Enter the breathtakingly beautiful world of The Deep Above: First Hunt, where a huge ocean towers over humans as they struggle in the dark, longing for the warm glow of the Lumathans, enormous sea monsters who are revered as gods. The talent behind the stunning settings, elaborate creature designs, and captivating cinematography that realize this epic vision is shown in this VFX breakdown.This video, which is set a century before The Deep Above Last Lights, offers a glimpse into a vast cosmos created by a gifted group of animators, visual effects specialists, and painters. Discover the complex fusion of innovative visual effects and narrative that makes this production genuinely exceptional.The post The Deep Above First Hunt VFX Breakdown (2024) appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Red One received a sleigh full of visual effects magic from Rodeo FX over the most recent Christmas season. The team created a vast North Pole city full of fast-paced action, from building a unique sleigh for Santa to putting together a whole reindeer crew.Garcia, the tall polar bear agent who was intended to be even more intimidating than Dwayne Johnson himself, was one particularly noteworthy creation. The holiday show was brought to life by Rodeo FX with the smooth mixing of computer-generated imagery, real-size locations, and dynamic visual effects.In Red Ones thrilling VFX breakdown, be ready to dash across the North Pole.The post Red One VFX Breakdown Rodeo FX appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Kai Cenat is launching a streaming university.Cenat announced his plans during a February 13 stream, explaining how he wants to help streamers both big and small learn from his success. Im going to rent out a university over a course of a weekend. It will be streaming university. Okay? Im going to rent it out, Cenat said during his Twitch stream. Im going to put out enrolls and applications of people to enroll into the university, no matter if youre big, no matter if youre a small streamer, you can stream the entire weekend.Cenat will install himself as school principal. Just like a real university, there will be dorms; unlike a real university, there are plans for major influencers to act as instructors. Cenat said during his February 13 stream that wants the likes of MrBeast and Mark Rober involved. In terms of the classes and sh*t, for example, I would love to do some sh*t where, science, Mark Rober is the professor for that day, and hes doing crazy experiments for everybodys stream, he said. Say there is a financial class, MrBeast in that motherf**ker.While anyone is welcome to apply, that doesnt mean admission is guaranteed. But those denied the first time round are welcome to re-enroll for next semester, Cenat said.While some online commenters were excited for the chance to learn from one of the most-followed Twitch streamers, others were dubious. Two-day crash course on how to break the internet and your sleep schedule.. . . . one person posted on X. So just a more expensive clown college? wrote another.Over the last few years, Cenat has become renowned for his record-breaking streams on Twitch and YouTube that reach millions of viewers. Cenat The 23-year-old ranked No. 24 on Forbess list of the top-earning creators in 2024, with estimated earnings of $8.5 million.The live-streaming space has been seeing significant growth in recent years, both in the format itself and the number of people tuning in. In the last quarter of 2024, live-streaming viewership reached 8.5 billion hours watched, a 12% year-over-year increase, as reported by marketing firm Stream Hatchet.Who needs four years of college and tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt?

