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☆ The night train revolution has been hailed as an alternative to airplanes. Here’s how that’s going
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Wherever they run, night trains are complicated, labor intensive and expensive to operate – one of the major reasons they went into decline in the first place. The $770 million contract could eventually see up to 370 new overnight carriages introduced to update Italy’s entire overnight train fleet. “Politicians must be clear: the night train market will be effectively closed for a very long time,” he says. So, what does all this mean for the much-vaunted night train revolution? With the honorable exception of government-subsidized Nightjet, which plans to expand rapidly over the next five years, European night train services have yet to match the hype.

Persons: Love, James Brown, David Bowie, Ray Charles, –, they’ve, Charisius, Agatha Christie, James Bond, Mark Smith, ”, “, ÖBB, “ Superliner, Kuleshova, Smith, it’s, Alex Halada, Nick Brooks Organizations: CNN, Orient Express, Austrian Federal Railways, Swiss Federal Railways, Deutsche Bahn, Italian State Railways, Amtrak, California Zephyr, European, Bloomberg, Getty, Regiojet, Compagnie Internationale des, VIA Rail, European Union, Frankfurt, Eurostar, EU Rail, EU Locations: Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, Vienna, Hamburg, Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, France, Sweden, Milan, Sicily, Messina, Europe’s, United States, Berlin, Stockholm, Denmark, Czech, Prague, Croatia’s, London, Dresden, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Spain, Venice, Florence, Rome, Madrid, Porto, Portugal, Edinburgh, Zurich, AFP, EU

☆ Quartz crystals detected swirling in atmosphere of exoplanet WASP-17b
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have for the first time detected tiny quartz crystals containing silica — a common mineral on Earth — within the atmosphere of a blazing hot exoplanet. An artist's concept depicts what the exoplanet WASP-17b could look like. What the quartz crystals reveal about WASP-17bWasp-17b takes 3.7 Earth days to complete one orbit around its star. Webb detected quartz crystals in the atmosphere of WASP-17b. While the clouds can drift around the planet, they likely vaporize on the hot day side, which could send the quartz particles swirling.

Persons: James Webb, Ralf Crawford, “, ”, David Grant, Hannah Wakeford, ” Grant, Wakeford Organizations: CNN —, NASA, ESA, CSA, University of Bristol, WASP, Minerals, “ WASP

☆ I tried the new Coke flavor made with AI. I was surprised by the taste.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Haley Tenore | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Coca-Cola y3000 is a new, limited edition flavor that promises to transport your taste buds into the next millennium. I was surprised that I liked Zero Sugar better. The Zero Sugar has zero calories and contains aspartame. AdvertisementAdvertisementOn the first sip, I struggled to tell the difference between Coca-Cola Y3000 and regular Coke. One thing that surprised me is that I enjoyed the Zero Sugar version more.

Persons: Oana Vlad, Coca, Haley Tenore Organizations: Service, Cola Locations: Wall, Silicon

Learn moreWhen the Apple Watch Series 9 released in September 2023, it immediately supplanted the Series 8 in Apple's lineup as the company's flagship. Lowest Price Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS) The Apple Watch Series 8 features a temperature sensor, car crash detection, and low-power mode that weren't available to previous generations of the smartwatch. Both watches are also compatible with a variety of the best Apple Watch bands and the best Apple Watch Series 9 bands. AdvertisementAdvertisementApple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Smartwatch featuresThe Series 9 and Series 8 are also nearly identical in terms of smartwatch functionality. AdvertisementAdvertisementApple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: PriceThe Apple Watch Series 9 is available for purchase starting at $399 for the aluminum body model and $699 for the stainless steel option.

Persons: that's, Siri, Rick Stella, Antonio Villas, it's, isn't Organizations: Apple, July's, Apple Health, Health, Boas

☆ Mojave wants to make air conditioning more sustainable. Check out the 12-slide pitch deck it used to raise a $12.5 million seed round.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A startup making air conditioning systems more efficient has just raised a $12.5 million seed round co-led by VC funds At One Ventures and Fifth Wall, which invests in real estate tech. California-based Mojave has developed an air conditioning system that uses 50% less energy and 20% less refrigerant than existing systems, it claims. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system's footprint is mainly split between the energy used to control the temperature and what it takes to remove humidity, the research found. The "big breakthrough" was finding a way to cool the desiccant with cool air, Farese said. The startup is tackling the outdoor air system (DOAS) market, which refers to systems that precondition air coming into a building from outside.

