Author Archives: Igor Mitreski

Owner of Pornhub settles sex trafficking investigation with US government for $1.8 million

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Paid by Pornhub’s parent company Aylo Holdings $1.8 million to the US government To resolve charges of profiting from sex trafficking. The company, formerly known as MindGeek, will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement, which means a monitor will be appointed to monitor Aylo and its compliance efforts for three years.

Aylo-owned Pornhub and other adult content sites have come under fire for failing to control third-party uploads of adult content. In the worst-case scenario, sex trafficking victims may end up appearing in these adult girlfriend videos against their will or without their knowledge.

This particular investigation by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York focuses on a network called GirlsDoPorn (GDP), which has been posting videos to Pornhub and other Airo websites since 2009. By 2019, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California had issued an indictment. GDP and other charges related to sex trafficking. But Mr. Airo’s own court papers filed this week show that he profited from the contents of GDP. In a press release, authorities said they were “not aware” that Airo hosted videos in which many women had no idea they were being filmed or that these videos would be shared with the public. or should have known,” he said in a press release. The release also states that many of these women filed complaints with Airo between 2016 and 2019 and that the videos were posted without their consent. However, the network’s videos were removed from Pornhub and other sites months after GDP was convicted of sex trafficking.

“This resolution would not only monitor the world’s largest online content distribution companies and ensure their lawful conduct, but also establish industry-wide standards for safety and compliance,” U.S. Attorney Brion Pierce said in a statement. I will do it,” he said.

2020, Pornhub introduced A number of new features have been added, including preventing video downloads and requiring users to authenticate before posting videos.platform too hired a law firmKaplan Hecker & Fink LLP will conduct an independent review of the company’s content compliance.

The newly renamed Aylo had a turbulent few years. MindGeek’s CEO and COO both left the company before the company was sold to a brand new private equity firm, strategically named Ethical Capital Partners.

Earlier this week, Pornhub, Stripchat and XVideos were added to the list of platforms subject to the most stringent regulations under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The law requires platforms to comply with certain child protection regulations, among other safeguards. Once the EU code of conduct on age-appropriate design is finalized, it could mean these platforms will have to carry out strict age checks. This means users must verify their age and identity through official means (instead of simply checking a box indicating they are an adult).

Already in the US, many states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia and Utah, require adult websites to perform age verification checks before allowing users access.

When either of these measures first went into effect in Louisiana, Pornhub required visitors to verify their age. LA wallet app, a digital wallet for Louisiana driver’s licenses. However, when these laws were expanded to other states, Pornhub chose to completely block access in those locations.

“Since [adding age verification]traffic in Louisiana decreased by approximately 80%,” Pornhub wrote in the article. statement. “Those guys didn’t stop looking for porn. It just transitioned into place.”

privacy advocate People are speaking out against these measures because of the potential consequences of sharing government IDs to use the internet. Although these measures are intended to protect children, they have the unintended effect of compromising their online anonymity. Additionally, it is not at all uncommon for hackers to break into government databases, and if these verification tools are not secure, data about who is accessing what kind of content on the internet can easily fall into the wrong hands. There is a possibility that the

This puts MPs in a difficult position. It is difficult to promote internet regulation and safety without creating a slew of new problems.

Source: techcrunch.com

Solving the Enigma of Polycrystalline Materials

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Researchers have used AI to uncover new insights into dislocations in polycrystalline materials, challenging existing scientific models and paving the way for improved material performance in electronics and solar cells. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

scientists of Nagoya University A Japanese research team is conducting research to understand tiny defects called dislocations in polycrystalline materials, materials widely used in information devices, solar cells, electronic devices, etc., that can reduce device efficiency. A new method was discovered using artificial intelligence.The research results were published in a magazine advanced materials.

Challenge of polycrystalline materials

Almost all devices we use in modern life contain polycrystalline components. From smartphones to computers to car metals and ceramics. Nevertheless, polycrystalline materials are difficult to utilize due to their complex structures. In addition to its composition, the performance of polycrystalline materials is affected by its complex microstructure, dislocations, and impurities.

A major problem when using polycrystals in industry is the formation of small crystal defects caused by stress and temperature changes. These are known as dislocations and can disrupt the regular arrangement of atoms in the lattice, affecting electrical conduction and overall performance. Understanding the formation of these dislocations is important to reduce the likelihood of failure in devices using polycrystalline materials.

Researchers used 3D models created by AI to understand complex polycrystalline materials used in everyday electronics.Credit: Kenta Yamakoshi

AI-powered discovery

A research team led by Professor Noritaka Usa of Nagoya University and consisting of Lecturer Tatsuya Yokoi, Associate Professor Hiroaki Kudo, and other collaborators is using new AI to investigate polycrystalline silicon, which is widely used in solar panels. We analyzed image data of a material called . AI created his 3D model in virtual space and helped the team identify areas where dislocation clusters were affecting the material’s performance.

After identifying regions of dislocation clusters, the researchers used electron microscopy and theoretical calculations to understand how these regions formed. They revealed the stress distribution within the crystal lattice and discovered a step-like structure at the boundaries between grains. These structures are thought to induce dislocations during crystal growth. “We discovered a special nanostructure in the crystal that is related to dislocations in the polycrystalline structure,” Professor Usami said.

Impact on crystal growth science

In addition to practical implications, this study may also have important implications for the science of crystal growth and deformation. The Hasen-Alexander-Smino (HAS) model is an influential theoretical framework used to understand the behavior of dislocations in materials. However, Professor Usami believes that he has discovered a dislocation that was missed by the Hasen-Alexander-Kakuno model.

New insights into the arrangement of atoms

Another surprise soon followed, as when the team calculated the arrangement of atoms within these structures, they discovered unexpectedly large tensile bond strains along the edges of the stepped structures that caused the creation of dislocations. .

Usami explains: “As experts who have been doing this research for years, we were surprised and excited to finally see evidence of the presence of dislocations in these structures. This suggests that we can control the formation of

Conclusions and implications for the future

“By extracting and analyzing, nanoscale “By combining experiment, theory, and AI, polycrystalline materials informatics has made it possible for the first time to elucidate phenomena in complex polycrystalline materials,” Usami continued. “This research is expected to shed light on the path towards establishing universal guidelines for high-performance materials and contribute to the creation of innovative polycrystalline materials. It extends beyond batteries to everything from ceramics to solar cells. semiconductor. Polycrystalline materials are widely used in society, and improving their performance has the potential to bring about social change. ”

Reference: “Polycrystalline informatics for polycrystalline silicon to elucidate the microscopic root cause of dislocation generation” Kenta Yamagoe, Yutaka Ohno, Kentaro Kutsukake, Takuto Kojima, Tatsuya Yokoi, Hideto Yoshida, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Liu Kin, Hiroaki Kudo, Noritaka Usa, December 2, 2023 advanced materials.
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308599

Source: scitechdaily.com

Firefly’s Alpha Rocket Successfully Reaches Orbit for the Fourth Consecutive Time

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firefly aerospace launched its Alpha rocket into orbit this morning, carrying a payload from Lockheed Martin into space. However, the company has not yet announced whether it was able to successfully deploy the satellite into its intended orbit, which could indicate a problem with the rocket’s second stage.

