The iPad Pro has historically been a playground for Apple to try out some of its newest and most interesting tech and features. Today, the company revealed the iPad Pro’s latest generation with a totally new M4 chip inside and an OLED display on the front. The step-down iPad Air also got a refresh, which includes a new size option, improved Apple Pencil compatibility, and more. You can dig into the specs on Apple’s site, but here are some key takeaways from the new product announcements:

Apple’s M4 chip debuts in the new iPad Pro

The original M-series silicon debuted way back in 2020, and now Apple has introduced the fourth-generation M4 chip in the iPad Pro (shown above) before it makes its way into a full-on Mac. It’s a big jump from the M2 chip found in the previous tablet. Apple claims a 1.5x improvement in CPU performance over the already beastly M2 iPad Pro. 

The M4 really flexes when it comes to AI. It’s capable of 38 trillion calculations per second, up from 15.8 trillion in the M2 iPad Pro. Numbers like that are so enormous that they’re hard to visualize, but Apple claims they directly translate into drastically improved performance during AI-intensive tasks. Rendering 3D objects happens four times faster. Apps like Procreate can generate visual effects without long stints of staring at a progress bar. 

In short, the new iPad Pro should be silly fast.

iPad Pro has a fancy new OLED display—the Ultra Retina XDR

While the M4 chip is big news under the hood, the hood itself is pretty fancy. The new OLED display relies on a unique stacked dual-panel setup to provide the kind of brightness and color accuracy the company desired. As with OLED TVs, this type of display offers unprecedented levels of contrast but often suffers when it comes to overall light output. However, The new Pro models offer 1,000 nits of full-screen brightness or 1,600 nits with HDR, so they match their Mini-LED predecessor’s output while increasing the contrast ratio to 2,000,000. 

For an extra $100, Apple will apply a nano-texture to the display surface to combat glare. This tech was already available on the Studio Display, but this is its first iPad appearance. It could be a worthy upgrade if you typically work in environments with lots of ambient light, like planes or trains. 

iPad Air now offers an M2 chip and a 13-inch screen option

While the iPad Pro is the star of the lineup, the Air is a more practical option for most people. The new Air (shown above) comes with the M2 chip inside, which matches the computing power of the previous-gen. Pro. You can now choose a familiar 11-inch model (which starts at $599) or the new 13-inch model (which starts at $799). Both come in four colors and start with 128GB storage in the base model. The updated Air models also work with the new Apple Pencil Pro.

Apple Pencil Pro offers new squeeze and rotation features

An Apple Pencil is fairly essential for getting the most out of any iPad, and there’s now a top-end model with features exclusive to the latest generation of Pro and Air. The $129 Apple Pencil Pro still attaches magnetically to the side of the iPads for storage and charging. In addition to typical Pencil features, the Pencil Pro offers a squeeze control. Squeezing the barrel of the Pencil brings up brush menus and other functions without the need to actually touch the screen. 

The other big upgrade comes in the form of a built-in gyroscope. That extra sensor allows the Pencil to detect its own orientation as you roll it over in your hand. So, if you choose a chisel-shaped marker brush, you can actually rotate the Pencil to make the line thinner or thicker. 

The iPad Pro has a new Magic Keyboard case

With all the power from the M4 chip inside, the new iPad Pro draws natural comparisons to full-on laptops. Of course, that requires a keyboard, and the new Pro arrives with an optional Magic Keyboard. The $349 case (pricy, but that’s not surprising) includes a full row of function keys and a large multi-touch touchpad, making the whole package look an awful lot like a typical MacBook. 

An iPod Nano is thicker than the new iPad Pro

The grand vision for the iPad has always been to make it like a “magic pane of glass.” The new Pro 13-inch iPad Pro is just 5.1mm thick, which is thinner than the 6.2mm thick iPod Nano of days past. The 13-inch model weighs just 1.28 pounds, while the 11-inch sneaks in at 0.98 pounds. That makes the 13-inch model roughly a quarter pound lighter than its predecessor. That’s a noticeable difference in devices like this. 

Final Cut Pro and Logic both got big upgrades for the new iPads

Apple wants pros working on these iPad Pros, so the company redesigned two of its high-end apps to take advantage of the new devices. Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for iPad 2 have both gotten considerable updates with touch-first capabilities in mind. Final Cut also now has its own dedicated camera app, allowing real-time multi-cam setups running across several iPhones. The new Logic music editing app adds even more AI-powered musicians to jam along with your compositions. We’re looking forward to trying out both new apps when they’re live. 

The post 7 things you should know about the new M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best sustainable gift		Lomi		SEE IT	Turn egg shells, banana peels, and apple cores into compost for the garden.
Best robovac		Narwal Freo X Ultra		SEE IT	You can control this mop and vacuum combo with Alexa or your phone.
Best cooking aid upgrade		Vitamix A3500 Gourmet SmartPrep Kitchen System		SEE IT	This blender and food processor combo can tackle tough veggies and fruit to make yummy soups and smoothies for the whole family.

Mother’s Day provides an excellent opportunity for you and your siblings or children to try and one-up each other in an effort to prove yourself as The Favorite. Yes, being supportive is not a competition, but you can’t be the one who gives Mom a gift that doesn’t suit. Thankfully, the PopSci staff has extensive experience in gift-giving of almost every variety. If you’ve spent years cultivating the perfect gift for mom—or grandmom, or the mother of your children—and have run out of ideas, we have recommendations to make her smile and you shine. Win-win! 

• Best coffee: Zend
• Best coffee maker for some on-the-go get-up-and-go: Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine by De’Longhi
• Best pastel pastime: Nintendo Switch Lite Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bundle – Isabelle’s Aloha Edition
• Best for those with loud children: Vibes Ear Plugs
• Best wine upgrade: Ullo Open Wine Purifier
• Best cookbook: Eataly: Contemporary Italian Cooking
• Best dinnerware: Fortessa Nosse 16-Piece Dinnerware Set
• Best cooking aid upgrade: Vitamix A3500 Gourmet SmartPrep Kitchen System
• Best snacks: Spirit Almonds
• Best food prep set: Falcon Enamelware Prep Set
• Best for new moms: Birthdate Pendant
• Best shoes: Allbirds
• Best for working moms: Troubadour Ember bag
• Best for outdoorsy mom: Backpackers Pantry
• Best for impromptu picnics: Nomadix Festival Blanket
• Best for staying hydrated: OXO Strive XL Tumbler with Handle
• Best for athletic moms: Hydro Flask 24 Oz Insulated Shaker Bottle
• Best sustainable gift: Lomi
• Best for traveling: Monos Carry-On Pro
• Best to recreate the spa at home: Sun Home Infrared Sauna Blanket
• Best splurge: Dyson AirWrap
• Best for those chillaxing: Liiton The Peaks Mountains Crystal Bourbon Whiskey Glasses Gift Set
• Best for those expecting: Proxies Tasting Set
• Best for music-loving moms: Sony WH-1000XM5
• Best robovac: Narwal Freo X Ultra
• Best for working out: OMORPHO G-Vest+
• Best for sore muscles: Theragun Mini 2.0
• Best for support: Casper Backrest Pillow
• For grandmas: Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame
• Best cozy: Big Blanket Co. Original Stretch Blanket
• Best watch: Garmin vivoactive 5
• Best for crafting: Cricut Explore Air 2 Lilac Machine Bundle

Best coffee: Zend

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These coffee beans go way beyond that crummy old can of Folgers mom keeps on her counter. Zend coffees give a mom the option to enjoy the coffee on its own, or they can infuse them with one of three functional blends: Beauty, which supports hair, skin, and nail health; Recovery, which supports heart health and reduces inflammation; Serenity, which supports stress relief and balance. Mom deserves plenty of caffeine for everything and most definitely deserves to feel beautiful, healthy, and serene. We can’t think of a better gift if a single cup of coffee accomplishes both. Unless …

Best coffee maker for some on-the-go get-up-and-go: Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine by De’Longhi

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This machine—our best overall choice among Nespresso machines and a supremely easy espresso maker—is great for mom’s home, office, or home office: Just insert a Nespresso capsule, push a button, and watch it go. The Nespresso VertuoPlus offers options for single (1.35-ounce) espresso, double (2.7-ounce) espresso, or Americanos in 5-, 8-, or 14-ounce sizes. Any of these pours can be extracted from a single capsule. The removable water tank holds 40 ounces, and the used capsule container can store up to 12 pods before it needs emptying. This is a more hands-off option for somebody in need of a quick fix to fill their travel mug. The espresso drinks pour nicely with crema on top, though the VertuoPlus does not have a steam wand for milk, so mom will also need a frother. It does, however, come with a complimentary assortment of 12 capsules to get you started.

Best pastel pastime: Nintendo Switch Lite Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bundle – Isabelle’s Aloha Edition

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If you’re looking for a portable game system that’s kid-tested mother-approved, it’s the Nintendo Switch. Particularly the Nintendo Switch Lite. Particularly a Nintendo Switch Lite with a download code for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The signature characters in this social sim are charming, and the gameplay is perfectly paced for winding down, not riling up the kids. But then there’s the fact that the game, and this cozy handheld printed with a leaf motif, is just as appealing to adults looking for a mental getaway. Maybe you can’t get Mom a trip to an exotic island this year, but you can offer her the chance to create her own paradise and enjoy a peaceful existence, even if it’s just for a few hours here and there.

Best for loud children: Vibes Ear Plugs

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Let us be frank: babies are not quiet. Toddlers are cacophonous. Kids make a lot of noise. You only reach silent nirvana when they ship off to college. Before then, you’ll still need to hear in case they break something or start a fight with each other. By gifting a mom these reusable high-fidelity earplugs, you’ll give them a little peace without being completely unaware of what the kids are up to. 

Best wine upgrade: Ullo Open Wine Purifier

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Enjoying a bottle of wine is all fun and games until two glasses warrant a hangover the next day. Help prevent them with the Ullo Open Wine Purifier, which uses a selective filtration system to remove sulfites and reduce the histamines that can cause headaches and hangovers—all while preserving the wine’s flavors and aromas. A built-in aeration dial lets you choose the amount of air to incorporate, from off for light whites to full air for rich red varietals. Plus, it’s easy to transport and use: just place the device over your glass and pour. Don’t worry about mess, either—the Ullo’s lid can be used as a base to rest the filter on when not used, making it perfect at home and easy to take to book club. Think mom would prefer something she doesn’t even have to carry and clean? The Ullo Uno single-use wine-purifying wands are perfect for some quick aeration and filtration of wine by the glass.

Best cookbook: Eataly: Contemporary Italian Cooking

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“What should we eat for dinner?” is sometimes the hardest question to answer. Make the decision process 100 times easier with the Eataly: Contemporary Italian Cooking cookbook, which packs 300 recipes, including pasta with cavolo nero pesto and clams. With clear instructions and helpful tips, mom won’t want to ditch the entire recipe and just order takeout (although we’re not judging if they do).

Best dinnerware: Fortessa Nosse 16 Piece Dinnerware Set

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If your mom loves to host, Fortessa’s 16-piece dinnerware set will impress all her guests. Each piece is made from a twice-fired ceramic material that’s both dishwasher- and microwave-safe. The set includes four 10.8-inch dinner plates, four 8.8-inch salad plates, four six-inch bowls, and four 12.5-ounce mugs, and is available in three colors: deep blue, stone, and terracotta. We’re especially fond of the higher curved lip on the dinner and salad plates, which are both aesthetically pleasing and prevent foods and sauces from accidentally slipping off.

Best cooking aid upgrade: Vitamix A3500 Gourmet SmartPrep Kitchen System

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Kitchen gadgets shouldn’t make life more difficult, and Vitamix’s A3500 Gourmet SmartPrep Kitchen System is a two-in-one tool that’ll cut down on mundane cooking tasks like chopping and pureeing. The blender is equipped with a powerful 2.2 horsepower motor, can crush ice into a smooth slushie consistency and demolish vegetables to make hearty, yummy soups. A 64-ounce cup means that mom can make enough servings for the whole family with enough for seconds for themselves. The blender has five distinct modes for common foods like smoothies and soups, plus a clean setting that’ll prevent food particles from remaining in the blades and bowl after it’s been used. A touchscreen on the blender’s base ensures there’s no chance of gunk accumulating around buttons. This system also comes with a food processing attachment with several blades for dicing and shredding.  We also think the Yummly—a wireless smart meat thermometer that’s app-controlled—is also a great choice if she already has a swaggy countertop appliance setup and is a fan of roasting, grilling, broiling, and more.

Best snacks: Spirit Almonds

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If there’s a mom-on-the-go in your life who can appreciate always having a snack packed, look no further than Spirit Almond. Each protein- and healthy fat-rich nut gets one of six Japanese-style flavorings: black garlic, curry, koji salt, miso, mustard, and seaweed. It comes in a handy single-serve pack to easily throw in a purse or bag (making it easy to snag one for yourself, since one gift box comes with three packs of each flavor). If they’re more of a sweet snack mom, consider the Sahale Snacks Glazed Nut Variety Pack, which adds dried fruit and expands the nut varieties to pistachios, cashews, and pecans. 

Best food prep set: Falcon Enamelware Prep Set

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Falcon’s Enamelware Prep Set is the type of gift your mom wouldn’t buy for herself, but would really enjoy if she loves cooking and baking. It’s comprised of five color-coordinated ceramic mixing bowls and a colander, all of which are dishwasher and freezer-safe. The bowls can even be used in an oven at temperatures up to 530 degrees Fahrenheit. All of the bowls fit neatly inside one another, which makes storing them simple, and their timeless style will look good in any kitchen.

Best for new moms: Birthdate Pendant

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Technically, these pendants are meant as a lovely wearable to show off the wearer’s astrology (if they’re into it). However, between the unique collection of stones for every day of the year and personal engraving, we think it makes for a great gift to celebrate a firstborn. Each stone tells the story of their birthday, including their birthstone. Talk about a personalized gift. 

Best shoes: Allbirds

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Moms are always on their feet, between running after grandkids or working off all the child-related stress at the gym. Between their lack of flashy logos and synthetic materials, Allbirds is a natural gift for moms: they’re stylish, comfortable, and come in plenty of styles: Need some business-professional flats? They have that. Need some running shoes? They have those, too. The company itself is dedicated to sustainability, so you can feel good gifting them.  

Best for working moms: Troubadour Ember bag

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Work backpacks don’t have to be boring. This leather-and-neoprene variety has a waterproof lining to keep things dry, a sturdy grip handle that won’t break on the go, and a trolley sleeve for use as a carry-on. The main compartment folds down once opened for easy access to essentials, and a separate laptop compartment can fit a 16-inch laptop. Plus, there are plenty of pockets for essentials, like keys, a phone, or an emergency pacifier. A five-year guarantee means a mom always gets quality in case something goes wrong in manufacturing. 

Best for outdoorsy mom: Backpackers Pantry

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Camp cooking can involve a lot of grilled cheese, reheated soups, and boxed mac and cheese. These aren’t bad meals, but sometimes that mom deserves something a little more five-star after a long day of hikes. Backpackers Pantry has breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert covered with various dried and dehydrated foods. These meals aren’t wimpy, either—each averages around 15 grams of protein, which energizes you on your hike. We like to start our outdoor morning with the company’s Blueberry walnut oats and a cup of coffee. Once we get to basecamp, we sit down and enjoy some lasagna (it’s what Garfield would want), followed by the most important meal: dessert. Our choice? Dark chocolate cheesecake. 

If you want to give a mom the outdoor experience at home, we love the Solo Stove Mesa tabletop fire pit, which makes it safe and easy to roast some marshmallows on the balcony or porch.

Best for impromptu picnics: Nomadix Festival Blanket

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A large blanket is great if you find yourself at the park and need to find something to separate your bum from the cold, wet ground underneath you. The Nomadix festival blanket has a lush top and water-resistant base, meaning you’ll be comfortable sans soggy pants. It’s made with post-consumer recycled materials and comes with small loops at each corner to anchor with stakes (not included). No more floppy corners.

If sitting on the ground makes your back want to scream, consider gifting this Kelty Low-Love Seat Camping Chair. It sits about a foot off the ground, is lightweight, and manages to be perfectly stowable.

Best for staying hydrated: OXO Strive XL Tumbler with Handle

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Whether mom loves coffee, tea, or water, she’ll appreciate OXO’s Strive XL, a 32-ounce insulated tumbler that’ll keep her drinks hot or cold longer than a traditional mug. The BPA-free tumbler has a see-through lid, so she can keep an eye on how much of her drink is left, and it comes with a flexible straw, which makes drinking on the go easier. Once she’s done drinking, Mom will be able to pop this tumbler in the dishwasher to keep it clean. OXO offers the Strive XL Tumbler in five colors, so you can find one that matches her style.

Best for athletic moms: Hydro Flask 24 Oz Insulated Shaker Bottle

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Pre-workout. Greens. Protein (vegan or otherwise). Electrolytes. If your mom lifts weights, runs miles, crushes most yoga or pilates moves, or does a combination of activities, she’s probably using some sort of shaker bottle to combine some form of workout-enhancing powder with water for bigger gains. Unlike plastic shakers, which make fast messes, the Hydro Flask shaker has a leakproof flip-top lid that stops chocolate protein rain before it happens. It also keeps drinks cool for 24 hours, meaning Mom can enjoy her athletic liquids all day long.

Best sustainable gift: Lomi

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Mom’s coffee grounds, egg shells, and banana peels can live second lives as compost in the flower garden with this gift. Lomi makes composting easy: It’s odor-, pest-, and mess-free, and turns food waste into compost in less than four hours. It easily fits onto countertops and is discreet. With all that compost, your special someone’s rose garden—and kitchen—will be the envy of the neighborhood. 

Best for traveling: Monos Carry-On Pro

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Jet-setting moms will appreciate the gift of nice luggage that makes traveling a little less stressful. Our pick is the Monos Carry-On Pro, made for organization and easy access. It comes in eight standard colors and four limited-edition colors and includes an integrated TSA-approved lock for keeping belongings safe. An aerospace-grade polycarbonate shell prevents breaking from TSA agent rough-handling, and a built-in front compartment lets you store a laptop, passport, and other need-haves in one easy place. All-paid vacation not included.  

Best to recreate the spa at home: Sun Home Infrared Sauna Blanket 

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If there’s something a mom rarely rues and can most likely use, it’s a trip to the spa. Instead of giving a gift card to a spa, why not bring the spa along with the Sun Home Saunas Infrared Sauna Blanket, which allows you to feel the heat without even needing to become vertical. It helps relieve stress and anxiety and can help treat chronic pain. It’s like a sleeping bag that makes mom feel like a Hot Pocket in a microwave. 

Best splurge: Dyson AirWrap

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The Dyson AirWrap is the hair styler to have—it dries, curls, and styles hair, combining at least four styling tools into one. We’ve gone hands-on with it before and love that it gives salon-quality, shampoo commercial blowouts at home. It comes with two barrel sizes (both with switches to change airflow direction), a soft smoothing brush, a firm smoothing brush, a round volumizing brush (our favorite attachment), and a blow-drying attachment. If the AirWrap is out of your budget, consider the Shark FlexStyle, which has a bendable arm and a diffuser attachment for curly hair. Protect strands beforehand with the K18 molecular repair oil, and help keep hair healthy when it’s shower time with the Kitsch Pre Wash Scalp Oil and K18 leave-in conditioner. For the in-between days, we recommend the Act+Acre Plant-Based Dry Shampoo, which uses rice and tapioca powders—along with fulvic acid—to keep tresses bouncy and fresh.

Best for those chillaxing: Liiton The Peaks Mountains Crystal Bourbon Whiskey Glasses Gift Set

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The average day can have lots of peaks and valleys, so an above-average way to unwind is with these crystal quick-chill mountain replica whiskey glasses for lifting spirits both emotional and intoxicating. Made of X1 Crystalline with the shapes of iconic summits within them (Denali, Mont Blanc, K2, and Mt. Fuji), these glasses can be stored in the freezer so that they will chill a drink in just 18 seconds, no ice to water down the beverage. Help Mom relax after a long day with a refreshing cocktail and a restorative mood.

Best for those expecting: Proxies Tasting Set

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If a pregnant person in your life wants to enjoy a fancy little beverage sans alcohol (we happen to have tons of recommendations), nothing looks better in a wine glass than Proxies. There are de-alcoholized wines on the market, but some may have traces of alcohol left after the process. Proxies, however, is boozeless from the start, made from wine grape varietals without the fermenting. The resulting product has a similar mouthfeel and taste to wine but without the “Am I hurting baby?” anxiety. They’re perfect to pair with pizza, fish, pickles, and any other pregnancy cravings. 

Best for music-loving moms: Sony WH-1000XM5

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If Mom has a killer vinyl collection and puts you on to some of the grooviest artists, you should give them a gift that says, “Thanks for giving me good taste.” We think the Sony WH-1000XM5 is an excellent choice. They’re sleek and comfortable on the head, including some killer noise cancellation (perfect for tuning out nosy neighbors) and four beamforming microphones to be heard clearly on work calls. If they’re more of an earbud person, the easily pocketed Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have excellent sound and the most effective noise cancellation on the market. 

Best robovac: Narwal Freo X Ultra

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Messes happen, and if you’re not going to help clean them up, at least buy a robot that will. The Narwal Freo X Ultra is both a mop and a vacuum cleaner, and it’s pretty smart for a robot: It can sense the type of flooring it’s cleaning and adjust its power level accordingly. Sensors on the front and sides of the vacuum can detect objects as small as a centimeter and navigate around your room using LiDAR, mapping the space to clean more efficiently in the future. It’ll continually assess the cleanliness of an area before moving on to another one and will return to its base for charging and dirt removal. The vacuum’s base will automatically clean the Freo X Ultra’s mop pads, dry them, and apply additional detergent totally hands-free. Mom will appreciate someone finally helping out around here. 

Best for working out: OMORPHO G-Vest+

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Up any workout with this weighted vest from OMORPHO, which adds five pounds of resistance to level up burpees, sprints, and more. However, it doesn’t feel like a five-pound vest, thanks to even weight distribution. It’s a comfortable piece of workout gear that fits great (adjustable cables and straps help, too) and doesn’t limit your range of motion. Connecting the vest to the OMORPHO app gives you workouts that are quick but effective. If someone wants to outrun the other soccer team moms, gifting this vest is a great start. This leads us to our next pick …

Best for sore muscles: Theragun Mini 2.0

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For soothing sore muscles after working out—or anytime, really, especially for someone actually outrunning the other soccer team moms—we recommend the Theragun Mini 2.0, which is small enough to throw into a gym bag or hide in a drawer away from small hands. It comes with three attachments, but we love the thumb attachment, which is great for lower backs and pinpoint therapy. My back hurts, I don’t even have children, and even I could benefit from a percussion massager—we’re sure your mom will get a lot of use from the Theragun.

Best for support: Casper Backrest Pillow

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Whether a mom-to-be or a mom who just wishes to be by herself for a little while, anyone with a child on the horizon or in the house has a lot on their shoulders, which takes a toll on the back. Support the need for support by buying her a pillow that props up the woman who does the same for you. Then, leave her alone with a book or movie and the Casper Backrest Pillow, which has an ergonomic teardrop shape that cradles her entire spine and provides extra lumbar support (though you can flip it for just her head and shoulders if she needs a nap).

For grandmas: Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame

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Although it’s perfect for any and every generation of moms, we think grandmas especially will love the Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame. Grandmas love showing people pictures of their extended family (including granddogs), and this WiFi-connected cloud-fed frame makes it easy to update those photos from anywhere. Add photos and videos to the Aura app, and they’ll show up on your loved one’s frame as long as it’s connected to a network—there’s no work they need to do to get the photos up after the initial connection. You don’t need to worry about storage, either—it’s unlimited. And, you don’t need to worry about photo orientation since the Aura automatically rotates and resizes based on whether it’s placed landscape or portrait. PopSci’s managing editor sent one to his mother for their birthday—take their word for it: “What I have enjoyed the most … is the burst of joy every time I see a photo of a loved one or a picture a loved one has shared with me!” You can get an Aura Mason Luxe Smart Frame for the entire family, or you can check out some other digital picture frames we recommend. 

Best cozy: Big Blanket Co. Original Stretch Blanket

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If you know someone that hogs the blanket, or someone tall who deserves to have their feet covered when sleeping at night, the Big Blanket—providing 100 square feet of blanket—was made for them. This extra-large, giant soft blanket gives whoever is in the nap trap plenty of real estate to turn into a blanket cocoon, with room for you. We’re not kidding. It’s huge and soft—just like mom’s heart.

Best watch: Garmin vivoactive 5

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We’re all about the metrics at PopSci, so we love Garmin smartwatches. And one of the things we love about Garmin’s watches is there is one for everyone, whether you are a multisport athlete or just someone who wants a little insight into their everyday fitness. The Garmin vivoactive 5 is just as smart as it is beautiful—it has a 1.2-inch AMOLED watch face with built-in apps, including GPS, yoga, running, swimming, and more. Mom gets 11 days of battery life, and Gamin Pay lets them pay for a post-jog coffee without having to bring their wallet with them. They don’t even need to bring their phone, thanks to the ability to download music onto the watch. People won’t even know it’s a sports watch until Mom turns and says, “Thanks, it’s a smartwatch!” when they get a compliment on it. Looking for a model for a smaller wrist, with a more fashion-centric style? Check out the Lily 2, just one of many Garmin smartwatches on sale for the holiday.

Best for crafting: Cricut Explore Air 2 Lilac Machine Bundle

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If mom is crafty and doesn’t already own a Cricut, change that with this bundle gift that combines an Explore Air 2 machine with everything they need to get started on making their own bespoke goods for family, friends, and themselves. Heck, they could even start a small business! Built-in Bluetooth allows for wireless cutting, writing, and scoring, and the included spatula, weeder, scraper, scissors, and tweezers make it easy to lift and transfer your designs onto cups, mugs, sunglasses, and more. And if they already have a crafty corner, consider a Cricut Bright 360 lamp to help them capture and cherish all the details of their hard work customizing.

The post Last-minute gifts for Mom to make up for all the times you didn’t say ‘Thank you’ appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Danby Diplomat Compact Refrigerator		SEE IT	If you have enough space in your office, this well-designed mini fridge is an excellent choice and will meet the needs of most who want to store food and drinks at work.
Best splurge		Rocco Super Smart Fridge		SEE IT	Although this mini fridge is very pricey and only lets you store beverages, it has a bold, stunning design that’s sure to get you noticed at work!
Best budget with a cube design		Midea WHS-65LB1 Mini Fridge		SEE IT	If you’re looking for an inexpensive, compact mini fridge for your work space, this model should meet your needs.

Companies increasingly require full-time workers to spend more days in the office, which means leaving behind the convenience of just wandering to the fridge when the mood strikes. Even just a hybrid work schedule means more commuting, and more commuting means considering costs. One of the easier ways to save money is skipping meals out and bringing your lunch from home. That means it might be an ideal time to consider keeping a mini fridge at the office, which allows you to keep your meals and drinks fresh and tasty and secure from that one coworker who acts like anything in the shared kitchen is for everyone. 

Like their full-size siblings, mini refrigerators come in different sizes (although they’re at least half the size of most standard models) and include various features. Some budget models only give you the bare minimum. And in some cases, that means excluding a freezer. But there are mini fridges that include more bells and whistles. And if you aren’t worried about price, you could even find distinctive models among the best mini fridges for offices that are designed to be noticed—almost like a work of art—much to the envy of your colleagues and associates.

• Best overall: Danby Diplomat Compact Refrigerator 
• Best value: Magic Chef MCAR32BE Compact Refrigerator
• Best splurge: Rocco Super Smart Fridge 
• Best budget with a cube design: Midea WHS-65LB1 Mini Fridge
• Best budget with a tall design: Costway Compact Refrigerator 

How we chose the best mini fridges for offices

Our recommendations for best mini fridges for offices are based on experience, analysis, and research into the best options to accommodate the most common use cases. With the exception of the splurge choice, we focused on general-purpose mini fridges rather than a beverage cooler, which is a similar but specialized appliance.

A mini fridge for your office performs much like a mini fridge in any other location: It has one purpose—keep drinks and food cold for an extended period of time. Some have a particular feature, like a built-in freezer, differentiating them from the pack, while others are more portable and easier to move around. Mini fridges can also vary some in price, so we included a more premium and cheap mini fridge to cover the widest budget range.

The best mini fridges for offices: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether you’re an office manager or an employee, shopping for a cubicle or the mother-in-law suite that you’ve turned into a work-from-home oasis, these are our top picks for mini fridges for offices. 

Best overall: Danby Diplomat Compact Refrigerator 

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Specs

• Size: 19.3 x 33.1 x 21.9  inches
• Capacity: 4.4 cubic feet
• Weight: ‎49.6 lbs.
• Design style: Tall 

Pros

• Offers lots of storage space
• Adjustable glass shelves
• Full-width freezer
• Storage space on the interior of the door
• Includes an interior light

Cons

• Relatively pricey
• Might be a bit big for some smaller-sized office

This model is a little more expensive and a little larger than others in its class. Nevertheless, this mini fridge is worth it. For starters, it provides you with 4.4 cubic feet, which offers more capacity than many in its class. It also has adjustable glass shelves, making the interior a tad brighter. It’s smartly designed, too: The integrated door shelving allows you to store tall bottles (like water, juice, and soda). Its reversible door hinge provides more options in positioning your mini fridge in your office. It’s a small refrigerator with freezer. Plus, it has a manual defrost control and a mechanical thermostat.

Best value: Magic Chef MCAR32BE Compact Refrigerator

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Specs

• Size: 17.5 x 33.4 x 18.5 inches 
• Capacity: 3.2 cubic feet
• Weight: 49.5 lbs. 
• Design style: Tall 

Pros

• Ample storage space
• Comes with glass shelves
• Adjustable thermostat control
• Interior light

Cons

• Doesn’t include a freezer
• Might be a bit big for some smaller-sized office

If having a freezer isn’t essential, this Magic Chef brand mini is an ideal model for your office. For starters, the interior has more room to store items since it doesn’t have a freezer. It comes with an adjustable thermostat control and adjustable glass shelves, too. It also includes in-door storage, for bottles and beverages. It even has a designated spot for storing a 2-liter bottle of soda. There’s also an adjustable temperature thermostat control and an interior light. However, its tall design may be too large for tiny offices.

Best splurge: Rocco Super Smart Fridge

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Specs

• Size: 24 x 34.5 x 16 inches
• Capacity: N/A 
• Weight: 128 lbs. 
• Design style: Tall 

Pros

• Beautifully designed
• Can be controlled via a mobile app
• Great for storing beverages 
• Comes with a multi-year warranty

Cons

• Limited to storing beverages
• Pricey
• Heavier than most mini fridges

It may not be the most practical mini fridge to have in your office. For instance, it’s only for beverages. It’s also very pricey at $1,500. However, its bold design might help you make a bold impression, depending on where you place it in your C-suite or cubicle. 

One feature that makes Rocco’s Super Smart Fridge distinctive is that it has five pull-out shelves, which can be adjusted to accommodate differently-sized bottles and cans. These shelves can be separated into different “temperature zones” by pushing buttons on a control panel inside the fridge. For example, if you have white wine or red wine, it can be chilled at a different temperature than your seltzer bottles. 

There are other impressive features, too, like its model app (iOS only, for now), which allows you to adjust the temperature from your phone. If you’re into assembling smart-home systems, this is the chiller you’ll think is cool.

Best budget with a cube design: Midea WHS-65LB1 Mini Fridge

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Specs

• Size: 18.6 x 19.4 x 17.7 inches  
• Capacity: 1.6 cubic feet
• Weight: 30 lbs. 
• Design style: Cube

Pros

• Relatively lightweight
• Compact size
• Includes a freezer compartment
• Door is reversible

Cons

• Doesn’t offer as much capacity to store items as others in its class 

If your workspace isn’t very spacious, you’ll most likely want to choose a mini fridge with a cube design since it’s smaller, more compact, and has a smaller footprint than those with tall designs. What’s nice about this Midea mini fridge is that despite having a small footprint, it still comes with a freezer compartment (which, not surprisingly, isn’t very large). It also comes with adjustable legs and a reversible door, which, again, will be important if you don’t have a large office and a lot of space to work with. Includes a mechanical temperature control and a manual defrost setting. 

Best budget with a tall design: Costway Compact Refrigerator 

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Specs

• Size: 19.5 x 34 x 19 inches 
• Capacity: 3.2 cubic feet
• Weight: 52 lbs. 
• Design style: Tall

Pros

• Separate freezer compartment
• More freezer capacity than most in its class 
• Comes with glass shelves
• Adjustable thermostat 

Cons

• Might be a bit big for some smaller-sized office

One distinctive feature is that it has a separate freezer compartment, with its own door, for chilling everything from ice cubes to ice cream. Both doors come with magnetic door seals, which helps prevent users from accidentally leaving either door open and spoiling food and drinks. It also comes with an adjustable thermostat, two removable shelves, and a built-in light.

What to consider when shopping for the best mini fridge for offices

Whether you’re set up in a spacious corner office or in a tiny cubicle that barely has room for a red stapler, you’ll want to make sure you have enough room for a mini fridge. That’s why you’ll want to check out the following features to ensure that you get the model that’s right for you:

Size and capacity 

Most mini fridges have capacities that range between 1.5 to 4 cubic feet. They also come in one of the following two design styles: 

• Cube: These models are also sometimes called countertop mini fridges. In general, they have capacities of less than 2 cubic feet, and measure between 17 and 21 inches tall.
• Tall: These mini fridge models have capacities between 3.5 and 4.5 cubic feet and measure between 30 to 35 inches tall

Freezer compartment 

Another consideration when buying a mini fridge is whether or not you need a freezer compartment. If you decide to forego the freezer, you’ll generally gain additional storage space.

Other features to consider 

When you’re in the market to buy a mini fridge for your office, don’t forget to consider the following features, too: 

• Interior light: Many models are now built with interior lights, which is nice if your office is dimly lit. 
• Temperature Control: You can use this control to adjust the fridge’s internal temperature using a built-in thermostat.
• Adjustable Shelves: This feature lets you configure your fridge to suit your specific needs best.
• Two-Door Design: Two-door mini fridges have a separate freezer that offers higher performance and can maintain lower temperatures.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best mini fridges for offices

• Best overall: Danby Diplomat Compact Refrigerator 
• Best without a freezer: Magic Chef MCAR32BE Compact Refrigerator
• Best splurge: Rocco Super Smart Fridge
• Best budget with a cube design: Midea WHS-65LB1 Mini Fridge
• Best budget with a tall design: Costway Compact Refrigerator 

If you’re considering a small refrigerator for office, you might be wondering what the best time of year to buy is. In our experience, you should always keep an eye on your prospective mini fridge model on Black Friday or Cyber Monday (in November), as well as Amazon Prime Day events. However, some experts suggest that you shouldn’t just limit your search for sales during Black Friday or Cyber Monday. In fact, they say that mini fridges sales could occur throughout November (and some suggest those sales might even begin in October). Whenever you invest, any of our picks will perfectly complement your coffee machine, ergonomic chair, headphones, and other accessories that increase your workday comfort.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

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If your cat is a hungry little guy who will eat whatever you put in front of them, you know the importance of portion control. Sure, chonky cats are cute, but obese cats are three times more likely to pass compared to lean cats. Going to the vet is expensive, so an automatic pet feeder is a worthwhile investment in your cat’s life and the length of your budget. This PETLIBRO feeder deal is part of Amazon’s Pet Day Deals—happening today and tomorrow online.

PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder $54.98 (Was $89.99)

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This automatic pet feeder allows you to schedule up to 60 meals a day and 50 portions per meal. If your kitty deserves a little snack you can also hit the manual feeding button to give them their much-deserved extra portion. A rotor, secure twist-lock lid, desiccant bag, and sealing strip all ensure freshness and crunchy bites all the time. You can also record a 10-second message and play it while you’re away to calm your pet. And, built-in infrared detection suspends feeder operations to keep your cat safe and your feeder in great condition.

More automatic feeder and fountain deals:

• PETLIBRO Cat Water Fountain $54.99 (Was $69.99)
• PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder with Alexa $74.99 (Was $89.99)
• PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder, Multiple Pet Use $79.88 (Was $99.99)
• PETLIBRO App Monitoring Cat Water Fountain with Wireless Pump $67.99 (Was $79.99)
• PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder with Camera $105.99 (Was $139.99)
• PETLIBRO Vacuum-Sealed Automatic Cat Feeders $109.99 (Was $199.99)
• PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder with Camera for Two Cats $115.99 (Was $179.99)
• PETLIBRO 3L RFID Automatic Cat Feeder $127.49 (Was $149.99)

The post Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

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Volcanoes and earthquakes are among Earth’s most dynamic and interesting forces, but their origins have remained a bit elusive. Plate tectonics are the result of a cosmic collision about 4.5 billion years ago, when an object about the size of the planet Mars slammed into Earth. The impact left behind some strange blobs within our planet that may have created plate tectonics, according to new computer modeling research. This new hypothesis is described in a study published May 7 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

What are these mystery blobs?

In the 1980s, geophysicists first discovered two continent-sized blobs of an unusual material deep near the center of the Earth. One blob is located beneath the Pacific Ocean and the other is under the African continent. Both are twice the size of our moon. They are so large that if they were placed on Earth’s surface, they would make a layer roughly 60 miles thick around the planet.

Formally known as large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs), they are also likely built of different proportions of elements than the mantle that surrounds them. A 2023 paper published in the journal Nature proposed that they are the remains of an ancient planet called Theia that collided with Earth in the same massive impact that created the moon. The study suggests that most of Theia was absorbed into our young planet, forming the LLVP blobs. The residual debris formed the moon. 

[Related: Earth’s first continent? Probably a giant continental crust.]

“The moon appears to have materials within it representative of both the pre-impact Earth and Theia, but it was thought that any remnants of Theia in the Earth would have been ‘erased’ and homogenized by billions of years of dynamics (e.g., mantle convection) within the Earth,” Arizona State University astrophysicist and co-author of the Nature study Steven Desch said in a statement. “This is the first study to make the case that distinct ‘pieces’ of Theia still reside within the Earth, at its core-mantle boundary.”

The study posits that these blobs themselves then created our planet’s plate tectonics, which allowed life to flourish. 

