NASA has released a stunning image of three black holes about to collide with each other.

The ultra-rare is the best evidence yet of a so-called "triple system" three active supermassive black holes smashing in to each other.

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Each of the black holes is at the centre of its own galaxy.

They're all merging together roughly one billion light years from Earth.

It's not uncommon to find two black holes joining together, but spotting three is a rare feat.

In this case, astronomers using Nasa technology spotted the triple system by accident.

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"We were only looking for pairs of black holes at the time," said Ryan Pfeifle, of George Mason University, who led the study.

"And yet, through our selection technique, we stumbled upon this amazing system.

"This is the strongest evidence yet found for such a triple system of actively feeding supermassive black holes."

Researchers didn't take a straight photo of the black holes.

Instead, multiple observations using several different scientific instruments were used to piece together the galactic smash-up.

New Mexico's Sloan Digital Sky Survey first imaged the system in optical light.

Then Nasa's Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft examined infrared light coming from the system.

And then researchers used X-ray observations to confirm the presence of gas and dust being consumed.

That's a sign that black holes are feeding, effectively confirming their existence.

What is a black hole? The key facts

Here's what you need to know...

What is a black hole?

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What is a singularity?

How are black holes created?

"Through the use of these major observatories, we have identified a new way of identifying triple supermassive black holes," explained Pfeifle.

"Each telescope gives us a different clue about what's going on in these systems.

"We hope to extend our work to find more triples using the same technique."

Each supermassive hole is roughly 10,000 to 30,000 light years apart, which is tiny as far as space goes.

And their locations mean their eventual merging is inevitable a cataclysmic event that will transform the entire region of space.

Earlier this year, astronomers spotted an "impossible" black hole that breaks the "current theory of our universe".

The huge black hole at the centre of our galaxy was caught mysteriously "glowing" in an eerie video.

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And in April, scientists unveiled the first-ever photo of a black hole.

What do you make of this mind-blowing image? Let us know in the comments!

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk

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Stunning Nasa photo reveals three black holes smashing into each other in rare cataclysmic collision - The Sun

In terms of both distance traveled and energy exerted, it was a long haul, but by the time the sun rose over the Judaeandesert at 6:41am on Sunday, it felt that the 15,000 people gathered at the base of Masada had accomplished something special.

Indeed, the event for which we were gathered, Day Zero Masada: Dwellers of the Dead Sea, was a singular feat. Of permitting. Of organization. Of music. Of ambition. It presumably wasnt easy to gather a crowd of this size for 16 hours of electronic music at the base of theancient palace complexbuilt by King Herod in the last century B.C. Therewere presumably many talks with government officials, historians, police and others invested in the sanctity of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

But if the success of a festival is at least partially defined by the singularity of its venue, Dwellers Of the Dead Sea will rightfully be folded into the already historical record of the place. After Herod, the complex was inhabited by survivors of the Jewish Revolt, who carriedout their lives while 8,000 Roman soldiers intent on conquering themsatcamped at the bottom for seven years. In 73 A.D., as these Romans finally made their way up the hill, most the remaining occupants of Masada took their own lives rather than getting captured and living as Roman slaves. Millions of tourists have sincetrekked up the hill at dawn to appreciate the site -- and 1,946 years after the siege,a crowd of electronic music fans, from Israel and beyond, gathered to dance.

This incarnation of Day Zero was the first expansion of the events flagship show, which has taken place in the jungle outside Tulum, Mexico for the past sevenyears and which has distinguished itself as one of the most alluring parties on the international circuit. Created by venerable producer and Crosstown Rebels founder Damian Lazarus, Day Zero is intended to connect modern dance music crowds with ancient cultures through music, location and the intersection of the two. In Mexico, this relates to Mayanhistory, with the one-night party falling just after the new year, hence the name Day Zero.

In Israeli this connection came via Masada, with the show falling on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.While Masada has previously hosted opera events and more low-keygatherings at the base of the desert mesa on which the fortress is perched, Day Zero was the first time the site hosted an electronic dance music festival.

"Its the most magnificent place, and obviously in a very historically important part of the world," Lazarus told Billboard Dance of the show."My idea was to kind of veer it away from the Judaism and get in connection with the Bedouin tribes and the wandering nomads of that area people who have kind of traveled across the Dead Sea for thousands of years. Thats essentially how I thought Masada was the best possible follow-up to working with the Mayans in Tulum."

Lazarus and his team collaborated withIsraeli event producers Tripping to make ithappen, and the endeavor worked, brilliantly, withmore than one person in the crowd callingDay Zero the best rave to ever happen in Israel. Altogether, it felt like history in the making.

These are the eight best things we saw at the show.

One Stage to Rule Them All

Rather than spreading the lineup out over multiple stages, Day Zero kept the vibe cohesive with a single stage hosting the full lineup: Ae:Ther, Bedouin,Chaim, Davi, Magit Cacoon, Monolink Satori, Gorgon City, Jamie Jones, Marco Carola and Lazarus himself. And unlike the LED monoliths or standard truss structures seen at so many large-scale electronic events, the Day Zero stage was an artfully designed amalgamation of projection mapping and wooden coves, with a crowningfeature that pointeddirectly to the ancient fortress above it and reflected the sun when it finally came out.

The Sound

It might not have been easy to get the sound right in vast desert landscape, but whoever was responsible for the acoustics did a masterful job in ensuringthe bass andbeatsall came through in hi-fi. While the sound did cut out a few times early in the evening -- sending production staff sprintingto the stage --by the time the party really got bumping, the music not only stayed on, butsounded impeccable.

The Slow Build

The 15-seconds-of-this-song and 15-seconds-of-that-song world of dance music is nottypically defined by its patience, but Day Zero was an exercise in a thoughtful slow build that took place over the course of the 16-hour show. Performing earlier in the evening, Chaimand Monolinkkept their sets relatively low-key, dipping largely into deep house and tech-house. Then, as the stage itself lit up with increasingly more elaborate lights,lasers and smoke, the music itself became grander as well. By the time Marco Carola blew the metaphorical lid off the place around 4:00 AM, with a set that spanned house to electro to techno and back again, the lights were shining on Masada,the crowd was spinning, twirling, bumping, grinding and throwing its collectivehands in the airwith peak time enthusiasm andthe partywas quite likely visible from across the Dead Sea.

The Show Within the Show

As the energy of the music ramped up, so too did the scope of the production, with aerialists, costumed performersand other whimsically attired dancers, drummers and contortionists moving throughthe crowd,adding a sense ofjust-because whimsy and getting the crowd more aligned with the spirit of the show.

The Sunrise

Of course, Day Zero's culmination was a light show only mother earth can provide, with the crowd turning its back on the stage and gazing over the Dead Sea towards Jordan at dawn as the sky above turned pink and gold.It was at this point that Lazarus played a medley of impeccably selected tracks --a sweet remix of Bill Withers "Lovely Day," an a capella verse of Here Comes the Sun, thespacious intro to Fly Like An Eagle the iconic soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey, and then, finally, triumphantly, Chics enduring I Want Your Love. It was a delightful series of non-sequitur tracks that felt not only ideal for the moment, but entirely unique to thisshow.

The Little Things

Even better than watching the sun rise over the desert while the music plays and everyone around you smiles towards the horizon was doing so while the Day Zero staff moved through the crowd, passing out singlered flowers. The thoughtfulness of Day Zero is captured in simple, elegant touches like these. In tandem with thegrandiosity of the production and music, they alsodemonstrate why Day Zero is so often called one of the world's best parties.

The Heat

While it was already too hot to be outside by the time everyone was heading home around 9am, the night before was a terrifically balmy evening that gave everyone in attendance a dewy sort of glow. The shuttles back to Tel Aviv and down to the Dead Sea resort strip were blessedly efficient, leaving no one to melt in the sun. Food did seem to be a bit of an issue back at the bottom, however, with the Dead Sea McDonald's having to push out patrons and lock its doors after getting swarmed with party people and running out of food.

The Locals

The show closed with a performance by a group of local Bedouin musicians who played traditional instruments on top of a computer-made beat. (With research, experience and experiments I think it is possible to fuse some musical traditions and cultures with electronic music in a way that is cutting edge, beautiful and not cheesy, Lazarus told Billboard of Day Zero in 2016.) Ending the showwith music native to the area was another thoughtful touch that encapsulated the cultural conversationsthat's core to the show'sconcept.

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The 8 Best Moments From Day Zero Masada: Dwellers of the Dead Sea, an Israeli Desert Rave For the Ages - Billboard

We look back at the life and work of the designer Glenn Tutssel, who has died aged 68, following a 50-year career in the design industry, marked by iconic packaging and branding and a legacy of young designers.

Glenns standards were higher than you could imagine it was the best thing about him, Garrick Hamm says of Glenn Tutssel.

Tutsell the designer acclaimed for his drugs and drinks packaging was known for being a taskmaster but it was that persistence, combined with a singularity of vision, that led him to become such an influence in the industry. I cant think of anyone else who touched so many designers, and helped them succeed, Hamm, his frequent colleague, adds.

Tutssel, designer, husband and father died this week, aged 68 following a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and his two children, Leon and Lauren.

Over his 50-year career, he worked with a wide variety of brands, from BP to Boots. Tutssels particular interest though, was drinks; he helped create identities for Bacardi, Guinness and Peroni.

Hailing from Glamorgan in south Wales, Tutssel was inspired by design at a young age by his school art teacher, Doug Sutton who he also took judo classes with. With Suttons help and inspiration, Tutssel took a foundation course at the West of England College of Art in Bristol. Talking to Design Week, Tutssel spoke of the importance of Suttons mentorship, saying, You only need one person to believe in you to succeed.

From there, he went to the London College of Printing to do a BA in Graphic Communication. His tutors at this time, David Lock and Tom Petterson, ran a design company, Lock Petterson, where Tutssel freelanced. Following his time at college, Tutssel went to work for them calling it a natural progression designing brochures, corporate identities and annual reports for clients like Esso.

The next two decades saw Tutssel reach the top of his game twice. He became a director and senior designer at Lock Pettersen, and then moved to Michael Peters, where he eventually became the creative director. It was there that Tutssel hired Hamm in 1989, a moment the latter describes as walking on air. It was also where Hamm learned that Tutssel was a hard boss.

On one particularly difficult project, Hamm recalls how Tutssel gave him an ultimatum: If you dont crack this project today, Ill fire you. As the day went on, it became apparent that Hamm was sinking not swimming. Glenn came up to me, and said, come to my house this Sunday and so I turned up in the morning and we worked through it together at his home. When we finished, he took me to the pub for a couple of pints.

This became a tradition on Sundays while Hamm was a junior designer. And it is during this period where he saw a different side of Tutssel; a charming, warm-hearted family man. Tutssels natural inclination towards mentorship was also made obvious to Hamm at this time.

What Glenn taught me is that if you want to be successful in design, you have to put in the time. If you wanted to compete on his level, you had to get in early, work hard, and have ideas. Otherwise it was curtains. That ethos has never left me, Garrick says.

At 40, he left Michael Peters to set up his own company, Tutssels, bringing Hamm with him. Seven years after its creation, Tutssels merged with Lambie-Nairn to form Brand Union in 1997. Two years later, Brand Union was bought by WPP (it is now Superunion).

Hamm says that Tutssel has touched an entire generation of designers. He had a hand on so many shoulders of designers, always taking care of younger ones coming through. Its an endless number of people.

