Source: PLPSource: PLPSource: PLP1/3show captionLambeth Council has granted planning permission for a co-living and light-industrial development at Hardess Yard in Brixton, designed by PLP Architecture for a joint venture between Mitheridge Capital Management and LGL.The scheme includes 320 co-living studios and 1,400sqm of industrial space aimed at supporting local small and medium-sized enterprises in the creative sector.The development spans two buildings on the former industrial site. A seven- to 14-storey structure to the north will house the co-living studios, while a two-storey building to the south will provide workspace for local businesses. The plans also feature newly landscaped public spaces, including a pocket park.Andrei Martin, partner at PLP, said: Our vision for Hardess Yard expands the traditional co-living model by offering a vibrant multi-layered social core alongside state-of-the-art light industrial workspaces.PLPs design seeks to draw on the sites industrial heritage, incorporating deep brick faades with scalloped lintels, and metallic cladding with green walls for the workspace units.The development forms part of Lambeth Councils broader ambition to revitalise the local area. A public consultation and engagement with the GLA informed the plans. The project sits opposite Higgs Yard, a residential-led mixed-use development by Peabody, creating a complementary cluster of homes and workspaces in the neighbourhood.Source: PLPThe project targets both WELL Platinum and BREEAM Outstanding certifications, with sustainability measures exceeding London Plan carbon targets by 28%. These include high-performance building fabric, triple glazing, passive low-energy design, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.Daniel Rastegar, partner at Mitheridge, commented: This scheme promises to bring significant benefit to Brixton and Lambeth, providing quality homes on flexible and accessible terms.The approval marks Mitheridges second co-living project, following a similar 337-studio scheme in Hackney Wick, approved in September.Harry Green, director at LGL, said: Across London, there are countless under-utilised sites with the potential to house new communities.At Hardess Yard, we are excited to bring forward this transformational vision together with Mitheridge.

Following the failure of two previous planning applications by another practice for a single dwelling on the site, Novak Hiles Architects won planning consent for the two dwellings in summer 2021. The client is a local family-turned-private-developer with longstanding ties to the area.The backland plot, which previously accommodated a derelict lock-up garage, sits within a varied context of Victorian housing and infrastructure alongside more recent volume housing developments.The building was conceived as a solid pale red brick mass, sculpted with deep setbacks and undercuts as well as deep window reveals.AdvertisementThe dual-aspect units are designed for private rental. Flexible in their layout they have bright and spacious interiors with simple, robust detailing. The ceiling joists in the upper storey unit have been left exposed, offering additional headroom.The three-bedroom ground floor flat has a large private garden while the first floor one bedroom flat has a private south-facing terrace. Permeable pale-red terracotta paving tiles reinforce the language of the architecture and are part of a SuDs strategy, which also includes green roofs, gravel beds and a small rain garden.Architects viewBringing our expertise in creative responses to challenging small sites to the fore, we have carefully configured the building form in response to issues of distancing, mass, privacy and outlook relative to the specific characteristics of the site.The ground floor had to be raised to deal with surface water flooding considerations particular to this location. The building was also subject to strict height restrictions owing to its Conservation Area setting. The massing was purposely arranged to minimise any impact on the adjacent residential gardens as well as the windows of the Victorian terraced houses situated to the north.Deep inset openings reinforce the entrance to both dwellings and brick bonds on the front elevation express the external steps leading to the dwelling on the first storey. The external steps are an inherent part of the character of the frontage, and a celebrated part of the architecture, drawing upon historic mews house references and brick details, albeit in a contemporary manner. Deep planters are built into the solid frontage of the building, providing defensible perennial planting and a visual buffer to the cul-de-sac street beyond. The development is car-free, with secure cycle storage integrated into the frontage of the building.Both properties have their own front door and are accessed directly from the street, which the practice considers to be an important ambition across its housing projects. The external steps leading up the top-storey unit mean that there is no loss of area for a shared internal core, maximising the efficiency of the layouts and avoiding the inevitable issues that come with ongoing maintenance of common parts in smaller residential buildings, a characterful solution to a practical problem.The building has been designed to utilise timber frame construction to minimise steel use and maximise insulation thickness, resulting in a building fabric which is thermally high performing. Sustainable technologies including air source heat pumps have also been successfully integrated into the scheme. Collectively, these measures have significantly reduced carbon use within a brick outer fabric that is intended to be robust enough to last for centuries. The development achieves a total carbon reduction of 49 per cent over Part L 2013 regulations.Furthermore, the building provides green roofs and surface water flow control mechanisms utilising gravel beds and a small area of rain garden to attenuate water as part of a SuDs strategy to ensure the development will not impact on wider surface water levels.This project is an important milestone for Novak Hiles Architects, which has enabled the practice to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to the delivery of good-quality housing on challenging urban sites.Contemporary development within conservation areas is often backed into a position of homogeneity or pastiche. This project seeks instead to very carefully find an architecture that is contemporary and bold, but also appropriate, and that enhances the character of the conservation area and beyond.Carla Novak and Adam Hiles, directors, Novak Hiles Architects Source:Novak Hiles ArchitectsProject dataStart on site June 2022CompletionJuly 2023Gross internal floor area 143m2 total (92m2 / 3 bed 5 person unit, 51m2 / 1 bed 2 person unit)Form of contractTraditional, RIBA Concise Building Contract 2018Architect Novak Hiles ArchitectsClient Private DeveloperPlanning consultant Wildstone PlanningStructural and civil engineer GCAEnergy consultant Pro SustainabilityMain contractor TMP Build SolutionsM&E contractor Aspire ServicesApproved building inspector ICWEnvironmental performance and sustainability dataLow-carbon energy sources Air source heat pumpsAnnual CO2emissions 17.8 KgCO2/m2. A total reduction of 49% over Part L 2013 regulations which goes significantly beyond the London Plan overall requirement of 35% reduction.

