Image: Nintendo LifeWith the truly shocking confirmation that, alongside the new console, Nintendo is busy assembling a follow-up entry to the best-selling game on Switch, it's got us thinking about what we really want from a new Mario Kart.In all honesty, we've been thinking about this for years, arguably since before we knew that Mario Kart 8 would be getting a Deluxe reprieve and assumed the new hotness on Switch would be totally new. Don't get us wrong Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an astonishing product, and we're huge fans of the enormous Booster Course Pass DLC, but we've been playing the same game in some form for over a decade now and we're jonesing for a fresh take.To that end, Team Nintendo Life sat down for a chat to discuss new directions we'd like to see Mario Kart 9 if that is its name take the series in.Sitting in today we have: Gavin Lane (editor), Jim Norman (staff writer), Ollie Reynolds (staff writer), and Alana Hagues (deputy editor).Image: NintendoGAVIN: Thanks for joining me around this enormous wheel-shaped table, team. Were here today to discuss Mario Kart 9 or Mario Kart X or The Mario Kart or whatever they end up naming it. Well get to that eventually, but lets start with some roundabout (heh) thoughts.In one word, what did you think of the micro tease we got in the Switch 2 reveal trailer?JIM: Squishy.OLLIE: Tantalising.ALANA: Uhh yeah??GAVIN: 'Standard' for me. The forensic breakdowns have helped highlight some of the advancements here, some of the tricks it might have up its sleeve, but from the 17 seconds of footage weve seen so far (!), my instant reaction was, 'Yep, sure.'ALANA: It was the safest reveal we could have gotten. 'Ah yes, of course Mario Kart is coming to Switch 2. Cool!' And it looks good. But also of course.GAVIN: I also noticed Mario's slight squish - its squeezing in some of the Wonder-style animated charm. What was it that grabbed you from the off, Ollie?Image: Nintendo Life Start your enginesOLLIE: Just the prospect of a new Mario Kart, to be honest. It was all I really needed, and the small details suggest how this new entry could potentially differ from before. Dont get me wrong, Ive said before that it was kinda boring, and it was, but we know from past titles that its going to boast some weird and wacky new mechanic, and I cant wait to see what it is.MK9 would be far more interesting if it focused on a gimmick or a new mode rather than just giving me a playable TingleGAVIN: Weve had MK8 for so long, so the topic of the next Mario Kart has come up a lot already over the years and weve looked to Smash Bros. Ultimate as a possible model for where the series could go next. So, the first big question: Do you want MK9 to be the Everyone is here of Mario Kart?JIM: Honestly, no. Its perfectly fun to picture a Mario Kart race with, I dont know, Geno behind the wheel, but that simply aint going to grab me. I feel like were almost there already with the MK8 lineup, and Deluxe already gave us basically every track the series has ever offered. [Note. Not quite, but there's a lot.] MK9, for me, would be far more interesting if it focused on a gimmick or a new mode rather than just giving me a playable TingleOLLIE: DONKEY KONG LOOKS AMAZING THOUGH. Oh sorry, that wasnt the question Yeah, Im with Jim to an extent. Id rather MK9 focus on things that could make this entry stand out. That said, although the idea of seeing Samus lobbing a Blue Shell makes me feel a bit nauseous, Id like to see a few more characters from the Mario universe. Deeper cuts, yknow? Maybe Don Pianta, Professor E. Gadd, or even Fawful. Could you imagine Fawful yelling I HAVE FURY! when he slips over a banana?GAVIN: All Im imagining now is Samus flinging a Blue Shell but its actually a Metroid chomping on the head of whoever's in pole position. Alana?ALANA: Im with both of the lads, here. Theres an inherent level of goofiness to MK that Smash, while it does have, also has an edge to it. My bigger concern is that, with the prospect of getting new characters from Marios wider universe, there will be a bunch of the alt. characters from Tour. Who needs three variations on the Hammer Bro? On the other hand, Dixie Kong, Poochy, and King Bob-Omb are in Tour and they deserve to be playable in a console game.GAVIN: Seems like were all on the same page in terms of less is more rather than just throwing everyone in, although I would love to play as Olimar flinging Pikmin all over the track. I could stomach having Kirby and Samus too.The other obvious, go-to evolution for any series is Make it open world!!! Theres all sorts of potential there, but I wonder if thats what people want from a pick-up-and-play party racer like Mario Kart.Image: Nintendo LifeOLLIE: Ehhh Yeah, not really. More open tracks with alternative routes might be cool, but a full-on open world sounds a bit naff to me. Something thats been nagging me, though, is the potential to instantly teleport between worlds, kinda like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart on the PS5. I dont know