Performance of DMEx models

The chemical exchange master equation is only homogeneous and analytically integrable in the simplest of cases and can acquire nonlinearities when one considers reversible exchange between distinguishable ensembles. The DMEx equations of motion presented here are fully converged in the exchange interaction and handle that interaction exactly but are not exact for the full evolution, as there is no preservation of the time ordering between the quantum and exchange degrees of freedom that would be present in a full solution. This could be approached by calculation of higher-order time derivatives but at an additional computational cost. However, the next section focuses on the difference between the traditional master equation approach (Eq. 7) and the DMEx solutions, which shows marked improvements in permissible time steps, and then compares the DMEx to QMC simulations where these time orderings are preserved, but the computational overhead is very large. Therefore, we will evaluate the performance of DMEx methods using the solution(t+t)=U(t)U+qtqexp(t2q)(KqE)(U(t)U)(30)

In this equation, Uexp(iH0t). This is an ideal computational method, as it only involves forward propagation of the solution, requires the fewest number of matrix operations, and produces linear evolution under the spin Hamiltonian and evolution to all orders in the exchange interaction. Equation 30 has a small intrinsic error associated with the solution, in that the first step only evolves quantum mechanically. A more accurate way to solve the equation of motion would be to evolve the initial density matrix backward in time by t/2 and then using Eq. 30 to generate the solution. Doing so shifts the actions of U and Kq by a half step and corrects for this initial error. However, we have found that this makes little difference in the solution; thus, we retain Eq. 30 so to avoid generating a nonintegral number of steps. To isolate errors arising from exchange, we have constructed all of the following simulations in the Hilbert space of the system, where one can exactly evaluate quantum evolution in systems up to 15 coupled spins.

Dynamic nuclear magnetic resonance spectra under pseudorotation have been studied and understood for decades. Spectral features are well resolved in the limit of slow exchange, which broaden and coalesce as the exchange rate increases, and ultimately result in line narrowing in the fast exchange limit. This is reflected in spectra of s-trioxane (9) undergoing ring inversion (Fig. 2A), where the axial (blue) and equatorial (red) have different chemical shifts and the geminal 2JHH coupling is observable. As exchange increases, the spectrum collapses to a singlet, as the axial and equatorial positions become, on average, magnetically equivalent. Similar effects appear for the tert-butyl rotation in t-BuPCl2 (Fig. 2B), which additionally exhibits a transition that is invariant under exchange and thus does not broaden (33).

We use s-trioxane ring inversion to model G2 pseudorotation (A) and tert-butyl rotation in t-BuPCl2 to model G3 pseudorotation (B) The graphs at the bottom compare the root mean square deviation (RMSD) of the generated magnetization as a function of the time evolution such as in Fig. 1C using t = 10 s (which is taken as the ground truth). The DMEx models retain good fidelity with no additional computational overhead, even with step sizes commonly being 10 times larger than were possible with traditional solutions.

For either of these systems, the pseudorotation matrices are generated by expressing a spin label permutation matrix in the appropriate basis. For convenience, we will use the Zeeman basis in this example. In the case of s-trioxane, where the axial and equatorial protons interchange, it is most convenient to setup the system such that axial protons have odd indices and equatorial protons have even indices. Then, the rotation R is given byR=P12P34P56(31)

Pij is the permutation matrix that interchanges the and states, whereas the and states are invariant under exchange. Using this method, it is trivial to arbitrarily reindex the entire system and is computationally efficient because the transformation from the original basis to the reindexed basis is unitary.

When calculating these spectra, we find that the traditional implementation and the DMEx converge to the same solution as t dt. However, the DMEx exhibits a substantially smaller error at any step size than the traditional implementation and only accrues an error on the order of 1% when the step size exceeds the average lifetime. In this limit, the traditional implementation loses stability and the trace of deviates from unity. This immediately provides the ability to take larger step sizes with the DMEx implementation. In the case of s-trioxane, an error in the solution of 1% requires t = 1 ms in the DMEx and t = 0.1 ms using the traditional implementation, thus requiring one to sample far fewer data points. In considering all moments of the exchange interaction, the radius of convergence of the Dyson expansion is far larger than it would be by assuming conditions similar to those used for exchange.

While these model systems provide illustrative examples of the performance of the DMEx model, they are far from the more challenging cases in dynamic systems. As noted previously, an interesting system that has gained much attention in the past decade is the hyperpolarization method SABRE, wherein large nonthermal nuclear magnetization is distilled from parahydrogen via reversible interactions with an iridium catalyst. Current efforts are focused on optimizing the extraction of spin order from parahydrogen, which requires accurate modeling of the quantum and exchange dynamics in realistic systems. For reference, an example simulation of the coupled coherent and exchange dynamics that drive SABRE hyperpolarization is shown in Fig. 3A, where the evolution of the 15N polarization is calculated under the experimental conditions for SABRESHield Enables Alignment Transfer to Heteronuclei (SHEATH) (16).

An example of SABRE hyperpolarization dynamics is shown for reference, calculated on a six-spin 15N SABRE-SHEATH system (A). Comparing the DMEx and a QMC treatment, which is viewed as the gold standard but is computationally inefficient, indicates that there is a genuine but small difference of 0.142 0.018%, on average, between the two solutions [red data, (B)]. The convergence error of the QMC is indicated by the black line. This error in the DMEx is attributed to the loss of the time orderings between the quantum and exchange degrees of freedom that are retained in the QMC. Even with nonlinear effects incorporated in the simulation, the DMExFR2 exhibits a larger radius of convergence over the traditional implementation by approximately a factor of 4 (C) and an improved self-consistency (parameterized by k, the error in the predicted exchange rate) (D), which uses t = 10 s solutions as ground truth.

In deriving the DMEx, we began with the ansatz that exchange could be considered as a time-continuous perturbation of the ensemble, but it is interesting to see when this assumption fails. The perturbation generated by exchange in the slow exchange limit is small, allowing the solution to be largely dictated by the quantum dynamics, and conversely, in the fast exchange limit, quantum evolution cannot generate large excursions from equilibrium when constantly disrupted by exchange. In the intermediate regime where SABRE exists, characterized by exchange rates on the order of the dominant couplings, it is no longer trivial to motivate that large excursions from equilibrium would not be impactful on the dynamics. To probe this, we compared our previous QMC model for SABRE (5) against the DMEx on a three-spin SABRE system (Fig. 3B) with a dominant coupling of 2JNH = 24 Hz. In this regime, there is a significant difference between the convergence error of the QMC solution (QMC) and the DMEx solution; however, this error is, on average, only 0.142 0.018%. Note that this analysis is limited to the smallest systems, given the large cost of iterating the QMC solution, and the error accrued by the DMEx is negligible on simulation time scale relevant to experimental guidance.

When modeling more complex systems, such as those often found in SABRE, it is critical for the cost of the DMEx to be augmented with an efficient method for exploring complex interactions, otherwise circumventing the benefits of an infinite-order treatment by excessive computational costs. In SABRE, these interactions include quantum evolution of multiple species, rebinding of previously polarized ligands to the activated complex, binding site competition with spin-inert coligands, and relaxation. We call this SABRE-specific model the DMExFR2 to indicate that free ligand, rebinding, and relaxation effects are included. The most efficient way of accomplishing an efficient implementation of exchange is by expressing the interactions as block diagonal with respect to individual manifolds, which we call manifold-diagonal for simplicity and will motivate using the example of SABRE.

In SABRE, we primarily consider two different species: one in which the hyperpolarization target is bound to the iridium, which we call bound species, and another in solution, which we call free species. Coherent evolution in the manifolds is established by separately propagating a bound species density matrix (bS) and the dissociated free species density matrix (fS) under their respective nuclear spin HamiltonianstfS=i[HfS,fS](32)tbS=i[HbS,bS](33)

We begin with the dynamics of the free species. Exchange facilitates association of free species to the catalyst (Ka,fSfS), acting on fS to remove free species from the manifold as they bind the complex, and allows for dissociation of bound ligand Kd,fSbS, adding species back to the manifold. Both of these exchange processes happen at the exchange rate of the ligand, kN, with an action scaled proportional to the ratio of theconcentration of the iridium complex to the free ligand ([Ir]/[S]) to account for the inherent trace normalization of density matrices. The association operator is then simplyKa,bSfS=[Ir][S]fS(34)

The dissociation operator then deposits an equivalent number of ligands from the bound species subsystem into the free species subsystem. For the case where both available binding sites in the iridium complex are exchanging with the target ligand, there are distinct subsets of the nuclear spins in the bound species (Sa and Sb), which may dissociate to join the free species with equal probability. We average these possibilities to generate the dissociation operator for the free species, remembering to apply the concentration scaling factor for exchange between manifoldsKd,fSbS=[Ir]2[S](Tr{H2Sa}bS+Tr{H2Sb}bS)(35)

Combining Eqs. 34 and 35 yields the equation of motion for the free species with exchange interactionstfS=i[HfS,fS]+kN[Ir][S](Kd,fSbSfS)(36)where kNkNexp(tkN/2) and will be used as a notation for the DMEx rate going forward.

