Category: Science

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is marking a double celebration this weekend as they welcome visitors to see their brand-new Australian outback exhibit while announcing the arrival of their first koala baby.

The tiny joey, offspring of koalas Ellin and Sydney, was born during the fall months and has been tucked away in its mother’s pouch until recently becoming visible to zoo staff. Amarylis Celestina, who manages the zoo’s carnivore and koala programs, emphasized the significance of this birth.

“For the zoo and for us here, it’s the very big deal,” Celestina explained. “We are trying the best that we can to help with a lot of the genetic diversity within the population that we have here in the United States. So that’s why it’s important that we do have a joey and that we were successful this year.”

Zoo staff are carefully tracking Ellin’s weight and supplying additional nutrition to support her as she nurses her young one.

The koala family is now enjoying their upgraded living space, which features enhanced vegetation, fresh climbing structures for exercise, and solar lighting systems that bring natural illumination indoors. These improvements recreate elements of Australia’s wilderness environment for the endangered marsupials, who can now move freely between their temperature-controlled indoor space and an enlarged outdoor area.

Zoo CEO and president Margo McKnight highlighted the habitat’s importance in a statement, saying: “This new habitat is a milestone for our koalas. The deliberate design supports the voluntary, cooperative care our zoologists and koalas have developed together.”

The koalas living at American zoos are provided through agreements with Australia’s federal government as part of conservation efforts.

Known for their tranquil temperament and relaxed way of life, koalas prefer climbing and moving between tree branches in their environment. Zoo administrators explain that the habitat improvements are specifically intended to encourage these instinctive behaviors in the animals.

Wildlife researchers in Virginia got a firsthand look at just how many animal species call suburban areas home when they placed a monitoring camera outside their own office building. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources installed the trail camera near their Henrico headquarters, located in Richmond’s suburbs, and the footage revealed an amazing array of creatures sharing space with humans in unexpected places.

The automated camera system allowed scientists to monitor animal activity around the clock without disturbing the natural behavior of local wildlife. Positioned along an animal pathway in a small wooded area next to the facility’s parking lot, the device recorded every creature that passed by during a three-month period from May through July 2025. The camera installation was part of the Virginia Gray Fox Project, a collaborative research effort between the wildlife department and Virginia Tech University aimed at studying gray fox populations, which appear to be declining throughout the state based on field observations.

Though the target gray fox species didn’t appear on camera – these animals typically prefer more heavily wooded areas with less human development – the monitoring equipment captured numerous other wildlife species thriving in the suburban setting. Animals photographed included red foxes, coyotes, opossums, white-tailed deer, gray squirrels, raccoons, cottontail rabbits, and striped skunks. These creatures are commonly found throughout Virginia and have successfully adapted to living in rural, suburban, and even urban environments. Red foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and opossums are particularly adaptable because they eat a varied diet, allowing them to take advantage of different food sources and thrive in developed areas.

Spotting these and other wildlife species in residential neighborhoods has become increasingly common as human development expands into natural habitats. Residents can often discover a surprising variety of animals living nearby by simply paying attention to their surroundings. Wildlife experts emphasize that simply seeing these animals is not cause for alarm, but observers should always maintain a safe distance and give wildlife plenty of space.

Property owners can take several steps to minimize conflicts with wildlife while helping animals maintain their natural behaviors. The key is eliminating easy food sources that might attract animals to homes and yards. This includes avoiding feeding wildlife directly, securing garbage and compost bins, bringing pet food indoors, and installing proper fencing around gardens and chicken coops. Animals may also seek shelter or denning sites near human structures, which can be prevented by sealing openings under buildings and into structures – but only after confirming no animals are currently using these spaces. The best time for this type of prevention work is during late fall and winter months.

Maintaining wildlife’s natural wariness of humans is crucial for both animal and human safety. If wild animals approach people or pets, experts recommend backing away slowly, securing pets, and using noise and large gestures like yelling and arm waving to frighten the animal away. This type of hazing helps reinforce animals’ instinctive fear of humans and prevents them from becoming too comfortable in human-occupied areas.

Virginia residents experiencing wildlife conflicts can contact the state’s toll-free wildlife conflict helpline at 1-855-571-9003 or visit the department’s website for additional resources and guidance.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronomers have unveiled their most spectacular view yet of the famous Sombrero galaxy, showcasing its brilliant ring of stars in unprecedented detail.

The National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab made public on Friday their latest photograph of this distinctive hat-shaped cosmic formation. While a Chilean telescope captured the observations four years earlier, scientists only finished processing the color imagery this week.

Sitting roughly 30 million light-years from Earth, this spiral formation — officially designated as Messier 104 — ranks among the most massive galaxies within the Virgo constellation cluster. The galaxy spans an estimated 50,000 light-years in diameter. Each light-year represents approximately 6 trillion miles.

The remarkable new image shows the galaxy’s luminous stellar halo extending to roughly three times the width of the central sombrero structure.

Using a specialized dark energy camera, the telescope also detected a trail of stars flowing from the galaxy’s southern boundary. Researchers theorize these streaming stars, along with the surrounding halo, originated from smaller galaxies that were torn apart during ancient cosmic collisions.

The Sombrero galaxy was first identified by astronomers during the 1700s.

LONDON (AP) — As she trains through the streets near Buckingham Palace, Tilly Dowler is pursuing an achievement that once seemed impossible to reach.

Diagnosed with Stargardt disease and retaining only about 10% of her vision, Dowler just started running last year. She began with a basic couch-to-5K program and gradually increased her distance to marathon length. Now she’s getting ready for the London Marathon alongside her boyfriend as her guide, utilizing artificial intelligence-equipped Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses for navigation and performance tracking.

“They are AI assisted,” she said. “While running, I can ask for live cues, such as what landmarks are around me and how far I have run.”

The glasses enable her to blend audio information with direction from her running companion, she explained.

“I can put my music on but still be able to listen to my guide runner,” she said.

Speed isn’t her primary focus.

“My mission was to inspire other people with sight loss and people going through something really tough and inspire them to believe in themselves,” she said.

Dowler joins an increasing number of vision-impaired athletes utilizing AI-enhanced smart glasses. These devices merge typical consumer technology with cameras, microphones and open-ear audio systems. Users can operate them through voice commands, buttons or basic hand movements, while artificial intelligence analyzes the environment and delivers audio information.

Meta, the technology company, produces the most recognized smart glasses through collaborations with Ray-Ban and Oakley. Sales exceeded 7 million pairs of Meta Ray-Bans in the previous year, demonstrating their rising acceptance. However, the devices have raised privacy concerns, including unauthorized recording of individuals and worries about Meta sharing video content with human reviewers for AI development.

For Sha Khan, who lost approximately 90 percent of his sight in 2021 from retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease, this technology has integrated into both everyday activities and athletic training.

“It’s like literally a part of me now,” he said. “If I step out the front door, I wouldn’t do that without my glasses on.”

Khan depends on his guide dog, Moby, for daily navigation outside of running activities.

The hands-free design proves particularly valuable because it lets him concentrate on working with Moby without managing a mobile device, he noted.

Khan started running in 2022 following encouragement from a Guide Dogs UK volunteer, a charity providing guide dogs and mobility assistance for vision-impaired individuals, after his sudden sight loss affected his mental well-being.

During training sessions with guide runners, he operates the glasses through voice controls.

“If they say that’s Big Ben ahead of us I can just say ‘hey Meta take a picture,’” he said.

The hands-free functionality matters significantly to him.

“I don’t need to be worrying about fumbling with a mobile phone,” he said.

Smart glasses employ forward-facing cameras to capture visual data and artificial intelligence to process it, transforming the details into audio through speakers integrated in the frame.

Chris Lewis, a technology expert who experiences visual impairment and has tested smart glasses while skiing, described the system as providing extra situational awareness.

“The AI is taking the images coming in, analyzing it and giving you the information about what’s in front of you, what might be moving and what might be changing,” he said.

This enables users to obtain immediate information while maintaining environmental awareness, which proves crucial for activities like running, he explained.

Lewis noted that marathon events can create additional obstacles, with dense crowds straining cellular networks and potentially reducing signal strength, which may impact the glasses’ ability to provide consistent real-time data.

Guide Dogs UK, which offers various services to promote independent living, recommends using the technology to supplement rather than substitute existing support methods.

“These glasses can really support and enhance somebody’s independence but they’re not there to be relied upon or replace core independent skills,” said Tommy Dean, a technology specialist at the charity.

Guide dogs, mobility instruction and human assistance remain crucial, especially in challenging environments, he emphasized.

Ben Hatton, an analyst at CCS Insight who examines new consumer technologies, identified reliability as a primary obstacle.

“If you’re going to allow visually impaired people to walk down the street or cross busy roads with the technology then it has to be perfectly reliable every single time,” he said.

Factors including precision, connectivity and affordability will influence how broadly this technology becomes available, he added.

Even with these constraints, specialists believe artificial intelligence improvements are allowing mainstream devices to contribute more significantly to accessibility solutions.

“The fact that consumer technology can enhance the experience of someone with a sight problem adds to the potential to be more and more independent,” Lewis said.

Over 59,000 participants are anticipated for Sunday’s London Marathon, according to event organizers, following a 26.2-mile course through the capital city beginning in Greenwich and ending near Buckingham Palace.

A Chinese artificial intelligence company that caused global market turbulence last year has unveiled preview editions of its newest major technology upgrade on Friday, intensifying the competitive battle between China and the United States in the AI sector.

The V4 release from DeepSeek has been eagerly awaited by technology enthusiasts wanting to evaluate its performance against leading American AI systems including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini. Both Anthropic and OpenAI have previously claimed that DeepSeek improperly developed its technology using their innovations.

Technology industry experts had predicted the new model would debut over a month ago during the beginning of the Lunar New Year celebrations.

According to DeepSeek, the newly released V4 open-source models come in both “pro” and “flash” editions, featuring significant enhancements in knowledge processing, logical reasoning, and autonomous task execution capabilities – the ability to handle complex operations and workflows independently.

This V4 system follows the V3 model that DeepSeek introduced in the final months of 2024.

However, it was DeepSeek’s specialized reasoning AI system, known as R1, that surprised financial markets when it launched in January 2025. The company maintained it offered better cost efficiency than OpenAI’s comparable model and became representative of China’s progress in matching American technological innovation.

DeepSeek stated that its “V4 Pro Max” edition demonstrates “superior performance” on standard reasoning evaluations compared to OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 model and Google’s Gemini 3.0-Pro. The company acknowledged it performs “marginally” below GPT-5.4 and Gemini 3.1-Pro levels.

Regarding autonomous capabilities, the Chinese firm claimed its V4 “pro” edition could surpass Claude’s Sonnet 4.5 and nearly matches Claude’s Opus 4.5 model according to their internal testing.

The “flash” edition of V4 matches the “pro” version’s performance on basic automated tasks and demonstrates reasoning abilities that closely approach it, DeepSeek reported.

“Based on the benchmark results, it does appear DeepSeek V4 is going to be very competitive against its U.S. rivals,” said Lian Jye Su, chief analyst at the technology research and advisory group Omdia.

Marina Zhang, an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney, described DeepSeek’s V4 launch as a “pivotal milestone for China’s AI industry”, particularly as worldwide competition grows more intense in the race for technological independence in essential technologies.

DeepSeek provides a free web-based and mobile chatbot service. Unlike leading models from Anthropic, Google and OpenAI, it characterizes its technology as “open source” by allowing developers access to modify and expand upon its fundamental technology.

Both V4 editions feature a 1 million token context window, which measures how much data an AI model can process and remember, and operate more efficiently, the company announced. This represents a substantial advancement from previous versions, as the V3 supported only a 128,000 token context window.

A Microsoft report from January revealed that DeepSeek usage has been expanding across numerous developing countries.

Nevertheless, some experts remain doubtful. Ivan Su, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar, described V4 as a “competent” successor but noted it doesn’t represent as significant an advancement as the R1 launch.

“Domestic competition has intensified significantly since R1’s release,” Su said. “Against U.S. models, DeepSeek’s own evaluation suggests its capabilities largely match on most fronts, but independent evaluations are needed before final conclusions can be drawn.”

In February, Anthropic accused DeepSeek and two additional China-based AI companies of conducting “industrial-scale campaigns” to “illicitly extract Claude’s capabilities to improve their own models.” The company said they accomplished this through a method called distillation that “involves training a less capable model on the outputs of a stronger one.” OpenAI made comparable accusations in correspondence to U.S. lawmakers.

This week, Michael Kratsios, chief science and technology adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, also accused foreign technology companies “principally based in China” of distilling leading U.S. AI systems and “exploiting American expertise and innovation.”

China’s embassy in Washington responded to the accusations, calling them “unjustified suppression of Chinese companies by the U.S.”

Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies announced Friday that its advanced artificial intelligence computing system will provide complete compatibility with a new AI model from startup company Deepseek.

The telecommunications company stated that its Ascend computing platform, which utilizes Ascend 950 artificial intelligence processors, will offer comprehensive support for Deepseek’s V4 model versions. This announcement followed the AI startup’s release of a preview showcasing its latest technological advancement.

The development represents another step in China’s ongoing efforts to advance its domestic artificial intelligence capabilities through partnerships between established technology firms and emerging AI companies.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Back in 1972, when Apollo crew members Harrison “Jack” Schmitt and Eugene Cernan touched down on the lunar surface to gather rock and dirt samples, they were making history as the final moon mission of that era.

Even then, Schmitt was thinking ahead to future generations. Speaking through crackling radio transmissions to his fellow astronaut and mission controllers back on Earth, he issued a challenge.

“Well, I tell you Gene, I think the next generation ought to accept this as a challenge. Let’s see them leave footsteps like these someday,” Schmitt said.

Now 90 years old, Schmitt remains one of just four surviving Apollo astronauts who walked on the moon. As a field geologist, he became the first scientist to explore the lunar surface, and his scientific background proved crucial in understanding the moon’s origins and what those discoveries reveal about our solar system.

The veteran astronaut experienced renewed excitement watching the Artemis II crew launch on their recent historic lunar flyby mission. He remains optimistic about new generations returning to the moon and venturing even further into space.

During a recent Associated Press interview, the former New Mexico U.S. senator discussed topics ranging from establishing a lunar base to harnessing new energy sources and whether humanity is alone in the cosmos. He touched on dark matter and quantum entanglement, emphasizing that countless discoveries await us.

“You’ve just got to remember,” he said, “what used to be called supernatural probably should be called unknown physics.”

Schmitt believes establishing a lunar base makes perfect sense for multiple reasons, with geopolitical considerations being paramount. Having a presence in deep space serves as preparation for eventual Mars missions.

The moon contains resources that would significantly reduce Mars mission costs while providing valuable experience. He emphasizes that each new generation must gain both psychological and practical experience working in deep space. The Artemis II mission was particularly valuable because it gave ground personnel and Mission Control real-world experience rather than just simulations.

Schmitt brought extensive knowledge from previous crews and early sample analyses to his mission in the geologically complex Taurus-Littrow valley. This location extends deeper than the Grand Canyon, offering three-dimensional geological features unavailable on earlier missions. Having a field geologist aboard meant more efficient sample collection that could advance understanding of lunar origins and the moon’s relationship to both Earth and solar history.

The moon serves as a historical record of our solar system’s 4.5-billion-year evolution, providing a vast library of knowledge about solar system development and the sun’s activity over that timespan.

Schmitt’s recent research into the lunar debris layer reveals that increased solar activity coincided with an explosion of ocean life on Earth. The warming oceans likely supported this life expansion, leading to greater quantity and diversity, the emergence of mammals, and life’s migration to newly formed continents approximately half a billion years ago.

Lunar samples include titanium-rich basalt lava, similar to formations found in New Mexico but with higher titanium content. This titanium concentration proves crucial for lunar resources, particularly hydrogen and helium.

An isotope called helium-3 could become extremely important for energy production, quantum computing, and cancer therapy applications on Earth. Since Earth has limited helium-3 supplies, the moon could serve as our primary source for this valuable isotope.

Helium-3 offers the possibility of nuclear energy without nuclear waste, a concept scientists have understood for decades. The moon now presents an opportunity to develop this clean nuclear energy alternative.

Both China and the United States show interest in helium-3, making it a significant technological driver in the current space race and Cold War dynamics primarily involving China.

Working on the moon proved surprisingly comfortable for Schmitt. Despite being in a valley deeper than the Grand Canyon with equally high surrounding mountains, the one-sixth gravity made movement much easier than on Earth. Even wearing a pressure suit, walking felt like being a child again, with minimal impact from falls.

The moon provides an easy working environment with proper equipment and life support systems. Schmitt found himself getting somewhat lazy in the low gravity, able to let objects float while performing other tasks. However, this mental adaptation caused problems upon return to Earth, such as dropping a water cup on the aircraft carrier after splashdown. It took about three days to readjust to Earth’s gravity.

Long-term lunar living appears very feasible, though establishing permanent civilization would require addressing radiation concerns through available protective methods. Mars missions present different challenges, likely requiring fusion rockets to reduce travel time.

Given billions of sun-like stars in the universe, Schmitt believes life could statistically have originated elsewhere, though Earth’s life-supporting conditions are truly unique. The precise alignment of factors suggests involvement of an infinitely intelligent creator.

Regarding potential alien visitation, Schmitt remains skeptical. If advanced beings could reach Earth, he believes they would communicate more effectively than current evidence suggests. While he considers it plausible, he finds it unlikely.

Schmitt would eagerly travel to Mars, with one condition: his wife Teresa would accompany him. He believes Mars missions will prove fantastic for future explorers.

Youth education, particularly in mathematics, remains extraordinarily important for space exploration. NASA has become younger since the shuttle era, and the commercial sector has developed new technologies and approaches that NASA is integrating into deep space exploration strategies.

Each late summer, massive white polar bears congregate near Kaktovik, a small Alaska Native community positioned above the Arctic Circle, where they feed on whale remains left by local hunters while awaiting winter’s freeze of ocean waters.

This remarkable wildlife display previously drew over 1,000 visitors annually to Kaktovik, the sole community within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The phenomenon became known as “last chance tourism” – opportunities to witness extraordinary wildlife before climate change potentially eliminates them.

The coronavirus outbreak and federal restrictions on boat excursions effectively shut down Kaktovik’s polar bear tourism due to worries about overwhelming the small community. However, village officials now seek to restart the industry, believing it could generate millions for the local economy while providing residents additional income – if proper protections are established for both community life and the bears.

“We definitely see the benefit for tourism,” said Charles Lampe, president of the Kaktovik Inupiat Corp, which owns 144 square miles (373 square kilometers) of land. “The thing is, it can’t be run like it was before.”

Dating to the early 1980s, any Kaktovik resident with watercraft and local knowledge could guide tourists to observe bears roaming the flat, barren barrier islands offshore or feeding on bowhead whale carcasses left by subsistence hunters.

Visitor numbers surged following the 2008 federal designation of polar bears as a threatened species. Arctic warming is destroying sea ice that bears need for seal hunting, with scientists predicting most polar bears could disappear by century’s end.

Rising tourism prompted federal permit and insurance requirements that began excluding local operators, Lampe explained. Outside companies took over, eventually bringing tourist crowds to Kaktovik – population roughly 250 – during the six-week viewing period.

The community’s two hotels and restaurants lost revenue when major operators started flying visitors from Fairbanks or Anchorage for single-day visits. Residents complained about tourists staring at them or walking through private property.

Limited aircraft capacity created problems, with locals sometimes competing with tourists for flights to larger cities for medical care, forcing those unable to board into costly overnight hotel stays.

Kaktovik suspended tourism during the pandemic. In 2021, federal authorities stopped boat tours entirely, primarily due to concerns about tourist impacts on bear behavior and community disruption.

Alaska Native leadership is currently negotiating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to address these issues and restart the industry, possibly by 2027. The agency stated to The Associated Press that it’s collaborating with Kaktovik “to ensure that any future opportunities are managed in a way that prioritizes visitor safety, resource protection, and community input.”

Proposed changes include limiting how long boats can remain near bears. Extended exposure makes bears comfortable around humans, Lampe noted, creating dangerous situations when bears enter the village seeking food.

At tourism’s peak, removing bears from town became more difficult despite the bear patrol using non-lethal ammunition. The patrol killed approximately three to four bears yearly, compared to maybe one annually before the tourism increase, Lampe said.

“Our safety was at risk,” Lampe said.

In 2023, a polar bear killed a 24-year-old woman and her 1-year-old son in Wales, western Alaska. This marked Alaska’s first fatal polar bear attack in nearly three decades in the only U.S. state where the species lives.

Since halting Kaktovik boat tours, bears appear more wary of humans again, Lampe observed.

Bear tourism overlaps with Kaktovik’s subsistence whaling season. When crews land whales, butchering typically occurs on nearby beaches. While the community welcomes visitor observation or participation, some recorded or photographed without permission, which is disrespectful, Lampe said.

Sherry Rupert, CEO of the American Indigenous Tourism Association, recommended Kaktovik develop two- or three-day experiences.

Native communities prepared for tourists “want them to come and be educated and walk away with a greater understanding of our people and our way of life and our culture,” she said.

Roger and Sonia MacKertich of Australia sought the world’s best polar bear viewing location when they visited Kaktovik in September 2019. They stayed several days, took an elder-guided walking tour, and purchased local artwork including a polar bear hoodie.

For Roger MacKertich, a Sydney-based professional wildlife photographer, boat tours watching bears on barrier islands or swimming were the experience highlight. The bears ignored their presence.

“That’s nearly as good as it gets,” he said.

BEIJING – A Chinese artificial intelligence company made headlines Friday with the announcement of its newest AI technology upgrade.

DeepSeek, the Beijing-based startup, revealed through its WeChat social media platform that it has begun testing its latest V4 artificial intelligence system. The updated technology will offer both professional and flash editions, according to company officials.

This latest release marks the next step forward from the company’s V3 system, which launched in December 2024. The AI startup gained significant attention last year when its previous model went viral across social media platforms.

Cisco Systems unveiled a groundbreaking switching chip Thursday that the company says will enable different types of quantum computers to communicate with each other, marking another milestone in building what could become a quantum version of the internet.

While major technology companies like Google and IBM are racing to build their own quantum computers, Cisco has taken a different approach by focusing on connecting quantum machines from various manufacturers rather than creating its own hardware.

Current quantum computers use vastly different technologies – some operate by targeting rubidium atoms suspended in vacuum chambers with laser beams, while others rely on superconductors chilled to temperatures near absolute zero.

Vijoy Pandey, who serves as senior vice president and general manager of Outshift, Cisco’s emerging technologies division, explained that quantum researchers expect each of these different methods may prove valuable for specific applications. Cisco’s new switch operates at normal room temperature using standard fiber-optic telecommunications cables to bridge the communication gap between these diverse systems.

