Pokmon Go and Niantic to be sold to Saudi-funded firm for $3.5 billion claims reportGameCentralPublished February 19, 2025 12:12pmUpdated February 19, 2025 12:12pm Pokmon Go may soon be under new management (Niantic)Yet another games company is being swallowed up by a larger competitor, as the maker of Pokmon Go is reported to be in talks with the publisher of Monopoly Go.It may not make quite as many headlines as it used to, when it first launched almost nine years ago, but Pokmon Go is still hugely popular, with a recent increase in popularity bringing in over 100 million monthly players.The game isnt made by Nintendo or The Pokmon Company, but by American studio Niantic, who also make a number of similar titles, such as Monster Hunter Now, Pikmin Bloom, and their first game Ingress.None of the other games have ever been anywhere near as popular but Niantic is not thought to be in any kind of financial trouble and yet reports suggest theyre in talks to sell off their game business to the Saudi-owned mobile publisher Scopely, for a cool $3.5 billion.Scopely is also an American company and its biggest hit at the moment is Monopoly Go! That was launched in April 2023 and only two months later Scopely was acquired by Savvy Games Group, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF).The Saudi Arabian PIF has made a number of video game purchases in recent years, including sizeable stakes in Nintendo, Take-Two, EA, Embracer Group, and rumoured discussions with Ubisoft.This is intended as a way to diversify the countrys economy; it also comes as outside investment in gaming has seen a drastic decrease around the world, which has been one of the key causes of the ongoing layoffs across the industry.What happens to Pokmon Go if Niantic is sold off?None of the companies involved have confirmed the deal but a Bloomberg report suggests that if it goes through then Scopely will immediately take ownership of Pokmon Go.This wont necessarily have any immediate effect on the game, and most players will probably not notice the change, with no indication that Scopely want to change Pokmon Go in any significant way.How they might feel about the other games is less obvious though, as Bloomberg notes that repeated attempts to mirror the success of Pokmon Go have led to a number of cancelled titles over the years, including Harry Potter: Wizards Unite in 2021.More TrendingNiantic already signed a deal with Savvy Games last year to bring Pokmon Go to the Middle East, which is no doubt when the idea of buying the company was first floated.Savvy boss Brian Ward has previously suggested that the company was interested in buying a genre-leading mobile game as the tip of the spear for its mobile portfolio, implying that Niantic is not the only company in his sights.As for Niantic, it was originally a spin-off from Google and was never originally intended to be a games company. Instead, it started off experimenting more generally with geospatial data and last year started talking about new tech that could capture and share 3D scans of real-world objects and locations.That seems like it would have plenty of applications for video games, although it may be that Niantic ends up selling access to the technology rather than making the games itself. Niantic may be giving up gaming entirely (Niantic)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

