<h2>Clearance Sale</h2>
Savvy eBay bidders may have noticed a one-of-a-kind item up for auction: the fossil of a baby tyrannosaurus rex that died about 68 million years ago is <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/YOUNG-BABY-T-REX-TYRANNOSAURUS-DINOSAUR-FOSSIL-HELLS-CREEK-MAYBE-ONLY-1-TREX-/292983172236">up for sale</a> for the low, low price of $2.95 million.
The fossil, discovered in 2013 by a Montanan named Alan Detrich, has been on display at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum since 2017. But now, in a move that The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/apr/16/baby-t-rex-for-sale-ebay-paleontology-outcry">says has</a> incensed paleontologists, Detrich has decided to sell it off.
<h2>Tyrannosaurus Flex</h2>
The listing, which as of press time is <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/YOUNG-BABY-T-REX-TYRANNOSAURUS-DINOSAUR-FOSSIL-HELLS-CREEK-MAYBE-ONLY-1-TREX-/292983172236?autorefresh=true">still live on eBay</a>, reads like someone trying to unload their old, beat-up car:
<blockquote>Most Likely the Only BABY T-Rex in the World! It has a 15 FOOT long Body and a 21&#8243; SKULL with Serrated Teeth!  This Rex was very a very dangerous meat eater.  It&#8217;s a RARE opportunity indeed to ever see a baby REX, if they did not grow quickly they could not catch prey and would die. Histology shows the specimen to be approximately 4 years old upon death. Reconstruction of the skull has been done by Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology (from Natural History Museum in FL).
Many of the bones are waiting to be identified, but everyday more and more are being tagged.
The T-REX’ has only 12 teeth in Lower jaw and several other “claimed to be young T-Rex” are actually Nano’s. This is the case even at the Museum in L.A. Now, many Paleo’s think this maybe The “ONLY” T-REX Youth in the World!&#8221;</blockquote>
<h2>Oww My Bones</h2>
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology <a href="http://vertpaleo.org/Society-News/SVP-Paleo-News/SVP-responds-to-sale-of-a-privately-owned-juvenile.aspx">published a statement</a> expressing disappointment that the fossil will be sold before it could be properly studied by experts in the field.
&#8220;Only casts and other replicas of vertebrate fossils should be traded, not the fossils themselves. Scientifically important fossils like the juvenile tyrannosaur are clues to our collective natural heritage and deserve to be held in public trust,&#8221; the statement reads. &#8220;That fossils like this are evidence of Earth’s deep past is what makes them valuable, unlike art objects or other items of trade whose value comes from human creativity and artistry. Because vertebrate fossils are rare, most of them contribute uniquely to our knowledge of the history of life. Each one that is lost from the public trust, is part of that already fragmentary history that we will never collectively recover.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/apr/16/baby-t-rex-for-sale-ebay-paleontology-outcry">Baby T rex goes on sale on eBay, sparking paleontologists&#8217; outcry</a> [The Guardian]
More on eBay: <a href="https://futurism.com/ebay%E2%80%8B-has-launched-the-worlds-first-virtual-reality-department-store">eBay​ Has Launched the World’s First Virtual Reality Department Store</a>

If my bid doesn't win I'll be so angry I just might wade into a pool of tar and get stuck for 68 million years!

Someone listed a t-rex on eBay, and paleontologists are furious

Bidding War

Alan Detrich, the man who found a baby t-rex fossil on his property, decided that he wants to sell it off. The fossil is currently up for auction on eBay.

Someone Listed a T-Rex on eBay, and Paleontologists Are Furious

Bidding starts just under $3 million.

When you hear the words &#8220;air pollution,&#8221; what image springs to mind? Do you think of trucks spewing exhaust on the highway, or a factory emitting god-knows-what into the atmosphere? One thing you probably don&#8217;t associate with air pollution is the air in your own house or apartment. But given the staggering levels of <a href="https://futurism.com/air-purifier-home-sponsored-wynd-halo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indoor air pollution</a> found in most homes, maybe you should.
<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-hidden-air-pollution-in-our-homes">A recent study</a> conducted at the University of Texas, Austin, found that the indoor air pollution in a home where a Thanksgiving meal had just been prepared was worse than that of air samples from New Delhi. To put this into perspective, the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17316978/india-pollution-levels-air-delhi-health">World Health Organization says India’s capital</a> has air quality that’s worse than any other major city on Earth. And indoor air quality reports <a href="https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/inside-story-guide-indoor-air-quality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put out by the Environmental Protection Agency EPA</a> came to a similar conclusion about the sorry state of the indoor air we breathe. 

Considering most people spend around 90 percent of their lives indoors, indoor air pollution may have serious health implications. Luckily, instead of waiting to see if these potential health problems materialize, there are steps that can be taken to asses the air quality in your home and make the necessary changes. 

<h2><a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&#038;u=1363912&#038;m=36929&#038;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2F&#038;afftrack=" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Home Air Check</a></h2>
<figure id="attachment_157360" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1363912&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2F&amp;afftrack="><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2019/04/natalia-figueredo-350529-unsplash-1200x800.jpg" alt="indoor air pollution " width="1200" height="800" class="size-large wp-image-157360" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Unsplash &#8211; @nataliafigueredo</figcaption></figure>
For example, a company called <a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&#038;u=1363912&#038;m=36929&#038;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2F&#038;afftrack=">Prism Analytical Technologies</a> has developed consumer testing kits that provide a detailed analysis of indoor air pollution levels in your home. Sold under the name <a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&#038;u=1363912&#038;m=36929&#038;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2F&#038;afftrack=">Home Air Check</a>, the tests allow consumers the ability to utilize the leading consultative air testing laboratory in the United States. It&#8217;s like inviting a team of highly trained analytical Chemists into your home to check your air quality.
Each test comes complete with an air sample collector, instructions, and a per-paid shipping label for easy return. Not only that, data from each test is synthesized in Prism’s state of the art <a href="https://homeaircheck.com/products/#AIHA">AIHA accredited lab</a> for accurate results. This information is then reported and e-mailed to you within five business days of its arrival at the lab. Additionally, you will receive a document on how to deal with the indoor air pollution levels of your home based on these results. And if you have any questions, comments or concerns, Prism provides both e-mail and phone support to help you find the answers you’re looking for.
Test options include:
<h2><a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fvolatile%2Dorganic%2Dcompound%2Dvoc%2Dtest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volatile Organic Compound Test</a></h2>
<figure id="attachment_156609" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fvolatile%2Dorganic%2Dcompound%2Dvoc%2Dtest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="wp-image-156609 size-large" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-09-at-3.52.40-PM-1200x800.jpg" alt="Indoor Air Pollution testing kit" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Home Air Check</figcaption></figure>
The <a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fvolatile%2Dorganic%2Dcompound%2Dvoc%2Dtest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volatile Organic Compound Test</a> measures the level of VOCs and active growing mold in your home to give you an accurate reading of your home’s indoor air pollution levels. VOCs are chemicals that are emitted as gases from solids or liquids which easily evaporate into the air at room temperature. Concentrations of these chemicals can be up to 100 times higher indoors than outdoors. Additionally, this test measures Total Mold Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs). When mold is in its active growth phase, it releases MVOCs that can’t be detected by the human nose, but can be detected by this test. 

<h2><a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fformaldehyde%2Dtest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Formaldehyde Test</a></h2>
<a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fformaldehyde%2Dtest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home Air Check&#8217;s Formaldehyde Test</a> measures levels of toxic formaldehyde in your home. Formaldehyde is a chemical commonly used in the manufacture of building materials and numerous household products. At room temperature, formaldehyde vaporizes into the air, potentially causing serious health problems. Since formaldehyde is present in so many building materials and household products, every home should be tested for the presence of this toxic chemical. This is especially true of new or newly remodeled homes. 

<h2><a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fvolatile%2Dorganic%2Dcompound%2Dvocand%2Dformaldehydetest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) and Formaldehyde Test</a></h2>
If you’re looking to cover all your bases, the <a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=345931&amp;u=1774966&amp;m=36929&amp;urllink=homeaircheck%2Ecom%2Fproduct%2Fvolatile%2Dorganic%2Dcompound%2Dvocand%2Dformaldehydetest%2F&amp;afftrack=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) and Formaldehyde Test</a> combo test is your best option. Not only does it measure and report the total levels of VOCs, but also measures actively growing mold and toxic formaldehyde lingering in the air. It’s a convenient and fairly affordable way to find out if the air you and your family are breathing is safe.
<h2>Air Filtration For Indoor Air Pollution</h2>
Depending on the results of your test, you may need to take action to improve the air quality in your home. While it&#8217;s important to do your own research based on the specific results of your test, the following filter option is a good place to start.
<h2 id="title" class="a-size-large a-spacing-none"><a href="https://amzn.to/2CRDSUu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White Rabbit Air MinusA2 Air Purifier</a></h2>
<figure id="attachment_140100" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://amzn.to/2CRDSUu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="wp-image-140100 size-full" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/10/white-rabbit.jpg" alt="Indoor Air Pollution air filter" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Amazon</figcaption></figure>
<a href="https://amzn.to/2CRDSUu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Rabbit Air MinusA2 Ultra Quiet HEPA SPA-780N </a>can filter up to 815 sq. ft. It features a BioGS HEPA filtration system with six different stages of purification and deodorization. It easily traps and reduces offensive odors from pets, cigarettes, mildew, and countless other sources.
While it’s common knowledge pollutants permeate the air around us, how can you know you’re safe unless you’ve tested your living space. Conducting any of these tests will allow you to take action if needed, and to sleep soundly knowing you’ve done everything in your power to breathe easy.
Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with an affiliate partner. We may collect a small commission on items purchased through this page. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.

Indoor air pollution can have serious health implications.

Indoor air pollution is 'worse than New Delhi.' How does your home stack up?

Brands We Love

Studies claim indoor air pollution in the average home can be worse than the most polluted cities. This air test will let you know where your home stands.

Indoor Air Pollution Is ‘Worse Than New Delhi.’ How Does Your Home Stack Up?

It's time to make some changes. 

<h2>Public Enemy</h2>
Long-shot U.S. presidential candidate Andrew Yang isn&#8217;t hopeful about the imminent future of humanity — that much become instantly clear in a <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/18408685/andrew-yang-2020-president-democrat-candidate-policies-universal-basic-income-reddit-twitter">bleak profile</a> published today by The Verge.
Public enemy number one: automation, which Yang sees as a destructive result of a rapidly globalizing market-obsessed future. The risk is millions of jobs lost and a host of undesirable side effects like financial insecurity and a decline in mental health — a joyless, dystopian future in which humans have been replaced by the machines they built.
<h2>A Long Way Up</h2>
Yang&#8217;s core promise is to provide every U.S. citizen with $1,000 every month. That&#8217;d usually be called <a href="https://futurism.com/tag/universal-basic-income/">basic income</a>. Yang, however, prefers to call it a &#8220;freedom dividend&#8221; — perhaps to make the idea more digestible to center-leaning voters.
&#8220;Even now, we have an epidemic not just of drug overdoses, but of anxiety, depression, and mental health problems,&#8221; he told The Verge. &#8220;If you load pervasive financial insecurity and scarcity on top, you will have a population that starts dying younger, is less rational, does not know what to do.&#8221;
<h2>&#8220;Meaningful Solutions&#8221;</h2>
The idea isn&#8217;t as far fetched as you might think. A city in California recently <a href="https://futurism.com/california-city-just-launched-basic-income-trial">started an experimental basic income program</a> providing 130 residents with monthly payments over 18 months.
But Yang has a long road ahead. Polls put him at around <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilipWegmann/status/1117754264439414784">three percent</a>.
&#8220;The path from here to figuring it out is fraught with a lot of misery and suffering,&#8221; Yang said. But that&#8217;s not the end of the story. &#8220;I thought to myself, realistically, my choices are to watch the society come apart or try and galvanize energy around meaningful solutions,&#8221; he added later.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/18408685/andrew-yang-2020-president-democrat-candidate-policies-universal-basic-income-reddit-twitter">Andrew Yang is the Candidate for the End of the World</a> [The Verge]
More on Yang: <a href="https://futurism.com/andrew-yang-campaign-hologram">Presidential Hopeful Andrew Yang Plans to Campaign Via Hologram</a>

"The path from here to figuring it out is fraught with a lot of misery and suffering."

Andrew Yang's goal: steer us away from a bleakly dystopian future

Yang Gang

In a bleak profile by The Verge, 2020 presidential hopeful Andrew Yang lays out his grim vision of the future — if automation remains unchecked.

Andrew Yang’s Goal: Steer Us Away From a Bleakly Dystopian Future

Is the presidential hopeful the answer to a rapid decline in financial security and mental health?

<h2>Diversity Crisis</h2>
If you can think of a problem, there&#8217;s likely a researcher somewhere trying to develop an <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/02/5-global-problems-that-ai-could-help-us-solve/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">artificial intelligence to solve it</a>. But while AIs themselves have grown more diverse in recent years, the researchers creating the systems haven&#8217;t.
According to a new <a href="https://ainowinstitute.org/discriminatingsystems.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> out of New York University&#8217;s AI Now Institute, the AI industry is still dominated by white men — and this &#8220;diversity crisis&#8221; is partially to blame for the biased AIs we&#8217;re <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/biased-self-driving-cars-darker-skin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seeing</a> <a href="https://futurism.com/human-rights-discriminatory-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crop up</a> <a href="https://futurism.com/amazons-face-rekognition-race-gender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around the globe</a>.
&#8220;To date, the diversity problems of the AI industry and the issues of bias in the systems it builds have tended to be considered separately,&#8221; the researchers wrote. &#8220;But we suggest that these are two versions of the same problem: issues of discrimination in the workforce and in system building are deeply intertwined.&#8221;
<h2>By the Numbers</h2>
The AI Now team found that men comprise 82 percent of the authors at leading AI conferences and more than 80 percent of AI professors. The numbers don&#8217;t get better when you leave academia, either: women make up just 15 and 10 percent of Facebook and Google&#8217;s AI research staffs, respectively.
Black people appear to be even less represented in the AI industry — machine vision researcher Timnit Gebru told the AI Now team she was one of just six black people at a 2016 machine learning conference attended by 8,500 people.
That lack of gender and racial diversity isn&#8217;t just a problem for those trying to work in the AI industry, either — it&#8217;s also a problem for society as a whole.
&#8220;The urgency behind this issue is increasing as AI becomes increasingly integrated into society,&#8221; Stanford researcher Danaë Metaxa, who wasn&#8217;t involved with the report, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/apr/16/artificial-intelligence-lack-diversity-new-york-university-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Guardian</a>. &#8220;Essentially, the lack of diversity in AI is concentrating an increasingly large amount of power and capital in the hands of a select subset of people.&#8221;
<h2>Shifting Gears</h2>
The AI Now team&#8217;s report includes several suggestions for how AI companies can improve workplace diversity. These include the creation of incentives for hiring underrepresented groups and the publication of detailed compensation reports broken down by race and gender.
The team also shared recommendations for addressing biased AIs themselves, such as having the systems audited by independent parties and increasing transparency as to where the AIs are used.
&#8220;Every day that goes by it gets more difficult to solve the problem,&#8221; Tess Posner, CEO of AI4ALL, a nonprofit focused on AI diversity, told The Guardian. &#8220;Right now we are in an exciting moment where we can make a difference before we see how much more complicated it can get later.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/apr/16/artificial-intelligence-lack-diversity-new-york-university-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Disastrous&#8217; lack of diversity in AI industry perpetuates bias, study finds</a> [The Guardian]
More on AI: <a href="https://futurism.com/human-rights-discriminatory-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stop Using Discriminatory AI, Human Rights Groups Say</a>

It seems if you aren't white or male, the AI industry doesn't want you right now.

Experts: To Solve AI’s Bias Problem, Hire Fewer White Men

AI-firmative Action

The creation of biased AIs is linked to the tech industry's overwhelmingly white, male workforce, according to a new report.

The industry's "diversity crisis" is partially to blame for its racist, sexist AIs.

<h2>Dog Squad</h2>
Step aside, reindeer — robot dogs are hauling this load.
In an ominous video titled &#8220;Mush, Spot Mush!&#8221; posted on YouTube Tuesday, robot maker Boston Dynamics showed off the sheer strength of its SpotMini quadripedal robot dog. The clip shows 10 specialized Spotmini derivatives called Spotpower hauling a box truck across a parking lot — and at a one degree incline.
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OnWolLQSZic?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The robot maker <a href="https://futurism.com/its-all-fun-and-games-until-private-security-turns-a-spotmini-into-a-killing-machine">announced in 2018</a> that it will start selling SpotMini robot dogs to the public this year. The 66 pound robot can climb stairs, cross a wide variety of different terrain and carry 31 pounds.
<h2>Spot, the Red-Nosed Reindog</h2>
Potential applications range from home use to private security. The caption of today&#8217;s video announced that the Spotpower model will be sold to the public for a &#8220;range of applications soon.&#8221;
What exactly those applications will look like and how much a Spotpower will go for is still unclear. But it&#8217;s an incredible feat of strength and agility that sets the bar for future commercial robots.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/see-a-pack-of-spotmini-robot-dogs-pull-a-truck-in-creepy-feat-of-strength/">See a pack of SpotMini robot dogs pull a truck in creepy feat of strength</a> [CNET] 

More on Boston Dynamics: <a href="https://futurism.com/boston-dynamics-atlas-jogging">Boston Dynamic&#8217;s Robot Atlas Just Went Jogging</a>

Watch a pack of Boston Dynamics' creepy robot dogs pull a truck

Red-Nosed Reindog

In an ominous video titled "Mush, Spot Mush!" posted on YouTube today, robot maker Boston Dynamics showed off ten of its robot dogs hauling a truck.

Watch a Pack of Boston Dynamics’ Creepy Robot Dogs Pull a Truck

Spotmini isn't just nimble, it's super powerful, too.

