Subsidies Promote Adoption of Low-Emission Technologies like Electric Vehicles
Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
To achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by 2050, implementing green subsidies is essential, complemented by a potential carbon tax, both of which may face opposition under President Donald Trump.
Introducing a price or tax on carbon emissions stands out as the most effective strategy to curb carbon output. However, the U.S. government has continually struggled to enact cap-and-trade laws that would limit emissions and require companies surpassing these limits to buy allowances.
Subsidies are straightforward to deploy and could lower the cost of adopting low-emission technologies, including electric vehicles, thus alleviating the financial impact of carbon pricing.
Wei Peng at Princeton University analyzed the implications of subsidies and carbon taxes to find the most effective policy sequence for emissions reduction in the U.S.
The results indicate that subsidies could lead to a 32% reduction in energy system emissions by 2030; however, this impact may decrease over time as fossil fuels like natural gas remain economically viable.
Conversely, implementing a carbon tax in 2035 could result in the phase-out of most fossil fuels, reducing overall emissions by more than 80% by 2050.
“Subsidies will help cultivate green industries, but we will still require regulatory enforcement to meet decarbonization objectives,” states Penn. “The key question is how to navigate that transition.”
Following President Joe Biden’s 2050 net-zero aim, recent legislation has introduced tax incentives for investments in green infrastructure, ranging from electric vehicle charging stations to carbon sequestration technologies. In contrast, President Trump dismissed these subsidies as “the new green scam” and rescinded many of them.
This unpredictable policy landscape is “the worst-case scenario,” according to Peng. “This inconsistency will either slow down decarbonization or inflate costs.”
If subsidies are reinstated post-Trump’s presidency in 2029, along with introducing a carbon tax by 2045, researchers conclude that the carbon tax would need to be 67% higher than current rates to achieve net-zero emissions. This is primarily due to the necessity of employing costly technology to extract vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Yet, researchers suggest that “accelerated innovation” through unforeseen technological breakthroughs could lessen the need for stringent regulations.
The findings advocate strongly for a carbon pricing model, yet extending this analysis globally would yield richer insights into effective carrot-and-stick combinations, notes Gregory Nemet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Countries like China and those in the European Union have adopted extensive subsidies and carbon pricing initiatives, leading to advancements such as affordable solar panels, which empower other nations to cut emissions.
“Progress is ongoing in these regions, along with robust policy frameworks,” remarks Nemet. “This fosters accelerated innovation, and the U.S. stands to benefit significantly from this evolution.”
Recent research suggests that the concealed structural weaknesses in the Yukon, Canada, may be primed to trigger a significant earthquake of at least magnitude 7.5, as outlined in the latest study.
The Tintina Fault, stretching from northeastern British Columbia to central Alaska, has been silently accumulating tension for over 12,000 years. A new investigation previously deemed relatively harmless indicates that it remains very active.
Regrettably, scientists are unable to predict when the next major quake will strike.
“Our findings indicate that the fault is active and continues to build strain,” said Dr. Theron Finley, the lead author of the study published in Geophysical Research Letters, in a statement to BBC Science Focus. “I expect it will eventually rupture again.”
The Tintina Fault is classified as a “right-lateral strike-slip fault,” where two blocks of the Earth’s crust slide horizontally past each other. If one side moves to the right during an earthquake, it’s identified as right-lateral.
Over the ages, one side of the fault has shifted approximately 430 km (270 mi), during a geological period that spanned roughly 560 to 33.9 million years ago, predominantly in the Eocene epoch.
The Tintina Fault extends 1,000 km (600 mi) from northeastern British Columbia to Alaska. – Credit: National Park Bureau
While minor earthquakes occasionally occur in the region, the Tintina Fault has generally been considered dormant.
“There have been small earthquakes in the 3-4 magnitude range detected along or near the Tintina Fault,” Finley noted. “However, nothing has strongly indicated that a larger outbreak is likely.”
This perspective changed when Finley and his team revisited the fault with advanced technology. By integrating satellite surface models with drone-mounted Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, researchers uncovered hidden seismic activity within the dense Yukon forests.
The landscape revealed cliffs associated with the fault, forming long, narrow terrains created when a quake pushed material to the surface, often collapsing in the process. These features can span dozens or even hundreds of kilometers, but are typically only a few meters tall and wide.
“In the case of the Tintina fault, these features appear as a series of intriguing mounds,” Finley stated.
By dating these surface formations, researchers determined that the fault has ruptured multiple times over the last 2.6 million years, though no significant earthquakes have occurred in the past 12,000 years.
Fortunately, the region is sparsely populated. However, if the fault does rupture, Finley cautioned that major landslides, infrastructure damage, and impacts on nearby communities would be highly probable.
“We want to emphasize that we don’t have a precise sense of how imminent an earthquake is,” he noted. “Our observations indicate it has been a long time since the last significant quake, but there’s no way to know if one is more likely in the near or distant future.”
Finley remarks that the fault has been confirmed as active, and the next step is to better estimate the frequency of large earthquakes in the area. This could help provide a more reliable timeline, even though scientists cannot accurately forecast when the next rupture may happen. Stay tuned.
“Earthquakes don’t necessarily occur on a regular basis, but they can give us a clearer understanding of how often we can expect significant events,” Finley explained. “Regardless, when the Tintina fault finally releases, it won’t be inconsequential.”
Read more:
About our experts
Theron Finley is a geologist at the Yukon Geological Survey. He recently obtained a doctorate from the University of Victoria in Canada and has conducted research on active faults in Western Canada, utilizing remote sensing, structural geology, and paleoseismology.
Recently discovered fossil specimens of the Monsters include new genera and species, Borguamondor, found in southern Utah’s magnificent Kaiparowitz Formation at Escalante National Monument. These specimens highlight the remarkable diversity of these large lizards during the late North American period.
Reconstruction of Borguamondor‘s life. Image credit: Cullen Townsend.
Borguamondor existed in North America during the Cretaceous Campania period, approximately 72 million years ago.
These ancient reptiles represent a portion of the evolution of large-bodied lizards known as the Monsters. One of the most notable examples is the Gira monster, which still inhabits deserts where new species have been rediscovered.
“According to Monster Aurus Hank Wooley, a paleontologist at the Dinosaur Institute:
“They have a lineage spanning about 100 million years, but their fossil records remain largely incomplete. Discoveries like Borguamondor are significant in understanding these remarkable lizards, which would have appeared monstrous to us.”
“With an estimated length of about 1 m (3 feet), depending on the size of the tail and body, it may have been even larger.”
“In comparison to modern lizards, it was a large creature, akin to a monitor lizard inhabiting the savanna.
Related skeletal remains of Borguamondor, including skulls, vertebrae, girdles, limbs, and osteoderm fragments, were discovered starting in 2005 at the Kaiparowits Formation in Utah.
“Dr. Randy Ilmith, a paleontologist at the University of Utah, commented on Borguamondor:
Other fossils retrieved by the team include heavily armored skull bones, suggesting that ancient, seasonally tropical forests in southern Utah were home to at least three distinct types of large predatory lizards.
“Despite their size, the skeletal remains of these lizards are incredibly rare; most fossil records are based on isolated bones and teeth,” noted Dr. Joe Celtic, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University.
“The exceptional fossil record of large lizards from the Grand Stair Escalante National Monument may indicate that they were a typical part of the dinosaur-dominated ecosystem in North America, playing a vital role as small predators hunting for eggs and smaller animals in Lalamidia forests.”
“The identification of this new species within the Monsters category suggests the potential for undiscovered large lizards from the late Cretaceous period,” the researchers remarked.
“Moreover, this discovery underscores that there remains untapped diversity yet to be uncovered both in the field and within paleontological collections.”
“The closest known relatives of Borguamondor are found across the planet in the Asian Gobi Desert.”
“It has been widely recognized that these creatures traversed the former Cretaceous continents, which were once interconnected. The discovery of Borguamondor suggests that smaller animals also migrated, indicating a broader biogeographical pattern among terrestrial vertebrates during this era.”
Survey results will be published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
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C. Henrik Woolley et al. 2025. New specimens of Monstaurus from the Kaiparowitz Formation in Utah reveal the unexpected diversity of ancient large lizards in late North America. R. Soc. Open SCI 12(6): 250435; doi: 10.1098/rsos.250435
Gigantic herbivores in the Americas vanished roughly 10,000 years ago, disrupting the long-range seed dispersal of sizable fleshy plant species. The Anachronistic hypothesis of the Neotropics, proposed in 1982, posits that large fruits evolved to attract these massive animals. While this idea accounts for several significant adaptations in “megafaunal fruit” plants, it lacks strong evidence. Recently, researchers from Chile, Spain, and Brazil uncovered fossil evidence of frugivory, pointing to the existence of the extinct South American species Notiomastodon platensis. Their findings indicate that the extinction of this species and its relatives heightens the risk of giant fruit plants becoming extinct in certain South American regions.
Diversity of extinct mammals inhabiting the environment of Lake Tagua, Chile. Image credit: Mauricio Alvarez.
“In 1982, biologist Daniel Jansen and paleontologist Paul Martin proposed groundbreaking ideas, suggesting that many tropical plants developed large, sweet, colorful fruits to attract large animals like mastodons, native horses, or giant herds,” said iphes-cerca and colleagues.
“The theory, known as the anachronism hypothesis of the Neotropics, has remained unverified for over four decades.”
“Our research provides direct fossil evidence to substantiate this concept.”
In this study, Dr. González-Gurda and co-authors examined 96 fossil teeth from the Pleistocene mastodon, Notiomastodon platensis.
These fossils were collected over a distance of more than 1,500 km, spanning from Los Bilo to Chiloe Island in southern Chile.
Nearly half of the specimens originated from well-known sites such as Lake Tagua, an ancient basin abundant with Pleistocene fauna located in the current O’Higgins region.
To understand the lifestyle of Notiomastodon platensis, various techniques were utilized including isotopic analysis, microscopic examination of dental wear, and fossil calculation analysis,” the authors stated.
“We discovered typical starch residues and plant tissues of fleshy fruits, including the Chilean palm (Jubaea chilensis),” added Professor Florent Rivals, a researcher at ICREA, Iphes-Cerca, and Rovira I Virgili University.
“This directly confirms that these animals regularly consumed fruit and contributed to reforestation.”
“Stable isotopic analysis enabled us to reconstruct the animal’s habitat and diet with high accuracy,” noted Dr. Ivan Ramirez Pedraza, a researcher at Ifes Serca and Rovira I-Vilgiri University.
“The data points to a forest ecosystem rich in fruit resources, where mastodons roamed across long distances, aiding in seed dispersal. Its ecological role remains pivotal.”
“Dental chemistry offers us a direct glimpse into the past,” commented Dr. Carlos Tornero, a researcher at Ifes Cerca and the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“Combining various evidence allowed us to strongly affirm the critical role they played within these ecosystems.”
