What is ADAPT ONE?Jean-Eric Hnault talks about the creation of CG Channel and what led him to create ADAPT ONE and try to help the industry through the challenges created by globalization and AI.https://adapt.one/editorial/link/241/What+is+ADAPT+ONE/

An Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) licks nectar from the Ethiopian red hot poker flower (Kniphofia foliosa). Adrien LesaffreMost flowering plants need pollinators, relying on bees, bats, birds and more to help them produce seeds and fruits. Sometimes, in rarer cases, a small carnivore puts themself up for the job. Now, scientists say the Ethiopian wolf, the worlds rarest wild dog, might be the first known large carnivore to pollinate, as the canines lick red hot poker flowers to get their sweet fix.In a new study published in EcologyThe wolves lick the flowers like ice cream cones, says lead author Sandra Lai, an ecologist at Oxford University in England, to the New York Times Elizabeth Anne Brown. She adds that watching the wolves is like a scene from a storybook.The new images leave no doubt that the wolves drink nectar, as Tom Gable, a biologist at the University of Minnesota who studies wolf diets but was not involved with the study, adds to the publication.Fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves remain in the wild, with agriculture and diseases taking a toll on their population. They live among the Ethiopian highlands and feed on smaller mammals, such as giant mole rats and common grass rats. Though they tend to form packs, the canines are usually solitary hunters.Researchers studying these animals had previously seen them licking nectar. To document this behavior, they followed six different wolves over four days in May and June 2023. It usually went like this: The wolf approached the flower stalk and licked the flowers at the bottom, focusing on those that were more mature and contained the most nectar.Ethiopian Wolf Licks Nectar from Ethiopian Red Hot Poker FlowersWatch on For large carnivores, nectar-feeding is very unusual, due to the lack of physical adaptations, such as a long tongue or specialized snout, Lai tells New Scientists Graeme Green. Most flowers are also too fragile or have too little nectar to attract large animals, she explains.To the best of our knowledge, the authors write in the paper, the observations we report here highlight the Ethiopian wolf as the only large carnivorous predator documented consuming nectar.Some wolves had more of a sweet tooth than others: Though all six drank nectar, one female wolf visited 30 blooms in a single feeding session. The behavior also appeared to be widespread, spanning wolves from different packs. They might have learned it from other wolves, the researchers write in the study.The nectar of the Ethiopian red hot poker appears to be very sweet. Claudio Sillero, founder and director of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, or EWCP, says he has tried the nectar himselfand that it was pleasantly sweet, according to a statement from Oxford University.When I later saw the wolves doing the same, I knew they were enjoying themselves, tapping into this unusual source of energy, adds Sillero, who is also a co-author of the study.The researchers suggest the nectar isnt a meaningful source of nutrition and instead might be a sweet treat for the wolves. Lai tells the New York Times that monitors with the EWCP report the animals go for the flowers as a little treat after hunting their meat meal.Notably, the researchers warn that merely drinking nectar does not mean the wolves are effective pollinators. Lai and her team are hoping to confirm actual pollination by wolves, though that is harder to do, as it involves answering more questions, such as determining the pollen load on the wolves muzzles and whether their visits actually lead to fruiting.For her part, Lai is interested in the social learning aspect of this behavior, she tells New Scientistthe researchers have even seen adults bringing their young to the flower fields.More conservation work will be needed to protect the wolves and flowers, as well as the natural habitats that support them, researchers say. TheEWCPaims to help conserve the highlands of Ethiopia forits people and wildlife.And in regard to the wolves and flowers, this unique interaction cant be seen anywhere else in the world, Lai tells the New York Times. Thats worth preserving, she says.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Africa, Animals, Biology, Conservation, Ecology, Endangered Species, Flowers, Mammals, New Research, Plants, Pollinators, Wolves