A new look at some very old minerals

This new paper builds on that study. Using computer modeling, they determined that around 200 million years after the impact with Theia, the submerged LLVP blobs may have helped create the hot plumes inside Earth that disrupted the surface. They breached the flat crust and allowed circular slabs to sink down in a process called subduction.

According to the team, it may explain why the Earth’s oldest minerals are zircon crystals that appear to have undergone subduction over 4 billion years ago and may have contributed to plate tectonics. 

[Related: How old is Earth? It’s a surprisingly tough question to answer.]

“The giant impact is not only the reason for our moon, if that’s the case, it also set the initial conditions of our Earth,” California Institute of Technology geoscientists and study co-author Qian Yuan told The Washington Post. 

The model raised numerous questions for some outside geologists, including whether or not the collision would have resulted in a recycling of Earth’s entire crust instead of plate tectonics. This process potentially occurred on our sister planet Venus billions of years ago. There are also some geochemical inconsistencies that cast doubt on the planet smashing theory as a whole, according to some scientists.

Are plate tectonics really necessary for life?

While they can be destructive to both property and lives, some scientists believe that plate tectonics helps Earth keep up the carbon cycle. This process moves carbon between microbes, plants, minerals, animals, and Earth’s atmosphere. The fourth most abundant element in the universe, carbon can also form the complex molecules on Earth like DNA and proteins. These building blocks of carbon make life on Earth possible. 

However, another study published last year in Nature posits that mobile plate tectonics was not happening on Earth about 3.9 billion years ago when the first traces of life appeared on Earth. 

[Related: Your ancestors might have been Martians.]

“We found there wasn’t plate tectonics when life is first thought to originate and that there wasn’t plate tectonics for hundreds of millions of years after,” University of Rochester paleogeologist John Tarduno said in a statement. “Our data suggests that when we’re looking for exoplanets that harbor life, the planets do not necessarily need to have plate tectonics.”

What is clear is that concrete answers to the question of how, when, and why life first emerged on our planet and what role the shifting plates played or didn’t play will endure. 

The post Two giant blobs lurk deep within the Earth, but why? appeared first on Popular Science.

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Superyachts are notoriously dirty luxury toys, with a single billionaire’s boat emitting as much as 7,020 tons of CO2 per year. And while it’s unlikely uber-wealthy shoppers are going to forgo from their statement vessels anytime soon, at the very least there’s now a chance to make superyachts greener. That’s the idea behind the new Project 821, billed as the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht.

Announced over the weekend by Danish shipyard cooperative Feadship, Project 821 arrives following five years of design and construction. Measuring a massive 260-feet-long, the zero-diesel boat reportedly sails shorter distances than standard superyachts on the market, but still operates its hotel load and amenities using completely emissionless green hydrogen power.

Hydrogen cells generate power by turning extremely lightweight liquid hydrogen into electricity stored in lithium-ion batteries. But unlike fossil fuel engines’ noxious smoke and other pollutants, hydrogen cells only emit harmless water vapor. The technology remained cost-prohibitive and logistically challenging for years, but recent advancements have allowed designers to start integrating the green alternative into cars, planes, and boats.

There are still hurdles, however. Although lightweight, liquid hydrogen must be housed in massive, double-walled -423.4 degrees Fahrenheit cryogenic storage tanks within a dedicated section of the vessel. According to Feadship, liquid hydrogen requires 8-10 times more storage space for the same amount of energy created by diesel fuel. That—along with 16 fuel cells, a switchboard connection for the DC electrical grid, and water vapor emission vent stacks—necessitated adding an extra 13-feet to the vessel’s original specifications. But these size requirements ironically makes superyachts such as Project 821 arguably ideal for hydrogen fuel cell integration.

And it certainly sounds like Project 821 fulfills the “superyacht” prerequisites, with five decks above the waterline and two below it. The 14 balconies and seven fold-out platforms also house a pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, gym, pantry, fireplace-equipped offices, living room, library, and a full walkaround deck.

Such luxuries, however, will need to remain relatively close-to-harbor for the time being. Project 821 still isn’t capable of generating and storing enough power to embark on lengthy crossings, but it can handle an “entire week’s worth of silent operation at anchor or [briefly] navigating emission-free at 10 knots while leaving harbors or cruising in protected marine zones,” according to Feadship.

[Related: This liquid hydrogen-powered plane successfully completed its first test flights.]

“We have now shown that cryogenic storage of liquified hydrogen in the interior of a superyacht is a viable solution,” Feadship Director and Royal Van Lent Shipyard CEO Jan-Bart Verkuyl said in the recent announcement, adding that “additional fuel cell innovations… are on the near horizon.”

Of course, the greenest solution remains completely divesting from ostentatious, multimillion-dollar vanity flotillas before rising sea levels (and angry orcas) overwhelm even the wealthiest billionaires’ harbors. But it’s at least somewhat nice to see a new eco-friendly advancement on the market—even if it still looks like a Bond villain’s getaway vehicle.

The post Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht appeared first on Popular Science.

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Sperm whales have their own unique cultures, accents, and potentially a phonetic alphabet. A team from MIT’s Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) may have decoded this phonetic alphabet that reveals sophisticated structures within sperm whale communication that could be similar to human phonetics and other animal linguistic systems. 

“Sperm whale calls are, in principle, capable of expressing a wider space of meanings than we previously thought!” MIT computer science graduate student Pratyusha Sharma tells PopSci. Sharma is a co-author of a new study published May 7 in the journal Nature Communications that describes these findings. 

Sperm whale ABCs

With some of the largest brains of any species on Earth, sperm whales have complex social behaviors. They travel in pods and have various cultural groups that dive and hunt together and even take turns looking after younger whales. They do this all in almost complete darkness, so they need strong communication to coordinate their lives in the ocean’s deepest depths.

[Related: Science Says Sperm Whales Could Really Wreck Ships.]

Sperm whales use a complex system of codas–short bursts of clicks–to communicate. In this study, the team collected 9,000 codas from sperm whale families in the Eastern Caribbean sperm observed by The Dominica Sperm Whale Project. They used acoustic biologging tags, called D-tags that were deployed on whales. The D-tags captured details of the whales’ vocal patterns. 

The team found that these short groups of clicks vary in structure depending on the conversational context. With this data in hand, they used a mix of algorithms for pattern recognition and classification, and on-body recording equipment. It revealed that the communications were not random or simple, but more structured and complex. 

The sperm whale’s essentially have their own phonetic alphabet. Various auditory elements that the team call rhythm, tempo, rubato, and ornamentation work together to form a large array of distinguishable codas. Depending on the context of the conversation, the whales can systematically modulate certain aspects of their codas. They may smoothly vary the duration of the calls–rubato–or add in some extra ornamental clicks. The team also found that the building blocks of these codas could be combined in various ways. The whales can then build many distinct vocalizations from these combinations. 

“The sperm whale communication system is a combinatorial coding system,” says Sharma. “Looking at a wider communicative context allowed us to discover that there is fine-grained variation in the structure of the calls of sperm whales that are both perceived and imitated in the course of their exchange.”

Using AI

The team developed new visualization and data analysis techniques that found individual sperm whales could emit various coda patterns in long exchanges. Using machine learning is important for pinpointing the specifics of their communications and predicting what they may say next. 

[Related: How bomb detectors discovered a hidden pod of singing blue whales.]

Scientists are interested in determining if these signals vary depending on the ecological context they are given in and how much the signals follow any potential rules similar to grammar that the listeners recognize. 

“The problem is particularly challenging in the case of marine mammals, because scientists usually cannot see their subjects or identify in complete detail the context of communication,” University of Pennsylvania Psychology Professor Emeritus Robert Seyfarth said in a statement. “Nonetheless, this paper offers new, tantalizing details of call combinations and the rules that underlie them in sperm whales.” Seyfarth was not involved in this study.

Alien communication on Earth

In future studies, CETI hopes to figure out whether elements like rhythm, tempo, ornamentation, and rubato carry specific intentions when communicated. This could provide insight into a specific linguistic phenomenon where simple elements are combined to present complex meanings. This “duality of patterning” was previously thought to be unique to human language. 

Research like this also parallels hypothetical scenarios in which humans contact alien species and need to communicate. 

“It’s about understanding a species with a completely different environment and communication protocols, where their interactions are distinctly different from human norms,” says Sharma. “Essentially, our work could lay the groundwork for deciphering how an ‘alien civilization’ might communicate, providing insights into creating algorithms or systems to understand entirely unfamiliar forms of communication.”

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Acura’s new ZDX Type S is the most powerful SUV the brand has ever produced, generating nearly 500 horsepower and maxing out at 544 pound-feet of torque. In other words, it’s punchy in all the best ways. The automaker is quick to point out that ZDX has more torque than its hybrid NSX Type S supercar and more horsepower than other luxury EVs like the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 and Audi’s SQ8 e-tron. And it’s all electric.

Like the Honda Prologue, the ZDX was built side-by-side with engineers from General Motors. Drawing power from a 102-kWh GM Ultium battery pack, Acura’s EV shares several components with Cadillac’s elegant Lyriq and Chevrolet’s Blazer EV. In fact, the exterior dimensions of the ZDX are the same as the Lyriq’s and the ZDX was designed at GM headquarters in Michigan.

The pairing of the American legacy automaker with a Japanese manufacturer is an unusual one. Does this partnership work for Acura? We drove the ZDX on a variety of roads in southern California to find out.

Two motors, big power boost

Somewhat ironically–and perhaps with a cheeky wink–the ZDX recycles the name of a previous gas-powered Acura model. With the zero-emissions movement ramping up in recent years, it made sense to revive the Z moniker.

Boasting an EPA-estimated 313-mile range with the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive setup, the ZDX can power up at a DC fast charging station and gain up to 81 miles of range in about 10 minutes. It takes a shade longer than 40 minutes to reach 80 percent, or 250 miles. Opting for the dual-motor, all-wheel drive version reduces the range slightly to 304 miles, and the top-performing Type S gets 278 miles before requiring a full charge.

Compared to some of its all-electric rivals from Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis, the ZDX takes significantly longer to charge, which may be a deterrent for those without charging stations at home. On the other hand, the Acura EV has more range and more power.

As a bonus, the ZDX is equipped with a high-end 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio setup, an Acura first. Danish company Bang & Olufsen makes sound systems for Lamborghini, Bentley, Audi, and others, so this new vehicle is in good company. In the EV theme, Eddie Grant’s “Electric Avenue” or Børns “Electric Love” are apt candidates for a ZDX soundtrack.  

Economies of scale through a GM partnership

As it’s so for the Prologue, GM provided the battery, frame, suspension, chassis, powertrain, and electrical architecture, while Acura built everything above the chassis. That doesn’t include some of the interior switchgear (knobs and buttons). 

As we noticed when we tested the Honda Prologue earlier this year, the drive mode button is located to the left of the steering wheel, making it difficult to locate and activate easily while driving. It’s worth finding, though, because it activates a useful 25 millimeter lift in snow mode or it hunkers down by 15 millimeters in sport mode for improved aerodynamics.    

The engineers chose to carry over GM’s one-pedal driving for both the Prologue and the ZDX as is without any alterations. 

“We didn’t change a thing,” ZDX Development Leader John Hwang told PopSci in February. “When we were benchmarking and setting targets, we liked how GM was executing this feature, so we said, ‘Don’t touch it. It’s not broken.’”

Hwang says the concept of the Prologue and ZDX are very different. Honda’s EV has a more mainstream feel and employs front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while the Acura has a much larger battery pack and the car is tuned for a more premium dynamic ride with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

What’s next?

Ultimately, Acura’s first EV appears to be a solid initial effort. That said, there’s room for the brand to dig deep into its own engineering expertise for its next EV without GM. We’d love to see Acura find a way to expand upon the genius of its hybrid NSX, which was powered by three electric motors working together with a 3.5-liter V6 engine.

However, Acura clearly stated several months ago that it was finished with hybrids. Instead, executives revealed a plan for a pilot production of solid-state batteries along with more research into hydrogen-powered vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cells are something that both Acura and GM are interested in pursuing, and while the automakers may have scrapped their plans for a smaller, more affordable EV collaboration, that doesn’t mean the partnership is completely kaput.

“The ZDX will have a complete lifecycle and there will be a refresh, so there is still a full team on the Honda/Acura side and a full team on the GM side,” Acura spokesman Jake Berg told PopSci. “This is definitely not the last time we’re collaborating with GM.”

The ZDX qualifies for the full federal $7,500 tax credit, putting the starting price at $57,500. It’s worth considering the extra $600 to get the ZDX in a luminous shade of Double Apex Blue Pearl, developed in-house by Acura’s color and materials team.  

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It’s baby Peregrine falcon season on a California island best known for its swift currents, cold water, and notorious prisoners. A new live webcam allows viewers to watch four recently hatched peregrine falcon chicks on Alcatraz Island. The camera was set up by the National Park Service (NPS) and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The fixed-angle webcam provides high-definition images even at night. The livestream is also equipped with a 12-hour cache so that visitors can catch-up on allowing viewers to catch up.

The nest is the handiwork of a female falcon named Larry, short for Lawrencium. Larry hatched on the University of California, Berkeley’s bell tower in 2018. To track Larry’s progress in the wild, biologists placed a band on her leg when she was a chick. By 2020, Larry and her unnamed male partner were spotted breeding on Alcatraz Island. They were tucked away with their young in a natural cave called an eyrie on the western side of the island. According to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, this was the first time that Peregrines had ever been recorded nesting on Alcatraz. The duo welcomed four chicks in April 2023, matching their four for this year. 

Biologists say that the goal of the livestream is to “share this incredible view of a wild peregrine falcon nest with the world.”

“I hope this livestream generates appreciation for Peregrine falcons and sparks viewers’ interest in the other bird life found on Alcatraz as well,” Alcatraz Island biologist Lidia D’Amico said in a statement.

[Related: Thriving baby California condor is a ray of hope for the unique species.]

While best known for its now-closed prison, Alcatraz Island has been a sanctuary for birds for years.  It’s home to loud Western Gulls, large Black-crowned Night-Herons, speedy Anna’s Hummingbirds, and more. According to the NPS, Peregrine falcons like Larry are the apex predators of the island who can be seen preying on other avians, including songbirds, shorebirds, ducks. This behavior is an important reminder that the falcons are wild animals. Parts of the popular island are closed from the months of February to September to allow for nesting and protecting the birds.

Peregrine falcons are the largest falcons in North America, with an impressive 39 to 43-inch wingspan. They are known for their spectacular dives called stoops. Urban-dwelling Peregrines fly high above their intended prey–usually pigeons–before they stoop and strike the bird in mid-air. This sharp blow is fatal and scientists estimate diving Peregrine falcons can reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour.  

[Related: Sadly, these live-streamed bald eagle eggs likely won’t hatch.]

Despite being such fearsome predators, their populations nationwide were once driven to the brink of extinction. They were federally listed as endangered in 1973. Organic pollutants, particularly the synthetic insecticide DDT, severely thinned their egg shells. DDT was banned in 1972 and Peregrine falcons were officially removed from the endangered species list in 1999.

“This impressive bird has long been noted for its speed, grace, and aerial skills,” the National Park Service says. “Now, it is also a symbol of America’s recovering threatened and endangered species.”

The post Watch four Peregrine falcon chicks in a nest on Alcatraz Island appeared first on Popular Science.

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While posting on social media might seem like just a weekend activity, some who made it a regular habit now have full-time careers as influencers or new opportunities as freelancers or artists. If you’re looking to take it more seriously, check out UNUM Pro.

It doesn’t just help you create and edit pictures, it does the heavy lifting when it comes to planning posts and analyzing data across most social media platforms. You can get a UNUM Pro lifetime subscription here for $49.99, normally $719.40.

The future of content creation is here

There’s no one right way to use UNUM Pro, but let’s pretend you’re hoping to grow your TikTok and Instagram pages this summer. You might get started by:

1. Creating a “bio.bar/you” to add to your page bios, containing all of your important links. You could add your website, an online store, a blog, and the rest of your social pages.
2. Browse post ideas and templates to start creating.
3. Use built-in creative tools to bring photos and videos to life. Access 500+ overlays, filters, canvases, and more.
4. Plan and schedule posts to go live at optimal times, up to a month in advance.

You won’t even have to spend time thinking of caption ideas or researching optimal hashtags because UNUM has AI-powered tools that can do that for you. In fact, they even take voice commands.

UNUM is also a growth-tracking tool that helps you easily understand the performance of your social media posts. Then, you know what type of content to continue creating or what to avoid.

You can use UNUM on iOS and Android mobile devices, and any web browser. Everything you work on is backed up to a cloud so you can easily work across devices.

Start your content-creating journey today with a UNUM Pro lifetime subscription for $49.99 (reg. $719.40).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post This $50 app helps you schedule a month of social media content in a day appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

Sourdough is the oldest kind of leavened bread in recorded history, and people have been eating it for thousands of years. The components of creating a sourdough starter are very simple–flour and water. Mixing them produces a live culture where yeast and bacteria ferment the sugars in flour, making byproducts that give sourdough its characteristic taste and smell. They are also what make it rise in the absence of other leavening agents.

My sourdough starter, affectionately deemed the “Fosters” starter, was passed down to me by my grandparents, who received it from my grandmother’s college roommate. It has followed me throughout my academic career across the country, from undergrad in New Mexico to graduate school in Pennsylvania to postdoctoral work in Washington.

Currently, it resides in the Midwest, where I work at The Ohio State University as a senior research associate, collaborating with researchers to characterize samples in a wide variety of fields ranging from food science to material science.

As part of one of the microscopy courses I instruct at the university, I decided to take a closer look at the microbial community in my family’s sourdough starter with the microscope I use in my day-to-day research.

Scanning electron microscopes

Scanning electron microscopy, or SEM, is a powerful tool that can image the surface of samples at the nanometer scale. For comparison, a human hair is between 10 to 150 micrometers, and SEM can observe features that are 10,000 times smaller.

Since SEM uses electrons instead of light for imaging, there are limitations to what can be imaged in the microscope. Samples must be electrically conductive and able to withstand the very low pressures in a vacuum. Low-pressure environments are generally unfavorable for microbes, since these conditions will cause the water in cells to evaporate, deforming their structure.

To prepare samples for SEM analysis, researchers use a method called critical point drying that carefully dries the sample to reduce unwanted artifacts and preserve fine details. The sample is then coated with a thin layer of iridium metal to make it conductive.

Exploring a sourdough starter

Since sourdough starters are created from wild yeast and bacteria in the flour, it creates a favorable environment for many types of microbes to flourish. There can be more than 20 different species of yeast and 50 different species of bacteria in a sourdough starter. The most robust become the dominant species.

You can visually observe the microbial complexity of sourdough starter by imaging the different components that vary in size and morphology, including yeast and bacteria. However, a full understanding of all the diversity present in the starter would require a complete gene sequencing.

The main component that gives the starter texture are starch grains from the flour. These grains, colored green in the image, are identifiable as relatively large globular structures approximately 8 micrometers in diameter.

Giving rise to the starter is the yeast, colored red. As the yeast grows, it ferments sugars from the starch grains and releases carbon dioxide bubbles and alcohol as byproducts that make the dough rise. Yeast generally falls in the range of 2 to 10 micrometers in size and are round to elongated in shape. There are two distinct yeast types visible in this image, one that is nearly round, at the bottom left, and another that is elongated, at the top right.

Bacteria, colored blue, metabolize sugars and release byproducts such as lactic acid and acetic acid. These byproducts act as a preservative and are what give the starter its distinctive sour smell and taste. In this image, bacteria have pill-like shapes that are approximately 2 micrometers in size.

Now, the next time you eat sourdough bread or sourdough waffles–try them, they’re delicious!–you can visualize the rich array of microorganisms that give each piece its distinctive flavor.

The post Sourdough under the microscope reveals microbes cultivated over generations appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)		SEE IT	The top-of-the-line AirPods Pro 2 are Apple’s best portable personal audio item yet.
Best over-ear		AirPods Max		SEE IT	Apple’s over-ear headphones have the longest battery and most distinctive look.
Best value		AirPods (3rd generation)		SEE IT	Many of the features you can get from AirPods Pro, but for a lot less money.

AirPods have come a long way since the first generation of Apple’s true wireless earbuds were released in 2016. Industry research firm Canalys found that TWS sales may have decreased in 2023, but Apple’s AirPods Pro remain dominant. The company’s success has contributed greatly to popularizing TWS earbuds and features like active noise cancellation, which was previously only available in over- and on-ear headphones but is now mainstream on earbuds. It’s also raised the bar for connectivity, ease of use, battery life, and, of course, sound quality. While the term “AirPods” was synonymous with in-ears, the company launched the AirPods Max, its first pair of over-ear headphones, in 2020. The company has continually updated its lineup to introduce models with additional features or design changes. The best AirPods will allow you to enjoy your favorite music on-the-go while ditching wires completely.

• Best overall: AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)
• Best value: AirPods (3rd generation) with Lightning Charging Case
• Best over-ear: AirPods Max
• Best budget: AirPods (2nd generation)

How we chose the best AirPods for you

Our AirPods recommendations come from a mix of research and hands-on testing. When possible, we compared AirPods to different current-generation headphones in their respective categories. We also considered the style of headphones listeners preferred, the performance of features like active noise cancellation, battery life, and price. The good news is there’s no bad choice in the bunch; it’s just a matter of finding a set that best fits your needs.

The best AirPods: Reviews & Recommendations

The best AirPods will allow you to appreciate your music more than a typical budget pair of headphones because of their audio quality, while still fitting comfortably in a pocket or bag. They should fit your budget, and work just as well with your Android and Windows devices as your Apple gear.

Best overall: AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)

SEE IT

Specs

• Headphone style: Earbuds
• Battery Life: Up to 6 hours listening time per charge
• ANC: Yes
• Connector: USB-C
• Price: $249.99

Pros

• Adaptive Audio (EQ) support
• Personalized Spatial Audio support w/ dynamic head tracking
• Comfortable to wear

Cons

• Less software customization than come competing brands
• Some features require the latest and greatest Apple hardware and an Apple Music subscription
• Not the most secure option for activity

The 2nd-generation AirPods with MagSafe Charging Case add small but consequential updates to what was already a fantastic flagship. As we declared in our full review of the AirPods Pro 2, these earbuds are “a highly noticeable improvement over their predecessors” thanks to a new low-distortion, high-excursion 11mm driver plus a custom amplifier. The augmented dynamics are richer, rounder, with textures splashier, crashier, crispier. And that’s before you add in any of the bells and whistles, like Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio, Adaptive EQ, active noise cancellation, and transparency, which combine to narrow the gap between you and your music while widening the soundstage you experience it in. (And, if you happen to have the Apple Vision Pro headset, the H2 chip with Bluetooth 5.3 in the AirPods Pro 2allows you to get 20-bit/48 kHz lossless audio streaming with your spatial computing.)

In terms of build improvements, the latest AirPods Pro earbuds are IP54 for better sweat and dust resistance, with multiple sizes of silicone eartips that anchor in your ear canals and create a tight seal for optimized bass performance. Simultaneously, a vent system improves pressure equalization for comfort. Skin-detect sensors tell the earbuds when to pause and play music if you take the earbuds out and put them back in. Touch controls are more responsive. The beamforming microphones do a great job isolating your voice on calls. Perhaps the greatest quality-of-living change is that the case supports both wireless and USB-C charging, so you can put that last Lightning cable away.

All these factors contribute to our naming the AirPods Pro 2 the best overall earbuds for most people. If you have a newer-generation iPhone, iPad, MacBook, etc., an insatiable love of music, and the budget (these are often on sale for $179-$199), the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) earbuds are a splurge that justifies itself immediately.

Best value: AirPods (3rd generation) with Lightning Charging Case

SEE IT

Specs

• Headphone style: Earbuds
• Battery Life: Up to 6 hours listening time per charge
• ANC: Yes
• Connector: Lightning
• Price: $169.99

Pros

• Adaptive Audio support
• Spatial audio support
• Comfortable to wear

Cons

• Uses a proprietary connector

While the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) earbuds are our default suggestion for anyone looking for AirPods, we understand that some folks don’t want to spend that much or still have an older iPhone and would prefer not to replace their Lightning cable(s) until they must. In that case, the AirPods (3rd generation) with Lightning Charging Case is your choice, and it’s not a bad choice by any means. It has a lot of the same audio features as the AirPods Pro 2, including the custom high-excursion driver and high dynamic range amplifier, Adaptive EQ, and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. So, if you liked the sound of the sound in the AirPods Pro 2 description above, you’ll like how it sounds here. What you don’t get, however, does come into play when you hit play. The AirPods (3rd generation) have a hardshell design, no interchangeable tips, so it can be harder to get a tight seal (and therefore harder to get lower bass). Also, there’s no noise cancellation, so the world might intrude more on your tunes (and you might be tempted to turn up the volume more but please do not or you’ll need to buy these). The chipset is an H1 with Bluetooth 5.0, so these will become obsolete faster than the Pro 2. And you must click, not swipe, for certain controls. Still, these AirPods have the same battery life and IP durability rating as the AirPods Pro, plus a case with a Lightning jack for charging (or one that charges wirelessly if you’re inclined to spend a little more). You get the AirPods experience in a pair of earbuds that’s routinely discounted to $140-$150, and you may not miss active noise cancellation if you work from home or in quiet environments.

Best over-ear: AirPods Max

SEE IT

Specs

• Headphone style: Over-ear
• Battery Life: Up to 20 hours listening time per charge
• ANC: Yes
• Connector: Lightning
• Price: $549

Pros

• Better ANC than earbuds
• Solid battery life
• Comfortable to wear

Cons

• Cost

The AirPods Max are the only pair of over-ear headphones made by Apple, so they’re your sole option in this category. Apple brought over many of the same features that helped make its earbuds popular: instant pairing with Apple devices, support for Spatial Audio and quick access to Siri, active noise cancelation, a well-balanced sound profile, and a design that’s focused on comfort. They’re also available in four colors, while Apple’s earbuds are only available in white.

At $549 (though often on sale as low as $479), the AirPods Max are a lot more expensive than comparable flagship models from Sony and Bose, and those headphones have better battery life and noise cancellation performance. Headphones from those companies also feature a USB-C port rather than Lightning for charging. A big part of the AirPods Max’s appeal is the signature aesthetics and integration with the Apple ecosystem. Anodized aluminum and mesh textile aren’t materials we’re used to seeing in the headphone world, and they’re undeniably luxe. Aluminum is heavier than the plastic used by other headphone companies, so the AirPods Max will weigh more heavily on your head if you’re jumping from another over-ear pair (though that breathable headband distributes weight well).

On a technical level, the AirPods Max were cutting-edge when they were released, but have started to cede some ground to the competition in the past couple of years. They support Spatial Audio with head tracking, which makes music and movies with a Dolby Atmos mix sound more immersive and more like listening to audio on a pair of high-end speakers, but it’s not lossless audio. Their 20-hour battery life is way higher than what you’d get from a pair of AirPods Pro, but that’s to be expected when comparing over-ear headphones to earbuds. However, the AirPods Max’s battery life is so-so compared to other over-ear headphones.

Still, if you care about aesthetics and comfort and want the AirPods experience from a bigger set of cans, the AirPods Max headphones are your only choice.

Best budget: AirPods (2nd generation)

SEE IT

Specs

• Headphone style: Earbuds
• Battery Life: Up to 5 hours listening time per charge
• ANC: No
• Connector: Lightning
• Price: $129.99

Pros

• They pair easily with an iPhone
• They play music
• Compact design
• Price

Cons

• No special audio-processing/convenience features

If you want the classic Apple aesthetic without the expense, these are the AirPods for you. These are the long-stemmed earbuds that established the ubiquity of AirPods. They play nice with iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS devices, as well as Siri—no picky pairing or fussy settings, unlike competitors’ earbuds. They play music and can let you take calls. However, you’re not getting any of the advanced features that come with even the AirPods 3. There’s no custom, Adaptive, Personalized, active anything. But if you want the most affordable entry to portable personal Apple audio, this is it.

What to consider when shopping for the best AirPods for you

Picking a pair of AirPods is pretty simple because Apple doesn’t offer many models, and all of them are pretty good. The company has done an admirable job trickling certain features between its earbuds, including battery life, durability, and technical features. Unless you opt for the budget pick, your decision will come down to how much you’re willing to spend, whether you prefer earbuds or over-ear headphones, and if you care about USB-C charging.

Headphone style

While AirPods are synonymous with earbuds, Apple has branched out into offering an over-ear pair of headphones called the AirPods Max. Earbuds will always be more convenient to use because they can fit in your pocket comfortably with their charging case, whereas over-ear headphones need to be kept on your head, around your neck, or in a larger bag. The tradeoff is that over-ear headphones have larger drivers for better, louder sound, and a longer-lasting battery.

Connector

Once upon a time, all AirPods had a Lightning charging port. Apple developed the proprietary connector and featured it on the iPhone from 2012 until 2023, when it was replaced with a USB-C port. Now, most of Apple’s audio has a Lightning port, but the latest AirPods Pro (2nd generation) now comes with a USB-C charging port, and we expect this will become standard on all AirPods models in the next couple of years.

Battery life

All of Apple’s earbuds have the same six hour battery life, which is solid for this style of headphone. The amount you actually get will depend on whether you leave active noise cancellation enabled and your preferred listening volume. AirPods Max get up to 20 hours of usage per charge, which is more than enough to get you through a transatlantic flight with plenty of power to spare.

Active noise cancellation

Apple’s top AirPods—both earphones and headphones—have active noise cancellation, a feature wherein microphones analyze and algorithms neutralize outsound sounds before they reach your ears. Apple was one of the first companies to add credible active noise cancellation to the earbud world, and it’s only improved its performance in the second-generation AirPods Pro.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best AirPods

• Best overall: AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)
• Best value: AirPods (3rd generation) with Lightning Charging Case
• Best over-ear: AirPods Max
• Best budget: AirPods (2nd generation)

AirPods have forever changed the world of earphones and made headway into headphones. And Apple’s continued pursuit of bringing technical improvements to a mass audience is laudable. It’s safe to say true wireless earbuds wouldn’t be as popular, and active noise cancellation would have been a lower priority for other headphone makers, if Apple hadn’t stepped up its game. With its latest generation of AirPods, Apple has shown there’s no better time to invest in easily pocketable portable audio accessories than now.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best AirPods in 2024: How to pick which ones are right for you appeared first on Popular Science.

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Taking a road trip this summer? Instead of listening to the radio or podcasts, you should try this app where iconic voices of celebrities like Kevin Costner tell you stories about each area you drive through. Autio is like having a personal tour guide who knows what they’re talking about.

Save on your subscription here. Autio normally costs $36 per year, or $69.99 for a 3-year subscription through the App Store or Google Play, but it’s just $39.99 here for the same amount of time.

Your new favorite travel partner

You might learn about an area’s history, people, culture, music, sports, or geology; getting answers to questions that you maybe would’ve never thought to ask. Autio currently has over 23,000 stories, and they add new ones each week, meaning no two trips are ever the same.

Many stories are told by voices you recognize and love, like Kevin Costner, Phil Jackson, and John Lithgow. Technically speaking, you could say Kevin Costner joined you on a summer road trip with Autio.

Autio is committed to two things: teaching you cool things and keeping you focused on the road. As you drive through a new town, stories will automatically start playing. And, if your vehicle has CarPlay, Autio has an app for that so you can get an even more immersive experience.

Get a preview on what the stories are like:

Another notable Autio feature is offline mode for those ultra-remote, off-grid road trips. If you feel you might not have cellular service, you can download stories ahead of time and access them offline later.

Road trips will never be the same with Autio. Get your Autio Unlimited Plan here for $39.99 (reg. $69.99) and save compared to the App Store or Google Play.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post This road trip storytelling app with voices like Kevin Costner’s is $30 off appeared first on Popular Science.

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The drone industry has expanded swiftly, offering tremendously expensive devices with complicated technology. If you’re looking to keep things affordable and simple, consider taking advantage of special pricing on a versatile product.

For a limited time, a 4K Dual-Camera Drone that’s operable for beginners and boasts intelligent obstacle avoidance is available at only $69.97 (reg. $119). That’s more than 40 percent savings with no coupon necessary.

Users of all experiences will enjoy this drone, which offers a transmission that reaches beyond 300 feet. There is a 90-degree HD 4K camera in the front, while a 120-degree wide-angle camera is attached to the bottom.

Capture high-definition footage from far above and get consistently steady images thanks to optical flow positioning for the aircraft as it hovers. Added confidence comes from obstacle avoidance technology, which eliminates any guesswork from the ground and keeps the drone coming back in great shape.

Select from three-speed settings and gain a new perspective of any area, whether you want to explore nature, showcase a property, or get a young aspiring pilot comfortable with flight. A foldable design weighs less than four ounces and makes it easy to keep this drone neatly stored in between uses.

This purchase comes complete with a remote control and rechargeable battery, which supports flight times of up to 15 minutes. The drone carries a store rating of 5/5 stars based on verified buyer reviews.

Get everything you need from a new drone without breaking the bank, and keep things simple enough for beginners or children to fly with confidence, by getting the 4K Dual-Camera Drone for only $69.97 (reg. $119).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post Save $50 on this dual-camera drone that’s perfect for beginners and kids appeared first on Popular Science.

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SpaceX has revealed its new Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suits that could make their low-Earth orbital debut by summer’s end. The new uniform is described as an evolution of the spacesuits currently worn by astronauts aboard Dragon missions, which are designed solely for remaining within pressurized environments. In contrast, the EVA suits will allow astronauts to work both within and outside their capsule as needed thanks to a number of advancements in materials fabrication, joint design, enhanced redundancy safeguards, as well as the integration of a helmet visor heads up display (HUD).

Announced over the weekend, the SpaceX EVA suits will be worn by the four crewmembers scheduled to comprise the Polaris Program’s first mission, Polaris Dawn. First launched in 2022, the Polaris Program is a joint venture through SpaceX intended to “rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities,” according to its website. Targeted for no earlier than summer 2024, Polaris Dawn will mark the first commercial spacewalk, as well as the first spacewalk to simultaneously include four astronauts. While making history outside their Dragon capsule, the crew will be the first to test Starlink laser-based communications systems that SpaceX believes will be critical to future missions to the moon and eventually Mars.

Mobility is the central focus of SpaceX’s teaser video posted to X on May 4, with an EVA suit wearer showing off their smooth ranges of motion for fingers, shoulders, and elbows. As PCMag.com also detailed on Monday, SpaceX EVA suits are fabricated with a variety of textile-based thermal materials and include semi-rigid rotator joints that allow work in both pressurized and unpressurized environments. For the boots, designers utilized the same temperature resilient material found in the Falcon 9 rocket’s interstage and Dragon capsule’s trunk.

Polaris Dawn astronauts will also sport 3D-printed polycarbonate helmets with visors coated in copper and indium tin oxide alongside anti-glare and anti-fog treatments. During the spacewalk roughly 435-miles above Earth, each crewmember’s helmet will project a built-in heads up display (HUD) to provide real-time pressure, temperature, and relative humidity readings.

[Related: Moon-bound Artemis III spacesuits have some functional luxury sewn in.]

Similar to the Prada-designed getups for NASA’s Artemis III astronauts, the SpaceX EVA suit is also meant to illustrate a future in which all kinds of body types can live and work beyond Earth. SpaceX explains that all the EVA upgrades are scalable in design, which will allow customization to accommodate “different body types as SpaceX seeks to create greater accessibility to space for all of humanity.” Its proposed goal of manufacturing “millions” of spacesuits for multiplanetary life may seem far-fetched right now, but it’s got to start somewhere—even if only just four of them at the moment.

The post SpaceX reveals new sleek spacesuits ahead of upcoming historic mission appeared first on Popular Science.

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TVs have gotten bigger and cheaper in recent years, but they still can’t quite match the theater-like experience that comes with a solid projector. Right now, XGIMI projectors are deeply discounted at Amazon. Models include everything from portable 1080p units for impromptu outdoor movie nights to high-end 4K projectors ready to help you see Shrek like you’ve never seen him before. These deals run through 5/12, so maybe splurge and get Mom something really amazing this year for Mother’s Day.

XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro 1080P Portable Projector $399 (with coupon, was $599)

SEE IT

This compact projector weighs less than 2.5 pounds, but it includes a ton of advanced features that make it a stand-alone portable theater. A pair of surprisingly powerful speakers augment the 400-lumen light output, which is plenty bright for an interior space or an outdoor nighttime feature. The Android TV operating system includes built-in Chromecast functionality, so you can easily stream content from your phone to the projector. If you want to connect your playback device with a cable, this pint-sized projector offers several USB ports (including USB-C and USB-A), as well as an HDMI, and Wi-Fi for streaming. It doesn’t have a built-in battery, but you can power it off a 65w portable charger if you want to project on the go—like when you take the one you bought yourself over to your mother’s house. She misses you. You should call.

More XGIMI projector deals:

• XGIMI MoGo 2 Portable Projector, Mini Projector with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth $299 (was $399)
• XGIMI Halo+ 1080P Portable Projector, 700 ISO Lumens with Harman Kardon Speakers $649 (was $849)
• XGIMI HORIZON 1080p FHD Projector 4K Supported Movie Projector, 1500 ISO Lumens $699 (was $999)
• XGIMI Horizon Pro 4K Projector, 1500 ISO Lumens, Android TV 10.0 Movie Projector with Integrated Harman Kardon Speakers $999 (was $1,699)
• XGIMI HORIZON Ultra 4K Projector – 100″ + Dolby Vision, Dual Light, ISA 3.0, 2300 ISO Lumens $1,599 (was $1,699)

The post Upgrade Mom’s movie experience with these deep discounts on XGIMI projectors appeared first on Popular Science.

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Nothing prepares you for mating like a seafood buffet. Well, at least if you’re a sea lion.

A massive school of anchovy in the San Francisco Bay has lured approximately 1,700 sea lions to Pier 39 near the city’s Fisherman’s Wharf district. Not since the early 1990s has the area seen this many sea lions, Sheila Candor, Harbormaster at Pier 39, told the Associated Press. In recent decades, less than a thousand sea lions flopped onto the pier each spring.

Pier 39 is a sea lion rest stop of sorts, a place to fill up on anchovies and herring before heading south to the Channel Islands for mating season. The pier docks use three times the floatation support as normal docks to support the weight of the blubbery sea beasts.