The researchers also employed machine learning models to assess the current conservation status of megafauna-dependent plants across different regions of South America.
Their findings are intriguing: in central Chile, 40% of these species currently face threats. This ratio is four times higher than that of tropical regions where animals like tapirs and monkeys continue to function as alternative seed dispersers.
“If the ecological connection between plants and animals is completely severed, the repercussions will be evident for thousands of years,” states ecosystem researcher Andrea Leuza.
The survey results were published today in the journal Nature’s Ecology and Evolution.
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E. González-Guarda et al. Fossil evidence of material frugivory and its lasting impact on pre-American ecosystems. Nat Ecol Evol Published online on June 13th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02713-8
Ancient Migration: A Journey Through a Colder Climate to the Americas
Getty Images/iStockphoto
This excerpt comes from our Human Stories newsletter, which explores the archaeological revolution. Subscribe to receive it monthly in your inbox.
The main theme of Human Stories revolves around the global migration of our species. From their origins in Africa, our ancestors traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia, and eventually reached the Americas. South America was the last continent they settled, with Antarctica being the notable exception.
This chapter of our history remains somewhat enigmatic. While ample research has focused on human migration into Europe, Asia, and North America, far less attention has been directed toward their entrance into South America.
Reflecting on this, I discovered that my previous detailed analysis of South America appeared in June 2023.
However, this narrative is beginning to evolve. On May 15th, a significant genetic study was published in Science, unveiling crucial insights into early inhabitants of South America. This extensive research indicates a diverse population across different regions, revealing a fourfold division of early groups. These findings align with newer stories of remarkable journeys and the extraordinary risks taken in the quest for new lands.
A Complex Journey
If you consider how Homo sapiens evolved in Africa, the task of reaching South America becomes apparent. The vast Atlantic Ocean acted as a major barrier between continents, complicating the path for humans.
This migration was not premeditated; at that time, people had no knowledge of South America’s existence. They journeyed as far as they could see, moving from Africa to Southwest Asia, and eventually to various parts of Eurasia. Some even ventured as far as the easternmost regions of Asia, now known as Chukotka in the Russian Far East.
From there, it was a relatively short journey to present-day Alaska in northwest North America. Evidence suggests humans arrived at least 16,000 years ago. Today, the Bering Strait—a mere 82 kilometers across—seems a significant barrier. However, thousands of years ago, colder climates meant lower sea levels, creating land connections between Asia and North America, notably Beringia. People may have unknowingly traversed what would become a monumental migration.
Supporting this theory, a study released in May highlighted that horses traveled regularly between North America and Asia via Beringia between 50,000 and 13,000 years ago, suggesting humans could have followed suit.
For unknown reasons, the earliest groups of Americans moved southward. Some utilized boats along the Pacific coast, while others ventured inland, ultimately reaching the southernmost tip of South America.
The archaeological record of these groups is rich. A study published in February analyzed a large collection of artifacts dating back 10,000 to 11,000 years in the Takualembo region of Uruguay.
Who were these early South Americans? That’s where new genetic research comes into play.
Continuing the Journey
Led by Hie Lim Kim from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, researchers compiled genomic data from 1,537 individuals across 139 ethnic groups. This included individuals with ties to northern Eurasian populations, as well as groups from the Americas, particularly South America.
“Our study showcases the history of this vast migration,” Kim states.
Between 13,900 and 10,000 years ago, the initial settlers of South America divided into four genetically distinct groups. Signs of these genetic patterns persist in modern South Americans.
Kim highlights the challenge of providing a comprehensive account of these findings. While the study identifies genetic differences among populations, they don’t necessarily align with cultural traits. “We didn’t categorize them by culture or language,” she explains, “but solely based on ancestry.”
With this caveat, Kim’s team identified four groups: Amazonians, Andeans, Chaco Amerindians, and Patagonians, named for regions where contemporary genetic signals are strongest. For instance, Amazon ancestry aligns with current populations in the Amazon rainforest, Andean ancestry with those in the Andes mountains, and Patagonian ancestry with people from southern Argentina. The Chaco Amerindian lineage is traced to the Dry Chaco, spanning parts of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. “They are predominantly hunter-gatherers in arid regions,” says Kim.
Once these groups branched out, signs of significant gene flow between them became scarce. “They have never intermingled again,” says Kim, suggesting geographic barriers like the Andes may have fostered this separation.
However, Kim asserts this is likely not the entire narrative, as additional groups may exist. “Our sample from Brazil is limited,” she notes. “Many ethnic groups in the Amazon remain unexplored.”
Recent research further enriches this narrative. In March, archaeological evidence pointed to a location known as Southern Corn, situated near the 22nd parallel south encompassing northern Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay.
Another study from March detailed the journey of the Guarani, who traversed over 2,500 kilometers across South America, ultimately reaching the mouth of the Rio de la Plata estuary, now Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
Late May research uncovered the risks associated with migration; ancient Colombian DNA indicated an unknown hunter-gatherer population that inhabited the Bogotá Altiplano around 6,000 years ago. By 2,000 years ago, they were replaced by Central American populations, leaving no trace in today’s genetic pool.
South America is vast, and we have merely scratched the surface of its complex history. Numerous untold stories lie waiting to be uncovered.
Leprosy can be caused by two types of bacteria: Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis.
Nobeastsofierce Science/Alamy
Contrary to popular belief, the influence of leprosy existed among the American populace long before Europeans arrived.
“The narrative was that Europeans introduced this dreadful disease to America,” states Nicholas Lascovan from the Pasteur Institute in Paris. “Our findings challenge that notion.”
Globally, the majority of leprosy instances result from the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. However, in 2008, Xiang-Yang Han and his team from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center identified a second causative agent, M. lepromatosis, in two individuals from Mexico afflicted with leprosy. Since then, more occurrences of this pathogen have been noted in the US, Canada, Brazil, and Cuba, as well as in four people from Singapore and Myanmar.
Driven to explore this less-studied pathogen, Lascovan collaborated with Han, other researchers, and indigenous communities to analyze ancient DNA from 389 individuals who lived in America before European contact.
They discovered M. lepromatosis at one archaeological site near the Alaska-Canada border and two locations along Argentina’s southeastern coastline, all carbon-dated to roughly 1,000 years ago. The bacterial genome exhibited slight variations, indicating a distinct strain separated by about 12,000 kilometers. “It has rapidly spread across the continent for centuries,” explains Lascovan.
DNA analysis from numerous modern cases, primarily in the US and Mexico, showed that nearly all contemporary strains are closely related, with minor variations from ancient times. Nonetheless, the team also recognized a rare and unusually ancient strain in modern populations that wasn’t found in archaeological sites, suggesting the existence of at least two distinct strains. Notably, M. lepromatosis is still present in North America today, alongside M. leprae, which was introduced by Europeans.
The findings imply that these bacteria have diverged and evolved within the United States for approximately 10,000 years. About 3,000 years ago, a lineage of the pathogen mutated into its current form, capable of infecting red squirrels in the UK and Ireland, causing issues such as skin swelling and unpleasant lesions.
Regarding their origins, genetic data indicate that M. lepromatosis and M. leprae diverged from a shared ancestor over 700,000 years ago, yet the precise location of this divergence remains unidentified.
Modern cases of M. lepromatosis appear to primarily affect the blood vessels of the feet, while M. leprae targets nerves, according to Han. Those infected with M. lepromatosis may experience blocked blood flow, tissue death, and skin breakdown, leading to potentially fatal complications from severe secondary infections caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus. The disease can also progress to internal organs such as the liver and spleen, resulting in some individuals succumbing before the skeletal system exhibits leprosy signs.
This may help clarify why archaeologists have not identified leprosy in ancient artifacts from the Americas, as Han mentions. While skeletal remains from Europe and Asia frequently show clear signs of leprosy-related bone damage, the ancient Canadian individuals examined in this study exhibited only ambiguous jaw lesions, which could arise from various conditions.
Annemieke Geluk from Leiden University in the Netherlands remarked that this “remarkable study” necessitates a rethink of the disease’s history. “My teaching materials indicate that there was no leprosy in the Americas before European colonization,” she noted, “I will need to revise my materials!”
Beyond its historical implications, this research also highlights pressing public health concerns. Leprosy is resurging in certain global regions, and rising antibiotic resistance complicates treatment. “Understanding this is highly critical,” says Geluk. “We need collaborative efforts worldwide to map existing strains.”
Jonathan McDowell is the go-to expert for all spaceflight. Thousands of subscribers read his monthly Space Reportand we’ve seen him explain unexpected events on orbit on cable news and other media platforms.
But it was always his side gig. For 37 years, Dr. McDowell was an X-ray astronomy expert at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Earlier this year, he announced that he would retire from the role and also leave the US for the UK.
The decision, he said, was complicated by policy changes that have been the first since President Trump took office due to continued pressure on the federal science budget.
“It doesn’t seem like there’s any more opportunity to be an effective scientist and an effective person building the scientific community,” Dr. McDowell said. “I’m just proud to be as American as I used to be.”
Born in the US and the UK to gain dual citizenship, Dr. McDowell joined the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in 1988 and leads the Science Data Systems Group at NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the 26th space telescope.
He’s preparing to move abroad, and with the accent he jokes, he’s clearly becoming British. This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
What is your interest in space?
There were really two routes. The satellites and space side really came from the Apollo program. I remember walking home from a school in the northern UK. I saw the moon in the sky and said, “Next week there will be humans there for the first time. They will be in another world.” It blew my 9-year-old mind.
The astronomical side was wondering what the real story was about where we came from and how the universe turned out to be. It pushed me towards an interest in cosmology at a very early age. My dad was a physicist and my babysitter was everything. I didn’t realize there were other options.
Another major influence was “Doctor Who.” I started watching it at the age of three. It infuses me with the wonders about the universe and the idea that one crazy person can help how humanity interacts with it.
All of them came together and I was just fascinated by what was there.
The UK school system specializes early. I’ve been doing orbital calculations since I was 14, and since I learned Russian, I was able to read what the Soyuz astronauts were doing. I have completed my PhD. At Cambridge University, I was able to spend time with people like current astronomer royals Stephen Hawking and Martin Reese. It wouldn’t have been a better training.
On the side, I used my technical skills to get deeper into spaceflight. At the time, the media didn’t actually cover the space, so I forced my own research.
Did that lead to the creation of Jonathan’s Space Report in 1989?
I just moved to Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryIt was once the center of space information for the public in the 1950s. The civil servants began attacking me with questions they still get from the public, so in Self-Defense, they started preparing their briefings about what’s happening in space every week.
Someone has recommended that I put a briefing in Usenet, a kind of precursor to the web, but it doesn’t exist yet. To my surprise, it was popular. And I never looked back.
In the US, in particular, we saw it more internationally than most news sources. I gave it the same weight as what Russians, Chinese and Europeans did. It helped me gain a reputation and people in the space industry started sending me information.
