Looking at the old way of formatting Strings

For all the beginner Full-stack Developers, this one is for you

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Google DeepMind has a new way to look inside an AIs mind We dont know exactly how AI works, or why it works so well. Thats a problem: It could lead us to deploy an AI system in a highly sensitive field like medicine without understanding that it could have critical flaws embedded in its workings. A team at Google DeepMind that studies something called mechanistic interpretability has been working on new ways to let us peer under the hood. It recently released a tool to help researchers understand what is happening when AI is generating an output. Its all part of a push to get a better understanding of exactly what is happening inside an AI model. If we do, well be able to control its outputs more effectively, leading to better AI systems in the future. Read the full story. Scott J Mulligan Whats on the table at this years UN climate conference Talks kicked off this week at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Running for a couple of weeks each year, the global summit is the largest annual meeting on climate change. The issue on the table this time around: Countries need to agree to set a new goal on how much money should go to developing countries to help them finance the fight against climate change. Complicating things? A US president-elect whose approach to climate is very different from that of the current administration (understatement of the century). This is a big moment that could set the tone for what the next few years of the international climate world looks like. Heres what you need to know about COP29 and how Donald Trumps election is coloring things. Casey Crownhart This story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things energy and climate. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The FBI is investigating crypto predictions-betting platform Polymarket Its investigating whether the firm allowed US traders to bet on the election. (Bloomberg $)+ Doing so would have been a violation of an agreement with the US government. (NYT $)+ Polymarket claims to be a fully transparent prediction market. (WSJ $)2 OpenAI is calling for the US government to invest in AI Without financial support, the US could lose crucial ground to China, it warns. (WP $)+ The firm floated the idea of building a colossal data center. (The Information $) 3 AI-generated Elon Musk propaganda is rife on Facebook Pro-Musk inspiration porn is the content of choice for spammers. (404 Media)+ Trump is surrounding himself with terminally online edgelords. (The Atlantic $)4 The online right has a misogynistic new rallying cry Your body, my choice is being spread by young men seeking to provoke. (New Yorker $)+ The upcoming presidency could usher in an age of gendered regression. (The Guardian)5 Chinas human factory workers are under pressure Robots are creeping into every level of the manufacturing process. (FT $)+ Three reasons robots are about to become way more useful. (MIT Technology Review)Efforts to revitalize native facilities arent exactly going to plan. (6 The future of chipmaking in AmericaWired $)+ Whats next in chips. (MIT Technology Review)7 Blindbox live streaming is thrilling shoppers in ChinaYou never know what youre going to get. (NYT $) 8 What the glacial Earth may have looked like Around 700 million years ago, the entire planet was covered in ice. (Ars Technica)+ Life-seeking, ice-melting robots could punch through Europas icy shell. (MIT Technology Review)9 How to protect the worlds largest single coral colony The newly-discovered colony is the size of two basketball courts. (Vox)+ The race is on to save coral reefsby freezing them. (MIT Technology Review)10 These researchers have reinvented the wheel This morphing wheel can roll over obstacles up to 1.3 times the height of its radius. (Reuters) Quote of the day Shawty crunk, so fresh, so clean. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO-turned rapper, debuts a reworked version of 2002 rap hit Get Low in a tribute to his wife, the Wall Street Journal reports. The big story Marseilles battle against the surveillance state June 2022Across the world, video cameras have become an accepted feature of urban life. Many cities in China now have dense networks of them, and London and New Delhi arent far behind. Now France is playing catch-up. Concerns have been raised throughout the country. But the surveillance rollout has met special resistance in Marseille, Frances second-biggest city.Its unsurprising, perhaps, that activists are fighting back against the cameras, highlighting the surveillance systems overreach and underperformance. But are they succeeding? Read the full story.Fleur Macdonald We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet 'em at me.) + This years gurning championship winning mugshots do not disappoint.+ What does it mean to have personal style, exactly?+ Amsterdams unofficial police cat is absolutely adorable (and he lives on a boat!)+ Save the wormsthis writer certainly is.

