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Eva Victor, Adele Romanski Talk ‘Sorry, Baby,’ Mental Health

Eva Victor and their Sorry, Baby producer Adele Romanski were joined by comedian Rose Matafeo at an Edinburgh International Film Festival event on Saturday.

The trio made an appearance at Tollcross Central Hall for a discussion around the making of Victor’s fest-favorite feature and EIFF’s opening night film.

The movie follows Victor as Agnes, a literature professor coming to terms with a traumatic life event. While Agnes navigates her way through the mental and physical hurt caused, she leans on her best friend Lydie (Naomi Ackie), who reveals to Agnes she is expecting a baby via a sperm donor. The film, also starring Lucas Hedges, Louis Cancelmi and John Carroll Lynch, premiered to rave reviews at Sundance this year before A24 picked it up for a June theatrical release.

One element Matafeo (mastermind behind the BBC’s brilliant romantic series Starstruck) was keen to dissect was Victor and Romanski having both an intimacy coordinator and a mental health coordinator on set.

“I don’t know if that’s something that’s happening yet,” Romanski, best known for producing Moonlight (2016) and Aftersun (2022) said about onboarding a mental health coordinator, “but it isn’t happening that much in the States, to be honest.”

“Maybe you’re the boom operator, and you come to work every day and there’s no way of knowing what you’re about to be exposed to,” she continued. “There’s variables across your day-to-day job that you can’t anticipate how it might affect you or someone else in a unique way based on their lived experience. I wish it was a position we just had on our staff, the same as you have your camera assistants and your craft service person because you never know when something’s gonna fuck someone up, you know?”

Eva Victor in Sorry, Baby.

Mia Cioffi Henry/Courtesy of Sundance Institute

Victor clarified it was the film’s intimacy coordinator, Kayleigh Kane, who helped choreograph a scene where Agnes has a panic attack. “The biggest lesson from her that I learned that was very comforting was [that] so much of making a scene feel really intimate is about breath and de-sexualizing it,” they told the audience.

Romanski added that she doesn’t understand why there’s pushback against the role in Hollywood and on international film sets: “I’ve never had a director personally push back. I think it’s welcome. The support is welcome. Those scenes are difficult for those in front of and behind the camera, and so having somebody there to help break it down, professionalize it, is [something] I find wanting and really craved from my directors. Who doesn’t want that?”

Victor said, “There’s also no point in making a movie about trying to find safety and not feeling safe while doing it. Like, what would that be?”

Among more discussion about the film’s score, messaging and casting decisions, Victor revealed they have overcome a bout of imposter syndrome. “I went to a school where there was a very specific person who was allowed to try directing, and I didn’t feel like I was part of that,” they said. “I thought that it had to be this thing where you were born wanting to do it… I discovered filmmaking in my mid-20s, and a lot of people go to school for filmmaking much before that. So I felt late, and I felt fraudulent, and I think a lot of those feelings masked a real desire to do it.”

“It took some peeling back of layers,” they continued. “And, honestly, just asking the simple question of: ‘What do I see when I close my eyes?’ Once I realized [that] I want to figure out what this looks like, all I needed was tools.”

Romanski admitted she needed of one more coffee when Matafeo asked her to answer: How hard is it to make a feature film these days?

“I am finding it very, very difficult right now for films that live at the $10 million [budget],” she said. “It’s okay to take the risks on interesting cast dynamics or new voices or debut directors, and that’s working. But when you want to get something with a little bit more scale, a little bit more scope, actors who we know and love, directors who have made work before, people are feeling like there’s no bottom on the theatrical market right now. And because of that, that space is very scary.”

“I mean, I’m not scared about it, just to be clear,” she added, “but it’s scary to the people who have to take the risk financially.”

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025 runs Aug. 14-20.

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August 16, 2025
NASA’s Webb detects a potential planet around Alpha Centauri A

Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have found strong signs of a giant planet orbiting a star in the Alpha Centauri system, the closest stellar neighborhood to our Sun, just 4 light-years away!

Alpha Centauri is a trio of stars: Alpha Centauri A (super bright), Alpha Centauri B (its twin), and Proxima Centauri (a faint red dwarf).

We already know Proxima has three planets. But spotting worlds around the brighter stars has been tricky, until now.

Thanks to Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), scientists now have the best evidence yet of a gas giant orbiting Alpha Centauri A.

Jupiter-like cloud bands detected on closest known brown dwarf

If confirmed, this planet would be the closest one to Earth orbiting in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star, a region where temperatures could allow liquid water. Sounds promising, right?

