As the EPA moves to shut down the Office of Research and Development, leadership is unable to answer questions as basic as when it will close and how many will lose their jobs.

Inside Apple’s high-gloss standoff with AI ambition and the uncanny choreography of WWDC 2025There was a time when watching an Apple keynote — like Steve Jobs introducing the iPhone in 2007, the masterclass of all masterclasses in product launching — felt like watching a tightrope act. There was suspense. Live demos happened — sometimes they failed, and when they didn’t, the applause was real, not piped through a Dolby mix.These days, that tension is gone. Since 2020, in the wake of the pandemic, Apple events have become pre-recorded masterworks: drone shots sweeping over Apple Park, transitions smoother than a Pixar short, and executives delivering their lines like odd, IRL spatial personas. They move like human renderings: poised, confident, and just robotic enough to raise a brow. The kind of people who, if encountered in real life, would probably light up half a dozen red flags before a handshake is even offered. A case in point: the official “Liquid Glass” UI demo — it’s visually stunning, yes, but also uncanny, like a concept reel that forgot it needed to ship.https://medium.com/media/fcb3b16cc42621ba32153aff80ea1805/hrefAnd that’s the paradox. Not only has Apple trimmed down the content of WWDC, it’s also polished the delivery into something almost inhumanly controlled. Every keynote beat feels engineered to avoid risk, reduce friction, and glide past doubt. But in doing so, something vital slips away: the tension, the spontaneity, the sense that the future is being made, not just performed.Just one year earlier, WWDC 2024 opened with a cinematic cold open “somewhere over California”:https://medium.com/media/f97f45387353363264d99c341d4571b0/hrefPhil Schiller piloting an Apple-branded plane, iPod in hand, muttering “I’m getting too old for this stuff.” A perfect mix of Lethal Weapon camp and a winking message that yes, Classic-Apple was still at the controls — literally — flying its senior leadership straight toward Cupertino. Out the hatch, like high-altitude paratroopers of optimism, leapt the entire exec team, with Craig Federighi, always the go-to for Apple’s auto-ironic set pieces, leading the charge, donning a helmet literally resembling his own legendary mane. It was peak-bold, bizarre, and unmistakably Apple. That intro now reads like the final act of full-throttle confidence.This year’s WWDC offered a particularly crisp contrast. Aside from the new intro — which features Craig Federighi drifting an F1-style race car across the inner rooftop ring of Apple Park as a “therapy session”, a not-so-subtle nod to the upcoming Formula 1 blockbuster but also to the accountability for the failure to deliver the system-wide AI on time — WWDC 2025 pulled back dramatically. The new “Apple Intelligence” was introduced in a keynote with zero stumbles, zero awkward transitions, and visuals so pristine they could have been rendered on a Vision Pro. Not only had the scope of WWDC been trimmed down to safer talking points, but even the tone had shifted — less like a tech summit, more like a handsomely lit containment-mode seminar. And that, perhaps, was the problem. The presentation wasn’t a reveal — it was a performance. And performances can be edited in post. Demos can’t.So when Apple in march 2025 quietly admitted, for the first time, in a formal press release addressed to reporters like John Gruber, that the personalized Siri and system-wide AI features would be delayed — the reaction wasn’t outrage. It was something subtler: disillusionment. Gruber’s response cracked the façade wide open. His post opened a slow but persistent wave of unease, rippling through developer Slack channels and private comment threads alike. John Gruber’s reaction, published under the headline “Something is rotten in the State of Cupertino”, was devastating. His critique opened the floodgates to a wave of murmurs and public unease among developers and insiders, many of whom had begun to question what was really happening at the helm of key divisions central to Apple’s future.Many still believe Apple is the only company truly capable of pulling off hardware-software integrated AI at scale. But there’s a sense that the company is now operating in damage-control mode. The delay didn’t just push back a feature — it disrupted the entire strategic arc of WWDC 2025. What could have been a milestone in system-level AI became a cautious sidestep, repackaged through visual polish and feature tweaks. The result: a presentation focused on UI refinements and safe bets, far removed from the sweeping revolution that had been teased as the main selling point for promoting the iPhone 16 launch, “Built for Apple Intelligence”.That tension surfaced during Joanna Stern’s recent live interview with Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak. These are two of Apple’s most media-savvy execs, and yet, in a setting where questions weren’t scripted, you could see the seams. Their usual fluency gave way to something stiffer. More careful. Less certain. And even the absences speak volumes: for the first time in a decade, no one from Apple’s top team joined John Gruber’s Talk Show at WWDC. It wasn’t a scheduling fluke — nor a petty retaliation for Gruber’s damning March article. It was a retreat — one that Stratechery’s Ben Thompson described as exactly that: a strategic fallback, not a brave reset.Meanwhile, the keynote narrative quietly shifted from AI ambition to UI innovation: new visual effects, tighter integration, call screening. Credit here goes to Alan Dye — Apple VP of Human Interface Design and one of the last remaining members of Jony Ive’s inner circle not yet absorbed into LoveFrom — whose long-arc work on interface aesthetics, from the early stages of the Dynamic Island onward, is finally starting to click into place. This is classic Apple: refinement as substance, design as coherence. But it was meant to be the cherry on top of a much deeper AI-system transformation — not the whole sundae. All useful. All safe. And yet, the thing that Apple could uniquely deliver — a seamless, deeply integrated, user-controlled and privacy-safe Apple Intelligence — is now the thing it seems most reluctant to show.There is no doubt the groundwork has been laid. And to Apple’s credit, Jason Snell notes that the company is shifting gears, scaling ambitions to something that feels more tangible. But in scaling back the risk, something else has been scaled back too: the willingness to look your audience of stakeholders, developers and users live, in the eye, and show the future for how you have carefully crafted it and how you can put it in the market immediately, or in mere weeks. Showing things as they are, or as they will be very soon. Rehearsed, yes, but never faked.Even James Dyson’s live demo of a new vacuum showed more courage. No camera cuts. No soft lighting. Just a human being, showing a thing. It might have sucked, literally or figuratively. But it didn’t. And it stuck. That’s what feels missing in Cupertino.Some have started using the term glasslighting — a coined pun blending Apple’s signature glassy aesthetics with the soft manipulations of marketing, like a gentle fog of polished perfection that leaves expectations quietly disoriented. It’s not deception. It’s damage control. But that instinct, understandable as it is, doesn’t build momentum. It builds inertia. And inertia doesn’t sell intelligence. It only delays the reckoning.Before the curtain falls, it’s hard not to revisit the uncanny polish of Apple’s speakers presence. One might start to wonder whether Apple is really late on AI — or whether it’s simply developed such a hyper-advanced internal model that its leadership team has been replaced by real-time human avatars, flawlessly animated, fed directly by the Neural Engine. Not the constrained humanity of two floating eyes behind an Apple Vision headset, but full-on flawless embodiment — if this is Apple’s augmented AI at work, it may be the only undisclosed and underpromised demo actually shipping.OS30 live demoMeanwhile, just as Apple was soft-pedaling its A.I. story with maximum visual polish, a very different tone landed from across the bay: Sam Altman and Jony Ive, sitting in a bar, talking about the future.https://medium.com/media/5cdea73d7fde0b538e038af1990afa44/hrefNo stage. No teleprompter. No uncanny valley. Just two “old friends”, with one hell of a budget, quietly sketching the next era of computing. A vision Apple once claimed effortlessly.There’s still the question of whether Apple, as many hope, can reclaim — and lock down — that leadership for itself. A healthy dose of competition, at the very least, can only help.Too big, fail too was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

