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With so many weekly outrages from the Trump administration, its easy to overlook its long-term plans. Chief among them is reshaping the federal judiciary. As the first batch of nominees wends their way through the Senate confirmation process, the stakes for marriage equality are incredibly high.The nominees dont come out and say how much they hate Obergefell v. Hodges, the 10-year old Supreme Court decision that granted the right to marry to same-sex couples. But between their non-answers to direct questions about the ruling and their own anti-LGBTQ backgrounds, its pretty clear that they would like nothing more than to see the ruling overturned. Related Donald Trump could go after same-sex marriage rights. We talked to legal experts. Right now, there are 47 vacancies in the federal judiciary, and Trump has put fourth 11 nominees. The results has been, in the words of JP Collins, an associate professor at The George Washington University Law School, a horror show. Collins, writing for the legal site Balls and Strikes, analyzed the nominees and found that they havent been hiding their animus toward LGBTQ+ rights.Eric Tung, a nominee to the Ninth Circuit Court, responded no when he was recently asked if, from an originalist perspective, theres a constitutional right to abortion, same-sex marriage, or sodomy. Joshua Dunlap, a nominee to the First Circuit Appeals Court, interned at the anti-gay Christian Nationalist legal group Alliance Defending Freedom and graduated from Pensacola Christian College, which once canceled a performance by the Grammy-winning a cappella group The Kings Singers because one of the singers is gay. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Among those already approved by the Senate are Joshua Divine, a 35-year-old who once compared homosexuality to bestiality and, as Missouris deputy solicitor general, defended the states ban on gender-affirming health care for minors. Also approved for a federal judgeship was Whitney Hermandorfer, who worked in the Tennessee attorney generals office. She was instrumental in arguingU.S. v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court case that banned gender-affirming health care for trans youth.That the nominees are a collection of anti-LGBTQ extremists isnt surprising. But what is alarming is how cagey they are when asked about marriage equality. As Collins notes, when asked point blank about Obergefell as precedent, they issue a string of weasel words. Strikingly, several had no problem saying that Supreme Court rulings striking down school segregation (Brown v. Board of Education) and bans on interracial marriages (Loving v. Virginia) were correctly decided, but punted when asked about Obergefell. For example, in response to written questions from Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin (IL), Christian Stevens, a nominee to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri, said he would faithfully follow Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia, and other applicable Supreme Court precedents. However, he said that sharing his opinions on other rulings, including Obergefell, would be inappropriate. Other nominees have used the same inappropriate dodge. Tung wouldnt even go that far, stating blandly that the Supreme Court granted such a right.If any of this sounds familiar, thats because these non-answers are the same strategy that Trumps Supreme Court nominees used when asked about Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision granting people abortion access. Neil Gorsuch acknowledged the ruling granting women the right to an abortion was precedent, but he served up word salad when asked if it was decided correctly. When asked the same question, Brett Kavanaugh said he understood about the importance of the precedence set forth in Roe v. Wade.Kavanaugh was even more opaque about Obergefell. When then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) pressed Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings on the same question, Kavanaugh simply said that Obergefell was precedent and refused to answer her question. Of course, precedence meant nothing to the ideologues on the court. The far-right majority has invented legal reasoning to justify their political wish list, including giving Donald Trump free rein. They have overturned multiple rulings that have stood for decades.So to hear Trumps nominees for the judiciary pay lip service to precedent means nothing. If anything, they are even more likely to fabricate legal justifications to challenge Obergefell, in the hopes that they will be the judge who gets it to the Supreme Court to deal the fatal blow. Ending marriage equality would make the judge who started that challenge a hero on the right.Trumps nominees are only interested in the law insofar as it advances the rights political interests. They are, in Collins words, foaming at the mouth to undermine