“You can speak any language,” Pandey said.

Although extensive networks of quantum computers likely won’t emerge until the 2030s, Cisco’s switching technology could provide immediate benefits for cybersecurity, according to Jeetu Patel, the company’s president and chief product officer.

Quantum mechanics operates on the principle that information can exist in multiple states simultaneously until observed – similar to the famous thought experiment where Schrödinger’s cat remains both alive and dead until someone opens the box to check.

Cisco’s switch can link multiple quantum sensors that are currently available into a networked “entangled state.” When hackers or malicious artificial intelligence systems attempt to spy on the network, the quantum sensors would immediately detect the intrusion because the entanglement would break down when the information gets intercepted.

“If you can start detecting behaviors of what is happening on the network through a quantum switch, it changes your defense posture almost entirely,” Patel said.

The island nation of Singapore is evolving into a technological safe haven as artificial intelligence companies seek refuge from the escalating tech battle between the United States and China.

Rather than serving as a bridge between East and West, Singapore has become a strategic location where businesses can distance themselves from both superpowers’ increasing control over technology exports and talent movement. The city-state’s business-friendly environment and English-speaking workforce make it an attractive alternative.

Kerry Goh, who leads Kamet Capital, explained that establishing operations in Singapore “gives a lot of comfort” to global customers because intellectual property remains on the island, free from regulatory interference by either China or the United States.

Goh recently counseled two former Alibaba executives who wanted funding to launch their AI video company Topview in Singapore, anticipating that international clients would be hesitant about Chinese government supervision.

“Your clients are not Chinese. This product is not available in China,” Goh noted about Topview, explaining that a Singapore base improves prospects for American sales. The company has secured more than $8 million from Kamet since 2024.

The tech rivalry between the superpowers intensified during Donald Trump’s presidency, with security concerns driving reciprocal restrictions that have accelerated with artificial intelligence development. Trump’s changes to H-1B visa requirements for skilled workers have particularly disrupted companies that regularly transfer employees to or from the United States.

These developments have strengthened Singapore’s goal of becoming the world’s most AI-driven economy through programs including specialized visas for AI professionals and tax incentives for intellectual property registration.

According to an Economic Development Board representative, these “ecosystem enablers” have drawn investment from companies of varying sizes and locations.

“Singapore is increasingly becoming a neutral hub for AI companies from both the U.S. and China,” observed Brad Gastwirth, who heads global research at Circular Technology.

Companies with Chinese or American connections now operating in Singapore include automation platform Workato, wealth management developer Addepar, and note-taking device creator Plaud AI. Legal platform Harvey AI established operations there in June.

American AI developer Anthropic, which raised $30 billion in funding led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, intends to open a Singapore office, according to three sources familiar with the plans. This would put the company alongside major players OpenAI, Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, and Google’s DeepMind. Anthropic representatives declined to provide comment.

However, Singapore’s appeal as a neutral zone could potentially trigger restrictions from the competing superpowers. The United States has already banned Nvidia from selling advanced AI chips to China and blocked access to semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

China reportedly imposed travel restrictions on founders of AI startup Manus after the company relocated from China to Singapore last year before being acquired by Meta. Similarly, China allegedly prevented MiroMind from sending employees overseas after the startup left China and established offices in Singapore, Japan, and the United States.

When contacted by reporters, MiroMind’s parent company Shanda only stated that it develops AI projects internationally. Shanda CEO Chen Tianqiao wrote on LinkedIn that global expansion proves challenging for AI companies when “regulation, geopolitics, and public scrutiny are changing faster than most companies can adapt.”

Neither China’s Ministry of Commerce nor the U.S. Department of Commerce responded to requests for comment.

National University of Singapore political scientist Chong Ja Ian warned that “given increasing demands from the U.S. and Chinese governments to keep their tech stacks separate, there is a risk that Singapore is seen as a grey space for technology transfers – including people moving to new firms – that one or both major governments disallow to take place.”

“That could result in restrictions being placed on Singapore,” Chong added.

Tan Yinglan, founding managing partner of Insignia Ventures Partners, noted that Chinese founders can only successfully establish Singapore operations if they surrender their Chinese citizenship, avoid employing engineers in China, and ensure their company’s revenue, data, and headquarters remain outside China.

The challenges facing technology companies operating between the two superpowers are extensive. China’s requirement that companies provide data upon government request concerns foreign partners, while unpredictable U.S. policies keep investors anxious.

“The (U.S. visa) process has become more unpredictable with longer processing times, stricter screening, and higher fees, which makes planning harder for startups and mid-sized AI companies that rely heavily on global talent,” Gastwirth explained.

Singapore’s entry process is “very friendly” with work permits sometimes approved within three days, according to Huang Lin, who founded corporate services provider Link-da. His company has assisted approximately 50 Chinese AI-related businesses in establishing Singapore operations since 2024.

Indonesian AI engineer Vincent Tatan described Singapore as “very welcoming” when he relocated there from the United States, where his employer had initiated but then canceled his permanent residency application.

“I can fight for it, but is it worth the fight and the wait?” Tatan questioned.

Pakistan made history Wednesday when its space agency revealed a major breakthrough in the nation’s human spaceflight ambitions.

SUPARCO, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, disclosed that two prospective astronauts, Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, will travel to China to undergo intensive astronaut preparation at China’s Astronaut Center.

The announcement follows a groundbreaking space cooperation pact established in February 2025 between SUPARCO and China’s Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Following rigorous selection processes in Pakistan that included extensive medical evaluations, psychological testing, and skills assessments, these two individuals emerged as finalists meeting global human spaceflight criteria.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described this achievement as a major milestone in the country’s space exploration efforts, establishing Pakistan within an exclusive circle of nations pursuing human space missions.

Through this partnership, Pakistan is working toward its inaugural voyage to China’s Space Station (CSS).

The historic mission is scheduled for late 2026, featuring a Pakistani astronaut functioning as a payload specialist.

While stationed on the CSS, Pakistan’s representative will perform multiple scientific studies in zero-gravity conditions.

The research will cover vital fields such as materials science, fluid physics, life sciences, and biotechnology, offering potential breakthroughs for environmental adaptation, agricultural security, and manufacturing advancement.

This achievement demonstrates the strengthening Pakistan-China alliance in space ventures and showcases SUPARCO’s advancement toward self-sufficient human spaceflight operations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other officials have praised this development as evidence of bilateral cooperation and a foundation for future deep-space missions.

This accomplishment positions Pakistan within an elite group of countries participating in human spaceflight and is anticipated to advance research in climate studies, agricultural security, and industrial development.

The Pakistan-China space technology alliance has grown into an enduring strategic relationship founded on substantial achievements and shared expertise.

China has assisted Pakistan’s satellite programs through initiatives including PakSat-1R and the newer PakSat-MM1, while jointly developing remote sensing and communications systems.

The February 2025 astronaut partnership agreement between SUPARCO and CMSA initiated a fresh chapter, expanding cooperation into human space exploration.

Through this arrangement, Pakistan is preparing to deploy its first astronaut to China’s orbital station by 2026, combined with collaborative microgravity research.

This continuing partnership encompasses technology sharing and skills development, while emphasizing China’s position as Pakistan’s primary ally in advancing its space initiatives and supporting the development of independent satellite systems and human space exploration capabilities.

RHODE ISLAND COAST (TV Delmarva) — Towering wind turbines reaching three times the height of the Statue of Liberty were actively generating clean energy off Rhode Island’s shoreline Thursday, delivering power to the regional electrical grid.

Multiple wind energy developments continue advancing along the Atlantic seaboard despite President Donald Trump’s campaign to eliminate America’s offshore wind sector. Trump frequently expresses his disdain for wind energy and describes the turbines as unsightly.

Associated Press reporters journeyed approximately 100 miles offshore and observed three out of five regional wind installations. Two facilities are operating at full capacity, two are nearing completion, and one remains roughly half-finished.

Initial turbines from the Revolution Wind development were easily spotted from about 5 nautical miles away, with visibility extending further on clear days. The massive structures formed orderly rows across the horizon, with several rotating in gentle breezes.

The turbines’ immense scale became apparent from even a mile’s distance.

Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind represent offshore energy developments designed to supply electricity to approximately 1 million residences throughout Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.

The journey to Revolution Wind’s location required roughly 90 minutes, traveling more than 15 miles south of Rhode Island’s shoreline.

Several turbine blades began rotating as morning winds strengthened. Personnel were working within the wind farm’s central hub, a substantial gray substation facility.

Revolution Wind has reached over 90% completion. The project recently started supplying electricity to New England’s power network and remains scheduled for completion this year.

At the adjacent Sunrise Wind site, construction has achieved nearly 50% completion. The area features a combination of installed turbines and vacant yellow foundations awaiting their towers and blades. A vessel equipped with massive cranes for installing offshore wind components was positioned nearby.

One spinning turbine’s tip seemed to reach the cloud line.

South Fork Wind, America’s inaugural large-scale offshore wind facility, sits adjacent to the Revolution Wind location.

Currently in its second year of commercial operation, its dozen turbines generate sufficient electricity for more than 70,000 New York homes.

A vessel serving as a mobile headquarters for wind farm technicians was positioned beside one turbine Thursday. The workers had crossed the ship’s gangway onto the turbine and were stationed at its foundation.

When South Fork launched in 2024, Biden administration representatives described it as merely the start — significant new wind installations would appear along American coastlines to address climate change, generate employment and speed the country’s clean energy transition.

Under a year later, Trump resumed the presidency and directed a temporary suspension of leasing and permitting for wind energy developments. His administration has halted work on wind farms currently under construction, negotiated a $1 billion payment to a French energy corporation to abandon U.S. offshore wind development and implemented additional review requirements for wind and solar projects. Federal courts have overturned several of his directives blocking wind energy advancement, including a Tuesday decision preventing the administration from enforcing some policies that slow clean energy development.

While wind energy faces restrictions, American electricity demand is surging dramatically with few alternatives available in space-limited coastal states for major new energy projects in coming years, which increases utility costs, according to Hillary Bright, executive director of offshore wind advocacy organization Turn Forward.

“These energy policies are really hitting people at home, in their pocketbooks,” she said. “Offshore wind ultimately can be a part of that solution.”

The nearest installation to shore is the Block Island Wind Farm, located in state waters near Block Island, Rhode Island.

These five turbines started operating in 2016, establishing this as America’s first offshore wind facility. Its turbines are shorter than those at later projects, but still appear massive at close range. They substituted for polluting diesel generators that previously powered Block Island.

Vineyard Wind completed construction in March, becoming the first wind farm to reach this milestone during Trump’s current presidency.

The facility is anticipated to achieve full operation in upcoming months, powering over 400,000 Massachusetts homes and businesses.

Two additional major U.S. offshore wind farms remain under construction: Empire Wind, a New York offshore wind development, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, a Virginia offshore wind project.

“This is a major commercial industry in the United States of America,” Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, said in an interview. “Whether the president is enthusiastic about it or not, we have massive energy projects that are either bringing power to the grid or near completion.”

Scientists have uncovered evidence that colossal octopuses stretching more than 60 feet in length dominated ancient oceans during the dinosaur era 100 million years ago.

Research published Thursday in the journal Science examined fossilized jaw remains, showing these enormous sea creatures with eight arms competed alongside other apex marine predators of their time.

University of Alabama paleontologist Adiel Klompmaker, who was not part of the research team, described the discovery in an email, stating “These krakens must have been a fearsome sight to behold.”

While most people associate late Cretaceous ocean dominance with razor-toothed sharks and large marine reptiles like mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, these giant octopuses have been overlooked in discussions of prehistoric sea life.

The challenge in studying ancient octopuses stems from their soft tissue composition, which rarely fossilizes well, making size estimates difficult. Additionally, many scientists have underestimated soft-bodied invertebrates as serious contenders among top predators, despite octopuses possessing powerful beaks made of hardened chitin capable of crushing shells and bones.

Researchers examined jaw fossils from 15 ancient octopus specimens previously discovered in Japan and Vancouver Island, Canada. Using an innovative method called digital fossil mining, they identified 12 additional jaw specimens from Japan by scanning rock cross-sections to locate hidden fossils.

By comparing these ancient jaws to modern octopus specimens, scientists calculated that these prehistoric creatures measured between 23 and 62 feet in total length. Co-author and Hokkaido University paleontologist Yasuhiro Iba noted in an email that the largest jaw significantly exceeded the size of any contemporary octopus.

The research team observed extensive damage on the largest specimens’ jaws, including scratches, chips, and worn edges. According to Iba, this wear pattern indicates “the animals repeatedly crushed hard prey such as shells and bones.”

Without preserved stomach contents, researchers cannot definitively determine these creatures’ exact diet or confirm direct competition with other apex predators. They likely fed on fish and snails, capturing prey with their flexible tentacles before crushing it with their powerful beaks.

American Museum of Natural History paleontologist Neil Landman, who was not involved in the study, suggested that discovering octopus fossils in additional locations could provide better insight into their role in ancient marine ecosystems.

“It’s a big old planet,” Landman explained. “So we have lots to look at to piece together the marine ecosystem through time.”

MACAPA, Brazil — Highway construction crews building roads through Brazil’s Amazon rainforest have stumbled upon remarkable archaeological treasures that shed new light on the region’s Indigenous history thousands of years before European contact.

Workers expanding the BR-156 highway in Brazil’s Amapa state have uncovered nine archaeological sites containing pottery vessels believed to be burial urns and small carved objects resembling human faces. The mandatory archaeological surveys required before road construction have revealed evidence of complex Indigenous societies that thrived long before Columbus reached the Americas.

“What we now about the region’s past is also tied to the opening created by these projects, which gives our relationship with them a somewhat ambivalent character,” explained Lúcio Flávio Costa Leite, director of the Archaeological Research Center at Amapa’s Institute for Scientific and Technological Research. “At the same time, the knowledge we gain about these sites leads us to pay closer attention to these regions, including by adopting permanent protection measures.”

The excavated pottery displays various styles and crafting methods that demonstrate cultural connections stretching from Brazil’s Para state all the way to Caribbean communities, challenging earlier assumptions that the Amazon was sparsely populated before European arrival.

Archaeological team member Manoel Fabiano da Silva Santos, working with Brazil’s National Department of Transport Infrastructure, described the soil layers as a chronological record of human occupation.

Santos discovered Portuguese ceramics and metal fasteners in the surface layers, evidence of European settlement. “Digging deeper, we uncovered pottery and ceramics associated with earlier Indigenous presence, marking the site’s transition before and after the arrival of colonizers,” Santos explained.

The recovered artifacts will join Amapa’s state archaeological collection, which Costa Leite oversees and contains approximately 530,000 items. The collection’s most ancient piece dates to roughly 6,140 years ago, demonstrating continuous human habitation throughout Amapa’s history.

These discoveries provide valuable information about how early Indigenous groups lived, conducted burials, and interacted with their rainforest environment.

“Here is something I often debate with my students — we usually think of technology as computers and microchips,” Costa Leite noted while examining shelves of ancient ceramics. “But all of this required careful reading of the landscape and deliberate choices of materials.”

Among Amapa’s most remarkable archaeological sites is located in Calcoene, featuring a thousand-year-old stone circle comprising 127 carved standing stones arranged in a 30-meter diameter formation. The monument sits in grassland surrounded by rainforest near a meandering river.

This Archaeological Park of the Solstice has earned the nickname “Stonehenge of the Amazon” due to similarities with the famous British landmark. Research led by archaeologist Mariana Petry Cabral from the Federal University of Minas Gerais revealed that the stones were deliberately positioned to mark the sunrise during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice.

“It’s hard to say exactly what all the stones mean, but what we do know is that they are not from the site itself. They were brought from other nearby locations,” Cabral noted.

Further investigation revealed the site also functioned as a cemetery, with radiocarbon analysis showing continuous use for hundreds of years starting approximately 1,100 years ago.

Scientists discovered the site in 2005, and visitors can tour it with advance permission from Amapa’s Institute for Scientific and Technological Research. Plans are underway to designate it as a national park, which would increase public access.

Brazilian law protects all archaeological locations from alteration, providing additional safeguards for the surrounding rainforest ecosystem.

Current archaeological and ecological research demonstrates that Indigenous peoples not only inhabited the Amazon for millennia but actively managed its landscape through sustainable long-term practices, according to Eduardo Neves, an archaeology professor at the University of Sao Paulo.

Neves has spent over three decades studying Amazon archaeology and currently directs the Amazon Revealed project, which began in 2023 and uses satellite technology to locate archaeological sites hidden beneath the forest canopy.

Satellite imagery has revealed roadway systems connecting archaeological locations and buried landscape patterns indicating repeated settlement and intentional environmental modification. These features suggest the existence of large population centers, Neves explained.

While archaeologists had theorized about such connections, modern technology has revealed their extensive geographic scope. The scans show road networks linking settlement clusters throughout the forest, particularly visible in southern Amazonas state and Acre.

“When people think of an Indigenous tribe, they often imagine a small village isolated in the middle of the forest. But evidence shows a high degree of interconnectivity linking different settlements,” Neves said.

“Amapa is a key piece that helps us see how dynamic and active these populations were, and how they maintained networks of exchange that have been in place for millennia,” Cabral added.

Astronomers have determined that an interstellar comet which passed through our solar system in 2023 likely came from an extremely frigid and remote area of the Milky Way galaxy that never developed into its own star system, according to research published Thursday.

The cosmic wanderer, designated Comet 3I/Atlas, represents just the third confirmed visitor from beyond our solar system and may be the most ancient object ever studied. Researchers believe it could date back as far as 11 billion years, making it more than double the age of our sun.

Using the ALMA telescope facility located in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a research group from the University of Michigan analyzed the comet during the autumn months. The harmless ice ball was first identified last summer, providing NASA and European Space Agency scientists ample opportunity to study it with various space-based instruments as it traveled past Mars in October and reached its nearest point to Earth in December. The comet has now moved beyond Jupiter and is departing our solar system permanently, remaining visible only through professional equipment.

Researchers discovered unusually elevated levels of deuterium, a form of heavy hydrogen, within the comet’s water composition. This finding indicates the object formed in an environment far colder than our local cosmic region, existing before our solar system’s star had even come into being, explained University of Michigan’s Teresa Paneque-Carreno.

Unlike our sun, which likely developed alongside other newly formed stars, this comet’s original stellar environment may have been more isolated, resulting in reduced heating and much colder temperatures, she added.

The research findings appeared in Nature Astronomy journal.

Scientists remain uncertain about the comet’s exact birthplace. Hubble Space Telescope observations indicate its core measures between a quarter-mile and 3.5 miles across. The object is traveling away from us at approximately 137,000 miles per hour.

Connecting these various “puzzle pieces together may give an idea to how the planet-forming conditions were at these early times,” Paneque-Carreno said in an email.

The initial confirmed interstellar object to enter our cosmic vicinity was Oumuamua, identified by a Hawaiian telescope in 2017. Comet 2I/Borisov was discovered in 2019 and bears the name of the Crimean amateur astronomer who first observed it.

SYDNEY – The Australian government has announced it is collaborating with artificial intelligence company Anthropic and other software firms following concerns about cybersecurity weaknesses, according to a representative for Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke who spoke Thursday.

The partnership comes after Anthropic launched its Mythos artificial intelligence system, which was created to help with defensive cybersecurity operations. However, the powerful AI tool has raised alarm bells in multiple nations due to its extensive abilities to identify security weaknesses in computer systems.

According to Anthropic, early testing of the Mythos model revealed what the company described as “thousands” of significant security flaws found across “every major operating system and web browser.” This discovery has heightened worries about existing vulnerabilities in commonly used software and technology platforms.

Nearly four decades after the catastrophic Chernobyl accident sparked worldwide anxiety about atomic energy and hindered its expansion across Europe and beyond, nuclear power is experiencing a remarkable global resurgence. This renewed interest has gained significant momentum due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Currently, more than 400 atomic reactors operate across 31 nations, with approximately 70 additional units under development. These facilities generate roughly 10% of global electricity production, representing about one-fourth of all low-carbon energy sources worldwide.

Modern atomic facilities have undergone continuous enhancements, incorporating additional safety mechanisms while reducing construction and operational costs.

Although both the Chernobyl catastrophe and Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident reduced enthusiasm for atomic energy, a comeback was anticipated years ago, according to Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency.

Given the Middle East conflict, “I am 100% sure nuclear is coming back,” he stated.

“It’s seen as a secure electricity generation system, and we will see that the comeback of nuclear will be very strong, both in (the) Americas, in Europe and in Asia,” Birol told The Associated Press.

America leads global nuclear electricity production with 94 functioning reactors that generate approximately 30% of worldwide atomic power. The nation is expanding efforts to boost nuclear capacity with ambitions to increase it fourfold by 2050.

“The world cannot power its industries, meet the demands of artificial intelligence, or secure its energy future without nuclear power,” U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas DiNanno said last month.

China currently runs 61 atomic reactors and dominates new construction globally, with nearly 40 facilities being built as the country aims to overtake America as the world’s top nuclear producer.

European Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen has admitted that reducing nuclear energy was Europe’s “strategic mistake” and has presented new programs to promote power plant construction.

Meanwhile, Russia has established a commanding position in exporting nuclear expertise, constructing 20 reactors internationally.

On April 26, 1986, Chernobyl’s fourth reactor exploded while Ukraine remained part of the Soviet Union. The incident contaminated surrounding regions and released radiation throughout Europe.

Ukraine continues to depend significantly on atomic plants for approximately half its electrical supply. These facilities have served a crucial function since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Moscow’s military has seized Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Kyiv has accused Russia of launching a drone strike against the protective structure surrounding the damaged Chernobyl reactor.

Japan has reactivated 15 reactors following a comprehensive review of lessons learned from the earthquake and tsunami that damaged Fukushima, with 10 additional units awaiting restart approval.

South Africa maintains the African continent’s sole nuclear facility, though Russia is constructing one in Egypt, and several other African countries are investigating the technology.

“The momentum we are seeing today is the result of a growing recognition that reliable, low-carbon electricity will be essential to meet the world’s rising energy demand,” said Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Europe attempted to reduce its dependence on Russian energy following the Ukraine war, but the Middle East conflict highlighted its reliance on fossil fuels.

The European Commission has changed its view of atomic energy, now considering it part of clean power alongside wind and solar to achieve environmental objectives.

In 1990, nuclear energy provided roughly one-third of Europe’s electricity; currently it supplies only about 15%, and von der Leyen has recognized that depending on imported fossil fuels creates a disadvantage.

“I believe that it was a strategic mistake for Europe to turn its back on a reliable, affordable source of low-emissions power,” she said recently. “In the last years, we see a global revival of nuclear energy. And Europe wants to be part of it.”

The EU is exploring Small Modular Reactors, anticipated to begin operations in the early 2030s. These units are considered more economical and quicker to construct, offering greater flexibility than conventional reactors.