This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Reviews weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. Its time for a partythe Conference of the Parties, that is. Talks kicked off this week at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Running for a couple of weeks each year, the global summit is the largest annual meeting on climate change. The issue on the table this time around: Countries need to agree to set a new goal on how much money should go to developing countries to help them finance the fight against climate change. Complicating things? A US president-elect whose approach to climate is very different from that of the current administration (understatement of the century). This is a big moment that could set the tone for what the next few years of the international climate world looks like. Heres what you need to know about COP29 and how Donald Trumps election is coloring things. The UN COP meetings are an annual chance for nearly 200 nations to get together to discuss (and hopefully act on) climate change. Greatest hits from the talks include the Paris Agreement, a 2015 global accord that set a goal to limit global warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F) above preindustrial levels. This year, the talks are in Azerbaijan, a petrostate if there ever was one. Oil and gas production makes up over 90% of the countrys export revenue and nearly half its GDP as of 2022. A perfectly ironic spot for a global climate summit! The biggest discussion this year centers on global climate financespecifically, how much of it is needed to help developing countries address climate change and adapt to changing conditions. The current goal, set in 2009, is for industrialized countries to provide $100 billion each year to developing nations. The deadline was 2020, and that target was actually met for the first time in 2022, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which keeps track of total finance via reports from contributing countries. Currently, most of that funding is in the form of public loans and grants. The thing is, that $100 billion number was somewhat arbitraryin Paris in 2015, countries agreed that a new, larger target should be set in 2025 to take into account how much countries actually need. Its looking as if the magic number is somewhere around $1 trillion each year. However, it remains to be seen how this goal will end up shaking out, because there are disagreements about basically every part of this. What should the final number be? What kind of money should countjust public funds, or private investments as well? Which nations should pay? How long will this target stand? What, exactly, would this money be going toward? Working out all those details is why nations are gathering right now. But one shadow looming over these negotiations is the impending return of Donald Trump. As I covered last week, Trumps election will almost certainly result in less progress on cutting emissions than we might have seen under a more climate-focused administration. But arguably an even bigger deal than domestic progress (or lack thereof) will be how Trump shifts the countrys climate position on the international stage. The US has emitted more carbon pollution into the atmosphere than any other country, it currently leads the world in per capita emissions, and its the worlds richest economy. If anybody should be a leader at the table in talks about climate finance, its the US. And yet, Trump is coming into power soon, and weve all seen this film before. Last time Trump was in office, he pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement. Hes made promises to do it againand could go one step further by backing out of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) altogether. If leaving the Paris Agreement is walking away from the table, withdrawing from the UNFCCC is like hopping on a rocket and blasting in a different direction. Its a more drastic action and could be tougher to reverse in the future, though experts also arent sure if Trump could technically do this on his own. The uncertainty of what happens next in the US is a cloud hanging over these negotiations. This is going to be harder because we don't have a dynamic and pushy and confident US helping us on climate action, said Camilla Born, an independent climate advisor and former UK senior official at COP26, during an online event last week hosted by Carbon Brief. Some experts are confident that others will step up to fill the gap. There are many drivers of climate action beyond the White House, said Mohamed Adow, founding director of Power Shift Africa, at the CarbonBrief event. If I could characterize the current vibe in the climate world, its uncertainty. But the negotiations over the next couple of weeks could provide clues to what we can expect for the next few years. Just how much will a Trump presidency slow global climate action? Will the European Union step up? Could this cement the rise of China as a climate leader? Well be watching it all. Now read the rest of The Spark Related reading In case you want some additional context from the last few years of these meetings, heres my coverage of last years fight at COP28 over a transition away from fossil fuels, and a newsletter about negotiations over the loss and damages fund at COP27. For the nitty-gritty details about whats on the table at COP29, check out this very thorough explainer from Carbon Brief. DAN THORNBERG/ADOBE STOCK Another thing Trumps election will have significant ripple effects across the economy and our lives. His victory is a tragic loss for climate progress, as my colleague James Temple wrote in an op-ed last week. Give it a read, if you havent already, to dig into some of the potential impacts we might see over the next four years and beyond. Keeping up with climate The US Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule to fine oil and gas companies for methane emissions. The fee was part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. (Associated Press) This rule faces a cloudy future under the Trump administration; industry groups are already talking about repealing it. (NPR)Speaking of the EPA, Donald Trump chose Lee Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, to lead the agency. Zeldin isnt particularly known for climate or economic policy. (New York Times) Oil giant BP is scaling back its early-stage hydrogen projects. The company revealed in an earnings report that its canceling 18 such projects and currently plans to greenlight between five and 10. (TechCrunch) Investors betting against renewable energy scored big last week, earning nearly $1.2 billion as stocks in that sector tumbled. (Financial Times) Lithium iron phosphate batteries are taking over the world, or at least electric vehicles. These lithium-ion batteries are cheaper and longer-lasting than their nickel-containing cousins, though they also tend to be heavier. (Canary Media) I wrote about this trend last year in a newsletter about batteries and their ingredients. (MIT Technology Review)The US unveiled plans to triple its nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Thats an additional 200 gigawatts worth of consistently available power. (Bloomberg) Five subsea cables that can help power millions of homes just got the green light in Great Britain. The projects will help connect the island to other power grids, as well as to offshore wind farms in Dutch and Belgian waters. (The Guardian)

