This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. This baby boy was treated with the first personalized gene-editing drug Doctors say they constructed a bespoke gene-editing treatment in less than seven months and used it to treat a baby with a deadly metabolic condition. The rapid-fire attempt to rewrite the child’s DNA marks the first time gene editing has been tailored to treat a single individual. The baby who was treated, Kyle “KJ” Muldoon Jr., suffers from a rare metabolic condition caused by a particularly unusual gene misspelling. Researchers say their attempt to correct the error demonstrates the high level of precision new types of gene editors offer.The project also highlights what some experts are calling a growing crisis in gene-editing technology. That’s because even though the technology could cure thousands of genetic conditions, most are so rare that companies could never recoup the costs of developing a treatment for them. Read the full story.—Antonio Regalado Access to experimental medical treatments is expanding across the US —Jessica Hamzelou A couple of weeks ago I was in Washington, DC, for a gathering of scientists, policymakers, and longevity enthusiasts. They had come together to discuss ways to speed along the development of drugs and other treatments that might extend the human lifespan. One approach that came up was to simply make experimental drugs more easily accessible. Now, the state of Montana has passed a new bill that sets out exactly how clinics can sell experimental, unproven treatments in the state to anyone who wants them. The passing of the bill could make Montana something of a US hub for experimental treatments. But it represents a wider trend: the creep of Right to Try across the US. And a potentially dangerous departure from evidence-based medicine. Read the full story. This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here. Take a new look at AI’s energy use Big Tech's appetite for energy is growing rapidly as adoption of AI accelerates. But just how much energy does even a single AI query use? And what does it mean for the climate? Join editor in chief Mat Honan, senior climate reporter Casey Crownhart, and AI reporter James O'Donnell at 1.30pm ET on Wednesday May 21 for a subscriber-only Roundtables conversation exploring AI's energy demands now and in the future. Register here. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 xAI has blamed Grok’s white genocide fixation on an ‘unauthorized modification’ Made by an unnamed employee at 3.15am. (TechCrunch)+ The topic is one the far-right comes back to again and again. (The Atlantic $)+ Memphis residents are struggling to live alongside xAI’s supercomputer. (CNBC) 2 Meta has delayed the launch of its next flagship AI model Its engineers are struggling to improve its Behemoth LLM enough. (WSJ $)3 Elon Musk is tapping up friends and allies for federal jobs It’s creating an unprecedented web of potential conflicts of interests. (WSJ $)+ Musk is posting on X less than he used to. (Semafor)4 The US is slashing funding for scientific research Such projects produced GPS, LASIK eye surgery, and CAPTCHAs. (NYT $)+ US tech visa applicants are under seriously heavy scrutiny. (Wired $)+ The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled. (MIT Technology Review)They’re focusing on improving chatbots’ memory—but critics are worried. (5 Big Tech wants its AI agents to remember everything about you 🧠FT $)+ AI agents can spontaneously develop human-like behavior. (The Guardian)+ Generative AI can turn your most precious memories into photos that never existed. (MIT Technology Review)6 People keep making anti-DEI modifications for The Sims 4 And the gamemaker EA’s attempts to stamp them out aren’t working. (Wired $) 7 This chatbot promises to help you get over your ex  Closure creates an AI version of ex-partners for users to vent their frustrations at. (404 Media)+ The AI relationship revolution is already here. (MIT Technology Review)8 How this AI song became a viral megahit in JapanYAJU&U is completely inescapable, and totally nonsensical. (Pitchfork) + AI is coming for music, too. (MIT Technology Review) 9 Your future overseas trip could be by zeppelin If these startups get their way. (WP $)+ Welcome to the big blimp boom. (MIT Technology Review)10 Are you a ‘dry texter’? 💬 It’s a conflict-averse teen’s worst nightmare. (Vox) Quote of the day “It’s OK to be Chinese overseas.” —Chris Pereira, the CEO of iMpact, a communications firm advising Chinese companies expanding abroad, tells Rest of World that DeepSeek has given Chinese startups the confidence not to hide their origins. One more thingWe’ve never understood how hunger works. That might be about to change. When you’re starving, hunger is like a demon. It awakens the most ancient and primitive parts of the brain, then commandeers other neural machinery to do its bidding until it gets what it wants. Although scientists have had some success in stimulating hunger in mice, we still don’t really understand how the impulse to eat works. Now, some experts are following known parts of the neural hunger circuits into uncharted parts of the brain to try and find out. Their work could shed new light on the factors that have caused the number of overweight adults worldwide to skyrocket in recent years. And it could also help solve the mysteries around how and why a new class of weight-loss drugs seems to work so well. Read the full story. —Adam Piore We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.)+ Who knew—Harvard Law School’s Magna Carta may be the real deal after all.+ Early relatives of reptiles might have walked the Earth much earlier than we realised.+ New York University’s MFA Students are a talented bunch.+ The Raines sandwich sounds unspeakably awful 🥪