<h2>New Pilot</h2>
Stockton, California, recently started an <a href="https://futurism.com/next-year-a-californian-city-will-launch-the-first-basic-income-experiment-in-the-u-s">experimental basic income program</a>. The concept is simple: 130 residents will receive monthly payments, no strings attached, over the course of 18 months. The first payment was delivered in February.
When the experiment is complete, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-pol-ca-basic-income-stockton-reparations-20190415-story.html">according to The Los Angeles Times</a>, city authorities will pore over how people spent the money and how it changed their lives — resulting in a study that could provide crucial insight into the economics of basic income.
<h2>Basic Income</h2>
Participants aren&#8217;t exactly getting lifted out of poverty — the city is paying each person $500 each month. It&#8217;s not enough to change anyone&#8217;s tax bracket, but Stockton mayor Michael Tubbs argues that it could grant security to people who are struggling to make ends meet or working several jobs.
&#8220;I know what it&#8217;s like to be hungry or to see your mom struggling. Everyone in my neighborhood was always outside playing because their parents were working. And they weren’t at home waiting for the government to save them,&#8221; Tubbs told the LA Times. &#8220;I think I have a special responsibility to elevate policy and solutions that can deal with these issues, but also to change these caricatures we have of people who are no different than anyone else. Who happen to work in jobs that don’t pay well.&#8221;
<h2>Paywalled Study</h2>
The pilot program&#8217;s data won&#8217;t be available for a few years, and the organizers are acting secretive, the LA Times reports.
But in coming months, some participants are expected to share stories about how they&#8217;re using the money and what it&#8217;s meant to them. Actual research into the basic income program will be more data intensive, but these so-called &#8220;Storyteller&#8221; participants can give people an idea of how basic income works in the meantime.
&#8220;We have a real opportunity to rethink how we talk about the safety net, what it means to get by, and we want to take advantage of that,&#8221; University of Pennsylvania-affiliated researcher Amy Castro Baker told the LA Times. &#8220;I would argue that research is always informed by something that you would like to see happen or not happen in the world, and we are owning that.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-pol-ca-basic-income-stockton-reparations-20190415-story.html">What would a universal basic income mean for America? Stockton thinks it has the answer</a> [The Los Angeles Times]
More on universal basic income: <a href="https://futurism.com/california-city-test-universal-basic-income">A California City Is Gearing Up To Test Universal Basic Income</a>

"I think I have a special responsibility to elevate policy and solutions that can deal with these issues, but also to change these caricatures we have of people who are no different than anyone else."

A California city just launched a basic income trial

One For All

Stockton, California, is in the early stages of its experimental trial of a universal basic income trial. A small group of people is getting $500 per month.

A California City Just Launched a Basic Income Trial

Stockton, California will pay 130 residents for 18 months.

<h2>Fizzing-Out</h2>
Recall the Pepsi slogan of yore: &#8220;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/517ca144e4b065cfbf618485/5191e946e4b0576d48b62550/5191e948e4b0fc2bec6e9f4a/1368516938471/Pepsi_Working_0007_OOH_Joy1.jpg">Refresh Everything</a>.&#8221; Apparently, that also includes the truth!
On Saturday, Futurism <a href="https://futurism.com/pepsi-orbital-billboard-night-sky/">broke a story</a> about Pepsi&#8217;s plans to use a space billboard sponsored by one of its energy drinks to protest against what it claimed were stereotypes unfair to gamers. But by Monday, after an outpouring of anger about the project on social media, PepsiCo — which owns brands ranging from Frito-Lay to Tropicana — had changed its tune about the project, saying the plans would go no further than a stratospheric test it recently carried out to try out the technology.
&#8220;This was a one-time event; we have no further plans to test or commercially use this technology at this time,&#8221; a PepsiCo spokesperson <a href="https://gizmodo.com/pepsi-mercifully-spares-humanity-from-its-space-billboa-1834057634">told Gizmodo</a>.
Except, here&#8217;s the thing:
They did.
<h2>The Pepsi Difference</h2>
A press release sent to Futurism last week by Russian space company StartRocket tells a different story than the one Pepsi&#8217;s pouring today. In it, StartRocket claimed the stratospheric test with a balloon was just a prelude to an ambitious space billboard — on which its first advertising client would be PepsiCo&#8217;s Adrenaline Rush energy drink.
&#8220;Adrenaline Rush (owned by PepsiCo Russia) became the test launch partner,&#8221; it read. &#8220;The Adrenaline GameChangers logo — a newly created movement whose goal is to campaign against stereotypes and unjustified prejudices against gamers — will be the first branded image on the StartRocket orbital display after its launch.&#8221;
And on Friday, when a Futurism reporter asked Russian PepsiCo spokesperson Olga Mangova whether it was accurate that the company was working with StartRocket to advertise Adrenaline Rush on StartRocket&#8217;s orbital billboard, the response was unambiguous.
&#8220;Nice to meet you!&#8221; Mangova wrote in an email. &#8220;Yes, that’s true.&#8221;
<h2>Pepsi Free</h2>
Asked about its apparent flip flop on the space billboard collaboration with StartRocket, PepsiCo spokesperson Nicole Tronolone said there&#8217;d been a miscommunication, speculating that there had been a &#8220;language issue&#8221; with Russian PepsiCo employees.
&#8220;The PepsiCo position has not reversed; it was inaccurately communicated,&#8221; Tronolone told Futurism in an email.
Tronolone declined to comment on why the press release from StartRocket said the display would be in orbit and why it referred to the space billboard in the future tense.
Mangova said that the press release had been written before the stratospheric test with the balloon, but sent to media afterward. Mangova declined to say why part of the press release was written in the past tense and another part was written in the future tense, and also declined to say why it would call a balloon test an &#8220;orbital display.&#8221;
Asked whether it was true that PepsiCo had never planned to launch the orbital billboard, StartRocket spokesperson Nikita Belov seemed puzzled by PepsiCo&#8217;s evolving stance.
&#8220;Unfortunately, I can’t prove or disprove it because of lack of information,&#8221; she wrote in an email to Futurism.
When it comes to advertising, Pepsi hasn&#8217;t exactly piloted the last few years with any kind of finesse. You may recall that time they made an ad with one of the biggest celebrities on Earth, implying that social unrest and police-state violence can be resolved with a cold can of Pepsi? If you don&#8217;t, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_for_Now_(Pepsi)">here&#8217;s the Wikipedia page</a> on what&#8217;s been referred to as &#8220;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/pepsi-ad-advert-commercial-kendall-jenner-police-protest-black-lives-matter-review-a7667486.html">possibly the worst commercial of all time</a>.&#8221;
So, yeah: this tracks.
<h2>Recovering the Satellites</h2>
Futurism first reported on the existence of StartRocket back in January. Its collaboration with Pepsi wasn&#8217;t yet public, but the story launched a wave of backlash against the concept on social media — and in media outlets ranging from <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/space-billboards-are-just-the-latest-orbital-stunt/">Wired</a> to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/startup-wants-put-huge-ads-space-not-everyone-board-idea-ncna960296">NBC News</a>.
As Futurism readers pointed out on social media, futuristic ads that appear among the stars of the night sky have been suggested by science fiction authors including Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clark, and Doug Naylor.
It was even tried in real life once before, in 1993, when a Georgia company called Space Marketing proposed launching a similar project that would be visible to billions of people as it cruised across the night sky — prompting cosmologist Carl Sagan to call the idea an &#8220;abomination.&#8221;
In the end, perhaps nothing can stop the relentless force of marketing. In <a href="https://astronomy.com/news/2019/04/pepsi-partners-with-russian-start-up-to-test-orbiting-billboards">an interview</a> with the magazine Astronomy about Pepsi&#8217;s flip flop on space billboards, director of conservation for the International Dark-Sky Association John Barentine argued that some form of orbital advertising is probably unavoidable.
&#8220;I think it is inevitable that someone will do this,&#8221; Barentine said. &#8220;They will take the gamble that even a negative public reaction will still benefit the bottom line.&#8221;
&#8220;There’s not a lot that can be done,&#8221; he added, &#8220;other than heaping scorn upon the companies that might advertise with the satellite owners.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://astronomy.com/news/2019/04/pepsi-partners-with-russian-start-up-to-test-orbiting-billboards">PepsiCo partnered with a Russian start-up to test orbiting billboards</a> [Astronomy]
More on orbital billboards: <a href="https://futurism.com/pepsi-orbital-billboard-night-sky">Pepsi Plans to Project a Giant Ad in the Night Sky Using Cubesats</a>

After backlash, Pepsi says it never planned a space billboard

Space Disgrace

After an outpouring of anger about the project on social media, PepsiCo no longer says it plans to launch a space billboard.

After Backlash, Pepsi Says It Never Planned a Space Billboard

PepsiCo keeps changing its story about its plans for a space billboard.

<h2>From Bits to Atoms</h2>
The world watched in horror Monday night while flames tore through the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. As fire consumed the roof and toppled its iconic central spire, it seemed as though the historic church could be lost forever — but it&#8217;s possible, thanks to cutting-edge imagining technology, that all hope may not be lost.
Thanks to the meticulous work of Vassar art historian Andrew Tallon, every exquisite detail and mysterious clue to the building&#8217;s 13th-century construction was recorded in a <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/150622-andrew-tallon-notre-dame-cathedral-laser-scan-art-history-medieval-gothic/">digital archive</a> in 2015 using laser imaging. These records have revolutionized our understanding of how the spectacular building was built — and could providea template for how Paris could rebuild.
According <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/the-notre-dame-fire-and-the-future-of-history/">to Wired</a>, &#8220;architects now hope that Tallon’s scans may provide a map for keeping on track whatever rebuilding will have to take place.&#8221;
<h2>One Billion Data Points</h2>
In 2015, National Geographic <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/150622-andrew-tallon-notre-dame-cathedral-laser-scan-art-history-medieval-gothic/">profiled Tallon</a> and his unique scanning process, highlighting his digital imaging of the Notre Dame Cathedral. For centuries, the only tools we had to measure medieval buildings and structures were primitive — strings and rulers, pencils and plumb bobs — but by turning to 21st-century technology, Tallon was able to tease out the secrets of this miraculous structure.
&#8220;If I had texts at every point, I could look in the texts and try to get back into the heads of the builders,&#8221; Tallon said to Nat Geo. &#8220;I don&#8217;t have it, so it&#8217;s detective work for me.&#8221;
For his scans of Notre Dame, Tallon recorded data from more than 50 locations in and around the cathedral, resulting in a staggering one billion points of data.
Each scan begins by mounting the laser onto a tripod and placing in the center of the structure. The laser sweeps around the area in every direction, and as it hits a surface, the beam bounces back, recording the exact placement and surface of whatever buttress or column it landed on by measuring the time it took the beam to return. Every measurement is recorded as a colored dot, combining together into a detailed picture, like the color pixels of a digital photograph.
Eventually those millions of dots form a three-dimensional snapshot of the cathedral, and the resulting images are meticulously precise; if the scan is done properly, Tallon told Nat Geo, it should be accurate within 5 millimeters.
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jAi29udFMKw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>What Needs to be Rebuilt</h2>
According to The New York Times, it <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/15/world/europe/paris-notre-dame-fire.html">took less than an hour</a> for the fire to spread from the attic of the cathedral and engulf the roof, toppling the central spire. Construction on the cathedral began in the year 1163 and finished in 1345, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-facts.html">according to an NYT piece about the history of the cathedral</a>, and the wooden roof contained historic beams from the year 1220, all of which were destroyed by the blaze.
Support for the recovery efforts have begun pouring in, with wealthy Parisians and companies pledging more than $450 million in donations to Notre Dame&#8217;s restoration.
Despite the extensive damage, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/world/europe/crown-of-thorns-notre-dame.html">NYT reports</a> that most of the priceless artifacts and the stone structure of the cathedral remain intact — though only time will tell how long it&#8217;ll take to restore the beloved structure to a semblance of its former glory.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/the-notre-dame-fire-and-the-future-of-history/">The Notre Dame Fire and the Future of History</a> [Wired]
More on 3D scans: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/medical-scanner-explorer">See the 3D Images Produced by the First Full-Body Medical Scanner</a>

The Notre Dame fire was devastating, but these 3d scans offer hope for its restoration.

Fortunately, there are incredible 3D scans of Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fire

By using 3D-laser scanning technology, there may still be hope for the full recovery and rebuild of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Fortunately, There Are Incredible 3D Scans of Notre Dame

The good news: we have a highly-detailed digital template for how to rebuild. 

<h2>Wake Up, Neo</h2>
In an interview with MIT researcher Lex Fridman, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reiterated his belief that we&#8217;re all living inside a simulation.
When Fridman <a href="https://youtu.be/dEv99vxKjVI">asked him</a> what his first question would be for the first-ever artificial general intelligence system, Musk replied: &#8220;What&#8217;s outside the simulation?&#8221;
<h2>Pong of my People</h2>
Musk has floated the possibility that we&#8217;re all living in a &#8220;The Matrix&#8221; style simulation for several years. During a 2016 interview at a tech conference, <a href="https://futurism.com/are-we-living-in-a-computer-simulation-elon-musk-thinks-so">Musk asserted that</a> there&#8217;s &#8220;a one in billions chance we’re in base reality.&#8221;
The argument: video games have evolved from a &#8220;Pong, two rectangles and a dot&#8221; he told audiences at the 2016 conference, to &#8220;photorealistic 3D simulations with millions of people playing simultaneously.&#8221; Given enough time, those games would become &#8220;indistinguishable from reality.&#8221;
<h2>Next Level</h2>
For Musk, human reality amounts to a computer simulation created by greater forces — the extent to which he actually prescribes to this theory is hard to tell. But he has voiced concern about all-powerful AI. He has even <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/13/elon-musk-at-sxsw-a-i-is-more-dangerous-than-nuclear-weapons.html">argued</a> that AI is &#8220;far more dangerous than nukes&#8221; at a different tech conference in 2018.
&#8220;The singularity for this level of the simulation is coming soon,&#8221; Musk replied to a tweet by the official Twitter account of the television show <a href="http://www.adultswim.com/videos/rick-and-morty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rick and Morty</a> in 2017. &#8220;I wonder what the levels above us look like.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/54900-elon-musk-reveals-the-one-question-he-would-ask-a-human-level-a-i">Elon Musk Reveals the One Question He Would Ask a Human-Level A.I.</a> [Inverse] 

More on the simulation hypothesis: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/mit-living-simulation-hypothesis">MIT Prof: It&#8217;s More Likely We&#8217;re Living in a Simulation Than Not</a>

"I wonder what the levels above us look like."

Elon Musk's question for super-smart AI: what’s outside the simulation?

I'm In

In an interview with MIT researchers Lex Fridman, Tesla CEO and visionary Elon Musk reiterated his belief that we're all living inside a simulation.

Elon Musk’s Question for Super-Smart AI: What’s Outside the Simulation?

Elon Musk chooses the red pill.

Scientifically speaking, here’s how we might prepare for the end of the world and steps we could be taking to protect humanity.

Scientifically speaking, here's how we could protect our future.

Existential Risks: How might the world end?

Future Society

Scientifically speaking, here are some potential existential risks and steps we could be taking to protect humanity and safeguard our future.

Existential Risks: How the World Might End and Steps to Secure Our Future

<h2>Do You Wanna Build a Snowball Chamber?</h2>
It&#8217;s not often that physicists take inspiration from Disney musicals when designing new experiments, but a team hell-bent on detecting dark matter says it did just that.
To find dark matter — that&#8217;s the elusive, invisible stuff that makes up most of the matter in the universe — scientists have <a href="https://futurism.com/dark-matter-conflicting-results">built gigantic apparatuses</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/the-worlds-most-sensitive-dark-matter-detector-just-found-nothing">probed deep underground</a>, and <a href="https://futurism.com/virus-bead-find-dark-matter">tiny floating beads</a>. Now, apparently, they&#8217;re turning to kids&#8217; movies as well.
Matthew Szydagis, a researcher at SUNY Albany, was compelled to investigate the properties of supercooled water after watching YouTube videos of people playing around with it, according to a <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-04-snowball-chamber-supercooled-dark.html">press release</a> by the American Physical Society, &#8220;especially when he saw it again during the Disney movie &#8216;Frozen.'&#8221;
<h2>The Cold Of Space Never Bothered Me Anyway</h2>
The idea is to look for particle-sized bits of ice in small bubbles of supercooled water.
&#8220;All of my work is motivated by the search for dark matter, a form of matter we&#8217;re sure is out there because we can observe its indirect gravitational effects,&#8221; Szydagis said in the press release. &#8220;It makes up a significant fraction of the universe, but we have yet to uncover direct, conclusive and unambiguous evidence of it within the lab.&#8221;
Szydagis is looking for dark matter using supercooled water, which can be kept as a liquid beneath water&#8217;s usual freezing temperature as long as it&#8217;s in a vacuum-sealed container. He presented his work, <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.09253">first shared online</a> last year, at an <a href="http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/APR19/Session/J09.8">American Physical Society meeting</a> on Sunday.
<h2>Subatomic Particles Are Worth Melting For</h2>
In particular, Szydagis&#8217; team learned that neutrons cause supercooled water to freeze when they collide with it, leading the scientists to speculate that they may have a new way to detect dark matter, which is thought to share similarities with neutrons.
They haven’t spotted any dark matter yet, as their particular research was only intended to show that a supercooled water chamber could work as a subatomic particle detector at all. But future projects may use their design in a real search for the stuff.
READ MORE: <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-04-snowball-chamber-supercooled-dark.html">&#8216;Snowball chamber&#8217; helps researchers use supercooled water to search for dark matter</a> [American Physical Society via Phys.org]
More on dark matter: <a href="https://futurism.com/oxford-scientist-may-have-solved-mystery-dark-matter">An Oxford Scientist May Have Solved the Mystery of Dark Matter</a>

Dark matter may trigger chambers of supercooled water to freeze.

Disney's "Frozen" inspired new attempt to find dark matter

Fellow Kids

Inspired by "Frozen," scientists built an apparatus that detects subatomic particles when they collide with supercooled water. It may help spot dark matter.

Disney’s “Frozen” Inspired New Attempt to Find Dark Matter

Let It Go: Dark matter may trigger supercooled water to freeze.

<h2>Small Heart</h2>
In what the Israeli media <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientists-print-world-s-first-3-d-heart-1.7124321">is calling</a> a &#8220;world&#8217;s first,&#8221; scientists at Tel Aviv University have 3D printed a small heart using human tissue that includes vessels, collagen, and biological molecules — a breakthrough, <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientists-print-world-s-first-3-d-heart-1.7124321">according to Haaretz</a>, that they hope could one day render organ donation obsolete.
<iframe width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/crT9iJMawjk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h2>Rodent Model</h2>
The technology is still many years out from human transplants, though — the team&#8217;s rodent-sized printed heart isn&#8217;t quite there yet.
&#8220;The cells need to form a pumping ability; they can currently contract, but we need them to work together,&#8221; lead scientist Tal Dvir <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientists-print-world-s-first-3-d-heart-1.7124321">told Haaretz</a>. &#8220;This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart complete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,&#8221; Dvir said.
<h2>Bioinks</h2>
To print the heart, the scientists created a &#8220;personalized hydrogel&#8221; to form &#8220;bioinks,&#8221; according to a paper <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.201900344">published today</a> in the journal Advanced Science. The hydrogel originated from fatty tissues extracted from human test subjects.
It&#8217;s not the first time 3D printing technology was used to print organs. For instance, a team of researchers at ETH Zurich created a <a href="https://futurism.com/this-3d-printed-human-heart-can-do-everything-a-real-one-can">3D printed artificial heart</a> back in 2017, but rather than using human tissue, those researchers used a flexible material.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientists-print-world-s-first-3-d-heart-1.7124321">Israeli Scientists Print World’s First 3-D Heart</a> [Haaretz] 

More on 3D printed organs: <a href="https://futurism.com/this-3d-printed-human-heart-can-do-everything-a-real-one-can">This 3D-Printed Human Heart Can Do Everything a Real One Can</a>

The scientists created a "personalized hydrogel" to form "bioinks."

Researchers create first ever 3D-printed heart using human tissue

Lub Dub

Scientists at Tel Aviv University have created 3D printed "cardiac patches" and a small heart that includes vessels, collagen, and biological molecules.

Researchers Create First Ever 3D-Printed Heart Using Human Tissue

They say it could one day render organ donation obsolete.

<h2>Orbital Billboard</h2>
A Russian company called StartRocket says it&#8217;s going to launch a cluster of cubesats into space that will act as an &#8220;orbital billboard,&#8221; projecting enormous advertisements into the night sky like artificial constellations. And its first client, it says, will be PepsiCo — which will use the system to promote a &#8220;campaign against stereotypes and unjustified prejudices against gamers&#8221; on behalf of an energy drink called Adrenaline Rush.
Yeah, the project sounds like an elaborate prank. But Russian PepsiCo spokesperson Olga Mangova confirmed to Futurism that the collaboration is real.
&#8220;We believe in StartRocket potential,&#8221; she wrote in an email. &#8220;Orbital billboards are the revolution on the market of communications. That’s why on behalf of Adrenaline Rush — PepsiCo Russia energy non-alcoholic drink, which is brand innovator, and supports everything new, and non-standard — we agreed on this partnership.&#8221;
<h2>SponConstellation</h2>
Futurism <a href="https://futurism.com/startrocket-giant-ads-night-sky-cubesats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported</a> on StartRocket back in January, when the company announced plans to project huge ads into the night sky using cubesats with Mylar sails that&#8217;ll <a href="http://astronomy.com/news/2019/01/billboards-in-space">reflect sunlight back down</a> to Earth during the twilight of early morning or evening.
&#8220;We are ruled by brands and events,&#8221; project leader Vlad Sitnikov told Futurism at the time. &#8220;The Super Bowl, Coca Cola, Brexit, the Olympics, Mercedes, FIFA, Supreme and the Mexican wall. The economy is the blood system of society. Entertainment and advertising are at its heart.&#8221;
The idea prompted <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/experts-orbiting-space-billboards-harmful" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strong backlash</a> among Futurism readers, who objected to the idea of invading the nighttime sky with ads.
&#8220;This startup made an AI read every dystopian fiction novel and is turning its cursed ramblings into business plans,&#8221; wrote one. Another said that &#8220;shooting down those ads should be legal.&#8221;
Researchers were also concerned by the idea.
&#8220;Launching art projects like this with no commercial, scientific, or national security value seems unwise,&#8221; University of Michigan astronomy professor Patrick Seitzer <a href="http://astronomy.com/news/2019/01/billboards-in-space?webSyncID=bb9352c7-a369-7944-5cb1-b9c3a76ccd13&amp;sessionGUID=e5619c21-6305-033e-8d6d-3ed329844e8b">told Astronomy</a>.
Now, StartRocket claims to have tested the technology with a helium balloon that launched one of its reflectors into the stratosphere — where it was visible from the ground.
&#8220;An hour and a half after the launch we concluded that the test was successful,&#8221; Sitnikov said.
StartRocket plans to launch the system into orbit in 2021. It&#8217;s currently raising funds, it says — and a $20,000 investment will buy eight hours of advertising in the night sky.
More on orbital billboards: <a href="https://futurism.com/startrocket-giant-ads-night-sky-cubesats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This Startup Wants to Launch Giant Glowing Ads Into the Night Sky</a>

"An hour and a half after the launch we concluded that the test was successful."

Pepsi plans to project a giant ad in the night sky using cubesats

Bright Night

PepsiCo says it's struck a deal with a Russian startup called StartRocket to display an enormous energy drink advertisement in the night sky.

Pepsi Plans to Project a Giant Ad in the Night Sky Using Cubesats

Pepsi says it'll use an artificial constellation, hung in the night sky next to the stars, to promote an energy drink.

<h2>News Anchor Horror</h2>
A humanoid robot TV news anchor named Alex read the news yesterday on Russia-24, a state-owned television channel. The silicone-faced anchor presented some run-of-the-mill updates — and even touched on a lurid case in which local authorities were hunting down a mayoral candidate who allegedly kicked a homeless cat.
The unsettling humanoid TV anchor was built by Russian startup Promobot. So far, the company has mostly produced screen-faced service robots for local banks. Alex&#8217;s terrifying silicone face moves thanks to 29 motors, and is modeled to look like the company&#8217;s founder Alexei Yuzhakov, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/17/robot-newscaster-unsettles-russian-state-tv-viewers/">according to The Telegraph</a>.
<a href="https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/promobot-company-founder-alexei-yuzhakov-at-the-2018-news-photo/1065835392">You can be the judge</a> whether it&#8217;s a good likeness.
<h2>Bad Robot</h2>
In a similar — yet unrelated — example of Russian robotics on state TV, Russia-24 showed footage a humanoid robot called &#8220;Robot Boris&#8221; on stage at a youth forum about robotics in December 2018. The twist: it turned out to be a <a href="https://futurism.com/russian-state-tv-man-in-suit-hi-tech-robot">man in a suit</a>.
Alex is definitely a robot though. Or at least we hope he is.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/17/robot-newscaster-unsettles-russian-state-tv-viewers/">Robot newscaster unsettles Russian state TV viewers</a> [The Telegraph] 

More on Russian robots:<a href="https://futurism.com/russian-state-tv-man-in-suit-hi-tech-robot">Russian TV Tried to Pass a Man in a Suit off as A High Tech Robot</a>

The robot dubbed Alex spoke of a rather peculiar case in which local authorities were hunting down a suspect that supposedly kicked a homeless cat.

Russia built a grotesque robot newscaster to read the news

Bad Robot

A humanoid robot TV news anchor dubbed Alex just read the news of the day on Russia 24, a state-owned television channel.

Russia Built a Grotesque Robot Newscaster and Put It on TV

A robot TV anchor accused a mayoral candidate of kicking a homeless cat. 

