Submitted by WA ContentsVenice Architecture Biennale 2025Italy Architecture News - Dec 07, 2024 - 14:15 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The Venice Architecture Biennale is a global exhibition of architecture from various nations, held in Venice, Italy, every two years.The 19th International Architecture Exhibition will take place from 10 May to 23 November 2025 at the Giardini, the Arsenale and various venues in Venice, Italy.Titled Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective, the exhibition is curated by architect and engineer Carlo Ratti.He is currently holding teaching positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and at the Politecnico di Milano. Ratti is the director of the Senseable City Lab at the MIT and a founding partner of the architecture and innovation office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associatibased in Torino, New York City, and London.Top image: Giardini venue. Image Andrea Avezzu, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia.> via Venice Architecture Biennale

Farrells has now reduced the height of the 1 Battersea Bridge Road tower by ten storeys since it was submitted for planning at the beginning of this yearFarrells has cut a further five storeys from its controversial mixed-use tower in Battersea amid a flood of more than 1,500 objections from members of the public.The practice has now taken a total of 10 storeys and 60 homes off its original proposals for a 39-storey tower at 1 Battersea Bridge Road after first lopping off five storeys in June.The scheme, which is next to the head office of Foster & Partners, would be the sole high rise building in a predominantly mid-rise location at the southern end of Battersea Bridge.Its second height reduction comes following a storm of protest from locals since it was first submitted for developer Rockwell at the beginning of this year.The application has now amassed a total of 1,567 objections, mostly focusing on the height of the proposed building and its impact on views from the neighbouring grade II*-listed Battersea Park.It has also been criticised by Historic England, which called for the tower to be reduced in height in a letter to Wandsworth council in June warning the scheme would be a harmful and incongruous addition to the London skyline.Historic England sent a second letter to the council last month following the schemes second height reduction, saying it remains concerned and the harm caused would be broadly similar to the previous proposals.While the reduction in height is welcome in principle, the tall building would remain a visually intrusive and incongruous addition to the townscape with wide reaching harmful impacts on the historic environment, the heritage advisor said.The tower would be located on a riverside spot in a mostly low and mid-rise neighbourhoodWe therefore rest on our advice set out in our original consultation response.Promontoria Battersea Limited, which is the applicant for the scheme, notified Wandsworth last month that it was revising the scheme again due to feedback received from key stakeholders since submission of the application.The company said it would also increase the amount of affordable housing in the building from 35% to 50% and change all of the affordable tenures to social rent.The scheme would now provide a total of 110 new homes, down from 160 proposed in June and 170 in the original application, along with 7,000 sq ft of office space and a 2,000 sq ft restaurant.More than 120 people attended the projects most recent consultation event in October, with views said by Farrells to be broadly in favour of redeveloping the sites existing six-storey office block, which was built in the early 1980s.Attendees were also said to have welcomed the provision of new housing and public realm improvements on the site, but were strongly critical of the buildings height in relation to the surrounding townscape.Objections continue to flood in, with one local saying yesterday the tower would be completely out of scale with the site context and dominate its surroundings with an overwhelmingly negative impact in regard to views, massing, daylight and heritage.Another objection, posted on Wednesday, described the cut-down scheme as an absolute eyesore that would be completely out of place, as was the previous proposal of only a few more storeys.The application was originally due to be presented to Wandsworth councils planning committee in the third quarter of this year and start construction in 2025.The tower would neighbour the Foster & Partners-designed Albion Riverside building, an 11-storey luxury apartment block completed in 2003. Fosters head office is on the other side of this building at 22 Hester Road.The project team for 1 Battersea Bridge Road includes DP9 on planning, Montagu Evans on townscape and heritage, Exterior Architecture as landscape architect, Velocity on transport, GIA on daylight, Ashton Fire as fire consultant and EOC as structural and civil engineer.Drawings showing how the scheme has changed

The visual effects supervisor sheds light on the process behind developing the series fantastical realm.By Jay StobieThe Two Trees of Valinor in a shot from Season One (Credit: Amazon).Based on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, Prime Videos The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-Present) stands out as a sweeping epic taking place during Middle-earths Second Age, a period which predates the timeframe depicted in The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) and The Hobbit (2012-2014) film trilogies by thousands of years. In order to bring a cinematic scale to the streaming series, The Rings of Power team enlisted Industrial Light & Magics own Jason Smith to be the production visual effects supervisor.With a formidable rsum that includes work on everything from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Transformers (2007) to The Revenant (2015) and Bumblebee (2018), Smith brought his accumulated expertise to bear as he guided ILM and the series other visual effects studios on their journey through seasons one and two. Smith graciously took some time to speak to ILM.com in order to discuss his work on The Rings of Power and highlight ILMs extensive contributions to crafting showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKays vision for Middle-earth.An Epic EndeavorAs the senior visual effects supervisor on the project, my job is to work with the showrunners to help them put their story visually on the screen, Smith tells ILM.com. This monumental responsibility encompasses hiring vendor studios and planning out the work, being on set and instructing the shoot