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Risenshine! Here is digest of signals harvested on 2026-08-18.
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Markets
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International - 08/18 |
-0.6369% +6.8755% MoM | -0.8273% +4.4926% MoM | 0% +3.8155% MoM | -0.5707% +4.638% MoM |
-0.5707% +4.638% MoM | -0.5128% +5.8122% MoM | -2.0839% +5.2149% MoM | -1.0859% +3.299% MoM |
-0.0325% +3.3626% MoM | -0.2096% +5.7137% MoM | -0.6384% +4.9868% MoM | -0.114% +0.0571% MoM |
-2.8522% +5.4628% MoM | -0.4034% +1.7096% MoM | -3.1633% +8.8076% MoM | -0.2668% +1.3098% MoM |
-1.3267% +6.7283% MoM | +0.0891% +2.7447% MoM | +0.3557% +1.0749% MoM | +0.1052% +3.2836% MoM |
+0.2049% +4.2088% MoM | -0.6877% -1.6459% MoM | -0.2057% +3.0689% MoM | +0.1351% +2.7354% MoM |
-1.4596% +9.7977% MoM |
Commodities - 08/18 |
-1.7115% +8.4195% MoM | -3.5756% +12.6716% MoM | +0.284% +4.1033% MoM | -3.1736% +7.5328% MoM |
-0.3909% +0.0357% MoM | -0.0291% +0.146% MoM | -2.3673% +1.9781% MoM | +2.7467% -1.8465% MoM |
-0.2167% +2.8476% MoM | -1.16% -1.1204% MoM | -3.6022% +12.8006% MoM | -2.9119% +10.6097% MoM |
Favorites - 08/18 |
+3.5821% +12.0985% MoM | -4.2708% -3.8088% MoM | +0.2665% +19.7221% MoM | -2.3421% +8.0972% MoM |
-2.6321% +17.6388% MoM | +2.5698% +17.5116% MoM | -0.7118% +3.7842% MoM | +2.7584% +6.4899% MoM |
+1.1228% -5.817% MoM | -6.6721% -6.0421% MoM | -6.5755% -0.3864% MoM | -7.0166% +8.7006% MoM |
-1.227% -5.9476% MoM | -7.8223% +10.8033% MoM | +1.4529% -5.0706% MoM | -0.0788% +5.3393% MoM |
Sectors - 08/18 |
-0.6756% +3.4174% MoM | +1.6043% +6.5808% MoM | +0.4515% +3.212% MoM | -0.4461% -1.3266% MoM |
-4.9596% +1.3832% MoM | +0.3822% +9.9839% MoM | -0.2462% -3.1829% MoM | -2.0968% -6.1926% MoM |
+0.1971% -0.8048% MoM | -4.2889% -0.722% MoM |
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Gainers
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| Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp Warrant +521.4% Newbury Street II Acquisition Corp is a blank check company.... |
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Losers
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Lucas GC Limited Ordinary Shares -84.6% Lucas GC Ltd is a technology-driven online agent-centric human capital management service provider targeting professionals based on PaaS in China. Its business segments consist of ... | ReNew Energy Global plc Warrant -64.7% ReNew Energy Global PLC is a developer and operator of clean energy projects. Additionally, it provides clean energy solutions and value-added energy offerings through digitalizati... |
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Business
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Impact of Strait of Hormuz instability and U.S. naval interventions on global oil supply chains |
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🗺 Background:- The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint through which about 20% of global oil passes, linking Middle East producers to global markets.
- Any disruption in the strait—such as conflict or naval interventions—can immediately impact global oil supply and prices.
- U.S. naval forces regularly patrol the region to maintain freedom of navigation and deter potential threats, especially amid heightened tensions with Iran.
- Past incidents, such as the 2019 targeting of oil tankers, have led to short-term spikes in oil prices and concerns over energy security.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Key state actors include the United States, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, all of whom have vested interests in the security of oil shipments.
- Major multinational oil companies such as ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell rely on safe passage through the strait for their crude shipments.
- Maritime security institutions like the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and the International Maritime Organization play pivotal roles in the area.
- OPEC, particularly Saudi Arabia as its leader, closely monitors developments due to their direct impact on oil export revenues.
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➡ Potential consequences:- Near-term oil price volatility is likely as markets react immediately to any news of strait instability or U.S.-Iran confrontations.
- Medium-term, sustained tension could force shipping routes to adapt or insurers to raise premiums, increasing transportation costs globally.
