The scourge of soggy paper straws may soon be no more, as researchers from South Korea have developed economical, easy-to-produce and 100 percent biodegradable alternatives that keep their shape when in use. In an effort to keep them from becoming sodden, conventional paper straws and cups are coated with either polyethylene or acrylic resin, the […]
Chemicals used in the production of toilet paper have been found in the bodies of orcas around British Columbia, according to a new study. Scientists with the University of British Columbia, B.C.’s Ministry of Agriculture, and Oceans Canada analyzed tissue from six southern resident killer whales and six Bigg’s whales, also known as transient killer […]
There seems to be quite a buzz about writing produced by artificial intelligence or AI. I read an article in Harper’s about an AI program developed by a Google engineer that produces a version of conversational English. It responds, apparently, to conversational prompts in a way that sounds human. In a different context, on the […]
In his book, Traitor King, Andrew Lownie chronicles the lives of King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson after the abdication. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were exiled from Britain after Edward chose to give up the throne in order to marry the twice-divorced American socialite. Edward and Wallis spent most of their […]
Research on neural fields, which represent signals by mapping coordinates to their quantities (e.g., scalars or vectors) with neural networks, has exploded recently. This has sparked an increased interest in utilizing this technology to handle a variety of signals, including audio, image, 3D shape, and video. The universal approximation theorem and coordinate encoding techniques provide […]
Researchers offer a unique method that combines physical simulations with NeRF models of the sceneries to create realistic movies of the physical occurrences in those situations. They use their methodology to develop interesting models of the effects of climate change, such as what the playground will look like following a little flood. A severe flood? […]
It is refuse removal day and waiting patiently on street corners with rickety wagons are informal recyclers, eying bins as they are wheeled to the curb. Some residents view recyclers are a nuisance, suburban intruders scavenging through rubbish, however the informal recycling sector has experienced significant growth over the years, after all waste is not […]
Although their presence is not as significant as projected by Sci-Fi movies from the 90s, robots are becoming essential in our daily lives with various applications in various industries and settings. For example, in the healthcare industry, robots are used for surgeries, dispensing medication, and assisting with rehabilitation. In the transportation industry, self-driving cars are […]
A green 33 percent reuse their wrapping paper – but in order to get a second chance under the tree, the wrapping must be rip-free and tape-free, and clear of any crinkles or folds. And only 44 percent regularly consider whether the wrapping paper they are purchasing is recyclable. It also emerged half of those […]
A Tory MP has just suggested ironing your old wrapping paper to reduce waste and have a “Green Christmas”. Rebecca Pow, MP for Taunton Deane and an environment minister, shared a video of herself ironing old wrapping paper for this year’s presents. In the clip, she says: “One does not want any risk of fire, […]