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Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 27, 2026 Carrier meaning

A person, company or thing that transports or transmits something from one place to another.

Network meaning

A system of interconnected parts, people or devices that communicate and work together.

Operator meaning

A person who runs a machine.

Provider meaning

A person, company or organization that supplies a product or service.

Bronze meaning

A man-made metal alloy comprised of tin, copper and other elements.

Clay meaning

A heavy, sticky type of natural earth that is soft and moldable when wet.

Marble meaning

A hard, smooth metamorphic rock formed from limestone.

Plaster meaning

A wet building paste that dries into a hard, smooth surface.

Banquette meaning

A long, upholstered bench that's built into a wall or custom-fitted to a specific space.

Booth meaning

A small enclosed space, temporary stand or private seating area.

Chair meaning

A piece of furniture made for one person to sit on, featuring a backrest and four legs.

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Stool meaning

A simple, backless seat or footrest.

BBQing meaning

A slow-cooking method that uses low, indirect heat and wood smoke to tenderize meat.

Homing meaning

The ability of to navigate, return, or guide oneself accurately toward a home location.

Lohan meaning

A traditional Irish last name, meaning "light."

Wu-Tang meaning

An iconic New York rap group.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a foodie.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 27, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: A work of art

• Green: Dining out

• Blue: Tech system

• Purple: World rulers

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Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Sculpture media

• Green: Restaurant seating options

• Blue: Telecom

• Purple: Ending in Chinese dynasties

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1203 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Sculpture media: BRONZE, CLAY, MARBLE, PLASTER

• Restaurant seating options: BANQUETTE, BOOTH, CHAIR, STOOL

• Telecom: CARRIER, NETWORK, OPERATOR, PROVIDER

• Ending in Chinese dynasties: BBQING, HOMING, LOHAN, WU-TANG

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're forever young.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 27, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's skin deep

The words are related to skin.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe skin products.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Beauty Care

NYT Strands word list for September 27

• Sunscreen

• Beauty Care

• Serum

• Toner

• Cleanser

• Moisturizer

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to set sail.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 27, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 27, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A boat with only one mast.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

Yes, the letter O appears twice.

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Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SLOOP

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

TL;DR: Improve your cybersecurity with just a few taps with this threre-year subscription to Surfshark VPN Starter Plan, on sale now for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SAVE20 until Sept. 30.

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Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Connections.

Kalshi lost another round Friday in its fight over whether states can treat prediction markets as gambling. A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled that Ohio and Tennessee can apply their gambling laws to Kalshi's event contracts, Reuters reported.

Kalshi's central argument is that its sports contracts are "swaps," financial products that fall under the CFTC's exclusive oversight rather than state gambling rules. The court rejected that.

SEE ALSO: Polymarket and Kalshi face possible regulation as Supreme Court 'monitors the situation'

Writing for the panel, Circuit Judge Julia Smith Gibbons said swaps generally refer to financial instruments used to hedge risk, not gaming-related contracts. She added that regulating gambling is a core part of a state's police power, and that the federal Commodity Exchange Act does not override Ohio's or Tennessee's gambling laws, according to Reuters.

Gibbons also questioned how betting on the number of corner kicks in a soccer match, or on a long-shot parlay, serves the federal law's goal of helping people manage financial risk.

The ruling overturned a preliminary injunction that had barred Tennessee from enforcing its gambling laws against Kalshi. It also upheld a lower court's refusal to grant Kalshi a similar injunction in Ohio. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti called the decision a "great win" for the state. Kalshi said it expects the ruling to be overturned.

The unanimous decision deepens a split among federal appeals courts over who gets to regulate the fast-growing industry: individual states or the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). A split among appeals courts often makes Supreme Court review more likely, but there's no guarantee.

SCOTUS receives thousands of petitions a year and agrees to hear very few. Similar cases are pending in Connecticut, New York, Arizona, Minnesota, and other states.

What do you want for Christmas? If your answer sounded anything like, "to get spooked by a new Robert Eggers film," you're in luck! The director's new film Werwulf hits theaters this December, and based on the latest trailer, it's going to be an unnerving ride.

Co-written by Eggers (Nosferatu) and his The Northman collaborator Sjón, Werwulf transports viewers to a village in 13th-century England that's been weathering mysterious attacks from a great beast.

Little do the villagers know that the beast may lurk among them, disguised in human form. That beast is none other than a local farmer (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who's been cursed with a horrifying case of lycanthropy. In the trailer above, a disembodied voice commands the farmer to "feed upon the flesh of mankind, and I will give thee back thy soul," suggesting that the werewolf's attacks are a twist form of self-preservation.

The farmer's time may soon be up, as a skilled hunter (Willem Dafoe) soon turns up in the village to exterminate the wolf. While the farmer's wife (Lily-Rose Depp) insists that her husband is a good man, will that be enough to save him?

Check out the full trailer above to get a frightening preview of what's to come, and feast your eyes on Eggers' trademark attention to period details. Just don't expect any footage of Taylor-Johnson in his wolf form. Some things might just have to wait until release.

Werwulf hits theaters Dec. 25.

September's Full Moon is almost here, and it's a special one. Known as the Harvest Moon, it's the Full Moon closest to the September equinox, which marks the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, the equinox fell on September 22, with the Harvest Moon following just a few days later.

Want to know more about September's Full Moon? Keep reading to find out when to see it and why it has this name.