If you’re in the homebuying market, you’ve probably come to realize that the grass is always greener in the listing description—both literally and figuratively. Real estate agents sometimes get creative with Photoshop edits on listing photos, often brightening up the grass and editing out unsightly objects, like a neighbor’s clunker car or wires cluttering a bedroom. They also use some descriptive language that can be, well, deceptive. Adjectives like cozy and charming may evoke good feelings in potential buyers, but they’re high on the list of frequently used adjectives that probably don’t mean what you think they do. Photos and descriptions give you a teaser, but nothing beats an in-person tour for catching any potential sneaky details. Still, there are certain phrases to keep an eye out for as you're browsing for your next dream home online. Below, we're rounding up 10 common words or phrases often found in real estate listings should raise red flags, according to real estate pros. Related Stories“Charming”DreamPictures//Getty ImagesOr, similarly, unique. “Often, this means the property has some quirks that might not appeal to everyone,” real estate expert Yawar Charlie, director of the luxury estates division at Aaron Kirman Group, says. “It could be anything from a funky floor plan to unconventional finishes.” Think about resale value and whether any of these quirks might be a dealbreaker for future buyers, should you choose to sell“Cozy”Cozy is most likely a code word for lacking square footage, Charlie says. “When they call it cozy, they’re hinting that it might be a bit cramped,” he says. “Check for square footage and layout specifics.”“Home Being Sold As Is”"As is" is perhaps one of the biggest red flags in real estate. “It often signals that the property may have significant issues the seller is trying to offload,” says Nikki Bernstein, a global real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers Scottsdale.According to Bernstein, an "as is" condition indicates that the seller is likely emotionally detached and unwilling to negotiate on price or concessions. It also suggests they may be withholding information, indicating there could be hidden problems waiting to be uncovered during inspection, she says. “As is might as well be a warning: ‘Buyer beware,’” Bernstein says. “Fixer Upper”Mableen//Getty ImagesIf you’ve got a design-build background or are looking for homes that are worth renovating, a property advertised as a fixer-upper might make for a fun challenge. But this phrase usually means the property has seen better days and needs some TLC, which is not what most buyers are looking for. Charlie's advice? Bring a contractor or a handyman to the home inspection with you. “You’re not just checking for cosmetic issues; you want to get the lowdown on structural problems, electrical updates, and plumbing repairs,” Charlie says. “A fixer-upper can quickly turn into a money pit.”If you choose to pursue a home that needs a fair amount of love, make sure you’ve got the right loan, Virginia Realtor and real estate broker Michelle Brown cautions. For example, a FHA 203K loan lets buyers roll home improvement costs into their mortgage.“Investors’ Dream”This phrase typically signals the property is in poor condition but priced low for potential profit through renovations or redevelopment, Brown says. This is another instance where you’ll want to have a contractor with you to get a full picture of all the repairs that may be needed.“Make This Home Your Own”This phrase signals the home is likely outdated and in need of cosmetic updates at the very least, New Jersey Realtor Larry Devardo says. Listings that advertise “potential” or say “home has endless possibilities” are also indicators that repairs and updates are needed, he says. “Great Bones”DreamPictures//Getty ImagesOn the upside, “great bones” means the home is structurally sound with strong infrastructure, Maryland Realtor Ellie Hitt says. On the downside, it likely needs a lot of cosmetic updates to bring it up to date with modern conveniences and aesthetics.“Needs TLC”Often, when a home requires cosmetic work, “TLC” is noted, indicating the property needs someone who is willing to put in a little bit of elbow grease, agent Karen Kostiw of Coldwell Banker Warburg says. You may be thinking of new carpet, updated cabinets, and a few other touch-ups, but in some cases, TLC could actually mean the property requires a gut renovation.“Motivated Seller”Translation: The seller is eager to sell, possibly due to financial issues, a pending foreclosure, or a property that has been on the market for a while, says Jeffrey Borham, owner of Tampa Bay, Florida Team Borham. “This could be an opportunity for negotiation,” he adds. “However, investigate why the seller is motivated; there could be hidden issues that have deterred other buyers.”Similarly, “priced to sell” could mean a whole host of things, ranging from the property needs some work or the seller wants to start a bidding war, New York City Broker Sean Adu-Gyamfi of Coldwell Banker Warburg says.“Hot Listing”Some agents advertise “hot listings” on the MLS to create urgency, even if there are no other offers, Misty Spittler, a licensed public insurance adjuster and certified roof inspector, says. Don’t feel pressured, though. She recently had a client bid $20,000 over asking on a listing advertised as hot. Spittler’s inspection found $30,000 of necessary repairs, so the client was able to renegotiate.Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

Published May 31, 2025 6:00am EDT close Brain implant enables ALS patient to communicate using AI ALS patient communicates with the world using only his thoughts. Imagine losing your ability to speak or move, yet still having so much to say. For Brad G. Smith, this became his reality after being diagnosed with ALS, a rare and progressive disease that attacks the nerves controlling voluntary muscle movement. But thanks to a groundbreaking Neuralink brain implant, Smith is now able to communicate with the world using only his thoughts. ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)Life before NeuralinkBefore receiving the Neuralink implant, Smith relied on eye-tracking technology to communicate. While impressive, it came with major limitations. "It is a miracle of technology, but it is frustrating. It works best in dark rooms, so I was basically Batman. I was stuck in a dark room," Smith shared in a recent post on X. Bright environments would disrupt the system, making communication slow and sometimes impossible. Now, Smith says, "Neuralink lets me go outside and ignore lighting changes."PARALYZED MAN WITH ALS IS THIRD TO RECEIVE NEURALINK IMPLANT, CAN TYPE WITH BRAIN ALS patient Brad G. Smith. (Bradford G. Smith/X)How the Neuralink brain implant worksSmith is the first non-verbal person and only the third individual worldwide to receive the Neuralink Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). The device, about as thick as five stacked coins, sits in his skull and connects to the motor cortex-the part of the brain that controls movement.Tiny wires, thinner than human hair, extend into Smith's brain. These pick up signals from his neurons and transmit them wirelessly to his MacBook Pro. The computer then decodes these signals, allowing Smith to move a cursor on the screen with his thoughts alone.As Smith explains, "The Neuralink implant embedded in my brain contains 1024 electrodes that capture neuron firings every 15 milliseconds generating a vast amount of data. Artificial intelligence processes this data on a connected MacBook Pro to decode my intended movements in real time to move the cursor on my screen. Neuralink does not read my deepest thoughts or words I think about. It just reads how I wanna move and moves the cursor where I want."WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Neuralink brain implant. (Bradford G. Smith/X)Training the brain-computer connectionLearning to use the system took some trial and error. At first, the team tried mapping Smith's hand movements to the cursor, but it didn't work well. After more research, they discovered that signals related to his tongue were the most effective for cursor movement, and clenching his jaw worked best for clicking. "I am not actively thinking about my tongue, just like you don't think about your wrist when you move a mouse. I have done a lot of cursor movements in my life. I think my brain has switched over to subconscious control quickly so I just think about moving the cursor," Smith said. ALS patient Brad G. Smith with his wife and child. (Bradford G. Smith/X)Everyday life: Communication, play, and problem-solvingThe Neuralink implant has given Smith new ways to interact with his family and the world. He can now play games like Mario Kart with his children and communicate more quickly than before. The system includes a virtual keyboard and shortcuts for common actions, making tasks like copying, pasting and navigating web pages much easier.Smith also worked with Neuralink engineers to develop a "parking spot" feature for the cursor. "Sometimes you just wanna park the cursor and watch a video. When it is in the parking spot, I can watch a show or take a nap without worrying about the cursor," he explained. ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his child. (Bradford G. Smith/X)AI assistance: Keeping up with conversationTo speed up communication even more, Smith uses Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot. Grok helps him write responses and even suggests witty replies. "We have created a chat app that uses AI to listen to the conversation and gives me options to say in response. It uses Grok 3 and an AI clone of my old voice to generate options for me to say. It is not perfect, but it keeps me in the conversation and it comes up with some great ideas," Smith shared. One example? When a friend needed a gift idea for his girlfriend who loves horses, the AI suggested a bouquet of carrots. ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)The human side: Family, faith and perspectiveSmith's journey has been shaped by more than just technology. He credits his wife, Tiffany, as his "best caregiver I could ever imagine," and recognizes the support of his kids, friends and family. Despite the challenges of ALS, Smith finds meaning and hope in his faith. "I have not always understood why God afflicted me with ALS but with time I am learning to trust his plan for me. I'm a better man because of ALS. I'm a better disciple of Jesus Christ because of ALS. I'm closer to my amazing wife, literally and figuratively, because of ALS," he said. ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)Looking ahead: What does this mean for others?Neuralink's technology is still in its early stages, but Smith's experience is already making waves. The company recently received a "breakthrough" designation from the Food and Drug Administration for its brain implant device, which hopes to help people with severe speech impairments caused by ALS, stroke, spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions.Neuro-ethicists are watching closely, as the merging of brain implants and AI raises important questions about privacy, autonomy and the future of human communication. ALS patient Brad G. Smith and his family. (Bradford G. Smith/X)Kurt's key takeawaysSmith's story is about resilience, creativity and the power of technology to restore something as fundamental as the ability to communicate. As Smith puts it,CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIf you or a family member lost the ability to speak or move, would you consider a brain implant that lets you communicate with your thoughts? Let us know by writing to us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.   Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

A floating pavilion square in plan, topped by a parabolic waffle slab held up with pilotis, will soon debut in Italy at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia before traveling to Belém, Brazil, for COP30, the UN’s annual climate conference. AquaPraça, a collaboration between Höweler & Yoon and Carlo Ratti Associati, is conceived as a gathering space for global climate dialogue. In Italy, AquaPraça will accompany programming at the Italian Pavilion. It will be transported later this year across the Atlantic Ocean to the coast of Brazil, where world leaders, climate activists, and architects will convene in November at COP30. The pavilion will have capacity for 150 people. (Courtesy CRA/Höweler & Yoon) A water feature in the center of the pavilion was informed by Archimedes’ principle. (Courtesy CRA/Höweler & Yoon) A rectangular tub, in the center of the pavilion, filled with water helps with buoyancy—a design decision informed by Archimedes’ principle, a law of physics fundamental to fluid mechanics. Carlo Ratti said AquaPraça is likewise rooted in architectural history. “In 1979, Aldo Rossi launched the Teatro del Mondo at the first Biennale Architettura, positing that architecture could engage with the past,” Ratti said in a statement. “Today, AquaPraça shows how architecture can engage with the future—by responding to climate and engaging with nature rather than resisting it.” Höweler & Yoon previously designed a similar concept, dubbed Float Lab, set to open on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in 2026. Like Float Lab, AquaPraça visitors will bear witness to dynamic fluctuations of sea level rise at eye level, added Eric Höweler. The 4,000-square-foot ensemble coming to Brazil will have capacity for hosting 150 people for exhibitions, workshops, symposia, and cultural events. AquaPraça’s “sloping surfaces and shifting levels embody a delicate equilibrium,” Höweler said. “It’s a platform, both literal and figurative, for deepening our collective understanding and experience of sea level rise and the impacts of climate change on global cities and communities and seeking collective solutions,” elaborated J. Meejin Yoon.  The floating pavilion is currently under construction in northern Italy by steel construction company Cimolai. It will open in Venice on September 4. Then, ahead of COP30 from November 10–21, it will go to Belém, becoming a “permanent floating landmark in the Amazon—an architectural testament to adaptability and dialogue in the face of climate change.”  Visitors will be at eye level with the water. (Courtesy CRA/Höweler & Yoon) Last year’s COP29 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, while the G20 summit happened in Rio de Janeiro. At G20, Brazil president Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that, by 2030, there will be “zero deforestation” in Brazil, a huge win for climate activists. “We need to take care of the largest forest reserve in the world,” Lula said last year in Rio de Janeiro, “which is under our care. Trying to make people understand that keeping the forest standing is an economic gain.” AquaPraça is a partnership with Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. It’s also supported by Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Bank’s Connect4Climate program, CIHEAM Bari, and others.

WANTED, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair’s (ICFF) show-within-a-show, has grown almost exponentially since its first iteration as WantedDesign circa 2011, evolving so much so that the platform – with its iconic yellow walls nestled into the Javits Center – has become one of America’s go-to platforms to find emerging talent, tap into an intimate creative network, and discover trends ahead of the commercial industry. The 2025 showcase provided a wealth of inspiring design, we had to share a roundup all its own… Mockinbird Studio Epic in proportion, masterfully constructed, and officially record-making. The Farsala-based Mockinbird Studio showcased their most ambitious project to date: a monumental space divider. It is the largest – and arguably most beguiling – piece of contemporary marquetry artwork in existence, entirely designed and handcrafted in their Greece studio using traditional techniques. The object blends functionality with a narrative-driven, highly-aesthetic composition for the perfect piece of collectible design. Cuff Studio Cuff Studio presented their first solo exhibition, entitled “Within,” and unveiled select pieces from their Spring 2025 furniture collection of the same name. The C Back Lounge Chair – a trade exclusive – distills some of their favorite design gestures into an elegant, barely-their structural frame then paired with a sculptural waterfall seat and back cushion. Of note are the protruding curves that seemingly reach out for a handshake and the textural, pink upholstery seen here, which echoes triangular forms used across their broader portfolio. Mary Ratcliffe Studio + Anony Presenting together for their fourth ICFF, Mary Ratcliffe Studio (MRS) and Anony collaborated on a booth filled with sleek and sculptural, architecturally-inspired design objects. Their work is elementally complementary, which lent themselves to a more honest, fulsome showcase. MRS’s monumental furniture pieces are inspired by the physicality of material play, while Anony’s lighting takes inspiration from architectural gestures. Ready To Hang Mirrored surfaces are hard to resist, especially when their design makes you feel seen – figuratively speaking. Ready To Hang’s fashionable, ready-to-wear-inspired furnishings feel like fun accessories and an extension of personal style as they approach home decor through concepts found in styling for apparel. This year marked their ICFF debut with a highly curated showcase mixing classic pieces with a few concepts yet to come. UWU Studios Typically driven by a human-centered design ethos, multidisciplinary UWU Studios has expanded their scope to include the feline experience. Their UNU Cat Dreams product is equal parts pet play and collectible design, sure to please all parties. Even aesthetes without a furry friend can still appreciate its composition, blending surfaces, textures, colors, and forms for quite unique sculptural compositions. It’s an exemplary approach that elevates everyday objects to the venerable. Estudio PM Racking up multiple awards during the show – and rightfully so – Estudio PM demonstrated how fabric waste and unwanted textiles can be recontextualized within the realms of art and home furnishings. The duo behind the initiative created totems and garment-inspired side tables with the careful layering of reclaimed cloth. Noiro Studio Hand-blown glass lamps stood on various podiums in a curious display of artisanal lighting comprising colorful bases dotted with glass and stone orbs. Each globe’s curvature represented the fabric of spacetime, with precious objects are suspended within the glass shades – a steady reminder of our weight, and also insignificance, of our existence in the world. Noiro Studio plays with themes of heft and weightlessness, continuing to keep things relative. Ridezign Ridezign offers an ode to New York City. The Tesser Collection resembles skyscrapers in miniature blocks constructing cantilevered forms in multiple configurations and colors. These lamps leverage additive manufacturing making every piece made-to-order, reducing overstock, and ultimately eliminating the need for storage. The warm diffusion of the subsequent layers of material create lovely channels of light, adding to the spectacle of the city. Koba Furniture Koba Furniture is proud to create all elements for Series 02 within their Baltimore studio – except for the drawer pulls, shares designer Sam Acuff – a testament to the respect for craft that is clearly shown here. Jauntily stocky feet meet tiny tube legs, with a nicely balanced drawer set on top. Extra points for the elevated milk crate; it adds such a nice feel to the booth. 9 & 19 9 & 19 is back this year with organic shapes and cheeky details. Who doesn’t love an easter egg in design? From inlaid squiggles to handmade tiling, this collection offers a unique blend of customization and utility while remaining approachable and fun. Hannah Via Hannah Via brings some highly welcome fiber arts representation to WANTED, her tufted lamps bringing a sense of whimsy and possibility to the show. Sporting pops of scarlet, cobalt, and bronze, a light peach background acts as a pendant for a singular Edison bulb, which cases a cozy glow in an elegant connection to the warmth of the yarn it rests upon. Sawyer Made Lovingly crafted in Woodbury, Vermont, Sawyer Made is a second-generation family of woodworkers honoring the classic stance and build of a Windsor chair, but with a few modern updates. As the arm meets the back, the angle rotates 90 degrees offering a beautiful detail absent from most traditional Windsors. Like ballet, a combination of experienced craft and innate knowledge makes the hardest work look easy. Ora House Cobalt is back in a big way with Ora House, as evidenced by their removable upholstery panels that can be switched out to reflect any style or change in local decor. Playful, soft, and sturdy, the ottoman, bench, and hutch offer a fun way to sit, stay, and store. Daniel Gruetter Daniel Gruetter is a woodworker based in Toronto, Canada. Showing an elegant credenza created entirely out of the discarded offcuts from his practice, he upends what is considered valuable on a platform that inherently places value on everything. Employing wooden hinges takes the project to another level, letting a singular material do the talking through expert craftsmanship. Reces NYC With a nod to the cobalt we spotted around the show, Reces NYC wraps up our top picks for WANTED this year with a gestural upholstered piece. Elements extend in a satisfyingly solid manner to create an interesting and distinctly luxurious look users could get lost in. Check out out the rest of Design Milk’s NYCxDESIGN coverage here!

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Together with Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy's Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, CIHEAM Bari, the World Bank Group's Connect4Climate program, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and Höweler + Yoon have unveiled AquaPraça, a floating cultural plaza that will serve as the focal point of COP30 in Belém, Brazil. AquaPraça serves as a forum for international climate discussion by utilizing sensing technologies and Archimedes' principle to adjust to shifting sea levels and occupancy demands. It will make its transatlantic journey to the Amazonian city, where it will become a permanent cultural landmark, after making its premiere at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. The architecture of AquaPraça, which spans more than 400 square meters (4,000 square feet), physically carves out public space from the sea, establishing a tangible conversation between natural forces and the constructed environment. Using the concepts of buoyancy, displacement, and equilibrium, the submersible structure floats. AquaPraça continuously adjusts its holding and releasing capacity to keep a low freeboard with the surrounding water level. At eye level, the audience witnesses the dynamic variations of sea level rise, resulting in fresh insights into urban and ecological systems. AquaPraça's aim is to act as a civic catalyst. It can accommodate more than 150 people for cultural events, workshops, symposia, and exhibitions. It will make its sustainable journey to Belém after making its debut at the Biennale Architettura in September 2025. There, it will be a crucial component of the Italian Pavilion at COP 30, showcasing Italy's architectural and climate action thoughts to a worldwide audience. As a permanent legacy of the summit in the Amazon, the platform will continue to be a component of Belém's cultural infrastructure after the summit. A special international alliance makes AquaPraça possible. It was started in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Italy. It is also supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Bank's Connect4Climate program, CIHEAM Bari, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others. The establishment emphasizes the goal of bringing disparate communities together and promoting ecological thought globally. There is a formal procedure in place for expressing interest."In 1979, Aldo Rossi launched the Teatro del Mondo at the first Biennale Architettura, positing that architecture could engage with the past," said Carlo Ratti, professor at MIT and the Politecnico di Milano, co-founder of CRA, and curator of the Biennale Architettura 2025.""Today, AquaPraça shows how architecture can engage with the future—by responding to climate and engaging with nature rather than resisting it,” Ratti added."AquaPraça lets visitors meet the