OMA Creates Scenography With Monumental Archetypal Elements For The Islamic Arts Biennalehtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"OMA has created a scenography that reinterprets archetypal architectural elements in a monumental scale for the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.The scenography, titled And All That Is In Between, was designed by OMA Partner and Director Iyad Alsaka and Associate Kaveh Dabiri.The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale is on view from 25 January to 25 May in Jeddah, organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.The show examines how faith influences craftsmanship and artistic expression. There are more than twice as many historical artifacts and 29 contemporary art commissions on display compared to the first edition.Through an environment of abstract forms that recreate classic architectural components, OMA's scenography unifies the exhibition. The material palette is purposefully limited; white fabric of various kinds is utilized throughout, and slight lighting variations provide the illusion of color diversity."Its an honor to continue working with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation on the second edition of the Biennale and to contribute to the expansion of this event, in Saudi Arabia and on the global art scene," said Iyad Alsaka, OMA Partner."Creating harmony and cohesion within the scenography design, while establishing a dialogue between the historical and contemporary artworks on such a monumental scale, has been both a significant undertaking and an inspiring process," said Kaveh Dabiri, OMA Associate."We achieved this by adopting an abstract architectural language, materialized through lightness and translucency, that moves away from conventional museum-like presentations," Dabiri added.The exhibition, which is spread across seven indoor and outdoor spaces at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport under the canopy of SOM's Hajj Terminal, is called AlBidayah - the Beginning, AlMadar - the Orbit, AlMuqtani - Homage, AlMidhallah - the Canopy, AlMukarramah - the Honored, AlMunawwarah - the Illuminated, and AlMusalla, a place for prayer and gathering.Dedicated to the sacred, AlBidayah is made out of expansive areas with curved translucent walls that emphasize the size of the items on exhibit.This section's focal point is the Kiswah, the cloth covering the Holy Kaaba, which is being displayed in its entirety for the first time outside of Makkah.Along with modern artwork, these galleries also display various items from Madinah and Makkah. The vitrines' black painted frames mimic the hues of numerous pieces of art and antiques.More than thirty universities from more than twenty nations contributed to AlMadar, which has a forest of thirty-seven abstract rectangular columns.Constructed from concentric layers of translucent textiles and lit from the inside and bottom, they appear as extrusions of the vitrines below and fade into the darkness of the ceiling over time.Visitors can find the participating institutions and traverse the thematic clusters with the aid of the column density.The two collections shown in this section are intended to be given equal weight in AlMuqtani's scenography. The gallery is divided into two equal-sized triangles, one for each collection, using a bowtie-shaped arrangement.Symmetrical pleated walls that rise from eye level to the room's entire height define the triangles. A vitrine is housed in each pleat, creating a smooth display front that is only visible as guests go through the gallery. The highlights and treasuries of the exhibition take up the middle of the gallery.The concept of gardens in Islamic cultures is the subject of several site-specific artworks that AlMidhallah displays. OMA's 2023 landscape intervention now includes extensive plantings, which help to organize the artwork location.A more condensed and personal experience is produced by their combined occupancy of a square of nine canopy bays in the middle of the outdoor area.Two pavilions honoring Makkah and Madinah, AlMukarramah and AlMunawwarah, acknowledge the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's guardianship of these sacred towns.AlMukarramah examines the potent interplay between Makkah al-Mukarramah's centrality and universality by combining rare early pictures and film, historical artifacts related to the Holy Kaaba, and a modern art installation.With a collection of fabrics embroidered with gold, AlMunawwarah delves into the heritage of Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. The pavilion's design captures the renowned coziness of Madinah's ambiance.The Islamic Arts Biennale's curatorial team consists of by Abdul Rahman Azzam, Amin Jaffer, and Julian Raby, while Muhannad Shono serves as the curator of contemporary art.In 2023, OMA also created the scenography for the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale. With this initiative, the office's long-standing engagement in Saudi Arabia enters a new phase.Image Frans ParthesiusImage OMAImage OMAImage OMAImage Frans ParthesiusImage Frans ParthesiusIslamic Arts Biennale, site plan, courtesy of OMAAmong the projects in OMA's Middle Eastern portfolio are the Qatar National Library, the Qatar Foundation Headquarters, and Concrete on Alserkal Avenue in Dubai. AMO, OMA's think tank, has written extensively about the region's fast urbanization in two special issues of Volume magazine: Al Manakh: Gulf Continued (2010) and Al Manakh (2007).Recently, OMA and Andrea Tabocchini Architecture remodeled the Gallery of the Kings at Turins Museo Egizio in Italy. In addition, OMA/Rem Koolhaas and Chris van Duijn opened in Bordeaux, France.Project factsProject name:And All That Is In BetweenArchitecture:OMALocation:Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaClient: Diriyah Biennale Foundation, Ministry of Culture of Saudi ArabiaYear:2025Program: Scenography 70,000 m2: Interior exhibition space 10,000 m2; Landscape and outdoor exhibition space 60,000 m2; Total site 120,000 m2Partner: Iyad AlsakaAssociate:Kaveh DabiriTeam:Victoire Bouillot, Dagna Dembiecka, Catalina Dumitru, Sarah El Harouny, Raffaele Guercia, Emanuele Moro, Giovanni Stoppoloni, Andrea VerniModel:Marc Heumer, Tijmen Klone, Heming Liu, Arthur WongCollaboratorsLighting Design: les claireursScenography and art production: Black EngineeringDisplay case design and object display:Colin Morris AssociatesArt handling and logistics:HasenkampDisplay mount design and fabrication: CubicExhibition wayfinding and signage:Penguin CubeConservation and restoration:Plowden and SmithDisplay case manufacturing: GoppionGraphic design:Morcos KeyAll images Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of OMA unless otherwise stated.> via OMA