Persons: Philip Farese, Farese, DOAS Organizations: One Ventures, Palo Alto Research, PARC, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Xerox PARC, Xerox Ventures, Starlight Ventures Locations: California, Mojave

☆ Astronomers aren't crying 'aliens' yet, but NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is making this planet look a lot more habitable
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope discovered signs of a vast ocean on the planet K2-18 b. Astronomers can't directly look at the surface of the planet, called K2-18 b, but Webb analyzed its atmosphere for hints of what may lie below. That's a strong mark against the molecule's existence on K2-18 b. Confirming these findings requires a lot more observation of K2-18 b. As Blain put it: "K2-18 b is not exactly an Earth twin."

Persons: NASA's James Webb, Webb, James Webb, Madhusudhan, That's, Aaron Gronstal, Doriann Blain, Max Planck, Blain, peered, Webb’s, Crawford, J, Olmsted, haven't, Eliza Kempton, we've, Markus Scheucher, Kempton, I'd, there's, Marianne Guenot Organizations: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Service, NASA, University of Cambridge, DMS, Max, Max Planck Institute, Astronomy, Hubble, European Space Agency, CSA, ESA, Cambridge University, Astrophysical Journal, University of Maryland, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Coke's latest mystery flavor is AI-generated
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The latest one, Coca-Cola Y3000, fits the bill. Coca-Cola has used its Creations platform, responsible for limited-edition flavors like Y3000, to try to make the brand resonate with younger consumers. Like all Creations drinks, Coca-Cola Y3000 is designed to taste mostly like Coke, with a bit of something else. For the product’s packaging — which appears to allude to a Y2K aesthetic with funky bubbles, pink and blue coloring and a pixelated logo — Coca-Cola used AI-generated images to create a mood board for inspiration. “They’re more engaging and more interesting, demonstrably, than a flavor, a Coke with vanilla or something,” he said.

Persons: it’s “, ”, Rosalía, “ We’re, Oana Vlad, James Quincey, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Riot Games, of Legends, CNN Locations: New York, United States, Canada, Dreamworld

☆ At Taser maker Axon, ex-staff say loyalty meant being tased, tattooed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Scottsdale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +34 min

Reuters also interviewed 63 current and former Axon employees, including nine former executives. No one with whom Reuters spoke was aware of deaths or lawsuits stemming from tasings of Axon staff. Axon has faced fewer lawsuits since 2009, the year it introduced a new Taser model with a lower charge. Screenshots from an Axon promotional video show CEO Rick Smith taking a Taser hit in 1993, the year he co-founded the business. And that’s off-putting.”Gorman, the former Axon lawyer, said he “vividly” remembers an executive asking him if he was going to be tased.

Persons: Ross Blank, Blank, Steve Tuttle, Shawn Gorman, ”, Jennifer Chatman, Rick Smith, Andrea James, ” James, Axon’s, tasings, ” Blank, Tuttle, Staff tasings, “, Valencia Gibson, Gibson, Reuters –, Axon’s “, Bro, Josh Isner, Isner, James, –, Ann Rosenthal, Rosenthal, ” Rosenthal, Sigma Chi, Smith, ” Smith, ” Michael Church, Hans Marrero, Marrero, ” Marrero, “ I’m, ’ ” Smith, “ It’s, ” Gibson, ” ‘, impressionable, squinting, Keara, Rylan, Mihir Shah, ” Shah, Mario Barth, “ Willing, It’s, Isaiah Fields, Wayne Guay, Lamar Cousins, Cousins, Kevin De Rosa Jr, De Rosa, ” Isner, Smith’s, De Rosa bellowed, They’re, ” Gorman, You’re, Jeffrey Dastin, Paresh Dave Art, John Emerson, Julie Marquis Organizations: Enterprise Inc, Reuters, Haas School of Business, University of California, Staff, Scottsdale, Yorker, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, federal, Safety, Health, Labor, Sigma, Harvard, Sigma Chi, Boston Magazine, Harvard’s Sigma Chi, U.S . Marine Corps, YouTube, Employment, Los, Keara Berlin, ” Employees, Los Angeles Police Department, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, strapping, Culture Locations: Berkeley, Rome, United States, Arizona, U.S, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, “, Berlin, Sacramento, San Jose , California, tasings, Mandalay, Scottsdale, wasn’t

☆ These are the 3 coolest parts of Rolls-Royce's ultra-luxurious, $420,000 electric car
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

I got behind the wheel of Rolls-Royce's first electric car, the Spectre. When you buy a Rolls-Royce, you're choosing to spend your hard-earned (or perhaps hard-inherited) money on craftsmanship, exclusivity, and class — not flashy gimmicks. The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. A car that brakes like a chauffeurThe 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre.

Persons: Elon Musk, Royce, Tim Levin Organizations: Morning, Royce, British

☆ Webb telescope captures image of most distant star ever seen
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe Earendel, the most distant star ever detected. Earendel is so distant that the starlight glimpsed by the Webb telescope was emitted within the first billion years of the universe. The star’s name derives from Old English words that mean “morning star” or “rising light.” The Hubble Space Telescope first spotted Earendel in 2022. Webb’s observations have revealed new insights about the incredibly distant star. Earendel is a massive B-type star about 1 million times more luminous than our sun and more than twice as hot.

Persons: James Webb, Webb, Earendel Organizations: CNN —, Hubble, NASA, ESA, CSA

☆ Why Remedios Varo, one of the ‘three witches’ of surrealism, continues to fascinate today
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Like many of her contemporaries, Varo fled Europe as war bore down on the continent, arriving in Mexico in 1941. It took more than a decade for her to exhibit her work there, but when she did, she left her mark. Alchemy and artistryDuring her life in Mexico City, Varo bonded with fellow artist Carrington and photographer Kati Horna. Remedios Varo/ARS, New York/VEGAP, Madrid/Art Institute of ChicagoVaro’s sense of humor periodically cuts through in her work. You see that on the surface of her work, with story and material coming together into one unified composition.

Persons: CNN —, Remedios Varo —, —, los Remedios Alicia y Rodriga, Uranga —, André Breton, Varo, Juliana, Remedios Varo, Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, ”, Varo’s, “ Remedios Varo, Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, Caitlin Haskell, Tere Arcq, El Juglar, “, ” Haskell, Walter Gruen, Carrington, Kati Horna, George Gurdjieff, El, Rodrigo Chapa, Katrina Rush Organizations: CNN, Mexico City, Artists Rights Society, Art Institute of Chicago, Arte Moderno, York’s Museum of Modern, Art Institute Locations: Mexico, Spanish, Paris, Europe, New York, Madrid, Varo’s, Mexico —, United States, El, Mexico City, Venice, Ciencia

☆ Opinion | Portland’s Struggle to Solve Its Homeless Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

To the Editor:Re “A Homeless Crisis Is a Test of Portland’s Identity” (front page, July 29):Your article about homeless problems in Portland, Ore., was a slap in the face to a great city that is actually having a renaissance. This became a great city because people here cared about community, historic preservation and good city planning. I have been walking downtown for the past three years and have rarely felt uncomfortable. We have vibrant museums and Portland State University. Thousands attended the Starlight Parade in June, and downtown is often filled with people enjoying themselves.

Organizations: Portland State University . Foot, Starlight Locations: Portland ,

☆ A planet’s atmosphere is blasted away by a star and Hubble captures it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The Hubble Space Telescope captured an unexpected observation of a nearby planet that’s having its atmosphere blasted away by energetic outbursts from its star. As the planet is blasted by radiation, its atmosphere heats to the point that it escapes the planet’s gravity and puffs out into space. The planet gets hit with flares, X-rays and stellar wind, or a charged stream of particles released from the star. “This creates a really unconstrained and frankly, scary, stellar wind environment that’s impacting the planet’s atmosphere,” Rockcliffe said. Astronomers will conduct more follow-up observations of the system with Hubble to track how the planet changes in the future.

