Latest news with #PacificRim
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Monster Alaska earthquake rocks state and sparks tsunami...and scientists warn it may not be over
A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Alaska on Wednesday, sending seismic shockwaves racing through the Earth's crust and lighting up The quake, which hit at 12:38pm local time (4:30pm ET), triggered an immediate tsunami warning for parts of coastal Alaska and rattled a vast swath of the Pacific Rim. But scientists now warn the true danger may just be beginning. Although the shaking was felt most intensely in southern Alaska, where it struck near the Aleutian subduction zone, the energy released by the quake did not stay local. Seismic waves, vibrations that travel through the Earth, activated seismic sensors as far east as the East Coast of the US and reaching across the ocean to Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. While the vibrations were not strong enough to be felt by people thousands of miles away, sensitive instruments captured every pulse of the Earth's movement in real time. Using a global network of sensors and cutting-edge computer simulations, scientists converted the raw data into animations showing how the seismic energy rippled out from the epicenter like waves from a stone thrown into water. A yellow star marked ground zero on the map in Alaska, while red and blue dots representing seismic stations lit up one by one as the waves swept past. In less than a minute, the tremors had reached monitoring stations across the world. Large earthquakes are known to redistribute stress along fault lines, sometimes increasing the strain on already vulnerable zones. If those areas are near their breaking point, the added pressure could trigger aftershocks or even fresh quakes, not just locally, but potentially in distant regions connected by geological stress transfer. In rare cases, shifting stress can also activate entirely separate fault systems, making this kind of global disturbance more than a geological curiosity. This happened in 1992, when a major 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit California and within hours, of the mainshock, seismic activity increased in places of the mainshock, seismic activity increased in places up to 750 miles away, including in Yellowstone National Park and western Nevada. When an 8.8 magnitude quake rocked Chile in 2010, the seismic waves triggered activity in Mexico and Southern California. The vibrations were captured using real-time computer simulations that convert raw seismic data into animations of Earth's movement, showing how ground motion travels outward from the epicenter. An animation of the traveling shockwaves depicted blue and red seismic stations scattered across the map, lighting up as each recorded the powerful geological event. The visual sequence, starting at 0.00 seconds, showed the epicenter marked with a yellow star, with a red line tracing the expanding wavefronts as they moved away from Alaska. As time progressed from 1.97 to 64.94 seconds, the seismic waves continued their relentless expansion. In the early stages, between 1.97 and 15.74 seconds, the waves primarily impacted the western coast of North America. The primary waves reached seismic stations in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, with the red line on the map illustrating their rapid advance. This phase highlighted the immediate regional impact, where the energy of the quake was most intensely concentrated. During the mid-stages, from 17.71 to 37.39 seconds, the seismic waves pushed further inland across the US. The wavefronts began to reach stations in Canada and the central US, demonstrating the broadening scope of the earthquake's influence. The red line on the map continued to extend, tracking the waves' progression as they traversed the continent. In the later stages of the event, between 39.36 and 64.94 seconds, the seismic waves reached the East Coast and began influencing stations in Europe and Asia. Adding to the mystery, a massive magnetic pulse was detected at the exact moment the earthquake occurred. The very second the rupture began, Earth's magnetic field showed a sharp spike. Within hours, a G1-class geomagnetic storm developed, disrupting the planet's magnetic environment. Strangely, this occurred despite otherwise nominal solar wind conditions, prompting researchers to question whether the quake may have played a role in triggering the storm. While the link between earthquakes and geomagnetic activity remains poorly understood, the coincidence is striking.
National Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Vancouver swimwear brand, hotel team up for a splashy collaboration
Two Vancouver companies have teamed up for a splashy summer swim collaboration. Photo by Fairmont Pacific Rim Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors What to know: Vancouver swim and bodywear brand Londre has teamed up with the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a chic summer swim collaboration. The partnership sees the local business transform its bestselling one-piece The Minimalist swimsuit into a stylish, striped offering inspired by the red-and-white striped cabana at the luxury hotel property and its 'carefree poolside moments,' according to a news release. The Minimalist style, the first swimsuit designed by the local brand, boasts a low, scoop-fit front and low back, along with flattering ruching through the bum area. The made-in-Vancouver swimsuit also has a sustainable spin as it's made from a material that is sourced from recycled plastic bottles. Product reviews, deals, roundups and interviews to help you make better buying decisions. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again 'We use a compression fabric that is double-lined, feels like butter, and accentuates your curves in all the right places,' founders Hannah Todd and Ainsley Rose said of the 'Hero' style in a 2021 interview with The Vancouver Sun. 'We've received the feedback that wearing this suit in particular feels like a hug — and I think we can all use one of those.' The limited-edition collaboration swimsuit is available in size XS to XL while supplies last.
Tom's Guide
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just got Guillermo del Toro's sci-fi monster movie ‘Pacific Rim' — and it's my all-time favorite summer blockbuster
When flipping through Netflix's lineup for July 2025, I spotted an old favorite I hadn't seen in ages: "Pacific Rim." I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan, and as objectively rad as I think its pitch of "giant mechs vs. kaiju" is, neither one is my usual cup of tea (case in point: I saw "Godzilla Minus One" last year, and it was my first Godzilla movie ever). With all that in mind, I didn't have high hopes when I saw "Pacific Rim" in theaters over a decade ago. But I'm a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro's work, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm happy to say it absolutely won me over, and ended up becoming one of my favorite summer blockbusters to date. Now, I'll be the first to admit "Pacific Rim" isn't a 'smart' movie by any means; it won't move you to tears or make you start questioning your life choices. Rather, it's exactly what a summer blockbuster should be: pure, unapologetic spectacle. It's like someone handed a 14-year-old a camera, a blank check, and free rein to bring their wildest ideas to life, and trust me, I mean that as the highest praise. As much as del Toro's love for anime comes through loud and clear, you don't need to share that passion to enjoy "Pacific Rim." It's "Independence Day" meets "Godzilla," an underdog story packed with larger-than-life battles and thrilling action that's a blast to watch unfold. Just don't think about it too hard. Now that "Pacific Rim" has found a new streaming home, I'd recommend anyone who hasn't seen it yet to add it to their watchlist. It's giant robots punching skyscraper-size monsters in the face. What more could you ask for? Here's everything you need to know about "Pacific Rim" and why you need to check out Charlie Hunnam's monster-fighting epic now that it's streaming on Netflix. "Pacific Rim" imagines an alternate reality where an interdimensional rift at the bottom of the Pacific, ominously dubbed "The Breach," has appeared, unleashing colossal monsters known as Kaiju. In response, humanity built their own towering weapons: mechanized giant robots called Jaegers. All the extra robotic firepower comes at a cost, though, and each mech needs two pilots to operate it through a neural connection known as the Drift, which lets them both shoulder the immense mental strain of piloting. Nearly a decade after the Breach opened, humanity is on the back foot against a seemingly endless stream of new monsters. With hope fading, Marshal Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) makes the unconventional call to bring in washed-up Jaeger pilot Raleigh Becket (Hunnam), whose brother/co-pilot was killed in a Kaiju attack several years ago, to help. Meanwhile, after securing a Kaiju brain from black market dealer Hannibal Chau (Ron Perlman), scientists Newt Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Hermann Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) make a critical discovery: The Kaiju are not just mindless beasts, but bio-engineered weapons, sent by a powerful alien race bent on conquering Earth. Armed with this knowledge, they devise a plan to shut down the Breach for good. The fate of humanity falls to Becket and his new co-pilot, the determined but inexperienced Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), who has spent her life training for this