Category Archives: Futurist

With the latest upgrade on its database, you can use Toncoin as a payment method on 1xBit. Toncoin, one of the few established cryptocurrencies, has proven itself a remarkable asset a blockchain platform from Telegram founders who initiated the Telegram Open Network (TON) founded in 2018. Today, the network has moved from Telegram to the birth of the new TON, which stands for The Open Network with Toncoin as the native cryptocurrency.

These latest developments prove that the crypto betting site is determined to offer a more inclusive platform for every bettor.

Scalability has always been a hot topic in the cryptocurrency realm. Bitcoin may have been a revolutionary project, but once the possibilities that the world could achieve with crypto were seen, and how Bitcoin appears primitive in this regard, there was a clarion call for the development of other projects that could solve this underlying problem of scalability.

Although Ethereum and Solana appear to have answered the eternal question, they still lack some functionalities. Thus, Toncoin stands out and remains the best positioned to solve the problem.

1xBit added Toncoin as a payment method because the platform envisages the role that its blockchain ecosystem, TON, will play in the future. Even an analysis from Coinmarketcap reveals that TON has all the potential it needs to create the futuristic Web 3.0 an upcoming generation of the internet where software applications will process information in a smart human-like way.

Fast Transaction: Toncoin transactions are like no other, a revolutionary project that allows millions of transactions per second with no queue or lag.

User-Friendly: The Open Network explores a smoother way of making transactions more convenient for users. For instance, with TON DNS (Domain Name Service), you will be able to send and receive Toncoin with human-readable names rather than random strings.

Decentralized: As many crypto projects are becoming more centralized in the hands of a few individuals, TON returns the power of voting to the users to become a self-governing financial ecosystem.

Current statistics show that Toncoin has amassed an enormous following and currently trades at over 1.2 USD with a market capitalization of more than 1.5 million USD. The cryptocurrency is also accessible in major crypto exchanges like OKX, FTX, etc.

Toncoin is something crypto enthusiasts should check out on 1xBit as it has been gaining popularity for a while now.

1xBit is a cryptocurrency gambling site with over 40 crypto assets, including Toncoin, available as a method of deposit or cash out. The online sports book is all for the fun of the game; there are options for betting, Esports, live casino and slots.

The user experience on 1xBit is superb, from the registration process, which requires only an email, to the cashout process, where the waiting time is insignificant as you can get your earnings within an instant.

You also get to enjoy a welcome bonus of up to 7 BTC for your first four deposits on the gambling site. Apart from the welcome bonuses, every member on 1xBit gets to experience what it is like to transact with zero fees and access to monthly tournaments.

Your privacy is best secured with crypto betting sites, especially 1xBit, a unique crypto online sports book that ensures total anonymity for every transaction and action taken on the website.

Be the first to try the new token on 1xBit, do not miss the opportunity to try Toncoin and become part of this futuristic community.

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Discover Futuristic Opportunities of Toncoin on 1xBit - Coinpedia Fintech News

The first time Cesar Cappa stepped foot on the farm, he thought he was on another planet.

He grew up on a small family farm in Argentina. But this facility, located just outside of Guelph, Ont., was unlike anything he had ever seen.

I thought I was on Mars. Its incredible, he says. You dont realize the magnitude of something like this, a project like this, until you see it with your own eyes.

Towers of large metal trays, full of leafy greens, are stacked on top of each other in a large warehouse bathed in a bright fuchsia light. Theres an earthy scent in the air and the room is ever so slightly humid.

Indeed, if humans were to inhabit the moon or Mars someday, GoodLeaf Farms facility is a blueprint of how produce could be grown. The 45,000-square-foot facility is the largest vertical farm in Canada. GoodLeaf grows baby lettuce, spinach, arugula and an assortment of microgreens using the latest agricultural technology.

If greenhouses are the suburbs of farming, then vertical farms are the condos. By stacking layers of crops, growers can produce a great deal of food even where real estate is scarce and the weather isnt agreeable. LED lights replace the sun and the plants receive nutrients through recycled water rather than soil.

Every aspect of this environment is controlled and optimized for growth, from the hue of the lights to the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. The result is astounding: higher crop yields that require less space and 95 per cent less water than a traditional farm. And theres no need for pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.

Cappa is the head grower at GoodLeaf Farms. He studies how the crops interact with their manufactured environment in order to make the system more efficient. While giving me a tour of the facility, Cappa says its technically possible to grow a variety of produce in these conditions. But so far, leafy greens are what the company has perfected and whats profitable. This single facility provides roughly 70,000 pounds of leafy greens to grocery stores across southern Ontario each month.

I really think were making a difference in terms of food security for Canada, Cappa says. This is pretty much the only way to grow produce year-round.

Canada currently imports most of its leafy greens from California. But labour shortages and an unprecedented drought have led to supply chain disruptions over the last two years, exposing how precarious it is to rely exclusively on produce from abroad.

By the time we get lettuce in Vancouver, its already travelled for eight days and its shelf life is really only about 10 days, says Lenore Newman, the director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley.

So when it comes into the distributor, they usually throw away a third to 40 per cent of what they bought. And when you take whats left home, youve only got a couple of days to make a salad, max.

More than $18 billion of food is wasted each year in Canada at this stage of the food cycle. That food ends up in landfill, where it releases tonnes of methane gas a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful at trapping heat in our atmosphere than carbon dioxide as it decomposes.

So you take a look at all of those elements and you say, is there an alternative? Is there a better way? says Barry Murchie, the CEO of GoodLeaf Farms. This is an example of how technology and agriculture have merged to create an alternative that is really better in every element.

Vertical farms have become a solution to many of the issues plaguing traditional outdoor farming. They are impervious to the effects of climate change, occupy less land, use fewer resources, grow produce faster, and cut out long-haul transportation and fertilization emissions. These farms are also scalable, meaning they can be as big or small as the community they serve.

Commercial vertical farms have started popping up near many of Canadas major cities. In Quebec, producers are growing strawberries and mushrooms indoors. In B.C., urban vertical farms have focused on herbs and microgreens. GoodLeaf is expanding, too two new facilities are underway in Montreal and Calgary.

With all of the benefits attached to vertical farming and really no downside, its only going to continue to get bigger and expand, says Murchie. His goal is to build a national network of vertical farms across Canada.

This technology is also being used in rural and remote areas where fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive or unavailable.

In 2016, Opaskwayak Cree First Nation in northern Manitoba began operations at their vertical farm. The facility, which was made possible through partnerships with the federal government and the University of Manitoba, provides fresh vegetables to its 6,420 members, year-round.

With all these benefits, you might wonder why we dont just grow everything this way. There is a catch: these farms require a lot of electricity. How sustainable these farms are depends, in part, on where that power comes from.

GoodLeaf sources its energy through the Ontario power grid, which uses a mix of natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectricity, wind and solar. The company estimates its carbon footprint is half that of a traditional farm. Its Guelph facility, though, does use peat as its substrate, which is a natural carbon sponge many people want left in the ground. It is composted and upcycled into landscaping material after use.

As LED technology improves and brings down energy costs, Newman says she anticipates more farmers moving their crops indoors, especially as they contend with the more severe weather to come.

During the heat dome (in 2021), it was 39 degrees on my front porch in Vancouver and I was getting reports of fruit actually cooking on the vine, Newman says. We had massive crop loss due to that and then, we had flooding. Were really seeing people say, well, what can we do?

With the worlds population expected to climb to 10 billion by 2050, we will need to produce more food while confronting climate change. The United Nations estimates that food production will need to increase by 70 per cent to meet increasing food demand.

Nearly 40 per cent of the earths land surface is already used for agriculture. Of that, about one-third is cropland, while the remaining two-thirds is used for grazing livestock.

The animal protein sector is one of the urgent issues facing humanity, says Newman. We know demand for protein is rising rapidly. We cant scale animal agriculture to make it any bigger.

The greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the cultivation of animals for food, as well as livestock feed, are twice that of plant-based food production, according to a 2021 study. Beef and cow milk production are the worst culprits, contributing 25 per cent and 10 per cent of emissions, respectively.

As the granddaughter of proud dairy farmers, even this writer found that statistic a hard pill to swallow.

I grew up drinking a glass of milk at breakfast and dinner something my mother still enjoys. I revere my grandparents for their hard work; my grandfather and grandmother would go up to the barn at 5:00 each morning to milk the cows, returning after 8:00 most evenings.

Farming is in my blood, but its difficult to square this part of my identity with my environmental bent and affinity for animals. Many people experience a similar quandary; almost half of Canadians are concerned about the environmental impacts of animal consumption, according to a recent survey, but the vast majority of Canadians continue to eat meat. (In recent years, though, there has been more of a general effort to reduce meat consumption.)

Theres a name for this cognitive dissonance: the meat paradox. Author Rob Percival, who wrote a book by the same name, says our societys relationship with the animals we consume is fundamentally broken.

The split between what we say we believe and the values we hold and what we do is becoming increasingly apparent, Percival says. Were very detached from what goes on and wrapped up in all these psychological strategies of evasion and denial.

