Course: https://www.vfx.cgmasteracademy.com/courses/25-houdini-production-studio-destruction-fx Houdini Production Studio: Destruction FXAn 8-week course on creating feature-film quality destruction effects for filmThis intensive course is for students who already have a good knowledge of Houdini and how the data flows. Students will learn how to evaluate a scene and its structure to develop a smart and efficient workflow. They will learn the different ways to fracture assets, procedurally and art directed, then use those assets in rigid body simulations, working with different methods of activation and scale of effects, from small gravel on the ground to large buildings. We will add some secondary debris, along with some dust and smoke, for a complete and realistic looking effect. This course covers almost every possible case that is found in production. By the end of the course, students will have all the knowledge required to destroy any given asset of any type of material, and in any way that can be asked in production. They will also have a solid understanding of workflow, fracturing, art direction, simulation and attention to detail.This intensive course will require a lot of spare time in order to complete the assignments on time. Expect to spend 15-25 hours a week working on the assignments and reviewing lecture videos. This course is best taken by itself for complete dedication. If you are working on a production, it is recommended you wait to take this course the following term.Music Credits Jetfire - Jeff The Second Jeff The Second - Waves Creative Commons Attribution Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/jeff-... Music promoted by Audio Library Jetfire Jeff The Second (No Copyrig... Track Info: Title: Jetfire by Jeff The Second Genre and Mood: Rock + Angry Available on: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2G6qkaL iTunes: https://apple.co/3ovxgQh Deezer: https://deezer.com/us/track/841847852 YouTube: Jeff The Second - Jetfire SoundCloud: / jetfire YouTube Music: Jetfire Contact the Artist: Jeff The Second / @jeffthesecond_ https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ej2b... / artist https://play.google.com/store/music/a... https://deezer.com/us/artist/61996262 / jeff2music / jeff2music

