Category Archives: Transhuman News

A bizarre snapshot of the surface of Mars has recently resurfaced along with the conspiracy theory that it shows a human bone.

Some people think they can see a femur amongst rubble on the Red Planet but this theory was debunked by NASA long ago.

The photo was actually taken back in 2014 by the Curiosity Rovers MastCam.

Its still used by conspiracy theorists to claim that there was once human life on Mars.

This is because it shows a piece of rubble that looks quite similar to a human thigh bone.

A NASA spokesperson previously explained: Seen by Mars rover Curiosity using its MastCam, this Mars rock may look like a femur thigh bone.

Mission science team members think its shape is likely sculpted by erosion, either wind or water.

If life ever existed on Mars, scientists expect that it would be small simple life forms called microbes.

Mars likely never had enough oxygen in its atmosphere and elsewhere to support more complex organisms. Thus, large fossils are not likely.

When people attribute human likeness to objects it can be due to a phenomenon called pareidolia.

According to Science Alert, this condition can make the brain process visual information too quickly and leads to people jumping to conclusions.

The Mars human bone conspiracy isnt the first time people think theyve spotted life on the planet.

There have also been claims of things like a Mars Bigfoot or Mars mushrooms.

As NASA has already noted, if there is life on Mars its likely to be microbes and not anything resembling humans.

Read the rest here:
Crackpots claim they have spotted human bone on Mars but its just a rock - New York Post

SINGAPORE: Singapore scientists testing a Covid-19 vaccine from US firm Arcturus Therapeutics plan to start human trials in August after promising initial responses in mice.

More than 100 vaccines are being developed globally, including several already in human trials from the likes of AstraZeneca and Pfizer, to try and control a disease that has infected more than 8 million people and killed over 430,000 worldwide.

The vaccine being evaluated by Singapore's Duke-NUS Medical School works on the relatively-untested Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which instructs human cells to make specific coronavirus proteins that produce an immune response.

"The fact that it replicates and triggers a very balanced immune response, both in terms of the antibody and killer cells - those are welcome properties," Ooi Eng Eong, deputy director of the school's emerging infectious diseases programme, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Antibodies stick to the virus and prevent it from infecting cells, while killer cells, another arm of the immune system, recognise infected cells and destroy them, he said.

The mRNA approach has not yet been approved for any medicine so its backers, which also include US biotech firm Moderna , are treading uncharted territory.

Because of that, Ooi said longer studies were needed to ensure its safety.

"The most optimistic case is that it's about this time next year, that we will have a vaccine," Ooi said.

Ooi is also working on a monoclonal antibody treatment for Covid-19 and will begin safety trials on healthy people this week, before testing on Covid-19 patients in the coming months.

Ooi said potential deployment of the treatment could be faster than the vaccine, without giving an exact timeline.

Antibodies are generated in the body to fight off infection. Monoclonal antibodies mimic natural antibodies and can be isolated and manufactured in large quantities to treat diseases.

Tiny city-state Singapore has one of the highest infection tallies in Asia, with more than 40,000 cases, largely due to mass outbreaks in dormitories for its migrant workers.

Here is the original post:
Singapore to start human trials of Covid-19 vaccine in August - Bangkok Post

The onslaught of COVID-19 has brought with it a health emergency of global proportions. This has presented a huge challenge to national leaders, to health systems worldwide, and to citizens. Unfortunately, it also became an excuse for human rights violations that are showing few signs of diminishing.

We all understand that governments have needed to act swiftly to protect their populations from the COVID-19 pandemic. And we understand this may demand extraordinary measures. However, a state of emergency must be proportionate to its aim, and only remain in place for as long as absolutely necessary. If law enforcement or the military are given additional powers, it must be clear why. If public gatherings are banned and citizens are forbidden to move freely, these rules must be applied to everyone and not just to the supporters of opposition parties, to people with a particular religion, or to those with a certain skin colour. Arrests and fines must be well-justified and never arbitrary.

All 57 countries of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have committed to upholding democracy and the rule of law, even during states of emergency. And let us be clear: there is no situation in which it can be necessary, legitimate or proportionate to dismantle the separation of powers that lies at the core of any democracy. On the contrary, it is the democratic checks and balances that ensure our governments work in our interest - and not the other way round. A strong state is one that speaks with its citizens and respects their rights.