Submitted by WA ContentsOODA unveils Ndarja, a pair of fragmented towers in the center of TiranaAlbania Architecture News - Nov 14, 2024 - 15:47 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Portuguese architecture firm OODA has unveiled design for a new high-rise that comprises a pair of "fragmented" volumes in the center of Tirana, Albania.Encompassing a total of 41,000-square-metre area, the project, called Ndarja, is located on Myslym Street in a central district of Tirana, where old and new converge.Image PlompOODA has created two similar, fragmented volumes aligned at their narrowest sides, which it describes as "an opportunity for a break."This fragmentation opens up a void that welcomes visitors into a squarea sanctuary for gatherings where individuals can escape the relentless pace of the city.Image PlompThe structure, which combines commercial, residential, hotel, and office space, is tailored to the constantly changing urban morphology. This area, which is surrounded by lush vegetation and has a reflective water surface for illumination, softens the structure's solidity and lets the architecture breathe.A fluid connection between the building and the street is encouraged by the "break" in the structure's volumes, which is accomplished by a rotating design.At its center is a transparent water mirror that connects the outside and inside by attracting natural light from below. This open space creates a pleasant microclimate for the neighborhood by combining the greenery from the square, the balcony gardens, and the surrounding streets. The square transforms into a genuine urban oasis rather than merely a corridor.Image PlompWhile the upper floors support a mixed-use program, the ground and first floors are occupied by commercial spaces that profit from the street's close proximity and visibility.Taking full advantage of the stunning city views, the volume facing Myslym Street offers a range of apartment types and a high-end hotel on the upper levels.Along with additional office space, the volume on Pitarka Street is devoted to apartments and has distinct lobbies for each use. With its earthy color scheme, the faade integrates the building into the overall visual coherence of the city.Image PlompPerforated metal sheets and brises-soleil control light and give residents privacy while reflecting the activity on the balconies back into the city, simulating the urban setting inside.Apartment Living RoomThe plants were carefully chosen for the building's interior, with species picked for their resistance to sunlight and wind. This promotes a harmonious integration of nature into the urban environment by guaranteeing the creation of healthy green spaces.Apartment Living RoomHotel RoomSketchFloor planFloor planMassing diagramProgramSketch - bringing green to the centerDigital modelOODA completed a student residence with colonnaded skin in the City of Porto, Portugal. In addition, the firm revealed design for dancing Bond Towers in Tirana, Albania.Project factsProject name:NdarjaArchitects:OODALocation:Tirana, AlbaniaDate:2024Size:41,000m2Status:LicensingLandscaping:P4Engineering:LAIIITop image in the article Plomp.All renderings Plomp unless otherwise stated.All drawings OODA.> via OODA

Submitted by WA ContentsOODA unveils Ndarja, a pair of fragmented towers in the center of TiranaAlbania Architecture News - Nov 14, 2024 - 15:47 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Portuguese architecture firm OODA has unveiled design for a new high-rise that comprises a pair of "fragmented" volumes in the center of Tirana, Albania.Encompassing a total of 41,000-square-metre area, the project, called Ndarja, is located on Myslym Street in a central district of Tirana, where old and new converge.Image PlompOODA has created two similar, fragmented volumes aligned at their narrowest sides, which it describes as "an opportunity for a break."This fragmentation opens up a void that welcomes visitors into a squarea sanctuary for gatherings where individuals can escape the relentless pace of the city.Image PlompThe structure, which combines commercial, residential, hotel, and office space, is tailored to the constantly changing urban morphology. This area, which is surrounded by lush vegetation and has a reflective water surface for illumination, softens the structure's solidity and lets the architecture breathe.A fluid connection between the building and the street is encouraged by the "break" in the structure's volumes, which is accomplished by a rotating design.At its center is a transparent water mirror that connects the outside and inside by attracting natural light from below. This open space creates a pleasant microclimate for the neighborhood by combining the greenery from the square, the balcony gardens, and the surrounding streets. The square transforms into a genuine urban oasis rather than merely a corridor.Image PlompWhile the upper floors support a mixed-use program, the ground and first floors are occupied by commercial spaces that profit from the street's close proximity and visibility.Taking full advantage of the stunning city views, the volume facing Myslym Street offers a range of apartment types and a high-end hotel on the upper levels.Along with additional office space, the volume on Pitarka Street is devoted to apartments and has distinct lobbies for each use. With its earthy color scheme, the faade integrates the building into the overall visual coherence of the city.Image PlompPerforated metal sheets and brises-soleil control light and give residents privacy while reflecting the activity on the balconies back into the city, simulating the urban setting inside.Apartment Living RoomThe plants were carefully chosen for the building's interior, with species picked for their resistance to sunlight and wind. This promotes a harmonious integration of nature into the urban environment by guaranteeing the creation of healthy green spaces.Apartment Living RoomHotel RoomSketchFloor planFloor planMassing diagramProgramSketch - bringing green to the centerDigital modelOODA completed a student residence with colonnaded skin in the City of Porto, Portugal. In addition, the firm revealed design for dancing Bond Towers in Tirana, Albania.Project factsProject name:NdarjaArchitects:OODALocation:Tirana, AlbaniaDate:2024Size:41,000m2Status:LicensingLandscaping:P4Engineering:LAIIITop image in the article Plomp.All renderings Plomp unless otherwise stated.All drawings OODA.> via OODA