if the Switch 2 would be quite capable of something like that, but it could really open the game up in ways we havent seen before, zipping between different circuits on the fly.I quite like the idea of...scavenging kart parts and attaching them, Ultrahand-style, for upgrades, like Banjo Nuts & Bolts with a little Mad Max mixed inALANA: If Nintendo were going to do open world, its going to be through some kind of 'story mode' like in Diddy Kong Racing or something. But a story mode hub in a racing game isnt what I want in 2025.GAVIN: I quite like the idea of a large BOTW-Hyrule-style Mushroom Kingdom, with circuits all over the land and you journey between them, scavenging kart parts and attaching them, Ultrahand-style, for upgrades, like Banjo Nuts & Bolts with a little Mad Max mixed in.But people who pick up Mario Kart for a quick blast with friends won't be bothered with that. Single-player isnt the reason MK8D is Switchs best-selling game, which is presumably what Nintendo is thinking about by highlighting this in the Switch 2 reveal.JIM: Yeah, theres the risk that an additional open world or a story might not feel 'Mario Kart' enough. If its the next 3D Mario, sure and throw in a skill tree for good measure probably. But Mario Kart is best focused on the karting (shock) and as soon as you start fiddling about with stories and upgrades, that might get lost. That said, Smash has tried story a few times. It never fully worked, but it tried.ALANA: Gavins proposal sounds like a bit like LEGO 2K Drive!GAVIN: Hmm, that came and went, didnt it? Okay, so if none of us are enamoured with the idea of an open-world racer, how does MK9 push the series forward?ALANA: This isnt the revolutionary overhaul or unique idea were expecting here, but I can see an F-Zero 99-style elimination mode being incorporated (not 99 karts, though), particularly with the bigger tracks, a bigger roster of characters, and the presumably better online functionality of the Switch 2.OLLIE: I actually want to point to The Super Mario Bros. Movie as a potential source of inspiration. The kart scene has really unique and weird vehicles, with characters moving between them at certain points. I wonder if something can be done with that. Perhaps you can jump between vehicles part-way through a race, or maybe steal parts from your opponents to give your own kart a bit of a boost.Image: Nintendo / IlluminationJIM: Im still recovering from the thought of a 99-player Baby Park, but yes, I totally see the vehicle-swapping idea. Looking at what the series has relied on so far, though, its way more likely that the karts would just transform in some way. MK8 did the hover wheels, MK7 did the gliders, Wii did something. Theres an appetite for Diddy Kong Racing out there, so I can see things going a little more vertical - ramps where your kart sprouts wings and entire sections are airborne, Chitty Chitty-style.MK8 had the anti-grav sections, but ultimately, it was just a really solid racing game with minimal gimmicks. I do worry about Nintendo potentially making it a bit too weird.ALANA: That is very Diddy Kong Racing or Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, though! Itll be hard to predict because MK8 wasnt at its core hugely different from 7. Weve had courses that change every lap thanks to Tour. Weve had transforming cars in some ways. I doubt itll incorporate a microphone or a mouse, because thatd lock elements out for some people.GAVIN: That vehicle-switching idea has me thinking about some sort of team co-op where you have Double Dash-style passengers with specific abilities that must jump between karts. You have to pull up alongside other drivers to swap passengers for... some reason. I don't know, something that switches up the interaction patterns from a straight old race to the finish line.OLLIE: All of this speculation does make me a bit nervous, I must say MK8 had the anti-grav sections, but ultimately, it was just a really solid racing game with minimal gimmicks. I do worry about Nintendo potentially making it a bit too weird.GAVIN: They're walking a very fine line between pick-up-and-play approachability for four-year-olds or non-core players and depth enough to keep everyone engaged. The video team discussed anti-grav sections in their video (see below) and, for me, the biggest thing the hover wheels added was not stopping dead when you hit other racers. That little boost mechanic was neat and non-punishing.Theres loads of ways you could shake up the formula without some specific gimmick, though. Along the lines of vehicle/character swapping, what about pit stops or tag team races with added strategy? I was thinking about The Italian Job the other day (as you do) and started dreaming of a Mario Kart Heist mode or some sort of chase which isnt just a race while lobbing banana skins.ALANA: That sounds awesome, honestly. I would like some more variety in the multiplayer minigames that arent just coins or balloon-based.Image: Nintendo LifeGAVIN: What about tracks - specifically, returning tracks? Do you want to