John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMarch 14, 20255 Min ReadWavebreakmedia Ltd IFE-250126 via Alamy Stock PhotoThe music industry is always evolving. Artists, trends, labels, and media platforms emerge and depart with startling regularity. Yet performers, recording firms, concert promoters, and other industry players may now be facing their biggest transformation challenge yet -- artificial intelligence.Even at this relatively early stage, there's no area of the business that's unaffected, says Daniel Abowd, president of music publishing company The Royalty Network. "On the creation side, AI-powered tools are being used to enhance and synthesize performance, editing, production, post-production, and post-release content," he explains in an email interview. "On the consumption side, AI is powering listener and playlisting algorithms and other tools that deliver listeners to content."There's already been an incredible number of AI-supported use cases, says Andrew Sanchez, co-founder of Udio, which offers a generative AI model that produces music based on simple text prompts. He observes, via email, that The Beatles' "Now and Then," which was restored with the help of AI, was recently nominated for two Grammys in the Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance categories.There's always been a distance between music creators and listeners, Sanchez states. He notes that AI is helping to reduce that gap by allowing a more direct dialogue between artists and their fans. "When artists release music that fans can then remix, extend, distort, or otherwise interact with through AI, it opens up an entirely new revenue stream for artists and means of engagement."Related:GenAI, in particular, opens a new way to explore musical creativity, inviting people who might otherwise never engage with music, says Mike Clem, CEO of musical equipment retailer Sweetwater. "It takes patience and grit to learn an instrument, and AI lowers the bar on the talent required to sound good," he explains in an online interview. As a result, there's now a new wave of music makers experimenting with AI, who then learn to play a "real" instrument.AI-generated music tools are also helping artists accelerate their creative processes, allowing them to generate hits that match the pace of pop culture innovation, Sanchez says. He notes that comedian Willonius Hatcher, known as King Willonius, used Udio to create an AI-assisted song called BBL Drizzy. "The song made waves in pop culture when Metro Boomin sampled it, Sanchez says, marking the first time an AI-generated song was sampled by a major producer."A Generational TransformationRelated:Unlike their predecessors, many modern musicians have no desire to appear live on stage or even record an album, Clem says. He believes there's now a transition from 'musicians' to 'creators,' fueled in part by AI. "Its about creating content that connects with their audiences to build and grow their following," he explains.Music has evolved throughout history, thanks to artists who aren't afraid to push the status quo, Sanchez says. "The transformation in AI is really being led by artists who understand how AI-generated music tools can enhance their creative processes."Some industry observers view AI as a potential replacement for human artists. But Sanchez disagrees. "In reality, we believe that human creativity will never be cut out of the process," he says. "The songs that rise to the top have the confluence of the creative spark and the understanding of what people actually want to listen to."Both Sides NowAI-powered tools can enhance, empower, and inspire human creativity, Abowd says. They can simplify many creative tasks, such as editing out breaths from a vocal track. With consent, AI technology can also enhance or simulate the vocal sound of a singer who's no longer able to perform as they did years ago, as well as inspire songwriters with a foundational sound concept they can build upon.Related:On the downside, there's the possible existential threat posed by AI models that use unlicensed human-authored music to create new works that will compete in the same marketplace, potentially at a lower price point, Abowd says. "Reasonable people can disagree on the magnitude of that threat, but it's certainly a conversation on the tip of many people's tongues."A Golden OpportunitySanchez believes that blending AI with art presents a golden opportunity to create a powerful, transformative creativity technology that will open new revenue options for artists. Fans will benefit, too. "It's clear from recent music tour successes ... that consumers are interested in immersive experiences that put them at the helm of the storyline."There's something very innately human and beautiful about expressing yourself musically, Clem observes. "AI may displace some commercial music production -- for example, in commercials and video game soundtracks -- but we're in no danger of computers replacing our desire to express ourselves creatively, or our desire to experience live music and all its attached emotions and nostalgia," he notes. "There's something about music that resonates in our souls in ways that we cannot explain."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

