A science sampler Ten cool science stories we almost missed Bronze Age combat, moral philosophy and Reddit's AITA, Mondrian's fractal tree, and seven other fascinating papers. Jennifer Ouellette Dec 30, 2024 9:37 am | 7 Credit: APS/Carin Cain Credit: APS/Carin Cain Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThere is rarely time to write about every cool science paper that comes our way; many worthy candidates sadly fall through the cracks over the course of the year. But as 2024 comes to a close, we've gathered ten of our favorite such papers at the intersection of science and culture as a special treat, covering a broad range of topics: from reenacting Bronze Age spear combat and applying network theory to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, to Spider-Man inspired web-slinging tech and a mathematical connection between a turbulent phase transition and your morning cup of coffee. Enjoy!Reenacting Bronze Age spear combat An experiment with experienced fighters who spar freely using different styles. Credit: Valerio Gentile/CC BY The European Bronze Age saw the rise of institutionalized warfare, evidenced by the many spearheads and similar weaponry archaeologists have unearthed. But how might these artifacts be used in actual combat? Dutch researchers decided to find out by constructing replicas of Bronze Age shields and spears and using them in realistic combat scenarios. They described their findings in an October paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.There have been a couple of prior experimental studies on bronze spears, but per Valerio Gentile (now at the University of Gottingen) and coauthors, practical research to date has been quite narrow in scope, focusing on throwing weapons against static shields. Coauthors C.J. van Dijk of the National Military Museum in the Netherlands and independent researcher O. Ter Mors each had more than a decade of experience teaching traditional martial arts, specializing in medieval polearms and one-handed weapons. So they were ideal candidates for testing the replica spears and shields.Of course, there is no direct information on prehistoric fighting styles, so van Dijk and Mors relied on basic biomechanics of combat movements with similar weapons detailed in historic manuals. They ran three versions of the experiment: one focused on engagement and controlled collisions, another on delivering wounding body blows, and the third on free sparring. They then studied wear marks left on the spearheads and found they matched the marks found on similar genuine weapons excavated from Bronze Age sites. They also gleaned helpful clues to the skills required to use such weapons.DOI: Journal of Archaeological Science, 2024. 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106044 (About DOIs).Physics of Ned Kahns kinetic sculptures Shimmer Wall, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Credit: Ned Kahn Environmental artist and sculptor Ned Kahn is famous for his kinematic building facades, inspired by his own background in science. An exterior wall on the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, for instance, consists of hundreds of flaps that move in response to wind, creating distinctive visual patterns. Kahn used the same method to create his Shimmer Wall at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute, as well as several other similar projects.Physicists at Sorbonne Universite in Paris have studied videos of Kahn's kinetic facades and conducted experiments to measure the underlying physical mechanisms, outlined in a November paper published in the journal Physical Review Fluids. The authors analyzed 18 YouTube videos taken of six of Kahn's kinematic facades, working with Kahn and building management to get the dimensions of the moving plates, scaling up from the video footage to get further information on spatial dimensions.They also conducted their own wind tunnel experiments, using strings of pendulum plates. Their measurements confirmed that the kinetic patterns were propagating waves to create the flickering visual effects. The plates' movement is driven primarily by their natural resonant frequencies at low speeds, and by pressure fluctuations from the wind at higher speeds.DOI: Physical Review Fluids, 2024. 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.114604 (About DOIs).How brewing coffee connects to turbulence Trajectories in time traced out by turbulent puffs as they move along a simulated pipe and in experiments, with blue regions indicate puff "traffic jams." Credit: Grgoire Lemoult et al., 2024 Physicists have been studying turbulence for centuries, particularly the transitional period where flows shift from predictably smooth (laminar flow) to highly turbulent. That transition is marked by localized turbulent patches known as "puffs," which often form in fluids flowing through a pipe or channel. In an October paper published in the journal Nature Physics, physicists used statistical mechanics to reveal an unexpected connection between the process of brewing coffee and the behavior of those puffs.Traditional mathematical models of percolation date back to the 1940s. Directed percolation is when the flow occurs in a specific direction, akin to how water moves through freshly ground coffee beans, flowing down in the direction of gravity. There's a sweet spot for the perfect cuppa, where the rate of flow is sufficiently slow to absorb most of the flavor from the beans, but also fast enough not to back up in the filter. That sweet spot in your coffee brewing process corresponds to the aforementioned laminar-turbulent transition in pipes.Physicist Nigel Goldenfeld of the University of California, San Diego, and his coauthors used pressure sensors to monitor the formation of puffs in a pipe, focusing on how puff-to-puff interactions influenced each other's motion. Next, they tried to mathematically model the relevant phase transitions to predict puff behavior. They found that the puffs behave much like cars moving on a freeway during rush hour: they are prone to traffic jamsi.e., when a turbulent patch matches the width of the pipe, causing other puffs to build up behind itthat form and dissipate on their own. And they tend to "melt" at the laminar-turbulent transition point.DOI: Nature Physics, 2024. 10.1038/s41567-024-02513-0 (About DOIs).Network theory and Bach's music In a network representation of music, notes are represented by nodes, and transition between notes are represented by directed edges connecting the nodes. Credit: S. Kulkarni et al., 2024 When you listen to music, does your ability to remember or anticipate the piece tell you anything about its structure? Physicists at the University of Pennsylvania developed a model based on network theory to do just that, describing their work in a February paper published in the journal Physical Review Research. Johann Sebastian Bach's works were an ideal choice given the highly mathematical structure, plus the composer was so prolific, across so many very different kinds of musical compositionspreludes, fugues, chorales, toccatas, concertos, suites, and cantatasas to allow for useful comparisons.First, the authors built a simple "true" network for each composition, in which individual notes served as "nodes" and the transitions from note to note served as "edges" connecting them. Then they calculated the amount of information in each network. They found it was possible to tell the difference between compositional forms based on their information content (entropy). The more complex toccatas and fugues had the highest entropy, while simpler chorales had the lowest.Next, the team wanted to quantify how effectively this information was communicated to the listener, a task made more difficult by the innate subjectivity of human perception. They developed a fuzzier "inferred" network model for this purpose, capturing an essential aspect of our perception: we find a balance between accuracy and cost, simplifying some details so as to make it easier for our brains to process incoming information like music.The results: There were fewer differences between the true and inferred networks for Bach's compositions than for randomly generated networks, suggesting that clustering and the frequent repetition of transitions (represented by thicker edges) in Bach networks were key to effectively communicating information to the listener. The next step is to build a multi-layered network model that incorporates elements like rhythm, timbre, chords, or counterpoint (a Bach specialty).DOI: Physical Review Research, 2024. 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.013136 (About DOIs).The philosophy of Reddit's AITACount me among the many people practically addicted to Reddit's "Am I the Asshole" (AITA) forum. It's such a fascinating window into the intricacies of how flawed human beings navigate different relationships, whether personal or professional. That's also what makes it a fantastic source of illustrative common-place dilemmas of moral decision-making for philosophers like Daniel Yudkin of the University of Pennsylvania. Relational context matters, as Yudkin and several co-authors ably demonstrated in a PsyArXiv preprint earlier this year.For their study, Yudkin et al. compiled a dataset of nearly 370,000 AITA posts, along with over 11 million comments, posted between 2018 and 2021. They used machine learning to analyze the language used to sort all those posts into different categories. They relied on an existing taxonomy identifying six basic areas of moral concern: fairness/proportionality, feelings, harm/offense, honesty, relational obligation, and social norms.Yudkin et al. identified 29 of the most common dilemmas in the AITA dataset and grouped them according to moral theme. Two of the most common were relational transgression and relational omission (failure to do what was expected), followed by behavioral over-reaction and unintended harm. Cheating and deliberate misrepresentation/dishonesty were the moral dilemmas rated most negatively in the dataseteven more so than intentional harm. Being judgmental was also evaluated very negatively, as it was often perceived as being self-righteous or hypocritical. The least negatively evaluated dilemmas were relational omissions.As for relational context, cheating and broken promise dilemmas typically involved romantic partners like boyfriends rather than one's mother, for example, while mother-related dilemmas more frequently fell under relational omission. Essentially, "people tend to disappoint their mothers but be disappointed by their boyfriends," the authors wrote. Less close relationships, by contrast, tend to be governed by "norms of politeness and procedural fairness." Hence, Yudkin et al. prefer to think of morality "less as a set of abstract principles and more as a 'relational toolkit,' guiding and constraining behavior according to the demands of the social situation."DOI: PsyArXiv, 2024. 