We are not only facing the challenges the health emergency itself has thrown at us. Those challenges that are approaching in the aftermath are at least as great; the social, the economic, the generational, and the digital divide, as people who were previously in a precarious situation find themselves in ever greater danger of tipping into poverty and isolation. For women, too, whose jobs are often less secure and worse paid, the threat both of poverty and of exposure to violent partners during lockdown has brought suffering where it was supposed to bring safety.

In this situation, inclusiveness is not a luxury. It is a vital aspect of recovery and of security. The current circumstances are proving once again the accuracy of the OSCEs comprehensive security approach, which rests on the three pillars of the political and military, the economic and environmental, and the human dimension. Political leaders who tolerate human rights violations or exacerbate tensions between different communities for short-term (and short-sighted) political gain are therefore jeopardising social cohesion in the longer term. As we have recently seen, those who feel excluded may also have the sense that they have nothing to lose.

It is because democracy and human rights lie at the root of the solutions to the challenges we are facing, and also because they have been so massively affected by the events and decisions of recent months, that the OSCEs Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which I have the privilege to head, is monitoring them so closely.

We are calling out intolerance wherever we see it, and working towards a broader understanding that it is through the strength of our diversity that we will overcome this crisis. Having seen health workers and carers from such a multitude of backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions saving lives at the risk of losing their own, this is the time to appreciate their contribution and celebrate our common strength.

The pandemic has been a time of particular hardship for already marginalised communities. Take the Roma, for example, who are often squeezed into overcrowded housing in congested neighbourhoods. Or migrants and refugees across the OSCE region, living in overcrowded camps in unsanitary conditions, and lacking even minimal protection against infection.

But while intolerance and inequality are at the root of many of the difficulties we face, there are others. One of the key checks to prevent abuses of power are democratic elections, and election observation is one of ODIHRs flagship activities. COVID-19 has made it temporarily impossible for us to deploy our traditional forms of observation mission, but we are using this time to further develop our observation methodology, which has evolved over many years in response to changing situations. The pandemic has also created immense challenges for the rule of law in many countries as the democratic balance of power has tilted towards the government. For democracy to function, the curfews and lockdowns cannot be allowed to prevent parliaments and courts from continuing their work.

For all the difficulties I have listed above, our recent monitoring has brought home to me the fact that the democratic architecture is still standing, and with some innovation, its doors remain open. In spite of the disruptions to parliaments across the region, many of them have demonstrated an admirable flexibility and commitment in adapting to the current circumstances. And although the situation of migrants in camps is dire in many places, the agreement by a number of EU countries to host unaccompanied children demonstrated that this crisis is also an opportunity to show solidarity.

Despite the many challenges, I therefore remain resolutely optimistic. I have other reasons for this, beside the pandemic and the opportunities it brings for a renewed commitment to our shared values. This month, we mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Copenhagen Document, in which all states of the OSCE expressed their conviction that the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms is one of the basic purposes of government.

This may appear self-evident today, but in 1990, it was dynamite. In this slim text of just 26 pages, nation states that had been declared enemies for decades on both sides of the Iron Curtain pledged to develop and strengthen democracy based on the rule of law, to hold free elections, and to guarantee the fundamental freedoms of conscience and religion, as well as the freedom to gather and to protest, and explicitly recognised the importance of civil society for the protection of these rights.

The states that signed the agreements in Copenhagen, and in Paris later the same year, were both farsighted and courageous. They were not only laying out the basis for the development of the regions fledgling democracies, but also looked beyond the immediate challenges to a time of peace and growing prosperity. In 1990, this was anything other than inevitable. The challenges of that time were colossal, and only appeared surmountable to many people because of the optimism that reigned at the time, the we can do it atmosphere.

30 years ago, democracy was not treated by leaders of long-established democracies as a zero-sum game. There was an understanding that democratic dialogue means to start at different standpoints and arrive at common solutions. Post-pandemic, we need to regain that sense of possibility, of the positive change that each individual can make and the enormous difference that these changes can make on societies collectively.

Respecting human rights is the response of humanity to the shared problems faced by humanity, now as it was 30 years ago.

_____________

Are you a recognised expert in your field? At Euronews, we believe all views matter. Contact us at view@euronews.com to send pitches or submissions and be part of the conversation.

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We have an opportunity to tackle human rights challenges post-COVID-19. We need to take it View - Euronews

Veteran writer Dan Abnett talks about working on Valiant's Rai, his love of the science fiction genre, and what it likes building worlds.

