Ancient DNA suggests Rome’s fall reshaped Europe through gradual migration and intermarriage, not a sudden barbarian takeover.A nearly identical exploit kit that targets critical vulnerabilities in both Chromium-based browsers and older versions of Windows is being actively used by at least four hacking groups, some of which have ties to the Chinese government.
Researchers from security firm Proofpoint said Wednesday that BlueMoon, the name they gave to the kit, chains three vulnerabilities together so the attackers using it can install malware of their choice. BlueMoon exploits two Chromium vulnerabilities and one in the kernel of Windows 10 (Oct. 2018 Update), Windows Server 2019, Windows 10 2004, Windows Server 2022, and the initial release of Windows 11. All three vulnerabilities have received patches in the past 24 hours.
The attacks lacked the stealth found in many campaigns. More often, hackers want to exploit newly discovered vulnerabilities sparingly to lengthen their longevity. Proofpoint hypothesized that one reason for the widely used and visible exploit chain was to take advantage of a “patch gap” in the Chromium supply chain, which spans the time a patch is available from developers and the time that patch is incorporated into browsers such as Chrome and Edge. Another likely contributor was the use of AI, which can often spot vulnerabilities faster than discovery performed solely by humans.
© Getty Images
A nearly identical exploit kit that targets critical vulnerabilities in both Chromium-based browsers and older versions of Windows is being actively used by at least four hacking groups, some of which have ties to the Chinese government.
Researchers from security firm Proofpoint said Wednesday that BlueMoon, the name they gave to the kit, chains three vulnerabilities together so the attackers using it can install malware of their choice. BlueMoon exploits two Chromium vulnerabilities and one in the kernel of Windows 10 (Oct 2018 Update), Windows Server 2019, Windows 10 2004, Windows Server 2022, and the initial release of Windows 11. All three vulnerabilities have received patches in the past 24 hours.
The attacks lacked the stealth found in many campaigns. More often, hackers want to exploit newly discovered vulnerabilities sparingly to lengthen their longevity. Proofpoint hypothesized that one reason for the widely used and visible exploit chain was to take advantage of a “patch gap” in the Chromium supply chain, which spans the time a patch is available from developers and the time that patch is incorporated into browsers such as Chrome and Edge. Another likely contributor was the use of AI, which can often spot vulnerabilities faster than discovery performed solely by humans.
© Getty Images
Google has confirmed that Chrome has officially moved from a four-week Stable release cycle to a two-week one, with effect from September 8 2026 with the launch of Chrome 153.
Besides adding new features, the main objective is for Google to give us performance and security fixes more promptly in an era of increased complexity and heightened vulnerabilities.
And it's exactly those security concerns that pushed Google to want to double Chrome's update frequency in the first lace, with the company now having to deal with a higher volume of patches than ever before.
Together with a higher volume of attacks in general, Google has also benefitted from AI-powered vulnerability discovery tools, giving developers more work to do than before. "With automated AI discovery tools and community bug reports generating higher patch volume, shorter release cycles make managing security fixes significantly simpler," the company wrote.
Crucially, the faster cycle reduces the time between a fix landing in Chrome's public codebase and it actually reaching end users, making it less likely for a bug to be exploited in the wild.
Chrome has been adhering to a four-week cycle since 2021, but the world is a very different place in the space of just half a decade.
With the higher pace of releases, Google also anticipates a smaller scope of changes, which could actually be a good thing because it could be easier for developers to identify what went wrong in the event of any issues.
Desktop, Android and iOS versions of Chrome will all be impacted by the change, with Chrome 154 already slated for a September 22 release.
More broadly, Google says Chrome isn't the only browser getting more frequent updates. Microsoft, Mozilla and Brave are also making similar changes, and they're all undergoing those changes right now.
An unexpected discovery by archaeologists has revealed an ancient cult object in the suddenly shallow waters of one of Europe’s longest rivers.
The discovery involves a portion of a limestone altar found near Dunaújváros in Hungary, uncovered during surveys of a riverbed located near Szalki Island.
Taking advantage of unusually low water levels in Europe this summer, archaeologists with the Intercisa Museum and Attila J. Tóth, a diver who specializes in underwater archaeology, had initially been searching for the possible remains of a medieval Pentelic Monastery in a portion of the Danube River.
The current drought conditions in Europe have revealed portions of the riverbed that are normally inaccessible. In recent days, the falling waters of the Danube and other waterways have also revealed several examples of archaeological features left over from the ancient Roman world.
Instead of the Pentelic Monastery they had hoped to find, Intercisa Museum archaeologists uncovered a fragmentary portion of a Roman altar dedicated to Jupiter, whose worship comprised the supreme public religion of ancient Rome.
Additional discoveries included fragments of tablets also made from limestone, adding to the surprises low water levels in the region have helped reveal this summer.
Approximately 1,800 years ago, the Roman settlement of Intercisa was located where Dunaújváros stands today. This ancient military complex formed a significant part of the military infrastructure that connected parts of ancient Europe, and at such sites, it was common for Roman military personnel to establish altars devoted to Jupiter.
