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. Whats next for NASAs giant moon rocket? NASAs huge lunar rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), might be in trouble. As rival launchers like SpaceXs Starship gather pace, some are questioning the need for the US national space agency to have its own mega rocket at allsomething that could become a focus of the incoming Trump administration, in which SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is set to play a key role. SLS has been in development for more than a decade. The rocket is huge, and about 15% more powerful than the Saturn V rocket that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 70s. It is also expensive, costing an estimated $4.1 billion per launch. It was designed with a clear purposereturning astronauts to the moons surface. And while it seems likely the rocket will at least launch Artemis II next September, beyond that its future is less certain. Read the full story. Jonathan O'Callaghan This piece is part of MIT Technology Reviews Whats Next series, looking across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here. This startup is getting closer to bringing next-generation nuclear to the grid This is a busy time of year for all of us, and thats certainly true in the advanced nuclear industry. MIT Technology Review released our list of 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch less than two months ago. Since then, awardee Kairos Power has had three big announcements about its progress toward building next-generation nuclear reactors. Each of these bits of news represents an interesting aspect of the process. So lets dig into the announcements and what they mean for where nuclear technology is going. Read the full story. Casey Crownhart This story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things climate and energy. 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 A Chinese ship may have sabotaged critical data cables By dragging its huge anchor along the Baltic seabed for over 100 miles. (WSJ $)+ Swedish authorities are investigating the bulk carrier. (FT $) 2 The FTC is probing Microsoft Its a wide-ranging antitrust investigation into its cloud computing, AI and security arms. (NYT $)+ The FTC has been preparing for this for a full year. (WP $)+ Its notable its been signed off in the Biden administrations dying days. (The Information $)+ Meanwhile, Google is hoping to have its recent antitrust ruling thrown out. (Bloomberg $)3 RFKs Make America Healthy Again movement is in trouble Just days into the project, cracks are already beginning to show. (FT $)+ The MAGA policy agenda is extremely skeptical of actual scientific evidence. (NYT $)+ Americas opioid crisis probably played a role in Trumps reelection. (New Yorker $)4 TikTok is blocking beauty filters for teenagers But the restrictions arent exactly difficult to circumvent. (The Guardian)+ Filters will be required to specify the nature of the tweaks they make, too. (The Verge)+ The fight for Instagram face. (MIT Technology Review)5 Who is applying to join Elon Musks DOGE?Everyone from students to tech CEOs, apparently. (Forbes $) + The division is highly likely to clash with the US governments budget office. (WSJ $)6 Interpol has arrested 1,000 potential cyber criminals across Africa Theyre suspected of extorting victims using ransomware, phishing schemes and scams. (WP $)7 Heres all the tariffs Chinas tech industry is facingIts not just the US thats increasing its restrictions. (Rest of World)+ Buckle up: China is likely to face even greater chip restrictions from next week. (Wired $) + How Trumps tariffs could drive up the cost of batteries, EVs, and more. (MIT Technology Review)8 Mark Zuckerberg has been hobnobbing with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago Which is interesting considering that Trump has threatened him with life imprisonment. (The Information $)+ Zuckerberg has been on a charm offensive to repair their relationship for almost two years. (NYT $)+ But the President-elect has a history of holding grudges. (NY Mag $)9 Distributed computing is the next big thing We can achieve more when we work together, after all. (Quanta Magazine) 10 How those massive Macys Thanksgiving parade balloons stay afloat The greater the mass, the greater the weight. (Wired $)Quote of the day The main advice I have to give is stay true to yourself and hit post. TikToker Leah Halton dispenses some sage advice after winning an award for video of the year at Australias TikTok awards, the Guardian reports. The big story A day in the life of a Chinese robotaxi driver July 2022 When Liu Yang started his current job, he found it hard to go back to driving his own car: I instinctively went for the passenger seat. Or when I was driving, I would expect the car to brake by itself, says the 33-year-old Beijing native, who joined the Chinese tech giant Baidu in January 2021 as a robotaxi driver. Liu is one of the hundreds of safety operators employed by Baidu, driving five days a week in Shougang Park. But despite having only worked for the company for 19 months, he already has to think about his next career move, as his job will likely be eliminated within a few years. Read the full story. Zeyi Yang 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.) + If youve ever admired the incredible Co Rentmeester picture of Michael Jordan leaping through the air, heres the story behind the iconic image.+ If you look to the skies in Alaska, you might just see a Thanksgiving turkey being thrown out of a plane.+ Talking of Thanksgiving, if you want to cook the ultimate turkey, look no further.+ Move over, the hot artists are coming.