10.31234/osf.io/5pcew (About DOIs).Fractal scaling of trees in artDe grijze boom (Gray tree) by Piet Mondrian, 1911. Credit: Public domain Leonardo da Vinci famously invented a so-called "rule of trees" as a guide to realistically depicting trees in artistic representations according to their geometric proportions. In essence, if you took all the branches of a given tree, folded them up and compressed them into something resembling a trunk, that trunk would have the same thickness from top to bottom. That rule in turn implies a fractal branching pattern, with a scaling exponent of about 2 describing the proportions between the diameters of nearby boughs and the number of boughs with a given diameter.According to the authors of a preprint posted to the physics arXiv in February, however, recent biological research suggests a higher scaling exponent of 3 known as Murray's Law, for the rule of trees. Their analysis of 16th century Islamic architecture, Japanese paintings from the Edo period, and 20th century European art showed fractal scaling between 1.5 and 2.5. However, when they analyzed an abstract tree painting by Piet Mondrian, they found it exhibited fractal scaling of 3, before mathematicians had formulated Murray's Law, even though Mondrian's tree did not feature explicit branching.The findings intrigued physicist Richard Taylor of the University of Oregon, whose work over the last 20 years includes analyzing fractal patterns in the paintings of Jackson Pollock. "In particular, I thought the extension to Mondrian's 'trees' was impressive," he told Ars earlier this year. "I like that it establishes a connection between abstract and representational forms. It makes me wonder what would happen if the same idea were to be applied to Pollock's poured branchings."Taylor himself published a 2022 paper about climate change and how nature's stress-reducing fractals might disappear in the future. "If we are pessimistic for a moment, and assume that climate change will inevitably impact nature's fractals, then our only future source of fractal aesthetics will be through art, design and architecture," he said. "This brings a very practical element to studies like [this]."DOI: arXiv, 2024. 10.48550/arXiv.2402.13520 (About DOIs).IDing George Washingtons descendants A DNA study identified descendants of George Washington from unmarked remains. Credit: Public domain DNA profiling is an incredibly useful tool in forensics, but the most common methodshort tandem repeat (STR) analysistypically doesn't work when remains are especially degraded, especially if said remains have been preserved with embalming methods using formaldehyde. This includes the remains of US service members who died in such past conflicts as World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War. That's why scientists at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System's identification lab at the Dover Air Force Base have developed new DNA sequencing technologies.They used those methods to identify the previously unmarked remains of descendants of George Washington, according to a March paper published in the journal iScience. The team tested three sets of remains and compared the results with those of a known living descendant, using methods for assessing paternal and maternal relationships, as well as a new method for next-generation sequencing data involving some 95,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in order to better predict more distant ancestry. The combined data confirmed that the remains belonged to Washington's descendants and the new method should help do the same for the remains of as-yet-unidentified service members.In related news, in July, forensic scientists successfully used descendant DNA to identify a victim of the 1921 Tulsa massacre in Oklahoma City, buried in a mass grave containing more than a hundred victims. C.L. Daniel was a World War I veteran, still in his 20s when he was killed. More than 120 such graves have been found since 2020, with DNA collected from around 30 sets of remains, but this is the first time those remains have been directly linked to the massacre. There are at least 17 other victims in the grave where Daniel's remains were found.DOI: iScience, 2024. 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109353 (About DOIs).Spidey-inspired web-slinging tech stream of liquid silk quickly turns to a strong fiber that sticks to and lifts objects. Credit: Marco Lo Presti et al., 2024 Over the years, researchers in Tufts University's Silklab have come up with all kinds of ingenious bio-inspired uses for the sticky fibers found in silk moth cocoons: adhesive glues, printable sensors, edible coatings, and light-collecting materials for solar cells, to name a few. Their latest innovation is a web-slinging technology inspired by Spider-Man's ability to shoot webbing from his wrists, described in an October paper published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.Coauthor Marco Lo Presti was cleaning glassware with acetone in the lab one day when he noticed something that looked a lot like webbing forming on the bottom of a glass. He realized this could be the key to better replicating spider threads for the purpose of shooting the fibers from a device like Spider-Mansomething actual spiders don't do. (They spin the silk, find a surface, and draw out lines of silk to build webs.)The team boiled silk moth cocoons in a solution to break them down into proteins called fibroin. The fibroin was then extruded through bore needles into a stream. Spiking the fibroin solution with just the right additives will cause it to solidify into fiber once it comes into contact with air. For the web-slinging technology, they added dopamine to the fibroin solution and then shot it through a needle in which the solution was surrounded by a layer of acetone, which triggered solidification.The acetone quickly evaporated, leaving just the webbing attached to whatever object it happened it hit. The team tested the resulting fibers and found they could lift a steel bolt, a tube floating on water, a partially buried scalpel and a wooden blockall from as far away as 12 centimeters. Sure, natural spider silk is still about 1000 times stronger than these fibers, but it's still a significant step forward that paves the way for future novel technological applications.DOI: Advanced Functional Materials, 2024. 10.1002/adfm.202414219Solving a mystery of a 12th century supernova Pa 30 is the supernova remnant of SN 1181. Credit: unWISE (D. Lang)/CC BY-SA 4.0 In 1181, astronomers in China and Japan recorded the appearance of a "guest star" that shone as bright as Saturn and was visible in the sky for six months. We now know it was a supernova (SN1181), one of only five such known events occurring in our Milky Way. Astronomers got a closer look at the remnant of that supernova and have determined the nature of strange filaments resembling dandelion petals that emanate from a "zombie star" at its center, according to an October paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.The Chinese and Japanese astronomers only recorded an approximate location for the unusual sighting, and for centuries no one managed to make a confirmed identification of a likely remnant from that supernova. Then, in 2021, astronomers measured the speed of expansion of a nebula known as Pa 30, which enabled them to determine its age: around 1,000 years, roughly coinciding with the recorded appearance of SN1181. PA 30 is an unusual remnant because of its zombie starmost likely itself a remnant of the original white dwarf that produced the supernova.This latest study relied on data collected by Caltech's Keck Cosmic Web Imager, a spectrograph at the Keck Observatory in Hawaii. One of the unique features of this instrument is that it can measure the motion of matter in a supernova and use that data to create something akin to a 3D movie of the explosion. The authors were able to create such a 3D map of P 30 and calculated that the zombie star's filaments have ballistic motion, moving at approximately 1,000 kilometers per second.Nor has that velocity changed since the explosion, enabling them to date that event almost exactly to 1181. And the findings raised fresh questionsnamely, the ejected filament material is asymmetricalwhich is unusual for a supernova remnant. The authors suggest that asymmetry may originate with the initial explosion.There's also a weird inner gap around the zombie star. Both will be the focus of further research.DOI: Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2024. 