Chang also speaks with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to discuss his company (which has some help from Microsoft), its ambitions and the latest on ChatGPT.
Category Archives: Reviews
Research Preview: Science Magazine – August 18, 2023
‘Still in shock.’ Amid wildfire tragedy, Maui scientists assess their research losses
Blazes and high winds blew projects apart and left a tight-knit research community shaken. What will it take to prevent future island fires?
In the wake of a series of powerful wildfires that ripped through Maui’s dry forests and the historic city of Lahaina this week killing more than 50 people, researchers on the island remain concerned about the personal fallout for fellow scientists and their families. Some are reeling from disruption to their projects: Studies of whales may be disrupted, for example, and a rare plant facility sustained damage. “We’re still wrapping our heads around what this really means, because right now, most of us are still in shock,” says marine mammal ecologist Marc Lammers. “And, of course, we’re thinking about our colleagues.”
History: How Five Bridges Changed New York City
Once upon a time, ferries were the only way to travel between New York’s five boroughs but thanks to the construction of major bridges, like the Brooklyn Bridge and George Washington Bridge, the city became connected. Join Michael for a closer look at how five bridges helped shape NYC into the bustling city we know today.
Previews: The Economist Magazine – August 19, 2023
Why are China’s young people so disillusioned?
Xi Jinping wants them to focus on the party’s goals. Many cannot see why they should
The crowd did not seem excited to see George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. When Wham! became the first Western pop group to perform in Communist China, the audience was instructed to stay in their seats. It was 1985 and, despite appearances, the young people in attendance were in fact joyous. The country around them was by no means free, but it was starting to reform and open up. Over the next three decades the economy would grow at a rapid pace, producing new opportunities.
China’s defeated youth
Young Chinese have little hope for the future. Xi Jinping wants them to toughen up
In the southern city of Huizhou an electronics factory is hiring. The monthly salary on offer is between 4,500 and 6,000 yuan (or $620 and $830), enough to pay for food and essentials, but not much else. The advertisement says new employees are expected to “work hard and endure hardship”. The message might have resonated with Chinese of an older generation, many of whom worked long hours in poor conditions to give their children a brighter future. But many of those children now face similar drudgery—and are unwilling to endure it. “I can’t sit on an assembly line,” says Zhang, a 20-something barista with dyed-red hair at a local tea shop. He scoffs at the idea of making such sacrifices for so little gain. The job at the tea shop pays just 4,000 yuan a month, but he enjoys chatting up customers.
Design/Culture: Monocle Magazine – September 2023
- TIME FOR CHANGE – It’s easy to become stuck in a groove, doing things the same old way. Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, throws down the challenge: make this the month that you step back out there and do something differently – even if it is just getting a sharp, new haircut.
- THE OPENER – Monocle has a network of correspondents in cities around the world. Our brief dispatches include good news for pedestrians in Bangkok, a smart hotel in Tokyo and transformed spaces in Los Angeles.
- FREEING VERSE – The US poet laureate believes that poetry can help us to live more fully. That’s why she is bringing it into America’s national parks.
- WINGS FOR HIRE – Meet the island hoppers training the next generation of pilots.
- THE WOOL PACK – It’s a tough, lonely job and your co-workers are always bleating. So why are students flocking to Andalusia’s shepherd school?
Research Preview: Nature Magazine – August 17, 2023
Anti-obesity drug also protects against heart disease — what happens next?
Clinical-trial data suggest that semaglutide, sold under the name Wegovy, slashes risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular incidents.
Can oyster farming help save the planet?
Ecologist Elena Tamburini hopes to show that shellfish farming efficiently absorbs carbon.
Politics: The Guardian Weekly – August 18, 2023
The Guardian Weekly (August 18, 2023) – This issue features ‘Back to the office: Is the work from home revolution over?’; Bangladesh’s ‘lost children’; AI does architecture; Pathfinders – In Ukraine minefields and more…
‘Never again’: is Britain finally ready to return to the office?
With even the big internet firms warning staff they need to show up more often, is working from home over? Or have the attitudes and expectations of employees changed for ever?
‘My mother spent her life trying to find me’: the children who say they were wrongly taken for adoption
For years, Bibi Hasenaar felt rejected because she was adopted aged four. Then she saw a photo that described her as missing – and began to uncover an astonishing dark history
Design: Te Pae North Piha Surf Tower, New Zealand
The brief was for a robust, low-maintenance building that would withstand the severe North Piha coastal environment. It needed to provide accommodation for four lifeguards with excellent visibility along the beach – a building that was functional and responded to its context.
Piha is a part of the rohe (territory) of Te Kawerau ā Maki (the indigenous Māori tribe) who gifted the name Te Pae, meaning ‘to perch’ – a place to sit, look, and observe. It was a privilege to be able to incorporate this narrative into the concept for the tower.
The form offers a softness and quiet presence in this powerful coastal location. The site is remote, and so prefabricated concrete sections were factory-made and assembled on site. This minimised dune and planting disturbance on this fragile beach. North Piha is unusual in that the sand is black. The black oxidised concrete references this and the curved form reflects the undulating dunes that the building sits amongst. The tower is modest in scale and recessive, respecting its setting. At the same time, as a beacon for visitors to the beach, it requires easy recognition, and the distinctive form sits in contrast to the beautiful, rugged backdrop. This is a piece of coastal sculpture with a nod to traditional maritime observation structures around the New Zealand coast.
The tower is sustainable, utilising operable windows for ventilation, with high levels of insulation, sun protection, thermal mass, and natural light. It provides shelter and protection for the lifeguards. The placement of the windows was carefully determined with the club to provide optimum beach surveillance and a connection back to the clubhouse.
The new tower is a vital addition to safety at North Piha. It delivers a facility that supports the extraordinary volunteers who run it and meets the needs of its community now and into the future.
Science Review: Scientific American – September 2023
Rare ‘Pinwheel’ Stars Are a Beautiful Astronomical Puzzle
The doomed class of stars named Wolf-Rayets produce mysterious pinwheel shapes
Deep-Sea Mining Could Begin Soon, Regulated or Not
Mining the seafloor could boost global production of clean energy technology—and destroy the ocean in the process
How Sauropod Dinosaurs Became the Biggest Land Animals Again and Again
New research hints at how sauropod dinosaurs got to be so gargantuan
Arts/Books: Times Literary Supplement – Aug 18, 2023
Times Literary Supplement (August 18 & 25, 2023): Theatre of war – How Susan Sontag brought Beckett to Sarajevo; Mina Loy; Madmen in the White House; Grieving for a child; Through the looking-glass again; Women artists unleashed and more…
Boomers Daily 