The next ayahuasca? US drug companies are vying to get their hands on a mind-altering root bark used in Gabonese ritual traditions

Daily Mail - Oct 20, 2026

Move over ayahuasca - there's a new mind-altering plant attracting attention from the US pharmaceutical giants.

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Just 6,000 units, ₹50,000 extra: why Apple’s iPhone Duo could be hard to get

Oct 20, 2026

Just 6,000 units, ₹50,000 extra: why Apple’s iPhone Duo could be hard to get

With just 6,000 units expected in India in its first week, Apple’s ₹2.99 lakh foldable iPhone is commanding grey-market premiums of up to ₹50,000, driven by scarcity and status-seeking buyers.

Saudis Aided Family of Engineer Accused of Bugging OpenAI, Prosecutors Say

Oct 20, 2026

Saudis Aided Family of Engineer Accused of Bugging OpenAI, Prosecutors Say

Saudi officials paid for his wife and son to fly out of the U.S. and offered to cover his bail, according to court filings. A judge ordered the engineer to remain in custody.

Japan launches historic $578 million mission to Mars moon Phobos, return samples to Earth: Timeline, significance & more

Oct 20, 2026

Japan launches historic $578 million mission to Mars moon Phobos, return samples to Earth: Timeline, significance & more

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft aboard H3 Launch Vehicle flight No.10 at 04:41:03 JST on October 20, 2026 from the Tanegashima Space Center.

Mission to Mars! Japanese spacecraft begins epic five-year quest to bring Martian moon samples back to Earth for the first time

Oct 20, 2026

Mission to Mars! Japanese spacecraft begins epic five-year quest to bring Martian moon samples back to Earth for the first time

A Japanese rocket is set to blast off on an ambitious £262 million mission to swipe soil samples from one of Mars's mysterious moons.

Alibaba’s RISC-V IP powers over 6 billion shipped chips as tech giant targets AI, autos

Oct 20, 2026

Alibaba’s RISC-V IP powers over 6 billion shipped chips as tech giant targets AI, autos

Alibaba Group Holding’s research arm, Damo Academy, has seen more than 6 billion chips shipped based on its XuanTie RISC-V architecture, marking a milestone as the tech giant doubles down on the open standard in artificial intelligence and automotive systems. Meng Jianyi, chief scientist at Damo Academy, announced the figure on Monday at the annual RISC-V Summit China in Shenzhen. The achievement comes as Chinese companies seek to play a greater role in the global RISC-V ecosystem, an...

Russian Satellite Makes a Menacing Approach to Another Craft in Orbit

Oct 20, 2026

Russian Satellite Makes a Menacing Approach to Another Craft in Orbit

Although Kosmos 2612 is now backing away, the maneuver raised alarm bells for analysts who see it as part of a pattern of Russian aggression.

Five ways El Niño is affecting the weather around the world

Oct 19, 2026

Five ways El Niño is affecting the weather around the world

As the strongest El Niño on record continues to intensify, what impacts on weather patterns are already being felt across the globe? Sarah Keith-Lucas looks at the evidence.

Elon Musk Says He Will Give a SpaceX Share to ‘Every Kid in America’

Oct 19, 2026

Elon Musk Says He Will Give a SpaceX Share to ‘Every Kid in America’

Anthropic, an A.I. rival to SpaceX, earlier said it would form a “public benefit fund” and other tech moguls have contributed to savings accounts for children.

France tells online marketplaces to crack down on resale of looted items

Oct 19, 2026

France tells online marketplaces to crack down on resale of looted items

As thousands of shop owners are reeling from the weekend violence and looting, listings of apparently stolen items have been popping up online.  The government asked major second-hand marketplaces such as Vinted, eBay and Amazon to crack down on suspicious adverts.

Ex-OpenAI worker accused of planting device had Saudi support, says court filing

Oct 19, 2026

Ex-OpenAI worker accused of planting device had Saudi support, says court filing

The Saudi government did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment.

A Japanese Spacecraft Aims to Bring Back a Bit of a Martian Moon

Oct 19, 2026

A Japanese Spacecraft Aims to Bring Back a Bit of a Martian Moon

The mission, which launched on Monday, is headed to Phobos, the larger of the two moons of Mars. It could carry back the first samples from the Martian system.

Why No One Can Look Away From Elizabeth Holmes

Oct 19, 2026

Why No One Can Look Away From Elizabeth Holmes

“I felt like there were some moments in the film where she was just brazenly lying.”

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