Country LivingCountry Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?As the dog days of winter draw to a close (fingers crossed), our editors have our eyes set on spring specifically ways we can bring a breath of fresh air to our homes. Because while we can't control the weather, we can make our living spaces feel spring-ready, right? From artificial trees that look good enough to compete with the real ones to cheery cafe lamps that have become spring's standout trend, there are so many ways to freshen up your home for the upcoming season, but our favorite might just be slapping a gorgeous new wreath on your front door. A wreath sets the tone for the rest of your home's aesthetic for any visiting guests, so if you really want to update to a more spring-ready style then it's the best place to start. While some retailers may lead you to believe you need to spend upwards of $100 or more to get a high-quality wreath, I've found tons on Amazon that are just as beautiful as their pricier counterparts and have great reviews. 1Nearly Natural 24" Peony Wreath$40 at AmazonThe name Nearly Natural rings true when it comes to the beauty of this wreath. I imagine you'll have neighbors knocking down your down all day asking where you got it, so buy at your own risk! It features vibrant peonies in mixed hues alongside hydrangeas and other greenery to create a whimsical looking wreath that brings so much style to any front door. 2Worth Imports 22" Forsythia Wreath$28 at AmazonForsythia is a classic spring floral that instantly brightens up any space. This one comes pretty condensed in the packaging, so you'll want to be sure to fluff out all the branches to get that classic forsythia look. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below3Baauye 20-Inch Tulip Wreath$46 at AmazonReviewers rave about how vibrant the colors of this tulip wreath are. The classic silhouette is ideal if you're looking for something more streamlined as opposed to the whimsical style of some other wreaths. 4Nearly Natural 24-Inch Spring Garden WreathNow 54% Off$118 $54 at AmazonThe most beautiful spring wildflowers shine in this whimsical wreath, accented by fern leaves and hydrangeas on a twig base. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below5J'FLORU 22-Inch Artificial Spring Wreath $20 at AmazonReviewers emphasize the importance of fluffing out the branches on this 22-inch wreath. While it arrives fairly compacted, a little bit of TLC will have it looking like a real floral wreath in no time. 6AMF0RESJ Artificial Spring Wreath $18 at AmazonWith the mix of vibrant yellow and red with pastel pink and purple accents, this wreath would look great on your front door well into the summer months, a huge perk for those of us who tend to forgot about wreaths and leave holiday-themed ones up for months on end.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below7DN DECONATION Bunny Spring Wreath $40 at AmazonThis bunny wreath is perfect for Easter, but we wouldn't blame you if you left it up through the spring season because it's just that cute. It comes in a pink and green colorway as well as a pink, purple, and yellow option if you prefer something more thematic. 8Qunwreath 18-Inch Green Hydrangea Wreath$37 at AmazonHydrangeas are technically a summer-blooming flower, but their beauty is truly timeless. The subtle green and white color scheme on this one lends it more to spring, but you could easily leave it up through the summer months, too. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below9Sggvecsy 24 Daisy and Lavender Wreath $36 at AmazonThis fun wreath features a bevy of gorgeous spring blooms, including daisies, dancing lady, jasmine, and lavender. All that's missing is the glorious smell of fresh blooms, but you could easily sneak in some sprigs of dried lavender to throw visitors off. 10egolot Lavender Flower Wreath Now 14% Off$50 $43 at AmazonThis gorgeous wreath includes a menagerie of faux lavender blooms that'll bring an array of purple hues to your front door. Tuck in some dried lavender sprigs and just wait for your guests and neighbors to ask if this wreath is real. Hannah JonesCommerce EditorHannah Jones is the Commerce Editor for Country Living. Her eye is always on the next up-and-coming products to include in gift guides and she's ready to test everything from dog beds to garden tools for product reviews. When shes not scoping out the latest and greatest items on the market, you can find her hanging with her two rescue dogs.

Its the end of an era for web calls: Skype is shutting down soon. Microsoft announced it will be retiring the legacy communication platform soon and pushing existing users to adopt Teams instead. Here are the details.Skype users being encouraged to switch to Teams before May 5 deadlineSkype is shutting down May 5, leaving users about two months to migrate data over to Teams or find another platform altogether.According to Jeff Teper, Microsoft president overseeing communications and collaboration tools, the need for increased AI investment is a big reason why Skype is being retired.Matt Day writes at Bloomberg:The Windows maker is shuttering Skype to focus on developing new features for Teams, including artificial intelligence tools, Teper said. The company is working to infuse AI into its product suite, while keeping a lid on spending that isnt part of that effort. Its reassigning staff that had worked on Skype to other areas of the business and will not lay anyone off, Teper added.According to Bloomberg, while Skype once had over 300 million monthly users in 2016, that number shrank to around 36 million by 2023 as Microsoft Teams has grown.9to5Macs TakeSkype was one of the major losers of the 2020 COVID era that brought big success to companies like Zoom and Slack. Already at the time Microsoft was investing heavily in Teams, so Skype, despite its past success, was largely left to flounder.Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, which is not that long ago in the grand scheme of things. Per the company, Skype helped set a foundation that was built upon with Teams. So in that sense, its downfall is less a story of failure and more one of preparing the way for the more modern Teams platform to emerge.When was the last time you used Skype? Are you surprised at all by the news? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Im a relatively early adopter of smart home products. While I didnt dive in during the X.10 days, Ive been using a variety of smart home devices for well over a decade now, and jumped in on HomeKit as soon as it crossed the Atlantic.But a recent experience of something as simple as replacing a failed light-bulb really drove home how much further we have to go before we can expect non-techies to climb on board One of my Philips Hue color ambiance bulbs failed a couple of days ago. It was probably more than 10 years old by then, having been moved between two or three different lamps, so I didnt consider that too unreasonable a lifespan.No problem, I thought, Ill just order a replacement and be up-and-running again within a couple of minutes. The new bulb duly arrived, I opened the Home app, selected the room, tapped the + button, selected Add Accessory and the code scan window opened.I had a very vague and possibly incorrect recollection that the last time I did this a long time ago it was a conventional barcode we scanned, but the app clearly told me to scan the QR code. So, I tried to scan the QR code printed on the bulb itself. The Home app made a number of attempts at identifying it, briefly showing white boxes in a variety of sizes, shapes, and angles, but no luck.I went very close, to fill the frame. Nada. I backed right out. Nope.I dug the Quick Start guide out, which was interesting as Id ordered a twin-pack in order to have a spare, and there was just a single guide with a single QR code. But the leaflet said to scan it, so Nope just a repeat of the bulb-scanning experience.Ive been doing this stuff a long time, so just rolled my eyes and went to plan C: plugging it into the lamp, opening the Hue app, waiting for that to find it, and then finally adding it to the Home app. But it reminded me that I dont think Ive ever had a quick, slick, It Just Works experience with anything smart home related. Pretty much every device Ive ever added to my home has required the ritual sacrifice of at least one goat.This is the problem we still need to fix with smart home kit. Its utterly ridiculous that its this hard to change a lightbulb, FFS!Its the problem Apple promised to fix with HomeKit, but didnt. Its the problem the company really needs to solve if it ever hopes to persuade normals to buy into smart homes.To be fair, the company is aware of this. A patent application published five years ago described an approach to smart home devices which can completely configure themselves, with the only job of the user being to grant permission.Apple cameras would use Apple Intelligence to scan your home, identify objects like sofas and cookers, use those to label each room and then intelligently add devices to the network.Plug that new smart bulb into a living room lamp, and the system would say to itself Aha, thats been added to a lamp in the living room, and the previous bulb there was named Living Room Table Lamp, so Ill just name it and configure it to match the previous bulb, and add it to all the same scenes.If its instead added to a new lamp, the system would think Ok, this has been added to a floor lamp in the dining room, so Ill provisionally call it Dining Room Floor Lamp and ask the homeowner to confirm and advise whether they want to add it to the two living room scenes they have.A good first step would be to apply this kind of intelligence to the Apple-branded smart home products were expecting to see launched but equally important will be the Cupertino company offering this to the Connectivity Standards Alliance for inclusion in the Matter standard. Apple has form for occasional acts of industry altruism of this kind, such as allowing the Qi2 standard to be based on MagSafe.With that approach implemented, changing a smart light bulb would be as easy as, well, changing a light-bulb.Photo: Philips/SignifyAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorFebruary 28, 20255 Min ReadAleks Fassnidge via Alamy Stock PhotoThe quest for safe, accident-free roads has existed for more than a century with mixed success at best. Now, according to many automotive experts, AI is poised to become the 21st century's most important road safety technology.The need for safer roads has never been more crucial. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.9 million people die annually as a result of road traffic crashes. Additionally, more than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.Help on WheelsAI's potential lies in its ability to sift through vast amounts of data -- numeric, text, and images -- to identify patterns that enhance the capabilities of todays active safety and intelligent transportation systems, says Bryan Reimer, founder and co-director of the MIT Advanced Vehicle Technology Consortium. In an email interview, he explains that AI can unlock and deliver insights that can't be obtained through traditional statistical methods.By analyzing data from vehicle sensors, cameras, and historical traffic patterns, AI can proactively alert drivers to potential hazards, such as sudden stops, adverse weather, and other risky conditions, says Peter Mitchell, general manager at Verizon Connect vehicle tracking system. In an online interview, he notes that AI-powered analytics can identify risky behaviors, such as harsh braking or rapid acceleration, before they lead to incidents. "With predictive insights and real-time data, AI empowers drivers and fleet operators alike, enabling proactive, safety-focused decisions across the fleet," Mitchell states.Related:AI has the ability to detect driving events and risks in real time, such as red lights and pedestrians, as well driver-related issues, including distractive behavior or a sudden medical emergency, says Stefan Heck, CEO of Nauto, a firm that uses predictive AI technology to help prevent commercial fleet accidents. In an online interview, he states that AI can alert a driver to an impending collision, to get off the phone, or to take direct action, such as by automatically applying the brakes or automatically pulling the vehicle to the side of the road.Accelerating CapabilitiesRapidly advancing AI technology is accelerating road detection capabilities, speeding the processing of ever-larger amounts of data at higher reliability rates. "Synthesized data is then fed into AI-based decision systems that outperform systems that were state of the art just a few years ago," Reimer says.Related:Heck notes that current AI technology can actually prevent collisions and injuries. "AI can look at risks emerging three to five seconds in the future and intervene, either via a driver warning or direct active safety systems such as braking, to avoid the collisions."In the Driver's SeatAI is already used throughout the automotive and transportation ecosystem. "It's use cases include basic vehicle sensing, intelligent traffic control systems, and vehicle control systems," Reimer says. "The impact of these systems ranges from improving route planning via mapping applications to supporting highly automated driving."AI-powered safety technologies are especially valuable in high-traffic, high-risk areas, such as cities, construction zones, and logistics hubs, Mitchell says. He notes that next-generation dashcams, leveraging advanced AI and edge computing, will continuously analyze live video, detect risky driving patterns, and provide real-time hazard notifications. "This technology is particularly beneficial in industries that rely heavily on fleets, such as transportation, shipping, and logistics, where it can boost driver safety and efficiency," Mitchell observes. "We're seeing widespread adoption among commercial fleets, public transit systems, and rideshare platforms, where deep learning models, developed with millions of data points and partnerships with leading universities, enable precise object detection and real-time feedback to enhance road safety."Related:Heck notes that AI-powered safety technologies are already appearing in many high-end vehicles and will soon spread to mainstream models. "Europe is now mandating safety systems, many of which are powered by AI, including pedestrian collision warning and detecting driver distraction."Saving LivesThe U.S. Federal Highway Administration reports that each year over 6,000 pedestrian and 850 bicyclist deaths are caused by roadway crashes. "AI is already being used to help reduce the number of traffic-related fatalities and injuries through technologies like pedestrian automated emergency braking and smart signaling," Reimer says. He adds that AI often works behind the scenes, hidden from the consumer's view, providing the delivery of transportation solutions designed to improve safety, sustainability, cost-efficiency, convenience, and comfort.Heck observes that many people believe there will be an exact "moment" when AI suddenly arrives in the form of fully autonomous vehicles. He disagrees. "Instead, we're likely to see gradually increasing use of AI in vehicles for safety," Heck says. "Similar to how AI is gradually appearing in phones, first as fingerprint readers, then face detection, language assistance, and photo editing, we will see a gradual transformation of vehicle AI over the next decade or two."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

