The first trailer forAndor season two dropped today, giving us a long-awaited look at Cassians returnand a rebellion coalescing into full, explosive effect. Its full of tiny little glimpses of what we know are going to to be four distinct chapters setting the year-by-year stage for the Cassian we met inRogue One, familiar faces from the first season, and even a few intriguingStar Wars Easter eggs. Heres everything we spotted. The Many Lives of Cassian Andor Lucasfilm The clever opening cuts between several shots of Cassians back, and individual acts of rebellion, that seem to presumably pull on the broader structure of season two. We now know that the 12-episode season will be split up into four chapters of three episodes each, with each tale jumping by around a year between 4BBY and 0BBYending Andor just days before the beginning ofRogue One. Those four distinct eras are marked here: Cassian in a slick, fancy disguise on a planet of white structures and what appears to be a busy transport hub (that descends into chaos rather rapidly, more on that later); Cassian in a more Andor-esque leather jacket in a moody interior (that cuts to him disabling some kind of large cargo transport sled); an even moodier interior of a more claustrophobic, dingy corridor that seems to match up with some the shots we see later with Saw Gerrera (which cuts to Cassian, seemingly again, as he casually executes an Imperial guard in a spartan facility). That all then cuts to The Eve ofRogue One Lucasfilm Cassian, at the Massassi Temple, an agent of the unified Rebel Alliance on the precipice of an all-out galactic civil war. This is, presumably, the final arc of the show, the one we know that will culminate just days before Rogue One andA New Hope are set to begin. How do we know that, beyond the fact that Cassians clearly on Yavin IV? Well, hes wearing part of hisRogue One costume: the jacket is the one we see Cassian wear in the opening of the movie where he meets his contract at a station in the Rings of Kafrene, and the undershirt is one he wears throughout the film until his very end. Fight or Win Lucasfilm Were in a war, Cassian growls to someone over a series of shots. You wanna fight, or win? He seems to be doing a bit of boththese all appear to come from the same arc, and are all built around elements wed seen previously teased: theres an agri-world, covered in oceans of crops that we see Stormtroopers blasting at an unknown figure running through. We see whoever Cassians talking to, as he himself is dressed in an Imperial disguise wed seen in previous promo images of him stealing the final element of this brief montage: a prototype TIE Fighter, from which we see Cassian unload a salvo of rockets to blow a vehicle up in those aforementioned crop fields. That prototype TIE, while still unofficially named, canonizes the overall design of what was formerly known as the TIE Avenger. Introduced in the classic simulation gameTIE Fighter in 1994, the ship was the EUs iteration on Darth Vaders TIE Advance, an experimental prototype that represented the potential future of space superiority fighter craft in the Imperial Navy: a capable ship-to-ship dogfighter that married high speed, an improved arsenal of blaster and heavy payload armaments, and deflector shielding, all in one package.Three Faces of Rebellion Lucasfilm The next trio of shots are very interesting. We get a quick glimpse of Saw, looking much more like he does inRogue One than he did inAndors first season, suggesting well meet him again a little later in season twos chronology after some crucial events (more on that later). The next is of Mon Mothma, wearing an elegant gown as shes surrounded by crowds of similarly elegantly dressed dancers at a party (more on that later). The last is of Luthen Rael, seemingly back in his foppish disguise as an antiquities dealer and more on thatright now, because this is the only shot we actually get of him in the entire trailer. This is very interesting, not just because Luthen was such a major character in season one. But because hes also the character we largely know the least about, here. We know where Mon Mothma ends up by the original trilogy. We know where Saw ends up, too, for better or worsesame for Cassian. Luthen is a free radical in many ways, but its especially going to be intriguing to see what he ultimately contributes to the formation of the broader Alliance as we come to know it, as a revolutionary and political entity. For now, Andor is giving us very few clues.The Revolution Starts Now Lucasfilm Cool insurrectionists dont look at explosions. But tropes aside, the intriguing confirmation here is that Cassians rebellious actions will, at some point, see Bix directly partner with him. Season one ended with him saving her from Imperial interrogation and getting her (alongside Brasso, who we also see in this trailer later) whisked away from Ferrixbut it looks like season two is going to give us a look at how she herself is forged into an agent of rebellion. We Stand Here Amidst His Achievement Lucasfilm As if to remind us where this is all ultimately heading again, we get some satisfyingly smug shots ofAndors biggest cameo yet: the return of Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic. We already know from previous teases that Krennic and Dedra are going to butt heads this season, but were also clearly going to see some of the earlier