Who says we can’t still build things? In this issue: a look at the robots we’ve always wanted; a new model for space exploration; and efforts to flood-proof Louisiana’s coastline. Plus a wild, weird history of brainwashing; designing cheese with AI; and glow-in-the dark petunias.
Researchers are using generative AI and other techniques to teach robots new skills—including tasks they could perform in homes.
Also: Kamasi Washington, “The Outsiders” reviewed, Bang on a Can’s Long Play Festival, and more.
Four Twenty Five, a luxe new dining room from the mega-restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten, takes square aim at the expense-account crowd.
The most striking aspect of the former President’s hush-money trial so far has been that, for the first time in a decade, Trump is struggling to command attention.
The Globalist (April 29, 2024): Hannah McCarthy joins us to discuss the latest from Gaza. Also in the programme: Tara O’Connor explores the IDA for Africa Heads of State Summit in Nairobi, where leaders are meeting to discuss the continent’s financing and security.
Also in the programme: we speak to Sebastian Conran, designer in residence at Habitat, as the company celebrates its 60th anniversary. Plus: a flick through the day’s papers.
As they return with physical and psychological wounds stemming from torture by their Russian captors, soldiers are being sent back to active duty — often without adequate treatment.
Grief and rage over the war and Israel have led to demonstrations across the Arab world. Arrests suggest governments fear the outrage could boomerang.
The former president has spent decades spewing thousands and thousands of words, sometimes contradicting himself. That tendency is now working against him in his Manhattan criminal case.
The officials said they believed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israelis could be charged, and that the court was also considering warrants for Hamas leaders.
Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to Byron Bay’s Most Expensive Home 01:00 – A Unique Location 01:35 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:23 – Framing the Surrounding Landscape 03:01 – The Opportunities and Constraints of the Site 04:16 – The Material Palette 05:22 – Workroom’s Design Approach
“I like the sense of calm that you feel when you walk into the house; it’s not busy, it’s not loud, it’s not contrived either – it’s very relaxed,” says John Bornas, architect and creative director at Workroom. Perched on a dune hugging a rainforest that falls straight onto Belongil Beach in Byron Bay, the expensive home taps into Byron Bay’s breezy state of slumber without neglecting a sense of refinement. From the street, the house is concealed by a series of screens. “The idea was to try and create a sense of wonder; you don’t really know what’s going on behind that screen,” notes John.
Walking through the front gate, there is a substantial walk to the front door, allowing one to really experience the landscape the home is set in, rather than “just simply walking through a front door,” says John. One then enters the main living and dining areas, which are bounded by the pavilions that open up to the dune and the rainforest. As with many expensive homes, designing it was not without challenges.
The Globalist (April 26, 2024): Monocle’s Hannah Lucinda Smith on Mark Rutte’s visit to Istanbul to meet Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he seeks to woo support to become the next Nato chief.
Also in the programme: Ed Stocker sits down with Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter as the airline prepares to launch its new premium cabins known as Allegris. Plus: we discuss why the Indian city of Bengaluru is offering incentives for those who head to the polls and the latest news in film.
REASON MAGAZINE (March 21, 2024) – The latest issue features ‘The AI Issue’…
AI developer Andrew Mayne explains why technology could create more jobs and lead to unprecedented economic growth.
Historical teaching and research are being revamped by AI.
Left alone, artificial intelligence could actually help small firms compete with tech giants.
Such a ruling would probably send the case back to a lower court and could delay any trial until after the November election.
In a staggering 4-to-3 decision, the state’s highest court overturned the conviction of the disgraced movie producer, who in 2020 was found guilty of two felony sex crimes.
David Pecker, former publisher of The National Enquirer, testified that Donald J. Trump thanked him for burying stories.
The president signed a bill that could ban TikTok even as his re-election team uses it to reach young voters. It was hardly the first internal disparity on matters around the globe.
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Vitamin D modulates intestinal epithelial cell function to enhance antitumor microbes
The gut microbiome has been shown to modulate the response of cancer patients to therapy, but precisely how microbiota affect anticancer immunity is still being elucidated. Giampazolias et al. report that vitamin D bioavailability in mice influences the composition of the gut microbiome (see the Perspective by Franco and McCoy). After dietary manipulation, vitamin D levels were observed to affect gut bacteria, which in turn improved cancer immunotherapy and antitumor immunity. In humans, low vitamin D levels were correlated with tumor development, and gene signatures of vitamin D activity were associated with improved patient responses to immunotherapy. These findings highlight the connection between vitamin D and the immune system through gut bacteria and may have applications for improving cancer therapies.
Lake Tanganyika contains one of the most impressive adaptive radiations, with about 250 species of cichlid occupying a variety of niches. Much research has focused on understanding the drivers of this and other adaptive radiations. Trembo et al. looked in depth at 57 of these cichlid species with regard to their behavior, ecomorphology, and genomics. They found that one behavior in particular, a tendency to explore, was related to niche adaptation, and they identified a regulatory gene that is highly associated with this behavior. These findings suggest the existence of an adaptive syndrome driven in part by a tendency to explore what is new.
Boomers Daily 