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How Taylor Swift Elevates Botany to Celebrity Status

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Feedback is New Scientist Popular Sideways covers the latest in science and technology. You can reach out to Feedback@newscientist.com to share items you believe will captivate our readers.

Quick Botany Lessons

We’re on top of our game, thanks to our assistant news editor and Swiftie Alexandra Thompson. The upcoming release titled The Anniversary of Botany is set for August. It’s named “Dance with Plants: Taylor Swift’s music video as a Catalyst for Engaging Botany Learning.”.

The study reveals that high school students exhibit a “generally low interest in plants,” leading to “plant blindness.” Teachers, frustrated by the challenge of igniting interest in botany, often find themselves repeating tired lessons. Plants are deemed an afterthought, making visits to the garden seem less inviting. It’s disheartening; interest in botany should be more pronounced.

However, as autumn leaves begin to fall, researchers have proposed a novel solution: showing a Taylor Swift music video.

This might appear off-track. Swift wouldn’t typically be seen as a conventional instructional tool. Yet, her videos prominently feature numerous plants. “Out of the 61 official music videos on Swift’s YouTube channel, 53 (87%) contain elements related to plants,” the authors note.

By incorporating videos like green cardigan into the curriculum, educators can introduce concepts such as “photosynthesis, light competition, forest waste, nutrient cycling, seasonal changes, canopy structure, plant growth habits, and morphology.”

Botany is a captivating field, filled with beauty and challenges, and students show enthusiasm for learning about plants, echoing, “You look like my next mistake.”

Botany Communicator: This is a game-changer. Embrace it! Stop denying your inner Swiftie and start incorporating her videos as teaching tools. Soon, you’ll have your students engaged.

Feedback eagerly awaits updates from researchers who find inspiration in Showgirl’s Life, as I slowly drift towards my favorite city.

Acronyms Galore

Feedback continues its mission to uncover the most imaginative scientific acronyms. Readers have highlighted two noteworthy examples. Credit where it’s due for discovering them!

Firstly, Eric Foxcroft points out that Graham Lawton’s discussion of chronic sinus infections included a “number of pages in columns” which mentioned mid-nasal results or runny noses. This was literally beneath our noses! While our feedback addressed the concept of “runny noses” way back in 2001, it seems we had forgotten, so it’s time to bring it back.

Meanwhile, Johann Gottalt Olsen highlighted a recent September Nature paper detailing unique rock formations discovered by the Mars rover, which may indicate ancient life on Mars. This was mentioned in New Scientist and notably included an acronym Olsen found that we missed.

One instrument is called Rimfax, a nod to the Norse mythical horse Hrímfaxi. The acronym cleverly stands for “radar imager for underground Mars experiments.”

But it gets better! “We also encountered Shelllock and Watson,” Olsen writes, representing “scanning habitable environments with Raman and organic matter emission” and “wide-angle terrain sensors for operation and engineering.” Olsen continued:

Feedback is curious as to why “patience” didn’t also lead to Raman rainbow colors and radiation tomography monitors. It’s essential to keep up with the feedback in New Scientist from time to time!

Creatures, Gremlins, and More

Exciting news from the Wall Street Journal reveals that OpenAI is producing its first film. Well, kind of. OpenAI is “lending tools and computational resources” to Vertigo Films, which will create films based on concepts from OpenAI’s “creative specialist” Chad Nelson.

The film is titled Cricktails, likely due to its clever spelling. A previous title, Creatures, belongs to a Science Fiction Comedy Horror film from 1986. The plot centers on “a forest creature embarking on an adventure following the destruction of its village by an outsider.”

This feature expands on the 2023 short film, Cricktails, which you can watch for free on YouTube. The short is noted as the first animated film crafted entirely using DALL-E’s generative AI, creating all visuals, characters, and backgrounds—the entirety of Crikterz’s world.

Only DALL-E could generate such unique designs as seen in Critterz. Where are the Wild Ones? Despite the desire for more animation, one YouTube commenter quipped, “I enjoy watching the whole movie with a character standing still, staring at me.”

Feedback has gathered ample content, so you can expect that the best joke is the film is narrated by “David Attenborough’s neighbor Dennis.” I’m eager to see how this unfolds as a full-length feature. Mark your calendars for its anticipated debut at Cannes next year!

Have you shared your feedback yet?

You can send your stories to feedback via email at feedback@newscientist.com. Don’t forget to include your home address. This week’s and past editions of feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Top New Sci-Fi Releases for June 2025: Exploring Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Alternate 1980s

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June’s new science fiction features Megan E. O’Keefe’s Space Opera

Science Photo Library / Alamy Stock Photo

Are you a fan of dystopian worlds plagued by relentless viruses and advanced technology? If so, June has a lot in store for you. Expect narratives that range from infections inciting greed to nerve chips that eliminate sleep. Inga Simpson delivers a tale of environmental apocalypse in Thin, while EK Sathue offers a feminist body horror twist in a story reminiscent of American Psycho meets Material. Also on the menu is the intriguing new space opera by Megan E. O’Keefe titled Atmosphere.