This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Reviews weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. This is a busy time of year for all of us, and thats certainly true in the advanced nuclear industry. MIT Technology Review released our list of 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch less than two months ago. Since then, awardee Kairos Power has had three big announcements about its progress toward building next-generation nuclear reactors. Each of these bits of news represents an interesting aspect of the process. So lets dig into the announcements and what they mean for where nuclear technology is going. First, a quick refresher on Kairos Power: While nuclear plants today overwhelmingly use pressurized water to keep reactors cool, Kairos is using molten salt. The idea is that these reactors (which are also smaller than those typically built today) will help generate electricity in a way thats safer and more efficient than conventional nuclear power. When it comes to strategy, Kairos is taking small steps toward the ultimate goal of full-size power plants. Construction began earlier this year on Hermes, the companys first nuclear test reactor. That facility will generate a small amount of heatabout 35 megawatts worthto demonstrate the technology. Last week, the company announced it received a construction permit for the next iteration of its system, Hermes 2. This plant will share a location with Hermes, and it will include the infrastructure to transform heat to electricity. That makes it the first electricity-producing next-generation nuclear plant to get this approval in the US. While this news wasnt a huge surprise (the company has been working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for years), any day that youre getting a permit or a license from the NRC is an unusual and special day, Kairos CEO Mike Laufer told me in an interview. The company is developing a plan to work on construction for both Hermes and Hermes 2 at the same time, he added. When I asked if Hermes is still on track to start up in 2027 (as we reported in our profile of the company in October), Laufer said thats an aggressive timeline. While construction on test reactors is rolling, Kairos is forging ahead with commercial dealsin October, it announced an agreement with Google to build up to 500 megawatts worth of power plants by 2035. Under this agreement, Kairos will develop, construct, and operate plants and sell electricity to the tech giant. Kairos will need to build multiple reactors to deliver 500 MW. The first deployment should happen by 2030, with additional units to follow. One of the benefits of building smaller reactors is learning as you go along and making improvements that can lower costs and make construction more efficient, Laufer says. While the construction permit and Google deal are arguably the biggest recent announcements from Kairos, Im also fascinated by a more niche milestone: In early October, the company broke ground on a salt production facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that will make the molten salt used to cool its reactors. Salt is one of the key areas where we do have some unique and specialized needs, Laufer says. And having control over the areas of the supply chain that are specialized will be key to helping the company deliver electricity reliably and at lower cost, he adds. The companys molten salt is called Flibe, and its a specific mix of lithium fluoride and beryllium fluoride. One fun detail I learned from Laufer is that the mixture needs to be enriched in lithium-7 because that isotope absorbs fewer neutrons than lithium-6, allowing the reactor to run more efficiently. The new facility in Albuquerque will produce large quantities of high-purity Flibe enriched in lithium-7. Progress in the nuclear industry can sometimes feel slow, with milestones few and far between, so its really interesting to see Kairos taking so many small steps in quick succession toward delivering on its promise of safe, cheap nuclear power. Weve had a lot of huge accomplishments. We have a long way to go, Laufer says. This is not an easy thing to pull off. We believe we have the right approach and were doing it the right way, but it requires a lot of hard work and diligence. Now read the rest of The Spark Related reading For more details on Kairos and its technology, check out our profile of the company in the 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch package from October. If youre dying for more details on molten salt, check out this story I wrote in January about a test system Kairos built to demonstrate the technology. STEPHANIE ARNETT/MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW | GETTY, ADOBE STOCK Another thing Donald Trump pledged to enact tariffs on a wide range of products imported into the US. The plans could drive up the cost of batteries, EVs, and more, threatening to slow progress on climate and potentially stall the economy. Read more about the potential impacts for technology in the latest story from my colleague James Temple. Keeping up with climate The UN climate talks wrapped up over the weekend. In the resulting agreement, rich nations will provide at least $300 billion in climate finance per year by 2035 to developing nations to help them deal with climate change. (Carbon Brief) This falls well short of the $1 trillion mark that many had hoped to reach. (MIT Technology Review)Utilities might be spending a lot of money on the wrong transmission equipment on the grid. Dollars are flowing to smaller, local projects, not the interstate projects that are crucial for getting more clean energy online. (Inside Climate News) Sustainable aviation fuel is one of the only viable options to help clean up the aviation industry in the near term. But what are these fuels, exactly? And how do they help with climate change? Its surprisingly complicated, and the details matter. (Canary Media) Automakers want Trump to keep rules in place that will push the US toward adoption of electric vehicles. Companies have already invested billions of dollars into an EV transition. (NewYork Times) Theres a growing chasm in American meat consumption: The number of households that avoid meat has increased slightly, but all other households have increased their meat purchases. (Vox) Trump has vowed to halt offshore wind energy, but for some projects, things take so long that a four-year term may not even touch them. (Grist)

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"A new exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art dives into the bio-digital processes through architecture and nature.The exhibition, titled Deep Forest, was created by design innovation firm ecoLogicStudio, led by Prof Claudia Pasquero and Dr Marco Poletto.Deep Forest, created together with academic partner Innsbruck University, is part of the Living Structures exhibition series at the renowned Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. Deep Forest will be on show at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art until March 23rd, 2025.Deep Forest, commissioned by the Danish museum in 2023, reverses the modernist goal of mechanizing nature by celebrating the naturalization of technology and architecture.Mette Marie Kallehauge and Kjeld Kjeldsen's new series, "Architecture Connecting," includes the exhibition "Living Structures." It highlights the evolution of architecture in the context of the climate crisis and the social, cultural, and political challenges that this reality presents."The forest are cyber-organic networks""Diving deeply into a forest means losing oneself into the multiplicity of interconnecting processes that defines its very existence; and with it our own identity. In our contemporary world these processes are biological and digital, as both us and the forest are cyber-organic networks," said Prof Claudia Pasquero, the founder of ecoLogicStudio."Like the slime mould greeting visitors at the entrance of the Deep