A new warts-and-all investigation into workplace culture by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) has laid bare what many already feared about the profession it is often a brutal and abusive environment, especially for women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. The regulator surveyed nearly 900 professionals at different stages of their careers as part of the proposed revamp of its Code of Conduct. Sadly, the findings echo problems highlighted by the AJ over years (AJ survey reveals 1 in 7 women architects have experienced sexual harassment). Yet they still make grim reading and are described by the ARB as alarming.A jaw-dropping 41 per cent of those surveyed said they had faced bullying and harassment; a third had been subject to some form of discrimination; and one in four female professionals had experienced unwelcome sexual advances.The ARBs 83-page report highlights how excessive workloads and hierarchies that create power imbalances are not only having a negative personal effect but also having an impact on the quality and due diligence of architects work. While some of the issues, causes and solutions fall outside the ARBs remit, given that the regulators role is explicitly about policing professional competence and protecting consumers, the board says: This makes workplace culture an issue for ARB.AdvertisementAs well as informing its new code, the ARB wants the research to provoke an industry-wide debate to help find potential solutions. Here the AJ reveals the headline findings.Bullying and victimisationIt is against this backdrop that a significant proportion four in ten of those polled had experienced bullying or harassment in the workplace.This ranged from intentional undermining, which had been experienced by 45 per cent of all respondents, to having work unfairly or overly scrutinised something reported by half of those surveyed.Bullying overwhelmingly related to abuses of power by senior staff, the research states.It is also more likely to be experienced by women (55 per cent), those with disabilities (61 per cent) and those working in larger practices (small practices 38 per cent, practices with over 50 staff 45 per cent).AdvertisementPurple: Part 1 & Part 2 students and apprentices | Black: Architects with less than five years' experience, Part 3 students | White: Architects with more than five years' experienceThe anonymous testimonies quoted in the report are equally damning of the profession. One said: In my previous position at a large practice, it was part of the culture that cliques would form around more senior staff members. This would lead to bullying or demeaning behaviour by members of other cliques.Another respondent said: I experienced harassment and bullying daily via WhatsApp. I was constantly put down, belittled and blamed for things out of my control. My employer would guilt trip me and Id feel pressure to work on weekends and public holidays.One young architect said harassment extended from unfair and unexplained criticism of their work to being expected to help with the upkeep of the directors house [and] never to leave the office before them.Excessive workloadsTheres a key line in the report: Despite the creative aspects of the job, professionals strongly feel they are underpaid, overworked and undervalued.A huge 38 per cent of all respondents said they had an unacceptable workload; nearly half (48 per cent) claimed they felt pressurised to work long hours and nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) said that the profession exploited architects passion for the work in order to pile heavy loads on employees. Many felt the resulting workplace culture was stressful, leading to mental burnout, unhappiness and disillusionment with 59 per cent of all professionals claiming their workload was detrimental to their personal wellbeing. Breaking that data down, the impacts were felt most strongly by female professionals (men 55 per cent, women 65 per cent) and those from an ethnic minority background (white British 53 per cent, ethnic minorities 66 per cent).Whats more and of particular concern to the ARB more than a third (35 per cent) said they lacked the time to finish their work to an appropriate standard.DiscriminationA third (33 per cent) of all professionals surveyed said they had experienced insults, stereotyping or jokes relating to protected characteristics, rising to more than half in some demographic groups.Again, female professionals (53 per cent), those from ethnic minorities (46 per cent) and those with disabilities (46 per cent) were significantly more likely to report experiencing discrimination. It is also more prevalent in larger practices and those in London and the southeast.Comments made anonymously by respondents are, once again, revealing. One experienced architect said: [There have been instances] where clients have been minimising or belittling staff members, owing to their race or English-speaking skills, and senior [practice staff] have not defended [junior employees] nor called out [the] behaviour.The ARB reports that a lack of representation, particularly at senior levels across the profession, continues to limit the understanding of others experiences.As a result, junior architectural staff are having to take care of themselves. One early career professional said: [When] looking for a job Ill see if there are other people of ethnic minority backgrounds [] to avoid the same discrimination and sexual misconduct [happening again].Sexual misconductThe ARB report is clear: architecture professionals suffer from higher levels of discrimination and sexual misconduct than employees in other professions that publish similar research including academia and parts of the medical profession.The research team at Thinks Insight & Strategy, who ran the survey on behalf of the board, found that 10 per cent of the architectural respondents said they had experienced sexual misconduct. This is double the percentage (5 per cent) of civil servants who said they had experienced sexual misconduct in a similar 2023 survey.Female professionals are far more likely to have experienced unwelcome sexual comments (38 per cent) and unwelcome sexual advances (24 per cent) than their male colleagues (6 per