Monthly Archives: July 2022

Unconventional paths: Gorzynski and the great apes – Scope

Posted: July 17, 2022 at 9:06 am

Covered in sheep fluids, John Gorzynski climbed the stairs to his Wales apartment, exhausted. It was springtime, 2016, which for a veterinarian in rural areas of the United Kingdom means only one thing: newborn lambs, and a lot of them.

Gorzynski was his town's on-call vet. In one night, he'd performed five cesarean sections on sheep struggling to birth their lambs, and it was now 3 a.m. But before he could reach the door to his flat and have a good shower, his phone rang.

Another lamb in peril -- back to work.

"In that moment, I knew I needed a change," said Gorzynski, DVM, PhD, who is now a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford Medicine. "That lifestyle was just not sustainable for me."

He yearned to return to a research lab, where his work schedule wouldn't hinge on laboring farm animals.

The desire set Gorzynski on a path that, in 2016, brought him to the Stanford Medicine lab of biomedical data scientist and geneticist Euan Ashley, MB ChB, DPhil. During his time at Stanford, he and others have devised record-setting genome sequencing techniques, researched heart disease in great apes and deciphered genetic cardiovascular conundrums in humans.

Gorzynski grew up on a small organic farm in New York, diligently cultivated by his father. The upbringing, he said, fostered his love of animals and the outdoors. "As a kid I'd just sit up in the orchard trees, picking and snacking on cherries, apples and peaches," he said. "It's where my love of nature and animals originated."

Eventually, though, Gorzynski deviated from the family business when he chose a career in medicine. Everything was on track when he was an undergraduate at St John's University in New York -- but then he witnessed his first autopsy. "It totally put me off being a human doctor," he recalled.

His passion for medicine persisted, however, so after graduating in 2007, Gorzynski explored other options. "I hadn't considered veterinary medicine before that -- but it suddenly seemed like a clear choice," he said.

Lured by its metropolitan location and solid research reputation, Gorzynski enrolled at the University of London's Royal Veterinary College for veterinary training and joined the lab of professor of veterinary cardiology Adrian Boswood, VetMB, who researched genetic causes of cardiovascular disease in great apes, a group of primates that include chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos.

During his time at the lab, two chimpanzees died of sudden cardiac failure at the London Zoo. Both were around 16 or 17 years old, some 35 years shy of the average lifespan of a chimpanzee in captivity. And here was the kicker: They were related. "It made me wonder if there might be a genetic component at play," Gorzynski said.

In investigating the cause of the apes' deaths, Gorzynski and others found anatomical anomalies that resembled a cardiovascular disease in humans: arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, or ARVC, which interferes with proper heart rhythms. That can lead to insufficient blood supply to organs and, ultimately, sudden death.

In humans, at least 50% of this type of cardiomyopathy is due to a genetic defect. Because humans and chimpanzees share a whopping 98% of their DNA, it stands to reason that whatever we know about humans could apply to chimpanzees, and vice versa.

The disease is believed to arise from a mutation in genes associated with a structure in heart muscle cells. With DNA from the deceased chimpanzees, Gorzynski and others dug more deeply into whether the primates harbored mutations in the key genes known to cause ARVC in humans.

Expanding the research to include the rest of the zoo's chimpanzees, the researchers monitored their heart function and examined their DNA to determine whether any heart abnormalities were genetic. Eventually, using samples from wild chimpanzees from the Jane Goodall Institute, the team also investigated the incidence of ARVC in apes in their natural habitats to compare with those in captivity.

In the end, the research was inconclusive.

"We found genetic differences between captive and wild chimpanzees, but our data wasn't granular enough to see if those variants were actually causative of the disease," Gorzynski said. The technology just wasn't advanced enough. His research hit a standstill.

After his veterinary training wrapped up, Gorzynski practiced animal medicine in Four Crosses, Powys, Wales as a mixed-animal surgeon for the next 2 years.

"I just decided, 'I'm going to live my best James Herriot life,'" he said, referring to the pen name of a veterinary surgeon who chronicled his work in the book All Creatures Great and Small and its sequels. "I saw birds, dogs, cats, ferrets, sheep, cows, horses -- it was great, and fun, but it was exhausting."