stages of Krennics work on developing the Death Star, now in much closer-to-operational state than when we saw it at the end of season one. The Partisan Front Lucasfilm The next shot features a grim perspective: a corpse in the foreground as X-Wings and another ship are seen in the background. We see that ship a little later in another shot entering hyperspace, and while its hard to tell specifics, it has a lot of design similarities to the Aurore-class freighter, a class of ship that first appeared in Clone Wars as a ship in regular use by the Zygerrian empire.But the thing to note here is that the X-Wings carry the distinctive black-and-white livery of the Partisans, Saw Gerreras guerrilla faction. Given that when we met Saw inAndors first season, he was struggling to acquire material and needed convincing to work on operations with other disparate rebel cells, it seems like that when we meet him in season two, the Partisan front is going to be much more readily establishedand, presumably at this point, already largely distanced from the broader Rebel Alliance as it pushed its own, more aggressive path to resistance against the Empire. Prelude to a Massacre Lucasfilm The port city Cassian is seen at throughout this trailer is also shown repeatedly to eventually devolve into absolute chaos. Theres bodies everywhere, Stormtroopers firing indiscriminately, complete carnage. The timing of Andors second season, and even a few potential teases from the first, could indicate that this will be our first on-screen look at a fundamental moment in the Rebellions history: the Ghorman Massacre.Taking place in 2BBY, the Ghorman Massacre saw Imperial forces slaughter crowds of civilians engaging in peaceful protest on the planet Ghorman, after years of crisis over Imperial control of shipping lanes around the world. The massacre sparked Mon Mothmas public withdrawal from the Imperial Senate, and the formal declaration of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, openly uniting a series of rebel cells across the galaxy into the organized rebellion against the Empire as seen inRebels third season. Kleyas Rage Lucasfilm Luthen might not be in this trailer much, but thisvery intriguing shot of his assistant and fellow operative Kleya might give us a better picture of his final fateconsidering she looks incredibly upset and absolutely furious to see Cassian, its clear something very bad has happened. Brasso! Lucasfilm Sadly hes got no brick to beat them up with this time, but four Stormtroopers vs. one Brasso is a fight were itching to see, even if hes getting pretty manhandled here. Interesting to note that the agricultural environment here seems to place Brasso on whatever world Cassian uses the TIE Avenger on. Is this the world Cassian got him and Bix sent to after the riots on Ferrix? Does that mean the young person being chased by troopers earlier in the trailer might be Wilmon Paak, the kid of the salvage shop owner on Ferrix?Not Quite a Soldier, Not Quite a Trooper Lucasfilm This very interesting moment matches up with that tight corridor we saw Cassian roaming through in that opening montage of shots, but from an altogether more antagonistic perspective: Imperial soldiers, who are wearing a fascinating mishmash of Imperial army gear (as seen on the many soldiers we saw inAndorseason one, like those stationed on Aldhani and the riot officers sent to Ferrix) and the white plastoid armor plating of Stormtroopers. This doesnt appear to be an impromptu get-up out of necessity, as we also see similarly dressed troopers in the background of another shot shortlyare they a sort of stepping stone between the regular forces of the Imperial ground army and the Stormtrooper Corps? Its interesting to note that while Stormtroopers themselves were pretty spartan in Andor season one, theyre much more prevalent in all this footage, showing just how Imperial response to insurgency is going to escalate over this period of time. Dedras Back, and Very Annoyed Lucasfilm Speaking of that other shot! We see another one of these hybrid-troopers milling around in the background of another familiar face only given single glimpse here: the return of Dedra Meero. In true Dedra style, shes clearly ticked off about something. Cassian slipping out of her fingers? Krennic getting under her skin. Syril being well, Syril? Well have to wait and see. Krennics Intriguing Orbit Lucasfilm Speaking of the good director, this next glimpse of him in a slightly swankier get-up is interesting less for him, and more for whos in the blurry fringes. Well get a much better, and equally brief, look later on in the trailer, but this certainly appears to be Davos Sculden in the blue robes, the seedy Chandrilan mobster Mon Mothma is forced to deal with to secure clandestine ways to funnel money to the Rebellion. And seemingly Mon herself on the left of the shot, looking a little more like her appearances in Rogue One andReturn of the Jedi.Welcome to Chandrila? Lucasfilm After a brief glimpse of the TIE Avenger causing chaos in an Imperial facility (no doubt at Cassians hands) as it guns down a bunch of Stormtroopers, we get a few shots of Mon Mothma furiously dancing at that party we saw her at early on in the trailer. Thismight be our very first look at her homeworld, Chandrila, on-screenthe attire certainly matches the aesthetic we regularly saw Mon and Perrin enrobe themselves in