moment. Together, they climb into the cockpit of Becket's refurbished Jaeger for one final stand that takes them to the heart of the threat to stop the apocalypse once and for all. If the idea of giant robots clobbering Godzilla-like monsters doesn't entice you whatsoever, I'm not confident "Pacific Rim" will convert you. But if you enjoy anime fight scenes, sci-fi world-building, or are just a sucker for over-the-top spectacle, I encourage you to give "Pacific Rim" a watch. Del Toro directs with a level of precision that'll suck you in, where every shot feels intentional, and nothing is wasted. The visuals are layered and vibrant, from the weathered, industrial Jaeger base to the shattered remains of Tokyo. Even the ocean scenes are packed with texture and movement; there's no such thing as a throwaway background here. But even with all that detail and the movie's rapid-fire pace, the action remains surprisingly easy to follow outside of a few occasional moments of chaos. "Pacific Rim" also delivers plenty of gloriously over-the-top moments that are so outrageous and fun, you can't help but smile. Del Toro and co. clearly had a blast bringing his vision to life, and that shines through, helping to smooth over the few points where things get muddled or go off the rails. "Pacific Rim's" side characters also easily steal the show, building out the world in interesting ways without sacrificing too much screen time. The bickering between Day's Newt and Gorman's Gottlieb, a self-described "kaiju fanboy" vs. a by-the-book scientist, is sharp and caustic. There's something so inherently fun about two co-workers who can't stand each other forced to team up to stop the apocalypse. Elba's Stacker and Kikuchi's Mako butt heads as pseudo-father and daughter brought together by chance in an impossible situation that demands sacrifice, similar to Ellie and Joel in "The Last of Us." And del Toro regular Ron Perlman is iconic as a sleazy black market dealer with swag levels off the chart. I could have sworn he was in the movie for more than 2 seconds, that's how much of an impression he makes. I'm far from the only one enraptured by the original "Pacific Rim. It earned over $411 million at the box office on a $190 million budget, and its success spawned a sequel, "Pacific Rim: Uprising (which is fun enough if a bit of a mess), as well as Netflix's anime series "Pacific Rim: The Black." A "Pacific Rim" live-action series is also in the works at Prime Video. "Pacific Rim" has a solid 72% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences rated it even higher, earning it a 77% on the Popcornmeter. The critics' consensus reads: "It may sport more style than substance, but 'Pacific Rim' is a solid modern creature feature bolstered by fantastical imagery and an irresistible sense of fun." I'm inclined to agree. "Pacific Rim" is a proudly unapologetic action film, driven by sheer spectacle and a sense of epic scale you can easily lose yourself in. The story does its job well enough, and the cast brings enough energy and charm to keep things engaging between the jaw-dropping set pieces. If you're looking for deep character arcs or profound themes, this isn't that kind of movie. That being said, if you go in with the right expectations, you might just discover one of the most entertaining popcorn blockbusters of the summer. Stream "Pacific Rim" on Netflix now.
Mint
02-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Unicorn startup that makes ‘superhuman' robots plots path to IPO
The robots are coming, but their arrival might be welcome if artificial-intelligence unicorn startup Dexterity has its way. California-based Dexterity programs what it describes as 'superhumanoids": large industrial robots built to do physically demanding and dangerous tasks. The aim, says founder and chief executive Samir Menon, isn't to replace humans but to amplify them. 'You can try to do robotics in a way that you're replacing people or you can try to do it in a way that you're supercharging people," the 40-year-old said in a recent interview on the sidelines of the ATxSummit in Singapore. In the AI gold rush of the past years, the startup founded by Menon in 2017 has raked in millions in investment. At a $1.65 billion valuation, it's secured 'unicorn" status. Dexterity's robots, designed to operate at temperatures and altitudes unfriendly to humans, have attracted partnerships with U.S. delivery giant FedEx and Japan's Sumitomo Corp. Dexterity's robots are manufactured via partnerships with industrial veterans like Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which do the manufacturing. Its flagship offering, the Mech, is a roving, two-armed robot that can perform heavy lifting. 'They're kind of inspired by 'Transformers' and 'Pacific Rim'," Menon said, in a nod to the Hollywood blockbusters starring giant robots. Dexterity is currently fundraising and eventually wants to go public in the U.S. Humanoid companies have been pulling in major investments in recent years. According to Crunchbase, six robotics companies became new unicorns last year. This year, more have joined the ranks, including The Bot Co., a robotics company focused on household chores which Crunchbase said was valued at $2 billion though it still hasn't released a product. With profitability for Dexterity still a few years away, Menon says he is prioritizing growth for now. Getting to the IPO stage rests on stable revenue streams and scaling the company, he said. Menon's upbeat on that front, seeing a not-too-distant future where industrial robots are commonplace in places like supermarkets and airports. Market analysts agree. A recent report by Morgan Stanley projects that by 2050, the humanoids market will top $5 trillion. Over 1 billion humanoids could be in use by then, primarily in commercial and industrial settings, it said. The parcel industry, retail and e-commerce sectors are already on the verge of mass adoption, said Menon, predicting take-up by large enterprises that will be 'a great foundational step for physical AI." That doesn't necessarily have to be bad news for the labor market, he said. If robotics firms want to be non-disruptive, they will focus on making robots that are superhuman in size, strength, and can work in extreme heat and cold, said Menon, who holds a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University. 'You can build [robots] in a way that you're copying the human shape, in which case it's designed to replace a human," he said. 'It's a strategic decision. We took the decision to do robotics in a way that supercharges people." Robots can help fill market gaps, the tech CEO argues. In many developed societies, declining birthrates and longer lifespans mean shrinking workforces need to support growing retiree populations. Bain & Company estimates that by 2030, the global shortage of manufacturing workers could reach nearly 8 million, boosting the need for robots to sustain economic growth. While humanoids won't replace swaths of workers overnight, they will take a meaningful share of physical jobs as tech advances and costs fall, the consulting firm said in a report. For Menon, worker deficits mean there is a way to introduce robots in markets like the U.S., Japan and Europe 'in a non-disruptive manner." Big improvements in standards of living in certain developed markets help too, he added. 'A lot of people don't really want to do extremely low-paying, very stressful tasks."
The Irish Sun
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
EastEnders exit as TWO stars axed after eight years and leave in a blaze of glory in final scenes
EASTENDERS has aired two major exits after bosses decided to axe the remaining Taylor family. The BBC soap said farewell to Bernie Taylor and her cousin Felix Baker, eight years after the controversial family made their debut. 3 EastEnders has aired two shock exits after the actors were axed from the soap Credit: BBC 3 Suki eventually relented and let Bernie and Felix go Credit: BBC 3 Bernie and Felix fled Walford for a new life in Spain Credit: BBC The Sun exclusively revealed how actors And in today's double-bill, their final storylines played out. Viewers discovered last week how Bernie had been stealing from the Panesars after being left over-all control of the business empire by Nish after his death at Christmas. Realising what was going on, Ravi and Vinny set a trap for Bernie to expose her as the thief - giving her another chance to steal from them. Read more on EastEnders But they had no idea Bernie wasn't planning to stick around to face the consequences. She packed her bags and convinced Felix to come with her Having fallen for Ravi and Vinny's trap and taken another £25,000 from the Panesar businesses, Bernie and Felix were set to leave. But as they headed to the cab, Suki got in the way and stopped them with other members of The Six watching. Most read in Soaps 'She stole from me,' said Suki. 'No, you did,' hit back Bernie. 'You all did. You stole from me and my family. Something that I can never get back. EastEnders favourite fired after making shock discovery about Bernie Taylor 'You've all just moved on. You can walk away from the Vic now that it's up for sale and start again, you've got Harvey, Jack, all your kids…' Turning back to Suki she told her: 'And you have got it all. 'Everything that you ever wanted. You can be who you are with the woman that you love. 'This money is a drop in the ocean to get away with what you did, to move on, to finally let me, my mum, my family, to be finally be free of this.' EastEnders stars who QUIT MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year? The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998. Yet what about the 2024 exits? Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen. Fans also Additionally, a host of stars have One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky. He played Stacey Slater's brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse. Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005. She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008. Kathy and Linda begged Suki to let Bernie go with the cash, and she stepped aside. Bernie and Felix climbed into the cab and drove off - just as Ravi emerged to watch the shocking development.