A 2019 drought allowed researchers to excavate some of the typically waterlogged canals. Belize River East Archaeology ProjectRoughly 4,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers in Central America built a network of canals and ponds to trap fish. Their system could have captured enough seafood to feed 15,000 people each year, according to a study published this month in the journalScience Advances.Its really interesting to see such large-scale modifications of the landscape so earlyit shows people were already building things, Claire Ebert, an archaeologist at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the research, tells theAssociated Press Christina Larson.The fish-trapping network is located in what is now Belize. It spans nearly 16 square miles and is the oldest known system of its kind in Central America.In 2017, researchers used drones and Google Earth imagery to investigate the system, which is located within the bounds of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Belize. They found 167 excavated trenches and close to 60 ponds, asScience News Bruce Bower reports.Then, in 2019, a drought in the region made it possible for them to excavate the typically waterlogged canals.The researchers took samples, which they sent off for radiocarbon dating and other analyses. The results suggest the ancient fisheries were built between 2200 and 1900 B.C.E., before the rise of Maya civilization. The systems age was a surprise, as researchers assumed it had been built by the Maya.It never occurred to us that hunter-gatherers around 4,000 years ago might have engaged in this sort of collective, huge construction effort on this scale because nothing like it had ever been found or recorded in Central America before, says study co-authorEleanor Harrison-Buck, an anthropologist at the University of New Hampshire, toNew Scientists Becky Ferreira. The zig-zagging canals were visible on Google Earth imagery and drone footage. Harrison-Buck et al. / Science Advances, 2024The system was built around the same time as a major drought. What was once a perennial wetland became a seasonal marshland, with flood waters receding every spring and summer.When the wetlands were submerged, freshwater fish and other aquatic creatures would have been able to swim freely throughout the zig-zagging trenches. But when the waters receded, the fish likely became trapped in the ponds, where hunter-gatherers could have easily speared them.Some archaeologists have suggested that the drought led hunter-gatherers to become increasingly reliant on domesticated plants likemaize. But researchers didnt find anymaize pollen in the canals. Instead, they think the hunter-gatherers began relying more on fish-trapping, as well as drought-resistant plants like amaranth.For Mesoamerica in general, we tend to regard agricultural production as the engine of civilization, but this study tells us that it wasnt just agricultureit was also potential mass harvesting of aquatic species, says Harrison-Buck in astatement.Pre-Maya hunter-gatherers may have built the system, but their Maya descendents did eventually start using it around 3,000 years ago. They may have returned year after year for annual fish harvests and social gatherings, which could have eventually morphed into more permanent settlements.The abundant seafood could have supported a growing and increasingly sedentary population, and such intensive investments in the landscape may have helped give rise to the complex Maya civilization, says study co-authorMarieka Brouwer Burg, an anthropologist at the University of Vermont, in the statement.Today, the canals and ponds are mostly full of sediment. But even after 4,000 years, they still work as intended. Locals inform us that the ponds still concentrate fish during the dry season, the researchers write.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Archaeology, Central America, Fish, Food, Food History, History, Mayas, New Research

Big Time Studios is adding PvP gameplay to its NFT-based action-RPG title, Big Time, starting on December 2.Read More

Hugging Face launches SmolVLM, a compact and efficient vision-language AI model, offering businesses a cost-effective solution for advanced AI implementation without sacrificing performance.Read More

Scopely opens new studio in Saudi Arabia led by EA veteranMirai CEO Charity Joy was previously general manager at CriterionImage credit: Scopely News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Nov. 27, 2024 Scopely has opened a new studio in Saudi Arabia, led by EA veteran Charity Joy.Mirai aims to utilise local talent from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through training and development.The studio has yet to announce what titles it will have in development, but it is currently hiring.Joy worked at EA for three years, joining as franchise senior producer on EA Sports in 2021 before moving to Criterion as executive producer in 2022. She then became general manager in November 2023 before leaving in October 2024.She also worked for The Walt Disney Company as production manager on Club Penguin in 2007. She went on to become creative director in 2014."As part of [our] ongoing ambition to build the most talent-condensed Scopely ecosystem possible, we continue to expand to new markets around the globe," said Scopely COO Eunice Lee."We see an incredible opportunity to invest in this emerging market and passionate talent base to build the best games possible."Mirai CEO Charity Joy added: "Mirai is mine, and I'm ready to put my two decades of experience to work to build something impactful that will contribute to the world of games."I am honoured to embark on the journey of leading Mirai, aiming to build an incredible, world-class team that thrives on continuous learning and accelerates the capacity of the game development talent in the region."