and eventually overturnObergefelland relegate same-sex couples to second class status. As judges, they could decide that county clerks dont have to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on religious liberty grounds, creating marriage deserts. Or they could come up with some excuse to reinstate one of the zombie anti-marriage laws still on the books in more than 30 states. These arent jurists who are trying to apply the law. These are extremists who will shape the law to do what they want to see became reality. And repealing marriage equality is what they want. All the eyes may be on the Supreme Court and its ongoing battle to turn back the clock and smooth the road to authoritarianism, but the nominees for the rest of the federal judiciary are the shock troops who will force the issue, which is what the right is counting on. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Gender affirmation surgery can be an incredibly freeing and life-changing decision. But its also understandable if the thought of going under the knife makes you anxious. Like any major surgery, there are risks of complications, scarring, and infection. And depending on the kind of surgery you get, you can experience changes in sexual satisfaction and sensation in certain areas.But for the majority of trans people who opt forsurgery, the benefits outweigh the risks and disadvantages. For one, researchers have reported that there are long-termmental health benefits to gender affirmation surgery. Many trans people have said that the anxiety and depression theyve had due to gender dysphoria lessens over time, and they begin to feel more comfortable, confident, and at home in their bodies. Plus, the complication rate for female to male gender affirmation surgery is relatively low at 5.8%.If youre still apprehensive about gender-affirming surgery and its effects on your sexual and physical health, perhaps seeing success stories from trans men who have gone through it all may help assuage your worries. So here are a few female to male transition photos to inspire and affirm so you can have a little bit of a preview of what to expect on your own transition.Related:Transgender People Are Less Healthy Than Cis People, Heres Why9 Transition Photos That Prove That It Does Get BetterBefore we jump into our list of inspiring images, wed like to point out that transitioning is different for everyone. Some people may feel that gender-affirming surgery is integral to the improvement of their mental health. Others may not even see surgery and hormone therapy (HRT) as a necessary step in their transition journey. Its totally fine either way, as long as youre happy!And for those who do undergo some type of procedure, remember that individual results vary. The photos included in this list are meant to inspire and affirm but are in no way the gold standard of what a trans person post-surgery is supposed to look like. In fact, there is no standard! All bodies are unique, valid, and beautiful either way.1. Jamie RainesJamie Raines is an English YouTuber who often talks about his experiences as a trans man in his vlogs. Over the course of six years, Jamie documented his transition journey, taking viewers along for the ride as he experienced all the physical and psychological changes of undergoing HRT, top surgery, and metoidioplasty a type of surgery done to create a new penis out of tissues taken from the clitoris.Unlike a phalloplasty, which is a complicated procedure that involves lengthening ones urethra and a skin graft from ones forearm for penile construction, metoidioplasty surgery has a lower risk of urological complications and a faster healing time. Raines also underwent scrotoplasty, which is a form of lower surgery done to create a scrotum.Check out these side-by-side photos of Jamie six months after their top surgery and eight years post-op.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Jamie Raines (@jammi.dodger)2. Chella ManChella Man is a deaf, trans-masculine, Chinese-Jewish artist who, like Jamie, spent several years documenting his transition journey and sharing his experiences with HRT and top surgery. Chella has spoken up about having to be his own representation as he had a hard time finding someone else in the media who looked like him.Last year, Chella shared a video of himself during his first top surgery consultation next to a video of himself one month post-op and eight months on testosterone. In the caption, he writes about the evident changes the procedures have done not only to his appearance but to his confidence as well.Today, one month post-op and 8 months on testosterone, I stand with ease, welcoming the reflection I now see, Chella writes. My days of dysphoria have finally passed. I am free.