Taupo: The super volcano under New Zealand's largest lake

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Taupo: The super volcano under New Zealand's largest lake     Located in the centre of New Zealand's North Island, the town of Taupo sits sublimely in the shadow of the snow-capped peaks of Tongariro National Park. Fittingly, this 40,000-person lakeside town has recently become one of New Zealand's most popular tourist destinations, as hikers, trout fishers, water sports enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies have started descending upon it.The namesake of this tidy town is the Singapore-sized lake that kisses its western border. Stretching 623sq km wide and 160m deep with several magma chambers submerged at its base, Lake Taupo isn't only New Zealand's largest lake; it's also an incredibly active geothermal hotspot. Every summer, tourists flock to bathe in its bubbling hot springs and sail through its emerald-green waters. Yet, the lake is the crater of a giant super volcano, and within its depths lies the unsettling history of this picturesque marvel. Continued here

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Wildfires Threaten More Homes and People in the U.S. Than Ever Before     The number of homes located within the perimeters of wildfires has doubled since the 1990s. A surprising ecosystem is responsible for the riskSmokey the Bear is famous for warning against forest fires—but for most U.S. homeowners, grass fires and shrubland fires are actually more of a threat. And there twice as many houses within the perimeters of wildfires today, compared with 30 years ago, meaning far more people and homes are at risk, according to a new study published on Thursday in Science. Continued here

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Go Beyond the Basics to Support Nursing Parents at Work     Meeting new legal standards for pumping workers is no longer something that garners positive feedback, it is the law in the U.S. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers (PUMP) Act have redefined workplace standards in support of pregnant and nursing employees. In this article, the author outlines how organizations can go beyond basic compliance to better support their employees. Looking at the space that you’ve designated for pumping is a good place to start, and getting input from employees who have used the space is invaluable. It not only informs, it actively engages, which underscores an authentic desire to learn from employee experiences. Continued here

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What Is the Future of AI?     If we want to coexist with AI, it’s time to stop viewing it as a threat, Wharton professors say.AI is here and it’s not going away. Wharton professors Kartik Hosanagar and Stefano Puntoni join Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss how AI will affect business and society as adoption continues to grow. How can humans work together with AI to boost productivity and flourish? This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.” Continued here

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Humane's Ai Pin is a $700 Smartphone Alternative You Wear All Day     For months, an odd sight has intrigued a San Francisco cop regularly stationed outside the downtown offices of the startup Humane. Out of its door have streamed employees with a small, square device pinned to their chests, not unlike the officer's bulkier, department-issued body-worn camera. "Been wondering what those are," the officer said when WIRED visited the company last week.Today, the wondering about Humane's gadget is over. The company is opening up about its high-tech device designed to be fastened to a shirt or blouse—a fit that Humane hopes can become as accepted among people who aren't sworn officers as sporting wireless earbuds or smartwatches. Continued here

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What Role Can AI Play in Sports?     Wharton professors examine how the latest developments in AI, statistics, and data science impact the sports industry.Wharton professors Adi Wyner and Cade Massey join Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss how AI — along with statistics and data science — can assist with tracking data, player evaluation, making predictions, and more. This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.” Continued here

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We Need to Better Understand Malnutrition-Related Diabetes     Food insecurity saps the health of people and economies worldwide. Addressing it would pay dividendsThe conversation around diabetes has predominantly revolved around an energy surplus: if a person takes in more energy than they expend, over time, they may become obese and develop its associated metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. Most treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration aim to limit calorie intake or suppress the appetite. Researchers have, however, rarely discussed the effect of malnutrition on insulin. Continued here

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How Can AI Improve Health Care?     Wharton professors explain how AI elevates health care practices, from prescription reminders to emergency triage.Wharton professors Hamsa Bastani and Marissa King join Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss AI’s widespread application in health care: where it’s already being used successfully, like radiology, and where challenges loom large, like implementation and clinical resistance. This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.” Continued here

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It's time to rethink the position of First Lady     Irina Karamanos Adrian didn't plan on becoming Chile's First Lady — but she set out to transform the role all the same. She shares how she's fighting gender stereotypes and protecting democracy by shifting political power back to where it belongs: to people who were actually elected. Continued here

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Did Australia's boomerangs pave the way for flight?     The aircraft is one of the most significant developments of modern society, enabling people, goods and ideas to fly around the world far more efficiently than ever before. The first successful piloted flight took off in 1903 in North Carolina, but a 10,000-year-old hunting tool likely developed by Aboriginal Australians may have held the key to its lift-off. As early aviators discovered, the secret to flight is balancing the flow of air. Therefore, an aircraft's wings, tail or propeller blades are often shaped in a specially designed, curved manner called an aerofoil that lifts the plane up and allows it to drag or turn to the side as it moves through the air.   Continued here