during principal photography, and shepherding the shots through post-production. So it kind of includes everything. Its a real privilege because, on this project, I was one of the first handful of people who joined. We got to take on some challenges in Middle-earth that hadnt been done yet, like Nmenor and the living Khazad-dm.With a background in blockbuster films, Smith has witnessed how studios approaches to episodic and theatrical productions have grown more alike in recent years. The bar has been raised by so many great shows over the last 10 or 15 years that the expectation is that [series] quality is film quality, Smith observes. Nevertheless, there are notable distinctions involved in making a series that Smith also treasures, such as the approval process and the collaborative spirit of the showrunners, in this case J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Theres quite a lot of freedom to throw out ideas, to suggest things, and to help to guide the visual storytelling with those guys. Our work with the directors is more about prep and being on set, truly. So thats a key difference there. It leads to a little bit more autonomy in post, which I really appreciate and love.Such a rapport is essential, especially given the volume of visual effects shots associated with The Rings of Power. Nothing can prepare you for the number of shots on one of these shows, Smith shares. Because lets say youve got 6,000 shots, and at the peak, maybe you have half of those in play. If you just imagine what its like when 3,000 shots have one-minute reviews crossing your desk, if you do the math, it catches up with you very, very quickly. It turns the whole thing into this ballet, and it gives me a lot of respect for the production teams at the vendors and here [at Amazon]. Its astoundingly good, they keep us all organized in spite of ourselves. Smith estimates that, in the first season, ILM worked on around 1,000 effects shots under the supervision of Nigel Sumner. ILM was our lead house on season one and did a lot of work, along with Wt [FX], Method [Studios], and others.Season Two concept art by Saby Menyhei (Credit: ILM & Amazon).ILMs InnovationsA capacity for collaboration proved to be a vital strength demonstrated by Smith and ILM, particularly when it came time for Mount Doom to unleash a volcanic eruption and transform the Southlands into the infamous region of Mordor. ILM played a huge role in the volcano. We went into that with complete ownership of it, Smith recalls. The volume of shots that came in for the sequence necessitated that the work involve three vendors. We had Weta doing some really big pyroclastic cloud shots that cut back to back with ILM shots, and ILM and Weta both cutting back-to-back with RSP [Rising Sun Pictures] for some pyroclastic clouds and raining lava bombs.The challenge of coordinating with other studios resulted in a clever solution whose ingenuity was defined by its simplicity. We treated all three companies like they were the same company, no secrets, sharing everything fearlessly, Smith states. For the vendors, sharing their works-in-progress amongst one another provided a common frame of reference for the elements they were bringing to life, whether that be the darkness of a cloud or the intensity of an ember. Everybody pulled it off amazingly well, Smith beams. Most people who see [those scenes] would never actually detect the different styles in play, as those shots cut back-to-back. Its a testament to those teams being willing to work together.Early in season one, the scenes involving Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) adrift on the Sundering Seas required yet another imaginative remedy from ILM. When we read the scripts for season one, an amazing amount of it took place on the ocean. So I immediately wanted to go to ILM with that work, Smith details. They created a setup we called it a machine so people outside of visual effects could sink their teeth into it it was a very robust procedural ocean that let them tune the [waters] parameters, like the wind and height of the waves. [ILM visual effects supervisor] Nigel Sumner was leading the charge on that. Smith was impressed by the Ocean Machine, as it allowed the team to turn out photoreal plates once the scenes parameters were set.However, Smith adds that of course, theres artistic work involved in every single one of those [plates]. In our show, every time the ocean is there, its telling a story, so we had adjustments to make across the board. At the extreme end of the spectrum , there was a gigantic storm one with an epic Middle-earth scale but all of that stuff came out of that same engine with the same artistry behind it. Smith teases that ILMs season one advances also paid dividends for water-related shots in season two. I will say that, without knowing exactly whats coming except for having read Tolkiens books [laughs] I would anticipate that we should be getting a lot more use out of the ocean machine.A Season One shot depicts Galadriel and Halbrand aboard wreckage on the Sundering Seas (Credit: Amazon).Season Two SensationsAfter praising ILM for its marvelous work across both seasons, the latter of which was supervised by Daniele Bigi, Smith shifts his focus to his favorite contributions from ILM that have shown up in the early episodes of season two. For instance, the shows sophomore effort affords us an opportunity to meet the Elven elder, Crdan (Ben Daniels), who resides on an idyllic shoreline. Theres a matte shot, an environment shot, pulling back from Crdans boathouse at the Grey Havens, and the work is just so photographic-looking, Smith elaborates. In an interesting twist, the tranquil locale was actually built upon a set standing in the parking lot next to an industrial park. The water is flawless, the fjords are so beautiful, the lighting is wonderful, and the composition is great. That is one [shot], when people see it, we already have people asking, Wait, where did you build that? They were wondering where that was [in the real world], so I think thats a testament to the artistry at ILM.Smiths gratitude for ILMs craft extends to one of season twos most complex sequences. The premiere begins with a flashback to Saurons apparent death, when his rival Adar (Sam Hazeldine) orchestrates a coup against him. Initially reduced to a viscous goo that oozes into Middle-earths cavernous depths, Saurons enduring form subsists on passing rodents and insects until it is able to free itself from its tomb. The squirming coalescence gradually makes its way toward civilization, consuming a traveler and allowing Sauron to assume the human form known as Halbrand. ILM had the guts to take on one of the weirdest things in the whole show, and I mean that with the most excitement that I can communicate, Smith says in regard to the eerie endeavor. It is such an incredible challenge of simulation, and creature rigging, and complex animation, and rendering, and basically every single discipline. [ILM] really hit the ball out of the park with that.Despite these fantastical qualities, Smith sees the importance of grounding such creatures with the properties of real-world references. We found a species of worm that formed colonies and that will contract almost like a muscle themselves, and we combined that with reference of horsehair worms, which are really unsettling in their own way. The final result is really beautiful to watch, and gut-wrenching in a way. It looks like animated SpaghettiOs. Were always looking for references like that, because those are the little handholds into reality that take these creatures to the next level. Storytelling is another key factor in ensuring that the visual effects showcasing Saurons resurrection resonate with audiences. Its so intertwined with the story, its exactly the story that needs to be told about that character. It interacts with an animal, too, which I think is also beautiful work. Thats one of the things Im excited for people to see.Concept art by Dave Freeman (Credit: ILM & Amazon).Final frame (Credit: Amazon).The Wonders of WorldbuildingSmiths passion for Middle-earth and its wealth of creatures can be traced back to his childhood. When I was growing up, the world of Tolkien was a huge deal to me. I loved it, Smith explains, believing Peter Jacksons movies to be some of the best ever made. They really captured my heart. And, being a creature kid at the same time, its a match made in heaven. Citing a popular Tolkien quote I wisely started with a map, and made the story fit that originated in a letter penned by the writer, Smith emphasizes the need to start with the realms foundation, whether that be its geographical details or the intricacies of a fictional language. When were doing fantasy, especially when its a little more imaginative, we have to have that anchor.From hypothesizing how Ents emote to his own attachment to the hill-troll, Damrod (voiced by Benjamin Walker and Jason Smith), Smith reflects back to the moment he learned hed get the chance to deal with more creatures in season two. Patrick McKay said to me that, this season, were going to battle a lot more creatures. Things are getting darker, and we have a story-based need to really bring some of these other creatures into play. A reverence for the natural world was also key for McKay and Payne, as their desire to remain enveloped in the story meant that any magic displayed in the series could not have too much, as Smith puts it, razzmatazz. Smith recounts that the magic of the first season involved beings who manipulated flames, kicked up winds, and threw rocks about. Its almost like the beings who are working with the magic have access to another chapter of the laws of nature, so what looks like magic is their interaction with more advanced, but still physical and grounded, laws, Smith postulates.Its all caught up into these elemental ties, Smith continues. Even on set, when were filming scenes with magic, Daniel Weyman, who plays the Stranger, and I would stand there and pick each others minds a little bit. [Id tell] him, I think that to increase the threat, Im going to have rocks picked up in the wind, so that when youre thrown against the wall, some rocks are hitting all around you. It makes it look like it really hurts. Weyman reciprocated the brainstorming sessions, and Smith himself remains grateful that hes able to bring his ILM experience to the table. I feel really lucky that I got into ILM render support when I did, and that Ive been able to work with the people that I have at ILM. To be mentored by people like [ILM visual effects supervisor] Scott Farrar, [ILM executive creative director] John Knoll and [ILM consulting creative director] Dennis Muren is a real privilege, and I take a lot of the wisdom those guys have said over the years into all of these different interactions and challenges.The Balrog from Season Two (Credit: Amazon).Travels and TriumphsCollaborating with the showrunners and cast members is not the only one of Smiths duties as the shows senior visual effects supervisor that audiences may be unaware of. I shoot all the aerials for [The Rings of Power], Smith reveals. Weve got some drone stuff that happens without me, but so far, Ill say, Ive shot all the helicopter work for the show. Which is great, because then when were designing shots, I have the shots in my head. Traveling around New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Smith found real-world sights frozen rivers, tundras, green valleys, cliffs, waterfalls, and more that fit with the series vision and could be inserted into its story.If you look at the big CG [computer-graphics] establishing shots, almost without fail, they are all based on those aerials, Smith declares. ILM handled such a shot in the season two premiere, Elven Kings Under the Sky, in which High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker), Galadriel, and Crdan don their rings of power under the cliffside tree. We see a final wide [shot] of that [scene]. That is just a plate we shot not knowing what exactly would be placed there [laughs], and I think ILM did beautiful work of making it look like it was all on purpose the whole time, placing the court of Lindon there at the top of the cliffs. Smith is thankful for the professional atmosphere fostered by the showrunners and producers which permitted him to be a part of those creative solutions. Theres an openness to solutions presented in service of the story. Theres a healthy openness to improvements regardless of the source. I think that creates an environment thats a lot of fun to work in. Its very busy, but its also incredibly rewarding. A wide shot from Season Two (Credit: Amazon).A Philosophy for Visual EffectsSmiths overall approach to the visual effects of Middle-earth has been greatly influenced by his work with The Rings of Power season one producer Ron Ames and their colleagues. Smith understands that there are common misconceptions about what visual effects experts bring to the process of filmmaking, alluding to the laughter among crew members that tends to arise when on-set visual effects teams bring out the gray reference balls utilized for computer-graphics shots. When were doing the visual effects, or were doing previz [previsualization], were making the movie. Were not delaying things with previz, were making the movie, Smith asserts, describing visual effects as no longer