This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. This baby boy was treated with the first personalized gene-editing drug Doctors say they constructed a bespoke gene-editing treatment in less than seven months and used it to treat a baby with a deadly metabolic condition. The rapid-fire attempt to rewrite the child’s DNA marks the first time gene editing has been tailored to treat a single individual. The baby who was treated, Kyle “KJ” Muldoon Jr., suffers from a rare metabolic condition caused by a particularly unusual gene misspelling. Researchers say their attempt to correct the error demonstrates the high level of precision new types of gene editors offer.The project also highlights what some experts are calling a growing crisis in gene-editing technology. That’s because even though the technology could cure thousands of genetic conditions, most are so rare that companies could never recoup the costs of developing a treatment for them. Read the full story.—Antonio Regalado Access to experimental medical treatments is expanding across the US —Jessica Hamzelou A couple of weeks ago I was in Washington, DC, for a gathering of scientists, policymakers, and longevity enthusiasts. They had come together to discuss ways to speed along the development of drugs and other treatments that might extend the human lifespan. One approach that came up was to simply make experimental drugs more easily accessible. Now, the state of Montana has passed a new bill that sets out exactly how clinics can sell experimental, unproven treatments in the state to anyone who wants them. The passing of the bill could make Montana something of a US hub for experimental treatments. But it represents a wider trend: the creep of Right to Try across the US. And a potentially dangerous departure from evidence-based medicine. Read the full story. This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here. Take a new look at AI’s energy use Big Tech's appetite for energy is growing rapidly as adoption of AI accelerates. But just how much energy does even a single AI query use? And what does it mean for the climate? Join editor in chief Mat Honan, senior climate reporter Casey Crownhart, and AI reporter James O'Donnell at 1.30pm ET on Wednesday May 21 for a subscriber-only Roundtables conversation exploring AI's energy demands now and in the future. Register here. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 xAI has blamed Grok’s white genocide fixation on an ‘unauthorized modification’ Made by an unnamed employee at 3.15am. (TechCrunch)+ The topic is one the far-right comes back to again and again. (The Atlantic $)+ Memphis residents are struggling to live alongside xAI’s supercomputer. (CNBC) 2 Meta has delayed the launch of its next flagship AI model Its engineers are struggling to improve its Behemoth LLM enough. (WSJ $)3 Elon Musk is tapping up friends and allies for federal jobs It’s creating an unprecedented web of potential conflicts of interests. (WSJ $)+ Musk is posting on X less than he used to. (Semafor)4 The US is slashing funding for scientific research Such projects produced GPS, LASIK eye surgery, and CAPTCHAs. (NYT $)+ US tech visa applicants are under seriously heavy scrutiny. (Wired $)+ The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled. (MIT Technology Review)They’re focusing on improving chatbots’ memory—but critics are worried. (5 Big Tech wants its AI agents to remember everything about you 🧠FT $)+ AI agents can spontaneously develop human-like behavior. (The Guardian)+ Generative AI can turn your most precious memories into photos that never existed. (MIT Technology Review)6 People keep making anti-DEI modifications for The Sims 4 And the gamemaker EA’s attempts to stamp them out aren’t working. (Wired $) 7 This chatbot promises to help you get over your ex  Closure creates an AI version of ex-partners for users to vent their frustrations at. (404 Media)+ The AI relationship revolution is already here. (MIT Technology Review)8 How this AI song became a viral megahit in JapanYAJU&U is completely inescapable, and totally nonsensical. (Pitchfork) + AI is coming for music, too. (MIT Technology Review) 9 Your future overseas trip could be by zeppelin If these startups get their way. (WP $)+ Welcome to the big blimp boom. (MIT Technology Review)10 Are you a ‘dry texter’? 💬 It’s a conflict-averse teen’s worst nightmare. (Vox) Quote of the day “It’s OK to be Chinese overseas.” —Chris Pereira, the CEO of iMpact, a communications firm advising Chinese companies expanding abroad, tells Rest of World that DeepSeek has given Chinese startups the confidence not to hide their origins. One more thingWe’ve never understood how hunger works. That might be about to change. When you’re starving, hunger is like a demon. It awakens the most ancient and primitive parts of the brain, then commandeers other neural machinery to do its bidding until it gets what it wants. Although scientists have had some success in stimulating hunger in mice, we still don’t really understand how the impulse to eat works. Now, some experts are following known parts of the neural hunger circuits into uncharted parts of the brain to try and find out. Their work could shed new light on the factors that have caused the number of overweight adults worldwide to skyrocket in recent years. And it could also help solve the mysteries around how and why a new class of weight-loss drugs seems to work so well. Read the full story. —Adam Piore We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.)+ Who knew—Harvard Law School’s Magna Carta may be the real deal after all.+ Early relatives of reptiles might have walked the Earth much earlier than we realised.+ New York University’s MFA Students are a talented bunch.+ The Raines sandwich sounds unspeakably awful 🥪

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More The importance of databases to modern enterprise AI operations cannot be overstated. Data helps to train and ground AI, and multiple research reports show that without proper data, AI efforts tend to fail. With trends like vibe coding and agentic AI, it’s also increasingly important to have database technology that can be spun up as needed in a serverless approach to modern development efforts. In that environment, it should come as no surprise that databases are a particularly valuable commodity.  This week, that fact was on display with Databricks‘ acquisition of privately held serverless PostgreSQL startup Neon, which was founded in 2022. The deal is reportedly valued at a staggering $1 billion, which is shocking given that barely two years ago, the company raised $46 million in a series B round of funding. What is also particularly interesting is that Databricks itself is a data vendor, with its data lakehouse platform. At various points in the company’s history, it has positioned itself as an alternative to traditional databases, providing a data lake structure where users can make queries. So what was missing, and why did Databricks need to spend a billion dollars? What does it mean and say about what enterprise AI really needs? Functionally, it’s all about meeting developers’ needs to build agentic AI applications. According to Neon, over 80% of the databases created on its platform were created by AI agents. What is serverless PostgreSQL and why does it matter? While Neon is a startup, the core database technology