All driller, no fillerNintendo Life: Firstly, congratulations on Pepper Grinder! How does it feel to finally see the game come to Switch after seven years of work?Riv Hester, Ahr Ech: Thanks! I wasnt working on the game for the WHOLE seven years, but its definitely been a long road and it still doesnt feel real to be done! Im really excited to get it into everyones hands, though; some people have been waiting since the beginning and I cant believe their patience.Have the games core concepts changed very much over this time?Not that much, actually! Its been more of a process of refining and expanding on the core concepts, but everything works more or less the same as the original prototype. It just feels much, much more tight and responsive now in the release version.Image: Devolver DigitalThis is a game that feels great to play with the drilling mechanic allowing for fluid flow and motion. How important was game feel to you when developing Pepper Grinder?Pepper Grinder is all about that game feel! I think finding joy in movement is the cornerstone of a good platformer and I tried to leverage that as much as possible. I spent a long time making sure the core movement was its own reward and then tried to build from there to make everything else as satisfying by extension. Im a sucker for nice, crunchy feedback in games too, so I also went as hard as I could on good use of sound effects, screenshake and controller rumble. (Dont worry though, I know some people can be overwhelmed by some of that stuff so you can turn it all down or off.)Of course, its not all about blasting through things as quickly as possible. There are plenty of collectibles and time trial challenges to keep you coming back for more. Do you think that replayability is key for a good 2D platformer?you can see influences from all my favourite platformers growing upIt probably depends on the platformer, but I definitely prefer the ones that extend things that way! Often Ill be replaying anyway to really try to master a game, but getting to track my best times and unlock some goodies along the way is always appreciated, and Im really glad I had time to add those features here!Speaking of the games collectibles, we understand that the idea for Pepper Grinders sticker system originated from your love for Smash Bros. Melees Trophies. Can you tell us a little more about how Melees unlockables informed your approach to Pepper Grinders collectible items?Yeah! I had a lot of fun unlocking trophies in Melee and even more in Brawl where you could arrange them in fun ways, so I wanted to do something like that in 2D for Pepper Grinder but expand on the ability to make weird scenes with it. You can get common stickers in shops and get special ones as rewards for the Time Attack mode, and all of them can be arranged however you like in various unlockable backgrounds. It wont be for everyone, but I think its neat!Image: Devolver DigitalYou have previously described the game as Dig Dug plus Ecco The Dolphin, though the likes of Drill Dozer and Sonic also came to our minds when playing. Are there any specific inspirations that you looked to during the games development?Oh yeah, you can see influences from all my favourite platformers growing up in there. Donkey Kong Country 2, Yoshis Island, Sonic 2, 3 & Knuckles, Drill Dozer for sure though I only got to play that after starting work on Pepper Grinder. There are stages involving cannons that are just obvious love letters to Donkey Kong Country. There are also inspirations from other media like Tank Girl, Gurren Lagann, and the art of Yoshitomo Nara.Pepper Grinder is one of an increasing number of neo-retro games to have arrived on Switch in recent years. Have you always been interested in tapping into this old-school aesthetic and how do you think Pepper Grinder stands out from the neo-retro crowd?there are so many curveballs game development can throw at youI do love the aesthetic of older games, but a lot of it has to do with scope as well. Pixel art takes a lot of practice to be able to express things well with it, but once youre comfortable in that space it allows for a lot more speed and agility in terms of production, especially if you dont have a big team. As for how it stands out, I honestly never put much thought into it. I just made a game I always wanted to play but could never find, and luckily it seems like a lot of other people want to play it too!The retro feel extends beyond Pepper Grinders gameplay we particularly enjoyed (virtually) flicking through its SNES-inspired manual! How closely have you worked with publisher Devolver Digital to maintain this aesthetic in the games marketing?Weve had a pretty constant back-and-forth and they had full access to all the games assets while putting that stuff together. Everyone at Devolver is just really good at their job and they were able to match what I was going for right away. The manual in particular was put together by Andy Kelly, who absolutely knocked it out of the park capturing the SNES style! Dig into the "free demo" todayImage: Devolver DigitalIt seems that you have taken on the lions share of Pepper Grinders development, only getting assistance with the games music and ports. What has been the biggest challenge in working as a solo dev on this project?Ive been careful not to let the scope of the game get too big for one person from the start, but even then there are so many curveballs game development can throw at you that it still manages to be a challenge! I really wanted to have a unique mechanic or combination of mechanics in each stage to keep things fresh throughout the game, so approaching these different ideas in a way that would let me easily adapt them to different environments while allowing them to interact with each other took a lot of planning and forethought. In the end I think I pulled it off pretty well, though!Finally, do you have any plans about whats next for Ahr Ech? Would you like to see the return of Pepper Grinder one day?First, a long break! After that, I think whatever I work on next will be something really different, with hopefully a much shorter dev cycle. Ive got a few more prototypes on the side that might make the jump to full projects already, so well see what happens! And Pepper Grinder might be something I come back to down the road, but I gotta clear my head with something else and come back fresh, you know?Thank you to Riv for taking the time to answer our questions. Pepper Grinder is now available on the Switch eShop for 13.49 / 14.99 / $14.99 and there's even a free demo if you want to see what's under the surface before digging in.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube789kRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:07 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. 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Tarkov could soon hit 1.0. Credit: Battlestate Games / Mike StubbsEscape From Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has released numerous teases that appear to suggest the full launch of Tarkov could arrive in the first half of 2025.The full 1.0 launch of Escape From Tarkov is something fans have been waiting for quite a while to see. It was initially suggested it would arrive this year, but with the most recent wipe not bringing the 1.0 launch, that is now out of the question. However, since the wipe arrived, there have been a couple of teases that suggest it will arrive in the first half of 2025.The most obvious tease comes from game director Nikita Buyanov, who released a short video on social media showing off some behind the scene's development of Tarkov. Nikita has been regularly releasing videos like this over the past few weeks, and most are fairly inconsequential, giving a brief glimpse at some of the work happening. However, the most recent one from earlier today ended with a couple of messages popping up on screen for a brief moment. They read: Q2 and 2025.To me this suggests that the Escape From Tarkov 1.0 launch will happen in Q2 2025, as that is really the next big event that we are expecting in Tarkov. It would also line up with the traditional wipe schedule, with the next one expected to arrive towards the end of Q2, although recent wipes have not necessarily followed that pattern.Another tease, which appeared to be somewhat unintentional, came on the recent TarkovTV live stream, where one of the developers, while speaking in Russian, said that the next wipe would likely be the full release of Tarkov. I, unfortunately, do not speak Russian, but multiple translations from the community suggest this is what was said.MORE FOR YOUBoth these signs point to the full release of Tarkov coming in the middle of 2025, and it is likely to be one of the biggest updates we have seen for a while. We know the 1.0 patch will bring all of the story quest lines, the new map Terminal and an expanded prestige system, as well as quite a few other improvements. The recent wipes have been smaller because a lot of the team has been working on 1.0 content, so this should be a return to the massive patches we used to get.The only thing that suggests the Escape From Tarkov 1.0 release may not arrive in the middle of 2025 is that fact that Nikita mentioned some massive event is planned for February. This was only briefly mentioned in the TarkovTV stream, and no further info was given, so it could just be a cool in game event like the recent zombie outbreak, but it could also be a suggestion of the launch. It seems unlikely given it would be so soon after this wipe, but it is a possibility.

NEW YORK- NOVEMBER 27: A doctor examines the x-rays of a tuberculosis (TB) patient at a TB clinic ... [+] Novmeber 27, 2002 in Brooklyn, New York. Healthcare workers around the country oversee patients in a program called Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) that ensures carriers of the tuberculosis bacteria take their medication. Tuberculosis is a contagious disease of the lungs that is spread through the air and kills around 2 million people annually, mainly in third world countries. It is relatively easy and affordable to treat, with a six-month series of drugs costing around 10 dollars. While the number of TB cases in the United States has dropped in recent years, the disease is still particularly strong among the foreign-born, the homeless and impoverished contributing to the deaths of thousands of Americans yearly. As of 2000, over 16,000 Americans have contracted tuberculosis. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)Getty ImagesWhile the Indian government had set an ambitious target of making India tuberculosis (TB)-free by 2025, a new study says the ground realities are still looking bleak. Researchers estimated that from 2021 to 2040, India will see more than 62.4 million TB cases across the country and at least 8.1 million deaths caused by TB bacilli. The economic impact could also be severe. The study says India could suffer a cumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) loss of over $146 billion US dollars.In spite of decade-long pursuits of strategies to end TB, the health and economic disease burdens of TB remain very high in India. Low-income households will bear larger health and relative economic burdens while larger absolute economic burdens will fall on high-income households, the researchers highlighted in their study that was published in PLoS Medicine.United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals call for a 90% reduction in TB deaths by 2030, compared with 2015 but meeting this target is unlikely. Despite considerable increases since 2000, funding for TB is still far short of global financing targets, and substantial investment in research and development funding is needed for new tools to prevent TB disease among the approximately 1.7 billion people infected, the researchers explained. To achieve these targets, substantial additional investment in improvements in case detection; and improvements in treatment which are effective in both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB are needed.The study further highlighted that the most effective strategy for preventing a higher prevalence of TB is to detect new cases. In fact, improved detection/diagnosis could be more potent and yield better benefits than developing new TB drugs.According to the Stop TB Partnership, a non-profit based in Switzerland, less than half of the funding of $2 billion per year, or $0.9 billion was invested globally for developing new TB diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines in 2020.MORE FOR YOUSince India is responsible for 28% of the global TB burden, their estimated share of needed investments, over 2021 to 2040, is likely to be below the estimated benefits from the implementation of either of our improved treatment interventions and dwarfed by the potential gains from achieving the 90% detection rate target, the researchers noted."If the new National TB Elimination Programme in Indias (NTEPI) treatment regimen and expansion of TB detection rates can be developed and rolled-out, in combination, for a cost of U$123-124bn, we show that it would be approximately cost neutral and would additionally remove the suffering and loss caused by more than 7 million fatalities and more than 48 million cases of TB," they concluded.

NASA had a busy 2024, overseeing space station operations, monitoring a slew of ongoing missions, preparing for upcoming Artemis lunar flights, and much more besides.It also began the year with a fully functioning helicopter on Mars.Recommended VideosIngenuity arrived on the red planet in February 2021, together with NASA Perseverance rover. In April of that year, Ingenuity buzzed its way into the record books by becoming the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe plucky helicopter continued to wow fans for almost three years as it took increasingly complex flights across the red planet, its high-speed rotors helping it to comfortably handle an atmosphere considerably thinner than Earths.RelatedDuring many of its flights, Ingenuity used its onboard camera to map the martian surface. The data was used to help find places of scientific interest that the Perseverance rover could then explore, and also to find safe routes for the rover to make it to those sites.But on January 6, 2024, in a sign of the more serious trouble to come, Ingenuity performed an emergency landing when its onboard software and navigation camera had trouble making sense of the featureless terrain beneath it. Its operators at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California sent up instructions for a subsequent flight on January 18. But the 32-second hover turned out to be its last. In a post-flight assessment, images taken by Ingenuity and beamed back to Earth showed damage to the helicopter blades that meant it would be unable to fly again.It turned out that similar to the previous flight, Ingenuitys navigation system began to struggle soon after lifting off. Data sent down during flight 72 shows that, around 20 seconds after takeoff, the navigation system couldnt find enough surface features to track, JPL said recently. This led to an off-balance, hard landing that broke the helicopters blades.It was a bittersweet moment for the team members at JPL. Although upset at Ingenuitys grounding, they were delighted with the missions many achievements. After all, Ingenuity was originally expected to take just five flights over 30 days, but ended up far exceeding expectations by flying 128.8 flying minutes across 10.5 miles (17.0 kilometers) in a total of 72 flights, reaching altitudes as high as 78.7 feet (24 meters).On January 25, NASA chief Bill Nelson announced the end of Ingenuitys primary mission. The historic journey of Ingenuity, the first aircraft on another planet, has come to end, Nelson said. That remarkable helicopter flew higher and farther than we ever imagined and helped NASA do what we do best make the impossible, possible.Weeks later, however, it emerged that the hardy helicopter was down but not out. Although it can no longer get airborne, Ingenuitys onboard computer is still working and able to gather weather and avionics test data on a weekly basis that it sends to the Perseverance rover, which is still in touch with JPL.The weather information could benefit future explorers of the red planet, JPL said, adding that the additional avionics data is already proving useful to engineers working on future designs of aircraft and other vehicles for future Mars missions.Editors Recommendations

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As of 2023, nearly 2 billion metric tons of it were being produced annually, enough to cover Manhattan in a layer more than 13 feet thick. Making this metal produces a huge amount of carbon dioxide. Overall, steelmaking accounts for around 8% of the worlds carbon emissionsone of the largest industrial emitters and far more than such sources as aviation. The most common manufacturing process yields about two tons of carbon dioxide for every ton of steel. A handful of groups and companies are now making serious progress toward low- or zero-emission steel. Among them, the Swedish company Stegra stands out. (Originally named H2 Green Steel, the company renamed itself Stegrawhich means to elevate in Swedishin September.) The startup, formed in 2020, has raised close to $7 billion and is building a plant in Boden, a town in northern Sweden. It will be the first industrial-scale plant in the world to make green steel. Stegra says it is on track to begin production in 2026, initially producing 2.5 million metric tons per year and eventually making 4.5 million metric tons. The company uses so-called green hydrogen, which is produced using renewable energy, to process iron ore into steel. Located in a part of Sweden with abundant hydropower, Stegras plant will use hydro and wind power to drive a massive electrolyzer that splits water to make the hydrogen. The hydrogen gas will then be used to pull the oxygen out of iron ore to make metallic irona key step in steelmaking. This process of using hydrogen to make ironand subsequently steelhas already been used at pilot plants by Midrex, an American company from which Stegra is purchasing the equipment. But Stegra will have to show that it will work in a far larger plant. The world produces about 60,000 metric tons of steel every 15 minutes. We have multiple steps that havent really been proven at scale before, says Maria Persson Gulda, Stegras chief technology officer. These steps include building one of the worlds largest electrolyzers. Beyond the unknowns of scaling up a new technology, Stegra also faces serious business challenges. The steel industry is a low-margin, intensely competitive sector in which companies win customers largely on price. The startup, formed in 2020, has raised close to $7 billion in financing and expects to begin operations in 2026 at its plant in Boden.STEGRA Once operations begin, Stegra calculates, it can come close to producing steel at the same cost as the conventional product, largely thanks to its access to cheap electricity. But it plans to charge 20% to 30% more to cover the 4.5 billion it will take to build the plant. Gulda says the company has already sold contracts for 1.2 million metric tons to be produced in the next five to seven years. And its most recent customerssuch as car manufacturers seeking to reduce their carbon emissions and market their products as greenhave agreed to pay the 30% premium. Now the question is: Can Stegra deliver? The secret of hydrogen To make steelan alloy of iron and carbon, with a few other elements thrown in as neededyou first need to get the oxygen out of the iron ore dug from the ground. That leaves you with the purified metal. The most common steelmaking process starts in blast furnaces, where the ore is mixed with a carbon-rich coal derivative called coke and heated. The carbon reacts with the oxygen in the ore to produce carbon dioxide; the metal left behind then enters another type of furnace, where more oxygen is forced into it under high heat and pressure. The gas reacts with remaining impurities to produce various oxides, which are then removedleaving steel behind. The second conventional method, which is used to make a much smaller share of the worlds steel, is a process called direct reduction. This usually employs natural gas, which is separated into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Both gases react with the oxygen to pull it out of the iron ore, creating carbon dioxide and water as by-products. The iron that remains is melted in an electric arc furnace and further processed to remove impurities and create steel. Overall, this method is about 40% lower in emissions than the blast furnace technique, but it still produces over a ton of carbon dioxide for every ton of steel. But why not just use hydrogen instead of starting with natural gas? The only by-product would be water. And if, as Stegra plans to do, you use green hydrogen made using clean power, the result is a new and promising way of making steel that can theoretically produce close to zero emissions. Stegras process is very similar to the standard direct reduction technique, except that since it uses only hydrogen, it needs a higher temperature. Its not the only possible way to make steel with a negligible carbon footprint, but its the only method on the verge of being used at an industrial scale. Premium marketing Stegra has laid the foundations for its plant and is putting the roof and walls on its steel mill. The first equipment has been installed in the building where electric arc furnaces will melt the iron and churn out steel, and work is underway on the facility that will house a 700-megawatt electrolyzer, the largest in Europe. To make hydrogen, purify iron, and produce 2.5 million metric tons of green steel annually, the plant will consume 10 terawatt-hours of electricity. This is a massive amount, on par with the annual usage of a small country such as Estonia. Though the costs of electricity in Stegras agreements are confidential, publicly available data suggest rates around 30 ($32) per megawatt-hour or more. (At that rate, 10 terawatt-hours would cost $320 million.) STEGRA Many of the buyers of the premium green steel are in the automotive industry; they include Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, Volvo Group, and Scania, a Swedish company that makes trucks and buses. Six companies that make furniture, appliances, and construction materialincluding Ikeahave also signed up, as have five companies that buy steel and distribute it to many different manufacturers. Some of these automakersincluding Volvo, which will buy from Stegra and rival SSABare marketing cars made with the green steel as fossil-free. And since cars and trucks also have many parts that are much more expensive than the steel they use, steel that costs the automakers a bit more adds only a little to the cost of a vehicleperhaps a couple of hundred dollars or less, according to some estimates.Many companies have also set internal targets to reduce emissions, and buying green steel can get them closer to those goals. Stegras business model is made possible in part by the unique economic conditions within the European Union. In December 2022, the European Parliament approved a tariff on imported carbon-intensive products such as steel, known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). As of 2024, this law requires those who import iron, steel, and other commodities to report the materials associated carbon emissions. Starting in 2026, companies will have to begin paying fees designed to be proportional to the materials carbon footprint. Some companies are already betting that it will be enough to make Stegras 30% premium worthwhile. STEGRA Though the law could incentivize decarbonization within the EU and for those importing steel into Europe, green steelmakers will probably also need subsidies to defray the costs of scaling up, says Charlotte Unger, a researcher at the Research Institute for Sustainability in Potsdam, Germany. In Stegras case, it will receive 265 million from the European Commission to help build its plant; it was also granted 250 million from the European Unions Innovation Fund. Meanwhile, Stegra is working to reduce costs and beef up revenues. Olof Hernell, the chief digital officer, says the company has invested heavily in digital products to improve efficiency. For example, a semi-automated system will be used to increase or decrease usage of electricity according to its fluctuating price on the grid. Stegra realized there was no sophisticated software for keeping track of the emissions that the company is producing at every step of the steelmaking process. So it is making its own carbon accounting software, which it will soon sell as part of a new spinoff company. This type of accounting is ultra-important to Stegra, Hernell says, since we ask for a pretty significant premium, and that premium lives only within the promise of a low carbon footprint. Not for everyone As long as CBAM stays in place, Stegra believes, there will be more than enough demand for its green steel, especially if other carbon pricing initiatives come into force. The companys optimism is boosted by the fact that it expects to be the first to market and anticipates costs coming down over time. But for green steel to affect the market more broadly, or stay viable once several companies begin