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Tuesday, March 01, 2022

POSTMODERN ALCHEMY
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds The Gemstone Of The Future?

Frances Solá-Santiago 

For more than 50 years, diamonds have been the ultimate symbol of love and the go-to gemstone for engagement rings. From songs proclaiming them “a girl’s best friend” to ad campaigns highlighting their eternal power, diamonds are firmly embedded in our culture. But as the lab-grown diamond industry continues to rise in popularity and produce cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to mined diamonds, is the gemstone really forever?

First things first: What is a lab-grown diamond? “A lab-grown diamond is optically, chemically, and physically identical to a natural diamond,” explains Melissa Cirvillaro, chief marketing officer of Lightbox, a subsidiary of De Beers Group that creates lab-grown diamonds, via email. “It is grown in a laboratory over a period of weeks rather than mined from the earth.” The process involves a diamond seed — a thin wafer of existing gemstone — as well as raw carbon and energy, which are then put under conditions that mimic the natural environment where a traditional diamond flourishes. Over the past few years, it’s becoming a popular choice among consumers.

According to Vogue Business, six to seven million carats of lab-grown diamonds were produced in 2020. While mined diamond production still outpaces the lab-grown industry — in comparison, over 110 million carats of diamonds were mined in 2020 — this sector is growing: According to Aether, a lab-grown diamond jewelry brand, the market has grown from 1% to 5% in the past three years alone. Since then, not only have new lab-grown brands launched, but heritage and mainstream brands like De Beers Group and Pandora have adopted lab-grown options into their offering as well.

© Provided by Refinery29


Why are people foregoing diamonds?


While the earliest descriptions of diamonds were found in a Sanskrit manuscript dated to 320-296 BCE, the reason many people today own diamonds is thanks to modern-day marketing. Thanks to the legendary “A Diamond Is Forever” campaign launched in 1948, the De Beers company — one of the world’s biggest diamond miners, cutters, and sellers — successfully convinced the world that the only proper way to get engaged was with a diamond ring. This gave birth to the engagement ring industry as we know it today: From 1939 to 1979, wholesale diamond sales climbed in the country from $23 million to $2.1 billion.

Yet, as consumers have become more aware of the environmental and social impact of their fashion and shopping choices, the question of ethics surrounding diamonds has also been raised. Some argue that this industry has a severe environmental, economic, and social impact on communities where natural diamonds are mined, fueling armed conflicts. Two decades since governments worldwide signed the Kimberley Process, a certification created in 2003 with a mission to reduce the mining and exporting of “blood diamonds,” human rights violations are still being documented in countries where diamond mining occurs. Yet, many still argue that the economic and social benefits are bigger than it seems: the Natural Diamond Council says that over 80% of the net economic benefits of diamond production are retained within their originating countries.

Are lab-grown diamonds more sustainable?

There are also concerns when it comes to the environmental consequences of mining diamonds. While mined, diamonds require over 120 gallons of water for each carat, according to The Diamond Foundry, a company that produces synthetic diamonds, some lab-grown diamond companies use electricity and fossil fuels for production.

But many lab-grown-diamond companies are trying to extract energy and carbon from resources they claim are more sustainable. Marketed as the first-ever diamond made from air, Aether uses technology that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to produce its diamonds. “We’re effectively reducing the carbon footprints of our customers and offsetting their impact,” the company’s CEO, Ryan Shearman, tells Refinery29. Aside from turning air into diamonds, Shearman says the company’s facilities and production also rely on clean energy from solar and wind power. Aether is also foregoing the use of other lab-grown diamonds for their seeds (ie. those thin diamond wafers) obtaining them instead from their own products, which they claim are “carbon negative.”

“Our goal is to be able to not just act as a source of diamond jewelry and have a positive impact for our customers, but also from a business-to-business standpoint to be able to offer diamond seeds out there in the marketplace,” Shearman says.

Los Angeles-based VRAI is also attempting to reduce the environmental impact of mined diamonds and its own lab-grown production. “We’ve been really focused on showing the beauty and the opportunity that lab-grown diamonds have by showcasing that you can have a luxury product that doesn’t compromise your ethics,” says Mona Akhavi, CEO of VRAI.

The brand, which is owned by The Diamond Foundry, uses hydropower from the Columbia River in Washington to extract the energy needed to grow their diamonds. (While hydropower can help offset the carbon footprint, the practice has received criticism from environmentalist groups, who have called out the construction of large dams for their harm to wild rivers and fish populations.)

While many lab-grown-diamond companies claim to be more sustainable than mined diamonds, there is no clear consensus on just how much energy lab-grown diamonds require: A 2011 report by the University of Virginia found that making lab-grown diamonds can use an estimated 20 kilowatt-hours per carat, while numbers provided to the trade publication JCK from “a veteran [diamond] grower” show that a single-stone high-pressure, high-temperature press — one of two types of machines used to grow diamonds — requires 175 to 225 kilowatt hours per rough carat (a similar amount of energy to what the average American household uses to power a home for seven days).

© Provided by Refinery29

Are mined diamonds over?

Beyond ethics and sustainability, multiple reports conclude that diamonds have lost relevance with millennials and Gen Z who are less interested in engagement and marriage than generations before them. As society moves away from the idea of the nuclear family as its bedrock, so do the symbols that used to hold it together. In turn, diamond companies are adapting to fit changing social tides, turning to lab-grown diamonds for cheaper and more sustainable offerings. For proof, see Lightbox, which was founded by De Beers Group in 2018.

Then, there is the generational economic factor — millennials own just 5% of the wealth in the United States — which is makes the cheaper prices of lab-grown diamonds appealing to the demographic. For example, the cheapest available diamond stud earrings at De Beers are sold for $1,150 for a .14 carat diamond, while Lightbox offers a similar pair for $250 including a .25 carat diamond.

