All jobs Webflow & CRO Specialist Posted A few minutes agoWe deliver customers-as-a-service to help tech startups scale to Series A and beyond with paid ads. Apply now Surge is a growing Ad agency that offers highly effective ad campaigns for ambitious companies focused on extreme cutting-edge B2B SaaS techs in AI, No-code, Healthcare, FinTech, Robotics, and B2C SaaS.Were hiring a Landing Page and CRO Specialist to build websites and landing pages and run conversion rate optimization experiments.Youll work alongside our Founder to grow our Operations Department, making it easy to onboard new clients and deploy high-converting landing pages that drive new customers for the clients.We provide Customers-as-a-service, which means we deliver end-to-end customer acquisition: build landing pages, implement conversion tracking, provide analytics, run paid ad campaigns, and design ad creatives for every client. As a result, youll be able to work with our Media Buying Team to create landing pages and run CRO tests.Nonetheless, youll play a leadingrole in improving our approach to paid acquisition for B2B sales call funnels and freemium-to-premium customer acquisition strategies.If youre a hard-working, ambitious growth expert interested in high-growth startups, thismight just be your role.Heres what youll do:Build Webflow sites and landing pages with the support of media-buying team members.Autonomously set up, run, and report on conversion rate optimizations.Implement event tracking and analytics events.Identify and implement optimizations across landing pages.We use analytics dashboards to understand customer behavior, improve performance, and identify opportunities early.Become an expert at Surge for paid customer acquisition, analytics, and conversion tracking.Here are some of the things you might work onIn your first 30 days, you might:Find opportunities and optimize landing pages across our biggest clientsBuild new sites and set up CRO experiments from scratch.Set up data integrations with ad platforms and CRMs.Implement conversion events and build reports dashboards.In your first 90 days, you might:Build conversion-focused landing pages from CRO experiment data.Build simple custom reports dashboards to understand CRO data.Create an experiment cycle process to help us systematically deliver better resultsIn your first 180 days, you might:Develop processes and techniques that help us stay at the forefront of paid ads growthBuild processes that help us use AI to improve all aspects of our strategy and fulfillmentGrow into a leading role for the Operations Department and lead all client fulfillmentThe Skills Were Looking ForThese skills are a necessity.Landing Pages. You should be well-versed in building landing pages, setting up conversion events, optimizing conversion rates, A/B testing, and writing basic, convincing copy.Conversion rate optimization. You should have experience running tests, reporting results, and delivering changes as a result.Analytics + Events. Were only as good as the results we report on. You should be comfortable with GA4, event tracking via Google Tag Manager, and conversion APIs.Spreadsheets. Were scaling fast, and so should your spreadsheet skills. You should be able to create clean spreadsheets with semi-complex formulas without breaking a sweat.Youll stand out ifThese skills arent a necessity, and our eventual successful candidate may not possess them - but theyll help you stand outYouve worked in the tech sector and with startups. Our clients are funded, Seed and Series A startups. They thrive at the heart of the US tech sector, and youll succeed best if you understand their culture, how they work, and how they think.You have media buying skills on ad platforms. You don't need to be an expert, but you should be comfortable with platforms and be able to navigate them without oversight.The Right Person For This Role:You have an eye for detail and a dependency on data. An eye for detail is essential to maintaining optimization since youll be making frequent changes across our clients' sites.Youre autonomous and a doer. You move fast and dont spend too long fretting over every detail before getting to work. You thrive on solving problems and want autonomy to solve them your way.Youre well-informed. You actively keep up with new technological changes, whether thats PPC or otherwise.Youre organized. With so many clients, there are always several challenges to solve and changes in play. Youre comfortable organizing your own tasks and putting processes in place to make sure you dont drop the ball.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Surge View company Jobs posted: 3 Related Jobs Remote Sales and Marketing jobs