The bound species has two exchange interactions: one for the simultaneous exchange of a ligand and the hydrides occurring at rate of kH and one for the exchange of target ligands at a rate of kN kH. We will formulate the exchange operator for the bound species as a single entity, Kex, which takes multiple manifolds as arguments. Hydride exchange is restricted to occur only during ligand exchanges as the complex form a tetrahydride intermediate to facilitate this reaction. In the case where both parahydrogen and ligand exchange occur concurrently, we exchange the portion t(ka,H/kN) of bS to reflect the new hydride population and new ligand population. This may be written as(ka,HkN)pH2fSTr{H2,S}bS(37)where pH2 is the density matrix for pure singlet parahydrogen and Tr{H2, S} returns the density matrix for the ligand that remains bound. In the case where the hydrides do not exchange but the target ligand does, another portion of the density matrix t((1ka,H)/kN) must be reformulated to reflect the newly exchanged ligand(1ka,HkN)Tr{S}bSfS(38)where Tr{S}bS is the density matrix for the subsystem of the remaining ligand and parahydrogen. This projection must be constructed carefully to ensure that the coherences are appropriately retained between the hydrides and remaining ligand. Note that while we are exchanging between the free and bound species subsystems, the scaling factor is not needed as the free species density matrix is, by definition, trace normalized. Therefore, one free ligand equivalent leaving the free species will look like one free ligand equivalent associating with the bound species. As this free ligand leaves the free species though, the appropriate reduction in the free species density matrix must be scaled by the concentration ratios. The full exchange operators can now be written as a combination of these two componentsK{S}(bS,fS)=(1ka,HkN)Tr{S}bSfS+(ka,HkN)pH2fSTr{H2,S}bS(39)

The two possible ligand exchanges from the two available binding sites, a and b, then average together to give the final exchange operator for the bound speciesKex=12(K{Sa}+K{Sb})(40)

Note that Eqs. 35 and 40 contains terms that are quadratic in the magnetization density, arising from the effects of rebinding ligands that have already interacted with the species. Hence, this is a second-order nonlinear partial differential equation, which must be solved simultaneously with the equation of motion for the free species to define the full evolution of the system.

Furthermore, these nonlinearities are amplified as the ratio increases. It now becomes possible to efficiently represent the impact of concurrent evolution of the J-coupling networks in the free and bound species of the target ligand. In addition, we can now model the effects that various solution compositions will have on the polarization dynamics, given that rebinding of previously polarized ligand will significantly affect the evolution of the bound species under the nuclear spin Hamiltonian.

Even with the incorporation of the nonlinear terms to the DMEx, the solution convergence is still far faster than that of the traditional implementation (Fig. 3C), and the two models still converge in the limit when t dt. One can obtain the same error in the DMExFR2 with a step size that is four times larger than the traditional implementation. While we have focused on the accuracy of the simulation, its precision in reproducing input parameters, such as the exchange rate, are just as important, particularly as these models are used to extract physical parameters from experimental data. Under this condition, it is not only critical that the simulation is stable but also efficient, as large portions of phase space have to be searched to perform an experimental fit. To characterize the precision of the simulation, we introduce the parameter k, which defines the relative shift in the predicted exchange rate in the simulation (Fig. 3D). Unexpectedly, there was essentially no exchange rate at which the traditional implementation provided a solution that was stably precise. In contrast to that, the DMEx model essentially perfectly reproduces the input exchange rate until k 300 s1, and when nonlinearities are introduced to the simulation, the maximum deviation from the input exchange rate is only k 0.5%.

As noted previously, guided in silico exploration of novel experimental methods that increase the hyperpolarization of SABRE is the focus of optimization efforts in the community. With the improved stability of the DMEx models, it is possible to explore realistic systems with complex coupling networks and reduce the calculation to an obtainable cost by using large simulation step sizes (t > 1 ms). The flexibility of this formulation to be expressed in either Hilbert or Liouville space additionally provides access to much larger spin systems than previously possible.

The case of the canonical bis-(15N-pyridine) SABRE-SHEATH system is particularly interesting, as it contains 14 strongly coupled spins in just the iridium-bound manifold with 22 total spins and is perhaps the most prevalent system in 15N SABRE. As the full system is far outside the scope of previous exchange models for SABRE, it has been traditionally acceptable to truncate the spin system to an approximate system, fully or partially removing ancillary 1H nuclei, with the largest approximation reported in literature using a single 1H per ligand (4). Even in this case, the dynamics of the truncated model diverge greatly from the actual system dynamics (Fig. 4A), the latter which can be explicitly calculated using the DMExFR2 model with either 2-ms (black) or 5-ms (red) step sizes with only minor deviation between the solutions. As a result, the truncated model optimizes to exchange rates that are false while retaining a deviation of 10% from the actual system dynamics when reoptimized to the erroneous rates (Fig. 4B). This means that any physical parameters extracted from experimental data by the model will be greatly confounded by the truncation errors inherent to the formulation.

(A) To reduce computational overhead, virtually all calculations to date remove ancillary spins from the system, such as artificially reducing the number of protons on the pyridines in the bis-(15N) SABRE complex from 10 to 2 (A). Doing so alters the hyperpolarization dynamics (blue) as compared to the explicit 14-spin calculation (black), which is stable using the DMExFR2 models for step sizes even up to 5 ms (red). (B) Fitting the 14-spin calculated time evolution with this smaller model produces incorrect values of the exchange rates. (C) Including all relevant exchange pathways when modeling SABRE systems is also crucial for predicting accurate exchange parameters. Here, we fit the experimental (15N,13C)-acetonitrile hyperpolarization dynamics to DMExFR2 models with (solid) and without (dashed) coligand exchange effects. When neglecting these exchange pathways, the predicted exchange rates differ from the correct values by 44 to 92%.

To emphasize the efficiency and flexibility of this framework, we used the DMExFR2 model to fit the coherent hyperpolarization dynamics of (15N-13C)-acetonitrile when exciting the sample with short (milisecond) pulses tuned to a field near the SABRE resonance condition, as described in our prior work (5, 32). Coherent evolution is then interrogated by varying the resonant pulse length, which encodes the dynamics in the final polarization detected. This is a multicomponent SABRE system containing 21 total spins and requires consideration of hyperpolarization-inactive coligand effects to accurately describe the dynamics. These effects allow for additional exchange pathways to influence the dynamics of the system. One of the most critical ramifications arising in allowing the hyperpolarizable ligand to exchange between positions on the complex and thus with which parahydrogen-derived hydride the ligand is coupled. In the limit of fast exchange, this makes the hydrides appear equivalent and would prevent the singlet order from being converted into observable magnetization. When coligand effects are included (solid lines), the experimental data can be reproduced with high fidelity to experiment at multiple field conditions (Fig. 4C), such as when the resonant pulse is B = 1.65 (red) or 0.91 T (blue). Furthermore, the extracted exchange rates for these datasets are kN = 14.5 1.8 s1 and kH = 6.00 0.75 s1 for the B = 1.65 T data and kN = 15.0 3.3 s1 and kH = 4.50 0.98 s1 for the B = 0.91 T data. When coligand effects are neglected, the predicted exchange rates can have errors of 44 to 92%.

Properly simulating this system requires two seven-spin manifolds for the two conformers of the iridium complex, a five-spin manifold for the free (15N-13C)-acetonitrile, and a two-spin manifold for parahydrogen. Fitting the experimental data would be intractable within any of the previous formalisms for SABRE dynamics (3, 25) as a function of the system size. However, when built using the DMExFR2 model in conjunction with the manifold-diagonal formalism for exchange introduced here, each simulation dataset, which consists of 32 simulations lasting 30 s using t = 2 ms, requires approximately 15 min to calculate, making a grid optimization fit possible within a day.

More:

Infinite-order perturbative treatment for quantum evolution with exchange - Science Advances

PHOTO:iSAW Company

Now is an opportunity for internal audit leaders to pause, reflect and consider whether it is time to forgo past practices even if they have proven remarkably successful for a different approach to internal auditing.

As I said to Karen Kroll for the article, "Reassessing Risk: What Matters Most Now?":

Never has business changed so much, so fast

As the business is probably going to be run differently, so shouldnt we run internal audit differently?

Doing a traditional audit that takes weeks, if not longer, is not necessarily going to help business leaders run the business today

Another recent article in Internal Audit 360,"The Value Challenge in the Evolution of Internal Auditing"stated, "The recent macroeconomic developments emphasize a change that is already taking place: remaining anchored to the most traditional and archaic conception of the internal audit mandate exposes the profession to the highly probable and impactful risk of losing relevance, progressively emptying not only its perceived value but the real content of the profession as well."

We live in an era of epochal changes which demand an evolution of the internal audit profession. Paraphrasing Darwin: if we as auditors will be more reactive to change and will change proactively, we will not only survive, but also consolidate a competitive advantage. The alternative would lead the function to an inexorable, progressive decline.

Related Article: The Core Principles of Effective Internal Auditing

A growing number of internal audit departments are moving from a static annual audit plan (or worse) to a dynamic one that is based on a continuous understanding of how the business and its environment is changing. (Some call that risk assessment, but its really more than that.)

Internal audit needs to continuously monitor the business to dynamically update the audit plan, so it is addressing what's important to organizational leaders now and in the near future.

But there is more to being agile, a term mentioned in the second piece. Think of the navy: Do its commanders send in a fleet every time there is an issue?

No.

They recognize the need for agile, fast and mobile forces that are capable of acting quickly to achieve their mission, in addition to the more traditional use of overpowering force. Internal audit needs similar capabilities.

Sometimes a fleet of auditors needs to be sent in to attack an issue. But that fleet takes time. It requires time to plan, mobilize and execute. It may also require time to consolidate, consider, evaluate and report its findings.

Can the organization wait? Dont they need information on significant "risks" now rather than later?

The modern internal audit team needs to be as agile as its audit planning. It needs the ability to send in a one or two person team that will get in and out rapidly, with the information needed by leaders of the organization. Audit at the speed of risk and the business, providing management and the board with the assurance, insight, and advice they need, when they need it (i.e., not waiting weeks for a formal report), in a readily actionable form.