When is the September full moon?

The Full Moon will occur on Saturday, Sept. 26 Time and Date estimates it will peak at 12:49 p.m. ET.

What is the September full moon called?

Every Full Moon has a name, and sometimes it has more than one. September's Full Moon is known as the Harvest Moon, a name that's tied to the timing of the Full Moon rather than a particular plant or animal.

The Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the September equinox, which falls around the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, September's Full Moon comes just a few days after the equinox. September's Full Moon is also known as the Corn Moon, a name linked to the time of year when crops are gathered, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.

When is the next full moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on Oct. 25 or 26, depending on where you are in the world.

What are the lunar phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout its orbit around Earth as different amounts of its sunlit side become visible to us. This repeating cycle takes about 29.5 days and is divided into eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, its illuminated portion appears to grow and shrink as the Moon moves around our planet. The eight phases are:

• New Moon — The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (so, we don't see anything).

• Waxing Crescent — A small sliver of light appears on the right side

• First Quarter — Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

• Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

• Full Moon — The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

• Waning Gibbous — The moon starts losing light on the right side

• Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) — Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

• Waning Crescent — A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

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This week, Marvel re-released Avengers: Endgame in theaters as Avengers: Endgame Encore, complete with four new scenes to get audiences ready for Avengers: Doomsday.

If you don't have the time to catch Avengers: Endgame Encore but want to make sure you're all caught up before Marvel's next massive crossover event, we've got you covered. From Loki's (Tom Hiddleston) return to more teases of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, here's what you need to know about Avengers: Endgame Encore's extra scenes.

Loki crashes Steve and Peggy's romantic dance.

Avengers: Endgame Encore is basically the same as the original Avengers: Endgame, with all the new scenes tacked on at the end. That starts with Endgame's original, well, endgame, which saw Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) sharing a sweet dance in the past.

In Avengers: Endgame Encore, the scene continues with a knock on the door. The unexpected guest turns out to be none other than Loki, spiffy as always in his Time Variance Authority (TVA) uniform. He offers Steve and Peggy his help, although the movie cuts to the credits before we can find out what that help entails — or why the pair even needs help in the first place. (Perhaps it has something to do with their child, revealed in an early Doomsday teaser.)

By the end of Loki Season 2, the trickster god wound up sitting on the multiversal throne, holding the entire multiverse together. Avengers: Endgame Encore is unclear about whether his visit to Steve and Peggy is him leaving his throne or an earlier mission from Loki's first two seasons.

Bruce Banner meets Doctor Doom.

From there, Avengers: Endgame Encore rolls into a series of new scenes that play during the credits. It wouldn't be a Marvel movie without them, right?

First up is a sequence involving Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), last seen in this summer's Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In that film, Jean Grey's (Sadie Sink) mind control prompted Bruce to Hulk out in a major way. Since then, he's been isolated in a facility two miles underground. According to a video diary he records, he's working on a new suppression serum. However, the video diary begins glitching when Doctor Doom breaks in. Runes begin popping up onscreen, the same ones that can be spotted on Doctor Doom's armor in other trailers.

Doctor Doom tells Bruce he's "here to collect you," and the last thing we hear from Bruce is the roar of the Hulk. Between that and some ominous green runes on the floor, it's not looking good for Bruce. Ruffalo was not on the main cast list for Doomsday, so this scene might explain his absence, or hint at him being under Doctor Doom's control down the line.

The TVA learns the multiverse is collapsing.

The next end-credits scene zips over to TVA headquarters, where characters like Mobius (Owen Wilson), Ouroboros (Ke Huy Quan), and Casey (Eugene Cordero) monitor some frightening incursions. What at first appears to be the collision of two alternate Earths soon devolves into the collision of thousands of universes.

"The multiverse is collapsing," Ouroboros says.

Isn't it always? Yet this sequence could explain why the Fantastic Four's universe, Fox's X-Men's universe, and the MCU's main universe all collide in Doomsday.

Doctor Doom forges his mask.

At the very, very end of Avengers: Endgame Encore's credits, you'll find one last teaser for Doomsday. This one starts in a familiar way: with the sound of a hammer striking metal. It's the same sound that closed out Avengers: Endgame's original release, a nod to Tony Stark (Downey Jr) forging his first suit of armor. In Avengers: Endgame Encore, the sound gets a whole new context. In quick flashes, we see Doctor Doom forge his mask and put it on.

The scene is a clever nod to Downey Jr.'s dual casting, suggesting that Victor Von Doom may have had a trajectory parallel to Tony Stark's. Did he, like Tony, make that mask in a cave? With a box of scraps? We'll have to wait until December to find out, but until then, these scenes have given us quite a bit to puzzle over.

Avengers: Endgame Encore is now in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters Dec. 18.

Internet Explorer's last foothold on modern Windows now has an expiration date.

Microsoft is reminding IT administrators that Internet Explorer mode in its Edge browser, the only remaining way to run IE's rendering engine on current versions of Windows, will be supported through at least the end of 2029, according to gHacks Tech News. The notice, posted in the Microsoft 365 admin center under message ID MC1473151, tells organizations that still depend on IE-only applications to start planning their migrations now.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft's new Surface laptops get rid of Copilot+ PC branding

According to gHacks, the company has committed to announcing an end-of-support date at least a year before it takes effect. The early warning is to give admins time to rebuild or replace internal software, which can take years.