After the fateful night of five sheep C-sections, when Gorzynski made up his mind to return to ape research, he began seeking graduate programs. Ashley's work -- everything from studying the biology of endurance athletes to deciphering mystery diseases -- caught Gorzynski's interest. And the intrigue went both ways.

"I remember sending him a note, and Euan responded and said, 'You know, I've been waiting for someone like you -- I have this really interesting project,'" Gorzynski said.

That project focused on Koko, a famed gorilla born in the San Francisco Zoo who wowed the world with her sign language skills. Gorzynski returned to the United States to start research as a Stanford Medicine graduate student working with Ashley, a professor of genetics, of biomedical data science and of cardiovascular medicine.

Stanford's cardiovascular team was monitoring Koko, along with other great apes at a nearby preserve where Koko had lived, for structural heart disease and saw signs of a cardiovascular condition. Powered by new, more advanced genome sequencing, Gorzynski hoped to determine if there were key genes that spurred Koko's heart ailments. Sadly, Koko died in June, 2018 of unrelated causes.

To broaden the research, Gorzynski reconnected with his collaborators at the Jane Goodall Institute to share genomic data and findings. (The specimens Gorzynski sequences are collected after a great ape dies of natural causes in a sanctuary in the Republic of the Congo that the institute supports.)

When that research was paused in 2020 by COVID-19-related travel restrictions, Gorzynski had to find new ways to round out his degree. The detour resulted in him contributing to research that set a new world record: the fastest genome sequencing technique. The process, from sequencing the genome of a patient to providing clinical information, took several hours, a big improvement from the typical timing of a few weeks.

Now that travel restrictions have loosened, Gorzynski has resumed his ape-related studies. "What we learn from our studies could inform heart disease in humans but, honestly, that's not why I'm doing this research," Gorzynski said. "My focus is the health and well-being of the animals, and my hope is that this research can teach us how to better maintain a healthy population of wild great apes."

Photo by Savory

Continue reading here:
Unconventional paths: Gorzynski and the great apes - Scope

Posted in Genome | Comments Off

Global Blockchain Market Report (2022 to 2028) – Featuring Genomes, QubiTech and CiveQ Among Others – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

Posted: at 9:06 am

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Blockchain Market, By Component, By Type, By Application, & By Region - Forecast and Analysis 2022 - 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Blockchain Market was valued at USD 4.56 Billion in 2021, and it is expected to reach a value of USD 117.77 Billion by 2028, at a CAGR of more than 59.12% over the forecast period (2022 - 2028).

The global blockchain market is rapidly growing and is expected to continue to do so in the future years, due to the expanding number of innovations and consumer awareness of the benefits of employing blockchain technology is expected to propel the industry forward in the near future. The key aspects driving the growth of the global blockchain market include the adoption of blockchain technology across BFSI, healthcare, media and entertainment, and many others.

Wide acceptance of blockchain solutions for payment, digital identities, and smart contracts are also among some of the prospects that drive the industry growth during the forecast period. The increased venture capital investing in blockchain technology startups can also be attributed to the market's growth. Blockchain technology witnessed significant growth after the advent of Bitcoin, and it is now being used by various financial institutions for transactions.

In the last two to three years, blockchain technology solutions have gained in popularity for a variety of commercial applications, including payments, exchanges, documentation, and many others. Many startups such as Blockpoint, Auxesis Group, Symbiont, SpinSys, Bitfury, Neufund, Fetch.AI, Confirm, Genomes, QubiTech, and CiveQ among others have entered the market and begun developing blockchain-based solutions

Aspects covered in this report

The global blockchain market is segmented on the basis of component, type and application. Based on the component, the market is segmented as platform and services. Based on the type, the market is segmented as public, private, and hybrid. Whereas, based on the applications, the market is segmented as Food & Agriculture, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing, Energy & Utilities, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Media & Entertainment, BFSI, Retail & E-Commerce, IT & Telecom, and Others.

Driver

Restraint

Key Market Trends

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e2mwxc

Posted in Genome | Comments Off

The singularity of Ranveer Singh in Bollywood – Moneycontrol

Posted: at 9:05 am

Ranveer Singh in 'Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls'. He has recently started sporting a double-ponytail look, making him an all-rounder in embracing non-binary fashion fluidity, which also of course includes monochromatic suits.