France and several other EU nations, including Sweden and Finland, have championed atomic power. Conversely, Germany, Austria and Italy are among EU countries that have prohibited its use.

In a significant policy change last year, Belgium overturned legislation requiring reactor closures and extended their operational periods. Spain continues planning to eliminate its nuclear capacity and shut down seven functioning reactors between 2027 and 2035.

Operating 57 reactors across 19 facilities, France depends on atomic power for nearly 70% of its electricity.

Multiple French administrations have supported nuclear energy as fundamental to the nation’s energy independence, remaining undaunted by Chernobyl. In 2022, President Emmanuel Macron announced plans for six new pressurized water reactors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the shift to low-carbon energy.

The COVID-19 pandemic, along with gas supply shortages caused by the Ukraine conflict, “revealed the limits of deploying renewable electricity and Europe’s dependence on gas,” said Nicolas Goldberg, a partner at Paris-based Colombus Consulting.

“France has therefore been reinforced in its strategy of maintaining its existing nuclear plants, which means extending their lifespan as much as possible,” he said.

Years of anti-nuclear demonstrations in Germany, intensified by previous accidents, pressured successive administrations to abandon technology that opponents viewed as dangerous and unsustainable. Germany deactivated its final three atomic reactors in 2023, completing plans developed by various governments over twenty years.

A substantial nuclear comeback in Europe’s largest economy remains unlikely, despite recent discussions among some in Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right coalition about openness to potential future small modular reactors.

“The decision is irreversible — I regret it, but that’s how it is,” Merz said, noting the plant operators’ “consistent answer was: ‘We are too far along with demolition.’”

Russia has aggressively expanded atomic power capacity both domestically and internationally.

The country operates 34 reactors, including eight Chernobyl-type RBMK reactors, known as light water graphite reactors, which produce about one-quarter of all nuclear generation. These have undergone extensive upgrades, adding safety features to address the inherent design flaw that, combined with human error, caused the Chernobyl disaster.

Major construction projects include new units at Kursk, Leningrad and Smolensk locations, a planned Far East facility, and potential floating nuclear units.

Russia is also constructing 20 reactors across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, having signed agreements to begin construction in several additional countries.

Russia has completed the first atomic reactor for neighboring ally Belarus, which experienced contamination across one-third of its territory from Chernobyl.

“Belarusian authorities are using the changed context and the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’ to claim that we are acting like everyone else in the world, rather than solving the problems of Belarusians in the contaminated territories,” said Irina Sukhiy, founder of the Belarus ecological group Green Network.

Remote workers who frequently set up shop in coffee houses, shared workspaces, airport terminals, or hotel lobbies face unique security challenges that require careful attention.

The rise of telecommuting, accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic and enabled by widespread broadband access, has created new workplace flexibility. Many employees now work outside traditional offices either because their companies lack local facilities or their home environments aren’t conducive to productivity.

However, conducting business in public venues introduces significant privacy and security concerns that demand protective measures.

Companies increasingly recognize these risks, with many organizations establishing specific protocols for off-site work environments. Some businesses provide comprehensive privacy training and detailed guidelines for employees who work in public settings.

Certain employers actively discourage working from busy establishments like coffee shops due to data protection concerns. British government guidelines for employees handling sensitive materials state clearly: “These environments can present additional risks, including being more freely accessible to people without the appropriate clearance and need-to-know.”

International travel policies may also restrict which countries employees can work from, adding another layer of workplace security considerations.

While most people in busy cafes and shared spaces focus on their own activities, workers should still take precautions against unwanted observation.

Choosing seating arrangements strategically can prevent accidental screen viewing by others. Positioning yourself with a wall behind you makes “shoulder surfing” much more difficult for potential snoopers.

Privacy screen filters offer additional protection by using microscopic slats that block viewing from side angles, making your display visible only when viewed directly.

Public internet connections, despite their convenience, present serious security vulnerabilities that cybersecurity professionals strongly advise against using.

The National Security Agency specifically warns against networks that don’t require passwords, as information transmitted through these connections remains vulnerable to interception and tampering.

Password-protected networks don’t guarantee data encryption, according to NSA cybersecurity recommendations.

The agency identifies multiple threats associated with public wireless networks, including fraudulent access points designed to deceive users.

“A malicious actor can set up a fake access point, also known as an evil twin, to mimic the nearby expected public Wi-Fi, resulting in that actor having access to all data sent over the network,” the NSA explains.

Mobile hotspots provide superior security by utilizing cellular signals to establish personal wireless networks. Both iPhone and Android devices typically include this capability.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) add another security layer by encrypting data transmission and directing it through protected channels to secure servers, preventing unauthorized access. Many companies supply VPN access to employees, though individuals can obtain personal subscriptions.

Additional practical safety measures apply when working in public environments.

Maintaining awareness of your surroundings helps protect against theft, as visible laptops can attract criminals. Never leave devices unattended, even for brief bathroom breaks.

Private conversations should be avoided in public settings. Speaking loudly during video conferences in crowded locations to overcome background noise increases the risk of sensitive information being overheard.

“In public areas be aware of whether you can be overheard by any unauthorized individuals, such as members of the public, or smart listening devices,” British government guidance cautions.

A Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer has announced ambitious plans to begin mass production of aerial vehicles by next year, marking a significant step forward in the development of personal flying transportation.

During a Thursday interview, Xpeng president Brian Gu revealed that the company anticipates launching volume production and widespread delivery of their flying car technology in 2027. The announcement represents a major milestone for the electric vehicle industry as it expands beyond traditional ground-based transportation.

In addition to the flying car initiative, Gu disclosed that Xpeng will begin manufacturing robots on a large scale during the final quarter of this year. The company has outlined strategies to substantially grow this robotics division through partnerships with outside companies beginning next year.

The developments highlight China’s continued push into advanced transportation technologies and autonomous systems, as the nation seeks to establish itself as a leader in next-generation mobility solutions.

WASHINGTON D.C. — A baby Asian elephant is capturing hearts in the nation’s capital after stepping into public view for the first time Wednesday at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. The female calf, named Linh Mai, represents a milestone as the first elephant born at the facility in 25 years.

Linh Mai arrived on February 2nd, born to mother Nhi Linh following an almost two-year gestation period.

According to Robbie Clark, who manages the zoo’s elephant program, the young pachyderm has quite the personality. “Linh Mai is a hoot, she’s a fantastic little elephant to get to know,” Clark explained.

Clark went on to describe the calf’s developing character traits. “She’s very curious,” Clark added. “She’s learning how to be quite playful with the enrichment and the environment that she’s living in, and she’s confident.”

The zoo houses its Asian elephant population in a spacious habitat known as Elephant Trails, featuring outdoor pathways and water features. Those unable to make the trip to Washington can observe Linh Mai through the zoo’s online elephant camera.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Eastern Utah’s canyons will experience massive water releases this spring — equivalent to the flow of 50,000 toilets continuously flushing — as federal officials scramble to preserve electrical generation for hundreds of thousands of homes throughout the western United States.

While the rushing waters of the Green and Colorado rivers may appear to bring relief to the arid landscape of red rock formations and desert vegetation, the reality tells a different story.

Following the most severe winter drought on record, authorities plan to dramatically increase Lake Powell’s water levels this spring to preserve the reservoir’s hydroelectric capabilities. Their strategy involves releasing up to one-third of Flaming Gorge Reservoir’s water supply in Wyoming and Utah, surpassing even the record-breaking 2022 emergency release that maintained power generation.

Glen Canyon Dam creates Lake Powell, which generates clean, affordable electricity for more than 350,000 households. However, this solution creates mounting challenges throughout a disputed river system that serves ranchers, businesses, and approximately 40 million residential water users.

At Flaming Gorge in southwestern Wyoming, marina operators Tony and Jen Valdez are monitoring water levels that officials expect to drop 10 feet by summer’s end due to the planned releases. This decline will force boaters to travel increasingly longer distances to reach the water.

“Of course we’re concerned,” Jen Valdez said. “And it will probably get to a point where we’ll need to be more concerned.”

Should the plan proceed without weather intervention, Flaming Gorge could fall as much as 27 feet within twelve months, leaving Buckboard Marina significantly stranded from the waterline.

While potentially offering temporary relief during the extended drought, the strategy will create additional downstream consequences as Bureau of Reclamation officials plan to retain more water than normal in Lake Powell along the Arizona-Utah border.

Further downstream, Lake Mead near Las Vegas is projected to reach levels similar to four years ago when receding waters exposed sunken vessels and human skeletal remains.

Federal authorities explain these extreme actions are essential to maintain Lake Powell’s water level high enough for turbine operation without allowing air into the system, which could cause significant mechanical damage.

Approximately 155 customers spanning cities, tribal nations, rural electric cooperatives, and public utility districts receive hydroelectric power from Glen Canyon Dam and other federal facilities. No customer depends entirely on hydropower.

Most serve economically disadvantaged communities and operate as nonprofit organizations that fund dam operations, maintenance, and federal infrastructure investments.

The Western Area Power Administration maintains contractual commitments to supply specific electricity amounts to its customers. Losing hydropower would force WAPA to purchase more expensive, non-renewable energy from alternative sources, explained Leslie James, executive director of the nonprofit Colorado River Energy Distributors Association.

“If Glen Canyon hydropower is reduced to zero or a low amount, it will have different impacts on what they charge communities,” James said.

James described the situation as unprecedented in her 48 years assisting electricity customers across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Market electricity purchases replacing federal hydropower have driven rate increases for five consecutive years at Heber Light & Power southeast of Salt Lake City, with the most recent increase reaching 13%, according to Emily Brandt, the utility’s energy resource manager.

Persistent drought conditions, evaporation, and water consumption — particularly for cattle industry alfalfa irrigation — have reduced Lake Powell to 3,526 feet above sea level, representing just 23% of maximum capacity.

Power generation requires the reservoir to remain above 3,490 feet, the elevation of Glen Canyon Dam’s water intake systems.

This critical threshold has never been reached since the 710-foot dam’s completion in 1963 and Lake Powell’s gradual filling to capacity by 1980.

During 2022, the Bureau of Reclamation conducted an unprecedented release of 500,000 acre-feet from Flaming Gorge to boost Lake Powell. The current planned releases to maintain Lake Powell’s power generation could ultimately reach twice that volume.

Simultaneously, retaining 1.5 million acre-feet in Lake Powell will reduce Hoover Dam’s electricity production by 40% as Lake Mead levels continue declining.

An additional concern involves warm surface water from Lake Powell potentially promoting smallmouth bass populations, an invasive species that threatens the native humpback chub in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam. Environmental groups including the Grand Canyon Trust advocate mixing deeper, cooler water to maintain conditions unfavorable to smallmouth bass in the Grand Canyon.

The most intensive Flaming Gorge releases in coming days and weeks will be timed to benefit native fish species in the Green River, a Colorado River tributary.

Flaming Gorge will ultimately decline from 83% to an estimated 59% capacity. The 2022 Flaming Gorge releases were followed by substantial winter precipitation, temporarily easing regional water concerns.

“We kind of got saved by Mother Nature,” said Valdez, the Buckboard Marina owner.

However, one or two wet years cannot reverse the 25-year “megadrought” caused partly by human-driven climate change. Despite this, Valdez remains hopeful for returning wet weather patterns.

“Hopefully we can expand into doing some other things,” Valdez said. “Because it’s going to come back eventually.”

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has announced plans to establish an advanced chip packaging facility in Arizona, with operations targeted to begin before 2029, according to a company executive.

The facility will address a critical supply chain bottleneck affecting modern artificial intelligence processors. Today’s AI chips, including those produced by Nvidia, consist of multiple components bonded together using sophisticated packaging techniques, a process that has created supply constraints for major tech companies.

During a technology conference in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday, TSMC officials confirmed that construction work has already commenced. The company had previously announced in January that it was seeking permits to build its first advanced packaging facility within an existing Arizona location, though no completion date was provided at that time.

“We are aggressively expanding our own capability within the Arizona facility,” stated Kevin Zhang, deputy co-chief operations officer and senior vice president, during remarks made Tuesday before the conference. “We are going to build a CoWoS capability and 3D-IC capability there before 2029, so that’s still our goal,” Zhang explained, referencing two highly sought-after packaging technologies developed by TSMC.

Currently, major clients including Apple and Nvidia receive semiconductor chips from TSMC’s Arizona manufacturing facility, but those components must be shipped back to Taiwan for final packaging processes.

Competing firm Amkor Technology announced last year its intention to construct a packaging facility in Arizona in partnership with Apple and Nvidia, with completion scheduled for mid-2027 and production beginning in early 2028, ahead of TSMC’s projected timeline. TSMC and Amkor revealed in 2024 their collaboration to bring multiple advanced packaging technologies to Arizona, though specific details of their partnership remain undisclosed.

Zhang indicated that technology discussions between Amkor and TSMC are continuing. “We are partnering with them to see what kind of technology capability they can offer to our customers in order to accelerate some of the products to be manufactured in the U.S.,” Zhang noted. “There are still some moving parts. I would say we are definitely looking at all possibilities to have a very diverse manufacturing footprint.”

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co revealed its latest chip production advances on Wednesday, demonstrating how the company can develop smaller and faster processors while avoiding the purchase of expensive new equipment from Dutch supplier ASML.

The global manufacturing leader, which produces semiconductors for major tech companies including Nvidia, Apple and Google, unveiled two enhanced production methods during its presentation in Santa Clara, California. The first technique, designated A13, is scheduled for commercial production in 2029 and will primarily serve artificial intelligence applications. The second method, called N2U, offers a more cost-effective approach for manufacturing chips used in smartphones, laptops, and AI systems.

Rather than investing in ASML’s newest “high NA” extreme-ultraviolet lithography machines, which cost approximately $400 million each—double the price of current models—TSMC plans to maximize the capabilities of its existing EUV equipment for all the technologies demonstrated Wednesday.

“This is where I think our R&D has done exceptionally well in terms of leveraging existing EUV technology while setting an aggressive technology scaling roadmap,” stated Kevin Zhang, deputy co-chief operations officer and senior vice president, in an interview with Reuters. “This is definitely a strength.”

While the improvements in chip size and speed are incremental, TSMC also presented ambitious plans for connecting complex AI processors, an area where industry experts anticipate companies like Nvidia will achieve the greatest performance improvements in upcoming years. Current AI systems such as Nvidia’s Vera Rubin, launching this year and manufactured by TSMC, incorporate two large processing units and eight high-bandwidth memory modules. By 2028, TSMC projects it will possess the capability to combine 10 large chips with 20 memory modules.

The famous Moore’s Law, named for Intel CEO Gordon Moore, forecasted that computing capability would approximately double every two years while becoming more affordable. Recently, some industry leaders including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang have questioned whether this principle remains valid.

According to Dan Hutcheson, vice chair of TechInsights, TSMC is essentially extending Moore’s Law through its chip-connecting technology.

“Moore’s law is morphing from a monolithic, single die in a package to multi-die in a package,” Hutcheson explained in an interview. “And that allows the power and performance gains.”

However, combining multiple chips creates unique engineering obstacles. The processors generate heat during operation, and the various materials used in packaging expand at different rates, presenting new challenges for chip designers.

According to Ian Cutress, chief analyst at consultancy More Than Moore, large chip assemblies can warp and fracture, problems that affected Nvidia’s Rubin AI processor.

“(TSMC) aren’t addressing directly how they are solving those challenges,” Cutress noted.

Sony’s groundbreaking robotic table tennis player has successfully challenged and occasionally defeated professional human competitors, marking what researchers describe as a historic breakthrough in artificial intelligence and robotics capabilities.

The Japanese technology company developed the mechanical athlete, dubbed Ace, and tested it against skilled human players. The robot demonstrates remarkable abilities through its nine strategically placed cameras surrounding the playing area and its exceptional capacity to track the ball’s logo for spin analysis.

Ace mastered the sport through reinforcement learning, an AI training technique that allows machines to improve through practice and experience.

“There’s no way to program a robot by hand to play table tennis. You have to learn how to play from experience,” explained Sony AI researcher Peter Dürr, who co-authored the research published Wednesday in Nature journal.

Sony constructed a regulation-sized table tennis facility at its Tokyo headquarters to ensure fair competition between the robot and highly trained human athletes, Dürr told The Associated Press. Professional players expressed amazement at Ace’s skill level during testing.

According to Sony, this represents the “first time a robot has achieved human, expert-level play in a commonly played competitive sport in the physical world — a longstanding milestone for AI and robotics research.”

The specially designed robot features eight articulated joints that control its movement range, allowing it to position its paddle, deliver shots, and quickly counter opponent strategies.

“Speed is really one of the fundamental issues in robotics today, especially in scenarios or environments that are not fixed,” stated Michael Spranger, Sony AI’s president, during an interview.

“We see a lot of robots that are in factories that are very, very fast,” Spranger continued. “But they’re doing the same trajectory over and over again. With this technology, we show that it’s actually possible to train robots to be very adaptive and competitive and fast in uncertain environments that constantly change.”

Spranger indicated such advances could benefit manufacturing sectors and other industries, though he acknowledged the potential military applications of such rapid, perceptive technology.

While a humanoid robot recently outpaced human marathon records in Beijing, creating a machine capable of real-time interaction and competition with skilled human athletes presents unique technical challenges.

Spranger emphasized the importance of maintaining competitive balance, ensuring the robot’s speed, reach, and performance matched those of dedicated athletes who train at least 20 hours weekly. Ace operates under official table tennis regulations on standard court dimensions.

“It’s very easy to build a superhuman table tennis robot,” Spranger noted. “You build a machine that sucks in the ball and shoots it out much faster than a human can return it. But that’s not the goal here. The goal is to have some level of comparability, some level of fairness to the human, and win really at the level of AI and the level of decision-making and tactics and, to some extent, skill.”

This approach means “the robot cannot just win by hitting the ball faster than any human ever could, but it has to win by actually playing the game,” he added.

Computer scientists have traditionally used board games like chess to measure AI progress, later expanding into complex video game environments. However, transitioning AI from digital simulations to physical world applications remains the ultimate goal for robotics developers.

The previous year represented a “kind of ChatGPT moment for robotics,” according to Spranger, with innovative AI methods emerging to help robots understand real-world settings and perform physically challenging tasks, including acrobatic maneuvers.

Sony joins other technology companies exploring robotic table tennis. John Billingsley pioneered such research in 1983 with his paper “Robot Ping-Pong,” while Google’s DeepMind division has also investigated the sport recently.

Despite the achievement’s significance, Billingsley suggested Sony’s comprehensive computer vision and motion tracking systems create unfair advantages against human opponents limited to two eyes.

“I would not want to belittle the achievement, but they have gone at the task mob-handed, and used sledgehammer techniques,” wrote Billingsley, a retired mechatronics professor from Australia’s University of Southern Queensland, in his AP correspondence.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the work reinforces how “true progress comes out of contests, whether they involve hitting a ball or setting foot on Mars.”

Japanese professionals Minami Ando and Kakeru Sone participated in competitions against Sony’s robot, with Japanese Table Tennis Association officials serving as match judges.

Following the Nature publication submission, Sony researchers continued development, reporting that Ace increased shot velocity and rally intensity while adopting more aggressive play closer to table edges. In December testing against four skilled competitors, Ace defeated three of the four players.

Veteran player Kinjiro Nakamura, who represented Japan in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, observed Ace execute a particularly impressive shot and remarked that “no one else would have been able to do that. I didn’t think it was possible.”

However, witnessing the robot’s success “means that there is a possibility that a human could do it too,” Nakamura concluded in his published comments within the Nature study.

WASHINGTON — In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed Michigan a victory in its ongoing battle to shut down a contentious oil pipeline running beneath the Great Lakes.

The nation’s highest court determined that Michigan’s legal challenge against the aging pipeline will continue in state court after Enbridge energy company failed to meet a crucial deadline for transferring the case to federal jurisdiction.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored the court’s opinion, stating that Enbridge had exceeded the time limit for attempting to relocate the proceedings to federal court.

The legal battle centers on a complex dispute involving a pipeline that has transported crude oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, for more than seven decades since beginning operations in 1953.

In June 2019, Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel filed suit in state court, demanding the cancellation of the easement permitting Enbridge to operate a 4.5-mile stretch of pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron connect. The Democratic attorney general successfully obtained a restraining order from Ingham County Judge James Jamo in June 2020 that temporarily halted pipeline operations, though Enbridge later resumed activities after satisfying safety conditions.

Two years later, in 2021, Enbridge attempted to transfer the lawsuit to federal court, claiming the case impacts trade relations between the United States and Canada. However, a three-judge panel from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected this move in June 2024, determining the company had missed the required 30-day window for changing court jurisdictions.

The disputed pipeline segment, known as Line 5, has faced mounting scrutiny since 2017 when Enbridge engineers disclosed they had been aware of damage to the section’s protective coating since 2014. Safety concerns intensified in 2018 after a boat anchor struck the underwater section, raising alarm about potential environmental disasters from a rupture.

Under Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources canceled the straits easement for Line 5 in 2020. Enbridge has responded by filing a separate federal lawsuit challenging this revocation.

Currently, the company is pursuing permits to construct a protective tunnel around the underwater pipeline section. While the Michigan Public Service Commission approved necessary permits in 2023, Enbridge still awaits authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

The pipeline controversy extends beyond Michigan’s borders into Wisconsin, where a federal judge in Madison last summer ordered Enbridge to cease operations within three years on Line 5 sections crossing the Bad River Band of Lake Superior’s tribal lands. The company has proposed rerouting the pipeline away from the reservation and has challenged the shutdown order before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A revolutionary table tennis robot has reached a historic milestone in Tokyo, becoming the first artificial intelligence system to consistently compete with and defeat highly skilled human players in the fast-paced sport.

The robot, called Ace and developed by Sony’s artificial intelligence research team, represents a major breakthrough in robotics by mastering a competitive physical sport that demands split-second decision-making and pinpoint accuracy, according to the project’s director.

While table tennis robots have existed since 1983, none had previously been capable of challenging elite human competitors until Ace’s development. The machine proved its capabilities in official matches conducted under International Table Tennis Federation regulations with certified referees overseeing the competition.

“Unlike computer games, where prior AI systems surpass human experts, physical and real-time sports such as table tennis remain a major open challenge due to their requirements for fast, precise and adversarial interactions near obstacles and at the edge of human reaction time,” explained Peter Dürr, who directs Sony AI Zurich and leads the Ace project.

According to Dürr, the initiative aimed not just to excel at table tennis but to understand how machines can perceive, strategize and respond with human-level speed and accuracy in constantly changing situations.

“The success of Ace, with its perception system and learning-based control algorithm, suggests that similar techniques could be applied to other areas requiring fast, real-time control and human interaction — such as manufacturing and service robotics, as well as applications across sports, entertainment and safety-critical physical domains,” Dürr stated. His research team published their findings Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature.

The study documented Ace’s performance in April 2025, where it secured victories in three of five matches against elite-level competitors while falling short against two professional players, who represent the sport’s highest skill tier. Sony AI reported that Ace has since improved, defeating professional players in December 2025 and as recently as last month.

This achievement comes as robotics companies worldwide continue pushing technological boundaries. Just this past Sunday, robots outpaced human competitors in a half-marathon race held in Beijing.

While artificial intelligence has already dominated digital strategy games like chess and Go, along with complex video games, table tennis presents unique challenges that occur in the physical world rather than simulated environments.

The sport demands rapid decision-making, exact physical movements and constant adjustment to an unpredictable opponent, Dürr noted. Players and machines must operate at the very limits of sensing, prediction and movement control as the ball travels at high velocities with intricate spins and flight paths.

Ace’s design incorporates nine coordinated cameras and three visual systems that can track a spinning ball with remarkable precision and lightning-fast processing speeds.

“This is fast enough to capture motion that would be a blur to the human eye,” Dürr said.

The research team built a specialized robotic platform equipped with eight joints, which Dürr identified as the minimum required for competitive play: three controlling the paddle’s position, two managing its angle, and three determining the shot’s velocity and power.

Professional table tennis player Mayuka Taira, who lost to Ace last December, described the robot’s advantages in comments shared by Sony AI. The machine’s strengths “are that it is very hard to predict, and it shows no emotion,” she said.

“Because you can’t read its reactions, it’s impossible to sense what kind of shots it dislikes or struggles with, and that makes it even more difficult to play against,” Taira explained.

Elite-level player Rui Takenaka, who has both won and lost matches against Ace, offered strategic insights in comments provided by Sony AI. “When it came to my serve, if I used a serve with complex spin, Ace also returned the ball with complex spin, which made it difficult for me. But when I used a simple serve — what we call a knuckle serve — Ace returned a simpler ball. That made it easier for me to attack on the third shot, and I think that was the key reason why I was able to win.”

Despite its achievements, Ace still has areas for enhancement, according to Dürr.

“Ace has a superhuman ability to read the spin of incoming balls, and superhuman reaction time. As it learns to play not from watching humans play, but is trained by itself in simulation, it also reacts differently from human players and creates surprising situations,” he explained. “At the same time, professional human athletes are very good at adapting to their opponent and finding weaknesses, which is an area that we are working on.”

ROME – A new government survey has revealed that Italy significantly lags behind other European nations when it comes to adopting artificial intelligence technology, underscoring wider challenges with digital literacy across the country.

According to Italy’s national statistics agency ISTAT, which conducted its inaugural survey on the topic, only 19.9% of Italian residents between ages 16 and 74 utilized AI tools during the past year. This figure falls well short of the European Union average of 32.7%.

Among EU member states, only Romania performed worse in AI adoption, recording a rate of 17.8%, the statistics agency reported.

The findings reflect Italy’s broader struggles with digital technology adoption. The country maintains the European Union’s most aged population, with residents having a median age of 48.7 years in 2024, significantly higher than the EU-wide median of 44.7 years, based on Eurostat data.

Italy’s digital divide extends beyond AI usage. A separate 2025 Eurostat study found that nearly one in ten Italians had avoided using the internet entirely during the preceding three months. Among EU nations, only Poland, Portugal, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria and Croatia recorded higher percentages of residents without recent internet access.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Art student Alva Palosaari Sundman spent hours browsing through racks of pre-owned clothing in Stockholm, searching for the perfect pair of used jeans.

The 24-year-old joined hundreds of others at Sunday’s yearly clothing exchange event held at a community center in Sweden’s capital city. Participants brought their own garments to trade for different items from other attendees. These types of gatherings attracted thousands of people nationwide, all working to minimize the environmental impact of clothing manufacturing.

Palosaari Sundman expressed satisfaction watching other participants select items she had contributed to the exchange.

“It’s like, ‘Oh, OK, it gets a new life with this person,’” she said. “It just feels a bit more humane.”

According to the UN Environment Programme, the fast fashion industry stands as a significant contributor to environmental harm, generating as much as 10% of global carbon emissions. Thrown-away garments fill landfills that damage landscapes in developing nations, while synthetic fibers from inexpensive clothing materials contaminate marine environments.

UNEP reports that manufacturing just one pair of jeans requires approximately 2,000 gallons (7,571 liters) of water.

The clothing exchange program in Sweden launched in 2010 and has continued expanding. During the previous year, approximately 140,000 individuals took part in 140 exchange gatherings and brought home more than 44,000 previously owned pieces.

While Sweden maintains a reputation for environmental leadership, the situation proves more complex. Research from Mistra Future Fashion shows that clothing purchases account for roughly 3% of an individual Swede’s total carbon footprint.

Swedish residents faced a ban last year on disposing of clothing in regular garbage as part of a European Union effort to increase recycling rates. However, the policy created problems when municipal collection points became overloaded with textile stockpiles, prompting the government to partially reverse the regulation in October.

The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation coordinates these exchange events. Chair Beatrice Rindevall noted that each Swedish citizen discards approximately 9-10 kilograms (20-22 pounds) of clothing annually.

The organization reports that Swedish consumers purchase around 25 new clothing pieces yearly on average, with 90% of wardrobe items going unused.

“We have to be more careful and we have to think about our consumption,” said Cecilia de Lacerda, one of the society’s volunteers in Stockholm.

Professional tailors attended the exchange events to assist participants with clothing repairs that extend garment lifespan.

“A lot of people don’t have sewing machines anymore, or they don’t quite know how they should fix that buttonhole that broke,” said Meg Goldmann, another volunteer.

High school student Alice Dundeberg, 19, finds that pre-owned clothing helps her develop a distinctive personal style.

“You don’t find multiple types of the same shoes, pants or sweater,” she said. “No one has the same clothes as the others.”

At a retreat center in New York’s Hudson Valley, one group’s infectious laughter caught the attention of other attendees, prompting someone to ask who they were. The answer might surprise you: climate change activists brainstorming ways to combat environmental destruction.

Environmental advocates worldwide are revolutionizing their approach to one of humanity’s greatest challenges by incorporating joy, humor, and celebration into their work. This psychological shift moves away from traditional messaging focused on sacrifice and catastrophe toward community-building and positive emotions.

Activist Katharine Wilkinson, who facilitated the Hudson Valley workshop that drew attention with its upbeat atmosphere, believes positivity becomes even more crucial during challenging times. “I believe that joy is all the more necessary and maybe all the more holy in difficult times,” Wilkinson explained. “Joy is like, how do we take part in the shimmy and the shimmer even as the world lurches?”

These advocates aim to channel happiness as fuel for efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. During a recent American University address, Wilkinson described power combined with joy as “a really potent portal to the gifts that we want to offer in this time of immense trouble and yet also immense possibility.”

Mental health experts endorse this approach as both beneficial and psychologically sound.

“Joy is what made our species survive in the first place,” explained Jiaying Zhao, who teaches psychology and sustainability at the University of British Columbia. “If we’re rewarded, reinforced by it, then we continue doing it. We spill over. We become contagious. We get others on board.”

Humor plays a particularly important role in this strategy.

University of Illinois-Chicago clinical psychology professor Julia Kim-Cohen emphasized laughter’s therapeutic benefits. “Laughter is really one of the best strategies for coping with stress,” she noted. “So there are physiological benefits to laughter. The science shows that it reduces blood pressure and relaxes people’s nervous systems. And so when we’re relaxed through laughter, I think that helps us feel our hearts open to one another. Sharing laughter I think is this ancient, evolutionarily wired thing that humans do to connect.”

However, maintaining connection to reality remains essential, according to Christiana Figueres.

As UN climate chief in 2015, Figueres helped negotiate the historic Paris climate agreement aimed at limiting global temperature increases. She credits her success to listening carefully to all parties with “an open heart and an open mind to what people are saying and especially what they’re not saying” while seeking common ground. Her team would dance in the evenings to maintain their sense of joy.

Figueres subsequently established Global Optimism, an advocacy organization whose name reflects its philosophy, and conducts worldwide seminars incorporating joy, dance, and realistic assessment of challenges.

“We cannot turn our back to the suffering and the grief and the eco-anxiety and all that family of emotions because they are very there,” Figueres stated. “Not to deny reality, not to deny the challenges that we have — that’s step No. 1.”

The key, Figueres explained, involves “anchoring ourselves precisely in the pain and the suffering, embracing the pain, and the suffering” before transforming those feelings into positive action. She compared this process to composting kitchen scraps to create fertilizer for a thriving garden.

This transformation involves accepting difficult emotions and converting them into “a sense of agency” that empowers people to work toward changing the world, she said.

Wilkinson, who leads Climate Wayfinding seminars and has authored a book with the same title, deliberately includes space for negative emotions in her workshops because “when those come in then we also open space for the pendulum to go to the other side.”

That’s when participants engage in laughter, storytelling, embracing, and dancing.

Traditional environmental messaging has long emphasized reducing consumption of energy, meat, and other resources to protect the planet.

“If we have to win the fight against climate change by getting people to give up the things they enjoy, I don’t think we’re going to win the fight,” said University of British Columbia psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn.

Focusing on sacrifice “is counterproductive,” added Zhao, who collaborated with Dunn on the book “Leave the Lights On.”

“Instead of asking people to sacrifice the things that bring them joy, our book is making the exact opposite claim: Do more of the stuff that brings you pleasure but also have a low carbon footprint,” she explained.

“We’re actually trying to get people to change their behaviors. And joy is the missing ingredient here,” Zhao continued. “All we’re saying is give this a shot.”

Using bicycle commuting as an illustration, Dunn observed, “If we enjoy doing something, it is a lot easier to stick with it.”

Despite her expertise in psychology, including teaching courses on climate psychology, Kim-Cohen admits she previously took the wrong approach to environmental advocacy.

“I was that person at the cocktail party bringing up, you know, have you have you heard about the latest wildfire? Have you seen the flood in Spain?” Kim-Cohen recalled. “It was such a downer. I was such a pooper. There’s actually a term called ‘eco pooper.’ I was that person. And it didn’t work. People would just shut down.”

After several years, she experienced burnout and anger, Kim-Cohen said. However, participating in Wilkinson’s seminar transformed her perspective: “I came out with my heart filled with love.”

Senior student Leah Glaser enrolled in Kim-Cohen’s course this semester expecting it to be depressing. Instead, she discovered the opposite.

“I leave every class feeling empowered to do something,” Glaser shared. “I definitely leave with a smile on my face. It just really uplifts me in ways that other classes really don’t.”

RICHBURG, S.C. — In under three minutes, powerful winds pushed flames along the exterior of a test home until they shattered windows and crept beneath the roof line, consuming everything within. Several weeks later, researchers constructed an identical structure in the same location and set it ablaze once more — all for scientific research.

The second dwelling burned at a much slower rate due to enhanced fire-resistant construction materials. Scientists discovered that relocating flammable items like vegetation, mulch, wooden barriers and hot tubs with combustible insulation at least several feet from structures can significantly defend homes against escalating wildfire threats in our changing climate.

This groundbreaking research takes place at an isolated facility in South Carolina, where teams have intentionally ignited 13 residential structures as part of their mission to understand fire behavior through controlled burning experiments.

The specially designed test homes contain multiple sensors and cameras that the facility director described as equipment that will “give their life for science.” Surrounding the burn area sits nearly $1 million worth of additional recording equipment and monitoring devices housed in a fireproof structure and positioned throughout the testing grounds.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety operates as a nonprofit organization established by insurance companies to enhance building resilience against natural disasters. Their 100-acre research campus in Richburg, South Carolina originally focused on studying hurricane impacts and severe weather patterns involving high winds and heavy rainfall.

With wildfire risks growing in recent years, researchers now redirect their massive six-story wall containing 105 stacked fans to blow air out through the wind tunnel’s enormous openings, helping spread controlled fires during experiments.

“We crash test houses,” explained Roy Wright, who serves as the institute’s president.

Between 2016 and 2025, annual wildfire destruction across the United States averaged an area equivalent to Massachusetts — approximately 11,000 square miles (28,500 square kilometers). This represents 2.6 times the typical burn area recorded during the 1980s, based on National Interagency Fire Center data. Canadian wildfire statistics show their average burned acreage over the past decade reached 2.8 times the 1980s levels, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Since 2020, wildfires have generated an average of $17.7 billion annually in damages throughout the United States, according to records maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Climate Central, a nonprofit research organization.

Climate change continues to intensify fire seasons and expand their duration across America, while population growth places dense residential developments in fire-prone regions. Over the last three years, catastrophic wildfires devastated California, Hawaii’s Maui island, and mountainous areas of North and South Carolina.

Drought conditions throughout much of the nation — particularly affecting western and southeastern regions — have reached record severity levels for this time period. Combined with unprecedented heat and extremely low moisture readings in western states during the first quarter of 2026, the upcoming fire season appears likely to be exceptionally dangerous unless significant late spring or early summer precipitation provides relief, according to UCLA climate and fire researcher Park Williams.

Research findings from the institute have already strengthened California’s fire safety regulations. New residential construction must now include ignition-resistant wall systems, tempered or double-pane windows, and protective mesh covering vents to block fire embers from entering structures.

Exterior property management proves equally crucial. Establishing a 5-foot (1.5-meter) clearance zone free from easily ignitable materials such as pine needles, hot tubs, wooden fencing, or overhanging tree branches creates an essential defensive barrier.

The controlled burn experiments clearly demonstrate this principle. Research teams ignite wooden blocks resembling Jenga game pieces within the buffer area. Simulated winds, deliberately varied between 30 and 55 mph (50 to 90 kph) during recent testing, continuously drove flames toward the target structure.

After fire breaches windows and walls, interior combustible items including furniture, upholstery, clothing and plastic materials rapidly ignite, producing massive showers of dangerous burning debris carried by strong winds that can spark new fires one or two blocks away.

However, fire safety standards have limitations. “Under really severe fire conditions, especially those involving very high winds, they probably are of more limited value,” noted Syracuse University fire researcher Jacob Bendix.

Fire prevention products and methods have become a growing industry sector.

Following the 2018 Woolsey fire near his Ventura County, California residence, Nicholai Allen observed firefighters applying fire retardant chemicals and wondered whether homeowners could use similar approaches. He trained as a wildland firefighter and learned that preventing embers from entering attics and garages represents the critical factor.

Allen now manufactures and markets Safe Soss (pronounced like sauce), a product line featuring carbon filters and guards for attics and vents, fiberglass heat-resistant ember-blocking tape, and spray fire retardant compatible with garden hoses — all recently made available through a major hardware retailer.

Allen draws comparisons to winter preparation routines in northern climates.

“It’s kind of like if you live in the snow, you have a snow shovel, you have scrapers, and you know that you have to take certain preventative steps in order to live in an environment that, hey, sometimes snows,” Allen explained.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety conducts their fire experiments under strict safety protocols. Test structures are built to closely replicate typical residential construction while omitting electrical systems and plumbing.

Safety procedures and attention to detail follow rigorous standards. The institute prefers conducting spring fire tests at their location between Charlotte, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina because while summer temperatures in the South can approach those found in fire-prone western regions, the humid conditions in July poorly represent dry mountain canyon environments.

Strong winds delayed a recent test for over six hours, with concerned staff worried they couldn’t postpone until the following day due to an outdoor burning prohibition taking effect after an unusually dry and hot spring season.

Protective covers and heating equipment bring houses to summer temperature levels immediately before fires are ignited on a large concrete platform outside the massive hangar housing the fan wall and hurricane testing operations.

At other areas of the facility, researchers have begun investigating hail damage to residential structures. Another section contains dozens of roof sections positioned at ground level where shingles endure freezing, heating, and natural weather exposure for over a decade as part of additional testing programs.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has made another significant discovery on Mars, uncovering additional organic compounds that could provide clues about whether the Red Planet ever supported life.

The six-wheeled explorer confirmed seven different organic compounds in ancient rock formations near Mars’ equator, with five of these compounds never before detected on the planet, according to researchers. The groundbreaking experiment also suggested the possible presence of another compound with similarities to DNA building blocks – the genetic material that carries life’s instructions on Earth.

These organic compounds, which are primarily carbon-based molecules linked to other elements, serve as the foundation for all Earth-based life forms. Scientists have now catalogued dozens of such compounds on Mars, though researchers emphasize these could have originated from non-living processes.

Mars took shape approximately 4.5 billion years ago, similar to Earth and other planets in our solar system. During its early period, the planet experienced much warmer and wetter conditions compared to today’s frigid, dry environment. Scientists believe the rock samples analyzed by the rover – formed from ancient water-deposited sediments – date back at least 3.5 billion years.

“We cannot yet say that Mars ever harbored life, but our findings further support the evidence that Mars was a habitable world around the time that life on Earth originated,” said astrobiologist and planetary scientist Amy Williams of the University of Florida, a member of the Curiosity scientific team and lead author of the study published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

Conclusive proof of ancient life would require returning Martian rock samples to Earth for detailed laboratory analysis.

“To be clear, we have not found evidence for life with this study, but we’re further refining the building-block molecules that were present on Mars,” Williams said.

The rover touched down in Gale crater – created by an ancient asteroid impact – back in 2012. The recent experiment took place in 2020 within a crater section called Glen Torridon, where abundant clay minerals indicate water once flowed. Such water bodies would have provided ideal conditions for any potential microbial life on Mars.

According to Williams, clay minerals excel at preserving organic molecules compared to other mineral types, making them prime targets for compound detection.

The rover’s Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument carried out the experiment by drilling into bedrock at a site named “Mary Anning” after a famous 19th-century English fossil hunter. The pulverized rock sample was then mixed with a chemical agent that breaks down complex organic material into smaller, detectable fragments.

“This study confirms that larger and more complex organic matter, called macromolecular carbon, is present and preserved in the near surface of Mars bedrock despite the planet’s harsh radiation conditions. The experiment also yielded smaller organic molecules from that breakdown process that have not been seen on Mars before,” Williams said.

“The Curiosity rover was built to search for habitable environments, places where life would want to live if it ever arose on Mars. This study contributes to that story, that Mars environments were habitable in the ancient past and had the ingredients for life as we know it,” Williams said.

Last year, scientists revealed that another NASA rover, Perseverance, collected a rock sample from a separate crater containing features that might have formed through microbial chemical reactions during the rock’s formation.

NASA’s rovers continue leading efforts to understand whether Mars could have supported life, including these ongoing organic compound discoveries.

“Although we cannot tell if this organic matter came from geologic processes, infall from meteorites, or life, our work suggests that if complex organic matter from life were preserved on Mars, we should be able to detect it with current and upcoming rover instruments,” Williams said.

WASHINGTON – Federal environmental regulators have taken legal action against the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority following a catastrophic pipe failure that sent massive amounts of untreated sewage flowing into the Potomac River.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced Monday they have filed a federal complaint against D.C. Water over the January incident. A major section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer system failed, releasing more than 200 million gallons of raw sewage directly into the waterway.

Federal officials claim the utility company violated provisions of the Clean Water Act through the massive discharge. The government’s legal filing demands monetary penalties along with comprehensive infrastructure assessments, repair projects, and environmental cleanup efforts to address the contamination.

The timing of the federal action coincided with Maryland’s attorney general launching a separate lawsuit against D.C. Water on the same day over the sewer system breakdown.

Federal prosecutors have launched legal action against Washington DC and its water utility following a catastrophic sewage pipeline failure that released hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated waste into the Potomac River earlier this year.

The Justice Department filed the federal court action Monday targeting both the District of Columbia and DC Water over the environmental disaster that occurred when a massive 72-inch sewer main known as the Potomac Interceptor ruptured on January 19th. The pipeline failure sent raw sewage shooting from underground directly into the river in Montgomery County, Maryland, just outside the nation’s capital.

Officials say the rupture discharged approximately 244 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Potomac, highlighting serious concerns about America’s crumbling infrastructure systems. The damaged pipeline was originally constructed during the 1960s and had been showing signs of deterioration, according to DC Water officials.

The water authority acknowledged it was aware of the pipe’s declining condition and had started rehabilitation efforts on a nearby section about a quarter-mile away from where the break occurred. That repair work had begun in September and was recently finished when the catastrophic failure happened.

Federal prosecutors claim DC Water violated regulations by failing to adequately operate and maintain its sewage infrastructure to prevent untreated waste from entering the Potomac River and its tributaries, as well as other areas where people might be exposed.

“DC Water’s failure to maintain the Potomac Interceptor resulted in raw sewage flowing into the Potomac River and the surrounding environment, posing a direct risk to public health,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson stated. “As cities grow and infrastructure ages, cities must invest in their wastewater system to prevent such catastrophes.”

The federal case represents one of two legal actions filed against DC Water on Monday. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown simultaneously filed a separate lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court demanding civil penalties and compensation for environmental cleanup costs.

“The utility must take full responsibility for the damage caused and take immediate and lasting action to prevent future spills,” Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain said in her statement.

In response, DC Water issued a statement emphasizing its “fully committed to the long-term rehabilitation” of the Potomac Interceptor pipeline. The utility said its top priority was containing the overflow and fixing the damaged pipe section, which it accomplished by “all discharges to the Potomac River within 21 days. The repairs of the affected segment were completed in 55 days. DC Water is working now to accelerate the rehabilitation of more than 2,700 linear feet of pipeline in this area that was previously scheduled for improvement.”

The agency said both lawsuits were currently “under review.”

The environmental crisis generated political controversy, with President Donald Trump criticizing local Democratic officials, particularly Maryland’s Democratic Governor Wes Moore. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an emergency declaration in February and requested federal assistance from Trump, who approved an emergency declaration several days later that provided federal aid.

Emergency repairs were completed last month, allowing the pipeline to resume normal operations. While the leak has been largely contained, complete restoration of the damaged infrastructure may require several additional months. DC Water continues working with the Environmental Protection Agency to address the leak and assess the river’s environmental impact.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has suspended operations of its massive New Glenn rocket following a weekend mission that went awry, leaving a satellite stranded in an incorrect orbital path.

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a halt to all New Glenn launches while investigators examine what caused Sunday’s mission failure at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

During the launch, the rocket’s reusable first stage successfully completed its job, touching down on a floating platform in the ocean as planned. However, problems arose with the second stage, which failed to carry the satellite high enough to reach its intended operational orbit.

According to Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp, who spoke Monday, initial findings suggest one of the second stage engines didn’t generate sufficient power during the critical phase of flight.

Officials haven’t announced when or where the malfunctioning upper stage and its AST SpaceMobile payload might crash back to Earth. The satellite was intended to expand AST SpaceMobile’s constellation that enables direct communication between space and cellular phones.