In past discoveries, many of these altars display explicit links to the military sites where they were found, including names of personnel, units, or other information linking them to sites like Intercisa, offering a look at the religious devotion undertaken as part of daily life at Roman frontier military outposts.
Complicating archaeological work in the area had been the additional discovery of what was suspected of being an unexploded World War II munition, although the object was removed so that it could be disarmed.
According to some estimates, there are as many as millions of tons of unexploded ordnance leftover from World War II that are still buried across Europe. Around 10% of all the explosives dropped by Allied and Axis forces reportedly failed to detonate upon impact.
The discovery of these long-dormant explosives is a fairly common occurrence in Europe at construction sites, archaeological digs, and river dredging. The discovery of these objects sometimes also results in emergency evacuations and transit shutdowns.
Right now, the discoveries are revealing new insights into the known activities that were undertaken at Intercisa.
In the days ahead, archaeologists with the Intercisa Museum hope that additional discoveries can be made while the Danube’s waters remain so low, although they warn that anyone who discovers artifacts in such newly exposed areas of the riverbed must report archaeological discoveries and also be wary of the possible discovery of remnant World War II explosives.
The limestone altar is only one of many archaeological features from the ancient Roman world that drought conditions in Europe have revealed recently in the Danube. Previously, The Debrief also reported that portions of Constantine’s bridge have recently resurfaced from the famous river’s waters.
Archaeologists with the Intercisa Museum also report recent discoveries that include a fragment of a Roman tombstone that still features traces of paint, as well as a large and nearly intact statue that they have retrieved from the Danube’s shallow or empty riverbeds—all of which add to the archaeological heritage that has long been preserved beneath Europe’s waterways.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.
O Chrome traz vários recursos de integração com outros serviços do Google, como é o caso do Gemini — solução de inteligência artificial da empresa.
O Gemini Live permite manter conversas ininterruptas com a IA, como se fosse uma conversa com outra pessoa.
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Para quem possui surdez ou alguma dificuldade de audição, é possível habilitar a exibição das legendas do Gemini Live enquanto estiver usando-o no seu Mac. Veja como! 👨💻
Com o app aberto, acesse as configurações do navegador. É possível fazer isso indo até Chrome » Ajustes…, na barra de menus, usando o atalho de teclado ⌘ command , ou clicando no botão com três pontinhos (no canto superior direito).
Selecione “Inovações de IA” (na barra lateral esquerda) e entre em “Gemini no Chrome”.
Por fim, marque a chave ao lado de “Legenda descritiva”.
Na prática, você poderá conferir as legendas nas conversas do Gemini Live, como no exemplo abaixo:
Muito bacana, não acha? 😉
Com a disponibilização do Gemini no Google Chrome para Macs, ficou muito fácil consultar o serviço de inteligência artificial da empresa para alguma atividade que precisa fazer.
Por padrão, o painel lateral do Gemini fica localizado na parte direita da tela do seu computador. Mas, se preferir, é possível que ele seja mostrado no lado esquerdo.
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Veja como escolher isso! ✨
Acesse as configurações do Chrome usando um dos seguintes métodos:
Depois, acesse “Aparência” (na barra lateral esquerda).
Na seção “Posição do painel lateral”, use o menu suspenso “Gemini” para escolher entre “À direita” ou “À esquerda”.
Com a liberação do Google Gemini no navegador Chrome para macOS, tornou-se possível utilizar a inteligência artificial da empresa de uma maneira rápida, sem precisar abrir um aplicativo separado, por exemplo.
Uma das maneiras de sair ou voltar a navegar pelo Gemini no Chrome é por meio de um atalho de teclado. Apesar de já vir com um pré-configurado, você pode alterá-lo.
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Veja como! 😉
Abra as configurações do Chrome, indo até Chrome » Ajustes…, na barra de menus, usando o atalho ⌘ command , ou clicando nos três pontinhos, no canto superior direito.
Selecione “Inovações de IA” e entre em “Gemini no Chrome”. Clique no lápis ao lado de “Atalho para navegação” e utilize o teclado para adicionar o novo atalho preferido.
Recentemente, o Google atualizou o navegador Chrome para incluir recursos de inteligência artificial do Gemini.
Porém, uma novidade que certamente não agradou muita gente foi a presença de um botão dedicado à IA no canto superior direito do browser no macOS.
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Felizmente, usando um truque bem simples, é possível ocultá-lo. Veja como! 😉
Com o Chrome aberto no Mac, abra os ajustes do navegador usando um dos seguintes métodos:
Depois, clique em “Inovações de IA” (na barra lateral esquerda) e entre em “Gemini no Chrome”.
Por fim, desmarque a opção “Mostrar o Gemini na parte de cima do navegador”.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Cancer-associated cachexia, the wasting syndrome that erodes muscle, fat and physical resilience in many people with advanced cancer, has long resisted treatment. Now, researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) report a preclinical strategy that targets the disorder from an unexpected location: the brainstem. In tumor-bearing mice, an RNA-based therapy designed to silence a neural receptor preserved body weight, muscle mass, fat stores and physical function, while dramatically improving survival even after cachexia had already developed.
