<h2>Explosive Demonstration</h2>
Last month, India demonstrated its capabilities as a spacefaring nation and drew international criticism when it <a href="https://futurism.com/india-just-shot-down-a-live-satellite">used a missile</a> to blew up one of its own satellites.
The launch happened to coincide with Lockheed Martin&#8217;s test run of a new space monitoring technology called the Space Fence, which can detect and track any unregistered objects orbiting the Earth. <a href="https://spacenews.com/indian-anti-satellite-test-proves-early-test-for-space-fence/">According to Space News</a>, that was a stroke of luck that could mitigate damage to people and equipment in space.
<h2>Picket Fence</h2>
The satellite explosion essentially turned the satellite into a <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-indias-satellite-endangered-astronauts">cloud of space debris</a>, which could in the future collide with other satellites, scientific instruments, or astronauts in orbit around the Earth — remember &#8220;Gravity&#8221;?
&#8220;We happened to be up during an endurance test and we were very excited to see that the system performed nominally,&#8221; Matthew Hughes, Lockheed Martin business development manager, told Space News. &#8220;Space fence is all about the ability to identify break ups, maneuvers, closely spaced objects, proximity operations, new foreign launches.&#8221;
While Space Fence isn&#8217;t an actual blockade in space, it can at least help officials prepare for and plan around collisions.
READ MORE: <a href="https://spacenews.com/indian-anti-satellite-test-proves-early-test-for-space-fence/">Indian anti-satellite test proves early test for Space Fence</a> [Space News]
More on India&#8217;s Satellite: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-indias-satellite-endangered-astronauts">NASA: When India Blew up a Satellite, it Endangered Astronauts</a>

"We happened to be up during an endurance test and we were very excited to see that the system performed nominally."

India blew up a satellite. Now a "space fence" is tracking its debris

Not A Real Fence

When India blew up a satellite, it introduced a lot of debris into orbit. Lockheed Martin's experimental Space Fence is keeping an eye on it.

India Blew up a Satellite. Now A “Space Fence” Is Tracking Its Debris

Lockheed Martin's experimental tech is monitoring the satellite fragments.

<h2>Harm to Ongoing Matter</h2>
When the Justice Department released a heavily-redacted <a href="https://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2019/images/04/18/mueller-report-searchable.pdf">version of the Mueller Report</a> Thursday, the conversation quickly devolved into partisan bickering.
Only time will tell what the report means for the Trump administration. But what&#8217;s immediately clear is that concepts that were once restricted to fictional cyberpunk dystopias — from government hackers to botnet propaganda networks — are now mainstream enough to influence international politics.
<h2>Black Boxes</h2>
The readable text of the report details how Russia used social media, hackers, and other sophisticated techniques to try and sway the 2016 U.S. Presidential election in favor of Trump — efforts that reached millions of Americans and recruited others to actively spread their propaganda before and after the election.
Russians working for an organization called the Internet Research Agency created accounts on Twitter and Facebook, through which they reached millions — including many members of the Trump Administration, Trump&#8217;s sons, and Trump himself — while sharing pro-Trump and anti-Clinton messages, memes, and images.
<h2>Personal Privacy</h2>
Meanwhile, other Russian operatives were taking a more direct approach — by hacking into Democratic Party servers, releasing sensitive information though sock puppet personas like &#8220;DCLeaks&#8221; and &#8220;Guccifer&#8221; and giving stolen data to WikiLeaks. Just to make the whole thing a little more &#8220;Shadowrun,&#8221; they funded the operation by mining Bitcoin.
In the long view, the report might be less memorable for its specific claims than as a blueprint for the future of information warfare — and the strange ways technology can be used to manipulate and control populations.
READ MORE: <a href="https://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2019/images/04/18/mueller-report-searchable.pdf">Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election</a> [CNN]
More on Mueller: <a href="https://futurism.com/mark-zuckerberg-testified-congress-day-1">Everything You Need to Know From Mark Zuckerberg’s Congressional Testimony: Day 1</a>

International politics fell pray to information warfare.