This tension is becoming more pronounced, he argues, due to the worsening climate crisis and the growing availability of plant-based alternatives that make a vegetarian or vegan diet more attainable.

But for those who simply dont want to give up meat, scientists are working hard on an ethical and sustainable alternative. In highly secretive labs across the Bay Area in the U.S., various biotech companies are growing poultry, beef, seafood and dairy products from cells.

One such company is Wildtype, a cell-based seafood company producing a very convincing replacement for wild Pacific salmon.

In its San Francisco-based facility, microscopic salmon cells harvested from a fish are grown into a perfectly rectangular sushi-grade filet ready for consumption. Wildtype co-founder Arye Elfenbein first worked with stem cells as a cardiologist. Then on a visit to Australia, where he grew up, he watched as cattle grazed where a lush rainforest once was and got to thinking: Do we need animals to have meat? Could we just create what we consume just outside of the animal?

The question propelled him and his business partner, Justin Kolbeck, into the emerging field of cellular agriculture. The pair decided to focus on salmon because it is the most consumed finfish in the U.S., and Elfenbein says, it was also a way for them to give back to their hometown fish.

Wild salmon stocks along the West Coast have been struggling for decades due to overfishing and the destruction of natural habitats. Elfenbein hopes that Wildtype salmon will take some pressure off wild fisheries and help them replenish.

There are other benefits too. Wildtype salmon is free of mercury, microplastics and other contaminants commonly found in seafood and it takes only four to six weeks to grow a filet. In comparison, farmed salmon takes about three years to go from egg to harvest.

There have just been more and more of these realizations that our current method of production is not just unsustainable, but also deleterious for our environment and also for our own personal health, says Elfenbein.

The biggest hurdle for Wildtype and other cellular agriculture companies now is scaling up production to a commercial level. For that, cells need to be grown in bioreactors large brewery-style tanks where they can multiply at high densities and volumes. In order to mimic the shape of a filet you might find at a fish market, Wildtype uses a rectangular scaffold that the cells grow into.

Its a complex and costly process, but Wildtype is forging ahead, building a larger production facility as it awaits regulatory approval, which could come as soon as this year in the U.S.

Weve made an enormous amount of progress in terms of coming down that cost curve, says Elfenbein. Our mission is one of greater accessibility. Thats not one that we can reach if we are just selling expensive salmon.

When Wildtype was in the prototype stage, a small serving of sushi-grade salmon cost thousands of dollars to produce, but today, the company says it only costs US$25 to make two pieces of salmon nigiri.

Lab-grown protein, or cultured meat, is still a very new technology. It was just in 2013 that the world was first introduced to the first lab-grown burger to much fanfare. It cost US$330,000 to make and was eaten in a matter of minutes.

In the nine years since, the industry has made leaps and bounds forward, but it is still missing what David Kaplan calls a strong scientific foundation.

Kaplan is a professor at Tufts University and one of the leading researchers into cellular agriculture. At his lab in Boston, he is working to answer the many questions regulators have, including: What is the best nutrient-rich medium to feed the cells? How nutritious is cultured meat compared with traditional meat? How do you produce these products at scale in a cost-effective and sustainable way?

These unanswered questions havent scared off investors, though. Cultured meat and seafood companies secured US$1.4 billion in investments in 2021 the most capital raised in any single year in the industrys history, according to The Good Food Institute, a non-profit that supports and studies alternative protein creation.

There are now dozens of cellular agriculture companies worldwide producing animal products without the animals.

Any new technology takes roughly 20 years to become acceptable. So were embryonic, Kaplan says. However, that does not mean the field cant move fast and become more real in the next few years. It takes a lot of effort by a lot of folks and youre seeing that.

Singapore became the first country in the world to approve the sale of cultured meat at the end of 2020. San Francisco-based Eat Justs lab-grown chicken nuggets are now being sold in restaurants across the region.

In the U.S., you can already buy milk and other dairy products such as ice cream and cream cheese that were made without any cows. Using precision fermentation, a process similar to brewing beer, Perfect Day creates whey protein that is molecularly identical to cow whey protein. It has the taste and texture of traditional dairy, but is naturally free of lactose, hormones and antibiotics and carries a significantly reduced environmental footprint.

We are focused on offering a sustainable alternative to factory farming, says Ravi Jhala, the head of global commercial operations at Perfect Day.

Jhala envisions a world where cow-less whey products replace the supply of dairy milk provided by these large industrial farms, while allowing small family farms to thrive.

