New roles, no bossesgettyHow do things work out when people are managed by algorithms, versus actual human beings? Likely, jobs get shredded into microtasks. At this time, algorithmically managed jobs tend to be contract or gig roles. But the day may come in which full-time jobs will be guided, to some degree, by algorithms for better or worse. Can people accomplish work without direct supervision by live human bosses?This is a question that has been studied by Lindsey Cameron, professor at the Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania. A lack of direct human oversight can be freeing, and at the same time, frustrating to workers, she explained in a recent interview published by Knowledge@Wharton.Theres this joy in schedule flexibility, and then theres this issue of when things dont go right whether its pay, something with a customer, or not getting rides. Then youre talking to a robot and its hard to get resolution.The best working use case for algorithmic management is working for ridesharing apps such as Uber or Lyft, which employ software to manage their contract drivers. Workers enjoy the flexibility the app work provides, but at the same time, they could be punished being kicked off the app for several days, due to a bad rating from a customer. There is no human to appeal such machine-made decisions.Ultimately, algorithmic management may extend its reach beyond gig work, Cameron said. The common denominator is that algorithmic management slices work into the smallest possible units or microtasks a process known as deskilling, which has been the core practice seen in assembly lines for more than a century. Except microtasks get mush more granular than assembly lines.Rideshare is built upon a lot of microtasks, Cameron pointed out. Workers make decision microtask by microtask, such as, will I accept this ride or not? Am I going to follow the GPS, Ubers or Wazes, to go where Im going? Am I going to talk to the customer? Which way will I drive? And then do I rate them or not?'These moves are all very small components of a task, and since they are so small, "they can be algorithmically managed, Cameron said. And at the same time, the workers feel like they have choice. Because there are all these little individual elements, I have a very small but very real amount of choice. And I think thats one of the reasons why people like this work so much, is this feeling of choice.A risk with deskilling and de-splicing the work is that it may drive down wages, since people cant really build skill, she cautioned. And algorithms make mistakes. Without a human in the loop, the human is lost.The problem is people hold these algorithms to god-like status, that they cant make a mistake, she continued. Theres always going to be a gap between how the technology is designed, and how its used and implemented by the workers. And in that space, you see agency, but you also see mistakes the technical system is making. And I think the more we start getting blinded by techno-utopianism, that increases the risk.Cameron added that she worked part-time as an Uber driver for three years. I never spoke to a single employee of Uber. Hiring, firing, evaluating, disciplining, were all done by an algorithmic management system. And it really gives us a precursor or a view into the future.The result of having workers who are being algorithmically managed, microtask by microtask, calls for a rethinking of the way organizations are structured. Because this is not Walmart. But nor is it really a bunch of free-floating consultants that are meeting through a job board. Its a new organizational form, and it does have some responsibilities and liabilities in play.

The password era is overgettyYour password is not safe with billions of compromised passwords now fueling cybercrime, putting both individuals and businesses at risk. And a new 2FA warning that codes can be bypassed or stolen, with device hacks and malware capturing login credentials, tokens, and session cookies in real time, effectively bypassing 2FA. This alarming new 2FA attack significantly raises the bar, rendering conventional phishing methods and their inherent security measures largely ineffective.The U.S. government has warned Americans to stop using SMS for 2FA, and we have just seen news that Google is now vanquishing SMS for its billions of Gmail users, albeit its reported QR code alternative is arguably misjudged. SMS 2FA codes are used in tandem with usernames and passwords that combination needs to end. Its not enough to add more security to your account, you need to delete the old as well.This campaign to replace the old with something new is accelerating as the threat landscape gets ever worse. In the last 24-hours alone, we have seen a new report from Cofense into sophisticated new phishing campaigns targeting Americans during tax season and Fortinet warning of new lures impersonating