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‘Return’ of the Dire Wolf Is an Impressive Feat of Genetic Engineering, Not a Reversal of Extinction
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‘Return’ of the Dire Wolf Is an Impressive Feat of Genetic Engineering, Not a Reversal of Extinction

Dallas-based biotech company Colossal has announced the birth of three pups bearing the DNA signatures of dire wolves, an iconic predator last seen roaming North America over 10,000 years ago. With their names Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi, these pups are playing to the cultural imagination, blending ancient mythology with fantasy fiction. Romulus and Remus nod...

A Running Timeline of Fashion, Luxury Funding and M&A
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A Running Timeline of Fashion, Luxury Funding and M&A

M&A and investment activity continues to dominate the fashion and luxury industries, with a rise in deal volume driven by ongoing consolidation, digital acceleration, and rising pressure on margins. From strategic acquisitions to tech-driven funding rounds, the landscape is increasingly shaped by players aiming to future-proof their operations and expand global reach. Big-name deals over...

Carmen Reimagined: A Revolutionary Spirit Takes the Stage in Miami
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Carmen Reimagined: A Revolutionary Spirit Takes the Stage in Miami

This April, Carmen returns to South Florida—not with the sultry flourish of a familiar femme fatale, but as a fierce freedom fighter in the heart of the Spanish Civil War. In a bold new interpretation by French-born director Maria Todaro, Florida Grand Opera’s production reframes Bizet’s iconic opera as a searing reflection on resilience, rebellion,...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Continues to Completely Miss the Point With AI Art
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Continues to Completely Miss the Point With AI Art

Last month, OpenAI launched a new AI image generator, powered by its GPT-4o model, by showing off its ability to turn any image into one inspired by iconic Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli. The new functionality quickly kicked off a viral trend that had everyone from the White House to Israel Defense Forces Ghibli-fying images. It also kicked off a major public backlash,...

France to Return Human Remains to Madagascar in Historic Repatriation
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France to Return Human Remains to Madagascar in Historic Repatriation

France will repatriate the skulls of King Toera and two Sakalava warriors to Madagascar, marking the first return of human remains under a new French law passed in 2023. The remains, which were taken during France’s colonization of the island in 1897, have been held for more than a century in Paris’s Natural History Museum. The decision was...

Painter Amy Sherald asks: What is American?
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Painter Amy Sherald asks: What is American?

A decade ago, Amy Sherald was still struggling to make her mark. But even before she was commissioned to paint former First Lady Michelle Obama’s portrait, she knew she’d have a major museum retrospective some day, and she came up with its title: American Sublime. That dream has now come true. This week, the Whitney Museum of...

Why You Should Think Twice Before Using Shorthand Like ‘ thx’ and ‘k’ in Your Texts
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Why You Should Think Twice Before Using Shorthand Like ‘ thx’ and ‘k’ in Your Texts

My brother’s text messages can read like fragments of an ancient code: “hru,” “wyd,” “plz” – truncated, cryptic and never quite satisfying to receive. I’ll often find myself second-guessing whether “gr8” means actual excitement or whether it’s a perfunctory nod. This oddity has nagged at me for years, so I eventually embarked upon a series...

Cities That Want to Attract Business Might Want to Focus Less on Financial Incentives and More on Making People Feel Safe
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Cities That Want to Attract Business Might Want to Focus Less on Financial Incentives and More on Making People Feel Safe

To attract business investment, American cities and states offer companies billions of dollars in incentives, such as tax credits. As the theory goes, when governments create a business-friendly environment, it encourages investment, leading to job creation and economic growth. While this theory may seem logical on its face, it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation....