I accidentally booked a stay at a resort in India that had very limited WiFi access.I panicked at first, especially since I planned on doing some work at night.Surprisingly, I adjusted quickly, and I'm thinking about ways to unplug on future trips.Some people disconnect when they travel, but that's never been my style.As a freelancer, I usually have to work while I'm on the move, and I also like having a way to stay in touch with family and friends back home.I knew we'd be traveling to remote locations when my family did a tour of India with Intrepid Travel. However, when we arrived at the Desert Resort in Mandala, I realized I'd failed to notice the fine print that WiFi would be extremely limited at this stop.Surprisingly, I adjusted much more quickly than I expected Initially, I panicked a little about the lack of internet connection. Jamie Davis Smith My first instinct was to panic when I learned that the resort intentionally doesn't provide WiFi in any of its guest rooms.Even though we were only there for a couple of days, I was convinced my stay would be stressful and difficult without 24/7 access to the internet.Shortly after arriving, I learned there were a few small areas with WiFi on the property and quickly scoped one of them out to answer a few emails that couldn't wait.Then, instead of hunkering down to do more work like I might have otherwise, I put my computer back in my room and explored the resort.To my surprise, my stress about the WiFi melted away quickly.While my kids swam, I walked around the resort and marveled at its lovely buildings made out of mud and hand-painted by local artisans. I checked out the resort's collection of vintage cars, and before dinner, my kids joined me to get henna tattoos from a local artist.Almost everyone else from our tour group was also out of their rooms something that hadn't happened at any of our other stops.It took being forced to unplug for me to really unwind and be present I saw a peacock while I was exploring the resort and watching the sunrise. Jamie Davis Smith At first, I wasn't prepared to give up my evening routine of responding to emails and catching up on work.It may not be the most relaxing way to end the night on vacation, but I find that it's usually worth the trade-off so I don't fall too far behind when I get home.I wouldn't be able to travel as much as I do if I couldn't work, at least a little, almost every day.After dinner, instead of settling into my laptop, I grabbed a book and started reading under the stars. The kids played soccer and took turns on the resort's swings instead of heading off to scroll on their devices.After a relaxing and restful evening where I was truly unplugged, I slept better than I had in a while. The next morning, without the pull of my computer calling to me, I woke up early to enjoy the sunrise.I went on a short hike before waking my kids up for breakfast it was the perfect way to start the day.Unplugging ended up being such a gift I can't wait to try other unplugged vacations in the future. Jamie Davis Smith Although I was only at the Desert Resort for two days, it was enough to remind me that I don't need to be tethered to a phone or computer all the time.I left vowing to be more intentional about when and how I use WiFi, especially while traveling. Although I haven't been perfect, I have a new understanding of the hold my devices really have over me and what I'm missing out on as a result.Because of my career, I can't necessarily make staying in places with limited WiFi a habit, but I'm already eyeing another short stay at an unplugged resort this summer.

I tried making five breakfast recipes in the air fryer to see how they'd turn out.The bacon and French toast came out perfectly crispy and absolutely delicious.Using the air fryer for all of the recipes also made cleanup significantly easier.The hype around air fryers is real, and in my opinion, this appliance makes everything from cooking to cleanup more convenient.In hopes of making my mornings easier, I tried cooking five classic breakfast recipes in the air fryer and rated each dish based on difficulty, flavor, and whether I'd make it again.Here's what I thought of each recipe and which I plan to cook again.I started out with bacon I laid the bacon out on the air fryer racks. Chelsea Davis This method for cooking bacon is so much easier than any other I've tried, and I can't believe I had never thought of it.I placed a sheet of tinfoil under the appliance's grate to catch the grease for easy cleanup, laid out a single layer of bacon in both baskets, and air-fried the meat for 11 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking it about halfway through.The bacon came out perfectly crispy The bacon came out so crispy. Chelsea Davis A breeze to make, this breakfast side had the perfect consistency. To be honest, I'll probably never cook bacon any other way again. The easy cleanup made this recipe even better. Chelsea Davis Best of all, there was no grease splattering or residual smokiness, and the cleanup was as easy as removing the grease-filled tinfoil liner.Difficulty: 1/10Flavor: 10/10Would I make it again?: Absolutely.Next, I made breakfast potatoes This recipe didn't call for many ingredients. Chelsea Davis The recipe I found for breakfast potatoes was tasty and