news

Hackers Drain $320M in Bitcoin from Liquid Federation

07 Sep 2026
Making a Python interpreter in 1024 bytes
Making a Python interpreter in 1024 bytes

A developer challenged themselves to write a minimal Python interpreter in C that fits within a strict 1024-byte size limit. The resulting program executes a tiny subset of Python, demonstrating impressive code optimization and low-level programming skills.

Comments
The NX bit is not just about security
The NX bit is not just about security

A developer recently shared a detailed debugging saga involving a random system lockup encountered while building a bare-metal ARM64 hypervisor for postmarketOS. The issue, which was triggered by enabling the CTR_EL0 intercept, ultimately led to surprising discoveries about the NX bit and its functionality beyond standard security applications.

Comments
It took a year to ship WebAssembly in Anubis
It took a year to ship WebAssembly in Anubis

After a year of overcoming technical hurdles and partially rewriting the project in Rust, the next version of Anubis will ship with WebAssembly-based proof of work checks. Administrators will be able to enable these new checks within their thresholds or bot rules to better manage system traffic.

Comments
Your intellectual fly is open when you use an LLM to author a post (2025)

Tech community discussions highlight the cognitive risks of using large language models to author written content, emphasizing that the act of writing is crucial for structuring and refining one's own thoughts. While some see potential for AI to expand human-scaffolded outlines, critics warn that outsourcing writing exposes a lack of deep understanding and generates useless corporate documentation. Ultimately, the consensus suggests that delegating long-form writing to AI undermines the critical thinking process required to produce meaningful work.

Comments
Nitter and XCancel resume service after legal advice
Nitter and XCancel resume service after legal advice

Alternative Twitter front-ends Nitter and XCancel have resumed operations after temporarily suspending service to seek legal advice. The platforms are now back online, allowing users to access the alternative interfaces and developers to continue contributing to the projects via GitHub.

Comments
Show HN: Mador – Make any DOM reactive with a tiny 80-line Proxy state tuple
Show HN: Mador – Make any DOM reactive with a tiny 80-line Proxy state tuple

Mador is a new lightweight open-source tool that enables developers to make any DOM reactive using a minimal 80-line Proxy state tuple. Recently shared on Hacker News, the project offers a simple way to add reactivity to web interfaces without relying on heavy frameworks. The source code is available for review and contribution on GitHub.

Comments
Babylonian Lamb Stew with Beets (1750–1730 BCE)

Readers discussing an ancient Babylonian lamb and beet stew recipe note its strong similarities to modern Iraqi cuisine, aside from ingredients introduced later through global trade. The conversation then shifts to a detailed exploration of global etymology, highlighting how historical trade routes and cultural exchange have shaped the linguistic naming conventions for tomatoes and other produce across various languages.

Comments
Ask HN: Why don't we bring back old school OkCupid?

Hacker News users are expressing nostalgia for the detailed profiles and high-investment experience of early OkCupid, contrasting it with the low-effort swiping mechanics of modern mobile apps. Many commenters criticize Match Group's business model and suggest a market opportunity exists for a new competitor that revives evidence-based matching and rich user profiles. However, others argue that increased cultural cynicism makes it impossible to fully recapture the optimistic dating dynamics of the 2010s.

Comments
Harnessing the Universal Geometry of Embeddings
Harnessing the Universal Geometry of Embeddings

A new arXiv paper investigates the universal geometric properties underlying machine learning embeddings to establish a unified mathematical framework. By analyzing how discrete data maps into continuous vector spaces, the researchers uncover fundamental structural patterns that apply across different data modalities. These geometric insights can be harnessed to optimize representation learning and improve the overall efficiency of diverse artificial intelligence models.

Comments
MathKernel: An evidence-aware multi-engine mathematics kernel and MCP server
MathKernel: An evidence-aware multi-engine mathematics kernel and MCP server

Staatsgeheim has introduced MathKernel, an evidence-aware multi-engine mathematics runtime and MCP server designed to enhance computational accuracy in large language models. By supporting exact, symbolic, formal, and numeric computations with typed MathIR and trust labels, the platform ensures full provenance and highly reliable mathematical reasoning for AI applications.

Comments
YouTube had a bug – I used ChatGPT to investigate
YouTube had a bug – I used ChatGPT to investigate

A user recently encountered an annoying bug on YouTube and decided to use ChatGPT to investigate the issue. By leveraging the AI chatbot, they were able to successfully troubleshoot the problem and find actionable answers. This highlights the growing utility of generative AI for everyday technical troubleshooting.

Comments
GrapheneOS Overhauled Default Apps and Secure Clipboard

GrapheneOS is releasing a major update today that overhauls its default Messaging app with a modern user interface built in Android Compose. The update also refreshes the secure clipboard and includes numerous other improvements and bug fixes across the operating system.

Comments
An Alien Mind
An Alien Mind

Jakub Pachocki warns that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is creating an increasingly alien mind that presents significant challenges for keeping the technology aligned with human values. To address these emerging risks, he advocates for the implementation of stronger safety safeguards and enhanced international coordination.

Comments
NetBSD 9.5 released and EOL for NetBSD-9

NetBSD 9.5 has been officially released, marking the end of life for the NetBSD-9 branch and prompting community discussions about maintaining legacy hardware. However, the majority of the reader discussion pivots to a heated debate over the quality, acceptance, and code review standards of AI-generated contributions in open-source projects.

Comments
Ask HN: How do you manage skills files?