in season one. Might we visit the world to see the traditional customs that will see Mons daughter Lieda wedded to Sculdens son? The Revolution Will Be Televised Lucasfilm Speaking of Sculden and Mon though, were seemingly back on Coruscant here, and that event we see Krennic attendingwe get a clearer shot of Sculden welcoming Mon and Perrin, and its clearer too that Mon has had a bit of a trim compared to what we just saw on her homeworld. Yes, the pixie cut from Rogue One that Mon will seemingly wear for the entirety of the Galactic Civil War is making its debut here. Style icon!Hello, K2 Lucasfilm We knew he was coming this season, and wed got to see him briefly in our first public look at season two a few months ago, but yes, Cassians ex-Imperial droid bestie is back! Presumably were going to see just how Cassian and K-2SO teamed up this seasonIm sure no trauma around Cassians brutal arrest on Niamos at the hands of another KX security droid will be involved. and Syril, We Guess Lucasfilm Another one-shot wonder in this trailer, our first and only look at Syril Karn is suitably dweeby, as he haughtily scampers through a group of Imperial technicians. Clearly hes gone up in the world since saving Dedra on Ferrix but will he have really wanted to, we wonder, considering his formal attire and the environment suggest that hes in that port city that could potentially be Ghorman based on the other shots in the trailer. Will everyones least-favorite little freak meet his untimely end there?The Making of Melshi Lucasfilm Another brief glimpse, another familiar face: this time itsRogue Ones Ruescott Melshi, who we saw liberated from Narkina Five thanks to Cassians help last season. Although we last saw him and Cassian parting ways on Niamos after theyd managed to flee the Imperial prison, it seems Melshis still going to be caught up in chaos heremakes sense, considering that, like Cassian, we know hes going to be signing up for the Rebellion. Clarity of Purpose Lucasfilm The trailer climaxes with another fast montage of action shots: more of the TIE Avenger going crazy, more of the carnage on maybe-Ghorman, Cassian being blasted around as hes smacked up against walls and careening over surfaces, Bix fighting an Imperial officer hand-to-hand. Theres even a shot of the most chaotic force of all, Syrils mother Eedy, for good measure! But the trailer ends with a moment of dialogue from Saw, as he shakes inspirational sense what appears to be one of his own partisans. Youre here, right here, and youre ready tofight! We already have a lot of evidence in this trailer that whatever arc we get with Saw in this season is going to be after hes largely cut ties with the broader Rebel Alliancea moment we got to see coalesce in Rebels. But its going to be interesting to see just how Saw makes his case to his forces that his way is the right way, especially knowing how it all tragically plays out for the partisans byRogue One. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Isaac Schultz Published February 24, 2025 | Comments (0) | A view of a sailing boat during cloudy weather and sunset in San Francisco, California, United States on August 17, 2024. Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) just launched an AI-powered forecasting model, which the center says outperforms state-of-the-art physics-based models by up to 20%. The model is dubbed the Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS). According to an ECMWF release, the new model operates at faster speeds than physics-based models and takes approximately 1,000 times less energy to make a forecast. The ECMWF, now in its 50th year of operation, produced ENS, one of the worlds leading medium-range weather prediction models. Medium-range forecasting includes weather predictions made between three days and 15 days in advance, but ECMWF also forecasts weather up to a year ahead. Weather forecast models are essential for states and local governments to stay prepared for extreme weather eventsas well as for more daily needs, like knowing what the weather will be like on your upcoming vacation.Traditional weather prediction models make forecasts by solving physics equations. A limitation of these models is that they are approximations of atmospheric dynamics. A compelling aspect of AI-driven models is that they could learn more complex relationships and dynamics in weather patterns directly from the data, rather than relying only on previously known and documented equations. The ECMWFs announcement comes on the heels of Google DeepMinds GenCast model for AI-powered weather prediction, the next iteration of Googles weather prediction software that includes NeuralGCM and GraphCast. GenCast outperformed ENS, the ECMWFs leading weather prediction model, on 97.2% of targets across different weather variables. With lead times greater than 36 hours, GenCast was more accurate than ENS on 99.8% of targets.But the European Center is innovating, too. The launch of AIFS-single is just the first operational version of the system. This is a huge endeavour that ensures the models are running in a stable and reliable way, said Florian Pappenberger, Director of Forecasts and Services at ECMWF, in the center release. At the moment, the resolution of the AIFS is less than that of our model (IFS), which achieves 9 km [5.6-mile] resolution using a physics-based approach.We see the AIFS and IFS as