10.3847/2041-8213/ad713b (About DOIs).Reviving a lost 16th century score Fragment of music from The Aberdeen Breviary: Volume 1 Credit: National Library of Scotland /CC BY 4.0 Never underestimate the importance of marginalia in old manuscripts. Scholars from the University of Edinburgh and KU Leuven in Belgium can attest to that, having discovered a fragment of "lost" music from 16th-century pre-Reformation Scotland in a collection of worship texts. The team was even able to reconstruct the fragment and record it to get a sense of what music sounded like from that period in northeast Scotland, as detailed in a December paper published in the journal Music and Letters.King James IV of Scotland commissioned the printing of several copies of The Aberdeen Breviarya collection of prayers, hymns, readings, and psalms for daily worshipso that his subjects wouldn't have to import such texts from England or Europe. One 1510 copy, known as the "Glamis copy," is currently housed in the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. It was while examining handwritten annotations in this copy that the authors discovered the musical fragment on a page bound into the bookso it hadn't been slipped between the pages at a later date.The team figured out the piece was polyphonic, and then realized it was the tenor part from a harmonization for three or four voices of the hymn "Cultor Dei," typically sung at night during Lent. (You can listen to a recording of the reconstructed composition here.) The authors also traced some of the history of this copy of The Aberdeen Breviary, including its use at one point by a rural chaplain at Aberdeen Cathedral, before a Scottish Catholic acquired it as a family heirloom.Identifying a piece of music is a real Eureka moment for musicologists," said coauthor David Coney of Edinburgh College of Art. "Better still, the fact that our tenor part is a harmony to a well-known melody means we can reconstruct the other missing parts. As a result, from just one line of music scrawled on a blank page, we can hear a hymn that had lain silent for nearly five centuries, a small but precious artifact of Scotlands musical and religious traditions.DOI: Music and Letters, 2024. 10.1093/ml/gcae076 (About DOIs).Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior reporter at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 7 Comments

August 1927: Jimmy Carter was just 3 years old when he met his future wife.A young Jimmy Carter. Historical/Getty Images Three-year-old Jimmy met Rosalynn Smith when she was just a newborn. Lillian Carter, Jimmy's mother, worked as a nurse and helped deliver Rosalynn.Jimmy's younger sister, Ruth, became best friends with Rosalynn. In the 2020 book "What Makes a Marriage Last" by Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, Rosalynn shared that Jimmy's sister is in part responsible for their relationship."I always said I fell in love with a photograph of him on her [Ruth's] bedroom wall," Rosalynn said."Ruth and I plotted to get me together with [Jimmy]. She'd call and say 'Come over! He's here!' and I'd go flying over to her house, but he'd be gone again," she told the authors. 1945: It wasn't until he was attending the US Naval Academy that Jimmy finally asked Rosalynn out on a date.Jimmy Carter with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, and his mother, Lillian Carter, at the US Naval Academy. Associated Press Before his final year at the Naval Academy, and before Rosalynn's second year of college, the future couple went on their first date."I was cruising around with my sister Ruth and her boyfriend, just looking for a date, and I picked up Rosalynn in front of the Methodist church," he told the authors for "What Makes a Marriage Last."The two then went out to the movies. "I kissed her on that first date. I remember that vividly," he said in the book.He also recalled telling his mother the next morning that Rosalynn would be his wife one day."Rosalynn was the one I wanted to marry," he said. 1946: Jimmy proposed to Rosalynn twice.Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter. Horace Cort/Associated Press Less than a year after their first date, Jimmy asked Rosalynn to marry him. She initially rejected his proposal, because she wanted to prioritize completing her education.Later that year, in May 1946, he proposed to her again. This time, she said yes.July 7, 1946: The Carters married in their hometown.Jimmy Carter, and Rosalynn Carter in front of a photograph taken on their wedding day. Bettmann/Getty Images The couple tied the knot when Jimmy was 21 and Rosalynn was just 19. They got married in Plains, Georgia, at a Methodist church. July 3, 1947: Jimmy and Rosalynn welcomed the first of their four children, John William Carter, known as Jack.Jack Carter with Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter. Bettman via Getty Images Rosalynn gave birth to their first child,Jack, in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1947 while Jimmy was still serving in the US Navy.Jack went to law school at the University of Georgia, and he later ran for senate in Nevada in 2006. Although he succeeded in becoming the Democratic nominee, he lost against the Republican incumbent. April 12, 1950: Their second son, James Earl Carter III, was born while the family was living in Honolulu, Hawaii. He goes by Chip.Chip Carter. Mikki Ansin/Getty Images Chip was born in Honolulu, where Carter was stationed with the Navy at the time.After working on his family's peanut farm, Chip Carter served on the city council in Plains and later worked on the Democratic National Committee. He then worked at Friendship Force, a nonprofit organization focused on building international connections between people. August 18, 1952: They had their third child, Donnel Jeffrey Carter, who is known as Jeff.Jeff Carter, Jimmy Carter's third son. Bettmann via Getty Images He was born in New London, Connecticut.Jeff spent the first years of his marriage to his wife, Annette, living in the White House.In 1978, he graduated from George Washington University, where he studied geography with a specialty in computer cartography. Later, he became a co-founder of Computer Mapping Consultants, the Bryan Times reported. 1953: They moved back to Georgia, where they worked together on Carter's family farm and he started his political career.Jimmy Carter on his peanut farm. PhotoQuest/Getty Images After his father died in July 1953, Jimmy Carter left the Navy to move his family back to Plains, where he worked for the family's peanut farm."We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics," Rosalynn told the Associated Press in 2021. "I knew more on paper about the business than he did. He would take my advice about things."Once home, Carter eventually turned his attention to politics, serving as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967. October 19, 1967: Amy Carter, the couple's youngest child, was born.Amy Carter with her parents. Newsday LLC/Getty Images In addition to being the only daughter of Jimmy and Rosalynn, Amy is the only Carter child who spent their younger years in the White House.She initiallyattended Brown University, butshe eventually completed her bachelor's degree at Memphis College of Art in 1991 before earning her master's in art history from Tulane University in 1996, The Washington Post reported. She is now a board member for The Carter Center.January 12, 1971: Carter began serving as the governor of Georgia, making Rosalynn the state's first lady.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter. Evening Standard/Getty Images Carter served as the governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1957. During her time as the first lady of Georgia, Rosalynn focused on helping Georgians suffering from mental health issues. She served on the Governor's Commission to Improve Services to the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped. August 7, 1975: They became grandparents with the birth of their first grandchild, Jason James Carter.The extended Carter family. CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Jason James Carter was born in 1975 to parents Jack Carter and Julie Langford. In 2010, Jason James Carter was elected to the Georgia Senate, although his grandfather didn't campaign for him until just before the election."I needed to be more than Jimmy Carter's grandson and I needed to be sure that I could introduce myself and my vision for this state in an effective way," Jason James Carter told ABC News in 2010.In 2014, he followed in his grandfather's footsteps and ran for governor of Georgia, albeit unsuccessfully.James Carter IV, the son of Chip and Caron Carter, also works in politics as an opposition researcher.The Carters have a total of 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 1976: During the 1976 presidential election, Rosalynn traveled the country to campaign for her husband.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at a campaign event. Mikki Ansin/Getty Images Carter announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination on December 12, 1974. Rosalynn was on board from the beginning."My wife is much more political," he told the Associated Press in 2021.She added, "I love it. I love campaigning. I had the best time. I was in all the states in the United States."The White House's official website says Rosalynn's "belief in her husband's ability to lead the nation was communicated in a quiet, friendly manner that made her an effective campaigner." November 2, 1976: The couple embraced after learning that Carter had won the 1976 election.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter on election night. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Carter defeated incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford to win the presidency.January 20, 1977: Carter became the 39th president of the United States with Rosalynn by his side.