Best stories

The article explores the relative sizes of various living organisms on Earth, from microscopic bacteria to the largest known animals. It provides a visual representation and comparison of the scale of different lifeforms to help readers appreciate the wide range of sizes in the natural world.

https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/latest-model

System card: https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/3a4153c8-c748-4b71-8e31-aecbde944...

The article discusses Valve's ongoing efforts to have the HDMI Forum unblock HDMI 2.1 support for Linux systems. Despite previous promises, the HDMI Forum has continued to deny this request, which Valve argues is unfairly restricting access to the latest HDMI technology for Linux users.

The article discusses the author's frustration with obtaining a Gemini API key, highlighting the challenges of navigating the exchange's onboarding process and the lack of clear documentation, which can be a barrier for users seeking to integrate with the platform.

Related from yesterday: Show HN: Gemini Pro 3 imagines the HN front page 10 years from now - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46205632

The article discusses the importance of design patterns in software development, providing an overview of common patterns and how they can be applied to create more maintainable, scalable, and efficient code.

The article reveals that Israel used Palantir Technologies, a data analytics firm, to monitor and surveil its citizens, including through the use of a secret surveillance program. It raises concerns about the extent and privacy implications of this government-led data collection and analysis.

The article discusses the implementation of congestion pricing in New York City, which aims to reduce traffic and air pollution by charging a fee for vehicles entering the city's central business district. The policy is expected to have significant environmental and public health benefits, though its effects on low-income residents are still being evaluated.

The article explores the life and work of Grace Hopper, a pioneering computer scientist who made significant contributions to the development of programming languages and computer technology. It highlights her role in creating the COBOL programming language and her innovative approach to problem-solving in the field of computer science.

Meta has shut down global accounts linked to providing advice on abortion and LGBTQ+ content, raising concerns about censorship and access to information on reproductive health and rights.

The article discusses the development and impact of the Mastodon social network, an open-source alternative to Twitter that emphasizes decentralization, privacy, and community-driven moderation. It explores Mastodon's growth, key features, and the potential implications of its distributed model for the future of social media.

(Original is https://www.theinformation.com/articles/deepseek-using-banne... but hardwalled)

Disney has collaborated with OpenAI to create Sora, a new AI-powered virtual character that can engage in interactive conversations and perform various tasks. The article explores the potential applications and implications of this technology in the entertainment industry.

The article discusses the debate around whether the current stock market conditions constitute a 'bubble'. It analyzes various factors such as valuation metrics, investor sentiment, and market fundamentals to examine the potential risks and opportunities in the current environment.

The article discusses the launch of Qwen.ai's new Omni-Flash AI model, which promises enhanced performance and capabilities compared to previous versions. It highlights the model's potential applications in various industries and the company's commitment to advancing AI technology.

Also: We built a resource hub to fight back against age verification https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/12/age-verification-comin...

Rivian unveils its custom silicon R2 LiDAR, a roadmap for universal hands-free driving, and details on its next-generation autonomy platform. The article highlights Rivian's advancements in developing in-house technology to enhance the safety and capabilities of its electric vehicles.

This project aims to port the classic Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64 to the Sony PlayStation. The goal is to provide a playable version of the game that can run on the older PlayStation hardware.

The article explores how Craft, a software company, aims to create products that evoke emotions and meaningful experiences for users, rather than solely focusing on features or efficiency. It emphasizes Craft's mission to craft software that makes people feel something.

The article discusses Litestream, a lightweight, open-source database replication tool that provides a virtual file system (VFS) layer for SQLite databases. Litestream enables easy backup and restore of SQLite databases, making it a convenient solution for managing and maintaining SQLite-powered applications.

See also: https://blog.cloudflare.com/react2shell-rsc-vulnerabilities-..., https://nextjs.org/blog/security-update-2025-12-11

The article discusses the importance of choosing effective and memorable names for products, companies, and other entities. It explores the factors to consider, such as meaning, emotion, memorability, and uniqueness, in order to create impactful and successful names.

The article explores the mental health challenges faced by programmers, discussing the demanding nature of coding work, the pressure to constantly learn new skills, and the isolating aspects of the profession that can lead to depression and burnout.

Built this over the last few days, based on a Rust codebase that parses the latest ALPR reports from OpenStreetMaps, calculates navigation statistics from every tagged residential building to nearby amenities, and tests each route for intersection with those ALPR cameras (Flock being the most widespread).

These have gotten more controversial in recent months, due to their indiscriminate large scale data collection, with 404 Media publishing many original pieces (https://www.404media.co/tag/flock/) about their adoption and (ab)use across the country. I wanted to use open source datasets to track the rapid expansion, especially per-county, as this data can be crucial for 'deflock' movements to petition counties and city governments to ban and remove them.

In some counties, the tracking becomes so widespread that most people can't go anywhere without being photographed. This includes possibly sensitive areas, like places of worship and medical facilities.

The argument for their legality rests upon the notion that these cameras are equivalent to 'mere observation', but the enormous scope and data sharing agreements in place to share and access millions of records without warrants blurs the lines of the fourth amendment.

The article explores the revival of the Nokia N900 smartphone, a pioneering device that has gained a dedicated following years after its discontinuation. It delves into the efforts of enthusiasts to keep the N900 alive and functional through software modifications and customizations.

The article discusses the benefits of using a plain text file for managing productivity and tasks, including its simplicity, flexibility, and ability to be easily integrated with various tools and workflows.

The article explores the Snowden documents, revealing insights into the expansive global surveillance programs of the United States government and its intelligence agencies, which have drawn significant public attention and controversy.