A rain shower yesterday afternoon with crepuscular rays filtering through the mist (Photo: Sicco Rood).

The sophistication of AI friends is growing. The next version of ChatGPT will be able to act “more humanlike” and “like a friend” and will also allow “erotica” for verified adults, according to Sam Altman, OpenAI’s boss

"Accountability in Government Use of AI: Citizen Concerns and Preferences" by Naikang Feng & Yanto Chandra answers the question about how ordinary citizens perceive accountability policies in government AI use. doi.org/10.1111/padm...

Now available! This Columbia University Earth Institute Sustainability Primer, DISASTERS AND DEVELOPMENT, will be useful for undergraduate and graduate courses, and it is relevant and accessible to practitioners and other interested readers. buff.ly/CYDBmsM #NaturalDisasters @climate.columbia.edu

The loading-the-dishwasher struggle is real. Even—or especially—for the $20,000 1X Neo humanoid home robot. 🔗: on.wsj.com/47whlZ1

Japón inaugura el primer centro de datos 100% libre de emisiones que funciona con nieve, viento y energía solar. ecoinventos.com/japon-inaugu...

Older technologies have aided and perhaps enfeebled writers. “But with A.I. we’re so thoroughly able to outsource our thinking that it makes us more average, too,” Kyle Chayka writes.

A psychotherapist decided to treat ChatGPT as if it were his patient. The experience left him “alternately gratified and horrified,” and, above all, unable to pull himself away.

🏢 Empresas | 🌟 CloudHQ destinará $4,800M a 6 centros de datos en Querétaro. 7,200 empleos en el sector de IA 📈 www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/8-c...

Volume 7, Issue 1 of the Occasional Paper Series #SICA_OPS is published! This volume compiles research and practitioner insights focused on policy responses and governance challenges during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia. Read it here: www.sicaaspa.org/view-all-iss...

Beyond the risk of drowning, floodwaters are often full of sewage, medical waste, industrial chemicals and more. And even after the storm is over, many hazards can remain. Here's what to know.

🔴 Política | CDMX activa Alerta Roja por intensas lluvias y granizo: afectaciones y cierres en transporte. www.eleconomista.com.mx/politica/cdm...

At Alpha School in Austin, Texas, students spend just two hours a day on academics, led by artificial intelligence tools. The remaining hours rely on A.I. and an adult “guide” to develop other skills. New Alpha schools are set to open in about a dozen cities this fall. nyti.ms/3UuHfGC

For common allergens, such as pollen and dust mites, immunotherapy—in the form of drops, shots or tablets—is now highly effective for most people. Progress has been slower for food allergies, but that is changing

🚨 As Central Texas continues to process the flooding devastation and loss of life and property, please consider donating to the vetted organizations listed in the screenshots as well as those listed in the Austin American Statesman. 👉🏽 www.statesman.com/story/news/s...

📱¿Necesitamos una nueva app de mensajería? Parecería que no, pues ya tenemos varias opciones como WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, etc. Sin embargo, eso podría cambiar con Bit Chat, el nuevo experimento de Jack Dorsey. @animalmx.bsky.social te cuenta más detalles.

Here's how you can help those impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Texas Hill Country, along with safety tips for dealing with flood warnings and what to do when you encounter flood waters.

🤖 At #ASPA2025, Dr. Samanta Varela Castro reflected on robots as socio-technical actors in public space. How do form, movement & interface shape public trust? Tensions between street-level bureaucracy & spatial organizing raise key questions on ethics, design & discretion. #HRI #PublicAdmin

Has A.I. become a part of your daily work routines, or helped you with a breakthrough? We want to know what it assists you with and if it has failed you in some way. Let us know in this form.

#ArteEIdeas | Estados Unidos decidió este lunes reforzar la protección federal de todas las especies de pangolines, los únicos mamíferos de piel escamosa y los que sufren más tráfico ilegal en el mundo. 🇺🇸🦔

When fires swept through Altadena and Pacific Palisades, they didn’t just destroy homes — they hit water systems too. Small utilities are struggling to rebuild, and rates may rise without more support. @ianjames.bsky.social for @latimes.com: www.latimes.com/environment/...

🧠Con el desarrollo de la Inteligencia Artificial, algunas personas optan por utilizar a chatbots como psicólogos. No obstante, especialistas consideran que estos programas informáticos son "terapeutas inexpertos". Vía BBC Mundo.

👩‍🌾#HoyEnAnimal | Agricultores y productores de Mexicali, Baja California, emplean prácticas sostenibles para conservar el río Colorado. Los campesinos utilizan el cauce de manera eficiente y siembran ciertas especies para contrarrestar la crisis hídrica.