Lisa Morgan, Freelance WriterMarch 14, 20258 Min ReadDragos Condrea via Alamy StockMany organizations have learned that AI models need to be monitored, fine-tuned, and eventually retired. This is as true of large language models (LLM) as it is of other AI models, but the pace of generative AI innovation has been so fast, some organizations are not managing their models as they should be, yet.Senthil Padmanabhan, VP, platform and infrastructure at global commerce company eBay, says enterprises are wise to establish a centralized gateway and a unified portal for all model management tasks as his company has done. EBay essentially created an internal version of Hugging Face that eBay has implemented as a centralized system.Our AI platform serves as a common gateway for all AI-related API calls, encompassing inference, fine-tuning, and post-training tasks. It supports a blend of closed models (acting as a proxy), open models (hosted in-house), and foundational models built entirely from the ground up, says Padmanabhan in an email interview. Enterprises should keep in mind four essential functionalities when approaching model management: Dataset preparation, model training, model deployment and inferencing, and continuous evaluation pipeline. By consolidating these functionalities, weve achieved consistency and efficiency in our model management processes.Related:Previously, the lack of a unified system led to fragmented efforts and operational chaos.Rather than building the platform first during its initial exploration of GenAI, the company focused on identifying impactful use cases.As the technology matured and generative AI applications expanded across various domains, the need for a centralized system became apparent, says Padmanabhan. Today, the AI platform is instrumental in managing the complexity of AI model development and deployment at scale.Senthil Padmanabhan, eBaySenthil Padmanabhan, eBayPhoenix Childrens Hospital has been managing machine learning models for some time because predictive can models drift.Weve had a model that predicts malnutrition in patients [and] a no-show model predicting when people are not going to show up [for appointments], says David Higginson, executive vice president and chief innovation officer at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Especially the no-show model changes over time so you have to be very, very conscious about, is this model still any good? Is it still predicting correctly? Weve had to build a little bit of a governance process around that over the years before large language models, but I will tell you, like with large language models, it is a learning [experience], because different models are used for different use cases.Related:Meanwhile, LLM providers, including OpenAI and Google, are rapidly adding new models turning off old ones, which means that something Phoenix Childrens Hospital built a year ago might suddenly disappear from Azure.Its not only that the technical part of it is just keeping up with whats being added and what's being removed. Theres also the bigger question of the large language models. If youre using it for ambient listening and youve been through a vetting process, and everybodys been using a certain model, and then tomorrow, theres a better model, people will want to use it, says Higginson. Were finding there are a lot of questions, [such as], is this actually a better model for my use case? What's the expense of this model? Have we tested it?How to Approach Model ManagementEBays Padmanabhan says any approach to model management will intrinsically establish a lifecycle, as with any other complex system. EBay already follows a structured lifecycle, encompassing stages from dataset preparation to evaluation.To complete the cycle, we also include model depreciation, where newer models replace existing ones, and older models are systematically phased out, says Padmanabhan. This process follows semantic versioning to maintain clarity and consistency during transitions. Without such a lifecycle approach, managing models effectively becomes increasingly challenging as systems grow in complexity.Related:EBays approach is iterative, shaped by constant feedback from developers, product use cases and the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This iterative process allowed eBay to make steady progress.With each iteration of the AI platform, we locked in a step of value, which gave us momentum for the next step. By repeating this process relentlessly, weve been able to adapt to surprise -- whether they were new constraints or emerging opportunities -- while continuing to make progress, says eBays Padmanabhan. While this approach may not be the most efficient or optimized path to building an AI platform, it has proven highly effective for us. We accepted that some effort might be wasted, but well do it in a safe way that continuously unlocks more value.To start, he recommends setting up a common gateway for all model API calls.This gateway helps you keep track of all the different use cases for AI models and gives you insights into traffic patterns, which are super useful for operations and SRE teams to ensure everything runs smoothly, says Padmanabhan. Its also a big win for your InfoSec and compliance teams. With a centralized gateway, you can apply policies in one place and easily block any bad patterns, making security and compliance much simpler. After that, one can use the traffic data from the gateway to build a unified portal. This portal will let you manage a models entire lifecycle, from deployment to phasing it out, making the whole process more organized and efficient as you scale.Phoenix Childrens Hospitals Higginson says its wise to keep an eye on the industry because its changing so fast.David Higginson, Phoenix Children's HospitalDavid Higginson, Phoenix Children's HospitalWhen a new model comes out, we try to think about it in terms of solving a problem, but we've stopped chasing the [latest] model as GPT-4 does most of what we need. I think what weve learned over time is dont chase the new model because were not quite sure what it is or youre limited on how much you can use it in a day, says Higginson. Now, were focusing more on models that have been