A church in Bavaria, Germany held a service this past Friday entirely led by ChatGPT. The experimental Lutheran service was led by the AI-generated avatars, two male and two female, who could be seen on a screen addressing the congregation. The 40-minute sermon was generated by ChatGPT with the guidance of a theologian from the University of Vienna. The theologian asked the chatbots what a church service would look like, and the bots developed the sermon from there. The sermon covered topics such as leaving the past behind and focusing on the present, not being afraid of death, and maintaining faith in Jesus Christ.
FLU SEASON
Flu season is still a few months away in the U.S., but scientists are keeping an eye on Australia as an indication of what's to come here this flu season, and we could be in for a tough time. Some parts of the country are seeing a spike in flu cases, with the most cases reported have been among children. American scientists usually look to southern hemisphere countries to try to predict how bad the flu will get here.
The charging of Rex Heuermann with several murders of sex workers found on a Long Island beach has drawn attention to unsolved murders of sex workers elsewhere. There is no indication whether investigators suspect Heuermann in the killings of four sex workers in New Jersey.
Racing will resume at Churchill Downs in September, with no changes being made after a review of surfaces and safety protocols in the wake of 12 horse deaths, including seven in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby in May.
Six migrant workers were rammed by a vehicle outside a Walmart in North Carolina on Sunday in what appears to have been an intentional assault, but Maj. Brian Greene, interim chief of the Lincolnton Police Department, said the driver's motives are still under investigation.
The horseshoe crab has been scuttling in the ocean and tidal pools for more than 400 million years, playing a vital role in the East Coast ecosystem along with being a prized item for fishing bait and medical research.