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Chella Man (@chellaman)3. Aiden MannAiden Manns journey proves that gender-affirming surgery wont always be a walk in the park and that for some trans folk, revisions are just part of the process. Through Instagram and TikTok, Aiden has been open about his struggles with the results of his subcutaneous mastectomy (a procedure involving the removal of the tissues in ones breasts). Hes had to undergo multiple visits to his surgeon and several revisions, particularly because of the way his nipple scars heal.But still, Aiden persisted and seems happier than ever!View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aiden Michael Mann (@aiden_m365)4. Emmett PreciadoEmmett Preciado is a trans man and actor who has appeared on shows like FreeformsGood Troubleand ABCsThe Good Doctor. On his website bio, Emmett shares that he wrestled with his identity a lot growing up. When he hit puberty, he wore layers and hoodies to cover his chest because he didnt want the girls in his class to see that he was becoming like them.Today, you can see Emmett bare his chest proudly on Instagram. Proof positive that it does get better!View this post on InstagramA post shared by Emmett Preciado (@emmettpreciado)5. Jake GrafWhile some trans men opt to get a total hysterectomy, others dont or hold off on the surgery to have kids in the future. Such is the case of actor, writer, director, and activist Jake Graf, who had a baby with his wife via surrogacy. Jake paused his HRT for six months and had his eggs harvested at a fertility clinic.Jakes story is a great reminder that undergoing gender-affirming surgery and taking HRT doesnt mean you have to give up your dreams of raising a family. Check out this precious photo of Jake with his wife Hannah and their adorable baby girl.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Jake Graf (@jake_graf5)6. Skyler JayLike Aiden, trans activist and community organizer Skyler Jay has been open about the issues hes had with his health following his surgery. After Skyler underwent a double mastectomy to remove his breast tissue, he went through surgery complications, revisions, and far more months of healing than expected, but he says he wouldnt have it any other way.I knew I had to go through my pain to have that top surgery, says Skyler in a video to promote his non-profit,Aadya Rising. I would do it again if thats what it meant to get me to where Im at right now.Today, Skyler is living his best life. Skylers story and even footage of his top surgery were featured in a groundbreaking episode of NetflixsQueer Eye.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Skyler Jay (@trans.ginger)7. Laith AshleyLaith is a model, actor, and activist who has been featured in major publications likeBritish GQ,Vogue France, andAttitude UK. Growing up, Laith struggled with his sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as his familys disapproval.However, in an interview withBritish GQ, Laith says that it was when he came across YouTube videos of trans people documenting their transition journeys that he realized this is who I am.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Laith Ashley De La Cruz (@laith_ashley)8. Aydian DowlingLooking for some fitspiration? Check out the inspirational Aydian Dowling. He is a life and fitness coach and the creator of TRACE, an app that trans people can use to document their transition, take voice recordings, and create reminders for essential appointments and procedures. On his Instagram page, Aydian drops some helpful truth bombs about fitness, mental health, self-image, and self-confidence.Oh, and did we mention hes the first trans man to appear on a special edition cover ofMens Healthmagazine?View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aydian Dowling (aden) (@alionsfear)9. Leo ShengLike some of the others on this list, Leo Shengs top surgery recovery process hasnt always been pretty. The activist, public speaker, and writer recently shared some photos from the early days of their recovery, where their scars and bruises were still very apparent. He also opened up about some of the what ifs theyve had when ruminating on their journey, and whether it was all worth it, despite not getting the results he intended.Everyones bodies are different, which means everyone heals differently, Leo writes. I feel good about my chest today. I feel proud of it. Im reminded to give past and present self some grace. I know that healed the best that it could that I did the best I could.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Leo Sheng (@ileosheng)Final ThoughtsGender-affirming surgery doesnt just change the way you look, it can change the entire trajectory of your life. And despite the possibility of complications, revisions, and the need for adjustments in ones sexual expectations, most patients say they dont regret having the surgery. And if these pictures are any indication, getting surgery is almost always worth it. Of course, as long as thats what you really want to be happy and at ease in your body!Related:Drago Renteria Is The Father Of Deaf Queer Activism