In my internal audit departments, the typical audit was one or possibly two people for a week or two total, not just fieldwork. They focused on the few risks at any location or in any business process that had the potential to be significant if poorly controlled.

If you spy an enemy risk on the horizon, you need to evaluate and respond at top speed, not wait until the fleet has arrived.

How agile is your internal audit team? Do you have speedboats or only battleships?

Is your average audit 200 hours or more? If so, are you auditing areas where, even if there were problems, they wouldnt rise to the level that requires CEO or board action? Why? Are you taking too long to provide management and the board with essential assurance, advice and insight?

Audit with focus and be agile about it.

I welcome your thoughts.

Norman Marks, CPA, CRMA is an evangelist for better run business, focusing on corporate governance, risk management, internal audit, enterprise performance, and the value of information. He is also a mentor to individuals and organizations around the world, the author of World-Class Risk Management and publishes regularly on his own blog.

The rest is here:

The Evolution of Internal Audit - CMSWire

Fortunately for us, the whale fossil record is so remarkably represented that scientists have even called the whale a poster child of evolution. So states, in a breezy fashion, a recent article by biology PhD student Ellen Coombs atThe Conversation. This echoes other evolution advocates, including a biology journal,BioScience, touting Whale Origins as a Poster Child for Macroevolution.

True, its a commonplace in discussions of evolutions strengths and (zero) weaknesses: whales are held to be emblematic of Darwinian theorys splendid success in explaining biological origins. They are one of our best examples of an evolutionary transition, as Jerry Coyne assures his readers. A series of brief videos from Discovery Institute,Long Story Short, has been considering whale evolution, and the two videos so far on the subject caught the attention of critics. The dispute has led to a productive exchange. See:

Now find the latest here, a second rebuttal:

The argument about whales turns on two points: Population genetics calculations say no, and New fossil find throws the series into disarray. The filmmaker, whom were calling Long Story, is a wry but also very substantive debater. In the new video, he spars with Jackson Wheat, co-author ofThe Rocks Were There,whose response you can find here. Long Story apologizes for the technical nature of the discussion but I think it shows, as he puts it at the end, that the beef is missing from claims for whales like Dr. Coynes, and therefore, It might just be time to retire the whale series as evidence for neo-Darwinism.

Poster child, by the way, is an interesting formulation, truer than Darwinists seem to realize.AsWikipediasays, it refers to, according to the original meaning of the term, achildafflicted by somediseaseor deformity whose picture is used onpostersor other media as part of a campaign to raise money or enlist volunteers for a cause or organization. In other words, being a poster child, disabled and hobbling on crutches and possibly exploited for his impairment, is not something youd wish on a person. Not on a whale either. Youd rather be that than a milk carton kidbut not by much.

Originally posted here:

Whales Time to Put Evolution's Exhausted Poster Child to Rest - Discovery Institute

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) took a census of stellar eggs in the constellation Taurus and revealed their evolution state.

This census helps researchers understand how and when a stellar embryo transforms to a baby star deep inside a gaseous egg. In addition, the team found a bipolar outflow, a pair of gas streams, that could be telltale evidence of a truly newborn star.

Stars are formed by gravitational contraction of gaseous clouds. The densest parts of the clouds, called molecular cloud cores, are the very sites of star formation and mainly located along the Milky Way. The Taurus Molecular Cloud is one of the active star-forming regions and many telescopes have been pointed at the cloud. Previous observations show that some cores are actually stellar eggs before the birth of stars, but others already have infant stars inside.

A research team led by Kazuki Tokuda, an astronomer at Osaka Prefecture University and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), utilized the power of ALMA to investigate the inner structure of the stellar eggs. They observed 32 starless cores and nine cores with baby protostars. They detected radio waves from all of the nine cores with stars, but only 12 out of 32 starless cores showed a signal. The team concluded that these 12 eggs have developed internal structures, which shows they are more evolved than the 20 quite cores.

Generally speaking, radio interferometers using many antennas, like ALMA, are not good at observing featureless objects like stellar eggs, says Tokuda. But in our observations, we purposely used only the 7-m antennas of ALMA. This compact array enables us to see objects with smooth structure, and we got information about the internal structure of the stellar eggs, just as we intended.

Increasing the spacing between the antennas improves the resolution of a radio interferometer, but makes it difficult to detect extended objects. On the other hand, a compact array has lower resolution but allows us to see extended objects. This is why the team used ALMAs compact array of 7-m antennas, as known as the Morita Array, not the extended array of 12-m antennas.

They found that there is a difference between the two groups in the gas density at the center of the dense cores. Once the density of the center of a dense core exceeds a certain threshold, about one million hydrogen molecules per cubic centimeter, self-gravity leads the egg to transform into a star.

A census is also useful for finding a rare object. The team noticed that there is a weak but clear bipolar gas stream in one stellar egg. The size of the stream is rather small, and no infrared source has been identified in the dense core. These characteristics match well with the theoretical predictions of a first hydrostatic core, a short-lived object formed just before the birth of a baby star. Several candidates for the first hydrostatic cores have been identified in other regions, explains Kakeru Fujishiro, a member of the research team. This is the first identification in the Taurus region. It is a good target for future extensive observation.

Kengo Tachihara, an associate professor at Nagoya University mentions the role of Japanese researchers in this study. Japanese astronomers have studied the baby stars and stellar eggs in Taurus using the Nagoya 4-m radio telescope and Nobeyama 45-m radio telescope since the 1990s. And, ALMAs 7-m array was also developed by Japan. The present result is part of the culmination of these efforts.

We have succeeded in illustrating the growth history of stellar eggs up to their birth, and now we have established the method for the research, summarizes Tokuda. This is an important step to obtain a comprehensive understanding of star formation.

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Header Image Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), Tokuda et al., ESA/Herschel

Visit link:

Tracing Evolution From Embryo to Baby Star - HeritageDaily

In a recent virtual panel discussion hosted by Tribal Worldwide London, three hospitality and digital experts gave their thoughts on the evolution of the industry during the coronavirus crisis, what businesses should be doing to adapt, and what might come next for hospitality.

The impact of the coronavirus crisis on the hospitality and entertainment industries has been nothing short of dire, with hotels, restaurants, bars and events venues forced to close their doors to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

As lockdown measures ease across the UK, those businesses that made it through the lockdown are now faced with the challenge of re-opening safely which means regaining consumer trust and complying with government guidance around tracking and tracing infected visitors. Already, a number of pubs and restaurants have made headlines by becoming the flashpoint for another outbreak.

Its not an easy time to be in the hospitality business but there is consumer appetite for experiences and entertainment, and technology solutions are being innovated that will help hospitality businesses to smoothly navigate the Covid-19 era.

In a recent webinar, Stronger Than Before: Whats Next for the Hospitality Industry?, organised and hosted by Tribal Worldwide London, three panellists gave their perspectives on the future of the hospitality industry: Michael Codd, Digital Marketing and Innovation Lead Europe at AB-InBev, Simone Ippolito, Founder and CEO of Capp Assist Ltd., and Victoria Buchanan, Executive Creative Director at Tribal Worldwide London.

They spoke about some of the solutions that helped keep pubs, restaurants and other venues afloat during the lockdown and those that are helping them emerge from it; the ways that hospitality businesses have pivoted and reinvented their offerings; and their predictions for where the industry i going next.

All of the panellists agreed that the use of technology has been the deciding factor in which businesses made it through the lockdown, as well as how successfully they survived it.

As Tribal Worldwides Victoria Buchanan put it, If youre agile, and can jump on the technology, technology can save so many businesses. She pointed out that the businesses with an ecommerce offering survived the best during the lockdown, while many quickly partnered with firms like Deliveroo and were able to shore themselves up that way. However, some simply didnt have the funds to invest in a technology solution or partner, and these businesses sadly have a reduced chance of surviving the Covid-19 era.

But bars, pubs and restaurants werent on their own during the coronavirus crisis, and drinks companies like AB InBev were keen to help their trade partners stay afloat during the lockdown. Michael Codd spoke about AB InBevs Save the Pubs campaign, a multi-pronged initiative across various countries that helped secure spending and donations for pubs and bars during the lockdown.

He explained that the idea originated in Belgium, where AB InBev were developing a sports app with added payment integration; when the lockdown began and it was clear that pubs and bars would have to close, they were able to redevelop it in just three days to create Caf Courage, an online platform for customers to pre-order and pay for their favourite beer at participating bars. They could also make donations to their favourite venues through the website, and for every order placed, AB InBev matched its value with donations of free goods, up to the equivalent of 3.6 million pints of beer.

In the UK, AB InBev set up a Shopify instance that pubs and bars could use to create an account and receive donations from customers. Similarly, AB InBev matched all donations made through that platform, which passed the 1 million mark a few weeks ago.

There was no media spend behind this campaign at all, emphasised Codd; the Save the Pubs campaign was purely organic and PR-driven, and benefited from a lot of exposure and sharing on social media to spread the word. He added that it helped that consumers could see it wasnt a marketing exercise, because AB InBev didnt put any of their beer brands on the campaign. When you show as a brand and as a company that youre being unselfish, that helps with consumer trust.

Simone Ippolito is the co-founder of Capp Assist, a free app created for the hospitality sector that allows businesses to register, track and trace customers and manage their capacity in real-time. He pointed out that although many restaurants, pubs and bars are now developing their own apps for booking and payment, from a customer experience perspective this isnt sustainable can you really expect customers to download a separate app for every venue they visit?

It could be argued that customers may be more willing to download an individual app for a pub or restaurant theyre a regular patron of and that this might even drive repeat visits if it reduces friction for future visits, incentivising the customer to come back instead of going elsewhere. However, there is also a strong case for having an all-in-one solution like Capp Assist.