If you’re planning to visit this year’s herd of sea lions, prepare for a chorus of loud barking and frequent displays of sun-basked lounging and fin-slap bickering. And if you can’t make it to San Francisco, enjoy these photos we collected.

The post Gaze at the gregarious sea lions setting records in San Francisco appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally published on KFF Health News.

With little pomp, California launched two apps at the start of the year offering free behavioral health services to youths to help them cope with everything from living with anxiety to body acceptance.

Through their phones, young people and some caregivers can meet BrightLife Kids and Soluna coaches, some who specialize in peer support or substance use disorders, for roughly 30-minute virtual counseling sessions that are best suited to those with more mild needs, typically those without a clinical diagnosis. The apps also feature self-directed activities, such as white noise sessions, guided breathing, and videos of ocean waves to help users relax.

“We believe they’re going to have not just great impact, but wide impact across California, especially in places where maybe it’s not so easy to find an in-person behavioral health visit or the kind of coaching and supports that parents and young people need,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom’s health secretary, Mark Ghaly, during the Jan. 16 announcement.

The apps represent one of the Democratic governor’s major forays into health technology and come with four-year contracts valued at $498 million. California is believed to be the first state to offer a mental health app with free coaching to all young residents, according to the Department of Health Care Services, which operates the program.

However, the rollout has been slow. Only about 15,000 of the state’s 12.6 million children and young adults have signed up for the apps, school counselors say they’ve never heard of them, and one of the companies isn’t making its app available on Android phones until summer.

Advocates for youth question the wisdom of investing taxpayer dollars in two private companies. Social workers are concerned the companies’ coaches won’t properly identify youths who need referrals for clinical care. And the spending is drawing lawmaker scrutiny amid a state deficit pegged at as much as $73 billion.

An app for that

Newsom’s administration says the apps fill a need for young Californians and their families to access professional telehealth for free, in multiple languages, and outside of standard 9-to-5 hours. It’s part of Newsom’s sweeping $4.7 billion master plan for kids’ mental health, which was introduced in 2022 to increase access to mental health and substance use support services. In addition to launching virtual tools such as the teletherapy apps, the initiative is working to expand workforce capacity, especially in underserved areas.

“The reality is that we are rarely 6 feet away from our devices,” said Sohil Sud, director of Newsom’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. “The question is how we can leverage technology as a resource for all California youth and families, not in place of, but in addition to, other behavioral health services that are being developed and expanded.”

The virtual platforms come amid rising depression and suicide rates among youth and a shortage of mental health providers. Nearly half of California youths from the ages of 12 to 17 report having recently struggled with mental health issues, with nearly a third experiencing serious psychological distress, according to a 2021 study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. These rates are even higher for multiracial youths and those from low-income families.

But those supporting youth mental health at the local level question whether the apps will move the needle on climbing depression and suicide rates.

“It’s fair to applaud the state of California for aggressively seeking new tools,” said Alex Briscoe of California Children’s Trust, a statewide initiative that, along with more than 100 local partners, works to improve the social and emotional health of children. “We just don’t see it as fundamental. And we don’t believe the youth mental health crisis will be solved by technology projects built by a professional class who don’t share the lived experience of marginalized communities.”

The apps, BrightLife Kids and Soluna, are operated by two companies: Brightline, a 5-year-old venture capital-backed startup; and Kooth, a London-based publicly traded company that has experience in the U.K. and has also signed on some schools in Kentucky and Pennsylvania and a health plan in Illinois. In the first five months of Kooth’s Pennsylvania pilot, 6% of students who had access to the app signed up.

Brightline and Kooth represent a growing number of health tech firms seeking to profit in this space. They beat out dozens of other bidders including international consulting companies and other youth telehealth platforms that had already snapped up contracts in California.

Although the service is intended to be free with no insurance requirement, Brightline’s app, BrightLife Kids, is folded into and only accessible through the company’s main app, which asks for insurance information and directs users to paid licensed counseling options alongside the free coaching. After KFF Health News questioned why the free coaching was advertised below paid options, Brightline reordered the page so that, even if a child has high-acuity needs, free coaching shows up first.

The apps take an expansive view of behavioral health, making the tools available to all California youth under age 26 as well as caregivers of babies, toddlers, and children 12 and under. When KFF Health News asked to speak with an app user, Brightline connected a reporter with a mother whose 3-year-old daughter was learning to sleep on her own.

‘It’s like crickets’

Despite being months into the launch and having millions in marketing funds, the companies don’t have a definitive rollout timeline. Brightline said it hopes to have deployed teams across the state to present the tools in person by midyear. Kooth said developing a strategy to hit every school would be “the main focus for this calendar year.”

“It’s a big state—58 counties,” Bob McCullough of Kooth said. “It’ll take us a while to get to all of them.”

So far BrightLife Kids is available only on Apple phones. Brightline said it’s aiming to launch the Android version over the summer.

“Nobody’s really done anything like this at this magnitude, I think, in the U.S. before,” said Naomi Allen, a co-founder and the CEO of Brightline. “We’re very much in the early innings. We’re already learning a lot.”

The contracts, obtained by KFF Health News through a records request, show the companies operating the two apps could earn as much as $498 million through the contract term, which ends in June 2027, months after Newsom is set to leave office. And the state is spending hundreds of millions more on Newsom’s virtual behavioral health strategy. The state said it aims to make the apps available long-term, depending on usage.

The state said 15,000 people signed up in the first three months. When KFF Health News asked how many of those users actively engaged with the app, it declined to say, noting that data would be released this summer.

KFF Health News reached out to nearly a dozen California mental health professionals and youths. None of them were aware of the apps.

“I’m not hearing anything,” said Loretta Whitson, executive director of the California Association of School Counselors. “It’s like crickets.”

Whitson said she doesn’t think the apps are on “anyone’s” radar in schools, and she doesn’t know of any schools that are actively advertising them. Brightline will be presenting its tool to the counselor association in May, but Whitson said the company didn’t reach out to plan the meeting; she did.

Concern over referrals

Whitson isn’t comfortable promoting the apps just yet. Although both companies said they have a clinical team on staff to assist, Whitson said she’s concerned that the coaches, who aren’t all licensed therapists, won’t have the training to detect when users need more help and refer them to clinical care.

This sentiment was echoed by other school-based social workers, who also noted the apps’ duplicative nature—in some counties, like Los Angeles, youths can access free virtual counseling sessions through Hazel Health, a for-profit company. Nonprofits, too, have entered this space. For example, Teen Line, a peer-to-peer hotline operated by Southern California-based Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, is free nationwide.

While the state is also funneling money to the schools as part of Newsom’s master plan, students and school-based mental health professionals voiced confusion at the large app investment when, in many school districts, few in-person counseling roles exist, and in some cases are dwindling.

Kelly Merchant, a student at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, noted that it can be hard to access in-person therapy at her school. She believes the community college, which has about 15,000 students, has only one full-time counselor and one part-time bilingual counselor. She and several students interviewed by KFF Health News said they appreciated having engaging content on their phone and the ability to speak to a coach, but all said they’d prefer in-person therapy.

“There are a lot of people who are seeking therapy, and people close to me that I know. But their insurances are taking forever, and they’re on the waitlist,” Merchant said. “And, like, you’re seeing all these people struggle.”

Fiscal conservatives question whether the money could be spent more effectively, like to bolster county efforts and existing youth behavioral health programs.

Republican state Sen. Roger Niello, vice chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, noted that California is forecasted to face deficits for the next three years, and taxpayer watchdogs worry the apps might cost even more in the long run.

“What starts as a small financial commitment can become uncontrollable expenses down the road,” said Susan Shelley of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. 

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Subscribe to KFF Health News’ free Morning Briefing.

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Despite being Earth’s sister planet in terms of size, Venus is pretty parched compared to our watery world. New computer simulations may hold clues about exactly how our neighbor became so dry. 

Hydrogen atoms in the planet’s atmosphere may fling off into space due to a dissociative recombination–where electrons are removed. Venus may be losing roughly twice as much water every day than previous estimates. The findings are detailed in a study published May 6 in the journal Nature and may help explain what happens to water on other planets in our home galaxy.

“Water is really important for life,” study co-author and University of Colorado Boulder astrophysicist Eryn Cangi said in a statement. “We need to understand the conditions that support liquid water in the universe, and that may have produced the very dry state of Venus today.”

The mystery of the missing water

The Earth is roughly 71 percent water. If you took all of that water and spread it across the planet, you’d get a liquid layer about 1.9 miles deep. If you did the same thing on Venus, you would get a layer that is only 1.2 inches deep. 

“Venus has 100,000 times less water than the Earth, even though it’s basically the same size and mass,” study co-author and astrophysicist Michael Chaffin said in a statement. 

[Related: A private company wants to look for life just above Venus.]

However, the planet was not always such a desert. Scientists believe that billions of years ago when Venus was forming, it got about as much water as Earth. At some point, clouds of carbon dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere essentially turned the planet into a greenhouse. The trapping of carbon dioxide raised surface temperatures to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. All of Venus’ water evaporated into steam and most drifted into space. 

That ancient evaporation even still isn’t enough to explain Venus is as dry as it is warm or how it continues to lose water into space. 

“As an analogy, say I dumped out the water in my water bottle. There would still be a few droplets left,” Chaffin said. 

What’s kicking out the hydrogen?

To try to determine why Venus is so dry, the team on this study used computer models to look at the different chemical reactions occuring in the planet’s swirling atmosphere. 

“We’re trying to figure out what little changes occurred on each planet to drive them into these vastly different states,” said Cangi.

They found that a molecule made up of one atom each of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen called HCO+ may be causing the planet to leak water.

[Related: Something is making Venus’s clouds less acidic.]

In a planet’s upper atmosphere, water mixes with carbon dioxide to form these HCO+ molecules. Earlier studies found that HCO+ may also be the reason why Mars lost a large amount of its original water.

On Venus, HCO+ is constantly produced in its atmosphere, but the individual hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen atoms don’t survive very long. The electrons in the atmosphere find the atoms, recombine, and then split them in two. When this happens, the hydrogen atoms zip away and may completely escape into space. It eventually is stealing one of the two components needed for water away from Venus. The team calculated that the only way to explain Venus’ dry state was if the planet had higher than expected volumes of HCO+ in its atmosphere. 

Probing Venus

Scientists have never observed HCO+ around Venus. The team believes that is because they’ve never had instruments that can properly look for the ion. None of the spacecraft that have visited Venus–including NASA’s Mariner 2, the European Space Agency’s Venus Express, or Japan’s Akatsuki and others—have carried instruments that could detect HCO+.

“One of the surprising conclusions of this work is that HCO+ should actually be among the most abundant ions in the Venus atmosphere,” Chaffin said.

[Related: We finally know why Venus is absolutely radiant.]

By the end of this decade, NASA plans to drop a probe through Venus’ atmosphere down to the surface during its DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gasses, Chemistry, and Imaging) mission. While it won’t be able to detect HCO+, the team is hopeful that a future Venus mission might reveal another clue to the mystery of Venus’ missing water.  

“There haven’t been many missions to Venus,” Cangi said. “But newly planned missions will leverage decades of collective experience and a flourishing interest in Venus to explore the extremes of planetary atmospheres, evolution and habitability.”

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King Sargon II was a big fan of seeing his name around town—at least, that’s what one expert believes after reviewing a series of repeating mystery images that have confounded researchers for well over a century.

Ruler of the Neo-Assyrian empire from 721-704 BCE, Sargon II oversaw huge portions of ancient Mesopotamia, and is considered one of the era’s greatest military strategists. By the time of his death in 705 BCE, the king had either conquered or neutralized all his major political threats, a feat celebrated by his establishment of a new Assyrian capital in present day Khorsabad, Iraq, called Dūr-Šarrukīn, or “Fort Sargon,” in 706 BCE.

Excavations of the city during the late-nineteenth century revealed a sequence of five symbols repeated across multiple temples throughout Dūr-Šarrukīn—a lion, an eagle, a bull, a fig tree, and a plow. In some cases, however, there is similar art using just the lion, tree, and plough. Although the images appear similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Assyrian empire during Sargon II’s reign had long utilized their non-pictorial cuneiform for written communication. Because of this, researchers have spent years theorizing about what the five total images might represent. Given Sargon II’s regal ego, historians have previously surmised the art could potentially represent his name in some form, but weren’t clear how that could be the case.

“The study of ancient languages and cultures is full of puzzles of all shapes and sizes, but it’s not often in the Ancient Near East that one faces mystery symbols on a temple wall,” Martin Worthington, a Trinity University professor specializing in ancient Mesopotamian languages and civilizations, said in a recent statement.

But according to Worthington, the answer is relatively simple and characteristic of the time. In his new paper published in the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, Worthington argues the five images, when sounded out in ancient Assyrian, approximate “šargīnu,” or Sargon. Even when just the trio of pictures appears, their combination phonetically still resembles a shortened form of “Sargon.” Combined with the religious undertones of Assyrian constellations, Worthington contends the king was intent on making sure everyone knew just how great and powerful he was. 

“The effect of the symbols was to assert that Sargon’s name was written in the heavens, for all eternity, and also to associate him with the gods Anu and Enlil, to whom the constellations in question were linked,” he writes in his new paper’s abstract. “It is further suggested that Sargon’s name was elsewhere symbolized by a lion passant (pacing lion), through a bilingual pun.”

[Related: How cryptographers finally cracked one of the Zodiac Killer’s hardest codes.]

“[It was] a clever way to make the king’s name immortal,” Worthingon added through Trinity University’s announcement. “And, of course, the idea of bombastic individuals writing their name on buildings is not unique to ancient Assyria.”

Of course, given these are millennia-old metaphors sans concrete language reference points, it’s arguably impossible to state without a doubt these were Sargon’s regal brag banners. Cuneiform used at the time didn’t rely on literal pictures, and no codex is available to match the temple art with any translation. That said, Worthington believes the underlying logic, combined with Assyrian cultural reference points, makes a pretty convincing argument.

“I can’t prove my theory, but the fact it works for both the five-symbol sequence and the three-symbol sequence, and that the symbols can also be understood as culturally appropriate constellations, strikes me as highly suggestive,” Worthington said. “The odds against it all being happenstance are—forgive the pun—astronomical.”

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This article was originally featured on Undark.

By quirk of geography, the Orkney islands, located off the northern tip of Scotland, are unusually well positioned to bear witness to the ocean’s might. On the archipelago’s western shores, waves crash relentlessly against the rocks. And within its numerous channels, the tides push an enormous volume of water from the North Atlantic to the North Sea and back again, twice every day, squeezing between and around the islands of Rousay, Westray, Eday, and a myriad of other ones.

No wonder the European Marine Energy Center, one of the world’s leading agencies for developing and testing wave and tidal power technologies, chose to set up shop here; the nonprofit agency hosts both wave and tidal power testing facilities on Orkney.

EMEC’s wave-energy testing site is at Billia Croo, located on the western shore of Orkney’s largest island. On a relatively calm day last spring, Lisa MacKenzie, EMEC’s marketing and communications manager, surveyed the gray waters from the Billia Croo site. “We get an average of 2-to-3-meter wave height,” she said, or roughly 6.5 to 10 feet. “But we’ve had waves of over 20 meters”—more than 65 feet—during “really extreme conditions over the winter.”

The surrounding landscape is windswept and nearly treeless. Were one to sail directly west from this spot, “the first bit of land that you would hit is Canada,” MacKenzie said.

EMEC was founded in 2003 following a recommendation by the U.K. House of Commons Science and Technology Committee (now known as the Science, Innovation, and Technology Committee). To date it has received about $53 million in public investment; its funders include the European Union, the U.K. government, the Scottish government, and the Orkney Islands Council. More than 20 corporate clients have used EMEC’s facilities, and more ocean energy converters have been tested at the center than at any other site in the world.

The Billia Croo facility opened in 2004 on land rented from a local farmer. An array of transformers, housed in green bins each the size of a compact car, lines the perimeter of the site’s small parking lot. A modest stone-wall hut, which blends into the landscape, houses the facility’s control center and is filled electronic switching equipment. The testing berths are offshore, where EMEC’s clients can test all manner of wave-energy conversion devices, with cables running along the seabed to the control hut. Any electricity produced can also be fed directly into the U.K. national grid.

Waves, like the wind that produces them, are not a constant; both are inherently variable. And they are linked: Wind imparts energy to the ocean, which then dissipates as waves over a longer time scale. As MacKenzie puts it, waves are the aftermath of wind.

Harnessing the energy of waves is one way to draw power from the oceans; another is to exploit the energy of the tides. Of the two energy sources, tidal is more constant, given the tides’ regular-as-clockwork response to the push and pull of the moon and sun.

EMEC runs a grid-connected tidal energy test facility located off the southern tip of Eday. “We get a peak tidal flow over 4 meters per second, which is about 8 knots,” MacKenzie said. “So about half a billion tons of water passes through there, every hour, at peak tide.”

And that flow is comparatively predictable—far more so than, say, wind or solar, which are stymied by calm or cloudy conditions. “We can predict the tides 200 years into the future,” MacKenzie said. “Which means that we can predict how much power can be derived from the tides, 200 years into the future.”

There is no question that the planet’s oceans contain enormous amounts of energy. According to a 2021 study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A, tidal stream energy alone could provide the equivalent of 11 percent of the U.K.’s annual electricity needs. Power from the oceans is “the largest untapped resource of renewable energy on the planet right now,” said Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe, the world’s largest network of ocean energy professionals.

The question is, can that energy be harnessed economically—or is the idea of pulling watts from the water doomed to be a mere sideshow in the quest for green energy? After decades of testing at tidal energy facilities like EMEC and other smaller-scale facilities around the globe, only a handful of commercial wave and tidal power facilities are online, and they contribute a miniscule amount to the world’s energy production. Even in Orkney, a leader in the quest to extract energy from the ocean, wave and tidal power account for just a fraction of the islands’ energy consumption.

Notably, wave and tidal lag behind other forms of renewable energy. “It’s fair to say that we’re nowhere near a wind or solar industry at this point,” says Carrie Schmaus, a marine energy technology manager at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.

Still, for the technology’s supporters, the ocean is seen as a virtually limitless source of energy waiting to be tapped, if only governments step up with the public investment needed to kick the industry into high gear. “There’s an energy resource there,” says Andrew Scott, CEO of Edinburgh-based Orbital Marine Power Ltd. “The question is, what are you prepared to pay to extract that energy?”

On paper, the power of the world’s oceans is indisputable: Tidal stream energy is estimated to represent a global resource of some 1,200 terawatt-hours (a terawatt is one trillion watts) per year, while wave power is even more abundant, adding up to almost 30,000 terawatt-hours per year—enough, in theory, to meet all of humanity’s energy needs 10 times over.

As promising as tidal and wave energy may seem, the list of obstacles to widespread adoption is significant: the formidable cost of scaling up the technology; bureaucratic hurdles; environmental concerns, including possible effects on fish and sea mammals; and, in the case of tidal power, geographical restrictions. There are also fears that rising sea levels could substantially alter ocean movements in a way that could impact current or planned tidal power facilities. In a 2022 paper published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Danial Khojasteh and his co-authors noted that “long-term management decisions associated with harnessing the potential of tidal energy schemes within estuaries should be made with caution.”

The question of cost is paramount. Even though the cost of tidal and wave energy may be dropping, the cost of wind and solar are dropping even faster, said Brian Polagye, a University of Washington mechanical engineer who studies marine renewable energy. That means tidal and wave energy can be seen as succeeding and failing at the same time.

“Until your price comes down to the point where you’re competitive with other forms of generation—either because you’re directly competitive, or you’re being subsidized until you get to that point—the technologies really can’t take off,” Polagye said. Nonetheless, he added, “I do feel these are technologies that have a long-term role to play in our energy systems.”

Schmaus, at the Water Power Technologies Office, describes wave and tidal power as a nascent industry (as did others interviewed for this story). By way of comparison, she pointed out that in the early days of the wind power industry, all manner of turbine designs were tested. “And then at some point that technology converged,” she said. “Now we have the three-bladed turbine we all know and love. Marine energy is still in that ideation kind of area. We have not had technology convergence yet.”

One of her department’s goals, she says, is to learn from small-scale demonstration projects, scale up designs, and bring down costs. This scaling-up is just what Scott’s Orbital Marine is trying to achieve in Orkney. They’re the company behind the O2 tidal stream energy generator—the world’s most powerful such device—located in the Fall of Warness, south of Eday, and connected to the grid via EMEC’s tidal energy test site. (MacKenzie described the project as “one of our biggest success stories.”) The O2 is a 240-foot-long structure shaped like a submarine (though it stays on the surface), with two submerged arms, each supporting a twin-bladed turbine. In an interview in a cavernous exhibition hall at the annual All-Energy conference in Glasgow last spring, and later by email, Scott spoke of his vision for the company, and the potential of tidal stream power. He said that Orbital Marine hopes to add another six turbines to the Fall of Warness site over the next few years, and, in time, perhaps another dozen.

Scott acknowledges the forbidding technical challenges—especially the difficulty of designing machinery that can withstand seawater’s salt and grime for months or years on end. And he has seen his share of unrealistic proposals over the years. At times “it was a bit of a joke,” he recalled. People saw how much traction wind energy was getting, he says, and figured wind’s success could be readily duplicated beneath the waves.

“People would say, ‘Just go and ‘marinize’ it, and it will be equally successful in the tidal application,” he continued. “It was as naïve as that.”

But many of those early challenges have been overcome, Scott said. He noted that O2 is currently providing about 10 percent of Orkney’s electricity, enough to power about 2,000 homes. Because the islands are sparsely populated, and rich in wind energy, Orkney actually produces more energy than is needed locally, which means the islands are already a net contributor to the U.K. grid—and some of that energy comes from O2. Scott said he foresees Orbital Marine generating about $17.5 million from electricity sales per year, over the turbine array’s projected 20-year life. “We’re effectively at that critical stage where we start to grow commercial revenues and profits,” Scott said.

Of course, most parts of the world are not blessed with Orkney’s extreme tidal flows. “It is niche,” Scott acknowledged. “But where it does exist, it represents a phenomenally dense form of renewable energy. Because water is 800 times the density of air.”

While some regions have more powerful tides than others, waves can be found pretty much everywhere that ocean meets land. During a visit to the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility on the campus of the University of Edinburgh, a crew from a company called Mocean Energy tested a floating wave-energy converter in a massive circular water tank, some 80 feet across. Paddles along the perimeter of the tank create waves that strive to mimic the conditions of the open seas.

So far, there’s no one preferred way to extract energy from waves—just as there’s no one preferred way to build a tidal stream turbine—so various designs are being tested. The one Mocean was testing uses a simple electrical generator to convert the kinetic energy of the waves into electricity. As Mocean’s converter bobbed in response to the waves, Chris Retzler, the company’s technical director and co-founder, spoke of the path to commercialization, saying he hoped to have a product on the market in 12 to 18 months, and “a much larger-scale, grid-connected machine” in three to four years.

For now, both wave energy and tidal energy lag behind wind in terms of investment and commercialization, but the gap may be closing, Retzler said. “The wind industry, of course, has been phenomenally successful—but it started in much the same way, with small-scale experimentation, gradually building up,” he says. “And we’re following a similar pattern here. We learn by doing.”

Retzler also noted that there is a natural symbiosis between wave energy, with its long-term dependability, and wind and solar, which have much greater hour-to-hour and day-to day fluctuations. “The ocean is storing wind energy over time,” he said. “Waves take a while to build up, and then a long while to decay. That smooths out the production of energy. So wave energy can provide a more stable contribution, and therefore can fill in the gaps that are left by wind and solar.”

The United States has not traditionally been a big player in ocean power technologies, though that may be changing. An established testing facility known as PacWave North, located off the coast of Oregon, will soon be joined by PacWave South, a larger facility now under construction in deeper waters south of Newport. PacWave, funded by the Department of Energy, the State of Oregon, and other public and private entities, bills itself as the first pre-permitted, utility-scale, grid-connected, open-water test facility in the U.S.

Burke Hales, an oceanographer at Oregon State University and PacWave’s chief scientist, describes PacWave as conceptually similar to Scotland’s EMEC, which was one of PacWave’s design partners. “PacWave will be bigger, [with] more total power capability, more berths, more individual devices,” he says. Hales cites figures from the Department of Energy that suggest wave power could meet 15 percent of the nation’s electricity demand.

While the Oregon coast is synonymous with pounding waves, other locations may be better suited to small-scale projects that take advantage of the local geography. For example, in the village of Igiugig, in southwestern Alaska, there’s a demonstration project that draws energy from the estuary of the Kvichak River, via underwater turbines. That’s seen as a vast improvement on the current situation, in which the community trucks in diesel fuel at great cost.

And other U.S. projects may be on the horizon. In 2022, the Department of Energy pledged $35 million in funding “to advance tidal and river current energy systems” in a move that represents the largest such investment in the nation.

Back in Orkney, a company called SAE Renewables announced last winter that they’d hit the milestone of producing 50 gigawatt-hours of electricity with their tidal stream array in the Pentland Firth, the strait that separates Orkney from the Scottish mainland. Further north, in Shetland, Nova Innovation added a sixth turbine to its tidal array last year, which has been powering homes and businesses in the area since 2016.

Across Europe, some 2.2 megawatts of tidal stream capacity were added in 2021, up from just 260 kilowatts the year before. By comparison, Europe installed more than 17 gigawatts of wind power capacity in 2021 (87 percent of them on-shore). By 2022, wind accounted for well over a third of Europe’s energy consumption.

Tidal stream and wave power are not the only ways to extract energy from the oceans. In estuaries or bays with high tides, tidal barrages are another option, a practice dating back as far as 619 A.D. The idea is simple: Find an inlet with significant tides, and build a barrier with sluices that can open and close (similar to a traditional hydroelectric dam). Open the valves as the tide comes in, then direct the water through turbines as the tide goes out. So far, tidal barrages have historically seen more commercial use than tidal stream projects, notably in France (the world’s first commercial tidal power project, on the estuary of the Rance River, dates from 1966), and in South Korea.

As with tidal stream power, tidal barrages could be a natural fit in specific environments. For example, as low-lying countries like the Netherlands and Belgium look to build dikes and barriers to protect against rising ocean levels, tidal barrage generators may be a natural addition to already-planned projects. There is concern, however that tidal barrages can impact salinity and sediment levels and disrupt coastal ecology.

Interestingly, the spot with the world’s highest tides—the Bay of Fundy, which separates the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia—has also seen the most disappointment. The volume of water that whooshes through the bay twice each day could, on paper, generate up to 2,500 megawatts of power—roughly equivalent to two large nuclear reactors, enough to meet Nova Scotia’s electricity needs.

But efforts to harness those tides have been fraught. A tidal barrage power station opened on the bay in 1984, but ceased operations in 2019 following technical problems and concern over harm to fish in the bay. Tidal stream projects have been attempted in the bay as well, but have likewise struggled. Last year, a company called Sustainable Marine Energy Canada pulled the plug on its floating tidal turbine platform in the bay after five years of testing and $45 million in investment, citing bureaucratic barriers put in its way by the Canadian government. The company declared voluntary bankruptcy last spring, and in November one of its floating turbine platforms broke free from its mooring and ran aground on the bay’s south shore.

One thing industry insiders agree on is that, for all forms of wave and tidal energy, the path to commercialization requires significant public investment. A 2019 study pegged the cost of tidal energy for one commercial-scale project at $130 to $280 per megawatt-hour, compared to $20 to around $40 per megawatt-hour for wind. But according to Scott at Orbital Marine, it’s misleading to speak of tidal power as being expensive and wind and solar as being cheaper, because so much more investment has been pumped into the latter compared to the former. The green energy sector “has all this legacy background in terms of state intervention and subsidy,” he said. “And the whole thing is structured around taxation and subsidy.”

The path to commercialization for ocean energy projects can seem like a paradox, said Polagye. “Economies of scale occur because you’re building a lot of things,” and “you tend to build a lot of things because they’re the most cost-effective thing to build,” he said. “So it’s a chicken and egg problem, right?”

Gruet similarly sees the supposed lagging-behind of wave and tidal power as the result of a lack of public investment. “The industry has not received any subsidies in any shape or form in a similar way that the wind or solar industry have received in the early stage of their development,” he said. “And that has slowed down our development tremendously.”

He added that the cost of tidally generated power is already on par with that for floating offshore wind platforms. “So tidal and wave are not lagging behind,” he said. “It took the wind industry 20 years to get commercial and 40 years to get cheap, between the 1980s and today, so we are still well ahead of the curve.”

For EMEC’s MacKenzie, the latent energy of the world’s oceans represents a chance for her own country to make up for past mistakes in the race for renewables. She recalled an incident in 1987, when the U.K. secretary of state for energy, Cecil Parkinson, spoke in the House of Commons about the potential of wind power. Sure, it was a good idea in principle, he said, but he “cannot see the day when we shall be generating large quantities of electricity from wind.”

The U.K. hesitated—and Denmark jumped in. “Denmark absolutely won that race,” MacKenzie says. “And this is what we’re really keen to make sure doesn’t happen with wave and tidal.” (Today, wind power provides about one third of the U.K.’s electricity production. About 40 percent comes from coal, oil, and natural gas, while nuclear power and bioenergy provide about 15 percent and 11 percent respectively.)

For Scott, the power latent in the world’s oceans is an important resource in the fight against catastrophic climate change, even if its total contribution remains small compared to that of other renewables. “Inaction is not an option,” he says.

The post Testing the waters: Scotland surges ahead on ocean Power appeared first on Popular Science.

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Apple tries to make the iPhone as simple and intuitive to use as possible—and largely succeeds. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some more advanced features available, if you’re prepared to do a little digging.

We’ll help you with your digging with a few iPhone keyboard tricks you might not know. You no doubt spend a lot of time tapping away on it, so make sure you’re aware of everything it’s able to do for you.

Slide to type

Some people find it easier to slide across letters as they spell them out, rather than tapping on each letter. This is enabled by default on the iOS keyboard, so try it to see if you like it: Just slide your finger across to the letters you want, briefly pausing at each one. If the feature has been turned off somehow, go to General and Keyboard in iOS Settings, and turn on Slide to Type. The Delete Slide-to-Type by Word toggle switch determines whether pausing on the delete key erases the last character or the whole of the last word.

Replace text

If you’ve got a host of phrases that you turn to again and again in your typing, you can set up text replacements for them. You could use the code “myad” to insert your full address, for example. To set these handy shortcuts up, open iOS Settings, then pick General, Keyboard, and Text Replacement. You can use the same feature for words that are always getting corrected by the iPhone—particular surnames or place names, for example.

Trackpad mode

Did you know your iPhone keyboard has a hidden trackpad mode you can make use of? It’s particularly helpful when you’re trying to select something precisely, or when you need to edit text and you’ve got to get the cursor in exactly the right spot. Tap and hold on Space on the iPhone keyboard until the keys go blank, then move your finger to work the trackpad. It’s not available at all times though—only when the keyboard is active.

Go one-handed

There will be times when you only have one hand free to type on your phone, and the iPhone keyboard has you covered here: Tap and hold in the bottom left corner of the keyboard, which will either be an emoji or a globe depending on how it’s configured, to get a pop-up menu. There you’ll see two icons for pushing the whole keyboard towards the left or right of the screen. Repeat the process to go back to the normal keyboard layout.

Tap and hold

You can unlock a whole host of special characters and variations by pressing and holding on keys on the iOS keyboard (you can also tap the 123 button to see more options of course). For example, press and hold on a text character to see variations with accents added, or press and hold on the dollar sign to see other currencies, or press and hold on the period to see an ellipsis. Another tip: Double-tap the Shift key to keep it enabled.

Switch to dictation

You can speak out what you want to say rather than typing it, if you want a change (or if you speak faster than you type). The feature can be turned on and off under General and Keyboard in iOS Settings, via the Enable Dictation toggle switch: As long as it’s enabled, you can tap the microphone button on the keyboard to switch between dictation and typing. You can speak out punctuation and even emojis as you go.

Make iPhone keyboard bigger

The size of the iPhone keyboard is tied to the text size of iOS as a whole, and you can adjust this by opening Display & Brightness from Settings, then choosing Text Size (you can also turn on Bold Text if you want). It’s also possible to switch to upper case rather than lower case for the iPhone keyboard: From Settings, tap Accessibility and Keyboards, and disable Show Lowercase Keys (the Shift key will still work as normal, however).

Configure the keyboard

Open iOS Settings, then go to General and the Keyboard screen, and you’ll see plenty of useful ways you’re able to customize the iPhone keyboard to suit your own needs and preferences. Autocorrect and spell check can be turned on or off as required, for example, as can automatic capitalization (so there’s always a capital letter after a space), and the smart punctuation feature (so curly quotes rather than straight quotes, for instance).

The post 8 handy iPhone keyboard tricks you might not know appeared first on Popular Science.

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A new MacBook Air can leave your wallet feeling lighter than a feather, but what if you could snag one without emptying your bank account? Today, we’re putting the spotlight on an 11-inch MacBook Air, a refurbished laptop that packs a punch.

You might be thinking, “Refurbished? Does that mean duct tape and questionable battery life?” Absolutely not. Reputable retailers thoroughly inspect and test these devices, ensuring they function well. In this case, a B-grade rating may show a bit of wear—a mark on the case or faint screen burn, perhaps. In layman’s terms: it might not be a pageant winner, but it works like it should and you can get it for a lot less than the original price.

While it might not be the newest model on the block, this 1.6GHz MacBook Air still packs enough power to handle most everyday tasks with ease, thanks to its Intel Core i5 processor. And if you need a quick burst of speed, its Turbo boost technology kicks in, giving you an extra kick up to 2.7GHz.

Featuring Intel HD Graphics 6000, the vibrant LED display brings your projects and entertainment to life. Whether you’re catching up on emails or streaming your favorite show, the visuals are crisp and clear. And the 11-inch form factor lends to its portability. Toss it in your bag and carry it wherever your business takes you.

This laptop has an impressive battery life that stretches up to 9 hours. You could work (or binge-watch) for hours on a single charge, making it easier for those who are always on the go.

And to sweeten the deal, this refurb comes with a complimentary black protective case, which can help keep your investment safe from bumps and bruises while still sporting a professional look.

For affordability, functionality, and portability, invest in this refurbished MacBook Air for only $247.99 (reg. $700).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post For under $250, this refurbished MacBook Air delivers power on a budget appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest human, ran a 100-meter sprint at a speed of 23.35 miles per hour (37.57 kilometers per hour).

That’s mind-blowingly fast for a human. It’s about the same speed as cruising in a car through your neighborhood or in a school zone. It might not seem that fast when you’re in the car, but for a person? Few runners in the world can even come close.

There are several reasons why some people can run very fast while others tend to run more slowly. Genetics–the traits you inherit from your parents–play a role, but so do your choices and experiences.

As pediatric exercise scientists, we create and evaluate programs that help children be healthy. The exciting news is that while you have no control over your genetics, you can train to improve your speed.

Fast twitch, slow twitch

One major factor that influences your ability to run fast is the structure of your body, including how your muscles work.

The human body has more than 600 muscles that work together, allowing you to move in different directions and at various speeds. These muscles are made up of groups of fibers. There are two main types: fast twitch and slow twitch.

Muscles have different mixes of these fiber types. For example, two muscles make up the calf: One is predominantly fast twitch–that’s the gastrocnemius, used for sprinting and jumping. The other is mostly slow twitch–that’s the soleus, used for walking and jogging.

Fast-twitch muscle fibers are larger and help your body move quickly and generate significant force. Sprinters tend to have an abundance of fast-twitch muscle fibers. However, this muscle fiber type also tires quickly, which limits how long you can run at top speed to relatively short distances.

Slow-twitch muscle fibers are smaller and help you run at slower speeds, but with greater endurance. Long-distance runners and competitive cyclists tend to have a lot of these muscles.

How much you have of each type of muscle fiber–fast twitch and slow twitch–is mostly determined by your genes, so you’ll have to work with what you’re born with when it comes to muscle types. But exercises can help train those muscles.

Your brain plays a big role

Physical ability isn’t just about muscle. Your brain plays an important role, too.

Your skeletal muscles are controlled by your brain–you think about your actions and then execute the movements. For example, you can control how long your stride is, how your arms move, how your feet hit the ground and even the techniques you use to breathe.

You can teach your body to use the best running techniques. That includes proper posture, so your body is standing tall, and an economical stride, so your feet land below you rather than too far out in front, where they can slow you down.

You can also improve your running form by using your whole body, with your arms pumping in opposition to the legs, running on your toes and maximizing the time spent in flight phase with both feet off the ground. Using proper running techniques helps the muscles create more force and work together, which helps you run faster.

The more you practice an activity, the better you will get. As your ability to run fast increases, challenge yourself to run even faster.

How to train to run faster–myth-busting!

You may have heard your friends chatting about ways to boost your speed or searched the internet for tips on getting faster. Time to bust some of those myths.

Myth 1: You have to run as fast as you can to train to be faster. That’s false!

You don’t have to run as fast as you can to get faster, and it actually helps to take short breaks to recover in between activities where you are sprinting.

Myth 2: You need to lift heavy weights to get faster. False!

Functional strength training involves performing exercises that help you get better at specific movements. They involve using either medium weights or just the resistance of your own body weight. Doing planks, lunges, step-ups or jump squats are great examples. These activities focus on the muscles that are instrumental during running.

Myth 3: You need to specialize in running early in life to become a fast runner. False!

Picking one activity to focus on early in life may actually limit your ability to develop into a fast runner. Doing a variety of physical activities can help you develop new skills that improve your running. For example, the movements and endurance used in soccer may translate into the ability to run faster.

Myth 4: Training isn’t fun. False!

Training programs can take many shapes and forms. You can play running games with your friends, work on fast footwork using an agility ladder or create obstacle courses. There’s nothing like a little healthy competition to motivate your training.

What’s important is having fun while training and participating in activities that promote running speed on a regular basis.

So, whether you want to be the next Usain Bolt or you just want to win a race against your friend, remember that with a little bit of genetic luck and hard work, it may just be possible.

The post Why are some people faster than others? appeared first on Popular Science.

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Do you have plans to travel internationally or ambitions to gain comfort while communicating in foreign speech? The ability to learn new languages is a crucial tool that’s become even more vital with evolving global business landscapes, and you can currently pick up a popular and proven resource at a special price. 

