At Exponential Finance, the Singularity University Explores Visionary Applications of Blockchains – Crypto Insider (press release) (blog)

Posted on by

The Exponential Finance Summit at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, hosted by the Singularity University and started on June 7, is ending today. You might be still in time to catch the live stream. Otherwise, stay tuned for our coverage of the most interesting points.

Exponential Finance will help attendees navigate the rapid pace of change taking place in the financial sector due to exponential technologies, said Will Weisman, Executive Director for Summits at SU. Well share tools that will help participants stay at the forefront and understand where to invest, how to protect their assets, and what it will take to remain competitive and successful in this new economy.

Co-founded in 2008 by Ray Kurzweil, now Googles director of engineering, and Peter Diamandis, founder and CEO of the XPrize, the Singularity University (SU) is a unique educational and business community focused on exponential technologies able to tackle the worlds biggest challenges.

Exponentially accelerating technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced biotech, quantum computing, and robotics, described for example in the works of SU co-founder Ray Kurzweil, promise to bring faster and faster change to all industries. The SU runs educational programs, conferences, incubators, and labs, to help accelerating corporate and social innovation.

Of course, blockchain technology is a perfect example of exponential acceleration in financial technology (fintech). In 2015 and 2016, blockchain fintech was prominently featured at Exponential Finance. This year as well, the conference program is packed with blockchain-related topics, and starts with a pre-summit technology bootcamp on blockchain and distributed ledger technologies.

Other interesting blockchain-related talks include The Boom Of ICOs & Token Offerings Has Blockchain Tech Unlocked A Pandoras Box For Venture Capitals Disruption, by DLT Education president Robert Schwentker, Blockchain, by BitNation partner Toni Lane Casserly, Blockchain in Insurance, by Deloitte principal Eric Piscini and The Institutes CEO Pete Miller, and Taking Blockchain To Production An Ongoing Perspective, by Nuco CEO Matt Spoke.

Blockchain fintech is accelerating exponentially indeed. But it can be argued that financial applications, directly related to digital money and transactions, represent only the tip of the blockchain iceberg, and the most interesting future applications could be those that leverage the power of distributed ledgers in other industries such as AI, robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and self-driving cars.

To have a contract with someone, you need to trust them, and you need to have an enforcement mechanism, noted Amin Toufani, Vice President of Strategic Relations and Director of strategy at SU. Blockchain technology is showing us a path to where you can bypass both. Enforcement is automatic and your can trust you counterparty. What if your car offered some bitcoins to the car in front of you? And if and when the cars clear the lane the contract is settled? Enforcement is automatic, you do not need to trust the cars in front of you.

To me, the potential to play a critical role in visionary developments with a potential to make the world a better place is the main appeal of blockchain technology.

Toufanis opening talk, titled Exonomics, explored unifying themes among disruptive trends in business strategy, financial markets, cryptocurrencies, economic policy, and risk management. Stay tuned for our continued coverage next week.

Picture from Wikimedia Commons.

Visit link:

At Exponential Finance, the Singularity University Explores Visionary Applications of Blockchains - Crypto Insider (press release) (blog)

Ashes of the Singularity gets a new fully-voiced campaign – PCGamesN

Posted on by

Subscribe to PCGamesN on YouTube

Along with new Juggernaut-class ships and various balance adjustments, Ashes of the Singularitys latest update adds a new campaign for dedicated space generals. Named 'Genesis', this new single-player content is fully voiced and free for all owners of Ashes of the Singularity.

Armchair generals should check out our list of the PCs best RTS games.

Genesis features six new missions and continues the Ashes story, as the Substrate and the PHC battle for galactic control. It is the most challenging campaign to date, according to Stardock, with it featuring the new Juggernaut ships. Both factions receive their own Juggernaut, with them providing the huge firepower needed to turn a match around. As they are the most powerful unit in the game, Ashes players will not see Juggernauts in quick matches, due to the large cost of building these massive battle-cruisers. Juggernauts also level indefinitely, with them gaining a 5% bonus to damage and health for every level past level five.

The PHCs Juggernaut is the Leonidas, which comes equipped with a massive beam cannon that can tear through enemy Dreadnoughts. The Substrates Juggernaut is focused on overwhelming the opponent by spawning a constant stream of frigates to harass the enemy, and repair its hull.

Stardock have also gone back and rebalanced much of the old Ashes campaigns to make them more fun to play. Maps have been adjusted to make more sense and expert commanders should find the AI is a lot more challenging on the higher difficulty levels.

Stardock have also added five new maps to Ashes skirmish and multiplayer mode, alongside various quality-of-life improvements to make interstellar warfare that bit more enjoyable. For the full list of bug fixes, balance changes and gameplay additions, check out the official Ashes of the Singularity website.

Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is available on Steam for $39.99/29.99.

More:

Ashes of the Singularity gets a new fully-voiced campaign - PCGamesN

A traffic alert in Ascension Parish that will force you off I-10 – WBRZ

Posted on by

SORRENTO - I-10 eastbound will be closed at Airline Highway this weekend, so crews can replace an overpass that's been out of use since 2015.

Starting tonight at 9, eastbound traffic on 1-10 will be detoured to Airline Hwy in Sorrento, then up LA 641 to get back on I-10. The interstate will re-open Monday at 5am.

The ramp being repaired is Airline Highway to I-10 westbound. It was damaged back in 2015 when a contractor that was moving large machinery, hit the ramp.

Dr. Shawn Wilson, DOTD secretary, says the same company that broke the ramp, is fixing it, and paying for it.

"It does happen where contractors are involved in accidents just like regular travelers are, in this case they did the right thing, and said look... we want to fix it for you, and we'll absorb the cost like were gonna have to pay for anyway," he said.

This same detour happened back in March, so crews could remove the ramp, and fix it, just to the side of the interstate.

"Putting it back is probably a little more complex than taking it out, because you have to make things work and you have to put it back together again to ensure its safe for users to travel under it," said Wilson.

I-10 will reopen Monday morning, but the ramp won't be ready just yet, it will take another month for finishing touches on the ramp.

Dr. Shawn Wilson says they will improve the pavement, since it hasn't been driven on for some time and "travel actually keeps the road alive."