For context, IE mode is a compatibility feature inside Edge. Edge is built on Google's open-source Chromium engine, but IE mode lets it load pages with Trident, the older engine that powered Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft first flagged the mode's eventual retirement in 2021, according to gHacks.

Organizations with no IE dependencies don't need to take any action. For companies that still depend on it, Microsoft's guidance is to identify what depends on IE mode and update or replace it.

The notice is the latest step in a long wind-down. Microsoft officially retired the standalone Internet Explorer 11 browser in June 2022, 26 years after the browser shipped with early versions of Windows. At that point, Microsoft began steering anyone who tried to open IE toward Edge. Most users had already left. By the time of its retirement, IE held less than 1 percent of the browser market, according to StatCounter data at the time.

Musk, Alex Gibney's four-hour documentary about Elon Musk, hits theaters in two weeks and received rave reviews out of its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Yet distributor Bleecker Street can't buy ads on major social media platforms in order to promote it.

SEE ALSO: 'Musk' documentary trailer is finally here

According to The Hollywood Reporter, YouTube, TikTok, and Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, have all refused to run the trailer for Musk. The same goes for X, which is owned by Musk and which reportedly won't accept advertising for Bleecker Street's other upcoming releases.

YouTube, TikTok, and Meta told Bleecker Street representatives that they rejected the trailer because of "political content." TikTok and Meta do not allow paid political and campaign ads, with Meta's rules stemming from the Cambridge Analytica scandal. YouTube does, with ads requiring "paid for" disclosures. The Musk trailer contains references to the 2024 election, but it is not itself a political campaign.

Bleecker Street has appealed YouTube, TikTok, and Meta's decision. While YouTube and TikTok are still mulling over the request, Meta has rejected it outright.

This isn't the first bump in the road for Musk. Universal Pictures, which is distributing the film internationally, reportedly got cold feet on releasing Musk. Evan Langweiler, Universal's Executive Vice President of Global Communications and Media Relations, has since told The Hollywood Reporter that, "the studio remains committed to releasing [Musk] in theaters internationally."

The incident recalls Amazon MGM Studios' dropping of Luca Guadagnino's OpenAI and Sam Altman film Artificial, another fall release that looks to take a prominent tech figure to task. Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning, also out this fall, will follow a similar path with Mark Zuckerberg.

Musk hits theaters Oct. 9.

You might first come across Clavicular in a clip about his jawline or his first, second, or eleventh plastic surgery. Stay a little longer, and you may find yourself watching him assess women's appearances, discuss their sexual availability, or reduce them (along with men) to categories in an online hierarchy of attractiveness.

For viewers, it all arrives in the same feed, packaged as entertainment. For the women involved, appearing in that content can carry consequences that extend long after the livestream ends.

Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Peters, is a 20-year-old influencer known for "looksmaxxing" content, an online trend centered on making yourself more physically attractive. On his livestreams, primarily on Kick, he compares his appearance with other men's and rates women's looks. YouTube banned his original channel in November 2025 and later removed two replacement channels. He has become one of the most recognizable figures in a corner of the internet where physical appearance is treated as a measure of status and worth.

SEE ALSO: Who is Clavicular, and why is he everywhere right now?

Peters now faces criminal charges in Massachusetts stemming from an alleged May 2025 assault involving a 17-year-old girl. The charges include rape, administering a substance for sexual intercourse, and procuring alcohol for someone under 21. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 14. His lawyer, Jeff Neiman, says Peters is innocent.

The case will be decided in court. But the way Peters talks about women is already on display for anyone to see. And he is part of a much larger online culture in which putting women down can help build an audience.

"Misogyny is finding new audiences online"

Before the criminal charges made headlines, Peters was already drawing criticism for how he talked about women to his almost 3 million followers across platforms. He often calls women "foids" — short for "femoid," or "female android" — and promotes the idea that women choose men based on their looks, a belief associated with "blackpill" ideology. In his online academy, he refers to women as "targets" and "slayables," turning dating into a game of conquest, with women cast as something to win rather than people with preferences and boundaries of their own.

Much of Peters’s streaming takes place at parties and clubs, where his interactions with women become part of the entertainment. He often takes young women's faces into his hands and analyzes them. In one clip, as a girl tries to turn away, he tells her, "I'm not done looking at you!" During Peters's summer trip to Israel, another clip drew controversy after he refused to speak to a girl unless she wanted to have sex. "Just tell the girls I'm looking to have sex in a bathroom," he said.

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His habit of judging women's looks, known as "face rating," also carries over into appearances on other creators' shows. During one livestream with Adin Ross, Peters rated Adam22's wife a 5.5 on his attractiveness scale. When she asked about celebrities, including Sydney Sweeney and Margot Robbie, Peters said Sweeney was "ugly" and dismissed her facial features, arguing that she was attractive primarily because of her breasts. Asked who would qualify as a "10," Peters said even a 9.5 was difficult to achieve and described Victoria's Secret models as the "highest echelon of women."

Peters has defended the way he talks about women. In a February interview with Piers Morgan, when Morgan questioned whether his comments were misogynistic, Peters pushed back, arguing that women often refuse to see men under six feet tall as fully human. "They are the most fucking brutal gender," he said.

"Clavicular and many other streamers have built an audience by demeaning and humiliating women, including using dehumanizing language to talk about them,” Liz Roberts, CEO of victim services organization Safe Horizon, tells Mashable.