Ippolito explained that customers can download the app ahead of time and check capacity without going out to visit the venue which both helps them to plan their visit and smooths the experience when they arrive, preventing them from needing to spend time downloading the app upon arrival.

He noted, however, that businesses have been slow to adopt Capp Assist and solutions like it. In response to a question from an audience member about how Capp Assist is tackling this problem, Ippolito said that while Capp Assist is promoting its solution (and has been approached by some marketing and PR agencies who want to help spread the word), venues need to do their part by reaching out to customers and explaining how the app can improve their experience. It needs to be a collective effort to make this work, he said.

The panellists agreed that the types of solutions that are being developed now are not just a stop-gap measure, but represent a new way of doing business for the hospitality industry. Its not a temporary situation this is changing the whole structure and the way that hospitality runs as a sector. Its really important to stop and think about these experiences and make sure theyre designed properly, said Buchanan.

Ippolito agreed: The world we knew before isnt going to be the same moving forward, so we need to be working together to avoid a situation like this happening again.

Panel host Jamie Willey, Business Development Director at Tribal Worldwide London, asked the panellists for examples of hospitality businesses they had seen reinventing their offering or pivoting to new business ideas during the coronavirus crisis. He gave the example of a hotel brand that had transformed its unused car park into an outdoor entertainment space, complete with a DJ and bars.

Otherwise, that would have been an empty hotel struggling to make revenue, he said.

Victoria Buchanan recalled an East London brewery that would send a lorry to peoples houses during the lockdown and spend 20 minutes at each address, allowing them to buy beer for as long as the vehicle was at their house.

Even for those brands who arent completely reinventing the way they conduct business, the coronavirus crisis has provided some unexpected opportunities to improve or change up their offerings. Ippolito said that Capp Assist has been approached by events venues to include ID verification software within their app; this will be part of Phase Two of the app, and will mean that when customers buy tickets through the app, they can verify their ID at the same time saving them from having to carry it with them on the day.

Things will be particularly slow to return to normal for the events business in particular, with events limited in the number of people they can host together in one space. However, Willey pointed out that some events organisers are running blended online and offline events, and although organisers cant drive sales of things like drinks through the online event, they can still promote awareness of their brand, which may well lead to repeat bookings and in-person sales further down the line.

Buchanan noted that the hospitality industry is now seeing a surge of customer data that it hasnt previously had thanks to the ubiquity of online bookings. She asked Ippolito whether Capp Assist had identified any business opportunities in the data that it had been collecting from customers registering with the app.

Ippolito was quick to stress that Capp Assist isnt looking to monetise the data that it is collecting, and only shares the customer data it collects for track and trace purposes with the NHS; it is also fully GDPR compliant. However, the numbers of people logging their details individually can give pub, restaurant and bar owners more of an insight into trends, such as when people come into their venue and in what numbers.

The struggle is that people dont want to be tracked 24/7, he said, talking about the fine line Capp Assist has needed to walk in convincing customers to share their details. Weve made it very clear that were not here to track you.

Finally, host Jamie Willey asked each panellist for their predictions on what comes next for the industry and how things will develop in the future.

I dont think trade will be the same again, said Michael Codd. Businesses need to be adaptable the rate of digitalisation has accelerated massively, and whatever information you can access physically, you now need to be able to access online. Even the most traditional businesses will need to adopt things like digital menus and online booking.

Theres a need to solve these problems for our local communities, Victoria Buchanan agreed, adding that the hospitality industry is currently reinventing experiences. Were having to make massive transformation steps here. People are having to think fast and be innovative.

She talked about the changes that fine dining is currently undergoing, with restaurants paring down their offerings to the most high-quality drinks and taster menus people are going out less, but when they do they spend more money, which results in a higher level of revenue for restaurants overall.

Simone Ippolito agreed with this observation, adding that businesses need to be smart and see how the world is changing.

However, Buchanan noted that it isnt always necessary for hospitality businesses to completely overhaul their offering or reinvent their way of operating; there are opportunities present in the product offerings and services that they already have. For example, bars can create content that shows their customers how to make their own drinks at home.

You dont need to invest in huge transformation to start communicating with your clients, she said. You can make the stuff that youve got out there work a lot harder.

See more here:

What's next for hospitality? Experts discuss the evolution of experiences and entertainment during Covid-19 - Econsultancy

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, our ancestors evolved a simple trick that could have helped thwart a major infectious disease. It probably saved our skins, but the change was far from a perfect solution.

New research has uncovered evidence that mutations arising between 600,000 and 2 million years ago were part of a complex of adaptations that may have inadvertently made us prone to inflammatory diseases and even other pathogens.

An international team of researchers compared around a thousand human genomes with a few from our extinct cousins, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, to fill in missing details on the evolution of a family of chemicals that coat the human body's cells.

Sialic acids are a diverse group of carbohydrates that blossom like leaves from the tips of proteins covering the surfaces of human cells.

This canopy of sugars is typically the first thing you'd bump into if you were the size of a virus or bacterium, so it's no surprise that these chemicals serve as a security badge, identifying friend from foe.

Changes in sialic acid markers can give rise to a number of diseases. But it was one specific change particular to all humans that the researchers here were most keen to gain an understanding of.

Most mammals including closely related apes have a compound called N-glycolylneuraminic acid, or Neu5Gc. We've known for some time that the gene for this version of sialic acid is broken in us, leaving its precursor form, N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), to do its job.

Researchers previously speculated that this mutation was selected for in humans to make it harder for devastating malarial parasites such asPlasmodium knowlesi to latch onto red blood cells.

It's a swap that other animals including a number of birds, bats, and even whales have also evolved on their own.

Since chimpanzees retain the gene for Neu5Gc, the mutation must have occurred within the past 6 million years or so, sometime after we parted ways from one another.

This window can now be narrowed down even further. This most recent study shows Neanderthals and Denisovans share our variant of sialic acid, meaning the change happened before our branch of the family tree separatedroughly 400,000 to 800,000 years ago.

Sialic acid markers are only part of the story, though. To differentiate between cells that belong to us from possible invaders, our immune cells are armed with a scanning chemical called sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins. Or Siglecs for short.

When an inspection occurs, if a cell's sialic acid marker isn't up to scratch, it's curtains for that cell.Naturally, any changes to our sialic acid name-tag would imply our system of Siglecs would have needed adjusting as well.

Sure enough, on further investigation the researchers found significant mutations among a cluster of Siglec genes that are common to humans and their ilk, but not great apes.

Not all of these versions are found on immune cells, either. According to the study, some are found on other tissues, such as the brain, placenta, and gut.

This radical rewiring of our immune system is no small thing. If the malaria-hypothesis carries weight, it would have given Neu5Ac humans living in areas prone to the parasitic disease a huge advantage over their Neu5Gc relatives.

But it might have been a big price to pay. A decade ago, researchers from the same team suggested the mutation would have separated our ancestral communities, potentially preventing them from reproducing.

In other words, our species' lineage might have splintered as a result of this complex of immune mutations, possibly occurring with the emergence of Homo erectus a little more than 2 million years ago.

But there are other consequences of the change we're still experiencing today.

Siglec expression is linked with conditions such as asthma and Alzheimer's disease, raising the possibility that protection from a devastating disease put us at risk of other conditions.

As for that swap in sialic acid, it might have provided a new opportunity for a slew of other pathogens.

A wide variety of viruses and bacteria gain entry to our cells by grabbing onto the fuzz of sialic acid, many of which infect humans but not apes. Many, such as cholera, smallpox, influenza, and coronaviruses, are far from trivial.

"Most coronaviruses infect cells in two steps first by recognising abundant sialic acids as binding sites to gain a foothold, and then seeking out the higher affinity protein receptors like ACE2," physician Ajit Varki told Science magazine's Ann Gibbons.

Strangely, a human-like elimination of the NeuA5c gene in mice gives them a boost in running ability, and in activating other parts of their immune system. Given the new cognitive and physical talents emerging in humans a couple of million years ago, asthma and cholera might well have been worth the swap.

Evolution gets the job done. But nobody said it was perfect.

This research was published in Genome Biology and Evolution.

Read the original:

Humans Might Be So Sickly Because We Evolved to Avoid a Single Devastating Disease - ScienceAlert

The Houston Rockets' official Twitter account took what could be considered the first jab in the beef between two of the NBA's biggest superstars seconds after Giannis Antetokounmpo was announced as the league's 2018-19 MVP.

James Harden finished as the runner-up for the third time in five seasons, which didn't sit right with the Rockets organization. The tweet has since been deleted but was certainly up long enough to send a message.

"Congrats to the MVP, but we respectfully disagree," the tweet read before rattling off several bullet points making a case that Harden should have been the repeat winner, such as that he was the first player in NBA history to average at least 35 points and seven assists per game for a full season.

It's common for franchises to lobby for their stars to receive postseason honors. But the timing of this tweet -- as first-time winner Antetokounmpo was making his acceptance speech -- was perceived by many around the league as poor form, a disrespectful display of sour grapes.

"The Beard" and "The Greek Freak" have exchanged a handful of jabs since, some direct shots, others more subtle.

As Harden's Rockets prepare to face Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks in the bubble in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), get up to speed on the pokes between the perennial MVP candidates over the past year.

"I went out there and did what I was supposed to do at a high level. There's only a few other seasons that anybody has ever done that before. People were tuned into how many points I was going to score the next game. It was a thing. But I can't control that." -- Harden

Harden, making an August 2019 appearance on Houston hip hop station 97.9 The Box to promote his annual JH-Town Weekend charity events, readily agreed when one of the hosts declared that "politics" determined the MVP winner.

