This week’s roundup of data news highlights from June 20, 2026, to June 26, 2026, features an AI system that virtually unwrapped an ancient Roman scroll buried by Mount Vesuvius’ eruption and an AI platform designed to help coordinate decisions across the mining industry.
1. Understanding Ancient Text
Researchers at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy have used an AI system to virtually unwrap an ancient Roman scroll carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. By training machine-learning models to detect subtle changes in papyrus fibers captured in high-resolution X-ray scans, the AI system identified hidden ink patterns and reconstructed more than a meter of text, revealing 20 columns of previously unread Stoic philosophical writing.
2. Improving Package Tracking
San Francisco-based fleet-management company Samsara has built a disposable, business-card-sized tracking label that gives companies real-time visibility into cargo that can become difficult to track between checkpoints. The Bluetooth-powered Samsara Tracking Label contains a small battery and communicates with Samsara’s network of connected fleet devices. The system allows companies to monitor shipments and deter cargo theft.
3. Fixing Spreadsheet Errors
Google has launched a new Gemini AI feature for fixing broken Google Sheets formulas with a single click, giving users an instant way to diagnose and repair errors directly inside a spreadsheet. When a formula fails, Gemini analyzes the issue, explains the mistake in plain language, and generates a corrected formula on the spot. The tool aims to help users troubleshoot spreadsheet problems more quickly and reduce time spent debugging formulas.
4. Enhancing Social Care
Seattle-based robotics company Mind Children Robotics has built a social-care robot called Codey that can hold natural conversations, offer reminders, and provide companionship to children, patients, and older adults. Codey uses expressive facial animations and an adaptive AI system to personalize interactions based on a user’s needs and responses. The robot is designed to provide consistent social support in settings where caregivers have limited time and resources.
5. Analyzing Soccer Data
FIFA has created an AI agent called Football AI Pro that gives World Cup teams access to advanced match analysis. The tool lets coaches ask natural-language questions, explore interactive 3D match visualizations, and analyze passing patterns, defensive structures, and attacking tendencies. By providing a shared AI platform, FIFA aims to help smaller nations access the same analytical capabilities as larger soccer federations.
6. Navigating Extreme Conditions
China-based robotics company Deep Robotics has built a rugged wheeled-legged robot called the Lynx M20S that is designed to operate in challenging environments. By combining wheels with articulated legs, the robot can move quickly while maintaining stability on difficult terrain. In recent demonstrations, it climbed steep slopes, navigated rocky trails, and operated in temperatures as low as –30°C, supporting inspection and emergency-response missions.
7. Diagnosing Rare Diseases
Researchers at OpenAI have partnered with Boston Children’s Hospital to use a new AI model that can reanalyze previously reviewed genetic data and help diagnose rare diseases that went undetected. In a study of 18 long-unsolved pediatric cases, the system sifted through complex genomic information in minutes and surfaced diagnostic clues that specialists had missed. In several cases, the AI identified genetic variants that ultimately led to confirmed diagnoses.
8. Mapping the Deep Sea
Norway has built a deep-diving autonomous submarine called the Hugin Superior, designed to map the seafloor at depths of 20,000 feet. Equipped with sonar, cameras, laser profilers, and environmental sensors, the vehicle collects detailed geological and oceanographic data. It can autonomously navigate rugged underwater terrain, survey large areas with high precision, and operate for extended periods, helping researchers better understand remote parts of the ocean.
9. Coordinating Mining Operations
Researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Colorado have built an AI platform designed to help coordinate decisions across the mining industry. The system analyzes geological data to identify deposits, adjusts processing methods based on ore composition, and recommends resource allocations as conditions change. By supporting faster, data-driven decision-making, the platform aims to improve efficiency, increase yields, and strengthen supply chains.
10. Improving Weather Forecasts
Scientists at the University of Chicago have trained an AI model to identify atmospheric patterns across 40 years of global weather data and generate accurate forecasts. The system compares current conditions with millions of historical weather scenarios and can rival traditional forecasting models while using far less computing power. A newer version combines AI with physics-based forecasting methods, helping improve predictions of extreme weather events.