that it’s based on is not new. PostgreSQL is one of the oldest and most established open-source database platforms, dating back to 1996. It’s a relational database technology, meaning it has tables and rows alongside extremely stable features that organizations have trusted for decades. The core open-source PostgreSQL database is now updated in a yearly release cadence. The most recent stable update was PostgreSQL 17, which debuted in Sept. 2024. As an open-source technology, PostgreSQL has enjoyed broad adoption and contributions. At one point, it was often compared to other proprietary relational database options, including Oracle as an alternative option. In 2025, though, PostgreSQL stands on its own. DB-Engines currently ranks PostgreSQL as the fourth most popular database in use today, behind Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and Oracle. The state of PostgreSQL 2024 report from Timescale identifies the open-source database’s rising prominence as the database of choice for AI applications. The database’s well-established and understood nature and broad availability are among the numerous factors that make it attractive. PostgreSQL on its own is just the database, though. Running it as a serverless offering is an operational and deployment activity. The promise of any serverless database is ease of operations. Rather than requiring a dedicated database deployment that continually runs with dedicated resources, serverless is spun up on demand as needed. It’s a deployment option that is particularly attractive to developers as a way to build applications quickly. AI-based development is even more appealing as databases can be built and deployed programmatically. The serverless PostgreSQL landscape has a lot of vendors Every cloud hyperscaler has some form of PostgreSQL service and has for years.  Google has multiple offerings, including AlloyDB, Microsoft has Azure Database for PostgreSQL, while AWS has Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and Amazon Aurora. Each of them also has some flavor of serverless offering, that is, a database available on demand. Numerous smaller vendors exist, including Timescale, EDB and NetApp Instaclustr. In fact, nearly two years ago, Databricks acquired serverless PostgreSQL vendor bit.io, which was also an early rival of Neon. As it turns out, the goals and capabilities of bit.io are quite different from Neon. “Together with the Neon team, we look forward to building the most developer and AI-agent-friendly database platform,” Phil Shin, senior director of corporate development and ventures at Databricks, told VentureBeat. “In contrast, the bit.io acquisition was not actually about Postgres but targeting developer experiences, especially in the trials and self-service process.” Shin added that the bit.io acquisition had a big impact on Databricks’ seamless signup experience.  How serverless PostgreSQL fits into the enterprise database landscape While Neon has only been around for a few years with its serverless PostgreSQL implementation, commercial vendor EDB has been in business since 2004. EDB has a series of its own commercially supported PostgreSQL offerings. Matt Yonkovit, VP of Product for EDB, told VentureBeat that the acquisition of Neon is a strong vote of confidence in Postgres as a foundational technology for AI and analytics.  “It reinforces what we’ve long believed: Postgres is increasingly central to modern data stacks,”  Yonkovit said. “Serverless is a great fit for dev/test environments and for quickly jumpstarting AI projects—but as those use cases scale, enterprises need the performance, compliance, and control of a sovereign platform.” Yonkovit noted that serverless is well-suited for short bursts and smaller workloads. It can scale up and down quickly or shut off entirely when idle, which significantly reduces costs associated with compute, power and storage. However, in his view, there are tradeoffs. “A significant challenge with serverless is that sovereign data management can become messy because you can’t control where the data is processed unless you have a well-restricted pool of resources,” Yonkovit said. The power of serverless PostgreSQL for agentic AI Neon’s serverless PostgreSQL approach separates storage and compute, making it developer-friendly and AI-native. It also enables automated scaling as well as branching in an approach that is similar to how the Git version control system works for code. Amalgam Insights CEO and Chief Analyst Hyoun Park noted that Databricks has been a pioneer in deploying and scaling AI projects.  “One of the big challenges in AI is managing the storage and compute associated with the data,” Park told VentureBeat. “Each of these needs will be increasingly hard to predict in an agentic world where end-user prompts and requests may quickly lead to unexpected demands in storage or compute to solve the problem. Park explained that Neon’s serverless autoscaling approach to PostgreSQL is important for AI because it allows agents and AI projects to grow as needed without artificially coupling storage and compute needs together. He added that for Databricks, this is useful both for agentic use cases and for supporting the custom models they have built over the last couple of years after its Mosaic AI acquisition.  What it means for enterprise AI leaders For enterprises looking to lead the way in AI, this acquisition signals a shift in infrastructure requirements for successful AI implementation. Data is critical for AI; that’s not a surprise. What is particularly insightful, though, is that the ability to rapidly spin up databases is essential for agentic AI success. The deal validates that even advanced data companies need specialized serverless database capabilities to support AI agents that create and manage databases programmatically.  Organizations should recognize that traditional database approaches may limit their AI initiatives, while flexible, instantly scalable serverless solutions enable the dynamic resource allocation that modern AI applications demand.  For companies still planning their AI roadmap, this acquisition signals that database infrastructure decisions should prioritize serverless capabilities that can adapt quickly to unpredictable AI workloads. This would transform database strategy from a technical consideration to a competitive advantage in delivering responsive, efficient AI solutions. Daily insights on business use cases with VB Daily If you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI. Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here. An error occured.