deprecated or removed, because we get no notice of that.Its also important for stakeholders to have a baseline knowledge of AI so there are fewer obstacles to progress. Phoenix Childrens Hospital began its governance processes with AI 101 training for stakeholders, including information about how the models work. This training was done during the groups first three meetings.Otherwise, you can leave people behind, says Higginson. People have important things to say, [but] they just don't know how to say them in an AI world. So, I think thats the best way to get started. You also tend to find out that some people have an aptitude or an interest, and you can keep them on the team, and people who dont want to be part of it can exit.Jacob Anderson, owner of Beyond Ordinary Software Solutions, says a model is no different than a software product thats released to the masses.If you have lifecycle management on your product rollouts, then you should also implement the same in your model stewardship, says Anderson. You will need to have a defined retirement plan for models and have a policy in place to destroy the models. These models are just amalgamations of the data that went into training them. You need to treat models with the same care as you would the training data.Sage AdviceEBays Padmanabhan recommends that organizations still in the early stages of exploring GenAI refrain from building a complex platform to start, which is exactly what eBay did.At eBay, we initially focused on identifying impactful use cases rather than investing in a platform. Once the technology matured and applications expanded across different domains, we saw the need for a centralized system, says Padmanabhan. Today, our AI platform helps us manage the complexity of AI development and deployment at scale -- but we built it when the timing was right.He also thinks it wise not to become overwhelmed by the rapid changes in this field.Its easy to get caught up in trying to create a system that supports every type of model out there. Instead, take a step back and focus on what will truly make a difference for your organization. Tailor your model management system to meet your specific needs, not just what the industry is buzzing about, says Padmanabhan. Lastly, from our experience we see that quality of the dataset is what really matters. Quality trumps quantity. It is better to have 10,000 highly curated high-quality rows than 100,000 average rows.Phoenix Childrens Hospitals Higginson recommends experimenting with guardrails so people can learn.Have a warning that says, Don't put PII in there and use the output carefully, but absolutely use it, says Higginson. Don't believe everything it says, but other than that, don't be scared. The use cases coming from our staff, employees and physicians are way more creative than I would have ever thought of, or any committee would have thought of.Beyond Ordinarys Anderson recommends understanding the legal obligations of jurisdictions in which the models are operating because they vary.Take care to understand those differences and how your obligations bleed into those regulatory theatres. Then you need to have a well-defined operational plan for model stewardship, says Anderson. This is very much akin to your data stewardship plan, so if you don't have one of those, then it's time to slow the bus and fix that flat tire.He also recommends against putting hobbyist AI practitioners in charge of models.Find qualified professionals to help you with the policy frameworks and setting up a stewardship plan, says Anderson. Cybersecurity credentials play into the stewardship of AI models because the models are just data. Your cyber people don't need to know how to train or evaluate an AI model. They just need to know what data went into training and how the model is going to be used in a real-world scenario.About the AuthorLisa MorganFreelance WriterLisa Morgan is a freelance writer who covers business and IT strategy and emergingtechnology for InformationWeek. She has contributed articles, reports, and other types of content to many technology, business, and mainstream publications and sites including tech pubs, The Washington Post and The Economist Intelligence Unit. Frequent areas of coverage include AI, analytics, cloud, cybersecurity, mobility, software development, and emerging cultural issues affecting the C-suite.See more from Lisa MorganWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

Headquarters: NYC URL: https://distrokid.com/ Senior Product Designer Wanted: Hit the High Notes with DistroKid!SALARY: 102,000 - 125,000 EUR//85,000 -105,000 GBP per annumLOCATION: Fully remote; open to candidates living in the UK/EU ONLYSPONSORSHIP: No; Not provided at this time, including after student visas expire.DistroKid is the worlds largest music distributor to Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Most newmusic today is released through DistroKid. Help us help millions of musicians be more prolific!Summary:DistroKid is seeking a seasoned Senior Product Designer to shape the user experience for ourgrowing ecosystem of standalone and premium artist tools, including DistroVid and Mixea.You'll work end-to-end to design features and improvements that delight our users while drivingbusiness impact. Working with a tight-knit Europe-based product and engineering team, you'llshape projects from start to finish, find creative ways to simplify complex problems, and ensurehigh-quality implementation. Beyond individual features, you'll help expand and unify our designlanguage across multiple products while conducting research to better understand our artists'needs.Our ideal candidate thinks holistically about both visual design and UX writing, recognizing thatgreat