Over the past year, our work on AutoGen has highlighted the transformative potential of agentic AI and multi-agent applications. Today, we are excited to announce AutoGen v0.4, a significant milestone informed by insights from our community of users and developers. This update represents a complete redesign of the AutoGen library, developed to improve code quality, robustness, generality, and scalability in agentic workflows.The initial release of AutoGen generated widespread interest in agentic technologies. At the same time, users struggled with architectural constraints, an inefficient API compounded by rapid growth, and limited debugging and intervention functionality. Feedback highlighted the need for stronger observability and control, more flexible multi-agent collaboration patterns, and reusable components. AutoGen v0.4 addresses these issues with its asynchronous, event-driven architecture.This update makes AutoGen more robust and extensible, enabling a broader range of agentic scenarios. The new framework includes the following features, inspired by feedback from both within and outside Microsoft.Asynchronous messaging: Agents communicate through asynchronous messages, supporting both event-driven and request/response interaction patterns.Modular and extensible: Users can easily customize systems with pluggable components, including custom agents, tools, memory, and models. They can also build proactive and long-running agents using event-driven patterns.Observability and debugging: Built-in metric tracking, message tracing, and debugging tools provide monitoring and control over agent interactions and workflows, with support for OpenTelemetry for industry-standard observability.Scalable and distributed: Users can design complex, distributed agent networks that operate seamlessly across organizational boundaries.Built-in and community extensions: The extensions module enhances the frameworks functionality with advanced model clients, agents, multi-agent teams, and tools for agentic workflows. Community support allows open-source developers to manage their own extensions.Cross-language support: This update enables interoperability between agents built in different programming languages, with current support for Python and .NET and additional languages in development.Full type support: Interfaces enforce type checks at build time, improving robustness and maintaining code quality.Spotlight: blog postGraphRAG auto-tuning provides rapid adaptation to new domainsGraphRAG uses LLM-generated knowledge graphs to substantially improve complex Q&A over retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Discover automatic tuning of GraphRAG for new datasets, making it more accurate and relevant.Read moreOpens in a new tab New AutoGen frameworkAs shown in Figure 1, the AutoGen framework features a layered architecture with clearly defined responsibilities across the framework, developer tools, and applications. The framework comprises three layers: core, agent chat, and first-party extensions.Core: The foundational building blocks for an event-driven agentic system.AgentChat:A task-driven, high-level API built on the core layer, featuring group chat, code execution, pre-built agents, and more. This layer is most similar to AutoGen v0.2 (opens in new tab), making it the easiest API to migrate to.Extensions: Implementations of core interfaces and third-party integrations, such as the Azure code executor and OpenAI model client.Figure 1. The v0.4 update introduces a cohesive AutoGen ecosystem that includes the framework, developer tools, and applications. The frameworks layered architecture clearly defines each layers functionality. It supports both first-party and third-party applications and extensions.In addition to the framework, AutoGen 0.4 includes upgraded programming tools and applications, designed to support developers in building and experimenting with AutoGen.AutoGen Bench: Enables developers to benchmark their agents by measuring and comparing performance across tasks and environments.AutoGen Studio: Rebuilt on the v0.4 AgentChat API, this low-code interface enables rapid prototyping of AI agents. It introduces several new capabilities:Real-time agent updates: View agent action streams in real time with asynchronous, event-driven messages.Mid-execution control: Pause conversations, redirect agent actions, and adjust team composition. Then seamlessly resume tasks.Interactive feedback through the UI: Add a UserProxyAgent to enable user input and guidance during team runs in real time.Message flow visualization: Understand agent communication through an intuitive visual interface that maps message paths and dependencies.Drag-and-drop team builder: Design agent teams visually using an interface for dragging components into place and configuring their relationships and properties.Third-party component galleries: Import and use custom agents, tools, and workflows from external galleries to extend functionality.Magentic-One: A new generalist multi-agent application to solve open-ended web and file-based tasks across various domains. This tool marks a significant step toward creating agents capable of completing tasks commonly encountered in both work and personal contexts.Migrating to AutoGen v0.4We implemented several measures to facilitate a smooth upgrade from the previous v0.2 API, addressing core differences in the underlying architecture.First, the AgentChat API maintains the same level of abstraction as v0.2, making it easy to migrate existing code to v0.4. For example, AgentChat offers an AssistantAgent and UserProxy agent with similar behaviors to those in v0.2. It also provides a team interface with implementations like RoundRobinGroupChat and SelectorGroupChat, which cover all the capabilities of the GroupChat class in v0.2. Additionally, v0.4 introduces many new functionalities, such as streaming messages, improved observability, saving and restoring task progress, and resuming paused actions where they left off. For detailed guidance, refer to the migration guide (opens in new tab).Looking forwardThis new release sets the stage for a robust ecosystem and strong foundation to drive advances in agentic AI application and research. Our roadmap includes releasing .NET support, introducing built-in, well-designed applications and extensions for challenging domains, and fostering a community-driven ecosystem. We remain committed to the responsible development of AutoGen and its evolving capabilities.We encourage you to engage with us on AutoGens Discord server (opens in new tab) and share feedback on the official AutoGen repository (opens in new tab) via GitHub Issues. Stay up to date with frequent AutoGen updates via X.AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank the many individuals whose ideas and insights helped formalize the concepts introduced in this release, including Rajan Chari, Ece Kamar, John Langford, Ching-An Chen, Bob West, Paul Minero, Safoora Yousefi, Will Epperson, Grace Proebsting, Enhao Zhang, and Andrew Ng.Opens in a new tab

