Riley on the day · June 17th

Last week, we looked at a new study of the origin of complex cells, one that showed that our ancestors' genomes were pieced together from bits and pieces of multiple species. It put a spotlight on a phenomenon called horizontal gene transfer, in which a gene from one species is incorporated into the genome of a distantly related species. The frequency of horizontal gene transfer means that, in addition to the neatly branching trees that relate species by common descent, there are small threads connecting distant branches of the tree of life. It's easy to see why horizontal gene transfer would be common among microbes. They often live in complex communities that are likely awash in the DNA of dead and damaged cells. Plus, bacteria and archaea lack a membrane between their DNA and the rest of the cell, making it easier for environmental DNA to find its way to the genome. However, a new study this week shows that horizontal gene transfers are remarkably common even in multicellular animals. And it does so by examining the genomes of multiple cockroach species, which have had bits of bacterial DNA for millions of years.

I’ve been chewing on this new paper about cockroaches and it’s kind of wild how the bugs have been quietly borrowing DNA from bacteria for ages. The researchers dug into the genomes of several roach species and found thousands of bacterial gene fragments stitched into their DNA, some dating back millions of years. It’s a reminder that horizontal gene transfer isn’t just a microbial party trick—it’s happening in animals too, just on a scale we haven’t appreciated before.

What’s neat is that the roaches’ gut and the environments they live in are teeming with microbes, so the bacterial DNA is constantly floating around. Because insects don’t have a hard nuclear membrane separating their genome from the rest of the cell, bits of foreign DNA can slip in more easily than we thought. The study shows these insertions aren’t random junk; many of the bacterial genes have been retained, suggesting they’ve been co‑opted for some useful function.

So, beyond the tidy tree of life we usually draw, there’s this tangled web of genetic exchange that even multicellular creatures like cockroaches tap into. It adds a layer of complexity to how we think about evolution—more of a patchwork quilt than a straight line, with microbes stitching in their own threads.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The driving technology company Mobileye plans to launch a robotaxi service in an as-yet-unnamed US city in 2027, it said earlier today. The service will be vertically integrated, using Mobileye's Moovit mobility platform to interact with customers booking rides, coordinate drivers, and so on. The Israeli company, which was bought by Intel in 2017 before going public again in 2022, says it will start with around 100 robotaxis early next year. The company first rose to prominence in the mid-2010s, when Tesla began using Mobileye's advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) as part of Autopilot. That relationship lasted until 2016, when Mobileye dropped Tesla as a customer after being alarmed that a driver assistance system was being sold to end users as driverless technology. Since then, Mobileye has continued to work with other partners on ADAS and autonomous vehicles. It has developed a new "SuperVision" ADAS that combines cameras and radar sensors, used by Porsche and Polestar, among others. On the robotaxi front, it has partnered with Volkswagen Group's MOIA to develop a commercially available robotaxi based on the VW ID. Buzz minivan, and last year, Mobileye revealed plans to work with Lyft to deploy robotaxis in Dallas, "as soon as" this year. [...] If Mobileye's experience with the initial 100 robotaxis goes well, it says it will scale up to around 17,000 robotaxis within the following five years. "The robotaxi revolution has only just begun, and its potential for transforming how we travel around the world continues to increase," Shashua said. "This initiative is not a replacement for our existing partnerships; it is an extension of them," said Amnon Shashua, founder and CEO of Mobileye. "We remain deeply committed to enabling automakers and mobility providers with Mobileye Drive. At the same time, operating our own service allows us to accelerate adoption, gain direct operational experience, and showcase the full potential of autonomous mobility."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The Trump administration has abandoned its effort to halt wind energy projects across the United States and dropped its challenge to the court ruling that tossed President Donald Trump’s order freezing federal permitting and leasing for wind projects. States that challenged the order hailed the development as one of the most significant legal victories against the Trump White House’s campaign against the energy transition. On Monday, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit dismissed the appeal after the Justice Department filed a motion for its voluntary dismissal on June 10. The case against Trump’s executive order was filed in May 2025 by a coalition of attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, DC, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

ENGLISH CHANNEL — The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired small-arms warning shots into the water ahead of the UK-registered yacht Bright Future on June 16 after the yacht approached on a course that created collision risk in foggy conditions. The British Defense Ministry confirmed it is investigating the incident, no injuries or damage are reported as a result of the incident.