Since the emergence of enterprise-grade generative AI, organizations have tapped into the rich capabilities of foundational models, developed by the likes of OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Mistral, and others. Over time, however, businesses often found these models limiting since they were trained on vast troves of public data. Enter customizationthe practice of adapting large language models (LLMs) to better suit a businesss specific needs by incorporating its own data and expertise, teaching a model new skills or tasks, or optimizing prompts and data retrieval. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT Customization is not new, but the early tools were fairly rudimentary, and technology and development teams were often unsure how to do it. Thats changing, and the customization methods and tools available today are giving businesses greater opportunities to create unique value from their AI models. We surveyed 300 technology leaders in mostly large organizations in different industries to learn how they are seeking to leverage these opportunities. We also spoke in-depth with a handful of such leaders. They are all customizing generative AI models and applications, and they shared with us their motivations for doing so, the methods and tools theyre using, the difficulties theyre encountering, and the actions theyre taking to surmount them. Our analysis finds that companies are moving ahead ambitiously with customization. They are cognizant of its risks, particularly those revolving around data security, but are employing advanced methods and tools, such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), to realize their desired customization gains. Download the full report. This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"According to a 2020 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study, 58% of working parents reported leaving work due to a lack of childcare solutions that met their needs. Furthermore, 32% of women cited caregiving responsibilities as a barrier to returning to work. This highlights the growing importance of employee childcare support in todays corporate world.As companies step up to offer more than just daycare services, many are creating enriching environments that nurture both employee and child development.Walmart, for instance, has partnered with architecture firm Page to build a state-of-the-art children's enrichment center at its Arkansas headquarters, redefining corporate childcare.Image Credit - Albert Vecerka / ESTO, Courtsey - PageThe Little Squiggles Childrens Enrichment Center at Walmarts headquarters spans 73,000 sq ft (6,780 sq mt) across two buildings, accommodating up to 516 children, from infants to pre-kindergarteners. One standout feature is the Parent Plaza," designed for parents to engage with their children during the workday, supporting work-life balance and family connectivity.The two mirrored buildings house a variety of classrooms, including 5 infant rooms, 4 toddler rooms, 4 early preschool rooms, 4 preschool rooms, and 1 kindergarten prep classroom. They are connected by the shared Parent Plaza, creating a central space for parents to relax and connect before and after drop-off.Image Credit - Albert Vecerka / ESTO, Courtsey - PageBeyond the classrooms, the center includes three age-appropriate enrichment spaces, including dedicated STEM and art classrooms, to enhance learning experiences. Employees also benefit from amenities such as two mothers' rooms, a lounge area, and touch-down spaces for quick breaks. The building's design maximizes space with built-in seating and learning nooks in wide corridors, turning them into extra educational areas. To keep outdoor play areas clear and functional, storage for playground equipment is integrated into the buildings footprint. Flexible outdoor spaces and a garden area further encourage exploration and nature-based learning.Image Credit - Albert Vecerka / ESTO, Courtsey - PageSince opening, this facility has boosted the childcare market capacity in Northwest Arkansas by 15%. The centers design fosters both mental and physical development, with adaptable spaces that support diverse learning styles. Its a perfect blend of work and play, promoting community, connection, and well-being.Image Credit - Albert Vecerka / ESTO, Courtsey - PageA key design focus for Page was to create an environment that promotes healthy child development, not just functionality. Rather than using overstimulating bold colors, they selected neutral tones, calming shades, and natural materials. The goal was to create a space that felt more like home than a traditional school, offering comfort and focus. Small bursts of cool blues and greens add interest, while a variety of textures encourage tactile exploration, which is crucial for young children's brain development.Natural light was also a key element. Large windows connect the indoor spaces to the outdoors, allowing children to engage with naturea benefit for both physical and mental growth. For Walmart and other companies, this forward-thinking approach to childcare isnt just about providing a service; its about investing in the well-being of their employees and their children.In a world where work-life balance is often difficult to achieve, companies like Walmart are proving that supporting both employee satisfaction and child development is essential for a thriving workforce.Project FactsProject Status: Completed (May 2024)Architects: PageDesign team: Luisina Basilico (Design Principal, Lead Designer), Steve Edwards (Principal-in-charge, Project Manager) Taylor McKnight (Project Architect) Hector Villareal (Senior Project Architect) Jerel Gue, Chris Pine, Andrea Balandran (Designers) MEPFP Engineering - PageCivil - Walter P MooreStructural - Fast + EppLandscape Architecture - SWA GroupOperator- Bright HorizonsGeneral Contractor- CaudellAll images - Albert Vecerka / ESTOTop image Albert Vecerka / ESTO, Courtsey - Page> via

