Explained
Clear explanations of the systems behind the headlines. Browse our topic desks or Daily 9.
What Is End-to-End Encryption? Devices, Keys and Backups
Encryption protects a message between its endpoints.
How Does Quantum Computing Work? From Gates to Results
Follow a quantum circuit from qubit preparation through gates, interference and measurement to a classical result.
Authenticator App vs SMS: How the Login Codes Differ
App codes avoid phone-number delivery, but app and SMS codes can both be phished.
What Is AI Hallucination? Why AI Makes Things Up and How to Check
Why a language model can state something false with full confidence, and the practical checks that catch it.
What Is RAG in AI? How Retrieval-Augmented Generation Works
How an AI system looks up passages in a set of documents before it answers, and where that can still go wrong.
What Is a Security Key? How Hardware Keys Stop Phishing
A small device that proves it is you when you sign in, and that a fake login page cannot trick.
What Is a Qubit? How Quantum Bits Work and Why They Are Fragile
The basic unit of a quantum computer: read out as 0 or 1, but able to hold a mix of both until it is measured.
What Is Post-Quantum Cryptography? How Quantum-Safe Encryption Works
New encryption built to withstand quantum computers, running on the phones and computers you already use.
The Daily 9 — September 26: AI Costs, Stablecoin Cards, Quantum Tests
Nine developments announced September 22–24, selected for the September 26 launch briefing.
Running AI Locally: What Your Laptop Can—and Cannot—Handle
Memory, model size and input length determine what your laptop can run comfortably.
On-Device vs. Cloud Processing: Where Your Data Goes
Where computation happens changes a feature's privacy, speed, capability and need for connectivity.
Before You Install a Browser Extension, Check These Permissions
Compare an extension's requested access with the task you expect it to perform.
Why the Same Token Can Exist on Several Networks
A token's ticker is not enough: the network and contract determine which asset you are sending.
Why an International Transfer Can Take Minutes—or Days
Funding, currency conversion, checks and local payout all affect when a transfer arrives.
What Happens to Your Files When You Upload Them to an AI Tool?
Uploading a file raises separate questions about processing, storage, training and deletion.
What Happens When a Cloud Region Goes Offline?
Regional recovery depends on application design, replicated data and a tested route to another location.
Local-First Apps: What Changes When Your Files Stay on Your Device?
Local-first software keeps a usable copy on your device and synchronizes it with other copies.
Stablecoins Explained: What Keeps a Digital Dollar Worth a Dollar?
Reserves, redemption and market liquidity help explain whether a stablecoin can hold its target price.
A Banking App Isn’t Always a Bank: How to Tell the Difference
The app you use and the institution holding your money may be different organizations.
AI Agents vs. Chatbots: What Actually Changes?
An agent can use tools and take actions, while a basic chatbot mainly returns an answer.
CPU, GPU and NPU: Which Chip Does What?
CPUs, GPUs and NPUs handle different workloads, and software determines which processor gets used.
What Is a Passkey? How Passkeys Work and How to Set One Up
A passkey lets you sign in with your fingerprint, face or device PIN instead of a password.
What a Crypto Wallet Actually Stores
A wallet manages keys and permissions; the assets themselves are recorded on a network.
What Happens After You Tap Your Card?
A successful tap approves the payment; settlement and the merchant's payout happen later.