sea at eye level," said Eric Höweler, co-founder of Höweler + Yoon and a Professor at Harvard University. "Its sloping surfaces and shifting levels embody a delicate equilibrium." "It’s a platform, both literal and figurative, for deepening our collective understanding and experience of sea level rise and the impacts of climate change on global cities and communities," added J. Meejin Yoon, co-founder of Höweler + Yoon and the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean at Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, “and seeking collective solutions."Image © Agnese BediniImage © Agnese BediniImage © Agnese BediniImage © Agnese BediniImage © Agnese BediniImage © Agnese BediniLeading cutting-edge steel construction firm Cimolai is now building AquaPraça in northeastern Italy. It will be exhibited on September 4, 2025, at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, before traveling to Brazil. A permanent floating monument in the Amazon, it will be anchored in Belém from November 10–21, 2025, as part of the Italy Pavilion at COP30. It is an architectural example of flexibility and communication in the face of climate change.Project factsProject name: AquaPraçaArchitects: CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati (Coordinator) and Höweler + Yoon ArchitectureTeam MembersCRA-Carlo Ratti Associati: Carlo Ratti (Principal), Andrea Cassi (Principal), Luca Bussolino (Strategy), Gizem Veral (Architect), Sonia Simone (Architect), Rodolfo Siccardi (Senior Architect), Gary di Silvio (Architect/3D Artist), Pasquale Milieri (Architect/3D Artist), Gianluca Zimbardi (Architect/3D Artist); Höweler + Yoon Architecture: J Meejin Yoon (Principal), Eric Höweler (Principal), Asli Baran Grace (Project manager), Shuang Chen (Designer), Selin Sahin (researcher), David Hamm (Technical Advisor) Supporters: Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale; Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and PlanningIn collaboration with: Ciheam Bari, the World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate Program Technical Collaborators: Elettra Bordonaro, Argun Paragamyan, and Luciana Martinez, Light Follows Behaviour; Cristiano Bottino, Studio FM; Mykola Murashko, Davide Spina, Julio Ramirez, and Eren Sezer, Maestro Technologies; Corrado Curti, IngeMBP; Luca Infanti, Luca Vian, Simone Andreatta, Filippo Bellomo, and Mario Nattero, CIMOLAI; Roberto Prever and Antonio Vatta, NAOS; Ruben Pescara and Lodovica Bontempelli, NMLex; Domenico Perrotta, DP38.All images courtesy of CRA and Höweler + Yoon Architecture.All exhibition images © Agnese Bedini.> via Carlo Ratti Associati

Let’s start with one unambiguous fact: More children are diagnosed with autism today than in the early 1990s. According to a sweeping 2000 analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a range of 2–7 per 1,000, or roughly 0.5 percent of US children, were diagnosed with autism in the 1990s. That figure has risen to 1 in 35 kids, or roughly 3 percent.The apparent rapid increase caught the attention of people like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who assumed that something had to be changing in the environment to drive it. In 2005, Kennedy, a lawyer and environmental activist at the time, authored an infamous essay in Rolling Stone that primarily placed the blame for the increased prevalence of autism on vaccines. (The article was retracted in 2011 as more studies debunked the vaccine-autism connection.) More recently, he has theorized that a mysterious toxin introduced in the late 1980s must be responsible. Now, as the nation’s top health official leading the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy has declared autism an “epidemic.” And, in April, he launched a massive federal effort to find the culprit for the rise in autism rates, calling for researchers to examine a range of suspects: chemicals, molds, vaccines, and perhaps even ultrasounds given to pregnant mothers. “Genes don’t cause epidemics. You need an environmental toxin,” Kennedy said in April when announcing his department’s new autism research project. He argued that too much money had been put into genetic research — “a dead end,” in his words — and his project would be a correction to focus on environmental causes. “That’s where we’re going to find an answer.”But according to many autism scientists I spoke to for this story, Kennedy is looking in exactly the wrong place. Three takeaways from this storyExperts say the increase in US autism rates is mostly explained by the expanding definitions of the condition, as well as more awareness and more screening for it.Scientists have identified hundreds of genes that are associated with autism, building a convincing case that genetics are the most important driver of autism’s development — not, as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has argued, a single environmental toxin.Researchers fear Kennedy’s fixation on outside toxins could distract from genetic research that has facilitated the development of exciting new therapies that could help those with profound autism.Autism is a complex disorder with a range of manifestations that has long defied simple explanations, and it’s unlikely that we will ever identify a single “cause” of autism.But scientists have learned a lot in the past 50 years, including identifying some of the most important risk factors. They are not, as Kennedy suggests, out in our environment. They are written into our genetics. What appeared to be a massive increase in autism was actually a byproduct of better screening and more awareness. “The way the HHS secretary has been walking about his plans, his goals, he starts out with this basic assumption that nothing worthwhile has been done,” Helen Tager-Flusberg, a psychologist at Boston University who has worked with and studied children with autism for years, said. “Genes play a significant role. We know now that autism runs in families… There is no single underlying factor. Looking for that holy grail is not the best approach.”Doctors who treat children with autism often talk about how they wish they could provide easy answers to the families. The answers being uncovered through genetics research may not be simple per se, but they are answers supported by science.Kennedy is muddying the story, pledging to find a silver-bullet answer where likely none exists. It’s a false promise — one that could cause more anxiety and confusion for the very families Kennedy says he wants to help. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference at the Department of Health and Human Services in mid-April to discuss this agency’s efforts to determine the cause of autism. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesThe autism “epidemic” that wasn’tAutism was first described in 1911, and for many decades, researchers and clinicians confused the social challenges and language development difficulties common among those with the condition for a psychological issue. Some child therapists even blamed the condition on bad parenting. But in 1977, a study discovered that identical twins, who share all of their DNA, were much more likely to both be autistic than fraternal twins, who share no more DNA than ordinary siblings. It marked a major breakthrough in autism research, and pushed scientists to begin coalescing around a different theory: There was a biological factor.At the time, this was just a theory — scientists lacked the technology to prove those suspicions at the genetic level. And clinicians were also still trying to work out an even more fundamental question: What exactly was autism? For a long time, the criteria for diagnosing a person with autism was strictly based on speech development. But clinicians were increasingly observing children who could acquire basic language skills but still struggled with social communication — things like misunderstanding nonverbal cues or taking figurative language literally. Psychologists gradually broadened their definition of autism from a strict and narrow focus on language, culminating in a 2013 criteria that included a wide range of social and emotional symptoms with three subtypes — the autism spectrum disorder we’re familiar with today.Along the way, autism had evolved from a niche diagnosis for the severely impaired to something that encompassed far more children. It makes sense then, that as the broad criteria for autism expanded, more and more children would meet it, and autism rates would rise. That’s precisely what happened. And it means that the “epidemic” that Kennedy and other activists have been fixated on is mostly a diagnostic mirage. Historical autism data is spotty and subject to these same historical biases, but if you look at the prevalence of profound autism alone — those who need the highest levels of support — a clearer picture emerges. (There is an ongoing debate in the autism community about whether to use the terminology of “profound autism” or “high support needs” for those who have the most severe form of the condition.) In the ’80s and ’90s, low-support needs individuals would have been less likely to receive an autism diagnosis given the more restrictive criteria and less overall awareness of the disorder, meaning that people with severe autism likely represented most of the roughly 0.5 percent of children diagnosed with autism in the 1990s. (One large analysis from Atlanta examining data from 1996 found that 68 percent of kids ages 3 to 10 diagnosed with autism had an IQ below 70, the typical cutoff for intellectual disability.)By 2025, when about 3 percent of children are being diagnosed