DJI is invincible when it comes to compact drones loaded with features and advanced collision avoidance tech. DJI Mini 4 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro leave buyers with very little scope for getting anything else they are so good. But any number of factors can put your flying machine at risk of crashing on the rocks, no matter how good are the sensors onboard. Bad weather, abrupt bird collisions, signal loss, or battery outages can toast your expensive drone beyond repair.Since a drone is indispensable for any number of industries ranging from entertainment, content creation, logistics, or purely for personal purposes the next drone evolution is more than welcome. Meet Emeth designed by Design House (a division of SAES) this drone is all about safety when operating in inhospitable and unknown terrain. A Nitinol-based project, it poses a significant step forward in drone technology.Designer: SAESThe drone is a result of advanced material science and the vision for developing practical safety solutions. It is made out of the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) method wherein the aluminum-magnesium alloy is molded into a single-body drone. Just for the record, this material has more strength and is lighter than carbon fiber. Emeth comes with a never-before-seen airbag system that deploys in a mere 40 milliseconds in case the drone comes falling from the sky. This is vital in emergencies to minimize the impact on the ground. The airbag itself is reusable and lightweight enough to deploy on the drone again.SAES has patented this inflatable airbag technology in major jurisdictions like Europe, the United States, Japan, and China. The gimbals have also been replaced by Nitinol, an advanced memory alloy that stabilizes the camera for high-quality footage, and also powers the airbag system. This material is compact and reduces bulk, so the drone has more carrying capacity and longer operation time. The whole framework of the flying machine is centered on optimal load distribution and the highest torsional strength possible.Emeth comes with a transparent protective shell that makes it an exciting gadget to own. The see-through shell exposes the internal workings of the machine which makes it visually appealing. Just like Nothing popularized transparent aesthetics for its gadgets, and the likes of the Nintendo Game Boy Color Clear and Pontiac Ghost, this drone will also carry a distinct appeal among the competition. For now, Emeth is a work in progress and we cant wait to see what the final iteration of this cool drone will be like.The post See-through Emeth drone deploys airbag to avoid terminal damage during emergency operations first appeared on Yanko Design.

AI has entered an era of the rise of competitive and groundbreaking large language models and multimodal models. The development has two sides, one with open source and the other being propriety models. DeepSeek-R1, an open-source AI model developed by DeepSeek-AI, a Chinese research company, exemplifies this trend. Its emergence has challenged the dominance of proprietary models such as OpenAIs o1, sparking discussions on cost efficiency, open-source innovation, and global technological leadership in AI. Lets delve into the development, capabilities, and implications of DeepSeek-R1 while comparing it with OpenAIs o1 system, considering the contributions of both spaces.DeepSeek-R1DeepSeek-R1 is the great output of DeepSeek-AIs innovative efforts in open-source LLMs to enhance reasoning capabilities through reinforcement learning (RL). The models development significantly departs from traditional AI training methods that rely heavily on supervised fine-tuning (SFT). Instead, DeepSeek-R1 employs a multi-stage pipeline combining cold-start, RL, and supervised data to create a model capable of advanced reasoning.The Development ProcessDeepSeek-R1 leverages a unique multi-stage training process to achieve advanced reasoning capabilities. It builds on its predecessor, DeepSeek-R1-Zero, which employed pure RL without relying on SFT. While DeepSeek-R1-Zero demonstrated remarkable capabilities in reasoning benchmarks, it faced challenges such as poor readability and language inconsistencies. DeepSeek-R1 adopted a more structured approach to address these limitations, integrating cold-start data, reasoning-oriented RL, and SFT.The development began with collecting thousands of high-quality examples of long Chains of Thought (CoT), a foundation for fine-tuning the DeepSeek-V3-Base model. This cold-start phase emphasized readability and coherence, ensuring outputs were user-friendly. The model was then subjected to a reasoning-oriented RL process using Group Relative Policy Optimization (GRPO). This innovative algorithm enhances learning efficiency by estimating rewards based on group scores rather than using a traditional critic model. This stage significantly improved the models reasoning capabilities, particularly in math, coding, and logic-intensive tasks. Following RL convergence, DeepSeek-R1 underwent SFT using a dataset of approximately 800,000 samples, including reasoning and non-reasoning tasks. This process broadened the models general-purpose capabilities and enhanced its performance across benchmarks. Also, the reasoning capabilities were distilled into smaller models, such as Qwen and Llama, enabling the deployment of high-performance AI in computationally efficient forms.Technical Excellence and Benchmark PerformanceDeepSeek-R1 has established itself as a formidable AI model, excelling in benchmarks across multiple domains. Some of its key performance highlights include:Mathematics: The model achieved a Pass@1 score of 97.3% on the MATH-500 benchmark, comparable to OpenAIs o1-1217. This result underscores its ability to handle complex problem-solving tasks.Coding: On the Codeforces platform, DeepSeek-R1 achieved an Elo rating of 2029, placing it in the top percentile of participants. It also outperformed other models in benchmarks like SWE Verified and LiveCodeBench, solidifying its position as a reliable tool for software development.Reasoning Benchmarks: DeepSeek-R1 achieved a Pass@1, scoring 71.5% on GPQA Diamond and 79.8% on AIME 2024, demonstrating its advanced reasoning capabilities. Its novel use of CoT reasoning and RL achieved these results.Creative Tasks: DeepSeek-R1 excelled in creative and general question-answering tasks beyond technical domains, achieving an 87.6% win rate on AlpacaEval 2.0 and 92.3% on ArenaHard.Key Features of DeepSeek-R1 include:Architecture: DeepSeek-R1 utilizes