I'm Still Here: How Rio de Janeiros Architecture and Urbanism Shape the Oscar-Nominated Brazilian FilmSave this picture!Image by Wilfredo Rafael Rodriguez Hernandez, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.A radiant Rio de Janeiro, bathed in sunlight and carried by the ocean breeze. The beach is full of lifechildren run across the sand, families enjoy their time together, and laughter drifts through the air. This is how I'm Still Here, the Brazilian film nominated for three Oscars, begins: portraying Cidade Maravilhosa as a vivid, open landscape, a postcard from the 1970s that exudes freedom and vitality. But as the story unfolds, this bright and open setting gives way to shadows, consumed by the fear and uncertainty of the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for over two decades.Between 1964 and 1985, Brazil endured a dictatorship that left lasting scars on its people. Censorship and repression became part of everyday life, affecting political, social, personal, and professional aspects in different ways. Even some of the country's most renowned architects suffered the consequences: Niemeyer was interrogated and removed from major projects like Braslias airport, while Vilanova Artigas was imprisoned and forcibly retired, preventing him from teaching at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of So Paulo. Thousands disappeared, and many more were tortured by the statenumbers that remain uncertain to this day.Against this backdrop, Walter Salles' film tells the true story of Eunice Paivas fight for justice while raising her five children after her husband, engineer and politician Rubens Paiva, was taken from their home by the militarynever to return. A powerful and emotional narrative, the film uses architecture and urban spaces to reflect relationships, the passage of time, and the impact of history on everyday life. Related Article Perfect Days: An Ode to Tokyo's Public Toilets Save this picture!The story begins in the Paiva family's beachfront home in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro. With a mix of Portuguese and modernist influences, the house feels warm and welcoming, its wooden doors and shuttered windows always open, inviting in the sea breeze and a constant flow of friends and family. Scenes of shared meals after days at the beach, parties filled with Brazilian music in the spacious living room, childrens bunk beds in their shared bedroom, and the parents formal yet intimate library all help create a vivid sense of home.Save this picture!As the story progresses, the once-bright and lively house begins to change. The warmth of safety and happiness is gradually replaced by the chill of fear and uncertainty as Eunice realizes her family is being watched by undercover agents. The doors and windows, once left wide open, are now locked. Heavy curtains cast the rooms into darkness. What was once a vibrant, airy space becomes closed off and suffocating. The house, once a place of comfort, begins to mirror the oppression of the era. The kitchen grows quiet, the living room empties and the library becomes a place of hushed conversations when Rubens Paiva is taken away and disappears. His absence leaves an overwhelming void, making the house feel vast and lifeless.This emptiness reaches its peak when the family decides to move to So Paulo. More than just a change of address, it marks a deep transformationphysically, emotionally, and symbolically. Leaving behind their familiar home means stepping into an uncertain future. Psychologically, the move represents the familys acceptance of loss and the painful finality of grief. In their new So Paulo apartment, far from the beach and the warmth of Rios sun, they arrange their old furniture, but something essential is missing. The film captures this shift, mirroring Brazils transformationa country carrying the weight of its past, struggling to move forward.Save this picture!Beyond its physical spaces, architecture also appears in the film as a symbol of hope. In scenes set on the plot of land where Rubens had planned to build a new home, the family stands within the unfinished foundationa dream of the future, abruptly cut short. That dream is shattered when Eunice pulls the wooden stakes from the construction site, a powerful act that embodies the loss of both a home and a future that will never come to be.Over time, both in history and in the film, the Paiva familys beachfront house in Leblon was transformed into a restaurant. The neighborhood, once primarily residential, saw certain streetsincluding the one where their house once stoodshift toward tourism. After extensive research, the production team chose a different historic mansion in Rio to recreate the familys home for the film. But just as people change, so do homes and cities. In the final scene, the family gathers around a new table in a new house. The backyard, now covered in grass and far from the beach, serves as a quiet reminder that home is not defined by a place, but by the presence of loved oneswhether in life or memory.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorCamilla GhisleniAuthorCite: Ghisleni, Camilla. "I'm Still Here: How Rio de Janeiros Architecture and Urbanism Shape the Oscar-Nominated Brazilian Film" [Ainda Estou Aqui: como a arquitetura e o urbanismo do Rio de Janeiro moldam o filme brasileiro indicado ao Oscar] 19 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. (Trans. Simes, Diogo) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026951/im-still-here-how-rio-de-janeiros-architecture-and-urbanism-shape-the-oscar-nominated-brazilian-film&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

