TLDR 2021-04-19

Amazon is considering adding a new service that would have drivers build the furniture that they deliver. It will introduce the service in Virginia and at least two other markets. Most other companies in the furniture business already offer building services. Amazon has already been criticized for its labor practices, and the new service would add more labor to complete an already difficult job.

Facebook is planning to announce a series of social audio products, including an audio-only version of Rooms, a Clubhouse-like product, a feature that will allow users to record and post brief voice messages, and a podcast discovery service. The timeline for the release of these products is still unclear.

A team of Italian scientists has created a hydrogel that can remove paints from other paints of similar chemical composition. It can be used to repair street art that has been vandalized. The hydrogel is in the form of a thin foil sheet that can be cut into whatever shape is required. It adheres easily to vertical surfaces and will make over-paint soften enough to wipe off after just a few minutes. The gel can be tuned to work on a variety of surfaces.

Japanese scientists have discovered a monoclonal antibody that can stimulate tooth growth in mice suffering from a congenital condition called tooth agenesis. The fundamental molecules for tooth growth also modulate the growth of multiple organs and tissues very early in development. Suppressing the Uterine Sensitization Associated Gene-1 (USAG-1) benefits tooth growth. The scientists discovered a monoclonal antibody that disrupts the interaction of USAG-1 and another molecule involved in tooth growth. A single administration of the antibody was enough to generate a whole tooth.

Gitmoji allows you to use emojis on git commit messages to provide an easy way to identify the purpose or intention of a commit. A guide on how to use the emojis is available. Links to clients and extensions for using Gitmoji in the command-line or IDE are provided.

This article explores the Seam Carving algorithm, explaining the idea behind the algorithm and the dynamic programming approach used to implement the algorithm. It walks through how to write a content-aware resizer in TypeScript. An interactive content-aware resizer is available.

Zones for Employment and Economic Development (ZEDEs) are special economic zones inside Honduras that receive help from entities that govern the territories to bring improved human rights and economic growth. Próspera is Honduras' first ZEDE, occupying a 58-acre tract of land. It currently only has three buildings, but it eventually plans to expand to a network of city-sized hubs. People interested in joining the project will need to sign a social contract, pay a fee, and get Honduran residency. Próspera has the lowest tax rate in the world.

A Twitter user recently captured a photo of a synchronized drone swarm in China creating a scannable QR code in the sky. The code was part of an anniversary show for a mobile game. It linked to the game's download page. A video of the full drone performance is available in the thread.