NYC’s Floating Pool

Daily Upsider on February 1, 2024

From Barton Springs in Austin, Texas, to Switzerland’s Aare river, urban waterways worldwide provide relief from city heat, allowing people to enjoy the benefits of swimming. However, even on the hottest days, New Yorkers are reluctant to swim in the city’s rivers.

A floating pool aims to change that by repurposing the city’s river water for public use. +POOL, an organization advocating for equitable access to NYC’s waters, has secured $16 million in state and city funding to create the first urban river-sourced swim facility in the U.S. This summer, a 2,000-square-foot version of the pool will be tested in one of the rivers or bays surrounding New York City. If successful, it could be open to the public by 2025.

The pool’s plus sign-shaped design includes a kid’s pool, sports pool, lap pool, and lounge pool, forming an Olympic-length pool when combined or opening up for 9,000 square feet of play.

+POOL’s patented filtration system is designed to clean over 1,000,000 gallons of raw river water daily without chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency’s water quality modeling software will ensure the water meets acceptable microbiological standards for swimming.

In the early 1900s, swimming in NYC’s rivers was common, with 40% of New Yorkers using floating baths. However, environmental degradation led to the closure of public river pools in the 1920s. Municipal swimming pools were popular in the 1920s-1940s, but subsequent decades saw a decline in public pool investment and a shift towards private facilities, resulting in unequal access.

Despite this, New York’s rivers have become cleaner due to improved environmental practices. With advancing technology and environmental stewardship, the city might be on the brink of a new era of public swimming, potentially eliminating the need to leave for a cool plunge by 2025.

Amazing New Species Found

Daily Upsider on February 1, 2024

In a remarkable discovery off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, scientists have identified at least four new octopus species. These discoveries were made during two expeditions in 2023 aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, the Falkor (too). The expeditions focused on exploring hydrothermal springs in a roughly 260-square-kilometer area, revealing a rich and diverse ecosystem.

One of the newly identified species, named the Dorado Octopus, was discovered in the vicinity of a rock formation unofficially known as El Dorado Hill. This species was observed brooding its eggs in the warmer waters near the hydrothermal springs. The Dorado Octopus is part of the Muusoctopus genus, known for species that may have evolved to gather and brood their eggs in warmer waters.

A mother octopus broods her eggs near a small outcrop of rock unofficially called El Dorado Hill.ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute

In addition to the discovery of the octopus species, the expeditions also identified a deep-sea skate nursery, adding to the unique biodiversity of the region. The findings underscore the rich and diverse marine life that thrives in deep-sea environments, particularly around hydrothermal vents.

The science team found a thriving deep-sea skate nursery at the top of Tengosed seamount (Schmidt Ocean Institute)

The research holds significant implications for the understanding and preservation of deep-sea ecosystems. More than 160 deep-sea animal specimens were collected during the December expedition and will be stored at the Museum of Zoology at the University of Costa Rica. This marks one of the first instances where biological specimens from a deep-sea expedition are stored in the country from which they were acquired, facilitating local research and potentially informing deep-sea management strategies.

This sighting of glass octopus was unusual – researchers aren’t sure if it is an act of predation or copulation, as it appears to be multiple octopuses intertwined.ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute

The discovery of these new species highlights the vast, unexplored diversity of life in our oceans and the need for continued exploration and conservation efforts in these complex ecosystems. This research not only expands our knowledge of marine biodiversity but also stresses the importance of international collaborations in deep-sea exploration and conservation.

Brooding mother octopuses often curl themselves up with tentacles and suckers facing out. Researchers believe this to be a defensive position, warning predators off.ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute

2,000 Year-old Beach House Found in Naples, Italy

Daily Upsider on January 31, 2024

A three-year project to construct a children’s playground and recreation area south of Naples, Italy, led to the discovery of a 2,000-year-old clifftop beach house. Dating back to the first century, the mansion, possibly belonging to Pliny the Elder, overlooks Ischia and Procida islands, now partially submerged by the sea. The excavation in Bacoli revealed thick perimeter stone walls, 10 large rooms with floors, tiled walls, and panoramic outdoor terraces.