The implication seems to be that Antetokounmpo wasn't deserving of the honor, which he won by receiving 78 of the 101 first-place votes, despite a historical stat line (averages of 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals) to lead the Bucks to the NBA's best record.

There's a precedent for the Rockets complaining about the "narrative" determining the MVP winner when Harden finished second in the voting. It also occurred after the 2016-17 award went to Russell Westbrook in the case of the then-Oklahoma City Thunder point guard joining Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double for the season.

Of course, that didn't prevent the Rockets from pumping up Westbrook as a recent MVP when they pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade to acquire him last summer.

1 Related

It's not clear why exactly the narrative would have shifted to favor Harden in 2018-19, when he won the MVP in a landslide, getting 86 of 101 first-place votes. It's also hard to build a case that the ballot is biased against Harden when he has received more points in MVP voting over the past five years than anyone.

But Harden doubled down in an interview with GQ weeks after his radio appearance when asked if a narrative had been already formed for this season's MVP race.

"Nah, it hasn't happened yet, it's too early," Harden said. "Wait until the preseason and when the regular season starts up again. But they [the media] for sure got some teams they locked in on. We all know. That's just what it is.

"You can't tell me that a guy whose team was a 14-seed at one point last year, and ended up a 4-seed with everything that was going on -- so many injuries -- and who went on a 32-game 30-point streak, eight 50-point games, two 60-point games in one season ... and all the talk was about [Antetokounmpo]?

"There's no way."

"It's me. I can get any shot I want to." -- Harden

This was Harden's explanation for why he struggled in a season-opening home loss to the Bucks, finishing with 19 points on 2-of-13 shooting.

Harden consistently declines to credit the opposing defense for causing him problems after an off night, never wavering in his confidence that he can create his shot regardless of the defenders or schemes that he encounters.

But it'd be understandable if Antetokounmpo -- rarely if ever the primary defender on Harden but a dominant force in a help role -- and the Bucks believed that their No. 1-ranked defense was due some credit. After all, they held Harden to 23 points on 26 field goal attempts in their previous meeting, a convincing win by the Bucks in late March that might have influenced some MVP ballots.

"I want somebody that's going to pass the ball." -- Antetokounmpo

Credit TNT's Charles Barkley for the assist in provoking Antetokounmpo into blurting a headline-making explanation for passing on Harden when picking his All-Star team.

"What, you don't want The Dribbler?" Barkley asked, interrupting when Antetokounmpo said he was deciding between Trae Young and Kemba Walker when Harden was the only other starter available, prompting a chuckle from fellow captain, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

0:25

Giannis Antetokounmpo is torn between choosing Kemba Walker or Trae Young, and when Charles Barkley jokingly suggests James Harden, Giannis deals a fun jab during the NBA All-Star draft.

Antetokounmpo chose Walker, a selection that didn't quite match his stated criteria. Harden averages 2.5 more assists per game than Walker this season. Walker's career-best assists average was 6.1 per game in 2013-14, and Harden has averaged at least that many dimes in the past seven seasons, including when he won the assists title with 11.2 per game in 2016-17.

Antetokounmpo, for what it's worth, has never averaged at least six assists in a season.

"Offensively, we were just trying to find whoever James Harden was guarding. That's who we thought we'd have the opportunity to score on." -- Antetokounmpo

Unlike during the All-Star Game draft, nobody provoked this swipe at Harden. It was Antetokoumpo's answer to a bland question about his team's approach down the stretch of the All-Star Game.

That swipe wasn't exactly supported by the facts. Team Giannis, which had more turnovers (seven) than field goals (5-of-19) in the fourth quarter while blowing a nine-point lead, attempted only two shots in the frame in which Harden was the primary defender. Neither of those shots was good.

Not that simply targeting Harden on defense is a sound strategy. There's a narrative that Harden is a notoriously poor defender, but the numbers don't back that up.

Harden has established himself as an elite post defender. According to NBA Advanced Stats, Harden ranks in the 90th percentile this season by giving up only 0.65 points per post-up despite being the league's most targeted player in those situations (107 possessions). He has graded as an average isolation defender this season, ranking in the 50th percentile by giving up 0.89 points per possession.

"I wish I could just be 7 feet and run and just dunk. Like, that takes no skill at all. I've got to actually learn how to play basketball and have skill, you know? I'll take that any day." -- Harden

This was the meat of Harden's response to Antetokounmpo's punchline about his passing when ESPN's Rachel Nichols broached the subject during a 1-on-1 interview at All-Star Weekend.

However, just as Antetokounmpo was off target with his disses of Harden's game, it's hard to claim this criticism by Harden is based in reality. It's rare to find a near-7-footer with such top-level athleticism, though there have been several who have played in the NBA.

1:10

Stephen A. Smith agrees with James Harden's response to Giannis Antetokounmpo saying he wanted to draft a player who passes the ball.

But Antetokounmpo is the only player who fits that description that has thrived as his team's primary facilitator. Sure, his jump shot is a work in progress. But Antetokounmpo is certainly a skilled ball handler, especially for a player his size.

Has there ever been a player that size who created most of his own dunks off the dribble?

"There hasn't been a back and forth. I'm not that type of guy. I've never tried to take stabs at somebody. Maybe sometimes it might come out like that, but I'm definitely not. ... If that's what [Harden] believes, that's what he believes." -- Antetokounmpo

Perhaps Antetokounmpo's skill set includes acting, because these comments in a late February interview with ESPN prove he can certainly play coy.

These came in the wake of Antetokounmpo taking stabs at two subjects that are sensitive to Harden: the perception that the Rockets star is a ball hog and that he's a dreadful defender. Did Antetokounmpo really expect anyone to believe those were accidental?

"I've got to go with James Harden." -- Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo paused for several seconds when asked during an Instagram Live Q&A in late March which NBA player was most difficult to guard. After carefully considering it, he replied with the player who is en route to his third consecutive NBA scoring title.

Maybe this virtual olive branch ends the back-and-forth beef between the league's last two MVPs. Or maybe the Bucks and Rockets' next meeting could ignite another round inside the bubble.

1:57

Dan Le Batard, Bomani Jones, and Domonique Foxworth react to how hard it was for Giannis Antetokounmpo to admit that James Harden is the hardest player he's had to guard.

Read more:

The evolution of the James Harden-Giannis Antetokounmpo feud - ESPN

Of the thousands of students, only a handful were Black, according to former students and teachers. The first few Black faculty members, including Clara Luper, a noted local civil rights activist, wouldnt arrive until two years after Ms. Warren graduated. In a speech years later, Ms. Luper recalled protests outside her classroom window and boys chanting racial slurs at her in the hall.

After Ms. Warrens father lost his job, her family struggled to stay in the district so their children could attend the school, considered one of the academically strongest in the area. Friends described Ms. Warren as conservative at the time, and dont recall spending much time discussing civil rights, even as protests, sit-ins and integration efforts roiled her still largely segregated city throughout her high school years.

Dr. Katrina Cochran, a childhood friend who would go on to become a psychologist, said that Ms. Warren had been deeply conscious of the stigma then associated with having a mother who worked outside the home and that she had displayed an interest in economic inequality that would define her career. But the topic of race didnt often come up between the two girls.

It was so clearly segregated, Dr. Cochran said, of their high school. I look back on it now, and there wasnt one person of color that I recall anywhere, except in the janitorial or kitchen staff. Thats how we grew up.

Ms. Warren left Oklahoma City for George Washington University eager to expand her horizons beyond the confines of her upbringing.

I had never seen a ballet, never been to a museum and never ridden in a taxi, Ms. Warren recalled in her 2014 memoir. Id never had a debate partner who was Black, never known anyone from Asia, and never had a roommate of any kind.

As an older cousin also had, a young Ms. Warren found her way into a sorority, pledging the Gamma Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. The university had been officially desegregated in 1954, when it began admitting Black students, but the sororities on campus remained a bastion of discrimination.

Read the original:

Elizabeth Warrens Evolution on Race Brought Her Here - The New York Times

When Khiry Shelton was 9 or 10 years old, his grade school teacher conducted a time capsule activity. Every student wrote a letter about what they wanted to be when they grew up, sealed the paper into an envelope and returned it to their teacher.

Years later, when Shelton was in high school, he received the envelope in the mail. The letter, scribbled in his own handwriting, said that Shelton wanted to be a professional soccer player.

Consider it a dream come true.

Shelton, a 27-year-old Sporting Kansas City forward who is tied for the team lead with three goals this season, recently joined sportscaster Glenn Davis on the Soccer Matters podcast to reflect on his eventful upbringing in a military family, his early professional days at New York City FC, his experience competing in the German Bundesliga and his evolution as a player.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, Shelton joined New York City FC as a rookie and became acquainted with teammates David Villa, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirloall of whom Shelton grew up idolizing.

After three years in New York, Shelton arrived in Kansas City and helped Sporting to a first-place finish in the Western Conference in 2018. He spent 2019 with German club SC Paderborn 07 before sealing a return to Sporting ahead of the 2020 campaign. During his stint in Europe, Shelton said he became a more well-rounded player.

Theres a lot more to my game than just speed and strength, Shelton told Davis. My passing ability, my vision of the game, my knowledge of when to (attack) and when to keep the ball. There are a lot of things that play into my game that people dont take into consideration, but thats not for me to (worry) about.

Shelton also shared details about the special relationship he shares with his father, a military veteran who served in the U.S. Army for 22 years.

Over the last five or six years, hes become my best friend because our relationship has changed over time as Ive gotten older, Shelton said of his dad. Hes not only a father figure but a best friend. We talk every day, and hes still able to push me in different parts of my life but also support me.