Chengdu-based Liu Jiakun, 68, is the 54rd winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize regarded as the worlds highest honour for architects and the third to come from China.His buildings were praised for providing convincing answers that also celebrate the everyday lives of people as well as their communal and spiritual identities.The jury, headed by 2016 Pritzker Prize Laureate Alejandro Aravena, said Jiakun imagined and constructed new worlds, free from any aesthetic or stylistic constraint.Jiakun founded his practice Jiakun Architecture in 1999 and lives and works in Chengdu the city in which he was born.Over four decades, he has designed more than 30 projects ranging from academic and cultural institutions to civic spaces, commercial buildings and urban planning throughout China.Significant works include the Museum of Clocks, Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Chengdu (2007), the design department for a new campus of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Chongqing, (2006), and the Songyang Culture Neighborhood in Lishui (2020).His work has included upcycling rubble from the ruins of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. He strengthened the found material with local wheat fibre and cement to produce fortified bricks with greater physical and economic efficiency than the original. Source:Arch-ExistNovartis (Shanghai) block C6 by Jiakun ArchitectsThese so-called rebirth bricks can be found extensively throughout the Novartis building in Shanghai (2014), Shuijingfang Museum in Chengdu (2013) and the five-storey West Village also in Chengdu (2015), which is his largest work.In 2018, he was commissioned to build the first temporary Serpentine Gallery pavilion outside the UK at the opening of the WF Central development in Beijings Dongcheng district.The jury described his work as creating public areas in populated cities where the luxury of space is largely absent, forging a positive relationship between density and open space.Aravena said: Cities tend to segregate functions, but Liu Jiakun takes the opposite approach and sustains a delicate balance to integrate all dimensions of the urban life.'In a world that tends to create endless dull peripheries, he has found a way to build places that are a building, infrastructure, landscape and public space at the same time. His work may offer impactful clues on how to confront the challenges of urbanisation, in an era of rapidly growing cities.This years jury also included previous laureates Lacaton & Vassal co-founder Anne Lacaton the recent winner of the 2025 Jane Drew Prize for Architecture and Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA.Last years Pritzker Prize went to 79-year-old Riken Yamamoto from Yokohama, Japan. He was recognised for his architecture which considers the user experience first, spanning a career of five decades with projects ranging from public and private housing to education, civic spaces and city planning.The 2023 prize went to David Chipperfield, who became the fifth British winner, more than 15 years after Richard Rogers collected the prize in 2007.Previous Pritzker laureates include the late Indian architect Balkrishna Vithaldas (BV) Doshi, Berlin-based Francis Kr (in 2022) and the late Zaha Hadid in 2004. Source:Qian Shen PhotographyLiu Jiakun's West Village (2015) Chengdu, People's Republic of ChinaPritzker Prize winners2025 Liu Jiakun (68), China2024 2023 2022 Dibdo Francis Kr (56), Burkina Faso/Germany20212020Yvonne Farrell (69) and Shelley McNamara (68), Ireland2019Arata Isozaki (87), Japan2018Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi (90), India2017Rafael Aranda (55) Carme Pigem (54) and Ramon Vilalta (56) of RCR Arquitectes, Spain2016Alejandro Aravena (48), Chile2015Frei Otto (89), Germany2014Shigeru Ban (56), Japan2013Toyo Ito (71), Japan2012Wang Shu (48), China2011Eduardo Souto de Moura (58), Portugal2010Kazuyo Sejima (54) and Ryue Nishizawa (44), Japan2009Peter Zumthor (65), Switzerland2008Jean Nouvel (62), France2007Richard Rogers (73), UK2006Paulo Mendes da Rocha (77), Brazil2005Thom Mayne (61), USA2004Zaha Hadid (53), UK2003Jorn Utzon (84), Denmark2002Glenn Murcutt (66), Australia2001Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron (51), Switzerland2000Rem Koolhaas (56), Netherlands1999Norman Foster (63), UK1998Renzo Piano (60), Italy1997Sverre Fehn (72), Norway1996Rafael Moneo (58), Spain1995Tadao Ando (53), Japan1994Christian de Portzamparc (50), France1993Fumihiko Maki (65), Japan1992Alvaro Siza (57), Portugal1991Robert Venturi (65), USA1990Aldo Rossi, (59), Italy1989Frank Gehry (60), USA=1988Oscar Niemeyer (81), Brazil=1988Gordon Bunshaft (79), USA1987Kenzo Tange (73), Japan1986Gottfried Bohm (66), Germany1985Hans Hollein (51), Austria1984Richard Meier (49), USA1983IM Pei (66), China1982Kevin Roche (60), USA1981James Stirling (55), UK1980Luis Barragan (78), Mexico1979Philip Johnson (73), USA Source:Jiakun ArchitectsShuijingfang Museum by Jiakun Architects - new workshop