The Former Steelworks Of A Power Plant Are Integrated With Organically-Shaped Greenhouse Pavilionshtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The former steelworks of a power plant were integrated with organically-shaped greenhouse pavilions to establish the twin dualities of industry, nature, tradition, and the future.Named Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse, the 41,000-square-metre building was designed by Vienna-based architecture firm Delugan Meissl Associated Architects(DMAA).Entrance pathReaching at 35 meters in height, the greenhouse complex is located in the center of Pudong, a sparsely populated industrial enclave that has developed into one of Asia's most breathtaking high-rise skylines.As Delugan Meissl Associated Architects explained, the inner-city leisure area was once home to a steel mill and a coal-fired power station before being transformed into the Expo Cultural Park. After that, it was renovated to serve as Expo 2010's site.FacadeThe steel framework of a former industrial hall served as a geometric superstructure for the new Greenhouse Garden project, which was further complemented with naturally curved pavements."The zeitgeist has shifted towards recognizing nature as the essential basis of our living environment," said DMAA."And nature has also moved to the heart of architecture. In recent years, as it has repeatedly addressed the specific task of greenhouse design, we have developed extensive technical and cultural knowhow."Exterior evening"With a population of 23 million, the megacity of Shanghai is the focal point of Chinas urban and internati- onal development.""But the Shanghai Region is also directly threatened by the consequences of unlimited growth and climate change. Given biting smogs, water shortages, and rising temperatures, the countrys leaders are looking for solutions that take the form of radical largescale steps steps that should not only preserve natural habitats but also steer Chinas technological and economic efforts in a sustainable direction," said the firm.Exterior parkfrontThe decision by the municipal administration to transform such a large, centrally located plot of land into a first-rate recreational area is unmistakable proof of the general trend toward more intensive planting of Shanghai's core urban zones. Shanghai is one of the world's largest cities with a subtropical climate.The creation of a zero-energy building was one of the project's specific goals because greenhouses typically use a lot of energy. This was accomplished by using single glazing, which was chosen since simulative studies indicated that double glazing would be less energy efficient because the impact of the artificial lighting needed by the plants would more than offset the reduction in heat loss.Exterior parkviewThe studio modified the opening windows in the perforated roof to allow for the passive cooling and natural ventilation that produce the ideal climate for the particular plants. In addition to providing cooling, a pool next to the pavilions uses photovoltaic panels situated just below its surface to power the greenhouse.With its sandy and rocky terrain, the first pavilion replicates the extreme aridity of the desert and represents the home of drought-tolerant yet endangered plants on every continent. The final pavilion's vertical flower beds provide room for traveling exhibitions, while the second pavilion showcases the rainforest's tropical vegetation.Entrance pavilionAn overview of the entire park and the structures that make up the periphery of the surrounding urban fabric may be seen from the terrace above the pavilions. A sizable circular area beneath the listed steel structure and between the three pavilions and the entrance building unifies the proposal with the natural surroundings.The greenhouses' internal and external passageways provide new attributes. Visitors actively navigate this network, moving through each spatial sequence and interacting with the constructed material in a certain way.Interior desertThese visitors are revealed by glazed parapets, and their movement is accelerated or decelerated by mild gradients. The difference in water levels between desert and tropical flora is a natural phenomenon, but it also provides a global political viewpoint because of the concerns about future water supplies brought up by climate change.In this sense, the facade's naturally flowing shape serves as a leitmotif for both the internal structure and the new, flexible human-nature relationship.Interior tropical forest pathwayInterior tropical forestBirdviewBirdview top nightSketchSite planFirst level floor planSecond level floor planThird level floor planRoof floor planDelugan Meissl Associated Architects (DMAA) was established in 1993 by Delugan and Elke Delugan-Meissl. The office tackles today's social and environmental concerns with a passionate and relentless focus on the novel and the unusual, defying conventional answers.By working on several extremely successful greenhouse projects over the years, DMAA has gained technical and cultural know-how that is currently being used on Shanghai's Greenhouse Garden.Project factsProject name: Expo Cultural Park GreenhouseArchitects:Delugan Meissl Associated ArchitectsLocation:Shanghai Expo Cultural Park - Guo Zhan Lu Pudong Xinqu, ShanghaiCompetition: 2018 (1st Price)Start of construction:01/2020Completion year:09/2024Gross surface area: 41,000 m2Site area: 47,000 m2 (within the whole Park)Height: 35mProject manager:Diogo TeixeiraProject team:Yue Chen, Jurgis Gecys, Thomas Peter-Hindelang, Toms Kampars, Prima Mathawabhan, Sebastian Michalski, Ernesto Mulch, Maximilian Tronnier, Toni Nachev, Marillies Wedl.ConsultantsCoordination:Yiju DingExecutive Planning: SIADR Co.LtdStructural Engineering:Bollinger + Grohmann ZT GmbHEnergy Design:Transsolar Energie-technik GmbHLandscape Design:Yiju DingAll images CreatAR.All drawings Delugan Meissl Associated Architects.> via Delugan Meissl Associated Architects

