What just happened? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted preliminary approval for a pilot project allowing Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC to construct a road using phosphogypsum a radioactive byproduct of fertilizer production on its property in New Wales, Florida. This decision has sparked concern among environmentalists and raised questions about potential health and environmental hazards. Phosphogypsum contains radium, which decays into radon gas. Both are radioactive and known carcinogens, according to the EPA. Historically, the agency has opposed using phosphogypsum in road construction due to the risks it poses to construction workers and future residents living near such roads.But the EPA claims that public exposure to the road will be limited. However, Mosaic has described this effort as part of a broader initiative to "demonstrate the range of ... road construction designs," suggesting that this could be a stepping stone towards more widespread use of phosphogypsum in road construction.As billions of tons of phosphogypsum accumulate, particularly in states like Florida, the search for solutions remains contentious. While some see potential in repurposing the material, opponents argue it poses significant public health risks.The pilot project involves constructing four test road sections, each 500 feet long and 24 feet wide, using phosphogypsum from the New Wales South stack. These sections will contain up to 50% phosphogypsum by weight in a single 10-inch road base layer. For comparison, four control sections without phosphogypsum will also be built.Environmental groups strongly oppose the EPA's decision. Ragan Whitlock, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, called the approval "mind-boggling," citing concerns about risks to road crews and water quality. Whitlock accused the EPA of caving to pressure from the phosphate industry, potentially opening the door to widespread use of hazardous waste in roads nationwide.Phosphogypsum, a radioactive byproduct of the phosphate industry, is stored in stacks in the U.S., but globally it's finding increasing reuse in various applications.EPA's timing has also raised eyebrows. A request for public comment on the project was issued on October 9, just hours before Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area as a Category 5 storm. This timing was particularly concerning given the history of environmental issues associated with phosphogypsum stacks during severe weather events. // Related StoriesIn fact, days after Hurricane Milton struck as a Category 3 storm, Mosaic reported that contaminated water had been discharged from its Riverview site into Tampa Bay due to excessive rainfall. This incident underscores the ongoing environmental challenges associated with phosphogypsum storage.The EPA's decision marks a departure from its 1992 stance, which deemed phosphogypsum use in road construction an unacceptable public health risk. Since then, regulations have required phosphogypsum to be stored in stacks on private land due to its cancer risks and other health hazards from radon emissions.Although the EPA insists the risk from this specific project is "extremely low," critics argue it sets a dangerous precedent for future use of phosphogypsum in public infrastructure.

Forward-looking: The UK Ministry of Defence has revealed it is testing a futuristic weapon capable of taking down drones using nothing but radio waves. Remarkably, each "shot" costs less than a "pack of mince pies." The Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW) has been in development for some time, but British soldiers recently had the chance to put it through its paces. The Army's Royal Artillery Trials and Development Unit, in collaboration with 7 Air Defence Group, successfully conducted a live firing trial in West Wales. This marked the first use of the system against Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) by the British Armed Forces. Unlike laser-based energy weapons that use concentrated light beams, the RFDEW disables drones and missiles by bombarding them with high-powered radio frequencies, effectively frying their internal electronics.Laser-based weapon systems have proven their efficacy against individual drones and other aircraft, but they face challenges when dealing with swarms of drones. This is where the RFDEW has shown superior potential.During the trials, the Army's air defense teams successfully detected, tracked, and engaged multiple drone targets at distances of up to a kilometer. Impressively, each engagement cost only about 10p (13 cents) per shot.The RFDEW trials mark a big milestone not just for the UK's directed energy initiatives, but for rapidly advancing military tech in general. It seems to check all the boxes the press release by the UK government highlights that it's highly automated so it can be operated by a single person, it's precise, it's relatively low-cost, and it packs the punch to neutralize threats on land, in the air, or even over water.The last bit is important, suggesting that it can be used against threats beyond aerial drones and missiles. The system is also flexible in terms of deployment and can be fitted onto any military vehicle. // Related StoriesThe technology was developed by British defense firm Thales, in partnership with QinetiQ, Teledyne e2v, and others. Its development supported over 135 skilled engineering jobs across the UK.Government bigwigs are understandably hyped about the successful trials. Defence Minister Maria Eagle called it "another step forward for a potentially game-changing sovereign weapon" that will help the UK maintain a "crucial advantage against the emerging threats we face."However, deploying the RFDEW operationally is still likely some way off. There's likely still plenty more testing and fine-tuning needed before radio wave assaults become standard British military doctrine.