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the inauguration. Nik Wheeler/Getty Images At the 1977 presidential inauguration, the couple shared a kiss after Carter was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States in Washington, DC. 1977: Carter's term started, and Rosalynn became the first lady of the US.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the Inaugural Ball. HUM Images/Getty Images As the first lady, Rosalynn focused on mental health advocacy. For one year, between 1977 and 1978, she was the honorary chairperson of the President's Commission on Mental Health. In this role, she oversaw a team of social workers, doctors, and lobbyists to enact policy change related to issues of mental illness.Rosalynn was a political activist whose guidance Carter frequently solicited on both foreign and domestic policy decisions. 1979: Carter gave Rosalynn a kiss on the cheek after announcing his run for reelection.President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter. Diana Walker/Getty Images In 1979, then-President Carter announced that he would run for reelection. "Let us commit ourselves together to a rebirth of the American spirit," he said in the last leg of his speech, before planting a kiss on Rosalynn's cheek.He lost the 1980 election to his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan. 1980: After Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan, Rosalynn was outspoken in her support of her husband.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter. Wally McNamee/Getty Images In a discussion about the then-upcoming 1984 election with UPI, Rosalynn said, "I think the most important thing is to beat Reagan. I think it's a tragedy what he has done. I feel sorry for who follows him in office."She praised the decisions her husband made while in office, saying, "Jimmy made the world a safer place with the Panama Canal Treaty, the Camp David agreement, and SALT 2."In her memoir, "First Lady from Plains," she added, "I would be out there campaigning right now if Jimmy would run again. I miss the world of politics.""I'd like people to know that we were right, that what Jimmy Carter was doing was best for our country, and that people made a mistake by not voting for him," she wrote. January 1981: With daughter Amy, the couple moved back to their modest home in Georgia after leaving the White House.Jimmy, Rosalynn, and Amy Carter in Plains, Georgia, after leaving the White House. Chuck Fishman/Getty Images After Carter lost the 1980 election, the couple moved back to Plains, Georgia, in January 1981.In 2018, The Washington Post reported that Carter is the only president in recent history to return to the house he lived in before the White House. The couple moved back to the ranch-style home they'd built, which was valued at $167,000 less than the cost of the Secret Service armored cars that follow him around. 1982: The couple founded The Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization that promotes human rights.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at The Carter Center. Bromberger Hoover Photography/Getty Images The Carter Centeraims to increase human rights, put an end to human suffering, and promote democracy worldwide.Included in The Carter Center's provisions is a Mental Health Program, which aimed to continue the work that Rosalynn started while her husband held office.Thirty years after its founding, in 2012, the Carters were interviewed by Georgia Trend, and the former president discussed his intentions for the organization."I imagined something like a small Camp David, where a nation that had a civil war going on or where a civil war might break out, could come, and we would negotiate between the two opposing sides to try to bring peace, or prevent a war," he said.The accomplishments of the organization, such as monitoring elections around the world and nearly eradicating the Guinea worm disease,exceeded the couple's wishes."But we never dreamed when we started 30 years ago that we'd be involved in elections around the world no one had ever done it before. And we never dreamed that we'd get involved in tropical, neglected diseases, and that has become the overwhelming thing we do," he said. 1984: They worked with Habitat for Humanity for the first time, beginning a decades-long partnership.Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter during the first Carter Work Project in New York City. Jim Peppler/Newsday RM via Getty Images After helping on a project in Americus, Georgia 10 miles from their hometown, Plains the Carters "quickly realized that our mission closely aligned with their values," according to Habitat for Humanity.Later that year, the couple established the Carter Work Project it would later become known as the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project by helping renovate a building in New York City.According to the organization, the Carters have since worked alongside 104,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build and repair more than 4,300 homes. October 2014: In an interview marking Jimmy Carter's 90th birthday, Rosalynn told People magazine she believed "space" was the key to a lasting marriage.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter. Chris McKay/Getty Images When asked in the joint People interview for the secret to a long marriage, Rosalynn said, "I'd say space. One of the hardest times was when we came home from the White House. It was the first time we'd been together in the house all day every day. So I got my office in what was a bedroom, and his is in what was the garage."As for his secrets to a long life, Carter credited exercise and his wife's cooking."I exercise and eat right," he said. "My wife is an expert dietitian and a good cook."Rosalynn added, "I fix fruits and vegetables. Cereal. He never turns down ice cream." October 2019: After he turned 95, Carter said the secret to a long life was to "marry the best spouse."The Carters. AP Photo/David Goldman In 2019, Carter became the longest-living president in US history. George H.W. Bush, who died in 2018, had lived until 94."It's hard to live until you're 95 years old," Carter told People magazine. "I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life." Jimmy and Rosalynn continued to make public appearances and endorse political candidates.Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Mark Wilson/Getty Images The Carters continued to make appearances at high-profile political events including Democratic National Conventions and presidential inaugurations the last inauguration they attended was Donald Trump's in 2017. The couple also publicly supported Democratic candidates, including Raphael Warnock in the 2020 Senate race."President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter's legacy as human rights champions and humanitarians is an inspiration to us all," Warnock wrote on Facebook following the endorsement. 2021: Reflecting on 75 years of marriage, Carter told PBS that if he and Rosalynn experience any "differences" during the day, they "make up and give each other a kiss before we go to sleep."Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity Edmonton. SOPA Images/Getty Images "At the end of the day, we try to become reconciled and overcome all the differences that arose during the day," he said in a 2021 interview with PBS."We also make up and give each other a kiss before we go to sleep still in bed. And we always read the Bible every night, which adds a different aspect to life. So, we really try to become completely reconciled each night before we go to sleep," Carter added.In their 2014 interview with People, Carter confirmed they had been reading to each other every night for 40 years. May 2023: Rosalynn was diagnosed with dementia, the Carter Center said.Rosalynn Carter with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images "The Carter family is sharing that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia," the organization wrote in a statement on its website in May 2023. "She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones."It added, "We hope sharing our family's news will increase important conversations at kitchen tables and in doctor's offices around the country." November 19, 2023: Rosalynn Carter died at the age of 96.Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at home in Plains, Georgia. Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images In a statement, the Carter Center wrote that Rosalynn Carter died "peacefully, with her family by her side" at home in Plains, Georgia."Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished," Jimmy Carter said of his wife of 77 years. "She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me." November 28, 2023: Jimmy Carter wore a blanket with his late wife's face on it to her memorial service.Jimmy Carter at a tribute service for his wife. Andrew Harnik via AP photos At Rosalynn Carter's memorial service in Atlanta, Carter attended the event with a blanket over his legs embroidered with images of himself and Rosalynn, captioned "The Carters."The blanket's design also honored their hometown with the words "Plains, Georgia, Est. 1855" and dogwood flowers that grow throughout Georgia.Carter slept at the Carter Center the night before the memorial service because "he never wants to be very far from her," Paige Smith, the Carter Center's CEO, told the Associated Press. December 29, 2024: Carter died at the age of 100.Flowers outside The Carter Center in Atlanta. Megan Varner/Getty Images Carter died in Plains, Georgia, at the home he once shared with Rosalynn."My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," Chip Carter said in a statement released by The Carter Center. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs."