with autism, about one in four of those diagnosed are considered to have high-support needs autism, those with most severe manifestation of the condition. That would equal about 0.8 percent of all US children — which would be a fairly marginal increase from autism rates 30 years ago. Or look at it another way: In 2000, as many as 60 percent of the people being diagnosed with autism had an intellectual disability, one of the best indicators of high-support needs autism. In 2022, that percentage was less than 40 percent.As a recently published CDC report on autism prevalence among young children concluded, the increase in autism rates can largely be accounted for by stronger surveillance and more awareness among providers and parents, rather than a novel toxin or some other external factor driving an increase in cases.Other known risk factors — like more people now having babies later in their life, given that parental age is linked to a higher likelihood of autism — are more likely to be a factor than anything Kennedy is pointing at, experts say. “It’s very clear it’s not going to be one environmental toxin,” said Alison Singer, founder of the Autism Science Foundation and parent of a child with profound autism. “If there were a smoking gun, I think they would have found it.”While Kennedy has fixated on vaccines and environmental influences, scientists have gained more precision in mapping human genetics and identifying the biological mechanisms that appear to be a primary cause of autism. And that not only helps us understand why autism develops, but potentially puts long-elusive therapies within reach. It began with an accident in the 1990s. Steven Scherer, now director of the Center for Applied Genomics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, began his career in the late 1980s trying to identify the gene that caused cystic fibrosis — in collaboration with Francis Collins, who went on to lead the Human Genome Project that successfully sequenced all of the DNA in the human genome in the early 2000s. Scherer and Collins’s teams focused on chromosome 7, identified as a likely target by the primitive genetic research available at the time, a coincidence that would reorient Scherer’s career just a few years later, putting him on the trail of autism’s genetic roots.After four years, the researchers concluded that one gene within chromosome 7 caused cystic fibrosis. Soon after Scherer helped crack the code on cystic fibrosis in the mid-1990s, two parents from California called him: He was the world’s leading expert on chromosome 7, and recent tests had revealed that their children with autism had a problem within that particular chromosome.That very same week, Scherer says, he read the findings of a study by a group at Oxford University, which had looked at the chromosomes of families with two or more kids with autism. They, too, had identified problems within chromosome 7.“So I said, ‘Okay, we’re going to work on autism,’” Scherer told me. He helped coordinate a global research project, uniting his Canadian lab with the Oxford team and groups in the US to run a database that became the Autism Genome Project, still the world’s largest repository of genetic information of people with autism.They had a starting point — one chromosome — but a given chromosome contains hundreds of genes. And humans have, of course, 45 other chromosomes, any of which conceivably might play a role. So over the years, they collected DNA samples from thousands upon thousands of people with autism, sequenced their genes, and then searched for patterns. If the same gene is mutated or missing across a high percentage of autistic people, it goes on the list as potentially associated with the condition. Scientists discovered that autism has not one genetic factor, but many — further evidence that this is a condition of complex origin, in which multiple variables likely play a role in its development, rather than one caused by a single genetic error like sickle-cell anemia.Here is one way to think about how far we have come: Joseph Buxbaum, the director of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, entered autism genetics research 35 years ago. He recalls scientists being hopeful that they might identify a half dozen or so genes linked to autism.They have now found 500 genes — and Buxbaum told me he believed they might find a thousand before they are through. These genetic factors continue to prove their value in predicting the onset of autism: Scherer pointed to one recent study in which the researchers identified people who all shared a mutation in the SHANK3 gene, one of the first to be associated with autism, but who were otherwise unalike: They were not related and came from different demographic backgrounds. Nevertheless, they had all been diagnosed with autism.Researchers analyze the brain activity of a 14-year-old boy with autism as part of a University of California San Francisco study that involves intensive brain imaging of kids and their parents who have a rare chromosome disruption connected to autism. The study, the Simons Variation in Individuals Project, is a genetics-first approach to studying autism spectrum and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via The Associated PressPrecisely how much genetics contributes to the development of autism remains the subject of ongoing study. By analyzing millions of children with autism and their parents for patterns in diagnoses, multiple studies have attributed about 80 percent of a person’s risk of developing autism to their inherited genetic factors. But of course 80 percent is not 100 percent. We don’t yet have the full picture of how or why autism develops. Among identical twins, for example, studies have found that in most cases, if one twin has high-support needs autism, the other does as well, affirming the genetic effect. But there are consistently a small minority of cases — 5 and 10 percent of twin pairs, Scherer told me — in which one twin has relatively low-support needs while the one requires a a high degree of support for their autism.Kennedy is not wholly incorrect to look at environmental factors — researchers theorize that autism may be the result of a complex interaction between a person’s genetics and something they experience in utero. Scientists in autism research are exploring the possible influence when, for example, a person’s mother develops maternal diabetes, high blood sugar that persists throughout pregnancy. And yet even if these other factors do play some role, the researchers I spoke to agree that genetics is, based on what we know now, far and away the most important driver.“We need to figure out how other types of genetics and also environmental factors affect autism’s development,” Scherer said. “There could be environmental changes…involved in some people, but it’s going to be based on their genetics and the pathways that lead them to be susceptible.”While the precise contours of Health Department’s new autism research project is still taking shape, Kennedy has that researchers at the National Institutes of Health will collect data from federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and somehow use that information to identify possible environmental exposures that lead to autism. He initially pledged results by September, a timeline that, as outside experts pointed out, may be too fast to allow for a thorough and thoughtful review of the research literature. Kennedy has since backed off on that deadline, promising some initial findings in the fall but with more to come next year.RFK Jr.’s autism commission research risks the accessibility of groundbreaking autism treatmentsIf Kennedy were serious about moving autism science forward, he would be talking more about genetics, not dismissing them. That’s because genetics is where all of the exciting drug development is currently happening.A biotech firm called Jaguar Gene Therapy has received FDA approval to conduct the first clinical trial of a gene therapy for autism, focused on SHANK3. The treatment, developed in part by one of Buxbaum’s colleagues, is a one-time injection that would replace a mutated or missing SHANK3 gene with a functional one. The hope is that the therapy would improve speech and other symptoms among people with high-needs autism who have also been diagnosed with a rare chromosomal deletion disorder called Phelan-McDermid syndrome; many people with this condition also have Autism spectrum disorder.The trial will begin this year with a few infant patients, 2 years old and younger, who have been diagnosed with autism. Jaguar eventually aims to test the therapy on adults over 18 with autism in the future. Patients are supposed to start enrolling this year in the trial, which is focused on first establishing the treatment’s safety; if it proves safe, another round of trials would start to rigorously evaluate its effectiveness.