One of those designers is Spencer Buck, creative partner and founder of Taxi Studio, where Tutssel spent two years as executive partner after he left Brand Union in 2014.

Glenn knew the value of design whether something took five hours, five days, or five months, he knew that good work had value, and he instilled that in us, Buck says. He taught an entire generation of people the importance of craft, he adds.

Perhaps the clearest distillation of Tutssels design ethic was a project for Guinnesss sponsorship of the rugby World Cup, which he discussed with Design Week as a career highlight. Tutssel himself called it a simple idea to replace the traditional shamrock in the top of the pint with a rugby ball but it worked.

The design process behind makes for a typically good story one that Tutssel used to tell with great gusto, according to Buck. Having been given the brief one afternoon in London, Tutssel had the idea on his way back in the taxi and presented it to the head of marketing. It took moments to do but lasted a long time, Buck says.

It was an example of what both Hamm and Buck refer to as Tutssels pursuit of a singular idea. In fact, Tutssels catch-phrase was Show me the one, though Hamm says that that skill was a difficult skill to master.

Tutssels relentless pursuit and execution of the right idea resulted in iconic branding. He himself said: I am in the business of the big idea beautifully crafted. And though he worked across disciplines, his primary love was for packaging. Tutssel also highlighted his work for Peroni, where he crafted every element of the label which has since become a classic.

Another alcohol-based favourite had a personal side for Tutssel; the creation of the Penderyn Welsh Whiskey brand. As a Welshman its an honour to do work for a home-grown business that has become an international success, Tutssel said.

While Tutssel has five decades worth of work to choose from, what he might be remembered for is his enthusiasm. Both Hamm and Buck talk about how he ignited a passion in design in them and their fellow designers.

Buck says that when Tutssel came to Taxi Studio, he was struck by his undefeated energy. After spending 25 years in the industry, you can become jaded, Buck says. But Glenns passion was like working with a big kid.

Though serious at work, Tutssel was congenial at social events and the light of every room; known for his impression of the Welsh actor Richard Burton, according to Buck.

After leaving Taxi Studio, Tutssel set up the creative consultancy, Brand Inspiration, in 2015, building on his extensive work with brands. Most recently, he had been working with Welsh distilleries on two new openings.

Tutsell was involved in tangential fields too throughout his career; a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a freeman of the City of London and a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers.

Working so widely in the industry meant that his impact was felt on a large scale. John Mathers, who was chief executive of the Design Council, says that Tutssel, his colleague and close friend of more than 40 years, was a progressive force within the industry. He was capable of working across any discipline because he brought a creative flair and inspiration to everything that he did, Mathers adds.

Mathers points to Tutssels aptitude as a creative director, calling him the gold standard. In particular, it was Tutssels team spirit stood him in good stead in his various directorial positions. Its amazing how much you can achieve when you dont take all the credit yourself, Mathers adds.

Glenn had a special way about him that clients trusted, Mathers says. He loved his craft and knew what he was doing that was right. It was very important to him that people believed in his work.

At Brand Union, Mathers and Tutssel set up a trainee scheme, working with six universities, taking on three or four students each year. I still have youngsters today telling me that they owe everything they have to Glenn, Mathers says. Many of the leaders of the industry are people who have gone through a Glenn pupillage, and learned how to do things properly from him.

As well as his classic design style, it is this sense of mentorship that Mathers says will be Tutssels enduring impact. He loved surrounding himself with young people with great ideas he saw the potential in people and pursued it, he says. His legacy will be the people around him.

Glenn Tutssel died on Tuesday 24 September, aged 68, and is survived by his wife, Jane, and their two children, Leon and Lauren.

You can read our interview from 2015 with Tutssel about his career here.

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Remembering Glenn Tutssel: I am in the business of the big idea beautifully crafted - Design Week

How each of us sees the world is about to change dramatically.

For all of human history, the experience of looking at the world was roughly the same for everyone. But boundaries between the digital and physical are beginning to fade.

The world around us is gaining layer upon layer of digitized, virtually overlaid informationmaking it rich, meaningful, and interactive. As a result, our respective experiences of the same environment are becoming vastly different, personalized to our goals, dreams, and desires.

Welcome to Web 3.0, or the Spatial Web. In version 1.0, static documents and read-only interactions limited the internet to one-way exchanges. Web 2.0 provided quite an upgrade, introducing multimedia content, interactive web pages, and participatory social media. Yet, all this was still mediated by two-dimensional screens.

Today, we are witnessing the rise of Web 3.0, riding the convergence of high-bandwidth 5G connectivity, rapidly evolving AR eyewear, an emerging trillion-sensor economy, and powerful artificial intelligence.

As a result, we will soon be able to superimpose digital information atop any physical surroundingfreeing our eyes from the tyranny of the screen, immersing us in smart environments, and making our world endlessly dynamic.

In the third post of our five-part series on augmented reality, we will explore the convergence of AR, AI, sensors, and blockchain and dive into the implications through a key use case in manufacturing.

Lets deconstruct everything beneath the sleek AR display.

It all begins with graphics processing units (GPUs)electric circuits that perform rapid calculations to render images. (GPUs can be found in mobile phones, game consoles, and computers.)

However, because AR requires such extensive computing power, single GPUs will not suffice. Instead, blockchain can now enable distributed GPU processing power, and blockchains specifically dedicated to AR holographic processing are on the rise.

Next up, cameras and sensors will aggregate real-time data from any environment to seamlessly integrate physical and virtual worlds. Meanwhile, body-tracking sensors are critical for aligning a users self-rendering in AR with a virtually enhanced environment. Depth sensors then provide data for 3D spatial maps, while cameras absorb more surface-level, detailed visual input. In some cases, sensors might even collect biometric data, such as heart rate and brain activity, to incorporate health-related feedback in our everyday AR interfaces and personal recommendation engines.

The next step in the pipeline involves none other than AI. Processing enormous volumes of data instantaneously, embedded AI algorithms will power customized AR experiences in everything from artistic virtual overlays to personalized dietary annotations.

In retail, AIs will use your purchasing history, current closet inventory, and possibly even mood indicators to display digitally rendered items most suitable for your wardrobe, tailored to your measurements.

In healthcare, smart AR glasses will provide physicians with immediately accessible and maximally relevant information (parsed from the entirety of a patients medical records and current research) to aid in accurate diagnoses and treatments, freeing doctors to engage in the more human-centric tasks of establishing trust, educating patients and demonstrating empathy.

One of the nearest-term use cases of AR is manufacturing, as large producers begin dedicating capital to enterprise AR headsets. And over the next ten years, AR will converge with AI, sensors, and blockchain to multiply manufacturer productivity and employee experience.

In initial application, digital guides superimposed on production tables will vastly improve employee accuracy and speed, while minimizing error rates.

Already, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) whose airlines supply 82 percent of air travel recently implemented industrial tech company Atheers AR headsets in cargo management. And with barely any delay, IATA reported a whopping30 percent improvement in cargo handling speed and no less than a 90 percent reduction in errors.

With similar success rates, Boeing brought Skylights smart AR glasses to the runway, now used in the manufacturing of hundreds of airplanes. Sure enoughthe aerospace giant has now seen a 25 percent drop in production time andnear-zero error rates.

Beyond cargo management and air travel, however, smart AR headsets will also enable on-the-job training without reducing the productivity of other workers or sacrificing hardware. Jaguar Land Rover, for instance, implemented Boschs Reflekt One AR solution to gear technicians with x-ray vision: allowing them to visualize the insides of Range Rover Sport vehicles without removing any dashboards.

And as enterprise capabilities continue to soar, AIs will soon become the go-to experts, offering support to manufacturers in need of assembly assistance. Instant guidance and real-time feedback will dramatically reduce production downtime, boost overall output, and even help customers struggling with DIY assembly at home.

Perhaps one of the most profitable business opportunities, AR guidance through centralized AI systems will also serve to mitigate supply chain inefficiencies at extraordinary scale. Coordinating moving parts, eliminating the need for manned scanners at each checkpoint, and directing traffic within warehouses, joint AI-AR systems will vastly improve workflow while overseeing quality assurance.

After its initial implementation of AR vision picking in 2015, leading courier company DHL recently announced it would continue to use Googles newest smart lens in warehouses across the world. Motivated by the initial groups reported 15 percent jump in productivity, DHLs decision is part of the logistics giants$300 millioninvestment in new technologies.

And as direct-to-consumer e-commerce fundamentally transforms the retail sector, supply chain optimization will only grow increasingly vital. AR could very well prove the definitive step for gaining a competitive edge in delivery speeds.

As explained by Vital Enterprises CEO Ash Eldritch, All these technologies that are coming together around artificial intelligence are going to augment the capabilities of the worker and thats very powerful. I call it Augmented Intelligence. The idea is that you can take someone of a certain skill level and by augmenting them with artificial intelligence via augmented reality and the Internet of Things, you can elevate the skill level of that worker.

Already, large producers like Goodyear, thyssenkrupp, and Johnson Controls are using the Microsoft HoloLens 2priced at $3,500 per headsetfor manufacturing and design purposes.

Perhaps the most heartening outcome of the AI-AR convergence is that, rather than replacing humans in manufacturing, AR is an ideal interface for humancollaboration withAI. And as AI merges with human capital, prepare to see exponential improvements in productivity, professional training, and product quality.

On the hardware front, these AI-AR systems will require a mass proliferation of sensors to detect the external environment and apply computer vision in AI decision-making.

To measure depth, for instance, some scanning depth sensors project a structured pattern of infrared light dots onto a scene, detecting and analyzing reflected light to generate 3D maps of the environment. Stereoscopic imaging, using two lenses, has also been commonly used for depth measurements. But leading technology like Microsofts HoloLens 2 and Intels RealSense 400-series camera implement a new method called phased time-of-flight (ToF).

In ToF sensing, the HoloLens 2 uses numerous lasers, each with 100 milliwatts (mW) of power, in quick bursts. The distance between nearby objects and the headset wearer is then measured by the amount of light in the return beam that has shifted from the original signal. Finally, the phase difference reveals the location of each object within the field of view, which enables accurate hand-tracking and surface reconstruction.

With a far lower computing power requirement, the phased ToF sensor is also more durable than stereoscopic sensing, which relies on the precise alignment of two prisms. The phased ToF sensors silicon base also makes it easily mass-produced, rendering the HoloLens 2 a far better candidate for widespread consumer adoption.

To apply inertial measurementtypically used in airplanes and spacecraftthe HoloLens 2 additionally uses a built-in accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer. Further equipped with four environment understanding cameras that track head movements, the headset also uses a 2.4MP HD photographic video camera and ambient light sensor that work in concert to enable advanced computer vision.

For natural viewing experiences, sensor-supplied gaze tracking increasingly creates depth in digital displays. Nvidias work on Foveated AR Display, for instance, brings the primary foveal area into focus, while peripheral regions fall into a softer background mimicking natural visual perception and concentrating computing power on the area that needs it most.

Gaze tracking sensors are also slated to grant users control over their (now immersive) screens without any hand gestures. Conducting simple visual cues, even staring at an object for more than three seconds, will activate commands instantaneously.

And our manufacturing example above is not the only one. Stacked convergence of blockchain, sensors, AI and AR will disrupt almost every major industry.