Winning design for Bertalia-Lazzaretto Ecodistrict focuses on sustainability and community integrationSource: a-factSource: a-fact1/3show captionA design team led by ATI Project, in collaboration with A-fact Architecture Factory, Weber Architects and Parcnouveau, has won an international competition to create a sustainable social housing district in Bologna.The proposal, commissioned by the Municipality of Bologna, aims to foster a resilient urban ecosystem in the citysBertalia-Lazzaretto neighbourhood.The 6,200sq m project prioritises landscape enhancement and sustainable mobility, with the design centred on connecting green spaces like Reno Park and the Ghisiliera Canal to surrounding areas.MasterplanSource: a-factFront elevationSource: a-factBioclimatic SectionSource: a-fact1/3show captionAccording to the design team, the new layout will support public space and foster social interactions, aiming to revitalise the community through shared courtyards and communal green areas.The schemes core feature, a north-south greenway along the Ghisiliera Canal, is intended to support sustainable transport options, linking local neighbourhoods to Bolognas city centre within a 15-minute walk.According to Giovanni Sanna, founding partner of A-fact Architecture Factory, the design seeks to respond to housing demand while integrating the development in the existing landscape and architectural context of Bologna.Rooftop terraces and communal greenhouses are incorporated to allow for urban agriculture and climate adaptation measures, with bioclimatic principles guiding the layout to maximise daylight and natural ventilation.

Brisbane-based firm appoints former Neom project lead to run UK baseWahat al Karama memorial park was designed in collaboration with Idris Khan and AecomAustralian practice Bureau Proberts has opened an office in London as it seeks to expand its global reach.The Brisbane-based firm was founded in 1990 by Liam Proberts and works mostly in Australia and the Middle East.Its most significant projects include work at the Trojena ski resort, part of the controversial Neom mega project in north western Saudi Arabia.New London office lead Monika Laudencka-Sobik was a former project lead at NeomThe practices London office will be led by Monika Laudencka-Sobik, who was previously project director for the firms work at Neom.She said Bureau Proberts said the office would provide a base for a growing portfolio of global projects.Im thrilled to lead Bureau Proberts European operations into their next phase. London is a global city and a launch pad to the rest of the world. Its a hub for talent and creative collaboration.Theres an exciting future ahead for Bureau Proberts and our international clients.Other schemes the practice has worked on include the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, and Wahat al Karama, an art installation in Abu Dhabi designed in collaboration with artist Idris Khan and Aecom.Its major projects in Australia include the 28-storey 251 Wickham Street tower in Brisbane, which is currently under construction.