Those crafty scientists are up to something again, developing a nerve chip designed to eliminate sleep. This chip soon becomes ubiquitous, leaving humanity in a state of sleep deprivation. Survivors in the Tower of London work tirelessly to find a cure… it’s a mix of eerie entertainment and genuine fright.

We’ve encountered plenty of apocalyptic viruses before. In this installment, a deadly virus leaves infected individuals “wild with desire.” Sophie, our protagonist, is a “good Catholic girl” who will stop at nothing to find her family. Originally published in the US, this novel hits the UK shelves this month.

Although not strictly science fiction, the upcoming book offers a unique perspective against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program. Taylor Jenkins Reid, known for Daisy Jones & Six and Malibu Rising, introduces us to Professor Joe Goodwin, who begins training astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston in 1980. Everything shifts with Mission STS-LR9 in December 1984…

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere is set during the 1980s space shuttle program

NG Images/Alamy

This standalone space opera features Faven Sythe on a quest to find her missing mentor. Sythe, a “Crystbon,” charts stellar routes across the galaxy. The only individual who stands a chance of aiding her is the enigmatic pirate Amandine, and together they uncover a conspiracy that spans the galaxy.

Finn lives in a secluded area with his mother, Dianera, always ready to escape. The environment beyond their sanctuary is deteriorating, and as extinction looms, Finn must join forces with an unlikely ally—an evolved human—on a mission to restore the balance of nature.

As a virus decimates half of China’s population and heads towards the UK, the government resorts to distributing “pills of dignity.” Meanwhile, Hart Ikeda discovers a method to mutate the virus, reprogramming it to foster compassion in its hosts. Will this be the salvation needed?

Pitched as American Psycho meets Material, this body horror narrative follows a young woman who starts working for the upscale skincare brand Hebe. As Sofia quickly learns, all is not as it seems; the Youth Juice moisturizer she tests could come with costs she never anticipated. How far is she willing to go to preserve her youth?

This compelling tale unfolds as scientists, facing humanity’s potential extinction, utilize technology intended for interstellar exploration to send someone 10,000 years into Earth’s future. Microbiologist Nicholas Hindman finds himself navigating an uncharted wilderness, searching for the remnants of humanity amidst a devastating pandemic in 2068.

Enca and Mathilde bond as art school friends, but when Mathilde’s rise to fame threatens their relationship, Enca becomes desperate to maintain their connection. Will the cutting-edge technology known as scaffolding—allowing Enca to live within Mathilde’s mind—forge a stronger bond, or will it complicate their lives?

Beginning in present-day India and moving into a near future, this story centers around a populist movement that rejuvenates the ancient Saraswati River. Though it’s labeled “not exactly science fiction,” it contains “strong speculative elements deeply rooted in contemporary politics.” Compared to the works of David Mitchell, Zadie Smith, and Eleanor Catton, it’s certainly worth exploring.

Set in a near-future London where technology intertwines with everything from physical health to political dynamics, journalist Pers Budmouth seeks to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of young black children. Instead, her assignment takes her to cover protests in Benin, where tourists participate in sacred rituals. When she partakes in the Spirit Vine—an ingredient often found in ayahuasca—she uncovers a destiny that could change everything. This story is a must-read for fans of NK Jemisin’s Supacell.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

What was the reason behind Donald Trump sharing an AI-generated fake video of Taylor Swift?

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circleWhen Donald Trump posted a series of AI-generated images that falsely portrayed Taylor Swift and her fans as supporters of his presidential campaign, he inadvertently endorsed the efforts of an opaque non-profit organization aiming to fund prominent right-wing media figures and with a track record of disseminating misinformation.

Among the modified images shared by Trump on Truth Social were digitally altered pictures of young women sporting “Swifties for Trump” shirts, created by the John Milton Freedom Foundation. This Texas-based non-profit, established last year, claims to advocate for press freedom while also seeking to “empower independent journalists” and “fortify the pillars of our democracy.”




President Trump posts AI imitation of Taylor Swift and her fans Photo: Nick Robbins Early/Truth Social



Screenshot of @amuse’s “Swifties for Trump” tweet. Photo: Nick Robbins Early/Truth Social/X

The foundation’s operations seem to involve sharing clickbait content on X and collecting substantial donations, with plans for a “fellowship program” chaired by a high school student that intends to grant $100,000 to prominent Twitter figures like Glenn Greenwald, Andy Ngo, and Lara Logan. Despite inquiries into the foundation’s activities and fellowship program through tax records, investor documents, and social media posts, the John Milton Freedom Foundation did not offer any comment.

