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Swiggy seeks $11.3B value at IPO, less than half Zomato’s worth

30 October 2024 at 08:30

Swiggy, one of India’s largest food delivery and quick commerce startups, is seeking a valuation of up to $11.3 billion in its initial public offering, marking a 57% discount to rival Zomato’s market cap. The lossmaking Bengaluru-based company has set an IPO price band of β‚Ή371 to β‚Ή390 ($4.41-$4.64) per share for next month’s IPO. […]

Β© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Meesho claims Indian e-commerce first with positive cash flow

30 October 2024 at 07:10

Meesho has become India’s first horizontal e-commerce firm to generate positive cash flow, marking a significant shift in a market where profitability has long remained elusive even as new competitive threats emerge. The SoftBank and Prosus-backed startup, which serves customers in smaller Indian cities and towns, reported positive operating cash flow of β‚Ή232 crores ($27.6 […]

Β© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Graphene-enhanced ceramic tiles make striking art

28 October 2024 at 19:58

In recent years, materials scientists experimenting with ceramics have started adding an oxidized form of graphene to the mix to produce ceramics that are tougher, more durable, and more resistant to fracture, among other desirable properties. Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a new method that uses ultrasound to more evenly distribute graphene oxide (GO) in ceramics, according to a new paper published in the journal ACS Omega. And as a bonus, they collaborated with an artist who used the resulting ceramic tiles to create a unique art exhibit at the NUS Museumβ€”a striking merger of science and art.

As reported previously, graphene is the thinnest material yet known, composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. That structure gives it many unusual properties that hold great promise for real-world applications: batteries, super capacitors, antennas, water filters, transistors, solar cells, and touchscreens, just to name a few.

In 2021, scientists found that this wonder material might also provide a solution to the fading of colors of many artistic masterpieces. For instance, several of Georgia O'Keeffe's oil paintings housed in theΒ Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico,Β have developed tiny pin-sized blisters, almost like acne, for decades. Conservators have found similar deterioration in oil-based masterpieces across all time periods, including works by Rembrandt.

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© Daria Andreeva and Delia Prvački.

De-extinction company provides a progress report on thylacine efforts

23 October 2024 at 01:13

Colossal, the company founded to try to restore the mammoth to the Arctic tundra, has also decided to tackle a number of other species that have gone extinct relatively recently: the dodo and the thylacine. Because of significant differences in biology, not the least of which is the generation time of Proboscideans, these other efforts may reach many critical milestones well in advance of the work on mammoths.

Late last week, Colossal released a progress report on the work involved in resurrecting the thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, which went extinct when the last known survivor died in a zoo in 1936. Marsupial biology has some features that may make de-extinction somewhat easier, but we have far less sophisticated ways of manipulating it compared to the technology we've developed for working with the stem cells and reproduction of placental mammals. But, based on these new announcements, the technology available for working with marsupials is expanding rapidly.

Cane toad resistance

Colossal has branched out from its original de-extinction mission to include efforts to keep species from ever needing its services. In the case of marsupial predators, the de-extinction effort is incorporating work that will benefit existing marsupial predators: generating resistance to the toxins found on the cane toad, an invasive species that has spread widely across Australia.

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Β© Universal History Archive

Meet the winners of Nikon’s 2024 photomicrography contest

22 October 2024 at 23:24

A stunning image of differentiated mouse brain tumor cells has won the 2024 Nikon Small World photomicrography contest, yielding valuable insight into how degenerate diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS can arise from disruption in the cytoskeleton of brain cells. The image was taken by Bruno Cisterna, with assistance from Eric Vitriol, both with Augusta University in Georgia.

"One of the main problems with neurodegenerative diseases is that we don't fully understand what causes them,” Cisterna said in a statement. β€œTo develop effective treatments, we need to figure out the basics first. Our research is crucial for uncovering this knowledge and ultimately finding a cure. Differentiated cells could be used to study how mutations or toxic proteins that cause Alzheimer's or ALS alter neuronal morphology, as well as to screen potential drugs or gene therapies aimed at protecting neurons or restoring their function.”

It's the 50th anniversary of Nikon's annual contest, which was founded back in 1974 "to showcase the beauty and complexity of things seen through the light microscope." Photomicrography involves attaching a camera to a microscope (either an optical microscope or an electron microscope) so that the user can take photographs of objects at very high resolutions. British physiologist Richard Hill Norris was one of the first to use it for his studies of blood cells in 1850, and the method has increasingly been highlighted as art since the 1970s. There have been many groundbreaking technological advances in the ensuing decades, particularly with the advent of digital imaging methods.

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Β© Bruno Cisterna & Eric Vitrol/Nikon Small World

A good day at the museum

15 October 2024 at 21:30

The Blanton filmed me talking talking about the museum:

I love to copy paintings when I’m here, because drawing makes you slow down and actually look at the thing… We spend a lot of time looking at images. We’re on our phones, we’re scrolling… but there’s something about being in the presence of a real work of art that someone has made with their hands, that someone has sweated over. Seeing it in person and seeing it at scale… it is unbeatable. It’s infectious! It makes you want to go home and make stuff! I mean, a good day at the museum for me is a day that I get out of there and I think, β€œI really feel like going home and writing!” or β€œI really feel like going home and drawing!” There is a kind of mania that happens when you’re in an art museum. You start seeing everything around you as art. And that’s the greatest thing that art can do: help you see your everyday world in a new light.

I included the video in today’s newsletter about a good day in the museum, or how I like to look at art.

How To Teach AI

25 September 2024 at 17:55

A well-known edtech presenter shares her journey in creating a meaningful book for educators. Β 

GUEST COLUMN | by Rachelle DenΓ© Poth

I have always enjoyed being able to share ideas of what I’m doing in my classroom or something that I have learned with other educators and with my students so that I can also learn from them. For years I was writing blogs or presenting at conferences about what I was using in my classroom, whether it be a method or a certain digital tool. And I found that to be quite easy because I was just talking from experience. I was not stretching myself enough professionally.Β 

However, in August of 2017, as I had been a blogger for Getting Smart for a little while, I saw writing themes for the upcoming year, and AI was one of the themes for January 2018. It piqued my interest and instantly, I had thoughts of what I imagined AI to be. Learning about and sharing about AI over the past nearly seven years has been a rewarding experience and a great learning journey.Β 

A Bit More Confident

After writing that first AI blog and taking a tremendous course provided by ISTE, I felt a bit more confident diving into teaching about AI in my classroom and decided to submit a presentation at a conferenceβ€”still not very knowledgeable about it, but wanting to also help other educators. Over the years, I would write and research and learn and write again. I would share that with educators that I came in contact with and have always really enjoyed it and walk away having learned something new, too. One day, somebody asked me why I didn’t think about writing a book about AI, and I started to, but I took a pause to work on my doctoral studies, which also coincidentally focused on artificial intelligence and the need for professional development.Β 

I’m glad that I waited so that I could provide what I believe to be the best resource for educators of any level to build confidence and comfort in bringing AI into any classroom. The book revolves around providing educators with accessible and practical tools to teach AI. I’m thankful to have students who are willing to try new ideas, and I’m also happy that I’m able to take the time to explore different tools for educators so that the big concerns when it comes to things like ethics, for example, are made easier to have actionable steps to take in our practice but also to help our students to learn about ethics and the many issues and challenges that come with emerging technology especially.

β€˜β€¦I could provide what I believe to be the best resource for educators of any level to build confidence and comfort in bringing AI into any classroom.’ 

My Hope for Educators, What to Expect

My hope is that this book will be the one that educators feel they can pick up and find any idea for their work with students or colleagues, or if at an administrative level, that will help to guide them in their work with teachers and help them feel more confident in bringing AI to the classroom.Β 

So what can you expect from β€œHow To Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area”? The book provides an overview of what AI is and how it works, where we see it, why we need to know about it, the prediction for the future need for skills in these areas, and why educators need to understand it and be proactive and intentional about choosing how to leverage AI in our schools.Β 

In β€œHow To Teach AI,” I’ve done my best to help educators figure out how to go about doing this. There are seven chapters in the book, which progress from an overview of AI, the ethical implications of AI, the impact of AI in education and the world, and how to prepare ourselves and our students and the best practices to do so.Β 

The book includes a larger chapter focused on ethics with many resources for educators to explore and then dives into ways that educators can use a variety of tools to enhance their practice, increase productivity and efficiency, and, most importantly, help students become the creators and innovators and know how to ethically, safely and responsibly use the tools available.Β 

The book offers a lot of insight into actionable steps and some considerations when putting AI into the hands of our students. How can we shift from having conversations about AI to teaching students how to use it as an enhancer and not a replacement for their learning process? Finally, there are many resources available from organizations that are invested in providing educators with the current and essential materials they need to get started, including sample guidelines, policies, activities, and tools to use in the classroom.Β 

By incorporating guided instructions, example activities, and a variety of learning resources in the classroom, educators can create meaningful experiences that will best prepare students and themselves.

Why AI? Keeping it Relevant

In writing a book about AI, an area that is changing so rapidly, I was quite mindful of keeping it as evergreen as possible while yet offering suggestions for tools or resources to start in the classroom. A feature that I really love about this book is that I’ve created a QR code that readers can scan to find up-to-date resources as things happen, new features are added, tools change, articles come out, or news breaks. The QR code goes to a Wakelet, so if you’ve never heard of or used Wakelet, then now is your chance to learn another great tool for educators.

Why AI? Because it is all around us, and it is not going away. The World Economic Forum has AI and Big Data listed as number three on the Top Ten Skills Job Outlook for 2027. It is an area of tremendous interest, and with 7 years of experience in this area, I want to help other educators dive in, especially as we see it impacting education and the world faster than ever before.Β 

I’ve done countless trainings in my own school district, one-on-one, with large groups of the whole district. Over the years, I have traveled or done virtual workshops ranging from two to eight 8 hours, locally, nationally and nationally. I would love to work with more educators and help them to get started and of course, I’m going to keep learning myself. We can’t ever stop, and now with all of the increasing uses of AI in our work and, more importantly, in the world that we are preparing our students for, we have to know how to best provide opportunities to help them be successful.Β 

We have to teach them about protecting their data and being safe and secure when interacting online, especially with AI-powered systems. Many employers are seeking employees with skills in artificial intelligence, and educators beginning from preschool through 12th grade and onto higher education, need to provide learning experiences for all students. Β 

Connect with Me

Copies of the book are available via ISTE, Amazon, or through my website or book order form. I am scheduling AI training workshops with schools around the country, both in person and virtually. I also provide training on AI and the Law. You can connect with me via my socials or my contact form.Β 

Thank you to Victor Rivero for the opportunity to share my latest and ninth book, one that I am truly proud of. I am thankful for the whole ISTE team and some educators who contributed their own experiences, insights, and even cautions about bringing this powerful technology that we are still learning about into our classrooms.Β 

I hope that you will grab a copy of this book, share it with colleagues, and leave your feedback. Let me know what your thoughts are, what you tried, how it went, and, maybe most importantlyβ€”how I can improve and offer more support to you. Thank you.

β€”

Dr. Rachelle DenΓ© Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. She has more than seven years of teaching and presenting on AI in her classroom and working with educators worldwide. She is the author of nine books including her most recent β€œHow to Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area.” Connect with Rachelle viaΒ bit.ly/thriveineduPD See her books here: bit.ly/pothbooksΒ and find her writings here: www.Rdene915.com

The post How To Teach AI appeared first on EdTech Digest.

Hands at work

17 September 2024 at 21:38

Today is the release of Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.’s monograph Citizen Printer.Β 

In the foreword to the book, I write:

Kennedy’s work is evidence of the head, the heart, and the hands together at play. His is a physical process, done by a human body in time and space with the real materials of ink and chipboard and wood and machinery, pressing them all together into something new. In this digital age, it’s inspiring to see someone using their digits. Among the many images in this book that bring me joy, my favorite might be the photograph of his ink-stained hands… To hold a thing in my hands that he’s made with his hands makes me want to make things with my hands.

You can read the whole foreword in today’s newsletter, β€œA Man of Letters.”

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