The study was conducted by a joint team led by Minho Shong and Jinkuk Kim of KAIST’s Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, in collaboration with the KAIST faculty startup THOR Therapeutics. Their approach focuses on the biological circuit formed by growth differentiation factor 15, or GDF15, and its receptor, GFRAL. GDF15 is a signaling protein released in elevated amounts during several disease states, including cancer. When it reaches the hindbrain and binds to GFRAL, it activates neural pathways associated with nausea, appetite suppression and profound metabolic changes.
Cachexia is more complex than ordinary weight loss. Patients can continue losing muscle and body fat even when food intake is adequate, because cancer and the host response to cancer disrupt the systems that regulate energy use, inflammation and tissue maintenance. The resulting decline can weaken immunity, reduce mobility and make chemotherapy more difficult to tolerate. Although the syndrome affects an estimated 50 to 80 percent of people with cancer, available treatments have generally focused on stimulating appetite or providing nutritional support. Such measures may increase food intake temporarily, but they do not necessarily halt the breakdown of muscle or correct the underlying metabolic disturbance.
The KAIST researchers reasoned that the GDF15–GFRAL pathway could act as a central command system for this wasting response. GDF15 produced in the body circulates to the brainstem, where GFRAL is concentrated in a specialized region known as the area postrema and its surrounding neural circuitry. Once activated, this receptor can influence brain networks that control feeding behavior and autonomic metabolism. Rather than attempting to neutralize GDF15 throughout the body, the team chose to disable the receptor itself in the brainstem, preventing the signal from being received.
To accomplish this, the researchers developed antisense oligonucleotides, or ASOs, directed against Gfral messenger RNA. ASOs are short, chemically modified strands of nucleic acid engineered to bind a specific RNA sequence. When an ASO binds its target messenger RNA, cellular enzymes can promote its degradation or interfere with its processing, reducing production of the corresponding protein. In this case, the treatment lowered the supply of GFRAL receptors in the brainstem. The strategy therefore acts at the RNA stage, before the receptor is assembled and displayed on the surface of neural cells.
The experiments were performed in mice carrying tumors and showing established signs of cancer cachexia. This timing is important because many experimental interventions appear effective only when administered before severe wasting begins. According to the researchers, GFRAL silencing after cachexia had progressed substantially reduced the loss of muscle and fat. Treated animals also showed restoration of metabolic functions that had deteriorated during tumor growth, suggesting that the intervention did more than increase appetite. It helped interrupt the physiological program driving the breakdown of energy reserves.
The most striking result involved survival. At approximately day 50, the endpoint used in the study, about 90 percent of the mice receiving the GFRAL-targeting ASO remained alive, compared with roughly 20 percent of untreated tumor-bearing animals. The treated mice retained greater body weight and muscle mass and performed better in measures of muscle function. These findings indicate that cachexia itself can be a major determinant of outcome in cancer-bearing organisms and that blocking its central signaling pathway may provide benefits beyond nutritional improvement.
The work does not yet establish whether the same treatment will be safe or effective in people. GFRAL signaling is involved in the body’s response to circulating stress signals, and manipulating a receptor in the brainstem requires careful assessment of neurological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and metabolic effects. Human cancers also vary widely in their production of GDF15, tumor location and inflammatory biology. Nevertheless, the results offer a mechanistically precise alternative to therapies that merely encourage patients to eat. By targeting the receptor rather than broadly suppressing the signaling protein, the ASO approach may eventually be combined with chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other cancer treatments.
The findings, published in Cell Reports Medicine, represent an early step toward translating a brain-directed RNA therapy for cachexia. The researchers plan further preclinical studies, along with development of manufacturing and quality-control systems, with the stated goal of beginning clinical development in cancer patients by 2030. If the biology can be reproduced safely in humans, silencing GFRAL could become an adjunct treatment intended to preserve physical function, extend treatment tolerance and improve survival. For now, however, the evidence remains limited to tumor-bearing mice, and the central challenge will be determining whether a signal that can be switched off experimentally can be controlled with equal precision in patients.
Subject of Research:
An antisense oligonucleotide therapy targeting brainstem GFRAL to treat cancer-associated cachexia in tumor-bearing mice.
Article Title:
Therapeutic Gfral silencing via antisense oligonucleotides ameliorates cancer-associated cachexia and extends survival in tumor-bearing mice
Web References:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102939
References:
Cell Reports Medicine, published 27 July 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102939
Image Credits:
KAIST
Keywords:
Cancer cachexia, GFRAL, GDF15, antisense oligonucleotides, RNA therapy, brainstem, muscle wasting, cancer metabolism, preclinical research, KAIST
Laser scans revealed a Roman stronghold overlooking the battlefield where an Alpine people lost their freedom.
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