Debuting back in November, the latest Rai on-going series from Valiant has been a wild ride so far. Writer Dan Abnett and illustratorJuan Jose Ryp have created a rich worldfull of action, humor, anda surprising amount of heart.WithRai's first collected volume set to arrive on August 5th and the series resuming on August 19th with the release of Issue 6 now's a good time to get in on the ground floor.

Dan Abnett spoke with Screen Rant about his love of working in the science fiction genre, what it's been like to work with Juan Jose Ryp, and what fans of Rai can expect in the future.

Related: Bloodshot is BLADE, Not Iron Man For Valiant's Movie Universe

This series is a continuation of your previous mini-series Fallen World, which also starred Rai. What made you want to get involved with the character initially?

Dan Abnett: I was actually invited to do it by Valiant. Lysa Hawkins, the editor, knew my enthusiasm for science fiction and world-building and asked me if I would be interested. I was already working on the Rai series when Valiant then asked me if Id like to helm the Fallen World series which would form the foundation, and that made a lot of sense. Lysa clearly knew me well, because these are exactly the sort of characters and situations that appeal to me.

In the first volume of Rai we encounter everything from techno-dinosaurs to roving gangs of post-apocalyptic scavengers to data-stealing virtual monsters. What kind of freedom does the science fiction world of this book offer you and Juan Jose Ryp creatively? Does the genre present any unique challenges?

Dan Abnett: Well, a great deal. I actually love - genuinely - writing within restricted parameters, like writing stories to fit in a pre-established universe. I enjoy the challenge of trying to tell the best possible story in a world that's already created, and in comics you get to do that a lot because there are several, notable big universes out there. This series is set in the wonderful Valiant Universe, so those rules certainly apply - but theres also the exhilarating free rein of it being the future of that universe, with lots of room to invent and establish new things. Weve created, as you say, a lot of very wild and wide-ranging concepts and characters. We did it because its fun, but it wasnt just a matter of using our creative freedom with abandon. We wanted, as quickly as possible, to establish the future world, to show its range, diversity and potential. So the variety is part of the essential storytelling.

Your words and Juan Jose Ryps artwork are gelling together fantastically in this series. Whats the collaborative process like between you two?

Dan Abnett: Thank you. I think Juanjos work is truly great. When we started, it looked like everything was going to be pretty straightforward - Id write scripts and Juanjo would draw them. But very quickly, I realized how much he had bought into the world too, as much as me, and how much effort he was putting into realizing it: not just inventing cool looks for some of the ideas, but rendering them in staggering detail so they became utterly believable. So his art started to push my writing: I felt confident to come up with things knowing that he would deliver them brilliantly and that nothing would fall flat or seem throw-away. I cant praise him enough.

Rai takes place in a world that has some fairly bleak aspects to it yet theres a lot of humor throughout each issue. Was finding a balance between action and humor a conscious decision?

Dan Abnett: Yes, and I thought it was necessary. You can be as inventive as you like, but after a while it becomes just an exercise in impressive ideas. A storys got to have a heart, and to me the heart is always character. Rai and the rest of the cast have got to have their own voices, so we feel they are distinct people. Thats what makes you care and keep reading. And humors a very important part of personality. Its a natural human function, it makes us warm to people, and its very effective cutting or off-setting darker moments and bleaker events. Having a character like, say, Raijin, be quite funny is entirely in keeping with who he is and how his personality works, and it also counterpoints the harsher action to great effect.

While part-synthetic, Rai is also striving to fulfill his human potential in attempting to de-weaponize himself. Is the question of what it means to be human something youre trying to explore in Rai thematically?

Dan Abnett:I guess so, in simple terms. There are a lot of characters in this series who arent strictly human - they are post-human, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt get to explore their humanity, or find out how they identify with the species that they derived from. But I also think this is about technology - we live in a world that already worries about the consequences of truly sophisticated technology. Rai is a product of technology too, so he is - in effect - a piece of hyper-sophisticated tech taking responsibility for itself, and exploring the positives and negatives of tech at that sort of level. The moment we build technology that is, to all intents and purposes, self-aware and capable of its own decision-making, there is an obligation to make sure it is capable of taking responsibility for its activities. Technology is a tool, and when the tool can use itself, it had better know why.