"Misogyny is finding new audiences online, where old ideas about women, gender, and power are being repackaged as entertainment for a new generation," she added.

Peters is not the only creator whose content has prompted concerns about misogyny and the treatment of women online. Fresh & Fit co-host Myron Gaines has promoted the idea that men should be "dictators" in relationships and women their "subordinates." Andrew Tate, who faces rape and human trafficking charges in the UK, has said that a woman and the intimate parts of her body "belong" to her male partner. And after the 2024 election, far-right livestreamer Nick Fuentes posted, "Your body, my choice. Forever."

Concerns also extend to less prominent streamers in Peters’s own circle. This week, footage circulated that appeared to show Drago, a Kick streamer reportedly friends with Clavicular, grabbing and punching fellow streamer MiaMaxxed at the SeeEx event while others reportedly poured milk on her. Drago has claimed self-defense, alleging that she attacked him first and damaged his property.

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Women who stream have also described viewers crossing boundaries when they meet in person. In October 2025, a TwitchCon attendee grabbed streamer Emiru and tried to kiss her during a meet-and-greet. "I'm obviously shaken up by what happened, and it’s not the first time I’ve dealt with something like this," she wrote afterward. She also criticized Twitch's response, saying the attendee was allowed to walk away after her security guard intervened. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy later apologized and acknowledged failures in both preventing the incident and responding to it.

What happens when streamers become role models?

For young viewers still figuring out what relationships should look like, these streams can become an informal education, and streamers can become de facto mentors. They may arrive looking for dating advice, a workout routine, or reassurance about their appearance. Along the way, they may also hear that women are shallow, that humiliation is acceptable, or that dominance is a normal part of relationships.

"Young people are still forming their understanding of what is healthy, what is acceptable, and how people should treat one another," Roberts told Mashable. "What they consume online shapes how they understand violence, power, and control. That’s why it’s so important to help young people recognize violent control for what it is, rather than allowing it to become just another piece of content they scroll past every day."

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It’s easy to dismiss content like this as entertainment — and many participants in Ofcom's 2025 research described watching manosphere content that way. But those who were more deeply invested in closed-off online groups appeared less likely to challenge what others said or did. When fitting in means going along with the group, questioning misogyny can come at a social cost.

The attention surrounding Peters's case has also brought renewed scrutiny to the culture around him, like how degrading women can become entertainment and how repeated exposure can make harmful behavior seem ordinary. Roberts points to something more concrete than simply telling young people to stay away from that content: helping them recognize harmful behavior before they come to accept it as normal.

"Parents should talk with their kids about the early warning signs of power and control, because harm doesn’t typically begin with physical violence," she said. "Telling someone what to wear or who they can spend time with, humiliating someone to make them feel small, or talking about women as if they are objects rather than people are all early red flags."

"Helping young people recognize those behaviors early can give them the tools to build healthier relationships," she added, "and challenge harmful patterns when they see them."

Next week, Google will be living out Elon Musk's dream of putting AI data centers in space — and they'll be doing it with help from Musk's space exploration company.

On Thursday, October 1, 2026, Google will load an experimental satellite on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and launch it in space. The satellite is part of Google's Project Suncatcher initiative, which seeks to set up AI data centers in space. The experimental satellite will be able answer simple A.I. prompts from space, according to the New York Times.

In a blog post about Project Suncatcher, Google explained the potential benefits of sending data centers into orbit:

Cooling orbital data centers is a crucial research challenge. TPUs generate a large amount of heat in a small area, which needs to be diffused safely or the chips are at risk of overheating. But in space, there’s no airflow. In a vacuum, you can only diffuse heat via radiators, which requires a totally different approach to cooling electronics.

As the New York Times reported, Google isn't sending a full-on orbital data center this time; it's sending the potential precursor to one. The satellite, named MVP, contains four “tensor processing units,” which are specialized chips with the computing power of one server in a data center here on Earth. 

The computer chips will be powered by the satellite's solar panels, which will provide one kilowatt of power to the chips. Google says that this is all it needs for this particular experiment, which will test how the hardware fares in outer space.

The satellite is expected to operate in space for a period of one year. 

While in orbit, the computer chips will be able to process short queries for up to 15 minutes while Google's Gemini AI responds. After a 15-minute period, the chips will need to shut down to cool with a special cooling system, as fans typically used in computer systems don't work in space. 

After that one-year period, the satellite will stop operating but will continue to orbit the Earth for a total of six years before the planet's gravitational pull brings the satellite down, burning it as it falls through the atmosphere.

When Musk's SpaceX acquired Musk's AI company xAI earlier this year, Musk explained that one of the main reasons for the companies to combine was so that they could work on putting AI data centers in space.

"Current advances in AI are dependent on large terrestrial data centers, which require immense amounts of power and cooling," Musk said in a statement at the time of the acquisition. "Global electricity demand for AI simply cannot be met with terrestrial solutions, even in the near term, without imposing hardship on communities and the environment." 

In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale," Musk continued.

Google seems to agree with Musk. Shortly after Musk shared his orbital AI data center goals, Google announced Project Suncatcher, which the company greenlit in May 2025.