Lifetime access to the Rosetta Stone Language Learning app is temporarily on sale for only $179.97 (reg. $399) by using coupon code ROSETTA. Take advantage of nearly 60 percent savings on a service that has helped millions of users over more than three decades.

Described by The Wall Street Journal as “maybe the next best thing to living in a country,” Rosetta Stone is an acclaimed learning platform that provides lessons in 25 different languages. It’s been recognized as PC Magazine’s Editors’ Choice for best language-learning software for five straight years.

Gain familiarity with a list of languages that includes Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. Featuring innovative speech-recognition technology, Rosetta Stone offers immediate feedback on how to improve, speeding up the way in which users build confidence.

Conversational skills are a focus of these lessons, providing the necessary building blocks to ask for directions, order food, and ultimately carry on a back-and-forth discussion, which could help you prepare for your next long-distance trip.

This lifetime subscription is accessible on desktops, tablets, and smartphones, so lessons can be handled while on the move.

Learn languages any time at a pace that fits your schedule by purchasing lifetime access to the Rosetta Stone app for only $179.97 (reg. $399) with coupon code ROSETTA.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post Learn up to 25 languages with lifetime access to the highly-rated Rosetta Stone app appeared first on Popular Science.

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Eventually any pristine box of crayons ends up as a pile of busted stubs at the bottom of a craft bin. In the U.S., between 45,000 and 75,000 pounds of crayons end up in landfills every year and traditional paraffin-based crayons are not biodegradable. Instead of trashing broken crayons, give them a new, colorful life by creating rainbow crayons.

This simple DIY project can also be a fun lesson for kids on the states of matter. The crayons start as a solid, melt into a liquid at temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and return to a solid when removed from heat.

[Related: How to Frankenstein old wax scraps into a totally new candle]

The best part about creating recycled crayons is that you’re not limited to boring old pencil-like shapes. With silicone molds, you can create crayons in the shape of Darth Vader, a Lego minifig, flowers, sea stars, or even Han Solo frozen in carbonite.

What you’ll need to make recycled rainbow crayons

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups broken crayons with paper removed
  Note: You can use new crayons, but where’s the fun in that?

Tools

• Silicone molds. We suggest Star Wars, Lego, flowers, or Emoji.
• Oven
• Baking sheet or wire rack
• Oven mitts
• Optional: Water, bowl, scissors

Activity Time

• 30-60 minutes, depending on your method for peeling the paper off the crayons.

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 250-degrees.
2. Peel paper off crayons.
   Note: To speed up the process, soak crayons in tub of water first. To slow down the process (and keep little hands occupied), don’t soak.
3. Break or cut crayons into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.
4. Arrange crayon chunks in silicone molds. You’ll want to slightly overfill the molds.
5. Place molds on baking sheet or wire rack.
6. Bake crayon chunks for 8-10 minutes, or until all crayon chunks are melted.
7. Remove molds from oven and allow to cool (approximately 25 minutes at room temperature or 10 minutes in the freezer).
8. When fully cooled, carefully remove the crayons from the molds.

That’s it! Now grab a coloring book or sheet of paper and color away.

The post How to recycle crayons into fun-shaped rainbow crayons appeared first on Popular Science.

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Last year, I wrote about Citizen’s surprisingly classy, decidedly awesome Death Star watch. It sold out in two days, and supply has been spotty ever since. Apparently, the Force has blessed us, however, because Amazon has the Death Star model, as well as a ton of other awesome Star Wars collection watches, in stock and even cheaper than they usually are.

Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Star Wars Death Star Black IP Stainless Steel Watch, 3-Hand, Luminous,41mm $318 (was $425)

SEE IT

Most fan merch won’t work in a formal or even a work setting, but this Citizen Eco-Drive watch is different. It has a slick black design with a murdered-out bracelet. The 41mm face is substantial without feeling chunky, and it’s emblazoned with a subtle-but-obvious nod to our favorite planet-destroying space station. It’s an Eco-Drive, so it never needs a battery or winding; it just needs a little bit of sunlight to keep the kyber crystals inside excited.

More Citizen x Star Wars watches:

• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel with Orange Leather strap, Rebel Pilot, Silver-Tone, 44mm $273 (was $425)
• Citizen Men’s Star Wars Vintage Ana-Digi Quartz Stainless Steel Watch $199 (was $450)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Star Wars Luke Skywalker Chronograph Stainless Steel Watch with Brown Leather Strap, Blue Bezel, 44mm $316 (was $395)
• Citizen Men’s Star Wars Eco-Drive with Stainless Steel Bracelet, Silver-Tone $200 (was $350)
• Citizen Eco-Drive Men’s Star Wars Darth Vader Chronograph Watch with Black Ion Plated Case, Red Accents and Black Leather Strap, Luminous, Date, 44mm $280 (was $395)
• Citizen Star Wars ANI-Digi Quartz Watch $318 (was $425)
• Citizen Eco-Drive Men’s Star Wars Chewbacca Black IP Stainless Steel on Brown Leather Strap, 3-Hand Date, Luminous, 43mm $229 (was $325)
• Citizen Quartz Star Wars Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel $184 (was $375)
• Citizen Eco-Drive Men’s Star Wars Millennium Falcon Stainless Steel Chronograph Watch, Blue Leather Strap, Luminous, 44mm $281 (was $375)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Star Wars Darth Vader Black Ion Plated Case Watch with Gray Leather Strap, Black Dial $263 (was $350)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Star Wars Imperial Storm Trooper Black Ion Plated Stainless Steel Case Watch, Perforated Black Silicone Strap, Black Dial, 3 Hand $297 (was $350)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Star Wars R2-D2 Chronograph Stainless Steel Watch with Cordura Strap, Silver Dial $340 (was $425)

The post The Citizen x Star Wars Death Star watch is finally back in stock and on sale for May the 4th appeared first on Popular Science.

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Your weather app might say there’s a chance of rain, but you don’t always get to see all the data contributing to that prediction. The weather channel may show a map of precipitation, but it’s not always localized to your area. 

Whether the weather is your field of study or you’re just tired of carrying an umbrella all day and not needing it, you can get a more focused, personalized readout of the weather in your area with your own Logia 5-in-1 Wi-Fi Weather Station. This personal weather monitor mounts to your roof and sends localized weather readings to a specialized weather display or your phone, and it’s on sale for $119 (reg. $179). 

Measures wind, rain, temperature, and more

This personal weather station gives you personalized weather readings based on readings taken from the apparatus mounted on your roof. Setup is a process, but there’s no calibration needed, so all you need to do is assemble, install, and sync. 

Once it’s attached and synced, the Logia can give you readings on wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, temperature, and humidity. That’s not all you can do with it though. You can also check historic weather patterns, predict weather conditions for the next 12-24 hours, and get custom alerts for different weather patterns. The Logia can send alerts for high or low temperatures indoors or out, humidity, high wind speeds, extreme barometric pressure drop, and even the dew point. 

In practice, that means you could get more specialized information to guide what you wear, where you go, and especially what you plant if you want to cultivate your green thumb. 

Get the Logia 5-in-1 Wi-Fi Weather Station on sale for just  $119.99 (reg. $179). 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

The post Get localized weather readings with this home weather station for $119.99 appeared first on Popular Science.

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I’m in between review mice right now, and my son stole my gaming mouse, so I’m stuck using a $7 Amazon Basics mouse. I forgot just how terrible life can be with a sub-par mouse. That makes Amazon’s current deal on the Logitech G502 extra-appealing. It’s usually $80, but it’s just $35 right now. That’s a 56-percent discount. Even if you already have a pretty good mouse, this is likely an upgrade for you.

Logitech G502 HERO High-Performance Wired Gaming Mouse $35 (was $79)

SEE IT

Before we dig into the specs, it’s important that you know this is a wired mouse. That means you’ll never need to replace batteries, worry about lag, or lose the tiny transmitter that it needs to work. The 25K sensor promises up to 25,600 max dpi, which makes it incredibly sensitive to small movements and fast twitches. It has 11 customizable buttons and five rearrangeable weights to tweak it exactly to your taste. Even if you’re not gaming, this kind of control is great for tasks like photo retouching, video editing, or zooming in extra far on your ex’s recent social media posts.

More Logitech PC accessory deals:

• Logitech G915 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Low Profile GL Linear Key Switch $162 (was $249)
• Logitech G Litra Beam Premium LED Gaming Key Light with TrueSoft, Adjustable Desktop Mount $89 (was $99)
• Logitech G915 TKL Tenkeyless Lightspeed Wireless RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard $156 (was $229)
• Logitech G FITS True Wireless Gaming Earbuds, Custom Molded Fit, Lightspeed + Bluetooth $159 (was $229)
• Logitech G815 LIGHTSYNC RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Low Profile GL Linear key switch $139 (was $199)
• Logitech G Litra Beam LX Premium Dual-Sided RGB LED Streaming Key Light With TrueSoft $129 (was $149)

The post One of Logitech’s best gaming mice is just $35 at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

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Rural and Indigenous communities are at risk of losing cell service thanks to a 2019 law intended to strip US telecom networks of Chinese-made equipment. And while local companies were promised reimbursements as part of the “rip-and-replace” program, many of them have so far seen little of the funding, if any at all.

The federal push to block Chinese telephone and internet hardware has been years in the making, but gained substantial momentum during the Trump administration. In May 2019 an executive order barred American providers from purchasing telecom supplies manufactured by businesses within a “foreign adversary” nation. Industry and government officials have argued China might use products from companies like Huawei and ZTE to tap into US telecom infrastructure. Chinese company representatives have repeatedly pushed back on these claims and it remains unclear how substantiated these fears are.

[Related: 8.3 million places in the US still lack broadband internet access.]

As The Washington Post explained on Thursday, major network providers like Verizon and Sprint have long banned the use of Huawei and ZTE equipment. But for many smaller companies, Chinese products and software are the most cost-effective routes for maintaining their businesses.

Meanwhile, “rip-and-replace” program plans have remained in effect through President Biden’s administration—but little has been done to help smaller US companies handle the intensive transition efforts. In a letter to Congress on Thursday, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained an estimated 40 percent of local network operators currently cannot replace their existing Huawei and ZTE equipment without additional federal funding. Although $1.9 billion is currently appropriated, revised FCC estimates say another $3 billion is required to cover nationwide rip-and-replace costs.

Congress directed the FCC to begin a rip-and-replace program through the passage of the 2020 Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, but it wasn’t long before officials discovered the $3 billion shortfall. At the time, the FCC promised small businesses 39.5 percent reimbursements for their overhauls. Receiving that money subsequently triggered a completion deadline, but that remaining 61.5 percent of funding has yet to materialize for most providers. Last week, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced the Spectrum and National Security Act, which includes a framework to raise the additional $3 billion needed for program participants.

In her letter to Congress on Thursday, Rosenworcel said providers currently have between May 29, 2024, and February 4, 2025, to supposedly complete their transitions, depending on when they first received the partial funding. Rosenworcel added that at least 52 extensions have already been granted to businesses due in part to funding problems. Earlier this year, the FCC reported only 5 program participants had been able to fully complete their rip-and-replace plans.

It’s unclear how much of the US would be affected by the potential losses of coverage. To originally qualify for the reimbursement funding, a telecom company must provide coverage to under 2 million customers. The Washington Post cited qualified companies across much of the nation on Thursday, including Alaska, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Tennessee, Kansas, and Oklahoma. 

“The Commission stands ready to assist Congress in any efforts to fully fund the Reimbursement Program,” Rosenworcel said yesterday.

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It was nearing the peak of PorcUclimb, right before Downward Dog, when I came up with what I was sure was a career-defining concept: Ware ’N Tear’s Salve for Wounded Pride. Here I was fat biking along the groomed singletrack of Round Valley on a perfect bluebird day in early March and I was just gassed, totally holding back our small guided group of snow cyclists. Coming off a recent illness, my altitude-ravaged lungs just couldn’t deliver what my legs demanded. 

I quickly turned to my fellow rider, KT CEO Jessica Klodnicki, and asked if R&D could get started on what could be my legacy. The chances are less than zero, I was quickly told, but that didn’t mean there weren’t plentiful new recovery products to discover. After all, that’s why I was in Park City, Utah, just up the road from American Fork and the headquarters of the brand synonymous with kinesiology tape and its growing KT Ice and KT Health portfolio.

Prepare

Maybe you’re an elite athlete. If so, chances are you’ve used KT Tape. Maybe you’ve seen elite athletes. If so, chances are you’ve seen strips of elastic KT Tape crisscrossing an elbow, knee, shoulder, etc. Maybe you’re sitting at a desk reading this in between emails and trips to the coffee station. If so, chances are you’re wondering if KT products can benefit everybody and every body, not just Olympians and other elevated competitors. Before my trip to Utah, I was firmly in that last group. I knew the brand because, with over 80 percent market share in the taping category and a big, bright logo, KT is hard to miss even if you’ve just dabbled in couch-to-5k programs and ended up limping through CVS aisles searching for muscle soreness relief.

Just because I had seen KT Tape, however, didn’t mean I had tried KT Tape. I honestly never even glanced at it because I wasn’t Athletic—emphasis on that capital A. Sure, I stay active, biking and hiking, but I was a little too quick to let muscle soreness convince me to slow down, or maybe grind to a complete stop. I hadn’t really considered the potential benefits of gentle support, modulating pain signals, and promoting blood flow and lymphatic drainage for swelling relief that could come from kinesiology tape. Sure, I knew the R.I.C.E. method of dealing with obvious inflammation—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—but I didn’t think enough about how to lessen the chance of overuse aches or even microtraumas in the first place. I didn’t know as much about how to aid working out as I did how to react when things don’t work out.

So here I was at 7,000 feet elevation—6,700 feet higher than back home on the East Coast, give or take a few—ready to reevaluate my approach to activity. And to test a therapeutic routine, you need to put some muscles to work. That’s why KT brought a small group of journalists to this mountain town known for winter sports—a high desert covered in deep powder thanks to lake effect storms. That’s how I ended up embarrassing myself on a bike. But the shame of crapping out on the cord wasn’t the only thing leaving me feeling tingly.

Perform

Much like my typical delayed onset muscle soreness, KT’s reveals built up gradually. And our first introduction, prior to carving some corners, was to the new KT Health magnesium creams—KT Health Activate, specifically. Magnesium cream isn’t new—just ask anyone with restless leg syndrome. But KT Health Activate has worked with a local Utah partner on a cream that combines magnesium with Arnica—as well as skin-friendly aloe, vitamin-e, shea butter, and jojoba oil—to provide multiple benefits. 

According to Dr. Erin Hassler, a member of the KT Sports Medicine Advisory Board who led our presentations on the physiological impact of the products, magnesium is the counterbalance to calcium in the tug-of-war that is muscle contractions. Whereas calcium activates muscle, magnesium relaxes it. Applying magnesium cream prior to exercise loosens the muscles, reducing stiffness and, hopefully, injuries. Adding in Arnica is an additional prophylactic tactic, creating a warming sensation and promoting opioid receptor activity to make you feel better about your gains and pains. 

And it certainly worked. Still feeling the long flight in my lower back, I applied some KT Health Activate to the base of my spine prior to our ride (10-20 minutes before activity is recommended). Sure, it was a “warm” day in the low- to mid-30s and we were doing high-output activity, but we were barely into the course before I was striping down almost to my Arc’Teryx Rho Merino wool crew neck because I was primed (and more than a little afraid sweat would trickle some of the cream into a precarious crevice). And while my lungs could have used some soothing going up the trail, my lower back felt great as I eventually caught my breath and ripped the descent. 

My upper back, on the other hand, hasn’t felt great since I was first introduced to personal computing in the early ’90s. Luckily, a second product was unveiled once we returned to the hotel: KT Tape Pro Ice. This new addition infuses Menthol into the established KT Tape Pro adhesive, appealing to consumers who use pain relief patches but find that they bunch or peel or just don’t work well on joints, etc. 

As we’ve established, however, I’d never used KT Tape despite the company’s retail dominance since it launched in 2008. So I wasn’t sure how to apply it. Yes, KT has created a mobile app with guided instructions on anchoring and angles for any anatomy. But, since the team was already there, they invited everyone to identify a problem area and someone would address it for us. Citing my laptop hunch, I had strips put on my neck and across my shoulders and, in a relatively short time, started to experience pain relief, or an excellent approximation of it. What Menthol does, among other things, is create the illusion of cooling by activating the thermoreceptor that senses cold. Triggering ole TRPM8, in turn, activates vasoconstriction—like icing without the ice—and decreases pain receptor sensations. All the while the tape helps open up that dermis and move any prior fluid build-up along.

Much like with the KT Health Activate cream, it wasn’t long before I felt the KT Tape Pro Ice in action—a relief response that gradually faded during some hotel room downtime. What was even more surprising, however, was that the tape reactivated later that evening. Dinner took place in a yurt located at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, the “Little Switzerland” of Utah. To access the yurt, however, you had to snowshoe a half-mile. And that exertion reacted with the tape, cooling me down and firing my opioid receptors up. Maybe it was the rich food and robust pairings from Parallel Wines or maybe it was the Menthol and stretchy support, but I slept well that night. 

Recover

I woke up the next morning with very little residual tenderness, which was good because it was time for two more products and one more test. First, there was KT Health Recover magnesium cream, which swaps the Arnica for Menthol, pre-workout application for post-workout (after your shower, or you’ll wash it all away). But it still energizes nerve endings in its own way. Compared to the KT Tape Pro Ice, I felt less immediate stimulation (YMMV, as it comes down to skin type), but there’s just something about the smell of Menthol that I find appealing and appeasing (and that makes me put on some old skool breakbeat hardcore). Plus, the cream can go where KT Tape Pro Ice can’t—i.e., where there is body hair—just don’t combine the two, as the cream will make the tape less adhesive.

The other new introduction in the KT Health line was the new Ice Sleeve. If you’ve ever entertained exercising, even briefly, you’ve surely dedicated some space in your freezer to ice packs. And you’ve surely grabbed one of those stiff packets, wrapped it in a ratty dish rag, and awkwardly balanced it on some sore appendage propped up on a pillow. The KT Health Ice Sleeve aims to mitigate the swelling and cursing that comes from activity and subpar ice therapy.

Wrapped in microfiber, the water-based glycol gel in the infinitely reusable Ice Sleeve remains pliant even when frozen, making it perfect for 360 degrees of cold compression of ankles, knees, and elbows (potentially even thighs if using the XXL size). There’s no condensation, and 20 minutes or so of cold it gives off lines up with the medically recommended application on joints and tendons. Plus it stores neatly in its insulated portable pouch, a lil localized ice bath that doesn’t confine you to the couch.

As for that last test, it was my Real Housewives of Salt Lake City [Season 2, Ep. 14] moment, according to a coworker who watches the show. Sold as a final recovery activity but really its own core-strength challenge to maintain balance, we participated in stand-up paddle board yoga on the Homestead Crater hot spring. Here I was 24 hours later, yet thinking again about breath control and settling into a Downward Dog, my muscles warm as I tackled another activity that became easier over time. I may not have left Utah with a future in designing recovery products for the recreational athlete. Still, I can now see how KT products and I have a future together whether I’m hunched over a computer, handlebars, a yoga mat, etc. 

The post Roll the tape: What KT Tape taught me about muscles, magnesium, and my limitations appeared first on Popular Science.

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Cultivated meat, more widely known to the public as “lab-grown meat,” is at an inflection point. Lab grown chicken and beef cultivated from cells in a petri dish remain unavailable to the average consumer, but the former has gained US Department of Agriculture approval. Two US restaurants in San Francisco and Washington DC have already served cultivated choice meat on their menus and more could follow as prices begin to fall. But new lab-grown meat bans gaining traction in mostly conservative-led states could threaten to impede the still-nascent industry’s momentum.

This week, Florida officially became the first state to make good on threats to ban cultivated meat. On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation making it illegal to manufacture, sell, hold, or distribute lab-grown meat within the state. Those who run afoul of the new law could be charged with a misdemeanor crime. Similar legislation is currently under discussion in Alabama, Arizona, and Tennessee. Violators of those bills, if they come to pass, could face jail time or fines.

“Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals,” DeSantis said during a press conference Wednesday. “We will save our beef.”

Why do Republican-led states want to ban lab-grown meat? 

Republican lawmakers opposed to cultivated meat, broadly, have attempted to connect the industry to a larger supposed culture war. DeSantis, for his part, has previously described lab-grown meat as “part of a whole ideological agenda” and claims it would threaten ranchers. Others, like Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who supports the law, have called lab-grown meat a “disgraceful attempt to undermine our proud traditions and prosperity.” 

Lawmakers and cultivated meat critics have also questioned the safety of lab grown meat, though often with arguments lacking evidence. The most common safety-related critics of lab-grown meat revolved around the use of so-called “immortalized” cells in the cultivation process. These specific types of cells are essentially able to duplicate infinitely. That’s useful for cultivated meat startups that want to grow large quantities of meat from a small sample. It can also sound eerily similar to the process of rapid cell reproduction that causes cancer. 

Critics of the industry have leaped on that supposed connection and implied eating lab-grown meat could cause cancer. There’s no evidence currently supporting those claims. Food regulators in the US, Australia, and Singapore have determined cultivated meats are safe to eat and cancer researchers speaking with Bloomberg Businessweek last year said it’s “essentially impossible” to get cancer from eating cultivated meat. Still, that hasn’t stopped critics from leaning into that categorization. A recent ad campaign attempting to discredit the industry leaned on the theory and reportedly depicted a student at a science fair claiming the cells in the cultivated meat “grow like a tumor” and are “bath[ed] with chemicals.” 

The Republican led backlash to lab grown meat isn’t limited to full on bans either. More than a dozen states have pursued regulations restricting how lab cultivated meat companies brand their product. Some, like Kentucky, Maine, and Mississippi, have advanced regulations that prevent companies from using the word “meat” in their labeling. Others would require cultivated meat companies to provide disclosures on their packaging. On the federal level, Democratic senator Jon Tester and Republican senator Mike Rounds have even introduced legislation seeking to ban cultivated meat from being used in public school lunch and breakfast programs. All of this has occurred despite the fact that lab-grown meat still isn’t commercially available to consumers in the US. 

Hasty bans threaten cultivated meat innovation 

Lab grown meat supporters say laws like the one recently introduced in Florida could threaten to stymie an nascent industry before it has the chance to reach its full potential. The Good Food Institute, a nonprofit that supports cultivated meat efforts, told PopSci laws like these take choice away from consumers and limit innovation that could lead to new jobs. 

“American-made cultivated meat has been rigorously inspected and ruled safe by the USDA and FDA–so why are politicians with no experience in food safety interfering where they don’t belong?” Good Food Institute Legislative Director Pepin Andrew Tuma said. “Floridians should decide for themselves what kind of meat they want to eat, and not be limited by government overreach. The Sunshine State’s eccentric decision casts a long shadow on its laudable ambition to keep the state open for business.”

GOOD Meat, a leading lab-grown meat startup pursuing cultivated chicken, echoed those concerns, and called the law a “setback for everyone.” 

We’re not going anywhere. pic.twitter.com/8mOMnxuoQz

— GOOD Meat (@GOODMeat) May 1, 2024

“In a state that purportedly prides itself on being a land of freedom and individual liberty, its government is now telling consumers what meat they can or cannot purchase,” GOOD Meat said in a statement posted on X.
There are still more questions than answers surrounding lab-grown meat broadly. Supporters of the industry have said it could make agriculture more sustainable and reduce greenhouse house gas emissions. Recent research, however, suggests it’s too early to tell if that’s true. Others say lab-grown meat could one day offer carnivores an ethical alternative to eating meat that reduces animal suffering. But that supposed future will depend largely on lab-grown meat firms significantly driving down prices and simultaneously improving their product’s taste. Lab grown meat can also require blood drawn from unborn cow fetuses, so it’s not totally immune from ethical scrutiny either. Those barriers are difficult enough on their own to overcome even in the most permissive legal environment. Statewide bans on cultivated meat threaten to make an already difficult dilemma even harder.

The post Why did Florida ban lab-grown meat? appeared first on Popular Science.

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Despite the reputation for being the trash pandas of the bird world, seagulls are kind of the masters of evolution. They can survive and thrive alongside humans, have a remarkable memory, and some have been observed using pieces of food to bait fish the way primates use tools. The seagull species that have bigger brains that are also more likely to nest on coastal cliffs may also be better adapted to breed in urban environments. 

A study published April 25 in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution found that more than half of cliff-nesting gull species that also nest in cities and towns have bigger brains. Species such as the Herring Gull, the Lesser Black-backed Gull, and the Black-legged Kittiwake potentially have a behavioral flexibility that allows them to nest in more challenging locations like rooftops.

“Many people will be familiar with gulls nesting and foraging in urban areas,” Madeleine Goumas, study co-author and a postdoctoral researcher specializing in herring gulls at the University of Exeter in England, said in a statement. “It’s not something you might expect from a seabird, so we wanted to try to understand why they do it.”

[Related: Seagulls hunger for food touched by human hands.]

In the study, the team combed through various research databases to find records of urban breeding and foraging among gulls and data on brain size by species. They then mapped a range of the different species present. 

Out of 50 gull species, 13 were recorded as using urban areas to breed, while 13 were recorded using urban areas to forage for food. Nine species bred and fed in more building-heavy environments. 

When they compared the figures for breeding with the birds’ known habits and brain size, they found that 10 out of the 19 cliff-nesting gull species (53 percent) also nested in urban areas. Only three out of 28 (11 percent) of generally non-cliff-nesting species nested in both spaces. 

[Related: The birds of summer patrolling Ocean City’s boardwalk.]

“We found that gull species with larger brains are more likely to be cliff-nesters, and cliff-nesting species are more likely to breed in urban areas,” study co-author and University of Exeter evolutionary biologist Neeltje Boogert said in a statement. “We also found that cliff-nesting is probably not something that was shared by the ancestor of gulls, so it is a relatively recent adaptation.”

They also point out that this is not a fixed or instinctive behavior in most gulls. The non-cliff-nesting gull species nest exclusively on the ground, most most traditionally cliff-nesting species can nest in both spaces. 

“This suggests that bigger brains enable these gull species to be flexible with regard to where they choose to nest, and this allows them to use unconventional sites, like buildings, for raising their young,” said Goumas.

[Related: Piping plovers are in trouble, but there’s some good news.]

In terms of foraging, the researchers found that neither brain size nor the shape of their wing were good indicators of seagull behavior in urban environments. The team also looked at the status of the gulls on the International Union on Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The gulls with stable or increasing populations were more than twice as likely to be observed using urban habitats than the species that are decreasing. Of the 10 Threatened or Near Threatened species, only the Black-legged Kittiwake was known to use urban spaces.

Observing how gull species function in populated areas with humans and buildings is important for conservation. Seeing what factors allow some to survive and thrive while others do not can inform why some aren’t faring as well. 

“Urbanization is a major problem for a lot of animals,” said Goumas. “It looks like some gull species have managed to overcome some of the challenges that prevent other animals from using urban areas, but we need more long-term studies as well as comparative studies on other taxa to fully understand the impacts of urban living.”

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China launched its uncrewed Chang’e-6 lunar spacecraft at 5:27 PM local time (5:27 PM EST) on Friday from the southern island province of Hainan, accelerating its ongoing space race with the US. If successful, a lander will detach upon reaching lunar orbit and descend to the surface to scoop up samples from the expansive South Pole-Aitken basin impact crater. Once finished, the lander will launch back up to Chang’e-6, dock, and return to Earth with the first-of-its-kind samples in tow. All told, the mission should take roughly 56 days to complete.

China’s potential return to the moon marks a significant development in international efforts to establish a permanent presence there. As the US moves forward with its Artemis program missions alongside assistance from Japan and commercial partners, China and Russia are also seeking to build their own lunar research station. Whoever does so first could have major ramifications for the future of moon exploration, resource mining, and scientific progress.

[Related: Why do all these countries want to go to the moon right now? ]

The China National Space Administration’s (CNSA) previous Chang’e-5 mission successfully landed a spacecraft at a volcanic plain on the moon’s near side, but Chang’e-6 aims to take things further, both technologically and logistically. To pull off a far side feat, CNSA mission controllers will need to use a satellite already in orbit around the moon to communicate with Chang’e-6 once its direct relay becomes blocked. But if they can manage it, the payoff will be substantial.

As NBC News explained Friday, the moon’s far side is much less volcanically active than its near side. Since all previous lunar samples have come from the near side, experts believe retrieving new samples elsewhere will help increase their understanding of the moon’s history, as well as potential information on the solar system’s origins.

NASA most likely still has an edge when it comes to returning actual humans to the moon, however. Even with recent mission delays, Artemis 3 astronauts are currently scheduled to reach the probable ice-laden lunar south pole by 2026. China does not expect to send its own taikonauts to the moon until at least 2030, and its joint research station with Russia still remains in its conceptual phase.

That same year will also mark the official decommissioning of the International Space Station. After NASA remotely guides it into a fiery re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, the only remaining orbital station will be China’s three-module Tiangong facility.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance earlier this week, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson didn’t mince words about the potential ramifications of who sets up on the moon first.

“I think it’s not beyond the pale that China would suddenly say, ‘We are here. You stay out,’” Nelson said at the time. “That would be very unfortunate—to take what has gone on on planet Earth for years, grabbing territory, and saying it’s mine and people fighting over it.”

The post China is en route to collect first-ever samples from the far side of the moon appeared first on Popular Science.

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A newly discovered asteroid is a toddler–in space years. The moonlet circling the small asteroid Dinkinesh named Selam is about 2 to 3 million years old. Scientists arrived at this age estimate using new calculation methods that are described in a study published April 19 in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Selam is nicknamed “Lucy’s baby,” after NASA’s Lucy spacecraft discovered it orbiting another asteroid in November 2023. The Lucy mission is the first set to explore the Trojan asteroids. These are a group of about 7,000 primitive space rocks orbiting Jupiter. Lucy is expected to provide the first high-resolution images of these space rocks. Dinkinesh and Selam are located in the Main Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Discovering a tiny moonlet was a surprise. According to study co-author and Cornell University aerospace engineering doctoral student Colby Merrill, Selem turned out to be “an extraordinarily unique and complex body.” Selem is a contact binary that consists of two lobes that are piles of rubble stuck together and is the first of this kind of asteroid ever observed. Scientists believe that Selam was formed from surface material ejected by Dinkinesh’s rapid spinning.

[Related: NASA spacecraft Lucy says hello to ‘Dinky’ asteroid on far-flying mission.]

“Finding the ages of asteroids is important to understanding them, and this one is remarkably young when compared to the age of the solar system, meaning it formed somewhat recently,” Merrill said in a statement. “Obtaining the age of this one body can help us to understand the population as a whole.”

To estimate its age, the team studied how Dinkinesh and Selam moved in space–or its dynamics. Binary asteroids like this pair are engaged in a galactic tug-of-war. Gravity that is acting on the objects is making them physically bulge and results in tides similar to what oceans on Earth have. The tides slowly reduce the system’s energy. At the same time, the sun’s radiation also changes the binary system’s energy. This solar change is known as the Binary Yarkovsky-O’Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (BYORP) effect. The system will eventually reach an equilibrium, where tides and BYORP are equally strong.

Assuming that the forces between the two were at equilibrium and plugging in asteroid data from the Lucy mission, the team calculated how long it would have taken for Selam to get to its current state after it formed. The team said that they improved preexisting equations that assumed both bodies in a binary system are equally dense and did not factor in the secondary body’s mass. Their computers simulations ran about 1 million calculations with varying parameters and found a median age of 3 million years old, with 2 million being the most likely result. This calculation also agreed with one made by the Lucy mission based on a more traditional method for dating asteroids based on an analysis of their surface craters. 

According to the team, studying asteroids this way does not require a spacecraft like Lucy to take close-up images, thus saving money. It could be more accurate in cases where an asteroid’s surfaces have undergone recent changes from space travel. Since roughly 15 percent of all near-Earth asteroids are binary systems this method can also be used to study other secondary bodies like the moonlet Dimorphos. NASA deliberately crashed a spacecraft into Dimorphos to test out planetary defense technology in September 2022.

[Related: NASA’s asteroid blaster turned a space rock into an ‘oblong watermelon.’]

“Used in tandem with crater counting, this method could help better constrain a system’s age,” study co-author and Cornell University astronomy doctoral student Alexia Kubas said in a statement. “If we use two methods and they agree with each other, we can be more confident that we’re getting a meaningful age that describes the current state of the system.”

The post ‘Lucy’s baby’ asteroid is only about 2 to 3 million years old appeared first on Popular Science.

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Just when you thought desktop computers were a thing of the past, you discover that certain tasks are simply beyond the capacity of even the most advanced laptops. Despite their convenience and portability, laptops often fall short of the reliability and power that desktops usually deliver. If you find yourself in need of a desktop but can’t quite swing a hefty investment, consider a refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre M900, available at a steal price.

The very definition of tiny but mighty, this desktop computer packs a powerful CPU with generous RAM and SSD, all while remaining portable and mountable. For a limited time, its refurbished version can be yours for less than $200.

Before anything else, it’s worth mentioning that while this computer is refurbished, it boasts a grade-A rating, meaning that it’s in near-mint condition. Performance-wise, it’s as good and powerful as new despite being a 2015 model. It packs an Intel Core i5 processor that can run multiple applications without lagging, a 16GB RAM that delivers a seamless computing performance, and a 256GB SSD that can store all your essential files and media. Pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro, you can expect it to support a wide range of applications with ease.

Thanks to Lenovo Smart Meeting Room Solution and Intel Unite, you’ll have no problem connecting it wirelessly and securely to your meeting room display using either a laptop or tablet. But if you’re keen on having it in your home office, its multiple mounting solutions let you customize its setup to suit your space perfectly.

“It came as advertised and great price. Very compact and with a little effort it works well with 3 monitors as is,” says one verified purchaser who snapped one up.

Experience high performance without the hefty price tag with this refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre M900. It normally retails for $349, but you can get it on sale for $179.97 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post Rediscover desktop power with this grade “A” refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre desktop on sale for $180 appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble. Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this decade to 2040.

The mission would be the first to try to return rock samples from Mars to Earth so scientists can analyze them for signs of past life.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a press conference on April 15, 2024, that the mission as currently conceived is too expensive and too slow. NASA gave private companies a month to submit proposals for bringing the samples back in a quicker and more affordable way.

As an astronomer who studies cosmology and has written a book about early missions to Mars, I’ve been watching the sample return saga play out. Mars is the nearest and best place to search for life beyond Earth, and if this ambitious NASA mission unraveled, scientists would lose their chance to learn much more about the red planet.

The habitability of Mars

The first NASA missions to reach the surface of Mars in 1976 revealed the planet as a frigid desert, uninhabitable without a thick atmosphere to shield life from the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. But studies conducted over the past decade suggest that the planet may have been much warmer and wetter several billion years ago.

The Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have each shown that the planet’s early environment was suitable for microbial life.

They found the chemical building blocks of life and signs of surface water in the distant past. Curiosity, which landed on Mars in 2012, is still active; its twin, Perseverance, which landed on Mars in 2021, will play a crucial role in the sample return mission.

Why astronomers want Mars samples

The first time NASA looked for life in a Mars rock was in 1996. Scientists claimed they had discovered microscopic fossils of bacteria in the Martian meteorite ALH84001. This meteorite is a piece of Mars that landed in Antarctica 13,000 years ago and was recovered in 1984. Scientists disagreed over whether the meteorite really had ever harbored biology, and today most scientists agree that there’s not enough evidence to say that the rock contains fossils.

Several hundred Martian meteorites have been found on Earth in the past 40 years. They’re free samples that fell to Earth, so while it might seem intuitive to study them, scientists can’t tell where on Mars these meteorites originated. Also, they were blasted off the planet’s surface by impacts, and those violent events could have easily destroyed or altered subtle evidence of life in the rock.

There’s no substitute for bringing back samples from a region known to have been hospitable to life in the past. As a result, the agency is facing a price tag of $700 million per ounce, making these samples the most expensive material ever gathered.

A compelling and complex mission

Bringing Mars rocks back to Earth is the most challenging mission NASA has ever attempted, and the first stage has already started.

Perseverance has collected over two dozen rock and soil samples, depositing them on the floor of the Jezero Crater, a region that was probably once flooded with water and could have harbored life. The rover inserts the samples in containers the size of test tubes. Once the rover fills all the sample tubes, it will gather them and bring them to the spot where NASA’s Sample Retrieval Lander will land. The Sample Retrieval Lander includes a rocket to get the samples into orbit around Mars.

The European Space Agency has designed an Earth Return Orbiter, which will rendezvous with the rocket in orbit and capture the basketball-sized sample container. The samples will then be automatically sealed into a biocontainment system and transferred to an Earth entry capsule, which is part of the Earth Return Orbiter. After the long trip home, the entry capsule will parachute to the Earth’s surface.

The complex choreography of this mission, which involves a rover, a lander, a rocket, an orbiter and the coordination of two space agencies, is unprecedented. It’s the culprit behind the ballooning budget and the lengthy timeline.

Sample return breaks the bank

Mars Sample Return has blown a hole in NASA’s budget, which threatens other missions that need funding.

The NASA center behind the mission, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, just laid off over 500 employees. It’s likely that Mars Sample Return’s budget partly caused the layoffs, but they also came down to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory having an overfull plate of planetary missions and suffering budget cuts.

Within the past year, an independent review board report and a report from the NASA Office of Inspector General raised deep concerns about the viability of the sample return mission. These reports described the mission’s design as overly complex and noted issues such as inflation, supply chain problems and unrealistic costs and schedule estimates.

NASA is also feeling the heat from Congress. For fiscal year 2024, the Senate Appropriations Committee cut NASA’s planetary science budget by over half a billion dollars. If NASA can’t keep a lid on the costs, the mission might even get canceled.

Thinking out of the box

Faced with these challenges, NASA has put out a call for innovative designs from private industry, with a goal of shrinking the mission’s cost and complexity. Proposals are due by May 17, which is an extremely tight timeline for such a challenging design effort. And it’ll be hard for private companies to improve on the plan that experts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory had over a decade to put together.

An important potential player in this situation is the commercial space company SpaceX. NASA is already partnering with SpaceX on America’s return to the Moon. For the Artemis III mission, SpaceX will attempt to land humans on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

However, the massive Starship rocket that SpaceX will use for Artemis has had only three test flights and needs a lot more development before NASA will trust it with a human cargo.