Take healthcare, for example, wherein biometric sensors will soon customize users AR experiences. Already, MIT Media LabsDeep Realitygroup has created an underwater VR relaxation experience that responds to real-time brain activity detected by a modified version of the Muse EEG. The experience even adapts to users biometric data, from heart rate to electro dermal activity (inputted from an Empatica E4 wristband).

Now rapidly dematerializing, sensors will converge with AR to improve physical-digital surface integration, intuitive hand and eye controls, and an increasingly personalized augmented world. Keep an eye on companies likeMicroVision, now making tremendous leaps in sensor technology.

While Ill be doing a deep dive into sensor applications across each industry in our next blog, its critical to first discuss how we might power sensor- and AI-driven augmented worlds.

Because AR requires much more compute power than typical 2D experiences, centralized GPUs and cloud computing systems are hard at work to provide the necessary infrastructure. Nonetheless, the workload is taxing and blockchain may prove the best solution.

A major player in this pursuit, Otoy aims to create the largest distributed GPU network in the world, called the Render NetworkRNDR. Built specifically on the Ethereum blockchain for holographic media, and undergoing Beta testing, this network is set to revolutionize AR deployment accessibility.

Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt (an investor in Otoys network), has even said, I predicted that 90% of computing would eventually reside in the web based cloud Otoy has created a remarkable technology which moves that last 10%high-end graphics processingentirely to the cloud. This is a disruptive and important achievement. In my view, it marks the tipping point where the web replaces the PC as the dominant computing platform of the future.

Leveraging the crowd, RNDR allowsanyonewith a GPU to contribute their power to the network for a commission of up to $300 a month in RNDR tokens. These can then be redeemed in cash or used to create users own AR content.

In a double win, Otoys blockchain network and similar iterations not only allow designers to profit when not using their GPUs, but also democratize the experience for newer artists in the field.

And beyond these networks power suppliers, distributing GPU processing power will allow more manufacturing companies to access AR design tools and customize learning experiences. By further dispersing content creation across a broad network of individuals, blockchain also has the valuable potential to boost AR hardware investment across a number of industry beneficiaries.

On the consumer side, startups likeScanetchainare also entering the blockchain-AR space for a different reason. Allowing users to scan items with their smartphone, Scanetchains app provides access to a trove of information, from manufacturer and price, to origin and shipping details.

Based on NEM (a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency that implements a blockchain consensus algorithm), the app aims to make information far more accessible and, in the process, create a social network of purchasing behavior. Users earn tokens by watching ads, and all transactions are hashed into blocks and securely recorded.

The writing is on the wallour future of brick-and-mortar retail will largely lean on blockchain to create the necessary digital links.

Integrating AI into AR creates an auto-magical manufacturing pipeline that will fundamentally transform the industry, cutting down on marginal costs, reducing inefficiencies and waste, and maximizing employee productivity.

Bolstering the AI-AR convergence, sensor technology is already blurring the boundaries between our augmented and physical worlds, soon to be near-undetectable. While intuitive hand and eye motions dictate commands in a hands-free interface, biometric data is poised to customize each AR experience to be far more in touch with our mental and physical health.

And underpinning it all, distributed computing power with blockchain networks like RNDR will democratize AR, boosting global consumer adoption at plummeting price points.

As AR soars in importancewhether in retail, manufacturing, entertainment, or beyondthe stacked convergence discussed above merits significant investment over the next decade. The augmented world is only just getting started.

(1) A360 Executive Mastermind: Want even more context about how converging exponential technologies will transform your business and industry? Consider joining Abundance 360, a highly selective community of 360 exponentially minded CEOs, who are on a 25-year journey with meor as I call it, a countdown to the Singularity. If youd like to learn more and consider joining our 2020 membership, apply here.

Share this with your friends, especially if they are interested in any of the areas outlined above.

(2) Abundance-Digital Online Community:Ive also created a Digital/Online community of bold, abundance-minded entrepreneurs called Abundance-Digital. Abundance-Digital is Singularity Universitys onramp for exponential entrepreneurs those who want to get involved and play at a higher level.Click here to learn more.

This articleoriginally appearedonDiamandis.com

Image Credit: Funky Focus / Pixabay

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The Four Converging Technologies Giving Rise to the Spatial Web - Singularity Hub

A new competitive season always comes with new hopes for the tier two competitive scene. Team Singularity fought through the past Dota Pro Circuit to no avail, despite having a few rather experienced players on their side.

TI3 champion Jerry EGM Lundkvist will no longer be playing under the Singularity banner, neither will be Yaroslav Miposhka Naidenov. Following the TI9 regional qualifiers, the team members decided to split ways and focus on personal growth said Noah Eingenheer, Team Singularitys manager in the official press release. He also mentioned that everyone concluded their stay with Singularity on good terms with the organization and that for the new season the team found new friends. The initial new roster should have featured the former Infamous support duo Malthe Biver Winther and Oliver oliver/Skiter Lepko, but according to the Singularity manager, the two have decided to actually sign with a yet to be revealed North American team.

Shortly after Biver got an offer from NA and decided to leave us. It was hard to find a proper replacement, Handsken was focusing on rebuilding his own roster and most EU pos4 players were taken or on a break. We got in touch with Velheor and played a few games, he was insecure and left us hanging to stay with his old team-mates. On the same day, Oliver got the same offer to join that NA team and reconciled with his friend Biver, Noah Eingenheer bluntly reveals the entire recruiting process.

With both Biver and Oliver changing their mind, Singularity will enter the new season with the following line-up:

Singularitys new line-up can be watched in action this week at the GG.Bet Hamburg Invitational, an online tournament with a qualifier spot for the upcoming ESL One Hamburg on the line. Next week, starting on the 21st of September, Singularity will also be playing in the 2019 WePlay! Reshuffle Madness, an online event with a prize pool of $50,000.

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Singularity rebuild their roster around Excalibur - VPEsports

So there you are, about to leap into a black hole. What could possibly await should against all odds you somehow survive? Where would you end up and what tantalizing tales would you be able to regale if you managed to clamor your way back?

The simple answer to all of these questions is, as Professor Richard Massey explains, "Who knows?" As a Royal Society research fellow at the Institute for Computational Cosmology at Durham University, Massey is fully aware that the mysteries of black holes run deep. "Falling through an event horizon is literally passing beyond the veil once someone falls past it, nobody could ever send a message back," he said. "They'd be ripped to pieces by the enormous gravity, so I doubt anyone falling through would get anywhere."

If that sounds like a disappointing and painful answer, then it is to be expected. Ever since Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity was considered to have predicted black holes by linking space-time with the action of gravity, it has been known that black holes result from the death of a massive star leaving behind a small, dense remnant core. Assuming this core has more than roughly three-times the mass of the sun, gravity would overwhelm to such a degree that it would fall in on itself into a single point, or singularity, understood to be the black hole's infinitely dense core.

Related: 9 Ideas About Black Holes That Will Blow Your Mind

The resulting uninhabitable black hole would have such a powerful gravitational pull that not even light could avoid it. So, should you then find yourself at the event horizon the point at which light and matter can only pass inward, as proposed by the German astronomer Karl Schwarzschild there is no escape. According to Massey, tidal forces would reduce your body into strands of atoms (or 'spaghettification', as it is also known) and the object would eventually end up crushed at the singularity. The idea that you could pop out somewhere perhaps at the other side seems utterly fantastical.

Or is it? Over the years scientists have looked into the possibility that black holes could be wormholes to other galaxies. They may even be, as some have suggested, a path to another universe.

Such an idea has been floating around for some time: Einstein teamed up with Nathan Rosen to theorise bridges that connect two different points in space-time in 1935. But it gained some fresh ground in the 1980s when physicist Kip Thorne one of the world's leading experts on the astrophysical implications of Einstein's general theory of relativity raised a discussion about whether objects could physically travel through them.

"Reading Kip Thorne's popular book about wormholes is what first got me excited about physics as a child," Massey said. But it doesn't seem likely that wormholes exist.

Indeed, Thorne, who lent his expert advice to the production team for the Hollywood movie Interstellar, wrote: "We see no objects in our universe that could become wormholes as they age," in his book "The Science of Interstellar" (W.W. Norton and Company, 2014). Thorne told Space.com that journeys through these theoretical tunnels would most likely remain science fiction, and there is certainly no firm evidence that a black hole could allow for such a passage.

Artist's concept of a wormhole. If wormholes exist, they might lead to another universe. But, there's no evidence that wormholes are real or that a black hole would act like one.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

But, the problem is that we can't get up close to see for ourselves. Why, we can't even take photographs of anything that takes place inside a black hole if light cannot escape their immense gravity, then nothing can be snapped by a camera. As it stands, theory suggests that anything which goes beyond the event horizon is simply added to the black hole and, what's more, because time distorts close to this boundary, this will appear to take place incredibly slowly, so answers won't be quickly forthcoming.

"I think the standard story is that they lead to the end of time," said Douglas Finkbeiner, professor of astronomy and physics at Harvard University. "An observer far away will not see their astronaut friend fall into the black hole. They'll just get redder and fainter as they approach the event horizon [as a result of gravitational red shift]. But the friend falls right in, to a place beyond 'forever.' Whatever that means."

Certainly, if black holes do lead to another part of a galaxy or another universe, there would need to be something opposite to them on the other side. Could this be a white hole a theory put forward by Russian cosmologist Igor Novikov in 1964? Novikov proposed that a black hole links to a white hole that exists in the past. Unlike a black hole, a white hole will allow light and matter to leave, but light and matter will not be able to enter.

Scientists have continued to explore the potential connection between black and white holes. In their 2014 study published in the journal Physical Review D, physicists Carlo Rovelli and Hal M. Haggard claimed that "there is a classic metric satisfying the Einstein equations outside a finite space-time region where matter collapses into a black hole and then emerges from a while hole." In other words, all of the material black holes have swallowed could be spewed out, and black holes may become white holes when they die.

Far from destroying the information that it absorbs, the collapse of a black hole would be halted. It would instead experience a quantum bounce, allowing information to escape. Should this be the case, it would shed some light on a proposal by former Cambridge University cosmologist and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking who, in the 1970s, explored the possibility that black holes emit particles and radiation thermal heat as a result of quantum fluctuations.

"Hawking said a black hole doesn't last forever," Finkbeiner said. Hawking calculated that the radiation would cause a black hole to lose energy, shrink and disappear, as described in his 1976 paper published in Physical Review D. Given his claims that the radiation emitted would be random and contain no information about what had fallen in, the black hole, upon its explosion, would erase loads of information.

This meant Hawking's idea was at odds with quantum theory, which says information can't be destroyed. Physics states information just becomes more difficult to find because, should it become lost, it becomes impossible to know the past or the future. Hawking's idea led to the 'black hole information paradox' and it has long puzzled scientists. Some have said Hawking was simply wrong, and the man himself even declared he had made an error during a scientific conference in Dublin in 2004.

So, do we go back to the concept of black holes emitting preserved information and throwing it back out via a white hole? Maybe. In their 2013 study published in Physical Review Letters, Jorge Pullin at Louisiana State University and Rodolfo Gambini at the University of the Republic in Montevideo, Uruguay, applied loop quantum gravity to a black hole and found that gravity increased towards the core but reduced and plonked whatever was entering into another region of the universe. The results gave extra credence to the idea of black holes serving as a portal. In this study, singularity does not exist, and so it doesn't form an impenetrable barrier that ends up crushing whatever it encounters. It also means that information doesn't disappear.

