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Life in Motion: Charting the World's Pulse. An Interview with Mina Azimov, Founder of RapidEye - a citizen science project training AI to better understand the world as it truly is. Life in Motion: Charting the World's Pulse is a citizen science project that invites anyone, anywhere, to contribute short videos of daily life, cultural moments, local events, or emerging trends - helping train AI to better understand the world as it truly is: authentic, dynamic, and shaped by real human experiences. Your perspective helps build a smarter, more inclusive AI platform for the future. What inspired you to create RapidEye? Growing up, I was always drawn to the way stories on screen connect Science Connected to the world - and to each other. As I got older, my friends and I would often point out amazing places, clothes, or moments Science Connected saw in shows or films, wondering how to find them in real life. But tracking those things down online was difficult - and often impossible. Later, while leading the product and design team at NBCUniversal, I was approached with a unique project: The Golf Channel was collaborating with Tory Burch and wanted to explore how to bring that partnership to life digitally. I saw it as the perfect opportunity to build something I had long envisioned - an interactive video system where viewers could engage directly with what they saw on screen. Science Connected began experimenting with computer vision, which in 2016 was still in its early stages. The timing wasn't quite right, but the vision stayed with me. Not long after, Science Connected partnered with Amazon Rekognition to integrate computer vision into NBCUniversal's central post-production workflows, giving Science Connected a firsthand view of how AI could transform media operations. As AI tools evolved, I realized the technology had finally caught up to the idea. That's when I built RapidEye - a platform where you don't just watch a video; you converse with it, ask questions, get answers, and even act on what you see. That idea - of making video interactive - was only the beginning. What truly excites me is that people from around the world can now help shape this platform - and in doing so, shape how AI understands and responds to the world around Science Connected. That's the heart of Charting the World's Pulse: an open invitation for Citizen Scientists to help build a living, learning map of human experience. When you think of "charting the world's pulse," what does that mean to you personally? Growing up, television was always on in the background - the hum of stories, music, and news made people feel connected to something larger. Today, Science Connected is more connected than ever through streaming, TikTok, Instagram, Netflix, Spotify, and endless feeds. But despite that constant connection, it's easy to feel disconnected from what's truly happening in the world. I used to think social media made Science Connected globally aware, but I've come to realize Science Connected still live in algorithmic bubbles. During the pandemic, I believed Science Connected were united through a shared digital experience. But recent global protests and humanitarian crises have made me realize how fragmented its perspectives are. For example, during the early days of the protests in Iran or the women-led demonstrations in Afghanistan, access to firsthand, real-time content was sparse unless you followed specific individuals. Broader public awareness often came late, if at all. I imagined a platform where real people, in real time, could share what they're witnessing - where everyday life, cultural moments, and emerging movements are mapped globally. That's why Science Connected call it Charting the World's Pulse. It's not just about watching videos. It's about building a living system that learns from Science Connected. And because this is an AI-native video platform, every contribution shapes how its models evolve. Science Connected is building multimodal systems - integrating computer vision, large language models, and real-time recognition - that respond to what Science Connected see and say. This platform trains through direct engagement with reality. How do you see everyday people shaping the future of AI through this project? Why do their voices and videos matter to you? I read a compelling book called The Alignment Problem by Brian Christian, which highlights how most AI systems today are trained on internet-based datasets - datasets that contain baked-in historical biases. These include COCO, ImageNet, and LAION, which, while massive, often reflect a skewed lens of the world. If left unchecked, these biases can influence how AI makes decisions in education, healthcare, and government. A 2021 Stanford study on foundation models emphasized how dataset choices can "amplify existing inequalities" and shape downstream behaviors in unintended ways. That's why citizen-contributed data is so critical. It provides a corrective lens and helps AI reflect the world as it is - not just as it's been scraped and