This article is republished with permission fromWonder Tools,a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps.Subscribe here.Imagine turning your reading history into a treasure map. By feeding a list of your favorite books and movies to an AI assistant, you can uncover hidden patterns in what you love. From your subconscious attraction to unreliable narrators to your love for stories that begin at the end, you may be surprised by what an AI assistant can reveal.Building a personal taste atlas helps you understand your reading self better. It can also surface blind spots in your cultural diet and point you toward unexplored literary territories youre likely to love.Why analyze your preferences?This isnt just another recommendation engine. Netflix or Amazon may suggest what to watch or buy next based on viewing history, but a taste atlas goes much deeper.It analyzes themes, narrative structures, and emotional resonance across media formats. It can reveal connections between novels you adore and foreign films youve never heard of, or help you articulate why certain stories stick with you while others dont.You can tune the atlas by adjusting the info and examples you give it. You can customize the analysis with your prompts, asking for particular kinds of observations or recommendations.With AIs help, you can map out your own universe of awesome. As you scout out gaps in your reading or movie watching, you can discover authors and films that expand your horizons.Start by gathering your favoritesYou need to provide an AI assistant with a list of at least 10-15 titles that resonate with you for meaningful insights; 30+ is better. Here are the fastest ways to gather them.Physical books or DVDs:snap a photo of your bookshelf. AI can read the titles. Or write a list of titles on paper. AI assistants can read handwriting surprisingly well.Digital readers: refer to yourKindle library, your read shelf onGoodreads, listen history on Audible, timeline onLibby, or any doc or spreadsheet you maintain with your favorites.Streaming:Apps likeLikewise,Sofa,Listy,Listium,Letterboxd,Trakt, andReelgoodlet you compile lists of favorites. You can use those collections to train your AI assistant.Use your voice:If talking jogs your memory, use conversation mode inChatGPT,Claude, GooglesGemini, or MicrosoftsCoPilot. Let the AI interview you about your favorite books or movies.Scan award lists:If you cant think of favorites, check a list ofOscar-winning moviesorbook awardsfor reminders of what youve enjoyed.Criteria:Consider titles you often revisit or recommend. Include recent favorites and older resonant ones. Give extra weight to those that provoked emotion, changed your perspective, or prompted action. Ideally, note not just the title but one or more aspects of a work that particularly resonated.Prompt AI to analyze your listOnce youve compiled your list, use your preferred AI tool to uncover patterns in your literary tastes. Prompt the AI assistant for insights to advance your self-understanding. After that, ask it to help you discover more books/movies youll love.Start by writing a detailed prompt to elicit a thorough, subtle analysis of your taste in books or movies. Heres an example you can adopt or adapt:You are a perceptive literary critic and cultural analyst with deep knowledge of literature across genres and cultures. Carefully analyze the attached list of my favorite books for patterns. Think deeply about connections between titles and topics that might not be immediately apparent. Where you notice interesting patterns, explain your reasoning and cite specific examples. Please analyze this list of my favorite books. Create a detailed literary taste profile that identifies: Core Elements: Primary themes and topicsGenre preferences and style patternsNarrative approaches and structure choicesCharacter types and relationshipsTone and emotional range Upload a file with your list or paste it.Which AI tool to use?ChatGPT 4oworked well for me in importing Google Docs and PDFs with my favorites. Its analysis and recommendations were nuanced and helpful.Limitation:Occasionally, it suggested authors who were already in my existing lists, despite being prompted not to.Claude Proprovided an excellent overview of the kinds of books Ive selected for the book group I facilitate over the past eight years. It helped identify gaps in our reading list and offered useful suggestions for future titles.Limitation:Some documents I tried to import, like my Readwise reading highlights, were too large to fit in a Claude Project I created for my taste atlas.Gemini 2.0 Experimental Advanced,Googles newest model, was an excellent voice partner in analyzing my current reading interests.Limitation:2.0 couldnt yet import documents, but Gemini 1.5 could. It helpfully analyzed the Google Doc with my complete Readwise Highlights archive.Use either free or premium AI tools for this analysis. For long book lists or extensive highlights, use a pro model for nuanced analysis.Expand your taste horizonsOnce an AI tool has analyzed your book or movie preferences, prompt it to suggest new authors and titles. Ask about specific connections between the titles you liked and its recommendations, so you understand the rationale.Cultural leaps:Ask AI to identify authors who write like your favorites but in different languages or cultures.Whats missing?Try a prompt about negative space what authors, titles, topics or genres are missing from your favorites. What notable titles might stretch your literary horizons?Bridges to the past:Prompt your AI assistant to suggest bridge authors who influenced the writers you enjoy. This is most effective if the authors on your list are well-known.Cross media:Ask for documentaries and feature films that share traits with your favorite books. To push the AI further, ask for plays and songs.Next StepsMake it a projectIf you use ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro, start a dedicated project (learn more) to house your taste atlas. This lets you refine and expand your analysis over time.You can also create aPerplexity Spaceto combine AI search with analysis.Ormake a Custom GPTor anAI Poe botto share a group taste atlas with a class, a book group, or others who share an interest.NotebookLM(read more) is another great tool for analyzing collections of your favorite works in AI-powered notebooks. It accepts files of up to 50,000 words, up to 200mb, so its especially useful if you run into file size caps on other platforms. Its also uniquely able to generate an audio summary piece about your favorites. (Thevideoaccompanying this piece has an excerpt of an audio piece generated with my reading highlights).Share for human insightShare your taste profile with a friend or librarian. Theyll spot patterns the AI missed or suggest unexpected connections.Expand to music and beyondOnce youve mapped your reading and movie preferences, try a similar approach for your favorite music, art, food, and other interests.This article is republished with permission fromWonder Tools,a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps.Subscribe here.

