These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.

What if pain could be made optional?: Modern scientists are changing humanities understanding of pain. Opioids are probably the best pain management technique available, but their disadvantages, including addiction, are manifold. But some interesting new technologies might make switching off specific pain receptors possible and help make people suffering from chronic pain more comfortable. Watch the video by Bloomberg Originals on YouTube. NN
A cave in France is revealing how the Neanderthals died out: Homo sapiens are the last-remaining homonins, a once-diverse family of bipedal apes that includes Neanderthals. How or why the Neanderthals died out remains a hotly debated mystery, with some positing interbreeding with humans as the cause, but researchers now believe isolation had a stronger role to play. Read more on New Scientist. NN
Samsung’s Magic Frame speaker gets its South African launch: Samsung believes the future of consumer technology lies in non-intrusive gadgetry that camouflages by doubling as everyday furniture. The Magic Frame speaker, which doubles as a photo frame, has now launched in South Africa and costs R6 000. Read more on Stuff. NN
Will Elon Musk tip the election for Trump?: Elon Musk, usually associated with Tesla and SpaceX, is now taking an active role in former US President Donald Trump’s campaign, sparking questions about his influence on the 2024 election. In a Wired Politics Lab episode, analysts discuss Musk’s motivations and whether his support could sway voters and potentially tip the election in Trump’s favour. More on Wired (soft paywall). DM
Intel’s Core Ultra 200S CPUs are its biggest desktop refresh in three years: Intel’s new Core Ultra 200S desktop CPUs mark its biggest upgrade in three years, bringing a chiplet-based design, enhanced CPU and GPU architectures, and a neural processing unit for AI tasks. Launching on 24 October, these Arrow Lake processors promise improved power efficiency and performance, though gains vary by workload. They adopt TSMC manufacturing for most tiles, moving beyond Intel’s in-house fabrication. Read more on Ars Technica. DM