But while lab-grown diamonds are more economical, many argue that they won’t retain their value as much as mined diamonds, which are becoming more rare: Global supply of mined diamonds peaked in 2006 with 176 million carats mined, a level that, according to Bloomberg, will never be reached again. “Natural diamonds are a finite natural resource: the earth is not making any more. So, this rarity makes them a long-term store of value,” Sally Morrison, public relations director at Lightbox, wrote via email. Experts envisioned that, in 2021, there would be a 15 million carat deficit in the supply of mined diamonds, which could lead to a demand in lab-grown diamonds.

“Fewer and fewer mined diamonds will be available that are coming out of the ground, that means that the gap there can only be filled by lab-grown,” says Shearman.

Are mined diamonds forever? Maybe not. But thanks to the lab-grown, they will remain eternal.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds The Same As Natural Stones?

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Fragments of Energy – Not Waves or Particles – May Be the Fundamental Building Blocks of the Universe

By LARRY M. SILVERBERG, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY DECEMBER 11, 2020

New mathematics have shown that lines of energy can be used to describe the universe.

Matter is what makes up the universe, but what makes up matter? This question has long been tricky for those who think about it – especially for the physicists. Reflecting recent trends in physics, my colleague Jeffrey Eischen and I have described an updated way to think about matter. We propose that matter is not made of particles or waves, as was long thought, but – more fundamentally – that matter is made of fragments of energy.



In ancient times, five elements were thought to be the building blocks of reality.
From five to one

The ancient Greeks conceived of five building blocks of matter – from bottom to top: earth, water, air, fire, and aether. Aether was the matter that filled the heavens and explained the rotation of the stars, as observed from the Earth vantage point. These were the first most basic elements from which one could build up a world. Their conceptions of the physical elements did not change dramatically for nearly 2,000 years.

Sir Issac Newton, credited with developing the particle theory. Credit: Christopher Terrell, CC BY-ND

Then, about 300 years ago, Sir Isaac Newton introduced the idea that all matter exists at points called particles. One hundred fifty years after that, James Clerk Maxwell introduced the electromagnetic wave – the underlying and often invisible form of magnetism, electricity and light. The particle served as the building block for mechanics and the wave for electromagnetism – and the public settled on the particle and the wave as the two building blocks of matter. Together, the particles and waves became the building blocks of all kinds of matter.

This was a vast improvement over the ancient Greeks’ five elements, but was still flawed. In a famous series of experiments, known as the double-slit experiments, light sometimes acts like a particle and at other times acts like a wave. And while the theories and math of waves and particles allow scientists to make incredibly accurate predictions about the universe, the rules break down at the largest and tiniest scales.

Einstein proposed a remedy in his theory of general relativity. Using the mathematical tools available to him at the time, Einstein was able to better explain certain physical phenomena and also resolve a longstanding paradox relating to inertia and gravity. But instead of improving on particles or waves, he eliminated them as he proposed the warping of space and time.

Using newer mathematical tools, my colleague and I have demonstrated a new theory that may accurately describe the universe. Instead of basing the theory on the warping of space and time, we considered that there could be a building block that is more fundamental than the particle and the wave. Scientists understand that particles and waves are existential opposites: A particle is a source of matter that exists at a single point, and waves exist everywhere except at the points that create them. My colleague and I thought it made logical sense for there to be an underlying connection between them.

A new building block of matter can model both the largest and smallest of things – from stars to light. Credit: Christopher Terrell, CC BY-ND

Flow and fragments of energy

Our theory begins with a new fundamental idea – that energy always “flows” through regions of space and time.

Think of energy as made up of lines that fill up a region of space and time, flowing into and out of that region, never beginning, never ending and never crossing one another.

Working from the idea of a universe of flowing energy lines, we looked for a single building block for the flowing energy. If we could find and define such a thing, we hoped we could use it to accurately make predictions about the universe at the largest and tiniest scales.

There were many building blocks to choose from mathematically, but we sought one that had the features of both the particle and wave – concentrated like the particle but also spread out over space and time like the wave. The answer was a building block that looks like a concentration of energy – kind of like a star – having energy that is highest at the center and that gets smaller farther away from the center.

Much to our surprise, we discovered that there were only a limited number of ways to describe a concentration of energy that flows. Of those, we found just one that works in accordance with our mathematical definition of flow. We named it a fragment of energy. For the math and physics aficionados, it is defined as A = -⍺/r where ⍺ is intensity and r is the distance function.

Using the fragment of energy as a building block of matter, we then constructed the math necessary to solve physics problems. The final step was to test it out.
Back to Einstein, adding universality

More than 100 ago, Einstein had turned to two legendary problems in physics to validate general relativity: the ever-so-slight yearly shift – or precession – in Mercury’s orbit, and the tiny bending of light as it passes the Sun.


General relativity was the first theory to accurately predict the slight rotation of Mercury’s orbit. Credit: Rainer Zenz via Wikimedia Commons

These problems were at the two extremes of the size spectrum. Neither wave nor particle theories of matter could solve them, but general relativity did. The theory of general relativity warped space and time in such way as to cause the trajectory of Mercury to shift and light to bend in precisely the amounts seen in astronomical observations.

If our new theory was to have a chance at replacing the particle and the wave with the presumably more fundamental fragment, we would have to be able to solve these problems with our theory, too.

For the precession-of-Mercury problem, we modeled the Sun as an enormous stationary fragment of energy and Mercury as a smaller but still enormous slow-moving fragment of energy. For the bending-of-light problem, the Sun was modeled the same way, but the photon was modeled as a minuscule fragment of energy moving at the speed of light. In both problems, we calculated the trajectories of the moving fragments and got the same answers as those predicted by the theory of general relativity. We were stunned.

Our initial work demonstrated how a new building block is capable of accurately modeling bodies from the enormous to the minuscule. Where particles and waves break down, the fragment of energy building block held strong. The fragment could be a single potentially universal building block from which to model reality mathematically – and update the way people think about the building blocks of the universe.

Written by Larry M. Silverberg, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University.

Monday, December 22, 2025

TRUMPENOMICS TOO

Iconic American Bourbon Brand is Shuttering its Trademark Distillery in 2026


Men's Journal · Photo by Adam Bouse on Unsplash

Alex Reimer
Sun, December 21, 2025 
Men's Journal 

Jim Beam is putting its trademark distillery on ice.

