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API Blueprint

https://apiblueprint.org
1•maxwell•1m ago•0 comments

China's Latest Missiles, Drones and Submarines, Up Close

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/09/03/world/asia/china-military-parade-weapons.html
1•wslh•1m ago•1 comments

Largest maturation study in elite soccer to support early and late developers

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-largest-growth-maturation-elite-soccer.html
1•PaulHoule•2m ago•0 comments

Show HN: Chibi, AI that tells you why users churn

https://chibi.sh
2•kiranjohns•3m ago•0 comments

Textbook created for Harvard's undergraduate course in Machine Learning, CS181

https://github.com/harvard-ml-courses/cs181-textbook
1•ibobev•3m ago•0 comments

Why are you telling me this?

https://jacobbrazeal.wordpress.com/2025/09/02/why-are-you-telling-me-this/
2•tibbar•4m ago•0 comments

I Fell in Love with Calendar.txt

https://ploum.net/2025-09-03-calendar-txt.html
2•bertman•5m ago•1 comments

Where's the Shovelware? Why AI Coding Claims Don't Add Up

https://substack.com/inbox/post/172538377
1•mike_judge•5m ago•0 comments

Oni: A single user ActivityPub server

https://git.sr.ht/~mariusor/oni
1•andrewshadura•6m ago•0 comments

Why Long-Dated Bonds Are Falling Out of Favor

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-03/long-dated-bond-selloff-why-governments-face-h...
1•toomuchtodo•7m ago•1 comments

Teenager with hyperthymesia exhibits extraordinary mental time travel abilities

https://www.psypost.org/teenager-with-hyperthymesia-exhibits-extraordinary-mental-time-travel-abi...
1•colinprince•9m ago•0 comments

CSF Firewall v15.00 – GPLv3 Release

https://github.com/centminmod/configserver-scripts/blob/main/README-gpl-csf.md
1•speckx•10m ago•0 comments

Don't Stop for Strangers!

https://cinemasojourns.com/2025/09/03/dont-stop-for-strangers/
1•jjgreen•11m ago•0 comments

Hobson's Choice

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobson%27s_choice
1•barrister•12m ago•0 comments

Warp Code: the fastest way from prompt to production

https://www.warp.dev/blog/introducing-warp-code-prompt-to-prod
3•brainless•13m ago•0 comments

Understanding Transformers Using a Minimal Example

https://rti.github.io/gptvis/
1•rttti•14m ago•0 comments

Beginners can do things that experts cannot

https://omarshehata.substack.com/p/beginners-can-do-things-that-experts
1•ibobev•15m ago•0 comments

OpenAI acquires product testing startup Statsig and shakes up leadership team

https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/02/openai-acquires-product-testing-startup-statsig-and-shakes-up-i...
3•pranay01•17m ago•1 comments

How to botch the Rust language for the sake of Upvotes

https://ifcllc.substack.com/p/how-to-botch-rust-for-the-sake-of
1•IFC_LLC•17m ago•1 comments

A Gentle Introduction to the Axiom of Choice

https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.01830
2•bikenaga•18m ago•0 comments

Real-time emotional detection via ChatGPT (LLM) and Brain-Computer interface

https://ildarr2016.medium.com/real-time-emotional-detection-via-chatgpt-llm-and-brain-computer-in...
2•ArminiShield•19m ago•0 comments

Meta is adding free LLM-powered conversational NPCs to Horizon Worlds

https://twitter.com/jasteinerman/status/1963055410446807223
2•LorenDB•19m ago•0 comments

Ask HN: Why does Google word privacy settings like you agree even when off?

3•matesz•19m ago•1 comments

Show HN: Precog – Enhanced OCR + Agentic PDF analysis tools for highlighting txt

https://app.ubik.studio/chat?agent=precog
1•ieuanking•20m ago•0 comments

The future of agentic coding with Claude Code [video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF9iV4xponk
1•Insanity•21m ago•0 comments

Declarative GUI Toolkit Slint 1.13 released

https://slint.dev/blog/slint-1.13-released
3•madnirua•22m ago•1 comments

Simpler Java Build Tools with Object Oriented Programming [video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJi2h1Elw0
1•lihaoyi•22m ago•0 comments

Launch HN: Risely (YC S25) – AI Agents for Universities

6•danialasif•23m ago•0 comments

A Random Walk in 10 Dimensions (2021)

https://galileo-unbound.blog/2021/06/28/a-random-walk-in-10-dimensions/
6•just_human•24m ago•0 comments

Your Biggest Customer Might Be Your Biggest Bottleneck

https://densumesh.dev/blog/fair-queue/
2•denssumesh•25m ago•0 comments
Open in hackernews

No place in children's hands: <16s in UK to be banned from buying energy drinks

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/02/children-energy-drinks-government-obesity-health
21•bhouston•2h ago

Comments

rogerkirkness•2h ago
Based on various studies about things like acetaminophen toxicity, effects of screens on nervous system and eye health, effects of eating ultra processed foods, etc. we know that anything that harms kids tends to harm adults, just less acutely. I think realistically energy drinks are just not healthy for humans. But it's interesting how we moralize harms to kids while enabling them for adults.
barnabee•1h ago
It’s reasonable to allow adults to choose to harm themselves.

It’s far less reasonable to allow companies to advertise and promote that harm as if it’s exciting and beneficial to anyone.

kiba•1h ago
Reasonable?

It's still not reasonable from an individual perspective, but good luck enforcing a draconian rule about not drinking alcohol. The harm outweigh the benefit.

But at the same time, there's basically no benefit to consuming alcoholic beverages that could be achieved some other ways,

forgetfreeman•1h ago
While it seems clear that permitting adults to do what suits them is broadly reasonable it is less clear that it is reasonable to permit business models that profit from individuals harming themselves with or without marketing.
bapak•1h ago
> it's interesting how we moralize harms to kids while enabling them for adults

I don't find that interesting. It applies to anything that adults do, even things as basic and "positive" as having a job.

Working 8 hours at 8? Absolutely not.

Working 8 hours at 18? Double it and give it to the next person.

fluoridation•1h ago
If you don't want to drink energy drinks then don't do it. Don't tell others what to do.
anthk•1h ago
Good luck enjoying diabetus before your 50's.
fluoridation•1h ago
My condemnation does not imply my consumption of energy drinks. I tried a couple and found them distasteful. There are more pleasant ways of getting caffeine.
symlinkk•1h ago
Most are zero sugar
SirFatty•1h ago
If you don't want to shoot heroine then don't do it. Don't tell others what to do.
fluoridation•1h ago
I am against drug prohibition, yes.
kiba•1h ago
It's perfectly reasonable to be against both drug prohibition and drug abuse.
fluoridation•1h ago
Correct, but since the topic is banning consumption, not abuse, it's not really relevant.
sniffers•1h ago
This isn't the burn you think it is. Plenty of folks are against prohibition.

More, I'd argue we should tell people the consequences and make sure they understand them before they do it, which may be tantamount to telling them they shouldn't. So maybe we should tell people not to but not punish them if they do.

SirFatty•1h ago
Not intended as a burn. Also, the whole "don't tell me what to do" thing doesn't work either.
chasd00•1h ago
not exactly the same, no one robs a liquor store to buy a Latte.
sniffers•1h ago
I think the thinking is something along the lines of adults can understand the consequences better. I actually am not certain I buy that, as adults rarely understand the consequences of their actions, broadly.
forgetfreeman•1h ago
I'd counter that an individual who routinely fails to understand the consequences of their actions is by definition not an adult. Pondering the full implications of this are left as an exercise.
fluoridation•1h ago
"Understanding the consequences of one's actions" has never been part of the definition of "adult". Generally speaking, a mammal reaches adulthood when it stops growing.
forgetfreeman•42m ago
Your belief that comprehension of consequences isn't part of the definition of "adult" suggests you are young and presents a stark commentary. Past generations considered this character the bedrock that adult behavior rested upon. Additionally, casually tossing out the term "mammal", as though human behavior lends itself to comparison with the activities of groundhogs (etc) seems like a bit of a non sequitur.
fluoridation•19m ago
Wikipedia:

>An adult is an animal that has reached full growth. The biological definition of adult is an organism that has reached sexual maturity and thus capable of reproduction.

>In the human context, the term adult has meanings associated with social and legal concepts. In contrast to a non-adult or "minor", a legal adult is a person who has attained the age of majority and is therefore regarded as independent, self-sufficient, and responsible. They may also be regarded as "majors". The typical age of attaining adulthood for humans is 18 years, although definition may vary by country.

Merriam-Webster:

>(adjective) fully developed and mature

>(noun) one that is adult; especially: a human being after an age (such as 21) specified by law

Your definition of "adult" is one no one uses.

>Past generations considered this character the bedrock that adult behavior rested upon.

Even if I grant that that's true, why should I care? Past generations killed infants in fields to benefit crops, and captured survivors of battles to enslave them. Appeals to tradition are uncompelling.

hippo22•2h ago
Is there actually any evidence that caffeine is bad for kids? From the article, it looks like the impetus for this change is concern from teachers, not from scientific research regarding the impact of high doses of caffeine on children under 16.
boxed•2h ago
In Sweden a bunch of teenagers died from drinking red bull and vodka, and politicians raved and limited sale of energy drinks to people under 16.