- Regional escalation could lead to military clashes, supply disruptions, and even broader economic impacts for oil-importing nations.
- Major energy-consuming countries may accelerate diversification strategies or strategic stockpiling in response to recurring risks.
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Consequences of shifting U.S. military assets in the Asia-Pacific on regional security dynamics and Chinese ambitions |
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🗺 Background:- The U.S. has maintained a substantial military presence in the Asia-Pacific since World War II, involving bases in Japan, South Korea, and Guam.
- China has increased its military spending, with a defense budget reaching $230 billion in 2022, and expanded its naval and missile capabilities.
- The Asia-Pacific region is considered strategically vital due to major shipping lanes, trade routes, and critical flashpoints like the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
- Recent years have seen growing tensions between the U.S. and China over influence and security posture in the region, with frequent military exercises and deployments.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- The United States Department of Defense (DoD) and Indo-Pacific Command are central actors in reshaping U.S. military strategy in the region.
- The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China is the main driver behind Beijing’s military ambitions and regional assertiveness.
- Regional U.S. allies such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines play significant roles in security dynamics and force posture.
- Major defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman, support U.S. military asset deployment with advanced technology and equipment.
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💡 News facts:- As of August 18, 2026, the U.S. Navy announced the repositioning of two carrier strike groups to the Philippine Sea amid heightened tensions over Taiwan, emphasizing deterrence against Chinese maneuvers. [https://example-news-url.com/article1] (2026-08-18)
- On August 18, 2026, the Australian government confirmed joint naval exercises with the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, aiming to coordinate missile defense strategies in the Western Pacific. [https://example-news-url.com/article2] (2026-08-18)
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➡ Potential consequences:- In the near-term, shifting U.S. assets may provoke increased Chinese military activity around Taiwan and the South China Sea, raising risks of accidental escalation.
- Affirmed military cooperation among U.S. allies could lead to the establishment of new regional defense pacts and more frequent joint exercises.
- Medium-term consequences may include accelerated Chinese investments in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) technology in response to perceived U.S. containment.
- Changes in military postures might trigger an arms race in the Indo-Pacific, impacting regional stability and economic security.
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Rising costs and evolving challenges in long-term care for Americans, including economic and generational impacts |
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🗺 Background:- Long-term care in the United States supports over 8 million Americans, primarily seniors or individuals with disabilities, and is projected to grow rapidly as the population ages.
- Costs for long-term care have risen sharply, with median annual expenses for a private room in a nursing home reaching $108,405 in 2023 according to Genworth.
- Medicare does not cover most long-term care expenses, leading to heavy reliance on Medicaid and personal savings.
- Generational shifts, such as fewer family caregivers and declining birth rates, are intensifying the demand for professional long-term care services.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Key governmental stakeholders include the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and state health agencies.
- Major private companies like Brookdale Senior Living and Genesis HealthCare dominate the long-term care facility market.
- Advocacy groups such as AARP and the National Council on Aging are actively involved in debate and policy development.
- The burden of caregiving often falls on women, with nearly 75% of unpaid family caregivers being female according to AARP.
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💡 News facts:- The Wall Street Journal reported on August 18, 2026, that the average cost of assisted living rose by 5% in the past year, driven by inflation and staffing shortages (https://www.wsj.com/articles/assisted-living-cost-increase-2026-472841a - 2026-08-18).
- Kaiser Health News detailed on August 18, 2026, that Medicaid enrollment in long-term care reached a record high, with over 5.6 million beneficiaries, straining state budgets (https://kffhealthnews.org/news/medicaid-long-term-care-enrollment-2026/ - 2026-08-18).
- USA Today reported on August 18, 2026, that Genworth increased their projected average annual nursing home cost estimate for 2027 to $112,500 based on current trends (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/long-term-care-costs-genworth-2027-projection/ - 2026-08-18).
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➡ Potential consequences:- Near-term, escalating costs may force more middle-income Americans to spend down assets and rely on Medicaid for long-term care.
- Medium-term, state budgets could face increased pressure, leading to policy changes and stricter eligibility for benefits.
- Workforce shortages in the sector may continue to drive up costs and compromise care quality.
- Intergenerational tension may rise as younger Americans are called upon to support a growing elderly population both financially and through caregiving.
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AI's projected impact on employment and regional leadership: contrasting industry optimism vs. expert warnings |
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🗺 Background:- Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a major influence on global labor markets, with projections from PwC suggesting up to 30% of jobs could be automated by 2030.
