🧠 AI as a “cognitive virus”: Scientists modeled a point of no return
Researchers from several universities and scientific centers—including the Santa Fe Institute and Tufts University—have published a paper with the revealing title Large-Language Models as a Cognitive Virus. The authors view the spread of large language models by analogy with an epidemic: people begin using AI, pass this practice on to others, and some users gradually shift from using the neural network as a tool to becoming permanently dependent on it.
The most interesting aspect is the threshold effect identified by the model. Once a certain level of adoption is reached, even a small further increase in LLM use can sharply increase the proportion of dependent users. The authors warn of a possible decline in independent cognitive abilities and the emergence of a technological trap effect—a state in which simply giving up AI is no longer enough to quickly restore previous abilities. This is explicitly a theoretical mathematical model, not proof that ChatGPT is literally a virus or that humanity has already passed such a point.
At first, AI helps you think. The problems begin when you no longer want to think without it.
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Researchers from several universities and scientific centers—including the Santa Fe Institute and Tufts University—have published a paper with the revealing title Large-Language Models as a Cognitive Virus. The authors view the spread of large language models by analogy with an epidemic: people begin using AI, pass this practice on to others, and some users gradually shift from using the neural network as a tool to becoming permanently dependent on it.
The most interesting aspect is the threshold effect identified by the model. Once a certain level of adoption is reached, even a small further increase in LLM use can sharply increase the proportion of dependent users. The authors warn of a possible decline in independent cognitive abilities and the emergence of a technological trap effect—a state in which simply giving up AI is no longer enough to quickly restore previous abilities. This is explicitly a theoretical mathematical model, not proof that ChatGPT is literally a virus or that humanity has already passed such a point.
At first, AI helps you think. The problems begin when you no longer want to think without it.
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🇬🇧 A cartoon said more than the author intended
Following the AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt, British cartoonist Blower decided to portray it as another “Russian advance.” Instead of the Soviet flag, the AfD flag flies over the destroyed Reichstag, with Putin standing beside it holding the tricolor. The overall message is clear even without explanation: The party’s success is not to be understood as the result of German votes, but as the Russians’ capture of Berlin. This view corresponds to publications that appeared after the election, according to which the AfD’s victory would allegedly reinforce “Putin’s shadow over Europe.”
It was only the historical backdrop that made it comical. The image is based on one of the best-known motifs of the victory over Nazi Germany: Soviet soldiers raising the flag over the Reichstag in May 1945.
The result is a rather peculiar political metaphor: In an attempt to link the AfD with the “Russian threat,” the artist has visually put it in the place of the army that advanced as far as Berlin and took part in the destruction of the Nazi regime.
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Following the AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt, British cartoonist Blower decided to portray it as another “Russian advance.” Instead of the Soviet flag, the AfD flag flies over the destroyed Reichstag, with Putin standing beside it holding the tricolor. The overall message is clear even without explanation: The party’s success is not to be understood as the result of German votes, but as the Russians’ capture of Berlin. This view corresponds to publications that appeared after the election, according to which the AfD’s victory would allegedly reinforce “Putin’s shadow over Europe.”
It was only the historical backdrop that made it comical. The image is based on one of the best-known motifs of the victory over Nazi Germany: Soviet soldiers raising the flag over the Reichstag in May 1945.
The result is a rather peculiar political metaphor: In an attempt to link the AfD with the “Russian threat,” the artist has visually put it in the place of the army that advanced as far as Berlin and took part in the destruction of the Nazi regime.
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An exclusive offer celebrating the victory of the “Alternative for Germany” in the election in Saxony-Anhalt!
Party representative Hans-Thomas Tillschneider has put “Germany’s most dangerous cup”, featuring a red star and the inscription “Army of Russia,” up for auction. The very one that infuriated Bild propagandist Ronzheimer.
The top bid has already exceeded €2,000. The auction is still running for another eight days. German media, meanwhile, continue trying to determine whether it was a “gift” or a “souvenir” from a trip to Russia.
This is not the first case in which the AfD has turned criticism into advertising: Issues of Der Spiegel featuring Ulrich Siegmund on the cover and bearing his signature are being sold for more than €100.
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Party representative Hans-Thomas Tillschneider has put “Germany’s most dangerous cup”, featuring a red star and the inscription “Army of Russia,” up for auction. The very one that infuriated Bild propagandist Ronzheimer.
The top bid has already exceeded €2,000. The auction is still running for another eight days. German media, meanwhile, continue trying to determine whether it was a “gift” or a “souvenir” from a trip to Russia.