When your dog perks up at the sight of their leash or the rustle of their treat bag, its easy to wonder whats going on in their mind? Do they store memories of those sights and sounds, or are their reactions purely instinctive? While much of a dogs behavior is undoubtedly shaped by instinct and training, recent research reveals that some special dogs can recall the names of specific objects for years, adding yet another layer to our understanding of canine cognition.How Dogs RememberMemory in dogs can be divided into two broad categories: short-term memory and long-term memory. Short-term memory is rather limited, lasting only a few minutes. This explains why your pup might seem to forget theyve already greeted you and excitedly return for another round of attention moments later.Long-term memory, on the other hand, involves storing information over extended periods. And although some studies suggest dogs can form and hold onto long-term memories for over a decade, the mechanisms behind this ability remain a topic of research. Researchers generally believe that dogs rely heavily on associative memory, which links events, sounds, or sights with positive or negative outcomes. For instance, your dog might associate the sound of a treat bag with a tasty reward or remember a command like sit due to repeated practice. However, additional research suggests that dogs also have episodic memories, which are memories of previous experiences (the what and where). Read More: How Does Your Dog Understand You?A New Data PointA study recently published in Biology Letters explores whether dogs can retain object-label associations over long periods of time. Researchers previously tested five dogs Max, Rico, Squall, Whisky, and Gaia on their ability to recognize the names of 12 labeled toys taught to them during a one-week training session carried out by the dogs owners. After the initial study, which documented the dogs performance at one, and two months post-introduction, the toys were then removed from their environment for two years.When the toys were reintroduced for the 2024 study, the dogs still demonstrated an impressive ability to recall the objects names, correctly identifying them 44 percent of the time (group average). This performance was significantly above the 20.4 percent chance level expected if the dogs were simply guessing. Furthermore, four of the five dogs recalled and successfully retrieved between three and nine of the toys at least once. These results suggest that at least some dogs can form long-term memories, particularly when it comes to object recognition. Our research has found that even though dogs don't have language, some of them can still remember words, says Shany Dror, lead author of the new study. However, the researchers also caution against generalizing their results to all dogs, as the subjects for the study were specifically chosen based on their reported aptitude for learning the names of objects. As the majority of family dogs do not show behavioral evidence of learning object labels, the study said, the findings presented here cannot be generalized to other dog populations or other cognitive domains.How Does This Compare to Human Memory?While its tempting to project human traits onto our furry companions, its important to remember that their memory functions significantly differently from ours. Humans rely heavily on declarative memory, allowing us to recall explicit facts and events. But, as previously mentioned, much of a dogs memory seems to be more associative they excel at remembering actions and their consequences rather than abstract details.For example, your dog might remember that a certain park is associated with fun walks and interesting smells, but they may not recall the specific day you last visited. This type of memory aligns with their evolutionary history, where survival largely hinged on learning patterns and associations rather than retaining abstract facts.We know that other animals don't share our linguistic abilities, but they do share some of the cognitive abilities that enable us to use language, says Dror. Our hope with this line of research was to start understanding which of these cognitive abilities are shared with animals.Read More: How Many Words Can Dogs Learn?What Does the Research Mean?This concept of long-term memory in dogs isnt new. Take Chaser, a Border Collie often called the "world's smartest dog." Over her lifetime, Chaser learned the names of more than 1,000 objects and could follow complex commands involving verbs and prepositions. Her remarkable skills demonstrated that some dogs clearly possess extraordinary memory and cognitive capabilities.Understanding that dogs can form long-term memories also offers valuable insights for pet owners. For instance, its clear that positive reinforcement is key, as dogs are likely to remember and associate positive actions with rewarding results, such as getting a treat for behaving. Ensuring that your dogs environment is safe, and enriching can likewise have lasting effects on their behavior and well-being.Mental stimulation is also vital for maintaining a dogs cognitive health. So be sure to incorporate activities like training sessions, memory-based games (hiding treats or toys), and exposure to new experiences to help keep their minds sharp as they age.Future ResearchAlthough studies show that dogs clearly have impressive memory capabilities, many questions still remain unanswered. Fortunately, ongoing research into canine cognition could provide deeper insights into the minds of our four-legged friends, in turn revealing broader truths about memory across species. But until then, just remember that the next time your dog wags their tail at the sight of an old toy or eagerly greets a familiar face, you might be witnessing the power of long-term canine memory in action. Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Psychology Today. How Permanent Is a Dog's Long-Term Memory?Biology Letters. Dogs with a vocabulary of object labels retain them for at least 2 yearsScientific Reports. Word learning dogs (Canis familiaris) provide an animal model for studying exceptional performanceScience Direct. The role of the hippocampus in recognition memoryAmerican Kennel Club. Remembering Chaser, the Smartest Dog in the World

