By Matthew Gault Published December 30, 2024 | Comments (2) | Tesla CEO Elon Musk (L), co-chair of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), carries his son "X" on his shoulders, as he walks with US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (2nd L) and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (C), before a meeting with members of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2024. Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images The days between Christmas and the New Year are a listless, liminal time. You can catch up with family, make your mind a sunless space with video games and TV, and eat all the food leftover from the holidays. Elon Musk, the richest man who ever lived and the father of at least 12 children, is spending this time getting big-mad online about visas and publishing an op-ed in a German newspaper. Where to even start. In the days before Christmas, a little war broke out among the MAGA faithful and the tech billionaires who helped Trump win the election. The problem was H1-B Visas. You see, immigrant Elon Musk thinks that Americans are lazy and entitled. To help it prosper, they want to bring in more highly skilled tech workers on H1-B Visas. A culture that venerates Cory from Boy Meets World, or Zach & Slater over Screech in Saved by the Bell, or Stefan over Steve Urkel in Family Matters, will not produce the best engineers, DOGE co-chair Ramaswamy wrote in a Tweet on December 26, a day most of us are so full of holiday meat that we can not move. The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over native Americans isnt because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers & if Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 26, 2024 Ramaswamy and Musk then spent several days fighting their followers on X, the Everything App. Musk tossed around bans and recriminations with gusto in the days after Christmas, which I assume cut into his time with Path of Exile 2. Sad. A post on the day after Christmas summed up what had happened. The post said Americans were stupid. Musk agreed with it, then deleted his agreement. He said that the hateful, unrepentant racists should be removed from the Republic Party.Good luck with that. As Musk was defending himself from the trolls hed fostered on the website he purchased for $44 billion, the world also learned of Adrian Dittmann, a man many think may be Musk.Dittmann is a bluecheck X account that loves to defend Musk. Dittmanns account has been around since 2021, and its spent a lot of that time going to bat for the embattled billionaire. The pair first appeared together in a Twitter space back in 2023. They repeated the performance during the H1-B visa dustup. The thing is, Dittmann sounds and acts exactly like Elon Musk. The account seemingly only exists to inflate Musks ego and defend his various positions. When both of them are in the same virtual space, its impossible to tell them apart. This has led to allegations that Dittmann is an alt-account of Musks, something that even the estranged billionaires daughter believes.The truth of Dittmann is impossible to know. This is either Musk running an alt account and boosting himself or its a weirdo who loves Musk so much that hes doing an impression of him, modeling his behavior on Musk, and spending the holiday defending him online. Either possibility is too horrifying to contemplate in these strange and wandering days between Christmas and New Year. Did you know that Germany has a parliamentary election coming up? Musk knows. Germanys government is in crisis and the coalition that was ruling it has collapsed. At the end of February, Germans will decide the future of the country. Musk would like that future to be a hard-right turn.The billionaire squeezed in one final controversy before the new year when he published an op-ed in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Musk said that Germany is on the brink of an economic and cultural collapse and that AfD was the countrys last spark of hope. The AfD is a party that bumbles its way into a Nazi-related controversy every few weeks. It would also, presumably, be good for Musks business interests abroad. Hence why he wrote the op-ed. Musks endorsement in the paper was so scandalous that Welt am Sonntags editor resigned in protest. Its impossible to know if any of this will matter come February when Germany votes, but it does point to Musk attempting to flex his political muscle outside of the United States. He first endorsed AfD on the day before Christmas. I wonder what hell do when he learns about the hateful, unrepentant racists in the ranks of the AfD.The worlds richest man went into 2025 with the same energy hed cultivated in 2024. While the rest of us enjoyed time with our families, finished up one final draft before seeing a Nosferatu matinee, or caught up with old friends, Musk was fighting people on the internet. The holidays are hard on some of us. Musks solution seems to be to post through it.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matthew Gault Published December 30, 2024 By Thomas Maxwell Published December 27, 2024 By AJ Dellinger Published December 27, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published December 24, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 23, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 20, 2024

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will see the former Aquaman take on a new DC Comics role.