Persons: Hubble, NASA’s, “ We’ve, ”, Keighley Rockcliffe, “, ’, ” Rockliffe, ” Rockcliffe, Rockcliffe Organizations: CNN, Hubble, Spitzer, Telescope, Keighley, Dartmouth College Locations: Hanover , New Hampshire

☆ The Best Apple Deals From Prime Day 2023, According to a Long-Time Tech Reviewer
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Nick Guy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

We’re tracking best-ever prices on a variety of iPad and Apple Watch models, as well as notable deals on MacBooks. It’s back down to $500 for Prime Day, which is $100 off and matching its lowest price ever. During Prime Day you can save $100 on most configurations, which is up to 25% off the base model. At $50 off, the SE drops to $200, the best price we’ve ever seen for this or any Apple Watch in new condition. Although it’s not at Amazon, this deal is timed to Prime Day and too good to pass up.

Persons: Nick Guy, Read, it’s, Gray, Iniu’s, I’ve Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, MacBooks, MacBook

Both the Fitbit Sense 2 and the Apple Watch Series 8 are the latest generation of their brand's flagship wearable — and are the best Fitbit and best Apple Watch, respectively, you can buy. While the original Fitbit Sense had a small touch-sensitive haptic button on the left-hand side of the watch, Fitbit added a physical button to the Fitbit Sense 2, which is easier to operate, especially during workouts. Antonio Villas-Boas/Rick Stella/Insider Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Smartwatch performanceIt's clear the Sense 2 was built with health and wellness in mind but beyond that, its smartwatch capabilities are limited. Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Battery lifeAntonio Villas-Boas/Rick Stella/InsiderOne of the main reasons you'd want the Fitbit Sense 2 over the Series 8 is its battery life. The Apple Watch Series 8 costs $100 more than the Fitbit Sense 2 but it is a more full-featured smartwatch.

Persons: you'd, we've, Antonio Villas, Rick Stella, Fitbit, I've, you've Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, Price Apple, Amazon Apple, iOS Battery, Spotify, Fitbit, iOS

☆ Coca-Cola launches new flavor for gamers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Coca-Cola is launching a new limited-edition flavor for gamers, a demographic increasingly pursued by mainstream food and beverage brands. For this new flavor, called Coca-Cola Ultimate, the soda maker partnered with Riot Games, which publishes the multi-player online battle arena game League of Legends. Coca-Cola Ultimate bottles. As in most of those cases (Marshmello’s flavor had notes of strawberry and watermelon) Coca-Cola won’t share what Ultimate is actually supposed to taste like. And the relationship between Riot and Coca-Cola is deeper than the limited-edition flavor.

Persons: Coke, Rosalía, “ We’re, Oana Vlad, James Quincey, they’re, ”, Gen, Ava Max, Vlad, Red Bull, Eric Krause Organizations: New, New York CNN, Riot Games, of, League of, Coke, PepsiCo, League of Legends Locations: New York, Dreamworld, Fortnite

Apple's MacBook Air lineup now includes three models for buyers to choose from: The 2020 13-inch MacBook Air with M1, 2022 13-inch MacBook Air with M2, and the brand-new 2023 15-inch MacBook Air with M2. You can also check out our full 2020 MacBook Air and 2022 MacBook Air reviews for detailed thoughts on those models. AppleApple's 2020 13-inch MacBook Air uses the company's M1 processor, while the 2022 13-inch and 2023 15-inch models both use the more powerful M2 processor. MacBook Air 15-inch vs. 13-inch: DesignThe M2 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops have a flat design when closed Antonio Villas-BoasOther than screen size, the 2022 13-inch and 2023 15-inch MacBook Air models both share the same overall design with a flat build when closed rather than the tapered, wedge-shaped look of the 2020 13-inch MacBook Air. MacBook Air 15-inch vs. 13-inch: Display and cameraThe 2023 MacBook Air has a notch on its screen to house its camera.

Persons: Antonio Organizations: MacBook, Apple, Air

☆ Webb telescope detects mysterious water vapor in a nearby star system
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has detected water vapor around a rocky exoplanet that orbits a star located 26 light-years away from Earth. The presence of water vapor could suggest that GJ 486 b somehow has an atmosphere, despite its heat and proximity to the star. “Water vapor in an atmosphere on a hot rocky planet would represent a major breakthrough for exoplanet science. The results from the Webb data analysis pointed to water vapor being present around GJ 486 b. Future observations of the planet using different instruments on the Webb telescope could reveal additional details about the source of the water vapor.