<h2>Splinter Cell</h2>
Scientists say they&#8217;ve gene-hacked a human cell, using CRISPR tech to turn it into a tiny biological computer complete with the cellular analog of dual core processors.
The squishy little CPUs could eventually lead to powerful computers housed entirely within a cell, <a href="https://newatlas.com/crispr-cell-computer/59336/">according to New Atlas</a>, that would detect and treat diseases.
<h2>Logic Gates</h2>
The cellular computers, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/15/7214#abstract-2">described in research</a> published in the journal PNAS this month, mimic the normal process by which organisms turn genetic information into the proteins that carry out specific tasks within a cell.
The computer is programmed to take in specific genetic codes and perform computations that result in the production of a particular protein. Except instead of simply following the DNA&#8217;s genetic code as a cell does, the computer receives two inputs and combines them, calculating the correct protein to churn out.
<h2>Targeted Medicine</h2>
The researchers behind the cellular computers say that they could be programmed to scan for certain biomarkers signifying the <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/new-crispr-tech-cure-herpes">presence of a disease</a> and, if all the right conditions are met, mass produce molecules or proteins that could help treat it, according to New Atlas.
&#8220;Imagine a microtissue with billions of cells, each equipped with its own dual-core processor,&#8221; MIT researcher Martin Fussenegger told New Atlas. &#8220;Such &#8216;computational organs&#8217; could theoretically attain computing power that far outstrips that of a digital supercomputer — and using just a fraction of the energy.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://newatlas.com/crispr-cell-computer/59336/">CRISPR used to build dual-core computers inside human cells</a> [New Atlas]
More on CRISPR: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/new-crispr-tech-cure-herpes">New CRISPR Tech Could Cure Herpes</a>

Welcome to the world of 'computational organs.'

Scientists used CRISPR to turn a cell into a biological computer

Cell Out

Using CRISPR gene editing tools, MIT scientists turned a human cell into a tiny computer that could be used to detect diseases and churn out treatments.

Scientists Used CRISPR to Turn a Cell Into a Biological Computer

"Imagine a microtissue with billions of cells, each equipped with its own dual-core processor."

<h2>PR Disaster?</h2>
Korean tech giant Samsung has a PR disaster on its hands.
The Verge just published a worrying report of its Samsung Galaxy Fold review unit showing a small bulge on the crease of the smartphone&#8217;s bending seven inch screen. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/17/samsung-galaxy-fold-screen-breaking-and-flickering.html">CNBC noted</a> similar problems with its review unit.
&#8220;A review unit given to CNBC by Samsung is also completely unusable after just two days of use,&#8221; wrote Todd Haselton.
And the evidence keeps rolling in. YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, better known by the handle MKBHD, <a href="https://twitter.com/mkbhd/status/1118580472576118787?s=21">tweeted</a> earlier today to warn other early testers to not peel away a thin layer covering the screen — in his own attempt to remove the layer, he rendered the display useless.
&#8220;I thought I was dumb for messing with it, but turns out Mark Gurman [Bloomberg], Dieter Bohn [The Verge] and Steve Kovach [CNBC] all also have broken Folds too because of how delicate this layer is,&#8221; Brownlee added.
<h2>Distressing Evidence</h2>
&#8220;It’s a distressing thing to discover just two days after receiving my review unit,&#8221; Bohn wrote for The Verge. &#8220;More distressing is that the bulge eventually pressed sharply enough into the screen to break it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
After one day of use&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/VjDlJI45C9">pic.twitter.com/VjDlJI45C9</a>
&mdash; Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevekovach/status/1118571414934753280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bohn also ruled out any unusually rough behavior that could&#8217;ve broken the screen.
&#8220;I’ve done normal phone stuff, like opening and closing the hinge and putting it in my pocket,&#8221; he wrote.
Samsung has shipped out replacement review units to both The Verge and Brownlee so far, but hasn&#8217;t officially commented on the issue so far. Futurism has reached out for comment.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/18411510/samsung-galaxy-fold-broken-screen-debris-dust-hinge-flexible-bulge">My Samsung Galaxy Fold screen broke after just a day</a> [The Verge]
More on the Samsung Galaxy Fold: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/samsung-galaxy-fold">Samsung Just Revealed a $1980 Folding Smartphone</a>

"I’ve done normal phone stuff, like opening and closing the hinge and putting it in my pocket."

Review units of Samsung's folding phone are breaking almost immediately

Sci-Fi Visions

Worrying reports of Samsung Galaxy Fold review units are coming in, complaining of small bulges in the screens and broken displays.

Review Units of Samsung’s Folding Phone Are Breaking Almost Immediately

Things are not looking good for the $1980 smartphone.

<h2>True Story</h2>
In March 2018, Yale neuroscientist Nenad Sestan shared a remarkable bit of news with his peers at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) meeting: he was able to keep pigs&#8217; brains &#8220;alive&#8221; outside their bodies for up to 36 hours.
The news quickly made its way from that meeting to the <a href="https://futurism.com/pig-brains-alive-outside-body" target="_blank" rel="noopener">media</a>. And now, more than a year later, the details of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1099-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">radical study</a> have finally been published in the highly respected journal Nature, confirming that what sounded initially like science-fiction was actually sound science — and raising startling questions about what it really means to be &#8220;dead.&#8221;
<h2>Brain Chambers</h2>
As reported previously, Sestan&#8217;s team started the experiment by removing the brains from the severed heads of 32 pigs sourced from a local slaughterhouse.
Then they placed the brains into specially designed chambers and attached catheters that allowed them to pump a solution containing preservatives and other chemicals through the organs&#8217; veins and arteries.
They found that this system, which they dubbed BrainEx, restored some of the brain&#8217;s crucial functions and helped maintain its internal structures.
<h2>Life and Death</h2>
Ultimately, the team was able to keep some of the brains alive in this way for 36 hours, raising new questions about the nature of death.
&#8220;For most of human history, death was very simple,&#8221; neuroscientist Christof Koch, who wasn&#8217;t involved in the study, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01216-4#ref-CR1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Nature</a>. &#8220;Now, we have to question what is irreversible.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01216-4#ref-CR1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pig brains kept alive outside body for hours after death</a> [Nature]
More on pig brains: <a href="https://futurism.com/pig-brains-alive-outside-body" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pig Brains Can Be Kept Alive Outside the Body. Human Brains Might Be Next.</a>

We need to rethink what it means to be "dead."

Yale scientists kept decapitated pigs' brains alive for 36 hours

Zombie Pigs

A team from Yale created a system that let them breathe new life into pig brains that had been removed from the animals' skulls.