It feels like the heart of the series is the relationship between Rai and his (technically older) brother Raijin. Whats it been like exploring the dynamic between those two characters?<

DA:Yes, that really is the core - that and the relationship of the two brothers to their AI father. Its all about family! The relationship between the pair is really interesting and rewarding. They are very similar, but they dont see eye to eye. Despite the way he looks - like a pre-teen child - Raijin is, of course, older than Rai. Hes an earlier model, and effectively Rais big brother. Rai outclasses him in his size, power and abilities, so Raijin compensates with his experience, his maturity, acting almost as a conscience, or at least a better angel, trying to influence Rais sometimes bleak and singular world view.

On top of writing for comics, youre also a novelist. Whats it like going between the two mediums? What are some of the challenges/advantages?

DA:I enjoy both very much. I suppose its the same imagination, its just being channeled into different formats. There are things I would do in a novel that I wouldnt attempt in a comic, and vice versa. There are some ideas that come along where I think, thats definitely got to be a comic, or that would work much better in proseand to be honest, I have no difficulty switching between the two (three, actually, because I sometimes write games too!). I often, for example, spend the morning writing the next chapter or two of my latest novel, then switch to comic scripting in the afternoon. I find just that change in technical format keeps me fresh and engaged, and benefits both. It also helps ease the inevitable exhaustion of staying in the same place for too long. No matter how much you like something, the creativity can begin to dry up unless you keep things moving. I once said, in all innocence, I dont like to stay in the same universe for very long and people laughed, but I was completely serious. It works for me.

Can you say anything about what fans can expect as the series moves forward?

DA:Theres lots of great stuff coming, including the introduction of two major threats, and a new main supporting character. As I said, this is really about Rai and Raijin, so well see their relationship develop, and their ideas about the world and what they should be doing evolve. But people are also really enjoying the flashes of present-day Valiant Universe that are cropping up in this future iteration, and I have to say weve got a couple of staggering examples of that on the way.

A big thanks to Dan Abnett for taking the time to talk with us.Rai's first collected volume will be released August 5 and the series sixth issue resuming soon after on August 19.

Next: Was Bloodshot's Ending Real Or A Simulation?

Who is Ulysses, The Superman of Planet Earth?

Patrick Brennan is a writer and critic who loves horror, comics, and horror-comics. In the past he's written for publications like Rue Morgue, Talking Comics, and Under The Bed magazine. He lives in New Brunswick with his wife, son, and very needy cat.

Original post:
Exclusive: Dan Abnett On Writing Rai And What's To Come - Screen Rant

It looks like a human bone, but its just a Mars rock (Nasa)

There are plenty of odd-shaped rocks littering the dusty, barren landscape of Mars.

One thing that isnt up there, however, are human bones.

Despite this, there are a few reports emerging at the moment of what looks like a human femur lying casually on the surface of the Red Planet.

In fact, this was a picture snapped way back in 2014 by Nasas Curiosity rover. Because the internet is the internet, its now resurfaced as some kind of proof that creatures once walked the surface of Mars.

Nasa itself even took the time to debunk this theory six years ago.

Seen by Mars rover Curiosity using its MastCam, this Mars rock may look like a femur thigh bone. Mission science team members think its shape is likely sculpted by erosion, either wind or water, a spokesperson for the space agency wrote in a blog post.

If life ever existed on Mars, scientists expect that it would be small simple life forms called microbes.

Mars likely never had enough oxygen in its atmosphere and elsewhere to support more complex organisms. Thus, large fossils are not likely.

Anyone seeing something familiar in an object perhaps a rock looks like a spoon or a cloud looks like a face is experiencing whats known as pareidolia. It happens when your brain unintentionally picks out patterns or familiar shapes in visual information.

Despite the fact Mars was once covered with water, experts are reasonably sure it never hosted complex life. Or rather, if there was once complex life there we havent found any evidence of it since scientists first starting exploring the planet back in the 60s.

So, just to reiterate, there arent any human bones littering the Martian landscape, despite what you may see reported around the internet at the moment.

See the original post here:
No, we haven't found a human bone on Mars - Metro.co.uk

It's always exciting every time a new console generation comes around, and this time is no different. This year marks the release of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and despite the ongoing pandemic disrupting workflow, the two systems are still set for release during the holiday season of 2020. That means there will also need to be a lineup of new games, as some of Sony's major upcoming games are still coming to the PS4 and could skip the PS5, at least at launch, and it's unclear if they're getting PS5 upgrades at all. Sony said in May that it plans to announce the launch lineup for PS5 "soon." After its recent live event, it's still unclear which games will launch alongside Sony's next-generation console this holiday. However, we do know how the console will look. We also know you'll have the choice of a console with a disc drive or without, with the systems otherwise being identical.