“This is the stuff that three or four years ago sounded like science fiction,” Singer said. “The conversation has really changed from Is this possible? to What are the best methods to do it? And that’s based on genetics.”Researchers at Mount Sinai have also experimented with delivering lithium to patients and seeing if it improves their SHANK3 function. Other gene therapies targeting other genes are in earlier stages of development. Some investigators are experimenting with CRISPR technology, the revolutionary new platform for gene editing, to target the problematic genes that correspond to the onset of autism.But these scientists fear that their work could be slowed by Kennedy’s insistence on hunting for environmental toxins, if federal dollars are instead shifted into his new project. They are already trying to subsist amid deep budget cuts across the many funding streams that support the institutions where they work. “Now we have this massive disruption where instead of doing really key experiments, people are worrying about paying their bills and laying off their staff and things,” Scherer said. “It’s horrible.” For the families of people with high-needs autism, Kennedy’s crusade has stirred conflicting emotions. Alison Singer, the leader of the Autism Science Foundation, is also the parent of a child with profound autism. When I spoke with her, I was struck by the bind that Kennedy’s rhetoric has put people like her and her family in. Singer told me profound autism has not received enough federal support in the past, as more emphasis was placed on individuals who have low support needs included in the expanding definitions of the disorder, and so she appreciates Kennedy giving voice to those families. She believes that he is sincerely empathetic toward their predicament and their feeling that the mainstream discussion about autism has for too long ignored their experiences in favor of patients with lower support needs. But she worries that his obsession with environmental factors will stymie the research that could yield breakthroughs for people like her child.“He feels for those families and genuinely wants to help them,” Singer said. “The problem is he is a data denier. You can’t be so entrenched in your beliefs that you can’t see the data right in front of you. That’s not science.”See More:

In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you.When you’re racing down the highway at 80 mph, you’ve got about 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention with your billboard. In those crucial moments, your font choice can make or break your entire advertising campaign. As a designer who’s worked on countless outdoor advertising campaigns, I can tell you that billboard fonts are a completely different beast from what works on your laptop screen. What looks stunning in your design software might be completely illegible from 500 feet away. Billboard typography isn’t just about being big and bold—though that certainly helps. It’s about creating maximum impact with minimal reading time, ensuring your message cuts through visual noise, and making split-second connections with drivers who are focused on the road. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the art and science of billboard fonts. From the towering sans-serifs that dominate Times Square to the custom letterforms that make brands unforgettable, we’ll break down exactly what makes a font work at highway speeds. 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »The Ultimate Collection of Billboard-Ready Fonts Not all fonts are created equal when it comes to outdoor advertising. I’ve compiled the most effective billboard fonts that deliver maximum readability and impact from distances that matter. Here are the champions: METZLER METZLER is a minimal sans-serif typeface that embodies simplicity and clarity. Its clean lines and balanced proportions make it ideal for modern design projects, especially in digital environments where readability is crucial.Qualivite Qualivite is a bold serif font that combines vintage charm with contemporary flair. Its strong character and elegant serifs make it perfect for creating impactful headlines and adding a touch of sophistication to design projects.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. Carientz Carientz is a modern, minimal, and bold sans-serif font that exudes confidence and strength. Its clean, geometric shapes and thick strokes make it an excellent choice for branding, logos, and striking headlines in contemporary designs.Glofin Glofin is a modern and soft bold font that bridges the gap between vintage and contemporary styles. Its rounded edges and bold presence create a friendly yet impactful impression, suitable for a wide range of design applications.RNS Guaire RNS Guaire is a modern and elegant sans-serif font that exudes sophistication. Its refined lines and balanced proportions make it perfect for high-end branding, editorial design, and projects that require a touch of class.Space Space is a minimalist sans-serif font that embraces simplicity and functionality. Its clean, uncluttered design makes it highly legible and versatile, ideal for modern web design, user interfaces, and minimalist branding projects.Lonzies Lonzies is a display sans-serif font with a soft bold style that uniquely combines Christmas and graffiti influences. Its playful yet bold character makes it suitable for creating eye-catching headlines and designs with a urban, festive twist.Boldy Grotesque Boldy Grotesque is a condensed sans-serif font that embodies minimalism and strength. Its narrow letterforms, similar to the popular font Impact, and clean lines make it excellent for creating impactful headlines and efficient use of space in various design contexts.Harlet Harlet is a modern sans-serif font designed with headlines and fashion in mind. Its sleek, contemporary appearance and balanced proportions make it perfect for creating stylish designs in fashion magazines, posters, and branding materials.Alaska Alaska is an adventure-inspired sans-serif typeface that combines minimalism with a nostalgic feel. Its clean lines and subtle vintage touches make it ideal for outdoor-themed designs, travel branding, and projects that aim to evoke a sense of exploration.NORD NORD is a minimal display typeface designed for headlines and logos. Its clean, geometric forms and versatile character make it an excellent choice for modern branding projects, creating impactful headlines, and designing memorable logos.MARXURE MARXURE is a bold headline typeface with a modern edge. Its strong presence and contemporary design make it perfect for creating attention-grabbing headlines in web design, posters, and other media where impact is crucial.Girast Girast is a modern condensed font that combines boldness with efficiency. Its narrow letterforms and contemporary style make it ideal for designs where space is at a premium, such as in packaging, posters, and responsive web design.Bondie Slab Bondie Slab is a condensed slab serif font that combines strength with elegance. Its sturdy serifs and narrow proportions make it excellent for creating impactful headlines and adding a touch of sophistication to various design projects.Roadway Country Roadway Country is a sans-serif font inspired by highway and street signage. Its bold, clear design makes it highly legible and perfect for creating designs with a road trip theme or projects that require a strong, directional feel.JUST Sans JUST Sans is a clean, modern, and minimal geometric typeface. Its simple forms and balanced design make it highly versatile, suitable for a wide range of applications from branding to user interface design where clarity and simplicity are key.BERLIN Rounded BERLIN Rounded is a sans-serif display typeface featuring soft, rounded edges. Its friendly appearance and good readability make it ideal for creating welcoming designs, particularly in branding, packaging, and digital interfaces.CRUX CRUX is a minimal display typeface designed for headlines and logos. Its clean, geometric forms and distinctive character make it perfect for creating memorable branding elements and impactful headlines in modern design projects.Glacier Glacier is a clean and minimal font family that embodies simplicity and elegance. Its crisp lines and balanced proportions make it highly versatile, suitable for both body text and headlines in projects that prioritize clarity and modern aesthetics.Prinles Prinles is a bold font that exudes strength and confidence. Its thick strokes and solid presence make it ideal for creating powerful headlines, impactful logos, and designs that need to make a strong statement.Bensoud Bensoud is a sans-serif font that combines modern simplicity with subtle character. Its clean lines and balanced design make it versatile for various applications, from body text to headlines, especially in projects that require a contemporary yet approachable feel.Quicksed Quicksed is a condensed sans display font designed for efficiency and impact. Its narrow letterforms and clean design make it excellent for headlines, posters, and designs where space is limited but visual impact is crucial.Valeno Valeno is a decorative display font that blends sans-serif simplicity with subtle serif-like details. Its unique character makes it stand out in headlines and logos, perfect for creating distinctive branding and eye-catching designs.Pinnid Pinnid is a modern font that combines sans-serif and serif elements. Its hybrid nature gives it a unique character, making it versatile for various design applications, from contemporary branding to editorial design where a touch of sophistication is desired.Tactico Tactico is a bold font that blends vintage charm with modern boldness. Its strong presence and subtle retro touches make it ideal for creating impactful headlines, logos, and designs that need to combine strength with a hint of nostalgia.NOAH NOAH is a minimalist font that seamlessly blends sans-serif and serif styles. Its clean, versatile design makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, from body text to headlines, especially in projects that require a modern yet timeless aesthetic. What Makes a Font Billboard-Ready? Designing for billboards is like designing for the visually impaired—everything needs to be bigger, bolder, and more contrasted than