This marks just the third mission for the towering New Glenn vehicle, Blue Origin’s primary rocket for orbital deliveries. The space agency NASA has selected New Glenn as a potential launcher for Blue Moon spacecraft in its Artemis lunar exploration initiative. The rocket faces competition from SpaceX’s Starship for future astronaut moon landings planned for 2028.

Standing over 320 feet tall, the rocket honors John Glenn, who became the first American astronaut to complete an Earth orbit in 1962.

WASHINGTON – Federal aviation regulators announced Monday they are mandating a comprehensive investigation following a malfunction during Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 rocket mission on Sunday.

The Federal Aviation Administration has directed Blue Origin to carry out a complete mishap investigation and must give final approval to the company’s report and any remedial measures before flight operations can continue. While the rocket achieved a successful liftoff from its Florida launch site, the second stage experienced problems that prevented the AST SpaceMobile communications satellite from reaching its designated orbital position.

The space company will be prohibited from conducting additional launches until federal regulators review and approve both the investigation findings and proposed corrective measures.

A humpback whale’s struggle for survival in Germany’s Baltic Sea has captured worldwide attention through continuous livestreams, as numerous rescue attempts have been unsuccessful in guiding the deteriorating animal back to deeper ocean waters.

Local news outlets have given the whale the name ‘Timmy,’ and many observers worry the marine mammal may perish in the shallow Baltic waters close to Wismar, an eastern German coastal town.

The creature confronts overwhelming challenges in navigating back to the North Sea, requiring a trek spanning hundreds of kilometers, before ultimately reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

The whale was initially observed in the area on March 3. The reason behind the animal’s entry into the Baltic Sea, so distant from its Atlantic Ocean home waters, remains unknown. Several marine experts suggest the creature may have become disoriented while pursuing a school of herring or during its seasonal migration.

Following its arrival, the mammal has repeatedly become stuck in shallow areas. The whale displays obvious signs of distress, including erratic breathing patterns and remaining nearly motionless for extended periods.

Timmy also suffers from severe skin deterioration caused by the Baltic Sea’s reduced salt levels, prompting rescue teams to treat the animal with substantial amounts of zinc-based ointment.

Adding to these complications, when the whale does attempt to swim, it consistently heads in the incorrect direction.

News organizations have broadcast continuous live coverage to satisfy intense public interest surrounding the whale’s condition. Digital news platforms have sent urgent notifications for even minor updates regarding Timmy’s status.

Demonstrators have gathered on Wismar’s shoreline demanding the animal’s rescue, while social media personalities have sparked discussions about whether allowing the whale to die peacefully or continuing rescue operations would be more humane.

Public fascination has grown so intense that law enforcement established a 500-meter safety perimeter to prevent onlookers from approaching and further distressing the stranded animal.

Even with these protective measures, a 67-year-old woman leaped from a vessel over the weekend attempting to reach the whale before being intercepted.

Rescue operations involving police vessels, heavy machinery, and inflatable craft had briefly succeeded in freeing the creature. However, the whale, measuring between 12 to 15 meters in length and weighing 12 metric tons, has never managed to locate its route back to the North Sea.

Marine specialists then developed an elaborate rescue plan involving air cushions to raise the animal onto a large tarp, which would be supported by two floating platforms and pulled by a tugboat. Government authorities gave permission for this private rescue mission, but the whale began swimming again Monday when high tide arrived. Watercraft tried to direct the mammal toward the proper course, though some rescuers have abandoned hope.

Thilo Maack, a marine biologist with Greenpeace, shared with The Associated Press that the rescue attempts are actually inflicting significant stress on the animal.

“I believe the whale will die very soon now. And I would also like to raise the question: What is actually so bad about that?” he said. “Yes, animals live, animals die. This animal is really, really very, very, very sick. And it has decided to seek rest.”

AMSTERDAM – While cruising through Amsterdam’s tight canal-lined roads surrounded by countless cyclists, it takes a moment to notice something unusual about Kees Roelandschap’s charcoal Tesla: his hands aren’t touching the steering wheel.

Tesla received unexpected authorization this month in the Netherlands to deploy its monitored full self-driving (FSD) technology, marking Europe’s initial approval for autonomous city driving that may pave the way for additional semi-autonomous cars across the continent.

The development has sparked debate. Supporters like Roelandschap praise it as revolutionary progress that could enhance road safety, while cyclists and government officials remain torn between skepticism and hope as these vehicles begin appearing on Dutch roadways.

“I’ve driven multiple different versions in the U.S. But to be able to experience it firsthand here in the Netherlands — that’s unreal,” Roelandschap told Reuters while sitting in the vehicle traveling through Amsterdam.

“I think this should be approved everywhere in Europe because it will lead to increased safety,” he stated, noting that the European-approved system seemed to include stricter safety measures compared to its American counterpart.

Tesla’s FSD technology can handle steering, braking and acceleration without manual control, although drivers must stay alert and prepared to take over. The European Union plans to review approving this technology continent-wide in May, despite ongoing safety investigations in the United States.

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ‘WILL MAINTAIN PROPER SPACING’

Throughout Amsterdam’s busy streets, where streetcars, delivery trucks and automobiles navigate alongside heavy bicycle traffic, e-bikes, oversized “fatbikes” and an increasing number of compact electric vehicles, public response has been varied.

“Cyclists are flowing through traffic, swarming around, going left and right, crossing each other,” explained Esther van Garderen, director of the Dutch Cyclists’ Union, emphasizing that the Netherlands presents distinctive challenges for autonomous driving.

“We’re not fully assured that these self-driving cars will understand the (road) behaviour.”

During a city council session following the approval, Amsterdam transportation official Melanie van der Horst stated the city wasn’t consulted during the regulatory approval and would carefully observe the implementation. She noted that having a supervising driver means “we don’t need to panic” and the technology might enhance safety.

“(However) I can definitely imagine that this raises quite a few concerns and reactions,” she commented.

Traffic fatalities in the Netherlands rose 6% to 759 in 2023, with vehicle-cyclist and vehicle-pedestrian collisions driving the increase, according to government data from CBS.

“I think safety will be much better because the (self-driving) cars will keep their distance,” commented local resident Paul ten Cate.

“I think it will actually be nicer for cyclists to have self-driving cars around,” he added.

‘I REMAIN SKEPTICAL’

This launch occurs as Tesla relies on driver-assistance features to boost declining European sales, hurt by CEO Elon Musk’s controversial political statements that have turned away some buyers. Tesla leads electric vehicle sales in the Netherlands, with approximately 100,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles currently on Dutch roads.

Recently, Amsterdam has actively discouraged automobile use while promoting cycling and mass transit by blocking streets, increasing fees, eliminating parking spots and establishing 30 km per hour (19 mph) speed restrictions on most roads.

Nina Smiljanic, riding her electric bike with her leashed dog running beside her, said she could envision the technology functioning well on single-direction highways, but questioned its effectiveness in crowded Amsterdam.

“Here in the streets, with all the tourists doing unpredictable things, I think the AI still needs to adapt,” she observed. “Maybe in America or on the highway it’s fine, but here I’m not convinced yet.”

While demonstrating his Tesla’s capabilities, Roelandschap showed how the vehicle first issued an alert and then gradually stopped with emergency flashers activated after he looked down at his lap instead of the road for an extended period — a safety feature designed to prevent driver distraction.

“I have yet to notice or encounter a difficult road situation here. We have a lot of cyclists trying to overtake us, cyclists coming towards us, cyclists coming from the left. What’s dangerous here?”

Turkey’s leadership is promising to make the upcoming global climate conference about delivering results rather than empty pledges, as the nation prepares to host the COP31 summit this November.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum emphasized that securing financing represents the top priority, with developing nations requiring close to $1 trillion to achieve their climate objectives. Speaking at a diplomatic gathering in Antalya over the weekend, Kurum stressed the importance of raising public consciousness about environmental policies while global conflicts and security issues capture most of the world’s attention.

“Important decisions have been taken in every COP so far. We will follow up these decisions, but what is essential is putting them into practice. The expectation of the world, of humanity from us is to move to practice,” Kurum stated during his interview.

The minister called for concrete steps to fulfill the nationally determined contributions that countries have established, noting that some nations have yet to submit their plans. “Let’s take steps to realise the NDCs that countries have put forth – and there are some countries who have not put them forward,” he explained.

Despite acknowledging that conflicts are unavoidable, Kurum indicated Turkey would urge all nations to consider the broader perspective and recognize the urgent dangers that climate change presents.

The yearly COP gathering serves as the primary international platform for advancing climate action. Scientific consensus confirms that climate change is occurring, primarily driven by human activity, and continues to worsen due to greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Following extended negotiations last year, Turkey and Australia reached an arrangement where Turkey will serve as host and president of COP31, while Australia will guide the negotiation proceedings. The conference is scheduled for November in Turkey’s southern Antalya province.

Kurum, who will serve as COP31 President, described Turkey’s vision for making the gathering “the COP of implementation,” prioritizing concrete actions over verbal commitments.

“We want all countries to hand in their NDCs by COP31. We are working for this, we are also working for this within the U.N.,” he said, noting that developing nations need $150 million in funding assistance to develop their national contribution plans.

Last year’s COP30 faced criticism for failing to establish firm agreements on language promoting the worldwide elimination of fossil fuel use.

When questioned about addressing this issue at COP31, Kurum explained that Turkey plans to pressure countries to implement previous decisions on fossil fuels while acknowledging that necessary transition technologies require further advancement.

He noted that Turkey currently relies on both renewable sources and fossil fuels to maintain energy independence and meet domestic needs, but would transition away from fossil fuels if more affordable technological alternatives become available.

“We must bring moving away from fossil fuels to the global agenda by providing a transition period. During COP31, we will put into effect those partial decisions taken in COP30,” Kurum concluded.

A federal intelligence agency continues to employ an artificial intelligence system from a company the Pentagon has flagged as a potential security concern, according to a weekend report from Axios.

Sources tell the news outlet that the National Security Agency has been utilizing Anthropic’s Mythos Preview AI technology, even after the Defense Department issued a formal supply-chain risk classification against the firm. The intelligence agency falls under Defense Department oversight.

According to the reporting, usage of the Mythos Preview system has expanded throughout the department. Reuters noted they were unable to independently confirm these details.

Representatives from Anthropic, the NSA, and the Defense Department have not yet provided responses to media inquiries made during weekend hours.

Just last week, officials from President Donald Trump’s administration held their first discussions with Anthropic’s chief executive about potential collaboration since tensions arose earlier this year between Pentagon officials and the AI company regarding proper usage protocols for the firm’s technology.

These conversations occurred as cybersecurity specialists express mounting concerns that the artificial intelligence startup’s newest Mythos model could amplify the threat of digital attacks.

Anthropic has described the system as their “most capable yet for coding and agentic tasks,” highlighting the technology’s capacity to operate independently.

Security experts warn that the model’s sophisticated programming abilities could give it extraordinary power to detect weaknesses in cybersecurity systems and develop methods to exploit those vulnerabilities.

Alphabet’s Google is reportedly collaborating with Marvell Technology to create a pair of specialized computer chips designed to enhance artificial intelligence operations, according to a Sunday report from The Information citing sources familiar with the negotiations.

The partnership involves developing two distinct processors: a memory processing component that will complement Google’s existing tensor processing units (TPUs), and an entirely new TPU specifically engineered for artificial intelligence applications, sources indicated.

The tech giant has been working to establish its TPUs as a competitive option to challenge Nvidia’s market-leading graphics processing units. Revenue from TPU sales has emerged as a significant growth factor for Google’s cloud computing division, as the company seeks to demonstrate to shareholders that its artificial intelligence investments are producing financial results.

Neither Google nor Marvell immediately provided responses to requests for comment, and Reuters was unable to independently confirm the report’s details.

According to the sources, both companies hope to complete the memory processing unit’s design specifications by next year, after which the chip would move into experimental manufacturing phases.

Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin achieved a significant milestone on Sunday when it successfully recovered a previously-used New Glenn rocket booster following its launch.

The aerospace firm announced the achievement on social media platform X, celebrating what represents their first successful landing of a booster that had flown before.

“BOOSTER TOUCHDOWN! ‘Never Tell Me The Odds’ has done it again!”, Blue Origin said in an X post.

The successful recovery represents a major step forward for Blue Origin’s reusable rocket program, as landing and reusing boosters is crucial for reducing launch costs in the commercial space industry.

CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (AP) — In a zone too contaminated for human habitation, some of the planet’s rarest horses have found freedom.

Throughout the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Przewalski’s horses — compact, tan-colored animals with an almost miniature appearance — feed across a radiation-soaked territory that exceeds Luxembourg in size.

Nearly four decades ago, on April 26, 1986, a catastrophic blast at the Ukrainian nuclear facility spread radioactive material throughout Europe, forcing mass evacuations that displaced tens of thousands of residents. The incident stands as history’s most devastating nuclear accident.

Today, the area around Chernobyl — spelled “Chornobyl” in Ukrainian transliteration — continues to pose serious risks to human health. Yet wildlife populations have made a remarkable comeback.

Wolf packs now hunt throughout the expansive buffer zone that stretches across Ukraine and Belarus, while brown bears have reestablished themselves after being absent for over 100 years. Numbers of lynx, moose, red deer and feral dog packs have all recovered significantly.

The Przewalski’s horses, originally from Mongolia and previously facing extinction, arrived in 1998 as part of a scientific study.

Called “takhi” in their native Mongolia, meaning “spirit,” these horses differ genetically from domestic varieties, possessing 33 chromosome pairs versus 32 in farm horses. Their current scientific name honors the Russian explorer who first documented them officially.

“The fact that Ukraine now has a free-ranging population is something of a small miracle,” said Denys Vyshnevskyi, the zone’s lead nature scientist.

Without human interference, sections of the exclusion zone now mirror what European wilderness looked like hundreds of years ago, he explained, noting: “Nature recovers relatively quickly and effectively.”

Evidence of this recovery appears throughout the region. Vegetation grows through abandoned structures, pathways disappear into woodland, and deteriorating Soviet-era markers stand next to tilted wooden crosses in overgrown graveyards.

Remote cameras reveal the horses displaying remarkable adaptability. They take refuge in deteriorating barns and empty houses, using these structures for protection from severe weather and insects — sometimes even sleeping indoors.

The horses organize into small family units — usually one male leading several females and their offspring — while separate groups of younger males form their own bands. Though many perished initially after their release, survivors have successfully adjusted.

Monitoring these animals requires patience. Vyshnevskyi frequently spends hours driving solo, installing motion-activated cameras in concealed housings secured to trees.

While radiation levels remain elevated, researchers haven’t documented mass deaths, though more subtle impacts are noticeable. Some amphibians have developed darker pigmentation, and birds in high-radiation zones show increased rates of cataracts.

Yet new dangers have appeared.

Russia’s 2022 military offensive brought combat through the exclusion zone as forces moved toward Kyiv, with soldiers excavating defensive positions in contaminated earth. Blazes connected to military operations burned through forested areas.

Severe wartime winters have also caused damage. Power grid destruction left nearby managed regions without essential services, and researchers document rising numbers of fallen trees and animal deaths — victims of both extreme weather and rapidly constructed military fortifications.

“Most forest fires are caused by downed drones,” said Oleksandr Polischuk, who leads a firefighting unit in the zone. “Sometimes we have to travel dozens of kilometers to reach them.”

These fires risk releasing radioactive particles back into the atmosphere.

Currently, the zone functions as more than an accidental wildlife preserve. It has transformed into a heavily surveilled military passage, featuring concrete blockades, razor wire and explosive devices — creating what observers call a landscape of stark beauty.

Workers cycle through assignments to minimize radiation exposure. Chernobyl will likely stay restricted for many generations — too hazardous for human settlement, yet teeming with animal life.

“For those of us in conservation and ecology, it’s kind of a wonder,” Vyshnevskyi said. “This land was once heavily used — agriculture, cities, infrastructure. But nature has effectively performed a factory reset.”

BEIJING — Chinese technology reached a new milestone Sunday when a humanoid robot crossed the finish line of a robotic half-marathon in record-breaking time, showcasing the nation’s growing prowess in advanced robotics.

The mechanical athlete, developed by Honor smartphone company, covered the 21-kilometer course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to officials from Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, where the competition took place. The robot’s time eclipsed Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who holds the human record at approximately 57 minutes set in March.

This year’s robotic achievement represents a dramatic improvement from the previous year’s competition, when the fastest robot required 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds to complete the same distance.

The 2024 event attracted significantly more participants than its predecessor, with over 100 teams competing compared to last year’s smaller field. International participation also grew, with five overseas teams joining the competition.

Despite the technological advances, the race experienced some mechanical difficulties. One robot collapsed immediately at the starting line, while another collided with a course barrier during the event.

Officials reported that roughly 40% of the competing robots operated independently using autonomous navigation systems, while human operators remotely controlled the remaining machines. Adding to the technological showcase, a robotic traffic controller used arm movements and voice commands to guide participants along the route, according to state television CCTV.

The robotic competition reflects China’s broader technological ambitions as it seeks to compete with the United States in critical technology sectors with national security implications. Beijing’s current five-year economic plan emphasizes pushing “the frontiers of science and technology,” with accelerated humanoid robot development specifically outlined in the 2026-2030 strategy for the world’s second-largest economy.

Recent industry analysis from London-based research firm Omdia identified three Chinese manufacturers — AGIBOT, Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics Corp. — as the only top-tier suppliers in global shipments of general-purpose intelligent robots. All three companies delivered more than 1,000 robotic units in the previous year, with AGIBOT and Unitree Robotics each shipping over 5,000 units, according to the research report.

A remarkable display of technological advancement unfolded in Beijing on Sunday as over 100 Chinese-manufactured humanoid robots demonstrated impressive athletic capabilities during a half-marathon event, significantly outperforming their human counterparts and showing dramatic improvement from the previous year.

The event marked a striking transformation from its debut in 2023, when only 20 robots participated and many experienced technical difficulties at the starting line, with most failing to complete the course entirely.

This year’s competition featured a dramatic increase in both participation and performance. The top-performing robot, created by Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor, completed the 13.1-mile course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds – a time that surpassed the current world record set by Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon last month. However, the mechanical athlete required assistance after colliding with a barrier just meters before crossing the finish line.

To prevent accidents, organizers arranged separate running lanes for the robotic and human competitors throughout the race.

Last year’s winning robot had recorded a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes, which was more than twice as long as the human champion’s performance in the traditional race.

While practical commercial uses for humanoid robots are still being tested and developed, Sunday’s demonstration highlighted their potential to transform various industries, from hazardous occupations to military applications.

The Chinese government has made becoming a leader in humanoid robotics technology a national priority, implementing various support measures including financial incentives and infrastructure development to strengthen domestic companies in this emerging field.

China’s commitment to robotic innovation was also featured during the country’s most-watched television program, the annual CCTV Spring Festival celebration in February, which highlighted the nation’s ambitions in humanoid robotics and future manufacturing capabilities.

The broadcast included an elaborate martial arts performance featuring more than a dozen Unitree humanoid robots executing complex combat routines with swords, staffs, and nunchucks while performing alongside human children.

Electric vehicle giant Tesla announced Saturday that it has launched autonomous taxi services in two major Texas metropolitan areas.

The company began operating its self-driving taxi fleet in Dallas and Houston, marking a significant expansion of Tesla’s robotaxi program.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk promoted the new service on his social media platform X, posting: “Try Tesla Robotaxi in Dallas & Houston!”

The announcement represents Tesla’s continued push into autonomous vehicle technology and ride-sharing services in major urban markets.

Stargazers are in for a treat as the annual Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with optimal viewing conditions thanks to a faint crescent moon. According to NASA, observers may witness between 10 and 20 meteors streaking across the sky each hour during the celestial event’s climax.

The astronomical display will be observable worldwide, though Northern Hemisphere locations will offer the best vantage points. The timing couldn’t be better, as the crescent moon will disappear below the horizon before the meteor activity intensifies, eliminating light interference.

These cosmic light shows occur when our planet passes through debris fields left by traveling space objects. As these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere, they heat up and create the brilliant streaks we call shooting stars or meteors.

Despite their name suggesting otherwise, most meteor displays originate from comet remnants rather than asteroids. The Lyrid shower consists of particles from comet Thatcher, an icy celestial body with a lengthy orbital period.

“We only get to see the actual comet once every 415 years. But we pass through the grains that have been left in its wake every year around the same time,” explained Maria Valdes, a meteorite researcher at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

While a few random meteors can be spotted on any clear night, certain times of year produce concentrated displays that create more spectacular viewing opportunities. The Lyrid shower holds historical significance as one of the earliest documented meteor events, with recorded observations spanning more than 2,500 years.

For optimal viewing, head outdoors after midnight and find a location away from urban lighting and tall structures. Allow your vision to adapt to darkness for 15 to 30 minutes, and avoid checking your phone to maintain night vision.

Set up comfortable seating or bring a sleeping bag, then watch patiently as the meteors emerge. The shooting stars will appear to radiate from the Lyra constellation in the northeastern portion of the sky.

“A meteor looks like a trail of light in the sky. What you tend to detect is the motion against the background,” noted astronomer Lisa Will from San Diego City College.

The next significant meteor shower approaches in early May with the Eta Aquarids, created by debris from the famous Halley’s comet.

China is moving forward with plans to establish a major satellite manufacturing center in Beijing, with the main facilities expected to open during the latter half of 2026, according to reports from Beijing Daily on Saturday.

The aerospace sector has seen dramatic growth, with commercial space missions now representing more than 60% of global launches. Multiple companies are working toward public offerings as the industry expands rapidly, the state-owned publication noted.

According to Gao Yibin, who leads the Strategic Research Department at Future Aerospace, China’s commercial space sector worth trillions of yuan is progressing toward greater standardization and larger-scale operations. This advancement is being driven by faster approval processes for launches, increased use of domestically-produced components, and ongoing investment from industry funds.

“The accelerated implementation of scenarios such as low-Earth orbit constellation networking, satellite internet, space computing power, and 6G air-space-ground integration suggests sustained growth is expected in 2026,” Gao stated.

The new Beijing facility is designed to serve as a central location for satellite manufacturers and operators, creating an environment that promotes industry collaboration while facilitating the efficient movement of skilled workers, investment capital, and technological innovations throughout the aerospace sector.

More than 300 humanoid robots will take on a challenging 13-mile course in Beijing this Sunday, marking China’s second annual robot half-marathon as the nation pushes to establish robotics as a cornerstone of its economic future.

The competition has grown dramatically, with over 70 teams participating – nearly five times the number from the previous year. This year’s course features more demanding terrain including paved inclines and parkland areas designed to push the robots’ capabilities to new limits.

“It will certainly be interesting to see the progress in durability of components and battery lifetime compared to last year,” said Georg Stieler, Asia managing director and head of robotics at Stieler, a technology consultancy.

“Humanoid robot makers need to find a balance between quality in products which are still under constant evolution and price pressure.”

The event represents a significant technological milestone. While last year’s competition featured only remote-controlled machines, organizers report that nearly 40% of this year’s robotic participants will complete the course using autonomous navigation systems.

However, the race also exposes the ongoing hurdles Chinese companies encounter as they work to develop robots capable of replicating human movement and performance. Last year’s inaugural event saw several robots tumble and malfunction near the starting area. The champion, the Tiangong Ultra model created by Beijing’s state-supported Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics working with UBTech, completed the distance in 2 hours and 40 minutes – well ahead of other robotic competitors but more than twice as slow as the human race winner.

This year, the Tiangong Ultra will operate “fully autonomously,” depending entirely on its sensor systems to navigate obstacles and replicate natural human walking patterns through extensive data simulation training, according to the Center of Humanoid Robotics.

“When the robot runs at speeds approaching those of professional human athletes, the time window for perception and decision-making is extremely short, placing very high demands on computing power, algorithms, and system response speed,” the center explained in a statement.

Recent social media footage showing robots training in Beijing at night revealed mixed results. Some models successfully demonstrated human-like running motions and achieved speeds of 14 kilometers per hour, while others displayed awkward, jerky movements and some toppled over or collided with barriers, raising questions about their ability to complete the full race.

China leads the global humanoid robot market, representing more than 80% of the 16,000 units deployed worldwide in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. In contrast, Tesla, the leading U.S. manufacturer, accounts for just 5% of global humanoid installations.

Chinese market leaders AgiBot and Unitree each delivered more than 5,000 units last year – the highest numbers globally – with Unitree committing to expand its annual production capacity to 75,000 humanoid robots.

Despite the spectacle of the half-marathon, industry experts caution that the demonstrated abilities don’t necessarily translate to widespread commercial use of humanoid robots in industrial environments, where precise manual skills, real-world awareness, and capabilities beyond simple, repetitive tasks are essential.

Currently, Unitree’s humanoid products serve primarily research institutions, dance performances, and interactive guide roles in service businesses, according to the company’s IPO documentation.

Even with some humanoids capable of completing a half-marathon, experts believe widespread household or industrial deployment remains years away, even in China.

“The reason our applications aren’t taking off is that the robots’ IQ is too low. The models are poor, their success rates are low,” said Tang Wenbin, founder of embodied intelligence startup Yuanli Lingji at a Beijing technology conference last month.

“Honestly, the whole industry’s level is still at a very elementary stage … Right now, a lot of what we see is ‘dancing disguised as working’.”

The Chinese government has designated embodied intelligence, or physical AI, as a priority industry for development as it seeks automation solutions to enhance economic productivity and modernize traditional manufacturing.

Chinese robotics companies continue to face challenges in creating the AI software necessary for humanoids to match human factory worker efficiency, while component manufacturers deal with cost pressures, according to industry analysts.

To advance their software capabilities, companies are investing heavily in large-scale real-world data gathering, equipping human workers with sensors and placing more humanoids on factory floors.

UBTech had fewer than 10 humanoids operating in factories in 2024, but that figure surged to over 1,000 last year.

This year, the company plans to deploy 10,000 full-size humanoid robots, including new models designed for various commercial applications, Chief Business Officer Michael Tam announced during a media visit to the company’s Shenzhen facility in southern China.

“When we talk about AI, it relies on how much data, especially high-quality data, we can collect,” he explained.

A federal lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Department of Agriculture by a watchdog organization that claims the agency is concealing important documents related to food safety concerns following last year’s train derailment in Ohio.

The Government Accountability Project, a nonprofit organization, initiated the legal action on Friday in the District of Columbia. The group argues that USDA officials improperly held back records concerning potential toxic chemical contamination of food supplies connected to the February 2023 rail disaster in East Palestine, Ohio.

According to a report released by the organization, documents they secured through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that USDA personnel were aware that dangerous chemicals could potentially taint the food supply in areas surrounding the East Palestine incident, which occurred near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line.

The group contends that despite this knowledge, the Environmental Protection Agency did not perform specific testing for dioxins—a hazardous chemical—in locally grown vegetables, livestock, poultry eggs, or wildlife in the region. USDA representatives chose not to provide comments, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.

The Norfolk Southern Railway train was traveling from Illinois toward Pennsylvania when it left the tracks on February 3, 2023, sparking a massive blaze that led to the emergency evacuation of hundreds of area residents. Railway personnel subsequently emptied and incinerated toxic chemical materials from five derailed cars.

At the time, EPA officials stated their analysis of residential drinking water and indoor air quality near the crash site showed no signs of contamination.

However, scientific experts raised alarm about potential agricultural contamination from dioxins, cancer-causing substances created during the deliberate burning of chemicals by railroad workers. Lesley Pacey, who serves as the Government Accountability Project’s senior environmental advisor, explained in a Friday interview that USDA documents obtained by her organization contained extensive redactions and some materials were completely withheld.

The legal challenge aims to force the release of those hidden documents. Pacey noted that the information they did receive “shows that internally they were recognizing that there were contamination pathways that were very realistic and concerning.”

According to Pacey, the agency failed to conduct thorough testing or properly inform local residents about potential health risks.

A Massachusetts court has temporarily prevented a turbine company from abandoning a major offshore wind energy project, with the judge stating it would be unrealistic to expect another contractor to complete the complex work.

The legal battle began when GE Renewables announced it was ending its contracts for turbine services and maintenance at the Vineyard Wind project, prompting the wind farm developers to seek court intervention. The dispute centers around financial claims from both sides: GE Vernova, the parent company, claims Vineyard Wind owes $300 million for completed work, while the wind farm operators argue GE should pay approximately $545 million to cover damages from a major turbine blade failure in July 2024 that delayed the project by two years.

Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Peter Krupp sided with Vineyard Wind’s request to block the contract termination on Friday. The judge determined that GE owes significantly more money than what the developers have withheld to cover costs from the blade incident, which caused fiberglass debris to wash up on Nantucket beaches during peak tourist season.

“The project is at a critical phase and the loss of (Vineyard Wind)’s principal contractor would set the project back immeasurably,” Judge Krupp stated in his ruling. “To pretend that (Vineyard Wind) could go out and hire one or more contractors to finish the installation and troubleshoot and modify (GE Renewables’) proprietary design without (GE Renewables’) specialized knowledge is fanciful.”

Vineyard Wind spokesperson Craig Gilvarg expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying “We are pleased with the decision, which ensures Vineyard Wind can continue delivering much needed energy to Massachusetts customers and the New England grid.”

GE Renewables defended its position in court documents, claiming it had the right to end the contracts and that its services were no longer needed. The company also argued that any damages experienced by Vineyard Wind were caused by the wind farm operators themselves.

“We stand by our compliance with contractual obligations and our performance, including recently completing installation of all 62 wind turbines at the Vineyard Wind Farm,” GE said in a Friday statement. “We remain engaged in supporting the safe operation of the project while we evaluate next steps.”

The wind farm is a partnership between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, positioned 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in Massachusetts waters. Its 62 turbines are designed to produce 800 megawatts of electricity, sufficient to supply power to approximately 400,000 households.

The project reached completion in March, becoming the first offshore wind farm to finish construction during President Trump’s current term. The facility had been supplying electricity to the regional power grid for more than a year as individual turbines came online, and full operational capacity is anticipated within the next few months.

The Trump administration has criticized the project due to the blade malfunction, which GE Vernova attributed to inadequate bonding processes at one of its Canadian manufacturing facilities rather than a fundamental design problem.

This wind farm was among five major East Coast offshore wind developments that the Trump administration suspended just before Christmas, citing national security issues. Project developers and state governments filed lawsuits challenging the halt, and federal courts permitted all five projects to resume construction after determining the government failed to demonstrate an immediate national security threat requiring work stoppage.

A groundbreaking study shows that wildfires across North America are now burning far longer each day than they did decades ago, with flames staying active through nighttime hours when they previously would have subsided.

Research published Friday in Science Advances reveals that weather conditions favorable to wildfire activity now last 36% longer than they did five decades ago. This dramatic change means fires that once naturally slowed or stopped during cooler evening hours are now burning continuously.

California experiences approximately 550 additional hours of fire-prone weather annually compared to the mid-1970s. The most dramatic increases occur in southwestern New Mexico and central Arizona, where conditions suitable for wildfire activity have expanded by up to 2,000 hours per year.

Recent devastating blazes that burned aggressively during nighttime hours include the 2023 Lahaina fire in Hawaii, which started at 12:22 a.m., the 2024 Jasper fire in Alberta, and the current Los Angeles fires, according to researchers.

The extended burning window affects more than just daily hours. Fire-prone weather days have increased by 44%, effectively adding 26 additional high-risk days each year over the past half-century.

“Fires normally slow down during the night, or they just stop,” explained study co-author Xianli Wang from the Canadian Forest Service. “But under extreme fire hazard conditions, fire actually burns through the night or later into the night.”

Wang warned that Earth’s warming climate will likely worsen these conditions in the future.

University of California Merced fire scientist John Abatzoglou, who did not participate in the research, noted that fires maintaining their intensity overnight gain momentum for the following day, making suppression efforts significantly more challenging.

“Nights aren’t what they used to be — that is, more reliable breaks for wildfire,” Abatzoglou stated. “Widespread warming and lack of humidity is keeping fires up at night.”

Fighting fires during darkness presents unique dangers, according to wildland firefighter Nicholai Allen, who also operates a company producing home fire prevention equipment.

“You have to understand that you have snakes and bears and mountain lions and all the stuff you have in daytime,” Allen explained, mentioning that a colleague was attacked by a bear. “But at night, they’re really scared and they’re running away from the fire.”

Canadian researchers examined nearly 9,000 major fires between 2017 and 2023, using weather satellites and additional instruments to track hourly atmospheric data including humidity, temperature, wind patterns, precipitation, and fuel moisture content. They developed a computer model linking weather patterns to fire behavior and applied it to historical information from Canada and the United States spanning 1975 to 2106.

Climate scientists have long understood that heat-trapping emissions from burning fossil fuels cause nighttime temperatures to rise more rapidly than daytime temperatures due to increased cloud cover that traps and redirects heat back to Earth’s surface. Since 1975, summer nighttime minimum temperatures in the continental United States have risen 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while daytime maximums have increased 2.2 degrees, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Nighttime humidity levels no longer recover from daytime dryness as they historically did, said lead researcher Kaiwei Luo from the University of Alberta.

Wildfires frequently occur alongside drought conditions, particularly severe droughts, creating not only drier air but hotter, drier air that extracts additional moisture from soil and vegetation, making fire fuel more combustible, Wang noted. During drought periods, a destructive cycle develops where increasingly dry conditions allow the warmer atmosphere to draw even more moisture from potential fuel sources.

Similar to how warmer nights during heat waves prevent human bodies from recovering, these elevated nighttime temperatures prevent forests from recuperating, Wang observed. Dead vegetation can require weeks to regain lost moisture and become less fire-prone.

“It’s just a stress to the plants,” Wang said. “That also increases fuel load and make fire-burning more easily.”

Between 2016 and 2025, American wildfires burned an average area equivalent to Massachusetts annually, covering slightly more than 11,000 square miles. This represents 2.6 times the average burned area during the 1980s, based on National Interagency Fire Center data. Canada’s average burned acreage over the past decade is 2.8 times greater than during the 1980s, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Syracuse University fire scientist Jacob Bendix, who was not involved in the study, described the research as a stark warning about climate change’s impact in driving “increased fire potential across almost all of the fire-prone environments of North America.”

New research has unveiled fascinating details about how one of America’s most iconic natural wonders came to be. Scientists have traced the ancient path of the Colorado River to explain when and how it carved Arizona’s magnificent Grand Canyon.

Using advanced analysis of microscopic zircon crystals found in sandstone and volcanic ash deposits, researchers have mapped the river’s prehistoric journey. Their findings reveal a dramatic geological story spanning millions of years.

According to the study, approximately 6.6 million years ago, the Colorado River began flowing into a massive basin in northeastern Arizona. This created an enormous shallow lake stretching more than 90 miles across, located east of where the Grand Canyon exists today.

The ancient lake, which scientists have nicknamed Bidahochi Lake after a local rock formation, gradually filled with water over roughly one million years. Around 5.6 million years ago, the lake reached capacity and began overflowing at its lowest point, sending water rushing through what would become the Grand Canyon corridor.

The river continued its journey, filling and overflowing through additional downstream basins before finally reaching the Gulf of California about 4.8 million years ago, where it emptied into the sea near northwestern Mexico.

“Scientists have long debated when the Grand Canyon was carved, and our study contributes to that conversation,” explained UCLA geologist John He, who co-led the research published in the journal Science.

He described their innovative research method: “Imagine you go out to a river bank and scoop up a handful of sand. In that handful, there are hundreds of thousands of sand grains that look like any other sand grain. But within that handful there will be a couple of hundred or even thousands of microscopic grains of zircon crystal, each of which is a vault of information about where it comes from.”

The team used volcanic ash dating to determine when the river deposited the sand layers containing these informative zircon crystals.

Ryan Crow, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Arizona, and study co-leader, addressed a long-standing geological puzzle: “A longstanding question has been: where did the Colorado River go before it flowed through Grand Canyon?”

“We have long known that the river existed in western Colorado 11 million years ago, and that it did not (run through) Grand Canyon until after 5.6 million years ago. But until now we knew almost nothing about where it was during the intervening time,” Crow explained.

The Colorado River begins its 1,450-mile journey at La Poudre Pass in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. The Grand Canyon itself stretches approximately 280 miles long, reaches up to 18 miles wide, and plunges more than a mile deep in some areas.

The canyon’s walls display rock layers formed up to 1.8 billion years ago, creating a visible timeline of Earth’s geological history.

“Past work shows that over the last million years the Colorado River has been carving into rock at an average rate of about 100 meters to 160 meters (330 to 525 feet) per million years, so the process of canyon carving continues. The canyon we see today is the result of about five million years of river incision and erosion,” Crow noted.

The researchers emphasized that the Grand Canyon continues to captivate visitors and scientists alike.

“Grand Canyon, a natural wonder of the world, captures the attention and curiosity of almost everyone that sees it. People relate to it in different ways. But I think many, even those who rarely think about geology, have similar questions when they see Grand Canyon. How did the canyon form? When did the canyon form? Those are questions we strive to answer,” Crow said.

He reflected on the canyon’s profound impact: “The architecture of the planet is so exposed, laid bare in front of us. There is something disquieting about this, being challenged to envision the millions of years of geologic time by the solidity of a towering wall of rock.”

Three Chinese astronauts currently orbiting Earth will extend their space station mission by approximately one month, according to an announcement Friday from China’s state television network.

The Shenzhou-21 crew launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China on October 31 aboard a Long March-2F rocket. The mission was originally scheduled to conclude around April after a standard six-month deployment.

The crew consists of Commander Zhang Lu, age 48, who previously participated in the 2022 Shenzhou-15 mission, along with Zhang Hongzhang, 39, and Wu Fei, 32. Wu Fei holds the distinction of being China’s youngest person ever launched into space.

According to China’s Manned Space Engineering Office, the astronauts have successfully accomplished multiple objectives during their time aboard the station. These achievements include mounting protective shields against space debris and conducting thorough inspections of equipment used for spacewalks, CCTV reported.

The space agency noted that all three crew members remain in excellent physical condition and continue performing their duties effectively after more than five months in orbit. They have been working alongside the station’s mechanical arm system and ground-based research teams.

“To further verify the technologies related to long-term astronaut stays in orbit … it is planned to extend the crew’s stay in orbit by approximately one month,” CCTV reported, though no specific return date was provided.

During their extended time in space, the astronauts will continue performing various scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, according to the space office.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts who completed NASA’s historic return to lunar exploration shared positive feedback Thursday about their spacecraft’s capabilities, with particular emphasis on how well the heat shield functioned during their return to Earth.

During their initial press conference following their homecoming, the crew of three American astronauts and one Canadian team member expressed confidence that their successful lunar mission positions NASA well for achieving a crewed moon landing within the next two years and establishing a permanent lunar base. The astronauts spoke from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they are based.

The diverse crew included Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, who departed from Florida on April 1 for NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.

The team achieved a new distance record for human space travel, surpassing Apollo 13’s mark as they traveled around the moon’s far side. During their journey, they witnessed lunar features never before seen by human eyes and experienced the spectacular sight of a total lunar eclipse.

Their Orion spacecraft, which they christened “Integrity,” touched down safely in the Pacific Ocean last Friday, concluding their nearly 10-day mission. The crew’s return to Houston occurred on the 56th anniversary of Apollo 13’s launch.

According to Wiseman, he and Glover observed only minimal heat shield material loss during Integrity’s passage through the most intense phase of atmospheric reentry. After boarding the recovery vessel, they examined the capsule’s underside as thoroughly as possible, discovering slight charred material loss where the heat shield connects to the main capsule.

“For four humans just looking at the heat shield, it looked wonderful to us. It looked great, and that ride in was really amazing,” Wiseman said.

However, he emphasized that comprehensive analysis remains necessary. “We are going to fine-tooth comb every single, not even every molecule, probably every atom on this heat shield,” he said.

The heat shield from the initial unmanned Artemis test mission in 2022 returned with extensive damage that delayed Artemis II for months or potentially years. Rather than redesigning the shield, NASA modified the capsule’s reentry trajectory to reduce thermal stress. Upcoming capsules will feature an updated heat shield design.

Glover described the sensation when parachutes deployed just before ocean landing as feeling like free fall, comparing it to “diving backward off a skyscraper.” “That’s what it felt like for five seconds,” he said, noting that once the descent stabilized, “It was glorious.”

Following their return, all four crew members have undergone extensive medical evaluations to assess their balance, eyesight, muscle condition, coordination, and general health status. They also participated in spacesuit exercises under simulated lunar gravity conditions to evaluate the endurance and dexterity future moon explorers might possess upon landing.

NASA has already begun preparations for Artemis III, the subsequent phase in their ambitious lunar base development program. The launch platform returned Thursday to Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building for preparation of next year’s Artemis mission.

Artemis III, which has not yet received crew assignments, will orbit Earth while astronauts practice connecting their Orion capsule with lunar landing vehicles being developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.

Artemis IV is scheduled for 2028 according to NASA’s current timeline, with plans for two astronauts to land near the moon’s south pole.

NASA’s goal this time involves establishing a permanent lunar presence, unlike the brief Apollo missions. Twelve astronauts explored the moon’s surface during the Apollo era, starting with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969 and concluding with Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in 1972.

Koch expressed that since their return, she and her teammates are “feeling even more excited and just ready to take that on as an agency.”

“We made it happen,” she added.

Hansen noted that achieving these ambitious goals will require accepting additional risks and trusting that future challenges can be resolved as they arise. “We’re not going to be able to pound everything flat before we go. We’re going to have to trust each other,” he said.

Despite their smooth mission experience, Hansen acknowledged that “it was also very clear to us that it can get pretty bumpy.” He emphasized that future crews must “understand it can get real bumpy real fast.”

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts who completed NASA’s groundbreaking return to lunar exploration offered glowing reviews of their spacecraft Thursday, particularly highlighting how well the heat shield performed during their journey back to Earth.

During their initial press conference since touching down, the international crew of three Americans and one Canadian expressed confidence that their successful moon flyby significantly advances NASA’s timeline for putting astronauts on the lunar surface within two years and establishing a permanent lunar outpost. The astronauts addressed media from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Mission Commander Reid Wiseman, along with pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, departed Florida on April 1 aboard what became NASA’s first crewed lunar expedition in more than five decades and the most diverse crew ever assembled for such a mission.

The team achieved a new human spaceflight distance record, surpassing Apollo 13’s mark as they traveled around the moon’s far side, where lighting conditions allowed them to observe lunar features never before seen by human eyes. A total lunar eclipse during their voyage added to the spectacular experience.

Their Orion spacecraft, christened “Integrity” by the crew, safely descended by parachute into Pacific waters last Friday, concluding their nearly 10-day expedition. The crew’s return to Houston the following day marked exactly 56 years since Apollo 13’s launch.

According to Wiseman, he and Glover observed “maybe saw two moments of a touch of char loss” from the heat shield during Integrity’s descent through the most intense phase of reentry. After boarding the recovery vessel, they examined the capsule’s underside as thoroughly as possible, discovering minor charred material loss where the heat shield connects to the main capsule.

“For four humans just looking at the heat shield, it looked wonderful to us. It looked great, and that ride in was really amazing,” Wiseman stated.

However, he emphasized that comprehensive analysis remains ahead. “We are going to fine-tooth comb every single, not even every molecule, probably every atom on this heat shield,” he explained.

The heat shield from the unmanned 2022 Artemis test mission returned so severely damaged that it delayed Artemis II by several months or potentially years. Rather than redesigning the shield, NASA modified the capsule’s reentry trajectory to reduce thermal stress. Upcoming capsules will feature updated heat shield technology.

Glover described the sensation when parachutes deployed just before ocean landing as feeling like freefall — comparable to “diving backward off a skyscraper.” “That’s what it felt like for five seconds,” he recalled, noting that once the descent stabilized, “It was glorious.”

Following their return, all four crew members have undergone extensive medical evaluations examining their balance, eyesight, muscle condition, coordination, and general health status. They also tested spacewalking equipment under simulated lunar gravity conditions — one-sixth of Earth’s gravity — to assess how future moon explorers might perform immediately after landing.

NASA has already begun preparations for Artemis III, the subsequent phase in its ambitious lunar base development program. The launch platform returned Thursday to Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building for preparation ahead of next year’s Artemis mission.

Artemis III, which has not yet received crew assignments, will orbit Earth while astronauts practice connecting their Orion capsule with lunar landing vehicles being developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin companies.

Artemis IV is scheduled for 2028 according to NASA’s current timeline, featuring two astronauts landing near the moon’s south polar region.

NASA seeks to establish a lasting lunar presence this time, contrasting with the brief Apollo missions. Twelve astronauts walked on the moon during the Apollo era, starting with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969 and concluding with Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in 1972.

Koch expressed that since returning, she and her teammates are “feeling even more excited and just ready to take that on as an agency.”

“We made it happen,” she added.

Hansen noted that achieving these ambitious goals will require accepting increased risks and trusting that unexpected challenges can be resolved in real time. “We’re not going to be able to pound everything flat before we go. We’re going to have to trust each other,” he said.

Despite their smooth mission experience, “it was also very clear to us that it can get pretty bumpy,” Hansen observed. Future crews must “understand it can get real bumpy real fast.”

OpenAI unveiled a specialized artificial intelligence system Thursday aimed at advancing biological research and accelerating medical breakthroughs.

The new technology, called GPT-Rosalind in honor of renowned 20th-century British scientist Rosalind Franklin, focuses specifically on supporting scientific work in biochemistry, pharmaceutical development, and medical research translation.

Pharmaceutical companies, universities, and biotechnology firms have increasingly sought AI-powered solutions to speed up research processes and drug development timelines.