Melissa Hemsley's cookbook offers recipes to reduce ultra-processed food intake.Ultra-processed foods are linked to health risks like cardiovascular disease and cancer.Hemsley's recipes include white chicken chili, noodle salad, and no-bake peanut bars.If cutting down on ultra-processed food is on your 2025 goals list, finding tasty new recipes is a big help.Melissa Hemsley is a chef whose latest cookbook, "Real Healthy," is designed to help people "unprocess" their diets.The recipes are packed with vegetables and designed for those who are short of time.Ultra-processed foods have come to the fore of public health consciousness in recent years, as research increasingly points to the potential health risks of UPFs, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.Hemsley recommends dishes including a white chicken chili with peppers and beans, a zingy vegetarian noodle salad, and no-bake peanut butter chocolate oat bars.White chicken chili Melissa Hemsley's white chicken chili. Lizzie Mayson Hemsley said: "A tomato-less chili, hence the name 'white chili'. I use yellow peppers here to keep the chili 'white' but use whatever color you can find. I like to serve the toppings separately and let everyone help themselves. In terms of the beans, use whatever white beans you like, such as cannellini or butter beans. I find sweetcorn is always worth keeping in the freezer, but if you've got canned corn, then drain, rinse, and add it right at the end."Serves: FourTime: 1 hour, 10 minutesIngredients4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra if needed2 onions, finely chopped2 yellow peppers, diced4 garlic cloves, finely sliced2 teaspoons ground cumin1 teaspoon dried oregano14 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chile flakes, to taste1.2 litres vegetable or chicken broth2 x 400-gram tins of white beans, drained and rinsed200 grams frozen cornJuice of 1 lime, plus a little zest if you likeSea salt and black pepperOptional toppingsSoured cream or yogurtFresh cilantro and/or scallions onions, slicedSliced avocadoSliced radishes or cucumberLime wedgesJarred jalapeo slices or chile flakesMethodSeason the chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and, once warm, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes over a medium-high heat until very well browned, then turn and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Lift out of the pot and set aside on a large plate.The chicken should have given out plenty of fat but if not, add a splash of olive oil to the pot and, once warm, add the onions, peppers, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for about 12 minutes over a medium heat until very soft, stirring every so often. Add the garlic, fry for a minute, then add the cumin, oregano, and cayenne or chile flakes and fry for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.Return the chicken thighs to the pot and pour in the stock. Simmer for 25 minutes, then add the beans and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.Remove the chicken thighs once cooked through and take the meat off the bones and shred. Set aside, discarding the chicken skin if you wish. Use a potato masher or the back of your wooden spoon to crush roughly a third of the beans (this will help thicken the chili).Add the frozen corn, then cook for 5 minutes or so until tender. Remove from the heat, add the chicken, lime juice, plus a little zest if you like, and taste for seasoning.Ladle into bowls and finish with the toppings you like.Big veg noodle salad with lime, ginger, and peanut dressing Melissa Hemsley's big veg noodle salad. Lizzie Mayson Hemsley said: "Even in the colder months, I think a big noodle salad is always a great thing to have up our sleeves. In the depths of winter, in and among all the cheesy bakes and big soups and stews, I crave fresh, zingy, crunchy salads like this. Use any noodles you like, even spaghetti would work if that's what you've got. I love buckwheat (soba) noodles. Swap the peanuts and peanut butter for cashews or almonds if you prefer. Do the lime trick to release more juice by rolling the limes on the kitchen counter before you slice them in half."Serves: TwoTime: 15 minutesIngredients2 nests of noodles2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil2 big handfuls of raw peanuts1 large carrot, cut into ribbons with a peeler or cut into thin strips with a knife14 sweetheart cabbage, very thinly sliced1 small apple or pear, cored, and cut into matchsticks12 small cucumber, dicedFor the dressing:2 tablespoons smooth or crunchy peanut butter2 big limes: zest of 1 and juice of both2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauceThumb of fresh ginger, finely gratedPinch of chile flakes2 teaspoons maple syrupSea salt and black pepperMethodFor the dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a jam jar. Taste for seasoning.Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Toss the noodles with the sesame oil and set aside.Toast the peanuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan every so often, until golden.In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, carrot, cabbage, apple or pear and roughly half the dressing. Slowly add more splashes of dressing if you like, tossing as you go, until everything is nicely coated. Top with the cucumber and peanuts.Chocolate peanut butter (no-bake) bars Melissa Hemsley's chocolate peanut butter bars. Lizzie Mayson Hemsley said: "A no-bake family favorite treat. Pretty irresistible but if you don't devour them over a few days, they will keep for a week in a sealed container. Store in the fridge in warmer months. If catering to any nut allergies, swap the ground almonds for more oats and switch the nut butter for pumpkin seed butter. If you have a preferred nut butter, try that I love a cashew butter but keep it to the smooth variety for a silkier texture. Look out for 60% minimum cocoa solids for your chocolate."Makes: 16Time: 20 minutes, plus setting timeIngredients250 grams smooth peanut butter100 grams ground almonds100 grams porridge oats6 tablespoons maple syrup1 teaspoon vanilla extractA little pinch of sea saltFor the chocolate layer180 grams dark chocolate, roughly broken1 tablespoon smooth peanut butterFlaky sea salt, for sprinklingOptional topping2 handfuls of toasted peanutsMethodLine a small baking pan or dish (about 15 x 8cm or square equivalent) with greaseproof paper, making sure it comes up high enough on the sides so that you can lift the mixture out of the pan once it's set.Mix the peanut butter, ground almonds, oats, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt together in a bowl. Transfer to the lined pan, pressing down with the back of a spoon or spatula to make it even and compact.For the chocolate layer, melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl set over a pan of very lightly simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Once melted, stir through the peanut butter and pour this evenly over the base. If topping with the whole peanuts, scatter these over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle over a little pinch of flaky sea salt.Set in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm, then cut into 16 pieces to serve.