Large language models have demonstrated remarkable problem-solving capabilities and mathematical and logical reasoning. These models have been applied to complex reasoning tasks, including International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) combinatorics problems, Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus (ARC) puzzles, and Humanitys Last Exam (HLE) questions. Despite improvements, existing AI models often struggle with high-level problem-solving that requires abstract reasoning, formal verification, and adaptability. The growing demand for AI-driven problem-solving has led researchers to develop novel inference techniques that combine multiple methods and models to enhance accuracy and reliability.The challenge with AI reasoning lies in verifying the correctness of solutions, particularly for mathematical problems requiring multiple steps and logical deductions. Traditional models perform well in straightforward arithmetic but struggle when faced with abstract concepts, formal proofs, and high-dimensional reasoning. An effective AI system must generate valid solutions while adhering to established mathematical principles. Current limitations have prompted researchers to explore advanced inference techniques that improve verification and enhance problem-solving reliability.Several techniques have been implemented to address mathematical reasoning challenges. Zero-shot learning enables models to solve problems without prior exposure, while best-of-N sampling selects the most accurate solution from multiple generated responses. Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) explores possible solutions through simulation, and theorem-proving software like Z3 assists in verifying logical statements. Despite their utility, these methods often lack robustness when faced with intricate problems requiring structured verification. This gap has led to the developing of a more comprehensive framework that integrates multiple inference strategies.A team of researchers from Boston University, Google, Columbia University, MIT, Intuit, and Stanford introduced an innovative approach that combines diverse inference techniques with automatic verification. The research integrates test-time simulations, reinforcement learning, and meta-learning to enhance reasoning performance. By leveraging multiple models and problem-solving methodologies, the approach ensures that AI systems are not reliant on a single technique, thus increasing accuracy and adaptability. The system employs structured agent graphs to refine problem-solving pathways and adjust inference strategies based on task complexity.The methodology revolves around verifying solutions for mathematical and logical problems through automated checks. For IMO problems, researchers implemented eight distinct methods, including LEAP, Z3, Monte Carlo Tree Search, and Plan Search, to translate English-based solutions into formal proofs within the Lean theorem-proving environment. This allows for absolute verification of correctness. ARC puzzles are addressed using synthesized code solutions, validated through unit testing against training examples. HLE questions involving broader reasoning categories leverage best-of-N sampling as an imperfect verifier to improve solution selection. Reinforcement learning and test-time meta-learning refine the inference process by adjusting agent graph representations based on prior problem-solving performance.The performance of this approach demonstrated substantial improvements across multiple reasoning tasks. For IMO combinatorics problems, accuracy increased from 33.3% to 77.8%, showcasing a significant leap in AI capabilities for mathematical proof generation. Regarding HLE questions, accuracy rose from 8% to 37%, indicating enhanced problem-solving adaptability across multiple disciplines. The ARC puzzles, known for their complexity, saw an 80% success rate for previously unsolved problems attempted by 948 human participants. Further, the model successfully solved 26.5% of ARC puzzles that OpenAIs o3 high-compute model failed to address. The research highlights the effectiveness of combining multiple inference models, demonstrating that aggregated methodologies outperform single-method approaches in complex reasoning tasks.This study presents a transformative advancement in AI-driven reasoning by merging diverse inference strategies with automated verification systems. By leveraging multiple AI techniques and optimizing reasoning pathways through reinforcement learning, the research offers a scalable solution to complex problem-solving challenges. The results demonstrate that an AI systems performance can be significantly enhanced through structured inference aggregation, paving the way for more sophisticated reasoning models in the future. This work contributes to AIs broader application in mathematical problem-solving and logical verification, addressing fundamental challenges that have limited AIs effectiveness in advanced reasoning tasks.Check outthePaper.All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,feel free to follow us onTwitterand dont forget to join our75k+ ML SubReddit. NikhilNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute.Nikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/Stanford