Latest news with #Ru
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chalk Raises $50M Series A to Power AI Inference
Chalk powers real-time decisions for industry leaders Socure, Doppel, and Sunrun SAN FRANCISCO, May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Chalk, the data platform for AI inference, announced today that it has raised a $50 million Series A at a $500 million valuation. The round was led by Felicis with participation from Triatomic Capital and existing investors General Catalyst, Unusual Ventures, and Xfund. Aydin Senkut, Founder and Managing Partner at Felicis, will join Chalk's board. The capital will be used to accelerate development of Chalk's platform, onboard new customers, and grow its engineering and go-to-market hubs in San Francisco and New York. As AI adoption accelerates, compute is shifting from training to inference to improve predictions, transform customer experiences, and reduce costs. Existing solutions like Databricks and Snowflake solve training data pipelines, and feature stores provide low-latency access to pre-computed data. But these incumbents don't provide a solution for applications that require fresh data, with complex computation, at inference time. Chalk fills a critical gap in the market – inference data pipelines. Chalk's real-time data platform enables customers to make predictions with fresh data at inference time to prevent identity theft, issue instant loans, increase clean energy efficiency, and moderate harmful content. Senkut shared, "Chalk is poised to become the Databricks of the AI era. It's one of the fastest-growing data companies we've ever seen. The team has fundamentally redefined how data moves through the AI stack, a crucial advancement for chain-of-reasoning models. What's even more remarkable is Chalk's ability to deliver 5-millisecond data pipelines at massive scale - something that, until now, was considered out of reach. We couldn't be more excited to partner with Marc, Elliot, and Andy, who are all repeat technical founders passionate about building infrastructure that delivers an incredible developer experience." Marc Freed-Finnegan, Chalk Co-Founder and CEO, added, "We feel incredibly fortunate to have Aydin and Felicis as our partners for the next phase of our growth. We have a shared vision of the future, and we're honored to be part of the cohort of companies they have invested in." Chalk powers real-time ML across industries including fintech, identity, healthcare, and e-commerce. Companies like Whatnot, Found, Medely, and Iwoca use Chalk as a core infrastructure layer across their business. "Chalk helps us deliver financial products that are more responsive, more personalized, and more secure for millions of users. It's a direct line from infrastructure to impact," said Meng Xin Loh, Senior Technical Product Manager, MoneyLion. Chalk has become critical infrastructure for its customers by enabling teams to rapidly operationalize machine learning and AI. At its core, Chalk's Compute Engine empowers teams to write features in pure Python, automatically translating them into high-performance C++ and Rust pipelines to deliver real-time data without complex ETL. Additionally, Chalk's LLM Toolchain unifies structured and unstructured data, offering native vector storage, automated evaluations, and seamless integrations with major LLM providers. Rahul Madduluri, CTO at Doppel, said, "Chalk powers our LLM pipeline, turning complex inputs — HTML, URLs, screenshots — into structured, auditable features. It lets us serve lightweight heuristics up front and rich LLM reasoning deeper in the stack, so we detect threats others miss without compromising speed or precision." Chalk was co-founded by Freed-Finnegan, Elliot Marx, and Andrew Moreland — veterans of fintech and data infrastructure. After meeting at Stanford, Marx and Moreland solved large-scale data problems at Affirm and Palantir before co-founding Haven Money, acquired by Credit Karma. Before Chalk, Freed-Finnegan helped launch Google Wallet and started Index, acquired by Stripe (it's now called Stripe Terminal). Across these ventures, the team saw how real-time data pipelines enabled entirely new product categories and business models. Fast forward to today — real-time decisions at inference are essential for all modern applications, and Chalk makes that possible. About Chalk Chalk is the data platform for inference, providing critical infrastructure that empowers teams to rapidly operationalize machine learning and AI. The developer-friendly platform consists of a Compute Engine that automatically compiles features into high-performance Rust pipelines without complex ETL, and an LLM Toolchain that seamlessly unifies structured and unstructured data. Chalk powers real-time, low-latency machine learning for the world's leading companies, enabling instant loans, fraud prevention, personalized recommendations, and even clean energy optimization. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Francisco, Chalk has raised over $60M from Felicis, General Catalyst, Triatomic Capital, Unusual Ventures, and Xfund. To learn more about Chalk, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contacts ChalkKyla Keefekyla@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Scientists catch Earth's core leaking gold toward the surface
The world's largest stash of gold isn't at Fort Knox: It's locked away in Earth's core. Now, new research from Göttingen University in Germany suggests that some gold might be leaking from the core into the mantle and the crust, bringing it another step closer in the long, and slow, upward journey to the surface. The findings, published this month in the journal Nature, trace the precious metal Ruthenium (Ru) in volcanic rocks from Hawaii back to the core-mantle boundary, which lies more than 3,000 kilometres underground. Most of Earth's gold and other precious metals like platinum and palladium are believed to have sunk into the metallic core during the planet's early, molten days. We can access gold from Earth's crust, but what lies there represents only 1 per cent of the total quantity of gold on the planet. More than 99 per cent of it is thought to be in the core. If that 99 per cent were placed on the surface, there would be enough to blanket all the land on Earth in a half-metre layer of gold. The authors of the new study say tiny differences in isotopes hold clues about when deep-earth elements appear closer to the surface. One isotope, 100Ru, is found in higher concentrations in the core than in the mantle. Using refined techniques, researchers detected high levels of 100Ru in Hawaiian lava samples. 'When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally struck gold!" says Dr. Nils Messling from the university's Department of Geochemistry, in a statement. "Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth's mantle above.' The discovery challenges the assumption the planet's core is geochemically sealed off from the surrounding mantle and suggests some of the core's metal-rich contents leak upwards. But don't expect a gold rush anytime soon. Digging 2,900 km down to access the minerals isn't realistic, but the paper does offer new insight into what goes on deep underground. The findings suggest all siderophile elements, i.e., those that prefer to bond with iron and were drawn into the core early in Earth's formation, may be gradually leaking out. That includes ruthenium, gold, platinum, rhodium, and palladium. 'Our findings not only show that the Earth's core is not as isolated as previously assumed,' says Professor Matthias Willbold, also of the Department of Geochemistry, in the same statement. 'We can now also prove that huge volumes of super-heated mantle material – several hundreds of quadrillion metric tonnes of rock – originate at the core-mantle boundary and rise to the Earth's surface to form ocean islands like Hawaii.' This research not only adds to our understanding of Earth's interior but could also reshape what we know about the evolution of other rocky planets across the solar system. Header image: Graphic representation of Earth's shell structure showing the super-heated metallic inner core in the centre, followed by the solid outer core, the rocky mantle and the thin crust towards the surface. New research from the University of Göttingen demonstrates that some precious metal-rich material from the core is leaking into the Earth's mantle above. University of Göttingen/ (OpenAI)
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Young Stirling joker secures ticket to Holyrood after quip earns spot in final
His top gag earned him a spot in the national competition where a pupil from each of the 32 council areas will compete for the crown. A Stirling primary school pupil has turned a good gag into a golden ticket for Holyrood after being named a finalist in a national joke-telling competition. Ru McCallum, a Primary One pupil at Allan's Primary School, has been crowned the winner of Stirling's regional heat in the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' (RCSLT) VoiceBox competition – a national joke-telling contest celebrating the power of communication. With a joke that had judges in stitches, Ru now heads to the Grand Final at the Scottish Parliament on June 5, where 32 of Scotland's funniest primary school pupils – one from each local authority – will compete for the title of VoiceBox Champion 2025. Ru's joke which earned a place in the final, was: 'Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling very well!' The event will be hosted by Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, with Zara Janjua, BBC journalist and stand-up comedian, taking the mic as compère. Now in its second year, VoiceBox launched on Blue Monday – the so-called 'saddest day of the year' – with a very different energy, thanks to last year's winners from Cockenzie Primary in East Lothian. Since then, schools across Scotland have been submitting their funniest entries in a joyful celebration of confidence, creativity and communication. Ru has already secured £100 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their school, and is also now in the running for the top prizes: £500 of books for the winning school; £200 of books for second and third place; plus, a £100 toy gift card for the top three finalists. Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said the competition is about more than making people laugh, explaining: 'We're incredibly proud of all the regional winners who've earned a place in the national final. 'VoiceBox is about much more than making people laugh. 'It's about highlighting the vital role that communication plays in every part of a child's life. 'Speech, language and communication, skills are the foundation for learning, social connection, mental wellbeing and future employment. 'Yet too many children still struggle without the support they need, often going unnoticed. 'Competitions like VoiceBox show just how powerful a child's voice can be when given a platform and why it's so important that we continue to invest in speech and language therapy to support children's communication. ' 'These children aren't just telling jokes. 'They're showing us how the ability to communicate can positively impact confidence, creativity and connection.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10' bracket rules and point system twist explained
RuPaul introduced new rules for the returning queens on All Stars 10. The contestants will be divided into three brackets that will whittle down to three stars each. A new point-based twist was introduced at the end of the episode, which could change the thought drag queens were good at math? Guess what, Mimi, they're not — but RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 changed the rules for its new bracket-style tournament anyway, and threw in a numbers-based point system twist to top it all off. Friday's premiere episode saw RuPaul sprout a mustache as he sat at the panel in boy drag to deliver news of the format's rules to returning queens Aja, Bosco, DeJa Skye, Irene the Alien, Olivia Lux, and Phoenix, all of whom comprised the first of All Stars 10 three separate six-queen groups. "In the preliminary rounds, no one will be eliminated," RuPaul told the contestants. "Instead, you'll be competing for points. At the end of this three-episode bracket, the three all-stars with the most points form this bracket will advance to the semi-finals, where you will face off against the top-three all-stars from the other brackets." In essence, only three queens from each six-queen bracket will advance to the next round, where the queens will compete until they're whittled down to a final two. "In the final lip-sync smackdown for the crown, the top all-stars will battle it out for the grand prize of $200,000. Yes, honey, that's a lot of full-coverage foundation," RuPaul continued, while season 9 and All Stars 3 alum Aja reacted with excitement: "Baby, we're going to have to fight to the death,' the New York City queen exclaimed. Ru elaborated further on the scoring system, telling the queens that points will be distributed several times per episode. The top two queens of the week will get two points each, and that pair will then lip-sync for the overall victory that comes with an additional point and a $10,000 tip. As usual, though, Ru wasn't done there. "There is more. An additional four points will be awarded each episode. But, more on that later," Ru teased to the shocked queens at the top of the premiere. Later, after a metal-themed music challenge, Aja and Irene were named the top queens of the week. Upon deeming Aja to be the top all-star, RuPaul expanded upon the point system's extra layer. "All-stars, with great power comes great responsibility. Each week, the bottom four queens will each receive one point, but here's the twist: You can't keep the point for yourself," Ru told the girls. "You must give it away to the all-star you believe is the MVQ: the Most Valuable Queen of the week. I'll leave it up to each of you to decide which all-star deserves your MVQ point." Ru then reiterated that at the end of the first three episodes, three queens among the group would be eliminated before the second bracket entered the Werk Room to compete on episodes 4-6. In an exclusive group interview with Entertainment Weekly (above), the cast reacted to the format change with a range of emotions, with some using it as a chance to playfully jab their sisters, and others seeing the changes as an opportunity to develop new strategies that haven't been seen on the show in the past. "For a lot of girls, this was the first time they ever felt like they were [in the] top six, and it showed, and I loved it,' Aja joked, while season 14 finalist Bosco said she feels the AS10 competition is a "more fair experience going into All Stars" that equalizes the competitors, after some queens are on their third (Aja, Jorgeous, Cynthia Lee Fontaine) and even fourth (Ginger Minj) seasons.'I think being in a smaller group, there's more chance to focus on everything.... you're able to keep your eye on the girls a little bit more," season 13's Tina Burner added. "I can watch every one of them and all the shady s--- they're trying to do, and know who to not talk to and who to keep at a tender distance.' RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 continues Fridays on Paramount+. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
NZ Herald
22-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Baby Ru's mum Storm Wall speaks about the day her son was killed 18 months ago
