All posts tagged: enhanced

UNESCO Grants ‘Provisional Enhanced Protection’ to Ukrainian Sites

UNESCO Grants ‘Provisional Enhanced Protection’ to Ukrainian Sites

Published by skeptic

UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations, has granted “provisional enhanced protection” to two Ukrainian heritage sites, the Odessa Literary Museum and the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babyn Yar, as the Russia’s war on Ukraine approaches its three-year anniversary. One of the cultural properties, National Historical Memorial Reserve Babyn Yar in Kyviv, honors the more than 33,000 Jews, as well as Roma and Soviet prisoners, killed by the Nazis in a two-day massacre in 1941. In March of 2022, a Russian projectile hit close to the site, killing five people. A monument to Holocaust victims was not directly struck, but a nearby building the center planned to use for a new museum was damaged. Related Articles “Cultural property under the enhanced protection of UNESCO benefits from the highest level of immunity from attack and use for military purposes. Non-compliance with these clauses would constitute a ‘serious violation’ of the 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, opening the possibility of prosecution,” UNESCO said in a statement. In February of this year, UNESCO reported that 341 …

Google Home Is Now Enhanced With the Power of AI

Google Home Is Now Enhanced With the Power of AI

Published by skeptic

Google’s Gemini AI model is great to use as a chatbot, but the company aims to roll it out to other devices to perform different jobs. Now, the tech giant is rolling out its powerful AI tool to Google Home, where the assistant can help you get even more out of your devices. Google Adds AI Camera Search to the Home App Google Beforehand, Google Home cameras could only identify people, motion, and packages left on doorsteps. While this was pretty impressive by itself, the new Gemini integration allows your cameras to understand better what it’s seeing. Google gives an example where it can tell “whether your dog is napping peacefully or digging up your prize-winning petunias.” Because Gemini understands what’s going on, you can ask it questions about what happened during the day. The given examples include “Did the kids play in the backyard this afternoon?” and “Was a delivery truck here today?” Google Gemini’s LLM can understand what you’re saying, get the context, then search its database for anything that matches your query. …

Commentary: How much will enhanced enforcement stamp out vaping in Singapore?

Commentary: How much will enhanced enforcement stamp out vaping in Singapore?

Published by Sam

WOULD A CRACKDOWN STOP VAPERS FROM SEEKING HELP? Some smoking cessation counsellors have shared that their clients are evasive about their vaping habits, given that it’s against the law. One can imagine that strengthened enforcement efforts may make vapers wary of seeking help. However, the Ministry of Health stated in 2022 that persons who wish to quit vaping will not be penalised when they seek professional help or participate in cessation programmes. In my experience, clients come to me wanting to quit vaping not because it is illegal, but because of long-term costs and health issues, among others. These reasons seem to outweigh the worry of getting caught. Another potential ramification of a clampdown on vapes is that vapers may switch to cigarettes instead, which are legal for those aged 21 and above. Considering that some vapers end up consuming more nicotine when vaping than smoking cigarettes, from the perspective of addiction, they might actually be reducing their dependence on nicotine. However, some health authorities such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

Cannabis use linked to enhanced ability to understand others’ emotions

Cannabis use linked to enhanced ability to understand others’ emotions

Published by José

A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research offers an intriguing perspective on the effects of regular cannabis use. Contrary to the commonly held view that cannabis has primarily negative impacts on mental health and behavior, the study suggests that regular cannabis users may have a heightened ability to understand the emotions of others. This enhanced empathetic ability is linked to increased connectivity within certain brain regions, particularly the anterior cingulate cortex, a key area involved in processing empathy. Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, yet its impact on mental health and cognitive functions remains a subject of contentious debate. Traditional research predominantly highlights the negative consequences associated with cannabis use, particularly its potential to impair cognitive functions and contribute to mental health issues. These studies often focus on how cannabis interacts with brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, which is known to have a high density of cannabinoid receptors and plays a significant role in cognitive processes such as decision making and emotion regulation. However, emerging …

Who really wins if the Enhanced Games go ahead? – podcast | Science

Who really wins if the Enhanced Games go ahead? – podcast | Science

Published by skeptic

Billed as a rival to the Olympic Games, the Enhanced Games, set to take place in 2025, is a sporting event with a difference; athletes will be allowed to dope. Ian Sample talks to chief sports writer Barney Ronay about where the idea came from and how it’s being sold as an anti-establishment underdog, and to Dr Peter Angell about what these usually banned substances are, and what they could do to athletes’ bodies How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know Source link

Study identifies key factors linked to enhanced relationship satisfaction among new parents

Study identifies key factors linked to enhanced relationship satisfaction among new parents

Published by José

Recent findings, published in the journal Mindfulness, provide insight into how parental couples can navigate the complexities of their relationship, especially when one or both partners have experienced childhood trauma. The study suggests that being mindful of one’s feelings and facing emotions head-on, rather than avoiding them, are crucial factors in fostering a satisfying and meaningful relationship among parents. A fulfilling romantic relationship plays a critical role in an individual’s overall well-being. However, the arrival of a child, while a source of immense joy, often brings with it a decline in relationship satisfaction for many couples. This phenomenon, reported by up to 90% of parental couples, can have far-reaching consequences, not just for the parents but also for the child’s socio-affective development. The new study dives into this complex issue by focusing on a specific group: couples where one or both partners have experienced childhood interpersonal trauma, such as sexual abuse or exposure to violence. Such traumatic experiences can have long-lasting effects, influencing not just individual mental health but also the dynamics of the most …

Google reportedly considers paywall for enhanced AI-powered search capabilities

Google reportedly considers paywall for enhanced AI-powered search capabilities

Published by skeptic

Google is exploring the idea of introducing “premium” features powered by generative AI to its search engine. This potential shift, as per The Financial Times, marks the first time Google would place AI-generated elements of its core search functionality behind a paywall, signaling a significant pivot from its traditional ad-supported model. For nearly two decades, Google has dominated the search engine market, providing free access to information while generating revenue through advertisements. However, the advent of generative AI technologies, epitomized by the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has prompted Google to reconsider its strategy. ChatGPT’s ability to deliver concise, complete answers poses a direct challenge to the conventional search engine format, which relies on directing users to external websites, including those of advertisers. Google’s response to this competitive pressure has been twofold. The company began testing an AI-powered search service that offers more detailed answers to user queries while maintaining the traditional model of presenting links and advertisements. This “Search Generative Experience” (SGE), still in an experimental phase, leverages AI to provide “AI-powered snapshots” of information, …

Oxford researchers call for enhanced AI ethics for children

Oxford researchers call for enhanced AI ethics for children

Published by skeptic

University of Oxford researchers are urging developers and policymakers to consider children when developing AI ethics. Experts from the Oxford Martin Programme on Ethical Web and Data Architectures (EWADA) have emphasised the necessity for a more nuanced approach towards integrating ethical AI principles in the development and governance of AI systems tailored for children. Their insights, published in a perspective paper in Nature Machine Intelligence, underscore a crucial gap between high-level AI ethics and their practical application in children’s contexts. Dr Jun Zhao, Oxford Martin Fellow, Senior Researcher at the University’s Department of Computer Science, and lead author of the paper, said: “The incorporation of AI in children’s lives and our society is inevitable. “While there are increased debates about who should ensure technologies are responsible and ethical, a substantial proportion of such burdens falls on parents and children to navigate this complex landscape.’ “This perspective article examined existing global AI ethics principles and identified crucial gaps and future development directions. These insights are critical for guiding our industries and policymakers. “We hope this research …

Kate’s pic of queen, grandkids ‘enhanced,’ Getty says

Kate’s pic of queen, grandkids ‘enhanced,’ Getty says

Published by skeptic

Catherine’s amateur photographer skills are being further scrutinized in the wake of her Mother’s Day portrait debacle. Now, another photo she shot is being called into question and it’s apparently prompting Getty Images to review its handout photo policy. On Monday, Getty Images released a statement saying that a photo of Queen Elizabeth II and 10 of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren — said to be shot by the Princess of Wales — was “digitally enhanced.” The image, posted in April 2023 on the Wales’ joint Instagram account on what would have been Elizabeth’s 97th birthday, featured the late queen seated on a sofa and flanked by her heirs. The photo was said to have been taken at her Balmoral estate in Scotland in summer 2022. “Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor’s note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source,” a spokesperson for the agency told the Telegraph. The Telegraph also noted “several inconsistencies” within the image, including a mismatched pattern on a portion of …

Photo of Queen Elizabeth II and family was enhanced at source, agency says | Monarchy

Photo of Queen Elizabeth II and family was enhanced at source, agency says | Monarchy

Published by skeptic

A second photograph of members of the royal family has been flagged by a global picture agency after it was discovered to have been “digitally enhanced at source”. Earlier this month, five international picture agencies that initially distributed an image of the Princess of Wales to mark Mother’s Day issued so-called “kill” notices to withdraw it, sparking a huge wave of commentary, speculation and even conspiracy theories. On Wednesday, Getty Images had annotated a second photo, taken at Balmoral in August 2022 and released by Buckingham Palace on 21 April last year to mark what would have been the late queen’s 97th birthday, with guidance over its authenticity. It shows Elizabeth surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A spokesperson for Getty said: “Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor’s note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source.” Among the discrepancies , some of which were flagged by the Observer on Sunday, are a vertical line where the tartan of the late queen’s skirt does not …