15. "It Ends With Us"Blake Lively as Lily Bloom in "It Ends With Us." Jojo Whilden/Sony Pictures Entertainment Worldwide gross: $350,986,018Reported production budget: $25 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 55%The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel "It Ends With Us" was one of the biggest surprises at the 2024 box office.In less than two weeks in theaters, the movie surpassed $180 million at the box office globally a tremendous feat for a project that was reportedly financed for just $25 million. It's possible that fans of the book and those aware of the reports of a rift between Blake Lively and costar and director Justin Baldoni were intrigued by "It Ends With Us" and wanted to see what all the hype was about. 14. "Twisters"Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell in "Twisters." Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Amblin Entertainment Worldwide gross: $370,962,265Reported production budget: $155 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 75%After the box-office success of the rom-com "Anyone But You," Glen Powell continued his hot streak in Hollywood starring alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones in the stand-alone sequel to the 1996 disaster movie "Twister.""Twisters" surpassed box office predictions, earning $32.2 million from release day and preview screenings and scoring a solid $80.5 million during its opening weekend. 13. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"Proximus in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes." 20th Century Studios Worldwide gross: $397,378,150Reported production budget: $160 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 80%Although "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is one of the top-performing movies of the year, it earned the lowest global total compared to the three other films in the rebooted "Planet of the Apes" franchise. 12. "Bad Boys: Ride or Die"Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in "Bad Boys: Ride or Die." Sony Worldwide gross: $404,544,199Reported production budget: $100 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 65%Two years after his infamous slap at the Oscars, Will Smith made a comeback and regained box office glory with the fourth installment in the action-comedy franchise "Bad Boys.""Ride or Die" was a hit domestically and overseas. In its opening weekend, the movie topped the global box office, making over $100 million and overperforming in key markets. 11. "Gladiator II"Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal as Lucius and Marcus Acacius in "Gladiator II." Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures Worldwide gross: $406,644,901Reported production budget: $250 million to $300+ millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 71%"Gladiator II," didn't win over critics as much as Ridley Scott's epic 2000 film "Gladiator," though many agreed that it delivered plenty of thrilling action sequences.The sequel fell short of the first "Gladiator" movie at the box office too, grossing $100 million less though still bringing in an impressive haul to end up on this list. 10. "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"Jenna Ortega in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." Warner Bros. Worldwide gross: $451,100,435Reported production budget: $100 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 76%Nostalgic sequels don't always equate to success, but Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" was a slam dunk for Warner Bros.Executives initially wanted the sequel to the 1988 "Beetlejuice" movie to forgo a theatrical release and head straight to streaming. But Burton disagreed. So they cut costs to lower the budget and justify a theatrical release and it paid off."Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" earned $41.5 million from release day and preview screenings, becoming the second-biggest opening day ever for a September release, after 2017's horror movie "It." The movie is also one of Burton's most commercially successful films. 9. "Venom: The Last Dance"Venom in "Venom: The Last Dance." Sony Pictures Worldwide gross: $476,368,152Reported production budget: $120 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 41%Sony's films about Spider-Man-adjacent characters don't have a great track record. But the "Venom" franchise, starring Tom Hardy, has become a fan favorite among the more disappointing and flat-out cringy movies. However, the third and final installment was the worst-performing "Venom" film at the box office. 8. "Kung Fu Panda"Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and Po (Jack Black) in "Kung Fu Panda 4." DreamWorks Animation Worldwide gross: $547,689,492Reported production budget: $85 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 71%The fourth "Kung Fu Panda" film, starring Jack Black as the voice of the panda named Po, earned the franchise's lowest critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes but racked up $26.5 million more than 2016's "Kung Fu Panda 3." 7. "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire"Godzilla in "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." Warner Bros. Worldwide gross: $571,750,016Reported production budget: $135 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 54%"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," centered on the titular gargantuan creatures teaming up after being enemies in 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong," rocked the box office."Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" surpassed box office projections in its opening weekend and became the second-biggest debut for Warner Bros. and Legendary's shared MonsterVerse franchise.With $571 million earned globally, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" is now the highest-grossing movie in the Monsterverse. 6. "Wicked"Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in "Wicked." Universal Pictures Worldwide gross: $586,301,620Reported production budget: $150 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 88%Jon M. Chu's film adaptation of the wildly popular stage musical of the same name was a critical and commercial success."Glicked," the combined name for the rivalry between "Gladiator II" and "Wicked," was this year's version of the 2023 "Barbenheimer" phenomenon. In the battle between gladiators and witches, the latter was the clear winner. "Wicked" earned a higher Rotten Tomatoes score and has grossed over half a billion at the global box office, so far.Despite not being explicitly advertised as such, "Wicked" is the first in a two-part franchise. The sequel, "Wicked: For Good," hits theaters in November 2025. 5. "Dune: Part Two"Timothee Chalaet in "Dune: Part 2." Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Worldwide gross: $714,444,358Reported production budget: $190 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 92%Following the success of the 2021 "Dune" adaptation, Denis Villeneuve released a sequel that completed Paul Atreides' (Timothe Chalamet) journey from Frank Herbert's first "Dune" novel.Hailed by critics as a "sci-fi masterpiece," the 2024 sequel was rated higher and grossed $300 million more worldwide than "Dune: Part One." 4. "Moana 2""Moana 2." Disney Worldwide gross: $820,990,553Reported production budget: $150 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 61%"Moana 2" didn't make nearly as big a splash in pop culture as the original film did with catchy songs like "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome." The sequel also had a drastically lower rating on Rotten Tomatoes than "Moana," which landed a 95% critics score.Regardless, "Moana 2" performed much higher at the box office and was a clear win for Disney. The movie even broke Thanksgiving box office records, racking up $380 million globally at the time. 3. "Despicable Me 4"Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) in "Despicable Me 4." Universal Pictures Worldwide gross: $969,126,452Reported production budget: $100 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 56%Since the first "Despicable Me" movie was released in 2010, the franchise has been lucrative for Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios.The fourth installment fell short of earning $1 billion, which "Despicable Me 3" achieved in 2017. "Despicable Me 4" also received the lowest critics score of all the movies on Rotten Tomatoes. 2. "Deadpool & Wolverine"Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in "Deadpool & Wolverine." Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios Worldwide gross: $1,338,073,645Reported production budget: $200 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 78%Some recent entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have received middling reactions from fans and critics alike, but the success of "Deadpool & Wolverine" indicates that perhaps the superhero slump might be over.The third installment of the "Deadpool" franchise earned a lower critic score on Rotten Tomatoes than the previous two movies. But the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team-up surpassed the global earnings of its predecessors and is one of two films released in 2024 to hit $1 billion at the box office.After less than 30 days in theaters, "Deadpool & Wolverine" dethroned Todd Phillips' 2019 film "Joker" to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. 1. "Inside Out 2"Joy and Anxiety in "Inside Out 2." Disney/Pixar Worldwide gross: $1,698,765,616Reported production budget: $200 millionRotten Tomatoes critic score: 91%"Inside Out 2" fully surpassed expectations, grossing $155 million domestically and $295 million worldwide in its debut three-day weekend. The "Inside Out" sequel also earned the second-biggest domestic opening ever for an animated movie, following "Incredibles 2." It ended up being the highest-grossing film of 2024.