It's no secret that black holes are some of the weirdest objects in space. Their disks are fluffy like cake, and diving into one is both interesting and terrifying. Now, a group of astronomers used data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Telescope to show that black holes can cook their own meals.No, really. According to a new scientific model produced in the study, which was led by Valeria Olivares from the University of Santiago de Chile, black holes are surrounded by gas of varying temperatures. Black holes consume the warm gas, which causes them to have what the researchers refer to as an "outburst." The outburst cools the hotter gas nearby, which then allows the cycle to repeat itself.Here's how it works. In the above image, the black holes are the bright white spots in the center of the gas clouds. The purple cloud represents the hot gases while the pink veins which researchers call "filaments" show the warm gas. The black hole eats the warm gas by drawing it in. This causes a reaction in the black hole that shoots jets into the gas cloud. These jets cool down the purple cloud to create new pink veins. The process then repeats time and again.The researchers note that turbulence in the gas clouds also plays an important role in the process. In this context, turbulence is defined as "the disordered, irregular motion of matter, so complex as to defy description except in a statistical manner."Black holes and gas clouds Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. Previously, researchers had seen black holes, gas clouds, and gas-filled filaments but were unsure about their relationship to one another. The new model helps answer that question by showing that all three phenomena are linked. The black hole eats the filaments and uses them to generate a reaction that cools the gas and creates new filaments.It also helps researchers better understand other parts of the universe. For example, the relationship between black holes and their gas clouds shares some similarities to jellyfish galaxies. Jellyfish galaxies are noted for their jellyfish-like appearance that is caused by gas being stripped away from the galaxy as it floats through the cosmos. Researchers say the similarities are unexpected and may help solve even more mysteries about space.In addition, the model helps researchers better understand the warm gas-filled filaments, which can help better understand how stars form. In a previous study, researchers found that jets from black holes cool the hot gas. Cold, dense gas is where stars are born, so the logic is that black holes help create the correct environment for star formation.

Table of Contents It's an exciting time of year for WWE fans: Royal Rumble is right around the corner, which means Wrestlemania season is about to begin. This year, the epic event will set Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on fire. Once it's all said and done, we'll know which WWE superstar will be heading to Wrestlemania 41.Viewers can expect a stacked match card for the event, featuring a rematch between former friends Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. They'll fight for the WWE Championship in a contentious ladder match. The WWE Tag Team Championship is also on the line; Motor City Machine Guns will face off against champions DIY in a two-out-of-three falls match.In total, 30 wrestlers will compete until one competitor remains in the ring -- that person will be guaranteed a World Championship match at Wrestlemania.Plenty of drama outside of the ring has built to this moment. The friendship of Sami Zayn and Seth Rollins is on the rocks, thanks to some altercations with Roman Reigns and Drew McIntire. John Cena has kicked off his farewell year in the WWE and will hit the ring. Charlotte Flair is back and must contend with formidable opponents like Nia Jax and Liv Morgan.Both Jey Uso and Logan Paul announced their involvement in the Royal Rumble at this week's Raw, making them the newest additions. And what about CM Punk? The man seems to have issues with Rollins, McIntire, Cena and Rhodes, among many others. Needless to say, this will be a Royal Rumble to remember.Read on for more details on Royal Rumble 2025 and how using a VPN may enhance your viewing experience.Read more: 10 of the Best Peacock Shows to Stream Right Now Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens battled at Saturday Night's Main Event in December 2024. The duo will reunite in the ring for a ladder match at Royal Rumble 2025. Getty ImagesRoyal Rumble 2025 date, start time and match cardRoyal Rumble 2025 will begin streaming in the US in English and Spanish on Peacock onSaturday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Since WWE's contract with the streamer lasts till 2026, Peacock is still the official home for tentpole events like these.Here are the confirmed matches for Royal Rumble 2025:Undisputed WWE Championship Ladder Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens.WWE Tag Team Championship Two-Out-Of-Three Falls Match: DIY vs. Motor City Machine GunsMen's Royal Rumble MatchWomen's Royal Rumble MatchConfirmed Men's Rumble competitors:John