government messages. This comes shortly after a new warning that even email signatures are now under attack.Microsoft has come forwards with the best advice for its users and this applies across the board. The password era is ending, it says, and because bad actors know it, theyre desperately accelerating password-related attacks while they still can. This starts with email, especially Gmail and Outlook, because most attacks start with phishing and these are the access-all account credentials that are most prized.Microsoft is running a campaign to delete passwords, with attacks doubling from a year ago. Weve never had a better solution to these pervasive attacks passkeys. But if users enable passkeys but leave passwords and basic 2FA in place, the account is still at risk for phishing, it warns. Our ultimate goal is to remove passwords completely and have accounts that only support phishing-resistant credentials.And thats the lesson from all the recent warnings, from the worsening of this threat landscape. Passkeys are not perfect, but theyre much better and improving all the time. Relying on your secure, trusted device access to credentialize you is better than any combination of passwords and codes that can be bypassed or intercepted.The FIDO Alliance which is shaping and driving passkey adoption reached out to me this week with the news that 87% of enterprises in the U.S. and U.K. have implemented or are in the process of rolling out passkeys, warning that with AI-driven cyber threats on the rise, companies are prioritizing passkeys to enhance security, improve employees user experience, and meet compliance requirements.But again, adopting passkeys is half the story, deleting passwords is the other, harder half. As Microsoft admits, even if we get our more than one billion users to enroll and use passkeys, it wont solve the problem if passwords arent deleted as well.The advice is simple. Set up passkeys on all accounts where that is an option. And disable SMS 2FA to ensure that your passkey is the only means of assuring access. If you have a stronger authentication measure in place, such as a physical key or authenticator app, then thats clearly good as well they do the same thing.To be more specific you should not have any accounts without 2FA/MFA enabled, do not use platforms or services that dont offer this. And you should identify your most sensitive accounts and services and ensure authentication is not just SMS-based.Microsoft says that millions of users have deleted their passwords, albeit it needs that number to reach a billion before its job done. Id like to see the same simplicity from Google as well, as these are the two companies with the biggest phished user bases.

The International Space Station (ISS) could do with being a bit dirtier, new research has suggested.A sparkling clean space station may sound perfect for the astronauts who have to spend six-month stints there, but the spotless conditions could be playing havoc with their health.Recommended VideosIts long been known that astronauts often experience immunity issues, skin rashes, and other inflammatory conditions while aboard the orbital outpost, and new research suggests it could be due to its excessively sterile conditions.Please enable Javascript to view this contentPublished this week in the scientific journal Cell, the study showed that the ISS contains a much lower diversity of microbes compared to human-built environments on Earth, with most of the species brought to the ISS by visiting astronauts.The researchers believe that astronauts health could be improved by bringing more Earth microbes to the facility.Future built environments, including space stations, could benefit from intentionally fostering diverse microbial communities that better mimic the natural microbial exposures experienced on Earth, rather than relying on highly sanitized spaces, said Rodolfo Salido of the University of California, San Diego, co-first author of the paper.The research was carried out with the assistance of ISS astronauts, who swabbed 803 different surfaces on the station. The samples were then examined in laboratories back on Earth, enabling scientists to accurately identify the bacterial species and chemicals present on the ISS.Human skin was found to be the main source of microbes throughout the station, while chemicals from cleaning products and disinfectants were also ubiquitous.Notably, different microbial communities and chemical signatures were found in different station modules, and as you might expect, the different types depended largely on the how the module was used. For example, dining areas contained more food-associated microbes, whereas the bathrooms had more urine- and fecal-associated microbes and metabolites.But the researchers found that the space station lacked free-living microbes that are usually found in soil and water, and that adding these microbes