EXCLUSIVE: Jon Hare is back, and the man behind the Sensible Soccer series is taking modern inspiration for its spiritual successor, Sociable Soccer as he looks to set an incredible recordTech15:29, 30 Dec 2024Sensible Soccer fans will find a lot to enjoy here(Image: Jon Hare/Playstation 5)Football games are all the rage these days, and there are plenty of them. EA FC is king of the hill for now, but there are rivals in the form of eFootball (formerly Pro Evolution Soccer) and UFL, a free-to-play option backed by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. FIFA is still planning a comeback, too, although fans aren't quite convinced yet.So how does one forge a path in an increasingly competitive marketplace? Enter Jon Hare, a man who has been working on sports games since 1988 and whose track record with football titles is pretty unbeatable, having kicked off (geddit?) the Sensible Soccer series way back when.Not unlike football dynasties of the past, Hare has led development of the number one football game in each of the last four decades a staggering statistic however you slice it.Now, with Sociable Soccer 25 bringing the spiritual successor back to console after a stint on mobile, I chatted with Jon about the challenges of making a football title in 2025, how he's got a single dev handling stats, and much, much more.In the years since Sensible Soccer launched, the worlds of football and videogames have both evolved exponentially. I was curious as to what Hare thought was the biggest difference in developing a football title now, versus back in the nineties."The biggest change now is the divide between licensed sports simulations and the other rather retro looking cartoony non-licensed sports titles," he explains. "Also, there is now a big division between console and mobile platforms and free to play and premium titles.""Back in Sensible Soccers heyday, when Sensible World Of Soccer was voted one of the 10 most influential games of all time by Stanford University, the market was less divided and people were happy to accept more arcadey gameplay delivering a true sports title."If you've been hankering for that retro feel, though, you've Sociable Soccer likely has you covered. Hare says the team is "seeking to blend the best of arcade gameplay and licensed content across a wide array of machines," with Fortnite and Rocket League mentioned as inspirational touchstones.Jon Hare is an industry icon(Image: Jon Hare/Playstation 5)It also marks Hare and his team's return to consoles after a series of mobile-only titles, and that's something the team has wanted to do for some time."We always intended the game to be totally cross-platform, modern tools like Unity enable us to do this," he explains."We actually started the game in 2015 focusing primarily on PC and consoles, but 2 and a half years later the first commercial deal we were offered was for the mobile versions of the game in China, so we switched focus at this point to mobile.""One year later in 2019 we also picked up a 5 year Apple Arcade deal for the game, the prime focus of this was iOS, but Mac and Apple TV were also supported."Hare says returning to console and PC has taken "considerably longer" than planned, even running cross-platform matches in the office but points out that platform holders (with no names named) require cross-platform games to be built to specification or risk not being on a platform."This has cost us many, many months of resubmissions and as a result it has considerably delayed development and publishing and meant that only the Steam and Nintendo Switch versions now support online play," he admits, and points to the draw of the game's offline Career Modes, but is frustrated nonetheless.Sociable Soccer offers its own unique style that's equal parts a throwback and something fresh(Image: Jon Hare/Playstation 5)I was curious, with such a unique take on football gaming, how the process works for securing rights to players and teams."This was not an easy process," Hare admits. "It took us 2 years of negotiation to get a deal in place with FIFPRO to license the 13,000 players.""FIFPRO represents the rights of players from many league associations around the world and is a one stop shop for gathering the rights to use thousands of players at a time. Thanks to them we now have all of the major EPL, La Liga and Serie A players in the game and many thousands of others too."With 13,000 players, those are a lot of stats to juggle, and while EA FC makes a big song and dance out of its ratings reveals each year, Hare's team work in a much more refreshing way."Believe it or not, only one person, David White, does all of our player stat research," Hare admits.Which players will you look to collect?(Image: Jon Hare/Playstation 5)"He has been keeping alive and adding to a database of football teams and players around the world for many years and at one time was even helping to keep the Sensible World of Soccer game alive via annual data updates," he explains, with Sensible World of Soccer now racking up 35,000 players thanks to David's work.Those rankings can be found on player cards in Sociable Soccer 25, and while Hare acknowledges there's more than a hint of EA FC's Ultimate Team to them, it's clear the team felt it would add to the collection side of the game."Collectible, upgradable cards are a cool thing to add to a football game and an easy way to convey information about the licensed players in the game," he explains."All of our player cards have the photo and name of the player plus their original club, nationality and overall skill level. Looking on the back of the card shows you their value, skills and preferred pitch positions, together with their 3D player model."Sensible Soccer fans will find a lot to enjoy here(Image: Jon Hare/Playstation 5)Aside from its lofty inspirations and refreshing approach to its player database, I asked Hare what helps Sociable Soccer stand apart from its contemporaries, and how all of these titles can fit into a world where players have more choice than ever."EA Sports FC is certainly a great football simulation, but simulations are not the only way of presenting football in game format. Football Manager looks at the beautiful game from a management point of view very well. New Star Soccer has led the way in terms of minigame style football app and we believe that these types of football games will continue to flourish.""We also believe that the world is lacking a high quality, licensed, arcade style football game and we aim to claim that space for ourselves. The intense, adrenaline pumping kind of gameplay that arcade football titles can deliver simply cannot be matched by simulations like EA Sports FC, UFL and more."If you're looking forward to playing, you may be surprised to know that anyone that owns the Early Access version of Sociable Soccer which launched in 2017 will get the latest version as a free update.Article continues below"Our aim right now is to get the game into the hands of as many people as possible. It is attracting new players that interests us most, there is no need to charge our pre-existing players again at this time," Hare explains a refreshing message for sure.Sociable Soccer is out now on console and PC.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

By Matthew Gault Published December 30, 2024 | Comments (0) | Luigi Mangione leaves Manhattan Criminal Court on December 23, 2024 in New York City. Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images You cant legally put money on the fate of Luigi Mangione in the United States. Kalshi, one of the only legal prediction markets, pulled all bets related to the UnitedHealthcare assassin in the middle of December, citing problems from federal regulators. From sports betting to Counter-Strike skins, gambling is having a moment in America. Gamblers who want to bet on something besides the outcome of a football game are using prediction markets, sites where they can bet on the outcome of events with binary outcomes. Sites like Polymarket, PredicIt, and Kalshi exploded in popularity over the past year. Popular bets on the site trend along with the news. During the last few months of the election, gamblers made huge bets on Trump, Kamala, and the future of liberal Western democracy. After Luigi Mangione allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the streets of Manhattan, his fate became the prediction markets object of fascination. Unless those markets are checked by U.S. regulators. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has oversight on prediction markets like Kalshi and PredictIt. On December 13, all wagers related to Magione vanished from the sites. According to Bloomberg, Kalshi removed the Mangione-related wagers from its sites after it received a notice fromregulators. The outlet writes that the CFTC bans futures trading linked to crimes including assassination, terrorism, and war if the agency decides the so-called events contracts are against the public interest.On Polymarket all assassin-related bets are on. Will Luigi Mangione fire his lawyer before 2025? Polymarket has the odds at just 1 percent. Will it be confirmed that Luigi Mangione used psychedelics? The users give it a 43 percent chance. Luigi Mangione motivated by denied claims? On December 10, Polymarket had this at a 75 percent chance, but it plummeted to around 25 percent. None of the Mangione-related bets are high volume. At over $400,000, Is Luigi Mangione YouTube channel real? carried the most volume. But the viral YouTube channel has long since been debunked as fake. The question about his motivations is at $183k, but every other market has failed to get above $100k. The prediction markets take a percentage of the bets and its likely that Kalshi and PredictIt arent missing a lot of cash by losing assassin-related bets.On Polymarket, big political questions and sports bets are moving a lot more cash. The fate of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is worth $1 million, the German parliamentary election is worth $4 million, and a possible Biden pardon of Sam Bankman-Fried is worth almost $3 million. On Kalshi, people have spent almost $7 million predicting which song will top the USA pop charts on Spotify. Mangione just isnt a hot market. The CFTCs move to remove Mangione-related bets from Kalshi is the latest in its ongoing fight against prediction sites. Its tried, several times, to regulate what kinds of wagers people could place on websites like Kalshi and PredictIt. Earlier this year, it tried to stop the sites from allowing people to bet on elections, sporting, and ceremonial events like the Oscars. But a U.S. court of appeals overturned the ruling in October, just in time for the election.On Polymarket the bets flow freely, but the leadership isnt faring as well with regulators. In November, the FBI raided the NYC apartment of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published December 27, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 26, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published December 24, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 20, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published December 18, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 17, 2024

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At least this one stayed in in the new Aardman movie, after the Anglo-US relations got things sorted.