being a process that you stamp on at the end, like a postage stamp being affixed to an envelope. Visual effects is the pulp thats tying the paper together. Its touching everything, its influenced by everything, and it really determines so many different ways that you can or cant tell the story.Serving as The Rings of Powers senior visual effects supervisor has made Smith excited for what is on the horizon for his profession. This project has been eye-opening to me. Its incredible the things that we can do and add to make the story more fun. Theres a bright future in front of us where were going to see the lines [between the story and visual effects] blur more and more, and thats actually a good thing. I think people are going to understand that visual effects are there, and that its okay [laughs], Smith assures. Visual effects do exist, and its alright, everyone.Centering his thoughts on the step in the visual effects process that he hopes will become more widely embraced, Smith circles back to the writhing creature that emerged from Saurons corpse in the season two premieres flashback sequence. Stressing that the use of reference by visual effects artists is not just for help-in-case-you-get-stuck situations, Smith theorizes that the right reference can elevate the efficacy of a visual effects teams sheer talent. And Ill tell you what, ILM has talent. We have the top talent in the world. But, what Ive learned is, even with that top talent, if you spend time and effort getting the right reference, then your talent is picking up the baton at maybe 90% and having to carry it to 100%, instead of picking it up at 20% and having to carry it, gasping for air, to 90 or 95%. Thats the truth of it.Smiths outlook on his duty to The Rings of Power and its fans is encapsulated in his final remarks. These projects [have] finite time schedules, and visual effects is a finite resource. Thats where I see my job. I want to make sure that every visual effects artist thats on the show is really putting pixels on the screen that matter, that are telling the story, Smith concludes. I think that my value is trying to emulate Tolkien in laying the best foundation of reality for our audience that we can. Finding as much in our world to resonate with Middle-earth as we possibly can, just like he did with his writing. When he wrote about his big monsters, sometimes its just a spider thats big. I think weve been able to have some fun with that, too. We have one creature in the mud here that was done by ILM in the second season that is along those lines. I think some people will recognize the shared DNA with a small but brutal predator from here on Earth when they see it, and the result is not something Id want to encounter. We try to learn fromthe way that [Tolkien] approached things and take that on as a mantra.Jay Stobie (he/him) is a writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to ILM.com, Skysound.com, Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Trek Explorer, Star Trek Magazine, and StarTrek.com. Jay loves sci-fi, fantasy, and film, and you can learn more about him by visitingJayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

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When youleave a job, you might forget to move your retirement plan. If you've had multiple jobs throughout your career, there's a chance you have one or more 401(k)s or other retirement plans that you don't know about. A new federal initiative could help you locate forgotten retirement money.Passed in December 2019, the SECURE 2.0 Act contains a list of provisions to helpmore people save for retirement. One part of this legislation directed the Employee Benefits Security Administration, a part of the Department of Labor, to build a database so we can search for lost retirement accounts. Congress gave the department a deadline of Dec. 24, 2024, to establish this database.The EBSA began reaching out to retirement plan administrations in November with anotice to collect informationto help fill out this database."Our goal, which we believe plan sponsors and administrators and their service providers share, is to make sure that workers and their beneficiaries receive all the retirement benefits they earned," Lisa M. Gomez, assistant secretary for EBSA, saidin a Nov. 18 statement.This database isn't live yet, and experts aren't sure if it will be up and running before the end of the year. Smart Money Advice on the Topics That Matter to You CNET Money brings financial insights, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday. "I would guess that the deadline won't be met," said Chad Gammon, CFP and owner of Custom Fit Financial. "The amount of data to go through would be quite a bit for it to be completed on time."We'll keep you updated with next steps once the database does launch. For now, here's everything you need to know about the benefits of this database, how to find an old 401(k) now and tips to help you decide what to do with an old retirement account. Smart Money Advice on the Topics That Matter to You CNET Money brings financial insights, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday. How will this database help?It can be frustrating to try to track down old retirement accounts, particularly from companies that no longer exist, were sold or don't have much of an online footprint. The federal retirement account database plans to make it easier to find any old accounts that belong to you so you don't miss out on this money."It is fairly common for people to forget about retirement accounts that they opened in their 20s and then remember about them 40 to 50 years later," Gammon said. "By providing an easy way to check, it would help find a lot of abandoned accounts."Read more:I Can Retire Early After Paying Off $300,000 in Debt. Here's How I Did ItHow can you find an old 401(k) account now?Once live, this database should make it easier to track down old retirement accounts, but you have other options if you're trying to locate a plan now.If you think you're missing a retirement plan, you can start by calling the human resources department of your former company or the new company (if your company was bought out). Ask for the contact information -- name, phone number and email address -- of the 401(k) plan administrator and then reach out to the administrator to ask about your old account. You may have to be patient and persistent.If your former company no longer exists, this process is a bit trickier. Start by searching your records for old 401(k) statements. If you're living at the same address, you may still be receiving statements for active accounts -- also check your email if you receive statements electronically.If