As a whole, Sony's PS5 features some exciting new technology, including an SSD that dramatically improves load times, among other elements that promise to improve the fidelity of games. There is also a new DualSense controller that uses haptic feedback to help connect you with games at a deeper level. It's all very exciting, and some of the technology is even beyond what high-end PC systems can do. The technology is being backed up with impressive software, including Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5. This new engine was demonstrated in May 2020 and features new lighting and geometry systems that can make games look more realistic than ever before.

In this post we're rounding up all the confirmed PlayStation 5 games, and also denoting the titles that we think, or are assumed to, release on the next-generation system. This list covers the new games that will be released on PlayStation 5. The console will automatically play the "overwhelming majority" the PS4 games you may already own, since it is backward compatible with that console. However, new first-party PS5 games are going to be exclusive to the system rather than get a cross-generational release so as to make full use of the new hardware.

If you're curious about what Microsoft has to offer on its end of the next-generation console race, then be sure to check out our Xbox Series X game roundup after you're done with the PS5 list below.

You can check out all of the confirmed, and presumed, PS5 titles below. We'll continue to update this post in the days, weeks, and months ahead as new and more titles get announced.

Ubisoft's next big Assassin's Creed game takes us back to the Viking era. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is due to release as a launch title for the PS5. You play as Eivor--either a man or a woman--and your travels will take you across a variety of locations and landscapes. For the first time, dual-wielding comes to Assassin's Creed, allowing you to tear up your enemies with a newfound ferocity with axes and even shields if you like. There is a lot more to know about Assassin's Creed Valhalla, so check out GameSpot's extended coverage to learn more.

Release Date: PS5 launch title.

Astro's Playroom appears to be a sequel or spin-off to the critically acclaimed Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. JapanStudio is developing the game, and while the original Astro Bot was a VR title, the reveal did not show a VR set-up. The reveal was opened with "Press the PS Button" screen, hinting the game makes use of the DualSense controller's functionality. Similar to the Playroom augmented reality mini-game collection on PS4, Astro's Playroom will come preloaded on PS5.

Release Date: PS5 launch title.

Bugsnax is an adventure game from Octodad developers Young Horses. It's set in a vibrant fantastical world filled with talking anthropomorphic animals, as well as insects that look like real-life food, hence Bugsnax. Get it?

Release Date: TBA

Remedy Entertainment's critically acclaimed third-person shooter, Control, is heading to PS5. However, when it'll release remains unclear. Regardless, it'll be nice to see how the game's visuals and performance fairs on next-generation consoles due the difficulties it had on current-generation at launch.

Release Date: TBA

Deathloop is the latest game from Arkane Studios, a developer known for their work on the Dishonored series. Set on a mysterious island, it tells the mind-bending story of Colt and Julianna, who are stuck in a loop that repeats each time one dies. As Colt, you're trying to stay alive on the island of Black Reef while everyone's out to kill you, including a player-controlled Julianna that can invade your game. So far, the game looks pretty similar to Dishonored in that there are various firearms, blades, and powers you can use to get the jump on or directly engage enemies. It will come to PS5 as a timed-exclusive.

Release Date: TBA

For a while, we all wondered what Sony-affiliated developer Bluepoint Games was going to do next. After its work on the fantastic Shadow of the Colossus remaster on PS4, the studio teased that it was working on another remake. In the months that followed, new speculation and rumors stated the next project was a remake of the cult-favorite Demon's Souls--the origin point of FromSoftware's work on the massively popular Soulsborne genre.

If the possibility of a Demon's Souls remake thrilled the core of your being, then know that you can now allow that excitement to finally burst, as it's now officially confirmed: Bluepoint Games is remaking Demon's Souls. With overhauled visuals built from the ground up for PS5, consider this upcoming remake as Sony's redemption for refusing to publish Demon's Souls all those years ago.

Release Date: TBA

Destruction Allstars is a competitive action-sports game that has teams of six go head-to-head in vehicular combat, destroying each other's rides. Just because your car explodes, doesn't mean it's over, as you can then sprint around the arena in an attempt to beat the other on-foot racers.

