A family is facing a $6 million Bitcoin ransom demand in the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, according to a report from KGUN9, an Arizona TV station. The alleged kidnappers, who sent a ransom note, demanded the payment be made by 5 p.m. on Monday, threatening Guthrie's life if the demand was not met.
The Guthrie family, including Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, stated they would pay the ransom in a video posted to Instagram over the weekend, KGUN9 reported. Law enforcement has not yet confirmed the ransom letter's legitimacy.
To pay the ransom, the Guthrie family would need to acquire Bitcoin, typically by opening an account with a crypto exchange, according to a spokesperson. The demand for cryptocurrency highlights the increasing use of digital assets in criminal activity.
In other news, researchers at Google have found a correlation between hard-braking events (HBEs) and road segment crash risk. According to Neha Arora, Mobility AI Team Lead, and Yechen Li, Software Engineer, Google Research, roads with a higher rate of HBEs have a significantly higher crash risk. Their research, based on data collected via Android Auto, suggests that HBEs could be used as leading measures for road safety assessment.
Meanwhile, the tech world continues to evolve. Some experts are exploring the potential of AI, with one example being Moltbook, an online hangout populated by AI agents interacting with one another. However, the platform, which showed AI systems doing useful things for their creators, was also "flooded with crypto scams," according to MIT Technology Review.
In the realm of consumer technology, Wired reviewed Soundcore's Aerofit 2 Pro earbuds, which aim to add effective noise canceling to open earbuds. The review noted the earbuds' innovative design and good features, but also pointed out that they were "big and heavy, especially the case."
Finally, for those who own electric bikes, Wired also offered advice on the best locks to protect them. The article highlighted the specific locking needs of ebikes, which may differ from those of regular bikes due to factors like thicker tubes or unique frame shapes.
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