complementary, and part of providing a range of products to our user community, who decide what best suits their needs, Pappenberger added. The team will explore hybridizing data-driven and physics-based modeling to improve the organizations ability to predict weather with precision. Physics-based models are key to the current data-assimilation process, said Matthew Chantry, Strategic Lead for Machine Learning at ECMWF and Head of the Innovation Platform, in an email to Gizmodo. This same data-assimilation process is also vital to initialize every day machine learning models, and allow them to make forecasts.One of the next frontiers for machine learning weather forecasting is this data-assimilation step, which if solved would mean that the full weather forecasting chain could be based on machine learning, Chantry added. Chantry is a co-author of a study awaiting peer review that describes a data-driven, end-to-end forecast system that does not rely on physics-based reanalysis.Called GraphDOP, the system uses observable quantities such as brightness temperatures from polar orbiters to form a coherent latent representation of Earth System state dynamics and physical processes, the team wrote, and is capable of producing skillful predictions of relevant weather parameters up to five days into the future. Integrating artificial intelligence methods with physics-driven weather prediction modeling is a promising venue for more precise forecasting. Testing to date indicates that AI-powered forecasting can outperform historical models, but so far those models have relied on reanalysis data. Observations on the ground were essential for training the models, and it remains to be seen just how impressive the technologys forecasting abilities will be when its forced to go off-script.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published February 24, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published February 21, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 20, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 20, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published February 15, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 14, 2025

Aina Community Restroom / NaaV StudioSave this picture! Vivek EadaraArchitects: naav studioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:1100 ftYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Vivek Eadara Lead Architects: Varsha Reddy & Niharika Veerabommala More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Set within a larger eco-conscious event space, the community restroom is designed to be more than just a utility - it is an extension of its surroundings. The event space itself is built on the principles of sustainability and minimal intervention, allowing nature to take precedence. Every structure within it is carefully designed to belong to the land, using materials and techniques that embrace, rather than disrupt, the environment.Save this picture!The siting of the restroom block, nestled amidst a grove of mango trees, was intentionally chosen to blend seamlessly with nature. Instead of clearing the landscape, the design works around it, allowing the trees to dictate the form. One tree, in particular, stands at the center of the space, framed by an open window that draws the outdoors in, ensuring that even within an enclosed space, nature remains present.Save this picture!The exterior materials were selected to merge with the natural setting. Rammed earth walls, built using the very soil from the site, give the structure an organic quality, allowing it to rise from the ground as though it has always belonged there. The roof is a combination of mild steel and tin sheets, providing both structure and thermal comfort. To soften this and create a more tactile experience, locally sourced handwoven bamboo mats stretch across the entire ceiling, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow throughout the day.Save this picture!Save this picture!The layout of the restroom is simple yet intentional. A large communal sink serves as the central element, dividing the space into male and female sections. Carved entirely from rust-hued granite, the sink is more than a functional fixture - it is a sculptural piece. Artisans shaped and balanced it to create a seamless, monolithic form, making it feel less like an installation and more like a natural extension of the space itself. This same granite extends to the flooring, grounding the entire structure with its rich, earthy tone.Save this picture!Save this picture!Inside, the material palette continues to embrace warmth and restraint. The deep-toned doors blend seamlessly with the muted, textured walls, ensuring a sense of cohesion throughout. Slit windows punctuate the structure, allowing soft daylight and fresh air to filter in while maintaining privacy. There is a quiet simplicity to the space - one that does not demand attention but instead invites a sense of ease. Designed to disappear into its surroundings, this restroom is a testament to how architecture can coexist with nature. It does not impose itself but rather allows the landscape to lead, creating a space that feels both rooted and effortless.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Hyderabad, Telangana, IndiaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officenaav studioOfficePublished on February 25, 2025Cite: "Aina Community Restroom / NaaV Studio" 24 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027185/aina-community-restroom-naav-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

