Science
Francisco Partners to Acquire The Weather Company Assets from IBM
Upon close, The Weather Company to become a standalone company, unlocking new growth potential
ARMONK, N.Y. and SAN FRANCISCO /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Francisco Partners, a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology businesses, today announced that the two companies have signed a definitive agreement under which Francisco Partners will acquire The Weather Company assets from IBM. Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The assets being acquired by Francisco Partners include The Weather Company’s digital consumer-facing offerings, The Weather Channel’s mobile and cloud-based digital properties including Weather.com, Weather Underground, and Storm Radar, as well as its enterprise offerings for broadcast, media, aviation, advertising technology and data solutions for other emerging industries. The Weather Company will also bring its forecasting science and technology platform to Francisco Partners.
The Weather Company provides highly accurate weather data to consumers and businesses and is among the top 10 most trusted brands in America1. The Weather Company serves an average of more than 415 million people each month through its consumer-facing digital properties, including The Weather Channel mobile app and website, Weather Underground and Storm Radar, and more than 2,000 businesses across a variety of industries through its enterprise offerings.
IBM will retain its sustainability software business, including its Environmental Intelligence Suite (EIS) to help clients curate, measure, report and operationalize ESG data to inform decision making, improve performance and meet regulatory requirements. IBM intends to continue leveraging The Weather Company’s weather data for EIS, which spans various climate related use cases. EIS also uses a geospatial foundational AI model powered by NASA’s satellite dataset and offered as part of watsonx, IBM’s AI and data platform. This model has a wide range of applications, including tracking changes in land use, monitoring natural disasters, and predicting crop yields.
Through increased investment and resources from Francisco Partners, The Weather Company will look to move beyond forecasting alone and bring new tools and experiences to users to help them understand how weather impacts all aspects of their lives, starting with health and well-being. For businesses, The Weather Company plans to offer more actionable insights so organizations can provide greater value to their customers. With its advertising platform, The Weather Company will continue to provide quality real-time experiences for the ad and subscription media industry, while complying with all consumer privacy laws and regulations.
“We’re proud of what The Weather Company team has accomplished with IBM, and we are confident that the best path forward is as a standalone company benefiting from Francisco Partners’ expanded investment, dedication and expertise. We’re excited to see the next phase of The Weather Company’s journey,” said Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President, Software and Chief Commercial Officer, IBM. “Over the last few years, we’ve evolved IBM to be a hybrid cloud and AI company. We regularly review our portfolio to make sure our business areas are core to that strategy, and today’s news reflects our continued focus on these two transformational technologies.”
Since its launch over 20 years ago, Francisco Partners has invested in over 400 technology companies, making it one of the most active and long-standing investors in the technology industry. Francisco Partners’ investments have focused on companies that provide the best possible products and service for its customers and partners. Francisco Partners also has extensive experience partnering with corporations to execute divisional carve-outs with transactions such as Dell Inc.’s Dell Software business and Discovery Inc.’s Discovery Education business.
Alan Ni, Partner at Francisco Partners said “Amid the growing volatility of weather, The Weather Company’s unique set of consumer, media, and industry-specific products provide mission critical, data-driven weather insights to individuals and businesses around the world. We are excited to partner with the management team to grow The Weather Company’s robust portfolio of technology offerings and deliver a great product experience for its customers.”
Mei Shi, Principal at Francisco Partners, added “We have a long and successful track record of executing divisional carve-out transactions and look forward to helping The Weather Company drive crucial focus in executing on organic and inorganic growth strategies.”
The transaction is expected to close by the end of Q1 2024 and is subject to regulatory approvals, completion of local labor processes and other customary closing conditions.
About Francisco Partners
Francisco Partners is a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses. Since its launch over 20 years ago, Francisco Partners has invested in over 400 technology companies, making it one of the most active and longstanding investors in the technology industry. With approximately $45 billion in capital raised to date, the firm invests in opportunities where its deep sectoral knowledge and operational expertise can help companies realize their full potential. For more information on Francisco Partners, please visit www.franciscopartners.com.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
SOURCE IBM
aerospace
Boom Partners with Latecoere for Supersonic Aircraft EWIS Architecture
Boom teams up with Latecoere to redefine EWIS architecture for supersonic aircraft, bringing together expertise for optimal safety and reliability.