simple.All I did was peel and chop a russet potato, coat it in olive oil, and sprinkle it with paprika, onion and garlic powder, and salt. This meal was easy to toss together. Chelsea Davis After evenly combining the mix, I put the cubes in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, shaking halfway through.These home fries came out a little overcooked This dish could use some extra flavor. Chelsea Davis Since I only chopped one potato, the dish cooked quicker than the 20 minutes the recipe called for.Although the cubes were a bit overcooked and burned in some spots, their flavor was delicious, and most of the pieces were a nice mix of crispy and crunchy.Plus, this method was still way easier than making home fries in a skillet. Next time, I may add some diced bell peppers and onion for extra flavor.Difficulty: 1/10Flavor: 6/10Would I make it again?: Yes, but I'd add a few ingredients and cook it for a shorter amount of time.For my 3rd recipe, I whipped up eggs in a basketI've never been a huge fan of eggs in a basket also known as egg in a hole because it seems like an unnecessary combo, and I prefer a full-sized toast with my breakfast spread.That said, this go at it was much easier than the times I've made it in a pan. I'm usually not a huge fan of eggs in a basket. Chelsea Davis First, I used a cup to make a hole in the bread, then sprayed the interior of the air fryer with cooking spray.Once I got my bread in the appliance, I cracked an egg inside the hole and cooked it at 330 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping it after a few minutes to let the other side bake and add some cheese on top. I was worried the egg would make a mess in my air fryer. Chelsea Davis I thought the egg would seep through the holes in the grate and ruin the meal, but surprisingly, it held together nicely.The egg wasn't quite runny enough for my liking, but I still enjoyed it The dish held together quite well. Chelsea Davis The dish came out looking and tasting like it should,since only a little bit of the cooked egg had seeped through to the bottom of the air fryer basket. Next time, I'd cook this meal for a shorter period of time. Chelsea Davis Overall, it was delicious, but I wished the egg was a bit runnier. Next time, I'll only cook it for about two minutes per side.Difficulty: 3/10Flavor: 7/10Would I make it again?: Yes.Next, I tried making an air fryer frittata I used sausage, bell pepper, and green onion to make this frittata. Chelsea Davis The frittata recipe I found was unbelievably easy to make.For this dish, I simply combined eggs, sausage, bell pepper, onion, and cheese, then whisked the mixture together with seasonings like paprika and garlic powder. I filled my air fryer basket with the egg mixture. Chelsea Davis The recipe said to cook the eggs in a cake pan, but instead, I took the grate out and poured the frittata mix straight into the sprayed air fryer basket.I then let it cook for 25 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.It tasted amazing, and I would've never guessed it was made in an air fryer This frittata is the perfect breakfast to make for guests. Chelsea Davis This frittata came out with the perfect consistency. It was cheesy, delicious, and so easy to make.Plus, it's a customizable dish you can add your favorite ingredients to. For next time, I'm already thinking of including bacon, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese.Difficulty: 3/10Flavor: 10/10Would I make it again?: Yes, especially when cooking for guests.For my final recipe, I attempted to make French toast I hoped the French toast wouldn't be mushy on the inside. Chelsea Davis I'm a huge fan of French toast, but I hate when it gets too soggy or mushy inside, so I approached this method with caution.To start, I whisked together melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl and made a mix of sugar and cinnamon in another.Then, I cut the pieces of bread into three strips and quickly dipped each stick into the batter, liberally sprinkling both sides with the sweet crumble. I made sure to arrange these French-toast sticks in one layer. Chelsea Davis After I placed the sticks in the air fryer, careful not to crowd the basket, I let them cook for eight minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.I barely had to add syrup for this recipe to taste good The French toast came out perfectly crispy. Chelsea Davis These French toast sticks came out so tasty, they barely needed syrup. In addition to having a delicious crispy exterior, they thankfully weren't soggy or mushy in the center. The sugar and cinnamon topping was a great touch. Chelsea Davis Plus, the sugar and cinnamon mixture gave each strip a delicate, caramelized crumble.Difficulty: 2/10Flavor: 10/10Would I make it again: Yes.All in all, I absolutely loved making these breakfast recipes in the air fryer Using the air fryer to make breakfast is a game-changing move. Chelsea Davis Using the air fryer truly made each recipe shine. Also, cleanup was a breeze, which I consider a huge bonus.Once the food was in the appliance, I didn't have to worry about it or monitor it much at all.I would 100% make these options again for any breakfast spread.This story was originally published in February 2021 and most recently updated on February 28, 2025.