Nature, Published online: 11 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02517-7Jennifer Khattar and Yang Mei the dog trek through the forests of Taiwan to understand how they develop.

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Ten of the 24 authors nominated for the Polari Prize, the UKs leading LGBTQ+ book awards, have withdrawn themselves over the nomination of John Boyne, an anti-transgender author who is friends with transphobic billionaire J.K. Rowling.Boyne, who was nominated for his novella Earth, wrote an article in The Irish Independent celebrating Rowlings 60th birthday in which he referred to himself as a fellow TERF (a transgender-exclusionary radical feminist), and said women who support trans rights are complicit in their own erasure and ready to pin down a handmaiden as her husband rapes her (a reference to woman-assisted sexual assault in the dystopian TV series The Handmaids Tale). Related J.K. Rowling savagely mocked for using initials to appear more masculine to readers Boyne has called trans women men, claimed that theyre stealing opportunities from female students and athletes (even though the actual number of trans competitors remains incredibly small), called gender-affirming care experimentation (even though most major medical associations have considered the care safe and essential for decades), and claimed that the people criticizing Rowlings transphobia are undersexed and middle-aged straight men; indoctrinated young people who fail to recognize actual misogyny and homophobia, and grown women who dont know any better.The writers who have since withdrawn their Polari Prize nominations include Mae Diansangu, Sacha Coward, SanahAshan, Jason Okundaye,Amy Twigg, Ciara Maguire, Olumide Popoola, Robert Hamberger, Andrew McMillan, and Rhian Elizabeth. Panel judge Nicola Dinan has also dropped out of the award selection process. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today UPDATE: 10 of the 24 longlisted authors have now withdrawn from the Polari Prize.First Book:Jason Okundaye, Sacha Coward, Sanah Ahsan, Amy Twigg, Mae Diansangu, Ciara MaguireMain award:Olumide Popoola, Robert Hamberger, Andrew McMillan, Rhian ElizabethJudging panel:Nicola Dinan, Bob Hughes[image or embed] Jay Hulme (@jayhulmepoet.bsky.social) August 10, 2025 at 7:30 AMIn a statement, the Polari Prize wrote, We do not eliminate books based on the wider views of a writer, we regret the upset and hurt this has caused, adding, We can at times hold radically different positions on substantive issues.Statement regarding The Polari Book Prize Longlist 2025 pic.twitter.com/VSkQfPWUMk Polari Prize (@PolariPrize) August 7, 2025 However, author Patrick Ness responded to the statement, writing, You cant call yourself a prize for LGBTQ+ literature and [nominate] a self-proclaimed terf, adding, This is like [nominating] a racist with authors of color then telling everyone its a mere different position on a substantive issue. Trans people are a fact. Not an issue.'Polari Prize nominee Sacha Coward wrote that he asked the Polari Prize to remove its nomination for his book Queer As Folklore, writing, I simply cannot continue with this in good faith The quality of [Boyans] wprl is irrelevant. This is supposedly an award for ALL LGBTQ+ folks. Celebrating inclusion. Not exclusion and division.My book is about ALL queer folk, Coward continued. It was supported by trans people and read by trans people. After the recent statement from Polari I find myself unsatisfied. I have to go with my integrity here just to be able to look myself in the mirror. In a now-closed public letter, hundreds of other writers, editors, publishers, and booksellers also wrote against Boynes nomination, Star Observer reported.Responding to the controversy, Rowling posted a screenshot of the letter and wrote, Oh, f**k off. I hope everyone buys twice as many@JohnBoyneBooks, a) because hes brilliant, and b) to p**s off the Gender Taliban.Oh, fuck off. I hope everyone buys twice as many @JohnBoyneBooks, a) because hes brilliant, and b) to piss off the Gender Taliban. pic.twitter.com/FrTs424kAs J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 9, 2025 Rowling has used her vast wealth, mostly accumulated through the success of herHarry Potterfranchise and its many multimedia spinoffs, to personally fund legal cases aimed at diminishing rights and protections for transgender women in the U.K. and Ireland. She regularly depicts trans people as a threat to girls and womens safety.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nature, Published online: 11 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09407-yAuthor Correction: A virtual rodent predicts the structure of neural activity across behaviours

