Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi were awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for their collective work in the discovery of specialized immune cells that roam the body and keep potentially harmful immune responses in check—preventing them from attacking the body directly (autoimmune responses) or causing harm with overzealous responses to invaders.

Those specialized cells—regulatory T cells—are now well established as playing a key role in peripheral immune tolerance. That is, a non-central process that allows the immune system to strike a delicate balance between being appropriately responsive and aggressive toward intruding germs or foreign dangers while also not running amok.

Before the trio of prize winners came along, researchers thought that such immune tolerance occurred centrally, in the thymus, the primary lymphoid organ that sits in the center of the chest. There, T cells mature, including into two key types: T helper cells, which go on to trigger immune responses when they recognize foreign dangers; and the aptly named T killer cells, which kill cells, including foreign cells, cancer cells, and cells infected by a virus.

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This is a short video from TikTok user thedrewsocial detailing how to make your own drugged asylum escapee optical illusion Halloween costume out of a mannequin head, cardboard tubes, a pillow, and some old clothes. SPOILER: You ARE the drugged asylum escapee! God, sometimes I really feel like one too. Seems like people were chiller on the inside.

Police arrested 33-year-old Joseph Mayuyo after a series of online threats forced TikTok to evacuate its Culver City headquarters. TechCrunch reports: A press release from the Culver City Police Department says that TikTok employees reported receiving multiple threats, across various social media platforms, from 33-year-old Hawthorne resident Joseph Mayuyo. After an additional message threatened TikTok’s Culver City headquarters, police say company security evacuated the office “out of an abundance of caution.”

Police then investigated Mayuyo’s home, according to the press release. During the investigation, he allegedly posted additional threatening statements, including one declaring that he would not be taken alive. Detectives obtained search and arrest warrants, and they negotiated with Mayuyo for 90 minutes before he voluntarily exited his home and was taken into custody, the police department says.

Business Insider reports that one TikTok employee described the threats as “really scary,” while another was concerned that they seemed to specifically target the e-commerce department. Mayuyo’s X account has reportedly been suspended for violating the platform’s hateful content policy. A Medium account under his name published a post in July criticizing TikTokShop USA as a “scam.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

There’s good and bad news coming from Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Shovel Knight. The bad news is that the company’s upcoming game, Mina the Hollower, has been delayed from its planned October 31 release date. But the good news is that it doesn’t seem like this will be a lengthy wait. 

There’s no new launch date given in the post on the developer’s website, but Yacht Club says that it won’t be much longer before the game is ready. “The entire crew has been working tirelessly day and night to finish development for release on Oct 31st, but we’re just not quite there yet,” the post states. “This isn’t a major delay, it’s just a stretch of time to apply some final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine.” Mina the Hollower is coming to life thanks to a successful Kickstarter by the team during 2022. It’s an action-adventure game with nods to the Game Boy Color’s aesthetics.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mina-the-hollower-from-the-makers-of-shovel-knight-has-been-delayed-222817866.html?src=rss

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: OpenAI is introducing a way to work with apps right inside ChatGPT. The idea is that, from within a conversation with the chatbot, you can essentially tag in apps to help you complete a task while ChatGPT offers context and advice. […]

Apps available inside ChatGPT starting today will include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow. In the “weeks ahead,” OpenAI will add more apps, such as DoorDash, OpenTable, Target, and Uber. […] Developers can access the SDK for making apps in preview starting today. Later this year, developers will be able to submit apps for review and publication, and OpenAI also plans to offer a directory for users to browse apps, according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The company will share guidance about monetization “soon,” Altman says. Last week, ChatGPT unveiled a new feature called “Instant Checkout” that lets users buy stuff directly through its chatbot — “part of its overall push to integrate it with the rest of the web,” reports The Verge.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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If you’re trying to avoid Microsoft 365’s monthly fees but still want the full suite of tools for work or school, this one-time purchase of Office Professional Plus 2019 might be worth a look. It’s currently on sale for just $19.97 on StackSocial, which is a fraction of what you’d usually pay. The sale ends October 12. And just to be clear—this isn’t a trial or a cloud-based subscription, but a lifetime license for one Windows PC, and you get full offline access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access.