Yet physicists Ahmed Almheiri, Donald Marolf, Joseph Polchinski and James Sully still believed Hawking could have been on to something. They worked on a theory that became known as the AMPS firewall, or the black hole firewall hypothesis. By their calculations, quantum mechanics could feasibly turn the event horizon into a giant wall of fire and anything coming into contact would burn in an instant. In that sense, black holes lead nowhere because nothing could ever get inside.

This, however, violates Einstein's general theory of relativity. Someone crossing the event horizon shouldn't actually feel any great hardship because an object would be in free fall and, based on the equivalence principle, that object or person would not feel the extreme effects of gravity. It could follow the laws of physics present elsewhere in the universe, but even if it didn't go against Einstein's principle it would undermine quantum field theory or suggest information can be lost.

Related: 11 Fascinating Facts About Our Milky Way Galaxy

Artist's impression of a tidal disruption event which occurs when a star passes too close to a supermassive black hole.

(Image credit: All About Space magazine)

Step forward Hawking once more. In 2014, he published a study in which he eschewed the existence of an event horizon meaning there is nothing there to burn saying gravitational collapse would produce an 'apparent horizon' instead.

This horizon would suspend light rays trying to move away from the core of the black hole, and would persist for a "period of time." In his rethinking, apparent horizons temporarily retain matter and energy before dissolving and releasing them later down the line. This explanation best fits with quantum theory which says information can't be destroyed and, if it was ever proven, it suggests that anything could escape from a black hole.

Hawking went as far as saying black holes may not even exist. "Black holes should be redefined as metastable bound states of the gravitational field," he wrote. There would be no singularity, and while the apparent field would move inwards due to gravity, it would never reach the center and be consolidated within a dense mass.

And yet anything which is emitted will not be in the form of the information swallowed. It would be impossible to figure out what went in by looking at what is coming out, which causes problems of its own not least for, say, a human who found themselves in such an alarming position. They'd never feel the same again!

One thing's for sure, this particular mystery is going to swallow up many more scientific hours for a long time to come. Rovelli and Francesca Vidotto recently suggested that a component of dark matter could be formed by remnants of evaporated black holes, and Hawking's paper on black holes and 'soft hair' was released in 2018, and describes how zero-energy particles are left around the point of no return, the event horizon an idea that suggests information is not lost but captured.

This flew in the face of the no-hair theorem which was expressed by physicist John Archibald Wheeler and worked on the basis that two black holes would be indistinguishable to an observer because none of the special particle physics pseudo-charges would be conserved. It's an idea that has got scientists talking, but there is some way to go before it's seen as the answer for where black holes lead. If only we could find a way to leap into one.

(Image credit: All About Space magazine)

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Where Do Black Holes Lead? - Livescience.com

After Vantablack debuted as an exclusive, patented blackest-of-black material, many people have tried to come up with their own versions of the blackest paint imaginable. Singularity 2 is one such material, with collectors pieces starting at $35.Singularity 2 is the new and improved version of Singularity 1, the first commercially available blackest black for curious people and artists. Singularity 1 didnt quite cut the mark on absorbing all the light that came its way, so this version has improved upon that and the surface texture as well. The developers also made a new surface coating for it to protect it from damage. The idea behind such a deep black for them was to make it resemble black holes, which are perhaps the only thing in our universe that completely swallow light. Their existence itself is being hotly debated right now, but from what weve been able to capture through telescopes, their image gives a profoundly beautiful feeling to people who are fascinated by the science behind them.

Many people view such innovations as useless startup ideas fueled by the capitalist desire to improve aesthetics. But it does come with its own sets of practical uses as well, considering that blacker shades of black are built on the principle of less light being reflected back by the surface. This means that it can be used in space imaging by reducing the amount of stray photons going into an image of the stars or galaxies. For military uses, this paint can better camouflage air-crafts flying through the sky at night.

The amount of research going into projects such as Singularity 2 signifies a change in how black paints will be made in the coming years. Whereas people have been using charcoal to form black paint for centuries, Singularity 2 and similar prototypes are made with carbon nanotubes, which are known not just for their color but their incredible tensile strength as well. But theyre also reported to be as flexible a thread, depending on how theyre structured.. This means that itll be difficult to use them as a smooth paint for ordinary objects, but with refinement we may be able to use them as a coating for electronics as well.

Carbon nanotubes are a relatively newly discovered allotrope of carbon. Theyre constructed with extremely thin sheets of carbon and have a variety of uses in electronic equipment. Since theyre semi-conductors, theyre very useful in electrical as well as thermal conduction. Black paint is only one of the many uses of nanotubes and groundbreaking research has been carried on regarding them in recent years. One may argue that for such a useful and expensively produced material, Singularity 2 is hardly one of the best ways to use it.

Theres only a niche market for art collectors and artists who want to use this material, so it doesnt come as a surprise that demand for a blacker black isnt very high these days. Currently the large scale production of Singularity seems infeasible due to the high cost but perhaps such a light absorbing material may improve camera technology for ordinary devices as well. And who knows, maybe the next iPhone will launch with a Singularity shade too!

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Singularity 2: Singularity is The New Black - OxGadgets

By Tom McLaughlin

Art is in the eye of the beholder. But art made from DNA and living cells? Like it or not, says LiQin Tan, we are only at the beginning of a revolutionary fusion of art and living organisms.

Tan notes that his book looks toward the future to consider how technological singularitys impact on conceptual and live bioart raises many thought-provoking and sometimes controversial issues.

The Rutgers UniversityCamden artist and researcher explains that the future of bioart art conceptualizing and/or incorporating biological elements will continue to be impacted by technology at a meteoric rate.

This is where art is going; no one can escape it, says the art professor matter-of-factly.

Tan explores the unchartered world of bioart in his new book, Singularity: Subversive BioArt (Guangdong Peoples Publishing House).

The book is a follow-up to his 2018 offering, Singularity Art: How Technology Singularity Will Impact Art (China Machine Press), which explores the impact of technological singularity, the notion that artificial superintelligence will trigger runaway technological growth, resulting in previously unforeseen changes to human civilization.

Some people want to panic when they consider, for instance, art that merges living organisms with inanimate materials, says Tan. Of course, we always fear everything new.

The RutgersCamden artist explains that there are two definitions as to what constitutes bioart. The first is live art, which uses genes, DNA, bacterium, algae, and living cells to create artworks.

For instance, some artists are using DNA to create transgenic genetically modified plants and animals, says Tan, citing the work of artist Eduarto Kac, who combined rabbit and jellyfish DNA to produce a bunny that glows green under blue light.

In another example, he notes, artist Li Shan changed the genes of pumpkins, resulting in the vegetables growing in an array of different shapes and sizes.

The RutgersCamden artist focused his art on ink-brush drawing on rice paper before being introduced to computers in the early 1990s.

Tan explains that, although biologists will alter DNA for scientific purposes for example, altering a vegetable to make it heartier or to taste better artists change genes with artistic concepts or metaphors in mind.

For instance, artists may try to represent social or political issues, says Tan, who adds that it is still against international standards to change human embryo DNA. People will ask, Why do you create? Its because artists need to express themselves.

The other form, says Tan, is called general bioart, which includes anything made from biological elements or symbolizing bio concepts. For instance, he says, a bioart installation may use computer animation to make cells move.

Some people would argue that this isnt bioart, but others agree that it is because it presents biological movement and elements regardless of whether they are living or still, he says.

Tan describes how he created a conceptual bioart installation wherein he grew plants on the top of large central processing units the electrical circuitry of computer systems in the shape of a square. The creation didnt use soil and relied on humidity in the air.

My main concept is that the Earths soil is not the only mother carrier of the plant, says Tan, who, for more than two decades, focused his art on ink-brush drawing on rice paper before being introduced to computers in the early 1990s. CPU technology has the potential to replace it gradually. In other words, technology would be the carrier of life evolution in the near future.

The RutgersCamden artist notes that, while previous books have defined and explored bioart, design, and education, his book looks toward the future to consider how technological singularitys impact on conceptual and live bioart raises many thought-provoking and sometimes controversial issues.

Tans 2018 book explores the impact of technological singularity, the notion that artificial superintelligence will trigger runaway technological growth, resulting in previously unforeseen changes to human civilization.

Among these points of discussion, Tan shares his personal philosophy that, as an artist and creator, technology shouldnt be utilized solely to change the tools and media that artists employ, but to change the very nature of what it means to be human.

Technology is going to change your life construction; the inside of your body, he explains. So if you change the human body, it will change ones creativity as well.

He adds that genetics for non-human species will be altered as well and a human-dominant view of life and civilization will be altered forever.

Humans have dominated society for nearly 6,000 years and we treat animals as a lower species, he says. Technology will enable non-human species to have consciousness and creativity as well, and give animals the opportunities to change and become equal to humans. So then, how will we define beauty and what is considered art? Those definitions will totally reconstruct.

He warns that no one person will be able to hold back technological progress and, with that, safeguard international, ethical standards that come along with these changes. With this inevitability, says Tan, its up to people everywhere to the change the world responsibly.

That is a positive way that we can embrace these changes, he says.

However, Tan readily admits, the debate as to what is considered a responsible and ethnical approach will continue. Some people, he notes, believe that a humanoid has already been programmed with deeper learning.

In the end, says the RutgersCamden artist and researcher, technological advances continue to be made at an unfathomable rate, so its up to people as humans and artists to realize their untapped potential.

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Artist and Researcher's Book Explores World of Subversive Bioart - Rutgers-Camden NewsNow

The narrative that often accompanies most stories about artificial intelligence these days is how machines will disrupt any number of industries, from healthcare to transportation. It makes sense. After all, technology already drives many of the innovations in these sectors of the economy.

But sneakers and the red carpet? The definitively low-tech fashion industry would seem to be one of the last to turn over its creative direction to data scientists and machine learning algorithms.

However, big brands, e-commerce giants, and numerous startups are betting that AI can ingest data and spit out Chanel. Maybe its not surprising, given that fashion is partly about buzz and trendsand theres nothing more buzzy and trendy in the world of tech today than AI.

In its annual survey of the $3 trillion fashion industry, consulting firm McKinsey predicted that while AI didnt hit a critical mass in 2018, it would increasingly influence the business of everything from design to manufacturing.

Fashion as an industry really has been so slow to understand its potential roles interwoven with technology. And, to be perfectly honest, the technology doesnt take fashion seriously. This comment comes from Zowie Broach, head of fashion at Londons Royal College of Arts, who as a self-described old fashioned designer has embraced the disruptive nature of technologywith some caveats.

Co-founder in the late 1990s of the avant-garde fashion label Boudicca, Broach has always seen tech as a tool for designers, even setting up a website for the company circa 1998, way before an online presence became, well, fashionable.

Broach told Singularity Hub that while she is generally optimistic about the future of technology in fashionthe designer has avidly been consuming old sci-fi novels over the last few yearsthere are still a lot of difficult questions to answer about the interface of algorithms, art, and apparel.

For instance, can AI do what the great designers of the past have done? Fashion was about designing, it was about a narrative, it was about meaning, it was about expression, according to Broach.

AI that designs products based on data gleaned from human behavior can potentially tap into the Pavlovian response in consumers in order to make money, Broach noted. But is that channeling creativity, or just digitally dabbling in basic human brain chemistry?