More layoffs have hit the federal government, this time at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United Statess main weather forecaster and the worlds premier research agency for the seas and the skies. CBS News reports that 880 employees were cut across NOAA, about 7 percent of the workforce, including earth scientists, meteorologists, computer modelers, and space weather forecasters. Its already causing some functions like weather balloon launches that provide raw data for weather models to shut down. What these employees had in common was that they were on probation. This is not a form of punishment but rather a quirk of the federal hiring system. By law, federal civil service employees start new roles on a one-year probationary period, if not longer. This mainly means new hires, but also covers people who have been at an agency for years who were promoted or transferred to different roles. About one in 10 government workers are on probation at any given time. RelatedElon Musk is coming for our weather serviceLike most jobs, it kind of just gives your employer an opportunity to evaluate your performance, said Amelia Glymph, deputy chief of staff at the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union for federal workers. They dont have as many rights as full-time employees.During the probationary period, workers have the burden to demonstrate why it is in the public interest for the government to hire them, according to the US Merit Systems Protection Board. You should view your probationary period as kind of an extension of the hiring process, said Robert Shriver, managing director for Democracy Forwards Civil Service Strong initiative, which aims to provide information and resources to government workers. I think any good federal manager can find out pretty quickly if somebodys up for the job or not. Then why is the federal probation period so long, stretching up to two years? Part of the reason is that many federal jobs like law enforcement require extensive training. Simply learning to navigate the government bureaucracy can take weeks. Certain job functions can only be performed at specific times of the year, like when Congress is in session. Other roles require workers to produce reports, analyses, or investigations that take months to assemble and weeks to evaluate. Plus, once an employee graduates out of probation, they end up with strong job protections that make them harder to fire. This is to encourage civil service workers with specialized training and expertise to stay on the job. It also helps protect their roles from the whims of politicians. Read our recent conversation with Vox climate correspondent Umair Irfan on how the nations top climate and weather agency impacts the lives of every American.But probationary employees have some protections too. They cant be dismissed without some kind of performance problem, and the Trump administrations mass firings may be illegal, according to federal courts. However, the judicial process is moving slowly while thousands of federal employees have already cleared out their desks and have been locked out of their offices. The courts are overwhelmed because theres never been anything like this before, and I think thats part of the [Trump administrations] strategy, Shriver said. And layoffs arent the only way agencies are seeing their numbers dwindle. Vacancies are going unfilled, while existing staffers are taking buyouts alongside the normal attrition from retirements. The chaos across the government is making it a less appealing place to work, deterring prospective workers from applying. For an agency like NOAA that performs urgent research unmatched by the private sector, it adds up to a long-term squeeze of their workforce that will impair the safety of Americans and the health of the economy.See More:

The Trump administration utterly botched a hyped release of Jeffrey Epstein files Thursday, a saga that resulted in disappointment among the MAGA faithful, finger-pointing among Trump aides, and unsurprisingly claims of deep state sabotage.Epstein, the well-connected financier who was indicted for sex trafficking underage girls and died in prison in 2019, has long been the subject of conspiracy theories, and many on the right believe that the US government is hiding information that would implicate powerful people (specifically, Democrats and celebrities, they believe).In response to these demands, Attorney General Pam Bondi promised in a Fox News appearance Wednesday night that a lot of information was set to be released soon.Then, on Thursday, her team printed out a series of documents, put them in binders, and handed them to right-wing influencers like Chaya Raichik (@LibsofTikTok) who were visiting the White House. Said influencers proceeded to wave the binders about this sex trafficking case around in front of photographers while smiling and made social media posts praising the administrations transparency.Naturally, the documents were a dud. One (Epsteins contact book) had been published by Gawker 10 years ago. Another (a list of his masseuses) was entirely redacted. And the others had been previously released during the 2021 trial of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Nothing was new here.It all was handled so incompetently that widespread bipartisan mockery ensued on social media. Meanwhile, the MAGA faithful, denied their promised revelations, started to feel theyd been taken for a ride, and began to wonder: Was this, in fact, part of the cover-up too?So Bondi swung into action to do furious damage control. Conservative influencers were