Of course, it was almost certainly 99% the alcohol, and the rest 1% could be equally blamed on having a broken heart, or a hamburger, or candy as on the energy drinks.

sniffers•1h ago
Mixing caffeine and alcohol is genuinely and generally considered more dangerous. Caffeine masks the effects of intoxication, so you don't act as drunk nor feel as drunk at the same blood alcohol level. It was almost certainly the alcohol that was lethal, but caffeine (especially in high doses) absolutely contributed to increased lethality when paired with alcohol.
gilleain•1h ago
Buckfast, for example.

(Or vodka/redbull, or vodka/Irn-Bru, or espresso martini ...)

bluedino•1h ago
Remember 4Loko?
boredhedgehog•1h ago
And if there is, wouldn't it be more important to restrict coffee and tea?
dnel•1h ago
if the UK had a written constitution, the right to drink tea would be damn near the top of it.
sniffers•1h ago
Coffee is approximately the same as an energy drink (very approximately), but how many kids can down a pint or three of bitter coffee? The flavor is enough to keep it relatively self regulating.
mrweasel•1h ago
It's also not marketed in a way that appeals to children and teenagers.
p1mrx•55m ago
> [Coffee is] not marketed in a way that appeals to children and teenagers.

Thanks to AI, it could be: https://g.co/gemini/share/3e1cb15c52aa

xnx•1h ago
Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts (I'm assuming there's some UK equivalent) sell what's effectively coffee milkshakes.
euLh7SM5HDFY•1h ago
Poland issued similar ban with 16mg/100ml as limit - matching coffee and Cola/Pepsi. Most energy drinks on market were at 32mg/100ml level, with few uncommon ones at 40mg/100ml.
GJim•1h ago
Us Brits were dispensed tea at our mothers nipple.

Though one should point out that energy drinks have silly amounts of sugar and more caffeine than a typical mug of tea does.

brnt•1h ago
> Is there actually any evidence that caffeine is bad for kids?

Is a compound known for its primary side effect, anxiety, bad for people at the most anxious time in their lives, children?

I guess some need things to be spelled out in full.

fluoridation•1h ago
Kids, just in general, are the most anxious people? No, I don't think so. If you'd gone with restlessness that might have been true, but then I guess that wouldn't have been such a compelling argument.
singleshot_•1h ago
> most anxious time in their lives, children?

Why assume the future won’t be even more stressful for this latest generation of young people?

euLh7SM5HDFY•1h ago
Well parents were talking about sugar rush for decades, while no research supports existence of such effect (hyperactivity) in children.
mrweasel•1h ago
The Danish Technical Universities Food institute had some research suggesting that around 40% of children experienced sleep issues and restlessness from drinking to much caffeine. [1]

The risk associated with to much caffeine according to the same study is: Disturbed heart rhythm, high blood pressure, palpitations, shortness of breath, stomach ache, nausea, anxiety, nervousness, trouble sleeping, and in the worst case, cardiac arrest.

It's not that children can't safely drink an energy drink, it's just that some teenagers might down can after can and the "safe" amount of caffeine is less than 1L of energy drink per day (which already seems like a lot).

1) https://www.food.dtu.dk/-/media/institutter/foedevareinstitu...

Bender•1h ago
I can't speak to the caffeine but that is by far not the worst aspects of energy drinks.

- The drinks have an addictive property due to caffeine and many of these drinks are full of sugar causing the consumer to continuously consume sugar. Nobody should be consuming added sugar especially not kids who's brains are still developing. They do not need insulin resistance yet another fun topic.

- The excessive B vitamins in the drinks are the cheap low quality inactive forms and worse there are only a couple different vitamins. This is a fun rabbit hole to research. Adding even one inactive B vitamin in large quantities can shut down the conversion of all inactive B vitamins in the liver and in some cases the kidneys and can lead to a B vitamin deficiency, somewhat ironically.

B vitamins are required for energy production. Shutting down the conversion process can lead to people feeling tired and weak, thinking they need more energy drinks... This is a vicious cycle that can only be remedied by a healthy diet, exercise and sleep. Excessive energy drink consumption can interrupt or lower the quality of sleep. A lack of good sleep interrupts the healing process which every person requires or they start taking age related damage earlier and faster leading to more diseases and vulnerabilities.

This rabbit hole goes many layers deeper and would require writing a book and this is even before talking about how this exacerbates all the effects of drugs that doctors have shamefully prescribed to kids and adults.

aquariusDue•1h ago
And here I thought that at least I was getting my B vitamins in. That's just awful, thanks for sharing.
Bender•1h ago
thanks for sharing.

You are quite welcome. I hope this gets some people curious enough to research.