In principle, a Starship rocket could bring back a large payload of Mars rocks in a single two-year mission and at far lower cost. But Starship comes with great risks and uncertainties. It’s not clear whether that rocket could return the samples that Perseverance has already gathered.

Starship uses a launchpad, and it would need to be refueled for a return journey. But there’s no launchpad or fueling station at the Jezero Crater. Starship is designed to carry people, but if astronauts go to Mars to collect the samples, SpaceX will need a Starship rocket that’s even bigger than the one it has tested so far.

Sending astronauts also carries extra risk and cost, and a strategy of using people might end up more complicated than NASA’s current plan.

With all these pressures and constraints, NASA has chosen to see whether the private sector can come up with a winning solution. We’ll know the answer next month.

Disclosure: Chris Impey receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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While many of us are currently enjoying spring weather, warmer temperatures are right around the corner. Rather than waiting until you’re a sweaty mess to come up with a solution, take advantage of special pricing on a versatile cooling option.

Right now, a Costway 3-in-1 portable evaporative air conditioner is available for only $95.99 (reg. $299) with no coupon required. That’s a savings of nearly 70 percent on a device that’s designed to keep you comfortable all summer long.

This air conditioner weighs less than 15 pounds and is primed to boost your comfort level at home or in the office. Featuring a honeycomb cooling pad and a pair of ice-crystal boxes, it delivers a powerful stream of cold air that can be administered at low, middle, or high fan speeds.

Use the included remote control to adjust settings from across the room at any time. An evaporative, non-compressor system also offers some versatility, as it can be utilized as an air humidifier or air purifier. 

Now that allergy season is in full swing, it’s also worth noting that this air conditioner features a removable and washable filter that reduces your potential for contact with possibly harmful particles, including bacteria and dust. Negative ion technology sterilizes the air, providing some peace of mind.

The portability aspect is simplified thanks to its caster wheels. Roll it between rooms or to the car without any fuss, and enjoy the cooling effects wherever you require.

Save yourself from suffering through a heat wave by picking up the Costway 3-in-1 portable evaporative air conditioner for only $95.99 (reg. $299) while this deal lasts.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Best overall		Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus		SEE IT	The Flexi 5i has enough processing power, memory, and storage for any classroom assignemtn.
Best for elementary school kids		HP Chromebook 11a		SEE IT	An ideal choice for younger students who need a small, well-specced machine for resource-light computing.
Best value		ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus		SEE IT	ASUS’ Chromebook has welcome features, including a 1080P webcam, which we wouldn’t expect in such an inexpensive computer.

Buying kids a computer for any reason can be stressful, but parents become even more acutely aware of how much gadgets cost when kids become students—and that’s where a Chromebook comes in. When it comes to a student’s laptop, you must consider whether it has all the capability and compatibility a kid needs now and whether it could get them through graduation in a few years. Plus, you have to consider how much you want to spend on something that might, OK, that will experience wear and tear. A Chromebook laptop offers an affordable way to give kids enough computing power to tackle their online assignments in form factors they tend to understand intuitively. They can be an excellent school tool for younger users who don’t need top-of-the-line laptop specs and their parents who don’t want to pay those prices. Here’s our guide for choosing Chromebooks for students, as well as help navigating processing and storage specs and how they translate versus traditional laptops.

• Best overall: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
• Best for elementary school kids: HP Chromebook 11a Laptop
• Best for high school students: Acer Chromebook Spin 714
• Best eco-friendly: Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition
• Best value: ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus

How we selected the best Chromebooks for students

We pulled together this list based on hands-on testing performed by the PopSci staff and extensive research of consumer feedback. We then reviewed that through our skeptical spectacles, formed by our collective parenting experience of buying, replacing, repairing, recycling, and swearing about a graveyard of gadgets and computers that went through our kids’ hands. They may have tried valiantly to care for them, but this skill requires practice and failure like any other.

The best Chromebooks for students: Reviews & Recommendations

First things first: What is a Chromebook? Chromebooks look like laptops and feel like laptops, but think of them as a unique category of computing devices. Chromebooks are internet-viewing devices with full-sized keyboards and decent-sized screens. They are defined by their operating system, ChromeOS, which will feel familiar to anyone who uses Google’s Chrome web browser. The platform relies on a good internet connection to power web-based applications from the Chrome and Android app stores and cloud-based file storage. 

Chromebooks excel at everyday computer tasks: web browsing, using a word processor, making simple spreadsheets, and streaming videos. Does the kid’s school use Google Suite? The move will be seamless. Used to Mac or Windows operating systems? Chromebooks may feel underpowered, but they aren’t designed for resource-intensive applications like making music or editing videos. Still, plenty of students—and adults—use their laptops almost exclusively to go online. People who live and learn within a browser can avoid paying for high-priced computing power that exceeds their needs by opting for one of the Chromebook laptops below. 

Best overall: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

SEE IT

Specs

• Dimensions: 12.4 inches by 9 inches by 0.78 inches
• Weight: 3.52 pounds
• Screen size: 14-inch WUXGA
• Memory: 8GB
• Processor: Intel Core i3 (13th generation)
• Storage: 128GB
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics
• Camera: 1080p
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 10 hours

Pros

• Backlit keyboard
• 2-in-1 design
• Headphone jack
• microSD slot
• 1-year manufacturer warranty

Cons

• Stylus pen ready but not included
• Body looks metal but is and feels plasticky
• OK battery life

We selected the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus as our best overall option for students because of its Goldilocks components and $500 recommended price tag. It’s small but not too small, and at three-and-a-half pounds, it is light but not the lightest. There’s 128GB of storage (a good amount for a Chromebook) and the Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of memory make the whole thing feel fast, regardless of whether the student is watching YouTube videos or working on a spreadsheet. This model’s software enhances online chatting or sitting in a virtual classroom by canceling out noise, adjusting lighting, and blurring backgrounds for privacy. 

The flip-and-fold design lets kids use it as a tablet, laptop, or set up as a tent, and the full high-definition 14-inch matte screen supports multitouch interactions. It has a decent array of ports—headphone jack, USB-A, USB-C, and a microSD—to connect to other accessories as needed. The Chromebook tablet can be used with a stylus, but that’s an additional purchase. 

The “Chromebook Plus” moniker is an official Google designation that means the device meets more powerful minimum specs than other models and comes loaded with productivity and creativity apps. 

Best for elementary school kids: HP Chromebook 11a Laptop

SEE IT

Specs

• Dimensions: 11.22 inches by 7.6 inches by 0.66 inches
• Weight: 2.36 pounds
• Screen size: 11-inch high-definition anti-glare
• Memory: 4GB
• Processor: MediaTek MT8183
• Storage: 64GB
• Camera: 720p 
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life: Up to 15 hours

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Very lightweight
• Small form factor for little hands
• Long battery life

Cons

• Dialing down specs means potentially outgrowing sooner
• No touchscreen

We picked the HP Chromebook 11a Laptop for early elementary school kids because when you are little, scale matters. In the early elementary school years, kids have two distinct looks: the tiny kid with a proportional backpack and arms full of regular-sized folders and papers that didn’t fit inside or the tiny kid with a regular-sized backpack that looks like it might pull the wearer down to trap them on their back forever like a turtle.

Little backpacks and little hands are better served with a small Chromebook. The HP Chromebook 11a has a smaller 11.6-inch screen; at 2.36 pounds, it’s the lightest Chromebook on our list. We’ve also lowered our expectations for specs, as kids are likely watching some YouTube videos or doing resource-light computing. For these young kids, we’ll trade a MediaTek processor (a major player in the mobile processor market), 4GB of memory, and lower, 64GB storage for a roughly $200 price tag. It makes it more palatable should something very normal, like being dropped, crushed, or spilled on—happen. This option is suited for parents who predict a short life—or perhaps a rough one—for their kid’s Chromebook. 

Best for high school students: Acer Chromebook Spin 714

SEE IT

Specs

• Dimensions: 12.3 inches by 8.8 inches by 0.71 inches
• Weight: 3.02 pounds
• Screen size: 14-inch WUXGA, 16:10 aspect ratio
• Memory: 8GB
• Processor: Intel Core i5 (13th generation)
• Storage: 256GB
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
• Camera: QHD MIPI 2K 
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 10 hours

Pros

• 2-in-1 design
• Backlit keyboard
• Privacy shutter on webcam
• Antibacterial Gorilla Glass screen
• MIL-STD 810H 
• Two colors: Steel gray, iron
• 1-year manufacturer’s warranty

Cons

• OK speakers
• A touch on the heavy side

Not to be old, but I remember when high school students had to lug things called “books” in backpacks so heavy they could knock shoulders and spines out of alignment for entire academic years. High school hasn’t been like that for a long time. To set up your student for success now, give them a boost in processing power and upgraded voice conferencing tools because their online lives are just as demanding as your work meetings. The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 boasts a 13-generation Intel Core i5 processor, which makes it smooth to switch between apps or leave dozens of Chrome tabs open. However, students may struggle with resource-intensive projects like serious media editing or design projects or if they’re a big gamer. Those activities need a laptop with higher-end processors and more memory. 

For a Chromebook, the Spin features a webcam that is better than average at 2K pixels with a privacy shutter and noise reduction tech to cut out background blabber. It also has a more premium feel than other Chromebooks, with sturdy hinges to handle all the folding and tenting 2-in-1 devices go through and an antimicrobial Gorilla Glass screen for additional durability. The Spin meets military specs for durability, but don’t confuse that for a rugged device; I know more than one teenager who can break MIL-SPEC devices due to carelessness.

The Spin 714’s suggested retail is $700, higher than many other options, but we’ve found this touchscreen Chromebook for as low as $550. However, the whole Spin line offers good Chromebooks for education. The smaller Acer Spin Chromebook 311 made our list of Chromebooks for under $300, though the tradeoff is a smaller screen, a slower MediaTek Kompanio 500 series processor, and a 720-pixel webcam. 

Best eco-friendly: Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition

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Specs

• Dimensions: 11.6 inches by 9 inches by 0.63 inches
• Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Screen size: 13.5 inches, 3:2 aspect ratio
• Memory: 8GB
• Processor: Intel Core i5 (12th generation)
• Graphics: Iris Xe Graphics
• Storage: 256GB
• Camera: 1080p 
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life: Up to 8 hours

Pros

• Repairable
• Four customizable expansion ports
• Backlit keyboard
• Headphone jack
• Comes with power adapter, expansion cards, and Framework screwdriver
• 1-year warranty

Cons

• More expensive
• No touchscreen
• Lower battery life

The Framework Laptop Chrome Edition bucks plenty of industry practices. At a time when most electronics are treated as disposable objects, Framework builds laptops that allow owners to repair and replace components as they see fit (read our review of a Framework Laptop here). It may seem like common sense, but it took many legislative pushes to get “right to repair” bills to counter many companies’ approach to voiding warranties, making batteries irreplaceable, and other tactics that lock down the devices you buy from them. 

At about $1,000, the Framebook Chromebook costs more than our other options and is a splurge by Chromebook standards. Still, its aluminum body houses a 12-generation Intel Core processor, 8GB memory, and an initial storage capacity of 256GB. Ports are customizable: Each Chromebook has four expansion slots, so users can mix and match microSD, USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet options. They also can be changed later. Other Framework laptops offer ways to up the processor, storage, graphics, and keyboard components, but the Chromebook version currently lacks those options.

Still, we like this for students because it’s for long-term ownership. Unless your kids double as a wrecking crew, a Framebook Chromebook can offer a lesson in taking care of things and evaluating whether a problem can be solved through a bit of sweat equity before opting to replace it. Gentle users may be able to pass this from older siblings to younger ones. They also can build the curiosity and confidence of tinkers-to-be. Changing port expansion cards is more like popping out LEGOs than building a PC from scratch. 

Best value: ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus

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Specs

• Dimensions: 12.6 inches by 9.3 inches by 0.81 inches
• Weight: 4.08 pounds
• Screen size: 14 inches WUXGA
• Memory: 8GB
• Processor: AMD R-Series SOC
• Graphics: AMD Radeon
• Storage: 128GB
• Camera: 1080p 
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 13 hours

Pros

• Backlit keyboard
• Headphone jack
• 1-year warranty

Cons

• Heavier than other options on this list
• Screen brightness is about 300 nits, a bit dim

The ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus is another model with Google-approved productivity and creativity apps with more powerful stats. Initially, the model retailed for $499 but we’ve been seeing it for as low as $349—a great value at that price point.

It’s another 2-in-1 design with a touchscreen, a 1080p front-facing camera, and a built-in mic for easy virtual meetings. Where this Chromebook differs is the color—it’s blue!—and an AMD R-Series SOC processor. AMD is the Pepsi to Intel’s Coke. Which processor you prefer is a matter of taste, but it is ample for most school-age kids’ work. 

At just over 4 pounds, this is the heaviest option on this list despite having the same screen size as most other choices.

What to consider when buying the best Chromebook

Choosing Chromebooks for school is a balance of understanding your kid’s age group, their assignments, and how well (or not) they take care of devices. Students don’t necessarily need the power of a full-fledged, top-of-the-line laptop, especially at elementary school ages. They need a stable and reliable internet connection, the ability to do online exercises and quizzes, write up some papers, and work up presentations with clip art from who knows where. A good middle ground is 8GB RAM, 128GB of storage, and recent generations of Intel or Ryzen processors, but dial-up or down according to age. Younger kids can get away with less processing and storage power, but older age groups or more advanced coursework merit sliding up. 

Prices range wildly, but the spread is not as crazy as shopping for traditional laptops. You can find cheap Chromebooks and premium models hovering around a grand. Once a novelty, many Chromebooks feature touch screens and 2-in-1 designs so they can be used as tablets, too. Regardless of age, we recommend giving hinges a good look to see if they will handle being opened and closed repeatedly, possibly for no other reason than your kid is curious how sturdy they are. Expect plastic bodies, but some may feature metal hinges. Beyond that, consider the following specs:

Processor

Premium Chromebook models rock the latest and greatest processor chips from Intel Core or AMD Ryzen, but the bulk of options will be a few generations behind. If performance is the key consideration, opt for the latest and greatest within your budget for the snappiest multitasking possible. However, students, particularly younger ones, often only need a little muscle to take online quizzes or write papers. Consider workload and work type, and we recommend more powerful processors for older students. 

Display  

Chromebook screens don’t vary as widely as regular laptops. They tend to prioritize lightweight screens over bells and whistles. Displays are usually between 12 and 14 inches, though some 16 inches are out there. A 1920 x 1080 resolution full high-definition screen should be plenty for web browsing, streaming, and sitting through online sessions. Avoid sub-1080p screens, though. Online classroom meetings deserve better. 

Touchscreens are common in the Chromebook category, as many devices come in 2-in-1 display varieties.

Memory and storage

Memory and storage specs are far lower than those of traditional laptops. This is partly because ChromeOS has only modest requirements, and apps take up a small space. The other reason is that Chromebook users are expected to store things in the cloud. Most Chromebooks demand a minimalist approach to local storage but aim for at least 128GB for photos, videos, and other files you’ll want to access offline. 

We prefer at least 8GB of RAM, which offers a noticeable boost in performance, especially for games, Android creativity apps, and keeping many browser tabs open simultaneously.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Chromebooks for students

• Best overall: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
• Best for elementary school kids: HP Chromebook 11a Laptop
• Best for high school students: Acer Chromebook Spin 714
• Best eco-friendly: Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition
• Best value: ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus

For students who need an affordable yet capable laptop for web-based assignments and content consumption, Chromebooks can be wallet-friendly options for parents, whether they’re shopping for little kids or soon-to-be high schoolers. The trick to locating the right Chromebook is matching the processing and storage power with the durability needed to survive being carried to and from school. 

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus strikes a nice balance between performance, portability, and price, as does our budget pick, the similarly outfitted ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus. For young elementary school students, consider the compact HP Chromebook 11a Laptop that is perfectly sized for little hands, while high schoolers will appreciate the Acer Chromebook Spin 714’s processing power and premium features like an enhanced webcam. For those looking to reduce electronic waste, the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition is a smart eco-friendly choice with its repairable, modular design. 

And regardless of which one you pick, get a case. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Chromebooks for students in 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

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Parrots, renowned for their impressive intelligence and charming vocal mimicry, have gained popularity as pets in recent decades. Those same traits that make the birds fascinating to observe, however, can also cause issues. A lack of socialization and proper stimulation can cause parrots to act out, or in some cases, even harm themselves. An estimated 40% of cockatoos and African Greys, two popular species of parrots, reportedly engage in potentially harmful feather destruction. Many of these stress-induced, destructive behaviors are a byproduct of parrots living in environments drastically different from their natural habitats where they fly free among fellow birds. New research suggests modern technology, specially Facebook Messenger video chats, could help these birds regain their social lives

“In the wild, they live in flocks and socialize with each other constantly,” University of Glasgow associate professor Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas said in a statement. “As pets, they’re often kept on their own, which can cause them to develop negative behaviors like excessive pacing or feather-plucking.”

Researchers from Northeastern University, MIT, and the University of Glasgow recently set out to see how several species of parrots interacted when placed on brief video calls with one another. Over the course of three months, the researchers trained 18 parrots and their human caretakers to learn how to operate touchscreen tablets and smartphones. The birds were initially trained to associate video calls with a bell. Everytime the bell was rung during the training phase, the bird would receive a treat. Caretakers, meanwhile, were trained to end calls any time the bird showed signs of stress or discomfort. Once trained, the birds were free to ring the bell on their own accord. Doing so would result in their caretakers opening up Facebook Messenger and connecting them with fellow birds around the country involved in the study.  associated video calls with a bell and fed the birds a treat every time they rang the bell. The parrots were then able to access Facebook Messenger to video call fellow birds around the country. 

The results were shocking. In almost all cases, the birds’ caretakers claim the video calls improved their well-being. Some of the birds even appeared to learn new skills, like foraging or improved flight, after observing other birds doing so. Two of the birds, a cockatoo named Ellie and an African Grey named Cookie, still call each other nearly a year later. 

“It really speaks to how cognitively complex these birds are and how much ability they have to express themselves,” Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas said in a statement. “It was really beautiful, those two birds, for me.”

Bird video-calls resulted in long-lasting friendships 

The research into the birds was split up into two phases. For the first 10 weeks, caregivers were instructed on how to introduce and train the birds to interact with the touchscreen devices. Though previous research has explored using touchscreen with cats, dogs, bears, and rodents, parrots are particularly well suited to using the devices thanks to their combination of high cognitive ability, impressive vision, and flexible tongues. Once trained on the devices, all of the birds involved took part in a “meet and greet” where they were briefly placed in video calls with each bird at least twice. The birds were trained using treats to ring a bell to signal their interest in hopping on a call.

Stage two of the research removed the treats to see if the birds would still have any interest in requesting a video call without a food reward. Every one of the birds continued to ring the bell, with some doing so many times. Once rung, researchers presented the birds with a tablet home screen featuring photographs of different birds in the study. The parrot would then use its tongue to click on the companion it wished to interact with. Once presented with a bird on the other side of the call, the parrots would hop towards the screen, let out loud squawks, and bob their heads. Researchers believe the vocalizations in particular may mirror the type of calls and responses parrots often engage in when they are in the wild. 

Researchers observed multiple instances of birds appearing to mimic each other’s behaviors. Some would begin grooming themselves after watching a bird on the other end of screen do so. Other times, the birds would “sing” in unison. In one video, a colorful parrot can be seen eagerly waiting for a call to connect. A large white bird eventually appears on the other end of the call, which results in the red bird banging its head and chirping in excitement. In another case, a male macaw video-calling with a fellow macaw would let out the phrase “Hi! Come here!” If the second bird left the screen, the vocalizing bird would quickly ring a bell, which the caretakers interpreted as the bird asking his friend to return to the screen.                   

“Some strong social dynamics started appearing,” Northeastern assistant professor Rébecca Kleinberger said in a statement. 

Parrots prefer calling real birds over pre-recorded video

Interestingly, parrots included in the study appeared substantially less interested in video calls if they featured pre-recorded video of other birds. A related study published by University of Glasgow researchers show the parrots strongly preferred to chat with other parrots in real time. Over the course of six months of observation, the parrots spent more time engaged in the calls with real birds than with the pre-recorded videos. Those findings suggest the birds weren’t merely being existed by the presence of a screen. Rather, the actual communication with another living bird plays an important role. 

Combined, the birds in the study spent 561 minutes in love calls with other birds compared to just 142 minutes interacting with the pre-recorded videos. The birds’ caregivers reinforced that point and told researchers they appeared more curious and engaged when a live bird was on the other end of the call. 

“The appearance of ‘liveness’ really did seem to make a difference to the parrots’ engagement with their screens,” Douglas recently wrote. “Their behavior while interacting with another live bird often reflected behaviors they would engage in with other parrots in real life, which wasn’t the case in the pre-recorded sessions.”

Researchers are hopeful these findings could one day be used to help parrots improve their socialization. And while some of the parrot caretakers surveyed noted the steep learning curve to train the parrots, every one of them said the project was worthwhile once concluded. An overwhelming 71.4% of the caretakers in the video calling study said their birds had a very positive experience. By contrast, none of them described the experience as negative. One caretaker in particular claimed her pet “came alive during the calls.” 

“We’re not saying you can make them [the parrots] as happy as they would be in the wild,” Kleinberger said. “We’re trying to serve those who are already [in captivity].”

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Animals have evolved all sorts of weird and wonderful methods of communication—everything from mantis shrimp bouncing pulses of polarized light to one another to birds-of-paradise gallivanting around the jungle to demonstrate their virility. Even so, there may well only be one animal that can claim to have a highly developed variety of expression that’s communicated entirely via a blob of fat on its forehead. Step forward—or, perhaps, swim forward—the beluga. 

Like all other toothed whales, these little Arctic-dwelling cetaceans have an organ on their foreheads that’s referred to as the melon. The melon has long been a source of fascination to scientists, who’ve proposed a variety of outlandish theories over the years to explain its presence. (The consensus today is that it’s used for sound generation and to assist in echolocation.)

In the beluga, however, the melon also seems to have another use. Belugas’ melons are strikingly large and, uniquely, they are also malleable, because belugas have facial muscles that can pull and push on the melon. Doing this essentially allows the animal to change the shape of its head. But  why do belugas do this? 

As ScienceNews reports, a March Animal Cognition study of four captive belugas in a Connecticut aquarium set out to categorize the different shapes the melon can take, and then trying to deduce those shapes’ meanings. The study’s authors analyzed a year’s worth of video footage of the belugas, and then compared their findings to observations of another, larger population of 51 belugas at an aquarium in Canada.

They found that while the melon can take any number of subtly different shapes, these all fall into five distinct categories—and they suggest that these shapes essentially constitute a form of visual communication unique to belugas.

It is commonly known that the motivation behind many of a given animal’s actions come down to feeding and/or mating. And unsurprisingly, at least two of the melon shapes seem related to the latter—or as the study authors put it, they are “primarily performed by males toward a female recipient in conjunction with courtship behavior.” (These shapes also occur during what the authors call “male-male sociosexual play,” a behavior that occurs in various cetaceans. One  study of killer whales describes it as “young males … practic[ing] courtship behaviors by engaging in sociosexual play with other males”; in this context “sociosexual” refers to behavior that is sexual but does not involve conception.) The three remaining shapes are harder to parse, although one common thread is that all are carried out more often by males: “Males performed shapes more than three times as frequently… as females.” 

There are important caveats here: studies of melon-based communication have so far been limited to belugas in captivity, and it’s certainly not out of the question that an intelligent, highly sociable animal might communicate differently in an aquarium than in the wild. The study also suggests that more research is needed into the interaction between the melon’s echolocatory and visual functions, not least because the video footage used for analysis lacked audio: “[Shapes] could serve both functions, [and] the lack of acoustic recordings during this study precludes these determinations… Simultaneous acoustic recordings and video observations in all lighting conditions are needed to resolve this question for the function of beluga melon shapes.” 

Nevertheless, the study goes some way toward explaining one of the animal kingdom’s most unusual behaviors.

The post Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate appeared first on Popular Science.

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The US Space Force located a tiny experimental satellite after it spent two-and-a–half decades missing in orbit. Hopefully, they’ll be able to keep an eye on it for good—unlike the last time.

The S73-7 Infra-Red Calibration Balloon (IRCB) was dead on arrival after ejecting from one of the Air Force’s largest Cold War orbital spy camera systems. Although it successfully departed the KH-9 Hexagon reconnaissance satellite about 500 miles above Earth in 1974, the S73-7 failed to inflate to its full 26-inch diameter. The malfunction prevented it from aiding ground based equipment triangulate remote sensing arrays and thus rendered it yet another hunk of space junk.

It wasn’t long afterwards that observers lost sight of the IRCB, only to once again locate the small satellite in early 1990s. And then, they managed to lose it again. Now, after another 25 years, the US Space Force’s 18th Space Defense Squadron rediscovered the experimental device.

The S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for 25 years. New TLEs for object 7244 started appearing on Apr 25. Congrats to whichever @18thSDS analyst made the identification. pic.twitter.com/YJOow5o4ND

— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) April 29, 2024

Confirmation came through a recent post on X from Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who offered his “congrats to whichever… analyst made the identification.”

So how does a satellite disappear for years on end not once, but twice? It’s actually much easier than you might think. As Gizmodo explained on May 1, over 27,000 objects are currently in orbit, most of which are spent rocket boosters. These, along with various satellites, don’t transmit any sort of identification back to Earth. Because of this, tracking systems must match a detected object to a satellite’s predictable orbital path in order to ID it.

[Related: Some space junk just got smacked by more space junk, complicating cleanup.]

If you possess relatively up-to-date radar data, and there aren’t many contenders in a similar orbit, then it usually isn’t hard to pinpoint satellites. But the more crowded an area, the more difficult it is for sensors to match, especially if you haven’t seen your target in a while—say, miniature Infra-Red Calibration Balloon from the 1970s.

It’s currently unclear what information exactly tipped off Space Force to matching their newly detected object with the S73-7, but regardless, that makes it at least trackable above everyone’s heads. In all that time, McDowell’s data indicates the balloon has only descended roughly 9 miles from its original 500 mile altitude, so it’ll be a while before it succumbs to gravity and burns up in the atmosphere. Accounting for everything in orbit may sometimes be taken for granted, but it’s a vital component of humanity’s increasing reliance on satellite arrays, as well as the overall future of space travel.

The post Space Force finds a dead Cold War-era satellite missing for 25 years appeared first on Popular Science.

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Observers have documented multiple animal species using plants for self-medicinal purposes, such as great apes eating plants that treat parasitic infections or rubbing vegetation on sore muscles. But a wild orangutan recently displayed something never observed before—he treated his own open wound by activating a plant’s medical properties using his own spit. As detailed in a study published May 2 in Scientific Reports, evolutionary biologists believe the behavior could point toward a common ancestor shared with humans.

The discovery occurred within a protected Indonesian rainforest at the Suaq Balimbing research site. This region, currently home to roughly 150 critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, is utilized by an international team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior to monitor the apes’ behavior and wellbeing. During their daily observations, cognitive and evolutionary biologists noticed a sizable injury on the face of one of the local males named Rakus. Such wounds are unsurprising among the primates, since they frequently spar with one another—but then Rakus did something three days later that the team didn’t expect.

After picking leaves off of a native plant known as an Akar Kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria), well-known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties, as well as its use in traditional malaria medicines, Rakus began to chew the plant into a paste. He then rubbed it directly on his facial injury for several minutes before covering it entirely with the mixture. Over the next few days, researchers noted the self-applied natural bandage kept the wound from showing signs of infection or exacerbation. Within five days, the injury scabbed over before healing entirely.

Such striking behavior raises a number of questions, particularly how Rakus first learned to treat his face using the plant. According to study senior author Caroline Schuppli, one possibility is that it simply comes down to “individual innovation.”

“Orangutans at [Suaq] rarely eat the plant,” she said in an announcement. “However, individuals may accidentally touch their wounds while feeding on this plant and thus unintentionally apply the plant’s juice to their wounds. As Fibraurea tinctoria has potent analgesic effects, individuals may feel an immediate pain release, causing them to repeat the behavior several times.”

[Related: Gorillas like to scramble their brains by spinning around really fast.]

If this were the case, it could be that Rakus is one of the few orangutans to have discovered the benefits of Fibraurea tinctoria. At the same time, adult orangutan males never live where they were born—they migrate sizable distances either during or after puberty to establish new homes. So it’s also possible Rakus may have learned this behavior from his relatives, but given observers don’t know where he is originally from, it’s difficult to follow up on that theory just yet.

Still, Schuppli says other “active wound treatment” methods have been noted in other African and Asian great apes, even when they aren’t used to disinfect or help heal an open wound. Knowing that, “it is possible that there exists a common underlying mechanism for the recognition and application of substances with medical or functional properties to wounds and that our last common ancestor already showed similar forms of ointment behavior.”

Given how much humans already have in common with their great ape relatives, it’s easy to see how this could be a likely explanation. But regardless of how Rakus knew how to utilize the medicinal plant, if he ever ends up scrapping with another male orangutan again, he’ll at least know how to fix himself up afterwards.

The post Orangutan observed using a plant to treat an open wound appeared first on Popular Science.

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Bose, the company that popularized noise-cancelling headphones, has retaken the crown amongst sharp competition from Sony and Apple. The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds simply block more high and low frequencies more efficiently. True to their name, the earbuds are also comfortable to wear, lending themselves to longer listening sessions when you’re on a plane or train for business or pleasure. Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra are the best noise-canceling earbuds we’ve tested, and they’ve returned to their best price thanks to a current Amazon deal.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds $249.99 (Was $299.99)

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The QuietComfort Ultras achieve their high level of active noise cancellation by using multiple microphones built into each bud to “hear” unwanted sounds that an advanced algorithm filters out before they reach your ears. All of this processing is done in real time and doesn’t significantly impact the earbuds’ audio quality, which is excellent. The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds’ sound profile creates tight bass, clear-but-not-hot treble, and a smooth midrange. You’ll be satisfied with what you hear regardless of the music genres you typically listen to. While the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are always worth their premium price, they’re even easier to recommend during Amazon’s flash sale.

Other great Bose audio deals:

• Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker $99 (Was $119)
• Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker $119 (Was $149)
• Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones $249 (Was $249)
• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones $379 (Was $429)

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With a hollow center, 12 sides, and no known uses, Roman dodecahedrons remain one of the great enigmas in archeology. They don’t appear to be used for grooming or personal pleasure  and only 33 of these objects have been uncovered in Great Britain’s Roman ruins. A recent discovery in eastern England is now making a splash in the Roman dodecahedron stud world. The Norton Disney Dodecahedron is of the largest and newest Gallo Roman Dodecahedrons ever found and is currently on display at the National Civil War Centre, Newark Museum in Newark, England. It will also be featured in an exhibit beginning on Saturday May 4 at the Lincoln Museum in Lincoln, England. 

The strange object was discovered by a group of amateur archeologists in June 2023 in the village of Norton Disney in the Midlands of eastern England. The mysterious object was sitting among the ruins of a Roman pit and was likely placed there about 1,700 years ago. It was found “in situ,” or deliberately placed among 4th Century CE Roman pottery in some sort of hole or quarry. More archeological excavation is needed to clarify exactly what this pit was used for. 

[Related: This ancient Roman villa was equipped with wine fountains.]

The cast bronze object is hollow at its middle and is about the size of a clenched fist. It has 12 flat faces that are shaped like pentagons. Each face has a hole in various sizes and all 20 corners have a knob. At about three inches tall and half a pound, it is one of the largest of these mysterious Roman objects ever discovered. 

According to the Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group, it is considered a copper alloy object that is made up of 75 percent copper, seven percent tin, and 18 percent lead. It is also the only example of one of these objects found in England’s Midlands and is an example of very fine craftsmanship.

Lorena Hitchens, an archaeologist specializing in Roman dodecahedrons, told The Washington Post, that “it’s a really good dodecahedron,” after examining the object. Preliminary dating estimates believe that it was crafted sometime between 43 and 410 CE, during the later Roman period. 

Even with such a solid find, historians and archeologists are still not sure exactly what these unique objects were used for.

“The imagination races when thinking about what the Romans may have used it for. Magic, rituals or religion–we perhaps may never know,” Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group  secretary Richard Parker told the BBC.

Known Roman literature does not have any descriptions or drawings of dodecahedra. The objects were not of a standard size, so the Norton Disney group does not believe they were used to take measurements. They also do not have signs of wear and tear the way blades do, so they were not tools.

“A huge amount of time, energy and skill was taken to create our dodecahedron, so it was not used for mundane purposes, especially when alternative materials are available that would achieve the same purpose,” the Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group wrote in a statement. 

[Related: The Roman Britons cared a lot about hair removal, and it shows in artifacts.]

There are 130 known examples of these objects that have been uncovered from the rest of the vast Roman world. Most have been found in north and western Roman provinces near the Alps of modern day France and Germany. There are 33 known examples of Roman dodecahedrons that have been excavated in Britain. This particular example was found near the where a statue of a mounted horseman deity was found in 1989

“Roman society was full of superstition, something experienced on a daily basis,” wrote Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group. “A potential link with local religious practice is our current working theory. More investigation is required though.”

The group will return to the trench the dodecahedron was found in sometime this year to resume excavations.

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You probably spend a lot of time staring at a monitor, so you might as well make it a good one. Right now, Amazon has a ton of Samsung monitors on deep discount, some of which have hit their lowest prices ever. The standout deals come in the form of ultrawide gaming monitors, but there’s something for everyone, even if you’re just looking for a cheap second display so you can watch old episodes of Seinfeld while you make spreadsheets. Oh God, why does my life sound so tragic when I type it out like that? Anyway, time to save on a new monitor!

SAMSUNG 49-Inch Odyssey G9 Series DQHD 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor, 1ms(GtG), VESA DisplayHDR 1000, 240Hz $799 (was $1,299)

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If you’ve never seen a 49-inch curved monitor in person, it can be hard to convey just how much it feels like you’re sitting in the cockpit of a spaceship. The steep curve and super-wide setup fill up so much of your field-of-view that you feel totally immersed. That makes it awesome for gaming (along with the 1-millisecond response time and 240Hz refresh rate), but it’s also basically a one-stop multi-monitor solution for everyday productivity. Just think of all the room you’ll have for activities with 5,120 x 1,440 pixels spread across 49 inches of screen. You’ll never need to close a window again.

More Samsung monitor deals

OK, so maybe you don’t need an absurdly wide monitor. That’s alright. Here are plenty of other excellent models deeply discounted right now, including one of our favorite OLED monitors first and foremost:

• SAMSUNG 34″ Odyssey G85SB Series QD-OLED Ultra WQHD Curved Gaming Monitor, 175Hz, 0.03ms, DisplayHDR True Black 400 $999 (was $1,199)
• SAMSUNG 34″ ViewFinity S50GC Series Ultra-WQHD Monitor, 100Hz, 5ms, HDR10, AMD FreeSync $249 (was $379)
• SAMSUNG 55″ Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen 4K UHD 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor, 165Hz, 1ms, 4 Input Multi View, Quantum Mini-LED $1,999 (was $2,999)
• SAMSUNG FT45 Series 27-Inch FHD 1080p Computer Monitor, 75Hz, IPS Panel $159 (was $189)
• SAMSUNG UJ59 Series 32-Inch 4K UHD (3840×2160) Computer Monitor $255 (was $339)
• SAMSUNG 34″ Odyssey G5 Ultra-Wide Gaming Monitor with 1000R Curved Screen $356 (was $549)
• SAMSUNG Odyssey G3 FHD Gaming Monitor, 144hz, HDMI $149 (was $199)
• SAMSUNG 28” Odyssey G70B Series 4K UHD Gaming Monitor, IPS Panel, 144Hz, 1ms, HDR 400, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro Compatible, Ultrawide Game View $499 (was $699)
• SAMSUNG Odyssey G50A Series 27-Inch WQHD (2560×1440) Gaming Monitor, 165Hz, 1ms, IPS Panel, G-Sync, HDR10 $199 (was $399)
• SAMSUNG 32-Inch M50C Series FHD Smart Computer Monitor with Streaming TV $249 (was $299)
• SAMSUNG 22″ T350 Series FHD 1080p Computer Monitor, 75Hz $99 (was $119)
• SAMSUNG ViewFinity S60A Series 32-Inch WQHD (2560×1440) Computer Monitor, 75Hz, HDMI, DisplayPort, HDR10 $253 (was $359)
• SAMSUNG 25″ Odyssey G4 Series FHD Gaming Monitor, IPS, 240Hz, 1ms, G-Sync Compatible, AMD FreeSync Premium, HDR10, Ultrawide Game View, DisplayPort, HDMI $212 (was $349)
• SAMSUNG 27″ CF39 Series FHD 1080p Curved Computer Monitor, Ultra Slim Design, AMD FreeSync, 4ms response $149 (was $169)
• SAMSUNG ViewFinity S60A Series 24-Inch WQHD (2560×1440) Computer Monitor $239 (was $279)
• SAMSUNG 27″ M80C UHD HDR Smart Computer Monitor Screen with Streaming-TV $449 (was $649)

The post Amazon’s sale on Samsung monitors includes a 49-inch G9 ultrawide for just $799 appeared first on Popular Science.

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Successfully funded on Indiegogo, the Flash Pro Plus can charge up to six devices simultaneously, making it a valuable addition to your tech-charging collection. Even better, it’s now available at a further reduced price.

Tailored for Apple users, the Flash Pro Plus stands out impressively with its robust 25000mAh capacity, which can seamlessly charge up to six devices simultaneously, including smartphones, laptops, an Apple Watch, and more. The Flash Pro Plus employs graphene technology, offering faster charging speeds, improved heat dissipation, and extended lifecycles compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Offered by the esteemed Panasonic brand, this graphene composite enables the power bank to support up to 100W charging via its USB-C port, positioning it among the quickest portable chargers on the market. The graphene battery technology boosts performance and enhances safety with superior thermal management, minimizing the risk of overheating. Additionally, the power bank features multiple layers of protection against overcharging, short-circuiting, and other potential hazards, ensuring the device and connected gadgets are kept safe and secure.