She is concerned about people retaining control of the process, whether were talking about their data or their designs. But being empowered with the insights machines could provide into, for example, the geographical nuances of fashion between Dubai, Moscow, and Toronto is thrilling.

What is it that we want the future to be from a fashion, an identity, and design perspective? she asked.

Silicon Valley and some of the biggest brands in the industry offer a few answers about where AI and fashion are headed (though not at the sort of depths that address Broachs broader questions of aesthetics and ethics).

Take what is arguably the biggest brand in fashion, at least by market cap but probably not by the measure of appearances on Oscar night: Nike. The $100 billion shoe company just gobbled up an AI startup called Celect to bolster its data analytics and optimize its inventory. In other words, Nike hopes it will be able to figure out whats hot and whats not in a particular location to stock its stores more efficiently.

The company is going even further with Nike Fit, a foot-scanning platform using a smartphone camera that applies AI techniques from fields like computer vision and machine learning to find the best fit for each persons foot. The algorithms then identify and recommend the appropriately sized and shaped shoe in different styles.

No doubt the next step will be to 3D print personalized and on-demand sneakers at any store.

San Francisco-based startup ThirdLove is trying to bring a similar approach to bra sizes. Its 20-member data team, Fortune reported, has developed the Fit Finder quiz that uses machine learning algorithms to help pick just the right garment for every body type.

Data scientists are also a big part of the team at Stitch Fix, a former San Francisco startup that went public in 2017 and today sports a market cap of more than $2 billion. The online personal styling company uses hundreds of algorithms to not only make recommendations to customers, but to help design new styles and even manage the subscription-based supply chain.

E-commerce giant Amazon has thrown its own considerable resources into developing AI applications for retail fashionwith mixed results.

One notable attempt involved a styling assistant that came with the companys Echo Look camera that helped people catalog and manage their wardrobes, evening helping pick out each days attire. The company more recently revisited the direct consumer side of AI with an app called StyleSnap, which matches clothes and accessories uploaded to the site with the retailers vast inventory and recommends similar styles.

Behind the curtains, Amazon is going even further. A team of researchers in Israel have developed algorithms that can deduce whether a particular look is stylish based on a few labeled images. Another group at the companys San Francisco research center was working on tech that could generate new designs of items based on images of a particular style the algorithms trained on.

I will say that the accumulation of many new technologies across the industry could manifest in a highly specialized style assistant, far better than the examples weve seen today. However, the most likely thing is that the least sexy of the machine learning work will become the most impactful, and the public may never hear about it.

That prediction is from an online interview with Leanne Luce, a fashion technology blogger and product manager at Google who recently wrote a book called, succinctly enough, Artificial Intelligence and Fashion.

Academics are also sticking their beakers into AI and fashion. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and Adobe Research have previously demonstrated that neural networks, a type of AI designed to mimic some aspects of the human brain, can be trained to generate (i.e., design) new product images to match a buyers preference, much like the team at Amazon.

Meanwhile, scientists at Hong Kong Polytechnic University are working with Chinas answer to Amazon, Alibaba, on developing a FashionAI Dataset to help machines better understand fashion. The effort will focus on how algorithms approach certain building blocks of design, what are called key points such as neckline and waistline, and fashion attributes like collar types and skirt styles.

The man largely behind the universitys research team is Calvin Wong, a professor and associate head of Hong Kong Polytechnic Universitys Institute of Textiles and Clothing. His group has also developed an intelligent fabric defect detection system called WiseEye for quality control, reducing the chance of producing substandard fabric by 90 percent.

Wong and company also recently inked an agreement with RCA to establish an AI-powered design laboratory, though the details of that venture have yet to be worked out, according to Broach.

One hope is that such collaborations will not just get at the technological challenges of using machines in creative endeavors like fashion, but will also address the more personal relationships humans have with their machines.

I think who we are, and how we use AI in fashion, as our identity, is not a superficial skin. Its very, very important for how we define our future, Broach said.

Image Credit: Inspirationfeed / Unsplash

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Will AI Be Fashion Forwardor a Fashion Flop? - Singularity Hub

Progress: good, or bad? Bad, thought Confucius, who for hundreds of years taught Japan to seek its ideals in the ancient past. Good, thought 19th-century modernizers, who redirected the nations gaze to the future.

Prominent among modernizers was Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835-1901), for whom civilization and progress were one and whose 1875 book, An Outline of a Theory of Civilization, dazzles us with a bright future indeed: Instead of cannons, men will build telescopes; schools will replace jails; soldiers and criminals will be seen only in old pictures. The whole country will be like one family, each household like a temple. The parents will be the head priests and the children their disciples.

How naive that sounds today. Progress foundered on 20th-century rocks: war, revolution, nuclear catastrophe, ecological catastrophe. It advances apace all the same, unstoppable. Sometime around 2045 something extraordinary will happen a singularity. The machines weve built to serve us will think better than we do. Who will be serving whom?

It is said, Fukuzawa wrote in An Encouragement of Learning (1872-76), that heaven does not create one man above or below another man. Any existing distinction between the wise and the stupid, between the rich and the poor, comes down to a matter of education. With that in mind, he founded Keio University.

What would he think, coming back to life today? Deeply intellectual but no snob, he might pick up a September issue of Spa magazine and see the headline, The darkness of the new gap society gap being that between rich and poor. Or, thumbing through the Asahi Shimbun (Sept. 8), he might be struck by a warning sounded by best-selling Israeli scholar Yuval Noah Hariri. Artificial intelligence, Hariri says, will turn more than half of us into a useless class.

First, Spa. Its a good life, if you have money. It buys everything: a long healthy life; a dignified, youthful old age; children without (if so desired) the nuisances of pregnancy; an education for them that will enable them to enjoy similar advantages. On the other side of the fence are an estimated 2.9 million households in Japan that cant afford basic health insurance.

Too bad for them. Very much so. A 39-year-old call center functionary named (pseudonymously) Iida earns 2.5 million a year. A year ago, he dropped out of the national health plan; he couldnt afford the premium. He doesnt feel well but doesnt consult a doctor. If it gets worse, hell grit his teeth harder.

In central Tokyo theres a facility called the Grand Himedic Club, whose rates, Spa says, run to 500,000 a month, after a 3 million admission fee. Its like a luxury hotel, the magazine says, but the raison detre is a medical checkup so thorough, so technologically avant-garde, that you almost feel you can live forever. Here, cancer is detected in earliest incipiency. If surgery is required, youre dispatched at once to the most expert specialists. If not, you can stay for the anti-aging treatments. You may want to stay forever.

How equal should people be? All of the people are equal under the law, says the Constitution, and all people shall have the right to receive an equal education. A generation ago that seemed to work out to a rough economic equality, which has now been lost. The steadily declining birthrate tells the story of young people who feel economically unable to marry and raise families. Then there are those who want children and can afford them whatever it may take to bring them into the world including renting bellies of women in poorer countries who save the infertile from infertility and the beauty-conscious from the scars of pregnancy. One husband and father proudly tells Spa hes fathered three children that way, at a cost of 6-10 million each time.

A childs future career depends on education; the better the latter, the better the former. A rough indication: A male university graduate aged 40-44 earns on average 7.16 million a year, versus 5.21 million for a senior high school graduate.

Thus the attraction of private schools they provide a higher leg up. Or do they? Their classrooms are growing as crowded as public school classrooms: 40-odd kids per class. Better still: boarding school in Europe. Cost: 10 million a year. Poor families struggling to see their children through ordinary high school must be left to their silent resentment.

They may have the last laugh, however. Hariri, the Israeli historian and futurist, writes in his 2018 book, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, Since we do not know how the job market would look in 2030 or 2040, already we have no idea what to teach our kids. Most of what they currently learn at school will probably be irrelevant by the time they are 40.

The useless class whose advent he dreads has been foreseen before by Japans Nomura Research Institute, among others, which figured in 2015 that, by 2030, 49 percent of all jobs would be done by computer systems. Leaving humans where?

The coming technological bonanza, writes Hariri, will probably make it feasible to feed and support these useless masses. But what will keep them occupied and content? People must do something or they go crazy. What will they do all day? One answer might be drugs and computer games. Unnecessary people might spend increasing amounts of time within 3D virtual-reality worlds that would provide them with far more excitement and emotional engagement than the drab reality outside.

Whats wrong with that? Progress that raises excitement and emotional engagement to a pitch beyond drab reality is progress indeed. Yet such a development, Hariri continues, would deal a mortal blow to the liberal belief in the sacredness of human life and of human experiences.

Fukuzawa would surely agree. What, then, he asks in An Outline of a Theory of Civilization, does civilization mean? I say that it refers to the attainment of both material well-being and the elevation of the human spirit.

Hed shudder to see what progress has wrought.

Big in Japan is a weekly column that focuses on issues being discussed by domestic media organizations. Michael Hoffmans latest book is an essay collection titled Fuji, Sinai, Olympos.

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Getting to the bottom of what civilization means in Japan - The Japan Times

Lilly Singh is well aware of her unique place in late night. After kicking off her first episode with a rap dedicated to the fact that she is not, unlike every other network late-night host, a straight white man, Singh walks out onto her own stage and addresses it with her audience directly. I get itIm not your traditional talk show host, she says, grinning in a bright red suit. The medias mentioned that Im a bisexual woman of color so much that I feel like I should just change my name. At this point, the graphic above her shoulder shifts from A Little Late with Lilly Singh to A Little Late with Bisexual Woman of Color.

Its a fair shot. Singhs inauguration as the latest comedian to take a stab at hosting a network late night show has led to many emphasizing those biographical points about her over and over again, to the point where it was impossible to tell from the conversation what Singh is actually like as a performer. Thats obviously proven a little frustrating for her, but she also knows that being A Bisexual Woman of Color not to mention one whos only just about to turn 31 years old is a huge distinction and draw. Late night as its traditionally been done for decades has become less relevant as platforms like YouTube and new streaming services give comedians different ways to express themselves. (As Singh says to those watching who may not know her: Television is dying and the internet is thriving I guarantee your kids know who I am.) On top of its being historic, Singh coming into the most traditional of late night spaces, even at 1:30 a.m., reveals a new network tactic. So its fitting that Singhs first week of shows emphasized her singularity, both for who she is and what she does.

Singh is better known to her longtime fans as Superwoman, the name of her wildly popular YouTube channel where shes been uploading comedic skits, commentary, and collaborations for almost a decade. Shes brash, blunt, and completely herself a combination thats served well on YouTube, where grabbing peoples attention is half the battle. In hosting her own late-night show, though, Singh has to find a way to translate her online energy into TV gold, which, as other social media mavens like Grace Helbig and Busy Phillipps have learned the hard way, is trickier than it seems. Theres only so much someone can morph the talk show format, and for people who came up through platforms like YouTube or Instagram, not being able to edit themselves to create their own particular rhythms can be a huge disadvantage.

Singh seems to be taking that challenge in stride. A Little Late purposefully sidesteps politics (as she says in her opening rap: I aint talking bout Donald unless his last name is Glover), and in fact, barely touches anything super topical at all. Dodging the constantly changing news cycle is no doubt a practical fix to help the show shoot evergreen segments, but its also a smart move for someone whose initial success hinged on making sure people could find and laugh at videos posted minutes or months before. Singhs opening monologues operate more like abbreviated stand-up sets, tackling broad topics like marijuana legalization and not getting the sex talk from her parents. The rest of the half-hour episodes belong to extended celebrity interviews and videos that feel too much like saggy SNL sketches rather than Singhs own.