cent and 5 per cent respectively).The testimonies from the respondents are shocking. A female senior architect at one major practice reported that there had been a sweepstake among male staff to see who could get me into bed.Meanwhile, one early career professional reported that a client had requested a lush young [girl] with [a] tight skirt to be sent to survey his house: The director let me know I [would] be doing the survey the day I was wearing a tight skirt. The request [was] later revealed in an email chain.Another senior architect who had been on the receiving end of sexual comments said the matter was not escalated properly because a conversation under the radar was deemed sufficient.Hugh Simpson, chief executive and registrar at the ARB, described the levels of discrimination, misconduct and harassment as alarming.He told the AJ: [We have] to set clearer and stronger standards of conduct for the sake of architects and the clients and communities they work with. Were consulting on a new Code of Conduct and Practice, but making a positive cultural shift within the profession will require leaders across the sector to work together to take action.Barriers to reporting misconductKnowing how, when and where to complain will be vital to any shift in behaviours. The investigation, worryingly, found that architects overwhelmingly lacked confidence to raise concerns about problems within practice, with many calling for greater regulation and enforcement.One respondent said: I just feel like you cant complain. The partners are treated like gods. Another said: Ive never worked in a company that had HR. So my boss is jury, judge and executioner.The ARB acknowledges there is work to be done. It says in the report: Professionals are often unclear on how they can escalate complaints of workplace misconduct, and how ARB relates to misconduct. ARBs existing processes are often perceived as only relevant to client-related misconduct [not colleagues].The regulator has set itself an action list in response to the survey which, as well as the new Code of Conduct (consultation closes on the draft code on 12 December 2024), includes supplementary guidance on leadership and inclusion, together with providing tools to support how to raise concerns and challenge unethical behaviour.It is also writing to those providing ARB-accredited qualifications to highlight the research and a new condition on sexual misconduct being introduced by the Office for Students, the education regulator in England.However the ARB can only do so much.Tackling the long hours for low pay culture highlighted will need industry-wide action. The profession must not ignore these troubling findings.*Overall figures reflect number of category respondents: future professionals (89), early career professionals (293), experienced professionals (516)** Future professionals - Part 1 or Part 2 students or apprentices; Early career professionals - currently taking Part 3 or with less than five years' post-qualification experience; Experienced professionals - architects with more than five years post-qualification experienceAnonymous testimony from a recently qualified architectIn terms of bullying, there were things like [feeling pressured to] work over the weekend or even on Christmas holidays. I remember at one of the jobs it was pretty normalised to work the weekends. On Friday night [a colleague would say]: 'OK, so tomorrow this is what we have to do.'I said I had a history of kind of anxiety and had to prioritise my mental health [and had to rest weekends]. But I was told I had to get a doctor's note for this.I've done a few late nights here and there, because [if you don't] you feel like you're letting your team down. But there is zero paid overtime in architecture, unfortunately.A lot of my friends are architects and we literally sometimes just say how much we feel scammed. But [many] people won't even know where to start pushing back.

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Our Picks View details $2,495 at Formelife View details Table of Contents If you're looking for fitness solutions that don't take up much space, a smart fitness mirror is the way to go. These compact mirrors offer a huge selection of workout options. Sure, you can stick to the classics and deck out your at-home gym with a treadmill,elliptical or exercise bike, but a fitness mirror can make strength training, live personal training sessions, HIIT classes, dance cardio and more accessible for less. Plus, you can recreate the feel of in-person classes in your own home. Fitness mirrors also make for great holiday season gifts if you've got a fitness buff in your family.Some workout mirrors offer unique features such as rep counting, form correction and even access to apersonal trainer. They aren't cheap, though, so it's helpful to know what each one can offer you that a gym can't. We tested various popular smart mirrors at home and in CNET's testing lab to determine which are the best. We've factored in the installation process, classes and unique functions, as well as practicality. Check out our top picks for smart workout mirror options below.Editor's note: Lululemon stopped selling its smart mirror following a new partnership with Peloton. For more, read this story.Which is the best overall workout mirror?We determined there wasn't a best overall workout mirror since each one offers unique features that can't be compared against each other. Instead, we looked at what made them stand out and considered who'd appreciate these styles the most. Some people prefer a more customized workout so personal training is more up their alley, whereas others want the boutique fitness class to feel at home.Best smart mirrors of 2024 Pros Blends into any room Easy installation App is easy to use Screen display is high quality Perks offered at partner fitness studios and discounts at Lululemon Cons No touchscreen Lululemon studio membership is a separate cost Personal training costs extra Only connects to one third-party music app, Apple Music Doesn't come with exercise equipment See at Editor's note: You can no longer buy the Studio Mirror; the description below was written before the company discontinued the product. If you already bought a Studio Mirror, however, you