MagSafe compatibility elevates the Flash Pro Plus’s convenience and functionality. For iPhone 12 and later model users, this power bank also provides a seamless magnetic attachment, allowing for a secure and efficient cable-free device that recharges from 0% to 100% in only 70 minutes. This feature is especially advantageous for people on the move, as it eliminates the need for multiple cords and guarantees a stable charge.

Regarding portability, the Flash Pro Plus is compact, sleek, and durable, making it easy to carry. Despite its high capacity and advanced features, it remains surprisingly lightweight due to its graphene construction. This compact design, along with its rapid charging capabilities and MagSafe compatibility, renders it an essential tool for anyone needing a dependable power source while on the go.

Snag the Flash Pro Plus 100W USB-C 25000mAh Graphene Power Bank w/ Magsafe Compatibility, now further on sale for $199.97 (reg. $319) with no code required.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

The post Charge up to six devices simultaneously with this successfully Indiegogo-funded power bank, further on sale appeared first on Popular Science.

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Almost a decade after astronomers proposed the existence of Planet 9, an unseen extra planet in the distant reaches of the solar system, they still haven’t all agreed whether it’s real or not. Now, new research from Caltech astronomers just uncovered an extra line of evidence in favor of the hidden planet. Their computer simulations require Planet 9’s gravitational kick to explain how small bits of rock and ice from around Neptune’s orbit end up close to the sun.

“There is an open question of why particular objects in the solar system act the way they do, and we can’t quite explain it, but if you add Planet Nine into the model it all makes sense,” says Juliette Becker, an astronomer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison not affiliated with this new work. 

These objects are Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs)–chunks of debris in the outer solar system, beyond Neptune and even Pluto. Until the 2000s, astronomers hadn’t spotted many TNOs—especially not the most distant ones. They’re incredibly faint, a result of their small sizes and huge distances from Earth and difficult to see. Once astronomers had built up a more substantial catalog of observed TNOs, however, they began to notice some strange trends. 

A group of TNOs were bunched together, sharing similar orbits as if they were being wrangled up by something, like a group of sheep by a shepherd. These oddballs were orbiting at very high angles compared to other TNOs, and they were lined up in the same direction. Some astronomers, including the same Caltech crew behind the new bit of evidence, claimed that the most likely explanation for these observations was the existence of Planet 9 acting as a massive object acting as a gravitational shepherd for the TNO sheep. 

However, other astronomers thought Planet 9 was an outlandish solution to the puzzle at hand, coming up with other ways to explain the unexpected observations. Some suggested that the clusters of TNOs could be a natural result of the solar system’s formation, with no need for Planet 9. Others thought that the shepherd was actually a small black hole instead of a giant planet. More recently, two astronomers in Japan proposed that a different planet, instead of Planet 9, might be lurking in the Kuiper Belt. 

Theories abound for explaining the observed orbits of TNOs—and astronomers have spent the past eight years discussing and debating which make the most sense. This isn’t an anomaly, but instead an illustration of the scientific process. Scientists iteratively and collaboratively improve our understanding of a natural phenomenon, exploring all the evidence to find the best explanation for an observation.

Now, the Caltech team just showed how Planet 9 could be necessary to explain a different group of TNOs, which were somehow chucked towards the sun. An object on a path that crosses Neptune’s orbit, dips towards the sun, and swings back shouldn’t be able to stay that way for long. If we see objects in these kinds of orbits, something has to be pushing them to be there—perhaps even Planet 9. 

“If Planet Nine exists, it would occasionally pull the orbits of distant Trans-Neptunian objects closer to the sun, to the point where they cross Neptune’s orbit. Without Planet Nine, these objects can’t be pushed inward past Neptune very often,” explains Konstantin Batygin, Caltech astronomer and lead author on the new paper. 

“Planet Nine would re-supply the population of these objects as they are depleted, explaining why we can see them at the present day when the Solar System is relatively old,” adds Becker

Throughout the years of theories, some astronomers have been entranced by the idea of actually spotting Planet 9 in the night sky. Despite the evidence of its gravitational influence, seeing is still believing and many of us won’t be satisfied until we have concrete proof that Planet 9 is there in our telescopes.

Batygin and co-author Mike Brown, also an astronomer at Caltech, have been hunting for Planet 9 using huge archives of data taken by surveys of the night sky from the Pan-STARRS1 facility atop Haleakala in Hawai’i, the Dark Energy Survey completed in Chile, and the Zwicky Transient Facility in nearby San Diego. Astronomers from Yale even used the exoplanet-hunting satellite TESS to scan the sky for Planet 9. Unfortunately, no one has seen the elusive extra planet yet. 

“Simply put, Planet 9 is very distant and extraordinarily dim,” says Batygin. “The challenge of directly detecting it is difficult to appreciate without seeing first-hand how complex the observation process is, especially when looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.”

The Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile—currently scheduled to begin operations in early 2025 and equipped with the largest digital camera ever made for astronomy—will provide an excellent opportunity to continue the search for Planet 9. Astronomers have been looking forward to this facility for years, even citing it in a PopSci article from 2020 as the key to solving this mystery once and for all. 

And if there’s no planet to be found, even with a bigger and better observatory on the case? “If it turns out not to be there, then we will need to find individual explanations for all these different observations,” says Becker. “I am continually amazed by just how many solar system puzzles Planet Nine’s existence would solve.”

The post Astronomers still haven’t decided if Planet 9 is real appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on Knowable Magazine.

Shrubbery, toolsheds, basements—these are places one might expect to find spiders. But what about the beach? Or in a stream? Some spiders make their homes near or, more rarely, in water: tucking into the base of kelp stalks, spinning watertight cocoons in ponds or lakes, hiding under pebbles at the seaside or creek bank.

“Spiders are surprisingly adaptable, which is one of the reasons they can inhabit this environment,” says Ximena Nelson, a behavioral biologist at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Finding aquatic or semiaquatic spiders is difficult work, Nelson says: She and a student have spent four years chasing a jumping spider known as Marpissa marina around the pebbly seaside beaches it likes, but too often, as soon as they manage to find one it disappears again under rocks. And sadly, some aquatic spiders may disappear altogether before they come to scientists’ attention, as their watery habitats shrivel due to climate change and other human activities.

What scientists do know is that dozens of described spider species spend at least some of their time in or near the water, and more are almost surely awaiting discovery, says Sarah Crews, an arachnologist at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. It also appears that spiders evolved aquatic preferences on several distinct occasions during the history of this arthropod order. Crews and colleagues surveyed spiders and reported in 2019 that 21 taxonomic families include semiaquatic species, suggesting that the evolutionary event occurred multiple independent times. Only a swashbuckling few—not even 0.3 percent of described spider species—are seashore spiders; many more have been found near fresh water, says Nelson.

It’s not clear what would induce successful land-dwelling critters to move to watery habitats. Spiders, as a group, probably evolved about 400 million years ago from chunkier creatures that had recently left the water. These arthropods lacked the skinny waist sported by modern spiders. Presumably, the spiders that later returned to a life aquatic were strongly drawn by something to eat there, or driven by unsafe conditions on land, says Geerat Vermeij, a paleobiologist and professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis—because water would have presented major survival challenges.

“Since they depend on air so much, they are severely limited in whether they can do anything at all when they are submerged, other than just toughing it out,” says Vermeij. Newly aquatic spiders would have had to compete with predators better adapted to watery conditions, such as crustaceans, with competition particularly fierce in the oceans, Vermeij says. And if water floods a spider’s air circulation system, it will die, so adaptations were obviously needed.

But spiders as a group already possess several water-friendly features, suggests Crews. They have waxy, water-repellent exteriors, often covered in hairs that conveniently trap air bubbles. Even having eight legs is helpful, says Nelson: Spiders can distribute their weight nicely while they skitter across a water surface, or use their octet of appendages to row along.

Some spiders take their aquatic adaptations to the next level, though. Consider the diving bell spider, Argyroneta aquatica, an overachieving arachnid that is the only one known to do it all under water: breathe, hunt, dine on insects and their larvae, and make spiderlings. Found in fresh water in Europe and parts of Asia, it spins a silken underwater canopy and brings air bubbles from the surface to its submerged home via its body hairs. When it goes out, it carries a smaller air bubble, like a little scuba tank, on its back.

Seashore spiders face particularly daunting conditions, says Nelson, who coauthored an article about adaptations of marine spiders for the 2024 Annual Review of Entomology. “There’s a splash zone,” she says. “It’s kind of a wild environment.” A spider might be baking in hot sun one minute, drenched in chilly saltwater the next. Some spiders migrate up and down their beaches with the tides; Nelson speculates that they might monitor lunar cycles to anticipate when to move.

Other seashore spiders spin watertight nests where they hide out for hours while the tide is in. M. marina, for example, seeks seashells with nice, concave spaces in which to spin safe tents. Another spider, Desis marina, hides in holdfasts where bull kelp attaches to rocks, lining the holdfast’s interior with silk to create an air-filled pocket and staying submerged for as long as 19 days. D. marina emerges only when the tide is going out, to hunt for invertebrates like shrimp.

A spider that’s even occasionally submerged in saltwater or eating briny seafood will also have to maintain proper internal salt levels. “Presumably, they will be able to concentrate the salt somehow and then poo it out,” Nelson says. Scientists don’t know how marine spiders pull this off. And at least one intertidal-zone spider, Desis formidabilis of South Africa’s cape, comfortably maintains an interior salt concentration much like the crustaceans it eats, according to a 1984 study. (Freshwater species also probably require adaptations because their insides must stay saltier than their surroundings or food, Vermeij speculates.)

When a spider hides out with a limited air supply for days or weeks at a time, oxygen levels also may become a critical issue. Intriguingly, researchers have identified gene variants within the oxygen-guzzling, energy-making mitochondria of aquatic spiders that may help them cope with low-oxygen environments. These changes mirror beneficial changes to mitochondrial genes in birds that live in high-altitude, low-oxygen environments.

In another study, researchers investigated the genes used in the silk glands of aquatic and land spiders. They found that water-spider silk seems to have a high proportion of the water-repelling amino acid pair glycine and valine—which might also be an adaptation, they suggest.

Creeping extinction

But all the adaptations in the world might not be enough to save some water spiders. Nelson’s M. marina, for example, seems to be very particular about the beaches it occupies. The pebbles must be just right, not too big or small. If sea level rise inundates M. marina’s beaches, it’s possible the spiders will have nowhere else to go, Nelson says. “So those spiders will be lost.”

Marco Isaia, an arachnologist at the University of Turin, Italy, investigated the wetland habitats of the diving bell spider and the fen raft spider, Dolomedes plantarius. As wetlands continue to disappear, the habitats available to each species will contract by more than 25 percent over a decade, and their ideal ranges will move northward, Isaia and colleagues predicted in a 2022 study. It would be difficult for the spiders to cross dry land for new wetlands, and north European winters might prove too cold anyway. “The loss and degradation of wetland habitats is expected to have serious impacts on their survival,” says Isaia, “and an increase in their extinction risk.”

Given these risks, some aquatic spiders might go the way of the dodo before science gets a handle on them. “I suspect in every rocky bed of beach or river, there are probably spiders that we just don’t know exist there,” says Nelson. “Because they’re hiding.”

This article originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Sign up for the newsletter.

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Best overall		Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder		SEE IT	A user-friendly model with conical burrs that work for multiple types of coffee makers, from automatic brewers to French presses.
Best splurge		Baratza Forte BG (Brew Grinder)		SEE IT	This coffee shop–quality flat-burr megabrewer has over 200 grind settings and a giant hopper.
Best budget		Fellow Ode Brew Grinder		SEE IT	Multiple settings allow you to get the perfect grind for French press coffee or pulling espresso shots.

Whether rocking a classic brewer or a fancy pour-over or press, you need a coffee grinder to pulverize those beans. Believe it or not, your grinder’s quality will affect your coffee’s quality. The oft-overlooked grinder is actually a crucial piece of equipment when it comes to crafting the perfect cup: You get maximum flavor from uniformly cut beans, and not every grinder can deliver those. Finding the best coffee grinders for you and your needs means looking at the price point, whether you want something manual or electric, and whether you prefer burred beans to bladed ones—and we have the options that address all these considerations and more.

• Best overall: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
• Best splurge: Baratza Forte BG (Brew Grinder)
• Best design: Fellow Ode Brew Grinder
• Best portable: KitchenAid Go Cordless Blade Coffee Grinder
• Best manual: JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Settings
• Best value: OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

How we chose the best coffee grinders

We chose the best coffee grinders based on a mix of research and hands-on testing. Our methodology took into consideration whether the grinder was manual or electric, a burr or blade grinder, and even the type of coffee beans one can use. This is a monotasking appliance, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple. In the case of the coffee grinders we tested, our assessments covered their ease of use, ease of cleanup, and overall performance. Price was also a consideration, and we’ve diligently presented options across a wide cost spectrum.

The best coffee grinders: Reviews & Recommendations

No matter how you prepare your coffee—whether pour-over, French press, espresso, etc.—freshly ground beans take the experience to a new level. Here are the best coffee grinders to help you get your caffeine fix at home, at the office, or even on the go.

Best overall: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

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Specs

• Power source: Electricity
• Size: 6.3 x 4.7 x 13.8 inches
• Capacity: 5 ounces
• Price: $149.95

Pros

• 40 grind settings
• Single-button design
• High-torque motor

Cons

• Low capacity

Baratza says its Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder was designed for beginners, which is great if you’re making the leap from using pre-ground coffee to whole beans. Its 40 grind settings may seem intimidating at first, but researching the correct coarseness of your coffee beans based on the brew you’re making will allow you to make the perfect cappuccino every time. Over time, the Encore’s numerous grind settings will be a vital feature rather than a source of frustration.

The Encore’s approachable design is comprised of an on/off switch, which will continuously grind beans, and a single pulse button to engage the machine’s high-torque motor in short bursts. A few pulses will yield enough coffee for a single cup, while letting the machine run for half a minute should provide enough grounds for a group. Just be mindful of this coffee grinder’s relatively low capacity, which means you’ll have to refill the machine on a more regular basis.

Best splurge: Baratza Forte BG (Brew Grinder)

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Specs

• Power source: Electricity
• Size: 5.12 x 7.09 x 14.17 inches
• Capacity: 10.58 ounces
• Price: $895

Pros

• Built-in scale
• Digital screen
• 260 grind settings

Cons

• Price

Yes, Bartaza’s Forte BG costs several times more than our other recommendations. Still, it has features that professional coffee makers will want and that everyone who uses it could appreciate. Its two stand-out features are a built-in electronic scale to ensure each cup of coffee you make has the same amount of grounds and a digital screen, allowing you to switch between its grind settings, set the grinder on a timer, and more. Bartaza outfitted this coffee grinder with 260 grind settings, so you can get pinpoint precision when making your grounds.

If you’re willing to invest in a machine like this, the chances are high that you’ll have a similarly tricked-out coffee maker. Once you’ve found the ideal grind setting for your preferred cup of coffee, you can save it as a preset so it’s accessible at the push of a button. Bartaza’s Forte BG is a no-compromise coffee grinder and is likely to be the only one you’ll ever need if you make the investment.

Best design: Fellow Ode Brew Grinder

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Specs

• Power source: Electricity
• Size: 9.5 x 4.7 x 9.4 inches
• Capacity: 3.5 ounces
• Price: $199

Pros

• Aluminum construction
• Automatic stop function
• Quiet operation

Cons

• Low capacity

Fellow’s sleek-looking Ode Brew Grinder is sure to spruce up your countertop, but its performance matches the aesthetic value of its aluminum frame. The Ode features 11 grind settings, with 31 steps in between to give you ample space for experimentation. Fellow says its settings were specifically designed to produce the optimal grounds for AeroPress, pour-over, French press, and cold brew beverages. The heart of this appliance is its professional-level 64mm flat burrs, which grind beans consistently.

Despite their size and power, Fellow touts this coffee grinder’s quiet operation. One of the Ode Brew Grinder’s most user-friendly features is its automatic stop function, which will shut off its motor when it senses its hopper is empty. This is both a cue to add more beans (if necessary) and to conserve energy. This coffee grinder can’t hold a lot of beans at once, so you’ll likely have to replenish it regularly if you drink more than one cup of coffee per day, or prefer a stronger cup.

Best portable: KitchenAid Go Cordless Blade Coffee Grinder

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Specs

• Power source: Battery
• Size: 4.41 x 5.29 x 8.41 inches
• Capacity: 4 ounces
• Price: $129.99

Pros

• Runs on a rechargeable battery
• Simple design
• Works very well

Cons

• You’ll need to remember to charge it

KitchenAid’s new Go line of battery-powered appliances includes a coffee grinder, and it’s easily the best powered model you can take with you anywhere. It’s small enough to cart around in a backpack or carry-on bag and can run for up to six minutes per charge. In our tests, that’s enough time to get several cups of finely ground beans before reaching for a USB-C cable. If you’re worried about running out of juice, you can always pick up a spare battery. Using this cordless coffee grinder was straightforward: We loaded its hopper up with beans, placed the plastic cover on top, twisted the cover to lock it in place, and pushed down on its single power switch.

This coffee grinder has no set grind settings, so you’ll need to watch the grounds as they’re being crushed to determine when they’ve reached the correct consistency. We were able to get course grounds in about 15 seconds when the hopper was full, and kept the grinder running for a full minute to get powder-like results. This coffee grinder was short enough that we could easily keep track of the state of our grounds to prevent ourselves from overgrinding while it was on a countertop.

You’ll need to remember to keep this coffee grinder’s battery topped up, which can be tedious in a world where every portable gadget requires power management, but you’ll be rewarded for this minimal amount of maintenance. This is the best option if you’re serious about making freshly ground coffee in moderate to high quantities on the go.

Best manual: JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

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Specs

• Power source: Hand crank
• Size: 1.8 x 1.8 x 7.5 inches
• Capacity: N/A
• Price: $39.94

Pros

• No outlet required
• Compact design
• Price

Cons

• Requires elbow grease

If you’d like to take a coffee grinder with you on a camping trip or only want to enjoy a high-quality cup on occasion, JavaPresse’s Manual Coffee Grinder is the one to get. Turning its crank a few times will yield enough grounds for a couple of cups of coffee, which isn’t bad considering you can easily pack this grinder in a backpack. That said, using this coffee grinder will take more effort than an electric one, so be prepared to put in some effort to get your grounds.

It’d be easy to assume JavaPresse would have to make big sacrifices to achieve this manual grinder’s small size, but that’s not true. It features 18 grind settings, is significantly quieter than using an electric grinder, and uses ceramic burrs that were designed to last several times longer than stainless steel ones. If you want to make sure you’ll be able to make fresh coffee the way you like it while you’re on vacation or a business trip, JavaPresse’s Manual Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder is the one to get.

Best value: OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

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Specs

• Power source: Electricity
• Size: 6.8 x 11.8 x 14.8 inches
• Capacity: 12 ounces
• Price: $99.95

Pros

• 16 different grind settings
• Timer to control the length of its grind sessions
• Easy to maintain

Cons

• Difficult to see how many grounds are in the container

OXO’s Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is another compact, beginner-friendly option for those beginning their adventures in whole-bean coffee making. It features 15 settings that produce grinds ranging from the texture of loose-leaf tea to confectioner’s sugar. Its relatively large hopper can hold a couple of cups worth of beans at a time, and the grinder had no problem continuously pulverizing them with consistent results. While testing this coffee grinder, one of our favorite features was its built-in timer, which allows you to continuously grind beans in intervals up to 30 seconds. Once you know how the volume of grounds this machine will produce on your preferred grind setting, you can make the perfect amount with the twist of a knob.

We found the grind setting numbers on this coffee grinder easy to read, and OXO even broke them down into fine, medium, and coarse, so you know which way to turn the hopper. Ironically, the only part of this coffee grinder showing signs of wear after months of use is the company’s logo, which is printed in the middle of its grind button. Once we were done grinding our beans, it was equally simple to remove the hopper and grounds container to wash them.

Overall, we found this coffee grinder to be fast, easy to operate, and it produced consistent results regardless of our preferred grind setting. The grounds container’s stainless steel construction made it impossible to see how full it was at a glance—the top cover is made out of see-through plastic, but was difficult to keep an eye on at any angle—but we never ran into the issue of it overflowing if we stuck to OXO’s 30-second grind intervals. You can’t go wrong here if you’re looking for a full-powered electric coffee grinder on a budget.

Don’t want to deal with a kitchen scale to measure the perfect amount of your grounds? OXO has a solution for that in the OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder with 38 Settings and Scale (which, admittedly, adds substantially to the price). However, you’ll still need to pick up a milk frother for those perfect espresso-based beverages.

What to consider when shopping for the best coffee grinders

Baristas and javaheads alike agree that one of the keys to a perfect cup of joe is using fresh, uniformly ground beans; to get those, you need one of the best coffee grinders. Knowing how to grind your beans for the particular type of coffee you’re making (will it be iced coffee, cold brew, or a crema-rich shot for that latte drink, etc.) is also crucial. (Here’s a secret: Start with less beans.) If you don’t know your burrs from your blade or your flat-tops from your conicals, read on to up your coffee game instantly. 

Burr vs. blade grinders

As you start to shop, you’ll quickly notice two words coming up again and again: burr and blade. A burr grinder (or burr mill) works by crushing beans between two rotating burrs, or small rotary cutting tools. (Within the world of burr grinders, there are two types: conical and flat. Conicals will typically cost you more than flat.) A blade grinder features one big blade that rotates and slices up your beans as it goes. In general, burr grinders are thought to be more precise (and therefore pricier) because they chop grounds in a more uniform way than blades. In broad strokes, a blade grinder works faster and is cheaper; a burr grinder offers more control and better taste, but it’ll also cost you more.

Manual vs. electric grinders

As you could probably guess, the big difference between these two options is how much elbow grease you feel like putting into grinding your beans. Manual grinders are typically smaller than their electric counterparts and don’t require electricity, so they’re perfect for traveling. They’re more affordable than automatic grinders and allow you to control the size of your grind better. The biggest benefit to an electric grinder is ease and speed of use—no physical effort is required, but you will need an outlet.

How tech-savvy and/or comfortable you are with settings is also a factor: The more precise you want your electric grinder to be, the more settings you’ll have to deal with (because the grind size for an espresso drink is different from that for straight coffee). If you don’t want to deal with so many options (or spend as much) but still want something electric, pick one with minimal settings. 

Coffee bean preference

You may be asking yourself: should I choose my grinder based on how I make my coffee and what kind of coffee I drink? Yes! Well, sort of. The way you take your coffee will determine how finely you grind your beans. For example, French presses and cold brew coffee work best with a coarse grind; espresso should be fine. (In the middle is an assortment of slightly different ground sizes, like medium-coarse for pour-over and medium for a drip machine.) If you’ve ever had beans ground at the grocery store, you’ve likely had to choose the size of your grind. Over- or under-grinding beans for the way you brew can result in a deficit of flavor. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best coffee grinders

• Best overall: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
• Best splurge: Baratza Forte BG (Brew Grinder)
• Best design: Fellow Ode Brew Grinder
• Best portable: KitchenAid Go Cordless Blade Coffee Grinder
• Best manual: JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Settings
• Best value: OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

The best coffee grinders are ones that are right for your budget, have options to satisfy every coffee drinker in your house (e.g., you like an espresso, but your roommate wants cold brew), and are suited to get every last bit of flavor out of those power-packed little magic beans and into your travel mug. In general, that probably means springing for a burr grinder over a blade one, but beyond that, it’s dealer’s choice among our picks above!

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best coffee grinders for 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Dell S2722QC		SEE IT	Everything a creative professional or student needs in a single, well-constructed package.
Best for gaming		Samsung Odyssey Neo G8		SEE IT	A no-compromise display for serious PC or console gamers.
Best budget		Philips 288E2E		SEE IT	All the performance most people need—for a lot less money.

A solid 4K monitor provides all the screen real estate you need to get things done, whether working from home, gaming, or creating content. A high-resolution display will allow you to see text, photos, and video in great detail—especially recently created media. External monitors have been a common tech accessory for decades, but the marketplace for 4K displays specifically has expanded greatly over the past few years. The combination of 4K PC and console games, accessible 4K video, and the necessity of a home office or learning space has accelerated this change. If you’re assembling a new computer setup, these are the best 4K monitors available right now.

• Best overall: Dell S2722QC
• Best for gaming: Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
• Best curved: Gigabyte M32UC
• Best ultrawide: LG 38WN95C-W
• Best for video editing: BenQ PhotoVue SW272U
• Best portable: SideTrak Solo 4K
• Best budget: Philips 288E2E

How we chose the best 4K monitors

The monitor market has recently introduced several new 4K models, but these high-res options aren’t the standard—if you want 4K resolution, that narrows the field right off the bat. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Choosing the best one for your needs is easier by eliminating hundreds—if not thousands—of options. From that pool of possibilities, our recommendations are based on meticulous research and careful consideration of the most common uses of a 4K monitor. We’ve also considered the computer platform (Mac or PC) you’re using and whether you’d like to use your monitor with several devices or to replace a TV.

A monitor is the type of tech accessory most people will rely on daily for a decade or more, so our recommendations must stand the test of time and be ready to work with every computer you get. Longevity, multi-functionality, and value were the core virtues we considered when searching for and ultimately selecting the best 4K monitors.

The best 4K monitors: Reviews & Recommendations

Our selection of 4K monitors is designed to match any budget and lifestyle. Some are “all-rounders,” which means they’ll be pretty good for many tasks, while others are designed for a specific purpose—gaming, for example—or have a differentiating tech spec, like a curved panel. Our 4K monitor recommendations will serve you well while browsing the web or streaming video.

Best overall: Dell S2722QC

SEE IT

Specs

• Size: 27 inches
• Ports: 1 x USB-C PD, 2 x HDMI, 2 x USB-A, 1 x headphone jack
• Refresh rate: 60Hz
• VESA compatibility: 100 x 100 mm
• Speakers: Yes

Pros

• Can quickly charge laptops while they’re connected
• Multiple USB-A ports
• Built-in speakers

Cons

• Low refresh rate for serious gaming

Dell’s S2722QC is an all-in-one package that offers the right mix of excellent performance for most uses and value. Its most convenient feature for MacBook and modern PC laptop users is a USB-C port, which allows you to connect your computer to it without an adapter. Yes, the S2722QC has multiple HDMI ports, but hooking your laptop up to it with a USB-C cable will charge the computer and allow you to connect other accessories to the monitor’s USB-A ports. This configuration turns the 4K monitor into a USB hub. This single-cable solution will make your home office setup look neater, and ensure your laptop is charged when you want to take it out of your home.

We’ve used Dell’s S2722QC hooked up to a 13-inch MacBook Pro via USB-C for several months and have never had an issue with the monitor recognizing the computer or flaking out mid-use. We’ve been especially pleased with the monitor’s color reproduction and overall sharpness when reading text and viewing photos. MacOS automatically puts the monitor in a scaled resolution mode, which admittedly makes text larger and easier to read, but you can switch it to 4K in the “Displays” section of the System Settings app. The monitor performs just as well whether we’ve used it at a scaled or default resolution.

One of this monitor’s most surprising features is integrated 3W speakers. They’re helpful in a pinch, but we still recommend picking up a dedicated set of speakers for your computer if you listen to music frequently. Still, if you’re on a video call and your Bluetooth headphones have run out of juice, it’s helpful to have speakers immediately at the ready. Ergonomically speaking, the S2722QC gets high marks for being height adjustable. The ability to raise and lower the monitor whenever we pleased made working more comfortable as we moved throughout the day.

The S2722QC’s only downside—depending on how you plan on using your 4K display—is its relatively slow 8ms (millisecond) response time and 60Hz panel. This won’t make a difference when you’re watching videos, browsing the web, or editing photos, and we never noticed any perceptible lag in day-to-day use. You’ll only notice this feature when you’re playing fast-paced games like first-person shooters. Casual or slower-paced games don’t require a fast refresh rate display, but cutting-edge titles will suffer slightly, so opt for a dedicated gaming monitor instead.

If you’re not a PC or console gamer looking for a high-resolution display primarily for gaming, the S2722QC will serve you very well.

Best for gaming: Samsung Odyssey Neo G8

SEE IT

Specs

• Size: 32 inches
• Ports: 2 x HDMI, 2 x USB-A, headphone jack
• Refresh rate: 240Hz
• VESA compatibility: 100 x 100 mm
• Speakers: No

Pros

• Extremely high refresh rate
• Support for Adaptive Sync with AMD and NVidia graphics cards
• Matte display won’t show glare from lights

Cons

• Price
• Curved display may not be for everyone.

If gaming is your primary use case for a 4K monitor, Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G8 is a no-compromise display. Its 240Hz panel is incredibly fast, allowing you to play the latest games at their fastest-possible speed—so long as your gaming computer‘s graphics card and processor are fast enough to handle them. The monitor’s display panel is complemented by built-in software support for Adaptive Sync, which will offer better performance when it’s hooked up to a computer with an AMD or NVidia graphics card.

Adaptive sync will further reduce latency (lag) and the frequency of image artifacts like screen tearing, which can occur when the screen is updated with new images quickly. This technology, which works with settings like low input lag mode and a refresh rate optimizer, increases the probability of smooth, consistent gameplay.

Many modern games support HDR (high dynamic range), which improves contrast and color accuracy when a PC or console is hooked up to a display that supports them. Samsung outfitted the Odyssey Neo G8 with Quantum HDR 2000, so newer games, TV shows, and movies will really pop. Games that don’t support HDR will also look nice, so don’t worry if you spend a lot of time playing the classics.

While Samsung focused primarily on optimizing the Neo G8 for gaming, it made design choices that make it a solid pick for general use. The 4K monitor can be tilted and height adjusted and rotated a full 90 degrees. This is a huge deal ergonomically, as it allows you to position the monitor exactly where you want it without having to get a third-party stand or mount.

The most controversial choice is that the Odyssey Neo G8 has a curved display, a love-it-or-hate-it situation. Curved displays have the advantage of taking up more of your peripheral vision, which, combined with the Odyssey Neo G8’s 21:1 aspect ratio, will create an immersive gaming experience. On the other hand, curved displays can reflect light from multiple angles, which can get frustrating if you’re playing in a well-lit room.

If you have a dedicated PC or console gaming setup, Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G8 can be an excellent 4K desk-friendly display. That said, its cutting-edge hardware does come at an extremely high price. Don’t get us wrong, the Odyssey Neo G8 is an excellent 4K gaming monitor and priced appropriately given its tech specs, but it’s a significant investment.

Game in a darker environment and willing to sacrifice a few pixels for a more immersive viewing experience? Our favorite ultrawide OLED monitor is also in the Samsung Odyssey G8 family.

Best curved: Gigabyte M32UC

SEE IT

Specs

• Size: 31.5 inches
• Ports: 2 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x USB-C, 4 x USB 3.2 headphone jack
• Refresh rate: 160Hz
• VESA compatibility: 100 x 100 mm
• Speakers: No

Pros

• Large viewing angle
• Fast refresh rate
• Ergonomic design

Cons

• Curved display may not work in rooms with a lot of light

Curved monitors aren’t for everyone, but Gigabyte’s M32UC is our preferred 4K model due to its gamer-forward features and ergonomics. The big reason to get a 4K curved monitor is to have a display that covers more of your peripheral vision, which can be helpful if you get distracted while working. However, curved displays will catch and reflect light from more angles, so you should seriously consider the light source in your room before picking one up, as a constant bright blotch on your screen can also be distracting. If you already know the risks associated with curved monitors and want a high-resolution model, there’s a lot to like about the M32UC.

Serious video and photo editors will appreciate that the M32UC covers 93% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, 123% of the sRGB color gamut, and supports DisplayHDR 400. It’s paramount that the display you’re using is as accurate as possible, and this monitor will deliver for prosumers. Similarly, gamers who want a truly immersive high-resolution PC gaming experience will take advantage of the M32UC’s HDR (High Dynamic Range) support along with its 160Hz refresh rate. Modern games will move fluidly on this display—provided your PC has enough graphical hardware to run the latest titles at such a high resolution and frame rate simultaneously.

Every type of user will benefit from the M32UC’s height-adjustable stand—especially helpful if you’re using the monitor in a room where the sun is at risk of reflecting off its display throughout the day. You’ll also appreciate the monitor’s port selection, which includes multiple USB-A and HDMI ports in addition to a USB-C and DisplayPort. It’s easy to connect several peripherals, computers, and game consoles to the M32UC at the same time without using a single adapter.

If you’re comfortable using a curved monitor and want a 4K display as your digital canvas, GIGABYTE’s M32UC is our top pick.

Best ultrawide: LG 38WN95C-W

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Specs

• Size: 38 inches
• Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt (USB-C), 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 2 x USB-A, 1 x Headphone jack
• Refresh rate: 144Hz
• VESA compatibility: 100 x 100 mm
• Speakers: No

Pros

• Massive display that’s still VESA-compatible
• Solid refresh rate for gaming
• Wide port selection

Cons

• Price
• May be too big for many desks

Ultrawide monitors have become popular recently because they allow you to have two full-sized windows open on a single display rather than requiring a dual-monitor setup. At 38 inches wide, the 38WN95C-W requires a huge space commitment, but you’re rewarded with a curved display guaranteed to take up all of your peripheral vision. Technically, this is a QHD+ (3840 x 1600) display, which isn’t quite a “true 4K,” but it’s the closest you’ll get with a display like this. The monitor would have to be comically tall to accommodate the extra 500 pixels, and you won’t miss them with this type of display.

The 38WN95C-W is stacked on the tech side, especially in its port selection. You can connect four devices to it simultaneously using its mix of HDMI, DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt ports. The monitor’s Thunderbolt 4 input—the same shape as a USB-C port—has the same benefits as the one in our best overall pick for this guide. You can charge your laptop and connect it to accessories through the 38WN95C-W’s pair of USB-A ports with a single cable.

Gamers will appreciate the 38WN95C-W’s 1ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate, and support for AMD FreeSync and NVidia G-Sync, all of which make this monitor a solid pick for 4K gaming. The difference between a 4K 120Hz monitor and one that runs at 144Hz is noticeable when playing games that require precise movement. Its height, swivel, and tilt-adjustable stand also score points in the ergonomics arena. Frankly, it’s hard to find a task the 38WN95C-W isn’t well suited for.

The limiting factor for this display is space—if you have enough and are committed to living the ultrawide monitor lifestyle, the 38WN95C-W can handle anything you throw at it with aplomb.

Best for video editing: BenQ PhotoVue SW272U

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Specs

• Size: 27 inches
• Ports: 1 x USB-C, 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x USB-B, 2 x USB-B, 1 x SD Card slot, 1 x Headphone Jack
• Refresh rate: 60Hz
• VESA compatibility: 100 x 100 mm
• Speakers: No

Pros

• Support for 100% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, 99% DCI-P3 color spectrums
• Video and photo-centric built-in features
• Height-adjustable stand

Cons

• Cost

BenQ’s PhotoVue SW272U is the best monitor we’ve ever tested for video editing, and professionals in this field should take notice. The 4K display is calibrated and tested for color accuracy before leaving its factory for Delta E ≤1.5 accuracy. BenQ includes a certification report with the display so you can be sure it passed the inspection. The display covers 99 percent of DCI-P3 color gamut, is Calman-verified and Pantone-validated, and offers 10-bit support for 1.07 billion colors. This level of performance allows you to use the SW272U for professional video editing work right out of the box.

Additional video and photo editing-centric settings include a P3 color preview to ensure accurate colors before you deliver a video to clients and Paper Color Sync, which allows you to fine-tune color settings without burning through precious photo paper and ink. These features aren’t necessary for folks who need a 4K monitor for common uses but are essential for creative professionals whose work needs to be as polished as possible. The included Hotkey Puck G3 makes it easy to change settings with shortcuts, saving you time throughout the day.

If you’re working in an environment with a lot of natural light, the SW272U has you covered. We tested this monitor in a room with south and west-facing windows and have no issues seeing the screen, thanks to the 400 nits of brightness. In terms of ergonomics and build, this IPS monitor features an anti-glare coating, essentially eliminating reflections, making it more comfortable to look at for multiple hours in a row. It has a sturdy stand with plenty of adjustment options and a leatherette base. The SW272U doesn’t have built-in speakers, but its headphone jack allows you to plug headphones in if you’re mixing audio for a key scene.

It’s expensive, but BenQ’s PhotoVue S272U offers truly outstanding quality, a robust feature set for creatives, and excellent ergonomics for long editing sessions. 

Best portable: SideTrak Solo 4K

SEE IT

Specs

• Size: 15.6 inches
• Ports: 2 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, 1 x Mini HDMI
• Refresh rate: 60Hz
• VESA compatibility: N/A
• Speakers: Yes

Pros

• Can be powered by a single cable
• Thin enough to pack in a backpack
• Improves the ability to multitask out of the house.

Cons

• Cost

SideTrak’s Solo 4K is far and away the most technically impressive portable monitor we’ve tested and a must-have for creatives who need as many pixels as possible when working from outside their home. The 15.6-inch 4K display weighs under three pounds and is under half an inch thick, which allowed us to take it around in a backpack during our tests without feeling over-encumbered.

We used the Solo 4K with a 13-inch MacBook Pro and connected the two using a single USB-C cable (included), which provided power and transferred data. Our computer immediately recognized the 4K display, configured it appropriately, and never lost its connection. MacOS put the Solo 4K into a scaled resolution mode by default, and it worked well whether we used this stock setting or adjusted it to its native 4K monitor resolution. SideTrak also configured the Solo 4K’s picture preset appropriately, so we didn’t have to touch that to get colors that looked accurate instead of washed out or overexposed.

If you’re used to working on two high-resolution displays at home, it’s incredible how much more efficient you can be when taking a similar setup on the road. We found ourselves using the Solo 4K as a separate pane dedicated to tasks like photo editing and keeping our e-mail and work chat apps open while using our laptop’s built-in display for writing posts. Having additional information available at a glance rather than having to break focus by switching to a different piece of software was immediately beneficial.

Multitasking became possible when working at a coffee shop—be sure to snag a table with enough space for both a laptop and monitor side-by-side—in ways that wouldn’t have been practical otherwise. Frequent travelers who find themselves at a disadvantage while working in transit or at their temporary destination will find their roadblocks eliminated. The only technical fault we could find with the SideTrak Solo 4K was its fairly weak speakers, which is understandable when you consider the thinness of this display. If you need a 4K display that can be reasonably taken anywhere, SideTrak’s Solo 4K is the solution.