The villa, originally part of the Roman port at Misenum, held strategic military importance with a 360-degree view of the Gulf of Naples. Constructed with ornate diamond-shaped tufa blocks, the walls demonstrated surprising detail. The “negative bradyseism” phenomenon caused parts of the villa to be submerged as the earth’s surface gradually descended into the sea. (The phenomenon of “negative bradyseism” refers to a gradual geological process where the earth’s surface slowly sinks. This can be due to various natural factors, such as tectonic movements or the extraction of fluids from the ground.)

Ongoing digs aim to uncover more about the beach villa and Misenum’s broader structure. The discovery is significant due to limited knowledge about the port of Misenum. Besides its lookout purpose, Pliny’s beach villa likely served for leisure, hosting guests at a private dock for lavish parties. Bacoli, within the Phlegraean Fields, was a popular destination for Ancient Romans, known for vacation homes, thermal baths, and spas.

Bacoli’s location, with natural geysers and frequent earthquakes, contributed to its historical significance, often regarded as the entrance to the underworld. Pliny the Elder may have witnessed the Mount Vesuvius eruption in AD 79 from the villa, where he later died attempting rescues. While archaeologists were surprised, local speculation about an underground treasure existed. The site will now become an open-air museum, showcasing the Roman villa’s ruins. Bacoli’s mayor, Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, anticipates the museum’s opening in the coming weeks, allowing citizens and visitors to admire the historical findings.

Mortgage Rates Prediction

Daily Upsider on January 31, 2024

In its recent economic and housing outlook for 2024, Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group has provided a more optimistic forecast for the housing market. The ESR Group expects mortgage rates to decline in 2024, ending the year below 6%. This prediction is a result of the easing in mortgage rates and the anticipated thawing of the existing home sales market.

This revised forecast is a significant change from the previous year’s projections. The ESR Group’s theme for the 2024 housing market is “Housing Seeks Balance Amid Economic Uncertainty.” The lower rate environment is expected to boost refinance volumes, which are already on the upswing, as evidenced by the recent uptick in Fannie Mae’s Refinance Application-Level Index.

The mortgage rate predictions for 2024 vary among industry experts, with some anticipating rates to be as low as 5.8% by the end of the year. The Federal Reserve’s actions and the path of inflation will play a significant role in determining the actual mortgage rates.

The housing market’s trend towards stability and affordability in 2024 is encouraging for both homebuyers and homeowners. As mortgage rates trend lower, it may open doors for more people to achieve their homeownership dreams.

Sam Altman: You Will Be “Dissappointed”

Daily Upsider on January 29, 2024

There is no doubt that AI has made huge waves in both culture and in the business world. But what will AI change in near future?

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has offered his perspective on concerns surrounding the potential disruptive power of artificial intelligence (AI). He believes that these concerns are exaggerated and that AI’s transformative impact on the world and employment opportunities will be less dramatic than anticipated.

Speaking at an event organized by Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Altman specifically focused on the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI). AGI refers to a form of AI capable of performing tasks at the same level as, or even surpassing, human abilities. Altman expressed the belief that AGI could be developed in the “reasonably close-ish future.”

OpenAI, known for its ChatGPT chatbot, which gained widespread attention upon its public launch in late 2022, has actively sought to temper concerns from AI skeptics regarding the extent to which AI technology will reshape society.

Prior to the introduction of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model in March, Altman cautioned technologists against becoming overly excited about its potential, predicting that people would likely end up “disappointed” with it. He emphasized that while expectations for artificial general intelligence are high, it has not yet been realized.

Founded in 2015, OpenAI’s primary mission is to achieve AGI. The company, with substantial backing from Microsoft and a private market valuation nearing $100 billion, is committed to developing AI technology responsibly and safely.

Altman also addressed concerns about AI’s potential to exacerbate economic inequalities and displace the working class, especially in the context of presidential elections. He acknowledged these concerns but believes that AI should be seen more as a tool than a disruptive force.

According to Altman, AI has not yet replaced jobs on the scale feared by many economists. Moreover, he noted that AI technology is increasingly becoming a valuable tool for enhancing productivity in various sectors.

Altman’s brief removal from OpenAI in November, driven by concerns about AI safety and his leadership, was followed by a swift reinstatement as CEO, sparked by strong opposition from OpenAI employees and investors. Microsoft also gained a nonvoting board observer seat at OpenAI upon his return, whereas before they had none.