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The system for compensating people injured by vaccines needs significant reform. But the health secretary could alter it in ways that ultimately reduce vaccine access for everyone.

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Acting is an industry of feast and famine, where performers income can swing widely by role, by month, and by year. Its a field where people often face the choice between passion, creativity, and taking a commercial gig for a check. As with so much else, this delicate personal calculation is now being disrupted by AI.Last month, online actors jobs boards were flooded with a very specific, very well-paid role. Nestled between student short film gigs and callouts for background dancers, was the ambiguously-named opportunity Technology Company AI Project. According to the job listing on cast and crew job board Mandy, it would pay up to $80,000, for only 19 total hours of work. This is unusually high for an industry where a national-level ad campaign for a big brand might pay $6,000.The post was from voice acting talent agency Voice123, casting on behalf of a project by Microsoft. According to the listing, the company was looking for voice actors across 19 languages, with specific regional dialects and accents including French from France native and Arabic as spoken by Palestinian/Israeli Arab communities.I get instant notifications, and I was getting so many of them, said Katie Clark Gray, a podcaster and voice actor. The rate stood out to her. The jobs that I tend to see are, like, 250 [about $339 USD]... it was, like, a lot of posts. The money seemed like a lot. She said that its rare to get that many notifications for a recognizable brand.The role would include recording conversations, character voices, and natural speech to help train AI systems, Crispin Alfario, a recruiter for the role on the Voice123 platform, told 404 Media. Alfario could not comment further due to privacy terms, but said there was a positive response during the castings for these projects. Clark Gray said that advertised AI roles like this are increasing in scope and in scale, and that she now sees far fewer roles available for employee training video work or industrial roles like phone menu voices the area she got her start in over a decade ago.She sees accepting AI training voiceover roles as something of a Faustian bargain: They might seem like a lot of money, but they reduce the amount of work available in the future. You're still taking away tomorrow's meal because they're offering you a little bit more, she said. Those 19 hours will scale to hundreds and thousands of hours of AI output. They would otherwise have to pay for it. 0:00 /2:10 1 Katie Clark Gray practicing takes for a voiceover script. I called Microsofts PR to ask if I could chat to someone involved in casting for the roles that Clark Gray had spotted, on the same day that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella published a note about the recent job eliminations of four percent of staff and pledged to reimagine every layer of the tech stack for AI. The next day, less than two weeks after Clark Gray spotted the Microsoft ads, the company announced a new virtual character for Copilot, the trial version of which is currently only available in English. After that announcement, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to me that the voiceover roles I asked about were for Copilot Voice, and that they will continue to look for more talent as [they] expand these capabilities. I hadnt been sure that the audition posts were linked to Copilot, but the confirmation from Microsoft confirmed that the posts that Clark Gray had spotted had been in advance of the product announcement.More and more I'm seeing AI disclaimers that, by auditioning for this, you agree to have your voice and likeness used and replicated. I hate that.Hunter Saling, an actor and comic based in LA, said hes seeing more and more roles which have an AI component or require signing an AI waiver. He auditioned for a Siri-type AI assistant, in May. The role would have paid an amount of money where he wouldnt need a job for a long time.You'd be providing a whole bunch of stuff up front, he said, and then be paid as a performer, as a voiceover artist, to come back on a yearly basis to do more stuff. 0:00 /0:40 1 Hunter Saling practicing takes for a voiceover script. I wondered if this was another situation where an audition was the first public hint of a product launch in the space, but Saling couldnt tell me the company hed auditioned for, due to confidentiality. I kept an eye out for new Siri-type AI agents that might be able to pay life-changing money and, while I was writing this story, on July 17, OpenAI launched their ChatGPT agenta Siri-type AI assistant. OpenAI is also known to use Mercor, an AI-enabled recruitment platform, which was recently posting about voice casting for a top AI Lab.The AI-assistant voice audition process was very different from usual, Saling said. He described the voice he did as the performance of no performance;a voice that was not personality free, but, like, neutral, but friendly and helpful. He describes the work he did on the audition as not children's host, but also not robotic either I read a story, some recipe directions, and some just general sentences.On August 7, OpenAI announced ChatGPT 5 which would have several new personalities, but the company said that those personalities would not apply to voice mode.Being selected for this kind of windfall could alter the course of an actors life.One part of the audition script stood out to Saling: He was asked to affirm someone. That did start to send me on a bit of a mental spiral of, oh, my God, someone needs affirmation from their home assistant.Auditioning for this role also posed an ethical question. I will say I was surprised in myself that I was OK doing this, he said. More and more I'm seeing AI disclaimers that, by auditioning for this, you agree to have your voice and likeness used and replicated. I hate that.The last couple of years have seen the entertainment industry in turmoil over the use of AI in screen and voiceover work. Both the four month SAG-AFTRA actors strike in 2023, as well as their almost year-long video games strike, which ended last month, focused on the use of AI. The agreements which ended the strikes describe different industry categories of AI use, differentiating between the kind of AI which digitally alters or replicates the work of a particular actor, and generative AI which is trained using actors work or creates a synthetic performer.Saling does agree with this technical difference, between delivering an artistic or creative performance that can be altered, perfected, or smoothed out later, and providing a voice to be re-created for industrial use, like in an AI assistant. Creating the neutral voice of an AI assistant, to be generatively replicated, is industrial, rather than artistic; this is something that... it's not a performance, it's not a character. It's a tool, he said.Clark Gray is not financially dependent on her voice acting career, and her calculus in auditioning is different. She didnt submit for the Microsoft role, but wouldn't fault anybody for going out for that job, she said. Thats a years salary for a lot of people. But she also feels a difference in applying for creative voiceover roles vs industrial ones; I think the cartoon voices are much more fun. I don't know anybody who doesn't, she said. You do bring a sort of artistic, like, extra sauce to it. Creating a character really does take something different than reading something in a neutral voice.Saling said that he thinks the adoption of AI taps into the entertainment industrys commercially-driven but counterproductive desire to create mass appeal via synthetic perfection. Sometimes I feel like Lear yelling at a storm on the fucking cliff, he added with a theatricality ChatGPT could only dream of.