Even if they were the active form there are typically only two or three of them. A healthy diet is the optimal method to get all the B vitamins or at least the 13 critical B vitamins but if ones lifestyle is preventing this one can get them from a B-50 complex. A healthy diet should be preferred when possible.

gilleain•1h ago
Thinks : "What is an inactive form of a B-vitamin?". Some examples:

B1 - Thiamin [Inactive] vs Thiamine Diphosphate [Active]. B2 - Flavin Mononucleotide (FMN) vs Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD). B12 - Cyanocobalamine vs Methylcobalamin.

Interesting. So the idea is that an excess of (say) FMN would block conversion to FAD?

gilleain•1h ago
Hmmm, even a small amount of rabbit-hole diving turns up some curious statements around this :

> Cyanocobalamin is also the most common form of vitamin B12 found in supplements. It is named because it contains a cyanide molecule. The amount of cyanide found in cyanocobalamin supplements tends to be small, but the body still has to do extra “work” to remove and eliminate the cyanide molecule. If your liver is already overworked, this added step can make activating this nutrient more challenging.

I'm sceptical that the extra 'work' here to convert CNCbl to MeCbl is significantly taxing for the liver. B12 is needed in very small amounts ("the upper limit of absorption per single oral dose is about 1.5 μg" - wikipedia).

More on this: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5312744/

> Numerous studies and reviews of B12 metabolism have shown that CNCbl, MeCbl, OHCbl, and AdCbl are reduced to the core cobalamin molecule inside the cytosol. It is important to note that the ligands specific to the ingested B12 form—methyl and adenosyl—are removed during that process and not used inside cells during the conversion of cobalamin to the 2 active forms of B12

Certainly that review suggests that taking one of the bioavailable forms (MeCbl, OHCbl, AdCbl) is _better_ than the usual CNCbl one, but I see no mention of CNCbl being more 'taxing' in some sense.

xnx•1h ago
> The drinks have an addictive property due to caffeine and many of these drinks are full of sugar causing the consumer to continuously consume sugar.

A Starbucks Frappuccino has 150 mg caffeine and 60 g sugar. Almost the same as a full can of Monster.

Bender•1h ago
If you are saying that they should also be banned, I completely agree. The qualifiers should be based on sugar and low quality vitamins but of course that gets into the rabbit hole of things like real bread vs. highly processed bread a.k.a. WWII rations a.k.a. American bread. Real bread only contains three to five ingredients. Real foods are getting harder to acquire due to fake foods having a much higher profit margin and longer shelf life.
matei88•1h ago
In Romania, in 2024, after a 17-year-old the previous year and a 13-year-old died from consuming too many energy drinks, authorities decided to ban their sale to minors
duxup•1h ago
Is there any science about the amounts of caffeine and kids under 16?

Or data on the amount of kids under 16 actually doing this thing?

mrweasel•1h ago
There's a Danish study that suggests that 99% of people ages 10 - 35 consume caffeine on a daily basis. Which seems insane.

Energy drinks are the main source of caffeine for those age 10 - 14 and 10% of those exceeds the recommended limits. For ages 15 - 17 it's 20%.

Pooge•1h ago
I think it's a good change.

I'm not necessarily in favor of prohibition, but drinks—at least sugary ones—are engineered to be addictive. And no, diet doesn't cut it.

piyuv•1h ago
This doesn’t solve the underlying issue: heavy marketing towards minors, using all available channels. Sure, heavy sugary/caffeinated drinks are bad for minors, but regulating this at the sales level feels like playing cat/mouse game with the industry.
jaggs•1h ago
I think what most commenters are missing is the fact that we now live in an age where it is trivially easy to heavily market to kids on social media like tiktok etc.

I think this is similar to why we ban sales of cigarettes to the under aged. It's just common sense no?

To those who advocate for zero drug prohibition, can we imagine a world where there was no drug prohibition and kids could be marketed fentanyl on TikTok at will?

Obviously this is an extreme, but it's an example of the kind of problems our society now faces?

(For some reason the catastrophic problems China had with opium in the late 1800s springs to mind).

vintermann•1h ago
The alcohol industry is very comfortable with age limits. The more the better (e.g. beer and wine at 18 but liquor at 21).

The reason is that they understand that this enshrines alcohol as a maturity symbol. It ensures that you're seen as immature for not drinking.

An alcohol lobbying group around here made posters with a huge foaming glass of beer and the text "over 18? Prove it!". Nominally it was about showing ID, but I think youth got the intended message, and it wasn't about showing ID. Alcohol advertising is forbidden, but profit finds a way.

I see no reason to think energy drink restrictions will be different.

haunter•36m ago
Hungary banned energy drinks for everyone under 18, basically the same category as tobacco products now https://hungarytoday.hu/no-more-energy-drink-parliament-bans...