Marie Thumas Workplace / tweestroom architectenSave this picture! Nick ClaeskensArchitects: tweestroom architectenAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:100 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Nick Claeskens, tweestroom architectenManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: HAG-Office, Muller van Severen, On/off Lead Architects: Katrien Delespaul More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. In our search for a new office, we've found this raw space in Marie Thumas, an old canning factory in Leuven. While awaiting a major renovation, we, along with other creatives, are now keeping the building alive. We discovered abandoned yet light-filled spaces with peeling paint and transformed them into a fresh environment using materials found within the building. The existing is our greatest and most joyful inspiration. Everything we created for this project adheres to the spirit of reusing materials. Not only do we design using as many reclaimed materials as possible, but we also keep elements removable that don't need to be permanent, allowing for flexibility in future changes. We preserve and highlight the rough, elemental character of the spacesdefined by painted bricks and exposed concrete and we soften it by the use of textiles, which give each area its distinct charm without excessive costs.Save this picture!Meeting Room with found materials - The glass wall in the meeting room owes its unique detailing to the limitations of the found materials. Only by overlapping oversized glass panels could we incorporate them into the space. This detail emphasizes the character of the smoked glass even more. We complemented the wall with reused marble and a new aluminum door, along with a door handle discovered in the building. The eclectic aesthetic that emerged is something we never could have envisioned using only new materials. The color palette in the meeting room was chosen to complement the existing hues: yellow for gas and green for electricity. The meeting table, designed by Tweestroom, was made using re-used wood and polished with brushed aluminum. The floor in the meeting room, uneven due to water drainage during the building's canning days, was leveled using fine pine planks we found in the abandoned spaces. This not only corrected the floor's unevenness but also improved the acoustics.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Colorful curtains to counter grey days - The main co-working area is kept simple, with exposed technical elements that blend seamlessly into the space. Desks are arranged around an existing brick wall, which we finished with marble. To add vibrancy, especially on grey days, we chose colorful curtains with a simple natural linen base.Save this picture!Save this picture!A touch of warm oak - The 'living room' was designed to evoke a cozy, quiet atmosphere. The acoustic panels, coffee table, and old couch are all crafted from warm oak, creating a cohesive and natural feel throughout the space. As with the co-working area, we added color through repurposed fabrics on the natural linen curtains, infusing the room with warmth and charm.Save this picture!Welcoming kitchen - For the kitchen, we sourced a secondhand stainless steel kitchen unit that complements the raw aluminum elements used elsewhere in the space. Once again, the curtains bring a cheerful, welcoming atmosphere. This project demonstrates how repurposing existing materials can spark creativity and transform forgotten spaces, creating something new and meaningfuleven if it's only for a limited time.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeMaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on February 19, 2025Cite: "Marie Thumas Workplace / tweestroom architecten" 19 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026809/marie-thumas-workplace-tweestroom-architecten&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

EvolveLAB is now part of the Chaos ecosystemempowering you to design faster and win more projects.Chaos has acquired EvolveLAB, the creators of an innovative AI toolset for architects and designers. EvolveLABs toolsVeras, Glyph, Morphis, and Helixare now part of the Chaos ecosystem, making your design process faster and more efficient than ever. Automate repetitive tasks and boost your ideation process. Our expanded ecosystem enables you to streamline time-consuming tasks, freeing up more space for creativity.The EvolveLAB toolset is the latest addition to the Chaos ecosystem, the AEC industry's only end-to-end hub for design and visualization, photorealistic rendering, generative design, and automated AI documentation-eliminating the need for multiple disconnected tools. With this ecosystem users can apply the right technology at each design stage, solving problems quickly and efficiently. The EvolveLAb tools now join powerful technology like Enscape, Envision, Corona, V-Ray and Vantage, extending Chaos' growing AI offerings.