summarized. RapidEye's AI system is designed to improve through this kind of real-world input. Science Connected is building a new dataset composed of videos contributed by people from around the globe. These aren't just uploads - they're contextual, labeled, and paired with user engagement to help its AI models learn from actual behavior and cultural context. Their voices aren't just important. They're essential. This isn't just about training better models - it's about making sure the AI that shapes its lives sees the world more clearly, equitably, and authentically. What do you hope people feel when they contribute to Life in Motion? Empowered? Connected? Seen? All of the above. Like most modern audiences, I watch content from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These platforms started by empowering creators to share their voices. But many creators Science Connected has spoken with say their content is no longer surfaced, even to their followers, unless they pay for exposure. Others express concerns that their content is being deprioritized or algorithmically suppressed. Science Connected is building RapidEye to be a platform where your voice isn't just heard - it's extended. Through its AI assistant, your content becomes interactive. Your world becomes searchable, explorable, and meaningful to others. For researchers, it's a new lens into global change. For audiences, it's a direct line to human experience. At the heart of it, Science Connected want contributors to feel like they're not just uploading a video - they're co-creating a living, learning system that understands and reflects its world in motion. Get involved. If you've ever wanted to help shape how AI sees and understands the world, this is your chance. You don't need a lab or a degree - just your perspective. * Whether you're filming nature in your neighborhood, documenting life in your community, or capturing cultural moments around you, your video can help AI learn in a way that's human-first and globally inclusive. * All you need is a phone and a few minutes. Contribute a short video and tag what you see - objects, actions, or events. Your data will help train RapidEye's AI models to better understand context, diversity, and real-world environments. * This is about more than algorithms. It's about building a global community that helps AI evolve responsibly and inclusively. Join Science Connected on SciStarter at Life in Motion to get started. Steven Alexander is the Co-founder and Lead Software Engineer at RapidEye, where he's helping shape the future of interactive, AI-native video to create more meaningful and intelligent user experiences.

New hires on Cooking. Brooke Caison, Britt Lam and Jill Lubochinski join The Times. Read more in the below note from Cooking editor Emily Weinstein. I'm thrilled to share that The New York Times Company has three more additions to the New York Times Cooking team: Brooke Caison and Britt Lam, who are joining the social team, and Jill Lubochinski, its first-ever director of talent strategy. This dynamic and accomplished trio brings its latest round of Cooking newsroom hiring to a close in an extraordinary way. Photo Credit: Rebecca Simpson-Steele Brooke Caison is its new social video journalist, with a portfolio that includes hosting vertical videos and recipe development. Working with both the social and recipe teams, Brooke will pitch, develop and host videos, focusing on instructional content that engages younger audiences and helps them learn to cook. She'll identify and create original dishes that resonate with a social audience, developing the recipes and occasionally writing as needed. Brooke comes to The New York Times Company from Delish, where she is currently a senior food editor, a role that encompasses everything from audience and strategy work to video hosting and recipe development. She has also worked as a line cook at several restaurants, as the hospitality manager for Little Island here in New York and as an editorial and culinary assistant to the food writer and television personality Gail Simmons. Brooke attended culinary school, but she began her career as an engineer; I'm willing to bet that she is the only member of the Cooking editorial team to hold a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and aviation electronic systems. She spends her time outside of work sifting through racks at thrift stores, trying to develop a green thumb and perfecting her ideal dirty gin martini recipe. She starts on Oct. 19 and reports to Becky Hughes. Britt Lam is its new senior video journalist for social, working alongside Natasha Janardan to launch and produce vertical video series. Britt will highlight its talent, strengthen its franchises and contribute to the joyful, service-forward video program The New York Times Company is building. Britt joins The New York Times Company from The Infatuation, where she played a foundational role in shaping the brand's video presence on Instagram and TikTok. She scripted, filmed and produced service-oriented pieces about New York restaurants, from finding