Bill Gates Awards $7M Grant to Belgian Startup Using AI to Develop Climate-Resilient Crops
Belgian agtech startup Rainbow Crops received a $7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to scale its AI‑powered Trait Foundry platform. The technology combines multiplex genome editing, precision breeding and high‑throughput phenotyping to develop climate‑resilient varieties of corn, sorghum and rice. The funding will expand AI models, increase library generation, and accelerate delivery of drought‑ and heat‑tolerant traits for smallholder farmers. Success could help offset projected yield declines of up to 40 % in key staples under climate change.
An American Prophet of the Natural World
Terry Tempest Williams’s new book *The Glorians* continues the American nature‑writing tradition inaugurated by Emerson and Thoreau, proposing that profound meaning resides in the smallest, often‑overlooked encounters with the natural world. Drawing from her life in Utah’s desert and her...
Rising Voices: Contemporary Art From Asia, Australia and the Pacific to Open at the V&A
London’s V&A, in partnership with QAGOMA, will open the "Rising Voices" exhibition in May, showcasing more than 70 works by over 40 contemporary artists from 25 Asia‑Pacific countries. The show pulls from three decades of the Asia Pacific Triennial, presenting...
The Backcountry Skis Worth Your Turns
The article is a comprehensive guide to backcountry touring skis for the 2025‑2026 season, breaking down categories by waist width and explaining how length affects performance. It reviews ten standout models—from the lightweight Armada Locator 104 to the powder‑focused 4FRNT Renegade—detailing...
Parrtjima Festival’s Extraordinary 2026 Program Revealed
Parrtjima Festival returns to Alice Springs from 10‑19 April 2026 for its 11th edition, centering on the theme “Language.” The free, all‑ages event will showcase more than 36 First Nations artists and over 50 performers across light installations, workshops, music and storytelling....
Cultural Institutions in Beirut Suspend Operations Amid Escalating Conflict
Several major cultural venues in Beirut, including the Sursock Museum and Beirut Art Center, have halted public programming as the Israel‑Hezbollah confrontation intensifies. The conflict, sparked by Hezbollah’s March 1 rocket launch, prompted Israeli airstrikes that have killed at least 72...
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers Returns Toronto Film Critics Award, Says Support for Palestine Cut From Speech
Canadian actor‑filmmaker Elle‑Máijá Tailfeathers is returning her Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) award after the organization cut the portion of her acceptance video that expressed support for Palestine. TFCA president Johanna Schneller said the edit was for timing but announced...
The 50-Mile Floor
A seasoned trail runner suffers a rib fracture just weeks before a Boston‑qualifying marathon. Despite severe pain, she continues high‑volume training, opting to lower intensity but keep mileage in Zone 2. The essay reveals how running has become a mental‑health lifeline,...
Ursula’s Paddington Announces Closure in Late May
Chef‑owner Phil Wood announced that Ursula’s Paddington will close on Saturday 23 May as its lease expires. The colourful venue opened in 2021, blending Australian flair with European bistro style. Wood cited the growing difficulty of running a small independent restaurant...
Inside Niihau, Hawaii’s ‘Forbidden Island’ That Tourists Can Finally Visit
Niihau, Hawaii’s privately owned "Forbidden Island," has been closed to outsiders for over a century but now permits limited, helicopter‑only day tours. The Robinson family, who own the island and much of Kauai, strictly control visitor access, allowing only three‑hour...
New HIV Cure Approach Forces Hidden Virus Into Tripping Immune Sensor
Researchers have unveiled a novel HIV‑cure strategy that forces dormant virus particles to reveal themselves to the body’s innate immune system. The method employs a STING‑pathway agonist to coax latent proviruses into producing viral RNA, which then triggers a potent...
Mezcla Raises the Plant-Based Protein Bar with $9.5M in Series B Funding
New York‑based Mezcla closed a $9.5 million Series B round led by Bluestein Ventures to accelerate product development and broaden distribution. The funding brings total capital to $16.5 million and follows a 128 % compound annual growth rate since 2022. Mezcla’s plant‑based bars, built...
Plague and Panic in 1870s Wisconsin: Inside the Apocalyptic Western A Prayer for the Dying
"A Prayer for the Dying" is a 2026 apocalyptic western set in 1870 Wisconsin, adapted from Stewart O’Nan’s 1999 novel by writer‑director Dara Van Dusen. The film follows a physician (John C. Reilly) and a pastor‑veteran (Johnny Flynn) as diphtheria...