a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design with 671 billion parameters, activating only 37 billion parameters per forward pass. This structure allows for efficient computation and scalability, making it suitable for local execution on consumer-grade hardware.Training Methodology: Unlike traditional models that rely on supervised fine-tuning, DeepSeek-R1 employs an RL-based training approach. This enables the model to autonomously develop advanced reasoning capabilities, including CoT reasoning and self-verification.Performance Metrics: Initial benchmarks indicate that DeepSeek-R1 excels in various areas:MATH-500 (Pass@1): 97.3%, surpassing OpenAIs o1 which achieved 96.4%.Codeforces Rating: Close competition with OpenAIs top ratings (2029 vs. 2061).C-Eval (Chinese Benchmarks): Achieving a record accuracy of 91.8%.Cost Efficiency: DeepSeek-R1 is reported to deliver performance comparable to OpenAIs o1 at approximately 95% lower cost, which could significantly alter the economic landscape of AI development and deployment.OpenAIs o1OpenAIs o1 models are known for their state-of-the-art reasoning and problem-solving abilities. They were developed by focusing on large-scale SFT and RL to refine their reasoning capabilities. The o1 series excels at CoT reasoning, which involves breaking down complex and detailed tasks into manageable steps. This approach has led to exceptional mathematics, coding, and scientific reasoning performance.A main strength of the o1 series is its focus on safety and compliance. OpenAI has implemented rigorous safety protocols, including external red-teaming exercises and ethical evaluations, to minimize risks associated with harmful outputs. These measures ensure the models align with ethical guidelines, making them suitable for high-stakes applications. Also, the o1 series is highly adaptable, excelling in diverse applications ranging from creative writing and conversational AI to multi-step problem-solving.Key Features of OpenAIs o1:Model Variants: The o1 family includes three versions:o1: The full version with advanced capabilities.o1-mini: A smaller, more efficient model optimized for speed while maintaining strong performance.o1 pro mode: The most powerful variant, utilizing additional computing resources for enhanced performance.Reasoning Capabilities: The o1 models are optimized for complex reasoning tasks and demonstrate significant improvements over previous models. They are particularly strong in STEM applications, where they can perform at levels comparable to PhD students on challenging benchmark tasks.Performance Benchmarks:On the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), the o1 pro mode scored 86%, significantly outperforming the standard o1, which scored 78%, showcasing its math capabilities.In coding benchmarks such as Codeforces, the o1 models achieved high rankings, indicating strong coding performance.Multimodal Capabilities: The o1 models can handle text and image inputs, allowing for comprehensive analysis and interpretation of complex data. This multimodal functionality enhances their application across various domains.Self-Fact-Checking: Self-fact-checking improves accuracy and reliability, particularly in technical domains like science and mathematics.Chain-of-Thought Reasoning: The o1 models utilize large-scale reinforcement learning to engage in complex reasoning processes before generating responses. This approach helps them refine their outputs and recognize errors effectively.Safety Features: Enhanced bias mitigation and improved content policy adherence ensure that the responses generated by the o1 models are safe and appropriate. For instance, they achieve a not-unsafe score of 0.92 on the Challenging Refusal Evaluation.A Comparative Analysis: DeepSeek-R1 vs. OpenAI o1Strengths of DeepSeek-R1Open-Source Accessibility: DeepSeek-R1s open-source framework democratizes access to advanced AI capabilities, fostering innovation within the research community.Cost Efficiency: DeepSeek-R1s development leveraged cost-effective techniques, enabling its deployment without the financial barriers often associated with proprietary models.Technical Excellence: GRPO and reasoning-oriented RL have equipped DeepSeek-R1 with cutting-edge reasoning abilities, particularly in mathematics and coding.Distillation for Smaller Models: By distilling its reasoning capabilities into smaller models, DeepSeek-R1 expands its usability. It offers high performance without excessive computational demands.Strengths of OpenAI o1Comprehensive Safety Measures: OpenAIs o1 models prioritize safety and compliance, making them reliable for high-stakes applications.General Capabilities: While DeepSeek-R1 focuses on reasoning tasks, OpenAIs o1 models excel in various applications, including creative writing, knowledge retrieval, and conversational AI.The Open-Source vs. Proprietary DebateThe emergence of DeepSeek-R1 has reignited the debate over the merits of open-source versus proprietary AI development. Proponents of open-source models argue that they accelerate innovation by pooling collective expertise and resources. Also, they promote transparency, which is vital for ethical AI deployment. On the other hand, proprietary models often claim superior performance due to their access to proprietary data and resources. The competition between these two paradigms represents a microcosm of the broader challenges in the AI landscape: balancing innovation, cost management, accessibility, and ethical considerations. After the release of DeepSeek-R1, Marc Andreessen tweeted on X, Deepseek R1 is one of the most amazing and impressive breakthroughs Ive ever seen and as open source, a profound gift to the world.ConclusionThe emergence of DeepSeek-R1 marks a transformative moment for the open-source AI industry. Its open-source nature, cost efficiency, and advanced reasoning capabilities challenge the dominance of proprietary systems and redefine the possibilities for AI innovation. In parallel, OpenAIs o1 models set safety and general capability benchmarks. Together, these models reflect the dynamic and competitive nature of the AI landscape.SourcesAlso,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our70k+ ML SubReddit. Sana Hassan+ postsSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