Forest exhibition, it serves as both a woodland fungus and a biological computera form of wetware AI infrastructure with the capacity to plan a city," Pasquero added.Experience is the only way to fully comprehend the intricacy and interconnectedness of this work, which is why ecoLogicStudio's exhibition at the Louisiana uses the immersive language of spatial design to convey the creative spirit of their 20 years of research and bio-digital design advancements with their academic partners.The Deep Forest installation, which draws from the museum's distinctive landscape setting, is influenced by the region's territorial diversity as well as the materials that can be gathered and produced locally.The most important of these is the mycelium, which is the organism that creates the Wood Wide Web, also known as the forest internet.Mycelium controls the exhibition's planar organization of the projects, sets up the photosynthetic reactors' aeration system, and directs visitors along designated routes.Additionally, it becomes a living architectural material that gives biodegradable columns shape and substance.Although the uses of mycelium in biodesign are endless, Deep Forest concentrates on its symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic microalgae. The circularity of the forest depends on photosynthesis from both algae and tree leaves, which work together to form lichens that support this interdependent ecosystem.In addition to providing context for the photosynthesizersthe 44 glass vessels containing living cultures of cyanobacteria and seaweeds that provide fresh oxygen and carbon sequestration to the museum's room102 carbon storers constructed from salvaged birch trunks are home to a variety of fungal species in the exhibit.600g of CO2/day, or the equivalent of a small mature forest, is captured from the atmosphere by the 44 photosynthesizers that ecoLogicStudio designed and engineered. Of these, 29 shorter units contain microalgae types of Spirulina SP, while 15 taller units contain macroalgae species typical of the local shores.Additionally, these supply biomass for 20 biodegraders that were developed at the University of Innsbruck's Synthetic Landscape Lab and 3D printed.Their infill is composed of 300 kg of spent coffee grounds, and their exterior structure is 3D printed using biopolymer infused with algae.After being inoculated with colonies of living mycelium, they grow to create a solid synthetic trunk and a new space-filling network while consuming the sugars in coffee grounds.The synthetic mycelium trunks are buried in the ground for up to three weeks as part of the proprietary bio-fabrication process. This gives the mycelium time to fully develop its networks and achieve the desired material and aesthetic consistency.The trunks can now be removed and dried to gain both aesthetic appeal and mechanical resistance. Fresh mushrooms will occasionally emerge from cracks in the 3D printed bark when certain areas are kept damp to promote the growth of fruiting bodies.In summary, the micromanagement of photosynthesis as a circular process is given architectural form by Deep Forest. It represents the goal of creating sustainable architecture out of the pollution and waste that are released into the modern urban environment."Photosynthesis is fire in reverse. There is too much fire in the world, so to counteract fire we need more photosynthesis and we need to design it, to customise it," Prof Mario Carpo from its interview with Prof Claudia Pasquero and Dr Marco Poletto recorded for the exhibition catalogue.Five themed areas within Deep Forest highlight a range of recent projects that ecoLogicStudio and its academic partners have worked on. Highlights include GAN-Physarum: La drive numrique, a machine learning algorithm trained to mimic the behaviour of living slime mould, envisioning a bio-digital, autonomous Paris; Tree One, a living sculpture previously exhibited in Korea and China; and the results of research led by Prof. Claudia Pasqueros students in the Synthetic Landscape Lab at Innsbruck University.The exhibition also features ecoLogicStudios recent book, Deep Green: Biodesign in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, and the bio-digital gardening project H.O.R.T.U.S. XL Astaxanthin.g.Dr Marco Poletto and Prof Claudia Pasquero, the founders of ecoLogicStudioecoLogicStudio created a restorative space for a Swiss consumer healthcare company in Nyon, Switzerland.In addition, the firm installed an air bubble air-purifying eco-machine at COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Moreover, the studio created the worlds first biotechnological playground for children to integrate air-purifying micro-algae.Project factsProject name:Deep ForestExhibition Info:Living Structures (part of Architecture Connecting series)Dates:8 November 2024 23 March 2025Location: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, DenmarkArtist: ecoLogicStudio (Claudia Pasquero, Marco Poletto)Academic Partners:Synthetic Landscape Lab at Innsbruck University, Urban Morphogenesis Lab at the Bartlett UCLProject Team:Prof Claudia Pasquero, Dr Marco Poletto with Jasper Zehetgruber, Beyza Nur Armagan, Xiao Wang, Alessandra PolettoPrototyping Support Team: Konstantina Bikou, Korbinian Enzinger, Francesca Turi, Jonas Wohlgenannt, Marco Matteraglia, Michael Unterberger, Mika Schulz, Felix Humml, Bo Liu.All images Rasmus Hjortshj.> via ecoLogicStudio

Green light for Gensler and Buckley Gray Yeoman-designed office tower on site with more approvals expected in coming monthsBuckley Gray Yeoman and Genslers 16-storey office tower has been granted detailed approvalFaulkner Browns 800m Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme in Shoreditch has resurfaced four years after it was given the green light following a decade-long planning saga.Sadiq Khan has granted planning approval for two reserved matters applications covering a Gensler and Buckley Gray Yeoman-designed office tower and a restoration of some historic buildings.Development partners Ballymore and Hammerson say they are now eyeing a 2025 construction start on the prime City fringe site, which has been vacant for more than half a century.A hybrid application for Faulkner Browns masterplan, which included detailed plans for a 29-storey office tower designed by Eric Parry, was approved by Sadiq Khan in December 2020 and given final legal sign off in March 2022.Only very light enabling work has been carried out on the site since that date, including vegetation clearing. It is understood that the project team is now pressing ahead with the plans and expect to submit further reserved matters applications for other parts of the site in the coming months.Buckley Gray Yeoman has designed the 16-storey office building as facade architect with Gensler working on other elements of the design. It will sit above Shoreditch High Street station and contain 36,000 sq m of office space and 600 sq m of street level retail space.The other reserved matters approval is for the restoration of five derelict buildings on Sclater Street under plans by Chris Dyson Architects aiming to bring them back into use as retail, cafe and co-working spaces with three homes on upper floors.Chris Dyson Architects proposals for the restoration of five derelict buildings on the siteOnce complete, the wider masterplan will include a total of 500 new homes, including 50% affordable, a 2.6 acre public park and two new cultural spaces, a destination building on Brick Lane and an exhibition space under the grade II-listed Braithwaite Viaduct.Plans for the scheme go back to 2002 when Ballymore and Hammerson acquired the site from Network Rail, although it was 12 years before a planning application designed by PLP was submitted.This scheme, which featured 1,400 homes in towers of up to 46 storeys, was scrapped after it was recommended for refusal by the GLA following a vigorous campaign against the plans by locals, with Faulkner Browns later brought in to devise the current masterplan.

Refurbishment projects in the capital also dived by 57% as spooked developers hold fire on schemesOffice starts plunged by 42% between April and September while office refurbishments fell by 57%Office construction starts in London have crashed by 42% since April as developers hold fire on schemes amid continued economic uncertainty, the latest Deloitte crane survey has found.Refurbishment schemes also plunged by 57% and have been outpaced by new build starts for the first time in four and a half years.Kadans 23-storey One North Quay scheme in the Docklands was one of two huge life sciences schemes which boosted the number of commercial construction starts recorded by the survey between April and SeptemberA total of 2.4 million sq ft of office space started on site between April and September across 25 schemes. This does not include life sciences, which was responsible for 35% of all new commercial starts during the period with a combined 3.7 million sq ft of space.But even with life sciences included, total constructions fell by 12% on Deloittes previous survey for the capital, covering September 2023 to April 2024.Two huge life sciences schemes boosted the figures for construction starts, Kadans One North Quay in the Docklands, designed by KPF, and Reef Estates Bennetts-designed Tribeca London scheme in Kings Cross.These schemes are the main drivers of new activity in Kings Cross and the Docklands. New construction fell across the other central London submarkets, except for the City, where new construction activity edged up by 7%.Philip Parnell, Deloitte partner and real estate sustainability lead, said the dramatic fall in refurbishment levels was likely a reaction to economic, geopolitical and wider global concerns prevailing during the survey period.But he said developers appetite to maintain their pipeline of activity, coupled with the continuing need to address occupiers ESG credentials, suggested this may be a blip rather than a trend.Meanwhile, 2.7 million sq ft of office space across 35 schemes has been completed in the capital, 28% less than the 3.8 million sq ft that was expected to be delivered.For the third survey in succession, developers listed planning issues as a leading challenge to development. This survey also saw construction costs rising as a top challenge, while supply chain issues dropped down the list of concerns.These delays have contributed to the record high levels of ongoing construction, currently standing at 16.8 million sq ft.Deloitte partner and real estate lead Caroline Waldock said that despite the survey finding signs of stubborn optimism among developers, factors impacting completion levels would be likely to continue for the foreseeable future.It has been a challenging year for Londons office market, she said. Not only has it had to grapple with continued geopolitical and economic uncertainty, but construction contractor insolvencies have placed additional pressures on an already distressed construction sector.While she said activity in the life science sector could reinvigorate quieter markets in the short term, longer term demand for this space is less certain.The report said it certainly remains to be seen whether the supply of bespoke life sciences space, which can only be occupied by life sciences companies, will exceed the demand for this type of space in the capital, which is considered a less mature life sciences market than the traditional hubs such as Oxford and Cambridge.