you don't live at the same address and can't find any old statements, it gets even harder, but don't give up. There are a few ways to search for abandoned 401(k) accounts online.Gammon recommends starting with the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits, a free, nationwide database maintained by Penchecks Trust. All you need to provide is your Social Security number.If that doesn't work, try FreeERISA, a database of Employee Retirement Income Security Act form 5500s, which are annual benefit reports that companies must file every year. You have to register to use the site, but it's free. FreeERISA might also be able to help you find a 401(k) that's been rolled over into an IRA. The Department of Labor also has a few search tools that can help, including its own Form 5500 searchand an abandoned plan database, which contains information about 401(k) plans that have been terminated.These two databases aren't the most extensive, and they're not always user-friendly, Gammon said.There are also paid services that can help with this task, such as MeetBeagle and Capitalize. Just watch out for sneaky fees.What should you do with the money in an old 401(k)?If you find a 401(k) you forgot about, you have a few options to consider:Leave the money in your old accountIf you don't make plans for your retirement money, it will likely remain in your existing account. It will still accrue interest and continue to grow, but since you won't be able to contribute to it, you'll miss out on earning even more in compounding interest. You also may be charged monthly or annual maintenance fees to maintain your account.This might still be a good option if you're in between jobs or not yet eligible for benefits at your new workplace. But be sure to keep track of important account information, including the plan provider, its contact information and your account number. Check statements regularly for any updates to the plan.Roll it into a new retirement accountIn most cases, it will make sense to roll your 401(k) or IRA into your new employer's workplace retirement plan. As long as you roll it into the same type of plan (pre-tax versus post-tax), there won't be any tax penalties for doing this.If your new employer doesn't offer a 401(k) option or you're between jobs, you can also move your 401(k) into a traditional individual retirement account (IRA). A traditional IRA has a lower contribution limit than a 401(k) -- $7,000 for an IRA compared with $23,000 for a 401(k) in 2024 -- but both reduce your taxable income.You can roll over your old account online, over the phone or via live chat, depending on the plan provider. In some cases, you might receive a check from the old provider, which you'll need to provide to your current retirement plan within 60 days to avoid tax penalties. Pro tip: Think twice before rolling your 401(k) into a Roth IRA. 401(k)s and traditional IRAs let you contribute pre-tax dollars, while you contribute post-tax to a Roth IRA. If you roll your 401(k) into a Roth IRA, you'll be on the hook for paying taxes on the amount you transfer come tax season. Cash it outYou might decide to cash out your 401(k) when you leave a job, but experts urge against this. If you do that before you're 59 and 1/2 years old, you could face a 10% tax penalty and will be required to pay income tax on the lump-sum amount. If you have less than $1,000 in your retirement account, it might automatically be cashed out. Plus, you'll have less savings when you reach retirement age. If you have less than $1,000 in your retirement account, it might automatically be cashed out.Still have questions? Talk to a financial adviser or accountant about your options and tax considerations before deciding what to do with your money. More money advice

December 6, 20246 min readWhat to Know about Lead Contamination in CinnamonAmid concerns about lead found in certain cinnamon products, heres what to know about how spices can pick up heavy metals and how worried to beBy Katarzyna Kordas & The Conversation USHomemade snickerdoodle cookies rolled in cinnamon and sugar. LindasPhotography/Getty ImagesThe following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.Spices bring up feelings of comfort, cultural belonging and holidays. They can make our homes smell amazing and our food taste delicious. They can satisfy our cravings, expand our culinary horizons and help us eat things that we might normally dislike. Spices have health-enhancing properties and, in medicine, have been used to heal people since the ancient times.Recently, however, spices have been getting a bad rep.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.In September 2024, Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization created to inform consumers about products sold in the U.S., investigated more than three dozen ground cinnamon products and found that 1 in 3 contained lead levels above 1 part per million, enough to trigger a recall in New York, one U.S. state that has published guidelines for heavy metals in spices.The Food and Drug Administration issued three alerts throughout 2024, warning consumers about lead in certain brands of cinnamon products. Such notices rightfully put consumers on alert and have people wondering if the spice products they buy are safe or not.As an environmental epidemiologist with training in nutritional sciences, I have investigated the relationship between nutritional status, diets and heavy metal exposures in children.There are several things consumers should be thinking about when it comes to lead and other heavy metals in cinnamon.Cinnamon tree bark at the Stone Town market in the spice home land Tanzania.DavorLovincic/Getty ImagesWhy is lead found in cinnamon?Most people are familiar with cinnamon in two forms sticks and ground spice. Both come from the dried inner bark of the cinnamon tree, which is harvested after a few years of cultivation. For the U.S. market, cinnamon is largely imported from Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India and China.One way that lead could accumulate in cinnamon tree bark is when trees are cultivated in contaminated soil. Lead can also be introduced in cinnamon products during processing, such as grinding.When ground cinnamon is prepared, some producers may add lead compounds intentionally to enhance the weight or color of the product and, thus, fetch a higher sale price. This is known as food adulteration, and products with known or suspected adulteration are refused entry into the U.S.However, in the fall of 2023, approximately 600 cases of elevated blood lead levels in the U.S., defined as levels equal to or above 3.5 micrograms per deciliter mostly among children were