Engineering School Equivalent of ID School Egg Drop Challenge: Bridge Out of a Box

Remember the package-design-egg-drop challenge they make (or made) ID students do? Civil Engineering students at the Technical University of Munich face a similar challenge, except the egg is their professor.In order to pass TUM's Design & Construction 2 course, student teams eac … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 5 minutes ago

Digging into the colonial roots of gardening

Spring came early this year. It’s getting warm, and spring flowers like daffodils and tulips, as well as magnolia trees and cherry blossoms have pretty much come and gone. Many of you have probably already done some spring clean-up in your gardens or community spaces. Maybe you’r … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 8 minutes ago

Art critic Jerry Saltz: A “Francis Bacon of AI art” will emerge, but today’s work falls flat

Art produced by or with the help of artificial intelligence is more popular than ever, from the record-breaking $432,000 auction of Obvious collective’s Portrait of Edmond Belamy to the overwhelming success of Refik Anadol’s “Unsupervised” exhibit at the MoMA. But one art-world f … | Continue reading


@bigthink.com | 9 minutes ago

Startup to launch new fleet of self-driving boats with important mission: 'We are hoping that we will make a real impact'

"We want to be the leader that brings in the electric revolution, like Tesla has done for cars." Startup to launch new fleet of self-driving boats with important mission: 'We are hoping that we will make a real impact' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading


@thecooldown.com | 13 minutes ago

Chaos Under the Corset: When Romance Covers Hide Revolution

If parents had known what these romance books really were, they would be at the top of the banned list. The post Chaos Under the Corset: When Romance Covers Hide Revolution appeared first on Reactor. | Continue reading


@reactormag.com | 13 minutes ago

Rum punch, music, and “election cake”: How to vote like it’s 1799

I kicked Election Day off by making myself a large glass of rum punch from Martha Washington’s recipe (orange juice, lemon juice, cloves, cinnamon, etc.). I did this because, for one thing, day drinking was the norm in the 1790s. Booze was especially common during election season … | Continue reading


@bigthink.com | 13 minutes ago

Master Your Journey in the School of OpenJDK Migration

The School of OpenJDK Migration is your ultimate resource for mastering OpenJDK migration, with webinars from experienced experts. The post Master Your Journey in the School of OpenJDK Migration appeared first on Azul | Better Java Performance, Superior Java Support. | Continue reading


@azul.com | 58 minutes ago

African sci-fi: body hopping, artificial wombs and angry ghosts in a future Botswana

Tlotlo Tsamaase has already proved her talent for African science fiction. Her masterly short stories, one previously shortlisted for the Caine Prize, are helping put Botswana on the literary map. Her debut novel, Womb City, interweaves the mythological and digital expanses of Ba … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 1 hour ago

Science journalism in South Africa: social media is helping connect with new readers

Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images, CC BY Science journalism is about taking complex academic research and turning it into easy-to-read content that is still accurate. Aside from informing readers through evidence-based journalism, it aims to make the wider public curious about scientifi … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 1 hour ago

Fontana dei Libri in Rome, Italy

The fountain of books, made of travertine in 1927 by Pietro Lombardi, is located via degli Staderari, which practically divides Palazzo Madama from Palazzo della Sapienza, the current seat of the state archives and the ancient university until 1935. The fountain, enclosed in a ni … | Continue reading


@atlasobscura.com | 1 hour ago

Five SF Novels About Rediscovering Ancient Tech

Forget planned obsolescence—the creators of these enduring technological marvels built them to last (for better or worse). The post Five SF Novels About Rediscovering Ancient Tech appeared first on Reactor. | Continue reading


@reactormag.com | 1 hour ago

Electric Cargo Bike Mashed Up with Tractor-Trailer

As European cities increasingly ban cars and trucks, delivery by bicycle is growing in popularity. But cargo bikes can only carry so much. That's why Cityshuttle, an urban mobility company, is taking a page from the trucking industry's book. Cityshuttle's ePack is essentially a t … | Continue reading


@core77.com | 1 hour ago

I Used a Dryer Sheet to Clean My Hard Water Stains, and I Can Hardly Believe My Eyes

It’s so easy! READ MORE... | Continue reading


@thekitchn.com | 1 hour ago

Apple’s “Crush” ad is getting roasted, and I get it, even if it didn’t bother me

Kenneth Shepard writing for Kotaku: Apple’s New iPad Ad Sparks Loud, Immediate Backlash The intent is obvious. Apple wants to communicate that all these creative tools and works are available within the tiny tablet. But the visual of countless instruments, statues, and other piec … | Continue reading


@birchtree.me | 1 hour ago

Shopper buys designer bag found with surprising markdown at local thrift store: 'That's a huge score'

"I was just looking for cute cheap vintage woven bags" Shopper buys designer bag found with surprising markdown at local thrift store: 'That's a huge score' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading


@thecooldown.com | 1 hour ago

Drop #462 (2024-05-09): Happy ThursdAI

Today's Drop reveals details of AI spending and its impact on various sectors; an open-source alternative to Perplexity offers local language models and different search modes; and a resource for Apple Silicon Mac users wanting to do (mostly) frustration-free "AI" on Apple Silico … | Continue reading


@dailydrop.hrbrmstr.dev | 2 hours ago

Polarization may phase out of American politics as younger generations shift into power

Could the two political sides find common ground at last? JakeOlimb/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images The sharp increase in political polarization in America over the past 50 years has been driven in part by how different generations think about politics. But the rise of you … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon

La Niña typically means cooler, wetter conditions on average globally, but not everywhere, and not every time. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images One of the big contributors to the record-breaking global temperatures over the past year – El Niño – is nearly gone, and its opposite, … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Java in 2024, final touches before Kotlin 2.0, and a new ML-based static profiler for GraalVM – JVM Weekly vol. 82

We return to the standard edition today, one of the longest ever as it has grown significantly because many topics have accumulated. But I hope you like it :) | Continue reading


@vived.substack.com | 2 hours ago

I Just Found the Only Blueberry Muffin I’ll Bake for the Rest of My Life

I can’t stop thinking about this muffin. READ MORE... | Continue reading


@thekitchn.com | 2 hours ago

4 “love-based” approaches to allyship after the DE&I backlash

In recent years, many organizations have realized that the journey towards real allyship and lasting societal change is not as simple as hosting one employee celebration and posting about it on social media. It’s a long and complex path, requiring a concerted and sustained effort … | Continue reading


@bigthink.com | 2 hours ago

How to write a left-fold streams collector in Java

Last week, we covered the latest improvements to Java 22 around pattern matching and records. They enable explicit business logic modelling… | Continue reading


@event-driven.io | 2 hours ago

[Checkin] Geohashing expedition 2024-05-09 51 -1

In my first expedition in a while, I made two brave outings to an exceptionally muddy field this morning in order to find a geohashpoint. | Continue reading


@danq.me | 2 hours ago

Tim Cook crushes it everything

Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024 The comments … | Continue reading


@languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu | 2 hours ago

Why US offshore wind power is struggling – the good, the bad and the opportunity

The first U.S. offshore wind farm was built in 2016 off Rhode Island's Block Island. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer America’s first large-scale offshore wind farms began sending power to the Northeast in early 2024, but a wave of wind farm project cancellations and rising costs have left … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Why some people receiving federal benefits don’t consider themselves poor − even though poverty rates have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic

For the past 25 years, my research as a cultural anthropologist has taken me into the homes and neighborhoods of people living in poverty in cities and rural communities throughout the U.S. To better understand their day-to-day lives, I also have spent time in grocery stores, chu … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Commencement isn’t just about awarding degrees – and cancellations leave students disconnected and disillusioned

Rites of passage, such as graduation ceremonies, celebrate the transition to a new state. JC Olivera/Getty Images Following the wave of protests over the war in the Gaza Strip, several U.S. universities have decided to cancel or ramp down commencement ceremonies. More are expecte … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

I interviewed moms with 5 or more kids − here’s what I learned about the women who are quietly going against the grain

The U.S. fertility rate is the lowest it's been since the government started tracking it in the 1930s. Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/Picture Alliance via Getty Images Commentators link America’s declining birth rate to a number of factors: a lack of support for mothers in the workplace … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Brain study identifies a cost of caregiving for new fathers

Dads have stepped up to do more hands-on parenting over the past few decades. Abraham Gonzalez Fernandez/Moment via Getty Images Parenting makes the heart grow fonder, and the brain grow … smaller? Several studies have revealed that the brain loses volume across the transition to … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Section 702 foreign surveillance law lives on, but privacy fight continues

The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C., houses the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. AP Photo/ Evan Vucci What would you do if you had to vote in Congress on a crucial national security program, when you also knew that the FBI had systematical … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Little seed, big problem – keep an eye out for foxtail seed pods that can harm your pet this summer

A foxtail seed pod. Dario Argenti/Moment via Getty Images Across much of the United States, spring is in full force. With warmer weather, people are taking their furry family members out on longer walks and spending more time outside. Alongside blooming flowers and trees, your pe … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

Pet-owners: watch out for foxtail seed pods that can harm your dog or cat this summer

A foxtail seed pod. Dario Argenti/Moment via Getty Images Across much of the United States, spring is in full force. With warmer weather, people are taking their furry family members out on longer walks and spending more time outside. Alongside blooming flowers and trees, your pe … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