Action is the ultimate film genre. The reason why is right there in the name.Motionpictures. Movies are about movement. Action provides it.As a result, the old truism about pizza also applies to action movies: Whentheyre good,theyre great, and whentheyre bad, well, theyre still pretty good.A poorly written and poorly acted action movie can deliver on the level of excitement and spectacle. (Case in point!)An outstanding action movie with high stakes and rich characters is better, but sometimes a dopey thriller with solid stunts and effects and nothing else is precisely what the doctor ordered.(Wait, do we need a dopeyaction movie about a martial artist/doctor? Doesthat movie exist? What brave filmmakerwill giveusThe Doctor Is In, the tale of a butt-kickinggastroenterologist who gets pushed past his breaking point and takes revenge against the evil goons who destroyed his clinic?)While we wait forsomeone to make that surefire cinematic classic, lets take a look at 20films that failed to even clear the dumb, but fun threshold 20 of the absolute worst action movies ever made. These movies contain atrocious writing, baffling editing,hideous cinematography and worst of all unexciting action performed by actors who were clearly out of their element. In this genre, thats pretty much inexcusable. And so are these movies.The Worst Action Movies Ever MadeWe love action movies at ScreenCrush. But not all action movies are great, or good, or even watchable. These are the worst of the worst.READ MORE: EveryStar Wars Movie, Ranked From Worst to BestGet our free mobile appMovies We Love Because Theyre Always On CableThere's something fun about surfing through TV channels later at night and happening upon something youve never seen before.Gallery Credit: Emma Stefansky

Its no hot take to say that so much of todays cinema landscape is governed by adapting other things, and most of those other things, if theyre not novels, turn out to be comics. The biggest comic book movies follow the biggest comic book publishers biggest superheroes on whatever cosmic adventures they go on every year, but these arent the only comic-based movies that film studios make.It might seem like the only comic-based entertainment focuses on superheroes these days, but thats only a part (albeit a large part) of what studios have adapted. For every Captain America sequel theres a Scott Pilgrim vs. the World or a V for Vendetta to show that the twin worlds of comic publishing and moviemaking focus on more than just capes and shields and laser eyes. Often, these adaptations are based on source material thats already famous and beloved long before their movie versions come out. Sometimes, the movies become so well-known that we forget where the ideas originally came from.Here, weve gathered a few cinema classics, some more beloved than others, but all based on characters and ideas that first manifested visually as comic strips or graphic novels. Whether its because the material was more obscure at the time or because the movies are so iconic now, the fact that theyre adaptations of a very different format has been forgotten, except by the most die-hard fans. Believe it or not, these are comic book movies, too.10 Great Movies You Never Knew Were Based on ComicsTime to read up on the source material for these beloved movies.Gallery Credit: Emma StefanskyREAD MORE: Movies You Didnt Realize Were SequelsGet our free mobile app15 Movies You Didnt Realize Were SequelsMany people have no idea these movies are actually (or technically) sequels.

Email Marketing Manager (Contract, Remote) Contract: 12-month contractor role (40 hours per week) Location: Fully remote (Must have at least 4 hours overlap with EU working hours) Potential for long-term employmentAbout the RoleWe are looking for an experienced Email Marketing Manager to take an ownership of our email marketing strategy and execution. This role is important in driving product adoption, engagement, and conversion through targeted email campaigns. You will be responsible for managing all aspects of email communication, from product updates and newsletters to onboarding workflows and lead nurturing.This position is a 12-month contractor role, with potential for long-term employment.Key ResponsibilitiesEmail Campaign Management: Plan, create, and execute all email marketing campaigns, including product emails, ad hoc emails, monthly newsletters, weekly newsletters, and webinar invitations.Workflow Automation: Develop and optimize automated workflows for onboarding, cancellations, lead nurturing, win-back campaigns, and customer engagement.Strategic Planning: Align email marketing initiatives with business goals, ensuring campaigns contribute to revenue generation and customer retention.