Boom, the innovative aerospace company, has announced its collaboration with global aerospace leader Latecoere as part of its expanding network of suppliers. Latecoere’s engineering team in Toulouse, France, will work in conjunction with Boom engineers to define the complete electrical wiring interconnection system (EWIS) architecture for both Overture and Symphony aircraft.
Latecoere’s expertise in developing and manufacturing certifiable EWIS and advanced aircraft technologies makes them a valuable addition to Boom’s lineup of suppliers for Overture. The EWIS for these aircraft will consist of an extensive 103 kilometers (64 miles) of wiring, encompassing over 45,000 electrical connections. This comprehensive system ensures optimal safety and reliability for Overture and Symphony.
Latecoere brings years of experience in complex aircraft development processes and methods, making them an ideal partner for Boom. The company’s industry-leading harness architecture definition software stack will be leveraged to support Boom’s ambitious goals in sustainable supersonic air travel.
By collaborating with top-tier suppliers like Latecoere, Boom is demonstrating its commitment to assembling a world-class team to make supersonic air travel a reality. Latecoere’s CEO, Greg Huttner, expressed pride in supporting Boom’s vision and continuing to contribute to the development of next-generation flight. This partnership is a significant step forward in the advancement of supersonic aviation technology.
https://boomsupersonic.com/flyby/up-to-speed-november
Science
Innovative Study Unveils New Insights into Asymmetric Particle Collisions


Centrality dependence of model parameters y0a, y0A, σa and σA in p+Al, p+Au and 3He+Au collision at √sNN= GeV. The lines are the linear fit results to guide the eyes.
« Innovative Study Unveils New Insights into Asymmetric Particle Collisions
Newswise — A study is published in the journal of Nuclear Science and Techniques, researchers led by Prof. Hua Zheng from Shaanxi Normal University, heralding a significant breakthrough in high-energy particle physics. This study sheds new light on the behavior of particles in high-energy collisions, an area of research integral to deepening our understanding of the universe’s origins.
In this comprehensive study, the researchers implemented the Tsallis thermodynamics framework, utilizing the Tsallis distribution—a sophisticated extension of the Boltzmann-Gibbs distribution—to analyze the transverse momentum spectrum of particles in high-energy collisions. This innovative method considers particles detected in experiments as being produced by fireballs, which adhere to the Tsallis distribution, thereby providing a more detailed and nuanced understanding of particle dynamics in high-energy collision environments. Focusing on asymmetric collision systems, specifically p+Al, p+Au, and 3He+Au at 200 GeV, the team leveraged the fireball model rooted in Tsallis thermodynamics. This model proved effective in fitting the experimental data from these complex collision systems. A key aspect of the study was examining the total multiplicities of charged particles, particularly their relationship with the centrality of the collisions. The research also highlighted the significant impact of data quality, especially in terms of pseudo-rapidity distributions, on the overall findings. Further, the study delved deeply into the variations in fireball model parameters, analyzing how these parameters change with both the centrality and the size of the collision systems. This approach uncovered the intricate and complex dynamics characteristic of asymmetric collisions, contributing significantly to the field of high-energy particle physics.
This study’s findings confirm that the fireball model with Tsallis thermodynamics can be a universal framework to describe the pseudo-rapidity distribution of charged particles produced in asymmetric collision systems. The success of this model in fitting experimental data paves the way for more detailed studies into the complex dynamics of high-energy particle collisions. These insights are not only significant for theoretical physics but also have practical implications in particle accelerator experiments and the search for new elements and particles physics. The continued exploration of these complex systems will deepen our understanding of the universe’s fundamental processes.
References
DOI
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-023-01334-9
Funding information
The National Natural Science Foundation of China (11905120, 11947416);
The Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province (2023NSFSC1322);
The Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (2023-JC-YB-012);
The United States Department of Energy (DE-FG02-93ER40773);
The NNSA (DENA0003841 (CENTAUR)).