making significant quantities of it, its manufacturing costs will eventually have to be competitive with those of conventional steel. Stegra has sold contracts for 1.2 million metric tons of steel to be produced in the next five to seven years. Even if Stegra has a promising outlook in Europe, its hydrogen-based steelmaking scheme is unlikely to make economic sense in many other places in the worldat least in the near future. There are very few regions with such a large amount of clean electricity and easy access to the grid. Whats more, northern Sweden is also rich in high-quality ore that is easy to process using the hydrogen direct reduction method, says Chris Pistorius, a metallurgical engineer and co-director of the Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research at Carnegie Mellon University. Green steel can be made from lower-grade ore, says Pistorius, but it does have the negative effects of higher electricity consumption, hence slower processing. Given the EU incentives, other hydrogen-based steel plants are in the works in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe. Hybrit, a green steel technology developed by SSAB, the mining company LKAB, and the energy producer Vattenfall, uses a process similar to Stegras. LKAB hopes to finish a demonstration plant by 2028 in Gllivare, also in northern Sweden. However, progress has been delayed by challenges in getting the necessary environmental permit. Meanwhile, a company called Boston Metal is working to commercialize a different technique to break the bonds in iron oxide by running a current through a mixture of iron ore and an electrolyte, creating extremely high heat. This electrochemical process yields a purified iron metal that can be turned into steel. The technology hasnt been proved at scale yet, but Boston Metal hopes to license its green steel process in 2026. Understandably, these new technologies will cost more at first, and consumers or governments will have to foot the bill, says Jessica Allen, an expert on green steel production at the University of Newcastle in Australia. In Stegras case, both seem willing to do so. But it will be more difficult outside the EU.Whats more, producing enough green steel to make a large dent in the sectors emissions will likely require a portfolio of different techniques to succeed. Still, as the first to market, Stegra is playing a vital role, Allen says, and its performance will color perceptions of green steel for years to come. Being willing to take a risk and actually build thats exactly what we need, she adds. We need more companies like this. For now, Stegras plantrising from the boreal forests of northern Swedenrepresents the industrys leading effort. When it begins operations in 2026, that plant will be the first demonstration that steel can be made at an industrial scale without releasing large amounts of carbon dioxideand, just as important, that customers are willing to pay for it. Douglas Main is a journalist and former senior editor and writer at National Geographic.

Damola Adamolekun, CEO of Red Lobster, shares three books that influenced his career in 2024.Adamolekun was formerly CEO of P.F. Changs, which he helped generate $1 billion in revenue a year.He describes "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius as a timeless guide to leading.At 35, Damola Adamolekun is the youngest CEO of Red Lobster of all time. The former Goldman Sachs investment banker and Harvard Business School alum was appointed CEO in August, just months after the seafood chain filed for bankruptcy.Investors are likely hoping Adamolekun will recreate the restaurant resurgence he accomplished during his tenure as CEO of P.F. Changs from 2019 to 2023, during which he helped the struggling chain generate an estimated $1 billion in revenue a year.The Nigerian-American businessman shared with Business Insider the three books that helped him navigate his career in 2024.Business Insider: What three books have shaped your career and leadership this year?1. "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will GuidaraDamola Adamolekun: "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara is a masterclass in creating memorable experiences through relentless care and attention to detail.Guidara's approach to hospitality isn't just about service it's about going above and beyond to make people feel valued. The idea of "over-delivering" resonated deeply with me, reminding me that exceptional hospitality, like exceptional leadership, often lies in the thoughtful, unexpected gestures that leave a lasting impact.Whether in a restaurant or the boardroom, this book is a compelling reminder that relationships and culture are built on doing the little things with great intention. Penguin Random House 2. "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius is a timeless guide to leading with wisdom, resilience, and humility.Marcus's reflections on discipline and self-mastery have shaped how I approach challenges focusing on what I can control and letting go of what I can't. His emphasis on serving the greater good is a powerful reminder that leadership is ultimately about responsibility, not power.This book's enduring relevance lies in its ability to ground leaders in principles that foster clarity and purpose, even amid chaos. Penguin Random House 3. "The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players" by Pat Riley"The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players" by Pat Riley is a motivational book that shares leadership lessons and teamwork strategies, using stories from his NBA coaching career to inspire individuals and organizations to achieve success through unity, resilience, and continuous improvement.As a former college athlete at Brown University, this book's story of perseverance, adaptability, and ambition echoes the mantra that I've carried from the football field into the boardroom as a CEO. Penguin Random House This story is part of an end-of-year reading list series that seeks to highlight the best books influential CEOs and business leaders read in 2024.