see old circuits back again?JIM: Ahhh, its another one where Ive got to go against the most obvious choice. No, I dont want to see them back. The MK8 DLC waves were great, but we have driven around these tracks so many times now. At some point, we have to wipe the slate clean. MK8D is the ultimate compilation, so gimme eight new Grands Prix with entirely new corners to learn. Please.I cant believe we havent seen Wario Stadium or Wario Colosseum come back. Still, I would absolutely take more unique Grands Prix.ALANA: You mean you dont want Figure-8 Circuit to return?JIM: no.OLLIE: I agree. As much as Id like to experience Baby Park with 24 racers, if Nintendo doesnt add in some new mechanic that fundamentally changes the tracks we know and love, then Id rather they just stay put on MK8D for now (which, of course, will likely be playable via backwards compatibility!). Lets have something completely new.ALANA: We are steadily running out of tracks that havent returned, discounting MK8s. I cant believe we havent seen Wario Stadium or Wario Colosseum come back. Still, I would absolutely take more unique Grands Prix rather than double them up with retro cups.GAVIN: Ollies point is key for me MK8D will almost certainly be playable on Switch 2. We all own it, there are 700 trillion copies of it out there, so if we want to play Baby Park or Yoshis Circuit or whatever, it's already there. Id rather fresh, tailor-made tracks designed around the new game rather than retrofitted returners.Okay, well be pulling up to the bumper soon, but what would you say if I dropped the words Mario Kart Maker here?OLLIE: Id say I dont have the creativity for something like that! I mean, it depends on how intuitive a track builder would be. Itd be a cool thing to have, but I imagine Id just default to the standard, Nintendo-certified tracks.GAVIN: This isnt confirmed as a launch game, but it's implied that we'll be seeing it in the launch year, at least. And seeing as the Mouse Mode could be Switch 2's biggest new hardware feature, youd imagine Nintendo will showcase it in a launch game. Could be handy for a custom circuit builder! Flexing that backward compatibilityJIM: It could also be handy for letting you put the kart in manual and sliding the controller on the seat next to you like a gear stick. Full Fast & Furious.ALANA: Ohhh no, that sounds awful back to Track Maker, quickly! I wouldnt be surprised to see it, but its also a little predictable at this point, right? Id love to play user-made courses, though.Image: NintendoGAVIN: Hmm, although thinking about it, thatll need some moderation. Nintendo knows what people like to draw given half a chance and the potential for sus circuits when viewed from above is considerable!Okay, okay, last question: We're using 'Mario Kart 9' as shorthand, but whats it going to be called?OLLIE: Mario Kart: Turbo!JIM: Im gunning for that Fast & Furious theme now. The Mario and The Kart? Kart 9? Mario Kart: Family?ALANA: If theres kart switching Mario Kart Switched?OLLIE: Mario Kart X, amirite, Jim?! Wait...GAVIN: If Tour is technically 9 and Live: Home Circuit is technically 10, we could be looking at Mario Kart 11 with the 11 stylised as two Joy-Con or something.Okay, that's the chequered flag. Any final thoughts before we all get karted off?OLLIE: Ive got nothing, Im just excited to see more! April cant come soon enough.What do you want from the next Mario Kart? Do any of the suggestions above tickle your fancy? Vote in the poll and slide on down to the comments to drop your thoughts on the tarmac.What new things would you most like to see in the next Mario Kart? (46 votes)A huge Smash-style roster of iconic characters13%Mid-race teleporting between courses 0%A DKR-style story 'hub'15%A massive open world9%DIY upgradable karts7%A 99-style elimination mode2%Vehicle hopping/swapping 0%Land, sea, and air vehicles/tracks20%Strategic team races4%Heists!2%A Mario Kart Maker mode15%Something else! (comment below)13%Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Every character in Switch 2 Mario KartPass the salt, broThe sweat, the tears, the evil babiesRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesSteam Deck Sales Business As Usual For Valve During Week Of Switch 2 RevealUpdate: Sales chart "updated" by ValveXbox Is "Really Looking Forward" To Supporting Switch 2Phil Spencer: "We love the work that we do with Nintendo"Random: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"New-Look Donkey Kong Items Now Available On The My Nintendo Store"You'll go bananas for this" Title:Mario Kart 9System:Nintendo Switch 2Publisher:NintendoDeveloper:NintendoGenre:DrivingRelease Date:Nintendo Switch 2 TBA TBAWhere to buy:Pre Order on Amazon