The U.S. Army tested a fully AI controlled ground vehicle in Vaziani, Georgiaabout 100 miles from the Russian borderlast month as part of a training exercise. In military-published footage, an all wheel, off-road vehicle about the size of a car called ULTRA navigated the European terrain with ease. The training exercise had the ULTRA resupplying soldiers, but both the military and the machines creator think it could do much more.The Pentagon has invested in drones and AI for decades, long claiming that both are the future of war. The appearance of the ULTRA signals a time when AI controlled robots will populate the battlefields of the near future.ULTRA was built to be modular and mission-adaptable from the start, Chris Merz, an employee of Overland AI, the company behind ULTRA said according to an Army press release. We are actively developing variants that support casualty evacuation, counter-unmanned aircraft systems, and terrain shaping operations.ULTRA runs on Overland AIs proprietary OverDrive software, a system thats designed to give AI full control over ground vehicles on the battlefield. Overland AI did not return 404 Medias request for comment, but its website claims it can retrofit OverDrive onto traditional vehicles and its YouTube page has a video claiming to show the AI piloting a Ripsaw M5 tank.Overland AI is a Seattle based company that started in 2022. Its gained a lot of buzz in the last few years as a pioneer of AI software meant to control unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Jon Fink, Overland AIs CTO, explained how its software worked during a presentation at a defense tech showcase earlier this year.During the demo, Fink showed footage of a field test where an ATV navigated hazardous terrain with minimal input from a human. Fink said the companys OverDrive software is purpose built for the warfighter. Its built in order to enable the operator so it can remotely task a system so it can autonomously move through an environment without reliance on detailed maps or communication back with that operator.The big challenge of AI systems like this is that they need to be able to navigate the terrain on their own without looking at a map. GPS is often jammed or unavailable on the battlefield. So a robot will need to use cameras and other sensors to make decisions about how to move through a warzone in real time. In the video, the operator drops a few waypoints on a map of the area and clicks a button to launch the ATV. Note while were specifying all these tasks, Im not like zooming in, looking very close at detailed information that I might have from a satellite, because I cant necessarily trust that, Fink said. Satellite imagery can become outdated quickly on a chaotic battlefield.Im really giving the system just a coarse idea of what I need it to do to accomplish my mission.The U.S. Armys test last month has been a long time coming. This isnt new, Samuel Bendett, a drone expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told 404 Media. This has been in development for many, many years [] this is at least a decades worth of research, development, testing, and evaluation of different levels of autonomy with different technologies.Russia, China, and the United States are all working on AI controlled ground vehicles. Drones require an operator which means a human being needs to maintain contact with a device over vast distances. Thats easier to do when the machine is a robot flying through the sky, but ground vehicles have to contend with signal-blocking debris and are easier targets for ground troops.Communication between the UGV operator and the operator can be jammed if its radio, the communication can be severed if its done via cable, communication may be endangered if its an aerial drone thats trying to provide signal strength and overwatch capabilities, Bendett said. Operators have to be in relative proximity to their UGVs, and that, of course, somewhat negates the point of using UGVs instead of people. If people are close to their UGV, they can be discovered and killed.AI answers a lot of these problems. If an operator can give a set of simple instructions to a machine and let it operate independently, then it need not be in constant contact. In his presentation earlier this year, Fink noted that the AI controlled ATV adjusted its speed as it navigated terrain, all on its own. We havent set any sort of speed limits or specifications to the system when we tasked it, we basically just told it: Go to these general locations and its taking care of all of the decisions as it needs to, he said.There are major concerns about warfighter machines making decisions by themselves. UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres has called for a ban on autonomous weapon systems, calling them morally repugnant. In Gaza, Israel is using AI models from OpenAI and Microsoft to make targeting decisions and Israeli intelligence officers have told reporters that information provided by the AIs were treated as if it were a human decision.Right now, Overland AIs OverDrive AI stack is just for helping a ground vehicle navigate, and Bendett said its ahead of the pack. The Holy Grail of autonomy is translating that intuitive human experience into a UGV that will be able to navigate, on its own, through rough terrain, mixed terrain, uncertain terrain, which is what were seeing with Overland UGVs, he said.What could this thing be used for? The number one goal for these kinds of UGVs is logistics and supplies, Bendett said. Medical evacuation is becoming a growing concern and UGVs are also used for that.It, of course, wont stop there. UGVs used in combat can be mounted with all manners of weapons, Bendett said.The U.S. Army did not respond to 404 Medias request for comment.