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with stakeholders across product, customer support, finance, and design teams to ensure relevant and timely messaging.Content Creation: Write compelling, conversion-focused copy in US English for all email campaigns.Design & Execution: Utilize HubSpot for email creation, segmentation, and automation (HTML knowledge is a plus, but not required). Design emails using templates and slot in graphic assets created by the design team.A/B Testing & Optimization: Conduct A/B testing on subject lines, CTAs, and content variations to maximize engagement and conversion.Analytics & Reporting: Track and report on key metrics (open rates, CTR, conversion rates) to continuously improve email performance.Key Objectives & ChallengesImprove conversion rates for free users moving to trial and trial users moving to paid accounts.Increase user engagement and reduce churn through better product adoption and education.Maintain high levels of email deliverability and engagement while managing a large-scale database of email addresses.Skills & Experience RequiredEssential Skills4+ years of experience in email marketing, preferably in a SaaS/software environment.Experience managing large-scale email databases.Strong proficiency in email marketing automation tools (preferably HubSpot, but others acceptable).Excellent copywriting skills with a focus on conversion-driven and engagement-focused emails.Strong analytical skills with the ability to report and optimize campaign performance.Ability to plan and execute email strategies that align with business goals.Attention to detail to ensure proper segmentation, scheduling, and execution of campaigns.Experience with A/B testing and performance optimization.Proficiency in Canva or similar tools for basic visual content creation.High energy, positive attitude, and a curious mindset with a strong willingness to learn and dive deep into our products.Nice-to-Have SkillsBasic HTML knowledge for email formatting.Experience with HubSpot lists, workflows, and automation.Understanding of SaaS customer journeys and lifecycle marketing.Soft Skills & AttributesHighly collaborative: Ability to work across multiple teams and gather information from stakeholders.Excellent attention to detail: Ensuring accuracy in segmentation, personalization, and delivery timing.Strong project management skills: Ability to manage multiple campaigns and deadlines.Creative & strategic thinker: Can craft engaging messaging while keeping the bigger picture in mind.High energy & optimism: We want someone proactive, enthusiastic, and eager to learn.Location & Working HoursThis role is fully remote but requires at least 4 hours of overlap with UK working hours.We are open to candidates from Europe, North America, and Central AmericaHow to Apply Email your CV to [emailprotected]with the subject line: Email Marketing Manager Application.Please include your current location and salary expectations. Feel free to attach examples of previous email campaigns youve worked on.We look forward to hearing from you!

To apply for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen, you must currently live in the U.S., you must pass an FBI background check, and you must be willing to take a drug test.ForceMetrics mission is to transform data for social change. Were striving to make a positive community impact by helping public safety and government agencies better utilize data to benefit every individual. By bringing data-driven innovation to dated systems and processes, ForceMetrics is empowering responders to make better, more informed decisions in the moment, ultimately working to solve some of the toughest societal problems.About the roleHOW YOU WILL HAVE IMPACTWere looking for a self-driven, mission-oriented Senior Full-Stack Developer to join us in building a powerful data search and analytics platform that transforms how public safety agencies and community organizations work together. Our platform enriches and synthesizes law enforcement datasets, helping to identify impactful engagement patterns, improve officer effectiveness, and optimize resource planning.As a key member of the ForceMetrics team, youll have hands-on involvement in designing and building our current and next-generation software products. Joining us at this early stage, youll have unique opportunities to shape our engineering practices, influence core technology decisions, and establish your own areas of expertise and ownership.WHAT YOU WILL DODevelop dynamic web applications with React (Next.js) and Python (Django)Design and build simple, intuitive, and powerful user experiencesWrite comprehensive tests to ensure the stability and reliability of our productProduce scalable, maintainable code for a secure, multi-tenant SaaS environmentEngage in sprint planning, breaking down complex tasks and setting achievable goalsGain deep expertise in the ForceMetrics platform, leveraging its capabilities to address real-world challenges in public safety and community impactWHAT YOU MUST HAVE5+ years of experience with advance Elasticsearch experience building search queries and aggregations.Proficient in JavaScript and Python, with experience in frameworks like React, Next.js, or Vue.jsExperienced in CSS frameworks like Tailwind, Bootstrap, or Material Design to create visually appealing, responsive interfacesStrong communication skills, able to clearly convey technical topics to both technical and non-technical stakeholdersCollaborative mindset with a strong desire to work cross-functionally and contribute meaningfully to a teamGrowth-oriented, open to feedback