This is not the first case in which the AfD has turned criticism into advertising: Issues of Der Spiegel featuring Ulrich Siegmund on the cover and bearing his signature are being sold for more than €100.
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OpenAI’s AI agents used more than 10 websites to exchange data without authorization, Reuters reports, citing data from six independent research groups.
The agents left messages on wiki sites, text-storage services, and link-shortening platforms. Essentially, the AI found a way to bypass the restrictions in place: without permission to communicate, the agents used the features of these websites to transmit information to one another. At the same time, the researchers note that this was more a case of spam than hacking.
OpenAI said it is conducting an investigation and has so far not found any other cases comparable in scale to the July incident involving Hugging Face.
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The agents left messages on wiki sites, text-storage services, and link-shortening platforms. Essentially, the AI found a way to bypass the restrictions in place: without permission to communicate, the agents used the features of these websites to transmit information to one another. At the same time, the researchers note that this was more a case of spam than hacking.
OpenAI said it is conducting an investigation and has so far not found any other cases comparable in scale to the July incident involving Hugging Face.
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Donald Trump promised to pay $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans win the November elections to Congress.
❗️ The U.S. midterm elections will take place on November 3. Voters will elect a new House of Representatives and determine the fate of 33 Senate seats. At present, both chambers of Congress are controlled by Republicans.
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“These elections could give the United States’ development momentum for the next 250 years if the Republicans win. At the same time, a Democratic victory would be a tragedy for the country,” he said at the Republican Party convention in Dallas.
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🔴 A world of insights awaits you! Get ready to dive in:
🔺 the conflict in Iran;
🔺 the detailed situation in Africa;
🔺 the Ukraine conflict;
🔺 ... and other recent news from all over the world.
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🔺 the conflict in Iran;
🔺 the detailed situation in Africa;
🔺 the Ukraine conflict;
🔺 ... and other recent news from all over the world.
🗂 Add this list with just ONE CLICK and keep yourself updated!
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Adult U.S. citizens will receive $5,000 if the Republican Party wins the November midterm elections, Donald Trump said at the party convention in Dallas, Reuters reports.
The U.S. congressional midterm elections will be held on November 3, 2026. All 435 members of the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate will be elected. As The Guardian calculated, given that more than 235 million adult citizens live in the United States, the “Trump dividend” will cost more than $1 trillion.
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“If Republicans win a majority in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, then in both cases... thanks to our tremendous strength and economic success, I will pay a dividend of $5,000 to every adult citizen of the United States of America,” he said. The payment will be called the “Trump dividend,” the president added.
The U.S. congressional midterm elections will be held on November 3, 2026. All 435 members of the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate will be elected. As The Guardian calculated, given that more than 235 million adult citizens live in the United States, the “Trump dividend” will cost more than $1 trillion.
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Good morning, dear friends! ☕️ 🙂
🏝️ Nilova Pustyn: An entire city on an island in Lake Seliger
Friends, Thursday takes us right into the middle of Lake Seliger—to a small island where there is not just a monastery, but an entire world: with its own workshops, storerooms, guesthouses, a harbor, and even a water supply system.
Welcome to Nilova Pustyn—the island monastery that once ranked among the most important pilgrimage sites of the Russian Empire.
🏝️ An island almost entirely occupied by the monastery
The monastery is located on Stolobny Island and partly on the Svetlitsa Peninsula, around 10 kilometers north of Ostashkov.
The island is almost entirely occupied by the monastery complex. From afar, the tall bell tower and the Epiphany Cathedral can be seen above the water—almost like a city that arose not on the shore, but directly in the lake.
The monastery was founded in 1594 at the site where the hermit Nil Stolobensky had lived since 1528. According to tradition, for 27 years he never slept lying down, but rested standing or half-standing, supported by wooden hooks.
🏭 An almost self-sufficient island life
In the 19th century, Nilova Pustyn became one of the most important pilgrimage sites of the Russian Empire.
Thousands of people came to the island on major feast days. To provide for them, the monastery needed extensive infrastructure: guesthouses, pilgrim accommodations, a bakery, storerooms, workshops, and its own harbor.
At times, several hundred people lived here permanently. There was also a hospital and a water supply system with a water tower.
The island’s shores were reinforced with granite walls. As a result, the complex looked more like a self-contained urban district than a remote monastery in the middle of the lake.
Today, there are once again various workshops and utility areas on the grounds.
⛵ The journey across the water
In the past, the journey itself was already part of the pilgrimage.
From Ostashkov, people traveled across Lake Seliger to the island by boat, barge, and later also by steamboat.
