💬 Quoted: “[They’re] very annoyed by the drones… They think they’re defending their chicks from a predator.”

• New York City’s beaches have turned into a real-life Angry Birds situation. In recent weeks, several NYC beaches have reported swarms of distinctive shorebirds called American oystercatchers attacking fleets of drones, which are deployed as part of a city program to scan for sharks and swimmers in distress. Officials say the situation is dangerous for the birds, who are especially aggressive when defending their nests, as the drones’ rotating blades pose a serious injury threat. The drones, which are equipped with inflatable life rafts that can be dropped on distressed swimmers, have yet to conduct any swimmer rescues – but they spotted their first shark on Thursday, resulting in a beach closure.

🤖🧠 Stat of the Day: New research shows artificial intelligence is well on its way to passing the Turing test in the minds of the general public. According to a study published in Neuroscience of Consciousness, two-thirds of Americans now believe that ChatGPT is conscious and possesses the capability for feelings and memories – despite the vast majority of experts denying that current AI systems can be conscious.

🤔 Did You Know? The average lifespan for women is about five years longer than men in the US, and about seven years longer worldwide.

📰 Worth a Read: The forgotten priest who predicted black holes in 1783 → (BBC Future)