Tucked away backstage at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort in Orlando, Florida, is a glass pulverizer that's crushing up to 2,000 pounds an hour, turning recycled bottles into a sand-like material that's being used elsewhere across properties.

Apple has removed 'Available Now' from its Apple Intelligence webpage, after the BBB's National Advertising Division recommended the removal.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the tariff issue on his company's earnings call on Tuesday, making it clear that President Trump is calling the shots.

Here, he discusses it with Tested’s Adam Savage and how it was used for shooting the Onyx Cinder for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. The post I mean, is there anything cooler that ILM’s John Knoll discussing how he built a motion control system? appeared first on befores & afters.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. With the U.S. government reducing and, in some cases even freezing federal funding, many nonprofits will need to seek other sources of philanthropic support.   According to the 2024 Giving USA Report, corporate charitable giving in the U.S. totaled $36.6 billion in 2023, making it the fastest-growing nonprofit revenue source over the past five years. But less quantifiable is the value many corporate funders provide in addition to financial support. Most corporate philanthropies are not interested in merely signing a check or attaching their logo to an event. Instead, they are looking for ways to strategically collaborate with organizations and the communities they serve through time, talent, and treasure.  The 3T’s: Time, talent, and treasure  Companies want to make a difference in the places where their employees and key stakeholders live, work, and play. One of the greatest corporate resources that the country’s 1.8 million nonprofits can tap into is time, especially through skills—and service-based volunteer opportunities for companies’ employees. A 2023 global study conducted for Ares Management by Edge Research found that employees who volunteer through their workplace are twice as likely to recommend their organization to job seekers than those who don’t volunteer.   In addition, do not overlook the ways your nonprofit can benefit by leveraging those employees’ talents. Nonprofits can request pro bono support in the form of guidance and counsel from employees who are subject matter experts and will find that employees are generally more than willing to share their skills at no cost.   Of course, it is critical for nonprofits to pair the benefits of time and talent with treasure, i.e., the funds needed to help them increase their reach and impact. But building connections by first seeking employees’ time and talent can actually strengthen grant applications and unlock corporate fiscal support because there’s already corporate buy-in.  5 ways to unlock corporate support  Here are five ideas to increase the likelihood that corporate philanthropies will collaborate with and fund your nonprofit.  1. Align with the corporate mission  Understand the funder’s giving priorities, funding cycles, and core values. Make sure you can answer these questions:  Does your nonprofit share a similar mission, vision, and strategic objectives?   What other nonprofits has the company previously supported?  Was the company’s support in the form of time, talent, treasure, or some combination of these?  2. Make a connection  Introduce yourself to the corporate giving or philanthropy officer by sending a quick email or LinkedIn message. Share information about your organization and how it aligns with the company’s philanthropic priorities and values. Include two potential ways you could collaborate, but do not send a proposal until you have had a chance to learn more about the company and are certain there is alignment.  3. Build partnership  Before asking for funding, establish a relationship with the company. One method with proven success is connecting through a project that allows the company’s employees to identify with your nonprofit’s mission through volunteerism. The more you can communicate the importance of your organization’s work to a potential corporate funder’s employees and engage them, the greater the opportunity for you to make the case for grant support or sponsorship.  4. Be clear, concise, cogent, and compelling  Be clear about the type of support you are seeking and be able to talk about the potential geographic and demographic reach of what you’re proposing for support. Share your past accomplishments and proven impact, and be very clear about the societal challenge you are seeking to solve with the requested funding. Keep in mind that proposals that introduce new approaches to solving long-term problems are often favored.  5. Engage in storytelling  Describe what success will look like and explain how you will communicate that success to the world. Showcase the story you will tell about your nonprofit’s achievements and how your funder played a role in that success.   As we head into a sustained period of change, keep in mind that corporate philanthropies are looking to partner with organizations that address societal challenges and bring meaningful benefits to their local communities where they do business. When nonprofits bring partnership opportunities that demonstrate a deep sense of purpose and compelling vision, they can unlock a treasure chest of benefits.   Michelle Armstrong is president of the Ares Charitable Foundation.