But here’s the twist: It’s a gas giant, like Jupiter or Saturn. That means it’s made mostly of gas, with no solid surface, so it wouldn’t support life as we know it.

Charles Beichman, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech’s IPAC astronomy center, co-first author on the new papers, said, “With this system being so close to us, any exoplanets found would offer our best opportunity to collect data on planetary systems other than our own. Yet, these are incredibly challenging observations to make, even with the world’s most powerful space telescope, because these stars are so bright, close, and move across the sky quickly.”

“Webb was designed and optimized to find the most distant galaxies in the universe. The operations team at the Space Telescope Science Institute had to come up with a custom observing sequence just for this target, and their extra effort paid off spectacularly.”

This image shows the Alpha Centauri star system from several different ground- and space-based observatories: the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS), NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Alpha Centauri A is the third brightest star in the night sky, and the closest Sun-like star to Earth. The ground-based image from DSS shows the triple system as a single source of light, while Hubble resolves the two Sun-like stars in the system, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B. The image from Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), which uses a coronagraphic mask to block the bright glare from Alpha Centauri A, reveals a potential planet orbiting the star.
Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, DSS, A. Sanghi (Caltech), C. Beichman (NExScI, NASA/JPL-Caltech), D. Mawet (Caltech); Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI)

Finding a faint planet next to a blazing star isn’t easy, but the James Webb Space Telescope pulled it off with some clever tricks and serious teamwork. In August 2024, astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI coronagraph to block the intense light from Alpha Centauri A, allowing them to peer more clearly into the surrounding space.

To refine their view, they carefully subtracted the light from both Alpha Centauri A and its nearby companion, Alpha Centauri B. Then, through extensive computer modeling, they ruled out other possible explanations for the faint object they detected, such as a distant galaxy, a passing asteroid, or an image artifact, strengthening the case that the source is likely a planet.

They found a mysterious object, 10,000 times fainter than Alpha Centauri A, sitting about twice the Earth–Sun distance away from the star.

Although the initial detection in August 2024 was thrilling, the research team needed more data to confirm the planet’s existence. Follow-up observations in February and April 2025, granted through Director’s Discretionary Time, did not reveal any trace of the object seen earlier.

PhD student Aniket Sanghi of Caltech in Pasadena, California, said, “We are faced with the case of a disappearing planet! To investigate this mystery, we used computer models to simulate millions of potential orbits, incorporating the knowledge gained when we saw the planet, as well as when we did not.”

To unravel the mystery, the researchers ran millions of computer simulations, factoring in the August detection, the absence of sightings in later months, and even a 2019 observation by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope.

They modeled orbits that would remain gravitationally stable despite the influence of Alpha Centauri B, ensuring the planet wouldn’t be ejected from the system. Interestingly, the team found that in about half of the simulated scenarios, the planet’s orbit brought it too close to its star to be visible to Webb during the February and April observations, making the non-detection not just plausible, but expected.

Drawing from the planet’s mid-infrared brightness and orbital simulations, researchers believe it could be a gas giant with a mass similar to Saturn, orbiting Alpha Centauri A in an elliptical path that ranges between one and two times the Earth–Sun distance.

This three-panel image captures NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s observational search for a planet around the nearest Sun-like star, Alpha Centauri A. The initial image shows the bright glare of Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, and the middle panel then shows the system with a coronagraphic mask placed over Alpha Centauri A to block its bright glare. However, the way the light bends around the edges of the coronagraph creates ripples of light in the surrounding space. The telescope’s optics (its mirrors and support structures) cause some light to interfere with itself, producing circular and spoke-like patterns. These complex light patterns, along with light from the nearby Alpha Centauri B, make it incredibly difficult to spot faint planets. In the panel at the right, astronomers have subtracted the known patterns (using reference images and algorithms) to clean up the image and reveal faint sources like the candidate planet.
Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Sanghi (Caltech), C. Beichman (NExScI, NASA/JPL-Caltech), D. Mawet (Caltech); Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI)

“If confirmed, the potential planet seen in the Webb image of Alpha Centauri A would mark a new milestone for exoplanet imaging efforts,” Sanghi says. “Of all the directly imaged planets, this would be the closest to its star seen so far. It’s also the most similar in temperature and age to the giant planets in our solar system, and nearest to our home, Earth.

“Its very existence in a system of two closely separated stars would challenge our understanding of how planets form, survive, and evolve in chaotic environments.”

If future observations confirm its existence, this planet could become a cornerstone for exoplanet research, offering rich opportunities for detailed study with Webb and other telescopes. NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launching by May 2027 (or possibly as early as fall 2026), will bring new tools to observe binary systems like Alpha Centauri. Roman’s visible-light data would complement Webb’s infrared insights, helping scientists better understand the planet’s size and reflectivity.

