Extremely rare piebald robin spotted in Pittsburgh park
Pittsburgh park rangers shared photos last week of a piebald robin that's all the talk around Riverview Park.
The park rangers explained that the robin, which still has a red breast but has black and white speckled feathers, has a genetic condition called leucism, meaning some cells lack pigment and others don't.
What is leucism?
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, full leucism happens when there's a reduction in all types of pigment, making an animal appear paler than normal. Partial leucism results in irregular patches of white, a pattern that is often called "pied" or "piebald."
Leucism is different than albinism, which is a genetic mutation that interferes with the production of the pigment melanin. Pittsburgh park rangers say albino animals have red or pink eyes, while animals with leucism still have color in their eyes.
"This does not hurt the bird, except that it doesn't blend in with its environment as easily as it would otherwise," Pittsburgh park rangers explained.
How rare is leucism?
The park rangers say only 1 in 30,000 birds have leucism, "so this splotchy robin is pretty rare and special!"
It's not the first piebald animal to be spotted in the Pittsburgh area. Last fall, a wildlife camera in Western Pennsylvania captured video of a piebald deer, which was both brown and white. The Pennsylvania Game Commission said piebald deer are reported at rates well under 1% of the population.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
30 minutes ago
- Associated Press
GeoVax Highlights Critical Role of Multi-Antigen COVID-19 Vaccines as Nimbus Variant Underscores Persistent and Evolving Public Health Threat
With COVID-19 continuing to mutate and over 40 million immunocompromised Americans still at risk, GeoVax's GEO-CM04S1 vaccine offers potential broader, more durable protection through a unique multi-antigen approach ATLANTA, GA - July 3, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing multi-antigen vaccines and immunotherapies, today emphasized the urgent need for innovation in COVID-19 vaccination as the NB.1.8.1 variant - commonly known as 'Nimbus' - spreads rapidly across the globe. Nimbus, a highly transmissible Omicron subvariant classified by the World Health Organization as a 'Variant Under Monitoring,' is now dominant in multiple U.S. states and surging across Europe and Asia. Though not more severe, its rapid spread and potential for immune escape reflect an increasingly clear reality: COVID-19 is not going away, and it will continue to evolve. 'The emergence of the Nimbus variant is a stark reminder that we need 'smarter' vaccines, not just newer ones,' said David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax. 'Our GEO-CM04S1 vaccine was designed for this purpose and is built to potentially provide broader and longer-lasting protection, especially for the immunocompromised patients most at risk.' GEO-CM04S1: Multi-Antigen Protection for the Immunocompromised Unlike mRNA vaccines that rely solely on the Spike protein, GEO-CM04S1 delivers both Spike (S) and Nucleocapsid (N) antigens, stimulating an immune response that includes not only an antibody response, but also robust T-cell activity. This is believed to be critical for cross-variant protection and extended durability, particularly in individuals with weakened immune systems. GEO-CM04S1 is currently being evaluated in two Phase 2 clinical trials, focused on populations at greatest risk from COVID-19 complications, including blood cancer patients scheduled to receive stem cell transplant therapy. In one of the ongoing Phase 2 trials, the mRNA control arm was discontinued due to poor immunogenicity with the remainder of the trial only including GEO-CM04S1 which surpassed the immunogenicity target, reinforcing the limitations of monovalent vaccines and the important value of a multi-antigen vaccine approach in such high-risk patient populations. 'There are more than 40 million immunocompromised individuals in the U.S. alone,' said Dodd. 'They are underserved by the current, FDA-approved vaccine options that deliver only an antibody response and require a better solution with both breadth and longevity of protection.' Public Vaccine Policy and Regulatory Changes Support Platform Diversification Recent guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls for diversified vaccine platforms and risk-based regulatory pathways. Additionally, the CDC's narrowed 2025–2026 booster recommendations - now focused on adults 65+ and immunocompromised individuals - closely mirror GeoVax's clinical strategy and target population. GEO-CM04S1 has been proposed under BARDA's Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV) for surge manufacturing support and integration into long-term public health preparedness efforts. The proposal, 'Innovation in Clinical Manufacturing of MVA-Vectored COVID-19 Vaccines', was selected by the RRPV, pending funding availability. 