About Nuclear Science and Techniques
Nuclear Science and Techniques (NST) reports scientific findings, technical advances and important results in the fields of nuclear science and techniques. The aim of this periodical is to stimulate cross-fertilization of knowledge among scientists and engineers working in the fields of nuclear research.
Books and Novels
Rough draft of Darwin’s Origin of species goes online




Newswise — On the 164th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s Origin of species, the Darwin Online project at the National University of Singapore (NUS) will launch all the surviving draft pages of one of the most influential scientific books in history. After his book was published, the unsentimental Darwin discarded the hundreds of pages of the original handwritten draft of his epoch-making book into the Darwin family’s scrap paper pile. His children used some sheets for drawings and others were torn in half by one of Darwin’s son who used the blank back sides for mathematical exercises.
In the end, almost all of the draft pages were destroyed. Towards the end of Darwin’s life, his theory of evolution was more widely accepted and there was intense interest in the original draft of Origin of Species. Some were rescued from the piles of scrap paper and old notes and, over decades, many were given away as gifts especially by his children after his death. These draft pages are now dispersed around the world and some have probably been lost forever.
Discovering Darwin’s manuscripts
Today, the rough drafts of Darwin’s Origin of species are some of the most precious and valuable pieces of paper in the history of science worth almost a million dollars each. The last one to sell at auction, in 2018, went for £490,000 (approximately USD$ 600,000). The United Kingdom’s Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism placed an export bar on Darwin’s manuscript, due to its cultural and national significance, in hopes of keeping it in the country.
So far, about 50 sheets were known to survive. This launch of the drafts by Darwin scholar, Dr John van Wyhe from the NUS Department of Biological Sciences, includes seven draft pages not found in previous lists with three draft pages recently rediscovered – bringing the total to 59. This collection of draft pages includes unprecedented details about each sheet and its history. For example, one was donated by Darwin’s daughter Henrietta Litchfield to a Red Cross auction during WWI for the war wounded. It was purchased anonymously by cotton merchant and aviation pioneer Sir Alfred Paton who donated it to his old school, Clifton College. It was later sold at auction in 1999 for £39,500 to an anonymous buyer “in the Americas” and has never been seen again. Fortunately, it was photocopied by Clifton College and a photograph was printed in the auction catalogue.
Uncovering the mysteries behind Darwin’s drafts
Darwin’s handwriting is notoriously difficult to read. All of the drafts have been transcribed and edited showing where the text appears in the published book so they may be compared. The drafts make it possible to see in detail how Darwin originally composed and revised many of his arguments. The drafts total 11,700 words (7.7% of Origin of species) and contain many sentences that were never published, offering fascinating insights into Darwin’s thinking as he composed the book that changed the world. What would have happened if he had published the original version of some of his arguments? In one crossed out sentence, Darwin wrote that “An instinct may almost be called an empty trick.”
In a famous passage of the Origin of species, Darwin argued that natural selection could gradually transform an animal like a bear into something like a whale. He was mocked and criticised by reviewers so severely that he deleted the passage from all later editions. What would have happened if he had published the passage as originally written?
In one of the drafts, this never-printed paragraph was revealed as follows:
“In N. America a bear has been seen swimming for hours with widely open mouth, thus catching the minute crustaceans swimming on the surface. Even in so extreme a case as this, if the supply of minute crustaceans were constant, & there did not in the region exist better adapted competitors, I can see no difficulty in a race of Bears being rendered by natural selection more & more aquatic in habits & structure, with larger & larger mouth, till a creature was produced as monstrous in size & structure as a whale though feeding on prey so minute.”
Darwin later made very extensive corrections to the first and second proofs which makes the text of the first draft differ even more from the published book. His son Francis recalled that “my mother looked over the proofs of the ‘Origin.'”
The drafts can be viewed for free via a detailed illustrated introduction here. The link will be made live after the embargo is lifted.
The drafts join the world’s largest collection of Darwin’s writings, both publications and handwritten manuscripts, Darwin Online.
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