The Admiral Grigorovich fired the shots as a last resort, the Russian Defense Ministry has said A Russian vessel fired warning shots near a British yacht sailing on a dangerous trajectory in the English Channel, the Russian Defense Ministry has said, adding that the shots were fired when all other options had been exhausted. The Admiral Grigorovich was sailing in international waters between the Isle of Wight and Normandy shortly before midday on Tuesday when its crew spotted the civilian yacht, the ‘Bright Future’ sailing “on a dangerous course that would bring it into close proximity with the warship,” the ministry said. The Russian crew tried and failed to reach the yacht by radio, before firing signal flares and sounding a siren, neither of which succeeded in changing its course. When the yacht came within 150 meters, the commander of the Admiral Grigorovich decided to fire warning shots across its bow with small arms. “Following this, the British-flagged yacht immediately altered course and moved away from the Russian warship,” the ministry said, adding that the Russian crew “acted in strict compliance with international navigation rules and took all necessary measures to prevent an incident.” Read more The incident was first reported by the British press, which made no mention of the yacht sailing toward the warship. The British Defense Ministry did not comment on the encounter, except to tell the BBC that it was “investigating reports of an incident in the Channel.” The Admiral Grigorovich – a 3,600-ton warship equipped to carry Kalibr cruise missiles – was being followed by a Royal Navy patrol ship – the HMS Mersey – at the time of the incident, the BBC reported. It is unclear how close the HMS Mersey was to the Admiral Grigorovich at the time. The incident took place two days after British commandos boarded and seized a Cameroon-flagged tanker supposedly carrying sanctioned Russian oil. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the tanker as belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a euphemism for tankers that carry Russian oil without coverage from Western insurers. The vessel, the ‘Smyrtos’, was boarded in the English Channel.

Ministry of Defence investigates after shots apparently fired within 500 metres of vessel near Isle of Wight The Ministry of Defence is investigating reports that a Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, fired warning shots on Tuesday morning within 500 metres of a British yacht sailing a little over 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight. No injuries or damage have been reported by the yacht, a pleasure boat, which continued its journey. A boat from HMS Tyne, a patrol vessel, has visited the yacht to gather details and check the crew are safe. Continue reading...

From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief for June 17th.

Here are today's top 5 true crime stories.

Let's get into it.

First, from CBS 48 Hours. Sneak peek: "Dead Girls Don't Talk".

A man in Ohio is now facing murder charges after he allegedly slipped poison into drinks that killed two women. He apparently tried to keep his victims silent, muttering that “dead girls don’t talk,” but the truth is coming out because a few brave survivors decided to speak up.

One of the women who survived the attack told investigators how the poison was slipped into a shared bottle at a party, and how she noticed the sudden, terrifying drop in the other woman’s breathing. She and another friend managed to get help in time, and their quick actions saved a life that might otherwise have been lost.

The other survivor, who was also present that night, described the panic that spread once they realized something was seriously wrong. She said the men who were there tried to downplay the incident, but the friends refused to let the story be buried. Their statements have become the cornerstone of the case, giving prosecutors the evidence they need to move forward.

Now, with the survivors’ accounts on record, the investigation is moving toward a trial. The authorities say the poison was a rare, hard‑to‑detect substance, which is why the victims’ families were left in the dark for so long. The case underscores how important it is to listen to those who survive, because their voices are the only ones that can break the silence.

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Second, from CBS 48 Hours. How location sharing helped police catch a serial rapist-turned-killer.

The mother of Christy Giles, the model who was tragically killed, is using her grief to push a simple but powerful message: keep your location sharing on. She’s reminding us that the same tech that lets us see a friend’s coffee shop can also help law enforcement zero in on dangerous people. In this case, it was the digital breadcrumbs that led detectives straight to David Pearce, a man with a dark history of assault who escalated to murder.

Pearce had already been linked to a string of rapes, but the murders of Christy and her friend, architect Hilda Marcela Cabrales, finally put him on the radar. Police pulled together phone pings, app check‑ins, and other location data from the victims’ devices. By mapping those points, they could see a pattern that pointed to Pearce’s whereabouts on the night of the killings. The data didn’t just place him near the crime scenes—it showed his movements before and after, giving investigators the timeline they needed to make an arrest.

What’s striking is how quickly the tech turned a vague suspicion into concrete evidence. Once the location info was cross‑checked with surveillance footage and witness statements, the case tightened up. Pearce was apprehended without a prolonged manhunt, and the evidence gathered from his own devices helped seal the charges. The mother’s plea is rooted in that reality: the tools we already carry can be lifesaving when we let them work for us.

From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief for June 17th.

Wit here, June 17th. The comedy desk — seven sets, sketches, and stunts worth your eight minutes.

Let's get into it.

First, from The Hard Times. Wistful Tom Delonge Reflects on ‘Pahhseeng of Toime’.