linked to the consumption of certain brands of cinnamon apple sauce. The levels of lead in cinnamon used to manufacture those products ranged from 2,270 to 5,110 parts per million, indicating food adulteration. The manufacturing plant was investigated by the FDA.More broadly, spices purchased from vendors in the U.S. have lower lead levels than those sold abroad.There is some evidence that cinnamon sticks have lower lead levels than ground spice. Lead levels in ground cinnamon sold in the U.S. and analyzed by Consumer Reports ranged from 0.02 to 3.52 parts per million. These levels were at least 1,500 times lower than in the adulterated cinnamon.There are no federal guidelines for lead or other heavy metals in spices. New York state has proposed even stricter guidelines than its current level of 1 part per million, which would allow the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets to remove products from commerce if lead levels exceed 0.21 parts per million.What does it mean that the dose makes the poison?The current FDA guideline on daily intake of lead from diets overall is to limit lead intake to 2.2 micrograms per day for children. For women of reproductive age, this value is 8.8 micrograms.The lead dose we are exposed to from foods depends on the level of lead in the food and how much of that food we eat. Higher doses mean more potential harm. The frequency with which we consume foods meaning daily versus occasionally also matters.For spices like cinnamon, the amount and frequency of consumption depends on cultural traditions and personal preference. For many, cinnamon is a seasonal spice; others use it year-round in savory dishes or sauces.Cinnamon is beloved in baked goods. Take a cinnamon roll recipe calling for 1.5 tablespoons (slightly less than 12 grams) of the spice. If a recipe yields 12 rolls, each will have around 1 gram of cinnamon. In the Consumer Reports investigation, some cinnamon products were classified as okay to use or best to use.The highest value of lead in cinnamon products in the okay to use category was 0.87 parts per million, and in the best to use category, it was 0.15 parts per million. A child would have to consume 2.5 or more rolls made with the okay to use cinnamon to exceed the FDA guideline on limiting lead intake from foods to 2.2 micrograms per day, assuming that no other food contained lead. To exceed this guideline with best to use cinnamon, a child would have to eat 15 or more rolls.Can cinnamon contribute to elevated blood lead levels?Because of leads effects on development in early life, the greatest concern is for exposure in young children and pregnant women. Lead is absorbed in the small intestine, where it can latch onto cellular receptors that evolved to carry iron and other metals.The impact of a contaminated spice on a persons blood lead level depends on the dose of exposure and the proportion of lead available for intestinal absorption. For several spices, the proportion of available lead was 49%, which means that about half of the lead that is ingested will be absorbed.Lead absorption is higher after a fast of three hours or more, and skipping breakfast may contribute to higher blood lead levels in children.People who have nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency, also tend to absorb more lead and have higher blood lead levels. This is because our bodies compensate for the deficiency by producing more receptors to capture iron from foods. Lead takes advantage of the additional receptors to enter the body. Young children and pregnant women are at higher risk for developing iron deficiency, so there is good reason for vigilance about lead in the foods they consume.Studies show that among children with lead poisoning in the U.S., contaminated spices were one of several sources of lead exposure. Studies that estimate blood lead levels from statistical models suggest that consuming 5 micrograms of lead or more from spices daily could substantially contribute to elevated blood lead levels.For occasional or seasonal consumption, or lower levels of contamination, more research is needed to understand how lead in spices would affect lead levels in the blood.For people who have other sources of lead in their homes, jobs or hobbies, additional lead from foods or spices may matter more because it adds to the cumulative dose from multiple exposure sources.How to test for elevated blood lead levelsThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children at risk for lead exposure get a blood lead test at 1 and 2 years of age. Older children can also get tested. Finger-prick screening tests are often available in pediatric offices, but results may need to be confirmed in venous blood if the screening result was elevated.Adults in the U.S. are not routinely tested for lead exposure, but concerned couples who plan on having children should talk to their health care providers.What to consider when using or buying cinnamon or other spicesIf the product is on an FDA Alert or the Consumer Reports dont use list, discard it.Other questions to consider are:Does your household use spices frequently and in large amounts?Do young children or pregnant women in your household consume spices?Do you typically consume spices on breakfast foods or beverages?If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then buy good-quality products, from large, reputable sellers. Think about using cinnamon sticks if possible.And continue to enjoy spices!This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

December 5, 20245 min readWhats Inside Our Galaxys Darkest Place?Barnard 68 is often mistaken for a hole in space, but its actually a dense, opaque cloud of dustfor nowBy Phil PlaitA view of Barnard 68 (B68), a dark and dusty nebula some 500 light-years from Earth. ESORight now, people who love looking at the wonders of the heavens have it better than ever. Every day brings some new jaw-dropping snapshot from at least one of the myriad observatories now operating on the ground or in space, each offering a new view of alien worlds, exploding stars, colliding galaxies or any number of other astrophysical phenomena. Most of these images are paeans to cosmic forces and inconceivable scales that carve stunning beauty from epic violence.But not everything in our galaxy (or beyond) is the outcome of such ostentatious chaos. Some of the most visually captivating celestial objects are quiet, steady, even calmand so dark that they not only emit no visible light but actually absorb it, creating a blackness so profound they seem to be a notch cut out in space.These shadowy expanses have many sobriquetsdark nebulae, dust clouds, knotsbut I prefer to call them Bok globules, a name they received in honor of Dutch-American astronomer Bart Bok, who studied them.