Natural processes can turn stones like these chert balls, found in a field in Oman, into sharp flakesMichelle R. Bebber and Metin I. ErenWhen ancient humans first invented stone tools, they may have been trying to emulate naturally formed sharp stones, meaning they would not have needed a huge leap of inspiration.What our hypothesis does is, it really turns the origin of technology entirely on its head, says Metin Eren at Kent State University in Ohio. Instead of imagining a sharp tool and then figuring out

2025-03-21T16:22:35Z Read in app Chris Gates This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Chris Gates left Miami Beach for Santa Fe due to climate concerns and cost savings.Florida's flood risks and rising insurance costs made Gates worry about retiring there.Gates saves $1,000 monthly in New Mexico in HOA fees and home insurance.After living in Miami Beach for two decades, Chris Gates was fed up.The 61-year-old pharmacist had met with city officials and sent letters advocating for Miami to invest more in climate solutions, only to watch Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis roll back state climate actions and scrub any mention of climate from many laws."I saw the writing on the wall," Gates told Business Insider. "I'm five years away from planned retirement, and I was worried about the cost of living and my quality of life. I've been through flooding in South Beach and still see people posting pictures of the same problems."Gates said he considers himself a "climate mover" in deciding to relocate to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2023. Florida's vulnerability to the climate crisis, combined with rising costs of living and being closer to his mom and brother, were the main reasons he left Miami Beach. Now Gates is saving about $1,000 a month on home insurance and HOA fees, according to documents shared with BI. He also feels safer knowing that New Mexico has a statewide climate plan.Gates joins many older Americans who've moved in search of a lower cost of living for retirement, but is rare in that he left Florida which still has a fast-growing population. While there's little data indicating climate risks like hurricanes and wildfires are directly causing massive migration, Gates's story suggests it may become more of a factor.Saving $1,000 a monthGates sold his condo at a luxury building in South Beach for $710,000 in December 2022, according to documents reviewed by BI, earning him about $415,000 in net profit. That year, his HOA fees were nearly $1,200 a month and covered amenities like a pool and gym. Condo insurance was about $190 a month.He rented an apartment for a couple of years in Santa Fe before buying a $227,000 fixer-upper in February. The HOA fees are about $250 a month and insurance is $72. There aren't many perks, like a gym, pool, or management office, Gates said, but he has more peace of mind."If I were to stay in Florida until I'm 90, chances are a lot of bad stuff will happen," Gates said. "That's just my opinion and climate scientists agree. I'm not a millionaire, so I'm not gonna put all my eggs in one basket down there."Rising risks and costsWhile Miami is carrying out its own climate action strategy, Gates wanted faster progress on installing solar panels on government buildings and new infrastructure to protect properties from flooding as hurricanes become more destructive. The extreme weather, among other factors, is also making home insurance more expensive in Florida.Miami's average elevation is six feet, and scientists predict sea levelswill rise by the same amount by the end of the century. Sea levels in Miami already rose about six inches between 1986 and 2016. Meanwhile, the frequency of flooding from high tides has increased by over 400% in Miami Beach since 2006.The city has been investing in a climate resiliency strategy, including raising roads and installing water pumps. In February, local commissioners also unveiled plans for more than $1 billion in anti-flooding water and sewer projects, which will be paid in part by hiking residents' utility rates every year through 2030,the Miami Herald reported. Residents said it would make the city less affordable at a time when rent, HOA fees, and insurance are all rising.That cycle worried Gates, as well."Taxes and other bills will have to go up a lot to cover for these infrastructure projects," he said. "I don't want to be caught up in this cycle."Gates acknowledged that New Mexico comes with its own risks, including wildfires. But he feels better knowing that there's a statewide plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to extreme weather led by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham."Moving to New Mexico made me feel like I'm part of the solution rather than part of the problem," Gates said. "I know that every time I pay my electric bill, my utility is switching to renewables faster than many places in the country."Have you moved for financial, lifestyle, or climate reasons? Contact this reporter at cboudreau@businessinsider.com.

2025-03-21T16:17:05Z Read in app Andrew Harnik/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pushed "unbelievably cheap" Tesla stock on Fox News this week.Lutnick is the latest White House member to promote Elon Musk's company amid its sharp stock decline.Ethics experts say it's cause for concern. "The Commerce Secretary is not Jim Cramer," one said.Since the beginning of the year, Tesla's stock has dropped almost 42%, shedding some $500 billion in market value. As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News viewers, it's the perfect time to buy."If you want to learn something on this show tonight, buy Tesla," Lutnick said on Jesse Watters' show Wednesday. "It's unbelievable that this guy's stock is this cheap," he added, referring to CEO Elon Musk. "It'll never be this cheap again."Lutnick's comments were the latest example of members of the Trump administration, including the president himself, using their political standing to promote a specific company a concerning break with long-standing tradition, ethics experts say."It's an ethics issue, and it's an optics issue," said Jordan Libowitz, head of communications for the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "Whether or not there is some kind of quid quo pro here, people will question it. It will at least raise eyebrows when someone spends hundreds of millions of dollars to elect a president and then that president's administration takes action that appears to be an attempt to boost that person's net worth."Richard Painter, the former chief ethics lawyer under President George Bush, said government officials have historically steered clear of picking favorites. "The idea of promoting a company, the White House doesn't do that," he said. "The Commerce Secretary is not Jim Cramer."Spokespeople for the Department of Commerce, the White House, and Tesla didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.Musk's firing of thousands of government employees in his role as de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency sparked a protest movement called #TeslaTakedown. Over the last two months, protesters have set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations. Sales have also dropped as buyers boycott the brand.The administration has rushed to support Musk's company. Last week, President Trump held what was effectively a promotional event on the grounds of the White House, posing for photographs in front of Teslas lined up along the South Lawn. Trump agreed to buy a Model S, writing in a Truth Social post ahead of the event that his purchase was a "show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American." Trump said he would write a check for $80,000, though it's unclear if he ever did.Ethics experts say it's virtually unprecedented for members of an administration to throw their weight behind a single company. While the government has supported specific industries or bailed out companies in the past, its actions have been couched in the context of protecting American jobs, Libowitz said.Painter and Kathleen Clark, a professor of law at Washington University, said Lutnick's comments violate a section of the federal code that says government employees may not use their office for their own private gain; that of their friends, relatives, or other affiliates; or to endorse "any product, service, or enterprise."Lutnick said he would divest his financial holdings within 90 days of joining the government, as is standard practice. It's unclear whether he has done so. According to the most recent security filings, one of Lutnick's holdings, the brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald, owns Tesla stock. Also on Wednesday, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard upgraded Tesla to the equivalent of a "buy" rating after visiting one of its factories."When people understand the things he's building, the robots he's building, the technology he's building," Lutnick said on Fox, "people are going to be dreaming of today."This isn't the first time an administration has touted a specific business. Less than a month into the first Trump administration, the president's close advisor, Kellyanne Conway, told Fox viewers to support Ivanka Trump's fashion line. "Go buy Ivanka's stuff, is what I would say," Conway said. At the time, Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said the comments were "wrong, wrong, wrong, and there's no excuse for it," The New York Times reported. Chaffetz and the then-top Democratic lawmaker on the committee, Elijah Cummings, wrote a letter to the US Office of Government Ethics, and then-press secretary Sean Spicer said Conway had been "counseled" on the matter.Others who wanted to curry favor with Trump during his first administration chose to stay at his hotel in Washington DC or play golf at Trump courses. When Joe Biden became president in 2021, he kept his name on the Penn Biden Center at the University of Pennsylvania, which Painter said the university used to raise funds an arrangement that rankled the ethics lawyer. "The use of the president's name to sell cars, to raise money for a private university, is unacceptable. It never happened before 2016," Painter said. "This Tesla thing is not good."Nor is it very helpful for the company, at least in the short run. Despite the administration's efforts, Tesla's downward momentum hasn't reversed. Its shares rose 1.3% on Thursday, closing at $236, down from a peak closing price of $479 in mid-December. Its stock price is on pace for its ninth straight weekly decline.

