Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

Catastrophic floods can be difficult to prepare for. Sometimes evacuation is the right call, but if it’s too late the best bet is to find higher ground nearby. The stakes can be high, because a flash flood may give those in its path only minutes or seconds to react.The right moves depend on the storm and the geography, said James Doss-Gollin, an assistant professor who teaches civil and environmental engineering at Rice University. For example, the advice won’t be the same for people who live near a beach and those who live by a river, he said.“Some places you’re worried…

Diligent Robotics is bulking up its leadership team as the company looks to scale its fleet of humanoid robots that work in hospitals and pharmacies. Austin, Texas-based Diligent announced Thursday it appointed Rashed Haq as its chief technology officer and Todd Brugger as its chief operating officer. Both Haq and Brugger were most recently at Cruise, the GM self-driving subsidiary that shuttered earlier this year. Haq was formerly the vice president and head of AI and robotics. Brugger was Cruise’s COO. Andrea Thomaz, the co-founder and CEO of Diligent Robotics, told TechCrunch it was the right time for the company…

Google on Thursday announced the second cohort to take part in its AI Academy: American Infrastructure, which seeks to support companies using AI to address issues such as cybersecurity, education, and transportation.  The four-month program is designed for companies at a seed to Series A stage and provides equity-free support and resources like leadership coaching and sales training. It’s primarily virtual, but founders will convene for an in-person summit at Google. Applications opened in late April of this year and closed mid-May; companies selected had to pass competitive criteria, including having at least six months of runway and having proof…

As advertising giants try to shed their analog roots, WPP has raided one of the world’s biggest tech giants to find its next leader.The UK-based ad giant on Thursday announced that Microsoft executive Cindy Rose, 59, will succeed Mark Read as chief executive on September 1.Insiders and shareholders told Business Insider they were hopeful Rose would steady the ship after a rocky period.The appointment was announced the day after WPP had issued a surprise profit warning on Wednesday, saying cautious clients were spending less and less keen on pitches.Three company insiders expressed relief to BI that the CEO search was…

Recently, I found myself pouring my heart out, not to a human, but to a chatbot named Wysa on my phone. It nodded – virtually – asked me how I was feeling and gently suggested trying breathing exercises.As a neuroscientist, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was I actually feeling better, or was I just being expertly redirected by a well-trained algorithm? Could a string of code really help calm a storm of emotions?Artificial intelligence-powered mental health tools are becoming increasingly popular – and increasingly persuasive. But beneath their soothing prompts lie important questions: How effective are these tools? What do…

“Is it just me, or is there a storm coming?”If you are one of the 39 million Americans in the U.S. living with migraines, there’s a good chance an intense headache will begin when the weather shifts.You aren’t alone. Studies find 30% to 50% of people with migraines identify some type of weather change as a trigger, making it the most commonly reported migraine source.Yet, it’s also one of the most puzzling.Some people are more sensitive to weatherAs a neurologist and headache specialist practicing in Colorado, a place with frequent weather shifts, patients often tell me that weather is one…

As the summer’s sunny days take hold, many people turn to outdoor exercise.But in parts of North America, pleasant weather often aligns with wildfire season. As summers get drier, both the frequency and the intensity of wildfires have grown, producing more polluting smoke.A fire’s smoke can spread across several states, leaving people at risk for the health consequences of air pollution.Exercisers and health experts are asking whether the benefits of outdoor exercise are negated when the skies are hazy with wildfire smoke.How does air pollution make people sick?Air pollution’s components depend on its source. For instance, traffic-related air pollution consists…

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — English golfer Charley Hull withdrew from the first round of the Evian Championship on Thursday after collapsing to the ground twice because of a virus, organizers said. French organizers said Hull felt unwell on the fourth tee and received medical attention after collapsing. She then got up and hit her tee shot before going to the ground again. Organizers said Hull underwent medical checks that showed she had a virus but was otherwise OK. Hull, who had started on the back nine and was 1-under par after 12 holes, was taken off on a stretcher by…

LONDON (AP) — A little more than two years ago, Amanda Anisimova took a break from tennis because of burnout. A year ago, working her way back into the game, the American lost when she had to go through qualifying for Wimbledon because her ranking of 189th was too low to get into the main bracket automatically.Look at Anisimova now: She’s a Grand Slam finalist for the first time after upsetting No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a compelling contest at a steamy Centre Court on Thursday.In Saturday’s final, Anisimova will face Iga Swiatek, who is a five-time…

Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has pledged not give up on the Formula 1 title fight until it’s mathematically impossible for Max Verstappen to win, even after Christian Horner was fired as team principal.In the first sign of the team’s ambitions after ending Horner’s 20-year tenure and appointing Laurent Mekies, Marko dismissed suggestions Thursday that the move might mark a shift of focus to 2026.“As for the current sporting situation: there are still twelve races to go, and we will continue to fight for the drivers’ championship as long as it’s mathematically possible,” Marko said in comments released by…