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. This baby boy was treated with the first personalized gene-editing drug Doctors say they constructed a bespoke gene-editing treatment in less than seven months and used it to treat a baby with a deadly metabolic condition. The rapid-fire attempt to rewrite the child’s DNA marks the first time gene editing has been tailored to treat a single individual.The baby who was treated, Kyle “KJ” Muldoon Jr., suffers from a rare metabolic condition caused by a particularly unusual gene misspelling. Researchers say their attempt to correct the error demonstrates the high level of precision new types of gene editors offer. The project also highlights what some experts are calling a growing crisis in gene-editing technology. That’s because even though the technology could cure thousands of genetic conditions, most are so rare that companies could never recoup the costs of developing a treatment for them. Read the full story.—Antonio Regalado Access to experimental medical treatments is expanding across the US —Jessica Hamzelou A couple of weeks ago I was in Washington, DC, for a gathering of scientists, policymakers, and longevity enthusiasts. They had come together to discuss ways to speed along the development of drugs and other treatments that might extend the human lifespan. One approach that came up was to simply make experimental drugs more easily accessible. Now, the state of Montana has passed a new bill that sets out exactly how clinics can sell experimental, unproven treatments in the state to anyone who wants them. The passing of the bill could make Montana something of a US hub for experimental treatments. But it represents a wider trend: the creep of Right to Try across the US. And a potentially dangerous departure from evidence-based medicine. Read the full story. This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here. Take a new look at AI’s energy use Big Tech’s appetite for energy is growing rapidly as adoption of AI accelerates. But just how much energy does even a single AI query use? And what does it mean for the climate?Join editor in chief Mat Honan, senior climate reporter Casey Crownhart, and AI reporter James O’Donnell at 1.30pm ET on Wednesday May 21 for a subscriber-only Roundtables conversation exploring AI’s energy demands now and in the future. Register here. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 xAI has blamed Grok’s white genocide fixation on an ‘unauthorized modification’Made by an unnamed employee at 3.15am. (TechCrunch)+ The topic is one the far-right comes back to again and again. (The Atlantic $)+ Memphis residents are struggling to live alongside xAI’s supercomputer. (CNBC) 2 Meta has delayed the launch of its next flagship AI modelIts engineers are struggling to improve its Behemoth LLM enough. (WSJ $)  3 Elon Musk is tapping up friends and allies for federal jobsIt’s creating an unprecedented web of potential conflicts of interests. (WSJ $)+ Musk is posting on X less than he used to. (Semafor) 4 The US is slashing funding for scientific researchSuch projects produced GPS, LASIK eye surgery, and CAPTCHAs. (NYT $)+ US tech visa applicants are under seriously heavy scrutiny. (Wired $)+ The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled. (MIT Technology Review)5 Big Tech wants its AI agents to remember everything about you They’re focusing on improving chatbots’ memory—but critics are worried. (FT $)+ AI agents can spontaneously develop human-like behavior. (The Guardian)+ Generative AI can turn your most precious memories into photos that never existed. (MIT Technology Review) 6 People keep making anti-DEI modifications for The Sims 4And the gamemaker EA’s attempts to stamp them out aren’t working. (Wired $) 7 This chatbot promises to help you get over your ex Closure creates an AI version of ex-partners for users to vent their frustrations at. (404 Media)+ The AI relationship revolution is already here. (MIT Technology Review) 8 How this AI song became a viral megahit in JapanYAJU&U is completely inescapable, and totally nonsensical. (Pitchfork)+ AI is coming for music, too. (MIT Technology Review) 9 Your future overseas trip could be by zeppelinIf these startups get their way. (WP $)+ Welcome to the big blimp boom. (MIT Technology Review) 10 Are you a ‘dry texter’? It’s a conflict-averse teen’s worst nightmare. (Vox) Quote of the day “It’s OK to be Chinese overseas.” —Chris Pereira, the CEO of iMpact, a communications firm advising Chinese companies expanding abroad, tells Rest of World that DeepSeek has given Chinese startups the confidence not to hide their origins. One more thingWe’ve never understood how hunger works. That might be about to change. When you’re starving, hunger is like a demon. It awakens the most ancient and primitive parts of the brain, then commandeers other neural machinery to do its bidding until it gets what it wants. Although scientists have had some success in stimulating hunger in mice, we still don’t really understand how the impulse to eat works. Now, some experts are following known parts of the neural hunger circuits into uncharted parts of the brain to try and find out. Their work could shed new light on the factors that have caused the number of overweight adults worldwide to skyrocket in recent years. And it could also help solve the mysteries around how and why a new class of weight-loss drugs seems to work so well. Read the full story. —Adam Piore We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)+ Who knew—Harvard Law School’s Magna Carta may be the real deal after all.+ Early relatives of reptiles might have walked the Earth much earlier than we realised.+ New York University’s MFA Students are a talented bunch.+ The Raines sandwich sounds unspeakably awful