These technologies work in tandem with that high-end (product), says Newman. Seventy per cent of dairy in the U.S. goes into powdered milk thats used in food products. We can replace that without even noticing and we can actually make food slightly cheaper, better for us, and we can eliminate a giant chunk of industrial dairy.

Startups in Canada are developing these innovative products too. Toronto-based Cell Ag Tech is working on a cultured snapper. Montreal-based Opalia is creating a cell-based milk. And Edmonton-based Future Fields is selling the liquid medium used to grow the cells.

With the exception of a few skeptics, onlookers in the agri-food sector are optimistic that cellular agriculture is the meat of the future. Studies have already shown that climate-conscious younger people will be resoundingly open to eating cultured protein. And with the price of meat anticipated to continue to rise, lab-grown meat may someday become the cheaper option. Thats when things will get interesting, Newman says.

One hundred and fifty years ago, we ate a lot of wild game. Back then, I might have gone out to get a pigeon pie. What we eat changes, she says.

I quite confidently predict that in 100 years therell be very little animal agriculture on earth. Well look back at industrial slaughter and well say, Wow, its amazing we did that. And the labour conditions were horrible, the animal conditions were terrible. And, wow, we have a way better product.

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Food supply chains are in crisis. Could these futuristic farms fix that? - Global News

OHTNYC, the rising jewelry label loved by K-pop stars, has released a new collection titled Within The Unknown.

Inspired by the desire for fantasies and dreams, the range is captured in a series of futuristic sci-fi visuals. Cyber avatars wear pieces from the latest drop, which includes lockets holding crystals, daggers and talons, as well as the labels first-ever Alchemists Necklace and Earrings, Siren Crystal Locket Necklace and Hair Pin. In true OHT style, each accessory serves as a statement piece to any outfit with bold chains and pendants.

For those unfamiliar with the brand, OHTNYC is an up-and-coming name helmed by Jinsol Woo. Those who follow K-pop will have seen the labels designs on stars such as aespas KARINA and WINTER, IVEs Wonyoung, (G)I-DLEs Minnie and Yuqi, Sunmi and more.

Peep the Within The Unknown collection above. You can head over to OHTNYCs website to get your hands on the accessories, priced from $58 to $116 USD.

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OHTNYC "Within The Unknown" Jewelry Collection - HYPEBAE

Climate change. Social inequity. Global pandemics. These subjects are just as relevant to the present as they are to past and future, and for Museum of Discovery (MOD.) Director Kristin Alford, museums should offer free-ranging dialogue on all of it.

Theres a fascinating discussion to be had here about theories of time, Alford told ArtsHub from her base at the University of South Australias MOD. ahead of her keynote address at the 2022 Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) conference HEAR.US.NOW.

If you look at neuroscience, the part of our brain thats responsible for imagining the future is the same part that holds memory, she continued.

So, I think theres something important there in terms of how we imagine and interpret stories of the past, present and future its important to acknowledge those similarities, she said.

Alford admitted that as a museum director and futurist she is highly attuned to whats coming next, but she also sees how closely her forecasting aligns with historians journeys through the past.

Futurists always talk about there being multiple futures, and that the future is uncharted and uncertain, Alford explained. But when you speak to historians, they talk very similarly about the past.

Historians talk about how there being many interpretations of the past, and how the past is up for imagining and reimagining.

So, thinking broadly about how people engage with museums, they are coming into spaces where they are expecting to hear stories of place and of people and sense-making out of that, and that applies just as much to the past as it does to present and future, she said.

A lot of Alfords work champions futures literacy a term coined by UNESCO as part of their advocacy for museums and learning worldwide.

UNESCO describes futures literacy as the ability to better understand the role of the future in what we see and do and our capacity to empower our imaginations to prepare, recover and invent in response to changes brought on in the 21st century.

Alford said that in her work at MOD. and as a consultant to other museums, she routinely applies these big-picture ideas to local contexts.

When I think of futures literacy its about the need for our communities to be thinking about the future, and to ensure they have the capabilities to imagine some alternatives futures, and then put some of that imagination [about what the future will look like] into action, she said.

Read: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallerys new Director is a scientist who loves art

At MOD. Alfords focus is on helping young people, especially those considering tertiary study and careers in STEM, to navigate the future.

We want to present plausible representations of what the future might entail, so we can help them work through some of those uncertainties, she said.

In terms of what other museums can do to filter futures literacy into more of their existing programs, Alford advised that it could be as simple as using their collections to tell stories that can be extended into the future.

Or, they might think about what future questions might be prompted by the collection their featuring, she said.