and committed to continuous learning and improvementProactive problem solver, eager to take initiative and deliver results in a fast-paced, lean environmentDesire to work on a lean, fast-paced team where you can take initiative and produce results every dayU.S. Citizen (or Green Card Holder) able to pass an FBI background check in order to work with the highly sensitive data entrusted to us to positively impact the worldWHAT WILL MAKE YOU STAND OUTEarly-stage tech startup experiencePassion for making a difference in the lives of manyPast exposure to law enforcement, public safety, or to similar data systemsComputer Science or Engineering degree from 4-year accredited universityExperience with object-oriented design and software design patternsExperience with backend like Django, Flask, CherryPy, Spring, or Spring BootProficiency with Relational Databases (i.e Postgres, MySQL, Microsoft SQL, etc)Mobile application development like iOS, Android, React NativeExperience with Docker, Kubernetes, or CI/CDPrior experience working on an Agile/Scrum teamWHAT WE CAN OFFERA strong sense of mission for impacting real communities and solving complex societal problemsWork alongside other top talent in a rewarding and enjoyable cultureCompany EquityMedical, Dental, Vision & Life insurance401(k)100% RemoteStandard holidays and paid time offSalary range for this position is: $130K to $170K + DOE

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. An AI companion site is hosting sexually charged conversations with underage celebrity bots Botify AI, a site for chatting with AI companions thats backed by the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, hosts bots resembling real actors that state their age as under 18, engage in sexually charged conversations, offer hot photos, and in some instances describe age-of-consent laws as arbitrary and meant to be broken. When MIT Technology Review tested the site this week, we found popular user-created bots taking on underage characters meant to resemble Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Millie Bobby Brown, among others.The conversationsalong with the fact that Botify AI includes send a hot photo as a feature for its characterssuggest that the ability to elicit sexually charged conversations and images is not accidental. Instead, sexually suggestive conversations appear to be baked in. Read the full story. James O'Donnell OpenAI just released GPT-4.5 and says it is its biggest and best chat model yet Whats new: OpenAI has just released GPT-4.5, a new version of its flagship large language model which it claims is its biggest and best model for chat yet. The new model, which is already available for subscribers to OpenAIs ChatGPT Pro tier, is part of its non-reasoning lineup. Why it matters: OpenAI wont say exactly how big its new model is. But it says the jump in scale from GPT-4o to GPT-4.5 is the same as the jump from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4o. Experts have estimated that GPT-4 could have as many as 1.8 trillion parameters, the values that get tweaked when a model is trained. Read the full story. Will Douglas Heaven How a volcanic eruption turned a human brain into glass They look like small pieces of obsidian, smooth and shiny. But a set of small black fragments found inside the skull of a man who died in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Southern Italy, in the year 79 CE, are thought to be pieces of his brainturned to glass. The discovery, reported in 2020, was exciting because a human brain had never been found in this state. Now, scientists studying his remains believe theyve found out more details about how the glass fragments were formed. Read the full story. Jessica Hamzelou To read more about this fascinating story, check out the latest edition of The Checkup, our weekly biotech newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 A judge has blocked mass firings of US federal workers After ruling the terminations were probably illegal. (WP $)+ Trumps purges align with his personal campaign against the federal government. (The Atlantic $)+ The DOGE cuts are likely to get much, much worse. (Wired $)2 Donald Trumps migrant crackdown is fuelling a surveillance boom Firms are rushing to ready tracking tech to meet the administrations demands. (The Guardian)+ Things arent looking so rosy for other big government contractors, though. (WSJ $)3 The US is weighing up vaccinating chickens against bird flu The countrys egg supply is under serious strain. (Wired $)+ More than 35 million birds have been culled this year alone. (BBC)+ Businesses are struggling, and consumers are suffering. (The Atlantic $)+ How the US is preparing for a potential bird flu pandemic. (MIT Technology Review)4 An AI model is capable of solving million-step math problems Far beyond the capacity of any human. (IEEE Spectrum)+ Why does AI being good at math matter? (MIT Technology Review)5 How map apps deal with government disputes over place namesIncluding the Gulf of Mexico/America. (Rest of World $) 6 A new AI system neutralizes call center staffs Indian accentsThe industrys largest operator is preparing to roll it out in Latin America, too. (Bloomberg $) + How this grassroots effort could make AI voices more diverse. (MIT Technology Review) 7 The future of xenotransplantation Cross-species organ transplants are on the