Commuters in the New York City and New Jersey area are in for what is likely to be a weekend of increased congestion and more limited transit options after the engineers who run the New Jersey Transit rail system voted to go on strike. That strike is now in effect and could continue throughout the weekend—and potentially even longer. Here’s what you need to know about the NJ Transit strike. What’s happened? On Thursday, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced that its members who run the trains in the New Jersey Transit Corporation, better known as NJ Transit, were officially on strike. The strike came after the BLET and NJ Transit failed to reach a deal on a new contract for the approximately 450 engineers and trainees who run the railway and are represented by the union. The main issue centers around a disagreement on wage increases for the workers. News of the strike is no doubt a disappointment to the 100,000 NYC and NJ commuters who use the line daily, especially after both sides were reportedly “close” to a deal. Talks between both sides went on for 15 hours on Thursday and ended shortly before 10 p.m., reports CNN. The strike then officially began at 12:01 a.m., today, Friday, May 16. It is the first time union members working for New Jersey Transit have gone on strike in 42 years. The last time NJ Transit workers took to the picket lines was in 1983. What do the striking rail workers want? The BLET’s union members are striking because no acceptable deal was reached on wage increases for its members. In a notice announcing the strike, BLET says that its NJ Transit members have not received a raise for five years. The union also notes that NJ Transit engineers “make at least $10 less per hour” than the engineers for other passenger railroads that share the same train platforms as the ones used by NJ Transit. “NJ Transit has a half-billion dollars for a swanky new headquarters and $53 million for decorating the interior of that unnecessary building,” BLET National President Mark Wallace said in a prepared statement. “They gave away $20 million in revenue during a fare holiday last year. They have money for penthouse views and pet projects, just not for their front-line workers. Enough is enough. We will stay out until our members receive the fair pay that they deserve.” In addition to the strike now in effect, from 4 a.m. this morning BLET members began picketing at multiple locations, including NJ Transit’s Newark headquarters, New York’s Penn Station, and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in Atlantic City. The union says that “despite the transit agency having the funds for a raise,” NJ Transit managers walked out of talks before 10 p.m. on Thursday. What does NJ Transit say? NJ Transit, for its part, has posted a fact sheet about the strike, which lays out six claims and what the transit agency says are the “facts” about the claims. NJ Transit says that it offered BLET members a “competitive wage and benefits package that all 14 other rail labor unions accepted in 2021.” It also says that under its offer, NJ Transit locomotive engineers would have seen their average total earnings rise from $135,000 per year now to $172,856 as of July 1, 2027.  The transit agency says these wages are “competitive within the region” and higher than the wages Philadelphia’s SEPTA workers receive. It concedes that the wages are lower than those received by MTA (Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road) workers in New York, but it adds, “It isn’t reasonable to live and work in New Jersey, but demand to be paid like you live and work in New York.” How long could the strike last? That is impossible to tell at this point.  In theory, NJ Transit and BLET could agree to return to the negotiating table at any time—although that’s unlikely to happen today. However, on Thursday, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said that both sides are currently scheduled to start negotiating again on Sunday. But just because negotiations are scheduled—or even begin—doesn’t mean the strike will be called off anytime soon. Indeed, if BLET would call off the strike, it may lessen the pressure on NJ Transit to meet their demands. CNN notes that when Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) workers went on strike in the 1980s, the strike lasted for 108 days. A strike of Metro-North workers lasted 42 days, and a strike of Long Island Railroad workers lasted 11 days.  What should I do if I plan to use NJ Transit today? You should rethink your travel plans.  NJ Transit has posted a notice warning of the “complete suspension” of services on its rail lines. The agency says it “strongly encourages all those who can work from home to do so and limit traveling on the NJ TRANSIT system to essential purposes only.” However, if you do need to commute, the agency says that it is “adding very limited capacity” to existing New York commuter routes on its bus services. The agency also says that from May 19, its regional Park & Ride service “will operate on a first come, first served basis.” Commuters who need to use NJ transit during the strike are strongely encouraged to check out the agency’s rail strike information page here. What if I’m seeing the Shakira or Beyoncé concerts? From this weekend, there are also two large music events planned in the area that NJ Transit normally serves. The first is the Shakira concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight, May 16. Then, Beyoncé is scheduled to perform at the same stadium for five nights between May 22 and May 29. MetLife Stadium has posted some travel options for concertgoers who are seeing the Shakira show tonight. The stadium points out that there will be no NJ Transit bus or rail service to the stadium tonight. It says that those coming to the concert from New York City may be able to use the Coach USA bus service, which it says will be “limited.” The venue also asks people who plan to arrive by car to please carpool and arrive early to help ease congestion. Will Congress step in? When it comes to transportation strikes, Congress does have the authority to act and compel workers to accept a deal and return to their jobs, notes CNN. The last time Congress did this was in December 2022 when it voted to force workers from the country’s four major freight railroads to accept a deal. However, CNN points out that Congress likely felt more compelled to step in at that time because the strike affected most of the country. The NJ Transit strike is a local affair, which means Congress may be more reluctant to interfere.

