In the end, whatever Elon Musk and Donald Trump liked to insist, astronauts Barry Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams were never stuck, nor stranded in space, and definitely not abandoned or marooned.The world heard on Monday, for the first time since their return to Earth two weeks ago, from the two Nasa astronauts whose 10-day flight to the international space station (ISS) last summer turned into a nine-month odyssey. And their story was markedly at odds with the narrative painted from the White House.Wilmore and Williams were speaking to reporters at a press conference in Houston, hours after a joint appearance on Fox News, and reaffirmed that they never felt neglected or in need of the rescue the president insisted was necessary.Instead, they said, they calmly assumed duties as members of the space station crew planning for one thing, preparing for another, Wilmore said while a political firestorm over their status raged back on the ground.If anything, the pair of veteran space flyers appeared slightly bemused by, or largely ignorant of the furore that followed their enforced and protracted stay on the orbiting outpost 250 miles above Earth, caused by technical failures on board their pioneering Boeing Starliner spacecraft that returned in September without them.At the press conference Nasa had called to discuss the science activities the astronauts performed during their time in space, Williams and Wilmore gave diplomatic answers to questions designed to elicit their thoughts.The stuck and marooned narrative yes, we heard about that, Wilmore said, before reverting to a carefully worded explanation of how their training and preparations allowed them to pivot seamlessly from the roles of new spacecraft test pilots to routine ISS crew members who splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on 18 March on a routine crew rotation flight.The plan went way off for what we had planned. But because were in human spaceflight, we prepare for any number of contingencies. This is a curvy road. You never know where its going to go, he continued.Earlier, in the Fox interview, he pushed back on Musks false claim, amplified by Trump, that the astronauts were abandoned in space by the Biden administration. Had they felt stuck, stranded or marooned, the interviewer, Bill Hemmer, wondered.Any of those adjectives, theyre very broad in their definition, Wilmore said.So in certain respects we were stuck, in certain respects, maybe we were stranded, but based on how they were couching this, that we were left and forgotten in orbit, we were nowhere near any of that at all.Stuck? OK, we didnt get to come home the way we planned. But in the big scheme of things, we werent stuck. We planned and trained. Let me comment back on this other [claim], you know, They failed you. Who? Whos they?Williams, too, was reluctant to kick the political football. In orbit, she said, her focus was solely on the work she needed to do.You sort of get maybe a little bit tunnel-visioned you do your job type of thing, right, and so youre not really aware of what else is going on down there, she said.I hate to say that maybe the world doesnt revolve around us, but we revolve around the world, something like that. But I think we were just really focused on what we were doing and trying to be part of the team. Of course, we heard some things The third US astronaut at the press conference, Crew 9 commander Nick Hague, who returned to Earth with Williams and Wilmore, backed up his crewmate.The politics, kind of, they dont make it up there when were trying to make operational decisions, he said. As the commander [Im] responsible for the safety of this crew and getting them back safely.Musk, the founder of SpaceX, a key Nasa contractor, has continued to push the story, with no evidence, that the astronauts were effectively held hostage in space by Biden for political advantage. It was a SpaceX Dragon capsule that eventually brought them back to Earth, but it was a spacecraft that had been attached to the ISS for months, not one Trump said he directed Musk to go get the two brave astronauts.The billionaire became embroiled in a heated online dispute with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen over the claims, and later attacked Mark and Scott Kelly, both retired astronauts and the former now Democratic senator for Arizona, for calling him out.As for the troubled Starliner, whose future is questionable as Boeing and Nasa engineers continue to evaluate the helium leaks and thruster control issues that brought its maiden crewed mission to a premature end, both Williams and Wilmore said they would be happy to fly on it again.Wilmore, as the Starliner mission commander, said there were questions he wished hed asked during the flight that he believed might have brought a different outcome, and some shortcomings in tests, shortcomings in preparation, that we did not foresee. The astronauts will meet Boeing leadership on Wednesday to give first-hand testimony.The whole experience, he said, was a learning curve familiar to those in the difficult job we all take part in.Could you point fingers? I dont want to point fingers. I hope nobody wants to point fingers. We dont want to look back and say, shame, shame, shame. We want to look forward and say, Lets make the future even more productive and better.Thats the way that I look at it. And what I think the way the nation should look at.