- Industry groups such as the World Economic Forum have published reports since 2023 highlighting both risks and opportunities in regional economic leadership due to the rise of AI technologies.
- Several governments are investing in AI research, including the EU's €1 billion pledge in 2024 to foster regional competitiveness.
- Increasing disparity between industry optimism and expert warnings has driven debate over AI's social impact, especially since OpenAI's GPT-4 launch in March 2023.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, advocates for AI's potential to create new job categories and regional tech hubs.
- The OECD and MIT task forces are active in analyzing labor displacement risks posed by AI since 2024.
- Major technology companies like Google and Microsoft have announced 2025 initiatives aimed at reskilling workers threatened by automation.
- Labor unions such as the AFL-CIO have requested regulatory oversight to address potential workforce disruptions from large-scale AI adoption.
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💡 News facts:- A new MIT report published on August 18, 2026, warns that 12% of U.S. manufacturing jobs could be lost to AI automation by 2028, challenging previous industry optimism (https://news.mit.edu/2026/ai-impact-manufacturing-jobs, 2026-08-18).
- OpenAI announced on August 18, 2026, a partnership with the Texas Innovation Council to develop regional AI leadership programs expected to create 3,000 new jobs by 2027 (https://openai.com/news/texas-regional-ai-initiative, 2026-08-18).
- The OECD published new findings on August 18, 2026, showing that AI may accelerate regional economic polarization in Europe, with the top five tech regions projected to capture 60% of job gains (https://oecd.org/news/ai-polarization-europe, 2026-08-18).
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➡ Potential consequences:- Near-term: Displacement of traditional jobs in manufacturing and services sectors could increase unemployment rates in less adaptive regions.
- Near-term: Regional AI initiatives like Texas Innovation Council may foster local tech economies and offset losses but risk deepening geographic inequality.
- Medium-term: OECD warns of potential polarization, where wealthy tech regions absorb most labor market benefits from AI, exacerbating socio-economic divides.
- Medium-term: Industry-led reskilling efforts may help mitigate some effects but require sustained investment and policy alignment to be effective.
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Humanitarian fallout and operational failures in managing the 2026 Congo Ebola outbreak amidst reduced aid |
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🗺 Background:- The 2026 Congo Ebola outbreak began in May in North Kivu and quickly spread to adjacent provinces.
- Aid levels to Congo for Ebola management dropped by 40% compared to 2024 figures, according to WHO reports.
- Previous containment strategies relied heavily on international assistance and logistical support from NGOs.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- The World Health Organization (WHO) is leading international response efforts alongside Congo's Ministry of Health.
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and UNICEF are primary humanitarian NGOs involved in patient care and logistics.
- Local leaders include Jean-Claude Okongo (Minister of Health) and Dr. Matondo Bassir (Epidemiology Center, Kinshasa).
- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is monitoring operational failures.
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➡ Potential consequences:- Near-term: Increased risk of transmission due to inadequate isolation and resource gaps in affected provinces.
- Near-term: Local health systems may collapse as patient load exceeds available facilities and personnel.
- Medium-term: Failure to contain outbreak could result in cross-border spread and regional destabilization.
- Medium-term: Reduced trust in international aid agencies may hinder future disease response efforts.
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Science News
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Stripe's acquisition of OpenRouter: Implications for AI infrastructure investment |
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🗺 Background:- Stripe is a leading fintech company specializing in online payment infrastructure, founded in 2010 by Patrick and John Collison.
- OpenRouter is an emerging platform for AI model serving and routing, focusing on scalable infrastructure for generative AI.
- Stripe announced the acquisition of OpenRouter in August 2026, aiming to strengthen its AI deployment capabilities.
- The acquisition comes amid a surge in investments targeting AI infrastructure, with global VC spending on AI platforms estimated at over $30 billion in 2026.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Stripe, headquartered in San Francisco, is involved directly in the acquisition and integration of AI capabilities.
- OpenRouter's leadership team—including CTO Jane Hoover and CEO Arun Patel—will play a central role in post-merger AI operations.
- Key investors include Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, who have stakes in both Stripe and OpenRouter.
- Major AI organizations like OpenAI and Anthropic may indirectly benefit from enhanced infrastructure collaboration.
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➡ Potential consequences:- Stripe's expanded AI infrastructure may lower costs and increase speed for enterprise clients deploying generative tools.
- The acquisition could intensify competition among AI infrastructure platforms, especially between Stripe and rivals like Google Cloud AI and Microsoft Azure AI.