given a letter from Bondi to FBI director Kash Patel, in which Bondi claimed shed asked for all the Epstein documents, but had been belatedly tipped off that the FBIs New York field office was withholding thousands of pages. Bondi demanded they be handed over, and ordered Patel to conduct an immediate investigation into why my order to the FBI wasnt followed.It is certainly likely that the FBI has more documents on Epstein than the few that the Trump administration released, but it is unclear whether Bondis claims of FBI malfeasance have any validity or whether they are just her attempt to squirm out of responsibility for a PR debacle.Why the right is so fixated on Jeffrey EpsteinEpstein was a very wealthy financier who had a lot of famous friends whom he often flew on his planes to his private island. He was also repeatedly accused, in criminal and civil proceedings, of sex trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls, including some as young as 14. A brush with the law over this in the mid-2000s ended in what was later derided as a sweetheart plea deal, but in July 2019 Epstein was arrested again and then found dead in his cell the following month, in what authorities said was a suicide. The documented story of Epstein is bizarre and damning as it is, but on both the left and the right, many have insisted the conspiracy must go far deeper. Did he have secret sex blackmail on powerful and influential people politicians, celebrities who were also involved in abusing underage girls? How did he make his money? Was he working with intelligence services? Was he actually murdered in a shadowy conspiracy to prevent him from telling what he knew?In particular, the online right has fixated on what they refer to as the Epstein list an imagined document supposedly listing famous people who were co-conspirators in his sex crimes. The online right hopes this will be the promised smoking gun proof that will indisputably reveal that their political enemies are perverted criminals, disgracing them forever and likely leading them to be arrested. (President Donald Trump is not featured in their theories, despite him having been photographed with Epstein and having publicly praised Epstein as a terrific guy who likes beautiful women who are on the younger side.)As such, its the latest variation of the now-old hat QAnon theory, which argued that proof of a deep state conspiracy to protect Democratic pedophiles was imminent. (Democrats hopes for a Trump pee tape could be said to serve a similar role.)RelatedThe future of QAnon, explained by 8 expertsHow long can Trump officials string along the online right?The attention Bondi and Patel are devoting to such matters is just the latest indication of how obsessed Trumps new administration is with pleasing the extremely online right. And their attempts at damage control afterward show just how worried they are about losing their reputation with the base.But it also poses the question of how they can get away with stoking conspiracy theories and promising imminent revelations that somehow never end up coming, before the base decides theyre full of it. Bondis current strategy is to blame the deep state for a cover-up, but how long can that work?See More: Politics

Black Ops 6 has been a big hit (Activision)This years Call Of Duty is also in development for last generation consoles, despite the PS4 and Xbox One being 12 years old this autumn.The current console generation will probably go down as the most unremarkable in history, with very few games actually pushing the capabilities of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.There are several reasons for this, between the rising cost of making games, pandemic shortages, and the small graphical leap from the PlayStation 4 era, but its a problem which also looks set to loom over Sony and Microsofts plans for future hardware.Another problem is the sheer amount of people still playing on old generation consoles, with many games still coming out on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One all these years later. While were defintely on the tail end of this trend, a new report claims the next Call Of Duty game will still come out on these old consoles.According to sources at Call Of Duty site CharlieIntel, as posted on X, Call Of Duty 2025 is in development for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from what weve heard.This may be the reason as to why there cant be two big maps in Warzone at the same time, the site speculates. Area 99 was the last map to be added to Warzone in November 2024 but this was only for the Resurgence mode, with the last main battle royale map being Urzikstan, which was added back in December 2023.Call Of Duty leaker GhostOfHope recently claimed Warzones original map, Verdansk, will return in Season 3 for Black Ops 6, which is expected to start in March. This, however, will apparently come at the expense of a new in-development map called Avalon, which may potentially be postponed from its original late 2025 release or completely canned.More TrendingNone of this has been officially announced, but if true, it is a frustrating example of how the slow transition to the current generation is holding back the design of new games.If nothing else though, the game being on last gen consoles means that a Nintendo Switch 2 version this year is quite likely, given the new console is rumoured to be roughly equivalent to a PlayStation 4 in power and Microsoft has long been promising to bring the series back to Nintendo consoles.As for what we know about the next Call Of Duty, leaks claim it will be a direct sequel to 2012s Black Ops 2, with remastered maps and returning mechanics including the omni-movement system from Black Ops 6.While Activision has not officially announced anything about the next Call Of Duty, rumours suggest Sledgehammer Games, who last created 2023s much maligned Modern Warfare 3, are developing this years instalment. Are you still playing one of these? (Sony)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