you think. But there’s more nuance to it than just cranking up the size. Maximum Contrast is your best friend. Billboard fonts need thick strokes and generous white space. Think of fonts like Impact or Bebas Neue—letterforms that create strong silhouettes against any background. Thin, delicate fonts simply disappear at highway viewing distances. Wide Character Spacing prevents letters from bleeding together visually. What looks perfectly spaced on your monitor becomes an illegible blob from 300 feet away. Billboard fonts often feature naturally wide spacing, or you’ll need to manually increase tracking significantly. Simplified Letterforms eliminate visual confusion. Fancy serifs, decorative flourishes, and intricate details get lost in the distance. The most effective billboard fonts strip away everything non-essential, leaving only the core structure of each letter. Consistent Weight Distribution ensures every part of every letter maintains visibility. Fonts with extreme thick-to-thin variations might look elegant up close, but those delicate thin strokes vanish when viewed from afar. Size Matters: Typography at Scale Here’s something that might surprise you: the biggest billboard fonts aren’t necessarily the most readable. There’s actually a science to sizing typography for outdoor advertising. The rule of thumb? For every 10 feet of viewing distance, you need at least 1 inch of letter height. So if drivers will see your billboard from 250 feet away, your main headline needs to be at least 25 inches tall. But that’s just the starting point. Consider the viewing angle too. A billboard positioned perpendicular to traffic gets viewed straight-on, while one at an angle requires larger text to compensate for the distorted perspective. Highway billboards also need larger fonts than city billboards since viewing time is much shorter. Hierarchy becomes critical at billboard scale. Your main message might be 30 inches tall, but secondary information should drop to maybe 15 inches, and fine print shouldn’t go below 8 inches if you expect anyone to read it. Color and Contrast: The Billboard Font’s Best Friends Even the perfect billboard font can fail spectacularly with poor color choices. High contrast isn’t just recommended—it’s absolutely essential for highway visibility. Black on white remains the gold standard for readability, but it’s not always the most eye-catching combination. Dark blue on yellow, white on deep red, or black on bright yellow all deliver excellent contrast while adding visual punch. Avoid color combinations that create vibration effects—like red text on blue backgrounds—which become even more problematic when viewed through car windshields or in varying light conditions. Remember, your billboard needs to work in bright sunlight, during golden hour, and under streetlights. Background considerations matter enormously. A font that’s perfectly readable on a solid background might disappear when placed over a busy photograph or gradient. Many successful billboards use solid color blocks behind text to ensure consistent readability. The Psychology of Highway Typography Billboard fonts don’t just communicate words—they communicate emotions and brand personality in milliseconds. The psychology behind font choice becomes amplified when you’re designing for split-second attention spans. Sans-serif fonts dominate billboard advertising because they project modernity, clarity, and straightforwardness. Brands like Apple, Nike, and Google use clean sans-serifs on their billboards because these fonts align with their contemporary, no-nonsense brand personalities. Bold display fonts work when you want to project energy, excitement, or urgency. Think movie posters, event announcements, or retail sales promotions. These fonts scream for attention—literally and figuratively. Custom lettering helps brands stand out in a sea of standard fonts. Coca-Cola’s distinctive script, McDonald’s golden arches typography, or Disney’s magical letterforms are instantly recognizable from highway distances because they’re completely unique. Digital vs. Traditional Billboard Considerations The rise of digital billboards has changed the font game entirely. Static billboards have one shot to communicate your message, while digital boards can cycle through multiple messages, each with different typographic approaches. Digital billboards allow for animated text, which can help with readability—but it can also become distracting. Simple animations like fading in or sliding can help direct attention, while complex animations often reduce legibility. Digital displays also deal with pixel density limitations. Fonts that look crisp in print might appear pixelated or blurry on LED screens, especially when viewed from angles. Sans-serif fonts generally translate better to digital displays than serif fonts. Brightness and contrast work differently on digital billboards. These displays can achieve much higher contrast ratios than printed billboards, but they also compete with ambient light conditions that change throughout the day. Common Billboard Font Mistakes to Avoid I’ve seen enough billboard design disasters to fill a horror movie. Here are the most common mistakes that turn potentially effective advertising into roadside illegible art. Script fonts might look elegant in wedding invitations, but they’re billboard poison. Cursive letterforms, decorative swashes, and connecting characters become unreadable mush from highway distances. Save the scripts for intimate applications. Thin fonts simply vanish. What looks sophisticated and minimalist on your computer screen becomes invisible on the highway. If you wouldn’t use a font for an eye chart, don’t use it for a billboard. Too many fonts create visual chaos. Stick to one or two fonts maximum. Using three or more fonts on a billboard usually results in a confused, amateur-looking design that fails to communicate effectively. Insufficient contrast between text and background kills readability faster than anything else. That subtle gray text on white background might look trendy, but it’s useless for outdoor advertising. Industry Secrets from Billboard Designers After years in the outdoor advertising industry, I’ve picked up some insider knowledge about what really works for billboard typography. Test at distance before finalizing your design. Print out your billboard concept at a much smaller size and view it from across a large room. If you can’t read it easily from that distance, it won’t work on an actual billboard. Consider viewing conditions beyond just distance. Will drivers see your billboard while going uphill or downhill? Are there trees or buildings that might partially obstruct the view? These factors influence font size and placement decisions. Design for the worst-case scenario. If your billboard is readable during a rainstorm at dusk with dirty windshields, it’ll definitely work under optimal conditions. This usually means going bigger and bolder than your initial instincts suggest. Prioritize the primary message. Your billboard should communicate one main idea instantly. Supporting information can be smaller, but your core message needs to hit like a typographic freight train. The Future of Billboard Typography Billboard fonts continue evolving alongside technology and changing urban landscapes. Digital displays, augmented reality integration, and responsive outdoor advertising are reshaping how we think about highway typography. Variable fonts are starting to appear on digital billboards, allowing designs to adapt based on viewing distance, time of day, or even traffic speed. Imagine fonts that automatically adjust their weight and spacing based on current highway conditions. Interactive elements are becoming more common, with QR codes and social media handles requiring specific typographic treatment to remain scannable at highway speeds. Environmental consciousness is influencing font choices too. Some advertising companies are choosing fonts that require less ink or energy to display, proving that even typography can be sustainable. Making Your Billboard Font Choice Choosing the right font for your billboard campaign requires balancing readability, brand personality, and practical constraints. Start with your message and audience, then work backward to typography that serves both. Consider your brand first. A law firm and a music festival require completely different typographic approaches, even when advertising on the same highway. Your font choice should reinforce brand personality while maintaining highway-speed readability. Think about context. Urban billboards can often use slightly more complex fonts than rural highway signs because viewing distances are shorter and speeds are lower. Location matters as much as message. Test ruthlessly. The most beautiful font in the world is worthless if drivers can’t read your message. When in doubt, choose readability over artistry—your advertising budget depends on it. Billboard fonts represent typography at its most challenging and most impactful. These fonts don’t just carry messages—they deliver them at 70 mph, fighting for attention in a world of visual noise. Master the art of billboard typography, and you’ll master the art of communication itself. So the next time you’re cruising down the highway, pay attention to the fonts flying past your windshield. Notice which ones grab your attention and which ones blend into the background. That’s the difference between typography that works and typography that simply exists. Your billboard has seconds to make an impression. Make sure your font choice makes those seconds count.