In fact, whats most interesting (and promising) about the first week of A Little Late is how much works because of Singhs in the moment stage presence. Shes an engaged interviewer capable of steering the conversation where it needs to go, even when the occasional games she tries to play with guests mostly end up more confusing than entertaining. There are definitely times when her age and advanced knowledge of what it means to Be Online clash with celebrities who are so used to late night softballs from smiling forty-something men (its no coincidence that her best interview of the week is the one with Tracee Ellis Ross, an extraordinarily game guest and bona fide Instagram savant in her own right). But even when the show isnt totally on point, Singhs ability to adapt and crack spontaneous jokes should get A Little Late on a steadier track before too long.

A Little Late with Lilly Singh airs Monday through Thursday at 1:30 am on NBC.

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TV Review: A Little Late with Lilly Singh - Variety

Euthanasia or assisted suicide are 'hasty paths,' and not an expression of a person's freedom, Pope Francis said

Pope Francis told a group of Italian doctors Friday they must resist the temptation to participate in assisted suicide or euthanasia, which trades the dignity of the patient for a false compassion.

It is important that the doctor does not lose sight of the singularity of each patient, with his dignity and fragility. A man or a woman to accompany with conscience, with intelligence and heart, especially in the most serious situations, the Pope said on September 20.

With this attitude, one can and must reject the temptation induced also by legislative changes to use medicine to support a possible desire for death by the patient, providing assistance to suicide or causing death directly with euthanasia.

Euthanasia or assisted suicide are hasty paths, and not an expression of a persons freedom, as they might seem, he continued, adding that to be asked to help cause the premature death of a patient is a discarding of the patient and false compassion.

Quoting the New Charter for Health Care Workers, published in 2017 by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, he said: There is no right to arbitrarily dispose of ones life, so that no doctor can be the executive guardian of a non-existent right.

The popes audience took place with around 350 members of the Italian National Federation of Orders of Surgical Doctors and Dentists.

The president of the organization, Filippo Anelli, gave a signed message to Pope Francis talking about the profound unease with which Italian doctors live their profession today, the result of a distortion of the values that sustain our society.

This is why the crisis that affects the profession today requires a special awareness and effort not only from doctors but also from all civil society in order to restore the right gradation of values, recognizing the citizens right to health and the doctors role as a professional who protects that right to the health of the citizen and his community, the message states.

Pope Francis said medicine, by definition, is service to human life, and as such it involves an essential and inalienable reference to the person in his spiritual and material integrity, in his individual and social dimension.

It is not just about the illness, he continued, adding that it is a person with a disease, not a disease with a person. It is with this integrally human vision that doctors are called to relate to the patient.

It is for the doctors to possess, together with the due technical and professional competence, a code of values and meanings with which to give meaning to the illness and to ones work and to make every single clinical case a human encounter.

Quoting St. John Paul IIs encyclical Evangelium vitae, Pope Francis said: the responsibility of health workers is today enormously increased and finds its deepest inspiration and its strongest support precisely in the intrinsic and unavoidable ethical dimension of the health profession, as the ancient and ever current Hippocratic oath, according to which every doctor is asked to commit himself to absolute respect for human life and its sacredness.

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Pope Francis to doctors: Assisted suicide is 'false compassion' - Catholic Herald Online

FUTURE

Protesting Climate Change, Young People Take to Streets in a Global StrikeSomini Sengupta | The New York TimesAnxious about their future on a hotter planet and angry at world leaders for failing to arrest the crisis, masses of young people poured into the streets on every continent on Friday for a day of global climate protests.

Googles Quantum Bet on the Future of AIand What It Means for HumanityKatrina Brooker | Fast CompanyThe rise of AI inside Google resembles a journey billions of us are on collectively, hurtling into a digital future that few of us fully understandand that we cant opt out of. One dominated in large part by Google. Few other companies (let alone governments) on the planet have the ability or ambition to advance computerized thought.

Biobots Made From Muscle Propelled by Neurons and LightNick Lavars | New AtlasThe biobots consist of a soft scaffold layered with skeletal muscle tissue and light-responsive motor neurons sourced from mouse stem cells. When exposed to light, the neurons fire and become actuators that kick the muscle tissue into gear and propel the robot forward.

You Can Soon Get Your DNA Sequenced AnonymouslyMegan Molteni | WiredEncrypting a whole genome is a much more computationally expensive process. Running computations on encrypted genomes even more so. But thats what Nebula is working on next. For the last year the company has been collaborating with researchers to build and test a secure computing environment, a publication about which is currently under review.

Artificial Intelligence Faces a Reproducibility CrisisGregory Barber | WiredGetting [neural networks] to perform well can be like an art, involving subtle tweaks that go unreported in publications. The networks also are growing larger and more complex, with huge data sets and massive computing arrays that make replicating and studying those models expensive, if not impossible for all but the best-funded labs.

Waymos Robotaxi Pilot Surpassed 6,200 Riders in Its First Month in CaliforniaKirsten Korosec | TechCrunchIts a noteworthy figure for an inaugural effort that pencils out to an average of 156 trips every day that month. And it demonstrates that Waymo has the resources, staff and vehicles to operate a self-driving vehicle pilot while continuing to test its technology in multiple citiesandramp up its Waymo One ride-hailing service in Arizona.

Image Credit:Matt Artz /Unsplash

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This Week's Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through September 21) - Singularity Hub

This K-Pop group earned their spot as one of the biggest boy bands in the music industry, raking in millions of streams on Spotify. But which is BTS most popular album? While some collections, like Map of the Soul: Persona, only include a handful of songs, others boast over 15 tracks for fans to stream. As a result, the most popular albums for this ranking is determined by the average number of streams per song off of their respective albums.

Of course, as any BTS fan will tell you, the number of streams earned by the group changes on a daily basis. Some songs, like Lights, raked in millions of streams almost overnight. As of Sept. 15, 2019, these are BTS most popular albums, according to the average number of plays per song on Spotify.

Average number of plays per song: 84,124,427

BTS released this large chunk of music during 2018. The album is broken up into two discs and features over 25 songs, some previously released by the boy band. Some songs on this album include solo hits by the members of BTS, like Jungkooks Euphoria and Vs Singularity.

Of course, hits of the group appear on this album, including The Truth Untold, Idol, Airplane pt. 2, and Im Fine. The most popular song off of this album is Fake Love, with over 260 million plays on Spotify.

Average number of plays per song: 84,619,632

As BTS most recently released album, Map of the Soul: Persona features many recent hits popularized by the boy band. That includes songs like Boy With Luv, featuring Halsey, which earned multiple nominations at this years MTV Video Music Awards. The most popular song on this album is Boy With Luv, which received over 270 million plays on the streaming platform. During a press conference, some of the members discussed the meaning behind songs like Home.

The moment we meet our ARMYs who know us and love us is like coming home and feeling all its warmth and comfort, J-Hope said, according to NME. The song talks about the home, which is where the fans are and where our hearts are, where we want to come back to when things are hard and we feel lonely. We get strength from the people who love us and wait for us, and we come back to them so that we can return their love with even greater love.

Average number of plays per song: 87,176,067

While each BTS album has iconic songs, this album definitely holds a few favorites of the BTS army. The group performed songs like Fake Love and Airplane pt. 2 on American talk shows like The Ellen Show. The most popular song off of Love Yourself: Tear is Fake Love, which currently has almost 270 million streams on Spotify.

Average number of plays per song: 92,619,861

Coming in at the number one spot is BTS album, Love Yourself: Her, the songs earning over 90 million plays on average. While this is not the groups oldest album, it is the oldest album on this list, originally released in 2017. The most popular song on this album is DNA, which currently has over 240 million plays on Spotify.

BTS albums, including their most recently released album Map of the Soul: Persona, are available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and most major music platforms.

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BTS' Most Popular Album, According to Streams on Spotify - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Queen of the Awoken and Kell of the House Of Wolves, Mara Sov is one of the more interesting and powerful characters in Destiny 2. Her ambitions are rarely clear and her plans are complicated, but you can bet that no matter what happens she will usually find a way to come out on top and with greater power.

Related: 10 Facts You Didn't Know About Cayde-6 In Destiny 2

This pirate queen is so deeply layered that its hard to know whether she is ultimately an ally or a foe to the player. With all this subtlety, statecraft, and mystery, its understandable that players missed a few facts about this interesting woman.

Click the button below to start this article in quick view

Mara Sov states in the game that she was born of Starlight and Darkness. This is in reference to when the Traveler (Starlight) and Darkness (obvious) clashed in the solar system. This conflict created a singularity that encompassed a generation ship known as Yang Liwei.

When this event occurred Mara Sov and the other Awoken were born. In reality they were once humans who through this singularity became tied to the very fabric of the universe, changing their physiology, psychology, and granting themincredible powers. It is unknown the full extent of Mara Sovs power or who she was when she was human.

One of the reasons for Mara Sovs success as a leader is that she quickly and decisively deals with every threat that presents itself to her. When the House Of Wolves were at her doorstep she immediately mustered arms and confronted them.

When the Silent Fang betrayed her and started civil war she had them brutally assassinated and when Oryx, The Taken King was gathering his forces and preparing to invade she took her fleet to Saturn and confronted him. No bureaucracy, no debate, just immediate and swift action.

Its this swift and decisive action that sparked the Reef Wars. As the other Houses of the Fallen were gathering to launch an assault on Earth, the House of Wolves were traveling through her domain. Letting them through would spare her people, but she could potentially be the next target after Earth fell and shed be facing the entire might of the Fallen.

Taking action she confronted the House of Wolves who demanded her to surrender or face destruction. Instead Mara Sov launched her forces, wiped out more than half of their forces and killed their leader. The survivors embedded themselves in the area and the Reef Wars began.

The Reef Wars is an example of Mara Sovs consistent efforts to protect The Last City and its inhabitants. The House Of Wolves had no clue the Awoken even existed when they were traveling through the Reef and she could have laid low and avoided the conflict.

Related:Destiny 2: 5 Weird Facts About The Hive

When Oryx invaded she could have stayed put and fought defensively letting him face Earth head on. Instead she took the fight to him on Saturn to give the Traveler and the Guardians enough time to muster their armies and join the fight.

Having said that, she doesnt necessarily wish to protect Earth. In the Dreaming City, she reveals that she regrets not taking the opportunity to obliterate the Traveler while it lay dormant. In her mind the Traveler seeks conflict, drawing foes like the Fallen, Oryx, and even the Darkness to the solar system in order to fight it.

She hesitated to attack it out of concern that it would bring the wrath of the humans to her doorstep and sees now that would have been a favorable fight compared to the horrors that occurred over the course of the games. While shes currently committed to safeguarding her allies to keep herself protected, its a tenuous relationship and the Traveler will always be a beacon for evil that threatens her and her people.

Interestingly even though she has avast spy network and numerous contacts throughout the solar system she had never met a Guardian until the player arrived at her court. Part of this may have been her policy of staying in the shadows and avoiding detection, but its surprising her Crows havent once brought one back for her inspection.

Related:10 Facts About The Guardians In Destiny 2 Fans Didnt Know

Even more incredulous is the fact that shes shocked when the player is revived by his Ghost, proving she had no previous knowledge of their resurrection ability. This shows that while the Queen is powerful, she is far from all knowing.