It's important to note, however, that these are very early days for the orbital data center ambition. If these experiments prove that the project is at all feasible, it would likely be years, if not decades, before Google and Musk's vision comes to fruition. But Thursday's launch is certainly a first step in potentially building out AI data centers in space.

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Xteink e-readers are making a whole lot of noise online. I tried them out myself, and while I love the concept of these pocket-sized e-readers, they're not the most practical. However, if you're someone who loves reading e-books that are free EPUB and PDF files, then maybe this is exactly the right e-reader for you.

So if you've purchased an Xteink e-reader, now is the time to make the most of it. A lot of users find they don't love the firmware that comes preloaded on Xteink e-readers. Most e-readers like Kobo or Kindle are locked down, so you can't make any software changes, but that's not the case with Xteink e-readers. In fact, Xteink e-readers have become a favorite among programmers who want to customize their pocket-sized e-reader by flashing new firmware onto it.

Lifehacker's Joel Cunningham put me onto CrossPoint Reader's firmware in his review of the Xteink X4 (Mashable and Lifehacker are both owned by Ziff Davis). I wanted to try it out for myself, and it's unbelievably easy to do. It provides a cleaner interface that's easier to navigate, reminiscent of the Kindle experience. After downloading the CrossPoint Reader firmware, I loved my Xteink X4 a little bit more.

So if you want a new interface on your Xteink e-reader, here's how to download CrossPoint Reader's firmware.

How to download CrossPoint Reader's firmware to your Xteink The CrossPoint Reader's firmware gives the Xteink X4 a cleaner, simpler interface. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• Computer
• USB-C cord
• Xteink e-reader

Step 1: Go to CrossPoint Reader and navigate to 'Flash Firmware'

On CrossPoint Reader's site, you'll navigate to the 'Get CrossPoint' option, which has a dropdown menu. From that menu, select 'Flash Firmware.'

Credit: Screenshot: CrossPoint Reader

Step 2: Select your device

On the next page, select your Xteink e-reader model from the options.

Credit: Screenshot: CrossPoint Reader

Step 3: Choose firmware

Next, you'll select the firmware option you want to flash onto the device. Choose the CrossPoint 1.6.0 option.

Credit: Screenshot: CrossPoint Reader

Step 4: Connect your device via USB-C and flash firmware onto device.

Connect your Xteink e-reader to your device via USB-C. Then choose the 'Flash CrossPoint' option on your browser. A menu will pop up, where you'll select your connected device. Flash the firmware onto the device and enjoy!

Credit: Screenshot: CrossPoint Reader Xteink X4 $69 at Amazon
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Your kids caught World Cup fever and now you'll be spending your weekends every fall and spring at the soccer field. Take it from a longtime soccer dad — you're going to love it.

In fact, you're going to get so wrapped up in this beautiful game that you're going to want to record those games for posterity. Here's another lesson this veteran soccer parent learned the hard way: You're not going to want to hold your arm up for an hour to record the match. Your arm will get tired, and you may find yourself paying more attention to your smartphone than to the moment itself.

That's where a sports tracking camera comes in. You set the camera up on a tripod on the sidelines of the pitch, hit record, and sit back and enjoy watching the game. The sports-tracking camera follows all the action, with an assist from AI.

For most parents, there's been one AI sports tracking camera that has risen above the rest: The XbotGo Falcon. And Mashable spent the last soccer season testing the camera out.

The problem with most sports tracking cameras

You may have heard of some of the big players in the space like Veo and Trace. Why not just go with those?

There's no doubt that Veo and Trace sports cameras have really good output. But, go take a look at their price pages. You'll find that you're spending hundreds of dollars on a camera that you can't even use without a subscription service, which often costs hundreds more per year. Before you know it, you're spending thousands of dollars annually. These services are more in line for soccer clubs, schools, leagues, or other situations where you're recording multiple teams and players on a regular basis.

You're just one parent. You have one (or at most a handful) of kids who play. You don't or can't spend that much on the camera, nor do you need anything fancy with player analytics and other bells and whistles. You just want to capture your kid making a great play or scoring a goal to share with the family.

XbotGo Falcon: No subscription required

I have long been searching for the perfect sports tracking camera. One where I can set it up and trust that it will reliably record the game, follow the action, and not require a subscription.

The XbotGo Falcon Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable

This is where the XbotGo Falcon sets itself apart from other AI sports tracking cameras

So, why doesn't the XbotGo Falcon require a subscription? Sports cameras like Veo and Trace basically record the entire length of the field, upload the footage to the company's servers, and then track the action within the footage after the game. XbotGo Falcon avoids those post-processing costs, as the device actually physically moves left and right, up and down, and zooms in and out during the game.

XbotGo is a fairly new company that strictly makes AI auto-tracking sports cameras and related products. The company found success in 2024 with the XbotGo Chameleon, a tracking device that required a user's smartphone to record. In March 2026, XbotGo released its next-generation AI tracking camera, the XbotGo Falcon.

XbotGo Falcon inside of its case Credit: Matt Binder./ Mashable XbotGo Falcon price

The XbotGo Falcon currently retails for $799.

There will no doubt be some initial sticker shock at the retail price. But, again, you need to look at its competitors. 

The Veo camera, for example, costs $1,299 just for the device, followed by a minimum of $84 per month for their Starter base plan. Paying $799 once is certainly a lot less than $2,298 upfront, followed by $999 every year after that.