Block Blast reaches 40m daily active players | News-in-briefHungry Studio's mobile title has also surpassed 150 million monthly active playersImage credit: Hungry Studio News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Nov. 27, 2024 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:Block Blast reaches 40m daily active players

Justin Carter, Contributing EditorNovember 27, 20241 Min ReadImage via Worlds Untold.At a GlanceWorlds Untold started up last fall, and its founder Mac Walters was a longtime writer on BioWare's Mass Effect and Anthem.Developer Worlds Untold is ceasing operations while it looks to secure more funding for its debut project.On LinkedIn, founder and BioWare alum Mac Walters explained the Vancouver-based studio would "search for a new partner to help bring our vision to life. This was not a decision we made lightlyits been a deeply personal journey, and we're all so proud of everything this team has built together."Walters spun up Worlds Untold was spun up last November with the aim of making narrative-focused triple-A titles. Before that, he was a lead writer on Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, and spearheaded development on the remasters of the original trilogy before leaving BioWare early last year.The employees of Worlds Untold are now looking for work, and Walters stated he would "be honored to connect [studios] with some of the best people Ive ever worked with. This is a heartbreaking moment for everyone involved, but Im deeply grateful for the support of our partners, friends and family, and for the time weve had together."Studios seek funding in an industry stormEarlier this week, fellow BioWare veteran Casey Hudson closed down his own studio, Humanoid Origin, which was similarly working on an original, unannounced project before its end. Worlds Untold is also the latest developer to openly state it needs money: in mid-October, Tales of Kenzera creator Surgent Studios similarly went "on hiatus" while looking for a partner to back its sophomore title, 'Project Uso.'"While were pausing for now, this isnt goodbyetheres more to come," Walters concluded, "and we look forward to sharing the next chapter with you when the time is right."Read more about:LayoffsAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met President-elect Donald Trump for dinner at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday.Its an important time for the future of American Innovation, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement shared with The Verge. Mark was grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and the opportunity to meet with members of his team about the incoming Administration. While its unclear what the two men discussed, the meeting suggests Trump may be softening his view of Zuckerberg. He has said the tech billionaire should be jailed for Facebooks role in the 2020 presidential race and his personal donations to mail-in ballet initiatives. Zuckerberg, meanwhile, has intentionally distanced himself from politics this year, though he did say that Trump surviving an assassination attempt was one of the most badass things Ive ever seen in my life. He was also one of the many tech CEOs to congratulate Trump for winning the 2024 election, saying in a post on Threads that hes looking forward to working with you and your administration.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized amendments to its Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), making it easier to protect consumers who are tricked into paying scam tech support companies. The FTC could already go after these fraudster companies if they initiated calls to people now, they can do the same thing if people call the scammers too.Fake tech support fraud has been on the rise for many years. The company tricks people into thinking they have a virus or other problem by sending scam emails, popups, and other messages. This encourages them to call to a help desk, which then convinces them to pay up.The FTC has long attempted to wrangle money back from these scammers. But as it explains in a published proposal, a 2021 Supreme Court ruling called AMG Capital Management, LLC v. FTC limited its authority to do so. Without a rewrite of the rules, that meant the FTC could only pursue companies when theyd made an outbound call, leaving many consumers who were tricked by the messages out of luck.Now, the TSR has been changed to remove technical support services from a list of services that are exempt from its rules. The FTC has also been cracking down on scammy tech support pop-ups on sites.The FTC says older consumers over the age of 60 were five times more likely to be victims of these scams, and they have collectively reported more than $175 million in losses. Earlier this year, the FTC reported fake Geek Squad calls topped the list of fraud, adding up to $15 million in losses.