As the world’s leading space science observatory, Webb continues to unlock cosmic mysteries, from our solar system to distant exoplanets, revealing the hidden architecture of the universe and our place within it.

The results have been accepted in a series of two papers in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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August 16, 2025
Avid at IBC2025: on the path to accelerate content creation by Jose Antunes

The newly launched MediaCentral and Wolftech News integration will be one of the highlights during Avid’s presence at IBC2025. Discover more visiting stand 7.A59 at RAI Amsterdam.

New automation and AI tools will be front and center as Avid demonstrates how news and editorial teams can work faster and save hours of mundane tasks with powerful agentic workflows. With new open APIs and seamless orchestration, Avid’s robust partner ecosystem empowers users to customize their workflows and accelerate delivery – powered through hundreds of plug-and-play tools and partners like Traco.ai, Digital Nirvana and Streamwell.

Wellford_Dillard_Avid

“Content moves the world – and Avid powers the greater creators and trusted newsmakers who produce it,” said Wellford Dillard, CEO at Avid. “IBC2025 marks a major milestone in Avid’s innovation mission as we double down on automation, open ecosystems and unified content experiences. We are empowering organizations to accelerate content creation and make the most of their media. Watch this space – there’s much more to come.”

Visitors to the Avid booth will see the EMEA debut of the newly launched MediaCentral and Wolftech News integration, which enables end-to-end planning, production, and publishing from a single interface. Avid’s next-generation newsroom vision is powered by story-centric workflows and its unified content data platform. This intelligent platform delivers global media access, metadata flow, semantic search, and browser-based editorial – taking teams from pitch to publication.

For audio post, IBC2025 will see the debut of new groundbreaking Pro Tools updates, including the newly launched Splice integration, evolving MIDI functionality to empower music creators, AI-driven Speech-to-Text capabilities, and enhanced interoperability with Media Composer – pivotal updates marking a leap forward in music and audio postproduction workflows.

Avid will also show how it is advancing postproduction workflows through smarter integrations and scalable cloud solutions built on AWS. Media Composer and NEXIS Remote enable high-resolution, collaborative editing from anywhere, leveraging AI partner integrations like Flawless directly in the timeline. Show attendees will be able to preview new best-in-class tools via Avid’s open and rapidly-growing Media Composer Panel SDK.

Avid’s unified cloud strategy, backed by its collaboration with AWS, accelerates deployment, reduces infrastructure costs, and expands access to global creative talent. By empowering distributed teams to collaborate in real-time, Avid enables faster, more efficient storytelling – whether for breaking news or premium entertainment content. At IBC2025, Avid offers a clear view into the future of media production – where intelligent workflows and cloud-powered collaboration set a new benchmark for what creators can achieve.

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August 16, 2025
Elon Musk says one of the “hardest engineering challenges” that exist is…

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed one of the biggest and hardest engineering challenges the company is facing presently in the Starship rocket program. Musk said that orbital refuelling is the next major milestone for the Starship rocket, calling it “one of the hardest engineering challenges that exist.” Speaking at the X takeover event, Musk stressed on the complexity and ambition behind the SpaceX’s reusable rocket program. “I specialize in the impossible to merely late,” Musk quipped, acknowledging delays in the Starship project but reaffirming its progress.

Elon Musk talks about the hardest engineering challenge

SpaceX CEO further explained that the process of orbital refuelling would need two Starships to dock somewhere in the orbit and then transfer propellant. Musk also floated the idea of an orbital propellant depot to streamline future missions to the Moon and Mars.Apart from this the another major hurdle is a fully reusable orbital heat shield. Musk emphasised that no one has yet created anything of this sort. He also acknowledged that the development of a reusable orbital heat shield is very critical to make Starship economically viable.“No one has ever created a fully reusable orbital heat shield before and no one’s created a fully reusable orbital rocket before,” Musk said.Musk also reiterated that a reusable rocket and booster system can help bring down the cost below even the Falcon 1 rocket and can also revolutionise space logistics and enable commercial space travel.

Elon Musk shares timeline of first Starship flight to Mars

A user on X asked Musk about the timeline of Starship flight. “What’s the timeline you have set Elon? It sounds fascinating and I am glad to be alive when this is happening,” an X user named @abhiyogi asked.Responding to the post, Musk wrote, “Slight chance of Starship flight to Mars crewed by Optimus in Nov/Dec next year. A lot needs to go right for that. More likely, first flight without humans in ~3.5 years, next flight ~5.5 years with humans. Mars city self-sustaining in 20 to 30 years.”