You will also need to factor in the price for a tripod of at least 13 feet or more. XbotGo sells one for $189.99, but you don't necessarily need theirs. However, it's a must-have accessory, which I'll get to in a little bit.

XbotGo Falcon: By the numbers

Here are the key specifications to know:

• 4K video at 30fps or 1080p video at 60fps

• 1/1.8-inch Sony CMOS sensor

• 9,600 mAh battery that can last for approximately 4 hours

• 360-degree rotation

• 160-degree tilt

• Records to a MicroSD card of up to 1,024GB (sold separately)

• Weighs 1.8 pounds

• 134.2 × 116 × 71.7 mm

• Fully compatible with iOS and Android

XbotGo Falcon vs. XbotGo Chameleon

Technically, both the XbotGo Chameleon and XbotGo Falcon have a camera built into the device. But that camera is for the tracking technology that follows the action on the field. The XbotGo Falcon has a second camera built in that actually records the game instead of using a smartphone to do that, as required by the XbotGo Chameleon.

XbotGo Chameleon's one camera vs. XbotGo Falcon's two cameras Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable

XbotGo still sells the XbotGo Chameleon at around $300 for people who prefer that more affordable option. Also, some users prefer the XbotGo Chameleon, as you technically upgrade the camera quality as you upgrade your iPhone, by attaching the smartphone to the device to record.

However, having also spent multiple seasons using the XbotGo Chameleon, the XbotGo Falcon would be my go-to for a few reasons

First of all, having my smartphone available while using the XbotGo Falcon is huge. I can use my smartphone as a remote to monitor the XbotGo Falcon in case I need to pan or zoom the camera if it gets lost in the action. The XbotGo Chameleon requires that you attach your iPhone to the device. And while the Chameleon also offers remote usage with a second smartphone, how often do you have two smartphones on you? I know I don't.

In addition, the XbotGo Falcon footage is a crisp, clear 4K from a 1/1.8-inch Sony CMOS sensor. I can't imagine getting much more out of a smartphone camera anytime soon. The quality also means the files are fairly big. My 128GB iPhone is already nearly full from everything else. I would be unable to store much on it, and I'd have to spend time managing and moving files around after every other game. Having the ability to swap MicroSD cards is a huge draw to the XbotGo Falcon.

Using the XBotGo Falcon

The first thing you'll notice when getting the XbotGo Falcon is, well, its size. It's big, and it comes in a nice big carrying case as well. Its size is especially standout if you're upgrading from the much more compact XbotGo Chameleon.

The size difference between the XbotGo Chameleon vs. XbotGo Falcon Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable

To set up the device, you do need to sync the XbotGo Falcon hardware with the XbotGo app on your smartphone. The app is used to set up the recording, monitor the camera during the game, manually control the camera's movements, and update the device itself when XbotGo pushes out a firmware update. During your initial setup, there will most definitely be a firmware update so be sure to give yourself some time before you need to use the device.

From there, you pick your sport.

XbotGo says the Falcon is compatible with recording nine different sports, which include soccer, basketball, ice hockey, handball, tennis, pickleball, lacrosse, badminton, and volleyball. There are also three additional sports in beta — American football, rugby, and flag football.

For my XbotGo Falcon review, I focused on capturing soccer. Due to the larger field, this really pushes the tracking capabilities to the limit.

Once you've selected all the necessary settings, the camera will start to spin as it calibrates. Place the XbotGo Falcon on your tripod, which should be set up a few feet from the sideline near the midfield. Then, extend the tripod to at least around 12 feet in the air. The higher the better.

Users can add a scoreboard, set up a livestream of the event, record pan, tilt, and zoom manually during the game, and monitor what the camera is capturing, all from the XbotGo app.

And that's pretty much it. The XbotGo Falcon features physical buttons on the device for quick record options, but I prefer to use the smartphone to record, as the camera is already many feet in the air at kickoff.

Controlling the camera remotely is as simple as tapping on a sidebar menu option to call up an on-screen joystick, which allows the user to move the device around.

XbotGo Falcon performance

I tested the XbotGo Falcon to record at least a half dozen youth soccer games from full-field 11 versus 11 matches to smaller pitches for 9 versus 9 games. 

So, how did it do? Most importantly, how was the tracking? 

XbotGo Falcon in action, following the action Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable

I was able to trust the AI tracking capabilities for the vast majority of each game. When referring to my iPhone to monitor the XbotGo Falcon, it properly tracked the game at least nine out of 10 times. In fact, I would say I only had to remotely control the device with my phone once or twice per game. Sometimes, I didn't have to touch the manual controls at all.

The camera produced very high-quality footage, too. In fact, recording in 4K allowed me to manually zoom even further using my editing software to get closer to the action when clipping highlights and still have clear HQ quality when exporting the punched-in clip.

Due to connectivity issues on my end at the fields, I was not able to test out the livestream capabilities in the proper setting. Personally, I prefer to record the games as the footage quality really matters when recording at a distance. Any sort of lower video quality due to livestream connectivity issues from your cellular or internet service provider will drastically reduce the watchability of the game. In addition, you'll most likely be clipping highlights from the full video rather than regularly watching the entire match, so again, the focus on the local recording is key for me.

XbotGo Falcon tracking from right to left Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable XbotGo Falcon issues

Now, as great as my time with it was, there are some negatives with the XbotGo Falcon.