copy is inseparable from great design. You'll help grow DistroKids design culture throughhiring, process improvements, and regular design reviews, while having the opportunity tosignificantly influence company-wide strategies.You will report to our Director of Product Design and have regular access to DistroKidleadership to discuss, iterate, and explore design ideas in a highly synergetic environment.Your Setlist: Key ResponsibilitiesA portfolio that showcases end-to-end projects you've shipped, demonstrating how youtackled real user problems, adapted to constraints, and delivered results. Format is up toyou we love anything from polished case studies to messy Figma files as long as theyshow your thinkingAbility to take ambiguous, complex problems and transform them into simple, shippablefeatures that users loveProven history of partnering with product, engineering, and cross-functional teams toshape design vision and strategyAbility to translate business objectives into customer-centered problems, and alignteams around themStrong presentation skills and comfort with sharing work directly with companyleadershipExperience designing consumer-facing web and mobile products at scale Your Track Record: QualificationsStrong written and verbal communication that helps others understand your work,process, and decisions plus an eagerness for feedback that makes good work greatAbility to balance big thinking with incremental rollout strategiesExperience designing features that encourage organic sharing and viral engagementFamiliarity with the music industry, digital distribution platforms, and/or subscriptionbusinessesA talent for infusing delight, joy, and personality into your designsExperience with programming and technical tools such as HTML, CSS, Terminal, Git,VSCode DistroKid is an Equal Opportunity EmployerWe are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage applicationsfrom individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We value a wide range ofperspectives and believe that our differencesTo apply: https://weworkremotely.com/remote-jobs/distrokid-senior-product-designer

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Tbilisi's rolling hills have informed a new high-rise designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.Named Cityzen Tower, the 42-story Cityzen Tower is imagined as a vertically extended version of Tbilisi's new Central Park, which has 36 hectares of parklands.The tower, which is part of the new Cityzen development in Tbilisi's Saburtalo area, will be built on the location of the former military headquarters of Soviet forces in the central and southern Caucasus.Cityzen Tower is the first project in Georgia by Zaha Hadid Architects and serves as the entrance to the Cityzen community, a new civic center west of Tbilisi.The new Cityzen Tower, which is situated in the center of Tbilisi at the intersection of Mikheil Tamarashvili and University streets, includes residential flats, business space, and civic recreational facilities.Constructed on the location of the former military headquarters of Soviet forces in the central and southern Caucasus, the tower is part of the new Cityzen community in Tbilisi's Saburtalo district. This developing urban area is serviced by Line 2 of the city's metro system and contains new residential developments, commercial areas, and several state university faculties.The Cityzen neighborhood, which includes new residences as well as public facilities, offices, retail stores, and dining options for the city's expanding population, establishes a new civic center in Tbilisi's west with a network of connected pedestrian walkways, public squares, and gardens that foster a feeling of community and offer 23,000 square meters of beautifully landscaped outdoor spaces for leisure and enjoyment.Cityzen is situated next to Tbilisi's Central Park, a brand-new 36-hectare parkland that features a range of botanical gardens, forests, and sports facilities for the city's citizens, while also preserving 250 of the site's mature trees.Inspired by the undulating hills and river valleys that meander through Tbilisi's undulating cityscape, Zaha Hadid Architects' design for Cityzen Tower mirrors its setting at the nexus of the city's natural surroundings and urbanism.The tower is a vertical extension of the surrounding Central Park's natural landscape and serves as the entrance to this new urban area of Tbilisi. Lower-level cafes, restaurants, and other community events can be held on a number of south-facing outdoor terraces that cascade down from the tower towards the park.As the skyscraper rises, these terraces change to become outdoor gathering places for each of the office levels above. The terraces on the upper floors of the skyscraper function as balconies for the residential flats, offering expansive views of the city skyline and park.Large common areas on the lowest floors of the tower that face the park gradually come together to form the smaller, diamond-shaped footprint of the apartments above, defining the composition of the building.Every apartment boasts outstanding views and natural daylight thanks to this architecture. An incremental twist in the tower's overall composition is defined by the gradual amalgamation of these different footplate requirements between the lower and upper floors.The design of the tower has also been influenced by a thorough local wind and solar analysis to guarantee the best possible comfort for both locals and tourists using Cityzen's public plazas, outdoor terraces, and recreational spaces.The 57,000-square-meter Cityzen Tower, which is situated in the humid, temperate climate of Tbilisi, is made to maximize natural ventilation. To further lower energy consumption, its enlarged