“By supporting evidence synthesis, hypothesis generation, experimental planning, and other multi-step research tasks, this model is designed to help researchers accelerate the early stages of discovery,” OpenAI said in a blog.

According to company officials during a press briefing, scientists can use the system to search scientific databases, analyze current research publications, integrate additional scientific tools, and receive recommendations for new experimental approaches. The technology builds upon OpenAI’s most advanced internal systems.

The research tool is currently accessible through ChatGPT, Codex, and the company’s API for approved users via OpenAI’s secure access program. Additionally, the company has released a complimentary Life Sciences research plugin for Codex that connects researchers to more than 50 scientific tools and data repositories.

OpenAI reports partnerships with major companies including Amgen, Moderna, and Thermo Fisher Scientific to integrate GPT-Rosalind into their research operations.

This announcement follows Tuesday’s release of GPT-5.4-Cyber, another specialized version of OpenAI’s technology focused on cybersecurity defense, which came after competitor Anthropic introduced its own advanced AI system called Mythos.

Whether it’s a fake miracle cure advertisement or a video featuring a celebrity’s cloned voice, deceptive online content has become increasingly common—and artificial intelligence is making it worse.

The widespread availability of AI technology has intensified the longstanding problem of digital fraud and spam that has plagued the internet since its early days. However, as criminals gain access to these powerful tools, major technology companies are also strengthening their own AI defenses to combat the growing threat.

“It’s not that this is a new problem. It is an old problem, supercharged,” said Nate Elliott, a principal analyst at Emarketer. “The biggest difference is the speed and the scale that AI offers both the good actors and the bad actors.”

In its annual advertising safety report released Thursday, Google acknowledged that fraudsters are launching increasingly complex malicious campaigns while highlighting how its AI-driven systems serve as powerful protection tools.

The tech giant’s AI platform called Gemini successfully identified and stopped more than 99% of rule-breaking advertisements before users ever saw them during the past year.

Throughout 2025, Google eliminated or blocked over 8.3 billion advertisements, which included 602 million ads containing violations typically linked to fraudulent schemes. The company also shut down more than 4 million advertiser accounts due to scam-related activities.

Google maintains its position as a leading player in online advertising. According to Emarketer data, the company generated over $200 billion in global advertising revenue last year, though researchers predict Meta will surpass Google’s performance by 2026.

The company employs thousands of workers dedicated to developing and implementing its advertising standards on a massive scale. Keerat Sharma, Google’s vice president and general manager of ads privacy and safety, explained that incorporating advanced AI into their protection framework has produced more effective outcomes against harmful content.

Gemini now enables the team to examine hundreds of billions of data points—such as account history, user behavior patterns, and advertising campaign characteristics—to better understand the “nuance of what an advertisers intent actually is,” Sharma said. This capability allows them to accurately assess legitimacy or identify potentially harmful advertiser motives. Achieving this sophisticated analysis has also helped legitimate businesses keep their advertisements active, with the report showing that wrongful advertiser account suspensions decreased by 80% last year.

Gemini has also dramatically improved processing speed, according to Sharma. Previously, examining digital elements within an advertisement could require several seconds to minutes or longer, but now this analysis occurs within milliseconds. This speed “allows us to stop things right at the front door,” he said. Google also utilizes various other protective measures, including a comprehensive advertiser verification system, that work collectively to strengthen security.

The types of content Google targets for removal span a wide range. Problematic advertisements could appear as “all the forms of spam and scam that have always existed, just people are able to produce them faster and at higher volume,” Elliott said.

Specialists who discussed the issue with The Associated Press indicated that the ongoing battle between AI-driven fraud and AI-powered protection systems will continue as technology evolves.

“We’re already close, but it’s going to be heading even more to (where) it’s just AI versus AI,” said Matt Seitz, the director of the AI Hub at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The volume of this problem is so large that it can’t be managed directly through humans.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A centuries-old sycamore tree towers in western Massachusetts, its massive limbs thicker than most tree trunks, standing as a testament to what Eastern forests once looked like when the Constitution was written.

This ancient giant serves as a rare example of the towering trees that once dominated the landscape — a stark contrast to today’s smaller maples and pines that highlight how much old-growth woodland has vanished over time.

Across the Eastern United States, the American chestnut once provided that same sense of wonder on a massive scale.

These magnificent specimens commanded attention as they soared beyond the forest canopy, their trunks so wide they exceeded human height. The species formed the backbone of forest ecosystems, generating enormous crops of nuts that sustained populations of turkeys, bears and deer, which then carried the seeds to new locations. The wood’s exceptional straight grain made it perfect for furniture construction, while its natural resistance to insects and weather created long-lasting fence posts that surrounded countless farms.

At the dawn of the 1900s, billions of these trees flourished throughout the region, with their plentiful harvest shipped by train to urban markets where vendors sold them on city streets. Holiday songs still celebrate their memory today.

Then catastrophe struck.

A devastating combination of airborne fungal infection and deadly root disease transformed the American wilderness forever. Millions of trees succumbed to this lethal duo. By the 1950s, the species had essentially vanished from existence.

Enough time has passed that few people alive today recall what it meant to walk through forests filled with these giants. However, their legacy endures. Historic photographs continue to showcase their impressive stature. Organizations remain committed to preserving their history and working toward restoration.

The Chinese chestnut, brought to America for its valuable nuts, offers hope. While it doesn’t reach the same heights, this variety can withstand the diseases that destroyed its American cousin.

Tree specialists have attempted to transfer the disease-fighting characteristics into American chestnuts through breeding programs. This challenge has proven extraordinarily difficult. Traditional breeding methods have failed, and recent genetic analysis explains the obstacles — the beneficial traits exist in multiple locations throughout the tree’s DNA structure.

However, this genetic roadmap now offers scientists a clearer path toward developing trees capable of survival.

Researchers remain optimistic that future decades will produce sufficient healthy specimens to make the species self-sustaining, once again depending on wandering bears and absent-minded squirrels for natural propagation.

CHARLOTTESVILLE—Planting just one tree can create benefits that spread across an entire community, improving local ecosystems, boosting economic value, and enhancing residents’ quality of life for years to come.

Communities worldwide come together annually to plant trees and recognize their widespread benefits during Arbor Day celebrations. The holiday originated in Nebraska during the 1870s and is now observed across the United States and in more than 30 nations, the Arbor Day Foundation reports.

Virginia officially observes Arbor Day each year on the final Friday of April, though many communities throughout the state hold their celebrations during autumn months to benefit from warmer soil conditions and the approaching dormant season, the Virginia Department of Forestry states.

“Celebrating Arbor Day honors trees in our communities, promotes the planting of trees, and highlights the vital role they play in our environment,” noted Lara Johnson, Virginia DOF urban and community forestry program manager.

“Trees are vitally important to the quality of life within a community,” emphasized Molly O’Liddy, Virginia DOF urban and community forestry partnership coordinator. “They provide a host of environmental, social and economic benefits.”

Trees offer numerous practical advantages, including slowing stormwater runoff through their canopy coverage while their root systems help stabilize soil and filter rainwater before it reaches local waterways. Strategic tree placement can also lower home heating and cooling costs, while research demonstrates that green spaces contribute to better mental health and reduced stress levels.

The Arbor Day Foundation has designated 62 Virginia communities as Tree City USA participants. This program, launched in 1976, aims to “raise awareness of the value of community trees, set foundational standards for communities of all sizes, and celebrate community improvement,” Johnson explained.

Although every Arbor Day event includes planting at least one tree, Tree City USA communities mark the occasion through various activities such as distributing native tree species, organizing educational programs for young people about trees, or conducting formal ceremonies recognizing individuals or groups dedicated to tree conservation.

Beyond bringing community members together for a shared purpose, Arbor Day tree planting events provide a special chance to observe the “tangible impact, year after year” of this straightforward action, O’Liddy noted.

“The act of planting a tree gives a person a first-hand connection to that greenspace within their community,” Johnson added.

Virginia residents can participate in Arbor Day through various activities including walking among trees and enjoying the oxygen they generate, joining community Arbor Day events, planting trees locally, or volunteering with environmental community organizations.

Planting Guidelines

Individuals planning to plant trees should consider these recommendations:

• Select appropriate tree species for the specific location, considering soil conditions, available space for growth, sunlight exposure, and potential conflicts with the tree’s full-grown size, including power line interference.

• Emphasize planting diverse tree species.

• Avoid invasive plant species. Additional details are available on the Virginia DOF website.

• Proper initial care is crucial for successful tree establishment. Apply mulch in a 2-4 inch layer around the tree base and maintain regular watering during dry periods.

Additional resources are available at arborday.org/celebrate/ways-to-celebrate or dof.virginia.gov/urban-community-forestry/learn-about-urban-community-forestry.

BERLIN — Wildlife rescue teams in Germany launched an intricate mission Thursday to save an ailing humpback whale that has been beached along the Baltic Sea shoreline, capturing nationwide attention for several weeks.

The massive marine mammal, dubbed Timmy by German news outlets, remains motionless in shallow coastal waters near Wismar in eastern Germany, showing little movement for multiple days. Wildlife experts worry the creature may not survive much longer.

Timmy first appeared in the area on March 3rd. Scientists remain puzzled about why the whale ventured into the Baltic Sea, which lies far outside its typical environment. Some researchers believe the animal may have become disoriented while pursuing herring schools or during seasonal migration.

The creature faces enormous challenges in navigating back to the North Sea, requiring a journey spanning hundreds of kilometers before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

Previous rescue efforts involving police vessels, construction equipment and inflatable craft succeeded in temporarily freeing the mammal. However, the whale, measuring between 39 and 49 feet in length, never managed to locate its route back to the North Sea and became stranded once more while its condition deteriorated.

German news organizations have launched continuous live coverage to satisfy intense public fascination with the whale’s situation, as it rests in shallow water with labored, slow breathing patterns. Digital news platforms have sent breaking news alerts for even minor updates about Timmy’s health, including reports on deteriorating skin conditions caused by the Baltic Sea’s reduced salinity levels.

Environmental advocates have organized demonstrations along Wismar’s shoreline demanding the animal’s rescue, while social media personalities have debated whether the most humane approach involves allowing peaceful death or continuing rescue attempts to return it to the Atlantic.

Public interest has grown so intense that law enforcement established a 1,640-foot safety perimeter to prevent curious onlookers from approaching and further stressing the beached whale.

Even with these precautions, a 67-year-old woman leaped from a boat over the weekend attempting to reach the whale before authorities intervened.

Marine specialists have developed an advanced strategy involving air cushions to lift the creature onto a tarp, which will be fastened to dual pontoons and connected to a tugboat.

Regional authorities have given approval for a privately-funded effort to transport the whale back to the North Sea and potentially continue to the Atlantic. According to current plans, the tugboat carrying Timmy should depart the Baltic Sea by Friday.

“He’s not active, and he’s certainly not agile, but he shows that there’s still life in him,” said Till Backhaus, environment minister for Mecklenburg-Pomerania state where Wismar is situated, during Wednesday’s announcement of the rescue strategy. “He’s definitely suffered serious damage, that’s for sure.”

Scientists have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by successfully measuring the extraordinary power and velocity of jets erupting from a black hole in real time.

An international team of researchers discovered that jets from the Cygnus X-1 black hole system generate energy equal to 10,000 suns, according to findings published Thursday. The team also clocked the jets traveling at approximately 355 million mph (540 million kph) — roughly half the velocity of light.

The Cygnus X-1 system sits 7,200 light-years from Earth and contains both a black hole — the first ever discovered more than 50 years ago — and a massive blue supergiant star that orbits alongside it. One light-year spans nearly 6 trillion miles (9.7 trillion kilometers).

University of Oxford researcher Steve Prabu led the team that analyzed 18 years of detailed radio telescope images captured by a worldwide network of observatories. Prabu completed this work while at Australia’s Curtin University, which spearheaded the study appearing in Nature Astronomy.

The research team successfully measured the rapid energy output of what Prabu describes as “dancing jets” that get deflected in opposing directions by stellar winds. Their calculations relied on observing how much the stellar wind bent these jets, combined with sophisticated computer simulations.

Previous attempts to measure black hole jet power required averaging data across tens of thousands of years, according to the research team.

A significant discovery showed that jets carry away 10% of all energy released when matter spirals toward the black hole, Prabu noted.

The Cygnus X-1 black hole, considered modest in size compared to others, continuously draws gas from its stellar partner as they circle each other. Scientists identified this binary system in the 1960s within our galaxy’s Cygnus constellation, also known as the swan.

The massive companion star provides material to the black hole, giving it “something to ‘eat’ and launch as jets,” Prabu explained in an email.

These powerful jets help researchers understand how black holes influence galaxy formation and other cosmic structures through massive shockwaves and turbulence.

Prabu intends to use comparable methods on other black holes. “It would be exciting to measure jet power in many more systems,” he stated.

LONDON (AP) — While William Shakespeare enthusiasts are familiar with his origins in Stratford-upon-Avon, where visitors continue to flock to see his birthplace, the legendary writer actually built his reputation in London — yet very little evidence of his presence remains in England’s capital today.

A recently uncovered map from the 1600s is providing fresh insights into Shakespeare’s life in London, revealing the precise location of the sole residence the playwright purchased in the city and potentially where he penned his last theatrical works.

Lucy Munro, a Shakespeare researcher who uncovered the historical document, explained that it adds “extra bits of the jigsaw puzzle” to understanding Shakespeare’s life. Like many significant findings, this one involved an element of chance.

“I came across it in the London Archives when I was looking for other things,” Munro said.

While scholars have been aware since long ago that Shakespeare acquired real estate in 1613 close to the Blackfriars Theatre, the precise whereabouts remained unknown. Currently, only a marker on a building from the 1800s indicates that the dramatist had quarters “near this site.”

The detailed layout of the Blackfriars area that Munro discovered and King’s College London revealed Thursday displays Shakespeare’s residence — a sizeable L-shaped structure converted from a former medieval monastery, complete with its entrance gate.

The Dominican religious community from the 13th century had been transformed for non-religious purposes following King Henry VIII’s monastery closures in the 1500s. This district housed the Blackfriars theater, which Shakespeare partially owned.

According to Munro, who serves as a professor of Shakespeare and early modern literature at King’s College London, the neighborhood was prestigious but experiencing a slight decline in status — partly due to residents like Shakespeare, who had wealth but connections to the somewhat disreputable theater world.

“After the dissolution of the monasteries, a lot of the nobility, quite high-ranking courtiers, court officials are living in the Blackfriars,” Munro said. When Shakespeare acquired his property, “there are still a lot of important people living there, people who make protests against the playhouses at various points, because they see the playhouses as a bit of a public nuisance.”

Shakespeare invested his theatrical earnings to construct an impressive family residence in Stratford, approximately 100 miles northwest of London, which has since been torn down. He passed away there in 1616 at age 52.

Whether Shakespeare actually resided in his London house or simply collected rent from it remains unclear. However, Munro suggests that the dwelling’s size and its proximity — just a five-minute walk to the Blackfriars Theatre — indicate he might have spent more time in London during his later years than commonly believed. She theorizes he could have created his final works there, including “Henry VIII” and “The Two Noble Kinsmen,” both collaborative efforts with John Fletcher.

Will Tosh, who heads education at Shakespeare’s Globe — a recreated version of the outdoor Elizabethan theater where many of Shakespeare’s plays debuted — described Munro’s finding as providing a “dazzling new sense of Shakespeare the London writer. She’s helped us to understand how much the city meant to our greatest ever dramatist, as a professional and personal home.”

Shakespeare bequeathed the property to his daughter Susanna, and it stayed within the family for an additional fifty years. Munro also located two historical records documenting its sale by the playwright’s granddaughter Elizabeth Hall Nash Barnard in 1665. The following year, the structure was consumed by the Great Fire of London, which devastated much of the ancient city.

Few traces of Shakespeare’s London survive in the area, now part of the city’s financial center, including a remaining piece of wall from the medieval monastery. The nearby street name Playhouse Yard serves as a reminder of the theater that once operated there.

Modern visitors can enjoy a drink at the Cockpit pub located across from where Shakespeare’s house once stood. The 1600s map identifies it as a structure called the Sign of the Cock, probably a tavern. It’s easy to envision Shakespeare and his theater associates gathering there for drinks.

“There are certainly complaints in the period about the playhouses leading to the opening of more and more drinking houses — ‘houses for tippling,’ as they call them in one of the documents I was looking at,” Munro said.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Movie producers revealed the first footage Wednesday of a digitally recreated Val Kilmer at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, showcasing how artificial intelligence technology brought the late actor back to the screen for the independent film “As Deep as the Grave.”

In the trailer’s closing moments, Kilmer’s character Father Fintan, portrayed as both a Catholic priest and Native American spiritual guide, delivers the line: “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me.”

Kilmer passed away last year at age 65 from pneumonia complications. The decision to digitally resurrect the actor for this historical drama centered on archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris sparked significant debate when producers first announced the project last month. The preview footage displays Kilmer’s character across different time periods of his life.

Director and screenwriter Coerte Voorhees joined his brother John on a Wednesday panel discussion addressing the contentious choice to employ technology for recreating a performance by a deceased performer. They outlined their ethical approach, which involved collaboration with Kilmer’s family members and adherence to actors’ union protocols. However, Coerte Voorhees was careful not to label it as an authentic Val Kilmer performance.

“Val Kilmer influenced this performance,” Coerte Voorhees stated.

Producer John Voorhees acknowledged the dangerous ground of using AI to replicate real individuals but stressed their compliance with Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists protocols, which he summarized as “consent, compensation and collaboration.” Kilmer’s estate, including daughter Mercedes, authorized the digital recreation, receives payment for the usage, and contributed archival material to assist the technological process.

The filmmakers drew parallels between Kilmer’s AI-generated role and traditional portrayals of historical figures, similar to Kilmer’s own depiction of Jim Morrison in “The Doors.” Notably, Kilmer had previously embraced AI technology during his lifetime. After losing his natural voice due to throat cancer treatment and two tracheotomy procedures, he worked with an AI software company to digitally restore his speaking ability. His voice also received digital enhancement for his final film appearance in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Kilmer had originally committed to “As Deep as the Grave” several years earlier, with much of the storyline built around his character. When health complications forced him to withdraw at the last moment, the production team initially proceeded without the character rather than casting a replacement. The project faced multiple delays as one of the first productions to begin filming in New Mexico during fall 2020 amid pandemic restrictions. The creators later determined that Father Fintan remained essential to the story and approached Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack, about the AI solution.

“We were so glad they were so excited and so supportive of the idea,” Coerte Voorhees explained. “We didn’t want to do it unless everybody thought this was going to work properly.”

According to the director, Kilmer appears on screen for one hour and 17 minutes, though the complete runtime remains undisclosed. He noted the film runs long, and the production team plans a release sometime this year.

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. — Visitors to a historic greenhouse at Mount Holyoke College this week experienced a range of nauseating odors as they witnessed the rare blooming of a corpse flower. Some described the smell as rotten eggs, while others likened it to dissecting a dead animal or a dirty diaper left in hot sun.

“I was expecting it to smell bad, but it smelled genuinely like rotting flesh,” said Nyx DelPrado, a first-year student at Mount Holyoke College who visited its Talcott Greenhouse this week to see the blooming of a corpse flower. “Its name is accurate,” DelPrado added with a laugh, nose wrinkled.

The unusual plant, scientifically known as Amorphophallus titanum, originates from Sumatra’s rainforests and rarely flowers. When it does bloom, the event lasts only days while producing a disgusting smell designed to attract flies and beetles for pollination. The college’s specimen, dubbed ‘Pangy,’ previously flowered in 2023, and this recent blooming has again attracted curious crowds wanting to experience the unusual phenomenon.

The impressive display consists of numerous small flowers clustered around a tall central spike called a spadix, all encased by a deep purple, soft outer leaf. While the spectacular flower structure dies within days, the plant’s underground portions remain alive and may produce future blooms.

Tom Clark, director and curator of the Mount Holyoke College Botanic Garden, explained that the plant’s notorious smell fulfills a crucial biological function and has prompted various reactions from guests.

“A few people who have come in since have described the smell as being unbearable, tangy, like a trash can — it’s overwhelming,” Clark said. “But that odor is there for a purpose. It’s there to attract pollinators, flies in particular.”

Predicting when these flowers will emerge proves challenging, as they often remain dormant for years. During the previous six weeks, Pangy experienced rapid growth, sometimes extending several inches daily before opening. The bloom finally emerged Monday night, greeting staff with its intense aroma when they arrived Tuesday morning.

“Walking through the front door, we could smell it,” he said. “As we walked back to the greenhouse where it’s growing, the smell became stronger and stronger. It was just overwhelming — literally unbearable — to be back there with it. If you weren’t aware of this plant and walked into the greenhouse, you’d say, ‘What died in here?’”

The unusual event attracted visitors from considerable distances, including Michael Breton, who traveled two hours and used vacation time to witness the bloom after monitoring news reports for years.

“If you see a news article, and it’s from two days ago, it’s gone, so you gotta run quick,” Breton said. He compared the scent to “a stinky diaper that’s been left out in the sun,” adding that despite the odor, the plant was “bright, beautiful and colorful. It’s a lovely plant.”

Some visitors found the aroma less shocking than expected.

“I would say it smells kind of like a compost pile, a little bit like a working farm,” said Caroline Murray, a senior. “I’m from Vermont, so I’m very used to the smell of the farm and manure.”

Clark noted that this flowering demonstrates the broader purpose of the Talcott Greenhouse, which he described as a ‘plant museum’ containing approximately 2,000 plant varieties — representing just a tiny portion of the world’s estimated 350,000 to 400,000 plant species.

“When anyone comes to the greenhouse, it’s an opportunity to engage them with some facet of the plant world,” he said. “When it’s a plant that’s so dramatic as the corpse flower, it’s this special opportunity to impress upon them the diversity and some of the amazing adaptations that plants have to survive in their environment in unique ways.”

By Tuesday afternoon, the smell had started weakening as greenhouse ventilation systems were activated, providing visitors with a less overwhelming but still notable experience. Following the short blooming phase, the plant will slowly decay and collapse. Since corpse flowers require cross-pollination, seed production only occurs when pollen from another specimen is present.

For Namuuna Negi, a junior, the temporary nature of the bloom enhanced its appeal.

“The impermanence of it, I think. People like to be in on what’s happening,” Negi said. “If they hear something’s going to die soon, they want to go see it before that happens so they can talk about it later.”

Federal environmental regulators are examining whether chemical plastic recycling operations should face less stringent air quality standards than those currently applied to waste incinerators.

Environmental advocates express serious concerns about the potential policy shift, arguing it could result in increased hazardous emissions entering communities with reduced federal oversight. The plastics sector counters that the modification would eliminate regulatory uncertainty while maintaining emission controls.