Another key to her powerful and effective leadership is her willingness and eagerness to make deals with those who prove powerful and capable. She almost always pursues the diplomatic path when confronting potential foes, seeking to strike deals or negotiate truces, but when shes turned down her claws come out.

In fact her entire relationship with the Guardian is predicated on mutual benefit. She provides the player with resources and assistance in exchange for favors. For instance after providing access to the Black Garden she had the Guardians help in overthrowing the House of Wolves rebellion.

In fact when people prove their loyalty or at the very least their usefulness she is quick and more than willing to shower them with rewards. After the Guardian helps her take down the Silent Fang she rewards them with loot and the knowledge that they are her allies.

This relationship would continue to grow as she defends the Traveler from Oryx, the Guardian assists her loyal followers following the aftermath of her apparent destruction, she rewards the player for quelling the rebellion, the Guardian assists her with the Curse Cycle plaguing the Dreaming City and she continues to reward the player.

One of Mara Sovs abilities is her fulfillment of Sword Logic, the belief that existence is the struggle to survive and any being powerful enough will continue to exist. This is proven when Oryx turns his Dreadnaughts superweapon on her ship, obliterating her body, but she doesn't die.

In spite of this setback Mara Sovs consciousness remained intact and went to the Ascendant Realm. This development supposedly played into her plans as she used her new form of existence to gather knowledge for her next steps after Oryxs death.

Which ultimately points to Mara Sovs greatest power, the ability to think and plan far, far into the future. Everyindividual she interacts with is a potential cog in her master plan. Every major development or setback is yet another cog that she can fit into the wheels and make it work for her.

Uldrens betrayel, the House of Wolves rebellion, even her own death led to her accumulating more power and control. Now as shes stuck in an infinite time loop shes taking the opportunity to meet with powerful beings like the Nine and one who despises Light to plan her next steps, whatever that may be.

Next: 10 Awesome Destiny 2 Cosplay That Look Just Like The Game

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10 Facts You Didnt Know About Mara Sov In Destiny 2 - GameRant

SEATTLE Sean Payton feared he was going to lose Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgewater was an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and the Miami Dolphins offered him a two-year, $10 million offer.

Payton was vacationing in the Bahamas at the same time as Bridgewater's agent, and the two had a 4-hour conversation.

"We wanted to keep him here," Payton said. "It was important."

Bridgewater, a Miami native, turned down the Dolphins' hometown bid, and signed a 1-year, $7.2 million deal on March 15.

Exactly six months later on Sept. 15, Saints starting quarterback Drew Brees went down in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams with a thumb injury. The significance of Brees' injury was not immediately known, but Bridgewater finished the game.

In relief of Brees, Bridgewater completed 17-of-30 passes for 165 yards for a quarterback rating of 72.2.

I thought he did great in a tough circumstance," Brees said of Bridgewater after the Rams game.

SEATTLE Three New Orleans Saints players have been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Seahawks as they recover from injuries.

But now that Brees is out indefinitely after having thumb surgery on Wednesday, it's Bridgewater's time come Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

And after a full week of practice, Payton feels Bridgewater and Taysom Hill, since the Saints aren't naming a starting quarterback is ready.

"Any time you miss a starter, there's that adjustment that takes place certainly at the quarterback position," Payton said. "But, those guys will be ready to go. We will be excited about playing."

Payton knew of Bridgewater's character traits far before the Louisville quarterback landed in Metairie, as Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer clued him in.

Payton believes Bridgewater is a "fantastic leader," adding that he sees the other players looking up to him.

"He's got some of those 'it' things that you look for, those traits that carry onto the field with his teammates," Payton said.

SEATTLE - Sheldon Rankins admits it's been tough standing on the sideline the past two weeks.

One of the things the Saints offensive players have been preaching is communication.

Saints starting right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who has played 37 total games with Brees in the pocket, said communication "is going to be the biggest" adjustment between Bridgewater and Brees for this week.

We're accustomed to Drew," Ramczyk said. "That is all I have known since I have been here. So Drews demeanor and everything he does in the huddle, out of the huddle, everything is very consistent. Its the same and I think Teddy does a good job of being on kind of the same level."

But it's been a while since Bridgewater started in a meaningful game.

New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Taysom Hill (7) and Teddy Bridgewater (5) before the New Orleans Saints host the Washington Redskins at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) ORG XMIT: MER1c16fdca44e9388b824d1360ae28c

Bridgewater started against the Carolina Panthers last season, but the Saints had already wrapped up the NFC South title by then. He also suited up in the preseason for the past two years, but he knows it's not the same.

"It is nothing like being out there during the games when it counts the most," Bridgewater said. "Not saying that the preseason doesn't count. Never take the game for granted, but just to be able to go out there and compete at the high level just brought back memories.

The last time Bridgewater started a game that meant something was during the 2015 postseason.

The Vikings squared off against the Seahawks in the NFC Wildcard round, falling 10-9 as he completed 17-of-25 passes for 146 yards.

When the Saints take the field in Seattle, they'll be decked out in white-on-white and with a track record of success.

But that year as a whole was successful for him, as he earned Pro Bowl honors and led Minnesota to its first NFC North title since 2000.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll remembers Bridgewater's output from that game.

"He just runs the game well," Carroll said. "He's in control, in command. You can count on him. Over time he's a winning quarterback and over time he's got more touchdowns than picks and he's a very reliable quarterback and player.

Bridgewater's been through plenty of adversity since then, as in the preseason ahead of the 2016 campaign, Bridgewater went down with a non-contact injury in practice. He tore his ACL, dislocated his knee joint and sustained other structural damage. His surgeon, who was given permission by Bridgewater to speak with the media, likened Bridgewater's injury to a "war wound."

But three years and two teams later, Bridgewater feels even better than he did pre-surgery.

I can honestly say that this is the best I've ever felt in my six years, Bridgewater said during training camp. And I feel great mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Bridgewater's keying in on many things ahead of his first quality start since before missing nearly two full seasons due to that injury, but one big thing is that he's not Drew Brees.

Living up to Brees' legacy is impossible, as he's a singularity when it comes to the franchise.

"When you think of the Saints, you think of Drew Brees first before anybody else in the history of the Saints," Armstead said.

The motto this week: Teddy Bridgewater is his own man. He's his own quarterback.

"There's only one Drew Brees and we know that," Bridgewater said. "He's the standard, but at the end of the day there's only one Drew Brees.

But there's another question to be asked.

Saints fans know who Drew Brees is, but have they seen the Teddy Bridgewater?

With Drew Brees likely out for six weeks, it's next man up for the New Orleans Saints. And that next man is Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgewater said, "I don't think so."

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With Drew Brees on mend, Teddy Bridgewater ready to step up as Saints QB - NOLA.com

Even if the world manages to keep to the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global mean temperatures to 2C above pre-industrial levels, climate change is coming. The best way to protect ourselves from its effects is to drastically cut our emissions by deploying renewables, electrification, and energy-efficiency measures. But well also need to adapt to the changes that are coming.

Doing so will save money, and it will save lives. Thats the message from a new report from the Global Commission on Adaptation, led by Ban Ki-Moon, Bill Gates, and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva. The report estimates that investing $1.8 trillion worldwide in five areas of climate adaptation during the next decadefor scale, this is what humans spend on efforts to kill each other every yearwill yield $7.1 trillion in benefits.

Beyond cold, hard economics, though, the number of lives that could be improved or saved by adaptation is immense. Over this century, sea level rise and storm surges could force millions from coastal homes; another hundred million people in the developing world could be pushed into poverty as crop yields stall; water security will be threatened for more than a billion people across the world; and extreme weather events will disproportionately impact the poorest and most vulnerable.

Here are the ways we can alleviate that impact.

Early warning systems for extreme weather events such as cyclones, droughts, floods, heat waves, and wildfires need to be improved.

A striking example of the effectiveness of these systems is found in Bangladesh. In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck the low-lying nation with devastating results: at least 300,000 were killed. Since then, Bangladesh has launched a Cyclone Preparedness Program, constructed thousands of shelters, and invested in an early warning system. When Cyclone Mora hit in 2017, the Bangladeshi authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people, resulting in a death toll of around 10.

While funding emergency services and having rapid response available for natural disasters is crucial, planning for disasters in advance is also important. Advances in climate and weather models allow for scenario planning; finance, information, and other resources can be directed to the communities that are most likely to be hit.

Infrastructure requires investment. In the US alone, trillions of dollars may need to be spent just in order to preserve existing infrastructure. In developing nations, vast building projects and rapid urbanization are constantly accelerating.

If we want to tackle the causes and effects of climate change, this needs to be done well. Building houses to high energy-efficiency standards can prevent billions of tons of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere. Similarly, building infrastructure that takes into account the likely effects of climate changewarmer temperatures and more extreme weather eventsreduces the probability of large-scale failures.

Bridges, coastal airports, and ports must be resilient to flooding and sea level rise. As the world electrifies, power lines and power plants, often forced to close by heatwaves, must be ready. When infrastructure fails, particularly after natural disasters, food or medical shortages can follow; much of the economic damage arises from these knock-on effects. The report estimates that $4 trillion in savings and benefits could arise from careful infrastructure planning. Yet only 5 out of the 35 OECD developed nations have changed their regulatory standards to account for these climate risks.

We have a choice: lock in infrastructure thats vulnerable to a changing climate and that contributes to the problem by wasting energy, or build and repair our infrastructure with climate in mind.

Climate change is already reducing crop yields in vulnerable regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Higher temperatures reduce water availability and allow pests and diseases to spread across new regions. Extreme weather events can destroy crops and prevent food from being distributed properly. All of this occurs against the backdrop of ever-increasing population and demand for foodas much as 50 percent by 2050.

The scientific innovations of the first Green Revolution headed off the most dire predictions about food availability in the 1950s and 60s, boosting agricultural productivity. Now investment needs to take place in new strains of climate-resistant crops. Diversifying strains and diets will help improve resilience to pests, diseases, and changing climatesand farms with more diverse sources of income are less likely to experience extreme poverty when climate shocks hit. Better agricultural technology and training needs to be shared with the small farmers in developing nations who live off the land.

Agriculture is at the forefront of climate vulnerability, and also plays its part in contributing to emissions, as rainforests are cleared for cattle and rice paddies emit methane. Its crucial that better land management, informed by scientific and technological developments, form part of the solution to climate change. Engagement and investment in this now will save lives.

In vulnerable regions, the length and severity of droughts are expected to grow under climate change. At the same time, flooding can jeopardize supplies of clean water. Competition for water between regions can fuel conflicts.

Rejuvenating the drainage basins that supply rivers and cities through restoration of wetlands and forests that are crucial to preventing runoff is important, as are planning for droughts and ensuring that reserves exist. But as with energy, so much can be achieved if we are smarter in the way we use our resources. Wastewater treatment and desalination can reclaim water thats not usable today. Authorities in large cities should allocate water for the most urgent uses, and repair leaky infrastructure to preserve the supply. Since 70 percent of freshwater is used in agriculture, improving irrigation techniques and using crop varieties that require less water can both help in this.

We might like to think that our technological prowess has made us masters of the natural world, and when you live in a large city, it can often feel like this is the case. But natural processes evolve on huge scales and often provide critical services to people.