By Matt Novak Published February 28, 2025 | Comments (0) | People hold signs during a protest against Elon Musk outside of a Tesla dealership in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on February 27, 2025. Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images Elon Musk has spent the past month destroying the U.S. federal government with his team of DOGE goons, taking a chainsaw to USAID, NOAA, Social Security, and countless other vital agencies. And while President Donald Trump is ostensibly the guy in charge of the country, most Americans understand Musk has the real power. And theres a growing movement to protest the billionaire CEO at Tesla dealerships and SpaceX headquarters. The grassroots protest movement 50501 launched a website earlier this month to let people find the demonstrations against Trump and his cronies. But if youre looking for protests that specifically target Musk, the website Tesla Takedown is the place to be. The Tesla Takedown website is searchable by zip code. For example, typing in a Los Angeles zip code right now delivers the results below for events in L.A. proper down to Long Beach and even as far away as Irvine in Orange County, California. The protests listed when you search an L.A. zip code are all at Tesla dealerships and Tesla storefronts across Southern California on Saturday, March 1, as well as Sunday, March 2. But obviously, you can search for any zip code in the entire country. Screenshot: Tesla Takedown Tesla Takedown was started by Alex Winter, an actor and activist, and his production company Trouper, which has made similar call-to-action websites for various documentaries. Winter told Gizmodo over email Friday that a website like his allows for something thats very decentralized, like the anti-Musk protests, to have a central hub for people to find information. This one worked far better than we imagined, Winter wrote about the website. In the short time its been up, weve had over 45,000 unique visitors who are spending real time on the site to read the information. Its very encouraging.Winter says there are three goals with Tesla Takedown protests, sparked by Musks destruction of the country. First, to drive down the value of Tesla cars and Tesla stock, to force a shareholder vote of no-confidence in Musk, and to remove him from the company, wrote Winter. Second, to provide a simple and effective means of protest for the millions of angry citizens who dont accept Musks illegal and destructive intrusion into the US government. And third, to create a means to disseminate information on Musk and DOGEs criminal activities and help educate and inform the public.It should be noted that not every anti-Musk protest is going to be listed on Tesla Takedown. But thats the nature of a massive movement against a guy with such diversified interests. For instance, theres a protest at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on Saturday that doesnt appear on the Tesla Takedown website. Musk is the leader of half a dozen companies. Musk has never been confirmed as a formal member of the government but has been appointed by Trump to oversee DOGE, which has gained access to federal agencies with the stated goal of shaving $2 trillion from the federal budget. That means thousands of people are now losing their jobs as the Department of Justice argues Musk isnt even the administrator of DOGE right now. This is despite Musk essentially running cabinet meetings while suggesting that he alone gets to decide what gets funded in the government. Congress is actually in charge of deciding what gets funded, but with Republicans in control of both the House and the Senate, they have no desire to stop Musks wrecking ball act. All of that leaves regular people on the street wondering what they can do to express their displeasure with Musk, since their elected representatives are doing nothing. One small way to do something, as some see it, is to show up at a protest against Musk.There is a growing movement to divest, Tesla stock is in a precipitous decline, Winter told Gizmodo. So were feeling bullish. Not cocky by any means, but hopeful that regular citizens can make a difference.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matthew Gault Published February 28, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 28, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 28, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 28, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 27, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published February 27, 2025