Buckley Gray Yeoman and Gensler's designs for Bishopsgate Goodsyard plots 1 and 2 Source:&nbsp BGY The long-awaited Bishopsgate Goodsyard megaproject in Shoreditch, east London, is pressing ahead after securing two detailed planning approvals for reserved matters applications The Greater London Authority (GLA) has given detailed design approval for one of the main commercial buildings planned for the site, an office building above Shoreditch station, and for the restoration of historic buildings on Sclater Street.The office building, designed by Gensler and Buckley Gray Yeoman, will provide 36,000m of workspace, including affordable space for small and medium businesses, and 600m of new retail space fronting Bethnal Green Road and Shoreditch High Street. It will also provide a new Middle Road connecting the two roads.The design comprises two parts: a lower base to be occupied by small businesses and an upper crown tailored to larger companies, according to Gensler.AdvertisementThe firm said bridging over the railway line and station also provided an opportunity to integrate double-height structural trusses on levels 5 and 6 of the building, creating a unique amenity level and top-tier office space with panoramic views.The Sclater Street element, designed by Chris Dyson Architects, includes the restoration of five derelict historic buildings on the street to bring them back into use as shops, cafs and co-working spaces, with three new homes on the upper floors.The buildings to be refurbished include a partial row of fire-damaged former weavers cottages, which will be turned into co-working spaces with a Cor-ten and glass extension; a Victorian accommodation block, which will be turned into retail and residential space; and a mission hall, originally part of a Victorian goods station, which will become a restaurant. Source:BGY Bishopsgate Goodsyards Sclater Street - Mission ChapelThe overall Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme has been masterplanned by FaulknerBrowns for a 4.4ha site, straddling the boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets. The scheme, a 50-50 joint venture between Ballymore and Hammerson, will provide 500 homes (with 50 per cent affordable), a hotel, 130,000m of workspace, restaurants and shops. It will also restore the existing Grade II-listed Oriel Gate and Grade II-listed Braithwaite Viaduct on the site.The schemes 10 buildings have been designed by Eric Parry, FaulknerBrowns, Chris Dyson Architects, Gensler and Buckley Gray Yeoman.AdvertisementThe two reserved matters approvals mark the beginning of the delivery of the Goodsyard site, with further detailed applications to be brought forward for consultation and consideration by the GLA in the coming months, according to the developers.In 2022, the GLA finally granted legal planning permission, listed building consent and a section 106 agreement for the major redevelopment, which London mayor Sadiq Khan approved in principle in 2020.Before that, the project had been the subject of a planning saga that had seen the original application controversially called in by then-mayor Boris Johnson in 2015. Then, in 2020, Hackney and Tower Hamlets councils failed to agree on a recommendation to grant or refuse the scheme.Tower Hamlets had objected on the basis that the scheme would fail to optimise the housing potential of the site, maximise the provision of family homes or contribute to the creation of mixed and balanced communities. However, Khan sided with his GLA officers who had recommended approving the development.The first proposals for the City fringe plot emerged in 2010, with early plans drawn up by Terry Farrell.A number of high-profile architects, including David Chipperfield, have previously hit out at the development, calling it unacceptable and insisting it didnt reflect the needs of the local community.The development has also attracted local opposition, with a 2020 consultation racking up more than 200 objections and more than 50 businesses in Brick Lane and Bethnal Green backing two petitions against it.Chris Dyson, founder and principal of Chris Dyson Architects, said: Looking at the car park and semi-derelict buildings on the street today, its hard to imagine that Sclater Street was once the heart of the Spitalfields silk weaving district.Were delighted to be part of the Goodsyard team bringing this part of our neighbourhood back to life, through careful restoration and high-quality contemporary design.Ballymore group managing director John Mulryan said: The RMA approvals mark the beginning of delivery of the Goodsyard. The result will be the reopening of one of Londons most important historical assets located between the City and Shoreditch.Hammerson chief development and asset repositioning officer Harry Badham said: The Goodsyard is one of the last undeveloped sites of scale in central London which has the potential to lead the way in terms of placemaking and holistic regeneration.[Gensler and Buckley Gray Yeomans] proposed workspace building is part of creating a new international destination rooted in a unique and ever-evolving local culture.2024-11-28Richard Waitecomment and share

Brighton I-360 Limited has said it will appoint an administrator after missing loan repayments on 51 million of debt owed to Brighton and Hove City Council. The council said it had not received any loan repayment for 17 months, since June 2023.The 162m-tall vertical pier opened on Brightons beachfront in 2016. It was built and operated by Brighton I-360 Limited, which is chaired by Marks Barfield co-founder Julia Barfield.However, the company has struggled with loan repayments since June 2018, when the council first agreed to defer a repayment date.AdvertisementThe company was severely affected by the Covid pandemic according to its latest accounts, in which it reported a 31.8 million pre-tax loss and 5.8 million of revenue for the year to 30 June 2023.Interpath Advisory, which is set to be appointed as administrator for the company, said the attraction would remain open in the immediate future but that it faced permanent closure unless a white knight buyer comes forward to rescue it.Charlie Carter of Interpath, who is leading the sales process, said: The Brighton i360 has become an iconic visitor attraction, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, but unfortunately is now at real risk of closure unless a buyer can be found.The attraction features a doughnut-shaped glass viewing pod, which travels up and down a central column. The viewing pod has a 200-person capacity, with adult tickets costing around 20 for a 20-minute journey up and down the tower.Brighton and Hove City Council said it was still owed a 51 million repayment for a council loan at a commercially agreed interest rate as well as a 4 million Coast to Capital loan.AdvertisementBut it added that its actual loss relating to underlying loan debt and interest repayable to government was around 32 million.In 2022, the council agreed to restructure the loan debt, which meant it would take almost all profits made from the i360. In 2023, the attraction operator was given a final warning over missed repayments.The councils deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and city regeneration, Jacob Taylor, said: It is extremely disappointing that the Brighton i360 is filing for administration. This leaves a large unpaid amount to the city council, which will have an impact on the overall budget.It is important that the council and the city reflect on the decisions that have led us to this point and learn lessons for the future.Barfield was contacted for comment.