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.A Bok globule is a small, dense clump of cosmic dust; millions of them are scattered around our galaxy. They are cold and opaque to visible light, so much so that until quite recently the only way to see them was in silhouette against brighter background material. While not as splashy as their star-factory cousins, such as the Orion Nebula, Bok globules can still make stars, albeit in a more artisanal way: they make one or a few at a time that are largely hidden from our prying eyes in the dusts abyssal depths.Of all the dark globules we can see with our telescopes, my favorite beyond a doubt is Barnard 68, colloquially called B68. Located about 500 light-years from Earth, its a vaguely comma-shaped and coal-black cloud a mere half light-year wide, spanning some five trillion kilometers. We see it easily because its in the constellation Ophiuchus, with the star-packed center of our Milky Way galaxy as its backdrop. B68 appears to us as negative space, an absence of stars.Why is it so dark? Although mostly made of hydrogen gas (like pretty much everything else in our galaxy), B68 also has an abundance of carbon. Some of this element is locked up in small molecules such as carbon monoxide, but much of the rest instead resides in long, complex molecules that make up what astronomers generically call dust. One distinguishing (or extinguishing) characteristic of dust is its capacity to block visible light.And dust clouds can be dark indeed. In the case of B68, any star located on the other side from us will have its light diminished by a factor of 15 trillion. To put this in perspective, dimming the sun in our sky by this much would reduce it to a fourth-magnitude star difficult to spot in even mildly light-polluted skies. If you were on one side of B68 and the sun on the other, the suns light would be so attenuated across that half light-year that it would become invisible to the naked eye.Such extreme darkness makes B68and Bok globules more generallysubject to continual mistaken identity. Some years ago astronomers discovered the existence of huge volumes of space largely bereft of galaxies; these are called cosmic voids and can be many millions of light-years across. Alas, Ive seen quite a few breathless videos and articles about them illustrated with an image of B68. Its irritating to me as an astronomer to see this mistake because these are very different objects, but its also rather amusing because the actual voids being discussed are millions of times larger than our friendly nearby Bok globule.B68s prodigious ability to absorb light relies upon a surprisingly modest amount of dust. Even in its center, where its densest, B68 has less than a million particles of matter per cubic centimeter. That may sound like a lot, but here on Earth it would rate as a laboratory-grade vacuumat sea level our planets atmosphere packs about 1019 molecules per cubic centimeter, making the air you breathe some 10 trillion times denser than B68 at its best.Despite its all-encompassing darkness, we can discern B68s density because, like any cloud, it becomes more tenuous toward its outskirts. This creates an interesting situation: from our viewpoint, we can see some background stars through the relatively thinner material at its edges, but the closer we view to the center, the more that light is absorbed. Stars appear bright at the clouds perimeter but grow progressively dimmer as we look closer to the center. Because dust tends to absorb bluer light better than rays of red, which can pass through more easily, such stars dont just fade; they also redden. And infrared light traverses B68 more easily yet, so telescopes tuned to those wavelengths can see even more stars. Astronomers can use that reddening and dimming to measure how much dust is inside the cloud.Using other techniques, they can also measure B68s temperature. Bok globules are terribly cold, and B68 is no exception, registering a bone-chilling 256 degrees Celsius at its edges that drops to only 265 degrees C at its center. This is barely above absolute zero!Yet that whisper of warmth is enough to support the globule against its own gravity. B68 is not terribly massive, containing only about three to four times the mass of the sun, but thats still typically more than enough to cause a gravitational collapse. The meager amount of internal heat keeps B68 inflated much like a hot air balloon, however (or, more accurately, a bitterly cold, near-vacuum balloon).But this fragile impasse cant last forever. Careful observations of B68 show what seem to be two distinct cores of higher-density material, one near its center and another in the stubby tail near its southeastern edge (to the lower left in the photograph above this article). Radio-wave observations suggest this tail was once a separate, smaller cloud that is now merging with B68, upsetting the delicate balance of gravity inside the cloud. Consequently, B68 may now be collapsing, which means this dark cloud may literally have a bright future ahead: it will form a star.As the material collapses in on itself, the density in the center would increase and the temperature with it. This would continue for hundreds of thousands of years until, at the clouds core, a star is born (perhaps more than one, given theres enough material in B68 to form a couple of sunlike stars). If that happens, almost all the matter remaining in the cloud will be blown away by the light of the newborn star or starsall, that is, save perhaps for a meager fraction caught in the stars gravitational clutches, which could condense and collapse in turn to create a disk of material destined to form planets.And who knows? In some few billion years more, perhaps life and eventually intelligence might arise on some of those worlds, so that one day in the far future alien astronomers will peer out and wonder about the universe they see, a vista they could not possibly have glimpsed through B68s youthful, starlight-devouring haze. Perhaps Earth and the sun will be long gone by then, and the galaxy will have transformed into a very different place. But even so, theres comfort to be found in such an end, knowing that once upon a time we began in much the same way; our sun was born in a huge, dust-darkened nebula that eventually lit up with thousands of other stars, a stellar nursery that, like its cosmic children, has long since dispersed.Everything in the universe is ephemeral, and much of it cyclical. We are privileged to be able to observe what we can now, even if what we see is something that is very difficult to see at all.