to the ISS had the potential to improve astronaut health without adversely affecting hygiene.Theres a big difference between exposure to healthy soil from gardening versus stewing in our own filth, which is kind of what happens if were in a strictly enclosed environment with no ongoing input of those healthy sources of microbes from the outside, said Professor Rob Knight, a microbiologist at the University of California, San Diego, and a senior author on the paper.Salido added: If we really want life to thrive outside Earth, we cant just take a small branch of the tree of life and launch it into space and hope that it will work out. We need to start thinking about what other beneficial companions we should be sending with these astronauts to help them develop ecosystems that will be sustainable and beneficial for all.The findings could also have implications for people living and working in similarly sterile environments on Earth, the researchers said.The ISS is kept spick and span in a number of ways, including regular vacuuming sessions that in microgravity conditions look like a lot of fun.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsNo Sudden Move (2021)Sully (2016)Reality (2023)With the start of a new month, Max is getting a new slate of movies added to its library. One of the new additions is Heretic. The creepy thriller starring Hugh Grant arrives on March 7.Sing Sing, one of 2024s most critically acclaimed movies, finally hits Max on March 21. Colman Domingo received an Oscar nomination for his work in the drama about a prison arts program.Thanks to Warner Bros., Max has one of the deepest vaults for a streaming service. You could spend hours getting lost on the genre pages. Luckily, weve scoured the movie section and picked three underrated movies that deserve your attention this weekend. Our picks include a crime thriller from a heist maestro, a moving portrait about a real hero, and a gripping drama.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedWarner Bros.Since coming out of retirement in 2017, Steven Soderbergh has released nearly one movie per year. Hollywood is a better place when an innovative filmmaker like Soderbergh works at such a prolific rate. One of his more underrated offerings during this post-retirement phase is No Sudden Move, a period piece set in 1950s Detroit about a heist gone wrong.A group of petty criminals including Curt Jones (Don Cheadle), Ronald Russo (Benicio del Toro), and Charley (Kieran Culkin) are tasked with stealing an important document. The group is supposed to hold an accountants family at gunpoint so he can then steal the document from his bosss safe. Eventually, Curt and Ronald learn theyve been set up. Why? Thats what they need to find out, including who hired them. Its not Oceans Eleven, butNo Sudden Moveis a fun time at the movies, thanks to an eclectic cast and a filmmaker who knows this genre inside and out.Stream No Sudden Move on Max.Sully - Official Trailer [HD]In your best Michael Rapoport voice, Are you the pilot, Sully? Tom Hanks plays pilot Chesley Sully Sullenberger in the dramatic retelling of the Miracle on the Hudson in Sully. On January 15, 2009, Sully and First Officer Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) are piloting a flight from LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte. Shortly after takeoff, a flock of birds crashed into both engines.With little time to react, Sully successfully executes an emergency landing in the Hudson River. All 155 crew and passengers survived. Its a miraculous accomplishment, but the story doesnt stop there. An investigation into Sullys life-saving maneuver tries to smear the pilots reputation. With a steady Clint Eastwood behind the camera and a stoic Hanks on screen,Sullyis a fitting tribute to a humble hero who deserves praise despite never seeking it out.Stream Sully on Max.HBO FilmsWhen shes not fawning over Nate Jacobs in Euphoria, Sydney Sweeney is taking on interesting roles. Headlining a small-budget film thats dialogue-driven and set in a few rooms is an admirable move for a movie star of her caliber. The movie is Reality, a crime drama about former American intelligence leaker Reality Winner. In June 2017, Reality is greeted by FBI agents Taylor (Marchnt Davis) and Garrick (Josh Hamilton) at her house. The unannounced visit comes nearly a month after President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.The agents have a warrant to search Realitys house, and they begin conversing with Reality. Eventually, the agents confront Reality about potentially leaking classified documents about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. At only 82 minutes,Realityis worth the watch if youre seeking an eye-opening crime thriller.Stream Reality on Max.Editors Recommendations

Chris Hwang, cofounder of The Golden Duck, started the snack brand in 2015 with one product salted egg yolk chips.A decade on, it's sold in over 3,000 stores and plans to expand into the US this year.From selling off his cars to afford payroll in the pandemic, here's how he built the business.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chris Hwang, the 33-year-old cofounder of The Golden Duck, a Singaporean snack brand. It has been edited for length and clarity.At 23, I dropped out of law school to start TheGolden Duck,I don't have any culinary experience, but I love food.The idea for the brand came about when my cofounder, Jonathan, approached me one day and asked, "What do you think about salted egg?"I thought, "Salted egg is great. I love it in a Chinese Zi Char restaurant. I love salted egg crab."I asked him what he had in mind, and he said, "How about we make salted egg yolk potato chips?" I thought it would be the kind of chips that come with dips, a Western concept that doesn't really sell well in Singapore.He said, "Hear me out. I found a way to put it on a chip in a dry format."I sat down with him and a chef friend of ours, and I tried it. It was so mind-blowingly good. The flavor, with the chilies and curry leaves, perfectly coated the chips. I said, "We have to do this business."Cooking out of one tiny kitchenWe launched in 2015 with just one product salted egg yolk chips.At the start, our capacity was so limited that we were just making it out of a home kitchen, producing only about 50 packs daily.We started selling them at a tiny seven-foot-long pop-up booth in Singapore's Suntec City mall for $7 a pop.On the first day, the sales were not too crazy. But on day two, a queue started forming. By day three, we had sold out by 3 p.m. and had to put a maximum order of five packs per order.Our products are often given as gifts or bought as souvenirs, and I think this is where it started. People started bringing their friends down to help them buy more packs, and it became a gift item for friends and family.A huge opportunity for authentic flavors The Golden Duck sells snack boxes and canister chips. The Golden Duck We now have two lines of products:Asian flavors are gaining traction in the West, and I think people all around the world are craving authentic experiences.We all know what sour cream and onion flavor or barbecue tastes like. But why not have sour cream and Sriracha?That's one of our newest flavors in the canister line of chips that we launched in 2024, along with others like truffle wagyu and Himalayan pink salt.Challenges in scaling upWe were hesitant to scale up initially, scared that it was just a flash in the pan and it would flame out fast. So we were very, very hesitant to put in capital to set up a store.We did pop-ups for a few months until we finally got a tiny store in Chinatown, which had just enough space for one person to work in.From there, we kept expanding. From 2016 to 2018, we grew to 10 stores in Singapore and more stores overseas. At the peak, we had about 15 stores, and we were also selling to retailers like 7-Eleven and other supermarket chains.Some of the biggest surprises in our business came from scaling up our own manufacturing. The moment we tried to give a product a shelf life, we had to consider, "How will this taste after six months?"Hiring the right people was key. If you hire someone who hates being in a hot kitchen, your products will come out pretty bad. We needed to hire people who care about their food.Weathering the pandemicThe lowest point in the business came during the COVID-19 pandemic when our tourism revenue evaporated overnight.I subscribe to the ideology that leaders eat last. I thought if the company can't afford payroll and cannot meet its obligations to continue its business, I'm going to sell my cars.From 2019 to 2021, I sold three cars so that I could lead the fundraising efforts during the pandemic.We also had to restructure the team, going from 200 head count to about 120 over the course of one year.We had to tell friends that we'd brought on board that we wouldn't be able to work together and that we were sorry for where the business was.We now have a team of 25 people, producing results close to what our team of 200 was producing just five to six years ago.Eyes set on a US expansionA couple of years on, we now sell in countries around the world, including China, Australia, Germany, and even Trinidad and Tobago.Now, we are eyeing the US as our new market.I just returned from the US in December. It's a huge market for snacks, second to none. And the US consumer is so discerning and excited, and they're happy to consume and try new things.We wanted to develop something that they would find interesting and exciting but still familiar, so we didn't want to reinvent the wheel.This new line of canister chips is basically like Pringles but better. It's so easy to explain to Americans because we don't have to tell them what fish skin is or what seaweed tempura is.