The Mueller report confirms we're living in a cyberpunk dystopia

REDACTED

The Mueller Report, heavily redacted, describes a number of high-tech Russian operations designed to undermine and sway the 2016 Presidential election.

The Mueller Report Confirms We’re Living in a Cyberpunk Dystopia

Forget partisan politics. This is a dark vision of the future of digital espionage.

<h2>Eyes Peeled</h2>
When the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) turns back on and starts smashing particles again sometime in 2021, it may also point us in the direction of dark matter.
For years, scientists have been <a href="https://futurism.com/dark-matter-conflicting-results">trying and failing</a> to spot the invisible stuff that makes up the majority of matter in the universe. But now researchers have a new target: a comparatively heavy and long-lived particle that may be produced by the high-energy collisions at the LHC.
The particle is thought by some physicists to occasionally interact with dark matter — giving scientists a new lead toward spotting the elusive material.
<h2>Dangling Particle</h2>
Research <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.131801">published this month</a> in Physical Review Letters describes how systems that have already been put in place at the LHC could detect these long-lived particles, which are named as such because they travel slower and last longer than other particles generated by LHC experiments.
The time difference is on the scale of nanoseconds, according to a University of Chicago <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-04-scientists-mysterious-dark-world-particle.html">press release</a> — something that the LHC was already able to detect and will be even better at once upgrades are completed.
&#8220;If the particle is there, we just have to find a way to dig it out,&#8221; University of Chicago physicist LianTao Wang said in the press release. &#8220;Usually, the key is finding the question to ask.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-04-scientists-mysterious-dark-world-particle.html">Scientists invent way to trap mysterious &#8216;dark world&#8217; particle at Large Hadron Collider</a> [University of Chicago newsroom via Phys.org]
More on dark matter: <a href="https://futurism.com/oxford-scientist-may-have-solved-mystery-dark-matter">An Oxford Scientist May Have Solved the Mystery of Dark Matter</a>

"Usually, the key is finding the question to ask."

When the Large Hadron Collider turns on, it may trap dark matter

Spotted

Scientists have a new plan to try and spot dark matter by searching for particular particles once the Large Hadron Collider's upgrades are complete.

When the Large Hadron Collider Turns on, It May Trap Dark Matter

Physicists are getting ready to look for a new, slow-moving particle.

<h2>Blaze-Battling Bot</h2>
When soaring temperatures and a roof on the brink of collapse made it too dangerous for humans to continue battling the Notre Dame blaze on Monday, the Paris Fire Brigade called in a firefighting robot named <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/04/17/firefighters-had-secret-weapon-when-notre-dame-caught-fire-robot-named-colossus/?utm_term=.6545579f2e10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colossus</a> — a stunning demonstration of how <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/autonomous-firefighting-robots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-tech robots</a> are helping emergency responders stay safe on the job.
&#8220;It was a terrible situation, but it’s really amazing to see them put that robot to work and protect firefighters,&#8221; Michael Howe, president of a company that manufactures another type of firefighting robot, <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a27183452/robot-firefighter-notre-dame-colossus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Popular Mechanics</a>, later adding that the tech is &#8220;100 percent the future.&#8221;
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RMWL1ysaYFg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>Colossal Help</h2>
French robotics manufacturer Shark Robotics created the 1,100-pound <a href="https://www.shark-robotics.com/en/robot/colossus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colossus robot</a>, which is waterproof, fireproof, and resistant to thermal radiation.
Firefighters can equip the robot with a variety of tools, including the water canon that the French firefighters used to blast the Notre Dame fire with more than 660 gallons of water per minute. It&#8217;s operated via a joystick, which can function up to 1,000 feet away from the robot.
<h2>Robot Co-Worker</h2>
Despite Colossus&#8217; advantages over human firefighters, Shark Robotics&#8217; co-founder Cyril Kabbara doesn&#8217;t envision the bot ever operating fully autonomously.
&#8220;This is a robot that is designed to remove humans from danger,&#8221; Kabbara <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/04/17/firefighters-had-secret-weapon-when-notre-dame-caught-fire-robot-named-colossus/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_source=reddit.com&amp;utm_term=.935198eb544d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Washington Post</a>. &#8220;Not to replace (humans) but to act as operational support for firefighters.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/04/17/firefighters-had-secret-weapon-when-notre-dame-caught-fire-robot-named-colossus/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_source=reddit.com&amp;utm_term=.935198eb544d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Firefighters had a secret weapon when Notre Dame caught fire: A robot named ‘Colossus’</a> [The Washington Post]
More on robot firefighters: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/autonomous-firefighting-robots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These Autonomous Bots Battle Blazes Too Dangerous for Firefighters</a>