The state says the company that's fixing the ramp brought tremendous innovation, and they'll continue to use that site for things like emergency debris pile up.

See more here:

A traffic alert in Ascension Parish that will force you off I-10 - WBRZ

Using AI to unlock human potential – EJ Insight

Posted on by

The artificial intelligence (AI) wave has spread to Hong Kong. Hang Seng Bank plans to introduce Chatbot, with natural language processing and mechanical learning ability, to provide customers with credit card offers and banking services information; while Bank of China (Hong Kong) is studying robot technology that can help improve handling of customer queries.

BOCHK also plans to create a shared big brain to provide customers with personal services. The Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, meanwhile, is reported to be planning to incorporate topics on AI, robotics consultants and big data analysis methods in its 2019 membership qualification examination, so as to meet future market needs.

AI has a broad meaning. From a technical perspective, it includes: deep learning (learning from a large pool of data to assimilate human intelligence, such as AlphaGo in the chess world), robotics (responsible for pre-determined extremely cautious or dangerous tasks, e.g. surgery, dismantling bombs, surveying damaged nuclear power plants, etc.), digital personal assistants (such as Apples Siri, Facebooks M), and querying (finding information from a huge database speedily and accurately).

However, how does AI progress? In The AI Revolution: The Road to Superintelligence, the author points out that there are three stages of development in Al:

Basic Artificial Narrow Intelligence or Weak AI, i.e. AI specializes in a certain scope. AlphaGo can beat the worlds invincible hand in chess, but I am afraid its unable to guide you to the nearby restaurants or to book a hotel room for you. The same logic applies to bomb disposal robot and the AI which identifies cancer cells within seconds.

Advance Artificial General Intelligence or Strong AI, i.e. the computer thinks and operates like a human being. How does human think? I have just read a column from a connoisseur. There are many factors affecting us in choosing a catering place, like our mood, type and taste of food, price, time, etc. The determined factors are not the same every time. See, it is really complicated. This is so called Turing Test. Alan Turing, a British scientist who was born over 100 years ago, said: If a computer makes you believe that it is human, it is artificial intelligence.

Super Advance Artificial Superintelligence. Nick Bostrom, a philosopher at Oxford University, has been thinking about Als relationship with mankind for years, he defines superintelligence as an intellect that is much smarter than the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills.

Although we are still in the stage of Artificial Narrow Intelligence, AI application is already very extensive. By combining with big data, it is applied in various areas like financial (wealth management, fraud detection), medical (diagnosis, drug development), media and advertising (face recognition advertising, tailor-made services), retail (Amazon.com), law (speed-finding information), education (virtual teacher), manufacturing, transportation, agriculture and so on.

MarketsandMarkets, a research company, estimated that Als market value would reach US$16 billion (about HK$124 billion) by 2022, with an average compound annual growth rate of more than 60 percent.

However, relative to the Mainland, this estimate is very conservative according to Jiang Guangzhi, a key member of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology. Counting Beijing alone, Al and related industries have now exceeded 150 billion yuan (about HK$170 billion).

In any case, Al definitely holds a key position in the field of science and technology, and it has substantial potential. However, I have just read a report in which a top international AI expert and a HKUST professor complained that the government and private sector were too passive in scientific research in Hong Kong, resulting in a brain drain.

Experts helped Huawei, a Chinese telecom and technology giant, set up a laboratory in Hong Kong, but they said they found it difficult to recruit even 50 people in the city with the required skills.

This is really alarming. Hong Kong has world-class teachers to attract the elite to study here.

However, if we do not strive to create an environment for talents to pursuit their careers here, I am afraid we will keep experiencing talent flight.

Recently, the Financial Development Board published two research reports that deal with issues related to development and application of financial technology in Hong Kong. I hope the government and society will work together and speed up efforts to bring out the potential of Hong Kong in AI.

Contact us at [emailprotected]

AC/RC

Continued here:

Using AI to unlock human potential - EJ Insight

China to provide more opportunities to private companies for space exploration – Space Daily

Posted on by

China will offer more opportunities for private companies to participate in lunar and Mars exploration, a space exploration official said.

Tian Yulong, secretary general of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), said that commercial aerospace programs had been carried out in low Earth orbit (LEO), but those in deep space exploration would be a challenge, at the Global Space Exploration Conference, which lasts from Tuesday to Thursday.

"In deep space exploration, we need to provide a favorable environment for middle and small-sized enterprises," he said.

At present, space exploration is mostly invested and operated by government bodies and institutions. Encouraging private investment in space exploration has long been a challenge for countries worldwide.

Tian said many Chinese companies showed enthusiasm for taking part in space exploration. In the last two years, more than 10 enterprises have been engaged in microsatellite research and development and about 100 have worked on the development and use of satellite LEO data.

There are more than 20 companies that have been listed based on the business possibilities of aerospace technology, he said, adding that space exploration technology, such as communication and human intelligence, could be widely used.

"The CNSA is working on enabling enterprises to become the main force of technical innovation by creating favorable laws and policies," Tian said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

See the article here:

China to provide more opportunities to private companies for space exploration - Space Daily

Here’s why you should pay close attention to India’s space program – Mashable

Posted on by

Mashable
Here's why you should pay close attention to India's space program
Mashable
India stands apart from other big players in space exploration. Unlike the reasons for forming the U.S. and Russian space programs, India's goals for space travel aren't mainly motivated by nationalistic competition. Instead, the ISRO was founded to ...

and more »

Read more here:

Here's why you should pay close attention to India's space program - Mashable

The Benefits of Including Floor Vibration Control for Nano-Tech Facilities over Designing ‘Quiet’ Buildings – AZoNano

Posted on by

Interview conducted by Mychealla RiceJun 9 2017

In this interview Steve Ryan, Divisional Vice President from Technical Manufacturing Corporation (TMC) talks to AZoNano about the importance of adding vibration control to Nano-Tech Facilities. In the past, buildings that have been designed to be extremely quiet still suffer from vibration when the building is populated with equipment and people.

The adverse effect of vibration typically manifests itself in decreased resolution of the instrument. Electron Microscopes have resolution ranging from tens of nanometers to sub-nanometer.

Atomic Force Microscopes and Scanning Tunneling Microscopes have resolutions to sub-Angstrom levels. Floor vibration often prevents such tools from meeting their design specifications.

The concept may be summarized as Quiet Buildings or Quiet Islands? Architects can design buildings to meet moderate floor vibration levels without too much difficulty. However designing buildings to meet the extremely low vibration levels required for nanotech research facilities requires exponentially more cost with diminishing returns.

Diminishing returns because even to the extent that the building floors are quiet, as soon as the building is populated with people and machinery, vibration sources are placed in the quiet structure negating much of the benefit of the quiet building design.

Figure 1: Quiet Island being utilised in a Nano-Tech Facility

Rather than trying to achieve a quiet building, it is much more efficient to place quiet islands at the discrete locations where precision instruments, experiments, and research will be conducted.

A Quiet Island is a rigid, damped platform matching the footprint of the instrument supported by an active, piezoelectric vibration cancellation system.

The Quiet Island replaces a section of the raised access floor with an isolated foundation, mounted to the sub-floor and actively cancelling sub-floor vibration from reaching the instrument.

As requirements for quiet buildings become increasingly demanding, it becomes exponentially difficult and expensive to achieve the goal; placing the instrument on a site that meets the instruments floor vibration spec. Using inertial active control techniques lends itself to achieving a very quiet surface but only over a limited size.

There is a direct analogy to this approach of Quiet Islands vs. Quiet Buildings. As semiconductor node sizes rapidly decreased, cleanliness requirements for semiconductor fab cleanrooms became much more stringent.

Eventually it became virtually impossible to have people in cleanrooms without contamination and failure to meet cleanliness specs.

The solution was to create SMIF and FOUP mini-environments to house in-process silicon wafers. Rather than making a cleanroom the industry turned to and adopted clean islands.

The Quiet Island approach is to start with low frequency inertial vibration sensors in three axes arranged to sense floor vibration at the point-of-use.

The measured signals are conditioned, amplified and fed through an advanced controller to drive high capacity piezoelectric actuators and filter the floor motion from reaching the isolated surface of the Quiet Island.

As the floor moves up, the piezos contract. As it moves down, the piezos expand. This is done in all three axes to achieve six degrees-of-freedom over a bandwidth of 0.6 to 150 Hz.

This technology has been rapidly and increasingly adopted in advanced semiconductor factories. As chip-makers race to keep up with Moores Law (chip density doubles every two years) they must design ever finer IC geometries.

Such finer geometries are correspondingly more difficult to pattern and inspect.

Now, scientists at nanotechnology research centers and advanced electron microscope and imaging centers require the same solution.

Figure 2: The Stacis III

Physically, Quiet Islands are easily designed to fit beneath sensitive tools and the sub-floor. The capacity and size is simply designed to match the tool. To determine the acceptable floor vibration levels, the specifications for the most sensitive tools must be compiled.

Adjusting for the vibration transfer function of the Quiet Island, architects can design floors to meet a less stringent spec corresponding to the improved transfer function provided by the Quiet Island.

Successful installations number in the thousands. Too many to name hwoever a few include NIH (National Institutes for Health), Texas Instruments, University of Maryland BioMET, Rice University BioScience Research Collaborative, and Jagiellonian Unviversity Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Center (Krakow, Poland).

Floor vibration is a key, inherent limitation to imaging and patterning at the sub-nanometer scale. As scientists and engineers go to ever smaller scales, TMCs vibration control solutions ensure that the adverse effects of floor vibration can be mitigated.

Please check out our website at http://www.techmfg.com. Or contact one of our Sales Engineers at 978 532 6330 or [emailprotected]

Steve Ryan is the Divisional Vice President with overall responsibility for TMC, an AMETEK business. He holds a B.S. in Physics from Bates College and has over 30 years of experience in building floor vibration control and vibration control of nuclear reactors and steam & electric plants in Trident and Seawolf submarines. A patented inventor with other patents pending.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

See original here:

The Benefits of Including Floor Vibration Control for Nano-Tech Facilities over Designing 'Quiet' Buildings - AZoNano

Luminosity events announces 10 Year Anniversary Weekender – Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)

Posted on by

Were just a few days away from Luminosity Beach Festival a 4 day trance festival at the best with some of the best names in the business. If that wasnt enough Luminosity Events has now announced a 2 day Club weekender at Panama Club, Amsterdam. This will happen on 17th and 18th of November, 2017.

You can buy your tickets here Paylogic.nl

In their own words Luminosity celebrates 10 beautiful years together with YOU, the beautiful Trance Lovers and with our talented DJs and we are happy to continue this celebration with you and we are bringing to your attention this Luminosity 10 Years anniversary WEEKENDER in November in Amsterdam!

Day tickets start at 15 Euros and weekender will cost you 30 Euros

Co-Founder of Trance Hub, Curator of The Gathering events in India and ALT+TRANCE in Czech Republic. By day, a Digital Marketing Enthusiast with love for Food and Technology. By night, a dreamer who wants to grow the Trance scene in India.

Next Post

The BIG news is out! Aly & Fila has finally revealed the lineup for the legendary...

More here:

Luminosity events announces 10 Year Anniversary Weekender - Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)

Cyberpunk 2077 – PC – IGN

Posted on by

Cyberpunk 2077 is based on renowned pen-and-paper-RPG designer Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk system and created by CD Projekt (the acclaimed development group behind the hit RPG The Witcher.) Players are thrown into the dark future of the year 2077 and into a world where advanced technologies have become both the salvation and the curse of humanity. A multi-threaded, nonlinear story designed for mature players takes place in the sprawling metropolis of Night City and its surroundings. Along the way, visit places well known from Cyberpunk 2020, including a combat zone completely taken over by gangs, the legendary Afterlife joint and the nostalgic Forlorn Hope.

Freedom of action and diversity in gameplay is delivered thanks to the sandbox nature of the game and mechanics inspired by the Cyberpunk pen-and-paper system, fine tuned to meet the requirements of a modern RPG. Players experience the world through their own unique characters chosen from different classes -- be they blood-thirsty mercenaries or cunning hackers that they will equip with vast selection of cybernetic implants and deadly weapons. Gameplay will pump adrenaline through players' veins and be consistent with the celebrated Cyberpunk spirit -- rebellion, style, edge, uncertainty. And of course, a cyberpunk reality cannot be deprived of murderous steel -- guns, rifles, implants, dozens of gadgets and other varied pieces of equipment needed to survive on the streets of Night City.

NOTE: This game has been officially announced as a title in production and is likely planned for release on the PC platform, but it has not yet been officially announced for any specific system. Please check back for official info.

Publisher: CD Projekt

Developer: CD Projekt

Read the original post:

Cyberpunk 2077 - PC - IGN

Hackers threaten CD Projekt Red with stolen Cyberpunk 2077 …

Posted on by

Get today's popular DigitalTrends articles in your inbox:

Why it matters to you

If you're looking forward to Cyberpunk 2077 and want to dissuade this sort of action in the future, if and when the documents are released, don't look at them.

CD Projekt Red (CPR), the developer of The Witcher series and founder of GOG.com, has shrugged off blackmail attempts by hackers who claim to have stolen documents relating to its still-in-development gameCyberpunk 2077. The nefarious individuals have demanded a ransom, which CPR is refusing to pay, according to USGamer.

Inspired by the pen-and-paper RPG with a similar name, Cyberpunk 2077 is the next game being developed at CPR. While it has been in production for some time, much of it is still shrouded in secrecy. No doubt the person or people behind this hack are banking on the developer wanting it to stay that way. CPR, however, is not playing ball and has gotten ahead of the problem by announcing the blackmail publicly.

It released a statement on Twitter highlighting that the ransom demand had been made, but stated categorically that it would not be paying it.While those behind the attack have threatened to release the internal documents if that is the case, CPR claims that they are not representative of the final game.

Due to thedevelopers stance on the matter, there is a possibility the documents will see the light of day. If that turns out to be the case, CPR urges anyone interested in playing Cyberpunk 2077to not view the documents, lest it spoil portions of the game for them.

When the time is right, you will hear about Cyberpunk 2077 from us officially, CPR said in its statement.

Cyberpunk 2077 has no specific release date yet, though a funding application to the Polish government suggested a potential 2019 debut. When it does arrive, however, it will support Windows PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

More recently, CPR has been focusing on the launch of its digital card game, Gwent, which could provide real competition for giants of the industry, like BlizzardsHearthstone.

Link:

Hackers threaten CD Projekt Red with stolen Cyberpunk 2077 ...

‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Leaks: Hackers steal internal files from CD …

Posted on by

Well, this is interesting. Cyberpunk 2077 is the next game from CD Projekt Red, developers of the beloved The Witcher series. We don't know much about it other than the fact that it will be released before the end of 2021, vague as that promise may be. However, it sounds like we might see some illegally procured information about the game in the near future.

This news comes straight from CD Projekt Red, with the company Twitter account addressing the issue matter-of-factly in a prepared statement.

In short, someone stole internal files about Cyberpunk 2077 and asked for a ransom, lest they be publicly released. CD Projekt Red decided the leaked assets aren't worth giving a payout to some hackers and won't be complying. Legal action may or may not follow depending on how things go, but in the meantime, you should understand that any leaked materials you see represent an older, less refined version of the game than what exists now.

Video game developers usually wait until after leaks have come out before they address them, and that's only if they feel like acknowledging the leaks at all. It's a bit unusual for CD Projekt Red to get out ahead of the publication of leaked materials. Maybe this stuff is so unfit for public consumption that CD Projekt really wants you to know not to judge the game by what you see.

Based on the fact that the company released a statement, it seems like this is legit. We'll see if the data thieves decide to release what they've acquired or choose to back down. All we can say right now is this is a very appropriate thing to happen to a game called Cyberpunk 2077.

Check out the latest from Mic, like this essay about the sinister, subtle evils lurking in rural America that Far Cry 5 shouldn't ignore. Also, be sure to read our review of Tekken 7, an article about D.Va's influence on one Overwatch player's ideas about femininity and an analysis of gaming's racist habit of darkening villains' skin tones.

See more here:

'Cyberpunk 2077' Leaks: Hackers steal internal files from CD ...

CD Projekt RED’s Cyberpunk 2077 game has been hacked by real cyberpunks – Metro

Posted on by

Metro
CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 game has been hacked by real cyberpunks
Metro
In what may be the ultimate example of life imitating art, the creators of The Witcher 3 are being held to ransom by hackers. Cyberpunk 2077 is intended as the follow-up to The Witcher 3 but almost nothing has been seen of it in public so far, and it's ...
CD Projekt Red: Hackers Are Ransoming Stolen Game DataExtremeTech
CD Projekt Red Reveals It's Being Blackmailed For Stolen 'Cyberpunk 2077' FilesForbes
Cyberpunk 2077 assets stolen by actual cyberpunksEurogamer.net
Polygon -Kotaku
all 97 news articles »

See original here:

CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 game has been hacked by real cyberpunks - Metro

CD Projekt Red Defy Ransom Demands For Early Cyberpunk 2077 Design Docs – TheSixthAxis

Posted on by

In an incredible moment of transparency and openness, CD Projekt Red have just released a statement that the theft of internal documents and that a ransom is being demanded for them to be kept secret. The company, which is best known for The Witcher series,state that these documents include early designs for the upcoming and long in development Cyberpunk 2077. Further, they state that these documents do not represent their current game designs and that you should wait for official information which will be released when the time is right.

Posting on Twitter, the statement reads as follows:

Dear gamers,

An unidentified individual or individuals have just informed us they are in possession of a few internal filed belonging to CD PROJEKT RED. Among them are document connected to early designs for the upcoming game, Cyberpunk 2077.

A demand for ransom has been made, saying that should we not comply, the files will be released to the general public. We will not be giving in to the demands of the individual or individuals that have contacted us, which might eventually lead to the files being published online. The appropriate legal authorities will be informed about the situation.

The documents are old and largely unrepresentative of the current vision for the game. Still, if youre looking forward to playing Cyberpunk 2077, it would be best for you to avoid any information not coming directly from CD PROJEKT RED.

When the time is right, you will hear about Cyberpunk 2077 from us officially.

CD PROJECT RED Team

Whether through hacking, theft or other means, this is not the first time that a game company has had their work stolen. By far the most prominent instance was that of Half Life 2s source code leaking in 2003, butwith hacking on the rise, themost recent parallel would be how Netflix and a number of other TV and film studios were sent ransom demands back in April.

Either way, good on CD Projekt Red for being so open and refusing to meet the demands of criminals.

Source: Twitter

Read more:

CD Projekt Red Defy Ransom Demands For Early Cyberpunk 2077 Design Docs - TheSixthAxis

CNN’s Sally Kohn Wants To Fight Terrorism With ‘Tolerance’ And ‘Political Correctness’ – The Daily Caller

Posted on by

Liberal CNN contributorSally Kohn wants to fight terrorism with tolerance and political correctness.

President Trump demanded an end to political correctness in counterterrorism following the London terror attacks that left seven people dead and dozens more wounded. Kohn took offense at the presidents tweets and fired back, saying that political correctness are, according to her, the solutions to terrorism.

Political correctness is simple idea everyone should be treated with equal dignity [and] respect. Its not cause of terrorism. Its antidote, Kohn wrote in a series of tweets. When we make political correctness the scapegoat, we undermine values of tolerance and equality that are ALWAYS our best weapon against hate.

Of course we cant snap our fingers make all current terrorists just become more tolerant and respectful, she conceded. But long term, do we help future would-be terrorists turn toward respect, tolerance, away [from] hate? Or do we become more hateful ourselves?Our values of pluralism and inclusion and equality are under attack. The answer to terrorism CANNOT be to throw away our values.

Kohn previously took issue with then-candidate Donald Trumps call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.

Kohn claimed that Sharia law isnt a threat because even progressive Muslims adhere to it.

Follow Hasson on Twitter @PeterJHasson

Read the original post:

CNN's Sally Kohn Wants To Fight Terrorism With 'Tolerance' And 'Political Correctness' - The Daily Caller

Hackers caught cloning activist Twitter accounts to spread fake news – The Independent

Posted on by

Designed by Pierpaolo Lazzarini from Italian company Jet Capsule. The I.F.O. is fuelled by eight electric engines, which is able to push the flying object to an estimated top speed of about 120mph.

Jet Capsule/Cover Images

A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore

Getty Images

A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore

Getty Images

Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea

Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea

Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company

Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea

Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi

Rex

Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session

Rex

A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

Reuters

A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

Reuters

A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China

Rex

A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China

Reuters

A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China

Reuters

A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London

Getty

A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv

Getty

Electrification Guru Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart talks about the electric Jaguar I-PACE concept SUV before it was unveiled before the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, U.S

Reuters

The Jaguar I-PACE Concept car is the start of a new era for Jaguar. This is a production preview of the Jaguar I-PACE, which will be revealed next year and on the road in 2018

AP

Japan's On-Art Corp's CEO Kazuya Kanemaru poses with his company's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03' and other robots during a demonstration in Tokyo, Japan

Reuters

Japan's On-Art Corp's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03'

Reuters

Japan's On-Art Corp's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03' performs during its unveiling in Tokyo, Japan

Reuters

Singulato Motors co-founder and CEO Shen Haiyin poses in his company's concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China

Reuters

The interior of Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China

Reuters

Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0

Reuters

A picture shows Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China

Reuters

Connected company president Shigeki Tomoyama addresses a press briefing as he elaborates on Toyota's "connected strategy" in Tokyo. The Connected company is a part of seven Toyota in-house companies that was created in April 2016

Getty

A Toyota Motors employee demonstrates a smartphone app with the company's pocket plug-in hybrid (PHV) service on the cockpit of the latest Prius hybrid vehicle during Toyota's "connected strategy" press briefing in Tokyo

Getty

An exhibitor charges the battery cells of AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which is able to move in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo

Getty

A robot with a touch-screen information apps stroll down the pavillon at the Singapore International Robo Expo

Getty

An exhibitor demonstrates the AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which is able to move in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo

Getty

Robotic fishes swim in a water glass tank displayed at the Korea pavillon during Singapore International Robo Expo

Getty

An employee shows a Samsung Electronics' Gear S3 Classic during Korea Electronics Show 2016 in Seoul, South Korea

Reuters

Visitors experience Samsung Electronics' Gear VR during the Korea Electronics Grand Fair at an exhibition hall in Seoul, South Korea

Getty

Amy Rimmer, Research Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, demonstrates the car manufacturer's Advanced Highway Assist in a Range Rover, which drives the vehicle, overtakes and can detect vehicles in the blind spot, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

PA wire

Chris Burbridge, Autonomous Driving Software Engineer for Tata Motors European Technical Centre, demonstrates the car manufacturer's GLOSA V2X functionality, which is connected to the traffic lights and shares information with the driver, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

PA wire

Ford EEBL Emergency Electronic Brake Lights is demonstrated during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

PA

Full-scale model of 'Kibo' on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan

EPA

Miniatures on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan. In its facilities, JAXA develop satellites and analyse their observation data, train astronauts for utilization in the Japanese Experiment Module 'Kibo' of the International Space Station (ISS) and develop launch vehicles

EPA

The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to the music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight. At this biennial event, the participating companies exhibit their latest service robotic technologies and components

Getty

The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight

Getty

Government and industry are working together on a robot-like autopilot system that could eliminate the need for a second human pilot in the cockpit

AP

Aurora Flight Sciences' technicians work on an Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automantion System (ALIAS) device in the firm's Centaur aircraft at Manassas Airport in Manassas, Va.

AP

Stefan Schwart and Udo Klingenberg preparing a self-built flight simulator to land at Hong Kong airport, from Rostock, Germany

EPA

Go here to see the original:

Hackers caught cloning activist Twitter accounts to spread fake news - The Independent

Wolf evolution and ‘settled science’ – Phys.Org

Posted on by

June 9, 2017 by Ricki Lewis, Phd, Plos Blogs A coyote (Canis latrans)

Are the red and eastern wolves separate species, or hybrids with coyotes? And what has that got to do with climate change? Actually a lot, in illustrating what scientific inquiry is and what it isn't.

Comparing canid genomes

A report in this week's Science Advances questions conclusions of a 2016 comparison of genome sequences from 28 canids. The distinction between "species" and "hybrid" is of practical importance, because the Endangered Species Act circa 1973 doesn't recognize hybrids. But DNA information can refine species designationsor muddy the waters.

At first, genetic marker (SNP) studies hinted at a mixing and matching of genome segments among coyotes, wolves, and dogs. Then came full-fledged genome sequencing.

Last year Bridgett M. vonHoldt, head of Evolutionary Genomics and Ecological Epigenomics at Princeton and colleagues, scrutinized the 28 full genome sequences for signs of "lack of unique ancestry." They compared the genomes of 3 domestic dog breeds (boxer, German shepherd, and Basenji), 6 coyotes, a golden jackal from Kenya, and various wolves to 7 "reference" genomes from 4 Eurasian gray wolves (to minimize recent mutations) and 3 coyotes. The conclusion: lots of genes have flowed from coyotes and gray wolves into the genomes of the animals that became what we call red and eastern wolves, in different proportions.

A bit of background.

Classifying these animals based on geography and visible traits gets confusing, with all the overlaps and shared DNA sequences. Apparently various pairings can successfully mate but probably don't do so very much in the wild when populations are large. Tracking genomes reveals a classic cline, in the parlance of population genetics, with coyote gene introgression into wolf genomes rising from Alaska and Yellowstone (8-8.5%), to the Great Lakes (21.7-23.9%), to Ontario (32.5%-35.5%), and to Quebec (>50%). (BTW the Basenji, the barkless dog, is 61% gray wolf.)

Paul A. Hohenlohe of the University of Idaho and colleagues maintain that the 2016 findings actually support 2 hypotheses: recent admixture (hybridization) or that red and eastern wolves are distinct species. Actually it's 3: hybridization might have happened a long time ago, something that following genes with known mutation rates might reveal.

The new paper challenges the 28-genome comparison:

Dr. vonHoldt's team responded to Dr. Hohenlohe's team's comments, reiterating that the results show red wolf and eastern wolves are "genetically very similar to coyotes or gray wolves," reflecting recent hybridization.

Discussion of wolf classification goes back a quarter century, and this trio of papers is only a recent glimpse of the debate. But I love the respectful back-and-forth of the efforts to extract a compelling narrative from the data that might be what actually happened. Multiple interpretations of the same data and amending interpretations as new data accumulate is the very essence of the scientific process.

Anti-science rhetoric

Let's reframe the wolf papers using the language of the popular climate change discussion.

Are Hohenlohe and his co-workers "coyote deniers?"

Do vonHoldt and her colleagues "believe in" wolf-coyote couplings and Hohenlohe et al don't?

The science of wolf origins is clearly not "settled" for science is NEVER settled. Facts aren't proven, but instead evidence demonstrated and assessed, from both experimentation and observation. The information from tested hypotheses may be so consistent and compelling that it eventually builds to gestate a theory, or even a law, that then explains further observations. But to get there, science is all about asking questions. As I've written in all 35 or so editions of my various textbooks, science is a cycle of inquiry.

In fact the history of genetics is a chronicle of once-entrenched dogma changing with new experiments and observations. I was in grad school when Walter Gilbert's famed "Why Genes in Pieces?" was published. The classic paper introduced introns, the parts of genes that aren't represented in the encoded protein. It was an astonishing idea circa 1978, but with compelling evidence. Yet even Mendel's pea crosses sought an alternate explanation for the prevailing notion that traits simply disappear between generations.

Before I'm hurled insults, let me assert that although my expertise isn't in climate science, I think that the evidence very strongly supports the hypothesis that the planet is warming at an accelerated rate compared to some other times. And fossil fuel use is likely a partial cause, not just a correlation or association, because the relationship is linear and a mechanism plausible. But I don't "believe" in global warming as if it is the tooth fairy or a deity.

I cringe when politicians and celebrities appoint and anoint themselves experts on climate change, then use language that illustrates profound unfamiliarity with the ways of science.

Why did Eddie Vedder begin his speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Pearl Jam with "climate change is real?" He's a musician, not a meteorologist. Why not, "semi-conservative DNA replication is real?" Or "hydrogen bonds are real?" "Noble gases are real?"

I've long had a problem with the term "climate change," because of course climate changes! Why would it ever be static, given weather ups and downs?

Climate dynamics are a little like the composition of blood, or any other manifestation of biological homeostasis. Have a complete blood count at various times and, if you're healthy, results are likely to be within a narrow normal range. Ditto blood sugar, liver enzymes, serum cholesterol level. But steady blood counts don't mean that the same blood cells hang out forever. Bone marrow stem cells continually pump out blood cell progenitors as the older specialized cells die off. Natural systems change over time, with fluctuations large and small.

Climate always has and always will change.

We can learn about normal blood circulation by studying off-kilter situationsleukemia, infection, anemiawithout fear of being labeled a "denier." It's not only a scientifically inappropriate term, but one that is offensive to some, with its echoes of the Holocaust.

I'm interested in other times deep, geologic time, not the president's simplistic reference to the next century when the climate warmed at the rate that it is doing so now. How long did the warming escalate and persist? What forces or events might have precipitated warming? What factors accompanied its ultimate reversal as ice ages neared? By asking questions we can learn what we can expect from nature, so that perhaps we can better understand what we can do to counter the warming trend.

And so those who claim to believe in climate change and vilify those who ask questions might learn a lesson in what science actually is from the elegant discussion of wolf origins.

Explore further: Study doesn't support theory red and eastern wolves are recent hybrids, researchers argue

This story is republished courtesy of PLOS Blogs: blogs.plos.org.

A team led by University of Idaho researchers is calling into question a widely publicized 2016 study that concluded eastern and red wolves are not distinct species, but rather recent hybrids of gray wolves and coyotes. In ...

Research by UCLA biologists published today in the journal Science Advances presents strong evidence that the scientific reason advanced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the gray wolf from protection under ...

Scientists have successfully produced hybrid pups between a male western gray wolf and a female western coyote in captivity.

Today's Great Lakes gray wolf, de-listed by U.S. officials as an endangered species, probably is a hybrid and no longer the historic animal, biologists said.

Wolves and other top predators need large ranges to be able to control smaller predators whose populations have expanded to the detriment of a balanced ecosystem.

Wolves in the eastern United States are hybrids of gray wolves and coyotes, while the region's coyotes actually are wolf-coyote-dog hybrids, according to a new genetic study that is adding fuel to a longstanding debate over ...

The nematode worms that cause the world's most devastating crop losses have given up on sexual reproduction and instead rely on their large, duplicated genomes to thrive in new environments. A group led by Etienne G. J. Danchin ...

Flatworms that spent five weeks aboard the International Space Station are helping researchers led by Tufts University scientists to study how an absence of normal gravity and geomagnetic fields can have anatomical, behavioral, ...

The diverse 'coats' which protect a deadly microbe from our immune cells are generated by a 'hotspot' of rapidly evolving genes, a study has found.

(Phys.org)A group of scientists from several institutions in Germany has suggested that extinct animals that are resurrected through scientific means be given a tag on their name to indicate their origins. In a Policy ...

It's well known that young babies are more interested in faces than other objects. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology on June 8 have the first evidence that this preference for faces develops in the womb. By projecting ...

(Phys.org)A small team of researchers from Austria and Sweden has found that ravens are able to remember people who trick them for at least two months. In their paper published in the journal Animal Behavior, the group ...

Adjust slider to filter visible comments by rank

Display comments: newest first

How did a review of wolf studies turn into a "climate dynamics" rant?

Really tired of these spoiled whelps that think the world hangs on their every thought. And don't expect a moment's gratitude for the fact that the author was trying to be even handed on the subject. That's the thing with the alt-right and evangelicals where they will always have an advantage. No one else is that rude.

"Climate change "deniers" aren't as dangerous to our children as is science illiteracy." Odd statement. Like there's a difference. All 'deniers' are either science illiterate, or act that way in a conscious scam to appeal to those...that are scientifically illiterate. It's like saying gravity isn't nearly as life threatening as falling out of a window.

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

Original post:

Wolf evolution and 'settled science' - Phys.Org

Did the microbiome help drive human evolution? – STAT

Posted on by

I

often think about the long and winding road from organic compounds floating in the so-called primordial soup to humans. Lately Ive been wondering if microbes helped drive the bus.

Even just a few years ago, that would have been a truly ludicrous idea. But thanks to our growing understanding of the human microbiome, it could represent a thrilling example of evolutionary symbiosis that has mutually benefitted humans and their microbial passengers.

Our bodies are made up of many more microbial cells than human cells. Thousands of species of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes live almost everywhere in and on our bodies, including the digestive system, nose, and skin, to name just a few. Some of the earliest research showed that the microbes that live in our digestive systems help us digest food, make some of the vitamins we need, and balance the immune system.

advertisement

Since then, weve learned that these microbes, collectively called the microbiome, can affect body weight, susceptibility to cancer, and even behavior. The gut microbiome interacts with its host using signaling networks that employ the immune system, hormones, and the nervous system. In short, it has a profound effect on our overall health.

Another kind of superbug: Seeking an edge in the elite athletes microbiome

Ive been studying the microbiome for more than 20years. My research team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology explores how microbes help keep us healthy. Weve learned that our daily diet and habits dramatically influence our microbiomes. Weve specifically studied aspects of wellness in mice (which often make good stand-ins for humans) that are influenced by diet and microbes, including healthy skin, a slender physique, and breeding success across generations. Several findings from our work make me think that microbes helping steer the evolution of humans isnt such a far-fetched idea.

For starters, in our glow of health study, we fed to mice bacteria extracted from human breast milk. This dietary addition gave them thicker skin, more lustrous fur, and, in females, more acidic vaginal mucus. That change in mucus is correlated with increased fertility in mice and in humans.

Or take the case of oxytocin, sometimes called the love hormone. In humans, oxytocin not only stimulates reproductive behaviors, but also induces childbirth, releases breast milk, bonds babies with their moms, and joins couples in monogamy to share child rearing. Oxytocin promotes nerve growth, fosters creativity in the brain, and serves as glue for complex mammalian social networks that have been integral in evolving social organizations. When fed to mice, certain kinds of bacteria found in human breast milk elicit production of oxytocin in the brain and bloodstream.

Likewise, testosterone levels in mice soar after eating these bacteria. Such microbe-treated mice display larger testicles with higher sperm counts and also build extra muscle. The resulting mouse swagger would give these mice a competitive edge in combat and romance, letting them spread their genes and microbes more widely and for a longer time. During bad times, these microbiome-related changes could provide a huge survival advantage for both the host and its microbial allies.

Even thyroid hormone, sometimes called the gas pedal that controls the bodys metabolism and thus body temperature, is influenced by our resident bacteria. It makes sense that heat-loving (thermophilic) bacteria originally dwelling in decaying swamp plants would try to set the body temperature of their new hosts so they could live year-round in total comfort with a competitive edge over other microbial interlopers. This stabilized host environment could then have chaperoned the evolution from external egg laying to internal placental pregnancy. As a bonus for microbes, by increasing mother-infant intimacy, internal pregnancy abets the transfer of microbes from mother to child, and thus the creation of future suitable dwellings for the mothers microbial descendants.

It turns out that our minuscule microbial manipulators also boost levels of a transcription factor (a protein that helps turn the instructions of DNA into body-building proteins) called Forkhead Box N1. It helps build tissue in the thymus gland that produces specialized immune cells that sustain pregnancy in mammals. Thanks to the exquisitely synchronized immune interactions choreographed by this tissue, the immune system doesnt swarm and kill sperm cells or the developing fetus. Instead, it opens the door to internal fertilization and lengthy pregnancy while still combating invading bacteria and other pathogens.

Microbe-stimulated Forkhead Box N1 is also involved in the growth of body hair which, along with the production of thyroid hormone, supports the stable body temperature (called endothermy) needed for an extended pregnancy. Forkhead Box N1 is also implicated in the development of mammary glands. Its just a small stretch to imagine that microbes helped modify sweat glands into lactating breasts in order to create a yummy and nutritious food for human infants and at the same time spread their own microbial sprouts to future generations.

Interestingly, mouse moms consuming probiotic bacteria from human breast milk actually take better care of their infants and are less likely to eat them compared with untreated mice or those eating other types of diets. Following this line of reasoning, the bacteria help make more mice and thus more future microbe hosts.

The idea that humans are a kind of deluxe love bus for microbes sounds preposterous, even diabolical. But maybe its actually a winner for everyone.

Susan E. Erdman, DVM, is a principal research scientist and assistant director of MITs Division of Comparative Medicine.

Susan E. Erdman can be reached at serdman@mit.edu

Trending

Pharmalot, Pharmalittle: Valeant sells another unit in bid to

Pharmalot, Pharmalittle: Valeant sells another unit in bid to pare its debt load

Behind Tiger Woodss arrest and pain meds lies a

Behind Tiger Woodss arrest and pain meds lies a problematic surgery

Drug used to halt puberty in children may cause

Drug used to halt puberty in children may cause lasting health problems

Recommended

Saying Los Angeles lacks a great cancer center, Soon-Shiong

Saying Los Angeles lacks a great cancer center, Soon-Shiong plans to open his own

NIH drops controversial plan to cap funding for individual

NIH drops controversial plan to cap funding for individual labs

Pro athletes make fixing back pain look easy. It

Pro athletes make fixing back pain look easy. It isnt

See the article here:

Did the microbiome help drive human evolution? - STAT

Five things you need to know about DUP politicians and science – New Scientist

Posted on by

Nigel Dodds and Arlene Foster, DUP deputy leader and leader

Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

By Frank Swain

Having failed to win an overall majority in the UKs general election, Theresa Mays Conservative party is hoping to foster an informal coalition with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Members of the party have taken controversial stances on everything from climate change to evolution, with one assembly member being unaware that heterosexual people can contract HIV. Here are five things you need to know when it comes to science and the DUP

The party has a history of speaking out against climate change. Senior member Sammy Wilson has called climate change a con, and described the Paris Agreement as window dressing for climate chancers. During his time as Northern Irelands environment minister, he said that people would eventually look back at this whole climate change debate and ask ourselves how on Earth we were ever conned into spending billions of pounds on the issue.

It isnt just Wilson though in 2014, DUP ministers tried to oppose proposals to introduce local measures against climate change in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK where women cannot access abortion unless their life is endangered by pregnancy a legal situation that is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, according to a Belfast High Court ruling in 2015.

But on taking leadership of the party in 2016, Arlene Foster promised to block any attempt to change these laws, telling reporters I would not want abortion to be as freely available here as it is in England.

Foster did, however, say she might consider an amendment in cases of rape. But the DUPs Jim Wells formerly the health minister for Northern Ireland opposes abortion even in these circumstances.

DUP assembly member Thomas Buchanan has previously called for creationism to be taught in schools. In 2016, he voiced support for an evangelical Christian programme that offers helpful practical advice on how to counter evolutionary teaching. He has expressed a desire to see every school in Northern Ireland teaching creationism, describing evolution as a peddled lie.

Buchanan told the Irish News Im someone who believes in creationism and that the world was spoken into existence in six days by His power, adding that children had been corrupted by the teaching of evolution.

The DUPs leader narrowly survived a no-confidence motion following a disastrous attempt to bolster green energy in Northern Ireland by providing subsidies for wood burners. Arlene Foster introduced the scheme in 2012 when she was head of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. The original budget was 25 million, but a lack of price controls meant that, over five years, almost 500 million went up in smoke.

Last year, DUP assembly member Trevor Clarke admitted that he had thought only gay people could be infected with HIV, until a charity explained otherwise. He made the comments during a parliamentary debate around a campaign to promote awareness and prevention of HIV in Northern Ireland and to increase support for those living with HIV.

Read more: How YouGovs experimental poll correctly called the UK election

More on these topics:

Read more here:

Five things you need to know about DUP politicians and science - New Scientist

Shattered Sun Detail ‘The Evolution of Anger’ Album, Unleash ‘Burn It Down’ Video – Loudwire

Posted on by

Subscribe to Loudwire on

Its time to add to the summer release calendar as Shattered Sun are on their way back with new music. The band just announced that their sophomore set will be titled The Evolution of Anger and theyve also unleashed a new video for the song Burn It Down.

The rising rockers settled into the studio with producer Mark Lewis earlier this year. Lewis, who has previously worked with DevilDriver and Fallujah, definitely had an impact on the band. Mark brought a sound to the band that we didnt think we were capable of, says guitarist Jessie Santos. You can check out the track listing for the album below and look for the disc arriving via Victory Records on July 21. Pre-orders are being taken here.

As for the song, theres some serious low end pummeling going on. People are fed up and I am certainly fed up, says singer Marcos Leal, reacting to the worldwide state of affairs. The singer continues, We almost burned this band into the ground internally. Guitarist Daniel Trejo decided to leave the band in late 2015, and internal issues began to surface before the band worked them out and Trejo returned. Between all the things we have done over the years, things finally came to the surface. Once Daniel came back into the fold, the first song he showed me was Burn it Down, and it is a perfect reflection of what occurred within Shattered Sun. You can watch the Dustin Smith-directed video for Burn It Down above.

Meanwhile, you can look for Shattered Sun playing select shows on the Vans Warped Tour this summer. See the dates below, and stay tuned for a fall tour announcement coming soon.

Shattered Sun, The Evolution of Anger Track Listing

1. Keep Your Eyes Shut 2. Blame 3. Declassified 4. Hollow Chains 5. Out for Justice 6. Die for Nothing 7. Burn It Down 8. Like Gasoline 9. Terminal 10. Hope Dies

Shattered Sun on Vans Warped Tour 2017

7/26 Maryland Heights, Mo. @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 7/27 Bonner Springs, Kan. @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre 7/28 Dallas, Texas @ Starplex Pavilion 7/29 San Antonio, Texas @ AT&T Center 7/30 Houston, Texas @ NRG Park 8/1 Las Cruces, N.M. @ NMSU Intramural Field 8/4 Mountain View, Calif. @ Shoreline Amphitheatre 8/5 San Diego, Calif. @ Qualcomm Stadium 8/6 Pomona, Calif. @ Pomona Fairplex

Best Metal Albums of 2017 (So Far)

Visit link:

Shattered Sun Detail 'The Evolution of Anger' Album, Unleash 'Burn It Down' Video - Loudwire