The iconic American bourbon brand announced it will stop producing whiskey at its facility in Clermont, Kentucky on January 1. The pause will last for the entirety of 2026.

“We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026," the company said in a statement, per the Lexington Herald Leader. “We’ve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our (Freddie Booker Noe) craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beam campus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements."

The visitor center for those who pass through on the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Why is Jim Beam Stopping Production?


It's been a rough year for Kentucky's $9 billion whiskey industry. Tariffs and boycotts are hitting business hard: Canada hasn't bought any American-manufactured spirits since March in response to President Donald Trump's ongoing tariff regime. Overall, U.S. whiskey sales to Canada are down 60%.

As a result, the bourbon industry has halted production by more than 55 million proof-gallons, representing a 28% downshift.

Though the Jim Beam's main distillery is shuttering operations for next year, layoffs haven't been announced--at least not yet. Jim Beam employs nearly 1,500 people in Kentucky.

Other whiskey companies, such as Jack Daniel's, have laid off employees as they pause production, too.

What's the Reaction?


Whiskey enthusiasts and concerned consumers are placing blame on Trump's tariffs. Canada is a major export market for American spirits, serving as the second-largest behind the European Union.

"Trump’s tariffs hurt Kentucky. There is no doubt about it," posted Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath.

Though there is an apparent link between the bourbon industry slump and tariffs, it's worth noting that Kentucky bourbon sales started to slow down in 2024. Alcohol consumption across the U.S. is on the down swing: the percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has dropped to 54%, the lowest percentage in Gallup's 90-year history.


Why Jack Daniel's parent Brown-Forman is reporting lower sales, profit



Olivia Evans and Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal
December 4, 2025 3 min read


Brown-Forman, the maker of iconic whiskey products such as Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and Woodford Reserve, continues to see decreased sales and profits largely attributed to the trade environment and lower used barrel sales.

The first half of fiscal 2026 which ended Oct. 31, saw Brown-Forman report a 4% decrease in net sales and a 4% decrease in gross profit, the company shared in its earnings report Dec. 4.


"We believe cyclical pressures related to ongoing macro, economic and geopolitical uncertainties continued to negatively impact consumer confidence and reduce discretionary spending in the U.S. and in many developed international markets," Brown-Forman President and CEO Lawson Whiting said Dec. 4. "On the other hand, we continue to see resilient consumers in a number of our emerging international markets, where trends are generally much stronger."

The spirits maker, which closed its Louisville cooperage in April and laid off 12% of its global staff in 2025, saw a decline in its 2025 fiscal year sales, has repeatedly spoken about the impact of tariffs and trade on its products. It noted that while its net sales have shown a decline in the first half of fiscal year 2026, it remains optimistic about growth in emerging international markets and its ability to innovate new products like its recent launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry.


"We continue to navigate a spirit sector facing headwinds and still expect that the behavior of the consumer and the level of trade inventories will not change meaningfully during the 2026 fiscal year," said Leanne Cunningham, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Brown‑Forman.

The company reported its entire whiskey portfolio was neutral ― seeing no growth or loss for the earnings period. Brown-Forman also reported its ready-to-drink products saw 5% growth in the first half of FY26, tequila was down 3% and the rest of the company's portfolio fell 35% in net sales.

Whiting said that while the company experienced notable declines, it's important to note the performance "in developed international markets and the U.S. sequentially improved" when compared to the first quarter.


While Brown-Forman continues to feel drastic effects of many provinces in Canada removing all U.S.-made products from shelves in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs and Europe becoming a more challenging operating environment, the alcohol producer saw strong growth in countries like Mexico, Turkey and Brazil.

Whiting said the company has taken a 60% hit in Canada organic net sales.


"The continued unavailability of American spirits products in Canada resulted in a significant impact to our top line performance," Cunningham said. "While we are hopeful for the return of American products to Canadian store shelves, we continue to assume this headwind will persist for our full fiscal year."


In addition to Canada driving sales down, the other main headwind at play for Brown-Forman is used barrel sales.

"Used barrel sales have returned to levels that reflect the challenging and uncertain operating environment for the spirits industry," Cunningham said. "We continue to expect used barrel sales to be lower by more than half of fiscal 2025 level."

Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_. Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at mglowicki@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4000.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Jack Daniel's parent Brown-

Jack Daniel’s owner sees Canada sales plunge 62% amid boycott of US booze

A view of the atmosphere is seen during Masego headlines Jack Daniel's "Carols By The Barrels" concert event in Los Angeles at The Brig on December 10, 2024 in Venice, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Jack Daniel's) · Food Dive · Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Jack Daniel's via Getty Images


Laurel Deppen

December 10, 2025 


This story was originally published on Food Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Food Dive newsletter.

Spirits giant Brown-Forman said the ongoing Canadian boycott of U.S. alcohol spurred by President Donald Trump's tariff policies continues to drag down earnings, with sales in the country declining 62% in the second quarter.


While Canada only makes up about 1% of Brown-Forman’s total sales, the continued absence of its products from a bulk of the country's stores is impacting its entire top line. Total net sales for the quarter fell 5% year over year to $1 billion.

The drop off also impacted the company’s ready-to-drink Jack Daniel’s portfolio, which fell 4% in the first half of its fiscal year.

As Canadian consumers protest Trump's tariffs, only two provinces continue to sell alcohol from the United States, according to the BBC. A majority have pulled stock from the shelves in a bid to promote Canada-produced goods, though some provinces have moved to sell their remaining U.S. inventory to raise funds for charity.

Growth of Brown-Forman's Diplomático and the Glendronach, which are produced outside of the U.S., wasn’t enough to offset the declines elsewhere, executives said in an earnings call last week.

"The continued unavailability of American spirits products in Canada resulted in a significant impact to our top line performance," CFO Leanne Cunningham said on an earnings call. "While we are hopeful for the return of American products to Canadian store shelves, we continue to assume this headwind will persist."