See the "Colossus" firefighting robot that helped save Notre Dame

Robot Relief

When the Notre Dame blaze got too dangerous for humans to continue battling, the Paris Fire Brigade called in a firefighting robot named Colossus.

See the “Colossus” Firefighting Robot That Helped Save Notre Dame

When the fire got too dangerous for humans to battle alone, the Paris Fire Brigade called in Colossus.

<h2>Loop-the-Loop</h2>
Nearly two years after Elon Musk first claimed his Boring Company <a href="https://futurism.com/musk-reveals-that-verbal-permission-for-the-hyperloop-was-given-from-federal-official/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had permission</a> to build an East Coast hyperloop, the project is finally starting to come to fruition.
Sort of, anyway.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) shared a <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot-completes-review-draft-environmental-assessment-proposed-%E2%80%9Cloop%E2%80%9D-tunnel-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft environmental assessment</a> for the Washington D.C. to Baltimore Loop Project, a scaled-down version of Musk&#8217;s initial vision. This marks the first step in a joint federal-state review of the project — and it brings a new kind of transportation system incrementally closer to reality.
<h2>Not a Hyperloop</h2>
The Loop project differs from the hyperloop system Musk initially envisioned. For one thing, it&#8217;s technically not a hyperloop at all.
Instead of shuttling passengers around at speeds in excess of 965 kilometers per hour in partial-vacuum tubes, the Loop project would see them ride in autonomous electric vehicles at speeds up to 241 kilometers per hour.
The route is also considerably shorter, connecting just D.C. and Baltimore and not New York City and Philadelphia.
<h2>Baby Steps</h2>
Still, the Boring Company hasn&#8217;t given up on the idea of an East Coast hyperloop altogether.
It has already <a href="https://www.boringcompany.com/eastcoast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced plans</a> to design the Loop project tunnels to be compatible with hyperloop technology so they could possibly be upgraded — and extended to other cities — in the future.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tunnel-musk/u-s-advances-review-of-musks-baltimore-washington-tunnel-project-idUSKCN1RT28Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. advances review of Musk&#8217;s Baltimore-Washington tunnel project</a> [Reuters]
More on the hyperloop: <a href="https://futurism.com/musk-reveals-that-verbal-permission-for-the-hyperloop-was-given-from-federal-official/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elon Musk Reveals that “Verbal Permission” for the Hyperloop Was Given From Federal Official</a>

The twin tunnels would connect D.C. and Baltimore.

Elon Musk’s “Loop project” is one step closer to breaking ground

Loop Scoop

The Boring Company's Loop project connecting Washington, D.C., and Baltimore has moved one step closer to breaking ground.

Elon Musk’s “Loop Project” Is One Step Closer to Breaking Ground

It's not the East Coast hyperloop Musk envisioned, but it's a start.