Did you know that soundtrack concerts are among the most popular for touring orchestras? A full third of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestras first-time audience members are coming to the concert hall via their favourite series and movies and video games. It is a huge cultural growth area, and one that may have gone unrecognised by the general public.It is impossible to ignore video game music now, says Tommy Pearson, founder and artistic director of the inaugural London Soundtrack festival. The sheer creativity and artistry in games is incredible, and its been fascinating to see so many composers blossom in the genre.As one of the lead architects behind the festival, Pearson was eager to make space for video games as part of the celebration not just as an add-on to TV and film soundtracks, but as an equal in the art form. When I was first thinking about what we would do at the festival, including games music was a no-brainer. It absolutely has to be there alongside film and TV music. It has a very dedicated audience of fans and the music is as good as anything being written in any genre.Tommy Pearson, artistic director of London Soundtrack festival. Photograph: London Soundtrack FestivalRunning from 19 to 26 March, the festival will consist of live performances, panel discussions, screenings, Q&As and masterclasses. One of the key events, State of the Art, will include performances of video game music by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, masterclasses from Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab composers who recently collected Grammy and Ivor Novello awards for their work on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.Why is 2025 the perfect time for the first Soundtrack festival in London? Were seeing millions of streams of game soundtracks, daily, says Barton. Theres a huge amount of social media content on Instagram and TikTok that ties into it, not to mention the world of Twitch where a streamers playlist is a huge part of their identity. The record industry is just about catching on to this.I see the streaming numbers climbing in real time, but beyond the data, you can sense it everywhere, adds Haab. Game music isnt confined to consoles any more its woven into peoples every day lives. My nieces and nephews, for example, have game soundtracks on rotation purely for enjoyment. At gaming events, fans know these themes note-for-note, singing them back with the same devotion youd see at a concert. Even in broader entertainment circles award shows, industry mixers video game scores are part of the conversation now. Theyre treated with the same respect as film music, standing on their own as a legitimate art form. And if the surging demand for soundtrack releases tells us anything, its that people arent just listening: theyre seeking it out.Fans know these themes note-for-note Death Stranding. Photograph: Kojima ProductionsComposers Ludvig Forssell (Death Stranding), Harry Gregson-Williams (Metal Gear Solid), Stephanie Economou (Assassins Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnark), and Borislav Slavov (Baldurs Gate 3) will all be part of a panel discussing games music in the day, before joining the performances in the evening.Youd be hard-pressed to find someone who cant sing a tune from Super Mario Bros or Final Fantasy or Halo or The Legend of Zelda, says Economou. Video game music is prevalent because video games are prevalent. The industry itself is more profitable than the film, television and music industry combined. So when people think that its suddenly surging in popularity, all I can think is: no, its just finally getting more recognition and celebration in more public spheres. I applaud the London Soundtrack festival for highlighting the art form and Im thrilled to be part of the festival in its inaugural year.The London Soundtrack festival is a great opportunity to celebrate the differences and diversities in music for media, adds Forssell. Video games may still be the new kid on the block, in some senses, but they are definitely here to stay; and I hope that we as composers will always be able to have our own different approaches to music in general, be it pop, rock or music for film, TV, video games and beyond.Pearson and the team of composers he has assembled see the event as a celebration of the state of video game music. These are all brilliant, hugely respected composers producing terrific and exciting scores that live in the game and in the concert hall very successfully, Pearson says.Will non-gaming audiences ever accept video game music as much as TV or film?There will always be a bit of snobbery about media music, Pearson says, But its nowhere near as much as it used to be. And who cares what people think anyway?

The best deal in the universe (Picture: EA)Remasters of three of the best sci-fi games ever made have been reduced to a bargain price on both PS4 and PC.BioWare has a long history of acclaimed role-playing games, including the recent Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but its greatest work is still arguably the Mass Effect trilogy.The sci-fi role-playing series is one of the defining pillars of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era, and set a new standard for choice-driven narratives in the medium (controversial ending aside). The original trilogy came to an end with 2012s Mass Effect 3, which was followed by the much maligned spin-off Mass Effect: Andromeda.A remastered compilation of the first three games, titled Mass Effect Legendary Edition, was released in 2021, across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. If youre yet to embark on the space epic, this collection has now been reduced to a ludicrously cheap price.On Steam, you can pick up Mass Effect Legendary Edition for 4.99, a 90% reduction from its original 49.99 price. This deal runs until March 27 and is part of an EA Spring Sale, with other standouts offers being Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order at 3.49 and Titanfall 2 at 2.49.More TrendingWhile not quite as cheap, a similar deal is available on the PlayStation Store, where Mass Effect Legendary Edition is down to 5.99. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is also down to 4.49, with both these deals running until March 26.If youre a fan of sharp comedowns, Mass Effect Andromeda is also 85% off on Steam at 5.24. Alternatively, you can sign up to EA Play for 5.99 a month and access all of these titles, but as the Mass Effect series is pretty lengthy, youre probably better off buying them at this cheap price and savouring the delights over time.EA is working on a fifth instalment in the Mass Effect series, although its unclear when it will be released. The project was announced back in 2020, but there have been no major updates since, aside from vague teasers.Its more likely well see the confirmed Mass Effect TV series before a new game, which is supposedly underway at Amazon. Daniel Casey, whose previous credits include Fast & Furious 9, is set to write and executive produce the show. The Illusive Man at a bargain price (Picture: EA)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

By Passant Rabie Published March 21, 2025 | Comments (0) | SpaceX could have authority to close Boca Chica beach for rocket launches or tests. SpaceX SpaceXs packed rocket launch schedule may get in the way of beach days. If the company succeeds in turning its launch site into an official city, SpaceX could assume full control over road and beach closures in Boca Chica, Texas. Texas lawmakers filed legislation that would effectively grant SpaceX officials sole authority to close down roads and public beaches near the Starbase launch site in South Texas for rocket launches, ground testing, or other related activities during the week, the Houston Chronicle reported. The legislation could become effective depending on an upcoming vote to decide whether to turn Starbase into a city. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk first pitched the idea of a Starbase city in 2021. In February, Cameron County in Texas approved holding an election to let its residents vote to create a new town called Starbase, built around SpaceXs ongoing launch endeavors. The election will be held on May 3, and votes will be cast by residents living near SpaceXs Starbase. Most of the residents are SpaceX employees who submitted a petition in December 2024 to request an election regarding the decision to make Starbase its own municipality. That means the vote is likely to go in the rocket companys favor. Now, an additional bill filed on March 14 would grant SpaceX control over road and beach closures for its rocket activities. Although the bill, filed by two Republican senators, does not mention SpaceX by name, it refers to counties with spaceports and beach access bordering on the Gulf of Mexico or its tidewater limits, according to My RGV. As of now, Cameron County officials are in charge of road and beach closures. If the bill is approved, Cameron County would maintain its authority during the weekend, but Starbase, as its own jurisdiction, would have control on weekdays to close down roads and public beaches near the launch site. Cameron County already closes down the Boca Chica beach during tests and launches of SpaceXs rockets, namely Starship.During a public hearing held on Wednesday, State Senator Adam Hinojosa claimed the bill would not increase the frequency of beach closures, but rather, streamline administrative processes while maintaining local oversight, according to local reports. There is concern, however, that SpaceXs launch site is harming its surrounding landscape. In July 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity, American Bird Conservancy, and other conservation groups filed a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration, alleging that it rushed SpaceXs Starship permitting process without adequate environmental review or mitigation requirements. SpaceX is also facing fines of almost $150,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency for allegedly illegally dumping pollutants into a Texas waterway without a permit.Earlier last year, SpaceX also announced plans to open a $15 million shopping center and restaurant near Starbase. The companys frequent rocket launches are already a nuisance to the surrounding environment, and SpaceX seems intent on becoming even more obnoxious in the area.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published March 17, 2025 By Passant Rabie Updated March 7, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 6, 2025 By Adam Kovac Published February 25, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published February 20, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 15, 2025

By Thomas Maxwell Published March 21, 2025 | Comments (1) | AMC is premiering Swedish film "Watch The Skies" using a new visual dubbing technology that alters actors' facial movements. VIEW press AMC Theaters, always one to hop on the latest trend, is premiering a Swedish movie using a new form of AI-based dubbing that makes it appear as if the actors are speaking in English. Instead of merely replacing the voice tracks with ones recorded by actors in another language, the movie Watch the Skies will additionally see actors facial movements altered to make it appear as if they are speaking in English. The original actors in Watch the Skies voice the new English-language track, which is in part why the movie is compliant with SAG-AFTRA rules meant to protect members from the threat of AI. Hollywood talent has pushed back strenuously against the use of AI out of fear that they will someday be replaced entirely. But because