The company expects its full-year net sales to decline in a low-single digit range.

In March, Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting said Canadian retailers pulling U.S. alcohol from stores was worse than a tariff.

Dan Su, equity analyst for Morningstar Research Services, said that earnings calls at several Canada-based grocery stores seem to indicate that the anti-U.S. sentiment among Canadian consumers has eased significantly, which could pave the way for Brown Forman's return in the country.

“It seems to me the friction between the two countries on the tariff subject has eased off in recent months, and hopefully the retailers [and] smaller liquor stores will put Brown-Forman products back on the shelf,” Su said in an interview. “But it’s probably going to take a couple of quarters, and within this time period, that will continue to be a headwind for the company.”

Canada is figuring out what to do with its stockpiles of US alcohol

Katherine Li,Aditi Bharade

December 12, 2025 


Canadian provinces removed American liquor from store shelves earlier this year.Jennifer Gauthier/REUTERS

Most Canadian provinces pulled US booze off their shelves in March to protest Trump's tariffs.

Now, some are selling their stockpiles to raise money for food banks and charities ahead of the holidays.

Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland are four such provinces.

Canada is coming up with ways to put its stockpiled American liquor to good use.


Several provinces in the country halted imports of US booze and removed it from store shelves in March in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Now, at least four provinces are planning to sell the remaining inventory and donate proceeds to food banks.

Canada's far eastern province, Prince Edward Island, told Business Insider that its government will put its stock of American booze, which it had pulled off the shelves, back in stores starting on December 11.

A representative for the province's finance department said the government anticipates profits of $600,000 Canadian dollars, or about $434,000, from the sale. The proceeds will be distributed to food banks across the island. The province says it does not intend to place any further orders for American alcohol.


The finance office of Newfoundland and Labrador told Business Insider it had made an upfront payment of $500,000 on Tuesday to 60 provincial food banks before the sales of any liquors, a move that will help more than 15,400 people. After the liquor is sold, more donations will go to the food banks for a total sum of up to $1 million.

Manitoba and Nova Scotia have similar plans.

Manitoba said it will sell its inventory through private retailers and restaurants, with the estimated $500,000 in net revenue going to food banks, holiday charities, children's organizations, and an advocacy group for First Nations.

As for Nova Scotia, the province is making a $4 million upfront payment to groups that provide food access, and the money will be recouped when the $14 million worth of liquor is eventually sold.


"We will not be ordering any more from the United States once this inventory is gone," the province's premier, Tim Houston, said in a statement. "But Nova Scotians have already paid for this product."

He added, "We don't want it to go to waste. That's why we're selling it and using the proceeds to help those in need."

In Canada, the sale of alcohol is mainly controlled by provincial governments, each of which establishes a board to oversee the matter. Only Alberta has a completely privatized alcohol retail system, while Saskatchewan has a partially privatized system.


Canada mainly imports whiskey and bourbon, alongside beer and other spirits, from the US.
Other provinces have different plans

The provinces are not taking a one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with their stockpiles of American booze. Some are still undecided about what to do, while others have already sold off their inventory earlier in the year after ceasing imports.

A spokesperson for Ontario's finance ministry told Business Insider that the province had no plans to put the booze on store shelves soon.


"US alcohol will remain off shelves and is being held in storage until further notice," said the spokesperson. "We are currently exploring options for the products."

Ontario did not disclose how much inventory it still has, but the province said the inventory it had pulled off the shelves in March was worth around C$80 million.

A government representative from the Northwest Territories and a spokesperson of the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch both told Business Insider that they ceased US liquor imports in March, but will continue selling the stockpiled products until they are depleted.

A Yukon government cabinet representative said Yukon has the same plan.

However, the mountainous province of Alberta continues to import and sell American booze.


"In June this year, Alberta lifted restrictions on the purchase of US alcohol from American companies, signalling a renewed commitment to open and fair trade with our largest partner," a spokesperson of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction told Business Insider.
American distillers are hurting

The matter of US booze has been fueling the trade tension between the two neighbors.

The animosity started when Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Canada in March and commented that Canada should become a state of the US.

Despite later walking back some of his broader tariffs and upholding a previous agreement that ensured most goods remain tariff-free, Trump's moves have drawn the ire of Canadians, who have canceled travel plans and boycotted American goods in stores.


According to the Distilled Spirits Council, US spirits exports to Canada plummeted 85% in the second quarter of 2025, falling below $10 million in export value.

"We hope both the US and Canada can address their respective concerns," said Chris Swonger, the CEO of the council. "And that our products can return to Canadian retail shelves as soon as possible."

In March, Kentucky's bourbon makers said Canada's ban on American alcohol would hurt them.

Eric Gregory, the president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, said in March that retaliatory tariffs would have "far-reaching consequences across Kentucky, home to 95% of the world's bourbon."


Beloved beer brand and brewery shuts down, no bankruptcy




Kirk O’Neil
Updated Tue, December 16, 2025 


The craft beer industry has suffered a devastating year in 2025, as over 250 breweries in the U.S. closed down permanently in the first six months of the year.

Most craft breweries blamed rising costs, slowing taproom traffic, and fierce retail competition as the reasons for their demise, American Craft Beer reported.


The number of craft breweries operating in the U.S. declined from 9,747 in 2023 to 9,269 in June 2025, the Brewers Association reported, and the number continues to decline.
Craft breweries file for bankruptcy and liquidate


Several craft brewers have liquidated and closed in Chapter 7 this year, including St. Petersburg, Fla.-based brewery Dissent Craft Brewing, which filed for liquidation in August; Exton, Pa.-based Iron Hill Brewery LLC and San Jose, Calif.-based Strike Brewing Company, which both filed petitions in October; and Oregon-based Rogue Ales & Spirits, which filed Chapter 7 in November.

One of the most prominent craft brewery closings was Albuquerque, N.M.-based Bosque Brewing Company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in October 2025 and closed two of its 11 New Mexico establishments in December.