Getting your hair to look the way you want isn't always an easy task. Whether it's graying, thinning or just not growing, you may wish you could just wave a magic wand to get it to look healthy and strong again.But, like so many of our physical features, our hair is a product of many factors. Genetics, our environment, stress and more determine how healthy our hair looks and how well it grows. You can control some, but not all, of these factors. But there's one lifestyle choice that plays a significant role: your diet.Several nutrients have been linked to healthy hair growth, including protein, riboflavin, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids and iron. And you can increase all of these by eating some of the best foods for hair growth.Best foods for healthy hair growth RUNSTUDIO/DigitalVision/Getty ImagesAs with any nutritional choices, the best thing you can do for your hair is to eat a balanced diet rich in a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Supplements may help, but it's far better to get the necessary nutrients naturally. If you want to focus on foods for healthy hair, here are 10 of the best.SpinachSpinach is packed with nutrients and should be a staple of any healthy diet. It's especially helpful for hair growth because it's loaded with vitamins A and C, along with a healthy dose of iron.Iron is particularly important for red blood cell growth, which aids in oxygen supply throughout your body. Studies have also linked hair loss with iron deficiencies. Vitamin C, meanwhile, helps your body absorb iron. Finally, vitamin A is also critical for cell growth, though it's important not to overdo this as it can actually lead to hair loss and other problems. That's why spinach, rather than a supplement, is a great source of these nutrients.Fatty fishMany nutritionists rave about the benefits of fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or herring. Not only are they rich sources of protein, a key ingredient in hair growth, but they also come loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for cell growth and function and have been correlated with reduced hair loss in some studies. Vitamin D needs further analysis, but some research has shown a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and sparse body hair. Getty Images/SimpleImagesAvocadosAvocados are another commonly touted health food, and they're one of many foods that can help hair growth. Not only are they rich in essential fatty acids like olive oil and nuts, but avocados are also a prime source of vitamin E.Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Like vitamin C and other antioxidants, it can protect cells from damaging free radicals. More research is needed on its effect on hair growth, but one study showed a 34.5% increase in hair growth among participants who took a vitamin E supplement.EggsEggs are well documented as a powerful source of protein, which we've already noted as an essential nutrient for healthy hair. Specifically, eggs contain biotin, a vitamin that helps in the body's production of keratin, a protein that's important for hair growth. It's much better to get biotin from food sources than from supplements, too, as supplements often include excessive amounts of this vitamin.Greek yogurtYou may be surprised to see yogurt on our list of hair-growth foods, but it's a great one to add to your diet for this purpose. Generally, yogurt is a good source of protein. But Greek yogurt has it in spades, packing 20 grams into a typical 7-ounce serving. It also includes a healthy dose of zinc, a mineral that's been linked with hair growth, and riboflavin, another key vitamin for cell growth. Getty Images/Aniko HobelSweet potatoesAs a superb source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, sweet potatoes are widely lauded as a "superfood" that should be a dietary staple. And, thanks to their high concentration of beta-carotene, they're also a particularly great food for healthy hair. That's because the body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which we've already noted as an important ingredient for healthy hair growth.OystersIt may not be easy to get good oysters where you live. But if you have access to good seafood, oysters are a strong choice for one of the best foods to promote hair growth.Oysters are loaded with zinc, an important mineral that supports many bodily functions. Zinc deficiency has been associated not only with numerous skin disorders but also with hair loss. Evidence shows that one type of hair loss, known as telogen effluvium, may be particularly tied to deficiencies in zinc and vitamin D.Seeds and nutsIf you're looking for simple snack foods for healthy hair, seeds and nuts make an easy addition to any diet. There are so many different kinds to choose from, and various seeds and nuts provide powerful doses of the nutrients we've already discussed. Flaxseeds and chia seeds are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, while sunflower seeds are chock full of vitamin E and iron. All nuts and seeds are rich in protein to aid in hair growth, too. Getty Images/Bradut SirbuBeans and other legumesLegumes such as beans, lentils, and peanuts also make great hair-growth foods. They're not only full of plant-based proteins, but they also serve as a good source of other key nutrients like zinc, iron and biotin. One cup of black beans, for instance, contains around 2 milligrams of zinc, while 28 grams of peanuts contain almost 5 milligrams of biotin, both around 10% to 20% of the recommended daily intake for most adults.OrangesLast but not least on our list of best foods for hair growth are citrus fruits. Oranges, in particular, are powerhouses of vitamin C. As noted above, this essential vitamin helps your body absorb iron, so it's critical to keep a healthy dose of it in your diet. The good news is that one navel orange contains the entire recommended daily intake of vitamin C for the typical adult.