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kPublisher Apogee Entertainment has announced that the ridiculous boomer shooter Turbo Overkill is coming now available on the Nintendo Switch alongside PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.Yep, no waiting around for this one, the game has shadow-dropped on Nintendo's console and can be downloaded now via the eShop for $19.99. Previously exclusive to PC, the title received high praise for its fast-paced gameplay and arresting visuals, and we frankly can't wait to see how it holds up on the Switch.Its gameplay reminds us a lot of the modern DOOM games, obviously, but it's also got quite a lot in common with Prodeus, another boomer shooter that boasts stylish pixel art visuals and buckets of blood and guts. Nice. So if that's your kind of thing, then this will likely push all the right buttons for you.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Let's check out the key features:- Kill a boss, get its augment (special power)- Play Spider-Man with your grappling hook- One-up Duke Nukem with your chainsaw slide-slice kick- Kills = cash. Use cash to install augments, upgrade your weapons, and add new abilities in your talent tree- Be a ghost runner while wall running- Attack from above riding the hood of your flying car like a kung-furious badass- Mini-rockets built into your robotic arm? Images: Apogee EntertainmentWhat are your thoughts on this one? Will you be looking to add Turbo Overkill to your Switch library? Let us know with a comment.

Meta continues to target creators in the days following the U.S. TikTok ban. In addition to paying TikTok creators big bonuses to publish reels, Instagram announced on Wednesday that its introducing new ways for creators to better understand how their short videos are performing. The platform is introducing additional metrics that allow creators to see what content resonates better with their audiences.The social network is rolling out a new metric called View Rate that lets creators see what percentage of their followers and non-followers continue to watch their video after the first three seconds. Instagram notes that the first few seconds of reels are the most important because if you capture the viewers attention right away, they will keep watching the video.Instagram is also adding a Views Over Time metric that shows creators how many views their reel has received so far compared to the average views they normally get over the same time period. Creators can break down these views between followers and non-followers. Image Credits:InstagramIn addition, Instagram will start giving creators more actionable tips to understand if their reels are performing better or worse than usual. The company believes this will allow creators to see which types of content get the most views.For instance, Instagram may encourage you to create more reels that are similar to one that got significantly more views than your typical content. A notice like this may read: This reel is doing great! It got 20% more views than the average of your recent reels. Create more reels like this.In addition to the bonuses, Instagram has been trying to lure TikTok creators over to its platform with promises of content deals and support to grow their communities.While TikTok isonline in the U.S.after going dark for 12 hours last week, the ByteDance-owned video app network is still missing from app stores, giving rivals like Instagram the opportunity to benefit from its woes.Topics

In an essay on Wednesday, Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, weighed in on the debate over whether Chinese AI company DeepSeeks success implies that U.S. export controls on AI chips arent working.Amodei, who recently made the case for stronger export controls in an op-ed co-written with former U.S. deputy national security advisor Matt Pottinger, says in the essay he believes current export controls are slowing the progress of Chinese companies like DeepSeek. Compared to the performance of the strongest U.S.-produced AI models, Amodei says, DeepSeeks fall short when factoring in the release time frame. DeepSeek produced a model close to the performance of U.S. models 7-10 months older, for a good deal less cost (but not anywhere near the ratios people have suggested), Amodei said. [This is] an expected point on an ongoing cost reduction curve. Whats different this time is that the company that was first to demonstrate the expected cost reductions was Chinese.Amodei compares one of DeepSeeks flagship models, DeepSeek V3, to Anthropics Claude 3.5 Sonnet, which he says cost a few $10Ms to train. Sonnets training finished 9 to 12 months ago, while DeepSeeks model was trained in November or December yet Sonnet remains ahead in a number of internal and external evals, Amodei notes.U.S. companies [are also] achieving the usual trend in cost reduction, Amodei added. The efficiency innovations DeepSeek developed will soon be applied by both U.S. and Chinese labs to train multi-billion dollar models.Amodei, who in the essay calls DeepSeek very talented engineers that show why China is a serious competitor to the U.S., foresees a fork in the road depending on which export policies the Trump Administration embraces. Before Trump took office, the outgoing Biden Administration imposed new restrictions on hardware exports that are scheduled to take effect in the coming