Entropy Brewing Co. closes down its business after almost a year and a half of operating.Shutterstock

Entropy Brewing Company closes permanently


And now, popular Ohio beer brand and brewery Entropy Brewing Company posted on social media that it will not make it to New Year's Eve as it closes down its business permanently on Dec. 27, 2025.

The Miamisburg, Ohio, craft brewery, restaurant, and bar revealed in a Dec. 12 Facebook post that it will shut down operations on Dec. 27, but did not state a reason for closing.


"We have an important update to share: Entropy Brewing Co. will be closing on December 27, 2025. We are deeply grateful for the incredible support this community has shown us. Thank you for the memories, the laughter, and the many good times shared here," the brewery said in the Facebook post.

"Many of us have developed great friendships with many of you. Please visit and say goodbye. Cheers!" the message concluded.
Entropy Brewing opened in July 2025 in a historic building

Entropy Brewing Co. opened for business on July 3, 2024, in a historic 125-year-old downtown Miamisburg building that was built in 1900 to house Suttman's Men's and Boy's Wear, which itself shut down in 2013, according to the Dayton Daily News.

The fledgling craft brewery, which described itself as "a multi-generational brew pub for the whole family," included an indoor playground for children 2-10 years old in an adjacent building where the brew pub's kitchen is located.

The brewery featured a taproom on the main floor and a speakeasy lounge and cocktail bar in the basement. The second and third floors housed one- and two-bedroom apartments.

More closings:

Casual Mexican restaurant chain closes more locations


79-year-old national trucking company closes down, no bankruptcy


65-year-old Home Depot rival shutters business permanently

Entropy Brewery's beers on tap include Bleacher Talk blonde ale, Dark Matter oatmeal stout, 635nm red ale, Vin & Aether aged saison, Viking Project hazy IPA, Phase Change mild coffee ale, Peach Nebula session black dark lager, Chocolate Coal session dark lager, The Black Hole Hallertauer blanc forward black lager, and Pumpkin Project hazy IPA.

Entropy Brewery's beers:

Bleacher Talk blonde ale


Dark Matter oatmeal stout


635nm red ale


Vin & Aether aged saison


Viking Project hazy IPA


Phase Change mild coffee ale


Peach Nebula session black dark lager


Chocolate Coal session dark lager


The Black Hole Hallertauer blanc forward black lager


Pumpkin Project hazy IPA.

The brew pub's dining menu includes a variety of steak burgers, sandwiches, tacos, mac and cheese, salads, starters, dips, and a kids' menu.

The brewery also rented out spaces for parties and special events, including the Stuttman Room, Lower the Bar, Main Dining Area, Outdoor Patio, and the whole Entropy Building with 200 seating capacity.

Related: Bankrupt beer and pizza restaurant chain closes locations

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Dec 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Restaurants section. A

AB InBev to shut two US breweries, sell another

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hephzibah-ga-usa-06-15-23-2318947385 Budweiser and Bud Light on sale in Hephzibah · Just Drinks


Dean Best

December 12, 2025 

Anheuser-Busch InBev is to close two breweries in the US and offload another.

The Budweiser brewer said the changes mean it can “invest even more in our remaining operations”.

AB InBev is shutting facilities in Fairfield in California and in Merrimack in New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, the world’s largest beer maker is selling a brewery in Newark in New Jersey to property business Goodman Group.



Around 475 staff are affected. A spokesperson for the Michelob Ultra owner said it would offer all the employees “a full-time role elsewhere in our US operations”.

The spokesperson said AB InBev would move “production from these three facilities to our other US facilities” and added: “These changes will enable us to invest even more in our remaining operations and in our portfolio of growing, industry-leading brands.”


In the first nine months of 2025, AB InBev’s revenue in the US declined 1.2%. Sales to retailers fell 3.1% while sales to wholesalers slid 3%. EBITDA inched up 1.1%.

In 2024, the Bud Light brewer reported a 2% fall in US revenues, with sales to retailers decreasing 5% and sales to wholesalers falling 3.9%.


The spokesperson pointed to AB InBev’s recent investment at other breweries in the US. This year, the company has announced projects including at sites in Georgia and New York.

Last week, AB InBev announced a deal to acquire a majority stake in BeatBox, the US-based hard-punch maker.

AB InBev will pay up to around $490m for an 85% shareholding in BeatBox.

Texas-based BeatBox sells its products across the US. Its portfolio spans 20 SKUs, including Blue Razzberry, Orange Blast, Mystic Grape, Lemon Squeeze and Sweet Heat Cinnamon.

The brand entered the UK in October through a distribution agreement with Red Star Brands, securing listings in 700 Morrisons stores.

"AB InBev to shut two US breweries, sell another" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand.


Anheuser-Busch to shutter its Merrimack facility in early 2026

Jonathan Phelps, 
The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
December 11, 2025


Anheuser-Busch will shutter its brewery operations in Merrimack early next year along with facilities in California and New Jersey.

The company known for its Budweiser products confirmed the closing Thursday morning, but has not filed any paperwork under the federal WARN Act, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.


Merrimack officials were told about 125 workers at the plant will be given options to relocate or take a severance package.

The shutdown puts an end to more than 50 years of “The King of Beers” being brewed at the more than 400,000-square-foot processing facility at 221 Daniel Webster Highway. The property also includes warehouses, office buildings, and its well-known biergarten.

Merrimack Town Manager Paul Micali received a call from an Anheuser-Busch representative Thursday morning who told him about the plant closing.

“It is a surprise that they are closing so quickly,” he said. “I knew there were talks about the facility, but I didn’t think they were going to close within four months, three months.”

In addition to the Merrimack plant, the company will also close a facility in Fairfield, California, and sell another in Newark, New Jersey, to the Goodman Group. Approximately 475 full-time employees across all three plants will be impacted, according to a company spokesperson.


All full-time employees will be offered roles in other facilities within the company’s U.S. operations with relocation stipends and new location skills training. Employees who choose not to relocate will be provided with severance packages and other resources, the company said.

