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AI coding and workspace platforms are a dime a dozen these days, but I couldn’t help but be surprised to see that PewDiePie has developed an AI workspace called Odysseus . The YouTuber is, perhaps surprisingly, pretty hot on powerhouse Linux and AI tools. If you’re not familiar with an AI workspace, it’s a platform that allows AI to interact with other tools and data; it could be a coding workspace or a way to have AI help out with your documents and emails.

What initially caught my interest about Odysseus is its privacy-first approach. It’s designed to be self-hosted and is easy enough to compile into a Docker image to run on my DIY NAS . This has the obvious benefit that emails, documents, personal information, and anything else you share with your large language models of choice remain yours, not saved and potentially exploited by a third-party company.

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When you click to enter a website or try to log in or fill out a form, you may be asked to identify motorcycles from a grid of grainy images, decipher a string of convoluted characters, or click a box that states "I am not a robot."

These tests are called CAPTCHAs, which stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart." As their name suggests, they are meant to help a website distinguish if an action is coming from a human or a bot, since the aforementioned tasks are theoretically easy for a human and difficult for automated software to perform. This, in turn, blocks bots from spamming comments, downloading files, taking over accounts, or executing any other action on a website.

But as computer models increasingly gain the ability to solve CAPTCHAs, thanks to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) — and with puzzles getting weirder and more difficult for humans to complete — does this mean CAPTCHAs are still useful?

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CAPTCHAs were introduced in the late 1990s to address "a very simple, but very difficult problem," Andreas Plesner , a computer scientist at ETH Zurich, told Live Science. "If I don't interact with a person physically … is it a computer? Or is it human?" Some of the first CAPTCHAs, still common on websites today, were composed of distorted text, since text-reading software at that time had trouble interpreting warped words.

But over time, text-reading software improved and new types of CAPTCHAs were developed. For instance, reCAPTCHA, one of the most popular CAPTCHA services, has an image-based test that asks users to identify objects such as traffic lights, motorcycles or bicycles from a grid of Google Street View photos. This was developed after Google acquired the service in 2009.

"The bet was that recognizing objects in messy, real-world photos was still a uniquely human skill," Ng Chong , chief of information technology and director of United Nations University's Campus Computing Centre in Tokyo, told Live Science in an email.

As time went on, CAPTCHA design continued to advance. In 2014, Google came out with reCAPTCHA v2, which analyzed computer mouse behavior by asking people to click a checkbox to test if a user was human. If the behavior is deemed suspicious, determined by factors like how a user interacts with the site beforehand or the timing of their click, the street-image grid pops up as an additional puzzle.

However, more recently, technology has improved to a point where image recognition is no longer a human-specific skill. As early as 2016, researchers found that low-cost deep learning technologies could solve reCAPTCHAv2 around 70% of the time . By 2024, Plesner and his colleagues developed an AI model that could solve the puzzles correctly 100% of the time. Earlier in 2026, Chong noted that he built a tool that could mimic human-like browsing behavior and sometimes bypass reCAPTCHA v2 without triggering the image grid at all. When the grid was triggered, the tool used AI to solve it within a few tries.

"When both the challenge and the behavioral layer are defeated by commodity tools running on a single laptop, the fundamental premise of CAPTCHA, that there are tasks humans can do but machines can't, stops holding," Chong wrote.

"Real World Captchas" appeared in major cities around the world in April 2025. (Image credit: Gerald Matzka / Stringer via Getty Images) Looking ahead

So does that mean CAPTCHAs are completely obsolete? Not quite. Although the model Plesner and his colleagues developed breezed past reCAPTCHAv2, "there were a lot of the safety measures that were not tied to being able to solve it, but more tied to how you solve it," he said. For example, while conducting their research, Plesner noted that his team used a virtual private network (VPN) that changed IP addresses for each test, since a single IP address with a high volume of solved CAPTCHAs faced tasks with increasing difficulty, or got blocked entirely.

