All posts by Intellicurious

News, Views and Reviews for the Intellectually Curious

Art & Technology: Long-Extinct Species ‘Imagined’

‘What is lost is (not) lost forever’ imagines how extraordinary species which have become extinct in the last few centuries would look today, had they survived.

angelo renna envisions how centuries-long extinct creatures would look today using midjourney
Hydrodamalis gigas (also called Steller’s sea cow): extinct large aquatic mammal

designboom (March 6, 2023) – To visualize this new AI-generated series, Italian architect Angelo Renna looks to scientific research and characteristic descriptions of these animals and plants, feeding them as text prompts to Midjourney to visualize their appearances. The project, he notes, is not de-extinction or a revival of extinct species but is instead an educative process to learn about other forms of life in history.

angelo renna envisions how centuries-long extinct creatures would look today using midjourneyConilurus albipes: extinct white-footed rabbit rat — a rodent related to rats, mice, and squirrels

angelo renna envisions how centuries-long extinct creatures would look today using midjourney

Arthropleura: extinct millipede arthropods that lived in North America and Europe around 345 to 290 million years ago

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Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – March 13, 2023

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The New Yorker – March 13, 2023 issue:

How Russian Journalists in Exile Are Covering the War in Ukraine

Ekaterina Kotrikadze, TV Rain’s news director, at the studio in Latvia.

Dozens of media outlets have fled to the capital of Latvia, only to encounter a distrustful public and a set of strictly enforced laws and regulations.

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Biomilq and the New Science of Artificial Breast Milk

A baby sucks on a bottle attached to an intricate machine of pipes and beakers that form the silhouette of a breast-feeding mother.

The biotech industry takes on infant nutrition.

Why We Never Have Enough Time

An alarm clock without a traditional clock face; instead we can see inside it to a beautiful nature scene.

In her new book, Jenny Odell argues that structural forces have commodified our moments, days, and years. Can our lost time be reclaimed?

1955 Mid-Century Modern: Tour Of ‘Windemere Tract’ Home In Phoenix, Arizona

Open Space (March 5, 2023) – Ralph Haver AIA was an American Architect who was highly accredited to bringing Modernism to Arizona. Malcolm and Lea weren’t necessarily looking for a modernist home when they stumbled upon their current Ralph Haver home.

Always intrigued with design and making a space into their own, they saw the potential through their designer Joel Contreras who at the time was one of the few people redesigning historic homes in Arizona. Ralph Haver was known for his use of affordable and practical building materials, such as concrete block and plywood, which allowed him to create affordable postwar homes. Malcolm and Lea are a part of a small tract of Ralph Haver homes with only 30 homes in their neighborhood.

Throughout the past several years, they have seen a new generation of buyers coming into the neighborhood and lovingly caring/restoring/ remodeling the homes. Ralph Haver homes are reminiscent of the Cliff May homes in Southern California, similar construction, design elements and die hard homeowners that are uplifting the legacy of these architects.

News: Battle For Bakhmut, Enriched Uranium In Iran, CIA Counterintelligence

March 6, 2023: Ukraine’s battle for Bakhmut: is the eastern city about to fall to Russia? Plus: a special interview with James Olson, former chief of counterintelligence at the CIA; a round-up of stories from Asia; and a US Supreme Court copyright case involving Andy Warhol.

Front Page: The New York Times – March 6, 2023

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In Florida Legislative Session, a Chance for DeSantis to Check Off His Wish List

Republican lawmakers have indicated the session will be guided by Gov. Ron DeSantis’s priorities, including a proposal that would expand gun rights.

Using A.I. to Detect Breast Cancer That Doctors Miss

Hungary has become a major testing ground for A.I. software to spot cancer, as doctors debate whether the technology will replace them in medical jobs.

Ukrainian Soldiers, Nearly Encircled, Push Russians Back

The battle for Bakhmut is not over — at least not yet. Ukrainian assault brigades offered Moscow a bloody reminder of that over the weekend.

They’re Exporting Billions in Arms. Just Not to Ukraine.

As traditional weapons suppliers like the U.S. face wartime production shortages, South Korea has stepped in to fill the gap, while trying not to provoke Moscow.

Travel Guides: Top Ten Places To Visit In Brazil

Ryan Shirley Travel Videos (March 2023) – Brazil, officially Federative Republic of Brazil, Portuguese República Federativa do Brasil, country of South America that occupies half the continent’s landmass. It is the fifth largest country in the world, exceeded in size only by Russia, Canada, China, and the United States, though its area is greater than that of the 48 conterminous U.S. states.

  1. Rio de Janeiro
  2. Pico Paraná
  3. Santa Catarina Mountains
  4. Pantanal Matogrossense National Park
  5. Iguazú Falls
  6. Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
  7. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
  8. Chapada Diamantina National Park
  9. Amazon Rainforest
  10. Fernando de Noronha

Brazil is the fifth most-populous country on Earth and accounts for one-third of Latin America’s  population. Most of the inhabitants of Brazil are concentrated along the eastern seaboard, although its capital, Brasília, is located far inland and increasing numbers of migrants are moving to the interior. Rio de Janeiro, in the eyes of many of the world, continues to be the preeminent icon of Brazil. The nation’s burgeoning cities, huge hydroelectric and industrial complexes, mines, and fertile farmlands make it one of the world’s major economies. However, Brazil struggles with extreme social inequalities, environmental degradation, intermittent financial crises, and a sometimes deadlocked political system.

Tribute: ‘Peanuts’ Creator Charles M. Schulz (CBS)

CBS Sunday Morning (March 5, 2023) – Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip “Peanuts” continues to garner fans 23 years after the cartoonist’s death, from the lovable loser Charlie Brown to the dog with the greatest imagination, Snoopy. Correspondent Lee Cowan talks with Schulz’s widow, Jean, and with “Pearls Before Swine” cartoonist Stephan Pastis, about the timeless influence of the man they called “Sparky” and his beloved cast of characters.

Travel Films: The Amazon Rainforest In Ecuador

 Known as the Oriente, Ecuador’s Amazon Rainforest is home to truly astounding biodiversity, with more than 300 species of mammal, 800 species of fish and 350 species of reptile.

Occupying approximately one third of Ecuador’s land area, the Amazon basin lies to the east of the Andean Highlands. It’s easily accessed by visiting the main gateway city of Puerto Francisco de Orellana, which is more widely known as El Coca.

Filmed and edited by:

Matt Arteaga

Front Page: The New York Times – March 5, 2023

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How the Fall of Roe Turned North Carolina Into an Abortion Destination

The state, which is near others with abortion bans and restrictions, has had a 37 percent rise in abortions since the constitutional right to abortion was overturned.

A New Front Line in the Debate Over Policing: A Forest Near Atlanta

Six weeks after a protester was shot and killed, officials are bracing for more confrontations with activists seeking to stop a police and fire training center.

Whirring Into Action in Ukraine’s Skies

Against the odds, Ukraine’s helicopter brigades are not only still operational, but are an inspirational component of its war effort.

Inside the Panic at Fox News After the 2020 Election

“If we hadn’t called Arizona,” said Suzanne Scott, the network’s chief executive, according to a recording reviewed by The New York Times, “our ratings would have been bigger.”