Alford sees museums as facilitators of curiosity as much as they are experts in their fields, and said this formidable reputation is not something thats likely to be threatened by any new curatorial directions.

Letting people in to discussions around future possibilities, and the ethics around those possibilities is something museums are well placed to do as high trust institutions, Alford said.

Yes, there needs to be that body of expertise and evidence that is held by the institution, she continued. But there are also ways for the museum to invite other ways of knowing into the discussion of a topic.

Alford said this open-mindedness to other knowledge systems is something often seen in the actions of highly capable leaders.

Good leaders will have a good body of expertise and they will know what they are talking about, but theyll also open opportunities for other people to share their lived experiences and share other perspectives, and theyll allow paths of mutual discovery to open, to find out things we dont know, she remarked.

So, good leadership is about being prepared to reconsider and reframe and re-tell. And thats absolutely attributable to the changing nature of the expertise of museums in their being less fixed and authoritative, and being more about capable leadership.

Kristin Alfords keynote address at the 2022 AMaGA conference takes place on Tuesday 14 June, Perth. Browse the conference program.

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What every museum reveals about past, present and future - ArtsHub

For millions of people, coffee is an essential part of the day. Whether youre into instant coffee or have a barista-style machine in your house, your coffee is only really as good as the tools you use to make it. If youre looking to level up your coffee game, or just want to change up your routine, these accessories can jump start your morning jolt.

Key Selling Point: This medium-roast, fair-trade blend is certified to be USDA Organic.

You cant get a good cup of coffee without, well, good coffee. This blend from Bean & Bean which was started by a mother-daughter duo uses beans from Latin America, Africa, and Asia to deliver a flavor rich with roasted nuts, cedar, and herbs. We also like that the packaging is compostable and recyclable.

Key Selling Point: This small kettle is attractive, lightweight, and award-winning.

This electric kettle from BALMUDA makes two to three cups of coffee and weighs around two pounds. Its spout allows you to easily control the pour, and it takes up little real estate in the kitchen. It's available in black and white models.

Key Selling Point: These reusable pods help you cut down on waste. Its well-documented that single-use coffee pods are terrible for the environment. I definitely sympathize with pod-lovers its just so much easier to pop one in a machine, press a button, and get your favorite cup in seconds. These reusable pods give you the best of both worlds add your favorite blend to them and simply clean them after every use for guilt-free podding.

Key Selling Point: Sweeten your tea or coffee in a healthier way with honey instead of sugar.

Tea lovers, this ones for you. Honey is a great alternative to sugar, and its usually the healthier option. The Coffee Blossom Honey from Dona is sourced from a Guatemalan farm, using honey from the bees that pollinate the farms coffee trees.

Key Selling Point: No need to brew a cup just grab the can in the morning and head out the door.

Taika uses Guittard cocoa and macadamia milk to deliver a rich, creamy mocha latte. We like that this pre-made beverage saves you time in the morning you can either pour it into a mug or drink it straight. Its low-calorie but high in caffeine. Taika also offers a matcha latte, black coffee, oat milk latte, and macadamia latte.

If youre keen on caffeine, theres no need to opt for flat instant coffee. If you want a great mug first thing in the morning or just want to broaden your horizons, look into a great blend or tasty additives to keep yourself from hitting snooze.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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Brew a Better Cup With These Coffee Accessories - Futurism

Sixty percent of Americans are worried that automation is putting jobs at risk, and 39% think their own job will be obsolete within five years, according to PwCs Hopes and Fears survey. New positions that may not exist today, however, will replace some of the jobs that will be lost to AI. But, if your job is at risk, its a good idea to have plan B in place now so you can seamlessly transition and stay relevant.

The only thing we can predict is the unpredictable, says Scott Steinberg, author of Think Like a Futurist 2022: The Next Normal. Things tend to move fast and change from week to week at this point, and there will be many next normals. Even when many events are outside your ability to control, you can always steer things toward a more positive outcome.

The first thing is to gain situational awareness. It should raise major red flags if your job is easily reduced to a description on paper that anyone could do, or consists of routine tasks that can be done by technology. If this is the case, future-proof yourself the following strategies.

Not every job is at risk, and companies are always going to need proactive problem solvers, dynamic thinkers, and creative innovators, says Steinberg.

There are certain things you can count on a computer to do, but those things are largely routine, boring, and predictable, he says. Its when variables pop up that the human elements come into play and excel. If you want to future-proof yourself, you really have to think about how you add something essential and irreplaceable to the mix.