Best budget: Philips 288E2E

SEE IT

Specs

• Size: 28 inches
• Ports: 2 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x Headphone jack
• Refresh rate: 60Hz
• VESA compatibility: 100 x 100 mm
• Speakers: Yes

Pros

• Support for 120 percent of the sRGB spectrum
• Height and tilt adjustment
• Price

Cons

• Refresh too slow for gaming

Philips’ 288E2E proves how far the affordability of 4K monitor technology has come in a relatively short time. For $270 (at the time of this reporting), you’re getting a 28-inch 4K display with AMD FreeSync support, the ability to display 120 percent of the sRGB color spectrum, built-in speakers, and an ultra-slim design. Philips had to make very few feature cuts when designing this display, and they mostly come down to nice-to-have-but-unnecessary extras, namely a USB-A port and ultra-fast refresh rate.

These commissions aren’t glaring—though gaming on a 60Hz panel isn’t ideal—and make the 288E2E feel like a slightly more barebones version of our best overall pick, Dell’s excellent S2722QC. Part of this 4K monitor’s appeal is its averageness. Hear us out: There’s no curved panel or ultrawide design, just a straight-ahead high-resolution display. While this may be relatively boring, it’s exactly what most people are looking for in a 4K monitor for general tasks. This display even has built-in speakers, a relative niche feature not found in many of its competitors in this price range.

If your needs are relatively modest, the difference between Philips’ 288E2E and other picks is insignificant. You can use the money you save by picking up this display to upgrade additional parts of your home office setup.

What to consider when buying the best 4K monitors

Several factors should be considered when deciding which 4K monitor fits your needs. These are the five we’ve deemed most important when conducting our research to help you make your selection:

Screen size

4K monitors come in a variety of sizes, but bigger doesn’t always necessarily mean better. A large monitor will take up more room on your desk and may not be necessary if your needs are modest. Photo and video editors can take full advantage of the space available on a 38-inch 4K monitor more easily than a writer or typical student. Ironically, it’s easier to see individual pixels on a monitor as its screen size grows, which may annoy you if you’ve got very sharp sight. The 4K monitors we recommend run the gamut from 27-38 inches.

Ports

A monitor’s ports (also called inputs) determine which cable is required to connect it to a computer or other tech accessory. All 4K monitors above are equipped with multiple HDMI ports, the most common input found on external displays and TVs. Many also feature a DisplayPort or USB-C port, which are more niche but serve the same purpose. Some of our 4K monitor picks have USB-A ports, which allow you to use them as a hub to connect your computer to additional accessories.

Refresh rate

A monitor’s refresh rate—measured in hertz, shortened to Hz—determines how quickly it can be updated with new information. Refresh rates are measured in milliseconds, which means this tech spec isn’t important for common tasks but will make a difference if you choose to use your external display for gaming. A typical monitor offers a 60Hz refresh rate but can go much higher. Some gaming monitors go as high as 500Hz, but that’s extreme for the category.

VESA compatibility

All 4K monitors above come with a built-in stand, but you can replace it with a different one—whether it’s a wall mount or a monitor arm—if preferred, as long as they are VESA compatible. Switching to a different monitor stand may improve the ergonomics of your computing setup or save you desk space based on the one you choose.

Speakers

If you’d like to use your computer as a TV replacement, it’s smart to get one with built-in speakers. A monitor’s speakers will never match the quality of a true stereo pair but will work well in a pinch.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best 4K monitors

• Best overall: Dell S2722QC
• Best for gaming: Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
• Best curved: Gigabyte M32UC
• Best ultrawide: LG 38WN95C-W
• Best for video editing: BenQ PhotoVue SW272U
• Best portable: SideTrak Solo 4K
• Best budget: Philips 288E2E

A 4K monitor will quickly become the most important tech accessory in your computing setup, right next to the external hard drive you use for regular backups and the Wi-Fi router you rely on for a steady Internet connection. It used to be difficult to find monitors with this resolution without spending thousands of dollars or settling for sub-par specs, but thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Advancements in display technology have made 4K monitors more accessible and affordable than ever, and once you get one, there’s no going back.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio, to video games, to cameras, and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best 4K monitors for 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

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Billionaire LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman has recently released a video ‘interview’ with his new digital avatar, Reid AI. Built on a custom GPT trained on two decades’ worth of Hoffman’s books, articles, speeches, interviews, and podcasts, Reid AI utilizes speech and video deepfake technology to create a digital clone capable of approximating its source subject’s mannerisms and conversational tone. For over 14 minutes, you can watch the two Hoffmans gaze lovingly and dead-eyed, respectively, into the tech industry’s uncanny navel. In doing so, viewers aren’t offered a “way to be better, to be more human,” as the real Hoffman argues—but a way towards a misguided, dangerous, unethical, and hollow future.

Many people might shudder at the idea of unleashing a talking, animated AI avatar of themselves into the world, but the tech utopian “city of yesterday” investor sounds absolutely jazzed about it. According to an April 24 blog post, he finds the whole prospect so “interesting and thought-provoking,” in fact, that he recently partnered with generative AI video company Hour One and the AI audio startup 11ElevenLabs to make it happen. (If that latter name sounds familiar, it’s because 11ElevenLabs’ product is what scammers misused to create those audio deepfake Biden robocalls earlier this year.)

After teasing a showcase of his digital clone for months, Hoffman finally revealed a (heavily edited) video conversation between himself and “Reid AI” last week. And what does the cutting-edge, deepfake-animated culmination of a custom built GPT-4 chatbot reportedly trained on all things Hoffman? A solid question—and one that isn’t easy to answer after watching the surreal, awkward, and occasionally unhygienic simulated interaction.

“Why would I want to be interviewed by a digital version of myself?” Hoffman posits at the video’s outset. First and foremost, it’s apparently to summarize one of his books for an array of potential audience demographics: the smartest person in the world, 5-year-old children, Seinfeld fans, and Klingons. While Hoffman seems to love each subsequent Blitzscaling encapsulation (particularly the “smartest person” one) they all sound like it came from a ChatGPT prompt—which, technically, they did. The difference here is that, instead of only a text answer, the words get a Hoffman vocal approximation layered atop of a (still clearly artificial) video rendering of the man.

Amidst all his excitement, Hoffman—like so many influential tech industry figures—yet again betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of how generative AI works. Technology like OpenAI’s GPT, no matter how gussied up with visual and audio additions, is not capable of comprehension. When an AI responds, “Thank you” or “I think that’s a great point,” they don’t actually experience gratitude or think anything. Generative AI sees sentences as lines of code, each letter or space followed by the next, most probably letter or space. This can be adapted into conversational audio and dubbed to video personas, but that doesn’t change the underlying functionality. It simply received new symbolic input that influences what basically amounts to a superpowered autocorrect system. Even if its language is set to Klingon, as Reid AI offers at one point.

So when Reid AI warns Hoffman a wrong answer may result “because I misinterpreted the information you gave, or I don’t have the full context of your question,” Hoffman doesn’t pause to explain any of the above facts for viewers. He instead moves along to his next conversation point, which usually involves a plug for his books or LinkedIn.

[Related: A deepfake ‘Joe Biden’ robocall told voters to stay home for primary election.]

Meanwhile, Reid AI’s visual component is supposedly meant to simulate many of Hoffman’s conversational mannerisms and queues. Judging from Reid AI’s performance, these largely boil down to stilted attempts at “nodding vigorously,” “emphatically tapping to illustrate a point,” and “picking his nose.” As New Atlas points out, the moment at 10:44 is an odd quirk to include in such a clearly condensed and edited video—perhaps meant to illustrate some of humanity’s more awkward, relatable traits. If so, it does little to distract from the far more absurd and troubling sentiments said by both Hoffman’s.

Reid AI expounds on boilerplate techno-libertarian talking points for fostering a “framework that fuels innovation.” Hoffman repeatedly opines that any concerns about bias, privacy, labor, and digital ownership concerns are just “start[ing] with the negative and [not realizing] all the things that are positive.” The digital clone regurgitates bland, uncreative ways to spruce up Hoffman’s LinkedIn page, like adding “personal flair” such as a fun and colorful header image.

But the most worrisome moment arrives when Hoffman contends “Everyone should be asking themselves, ‘What can I do to help?’” make AI like digital avatars more commonplace. He even goes so far as to equate the current technological era to Europe’s adoption of the steam engine, which made it “such a dominant force in the entire world.” (Neither he, nor Reid AI, concede the other tools involved in the industrial revolution, of course—namely a colonialist system built on the labor of millions of exploited and enslaved populations.)

Hoffman says future iterations of Reid AI will add “to the range of capabilities, of things that I could do.” It’s an extremely telling sentiment—one implying people like Hoffman have no qualms with erasing any demarcation between their cloned and authentic selves. If nothing else, Hoffman has already found at least one task Reid AI can handle for him.

“I am curious to know what others’ thoughts are on how to mitigate impersonation and all other types of risks stemming from such a use-case and achieve ‘responsible AI,’” one LinkedIn user asked him in his announcement post’s comments.

“Great question… Here is Reid AI’s answer,” Hoffman responded alongside a link to a new avatar clip.

The post Watch a tech billionaire talk to his AI-generated clone appeared first on Popular Science.

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NASA has big plans for space farms and there are plenty of ideas from astrobiologists for what the best crops to grow on Mars could be. To best optimize these future extraterrestrial farms, scientists are also exploring what planting methods could boost potential crop yields on the Red Planet. Some new experiments with tomato, carrot, and pea plants found that growing different crops mixed together could boost yields of some plants in certain Martian conditions. The findings could also have implications for life on Earth and are described in a study published May 1 in the journal PLOS One. 

A Martian greenhouse

In order for future humans to survive on Mars for long stretches at a time, nutritious food is going to be essential. While learning how fake astronaut Mark Watney grew potatoes in the sci-fi novel and film The Martian was entertaining and informative, real astronauts should have some helpful resources from planet Earth for growing food in future Mars settlements.

To learn how to best do this, scientists on Earth must simulate the unique conditions on the Red Planet here. Mars’ atmosphere is about 100 times thinner than Earth’s and is mostly made up of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon gasses. Entire Martian colonies in the future will need to be set up in controlled enclosures similar to greenhouses with an Earth-like atmosphere of the right mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.

[Related: Why space lettuce could be the pharmacy astronauts need.]

“The best ‘Martian environment’ is actually simply a greenhouse with controlled conditions including temperature, humidity, and gasses,” Rebeca Gonçalves, a study co-author and astrobiologist at Wageningen University & Research in The Netherlands, tells PopSci. 

For this study, Gonçalves and the team used greenhouses at the university to simulate a growing environment on Mars. They tested how crops fare in a simulated version of Martian regolith–the loose and rocky material covering the planet. Pots of standard potting soil and sand were used as a control group. Bits of organic Earth soil and other nutrients was also added to the sand and Martian regolith samples to improve water retention and root holding. 

Picking plants

For the plants on this fake Martian farm, the team selected peas, carrots, and tomatoes. A 2014 study found that all three are able to grow in Martian regolith. According to Gonçalves, knowing that these plants could grow was key, since they were looking for an answer to a different question. They wanted to know how to use companion plants and intercropping–an ancient planting technique of growing two or more plants in close proximity–to boost crop yields. These three also could have an important nutritional role in the future. 

“They were chosen for their nutritional content, being high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and beta carotene,” says Gonçalves. “This is important because these nutrients are all completely lost in the process of food dehydration, which is the main process we use to send food to space missions. Therefore, the production of fresh food containing these nutrients is a must in a Martian colony.”

These crops are also companion species that share complementary traits. Peas are considered a main contributor to the intercropping system because they are legumes that can “fix” nitrogen. In nitrogen fixing, some plants and bacteria can turn nitrogen from the air into a form of ammonia that plants can use for nutrition. This, in turn, benefits other plants and diminishes the need for fertilizers to be added to the plant system. According to Gonçalves, it optimizes the resources needed for plants to grow on the Red Planet.

“Carrots were used to help aerate the soil, which can improve water and nutrient uptake by the companion plants, and tomatoes were used to provide shade for the temperature sensitive carrot and to give climbing support for the peas,” says Gonçalves.

Red fruit, red planet

All three species grew fairly well in the Martian regolith, producing just over half a pound of produce with only a minimum addition of nutrients. The tomatoes grew better when they were alongside the peas and carrots in an intercropping set up, than the control tomatoes that were grown alone. The tomatoes had a higher biomass and also had more potassium when grown this way. 

However, intercropping in this regolith appeared to decrease yields for the carrots and peas. These plants did better alone. In future experiments, the team hopes that some modifications to how the simulated Martian regolith is treated could help increase yields when intercropping is used, so that the carrots and peas can have similarly bigger harvests.

“The fact that it worked really well for one of the species was a big find, one that we can now build further research on,” says Gonçalves. 

[Related: Watering space plants is hard, but NASA has a plan.]

The team was also surprised by how intercropping showed an advantage in the sandy soil control group. It benefited two of the three plant species and this find could be applied to agricultural systems on Earth. Climate change is making some soils more sandy and this study is part of ongoing efforts to see how intercropping can help tackle this issue.

In future studies, the team hopes to figure out how to reach, “a completely self-sustainable system using 100% of the local resources on Mars.” This would help make these future colonies more financially viable and not as dependent on resupply missions. 

“If we can unlock the secret to regenerating poor soils while developing a high-yielding, self-sustainable food production system—exactly the goal of Martian agriculture research—we will have found a solution for a lot of the issues we are having here on Earth as well,” says Gonçalves.

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Climate scientists, for years, have urged governments around the world to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Wind and solar plants have increased in popularity in recent years but they both have a fundamental problem. Lapses in sunlight and wind caused by weather events can make it difficult to reliably capture and store all that energy, especially when attempting to supply power to large cities. The solution to the reliability issue are batteries, and lots of them. 

A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently argued these hordes of batteries will play a critical role in determining whether or not ambitious climate goals established by international experts are ever met. Recent innovations in lithium-ion battery tech have significantly lowered their costs which in turn is helping make switches to renewable energy power sources more viable for communities around the world. Battery prices by 2030, the report notes, could fall by 40%. 

At the same time, increased demand for battery powered electric vehicles and energy produced from renewable sources means battery tech will need to get even cheaper in only a few short years in order to meet rising demands. All of this, according to IEA estimates, will require a six-fold increase in energy storage capacity by 2030. Cheap batteries will need to get even cheaper. 

“Reducing emissions and getting on track to meet international energy and climate targets will hinge on whether the world can scale up batteries fast enough,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol wrote. “Batteries are changing the game before our eyes.”

Lithium-ion battery costs have fallen more than any other energy technology 

Though lithium-ion batteries are typically associated with gadgets and other consumer electronic gizmos, that’s increasingly no longer their main use case. In 2023, according to the IEA, the energy sector accounted for 90% of all battery demand. The total lithium-ion battery market has increased nearly ten times the size it was just eight years ago. Costs associated with those batteries have plummeted by 90% in just the past 15 years, according to the report. Overall, the report notes, batteries have seen the sharpest price drops of any energy technology to date. Those falling battery prices have led to more affordable electricity vehicles and solar energy offered at price points comparable to fossil fuels. 

“The combination of solar PV (photovoltaic) and batteries is today competitive with new coal plants in India,” Birol said in a statement. “And just in the next few years, it will be cheaper than new coal in China and gas-fired power in the United States.”

As impressive as all those figures may sound, the IEA notes it still might not be nearly enough to support rising energy demands. In order to meet the United Nations’ goals of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, the IEA estimates global battery storage will need to increase by six times its current size. To do that, battery storage deployment will need to increase by an average of at least 25% every year. Batteries will need to have steep price drops while simultaneously maintaining or improving performance. The IEA estimates new innovations in battery chemistry and manufacturing could reduce lithium-ion costs globally by 40% between now and 2030. Battery manufacturing capacity is also currently limited to a select few countries, something the IEA says will need to change moving forward. 

“A shortfall in deploying enough batteries would risk stalling clean energy transitions in the power sector,” the report reads.

What cheaper batteries mean for consumers 

Increased adoption of electric vehicles and renewables power sources are playing a meaningful role in efforts to cut back on emissions. While EV adoption in the US has slightly slowed compared to previous years, the trend globally is up. EV deployment increased by 40% in 2023, a figure which translated to 14 million EVs hitting roads. The IEA estimates the continually growing fleet of electric vehicles could displace the need for 8 million barrels of oil every day by the end of the decade. In practical terms, lower costs associated with batteries will translate to cheaper electric vehicles in the near future. US drivers repeatedly cite pricing as one of the primary factors preventing them from switching to an EV. More affordable models driven partly by falling battery prices could encourage more drivers to make a switch and could even help make a dent in the Biden Administration’s goal of having 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.

On the infrastructure side of the equation, cheaper energy storage prices means developing countries looking to create new power plants can choose more renewable options at prices comparable to non-renewable alternatives. Falling battery prices are also making it possible to deploy renewable microgrids in areas that are currently underserved by traditional energy grids. 

In places like the US, a more reliable energy sector buttressed by batteries would further improve the country’s energy independence and cut down on the need to purchase fossil fuels from other countries. Renewable energy sources accounted for just 19% of the US energy grid in 2020 but affordable, more reliable storage could alter that dynamic. Researchers from Stanford provided some evidence of that scenario by recently running a simulation showing the possibility of the US maintaining a 100% renewable energy grid by 2050.

Batteries have a critical mineral problem 

Cheaper batteries, at least how they are currently manufactured, aren’t a silver bullet. Today, the global battery market is largely dependent on critical minerals sourced from a concentrated handful of countries. China alone accounts for more than half of material processing for lithium and cobalt. Extracting these minerals from the Earth is dangerous work and can create its own source of damaging pollution. Massive mines can also radically alter the environment of entire communities. 

New types of batteries could offer some solutions to the mineral problem. Lithium ion phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are increasingly being used in new electric vehicles, rely on a different chemistry method which does not contain nickel or cobalt. Though more mineral intensive lithium-ion batteries still make up the vast majority of battery storage, (LFP) batteries accounted for 80% of new batteries made last year. Efforts to more effectively recycle aluminum, copper, and other resources found in mounding e-waste could also potentially help build out future batteries with less intensive mining. Less than 1% of rare earth metals found in e-waste are currently recycled. 

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If you’ve ever wanted to own your very own supercomputer, then rejoice: the US General Services Administration is auctioning off Cheyenne, a supercomputer belonging to the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Cheyenne is located at the NCAR’s Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It’s been in operation since 2016, and the havoc that COVID wrought on global supply chains means that it’s being retired two years later than anticipated. The extra work looks to have taken its toll: according to the auction listing, which was first spotted by Ars Technica, the machine’s water cooling system has had issues with “faulty disconnects causing water spray.” The idea of water spraying all over a multi-million dollar supercomputer is exactly as bad as it sounds, and the NCAR has decided that “the expense and downtime associated with rectifying this issue” has meant that “it’s deemed more detrimental than the anticipated failure rate of compute nodes.” It’s simply not worth it keeping it operational, so to the auction house it goes.

Supercomputers operate in a completely different realm to the consumer computers we use in everyday life. The most commonly used metric for making comparisons between supercomputers is the number of floating-point operations they can carry out per second, because these calculations are vital to scientific models, complex simulations, and various other high-end applications. “Floating-point operations” is abbreviated as FLOPS, and today’s supercomputers operate in the range of petaFLOPS. At its peak performance, Cheyenne was good for 5.34 petaFLOPS, which would place it just outside the top 100 most powerful machines in the world today. It’s unlikely to be able to reach that number these days, as the cooling issues mean that “1% of nodes [have] experienced failure … which will remain unrepaired.”

This might sound less than impressive, but even a water-damaged decade-old supercomputer is ridiculously powerful. How powerful? Well, consumer machines aren’t really designed to do the sort of floating-point operations in which supercomputers specialize, so it’s hard to do a direct comparison in terms of FLOPS. (For what it’s worth, here’s a guy on Twitter reporting that the same processor that’s in the 2019 MacBook Pro on which I’m writing this piece can achieve a brief peak of 200 gigaFLOPS.) 

However, it is possible to make comparisons between Cheyenne’s hardware and that of an average PC, because while early supercomputers often used proprietary hardware, Cheyenne uses plain old server-grade CPUs—specifically, 18-core Intel Xeon E5-2697 v4s. As a rough comparison, each of these processors is about twice as powerful as the CPU in my laptop… and the Cheyenne features over eight thousand of them.

The system as a whole has a whopping 145,142 processor cores; my poor little laptop has six. The other hardware specifications are equally startling: the system has 313 TB of RAM, a 40 PB storage system, and slurps up 1.7 MW of power. 

However, if you’re reading this and thinking that Cheyenne sounds like exactly what you need to run Dwarf Fortress, you’ll definitely want to read the fine print. For a start, Cheyenne is very, very heavy. It comprises 14 “E-Cells,” each of which weighs 1,500 lbs (680 kg), along with two “Management Racks” which weigh in at 2,500 lbs (1,133 kg). As the GSA auction site notes cheerfully, “Moving this system necessitates the engagement of a professional moving company.” 

Still, the logistical challenges haven’t entirely dampened interest in the machine. At the time of publication, 15 intrepid souls had placed bids, although the highest bid—$50,085.00—hasn’t met the auction’s reserve price. Bidding closes just after 6pm Central Time on May 3, so if you happen to be in possession of a crane, an oversized garage, a troublingly large bank balance and a hankering for absurd amounts of computing power… this may just be your moment.

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Apple’s MacBook Air line set the standard for thin, powerful laptops from its release in 2008. The company’s proprietary silicon—a chip switch made in 2020—ushered in a speedy, powerful age of laptops eating gigantic .MOV files for breakfast. Unsurprisingly, the combination of the two is great. You, too, can get in on this form-meets-fast fun with $100 off select MacBook Air models, most of which include Apple’s M3 chip.

Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M3 chip $999 (Was $1,099)

SEE IT

You could say the latest MacBook Air is a “skinny legend.” It’s flat like the MacBook Pro line but clocks in at 2.7 pounds and .44 inches tall. (OK, short king!) First introduced in March 2024, the MacBook Air M3 upgrades are specific but useful. It now has Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, better external monitor support, and better performance compared to the previous iteration. You could call that a slay. From college students to Apple stans, the MacBook Air M3 is one of the best laptops to purchase at this moment.

If you’re more of a “buy a previous generation to save more money” person, you’re in luck: the 2022 MacBook Air M2 is on sale for $849, down from its OG $999 pricing.

More 🔥 Apple deals at Amazon:

• Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop with M3 Pro chip, 11-core CPU, 14-core GPU $1,799 (Was $1,999)
• Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M3 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU, 18‑core GPU $2,349 (Was $2,499)
• Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M3 chip, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD $1,199 (Was $1,299)
• Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD $1,389 (was $1,499)
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 [GPS + Cellular 49mm] $759 (Was $799)
• Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS 41mm] $299 (Was $399)
• Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS 45mm] $329 (Was $429)
• Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS + Cellular 41mm] Smartwatch with Gold Stainless Steel Case with Gold Milanese Loop $649.99 (Was $749)
• Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40mm] $189 (Was $249)

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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope isn’t only snapping some of the most detailed images of our cosmos—it’s also helping an international team of astronomers determine the weather on planets trillions of miles away from Earth. Its latest subject, WASP-43b, appears to live up to its extremely heavy metal-sounding name.

Astronomers discovered WASP-43b back in 2011, but initially could only assess some of its potential conditions using the Hubble and now-retired Spitzer space telescopes. That said, it was immediately clear that the gas giant is a scorcher.According to their measurements, the planet orbits its star at just 1.3 million miles away. For comparison, that’s not even 1/25th the distance separating Mercury from the sun. WASP-43b is also tidally locked in its orbit, meaning that one side is always facing its star while the other half is constantly cloaked in darkness.

But at 280 light-years away and practically face-to-face with its star, WASP-43b is difficult to see clearly through telescopes. To get a better look, experts enlisted JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to measure extremely small fluctuations in the brightness emitted by the WASP-43 system every 10 seconds for over 24 hours.

“By observing over an entire orbit, we were able to calculate the temperature of different sides of the planet as they rotate into view. From that, we could construct a rough map of temperature across the planet,” Taylor Bell, a researcher at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute and the lead author of a study published yesterday in Nature Astronomy, said in Tuesday’s announcement.

[Related: JWST images show off the swirling arms of 19 spiral galaxies.]

Some of those temperatures are blazing enough to forge iron, with WASP-43b’s dayside averaging almost 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. And while the nightside is a balmier 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s still only about 120 degrees short of the melting point for aluminum.

MIRI’s broad spectrum mid-infrared light data, paired alongside additional telescope readings and 3D climate modeling, also allowed astronomers to measure water vapor levels around the planet. With this information, the team could better calculate WASP-43b’s cloud properties, including their thickness and height.

The light data also revealed something striking about the gas giant’s atmospheric conditions—a total lack of methane, which astronomers previously hypothesized may be detectable, at least on the nightside. This fact implies that nearly 5,000 mph equatorial winds must routinely whip across WASP-43b, which are fast enough to prevent the chemical reactions necessary to produce detectable levels of methane.

“With Hubble, we could clearly see that there is water vapor on the dayside. Both Hubble and Spitzer suggested there might be clouds on the nightside,” Bell said on Tuesday. “But we needed more precise measurements from Webb to really begin mapping the temperature, cloud cover, winds, and more detailed atmospheric composition all the way around the planet.”

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Want to remember something? Don’t type it out—write it down. 

At least that’s what a paper published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests, concluding that “whenever handwriting movements are included as a learning strategy, more of the brain gets stimulated, resulting in the formation of more complex neural network connectivity.” In other words: Writing by hand, as opposed to with a keyboard, helps you remember things. 

The study, by F. R. Van der Weel and Audrey L. H. Van der Meer, psychology researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, had 36 students write a variety of words, chosen at random from the game Pictionary, either with a digital stylus or a keyboard, all while wearing a 256-channel sensor array on their heads. The researchers were watching to determine which involved more connectivity between the two sides of the brain, something that’s been shown to correlate with learning and memory. Though a small sample size, the results “revealed increased connectivity for handwriting over typewriting, suggesting that different underlying cognitive processes are involved in the two tasks.” 

This makes sense to me—I can type without looking at the keyboard, or even really thinking about the fact that I’m typing. Writing with a pen, though? That I have to pay attention. That’s a meaningful distinction, one that has implications for anyone who is trying to learn. Now, the paper goes out of its way to state that this doesn’t mean you should abandon your keyboard altogether—they’re just different tools for different jobs. 

There is, all the same, a demonstrable difference between how writing with a pen, or typing by hand, affects your ability to remember the words you’re recording. Now that you know this you can take advantage—here’s a little bit of advice. 

Want to remember something? Use a pen or stylus.

Lately, when I’m reading a book or paper with the intention of learning from it, I take notes by writing. In my case I’m using a Remarkable e-ink tablet but there’s no reason a sheet of paper, a notebook, a digital notebook, or even an iPad with a pencil can’t work the same way. 

Remember: The study above involved a tablet and stylus, meaning that it’s the movement of writing by hand—not the lack of screens—that helps with memory. So, if the point of writing something down is to help you remember, take those notes using handwriting. The most obvious use case for this is taking notes during class. But it applies even if you’re not a student. 

Take paper notes during meetings

Do you attend meetings regularly? Consider leaving your laptop in your bag and taking notes by hand. You might not be able to write things down as quickly, granted, but you’ll remember the key points from the meeting with more clarity. As a bonus, it’s a lot easier to maintain eye contact when you’re not constantly looking down at your computer. 

I find this even works during online meetings. I leave my tablet between my computer and me, which allows me to jot things down during the conversation. This doesn’t just help me remember things; I’m also not interrupting the conversation with my infamously loud typing sounds. Win-win. 

Consider using paper productivity software

I’m straying pretty far from the research here, granted, but if writing things down instead of typing helps with memory you might want to consider replacing your productivity software with pen and paper, or a digital system that allows you to handwrite. I especially recommend this if you’re the kind of person who frequently sets up to-do lists and calendar apps only to forget that they exist. Writing things down might help you remember in a way that apps just don’t. 

Need to be quick? Use a keyboard.

The study went out of its way to say that keyboards have their place. To quote the conclusion:

Handwriting requires fine motor control over the fingers, and it forces students to pay attention to what they are doing. Typing, on the other hand, requires mechanical and repetitive movements that trade awareness for speed. 

There is a time and a place for keyboards: I’m typing this right now. The takeaway isn’t that writing is better, per se, just that the act itself can help you remember things. Keep this in mind and try out writing at times when you normally wouldn’t. You might be surprised.

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Let’s face it; sitting just isn’t what our bodies were designed for. From hunched shoulders over our laptops to slouching on the couch, our modern lifestyles often wreak havoc on our posture. This can lead to a cascade of problems, from nagging back pain to decreased energy levels. The BetterBack Luxe Posture Support could be your answer to better spinal alignment.

This innovative product, successfully funded on Kickstarter and featured on Shark Tank, has taken the ergonomics world by storm. It’s no surprise, considering the science behind good posture. Studies have shown that sitting up straight can improve circulation, boost your mood, and even enhance cognitive function. By keeping your spine in a neutral position, you take the pressure off your joints and muscles, preventing the aches and pains that come with a day hunched over.

The BetterBack Luxe goes beyond just good intentions, though. This ingenious device is crafted with NASA-engineered memory foam, the kind trusted by astronauts for peak comfort during liftoff. This translates into a plush sitting experience, whether you’re powering through emails or catching up on your favorite show. Plus, the water-resistant outer shell means you can take your newfound posture support anywhere, from the office chair to the bleachers at your kid’s soccer game.

With the BetterBack Luxe you can forget about restrictive back braces. This support system utilizes flexible webbing straps that allow you to achieve a snug ergonomic fit. No matter your body type, you can adjust the straps to ensure your spine is properly aligned, eliminating that uncomfortable feeling of being forced into an unnatural position. Additionally, thanks to the slip-resistant knee pads, the BetterBack Luxe stays comfortably in place if you happen to be kneeling on the floor.

Whether you’re glued to your gaming console, engrossed in a meditation session, or simply want to add a touch of comfort to your travels, the BetterBack Luxe has your back (literally). Its portability makes it the ideal companion for long car rides or airplane journeys, ensuring you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and pain-free.

Remember, a healthy spine is a happy spine, and a happy spine makes for a happier you. Start sitting pretty with the BetterBack Luxe Posture Support for only $39.97 (reg. $59.99)

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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This article was originally featured on Hakai Magazine, an online publication about science and society in coastal ecosystems. Read more stories like this at hakaimagazine.com.

Seaweed is versatile; it provides habitat for marine life, shelters coastlines, and absorbs carbon dioxide. But in the United States, scientists are setting out to see whether seaweed has another particularly valuable trick hidden up its proverbial sleeve: to act as a salty, slimy source of precious minerals.

Within the US Department of Energy is the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), a scientific branch devoted to tackling challenging, high-risk projects on energy technologies. ARPA-E takes big swings and looks for big rewards. And so far, the agency has awarded US $5-million to three ventures investigating whether seaweed can serve as a practical source of critical materials, such as platinum and rhodium, as well as rare earth elements, including neodymium, lanthanum, yttrium, and dysprosium.

These valuable elements, which can be captured and concentrated by seaweed, are essential to the green energy transition—and to technology more broadly. Seaweed could represent an alternative to conventional mining and other prospects, such as deep-sea mining.

“There are a lot of complexities in the entire process, and that’s why it’s in the category of ‘very exploratory,’” says Schery Umanzor, a seaweed expert at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a lead researcher on one of the projects funded by ARPA-E. “The chances of success are low. But if we succeed, then the implications are huge.”

Two key principles underlie this research, Umanzor says. For one, seaweed grows quickly and sucks minerals out of the water to do so. For two, seaweed’s cell walls are structured from sulfated polysaccharides—compounds made of long chains of sugar molecules. Sulfated polysaccharides are negatively charged, meaning they attract positively charged minerals floating nearby. “It’s pure chemistry,” Umanzor says. “Positive with negative, and then it just collects.”

Several years ago, Scott Edmundson, at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Washington State, began digging into whether seaweed could store valuable minerals. He’d come across a paper describing how rare earth elements were accumulating in seaweed in polluted areas along Morocco’s Atlantic coast and was struck by the potential.

Reading about seaweed’s natural propensity to sieve minerals from seawater sparked a “wacky idea” to test how far the process could go, Edmundson says. So he and other PNNL scientists ran an experiment to see if they could deliberately grow seaweed to take up minerals. The project—which was also funded by ARPA-E—finished last year, though they’re continuing to dig into the topic. So far, the team’s work suggests that seaweed can be processed to produce a carbon-rich component used in concrete or biofuel manufacturing and a second mineral component containing elements such as phosphorus.

There are a lot of unknowns, says Edmundson. Different seaweeds appear to have distinct mechanisms for getting minerals out of seawater and unique ways of incorporating or concentrating them in their tissues. “There’s layers upon layers of variability that are unclear at the moment,” he adds.

Underpinning all of this research are important, unanswered questions, including why seaweed absorbs these minerals at all, whether it can do so in concentrations high enough to be useful, and whether the elements can be pulled out in a financially viable way.

The key to making all this work, says Umanzor, is figuring out how to extract metals and rare earth elements from seaweed without destroying it. For seaweed mining to make financial sense, the process needs to leave the algae in good-enough condition to still be used for other applications, including as fuel, food, or a component in bioplastic production.

Another crucial piece of the puzzle is finding the right spot to grow the seaweed. Despite their name, rare earth elements are not all that rare. These and other critical minerals are present throughout the ocean in tiny amounts. Yet there are areas where they likely exist in higher concentrations—like downstream from large deposits on land. That’s why Umanzor and her collaborators are examining if rare earth elements are sloughing off Bokan Mountain in southeast Alaska and ending up in the ocean, and whether growing seaweed in a nearby bay can snag what runs off. Bokan Mountain is being considered for conventional mining, but if it works, seaweed extraction could offer a more sustainable alternative.

Susete Pintéus, a marine biologist at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria in Portugal, coauthored a 2022 review paper on seaweed’s role in the green energy transition. She says seaweed extraction alone—if it works—cannot completely eliminate conventional mining for these metals because the demand is so great. “[Seaweeds] can contribute,” she says, “but they will not solve the problem themselves.”

Even though seaweed collection can’t fully replace mining, Umanzor says that by extracting materials as they leach naturally out of the land—as they might on Bokan Mountain—algal mining offers a way to scoop up minerals that were going to be lost to the sea.

Umanzor never imagined that the humble seaweed could become a vessel to capture valuable materials. But in this role, it might support a more sustainable future.

“Metals have to come from somewhere, and extracting them is very destructive,” she says. “It’s worth exploring other possibilities that align more with our ideas of a greener world—or a bluer world.”

This article first appeared in Hakai Magazine and is republished here with permission.

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Besides everything else your smart speaker can do—from weather forecasts to fact checks to playing music—it’s also able to help improve your sleep. That might be by playing sounds to help you drift off, for example, or by waking you up gently in the morning.

The sleep-boosting tricks we’re going to cover here can be used across smart speakers made by Amazon, Google, and Apple (as well as the smart displays)—so there should be something here that fits your smart home setup.

Make some noise

Your smart speaker can work as a noise machine if that helps you fall asleep—and you can even choose between several different colors of noise. If static isn’t for you, smart speakers can play a variety of natural sounds as well, so you can drift off to audio of a thunderstorm or the clack-clack of a train on tracks.

Getting this setup is as simple as saying “play white noise,” “play pink noise,” or “play the sounds of a thunderstorm” to your smart speaker, though they all work in slightly different ways in terms of how they respond. An Amazon Echo will try and find a specific app to help, for example, while a Google Nest might load up a track from YouTube—it really depends on what you’ve asked for.

Head into the companion app on your phone—so the Alexa app, the Google Home app, or the Home app for iOS—to see what’s currently playing and to set options such as a sleep timer. Most sounds can be configured to keep playing all night, or to turn themselves off after a specific amount of time has passed.

Evening and morning routines

Another way that smart speakers can improve your sleep health is by giving you nudges to help you stick to a routine. Every smart speaker can set reminders, for instance: Just ask for a reminder to be read out at a certain time, when you know you need to start getting ready for some shut-eye.

At the other end of the day, you can set an alarm in the same way to get you out of bed. The available alarm sounds—which can be set through the app that accompanies your smart speaker—include a number of gentle and soothing options. If you’re using a Google Nest smart display, meanwhile, in the alarm settings you can customize what’s labeled a Pre-alarm sound to come before the alarm too.

Smart speakers from Amazon, Google, and Apple can all trigger routines alongside an alarm, so you can have your smart lights gradually come on for example, or start a playlist specifically designed to get you out of bed without you having to resort to the snooze button (or a snooze voice command).

In the Alexa app, tap the + (plus) button in the top right corner of the Home tab, then choose Routine. Set the time you want the routine to start (it can start with the sunrise time in your part of the world, if you want), then choose what you want the Echo to do—some of the options include playing specific sounds, starting a playlist, and reading out the news.

In the Google Home app, head to the Automations tab, then choose + Add to get started. The options match those available on the Echo speakers pretty closely: You can pick a specific time for the routine to start or have it synced with your local sunrise time, and you can pick from a variety of sounds and audio sources to listen to, as well as control connected smart devices (so you can get your smart lights to gradually brighten to give you a more gentle wake up, for example).

If you’re using a HomePod, open the Home app for iOS, head to the Home tab, then tap the + (plus) button up in the top right corner. Choose Add Scene, then Custom, and you’re ready to get started: As on the Amazon and Google speakers, your options include being able to gently turn on smart lights, and broadcasting a specific playlist.

Other smart speaker relaxation ideas

There’s lots more you can get your smart speaker to do to help you wind down for bed—just think about all the different types of audio it can cue up. In addition to putting together a specially prepared playlist, you could also have an audiobook play while you’re drowsy, or perhaps run through an audio meditation session.

Sometimes you’ll be able to do this right on the speaker—as with the Guided Meditations skill for the Amazon Echo—and other times you’ll need to manage the audio on your phone and simply have it stream through your smart speaker (it’ll certainly sound better than it does on your phone), maybe through an app like Headspace or Calm.