months but that could be curtailed should Trump wish to do so.If Trump strengthens export rules and prevents China from obtaining what Amodei describes as millions of chips for AI development, the U.S. and its allies could potentially establish a commanding and long-lasting lead, Amodei claims. If, on the other hand, the U.S. doesnt make it more challenging for China to import AI chips, the country could direct more talent, capital, and focus to military applications of AI technologies, Amodei feares. Combined with its large industrial base and military-strategic advantages, this could help China take a commanding lead on the global stage, Amodei said. To be clear, the goal here is not to deny China or any other authoritarian country the immense benefits in science, medicine, quality of life, and so on that come from very powerful AI systems. Everyone should be able to benefit from AI. The goal is to prevent them from gaining military dominance.It seems likely that Amodei will get his preferred outcome. In a Senate hearing on Wednesday, billionaire businessman Howard Lutnick, Trumps pick for commerce secretary, accused DeepSeek of stealing American IP. What this showed is that our export controls, not backed by tariffs, are like a whack-a-mole model, Lutnick said. Chinese tariffs should be the highest.As commerce secretary, Lutnick would have a key role in carrying out Trumps plans to raise and enforce tariffs.OpenAI, Anthropics chief rival, has also called on the Trump Administration to take more aggressive steps to ensure U.S. dominance in AI. In a recently published policy doc, OpenAI warned that if the U.S. doesnt attract the necessary global funds for AI projects, theyll flow to China-backed projects and [strengthen] the Chinese Communist Partys global influence.

The paranormal is taking a chilling turn in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire! Witness the really cool visual effects crafted by Sony Pictures Imageworks as they conjure up frost-covered frights and bone-chilling ghost designs!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Sony Pictures Imageworks: Dedicated page about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on Sony Pictures Imageworks website.Geoffrey Baumann: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Geoffrey Baumann. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

For many, Chicagos South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) warrants no introduction. The countrys oldest, independently run, and continuously operating Black arts institution has helped boost the careers of many, many African American artists. Floating Museums Faheem Majeed, one of the last Chicago Architecture Biennials curators, got his start there, and Theaster Gates has long worked with SSCAC, to name just a few. Now, Chicago architects, artists, builders, and consultants are helping SSCAC grow. Future Firm, wrkSHp | kiloWatt, Brown & Momen, Berglund Construction, and URBAN ReSOLVE are all part of the centers redevelopment team. An addition planned for the art center will expand SSCACs visitor capacity by 398 percent, the partners shared, while also helping make it more accessible to those with disabilities.The addition will contain new gallery spaces, but also offices for artists, educators, and staff. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)The $15 million addition and refurbishment project entails attaching a new, 10,000-square-foot building to SSCACs existing location, a stately 19th-century brick abode with bay windows. The addition, the design team said, will help SSCAC facilitate many more exhibitions and interactions with Black artists while increasing access for community members, researchers, arts administrators, historians, and educators.A South Side StapleSince 1940, SSCAC has operated out of an old, multistory brick house in Bronzeville, located at 3831 South Michigan Avenue. The institution was founded as a WPA project, when the federal government poured copious resources into organizations around the U.S. to help put artists back to work after the Great Depression. SSCAC, having survived the Red Scare, eventually morphed into the established South Side presence it is today. In 1994, it was listed as a Chicago Historic Landmark and, in 2017 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. In its mission statement, SSCAC said its main goal is developing and showcasing Black artists at every stage of their careers, an ethos which dates back to its founders. A lot of Black museums have opened up, but were the only one that grew out of the indigenous Black community, Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, a visual artist who helped cofound SSCAC, said of the institution. We werent started by anybody downtown; we were started by ordinary folks.The addition will help make SSCACs collection more accessible to those with disabilities. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)The forthcoming addition will go toward the existing buildings rear; it will include new gallery space and cutting edge sustainability tech to help SSCAC meet its energy goals. The new building will have a geothermal well field and solar-ready roof to help ascertain LEED Silver certification.The extra gallery space will host SSCACs permanent collection and loaned works. There will also be new classrooms, improved archival storage, and updated offices for artists, educators, and staff. The additions rooftop will provide much needed event space, the team shared.Some gallery spaces will be covered in wood paneling. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)Other gallery spaces will adopt the traditional white box aesthetic. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)So too will there be a new stepped terrace. This element is meant to evoke the original stoop of SSCAC. The additions facade also conceptually links to SSCAC; it will celebrate the pattern of nail roles found in the historic Margaret T. Burroughs Gallery, through the implementation of a custom perforated exterior panel system, through the implementation of a custom perforated exterior panel system, designers shared. The interiors finishes will oscillate between wood and white walls, depending on the setting. The additions lobby is an all-white ensemble. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)A classroom is faced with large windows. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)Ann Lui, principal of Future Firm, has long worked in Chicagos South Side, and sees SSCACs expansion as transformative for the region. We are excited and honored to collaborate with South Side Community Arts Center, to use architecture and design to support the organizations mission of creating space for Black artists and their work, Lui shared. We describe ourselves as architects for changemakers and are so excited to help provide flexible, functional, and memorable spaces for SSCAC that will serve the organization and its community at large, Lui continued. Its an exciting opportunity to look for ways a building can help to do that work: from the scale of a single wood panel to a spatial vision for growth and change in the coming decades.Sitting on the shoulders of those who came before us, we are thrilled to be able to preserve the legacy of the South Side Community Art Center, while creating space to celebrate and inspire the next generation of Black artists, added Monique Brinkman-Hill, SSCAC executive director. As we celebrate over 85 years in operation, we look forward to continuing our work with the development team and members of our community to ensure our historic home and expanded campus will continue to serve this community for the next 85 years.Construction is expected to start later this year, and conclude in 2026.

It was last summer when Bathhouse, a company that operates boutique saunas, opened its new Manhattan branch in Flatiron, designed by Rockwell Group and Colberg Architecture. That Bathhouse was the second in New York Citythe first opened in 2021 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This month, Bathhouse was issued a construction permit for a forthcoming, 3-story building in Chicagos West Loop, designed by Gensler. This permit gives the client and contractors permission to break ground and begin construction on the companys first outpost outside New York City.The Chicago Bathhouse, planned for the intersection of Morgan and Madison, will be an inclusive, neighborhood amenity in Fulton Market, accessible to all through daily guest passes, Brett Taylor, Genslers principal-in-charge on the project, told AN.The pool area is designed to offer multisensory experiences. (Courtesy Gensler)The three-story structure, wrapped in brick and glass, and capped with a rooftop amenity oasis, reflects the density and character of the surrounding buildings, Taylor added. A grand, double-height entry welcomes users to three indoor and two outdoor pools with a mix of hot, cold, and salt experiences along with four different saunas and bookable treatment rooms, providing a multisensory journey for transformation, relaxation, and socializing. Previous renderings of Genslers design showed broad arches adorning Bathhouse Chicagos facade, reminiscent of Toyo Itos TAMA Art University Library in Tokyo. Updated visuals show a building that opts for a rectilinear fenestration that maintains a sleek black look. The low-lying structure is depicted clad with gray and black brick. Gold letters of the Bathhouse logo shimmer across a street-facing elevation and over an entryway.Bathhouses Chicago branch will offer a luxury rooftop experience, as Taylor mentioned. It will have a pool, a restaurant, and other amenities for those seeking bodily reprieve. Surfaces that face the interior pool area will be lacquered in black, not unlike Bathhouses existing locations in New York City.Previously, a mid-rise condo was planned for the site at 1010 West Madison Street. Plans to discard the condo and build the 40,000-square-feet Bathhouse building instead were first announced in 2023.The building is slated for completion in 2026.