Steinberg says you need to stand out in a very visible way at work, and people need to understand the value that you bring to the table. Your value could be in a broader sense than your job description.

Maybe youre the one that everybody in the office looks to for inspiration, creativity, and new ideas, he says. Or when a problem comes up, maybe youre the one who is willing to step up and take charge to do something. Its about finding opportunities to showcase your talents in a way thats not smacking people in the face but that helps support and uplift your team.

Consider yourself to always be a work in progress, thinking about what skills will be in demand tomorrow. Grab what Steinberg calls elastic skills that can translate to a variety of different contexts and industries. For example, if your job in communications uses research, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, they could translate into becoming a business analyst.

Individuals who excel may have extensive learning in one area, but they have a broad range of interests and experiences that they can draw on in a variety of different arenas, says Steinberg. Theyre pushing themselves to constantly be acquiring new skills, new contacts, new connections, and new experiences.

One way you learn what organizations will need is by looking at job postings. You can also learn in-demand skills by looking at startup activity, academic research, and topics that are trending at conferences and events. Take classes to expand your skillsor even grab a pizza with someone in a different team.

If youre in marketing, ask yourself, How can I connect with someone in the software development team to find out what problems customers are reporting?' Steinberg says. Its about getting as much information as possible and then thinking about how you can mix and match and combine those talents to MacGyver your way forward.

To gain elastic skills, Steinberg suggests actively seeking out volunteer opportunities or chances to work at emerging startups where you can pick up knowledge of new technologies, trends, or business models that you can use in different other arenas.

The most successful individuals arent trying to climb the corporate ladder or ride a corporate escalator to the top. That escalator is broken, and the rungs of the corporate ladder are starting to look rickety, says Steinberg.

Instead, be open to taking a sidestep into a position of equal rank or pay in an organization that offers more opportunities for learning and growth. You may even need to take a step back, going down in pay or rank to get into new opportunities.What happens when you take a sidestep or a back step is it oftentimes creates a slingshot effect that can propel you much further over the long run, says Steinberg.

Future-proofing your job means always thinking two or three steps ahead. The funny thing about the future is it oftentimes seems like its coming on fast, he says. But it seems to come on fast only because weve been ignoring it for a long time. The problem is people are hardwired to like comfortable, familiar approaches and routines. But routines very quickly become ruts. We either can ride the waves of change or be dragged along kicking and screaming. Personally, I advocate that people break out the long boards and swim trunks.

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How to future-proof your job by thinking like a futurist - Fast Company

RALEIGH The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is hosting a womens leadership conference on Tuesday, featuring keynote speaker Rebecca Ryan. And shes coming to the capital city ready to talk the future and womens roles in it.

Ryan is one of a few hundred people in the world who holds the APF designation, a designation from the Association of Professional Futurists. In an exclusive interview with WRAL TechWire, Ryan shared that her talk will discuss why the future is women.

As a futurist, Ive got some long-range perspective, said Ryan. Im going to really wear my futurist hat, and I want to talk about the signals of the future that Im seeing and why the long bet is on women in the future, said Ryan.

Its exciting time for women to lead in Triangle, says Greater Raleigh Chambers female CEO

Ryan also said that the talk will be designed for both men and women leaders because gender diversity affects all companies.

Basically, everyone gets a pay increase when there are more women, said Ryan. And so, if you had to have a canary in the coal mine, this is one to watch and one to take care of and nurture. Because as go your women in the workplace, so will go your workplace.

As a futurist, Ryan helps companies and organizations apply long-range thinking to challenges and opportunities.

We are living between two worlds: the familiar pre-COVID world and the unfamiliar, still-emerging post-COVID world, wrote Ryan in a recent blog post. This can be unsettling for folks who prefer stability. Which is all of us.

Ryan is the author ofThe Next Big Things: The Future of Local Government(2015) andReGENERATION: AManifesto for Americas Future Leaders(2013).

Ryan has been named on Accounting Todays Top 100 Most Influential People list and she earned the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the US Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Adrienne Cole, CEO and President of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, called Ryan personally to ask if she would speak at the conference. And when she was like, Adrianne, I would love it. I mean, I literally squealed, said Cole. And I dont squeal often.

Cole stressed that gender diversity is something leaders should consider in parallel with their business goals.

You still want to get the work done. You still want a commitment to excellence. Youve still got goals and metrics to meet, and you want to be successful, said Cole. I think what leaders have discovered is that its not an either-or proposition. You can provide a workplace that is supportive of gender diversityand diversity more broadlyand that actually leads to more successful outcomes for your company.

Cole also spoke about whats needed in our region. She called out two specific issues: pay equity and a culture of flexibility.