Cena, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Rey Mysterio, Shinsuke Nakamura, Logan Paul, Chad Gable, Penta and Bron Breakker have officially been announced.Confirmed Female Rumble competitors:Nia Jax, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Liv Morgan, IYO SKY, Ivy Nile and Lyra Valkyria have been announced so far.Watch Royal Rumble in the US CNET Peacock's ad-supported Premium tier costs $8 per month. The mostly ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 a month. Annual Premium and Premium Plus plans will cost you $80 and $140 a year, respectively. See at Peacock How to watch Royal Rumble 2025 outside of the USWhile Netflix subscribers in the US won't be able to watch the 38th Royal Rumble (unless they use a VPN), global subscribers outside of the country can access the event live on the streamer. Fans in countries like the UK, Canada, India, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Germany, Japan, China, Brazil and South Africa will all be able to watch the event live -- which means that viewers in some of these locales will be watching in the middle of the night. Netflix recently increased its subscription prices. The ad-based plan is $8 a month, the Standard plan is $18, and the streamer's Premium plan is $25. If you're a premium subscriber who wants to share your account with someone outside your household, you'll have to pay an extra member fee of $8. See at Netflix How to watch Royal Rumble 2025 with a VPNSo, what if you're traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the matches or want an added layer ofprivacy for streaming? There's an option that doesn't require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use aVPN, or virtual private network.With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the show. If you find yourself unable to watch locally, a VPN can come in handy. It's also a great idea for when you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.Most VPNs, likeCNET's Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to virtually change your location. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other greatVPN deals. James Martin/CNET ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, butyou can save more money if you get an annual subscription.Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. See at Expressvpn

January 31, 20253 min readWho Is Trumps Pick for Acting FAA Chief, Chris Rocheleau?Chris Rocheleau, Trumps pick for acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, has been a longtime agency official and has acknowledged the need to address global warmingBy Mike Lee & E&E News President Donald Trump on Thursday named Chris Rocheleau (right) as acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | President Donald Trump on Thursday tapped an aviation executive with decades of government experience to serve as temporary head of the Federal Aviation Administration. The move was announced hours after a passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing everyone aboard both aircraft.Chris Rocheleau has spent nearly three years at the National Business Aviation Association, a trade group. Beforehand, he worked for more than two decades at the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration, where he was involved in responses to other high-profile disasters such as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.Rocheleau has largely stayed out of the limelight, but in remarks a few years ago, he acknowledged the threat of global warming and the need to address its dangers. The viewpoint could put Rocheleau at odds with other members of the Trump administration; many of them have denied or downplayed the threat of a warming planet.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Climate recognizes no borders, so our success or failure will depend on all of us coming together to explore global solutions, he said during video remarks at a 2021 conference of African aviation officials.The National Business Aviation Association, where Rocheleau served as chief operating officer, lists several issues as its priorities. Those include safety and security, as well as FAA reauthorization and modernization. The group also highlights the need to minimize the aviation industry's environmental impact."While aviation emissions are only a tiny fraction of all transportation emissions, and business aircraft emissions are a small portion of those, the industry has continually leveraged technology to minimize emissions, while improving safety and efficiency," the group says.In response to Rocheleau's selection as acting FAA chief, Ed Bolen, president of the NBAA, said in a statement that the "call to public service resounds deeply with Chris.Industry groups praised Rocheleau as a stabilizing force at a difficult time.Chriss proven, solid experience will provide smart leadership at this vital agency, especially during this critical time for our country, Nicholas Calio, president of Airlines for America, said in a statement.The FAAs primary focus is safety, but its also involved in environmental aspects of aviation, including the development of sustainable aviation fuel. Experts have said too that modernizing the countrys air traffic control system could save on fuel and cut emissions by allowing planes to fly more directly between destinations.Rocheleau will take over an agency thats been strained by a shortage of air traffic controllers and outdated systems, which have contributed to flight delays and capacity restraints at some airports.Until Wednesday, the U.S. airline industry hadnt experienced a fatal crash since 2009, but there have been a series of near-misses at large airports over the last few years, which the industry says shows the need to overhaul the system.Rocheleau was most recently the head of the FAAs safety office, a job he took in 2021 after the previous department head was forced out over the response to the Boeing 737 Max crashes, the Associated Press reported at the time.Rocheleau joined the FAA in 1996 after ten years in the Air Force, according to his Linkedin profile, and became a senior policy adviser at TSA in 2002, a few months after the airport security agency was created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.After returning to the FAA in 2005, he held a series of management positions. He was in the FAAs office for foreign affairs when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down worldwide aviation, according to his Linkedin profile.Rocheleau holds a bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University and a masters from the City University of Seattle. He also completed the executive national security program at Harvards Kennedy School of Government.Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