I've been running for more than 15 years, so I've had the opportunity to test a treadmill or two. If you're looking to do some light jogging, you'll want to consider different options than someone who is looking for an intense, trainer-led workout providing machine. I tested many machines to find the best for a range of needs and these are my top choices.Treadmills come at a range of prices and can offer advanced technology, touchscreens, streaming platforms for your favorite shows, workout programs, unique hardware and more.I tested several popular treadmills by running, jogging and walking on them, evaluating key factors like who theyre best suited for and what to consider before buying. Since treadmills are a significant investment, I carefully evaluated each one. These were my top picks during testing.Editor's note Jan. 7, 2025: We're currently testing more treadmills and will update this page later in the year. Our Picks Best overall treadmill NordicTrack Commercial 2450 View details $2,399 at NordicTrack View details Foldable design with premium running features - Matrix TF50 Folding Treadmill View details $6,299 at Johnson Fitness View details Best treadmill splurge Peloton Tread View details $2,995 at Amazon View details Best budget treadmill Horizon 7.0 AT Treadmill View details $999 at Horizon Fitness View details Best heavy duty treadmill BowFlex Treadmill 10 View details $1,799 at Bowflex View details Best compact treadmill Echelon Stride View details $1,400 at Echelon View details Table of Contents What is the best treadmill overall?The best overall treadmill we tested was hands down the Nordictrack Commercial 2450. It's on the bigger side, but it's worth it if you want all the features that come with a high-tech treadmill. The 22-inch adjustable touchscreen on this treadmill makes it easy to view your workout and to tilt if you'd like to do a separate workout on the floor. It has decline and incline settings, ranging from zero to 15% incline and up to 3% decline, which is not easy to come by on a treadmill. Through Nordictrack's iFit program, you can personalize your own running trail using Google Maps to exercise anywhere in the world. The most elite feature has to be Nordictrack's auto-adjust technology. This allows an iFit virtual instructor to adjust your incline and speed during class, so it feels like you're actually on the terrain featured during your workout. Read more:How to Beat Boredom on the TreadmillBest treadmills of 2025 Photo Gallery 1/1 $2,399 at NordicTrack Pros All heights can comfortably use this treadmill Sleek look with a giant touchscreen AutoAdjust technology simulates exercising outdoors iFit membership offers classes other than running Plenty of incline and declines Cons Expensive Requires a lot of space Needs a good Wi-Fi connection Can't play music from a third-party app Price $2,499 Speed 0-12 mphIncline/decline 12% incline to -3% declineDimensions LxWxH: 78.5 x 35.6 x 65 inchesWarranty 10-year frame, 2-year parts and 1-year laborBelt length 20 x 60 inches 9.2 $2,399 at NordicTrack The first thing I noticed about the NordicTrack Commercial 2450, NordicTrack's newest addition to its commercial treadmill series, is the touchscreen. It has a 22-inch HD touchscreen that resembles a desktop computer screen, so it's huge. It also tilts and pivots so you can adjust it for different uses, like if you want to take workout classes on the floor. The treadmill itself is also on the bigger side since it's a commercial treadmill, but it does fold up using its easylift assist feature, so if space is limited you can always prop up the belt. Assembling this treadmill can take about two and a half hours (as one of CNET's warehouse technicians estimated) and will require at least two people. NordicTrack does offer the option to include assembly in the delivery for an extra $299.This treadmill has both decline and incline options, ranging from zero to 15% incline and up to -3% decline. It's a rarity to find a treadmill that declines, so this is a unique feature. The speeds range from zero to 12 miles per hour and there are quick-touch control buttons on the console, which makes it easier to adjust your speed during interval training.To get the most out of the NordicTrack Commercial 2450, you will need an iFit membership that is included as part of a 30-day free trial upon purchase. Afterward, it will run you $39 a month. Besides treadmill workouts, iFit also offers other types of live and on-demand classes, so you can enjoy a variety of workouts on the floor. The treadmill uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth so you can connect headphones, a smartwatch or a heart rate monitor. I thought it was a missed opportunity that this treadmill doesn't give you the option to connect your music through Spotify or Apple Music. You'll also want to make sure that you have decent Wi-Fi because it can get spotty if the treadmill has a hard time reading it.During the testing process, I enjoyed the smooth, quiet tread belt of the NordicTrack. This would be an ideal treadmill for both short and tall people since the tread belt is long and wide, and it has a 300-pound max user capacity. Although this treadmill has a touchscreen, it also has buttons for users who like having that option. Right beneath the screen, there's a fan and a console that has buttons that control the incline, decline, start, stop and speed buttons. The cup holders on this treadmill are on each side of the treadmill and are disappointingly on the smaller side. The most they can hold is a bottle or towel and your phone. I'm guessing it was designed this way to keep you focused on your workout instead of fiddling with your phone.I like how you have the option to run or walk in manual mode without taking a class, but iFit itself has a diverse group of classes to pick from. One of the interesting features iFit has is that you can create your own trail using Google Maps to exercise anywhere in the world. For example, if you want to run in Central Park, you can select the location to create that immersive experience during your run.The stand-out feature I was most impressed by was NordicTrack's AutoAdjust technology, which allows an iFit virtual instructor to adjust your incline and speed