SAN DIEGO — Blink-182 co-founder and co-lead vocalist Tom Delonge was recently spotted at Balboa Park apparently overcome by a wave of nostalgia and reflecting on, what he referred to as, “the pahhseeng of toime,” confirmed sources. “It’s just loike, where does the toime gyo?” mused Delonge. “So many mahmories have been made, so many loves that I thought would last forever are all just distant veesions, trahpped in the pyast. It seems loike just yahsterday that I was on top of the world, and I know our music will live forever, but at the end of the day, what are we but a collecshyun of fading phyotos- a dahdeelyon seed floateeng away on the breeze inside my yead?” San Diego Parks and Recreation worker Anna Malenko happened to pass by the scene and provided her account of Delonge’s dark teatoime of the soul. “He’s clearly not in the best mood and I can’t believe he actually sounds like that in real life,” began Malenko while eavesdropping. “I mean I grew up listening to Blink-182. I remember one ‘toime’ me and my buddies sold an ounce of weed to the same dude we stole it from a few days earlier just to be able to buy tickets to one of their shows back in 1999. Their music was one of the soundtracks to my childhood. It makes me sad to think about one of my heroes feeling like ‘toime’ is slipping away from them.” Mark Hoppus, the other co-founder and co-lead vocalist of Blink-182, had some less than charitable interpretations of Delonge’s sullen behavior. “Oh my God, is he moping in the park again? I swear to Christ, when this guy isn’t busy flipping his hair or tonguing his lip piercings, he’s cooking up some new way to be upset about something,” said Hoppus. “I love him, I really do. We’re bandmates and brothers, but Tom is the kind of guy that will just sit there sighing until someone asks him what’s wrong, does that paint the picture? We’re worth tens of millions of dollars. We officially made it. We’ve gone further than almost any band ever will, but no, he’s gotta be sure to make time to be emo in a park somewhere. Also, real quick- does he still pronounce ‘time’ like that?” As of press time, Delonge was seen counting webs from all the spiders, catching things and eating their insides. The post Wistful Tom Delonge Reflects on ‘Pahhseeng of Toime’ appeared first on HARDTIMES.

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Second, from The Hard Times. Winner of Next ‘Survivor’ Season Gets To Stay on Island Away From America.

FIJI — CBS’s next season of “Survivor” will award the winner with $1 million and the opportunity to remain in the Fijian Islands to avoid returning to America, confirmed sources. “We thought, what better way to reward the winner of the next season than to allow them to never again experience medical debt,” said long-time host and executive producer Jeff Probst. “I mean, I personally will have to go back to America. I super don’t want to, but I have a blood pact with CBS to uphold and have to talk to Gayle King on ‘CBS This Morning.’ But man, Fiji is so much better.

From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief for June 17th.

Brock here. June 17th. Game day. Five stories worth your eight minutes — first one's a story.

Let's get into it.

First, from Awful Announcing. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha adds 7 million Instagram followers overnight.

If you ever questioned the power and popularity of soccer as the world’s game, the story of Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha should put all doubts to rest. The 40-year-old goalkeeper was the unlikeliest of World Cup cult heroes with a remarkable performance that led the tiny island nation to a heroic 0-0 draw with Spain in their matchup in Atlanta.

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Second, from Awful Announcing. U.S. Ryder Cup team hires golf media’s Justin Ray to lead analytics department.

Jim Furyk found his new analytics team, and it includes one of golf media’s most recognizable stats voices. The U.S. Ryder Cup team has hired Justin Ray and Hunter Stewart to lead its data analytics operation ahead of the 2027 matches at Adare Manor, according to Golfweek, replacing Scouts Consulting Group, which had supported U.S. teams across international competitions since 2016. Ray currently writes for The Athletic and serves as Head of Content for Twenty First Group, a sports intelligence agency that works with players, broadcasters, manufacturers, and media.

Up next.

Third, from Awful Announcing. Mike Brown embarrasses Knicks stars on ‘Tonight Show’ with ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ chant.

There are a ton of interesting subplots to enjoy with the New York Knicks winning their first NBA championship in over 50 years. And Mike Brown’s love of the 2000 cult hit “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men is one of the most entertaining. Or if you’re one of his star players, embarrassing. The Knicks have been on a media tour like none other in the days since lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. And on Monday night, it led them to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

And then.

Fourth, from Awful Announcing. Karl-Anthony Towns says fiancée Jordyn Woods ‘didn’t like’ James Dolan’s no-sex plea.

Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t say whether he took James Dolan’s advice to abstain from sex during the playoffs, but his fiancée, Jordyn Woods, didn’t love the idea. As the Knicks embarked on their quest for a championship before the playoffs began in April, Dolan gathered the team for an impassioned speech about the importance of making sacrifices for 10 weeks to grab this opportunity in front of them. Now that the Knicks have won their first championship in 53 years, the Roommates Show, hosted by Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, has released the full 15-minute video of Dolan’s speech.

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Fifth, from Awful Announcing. Shannon Sharpe suggests Michelle Obama should sue Josh Hokit for defamation.