First, for those looking to buy a sports-tracking camera that's completely hands-off, the XbotGo Falcon will disappoint. Yes, it is mostly hands off in my experience, but it's also not "set it and forget it." While you don't need to monitor the recording like you would if you were holding a camera, there are clear points in a soccer match where you'll have to check if the XbotGo Falcon is keeping up.

For example, the XbotGo Falcon seems to struggle with goal kicks, corner kicks, and penalty kicks. There's something about the lack of typical back-and-forth movement on the pitch that causes the device to seemingly try to find it sometimes. I've unfortunately experienced missed penalties to the point where I would just use my iPhone to record the penalty and leave everything else to the XbotGo Falcon.

There is another limitation to the XbotGo Falcon, which really isn't the device's fault. At a youth soccer game, there are going to be kids off to the sidelines practicing while they wait for their game. There may also be more than one field at a location with multiple games going on. If any of this is in the view of the XbotGo Falcon, the camera will often get confused.

I will say XbotGo devices are now much better at dealing with distractions thanks to recent firmware updates, which added the ability to draw field boundaries so your Falcon doesn't stray. However, I had an issue where the Falcon was focused on one side of the field as a free kick was set up, a ball being used on the sideline rolled onto the field with a kid in tow on the opposite side of the field, and the Falcon spun around to catch that while missing the goal scored off the free kick.

With that said, the XbotGo Falcon does catch the action most of the time. In fact, remember when I mentioned the necessity of a big tripod? Most of the complaints I've seen online regarding its performance mainly revolve around the fact that many users just don't seem to raise the tripod high enough. The XbotGo Falcon needs to basically hover high over the pitch at almost a bird's eye view to get the best performance from it. It needs to see everything in order to track and capture it. If you put it too low, it will not track to the best of its abilities.

You want to get the XbotGo Falcon up high on a tripod for the best performance. Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable

I also faced one weird issue with the XbotGo Falcon that appears to be a one-off, but I have to mention it.

During the very first game with the camera, it inexplicably stopped recording with 20 minutes left to go in a 60-minute game. There was no battery life issue or lack of SD card space. The device just stopped recording. At first, I thought it had something to do with moving out of range of the device with my synced iPhone monitor, but XbotGo told me that wasn't the case. Their logs oddly showed that a second smartphone synced with the device, and that device stopped the recording. It seems unlikely that another individual knew I was using an XbotGo device, downloaded the XbotGo app, and synced it with my device to stop it. While I never figured out exactly what happened, the device never stopped recording again.

Finally, aside from tracking issues, there is one persistent complaint among users: the watermark on the videos. There is a decent-sized XbotGo Falcon logo embedded on the lower right-hand side of all videos taken with the camera. There is no way to remove it. That's right. There's not even an option to pay extra. For me personally, I didn't find it intrusive. You can always put your own logo over the XbotGo Falcon watermark, and I never found it in the way of any of my videos. However, it is odd that it is there no matter what.

The bottom line: Is the XbotGo Falcon worth it?

This soccer dad was happy with his experience.

I can see why the XbotGo Falcon is hands down the most popular sports tracking camera on the market without a subscription. While it is pricey, it's nowhere near as costly as the ongoing fees its competitors charge.

Credit: Matt Binder / Mashable

However, there are tradeoffs, too. The fact that the XbotGo Falcon has to physically follow the action means that it will sometimes miss a moment. At the same time, the ability to monitor the camera from your smartphone is extremely useful and means you can manually guide it along, too.

One thing I will say: The company is very proactive when it comes to releasing firmware updates, which often add brand new features and fix ongoing performance issues. It's a huge plus in my opinion, which should make you feel secure in knowing that there's significant support behind the product.

Is it the perfect sports tracking camera I've been searching for? No. But it's getting there.

All in all, if you're tired of holding up a smartphone camera for an hour at a time, I suggest you give the XbotGo Falcon a try.

Opens in a new window Credit: XbotGo XbotGo Falcon AI Sports Tracking Camera $799 at Amazon
  Shop Now

TL;DR: As of Sept. 26, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for $89.99 at Amazon. That's under market price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $89.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now

Pokémon fans are all desperate to get their hands on products from the new Pokémon 30th Celebration collection. We can't believe we're saying this, but Amazon is actually the best place to find the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box. And better yet, it's way below market price.

As of Sept. 26, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for just $89.99 on Amazon. That's much cheaper than the market price, according to TCG Player.

So where's the catch? Unfortunately, you can't simply buy the Elite Trainer Box on Amazon. Instead, potential buyers must click the "request invite" button. If you're randomly selected, you’ll get an email to let you know that you’re eligible to buy Pokémon’s 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box. The email will contain a purchase link that's valid for 72 hours.

We can see that these ETBs are selling fast, so the "invitation to buy" system is clearly working for many shoppers. And even if your invitation request isn't selected, Amazon will keep it on file, and you might get another shot when it's restocked. 

The Elite Trainer Box includes nine Pokémon 30th Celebration booster packs, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a player’s guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code. 

Score the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box for $89.99 this weekend — way below market price.

SAVE $500: As of Sept. 25, the flagship DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo (with the RC 2 smart controller and three batteries) is down to $1,099 at Amazon. That’s $500 off its usual $1,599 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo $1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500   Get Deal

Amazon just quietly dropped a stellar deal on one of the most capable compact drones on the market. The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo, which comes loaded with the smart controller, three batteries, and extra gear, is currently listed for $1,099.