now haveaccess to Peloton classes with your Lululemon subscription. You can read more on Lululemon's FAQ page. The Lululemon Studio Mirror connects you to your favorite boutique fitness classes by creating a hybrid experience at home and in person. When you order this smart mirror you have the option to have it installed by a delivery technician, or you can install it following their installation instructions. You can have your mirror on a stand that leans against the wall or mount it to your wall. The Lululemon Studio Mirror can only be controlled through its app. The app is easy to set up, but you will need to make sure the device is connected to Wi-Fi and your smartphone's Bluetooth is on so you can pair it.For a smart mirror, I expected it to be a touch screen, so I was disappointed I had to operate it through my phone. The good news is the app (available for iOS and Android) is well-designed, intuitive and easy to follow. You will need a Lululemon Studio membership to access the classes (which include beginner, intermediate or advanced levels). Keep in mind you will need equipment at home like dumbbells, resistance bands or kettlebells, depending on the class you take.You'll never be bored because Lululemon drops new classes every week. Lululemon studio also offers Time Saver options, which are shorter classes in the 5- to 15-minute range for when you don't have time for a full-hour workout. You can also control the instructor's video size so you can view them as large, dynamic or small. The audio for both the music and the instructor can be individually adjusted, depending on which you prefer to hear more prominently. This was helpful when I was taking Rumble, a boxing class, and made it easier to pay attention to the cues the instructor was providing. As for music, you can only connect to an Apple Music account or pick studio music which is built into the Lululemon Studio app. You can also connect your Apple Watch or other compatible heart rate monitors with this device. During class there are a range of display settings: you can opt to not view yourself on camera, hide or show your data, use closed captioning and more.Because group fitness is all about community, you can view your community stream, which shows other users working out at the same time as you -- and you can cheer them on. If you have friends who own a Lululemon Studio Mirror, you can connect with them for some friendly competition as well. The Studio Mirror offers personal training for an additional fee and during sessions or live classes, you're able to turn on the two-way audio and video technology so you can receive instructor feedback in real-time.SpecsDimensions: 56.0" H, 22.4" W, 1.4" DWeight: 70 pounds Photo Gallery 1/1 $2,495 at Formelife Best personal training smart mirror Forme Studio $2,495 at Formelife If you want a more personalized experience, the Forme Studio may be the way to go. Forme offers two different types of mirrors: Forme Studio and Forme Lift. The Studio is the original mirror that offers on-demand classes and custom workouts as well as live 1:1 personal training. The Forme Lift is the upgraded version of the Forme Studio and offers the same classes and personal training but has motorized resistance cables (with up to 150 pounds of resistance) meant to elevate your strength training experience. The Forme Studio will run you $2,495, whereas the Forme Lift costs a hefty $6,495.I was able to test both but thought that the average person would find the Forme Studio more suitable for their homes. If you buy the Forme Studio, you have the option to lean it against or mount it to the wall for extra security. You will also need to make sure you have 6 by 6 feet of space, with a minimum of 7 feet from floor to ceiling to accommodate the unit. Your wall must have a 12-, 16- or 18-inch metal or wood stud spacing, poured concrete, or concrete masonry units.There's no denying the Forme Studio is a touchscreen, but also has an app (currently only available on iOS). I found the imagery on the Forme Studio to be the best of all the smart mirrors because it's filmed in 4K resolution, which is similar tosome nicer televisions on the market. The instructor also looks life-size on the screen, which feel like they are in the room with you. This device has two front-facing cameras which comes in handy if you sign up for personal training sessions (more on this later). Forme includes camera covers for added privacy.You will need Wi-Fi to use the Forme Studio. You have the option to connect your workout headphones, Forme Heart Rate Monitor (included in your accessories box), other compatible heart rate monitors or an Apple Smartwatch via Bluetooth. One downside is that you'll only be able to access the built-in music on the device.The Forme membership will cost you $49 for the first month, then $149 per month afterward, which is a steep price to pay when the unit itself isn't cheap. You'll need the membership to access over 700 on-demand classes and a fitness concierge, which has you fill out a survey that asks about your goals, fitness level and lifestyle and then curates a workout plan with recommended videos on demand frombarre attachment separatelyfor $395), strength training, boxing, yoga, pilates, Barry's X, dance and meditation. You can also join a program if you want to tackle a specific challenge for the month. Keep in mind some of these classes will require you to have additional equipment like dumbbells on hand. You can filter by the length of the class, type of workout, level, instructor and equipment needed.I tested out a few classes and for the most part, the experience was similar to other smart mirrors. You can adjust your audio based on whether you want to hear more of the music or the instructor, which I like since it can help you focus. During class, the mirror is not as impressive as I expected since it's only able to count your reps. Unlike the Lululemon Studio Mirror, there isn't a sense of camaraderie with other members if you're looking for that group fitness feel. I would've thought that the Forme Studio would be able to offer form corrections or cue suggestions like the Fiture Mini, but it doesn't. What makes the Forme Studio stand out is the 1:1 Live Personal Training (something you can set up through the fitness concierge).The experience is similar to doing a personal training session in person, and this is where the two front cameras are most useful. During a programmed session with your trainer, you'll be able to view them from your screen and vice versa. The trainer has the ability to provide feedback since the cameras track your movements and your whole frame (even if you're on the taller side). If you own the Forme Lift, the trainer can adjust the resistance on the machine remotely if they want to challenge you. Even if you're traveling, you can access your personal training sessions via a tablet. Your trainer will still be able to view you since camera tracking works similarly on tablets.SpecsDimensions: 6 by 6 foot space with a minimum of 7 feet from floor to ceilingWeight: 102 pounds (screen only), 125 pounds (screen with package) Photo Gallery 1/1 Other workout mirrors we tested Fiture Mini (Out of Stock): The Fiture Mini was our recommended pick for people with limited space. It's no longer available for purchase in the US. I was able to test it in my home, and I liked that it didn't require a lot of space for a workout. What made it unique was that it featured Motion Engine technology, which uses gesture controls, provides coaching cues, counts reps and guides your pace and form during class.Echelon Reflect: Compared with the other workout mirrors tested, the Echelon Reflect had a low-quality screen resolution and the instructor screen appeared smaller than the rest. You have the option to mount it to a wall or to a stand and we opted for a stand, but it felt flimsy when operated since it's a touchscreen. We also had issues connecting the app to the mirror and we couldn't control the volume separately from the instructor and the music, so the music always muffled the instructor's directions. We also found it was lacking in class selections compared with its competition. Show more How we test workout mirrors The setup: We looked at the ease or difficulty of the delivery and installation process and how the equipment looks in the testing space. The experience: We took into account the user experience and how easy it is to operate and navigate the smart mirror during class and while browsing the exercise library. We also looked at features that made the user experience easier or better. For example, having volume control over the music and the instructor speaking. The app: We looked at how easy it was to connect the app to the smart mirror and if it was easy to navigate and mirror the device itself. The workouts: Compared to a gym membership, we evaluated the class and program selection the smart mirrors offered and if there were options to personalize the workout even further, such as tracking, personal training or individualized programs. The music: We took into account whether the smart mirror lets you access a third-party music app like Spotify, or if you're expected to use a built-in music program. The content quality: We observed how the screen resolution appeared and how sophisticated the workout content felt, as well as the sound, smoothness and overall quality of the software. Show more What to look for when shopping for a workout mirror Decide if you want a mountable or free-standing mirror and if the manufacturer offers both options.Verify that white glove delivery and assembly are included with your order.Consider the library of workouts and how personalized you can make your experience.If privacy is a concern, confirm that camera covers come with the mirror for when it's not in use.Make sure you know how to clean your smart mirror. Most will include instructions on how to maintain it at home.Make sure you understand the company's warranty policy and know what they're willing to cover if your smart mirror were to break or malfunction. Show more Workout mirror FAQs Which mirror is best for a home gym? The best mirror will depend on the features you prefer. If personal training is important to you, for example, the Forme may be your best option. Show more Can workout mirror trainers see you? Some smart mirrors do have the option to have the instructor watch you during class to help with your form or offer guidance. Your user manual will mention if this is a feature that's included. Show more What are the benefits of workout mirrors? You can get the benefits of personal training or group fitness classes without leaving your home. It's also dual-purposed and can serve as both your home gym and a mirror. Show more How do you clean a smart mirror? It's recommended that the best way to clean your smart mirror is by using a microfiber cloth or with an approved cleaning solution that may be included in your order. Avoid using unapproved cleaning products and paper towels, which could be too abrasive for the surface. Show more

November 20, 20245 min readTrumps Anti-Climate Agenda Could Boost Chinas Global PowerTrumps retreat from climate agreements and tech funding will help China dominate global clean energy marketsBy Alec LuhnElectric vehicles bound for shipment to Europe at the Port of Taicang in Taicang, Jiangsu Province, China, on August 24, 2023. Bloomberg/Getty ImagesThis story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Centers Ocean Reporting Network.BAKU, AzerbaijanA steady stream of international government and business leaders have been trekking to the China Pavilion, one of the largest among dozens of showcase spaces here at this months 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). Inside, a calligraphy artist inscribes folding fans to hand out, along with plush pandas and books by President Xi Jinping. Guests drink green tea and swap business cards with Chinese representatives amid flags and red paper lanterns.At the pavilions high-level forum on global South-South cooperation, government ministers from Nigeria and Chad spoke alongside U.N. officials. U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell praised China for leading by example with its clean energy investments in the developing world. We will need Chinas continued leadership at COP29, where countries are trying to agree on a new climate finance goal, as well as at COP30 next year in Brazil, Stiell said. Chinas minister of ecology and environment, Huang Runqiu, signed a memorandum of understanding to invest in renewable energy in Nigeria, Africas most populous country.