Release Date: TBA

The next entry in the off-road racing series, Dirt 5 promises to be "bolder and braver than ever before." Very little is known at this stage, but developer Codemasters is promising to deliver "new features" and "new innovations" where every race is unique. Veteran voice actors Troy Baker and Nolan North are contributing to the game's career mode.

Release Date: TBA

Bungie's shared-world shooter, Destiny 2, is headed to the PlayStation 5. However, that's all that's been confirmed so far--there is no word yet on a release date or any details on how the game will leverage the power of next-generation consoles.

Release Date: TBA

Part of the appeal of Fortnite is that any modern device you might own can play the game. As such, Epic will bring Fortnite to PS5. It just makes sense. Releasing on more powerful hardware should be beneficial for the game, as the battle royale title--which puts 100 players on a single, gigantic map at once--benefits from more horsepower. However, Epic did not provide any details on how Fortnite will benefit from PS5's capabilities.

Epic confirmed that Fortnite will support cross-progression with the next-gen systems, so your account, items, and progress will carry over to PS5. The company also reiterated that Fortnite will continue to support cross-play between all platforms, including the next-gen consoles. Lastly, the company announced that it will migrate Fortnite on next-gen consoles to the Unreal Engine 5 in the middle of 2021.

Release Date: PS5 launch title

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Ghostwire: Tokyo is the latest project from famed developer Shinji Mikami and his studio Tango Gameworks. It's a psychological horror first-person action-adventure game set in Tokyo, where people start mysteriously disappearing, and your objective is to figure out why. The debut gameplay showed off fighting spirits with a combination of melee and magic attacks. There were also glimpses of otherworldly demonic creatures occupying Tokyo disguised as salarymen. As the hero, you can see and adequately fight against these threats. It will come to PS5 as a timed-exclusive.

Release Date: TBA

Counterplay Games is working with Borderlands studio Gearbox to release a fantasy action-RPG called Godfall as a console exclusive for PlayStation 5. Described as a "looter-slasher," the game focuses on fighting foes and collecting loot. It has support for single-player and co-op where you can join groups of up to three players to take on the more dangerous challenges.

Release Date: TBA

Goodbye Volcano High is a narrative-focused game with a 2D-cartoon visual style that tells a coming-of-age story with anthropomorphic animals. The brief glimpse introduced what appears to be the main cast of characters, who seem to be gathering together to burn a mysterious journal. All the while, high school drama ensues!

Release Date: TBA 2021

Considering how successful Grand Theft Auto Online still is for Rockstar Games, it makes sense we'd see it transition over to next-generation consoles. Coming in the second half of 2021, the standalone version of GTA Online will be free for PS5 users for the first three months of its release. Grand Theft Auto V is also coming to the next-gen console in 2021. According to the brief trailer showcased at the start of the presentation, both will be expanded and enhanced.

Release Date: TBA 2021

It wouldn't be a new console generation without a new Gran Turismo game. What was showcased was a quick glimpse of the driving in the new Gran Turismo 7, but if the game's anything like previous entries, we'll be sure to get more of the series' iconic sim mechanics.

Release Date: TBA

The next Hitman game features Agent 47 taking part in his "most intimate and professional contract" ever. He will travel to places like Dubai, among others, to complete his contract. Developer IO Interactive also confirmed that Hitman III represents the final game in the World of Assassination trilogy.

Release Date: January 2021

It makes sense that Guerilla Games would unveil the sequel to its critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn during Sony's PS5 event. Once again, you play as Aloy, who's on a journey to help find a cure for a plague that appears to be causing local wildlife to die off. While you can expect to hunt more robotic beasts on land this time around, you'll also be able to explore underwater and discover more dangerous secrets beneath the surface.

Release Date: TBA

Superbrothers, the developer behind the critically acclaimed Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, finally revealed its next game. Enitled Jett: The Far Shore, it looks like it'll involve a fair bit of intergalactic travel, accompanied by some gorgeous vistas. Aside from all the surreal visuals, little else is know about the exact premise of the game.

Release Date: Holiday 2020

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits, an upcoming adventure game that has you exploring a lush, vibrant world filled with ancient ruins and villages. While you have magical powers and bow at your disposal, you'll also fight with the aid of a woodland spirit, who seems to travel alongside you in your adventure.

Release Date: TBA

Little Devil Inside is an open-world RPG, where you play as a young boy traveling around various locations and battle a variety of monsters. Developer by Neostream Interactive, the game was successfully funded on Kickstarter and was initially expected to arrive on current-generation consoles in December 2015, but was pushed back as its scope grew larger. Regardless, Little Devil Inside will now be making its way to PS5.

