Munich-based defense startup Helsing has completed a single funding round raising several billion euros—the largest capital raise in a single operation by a German startup, according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, two major American investment banks, participated in this funding round.

• Several billion euros — Helsing's funding round—record single capital raise for a German startup

A paradox in the defense sector

Helsing's rapid growth presents a stark contrast to developments in the broader defense industry. While startups in the defense space are attracting substantial capital, established players like Rheinmetall are experiencing weakness in equity markets.

Context: Bundeswehr, Rheinmetall, and the Zeitenwende

Rheinmetall, an industrial group based in Düsseldorf, is becoming the central supplier for the Bundeswehr—Germany's national armed forces, which in peacetime operate under the authority of the Defense Ministry. This rise reflects Germany's "Zeitenwende," a strategic pivot announced in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's address to the Bundestag on February 27, 2022, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, concentrating military procurement with a single supplier presents significant risks. According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, this concentration—termed in German as "Klumpenrisiko"—poses a substantial security concern for Germany.

What remains uncertain

The exact amount of Helsing's funding round has not been disclosed in available sources. The description "several billion euros" represents the most precise confirmation available at this time.

What is Helsing?

Helsing is a defense-sector startup based in Munich, Germany. It has just completed the largest single funding round ever recorded for a German startup.

What is the Zeitenwende?

The Zeitenwende refers to Germany's strategic defense pivot announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his February 27, 2022, address to the Bundestag in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It marks a fundamental shift in German security policy.

Why is dependence on Rheinmetall presented as a risk?

Concentrating military purchases with a single supplier—Rheinmetall in this case—creates what German industry calls a "Klumpenrisiko" (concentration risk). According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, this concentration dependency poses a significant security vulnerability for Germany.

The Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed 'Gus' was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York on July 14, 2026, for £37.4 million—equivalent to $50.1 million—according to the BBC. This is a new world record for a dinosaur sale.

For the first time in fossil auction history, the $50 million threshold has been crossed.

The buyer's identity was not disclosed at the time of the sale.

The fossil

'Gus' stands over 4 meters tall and retains more than 60% of its original bones. Sotheby's presents it as one of the most complete T. rex specimens ever discovered.

Its skull bears bite marks. Its ribs show fractures that healed during its lifetime—injuries that may have been caused by fights or scavenging.

Timeline

• 2021 Discovery of the fossil on an isolated ranch in South Dakota, United States.
• 2021–2023 Excavation of bones over three successive summers.
• 2024–2026 Three years of laboratory work to prepare and reconstruct the skeleton.
• July 14, 2026 Sale at Sotheby's in New York for $50.1 million, new world record.

The previous record

The sale of 'Gus' surpasses the previous record set in 2024 by the stegosaur 'Apex'. Its owner, billionaire Kenneth Griffin, had lent that specimen to the American Museum of Natural History for four years.

Quotes

The public interest generated by this sale is beneficial for science and museums.

Cassandra Hatton, global director of science and natural history, Sotheby's

What remains uncertain

The buyer's identity remains unknown.

Several scientists believe this sale may herald a new era of fossil collecting by the ultra-wealthy. The precise implications for research have not been detailed.

FAQ

Where was the 'Gus' skeleton discovered?

It was unearthed in 2021 on an isolated ranch in South Dakota, United States.

How old is the fossil?

The skeleton is approximately 67 million years old.

What was the previous dinosaur auction record?

The previous record was held by the stegosaur 'Apex', sold in 2024. Its owner, Kenneth Griffin, had lent it to the American Museum of Natural History for four years.

Who bought 'Gus'?

The buyer's identity was not disclosed at the time of the sale.

What do scientists think about this sale?

Several scientists believe this sale could herald a new era of fossil collecting by the ultra-wealthy.

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is planning a new funding round approximately one month after closing its first, according to the Financial Times. This pace of capital injection is described as unusually rapid.

The objective of this new funding round is to finance the development of the company's infrastructure.

Context

DeepSeek is a Chinese artificial intelligence company — the set of computer systems capable of performing tasks typically associated with intelligence — established in Hangzhou. It was founded and is backed by High-Flyer, a Chinese hedge fund.

The company is known for developing a conversational agent under the same name, which leverages a large language model.