Mangrove forests, which thrive in coastal regions, are an excellent example. They protect low-lying coastal communities from storm surges, acting as natural flood defenses. They lock in carbon dioxideup to ten times more than other terrestrial ecosystems. They provide natural habitats for many rare species. But 35 percent of the worlds mangroves have already been destroyed.Careful management of these and other vital ecosystems is necessary to help us adapt to climate change.

We have many of the tools we need to adapt to a changing climate. But whats worth emphasizing is that all of these adaptation tasks are worth completing anyway. Billions of lives could be improved by taking action that preserves natural ecosystems, enhances food and water security, protects us from natural disasters, and ensures resilient infrastructure for the coming decades.

In an increasingly interconnected world, these are everyones problems. There are few better ways to spend moneybut, as the report makes clear, investing now will save trillions in the future. What are we waiting for?

Image Credit: Roxanne Desgagns / Unsplash

Link:

5 Areas We Should Invest in Now to Survive Climate Change Later - Singularity Hub

An alternative to the Big Bang theory is the big bounce which hypothesises the universe expands until it can expand no more, before crashing back into one infinitesimally small point in a cycle which repeats for eternity. If the Big Bang is true, it would mean that time as we know it started at a single point 13.8 billion years ago. However, if the Big Bounce theory, which is a cyclic model meaning it is part of a broader cycle, is correct then it would mean that time did not have a beginning, but rather has the ability to flow in all directions and has been doing so for eternity.

As the Universe begins to shrink back into itself, some physicists believe time will also run backwards.

This twin Universe, as Louisiana State University physicist Parampreet Singh puts it, existed before the Big Bang where it was a mirror image of our own cosmos and everything ran in reverse.

Mr Singh said: In the universe before the bounce, all the general features will be the same. It will follow the same dynamical equations, the Einsteins equations when the universe is large.

Further, the matter content will be the same, and it will have the same evolution. Since the pre-bounce universe is contracting, it will look as if we were looking at ours backward in time.

In other words, when the Universe expands, time runs forwards, but when it contracts, time runs backwards.

The Universe expands due to dark energy a mysterious substance in the cosmos which effectively counters the effects of gravity.

However, as the cosmos grows, dark energy will become more sparse, which could theoretically allow gravity to win the battle.

At this point the Universe will begin to contract down to an infinitesimal point.

READ MORE:Big Bang theory wrong? Aliens created universe'

Its not clear how exactly to test either of these scenarios.

The Big Bounce theory was first popularised in 1987 when it appeared in German science journals, with physicists using it as a way to explain the problems with the Big Bang, such as where it came from or to remove the problematic singularity.

The only other time in the Universe where a singularity occurs and the laws of physics are thrown out of the window is at the event horizon of a black hole, which is also unexplainable by current scientific methods.

However, other experts believe the Big Bounce theory does not stack up, claiming there is little evidence to support his hypothesis.

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Big Bang Theory shock: Time had no beginning and eventually reverses towards Big Bounce - Express.co.uk

Immigration and the United States are not a new duo. According to the Migration Policy Institute, immigrants made up between 13 and 15 percent of the U.S. population from around 1860 to 1915.

Things changed in 1924 with the passing of the Immigration Act. This resulted in the percentage of immigrants to steadily decline with a nadir of around 5 percent. We saw change once again in 1965 with a new act that reversed that decline the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Immigration rates began to rise once again bringing us to the current day claim that this rise is now becoming historic. Technically we have not yet superseded the immigration population percentage of 1890. Americans are not living in unprecedented times in relation to immigrants.

This concept does not marry well with our national leaders stance on immigration. Blaring headlines calling for the building of a Mexico-U.S. border wall are only one facet of the presidents approach noted for harsh language and extreme policies triggering sentiments of crisis.

So what happens when an exhibition about displacement in the nations capital during this time is shown? Can it be anything other than an agenda for the furthering of a specific political position in relation to its topic? Absolutely. But, not easily.

Such an exhibition, The Warmth of Other Suns Stories of Global Displacement, is currently on view at the Phillips Collection and takes on the issue of displacement with a refreshingly wide lens.

While the co-curators of this exhibition Natalie Bell and Massimiliano Gioni of the New Museum were asked to curate an exhibition about displacement in conversation with the Phillips well known holding of American artist Jacob Lawrences "Migration Series," the exhibition was not to be a deep dive on one specific occurrence of U.S.-Mexico border tensions.

This exhibition was meant to be a panoramic representation of global sentiments towards forced movement.

The Warmth of Other Suns is one of the most ambitious exhibitions to date for the institution, showing the works of 75 artists from across the globe.

Merging the contemporary and the historical the exhibition reveals displacement in conceptual and literal ways, focusing on the journeys of reshaping cultural identities in foreign lands.

Yet, The Warmth of Other Suns did not go unscathed in its political ripple effects. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) rejected the ad campaign for the exhibition. In WMATAs opinion, the exhibition and its associated campaign intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions as well as the fact that it intended to influence public policy. That kind of campaign is prohibited by their rules.*

Perhaps WMATA was not far off. Titling his Washington Post review of the exhibition This D.C. exhibition should be seen by everyone concerned about the migrant crisis, Sebastian Smee dove headfirst into propping up his commentary along activist lines. Phillips Collection Director Dorothy Krosinski also said, We are proud to be at the forefront of dialogue around these important and timely issues in the U.S. Words like concerned, crisis, important, and timely synergize to feel fully political.

However, seeing an exhibition out of concern for a social fact, or being at the helm of a public conversation is not equivalent to being a champion for specific policies.

WMATAs choice reveals a one-dimensional understanding about what exactly art can do at any one time and place. An understanding that actively delegitimizes arts ability to deepen societal consciousnesses in relation to timely challenges

WMATAs perspective is founded in an important, and flawed, baseline assumption: The collective context in which an exhibition is held trumps the messages in an individual piece of art.

Powerful art accounts for nuance and variance. Powerful art is not didactic and straightforward. The manifestation of an entire exhibition immediately becomes more than a topical byline. It becomes an occasion for holistic learning that when done expertly naturally crosses any and all kinds of isles.

Both the context of the exhibition and the artworks in the exhibition exert equal agency in shaping a space for learning. The Warmth of Other Suns is a perfect example.

Decision-making based on a sloppy conflation of the individual art object and the context in which it is seen will rob society of experiences for empathy building.

For example, take the video installation piece Don't Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River (Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco-Spain) by Francis Als. To view the work, one must walk underneath a wooden structure with bluish-green lighting that houses two large screens, placed across from one other.

Playing on the two screens is a film showing a line of children holding boats made of shoes and other recycled materials. The children of varying skin tones are walking, single file, into the Strait of Gibraltar. Things seem odd, but fun and innocuous nonetheless. Perhaps a group of schoolchildren are testing out a project they made in school. The water is shallow and the children are all tall enough to safely enjoy themselves.

The film begins at a birds eye view to appreciate the singularity of the entire line of children amongst the limitless teal undulations of the sea. The sleek minimalist composition is gorgeous. As the children continue to walk into the sea, the film switches to eye level. The water soon becomes the dominating force. We can hear the chattering of the children as they continue onwards. The water is rising beyond hip-height and the splashes of the water hit the camera lens. The scene goes in and out of clarity and at this point we can no longer see entire bodies but instead bits and pieces, only as the water allows.

The screens are not synchronized and it becomes chaotic to try and keep up with the images on both. As a viewer, we have to choose where to give our attention. The camera then moves underwater. Silence.

The voices and splashing are gone. Its an eerie sense of peace because while the lack of sound is relaxing and the color of the clear water hypnotic, we know we are underwater where we cant breath. Is this a calming respite, or the end? The camera then reemerges and the chaos returns. We dont know where the children are, or if they are in fact still in a line. Some boats have lost their owners. The film continues on like this rising and falling, loud and soft, left and right.

Through an expert manipulation of time, sound, size, and composition Alys brings us from a place of controllable peace to a place of chaotic helplessness. Through the innocence of a line of children at sea, Alys showcases this sea as a double-faced entity. Tapping into the universal sentiment of beachside relaxation he upends that calm with a surrealist scenes that disintegrates into confusion and loss.

He leaves us to sit in our discomfort, forcing us to embrace it as our new normal. We of course can walk away from this when we want. Perhaps the thought that not everyone can crosses our mind.

Now, these observations are not made to insinuate that critiques of artworks regarding a global crisis fall simply according to creativity points. Many could argue that we should not care so much about the creativity of the piece if it brings awareness to large audiences about a social issue plaguing our time.

It is this nature, as shaped by artistic quality evident in so many of the works shown in The Warmth of other Suns, which will ultimately determine the making of a measurable impact.

JulianaBiondois the assistant curator of the World Bank Group Art Program. With an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a BA from Yale. She also lead the development of the Vatican Museums first ever app to combine instant chat technology with art historical learning. She has researched cultural diplomacy for the U.S. Department of State ART in Embassies, and consulted on communications strategies for theInternational Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).

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Powerful art accounts for nuance and variance | TheHill - The Hill

5G in the UAE Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai. The upcoming 39th Gitex Technology Week and 4th Gitex Future Stars will feature the regions largest 5G tech applications, new lifestyle tech and future mobility developments, as well as offer a glimpse into the ways that artificial intelligence and Gen Z will shape the future

Held under the theme, Synergising the Mind and Technology Economy, the event will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 6 to10, and is set to host over 100,000 visitors from across the technology industry.

World-leading AI expert and Gitex keynote speaker, Dr. Ben Goertzel, Chairman and Chief Scientist of Singularity Studio, and CEO and Founder of SingularityNET Foundation, will reveal how AI will merge with blockchain to create deep value for businesses and society, increase human life expectancy and support medical research.

Gitexs new Lifestyle Tech segment will feature sneak peeks at products from the worlds largest tech companies that have yet to launch in the UAE.

Gitex will also host 5Gs most global and prominent names, including China Mobile, Cisco, du, Etisalat, Nokia and STC. A star-studded 5G Countdown conference agenda will feature Osman Sultan, CEO, du; Fadi Pharaon, Senior Vice-President and Head of Market Area, Middle East and Africa, Ericsson; and Dr. Mohamed Madkour, VP, Global Wireless Networks Marketing and Solutions, Huawei.

Gitex 2019 is about showing tomorrow, today. The UAE is among the first countries in the world to launch 5G. This year at Gitex, we will launch our 5G services, Sultan said.

Gitex will also host a panel discussion to review how 5G and IoT will be at the core of powering intelligent industry and manufacturing, featuring Dritan Kaleshi, Head of Technology (5G), Digital Catapult; Jan Rabe, CEO, Consulting, Siemens; and Mario Meir-Huber, Head of Big Data, Analytics and AI CoE, A1 Telekom Austria.

Amy Golding, Opus Talent Solutions CEO, who has also been hailed as the youngest female CEO of a US$100 million company in the UK, will discuss her experience on how to bridge the digital skills gap.

Gitex Future Stars will spotlight the transformative impact of Generation Z with the introduction of its Next Generation, NXG, Stage.

Featuring some of the most influential and successful members of Gen Z in the world, including Akshay Ruparella, the 19-year-old founder and MD of Doorsteps.co.uk, and Benjamin Stern, the creator of a waste-free shampoo tablet in his teens, securing investment on hit US TV show Shark Tank.

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Gitex Technology Week to focus on 5G and AI - Gulf News