Sunburns not only increase your risk of skin cancer but also increase your risk of heat-related illness and dehydration. On #DontFryDay, learn how to protect your skin by finding shade and wearing protective clothing. Learn more: bit.ly/3Vhzzcc #HeatSafety #NIHHIS

Just out and OA in Policy Design & Practice: "Educating for uncertainty: Integrating abductive reasoning into the public policy curriculum" by M Ramesh & Michael Howlett @howlettm www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

🚀 PATNet 2025 is going METAVERSE! 🎮 Panels, poker, Tetris, & beachside networking—where theory gets playful. 🧠 Public Administration & Democracy’s Promise 📅 June 12–15, 2025 | 📍 In the Metaverse 🎥 Featuring @poojapaswan.bsky.social (Chair), Nuri (EIC ATP), & Edgar 🔗 Register + teaser inside!

¿Qué nos invita a interactuar con un #robot en un espacio público y qué nos preocupa? Estaré en una clase abierta para Escuela de Gobierno Uniandes con el Profesor Juan David Gutiérrez el 6 de mayo a las 6pm hora Bogotá. Aquí la liga: lnkd.in/g-_5nUY3

In Idaho and elsewhere insurance companies are ending coverage in high-risk areas, leaving many without coverage as wildfire season approaches www.yahoo.com/news/homeown...

📣 How can keywords help you assess the impact of scientific publications? Find out in Part 2 of @altmetric.com's webinar series with Ashraf Maleki (University of Turku) @utu.fi Discover citation & altmetrics trends and topics driving attention. 🔗 Register now: www.altmetric.com/event/keywor...

These past few days have been very rewarding. Visiting Washington, D.C. for the first time was an unforgettable experience—the city's iconic monuments left me inspired and admiring the history of this great country. #SoHappy

Great research at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. They are understanding adaptive strategies plants use to thrive, despite grazing and fire.

C. M. Radaelli explores ToPP's impact on EU policy research and advocates its integration with theories on implementation, evaluation, and governance, in the upcoming SI, guest-edited by C. Weible. #PolicyStudies #policyprocess #publicpolicy #polisci onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Aquí la perspectiva actual de política pública sobre desastres en México youtube.com/watch?v=MAJz...

An interesting piece on research storytelling. medium.com/@munasabiha/...

#Internacionales | 🇨🇱 Chile declara estado de emergencia preventivo por riesgo de incendios. 🌡️ Las temperaturas extremas amenazan las regiones de Maule y Ñuble.

#ArteEIdeas | 📅 ¡Celebremos el Día Nacional del Ajolote! Un día para proteger a este emblemático anfibio mexicano. 🦎 🇲🇽

AI companions are on the rise, but what are the possible long-term effects on people and society? @jamiebernardi.bsky.social examines the potential benefits and risks - both individual and systemic - of this type of AI service. www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/blog/ai-comp...

Cascading disaster : While firefighters begin containing the Los Angeles wildfires, the land left behind is at a higher risk of floods and debris flows www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/c...

Award opportunities

No one covers Austin’s Latino community and cultura like the amazing Austin Vida team. Help them continue their mission of amplifying Latinidad in the capital city and unlock triple matching funds by donating before the end of year! austinvida.com/support-us/?...

During extreme weather like the #QuadStateTornado, people with disabilities may miss warnings or struggle to get out of harm’s way. This #WeatherReady dataset takes stock of those difficulties to develop more inclusive disaster planning: bit.ly/3DixTbD

My article with Kate Parizeau, "Doubly Engaged Ethnography: Opportunities and Challenges When Working With Vulnerable Communities" (#Free2DownloadAndRead) has 28 citations in 2024 alone. So grateful that you cite our work AND that it's useful to you all. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

We're seeking great ideas for the 2025 Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop. The submission form is LIVE: bit.ly/3VJeaIp

Sanidad y las comunidades aprueban la creación de una nueva figura, el “administrativo de salud”, cuya principal función será liberar tiempo para que el personal médico y de enfermería puedan dedicárselo a los enfermos

You probably know “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” a highlight of “The Nutcracker” and a holiday staple. Listen to how Tchaikovsky used the celesta, which in 1892 had recently been invented, to signal playfulness and fantasy as he unleashed the potential of the new instrument. nyti.ms/3ZXs9gy

New Cambridge Element of Public Policy - "Policy Entrepreneurs, Crises, and Policy Change" by Evangelia Petridou, Jörgen Sparf, Nikolaos Zahariadis and Thomas Birkland. Open Access at cup.org/4iLSxkX

#ArteEIdeas | "Cien años de soledad": la obra maestra de la literatura latinoamericana llega a televisión. 📖📺

Wow. The magnificently restored interior of the Notre-Dame Cathedral