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Late for a meeting across town, you check a map app for the fastest route, toggle to the city’s transit site for schedules, and work out options for traveling the “last mile” from the train station to your destination. You think through the logistics—metro card, e-tickets, scanning app, method of payment—for each leg of the trip. Then you open a ride-hailing app as backup.  MaaS: Cities slicker  It’s a fragmented, frustrating experience, which has prompted an innovative response. Mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) integrates various modes of transportation into a single, seamless platform—usually an app or website. In some cities it’s already a reality. Platforms like Jelbi in Berlin, or Floya in Brussels are prime examples of MaaS in action, and similar schemes have been established in cities as far apart as Sydney, Bangalore, Abu Dhabi, and Denver. By aggregating data across different transport services, MaaS apps offer users a unified platform to plan, book, and pay for travel while also providing cities and businesses with critical insights into mobility patterns. At their best, they give users greater flexibility, streamline costs, and mitigate traffic congestion and carbon emissions by reducing the need for car trips.   They’re not without their challenges. One of the first MaaS apps, Helsinki’s Whim, folded last year because of problems with its subscription model. MaaS adoption is often impeded by technical, operational, regulatory, and human challenges, too. These include issues around data integration and standardization, API and platform compatibility, competition between service providers, and poor user experiences coupled with slow shifts in user behavior. The direction of travel is clear, though: Urban mobility is getting an upgrade through innovations which prioritize seamlessness and enhance interoperability.  Journey to enlightenment  The potential of MaaS extends beyond convenience. The real power lies in the insights generated by millions of journeys. These insights are turbocharged by the application of AI to the underlying data, helping cities to optimize transit routes, reduce inefficiencies, and guide infrastructure investments. They also enable businesses to analyze commuting trends, predict workforce needs, and enhance sustainability efforts by measuring and managing their carbon footprints.  Over the past decade, integrated transit payment systems have encouraged the use of sustainable public transport worldwide by allowing commuters to seamlessly switch between buses, subways, and trains with a single payment method. That breakthrough in convenience helped drive multimodal transit adoption in cities from London to Tokyo. MaaS builds on that foundation, expanding the model through digital mobility wallets and app-based platforms that link public and private transportation in a fluid transit experience.  Through advanced data analytics and AI, for example, MaaS providers can forecast demand surges, adapt dynamic pricing in real-time, and facilitate predictive maintenance for public transportation fleets. By standardizing and sharing mobility data across operators, cities could reduce bottlenecks, enhance safety, and create more user-centric urban transportation policies.  Tokenization: A ticket to ride  Tokenization is a proven way to secure and streamline payments. It replaces sensitive payment card details with a unique, randomly generated code—the token—to protect the actual cardholder information during transactions.  This is what happens when you tap your phone to pay, for example. By assigning digital tokens to mobility services and transactions, MaaS platforms can create more secure, flexible, and interoperable experiences.   Tokenization could enable:  Seamless multi-modal payments: Users could store a universal mobility token in their digital wallet, allowing them to switch between transit options effortlessly.  Personalized mobility subscriptions: Employers and cities could offer customized MaaS packages tailored to individual commuting habits, reducing reliance on private vehicles.  Enhanced security and privacy: Tokenized transactions would minimize the need for sharing sensitive payment details across multiple platforms, addressing concerns around data protection.  If integrated effectively, tokenization could accelerate MaaS adoption by improving user trust, simplifying transactions, and unlocking new business models for transportation providers. No more juggling four apps just to get to work—one token, one tap, every route.  The road ahead  The trajectory of MaaS adoption will be shaped by how well data is harnessed—both to enhance user experience and to drive public and private sector innovation. Advances in AI-driven analytics, new tokenization use cases, and real-time data sharing could unlock the full potential of MaaS—making mobility smarter, more efficient, and more adaptable to future urban challenges.  By embracing the power of data and emerging technologies, MaaS could fulfill its potential as a transformative force in urban mobility.  Ken Moore is the chief innovation officer at Mastercard.  