A Northeastern University student demanded her tuition money back after discovering her business professor was secretly using AI to create course materials. Ella Stapleton, who graduated this year, grew suspicious when she noticed telltale signs of AI generation in her professor's lecture notes, including a stray ChatGPT citation in the bibliography, recurring typos matching machine outputs, and images showing figures with extra limbs. "He's telling us not to use it, and then he's using it himself," Stapleton told the New York Times. After filing a formal complaint with Northeastern's business school, Stapleton requested a tuition refund of about $8,000 for the course. The university ultimately rejected her claim. Professor Rick Arrowood acknowledged using ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, and presentation generator Gamma. "In hindsight, I wish I would have looked at it more closely," he said. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The Canopy Pavilion by the Canal / AESEU Architectural Technology and Art studioSave this picture!© Timeraw StudioCommunity Center•Tai Xing Shi, China Architects: AESEU Architectural Technology and Art studio Area Area of this architecture project Area:  2400 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Photographs Photographs:Timeraw Studio More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Urban Regeneration by the Canal - Taixing, situated in the south-central region of Jiangsu Province, stands as the convergence of Huai and Wu cultures. Established in the first year of Shengyuan during the Southern Tang Dynasty, it is a millennium-old city with a rich history. Historically, Taixing County was characterized by an intricate network of waterways, thriving alongside and in harmony with the water, and its fortified walls were constructed in the shape of a turtle's shell. Encircling the city were two moats, both inside and outside the walls, with several winding watercourses resembling snakes in between, forming a pattern reminiscent of the Black Tortoise and White Snake, commonly known as the " City laid out in the shape of a turtle and snake." In recent times, with the city's growth, a new urban layout gradually emerged to the north and east of the old city, intersected by the Rutai Canal and Qiangxi River. Notably, the Rutai Canal, linking the Yangtze River in the west and the Yellow Sea in the east, has served as a pivotal regional waterway spanning Rugao and Taixing since ancient times.Save this picture!In 2023, Taixing City embarked on the "Double Water Nourishing City" supporting facilities project, utilizing the Rutai Canal and Qiangxi River as the foundation. The project involves renovating the disorganized factories, wharves, and shacks along the rivers to create a riverside scenic zone for leisure activities. This scenic zone encompasses numerous cultural squares, parks, and small ancillary garden buildings. The question arises: how can these unused buildings be put to good use? On the one hand, they can enhance services for citizens' riverside leisure activities; on the other hand, the operational revenue generated can alleviate the maintenance costs of public green spaces. This represents the trend towards operational management of urban assets against the backdrop of urban renewal. Consequently, Taixing City has decided to revamp and repurpose six idle ancillary buildings scattered along the parks by the two rivers, endowing them with commercial attributes to leverage their footfall-drawing potential and infuse more vitality into the riverside scenic zone.Save this picture!The value of architectural assets and waterside living - In the northwest direction of the north gate of the old county town, there lies a junction formed by the Rutai Canal and other waterways. Following partial rerouting of the canal in modern times, the construction of urban highway bridges in the vicinity and the development of high-rise residential areas have enclosed this area, transforming it into a relatively spacious waterfront spot within the community. The site features a children's playground beloved by residents, making it a must-visit destination for citizens taking strolls and engaging in fitness activities along the Rutai Canal.Save this picture!The site originally housed two independent two-story buildings with concrete frame structures. One building features a V-shaped floor plan, while the other boasts a zigzag floor plan. Together, these two buildings, along with the river channel, enclose an approximately triangular plot of land. To address the elevation differences within the site, stairs and flower beds have been incorporated into the current design.Save this picture!At the onset of designing this project, the owner's requirement was to impart operational capabilities to these idle urban assets. Often, this is mistakenly interpreted in isolation as necessitating a "tailor-made" design based solely on operational demands. The business needs appear to be prioritized in the design brief, with a tendency to conflate building renovation and interior refurbishment, which represents an all-too-common shortcut in urban renewal. Building renewal constitutes a vital component of urban revitalization: it aids in realigning the site's traffic and spatial connections with the city through renovation and reconstruction, and employs functional integration to reintegrate the building into the city's fabric. Additionally, renovation extends the lifecycle of buildings and enhances their adaptability to a broader range of business types. Furthermore, it delves deeper into the site's unique attributes and leverages them to boost the building's appeal.Save this picture!To capture the cultural and geographical essence of a site, one must revert to the perspective of the city. In this water-laden town, water serves not merely as a geographical feature but also as a cultural emblem deeply ingrained in the fabric of daily life. The teahouses lining the canal bustle with activity, offering a pot of tea, a plate of steamed silken tofu, a basket of steamed pork buns, and a bowl of fish noodle soup. Old tea enthusiasts wander over to the riverside teahouses with their enamel mugs, where the aroma of steaming Xuanbao small wontons blends with the sesame fragrance of Huangqiao sesame cakes, wafting towards the river's heart. They sip on "Langli tea" brewed with canal water while watching barges glide by, leaving ripples in their wake. These are taste memories nurtured by the canal.The clanging of washing sticks at the riverbank, the tapping of chess pieces under the eaves of riverside houses; children leaning over railings to count passing sandboats, morning joggers' silhouettes mirrored in the shimmering waves, elderly couples taking a stroll and pausing at the flood embankment, pointing to the newly erected buildings across the river and reminiscing about the ferry pier of yesteryears. These scenes and people collectively paint a unique and vibrant picture of life along the waterfront in Taixing.Hence, the primary objective of renovating this site is to honor and perpetuate this vibrant atmosphere, providing a comfortable and inviting environment for people to linger and gather. By fostering conditions conducive to meeting the diverse needs of citizens, the potential value of the architecture can be fully realized.Save this picture!Revitalization strategy - With these considerations in mind, let's revisit the original site and buildings. Serving as administrative offices, each building boasts a modest area and features just one staircase inside. The elaborate decoration of the building facades actually obstructs the indoor view of the canal. The outdoor area between the two buildings, segmented by varying heights, struggles to serve as an effective venue for events. These are the aspects of the buildings that necessitate renovation and upgrading.