balconies and external louvres will increase solar radiation in the winter and decrease direct sunlight in the summer.The tower's concrete structure continues on the traditions and concrete construction know-how of Tbilisi's local work force and suppliers. The tower is intended to be LEED Gold certified, and when possible, local recycled materials will be used in its construction. Additionally, the Cityzen development will use its on-site reservoir to collect and reuse rainwater. Native plants that don't need extra irrigation will be used for all of the complex's plantings.Cityzen Tower, the first project by Zaha Hadid Architects in Georgia, is expected to be completed in 2028. Cityzen, a division of IG Development Georgia, is renowned for its creative approach to urban planning, architecture, and design.Zaha Hadid Architects unveiled Napoli Porta Est Masterplan featuring a pair of fluid towers in Italy. In addition, the firm created material-rich showroom interiors in Shenzhen. Moreover, the firm renovated historic Roman Palazzo into Hotel Romeo Roma in Italy.Project factsClient:CityzenArchitect:Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)Design:Patrik SchumacherZHA Project Director:Manuela GattoZHA Project Associate:Yevgeniya PozigunZHA Project Architects:Takehiko Iseki, Massimo NapoleoniZHA Project Leads:Armando Bussey (Design), Bowen Miao (Facade), Maria Avrami (BIM)ZHA Technical Coordination:ZHA Project Team:Alicia Hidalgo Lopez, Armando Bussey, Besan Abudayah, Bowen Miao, Catherine McCann, Charles Walker, Ignacio Fernandez De Castro, Jessica Wang, Jose Pareja Gomez, Kutbuddin Nadiadi, Laizhen Wu, Manuela Gatto, Maria Avrami, Massimo Napoleoni, Panos Ioakim, Takehiko Iseki, Thomas Bagnoli, Yevgeniya PozigunZHA Analytics & Insights Team:Uli Blum, Danial HaziqZHA Sustainability Team:Aleksander Mastalski, Aditya Ambare, Carlos Bausa Martinez, Shibani Choudhury, Disha ShettyConsultantsLocal Architect:Artstudio ProjectStructural Engineers:CapiteliFaade Engineering:FMT Faade ConsultantsMEP:ZeroneLandscape Consultant:Artstudio ProjectAnimation:Render. geLEED Consultant:Sustainable Engineering LtdAll images Negativ.> via ZHA News

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner and Lacaton & Vassal co-founder Anne LacatonSuad AmiryPresented in partnership with both The Architectural Review and The Architects Journal, the W Awards are presented annually as a celebration of talent and ambition, of leadership and outstanding architecture.The Jane Drew Prize for Architecture 2025, which honors an architect who has elevated the status of women in architecture through their work and dedication to design quality, has been given to architect Anne Lacaton. Suad Amiry has been awarded with the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize for Contribution to Architecture 2025, which honors people from disciplines that overlap and are related to architecture and who have made a substantial impact on architecture and the built environment.Anne Lacaton. Image Philippe RuaultArchitect Anne LacatonLacaton, who co-founded the French firm Lacaton & Vassal with Jean-Philippe Vassal, has played a significant role in defining what it means to build responsibly in the twenty-first century.Lacaton and Vassal, who frequently defy expectations, are well-known for their minimalist restoration of Paris's Palais de Tokyo and for enclosing existing housing stock in winter gardens, which softly extends residences while improving their thermal efficiency.Palais de Tokyo by Lacaton & Vassal. Image Philippe Ruault"Far from pretensions to stardom, Anne Lacatons practice is considered and audacious, with a clarity of purpose that must be celebrated. With Jean-Philippe Vassal, she places residents and users at the centre, and designs buildings that are both frugal and generous," said Manon Mollard, Editor of The Architectural Review."Their denunciation of demolition as madness, and advocacy for reuse and transformation is an urgent message for all architects, clients and politicians," Mollard added.Suad Amiry. Image courtesy of Columbia GSAPP/Wikimedia CommonsSuad Amiry has been awarded the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize for Contribution to Architecture 2025. Amiry is the founder of Riwaq, a Palestinian organization dedicated to the conservation and repurposing of old structures.Amiry is a prolific novelist who leads Riwaq's conservation efforts. She has written award-winning works like Sharon and My Mother-in-Law (2003) and, most recently, Mother of Strangers (2022)."In light of continuing and increasing violence and destruction in Palestine, Suad Amirys commitment to the restoration and reuse of historical Palestinian structures is vital. Amirys varied practice, combining both advocacy and writing, teaches spatial practitioners to imagine a world beyond the rubble," said Eleanor Beaumont,Deputy Editor at The Architectural Review.Designing Motherhood on display at Stockholms ArkDes. Image courtesy of ArkDesThe Designing Motherhood initiative is the recipient of this year's Prize for Research in Gender and Architecture. The study project was started in 2017 by US design historians Michelle Millar Fisher and Amber Winick after they saw a lack of literature, exhibitions, and schools on design for the arc of human reproduction.Today, it includes a book published by MIT Press in 2021, a popular Instagram account, a traveling exhibition that is currently in its fourth and fifth iterations at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and ArkDes in Stockholm, Sweden (curated with Juliana Rowen Barton and Zo Greggs), and a number of local collaborations with activists, policymakers, and maternal and infant health experts."Designing Motherhood is a multifaceted