1st place in Young category: Andrs Luis Dominguez Blanco, Spring (2023). A European bee-eater in mid-flight with an insect in its beak, Southern Spain. All images the photographers, courtesy of CUPOTY, shared with permissionThe Winners of This Annual Competition Show Nature Is Ready for Its Close-UpJanuary 29, 2025Kate MothesA striking silhouette of two fighting stag beetles takes the top prize in the 6th annual Close-Up Photographer of the Year contest (previously), capping a group of category winners and finalists that showcase an array of natural phenomena in astonishing detail.A jury of 25 experts, comprising scientists, editors, naturalists, journalists, and photographers, narrowed down 100 images from more than 11,000 entries. Photographers in 61 countries submitted photos of a wide range of animals and environments, capturing dramatic behaviors and fascinating habitats.1st place in the Butterflies & Dragonflies category: Yong Miao, Damselfly by the Waterfall. A damselfly (Archineura incarnata) rests on a rock amidst a flowing waterfall in Tianmushan Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, ChinaAmong many favorites, Yong Miaos beautiful shot of a damselfly perched on a stone near a waterfall won the Insects category, Barry Webbs capture of an ear-pick fungus topped the Fungi & Slime Moulds category, and Gabriel Jensens portrait of a fish in the toothy mouth of a predator took the top spot in the Underwater category.The competition highlights not only incredible images but also the fascinating science and stories behind them. Summer brings calm seas to South Florida where a dedicated community of shore diving photographers head out nearly every day to survey the worlds third largest coral reef for interesting wildlife, Jensen says.Her friends spotted a lizard fish (Synodus foetens) grappling with a large doctorfish. She adds, After a few minutes of struggle, the doctorfish managed to escape. This image now sits on my desk at work, serving as a reminder that even on tough days, Everythings going to be A-OK.CUPOTY co-founder Tracy Calder says, Close-up photography is a celebration of curiosity, also sharing that the winning entries are a true testament to the artistry of everyone involved, as well as an invitation to look, marvel at, and honour the world around us. See all the top photos in the competitions online gallery.Winner of Underwater category: Gabriel Jensen, Everythings A-OK. A doctorfish struggles in the jaws of a lizardfish, Kona, Hawaii1st place in Fungi & Slime Moulds category: Barry Webb, Ear-Pick Fungus (2023). A 15mm tall ear-pick fungus growing on a pine cone, New Forest, U.K.1st place in Insects category and overall winner of CUPOTY 6: Svetlana Ivanenko, Clash of the Titans. Two stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) battle for dominance in the Voronezh region of Russia2nd place in Underwater category: Jenny Stock, Search for the Dragon (2020). A leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) swims with a school of rough bullseye fish (Pempheris klunzingeri), Rapid Bay, South Australia2nd place in Young category: Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Afternoon Snack (2024). A robber fly (Asilidae sp.) feeds on a flesh fly (Sarcophagidae sp.), Brandenburg, Germany3rd place in Fungi & Slime Moulds category: Jamie Spensley, Sandy Mushroom (2024). A mushroom covered in sand on Holywell Bay Beach, Cornwall2nd place in Invertebrate Portrait category: Jos Manuel Lois Rial, Stauropus Fagi (2023). A lobster moth caterpillar (Stauropus fagi) on a tree branch in the photographers garden, SpainNext article

Recommended By Fox News Staff Fox News Published January 29, 2025 12:09pm EST close Trump says DeepSeek AI is a wake-up call for US tech industry Fox News correspondent Christina Coleman reports on the impact of DeepSeek AI on U.S. tech stocks and reactions to the innovation on Fox News @ Night. Welcome to Fox News Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.IN TODAYS NEWSLETTER:- DeepSeek is the newest front in the AI competition between the US and China- Trump, OpenAI CEO weigh in on DeepSeek frenzy- Willing to pay $175,000 for a life-size robot friend that remembers everything about you? OpenAI's chief global affairs officer speaks out about DeepSeek. (GettyImages)CRITICAL FIGHT: DeepSeeks release of a high-profile new AI model underscores a point we at OpenAI have been making for quite some time: the U.S. is in a competition with the Chinese Communist Party that will determine whetherdemocratic AI wins over the Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian version of the technology.The U.S. must come out on topand the stakes could not be higher.'WAKE-UP CALL': President Donald Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman both joined in on the buzz surrounding Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek, which sent the technology sector into turmoil on Monday following its emergence as a potential rival to leading U.S.-based firms. Melody the life-sized AI robot (Realbotix)ROBOT FRIEND MELODY: In a world where loneliness is becoming increasingly prevalent, researchers have taken a bold step forward by introducing Melody, a life-sized artificial intelligence robot designed to combat this growing epidemic.AI RACE: China-basedartificial intelligence startup DeepSeek's release of new AI models that rival those made by leading U.S. tech firms roiled markets on Monday and prompted concerns about U.S. firms losing their edge in the AI race to Chinese rivals.ROBOTIC DOG COMPANION: U.S. robotics company Tombot has introduced "Jennie," an innovative AI-powered robotic pet designed to provide comfort and companionship to those facing cognitive health challenges. AI-powered robotic dog (Tombot)FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIASIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERSDOWNLOAD OUR APPSWATCH FOX NEWS ONLINEFox News GoSTREAM FOX NATIONFox NationStay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox Newshere. This article was written by Fox News staff.

