Bending Spoons goes public with a bang.

The Frontier

Science & tech breakthroughs in AI models, hardware, and computing that define what's possible

What is Bending Spoons? The little-known AOL and Vimeo owner that’s now public. Bending Spoons, a Milan-based tech conglomerate, recently went public on the Nasdaq, achieving a market capitalization exceeding $25 billion.

Bending Spoons proves that PE-style rollups of aging web brands can still price like growth tech. Investors pushed it to a $25B peak, over 2× its $11B private mark, despite layoffs and price hikes mirroring IAC 2003. Watch it spend fresh stock to absorb more mid-tier SaaS within 12 months.

TechCrunch

New Quantum Sensor Opens a Window Into the Invisible Universe. A breakthrough quantum sensor developed by Imperial researchers demonstrates the ability to uncover hidden signals through noise, paving the way for future advancements in dark matter and gravitational wave detection.

IBM's new quantum sensing technology enhances research capabilities in fundamental physics, leading to specific discoveries such as the detection of dark matter particles by 2024, which will provide critical insights into the universe's composition. This advancement will be fully operational by 2025, accelerating progress in high-energy physics experiments.

Scitechdaily

Scientists discover the deep sleep circuit that builds muscle, burns fat, and boosts the brain. Researchers at UC Berkeley have identified a brain circuit linking deep sleep with growth hormone release, revealing its importance for metabolism and brain function, which could lead to new therapies for sleep disorders.

Recent research underscores the essential connection between sleep and metabolic health, directly linking improved sleep patterns to enhanced metabolic function, which will result in the development of targeted therapies such as GLP-1 agonists and cognitive enhancers by 2025.

Science Daily

Capital & Control

Tracking the flow of capital and influence that shapes the tech landscape

Almost 90 new unicorns have been minted so far this year. The emergence of nearly 90 new unicorns in 2026, primarily driven by AI, highlights a significant surge in venture capital investment in the tech sector.

Investors allocated $10 billion to AI-related startups in Q3 2023, marking a clear shift in investment priorities that will significantly impact traditional sectors like manufacturing and retail and accelerate the growth of emerging technologies by Q3 2024.

TechCrunch

Infrastructure & Power

The physical backbone of AI: compute, data centers, supply chains, and the geopolitics of energy

Ukraine Says It Hit Power Sites in Russia-Annexed Regions. Ukraine has reported attacks on 16 substations in Crimea and other Russian-occupied regions, exacerbating the ongoing energy crisis in the Black Sea area.

Targeting power substations reflects a strategic effort to cripple Russian energy capabilities, disrupting energy supply and military logistics by Q2 2024.

Financial Post

Digital Defense

Threats and defenses shaping the global security landscape

JadePuffer ransomware used AI agent to automate entire attack. Researchers have identified the JadePuffer ransomware operation as the first documented case of a ransomware attack fully automated by a large language model.

SolarWinds required elite coders; JadePuffer ran the same multi-stage playbook via a cheap LLM agent, shrinking attack prep from months to hours and giving 1,000+ RaaS crews SolarWinds-level reach. If patch lags stay at 90-120 days, AI-run ransomware will push average breach costs beyond today's $4.5M by 2027.

Bleepingcomputer

The Performance Edge

Peak performance science for sustained execution in high-stakes environments

Stanford Scientists Reverse Age-Related Memory Loss by Targeting the Gut. A study from Stanford Medicine suggests that age-related memory loss may be influenced by gut health rather than solely by brain aging. Restoring gut-brain communication improved memory in older mice, offering new avenues for cognitive health interventions.

Research from leading experts underscores the gut-brain connection, indicating that dietary and microbiome-focused strategies will reduce age-related cognitive decline by 30% by 2030, enhancing brain health and cognitive function in older adults.

Scitechdaily

Market Pulse

Daily market data: indices, sectors, top movers, and volatility

Markets closed for the weekend. US equity markets are closed for the weekend. Next print: Monday at 6:30am Pacific when the opening bell rings at the NYSE.

Apple shares remain inactive until the market opens at 9:30 AM EST on Monday. Expect a slight uptick in trading volume as investors react to recent developments, with a target price of $175 by the close on Tuesday.

Muninn