Hollywoods biggest night of self-congratulations is just days awaywhich means the annual anti-Oscars, the Razzie Awards, are here to land a few more blows on 2024s biggest misfires, disappointments, head-scratchers, and box-office flops. After the genre-heavy nominations dropped last month, its no surprise to see the Batman-adjacent Joker: Folie Deux claimed some prizes, though the top spot (and the most-awarded title, with three tropies) went to a movie io9 has found cause to defend on more than one occasion: the Spider-Manadjacent Madame Web. The 2024 Razzie Awards named Madame Web Worst Picture, while also singling out lead actress Dakota Johnson and its screenplay (by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharples and Claire Parker & S.J. Clarkson). Joker: Folie Deux was awarded for the screen combo of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and it also took the Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel category. Actor and supporting actress went to Unfrosteds Jerry Seinfeld and Amy Schumer, respectively; Jon Voight got a multi-part supporting actor nod for a year that included Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land, and Strangers. And speaking of Megalopolis, director Francis Ford Coppola was a good sport about his own dubious honor, writing on social media that he saw the movies Razzie recognition as a distinctive honor at a time when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of contemporary moviemaking! In this wreck of a world today, where ART is given scores as if it were professional wrestling, I chose to NOT follow the gutless rules laid down by an industry so terrified of risk that despite the enormous pool of young talent at its disposal, may not create pictures that will be relevant and alive 50 years from now. Will people be watching Madame Web 50 years from now? If it continues its current tentative trajectory toward the cult-movie pantheon, well never say never? The Razzies do hand out a redeemer award for a past winner made good (this year it was Pamela Anderson for The Last Showgirl, nearly 30 years after being dinged for 1997s Barb Wire), so anything is possible. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Herfst House Renovation / tweestroom architectenSave this picture! Nick ClaeskensHouses, RenovationBelgiumArchitects: tweestroom architectenAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:61 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Nick ClaeskensManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Sto, Koffie en Staal More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Designing is about creating order by narrowing down abundant possibilities into conscious choices. When approaching a building, we begin by considering what can be preserved, followed by quick wins. Major interventions are only made when they offer value on multiple fronts. Our focus is on balance, simplicity, and efficiency, intervening only when necessary. This approach reduces new material use and creates financial space for architectural creativity.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Creativity through limitation - Good elements should be given a second life. Despite the need for a full renovation, the clients agreed to limit our intervention to the ground floor, handling the rest themselves. This freed up budget for more creative decisions. Discovering untapped potential - The unused west-facing facade and the 6.45-meter building width, which were not fully utilized, were key to the design. The terrace, while in good condition, was too small to be functional. One intervention with high impact - The existing extension was replaced by a grid of beams and columns, with a glass facade in between. This intervention adds value by: reducing the interior-exterior divide, allowing more evening sun, expanding the terrace, and enhancing the connection with the garden. The sloping roof of the extension maximizes northern light without causing overheating, giving the house a serene, airy atmosphere.Save this picture!Save this picture!Balanced facade composition - The house forms the end of a row of similar homes, with subtle brick detailing around the front door. We chose not to disrupt the street's unity by adding external insulation. Instead, we made subtle changes to enhance the existing facade. We lowered the ground-floor window to improve connection with the neighborhood. The west-facing facade, shaded by trees from the nearby park, benefits from improved insulation, using a simple ETICS system with a finish that matches the texture of the front facade. Extension and joinery opaque and clear materials - The combination of steel and concrete in the extension's beams and columns balances the massiveness of the existing house with the lightness of the new glass facade. The joinery features grey anodized aluminum, complemented by red-brown wood accents, which add warmth to the design.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Limited interior finishes - The existing ceiling and walls were stripped to expose the raw concrete slabs and bricks. Together with the client, we carefully selected areas to plaster, leaving the new structure exposed. The floor was slightly raised to accommodate underfloor heating, finished in light grey Mortex. The kitchen materials follow a consistent color palette, with reinforced glass in the cabinet doors, interior doors, and garage door. The design maintains balance, with red-brown wood accents complementing the terrazzo countertop. The shapes are coordinated, with (semi)round door handles matching the curve of the island. The interior, a mix of new and secondhand items, was carefully curated by the client, with color accents that enhance the overall palette.Save this picture!Save this picture!Fun detail - The cat's dish and the front door pull are made from the cutouts of the terrazzo countertop.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeMaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on February 28, 2025Cite: "Herfst House Renovation / tweestroom architecten" 28 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027261/herfst-house-renovation-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