The company has been making changes over the past five years to “update and modernize” its U.S. manufacturing operation, including investing $2 billion in more than 100 facilities across the country.

“We will be shifting production from these three facilities to our other U.S. facilities and these changes will enable us to invest even more in our remaining operations and in our portfolio of growing, industry-leading brands,” a company spokesperson said.

Anheuser-Busch earlier this year announced it would stop the production of craft beer in Portsmouth. The production space at Pease International Tradeport opened as Redhook Brewery in 1996.


Michael Skelton, Business and Industry Association president and CEO, called the news disappointing as he said Anheuser-Busch was a great employer and community partner over the years.

“I’m sure this is part of a long-range continual assessment of the best deployment of resources,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’re not immune to those decisions despite the state, I think, offering a very competitive environment for companies like this in terms of our regulatory environment and quality of our workforce.”


Senate President Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, called Anheuser-Busch a “cornerstone” for the state’s manufacturing sector.

“During this time, it has played a vital role in our local economy, not only through job creation and tax revenue but also through its contributions to community outreach and charitable efforts. I want to thank them for making New Hampshire their home,” she said in a statement.


Department of Business and Economic Affairs Office Interim Director James Key-Wallace said his department will reach out to Anheuser-Busch to see how the state can offer assistance to the impacted workers.

“We are here to support Granite Staters impacted by Anheuser-Busch’s closure of its facility in Merrimack,” he said.

The Merrimack plant opened in 1970 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020.

Tours were also popular at the plant, with reports of up to 100,000 visitors a year in its heyday.

But much of the allure diminished when the company announced in 2018 it would relocate its Budweiser Clydesdales training facility to Missouri. Clydesdales were supposed to remain at the Clydesdale Hamlet in Merrimack when they weren’t on tour, but that did not end up being the case.


The same year, the company completed an $11 million project to increase the facility’s cross-brewing capabilities.

Some of the well-known events every year include Oktoberfest, Ribfest and concerts. The organizers of the NH PoutineFest said they’ve been receiving a lot of messages since the closure was announced.

“Very sad news to us,” the group wrote on Facebook. “The staff at AB has become part of our family in many ways. At this time we are going to focus on supporting our friends.”

Skelton said once the initial shock wears off conversations can begin on how the property will be redeveloped.

Micali, the Merrimack town manager, said the town’s wastewater system was built around the facility, which is at little less than half the system’s flow, which amounts to between $1 million or $1.5 million in sewer revenues.

Property taxes from the site typically come in around $800,000 a year.

He called the plant an institution.

“Everybody knows someone who’s worked there, or their grandfather worked there, or somebody worked there in the past,” he said.

Anheuser Busch is owned by Anheuser Busch InBev, a Belgian multinational beverage and brewing company.


Economic Stress Has Americans Shifting from High-End Booze to Cheaper Bottles

Sarina Trangle
December 14, 2025
 Investopedia


Kevin Carter / Getty ImagesDon Julio and other high-end tequila sales have softened, Diageo PLC said.


Key Takeaways

Sales of spirits that cost $100 or more have plunged, and consumers are shifting from "super premium" to "premium" tequila, liquor-company executives said.


The business leaders said people "trading down" shows that Americans still want to buy and drink alcohol.


Fewer booze buyers are reaching for the top shelf.


Americans aren't thirsting for for the high-end tequila that once flowed freely, spirits companies said, as demand for $100 spirits has dropped off. Consumers appear to be trading down—or selecting less expensive versions of their preferred beverage—said Lawson Whiting, CEO of Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B), on Thursday, as sales of more affordable bottles fell less.

“We are seeing some weakening, for the first time, in terms of trade down,” Whiting said on a conference call, according to a transcript made available by AlphaSense. "When you look at $100 and above or $50-to-$100 [segments], those price points have weakened considerably."

Industrywide, the number of $100-plus bottles sold has fallen 18% in the past three months, according to the market research firm NielsenIQ.

Why This News Matters to Investors

Consumers are trying to cut back on booze amid concerns about the job market and inflation. Many are likely to step back first from discretionary items, such as fancy liquor or meals out.

Diageo, which makes Johnnie Walker and Crown Royal, said sales of its "super premium" tequila brands have weakened, including Don Julio, which can cost as much as $470 for a 750-ml bottle of Ultima Reserva, as well as Casamigos, which retails for $40 to $62, according to Total Wine & More quotes for New York.

Some customers are shifting to Astral, a "premium" alternative that Total Wine sells for $32, Diageo's interim CFO Deirdre Mahlan said, explaining that the tequila category has also grown competitive as the spirit exploded in recent years.

The spirits companies offer a sign that consumers are cutting back on alcohol because of the economy, rather than in response to health concerns and changing norms, which are also reconfiguring consumption and spending in the sector.

Research shows younger Americans drink less than prior generations. Several factors may be at play: health and wellness is a bigger priority; some socializing has moved online; and disposable income is tight. Legal cannabis may also rival its appeal, and many are now buying non-alcoholic spirits and beers. But some companies believe money is at the root of the change.

"It's largely economic," Mahlan said last month, according to a transcript. "Look at the changes that we're seeing in terms of trade down both in formats and price points."

This article has been updated since it was first published to clarify the industry data from NielsenIQ.


Thursday, October 30, 2025

SPACE/COSMOS


Why does matter even exist? Tufts physicists help uncover clues


Analysis of international physics experiments finds neutrinos may have tipped the matter/antimatter balance at the beginning of the universe



Tufts University

The top of the NOvA Far Detector in Ash River, Minnesota 

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Neutrinos interact with the main detector—a massive 14,000-ton device composed of about 344,000 small PVC plastic modules filled with a liquid, which emits light when a neutrino triggers the release of charged particles. “Detection is a challenge,” said Jeremy Wolcott. “We have to sort out oscillated neutrinos from the accelerator from unoscillated accelerator neutrinos, cosmic-ray particles, and other background particles that come in contact with the detector.” 

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Credit: Fermilab Creative Services





In the beginning of the universe, there should have been nothing but light. Based on current models without modification, physicists calculate that the Big Bang would have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter, ultimately annihilating each other and leaving a universe made purely of photons. 