Modern CAPTCHAs focus on these background clues and tactics, rather than the puzzle itself. This includes Google's reCAPTCHA v3 , Friendly CAPTCHA, hCAPTCHA and Cloudflare's Turnstile, among others, which run without sending a puzzle at all. They instead look at whether the action is coming from a real attested device (rather than from automated code), whether an IP address has had a high volume of automated requests in the past, how a user navigates a webpage, what the user's cookie history is, and a slew of other factors to determine possible malicious intent.

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As the tug-of-war continues, CAPTCHA puzzles are still widespread. After all, they’ve been the status quo for decades, are easy to set up and are relatively cost-effective, Chong said. But these tasks have some other drawbacks. Although bots can increasingly solve the puzzles with ease, CAPTCHAs can be a headache to get through for humans and can be seen as discriminatory against those with disabilities, notably visual disabilities , as a researcher noted in a 2022 conference paper .

The crescendoing complexity of CAPTCHA puzzles has even been the subject of parody, with developer Neal Agarwal creating a free satirical game called " I'm Not a Robot ." Users must solve a series of increasingly convoluted verification checks — scoring a point for each stage they pass, which eventually transcend into the absurd.

So, as machines get smarter, the answer may not be to find more difficult puzzles. "If a CAPTCHA can only be solved by someone with a Ph.D. in mathematics, then it's not very useful," Plesner said. "The internet needs to be used by everyone."

Can you match these ancient devices to their pictures? Find out with our computing quiz!

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The Old World Core Set is like a time capsule; it's filled with bric-à-brac from the past wrapped in fond memories. As is the case with so many time capsules, though, this is an idealized version of history. The bad has been trimmed away, leaving your best foot forward.

This is the cantankerous Warhammer Fantasy Battles (AKA Old World's inspiration) on its best day. There are grand armies with gorgeous models sweeping across the battlefield, crunchy rules with endless depth, and enough dice being thrown to form a bone-white carpet on your table. However, The Old World Core Set goes one better than its predecessor. It's made a noticeable effort to be as beginner-friendly as possible, and it's a shining example of what The Old World should be. In fact, it's the best entry-point to the game yet.

Don't get me wrong – this is still the most complicated entry in Warhammer's arsenal. It can be overwhelming in its ambition, too. But if you're able to stick with it like a block of spearmen bracing for the charge, you'll be richly rewarded.

The Old World Core Set features & design

Players

2

Ages

12+

Complexity

High

Lasts

90-120mins per session

System

The Old World (2026)

This is a crunchy, rules-heavy game

Includes two Battle March armies & everything you need to play

Brand-new Warriors of Chaos vs. Grand Cathay

Much like The Horus Heresy, this is a ganglier, more complex beast than anything else on Warhammer's lineup. It's far denser than Age of Sigmar and makes 40K seem trite. This is a game of edge-cases and sub-rules; everything from flanking to the willpower of your units is included, and there are a staggering number of mechanics to define the most unlikely scenario. It's far crunchier, too. The Old World still has you consulting to-hit and to-wound tables, comparing your unit's scores against your opponent's.

You'll know just from reading that paragraph whether The Old World Core Set is for you. If you find mathematical tomfoolery like this intimidating, run. But if you find today's wargames too lightweight, prepare to feast. This is the ultimate tactical experience, with so much to factor into your strategy.

(Image credit: Future/Benjamin Abbott) Not that you're thrown in at the deep end, of course. Before now, you had to fully commit with a massive battalion box or by buying individual units to start playing Old World. This Core Set fixes that with two smaller, but still competitively-recognized, "Battle March" armies that are far less intimidating to make. (An all-new range of Chaos Warriors is featured here alongside last year's Grand Cathay line .) They're supported by the full rulebook, stats for all your troops, a battlemat, reference guides, and all the accessories necessary to play. In other words, you've got everything you need to get stuck in here other than terrain.

In terms of construction, these models are far more advanced than you'd find in a box like the starter sets or Armageddon ; they're incredibly 'bitty' in a way that's reminiscent of the Horus Heresy Custodes models . They look phenomenal and are far more dynamic than the majority of (in some cases decades-old) miniatures in the game, but they require more patience.