Release Date: TBA

Daedalic Entertainment, the studio known for its point-and-click adventure games, is developing an all-new Lord of the Rings game that is focused on an unlikely character: Gollum. In The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, you play as Gollum in a story told from the creature's perspective. It's the first time across the entire Lord of the Rings brand--movies, TV shows, books, etc.--that a story is being told from Gollum's perspective, which is intriguing to think about. Very little is known about this game, and no images or firm details have been released yet. But Gollum is often overlooked in Middle-earth, so it's exciting to see him finally get his own game.

Release Date: 2021

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Only a brief glimpse was shown of NBA 2K21, but what we saw was pretty darn impressive. Admittedly, the first look was labeled as "PS5 pre-alpha" footage, but that didn't make the droplets of sweat on New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson look any less jaw-dropping.

Release Date: TBA

Oddworld: Soulstorm is a remake of 1998's Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, the second game in the Oddworld franchise. Soulstorm recreates Abe's Exoddus with enhanced visuals but also expands upon the game with revised story elements and more action-focused combat mechanics.

Release Date: TBA 2020

Gears of War: Judgment and Bulletstorm developer People Can Fly is partnering with Square Enix for a new game called Outriders. The new game is a cover shooter that also incentivizes getting out from behind the chest-high walls and wrecking your foes with a number of cool abilities.

Release Date For PS5: Holiday 2020

Pragmata is a surreal action game set in an abandoned world starring an astronaut and a little girl with mysterious powers. The trailer didn't offer much else to go on, but we're going to have to wait a while for the game to come out, as it's expected for sometime in 2022.

Release Date: TBA 2022

Project Athia is a new project from Luminous Productions, a studio led by Square Enix veteran Hajime Tabata. You play as a mysterious cloaked girl who explores a massive fantastical world. It will come exclusively to PS5.

Release Date: TBA

A "cosmic horror" game, Quantum Error is the second game from TeamKill, following their debut title Kings of Lorn: The Fall of Ebris, which was released in 2018. Very little is known about Quantum Horror, but a brief teaser trailer showed some nice-looking visuals and gameplay that some are remarking looks like Doom meets Dead Space.

Release Date: TBA

Insomniac Games is also hard at work on another Ratchet & Clank sequel. The game's subtitle Rift Apart seems to encapsulate the new mechanics at play this time, with inter-dimensional rifts causing chaos and pandemonium as you explore the world.

Release Date: TBA

Resident Evil: Village is the next mainline entry in Capcom's long-running survival horror franchise, and it looks horrifying and ridiculous. The series is getting even weirder as it pushes the present timeline forward with new terrors that go against the grain of the T-virus infected zombies and test tube abominations that longtime fans have come to expect.

Set in an isolated village in the mountains, Resident Evil Village has you playing returning RE7 protagonist Ethan Winters, who must fight his way to escape what appears to be a cult led by a cast of eerie villains. Also, Chris Redfield makes a return and he seems to be playing the role of a villain this time. Though it's currently unclear why he's so antagonistic against Ethan. Regardless, Capcom seems to be taking bold steps away from what we've come to expect from the franchise with its next-generation debut.

Release Date: TBA 2021

A new third-person shooter from House Marque (Resogun, Nex Machina), Returnal puts you in control of an unnamed woman who has landed on an alien planet to fight against what appears to be demonic creatures. The narration at the start of the trailer said she was reliving her first moments on the planet "over and over" in some bizarre time-loop. As such, the planet appears to change every time you die, impacting the player's character. It will come exclusively to PS5.

Release Date: TBA

Sumo Digital (the team behind Little Big Planet 3 and Little Big Planet on PS Vita) is working on an LBP spin-off called Sackboy: A Big Adventure. This upcoming game will be a 3D platformer with an isometric perspective and will feature cooperative multiplayer.

Release Date: TBA

The next game from Bandai Namco, Scarlet Nexus puts you into the role of Yuito Sumeragi, an up and coming soldier who has a psycho-kinesis power. The game is set in the futuristic city of New Himuka.

Release Date: TBA

The next game from the team behind the critically acclaimed Hyper Light Drifter is coming to PS5. Entitled Solar Ash, you appear to play as a female being who travels into a black hole and awakens in a vibrant but seemingly desolate world. From the early gameplay, the game looks to be an action-platformer with a brisk pace.