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Guangzhou Opera House | Chijui Yeh via UnsplashReinvent the rules with composite materials.For centuries, architecture has been defined by the limitations of traditional materials. Steel, concrete, and glass-shaped skylines came with constraints, heavy loads, design restrictions, and environmental impact. Enter composites, materials that merge strength and lightness, durability and elegance, unlocking possibilities once thought impossible.Today, composites redefine architectural boundaries. Their lightweight strength enables gravity-defying designs, their moldability unlocks unprecedented aesthetic freedom, and their resilience ensures structures that last longer with less maintenance. More importantly, they align with the global shift toward sustainability, offering low-carbon, high-efficiency solutions for the future.From futuristic facades to large-scale transport hubs and award-winning cultural landmarks, composites are rewriting the rules of architecture.Unite design, sustainability, and performance without compromise. Reinvent the rules.From Fragility to Strength: How Composites Are Reshaping ArchitectureFor centuries, architects sought materials that could bend without breaking, resist wear without weight, and stand the test of time without compromise. Composites answer that call.Strength Without the WeightUnlike steel and concrete, composites achieve unparalleled durability without excessive mass. Their high strength-to-weight ratio allows for lighter, longer-lasting structures that maintain exceptional load-bearing capacity.The King Abdullah High-Speed Rail Station (Saudi Arabia, 2018) used composite sandwich panels spanning 27 meters, creating a self-supporting structure that eliminated the need for excessive reinforcement.The Qatar Integrated Railway Project (2018) used FRP (fibre-reinforced polymer) faade panels and composite roofing, which ensured durability in extreme desert conditions while reducing structural loads.Composites also offer fire resistance and superior insulation, making them a practical choice for large-scale infrastructure. In environments with seismic activity or extreme weather, composite materials provide shock absorption and resilience, preventing structural failure.Composites redefine resilient architecture by eliminating corrosion, reducing material fatigue, and enhancing structural longevity.Defy gravity. Achieve the impossible. Experience the power of composites.From Conventional to Aesthetic: Unleashing Design FreedomSainte-Trinit Orthodox Cathedral Domes | ZaironComposites dont just support structures; they transform them. Rectangular forms and rigid materials no longer bind architects. With composites, curves flow effortlessly, bold ideas become a reality, and complexity is no longer a constraint.Guangzhou Opera House (China, 2010): Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, this fluid, futuristic masterpiece was made possible by advanced composite materials, which allowed for seamless curves and high-precision details that traditional materials couldnt achieve.Sainte-Trinit Orthodox Cathedral Domes (France, 2017): A blend of modern engineering and heritage preservation, these domes use composite sandwich panels with polyethylene foam cores. They offer lightweight strength and environmental resistance while mimicking traditional stonework.Tilburg School for VAVO (Netherlands, 2012): A composite faade integrating knitted textiles into translucent panels, combining lightweight innovation with visual storytelling, referencing the regions textile heritage.Composites also integrate seamlessly with glass, metal, and wood, offering a cohesive, visually striking aesthetic. Their ability to be precisely moulded and textured means architects can achieve previously unattainable finishes, colours, and contours.Break free from the expected. Elevate architecture beyond convention.From Ageing to Revival: Composites in Sustainable Design Monsanto House of the Future, 1957: A Pioneer in Composite Architecture | Orange County Archives CC BY 2.0Sustainability is more than a trend; its a necessity. Composites offer a future-proof solution, helping architects design buildings that resist corrosion, endure harsh climates, and reduce environmental impact.Eco Casa (Australia, 2013): Designed by Ian Wright, this innovative home used DuFLEX composite panels, demonstrating how frameless composite systems can reduce material waste, lower emissions, and enhance efficiency.Pasarela de Almucar (Spain, 2011): The worlds longest carbon-fibre walkway, proving that composites can replace heavier materials, extend durability, and reduce structural maintenance.University of Valencia EDEM Business School (Spain, 2015): A 7,000 sq. meter composite faade revitalised a historic structure while enhancing energy efficiency and structural integrity.Restore without limits. Reinvent without compromise. Build a sustainable tomorrow.The Carbon AdvantageWith climate change and urbanisation accelerating, architecture must prioritise energy efficiency and material sustainability. Composites play a key role by:Reducing carbon emissions through lighter structures that require less material and energy to produce.Enhancing insulation properties, decreasing energy consumption for heating and cooling.Extending lifespan, cutting down on maintenance, waste, and resource consumption.Composites also support circular design, materials that can be repurposed, repaired, or recycled rather than discarded. Future developments in bio-based resins and fibre reinforcement will make composites even greener.Sustainability without compromise. Performance without limits.The Challenges and Future of Composites in ArchitectureDespite their many benefits, composites arent without challenges.Integration with traditional materials: Precise engineering is required to ensure seamless cohesion between composites and conventional materials like glass, stone, or wood.Perceived cost barriers: While the initial investment in composites may be higher, the long-term savings due to durability and low maintenance costs make them cost-effective.Standardisation and acceptance: As composites become more widespread, building codes and regulations continue to evolve to accommodate their unique performance characteristics.Whats Next? The Future of Composites in ArchitectureComposites are still evolving. New technologies are paving the way for even more innovative, sustainable applications, including:Bio-based composites Using natural resins and fibres to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-based materials.Smart composites Materials embedded with sensors to monitor structural integrity and environmental conditions in real-time.3D-printed composites Combining precision manufacturing with composite strength, allowing for customised, waste-free construction.As composites continue to reshape modern construction, they arent just an alternative to traditional materials; they are the future.ConclusionFrom the Monsanto House of the Future (1957) to todays iconic cultural landmarks and transport hubs, composites have transformed architecture, offering more substantial, lighter, sustainable, and innovative solutions.Composites challenge convention, redefine aesthetics and drive sustainability. They make the impossible possible, defy gravity, and extend the life of architecture far beyond what traditional materials allow.Its time to reinvent the rules.Discover the power of composites today.www.composites.archi#ArchitectureInspired #CompositesInDesign #ArchitecturalInnovationComposite Materials by ArchEyes TeamLeave a comment

Herzog & de Meuron | Baas Arquitectura | Casa Solo Arquitectos | Nord Architects | 3RW Arkitekter | Witherford Watson Mann | Clancy Moore | Irene Barclay | Ecomimesis Solues Ecolgicas | Adamo FaidenFor most of us, life begins in a hospital and is likely to end in a medical facility too. We visit hospitals during our lives if not for a broken arm or surgery, then for an unwell loved one.Although healthcare is a universal need, access is deeply unequal. The most impressive new hospital buildings, such as Herzog & de Meurons new Kinderspital Zrich, are typically built in wealthy urban centres, and their replicability is questionable. In Catalonia, the public healthcare system has been commissioning primary care centres in the regions smaller towns to improve proximity to facilities while alleviating pressure on the larger complexes.Hospitals and other medical facilities are not the only architectures of health. Interwar social housing advocate Irene Barclay identified houses that are dangerous and injurious to health in her reports of Londons so-called slums. In Rio de Janeiro, the municipality is creating new urban parks so that deprived communities may escape the heat to exercise and socialise. For the first time in a century, the water of Irelands Avoca River is running clear, due to a new treatment plant designed by Clancy Moore.A healthy building supports human life, as well as other living organisms, argues Beatriz Colomina in her keynote. This is not restricted to architectures end users but those who build it too. UK construction workers died at a greater rate than nurses in 2020, Charlotte Banks writes. It is a stark reminder that, even at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the building industry will value profit over human health unless continually and tirelessly checked.1520: Healthcover (above) Damien HirstAs part of a larger group of works featuring shrine-like wall-mounted pill cabinets, Damien Hirsts When the Heart Speaks (2005) explores the boundaries of human belief and challenges societys reliance on drugs as a universal cure. Credit: Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved, DACS 2025 / Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd / Courtesy the artist and Gagosianfolio (lead image) Tobias CohenIn Maaseh Tuviyah, a 1708 scientific reference book by rabbi-physician Tobias Cohen, the human body isimagined not as a proverbial temple, but as afour-storey house with an attic for a head, kitchen for a belly, and plumbing and water features for excretion. Credit: Wikimedia / Houghton Library / Harvard UniversitykeynoteA bugs lifeBeatriz ColominabuildingChildrens hospital by Herzog & de Meuron in Zrich, SwitzerlandVera SacchettibuildingRadiotherapy and hemodialysis centre by Baas Arquitectura and Casa Solo Arquitectos in Granollers, SpainRafael Gmez-MorianaessayPride without prejudiceTorsten LangebuildingFuruset Hageby dementia village by Nord Architects and 3RW Arkitekter in Oslo, NorwayFeliks Ulven IsaksenbuildingAppleby Blue almshouse by Witherford Watson Mann in London, UKCatherine SlessoroutrageBuilding killsCharlotte BanksbuildingWastewater treatment plant by Clancy Moore in Arklow, IrelandEleanor BeaumontreputationsIrene BarclayMarianna JanowiczbuildingParque Realengo by Ecomimesis Solues Ecolgicas, Ayako Arquitetura, Helena Meirelles Arquitetura, Larissa Monteiro, Messina Rivas and Zebulun Arquitetura in Rio de Janeiro, BrazilFrancesco Perrotta-BoschbuildingGuayaquil veterinary clinic by Adamo Faiden in Buenos Aires, ArgentinaMagdalena TagliabueessayThe hospital of the future?Annmarie Adams