There are some limitations you should keep in mind. This deal is strictly for the 2019 version and doesn’t include Microsoft Teams. It also won’t tie to your Microsoft account, so it may not be ideal for those who are accustomed to syncing documents between devices. But for a lot of people, that’s not a dealbreaker. It runs on Windows 10 or 11, and you’ll need at least 1GB of RAM and 4GB of disk space. Installation is straightforward and instant. You get your license key and download link right after purchase, and that’s it.

In terms of features, you’re getting a robust productivity suite. Excel has improved data analysis tools, PowerPoint introduces new transitions and a zoom feature for dynamic slides, and Outlook enhances email and calendar management. Word is Word—it just works, and it works well. You can’t collaborate in real-time like with Office 365, but if you mostly work solo or on a single device, this version gets the job done. Twenty bucks for a fully licensed, download-now Office suite is an easy move—especially if you just need a stable toolkit that works.

After several silent months, Bungie has opened applications for players interested in participating in a closed technical test of Marathon. It’s an invitation-only limited-time test, lasting just October 22-28. Those who are chosen to participate can only do so under a non-disclosure agreement, so don’t expect to hear any juicy details or insights about the game’s status later this month once the event wraps. 

While it’s not a new public look at Marathon, news of a fresh round of testing marks a small step forward for this team extraction shooter. The game was originally slated for a September 2025 release, but in June, Bungie said it was indefinitely delaying the project. The pause was meant to give the studio time to address player feedback from the closed alpha test it conducted earlier in the spring. Considering the language used for this testing phase, we’ll still have a while to wait before getting a new launch window.

Whenever it does arrive, Marathon will be Bungie’s first new title since the company introduced Destiny 2 back in 2017. Before the delay, the studio had also drawn raised eyebrows with Marathon after the alpha build used stolen artwork, which has been a repeat issue for Bungie.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bungie-will-conduct-technical-testing-on-marathon-later-this-month-213422857.html?src=rss

Porsche’s wireless charging system will not be available on the Macan Electric and Taycan because the inductive charging plate cannot physically fit between the front suspension on those models. Dr. Maximilian Muller, Porsche’s high voltage engineering lead, told The Drive during a visit to the company’s Leipzig facility that the Cayenne Electric’s larger dimensions create the necessary space for the charging hardware beneath the front motor. The Cayenne Electric is wider than both the Taycan and Macan Electric. The larger vehicle forced Porsche to design different suspension geometry even though it shares the PPE platform with the Macan Electric. The changes create additional packaging constraints that prevent retrofitting the wireless charging system into existing electric models.

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An anonymous reader shares a report: Pay-advance apps are marketed as a way to help workers living paycheck to paycheck pay for unexpected expenses, but workers are often using the apps to manage basic expenses like groceries, rent and other needs, a new report found. The tools, consumer advocates say, can carry costs akin to those of traditional payday loans.

An analysis of anonymous data found worrisome behavior among users of the apps, including quick increases in the number of advances, advances from multiple apps at the same time and more frequent bank overdraft fees. “These findings reveal persistent patterns of financial strain that raise serious concerns about the long-term effects of these loans,” said the report from the Center for Responsible Lending, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group. The group analyzed data from SaverLife, a nonprofit that promotes saving and sound financial practices among people with low or moderate incomes. The analysis found that heavy users of the apps paid $421, on average, in total loan and overdraft fees over a year, or almost triple the average paid by moderate users.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) sent a letter to the nonprofit operator of Wikipedia alleging a pattern of liberal bias in articles on the collaborative encyclopedia.

“I write to request information about ideological bias on the Wikipedia platform and at the Wikimedia Foundation,” Cruz wrote to Wikimedia Foundation CEO Maryana Iskander in a letter dated October 3. “Wikipedia began with a noble concept: crowdsource human knowledge using verifiable sources and make it free to the public. That’s what makes reports of Wikipedia’s systemic bias especially troubling.”