You can connect to Echo speakers wirelessly via Bluetooth (just say “Alexa, pair” to get into pairing mode), to Nest speakers via Chromecast (tap the Chromecast button in the app you’re using), and to HomePod speakers via AirPlay (tap the AirPlay logo in Control Center on your iPhone). All the necessary settings, including volume and sleep timers, can then be set on your phone before you drift off.

The post How to use your smart speaker for better sleep appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Evolur Harlow Deluxe Glider Swivel Recliner		SEE IT	Marketed as a nursery chair, this recliner has become very popular with families.
Best design		CHITA Power Recliner		SEE IT	With 10 colorways in two material selections, this recliner offers up superior style.
Best budget		Sweetcrispy Swivel Rocking Recliner		SEE IT	If you need a swivel recliner but don’t want to spend a lot, this is the chair for you.

Swivel recliners all kinds of opportunities. You can relax comfortably in your living room. You can sit behind a desk facing away, then slowly turn towards someone as they enter a room like you’re a super villain. The possibilities are endless. But, you need to choose the right chair for your needs. We’ve selected this list of the best swivel recliners for just about any person and any space.

• Best overall: Evolur Harlow Deluxe Glider Swivel Recliner 
• Best splurge: Hershman Leather Swivel Recliner 
• Best design: CHITA Power Recliner 
• Best value: Abingdon Upholstered Swivel Recliner 
• Best budget: Sweetcrispy Swivel Rocking Recliner 

How we chose the best swivel recliners

Since customers know best, we combined previous research on great recliners for both pleasure and pain relief with a search for the chairs that the customers are not only purchasing but also talking about. We mean four-star and above conversation, leaving the three-star and below recliners for the curb. We also call an audible occasionally, choosing a newer chair that might not be highly reviewed yet but comes from a trusted brand and is full of style. 

The best swivel recliners: Reviews & Recommendations

The best swivel recliners of 2024 have to at least recline and swivel. While there are different methods of reclining, there is no variation in swivel, as that construction generally requires similar parts. These five swiveling recliner chairs will keep you turning around to face your perceived realities until you have to recline out of dizziness.  

Best overall: Evolur Harlow Deluxe Glider Swivel Recliner

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Polyester
• Recline type: Power
• Swivel degree: 275°
• Price: $424

Pros

• Push-button recline
• USB port
• Solid construction

Cons

• Limited swivel
• Design is a bit bland

The Evolur Harlow Deluxe Glider Swivel Recliner comes in a few variations of gray, which can make for a bit of a dull chair. However, that just means it matches with all your other furniture, and you can always just get a chair cover. Regardless, it has the prerequisites of being both a recliner and a swivel chair and has hundreds of positive reviews. 

Features include a power reclining mechanism controlled by a button on the armrest. There’s a built-in USB port to charge up while you’re sitting down and some side pockets. While it doesn’t swivel all the way around, 275 degrees at least eliminates the side eye. Coming in at under $400, the Evolur Harlow Deluxe Glider Swivel Recliner is a best buy if you want to swivel and recline. 

Best splurge: Hershman Leather Swivel Recliner 

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Leather
• Recline type: Manual lever
• Swivel degree: 360°
• Price: $1,069

Pros

• Top grain leather
• Solid wood construction
• Mid-century modern style

Cons

• Expensive
• No charging ports
• Ottoman instead of leg rest

Hershman Leather Swivel Recliner is very much a splurge, but there’s good reason for spending over $1,000 on a swivel recliner. It comes in orange, blue, white, and cream, so it immediately does away with the boring gray found in most chairs. It also focuses on ergonomics, with a manual recline and included ottoman. This is a sitting room chair, or at least one you’ll want to use as a centerpiece in the living room. 

Most importantly, it swivels an entire 360 degrees, so if you entertain a lot of James Bond types and own a hairless cat, this chair is a must-have. But really, it’s the style that counts. Full leather and a mid-century modern look make the Hershman Leather Swivel Recliner an absolute splurge.

Best design: CHITA Power Recliner 

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Faux leather / Fabric
• Recline type: Power glide
• Swivel degree: 270°
• Price: $649

Pros

• Ten color options
• Power glide function
• Extended footrest

Cons

• Not a full swivel
• No swivel lock when reclined

The CHITA Power Recliner has all those nice features you want in a swivel recliner, like lumbar support, USB charging, push-button recline, and rocking. That’s right; this is a swivel-rocking recliner, so you can rock, swivel, and recline. Fun times. But that’s not the main selling point of this recliner. 

Rather, that would be the two material selections in faux leather or fabric, along with 10 different color selections. That means that the CHITA Power Recliner is the perfect chair when you want to recline in accordance with your home design. 

Best value: Abingdon Upholstered Swivel Recliner 

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Polyester blend
• Recline type: Glider
• Swivel degree: 360°
• Price: $266

Pros

• Full recline
• Also a rocker
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Low weight limit
• Kind of small

Another gliding rocker billed as a nursery chair, the Abingdon Upholstered Swivel Recliner will also suffice as a regular recliner. Plus, it’s a rocker as well. You get a full recline, and it’s moderately cheap. It’s not a flashy recliner with a ton of color options or a necessarily big poofy recliner, but it does what it sets out to do. 

And isn’t that the real value of a recliner? Serving as a place to rest your weary bones after a long day of dealing with humanity? And sometimes all you need is a simple chair like the Abingdon Upholstered Swivel Recliner to set your feet up, swivel around to watch TV, and wait for the day to close.

Best budget: Sweetcrispy Swivel Rocking Recliner 

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Linen fabric
• Recline type: Manual
• Swivel degree: 360°
• Price: $443

Pros

• Adjustable recline
• Full 360° swivel
• High backrest

Cons

• A bit narrow
• No electronic functions

The Sweetcrispy Swivel Rocking Recliner comes in at around $200, which should fit nearly any chair-related budget. This is not a complex chair; it sticks to the basics. There are no massage functions, USB charging, automatic recline, or heating, but it does swivel all the way around. This is a chair your kids will spin in until you lose your patience and kick them outdoors.

This is a sturdy little chair, and there’s the only real downside. It’s a bit narrow, so it’s not suited for bigger folk. But it holds its own with an adjustable recline, so you don’t have to live in the black and white of reclining all the way or not at all. The Sweetcrispy Swivel Rocking Recliner is a budget chair for sure, but without being budget quality.

What to consider before buying one of the best swivel recliners

Before you purchase a swivel recliner, you’ll want to hone in on at least three particular points:

Swivel degree

Most swivel recliners have a 270- to 360-degree radius. But that 90 degrees makes a huge difference. Without that last right angle, you won’t be able to turn all the way around. Peripheral swivels are nice and all, but sometimes we want to be able to go the full 360 degrees because it’s super fun.

Material

You’ll want to search for a fabric chair if you are looking for multiple color options outside the beige, gray, and black found in faux leather chairs. Both are easy to clean, as is polyester. Pure leather will be the most expensive and sometimes offers some interesting color choices. And it looks the best. 

Features

Chairs vary in their available features, and it’s rare to find a swivel chair with plug-in features such as massage and heat. However, you’ll find plenty with electronic recline, USB charging, and lumbar support. These common features make each chair more appealing, especially when you can charge your phone while nowhere near an actual outlet.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best swivel recliners

• Best overall: Evolur Harlow Deluxe Glider Swivel Recliner 
• Best budget: Sweetcrispy Swivel Rocking Recliner 
• Best splurge: Hershman Leather Swivel Recliner 
• Best design: CHITA Power Recliner 
• Best value: Abingdon Upholstered Swivel Recliner 

When choosing the best swivel recliner, knowing your swivel degree is important because that’s the most entertaining part about these chairs. We don’t spin because we have to; we spin because we want to. Plus, if we can recline a bit, maybe rock, while doing so, even better. The best swivel recliners make us feel like the world is spinning, but without having to run in a circle. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best swivel recliners for 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Gerber Gear Fire Starter		SEE IT	With added features that can keep you prepared while you’re in the wilderness.
Best for fire pits		GreenSpark Firestarters		SEE IT	If you’re not outdoors, use this fire starter as tinder.
Best budget		ust Sparkie Fire Starter		SEE IT	A cheap innovation that’s also nifty.

You can try holding a lighter to a log and waiting, but a fire starter will make your life much simpler. To build a blaze, you need to start small, then add your larger pieces of wood until you have a large fire. The problem is getting that first spark isn’t easy if you’re working in windy or wet conditions. Matches and lighters are no match for these particular elements. Fire starters, however, make fire building infinitely less frustrating. The best fire starters are portable, easy to use, and handy in all sorts of environmental conditions.

• Best overall: Gerber Gear Fire Starter
• Best ferro rod: Wolf and Grizzly Fire Set
• Best for fire pits: GreenSpark Firestarters
• Best for camping: Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL
• Expert pick: überleben Zünden Fire Starter
• Best budget: ust Sparkie Fire Starter

How we chose the best fire starters

A fire starter can refer to the strikers and rods used to start a fire or the small, flammable objects you can light to encourage your kindling and such to catch flames. We decided to focus on the strikers and rods, with one exception. Our focus is based on “what came first: chicken or the egg” logic: Without a striker and rod fire starter, you cannot use the “small, flammable object” fire starter, especially out in the woods. Additionally, anything can be a “small, flammable object” fire starter technically, from pork rinds and Doritos to a cotton ball. To find the best firestarters, we looked at reviews, recommendations, and conducted heavy research to separate the ones that sparked our interest from those that were a little dim. I’m also a proud former Girl Scout and pride myself on my fire-starting and building abilities.

The best fire starters: Reviews & Recommendations

A fire starter is a handy camping gadget that can do double duty when you’re at home. And, if you have a backyard fire pit, you don’t have to worry about finding a lighter that you can use safely. One of our picks should get your fire going.

Best overall: Gerber Gear Fire Starter

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Ferro rod, steel striker, nylon cord, plastic
• Waterproof?: Yes, IPX4
• Lifespan: N/A
• Size: 8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Price: $25

Pros

• Bonus features
• Portable
• Easy-to-use

Cons

• Lanyard could be better

Maximize your backpack storage with this fire starter—the cargo shorts of camping gear. The ferro rod is compact, and an included handle gives you a great grip. Plus, the material itself is easy to work with. The included steel striker has directions right on it, so you’ll never forget how to use it. Bonus features like built-in storage for tinder and a 100-decibel emergency whistle make this choice stand out from the pack. If you’re thinking, “What about using the lanyard as tinder in case?” you’ll be out of luck. It’s not recommended for that, although some fire starters do have that feature. All in all, it’s a well-designed fire starter we feel comfortable stowing in our glovebox or side pocket. You can also buy it directly from Gerber.

Best ferro rod: Wolf and Grizzly Fire Set

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Ferrocerium, steel, nylon, jute
• Waterproof?: N/A
• Lifespan: Around 20,000
• Size: 3.94 x 0.43 x 0.45 inches
• Price: $23

Pros

• Paracord can be used as tinder
• Packable
• Steel striker can be sharpened for continued use

Cons

• Some reviews say it’s best for experienced outdoorspeople

If you’re looking for a long-lasting fire starter, consider this simple Wolf and Grizzly fire set your dream come true. Its curved steel striker can nestle against the ferro rod to create a compact profile, meaning you don’t have to worry about bulk. If you’re out of tinder, you can use a knife or the striker to access the jute inside the parachord lanyard. Its 20,000-strike lifespan means you’ll pass it on before reaching its expiration date. And, you can resharpen its steel striker like you do with a multitool, meaning it’s less likely to need replacing. Some reviews say it’s best for outdoorsy folk, but others disagree, blaming it on user error. Regardless, you’ll be glad to have this ferro rod with you while camping.

Best for fire pits: GreenSpark Firestarters

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Wood wool, palm wax
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Lifespan: 8-10 minutes in fire
• Size: 1-inch
• Price: $22

Pros

• Compact
• Can use in multiple settings
• Eco-friendly materials

Cons

• Must be dry to light

Here is that exception we were talking about earlier. Based on what you’re lighting, it might feel more comfortable just to use a match or lighter to ignite a fireplace. All those sparks flying create a safety hazard; you don’t want to set off your smoke alarm when you don’t have to. Instead, you’ll need a fire starter that acts as tinder to help your larger pieces of wood catch fire. This eco-friendly fire starter is made from salvaged pine trees and technically never expire. They’re waterproof, but you must ensure they’re dry before lighting. If they do come into contact with water, they take around 10 minutes to be usable. You can also use them in wood stoves, grills, fire pits, and more.

Best for camping: Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: anodized aluminum body, ferrocerium rod, tungsten carbide striker
• Waterproof?: Works when wet
• Lifespan: 3,000 strikes
• Size: ‎3.65 x 0.43 x 0.43 inches
• Price: $32

Pros

• Flammable lanyard
• Small enough to put on keychain
• Very compact

Cons

• Might be too small for large hands

Packing light is no problem with the Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL. This extra small fire starter creates a shower of sparks that supercedes its size. Its included striker screws on, meaning you won’t have to take apart your meticulously packed backpack looking for a single part. It’s also .5 ounces, meaning you can use that extra weight to bring a thicker sleeping pad. The ferro rod is replaceable, and you can use the included lanyard as tinder in emergencies. You can even use it when wet. Whether in your pack or emergency kit, the Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL will perform in all kinds of conditions. If you have large hands, it may be a little cumbersome to use.

Expert pick: überleben Zünden Fire Starter

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Natural wood, ferrocenium
• Waterproof?: Works when wet
• Lifespan: 12,000-15,000 depending on length
• Size: ‎4.8 x 0.66 x 0.95 inches or ‎7.24 x 2.32 x 1.06 inches
• Price: $16

Pros

• Comes in different lengths
• Reliable and durable
• Works when wet

Cons

• Reviews note rod separating from the handle

“Last year, a Canadian friend recommended the überleben range of ferro rods and firestarters to me, and they have been worth every penny,” says Richard Prideaux, lead instructor for Original Outdoors, a UK-based outdoor skills training provider. “I carry an überleben Zünden with me on courses and trips where lighting a fire with natural materials is either likely or maybe necessary. They produce a good shower of sparks and have a good length/diameter ratio, and it hasn’t let me down yet.”

This ferro rod also comes in different thicknesses, which helps if you’re green behind the ears when it comes to using a ferro rod and striker.

“A beginner should look for reliability and ease of use in a fire starter,” he says. “If you are going to go somewhere that lighting a fire will become a safety issue then you should be focusing on equipment that will give you that fire reliably and repeatedly in a short space of time. A wider ferro rod will often give a better shower of sparks and be easier to use, but there will be a weight penalty, and some users may find it awkward to hold. A dedicated striker attachment is good to have as it means you can use the ferro rod without requiring additional equipment.”

Best budget: ust Sparkie Fire Starter

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Flint, plastic
• Waterproof?: Works in wet conditions
• Lifespan: More than 100 strikes
• Size: 6 x 5 x 2 inches
• Price: $11

Pros

• Works in adverse weather conditions
• Can use one-handed
• Lightweight

Cons

• Not the most long-lasting fire starter

Lighting a fire doesn’t get much easier or cheaper than this, folks. You can operate the ust Sparkie with one hand. Simply press a button to expose the flint bar and press down toward your tinder. Bam! That’s it! All for around $10! However, it only lasts for around 100 sparks. If you have some extra change to spend and love the Sparkie concept—or you’re a more experienced camper—consider upgrading to the BlastMatch, its beefier older sibling, which lasts for 4,000 strikes. This is a flint-based fire starter, so you also won’t get as much longevity compared to a ferro rod.

What to consider when buying the best fire starters

Fire starters are not a one-size-fits-all object. They have a common goal of helping tinder catch aflame, but you might be better off with one over another based on features. Some are better for casual, indoor use, while others are more ruff and rugged. Here’s how to separate the duds and phonies from the fabulous fire starters:

Types of fire starters

There are three main types of fire starters: Flint and steel, Ferrocerium rods (ferro rods), and magnesium bars.

The flint and steel combo is the tryest and true-est of all the fire starter options. The “flint” can be any hard, sedimentary rock like quartz and chert. The steel striker is heat-treated. You can even use any metal that has a high amount of carbon in it, like old rake teeth and garage door springs. When the striker comes in contact with the flint, tiny particles released from the metal oxidize and ignite when exposed to oxygen. Sparks from flint and steel can be dull, but this fire starter is the easiest to find. You’ll get the best results if you use it with char cloth.

Ferrocerium rods, or ferro rods, produce incredibly hot sparks and make quick work of lighting dry tinder. If you don’t have a striker on hand, you can use the back of a knife. Ferro rods are less uniform compared to flint and steel. They’re made with different metals—particularly cerium, lanthanum, and iron—and the percent of each affects its performance. A softer ferro rod doesn’t have a long shelf life, but it’s easier to use and produces more sparks. When using a ferro rod, any dry, highly flammable material, like birch bark, cotton, and tiny sticks, makes for excellent tinder.

Magnesium bars come with a ferro rod attached to the top. You shave off parts of the magnesium bar onto the nearby tinder pile, which will ignite when it comes into contact with a spark from the ferro rod. It takes a large amount of magnesium to create a flame that lasts long enough to light nearby tinder, so we recommend just sticking with a ferro rod. Outdoor skills trainer Richard Prideaux says he uses a ferro rod over flint and steel in “99.5 percent of situations.”

“A ferro rod is easier to use, lighter, smaller, and produces a more consistent shower of sparks at a higher temperature,” he says.

Activity

If you’re car camping, van lifing, or just hanging out in a camper or RV, you can get away with a heavier fire starter, since pack weight isn’t a concern. However, backpackers will want to choose something light, like the Exacto nanoStriker. Extra ounces add up to pounds, which is more weight to bear on the hike. This is important, especially if your hike is over days, not hours.

If you’re looking for something to help light your fireplace or grill, the world is your smoked oyster. Like the car camping/RV/camper camp, you can simply bring out what you want to use. You can also use a utility lighter—something those camping, unfortunately, don’t have the luxury to bring along.

Ease of use

As Prideaux mentioned in our expert pick, user-friendliness is important. Some fire starters, like the ust Sparkie, only need a downward push to create sparks. Flint and steel and ferro rods require a bit more finesse, although the former is more difficult to use than the latter. If you’re a beginner, consider a wide ferro rod, the Sparkie, or even an electric lighter. If you’re well-versed in the language of the outdoors, you can forage for your own flint … or you can just buy one that’s more technical (e.g., a compact fire starter built for backpacking).

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best fire starters

• Best overall: Gerber Gear Fire Starter
• Best ferro rod: Wolf and Grizzly Fire Set
• Best for fire pits: GreenSpark Firestarters
• Best for camping: Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL
• Expert pick: überleben Zünden Fire Starter
• Best budget: ust Sparkie Fire Starter

A fire starter isn’t a one-trick pony. You can use it on camping trips, in your own backyard, and even in your own home if your butane lighter is nowhere to be found. Plus, they can be a perfect addition to your emergency kit. They’re built to last and are generally inexpensive. Don’t wait until the moment you need one to click “add to cart.”

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best fire starters for camping and fire pits, according to experts appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The Danish government is sending a message on PFAS, a class of artificial substances known as “forever chemicals,” as they don’t break down easily in nature.

[ Related: 2 ways of knowing if there are PFAS in your drinking water ]

Denmark’s Ministry of the Environment said it plans to ban all clothes, shoes, and waterproofing agents that contain Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, citing myriad health risks linked to the oil, water, and stain repellents. Developed in the 1930s, PFAS became widely used in the ‘50s, appearing in everything from cars and carpets to food packaging and beauty products. Studies have linked PFAS to reproductive health problems, child developmental delays, cancers, and high cholesterol, per the EPA.

Denmark intends for its PFAS clothing ban to kick in on July 1, 2026, in order to offer businesses a “transition period,” the environmental regulator said in an April 25 announcement. The ban will encompass both imported and Danish-made clothing, but it won’t affect “professional” or “safety clothing.” Denmark had already banned PFAS in food packaging as of 2020.

“The proposal for a ban will be subject to consultation,” the Ministry said in a statement. “It will be possible for companies to register if there are special challenges that must be taken into account.”

PFAS’ are specifically common in clothing labeled as water- and stain-resistant, such as rain jackets and athletic wear. A 2022 report, from environmental advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, estimated that 72% of products with such labels contain PFAS. The same year, a study by the non-profit American Chemical Society found significant concentrations of the chemicals in childrens’ school uniforms, CBS reported.

Still commonly used globally, the chemicals persist in the environment, accumulating across the food chain. They are found today in fish, cattle, vegetables, and drinking water. 

[ Related: 8 new types of ‘forever chemicals’ found in river linked to US cancer cluster ]

In the US, the agency banned some PFAS from food packaging and introduced new PFAS-related tap water regulations earlier this month. At the time, the EPA said that limiting exposure would “prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of serious illnesses, including certain cancers and liver and heart impacts in adults, and immune and developmental impacts to infants and children.” 

The EPA’s website states that “research is still ongoing to determine how different levels of exposure to different PFAS can lead to a variety of health effects.”

Other nations have moved to outlaw the chemicals. New Zealand will ban them from use in cosmetics as of 2026, and five European countries—Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden—introduced a proposal last year to eventually restrict the use of PFAS across the European Union.

The post Denmark will ban clothing with ‘forever chemicals’ appeared first on Popular Science.

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Boston Dynamics may have relocated the bipedal Atlas to a nice farm upstate, but the company continues to let everyone know its four-legged line of Spot robots have a lot of life left in them. And after years of obvious dog-bot comparisons, Spot’s makers finally went ahead and commissioned a full cartoon canine getup for its latest video showcase. Sparkles is here and like its fellow Boston Dynamics family, it’s perfectly capable of cutting a rug.

Unlike, say, a mini Spot programmed to aid disaster zone search-and-rescue efforts or explore difficult-to-reach areas in nuclear reactors, Sparkles appears designed purely to offer viewers some levity. According to Boston Dynamics, the shimmering, blue, Muppet-like covering is a “custom costume designed just for Spot to explore the intersections of robotics, art, and entertainment” in honor of International Dance Day. In the brief clip, Sparkles can be seen performing a routine alongside a more standardized mini Spot, sans any extra attire.

But Spot bots such as this duo aren’t always programmed to dance for humanity’s applause—their intricate movements highlight the complex software built to take advantage of the machine’s overall maneuverability, balance, and precision. In this case, Sparkles and its partner were trained using Choreographer, a dance-dedicated system made available by Boston Dynamics with entertainment and media industry customers in mind.

[Related: RIP Atlas, the world’s beefiest humanoid robot.]

With Choreographer, Spot owners don’t need a degree in robotics or engineering to get their machines to move in rhythm. Instead, they are able to select from “high-level instruction” options instead of needing to key in specific joint angle and torque parameters. Even if one of Boston Dynamics robots running Choreographer can’t quite pull off a user’s routine, it is coded to approximate the request as best as possible.

“If asked to do something physically impossible, or if faced with an environmental challenge like a slippery floor, Spot will find the possible motion most similar to what was requested and do that instead—analogously to what a human dancer would do,” the company explains.

Choreographer is behind some of Boston Dynamics’ most popular demo showcases, including those BTS dance-off and the “Uptown Funk” videos. It’s nice to see the robots’ moves are consistently improving—but maybe nice still is that it’s at least one more time people don’t need to think about a gun-toting dog bot. Or even what’s in store for humanity after that two-legged successor to Atlas finally hits the market.

The post Boston Dynamics gives Spot bot a furry makeover appeared first on Popular Science.

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Toyota’s trusty Camry sedan has been around for more than two decades. Once a compact, boxy car, the Camry has become a predictable mainstay in America, a beloved four-door fit for everything from transporting clients to hauling families all over town. The humble Camry isn’t ready to lie down and play dead any time soon, either. In fact, it has a few new tricks up its… exhaust pipe, if you will.

Now sold exclusively as a hybrid for its ninth generation, the 2025 Camry is equipped with a steady 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine. Paired with a permanent magnet synchronous motor for a combined 225 horsepower with front-wheel drive and 232 horsepower with on-demand all-wheel drive, this Camry starts off with the most standard power in its history. 

This isn’t Toyota’s first time selling the Camry as a hybrid, but this is the first time that it’s on the market without a non-hybrid option. In a world that seems to have gone gaga for EVs, this hybrid can achieve up to 51 miles per gallon, which is a respectfully efficient option. All starting at $28,400, which is more than $400 less than the outgoing Camry Hybrid base model.

Retuned suspension 

The Camry has been a best-selling car in the U.S. for many years already, so updating it for 2025 required some finesse. Toyota engineers thirsted for ride improvements but they didn’t want to alienate its current fan base, says chief engineer for the Camry Mark DeJongh.

“We weren’t hearing anything negative about the current Camry, but it was our passion to make it better,” explains DeJongh. “We wanted to push the handling a little more because I knew we could, but without affecting ride comfort.” 

Toyota once again opted for a MacPherson strut up front, which uses a coil spring wrapped around a tubular shock absorber. The strut tower is mounted to the frame, which provides an upper anchor point, negating the need for an upper control arm; that’s important because there’s not as much room as there is in the back half of the car due to the placement of the engine. 

In the rear, the Camry is equipped with a multi-link suspension that allows for a lively ride while keeping the car steady. This suspension unit controls the front-to-back and side-to-side movements of the car, providing the sedan with a compliant ride that doesn’t veer into sterile territory. The entire suspension system got a makeover for 2025 with precise tuning by the engineering team.  

“The shocks and springs are what primarily allows the tires and wheels to move up and down to keep you comfortable on the road,” DeJongh says. “We tuned the spring rate, and then we tuned the absorber [shocks] for damping force.” 

Set a little lower and wider in the rear than in the previous generation, the 2025 Camry’s multi-link suspension includes a longer arm that allows for better dynamics, DeJongh explains. As a result, the car will feel natural and predictable. 

“The car should be doing what you want and expect it to,” he says. “It’s a Camry. You don’t want to be surprised.”

This Camry also includes a new electrical platform. Between that and software development, DeJongh estimates that about half of the engineering team’s time was spent on the software and electrical platform versus the mechanical elements. 

“Software in the future is going to completely take over,” he predicts.

Brakes and buttons

Toyota Vehicle Marketing and Communications Senior Analyst Chad Deschenes adds that one unsung enhancement to the 2025 Camry is the interior button layout. For many vehicles sold in the U.S. the interior integrates a button template that may leave “dummy plug buttons” where a feature might be included in a higher trim. For instance, if a customer chooses a base model there might be a blank space where an upgrade might feature a heated seat button. 

“The interior team spent a lot of time making sure that customers don’t have dummy buttons,” Deschenes says. “Your friends and family won’t ever see a dead button.”

When he was first assigned to the new Camry, DeJongh says, he knew the team could improve the steering response, wind noise, noise and vibration, and ride comfort. And he’s especially proud of the work they’ve done on the brakes and the steering. 

“Honestly, I think the brakes are one of the things we have done; you don’t even feel the regeneration,” he says. “In past hybrid generations, you could sometimes feel when the regen kicked in when braking. With this model, we have completely eliminated that.”

One of the improvements to the braking setup is a new booster system with an extra pump and software tuning. The brake booster plays a critical role in amplifying the force applied to the brake pedal by your foot. Toyota’s parts department explains that this system works by utilizing hydraulic pressure, stored in the accumulator, to assist the brake system when the pedal is engaged.

DeJongh says during development, he was eager to test the wind noise improvements and wanted to drive it. The first time he got behind the wheel, the team wasn’t finished tuning the suspension or the engine, but he could feel the difference, he says. And he expects it to continue getting better. 

“I’ve told the engineers that it’s better than it should be. It’s beyond where I thought we could take it,” he says. 

The post The 2025 Toyota Camry is hybrid-only and it’s more powerful than ever appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0		SEE IT	It’s simple to light, easy to store, and eradicates smoke.
Best large		Tiki Fire Pit		SEE IT	Gather up to 10 people around this ample fire pit for superior s’mores.
Best for patios		BioLite Fire Pit+		SEE IT	The mesh sides offer a unique view of the flames inside and nice radiant heat.

Smokeless fire pits solve an age-old problem: No matter where you sit around the camp fire, smoke always seems to blow in your face. The solution? Get rid of the smoke completely. These metal containers are built to control the flame and make it easy to start and finish. Not only do they make firing up easier, but they can also add a touch of class or a bit of flash to your patio, camp area, or backyard. A solid fire pit can turn a boring patio or backyard into a great place to spend an evening. Consider this your burn book, a list of the best smokeless fire pits.

• Best overall: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
• Best for patios: BioLite Fire Pit+
• Best large: Tiki Fire Pit
• Best stainless steel: Breeo X Series 24
• Best portable: Solo Stove Ranger 2.0
• Best budget: Inno Stage Smokeless Fire Pit
• Best under $100: Blue Sky Outdoor Living Ridge

How we chose the best smokeless fire pits

We started with a list of more than 30 models from hands-on testing and critical consensus before narrowing our options to the best we could find. The four main factors we considered were ease and effectiveness of use, aesthetics, value for price, and unique features. Our list represents our top choices, a couple for those who aren’t looking to spend as much money, and some situation-specific choices. During our tests, we burned a variety of different woods and burned under various weather conditions.

After all, everyone’s needs when it comes to a fire pit are different, and it’s important to consider how and where you plan to use your fire pit before you buy it. The “best” is not always the “best for you.” Our list should help you avoid getting more fire pit than you really need, as every one of our picks is recommended.

The best smokeless fire pits: Reviews & Recommendations

Smokeless fire pits contain and elevate fires. Their design allows air to flow in such a way that it minimizes (and in some cases fully eliminates) smoke. There are different looks and focuses among our choices, so line up your desires as best you can with our recommendations.

Best overall: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0

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Specs

• Weight: 28.25 lbs
• Height: 18.5 in
• Material: Stainless steel
• Structure: Single-piece construction
• Price: $249

Pros

• Excellent single-piece construction
• Well-controlled fires with efficient burn
• Light for the size and quality
• Attractive, simple silhouette
• Excellent smoke reduction

Cons

• The aesthetic doesn’t necessarily fit with some more casual backyards
• Outside gets very hot

It’s no secret that we think the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 is excellent. In fact, we think it’s the best choice on the market for a smokeless fire pit. The first point for the Solo Stove Bonfire is performance. It heats up quickly and burns efficiently with a stunningly small amount of smoke. The aesthetic is particular: It’s not quite industrial, but it does have a shiny, smooth finish that doesn’t scream “tiki bar” or “family gathering” like some other models, and it’s not uniquely edgy in its stylings. It may not help bring certain patio looks together, but it also doesn’t stand out or bring attention to itself. The look is very “elevated comfort food outdoor cafe.”

Among the mid-sized models we recommend, the Bonfire 2.0 is one of the more portable (though look further down for the real portable star). Twenty-eight pounds is quite light for this category, and while the Bonfire 2.0 doesn’t collapse or disassemble to make it easier to transport, you can use a cloth carrying card to make things a bit easier for a beach trip or some light camping. Wood pellets are best in the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0—that’s true of most circular-basin fire pits—but small firewood also works extremely well. The interior volume of the pit isn’t particularly large, but the burn is so efficient and controlled that the fires tend to outperform the amount of fuel.

The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 comes at a semi-premium price, but its durable construction guarantees its long-term value. Unless your fire pit needs are particularly portable or particularly large, this is the one to get, the best overall smokeless fire pit.

Best for patios: BioLite Fire Pit+

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Specs

• Weight: 19.8 lbs
• Height: 15.8 in
• Material: Stainless steel
• Structure: Two-piece self-assembly with foldable legs
• Price: $249

Pros

• Bluetooth-enabled, battery-powered fan keeps fires going
• Cool, see-through design
• Foldable legs make storage easier
• Battery is USB rechargeable
• App allows control of the flame size
• Sized for commercial firewood logs

Cons

• Foldable legs aren’t particularly durable
• The aesthetic is specific enough to not be everyone’s cup of tea
• Rectangular design requires a more specific space arrangement than circular models

The BioLite Fire Pit+ is one of the most unique-looking fire pits on the market, with some interesting tech features. It’s an excellent overall fire pit and a contender for best overall, but it landed in best-for-patio because of its big, open flame, cool look, and innovations. The smoke elimination is not quite as good as a few other models, but it makes up for that.

Let’s look at those innovations first. One of its chief innovations is mesh side panels that allow more heat to radiate out and make the fire easy to observe. This does require a bit more work maintaining the Fire Pit+, but it is worth it for the cool view and unique shadows that are interesting and calming when sitting around the fire pit. Another great feature that really contributes to the comfort at a backyard gathering, and is absent on any other model, is the Bluetooth-enabled, app-controlled, battery-powered fan which controls airflow and can make the flames in the Fire Pit+ larger or small at will. This is simply something that isn’t seen elsewhere and really sets the Fire Pit+ apart. The battery pack, which is removable and charged via USB, gives the Fire Pit+ a retro-futuristic look, but it can be easily hidden on the least-seen side in a patio set-up if needed.

The biggest mark against the Fire Pit+ is the double-edged sword that is its legs. The foldable legs make moving and storing the Fire Pit+ much easier than some other models, but they’re also a bit less strong and stable than the circular or thicker-legged bases that competitors have. This means you can’t overfill the Fire Pit+ with firewood (it can fit standard commercial logs). That’s good advice in general with a fire pit, but particularly vital advice for the Fire Pit+.

The Fire Pit+ offers a unique look, unique control, and an overall very good performance, making it the best patio smokeless fire pit among our recommended ones, and a great complement to patio heaters.

Best large: Tiki Fire Pit

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Specs

• Weight: 45 lbs
• Height: 18.75 in
• Material: Stainless steel
• Structure: Single-piece construction
• Price: $295

Pros

• Extremely durable
• Nice, classic design
• Lots of space for fuel inside
• Perfect size for a larger patio

Cons

• Heavy
• Works better with wood pellets which can be more expensive than firewood
• Not intended to be portable; you can’t easily take it to the beach or camping

Most fire pits on this list are great for four-to-six people. The Tiki Fire Pit is much larger and is a better choice if your patio seating is couches and lounges for 8-10 rather than chairs. Additionally, the Tiki Fire Pit has a classic Tiki design, which may be just what you’re looking for in your backyard paradise.

The benefits of the Tiki Fire Pit’s size are the amount of fuel it can use and the length of burn your fire is going to get. Stronger, longer fires mean less time spent tending the flames during your evening get-togethers. Smoke elimination is very good thanks to the airflow design, and the small, strong legs lift the pit enough for performance while not detracting from the pleasing, rounded throwback style. 

The drawback is this fire pit is really not meant for moving around. Forty-five pounds is a lot, and it is large, meaning you will most likely need two people and plenty of space in a truck or van if you want to take this party starter to the beach. Honestly, the Tiki Fire Pit is much better served finding a permanent home on your patio. However, with that heft comes a lot of durability, so the included weather-resistant cover is probably enough to protect your fire pit outside of an extreme situation. 

If your lifestyle means bigger is better, the Tike Fire Pit is probably the better choice among our recommendations, making it the best large smokeless fire pit as far as we’re concerned.

Best stainless steel: Breeo X Series 24

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Specs

• Weight: 62 lbs
• Height: 14.75 in
• Material: Corten steel (also available in stainless steel)
• Structure: Single-piece construction
• Price: $599

Pros

• Extremely strong and durable
• Sleek look that blends in well with a lot of decor
• Excellent fire control and smoke elimination

Cons

• Expensive
• Extremely heavy

If construction and materials really matter to you, and you want a fire pit that might become an heirloom to pass down to your children, break out the wallet for the Breeo X Series 24. This beautiful, sturdy, heavy, and durable fire pit is not one to travel; the 62 pounds of metal means it doesn’t want to go to the beach or a campground. However, at home you’re not going to get a longer-lasting, better-put-together fire pit.

The “24” in Breeo X Series 24 refers to the diameter of the fire pit’s interior—a considerable amount of space, larger even than the interior of the Tiki Fire Pit. There are 19-inch and even larger models as well. The legs of the Breeo X Series 24 are built-in and incredibly stable. The interior wall sucks up air and creates a wonderful, even secondary flame that shoots out the small holes just below the top of the rim. Visually, the Breeo X Series makes one of the nicest flames on the market.

The price tag is almost as heavy as the pit itself. The Breeo X Series is a premium product at a premium price—two or three times more than a lot of our other recommended models. If you have the means to splurge and believe in buying a product that will last a lifetime, the value is there, even if the initial cost is high.

Big, bold, and built to last, the Breeo X Series 24 is a beast and a beauty in one. For that reason, it’s the best corten steel smokeless fire pit we can recommend.

Best portable: Solo Stove Ranger 2.0

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Specs

• Weight: 15 lbs
• Height: 15 in
• Material: stainless steel
• Structure: single-piece construction
• Price: $199

Pros

• Lightweight and compact
• Good flame control and smoke elimination
• Includes a carrying case
• Sleek and strong design

Cons

• Portable but not collapsible; still need a vehicle to transport longer distances
• Grilling requires additional accessories for best results

If you want a multi-purpose fire pit, portability is really important. We know it ourselves, so we have a guide if this category is the one you are exclusively considering. For those looking at a wider range of options, the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 is the little sibling of our best overall smokeless fire pit and the best portable smokeless fire pit on the market. Smaller, lighter, and more portable—but no less efficient—the Ranger is a much easier carry than the Bonfire without sacrificing any of the quality.

The Ranger really sings when you add in grilling accessories. The Solo Stove product line’s design gives you a simple, flat top that placing any flat wire grill means producing nice results (though you’ll want to very carefully clean the inside of your fire pit later, as food can create some sticky burnt messes). Some official grilling accessories are available, as well as skewers for s’mores or hot dogs if you look at Solo Stove’s offerings. (However, we recommend a dedicated grill if you’re into cookouts more than casual entertaining.)

For a portable model, the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 isn’t particularly light. It’s not meant for trekking but more drive-to-the-national-park-or-beach style portable use. The included carrying case is probably enough for inside storage, but outside storage will need a thicker, more protective case (which is also available to purchase).

If you’re planning to head out with your fire pit a lot, we can heartily recommend the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 as the best portable smokeless fire pit on the market.

Best budget: Inno Stage Smokeless Fire Pit

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Specs

• Weight: 33 pounds
• Height: 18 in
• Material: Stainless steel
• Structure: Two-piece construction
• Price: $152