Good morning. High meets low this week with government supercomputers for fusion research, collectible sneakers at Walmart, celebrity chef eggs with sour cream.

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The U.S. Department of Energy and AMD announced a $1 billion partnership to build two AI supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The systems will support nuclear fusion and medical research.

The first system, Lux, launches within six months using AMD accelerators. It will be three times more powerful for AI than current supercomputers (supercomputers, explained). Discovery, the second machine, arrives in 2028.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the project will "supercharge" research from nuclear power to cancer treatments. He predicted practical fusion energy within two to three years and manageable cancer treatments within five to eight years.

See how top countries use supercomputers here.

Amazon plans to lay off up to 30,000 employees—roughly 10% of its corporate workforce—starting Tuesday. Cuts will hit human resources, cloud computing, advertising, and other units across the organization.

The layoffs would be Amazon's largest since 2022, when the company cut around 27,000 roles. CEO Andy Jassy has reduced expenses while ramping up AI spending amid increased cloud computing competition. The company views cuts as correcting pandemic-era hiring.

Jassy told employees in June that AI use will reduce corporate workforce needs. He called generative AI a "once-in-a-lifetime technological change" already altering Amazon's operations. Amazon reports third-quarter earnings Thursday (NYT).

Walmart partnered with Stadium Goods to sell premium sneakers including Air Jordans and Nike Air Force 1s through its online marketplace. The collectible-sneaker retailer will bring authenticated rare sneakers to customers.

The partnership positions Walmart in the collectible sneaker market, projected to reach $53 billion by 2032. Walmart previously partnered with StockX in 2024. Stadium Goods authenticates high-profile brands for collectors and casual consumers.

Senior Vice President Manish Joneja said customers now have "direct access to some of the most coveted sneakers." Observers are watching whether Walmart will expand similar partnerships in other premium categories.

See “sneakereconomics” here.

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Bourdain was old school about eggs: "It's principally about the egg." No milk. No cream. "I just don't feel that cream adds anything."

He beat eggs with a fork, careful not to overbeat. “You want a ripple of white and yellow throughout." Hot pan. Foaming butter. Figure-eight folds.

"You don't want tiny little bits," he said. "You want something fluffy, airy, rippled." His most famous version added bacon fat, green onions, and sour cream at the end. Simple, but rarely done right (sometimes he’ll substitute green onions for chives).

See this 1-minute clip.

Your worse-than-college hangovers aren't imagined. Science confirms they deteriorate as you age. The main culprit is declining liver function, says Adam Taylor, professor of anatomy at Lancaster Medical School. As you get older, your liver produces fewer enzymes to break down alcohol, meaning toxic byproducts like acetaldehyde—responsible for most hangover symptoms—linger longer in your body. Once hungover, Taylor's advice is blunt: "Time is the only thing that will fix it. Time, water and paracetamol."

Read article.

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