Everwild MentionedRare would like to remind you that Everwild is still a thing... with a holidays cardYou've likely completely forgotten about Everwild, so it's a good thing the people working on it are here to fresh your memory. News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on Dec. 26, 2024 On the heels of Rares success with Sea of Thieves, the British studio announced what would be its next project in November 2019. The games name is Everwild, and the initial reveal trailer was more of a tone piece than anything, showing a picture-esque world of wild animals and some elements of magic.Rare followed up the 2019 reveal with another trailer in 2020, which was about as cryptic, and didnt offer solid details or a release date. Since then, weve seen very little from Everwild. In fact, wed go years without its name being mentioned at all - not even a reminder that its alive.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. 2021 reports suggested that the project had been rebooted internally, with Rare shooting for a 2024 release. Were just a few short days away from the end of 2024, of course, and were still not playing Everwild.So whats going on? Well, we dont have an answer to that question, either. The good news, however, is that Rare does at least have something to share with fans, which you could take as a reminder that it continues to work on the mysterious game. Over on Twitter, Rare shared a holidays greeting card featuring a new image from the game. In the accompanying post, the developer acknowledged that its only an image, and wished everyone happy holidays.Hope you're closing the year out in style and, as it's the day of fine gifts and finer food, here's our offering - a delicious png for you to enjoy! it reads. Right, we're off to eat a Patagotitan's hypothesised weight in sweets. 'Til 2025! To see this content please enable targeting cookies.We could only see this as an early tease for something to do with Everwild that will take place in 2025. Perhaps the game will finally be released, but 2025 may also just as easily be the year the game is properly revealed, with a release date in 2026 or beyond.Regardless, you can see from the replies that the tweet certainly made a lot of people happy to see Everwild mentioned again, even if its at the tail end of 2024 with, frankly, not a lot of substance.

"more than just pirate versions".Over the holiday season, we're republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of our Best of 2024 series. Enjoy!Youre probably aware of Square Enixs lengthy and somewhat lavish efforts to remake the 1997 game Final Fantasy VII. The second instalment of this ambitious remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released just recently, and were still likely to be years away from any sort of conclusion. But you might not be aware of an earlier attempt to remake Final Fantasy VII or more specifically, to demake it.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Queen Anne style buildings are a favorite as they are all so different and interesting to look at with all the ornate details, asymmetrical forms, varied siding, and rooflines. This example on Stimson Avenue in Providence is a great example of the style. The house was built in 1886 for William P. Goodwin (1852-1921), a banker, insurance executive, and author, who never married and lived in the house with his sister, Sarah Jane Goodwin. Keeping it in the family, William hired his brother, architect, John Bray Goodwin, to design his residence, with little expense spared. Interestingly, the house is built right at the street with its front door accessed up a stair and a brick base adjacent to enclose the property from the sidewalk, creating a high garden wall with gate. There is so much to look at here, it is spectacular.