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The 19th century was the European century, the 20th century was the American century, and the 21st century will be, to a large extent, the Asian century, said Erik Solheim of Chinas Belt and Road Initiatives International Green Development Coalition.The U.S. delegation has largely been a lame duck here. Incoming president Donald Trump has said hell pull out of the Paris Agreement, under which these COP summits are held, and double down on oil and gas drilling. Hes also planning to raise tariffs on Chinese goods, including clean energy technologies, and, potentially, to break off normal trade relations with the country.U.S. import barriers would be a blow to Chinas economy in the short term. But in other ways, Trump may be giving Beijing a gift: U.S. withdrawal from international climate policy deliberations will allow China even greater influence. And if Trump overturns some of the Biden-era climate manufacturing subsidies Trump calls the Green New Scam, it could eventually mean less competition for China on cutting-edge tech.China is willing to take a more active role in global climate governance, said an official from its resources and environment planning body at a COP29 side event. Indeed, some participants say Beijing has been more visible and assertive in the current negotiations than in previous years.The U.S. has been pushing for Chinanow the worlds second-largest economy and second-largest historical emitter of greenhouse gasesto join the group of developed countries that will provide the most cash under the new climate finance arrangement, which urges richer nations to help fund adaptation measures in poorer ones. But last week China said it has already provided $24 billion for climate projects in developing countries since 2016, suggesting it will continue to resist any outside requirements. About to quit Paris, the U.S. has little grounds to argue. The U.S. and Chinese delegation offices, which were placed next to each other at the last two summits to encourage face time, are set apart this year.Speaking with Scientific American, Li Shuo of the Asia Society Policy Institute likened todays climate politics to a tricycle comprising the U.S., the European Union and Chinaand said the U.S. wheel is now falling off. We can still make progress if you have two wheels, he said. So well see more realignment between [China and the E.U.], and they will set the agenda without the U.S.An isolationist U.S. could also open opportunities for Chinas soft power. Xis Belt and Road Initiative has invested $1 trillion in energy and infrastructure projects in 150 countries over the past decade, garnering trade and resources, as well as political clout. The U.S. is also active in many of these countries, but that could change under Trump.Project 2025, a wish list for a second term created by 100-plus former Trump officials and others, calls for cutting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) budget to 2019 levels or lower and for eliminating funding to any [country] that engages with Chinese entities directly or indirectly. It also seeks to refocus USAID climate change programs on oil and gas.Chinas lead COP29 negotiator, Zhao Yingmin, told Scientific American that the nations Global South investment policy is fully based on our own capabilities and has nothing to do with other countries. But if the U.S. ends aid to countries such as Nigeria, which hosts several USAID projects, that could create a vacuum to be filled by rivals such as China, according to Michael Ivenso, an energy transition analyst with the Nigerian delegation.Under a memo of understanding signed at COP29, China will build a large solar farm in Nigeria funded by a grant rather than a loan, he told Scientific American. China has signed similar documents on climate cooperation with 42 other developing countries. When a power exits, it creates an opportunity for another to enter, Ivenso said. If the U.S. decides that thats what its going to do, and Chinaperhaps even Russia and some other [countries]now gets into that space that theyve left, then thats their problem to deal with.There is also tension over new technologies. China already controls 80 percent of the worlds solar panel supply chain. Several Biden-era laws, including the Inflation Reduction Act, were intended to help U.S. companies compete in more nascent markets such as batteries, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel. Trump, however, has said hell repeal such laws. Furthermore, his promised use of wide-reaching tariffs could turn the U.S. cleantech industry into what Li calls a fat bird living on an isolated island, safe from predation at home but unable to compete abroad.Scrapping the Biden laws could drive $80 billion of green energy investment abroad and cost the U.S. $50 billion in lost exports, according to a Johns Hopkins University report released this month. U.S. cleantech needs more collaboration instead of this high-fence, small-yard kind of mindset, said Haimeng Zhang, vice president of the major Chinese solar producer LONGi, which opened a factory in Ohio with a U.S. company this year. That's not very helpful to develop your own industry.Two U.S. congressional delegations to COP29 have embodied these two clashing visions. A delegation of four Republicans and one Democrat from the U.S. House of Representatives promised to unleash American energy with the reliable technologies of natural gas, hydropower, nuclear power and clean coal. Yet a delegation of Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Ed Markey of Massachusetts said a U.S. failure to keep investing in green energy innovation would let China take an insurmountable lead in new technologies. Markey promised a mighty battle over the Inflation Reduction Act in congress, where 18 House Republicans have spoken up in favor of the law.If [China] has a plan, and we do not have a plan, we will lose, he said. We will lose markets around the planet. We will lose the cutting-edge technological breakthroughs that otherwise would have been conceptualized here in the United States."