'It's the what ifs, it's the 'what we could have done together',' Wall told RNZ through tears. 'I'm just like picturing him in like costumes, or like picturing what we could have done that day, just, just missing out on milestones is the most heartbreaking thing anyone could go through.' The defenceless little boy, two days shy of celebrating his second birthday, suffered blunt-force trauma so severe it fractured his skull and led to his death. The case would become etched in the public consciousness – another young child killed who should have been safe. Baby Ru, officially named Nga Reo Te Huatahi Reremoana Ahipene-Wall, died at Hutt Hospital on October 22, 2023. Police have previously said there are three people of interest, Rosie Morunga, her partner Dylan Ross, and the child's mother, Storm Wall, who were all living at the same Poole St house with Ru. Neither Morunga nor Ross have spoken to media since the homicide investigation began. On the one-year anniversary Morunga posted on Instagram: 'Missed dearly aunty is so sorry boy I couldn't save you. Aunty and uncle will get justice.' She went on to post an image of a baby holding a woman's hand with the caption 'one year and it won't get any easier'. In an exclusive interview with RNZ marking the 18-month anniversary of her son's death, Wall, now 23, spoke at length about what she alleges happened to her son and who she claims killed him. She said she replayed that day at least twice a week. RNZ is unable to report what she alleges happened, but Wall said what stuck in her mind the most is her effort to try save her son. 'I was trying to do CPR, trying to recover him in that state, that's what plays in my head. And I feel like I failed ... I should have been faster. I should have, you know, to try and help him like, but I was just screaming out to the world. Saying why? ... I just wanted him to be in the hospital, you know, trying to, trying to catch his breath or anything just so he could still be here.' Wall last heard from police at the beginning of the year. She said they were checking in to see if they were okay. Police are yet to rule out any of the three persons of interest. Asked if she found it hard being treated as a person of interest for such a period, Wall replied she did not include herself as a suspect. 'I'm innocent and that's all I can say. I was a loving mum to him. I gave him the world, even though my world wasn't perfect.' The officer in charge of the investigation, dubbed Operation Huia, Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard, told RNZ police were still forensically examining several exhibits relevant to the homicide. The exhibits include items found by police during a 'targeted search' at Moonshine Rd, in a semi-rural area, north of Wellington just over a year after Nga Reo's death. Police believe a grey-green 1994 Nissan Sentra, with the number plate TE6972 was used to transport items from the crime scene. 'After that analysis we will complete a full review of the entire case and evidence gathered to determine next steps.' Pritchard urged the person or persons responsible to come forward. 'It would be the decent thing to do and not continue to carry the burden of having killed a young child.' Wall was adamant she told police everything she knows, and said she was surprised no one has been charged to date. She said she woke up every morning hoping it will be the day she hears there has been an arrest. 'I'm just hoping for it to hurry so he can finally rest more.' Wall said she had experienced a 'wave of emotions' in the last 18 months. 'The first six months was the worst. Like just having your world shattered just all in one ... there's no description of what that type of feeling is or was it's just something no one should go through.' Wall said she had tried to find a 'new purpose' since his death. She had attended courses and planned to go back to studying in July. She still fondly recalled her 'happy, bubbly, observant, cheeky little baby' who loved nature. 'He was just perfection in my eyes, as every parent says towards their babies.' Wall began to cry as she talked about how hard it was to look at the photos of her son around the home. Despite the pain, she said looking at the little boy's smile did make her happy too. 'I know he's not physically here, but his presence within spirit is always here ... it's calming in a way.' As she looks back, Wall said her biggest regret, which she does not think will ever go away, is that she moved to Lower Hutt in the first place. Wall says she has not spoken to Ross or Morunga since the day of her son's death. Asked how she feels towards the couple, Wall said 'it's more than hatred'. 'I despise of them with every inch of my body.' Nga Reo would have been aged 3 years and 6 months this week. Now living in a farm area, Wall is sure the little boy would be out imitating his uncles doing the hunting and fishing. He would also be making most of the large lawn riding with his pretend lawnmower. 'He'd just be loving life I guess.' Police still want to hear from anyone with information about the case, by calling 105, and quoting the file number 231022/1708, or via the Crime Stoppers line on 0800 555 111. - RNZ