Our Experts Written by James Bricknell Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. What to consider Know what you want your printer to do If you want a great home printer to perform a specific task, make sure you're shopping for specifically that. Very few "all-in-one" printers are truly great at everything. Budget The cost of the printer isn't the only thing you need to know about upfront. Make sure you see the cost of ink as well. Table of Contents Our Picks Best overall printer HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e View details $190 at HP View details Best printer for multiple people Epson Workforce Pro WF-4830 View details $150 at Amazon View details Best budget printer Brother All-in-One J1010DW View details $60 at Amazon View details Best DTF printer for small crafting businesses Procolored Panda F8 DTF printer View details $2,799 at Amazon View details Best budget photo printer Canon Pixma TR4720 View details $67 at Amazon View details A great midrange printer with a lot of ink HP Smart Tank 5101 View details $180 at HP View details Made for purpose printer Nelko Bluetooth Thermal Shipping Label Printer View details $80 at Amazon View details Best sublimation printer Brother SP1 View details $400 at Amazon View details Best text printer on a budget Epson Expression Home 4100 View details $166 at Amazon View details Make your art come alive Sawgrass SG500 sublimation printer View details $619 at Walmart View details A good printer with a too high price tag Munbyn thermal printer (Update: Currently unavailable) View details $280 at Amazon View details Table of Contents We know that having a printer in your home feels unnecessary but there are a lot of good reasons to have one. Printing tickets to a show, doing your expenses or good old-fashioned kid's homework, a printer can save you time and effort. Since there are hundreds of printers available, it can be difficult to find the right one for you. Don't worry, though, because CNET is here to help. I've been testing this latest crop of printers for a while now, with dozens of printers running at the same time. It gets a little noisy, but with each printer I test, the field narrows, leading to the best overall options. What is the best printer overall?In this roundup, you'll find all sorts of printers, all capable of meeting your basic printing needs, such as mobile printing and wireless printing from a phone or any PC, Mac or Chromebook. In addition, you can also print over a cabled connection and via wireless printer connectivity. (Note that some, but not all, printers support Apple's AirPrint and Google's Cloud Print protocols, which are usually less onerous than the printer vendors' proprietary systems.) Some of the printers here go beyond the standard options. Weve included thermal label printers, sublimation printers and even DTF printers to offer a well-rounded selection for your printing needs.For a home office with just one or two people using it, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e is the best overall choice. The print speed was excellent, and all the printed words were crisp and clear. This isn't a photo printer, and it shows, but it works well enough for daily imagery tasks. If you're using it to print brochures or Word documents, this is an almost perfect printer for you.Best printers of 2025 Photo Gallery 1/1

PoliticsGermanyPolice investigate Musk salute projected on Tesla factory01/24/2025January 24, 2025The British campaign group "Led By Donkeys" has claimed responsibility for the stunt that authorities say may have breached German laws on the use of symbols linked to illegal organizations.https://p.dw.com/p/4pbNBThe imagery was projected onto the outside of Elon Musk's Tesla Gigafactory near BerlinImage: politicalbeauty/X.comAdvertisementGerman authorities are investigating images projected onto the Tesla Gigafactory just outside Berlin that depicted Elon Musk apparently performing a Nazi-style salute at US President Donald Trump's recent inauguration.The projection appeared on the outer facade of the electric vehicle factory in Grnheide, just outside the capital's city limits, on Thursday night, with the image of Tesla owner Musk accompanied by the German word "Heil" (hail).In conjunction with the name of Musk's company, this formed the phrase "Heil Tesla" a play on "Heil Hitler," the phrase which accompanied the use of the Nazi stiff-armed salute during dictator Adolf Hitlertime in power.Musk made a gesture twiceduring a speech in Washington at an event celebrating the start of Trump's second term in office, prompting debate as to whether his raised-arm gesture had constituted a Nazi salute, which was celebrated by US white nationalists.Now, German security services have launched an investigation into the suspected use of symbols of anti-constitutional organizations, including the depicted salute itself, the use or display of which is illegal in Germany."After an appraisal by the responsible public prosecutor in Frankfurt (Oder), the projection of several logos by as yet unknown individuals and the distribution of the images online at least merits an initial suspicion of the use of symbols of anti-constitutional organizations," read a police statement.'Led By Donkeys': UK campaign group claims responsibilityResponsibility for the stunt has been claimed by the British political campaign group "Led By Donkeys" in conjunction with the German satirical "Center for Political Beauty."Some on the political left in Germany contended that if authorities convict any of the group's members for projecting an illegal image, it would show in Germany at least that the gesture was indeed a Nazi salute and not a means of thanking the members of the audience at his speech as Musk and other have said.Following the publication of the images online, several social media users and news outlets initially questioned the veracity of the stunt.After initially denying that the action had actually taken place, a German police spokesman later told local public broadcaster RBB that officers were "no longer assuming that it didn't happen," having analyzed images online and been present on the ground.Originally established as an anti-Brexit campaign group in December 2018, "Led By Donkeys" has regularly carried out similar stunts in the United Kingdom, targeting populist British politicians such as former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and far-right Brexit hardliner Nigel Farage in videos beamed onto famous buildings such as the Houses of Parliament in London.Activists promise more stunts in the futurePhilipp Ruch, artistic lead for the "Center for Political Beauty," told the German dpa news agency that activists had used a special projector to beam a video onto the outside of the Tesla building from a distance of several hundred meters and promised similar stunts to come."The world's richest man, Elon Musk, is promoting the far right in Europe," wrote "Led By Donkeys" in a social media post accompanying the video that had been projected onto the factory. "Don't buy a Tesla."A group spokesman told the British Press Association that Musk was "using his wealth from Tesla to back far-right parties and degrade democracy" and that he "shouldn't be surprised if people don't fancy driving round in his cars for much longer. Increasingly it's not a great look."Tesla has yet to comment on the stunt but responded earlier this week to claims that he made two Nazi salutes by saying: "The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired. Frankly, they need better dirty tricks." He later also posted a series of puns on X using the names of Nazi war criminals.Even after calling for people to "give one another a bit of grace" following Musk's gestures on Inauguration Day, theAnti-Defamation League condemned the post on X."Making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust only serve to minimize the evil and inhumanity of Nazi crimes, denigrate the suffering of both victims and survivors and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Shoah," the group said.mf/sms (AFP, dpa)Advertisement

