Technology

Arcane’s second season is a revolutionary powderkeg

Published

3 days ago

November 9, 2024

Arcane’s second season is a revolutionary powderkeg

The first season of Netflix and Riot’s Arcane animated series fashioned disparate pieces of League of Legends lore into a beautiful, devastating tale about a society on the brink of collapse. The show infused each of its characters with a depth and complexity that felt unlike anything Riot had done elsewhere in the longrunning franchise. And its commitment to telling its own story made it remarkably easy for new fans to dive in.

There’s a density to Arcane’s second season that feels reflective of the show’s creative team working to bring this juggernaut of a story to a satisfying end in just nine short episodes. Especially since it has been three years since season 1, you might need a refresher on how things became so dire for the citizens of Piltover and Zaun. But while the new season drops you right back into the chaos in a somewhat disorienting way, it does an excellent job of weaving together the many different threads of Arcane’s powerful legend.

Arcane’s first season ended with a literal bang — an explosive attack from Jinx (Ella Purnell) on the elite council members of Piltover just as they were about to sign a peace treaty that would have brought an end to their war on the impoverished people of Zaun. Though Jinx’s attack was rooted in years of personal psychological torment and her growing up as part of Zaun’s abused, disenfranchised underclass, it was a moment that made her sister Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) see truly her as a terroristic monster. It wasn’t clear who might emerge from the smoking rubble in the end, but there was no question about how much harder Piltover would retaliate with its dangerous Hextech weapons.

Arcane’s second season picks up in the immediate aftermath of the attack to emphasize the sheer amount of destruction Jinx caused in her crusade to make Piltover pay for its history of injustices. With so many of Piltover’s political leaders dead, the city’s priorities and its balance of power have to shift in ways that feel necessary to Vi and other survivors like enforcer Caitlyn Kiramman (Katie Leung). But while the new season takes some time to make you appreciate the magnitude of Piltover’s loss, it pushes this act of Arcane’s story into motion by exploring how oppressive societies create the monsters they ultimately come to hate and fear.

Everyone suffers as Arcane moves its characters into a new phase of conflict, but the show uses Vi and Jinx in particular to highlight how profoundly war can unmoor people from their senses of self. It’s easier for the sisters to let one another go than it is for either of them to see themselves in the other’s face. And when presented with chances to channel their feelings into action, it seldom occurs to them how fighting just to hurt the other side is guaranteed to cause self-inflicted wounds.

Arcane repeatedly echoes that idea as it briskly shifts focus to the rest of its cast and brings the devastating danger of Hextech into sharp focus. Inventor Jayce Talis (Kevin Alejandro) and politician Mel Medarda (Toks Olagundoye) can understand the gravity of the escalation her warhawk mother Ambessa (Ellen Thomas) is hungry for. But that foresight can only do so much to keep the calls for a full-on invasion of Zaun at bay.

Arcane’s second season uses the rising tension and Jayce’s fears about what he has helped create to delve deeper into the magical mysteries of Hextech with a subplot that zooms far out into new realms of the League of Legends universe. It’s another way the show reinforces its ideas about actions coming with consequences that aren’t immediately obvious up close. And in some of Arcane’s characters, it crystalizes how heavy a price the planet can pay as humanity wages war.

Hextech also features largely in most of this season’s more visually stunning set pieces, which are once again truly the show’s greatest strength. Though the show as a whole is still utterly gorgeous, the action feels even more brutal this time around. On occasion, the “cool” needle drops feel a bit tone deaf because of how frank Arcane is trying to be in its depiction of a society tearing itself apart. But that has always kinda been Arcane’s vibe, and the season really leaning into it will likely appeal to hardcore fans.

Because the stakes are even higher and all of Arcane’s players are now fully locked into the war, this season’s first three episodes often feel more narratively dense and like they’re moving at a much faster pace. That might be more exhausting if the season was dropping all at once, but Netflix has smartly chosen to split it up into three separate acts set to debut through the end of the month. We won’t know until the end of November just how Arcane’s creators intend to bring this story to a close and whether it might set the stage for whatever’s coming next for the franchise. But this first act is a strong opener for Arcane’s final chapter.

Technology

Countries are ramping up renewable energy plans, but not fast enough

Published

7 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Press Room

Countries are ramping up renewable energy plans, but not fast enough

Governments around the world agreed to triple renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade during pivotal United Nations climate talks at a summit in Dubai last year. As the annual climate negotiations kick off again this week, there’s been some progress on that goal — but not nearly enough.

An assessment of national energy plans says that countries are on track to double global renewable energy capacity by 2030. There’s a lot of opportunity for growth with the falling cost of wind and solar, but whether policymakers are ready to ditch fossil fuels is a trickier question.

“Renewables markets have moved, but governments’ ambitions have not.”

“Renewables markets have moved, but governments’ ambitions have not,” Katye Altieri, electricity transition analyst at energy think tank Ember, said in a press release published alongside the new report.

More than 130 countries pledged last year to triple global renewables capacity. Ember assessed 96 countries and the EU that together represent 95 percent of global electricity demand. It found that only eight countries — all within the European Union — had actually updated their national renewable energy targets over the past year (before late October). Their updated national targets would only increase global renewables capacity by a meager four gigawatts, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Countries’ existing plans in 2023 were already enough to double global renewable energy capacity. But achieving the goal of tripling capacity would require an additional 3,758GW, the report says.

The good news is that industry forecasts look brighter than what’s reflected in national policies, and renewables can grow, even with lawmakers dragging their feet on climate action. Solar and wind are already more affordable power sources than fossil fuels in most of the world, with solar deployment on track to see a 29 percent increase in installations this year compared to last, according to Ember’s estimates. That follows a whopping 87 percent surge in solar installations in 2023.

Global capacity in gigawatts, by technology.

Image: Ember

Those gains put solar, in particular, on schedule to meet the 2030 goal of tripling capacity. But there are still shortfalls when it comes to wind power and batteries needed to store renewable energy when sunshine and gales wane. A separate analysis by the International Energy Agency earlier this year said that power grids around the world will need a nearly 15-fold increase in energy storage by 2030, mostly in the form of batteries.

Delegates from close to 200 countries are convening at the UN summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, this month to try to set new targets to combat climate change. The focus this year is on securing more funding from wealthy nations to help less affluent countries transition to cleaner energy and adapt to worsening climate disasters.

But the US, the biggest historical emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, has cast a shadow over international negotiations. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to take the US out of the Paris climate agreement and routinely spreads misinformation about renewable energy, including unfounded claims about offshore turbines killing whales.

Trump has also said he would rescind unspent funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $369 billion in federal funding on climate and clean energy and has triggered more than $200 billion in clean energy investment in the US.

A Trump-inspired “retreat” on renewable energy could be a boon to competitors including China that already dominate clean energy markets. Repealing the Inflation Reduction Act would deal a blow to US manufacturing and trade, likely ceding $80 billion in investment opportunities to other countries, according to a recent analysis by the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab at Johns Hopkins University.

Under the international treaty on climate change brokered in Paris in 2015, each country is due to submit an updated national climate plan by February. It’s an opportunity to get the world closer to tripling renewables, Ember notes. Those national plans are expected to start rolling in with talks underway in Baku.

After all, an underlying question gnaws at every round of climate negotiations: how big of an impact can these splashy summits have unless delegates can turn promises into action at home?

Technology

Prada's out-of-this-world spacesuit for NASA

Published

7 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Press Room

Prada's out-of-this-world spacesuit for NASA

In an unexpected yet fascinating collaboration, Axiom Space has joined forces with the prestigious luxury Italian fashion house Prada to design the next-generation spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis program. This partnership marks a significant shift in how spacesuits are conceived, merging high fashion with advanced engineering.

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AxEMU space suit (Axiom Space) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The need for new spacesuits

NASA has been using the same extravehicular activity suits since 1982, and there have been no new designs for lunar missions since the Apollo program ended in 1972. To address this gap, NASA awarded Axiom Space a contract worth $228 million in 2022 to develop a modern version of the Apollo suit, leading to the creation of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) suit.