Get ready, as this year'sBlack Friday is comes with huge discounts across a wide array of products, with many under $100. These great deals make excellent budget-friendly gifts. From cutting-edge tech to home essentials and beauty must-haves, there's no shortage of incredible offers to seize. CNET's experts handpicked the best value-driven deals, featuring standout finds from major retailers like Amazon and Walmart. Why pay full price when you can snag unbeatable options under $100?See at AmazonBig savings are live now across all categories, including tech, home goods, apparel and more. The number of deals is also growing every day as we move closer to Thanksgiving weekend. If you've been looking to score some great budget items for yourself or as holiday gifts, you're in the right place. There's even a list of the top tech you can get forat least 50% offat several retailers. Here we've gathered up some of the top finds you can grab for $100 or less, all in one place.We'll keep updating this page throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so be sure to check back often for the latest batch of sub-$100 offers. Best Black Friday deals under $100 Amazon/Energetic/CNET The Amazon Echo Show 8 is a frontrunner for the best smart display of 2024. This 2023 model has an 8-inch HD touchscreen, a 13MP camera and a built-in microphone so you can check the weather, set timers, update your calendar and much more totally hands-free. Plus, it also doubles as a digital picture frame. This deal also comes with a free Energetic smart bulb, which has a color palette of 16 million hues. $93 at Amazon Insignia/CNET Looking for a TV on a tight budget? This option has a smaller screen that's an excellent choice for bedrooms, dorms, offices and other compact spaces. It also comes with an Alexa remote for convenient hands-free control. $70 at Amazon JBL/CNET One of our favorite Bluetooth speakers is portable, comes equipped with a 12-hour battery life and has dual passive radiators for powerful sound. It's also waterproof and dustproof so you can take it just about anywhere. And right now all six color variants are on sale at Best Buy. $80 at Best Buy Best Black Friday tech deals under $100 Beats/CNET These 2024 Beats are some of our favorite over-ear headphones available at the moment. They're not noise-canceling, but do support lossless audio, boast solid voice-call performance and impressed our reviewers with their substantial 50-hour battery life. There are four different color variants, but only pink, matte black and blue are on sale at the moment. We've recently seen them discounted by as much as $100, but this price cut is still a solid deal if you'd rather lock in a deal now rather than waiting to see if they drop again during Black Friday sales. $100 at Amazon Beats Studio Buds: $80 (save $70). An older and more affordable alternative to the top-rated Buds Plus.Soundcore Motion 300: $56 (save $24). One of the best Bluetooth speakers of 2024. Claim the on-page coupon to get the discount.Ring video doorbell (2nd gen): $60 (save $40). This battery-powered video doorbell lets you keep an eye on your home from anywhere.Avapow 4000A portable jump starter: $60 (save $190). A must-have for any vehicle's emergency kit.Samsung T7 1TB SSD: $90 (save $55). Substantial storage you can take on the go.TP-Link Archer AX21 Wi-Fi 6 router: $70 (save $25). This dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router supports lightning-fast data transfer speeds and is backward compatible with previous-gen devices.Jackery Explorer 100 Plus power station: $89 (save $60). Power your devices during power outages or camping trips with this 128W power bank. Then recharge the station with optional solar panels.Govee RGBIC floor lamp: $55 (save $45). Light up your space with 16 million DIY colors using one of our favorite lamps. It's almost 50% off right now.Govee Envisual TV LED backlight with dual cameras: $80 (save $60). Level up your entertainment setup with Govee's Envisual TV backlight. The dual cameras provide more-accurate color matching to create a truly immersive viewing experience. Clip the on-page coupon for the full discount.Crucial RAM 32GB kit: $80 (save $30). Update your laptop's memory for less with these 2x16GB DDR5 5600MHz memory sticks.PS5 DualSense controller in midnight black: $54 (save $21). Sony's PlayStation 5 controller is now down to its lowest price.70mai A800S 4K dash cam, front and rear: $100 (save $50). Add 4K recording to your car with this excellent two-piece dash cam.Philips Hue bulbs starter kit: $80 (save $50). A two-pack of B22 bulbs with 800 lumens in white and colorSuper Mario Odyssey Switch: $30 (save $30). A rare Nintendo discount on the plumber's latest 3D adventure.Crucial X10 Pro 1TB portable SSD: $91 (save $59). This tiny SSD performs very well with its USB 3.2 speeds, and is portable enough to be added to your keychain.Apple AirTag 4-pack: $73 (save $26). This tiny Bluetooth tracker can help you find your lost keys or wallet.Hori Nintendo Switch Split Pad: $43 (save $7). Hori's chunky joystick replacement for the Nintendo Switch adds much needed grip at a reasonable price.Govee RGBWIC Christmas Lights 2: $80 (save $50). With Christmas right around the corner, these smart string lights are the perfect choice to light up your tree or home.GL.iNet travel router: $74 (save $36). Design for hotel and travel use, this portable travel router offers high-speeds, and built-in VPN support for ultimate security.KYY 15.6-inch portable monitor: $60 (save $70). Add some extra screen real-estate to your laptop with this affordable portable monitor.Anker MagGo 10,000mAh power bank: $52 (save $18). A capable Magsafe compatible battery pack with 15W wireless charging.Best Black Friday home deals under $100 The Shark StainStriker is a lightweight, dual-activated stain eliminator designed to tackle tough stains and odors with 20x more power. Perfect for carpets, upholstery, furniture, and even cars, it uses powerful suction and an OXY-infused cleaning formula to lift dirt and liquids for a like-new finish. Compact and pet-friendly, its the ultimate solution for whole-home cleaning and easy storage. $100 at Amazon Instant Pot Vortex Plus XL air fryer: $80 (save $40). This 6-quart, six-in-one air fryer is now down to the lowest price we've seen in 2024.Worx Pegasus 2-in-1 folding work table and sawhorse: $90 (save $60). A portable, lightweight workbench with two clamps and four clamp dogs.Adjustable steel mesh zero-gravity recliners: $99 (save $30). Experience ultimate relaxation in your backyard or patio with these chairs, complete with built-in cup holders and cozy pillows.Instant Pot 7.5 quart slow cooker: $55 (save $25). With a large capacity and the ability to slow cook, sear, steam, and warm, this instant pot is a good deal.Best Black Friday kitchen deals under $100 The compact-sized Keurig K-Slim can serve up cups as large as 12oz. The built-in water reservoir is good for multiple brews, and you can even slot in a travel-sized mug to brew up some fresh coffee for your morning commute. A built-in energy saver function saves power. $80 at Amazon Bella Pro SmartCrisp air fryer: $60 (save $70). A 24-hour Deal of the Day offer from Best BuyKeurig K-Select: $70 (save $80). A convenient single-serve coffee maker with a strong brew function.Kyoku 8-inch Shogun-series chef knife: $78 (save $30). Made of hammered Damascus steel, this Japanese chef knife looks great and chops even better.HexClad hybrid BBQ grill pan: $95 (save $64). A 12-inch nonstick, stainless steel pan that can serve any grilling need and makes cleanup as easy as possible.Best Black Friday health, beauty and wellness deals under $100 The Tymo Hair Straightening Brush combines the functionality of a comb and flat iron in one tool, delivering a super straight look and blowout-style results with a single pass. Featuring 3D brush teeth and PTC heating technology, it evenly distributes heat, reducing damage by 50% and leaving your hair frizz-free. With five heat settings, quick 20-second heat-up, anti-scald protection, and an auto-off feature, its the ultimate time-saving and safe solution for all hair types. $40 at Amazon Tatcha: The Dewy Skin Cream: $55 (save $17). Improve your skin barrier while getting glowy, moisturized and plump skin with Tatcha's skin cream. Sales on this don't come often so take advantage while you can.Crest 3D Whitestrips: $28 (save $18). Get sparkly white teeth up to 20 levels whiter than you started with.NuDerma handheld skin therapy wand: $60 (save $10). Amp up your skin routine with NuDerma's handheld skin therapy that offers benefits like skin tightening, anti ageing, wrinkle reduction, and more.Read more: The Best Black Friday 50% (or More) Off Deals Watch this: How to Shop Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals Like a Pro 02:36 Are Black Friday deals under $100 worth buying? You won't find many big-ticket items like TVs and laptops in the sub-$100 price range, but there are still a ton of more affordable Black Friday bargains you can take advantage of. For $100 or less, you can pick up discounted tech and gadgets like headphones, kitchen appliances and smart home devices. Even if you're not in the market for anything specific, you can still take advantage of these holiday savings to stock up on everyday essentials and household basics like towels, charging cables and more. What should I look for in a Black Friday deal under $100? When you're shopping for Black Friday deals -- especially in the under $100 price range -- you'll need to pay close attention to a product's brand or manufacturer. During major shopping events, many retailers -- especially Amazon and Walmart -- are flooded with cheap knock-offs and outlandish offers from sketchy third-party vendors. Look for popular and trusted name brands, and ensure that your order is being fulfilled by an official retailer or the manufacturer directly. This information can usually be found beneath the product name or the "add to cart" button.

The official Black Friday sales begin tomorrow. If time with your friends and family made you think it may be fun to have a new game to play together, we've found the best board games on sale. Pick up one now in time for the winter holidays. There are games for a variety of interests and age groups, so you're sure to find one that fits your group. Board games today come in many forms, and there are options for every taste. You can find games that requirecooperative play,strategy gamesthat require intense concentration or simplercard gamesthat are all about luck. If you shop around, you'll also find there are always good games on sale.My family and I love board games, so I'm always looking for the best deals. I'll never be a rich man; I buy every board game deal I see for my gaming table. Now you can also enjoy the feeling of having more board games than you'll ever need. Keep scrolling to check out our roundup of the best board game bargains available, and we'll keep updating the list as we find newer and better deals.Board game deals Spectre the Board Game: $19 If you like to indulge in being a little sneaky, you'll love Spectre. Your aim is to become the next big spy, and to do so you need to build special devices, create your own networks of spies and more. You'll not only have to work against other players but also James Bond himself. You can play with up to four people, so it's a good one for family nights if you all love spy films. Details $19 at Amazon Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway : $12 In this trading card game for kids aged 8 and up, the goal is to put together a story, getting more "lore" as you go. The cards you gather are the cards you have to battle with when challenging villains, rivals and friends. Each game comes with two prebuilt decks that allow players to start with "glimmers" which are Disney characters with powers, as well as songs, items and more. This is a simple way to get kids to begin learning about trading card games. Details $11 at Amazon Minecraft: Builders & Biomes: $35 Minecraft was always going to branch out into other platforms, but we're not sure anybody expected it to feel so good as a board game. Builders & Biomes can be played with up to four players, and it essentially translates the experience of the video game into a board game. That means plenty of voxel-style board pieces, different items to collect and plenty of areas to explore. Details $35 at Amazon Marvel Zombies: $45 Marvel is probably going to be fairly big for the rest of all of our lives, and