Flower on Hillside Community Library / STEPS ArchitectureSave this picture! Ji ZhangNujiang, ChinaArchitects: STEPS ArchitectureAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:36 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Ji Zhang Lead Architects: Wu Yu, Ji Zixiao More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in Qiunatong Village of Bingzhongluo Town of Gongshan County of Nujiang Prefecture of Yunnan Province, deep inside Nujiang Grand Canyon. Due to high altitude, complicated terrain and isolation of Gongshan county, the traditional dwellings of Nu nationality and other ethnic groups are preserved. But with migration for infrastructure and environment, lots of such dwellings are being damaged and abandoned.Save this picture!Moreover, as Gongshan County only recently got rid of poverty in 2020, local children have less opportunities for good education. Born in Gongshan, Mr. Gan wants to make it more convenient for local children to acquire knowledge of greater world and finally step into it, for which he converted several dwellings of his family into community library for children to read and learn. Since 2016, "Flower on Hillside" community library has been the only library within a radius of 140 miles, and the number of book collection grows from 100 to more than 40,000 nowadays.Save this picture!Save this picture!To accommodate more books, Mr. Gan wanted to renovate one of the dwellings, turning it from classroom and kitchen into one reading room. The building is in the center of the village, which makes it also community center for the village. We were commissioned the task of architectural design.Save this picture!The old dwelling falls into the category of stacked wooden house with platform [1], a traditional type of dwelling of Nu nationality. This kind of dwelling is featured with two layers of structure: 1. roof structure, double pitch roof with stone plate roof tile directly touches ground with wood column, inclined beam, horizontal beams and purlin; 2. log cabin construction, round logs are stacked to create walls, which support a second-layer roof with crossing wood beams on walls and a center column. The two layers of structure are rather independent with each other, the space between the two layers of roof is used for drying crops and piling up farm tools, and the setback of log cabin wall creates grey space under the roof. Plan size is approximately 5mx5m, which is the original single-use type of space [2], with two small windows on west wall. The main functional problems with this type of dwelling are daylighting and ventilation especially for reading room, poor daylighting are bad for children's eyesight and books would become mouldy due to insufficient ventilation.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!During on-site inspection, we could speculate what Mr. Gan did in later renovation. From the perspective of plan, he divided the space into two rooms, and a separate room on the exterior side, which blocks the grey space under the roof; And from the perspective of vertical structure, he removed the second-layer roof, canceling the space between the two layers of roof, but preserved the wood beams for second -layer roof and had ceilings attached to them. He also filled the triangle-shaped gaps on two gable walls with wood boards to seal the envelope. We speculate that the reasons for him to cancel the space between the two layers of roof are the lack of need of drying crops and more vertical space on interior side, but this does not improve daylighting and ventilation. Moreover, as stone plate roof tile is no longer being made locally, he changed it into asbestos tile, which is cheaper and more popular locally, but there are gaps between tiles for water leaking.Save this picture!Save this picture!Subject to extremely low budget of 60,000 RMB and construction period of two weeks, this latest round of renovation must be very practical, spending money only on what's really important. First, in light of the good condition of the original wood structure, we removed the walls and ceilings that Mr. Gan added in later renovation, restoring the space into the state of original dwelling. This creates a 5mx5m space of comfortable and flexible reading room, restores the grey space under the roof, and protects the styles and features of the original dwelling. Because of the removal of the second-layer roof, we removed the center column that lost the function of load-bearing, and kept the crossing beams for installation of eye-protection LED tubes.Save this picture!Second, we need to deal with daylighting and ventilation. We inserted high windows along the top of the log cabin walls. Roof is the key, we preserved the inclined beams, replaced the purlins and added a sky window. The high window on the wall and sky window on the roof improve daylighting significantly. Different with the high window that is sealed with transparent PC sheets, the sky window is hollow without sealing, which serves as ventilation shaft. To prevent fallen leaves entering interior space, white gauze mesh is installed on sky window.Save this picture!The new wood structure is completely made of 4x8 lumber that are common in local building material markets, and is quickly built in several days with skilled and proficient local construction workers. Roof material is also replaced with long resin tile that are less likely to leak. The red resin tile, along with red metal gutter, visually detach the new roof from the old wood structure. For interior space, red furniture and wood structure form warm and harmonious atmosphere.Save this picture!Save this picture!This little house reminds us of "The Primitive Hut" concept brought up by Laugier, who points out the simple yet essential core of architecture: a man in nature and the need for shelter, with only what is really necessary to build.