rise, but risks remain. (Knowable Magazine)+ A woman in the US is the third person to receive a gene-edited pig kidney. (MIT Technology Review)8 This Abu Dhabi royal is obsessed with AI And hes willing to splash his colossal wealth to transform his tiny emirate into a major AI player. (WSJ $)9 Alibabas new video model is a big hit among AI porn fansAnd theyre already sharing their creations. (404 Media) + Three ways we can fight deepfake porn. (MIT Technology Review)10 No good can come from having your read receipts turned on Do yourself a favor and switch em off. (Vox)Quote of the day I recommend being in the office at least every weekday I think we have all the ingredients to win this race, but we are going to have to turbocharge our efforts. Google co-founder Sergey Brin urges the company's AI teams to work harder to beat its competition to become the first firm to achieve artificial general intelligence, the New York Times reports. The big story The US wants to use facial recognition to identify migrant children as they age August 2024 The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to collect and analyze photos of the faces of migrant children at the border in a bid to improve facial recognition technology, MIT Technology Review can reveal.The technology has traditionally not been applied to children, largely because training data sets of real childrens faces are few and far between, and consist of either low-quality images drawn from the internet or small sample sizes with little diversity. Such limitations reflect the significant sensitivities regarding privacy and consent when it comes to minors.In practice, the new DHS plan could effectively solve that problem. But, beyond concerns about privacy, transparency, and accountability, some experts also worry about testing and developing new technologies using data from a population that has little recourse to provideor withholdconsent. Read the full story.Eileen Guo We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + Congratulations to Hilda Jackson, 105 years young and still raving!+ If youre a chronic procrastinator, heres some helpful tips to break the cycle.+ All aboard the dog bus! (thanks Beth!)+ In more canine news, I need a one-way ticket to Puppy Mountain, stat.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Zaha Hadid Architects has begun construction on the Centre of Mediterranean Culture in Reggio Calabria, Italy.The 24,000-square-meter Center of Mediterranean Culture includes an aquarium, a number of galleries for both temporary and permanent exhibitions, essential new multipurpose conference facilities for the city, including an auditorium for performances, public presentations, and business gatherings, and new learning areas for the area's schools. A bookstore and a caf and bar with a view of the port are among the center's auxiliary recreational facilities for guests.Sea viewFor thousands of years, Reggio Calabria, which is strategically situated on the Strait of Messina in southern Italy, has served as a gateway between the eastern and western Mediterranean. The city also acts as the entryway between Sicily and the Italian mainland. Reggio Calabria is in the center of the Mediterranean's history and its future because it is the hub of trade routes and marine environments with remarkable biodiversity.The rich indigenous culture and customs of Calabria are inspired by maritime civilizations from all around the Mediterranean. By examining the deep connection between Calabria and the Mediterranean Sea, which has shaped the region's past and will continue to do so in the future, the new Centre of Mediterranean Culture will enhance Reggio Calabria's current archaeological and art institutions.Southern ParkThe Reggium Waterfront redevelopment significantly enhances accessibility to this prominent section of Reggio Calabria's shoreline by incorporating the necessary upgrading of the city's coastline, which has been eroded and degraded over several decades.It also creates a new coastal urban park with an extended promenade that includes the city's most iconic views of the island of Sicily and the Straight of Messina.The Center of Mediterranean Culture, which was designed as part of the waterfront redevelopment, reconnected Reggio Calabria's working port to become a vital part of the city's public realm. It serves as the city's main civic and cultural gathering place, hosting forums, exhibitions, and events while presenting the history and relationship between humans and the sea in a Calabrian context.EntranceA double-height atrium that acts as the city's entryway is the starting point for the center's four wings of amenities. The composition of the building, which alternates architectural volumes between public courtyards that will be protected from the sunlight of one of Europe's southernmost cities and the strong prevailing winds from the north that are funneled through the straight in summer, was determined by advanced computer simulation modeling.Depending on which way it faces, each covered courtyard leads to the west-facing terrace with its expansive views of the straight and Sicily beyond, the city to the south, or the port to the east.Northern ParkThe rich marine environment of the straight and the Mediterranean inspire the center's interior design, which tells a story through sight and sound. Coral tints symbolize the