HN Top 10 — July 13, 2026
Today’s Top 10 on Hacker News
1. Zig Creator Calls Spade a Spade, Anthropic Blows Smoke
⭐ 320 💬 164 👤 crowdhailer 🔗 Discuss on HN
Andrew Kelley, creator of the Zig programming language, publishes a pointed critique contrasting his team’s transparent engineering approach with Anthropic’s vague and overly promotional messaging about AI capabilities. The piece argues that concrete technical work speaks louder than marketing claims in building genuine technological progress.
2. Interrail: 6,379Km and 13 Countries over 7 weeks
⭐ 76 💬 52 👤 coinfused 🔗 Discuss on HN
A detailed personal travelogue documenting an ambitious European Interrail journey covering 6,379 kilometers across 13 countries in just 7 weeks. The author shares practical tips, highlights, and reflections on budget-friendly cross-border rail travel throughout Europe.
3. GhostLock, a stack-UAF that has existed in all Linux distributions for 15 years
⭐ 289 💬 123 👤 ranger_danger 🔗 Discuss on HN
NebuSec researchers uncovered GhostLock, a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel’s rw_semaphore implementation that persisted silently for 15 years across all major Linux distributions. The flaw could potentially be exploited for local privilege escalation or denial-of-service attacks, highlighting challenges in kernel security auditing.
4. The social physics of conversation: Communication patterns matter
⭐ 52 💬 6 👤 kiyanwang 🔗 Discuss on HN
An exploration of how communication patterns and social dynamics shape leadership effectiveness and civic engagement. The author examines research on conversational reciprocity, listening ratios, and group interaction styles to show how the physics-like properties of dialogue influence organizational and community outcomes.
5. Beavis Ultrasound PnP ISA Sound Card Replica
⭐ 66 💬 23 👤 mariuz 🔗 Discuss on HN
A retro hardware project that faithfully recreates the classic Sound Blaster 16 ISA sound card as a modern fabrication. The open-source design targets PC enthusiasts and retro computing hobbyists who want authentic 16-bit audio capabilities with original motherboard compatibility.
6. Backtrack-Free Cursive
⭐ 97 💬 42 👤 dmit 🔗 Discuss on HN
A technical deep-dive into algorithms for generating cursive letterforms without requiring the pen to backtrack or lift unnecessarily. The approach has applications in computational typography, pen-plotter design, and creating natural-looking handwritten fonts that can be rendered in a single continuous stroke.
7. The Graph That Should Be Front-Page News
⭐ 112 💬 56 👤 rakel_rakel 🔗 Discuss on HN
A data visualization post presenting a graph that the author believes reveals a significant, underreported trend deserving mainstream media attention. The piece argues that certain patterns in the data are being overlooked by traditional news outlets despite their broader societal implications.
8. Cyberpunk Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels
⭐ 200 💬 65 👤 zdw 🔗 Discuss on HN
A curated guide to cyberpunk-themed comics, manga, and graphic novels spanning decades of publishing. The collection covers foundational works like Blade Runner adaptations through to contemporary indie titles, offering recommendations across different artistic styles and narrative approaches within the genre.
9. Tiny Emulators
⭐ 271 💬 23 👤 naves 🔗 Discuss on HN
An impressive collection of browser-based emulators for classic 8-bit computers and gaming consoles, all built with minimal code. The project demonstrates how lean and efficient modern web assembly and JavaScript can be while faithfully recreating the experience of vintage systems like the C64, ZX Spectrum, and Game Boy.
10. So you want to learn physics (second edition, 2021)
⭐ 234 💬 42 👤 azhenley 🔗 Discuss on HN
Susan Rigetti’s comprehensive self-directed physics curriculum, updated in its second edition for 2021. The guide provides a structured learning path for independent students, covering topics from mechanics through quantum physics with curated textbook recommendations, problem sets, and study strategies.