Mark Cuban tried to invest in Musical.ly, the platform that would become TikTok.Cuban says the platform lost its spark, becoming "corporate."In an interview, Cuban said focusing on monetization often harms the user experience.Mark Cuban tried to invest in TikTok's precursor years ago, but said the company turned him down.Cuban told content creator and journalist Jules Terpak in an interview on her YouTube channel that he enjoyed using TikTok when it was called Musical.ly.The platform rebranded to TikTok in 2017 when it was acquired by its current owners, ByteDance."I loved it because I could just turn it on and there would be 15,000 people live immediately that I could talk to," Cuban said of Musical.ly."It was insane. I loved it. And then, as it got into the dances and everything, it was fun."Cuban told CNBC he tried to invest in Musical.ly but was unsuccessful because the company wasn't looking to raise more funds at the time.Cuban told Terpak he thinks TikTok is less fun than it used to be and "more corporate."He said that the dance-focused version of the app was losing billions of dollars, "and so at some point, they had to start trying to make some money.""I liked it better when it was dances and music," Cuban said. "Now it's a business."Cuban said TikTok's early beauty was that its algorithm served users with more of what they liked than any other platform."Now it's corporate," he said. "It's how many followers can you get and how can you engage those followers."There's "a diminishing return" for users when platforms monetize, Cuban said, driven by business realities."At some point, if you're there to make money, you have to figure out how to make money," he said.Cuban's thoughts hit on an increasing frustration many users have with TikTok, where they are flooded with ads and many see the platform as a pseudo-shopping channel.Cuban has a TikTok account himself, where he has 1.1 million followers though he doesn't post often.In 2023, he faced some backlash for a "tip of the day" on making money, in which he told people to cut back on extra lattes and streaming services."You want to put that in a money market account earning five, maybe more, percent and watch that sucker grow," he said. "That'll make you feel a whole lot better than that extra latte that you had that day."Some criticized the advice for being unrealistic and out of touch with the majority of people.Cuban didn't address the critics, only posting another tip of the day to "be nice" and "smile."According to Bloomberg, Cuban has a net worth of around $8 billion. In 1990, he sold his first tech company, MicroSolutions,for $6 millionand went on to invest in several successful businesses through "Shark Tank."In October, Cuban announced he would be leaving "Shark Tank" after its 16th season to spend more time with his kids.

Startups and automakers are racing to build EV batteries that can charge in five minutes or less.Ultrafast batteries would solve one of the biggest issues customers have with EVs charging times.Analysts say China's dominance in the battery industry means it is winning the race for five-minute charging.Lengthy charging times are holding back the EV revolution, but that might be about to change.Charging is frequently cited as one of the main reasons drivers are reluctant to go electric, with charging times in the US ranging from 20 minutes to 50 hours far longer than it takes to simply fill up with gas.But automakers and startups across the globe are now racing to build EV batteries that can charge in under 10 or even 5 minutes."It will change the entire customer experience," Ramesh Narasimhan, executive vice president at battery startup Nyobolt, told Business Insider."Charging would go from being an annoyance and requiring a downtime of 40 minutes to an hour, to having the same experience as what you have today in a fuelling situation," he added.Developments over the past year suggest that dream is getting closer.In August, Chinese Tesla rival Zeekr unveiled new batteries for its 007 sedan which it said were the world's fastest charging, able to charge from 10-80% in a little over 10 minutes.Chinese battery giant CATL, meanwhile, unveiled its Shenxing Plus battery in April, which it said could provide 600km of range after 10 minutes of charging.Rory McNulty, a product director at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, told BI that advances in battery chemistry and software design had allowed manufacturers like CATL to optimize their batteries for faster charging without damaging them. Chinese battery giant CATL shows off its Shenxing Plus battery. Hong Tao/VCG via Getty Images He added that new battery designs, such as silicon-based and solid-state batteries, which are expected to hit the market in the next few years, will accelerate the move toward faster charging."We're on the cusp of introducing new materials, which intrinsically should charge quicker," McNulty said.Nyobolt demoed its battery technology in a prototype EV in June. The battery successfully charged from 10% to 80% in four minutes and 37 seconds, achieving a range of 120 miles after four minutes.The UK-based startup is in talks with eight companies about incorporating its technology into high-performance EVs, and Narasimhan said he hoped to see them in passenger cars by the end of the decade.Fully chargedRolling out ultrafast-charging EV batteries will not be without challenges.Narasimhan told BI that automakers face a dilemma between building EVs with large batteries that can travel huge distances, or prioritizing smaller fast-charging batteries with less range."Carmakers are still struggling between fast charge versus energy density and having an oversized battery that can go a thousand miles," he said.Narasimhan added that, as batteries are by far the most expensive part of an EV, smaller batteries would mean cheaper vehicles the lack of which is another factor that has put off some consumers from going electric.The other major hurdle is charging infrastructure. Batteries that can charge in 5-10 minutes require high-powered 350kw electric vehicle chargers to hit maximum charging speeds. Nyobolt is in discussions over incorporating its batteries into high-performance EVs. Nyobolt There are currently around 30,000 charging ports with a maximum output of 350kw or more in the US, according to Department of Energy statistics.A study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released last year estimated the number of fast chargers will need to grow to around 182,000 by 2030 to support EV demand."Charging infrastructure is the next frontier," said McNulty."You can have the best battery in the world, it can charge in five minutes, but if your charging port or charging infrastructure doesn't have the capability to match that, then you're always going to be limited," he added.China races aheadOne thing is almost certain: the first widespread ultrafast-charging EV batteries will likely be Chinese.China dominates the global battery industry, with the likes of CATL, BYD, and Zeekr leading the way in building EV batteries with longer ranges and faster charging times."China's battery industry is 10 years ahead of its Western rivals. They built a whole infrastructure around batteries which is nigh-on impossible to replicate," Andy Palmer, a former Aston Martin and Nissan executive, often called "The Godfather of EVs," told Business Insider.Much of China's success in battery manufacturing comes from its long-running industrial strategy, which has seen the government heavily subsidize local manufacturers over the past decade. EV fast chargers are crucial to ensuring five minute charging times. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images As a result, the East Asian superpower now has a stranglehold over the global battery supply chain. McNulty estimates that China dominates 95% of the global market for graphite, a key mineral for EV batteries.China also has the advantage of scale. The Chinese market accounted for 60% of global EV registrations in 2023, per the IEA, and the country has rapidly built up its charging infrastructure to keep up with demand."The charging infrastructure bottlenecks that were a problem a couple of years ago are not anymore. You have fast chargers everywhere. I have probably 10 of them just around where I live," Cosimo Ries, a Shanghai-based analyst for Trivium China, told BI.Ries added that the brutal competition in China's EV market was putting pressure on automakers to cut charging times and roll out fast-charging models at lower price points."The competition is so fierce; if you don't come up with faster charging batteries at cheaper prices, you're just not going to survive," Ries said."We're starting to see fast-charging move toward the kind of mid-tier or even lower-end segment of the markets. I think we're probably much closer to five-minute charging than previously expected, at least in China," he added.