Today’s launch marks the fourth ever flight of Firefly’s Alpha rocket. The vehicle took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 9:32 a.m. local time. The mission, dubbed “Fly the Lightning,” was a commercial launch for customer Lockheed Martin. The rocket carried a Lockheed demonstrator payload called the Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) Technology Demonstrator to low Earth orbit.

Around 9:40 a.m. local time, Firefly tweeted Alpha’s second stage engine will be re-ignited and it will complete the orbit in about 40 minutes. From there, the Lockheed Martin payload was supposed to be deployed. However, the company still hasn’t provided an update after four hours.

ESA is a type of electronically steered antenna array. Lockheed says its unique design allows new ESA sensors to be calibrated in a fraction of the time compared to traditional orbital sensors, which can take months to power up and become operational. The payload of the company’s ESA demonstrator was integrated into a satellite bus built by Terran Orbital (Lockheed owns nearly 7% of Terran’s outstanding stock).

While the primary objective of the mission is to deploy the payload, Firefly says the mission team also tracks the total effort time from receiving the payload until it is ready for launch, providing space-saving launch capabilities. He said he would continue to demonstrate this to the military. .

Rapid launches are a top priority for the Space Force. Firefly has already demonstrated once during the previous Alpha mission, setting a new record for launch readiness. For this mission, Firefly had just 24 hours to complete its final preparations for launch, encapsulate its payload, and attach it to the rocket.

Source: techcrunch.com

Artificial Intelligence Can Mimic Human Faces Better Than Real Humans

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One study found that AI-generated white faces were perceived as more realistic than real human faces, and there were significant differences in the realism of AI faces for people of color. This trend is believed to be due to bias in AI training, raising concerns about reinforcing racial bias and spreading misinformation. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

A study reveals that AI-generated white faces are more realistic than real human faces, raising concerns about potential racial bias and misinformation in AI technology.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has reached a point where white faces created by AI now appear more real than human faces, according to a study conducted by experts at the Australian National University (ANU).

This study found that more people perceived AI-generated white faces as human compared to real human faces, with a different outcome for images of people of color.

Dr. Amy Dowell, the lead author, explained that the disproportionate training of AI algorithms on white faces contributed to this disparity.

Impact of AI Realism

Dr. Dowell expressed concern about the potential impact of consistently perceiving white AI faces as more realistic, especially in reinforcing racial bias online and its impact on people of color.

This image was generated by AI, specifically Midjourney V5.2. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Understanding AI “Hyperrealism”

Researchers pointed out the problem of AI’s “hyperrealism,” where people often mistake AI faces for real human faces without realizing it.

The study also identified physical differences between AI and human faces that people tend to misinterpret, highlighting the need for transparency in AI technology.

Potential Consequences

This trend has serious implications for the prevalence of misinformation and identity theft, and the researchers emphasize the importance of increasing transparency around AI technologies and raising public awareness. Source: Psychological Science, Journal of the Psychological Science Association.

Reference: “AI Hyperrealism: Why AI faces are perceived as more realistic than human faces” Elizabeth J. Miller, Ben A. Steward, Zach Witkower, Claire AM Sutherland, Eva G. Kramhuber , by Amy Dowell, November 12, 2023; Psychological Science. DOI: 10.1177/09567976231207095

Source: scitechdaily.com

Building a solid foundation for your startup can help you secure early-stage funding

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Russ Heddleston, CEO of Dropbox’s DocSend, says that as valuations fall, founders are more than ever “convinced that their company is built to survive with long-term profitability and scalability in mind. “I need to prove that,” he wrote.

All articles on TechCrunch+ are available to members only.
Use discount code TC Plus Roundup Save 20% on a 1-year or 2-year subscription.

According to data from DocSend, investors aren’t looking at proposal materials as seriously as they used to. However, there is still a market for early-stage deals. “For founders, perfecting their pitch, developing an efficient sales strategy, and quickly narrowing down their product scope will lay a strong foundation for success in attracting investors.”

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a nice vacation.

Karin

Ask Sophie: Is it still easy for AI founders to get a green card?

A lone figure stands at the entrance to a hedge maze, with an American flag in the center

Image credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch

Dear Sophie

I’m interested in the Biden administration’s efforts to retain AI talent in the United States. How is the government making it easier for AI companies to sponsor permanent residency for their employees? Will the number of green cards allocated to individuals in the AI ​​field increase?

— All about AI

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Cryptocurrency valuations “back to reality” in 2023, but venture capitalists expect them to rise again in 2024

Image credits: Getty Images

It hasn’t been a great year for cryptocurrency companies, but change may be on the way. Experts told Jacqueline Melinek that crypto trading is likely to become active again in 2024. “The tougher funding environment in 2023 only culled out weaker companies that were able to secure capital in 2021,” she wrote.

From Seed to Series A: Strategic Insights for Technology Founders in the 2024 Venture Environment

Image credits: Getty Images

A new report from Forum Ventures provides a good look at the current state of early-stage B2B SaaS investing.

While the data may be discouraging, the silver lining is that rounds are still being made and companies that find product-market fit will likely scale up in the next few years, likely in the next bull market. “This means they should benefit,” wrote the CEO of Forum Ventures. Managing Partner Mike Cardamone.

Source: techcrunch.com

New approach uncovers the complete chemical complexity of quantum decoherence

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Rochester researchers have reported a strategy for understanding how molecules in completely chemically complex solvents lose their quantum coherence. This discovery opens the door to rational tuning of quantum coherence through chemical design and functionalization.

Credit: Annie Ostau de Lafon

This discovery can be used to design molecules with custom quantum coherence properties, laying the chemical basis for new quantum technologies.

In quantum mechanics, particles can exist in multiple states at the same time, which defies the logic of everyday experience. This property, known as quantum superposition, is the basis for new quantum technologies that promise to transform computing, communications, and sensing. However, quantum superposition faces a serious challenge: quantum decoherence. During this process, interaction with the surrounding environment disrupts the delicate superposition of quantum states.

Quantum decoherence challenges

To unlock the power of chemistry and build complex molecular architectures for practical quantum applications, scientists need to understand and control quantum decoherence so they can engineer molecules with specific quantum coherence properties. must be. To do so, we need to know how to rationally modify the chemical structure of molecules to modulate or alleviate quantum decoherence. To do this, scientists need to know the “spectral density,” a quantity that summarizes the speed at which the environment moves and the strength of its interactions with the quantum system.