Gameplay

(Image credit: Future/Benjamin Abbott) Incredible depth leads to so many tactical options

The complex mechanics make its warriors feel like real people

You'll need to flip between multiple books at first as you learn rules

There's nothing quite like seeing two enormous armies of ranked infantry, resplendent knights, and grand warmachines marching into battle on the tabletop. It's a sense of scale you rarely see from the hobby, which normally limits itself to skirmishes with a loose handful of warriors per unit. As a result, formations and where you charge the enemy are far more important factors here. Flanking maneuvers and well-timed cavalry attacks can be devastating, just like they would be in real life, and you'll have to keep an eye on your army's morale to make sure groups don't turn and flee under strain.

I grew up with this back when Fantasy Battles was still a thing, and I don't think I realized how much I missed it until I was pitting The Old World Core Set's Chaos Warriors against Grand Cathay. Soldiers turning tail or to-hit tables representing the cut and thrust of combat makes it all feel much more real. I became a lot more invested in my troops as a result.

Battle report

(Image credit: Future) The brave Jade Warriors of Cathay tried to halt the onslaught of a Chaos incursion during my test-match, but they were woefully unprepared for how dangerous their foe would be. Despite making good progress with their cannons early on, I made the mistake of trying to make them stand their ground against a charge before outflanking the Chaos onslaught. Unfortunately, they hit like a dump truck at top speed so slaughtered my men with cruel efficiency.

I just hope you're prepared for a lot of flipping back and forth through the rulebook (or between booklets) while you get used to the rules. Each unit's stats are included in the same pamphlet, while info like to-wound tables are kept elsewhere, so you'll be bouncing from stats and back again throughout your first matches.

That's my one criticism about The Old World Core Set; I think it could do with separate datacards for each unit of the kind you'd find in Kill Team: Terror on Devlan , because then there's far less hassle jumping between pages. Similarly, a separate summary sheet of key terms would also have been handy. It's fine consulting the rulebook's glossary to find what you need mid-match, but it does bring things grinding to a halt.

Still, that'll become less of an issue the further down the road you go. And because both armies are a strong foundation from which to build a greater force, it's an off-ramp to exciting possibilities.

Should you buy Warhammer The Old World Core Set?

(Image credit: Future/Benjamin Abbott) If you're looking for a crunchy, in-depth game system with a lot of weight, you'll be in heaven here; The Old World's complexity makes it feel so much more alive than its peers, and the result is immensely satisfying. This Core Set is also the best route in by far. Although it could do with some more player aids to assist with those early days, it provides everything you need to get stuck in.

Buy it if...

✅ You want a crunchy, rules-heavy wargame: This is far more intricate and detailed than other Warhammer games. Flanking and the mental state of your army matters, for instance.

✅ You want huge scale battles: If the idea of serried ranks of infantry and cavalry gets you grinning from ear to ear, you'll appreciate this.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want something quick and accessible: This is arguably the most complicated game in Warhammer's arsenal. It's not for the faint of heart.

❌ You don't have a lot of free time for hobbying: Because the miniatures are so complex to build, and there are so many of them to paint, The Old World is a major commitment.

How we tested Warhammer The Old World Core Set

(Image credit: Future/Benjamin Abbott) This product sample was provided by Games Workshop.

After familiarizing myself with the rules and constructing models from the box-set, I tried a test-match pitting both armies against one another in a full battle (as laid out in the Muster Lists booklet). This allowed me to get a practical sense of how gameplay worked in practice.

For more on our process, be sure to check out how we test board games or the GamesRadar+ reviews policy .

For recommendations on what to play next, don't miss the best board games or the best tabletop RPGs .

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Smeg is best known for its bright, fun appliances that add a splash of color to your kitchen. Its new Musa collection takes a different tack, however, using shades of black with a fun twist that’s only visible when you get up-close. Musa — which includes ovens (both full-size and compact), warming drawers, and induction hobs, with an extractor hood coming next year — is the work of Milan-based studio BorromeodeSilva , which has a background in automotive design. I spoke to co-founder Carlo Borromeo to find out how the studio is bringing that experience to your kitchen, and the challenges experienced along the way.