Lies of P is an awarding-winning game that reimagines the story of Pinocchio as a soulslike set in a grimy world overrun by killer mechanical puppets. It was released on day one on Xbox Game Pass in 2023, and Microsoft is removing that game and others from the service on March 15.Microsoft's removal of Lies of P comes after its developer Neowiz announced it would be releasing the game's first downloadable content, a prequel called Lies of P: Overture, this summer. So if you played this game when it was released in 2023 and need a refresher before the DLC's release, or you want to experience this game for the first time, you only have a few days left before you have to buy it separately.According to the gaming website How Long to Beat, it takes about 29 hours to beat the main story in Lies of P, so you'd have to play the game for almost three hours a day to beat the game before it's removed from Game Pass. How Long to Beat also estimates it takes about 59 hours to complete the main story, all side quests and find all the secrets and collectibles in the game. That means you'll need to spend almost six hours a day playing the game before it's removed from the service, so good luck.A few other games Microsoft is removing from the service include Yakuza 5 Remastered and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life. This chips away at the number of Yakuza games on the service after Microsoft removed Yakuza 3 Remastered and Yakuza 4 Remastered from the service on Feb. 28.Here is the full list of games Microsoft is removing from Xbox Game Pass on March 15.While Microsoft is removing those games from Game Pass, it's also adding six games to different tiers of the service. Here are the games Microsoft is adding to the service in March. You can also check out games Microsoft added to the service in February, including CNET"s pick for Best Game of 2024, Balatro.Monster TrainAvailable: NowHell has frozen over and the celestial forces of heaven are coming to extinguish the last burning pyre, and it's up to you to stop them. Monster Train is a unique roguelike deck builder with a twist that spreads your playing field out to three vertical areas in the aforementioned train. With over 250 cards to use and six different monster clans to call on, you'll have plenty of ways to ward off your enemies and take back your home in Hell.GalacticareAvailable:March 5Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can already play this game, and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play this resource-management game, too. You play as the director of an intergalactic hospital and it's up to you to help cure as many different species of aliens as possible, if they can afford it. Design, furnish and upgrade your hospital as you see fit, hire the right doctors and keep everyone happy. Just make sure you get paid first. This game definitely doesn't sound like a scathing indictment of any real-world healthcare system. That would be silly.One Lonely OutpostAvailable:March 6You're a pioneer in this cozy farming sim, but you aren't restoring your deceased grandfather's rundown old farm in this game. You're building a life on an alien planet. You have to terraform the land to grow and cultivate organic and genetically modified crops. You'll also raise robo-livestock and use drones to fish and forage, but you can still romance other settlers in the area. So get out there and make this planet your home!Enter the GungeonAvailable:March 11More than two years after Microsoft removed this game from Game Pass, this gunfight dungeon crawler is back. Shoot, loot and doge your way through a procedurally-generated labyrinth on a quest to find the ultimate weapon: a gun that can kill the past. You'll chat with merchants, shoot enemies armed to the teeth and discover hidden secrets throughout the dungeon.Mullet MadJackAvailable:March 13This first-person shooter is like a cyberpunk version of the neon drenched game Hotline Miami. You have 10 seconds to live, and the only thing that can keep you alive is killing your robotic enemies. But you aren't just randomly taking down robots, you're also on a mission to rescue a person called the "Influencer" from a skyscraper. So pick your favorite weapon and climb each floor as fast as you can to survive and save the princess, I mean Influencer.33 Immortals (game preview)Available:March 18Playing co-op games with a friend can be fun, and this game asks, "What if you played those games with over 30 other people?" This game is a co-op action-roguelike that 33 people can play together. You're all damned souls rebelling against God's judgement by fighting against hordes of monsters and massive bosses. Upgrade your soul with new relics and expand your arsenal with new weapons in your fight for survival. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate a CNET Editors' Choice Award pick offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, computer and mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription provides access to a large library of games, with new titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 added every month, plus benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.For more on Xbox, check out other games available on Game Pass Ultimate now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. Watch this: The Problem With Windows Gaming Handhelds Is Windows: Tech Therapy 08:14

