Thursday 22 October 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
2
Average plausibility
79%
How to read the score
It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
RegionAllGlobalAfricaNorth AmericaSouth AmericaAsia-PacificEuropeMiddle East
TopicAllPoliticsConflict & SecurityBusinessScienceHealth
01Conflict & SecurityGlobal

PHP security flaws trigger worldwide response as developers issue patches

Several outlets report AI-discovered vulnerabilities in PHP, with websites taken offline and developers urging updates.

BBC News, Al Jazeera and DW report a global security response to newly discovered PHP vulnerabilities. Al Jazeera says AI identified two flaws, while DW reports that patches are available and government agencies have taken sites offline.

What holds up

  • ✓Three outlets report PHP vulnerabilities and a widespread security response.
  • ✓BBC News and DW both report websites being taken offline; DW also reports developers announcing patches.

What doesn't yet

  • ?The extracts provide no technical advisories, affected versions or evidence of successful exploitation.
  • ?Al Jazeera's estimate that PHP is used by about 70% of websites is not independently corroborated here; the BBC's description of the flaws' exceptional significance is not substantiated.

Ask before you share

  • →Which PHP versions and configurations are affected?
  • →Were sites taken offline as a precaution, or following confirmed compromises?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]BBC News · Published 21 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  2. [2]BBC News · Published 22 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  3. [3]Al Jazeera · Published 22 Oct 2026 · aljazeera.com
  4. [4]DW · Published 21 Oct 2026 · dw.com
02ScienceGlobal

Study links orangutans' food choices to sounds of peers laughing

Research reported by the Guardian suggests social sounds may influence learning, though the extract provides no study methods or effect sizes.

The Guardian reports a study in which captive orangutans were more likely to choose treats associated with sounds of their peers laughing. Researchers interpret the result as suggesting that emotions influence learning.

What holds up

  • ✓The report identifies captive orangutans as the study subjects and food choice as the observed behaviour.
  • ✓The reported preference concerns treats associated with laughter, rather than a demonstrated general increase in learning ability.

What doesn't yet

  • ?The extract provides no sample size, control conditions, effect size or replication evidence.
  • ?The interpretation that emotions influence learning goes beyond the directly reported food-choice observation.

Ask before you share

  • →How did researchers control for familiarity or other features of the sounds?
  • →How many animals were tested, and does the result extend beyond captive subjects?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]The Guardian · Published 21 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com