Month: January 2025
Nobel Prize Winners Call For Urgent ‘Moonshot’ Effort To Avert Global Hunger Catastrophe
More than 150 Nobel and World Food prize laureates have signed an open letter calling for “moonshot” efforts to ramp up food production before an impending world hunger catastrophe. From a report: The coalition of some of the world’s greatest living thinkers called for urgent action to prioritise research and technology to solve the “tragic mismatch of global food supply and demand.” Big bang physicist Robert Woodrow Wilson; Nobel laureate chemist Jennifer Doudna; the Dalai Lama; economist Joseph E Stiglitz; Nasa scientist Cynthia Rosenzweig; Ethiopian-American geneticist Gebisa Ejeta; Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank; Wole Soyinka, Nobel prize for literature winner; and black holes Nobel physicist Sir Roger Penrose were among the signatories in the appeal coordinated by Cary Fowler, joint 2024 World Food prize laureate and US special envoy for global food security.
Citing challenges including the climate crisis, war and market pressures, the coalition called for “planet-friendly” efforts leading to substantial leaps in food production to feed 9.7 billion people by 2050. The plea was for financial and political backing, said agricultural scientist Geoffrey Hawtin, the British co-recipient of last year’s World Food prize. […] The world was “not even close” to meeting future needs, the letter said, predicting humanity faced an “even more food insecure, unstable world” by mid-century unless support for innovation was ramped up internationally.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
More than 150 Nobel and World Food prize laureates have signed an open letter calling for “moonshot” efforts to ramp up food production before an impending world hunger catastrophe. From a report: The coalition of some of the world’s greatest living thinkers called for urgent action to prioritise research and technology to solve the “tragic mismatch of global food supply and demand.” Big bang physicist Robert Woodrow Wilson; Nobel laureate chemist Jennifer Doudna; the Dalai Lama; economist Joseph E Stiglitz; Nasa scientist Cynthia Rosenzweig; Ethiopian-American geneticist Gebisa Ejeta; Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank; Wole Soyinka, Nobel prize for literature winner; and black holes Nobel physicist Sir Roger Penrose were among the signatories in the appeal coordinated by Cary Fowler, joint 2024 World Food prize laureate and US special envoy for global food security.
Citing challenges including the climate crisis, war and market pressures, the coalition called for “planet-friendly” efforts leading to substantial leaps in food production to feed 9.7 billion people by 2050. The plea was for financial and political backing, said agricultural scientist Geoffrey Hawtin, the British co-recipient of last year’s World Food prize. […] The world was “not even close” to meeting future needs, the letter said, predicting humanity faced an “even more food insecure, unstable world” by mid-century unless support for innovation was ramped up internationally.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote), the Chinese Instagram rival taking social media by storm, tops US App Store amid TikTok shutdown fears
With TikTok’s future in the U.S. hanging by a thread, users are scrambling for alternatives, and Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in English, has quickly taken center stage. The Chinese app has rocketed to the No. 1 spot for free apps on
The post Xiaohongshu (RedNote), the Chinese Instagram rival taking social media by storm, tops US App Store amid TikTok shutdown fears first appeared on Tech Startups.
With TikTok’s future in the U.S. hanging by a thread, users are scrambling for alternatives, and Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in English, has quickly taken center stage. The Chinese app has rocketed to the No. 1 spot for free apps on […]
The post Xiaohongshu (RedNote), the Chinese Instagram rival taking social media by storm, tops US App Store amid TikTok shutdown fears first appeared on Tech Startups.
Apple Pencil Pro Hits $99.00 for the First Time in 2025
Apple Pencil Pro deals were prevalent in the lead-up to Black Friday last year, but quickly disappeared as the holiday season continued. It’s now been over a month since we last saw a low price on the accessory, but this week Amazon has the stylus for $99.00, down from $129.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is just about $5 higher when compared to the all-time low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, but given that deals have been pretty rare recently, it’s a great opportunity for anyone who’s been waiting for a discount. This sale does not require any coupon codes to be clipped.
$30 OFFApple Pencil Pro for $99.00
Apple Pencil Pro debuted last May with new features like squeeze gestures, haptic feedback, Find My support, and more. It’s compatible with the M2 iPad Air, iPad mini 7, and M4 iPad Pro. If you’re on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we’ll keep you updated so you don’t miss the biggest deals of the season!
Related Roundup: Apple Deals
This article, “Apple Pencil Pro Hits $99.00 for the First Time in 2025” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Pencil Pro deals were prevalent in the lead-up to Black Friday last year, but quickly disappeared as the holiday season continued. It’s now been over a month since we last saw a low price on the accessory, but this week Amazon has the stylus for $99.00, down from $129.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is just about $5 higher when compared to the all-time low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, but given that deals have been pretty rare recently, it’s a great opportunity for anyone who’s been waiting for a discount. This sale does not require any coupon codes to be clipped.
Apple Pencil Pro debuted last May with new features like squeeze gestures, haptic feedback, Find My support, and more. It’s compatible with the M2 iPad Air, iPad mini 7, and M4 iPad Pro. If you’re on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2025? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we’ll keep you updated so you don’t miss the biggest deals of the season!
This article, “Apple Pencil Pro Hits $99.00 for the First Time in 2025” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Mecha Comet is a modular open source handheld computer that reminds me of the Indian PDA that may have inspired the iPhone
You can snap on new extensions, like a keyboard or game controller.
The Comet is a blend of Raspberry Pi, Simputer and Project Ara with a hint of Game Boy
Its standout feature is the use of hardware extensions that can be quickly removed
It launches on crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter, very soon
Developed in India in the early 2000s, the Simputer, (Simple Inexpensive Mobile computer) was a groundbreaking handheld Linux computer many people believe inspired the Apple iPhone (and by extension, Android devices). It featured a touch interface, stylus input with handwriting recognition, an accelerometer, and a USB master port – all innovations well ahead of their time.
I mention the Simputer now because I’m reminded of it looking at a brand new modular handheld computer set to debut on Kickstarter soon – the Mecha Comet is a portable Linux device aimed at developers, makers, and tinkerers.
Running on open source software, the device features a magnetic snap interface for swappable extensions, which currently include a game controller, keyboard, and GPIO breakout board. Users can also design and build their own extensions using Mecha’s open-source design files and community support.
Mechanix OS
The Mecha Comet is powered by a 1.8 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage.
Its 3.4-inch IPS LED touchscreen provides a compact yet functional display for various tasks. Connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz/5.0 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, two USB 2.0 ports, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. The device also includes a 5 MP camera with autofocus, dual digital microphones, and an HD speaker.
Running Mechanix OS, a Debian-based operating system, the Comet is compatible with over 60,000 software packages from the Debian repository. Users can also port other Linux distributions. Mechanix Shell, built in Rust, supports GPU rendering on Wayland.
Mecha envisions the Comet as a versatile tool for diverse applications, such as a DIY Linux phone, drone launchpad, AI assistant, nanosatellite controller, car diagnostics tool, radio transceiver, DIY robot controller, and even a Tricorder inspired by Star Trek. Some of those ideas might just be wishful thinking, however.
The Comet, which measures 150mm x 73.55mm x 16mm and weighs 220g, has a 3000mAh battery charged via USB-C and includes a gyroscope, real-time clock (RTC), and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for expanded project possibilities. Its security features include a Trust Anchor with CC EAL 6+ certification and accelerated cryptographic capabilities.
Kickstarter backers will be able to benefit from super early-bird rewards when the project goes live shortly, with pricing for the Mecha Comet starting from $159.
You might also like
These are the best portable SSDs you can buy
And these are the best Linux distros right now
Linux devices hit with malware, this time from Chinese hackers
Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 18.3 to Developers
Apple today provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 18.3 update for testing purposes. The third beta comes a week after the second beta.
The beta is available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on the Apple TV. Apple has also seeded new HomePod 18.3 beta software.
There were no notable new features found in the update, but code suggests that Apple will add support for robot vacuums to HomeKit, which means it will be a supported category in the Home app in tvOS 18.
Apple also plans to add a new notice about digital movie and TV show sales in the update.
We are expecting tvOS 18.3 to be released sometime in late January alongside iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, and visionOS 2.3.Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater
This article, “Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 18.3 to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 18.3 update for testing purposes. The third beta comes a week after the second beta.
The beta is available to registered developers, and can be downloaded from the Settings app on the Apple TV. Apple has also seeded new HomePod 18.3 beta software.
There were no notable new features found in the update, but code suggests that Apple will add support for robot vacuums to HomeKit, which means it will be a supported category in the Home app in tvOS 18.
Apple also plans to add a new notice about digital movie and TV show sales in the update.
We are expecting tvOS 18.3 to be released sometime in late January alongside iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, and visionOS 2.3.
This article, “Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 18.3 to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Mark Zuckerberg plans to lay off an additional five percent of Meta’s workforce
Meta is preparing for even more layoffs, according to reporting by Bloomberg. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a company memo that he plans on cutting about five percent of its “low-performers.”
“I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” Zuckerberg said in the memo. “We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.”
All told, this could result in 10 percent fewer staff at Meta, once attrition is accounted for. Bloomberg suggested that the forthcoming pink slips will focus on people “who have been with the company long enough to receive a performance rating.”
Between increased layoffs and attrition, nearly 7,000 Meta staff might be leaving the company in the near future. This follows a firing spree that began in late 2022, eventually impacting over 20,000 workers. The company also laid off 60 technical program managers earlier this month.
“A leaner org will execute its highest priorities faster. People will be more productive, and their work will be more fun and fulfilling,” Zuckerberg said in 2024. Nothing says “fun and fulfilling” like living in constant fear of being fired.
Meta has had an unusual year so far. We are only halfway through January and the Zuck has already ended third-party fact checking across Meta platforms, appointed UFC CEO Dana White to Meta’s board and took a trip to Mar-a-lago to bend the knee. The company also changed its “Hateful Content” policy to make it safer for homophobes and it came out that Instagram had been shadowbanning common LGBTQ hashtags. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/mark-zuckerberg-plans-to-lay-off-an-additional-five-percent-of-metas-workforce-182651886.html?src=rss
Meta is preparing for even more layoffs, according to reporting by Bloomberg. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a company memo that he plans on cutting about five percent of its “low-performers.”
“I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” Zuckerberg said in the memo. “We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.”
All told, this could result in 10 percent fewer staff at Meta, once attrition is accounted for. Bloomberg suggested that the forthcoming pink slips will focus on people “who have been with the company long enough to receive a performance rating.”
Between increased layoffs and attrition, nearly 7,000 Meta staff might be leaving the company in the near future. This follows a firing spree that began in late 2022, eventually impacting over 20,000 workers. The company also laid off 60 technical program managers earlier this month.
“A leaner org will execute its highest priorities faster. People will be more productive, and their work will be more fun and fulfilling,” Zuckerberg said in 2024. Nothing says “fun and fulfilling” like living in constant fear of being fired.
Meta has had an unusual year so far. We are only halfway through January and the Zuck has already ended third-party fact checking across Meta platforms, appointed UFC CEO Dana White to Meta’s board and took a trip to Mar-a-lago to bend the knee. The company also changed its “Hateful Content” policy to make it safer for homophobes and it came out that Instagram had been shadowbanning common LGBTQ hashtags.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/mark-zuckerberg-plans-to-lay-off-an-additional-five-percent-of-metas-workforce-182651886.html?src=rss
Comics distributor Diamond is filing for bankruptcy
Stephanie Gonzaga / Boom! Studios
Diamond Comics Distributors, one of the biggest companies involved in getting graphic novels into physical retailers for purchase, is filing for bankruptcy and scaling its business back as the industry braces itself for a new wave of economic challenges.
In a letter sent to comics retailers and publishers today, Diamond president Chuck Parker announced that the company has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and plans to sell off its Alliance Game Distributors arm to Universal in order to “protect the most vital aspects of our business.”
“This decision was not made lightly, and I understand that this news may be as difficult to hear as it is for me to share,” Parker explained. “The Diamond leadership team and I have worked tirelessly to avoid this outcome but the financial challenges we face have left us with no other viable option.”
Founded in 1982 by Stephen A. Geppi (who still serves as CEO), Diamond became a heavyweight in the comics business by securing a number of exclusive distribution agreements with various publishing houses like DC, Marvel, and Image. For decades, Diamond — which also publishes its Previews magazine showcasing upcoming titles — was instrumental in bringing comics to market and played a huge role in determining a book’s success because of how Previews influenced retailer orders.
News about Diamond’s bankruptcy comes weeks after the company suddenly shuttered its flagship fulfillment center in Plattsburgh, NY, which the company’s VP of retailer services Chris Powell described as a necessary step to address longstanding operational issues that made its distribution process unsustainable.
“Ideally, changes would have been planned and tested while we continued to operate as we had been at Plattsburgh,” Powell said. “With that no longer an option, we must make changes and test them with live data and shipments while trying to minimize the impact on retailers.”
In recent years, many of Diamond’s bigger name publishing partners have dropped them as the company failed to meet expected delivery deadlines to retailers, which left stores struggling to meet customer demand. Given the tough time Diamond has been having as of late, the announcement that it’s filing for bankruptcy isn’t entirely surprising. It sounds like the company’s leadership very much wants to stay in the comics game as long as possible, but as it stands now, it seems like all Diamond can really do is to staunch the bleeding as much as it can.
Stephanie Gonzaga / Boom! Studios
Diamond Comics Distributors, one of the biggest companies involved in getting graphic novels into physical retailers for purchase, is filing for bankruptcy and scaling its business back as the industry braces itself for a new wave of economic challenges.
In a letter sent to comics retailers and publishers today, Diamond president Chuck Parker announced that the company has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and plans to sell off its Alliance Game Distributors arm to Universal in order to “protect the most vital aspects of our business.”
“This decision was not made lightly, and I understand that this news may be as difficult to hear as it is for me to share,” Parker explained. “The Diamond leadership team and I have worked tirelessly to avoid this outcome but the financial challenges we face have left us with no other viable option.”
Founded in 1982 by Stephen A. Geppi (who still serves as CEO), Diamond became a heavyweight in the comics business by securing a number of exclusive distribution agreements with various publishing houses like DC, Marvel, and Image. For decades, Diamond — which also publishes its Previews magazine showcasing upcoming titles — was instrumental in bringing comics to market and played a huge role in determining a book’s success because of how Previews influenced retailer orders.
News about Diamond’s bankruptcy comes weeks after the company suddenly shuttered its flagship fulfillment center in Plattsburgh, NY, which the company’s VP of retailer services Chris Powell described as a necessary step to address longstanding operational issues that made its distribution process unsustainable.
“Ideally, changes would have been planned and tested while we continued to operate as we had been at Plattsburgh,” Powell said. “With that no longer an option, we must make changes and test them with live data and shipments while trying to minimize the impact on retailers.”
In recent years, many of Diamond’s bigger name publishing partners have dropped them as the company failed to meet expected delivery deadlines to retailers, which left stores struggling to meet customer demand. Given the tough time Diamond has been having as of late, the announcement that it’s filing for bankruptcy isn’t entirely surprising. It sounds like the company’s leadership very much wants to stay in the comics game as long as possible, but as it stands now, it seems like all Diamond can really do is to staunch the bleeding as much as it can.
‘47 Years Later, the Palisades Disappeared Overnight’
Mike Davidson:
I grew up on Iliff Street, right in the middle of the ashes that
up until a few nights ago, was a sunkissed neighborhood known as
Pacific Palisades.
It was 1978, and I remember my dad climbing up on our roof with a
garden hose. Every couple of hours, he would wet the house down,
top-to-bottom, and everything surrounding it. I don’t remember
everybody doing this, but my Dad is a Meteorologist, and back then
he worked at the SCAQMD, the regional agency charged with
studying, regulating, and improving air quality in Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Because of his
specific remit and where we lived, he had a deep understanding of
the Santa Ana winds and their effect on the Palisades.
When my dad explained what he was doing, he would point northeast
to the hills behind us and tell us that if the winds didn’t die
down, the fire miles in the distance would come towards our tiny
little house and there would be trouble. As a small child, I don’t
actually remember being scared about any of this. Every year there
was a fire, the smoke was always so far away and so barely visible
that it just seemed like anything else in life at the time. And
besides, dads are superheroes to their children, so of course
there was no danger.
What a remarkable piece of writing this is. Part memoir, part call to action, entirely engaging.
★
Mike Davidson:
I grew up on Iliff Street, right in the middle of the ashes that
up until a few nights ago, was a sunkissed neighborhood known as
Pacific Palisades.
It was 1978, and I remember my dad climbing up on our roof with a
garden hose. Every couple of hours, he would wet the house down,
top-to-bottom, and everything surrounding it. I don’t remember
everybody doing this, but my Dad is a Meteorologist, and back then
he worked at the SCAQMD, the regional agency charged with
studying, regulating, and improving air quality in Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Because of his
specific remit and where we lived, he had a deep understanding of
the Santa Ana winds and their effect on the Palisades.
When my dad explained what he was doing, he would point northeast
to the hills behind us and tell us that if the winds didn’t die
down, the fire miles in the distance would come towards our tiny
little house and there would be trouble. As a small child, I don’t
actually remember being scared about any of this. Every year there
was a fire, the smoke was always so far away and so barely visible
that it just seemed like anything else in life at the time. And
besides, dads are superheroes to their children, so of course
there was no danger.
What a remarkable piece of writing this is. Part memoir, part call to action, entirely engaging.