March 4, 20254 min readTrump Administration Is Blocking Disaster Aid to StatesCourt documents indicate the administration has begun a campaign to block states from receiving funds for projects that would reduce climate-related damageBy Thomas Frank & E&E News A general view of a flooded street in Williamsburg, New York, amid a coastal storm on September 29, 2023. Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | The Trump administration is blocking states from getting millions of dollars in federal disaster aid and flood assistance, according to a new court filing that argues the actions violate a federal judge's order to resume spending.The filing said three states New York, New Jersey and Vermont have been instructed by the administration to stop work on federal flood protection activities related to environmental justice, minority, diversity and other terms targeted by President Donald Trump's executive orders.The administration's spending freeze is preventing other states, including California and Michigan, from accessing grants and loans approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for improving disaster protection. FEMA is not reimbursing Washington state for disaster recovery costs. And New York has hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA grants that are inaccessible, the filing said.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The problems are described in court papers filed Friday by a coalition of Democratic-led states that sued in federal court to block Trumps attempted freeze of trillions of dollars in grants and loans.At least 140 FEMA grants have been frozen or otherwise rendered inaccessible in 16 states, some of which cannot submit reimbursement requests because the system blocks them from doing so, the filing said.Part of the blocked FEMA money is from well-established grants that help states address climate change, such as the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program. Some of the money is from smaller grant and loan programs that help states prepare for catastrophes, improve mapping of flood zones and undertake general hazard mitigation to reduce disaster damage.Another part of the money is from grants established after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to improve homeland security for states, cities, nonprofits and other groups."These grants comprise millions of dollars in essential health, safety and welfare funds for wildfire prevention response, flood mitigation, and emergency management that are not timely flowing to the States," the legal filing said. The 23-state coalition is asking a federal judge to order FEMA to cease obligated freezing funds.Donald Trump is not a king, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) said in a statement announcing the legal filing. He cannot ignore laws passed by Congress and he cannot ignore court orders.The Trump administration has not responded in court. In emails and memos contained in the states 50-page filing, the administration said the FEMA money is not being held but instead is subject to a new system involving manual review that does not violate any court order.You have not identified any funding that has actually been held or otherwise paused, Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei wrote Feb. 18 to Kate Sabatini, head of the Rhode Island attorney generals civil division. The case is being handled in Rhode Island federal district court.In a Feb. 28 email to grant recipients, FEMA said that effective immediately the agency and the Department of Homeland Security are instituting additional reviews on the allowability of costs for all grant payments and obligations.These actions will ensure that funding is obligated and disbursed in line with the Secretarys direction, the email said, referring to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.'INVALID PAYMENT'State officials ran into problems getting FEMA money three weeks after Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order Jan. 31 to block Trumps attempted spending freeze.On Feb. 21, a New York state employee signed on to FEMAs payment system and asked for $114,461 from a $12 million grant that had been approved in 2021.INVALID PAYMENT AMOUNT REQUESTED! FEMAs Payment and Reporting System replied, according to a screenshot included in the new legal filing. This grant has $0.00 available.The FEMA system also showed Feb. 21 as a hold date and $11,861,146 as a hold amount.Other screenshots show hold amounts of $1,291,147 and $528,053 on grants that FEMA approved several years ago for Arizona.The legal dispute involves whether FEMAs actions constitute an illegal hold or if they are simply a new approval process. Evidence is contradictory.A Feb. 10 internal FEMA email from the agencys director of the Office of Grant Program directs recipients to put financial holds on all of your awards all open awards, all years (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).But a Feb. 11 internal email from the same director said, These are not holds. We are modifying our programs so that payment requests are now reviewed manually and processed manually.The Feb. 11 email said the word holds implies the agency was following the blocked Jan. 27 White House memo ordering a Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs.Schwei of the Justice Department told Sabatini of Rhode Island that FEMA did not intend to implement a hold in the sense of a pause or withholding of grant funds.Instead, the hold referred to in that [Feb. 10] email was part of implementing the manual review process pursuant to FEMAs own authorities, Schwei wrote in his email to Sabatini.As for the screenshots showing a hold date and hold amount for grants, the wording simply reflects that the remaining balance is on hold, but does not reflect that FEMA is unwilling to pay that balance amount, Schwei wrote.In FEMAs payment system, the agency has included a description for the hold on funds, stating that the hold is for purposes of Additional Manual Review not an unwillingness to make payments.Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