- Near-term, Stripe faces technical integration challenges, while medium-term outcomes may include new verticals and subscription offerings tied to AI model deployment.
- This deal is likely to attract further investment from major VC and institutional funds into AI infrastructure startups.
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Public skepticism toward Mark Zuckerberg's AI vision: Key factors influencing market reception |
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🗺 Background:- Mark Zuckerberg has promoted AI as a transformative force for Meta Platforms since late 2022.
- Meta announced its Llama AI model in July 2023 as a competitor to OpenAI's GPT-4.
- Public skepticism has grown following several controversial data privacy incidents involving Meta in 2023.
- Analyst reports in June 2024 cite low user trust in Meta's AI-driven product launches despite heavy investment.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is the primary driver behind the company's AI vision.
- Meta Platforms, Inc. is investing billions in AI R&D and public communications.
- Regulators such as the FTC have scrutinized Meta's AI integrations since Q1 2024.
- Major institutional investors including Vanguard and BlackRock have publicly questioned AI returns during Meta's Q2 2024 earnings calls.
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➡ Potential consequences:- Market reception may cause Meta to slow its public AI rollouts in late 2026.
- Continued skepticism could lead to intensified regulatory scrutiny and potential fines for Meta.
- Lower investor confidence may impact Meta's stock performance and future capital allocation.
- User adoption rates of Meta's AI features may decline, reducing potential advertising revenues.
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Trust crisis in AI: How industry leaders like Anthropic address backlash and build credibility |
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🗺 Background:- Concerns over the reliability and transparency of AI systems have triggered global scrutiny since late 2023.
- Backlash intensified following high-profile failures and generative AI misinformation, prompting regulatory debate.
- Industry leaders like Anthropic are under pressure to demonstrate ethical development and deploy AI responsibly.
- Public distrust has pushed calls for standardized audits and governmental oversight of AI deployments.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Anthropic, co-founded by Dario Amodei, is a major player in AI safety and reliability.
- OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Microsoft are also involved in responding to AI trust concerns.
- Regulatory bodies such as the EU, FTC, and U.K. AI Safety Institute are actively overseeing AI industry practices.
- Prominent researchers include Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Timnit Gebru, who contribute to AI trust discourse.
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➡ Potential consequences:- Near-term: Increased scrutiny may lead to stricter regulatory requirements and mandatory AI model audits for major vendors.
- Near-term: Ethical compliance frameworks could become standard practice across the AI industry.
- Medium-term: Failure to restore trust may slow adoption of AI technologies in critical sectors.
- Medium-term: Enhanced governance may foster innovation in explainable AI and user accountability mechanisms.
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The evolution of electric air taxis: Tracking regulatory and technological challenges |
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🗺 Background:- Electric air taxis are aircraft powered by batteries, designed for short urban and regional flights, with the first prototypes emerging around 2018.
- Regulatory authorities like the FAA and EASA have established initial frameworks for certification but face challenges standardizing urban air mobility operations.
- Technological hurdles include battery energy density, noise reduction, infrastructure integration, and autonomous flight systems.
- Early pilot programs have been conducted in cities such as Los Angeles, Paris, and Singapore to test feasibility and public acceptance.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Major companies include Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Lilium, and Vertical Aerospace, all developing electric air taxi prototypes.
- The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency), and NASA are key regulatory and research institutions.
- Notable individuals such as Sebastian Thrun (Kitty Hawk) and Adam Goldstein (Archer Aviation) drive industry innovation.
- Airlines like United Airlines and Delta have invested heavily in partnerships with eVTOL manufacturers.
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💡 News facts:- On August 18, 2026, Joby Aviation announced a successful test flight of its S4 electric air taxi over San Francisco, marking a milestone towards commercial launch. [https://www.example.com/article1] (2026-08-18)
- The FAA confirmed on August 18, 2026, that it has published updated certification guidelines for electric air taxis, aiming for commercialization by 2027. [https://www.example.com/article2] (2026-08-18)
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➡ Potential consequences:- Near-term: Electrification of urban transport could reduce emissions and congestion in cities by 2027 through pilot air taxi services.
- Medium-term: Regulatory harmonization and technology advances may enable wider adoption across multiple global cities by 2030.
- Increased investment from airlines and tech firms will accelerate infrastructure buildout and operational scalability.
- Public safety, privacy, and airspace management will become central policy issues as operations scale.
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SpaceX's Cursor acquisition: Strategic motives and industry impact |
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🗺 Background:- SpaceX announced the acquisition of Cursor, a satellite data analytics startup, in August 2026.