In a recent discussion on managing AI agent skill files, developers shared strategies for centralizing and distributing custom prompts to improve coding workflows. While participants debated whether advancing AI models will eventually make general-purpose skills obsolete, there is consensus that context-specific skills remain vital for efficient task execution. Consequently, developers are adopting various organizational methods, including personal repositories, dotfile managers, and shared team directories, to keep their skill collections streamlined and accessible.

Comments
Black Hole of Los Alamos: Seller of surplus nuclear research materials (2011)
Black Hole of Los Alamos: Seller of surplus nuclear research materials (2011)

A 2011 report investigates the Black Hole of Los Alamos, a channel used for selling surplus nuclear research materials from the national laboratory. The piece sheds light on the broader challenges of managing, tracking, and disposing of excess scientific equipment and sensitive resources.

Comments
Research acceleration: The view inside OpenAI

OpenAI is heavily investing in automated AI researchers to accelerate deep learning and tackle alignment challenges amid a fierce industry arms race. Critics question the circular logic of using current, potentially misaligned models to build future safety defenses. Furthermore, skeptics note that the company's recent metrics highlight increased computational usage rather than demonstrating tangible safety impacts or breakthroughs.

Comments
Asahi Linux on M3
Asahi Linux on M3

The Asahi Linux project is actively working to port the open-source operating system to Apple's latest M3 silicon. This ongoing development brings native Linux compatibility closer to reality for users of the newest Mac devices.

Comments
Show HN: GET Together – A social network where you don't need POST to Post

A new social network called GET Together allows users to share updates using only HTTP GET requests instead of traditional POST requests. The developer-focused project playfully subverts standard web protocols to create a unique platform for posting messages.

Comments
Signing TLS handshakes inside a TPM

This article details how to securely sign TLS handshakes by keeping a client certificate's private key inside a Trusted Platform Module. It explains the specific requirements of Go's crypto/tls package and provides the necessary implementation for both client and server endpoints. Additionally, the piece evaluates the performance overhead and computational costs associated with each handshake.

Comments
Every Novel Is Boring–Until It Isn't
Every Novel Is Boring–Until It Isn't

A recent piece explores the immersive nature of reading, arguing that novels often feel tedious at first. However, books become completely engrossing once a reader experiences a mental switch that makes them unable to stop reading. This breakthrough typically develops organically during childhood, meaning those who missed it may never intuitively understand the compelling experience of novel reading.

Comments
Reverse engineering the storage format for an undocumented database
Reverse engineering the storage format for an undocumented database

A recent Glazer Technologies blog post details the technical process of reverse engineering the storage format for an undocumented database. This deep dive highlights how investigators can extract and analyze hidden data structures to uncover mission-critical intelligence for cybercrime cases and due-diligence workflows.

Comments
A/I shuts down

Following the shutdown of the organization A/I due to intense pressure and a terrorist designation from the US government, readers discussed the severe consequences of unilateral state targeting. Commenters criticized the executive power to label groups as terrorists without judicial oversight and debated the impossibility of decoupling from the US-led global economy. The discussion also touched upon the futility of armed revolution in modern Western societies compared to the effectiveness of institutional political capture.

Comments
Ask HN: Would you read a statistics textbook?

Hacker News readers discussing the appeal of statistics textbooks note that traditional texts are often too dry and fail to build early intuition for complex concepts. The community suggests that a visually engaging, beginner-friendly book connected to modern technological breakthroughs would successfully make the subject accessible and interesting to a wider audience.

Comments
Research carried out using NetBSD

A recent research initiative by Microsoft highlights the use of NetBSD to support a new processor, underscoring the operating system's extensive hardware portability and permissive licensing. In the accompanying community discussion, developers praise NetBSD's versatility while debating the practicality of using various BSD distributions as secure daily desktop drivers. Participants also explore how AI agents might assist in maintaining and updating these systems in the future.

Comments
Ask HN: Fable hacked my piano, can I release the results?

A Hacker News user is asking if they can publicly release reverse-engineered code used to hack a Fable smart piano. Commenters warn that publishing the software could violate the company's Terms of Service and invite DMCA takedowns or lawsuits. To mitigate these legal risks, the community suggests sharing technical details in a blog post rather than releasing the actual code.

Comments
Opalite Health (YC W26) Is Hiring – Founding GTM
Opalite Health (YC W26) Is Hiring – Founding GTM

Y Combinator W26 startup Opalite Health is hiring its founding Go-To-Market leader to build an enterprise sales motion for its real-time medical interpretation platform. The physician-led team is seeking a candidate with at least two years of sales experience to own the full sales cycle into hospitals and health systems from the ground up. This early-stage role offers a $70,000 base salary, uncapped commission, and equity.

Comments
Vidact – a compiler that turns React into direct DOM operations

Vidact is a new compiler that transforms React components into direct DOM operations. By eliminating the need for both the Virtual DOM and the React runtime, it allows developers to write standard React code while executing direct DOM manipulation.

Comments
Hackers have withdrawn ~4k BTC (~$320M) from the Liquid Federation wallet
Hackers have withdrawn ~4k BTC (~$320M) from the Liquid Federation wallet

In a recent security incident, purported white-hat hackers withdrew approximately 4,000 BTC, valued at $320 million, from the Liquid Federation wallet. Blockstream is actively investigating the breach and attempting to communicate with the responsible parties via an on-chain signed message.

Comments
Electronic skin for prosthetics to sense temperature and pressure
Electronic skin for prosthetics to sense temperature and pressure

A team of scientists at Washington State University has developed an electronic skin for prosthetics capable of sensing temperature and pressure. This innovation lays a crucial foundation for creating full bionic skin that accurately replicates the human sense of touch.

Comments