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The tanker, the Eagle S, was detained last December.

President Trump has yet to formally sign off on an agreement to extend an economic cease-fire with China.

Ford, which once had a lead on other established automakers, said on Monday that it will use new materials and methods to lower the costs of electric vehicles.

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Nature, Published online: 11 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09485-yCatalytic enantioselective synthesis of alkylidenecyclopropanes

The Spanish football federation has given its approval to a request from LaLiga clubs Barcelona and Villarreal to play a league match in Miami this season.

Lions safety Morice Norris is back with the team and has entered the concussion protocol. He is "doing well" after suffering a scary injury in Friday's preseason game, coach Dan Campbell said Monday.

Dolphins running back Alexander Mattison underwent season-ending neck surgery Sunday in Chicago, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

For the first time, Texas will open a college football season ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25.

The tournament begins on Aug. 23 in Minneapolis. Here's everything you need to know.

The market for the clean-burning fuel remains nascent, costs are rising, and Congress just put a lucrative tax credit out of reach for many companies.

The blast drew multiple emergency crews to a plant in Clairton, Pa., near Pittsburgh, for what officials called a mass casualty incident.

Shares of the Danish renewable energy developer tumbled after it said it would issue more stock to raise funds instead of divesting a stake in a wind farm off the U.S. coast.