A breakthrough in spectral density measurement

Until now, quantifying this spectral density in a way that accurately reflects molecular complexity has remained difficult in theory and experiment. However, a team of scientists has developed a way to extract the spectral density of molecules in a solvent using a simple resonance Raman experiment, a method that fully captures the complexity of the chemical environment.

A team led by Ignacio Franco, an associate professor of chemistry and physics at the University of Rochester, published their findings in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Relationship between molecular structure and quantum decoherence

Using the extracted spectral density, we can not only understand how quickly decoherence occurs, but also determine which parts of the chemical environment are primarily responsible for decoherence. As a result, scientists can now map decoherence pathways and link molecular structure to quantum decoherence.

“Chemistry is built on the idea that molecular structure determines the chemical and physical properties of matter. This principle guides the modern design of molecules for medical, agricultural, and energy applications.” Using our strategy, we can finally begin to develop chemical design principles for emerging quantum technologies,” said Ignacio Gustin, a chemistry graduate student at the University of Rochester and lead author of the study.

Resonant Raman experiments: an important tool

The breakthrough came when the team realized that resonance Raman experiments provided all the information needed to study decoherence in its full chemical complexity. Although such experiments are routinely used to study photophysics and photochemistry, their usefulness for quantum decoherence had not been evaluated. The key insight was shared by David McCamant, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Rochester and an expert in Raman spectroscopy, and Jang Woo Kim, currently on the faculty at Chonnam National University in South Korea and an expert in quantum decoherence. This became clear from the discussion. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Rochester.

Case study: Thymine decoherence

The researchers used their method to show for the first time how the superposition of electrons in thymine, one of the building blocks of humans, occurs. DNA, it takes only 30 femtoseconds (one femtosecond is one billionth of a billionth of a second) after absorbing ultraviolet light. They found that some vibrations within the molecule were dominant in the early stages of the decoherence process, while the solvent was dominant in the later stages. Furthermore, they found that chemical modifications to thymine significantly altered the decoherence rate, with hydrogen bonding interactions near the thymine ring resulting in more rapid decoherence.

Future implications and applications

Ultimately, the team’s research paves the way to understanding the chemical principles governing quantum decoherence. “We are excited to use this strategy to finally understand quantum decoherence in molecules of full chemical complexity and use it to develop molecules with robust coherence properties.” Franco said.

Reference: “Mapping the intramolecular electron decoherence pathway” by Ignacio Gustin, Chan Woo Kim, David W. McCamant, and Ignacio Franco, November 28, 2023. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309987120

Source: scitechdaily.com

Reindeer are able to eat and sleep simultaneously

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Reindeer can multitask

gabriella wagner

The reindeer seems to be dozing all day long, ruminating on the cud. This may be an adaptation to their arctic habitat, where food is plentiful in the summer and they must eat constantly to gain enough weight to survive the winter.

Reindeer chew the cud to help break down the fibrous plants that make up their food. That is, it regurgitates food from the stomach back into the mouth for further chewing. And they often stare at each other in a trance-like manner while munching. “You can see it in their faces. They’re a little distant,” he says. gabriella wagner At the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy. “However, no one had ever measured reindeer’s brain waves before, so no one knew whether reindeer really slept.”

Wagner and her colleagues used electroencephalography (EEG) with metal electrodes attached to the heads of four Eurasian tundra reindeer.Langifer Tarandus Tarandus), and over the next few days recorded electrical pulses in their brains as they ate, slept and moved around.

The reindeer’s brain wave patterns revealed that when they ruminate, they are in a light sleep stage called non-REM sleep, suggesting that reindeer can recharge while ruminating. “It’s very similar to human sleep; it has the same stages of sleep spindles and slow-wave activity,” Wagner explains of the bursts of brain activity visible on the EEG. They also found that the longer reindeer ruminated, the less they needed additional rest.

Wagner suspects this kind of multitasking might help animals get enough rest during the summer, when they spend almost all their time foraging in preparation for winter. “This seems to be a perfect adaptation to the Arctic, where there is a very short period of the year where they have to eat all the time to gain weight,” she says.

Resting while ruminating may also explain why reindeer appear to sleep the same amount regardless of season, unlike most other species that sleep more in winter.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

High-speed rail benefits from Hyperloop’s setbacks

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In 2013, Elon Musk published the following paper: white paper It teased the idea of ​​traveling at high speed from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just 35 minutes through a vacuum-sealed tube (a system he called Hyperloop). The idea was “born out of his hatred of California’s proposed high-speed rail system.” according to to his biographer Ashley Vance.

A decade later, Hyperloop One, the most high-profile startup to try to follow in Musk’s footsteps, close the door. News of its demise came less than two weeks after the Biden administration took office. announced Provides $6 billion in funding for high-speed rail projects across California.

This is a huge victory for public transit advocates, many of whom have struggled for decades to improve not just high-speed rail, but rail service overall. (Biden’s announcement includes Numerous other railway projects across the country.) But it’s by no means a complete victory.

First, many cities and states were fooled by the hyperloop’s siren song and then left adrift. In 2018, I reported on a story about the collapse of Arrivo (another hyperloop startup founded by one of Hyperloop One’s co-founders), and when I called the Colorado Department of Transportation to ask about the company’s bankruptcy, I finally got a response over the phone. I still vividly remember what I noticed. they didn’t know it happened.

Colorado wasn’t alone.Hyperloop One once promised to be built in West Virginia $500 million testing and certification facility state. They also built a test track near Las Vegas, where they briefly took some people through tubes. Clearly, that was enough for then-CEO Jay Walder. Claim It was “the first new means of mass transportation in over 100 years.”

Other hyperloop projects and companies remain, but most are located outside the United States. Thankfully, the country was already regaining momentum in investing in its rail system with a focus on faster trains.

The most high-profile initiative is Brightline, a company that recently expanded its existing service in Florida. all the way to orlandopassengers can travel there from as far away as Miami.

Brightline is also building what it calls “the nation’s first true high-speed rail network” between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The project is supported by $3 billion in funding recently announced by the Biden administration and is expected to break ground in early 2024.

Building high-speed rail is about more than just money.There is deep-rooted problems Years of deregulation are getting in the way. With a project of this size, it’s difficult to stay on time and on budget.of other A big recipient of the newly announced federal funding (another $3 billion) is the high-speed rail project slated to run down the spine of California, a source of Mr. Musk’s ire.

Could the return of high-speed rail risk a rematch with the world’s richest man? Perhaps rail fans can take solace in seeing how distracted Musk has become since his 2013 white paper.