research project into the rich and largely unexplored design histories of human reproduction. By incorporating a multiplicity of voices, it reveals deep biopolitical stories of the buildings, objects and materials that have been used to control as well as emancipate birthing people and their bodies," said Kristina Rapacki,Senior Editor at The Architectural Review.Faith Museum by Jacqueline Stephen, Nall McLaughlin Architects. Image Nick KaneIn addition to the prizes above, The Architectural Review and The Architects Journal have announced shortlists for the MJ Long Prize for Excellence in Practice and Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture.The MJ Long Prize shortlistcomprises:Rachel Elliott of Lynch Architects, for Westminster Coroners Court in LondonRebecca Kalbfell of HAT Projects, for Sunspot in Jaywick SandsMathilda Lewis of dMFK Architects, for Voysey House in ChiswickJacqueline Stephen of Nall McLaughlin Architects, for the Faith Museum in Bishop AucklandAna Maria Gutirrez, Organizmo. Image Felipe CoteroThe Moira Gemmill Prize shortlist comprises: - Marialuisa Borja of Al Borde based in Ecuador- Ana Maria Gutirrez of Organizmo based in Colombia- Ashleigh Killa of The MAAK based in South Africa- Sara Alissa and Nojoud Alsudairi of Syn Architects based in Saudi ArabiaThe W Awards, formerly known as Women in Architecture, carry on the work that the AR and AJ have done so far, which is to increase the visibility of women and non-binary individuals in architecture globally and to inspire change as a unified voice of this global appeal for equality, diversity, and respect. In 2023, Kazuyo Sejima and Phyllis Lambert won W Awards. In 2022, Swati Janu Of Social Design Collaborative and Fiona Monkman Of Islington Architects won W Awards.Top image in the article: Anne Lacaton ( Philippe Ruault), Suad Amiry (courtesy of Columbia GSAPP/Wikimedia Commons).> via The Architectural Review and The Architects Journal

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Artreveals concept designs from six shortlisted teams competing to lead a major expansion of the Kansas City institution1/5show captionProposals by Renzo Piano, Kengo Kuma and Selldorf are among six concept designs unveiled by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Missouri for a major expansion of its campus.The project will create additional exhibition and learning spaces, improve public amenities, and enhance connections between the museums existing buildings and the surrounding 22-acre sculpture park.The first-stage of the international competition, which is being run by Malcolm Reading Associates, attracted 182 entries from 30 countries across six continents.1/5show captionThe six shortlisted teams are led by Kengo Kuma & Associates, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Selldorf Architects, Studio Gang, Weiss/Manfredi Architecture, and WHY Architecture. The shortlisted proposals, developed by leading architecture practices, are now on display at the museum and online.The museums architect selection committee is set to review the shortlisted designs in late spring before making a recommendation to the board of trustees.Evelyn Craft Belger, chair of the museums board of trustees and the architect selection committee, said the revealing the six concept designs was a thrilling moment for the museum and our community when we start to visualize an identity that will carry us through the coming decades.1/5show captionJulin Zugazagoitia, the museums director and chief executive, added: We asked for bold, inspiring moves that also respected the existing museum campus and Im so happy to say weve received them in these initial designs.Each is a fascinating response to a complex project brief, together they bring myriad perspectives. The teams have shone their beams of thought on our big questions: how do we synthesize our existing icons with a new proposition? How do we modernize and embrace the future but keep the best of our history? And, most of all, how do we create a museum that is transparent for all and instills a sense of belonging and well-being?1/3show captionThe competition brief calls for a new addition or series of additions totalling approximately 61,000 square feet, alongside partial renovations of the original Nelson-Atkins building. The project is also expected to include a new primary entrance, expanded gallery spaces, a photography centre, a black-box theatre for digital art, and improved visitor facilities such as a restaurant and outdoor areas.Kengo Kumas proposal uses gently sloping forms to evoke the Midwest regions prairies and riverbeds, constructed from locally sourced stone, timber and glass.Renzo Pianos practice has sought to balance the museums main Beaux Arts building with the glowing Steven Holl-designed extension to the east with a transparent, light-filled pavilion which erodes the boundary between institution and community.1/6show captionSelldorf has proposed a glazed facade for the main buildings portico and a western extension aiming to complement the Bloch Buildings, while Studio Gang envisages a multi-levelled extension and a prominent cafe building in the plaza.The shortlist is rounded off by Weiss Manfredis proposal for a western extension prioritising the sites plaza space, and WHY Architectures concept of wrapping the extension around three sides of the main building and adding a new entry pavilion.Following the selection of a winning team, further design development and stakeholder consultation will take place before a final scheme is confirmed.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo discuss the complicated process of bringing Simon Stlenhag's graphic novel to life.

The streamer has everything a sci-fi fan could want.