☆ Second ‘Impossible’ Ring Found Around Distant Dwarf Planet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Kenneth Chang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Like the first ring around Quaoar, announced by a team of astronomers in February, the second ring lies beyond what is known as the Roche limit. Thus, a ring within the Roche limit would tend to remain a ring, while a ring of debris outside the Roche limit would usually coalesce into a moon. For Quaoar, the Roche limit is calculated to be 1,100 miles. The second ring, at a distance of 1,500 miles from the center of Quaoar, is closer than the ring announced in February, which has a radius of about 2,500 miles. The observations also revealed the second ring.

Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS) The Apple Watch Series 8 now features a temperature sensor, car crash detection, and low-power mode, making it an even more powerful fitness tracker slash smartwatch. While the original Fitbit Sense had a small touch-sensitive haptic button on the left-hand side of the watch, Fitbit added a physical button to the Fitbit Sense 2, which is easier to operate, especially during workouts. Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Smartwatch performanceThe Fitbit Sense 2 was clearly built with health and wellness in mind but beyond that, its smartwatch capabilities are limited. Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Battery lifeAntonio Villas-Boas/Rick Stella/InsiderOne of the main reasons you'd want the Fitbit Sense 2 over the Series 8 is its battery life. The Apple Watch Series 8 costs $100 more than the Fitbit Sense 2 but you get a more full-featured smartwatch.

☆ NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is so powerful it discovered sand storms on a planet 235 trillion miles away
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope found sand storms on a planet hundreds of trillions of miles away. From its vantage point in space, Webb can peer at a distant world and analyze the entire infrared spectrum of starlight passing through the planet's atmosphere. The James Webb Space Telescope fully deploys its primary mirror during development at Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Redondo Beach, California. The spectrum Webb found on the planet VHS 1256 b, showing signatures of silicate clouds, water, methane, and carbon monoxide. That means the stars' light doesn't drown out the light of the planet, making it an ideal target for the Webb telescope.

☆ Asteroid discovery suggests ingredients for life on Earth came from space
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] The carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu is seen from a distance of about 12 miles (20 km) during the Japanese Space Agency's Hayabusa2 mission on June 30, 2018. Scientists said on Tuesday they detected uracil and niacin in rocks obtained by the Japanese Space Agency's Hayabusa2 spacecraft from two sites on Ryugu in 2019. Scientists long have pondered about the conditions necessary for life to arise after Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. "It was directly sampled on the asteroid Ryugu and returned to Earth, and finally to laboratories without any contact with terrestrial contaminants." The U.S. space agency NASA during its OSIRIS-REx mission collected samples in 2020 from the asteroid Bennu.

Available for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, the new color is available for preorder today and goes on sale on March 14. Apple iPhone 14 (Yellow) Yellow is a new color option for the standard iPhone 14. Apple iPhone 14 Plus (Yellow) The iPhone 14 Plus now comes in yellow. Along with the yellow iPhone 14, Apple also added a new canary yellow silicone case for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. The safety features are included in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus for two years.

☆ Check out the new yellow iPhone 14
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple announced a new yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Aside from the color, the new phone is the same as the previously released iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Apple announced a new yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus on Tuesday. Apple's new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 plus in a yellow shade launches on Tuesday, March 14. AppleAside from the cosmetic color change, nothing about this model of the iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus has changed from the iPhone 14 lineup announced last September.

☆ Coca-Cola partners with Rosalia on new drink
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Coca-Cola is releasing a new limited-edition flavor, Coca-Cola Move, in collaboration with Grammy-award winning singer Rosalía. As with its other high-concept flavors, Coca-Cola isn’t sharing what Move is actually supposed to taste like. Coca-Cola partners with Rosalía on a new drink, "Coca-Cola Move". The Coca-Cola CompanyFor Coca-Cola, the limited-edition items are a way to build buzz around its core product, Coke. In June, it co-created a Coke drink with Marshmello, a masked celebrity DJ and electronic music producer.

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