Category Archives: News

Top Science Podcasts: New Epilepsy Drug Research & Anatomy Of Lightning From Space (ScienceMag)

scimag_pc_logo_120_120 (2)About one-third of people with epilepsy are treatment resistant. Up until now, epilepsy treatments have focused on taming seizures rather than the source of the disease and for good reason—so many roads lead to epilepsy: traumatic brain injury, extreme fever and infection, and genetic disorders, to name a few. Staff Writer Jennifer Couzin-Frankel talks with host Sarah Crespi about researchers that are turning back the pages on epilepsy, trying to get to the beginning of the story where new treatments might work.

And Sarah also talks with Torsten Neurbert at the Technical University of Denmark’s National Space Institute in Kongens Lyngby about capturing high-altitude “transient luminous events” from the International Space Station (ISS). These lightning-induced bursts of light, color, and occasionally gamma rays were first reported in the 1990s but had only been recorded from the ground or aircraft. With new measurements from the ISS come new insights into the anatomy of lightning.

Website: https://www.sciencemag.org/podcast/hunting-new-epilepsy-drugs-and-capturing-lightning-space

Shopping: Albertsons And Takeoff Technologies Launch EGrocery “Micro-Fulfillment” Centers

From and Albertson Companies online news release:

Takeoff eGrocery Micro Fulfillment“The micro-fulfillment center model is a key element in the store of the future,” said Vivek Sankaran, Albertsons Companies President and Chief Executive Officer. “It combines the efficiency of automation with the ease of meeting customers when and how they want to shop. In working with Takeoff, we can evolve how the MFC ties into our store and e-commerce ecosystems and accelerate our path to best serve our customers.”


December 12, 2019 – Albertsons Companies and Takeoff Technologies are teaming up to collaborate on the future of grocery micro-fulfillment centers (MFC). The two companies have decided to form a strategic partnership with dedicated teams to collaborate on the evolution of the microfulfillment capabilities to drive the future of e-commerce order fulfillment.

Albertsons Companies logoAlbertsons Cos., which operates stores in 8 out of 10 of the largest MSA’s in the United States, has also agreed to purchase additional MFCs from Takeoff and is evaluating market expansion opportunities. Albertsons Cos. and Takeoff worked closely together on the successful implementation of the company’s first MFC in South San Francisco in October 2019.

To read more: https://www.albertsonscompanies.com/newsroom/12-12-19-albertsons-companies-takeoff-develop-strategic-partnership.html

Housing: Los Angeles Approves Movable Tiny Homes As Legal “Accessory Dwelling Units” (ADU’s)

From the Tiny Home Industry Association (Dec 11, 2019):

Tiny House as Accessory Dwelling UnitThe City of Los Angeles has given the Green Light to Movable Tiny Homes as ADUs!
The Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance has been APPROVED today by the LA City Council. This ordinance permits Movable Tiny Houses as permissible and permanently habitable accessory dwelling units (ADU). The ordinance becomes law in time for Christmas!

Suffice it to say that, now that the nation’s 2nd largest city recognizes Movable Tiny Homes as habitable ADU’s, it will go a long way in providing a model for other cities around the country.

To read more: http://www.tinyhomeindustryassociation.org/la-gives-green-light-to-moveable-tiny-homes-as-adus

Top New Science Podcasts: Social Priming, Killer Whale Grandmothers And Accoustics (Nature)

Nature PodcastsListen to the latest from the world of science, brought to you by Benjamin Thompson and Nick Howe. This week, the embattled field of social priming, and the latest sounds from a big acoustic meeting.

In this episode:

00:45 What’s next for social priming?

How might a branch of psychological research move forward in the face of replication failures? News Feature: What’s next for psychology’s embattled field of social priming

08:55 Research Highlights

Killer-whale grandmothers help their grandchildren survive, and the failed voyage of a reproduced ancient raft. Research Highlight: Why female orcas make killer grandmasResearch Highlight: On a model ancient raft, seafarers are up the current without a paddle

11:12 The sounds of science

We hear the latest updates from the Acoustical Society of America’s recent conference.

18:44 News Chat

Reassessing when civilisations moved to modernity, and understanding exoplanets. News: When did societies become modern? ‘Big history’ dashes popular idea of Axial AgeNews: European space telescope to launch new era of exoplanet science

Art Competitions: “2019 Historic Photographer Of The Year” Winners

Historic Photographer of the Year logoThe Historic Photographer of the Year awards showcase the world’s very best historic places and cultural sites from across the globe, capturing everything from the most famous national treasures to the obscure and forgotten hidden gems.

Historic Photographer of the Year Pictures 2019

The 2019 Awards attracted a swathe of astonishing entries from amateurs and professionals who have climbed, hiked and trekked their way to snap stunning historic places from every corner of the globe.

Historic Photographer of the Year Pictures 2019

The Overall Winner was an outstanding image of the ruins of the Arromanches Mulberry Harbour in Normandy and was shot by Stéphane Hurel.

The Historic England category was won by JP Appleton with his haunting shot of the Victorian era Roker Pier, while HISTORY’s Short Filmmaker of the Year was awarded to Dibs McCallum for a fascinating short documentary exploring the remains of the RAF Barnham nuclear weapons storage facility.

 

To read more: https://www.historicphotographeroftheyear.com/2019-winners/

Top Podcasts: Tamara Keith And Amy Walter Talk “Politics Monday” (PBS)

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter Dec 9 2019NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including campaign sparring between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg and which candidates might leverage it, how much transparency matters to Democratic voters, lack of racial diversity in the next debate and reaction to the inspector general’s report on the Russia probe.

Food Trends: “Kitchen United” Delivery-Only Restaurants Wins “2019 Innovator Of The Year”

From a Restaurant Dive online article:

Restaurant Dive Awards 2019“What virtual kitchens, or the Kitchen United concept does, is create a new economic model, where no longer do [restaurants] have to invest in expensive real estate and fancy front-of-house overhead and dining rooms, [they] can share kitchen space, optimize capital that is there and hopefully create a more profitable model for delivery,” NPD Group Vice President David Portalatin told Restaurant Dive. 

When Kitchen United received $40 million in funding from RXR Realty during the summer, it became clear the two-year-old shared kitchen startup is paving a path for rapid expansion. The company will partner with the real estate company to open kitchens in New York City and the tri-state area.

This partnership fits within Kitchen United’s overall goal of opening 400 kitchen centers and 5,000 kitchens within the next few years. But it certainly isn’t alone in opening virtual kitchens, or restaurants without a traditional retail storefront. Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats have all been trying their hand in delivery-only restaurants over the last two years.

To read more; https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/innovator-kitchen-united-restaurant-dive-awards/566463/

1970’s & 80’s Economics : Former Chairman Of Federal Reservce Paul Volcker Dies At 92

From a Wall Street Journal online article:

He became one of the most unpopular Fed chairmen in history for pushing interest rates as high as 20% to break the soaring inflation that consumed the U.S. economy in the 1970s. But his actions succeeded in bringing inflation, making Mr. Volcker one of the most successful central bankers in history.

Keeping At It Paul VolckerPaul Volcker, who defeated runaway inflation as Federal Reserve chairman in the 1980s, establishing the importance to the economy of an independent central bank, and whose “Volcker Rule” became a controversial element of postcrisis banking regulation in the Obama administration, has died at 92 years old.

Mr. Volcker died Sunday at his home following a long illness, his family said.

Mr. Volcker served in government across Democratic and Republican administrations for almost three decades in roles guiding monetary policy and overseeing the nation’s financial system.

To read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/paul-volcker-who-guided-u-s-monetary-policy-and-finance-for-nearly-three-decades-is-dead-11575901675

Shopping: Largest Online Secondhand Clothing Retailer “Thredup” Wins “Disruptor Of The Year”

From a RetailDive.com online article:

Retail Dive Awards 2019ThredUp, which sells brands ranging from American Eagle Outfitters to Burberry, may prove to be a beneficial partner to many retailers. A separate report from Accenture Strategy and Fashion For Good found that recommerce operating margin for the luxury, premium and mid-market sectors was 39%, 28% and 22%, respectively.

https://www.thredup.com/

This year could be considered the year the circular economy really took hold, particularly the resale space, and a major force leading the charge was e-commerce ThredUP logoplatform ThredUp.

Resale grew 21 times faster than the apparel market over the past three years, by ThredUp’s own measures. The resale platform also projects the market to grow from $24 billion to $51 billion by 2023.

To read more: https://www.retaildive.com/news/disruptor-thredup-dive-awards/566185/

Remodels: 90-Year Old Taiwan Home Wins “2019 World Interior Of The Year” (WAF Amsterdam)

From an InsideFestival.com online release:

World Festival of Interiors Amsterdam 2019“The jury was unanimous in celebrating this inventive solution to reconfiguring a dilapidated Japanese colonial house.

A dynamic whole in constant flux, the house in unusually in tune with the differing and sometimes contradictory needs of a young family. Every space can be negotiated and adapted, encouraging the house to be an incubator for positive difference in the family unit.

World Festival of Interiors Amsterdam Taiwan Home 2019

Sensitivity abounds, both in the design process and the outcome. Local craftspeople were drafted in when needed; recycled elements were mixed freely with new. The result has a uniquely sloppy fit for its inhabitants, a fit that can evolve freely over time.

Ladders to the roof level encourage ongoing hide and seek. Internal space leaks into a garden, itself an outdoor room. Light penetrates in unexpected ways, and occasional views of the sky offset the otherwise congested urban setting.

Against the background of rapid development in Taipei, this project has the potential to be a ‘prototype’ that may help reevaluate the existing stock of Japanese houses.”

Website: https://www.insidefestival.com/interior-of-the-year-2019