Moreover, aside from a few engineering competitions held by SpaceX, Musk has only enjoyed his Hyperloop project on a superficial level.

Musk once tweeted that he had received “verbal government approval.” build “New York-Phil-Balt-DC Underground Hyperloop” It was never built. In April 2022 he claimed His tunneling effort, The Boring Company, will “attempt to build a practical hyperloop.”The next day, the company tweeted “Full-scale testing of Hyperloop will begin later this year.” That also never happened.

Mr. Musk has spent the past decade with little involvement in Hyperloop, essentially outsourcing his efforts to abolish high-speed rail. The death of Hyperloop One casts a cloud over that premise, and the billionaire looks increasingly forced to make a decision: Will he be willing enough to find the time to finish the job himself?

Source: techcrunch.com

New Study Finds COVID-19 Vaccination Does Not Increase Risk of Miscarriage

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A study by Boston University researchers found no increased risk of miscarriage associated with the COVID-19 vaccine among individuals planning a pregnancy. This encouraging evidence supports the safety of preconception vaccination and is consistent with health authorities’ recommendations for vaccination of people planning pregnancy.

The new study is the first to prospectively assess the relationship between bias and bias. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) We found that vaccinating both partners and having a miscarriage slightly reduced the risk of miscarriage among vaccinated partners trying to conceive.

In many studies, It is shown COVID-19 vaccines do not cause infertility or increase the risk of pregnancy-related problems, including miscarriage.Despite this evidence, people still on guard About the potential negative effects of vaccines on pregnancy.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) provided more comprehensive information about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals considering pregnancy.

It was published in the magazine human reproductionthe study found no increased risk of early or late miscarriage as a result of either the man or the woman’s partner receiving the COVID-19 vaccine before pregnancy.

Insights from new research on pre-pregnancy vaccine safety

This study is the first to assess the risk of early miscarriage (<8 weeks gestation) following preconception COVID-19 vaccination, and the first to assess vaccination and miscarriage in men. The researchers hope these results will be useful information for individuals planning pregnancy and health care providers.

“These findings should be replicated in other populations, but are reassuring for couples planning pregnancy,” says lead author Jennifer Eland, an epidemiology doctoral student at BUSPH at the time of the study. .

Study details and results

For this study, Yland and colleagues analyzed survey data on COVID-19 vaccination and miscarriage among male and female participants of the BUSPH-based Online Pregnancy Study (PRESTO). National Institutes of Health– A funded study that enrolls women who wish to become pregnant and follows them from before pregnancy until 6 months after giving birth. Participants in this new analysis included 1,815 women in the United States and Canada who were followed in the study from December 2020 to November 2022. They were observed from the first positive pregnancy test until miscarriage or other event (e.g. induced abortion, ectopic pregnancy) occurred. , or 20 weeks of pregnancy)—whichever comes first.

Among female participants, 75% had received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine before becoming pregnant. Almost a quarter of pregnancies led to miscarriage, 75% of which occurred before 8 weeks of pregnancy, but there was no increased risk.

The risk of miscarriage was 26.6% for unvaccinated female participants, 23.9% for female participants who received one dose of vaccine before pregnancy, and 24.5% for female participants who completed the full first dose before pregnancy. and 22.1% among female participants who completed the vaccination series. 20.1% of women received only one dose of the two-dose vaccine three months before pregnancy.

“The miscarriage rate among vaccinated people was not only comparable to that among PRESTO participants who became pregnant before the pandemic, but also that the risk of miscarriage among vaccinated people was higher than that of unvaccinated people. “Our data showed that it was slightly lower than the previous year,” Yland said.

Federal health officials continue to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for people planning pregnancy, emphasizing that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the potential risks of vaccination before or during pregnancy. ing.

Reference: “Prospective Cohort Study of Preconception COVID-19 Vaccination and Miscarriage” Jennifer J Yland, Amelia K Wesselink, Annette K Regan, Elizabeth E Hatch, Kenneth J Rothman, David A Savitz, Tanran R Wang, Krista By F Huybrechts, Sonia Hernández-Diaz, Michael L. Eisenberg, Lauren A. Wise, October 20, 2023. human reproduction.
DOI: 10.1093/hamrep/dead211

The study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Science Foundation.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Improved EV Tax Credits are on the Horizon, but Finding Them is Becoming More Difficult

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The federal tax credit for electric vehicles is about to change in certain ways that will make them much more attractive to buyers. Starting January 1, rebates of up to $7,500 on eligible new vehicles and up to $4,000 on eligible used EVs will be available. when buying a caras opposed to what you have to claim when filing your taxes.

Even better, Over 7,000 car dealers Companies representing nearly half of the country’s new car dealerships have already registered to ensure they can offer in-store rebates.

However, there is a catch. Not many cars may be eligible to receive the full $7,500 credit in the new year, as new restrictions take effect on the components that make up these zero-emission vehicles.

This is the result of these credits being reconsidered as part of President Biden’s anti-inflation law. This process involved a lot of negotiation, particularly with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, over the ultimate purpose of the credits. Should they be the lubricant for the sale of zero-emission vehicles to help fight climate change, or a tool to help build an electric vehicle supply chain to North America?

As is often the case, the answer was somewhere in the vague middle. The credit was effectively split in two. If the automaker follows certain guidelines regarding the sourcing of battery materials, the vehicle will receive his $3,500 credit, and if it follows similar rules for battery parts, he will receive an additional $3,500 credit. given. (Beyond that, vehicles must be manufactured in North America to qualify.) Starting in 2024, these sourcing requirements will become even more stringent.

As a result, General Motors stated: Only this week That Chevrolet Volt will be fully tax deductible starting January 1st. Does not apply to the more expensive Cadillac Lyriq and brand new Chevrolet Blazer. GM, the country’s largest automaker, said it must accelerate plans to replace two minor parts in the Blazer and Lyriq to bring them into compliance with new regulations.

Meanwhile, Ford said only its F-150 Lightning is eligible for the full $7,500 credit. The Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring SUV is eligible for half the credit, but the Mustang Mach-E, Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring Plug-in Hybrid, and E-Transit van are not.

Even Tesla, a company particularly good at identifying and qualifying for clean energy credits and subsidies, initially said its long-range and rear-wheel drive Model 3 variants would lose half of their credits. A few days later In fact, they full credit. Tesla also signaled Model Y may be similarly ineligible.

As the new year approaches, more automakers are likely to share which electric vehicles are or are likely to be ineligible for the credit, and ultimately the Treasury Department will create a list on its website.

All of this uncertainty speaks to the level of complexity involved in manufacturing electric vehicles in a world where the majority of the supply chain remains in and around China. But it also highlights the guidelines’ somewhat troubling motivations.