vitality of the straight's ecology, while the auditorium's interior design draws inspiration from marine life's abundance of colors and organic shapes.The interior areas of the aquarium reflect the fluidity and cleanliness of the water, giving the marine life inside an immersive experience. The galleries' use of light and shadow conveys the spirit of exploration inherent in the Mediterranean's lengthy history of navigators, beckoning viewers to investigate the fresh opportunities each exhibition offers.InteriorThe climate in the area, resource efficiency, and ecological improvement all influence the center's sustainability plans. In order to maximize visitor comfort and natural ventilation during Reggio Calabria's summer months, architectural composition and mitigation methods have been meticulously guided by an analysis of the strong prevailing winds in the straight.The building's faade, which is 90% opaque and has ample overhangs, is a crucial component of its passive design since it greatly reduces direct solar heat gain from all directions, including sea reflections, which lowers internal thermal loads. Locally produced, marine-grade anodized aluminum panels for the faade reduce cooling demand to promote long-term energy savings while reflecting the Mediterranean's famous natural light.In addition to reducing transportation and installation energy costs due to their lighter weight and local supply chain, the panels' durability in maritime environments, recyclability, and ease of fabrication will also reduce maintenance, replacement, and material waste, all of which help to reduce the center's environmental impact over its whole life cycle.InteriorA Mediterranean maquis landscape with sixty native plant kinds was created to go along with these architectural measures. Their adaption to the particular climate of Calabria reduces water consumption while increasing biodiversity. Rainwater collected on-site helps with construction needs and landscaping irrigation.The center's dedication to sustainability, biodiversity, and visitor comfort is shown in these measures taken together: responsive building orientation, a high-performance faade, hybrid ventilation, thoughtful material selection, integrated water management, and native planting.With an organic design idea inspired by the radial symmetry of starfish, Zaha Hadid Architects took first place in the center's 2007 international architectural competition. Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the 20212027 National Operational Programme for Metropolitan Cities (PON Metro) provided funding in 2021, allowing Zaha Hadid Architects to be formally commissioned to proceed with the detailed design that has been improved to meet the sophisticated environmental standards and criteria of future decades.AquariumZaha Hadid Architects, recently, completed the restoration and renovation of the 16th century historic Roman Palazzo into Hotel Romeo Roma in Italy. In addition, the firm created material-rich showroom interiors for Marisfrolg Fashion Group in Shenzhen, China.Project factsProject name:Centre of Mediterranean CultureArchitect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)Project Design: Zaha Hadid and Patrik SchumacherZHA Project Director: Filippo InnocentiZHA Project Architect: Domenico di FrancescoZHA Project Associates: Andrea Balducci Caste, Marco GuardincerriZHA Project Leads: BIM Manager: David Fogliano; Faade: Marco Guardincerri; Interiors: Andrea Balducci Caste, Zsuzsanna Bart; Landscape: Marco Guardincerri; MEP+Structural Coordination: Andrea Balducci CasteZHA Project Team: Abdel Chehab, Anja Simons, Davide Del Giudice, Gabriele di Giovanni, Hangyul Jeong, Luciano Letteriello, Mario Mattia, Michele Salvi, Marina Martinez, Roberto Vangeli, Stefano Rocchetti, Serena Pietrantoni, Vincenzo BarillariZHA Interior Architecture Project Architects: Bidisha Sinha, Kar Hwa HoZHA Interior Architecture Project Associate: Roberta SartoriZHA Interior Architecture Team: Aysu Aysoy, Andy Lin, Caleb Baldwin, Sonia RenehanZHA Sustanaibility Team Lead: Carlos Bausa MartinezZHA Sustanaibility Team: Aleksander Mastalski, Aditya Ambare, Bahaa Alnassrallah, Disha SettyZHA CODE team: Tommaso Casucci, Efthymia Douroudi, Henry David Louth, Vishu Bhooshan, Shajay BhooshanZHA Competition Project Director: Filippo InnocentiZHA Competition Team: Michele Salvi, Roberto Vangeli, Andrea Balducci Caste, Luciano Letteriello, Fabio Forconi, Giuseppe Morando, Johannes Weikert, Deepli Zachariah, Gonzalo CarbajoConsultantsLocal Architect: Artuso Architetti AssociatiStructural Engineers: InterprogettiQuantity Surveyor: Building ConsultingGeneral Contractor: COBAR spaCost Consultants: Building ConsultingEnvironmental Consultant: Biagio CilloFaade Engineering: Faces EngineeringM&E Engineering: Macchiaroli & partnersMEP: Macchiaroli & partnersMaintenance planning: Building ConsultingFire Engineer: Macchiaroli & partnersAcoustic Consultant: Roberto CandelaAuditorium Stagecraft and Multimedia Design: BiobyteAuditorium Acoustic Consultant: BiobyteMuseum Planning Consultants: LordAquarium specialist: Costa Edutainment SpaMaritime Infrastructure: INGERAgronomist Consultant: Rosario PreviteraSite Safety Management: Building ConsultingCompetition Fire Engineers: Macchiaroli & PartnersCompetition Structural Engineers: AKTCompetition M&E: Max FordhamAll renderings NightNurse.> via ZHA News