5 books to help you better understand today’s campus protests

Police have been summoned to break up pro-Palestinian encampments of protesters at colleges throughout the U.S. Scott Olson for Getty Images Every so often, a cause ignites a sustained fury on college campuses across the nation. In 2020, it was Black Lives Matter. In 2011, it was … | Continue reading


@theconversation.com | 2 hours ago

New battery plant near major city will be among the largest in the world: 'Will help stabilize the grid'

While new solar and wind projects are being built at an increasing rate, both of those energy sources have limitations in terms of being able to provide continuous sources of power. New battery plant near major city will be among the largest in the world: 'Will help stabilize the … | Continue reading


@thecooldown.com | 2 hours ago

US podcast ad revenue growth slowed in 2023

The sector grew slower than digital overall. Plus, iHeart's new financials show they're still growing. Sponsored by Supporting Cast. Don't lock your members into one platform! 🔓 With Supporting Cast, YOU own your podcast subscription and control the subscriber relationshi … | Continue reading


@podnews.net | 2 hours ago

[Repost] A completely plaintext WordPress Theme

Terence Eden took my idea for a completely plain text blog, ran with it, and just kept running. Now it's a WordPress theme! | Continue reading


@danq.me | 2 hours ago

Bay Lights Are Returning!

Illuminate has crossed the funding threshold it needed to actually kick off the project of bringing the Bay Lights back to San Francisco, as Heather Knight writes for the New York Times. The upgraded lights will be visible not just from San Francisco but also in Oakland, Treasure … | Continue reading


@ma.tt | 3 hours ago

[Article] Blog to 5K

This is my 5,000th blog post on this blog. Wow, that's a lot! Let's look at some milestones along the way. | Continue reading


@danq.me | 3 hours ago

A completely plaintext WordPress Theme

This is a silly idea. But it works. I saw Dan Q wondering about plaintext WordPress themes - so I made one. This is what this blog looks like using it: The Code You only need two files. An index.php and a style.css. The CSS file can be empty, but it needs to exist - […] | Continue reading


@shkspr.mobi | 3 hours ago

5/9/2024

Cool and increasingly cloudy as the sun clears the treetops—a bright spot in the gray. A rose-breasted grosbeak sings. Chipmunk metronomes go in and out of sync. | Continue reading


@morningporch.com | 3 hours ago

A to Z of Landscapes: le Midi

Paul Cézanne led the way in Aix-en-Provence, followed rapidly by Renoir, Signac, Cross, Luce, van Rysselberghe, and Pierre Bonnard. | Continue reading


@eclecticlight.co | 3 hours ago

Tesla impresses another new company using its Semi trucks: 'We've been able to push these tractors well beyond expectations'

"The Tesla Semi experience has been impressive since day one." Tesla impresses another new company using its Semi trucks: 'We've been able to push these tractors well beyond expectations' first appeared on The Cool Down. | Continue reading


@thecooldown.com | 3 hours ago

Latin oration at Harvard

[Introduction, transcription and translation follow on the next page] Latin Salutatory | Harvard Commencement 2022 | Orator: Benjamin Porteous [The following material is courtesy of Benjamin Porteous] The Latin oration is an exciting part of the commencement that allows for solem … | Continue reading


@languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu | 3 hours ago

More on AI pals

The MSM is starting to catch up (with Jeph Jacques, and the movement discussed in "Yay Newfriend", 3/20/2024, and "Yay Newfriend again", 3/.22/2024). Kevin Roose, "Meet my A.I. friends", NYT 5/9/2024: What if the tech companies are all wrong, and the way artificial intelligence i … | Continue reading


@languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu | 4 hours ago

My favourite afternoon snack

This is my favourite snack to eat at the moment. You need: frozen blueberries cottage cheese peanut butter The amount of each doesn't matter. I probably go overboard on the blueberries because I love them. Put cottage cheese in a bowl Put a spoon of peanut butter on the cottage c … | Continue reading


@rachsmith.com | 4 hours ago

CongressCentrum Pforzheim mit neuer Adresse

Das CongressCentrum Pforzheim ist nicht umgezogen und dennoch hat es eine neue Adresse. Am 21. April wurde der Platz vor dem CCP in Bertha-Benz-Platz umbenannt. | Continue reading


@event-partner.de | 4 hours ago

EIT Health moves to improve access to biobanks and health data registries

Photo credits: astropix / BigStock EIT Health Scandinavia has launched a new online hub to ease access to European biobanks and health data registries for researchers, and to share expertise on how to exploit these resources. After adopting plans for the European Health Data Spac … | Continue reading


@sciencebusiness.net | 4 hours ago

The Tinder Inquisition. Plus...

Updates from NPR, Boeing, and Columbia. The Roast of Tom Brady. Lonely Hearts, and much more. | Continue reading


@thefp.com | 5 hours ago