Tech The life-changing benefits of Apple's Personal Voice and Live Speech Transformational features for those at risk of losing their voice Published December 26, 2024 6:00am EST close The life-changing benefits of Apples Personal Voice and Live Speech Create a synthesized voice that sounds just like you. Imagine losing the ability to speak and communicate with your loved ones. It sounds scary, right? What if you could preserve your unique voice and continue expressing yourself, even when speaking becomes challenging?Apple's Personal Voice and Live Speech features are groundbreaking accessibility tools designed to do exactly that. These innovative technologies allow you to create a synthesized voice that sounds just like you, giving individuals at risk of losing their speech a powerful way to maintain their personal communication style.Whether you're dealing with a progressive medical condition, recovering from an injury, or simply want a backup communication method, Personal Voice and Live Speech offer an incredible solution. Live Speech and Personal Voice features on iPhone. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How does Personal Voice work?Personal Voice lets you create a digital version of your own voice by recording a series of phrases. Here's how it works:Personalized voice synthesis: Record your voice using your iPhone, iPad or Mac.Privacy-focused: Voices are encrypted and stored securely on your device.Compatibility: Works across Apple devices running iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma or later. Personal Voice feature on iPhone. Setting up Personal VoicePersonal Voice allows you to create a synthesized voice that sounds like your own. But first, ensure you have a compatible device running iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma or later. Choose a quiet room with minimal echo or background noise. You can pause and resume the recording session as needed. Now, here's how to set it up:On iPhone or iPad:Open theSettings app.Go toAccessibility.ClickPersonal Voice.Tap "Create a Personal Voice."Authenticate usingFace ID, Touch ID or yourdevice passcode. Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on iPhone. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)ClickContinue.Click therecord button at the bottom of the screen.Follow theon-screen instructions, which require you to"Read the Phrase" on the screen to record 150 randomly chosen phrases.It will tell you once you are done recording. Then clickContinue. Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on iPhone. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)On Mac:Go toApple menu. Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on Mac. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)ClickSystem Settings.Then, selectAccessibility.ClickPersonal Voiceon the left of the screen.Then, click"Create a Personal Voice." Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on Mac. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Authenticate usingTouch ID, or yourdevice passcode.Then tapContinue, and thenContinue again. Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on Mac. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)ClickContinue one more time.Click "Continue with Default Phrases."Click therecord button at the bottom of the screen to check the sound quality.Then tapDone. Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on Mac. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Follow theon-screen instructions, which require you to"Read the Phrase" on the screen to record 150 randomly chosen phrases. In this example, you'd say, "Does he know how to speak Spanish?"Make sure it's set toContinuous recording so that you can go from reading one phrase to the next without stopping.It will tell you once you are done recording. Then clickContinue.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Steps to set up Personal Voice feature on Mac. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Note:The device will generate your personal voice after you complete the 150-phrase recording process, which typically takes a few hours to days to fully process. It will process your speech securely on your device overnight while it is charging and connected to Wi-Fi. You can create multiple voices on each device, and the voice generation occurs only when your device is locked and charging.Using Live SpeechLive Speech allows you to type what you want to say and have it spoken aloud using your Personal Voice or other system voices. Here's how to set it up and use Live Speech:On iPhone/iPad:ClickSettings.TapAccessibility.ClickLive Speech.Toggle onLive Speech. Steps to use Live Speech on iPhone. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)On Mac:TapApple menu.ClickSystem Settings.Select Accessibility.ClickLive Speech. Steps to use Live Speech on Mac. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)On Apple Watch:Go to theSettings app.TapAccessibility.ClickLive Speech.Toggle onLive Speech.Then scroll down andselect a voice to use, including your created Personal Voice, if available.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Steps to use Live Speech on Apple Watch. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How to use Live SpeechOn iPhone/iPad:Triple-click the side or top button.Tap"Live Speech."Typeyour message.Tap "Send" to have it spoken aloud.On Mac:Click theType to Speak text field in the Live Speech window.Typeyour message.Tap the play button to have it spoken aloud.On Apple Watch:Triple-click the Digital Crown.TapLive SpeechTap where it says"Type to Speak."Type your messageusing the letters below it.Tap "Send" to have it spoken aloud.Kurt's key takeawaysPersonal Voice and Live Speech provide a means of communication for those who may lose their ability to speak and offer a deeply personal touch by allowing users to maintain their own voice. The ability to use these features across multiple Apple devices ensures continuity and accessibility in various situations, from phone calls to in-person conversations. It's important to note that Apple has designed these features with privacy and security in mind. Personal Voice data is encrypted and stored securely on the device, and when shared across devices, it uses end-to-end encryption in iCloud.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPCan you share a personal experience where advanced accessibility tools made a significant difference in your or someone elses life? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterFollow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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ZDNETYou may have used generative AI to create text, images, and even videos. But have you ever called on it to conjure up your own music? A few different text-to-music tools can act as virtual composers, but one worth trying is Suno. Available on the web, through dedicated iPhone and Android apps, and via a Microsoft Copilot plug-in, Suno will write and play music based on your input.You can describe the topic and style of the music you want, opt to include lyrics and vocals, keep your song as an instrumental, or add your own lyrics as inspiration. In response, Suno delivers two songs based on your request. You can then play the songs, download them, and share them with other people. Suno uses its own AI models to create the music and then turns to ChatGPT to create the song's title and lyrics.Suno offersthree types of plans. With the free Basic plan, you get 50 credits per day. Generating a single song uses up 10 credits, so you can create as many as five songs each day. If you need more, upgrading to the Pro plan for $10 per month grants you 2,500 credits each month, while the Premier plan at $30 per month gives you 10,000 credits each month.Now, here's how Suno works.How to use Suno to generate music 1. Set up an account First, you'll need to create an account to use Suno. Browse to the website and click the Sign in button. You can use an existing account from Apple, Discord, Google, or Microsoft or create a dedicated account by entering your phone number. You're then signed in with your account. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 2. Listen to existing music Before you start creating your own music, you may want to hear what other people have generated. At the home screen, click the thumbnail for any of the songs on display. The music starts playing, and a sidebar shows you a description of the song along with any lyrics. You can rate the song with a thumbs up or thumbs down, copy and paste a link to it, add it to a playlist, or share it. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 3. Tweak the settings for your song To make your own music, click the Create option on the left. Before you describe the type of song you want produced, you can tweak a couple of settings. By default, Suno uses the latest stable model to generate your song, which at this point is version 3.5. Older models are available, as is the latest beta model. Click the down arrow for the model number at the top. You can experiment with different models, but you may want to stick with the default to start.Also by default, Suno will generate a song with lyrics. If you want an instrumental tune with just the melody, turn on the switch for Instrumental. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 4. Ask Suno to help you write your description For help in writing a description of your desired song, hover over the question mark icon next to Song Description. Following the displayed tip, you'll want to describe the style of music and the topic or subject of the song. Avoid mentioning specific artists and songs; instead, refer to the genre of music, such as rock, pop, jazz, classical, or country.To get further assistance, click the heading for Need Ideas. Suno suggests several topics, occasions, and moods on which to base your song. Select one, and you can fill in the blanks for the suggested music (just like playing Mad Libs) to add specific names and music genres. When finished, click Create. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 5. Enter your description If you'd rather type your own description, enter it in the text field, but keep it to no more than 200 characters. For my song, I created the following description: "a World War II song in the style of swing about a woman who misses her husband because he's fighting in the war overseas." Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 6. Listen to the songs In response, Suno generates two versions of a song based on your description. Click the Play button for either song to start listening. You can follow the lyrics on the right side as the song plays. Use the controls at the bottom to pause or restart the song, switch between the two versions, or repeat the song. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 7. Edit the song You can tweak either version of the song in certain ways. Click the three-dot icon for the version you want to revise. Move to Edit in the menu. From there, you're able to change the title of the song or any of the lyrics, crop the song to shorten it, or replace a section of the song with new music and lyrics. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 8. Create a song with your own lyrics Next, you might want to try generating a song with your own lyrics. For this, go back to the Create screen. Turn on the switch at the top for Custom. If you're a capable lyricist, enter your lyrics in the field at the top. To get some help instead, click the button for Write with Suno. Describe the lyrics you want or enter a theme or topic. Click the button for Write Lyrics. Suno then generates two versions of the appropriate lyrics for you. Click the button for Accept this option to choose the version you wish to use. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 9. Generate the music Back at the previous screen, add a genre or mood for the music you want. Click Create. In response, Suno delivers two versions of the song. Play either version, and you can edit either version if you wish. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 10. Manage your songs To work with the songs you've generated, move to the Library section. For any song, turn on the Public button to make it available for anyone on Suno to hear. Click the three-dot icon, and you can add a song to your playlist, share it with someone else via a link or email, or download it as an MP3 audio or an MP4 video. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 11. Use the Suno mobile apps Finally, you can use Suno on your mobile device. Download the app from the App Store or from Google Play. Open the app and sign in with your Suno account. The mobile edition works the same as the website but offers a couple of additional options.Tap the Create button to get started. Enter the text description for the topic and genre, but you can try other ways to generate the song. Tap Camera and aim your device's camera at a scene you want to base the song on. Tap Audio and play, sing, or hum a melody to use as the basis for the song. When done, tap Create. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 12. Play the songs When the songs are ready, you're prompted to tap the Play button. While listening to the song, you can give it a thumbs up or thumbs down, share it with other people, or perform other actions. Show more Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETArtificial Intelligence

Heres what to know about consumers bill payment preferences in 2024 and a glimpse of whats ahead.