NINYAS Restaurant / Ignacio Urquiza + apda Ana Paula de AlbaSave this picture! Rafael GamoRestaurantCidade do Mxico, MexicoArchitects: IUA Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos, apda Ana Paula de AlbaAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:100 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2023 PhotographsPhotographs:Rafael Gamo, IUA Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos Lead Architects: Ignacio Urquiza Seoane, Ana Paula de Alba More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Located in the Jurez neighborhood of Mexico City, Ninyas is a small restaurant specializing in rib eye tacos served together with sake. The idea originated in the fondness a father and son had for hosting visitors in their home and their desire to expand this hospitality to more people. They loved to invite people over, put on a delicious meal, and spend time together. Save this picture!Save this picture!In their home, they had several rooms dedicated to this purpose, in each of which the tables were more like bars fitted with a grill. The meals were organized around these. There, the hosts and their guests sought to perfect their famous rib eye taco in wheat tortillas. Transforming this experience into a restaurant was a dream present from the outset; it was long discussed among the family. After many years, the project finally took shape when the same group of friends who had tested their recipes and enjoyed this experience came together to make it a reality.Save this picture!This is the origin story of the design intentions for a space. A project that aims to give shape to the cuisine and hospitality concept through architecture and interior design, in this case through an intervention in a 100-square-meter premises situated on the ground floor of a building dating from the 1950s. The goal: is to reflect the twin culinary traditions that infuse it, while bearing in mind its own origin.Save this picture!In Ninyas, Mexico and Japan come together: two very different cultures that, nevertheless, present similarities in certain customs and in their cuisine. To find and express in the project the necessary elements, we analyzed trends in both Mexico City and Tokyo, in street life and in the materials found in their kitchens as well as in street food stalls.Save this picture!Save this picture!For example, sushi bars and teppanyaki griddles, made from stainless steel, remind us of Mexican fast food joints, classic Mexican eateries, or taco restaurants with their high tables and bars. We also thought about warmer materials like wood and were struck by Japanese lacquered finishes, as well as Mexican ceramics with their shine, reflections and colors. Then there is the lighting design: reflections and shadows, and partitions or lightweight shelving to divide spaces.Save this picture!To simplify the proposed intervention, we employed a dominant material: cold and reflective stainless steel. With panels measuring 1 x 3 meters we covered the perimeter walls and also designed the kitchen furniture and equipment, along with three bars for diners, which are high, shared tables that form the main eating space.The sensation upon entering the restaurant is more like arriving in a kitchen, emphasized by the non-slip ocher-colored epoxy floor.Save this picture!Save this picture!Paradoxically, the cool and neutral finish is the element that fills the space with color and life, since it diffusely reflects each diner and everything that happens inside. In this space, eating and sharing are the main activities. In parallel to the stainless steel, three further elements coexist in the project, with contrasting material quality. In the mezzanine, a small cozy bar, whose floors, walls and ceiling are all made from wood. The utilitarian shelving that divides the kitchen from the seating area, without cutting it off, allows the passage of plates to and from the kitchen and also stores the crockery, cutlery, bottles and utensils.Save this picture!Save this picture!The third element comprises the stools custom-designed for this project. Made of solid oak and with a circular footprint, they stand out from the other elements and soften the spatial relations of the whole. The stainless steel footrests integrate them directly with the rest of the design while ensuring comfort for the users. A stainless steel bridge connects the staircase with the mezzanine. Here, the upper part of the shelving is transformed into racks for the sake bottles. Finally, the faade, comprising six pivoting and folding sheets of glass, offers multiple options for comfort and connection between the exterior and interior. Both physically and visually, this large doorway integrates the dining space with the sidewalk, immediate vegetation, and pedestrians.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Cidade do Mxico, MexicoLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on December 30, 2024Cite: "NINYAS Restaurant / Ignacio Urquiza + apda Ana Paula de Alba" [NINYAS Restaurante / IUA Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos + apda Ana Paula de Alba] 30 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024870/ninyas-restaurant-ignacio-urquiza-plus-apda-ana-paula-de-alba&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

Project Files: https://www.patreon.com/posts/118753602 . Here is a demonstration of the Niagara particle system I have made which first dissolves and disintegrate a skeletal mesh into particles and then these particles will be reintegrated back to its original location and create the original mesh. Here dissolve part is implemented in the material. And the particle get's its color by sampling the spawn point in the mesh itself. Tutorials available here. https://youtu.be/St4dE8KuzOI .https://youtu.be/RT4smmI03zM . // ! https://www.patreon.com/codelikeme Patrons will have access to project files of all the stuff I do in the channel and other extra benefitsJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClb6Jh9EBV7a_Nm52Ipll_Q/join Like my facebook page for more content : https://www.facebook.com/gamedevelopersclub/ Follow me on twitter : https://twitter.com/CodeLikeMe2 Follow me on reddit : https://www.reddit.com/user/codelikeme #CodeLikeMe #unrealengine #ue5 #ue4 #indiegamedev

Apple's Vision Pro also took Popular Science's top innovation prize this year.Image: Popular Science composite. Apple/Qualcomm/BOOX/DJI/Sony ShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Had you asked me at the beginning of 2024 what our best gadgets list would look like, Id have guessed it would be filled with quirky AI-driven devices like the rabbit R1 or the Humane Ai Pin. Now with AI is a phrase that has dominated consumer electronics in the 2020s. These devices promised unadulterated access to the power of neural networks in ways that would seamlessly integrate into our lives without relying on phones or smart fridges. Then, the devices came out. The software is slow and buggy, and the hardware is clunky. Maybe the stand-alone AI device will still have its year, and well look back and chuckle at these humble beginnings. In reality, 2024s big breakthrough came from Apple in the form of its long-rumored Vision Pro headset. The device has its own hurdles to clear, but after just a few minutes of using it, it was clear that its something different, important, and honestly pretty amazing. The list also includes Sonys innovative pro-grade camera, the most accessible drone weve ever used, and a no-fun phoneno fun in a good way, of course.(Editors Note: This is a section from Popular Sciences 37th annual Best of Whats New awards. Be sure to read the full list of the 50 greatest innovations of 2024.)Innovation of the YearVision Pro from Apple: A new dimension for augmented realityCredible rumors of Apples VR bounced around the gadget blogs and tech sites for nearly a decade. It was consumer techs sasquatch in that people claimed to have seen it, but no one knew if it even existed. Then, the Vision Pro emerged from the proverbial forest in February with a surprising design and a massive $3,500 price tag. It also came toting a new R-series chip and a dedicated OS meant for spatial computing.From a hardware perspective, this headset offers a 23-million-pixel screen, which dishes out more than 4K quality to each eye. Its a true AR device, so external cameras pump a real-time view of the outside world into the display. Virtual displays, AR game boards, and other digital artifacts integrate seamlessly into your view of the real world. Its actually jarring to take the headset off and see the real world free of floating UI. There are no controllers to use, buttons to press, or other obstacles between a user and the augmented space.While AR headsets have existed before, this one gets our award because of how much potential it shows. Its part of Apples overall hardware plan. The new iPhone cameras have a specific arrangement to shoot spatial video for consumption in AR. Familiar apps can offer augmented experiences specifically meant for headsets. We expect the next version of the hardware will skip the creepy image of your eyes that shows up on the exterior screen. Still, were curious to see what Apple does next, because a consumer-friendly price on an experience like this could be a true game changer. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.A9 III from Sony: The first consumer mirrorless camera to eradicate wiggly imagesTake a photo or video of a very fast-moving object with a typical digital camera (including the one in your smartphone), and theres a chance youll notice the dreaded wobble effect. Digital camera sensors dont capture every pixel at the same time; rather, they scan horizontal rows in sequence, which can cause fast-moving objects to look warped or distorted. Sonys A9 III employs a global shutter, which means it fires every pixel simultaneously. As a result, it can capture images at shutter speeds up to 1/80,000th of a second, without distorting objects in the frame. The company achieves this with a newly designed stacked sensor, which means the same chip that captures the light also has computing hardware built into it. Consequently, it can operate faster than a typical camera system since everything is integrated together. The speed requires some trade-offs, like slightly noisier images when shooting in low light, but thats a small price to pay for the fastest consumer camera on the market.DJI Neo: A sub-$200 drone that isnt a toyMost cheap drones are little more than toys. They offer lousy cameras, barebones (if any) flight sensors, laggy controls, and cheap parts. DJIs Neo drone weighs just 135 grams (well under the limit that would require registration with the FAA before flight) and can take off from a pilots palm. It takes commands from a smartphone app via Wi-Fi, which makes it accessible for super-green amateur pilots, but its also compatible with DJI controllers for upgrading down the line. The drone can automatically track and follow a subject or perform many pre-programmed flight paths like much bigger and more expensive models. The Neo feels like a real drone and not a toy. We recommend getting extra batteries if you buy one yourselfeach cell only realistically gets you 15 minutes of flight timebut this is a big deal for content creators who want to shoot aerial 4K before those brand deal dollars start pouring in.Palma by BOOX: An e-ink phone thats no-fun in a good waySmartphones are too much fun. Those glowing, brightly colored screens lather our brains in dopamine, soak up our free time, and make us painfully aware of things like The Rizzler. The BOOX Palma attempts to remedy those issues with its 6.13-inch e-ink display. Its a monochrome screen that refreshes slowly like an e-reader. It technically runs full Android but wont allow you to doom scroll. Instead, it encourages users to navigate essential apps and information by creating simple widgets. Text looks fantastic on the 1,200 dpi screen, and its a great way to consume information in a much healthier way. It wont replace your phone in all situations, but its great for weaning yourself off those late-night TikTok marathons.Snapdragon X series chips by Qualcomm: An AI-powered brain built for Windows computersYoure probably familiar with the big chip makers that power almost every laptop. You choose from AMD, Intel, or Apple. This year, Qualcomm introduced its Snapdragon X Elite chip, which is meant to extend the companys approach to mobile hardware into full-fledged PCs and powerful tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro. Both Intel and AMD split their chips cores into high-power and efficiency categories to balance overall performance with battery life. Qualcomms chips, however, designate all of their cores as high performance. That comes with a promise of long battery life without serious drops in performance when unplugged from a power adapter. The first generation of Copilot+ PCs have largely focused on thinness and performance, but were hopeful this new chip will be the key to all the weird form factor Windows PCs weve been wishing for.

Nature, Published online: 23 December 2024; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08538-yTotal synthesis of twenty-five picrotoxanes by virtual library selection

Nature, Published online: 20 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04178-4PAGERs provide modular, customizable G-protein-coupled receptors for cell-signalling studies.

Nature, Published online: 20 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04208-1Can you spot the penguin in every game this year?

"After staring at dozens and dozens of image pairs, she found something interesting."

A brain sculpture made from computer parts