Why did you keep your space report free?
Honestly, most of the work I do for myself anyway. I am the No. 1 reader. But I now have this role of being someone who trusts to say what’s going on. If I don’t receive direct money for it, I can maintain its reputation for independence and objectivity.
How have space flight and space exploration changed in your life?
I grew up in the 1960s during a superpower. It was the US, the Soviet Union and the Cold War. In the 1970s, space became more international. China, Japan, France and others have begun selling their own rockets and satellites. Then, in the 1990s, there was a shift towards commercialization in both communications and imaging. And then there was another change in the 2000s and 2010s that I call democratization. There, cheap satellites created space within the budgets of university sectors, developing countries, or start-up companies.
The most important thing in space in 2025 is not that there are more satellites, but more players. This has implications for governance and regulations.
Another way to think about how things have changed is where the frontier is. When I was a child, it was a low-earth orbit. The frontier is now close to the asteroid belt, with the moon and Mars becoming part of the accumulation of humanity. On the other hand, low-Earth orbits are so normalized that they are not necessary to deal with space agencies. Just call SpaceX.
How do you plan to spend your retirement?
The UK has been actively and actively working recently in promoting what we call space sustainability. They are committed to using the space, but they are responsible. I hope to be involved in those efforts.
Compile Large catalogue of Space Junk Around the sun that the US Space Force does not pursue. It’s not anyone’s job to track it right now. We will return years later, so we need to put together our actions for things that are farther, farther, what we send out between the planets. We think that when it’s really a rocket stage, it’s an asteroid that hits Earth.
Obviously, it all needs to be scanned and it will take me years. Somewhere, a reasonable commute from London, you will need to find a new home in the library. My plan is to make it available by appointing it when it is unpacked.
What motivates me to closely record human activity in space?
As an astronomer, I think it’s a measure for a long time. I imagine someone who wants to know that, a thousand years from now, perhaps more extraterrestrial times, has stepped into space for the first time at this important moment in history.
I would like to save this information so that they can reconstruct what we did. That’s who I write about. Not today’s audience, but a thousand years from now.
aT International Science Council has observed some intriguing trends recently. Certain American participants are opting to travel with a “Burner” phone or a minimalist laptop solely running a browser, reminiscent of security-conscious individuals from 15 years ago when traveling to China.
These scholars are keeping a close eye on the American political climate, particularly concerned about potential repercussions upon their return. They have been reading Robert Reich’s subsack, highlighting instances where scientists faced obstacles entering the US due to political opinions expressed in private messages.
Cases like Dr. Rasha Alawieh’s deportation despite having a valid visa and court order, and attempts to deport Columbia University alumni Mahmoud Khalil following a pro-Palestinian demonstration, are causing alarm among the academic community.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Gaza demonstrations and demands for the return of research funds from universities suggest a troubling trend of targeting academic institutions. This hostility towards universities, particularly elite ones, stems from a disdain for their wealth and independence.
The growing concerns among US researchers about potential crackdowns on certain fields of research, driven by political ideologies, resemble dark periods of history. Europe’s response, offering refuge to American researchers at universities like AIX-Marseille in France and VUB in Belgium, presents a glimmer of hope amid uncertainty.
As the academic landscape faces shifting political tides, the question arises: what proactive measures are UK institutions taking to navigate these challenges? The future remains uncertain as academia grapples with evolving geopolitical dynamics.
What I’ve read
How Trump’s Yemeni text was sent by mistake Jeffrey Goldberg Amazing story About the White House security leak Atlantic Ocean.
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Latin America has been a source of inspiration for various aspects, including a popular literary and musical genre and staple foods like potatoes. A famous Happy meal is now an indication of this inspiration. There is potential for Latin America to also become a cradle for AI.
A coalition of research institutes is collaborating on a project called latamgpt, which aims to create a tool that considers regional language differences, cultural experiences, and “specificity.” This tool is intended to provide more accurate representations for users in Latin America and the Caribbean compared to existing Large Language Models (LLM) primarily trained by US or Chinese companies in English.
The project lead, Rodrigo Duran Rojas, expressed the importance of developing local AI solutions to better serve Latin America. The goal is to offer a representative outlook tailored for the region, with initial tests showing promising results in areas like South American history.
Over 30 institutions are involved in the development of Latamgpt from countries across the hemisphere, including collaborations with Latinos in the US like Freddy Vilci Meneseth, an associate professor of Hispanic Studies at Lewis & Clark College, Oregon.
Latamgpt’s launch is planned for around June, following a significant commitment from various regions for improved AI governance. Projects like monitoring deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest and preserving historical documents from past dictatorships are contributing to the dataset used for training Latamgpt.
With a dataset of over 8 terabytes, Latamgpt aims to provide a nuanced and localized model for various applications. The project faces challenges in incorporating diverse dialects and complex grammatical structures, but emphasizes the importance of collaboration for continued development.
Diversified dialects and complex grammar challenges
Efforts like Latamgpt, CHATGPT, and Google’s Gemini are working towards incorporating a wider range of data and improving localization for non-English languages. Challenges in training models for languages with complex grammar and dialects persist.
Despite these challenges, Latamgpt aims to address these issues through collaboration with institutions, libraries, and archives across the region. The project continues to receive data and feedback to enhance its capabilities and explore applications in public policy and regulation.
The long-term goal of Latamgpt is to create an interconnected network for developing AI solutions with a Latinx touch, emphasizing the impact of collaboration in shaping the future of technology in Latin America and beyond.
Entomologists describe a new species of the Tiger swallow (genus genus) Papirio) From eastern North America.
Papilio Sorstian: (a) male, holotype and (b) female, arotype. Scale bar – 10 mm. Image credit: Derotler et al. , doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1228.142202.
Papirio It is a large genus of swallowtail butterflies within the family Papillonidae.
The only representative of the Papillionini family, the genus contains about 200 scientifically recognized species.
Newly identified members of the genus Papilio Sorstianbelongs to North America Papilio Glaucus Species group.
” Papilio Glaucus The group is a model research system for insect evolutionary biology. ” Dr. B. Christian Schmidt Arknides, nematodes and colleagues wrote on paper from the Canadian National Insect Collection.
“Recognition and boundaries” Papilio Glaucus and Papilio canadensis Three decades of study in speciation, host plant adaptation, hybridization, and molecular evolution have been conducted as a pair of classical sibling species. ”
“Recently, we have discovered a third species. Papilio appalachiansisprovided unprecedented insights into speciation by hybridization. ”
” Papilio Glaucus The group is primarily part of the clades of the subgenos of the New World clades on a large scale Pterourussometimes recognized as a distinct genus,” they added.
“The various within the group demonstrate adaptation to a variety of thermal niches that are warmly characterized (Papilio Glaucus), intermediate (Papilio appalachiansis), and cool (Papilio canadensis) Climate region; all have a wide larval host plant diet and are not limited by its distribution. ”
Papilio Sorstian It is closely related to these three species, but unlike all of the series of characters.
“The most important differences are evident in developmental biology and biology,” the researchers wrote.
“Papilio Sorstian Compared to May for all other species, it is unique during long delays in appearance after adult escape, starting from late June to early July to late June to early July. ”
Papilio Sorstian'The geographical range is Papilio Glaucus The southern end of Papilio canadensis.
“Core Range Papilio Sorstian It includes eastern and south-central Ontario, northern and central New York, and adjacent Vermont, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.2The scientist wrote in his paper.
“In New York Papilio Sorstian He lives in most of the states except the Southeast and New York City metropolitan areas. ”
“In Canada, Papilio Sorstian It extends westward from Montreal, Quebec, to the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario and south to the Niagara region. ”
“The western limits seem to be on the east coast of Lake Huron. We haven’t seen any verifiable specimens of the west there.”
“Current evidence is consistent with the possibility Papilio Sorstian There is a recombinant evolutionary origin of Papilio appalachiansisThey added.
“However, the evolutionary origin of this kind, Papilio Glaucus-complex, I still can’t answer. ”
“Recognizing and defining the taxonomic identity of this unique evolutionary lineage is our hope to provide a staging point on the fertile grounds for future research.”
CJ Derotler et al. 2025. A mysterious new species of the tiger swallow (Capidae, Papillonidae) in eastern North America. Zookeys 1228:69-97; doi:10.3897/zookeys.1228.142202
Paleontologists have discovered 4.9 million (Early Pliocene) fossilized ruins of an extinct flying squirrel Myopetaulista Webbi Tennessee, USA. Generation of the genus Myopetaulista Eastern North America is bewildered because it is separated from the known geographical range of the genus and the extent of organisms of its sister species. Petaurista. Researchers assume that Myopetaulista which is linked to a warm forest environment and was dispersed across North America through the Beringland Bridge during the warm phase of the early Pliocene.
The lifespan of a flying fossil squirrel Miopetaurista neogrivensis It indicates that the animal is ready to land on a tree branch. Image credit: Oscasani Sidro / ICP.
Myopetaulista Webbi It jumps over the sky in what is now southern Appalachia, sliding over rhinoceros, mastodons and red pandas.
New materials of this kind have been discovered in Grey Fossil Site In Tennessee.
“discovery Myopetaulista In North America, this genus was very unexpected because it is known only from Eurasia,” said Dr. Isaac Casanovas Bilar, paleontologist at Mikel Crusafont of paleontology at the University of Barcelona. .
“There have been some uncertain reports from Florida, but new specimens from the grey fossil site provide new information, with these giant flying squirrels coming together alongside other mammals around five million years ago. It helped me to make sure I crossed the bridge.”
According to paleontologists, Myopetaulista Webbi Probably closely related Myopetaulista Tarelionly known Pliocene Eurasian species.
“The Appalachians today may try to think of these ancient creatures as closely related to the squirrels that regularly see them,” the researchers said.
“However, their closest relatives are giant flying squirrels from Japan, China, and Indonesia.”
“These giant flying squirrels have a lightweight build, weighing around three pounds, and were pretty agile on the treetop.”
“When they arrived in Tennessee now, the world was much warmer than it is now.”
“Its warm climate allows squirrel ancestors to travel across North America and could slip through dense, damp forests like those preserved in the fossil records of grey sites millions of years ago.”
The new specimen is Myopetaulista A genus of North America.
“As the climate cooled over time, Pleistocene ice age led to the isolation of these giant flying squirrels in warm shelters like Florida, and ultimately contributed to their extinction.” Miquel Crusafont from the University of Barcelona.
“The Last American Myopetaulista It has lived for millions of years since the species of Eurasian of this genus disappeared.
Team's work It was published in Journal of Mammalian Evolution.