For most of us, getting less than seven hours of sleep translates into grogginess, sluggish thinking, and an overwhelming urge to crawl back into bed. But some people wake up fresh and energized after just six hours of sleep or less. Given that sleep is essential for the body to repair and restore itself, why can some people get by with less?Scientists have been trying to unravel the mystery of natural short sleepers for years, but their rarity means that there are only a handful of studies on the phenomenon.In 2009, professor of neurology Ying-Hui Fu and her team at the University of California, San Francisco discovered a mutation in the differentiated embryo chondrocyte 2 (DEC2) gene in two natural short sleepersa mother and her adult daughter. When they engineered mice with the same mutation, these mice slept less than their normal counterparts. A follow-up study in 2018 revealed that the DEC2 gene mutation affects levels of orexin, a hormone that regulates wakefulness. Normally, the DEC2 gene shuts off orexin production in the evening and ramps it back up before dawn. But in natural short sleepers, the effect of the DEC2 gene is weaker, leading to more orexin production and more hours of wakefulness. Get the Popular Science newsletter By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.A decade after identifying the first short sleep gene, Fus lab discovered another one in 2019: a mutation in the adrenergic receptor beta-1 (ADRB1) gene. To understand its effects, researchers engineered mice with the same mutationand sure enough, these mice slept less, just like human short sleepers. Further investigation showed that ADRB1 is highly active in the dorsal pons, a brainstem region that helps regulate sleep. When scientists stimulated ADRB1-expressing neurons in this area, the mice woke up instantly. Interestingly, mice with the mutation had a higher proportion of wakefulness-promoting neurons that were more easily activated. The findings suggest that the ADRB1 mutation rewires the brain for wakefulness, shortening sleep and making waking up easier.Just weeks after identifying the ADRB1 mutation, Fu and her colleagues discovered a third short sleep genethis time in a father and son who thrived on just 5.5 and 4.3 hours, respectively, of sleep per night. The newly identified mutation affects the neuropeptide S receptor 1 (NPSR1) gene, which helps regulate wakefulness. When researchers engineered mice with this mutation, the animals slept less and moved more. Furthermore, sleep-deprived mice with the NPSR1 mutation performed better in memory tests compared to sleep-deprived mice without the mutation. This suggests that the NPSR1 mutation allows natural short sleepers to maintain cognitive function and avoid the memory problems typically caused by sleep deprivation.In 2021, Fus team discovered a fourth gene linked to natural short sleep. They identified two different mutations in the metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) gene in two unrelated families of short sleepers. Mice carrying either mutation slept less, and further studies revealed that the gene mutations increased nerve cell activity in the brain.So can I train myself to sleep less?Besides genetics, the other factor that influences how much sleep a person needs is age, Elizabeth B. Klerman M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, told Popular Science. Generally, babies, young children, and teens need more sleep than adults to support their growth and development.If you lead a busy life and wish you had more hours in a day, you might find yourself wondering: can I train myself to need less sleep? Probably not, is the short answer.The quantity of sleep you need is dictated by your biologyspecifically, your genes and your age. There is no evidence that lifestyle can influence sleep need, Klerman said.Its also important to distinguish true short sleeperspeople who naturally function on six hours of sleep or lessfrom those who rely on alarm clocks, coffee, or other stimulants to get through the day. The latter are not obtaining sufficient sleep, Klerman said. So while you can build a tolerance to sleep deprivation, thats not the same as actually needing less sleep.Most of us thrive on seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Anything less will lead to sluggish thinking and slower reaction times, and can raise your risk for long-term health problems as well.So, as much as your schedule allows, listen to your body. Trying to force yourself into short-sleeper mode is a losing battle. Quoting sleep scientist Till Roenneberg, Klerman said: Voluntarily cutting sleep is like stopping a washing machine mid-spin cyclewhy would anyone do that?This story is part of Popular SciencesAsk Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something youve always wanted to know?Ask us.

Stack CommerceShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Was that light in the clouds a drone, an alien, or maybe just a really tech-savvy pigeon? Its hard to tell when youre staring into the night with the naked eye, and phones arent much better. Have you seen the quality of most nighttime videos? Woof.Whether youre searching the skies for first contact or just want to keep fishing long into the dark winter months, a set of night vision binoculars could help. It sounds expensive, but night vision tech has advanced enough that theres some really good stuff thats actually available at a decent price, and it helps that theres a sale going on. Thats how you can get these Mini Night Vision Digital Binoculars for $79.97 instead of $159.See and record in total darknessHunting for aliens? If you have these binoculars, you wont need that close of an encounter with the third kind. Thats because the 850nm infrared illuminator can give you crystal clear visibility up to 1,000 feet in complete darkness.In daylight, you can use the 10X optical magnification or 4X digital magnification. If you see something interesting, dont get out your camera. Use your binoculars to snap a photo or record a video. A 32GB memory card is included, so if the mothership lands, you can capture the arrival in perfect clarity.Dont believe your eyes? Pop open the 2.4-inch HD screen and watch your video back. And hey, even if your alien was actually just a weird-looking owl, bird-watching is still cool, right?March 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the cutoff to get a pair of Mini Digital Night Vision Binoculars on sale for $79.97.StackSocial prices subject to change.Mini Digital Night Vision Binoculars with 1080p HD Recording $79.97See Deal

Nature, Published online: 19 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00510-8Nature is proud to be associated with a new award for women in technology. The world needs more prizes for exceptional researchers and innovators.

Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00522-4A woman who received CAR-T-cell therapy has now been in cancer remission for 19 years. Plus, a genetic swap makes mice squeak differently.

A metal sword broken into three pieces may be evidence of a Germanic warrior's burial from the Roman Empire.

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