Brendan Wallace has a lot on his mind lately. Wallace is the co-founder of Fifth Wall Ventures, a nine-year-old proptech venture firm with $3.2 billion in assets under management. Hes also a homeowner in L.A., which continues to battle raging wildfires. While his place remains intact, many of his friends havent been so lucky.Wallace is becoming accustomed to external forces beyond his control. First, the pandemic drastically altered the landscape for many of Fifth Walls limited partners, which reads like a whos who of real estate (CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Lennar). Unfortunately for many of those same players, office vacancy rates still stand at roughly 20% nationwide, and analysts dont expect that number to budge as many companies abandon the idea of a full return to the office. Proptech has also taken its slings and arrows in recent years, partly owing to high-fliers whose fortunes turned fast, like WeWork, which emerged from bankruptcy last June following a failed IPO and massive restructuring.Change typically presents hidden benefits, however, and Wallace believes the industry is poised for a bounce back. As he sees it, there are ballooning opportunities tied to asset resilience or using tech to help real estate assets withstand damage and disruption. He also sees a huge opportunity to help Fifth Walls limited partners more aggressively seize on the tech industrys demand for data centers and the energy required to fuel them.We talked with Wallace recently about some of those trends, along with life in L.A. during what has felt to so many like the apocalypse. You can listen in on that full chat here or read on for excerpts from our conversation, edited lightly for length.Youre in L.A. How are you doing?Its just tragic what has happened. Everyone on our team is safe. Were in Santa Monica and they had to evacuate our office. This is a crucible moment for Los Angeles, and theres going to be a lot of reflection on the other side of this, with the big political and economic questions that California has been grappling with for a long time coming into the fore. Thats a positive thing, but right now, its just devastating to see parts of this beautiful, amazing city destroyed.How are you thinking about what comes next? Theres going to be a lot of cleanup, a lot of reconstruction. That must represent unexpected opportunities, as unseemly as that is to say.I wouldnt say opportunities . . .I do not think that on the other side of this crisis, people are going to stop wanting to live in Los Angeles . . .So I remain optimistic that this will be a moment of rebuilding and reimagination for one of Americas greatest cities. And I would say we at Fifth Wall are excited to be a part of that. What being a part of that looks like? I dont know yet.A major issue that homeowners and business owners were dealing with is [even before the fires] is the flight of insurance providers from the state . . .Were one of the most active investors in fintech for the residential industry. Fifth Wall invested in Hippo, which is a home insurance company that was very active in California. [Editors note: Hippo stopped writing new homeowners insurance nationwide last summer.] I mean, a lot of the regulation that was very well-intentioned and focused on benefiting consumers has actually had the opposite effect, and its creating market asymmetries that are exacerbating the very problems we have now, which is a lot of homes being uninsured or people getting their insurance canceled. So what we are excited about is two things: there are better solutions for consumers that could be developed, and were interested in potentially investing in them. The other thing that Id like to see is a streamlining of the amount of bureaucracy that is required to launch insurance companies.Regulations aside, does the math work out? Its hard to understand how startups with different regulations can [insure] California when these devastating things happen that make it very hard for insurers to recoup their investments.Its very hard to answer that question without looking at a county-by-county analysis. Its possible that some areas are going to be uninsurable, but its also possible that some areas are going to be uninsurable that otherwise would be without regulation, and the latter is what Im focused on mitigating.This isnt just a California problem. It might be more acute in California and the value of homes might be higher in California, but we have to solve this as a nation.Do you think the wildfires might reshape the way real estate is valued in these high-risk areas? That doesnt seem to have happened in, say, Miami.I think it is going to increase prices for a few reasons. Theres going to be a lot of new construction in Southern California thats going to drive up the replacement cost for homes. People are still going to want to live in these beautiful parts of the country; you arent going to see an exodus of people simply because of this.The increase in insurance premiums is also going to lead to less affordability of homes, and that could have downward pressure [meaning houses might cost slightly less because sellers have to factor in the high cost of insurance]. The net of it, though, is this is going to increase a lot of home prices throughout Southern California and especially in West Los Angeles.ICON, a builder of 3D-printed homes last valued around $2 billion, cuts about 25% of staffYoure an investor in ICON, a 3d printer of modular homes. Do you see a potential opportunity for that company? We reported that it laid off a quarter of its staff just this month before the fires broke out.ICON is a really exciting business. Fifth Wall is a small investor in that company. Our thesis was not so much around wildfire prevention or post-natural-disaster rebuilding but around, how do you build homes faster and cheaper and with fewer materials than you do today? What theyve built is a way of effectively printing a home and in the process, massively reducing the waste associated with home construction.One of the crazy stats that most people dont know is that about 5% of all the material in U.S. landfills is material that went to a construction site and then went straight to a landfill. Its a massive problem that drives up cost for the consumer, makes it harder to operate construction companies, and has a massive carbon footprint. The question, I think, is: how can you scale that up? Can you make that cost effective?Have you made investment in companies that are specifically focused on making nonflammable materials?No, but we should, and I think its a space that will receive a lot of attention right now. . .