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Man with Parkinson's Walks Smoothly thanks to an Experimental Spinal Implant     Electrical stimulation to the lower spine has improved the mobility of a man with Parkinson’s disease for the past two years, but researchers say larger clinical trials are needed to assess the device  A highly experimental implant that delivers electrical stimulation to the spinal cord has substantially improved mobility for one man with advanced Parkinson’s disease, according to a report published today in Nature Medicine. Continued here

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SOS Designed a Smart Vending Machine That Gets Brands in Front of Customers     With a new Ulta partnership, the company's patented smart vending machines will give shoppers access to free products--in exchange for some information. Continued here

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It's Time to Change the Narrative Around Gen Z Employees     Three actions leaders can take to better manage young workers. Continued here

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Climate Change Has Worsened Drought in the Fertile Crescent     Rising temperatures are increasing the likelihood of severe drought in Syria, Iraq and IranCLIMATEWIRE | The Middle East's Fertile Crescent is experiencing one of the most severe droughts in its history — and climate change has made it worse. Continued here

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The Woman Who Demonstrated the Greenhouse Effect     Eunice Newton Foote showed that carbon dioxide traps the heat of the sun in 1856, beating the so-called father of the greenhouse effect by at least three years. Why was she forgotten?In 1856, decades before the term “greenhouse gas” was coined, Eunice Newton Foote demonstrated the greenhouse effect in her home laboratory. She placed a glass cylinder full of carbon dioxide in sunlight and found that it heated up much more than a cylinder of ordinary air. Her conclusion: more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere results in a warmer planet. Continued here

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The dark side of competition in AI     Competition is a core part of human nature, and it can drive us to extraordinary feats. But when it goes wrong, the results can be devastating. Poker champion and science communicator Liv Boeree introduces us to "Moloch's trap" — the dark force of game theory driving many of humanity's biggest social problems, which is now threatening to derail the AI industry. Continued here

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The 18 Best Movies on Apple TV+ Right Now     When it comes to originals, Netflix and Amazon have the deepest libraries of prestige movies. But ever since CODA won the Best Picture Oscar, it’s become clear that some of the best movies are on Apple TV+.As with any streaming service, not every film on the roster is a winner, but from Billie Eilish documentaries to Sundance darlings, Apple’s streaming service is building up a strong catalog to run alongside its growing slate of beloved TV shows. Continued here

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The Psychology of Delegation: Trusting Your Virtual Team     Boost your team's productivity by enabling remote work. Continued here

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How AI Fits into Lean Six Sigma     AI already is being used in some areas of process improvement, and the usage of this technology — including generative AI — promises to grow. That’s because it can perform tasks faster and much less expensively than humans alone. But it will never fully replace people — and that poses management challenges. Continued here

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How Does AI Impact Education?     Wharton professor Ethan Mollick joins Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss AI’s impact on education: How is generative AI being used by students? Should teachers embrace AI in the classroom? Their conversation touches on the latest developments in ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, and how they will affect educators and the workforce at large. This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.”Eric Bradlow: Welcome to this edition of the AI at Wharton and Analytics at Wharton podcast series on artificial intelligence. Today’s episode will actually have a dual role. While it says “AI in Education” here, our guest actually has lots of expertise in AI in education and the workforce, and a lot more general topics, as well. I’m joined by my faculty colleague, Ethan Mollick. Ethan is the Ralph J. Roberts Distinguished Faculty Scholar. He is an associate professor in our Management Department. He’s also the academic director of Wharton Interactive. So Ethan, welcome to our podcast series. Continued here

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The Valve Steam Deck OLED Is a Brighter, Sharper Way to Play Handheld Games     If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIREDAlmost two years ago, game maker Valve shipped a noteworthy piece of hardware. After spending years tinkering with controllers, widgets that let you play PC games on your TV, and even virtual reality headsets, the Steam Deck was its first bona fide hit. Continued here

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How Can AI and the Human Brain Work Together?     Neuroscientists are using AI to unlock new insights into the human brain. Wharton experts weigh in on the latest research.Wharton’s Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson and Michael Platt join Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss how AI is being used in neuroscience to better understand the human brain. The conversation covers remarkable research developments in measuring brain activity, replicating speech and mobility, mental health, and more. This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.” Continued here

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How Partnerships Can Catalyze Growth for Small Businesses     Unlock the immense potential of collaborative efforts. Continued here

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Earth's newest 'baby volcano'     On the afternoon of 10 July, the Earth cracked open. Three fissures appeared north-east of the base of Litli-Hrútur – a small mountain on the Reykjanes Peninsula in south-western Iceland – and began to spew molten lava high into the air accompanied by plumes of gas.Iceland's latest eruption wasn't a total shock; Litli-Hrútur (which translates to "Little Ram") is part of the Fagradalsfjall volcanic area that erupted in March 2021 and August 2022 after a break of almost 800 years, and the surrounding area had been shaking for several days with more than 12,000 earthquakes recorded prior the start of the eruption. Continued here

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3 Ways Any CEO Can Build Wealth and Achieve Financial Freedom     Financial Joy School founder Ruby Taylor offers actionable tips on financial wellness in her new book, 'Unconventional CEO.' Continued here

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Batteries of the future: How cotton and seawater might power our devices     Zip. The power's out. But on a street in India, there's a cash machine still happily dispensing banknotes. Thanks, in part, to burnt cotton. For this cash machine has a backup battery inside it – a battery that contains carbon from carefully combusted cotton."The exact process is secret, to be honest with you," says Inketsu Okina, chief intelligence officer at PJP Eye, the Japanese firm that made the battery. He's not joking, either. "The temperature is secret and atmosphere is secret. Pressure is secret," he continues, cagily. Continued here

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How Is AI Changing the Auto Industry?     Wharton professors dive into how AI is supercharging driverless cars and other vehicles of the future.Wharton professor John Paul MacDuffie joins Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss AI’s impact on the auto industry, including the latest frictions between automotive and tech companies, potential for open source software, and more. This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.” Continued here

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Returning to school mid-career? Here's what you need to know      Are you thinking of returning to school? Educator Candice Neveu shares three challenges you might face continuing your education mid-career — and three mindset shifts to speed up your learning, improve your confidence and achieve the results you want. Continued here

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How Are AI and Robotics Redefining Productivity?     Businesses must learn how tools like AI and automation fit into their processes before making big changes, Wharton professors say.Adopting new technologies like AI and robots can drastically shift an organization’s processes from top to bottom. Wharton professor Lynn Wu joins Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss how automation and artificial intelligence impact physical labor, productivity, and human resources. This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.” Continued here

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Understanding the Power of Intrinsic Motivation     At some point, we all are assigned to work that we find tedious and unchallenging. If we don’t figure out how to turn these tasks into interesting and challenging problems to solve, we’ll struggle to complete tasks in a timely and reliable manner, sabotaging our own success and growth at work. One skill that can help you do this is intrinsic motivation, or the incentive you feel to complete a task simply because you find it interesting or enjoyable. Learning how to harness this skill early in your career will help you build the resilience you need to reach your goals in any field. Here’s how to get started. Continued here

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How Is AI Affecting Innovation Management?     Wharton’s Christian Terwiesch and Valery Yakubovich join Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, to discuss AI’s influence on innovation management, from risk assessment and strategy to organization and value capture. How can businesses use AI to ideate and better meet customer needs? This interview is part of a special 10-part series called “AI in Focus.”Eric Bradlow: Welcome to the Analytics at Wharton and AI at Wharton podcast series on artificial intelligence. My name’s Eric Bradlow, professor of marketing and statistics here at the Wharton School. I’m also the vice dean of Analytics. What we’re doing in this series is to explore the role of artificial intelligence in various aspects of business. And today certainly is no exception. Maybe [this topic is] one that most people consider the most exciting, which is artificial intelligence in innovation management. Continued here

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AI Is Here. What's Going to Change?     As part of the series "AI in Focus," Wharton's Eric Bradlow, Kartik Hosanagar and Stefano Puntoni examine how AI will affect business and society as adoption continues to grow.Anyone who stays on the tracks because they think the train will see them and slow down is going to be overrun by it. “The only thing you can do — and you have to do — is get to the station, board the train, and be part of the process of shaping where it goes,” he said. Continued here

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Simple circuitry, surprising engineering: Inside counterfeit Apple gadgets     Whether they're products pretending to be made by a brand or devices claiming to be something they're not, (like a microSD card posing as an SSD), fraudulent electronics pose a threat to unsuspecting shoppers' wallets and, at times, their safety. With their popularity and high prices, scammers often target Apple products. But what's actually inside those faux Apple devices? Continued here

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3 Strategies to Promote Healthy Working Relationships     Leaders often claim to value good working relationships, but company practices may not reflect that claim. The key to solving the problem is to recognize that it demands an organizational solution — specifically, putting into place a system that builds positive relationships. Leaders can get started by 1) making time to listen and check on the quality of workplace relationships; 2) providing a structure for growing relationships; and 3) incentivizing positive relationships. Continued here

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Can We Even Have Babies in Space? Why We're Not Ready for Life Off-Planet     Star Trek makes living in space look great: it depicts a utopian future without hunger or climate devastation and with technology that can zoom you across the galaxy and produce holographic playgrounds for relaxing in your free time. (Never mind that pesky war with the Klingons.) But the reality of space settlements would likely involve deprivation, harsh conditions and difficult interactions among a small, isolated group of people. Behavioral ecologist Kelly Weinersmith and her cartoonist husband Zach Weinersmith set out to research the future of space settlements and found, to their dismay, that the prospect looked miserable.Space is inhospitable: its radiation and lack of gravity wreak havoc on the body; the legal situation is murky at best; and there’s the looming disaster of trying to reproduce beyond Earth. The Weinersmiths discuss these risks and more in their new book, A City on Mars (Penguin Random House, 2023). Their laugh-out-loud-funny descriptions highlight a sobering truth: humanity isn’t ready to spread among the solar system anytime soon. Continued here

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What We Want Out of a 'Legend of Zelda' Movie     Nintendo is making a live-action film adaption of The Legend of Zelda–a game franchise best known for its silent protagonist, an infinitely repeating plot, and a timeline so convoluted that trying to understand it inevitably drives one to madness. How do you adapt something like that into a two-hour film?It’s tempting to say, “No one asked for this,” but that’s true of movies based on theme park rides, British teddy bears, and plastic blocks. Sometimes they’re pretty good! There is no law that says movies based on video games—or any established intellectual property—must suck. And now that Nintendo has gotten a taste of that juicy box office, a Legend of Zelda movie was inevitable anyway. Continued here

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Nintendo Is Ready to Take On Hollywood     Link is moving from Hyrule to Hollywood. Coming off the $1.3 billion success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Nintendo announced Wednesday that it’s working on a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda. The video game developer said that although it “will take time” until the movie hits theaters, it will be helmed by Maze Runner director Wes Ball and be cofinanced by Sony. The news sent gamers on a dream-casting spree and signaled the next big step in Nintendo’s quest to evolve from a video game company into a full-blown entertainment empire.The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s oldest and most beloved franchises, where a silent, twinky hero named Link battles the forces of evil (usually a maladjusted guy named Gannon/dorf) with the help of princess Zelda. The company made the first game in the series in 1986 and has since released dozens more, including this year’s critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The franchise is one of Nintendo’s heavy hitters, a series where each game is highly anticipated and commonly commercially successful. Tears of the Kingdom has sold 19.5 million copies since May. Continued here

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3 Ways Work From Home Is Better for People, Profit, and Planet     The shift toward remote work has emerged as a transformative force offering profound benefits for multiple stakeholders. Continued here

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Message sticks: Australia's ancient unwritten language     The continent of Australia is home to more than 250 spoken Indigenous languages and 800 dialects. Yet, one of its linguistic cornerstones wasn't spoken, but carved.Known as message sticks, these flat, rounded and oblong pieces of wood were etched with ornate images on both sides that conveyed important messages and held the stories of the continent's Aboriginal people – considered the world's oldest continuous living culture. Message sticks are believed to be thousands of years old and were typically carried by messengers over long distances to reinforce oral histories or deliver news between Aboriginal nations or language groups. Continued here

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GM's Cruise Rethinks Its Robotaxi Strategy After Admitting a Software Fault in Gruesome Crash     In August 2016, WIRED visited the San Francisco offices of a young startup recently snapped up by a surprising buyer. General Motors acquired three-year-old Cruise for a reported $1 billion in hopes the straitlaced Detroit automaker could coopt the self-driving technology tipped to disrupt the auto industry. Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt—a scrappy Twitch cofounder who competed as a teen in BattleBots—said he intended to stick around, but to keep running the driverless-car tech developer like a startup. He'd be out of a job, he predicted, if he couldn't hack the self-driving thing in 10 to 15 years.Is Vogt's time up? GM's financial reports show it losing $​​8.2 billion on Cruise since the start of 2017, and it has sunk at least $1.9 billion into the company this year. But last month, California regulators yanked its permits to operate self-driving vehicles in San Francisco, amidst allegations the company failed to disclose important details about a serious collision in which a pedestrian was trapped under a robot taxi. A few days later, the company said it would pause driverless operations across the US, in cities including Austin, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. Continued here