And yet here we are, orbiting a star, one of over 100 billion stars circling the Milky Way galaxy, among 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe, all made of matter, with little antimatter to be found. Why this is the case has been one of the most puzzling questions facing physicists today.

Now, results from a large Fermilab-led collaborative study published in Nature, which included Tufts University physicists Hugh Gallagher, W. Anthony Mann, and Jeremy Wolcott among two international teams of hundreds of researchers, suggest a possible reason why matter persisted after the creation of the universe.

The Fermilab NOvA scientific collaboration, together with the T2K project in Japan, found that the oscillation behavior of neutrinos—electrically neutral subatomic particles about 10 million to 100 million times lighter than an electron—may have led to increase in the matter to antimatter ratio to the tune of one part per billion.

Why that might have been the case relates to how neutrinos behave. In the current universe, neutrinos can be generated during radioactive decay, which occurs in abundance in the Earth’s core, or when hydrogen fuses into helium, as it does in the Sun’s core.

Neutrinos are produced as a certain “flavor” (electron neutrino, muon neutrino, or tau neutrino). Each flavor is made up of not just a single pure wave, but is a superposition, or mix, of three wave functions, each with a slightly different mass.

Oscillating Like Piano String

Think of a neutrino as a musical chord, made up of sound generated by three strings, each with a different mass—a heavier bass string, a medium string, and a light string vibrating at different frequencies. A harmonious chord will have string frequencies in simple ratios, for example 2:1, 3:2, or 4:3.

As a neutrino moves through space, the larger mass function (bass string in the analogy) shifts in frequency relative to the smaller mass functions (lighter strings), similar to detuning one of the strings in a musical chord. In music, three strings vibrating at slightly different frequencies from harmonic ratios create constructive and destructive interference as phases move past each other. The result is a wobble or pulsation in volume that creates a beat pattern. 

For neutrinos moving through space, the shifting wave frequencies of the three mass functions create a quantum beat pattern, observed as the oscillation between different flavor states. 

“In the experiments, which stretched over 10 years, we made neutrinos and antineutrinos of one flavor (tau) in a particle accelerator and let them propagate hundreds of miles through the Earth,” said Wolcott, a Tufts research assistant professor. 

“The detectors—a near one and a far one—pick up neutrinos of a different flavor due to the oscillations,” he said. “Our goal was to determine whether the oscillations were different between matter-based neutrinos and antimatter neutrinos. If neutrinos and antineutrinos oscillate differently, ending with slightly different mass, then their creation at the beginning of the universe could have led to an excess of matter over antimatter.”

Still Awaiting Definitive Data

The NOvA experiment did in fact pick up differences in oscillation between neutrinos and antineutrinos, but a definitive conclusion on the matter/antimatter imbalance remains out of reach until more data can be collected. 

“One of the challenges with measuring neutrino oscillation is that there are a lot of degrees of freedom, including uncertainty in the ordering of the mass states—we still don’t know which mass function is the heaviest or lightest,” said Wolcott, “so we need a lot of data to help sort that out.”

The Tufts team made critical contributions to understanding of how neutrinos interact with the main detector—a massive 14,000-ton device composed of about 344,000 small PVC plastic modules filled with a liquid, which emits light when a neutrino triggers the release of charged particles. 

The “far detector” was constructed in Ash River, Minnesota, 503 miles from the source of neutrinos created at Fermilab, just outside of Chicago. The “near detector,” a smaller version near the source in Illinois, takes a baseline measurement of the neutrinos exiting the particle accelerator. The two measurements are compared to determine the extent of neutrino oscillations.

“Detection is a challenge. We have to sort out oscillated neutrinos from the accelerator from unoscillated accelerator neutrinos, cosmic-ray particles, and other background particles that come in contact with the detector,” said Wolcott, who also coordinated the effort to analyze the neutrino oscillations that emerged from both the NOvA and T2K experiments. 

“To put that in perspective, particles from natural sources hit the detector 150,000 times per second, but on average we only catch one neutrino per day from the particle accelerator source,” he said. “Most neutrinos slip through the Earth and our detectors and continue traveling through space, which is why they are sometimes called ‘ghost particles.’”

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UBCO study debunks the idea that the universe is a computer simulation


New study uses logic and physics to definitively answer one of science's biggest questions



University of British Columbia Okanagan campus





It’s a plot device beloved by science fiction: our entire universe might be a simulation running on some advanced civilization’s supercomputer.

But new research from UBC Okanagan has mathematically proven this isn’t just unlikely—it’s impossible.

Dr. Mir Faizal, Adjunct Professor with UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, and his international colleagues, Drs. Lawrence M. Krauss, Arshid Shabir and Francesco Marino have shown that the fundamental nature of reality operates in a way that no computer could ever simulate.

Their findings, published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics, go beyond simply suggesting that we’re not living in a simulated world like The Matrix. They prove something far more profound: the universe is built on a type of understanding that exists beyond the reach of any algorithm.

“It has been suggested that the universe could be simulated. If such a simulation were possible, the simulated universe could itself give rise to life, which in turn might create its own simulation. This recursive possibility makes it seem highly unlikely that our universe is the original one, rather than a simulation nested within another simulation,” says Dr. Faizal. “This idea was once thought to lie beyond the reach of scientific inquiry. However, our recent research has demonstrated that it can, in fact, be scientifically addressed.”

The research hinges on a fascinating property of reality itself. Modern physics has moved far beyond Newton’s tangible “stuff” bouncing around in space. Einstein’s theory of relativity replaced Newtonian mechanics. Quantum mechanics transformed our understanding again. Today’s cutting-edge theory—quantum gravity—suggests that even space and time aren’t fundamental. They emerge from something deeper: pure information.

This information exists in what physicists call a Platonic realm—a mathematical foundation more real than the physical universe we experience. It’s from this realm that space and time themselves emerge.