Citing research from the conservative Manhattan Institute, Cruz wrote that “researchers have found that articles on the site often reflect a left-wing bias.” Cruz alleged that “bias is particularly evident in Wikipedia’s reliable sources/perennial sources list” because it describes “MSNBC and CNN as ‘generally reliable’ sources, while listing Fox News as a ‘generally unreliable’ source for politics and science. The left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center gets a top rating, but the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank, is a ‘blacklisted’ and ‘deprecated’ source that Wikipedia’s editors have determined ‘promotes disinformation.'”

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Amazon Big Deal Days is coming October 7-8, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over.

• Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

October’s Prime sales have already begun, including deals on fitness trackers and smartwatches. Some of Garmin’s newest watches are on sale for the first time ever, including the Vivoactive 6 and the Venu X1. You can also catch deals on Fitbits and on some older models of Apple and Samsung watches. Here’s what I’ve found so far.

Garmin

The Vivoactive 6 is on sale for what I believe is the first time ever, for $249.99 down from the original $299.99. The Vivoactive line is Garmin’s most underrated: It’s a great casual fitness watch with the accurate GPS and heart rate that you’d expect from a Garmin. It also has coached walking workouts, a smart alarm, and wheelchair fitness settings. 

Garmin Vivoactive 6

$249.99
at Amazon

$299.99
Save $50.00

$249.99
at Amazon

$299.99
Save $50.00

The Venu X1 is also on a rare sale, $699.99 down from the original price of $799.99. This new smartwatch is Garmin’s answer to the Apple Watch Ultra, with a large rectangular display, sapphire glass, and built-in maps for navigation. Unlike its Apple counterpart, it has an LED flashlight and the battery lasts up to eight days. 

Among older Garmin watches, the Venu Sq 2, released in 2022, is on sale for $149.99, down from a list price of $249.99. (It was originally sold for $299.99.) This is a great budget option for a casual fitness watch, especially if you like the square screen format.

Apple

The GPS-only version of the Apple Watch SE is $179.99, down from $249.99. This is the second-generation of the SE, launched in 2022. It’s a great budget pick if you don’t want to splurge on a newer or fancier Apple Watch. 

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Silver Aluminium Case with Denim Sport Band S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Crash Detection, Heart Rate Monitor, Retina Display

$179.99
at Amazon

$249.00
Save $69.01

$179.99
at Amazon

$249.00
Save $69.01

The Series 10 Apple Watch is also discounted, starting at $329.99 for the GPS-only version, down from $399.99. This is last year’s mid-range Apple Watch, which our editor Michelle Ehrhardt crowned the best Apple Watch for most people. This year’s release, the Series 11, is only a mild upgrade. If you go for the Series 10 instead, you’re only missing out on tougher glass, a 5G modem, and a somewhat improved battery life. The Series 10 is worth considering if you don’t need those extra features. 

Samsung

The Galaxy Watch 7 is on sale starting at $199.99 today, normally $249.99. This watch is the slightly older model, since it was replaced with the Galaxy Watch 8 earlier this year. But it’s still a solid pick for an Android smartwatch. The $199.99 price is for the smaller size with Bluetooth-only connectivity, but both sizes and both connectivity styles (Bluetooth or LTE) are all on sale for around $50 off. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

$199.99
at Amazon

$249.99
Save $50.00

$199.99
at Amazon

$249.99
Save $50.00

The titanium gray color of the Galaxy Watch Ultra (released this year) is on sale for $599.99, down from $649.99. Other colors still seem to be full price. 

Fitbit

Fitbit’s best basic fitness tracker, the Charge 6, is on sale today for $119.95, down from $159.95. I like the Charge 6 as a no-nonsense tracker, great for somebody who just wants step and activity tracking without having to think about it too much. (That said, if you want a bigger screen or more features, check out the Garmins I mentioned above.) I have a review of the Charge 6 if you’d like to learn more.

Fitbit Charge 6

$119.95
at Amazon

$159.95
Save $40.00

$119.95
at Amazon

$159.95
Save $40.00

The  Inspire 3 is also on sale for $79.95, down from $99.95. It doesn’t have its own GPS, and the screen is smaller. The smartwatch-styled Sense 2 is $199.95, down from $249.95. The Versa 4 is $149.95, down from $199.95.

Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime.

• Walmart’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+.

• Best Buy’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member.

• Target’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free.

BrianFagioli writes: Canonical has revealed the codename for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS: Resolute Raccoon. The announcement came today on X through the official @ubuntu account, continuing the tradition of pairing an adjective with an animal for each release. As an LTS version, it will be supported for five years and serve as the foundation for servers, desktops, and cloud deployments when it launches in April 2026.

While the name itself is now public, the features of Ubuntu 26.04 remain under wraps. The community will be watching closely to see which kernel it ships with, how GNOME evolves, and what improvements land for enterprise and container use. For now, fans simply have a raccoon mascot to rally around as the countdown to April begins.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Amazon Big Deal Days is coming October 7-8, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over.

• Follow our live blog to stay up to date on the best sales we find.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• New to Prime Day? We have a primer on everything you need to know. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

You really don’t know what true panic feels like until you’re watching a toilet slowly, inevitably overflow. It’s like a little mini-horror movie you get to experience while you race around the house looking for that plunger you know you have somewhere.

But even when you find that plunger, there’s no guarantee it will work effectively. Old-style plungers require a good seal and some nerves of steel to be effective. A much better choice—that also works effectively on sink, floor, and shower drains—is a high-pressure plunger like this one from HimePro, which is currently 20% off for Prime Day.

HimaPro High Pressure Toilet Plunger Air Drain Blaster Kit Blue Handle – Unclog Toilets, Kitchen Sinks, Shower Drains, and Pipes with Ease – Bonus Rubber Gloves Included

$23.99
at Amazon

$29.99
Save $6.00

$23.99
at Amazon

$29.99
Save $6.00

High-pressure plungers work by building up air pressure inside (accomplished by pumping it up like a bicycle pump), then shooting a targeted blast of air into into the drain to blow the obstruction loose. This model produces 120 psi of pressure, which is plenty to clear most common drain and toilet clogs. It’s really easy to use, too. You just pump it up to your desired pressure (you can start at a lower psi if you’re worried about damaging your pipes), insert it into the drain, and pull the trigger.

The kit comes with different plugs for different drains, a storage bag (or a wall clip if you prefer), and, as a nice little extra, a pair of durable rubber gloves, since clearing drains and toilets can be messy work. At 20% off, this is a great deal you should jump on if you’re in one of those rare houses with drains and/or toilets in them.

Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime.

• Walmart’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET through Oct. 12 and includes deals up to 50% off. It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+.

• Best Buy’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, and has some of the best tech sales online. It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member.

• Target’s Prime Day competition sale runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, and it has deals going up to 50% off. You can become a Circle member for free.

You’ll soon be able to interact with some of your favorite apps, including Spotify and Canva, right inside of ChatGPT. OpenAI announced the integration, which is enabled by the company’s new Apps SDK, during its DevDay presentation. As of today, ChatGPT can connect to a handful of apps, with more to come over time and OpenAI working on submission guidelines that will allow developers to monetize their work.

As a ChatGPT user, you can any access available third-party app by referencing it in your conversations with the chatbot. In the case of Spotify, for example, you can write “Spotify, make a playlist for my party this Friday.” The first time you mention an app in this way, you’ll be prompted to connect your account to ChatGPT. When working with Spotify, ChatGPT can make recommendations based on a mood, theme or a topic. The interface will eventually lead you to Spotify itself, where you can listen to what ChatGPT has created.

“It’s early days, so while we might not be able to deliver on every request just yet, we’ll continue to build, refine, and improve the experience over the coming weeks and months,” Spotify says of the integration.

OpenAI showed off other apps working inside of ChatGPT. For instance, an employee demoed Canva creating a few posters for a dog-walking business that they had talked to ChatGPT about starting. With today’s announcement, ChatGPT can connect to Canva, Coursera, Figma, Spotify and Zillow. In the coming weeks, DoorDash, OpenTable, Target and Uber will also work with the chatbot. And later this year, OpenAI says it will begin accepting app submissions for review and publication.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-canva-and-other-apps-can-now-connect-to-chatgpt-194830116.html?src=rss