At 37, Ranveer Singh is the rarest of pop confections. Before him, Bollywood hadnt seen a star whose love affair with Gucci is as intense as his role-prep routines, both of which cant parallel his effusive odes to his wife Deepika Padukone, a star as influential, talented and radiant as he, if not more.

He also aces the puttar act often, notably in his latest reality show on Netflix, Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls, in which he upped his breathless susurrations of Jai Shiv Shambhu to escape the wrath of snakes with loud, anthemic repetitions of Jai Bajrang Bali to bump himself up the rappel to reach the pinnacle. All this while, during the one-hour long show, Singh relentlessly regurgitated the purpose behind this dangerous journey: to get a flower for his lady love.

In his carefully crafted high-voltage brand persona, chivalry and metrosexuality co-exista potential heartthrob for cisgender women as well as anybody on the GBTQ spectrum who likes men. He can ooze cowboy masculinity one day and daintily mimic Alia Bhatts twirls in Gangubai Kathiawadi songs the next day.

With 20 films, four Filmfare awards, a two-year-old production company named Maa Kasam Films, a record label Incink that promotes rappers from across India, and a fashionist who can inspire the best of designers and stylists, Singhs singularity in Bollywood defies categorisations.

Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in episode 1 of 'Koffee with Karan Season 7'.

Im Ranveer Singh, and I am the Lamborghini of Men, Singh once announced at an awards function. The Lambo logo is a charging bullso did he mean he was a man of strength, determination and the ability or at least a desire to disrupt everything that comes in his way? If he did, he probably wasnt far off in self-estimation. He knows how to hold an audience in his roles as well as in talk shows and interviews. In the first episode of Koffee with Karan Season 7 last Sunday, Singh appeared with Alia Bhatt and mimicked Hrithik Roshan, called Uorfi Javed (a social media paparazzi-friendly personality known to wear bras made out of tarpaulin and other such fashion innovations) a fashion icon besides maintaining a perfect balance between political correctness and verbal gimmickry.

So what mountains did Singh climb to reach this pinnacle?

Born Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (he dropped his last name because, by his own admission, it wasnt that saleable and sleek a name), his grandparents moved to Bombay from Karachi, Sindh, in present-day Pakistan. His only industry bloodline is with maternal second cousin Sonam Kapoor. He studied theatre and writing in a university in Indiana, US, worked a few years in advertising as a copywriter in Mumbai, worked as an assistant director, but left it tall to pursue acting. He would go for all kinds of auditions, and refuse all minor roles. Aditya Chopra lunched him in Band Baaja Baarat in 2010, which also got him the Best Male Debut award at the Filmfare Awards. Since then, he has played a gruffy, testosterone-fuelled, bisexual villain in Padmavat (2016), a slum rapper on the cusp of success in Gully Boy (2019), and played Kapil Dev in '83 (2021). His last film, Jayeshbhai Zordaar is a standard melodramatic Bollywood message film that nails patriarchy and upholds rights of the girl child. Singh will next be in a Rohit Shetty comedy called Cirkus (possibly a fool-proof BO jangler), a Karan Johar comedy Rocky Aur Rani Ki Amar Prem Kahani opposite Alia Bhatt and a Hindi language remake of Shankars Tamil film Anniyan.

The aspirational brand credo that Singh continues to chisel and transform incessantly, especially for post-millennialsa Bollywood man who is everything and anything, and flamboyantly soensures he is always in the news. His luxury-meter is over the top: a Lamborghini Urus Pearl Capsule, Aston Martin Rapide S, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Land Rover Range Rover Vogue, and Jaguar XJ L comprise the cream of his automobile collection; his fashion tastes veer from baroque Versace shirts to customised neon-pink shararas, Franck Muller wristwatches, velvet pantsuits and a profusion of Gucci. He has recently started sporting a double-ponytail look, making him an all-rounder in embracing non-binary fashion fluidity, which also of course includes monochromatic suits.

Singh is a self-confessed fan of Govinda; he has said that Govindas character in Raja Babu is his spirit character, whatever that could mean. Id like a sea-facing villa in Goa with a swimming pool where I can cook, paint, watch movies and do yoga. And Id like to be surrounded by my many children, he recently said in an interview.