Release Date: TBA 2021

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the follow-up to 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man, a PS4-exclusive starring Peter Parker as the titular web-slinger. It's currently unclear whether the game is a sequel to 2018's Spider-Man or a spin-off. Regardless, you play as Morales as he embarks on a crime-fighting journey after discovering that he has spider-powers after the end of the first game.

Release Date: Holiday 2020

Stray is an adventure game set in a post-human world populated mostly by robots. As a stray cat, you'll explore the rusted, clanking corridors of a crumbling cyber-city.

Release Date: TBA 2021

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Every PS5 Game Confirmed (And Expected) So Far - GameSpot

3.30 pm CET/ 9.30 am EDT

COVID-19 has unleashed an unprecedented human development crisis putting at risk the hard fought gains of the last decades. It is a wake up call on the devastating effects of the increasing pressure we are placing on our planet. But in the endeavor of confronting the multiple implications of this crisis, there is also an opportunity to reimagine what is possible and desirable for the future. Policies are currently being designed to confront it and massive additional financial resources are being mobilized. A key question is therefore how to make this crisis an opportunity for positive change. In the lead up to the 2020 Human Development Report, which will focus on how to reset our relationship with nature, UNDP and UNEP are jointly organising a high level dialogue to explore how can we build back better for more sustainable and egalitarian societies.

With:

Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme

Raya Haffar El Hassan, Former Minister of Finance and Interior of Lebanon

Joseph Stiglitz, Professor at Columbia University and recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

Bina Agarwal, Professor at the University of Manchester

Moderator: Femi Oke, Journalist.

REGISTER TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION IN ZOOM:https://bit.ly/37nqFz0

Go here to read the rest:
People and the planet: The future of development in a post-COVID-19 world - UN Environment

John Spieser(Photo: E.L. Hubbard)

The Milford Board of Education is expected to name the districts director of human resources as its new superintendent on Thursday, June 18.

John Spieser is in line to succeed Nancy House at the helm of the Milford Exempted Village School District, which serves about 6,600 students from the city of Milford, Miami Township, Miamiville and parts of Goshen and Union townships.

House is retiring July 31 after 38 years as an educator five of them as Milfords superintendent. Spieser is expected to assume the post on Aug. 1.

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After a very unique and exhaustive process, the board is very happy to come to a conclusion in selecting Mr. Spieser as the next superintendent, school board president Chris Hamm said.

The depth and review of this process and the amount of data and information collected allowed the board to make an informed decision in selecting Milfords next leader. We are excited for Mr. Spieser to continue to carry our Milford family forward as we face new challenges and new opportunities.

Spieser began his career in education with the Milford schools 26 years ago.

He taught life science at Milford Junior High for six years, then earned his administrators license and worked as assistant principal of Mason High School and then of Bethel-Tate High School.

Spieser was principal and director of K-12 curriculum for the Little Miami Schools, followed by tenures as principal of the Glen Este Campus inthe West Clermont Local Schools and, for 15 years, of Clark Montessori High School in Hyde Park.

He returned to Milford in 2015 to serve one year as director of secondary curriculum before becoming director of human resources in 2016.

As a young teacher in 1994, Milford taught me about family, Spieser said.

Every experience I have had in other districts I always compared it to Milford. It was the students, the staff, the families and the community that brought me back to Milford five years ago.

Im so thankful to be the next superintendent, Spieser said.

Some 24 people applied for the Milford schools superintendent post.

The board of education hired a representative of the Ohio School Boards Association for $8,500 to assist in the search and more than 600 people participated in community surveys on qualities deemed important for the next superintendent.

The school board chose nine people for first-round interviews, which were conducted via Zoom videoconference because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The list was narrowed to three finalists, including Spieser, after that.

Last week, the finalists were interviewed by three different groups: the Milford Board of Education, a panel of Milford schools principals and a panel of community, government and business leaders.

The latter two panels then gave the school board their evaluations of the candidates.

A job offer was extended to Spieser after an executive session of the Milford Board of Education on June 11, and he accepted, district spokeswoman Wendy Planicka said.

The school board will vote on a contract for Spieser on Thursday at a meeting set to beginat 7 p.m. in board offices at 1099 Ohio 131 in Milford.

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Milford school board expected to hire John Spieser as superintendent on Thursday - The Cincinnati Enquirer