[Going forward] retrofitting is going to be the big problem. Most of the homes we need to protect are already built, and they are built with materials that can be very hard to rip out. And so in real estate tech, the bulk of the problem and the bulk of the value that you can add to society is by retrofitting the assets we already have, whether those be buildings or homes or infrastructure assets.Of course, in rebuilding, we should be very cognizant about the materials used, and we should use the best solutions. But the vast majority of the homes at risk in Southern California already exist today.Broadly speaking, the proptech sector has seen fewer deals in recent years. Is it fair to say that overall interest in the industry has cooled?It has absolutely cooled. I think we just lived through and are still in cold, bitter capital markets for proptech. You hadnt seen any big M&A events. Basically none of the focused venture funds, Fifth Wall included, raised any capital during that period. There were very little VC inflows to the space.The flip side of that is what youre seeing now companies that survived this Darwinian extinction event. The companies that made the right cost cuts, that pivoted their business model, that pivoted their marketing, and that went through recapitalizations are emerging on the other side of this stronger, more viable, and more durable in a long term. I do think spring has sprung for the prop tech industry, and youre seeing lots of positive indicators for the space right now. [Editors note: Here, Wallace references the IPO of ServiceTitan, a Fifth Wall portfolio company that makes software for contractors and went public in December, and the recent sale of another portfolio company, Industrious, to its partial owner, CBRE.]What about this existential threat to the office industry about which weve been hearing for years?Long term [there are questions] about the office industry, but alongside that youre seeing explosive growth in categories that were never even thought of as real estate before. Data centers are absolutely exploding. And some of those that that explosion is forcing the real estate industry to grapple with big questions. Like, the AI revolution that has everyone enthralled is absolutely not possible without a massive scale up of data centers in the U.S. Yet a massive scale up of data centers in the U.S. is absolutely not possible without massive production of new energy. Go on . . .We need racks of servers that can do training and do inference all over the world and we need lots of them. This is not a surprise or a secret in real estate capital markets; data centers have probably been for the past two years the hottest asset class in the real estate industry. But now theres an associated problem thats emerging . . . which is that data center is so energy intensive, the local utility will not allow you to plug in that grid . . .Thats forcing the real estate industry to say, We have to be in the energy business ourselves if we want to be in the business of computational data centers.What are your LPs expecting you to do? Are you going to be investing in fusion startups now?Fusion is obviously really exciting, but we have a more near-term problem. We need the energy now or next year. Ideally, we do not want those to be fossil-fuel based, dirty energy sources . . so that really leads to the renewables that we know are cost viable, [which is] most obviously solar. [So] the bottom line is, yes, we are investing in solutions to accelerate the development of solar alongside our real estate investors, and real estate companies will become energy development companies themselves.

Engineers install solar panels on roof.gettyThe U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts solar energy will be the leading force behind this years growth in the electric power industry.So far in January, EIA has issued three brief studies tapping solar energy to be the major player responsible for national electricity generation gains in 2025. (EIA is the statistical agency under the U.S. Department of Energy that is tasked with providing independent analysis and metrics about energy consumption and demand.)We expect U.S. utilities and independent power producers will add 26 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to the U.S. electric power sector in 2025 and 22 GW in 2026, EIA stated in its latest (Jan. 24) in-brief analysis. Last year, the electric power sector added a record 37 GW of solar power capacity to the electric power sector, almost double 2023 solar capacity additions.Last year, all renewable sources (solar, hydropower, wind, geothermal and biomass) together generated 874 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, the agency stated.On Jan. 16, EIA noted that its projections about growth in solar electricity generation was tied to analyzing solar projects that traditional come on line at the end of the calendar year which is the practice for solar power.So, the new capacity tends to affect generation growth trends for the following year. Solar is the fastest-growing renewable source because of the larger capacity additions and favorable tax credits policies, EIA stated.EIA also predicts that U.S. demand for electricity will grow marginally due to greater power needs from data centers as well as by factories manufacturing semiconductors and batteries.MORE FOR YOUU.S. electricity consumption grew by 2% in 2024 after nearly two decades of relatively steady demand. EIA forecasts electricity demand to continue growing at that rate in 2025 and 2026, which would be the first three years of consecutive growth in electricity demand since 200507, according to an EIA energy sector forecast through 2026.