Visit link:

The singularity of Ranveer Singh in Bollywood - Moneycontrol

Posted in Singularity | Comments Off

Japan Proposes a Wild Concept for Making Artificial Gravity on the Moon – Singularity Hub

Posted: at 9:05 am

The list of challenges space explorers will face is formidable. Theyll have to produce breathable air, clean water, and food in extremely hostile environments lacking all of the above. Theyll also have to peacefully coexist with small groups of fellow explorers in tight quarters for long periods of time, all while minimizing exposure to the searing radiation thats ubiquitous virtually anywhere they go.

Assuming explorers overcome these challenges, theres another that doesnt get the love it deserves, according to researchers at Japans Kyoto University.

Long-term settlement of Earth orbit, the moon, Mars, and beyond requires explorers forsake Earths gravitythe steady downward force every Earthly animal has evolved to navigate over billions of years. Studies of astronauts spending weeks or months in microgravity have shown atrophied muscles, bone loss, vision loss, and changes to immune systems. There have, of course, been no studies of humans living on planetary bodies with low-gravity, but its likely adult explorers would contend with health issuesand how all this might affect childbirth and normal development in kids is unknown.

Assuming some kind of artificial gravity would lessen these risks considerably, Kyoto University partnered with construction company, Kajima Corp, to explore futuristic concepts that might one day offer tourists and settlers a healthy dose of good ol Earth gravity.

Their far-future vision? A towering sci-fi space cone, called the Glass, that would stand 1,312 feet (400 meters) tall and 656 feet (200 meters) across. This habitat would spin around its axis once every 20 seconds so that people living on its inner walls would enjoy Earth gravityalongside trees, grass, and a lake that would do MC Escher proud. The plans call for spinning habitats on the moon and Mars, where gravity is notably less than on Earth.

In addition to the habitat itself, the three-part proposal, outlined in a press release and video last week, also sketched out a system for transportation between Earth, Mars, and the moon called Hexatrack, which would include standardized vehicles for travel between habitats on the surface of the planet or moon and base stations in orbit.

Obviously, all this is more of a beautiful concept to solve a real problem than anything remotely practical today.

The sheer size of the endeavorakin to building the Empire State Building upside-down on the moon or Mars, spinning it like a top, and then layering water, soil, and other internal structures through its interiorwould demand huge amounts of resources and technical know-how. And without exceptional design, living in such an environment, where the ground visibly curves at your feet and the tug of local gravity is at odds with the structures artificial gravity, could be pretty disorienting. The team envisions our migration to the moon and Mars wont hit its stride until the latter half of this century, but even that timeframe for work on this scale seems optimistic.

For now, the idea is more at home among other futuristic space concepts. Though focused on off-planet living, for example, the vision for ONeill cylinders, proposed in the mid-70s, came complete with spin-based gravity, lakes, farmland, and even artificial sunshine. At the moment, though, were much closer to realizing small, private space bubbles in orbit, like those designed by Axiom Space, than we are to off-Earth megastructures such as these.

Still, as going to space on reusable rockets gets cheaper, and alternative methods of shooting stuff into orbitlike this space catapultemerge, we may hone our abilities to both build structures and also find, mine, and exploit resources out there. Theres an abundance of raw materials for sustaining our presence in space. Eventually, we may begin engineering ever bigger structures in orbit and elsewhere, and wild concepts mooted today, could look a bit more realistic.

Regardless, theres little question that bringing some extra gravity with us would help the cause. Maybe someone will build spinning conical towers on the moonor maybe therell be a better, more practical alternative by then.

In either case, its fun to dream.

Image Credit: Takuya Ono and Kajima Co. Ltd.

More here:

Japan Proposes a Wild Concept for Making Artificial Gravity on the Moon - Singularity Hub

Posted in Singularity | Comments Off

Hidden MrBeast Video Sees the Popular Millionaire Put Over $50,000 on the Line for His Fans – EssentiallySports

Posted: at 9:04 am

MrBeast is known for his amazing content and mind-boggling videos that he keeps uploading on his ever-growing channel. However, coming as a surprise, the social media celebrity decided not to share his recent clip on YouTube.

