Getting Bugs Out of (and Into) Rural Solar

With the mounting evidence of the benefits of agrivoltaic solar arrays for crop yields, pollinator habitats, and conservation, New York State is investing $5 million in a program to promote the use of farmland for both renewable energy generation and farming, setting an example for other states in their rural solar development and challenging the argument that farmland should be solely reserved for traditional agriculture.

‘All Your Data into MIT’s DNA Cup’ Sounds Weird

MIT researchers have developed a polymer that can preserve and protect DNA at room temperature, making it a potential solution for storing massive amounts of information and even the entire human genome.

Jurassic Park: Blockbuster Scifi, Science Fail

Jurassic Park, released in 1993 and based on the book by Michael Crichton, used practical effects and CGI to bring dinosaurs back to life on the big screen, but with recent advancements in paleontology, it has been discovered that many of the film’s depictions of dinosaurs, particularly the theropods, are inaccurate and more akin to fictional monsters. This leads to the question of whether a remake or sequel with more scientifically accurate depictions of dinosaurs would be a good idea, or if Hollywood should continue promoting an exaggerated and monstrous depiction of these once majestic creatures.

AI Projects Go Bust for Business Baddies

Businesses are becoming more hesitant to invest in AI due to concerns about cost, data security, and accuracy, as shown by a study conducted by Lucidworks, which surveyed 1,000 companies with active AI initiatives and found that only 63% of companies plan to increase spending on AI in the next twelve months, a decline from 93% in 2023, with factors such as lack of financial benefits, difficulty in moving past pilot testing, and growing concerns about costs, security, and accuracy contributing to this trend.

Satellite Schemes Doom Ozone Hole Recovery

Satellites falling into Earth’s atmosphere and burning up leave behind aluminum oxide particles that have increased 8-fold since 2016 and will continue to accumulate as more low-Earth-orbit satellites are launched, posing a threat to the protective ozone layer and potentially undoing the success of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, with the potential for 912 metric tons of aluminum and 360 metric tons of aluminum oxides to be released into the atmosphere per year once currently planned satellite constellations are complete.

Acolyte’s R&B Soundtrack Reminds Us of ‘Star Wars Disco’

Star Wars has a distinct musical style that has been carried on by composers such as Kevin Kiner, John Powell, and Michael Giacchino in spinoffs like Rogue One and Clone Wars, but with the release of “The Power of Two” by Victoria Monét for the upcoming series The Acolyte, the franchise has now incorporated popular musicians, marking a shift in its musical direction.

NYT Uses AI to Make Human Artists DOA

The New York Times’ union claims that the paper is prioritizing cost savings over people and quality of work by firing human artists and replacing them with AI, despite the fact that the newspaper recently won nine gold medals for its artistry.

How Old Navy Made Mythbusters

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video and see you next time

How to handle situations where your budget is limited but you want to produce high quality work, including setting expectations with clients and negotiating for more money upfront, and utilizing resources like maker spaces and artist collectives.

Plastic-Eating Fungi – Parengyodontium – Our Ocean Overlord?

Researchers have discovered that the fungus Parengyodontium album can break down UV-exposed polyethylene in the ocean, suggesting that other fungi in deeper waters may also contribute to the decomposition of plastic.

“Everyone’s Freaking Out About ‘Enemy Mine’ Scifi Remake?” Uh, No.

Terry Matalas, former showrunner for Star Trek: Picard and creator of 12 Monkeys, has been chosen to write a remake of the 1985 sci-fi film Enemy Mine for 20th Century Studios, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. as a human and alien who must overcome their prejudices to survive, and Matalas’s involvement brings excitement to the project after his previous successes in the genre.