Ubisoft revises loyalty program to allow discounts on pre-orders and new games, tooBattle loyale.Image credit: Ubisoft News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Dec. 7, 2024 Ubisoft has revised its loyalty program, allowing players to "exchange units on a wider selection of products".In an email sent out to players subscribed to the loyalty scheme and seen by Eurogamer, Ubisoft announced that effective immediately, the units collected by players "will now also apply to pre-order and new release purchases made on the Ubisoft store", with 100 units equating to a 20 percent discount.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Is Sony buying FromSoftware's parent company the next big games industry acquisition?Watch on YouTubeAs well as 20 percent discount on games and DLC for every 100 units - you get one unit for every $/1 spent - you can also get "exclusive" in-game content and rewards, like legendary weapons, character skins, emotes, and consumables.If you're interested in signing up, don't forget that new Ubisoft accounts start with 100 units, which is enough for a 20% discount on your first Ubisoft Store purchase.ICYMI, Ubisoft is continuing its talks with Chinese giant Tencent over a possible buyout deal that would take the Assassin's Creed maker private.The move - first mooted last month - would see Ubisoft take back control of its company from shareholders, and yesterday, Reuters reported that Ubisoft is seeking a deal which would see its French founders, the Guillemot family, retain control. However, the same report states that Tencent - Ubisoft's second-largest shareholder with ownership of nearly 10 percent of the company - is keen for a greater role and input on future board decisions.

Former Blizzard boss blasts Marvel Rivals' similarity to OverwatchEton rivals.Image credit: Marvel Games News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Dec. 7, 2024 Former Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra has slammed Marvel Rivals, intimating its an Overwatch clone.In a now-deleted tweet posted yesterday, Ybarra called NetEase Games' free-to-play team-based PVP shooter "Overwatch Marvel Rivals", adding that much like Tencent's Light of Motiram is "a clear copy of Horizon Zero Dawn", Marvel Rivals clearly took inspiration from Blizzard's own team-based PVP shooter, Overwatch.Marvel Rivals | Launch Trailer.Watch on YouTube"Looks like Overwatch Marvel Rivals ships tomorrow," Ybarra wrote in the now-deleted tweet. "Much like Light of Motiram (a clear copy of [Horizon Zero Dawn]) out of China."I mean, even the character name - Windowmaker in [Overwatch] vs. Black Widow in Marvel Rivals lol - NetEase/Tencent - all the same." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Before Ybarra deleted the post, however, a community note appended to the tweet said: "Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, is a popular Marvel hero who made her comic debut in 1964, more than 50 years before Overwatch and Widowmaker were created."Marvel Rivals finally released in full yesterday on 6th December 2024. Getting off to a heroic start on Steam, it managed to already reach a peak concurrent player count of 444,286 over on Valve's platform, with this number likely rising further again over the weekend.The game itself is described as a "thrilling, fast-paced, cooperative gameplay experience", and one which on its announcement head of Marvel Games Jay Ong called one of the team's "most ambitious game development projects", and one the developer has "poured [its] heart and soul into".

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 hereFortnite is finally getting a first-person mode! Epic Games published a lengthy post on Saturday, revealing all the information about it. According to leakers, this mode has been in development for over two years. Furthermore, Epic released the first-person camera to Fortnite Creative earlier this year. Now, we are ready for the real thing!The new perspective will be available in a new game mode called Ballistic. This is a tactical shooter mode between two teams of five players. Ballistic is set to come out on Wednesday, December 11, Epic revealed.Fortnite is finally getting a first-person modeOn Wednesday, the Ballistic mode will only have one map called Skyline 10. This is a no-build mode where one team will be attacking and the other one defending. The goal of the attackers is to plant a reality-tearing Rift Point Device at one of two places on the map, while the defending team has to prevent it. In simpler terms, this is Fortnites version of Search And Destroy.After six rounds, teams will switch sides, and the game is over when one team wins seven rounds. The upcoming first-person mode in Fortnite also has elements of Counter-Strike and Valorant. You will start the game with a Ranger Person and 800 Credits, and you will earn more credits by getting eliminations or planting the device. Using these, youll be able to upgrade your gear.The first-person mode in Fortnite will have some new items. Image by VideoGamerFortnite Ballistic will introduce Flex Gadgets, new items. At the start of the match, each player will be able to choose one of these gadgets which gives them extra perks. Flex Gadgets cannot be dropped nor can they be picked up from other players. In the beginning, five gadgets will be available: Frag Grenade, Proximity Mine, Bubble Shield, Recon Grenade, and Impulse Grenade.Epic Games clarified that this will be an Early Access version of the first-person game mode. However, the developer plans to add more content in the future, including more items and new maps. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share