Timeline

• June 2026 (approximately) DeepSeek closes its first external funding round, marking its entry into institutional fundraising cycles.
• July 14, 2026 The Financial Times reports that DeepSeek is planning a second funding round, approximately one month after the first, intended to finance its infrastructure.

What remains uncertain

The amount targeted by this new funding round has not been disclosed. The identity of potential investors and the precise timeline of the operation remain unknown.

What is DeepSeek?

DeepSeek is a Chinese AI startup based in Hangzhou, founded and backed by hedge fund High-Flyer. It develops a conversational agent that leverages a large language model.

Why is DeepSeek raising funds so quickly?

According to the Financial Times, the new funding round aims to finance the development of the company's infrastructure. The precise motivations behind this unusually rapid funding pace are not detailed in available information.

What is venture capital?

Venture capital is a specialized investment activity focused on financing young companies with high growth potential. It is considered a risky form of investment due to the nature of young companies seeking development capital and market conditions.

On July 14, 2026, the BSI published several resources for medical practices, according to German tech media Heise. These resources aim to facilitate the implementation of the IT security directive applicable to the medical sector, referred to in German as the IT-Sicherheitsrichtlinie. Among these tools is notably an "IT-Notfallkarte" (IT Emergency Card).

What Remains Uncertain

No verified definitions of the BSI, the IT-Sicherheitsrichtlinie directive, or the IT-Notfallkarte were available in the sources provided to the editorial team at the time of publication. The precise content of these resources and their distribution methods are not detailed in the single available source.

What did the BSI publish on July 14, 2026?

The BSI published resources to help implement the IT security directive for medical practices, including an "IT-Notfallkarte" (IT Emergency Card).

Who are these resources intended for?

These resources are designed for medical practices to help them comply with regulatory cybersecurity requirements.

What is the IT-Notfallkarte?

The IT-Notfallkarte is one of the resources published by the BSI in this context. Its precise nature is not detailed in the sources available to the editorial team.

SAP released patches for 16 security vulnerabilities during its July 2026 Patch Day — a scheduled release day for bundled security updates — according to Heise Online. Some of these vulnerabilities are classified as critical.

Multiple SAP products are affected by these vulnerabilities. The precise list of these products is not mentioned in available information.

• 16 — Security vulnerabilities patched by SAP in July 2026

What Remains Uncertain

The precise list of SAP products specifically affected and the exact severity levels for each vulnerability are not included in available information. No verified definition of the term 'SAP Patch Day' could be established from independent sources for this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many SAP security flaws were patched in July 2026?

SAP patched 16 security vulnerabilities during its July 2026 Patch Day, including some classified as critical, according to Heise Online.

Are these vulnerabilities serious?

Some of the 16 patched vulnerabilities are classified as critical. The exact severity level for each is not specified in available information.

Which SAP products are affected by these vulnerabilities?

Multiple SAP products are affected. The exact list of these products is not specified in available information at this time.

Franco Rossi, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has deciphered the name of a Maya astronomer-mathematician who lived 1,200 years ago. His name was Sak Tahn Waax—meaning "White-Breasted Fox"—and he was probably male. He authored astronomical calculations around AD 826 at Xultun, a vast Maya archaeological site located northeast of Tikal in Guatemala, which contains a pyramid 35 meters tall.

According to Rossi, Sak Tahn Waax is the oldest astronomer-mathematician whose name is documented anywhere in the Americas.

The text containing the name and formula, called "Text 19," consists of 11 hieroglyphs. Deciphering it required high-resolution scans, photographs taken at various angles of light, and comparison with later Maya astronomical writings.

A Formula Articulating Four Calendar Systems

The formula inscribed in Text 19 articulates four calendar systems: a 260-day ritual calendar, a 365-day solar calendar, an approximation of Venus's synodic cycle (584 days), and an approximation of Mars's synodic cycle (780 days). A synodic cycle refers to the interval between two successive conjunctions of a planet with the Sun as observed from Earth—in other words, the time it takes for the planet to return to the same position in the sky relative to the Sun.

The formula's total duration corresponds to five synodic cycles of Venus, or 2,920 days. The most probable astronomical reference date inscribed in Text 19 is November 7, AD 781 (Julian calendar).

Duration of the four calendar cycles articulated in Text 19's formula (in days)

Context

The Maya civilization flourished in Mesoamerica from approximately 2000 BCE to AD 1697. Much of their mathematical and astronomical knowledge was destroyed during a massive burning of Maya books by Spanish missionaries following the conquest.