Interfaith Spaces: Architectural Responses to Religious DiversitySave this picture!Mnnist Church, Kuopio, Finland by Juha Leivisk. Image Henry PlummerIn an increasingly diverse world, the emergence of multi-faith spaces represents a significant shift in architectural design, reflecting the evolving religious landscape of contemporary society. These spaces, which began to be formally established in the 1950s in public buildings like airports and hospitals, serve as microcosms of social transformation and peaceful coexistence. They allow various traditions to harmoniously share environments, embodying principles of inclusivity, flexibility, and adaptability.As communities grow more multicultural and increasingly diverse, these spaces serve as physical manifestations of religious inclusion, encouraging the acceptance of religious and ethnic minorities within multicultural landscapes. Their proliferation reflects a growing need for inclusive environments that cater to diverse spiritual needs while promoting interfaith understanding. However, designing and implementing these spaces presents complex challenges, often sparking debates about representation, neutrality, and the very nature of sacred space. These discussions underscore the delicate balance architects must strike in creating spaces that are both universally welcoming and spiritually meaningful.Save this picture!Architecture has always mirrored societal shifts, and the rise of multi-religious spaces reflects increasing religious diversity in modern societies. These spaces embody pluralism and coexistence, serving as neutral grounds where different religious practices can coexist side by side. Architecturally, they challenge the traditional notion of sacred, pushing designers to create inclusive, versatile environments adaptable to various rituals. This adaptability is not merely functional but a profound statement about fluid religious identities in contemporary society. The theoretical foundation of multi-religious architecture lies in fostering community and mutual respect among diverse groups. Architects must create neutral yet spiritually significant environments that accommodate various rituals without compromising sacredness. In a world of religious conflicts and cultural misunderstandings, these spaces play a crucial role in promoting peace and unity, offering sanctuaries where individuals from different backgrounds can come together in mutual understanding. Related Article Is Religious Architecture Still Relevant? The most common solution to this challenge is what can be termed as "negative design". This approach typically results in windowless, white rooms with minimal ornamentation and flexible furniture arrangements. Religious texts and symbols are often kept in storage, only to be brought out when needed. This design strategy aims to create a neutral canvas that can be temporarily transformed to suit different religious needs, while at the same time addressing the paradox of a space that wants to be religious without in fact being so. As a response, architecture develops strategies to incorporate universal symbols such as light, water, or other natural symbols. In this way, it transposes religion into spirituality, creating a sense of the sacred without referencing any particular faith.Save this picture!However, this method does come with its own set of controversies. Can a space be truly sacred if it's designed to be religiously neutral? How does the use of a space define its character, regardless of its physical design? These questions challenge our understanding of the relationship between form and function in religious architecture letting some critics argue that these blank sterile spaces can be bland or lacking in spiritual atmosphere due to their intentional neutrality, while others contend that sacredness can emerge from the intentions and practices of users rather than from specific architectural features. The use of space indeed plays a crucial role in defining its character, often transcending its physical design. This concept aligns with the idea that sacredness can be user-defined rather than inherent in the architecture itself. In multi-faith spaces, the temporary transformation of the space through rituals, objects, and practices of different faiths demonstrates how use can override neutral design.Save this picture!This attempt to be universally inclusive by being neutral often results in spaces that feel impersonal and disconnected from any spiritual tradition. On the other hand, some designers contend that truly inclusive spaces should embrace and celebrate religious diversity rather than attempting to erase all signs of faith. This "positive design" approach balances representations of different faiths without creating a hierarchy or causing offense, incorporating each element harmoniously a delicate movement that requires careful consideration and often extensive consultation with religious leaders.Save this picture!Interfaith in Airports and Public InstitutionsThe debate over multi-faith space design goes beyond aesthetics, raising questions about the feasibility and desirability of creating universal worship spaces. Critics argue that such spaces are paradoxical due to the distinct and sometimes conflicting sacred space requirements of different religions. Despite these challenges, innovative solutions have emerged. Designers have created modular spaces that adapt to various religious needs and have used abstract symbolism and natural elements like light and water, which hold spiritual significance across traditions. Successful multi-faith spaces exist worldwide, particularly in democratic environments. A notable example is the United Nations Meditation Room, sometimes called "A Room of Quiet", which opened in 1957 under Dag Hammarskjld's supervision. This space, featuring Bo Beskow's abstract fresco and a 6.5-ton iron ore block symbolizing endurance and faith, is devoid of religious symbols, fostering inclusivity and spiritual reflection for all faiths.Save this picture!Airports have also emerged as pioneering locations for multi-faith spaces, providing travelers with essential areas for spiritual reflection and prayer amidst the hustle and bustle of travel. Notable