The recent half marathon held in China has attracted wide attention and raised many questions, especially given the rapid progress in humanoid robots . As the second edition of this event, it provides a useful opportunity to assess how far this technology has advanced. This year’s race included significant technical challenges. The course had 22 turns to the left and right, some close to 90 degrees, along with uphill and downhill sections. Such a complex route requires advanc

By Mustafa Nourallah, PhD. 8 April 2026 On a sunny spring day, I needed to call my bank about an important matter. As is often the case, the interaction began with the usual identification step: am I calling as a private individual, as a company representative, or for some other purpose? Normally, the automated system asks me to press 1 if I am a private customer, 2 if I am calling on behalf of a company, or 3 for anything else. It is a simple process . One button, one second