Since 2010, archaeological excavations at Xultun have uncovered approximately 50 texts inscribed on the east and northeast walls of a small masonry building, interpreted as working notes or drafts of Maya mathematicians from the Classic Period.

Timeline

• ~2000 BCE Maya civilization begins in Mesoamerica.
• November 7, AD 781 (Julian calendar) Most probable astronomical reference date inscribed in Text 19, corresponding to five synodic cycles of Venus (2,920 days).
• ~AD 826 Text 19 is composed by Sak Tahn Waax at Xultun, Guatemala, containing calculations predicting the cycles of Mars and Venus.
• 16th century Spanish missionaries burn Maya books on a massive scale, resulting in the loss of much of their mathematical and astronomical knowledge.
• AD 1697 Conventional end date of independent precolumbian Maya civilization.
• Since 2010 Archaeological excavations at Xultun uncover approximately 50 texts on the walls of a masonry building, including Text 19.
• 2026 Franco Rossi (MIT) publishes the decipherment of Text 19, identifying for the first time in the Americas an astronomer-mathematician by name: Sak Tahn Waax.

By the Numbers

• ~1,200 years — Age of Sak Tahn Waax's calculations (circa AD 826)
• 11 — Hieroglyphs in Text 19
• 2,920 days — Total duration of the formula (five Venus synodic cycles)
• ~50 — Maya texts inscribed on the walls of the Xultun building since 2010
• 4 — Calendar systems articulated in Text 19's formula

What Remains Uncertain

The sex of Sak Tahn Waax is presumed male but has not been definitively established. The date of Text 19's composition is estimated at approximately AD 826—some 1,200 years ago—and remains an archaeological approximation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Sak Tahn Waax?

Sak Tahn Waax, meaning "White-Breasted Fox," was a Maya astronomer-mathematician who lived around AD 826 at Xultun, Guatemala. Identified by Franco Rossi at MIT, he is the oldest astronomer-mathematician whose name has been documented anywhere in the Americas.

What is Text 19?

Text 19 is one of approximately 50 texts discovered since 2010 on the walls of a masonry building at Xultun, Guatemala. Its 11 hieroglyphs contain an astronomical formula that articulates four Maya calendar systems.

Why was so much Maya knowledge lost?

During the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, missionaries burned Maya books on a massive scale, resulting in the irreversible loss of much of their mathematical and astronomical knowledge.

What is a synodic cycle?

A synodic cycle is the time interval between two successive conjunctions of a planet with the Sun as observed from Earth. For Venus, it is approximately 584 days; for Mars, approximately 780 days.

What is Xultun?

Xultun is a vast Maya archaeological site located northeast of Tikal in Guatemala. It contains a 35-meter-high pyramid, stelae, several plazas, and water reservoirs. Excavations have been ongoing there since 2010.

On July 12, 2026, an online betting house — whose name has not been made public — accidentally broadcast on several Argentine television channels the version of its spot designed for a defeat of the national team, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

This spot featured the voice of Diego Maradona (Argentine footballer, 1960–2020), recreated through voice cloning by artificial intelligence — technology that makes it possible to reproduce a person's voice from existing recordings, even after their death.

The betting house had prepared two versions of the same spot using a conditional versioning strategy: a 'victory' version and a 'defeat' version, each designed to be broadcast only if the corresponding scenario occurred. It was the 'defeat' version that was accidentally broadcast.

What the two ad versions say

In the version designed for defeat, Maradona's synthetic voice addressed Argentine supporters. It urged them not to despair, emphasizing that 'enduring falls and getting back up' is a hallmark of Argentine character and that this too 'takes balls.'

...enduring falls and getting back on your feet, and this also means having balls.

Synthetic voice of Diego Maradona, 'defeat' version of the ad (originally in Spanish; reported in Italian by ANSA)

The version planned for victory called on Argentines to show why they possess 'such great balls.' It ended with a challenge: if the world wanted to 'cut their legs out from under them,' they would show the world that 'here we play with balls.'

Context: a campaign already under fire

Even before July 12, the campaign was drawing criticism in Argentina. The use of Maradona's likeness — an icon of world football — in advertising for an online betting house was deemed problematic.