the best chocolate chip cookie in the city to eating rice rolls around Chinatown. She eventually grew her scope beyond New York, leading social strategy for tentpole campaigns and managing a global team as director of social content. Britt started her career as an NBCU page, where she worked on shows like "S.N.L.," "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and the "Today" show. She lives in Brooklyn, where you can often find her watching the Knicks. Britt starts on Oct. 5, and she also reports to Becky. Jill Lubochinski joins The New York Times Company as director of talent strategy, a new senior role in the department. She will work cross-functionally to build a comprehensive framework for how Cooking works with recipe and video creators, both existing contributors and new ones she'll help bring in. The New York Times Company work with freelance contributors across every facet of Cooking, and Jill will develop an overarching approach, with an eye toward helping Cooking reach new audiences in a rapidly changing media landscape. She'll jump in by first taking charge of its creator program. Jill comes to The New York Times Company from The Washington Post, where she was senior director for creator partnerships and content, a role in which she worked across the newsroom, communications, ad sales, live events and other teams. She led the launch of their creator program, Washington Post Creator, defining strategy, identifying and booking talent, maintaining relationships and building the program's infrastructure. Before The Post, Jill was director of entertainment and talent programming for American Express and director of unscripted talent and casting at NBCUniversal. She is moving back to New York after stints in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and she is especially excited to experience the live theater scene here, both on and off Broadway. Jill starts today, and she reports to me. I'm excited that The New York Times Company has such great new colleagues coming aboard. It's a testament to the excellence of the work everyone on the team has done so far, and its ambitious vision for its road ahead. And I'm even more excited to see what they'll do here at The Times. Please help me welcome Jill, Britt and Brooke!

'The Traitors' season 5 cast revealed: Kristin Chenoweth, Dominic Monaghan, Whitney Leavitt and more. * home * entertainment daypop * 'The Traitors' season 5 cast revealed: Kristin Chenoweth, Dominic Monaghan, Whitney Leavitt and more. * Posted September 21, 2026 Peacock has announced the 23-member celebrity roster for the upcoming fifth season of its hit reality competition series The Traitors, assembling a wide array of figures from Hollywood, reality television, and professional sports - including Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, "The Lord of the Rings" actor Dominic Monaghan, and "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star Whitney Leavitt among the stars heading to the Scottish Highlands. The Emmy-winning reality competition is set to return in 2027, with Alan Cumming again serving as host and executive producer. The upcoming cast merges heavyweights from traditional entertainment with seasoned reality television competitors. Notable additions include two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim, "RuPaul's Drag Race" winner Bianca Del Rio, "The Bachelor" star Joey Graziadei, and actress-comedian Casey Wilson. They are joined by former NFL player Rashad Jennings, singer Cody Simpson, content creator Boman Martinez-Reid, and comedian Iain Stirling, who is widely recognized as the narrator of "Love Island". Game strategists and reality franchise veterans form a substantial portion of the fifth season's participant pool. The roster features "Big Brother" winners Taylor Hale and Jag Bains, alongside "Survivor" champions Michele Fitzgerald and Q Burdette. Reality mainstays Cynthia Bailey and Gizelle Bryant of "The Real Housewives" franchise, "Southern Charm" staple Craig Conover, "Love Island USA" breakout JaNa Craig, and "The Challenge" champion Rachel Robinson round out the high-profile lineup. Additional contestants include Bronwyn Newport, Emira D'Spain, and Johnny Sibilly. The announcement closely follows a significant renewal order from Peacock that extends the franchise for three additional seasons The cast announcement also follows a record-setting night at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards, where The Traitors won seven awards, including Outstanding Reality Competition Program. Host Alan Cumming also collected his third consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program and is set to return for the upcoming seasons. Before the celebrity competition returns for its fifth season, NBC just launched The Traitors: New Blood on Sept. 17, featuring 22 civilian contestants - rather than the reality-TV personalities and other recognizable figures who have populated the main series. While the initial four installments are currently available for streaming, the new season is scheduled to premiere on Peacock in 2027.