'As public health moves toward more targeted, durable, and inclusive vaccination strategies, GEO-CM04S1 is positioned to deliver where first generation COVID-19 vaccines fall short,' Dodd added. In addition to targeting today's variants, GEO-CM04S1 is structurally designed to adapt to future mutations and serve as a platform for multi-pathogen preparedness. As part of GeoVax's broader MVA-based portfolio, the platform underpins vaccine candidates for Mpox, smallpox, and hemorrhagic fever viruses, offering scale and flexibility across infectious disease threats. About GeoVax GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel vaccines against infectious diseases and therapies for solid tumor cancers. The Company's lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, being evaluated as (1) a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom the current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, (2) a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and (3) a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. In oncology the lead clinical program is evaluating a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin(R), having recently completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax is also developing a vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox and, based on recent regulatory guidance, anticipates progressing directly to a Phase 3 clinical evaluation, omitting Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. GeoVax has a strong IP portfolio in support of its technologies and product candidates, holding worldwide rights for its technologies and products. For more information about the current status of our clinical trials and other updates, visit our website: Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements regarding GeoVax's business plans. The words 'believe,' 'look forward to,' 'may,' 'estimate,' 'continue,' 'anticipate,' 'intend,' 'should,' 'plan,' 'could,' 'target,' 'potential,' 'is likely,' 'will,' 'expect' and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax is able to obtain acceptable results from ongoing or future clinical trials of its investigational products, GeoVax's immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines can provoke the desired responses, and those products or vaccines can be used effectively, GeoVax's viral vector technology adequately amplifies immune responses to cancer antigens, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax's immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control. Further information on our risk factors is contained in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K that we have filed and will file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Company Contact: [email protected] 678-384-7220 Investor Relations Contact: [email protected] 212-698-8696 Media Contact: Jessica Starman [email protected]
TechCrunch
an hour ago
- TechCrunch
Israeli quantum startup Qedma just raised $26 million, with IBM joining in
Despite their imposing presence, quantum computers are delicate beasts, and their errors are among the main bottlenecks that the quantum computing community is actively working to address. Failing this, promising applications in finance, drug discovery, and materials science may never become real. That's the reason why Google touted the error correction capacities of its latest quantum computing chip, Willow. And IBM is both working on delivering its own 'fault-tolerant' quantum computer by 2029 and collaborating with partners like Qedma, an Israeli startup in which it also invested, as TechCrunch learned exclusively. While most efforts focus on hardware, Qedma specializes in error mitigation software. Its main piece of software, QESEM, or quantum error suppression and error mitigation, analyzes noise patterns to suppress some classes of errors while the algorithm is running and mitigate others in post-processing. Qedma's co-founder and chief scientific officer, Professor Dorit Aharonov, once described as a member of 'quantum royalty' for her and her father's contributions to the field, said this enables quantum circuits up to 1,000 times larger to run accurately on today's hardware, without waiting for further advancements on error correction at the computer level. IBM itself does both quantum hardware and software, and some of its partners, like French startup Pasqal, also develop their own hardware. But it sees value as well in partnering with companies more narrowly focusing on the software layer, like Qedma and Tiger Global-backed Finnish startup Algorithmiq, its VP of Quantum, Jay Gambetta, told TechCrunch. That's because IBM thinks driving quantum further requires a community effort. 'If we all work together, I do think it's possible that we will get scientific accepted definitions of quantum advantage in the near future, and I hope that we can then turn them into more applied use cases that will grow the industry,' Gambetta said. 'Quantum advantage' usually refers to demonstrating the usefulness of quantum over classical computers. 