Night falls over Shanghai, yet a glossy monovolume still glows on the show floor. That glow is intentional. Mercedes-Benz has expanded its design language into a fresh segment with the Vision V concept, an electric lounge on wheels that straddles the line between limousine and multipurpose vehicle, while steering clear of every cliché. The study rides on the upcoming Van Electric Architecture, but it is the sculpted bodywork, kinetic lighting, and lavish cabin that steal first impressions. Inside, a retractable cinema screen and forty‑two speaker Dolby Atmos array hint at evenings parked beside the Huangpu River with movies filling the glass. Vision V courts families, executives, and weekend gamers in equal measure, proving size can serve serenity when the layout feels art‑directed rather than arranged. Designer: Karsten Riis Jensen Design boss Karsten Riis Jensen describes the show car as a “space of clarity.” His phrase tracks. From the polished aluminum seat bases to the burr‑wood display cabinets, every surface reads like a chapter in a well‑edited magazine. There is no disconnect between the cockpit and the rear lounge; instead, a deliberate gradient exists from driver focus to passenger indulgence. The result looks nothing like the heritage G‑Class, yet the three‑pointed star still guides attention in the dark. Sculptural exterior Mercedes-Benz Vision V Vision V stands noticeably lower than most vans, and that hunkered stance begins with the short front overhang where twin power domes reference past Mercedes sports cars while directing airflow over the windshield. A narrow waist runs the length of the body before tapering into a rounded tail, creating one gentle S‑curve that feels more yacht than shuttle. The sides remain mostly unbroken, so reflections of city lights track along the paint without visual noise. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Chrome window surrounds and polished B-pillar edges add a touch of elegance without slipping into ostentation. Hidden door handles keep the sheet metal uninterrupted, and a single “portal” door on the passenger side slides wide with a powered running board that illuminates the ground for a graceful entry. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Mercedes-Benz Vision V Up front, three horizontal glass louvres glow inside a chrome grille surround. Nearly 200 additional LED-filled louvres frame the opening. When the keyholder approaches, those louvres ripple outward in a choreographed light show before the bonnet star bursts to full brightness. Function follows the theater because each lower strip doubles as an animated indicator during cornering. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Twenty‑four‑inch wheels continue the motif. Each rim features translucent inserts that pulse in sync with the grille sequence and then settle into a steady pattern once underway. Cooling slots are machined behind the inserts, so airflow still feeds the brakes even while the spokes appear sealed. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Mercedes paints the concept in Anthracite Alubeam, a liquid‑metal hue that skews deep graphite when parked inside yet throws silver flake outside at noon. This finish allows the ring of LED louvres surrounding the rear glass—four hundred fifty in total—to glow like a continuous horizon line after sunset. Those louvres act as tail and brake lamps, making conventional housings unnecessary and leaving the back window completely clean except for the central star. Mercedes-Benz Vision V The roof hides photovoltaic panels beneath tinted glass. Designers declined to quote power figures, hinting only that the cells top up auxiliary batteries when the cinema screen and projectors run with the van parked. Aerodynamics sit high on the brief because the upcoming VAN.EA platform targets long-range. Underbody trays, flush glazing, and that tapering roofline combine for an impressive drag figure, although exact numbers remain confidential. What matters is that the silhouette presents calm confidence rather than slippery compromise. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Private lounge interior Mercedes-Benz Vision V Cross the running board, and the floor feels almost residential—wide planks split by narrow glass fins that turn opaque or transparent on demand. Through those fins, a 65-inch 4K cinema display rises once the doors are sealed. Two passengers now face a screen large enough to block their view of the cockpit, an intentional partition that sets the tone for what Mercedes calls the Private Lounge. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Seating resembles mid-century daybeds updated for the modern era. Tubular cushions form each backrest and leg rest, cinched by bright aluminum loops. The modules recline into a flat position, creating an impromptu bed without awkward joints. Massage, heating, and full ergonomic adjustment arrive via capacitive switches tucked into polished armrest inlays. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Materials walk a fine line between craft and technology. Crystal‑white Nappa leather meets shimmering silk within one stitch line. Open‑pore burr wood frames the side walls, interrupted only by glass display cabinets that store handbags or sunglasses and, on one shelf, a racing‑game controller ready for the Gaming mode on the main screen. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Audio designers hid forty-two loudspeakers around the cabin, including exciters beneath the seat leather, so bass tracks ripple across the shoulders. Round glass housings cantilever from the side panels like art pieces, revealing the drivers within. Seven projectors are mounted on the ceiling and floor, turning side windows into digital extensions of the main display for a 360‑degree scene, whether streaming a film or visualizing navigation. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Mercedes-Benz Vision V Mercedes layers seven experiential modes across this hardware. Entertainment handles cinema nights while Relax paints slow landscapes across the glass. Work shifts the screen into a wide desktop with calendars and video calls. Shopping conjures virtual storefronts. Discovery overlays augmented reality onto real surroundings. Gaming taps that controller for racing sessions. And Karaoke turns the lounge into a rolling stage for weekend road trips. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Fragrance also plays its part. A milled aluminum capsule behind the center console releases a cultured scent, timed to coincide with ambient lighting that fades from cool blue to warm amber as the tracks change. The center console itself can glide fore and aft with seat movement. Press once on the leather-wrapped touchpad, and the top flips open to reveal a real chessboard in dark walnut inlay —a nod to slow travel, even in a high-tech environment. Digital cockpit and VAN.EA tech Those riding up front face the Superscreen, a trio of displays joined behind a single pane of glass that stretches pillar to pillar. Real-time graphics match navigation data with driver-assist sensors, so the map shows actual traffic swirling around the van instead of abstract icons. The steering wheel rim skips flat tops and bottoms for a perfectly circular shape trimmed in white leather, proving that touch controls and tradition can share one surface. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Under the skin sits VAN.EA. The scalable electric platform is expected to arrive in production form by 2026 and promises multiple body styles. However, the Vision V previews the top tier, where battery packaging stretches the wheelbase length to maximize cabin space, before assessing cargo capacity. Modular packs will allow buyers to choose range targets, and the architecture is engineered for high‑speed charging, compatible with. Closing thoughts Vision V surfaces at a moment when electric luxury often leans toward SUV machismo. Mercedes‑Benz instead revisits the idea of a social foyer on wheels, wrapping it in quiet aerodynamics and saturating it with digital possibility. If the production model retains half the lighting drama and all of the seating innovation, long‑distance travel could soon feel closer to a boutique hotel suite than a shuttle. Mercedes-Benz Vision V Families might use the 65‑inch screen for animated movies, executives might parse spreadsheets in Work mode, and teenagers will undoubtedly call dibs on Karaoke during late‑night drives. Regardless of the scenario, the concept suggests that the future Mercedes van will view time on the road as time reclaimed rather than lost. Mercedes-Benz Vision VThe post Mercedes‑Benz Vision V previews an electric lounge limo with a 65‑inch cinema screen first appeared on Yanko Design.

Nestled within a residential district of Guangzhou, Wired Scape is not just a playground, it’s an immersive, sculptural landscape that redefines how urban public space can engage people of all ages. Designed by Shanghai-based firm 100architects, this vibrant playscape merges architectural expression with abstract interpretations of natural elements, transforming a formerly ordinary space into a dynamic, interactive environment. The design of Wired Scape draws from two powerful themes in nature: the forest and flowing water. These elements are reimagined through bold, geometric forms and vivid surface treatments, creating a space that is both aesthetic and functional. At the center of the design stand four striking vertical structures, inspired by trees. These towers are composed of spiraling steel pipes, forming canopies overhead while serving as climbing structures for adventurous users. Suspended bridges stretch between these “trees,” enabling movement across varying elevations and adding an element of excitement to the playscape. Designer: 100architects The ground plane is equally engaging. A network of multicolored, curved lines flows across the surface like a river, defining different zones for play, circulation, and relaxation. These vibrant patterns give the space a sense of motion and continuity, encouraging visitors to explore organically. The use of curved geometries enhances the fluid experience of the site, creating a seamless journey through play platforms, seating zones, and open plazas. At the heart of the landscape, a recessed central plaza offers a flexible, shaded space for gatherings, performances, or informal rest. Surrounded by the spiraling trees, it becomes a natural focal point, drawing in people for both activity and relaxation. This integration of open space reflects 100architects’ vision of Wired Scape as a multi-generational environment, where users of different ages can coexist, interact, and engage with the space in their own way. Play equipment is thoughtfully distributed throughout the site to support a range of physical and cognitive activities. From swings, slides, and climbing nets to seesaws, a round ping-pong table, and a merry-go-round, every element is designed to encourage active engagement. For caregivers and older users, strategically placed benches and shaded seating areas allow for passive supervision, rest, and social interaction. The layout fosters inclusive, intergenerational use, promoting community interaction in an accessible and safe setting. Material choice plays a vital role in the site’s durability and expression. Steel piping forms the primary sculptural language, ensuring structural integrity while providing a bold visual identity. The resilient surfacing not only protects users but also helps bring the colorful patterns to life. Lighting is embedded throughout the playscape, illuminating paths and highlighting structures after dark. At night, Wired Scape transforms into a glowing forest of color and form, extending its usability and enhancing its presence within the urban fabric. The post This Guangzhou Playground is an Urban Jungle where Artful Play meets Nature-Inspired Design first appeared on Yanko Design.

One costly and time-consuming step in constructing a concrete building is creating the “formwork,” the wooden mold into which the concrete is poured. Now MIT researchers have developed a way to replace the wood with lightly treated mud. “What we’ve demonstrated is that we can essentially take the ground we’re standing on, or waste soil from a construction site, and transform it into accurate, highly complex, and flexible formwork for customized concrete structures,” says Sandy Curth, a PhD student in MIT’s Department of Architecture, who has helped spearhead the project. The EarthWorks method, as it’s known, introduces some additives, such as straw, and a waxlike coating to the soil material. Then it’s 3D-printed into a custom-designed shape. “We found a way to make formwork that is infinitely recyclable,” Curth says. “It’s just dirt.” A particular advantage of the technique is that the material’s flexibility makes it easier to create unique shapes optimized so that the resulting buildings use no more concrete than structurally necessary. This can significantly reduce the carbon emissions associated with concrete construction. “What’s cool here is we’re able to make shape-optimized building elements for the same amount of time and energy it would take to make rectilinear building elements,” says Curth, who recently coauthored a paper on the work with MIT professors Lawrence Sass, SM ’94, PhD ’00; Caitlin Mueller ’07, SM ’14, PhD ’14; and others. He has also founded a firm, Forma Systems, through which he hopes to take EarthWorks into the construction industry.

In 2018 astronomers at MIT and elsewhere observed previously unseen behavior from a black hole known as 1ES 1927+654, which is about as massive as a million suns and sits in a galaxy 270 million light-years away. Its corona—a cloud of whirling, white-hot plasma—suddenly disappeared before reassembling months later.  Now members of the team have caught the same object exhibiting another strange pattern: Flashes of x-rays are coming from it at a steadily increasing clip. By looking through observations of the black hole taken by the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton, a space-based observatory that detects and measures x-ray emissions from extreme cosmic sources, they found that the flashes increased from every 18 minutes to every seven minutes over a two-year period.  One possible explanation is that the corona is oscillating. But the researchers believe the most likely culprit is a spinning white dwarf—an extremely compact core of a dead star orbiting around the black hole and getting closer to its event horizon, the boundary beyond which nothing can escape its gravitational pull. Circling closer would mean moving faster, explaining the increasing frequency of x-ray oscillations.  If this is the case, the white dwarf could be coming right up to the black hole’s edge without falling in. “This would be the closest thing we know of around any black hole,” says Megan Masterson, a graduate student in physics at MIT, who reported the findings with associate professor Erin Kara and others.  If a white dwarf is at the root of the mysterious flashing, it can also be expected to give off gravitational waves, detectable by next-generation observatories such as ESA’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Its launch is currently planned for the mid-2030s. “The one thing I’ve learned with this source is to never stop looking at it, because it will probably teach us something new,” Masterson says. “The next step is just to keep our eyes open.