[1] Ji Jing. A study on the traditional dwellings of the Lisu nationality in Nujiang, Yunnan Province[D]. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2016: 72-74.[2] Liu Ke. Study on the renewal design of traditional wooden house in Nujiang Prefecture of Yunnan Province[D]. Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2021:17Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Yunnan, ChinaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeSTEPS ArchitectureOfficeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on February 28, 2025Cite: "Flower on Hillside Community Library / STEPS Architecture" 28 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027318/flower-on-hillside-community-library-steps-architecture&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save? / STEPSYou'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

Safety with a View: How Transparent Guardrails and Windscreens Let You See It All?Sponsored ContentSave this picture!South Marine Private Residence. Image Adam Potts PhotographerGuardrails and windscreens play an essential role in contemporary architecture, combining safety, functionality, and aesthetic appeal. These systems are crucial for protecting elevated spaces like balconies, terraces, and staircases, incorporating materials such as tempered laminated glass, stainless steel, aluminum and innovative fastening systems. This allows for transparency and unobstructed views without compromising safety. They also feature customizable options, including top caps, handrails and integrated lighting, enabling architects to create unique, visually striking spaces that meet both practical and aesthetic goals.Essentially, a guardrail system is a carefully designed assembly of components, each playing a vital role in ensuring safety and aesthetics. Beyond the desired visual impact, these systems must be highly reliable and safe to fulfill their primary function. At the core of the system is the guardrail components, providing support and guidance, with infill options, including, glass panels, bar/tube or cables balancing safety and style. Base shoes, a type of guardrail system, anchors glass infill panels to the structure, ensuring durability and precision. Optional handrails, can either be post mounted or mounted directly to the glass, while top rails provide an aesthetic touch while protecting the top edge of the glass and helping with glass alignment.Save this picture!Solutions stand out for their minimalist designs, harmoniously blending into various architectural contexts. Beyond the basic structural elements, features like integrated lighting systems, exemplified by Q-light, and decorative finishes enhance both functionality and aesthetics into diverse architectural projects. For instance, in the Waterline Square project, striking geometric shapes combine, wood, steel and glass to achieve a balance of safety, modernity, and transparency. Similarly, the South Marine Private Residence project showcases how systems can seamlessly integrate architecture and landscape, offering an immersive experience with panoramic coastal views while withstanding adverse weather conditions. The following solutions exemplify Q-railing's commitment to innovation, functionality, and high-standard design.Save this picture!Save this picture!Sleek Solutions for Curved Designs:Easy Glass Prime is ideal for commercial & larger scale projects, such as corporate buildings, hotels, multi-residential properties, high rise buildings requiring greater robustness and durability. Supporting laminated glass up to 17.52 mm (11/16") thick, the system can withstand design pressures up to 62psf for a 42" high exterior guardrail systems. Thus is ideal for residential or light commercial environments like indoor stairs and architecturally curved balconies. The system also uses a dry set wedge system, which allows for easy access to glass at any time for adjustment during installation and replacement of glass as part of long term maintenance.Save this picture!Practical and Versatile Balustrades:Easy Glass Smartsafety, and aesthetics. It supports laminated glass up to 17.52 mm (11/16") thick while withstanding design pressures up to 88 psf for top mount applications and 118 psf for fascia mounted guardrails systems up to 42" high. The system is ideal for interior guardrails and staircases, and balconies within low to mid rise buildings with moderate wind conditions.. Its compact aluminum anodized base shoe can be installed on concrete, steel or wooden substrates. The system features a Q-disc, ensuring for quick and precise glass placement & alignment during installation.Save this picture!Durable Elegance for Commercial Spaces:Easy Glass Primesafety standards.Save this picture!Safety and Style for High-Traffic Areas:Easy Glass Strong base shoe system is engineered for high wind loads, making it appropriate for coastal regions and accommodates glass panels up to 33 mm thick ( 1 5/16"). Its frameless design ensures unobstructed views and incorporates the same intelligent Q-disc glass clamping system as Smart & Prime, allowing for precise glass alignment during installation. Easy Glass Strong is also designed to handle design pressures exceeding 200 PSF for 42" guardrail heights and can used within windscreens over 8 feet high, making it ideal for a variety applications.Save this picture!Compliance and CertificationsEasy Glass base shoe systems are designed to meet safety and performance standards, including IBC and IRC codes (2021, 2018, and 2015), and more stringent local codes like the Florida Building Code and Los Angeles Building Code. The glass guardrails incorporate panels which have been tested to meet