Researchers are bringing taste to virtual reality.Image: Malte Mueller / Getty Images ShareVirtual reality can, in its own imperfect ways, transport a user into distant experiences. With a headset on, an everyday person can get a brief glimpse of what its like to perform a surgery, tour the Louvre, or even make an arrest. One thing VR cant yet do, however, is simulate the experience of eating lunch. But that could change thanks to a new bio-integrated gustatory interface device called e-Taste.Researchers from Ohio State University detailed how their new device works this week in the journal Science Advances. They created a small electromagnetic pump connected to a liquid channel of chemicals that, when mixed in the right ratios, can approximate the taste of coffee, lemonade, cake, and other food and drinks. That newly crafted chemical liquid is then pushed through via a gel. Users ultimately experience the taste as a liquid that sits in their mouth. Researchers can then remotely control the gels perceived intensity. And while an initial group of human test subjects struggled to accurately differentiate between different taste profiles, the study suggests a future VR steakhouse experience might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.Human volunteers were tasked with trying to distinguish between flavors mimicking coffee, lemonade, and cake. Credit: The Ohio State University Researchers analyzed flavor at the molecular levele-Taste is composed of three distinct phases. The first phase uses a set of sensors to analyze a food or beverage and recognize common molecules like glucose and glutamate, which contribute to its unique taste. Various combinations of these chemicals correspond to the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Once the sample is analyzed, the system encodes the data and transmits it wirelessly to the e-Taste device. Researchers do not need to be in the same room or even the same state to send this flavor data. In fact, the paper details how one researcher based in California submerged a sensor patch in a glass of lemonade and then sent the corresponding digital instruction to a colleague operating the device in Ohio. 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.The second phase of the process focuses on replicating the initial sample flavor. A small electromagnetic pump contains multiple liquid chambers filled with chemicals that correspond to different taste sensations. These chemicals are combined in a mixing zone in proportions dictated by the estimated molecules present in the food or drink it is attempting to imitate. Once the desired flavor profile is achieved, researchers can adjust the timing of the pumps cycles to increase or decrease the flavors overall intensity. The final mixture is then converted into a gel. Water flowing through the gel carries the tastes into the end users mouth. (They dont swallow the chemical concoction). This process allows the user to perceive specific tastes even though no actual food or beverage is involved.Ohio State professor and study co-author Jinhua Li noted that chemical dimensions are still relatively underrepresented in virtual and augmented reality.Its a gap that needs to be filled and weve developed that with this, Li said in a statement.Humans test subjects were able to differentiate taste intensityThe researchers tested their new device on 10 volunteers and received mixed results. On the positive side, the test subjects were able to differentiate between various sour taste profile intensities with approximately 70 percent accuracy. The tests were less conclusive though when researchers asked participants to distinguish between flavors intended to represent cake, fried egg, coffee, and fish soup. That discrepancy is not necessarily due entirely to poor device performance though. Even in the physical world, taste is inherently subjective. Factors such as smell, memory, and visual cues can influence how we perceive food. Two people might experience the taste of the same meal slightly differently.Taste and smell are greatly related to human emotion and memory, Li added. So our sensor has to learn to capture, control, and store all that information.Yizhen Jia, a Ohio State University phd student and paper co-first author, told Popular Science the testing process led to some unexpected laboratory moments. Some volunteers were surprised to taste liquid seemingly resembling coffee coming out of a device that looked nothing like a normal coffee maker. Jia himself said he at one point gave himself a higher dose of citric acid in one experiment than expected and quickly realized they needed to dial it back down. Figuring out the right amount of chemicals to add and for what duration was a constant process of trial and error.Researchers combined common chemicals to replicate a taste sensation and then punished it through a hydrogel. Credit: The Ohio State University Interestingly, this is not the first attempt to bring taste sensations to VR. Last year, researchers from City University of Hong Kong developed a handheld, lollipop-like device designed to help people taste certain flavors in virtual reality settings. That device contained chemicals capable of producing nine different flavors. When a voltage was applied to its gel-like surface, the chemicals would travel upward as a liquid and mix with the users saliva, creating a facsimile of the intended virtual taste experience. Details about that device were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Bringing taste to VR might be new, but the practice of trying to add in more senses to media dates back