A purchase at an urban Vietnamese fish market turned out to be a whole new species of giant isopodwith a bit of a dark side. The foot-long crustacean has been named Bathynomus vaderi and sports a head that resembles the iconic helmet of Darth Vader from the Star Wars. It is the first giant sea bug discovered in Vietnamese waters and is described in a study published January 14 in the journal ZooKeys.Isopods are related to pillbugs seen on land and scientists estimate that there are about 10,000 species. Giant isopods of the genus Bathynomus can grow over 11 inches long, with the largest (Bathynomus giganteus) believed to be almost 20 inches long. They are called b bin or sea bugs in Vietnamese.Nguyen Thanh Son holding a giant specimen of another species of giant isopod found in Vietnam (Bathynomus jamesi) that weighed 2.62 kg [5.7 pounds] from a seafood market in Hanoi, October 2024. CREDIT: Peter Ng. In March 2022, a team from Hanoi University purchased four giant isopod individuals from a market in Quy Nhn City. To identify these large crustaceans, the team in Hanoi collaborated with scientists from the National University of Singapore, the National Research and Innovation Agency Indonesia, and the Vietnam National University. By early 2023, the team realized that these giant isopods belonged to a species that had not been described by scientists.Bathynomus vaderi is considered a supergiant isopod, reaching about 12.7 inches long and weighing over 2.2 pounds. Like other giant isopods, B. vaderi is a carnivore and is known to eat crab, shrimp, fish, sponges, squid, and munch on whale carcasses. So far, it has only been found near the Spratly Islands in Vietnam by fishers trawling for isopods. The team believes that additional research will confirm its presence in other parts of the South China Sea.Giant isopods are also considered an expensive delicacy in Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Previously, they had only been sold as a bycatch project at low prices by local fishermen. Since 2017, media attention has put some spotlight on this strange seafood, with some claiming its even tastier than lobster. Their popularity has led to them being commercially fished by trawlers operating in various deep-water parts of the East Seathe Vietnamese part of the South China Seaand offshore of provinces in southcentral coastal Vietnam. They are often sold alive in markets in major cities and some restaurants will advertise the sale of these so-called sea bugs.[ Related: This giant isopod lives in the crater of a dinosaur-killing asteroid. ]The discovery of this strange species also highlights just how little we know about the deep-sea. According to the team, a species this large remaining hidden for so long indicates that a lot of work must be done to fully understand what lives in Southeast Asias waters. A better understanding can help inform fisheries policies, as the potential for exploration for oil, gas, and minerals in the deep ocean continues to grow.The post New foot-long crustacean named after Darth Vader appeared first on Popular Science.

The viruses of cold and flu season are upon us, and in us, where theyre causing misery upon misery. But dont worry. You can hop online, and for a mere $24.95, buy yourself a bottle of Zeebo Relief pills, designed to ease your bothersome symptoms.The key ingredient? Absolutely nothing.Theyre placebos, and as such, they contain no active ingredients, not even sugar. The tagline: You are the active ingredient.Maybe youre rolling your eyes. Is there any reason to think that pills of nothing could work?

Nature, Published online: 14 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00026-1A survey highlights the emotional toll of retractions for authors and what could be done differently.

A new study implies that in the past, moons in our solar system may have had rings just like planets do deepening the mystery of why no ringed moons exist today.

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