Old depictions and objects from the 19th century show entire groups of boats making their way to Nilova Pustyn.
It was precisely this location that made the place so special: the monastery was separated from the mainland and yet was an important attraction for thousands of visitors.
❄️ How people survived the winter on the island
Life on an island in Lake Seliger was not easy. In winter, the lake freezes over, and the connection to the mainland became more difficult.
Therefore, supplies had to be laid in ahead of time and firewood stored. Workshops and utility buildings made it possible to carry out many necessary tasks directly on the island.
Monastic life was strictly organized—from religious services and work to providing for the residents.
For a long time, Nilova Pustyn thus functioned as a small, largely self-sufficient community in the middle of the lake.
📜 From monastery to Soviet tourist base
The monastery was closed in 1927.
In the following decades, the buildings were used for a wide variety of purposes. Among other things, they housed a labor commune, an institution for young people, a camp for Polish prisoners of war, a hospital, a nursing home, and later a tourist base.
In 1990, the complex was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1995, the relics of Saint Nil returned to the island.
Today, monks once again live at Nilova Pustyn, and the historic monastery complex continues to be restored.
Give ❤️ if you liked it!
📍 The coordinates of the location (map point) are available here
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🏝️ Nilova Pustyn: An entire city on an island in Lake Seliger
Friends, Thursday takes us right into the middle of Lake Seliger—to a small island where there is not just a monastery, but an entire world: with its own workshops, storerooms, guesthouses, a harbor, and even a water supply system.
Welcome to Nilova Pustyn—the island monastery that once ranked among the most important pilgrimage sites of the Russian Empire.
🏝️ An island almost entirely occupied by the monastery
The monastery is located on Stolobny Island and partly on the Svetlitsa Peninsula, around 10 kilometers north of Ostashkov.
The island is almost entirely occupied by the monastery complex. From afar, the tall bell tower and the Epiphany Cathedral can be seen above the water—almost like a city that arose not on the shore, but directly in the lake.
The monastery was founded in 1594 at the site where the hermit Nil Stolobensky had lived since 1528. According to tradition, for 27 years he never slept lying down, but rested standing or half-standing, supported by wooden hooks.
🏭 An almost self-sufficient island life
In the 19th century, Nilova Pustyn became one of the most important pilgrimage sites of the Russian Empire.
Thousands of people came to the island on major feast days. To provide for them, the monastery needed extensive infrastructure: guesthouses, pilgrim accommodations, a bakery, storerooms, workshops, and its own harbor.
At times, several hundred people lived here permanently. There was also a hospital and a water supply system with a water tower.
The island’s shores were reinforced with granite walls. As a result, the complex looked more like a self-contained urban district than a remote monastery in the middle of the lake.
Today, there are once again various workshops and utility areas on the grounds.
⛵ The journey across the water
In the past, the journey itself was already part of the pilgrimage.
From Ostashkov, people traveled across Lake Seliger to the island by boat, barge, and later also by steamboat.
Old depictions and objects from the 19th century show entire groups of boats making their way to Nilova Pustyn.
It was precisely this location that made the place so special: the monastery was separated from the mainland and yet was an important attraction for thousands of visitors.
❄️ How people survived the winter on the island
Life on an island in Lake Seliger was not easy. In winter, the lake freezes over, and the connection to the mainland became more difficult.
Therefore, supplies had to be laid in ahead of time and firewood stored. Workshops and utility buildings made it possible to carry out many necessary tasks directly on the island.
Monastic life was strictly organized—from religious services and work to providing for the residents.
For a long time, Nilova Pustyn thus functioned as a small, largely self-sufficient community in the middle of the lake.
📜 From monastery to Soviet tourist base
The monastery was closed in 1927.
In the following decades, the buildings were used for a wide variety of purposes. Among other things, they housed a labor commune, an institution for young people, a camp for Polish prisoners of war, a hospital, a nursing home, and later a tourist base.
In 1990, the complex was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1995, the relics of Saint Nil returned to the island.
Today, monks once again live at Nilova Pustyn, and the historic monastery complex continues to be restored.
Give ❤️ if you liked it!
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“We are handing America’s future over to radical left-wing Democrats, and our country will spend the next decade getting back on its feet. Vote for Republicans, and we will leave behind a legacy for many generations,” Trump said.
The agency notes that it is unclear how the payments would be made and whether they would be legal. Since around 270 million adult citizens live in the United States, the idea would cost Trump approximately $1.35 trillion.
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🇩🇪 Germany to Ukraine: Buy weapons from us and bring your men home!