March 14, 20255 min readHow to Protect Pets and Backyard Chickens from Bird FluAs bird flu outbreaks continue to affect animals, experts answer questions about keeping pets and their owners healthyBy Jude Coleman edited by Lauren J. Young Toni Jardon/Getty ImagesWith avian influenza blowing up egg prices and killing chickens around the country at an alarming rate, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a strategy to combat outbreaks. The $1-billion dollar plan will primarily aid poultry farmersbut it will also reduce regulations on backyard coops to alleviate pressure on the egg industry. Meanwhile the virus continues to infect cattle and other animals, including cats and rodents.Where does that leave people with pets or backyard chickens? Scientific American spoke with experts about managing bird flu risks for animals and their owners.What pets are at higher risk for bird flu?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 current circulating strain of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza is particularly deadly in catsaround two thirds of those infected will die, says Jane Sykes, a veterinarian at the University of California, Davis, who specializes in infectious diseases in cats and small dogs. Dogs can be infected as well, but they seem to be more resistant to getting ill. If dogs were as susceptible as cats, we would have seen it by now, Sykes says.Eating raw food amplifies a pets risk, Sykes says, because that can expose them to meat that is contaminated with bird flu or other pathogens. Animals that live on dairy farms or that have access to unpasteurized milk also have elevated risk because research has found raw milk from infected cows has very high levels of the virus. Likewise, cats and dogs living on a poultry farm or with backyard chickens are more likely to be exposed to the virus.How can owners keep their pets safe?Keeping cats indoors greatly limits their exposure to wild birds and bird feces, both of which can carry the virus. Feeding pets heat-processed, commercial food can help them avoid exposure. If you prepare homemade meals for your animal companions, make sure meat is cooked to the correct temperature: 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) is recommended for poultry, for example.Experts generally recommend making sure your pets avoid any dead animals, not just birds. Rodents have also tested positive for H5N1, and while it has not been confirmed that they can be a route of transmission to other animals, Sykes says that is possible.Following these steps significantly lowers the chance that pets, particularly more vulnerable cats, will get sick. Sykes notes that relatively few cats are known to have been infected, but reported cases are likely a tiny fraction of what exists out there. I think it does represent the tip of the iceberg, she says.Whats the risk to backyard chickens?Like commercially farmed poultry, backyard chickens are also vulnerable to bird flu. Several factors contribute to the risk level, says Maurice Pitesky, an epidemiologist and veterinarian at the University of California, Davis. Ducks and other waterfowl are a major reservoir for the bird flu virus, making backyard chicken flocks located near ponds or wetlands more susceptible, particularly if the chickens are free-range. In general, allowing poultry to roam outside will increase the risk because that creates a higher chance of exposure to wild birds. Anytime you have potential for spatial overlap between waterfowl ... and domestic species, you have a risk, Pitesky says. We do have situations where backyard chickens die.Chicken owners who hunt waterfowl can also put their flock in danger if they wear their hunting garb in the coop. Their clothes or shoes could be contaminated after they have spent time in wet habitats. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also notes that tools used to clean game should be kept away from domestic poultry and pet birds, among other recommendations for hunters.How do I know if my animal has bird flu? And then what do I do?Chickens infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza will often stop laying eggs and will typically quickly die. Ideally, if a bird dies, it should be tested by a state veterinary lab, Pitesky says. If the lab confirms the chicken died of bird flu, the rest of the flock will need to be culled.A cat or dog infection can be trickier to identify because many bird flu symptoms, such as runny nose or trouble breathing, look the same as those of other respiratory illnesses. Further complicating things, the virus can also cause neurological symptoms that resemble rabies; pets should receive up-to-date rabies vaccinations to rule this out and protect against rabies. If a cat or dog seems sick, take it to the vet and mention any possible H5N1 exposures (such as a recent history of drinking raw milk). A cat with respiratory symptoms is more likely to be ill with something other than bird flu, Sykes says.Whats the risk of humans getting the virus from pets?In the U.S., most confirmed human cases of poultry-transmitted bird flu come from commercial poultry farms. But at least two human hospitalizations in the country, including one resulting in death, have been linked to backyard flocks. In both cases, the people who were infected had underlying health conditions that made them more vulnerable to severe disease. There is always going to be a risk of contracting the virus from backyard chickens, yet following proper safety measures will lower it. The chance of getting Salmonella from backyard-raised eggs is probably still higher right now, Pitesky says.The chance of catching bird flu from pets is also relatively low. Because of the proximity of pets at home and the fact that the virus is shed through body fluids, including saliva, however, there is still a real transmission risk, Sykes says.There are currently no confirmed cases of transmission to humans from infected pet cats. But recent a CDC report on H5N1 infections in two pet cats in the homes of dairy workers has prompted some researchers to suggest humans might transmit the virus to their felines.As with most infectious diseases, an important preventive practice is handwashing. Soap up after handling things that contact wild birds, such as bird feeders. If you have a backyard flock, wash your hands after you have touched any chickens or eggs or have cleaned the coop. Wear a designated cleaning outfit and shoes that dont come in the house, Pitesky says. The CDC also recommends donning other protective gear such as an N95 or surgical mask and goggles when mucking out the coop. Also, clean up any spilled feed that would attract wild birds or rodents. Experts additionally recommend enclosing animal pens and coops with fencingincluding on topto keep spaces free of rodent and wild birds.And getting a flu shot will help reduce the chance of seasonal influenzas mingling with H5N1 if you are exposed to bird flu. That can potentially result in the viruses mixing genetic material and creating new human-adapted strains. To me, this is the worst animal disease outbreak we've ever had, Pitesky says. And we don't know how to control it at this point.