After reaching the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back Tournament, Shelton and Sporting will now await the resumption of the MLS regular season. The league plans to announce a revamped schedule in the very near term.

Sporting currently sits atop the Western Conference with 12 points and a 4-1-0 regular season record. Shelton is notably one of two MLS playersalongside teammate and fellow forward Khiry Sheltonwith three goals, five chances created and 30 duels won this year.

Original post:

Khiry Shelton reflects on his evolution as a player with Glenn Davis on the Soccer Matters podcast - Sporting Kansas City

The Spanish multinational commemorates its 40th anniversary with an exclusive interview

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cosentino, the world leader of innovative surfaces for design and architecture has further established itself as the industry leader in an exclusive Facebook live interview titled "Revolution and Remodelling of Fine Kitchen and Baths" that explored and discussed the ever-evolving technology and design trends of kitchen and baths.

The Collection Dekton 2020 - Liquid Sky

The panel speakers at the live sharing were industry professionals and experts Mark Alban Collar, General Manager of Cosentino Malaysia, Alex Lee, Co-Founder and Director of Nu Infinity, and Isaac Lim, Co-Founder and Director of Mieux Design.

Fine kitchens and baths have revolutionized throughout the years and how they have impacted the way individuals design their dream homes. Taking into consideration the current situation, the discussion also explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and changed the way people view and spend on kitchens and baths.

Countertops are always exposed to the risks of scratches, discolouration, stains. Hence, product durability is important and consumers should make their countertops a long term investment to enjoy a peace of mind when using their kitchens and bathrooms.

"I think everyone is looking at long-lasting products. Consumers want to make sure that their countertops are well-designed, and maintenance free," Collar said.

Consumers in the modern era have more demands for the design and technology and that may eventually lead to unrealistic expectations. Clients should understand their lifestyle and consider using dual-function appliances to make the most out of their kitchen and baths.

"You can opt for reducing the amount of accessories and choosing more affordable drawers. That would reduce costing and help save space," Isaac stated.

Having a clear communication between consumers and designers has also become more significant nowadays. Clients have to do their part to understand their needs, how they use the space and their current lifestyle for the designers to craft a design that suits them best.

Alex also added, "If it's your home, it needs to have your character, your customization. Don't always go with the norm, let your designer blow your mind."

For the full "Revolution and Remodelling of Fine Kitchens and Baths" live interview, please visit https://bit.ly/30BafA7. You can also go to https://www.cosentino.com/en-my/, call 03-92127633 or pay a visit to the Cosentino showroom to learn more about Cosentino.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200807/2879456-1

SOURCE Cosentino Malaysia

See the rest here:

EXPLORING THE EVOLUTION OF KITCHEN AND BATHS WITH COSENTINO - Yahoo Finance

Pokmon is one of the most popular franchises of all time. Starting out as a video game, the series developed into a card game, a highly successful anime, and a successful movie series. While several 90s franchises have declined in popularity, Pokmon continues to remain successful, with highly anticipated video game releases every other year.

RELATED:10 Awesome Pokmon That Really Need A New Evolution

As the series has been running for the best part of two decades and 890 Pokmon have been released in this time, there are several individual Pokmon that are generally considered to be awful, either from a design point of view or a gaming perspective. What is worse, though, is when a Pokmon starts out life as a promising first stage evolution before then turning into something thats either useless or ugly.

This entry will be controversial among Pokmon fans. The water type starter Pokmon from generation 8 was hugely popular when it was originally announced, with fans loving the goofy looking design of the creature.

However, some fans were split at seeing Sobbles final evolution, Inteleon. Many believed that the Pokmon didnt look like a Pokmon, with some even suggesting that its design was unimaginative.

Chansey is one of the most iconic Pokmon designs of all time, with the pink Pokmon being closely related to Nurse Joy in the animated series. Chansey does indeed evolve into Blissey, but doing so would be pointless in terms of strengthening aPokmon team for battle.

Rather than evolving a Chansey into a Blissey, it would make far more sense to simply give a Chansey an Eviolite, greatly boosting its defense and special defense stats, making it far more difficult to kill than a Blissey.

For those who may not be too familiar with Glameow, the cat Pokmon is an adorable and fancy looking cat Pokmon. However, while Glameow is adorable, its evolution is a Purugly and, as the name suggests, its not a pretty Pokmon.

RELATED:10 Pokmon That Should Have Gotten A Different Typing

While Purugly certainly has its advantages in Pokmon battles and can pack a punch, evolving a cute cat into a Purugly is something that ought to be avoided.

Oddish is an adorable little plant creature. The little guy is often at the start of a new players adventure, and its happy little demeanor is bound to draw in some admirers. However, evolve this creature at your own peril.

While Oddish is adorable, it evolves into Gloom, one of the ugliest and most disgusting looking creatures in the Pokmon universe.

Murkrow is far from the most famous Pokmon, but if used correctly in battle it can be a tricky little pest to deal with. A Murkrow can be given an Eviolite, which boosts its defense and special defense, making it a particularly tough nut to crack.

Further, its hidden ability of prankster means it can use status moves at +1 priority. This means Murkrow can use moves such as Confuse Ray and Feather Dance to weaken an opponent. However, evolving a Murkrow into a Honchkrow is far more difficult to use well in battle.

Dusclops, similar to Chansey and Murkrow, is another Pokmon that benefits greatly from an Eviolite to boost its defensive stats. With the Eviolite equipped, a Dusclops has higher defensive stats than its evolution, Dusknoir.

RELATED:Which Pokmon Are You Based On Your Zodiac?

Consequently, Dusclops with Eviolite makes for a brilliant defensive wall, being able to absorb several attacks and weaken opponents in return. The Pokmon also features some defensive moves such as Will O Wisp that will make any physical attack barely leave a scratch.

Naturally, Pikachu had to make this list. The mascot of the Pokmon brand is difficult to evolve for any fan, with many feeling an attachment to the mid stage evolution. However, aside from sentimentality, there are practical reasons to stick with a Pikachu.

The first is that a Pikachu gets its attack stats boosted when holding the Light Ball, making it potentially pack more punch than a Raichu. Further, Pikachu also has its own Z-Move, as well as various different cosplay Pikachu variants.

Yamper is one of the most adorable Pokmon to ever grace a Nintendo game system. Based on the insanely cute Corgi dog breed, this electric type Pokmon captured millions of hearts when it was announced as part of generation 8.

While its evolution, Boltund, isnt exactly ugly, its far from the adorable little Corgi that Pokmon fans around the world had come to love.

This one will almost certainly be controversial, as Tepig and its evolution line is one of the most popular fire type starter Pokmon. However, its a real shame that this adorable little piglet evolves into a massive, angry looking pig.

RELATED:Disney: What Would Princess Ariel's Pokmon Team Be?

It would be impossible to blame a trainer for refusing to allow their Tepig to evolve, keeping the cute little piglet around forever. Even though Tepig's final evolution can work well in battle, in terms of design, it's a huge let down from the promising first stage evolution.

In a similar manner to the Tepig entry, Rowlet is simply too adorable to evolve. The Pokmon is the perfect round shape, combined with a perpetually happy face that never seems to look upset.

While the future evolutions of the Pokmon are fine, in terms of design, there is simply no topping the iconic cuteness that is inherent within the first stage evolution of the gen 7 grass starter Pokmon.

NEXT:The 10 Biggest Problems With Pokmon Games (They Need To Fix)

Next Ghost Of Tsushima: 10 Memes That Will Leave You Crying Of Laughter

Writer living in Adelaide, Australia. Long-suffering post-graduate student and lover of pop culture from Game of Thrones to DC. Twitter: @samchinson

Read more here:

10 Pokmon That Would Be Better Left Un-Evolved | ScreenRant - Screen Rant

Digital twins are starting to make inroads earlier in the chip design flow, allowing design teams to develop more effective models. But they also are adding new challenges in maintaining those models throughout a chips lifecycle.

Until a couple of years ago, few people in the semiconductor industry had even heard the term digital twin. Then, suddenly, it was everywhere, causing confusion because it appeared to be nothing more than development models. Some degree of clarity finally is emerging, but not about how it will affect the development process. What may change are new customers for those models and new ways in which value can be extracted from them, and over time that may influence the models created.

To start, the term digital twin is very broad. Digital twins allow mimicking of real things through simulation, says Aki Fujimura, CEO of D2S. Flight simulators are digital twins. Driving simulators are digital twins, especially if you want to model different ways in which a car can crash, or a pilot needs to learn to control the plane under severe duress. It is a good idea to be dangerous only in a simulated context.

The term has been defined by a number of people. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical system that is used to answer questions that cannot be answered, or are difficult to answer, by a physical system, says Marc Serughetti, senior director in the verification group at Synopsys.

But looking at it with too large a context can be problematic. Digital twins are a great idea, but not a reality yet at least not to the extent of seamlessly covering all abstraction layers of a complex system, says Rob van Blommestein, head of marketing for OneSpin Solutions. One of the big issues is interoperability. Right now, there are a few big players that are trying to develop proprietary platforms for modeling a digital twin of a car, for example. In principle, that is great. It would allow manufacturers to have a complete virtual view of the car, including electronic, electrical, mechanical, and physical aspects. The problem is that monolithic platforms are weak by construction.

What has started to become clear are the types of digital twin that exist, and the roles they can perform. There are three elements of digital twins, says Frank Schirrmeister, senior group director for solutions marketing at Cadence. One: Digital twins for the development purpose. These are the ones that naturally fall out of the semiconductor flow. It includes things like a virtual platform, which is a digital twin for software development. Two: Digital twins related to the data. If you look at healthcare, they digital twin the hospital to optimize the process. They digital twin the person. The third element is data over time, and this is often connected to maintenance issues. So in the health domain, people look at your digital twin being your chart.

Schirrmeister uses a bathtub curve, as shown in figure 1, to show how this fits into the semiconductor world.

The digital twin for predictive maintenance has nothing to do with the digital twin used for development, continues Schirrmeister. This is a model nightmare like you wouldnt believe. In order for this to be effective, you actually need to have models of your thing in real life, and you need to maintain these models, over time. So three digital twins for development, for predictive maintenance, and then the operational and production aspect which is, how to optimize your product production line.

This ends the notion that models stop being useful at tape-out.

An emerging standard, Portable Stimulus, could become an important part of this. If high-fidelity and high-accuracy models are used for the individual components of the system, such as a sensor or applications processor, digital twins can help reduce development time by enabling realistic scenario simulation and, crucially, validation, says Chet Babla, vice president for Arms Automotive & IoT Line of Business. This can lead to better products in a shorter period of time.

Others agree. A digital twin can be better than a physical system in that they make it possible to quickly change parameters, operating conditions, functions and overall make the product more configurable instead of having to rebuild a physical system every time, says Syed Alam, global semiconductor lead at Accenture. The semiconductor industry is moving toward more configurable systems, and digital twins are a great way to design, test and manufacture them faster and cheaper.

The boundaries between stages is blurring. Suppose we tape out a design and target a new production facility, says Fram Akiki, vice president of electronics industry strategy at Siemens PLM Software. The production people may come back and say that based on the design you are using a lot of high-performance transistors, you have added a couple of layers of metal, etc. They may conclude that they need to spend another $30 million or $40 million of capital to make sure they optimize the production line for this design (see figure 2). If they dont spend the money and it turns out to be a bottleneck, you are dead. If you do spend the money and later realize that you didnt need it, you also will be in trouble because of the unnecessary expenditure. This has become even more important today. You want to optimize your manufacturing line early on. It doesnt matter if you are operating under an IDM format or if you are a fabless company because costs are costs and risks are risks, and someone has to account for them.

The digital twin is a means to an end. The first question that really needs to be addressed is, What questions are you trying to answer?' says Synopsys Serughetti. Why do I build the digital twin?

Production twinsIn semiconductor manufacturing, the concept of digital twins is finding several applications. We do wafer plane analysis (WPA) from a mask SEM picture to project what that mask will expose on wafer resist by doing a lithography simulation on the extracted contour of a SEM picture, says D2S Fujimura. That is a digital twin of the wafer lithography machine.

This concept can be taken further than would be possible when restricted to real data only. One might want to have a deep learning network that can learn how to classify different types of defects, says Fujimura. But semiconductor fabs and mask shops are very good at avoiding defects. So it is difficult to collect the millions of specific example pictures of each type of a defect in order to properly train the network. Digital twins that generate pictures that look like SEM images, or inspection images out of CAD data, enable a programmer to generate any number of any kind of defect image at will without finding a way to manufacture one to take a picture of.

Even after devices have been deployed in the field, models remain useful. Post-silicon is a different scope of digital twin, but thats one that may become more important as we move forward and as systems become more complex, says Serughetti. In the semiconductor world we tend to think of hardware and software. But the reality is, they live in an environment. And if you are starting to think about digital twins in that space, you need to be able to model the hardware, the software and the environment that has an influence on that hardware and software.

Knowing how your chips are being used is important. Live data from physical chips, either being manufactured, assembled and tested in silicon form, on system/board or in end deployment, are all being collected and integrated with the Digital Thread data, says Accentures Alam. This enables design and product engineers access to the next level of analysis, which helps them improve their designs as well as provide data into the semiconductor ecosystem to resolve design and performance issues.

And being able to predict their performance when used in new situations adds value. Digital twins enable the possibility to test multiple deployment scenarios, including challenging corner cases, with a highly automated and consistent approach, but without the limitation of needing access to physical systems, says Arms Babla. This ability to configure, test, analyze, adjust, configure, and test enables a powerful feedback mechanism to optimize system specifications and finalize or enhance designs.

But some of the necessary models remain elusive. In order to cope with actual field data, real-time execution is often a requirement for digital twins, says Roland Jancke, head of department for design methodology at Fraunhofer IIS Engineering of Adaptive Systems Division. The main advantage of a digital twin as opposed to conventional system-level models is its existence over the complete system lifecycle. This helps during the development and verification phase, but improves itself later by using field data, thereby keeping an eye on safe operation as well as expected responses.

Over time, those models will reinforce themselves. Being able to mine data from the digital twin will provide design engineers the next level of confidence in the simulation models they are building, says Alam. The ability to analyze different test results as well as power consumption and performance parameters means that there will be less re-spins of a product. The design engineers can produce better configurations and derivatives of devices faster and at a lower cost.

Digital twins shift leftModels within the development flow are changing. We are seeing a shift left, and a lot of things that in the past were done in series, such as the development of hardware and do the software later when the hardware has matured, are now being done simultaneously, says Siemens Akiki. To do this effectively is dependent on having effective digital models.

The development of virtual prototypes has been happening for some time. In addition, accuracy can be traded with speed of modeling by deploying models of varying abstraction levels, says Babla. For example, a simple programmers view model of components may suffice for base functionality checking and initial software development, whereas a detailed physics-based image sensor model combined with a full processor RTL model will allow high-accuracy modeling of vehicle or industrial robot dynamics under real-life environmental conditions, such as humidity, temperature or even road surface conditions.

And those models are being connected into flows. Virtual prototyping can start early, before RTL is available, says Serughetti. Then you go into hybrid, for example, with the virtual prototyping and emulation. And then you can go to prototyping, which is FPGA-based, which can also be hybrid. Now you may be talking more system validation, where you connect to the rest of the system. So there is definitively a flow where all those technologies play a role along the development chain. I dont think they are exclusive of each other. And they are not like one finishes, and the next one starts.

Portable Stimulus can help keep those models in sync. Not all tests will run on each level of accuracy, says Cadences Schirrmeister. Some tests may require you to have enough implementation detail to actually work, where others, which are more abstract elements, will work across all fidelities. Some may require the bare metal drivers to be available. If you run the same test on a more abstract implementation of it, then you dont run the real drivers. But you still can run the test itself.

Getting the right abstractions can be tricky. Models used for a digital twin should run as fast as possible while being as accurate as necessary, says Fraunhofers Jancke. The abstraction needs to be representing interactions in the system that are in question, while neglecting what seem to be unnecessary details for the investigation at hand.

The uptake in virtual prototypes is leading to design gains. Customers are being more proactive in the specification phase, says Serughetti. They are benefiting from that because the value of moving to a virtual environment is providing more clarity between hardware and software. There has been a very strong benefit on that side, and the shift left has happened because now you can deploy those verification and validation technologies much more efficiently.

One problem is that digital twins tend to be proprietary. What the industry needs is an open-source, or at least interoperable, platform where open-source and commercial tools, including EDA tools, can be plugged-in seamlessly, says OneSpins van Blommestein. This is an obvious need for safety, where having independent tools checking each other is a requirement. But its not only about safety. It is also important to make sure OEMs and their supply chain have access to the best, most competitive solutions for each specific design and verification task.

Another challenge is the cost of maintaining models over time. Is the investment you have to put into that digital twin manageable for the return youre trying to get out of it, asks Serughetti. When you are at the beginning of the project and theres no physical system, it has a huge value because you can start earlier, and you get more information. Once you are later in the project, the question becomes, Whats my modeling effort for that digital twin? And what is the return for it? If the effort is too high, then people are not going to maintain it. If you are talking about a project that has a very short timeframe, the modeling effort may be too high in order to get returned value.

Digital twins created within the semiconductor flow remain primarily for internal consumption. Digital twins rely on the creation of a flow where these things happen naturally, says Schirrmeister. They are a natural byproduct of developing something. We are not really there yet, even from RTL down. There are times when you need to take into account not only the functional and timing accuracy, but also thermal effects, electromagnetic effects, power effects and all that. We have not figured that out, and its highly dependent on which question you want to answer.

The industry long has held the desire to have an executable specification from which implementations can be derived, and this would create the ultimate digital twin. What if my digital twin was my specification, asks Serughetti. If I start modifying it, I start by modifying the specification, and from that I derive the implementation. Unfortunately, I havent seen it as something that has been practical to realize so far.

ConclusionThe industry is getting more clarity on digital twins, both within the semiconductor development flow and during production and deployment. As the perceived values of doing that increase, additional time and effort will be put into the creation of the appropriate models and the means to keep them in sync. Ultimately, a digital twin has value if it provides a better way to get an answer. The better way could be because its earlier, its cheaper, or it has less risk.

In this time of COVID where more people are working remotely, digital twins may offer additional value because they may be accessible anywhere and at any time.

See original here:

The Evolution Of Digital Twins - SemiEngineering

click to enlarge

Photo courtesy of Design for the PPL

Design for the PPL's Erin Haskell Gourde redesigned this standard-issue home office for a client who wanted a dramatic Old World feel.

Home sweet home. It's what you've invested a lot of time and energy into, where the family gathers for meals, where you curl up in your favorite chair to relax after work. Only now, for more of us than ever before, the workday might have occurred just down the hall, at a desk nudged into a bedroom, or at a chair near a plugin in the corner of a quiet room.

But even before recent statewide closures and slowdowns forced people out of the office and into telecommuting, there was a trend toward working remotely. According to FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics, over the past ten years, the "remote workforce" has grown by more than 90 percent.

Photo courtesy of Design for the PPL

Designer Erin Haskell Gourde (right) enjoys a laugh with Eileen Barbieri, in her newly designed home office.

Global Workplace Analytics further estimates that more than half of the non-self-employed workforce around 75 million Americans could work from home at least part time and that the longer they work from home, the more likely it is that they will never fully return to the conventional office environment.

So how can home offices evolve to meet the needs of a new cadre of stay-at-home workers? Local designers offer ideas on how to create a multipurpose office space that not only meets workday needs, but also offers space for other activities as well.

In their Spokane real estate business, the Fowler Group's Danielle and Ryan Fowler have noticed an uptick in clients looking for extra spaces they might convert into home offices. Many transplants, says Danielle, are moving to the Spokane region knowing they'll be telecommuting.

The Fowlers include themselves in the telecommuting workforce, and like many families, they also needed space where their four children could do schoolwork. So when it came time to build, they incorporated an office into the plan for their still-under-construction Peone Prairie home.

They added steel and glass barndoor-style walls to transform the formal dining room into a roughly 12-by-12-foot, multifunctional office just off the kitchen. The glass lets light in, allows for two-way visibility, and yet provides a minimal sound barrier.

Photo courtesy of Design for the PPL

With expansive windows providing views to the stables, this office for a professional equestrian team owner incorporates built-ins to hide office-related equipment, freeing up shelf space for more interesting displays.

Another consideration in the design, says Danielle, was centralizing paperwork and other frequently-accessed office items, yet hiding clutter through built-in storage.

DESK PICK: Add a little whimsy with this petite, but perfectly functional desk. Signature Design Mirimyn Trestle Desk, Runge Furniture in Coeur d'Alene

"I wanted it to be attractive as well," Danielle says.

Aesthetics and multifunctionality are high priorities for clients, say several local interior designers who, like the Fowlers are seeing increased interest in adding a new office space or converting existing spaces into ones that accommodate those working from home.

"I would say there is a lot more awareness of how an office is designed within a home and clients to a degree have been very involved in this desire for dual function and creating beautiful rooms that they are inclined to want to spend time in that are more fluid and connected with the rest of their homes," says Tammie Ladd, of Tammie Ladd Interior Design.

In addition to more decorative lighting and design that incorporates personal touches, requests have included maximizing space, from storage units to built-ins to the room itself, Ladd says. For example, she recently completed a dual-functioning yoga studio and office space for a client and created a double workspace for another.

"We've added console tables, desks behind sofas in living rooms that can also double as a docking station or place to set up shop and still maintain the enjoyment of one of the best rooms of the home," Ladd says. "Even in a more traditional styled office with a desk, seating, task chair and built-ins, often media will also be incorporated along with direct visual connections to the main living spaces."

Photo courtesy of Design for the PPL

A desk area can be seamlessly combined with comfortable seating and media, allowing the room to offer multiple uses.

Designology's Deanna Goguen and Milieu Design's Sarah McGovern collaborated to overhaul a space for a professional equestrian team owner that also addressed the dual need of multifunctionality and livability.

DESK PICK: Ample storage in this compact, cottage-styled package. Libby Allyson Park L-Shaped DeskWalker's Furniture

Taking a design cue from the world of dressage tack, the design features a leatherwork surface and a metal and glass wall to partially enclose the space, which also has a view towards the barn and track so the owner can oversee the horses and team workout areas.

"Built-in shelves showcase awards and original art, while the enclosed cabinets below hide the day-to-day necessities like files and the printer, so that the beautiful parts can take center stage," McGovern says.

Location of the office within the home is also important. When it's closer to the front door, for example, that allows for meetings with clients without exposing the more intimate spaces of the home.

In the past, Ladd says, the kitchen was the catch-all, sometimes featuring a little desk tucked in among the cabinets that doubled as an office. Now the kitchen island might get extra outlets and charging ports, functioning more like a docking station with thoughtfully concealed or even portable storage.

Photo courtesy of Tammie Ladd Design

Tucked into a long hallway, this docking area offers the perfect location for working, while still enjoying the larger spaces of the home.

Design for the PPL's Erin Haskell Gourde says sometimes clients don't know what they want other than what they have isn't working anymore, especially as more people are finding themselves unexpectedly out of their regular office environment and working remotely from home.

DESK PICK: Tuck work away in time for happy hour with this sustainably sourced, solid walnut laptop desk Copeland Laptop Desk, Tin Roof Furniture

At the same time, she notes people may not want to devote space in their homes exclusively to work. "Don't just design it as an office and that's it, because things can change," she counsels. For example, "A library can be stunningly beautiful and then you can have, you know, cocktails in there." Recently she worked with a client to create a dramatic room, featuring office accouterments like a standalone desk and guest chairs, yet also incorporating stylish touches including a range of inset and ceiling lighting and built-in bookshelves, creating an Old World feel. It was the perfect fit for a client who wanted, "A classic beautifulplace where she can do her work, but also just want to dwell in, a place where she can just be."

Space Specs

Working from home might seem comfy and cozy, but we still need to take our bodies into account when we go about creating a home workspace. "That means practicing self-care," says Contract Design Associate's Gwen Marlow. "An office that's functional makes us feel good."

Whether it's a spot on the couch with your laptop or a wraparound desk in your former third bedroom, ergonomics are important.

"We just have to remember: Don't conform your body to your space," Marlow says.

Instead, conform your space to support your body. Check your posture aim for sitting straight up, with your shoulders relaxed and your feet on the floor. Try using pillows to alleviate pressure and offer support while seated.

If your work from home requires considerable time sitting at a desk, ergonomic seating should be a consideration. A "task" chair with adjustable positioning for the seat, back and armrests can facilitate better body mechanics.

Graphic courtesy of Herman Miller

At Contract Design, customers can even take one of 50 available task chairs home for a "test sit," Marlow notes, adding it can be hard to assess a chair's features without trying it in your own space, with your own office set up.

Also, Marlow says it's a good idea to consider an adjustable-height desk, so you can alternate between sitting and standing. After all, when it comes to sitting, too much is not a good thing. "Those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking," according to the Mayo Clinic.

Taking frequent breaks is also good for your eyes, which can suffer from too much screen time. Be smart about glare, Marlow says, and sit next to natural light if possible.

"I think the light makes us feel better," she says.

Continued here:

Remote Possibilities: The evolution of the home office - Pacific Northwest Inlander

We know humans havent always been around. After all, we wouldnt have survived alongside meat-eating dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex.

How the first person came about and who their ancestors were (their grandparents, great-grandparents and so on) is one of the biggest questions archaeologists have. Even today, it puzzles us.

When we think of how humans first came about, we have to first understand that almost every living thing evolved from something else through the process of evolution.

For instance, the first known example of life on Earth dates back more than 3.5 billion years.

This early life would have been in the form of tiny microbes (too small to see with just our eyes) that lived underwater in a very different world to today. At that time, the continents were still forming and there was no oxygen in the air.

Since then, life on Earth has changed incredibly and taken many forms.

In fact, for about a billion years during the middle part of Earths history (1.8 billion to 800 million years ago), life on Earth was nothing more than a large layer of slime.

All living humans today belong to a species called Homo sapiens.

However, we have a long line of family members called hominins who came before us including our ancient human relative, the Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis).

Homo sapiens are the only hominin alive today.

These two sculptures are imaginings of what a neanderthal man and woman may have looked like. Neanderthals are extinct today but were also hominins. Martin Meissner/AP

Hominins first showed up millions of years ago, and changed in mostly small ways over a long time, through evolution.

Because of this complicated family tree, in answering your question we need to think about what you mean by person.

This may seem silly, because we know straight away when we pass someone on the street that theyre a person, rather than a dog or cat.

However, the differences between you and your early ancestor Lucy (more about her below) who lived more than 100,000 generations ago, are much smaller than the differences between a person and a dog. This is why the answer is complicated.

So Im going to give you two answers and let you decide which you think is right.

The first answer is to assume the first person was the first member of our species, Homo sapiens. This person would have been just like you and me, but without an iPhone!

The oldest skeleton discovered of our species Homo sapiens (so far) is from Morocco and is about 300,000 years old.

This ancestor of ours would have lived at the same time as other members of the human family, including Neanderthals and Denisovans. Archaeologists have long argued about what makes us different to these other ancient types of humans.

The answer probably lies in our brains. We think Homo sapiens are the only species that can do things like create art and language although some recent discoveries suggest Neanderthals were artists too.

Its hard to know why Homo sapiens survived and the rest of our hominin family didnt. But theres a good chance the creativity that led to some wonderful early cave paintings found in France and Indonesia helped us to succeed over the last 100,000 years.

Another way to answer your question is by assuming the first person was the first hominin to split off from the rest of our extended family, which includes chimpanzees and gorillas.

We cant be sure exactly who our first ancestor was, but many scientists think Australopithecus afarensis is a good bet.

This species would have looked different to you and me, but still would have walked upright and used tools made of stone. The best example of this is a famous fossil skeleton called Lucy.

What Lucy may have looked like when she was alive more than three million years ago. Jason Kuffer/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

Her skeleton was found in Africa, and while we have a lot of it compared to other ancient hominin skeletons, its not complete. This makes it hard to work out who the first person was.When Lucy was alive about 3.18 million years ago she was covered in hair. And she was probably about the same height as you are now, even though her bones tell us she was an adult when she died.

Most fossils from Lucys time are incomplete, and we only have a handful of bones to study from each extinct species.

This is why every new discovery in archaeology is so exciting. Each new fossil gives us a new chance to put the puzzle of our family tree together.

Ian Moffat, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow in Archaeological Science, Flinders University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

View original post here:

How Did the First Person Evolve? - Gizmodo Australia