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!More crucially, the site requires a powerful spatial configuration to redefine and distinguish this area, establishing it as a significant destination along the riverside scenic corridor. We define this spatial configuration as a prominent, large-scale open area, aimed at strengthening the connectivity between the site and the public spaces of adjacent blocks. By analyzing the types of traditional public spaces along the canal, we discovered that the awning form exhibits strong applicability. Both the boat awning and the market awning on the shore exhibit a form that is both sheltered and open. This convenient and easily maintainable semi-outdoor public space can effectively adapt to the complex surrounding environment, while encouraging the emergence of temporary and diverse public activities. It is a common spatial outcome nurtured by canal culture. Furthermore, utilizing the roofs of existing buildings to create more platforms that offer both accessibility and river views is undoubtedly a morphological projection of the site's characteristics onto the architectural form, and also facilitates the creation of favorable conditions for shaping outdoor commercial spaces.Save this picture!The final design employs a large canopy to complement the originally fragmented site. This canopy extends over the triangular site and portions of the V-shaped building's rooftop, creating a flat and expansive area between the two structures, akin to a waterfront urban stage. The height difference of the site is seamlessly integrated into the surrounding stepped seating areas. The V-shaped building's rooftop achieves a more direct connection to the ground through the addition of stairs and setback terraces. Likewise, the newly added columnar staircase adjacent to the building on the northern side of the site becomes a dynamic element in the space, directing individuals to the rooftop platform of the L-shaped building. Besides providing a vast shaded area for activities, the canopy alleviates the oppressive feeling imparted by the surrounding dense high-rise residential buildings. As people move under the canopy, their gaze is directed towards the canal and the ships navigating through it, restoring the appropriate scale of waterside life. The concave shape in the middle of the canopy collects rainwater from the rooftop and directs it to a reserved oval drain below through a cantilevered stainless steel spout, creating a "dragon spitting water" landscape.Save this picture!Technical measures - After assessing the concrete frame structure of the existing building, structural reinforcement was carried out on the foundation, beams, slabs, and columns. Transparent peripheral protective structures, such as glass curtain walls, were reintroduced. The horizontally extended white aluminum panels suggest a layered, accessible roof that steps back progressively. For the large canopy spanning approximately 1,000 square meters, a combination of curved grid glued bamboo-steel structure and membrane structure was selected through technical comparison. The basic configuration of the roof consists of several full-length square steel beams and V-shaped columns. The grid units composed of engineered bamboo members facilitate the creation of a gradual curved surface.Save this picture!Save this picture!The curved mesh glued bamboo-steel structure imbues this enclosed space with structural expression and illumination, emphasizing the openness and airiness of the structure to foster a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. This stands in contrast to the confined interior of buildings, suggesting the equitable use of public spaces and leveraging technical expression to promote community interaction and sharing.Save this picture!Community space - Benefiting from the maturity of the commercial and residential districts surrounding the project, as well as its strategic location adjacent to water, we defined the building as Taixing Teahouse—a venue that embodies the local morning tea culture of Taixing during the initial project planning stage. This decision was made after a comprehensive assessment of various factors, including project scale, surrounding traffic conditions, and potential impacts on nearby residents. Leveraging the separation of two buildings, we designated separate areas for the morning tea hall and private dining rooms. In the morning tea area, the middle section of the V-shaped layout serves as an open kitchen, showcasing the production of morning tea as an intangible cultural heritage.Upon completion, this revitalized venue has garnered immense popularity among Taixing residents. The riverside morning tea hall is often fully booked, while private dining rooms offering a panoramic view of the canal have become a favorite gathering spot for families and friends. The small plaza underneath the canopy is utilized by residents at various times of the day and has also hosted numerous cultural events in Taixing. Additionally, the semi-outdoor terrace on the second floor and the rooftop terrace on the third floor under the canopy have transformed into outdoor spaces for leisure bars. Evidently, the transformed space has transcended its original singular function, and its aesthetic appeal has been acknowledged through daily use by residents. It has emerged as a neighborhood hub in the contemporary waterfront living environment, seamlessly integrating culture, nature, and even spiritual and emotional sustenance.Save this picture!Conclusion - In the process of renewing urban idle buildings and neglected spaces leftover from the incremental development era, the approach of merely pursuing commercial value by forcibly integrating untimely commercial format often proves unsustainable. The crucial solution lies in reverting to the essence of the site, by examining the relationship between the architecture and the urban fabric, deeply exploring the site's potential, and reestablishing its public character. Only when the space genuinely transforms into a delightful venue for public interaction and fosters an organic connection with the city can commercial vitality naturally emerge. This incremental renewal strategy, which prioritizes public use over commercial gain, not only respects the natural evolution of urban spaces but also achieves a harmonious coexistence between public and commercial values. It stands to become a pivotal approach in urban renewal.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Tai Xing Shi, ChinaLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this office MaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on May 16, 2025Cite: "The Canopy Pavilion by the Canal / AESEU Architectural Technology and Art studio" 16 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030080/the-canopy-pavilion-by-the-canal-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884

The Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) awarded the Thaden School in its fifth iteration. The 30-acre middle and high school campus in Bentonville, Arkansas, was a collective design effort by Marlon Blackwell Architects, EskewDumezRipple, and Andropogon Associates. The project pulls directly from the rural vernacular of the Ozark region. Thaden School beat out steep competition for the prize, including an aquarium in Mexico by Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO, a veterinary office in Argentina, an expansive park in Mexico, and an old pumphouse that was turned into apartments in Canada. The biennial MCHAP prize “acknowledges the best built works of architecture in the Americas.” It is awarded by the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) College of Architecture and announced at a benefit held in Crown Hall, the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe–designed building on the IIT campus. Over 250 submissions were received for nomination to the 2025 Americas Prize. These were whittled down to the five finalists. As in past years, the jury visited each of the finalist projects and met with the designers and clients before settling on the Thaden School as the winning project. All of the new campus buildings are connected with the landscape. (Tim Hursley) The 2025 MCHAP Americas Prize jury was headed by industry professionals, hailing from across the Americas. It was chaired by Maurice Cox, former Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development. Cox was joined by Giovanna Borasi, director, Canadian Centre for Architecture; Gregg Pasquarelli, founding principal, SHoP Architects; Mauricio Rocha, founder, Taller | Mauricio Rocha, and the 2023 Americas Prize recipient; and Sofia von Ellrichshausen, founding partner of Chilean firm Pezo von Ellrichshausen. MCHAP Director Dirk Denison remarked about visiting the projects and complimented each of the five finalists. “Traveling together, I witnessed firsthand the incredible insights each jury member brought to these five standard-setting works,” he said. “All the finalists emerged organically from needs and demands of their immediate contexts, with ingenuity and a synergy of creativity between the client and designer—a synergy that is the hallmark of so many MCHAP finalists.” The cafeteria at Thaden School is one of the many spaces faced with a large window overlooking the grassy campus. (Tim Hursley) Porches and screened passageways are among many architectural features that recall local vernacular. (Tim Hursley) The jury praised Thaden School for its rootedness to site and context. Connection with the outdoors is a core part of the school’s curriculum; the design team tapped into this with gabled structures that recall barn buildings, through screened porches, and attention to the landscape and grounds. “The building’s character shapes a campus steeped in the rural culture of its place—the barn, the porch, and the long and low farm buildings are artfully assembled into a new academical village that powerfully interprets the pedagogical mission of ‘youth learning by doing,’” the jury collectively shared in a statement. The campus comprises a number of buildings, each with a unique program, connected to one another via series of pathways. Among these is the Home Building, where communal spaces were located: the dining hall, library, bookstore, and lounges. The buildings have low-lying profiles reminiscent of agricultural buildings as well as distinct, angular roof shapes as seen on the Bike Barn, the Arts and Administration Building, Performance Building, and others. Open-air passageways, garage-style doors, and large spans of glazing cement the connection with the rural surroundings. The low-lying buildings with gabled rooflines recall traditional barn architecture. (Tim Hursley) “The collaborative effort of the design teams read through this powerful composition,” the jury commented. “Space is both contained and open-ended, inviting the public to enter into the center of student life. The threshold between outdoor and indoor is made of outward-facing porches, covered passageways, and outdoor rooms. This flexible composition of the campus encourages learning, recreation, farming, and civic gathering.” Several of the Thaden School buildings have been recognized in AN’s Best of Design awards program in the education category. In 2021 EskewDumezRipple received recognition for its work on the Home Building. Marlon Blackwell was similarly applauded in 2020 for its design for Bike Barn, and then again in 2024 for the Performance Building. Last year, Taller | Mauricio Rocha won the MCHAP for Anahuacalli Museum. Other past recipients include, in 2014, Grace Farms by SANAA in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Exciting news for anyone who’s already burned through the entirety of Netflix: There’s a new online movie rental platform coming to town. Letterboxd, the movie-tracking app and the preferred social media of your most insufferable film-loving friend, announced this week that the Letterboxd Video Store is on the way. The announcement was made Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival. While the company hasn’t revealed too many specifics just yet, we do know the upcoming streaming service will be called the Letterboxd Video Store and will feature curated “shelves” of handpicked titles. Like other services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, or Google Play, users will be able to rent films on demand or during specified release windows. But don’t expect the usual lineup. These selections will be carefully curated by Letterboxd, spotlighting lesser-known films, emerging filmmakers, and titles from the festival circuit. By showcasing movies that haven’t yet secured wide distribution, Letterboxd aims to position its transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) service as a “potential new path to audience connection for filmmakers and sales agents seeking visibility and momentum.” Details around launch dates, availability by territory, and specific titles will be announced in the coming months. However, the company has confirmed that selections will be informed by “behavioral insight” drawn from its 20 million-strong community of dedicated film lovers. Launched in 2011, the platform, often dubbed the “Goodreads for film,” remained a niche hub for cinephiles for nearly a decade. By mid-2020, it had only 1.8 million members. Today, Letterboxd has gone fully mainstream. Top reviewers enjoy micro-celebrity status, its “Four Favorites” trend routinely goes viral on TikTok, and users gleefully speculate about celebrities’ burner accounts. “Every day, we see members recommending films to each other, adding to their watch lists and hungry to discover more,” Letterboxd CEO Matthew Buchanan said, per The Hollywood Reporter. “Letterboxd Video Store is our way of delivering for those film lovers, creating a dedicated space for films that deserve an audience.”