Maradona's family had previously granted consent and received compensation for this use. This legal mechanism — the right of personality post-mortem — allows heirs to authorize and monetize the commercial exploitation of the image or voice of a deceased person.

The accidental broadcast of the 'defeat' version compounds an already delicate situation and risks creating a commercial boomerang effect for the brand.

Timeline

• Before July 12, 2026 Production of the two spot versions with Maradona's AI voice; the family grants consent and receives compensation.
• Before July 12, 2026 Criticism emerges in Argentina against associating Maradona's image with an online betting house.
• July 12, 2026 Accidental broadcast of the 'defeat' version on several Argentine television channels.
• July 13, 2026 Controversy grows; commercial backlash risk for the brand is noted.

What remains uncertain

The name of the online betting house involved has not been made public in available information. The exact circumstances of the broadcast error — technical, human, or otherwise — are not clarified by the source.

The concrete commercial impact on the brand and any official reactions — from the Argentine federation, advertising regulators — were not yet known at the time of publication.

What is voice cloning by artificial intelligence?

It is a generative AI technology that reproduces a person's voice from existing audio recordings. It allows the person to be made to pronounce entirely new texts, even after their death. This technology was used to recreate Diego Maradona's voice, who died in 2020.

Could Maradona's family legally authorize this advertisement?

Yes. The right of personality post-mortem allows heirs of a deceased public figure to authorize and monetize the commercial exploitation of their image, voice, or likeness. The Maradona family exercised this right and received compensation in exchange for their consent.

Why prepare two versions of the same advertisement?

This is conditional versioning: a marketing strategy involving producing multiple versions of a spot based on alternative scenarios, such as a team's victory or defeat. Each version is designed to be broadcast only if its predicted scenario occurs. In this case, an error led to the broadcast of the wrong version.

Why was this advertisement controversial even before the incident?

The use of Maradona's image and voice — a figure iconic to Argentine football — in a campaign for an online betting house sparked criticism. Advertising for gambling faces growing ethical debate in many countries.

What is a deepfake and is this spot an example of one?

A deepfake is audiovisual content fabricated or altered by artificial intelligence to reproduce the voice, face, or likeness of a real person. In this case, Maradona's voice was recreated by AI to make him pronounce texts he never spoke in his lifetime, in a commercial context.

A team at the University of Michigan published a qualitative study in the Journal of Research on Adolescence — a quarterly academic journal founded in 1991, published by Wiley-Blackwell for the Society for Research on Adolescence and specializing in research on adolescent development (DOI: 10.1111/jora.70226). The principal researcher is Rona Carter, associate professor of psychology.

The study examined Black mother-daughter dyads — pairs, meaning two-person units. It is qualitative in nature and establishes no direct comparison with other racial groups or family structures.

First finding: for Black girls, puberty is not only a biological transition but also an identity transition. Conversations with their mothers become a space to make sense of bodily changes, gender, race, ethnicity, and social expectations.

Second finding: mothers practice scaffolding — helping their daughters name, interpret, and organize their experiences with bodily changes, gender expectations, racialized messages, and social comparison.

Third finding: early in puberty, mothers play a more directive role. As puberty progresses, daughters increasingly assert their own interpretations, indicating a shift toward more active identity negotiation.

Puberty can intensify identity conversations for Black girls, with mothers helping their daughters make sense of gender, race, ethnicity, and bodily changes.

Rona Carter, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan

Disagreements as Moments of Identity Building

Fourth finding: disagreements between mothers and daughters are not mere communication problems. The study analyzes them as moments when both parties negotiate, revise, and repair identity meanings together, contributing to healthy identity development.

What Remains Uncertain

The study is limited to Black mother-daughter dyads; its conclusions cannot be generalized to other racial groups, family structures, or cultural contexts. The qualitative nature of the research also restricts its statistical reach. Additionally, the term "scaffolding" is used here in the sense of developmental psychology; no verified definition covering this specific usage was available.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Journal of Research on Adolescence?

It is a quarterly academic journal founded in 1991 and published by Wiley-Blackwell for the Society for Research on Adolescence. The journal publishes quantitative and qualitative research on the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development of adolescents.

Why does the study focus exclusively on Black mother-daughter dyads?

The study adopts a targeted qualitative approach to examine the unique dynamics of these dyads. The researchers clarify that findings should not be interpreted as a comparison with other racial groups or family structures.