OpinionJanuary 31, 20254 min readAIs Energy Demands Threaten a Nuclear Waste NightmareReviving nuclear power plants to power AI threatens an avalanche of nuclear wasteBy Michael Riordan edited by Dan VerganoThree Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania was shutdown following the partial meltdown of its Unit 2 reactor (TMI-2) on March 28, 1979. Andre Jenny/Alamy Stock PhotoLong in decline, the U.S. nuclear industry is hoping for resurrection at two sites of its greatest failures: Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania and the Hanford Site in Washington state. Nuclear power, the industry claims, will help satisfy the surging power demands from data centers and the growing AI economy. But such a wrong turn ignores the long-unresolved problems of radioactive nuclear wastes that AI cannot wish away.In September Constellation Energy announced plans to restart a shuttered reactor at Three Mile Island, prodded by Microsoft, which will need many gigawatts of power to perform extensive AI calculations in its expanding fleet of data centers. Amazon followed suit and announced in November that it will invest $334 million to develop small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) at Hanford, site of the worlds first plutonium-production facility.Google and Meta are also hoping to bring nuclear power back. In October 2024 Google announced it eventually plans to purchase 500 megawatts of electricity from Kairos Power, which is developing a novel SMR in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on the site of the national lab that long refined uranium for the nuclear industry. And Facebook parent Meta is seeking bids for nuclear power plants for its data centers.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.These tech giants recognize that the next generation of microprocessors to be used for AI calculations at data centers will require oodles of electricity to power and cool them. A single Nvidia Blackwell chip, for example, can draw up to two kilowatts, more than what is needed for a typical house. Cram thousands of them in servers inside a data center, and they will need as much power as a small city.So-called hyperscale data centers require over 100 megawatts (100 MW)a sizeable fraction of the output of a major power plant. And that power should be cheap, steady and reliable.An authoritative December 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Energy, written by energy experts at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is especially illuminating. The growth in U.S. data-center energy usage over the next five years, they state, would correspond to a total power demand for data centers between 74 and 132 [gigawatts]. That would represent some 7 to 12 percent of the U.S. electricity consumption forecast for 2028.Where on Earth is all this power going to come from? Given the challenges electric utilities face in supplying electricity to meet other growing needs, including electric vehicles, its small wonder that big tech has turned back to the atomic nucleus. But the power demands outlined in the DOE report would require building or resurrecting the equivalent of at least 40 Three Mile Island reactors over the next five years. Thats impossible.Several years ago Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft promised not to exacerbate atmospheric carbon-dioxide levels. But that laudable goal is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve, given their data centers' exploding electricity consumption. So they have instead begun touting a return to nuclear power to avert this thorny problem. Thats a huge mistake.Nuclear power is indeed a source of carbon-emission-free energy, but it is hardly a clean energy source, and it is definitely not renewable. All along the uranium supply chainfrom mining to enrichment to the fabrication of fuel rods or pelletsopportunities abound for radioactive releases. In South Texas, for example, landowners worry about contamination of their groundwater by renewed uranium mining activities nearby.Since 1989, the DOE has spent hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars cleaning up the original nuclear complexincluding the gargantuan Oak Ridge factory that enriched much of the uranium used for commercial nuclear power. And despite decades of trying, the department has yet to fully clean up and dismantle the oozing, disintegrating tanks of highly radioactive wastes left over from plutonium processing at Hanford.The storage and containment of spent nuclear fuel is in fact the crucial unresolved challenge of the U.S. nuclear industry. Over 90,000 tons of these wastes are stored at 77 sites in 35 statesan amount increasing by over 2,000 tons a year.Small modular reactors, promoted by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and others, will only add to this growing burden. As former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) chair Allison Macfarlane and Rodney C. Ewing of Stanford University stated, In some cases these new reactors may make it worse by creating more waste thats more costly to manage, new kinds of complex waste, or just more waste, period.Elsewhere, Macfarlane stressed the procedural and practical difficulties faced by novel nuclear reactor technologies in gaining NRC acceptance and achieving commercial success. Shortly after it had received NRC certification in 2023, for example, the much-touted NuScale SMR project was abandoned after anticipated construction costs more than doubled to $9.3 billion. Leaving aside the waste problem, a commercially successful SMR design is probably over a decade away.But the relentless AI gold rush, if left unchecked, will impose unattainable demands on projected power supplies well before that. Meanwhile, electricity rates will rise inexorably in light of the law of supply and demand. That looming energy crisis explains big techs efforts to slow shutdowns of fossil-fueled power plants and to resurrect shuttered reactors.Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft executives should instead take a deep breath and begin reevaluating their options. Do they really need to build and upgrade data centers at such a breakneck pace? Or is this devil-take-the-hindmost AI arms race just the result of bitter competition, prodded by recent advances in semiconductor technology?And what about the truly clean, renewable energy sources they once embracedespecially solar, wind and geothermal? Yes, the variability of solar and wind energy makes them a poor match to the steady power requirements of data centers. But energy storage has come a long way recently and has a promising future. And the recent startling success of the Chinese DeepSeek AI program demonstrates that software efficiency will play an important role in this effort.Given the dark clouds still lingering over nuclear power, especially its unresolved waste problem, these renewable alternatives deserve renewed consideration.This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn't even out, but a movie adaptation is already in the works. Read more

The Sims 1 & 2 re-releases are out now, and you can get both for 35All expansions included.Image credit: EA/Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 31, 2025 After a bit of cheeky teasing earlier in the week that had The Sims fans positively salivating, EA has turn speculation into truth: The Sims 1 & 2 are getting re-releases to celebrate the series' 25th anniversary. And better yet, they're out today on PC.The Sims 1 & 2 have, of course, long been unavailable in an official capacity on PC, with the 25-year-old original never getting a digital release and its sequel's short-lived Ultimate Collection being yanked from Origin in 2018. A report earlier this week, however - which coincided with some not-entirely-subtle teasing from EA - suggested that was about to change. And now it's official. The Sims: Legacy Collection and The Sims 2: Legacy Collection are both available for purchase on PC from today, each providing access to their respective base game and all subsequent expansions. Additionally, EA has released The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle, containing both Legacy Collections and The Sims 4 base game.The Sims & The Sims 2 Legacy Collections reveal trailer.Watch on YouTubeIf you're ready to be catapulted back to the year 2000, The Sims: Legacy Collection costs 17.99 and includes The Sims 1, plus its Living' Large, House Party, Hot Date, Vacation, Unleashed, Superstar, and Makin' Magic packs. It also comes with the Throwback Fit Kit for The Sims 4. The Sims 2: Legacy Collection, meanwhile, costs 24.99 and includes the 2005 base game, The Sims 4's Grunge Revival Kit, plus all the following The Sims 2 expansion packs:The Sims 2: UniversityThe Sims 2: NightlifeThe Sims 2: Open for BusinessThe Sims 2: PetsThe Sims 2: Bon VoyageThe Sims 2: SeasonsThe Sims 2: FreeTimeThe Sims 2: Apartment LifeThe Sims 2: Holiday Party PackThe Sims 2: Family Fun StuffThe Sims 2: Glamour Life StuffThe Sims 2: Happy Holiday StuffThe Sims 2: Celebration! StuffThe Sims 2: H&M Fashion StuffThe Sims 2: Teen Style StuffThe Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design StuffThe Sims 2: Mansion & Garden StuffAnd if you want to go all-in, The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle is 34.99. All packs are available for purchase on Steam, the EA App, and The Epic Games Store, and EA Play Pro members on the EA App get access to both collections from today.All this arrives as part of EA's 25th anniversary celebrations for The Sims, which climaxes next Tuesday, 4th February, with a 25-hour livestream. A "huge" free 25th anniversary update for The Sims 4 - adding 70+ new items and a new limited-time event - arrives on the same day, and the MySims: Cozy Bundle that released on Switch last year is coming to PC on 18th March. Now we just need something The Sims 3-related and the celebrations will be complete.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereSony Interactive Entertainment has officially DMCAd a Bloodborne 60fps patch that allowed the beloved soulslike game to run at higher framerates on more powerful hardware.While the patch has been used by some emulated versions of the game, the original release of the fan-made patch was to allow higher framerates on PS4 Pro, PS5 and now PS5 Pro. Available only to use on modded systems and emulators, Sony has decided to take down the harmless project via a legal takedown notice.Sony kills Bloodborne 60fps modAnnounced by patch creator Lance McDonald, Sony Interactive Entertainment sent a DMCA takedown notice for the past almost four years after it released to the public.On February 21st, 2021, I created and released a patch for Bloodborne which makes the game run at 60fps, the talented modder told fans on Twitter. Today I received a DMCA takedown notification on behalf of Sony Interactive Entertainment asking that I remove links to the patch I posted on the internet, so Ive now done so.The 60fps patch for the popular Soulslike game hasnt been obscure knowledge for gamers in the know. After its release in 2021, countless articles and videos on the topic surfaced, including a full breakdown by Digital Foundry.In fact, as creator Lance McDonald points out, the mod was even known about by ex-SEI president Shuhei Yoshida. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now I met [Yoshida] and said to him I make mods for PlayStation games, McDonald tweeted in October 2024. And he said oh!. And I said I made the 60fps mod for Bloodborne and he laughed so hard. Beautiful to meet him, such a wonderful person.While fans have clamoured for a paid remaster, a PC port, or even a patch to unlock the games framerate on new hardware, Sony has failed to answer those requests. For many, this patch was all the best way to play an already amazing game, but now it can only exist through dodgy forum posts and backups.BloodbornePlatform(s):PlayStation 4Genre(s):Action, RPG10VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Cher is an undeniable powerhouse with a record-breaking career spanning over seven decades in entertainment. But before she was known worldwide as Cher, she was Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierean aspiring performer with stage fright, eager to break into Hollywood. Born in 1946, the El Centro, Californianative was raised primarily by her mother Georgia Holt, a model and actor. Chers early life was marked by poverty and abuse, but those hardships didnt prevent her from finding stardom in the 1960s when she, alongside her husband-slash-manager Salvatore Sonny Bono, rose to prominence as the legendary musical duo Sonny & Cher. In the years that followed, Cher struck out on her own as a soloist, churning out number-one hits like Believe and If I Could Turn Back Time before taking on big-screen roles that would land her two Oscar nominations and one win.In her 2024 tell-all, Cher: The Memoir, Part One, the performer details her tumultuous upbringing, the beginnings of her prolific career, and her leap into acting. Throughout all her time in the spotlight, shes built an expansive real estate portfolio in the Golden State. For Cher, each property is an opportunity to showcase her mastery of total reinvention, and her philosophy as an artist carries over into her interiors tastes, where she intentionally makes no two properties the same. I dont know where people go to get that rule, Thou shalt be one thing and one thing only for thy entire life, she told AD in 1989. To tide you over until Cher: The Memoir, Part Two drops this November, we rounded up some snapshots of the stars life away from the spotlight in the 60s and 70s.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images1/15Humble beginnings in EncinoCher, pictured here at age 19 in this 1966 photo, is seen posing next to Bono outside of their Los Angeles home. They purchased the single-level, flat-roof home in the LA neighborhood of Encino. The pair initially met at a coffee shop and later moved in with each otherwith Cher as a housekeeper in Bonos one-bedroom Hollywood Hills padbefore becoming a couple. In 1964, they had an unofficial wedding ceremony in Tijuana, Mexico, though they wouldnt legally tie the knot until five years later.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images2/15The rise of Sonny & CherCher and Bono first achieved commercial success as the musical duo Sonny & Cher thanks to their 1965 hit I Got You Babe, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and was later dubbed one of the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone. Bono reportedly drew inspiration from their homes San Fernando Valley view to write what would become some of the duos biggest hits, including The Beat Goes On and Its the Little Things. The latter track was featured in their 1967 movie Good Times, which included scenes filmed at the home itself.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images3/15Nouveau riche lifeCher and Bono were frequently bombarded by fans at their Encino residence, as shown in this image of the two signing autographs. In her 1998 memoir The First Time, she admitted that their careers around this time were far from glamorous. (As Bono put it in a 1995 episode of Rock & Roll In the Groove, once the duos initial success plateaued, their situation became funny in a sad way.) We were famous but had no money. I guess we were trying to appear established. We were nouveau riche, but better nouveau than never, Cher later wrote in The First Time.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images4/15Encino livingCher and Bono are photographed here posing on the balcony of their Encino home. The 3,250-square-foot property boasted three bedrooms and an outdoor pool. Chers eclectic style was woven throughout the homes decor choices, from shag carpeting to elaborate fringe curtains in the dining room. The couple were also neighbors to a handful of celebrities, including game show host Dennis James, singer Bobby Sherman, and Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. of the Fifth Dimension. The home was most recently purchasedand renovatedsometime in the early 2000s by architect Kenneth David Lee.Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images5/15S and CPictured here are Cher and Bono sitting atop the balcony railings of their home, with Bono holding onto a guitar and a sweeping waterfront view behind them. To this day, a section of wrought iron fencing in the backyard of their former Encino home is reportedly still etched with the monogram of the duo, S and C.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images6/15A fresh startSonny and I looked at each other: We were already sold, Cher said in The First Time of touring the Moorish-style mansion at which shes shown here in 1968. When we got back to the car, I just said, Son. And he said, I know. All right. Well swing this. The pair moved in a few weeks later, after buying the Bel-Air home for $250,000 from actor Tony Curtis. The 34-room property on Cloud Road boasted luxury amenities including a wood-paneled library and an outdoor swimming pool. Around the time of the purchase, Sonny and Cher were dropped from their recording contract with Atco Records. Cher released her album Backstage this same year, and then, in 1969, she put out 3614 Jackson Highwaythe address of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, where the album was recordedwithout the supervision of Bono. Despite the budding success of her solo career, Bono prevented Cher, then 21 years old, from releasing more solo music with the label.Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images7/15Firstborn in Bel-AirThough their relationship was unraveling at this time, the couple married not long after Cher gave birth to their first and only child together, Chaz Bono, in 1969. Looking back, I wonder where the hell Sonny went the first night I came home with our baby, but at the time I was too tired and weak to even think, she wrote in Cher: The Memoir, Part One. She details the struggle of being alone in the house with her newborn, where she lost consciousness on the bathroom floor due to a hemorrhage. Despite his not being there, I have to say that Sonny was supportive and concerned, maybe out of guilt for wherever the hell hed been at a time when I so needed him.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images8/15A blessing in disguiseCher lounges on a yellow paisley sofa in this 1968 image, captured a year before the singer starred in Chastity, a film written and produced by Bono about a young woman searching for the meaning of life. The duo reportedly mortgaged one of their homes and spent $500,000 to make the 1969 film, which tanked commercially and resulted in $190,000 of debt and back taxes. Despite its financial failure, multiple critics took note of Chers acting potential in the role.Photo: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via Getty Images9/15The Sonny & Cher Comedy HourSonny and Cher reached a low point in the late 60s. The couple performed at nightclubs in hopes of reviving their careers with a new adult sound. Instead, their revamp resulted in heckling from the audienceand in turn, Cher would snark back. That back-and-forth dynamic became the duos main attraction in future performances and eventually landed them their own variety show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which debuted in 1971 on CBS. The production often included scenes shot in the duos own mansion and quickly became a success, garnering over 30 million viewers in its three-year run.Photo: CBS via Getty Images10/15Owlwood EstateAmid the shows success, Curtis, who was relocating to London at the time, offered Cher and Bono yet another one of his Los Angelesarea homes: the Owlwood Estate in Holmby Hills. In 1974, the duo purchased the property for $750,000. The house was originally built by architect Robert D. Farquhar in 1936 and featured nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, an elevator, and an elaborate spiral staircase. The 12,200-square-feet property would become the pairs most extravagant home.Photo: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via Getty Images11/15Life together, separatedHere, Cher and Bono are photographed in their Italian Renaissancestyle home for Womens Wear Daily. The couple divorced in 1974, but it was reported that they remained in the sprawling pad together for a time due to threats from CBS to cancel their show if either of them moved out. They allegedly lived on separate ends of the house with their child, as well as Chers beau at the time, her guitarist Bill Hamm, and Sonnys girlfriend, socialite Connie Foreman. In 1975, Cher took full ownership of the mansion in their divorce settlement.Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images12/15A new eraBy 1977, Cher had catapulted into solo superstardom, with hits like Dark Lady and a Golden Globe under her belt for best actress in The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Four days after finalizing her divorce with Bono, she married Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band, whos pictured here in repose with the singer. Her first date with Allman was one of the worst nights of [her] dating life, she writes in Cher: The Memoir, Part One. When Gregory tried to kiss me, I told him to stop. Whoa, dude, I said. You know what, why dont you just take me home?Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images13/15The Egyptian fortressDespite Allmans struggles with substance abuse, the two forged on with their relationship and would eventually welcome a child, Elijiah Blue Allman. Above, Cher is seen holding Elijiah at her Beverly Hills home, also known as the Egyptian fortressa moniker inspired by Chers grand and gilded decor.Photo: Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images14/15Beverly Hills dwellingCher is seen kicking back here in her Beverly Hills pad, a 20,000-square-foot house complete with brick accent walls and wood-beamed ceilings. The property was also equipped with a 7,000-square-foot Moroccan-style guesthouse, five stables, two riding rings, and a tennis court. That was the only house I ever had any real emotional ties to, Cher told AD in 1992. The singer later sold the estate to Eddie Murphy for an unknown amount in the 80s.Photo: Harry Benson15/15An AD-featured abodeMy houses are [my] passions, Cher said in her 2010 cover story with AD. The pop phenomenon has credited her longtime friend, interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, for helping her bring her eclectic interior visions to life over the years. Here, she sits in her Los Angeles home: a two-floor, 4,000-square-foot mansion with a neutral palette and recurring nods to Buddhist aesthetics. The singer told AD that she scrapped the houses original 12 rooms in favor of a more open, loft-like space. I always wanted an apartment that was one big bedroom because thats really where I live, starting from the days when Sonny and I could only afford a bedroom, she said. She parted ways with the home in 2020.