We have to continue to stay focused on pay equity, said Cole. We have to pay women the same as men for the same jobs with the same qualifications.

Cole referenced Wake Invests in Women, a collaboration between Wake County, Wake Tech, and business partners, as one local organization dedicated to addressing the gender income gap.

Flexibility matters. Creating that culture of flexibility, of trust, of transparency, said Cole. And then creating an environment where you do have a nursing room where a woman can pump in privacy, right? And not feel like shes somehow shirking another responsibility.

Cole said that a culture of flexibility can help women do their best work.

Ive had really great bosses and Ive had really lousy bosses. And I will tell you that I worked so much harder for the great bosses who enabled me to work really hard but also be a great mom and kind of mash it all together, said Cole.

She also said that flexibility culture benefits everyone.

It isnt just for women who are moms, right? Its for all employees, obviously, said Cole.

The Chamber will host the 2022 Womens Leadership Conference on Tuesday, May 24th, at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Im a fan of all the things happening in Raleigh and Raleigh-Durham, said Ryan. So I really do want to bring my A-game.

Read more here:
'The future is women:' So says futurist coming to Raleigh - here's why - WRAL TechWire

Hundreds of 'futurists' from around the world will convene in the UAE for the first Dubai Future Forum, which will be held on October 10 and 11.

It was announced on Tuesday by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, that the emirate would host about 400 forward thinkers from around the world for the forum held at the Museum of the Future.

Guests will include thought leaders and specialists from more than 15 organisations and institutions to debate and discuss the next few decades for humanity.

The Forum will focus on exploring and shaping the future by discussing changes that matter to our daily lives, investing in opportunities and preparing the world for potential risks," said Sheikh Hamdan on his official website.

"The UAEs real strength is in its developmental model that is based on foresight and collaborating with the best ideas and minds to build the best future for human communities.

We want to be proactive in designing and making the future and preparing for its changes. We have great ambitions and a long-term vision. Dubai and the UAE will always have a passion for the future.

The forum will consist of four main themes: the future of the world, values and humanity, existential risks and anticipating future changes.

These topics will be discussed over two days and throughout 30 sessions.

The Museum of the Future opened in February. Spanning an area of 30,000 square metres, the seven-storey pillarless structure stands 77 metres tall. The stainless steel facade, which extends to more than 17,000 square metres, is illuminated by 14,000 metres of Arabic calligraphy.

Updated: May 24, 2022, 1:14 PM

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Sheikh Hamdan to welcome hundreds of 'futurists' to Dubai Future Forum - The National

Photos have surfaced online reportedly showing F2000 assault rifles in the hands of Ukrainian armed forces. The photos also serve as yet another example of a somewhat rare small arm being put to use on the Ukrainian battlefield.

The two photos in question, both posted to Twitter, dont offer much context in terms of the details surrounding the F2000 delivery. In one photo, a Ukrainian soldier in a nondescript uniform and location reclines alone with the weapon in hand. In the other image, three Ukrainian soldiers are photographed in varying uniforms holding the polymer-clad rifles while standing in front of a pick-up truck. There are few common denominators shared between the photos, with the F2000 being one of them.

Belgian company FN Herstal is the manufacturer of the F2000, which was produced by the company to address a need for a modern and modular assault rifle and was first debuted in 2001. The weapon features a compact bullpup layout, which means that the action and the chamber are located behind the trigger parallel to the shooters face as opposed to in front of it, as is with most modern military rifle designs. This not only reduces the length of the rifle, but it makes it an ideal rifle choice for ambidextrous shooters.

The F2000 can also be tailored with various additions to better fit the intended mission. An M303 underbarrel module could be fitted to fire tear gas canisters for peace-keeping operations, or the rifle could be equipped with 40mm FN EGLM grenade launchers and a proprietary computerized fire control system for more lethality. Although, none of these add-ons can be seen on the rifles in the photos.

It should also be noted that the rifles appear to be F2000 models in their original configurations. More recent iterations of the weapon designed for customers like Slovenia possess visibly different characteristics, which could further support the claim that Belgium is the supplier of the F2000s in question. The rifles were used to an extent in Poland and Spain, as well, serving as additional potential sources for the delivery. The remaining known buyers of the F2000s are in the Middle East and Asia, which are not known to be among the countries that have donated weapons to supplement Ukrainian forces.

In the tweet posted by Ukraine Weapons Tracker, which is a Twitter account run by individuals that track publicly available information regarding weapons and other equipment used in the conflict, it is mentioned that Ukraine has received 10,000 rifles from Belgium, including SCAR-L and FNC. Although, it is unclear whether or not F2000 assault rifles were included in that donation.

While it is confirmed that Belgium has donated 5,000 FNC-type assault rifles, 200 anti-tank weapons, and 3,800 tons of fuel to the Ukrainian government, there has been no official mention of SCAR-L deliveries much less an F2000 shipment. However, both SCAR-L and F2000 rifles have been photographed on Ukrainian soil and shared on social media.

The FNC-type assault rifles that are confirmed by the Belgian Ministry of Defense to have been donated are also designed by FN Herstal, which could further support the claim that Belgium had a hand in the sudden appearance of the F2000s on Ukrainian battlefields. These weapons are in the process of being gradually replaced by the FN SCAR-L, making it a logical choice to send to Ukraine as Belgiums capability will not be hindered by the depletion of the stock.

Despite the quantity and means of delivery being up in the air, the sudden appearance of the F2000 rifles does underscore a strange sourcing trend that has become somewhat of a common occurrence. Prior to the conflict, members of Ukraine's volunteer territorial defense forces were seen using a varied array of guns that individuals had sourced themselves. This odd development was brought on in response to a straightforward need for small arms.

As volunteers flooded into Ukraine, and as Ukraine's militia ranks ballooned, the demand for rifles quickly began to outpace the supply. Thus, the guns sent over in foreign aid packages, like that of the FNC-type assault rifles mentioned earlier, have predictably begun to appear in these volunteer units. It will be interesting to see if the F2000s meet the same fate.

Ukraine's armed forces are already strong proponents of polymer-covered bullpup designs. They make their own rifle called the Malyuk which is popular among Ukrainian special operations forces and they also build a version of Israel's Tavor called the Fort-221 under license. You can read about both of those rifles in Ukrainian service here.

Needless to say, domestically supplied weapons are becoming harder to come by as the conflict rages on, reserves diminish, and demand increases. Otherwise rare, smaller arms are becoming less and less surprising to see on battleground, with Polands Grot C16A2 assault rifles having also made an appearance, for example.

There are also rumors of privately funded weapons buys occurring to equip volunteer forces.

While Ukrainian forces are surely making do with what they have, the sources through which they have acquired many of their weapons arent always clear. But that doesnt seem to matter to the Ukrainian volunteers and militia members in need of small arms, and likely wont anytime soon.

Contact the author: Emma@thewarzone.com

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Futuristic Belgian F2000 Rifles Have Been Spotted In Ukrainian Hands - The War Zone

When looked at closely, the concept Asahi Kasei AKXY2 can be seen featuring a split body with a streamlined lower section and an upper glass canopy.

By : HT Auto Desk |Updated on: 26 May 2022, 03:55 PM

To mark its its centennial, Japans Asahi Kasei has unveiled the AKXY2 concept pod vehicle. The vehicle has been designed to reimagine values of sustainability, satisfaction and society and how these will influence the needs of future mobility on the road to automation and electrification. The new concept and futuristic pod shares some visual similarities with the Wienermobile.

When looked at closely, the concept AKXY2 can be seen featuring a split body with a streamlined lower section and an upper glass canopy. The latter can be lifted up vertically, while a door folds down to provide access to the cabin. The exterior of the vehicle features slender lighting units and aerodynamic wheel covers with transparent inserts. The model rides on S-SBR tyres, which are made from a bio-based butadiene and have a low rolling resistance.

(Also read | Mercedes-AMG introduces all-electric Vision AMG concept car)

The cabin also has a futuristic design language, featuring an ottoman as well as two individual seats with Cubit cushioning. It features a 3D mesh material made of PET and partially bio-based PTT. Other interior surroundings have Dinamica microfiber upholstery; there's a small wooden table, and a minimalist information display.

The model lacks a steering wheel and pedals, and one can safely assume that the concept is envisioned to be fully autonomous. The technology features on the vehicle extend beyond the driving system. The concept vehicle has been equipped with the company's Healthy Car Portfolio of products. Among the features, there are antimicrobial fabrics and a CO2 sensor that works to ensure optimal air quality."

The AKXY2 concept showcases the Japanese automaker's expertise as a trusted partner to OEMs and Tier-1s for both interior and exterior components and technology, said Asahi Kasei, America's Director of North American Mobility, Mike Franchy. He added that the company has come a long way in the past 100 years and he's looking forward to seeing these contributions continue to shape the automotive industry."

First Published Date: 26 May 2022, 03:53 PM IST

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This futuristic, autonomous pod vehicle is a living room on wheels - HT Auto