Source: techcrunch.com

Most NFTs will become worthless and fade away slowly in 2023

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Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs aren’t as valuable as they once were

Mundisima/Alamy

In 2022, the world went crazy for digital drawings of primates. In 2023, we are bored.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have been touted as a revolutionary technology that will upend the concept of ownership and, more broadly, the global economy. These digital identifiers of ownership are stored on blockchain, the same technology that underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, but to most people, the phrase refers to strange images sold for high prices. Reminds me.

…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Future of Climate-Tolerant Plants to be Shaped by New Discoveries

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Researchers at the University of Nottingham have discovered an important role for diligent proteins in plant roots, regulating water and nutrient uptake by controlling the endothelial lignin barrier. This discovery has important implications for the development of drought-tolerant crops that require fewer resources. The researchers also emphasized the importance of this discovery in adapting agriculture to changing climate conditions and ensuring future food security.

Researchers have identified the role of proteins that seal plant roots and control the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil. This breakthrough could lead to the development of climate-resilient crops that require less water and less chemical fertilizers.

researchers University of Nottingham We have identified a new component of the plant root lignin barrier and a specific function of diligent proteins (DPs) located in the root endodermis that control water and nutrient uptake. Their research results are science.

Root function and endothelium

Plant roots function by absorbing mineral nutrients and water from the soil and controlling the proper balance within the plant. This control is carried out by a specialized layer of root tissue called the endothelium.

The endodermis contains a barrier to solute and water movement made of lignin, the same substance found in wood. This impermeable barrier blocks uncontrolled movement of substances into the roots by forming a tight seal between cells. This seal ensures that the only route for nutrients and water to enter the roots is through the endothelial cells. This gives the cells complete control over what enters and exits the plant through the roots.

Role of Diligent Protein

This study identified a new component of the lignin deposition machinery, focusing on the function of diligent proteins (DPs) present in the root endothelium. These proteins act in conjunction with other described root control components to direct and organize the correct deposition of lignin into the endothelium, ensuring that the plant receives an optimal balance of nutrients from the soil. will do so.

Dr Gabriel Castrillo, from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nottingham, one of the study’s leaders, said: They can be future-proofed to secure future food supplies. This study shows how plant roots regulate water and nutrient uptake through DP-regulated lignin deposition. Without these proteins, proper root sealing is not completed and the nutritional balance within the plant is compromised. This knowledge can be used to engineer plants to grow with less water and chemical fertilizers. ”

Reference: “Diligent protein complexes direct lignin polymerization and construction of root diffusion barriers” Yi-Qun Gao, Jin-Quan Huang, Guilhem Reyt, Tao Song, Ashley Love, David Tiemessen,
Pei-Ying Xue, Written by Wen-Kai Wu, Michael W. George, Xiao Ya
Chen, Dai Ying Chao, Gabriel Castrillo, David E. Salt, October 26, 2023. science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5032

Source: scitechdaily.com

It is crucial to regulate artificial intelligence within the multi-trillion dollar API economy

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With 20 years of experience as a technology leader, Alex Akimov former Head of API at Adyen, now revolutionizing embedded finance. monitor Easily integrate your clients by building a best-in-class API.

Application programming interface (APIs) power the modern Internet, including most websites, mobile apps, and IoT devices we use. And thanks to the Internet’s ubiquity in nearly every corner of the planet, APIs have allowed people to connect to almost any functionality they desire. This phenomenon is often referred to as “.API economy“teeth, Market value to reach $14.2 trillion by 2027.

The increasing relevance of APIs in our daily lives has attracted the attention of several authorities who are introducing major regulations. The first level is defined by organizations such as IEEE and W3C and is intended to establish standards for the technical capabilities and limitations that define technology across the Internet.

Security and data privacy aspects are covered by internationally recognized requirements such as ISO27001, GDPR, etc. Their main goal is to provide a domain framework backed by an API.

But now, with the advent of AI, regulations are becoming even more complex.

How AI integration is changing the API landscape

Different types of AI have been around for a while, but it is generative AI (and LLM) that has completely changed the risk landscape.

Many AI companies are leveraging the benefits of API technology to bring their products into every home and workplace. The most notable example here is OpenAI’s early public release of its API. This combination would not have been possible just 20 years ago. At that time, neither API nor AI had reached the level of maturity that we started observing in 2022.

When writing code or collaborating with AI, Rapidly becoming the standard in software development, especially in the complex process of creating and deploying APIs. Tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT can write code that integrates with any API, and will soon define specific methods and patterns that most software engineers use to create APIs. In some cases, even if you don’t fully understand it.

We’ll also discuss how companies like Superface and Blobr are innovating in the API integration space, using AI to enable you to connect to the APIs you need in a way that would interact with a chatbot.

One type of AI that has been around for a while is generative AI (and large-scale language models). [LLMs]) completely changed the risk landscape. GenAI has the ability to create things in infinite ways, and this creativity will either be controlled by humans or, in the case of artificial general intelligence (AGI), will exceed current control capabilities.

Source: techcrunch.com

Akron Energy secures $110 million investment to expand Bitcoin mining operations and launch AI cloud services in Norway

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Akron Energy data center infrastructure company has closed a $110 million private funding round to expand its business, CEO Josh Payne exclusively tells TechCrunch.

The round was led by Bluesky Capital Management with participation from Kestrel 0x1, Nural Capital, and Florence Capital.

The company was founded in 2021 and started with a 5-megawatt site in Australia. Since then, its output has grown to over 130 MW, and it has expanded to other countries and regions such as the United States and Europe.

“These sites are attractive to both Bitcoin miners and AI.” [or] It’s a machine learning client that requires very high-powered computing,” Payne said. By the way, statistics show that 1 megawatt can power 400 to 900 homes per year. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Approximately $80 million will be used to acquire an additional 200 megawatts of capacity across new data centers in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas as part of the company’s plan to increase its total megawatt capacity by 130% by mid-2024. be exposed. This is in addition to an existing 100-megawatt facility in Ohio that Akron purchased in June, Payne noted.

“The United States is an attractive market for us in many ways, primarily due to huge domestic customer demand, a mature and robust energy industry with multiple flexible deregulated markets, and a strong political and・Regulatory stability and attractiveness to institutional investors,” Payne said. “The United States has a wealth of underutilized and stranded generation assets that are connected to some of the lowest-cost power sources in the world, many of which are renewable.”

Payne said the majority of the company’s U.S. data center portfolio is made up of institutional-grade Bitcoin mining companies. “We are essentially landlords who own the underlying infrastructure assets.”

Akron’s business model is focused on strategically acquiring distressed data center assets around the world. “The current and future demand for data center capacity of all types seen around the world, especially in the United States, is unprecedented and huge. We have energy-intensive platforms that require significant amounts of electrical infrastructure.”

The remaining $30 million will be used to develop an artificial intelligence cloud services project at Akron’s data center in Norway to help serve the generative AI and large-scale language model training markets. “Over the past year, we have seen a significant acceleration in market demand for generative AI and large-scale learning model applications,” he said.

However, there is a lack of specialized physical infrastructure to power computers and support most of these products. Akron aims to fill that gap by providing the underlying infrastructure layer that the AI ​​sector relies on.

Over the past year, with spot ETF approval looming, on top of Bitcoin’s potential growth and adoption in the mainstream institutional market, there has been a “meteorous rise in AI applications,” such as Akron’s Specialized data centers are “poised to continue to grow exponentially,” Payne said.

Source: techcrunch.com

Is aerosol injection a solution to saving ice?

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A recent study from Indiana University’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences suggests that utilizing stratospheric aerosol injection to scatter sunlight-reflecting particles in the atmosphere could help slow the rapid melting of West Antarctica. This strategy aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic sea level rise due to climate change. The study shows that even with efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, significant sea level rise is still expected.

The study is one of the first to explore the effects of climate engineering on Antarctica, particularly focusing on the accelerating ice loss in West Antarctica. Researchers used high-performance computers and global climate models to simulate various stratospheric aerosol injection scenarios. The data analysis for the study was conducted on Carbonate, a large-memory computer cluster at IU University Information Technology Services.

The results of the study indicate that releasing stratospheric aerosols at multiple latitudes in the tropics and subtropics, with a larger proportion in the Southern Hemisphere, could be the best strategy for preserving Antarctic land ice. The researchers also emphasize the need for further research to quantify changes in melt rates and stress the importance of understanding the potential risks associated with stratospheric aerosol injection. These risks include changes in regional precipitation patterns and the potential for global temperatures to rapidly return to pre-injection levels if treatment is interrupted.

The study expands knowledge about the potential benefits and drawbacks of intentionally cooling the Earth and contributes to a growing conversation about geoengineering in response to the effects of climate change. While more research is needed, the findings highlight the importance of understanding how stratospheric aerosol injection affects the Antarctic region.

Source: scitechdaily.com

5 Cybersecurity Stories That Make Us Green with Envy in 2023

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In 2018, my former VICE Motherboard colleague Joseph Cox and I began publishing a list of the best cybersecurity articles published elsewhere, with HTML tags for our readers. It wasn’t just to honor a friendly competitor, by adding articles from other publications, we were providing readers with a complete picture of what happened in the world of cybersecurity, privacy, and surveillance in the year that was just coming to an end. Our original inspiration was Bloomberg Businessweek’s Jealous List, which is an Overview of current progress A selection of the best stories published elsewhere, chosen by Bloomberg reporters and editors. Now that both Cox and I have left Motherboard, TechCrunch is taking a look at the Cyber ​​Jealousy List, relisting the year’s best cybersecurity stories and the ones we were most jealous of. — Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai.

If you were using the internet in October 2016 and lived on the East Coast of the United States, you may have heard of the day Twitter, Spotify, Netflix, PayPal, Slack, and hundreds of other major websites stopped working for several hours. You will remember that. As it turns out, this is the work of his three enterprising young hackers, who have built one of the most effective distributed denial-of-service tools ever created. In this long work, andy greenberg profiles three young hackers and tells the untold stories of their lives, from teenage computer geeks to seasoned cybercriminals and ultimately reformed cybersecurity experts. . Sit back in your comfortable chair and immerse yourself in this must-read. In September, an unholy alliance of Russian cybercriminals and Western teenagers with exceptional social engineering skills allegedly hacked and destroyed the MGM casino in Las Vegas, causing widespread chaos. . This was one of the most talked about cyberattacks of the year, and several publications were written about this story. jason kabler former editor-in-chief of VICE Motherboard and currently one of the co-founders of the worker-owned outlet. 404 Media He had the smart idea to fly to Las Vegas and see the mess for himself. The result of his trip was a work that showed just how badly MGM was hurting, creating, as Kebler puts it, a “nightmare” for casino employees. NPR cybersecurity correspondent Jenna McLaughlin reported from Kiev that she had recorded a series of excellent news and audio stories about life in wartime Ukraine. People defending the country after the Russian invasion. Cyber ​​warfare has played an important role in warfare. Cyber ​​attack hits Ukraine’s energy sector and the military operation.Mr. McLaughlin’s dispatch period varied widely. In reporting on Ukraine’s defensive (and offensive) operations against the Russian invaders, Highlights of ordinary daily life in Ukraine Of course, it’s a special feature on soccer. In a surprising change of attitude, electronics manufacturer Anker admitted that its cameras were not always encrypted. In short, security researchers discovered a bug that shows: Access unencrypted streams of customer videos, even though Anker’s Eufy cameras claim to be end-to-end encrypted. The Verge verified and reproduced the security researcher’s findings and his Anker The company eventually admitted that its cameras were not end-to-end encrypted. and was actually producing an unencrypted stream. Hats off to The Verge for their impressive and tenacious reporting that gets to the bottom of the issue. Anker’s misrepresentation and failure to cover it up. In 2020, Russian government hackers slipped malicious code into the software supply chain of SolarWinds, a tech company whose customers range from giant corporations to federal agencies. The hack was stealthy and incredibly effective, giving the Russians an opportunity to steal secrets from a rival country.Veteran cyber security reporter Kim Zetter They spoke with those who helped investigate the incident and reconstructed the stealth hack almost shot by shot in an incredibly detailed and deep investigation.Zetter also published Convenient and detailed timeline of events On her substack, worth subscribing If you haven’t done so yet. The SolarWinds hack two years ago went down in history as the most audacious and sophisticated supply chain hack ever undertaken.

For years, few people knew about Appin, an Indian company. However, as reported by Reuters, thanks to an investigation based on “hundreds of interviews, thousands of documents, and research from multiple cybersecurity companies,” a team of journalists discovered that Appin was involved in hacking activities for hacking purposes. reported and made public evidence showing that It helped obtain information on executives, politicians, military personnel, and wealthy people around the world. This is one of the most detailed and thorough looks inside the shadow world of professional hacking companies that don’t work for governments like his team or his NSO group, but for wealthy private clients. This is one of the things I researched.When this story itself became a headline Reuters forced to remove article to comply with New Delhi court order. Reuters reported. Editor’s note It supports the report. Trickbot is one of the most active and damaging Russian cybercrime organizations, attacking thousands of businesses, hospitals, and governments over the past few years.The study is based on interviews with cybersecurity experts and analysis of large amounts of data from ransomware gangs leaked online. matt burgess and lily hay newman Revealing one of Trickbot’s “key personas”.Journalists identified him as a Russian man who said he was “obsessed” with Metallica and liked classic movies. hacker. A week after the reporter published this article, US and UK governments announce sanctions against 11 people For alleged involvement in Trickbot, including the man identified in WIRED’s original article. Today, U.S. and British authorities sanctioned 11 suspected Trickbot members, and the Department of Justice dropped three charges against Trickbot and Conti members. Maxim Galochkin is the only person charged in all three cases. @WIRED It was made public in an investigation last week. Data obtained by a Politico reporter includes nearly a year’s worth of facial recognition requests. Alfred Ng In the year after New Orleans police began using facial recognition, the technique was shown to fail to identify suspects in most cases and was used almost exclusively against black people.The use of facial recognition by police, law enforcement, and government agencies remains highly controversial act all over America. Critics have argued that facial recognition is deeply flawed at the technical level because it is almost always trained on white faces, but Ng’s report shows that facial recognition is a serious problem for authorities using the technology. It confirms what civil rights activists have long argued is that it amplifies prejudice. Or, in the words of a New Orleans City Council member who voted against facial recognition, its use in New Orleans is “totally ineffective and patently racist.” Toward the end of last year, password management company LastPass lost its encrypted password vault containing customer passwords and other sensitive information to cybercriminals during a previous data breach. I admitted that. The full impact of this theft remained unknown until September 2023. Cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs Researchers have reported that they have identified a “highly reliable set of leads” to more than 150 possible victims of cryptocurrency theft related to stolen LastPass password vaults. According to Kleb’s extensive reporting, more…

Source: techcrunch.com

Google Addressing Antitrust Concerns in Germany Regarding Bundled Car Services

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The move follows a competitive objection filed against Google in Germany this summer over the bundling of Google Maps and other services through its Android-based in-vehicle infotainment system software, known as Google Automotive Services (GAS). The tech giant will eliminate some service bundling and contractual restrictions that apply to automakers to resolve regulatory intervention.

Google’s proposed remedies will be applied to the automaker in a market test by Germany’s competition regulator, which will then determine whether it resolves the problems it has identified.

Back in June, this country’s Federal Cartel Office (FCO) sends statement of objection He spoke to tech giants about how to operate GAS, specifically referring to the Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant bundles that Google offers automakers.

The statement also highlighted Google’s practice of giving a portion of its advertising revenue to automakers only if they refrain from pre-installing other voice assistants next to their voice AI. Another concern raised by the FCO is that Google requires GAS license holders to set bundled services as default or prominently display them. It also took issue with Google’s refusal to restrict or allow interoperability of services included in GAS with third-party services.

At the time, the FCO said its preliminary view of Google’s practices around GAS was that they did not comply with German competition rules for large digital companies. This would give the FCO greater freedom to intervene where it suspects competition is being undermined.

“In particular, we are critical of Google’s ability to offer its services for infotainment systems only as a bundle. This reduces the opportunity for competitors to sell competing services as individual services. body,” the FCO said in the summer.

Regulators said they will now carefully consider Google’s proposal to determine whether an appropriate level of separation of its services from in-vehicle infotainment platforms would address competition concerns.

“We are particularly concerned about the forced bundling of the reach of services with significant market power with those with less power. “This is particularly problematic as a way to ‘infiltrate’ the market,” said FCO Chairman Andreas Mundt. press release Google is expected to announce its proposal on Wednesday. “It may reduce the opportunity for our competitors to sell competing services. We will now look very closely at whether Google’s proposal can effectively eliminate the practices that raised our concerns.” ”

Google’s proposed remedy to address the FCO’s competition concerns provides three products separately in addition to the GAS product bundle: Google Maps OEM Software Development Kit, Google Play Store, and Cloud Custom Assistant. This means that automakers will be able to: Develop mapping and navigation services with functionality comparable to Google Maps.

The addition of Google Play Store also allows end users to download a wider selection of third-party apps, alleviating concerns that they will be steered toward using Google’s own apps. Cloud Custom Assistant is described as a “proprietary AI voice assistant solution” for use in vehicles to enable automakers to offer competitive assistants.

The tech giant is also proposing to remove contractual clauses it imposes on advertising revenue sharing provided its proprietary Google Assistant voice AI is exclusively pre-installed on the GAS infotainment platform. .

“Google is also prepared to remove contractual provisions relating to setting Google services as a default application or displaying them prominently on infotainment platforms,” ​​the FCO said. “Finally, Google stands ready to enable licensees to combine the Google Assistant service with other mapping and navigation services and provide the technical prerequisites to create the necessary interoperability.”

“Based on the results of market testing, federal cartel ramt [FCO] It will be determined whether Google’s proposal generally addresses concerns that have been addressed to date. The question of whether Google’s proposal amounts to a bundled offering of Google’s services in the automotive sector will become decisive in this context.”

Google was asked for comment on the proposal.

The technology giant’s business was placed under Germany’s Special Competition Abuse Regulation Regime in January 2022. Since then, the FCO has extracted a number of concessions from the company over how it operates, including securing an agreement on Google’s data reform this autumn. Under the terms, users will be able to gives you more choice in how you can use your information. Last year, Google also proposed limiting how news content it licenses from third-party publishers appears in search results to address regulators’ concerns about self-preference.

Germany’s digital competition restart applies only to designated high-tech giants within the market, but companies may choose to apply product changes globally to manage operational complexity (For example, by launching a new account center, as Meta did this summer, users are opting out of cross-site tracking after the FCO intervened, and the company plans to roll this out globally.) announced).

The European Union has also recently implemented its own pre-competition reforms in the form of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) targeting so-called internet gatekeepers. The FCO’s enforcement against Big Tech therefore raises the possibility of what action will be taken across the bloc next year, when compliance deadlines for the six targeted his DMA gatekeepers and their 22 core platform services begin next year. You can get a glimpse of what’s going on. This list includes Google Maps, Google Play, Google Shopping, Google Ads, Google Chrome, Google Android, Google Search, and YouTube, the Google-owned video sharing platform.

Notably, the EU has not designated GAS as a core platform service. This may partly explain the FCO’s focus on GAS here, as competition regulators across the region seek to avoid duplication of intervention. (Germany’s status as a major automaker may also facilitate scrutiny of Google’s automotive software and services.)

The FCO also began proceedings on Google Maps in June 2022, some time before the DMA was approved by the bloc’s co-members.

On the other hand, the pan-EU regulation began to be applied in May 2023. However, the deadline for DMA gatekeepers to comply is March 2, 2024, so a full restart of Big Tech competition across the EU will not occur until then. next year. This may be enough reason for the FCO to continue monitoring Google Maps for some time. (In this regard, the German regulatory authorities also Said The EU will continue to “cooperate closely” with EU competition authorities on regulating the digital economy.

As of June 2023, the FCO has announced that it will continue to investigate Google’s terms of use for the Google Maps Platform (GMP), and in a preliminary assessment, the tech giant will end restrictions on combining its own GMP mapping services. Use a third party map service that you mentioned you need to type.

“These restrictions could hinder competition between applications relating to mapping services used by, for example, logistics, transport and delivery service providers,” the FCO said at the time. “It could also negatively impact competition among services for vehicle infotainment systems by making it more difficult for map service providers to develop effective alternatives to Google Maps.”

Ex-ante competition law reforms in Germany and across the EU are aimed at curbing fraudulent practices by digital giants that could further consolidate their vast market power, and European regulators are looking to move ahead with these more aggressive reforms. We hope that such interventions will have a better effect on correcting the imbalances in the digital economy. The implementation of a classic competition could be achieved. (A related example of classic enforcement is the 123 million fine that Italy’s competition watchdog imposed on Google in May 2021 over restrictions it applied to third-party app makers via its Android Auto in-car software.) There is a dollar fine.)

Source: techcrunch.com

Africa’s Biggest B2B e-commerce Platform MaxAB in Discussion to Merge with Wasoko

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Egyptian B2B e-commerce startup MaxAB and Wasoko, a Kenya-based e-commerce company with operations in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia, are in talks to merge, TechCrunch exclusively learns from multiple sources. I got it. They said negotiations are still ongoing and the agreement has not yet been finalized.

The merger talks come as African B2B e-commerce companies continue to downsize due to lack of funding. Wasoko is no exception. The company recently carried out its largest ever layoffs, affecting most of its employees in Kenya, including some executives. Earlier this year, the company exited the Senegal and Ivory Coast markets and closed locations, including one in Mombasa, Kenya, as it sought profitability.

Additionally, our sources say Wasoko closed a $125 million round last year, with the funds scheduled to be released upon reaching set milestones. TechCrunch has learned that the company received just $30 million when merger talks, said to be investor-led, began. Wasoko has raised a Series B round from institutional investors including Tiger Global and Avenir at a post-money valuation of $625 million.

Like Wasoko, MaxABa food and grocery B2B e-commerce and distribution platform serving a network of traditional retailers in Egypt and Morocco, has raised over $100 million in funding, including DisruptAD, BII, Sources said the company is in talks with existing investors to raise a bridge round this year, including $55 million in Series A and $40 million in pre-Series B from Silverlake.

MaxAB is the largest player in the B2B retail and e-commerce market in Egypt and North Africa. The company acquired YC-backed Waystocap to expand in Morocco, and the supposed threat Capiter shut down amid a conflict between its founders and investors.

Last year, a merger between MaxAB and Wasoko, both asset-heavy B2B e-commerce startups, seemed unlikely. In discussions last year with MaxAB CEO Belal El Meghaber and Wasoko CEO Daniel Yu, there was no indication that they were considering any form of merger. MaxAB’s post-pre-Series B plans are focused on leveraging its network and relationships with local and multinational suppliers, with the aim of full distribution in Morocco and expansion into Saudi Arabia by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Wasoko was looking to expand in West Africa, aiming to expand its product offering to include point-of-sale systems, bill payments, and social commerce.

MaxAB does not have a presence in Saudi Arabia, at least according to its website, while Wasoko has expanded into two West African markets, Ivory Coast and Senegal, to complement its operations in East Africa’s core markets of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Not doing business. And Rwanda. His eight-year-old B2B e-commerce company has since expanded to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Continues further

Source: techcrunch.com

Great apes display remarkable recollection of distant companions

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A groundbreaking study has revealed that great apes possess exceptional social memories, allowing them to recognize former mates over 25 years later. This discovery indicates that there are significant cognitive similarities between humans and great apes, emphasizing the depth and longevity of social connections among these close animal relatives. Published today in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this research demonstrates the longest-lasting non-human social memory ever recorded.

The study, led by Christopher Krupenier, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, explores the remarkable social memory capabilities of great apes, particularly chimpanzees and bonobos. The research team found that these animals can recognize individuals even after decades of separation, and exhibit heightened responses to individuals with whom they had positive relationships.

To conduct the study, the researchers worked with chimpanzees and bonobos at various zoos, collecting photos of apes that had left the zoos or passed away. They then presented these photos to the apes and measured their response using non-invasive eye-tracking equipment. The results indicated that the apes displayed enduring social memory, as they looked longer at their former group members and friends, despite prolonged periods of separation. One notable example was a bonobo named Louise, who showed a strong bias toward her sister and nephew, despite not having seen them for over 26 years.

The findings suggest that great apes possess social memories that may persist for over 26 years, similar in duration to human social memory. This suggests that such memory was likely already present in the common evolutionary ancestor of humans and great apes. Moreover, these long-lasting social memories may have played a crucial role in the evolution of human culture, influencing unique forms of social interaction and relationships.

According to the researchers, this study also raises questions about the emotional impact of separation on great apes, highlighting the potential negative consequences of poaching and deforestation on their social relationships. Going forward, the team hopes to further investigate the unique social memory capabilities of great apes and examine how it may compare to other primate species.

This research, made possible by the Templeton Global Philanthropic Foundation grant TWCF-20647 and the CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars program, offers valuable insights into the social cognition of great apes and underscores the importance of preserving their social networks and relationships.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Startup performance is better than you think

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Data shows hope amid this year’s dark headlines

on the face (expression) With the recent economic downturn and concerns about the startup bubble bursting, you may be surprised to hear that startups are doing better than you think. I’ve talked to a lot of founders who are struggling to raise money, and it’s a real problem. However, there are some startups that focus on business fundamentals and are still thriving.

Dig deep into the data of emerging accounting firms Kurze Consulting Startups that can focus on fundamentals, i.e. startups that are run more like a “real” business rather than the “growth at all costs” mentality of the past few years. This indicates that the company is in a serious situation. Decent shape. Looking at the numbers, this shows up as an increase in median runway length, lower operating costs, and a promising increase in profitability.

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A leaner run than I expected. image credits: Kruse Consulting

“Average burn is down this year due to lower operating expenses, which means founders are focused on being more efficient,” said Kruze Consulting Vice President of Financial Strategy. one Healy Jones told me. “Of course, much of that is due to headline-grabbing layoffs (so nothing to brag about), but on the other hand, founders are learning how to use their capital more effectively, which is good for the ecosystem. it’s a good thing.”

Median startup runway, the estimated length of time a company can operate before running out of cash, actually increased in the second half of 2023. Now it’s a staggering 12.5 months, which is significantly higher than 9-10 months. Typically expected after an average funding round.

Source: techcrunch.com