisis, and if Republicans in Congress won't step up as an equal branch of government it's up to the judiciary to do so. The Founding Fathers created judicial review to prevent presidents from becoming tyrants, which Republicans — especially ones with law degrees — should know. It's also up to the people to hold all the branches accountable.
Nerd narrative
There's a 30% chance that Elon Musk will become the first trillionaire, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
BBC Study: AI Chatbots Fail Basic News Accuracy Tests
The BBC examined four major artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity), finding that 51% of AI-generated answers about news contained significant issues, while 91% had at least some problems.
The study, which asked the chatbots to analyze 100 news stories, found that 19% of AI responses citing BBC content introduced factual errors in dates, numbers, and statements, while 13% of quotes attributed to the BBC were either altered or completely fabricated.
Google's Gemini showed the highest rate of significant accuracy issues at 46%, followed by Microsoft's Copilot, while Perplexity and ChatGPT performed slightly better but still demonstrated problems.
Narrative A
AI journalism poses a serious threat to ethics and public knowledge by prioritizing cost-cutting over quality. Media companies have produced lazy and inaccurate articles for years and continue to do so, proving their willingness to prioritize ad revenue over good reporting. Fortunately, many media companies have decided against using such AI tools, so, hopefully, they won't turn their backs on the public in the face of money-making opportunities.
Narrative B
While AI certainly comes with risks, if media companies work cautiously and strategically, AI can also bring about tremendous benefits. News outlets have already automated routine tasks, allowing journalists to focus on investigative work. AI is also very good at data analysis and becoming competent in fact-checking, which improves accuracy and efficiency. The key to seamless AI integration is ensuring strict editorial oversight and transparency.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that AI will be mentioned in a constitution of a major sovereign country by May 2039, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Bannon Pleads Guilty in Border Wall Fraud
Steve Bannon, a former advisor to Pres. Donald Trump during his first term, Tuesday pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree scheme to defraud related to the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign that collected over $25M from donors.
Under the plea agreement, Bannon received a three-year conditional discharge with no prison time — despite originally facing up to 15 years in prison on multiple felony counts, including money laundering and conspiracy.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office in 2022 charged Bannon with defrauding donors who contributed $15M based on false promises that all funds would go toward building a border wall. Prosecutors alleged the money was diverted for personal use.
Republican narrative
This is a politically motivated prosecution by Democratic officials targeting Trump allies. Bannon maintains his innocence while accepting the plea deal to avoid an unfair trial in Democrat-run Manhattan.
Democratic narrative
This plea deal brings Bannon to justice and protects New York's charities and donors from future fraud. Bannon admitted he deceived supporters and used donations meant for border wall construction in his personal life.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Donald Trump's net worth, according to Forbes, on March 31, 2025 will be $6 billion or less, according to the Metaculus community.