<h2>Mars Colony</h2>
It sounds like the premise to a young adult novel: a totalitarian government sends its kids to a special facility to train them for life on Mars. But this strange project isn&#8217;t fictional — it&#8217;s China&#8217;s C-Space base.
&#8220;We are trying to come up with solutions,&#8221; C-Space founder Bai Fan <a href="https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/small-step-china-mars-base-teens-opens-desert-doc-1fo65y3">told AFP</a> of the project, adding that &#8220;the base is still on [Earth], it&#8217;s not on Mars, but we have chosen a landform that matches closest to Mars.&#8221;
<h2>Space Camp</h2>
At the high-tech space camp, according to AFP, the teens will wear mock space suits while they explore the Mars-esque landscape of the Qaidam Basin.
But as China preps for a Mars rover mission expected to launch as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-mars-spacecraft-launch-2020-rover-sample-return-2019-1">soon as next year</a>, at least one academic says the C-Space simulated Mars base is silly and bears little resemblance to a genuine base on the Red Planet — especially if, as planned, it opens to the public as a tourist destination with a themed restaurant.
&#8220;From the very beginning, I&#8217;ve been opposed to this,&#8221; Peking University professor Jiao Weixin told AFP. &#8220;Tourism doesn&#8217;t make much sense&#8230; what is the meaning in it?&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/small-step-china-mars-base-teens-opens-desert-doc-1fo65y3">A small step for China: Mars base for teens opens in desert</a> [AFP]
More on China&#8217;s simulated Mars base: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/mars-simulation-base-china-open">China Opens Its First Mars Simulation Base</a>

"From the very beginning, I've been opposed to this."

China is sending teens to a simulated Mars colony

Mars High

It sounds like the premise to a young adult novel: a totalitarian government sends its kids to a special facility to train them for life at a Mars colony.

China Is Sending Teens to a Simulated Mars Colony

The teens will wear mock space suits while they explore the Mars-esque landscape of the Qaidam Basin.

<h2>Down In Front</h2>
When scientists released the first-ever <a href="https://futurism.com/scientists-release-first-image-black-hole">image of a black hole</a> last week, people immediately began asking why astronomers chose to focus on M87*, a black hole in a distant galaxy, instead of the one in the center of our home Milky Way.
For that, we may have to thank a Manhattan-sized, ultra-dense neutron star, also known as a magnetar, that&#8217;s blocking the view, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/65259-black-hole-photobomb.html">according to Live Science</a>.
<h2>Perfect Timing</h2>
Back in 2013, astronomers were working to observe the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way&#8217;s center — known as Sagittarius A* — when the magnetar suddenly flared up, totally blocking the black hole.
&#8220;Initially, the big excitement was, &#8216;Holy cow, SagA* just went nuts!'&#8221; McGill astronomer Daryl Haggard told Live Science. &#8220;It would have been the brightest flare we&#8217;d ever seen from the supermassive black hole.&#8221;
<h2>Enhance! Enhance!</h2>
It wasn&#8217;t until a few days later that an orbital telescope called the Chandra X-Ray Observatory was able to take high-resolution recordings that showed that it was the neutron star, not the black hole, that had sent out the burst.
&#8220;Depending on your perspective, it was either a complete pain or a completely awesome new discovery,&#8221; Taggard told Live Science.
The magnetar has since faded, and more telescopes are able to see it and the black hole as separate entities. But all the same, the star&#8217;s unfortunate timing demonstrates just how dependent our attempts to study the cosmos are on a cooperative universe.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.livescience.com/65259-black-hole-photobomb.html">There&#8217;s a Tiny, Bright Magnetar Photobombing Our Galaxy&#8217;s Supermassive Black Hole</a> [Live Science]
More on the black hole image: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/big-m87-black-hole-compared-the-earth">Here&#8217;s How Big the M87 Black Hole is Compared to the Earth</a>

A city-sized star is blocking the view of our galaxy's black hole

Celestial Photobomb

In 2013, scientists were in the middle of studying the black hole at the center of the galaxy when a neutron star flared up and blocked their view.

A City-Sized Star Is Blocking the View of Our Galaxy’s Black Hole

Hey, down in front!