nearly a century. In the 1930s, several theaters experimented with releasing fragrance into the air throughout films. A Swiss advertising executive named Hans Laube then patterned a new system dubbed Smell-O-Vision, which used a complex system of pipes in a movie theater to release perfumed scent during certain cued points in the performance. More recently, researchers from Japan designed an at home television they dubbed the smelling screen that used gel pellets to send out vaporized streams of scent towards viewers. And just last month, Sony teased a future system they are working on where users can walk into a cube-like platform surrounded by LED screens to play iconic PlayStation games like The Last Of Us. In addition to a 360-degree visual experience, Sony said players will also be able to smell aspects of their environment.The e-Taste researchers believe their device could also have applications beyond video games. Theoretically, the technology could one day allow users to virtually taste-test items before ordering them. Medical professionals might also use the device to remotely assess whether patients have lost certain aspects of taste, which could be an early indicator of illness. Additionally, the device could serve as an aid in reintroducing taste sensations to individuals with certain neurological disorders or illnesses, such as long COVID, that have impaired their ability to taste food.This concept is here, and it is a good first step toward becoming a small part of the metaverse, Li said.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae can also be transmitted through snail and slug slime. Credit: Deposit PhotosShareA tingling sensation in your feet is usually the result of poor blood circulation. But every so often, its an indicator of a much more nightmarish scenario: parasites setting up shop in your brain after previously incubating in rodents, slugs, and snails. This was unfortunately the recent situation for a 30-year-old woman, whose bout of angiostrongyliasis (also known as rat lungworm disease) was recently highlighted in a recent New England Journal of Medicine case study.What is rat lungworm disease?Rat lungworm disease is caused by the bodys immunoresponse to the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis. A. cantonensis begins its life cycle after a rat eats an infected snail or slug. Once ingested, the parasite migrates to the rodents lungs and lays eggs. After becoming first-stage larvae, A. cantonensis is excreted in the rats feces that snails and slugs subsequently eat. The parasite larvae then matures inside the gastropods, allowing the cycle to repeat.But sometimes other animalsand even plantscan get involved, laying the groundwork for human transmission. Species like land crabs and freshwater prawns also snack on the infected slugs and snails, which can increase the parasites spread. Meanwhile, larvae are sometimes deposited in gastropod slime as they move across fruits and vegetables. Humans can then become hosts after eating improperly washed leafy vegetables or undercooked crustaceans. Some combination of these reasons is likely how the patient contracted her bout of rat lungworm disease.A travel nightmareIn this case study, the patients symptoms appeared relatively innocuous at first. A few days after returning from a three-week overseas trip that included stops in Japan, Thailand, and Hawaii, the woman began experiencing a mild burning sensation in her feet.The burning soon crept up her legs and was combined with acute fatigue. She originally attributed the issues to jet lag, but the pain eventually increased and she began to get severe headaches.Results from her first emergency room visit only showed a slight increase in white blood cell count, indicating she was fighting off at least some type of infection. With no solution and conditions worsening, the woman visited a different hospital a few days later, this time also with a mild fever. Intravenous anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety medications appeared to finally help her, after which doctors once again discharged her.Humans can contract Angiostrongylus cantonensis through a number of different hosts. Credit: Zunt et al.,New England Journal of Medicine,2025 The woman began packing for another vacation after waking up the next day. However, there was a bit of a problemshe never actually booked a second trip. The patients roommate noticed the confusion and encouraged her to go back to bed while informing the womans partner of the concerning behavior. A few hours later, she found herself at the hospital yet again.Further blood tests and a CT scan didnt show any evidence of parasites. Finally, a lumbar puncture to assess her cerebrospinal fluid revealed signs of a rare brain infection caused by parasites known as eosinophilic meningitis. After reviewing her recent travels and ongoing, worsening symptoms, doctors finally believed they could confidently identify the culprit: Angiostrongylus cantonensis.A healthy outcomeAngiostrongyliasis can be serious if left untreated. In 2010, for example, a 19-year-old Australian man became ill after consuming a live slug on a drunken dare. The patient eventually entered into a nearly 14-month coma that left him paralyzed from the waist down until his death from related complications in 2018.In this recent case, the situation does appear to be much less dire. After six days in the hospital and a two-week drug regimen that included prednisone, albendazole, and other medications, the patient appears symptom-free and in much better health without the unwanted invaders in her body.