Global plastic waste continues mounting, with millions of tons entering the environment annually. While numerous nations and environmental organizations advocate for production limits, industry representatives and major oil-producing nations resist, promoting enhanced reuse and recycling technologies instead.

Chemical recycling employs heat or chemical processes to decompose plastic materials. The primary technique, called pyrolysis, has historically fallen under Clean Air Act incineration regulations. Current EPA standards limit emissions of nine air contaminants from incinerators, including harmful particulates, heavy metals and dioxins.

Federal officials indicate a proposed regulation might reclassify pyrolysis as a manufacturing process instead.

The American Chemistry Council, representing industry interests, has consistently advocated for this regulatory change.

“The definition of incineration is to destroy it, right? You’re literally trying to make it go away,” stated Ross Eisenberg, president of America’s Plastic Makers, who directs ACC’s plastics advocacy efforts. “That’s not what they’re doing here. They are trying to preserve it and recover the materials, which is recycling, which is manufacturing.”

Judith Enck, former EPA regional administrator now leading Beyond Plastics, opposes what she describes as a “much weaker level of environmental protection.”

“Chemical recycling companies know that if they want to operate, they need to get this essential Clean Air Act permit and they don’t like it,” she explained. “They have spent decades trying to convince EPA to change the rules of the game. Republication and Democratic administrations have declined to do this. But they have hit the jackpot with the Trump administration.”

EPA currently oversees pyrolysis through section 129 of the Clean Air Act, which controls air pollution from four solid waste incineration categories. Agency officials told The Associated Press that a 2005 final rule including “pyrolysis/combustion units” under that section created ambiguity and industry confusion.

EPA officials confirmed they’re accepting public feedback on potential regulations that could classify pyrolysis as manufacturing under section 111 of the Clean Air Act.

John Walke, directing the Natural Resources Defense Council’s national clean air advocacy, noted Section 111 covers fewer pollutants than section 129. He also contends EPA’s approach bypasses essential steps in the mandatory rulemaking process.

Walke warned the EPA action would effectively deregulate these facilities immediately under the act. He explained the legal process for regulating the industry under different provisions would require several years, creating a regulatory void without federal emission standards.

“You could have a facility that was controlled on a Monday, preventing those hazardous air pollutants from being emitted into the atmosphere, and on Tuesday, the facility would have legal permission to turn off installed pollution controls to allow the unlimited release of hazardous air pollution into the same community that was better protected on Monday,” he explained. “Why would they do that? Why would they turn off an installed pollution control device? Because it costs money to operate them.”

Eisenberg challenged that assessment. He maintained other Clean Air Act provisions would remain applicable, and facilities must obtain state permits, ensuring emission controls and community safety. These operations are “so heavily regulated,” Eisenberg emphasized.

American Chemistry Council data shows over 90% of plastics avoid recycling. The organization promotes chemical or advanced recycling as a solution. Combined with conventional mechanical recycling, chemical recycling could significantly decrease landfill waste while creating diverse products, according to ACC.

The technology converts plastics into liquid and gas forms, producing oil-like mixtures or basic chemicals for new plastic or fuel production. It resembles “unbaking a cake,” Eisenberg described.

Environmental organizations characterize advanced recycling as waste disposal rather than true recycling, calling it a diversion from genuine solutions like reducing plastic production and consumption.

Currently, six pyrolysis facilities operate across Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana and Georgia, with construction underway in Arizona and West Virginia, plus a small Maryland test project, per American Chemistry Council records. ACC has lobbied state and federal legislators to classify chemical recycling as manufacturing. Twenty-five states have adopted this classification, with congressional legislation pending.

Despite legislative achievements, Eisenberg noted declining proposals for new plant construction in recent years, partly due to permitting challenges.

“I often ask people to take a step back,” he said. “Do you want more recycling? If the answer is yes, then we should do what we can to make sure that you can bring more recycling online.”

Eisenberg confirmed they’ve communicated to the Trump administration that Clean Air Act revision represents a priority. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visited ExxonMobil’s Baytown, Texas, facility last year to observe chemical recycling operations firsthand.

In March, EPA published a notice seeking comments on proposed regulations consolidating rules for another incinerator type, including a brief section requesting feedback on removing pyrolysis references. EPA mentioned this at the conclusion of its press release regarding air curtain incinerators.

Enck characterized it as a significant policy change hidden within a rulemaking notice. EPA dismissed the criticism, pointing to their press release.

During last week’s public hearing, numerous speakers urged EPA to maintain pyrolysis regulation as incineration, including approximately twelve representatives from nonprofit Moms Clean Air Force. Kiya Stanford, the organization’s Georgia state organizer, testified that changing regulations “feels like a move to prioritize polluters over people,” providing the plastics industry an inexpensive method to eliminate visible waste by releasing toxic air pollution.

The agency proposed similar modifications in 2020 during President Donald Trump’s initial term. The Biden administration later withdrew the proposed change.

Walke indicated NRDC would pursue legal challenges if EPA finalizes the regulatory rollback.

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Standing amid hundreds of acres of thriving wetlands, Glorianna Davenport holds old photographs showing what this land used to be: neat rows of bright red cranberry bogs connected by straight irrigation channels. The contrast is remarkable — where geometric farm plots once existed, winding streams now flow through diverse habitat teeming with wildlife and towering trees.

This dramatic transformation, monitored by an extensive network of cameras and sensors, provides a roadmap for restoring wetlands as cranberry operations across New England and Wisconsin face declining profits. Climate change poses particular challenges to cranberry cultivation, which depends on cold winters and abundant water supplies. Rising temperatures and extended dry periods are making successful harvests increasingly difficult.

Plymouth settlers were among the earliest to cultivate this indigenous New England fruit, establishing family farming traditions that have endured for generations.

“For many of these farmers, it’s their life savings and what they want to pass on to their children,” Davenport explains. “It’s very complicated.”

The property Davenport chose to sell for conservation purposes has become the Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, representing Massachusetts’ most extensive freshwater habitat restoration effort. Working alongside scientists, technology experts and artists, she established a functioning research facility dedicated to wetland conservation studies. The monitoring equipment generates real-time, publicly accessible information demonstrating how the ecosystem is regaining its natural diversity.

Researchers studying both the sanctuary and a neighboring town preserve on Davenport’s former agricultural land have produced scientific papers documenting the environmental changes. Knowledge gained at Tidmarsh influenced the state’s decision to create a cranberry bog restoration initiative that pairs farmers with conservation organizations, either purchasing properties for restoration or assisting landowners with their own habitat projects.

The collected data has inspired unexpected applications among nature enthusiasts: birdwatchers once used audio recordings from multiple microphones to pinpoint a specific bird’s position. Others stream the wetland sounds as background ambiance for their homes or workplaces.

Creating the restored habitat at Tidmarsh required planting more than 20,000 native plant varieties, dismantling old dams and creating new waterways. Heavy machinery worked through sandy soil that had been degraded by over a century of cranberry farming, which had created a dense, impermeable layer above the original freshwater wetlands.

Scientists who had considered cranberry farmland “ecologically dead” watched a vibrant wetland system emerge. Just one year after restoration work commenced in 2010, the sandy earth began producing new growth.

Research published in 2025 examining sites including Plymouth’s Foothills Preserve, another section of Davenport’s former farm, conducted by teams from the Woodwell Climate Research Center and the University of Connecticut revealed that Tidmarsh’s sand contained dormant native seeds requiring only mixing with peat to begin growing. A 2021 study examining Tidmarsh and other restored locations — including an earlier, smaller Plymouth restoration called Eel River Headwaters — documented rapid improvements in water retention, soil quality and microbial ecosystems within just a few years.

“We discovered that former cranberry farms were actually highly restorable,” states Beth Lambert, who directs the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration.

Mass Audubon, the conservation group that purchased and oversees most of Tidmarsh, showcases these restoration results through guided tours. Education coordinator Kim Snyder leads diverse groups from bird enthusiasts to student field trip participants.

“A lot of Plymouth residents who have been here a long time remember it as a cranberry farm,” Snyder notes.

Lambert credits Tidmarsh with inspiring the state’s Cranberry Bog Restoration Program, which offers technical support and connects farmers with federal funding and conservation-minded purchasers. The state has now completed construction on nine restoration projects covering approximately 500 acres and 10 miles of stream habitat. Eleven additional projects spanning another 500 acres are currently being planned. Lambert hopes to restore an additional thousand acres over the next 10 to 15 years.

Data from the United States Department of Agriculture shows Massachusetts cranberry farm retirements increased by roughly 40% from 2017 to 2022.

Farmers don’t automatically choose conservation when leaving agriculture. They may sell to developers or simply abandon the land, which could take decades to naturally return to productive wild habitat.

“If we don’t conserve, if we don’t protect these lands that … owners are walking away (from), we lose it forever,” Davenport warns.

The retired filmmaker believes that supporting more wetland restoration research will help communicate valuable knowledge to the public — potentially inspiring similar restoration efforts in other locations.

This philosophy motivated her to establish the Living Observatory, a nonprofit organization that calls itself a “learning collaborative” for researchers, artists and others documenting former cranberry farm recovery.

Using the sensor network — which tracks everything from soil moisture to temperature — plus live cameras, the Living Observatory has compiled extensive data on cranberry farm restoration techniques. The project’s website now contains information from multiple restoration sites throughout the state beyond Tidmarsh.

Gershon Dublon, a data and systems researcher who serves as Living Observatory board director, said researchers appreciated having a straightforward resource: a centralized location to access data and contribute their own findings. Following Tidmarsh’s success, ecologists from locations as distant as the Amazon rainforest contacted Living Observatory seeking advice on implementing similar custom sensor networks for their projects, Dublon reports.

Wetland restoration projects and their generated knowledge serve as valuable tools in addressing climate change, according to climate scientist Christopher Neill at the Woodwell Climate Center. Wetlands function as natural barriers that absorb flood and storm water, Neill explains. Scientists report that extreme precipitation events are becoming more frequent in the Northeast.

At Tidmarsh, sphagnum moss growing alongside a mile-long boardwalk demonstrates this resilience. Snyder enjoys explaining its antimicrobial qualities to visitors. The moss also captures and stores carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming.

“It’s a great property to show … the scope of restoration work,” she says with a smile.

The changes at Tidmarsh fill Davenport with optimism. Native pitcher plants flourish in clusters throughout the wetlands. Insects buzz over flowing streams. Her boots sink into the soft, saturated ground. These were sounds absent from the farm where she spent her childhood.

“The quiet goal is, can we make a dent in the amount of land that’s put in conservation?” Davenport asks.

NEW YORK (AP) — Over a dozen young adults met in a Brooklyn brownstone, depositing their smartphones into a metal bowl before spending two hours engaged in reading, sketching, and face-to-face discussions — deliberately avoiding any screen time.

A comparable gathering occurred nearby in a converted early 1900s cardboard manufacturing facility that now serves as upscale office space. About 20 participants in their thirties gazed at their mobile devices briefly, then set them aside to examine their empty hands and those of fellow attendees.

This activity aimed to emphasize the value of focusing on actual experiences rather than the bright digital displays that dominate modern existence.

Twenty years following Steve Jobs’ introduction of the iPhone, a modest yet dedicated movement — with branches in multiple nations — is pushing back against ubiquitous screens.

“The products have become more insidious and more extractive, exploitative,” said Dan Fox, 38, who hosted the house gathering. Members of the nascent movement “want to start a revolution,” he said.

However, can this “attention activism” campaign led by millennials and Generation Z challenge the world’s biggest corporations? Statistics suggest otherwise. Yet cultural shifts begin modestly, and opposition is mounting against what many term “human fracking.”

Apple and other major technology companies claim they’ve implemented measures to help users limit device usage, including tracking tools and a less appealing grayscale display option.

Campaign organizers argue these efforts fall short.

“They want to take down Big Tech,” says Fox, a stand-up comedian who works in marketing for Brooklyn-based Light Phone, one of several “dumb phones” with only basic functionality.

Contrary to typical modern devices, the company highlights what its phones don’t include, such as “social media, clickbait news, email, an internet browser, or any other anxiety-inducing infinite feed.”

Fox became motivated to join the cause after attending a 2015 Tame Impala performance at Radio City Music Hall. He observed that virtually every audience member was recording the show on their devices rather than experiencing the music directly.

“I realized the phones are literally getting in the way of the things I love,” Fox said.

Wireless internet connectivity has become so integrated into daily life that among the rare places without ready access is wartime Iran, where officials disabled internet service during widespread demonstrations in January.

D. Graham Burnett serves as a science historian at Princeton University and co-authored “Attensity! A Manifesto of the Attention Liberation Movement,” establishing him as a key figure in the expanding resistance to corporate exploitation of human focus.

Combined with MSNBC host Chris Hayes’ popular book “The Sirens’ Call: How Attention Became the World’s Most Endangered Resource,” his research contributes to increasing scholarship encouraging people to step away from screens and engage with reality.

Burnett describes the “attention liberation movement” as breaking free from time-consuming applications. Individuals “need to rewild their attention. Their attention is the fullness of their relationship to the world.”

Participants in Fox’s apartment began the session with personal introductions, resembling a recovery meeting.

“I don’t feel good about my relationship with my phone. I feel like an addict,” said Riley Soloner, who teaches theatrical clowning and works as an usher at Carnegie Hall. He arrived with a backpack full of books — the paper kind.

Overseas in the Netherlands, attendees gathered in a neo-Gothic cathedral recently for an Offline Club session.

“We create our events and gatherings with different themes. One of them is connecting with yourself through creative activities or reading or writing or puzzling,” said co-founder Ilya Kneppelhout. “Really something that makes you slow down and reflect, go inward.”

Dozens of “attention activism” organizations exist throughout the United States and Canada, with the movement also emerging in Spain, Italy, Croatia, France and England. Burnett anticipates further expansion.

Students at Oberlin College’s Harkness Housing and Dining Co-op chose to operate their organization without digital communication and spreadsheets in January, extending to prohibit technology in common areas of the 1950s brick structure.

“People expressed a feeling of relief about not needing to be checking their emails, or checking their texts or checking the news. That allowed us to spend a lot of time just talking to each other,” said junior Ozzie Frazier, 21.

Throughout the month-long cooperative experiment, Frazier noted that residents began borrowing CDs from the library and participating in craft evenings, live performances and the word game Bananagrams.

“A lot of people felt very connected to each other. Not having the devices gave them some kind of mental space,” Frazier said.

Wilhelm Tupy discovered “Attensity” while browsing a Vienna bookstore and visited the School of Radical Attention in Brooklyn’s DUMBO area during a recent trip.

He believed he had found something connecting his athletic background as a judo champion — requiring concentrated “flow” — with his current role as a business advisor.

“Discipline is not enough nowadays,” he said. “It’s becoming more and more difficult to keep the attention and to keep the focus on goals and whatever you want to achieve and want to do.”

A South Korean artificial intelligence chip company is deepening its collaboration with automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group to create next-generation robots powered by advanced AI technology.

DEEPX, an AI chip startup, announced plans to broaden its existing partnership with Hyundai to build computing systems for robots capable of generative artificial intelligence using the company’s upcoming second-generation low-power processors, according to CEO Lokwon Kim.

The announcement comes as DEEPX pursues significant funding and prepares for a potential initial public offering. Kim revealed the company is currently negotiating with government officials and investors to secure more than 600 billion won, equivalent to approximately $408 million, ahead of a planned IPO in South Korea.

DEEPX represents one of several South Korean tech startups benefiting from the government’s push to develop artificial intelligence leaders and establish the nation as a global AI powerhouse. The company, which started manufacturing chips in late 2023, was established by Kim, who previously worked as an engineer at Apple.

The startup specializes in creating neural processing units that enable robots, manufacturing facilities, and autonomous vehicles to perform AI operations independently without requiring internet connections. DEEPX has already supplied AI chips for Hyundai’s four-wheeled delivery robots currently in use.

Hyundai’s upcoming robotics system will incorporate DEEPX’s next-generation DX-M2 processors, which are scheduled to enter mass production in the latter half of next year using Samsung Electronics’ cutting-edge 2-nanometer manufacturing process.

Kim explained that DEEPX’s energy-efficient chips could address overheating issues in power-intensive humanoid robots, though he declined to specify which particular robot models would utilize the DX-M2 technology.

According to Kim, the company’s existing chip generation operates with 20 times greater power efficiency while costing significantly less than competing Nvidia Jetson Orin processors.

“Our next-generation chips are optimized for generative AI, which, like ChatGPT, will enable robots to learn from their experiences,” Kim stated during a recent interview.

Hyundai, which introduced its Atlas humanoid robot in January, has outlined plans to construct a manufacturing facility capable of producing 30,000 robot units each year by 2028.

Hyun Dong-jin, who leads Hyundai’s Robotics LAB, described the collaboration with DEEPX as part of a broader strategy to establish a network of on-device computing partners both domestically and internationally.

DEEPX’s client base includes Chinese technology company Baidu, and the startup has set a revenue target of $40 million for this year.

Company CFO Young Cho told media representatives Tuesday that DEEPX prioritizes listing on the Korean stock exchange, though the company might explore a secondary U.S. listing through American Depositary Receipts at a later date.

Company leadership did not reveal the valuation being sought in the current funding round.

On Tuesday, OpenAI introduced GPT-5.4-Cyber, a specialized version of its newest artificial intelligence model designed specifically for cybersecurity defense applications. The launch comes exactly one week following competitor Anthropic’s reveal of its advanced AI system called Mythos on April 7.

Anthropic’s Mythos model is currently being used through “Project Glasswing,” a carefully managed program that allows selected organizations to test the unreleased Claude Mythos Preview system for cybersecurity protection. The model has successfully identified “thousands” of significant security flaws in operating systems, web browsers and various software applications.

The ChatGPT creator announced that GPT-5.4-Cyber will launch with restricted access, available only to approved security companies, organizations and researchers due to its more flexible design capabilities.

Additionally, OpenAI is broadening its Trusted Access for Cyber initiative to include thousands of verified individual security professionals and hundreds of teams responsible for safeguarding essential software systems, according to a company website announcement.

The tech company is introducing additional levels to its TAC program, which debuted in February, where increased verification requirements provide access to more advanced features.

Security professionals who qualify for the program’s top tier will receive access to GPT-5.4-Cyber, which operates with reduced limitations on sensitive cybersecurity operations including vulnerability research and security analysis.

A major cyber attack orchestrated by Russian hackers has compromised internet routers nationwide, prompting federal regulators to issue updated security guidelines for home users.

The extensive hacking campaign has raised concerns about the vulnerability of residential internet equipment, leading the Federal Communications Commission to provide fresh recommendations on securing home network devices.

Homeowners are being urged to take proactive steps to safeguard their internet connections against potential cyber threats targeting router systems.

Amazon’s cloud computing division rolled out a new artificial intelligence platform on Tuesday that promises to revolutionize how pharmaceutical companies discover new medications.

The technology, called Amazon Bio Discovery, enables researchers to conduct sophisticated drug development processes without needing programming expertise, according to Amazon Web Services.

Pharmaceutical companies and tech firms have increasingly turned to artificial intelligence to streamline the traditionally lengthy drug development process.

Amazon Web Services explained in a company blog that their new platform provides scientists with access to specialized biological AI models capable of creating and analyzing potential medications, plus an AI assistant that guides users through model selection, parameter configuration, and result interpretation.

The system allows researchers to forward promising candidates to laboratory partners for creation and evaluation, with test outcomes feeding back into the platform to inform subsequent design cycles.

Rajiv Chopra, Amazon Web Services’ vice president of healthcare AI and life sciences, told Reuters that the technology dramatically cuts development time. “(It) would take, 18 months to come up with 300 potential drug candidates. Now, scientists can quickly create 300 candidates within a couple of weeks,” Chopra explained.

According to Chopra, the explosion of drug-discovery AI models has created a shortage of computational biologists capable of converting laboratory objectives into machine-learning systems.

Amazon Web Services reports that Bayer, the Broad Institute, and Voyager Therapeutics are testing the platform early, while 19 of the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies currently utilize AWS cloud infrastructure.

In partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the platform successfully created nearly 300,000 new antibody molecules and filtered them down to 100,000 testing candidates through partner Twist Bioscience, reducing months of traditional work to just weeks.

Chopra emphasized that the technology aims to support rather than eliminate scientists and contract research firms.

The company plans to provide a complimentary trial featuring five experimental units before rolling out paid subscription options.

Additionally, AWS, Boston Consulting Group, and Merck plan to introduce an AI system at AWS’s Life Science Symposium focused on enhancing clinical trial location selection, another frequent obstacle in pharmaceutical development.

Rural Nevada experienced a significant 5.7 magnitude earthquake Monday evening, with the epicenter located east of Carson City, the state’s capital.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the seismic event occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. The earthquake’s center was positioned 12.9 miles east of Silver Springs at a shallow depth of 3.1 miles below ground.

Footage captured in Fallon revealed the quake’s impact on local businesses, with broken glass and food products strewn across grocery store floors.

Local resident Trina Enloe was helping her daughter with homework in their dining room when the earthquake began.

“You could hear the rumbling just coming before it even got to us,” Enloe said. She described the shaking as lasting approximately one minute. While the tremor toppled some cast iron candle holders in her Fallon home, Enloe reported no visible cracks or structural damage.

Federal geological officials confirmed that people in surrounding areas experienced intense to very intense ground movement, resulting in minor to moderate property damage throughout the region.

A Texas man who allegedly hurled a firebomb at the San Francisco residence of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was carrying anti-artificial intelligence writings when arrested, federal court records show.

Daniel Moreno-Gama is accused of launching the incendiary attack around 4 a.m. Friday morning, igniting an entrance gate at Altman’s property before escaping on foot, according to law enforcement officials. Within the next hour, investigators say Moreno-Gama traveled to OpenAI’s corporate offices and made threats to destroy the building with fire.

Federal agents conducted an extensive search Monday morning at Moreno-Gama’s residence in Spring, Texas, located in the Houston metropolitan area, remaining on scene for multiple hours. He now faces federal charges including unlawful firearm possession and property destruction using explosive materials.

Court filings indicate that when authorities took Moreno-Gama into custody Friday, they discovered written materials expressing his opposition to artificial intelligence technology and naming multiple executives from AI companies.

The documentation allegedly contained Moreno-Gama’s thoughts about “the purported risk AI poses to humanity,” according to the federal criminal complaint.

Following the attack on his residence, Altman shared an image of his spouse and young child on his blog while addressing the threats he has received.

“Normally we try to be pretty private, but in this case I am sharing a photo in the hopes that it might dissuade the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at our house, no matter what they think about me,” Altman wrote.

He continued by stating that “fear and anxiety about AI is justified” while emphasizing the need to “de-escalate the rhetoric and tactics and try to have fewer explosions in fewer homes, figuratively and literally.”