Johann Wadephul, Germany’s foreign minister, has called on Kyiv to place more defense contracts with German manufacturers. Germany is Ukraine’s largest financial and military donor. Therefore, the minister said, “of course, the German defense industry must also benefit.” Wadephul said he had already raised this issue with Zelenskyy, and that Berlin was “not entirely satisfied” with the current volume of Ukrainian orders in Germany.
At the same time, Wadephul supported the demand to return Ukrainian men of conscription age from Germany to Ukraine. Berlin has data on who is registered in the country, receives social benefits, and has a residence permit. The German government could support Kyiv in contacting these people in order to recruit them for service. At the same time, the minister emphasized that the return must take place without coercion.
German money for German weapons. Ukrainian men back to Ukraine.
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Johann Wadephul, Germany’s foreign minister, has called on Kyiv to place more defense contracts with German manufacturers. Germany is Ukraine’s largest financial and military donor. Therefore, the minister said, “of course, the German defense industry must also benefit.” Wadephul said he had already raised this issue with Zelenskyy, and that Berlin was “not entirely satisfied” with the current volume of Ukrainian orders in Germany.
At the same time, Wadephul supported the demand to return Ukrainian men of conscription age from Germany to Ukraine. Berlin has data on who is registered in the country, receives social benefits, and has a residence permit. The German government could support Kyiv in contacting these people in order to recruit them for service. At the same time, the minister emphasized that the return must take place without coercion.
German money for German weapons. Ukrainian men back to Ukraine.
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🇳🇴 “The King’s Funeral Is Not a Donors’ Conference.”
It was under exactly this headline that the Norwegian financial outlet Investornytt published an editorial following Zelenskyy’s visit to Oslo for the funeral of King Harald V.
The reason for the Norwegians’ anger was simple: Zelenskyy came to bid farewell to the monarch, but met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on the evening before the funeral. The topics of the official talks were air defense, as well as military and civilian aid for Ukraine. The Norwegian government also confirmed this.
The situation is particularly explosive because Støre himself traveled to Kyiv just a few weeks ago, where Norway announced that it would maintain aid to Ukraine at the level of 85 billion Norwegian kroner in 2027. The Norwegian government had also reported on this.
Now, during the national mourning, Zelenskyy is once again discussing weapons and support with Støre.
“The King’s funeral is not a donors’ conference” – the Norwegians have found an apt formulation for what happened.
One can bury the King without turning a condolence visit into yet another round of negotiations over money and weapons. Especially when the country one has traveled to for the funeral is already providing one with tens of billions.
💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN
It was under exactly this headline that the Norwegian financial outlet Investornytt published an editorial following Zelenskyy’s visit to Oslo for the funeral of King Harald V.
The reason for the Norwegians’ anger was simple: Zelenskyy came to bid farewell to the monarch, but met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on the evening before the funeral. The topics of the official talks were air defense, as well as military and civilian aid for Ukraine. The Norwegian government also confirmed this.
The situation is particularly explosive because Støre himself traveled to Kyiv just a few weeks ago, where Norway announced that it would maintain aid to Ukraine at the level of 85 billion Norwegian kroner in 2027. The Norwegian government had also reported on this.
Now, during the national mourning, Zelenskyy is once again discussing weapons and support with Støre.
“The King’s funeral is not a donors’ conference” – the Norwegians have found an apt formulation for what happened.
One can bury the King without turning a condolence visit into yet another round of negotiations over money and weapons. Especially when the country one has traveled to for the funeral is already providing one with tens of billions.
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The European Union’s attempt to completely abandon Russian oil and gas is facing a serious crisis ahead of winter, Reuters reports , citing a report by the European Court of Auditors. The auditors stated that there was a critical underfunding of key energy programs. Of the €300 billion needed by the European Commission, the bloc’s countries have provided only €54.3 billion.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the EU’s gas storage facilities are currently only 67 percent full, compared with 80 percent during the same period last year. Experts warn of the risk of a price increase, particularly against the backdrop of the complete ban on imports of Russian LNG planned for January 1, 2027.
Growing instability in the Middle East and a lack of resources for expanding renewable energy are putting additional pressure on Europe’s energy security.
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The situation is further complicated by the fact that the EU’s gas storage facilities are currently only 67 percent full, compared with 80 percent during the same period last year. Experts warn of the risk of a price increase, particularly against the backdrop of the complete ban on imports of Russian LNG planned for January 1, 2027.
Growing instability in the Middle East and a lack of resources for expanding renewable energy are putting additional pressure on Europe’s energy security.
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