Researchers Introduced a Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Framework for Effective Social Deduction in AI CommunicationNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper from IBM and MIT Introduces SOLOMON: A Neuro-Inspired Reasoning Network for Enhancing LLM Adaptability in Semiconductor Layout DesignNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper from Apple Introduces a Distillation Scaling Law: A Compute-Optimal Approach for Training Efficient Language ModelsNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper from UC Berkeley Introduces a Data-Efficient Approach to Long Chain-of-Thought Reasoning for Large Language Models Recommended Open-Source AI Platform: IntellAgent is a An Open-Source Multi-Agent Framework to Evaluate Complex Conversational AI System' (Promoted)

You're probably across what we've been playing and watching lately, but now it's your turn to tell us! If you're an IGN reader or viewer from Australia and New Zealand, we want to hear about the games, movies, and TV shows you're most excited about in 2025 and there's a hefty prize up for grabs for doing so!Just complete our quick survey, let us know what you're most keen to play and watch this year (plus where you're most likely to be playing and watching them), and you'll be in the running to win a juicy $400 gift card.PlayIs Grand Theft Auto VI going to steal all your attention this year, or are you expecting that Doom: The Dark Ages will be the game to light up your life? Do you reckon it's possible that anything can top Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning, or is that gold jacket headed straight to Happy Gilmore 2? Would you sell your soul for Daredevil: Born Again, or will you be clicker-ing on The Last of Us season 2?Head here to let us know, and get stuck in for a chance to win!Play

Feb 18, 2025Ravie LakshmananMalware / Website HackingCybersecurity researchers have flagged a credit card stealing malware campaign that has been observed targeting e-commerce sites running Magento by disguising the malicious content within image tags in HTML code in order to stay under the radar.MageCart is the name given to a malware that's capable of stealing sensitive payment information from online shopping sites. The attacks are known to employ a wide range of techniques both on client- and server-side to compromise websites and deploy credit card skimmers to facilitate theft.Typically, such malware is only triggered or loaded when users visit the checkout pages to enter credit card details by either serving a fake form or capturing the information entered by the victims in real time.The term MageCart is a reference to the original target of these cybercrime groups, the Magento platform that offers checkout and shopping cart features for online retailers. Over the years, such campaigns adapted their tactics by concealing malicious code through encoding and obfuscation within seemingly harmless sources, such as fake images, audio files, favicons, and even 404 error pages."In this case, the malware affecting the client follows the same goal staying hidden," Sucuri researcher Kayleigh Martin said. "It does this by disguising malicious content inside an <img> tag, making it easy to overlook.""It's common for <img> tags to contain long strings, especially when referencing image file paths or Base64-encoded images, along with additional attributes like height and width."The only difference is that the <img> tag, in this case, acts as a decoy, containing Base64-encoded content that points to JavaScript code that's activated when an onerror event is detected. This makes the attack a lot more sneaky, as the browser inherently trusts the onerror function."If an image fails to load, the onerror function will trigger the browser to show a broken image icon instead," Martin said. "However, in this context, the onerror event is hijacked to execute JavaScript instead of just handling the error."Furthermore, the attack offers an added advantage to threat actors in that the <img> HTML element is generally considered innocuous. The malware, for its part, checks whether the user is on the checkout page and waits for unsuspecting users to click on the submit button to siphon sensitive payment information entered by them to an external server.The script is designed to dynamically insert a malicious form with three fields, Card Number, Expiration Date, and CVV, with the goal of exfiltrating it to wellfacing[.]com."The attacker accomplishes two impressive goals with this malicious script: avoiding easy detection by security scanners by encoding the malicious script within an <img> tag, and ensuring end users don't notice unusual changes when the malicious form is inserted, staying undetected as long as possible," Martin said."The goal of attackers who are targeting platforms like Magento, WooCommerce, PrestaShop and others is to remain undetected as long as possible, and the malware they inject into sites is often more complex than the more commonly found pieces of malware impacting other sites."The development comes as the website security company detailed an incident involving a WordPress site that leveraged the mu-plugins (or must-use plugins) directory to implant backdoors and execute malicious PHP code in a stealthy manner."Unlike regular plugins, must-use plugins are automatically loaded on every page load, without needing activation or appearing in the standard plugin list," Puja Srivastava said."Attackers exploit this directory to maintain persistence and evade detection, as files placed here execute automatically and are not easily disabled from the WordPress admin panel."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