ASTM C1172 and ANSI Z97.1 standards ensuring impact resistance and durability. Slim, Smart, Prime & Strong base shoes systems have been tested and certified by the International Code Council with an ICC-ES Evaluation Report, ESR-4688. Easy Glass Prime & Strong also have a Miami-Dade NOA certification, validating their use in regions prone to extreme winds, such as hurricane zones. Metallic components like base shoes and fasteners are made of anodized aluminum and stainless steel, materials known for their corrosion resistance, even in high-salinity coastal environments. Installation follows specific technical guidelines, accounting for factors such as lateral impact and wind resistance.Save this picture!By adhering to these certifications and prioritizing durable materials, Easy Glass systems ensure not only functionality and safety but also harmonious integration into architectural designs, even in challenging environmental conditions. These systems transcend their practical function to become integral elements of architectural design. Whether for residential or large-scale commercial projects, these products offer solutions that blend safety, durability, and aesthetics. The models highlighted demonstrate the flexibility and innovation of the range, enabling architects to create functional and visually impactful spaces while complying with the highest safety standards.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorEduardo SouzaAuthorCite: Eduardo Souza. "Safety with a View: How Transparent Guardrails and Windscreens Let You See It All?" 28 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024032/engineering-excellence-for-guardrails-and-windscreens-merging-safety-and-innovation&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

Giant panda bears evolved away from other bear species about 20 million years ago. Though they have similar characteristics, like body shape and digestive system, they greatly differ in preferred diets. Most bear species will happily feast on meat, fish, and berries, while pandas tend to stick to bamboo.A new study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science points out that pandas have evolved in specific ways to make eating bamboo easier, including a pseudo thumb for holding bamboo and flatter teeth for chewing it. The study set out to determine why pandas evolved to be more herbivorous when they have the system to be carnivorous. They answer, they found, may lay within the bamboo itself.Pandas and Tasty BambooThere are over 1,000 species of bamboo, though pandas only snack on about 25 of them. The reedy, tree-like grass is a pandas primary food source, especially the shoots. However, because bamboo has little protein, pandas can eat up to 12 hours a day, consuming roughly 26 to 84 pounds of the plant.Within bamboo, as within all living organisms, is DNA and RNA. DNA stores genetic cell information, while RNA transfers it. They also have microRNAs (miRNA), or small non-coding RNAs that help with gene expression. According to the study, miRNA from plants can be absorbed through food.With this information, the research team wanted to determine if absorbing this miRNA could regulate gene expression and aid pandas in adapting to consuming bamboo as a regular food source.We showed that plant-derived miRNAs are present in the blood of giant pandas, said Feng Li, a researcher at China West Normal University and senior author of the study, in a press release. Our study proved that bamboo used as food for giant pandas does affect the change of giant pandas feeding habits.Studying Adaptive FoodFor this study, the research team took blood samples from seven giant pandas, including three females, three males, and one juvenile female. Within the samples, the team found 57 miRNAs that were likely from bamboo.MiRNA in bamboo can enter giant pandas bodies through diet, be absorbed by the intestine, enter the blood circulation, and then regulate when the giant pandas RNA transfers information, thus playing a role in regulating the gene expression of giant pandas, Li said in a press release.According to the press release, the results show that the miRNAs from plants can regulate different physiological processes. These processes include growth and development, behavior, immune response, and biological rhythms.MiRNA in bamboo is also involved in the regulation of smell, taste, and dopamine pathways of giant pandas, all of which are related to their feeding habits, Li said in a press release.As pandas grow and consume more bamboo, the miRNA helps the pandas adapt to the taste and smell of bamboo so that theyre able to keep eating it. Its likely why they are able to eat a more plant-based diet versus a carnivorous one.From Food to MedicineResearchers also found that there were different miRNA compositions in the blood, depending on the age and sex of the pandas.Only miRNAs that can specifically play a role in regulating gene expression can remain in the body, and those that do not play a role will be expelled, said Li in a press release.An example of this would be that miRNAs help with reproduction, so only a panda of a certain sex or age would have it.These test results are a key step in helping researchers understand how plant miRNA can transfer to animals, which may open the door to life-saving treatments of animal diseases.Plant miRNAs may also participate in regulating the animal immune system, enhancing animals disease resistance, Li added in a press release.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:Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Cross-Kingdom Regulation of Gene Expression in Giant Pandas via Plant-Derived miRNAPandas International. Bamboo The Giant Diet of the Giant PandaA graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.