so too will the appeal of the humble zombie. Well, Marvel Zombies smooshes the two together into a board game for up to six players. The game comes with minis to play withand has you either trying to save the world or doom it. This set can also be added to other ones to make for an even larger potential game. Details $47 at Amazon Spellbook: $34 Spellbook is a great game for those who love fantasy. Your aim is to build up your very own spellbook, and then use it to navigate around and try to outthink your opponents. There's a degree of luck in there, sure, but you also need to understand how everyone else is going to move and more. Details $34 at Amazon More board game dealsTicket to Ride strategy board game: $25(save $19)Original Sequence game: $13(save $12)Red Rising: $9 (save $15)King of Tokyo: $40 (save $5)Senior Moments: $28 (save $8)Draft'd: $10 (save $10)Hedbanz: $8 (save $9)Honga: $20 (save $20)Herd Mentality: $20 (save $5)Pandemic: $22 (save $23)Mind the Gap: $21 (save $9)One Night Ultimate Werewolf: $20 (save $5)Catan: $25 (save $25)The Quacks of Quedlinburg: $25 (save $20)Azul: $20 (save $12)River Valley Glassworks: $20 (save $20)Wavelength: $17 (save $14)Jumanji: $25 (save $10)Pictionary: $10 (save $10)Monopoly: $10 (save $20)The Game of Life: $11 (save $22)Escaping Extinction: $21 (save $9)Electronic Hot Potato: $11 (save $5)Where's the best place for board game deals?Amazon might be the obvious choice for board games, but there are still plenty of other places you can find great deals. Target tends to have a good selection of board game deals, often giving discounts such as "buy one, get one 50% off."What makes a good board game deal?Remember, a product's list price doesn't always tell you the real value, especially as retailers have started offering Day 1 deals on products. Often the list price is artificially inflated to make the deal look more attractive, so you'll want to check around and see what the true value of a product is. You might also want to installCNET's Shopping plug-into give you a bit of help with that.

November 28, 20243 min readFossil Footprints Suggest Two Early Human Species Crossed Paths within HoursTwo sets of fossilized footprints from early human species were made within a few hours of each other about 1.5 million years ago, researchers suggestBy Tom MetcalfeScientists think this footprint was made by a Paranthropus boisei individual. Kevin G. HatalaFootprints from two different types of ancient primates related to humansone of them a human ancestorwere likely left within hours of each other along the shoreline of a lake in what is now Kenya. The astonishing discovery of these fossilized footfalls confirms that the two hominin species lived side by side, and it offers insight into how they might have cooperated or competed.We didnt know we had two species when we were excavating them, says Kevin Hatala, a paleoanthropologist at Chatham University and lead author of a study of the footprints, which was published on Thursday in Science. It was only after several months of analysis and ruling out all possible alternative explanations that we said, We think weve got something special here, something that we havent seen before.The fossil footprints were discovered in 2021 during excavations in Kenya near Lake Turkana. Over many decades, the area around the lake has yielded thousands of fossilsincluding many that belong to our own genus, Homothat have been crucial to the scientific understanding of human evolution. The dozens of footprints in the 2021 find were made about 1.5 million years ago in soft sediments beside the lake, then covered by other sediments and eventually fossilized.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.When examining the footprints, Hatala, who is an expert on the evolution of human feet, noticed that some resembled those of modern humans, whereas many others looked more primitive. He and his colleagues used three-dimensional imaging to determine the modern-looking footprints were made by an individual from the species Homoerectus, which lived between 1.89 million and 110,000 years ago and was an ancestor of modern humans.But others were made by members of the species Paranthropus boiseian upright hominin (extinct human ancestors and their relatives) that lived between 2.3 million and 1.2 million years ago. The species was closely related to the Homo genus but was not a direct human ancestor.Hatala says examination of the fossilized sediments suggests the footprints were made within a few hours of each other. That timing suggests that family groups of H. erectus and P. boisei both lived near the lake and that they were both scavenging for meat from a dead animal or collecting edible plants at the same place, he says.The study is not the first to suggest that H. erectus and P. boisei coexisted. And there are suggestions that other hominin species, including Homo habilis and Australopithecus sediba, may have also been living in parts of Africa at that time.But this is the first direct evidence that H. erectus and P. boisei were living in the same place at the same time and that they seem to have been using the same natural resources for food, Hatala says. These were definitely species that were around on that landscape at the same time and probably aware of each others existence, he explains. However, I think there is an open question about how they would have interacted with each other, he adds. They might have had a sort of low-level competition..., or maybe they were cooperating with each other. We dont know.Geologist Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce of Appalachian State University, who wasnt involved in the new study, calls it fascinating and exciting. Footprints are often preserved along the margins of ancient lakes and can provide glimpses of behavior that is difficult to glean from bones and stone tools, she says.And Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History paleoanthropologist Briana Pobiner, who, with Liutkus-Pierce, studies ancient human footprints in Tanzania and also wasnt involved in the new work, notes that the footprint analysis is critical to the paper. Short of a time machine, she says, fossil footprints are the next best way to capture a snapshot in time of our ancestors daily lives.