CW+ Premium Content/Computer WeeklyThank you for joining!Access your Pro+ Content below.1 April 2025Inside Amazons robot-powered warehouseIn this weeks Computer Weekly, we go behind the scenes at Amazons robot-powered Swindon warehouse to see how AI and humans are working together. We examine the state of open source licensing and find out how its affecting datacentre operators. And we visit a 130-year-old wine and drinks company to find out how technology has brought operations into the modern age. Read the issue now.Access this CW+ Content for Free!Already a member? Login hereFeaturesin this issueBehind the scenes at Amazon UKs robotic-powered warehousebyBen SillitoeRobots, automation, artificial intelligence and people power Computer Weekly tours the tech-heavy Amazon warehouse in SwindonAll change: Weighing up the options for enterprises as open source licences evolvebyFleur DoidgeSoftware suppliers have been rowing back on open-source licensing. Will enterprises with datacentres have to change their software approach?View Computer Weekly ArchivesNext IssueMore CW+ ContentView All

The newest e-bikes are the first to be chargeable by USB-C (and the bike even works as large phone charger, too).

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, DC. (Photo by ... More Kevin Dietsch, Getty Images)Getty ImagesRobert F. Kennedy, Jr. has never been afraid to challenge conventional wisdom sometimes acting in alignment with the best science, other times rejecting it.Now, as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy has significant influence over national healthcare policy. In this role, many will judge his success by whether he can reverse the countrys most troubling metric: an alarming decline in life expectancy.For decades, the United States has spent more on healthcare than any other nation, yet outcomes continue to lag global peers. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans now live four years less than citizens of other high-income countries. The U.S. premature death rate is nearly twice that of comparable nations, and the gap has only widened in recent years.Peterson-KFF Health System TrackerPeterson-KFF Health System TrackerKFF data points to three primary drivers, accounting for 68% of the gap:Chronic disease (accounting for 32% of the gap)Deaths of despair, including those from substance abuse (12%)The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (24%)Of course, Kennedy cant address every factor contributing to premature death. Many social determinants of health (think: income, education and housing), would require sweeping reforms across multiple government agencies, well beyond the scope of HHS.But when it comes to direct medical interventions, Kennedy can enact meaningful reforms, ones that could significantly improve life expectancy and the health of millions. Lets examine each, starting with the biggest driver.1. Chronic Disease: Americas Worst Health CrisisThe single largest contributor to Americas lagging life expectancy is chronic disease.According to the KFF report, About a third (32%) of the difference in premature death between the U.S. and similar countries is due to deaths from cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and chronic kidney diseases.Compared to citizens of peer nations, Americans are 2.5 times more likely to die from diabetes and nearly 4 times more likely to die from kidney disease. Preventable cardiovascular disease remains the nations leading cause of death.The problem isnt a lack of medical knowledge, but system-wide failures in prevention and management. According to CDC data, if every clinician and health system delivered care at the level of todays top performers, the nation could prevent 3050% of the complications tied to chronic conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, cancer and kidney failure.The Opportunity for RFK Jr.: Kennedy has repeatedly emphasized the urgency of addressing chronic disease in America. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he stated, We need to refocus [on chronic disease] if we are going to save our country. This is an existential crisis.His Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative promotes shifting the healthcare systems focus from disease intervention to prevention. This plan encourages community-based programs that improve diet, increase physical activity and expand preventive screenings.RFK has also advocated for expanding primary care access, a move thats well founded by research. Adding 10 primary care doctors to a community increases life expectancy 2.5 times more than adding 10 specialists, according to a Harvard-Stanford study. Yet, the U.S. continues to overproduce specialists while failing to train enough primary care physicians.Kennedy has also signaled interest in reforming medical care reimbursements. Todays fee-for-service model rewards quantity of care over quality, encouraging more procedures rather than better health. To fix this, Kennedy has proposed sweeping changes to Medicares payment structure, including shifting toward value-based models and transferring responsibility for setting Medicare reimbursement rates from the American Medical Association