the English dialogue was recorded by the actors themselves rather than generated by AI, and with full consent, it does not violate union contracts. The company behind the visual dubbing, as it is called, is Flawless AI. By digitally altering the films images to make it appear natively filmed in English, the thinking goes that more moviegoers put off by dubbing will give the film a chance. Translating into another language can sometimes break the lip sync; this new dubbing alleviates that issue by altering the mouth movements themselves.Some may not be happy about this new AI-based dubbing in film, as it is almost tantamount to declaring English is the superior language, erasing other cultures and dialects in the process. It also comes at a time when foreign language films have become increasingly popular in the United States and viewers have become more accustomed to using subtitles. Hollywood already dominates the global entertainment industry, the thinking goes, and automatically dubbing into English could be seen as an encroachment at a time when other countries have only just started to see their local film industries take off globally. Critics might argue that much of the world does not speak English and should not be forced to bend to the will of Americans, but this seems like a minor case of translating a small budget movie intended for theatrical release in English-speaking markets. There is also concern that something could be lost when a movie is not watched in its native tonguethe voice acting is a crucial part of any film, and actors switching to non-native English from Swedish might lose some of their emotional delivery or translate dialogue imprecisely. But voice actors have gotten better at dubbing over the years, and proponents of dubbing say that people should watch films any way they prefer.Companies beyond AMC have been implementing AI-based dubbing in order to expand the audience for content. The popular YouTube creator Mr. Beast made headlines several years ago for dubbing his videos in other languages like Spanish and Mandarin, but at the time he was using a more manual and costly process for doing so. YouTube late last year introduced a tool that lets creators instead automatically create AI voiceovers in other languages. While the true value of new AI technology remains in question, there is hope in Hollywood that generative AI will be able to speed up the production process and reduce costs for visual effects. Companies like Netflix have disrupted the industry significantly by offering boatloads of cash for content only to pull back, causing a lot of instability and belt-tightening. Accessibility of AI could lead to its negligent use, however, as companies cut corners and do not use it with intentionality. Tools like OpenAIs Sora can generate short video clips entirely from text prompts, but the product was criticized after release for its poor quality. Others from companies like Runway and Google have received better reception, though studios still face significant pushback from actors over their use.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published March 19, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 18, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 17, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published March 16, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 15, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 14, 2025

MUNI Indoor Golf Club / Ivy StudioSave this picture! Alex LesageMontreal, CanadaArchitects: Ivy StudioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:645 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Alex Lesage More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Muni is an indoor golf club designed to offer an immersive and social experience. The Nordelec, a vast industrial heritage building dating back to 1913, provides an impressive backdrop for this unique venue. Its brick-clad faade and expansive windows set the stage for an interior where exposed concrete floors, structural steel, and raw brick walls maintain the industrial character of the space while contrasting with warm, refined interventions.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Layout & Spatial Flow -Save this picture!On the opposite side of the corridor, the full-service restaurant and bar create a vibrant social hub. Elevated banquette seating upholstered in deep green and navy striped fabric defines the space, alongside a long communal table and intimate booth arrangements. The bar, positioned centrally, features an angular form with integrated TV screens above, mirroring the club's sports-oriented identity. Large television screens are mounted throughout the restaurant, ensuring visibility from all seating areas. A hidden kitchen supports the Southern-inspired menu, offering dishes such as baby back ribs, mac and cheese, fried chicken, and shrimp and gritsflavors that are rare in Montreal.At the rear, a secondary entrance connects Muni to the Nordelec building, allowing for direct access from within the complex. A staircase behind the reception counter leads to a small mezzanine overlooking the main floor, available for private events and offering an elevated vantage point over the club's social activity.Save this picture!Save this picture!Materials & Finishes -To balance the industrial setting with warmth and sophistication, the material palette draws inspiration from classic golf club aesthetics. Deep forest greens, lighter putting-green tones, and rich burgundy accents create a refined yet vibrant atmosphere. Red oak veneer clads several walls and custom millwork elements, bringing a sense of intimacy to the otherwise raw concrete and brick shell.Save this picture!In the simulator lounges, wood-clad walls, textured green carpeting with a wavy grass-like pattern, and full-height heavy green curtains