The Arctic's iconic narwhal, renowned for its long, spiral tusk, is one of nature's most fascinating creatures. Yet, few have witnessed how these elusive animals use their tusks in the wild. OCorry-Crowe, FAU/Watt, DFOShareWith their long, spiral tusks, narwhals (Monodon monoceros) look like something out of a fairy tale. Primarily seen in male narwhals, these single elongated teeth that can grow up to 10 feet. These gregarious whales typically travel in pods of two to 10 individuals, but are a bit elusive and difficult to study in the wild. Scientists believe that the tusks are primarily used in competition for mates, but that might not be the whole story. New drone evidence detailed in a study published February 28 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science found that narwhals can use their tusks to forage, explore their surroundings, and even play.Narwhals are known for their tusking behavior, where two or more of them simultaneously raise their tusks almost vertically out of the water, crossing them in what may be a ritualistic behavior to assess a potential opponents qualities or to display those qualities to potential mates, Greg OCorry-Crowe, a study co-author and biologist specializing in marine mammals at FAU Harbor Branch and a National Geographic Explorer, said in a statement. But now we know that narwhal tusks have other uses, some quite unexpected, including foraging, exploration and play. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.Equipped with drones, an international team of researchers in the Arctic spotted the first evidence of narwhales using their tusks to investigate, manipulate, and influence the behavior of a fish called Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). They use their tusks to hit the fish with such force that the fish are subsequently stunnedand possibly killed.In total, the team representing scientists from Florida Atlantic Universitys (FAU) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Canadas Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Inuit communities in Nunavut in Canadas High Arctic captured 17 distinct behaviors in the narwhals.These actions shed some light on the dynamics between these photogenic Arctic mammals and the fish and birds that live alongside them.One of these dynamics came in the form of a kleptoparasitismor food thief situationbetween a narwhal, fish, and glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus).Additionally, they saw the first evidence of likely play in narwhals. They observed a type of play called exploratory-object play. During this type of play, animals handle an object as a way to learn. Human babies stacking blocks together and how dogs and cats play with toys are examples of exploratory-object play. They also show evidence of social learning, social instruction, and personality differences among individual narwhals.Narwhals live in Arctic Ocean waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. CREDIT: OCorry-Crowe, FAU/Watt, DFO I have been studying narwhal for over a decade and have always marveled at their tusks, study co-author and Fisheries and Oceans, Canada research scientist Cortney Watt said in a statement. To observe them using their tusks for foraging and play is remarkable. This unique study where we set up a remote field camp and spent time filming narwhal with drones is yielding many interesting insights and is providing a birds eye view of their behavior that we have never seen before.According to the team, the narwhals showed remarkable dexterity, precision, and speed of movement of the tusk. They also regularly made adjustments to track a moving target. The tip of the tusk was used to interrogatedand manipulate the target in short bursts. The fish typically responded to these brushes with the narwhal tusk.[ Related: Narwhal tusks are full of illuminating secrets. ]Our observations provide clear evidence of narwhals chasing fish and using their tusks to interact directly with the fish and to influence the fishs behavior, said OCorry-Crowe. Some of the interactions we saw appeared competitive in nature with one whale blocking or trying to block another whales access to the same target fish, while others may have been more subtle, possibly communicative and even affiliative. None appeared overtly aggressive.Some of the social behaviors among the whalesinlcuding learning from one anotheralso suggests that these social processes might speed up the behavioral adaptation in response to changes in the Arctic. Some parts of the Arctic are warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, depending on the region and time of year.To understand how narwhals are being affected by and adapting to the changing Arctic, field studies using innovative, non-invasive tools like drones are essential to observe them in their natural environment without disturbing them, said OCorry-Crowe. Drones provide a unique, real-time view of their behavior, helping scientists gather crucial data on how narwhals are responding to shifts in ice patterns, prey availability and other environmental changes. Such studies are key to understanding the impact of global warming on these elusive animals.

Nature, Published online: 26 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08592-0Evolutionary modelling and expert review are applied to integrate experimentally supported knowledge accumulated in the Gene Ontology knowledgebase to create a draft human gene functionome.