to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This move would likely help narrow the income gap between primary care physicians and specialists.2. Deaths Of Despair: A Growing CrisisApproximately 12% of the U.S. life expectancy gap can be attributed to:108,000 drug-related deaths in 202448,000 firearm-related deaths (over half from suicides)51,000 deaths due to excessive alcohol consumptionCollectively, these deaths of despair account for 160,000 preventable deaths annually, disproportionately affecting rural and underserved communities, where access to mental health care and addiction treatment is more limited.While some clinicians see these deaths as primarily societal, the DEA considers substance use disorder treatment a core medical responsibility. Physicians are now required to complete eight hours of training to identify and manage these disorders as part of their licensing.The Opportunity for RFK Jr.: Kennedy has long been outspoken about addiction treatment reform, shaped in part by his own personal struggles. He has criticized pharmaceutical companies for fueling the opioid epidemic and vowed to take action against predatory business practices in addiction treatment.During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kennedy emphasized the role of technology in expanding healthcare access, particularly in underserved areas. He has advocated for the use of general artificial intelligence and telemedicine to bring advanced medical care to rural areas, stating that such innovations could provide concierge care to every American in this country, even remote parts.To make this vision a reality, Kennedy would need to streamline FDA approval for new GenAI tools and work with Congress to make Medicares current reimbursements for telemedicine permanent. If successful, these advancements wouldnt just improve care in rural areas, they would expand access nationwide for patients struggling with mental health and addiction.3. COVID-19: Lessons For Future PandemicsThe COVID-19 pandemic led to over 1 million American deaths and a historic drop in U.S. life expectancy. While every nation experienced losses, the United States was hit particularly hard. As of 2024, the U.S. has regained only half of the lost years, lagging far behind peer countries.A major driver of the nations high mortality rate was widespread vaccine hesitancy. Though COVID-19 vaccines werent a flawless solution, they significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization and death. Still, many Americansdistrustful of public health agencies or swayed by misinformationchose to forgo them, a choice that disproportionately harmed older adults and those with underlying health conditions.Kennedys long-standing skepticism toward vaccines has been central to his public persona, and on this issue, his views directly conflict with scientific consensus.The Opportunity for RFK Jr.: Kennedy has a chance to help restore public trust in vaccinesa critical step in preparing for future public health threats. While he has made gestures in that direction, his messaging and actions remain contradictory.Amid the ongoing measles outbreakwhich began in Texas and has infected nearly 400 people across 15 statesKennedy initially acknowledged the importance of vaccination, stating, Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity. However, he later promoted vitamin A supplements and cod liver oil as additional treatments, which public health experts have criticized as unproven and potentially misleading.In a recent response to avian flu, Kennedy suggested allowing the virus to spread in order to identify birds with natural immunity. Public health experts and veterinary scientists have widely criticized it as scientifically unsound, increasing the risk of viral mutation and human transmissionand potentially creating another public health crisis akin to COVID-19.That said, his administration has taken some constructive steps. One example: RFK ordered the removal of a fake CDC website that featured misleading vaccine information.It remains unclear whether Kennedys stance on vaccines will evolve. But if he channels his longstanding call for increased transparency in vaccine development and safety data toward scientifically grounded reforms, he could earn back public trustparticularly among vaccine-hesitant Americans. The impact of his efforts will likely hinge on whether the researchers he has appointed to study vaccine safety pursue the issue with scientific integrity or with bias rooted in past skepticism.An Imperfect Leader At The Perfect TimePoliticians have tinkered around the edges of healthcare reform for decades, yet no one has made the bold moves needed to improve U.S. health outcomes or close the life expectancy gap with peer nations.Now, Kennedy has a rare chance to change that. By advancing proven strategies(a) reducing chronic disease through preventive and primary care, (b) tackling deaths of despair with tech-enabled treatments and (c) using science-based interventions to fight infectious diseasehe could narrow the gap and reestablish the U.S. as a global healthcare leader.But if he erodes public trust in health institutions, promotes unproven treatments or dismantles vaccine programs, preventable deaths will rise (especially among children) and life expectancy will decline even further.With his leadership team now in place at the FDA, CDC and CMS, Kennedy must choose a path. The health of millions hangs in the balance.