'But useful is a very subjective term,' Gambetta said. In all likelihood, it will first apply to an academic problem, not a practical one. In this context, it may take more than one attempt to build consensus that it's not just another artificial or overly constrained scenario. Techcrunch event Save $450 on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $450 on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Still, having a quantum computer execute a program that a classical computer can't simulate with the same accuracy would be an important step for the industry — and Qedma claims it is getting closer. 'It's possible that already within this year, we'll be able to demonstrate with confidence that the quantum advantage is here,' CEO and co-founder Asif Sinay said. With a doctorate in physics, Sinay previously worked as a physicist at Magic Leap, then a multi-billion-worth AR company with a large R&D center in Israel. Like the founders of several Israeli startups, from Metacafe to Wiz, he is also a Talpion — an alum from Israel's elite military program Talpiot, where one of his classmates was Lior Litwak. Litwak is now a managing partner at Israeli VC firm Glilot Capital Partners, which led Qedma's $26 million Series A through its early growth fund, Glilot+, which he heads. The round included participation from existing investors such as TPY Capital, which backed Qedma's $4.7 million seed round in 2020, as well as new investors including Korean Investment Partners — and IBM. Since last September, Qedma has been available through IBM's Qiskit Functions Catalog, which makes quantum more accessible to end users. Sinay noted the synergies between the two companies, but emphasized that Qedma's plans are hardware-agnostic. The startup has already conducted a demo on the Aria computer from IonQ, a publicly listed U.S. company focused on trapped ion quantum computing. In addition, Qedma has an evaluation agreement with an unnamed partner Sinay described as 'the largest company in the market.' Recently, it also presented its collaboration with Japan's RIKEN on how to combine quantum with supercomputers. Image Credits:Qedma The joint Q2B Tokyo presentation was co-delivered by Qedma's CTO and third co-founder, Professor Netanel Lindner. An associate professor of theoretical physics and research group lead at Technion, he told TechCrunch he is hoping that some of his former doctorate students — or others they know — will join Qedma as part of the startup's hiring efforts. According to Sinay, Qedma will use the proceeds from its latest funding round to grow its team from around 40 to between 50 and 60 people. Some of these new recruits will be researchers and software engineers, but he said the startup also plans to hire for marketing and sales roles. 'We are selling our software to the end users, and our partners are the hardware manufacturers.' For hardware manufacturers like IBM, this software layer addresses the fact that a quant at a bank or a chemist who could leverage quantum are not experts in how to run circuits in the presence of noise. However, they know their respective domains and the conditions they want to set. 'So you want to be able to write the problem and say, I want it to run with this accuracy, I'm OK with this much usage of a quantum computer, and this much usage of a classical computer,' Gambetta said. 'They want [these] to be essentially little options that they can put into their software; and that's exactly what Qedma is doing, as well as some of [the] other partners we're working with.' Some researchers are already taking advantage of this via Qiskit Functions, or through partnerships that research institutions have established with Qedma and its industry peers. But the debate is still open as to when these experiments will become larger, and when quantum advantage will materialize for the broader world. Qedma hopes to accelerate the timeline by providing a shortcut. Unlike error correction at the computer level, which adds overhead that limits scalability, Qedma's approach doesn't require more quantum bits, or qubits. 'Our claim is that we can get quantum advantage even before a million qubits are achieved,' Lindner said. However, other companies are approaching that issue from different angles. For instance, French startup Alice & Bob raised $104 million earlier this year to develop a fault-tolerant quantum computer whose architecture relies on 'cat qubits,' which are inherently protected against certain errors, reducing the need for more qubits. But Qedma is not dismissive of the race for more qubits; since it acts as a booster either way, its team wants hardware to have as many qubits as possible, and the best qubits possible. In practice, though, it will be hard to maximize both at once, just like software-based error mitigation typically means longer runtimes. The best choice will depend on the specific task — but first, quantum will have to get to those tasks.
The Verge
2 hours ago
- The Verge
RFK Jr.'s plan to put ‘AI' in everything is a disaster
In a 92-minute interview with Tucker Carlson on Monday, RFK Jr. drilled down on his vision for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Artificial intelligence — arguably, a uselessly vague umbrella term — came up multiple times. (As did conspiracy theories and disinformation on vaccines and autism, the medical establishment, and covid-19 deaths.) As the head of HHS, Kennedy said his federal department is undergoing an 'AI revolution.' He implored viewers to 'stop trusting the experts,' as highlighted by Gizmodo, and, presumably, put their trust into AI instead of decades of scientific consensus. He referenced that AI tools were being used to 'detect waste, abuse, and fraud' across the federal government — the tagline for Elon Musk's misguided and disastrous DOGE initiative that's already led to a scramble to rehire hundreds of wrongfully cut CDC employees. Kennedy also vaguely declared that the CDC will be using AI to 'look at the mega data that we have and be able to make really good decisions about interventions,' demonstrating how flimsy his grasp of AI is. Kennedy said that AI will rapidly accelerate the drug approval process at the FDA, implying it will fully replace animal testing. This is not entirely new, echoing an April announcement from Kennedy's Food and Drug Administration that the agency will be phasing out animal testing for some pharmaceuticals in favor of 'AI-based computational models' and other countries' safety data. That agency-level change followed the 2022 passage the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 under President Joe Biden, which repealed requirements for all new drugs to undergo animal testing. There is a lot of ongoing research into the potential for alternate approaches like organ-on-chip systems, organoid cultures, and AI models to supplement or reduce the amount of animal testing used in drug development. And computer modeling has long been a part of pharmaceutical evaluation. However, it's likely premature to claim that AI can wholly eliminate the need for animal models. 'There is currently no full replacement for animal models in biomedical research and drug development,' wrote the National Association for Biomedical Research in an April statement. Even more concerning were Kennedy's hints that the current Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is overseen by the CDC, is set to be overhauled and outfitted with AI. (He previously suggested automating the system in April.) VAERS is a first-line detection system for catching rare, previously undetected risks associated with vaccines that has often been misrepresented by anti-vaccine advocates. AI drug testing may sound unsettling, but it would be conducted by external researchers and drug makers. Pharmaceutical companies are incentivized to not release dangerous products because they lose money when they harm people; Kennedy wouldn't be so directly held to account. Misinterpretation of VAERS data at the institutional level could sow further distrust in public health and give Kennedy's newly appointed vaccine advisory committee ammunition to change vaccine recommendations, legitimize their fringe beliefs, and limit vaccine access. Anyone can report to VAERS (and certain providers are required to report) anytime a person experiences any negative health event in the aftermath of a vaccination. A report to VAERS does not indicate causality. 'There's nothing about VAERS that allows us to determine whether a vaccine caused the reported adverse event,' says Kawsar Talaat, an infectious disease physician and vaccine safety researcher at Johns Hopkins University. 'People report things like anger after vaccination,' she says, for which there's no biologically plausible mechanism relating back to immunization. Even more serious events, like death following a vaccination, overwhelmingly bear out to be unrelated to the shot itself. 'The thing about vaccines is they protect against preventable diseases, not everything else that occurs in life,' says Paul Offit, a vaccine scientist, virologist, and professor of pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Yet even so, VAERS reports are followed up with CDC investigation through complementary programs like Vaccine Safety Datalink and the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project. The system has worked since its establishment in 1986 to generate hypotheses for potential vaccine side effects and even to detect very rare vaccine risks. For instance, VAERS did successfully pick up the myocarditis associated with mRNA covid-19 vaccines, which only showed up in about one per 30,000 doses, and the blood clotting associated with the Johnson & Johnson covid-19 shot, which affected about one in 250,000 people, Offit notes. 'You're not going to pick that up pre-licensure, so I think VAERS works well,' he says. 'The problem is that anti-vaccine activists use it to mean that anything reported in that system is a real issue, which is obviously wrong,' he adds — echoing Talaat's point that anyone can report anything. It's not clear how Kennedy plans to introduce AI into VAERS, but presumably he means to feed VAERS data into some sort of automated system for identifying alleged vaccine side effects and risks. Earlier this year, the top US vaccine regulator at the FDA was forced out over his refusal to grant Kennedy unfettered access to the VAERS database, out of fears he and his appointees would manipulate the data. Now, with little standing in his way, Kennedy seems poised to do just that. There is a reasonable argument to be made that the right set of machine learning algorithms or AI tools could streamline the review process for VAERS claims. But AI systems are only as good as their training and parameters. If you feed them faulty information, that's what they're going to regurgitate. If you build an AI system to validate your preexisting belief that vaccines are dangerous, that's exactly what it will do. Despite the genuine promise that some AI approaches have in health policy and medicine, experts routinely emphasize that we need to tread carefully in building, vetting, and adopting these technologies. Bias, privacy concerns, legal challenges, and user manipulation all remain major issues, according to one 2024 review of 120 studies of generative AI in medicine. (Not to mention hallucinations: In May, the 'Make America Healthy Again Commission,' a presidential advisory committee chaired by Kennedy, released a likely AI-generated report containing false citations to studies that did not exist.) The key question here is if an AI vaccine risk-assessment system could be developed fairly and accurately under Kennedy's leadership. Offit, at least, doesn't think so. 'Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an anti-vaccine activist, a science denialist, and a conspiracy theorist,' he says. 'He will do everything he can, as long as he is in this position, to make vaccines less available, less affordable, and more feared.'