March 4, 20256 min readCompany Seeking to Resurrect the Woolly Mammoth Creates a 'Woolly Mouse'On their quest to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth, Colossal Biosciences has developed the woolly mouseBy Adam Popescu edited by Andrea ThompsonThe "woolly mouse" was developed by Colossal Biosciences by editing genes to give the mouse a bushier, thicker coat, akin to that of the extinct woolly mammoth. ColossalThe biotech company Colossal Biosciences has long aspired to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth, which roamed the Northern Hemisphere thousands of years ago, during the last ice age. But for now, as a step along the way, the company has come up with something decidedly less mammoth: meet the woolly mouse.On Tuesday Colossal announced this lab-born animal, which features shaggy, mammothlike fur and has cold-adapted traits such as the way in which it stores and burns fat. Researchers retrieved and sequenced ancient mammoth DNA from preserved skin, bone and hair to learn which genes controlled traits such as coat color and cold tolerance. They altered the corresponding genes in lab mice and made other alterations in the rodents genome.What was the purpose of this feat of genetic engineering? Colossals pitch is that, with biodiversity going the way of the dodo (which the company also hopes to resurrect), saving existing species will require tweaking their DNA to make them more resilient. The researchers at the company also claim that bringing back extinct species can help the environment. For example, they say that mammoths can help fight climate change by tamping down Arctic permafrost, reducing how much of it is thawing and releasing methane into the atmosphere. Company co-founder and CEO Ben Lamm puts the approach in startling terms: Why leave nature to chance? In pursuit of such de-extinction goals, Colossal has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from everyone from celebrities to the CIA.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.But many experts in genetic engineering and conservation are skeptical. Rewilding is risky; species such as wolves and elephants have come into conflict with humans, and others have fallen victim to predators and poachers. No one knows what would happen if a mammothor, more technically, an elephant-mammoth hybridwas released: What would it eat? How would we protect it? Could it reproduce?As for saving the climate, "were looking at a warming world, and [Colossals researchers] want to bring back creatures that are adapted to the cold?" says Elsa Panciroli, a paleontologist at National Museums Scotland, who studies ancient mice-sized mammals. I study animals from the past, and they should stay in the past. Lack of habitat, human conflict, agriculture, climate changethe idea that they can fix that with gene editing is missing the big picture.How The Woolly Mouse Was BornColossal was co-founded in 2021 by Lamm, who made billions of dollars by founding tech companies, according to Forbes, and Harvard biologist George Church. In 2024 Colossal announced it had created elephant stem cells, which can be reprogrammed to become specific tissuesuch as egg cells. Colossal says mass-produced elephant egg cells are vital for conservation breeding programs and will be needed to clone any future elephant-mammoth hybrids.The woolly mouse is the latest development to emerge from that quest. (Mice are much easier to work with than elephants.) In a statement issued this week, Colossals chief science officer Beth Shapiro called the news an important step toward validating our approach to resurrecting traits that have been lost to extinction.Colossals team used standard techniques to target different genes in the mouse genomes to create mammothlike hairs, patterns and color, producing mice with long hair, enhanced waviness and altered coat texture, according to a preprint research paper by the company that has not yet been peer-reviewed. We used the ancient DNA to identify the genes we were interested in working with, Shapiro says. We looked for mice that have genetic variation in those same genes we identified using ancient DNA, and we then put those particular mouse variants together.A mouse gene altered with an ancient mammoth gene variant, or allele, that affects keratin (a protein found in hair and nails) was inserted into the mice to alter hair texturespecifically waviness. It puts the mammoth version of that allele in the mouse, Shapiro explains.The team also targeted lipid metabolism, which is the process by which the body breaks down, synthesizes and stores fats, Shapiro says. The paper notes that future experiments will examine the effect of high fat diets and temperature preferences on the mice to inform further work toward the goal of developing cold-adapted elephant-mammoth hybrids.Other experts say putting DNA from an extinct species into a living one is an accomplishment, but they still wonder: Why make a mutant mouse at all?The Ethical Implications of De-ExtinctionGene editing has a high rate of failure, often killing surrogates and offspring, notes Robert Klitzman, a Columbia University bioethicist who questioned the value the woolly mouse beyond a wow factor.Not all of the genetically modified mouse embryos led to successful pregnancies, Shapiro says, but every mouse that was born is still alive. (The mice were born in mid-October 2024.) She adds that our mice have enhanced living conditions and are under the full-time care of our veterinary staff. All of our work is overseen by and must be preapproved by an external ethics board [the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee], and only trained scientists interact with the mice.And if a mouse were to somehow escape the lab, the potential biological implications pose another concern because the animal could mate with members of wild populations. Anyone who's kept pet mice knows they can get out through very small holes," Panciroli says.In certain ancient species DNA, you dont know what the function of this DNA is, so there are more than ethical problems; there are biological hazards from moving and editing the DNA, says Yale University geneticist Jiangbing. Zhou Im not sure about the potential risks of this type of work, as the function of ancient DNA in live mice may be difficult to predict.Shapiro points to the genetic mutations that happen naturally with reproduction and notes that most of these have no impact. Genetic changes are not, in and of themselves, a cause for concern. That said, we are selecting genetic variation that we intend to have an impact on the way the organism looks or acts, and so more caution is necessary, she says. Our approach is to evaluate the impact of edits in as many ways as possible before making them. The company also says all of the engineered mice born so far are maleand there are no plans to breed them.What happens with the mice orif the company ever realizes its ultimate ambitionthe woolly mammoths is another ethical quandary. "I feel like Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, but if were going to interfere with nature, there has to be good reason, Panciroli says. Additionally, reintroduced animals (including elephants) are routinely targeted by poachers, points out Andrea Crosta, founder of a wildlife-crime-fighting nongovernment organization called Earth League International.Craig Callender, who studies science ethics as a professor of philosophy at the University of California, San Diego, predicts this news will divide scientists. The fact that the mice are alive, and that traits can be controlled by the genes [the Colossal researchers have] modified, makes it potentially a great tool for genetic engineering, he says. But if the mammoth is the end goal, its a stunt because he does think such a project it has inherent value.In response, Shapiro says, Some people argue that our whole company is a stunt. While we respectfully disagree, we'd also like to point out the attention that our work draws from kids, students, and other members of the public who are inspired by what we are doing to become scientists, to think more about the impact that they can have on biodiversity, and to feel hopeful about the future.Shapiro contends that gene editing can and should be used alongside more traditional conservation approaches. Habitats around the planet are changing at a pace that is faster than evolution by natural selection can keep up, she says. Gene editing could be used to help species become resistant to disease, to restore missing genetic variation or to correct gene sequences that lead to genetic disease but have become fixed in that population.But others are not convinced, especially by the creation of organisms such as the woolly mouse. Its arrogance, says Sue Lieberman, vice president of international policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society, who spent decades fighting whaling and the ivory trade. Im not against technology. Im not saying natures perfect. But this is such a waste of money when conservation is dying for lack of funds. To make some strange animal we can gawk atwe should be past that.Trailblazing biologist George Schaller agrees. We need to protect what we have, he says.

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PlayStation wants help testing games and features using new Beta Program initiativeSingle "centralised" hub now open.Image credit: Eurogamer/PlayStation News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on March 4, 2025 Sony has launched a new "centralised" Beta Program initiative for PlayStation, providing an easy way for the public to sign up help test PlayStation 5 and PC games, as well as various console and app features, ahead of their full release.Sony describes PlayStation's Beta Program as a "easy, centralised place" where players can register to participate in a range of different betas. These are expected to include beta access to PlayStation 5 and PC games, PlayStation 5 console features, PlayStation App features, and even features for Sony's PlayStation website. Anyone interested in participating only needs to sign up once - invites will be send out automatically if a registered user is selected for a specific test, and they're then free to accept or decline that invition as they see fit."While we try to include as many players as possible in our beta programs," Sony explains in its announcement on the PlayStation Blog, "sometimes we may get more interest than we can accommodate. By joining this program, it enables you to be considered for beta participation, but it doesn't guarantee selection for a beta test."Players can sign up via the 'Beta Program at PlayStation' website, but Sony notes a PlayStation Network account is required and must be in good standing with a current email address. Additionally, participants must meet the legal age requirement in their region, and can only participate when a specific beta test is available in that region."A big thanks to those of you who have participated in all of the betas we've offered across Sony Interactive over the years," it concludes. "It's about to get easier and more convenient."