Article continues below this ad

That may sound bizarre and also weird to many of his fans, but MrBeast eventually opted out to upload his newest video on the streaming platform. While the reason behind this move is unknown, the video itself is quite intriguing, to say the least. Thats because the creator and streamer did upload it on his Facebook page for the fans. Lets see whats there in this not-for-YouTube clip.

Article continues below this ad

Thanks to Facebook, we can at least have a glimpse of what is exactly there in Jimmys now forbidden video from YouTube. Apparently, the streamer went for another giveaway of lucrative prizes in this clip. But as is the case with his every video, he had some exciting challenges for the participants to win their desired items.

Starting with the first one, MrBeast literally put a case full of $10,000 inside an ice box. Yes, the case with the prize money inside it was covered in ice and the participants had to break it in order to claim this amount. The condition was to break the ice in limited attempts only.

DIVE DEEPER

PewDiePie VS MrBeast: Who Has the Most Subscribers on YouTube?

7 months ago

The first person picked number 15 between 1 and 20, and MrBeast then revealed to him that it basically meant he had fifteen swings to break the ice box with an axe. Sadly, though, this individual couldnt do it even after breaking half of the ice. Fortunately, another participant, named Felix, managed to win this challenge with just six tries and won $10,000.

In the next ultimate challenge, MrBeast revealed a wall of basketball goals. For this one, participants had to make one basket to win one item from a pool of attractive prizes like the iPad, AirPods, Nintendo Switch, Macbook, and much more.

The participants were allowed to shoot as many times as they wanted, but would risk losing all the prizes if they failed to score in any attempt. Two brothers opted to compete in this challenge. The first one managed to score a basket and claimed a Macbook Pro. His brother then took a shot and also succeeded, thus claiming an Oculus Rift.

Article continues below this ad

Unfortunately, the brother who won a Macbook decided to take another shot, for more prizes but failed to do so. As a result of that, he lost his prize along with his brothers Oculus as well.

Towards the end of the video, MrBeast is seen giving a challenge to his own crew members, namely Karl, Chris, and Chandler. He asks them to order a pizza from different stores. Whichever pizza is delivered first, were gonna tip that pizza delivery driver $10,000, said Jimmy in the clip.

Article continues below this ad

At the end of the video, Chris order manages to reach earlier than Karl and Chandlers. And as promised, MrBeast gives a massive tip of $10,000 to the delivery guy. However, the pizza that Chris tastes in ends up being not-so-delicious at all. It was quite funny actually to witness the expressions on his face.

WATCH THIS STORY: The Most Followed Female Streamers on Twitch

Continued here:

Hidden MrBeast Video Sees the Popular Millionaire Put Over $50,000 on the Line for His Fans - EssentiallySports

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off

Some of the internet’s most homoerotic content is on The History Channel’s YouTube? – Queerty

Posted: at 9:04 am

Screenshot: Ancient Workouts With Omar, The History Channel

Last week, we alerted you to The History Channels upcoming event docuseries,Colosseum, a perhaps unintentionally sexy look at the age of gladiators filled with ancient Roman eye candy that had us setting our DVRs to the network for the first time in ever?

Well, because were so thirsty such big history buffs, that got us wondering what else HISTORY had to offer. It only took a quick Google search to find that the networks YouTube page is rife with content that, while not overtly queer, is definitely twinged with enough homoeroticism to please the casual internet browserwere talking hours and hours of footage of strapping men recreating ancient battles in frequently very little clothing.

Related: History buffs list their favorite facts about queerness through the ages

Of course, theres a lot of other stuff to sift through. In the past decade or so, HISTORY has gotten a lot of flak for straying away from actual history, and the YouTube channel reflects that with a mind-numbing amount of sensationalist video about aliens, conspiracies, and two dudes who like to dig through trash in search of priceless antiques (wait maybe that last ones a little gay?).

With that in mind, weve assembled a handy guide to only the gayest content available on HISTORYs YouTube. Check out the below and, who knows? Maybe youll learn something! Or maybe youll just watch them on mutethats fine too, we dont judge.