<h2>Glitches and Bulges</h2>
Just days into testing of Samsung&#8217;s new futuristic folding smartphone, tech reviewers found their test units <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/early-release-samsung-galaxy-fold-broken">glitching</a> and even <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/18411510/samsung-galaxy-fold-broken-screen-debris-dust-hinge-flexible-bulge">growing bulges</a> under the display. But Samsung isn&#8217;t fazed by the issues: the Galaxy Fold is officially still going on sale on April 26, according to Wall Street Journal tech journalist Joanna Stern. It&#8217;s still unclear if Samsung will take further actions regarding the glitches.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Also from Samsung PR: “There are no changes to the plans – we are launching in the U.S. on April 26.”
&mdash; Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoannaStern/status/1118703256895619074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h2>Inspections</h2>
The statement received by tech journalists stated that Samsung will &#8220;thoroughly inspect these [affected] units in person to determine the cause of the matter.&#8221;
Some reviewers attempted to <a href="https://twitter.com/mkbhd/status/1118580472576118787?s=21">remove a thin film</a> they thought was a screen protector. Now, Samsung says that peeling off the layer &#8220;may cause damage,&#8221; adding that the company &#8220;will ensure this information is clearly delivered&#8221; to customers in the future.
The Korean tech giant has previously advertised the Galaxy Fold to &#8220;outlast <a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/14136/samsung-galaxy-fold-can-foldunfold-for-200000-times">200,000 folds</a> and unfolds&#8221; prior to release. Time will tell if Samsung&#8217;s strategy to tell people not to remove a protective film off of their new $1980 smartphones will work out in the company&#8217;s favor.
READ MORE:  <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/18412572/samsung-galaxy-fold-screen-damage-statement-inspect-screen-protector">Samsung responds to Galaxy Fold screen damage: ‘we will thoroughly inspect these units’</a> [The Verge]
More on the Fold issues: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/early-release-samsung-galaxy-fold-broken">Review Units of Samsung&#8217;s Folding Phone Are Breaking Almost Immediately</a>

It's still unclear if Samsung will take further actions regarding the glitches.

Samsung: please don't peel protective layer off our folding phone

Fold Issues

Samsung will investigate emerging reports that the Galaxy Fold smartphone's screen is breaking. It's officially still going on sale on April 26.

Samsung: Please Don’t Peel Protective Layer Off Our Folding Phone

Early versions of Samsung's folding phones are breaking. But they're still going on sale later this month.

<h2>Normal Lives</h2>
Researchers from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have reportedly <a href="https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/news-releases/2019-medicine-science-news/st-jude-gene-therapy-cures-babies-with-bubble-boy-disease.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used HIV to cure infants</a> born with &#8220;bubble boy&#8221; disease — a remarkable example of hijacking a deadly virus for a new treatment.
&#8220;The children are cured,&#8221; researcher Ewelina Mamcarz <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/bubble-boy-disease-cured-using-hiv-gene-therapy-st-jude-n995631" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told NBC News</a>. &#8220;They came to us as little infants, some of them as young as 2 months, with severe infections. Now they are home, living normal lives, attending daycare.&#8221;
<h2>Danger Everywhere</h2>
X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the interleukin-2 receptor subunit gamma (IL2RG) gene.
People born with SCID-X1 lack a functioning immune system, which makes exposure to any germ potentially life-threatening. In fact, many children born with SCID-X1 die <a href="https://apnews.com/38abc495ee3840289d59ac35e0d21af3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before their second birthday</a>.
<h2>Gene Therapy</h2>
In a <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1815408" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the St. Jude&#8217;s team details how it developed a <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/gene-therapy-deafness-mice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gene therapy</a> to effectively cure 10 infants born with SCID-X1.
After collecting bone marrow samples from each patient, they used a modified version of HIV to place a non-mutated IL2RG gene into the patients&#8217; stem cells. Then they dosed the patients with busulfan, a drug that helps make room for donor stem cells to grow, and returned the cells to the patients&#8217; bodies.
Most were discharged from the hospital within a month.
&#8220;While longer follow-up is needed to assess any late effects of treatment,&#8221; researcher Mort Cowan said in a <a href="https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/news-releases/2019-medicine-science-news/st-jude-gene-therapy-cures-babies-with-bubble-boy-disease.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>, &#8220;these results suggest most patients treated with this gene therapy will develop a complete durable immune response without side effects.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/news-releases/2019-medicine-science-news/st-jude-gene-therapy-cures-babies-with-bubble-boy-disease.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St. Jude gene therapy cures babies with &#8216;bubble boy&#8217; disease</a> [St. Jude]
More on gene therapy: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/gene-therapy-deafness-mice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientists Used Gene Therapy to Cure Deafness in Mice</a>