Brunner Innovation Factory / HENNSave this picture! HGEschResearch CenterRheinau, GermanyArchitects: HENNAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:7480 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2018 PhotographsPhotographs:HGEschManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Trimo, Brunner Productstranslation missing: en-US.post.svg.material_descriptionMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The hybrid innovation centre built by HENN for furniture company Brunner in Rheinau has been officially opened. The multifunctional building combines production, assembly, office and catering areas. The modular wooden structure of the hall underlines the project's stringent requirements when it comes to sustainability, natural aesthetics and recreational quality.Save this picture!A multifunctional and hybrid innovation centre.As the architect and general planner, the special challenge for HENN with the Brunner Innovation Factory was to combine different programmes spatially and functionally. In the hybrid innovation centre, development, design, prototyping, production, open workspaces, showrooms and canteen are all brought together under one roof. The interiors were designed in cooperation with design office Ippolito Fleitz. The multifunctional building expands the site of the second-generation family-owned furniture company and reflects Brunner's ambitious growth goals and fundamental values: functionality, quality and design.Save this picture!Sustainable and intelligent timber construction.The modular wooden structure of the production hall is a special feature of the project. The material underlines the sustainability of the construction and has a decisive influence on the atmosphere and aesthetics of the space. Similar to the craftsmanship and techniques used in furniture production, the beams of the roof structure are assembled at the junctions.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Architecture as a communication medium.Special attention is paid to the openness and transparency of the building both inwardly and outwardly. In the hall, the assembly process can be traced step by step. The glass walls and a gallery that extends along the entire length of the building deliberately create lines of sight between the production area and the work areas on the upper floor. The variably designed office spaces not only allow for quiet concentrated work, but also for meetings and teamwork.Save this picture!At the same time, the new building opens up the company to the outside world. The representative room-high glazed north-west facade represents this direct exchange between clients, visitors and employees in a practical and symbolic way and allows maximum daylight to enter the production and catering areas.Save this picture!In contrast to the fully glazed areas, matt reflective metal facades in lightweight construction give the areas for assembly and dispatch an industrial appearance.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:77866 Rheinau, GermanyLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeHENNOfficePublished on December 30, 2024Cite: "Brunner Innovation Factory / HENN" 30 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/930899/brunner-innovation-factory-henn-architekten&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save?Brunner / HENN ArchitektenYou'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

Jacques Majorelle School in Benguerir / ZArchitecture StudioSave this picture! Omar TajmouatiSchoolsBen Guerir, MoroccoArchitects: ZArchitecture StudioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:6110 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Omar Tajmouati Lead Architect: Zineb Ajebbar More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The Jacques Majorelle School in Benguerir's Green City embodies a climate-sensitive approach to educational design, executed through a collaborativepartnership between Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and OSUI, the Moroccan branch of the French Secular Mission. With an ambitious one-year timelinefrom concept to completion, the project responds to a rapidly expanding community while integrating phased flexibility to accommodate future growth.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Design Inspiration and Key Concepts: Inspired by the traditional Moroccan approach to educational architecture, the design focuses on courtyards as multifunctional spaces for natural ventilation,visual continuity, and communal engagement. These light-filled patios form buffer zones between age-specific zones, serving as shaded areas essential to boththe user experience and the building's environmental performance. A "comb-like" spatial layout shapes each section of the school, ensuring that spaces fordifferent age groups are clearly delineated yet integrated within the overall site organization.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Challenges and Project Timeline: The accelerated one-year timeline posed challenges in balancing speed and quality. To maintain the schedule, the team leveraged local materials and adapteddesign strategies to fit resource availability. The phased development plan required a seamless transition between Phase 1, dedicated to early education, andPhase 2, which will introduce secondary school facilities. Achieving fluid circulation and a cohesive layout across distinct zones was essential to meet thefunctional demands of a multi-level educational institution.Save this picture!Save this picture!Construction Techniques and Materials:The structure is primarily composed of reinforced concrete, chosen for its durability and ability to streamline construction on a tight timeline. Locally sourced stoneand natural finishes highlight the project's connection to its Moroccan context, while shaded walkways and lightweight roofing over playgrounds mitigatetemperature extremes, reducing heat gain and enhancing user comfort. These design choices were made to promote a balanced and comfortable microclimatewithin the campus, ideal for fostering focused learning environments.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Spatial Organization and Urban Integration:The site is organized into two main zones: educational buildings that front the main road, with shared facilities such as sports fields and the cafeteria positionedtowards the rear. Phase 1 accommodates kindergarten and elementary students, supported by administrative offices and a multi-functional EnvironmentalKnowledge and Culture Center. Phase 2 will add secondary education facilities and a gymnasium, allowing for phased expansion while centralizing access toshared amenities. The "comb" arrangement of buildings is oriented to facilitate safe circulation, with ground-floor classrooms connected by shaded walkways andcovered outdoor play areas.Save this picture!Save this picture!A Modern Educational Landmark:The Jacques Majorelle School represents a forward-looking model for educational architecture within Morocco. With its phased design and climate-adaptivefeatures, the project meets the community's evolving needs while establishing a distinct architectural identity that harmonizes with Benguerir's Green City landscape. Combining functionality, adaptability, and respect for local tradition, the project stands as a contemporary landmark within the region's educationalinfrastructure.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Ben Guerir, MoroccoLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeZArchitecture StudioOfficePublished on December 30, 2024Cite: "Jacques Majorelle School in Benguerir / ZArchitecture Studio" 30 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025105/jacques-majorelle-school-in-benguerir-zarchitecture-studio&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