Lightbulb Moment: William Eggleston’s Alternate Reality
David Zwirner’s New York show spotlights William Eggleston’s 1973 “Untitled” photograph, a vivid blue‑hued counterpart to his iconic “Red Ceiling.” Both images were created with Eggleston’s signature dye‑transfer process, a labor‑intensive technique discontinued by Kodak in 1994. The article frames the blue...
The Carolyn Bessette Kennedy-Approved ’90s Boatneck Top Is Back
The 1990s‑inspired boatneck top is experiencing a comeback as minimalism resurfaces in spring fashion. Its wide, shallow neckline, once favored by icons like Audrey Hepburn and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, is now being reinterpreted by modern stars such as Hailey Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter. Designers and...
At Paris Fashion Week, Cher’s Alaïa Clueless Dress Returns
Belgian creative director Pieter Mulier closed his tenure at Azzedine Alaïa with a runway that paid homage to the label’s 1990s archive, spotlighting the iconic square‑necked dresses worn by Cher Horowitz in the film *Clueless*. The show featured modern reinterpretations...
Evan Mascagni & Joe Keith Bickett on the Myth, Injustice, and Legacy of The Cornbread Mafia: Podcast
Evan Mascagni’s documentary, debuting at SXSW, chronicles the Cornbread Mafia—a group of Kentucky farmers who turned to marijuana cultivation in the late 1970s. The film relies on extensive interviews with co‑founder Joe Keith Bickett to separate myth from reality, revealing a profit‑driven...
Arthur Team to Close Current Iteration After Seven Years Operating
Sydney’s Arthur restaurant announced it will close its current seven‑year iteration on 31 May, with a new restaurant and bar under the same name slated to open in July. The venue has built a reputation for a 100 % Australian set‑menu,...
Scientists Laud Potentially Life-Changing Drug for Children with Resistant Form of Epilepsy
Preliminary trials of Zorevunersen, an experimental therapy for Dravet syndrome, showed it is safe and well tolerated in 81 children. A single 70 mg dose reduced seizures by about 50%, and three doses cut seizures roughly 80% compared with baseline. The...
Woodford Reserve Just Unveiled Its Annual Kentucky Derby Bottle
Woodford Reserve has unveiled its 2026 Kentucky Derby bottle, featuring a new label designed by artist Anna Murphy titled “Dress to Impress, 152.” The limited‑edition bourbon, identical to the standard Woodford Reserve expression, will retail for $50 and hits shelves nationwide...
Mauve Is Spring’s Answer to Burgundy—Here's How to Wear It
Spring‑summer 2026 sees mauve emerge as the season’s answer to winter burgundy. Major houses such as Prada, Chloe and Valentino highlighted muted pinks and purples across runway looks and accessories. The trend encourages mixing mauve with classic neutrals—black, cream, chocolate...
Release Rundown: What to Watch in March, From “Undertone” To “André Is an Idiot”
Sundance’s March slate blends horror, documentary, and speculative fiction, featuring titles like the sound‑driven thriller *undertone*, the darkly comic end‑of‑life documentary *André is an Idiot*, and the post‑apocalyptic podcast drama *Didn’t Die*. The lineup also includes the macabre romance *Dead...
30-Minute Trail Workouts for Busy Days
Running enthusiasts often struggle to fit trail workouts into hectic schedules. The article outlines three 30‑minute routines—hill repeats, rolling tempo runs, and downhill control drills—that deliver strength, efficiency, and technique gains in brief sessions. Each workout includes a concise warm‑up,...
Are Your Cost-Cutting Initiatives Actually Saving You Money?
Food manufacturers are feeling a sharp cost squeeze, with 78% reporting a 13% average rise in per‑product expenses. Common cost‑cutting tactics—deferring maintenance, slashing training budgets, and postponing visibility investments—often generate hidden expenses that outweigh the intended savings. The article argues...
Yuval Sharon Reimagines the Canon
Yuval Sharon, famed for reimagining classic operas, will debut his production of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” at the Met next week, casting the mythic lovers as a contemporary couple. His two‑decade career includes staging “Götterdämmerung” in a Detroit parking garage...
2025 Clarkesworld Readers’ Poll Winners
The 2025 Clarkesworld Readers’ Poll results were released on March 4, 2026. Tia Tashiro’s “Missing Helen” won Best Short Story, H.H. Pak’s “Never Eaten Vegetables” took Best Novelette/Novella, and Alex Rommel’s “Landscape Painter” secured Best Cover. The poll reflects readers’...
Damon Albarn Confirms He’s Scoring Luca Guadagnino’s OpenAI Movie Artificial
Damon Albarn confirmed he is scoring Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film Artificial, a dramatization of OpenAI’s 2023 leadership crisis. In a Needle Drop interview Albarn argued that AI cannot replicate the soulful intuition behind artistic creation. The movie stars Andrew Garfield...
No Right Angles: The Polemical Architecture of Claude Parent
Claude Parent, once a disciple of Le Corbusier, forged a radical architectural language centered on the “Fonction Oblique,” which replaces orthogonal stability with inclined planes that demand bodily engagement. In the 1960s he co‑founded the avant‑garde group Architecture Principe with Paul Virilio, publishing manifestos...
Bedwetting & ADHD: What Parents Should Know About The Connection
Recent research highlights a strong link between ADHD and persistent bedwetting, with roughly 16% of children with ADHD experiencing nighttime enuresis beyond age six, compared to 4‑9% of the general pediatric population. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that ADHD‑related...
60-Foot Nazaré Monster ‘Absolutely Obliterates’ Alberto Truncer Before Rockside Rescue (Video)
Spanish surfer Alberto Truncer was towed into a 60‑foot wave at Nazaré, Portugal, and suffered a dramatic wipeout that left him underwater and near the dangerous rocks. He surfaced and was rescued by jet‑ski operator Dino Carmo while his brother...
2025 USTR Notorious Markets List Issued
The U.S. Trade Representative released its 2025 Notorious Markets List, spotlighting online and physical venues that facilitate large‑scale piracy and counterfeiting. The Association of American Publishers praised the report, emphasizing its role in protecting authors and publishers. The list again...
Rice Cheese May Be the Next Big Thing
University of Arkansas researchers have demonstrated that rice proteins can be extracted and incorporated into vegan cheese formulations, achieving roughly 12% protein content and closing a key nutritional gap in plant‑based cheeses. The study identified four protein fractions—albumin, globulin, glutelin...
Alessandro Cavagnola’s Core Workout: Smith Machine Leg Raises for Stronger Abs
Alessandro Cavagnola, a top‑ranked Men’s Physique competitor, is spotlighting the Smith‑machine incline leg raise to sharpen his core ahead of the 2026 Arnold Classic. He explains that the movement targets the transverse abdominis, obliques, rectus abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm and pelvic...
Alan Ritchson’s Brutal Real Ranger-Style Workouts Behind Netflix’s ‘War Machine’
Alan Ritchson immersed himself in authentic Ranger‑style training for Netflix’s upcoming sci‑fi action film *War Machine*. The production, shot in Victoria, Australia and New Zealand, required the actor to perform grueling pull‑ups, tire drags, mudslides and grade‑five rapids without CGI assistance....
Mundane, Magic, Maybe Both — a New Book Explores 'The Writer's Room'
Katie da Cunha Lewin’s new book, *The Writer’s Room*, investigates the fascination with writers’ personal spaces, from Lucille Clifton’s Baltimore home to Virginia Woolf’s Monk’s House. By touring preserved rooms and interviewing authors, Lewin reveals that the allure often masks a myth:...
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Rooted in the American West: Food, History and Culture
The special report series "Rooted in the American West" examines how the region’s landscapes, adventure culture, and historic legacies shape its identity. It highlights Yellowstone’s iconic vistas, record‑setting speed trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and the Rocky Mountains’ photographic...
How an Ottawa Run Club Became a Meeting Place for Diplomats
An informal running club for diplomats emerged in Ottawa after Polish embassy staff member Magdalena Pajewska connected with Lithuanian ambassador Darius Skusevicius. Their email invitation sparked over 20 participants at the first winter run, quickly expanding to about 60 members...
The Surprising Power Of Doubting Your Doubts For Boosting Confidence (M)
The article explores how deliberately questioning one’s own doubts can paradoxically boost confidence. By turning self‑skepticism into a reflective tool, readers learn to engage more deeply with personal goals. The technique leverages cognitive reappraisal to transform uncertainty into motivation, offering...
A Vital Neighborhood Coffee Pop-Up Opens a Bricks-and-Mortar in Altadena
Bevel Coffee, a former pop‑up, opened its first permanent 600‑sq‑ft storefront on Allen Avenue in Altadena. Owner Kevin Mejia serves a Honduran‑Ethiopian espresso blend roasted in his garage, alongside matcha lattes, loose‑leaf teas, and pastries from Bakers Kneaded. The opening...
Pedernales Falls Is a Force of Nature
Pedernales Falls State Park, a 5,212‑acre preserve opened in 1971, has been a family recreation hub for the author since moving to Dripping Springs. The park sits amid the rapidly expanding Texas Hill Country, where only 5% of land is...
Complex and Disney’s BLACKPINK Capsule Collection Designed by Bobby Kim: How To Buy
Complex, Disney, and K‑pop powerhouse BLACKPINK have launched a limited‑edition capsule collection designed by Disney’s Global Creative Director Bobby Kim. The drop, featuring punk‑inspired tees, sweatshirts, accessories and exclusive member photocards, goes live on March 5 at 9 a.m. PST exclusively on Complex.com....
REEB Launches Two New Steel Hardtails for 2026
REEB Cycles marks its 15th anniversary by unveiling two new steel hardtail frames for the 2026 model year: the American‑made Re:Dikyelous and the Taiwan‑built Hall Pass. Both bikes share aggressive trail geometry, a 130 mm fork, 65.5° head angle and innovative...
If We Want a Fairer Creative Industry, We Need to Redesign the Doorway
Junior creative Lola Delafuente highlights the stark gap between university training and the realities of agency work, noting that academic portfolios lack commercial context. She argues that unpaid placements and low entry‑level pay filter out diverse talent, especially women, and...
Serpentine’s Kostas Stasinopoulos to Helm Greece’s Forthcoming Kyklos
London’s Serpentine curator Kostas Stasinopoulos has been named director of exhibitions and programs for Kyklos, a new art and culture centre slated to open in Piraeus in 2028. Kyklos, funded by the Dinos and Lia Martinos Foundation, will be Greece’s...
2026 Must Read Books Award Winners
The 2026 Must Read Books Award, formerly the Dell Magazines Award, recognized Sophia Aki Kawamura’s short story “From Upstream” as the winner, granting her a $500 prize, a plaque, and publication in Asimov’s. Runner‑up honors went to Emma Kerkman, Jadyn...
Transition Spur V2: Built for Race Day—And Every Other Day
Transition has launched the Spur V2, a cross‑country bike that blends race‑day speed with down‑country capability. The new model adds 130 mm front travel via a Fox 34 Float SL fork and retains 120 mm rear travel with a geo‑adjustable shock for fine‑tuned...
Ask an Expert: Garden Design Q&A with Susan Calhoun
FineGardening.com is hosting a one‑hour live webinar on March 27 at noon EST featuring award‑winning landscape designer Susan Calhoun. With 25 years of experience, Calhoun will walk participants through tackling design challenges, achieving visual balance, and planning gardens for year‑round...
Gut Bacteria Rewire Fat Tissue to Burn More Energy
Researchers from Keio University, the Broad Institute and City of Hope reported that a low‑protein diet combined with four specific gut bacterial strains converts white adipocytes into energy‑burning beige fat in mice. The microbiota‑driven transformation boosted beige fat levels, improved...
LATAM Airlines Soars with Costa Brazil Amenity Kits, Facilitated by WESSCO
In December 2025 LATAM Airlines introduced the Altitude Collection, a series of six collectible amenity kits created with Brazilian brand Costa Brazil and executed by WESSCO International. The kits draw on South America’s diverse landscapes, using vegan, Amazon‑sourced ingredients and...
Jetboil TrailCook Review: A Mini Stove for Big Upgrades in the Backcountry Kitchen
Jetboil’s new TrailCook stove adds precision fuel control and a stable, fold‑into‑pot design, delivering a two‑minute boil while handling fresh ingredients. Tested on a canoe trip in Maine and at a backyard campsite, the 1.2‑liter model proved stable on uneven...