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AI Partnership to Power New Siri Version; Polish Electric Grid Targeted by Malware

A new version of Apple's Siri, powered by Google's Gemini AI models, is expected to be unveiled in February, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The update will reportedly allow Siri to complete tasks by accessing users' personal data and on-screen content. Meanwhile, Poland's electric grid was targeted in late December by wiper malware, potentially deployed by the Russian state-sponsored hacking group Sandworm, according to multiple news sources.

The Siri update is expected to be the first to live up to the promises Apple made in June 2024, Gurman reported. A larger upgrade is planned for June at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, which will make Siri more conversational, similar to chatbots like ChatGPT, and potentially run directly on Google's cloud infrastructure.

In other news, Poland's electric grid was targeted in late December by wiper malware, according to multiple news sources. The attack, which aimed to disrupt communications between renewable installations and power distribution operators, was ultimately unsuccessful. Security firm ESET attributed the attack to Sandworm with medium confidence, noting similarities to previous destructive attacks, including a 2015 Ukrainian blackout.

In the realm of childhood vaccines, the Trump administration recently dropped recommendations that all kids get six immunizations long considered routine, according to NPR News. Instead, they're now in a category called "shared clinical decision-making," requiring a consultation with a health care provider to decide if the vaccines are necessary.

In other scientific developments, researchers at RIKEN have developed a technique to carve complex three-dimensional nanodevices directly from single crystals, according to Science Daily. They sculpted microscopic helices from a magnetic material and found that the structures behave like switchable diodes.

Meanwhile, a new paper published in the journal ACS Nano suggests that 19th-century inventor Thomas Edison may have unknowingly created graphene as a byproduct of his original experiments on incandescent bulbs, according to Ars Technica. Graphene is the thinnest material yet known, composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.

In the world of hearing aids, Phonak has released its latest prescription hearing aid, the Audeo Infinio Ultra Sphere, which isolates speech from noise, according to Wired. The device features Phonak's new Spheric Speech Clarity 2.0 system, designed to enhance the listening experience in noisy environments.

TechCrunch reported that information from Elon Musk's Grokipedia is beginning to appear in answers from ChatGPT. Grokipedia, launched in October, has been criticized for containing biased and inaccurate information.

Nature News highlighted several new books, including "Myriad, Microscopic and Marvellous" by Geertje Dekkers, which explores the discoveries of microbiologist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek. Nature News also reported on research showing that babies share their gut microbes, and that an Austrian cow has learned to use tools.

BBC Business reported on the growing trend of locking away smartphones at gigs and in schools. Sir Paul McCartney implemented a strict no-phone policy at his Santa Barbara Bowl performance, requiring all 4,500 fans to place their mobile phones in lockable pouches for the duration of the concert. "Nobody's got a phone," McCartney declared during his 25-song setlist. "Really, it's better!"