Having spent months endorsing conservative media figures and echoing Elon Musk’s allegations of free speech suppression from the political left, one of the foundation’s messages eventually reached President Trump and his massive following.

Experts caution about the potential dangers of generative AI in creating deceptive content that could impact election integrity. The proliferation of AI-generated content, including portrayals of Trump, Kamala Harris, and other politicians, has increased since Musk’s xAI introduced the unregulated Grok image generator. The John Milton Freedom Foundation is just one among many groups flooding social media with AI-generated content.


Niche nonprofit’s AI junk reaches President Trump

Amid the spread of AI images on X, the conservative @amuse account shared an AI-generated tweet from Swift fans with its over 300,000 followers. The post was tagged as “Satire,” marked with “Sponsored by the John Milton Freedom Foundation.” Trump then reposted screenshots of these tweets on Truth Social.

The @amuse account, managed by Alexander Muse, enjoys a broad reach with approximately 390,000 followers and frequent daily postings. Muse, indicated as a consultant in the Milton Foundation’s investor prospectus and a writer of right-wing commentary on Substack, has numerous ties to the @amuse account. The AI content includes depictions like Trump vs. Darth Vader and sexualized images of Harris, with the prominent watermark “Sponsored by: John Milton Freedom Foundation.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is it possible for AI to replace all recorded music with Taylor Swift covers?

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Taylor Swift performed in Melbourne earlier this year.

Graham Denholm/TAS24/TAS Copyright Management Getty Images

A rogue artificial intelligence obsessed with Taylor Swift could replace all recorded music with artificially generated cover versions of her, researchers say. History tells us that this American singer-songwriter for elise to paperback authorThere is no evidence left that Ludwig van Beethoven or the Beatles ever existed.

nick collins at Durham University, UK. mick grierson Professors at the University of the Arts London have issued an unusual warning in a paper that says humans should think about ways to resist “now, rather than when it is too late.”

Thankfully, the risk of AI Swiftpocalypse is low. Collins said the idea is a thought experiment aimed at encouraging researchers to develop ways to protect all types of data, including music, literature, scientific research, and historical records, from being corrupted by AI. I am.

The pair lay out a future scenario in which we rely on a few centralized data stores, such as Spotify and Apple for music. AI could infiltrate these stores and corrupt, delete, or alter the data inside. This can be dramatic and obvious, or it can be gradual and unnoticeable. “It's very likely that within a few thousand years there will be at least some corruption and some conflict over the truth of music in audio recordings,” Collins says.

To make their point clear and show how AI can already manipulate the data it has access to, researchers used current AI models to create Taylor Swift songs, including Queen songs. did. bohemian rhapsodyFrank Sinatra's I've Got You Under My Skin and the beach boys Isn't it wonderful?. They calculate that producing these “Taylor's versions” of all recorded music currently requires 1.67 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, costing him more than $266 million. However, this is an amount that Swift herself can afford.

Collins says that while digital and physical backups can leave us complacent about the safety and permanence of our data, AI with the right incentives and capabilities can access everything we record. It states that it may be damaged. “No matter how much we try to preserve human culture, unpredictable threats may emerge in the future,” he says.

However, not all experts are convinced that AI is such a serious threat. sandra wachter Oxford University researchers have shown that AI can cause great harm by replicating sexist and racist biases in humans, but Collins and Grierson said He said that such a feat would never be possible.

“I don't think there's a serious problem with AI waking up and setting its own goals, having its own motivations, and taking actions to achieve those goals,” she says. “I think that's a nonsense argument, and I don't think it's realistic. It's like asking me what I would do if aliens landed on this planet tomorrow. I think it's unlikely. I think so.”

Carissa VelisResearchers, also at the University of Oxford, said that decisive action against AI is needed, but not a dramatic “kill switch” to stop malicious models from progressing. Instead, it should be a careful system of checks and balances to ensure the safety of AI models.

“This argument seems to assume that there is a malicious AI that somehow has its own desires and becomes so powerful that we want to stop it,” she says. . “And that seems so implausible and so ridiculous to me.”

The real problem is that we will integrate AI into many aspects of our lives and become completely dependent on it, even though it is likely not apocalyptic in nature. , which she believes raises issues such as racism and sexist prejudice that are still very harmful. Or they are simply making up facts that sound plausible.

“The more you leave it [AI] The more embedded it is in a product, the harder it is to turn it off. Not because this malicious thing has become powerful enough to take over, but because we've become dependent on it and it's very costly to stop it even when it's not working well,” Bellis said. says Mr.

Taylor Swift did not respond to a request for comment.

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Source: www.newscientist.com