March 13, 20255 min readAre the Colors in Astronomical Images Real?In colorful photographs of galaxies, stars, planets, and more, what you see isnt necessarily what you getBy Phil Plait edited by Lee BillingsA colorful view of Lynds 483, an hourglass-shaped system of jets and outflows from two central protostars mid-formation. Captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), this image uses false colors to highlight certain structural details. Lynds 483 is too sprawling to fit within JWSTs field of view, and so is partially cut off in this image. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScIWhen I give a public talk about space and show off the latest dazzling images from the Hubble Space Telescope or James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), one of the most common questions I get is, Is that what these objects really look like? What that usually means is: If you were witnessing them with your own eyes, is this what youd see?The answer is almost always no. But its not that astronomers are faking the photographs! Its just that cameras (especially on telescopes) and eyeballs work in very different ways. No photograph, including ones you take with your smartphone, can perfectly replicate what your eye sees. The best our tech can do is approximate what you seeand sometimes we dont want to do even that.Two kinds of cells in your retinas, called rods and cones, are the basis of human vision. Rods cant detect color but are good at registering low levels of light (which is why the faint light from most stars looks white to the unaided eye). Cones are the cells that decipher color, and they come in three kinds: each cone is sensitive to either red, green or blue light. The colors we perceive when we look at an object come from the mix of light detected by the cones. This is of course a phenomenally more complicated process than what Ive just described, but thats the gist.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.Some digital cameras can mimic this approach. Instead of light-sensitive biological cells, they have tiny pixels that essentially count every photon that hits them and store that number electronically. In this system, a brighter object, which emits more light, has a larger number of photons than a dimmer object.These pixels arent intrinsically able to differentiate color, though. They just see a photon and record it. To get color information, each pixel can be covered by a filter that only lets through a range of colors in the red, green or blue parts of the spectrum. A color image emerges after the raw per-pixel photon counts are talliedthen sorted and summed by the specific colors of the detected light.This is called a three-color image, and its close to what the eye sees. Astronomical cameras typically use larger red, green and blue filters over the entire field of view rather than the tiny filters that a smartphone camera uses for individual pixels, but the end result is much the same. In either case, however, the color filters generally cant exactly match the color response of your eyes, so the image is not precisely what you see. Still, it can be very close.Its good enough to create a nice photographthat is, if were trying to take an image that matches what the eye would see. We call images like that true color, though technically thats a misnomer because its really only an approximation.Such images of cosmic objects are lovely (and much loved by the public) but of limited use for actual scientific research. For that, astronomers generally prefer to analyze any color-filtered images individually rather than combine them to make a three-color photograph.Thats because theres much more to color than making pretty pictures. The sun emits light across a wide range of wavelengthswhat we call a continuous spectrumand when we look at, say, a flower, it reflects a mix of those wavelengths of light back to us, which we perceive as color. Most stars emit a continuous spectrum as well, but not all astronomical objects do.Hydrogen in a gas cloud, for example, emits light at very specific wavelengths, though generally most is at 656 nanometers (in the red part of the spectrum). Emission like this creates what is called a line spectrum. If astronomers want to know where the hydrogen is in that nebula, they use narrow-band filters that only let that specific wavelength of light pass through to reach a detector. These filters can be tuned to isolate the light from any of a huge variety of atoms and molecules that might be in a gas cloud, allowing a clouds composition, temperature, density, structure and other properties to be measured.Most nebula photographs you see use combinations of these narrow filters, so how these images look is very different from any unaided first-person view youd get if you were physically floating nearby. The imaging process is different, so the images look different. And thats fine! Astronomers arent trying to fool you or anyone else. Its just that these objects emit light differently than the continuous spectrum our eyes evolved to perceive, but we still want to see them. So we create these kinds of images to do that.Ive never run across a good name for this process, though. False color was popular for a while but has fallen out of favor because it implies fakery. Unnatural color is worse. The technique is well worth any naming woes, however, because it allows us to turn a wider variety of types of light into images. Some camera detectors are sensitive to infrared lightnot just detectors in JWST but also those in newer smartphones. Others can pick up ultraviolet light, x-rays and other types of nonoptical light.This allows the creation of images with a mix of light from across the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, you could make a picture where ultraviolet light is shown as blue, visible light as green and infrared as red. Satellite images depict this; vegetation is an excellent reflector of infrared light, so it looks bright red in such images instead of the verdant green your eye sees. Astronomical images do, too, often with even more colors: Many Hubble images, for instance, use five or more filters that are then each assigned to different corresponding colors. This makes the resulting final images especially vibrant, though theyre not, at least as far as your eyes are concerned, in true color.In the end, the way a photograph is created depends on its use. Sometimes astronomers use single filters, multiple filters or none at all, depending on what theyre measuring. And the images you see from telescopes acrossand abovethe world can be created in any number of ways, then balanced and delicately processed to enhance their natural beauty.You can make the case that none of them are in true color. But then again, if they were, theyd be unable to reveal the true nature of objects emitting or reflecting various kinds of otherwise invisible light. So in that sense, theyre all true!