This isn’t the first time BorromeodeSilva has worked with Smeg — in 2012, the two brands, along with eyewear company Italia Independent, teamed up to create a special-edition denim-clad version of the Smeg Fab 28 fridge . The resulting product didn’t just look cool; it was designed to be practical as well, withstanding regular use in an ordinary kitchen.

So how did an automotive design agency get involved in creating such an unusual product? According to Borromeo, the project came about from a relationship with Smeg’s founder, Roberto Vittorio, who pitched the initial concept.

“I'm like, 'No, but that's a terrible idea, you know? It will get dirty,' and they're like, 'Ah, you find a way,'” says Borromeo. “And so we took the project very seriously, and we developed a plasma treatment for the fabric that allowed us to coat it with a protective surface. So, if you touch it, it feels normal, but it's actually stain-resistant, odor-resistant; it doesn't pick up mold or stuff like that. And the fridge came out, and it was a mega success — they sold thousands of them.

“So, that was the beginning of a very fun relationship with the Bertazzoni family and Smeg at home, especially with the Vittorios’ father, Roberto, who became kind of like a mentor. And we kept the relationship going more as a friendship. But then, in recent years, we got back in touch, and they asked me to come and design a few products for them, and it was an absolute joy to rekindle that relationship.”

The brief for the Musa collection was very different. Rather than experimenting with novel materials, the goal here was to make an appliance with the fun personality and character of a Smeg product, but that would also fit into a modern kitchen.

“These kitchens tend to be quite understated nowadays, so we need to figure out a way to add our flair, our fun, our playfulness, but in a context where it doesn't explode too much, but fits in,” says Borromeo. “And this was the challenge about this project.”

(Image credit: Smeg) There has definitely been a trend towards using natural materials and neutral colors in kitchens recently, exemplified by products such as KitchenAid’s stand mixer with a walnut wood bowl , and Pantone’s color of the year, Cloud Dancer . It’s a far cry from Smeg’s pastel-colored retro appliances, so I asked Borromeo how his team went about designing something that would suit.

“Was it a challenge kind of working with that, to create something unique?” he asks. “I mean, we wanted to do that right away, but as you see, the Musa, it's black and gray. This was done by design because we thought, let's try to see if we can make a product that is Smeg, even if we take away the color, which is the primary thing that identifies Smeg.

It becomes like a little portal into your kitchen, into your food

Carlo Borromeo

“We said, if we have to reduce it to its minimum components, let's try to take away the color as well, and see if we can create a product that is still connecting, that is still fun, that makes you smile, that has a sort of magnetic aura. And I think we achieved it, because I noticed it during [Milan] Design Week. There was a wall with all these different ovens, and Musa was one of them, and immediately, you would notice it. So, it's a product that doesn't scream for attention, but captures it anyway.”

Although the Musa oven might look plain at first glance, get closer and you’ll see the elements that make it interesting and different, despite the lack of color. For example, it has an unusual texture, which comes from BorromeodeSilva’s automotive background.

“We work a lot with classic cars, modernizing them. And so this method of taking character traits and applying them to objects is something that stems from there,” says Borromeo. “Then there’s also a practical thing that helps us a lot, which is our knowledge of CMF — color, materials, and finish — in developing the texture that we use to decorate the objects.”

He turns to the Musa oven. “If you look at it from far away, the window is like a solid, but as you get closer, you notice this stripey texture, which is playful, it's nice to the touch, it gives you more. And also, it gives you a little surprise as you get closer, which is a playful element.”

(Image credit: Smeg) The other playful element is the window, which is smaller than usual, with rounded corners, prompting you to peek inside. Borromeo called it the portal — or “hublot”, in Italian.

“I think it's a fun idea that kind of defines the spirit of the product,” he says. “Usually, when you have these ovens, you try to have the largest possible opening because it's functional; it makes sense. In this case, we tried to actually reduce it, and we created like a portal — a smaller window that maybe looks not logical, but in the end, it invites you to peer in. So, it's trying to communicate to you in a certain way. It becomes like a little portal into your kitchen, into your food.”

He explains that the oven established a “design language” for the whole collection, and four of the studio’s 15-person design team already have it in their homes — including him. If you want your own, prices start at £399 (about $530 / AU$770).