Ten infants now have a chance to live normal lives.

Scientists gene-edited HIV to cure “bubble boy" disease

Burst Bubbles

Researchers say they've cured 10 infants born with SCID-X1, also known as "bubble boy" disease, using an HIV-assisted gene therapy.

Scientists Gene-Edited HIV to Cure “Bubble Boy” Disease

"The children are cured... they are home, living normal lives, attending daycare."

<h2>Child&#8217;s Play</h2>
The killer creepy doll Chucky — evil villain of the &#8220;Child&#8217;s Play&#8221; slasher film series from the 80s — is back in a brand new movie set to drop in June. And today a new trailer gives a glimpse at the latest entry of the series, which&#8217;ll star Aubrey Plaza and the voice of Mark Hamill.
The 2019 twist: this time, the doll is haunting its prey through a smart home system called &#8220;Buddi&#8221; — smartphone app and all.
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PeHNLikDiVw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>&#8220;Hey Google, Haunt My Neighbors&#8221;</h2>
Chucky&#8217;s shenanigans won&#8217;t be limited to saying &#8220;Alexa, turn off the lights.&#8221; Channeling our collective anxiety about digital security — remember Alexa&#8217;s inexplicable <a href="https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/3/7/17092334/amazon-alexa-devices-strange-laughter">creepy laughter</a>? — it looks like Chucky will be able to hunt his victims with a lawnmower, smart thermostat, and even a drone.
It&#8217;s a timely riff on a timeless horror franchise. After all, who hasn&#8217;t nervously glanced at their smart home device randomly lighting up in the middle of the night?
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/18/childs-play-trailer-chucky-smart-homes-drones-connected-cars-thermostat/">&#8216;Child&#8217;s Play&#8217; trailer shows Chucky controlling smart homes and drones</a> [Engadget] 

More on smart home devices: <a href="https://futurism.com/home-robots-physicality-line">Robots At Home? Physicality Is Where We Draw The Line</a>

New "Child's Play" trailer shows killer doll Chucky controlling drones, smart home gadgets

Buddi System

The new trailer for the upcoming Child's Play movie shows creepy doll Chucky commandeering a smart lawnmower, a thermostat, and a drone.

In New “Chucky” Trailer, Killer Doll Terrorizes With IoT Gadgets

It's 2019, so in this horror movie your smart home gadgets are trying to kill you.