The first case of bird flu in cattle was reported on March 25, 2024. In less than a year, the virus has hit 973 herds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) first issued an order to test cows that farmers intended to move between states last April. Then, in December 2024, the agency issued a federal order for milk testing. The order stipulated that unpasteurized milk samples be collected from dairy processing facilities nationwide and tested, with the results being shared with the USDA. Since then, the virus has been detected in 17 states: 747 herds in California, 64 in Colorado, 35 in Idaho, 31 in Michigan, 27 in Texas, 13 each in Iowa and Utah, nine each in Minnesota and New Mexico, seven each in Nevada and South Dakota, four in Kansas, two in Oklahoma, and one each in Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wyoming.Monitoring the Spread of the VirusComplicating matters, it is unclear how many CDC employees are still employed to monitor the spread of the virus and how many USDA workers are still on the job to conduct the milk testing orders. The good news is, that, for cows, the disease is seldom deadly (or as public health officials say, highly pathogenic). The bad news is that there is now more than one form circulating among dairy herds. Until early 2025, only one genotype showed up in milk. Since then, there has been another.Many farmers and scientists have remained unsure about just how the virus spreads: direct contact with milk, eggs, or meat? Is it in animal excrement? Droplets from sneezes?If any or all of those transmission methods were effective, strategies like sequestering farm animals could, in theory, slow the spread. But a new study, if true, is a bearer of bad news. A preprint biology paper suggests that the virus could be spread by the wind. If that theory holds up to scrutiny, sequestration strategies will be less effective.Human-to-Human Transmission?The virus has been spreading in humans as well but not as rapidly as in poultry or dairy cows, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. So far, 69 people in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus. Of those, 23 cases involved poultry farm workers, and 41 involved dairy farm workers. Since the outbreak in dairy cattle began, infection with avian influenza virus type A (H5) has been confirmed in 69 people in the United States. Twenty-three of these cases involved poultry farm workers exposed to infected poultry in Washington (11 cases), Colorado (9 cases) and Iowa, Oregon, and Wisconsin (1 case each). Forty-one other cases involved dairy farm workers exposed to sick or infected cows 36 in California, two in Michigan, one each in Colorado, Nevada, and Texas.The virus has also been detected in other animals, including at least one domestic cat, two pigs, and two ferrets. The CDC continues to maintain that, thus far, there has been no signs of human-to-human transmission.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Current Situation: Bird Flu in Dairy CowsU.S. Department of Agriculture. Federal OrdersU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. H5 Bird Flu: Current SituationBefore joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

Obviously the LoopTools Relax should be used first, before extruding.Andrew Price:Shear first THEN extrude

Re @over_flip @VertexRage It does matter, as @VertexRage points out, on what material has it been trained, though.

For those of you interested in quickly assembling landscapes in Blender, you can find my entire "landbashing" workflow on YouTube. #b3dClassy Dog:Finally, after nearly 5 years, I have a new YouTube video for you all! If you're interested in learning how to create sprawling landscapes in Blender, give it a watch! #b3d (Link in the comments below)

Re @sherif_a_dawoud Wow, it reminds me a lot of a painting! Not just the colors and lighting but the forms and shapes. Was that your intention?

Before BioWare released Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, or Dragon Age Origins, it revisited the world of Dungeons & Dragons in 2002 with Neverwinter Nights. In the nearly 23 years since its release, Neverwinter Nights has remained popular with players who have supported the title with fan-made mods. Now, there's a new expansion for Neverwinter Nights called Doom of Icewind Dale, and it's officially authorized by Wizards of the Coast.Doom of Icewind Dale was developed by Luke Scull, a game developer who got his start as a modder for Neverwinter Nights before joining Ossian Studios and working on the official expansion for Neverwinter Nights 2, Mysteries of Westgate. Scull also established himself as a fantasy author outside of the gaming realm, and he's crafted Doom of Icewind Dale as the first installment of a new multi-part storyline called The Blades of Netheril.A screencap from Doom of Icewind Dale.Gallery The story for Doom of Icewind Dale begins around two decades after Neverwinter Nights' campaign with the player's character left for dead and their memories stripped away. From there, players have to reclaim their identity, figure out why they were abducted, and "uncover a sinister plot to unleash a rage-filled godling upon the North."Continue Reading at GameSpot