🌊 Wildlife on the brink
🌊 Wildlife on the brink
23.3.21 | Robots are the art world's newest competitors.
Good morning.
Did you ever think you’d live long enough to watch a robot paint and sell their own NFT digital artwork? You certainly have; keep reading to see the paintings of Sophia the humanoid robot (and uncanny nightmare).
News 🗞️
Next week the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) will discuss making amendments to Hong Kong’s Basic Law, specifically annexes one and two that deal with Chief Executive selection and LegCo voting procedures.
Parents have denied murdering their five-year-old daughter who died of septicaemia (infection in the bloodstream). In this ongoing horrific case of child abuse, the parents admitted to withholding food and hitting their daughter (SCMP, paywalled) with a cane.
Update on the 2019 Yuen Long MTR Station attack: A judge has declared that six people who are suspected to be connected with the “white-shirts” attacking civilians have a case to answer in court relating to the Yuen Long 2019 mob attack. Two of eight defendants have pleaded guilty and trials for the case will continue today.
Police are investigating the death of four cats at a sports facility in Tsing Yi. The cats were all found with small puncture wounds (paywalled) and may have been killed in a case of animal cruelty.
Know Hong Kong’s latest news in minutes at the start of your day:
The Dark Side of HK’s Wildlife 🐾
Did you know that one pangolin is poached every 21 minutes? An up-to-date wildlife trade report illustrates that pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world and are a “staple” of Hong Kong’s illegal wildlife trade. This report, published by ADM Capital Foundation, builds on its 2019 predecessor which was the first report to provide quantifiable data on HK’s illegal wildlife trade.
Ahead of the Design Curve 👩🏻💻
Today at 3 PM is France & HK Digital Design Day @PolyU, a free online webinar educating attendees on the latest developments in technology and design, and what the future holds for this industry.
Could a Robot be the Next Picasso? 🎨
Sophia, a humanoid robot made by Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics, will have her own artwork (NFT included) going up for sale on Wednesday. After the auction, Sophia will study the face of the highest bidder then make one last addition to her painting before it goes to the new owner.