How does the mother's role evolve during her daughter's puberty?

Early in puberty, the mother plays a more directive role. As puberty progresses, the daughter increasingly asserts her own interpretations, and the relationship shifts toward more active negotiation between the two.

Do conflicts between mothers and daughters harm identity development?

According to the study, no. Disagreements are moments when both parties negotiate, revise, and repair identity meanings together, which contributes to healthy identity development.

Pokémon Go, the mobile application that overlays virtual creatures onto real locations using augmented reality and GPS, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026. Its publisher Scopely, an American mobile video game developer and publisher based in Los Angeles, organized an event at Times Square in New York, according to the BBC.

One Thursday, hundreds of players gathered at the iconic New York plaza to collectively battle a giant Mewtwo during a raid. A raid is a cooperative challenge in which players meet physically to battle together against a particularly powerful Pokémon. The scene directly referenced the original trailer released when the game launched in 2016.

The game has been downloaded over one billion times on iOS and Android since its launch, and millions of players still log in every single day.

The numbers

• Over 1 billion — Pokémon Go downloads on iOS and Android since 2016
• Over 100 billion km — Total distance traveled by players since launch (according to Scopely)
• ≈ 334 round trips between Earth and the Sun — Astronomical equivalent of players' cumulative distances (Scopely estimate)
• Over 60 countries — Countries that have hosted live Pokémon Go events
• Over 400,000 participants per year — Average annual participation in physical events since the first Go Fest (2017)

A global community

Since 2017 and the first Go Fest—an annual outdoor event bringing together players worldwide for exclusive collective challenges—Pokémon Go has organized gatherings in over 60 countries, with an average of more than 400,000 participants per year.

In 2025, the Wild Area event—a gathering in a designated physical space for collaborative activities—took place in Doncaster (South Yorkshire, United Kingdom). It was the only European event of this type organized that year.

British content creator j0beats runs one of the largest Twitch channels dedicated to Pokémon Go.

Timeline

• 1996 The Pokémon franchise launches on Nintendo's Game Boy handheld console.
• July 2016 Pokémon Go launches worldwide on iOS and Android, a mobile augmented reality application that lets players capture virtual creatures by moving through real locations.
• 2017 The first Go Fest takes place, the game's first major physical event. The beginning of an annual series that would expand to over 60 countries.
• 2020-2021 COVID-19 lockdowns impact Pokémon Go more severely than any other game, according to Scopely, before the game rebounds as restrictions ease.
• 2025 The Wild Area event takes place in Doncaster (South Yorkshire, United Kingdom), the only European event of this type organized that year.
• 2026 Pokémon Go's 10th anniversary. Scopely organizes a massive raid against Mewtwo at Times Square (New York), directly referencing the game's original 2016 trailer.

A game disrupted by the pandemic

COVID-19 lockdowns hit Pokémon Go particularly hard—designed to encourage players to move outdoors. According to Michael Steranka, Vice President of Product at Scopely, no other game suffered more from health restrictions. Nevertheless, the title rebounded once restrictions were relaxed.

Player testimonies

Pokémon Go has helped realize the millennial dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer.

Matthew Reynolds, Editor-in-Chief of the specialized site 'One More Catch'

Austin, a player from Maine (United States) who has been playing since 2017, testifies that Pokémon Go helped him overcome anxiety and depression by motivating him to go outside and meet strangers.

What remains uncertain

The exact date of the Times Square event is not specified in available sources: it took place on a Thursday during the period of the game's 10th anniversary celebration in 2026.

FAQ

When was Pokémon Go launched?

Pokémon Go launched in July 2016 on iOS and Android.

Who is the current publisher of Pokémon Go?

Scopely, an American mobile video game developer and publisher based in Los Angeles, California, is the current publisher of Pokémon Go.

What is a raid in Pokémon Go?

A raid is a cooperative challenge in which several players meet physically to battle together against a particularly powerful Pokémon, known as a Raid Boss.

How many kilometers have players traveled in total?

According to Scopely, players have collectively traveled over 100 billion kilometers since the launch in 2016, equivalent to approximately 334 round trips between Earth and the Sun.

Does Pokémon Go organize events outside the United States?

Yes, events have taken place in over 60 countries since 2017, with an average of more than 400,000 participants per year. In 2025, a Wild Area event was held in Doncaster, United Kingdom.