NewsChancellor backs plans to boost Oxford-Cambridge growthTo build a UK Silicon Valley between Oxford and Cambridge, boosting the regions tech capabilities, requires more trains, more roads and more housesByCliff Saran,Managing EditorPublished: 29 Jan 2025 14:45 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled a series of measures aimed at boosting the so-called Oxford-Cambridge Arc as Europes Silicon Valley.She said Oxford and Cambridge offer huge economic potential for the nations growth prospects. According to research from Public First for the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster, Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes combined already contribute 42bn to the UK economy. Public First noted that by 2050, 403,000 skilled workers will be required to fulfil growth in high-knowledge industries. Its forecast to grow the regions impact shows that housing these people will require 371,000 new homes.As part of the governments AI [artificial intelligence] opportunities action plan, unveiled earlier in January, the first AI growth zone will be set up in Culham, Oxfordshire.The Chancellor announced a call for expressions of interest from regional and local authorities and industry to inform the next stage of the AI growth zones programme. The government hopes this will help to establish opportunities and inform the next stage of the programme, which it positions as a key area.But Oxford and Cambridge are 66 miles apart, and housing is extremely expensive. To grow, these world-class companies need world-class talent who should be able to get to work quickly and find somewhere to live in the local area, she said. But to get from Oxford to Cambridge by train takes two and a half hours. There is no way to commute directly from places like Bedford and Milton Keynes to Cambridge by rail. And there is a lack of affordable housing across the region.The Environment Agency said it has lifted its opposition to new development around Cambridge (Waterbeach and the Beehive Centre) for the development of 4,500 new homes. The plan is to provide community spaces such as schools and leisure facilities, as well as office and laboratory space in Cambridges city centre.To improve transport links, Reeves announced that plans for an East Coast Mainline station in Tempsford will be accelerated by three to five years. The station will link services directly to London, with services in under an hour, and will eventually be an interchange with the East West Rail station.Read more about the governments AI Opportunities Action PlanThe AI Opportunities Action Plan is recommended reading: The governments strategy for accelerating AI has been many months in the making is it enough, and what regulatory environment will be appropriate?Developing AI datacentres has the UK government got what it takes: The UK government has unveiled its 50-point AI action plan, which commits to building sovereign artificial intelligence capabilities and accelerating AI datacentre developments but questions remain about the viability of the plans.There is also a road improvement scheme that will see a 10-mile dual carriageway delivered, as well as three grade-separated junctions three-tier at Black Cat roundabout (A1/A421) and two-tier at Cambridge Road (B1428) and Caxton Gibbet (A428/A1198). Main construction began in December 2023, and the road is expected to open in 2027.Science minister Patrick Vallance said: The UK has all the ingredients to replicate the success of Silicon Valley or the Boston Cluster, but for too long has been constrained by short-termism and a lack of direction.This governments plan for change will see an end to that defeatism, he said. I look forward to working with local leaders to fulfil the Oxford-Cambridge corridors potential by building on its existing strengths in academia, life sciences, semiconductors, AI and green technology amongst others.In The Current Issue:World Economic Forum: Digital supply chains at risk as world faces two years of turbulenceData sovereignty and security in the UKDownload Current IssueDeepSeek: Moving beyond muscle car AI Cliff Saran's Enterprise blogData engineering - Domino Data Lab: Adapting engineering practices for the AI era CW Developer NetworkView All Blogs