____
M. Grau-Camats et al. 2025. Intercontinental Sliding: A Review of the North American Records of Giant Flying Squirrels Myopetaulista (Rodentia, Sciuridae) Description of new materials for the grey fossil site (Tennessee). J Mammal Evol 32, 8; doi:10.1007/s10914-025-09751-w
“tuber “It is a genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi that produces paragenic fruiting bodies known as truffles,” said lead author Dr. Gregory Bonito of Michigan State University and colleagues.
“Many tuber The seeds are well known for their unique aroma and wide range of culinary uses. ”
“Like many other truffle-forming fungi, tuber The species lost the ability to forcefully release spores into the air and instead relied primarily on fungivores to ingest and distribute the spores. ”
“Mycivores such as porcupines, squirrels, pigs, and humans… tuber Sensitive to volatile compounds produced by truffles. ”
One of two new species, Tuber crable veratumis named after the truffle dog and Monza, the dog who discovered it with trainer Lois Martin.
The other is tuber cumberlandensis named after the Cumberland Plateau where it was discovered by Margaret Townsend and her truffle dog, Luca.
“There is a long history of using specially trained dogs, and less frequently pigs, to track the scent of truffles. tuber “In the wild,” the researchers said.
“Truffle hunting dogs are also regularly used for commercial truffle harvesting, as they can find consistently mature truffles faster than other methods such as raking.”
“Raking the soil to find and harvest truffles can have a devastating effect on both the roots and ascus of the plant host.”
“It could also lead to the harvesting of immature truffles.”
“However, a well-trained truffle hunting dog will always find mature truffles, reducing harvest effort and maximizing harvest quality.”
“As such, the use of truffle dogs to harvest commercial truffles has become the standard method used by truffle growers around the world.”
meanwhile Tuber crable veratum It is only known in eastern Tennessee, USA. tuber cumberlandens It has been opportunistically harvested for commercial sale from orchards in eastern North America.
“Historically, attention has been focused on the cultivation and sale of European truffle species, but there is increasing interest in the cultivation, wild harvesting and sale of North American truffle species,” Dr. Bonito added. .
“More and more people are trying their hand at growing truffles, which means more truffle dogs are needed to sniff out these fungal fruits because they grow underground.”
“If you have $20,000 worth of truffles growing underground, you have to find them before they rot. That's why dogs are so important.”
This finding is reported in the following article: paper in diary mycosis.
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Arasan Sou others. 2024. tuber cumberlandens and T. cannileveratumtwo new edibles tuber A species of eastern North America discovered by truffle hunting dogs. mycosis 116 (6);doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755
YouTube sensation Jimmy, also known as “Mr. Biggest reality contest show ever created.” And by most accounts, he achieved his goal.
Beast Games, halfway through production, has dominated Amazon’s charts in over 80 countries, now holding the top spot among streaming platforms. The show, hailed as the number one unscripted program in history, attracted over 50 million viewers in just 25 days.
Inspired by Netflix’s K-drama “The Squid Game,” Beast Games mirrors the show’s premise, color scheme, sweatsuits, and cash motivation but with a louder, more American take.
With a budget exceeding $100 million, Beast Games stands as the most expensive competitive show to date. Funding mostly came from Donaldson’s own pocket to cover prizes, accommodation, staff, and elaborate filming locations.
The result is a spectacle, but not the inspiring one MrBeast envisioned. It reflects America’s current state, akin to a slow-motion luxury liner disaster sinking under the waves. A grim reminder for future generations of the greed and self-destruction in society.
Part of Beast Games’ allure is its unscripted format, offering a raw portrayal of real contestants vying for a chance at generational wealth. However, the show’s depiction of capitalism and exploitation raises concerns.
Beast Games takes cues from the Netflix hit Squid Game. Photo: No Joo-han/Netflix
Beast Games blurs the line between entertainment and exploitation, with contestants subjected to degrading challenges for a shot at wealth. MrBeast’s role in the show’s narrative raises questions about ethics and responsibility.
Beast Games embodies the dark side of American society, offering a stark commentary on wealth, influence, and morality. The show’s portrayal of competition and exploitation highlights deeper societal issues and challenges.
TThere's a lot to admire about America here. Some 200 years ago, the great French social observer Alexis de Tocqueville extolled the legacy of our Puritan founders: their commitment to civic virtue, individual self-improvement, and hard work.
Those characteristics are still evident today, but darker features have also appeared alongside them. The United States, which was a 20th century hegemon and still firmly adhered to democracy, has changed. It has transformed into an imperial power indifferent to democracy but willing to demand economic tribute from its vassals.
No country has been more a vassal state of the United States than Britain. This evolution is laid out in an eye-opening book. Vassal States: What happened to America? running around uk. President Donald Trump's impending inauguration, accompanied by threats to impose tariffs and lower commitments to NATO unless client nations further comply with his wishes, has shaken Western capitals. But as author Angus Hunton carefully documents, this is nothing new. The United States has maintained an America First policy for decades. President Trump is only elevating a long-standing phenomenon. Changing this situation will require more than appointing the crooked Lord Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States. It's about recognizing what's going on and then fighting fire with fire. It's time to put Britain first.
Mr Hunton writes that 25% of the UK's GDP is made up of the sales of the 1,256 US multinational companies operating in the UK. This includes breakfast cereals, soft drinks, car manufacturing, taxis, food delivery, online shopping, travel, coffee, social media, and entertainment (Kellogg, Coca-Cola, Ford, Uber, Deliveroo, Amazon, Expedia, Starbucks, X) This includes everyday areas such as: , Netflix) – knowledge-intensive sectors ranging from data (Apple, Meta/Facebook, Google, Microsoft) to finance (Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock). Every time he unpacks the statistics and scope of exploitative control, it's dizzying.
Because this is not benign. The UK is so blind to the negative aspects of loss of control, from tax avoidance to the stripping of strategic skills, that it is surprising that, as Mr Hunton writes, politicians are unable to control this process. He cheerfully praises the city for being “open for business.'' Thus, over the past two decades there has been a tsunami of takeovers of great British technology companies by US companies and private equity firms. For example, the groundbreaking artificial intelligence company DeepMind is now owned by Google. Cyberspace pioneer Darktrace was recently acquired by US private equity firm Thoma Bravo, and biotechnology company Abcam was acquired by Washington DC-based Danaher. Spend $12.7 billion on Cambridge University companies Even in 2024 alone. At Oxford University, the newly established luxury Ellison Institute, funded by Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is poised to launch a U.S.-like attack on its intellectual property, spinouts and startups. There are concerns that there may be.
Some decision-making and research will remain in the UK, but Mr Hunton has observed that post-acquisition headquarters have increasingly moved to the US. We bid farewell to our significant presence in space as Inmarsat was acquired by California's Viasat and the UK was downgraded from a potential tier 1 space power to tier 3. High-tech 3D printer Meggitt has transitioned to Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin (along with Chobham and Ultra, part of what was a defense and aerospace “crown jewel” identified by the U.S. International Trade Administration in 2019) However, it is now entirely US-owned), and Worldpay, which was spun out from NatWest, is now headquartered in Cincinnati. Not only was important intellectual property lost, Hunton reported. Immigration makes cities across the United States more prosperous, something the British can only dream of in terms of geographic equity.
Technology entrepreneur and financier Hermann Hauser is the co-founder of Arm, currently listed in New York, which started its operations in the UK and is now our third largest listed company. However, he writes that there are three litmus tests for technology acquisitions. We still control British technology. Is there access from other countries? If not, are UK sellers guaranteed unrestricted and secure access? If the answer to all three is no, then there is a risk of becoming a new client state for these tech giants. And a new kind of colonialism could be happening.'' It's happening while we're watching.
Next is the US attitude towards taxes. The tax departments of US multinational corporations are seen as profit centers, selling to the UK from low-tax Ireland, channeling profits through tax havens often controlled by the UK, or through transfer pricing. Taxes are averaged using all available means, including artificially lowering profits in the UK. It represents only 5% of profits. If the effective tax rate on profits alone, as we know it, was just 15%, Britain would be at least $10bn (£8bn) a year richer. The actual number will almost certainly be further halved. And if the UK dares to propose even modest amendments, such as the 2% digital services tax proposed in the 2018 budget, it will have to be withdrawn due to intense lobbying from the US government. You won't get any more.
What is so disappointing about this whole story is that if we had more courage and determination to put Britain first, we could be Europe's tech powerhouse, with a dynamic economy and a growing tax base. We have many of the necessary assets, from great universities to huge pools of risk capital, that have enabled us to fuel America's growth. Of course, the United States is a powerful magnet because of its size and dynamism, but not as much as we are spoiled.
Mr Hunton said that to fight back, the UK first needs to stop the decline in stocks, and the first step is to reduce both profitable US direct investment (starting business in the UK) and destructive US direct investment (very large numbers of (acquisitions of high-tech companies). intellectual property and their export to the United States). Second, the UK, like the US, must get serious about R&D and innovation and start building its own group of high-tech growth companies. Like Americans, we must invest in our college education, not ignore it. And we need to recognize that an effective counterattack means making common cause with Europe.
Amen, but the omens are not very good. Nigel Farage portrays himself as some sort of national savior, rather than being called out as a de facto US vassal aided primarily by a fifth column media seeking to strengthen our vassal state. are. The Labor government appointed Claire Barclay, CEO of Microsoft UK, as chair of the Industrial Strategy Council, while the BlackRock board met in Downing Street and received five-star treatment. Ta. There is little momentum for strengthening cooperation with the EU.
To be fair, the government's planned industrial strategy does show potential for a better direction. And the good thing about Trump's impending inauguration is that he embodies the essence of our vassal status. How about Make Britain Great Again instead? Progressive and wealthy donors – Dale Vince? Gary Lubner? Clive Cowdery? – Must ensure copies are sent to all MPs and peers. vassal state. Our true American friends will applaud us for trying to rebalance our relationships. After all, that's what they would do if the boots were reversed.
Unidentified drone flies over US military facility
US Navy/Ensign Drew Barbis
A mysterious drone has been flying over New Jersey and neighboring states for a month. they were discovered some us military facility. They are filmed on video from the top of residential and apartment buildings. A swarm was seen chasing a U.S. Coast Guard rescue vessel at the same time New Jersey State Police reported 50 drones arrived on land from the sea. But no one seems to know who's behind the wheel or whether it's an organized effort.
The case has attracted the attention of state governors, legislators and even members of the U.S. Congress, and the FBI has launched an investigation. investigationis asking the public to report sightings.
Witnesses say the drones are as noisy as lawnmowers, some are the size of a small car, and are much louder than the typical quadcopter and multicopter drones that anyone can buy. “These are not necessarily just hobbyist small unmanned aircraft systems that you can buy for $2,000,” he says. Daniel Gerstein at the RAND Corporation, a think tank in California. “These feel like they have longer range and are more sophisticated than what you can get at a hobby shop.”
Blurry nighttime videos are popping up all over social media sharing drone sightings in states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, including videos of drones in the sky. It is. Verrazzano Narrows Bridge in New York City. Federal Aviation Administration Drone flight restrictions issued following reports of drone activity over both the Trump National Golf Club and the Picatinny Arsenal military base in New Jersey. This sighting coincides with other drone swarms that have recently appeared near British military bases where US Air Force squadrons operate.
On December 10th, the House Homeland Security Committee held a meeting. hearing He met with officials from the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Justice about the drone threat. Officials said recent sightings may include a mix of rotary-wing and fixed-wing drones, but they aren't sure what the drones are doing or who is piloting them. Little information was available. However, he said drones are not yet a serious threat. Separately Briefing session According to information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the agency told lawmakers some sightings may have mistaken the aircraft for a drone.
Mayor Ryan Hurd, from New Jersey, said: said ABC News Live Officials said they confirmed that these were not U.S. military drones and were not operated by a U.S. tech company.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Defense Secretary Vernon Coker told parliament last month that authorities: Under investigation Since November 20th, multiple drone intrusions have occurred near several military bases in the UK. These bases support U.S. Air Force squadrons that fly fighters, bombers, and support aircraft.
“The common theme in all of these incidents is that no one has completely cracked the code on how to spot, track, and, if necessary, shoot down small drones,” he said. arthur holland michelJournalist and author who writes about drones. “The second common theme is that the challenge of countering a drone is through the roof when the person operating the drone is actively trying to avoid being identified.”
Although drones can be tracked with radar and other sensors, “it is still not practical to cover every corner of the country with detection and tracking systems,” and officials say “most of our country's airspace does not allow drones at all.” Michel says that they are often “unrecognizable.” “Typically, by the time a citizen spots a drone and reports it or photographs it with a cell phone, it is too late.” [to take early action]” he says.
Gerstein said there is uncertainty about who has the primary authority and responsibility to take action against these drones, between local law enforcement and state and federal agencies. Even if they are resolved, finding the best way to deal with them is not easy.
Either directly shoot down the drone using missiles, lasers, bullets, or even other drones, or take control of the suspicious drone and use electronic warfare signals to force it to land, Gerstein said. There are many countermeasures against drones. Such techniques have been commonly used during the drone-heavy war in Ukraine, while U.S. Navy warships and other naval vessels shot down dozens of drones threatening shipping in the Red Sea region.
“When shooting down a drone, the most effective method is often the most dangerous,” Michel said. “There is no way law enforcement could fire a sophisticated projectile into the air or activate a military signal jammer every time a drone is spotted flying overhead.” [New Jersey]”
These forest-dwelling birds live in pairs or small groups, feed on fruits and arthropods, and regularly feed on swarms of army ants.
These are common in the Atlantic Forest and are bold, conspicuous, and easy to observe. However, it is less conspicuous in the Andes Mountains, since its main habitat is drier forests than in the Atlantic region.
“Trichotraupis is a single-species genus found in two separate populations, one in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil (from southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul), northeastern Argentina, and eastern Paraguay, at an altitude of 1,200 m above sea level. In the range of up to meters. ” Dr. Wagner Cavalzel from Paulista University and its colleagues.
“It is usually associated with the Atlantic Forest, but some isolated populations also exist in the Gallery Forest of the southern Pantanal and eastern Chaco.”
“The second population is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes from northern Peru to extreme northwestern Argentina, primarily at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,700 meters.”
recent research proven The people of the Atlantic Ocean and the Andes Trichotraupis melanops Because they are genetically isolated, their current classification as monotypic species should be reconsidered.
In the new study, Cavalzere and his co-authors evaluated the morphology, plumage, and vocalizations of Atlantic and Andean populations.
The researchers examined a total of 581 skin specimens housed in museums around the world.
“Our feather studies revealed full diagnostic potential between the two populations. Trichotraupis” they said.
“Both populations are also differentiated by tarsal length, with the Atlantic population having longer tarsals on average.”
“Furthermore, the taxa live in different types of vegetation (Atlantic Forest and Tucumano-Boliviano Forest and Yungas Mountain Forest).”
named Trichotraupis griseonota (common name: Andean black swan), this new species is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina, at altitudes ranging from 400 meters to 1,700 meters.
“Trichotraupis griseonota “It is restricted to the eastern slopes of the Andes in south-central Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina,” the scientists said.
“It inhabits the seasonally dry Tucumano-Boliviano forest, which is restricted to the Andean forests of northwestern Argentina and the foothills of north-central Bolivia.”
“This species also occurs in the narrow Yungas woodlands at the foothills of the Andes in northern Bolivia and Peru.”
“These montane forests exhibit higher moisture levels compared to the Tucumano-Boliviano forests.”
According to the research team, the fact that these different lineages were previously unrecognized is somewhat interesting, given that: Trichotraupis It is a common species and is abundant in collections.
“Given that museum specimens have played the most important role since their birth several centuries ago, in addition to being a very important and relatively new paradigm in describing new species discovered in museum cabinets. “We emphasize that it is particularly important in the era of genomes and supercomputers; it is fundamental to avian taxonomy,” the authors concluded.
“By documenting and organizing variations and enabling these insights, Trichotraupis griseonota This should serve as a reminder for ornithologists to never underestimate the potential for exciting new discoveries in a seemingly common set of bird skin specimens. ”
Wagner Cavalzere others. 2024. A new species of golden butterfly (species: Traupidae) that lives on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. zoo animals 5468 (3): 541-556;doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.3.7
Joanne McNally investigates… Was Furby spying on us? BBC Sounds, weekly episodes Why was Furby, the cute talking toy from the ’90s, banned from the Pentagon? Could Furby be a secret listening device for the Chinese government? The comic’s latest fun, self-aware “investigation” finds her calling aviation authorities and heading to the home of a Furby collector who hangs Furby skins out to dry on a clothesline. It’s fun and silly. Alexi Duggins
Doubt everything Widely available, with weekly episodes Brian Reed, of S-Town and The Trojan Horse Affair, is launching a new show that explores journalism’s place in the modern world. The show was inspired by the reaction to S-Town, which saw Reed have to prove in court that his podcast was journalism. It’s an admirable and forthright take on an important issue, and the striking first episode sees Reed confront one of his biggest critics: advertisement
A visitor walks past the Furby exhibit at the Hasbro booth at the Tokyo Toy Show 2024. Photo: Franck Robichon/EPA
Night shift Widely available, with weekly episodes Jake Adelstein returns to his Missouri hometown in the 1990s, when patient deaths soared at his local hospital. This is a depressing story of a hospital that smelled of “soap and cigarettes” and provided solid medical care, only to be hit by a rise in “Code Blue” alarms. Adelstein tells the story without being exploitative. Hannah Verdier
The Road to Joni Widely available, with weekly episodes Carmel Holt travels the US to explore Joni Mitchell’s appeal across ages and generations. She meets Joni fans like Hozier, Esperanza Spalding, and Don Was to ask them how they got into Joni and where she’s taken them. Lovingly written and delightfully rambling, this is a wonderful tribute to an utterly unique artist. Phil Harrison
Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators Widely available, with weekly episodes Ready for a raise? Join host Jim Sebenius for “Cool Deal” tips from negotiation gurus. Proving that negotiating is never boring, attorney John Branca shares how he helped Michael Jackson get access to his master recordings that were traditionally held by his record company. HV
There is a podcast
Cybertruck: Shaping the future of automobiles? Photo: Tesla/Reuters
this week, Charlie Lindler Top 5 podcasts selected futureFrom climate-conscious programming to policing tech excesses
How to save the planet “What if there was an uplifting show about climate change?” asks Gimlet’s Climate Change Podcast, hosted by Alex Blumberg and his “geek gang.” The show focuses on solving environmental problems now and in the future. The podcast ended two years ago, but fortunately (or unfortunately), the topics Blumberg and company explore with a positive, optimistic attitude remain relevant. Should I get rid of my lawn? How can I buy less? Is fast fashion really that bad for the planet? Listen in and find out.
Managing the future of work Hold on, come back! Yes, this podcast is as business-focused as you’d expect from a show produced by Harvard Business School. Sure, there are episodes on HR databases, supply chains, and AI in the workplace. But thanks to an engaging host and knowledgeable guests, there’s a rich back catalogue of real, usable, relevant research on how work is changing our lives, and vice versa. Start with computer scientist and author Cal Newport’s talk on “The Productivity Deficit” and you’ll be hooked.
Easy to understand English This political and cultural podcast from journalist Derek Thompson, less tech-driven and more focused on humanity, quickly became a favorite of mine when it launched in 2021. The content delivered by not only Thompson’s guests but the host himself makes every episode rich with interaction and always leaves you smarter than before you started listening. Thompson has a talent for putting names to social phenomena you’ve felt but can’t quite pinpoint. Fittingly, the title of the first episode, about the metaverse, NFTs, and everything in between, is “The Future Is Going to Be Crazy Weird.”
Concentrate your full attention Produced by the Center for Humane Technology, the show closely monitors the ever-expanding, unregulated tech industry and asks whether we are truly using our advancements for good. Host Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist, was a compelling commentator in Netflix’s excellent documentary The Social Dilemma, which explores how social media manipulates our minds. Here, he continues the sobering thought process with guests including authors Yuval Noah Harari, Kara Swisher, and Esther Perel, who comments on the impact of technology on intimate relationships.
All the future If you have any doubts, just listen to The Wall Street Journal’s all-encompassing podcast. From modern bookstore design to how the Tesla Cybertruck is impacting auto manufacturing to scientists developing artificial breast milk, this long-running, award-winning podcast covers cutting-edge technological advances. While the AI portion may be too much for many listeners, a quick browse through the show’s extensive archives will find enough to fill your commute, all in 15-minute, digestible episodes.
Give it a try…
From family group chat etiquette to helping your child get their first period, This is so awkward They’re there to hold the hands of nervous, sweaty parents.
DNA analysis of ancient ruins on Easter Island has revealed that the population was actually growing when Europeans arrived, rather than plummeting as some history books have reported.
The findings also indicate that there was contact between the inhabitants of this island and those of South America long before the arrival of Europeans. This island and its people are also known as Rapa Nui.
Located in the Pacific Ocean 3,500 km from South America, Rapa Nui is one of the most isolated inhabited islands on Earth. Polynesians first settled here around 1200 AD, when palm forests covered 164 square kilometers of the island.
By the time Europeans arrived in 1722, rats and excessive logging had almost completely destroyed the vegetation, and the island’s history has often been portrayed as an example of the unsustainable exploitation of ecosystems and their subsequent collapse after human population growth.
The researchers worked closely with representatives of the Rapa Nui community, and one of their aims was to verify that the people on display at the museum were in fact from the island, as efforts to repatriate remains are underway, led by modern residents.
The findings showed that 15 people who died in the past 500 years were from Rapa Nui.
Populations that are experiencing bottlenecks due to population decline will show signals in their DNA that indicate reduced genetic diversity, Moreno-Mayer said.
“We use statistical methods that allow us to reconstruct the genetic diversity of the Rapa Nui population over the past few thousand years,” he says, “and intriguingly, we find no evidence of the dramatic population decline around 1600 that would be predicted by collapse theory.”
Instead, the findings suggest that Rapa Nui’s population grew steadily until the 1860s, when slave traders abducted hundreds of islanders and many more died in a smallpox epidemic.
The study also identified regions of DNA in the ancient Rapa Nui genome that were of Native American origin, and the analysis suggests that mixing between these populations occurred around the 1300s.
“Our interpretation is that the ancestors of Rapa Nui first settled on the island and then returned to the Americas shortly thereafter,” Moreno-Mayer says.
Previous studies have also cast doubt on the idea of population decline. Carl Lipo The researcher, from New York’s Binghamton University, said it was
“fantastic” to see that a completely independent body of evidence points to the same conclusion his team reached in a paper published earlier this year using radiocarbon and archaeological evidence.
He said the research confirmed that the island was inhabited by people who lived resilient and successful lives before Europeans arrived.
A team of paleontologists led by Southern Methodist University has discovered more than 260 dinosaur footprints from the Early Cretaceous period in Brazil and Cameroon, marking a place where land dinosaurs were last able to travel freely between South America and Africa millions of years before the two regions split apart.
Theropod dinosaur footprints discovered in the Souza Basin in northeastern Brazil. Image credit: Ismar de Souza Carvalho/SMU.
Africa and South America began to separate about 140 million years ago, causing fissures in the Earth's crust called rifts to form along pre-existing weaknesses.
As the crustal plates beneath South America and Africa moved apart, magma from the Earth's mantle rose to the surface, forming new oceanic crust as the continents moved away from each other.
And eventually the South Atlantic Ocean filled the gap between these two continents.
Evidence of some of these major events was evident between the two sites, where paleontologists from Southern Methodist University discovered footprints of three-toed theropod, sauropod and ornithischian dinosaurs dating back 120 million years. Louis Jacobs and his colleagues.
“We determined that, in terms of age, the prints are similar,” Dr Jacobs said.
“From a geological and plate tectonic point of view, they are similar. In terms of shape, they are almost identical.”
Theropod dinosaur footprints discovered in the Kum Basin in northern Cameroon. Image by Ismar de Souza Carvalho/SMU.
The researchers found the footprints in the Borborema region of northeastern Brazil and the Kum Basin in northern Cameroon, more than 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) apart.
“Dinosaurs left their mark on a single supercontinent called Gondwana, which separated from Pangaea 120 million years ago,” Dr Jacobs said.
“One of the newest and narrowest geological connections between Africa and South America was an elbow in northeastern Brazil that borders the present-day coast of Cameroon along the Gulf of Guinea.”
“Because the two continents were contiguous along that narrow stretch, animals on either side of the connection could potentially migrate across it.”
“Before the continental connection between Africa and South America was severed, rivers flowed and lakes formed in their drainage basins,” he said.
“The plants provided food for herbivores, supporting the food chain. Muddy deposits left in rivers and lakes contain dinosaur footprints, including those of carnivores, providing evidence that these river valleys may have provided special migration routes for life to cross the continents 120 million years ago.”
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This article is based on a press release provided by Southern Methodist University.
TThe story begins on a road miles from the border of another American state. The danger is clear, even when everything else is clear. Pax, the player character, is a black woman in her 30s who has just finished a robbery with friends. The border means freedom. A police car telling you to pull over means trouble.
Pax and her allies are anomalies, people with manipulative voice abilities called Vox. Pax is able to manipulate people into doing what she wants by making them feel bad for her, using abilities she calls “Triggers” and “Cancels.” Her ex-partner, Noam, is able to placate people with an ability she calls “Gaslighting.” What Dustborn is trying to communicate is certainly not subtle. Soon, we encounter people infected with weaponized disinformation.
Vox is available in certain situations, such as dialogue choices, often when the issue is time-sensitive. When you tap on a dialogue choice, you're presented with Pax's thoughts before you decide. Does Pax think it would be better to use a block to stop someone from asking a question, or would using a trigger to start a fight be the better option?
“The story you actively shape”…Dustborn. Photo: Red Thread Games
This is a very handy feature, especially when it's not clear what a one-word dialogue option represents. In my case, my first run-in with the police ends with an agitated officer stepping onto the highway and a truck doing the rest. This is just one of many tense encounters between the group on their way to safely delivering the stolen data drive to Nova Scotia, Canada.
It's amazing how well Dustborn remembers your choices: a little comic book icon appears on screen whenever a character mentions a past event that was influenced by a choice you made. This often happens multiple times in a single conversation, making Dustborn feel like a narrative experience that you're actively shaping.
“A balancing act between serious themes and the supernatural”…Dustborn. Photo: Red Thread Games
Dustborn also has hack-and-slash combat, but it's very easy and monotonous. If you're not enjoying it, you can reduce the frequency of encounters. There's also a small rhythm game section, as the group travels around undercover as a touring punk rock band. It's a fun diversion, but the songs are pretty awful. Maybe it's because of the band's undercover story, but I can't stand songs that rhyme the word “born” with “born.” Three times.
The game will certainly irritate some people by stating the characters' politics loudly and explicitly – Nazis are bad – but it also doesn't say anything else of note beyond that. The setting, for example, doesn't stand up to casual examination. A paranoid JFK is said to have “basically resurrected Nazi Germany” after surviving an assassination attempt. To be clear, Dustborn's setting doesn't reflect the horrors of Nazi Germany in any way. The problem is, it might think it does. There are stories of people talking about book burnings and “fighting,” but it never really connects to anything substantial. A lot of ideas are vying for space – robots, a near-apocalyptic event, the dangers of totalitarianism – but none of them get the space they deserve.
Meanwhile, real-world problems are transformed into supernatural ones, and later in the game you learn how to cure people infected with disinformation. Point the device at a person, and the person regains consciousness screaming something like “Wait, the awakened mind virus doesn't exist! What was I saying?”. Transforming the real fight against disinformation into a supernatural element is very damaging to the game. What's even more offensive is that issues like racism don't seem to be involved. Every member of the team is from a minority background, and none of the characters feel the need to comment on it. This is a good thing, but from my experience as a minority, it's just as offensive as not having any diverse characters at all. The game didn't need this kind of set dressing, it didn't even need supernatural powers. A lot of it would just make the well-intentioned message worthless.
Meanwhile, the characterization is fantastic throughout. Dustborn is a game where characters talk about their feelings openly and in detail, which is charming and complemented by regular check-ins with friends around the campfire after each mission.
Dustborn's fundamental problem is its apparent desire to balance serious themes with the supernatural, and to alternate between fun moments, activism, and drama, but it ultimately fails to achieve this balance. For example, a raccoon's birthday party is held after a tragedy befalls the entire community. I enjoyed it more once I stopped taking it so seriously, because the standout moments come when Dustborn leans into the ridiculousness of its supernatural storyline. In Dustborn, you might expect a tense journey across the United States, but what you actually get is the equivalent of an interactive Marvel movie, and that's fine.
Smoke from the wildfires has spread across North America, threatening air quality in much of Canada, California, and the Pacific Northwest.
The fast-spreading fire caused widespread damage in the Canadian alpine resort town of Jasper.
Firefighters in Oregon, Idaho, and California are also battling blazes that are spreading quickly due to gusty winds and high temperatures.
Raging wildfires in western Canada have sent huge plumes of smoke spreading across North America in recent days, with pollution captured in images by NASA satellites, aircraft, and ground-based observatories.
An animation released by NASA on Friday showed smoke blanketing the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories and drifting into other parts of the Midwest, including Montana, Colorado, Kansas, and Wisconsin.
This map uses data from NASA to show the concentration and movement of black carbon, a type of aerosol pollution released by wildfires, over North America from July 17 to July 24.
As of Friday afternoon, there were 948 fires burning in Canada, with 387 of them considered out of control. Canadian Joint Forest Fire Centre The fast-spreading fire caused widespread damage in the popular alpine resort city of Jasper in Alberta and forced the evacuation of 25,000 people.
Massive fires in the Pacific Northwest and California are also polluting the air nearby. Air quality alerts and watches have been issued in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming over the past week. Smoky skies have also been reported in North Dakota, South Dakota, and across the High Plains.
Oregon is experiencing the largest wildfire season in the US, fueled by lightning, high temperatures, and strong winds, with more than 35 out-of-control wildfires burning a combined total of nearly 1 million acres in the state.
In neighboring Idaho, fast-spreading fires forced the evacuation of the entire town of Juliaetta on Thursday, with more than 600 residents evacuated as the Gwen Fire and other wildfires burning in the area continued to grow.
Cities in Oregon, Montana, California, and Idaho topped the list of places with the worst air quality in the country on Friday. According to IQAir: For example, air pollution levels in Burns, Oregon, were listed as “hazardous,” while air quality in Stevensville, Montana, was listed as “very unhealthy,” according to a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
In California, the Park Fire has already burned more than 250 square miles in the Chico area since starting on Wednesday and remained uncontained as of Friday morning.
Firefighters are also battling the lightning-fought Gold Complex Fire in California’s Plumas National Forest, which has burned more than five square miles since July 22. As of Friday afternoon, the fire was only 11 percent contained, and winds are causing the blaze to spread quickly. According to the California Fire Department.
Smoke from wildfires that have spread eastward to New England and south to Mexico is having a variety of effects on human health.
In addition to black carbon, wildfires release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, a variety of chemicals, and tiny particles called particulate matter into the air. Together, these substances can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs and worsen the conditions of diabetes, heart disease, COPD, and chronic kidney disease.
Young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with asthma or other existing respiratory conditions are at greatest risk from wildfire smoke.
Thunderstorms have played a role in igniting many wildfires in Canada and the western United States, with gusty winds, high temperatures, and more thunderstorms fanning the flames.
Summer wildfires are common in western Canada and the United States, but scientists say climate change is making them more dangerous by creating more favorable conditions for fires to start and spread. Rising temperatures also drier vegetation, making it more flammable.
Amazon has announced that it is making a switch from plastic air pillows to recycled paper in its packaging in North America. The company claims that this change is more environmentally friendly and that the paper filling is more efficient.
Amazon stated on Thursday that it has already replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows with paper filling in North America and aims to completely eliminate them by the end of the year.
The company’s goal is to ensure that customers receive their items intact while using minimal packaging to reduce waste and prioritize recyclable materials.
This initiative marks Amazon’s largest plastic packaging reduction effort to date in North America and is expected to eliminate the use of around 15 billion plastic air pillows per year.
For upcoming events such as Prime Day and the Christmas giveaway next month, Amazon has confirmed that plastic air pillows will not be included in the deliveries.
While environmental groups have criticized Amazon for its plastic use in the past, the company’s announcement has been met with some positive feedback. However, there are calls for Amazon to further reduce waste and explore innovative solutions like reusable packaging.
Amazon’s efforts to reduce plastic packaging have been welcomed, but there are ongoing discussions about the need for more sustainable practices and continued progress in waste reduction.
The company has revealed its annual use of single-use plastic for the first time in 2022, following demands from investors for transparency in waste reduction plans.
Amazon began transitioning away from plastic air pillows in October and has successfully implemented paper filling in its packaging, which offers the same or better protection during shipping compared to plastic air pillows.
The company’s ongoing initiatives include shipping products without additional packaging and collaborating with various organizations on recycling programs and waste reduction efforts.
TTen years ago, Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom Super IntelligenceThe book explores how superintelligent machines might be built and the implications of such technology, one of which is that such machines, if built, would be difficult to control and might even take over the world to achieve their goals (in Bostrom's famous thought experiment, this was to make paperclips).
The book was a huge hit, generated lively debate, but also attracted a fair amount of opposition. Critics complained that it was based on an overly simplistic view of “intelligence,” that it overestimated the likelihood of the imminent emergence of superintelligent machines, and that it offered no credible solutions to the problems it raised. But the book had the great merit of forcing people to think about possibilities that had previously been confined to academia or the fringes of science fiction.
Ten years later, he takes on the same target again. This time, instead of a book, he makes a film titled “Situational Awareness: The Next DecadeThe author is Leopold Aschenbrenner, a young man of German origin who now lives in San Francisco and hangs out with Silicon Valley's intellectual elite. On paper, he sounds like a Sam Bankman Freed-type whiz kid: a math genius who graduated from a prestigious US university as a teenager, spent time at Oxford with his colleagues at the Future of Humanity Institute, and worked on the OpenAI “superalignment” team.Currently disbandedAfter working at Yahoo! Auctions for $1.2 billion in 2017, he founded an investment firm focused on artificial general intelligence (AGI) with funding from Stripe founders Patrick and John Collison. These are two smart guys who don't play for losers.
So this Aschenbrenner is clever, but at the same time, he's playing the game.The second point may be relevant, since the gist of his lengthy essay is essentially that superintelligence is coming (with AGI as a stepping stone), but the world isn't yet ready to accept it.
The essay is divided into five sections. The first section lays out the path from GPT-4 (its current state) to AGI (which the author believes could arrive as soon as 2027). The second follows a hypothetical path from AGI to true superintelligence. The third describes four “challenges” that superintelligent machines would pose to the world. The fourth section outlines what the author calls the “projects” necessary to manage a world with (or dominated by) superintelligent machines. The fifth section is Aschenbrenner's message to humanity in the form of three “tenets” of “AGI realism.”
In his view of how AI will progress in the near future, Aschenbrenner is fundamentally an optimistic determinist, i.e., he extrapolates the recent past under the assumption that trends will continue. To see an upward curve, he has to extend it. He grades LLMs (large-scale language models) by their capabilities. Thus, GPT-2 is at the “preschooler” level, GPT-3 at the “elementary school student” level, and GPT-4 at the “smart high school student” level, and it seems that with the massive increase in computing power, by 2028 “models as smart as PhDs and experts will be able to work next to us as colleagues.” By the way, why do AI advocates always consider PhDs to be the epitome of human perfection?
After 2028 comes the big leap from AGI to superintelligence. In Aschenbrenner's world, AI won't stop at human-level capabilities. “Hundreds of millions of AGIs will automate AI research, compressing a decade's worth of algorithmic progress into a year. We will rapidly evolve from human-level to superhuman AI systems. The powers and dangers of superintelligence will be dramatic.”
The third section of the essay explores what such a world might be like, focusing on four aspects of it: the unimaginable (and environmentally catastrophic) computational requirements needed to run it, the difficulty of maintaining the security of an AI lab in such a world, the problem of aligning machines with human purposes (which Aschenbrenner believes is difficult but not impossible), and the military implications of a world of superintelligent machines.
It is not until the fourth topic that Aschenbrenner's analysis really begins to disintegrate thematically. Like the message in the Blackpool stone pole, the nuclear weapons analogy runs through his thinking. He sees the US as being at a stage in AI after J. Robert Oppenheimer's original Trinity experiment in New Mexico, ahead of the USSR, but not for long. And of course, China fills the role of the Soviet empire in this analogy.
Suddenly, superintelligence has gone from being a human problem to being a US national security imperative. “The US has a lead,” he writes. “We must maintain that lead. And now we're screwing it. Above all, we must lock down AI labs quickly and thoroughly before major AGI breakthroughs leak out in the next 12 to 24 months. … Computer clusters must be built in the US, not in the dictatorships that fund them. And US AI labs have an obligation to cooperate with intelligence agencies and the military. A US lead in AGI cannot ensure peace and freedom by simply building the best AI girlfriend app. It's ugly, but we must build AI for US defense.”
All we need is a new Manhattan Project and the AGI Industrial Complex.
What I'm Reading
The dictator is shot Former Eastern Bloc countries fear Trump It's an interesting piece. New Republic About people who know something about life under oppression.
Lawful interference Monopoly Recap: The Harvey Weinstein of Antitrust This is a blog post by Matt Stoller about Joshua Wright, the lawyer who has had a devastating impact on U.S. antitrust enforcement for many years.
Chey Eye, a leader in distributed artificial intelligence infrastructure, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Big Energy Investments Inc., a Canadian company specializing in strategic investments in high-performance computing infrastructure. This acquisition is an important step in CeτiAI's strategy to advance the development and accessibility of AI technology.
Strategic acquisitions and enhancements
Following the acquisition, Big Energy Investments, Ltd. acquired an advanced high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure that included five HPC servers equipped with eight NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and two NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches. We have reached a basic agreement to acquire it. These agreements are expected to be signed within the next week and underline our commitment to rapidly increasing our technological capabilities.
This strategic enhancement is critical to the initial deployment of the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network in North America, leveraging the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric to support decentralized AI networks, decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), and Manages and provides computing resources to a variety of other applications. .
Strategic development and pilot implementation
The new HPC infrastructure will support the first North American deployment of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, which manages the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network. The network is designed to provide essential computing resources to a variety of decentralized client networks and is a key component of ceτi AI's broader mission to democratize AI technology through decentralization. The pilot implementation will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the ceτi AI solution, but will also begin revenue generation and accumulation for the CETI token ecosystem.
Roadmap and future plans
Successful integration and demonstration of this infrastructure will set the stage for immediate expansion to data center-scale implementations, significantly scaling up ceτi AI's operational capabilities. The development of the CETI token ecosystem continues and its introduction is the next major milestone in the ceτi AI roadmap.
executive insights
“This acquisition is an important milestone in ceτi AI’s growth trajectory and is consistent with our strategic objectives to strengthen our infrastructure and accelerate the development of decentralized AI technology. By combining our capabilities, we will be able to innovate and expand our reach across North America,” said Dennis Jarvis, CEO of ceτi AI.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding expected future events and anticipated results that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, final procurement and integration of HPC infrastructure, deployment and performance of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, and broader adoption and impact of the CETI token ecosystem. Actual results and results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors.
About ceτi AI
Chey Eye is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through decentralization. cτi AI is committed to innovation and accessibility, developing a globally distributed, high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure designed to empower developers and networks around the world. ceτi AI aims to accelerate the advancement of AI technology by democratizing access to cutting-edge resources, making it more diverse and accessible to everyone. Our mission is not limited to infrastructure development. We are building the foundation for the future of AI, allowing it to grow in ways that benefit all of humanity without sacrificing freedom of choice and expression.
Users can learn more about our mission, technology, and the future we're building, along with the latest updates and community discussions, by visiting:
Chey Eye, a leader in distributed artificial intelligence infrastructure, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Big Energy Investments Inc., a Canadian company specializing in strategic investments in high-performance computing infrastructure. This acquisition is an important step in CeτiAI's strategy to advance the development and accessibility of AI technology.
Strategic acquisitions and enhancements
Following the acquisition, Big Energy Investments, Ltd. has an advanced high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure that includes five HPC servers equipped with eight NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and two NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches. We have reached a basic agreement to acquire it. These agreements are expected to be signed within the next week and underline our commitment to rapidly increasing our technological capabilities.
This strategic enhancement is critical to the initial deployment of the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network in North America, leveraging the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric to support decentralized AI networks, decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), and Manages and provides computing resources to a variety of other applications. .
Strategic development and pilot implementation
The new HPC infrastructure will support the first North American deployment of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, which manages the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network. The network is designed to provide essential computing resources to a variety of decentralized client networks and is a key component of ceτi AI's broader mission to democratize AI technology through decentralization. The pilot implementation will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the ceτi AI solution, but will also begin revenue generation and accumulation for the CETI token ecosystem.
Roadmap and future plans
Successful integration and demonstration of this infrastructure will set the stage for immediate expansion to data center-scale implementations, significantly scaling up ceτi AI's operational capabilities. The development of the CETI token ecosystem continues and its introduction is the next major milestone in the ceτi AI roadmap.
executive insights
“This acquisition is an important milestone in ceτi AI's growth trajectory and is consistent with our strategic objectives to strengthen our infrastructure and accelerate the development of decentralized AI technology. Big Energy Investments' resources and By combining our capabilities, we will be able to innovate and expand our reach across North America,” said Dennis Jarvis, CEO of ceτi AI.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding expected future events and anticipated results that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, final procurement and integration of HPC infrastructure, deployment and performance of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, and broader adoption and impact of the CETI token ecosystem. Actual results and results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors.
About ceτi AI
Chey Eye is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through decentralization. ceτi AI is committed to innovation and accessibility, developing a globally distributed, high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure designed to empower developers and networks around the world. ceτi AI aims to accelerate the advancement of AI technology by democratizing access to cutting-edge resources, making it more diverse and accessible to everyone. Our mission is not limited to infrastructure development. We are building the foundation for the future of AI, allowing it to grow in ways that benefit all of humanity without sacrificing freedom of choice and expression.
Users can learn more about our mission, technology, and the future we're building, along with the latest updates and community discussions, by visiting:
Here’s a question you probably shouldn’t think about while eating. What is the fastest peeing animal on earth? Elephants? Lions? Horse?
According to the magazine’s recent research, there’s one surprising candidate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: cicada. After studying urine flow throughout the animal kingdom, some scientists (preferably wearing goggles) have discovered that this tiny insect can spray pee at speeds of up to 3 meters per second. This is about three times faster than the average human.
So far so bad. But when you add that to the fact that a once-in-200-year event will soon see billions, perhaps trillions, of birds across the United States, you might start to feel a little nervous about your summer plans…
Now, is it time to hide out until the cicada storm passes? Experts say it probably is, but not for the reasons you might think…
What are cicadas and why do they come towards us?
“Cicadas are truly fascinating insects, known for their unique life cycles and unique sounds.” Dr. Elio Charita says the lead author of their urinary study. BBC Science Focus. “They belong to the order Hemiptera, are sap-feeding insects, and are found in temperate and tropical regions around the world.”
Cicadas can grow quite large, in some cases as large as hummingbirds, but in reality they really are quite noisy. In fact, their cries, clicks, and crackles are as noisy as a chainsaw.
“One of the most interesting things about cicadas is that they have a long larval stage, during which they stay underground for several years and feed on plant roots. Depending on the species, this stage lasts anywhere from a few years to 17 years. It can continue,” Charita continues.
This year, two “family members” of the so-called periodic cicadas (one emerges every 13 years, the other every 17 years) are synchronizing in some parts of the eastern United States. This is something that hasn’t happened since 1803 and will not happen again until 2245.
If you want to know more about the cicada life cycle, you can read all about cicadas in our explanatory article.
Is it time to prepare for the pee apocalypse?
Before we started buying canned goods and toilet paper in bulk in preparation for a summer spent indoors, the University of Kentucky entomologist said, Dr. Jonathan Larson, tells you BBC Science Focus Really, there’s no need to worry too much.
“For many people, the idea of a six-legged teenage insect invasion sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but in reality, it’s a beautiful life experience, just like Mardi Gras.”
Although cicadas are large, they are harmless to people, animals, and crops.
Larson also pointed out that the cicadas found in the recent study were a species that lives in Peru and emerges every year. As a result, they spend more time feeding and urinating than the U.S. species we expect this summer.
read more:
“Insect Apocalypse” will feature billions of cicadas. Here’s what you can expect
Top 10 largest insects in the world
Bugs on the brink: Why bugs are disappearing from your garden this year
“For species in the United States, we’re talking about species that feed much less as adults than some of the species studied. The periodicals here say that once they emerge as adults, it all comes down to finding a mate,” Larson says.
However, it takes a while for them to eat and pee. Charita explains that periodic cicadas have been observed to urinate on jets before. It was also captured on camera.
…
Another good thing (or should we call it that?) is that cicada pee is completely different from animal pee. As mentioned above, cicadas feed exclusively on the xylem sap of trees. This is the same thing that forms the basis of maple syrup. Therefore, what comes out is a sweet, watery liquid known as “honeydew.”
Despite its delicious name, we don’t recommend drinking cicada pee while walking around this summer, but at least you’ll feel a little less sick if cicada pee falls on your head during a walk.
In other words, as Larson says, “With these cicadas, you can leave your umbrella at home.” Phew.
“Please watch your step.”
So cicadas pee surprisingly fast, but that’s not really a problem. In fact, the bigger problem for Larson would be when he dies, not when he goes to the bathroom.
“They die in groups, so you get big piles of carcasses. If they get stepped on, they can make sidewalks slippery. I think it’s a bigger liquid nightmare,” Larson says.
How bad could this be? In 1990, there was a report as follows. Chigoan has to use a snow shovel to remove dead insects from the sidewalk.
To make matters worse, billions of bugs die and rot at the same time, leaving a terrible stench in the air. Several people explained this. Hmm, a unique smell like rotten nuts.
Billions of cicadas come out of the ground, mate, and then die one after the other. – Image credit: Getty
On the positive side, this process returns many nutrients, including nitrogen, to the ground. So, while they may stink, they benefit the ecosystems they end up in.
How cicada pee can help build future robots
The fact that cicadas urinate in such powerful jets was surprising for two reasons, Charita said.
Most insects do not urinate because it takes a lot of energy to urinate in a jet like larger animals do. Instead, they are excreted as droplets. Cicadas in particular feed on tree sap, which has little nutritional value, making their energetic eviction even more troublesome.
Not only is jet peeing less energy efficient, previous research suggested it would be impossible for animals weighing less than 1 kilogram because their orifices are too small to produce a dense jet.
Understanding this process is important for several reasons. Especially since cicada populations number in the trillions and the impact their excrement has on the environment can be significant.
“We still don’t fully understand the ecological impact of cicada excretion on surrounding flora and fauna, especially in the case of periodic cicadas,” Charita says.
Cicadas can produce jets that travel at speeds of up to 3 meters per second. – Image credit: Elio Challita
When feeding, cicadas can consume 300 times their body weight in sap each day, and all that sap has to go somewhere.
But the team also has other applications for this research in mind. The knowledge gained could be useful for manufacturing jets and nozzles for small robots, and could also be applied to additive manufacturing and possibly drug delivery.
“Our study highlights the importance of studying seemingly mundane aspects of animal biology, such as excretion,” concludes Charita. “Investigating these processes can reveal interesting adaptations and provide insight into how animals interact with their environments.
“It also reminds us that there is still much to discover about the natural world, even in the most unexpected places.”
About our experts
Elio Charita He is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Microrobotics Institute. Previously, at Georgia Tech, he studied fluid mechanics to help ultra-fast invertebrates (insects, hexapods, and arachnids) perform essential biological functions (e.g., feeding, excretion, and predator avoidance). I was researching how to deal with this issue.
Jonathan Larson He is an extension entomologist and assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, providing insect expertise to those working on urban landscapes, turfgrass, nursery crops, greenhouses, and household problems. He is also the co-host of the Informative Insects Podcast. arthropod.
read more:
“Insect Apocalypse” will feature billions of cicadas. Here’s what you can expect
Top 10 largest insects in the world
Bugs on the brink: Why bugs are disappearing from your garden this year
Humans have a long history of transporting and trading plants, contributing to the evolution of cultivated plants. The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), whose beans are used to make products such as chocolate, liqueurs, and cocoa butter, is native to the Neotropics of South America. However, little is known about its cultivation and use in these regions. In a new study, archaeologists analyzed ceramic residues from a large sample of pre-Columbian cultures in Central and South America. Their findings reveal that cacao was widely used in South America outside of its Amazonian region, going back 5,000 years.
Recent discoveries have recorded the domestication of cacao trees (Theobroma cacao) inhabited its native Amazon region of Ecuador by at least 5,300 years ago. Lanau other. This study shows that a large-scale landscape of domestication of cacao outside of its native region along the Pacific coast of South America occurred simultaneously during this same early period and later periods. Image credit: Fernando Granier.
The modern cacao tree (its scientific name means “food of the gods”) is one of the world’s most important crops.
Eleven genetic groups are known, including the widely used Criollo and Nacional strains.
Although it is well established that the cacao tree was originally domesticated in the upper Amazon basin, it has not been clear how the use of cacao by other cultures spread throughout Central and South America.
In a new study, AGAP Institute researcher Claire Lanau and colleagues found 352 ceramic remains from 19 pre-Columbian cultures dating back approximately 5,900 to 400 years, spanning Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Belize, and Panama. was analyzed.
Researchers tested ancient cacao’s DNA and the presence of three methylxanthine (mild stimulant) compounds (theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine) present in modern cacao tree lineages to determine the ancient cacao’s DNA. Identified the residue.
The authors also used genetic information from 76 modern cocoa samples to establish the ancient cocoa ancestry present in ceramic products. This could reveal how ancient cocoa strains diversified and spread.
The study results show that cacao was domesticated in the Amazon at least 5,000 years ago, and was soon cultivated extensively along the Pacific coast, with high diversity among ancient lineages likely due to genetic This shows that different populations were bred together.
The presence of cacao genotypes originating from the Peruvian Amazon in the Valdivia coastal region of Ecuador suggests that these cultures have been in contact for many years.
The Peruvian strain was also detected in artifacts from Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
“Taken together, these indicate that cocoa varieties spread widely across countries and were interbred to adapt to new environments as different cultures adopted the use of cocoa,” the researchers said.
“A better understanding of cocoa’s genetic history and diversity may help combat the threats facing modern cocoa varieties, such as disease and climate change.”
a paper The survey results were published in a magazine scientific report.
_____
C. Lanau other. 2024. Revisiting the history of pre-Columbian cacao cultivation revealed through an archaeogenomic approach. science officer 14, 2972; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-53010-6
Scientists have identified five mysterious species of the genus Viper Botrykiss They live in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador.
Botrykis Rahimi. Image credit: Lucas Bustamante.
The eyelash viper is distinguished by a unique feature: a set of huge spine-like scales above the eyes.
These eyelashes give the snake a frightening and ferocious appearance, but the true purpose of this feature is still unknown.
However, what is certain is that certain populations exhibit longer and more stylized eyelashes compared to others.
The changes in the condition of the eyelashes led researchers to hypothesize that an undiscovered species existed.
Eyelash vipers are also famous for another characteristic: they are multicolored. The same patch of rainforest may contain individuals of the turquoise morph, moss morph, or gold morph. They all belong to the same species, even though they have completely different attire.
Alejandro Arteaga, a researcher with the Carmai Foundation and Tropical Helping SA, said: “No two individuals have the same color, even if they belong to the same litter (giving birth to live offspring).”
“Some species have a ‘Christmas’ form, a ghost form, and even a purple form, and different varieties can coexist and even breed with each other.”
“The reasons behind these incredible color changes are still unclear, but it is likely that the pit vipers are able to occupy a wide range of ambush perches, from mossy branches to bright yellow heliconias. is.”
Distribution of palm beetles botry extract schlegeli Species complex including 5 new species.Image credit: Arteaga other., doi: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527.
The newly identified species of eyelash viper is Botry extract lasix morum, Botrychus crebai, botry extract kwargi, Botrykis Rahimiand botry extract fusaini.
The first three species are endemic to the eastern Columbia Mountains and live in cloud forests and coffee plantations.
Botrykis Rahimi It stands out because it occurs in the remote and pristine Chocó rainforest on the border of Colombia and Ecuador.
botry extract fusaini It lives in the forests of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru.
“The venom of some (perhaps all) of the new viper species is much less lethal and hemorrhagic than the venom of typical vipers. Central American eyelash viper (botry extract schlegeli)” said Tropical Helping SA and Savia Foundation researcher Lucas Bustamante, who was bitten on the finger. Botrykis Rahimi When the photo was taken during a research expedition in 2013.
“There was intermittent localized pain, dizziness and swelling, but after three doses of antivenom within two hours of the sting, it quickly resolved and no scarring remained.”
“One of the key conclusions of the study is that four species in the group face high risk of extinction,” the researchers said.
“Their geographic range is very limited, and 50% to 80% of their habitat has already been destroyed.”
“Therefore, rapid response measures are urgently needed to save remaining habitat.”
of study It was published in the magazine evolutionary systematics.
_____
A. Arteaga other. 2024. Systematic revision of Eyelash Palm-Pitviper botry extract schlegeli (Serpentes, Viperidae), 5 new species descriptions and 3 revalidations. evolutionary systematics 8 (1): 15-64; doi: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527
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