Here’s where it gets interesting. The team demonstrated that even this information-based foundation cannot fully describe reality using computation alone. They used powerful mathematical theorems—including Gödel’s incompleteness theorem—to prove that a complete and consistent description of everything requires what they call “non-algorithmic understanding.”

Think of it this way. A computer follows recipes, step by step, no matter how complex. But some truths can only be grasped through non-algorithmic understanding—understanding that doesn’t follow from any sequence of logical steps. These “Gödelian truths” are real, yet impossible to prove through computation.

Here’s a basic example using the statement, “This true statement is not provable.” If it were provable, it would be false, making logic inconsistent. If it’s not provable, then it’s true, but that makes any system trying to prove it incomplete. Either way, pure computation fails.

“We have demonstrated that it is impossible to describe all aspects of physical reality using a computational theory of quantum gravity,” says Dr. Faizal. “Therefore, no physically complete and consistent theory of everything can be derived from computation alone. Rather, it requires a non-algorithmic understanding, which is more fundamental than the computational laws of quantum gravity and therefore more fundamental than spacetime itself.”

Since the computational rules in the Platonic realm could, in principle, resemble those of a computer simulation, couldn’t that realm itself be simulated?

No, say the researchers. Their work reveals something deeper.

“Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone,” Dr. Faizal explains. “It requires non-algorithmic understanding, which by definition is beyond algorithmic computation and therefore cannot be simulated. Hence, this universe cannot be a simulation.”

Co-author Dr. Lawrence M. Krauss says this research has profound implications.

“The fundamental laws of physics cannot be contained within space and time, because they generate them. It has long been hoped, however, that a truly fundamental theory of everything could eventually describe all physical phenomena through computations grounded in these laws. Yet we have demonstrated that this is not possible. A complete and consistent description of reality requires something deeper—a form of understanding known as non-algorithmic understanding.”

The team’s conclusion is clear and marks an important scientific achievement, says Dr. Faizal.

“Any simulation is inherently algorithmic—it must follow programmed rules,” he says. “But since the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the universe cannot be, and could never be, a simulation.”

The simulation hypothesis was long considered untestable, relegated to philosophy and even science fiction, rather than science. This research brings it firmly into the domain of mathematics and physics, and provides a definitive answer.

How do planets get wet? Experiments show water creation during planet formation process



New experimental work demonstrates that large quantities of water are created as a natural consequence of planet formation



Carnegie Institution for Science

Water is created during planet formation 

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New research uses laboratory experiments to demonstrate that water is naturally created during the planet formation process. By squeezing and heating planetary analog materials between the tips of two diamonds, scientists from Carnegie, IPGP, and UCLA demonstrated that interactions between a young planet's atmosphere and its primitive magma ocean generates water and dissolves hydrogen into the magma melt. This work has major implications for our understanding of planetary habitability and the search for exoplanets that could host life.

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Credit: Image courtesy of Navid Marvi/Carnegie Science.





Washington, DC—Our galaxy’s most abundant type of planet could be rich in liquid water due to formative interactions between magma oceans and primitive atmospheres during their early years, according to new research published in Nature by Carnegie’s Francesca Miozzi and Anat Shahar.

Of the more than 6,000 known exoplanets in the Milky Way, so-called Sub-Neptunes are the most common. They are smaller than Neptune and more massive than Earth and believed to have rocky interiors with thick hydrogen-dominated atmospheres.

This makes them good candidates for testing ideas about how rocky planets, like our own, acquired an abundance of water—which was critical for the rise of life on Earth and is considered a fundamental component of planetary habitability.

“Our rapidly increasing knowledge about the vast diversity of exoplanets has enabled us to envision new details about the earliest stages of rocky planet formation and evolution,” Miozzi explained. “This opened the door to considering a new source for planetary water supplies—a long-debated mystery among Earth and planetary scientists—but experiments designed with this purpose in mind were absent.”

This work is part of the interdisciplinary, multi-institution AEThER (Atmospheric Empirical, Theoretical, and Experimental Research) project, which was founded and is led by Shahar. Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the initiative combines expertise across a diversity of fields—including astronomy, cosmochemistry, planetary dynamics, petrology, mineral physics, and more—to answer fundamental questions about the characteristics that enable rocky planets to develop favorable conditions for hosting life. Their work has a particular focus on attempting to link observations of planetary atmospheres to the evolution and dynamics of their rocky bodies.

Previous mathematical modeling research has demonstrated that interactions between atmospheric hydrogen and iron-bearing magma oceans during planet formation can produce significant quantities of water. However, comprehensive experimental tests of this proposed source of planetary water had not been performed until now.

Miozzi and Shahar led an international team of researchers from the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) and UCLA to create the conditions under which such interactions between hydrogen—representing the early planetary atmosphere—and iron-rich silica melt—representing the formative magma ocean—would occur in a young planet. They accomplished this by compressing samples up to nearly 600,000 times atmospheric pressure (60 gigapascals) and heating them to over 4,000 degrees Celsius (7,200 degrees Fahrenheit).

Their experimental environment mimics a critical phase of the rocky planet evolutionary process. Such bodies are formed from the disk of dust and gas that surrounds a young star in the period after its birth. This material accretes into bodies which crash into each other and grow larger and hotter, eventually melting into a vast magma ocean. These young planets are often surrounded by a thick envelope of molecular hydrogen, H2, which can act like a “thermal blanket,” maintaining the magma ocean for billions of years before it cools.

“Our work provided the first experimental evidence of two critical processes from early planetary evolution,” Miozzi indicated. “We showed that a copious amount of hydrogen is dissolved into the melt and significant quantities of water are created by iron-oxide reduction by molecular hydrogen.”

Taken together, these findings demonstrate that large amounts of hydrogen can be stored in the magma ocean while water formation is occurring. This has major implications for the physical and chemical properties of the planet’s interior, with potential effects also on core development and atmospheric composition.

“The presence of liquid water is considered critical for planetary habitability,” Shahar concluded. “This work demonstrates that large quantities of water are created as a natural consequence of planet formation. It represents a major step forward in how we think about the search for distant worlds capable of hosting life.”