examples include Heathrow Airport, which features prayer rooms in each terminal overseen by a Multi-Faith Chaplaincy team, and Dublin Airport's Multi-Faith Prayer Room. These spaces often incorporate features like foot-washing stations for Muslim rituals and flexible layouts to support various worship styles while maintaining a neutral decor to foster inclusivity. Despite the challenges of balancing functionality and spiritual resonance, airport multi-faith spaces symbolize religious tolerance and inclusivity in our increasingly globalized society. As such, they continue to evolve, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of the millions of travelers who pass through these hubs each year.Save this picture!Save this picture!Funerary SpacesFunerary spaces have long been a reflection of the diverse beliefs within a community, and in recent years, they have increasingly adopted multi-faith approaches to accommodate the spiritual needs of different religious groups. These spaces, often found in crematoriums, memorial parks, or cemeteries, are designed to accommodate various cultural and religious practices surrounding death and remembrance while fostering a sense of shared humanity in times of loss. The Bushey Cemetery in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects, exemplifies this approach. While primarily serving the Jewish community, the cemetery's design incorporates elements that make it welcoming to people of all faiths. The prayer hall, with its simple geometric form and use of natural materials, creates a contemplative space that transcends specific religious iconography. The surrounding landscape, featuring native wildflower meadows and mature trees, provides a universal setting for reflection and remembrance.Save this picture!Save this picture!Another notable example is the Inagawa Cemetery Chapel and Visitor Centre in Hyogo, Japan, designed by David Chipperfield Architects. This project demonstrates how funerary architecture can create spaces that honor individual religious traditions while fostering a sense of inclusivity. The chapel's minimalist design, with its monolithic concrete structure and strategic use of natural light, creates a serene atmosphere that resonates with various spiritual beliefs. This approach emphasizes the universal themes of contemplation and reflection, allowing individuals from different faiths to engage with the space in a meaningful way.Save this picture!Multi-Religious ComplexesAnother notable example of a successful multi-faith complex is the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, designed by Adjaye Associates. This complex features three distinct buildings, each dedicated to one of the Abrahamic religions: a mosque, a church, and a synagogue. The design of each structure strives to evoke the spatial qualities specific to its faith tradition while maintaining a cohesive architectural language. This approach aims to encourage dialogue between these three religions that often view themselves as separate, while still providing distinct spaces for worship. The complex includes a central forum and garden area, serving as a shared space for interfaith interaction and exchange. By housing these separate yet interconnected religious spaces within the same complex, the Abrahamic Family House demonstrates how these spaces are physical manifestations of interfaith dialogue and cooperation, offering a sanctuary where individuals from different backgrounds can come together in mutual respect and understanding.Save this picture! As an architect I want to create a building that starts to dissolve the notion of hierarchical difference it should represent universality and totality something higher, that enhances the richness of human life. - Sir David Adjaye, Founder and Principal Adjaye Associates Save this picture!A similar intention, but with a different architectural approach, can be seen in the House of One project in Berlin, designed by Kuehn Malvezzi. This project brings Christian, Jewish, and Muslim worship spaces together under a single roof, with a central communal area fostering interfaith dialogue. The architects have employed a allowing individual practice and interfaith interaction. The design allows for flexibility and adaptability to accommodate various religious needs. This design philosophy reflects the project's motto of "Three religions. One house" emphasizing unity while respecting the individual traditions of each faith. For this reason, the House of One is not just an architectural project but also a symbol of religious coexistence and understanding. It aims to create a space where people of different faiths, as well as those without religious affiliations, can come together, learn from each other, and engage in meaningful dialogue.Save this picture!Beyond their role as places of worship, multi-religious spaces are dynamic environments that serve various community functions. These spaces serve a practical purpose and symbolize our collective aspiration for a more inclusive and understanding world. They are akin to libraries or community centers, providing venues for educational programs, cultural events, and social gatherings. This multifunctionality is a hallmark of contemporary architecture, reflecting the diverse needs of modern communities and the ability of architects to create environments that respect diverse spiritual needs while fostering a sense of shared humanity. This challenge requires architectural skill a deep understanding of different religious traditions and the ability to navigate complex social and cultural dynamics, balancing the need for neutrality with the desire for spiritual resonance. Ultimately, these spaces are places of devotion even for those who don't have one.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on August 23, 2024, as part of the ArchDaily Topics: Multi-Purpose Spaces.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorDiogo Borges FerreiraAuthorCite: Diogo Borges Ferreira. "Interfaith Spaces: Architectural Responses to Religious Diversity" 27 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1019961/interfaith-spaces-architectural-responses-to-religious-diversity&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream