Russia will hold military exercises near Ukraine, apparently intending to show it could use battlefield nuclear weapons there. / The New York Times [+]
It’s impossible to tell how far H5N1 has spread in the US, since dairy farmers—unlike poultry farmers—aren’t compensated for reporting infections. / WIRED
The Texas dairy worker who got H5N1—seemingly the first case that spread from mammal to human—had only mild symptoms and no one he lives with fell ill. / STAT
Updated for 2024, how to prepare your phone for a protest—that is, if you bring it at all. / The Markup
A wastewater scientist discusses the various ways analysis can be used—from supporting communities to providing intelligence to law enforcement. / The Guardian
Another way to look at the feel-good Randy Travis AI story: This could open the door to music labels digitally resurrecting deceased artists. / The Verge
“We want to understand what we have made, and believe its shape is ours.” The fatal flaw in assessing AI risk is assuming a shared understanding of rationality. / Programmable Mutter
See also: “Our understanding of plants is still developing—as are the definitions of ‘intelligence’ and ‘consciousness.'” / NPR
“Certainly Terence McKenna is a silly ass. But his heart is so clearly in the right place.” Will Self on Food of the Gods. / Times Literary Supplement
Starting May 15, Hot Frank Summer is a group reading of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. / Bluesky
See also: Did you know you can still take part in Infinite Summer, the group reading of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest? / Reddit
Citing issues with computer systems, North Yorkshire bans apostrophes from street signs, irking linguists, professional and otherwise. / BBC