Positive addition (5 million and over) category: Tower Hamlets Town Hall by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Source:&nbsp Tim SoarAllford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) has become one of the first major UK practices to release its emissions data in full including from the buildings it has designed Data shared with the AJ and published by the AJ100 practice in September outlines both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with its work, with Scope 3 emissions, from completed projects, included for the first time.Publication of the firms Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions comes after the companys annual financial report for April 2022 to March 2023, published at the end of last year, identified IT as contributing a third of all its greenhouse gas emissions.That report stated that total operational emissions were 1,410 tCO2e for the April 2022 to March 2023 period.AdvertisementControversially, the practice did not include upfront embodied carbon from completed projects in its reported Scope 3 emissions at the time of that report. But now, AHMM is thought to be one of the first of the major UK practices to make its full Scope 3 emissions public.The data shows that AHMMs emissions resulting from the upfront embodied carbon of completed projects in 2023 rose from 80,400 tCO2e in 2022 to 102,000 tCO2e in 2023.However, retrofit schemes and buildings with larger footprints but greater carbon efficiency mean the carbon intensity of those completed projects reduced from 628 kgCO2e/m2 GIA to 553 kgCO2e/m2 GIA, the practice said.Meanwhile, AHMMs operational emissions have reduced from 1,410 tCO2e to 1,010 tCO2e between 2022 and 2023 a decline of 400 tCO2e. That was despite an increasing number of staff returning to its office post-pandemic, which resulted in a rise in direct Scope 1 and 2 emissions. These derive from the gas boilers at AHMMs London headquarters and purchased electricity across all locations.The practice said its biggest operational carbon savings were made through changes to IT equipment and in-house events programmes, where 513 tCO2e has been saved compared to 2022.AdvertisementAHMMs head of sustainability, Craig Robertson, said: These figures show that AHMM is on track to deliver against our operational and project carbon reduction commitments. However, we cannot be complacent.The balance of our operational emissions needs to be carefully monitored, particularly as our studio events programme is re-established. Similarly, our design decisions will continue to be closely reviewed and interrogated using our in-house tools to ensure that we are driving robust low-carbon decisions.According to the National Grid Group, Scope 3 encompasses emissions that are not produced by the company itself and are not the result of activities from assets owned or controlled by them.Typically, practices do not include Scope 3 when calculating their emissions. Instead, Scope 1 and 2 are used to cover direct emissions associated with running an office.Many practices do not include the embodied carbon from projects they design in their reported Scope 3 emissions. This is the subject of disagreement in the industry. A leading group of property developers has called on architects to join them in counting and declaring such project emissions, partly in order to transform the professions environmental approach and climate literacy.AHMM says it is committed to reducing its emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 and 90 per cent by 2040.2024-11-14Gino Spocchiacomment and share

The Twentieth Century Societys Coming of Age campaign is calling for the listing of 10 buildings that opened in 1994.The architectural campaign group, which works to save outstanding buildings completed after 1914, is demanding a more proactive listing process for iconic buildings as they turn 30.The poster child for its campaign is Nicholas Grimshaws International Terminal at Waterloo, which it describes as an iconic transport interchange and a masterpiece of engineering which has a confidence and swagger few buildings embody in the 21st century.AdvertisementThe High-Tech building, which features a telescopic glass and steel superstructure, served as Londons Eurostar terminal from 1994 till 2007 when operations moved to St Pancras. It has won awards including the RIBA Presidents Building of the Year and the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture. Source:Peter CookWaterloo International Terminal, London by GrimshawAnother Grimshaw building, the RAC regional control centre in Bristol, is also on the list.Others included in the eclectic mix include: Populouss Kirklees Stadium in Huddersfield winner of the 1995 RIBA Building of the Year award; Hopkins Architects Glyndebourne Opera House in West Sussex; Cullinan Studios Library at St John's College in Cambridge; Phillip Englands Pepsi Max rollercoaster station in Blackpool; and Niall Phillips Welsh Wildlife Centre in Pembrokeshire.Also featured on the list are two houses: Future Systems Hauer-King House in Islington, which featured in the BBCs Building Sights series; and Hudson Architects Baggy House in Devon. There is also a spot for Garthdee student housing in Aberdeen by Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones. Source:Twentieth Century SocietyBaggy House, Devon by Hudson ArchitectsThe selection criteria for listing buildings are set by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, while Historic England provides detailed guidance and carries out research for each specific case.AdvertisementPrimary considerations for listing a building include its special architectural and historic interest, although the principles state that buildings under 30 years old are not generally considered eligible as they have yet to stand the test of time.The Twentieth Century Society is arguing that there is no current mechanism to proactively review buildings when they reach this 30-year threshold, leaving them unrecognised until they come under threat of demolition or harmful alteration.The societys director, Catherine Croft, said: Why wait until the bulldozers are poised, to intervene and try to protect outstanding buildings such as these, when it is possible to make an objective judgement far earlier?She described the 10 selected buildings as vivid manifestations of Britains aspirations and priorities at a time, in the early 1990s, which is now at the centre of our cultural nostalgia, but probably more distant than we might think from our world today.She added: The sheer glamour of Waterloo International Terminal speaks to a confidence and swagger few buildings embody in the 21st century and is one of the best examples of High-Tech architecture in the country, open and accessible for all to see. Source:Martin CharlesGlyndebourne Opera House by Hopkins Architects