Reasons for the delay in Starship flight to Mars

The new target of a crewed mission in approximately 5.5 years—around 2030—is a notable shift from previous, more optimistic predictions. It also follows recent technical hurdles, including ongoing delays in mastering orbital refuelling and the loss of Starship’s upper stage during recent flight tests. The multiple technical issues which may be the cause of the delay include: failures in upper-stage Starship landings, unproven orbital refuelling systems and heat shield durability and rocket recovery mechanism.Earlier this year, SpaceX’s Flight 9 achieved stage separation but it lost control during reentry. Musk however emphasised that mastering in-space propellant transfer is critical for deep-space travel and remains a top priority.

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August 16, 2025
Royal fans react to Kate Middleton, Prince William’s major decision about Harry

Royal fans react to Kate Middleton, Prince William’s major decision about Harry

Royal fans have expressed their views after an expert said it is unlikely that Prince William and Kate Middleton will accept any invitation from Prince Harry.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams tells the Daily Express, William and Kate are “unlikely” to attend Prince Harry’s 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.

Commenting on the report, one royal fan says, “Why would William and Catherine accept any of Harry’s invitations?? Harry is only after more Netflix content so he can cash in more of Netflix’s money.”

Another said, “Harry should be banned from Invictus Games and William and Kate should be the main guests. It’s so obvious!”

“No Royal will attend. No one wants to be tainted with the Sussex malarkey,” the third remarks.

“The royal family doesn’t need an invitation… government is paying, it’s in UK, king’s reign… send them opening video and receive UK team in Buckingham Palace… let Meghan and Harry out of it…,” the fourth advised.

Another said, “Why would HRH Prince of Wales go to the IG , that is Harry’s charity , he doesn’t go to the Earthshot charity or the Princess of child charity or any other charities involving the Royals.”

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August 16, 2025
UAE Introduces Crypto Payments for Flights with Emirates and More Airlines
TLDR
- Emirates allows crypto payments for flights through Crypto.com starting in 2026.
- Air Arabia accepts AE Coin, a dirham-backed stablecoin, for local crypto payments.
- Platforms like Travala accept a variety of cryptos like BTC, ETH, USDT, and more.
- Crypto bookings in the UAE are growing, with new partnerships set for broader acceptance.
The UAE is becoming a leader in cryptocurrency adoption, especially in the travel sector. Airlines like Emirates and Air Arabia are integrating crypto payment options to attract tech-savvy travelers and digital nomads. As of July 2025, Emirates has partnered with Crypto.com, allowing passengers to pay for flights and in-flight services using cryptocurrencies. This partnership includes digital assets like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and stablecoins such as USDT and USDC. By integrating cryptocurrency payments, UAE airlines aim to offer more payment flexibility for travelers.

The shift toward digital currencies comes as the UAE continues to enhance its financial ecosystem, fostering growth in digital asset adoption. The UAE government has set up initiatives like the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), which could provide more clarity and support for crypto-powered services, including flight bookings and loyalty programs.

How to Book Flights with Cryptocurrencies

Booking flights with cryptocurrency in the UAE is simple through supported travel platforms. Travelers can use platforms like Travala, Alternative Airlines, and Crypto.com. These platforms accept various cryptocurrencies and allow users to pay for flights using Bitcoin, Ether, or other digital currencies.

The UAE’s tourism sector is rapidly embracing crypto payments. Emirates, Air Arabia, Travala, and Alternative Airlines now support ticket bookings with BTC, ETH, USDT and more. Emirates plans to launch its Crypto.com-powered payment service in 2026, Air Arabia accepts AE Coin…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) August 16, 2025

To book a flight via cryptocurrency, travelers follow a straightforward process. First, they need to choose a crypto-friendly platform, such as Travala, and enter their flight details. After selecting the preferred flight, they proceed to the payment section, where they can choose cryptocurrency as the payment method.

At this point, they’ll be prompted to connect their crypto wallet and authorize the transaction. Once the payment is confirmed, the traveler will receive their e-ticket. This seamless process makes it easier for crypto users to book flights while avoiding the use of traditional banking methods.

UAE Airlines and Platforms Accepting Crypto Payments

Several key airlines and travel agencies in the UAE now accept cryptocurrency payments. Emirates, the country’s flagship airline, is one of the most notable. Their collaboration with Crypto.com will enable passengers to pay with various digital currencies, including Bitcoin and stablecoins, by 2026. Air Arabia, another major UAE airline, accepts AE Coin, a stablecoin tied to the UAE dirham, providing local users with a more familiar digital currency option for booking flights.