Asus has hinted at a collaboration with Xbox, leading to speculation about a potential new handheld gaming device. A teaser posted by Asus suggests that its ROG Ally lineup may be expanding with Xbox integration, fueling rumors of an official Xbox handheld.The teaser video, posted on the Republic of Gamers Twitter account, features the ROG robot mascot tinkering with some software and entering a machine, where an ROG Ally X console and an ROG Raikiri Pro Xbox controller accidentally slip in before the machine closes. This seemingly merges the two devices, and while the final product isnt fully revealed, it appears to be an Asus ROG Ally-style handheld with diagonally positioned LED-lit analog sticks. Recommended VideosNotably, the official Xbox Twitter account responded to Asus teaser with the awkward look monkey puppet meme. Since Xbox reacted rather quickly after Asus tweet, it is safe to believe the exchange was a coordinated effort, hinting at a planned collaboration.The ROG Ally, Asus handheld gaming console, runs Windows and supports Xbox Game Pass, allowing users to play Xbox titles on the go. A deeper integration with Xbox could mean better software optimization, exclusive features, or even a dedicated Xbox handheld built with Asus hardware. Given Microsofts recent push for cloud gaming and Game Pass expansion, a handheld device designed for Xbox gaming could be a logical next step. Rumors of an Xbox handheld have circulated for years, but Microsoft has yet to release a dedicated portable console. Instead, it has focused on cloud gaming and expanding Xbox services across multiple platforms. A partnership with Asus could allow Microsoft to enter the handheld market without developing its own hardware from scratch.Some speculate that this collaboration may lead to an updated ROG Ally with Xbox-specific features, such as a custom UI, pre-installed Xbox services, or enhanced compatibility with Microsofts ecosystem. Others believe it could be an entirely new device aimed at cloud gaming or local Xbox game streaming.Neither Asus nor Microsoft have revealed concrete details about the partnership, but with the teaser already generating buzz, an official announcement may be on the horizon. Whether its a software-focused collaboration or a full-fledged Xbox handheld remains to be seen, but the prospect of a portable Xbox gaming experience is sure to interest gamers looking for more ways to play on the go.Editors Recommendations

OpenAI is set to be the next open-source AI brand as CEO Sam Altman confirmed on X on Monday that the company will soon release an open-weight model that users will be able to run independently.We are excited to release a powerful new open-weight language model with reasoning in the coming months, Altman said on a post on X.Sam Altmam/XThe company is making this move to keep in step with the Chinese company DeepSeek, which took the AI industry by storm in January with its R1 reasoning model. Similarly, Metas Llama models have garnered attention among developer communities, Wired noted.Recommended VideosAltmans announcement also follows a Reddit AMA in February where he stated that OpenAI was on the wrong side of history and that the company needed to reconfigure its open-source strategy. He further detailed in his X post that the open-weight model has been a long thought-out project for OpenAI, and now it feels important to do.Additionally, during the prior AMA session, OpenAIs chief product officer, Kevin Weil said there was potential for the company to make its older, less cutting-edge models open-source. He didnt have any specifics about which models could be used for an open source project. There is also the potential that OpenAI created a unique model to show its ability to train AI quickly and cheaply, similar to DeepSeek, Wired noted.Altman also shared a link for developers to sign up and gain early access to the model, noting that those who sign up will have opportunities to attend events hosted by OpenAI and to get other early prototypes of the new model.As we learn more about many AI models, it has become more evident that they are not 100% open source. While the code may be available on repositories, various training data and company details are concealed.This evokes the title open-weight for the AI models, instead of open-source, which is being used by DeepSeek, Meta, and now OpenAI. Editors Recommendations

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Occupy Wall Street, Notorious RBG, cottagecore. These and several other lasting internet trends and IRL movements of the 2010s were born not on Twitter, on Facebook, or in the mainstream media but on Tumblr. You might remember it as the blogging platform that became one of the most hyped startups in the world before fading into obsolescence bought by Yahoo for $1.1 billion in 2013 (back when a billion still felt like a billion), then acquired by Verizon, and later offloaded for fractions of pennies on the dollar in a distressed sale. That same Tumblr, a relic of many millennials' formative years, has been having a moment among Gen Z.Zoomers have gravitated toward the pseudonymous platform, viewing it as a safe space as the rest of the social internet has become increasingly commodified, polarized, and dominated by lifestyle influencers. As in its heyday, Tumblr is still more about sharing art, culture, and fandom than individual status. More posts about anime and punk rock than bridal trends and politics. In 2025, 50% of Tumblr's active monthly users are Gen Zers, as are 60% of new users signing up, according to data Tumblr shared with Business Insider. And several of Zoomers' icons, from the "Fault in Our Stars" author John Green to the pop superstar Halsey, have come back to the platform."Gen Z has this romanticism of the early-2000s internet," says Amanda Brennan, an internet librarian who worked at Tumblr for seven years, leaving her role as head of content in 2021. She still uses her own Tumblr regularly as the internet's resident meme librarian. "It allows for experimentation that's not tied to your face."Part of the reason young people are hanging out on old social platforms is that there's nowhere new to go. The tech industry is evolving at a slower pace than it was in the 2000s, and there's less room for disruption. Big Tech has a stranglehold on how we socialize. That leaves Gen Z to pick up the scraps left by the early online millennials and attempt to craft them into something relevant. They love Pinterest (founded in 2010) and Snapchat (2011), and they're trying out digital point-and-shoot cameras and flip phones for an early-2000s aesthetic and learning the valuable lesson that sometimes we look better when blurrier. More Gen Zers and millennials are signing up for Yahoo. Napster, surprising many people with its continued existence, just sold for $207 million. The trend is fueled by nostalgia for Y2K aesthetics and a longing for a time when people could make mistakes on the internet and move past them.The pandemic also brought more Gen Z users to Tumblr. The blogging site was an online oasis in the barrage of horrifying news and conspiracy theories, thanks to its acute focus on art and pop culture. And when other platforms take hits, Tumblr benefits: User numbers spiked to coincide with the near-banning of TikTok in January and the temporary ban of X in Brazil last year. Tumblr seems to be a refuge for people searching for new social sites. In January, people launched communities on Tumblr to post and preserve their favorite TikTok videos. Meanwhile, progressives mad at Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk for going full MAGA and are ditching Facebook and X as punishment.Tumblr's "blessing for it as a user is a curse for it as a business," says Amanda Brennan, Tumblr's former head of content. "Our menu has been full. There's been no more space to add something else," says Andrew Roth, the 26-year-old founder and CEO of the Gen Z-focused research and consulting firm DCDX. In a poll of more than 600 Zoomers that DCDX conducted in 2024, two-thirds of respondents said they wanted their social media presence to become more private. Tumblr might be just what many young people are looking for. "Now the time feels more ripe for that to happen for Tumblr, even if Tumblr is doing the same thing or staying in the same spot."Ari Levine, the head of brand partnerships at Tumblr, tells me the platform is both "more peaceful" and more resolutely itself than its competitors. While Meta runs around aping its competitors' features (reels from TikTok, stories from Snapchat), it hasn't been able to mimic what Tumblr does (though Meta, then called Facebook, was in talks to buy Tumblr before Yahoo did). "How many times am I in an app and I no longer know what app I'm in?" Levine says.And Tumblr still works much like an older internet, where people have more control over what they see and rely less on algorithms. "You curate your own stuff; it takes a little bit of work to put everything in place, but when it's working, you see the content you want to see," Fjodor Everaerts, a 26-year-old in Belgium who has made some 250,000 posts since he joined Tumblr when he was 14. He says he sees his blog as a "flow of consciousness" and a "diary," one that's mostly made up of reblogging things he finds interesting rather than original posts. In a way, that's a core part of what Tumblr has always done: It's far more focused on fandom and art than it is around single blogs becoming cults of personality.Being an iconic and beloved cultural corner doesn't always lead to cash flows, however, and the site has had a troubled decade. Yahoo bought Tumblr when Tumblr was one of the world's fastest-growing social networks, and it promised not to "screw it up." But Tumblr's embedded anti-advertising and anti-influencer stances had driven a wedge between the site and monetization. The pseudonymous nature of Tumblr was a direct opposition to Facebook's insistence on users using their real names and faces, and the free-flowing adult content on the site scared advertisers off. Yahoo got left behind in the mobile revolution, and Tumblr, too, suffered, with Verizon scooping up both at discount. In 2018, Tumblr notoriously banned porn and pissed off users, which led 30% of them to quit. The next year, Verizon offloaded Tumblr to WordPress' owner, Automattic, for $3 million, 0.3% of what Yahoo had paid for it. Related stories Under Automattic, Tumblr is finally in the home that serves it, Levine says. "We've had ups and downs along the way, but we're in the most interesting position and place that we've been in 18 years," he says. The site is trying to keep what its users love while unveiling features that do rival some of its competitors'. It's a shift after years of staying distinctly itself. In December, Tumblr launched its Communities feature, a sort of Facebook Groups meets subreddits in which people can join groups