It is said thatnothing is certain in this world except death and taxes.To which I would add a third thing: As long as there are movies, there will also bebad movies.(Then again, enduring a really bad movie sometimesfeelslike death, and is about as painful as paying your taxes, so maybe its a wash.)For the proof of this truism that I justinvented in the introduction of this listicle, check out thefilms below, the worst movie of every calendar year for over 50 years, starting with 1970 and going through through to 2025. Find the worst movie from the year you were born! Count up how many youve suffered through! See if the worst movieyouveever watched made the cut! Put off engaging with your loved ones for just a little while longer!How didI select the worst of the worst for 50+ years of cinema? Simple: I spentdecades watching movies, some good, some bad, a few epically awful. Those are the ones on this list. This may not be the comprehensive look at the most putrid pictures of the last half century; only one stinker from every year could make the cut, after all. So the other horrible films that were released in 2012 were safe, for example, becausenothing was going to matchThe Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure.With all that said, lets get to our chronological list of the worst movie of the year, every year, since 1970...The Worst Movie Every Year Since 1970Here are decades worth of crummy movies the worst movie released every single year from 1970 to today.READ MORE: 20 Movie Comedies That Could Never Get Made TodayThe Worst Movie Prequels in HistoryBefore there was a movie you loved there was ... a way worse movie.

Source: LOM architecture and designShoreditch-based LOM Architects has secured planning approval for T15, a four-storey office and retail building at Tign Point, Malta.Designed for developer MIDI plc, the project is the final element of the Fortress Gardens masterplan, a wider development that includes residential apartments, public realm improvements, and the restoration of historic military structures.T15 is positioned between The Point Shopping Centre and a public garden within a restored gun battery, connecting to Fort Tign, a fortification dating from the era of the Knights Templar. The development is intended to form a gateway to the battery gardens while framing views towards the Mediterranean Sea.The scheme will provide 1,400 sqm of office space, with retail and food and beverage units at ground level opening onto the surrounding public realm. The stepped form of the building is designed to incorporate terraces for office tenants, with a landscaped roof terrace intended to create a visible fifth elevation when viewed from the surrounding residential buildings.The design, developed in collaboration with local architects and structural engineers CS Design, features a steel structural frame. Full-height glazing is proposed for the northern elevations to increase daylight penetration into office spaces, while bronze aluminium cladding is intended to reference the material palette of the adjacent residential tower. Perforated panels will provide additional solar shading and accommodate openable windows to support natural ventilation.The Fortress Gardens development is expected to complete later this year.

Heritage refurbishment plans set to modernise Edwardian building into a sustainable, wellness-oriented workplaceSource: Haze VisSource: Haze VisSource: Haze VisSource: Haze VisSource: Haze VisSource: Haze Vis1/6show captionGPAD has received planning approval for the restoration and modernisation of a Neo-Baroque office building at 78-90 Colmore Row, Birmingham.The scheme, developed in partnership with Marlborough Property Company and V7, seeks to preserve and enhance the historic structure within the Colmore and Environs Conservation Area as part of the wider Snow Hill Masterplan.The 1917 Portland stone building, designed by Ewan Harper & Brother & Co, will undergo an extensive retrofit. A fifth-floor zinc-clad extension has been approved, designed to step back from the faade to minimise its visual impact.The scheme also includes the replacement of existing mansard walls with textured Portland stone to better integrate with nearby historic landmarks, including the Grade I-listed St. Philips Cathedral.The project introduces new amenities, including a 2,700 sq. ft landscaped roof terrace and a ground-floor business lounge overlooking Cathedral Square. Accessibility improvements include a more prominent corner entrance.Source: Haze VisThe retrofit targets high sustainability standards, aiming for LETI B minimum for upfront embodied carbon, BREEAM Excellent certification, and an EPC B rating. Smart technology and renewable energy solutions are integrated to support AirRated Platinum and WELL certifications, alongside a 10% biodiversity net gain.