TechCrunch: Retro Biosciences, backed by Sam Altman, is raising $1 billion to extend human lifespan
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is doubling down on Retro Biosciences, a biotech startup based in San Francisco that wants humans to live 10 years longer than what it calls a healthy human lifespan.
Altman previously provided Retro Biosciences’ entire seed round of $180 million. Now, the startup is raising a $1 billion Series A that Altman is joining, the Financial Times reports.
NYT: Spirit Airlines Will Prohibit ‘Offensive’ Tattoos and Revealing Clothing
The airline recently updated its policies to explicitly outline unacceptable passenger attire and appearance, going beyond the vague policies held by most other airlines. In its contract of carriage, which is a legal document outlining airline and passenger responsibilities, Spirit says “a guest shall not be permitted to board the aircraft or may be required to leave an aircraft” if the passenger is “inadequately clothed” or “whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene or offensive in nature.”
Inadequately clothed is now defined — having breasts, buttocks or other private parts exposed, or wearing sheer apparel. But what exactly is an offensive tattoo is unclear.
Slashdot: Ultra-Fast Cancer Treatments Could Replace Conventional Radiotherapy
CERN’s particle accelerator is being used in a pioneering cancer treatment called Flash radiotherapy. This method delivers ultra-high radiation doses in less than a second, minimizes side effects while targeting tumors more effectively than conventional radiotherapy. The BBC reports:
In a series of vast underground caverns on the outskirts of Geneva, Switzerland, experiments are taking place which may one day lead to new generation of radiotherapy machines. The hope is that these devices could make it possible to cure complex brain tumors (PDF), eliminate cancers that have metastasized to distant organs, and generally limit the toll which cancer treatment exerts on the human body. The home of these experiments is the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (Cern), best known to the world as the particle physics hub that developed the Large Hadron Collider, a 27 kilometer (16.7 mile)-long ring of superconducting magnets capable of accelerating particles to near the speed of light.
CBC: Avalanche deal Mikko Rantanen to Hurricanes in 3-team trade
Hurricanes also acquire Taylor Hall from Chicago, send Jack Drury and Martin Necas to Avs.
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Hall, 33, was the No. 1 overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010 and won the Hart Trophy (league MVP) after posting a career-high 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) with the New Jersey Devils in 2017-18. In 46 games with Chicago this season, the 15-year veteran has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists).
Over 878 games with the Oilers (2010-11 to 2015-16), Devils (2016-17 to 2019-2020), Arizona Coyotes (2019-20), Buffalo Sabres (2020-21), Boston Bruins (2020-21 to 2022-23) and Chicago (2023-24 to present), Hall has 721 points (275 goals, 446 assists).
I wonder why he has been moved around so much?
Kickstarter: Pixelfed & Loops: Authentic Sharing, Reimagined
We currently have four projects to showcase for 2025:
- Pixelfed is our flagship & challenger for Instagram, and other photo based platforms.
- Loops is a challenger for Tiktok, and other video based platforms.
- Sup is a challenger for WhatsApp/Snapchat, and other instant message platforms.
- Pubkit is the essential ActivityPub toolset for developers building new online experiences in the fediverse.
via Manton
BBC: WH Smith in talks to sell high street stores
WH Smith is in talks to sell its high street stores, the British retailer has said.
The firm said that it was “exploring potential strategic options for this profitable and cash-generative part of the group, including a possible sale” in a statement on Saturday.
It went on to say that over the past decade, the business had become “a focused global travel retailer”, with its travel arm having more than 1,200 stores across 32 countries.
The announcement comes amid a difficult economic outlook for high street retailers and following years of unfavourable consumer sentiment towards the chain.
Sounds like Amazon isn’t the problem.
Stuff: I’ve travelled the world: This is the best flight I’ve ever taken
Auckland to New York, John F. Kennedy International Airport. It’s one of the top 10 longest commercial flights in the world by distance at a whopping 14,207 kilometres. Qantas flies five to six direct services a week on the route, the most of any carrier.
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Qantas flies five to six times a week direct from Auckland to New York. Prices start from around $7250 one way. See: qantas.com
Carbon footprint: Flying generates carbon emissions. To reduce your impact, consider other ways of travelling, amalgamate your trips, and when you need to fly, consider offsetting emissions.
The writer’s trip was supported by Qantas.
Geeky Gadgets: iPhone Battery Health Plummeting in iOS 18: Here’s Why!
The release of iOS 18 has brought about significant changes in how iPhone battery health is monitored and reported, causing concern among users, particularly those with the iPhone 15 series. Many have noticed rapid drops in their battery health percentages following the update, leading to speculation about potential issues with the new software. However, these changes are primarily due to improvements in the accuracy of battery health recalibration rather than a sudden increase in battery degradation. The video below from Daniel About Tech gives us more details about battery health on the iPhone in iOS 18.
NYT: Why Are Buffalo Bills Fans Giving to the Charity of a Ravens Player?
A charitable drive for diabetes research in the name of the Ravens receiver Mark Andrews, who missed a pivotal play in a game against the Buffalo Bills, has raised more than $120,000.
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Andrews pricks his finger 30 times a game to check his blood sugar and uses an insulin pump. “Type 1 diabetes is incredibly difficult, but I refuse to let it affect my job or my life in any way,” he said in an article on the website of the UMass Chan Medical School.
Last Updated: 25.Jan.2025 23:57 EST