based on specific interests, like making art of "silly bugs" or emo kids from the Midwest. In January, Tumblr also launched a TikTok competitor called Tumblr TV, which works like a search engine for GIFs and supports videos. And following media companies (including BI) and social platforms like Reddit, Automattic in 2024 was making a deal with OpenAI and Midjourney to allow the systems to train on Tumblr posts.How do we actually monetize people's intentions on social media versus the attention of them being around? Andrew Roth, founder and CEO of the consulting firm DCDX But Tumblr is the 10th-most-popular social media site in the US, dwarfed by Facebook, Instagram, and X, according to data from the analytics firm Similarweb. (Tumblr declined to provide total user numbers to BI, but Levine says it has seen steady growth.) Its users see that as a pro rather than a con; it's more exclusive and intentional. But its history of extreme waves in valuation and struggles to make money may dictate its fate more than those who blog there. "I want Tumblr to flourish," Brennan says. "I want it to exist forever. I want to use it forever. I think that it is one of the most beautiful spaces on the internet for someone to figure out who they are." But some of Tumblr's model is a "blessing for it as a user is a curse for it as a business."The platform could benefit if it capitalized on the "shift from attention to intention," Roth tells me. "How do we actually monetize people's intentions on social media versus the attention of them being around?" That would mean a focus on "people's desires" and how to "help them reach them." Tumblr recently put out a lengthy report for marketers trying to reach Gen Z, advising them to engage with communities around their brands and to search for relevant interest among users over the reach of mainstream influencers. Levine tells me that when Automattic acquired Tumblr, it was a chance for the company to take "stock of where we are" and "reintroduce ourselves" to users and "brands and advertisers who help us pay the bills."Tumblr loyalists tell me they haven't spent much time with the new features they like the site the way it is. TJ Smith, a 25-year-old from Texas, says it provided a safe haven for them when they were 13. Diagnosed as autistic at 11, Smith found Tumblr an easier place to connect with and talk about their favorite fandoms, like the Percy Jackson series. Eventually, it helped them work through their sexuality and gender identity (they identify as pansexual and gender fluid). "Tumblr was the first place where I saw those terms being used," Smith tells me.Most Tumblr blogs aren't about the people who make them, yet they're deeply personal places. Under their pseudonyms and art, people find communities and explore identities without scrutiny from IRL friends and family. Ashmita Shanthakumar, a 25-year-old from Utah who has been on Tumblr since 2013, sees it as "anti-social media," she tells me, and has used it to connect with people who like the same CW superhero shows as she did. She can focus on how the shows make her feel rather than personal updates on Facebook, which can feel comparative.The social internet is fractured. Millennials are running Reddit. Gen Xers and Baby Boomers have a home on Facebook. Bluesky, one of the new X alternatives, has a tangible elder-millennial/Gen X vibe. Gen Zers have created social apps like BeReal and the Myspace-inspired Noplace, but they've so far generated more hype than influence. People of different ages migrate in numbers to various platforms and seize them, creating the vibes and culture there. Platforms lean more left or right politically. And while some (mostly on the right) have cried "echo chamber" with derision, there are benefits to carving out smaller communities with like-minded people to see and talk about the things you like. Megaplatforms can flatten our online experiences and reward content that fits a mold; smaller communities can enrich them.I recently unearthed the Tumblr blog I made in high school (don't go looking I deleted it and my teenage musings immediately). When I scrolled through Tumblr for the first time in at least a decade, I realized it still had something that no other social network did: the sense of timelessness. I saw a post of a simple, soothing color gradient followed by a recent reblog of a GIF posted in 2020 but taken from the 2002 original "Spider-Man" movie. There's still little video on the feed, and it's more of a silent, visual retreat, with cuts of movie scenes overlaid with dialogue on a loop. When I open TikTok and Instagram, I'm bombarded by filtered faces and music, or someone yelling into the camera to sell me a pair of magnetic eyelashes every few videos. Tumblr was the place I went in 2011 to see and reblog flash photography and '90s movie GIFs, so it's no surprise that it's no longer a place where decades of images are juxtaposed together, but one that has itself become a piece of nostalgia for a simpler time online. Unlike some of its 2000s peers, Tumblr doesn't need to fight to get its cool back, but it does have to find ways to keep its cool and move forward.Amanda Hoover is a senior correspondent at Business Insider covering the tech industry. She writes about the biggest tech companies and trends. Thanks for signing up! Look out for your first newsletter with today's big story in your inbox soon.Thanks for signing up! 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