AI creates videos from text, Louisiana's wetlands are sinking

For almost a week there has been no news with a significance score over 7.

It’s possible that nothing important happened at that time, but I suspect the long no-news stretch was mostly caused by the introduction of the positivity parameter which punishes the news for overly negative language (you can read more about it here if you missed it).

The goal of the project has always been to fight the noise, but the latest algorithm update pushed it too far. Having a little noise is good — it serves as proof that nothing significant is missed and gives a peace of mind.

So I’m lowering the score threshold to 6.8 today, and might lower it a bit further soon.

Today ChatGPT read 1095 top news stories. After removing previously covered events, there are 4 articles with a significance score over 6.8.

[7.0] (US) Louisiana's coastal wetlands face rapid sea level rise — The Washington Post [$]

A study by Tulane University scientists, published in Nature Communications, reveals that Louisiana's coastal wetlands are rapidly drowning due to sea level rise. Out of 253 sites, 87% can't keep up with rising water levels, threatening 75% of the state's natural hurricane buffer by 2070. The region has seen a 0.4-inch annual sea level increase since 2010, exacerbated by land sinking. Despite efforts to restore these wetlands, their loss could significantly impact storm protection, wildlife habitats, and carbon storage.

[7.0] OpenAI introduces Sora, its text-to-video AI model — The Verge

OpenAI has introduced Sora, a new AI model that generates videos up to one minute long from text prompts. Sora can create detailed scenes with multiple characters and motions, and can also work with still images and edit existing videos. While the technology shows promise, OpenAI acknowledges limitations in simulating complex physics and cause-and-effect relationships. Currently, Sora is being tested for potential risks by selected users, including visual artists and filmmakers.

[6.8] New antibiotic cresomycin combats antibiotic-resistant bacteria — Financial Times [$]

Researchers have developed a new antibiotic, cresomycin, that shows promise in fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria in mice. This drug candidate effectively targets several dangerous bacteria. The breakthrough addresses the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, which contributes to 5 million deaths annually.

[6.8] Ukraine's Zelenskyy signing security agreements with Germany, France as Kyiv shores up support — The Associated Press

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a security agreement with Germany, securing a 1.1 billion-euro military aid package, and plans to sign another with France. The German accord, valid for 10 years, promises long-term military support and economic measures against future Russian aggression. Germany has become the second-largest military aid supplier to Ukraine after the U.S.

The news about Navalny’s death got only 5.2.

Thanks for reading us and see you soon,

Vadim