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Usman Nurmagomedov looks on before fighting against Alexander Shabliy ... [+] during Bellator Champions Series: San Diego at the Pechanga Arena on September 7, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Professional Fighters League needed a banger at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Saturday, and Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes answered the call.Bellator lightweight champion Nurmagomedov successfully defended his title and remained undefeated, but it wasnt easy. He escaped with a majority decision victory (47-47, 48-46x2) over the promising and dangerous Irishman Hughes.If you watched the fight, you might be able to make the argument that Hughes strikes had more impact and that he had more memorable moments in the fight. There was even a point deduction for a pair of low blows from Nurmagomedov in the second round.Still, Hughes only managed a draw, and he lost by two points on the other two scorecards. Nurmagomedov even admitted in the post-fight interview that he underestimated Hughes.Ultimately, it was the takedownsfour in totalthat pushed the judges to lean in Nurmagomedovs favor.Barstools Jack Mac shared a video asking if fans thought Hughes was robbed.Former UFC interim champion Dustin Poirier didnt go as far as to say Hughes was robbed, but he did give the challenger his stamp of approval.Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson recognized the brilliance of the fight and the importance it could play in the PFLs future.Belal Muhammad, a training partner of Usman Nurmagomedov, predictably favored his friend but acknowledged both fighters efforts in the scrap.Jake Paul took the opportunity to take a swipe at Conor McGregor in his acknowledgment of Hughes moral victory.Paul is right about one thing: Hughes does feel like the winner here on some levels, and thereby the PFL. Hughes is a homegrown PFL talent; one they were able to win the recruiting war for despite the fact that he was fighting for Cage Warriors, an independent promotion distributed by UFC Fight Pass.Most of the post-fight talk has been about Hughes and whether he deserved to win the fight. Respect is pouring in from everywhere, and quite honestly, Nurmagomedov spoke like a man who feels fortunate to be leaving Dubai with his championship.The rematch needs to happen, and if the PFL is wise, they will make sure it happens in Dublin. Khabib Nurmagomedov is a brilliant and transcendent leader. As the leader of his group, he recognizes this is likely to happen, and he took the mic at the end of the show to pay his respects to Ireland.It was a beautiful touch. Here is a look at all of the results.(c) Usman Nurmagomedov def. Paul Hughes via majority decision (47-47, 48-46x2) for Bellator lightweight titleVadim Nemkov def. Tim Johnson via submission (rear-naked choke) Round 1, 3:08Akhmed Magomedov def. Nathan Kelly via submission (rear-naked choke) Round 2, 4:20Ibragim Ibragimov def. Kenny Mokhonoana via unanimous decision (30-27x3)Renat Khavalov def. Cleiver Fernandes via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28x2)Ahmed Samy def. Tarek Suleiman via TKO (referee stoppage) Round 1, 5:00Mirafzal Akhtamov def. Mike Thompson via technical submission (arm triangle) Round 2, 2:50Hadi Omar Al Hussaini def. Ruel Panales via unanimous decision (30-27x2 29-28)John Mitchell def. Souhil Tairi via unanimous decision (30-27x3)Haider Khan def. Mostafa Nada via TKO (injury) Round 1, 3:18

My husband and I have owned a summer camp for 10 years. It can be stressful for parents to sign up for summer camps in January. Parents should consider their kids' interests when choosing camps. Many parents are already stressing about what they will endure in January and February: summer camp registrations. There's no way around it; camp registration season is a headache.My husband and I have owned and operated a summer day camp in Northern California for nearly 10 years. We have seen it all: campers forgetting their lunch on the kitchen counter, sibling arguments that start in the car and continue throughout the day, and protests about sharing camp materials. What sticks out the most about each camp season is the stress parents experience: coordinating multiple camp schedules, arranging carpools, and facing unexpected hiccups that throw a wrench into your carefully planned logistics. Not every camp week will be smooth sailing, but there are ways to navigate the bumps in the road to ease your worries. Here is the advice I share with parents as a summer camp owner.Determine what camp is a good fit for your childAn easy way to narrow down your camp choices is to first consider your child's emotional and academic needs and favorite pastimes. If your child is neurodivergent, for example, they may benefit from attending a camp that provides a high number of staff to camper ratio. If you want your child to focus on academics outside the classroom, there are STEM camps that offer programs that camouflage science and math as creative free play with peers. Also, consider your child's interests. Rather than signing up your sports enthusiast for a generalized sports camp, consider registering them for a specialized soccer, baseball, golf, or football camp.Make a budget before signing upOnce you determine your child's needs for the summer, outline your budget. Tuition for day camps can range from $250 to $700 a week. A camp with a large price tag doesn't guarantee it will meet your camper's needs. Many "parks and rec" camps and the YMCA offer a wide range of budget-friendly programs. Many families map out how many weeks of childcare they will need to help shape their budget. Many camp families will splurge on one or two specialized camps and use the remainder of their budget for more budget-friendly programs.Eliminate the stress by checking what date and time each camp starts their registration unfortunately, each camp tends to have different registration dates. Adding your