reinforce a cozy, enclosed feel. Playful nods to traditional golf textures are woven throughout the space, including checkered light boxes in the simulator ceilings, striped banquette fabrics, and warm red accents on furniture bases. Additional materials include opaque green-stained oak, natural red oak, glossy mint green-painted walls, and marble in green and red hues. The contrast between these warm, rich materials and sleek stainless steel and chrome details introduces a subtle nod to the digital technology that powers the simulators.Save this picture!Save this picture!Lighting & Ambiance -A carefully curated lighting scheme enhances Muni's ambiance, reinforcing both its social and immersive qualities. A monumental warm light box, encased in deep green wood, is suspended above the reception desk, creating a striking first impression visible from the exterior. In the restaurant, soft fabric cylinder fixtures hang from the open ceiling, while custom steel sconces with burgundy panels line the walls, adding warmth and contrast.For a more intimate dining experience, custom triangular light fixturesdrawing inspiration from golf flagsare suspended above the bar. In the simulator lounges, ambient lighting is provided by suspended checkered light squares above the tables and stools, echoing the sport's iconic patterns. Minimalist chrome sconces contribute to a home-like feel within the lounges, while the main hallway features a gallery wall of illuminated retro golf imagery, evoking the classic "hall of fame" aesthetic of country clubs.Save this picture!A New Standard for Indoor Golf -Muni redefines the concept of an indoor golf club by placing equal emphasis on social engagement, refined hospitality, and cutting-edge technology. Unlike traditional golf simulators that prioritize performance and technique, Muni celebrates the communal spirit of the sportrecreating the experience of a foursome sharing a round over several hours. The design blends the nostalgia of classic country clubs with a modern, minimalist interpretation, bridging the gap between tradition and innovation.As a pioneering venue in the industry, Muni is not just a standout destination in Montrealit sets a new global precedent for indoor golf culture.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeIvy StudioOfficePublished on March 21, 2025Cite: "MUNI Indoor Golf Club / Ivy Studio" 21 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028162/muni-indoor-golf-club-ivy-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Welcome to "This Week in Unreal" a news show about Unreal Engine game development and Virtual Production.0:00 - Intro0:17 - GDC1:26 - EGS Mobile2:18 - Fab Updated3:02 - Sykoo Epic Games4:04 - Cool UEFN Project4:47 - Sony Camera Tracking5:39 - Rob Legato Stability AI6:26 - Roblox 3D Gen7:44 - Unity and Claude10:12 - Vibe Coding in Game Dev17:45 - Is Moonlight Blue?24:32 - Acts of Blood25:48 - Energy System28:11 - Positive Meme29:00 - Conclusion

One mans trash is a common coots treasure, at least when it comes to plastic.In Amsterdam, the birds have been constructing nests out of plastic food wrappers, masks and other waste for at least 30 years, researchers report in the February Ecology. The revelation shows not only how much plastic now litters the environment but also the power of using human-made products to learn about the natural world.Its ironic to think that many of these plastic single-use items have just been used for minutes by people, yet these coots have used them for decades, says Auke-Florian Hiemstra, a biologist at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands.Hiemstra has been studying nesting materials used by city birds for years. Hes documented coots adding face masks to their nests during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic a building material that coots and other birds still use and found rebellious magpies and crows that built their homes out of antibird spikes. Many birds these days use human trash as nest-building material, Hiemstra says.In Amsterdam, common coots like this one build their nests out of plastic waste and other human-made materials.Auke-Florian HiemstraIn 2021, Hiemstra and colleagues excavated a common coot (Fulica atra) nest built on a wooden beam poking out of Rokin canal in Amsterdam. The nest had multiple layers of plastic waste, especially food packages. By analyzing the expiration dates on the coots collection, Hiemstra used the plastic the way an archaeologist would use fossils, to build a history of the nest layer by layer.Coots typically build their nests out of plant material that quickly decays, so the birds cant reuse nests year after year. With the incorporation of plastics, however, the nests become much more stable, so the coots can return to old nests and build upon their solid foundations.Expiration dates on wrappers helped researchers date nest layers and uncover how long the birds have been using plastic to build their nests. Auke-Florian HiemstraIn total, Hiemstras team found 15 nests that had plastic dating to multiple years, indicating the birds had been reusing them.Using expiration dates to understand nest history can be imprecise. Since plastic lasts so long, old pieces of it can find their way into recent nest layers. For instance, Hiemstra found a bag of paprika chips from a 1970s brand toward the top of one nest. But when packages with similar expirations are bunched together, Hiemstra says, it builds confidence that that part of the nest was constructed around that time.Sponsor MessageIn the deepest part of the Rokin nest, he found several wrappers dating to the early 1990s, including a Mars Bar wrapper promoting the 1994 FIFA World Cup.Weirdly enough, the wrapper is in pristine condition, as if it were littered yesterday, Hiemstra says. Yet you know it is 30 years old. It really shows plastic is here to stay.