AxEMU space suit (Axiom Space) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

A SPACEPLANE BREAKS BARRIERS REACHING INCREDIBLE HEIGHTS AND SPEEDS

Blending fashion with function

At first glance, involving a fashion designer in an engineering project may seem unusual. However, Axiom and Prada’s collaboration highlights an innovative approach to spacesuit design. The AxEMU suit incorporates aesthetic considerations alongside functionality, reflecting a trend seen in previous designs, such as those for SpaceX’s Dragon astronauts.

AxEMU space suit (Axiom Space) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Key features of the AxEMU Suit

Adaptive fit: Unlike previous suits tailored for individual astronauts, the AxEMU is designed to fit 99% of both males and females, enhancing comfort and usability.

Advanced materials: The suit features high-performance materials developed through Prada’s expertise, ensuring durability against lunar conditions.

Enhanced mobility: Innovative joint designs allow for a greater range of motion, enabling astronauts to perform tasks more effectively.

Safety innovations: The AxEMU includes redundant systems and self-diagnostic capabilities to ensure astronaut safety during missions.

AxEMU space suit (Axiom Space) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW THE DREAM CHASER SPACEPLANE PLANS TO SHAKE UP SPACE TRAVEL IN THE FUTURE

Unveiling at the International Astronautical Congress

The AxEMU was formally unveiled at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. During this event, both Axiom Space and Prada emphasized their commitment to pushing boundaries in space exploration through collaborative efforts.

Russell Ralston, executive vice president of extravehicular activity at Axiom Space, said, “We are pioneering a new era in space exploration where partnerships are imperative to the commercialization of space.”

Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group chief marketing officer, added, “Going beyond our limits is one of the company’s values that perfectly reflects the spirit of the Prada brand.”

AxEMU space suit (Axiom Space) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Testing and future prospects

The AxEMU is currently undergoing extensive testing, including simulations designed to mimic lunar conditions. It is expected to enter its critical design review phase in 2025. This rigorous testing process aims to ensure that astronauts are equipped with reliable and advanced capabilities for future lunar missions.

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AxEMU space suit (Axiom Space) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Who would have thought that high fashion and space exploration could find common ground? Yet here we are, witnessing a luxury brand contribute its expertise to one of humanity’s most ambitious endeavors. By combining Prada’s knowledge of materials and craftsmanship with Axiom’s engineering prowess, we’re seeing a suit that promises to be more comfortable, more adaptable and more efficient than anything that’s come before.

Could we see more fashion houses getting involved in space tech? One thing’s for sure: The AxEMU suit is a perfect example of what can happen when we think outside the box and bring diverse expertise together. As we continue to reach for the stars, it seems that the sky is no longer the limit, not even for fashion.

How do you feel about the role of aesthetics in spacesuit design? Do you think looking good in space is just as important as functionality? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Google’s AI ‘learning companion’ takes chatbot answers a step further

Published

14 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Press Room

Google’s AI ‘learning companion’ takes chatbot answers a step further

Google has launched an experimental new AI tool called Learn About, which is different from the chatbots we’re used to, like Gemini and ChatGPT. It’s built on the LearnLM AI model that Google introduced this spring, saying it’s “grounded in educational research and tailored to how people learn.” The answers it provides have more visual and interactive elements with educational formatting.

We tested Learn About and Google Gemini with a simple prompt: “How big is the universe?” Both answered that “the observable universe” is “about 93 billion light-years in diameter.”

However, while Gemini opted to show a Wikipedia-provided diagram of the universe and a two-paragraph summary with links to sources, Learn About emphasized an image from the educational site Physics Forums and added related content that was similarly focused more on learning than simply offering facts and definitions.

Learn About’s answer to “How big is the universe?”

Screenshot: Jake Kastrenakes / The Verge

Gemini’s answer to “How big is the universe?”

Screenshot: Jake Kastrenakes / The Verge

Learn About’s response also created textbook-style boxes that give you additional context like “why it matters” and ones that help you “Build your vocab” with word definitions. In the sidebar, additional topics appear to continue exploring using the tool.

We also asked Learn About “What’s the best kind of glue to put on a pizza?” (Google’s AI search overviews have struggled with this one in the past), and it managed to get that one right, even if the “common misconception” sticker makes us wonder how many times this question has been asked.

Learn About tries to explain why you shouldn’t put glue on pizza.

Screenshot: Richard Lawler / The Verge