Were busting out the big guns to start: To our delight, theres a whole YouTubeseries dedicated to showing you how historic warriors from around the world managed to get so buff and so strong. From the gladiators to ninjas to Medieval knights, fitness influencer Omar Isuf walks viewers through training regimens from long ago thathonestly?look exhausting. Still, we dont mind tuning in to see Isur (in the words of Gaga) serve it ancient city style.

Now, if yourereallyinto muscleswere talking big, bulking bodies of steelyoull want to check out this classic episode ofModern Marvels from 2001, which the network has uploaded in full on its YouTube. In it, experts examine the world of professional bodybuilding, tracing our present-day Strong Men and Women all the way back to the Greeks and the early days of Olympics. Its 46 full minutes of vein-bulging brawn.

Thanks to high school history class and/or Disney, youre likely well aware of the legend of Hercules, the athletic demigod who went from zero to hero. Still, you might not mind hearing his story all over again via this Greek mythology series, which has the good sense to cast a bulky, square-jawed actor to play the titular hero in various re-enactments of his 12 Labours. Hes such a beefcake that you wont even mind the shoddy CGI Hydra Not that much, at least.

One of the networks rare forays into narrative dramatic television was the Norse action epic,Vikings, which ran for six full seasons between 2013-2020. We wish we could tell you if it wasnt any good, but we simply havent seen it! Thankfully, someone over at HISTORY was looking out for the gays, editing and uploading this 90-second supercut of shirtless scenes from the series second season, complete with a sexy, swinging 70s score. Hubba, hubba! Wait, should we actually go back and watch this show?

In 2018, HISTORY revived this long-running documentary series all about mysterious phenomena and the supernatural. Now, for those in search of skin,In Search Of pales in comparison to the content above, but it does boast the handsomeand gay!Zachary Quinto as its host (following in the footsteps of his Spock predecessor, Leonard Nimoy, who hosted from 77 82). We think the series could stand to include a lot more of Quintos handsome face, but if you get your kicks from watching the actor hunt down the lost city of Atlantis, then have at it!

And, if you were hoping for real queer history, were sorry to say that HISTORY offers very little on that front (at least compared to the hours and hours of Ancient Aliens they air). The most substantial piece we could find was this 4-minute summary of the Stonewall Riots, and a quick tribute to the legendary trans activist Marsha P Johnson, but weknow there are far more stories to tell. For instance, over on Discovery+, theres a whole series dedicated to some of the most important queer stories in history.

See original here:

Some of the internet's most homoerotic content is on The History Channel's YouTube? - Queerty

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off

A Twitter test will remind you to add alt text to images – TechCrunch

Posted: at 9:04 am

In the midst of absolutely no internal chaos whatsoever, Twitters accessibility team launched a much-requested feature test. Ten percent of users, who make up the test group, will be served reminders to add image descriptions to their photo uploads.

Image descriptions, or alt text, are exactly what they sound like: descriptions of what appears in an image. Sometimes these descriptions appear when the image doesnt load, but more importantly, they offer context for people using screen readers, who might be blind or low-vision. Alt text helps make sure that everyone can be included in the conversation.

This test is designed to encourage more people to use alt text. If you have access to the feature, you can navigate to your accounts settings, click Accessibility, and then scroll to the Images header. There, you can turn on a reminder to prompt you to add alt text before sending a tweet with an image.

If you forget to add image descriptions, turning on the reminder will be a big favor to your future self. And to everyone on Twitter, the platform wrote. Actually, if everyone turns it on, everyone would be helping everyone.

In April, Twitter started rolling out features that make it more apparent when an image has alt text. Now, ALT badges appear in the bottom corner of photos, showing whether an image has alt text or not. When you click that button, you can view the image description.

But even the best-intentioned among us might forget to add image descriptions sometimes, so these reminders should come in handy. For users who dont know what alt text is or why it matters, these pop-ups might also serve an educational purpose.

Image descriptions are a simple way to expand info access to people with disabilities, and everyone who wants more context, Twitter explained.

In its announcement thread, Twitter references an ongoing discussion about the pitfalls of misused alt text sometimes, Twitter users will use alt text to hide easter eggs or jokes for anyone who might click the ALT badge. But using image descriptions in this way is confusing for users who actually need the alt text for context. When more tweeters use accessibility features as intended, though, it makes it more clear how to actually write good alt text.

Theres much debate around what constitutes well-written image descriptions. For example, if you see a photo of a woman eating salad, you probably dont need to know what color the bowl is, or whether the salad has croutons in it. Maybe its relevant to the context that shes mid-bite, or that shes staring angrily at the lettuce or maybe its not.

As NASA released the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope this week, some Twitter users pointed out how detailed NASAs image descriptions were. For something as complex, monumental and mind-blowing as a photograph of a galaxy cluster, their level of detail makes sense. But odds are, you wont meet Twitters 1,000 character limit for whatever youre uploading, assuming youre not on NASAs social team.

Twitter has also rolled out accessibility features like auto captions for videos over the last year. According to the platforms accessibility-focused account, the team is working on expanding live captioning on Spaces, closed captions customization, text-recognition for alt text and alt text for profile pictures.

Go here to see the original:

A Twitter test will remind you to add alt text to images - TechCrunch

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off

Beyonc’s 7th Studio Album Renaissance is About Release on The 29th of July – Daily Music Roll

Posted: at 9:04 am

Beyonc is back with her seventh studio album, the first dropped song is creating a huge buzz. These supremely performed tracks of Renaissance will be out on 29th July.

Just a keep before Beyonc publicized the news of her seventh studio album, Renaissance. The last solo album she released was back in 2016 titled Lemonade. And in that album, she addressed the highs and the lows of her marriage and family. But it seems that her new project will surely blow numerous minds with some upbeat tracks that will compel you to dance along.

She has created a huge hype with the preview of her number album. The lead single Break My Soul of this multi-part project has created an intense enigma around the release. And this new song has featured Big Freedia for the vocals and samples from the iconic Robin S song Show Me, Love. The preview is enough to determine that everyone is going to have a really lovely time witnessing her album.

She first mentioned this in an interview in August 2021, though she maintained her secretive trait for this song as well. Some visible clues about the album will surely interest many Beyonc fans. The album may be based on a post-pandemic scenario, showcasing profound and prolific views about social and political life.

After witnessing the preview as well as the first track, this album will surely blow your mind. The mindful beats and gripping soundscapes have given away the clue that, this project will make every audience dance along with it. Distinctive country influences are going to be there to treat you with these tracks. Her recent press photos convey this fact about the upcoming album.

She said while breaking the news to her fans by uploading a photo she said, Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment.

Adding more she wrote, A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.

Follow her on :

For more updates check outGoogle News

See the rest here:

Beyonc's 7th Studio Album Renaissance is About Release on The 29th of July - Daily Music Roll

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off

Repairing an old thing is a small act of defiance against disposable culture – The Irish Times

Posted: at 9:04 am

We are putting away childish things. As once-small people hurtle through teenagerhood, the days of getting out poster paints and whiling away some time seem long lost. So, how about a repair session? Could everyone bring something to the table and sit down together and repair it? And children, I can trill like Mary Poppins, the thing that will set this apart from an especially dull 1970s day is that we can use my mobile telephone to tell the world about it.

The Repair Acts project may not have been dreamt up with parents in mind. But for those of us still scarred from the mass home (un)schooling, it is a gift. With the help of its website, a satisfying rainy day activity is at your fingertips.

Ours was a small event. The eldest was busy repairing the state of their room. Another project needed parts ordered online. So our impromptu repair cafe featured one lone child, one torn jacket, one slightly worse for wear Mandalorian mask, and a hot-glue gun.

Geographer Alma Clavin and artist Teresa Dillon have been holding repair events around Westmeath where Repair Acts, one of 16 climate-related Creative Ireland projects, is based. Im on the advisory board and am impressed with the projects scope. They are documenting a social history of repair in the county, and holding listening and storytelling workshops and events. There is a lot of emotion in repair stories. Things become precious and worth repairing because the people who once owned them are gone. Childhood memories are in touching distance, often sparked by objects the creak of the wicker lid on a grannys sewing kit. Who didnt love a button jar?

Back at our mini-event, our sewing kit was a lot more on the basic side. The child showed me how to do the blanket stitch. Ten minutes later, a picket fence of stitches fixed the rip. We called my project winter Ready. We called his one Cracks in the Mask. It was a microdose of contentment, some ducks fleetingly in a row.

Next Saturday, Repair Acts is hosting a DIY-with-Dave event with the Rediscovery Centre in Mullingar. Tickets are now available through Eventbrite and the Repair Acts website.

If you cant make it to Mullingar you can upload two pictures to the website (an adult needs to do this for younger peoples work). Imagine the potential of thousands of repair acts, small acts of defiance in the face of disposable culture. Hashtag #RepairActs to show your work on social media as well as uploading it to the website. Trust me. Its a bonding thing to do. #hotgluesummer here we come.

repairacts.ie

Catherine Cleary is co-founder of Pocket Forests

Repairing an old thing is a small act of defiance against disposable culture - The Irish Times

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off

Warzone players slam the dumbest Perk in the history of CoD – CharlieINTEL.com

Posted: at 9:04 am

The Serpentine Perk was added to Warzone as a way of counteracting Sniper Rifles back in Season 3 Reloaded, but players have criticized how overpowered it is, calling it the dumbest Perk the series has ever had.

When the Serpentine Perk was added to Vanguard back in Season 3 Reloaded, players saw it as a welcome way to make fights more forgiving. The optional Perk reduced the damage of incoming bullets, explosives, and fire by 20%.

It eventually made its way over to Warzone and immediately started to frustrate players. Pretty quickly there were calls for Serpentine to be nerfed, especially after the health increase, with many feeling it was making the game too difficult.

Now, in Warzone Season 4, players have once again called out the Serpentine Perk for being too overpowered.

Reddit user beans-lol kickstarted the discussion again by uploading a clip that showed just how effective Serpentine is, even in situations that would normally spell certain death.

The video showed the OP spraying at an opponent with a mounted STG44, quickly laying waste to the opponents armor. Despite there being no cover nearby, and most of the shots hitting, the enemy was able to slip away thanks to the Serpentine Perk.

After they were left with no armor protection, each successful shot was met with the small snake marker which indicates that bullets are doing 20% less damage than usual. The wounded player was able to escape behind a building, leading the OP to call the Perk insane.

Players were quick to call out the Perk, with one reply saying: Thats the dumbest perk in the Hissssss-tory of cod. Meanwhile, another user compared the Perk to having an extra stash of health: We just call it their second health bar when we see that icon pop up.

Many seemed to support the idea of Serpentine but felt that the amount of damage it soaks up should be reduced: I wouldnt mind if it was 5-7 percent. 20 percent is ridiculous. Others believed that Assault Rifles should instead be given more recoil rather than using a Perk to make them less effective.

Well have to wait and see if Raven decides to nerf the Serpentine in a future update, but it certainly seems as though the community would like to see a change sooner rather than later.

With Season 4 Reloaded coming soon, perhaps the devs will use it as an opportunity to tweak the Perk.

For more on Warzone, be sure to check out the best long-range weapons according to JGOD and why Cold War weapons can rival the Vanguard meta.

Image credits: Activision

Warzone players slam the dumbest Perk in the history of CoD - CharlieINTEL.com

Posted in Mind Uploading | Comments Off

Monthly Archives: July 2022

Unconventional paths: Gorzynski and the great apes – Scope

Global Blockchain Market Report (2022 to 2028) – Featuring Genomes, QubiTech and CiveQ Among Others – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

The singularity of Ranveer Singh in Bollywood – Moneycontrol

Japan Proposes a Wild Concept for Making Artificial Gravity on the Moon – Singularity Hub

Hidden MrBeast Video Sees the Popular Millionaire Put Over $50,000 on the Line for His Fans – EssentiallySports

Some of the internet’s most homoerotic content is on The History Channel’s YouTube? – Queerty

A Twitter test will remind you to add alt text to images – TechCrunch

Beyonc’s 7th Studio Album Renaissance is About Release on The 29th of July – Daily Music Roll

Repairing an old thing is a small act of defiance against disposable culture – The Irish Times

Warzone players slam the dumbest Perk in the history of CoD – CharlieINTEL.com

The Prometheus League

Breaking News and Updates

Prometheism

Forbidden Fruit

The Evolutionary Perspective

Transtopia Menu

Library Updates

Library Books

Future Euvolution

Lucid Dreams from Childhood

Genetic Revolution

Speciation + Self-Directed Evolution