Platforms like Travala and Alternative Airlines have also gained popularity among cryptocurrency users. Travala supports multiple digital currencies, including BTC, ETH, USDT, and USDC.

These platforms cater to global travelers and provide options for booking flights, hotels, and experiences. Alternative Airlines extends its services to over 650 global airlines, including major UAE carriers, making it a popular choice for booking flights with cryptocurrency.

Tips for a Smooth Crypto Flight Booking Experience

Travelers should take a few precautions to ensure a smooth experience when using cryptocurrency for flight bookings. One essential step is reviewing transaction fees and exchange rates. While cryptocurrency payments can offer benefits, like lower fees compared to traditional methods, fluctuations in digital currency values may impact the final cost.

It is also important to ensure that the chosen platform is reliable and secure. Trusted platforms use regulated payment gateways to protect user information.

Keeping transaction records, including receipts, blockchain IDs, and booking confirmations, is another essential step. These records serve as proof of purchase and can be helpful for any future issues, like refunds or disputes.
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August 16, 2025
Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’: Physicists capture Elusive Instability and Exotic Vortices

Physicists at Osaka Metropolitan University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have for the first time successfully observed the quantum Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) — a phenomenon predicted decades ago but never before seen in quantum fluids. The instability produces exotic vortex patterns known as eccentric fractional skyrmions, whose crescent-shaped structures bear a resemblance to the moon in Van Gogh’s masterpiece.

KHI is a classic phenomenon in fluid dynamics, where waves and vortices form at the boundary between two fluids moving at different speeds — as seen in wind-whipped ocean waves, swirling clouds, or Van Gogh’s skies.

“Our research began with a simple question: Can the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability happen in quantum fluids?” said Hiromitsu Takeuchi, an associate professor at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Science, and one of lead authors of this study.

By cooling lithium gases to near absolute zero, the researchers created a multi-component Bose–Einstein condensate — a quantum superfluid — with two streams flowing at different velocities. At their interface, a wavy fingering pattern emerged, mirroring classical turbulence but then vortices are generated, governed by the strange rules of quantum mechanics and topology.

These vortices turned out to be eccentric fractional skyrmions, or EFSs — a newly discovered kind of topological defect.

“Skyrmions are usually symmetrical and centered,” Takeuchi said. “But EFSs have a crescent-like shape and contain embedded singularities — points where the usual spin structure breaks down, creating sharp distortions.”

“To me, the large crescent moon in the upper right corner of ‘The Starry Night’ looks exactly like an EFS,” Takeuchi said.

Skyrmions, first discovered in magnetic materials, are attracting growing interest for use in spintronics and memory devices due to their stability, small size and unusual dynamics. The discovery of a new kind of skyrmion in a superfluid could have implications for both applied technologies and our understanding of quantum systems.

Looking ahead, the team plans to refine their measurements.

“With more precise experiments, we may be able to test 19th-century predictions about the wavelength and frequency of KHI-driven interface waves,” Takeuchi said.

The researchers also see broader theoretical potential.

“EFSs challenge traditional topological classifications,” Takeuchi said. “Their embedded singularities raise new questions, and we hope to explore whether similar structures arise in other multi-component or higher-dimensional systems.”

Main Image: Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night

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August 16, 2025
Download Google Camera for Oppo Reno 14 (Pro) [GCam 9.4]

Haneet is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of YTECHB. He has a huge passion for tinkering with latest smartphones, wearables, smart home devices, smart TVs, and more. As an avid Apple Ecosystem user, he loves customizing his iPhone and iPad to suit his needs.For tips, you can connect Haneet at haneetsingh@outlook.comIn 2019, Haneet and the YTECHB team exclusively shared the wallpapers of iPhone 11 right before the launch event. In 2020, Haneet alongside his team members shared exclusive renders and official photos of two Samsung Galaxy smartphones – the Galaxy M11, and Galaxy M21. Later, the YTECHB team leaks information about Motorola’s feature phones and Razr 3. In the last few months, our team shared Galaxy S24 Ultra leaks and more.You may come across with our work getting mentioned in The Times of India, India Today, Hindustan Times, NDTV, TechRadar, Digital Trends, Yahoo News, GSMArena, Android Authority, Android Central, Android Headlines, SamMobile, XDA, 9to5Google, and many other publications.He works across news, updates, features, guides, and more. If YTECHB writes about it, you can expect him to be involved in some way.

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August 16, 2025
Critical investments in bioregenerative life support systems for bioastronautics and sustainable lunar exploration
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