November 20, 20244 min readHealthResearch Could Face Severe Cuts and Changes under TrumpSweeping reorganization and more research scrutiny could be on the way for the U.S. National Institutes of HealthBy Max Kozlov & Nature magazineThe U.S. National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland, is composed of 27 institutes and centers. National Cancer Institute/WikimediaThe worlds largest public funder of biomedical research seems poised for a major overhaul in the next few years.Proposals from both chambers of the US Congress, as well as comments made by the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump show that there is significant appetite to reform the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its US$47-billion research portfolio. Whats less clear is how this transformation will unfold; proposals have included everything from shrinking the number of institutes by half to replacing a subset of the agencys staff members.Reflecting this increased scrutiny by the government, on 12 November, the NIH launched a series of meetings at which an advisory group of agency insiders and external scientists will consider the various proposals and offer its own recommendations for reforms.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.It will be a mad dash to the finish line among these parties in terms of whose vision will win out, says Jennifer Zeitzer, who leads the public-affairs office at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in Rockville, Maryland. Theres absolutely movement on Capitol Hill to discuss how to optimize and reform the NIH, she says. We now also have the agency participating in that conversation.Shrinking and cuttingThe NIH advisory meeting comes in the wake of Republicans winning control of both chambers of Congress and the White House for 2025. This year, two separate legislative proposals to reform the agency were put forward by Republican congressional members one led by representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State and one by senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. These proposals have in part been fuelled by discontent over the agencys response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the perception that its oversight of research on potentially risky pathogens has been lax.McMorris Rodgerss plan would collapse the number of institutes and centres at the NIH from 27 to 15, allow its parent agency to cancel any grant determined to be a threat to national security, impose a 5-year term limit on institute directors that can be renewed only once and enact stricter oversight of research involving risky pathogens. For his part, Cassidy, who is set to become the chair of the US Senates committee charged with overseeing health issues in 2025, said that he would introduce more transparency into processes that the agency uses to review research grant proposals.If these plans which are laid out in white papers come to pass, they would represent the first major reform of the NIH in nearly 20 years. The last time an overhaul happened, in 2006, the US Congress passed the legislation with bipartisan support, establishing a review board and requiring the agency to send updates to lawmakers every two years. The same support from both sides of the political aisle is unlikely to happen with the proposals currently under consideration, however.The NIH has been a frequent target of Trump and his Republican and other allies. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump has chosen to run the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the NIHs parent agency said in 2023 that he would seek an eight-year pause for infectious-diseases research at the NIH so that the biomedical funder can instead focus on chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. He also said on 9 November that he would seek to replace 600 employees at the NIH. (Neither Trump nor his appointees can currently fire career staff members at the agency, whose jobs are protected by law, but that might change if Trump makes good on a promise to reclassify the federal workforce.)Harold Varmus, a cancer researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and a former head of the NIH, tells Nature that he is alarmed by Kennedys comments. We may need congressional Republicans and even Democrats who are traditional supporters of NIH to speak up for the agency and its importance for public health.Dash to the finish lineAt this weeks meeting of the NIHs advisory committee, called the Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB), panel members met for the first time since 2015 to review the agencys structure and research portfolio and to provide recommendations to the NIH director and the HHS. Congress requested that the agency kick-start this process.NIH officials hope that the group will meet five more times during the next calendar year so that they could draft a report of their findings and recommendations by November 2025. This ambitious timeline suggests that theres a recognition that the SMRB is going to have to move quickly to catch up with Congress, or risk Congress making decisions that they dont like, Zeitzer says.In fact, several committee members noted their trepidation during the 12 November meeting that Congress would act before the group delivers its report. Kate Klimczak, the NIHs director of the office of legislative policy and analysis, tried to reassure the committee: the authors of the different [congressional] proposals clearly wanted this board to be re-established and wanted this board to do their work, she said. We have to take them at their word that theyre looking forward to getting [a report] from you.NIH director Monica Bertagnolli, who will probably resign before Trump takes office, noted her disapproval with the proposals to collapse the number of institutes. She said that the current system offers people with diseases and patient-advocacy groups the ability to coordinate with a dedicated institute for their cause, for instance the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Institute on Aging. If we were to collapse, we would definitely lose something in terms of our engagement with the public, she said.Its unclear what direction the SMRB will go with its recommendations, but there were hints at the meeting. Several panellists were taken aback by the legislative proposals. For example, the McMorris Rodgers white paper says that decades of nonstrategic and uncoordinated growth created a system ripe for stagnant leadership, research duplication, gaps, misconduct and undue influence at the NIH. James Hildreth, president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, called this language almost offensive. He added: I know were not supposed to allow politics to creep into what we do, but how could it not?This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on November 15, 2024.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 borrowed all its animals from Planet Zoo"I called my friend, the CEO".Image credit: Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is (science!) kind of like a piping bag, where all sorts of data - satellite imagery, elevation date, live weather info, and so on - gets shoved in at one end then squirted out the other to form a majestic aeronautical whole. But it turns out one of its sources is a fairly surprising one, with Asobo having now revealed it's festooned its newest digital world with animals borrowed straight from Frontier Development's marvellous Planet Zoo.Since its release back in 2019, Planet Zoo has amassed quite the menagerie across its base game and its post-launch DLC, with more than 190 species currently represented, from the humble Aardvark at one end of the alphabet right through to the Yellow Anaconda. And as Plant Zoo players will know, Frontier's artist and animators have done a typically brilliant job infusing them with life. Which is to say they're an absolutely perfect fit for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's astonishingly beautiful virtual world.And Flight Simulator boss Jorg Neumann clearly reached the same conclusion. "I've worked with Frontier Developments for a long time," he explained to PC Gamer. "And I called my friend, the CEO. His name is Jonny [Watts], and I said, 'Hey, Jonny, I'm working on Flight Sim, can I have your animals from Planet Zoo?' And he's like, 'Yeah, why not?'. We actually grabbed all the Planet Zoo animals and stuck them into our world, which is cool, you know?".A trailer for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.Watch on YouTubeNeumann's revelation came as part of a chat about Flight Simulator 2024's advancements at ground level, where he explained the team's goal was to make the environments seen on foot "as good as a regular first-person shooter" this time around. To achieve its ambitious target, Asobo marked up 28,000 100m by 100m tiles of satellite data, according to Neumann. "This is sand, this is pebbles, this is little rocks, this is asphalt, this is grass, this is tall grass," he explained. "And then we fed that into the system."Having explored a lumpen mountainside village somewhere in the Alps this morning that looked like it had been fashioned from clay by an impatient four-year-old using a picture of the nuclear apocalypse as reference material, it's clear there are still a bit of work to be done on the road to visual perfection, but there's absolutely no denying Asobo's efforts have made Flight Simulator 2024's natural environments look incredible.Asobo's latest iteration of Flight Simulator has, of course, got off to a bit of a bumpy start, with launch day - in an almost exact repeat of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020's release - seeing players experience stalled downloads, lengthy queues, and all sorts in-game mayhem. Asobo later blamed the troubles on "the server responsible for handling data requests [getting] overloaded, causing delays and errors", and things do seem to be settling down today. Even if those horrible AI voices do make me want to pull my ears off.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl dev acknowledges "rough edges", says its monitoring feedbackCommitted to hotfixes and more.Image credit: GSC News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has released a statement on the state of its game, as its sequel finally becomes available to play.Stalker 2 made its debut today across Xbox and PC, but is already the subject of multiple technical issues - these issues are one of the reasons Eurogamer's own Stalker 2 review isn't on the site just yet.Writing on social media platform X, GSC has addressed these issues and acknowledged the game "may" have some "rough edges" now that it is out in the wild. However, the studio has assured its players will address any niggles that arise in the game, as and when it is able.STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Full Mission Gameplay in 4K on PC. Watch on YouTube"We are absolutely committed to being here, monitoring your feedback and quickly fixing any issues that need our attention," the developer wrote. "In the first few days after release, we'll be working with hotfixes, rolling them out as precisely as possible, but as frequently as we can."Following this, GSC will release more substantial updates for Stalker 2, as well as free in-game content. More details on the game's roadmap will be shared in December, GSC said, so stay tuned."We have big plans for the Stalker universe. In a way, today is both a return and the beginning of a grand new journey," the team closed. "We're blessed to have you before, we're blessed to have you now. The Zone belongs to you. Have fun." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.The studio recently released a documentary all about developing Stalker 2 during a particularly difficult time for GSC. The documentary - War Game: The Making of Stalker 2 - touches on the developer's history and details what it has been like to work on the forthcoming sequel during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Since 2022, GSC has delayed Stalker 2 several times and relocated staff to safely finish the project elsewhere, while others have joined Ukraine's armed forces, and dealt with Russian hackers who leaked test builds.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereCrowds in racing games have long been the weakest part of even the most realistic titles out there, even titles like F1 24. After all, not many people care too much if youre zooming past them at 200 miles per hour. But with the PS5 Pro and PC gaming now actually hitting 8K fidelity, low detailed assets are now far easier to spot, and risk standing out and jarring when everything else around them is so realistic. F1 devs vow to improve crowdsIn the latest episode of the VideoGamer Podcast, we sat down with F1 24s Simon Lumb, technical producer at Codemasters, who revealed the team is now actively looking at improving these furniture assets as a result of fidelity and technology improving. The decision about how do you populate crowds, how do you improve the look, the feel, the realism, its all part of an authenticity pass, he said.We want to improve to our crowds, Lumb added. Theres opportunities to take the graphics technology thats always moving forward to give us better looking crowds, so its definitely something we talk about and hopefully we see some updates in future titles. Now weve got 8K, the fidelity, the resolution and what you can see in the crowds really increases. its definitely something we talk about and hopefully we see some updates in future titles.Simon LumbLumb also explained that while improved crowds may be something coming along in the future, there are already signifiacnt changes relating to in-game fences designed to make the most out of the new resolution. We tuned it (the fences) really effectively for 4K view but you add 8K to that and you kind of double that resolution, he said. You can see at what point the fences need to change because now we can see further. At that point, the art team saw it, took a look at it and agreed that it needed to reqork the fences. F1 has a lot of fences, so you rework that, you lift the whole game, you bring new fidelity.While F1 25 is still some time away, the PS5 Pro version of the F1 24 certainly makes use of the PS5 Pros beefed up hardware. Lumb mentioned that PSSR was too good to turn down in this years game, and told us that this is just the start of the journey exploring the newer, more powerful technology.F1 24Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):RacingSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share