camper to several waitlists will provide many options if your summer plans should change. Don't be shy to ask camps about the status of their waitlists.Build a morning routine to avoid meltdownsMeltdowns are more likely to happen at the beginning of the camp session because each week presents a new environment and a group of unfamiliar faces. Familiarizing your child with what to expect at camp will help them feel more confident. For example, contact your camp to ask who will manage sign-in at camp drop-off. Telling your camper, "Camp director Matt will be welcoming us today at drop-off," or "You will be doing a science experiment before lunch today," can help kids feel self-assured. To ease your guilt, remember campers usually bounce back from a meltdown five to 10 minutes after you leave.A rushed morning routine can make campers feel anxious and stressed before a camp day resulting in a meltdown at camp. Involve your camper in building your morning routine for example, build a "camp lunch menu" with your child, have them prepare their backpack, or pick out their clothes the night before each camp day. They won't love every campEach camp has different logistics, teaching styles, and campers with various needs. These factors shape the vibe of each camp week. As much as camp staff prepare for the week, unknown factors that don't present themselves until Monday morning can throw a wrench into camp plans.Most of our 500 campers attend an average of five to eight camps over the summer. Expecting each camp week to be better than the previous one is setting yourself up for disappointment. The reality is that not every camp week will be amazing, and that's okay.If your child declares they're bored by day one keep open communication with camp directors to share your questions and concerns. The first day of camp often involves many introductions to acquaint campers with camp staff, rules, and schedules. The activities outlined on a camp's website take place throughout the week to rule out a camp based on its Monday schedule is selling the camp short. Camps are a wonderful opportunity for your child to explore and determine what pastimes they like and dislike and, in turn, strengthen their natural abilities and positive qualities. Their character is built not by being in environments that cater to them but by challenging them.

Halo Flashpoint: the best Halo game at launch in years Readers FeatureGameCentralPublished January 26, 2025 1:00am Not a video game (Mantic Games)A reader explains why they think board game adaptation Halo Flashpoint is the better than any of the recent video game entries.Halos had a rough time of it for at least a decade now, with unstable and sparse launches and one campaign taking the focus off of John Halo himself. But recently a new Halo game dropped that has a lot of different modes to try out and there are plans to implement more as the year progresses.It youve seen the title, you know Im referring to Halo Flashpoint, the new board game from Mantic Games. Flashpoint is based on the multiplayer skirmishes of Halo, rather than anything to do with the campaign, so dont expect any kind of story with this; its just classic Red vs. Blue action. Or Elites if you opt for the bigger starter boxset.The boxsets come with a set of red and blue Spartan models, with various different weapons from the classic BR55 battle rifle to the Cindershot. These models look nice as is, but they can be painted to add some extra flair to the game. The boxsets also have a lot of terrain which you can set up in whatever way you want, which really helps keep things varied from game to game since youre not limited to the same few maps, like Halo Infinite at launch.For just being cardboard the terrain looks really good and feels stable; the bulky resin models can stand on crates without fear that everything will collapse. The game is played on a board made up of an 88 grid and you move around the grid at various different speeds, depending on how nippy your model is, picking up weapons and items as you go along. Then you can shoot your opponent, so long as you can see them and your weapon has enough range a shotgun wont make it halfway across the board but rifles will.This is where things get really fun and tactical, as initially when taking a shot you and your opponent have three dice each, but if nothing blocks your line of sight you get two extra dice and if you have the high ground you get one extra dice, so position really becomes key to taking out the enemy.And then, of course, you can take the fight straight to the enemy and start hitting them, not just with the trusty combat knife but also the energy sword or gravity hammer if youve managed to pick one of those up which, just like in the game, can do a lot of damage in no time at all.When you start playing youll probably want to stick to Slayer initially, just so you get a feeling for how everything works. Officially games are meant to be played up to four, eight or 12 kills, but Ive been playing to six kills, as I find this is the perfect middle ground of feeling neither too long nor too short. Then, once youre into it, theres Stockpile, Strongholds, Griffball, and Capture the Flag to mess around with, each making you concentrate on the objective while still slaughtering your opponent.More TrendingAlso, while this is in no way official, if you assign weapons at random, rather than stick with the default, you can make any game a Fiesta, which just adds to the chaos of it all. If the above sounds like Im explaining typical games of Halo multiplayer thats because in many ways I am. The guys at Mantic have done a great job at bringing the action off of the console and onto the table, so if any of the above appeals to you then I cant recommend the game enough.By reader Sunny Halo Flashpoint better than the video games? (Mantic Games)The readers features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you wont need to send an email.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy