Welcome to Discover Daily , by Perplexity , your AI-curated digest of breakthroughs in tech , science and culture . I'm Alex . Today we're uncovering a potential genetic key to human speech . But first let's navigate today's tech headlines . The wearable tech market is facing shockwaves , as Humane officially announces the shutdown of its AI pin , effective February 28th 2025 .
This abrupt collapse comes just nine months after the device's launch . The nearly $700 wearable , which projected information onto users' palms through a laser display , ultimately failed to transition from intriguing prototype to daily essential . Early adopters complained about unreliable gesture controls , overheating issues during prolonged use and limited third-party app integration .
Hp's $116 million acquisition of Humane's assets reveals strategic priorities in the AI hardware space . Insiders confirm HP will integrate Humane's patented laser projection system and voice interaction models into upcoming enterprise-focused devices . While approximately 40% of Humane's workforce will transition to HP , the remaining 60 employees face layoffs .
A harsh reality check for a startup that raised over $230 million from investors , including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman . Tech analyst Maria Chen from FutureSource Consulting notes quote . Tech analyst Maria Chen from FutureSource Consulting notes quote . This isn't just a product failure .
It's a cautionary tale about the challenges of creating ambient computing devices that truly augment rather than complicate human activity . Shifting gears . A new app called Protector , is redefining private security in America's cities .
Available now in Los Angeles , new York and San Francisco , the platform allows users to summon armed guards and armored motorcades with Uber-like convenience , for a minimum five-hour booking at $100 an hour , plus an annual $129 membership fee . Clients can create customized security details .
Options include choosing between blacked-out SUVs or luxury sedans , selecting guards based on military special forces backgrounds and even requesting specific uniform styles , from tactical gear to business suits . The service's early adoption reveals a few trends .
The company reports that over 70% of bookings come from women aged 25 to 45 scheduling late-night transportation , while corporate clients account for 22% of revenue .
Protector CEO Amanda Zhou , a former Secret Service agent , emphasizes their rigorous vetting , saying quote every operative completes 300 plus hours of training , including de-escalation tactics and emergency medical response .
But critics like ACLU senior policy analyst Jalen Carter , warn that normalizing privatized armed escorts could exacerbate social stratification and reduce pressure to improve public safety infrastructure . Now let's dive into today's lead story , a scientific breakthrough that could rewrite our understanding of human evolution .
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a single protein variant called NOVA , one that may hold the key to humanity's unique capacity for speech , to humanity's unique capacity for speech . This discovery culminates three decades of research dating back to 1993 , when Dr Robert Darnell first isolated NOVA-1 while studying perineoplastic disorders .
The recent study analyzed the genetic data of more than 650,000 people and discovered that nearly every one of them , except for just six individuals , carried a specific version of a protein called I-197V . This extraordinary consistency across so many people suggests that this protein variant played a critical role in human evolution .
The team then conducted experiments transplanting human nova one into mice . These modified rodents developed distinctive vocal patterns . Their ultrasonic calls showed 28% more acoustic complexity compared to control groups . Brain autopsies revealed restructured neural pathways in the ventral pallidum and inferior colliculus regions homologous to human speech centers .
Lead geneticist Dr Elisa Cortez explains quote the human variant acts like a molecular sculptor . It doesn't create new brain structures , but reshapes how existing circuits process and produce sound . This research bridges multiple scientific disciplines .
Paleoanthropologists note that NOVA1's evolutionary emergence aligns with fossil evidence of modern vocal tracts appearing 100,000 years ago . Neurologists are particularly excited about clinical implications . The same gene shows strong associations with autism spectrum disorder and childhood apraxia of speech .
A 2023 Lancet study found children with NOVA1 mutations were 4.3 times more likely to develop non-verbal autism spectrum disorder . Dr Cortez's team is now collaborating with MIT to explore gene therapy applications that could potentially modulate NOVA1 expression in patients with severe communication disorders .
While NOVA1-modified mice can't speak , their altered vocalizations provide the first experimental model of how genetic changes might have enabled prehistoric humans to develop complex language . That's it for today . Before we go , a quick update from our team . Perplexity's new deep research feature can now analyze hundreds of sources to build detailed reports in minutes .
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