Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

She needed a moo-sage. Utilizing implements isn’t limited to primates and brainiac birds. A brown cow named Veronika was documented using tools with impressive skill for the first time ever, ...

Fantasy baseball managers often pay for last year’s results, even when the underlying skill tells a very different story. That disconnect is where studs are undervalued, breakouts are missed, and ...

How does a cow scratch an itch on its back? An Austrian cow named Veronika has a solution that could change how we view livestock. For the past decade, Veronika has been observed by her owner ...

PCWorld reports that Microsoft’s Copilot AI holds only 1.1% of the web AI market share, declining from 1.5% over the past year. ChatGPT dominates with 64.5% market share while Google’s Gemini has ...

The percentage of teachers who are using artificial intelligence-driven tools in their classrooms nearly doubled between 2023 and 2025, according to data from the EdWeek Research Center. In 2023, a ...

As legacy retailers struggle, Studs’ Anna Harman breaks down what today’s piercing customer actually wants, and why. Photo by Tory Williams/Courtesy of Studs This Q&A is part of Observer’s Expert ...

Artificial intelligence is changing how people shop, with consumers using AI tools, like Google's Gemini and Open AI's Chat GPT, to research items and find the best deals. Artificial intelligence is ...

To better understand which social media platforms Americans use, Pew Research Center surveyed 5,022 U.S. adults from Feb. 5 to June 18, 2025. SSRS conducted this National Public Opinion Reference ...

Your favorite latte at the local coffee shop could soon cost $5, $5.10 or $5.25—depending on how you pay. A settlement between Visa, Mastercard and U.S. merchants announced this week could usher in a ...

Emerging research suggests that the more you use AI, the more it may negatively affect your critical thinking skills. But it depends on the tasks you use it for and how you use it. Share on Pinterest ...