<h2>Keep it Vague</h2>
North Korea is flexing its muscles. On Thursday, the nation announced that it had test-launched a new &#8220;tactical guided weapon&#8221; — but kept the details vague.
The weapon is unlikely to be a long-range ballistic missile that could jeopardize peace talks, <a href="https://www.apnews.com/2ff1e53cfc9d42a7821c7f4e6a740642">according to the Associated Press</a>. Rather, given the fact that the announcement came with new demands for ongoing negotiations with the U.S., the tests were likely intended as a display of military strength.
<h2>Guessing Game</h2>
South Korean experts suspect that the new weapon was some sort of cruise missile, per the AP&#8216;s attempt to learn more. Had the weapon been a longer-range missile that could pose a threat to the U.S. or other nations, then North Korea may have put at risk its ongoing effort to lift sanctions that other countries have imposed on it.
Rather, Kim Jong-Un called for the U.S. to pull Secretary of State Mike Pompeo out of ongoing <a href="https://futurism.com/potential-nuclear-war-north-korea">disarmament negotiations</a>, accusing him of &#8220;talking nonsense&#8221; and misinterpreting agreements made between the two countries, the AP reports. The experts&#8217; guess: the new weapon test is meant to add a little more gravity to those demands.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.apnews.com/2ff1e53cfc9d42a7821c7f4e6a740642">NKorea says it tested new weapon, wants Pompeo out of talks</a> [The AP]
More on North Korea: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/north-korea-hackers-steal-money-nuclear-bombs">North Korea is Using Hackers to Steal Money for Nuclear Bombs</a>

All we know is that the test involved a new "tactical guided weapon."

North Korea says it tested a new weapon but won't say what it was

Big Kaboom

North Korea just announced a new missile test and made demands for ongoing disarmament negotiations with the U.S., calling for the removal of Pompeo.

North Korea Says It Tested a New Weapon But Won’t Say What It Was

Weird flex but okay!

<h2>Yet Another Glitch</h2>
Is your data safe with Facebook?
After <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/facebook-millions-password-plain-text">getting caught</a> storing “hundreds of millions” of account passwords in plain text last month — a flabbergasting breach of good data security practices — Facebook has been busted in another security snafu, admitting yesterday that it &#8220;unintentionally uploaded&#8221; email contacts of some 1.5 million new users since May 2016, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-uploaded-1-5-million-users-email-contacts-without-permission-2019-4">Business Insider reports</a>.
The extent of the damage caused by the glitch is still unclear, but Facebook says it&#8217;s fixed the problem.
&#8220;These contacts were not shared with anyone and we are deleting them,&#8221; a spokesperson <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-privacy/facebook-says-it-uploaded-email-contacts-of-up-to-15-million-users-idUSKCN1RU06R">told </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-privacy/facebook-says-it-uploaded-email-contacts-of-up-to-15-million-users-idUSKCN1RU06R">Reuters</a>. 
<h2>A Horrible Idea</h2>
Business Insider first discovered the glitch, which caused Facebook to collect email contacts of newly signed-up users without their consent. Security researcher <a href="https://twitter.com/originalesushi">e-sushi</a> first uncovered the glitch.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/facebook?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@facebook</a>, demanding the secret password of the personal email accounts of your users for verification, or any other kind of use, is a HORRIBLE idea from an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/infosec?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#infosec</a> point of view. By going down that road, you&#39;re practically fishing for passwords you are not supposed to know! <a href="https://t.co/XL2JFk122l">pic.twitter.com/XL2JFk122l</a>
&mdash; e-sushi (@originalesushi) <a href="https://twitter.com/originalesushi/status/1112496649891430401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h2>No Consent</h2>
It&#8217;s a damning revelation — and Facebook fell short, as usual, of a particularly convincing mea culpa.
&#8220;Last month we stopped offering email password verification as an option for people verifying their account when signing up for Facebook for the first time,&#8221; a statement from Facebook read, as quoted by Business Insider.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-uploaded-1-5-million-users-email-contacts-without-permission-2019-4">Facebook says it &#8216;unintentionally uploaded&#8217; 1.5 million people&#8217;s email contacts without their consent</a> [Business Insider] 

More on Facebook leaks: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/facebook-millions-password-plain-text">Facebook Stored “Hundreds of Millions” of Passwords as Plain Text</a>

"These contacts were not shared with anyone and we are deleting them."

Facebook "unintentionally" uploaded 1.5 million email contacts

Another Glitch

Facebook admitted yesterday that it "unintentionally uploaded" the email contacts of more than 1.5 million new users who have joined since May 2016.