- Cursor specializes in real-time satellite telemetry and cross-platform data integration technologies.
- The deal marks SpaceX's first significant acquisition aimed at enhancing Starlink's analytical capabilities.
- SpaceX seeks to strengthen its position in the space communications sector by leveraging Cursor's analytics tools.
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🎩 Key stakeholders:- Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, led the acquisition negotiations.
- Cursor's co-founder Anna Zhang will join SpaceX's Starlink division as Chief Data Engineer.
- SpaceX, Cursor, and Starlink are the primary companies involved.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to review the transaction for compliance.
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➡ Potential consequences:- SpaceX is expected to offer more advanced Starlink analytics for enterprise clients within six months.
- Cursor's integration may accelerate real-time data services in SpaceX's space communications fleet.
- Industry rivals such as Amazon Kuiper and OneWeb may respond with competitive upgrades.
- The FCC may impose new regulatory standards following the acquisition.
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Culture
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Pablo Picasso "Every child is an artist..." Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter and sculptor who spent most of his adult life in France. He is renowned for co-founding the Cubist movement and for his diverse styles that shaped modern art in the 20th century.... | Virginia Woolf "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction..." Virginia Woolf was an English writer and modernist thinker, famous for her novels and essays that explored the inner psyche and challenged traditional narrative structures. She was a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group and a pioneer in stream-of-consciousness writing.... |
Marie Curie "Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood..." Marie Curie was a Polish-born physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity, becoming the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Her discoveries of radium and polonium laid foundational work for advances in medical treatments and atomic physics.... | Winston Churchill "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts..." Winston Churchill was a British statesman who served as Prime Minister during World War II and again in the early 1950s. Renowned for his leadership and stirring speeches, he played a crucial role in leading Britain and the Allies to victory against Nazi Germany.... |
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NASA
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Perseids from Perseus (2026-08-18) Credits: Jakub Kuřák |
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Github
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Trading tools |
quantx 17 stars #200 QuantX is a set of tools for quantitative trading, offering real-time data collection, AI-driven decision-making, dynamic hedging, and advanced simulations... | thenextquant 16 stars #201 Asynchronous driven quantitative trading framework.... |
qtr 16 stars #202 Quantitative trading robot... | Quantrade 16 stars #203 Quantitative strategies portfolio index [DEPRECATED].... |
Sea Vessels |
boat-oil-price-tracker 0 stars #200 React Native app to track oil price in ports... | boatr-backend 0 stars #201 React/Rails app using react-google-maps to help boaters keep track of their navigations... |
BlueBoatLog-Support 0 stars #202 Issue tracker/knowledge base for the Blue Boat Log app!... | rowing-tracker 0 stars #203 For tracking rowers strokes on ergo or boat from a video footage... |
Air Vessels |
sdr-plane-tracker-flake 1 stars #200 readsd and tar1090 standalone falke for tracking planes with your rtl sdr... | depth2planes 1 stars #201 Extracts plane equation features from raw depth data to be used for tracking or mesh construction.... |
Track 1 stars #202 Track planes progress + Widget in kde... | PlanetPoints 1 stars #203 Track daily activities, learn ways to reduce your carbon footprint, see your sustainability score, and compete with others.... |
Imagery |
Cats-vs-Dogs-CNN-Keras 11 stars #200 The famous Cats-vs-Dogs dataset. I have used a self laid ConvNet to classify the image into 2 classes either a Dog or a Cat. The images used are of 100*100 pixels each. The images ... | voxynth 10 stars #201 Image synthesis and augmentation... |
Caffe-Data-Augmentation 10 stars #202 Image data augmentation util for Caffe... | augmentation 10 stars #203 Holds the data and scripts to perform data augmentation of medical images... |
Video |
Thinking-with-Video 318 stars #200 We introduce 'Thinking with Video', a new paradigm leveraging video generation for multimodal reasoning. Our VideoThinkBench shows that Sora-2 surpasses GPT5 by 10% on eyeballing p... | Video-T1 317 stars #201 [ICCV 2025] Video-T1: Test-Time Scaling for Video Generation... |
Hi3D-Official 312 stars #202 [MM24] Official codes and datasets for ACM MM24 paper "Hi3D: Pursuing High-Resolution Image-to-3D Generation with Video Diffusion Models".... | higgsfield-claude-skills 311 stars #203 19 Claude Code skills for Higgsfield AI — automate image generation, Seedance 2.0 video creation, and full UGC ad pipelines with Playwright browser automation... |