While Amazon isn't tagging it with a bright red sale badge, this high-end Fly More setup typically sits closer to the $1,599 mark. Getting the complete kit for a little over £1,000 is a huge win if you want pro-level aerial footage without dropping your entire budget.

Most lightweight mini drones give up image quality to save weight, but the Mini 5 Pro squeezes a massive 1-inch CMOS sensor into a lightweight frame. So it pulls in more light and detail than older mini drones. You get sharp 4K video at 60 fps in HDR (plus buttery 120 fps slow-mo), so your shots won't look washed out or grainy.

If you post on TikTok or Instagram Reels, the camera gimbal rotates a full 225 degrees for true vertical video. And if you leave your memory card sitting on your desk at home, the 42GB of built-in storage has you covered.

Flying a thousand-dollar camera straight into a tree is every pilot's worst nightmare. The Mini 5 Pro fixes this with 360-degree obstacle sensing, powered by forward-facing LiDAR and vision sensors. That means the drone actively spots power lines, branches, and buildings — even in low light — and steers itself around them automatically.

SEE ALSO: The best early October Prime Day deals on DJI creator tools: I found deals on mics, drones, and cameras

You also get upgraded ActiveTrack 360°. Just draw a box around yourself, a bike, or a car on your screen, and the drone will lock onto the target and follow the action on its own while keeping a safe distance from trees and other obstacles.

Lock in the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo for $1,099 while the listing is live on Amazon.

Peleton's new treadmill lineup: Peloton Tread Flex $2,195 Learn More Peloton Tread Vision $3,495 Learn More Peloton Tread+ Vision $6,695 Learn More

If cramped apartment spaces or high price tags kept you from putting a treadmill in your home, Peloton is addressing both pain points.

Starting Oct. 1, 2026, Peloton is refreshing its entire hardware lineup with three distinct models: the budget-friendly, space-saving Tread Flex, the camera-assisted Tread Vision, and the top-tier Tread+ Vision.

Peloton Tread Flex

The main highlight of the launch is the Peloton Tread Flex ($2,195), which is the brand’s first-ever folding treadmill and its most affordable machine to date. Built specifically to fit smaller floor plans, the deck folds up vertically to slash the overall footprint by nearly 50% when you finish running.

It relies on a two-step hydraulic cylinder system to lower the deck safely to the floor without slamming, paired with an ultra-quiet brushless motor that tops out at 70 dB even when pushing max speeds of 12.5 mph. It features a rotating 21.5-inch HD swivel screen so you can easily transition from running or walking to mat-based strength and yoga classes.

Peloton Tread Vision

Moving up to the mid-tier, Tread Vision ($3,495) brings a larger 23.8-inch swivel screen, upgraded tray storage, and an integrated cooling fan. The biggest hardware addition here is a movement-tracking camera that hooks directly into Peloton IQ. During runs, it analyzes your stride and cadence to deliver post-workout efficiency scores, and during floor workouts, it acts as a virtual coach to correct your lifting form in real-time.

Peloton Tread+ Vision

At the top of the range sits the Tread+ Vision ($6,695), built with an energy-returning slat belt that provides extra shock absorption compared to traditional continuous belts. Along with the movement-tracking camera, its main feature is Sled Mode. By disengaging the motor into a manual "Free Mode," you can apply up to 300 pounds of digital resistance against the belt, transforming the treadmill into a heavy-duty sled-push station for high-intensity functional strength training.

AI coaching updates with Peloton IQ

In addition to the lineup, Peloton is rolling out several Peloton IQ software updates on Oct. 1. Vision models gain Run Analysis, which tracks your cadence, stride length, and vertical bounce to score your running efficiency and offer form tips. On top of that, IQ Pace Targets automatically suggest speed ranges for class intervals based on your recent workouts, while ReRuns lets you sync outdoor GPS routes to mimic real-world hills on the belt.

All three new treadmills will go on sale directly through Peloton starting Oct. 1, 2026.

A Martian rock formation that looked like an ancient shoreline from space now appears to preserve a much more astonishing water history.

Since 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover has explored Jezero crater, a 28-mile-wide basin on Mars where rivers once fed a lake. Scientists had hoped to find sedimentary rocks along the crater's edge — a clue that would support the lakeshore prediction.

But, in a twist, the rover discovered these rocks are igneous, meaning their origins are volcanic and not formed by the lake. Water, the rover found, had actually soaked the rocks at least three separate times, in three different ways. This new understanding of the Jezero landmark, dubbed the "margin unit," gives scientists a fuller picture of ancient Mars, revealing a planet where water kept finding new ways to move through the landscape.

Though the rover data didn't reveal evidence of life, they did show an abundance of carbonates — minerals known to be good at locking in traces of past microbes. On Earth, these minerals often form in shallow oceans and lakes that host life. 

"Jezero Crater sits inside one of the largest exposures of carbonate on Mars," said Candice Bedford, a scientist at Purdue University in Indiana, in a statement. "What we learn here reaches well beyond this crater."

SEE ALSO: Artemis III delays could threaten landing on the moon in 2028

For the study, Perseverance explored an elevation range of about 870 feet across the margin unit. It used its SuperCam instrument to identify minerals in rocks based on the light they reflect. All told, the rover examined 185 rocks. The paper analyzing this data, led by Bedford, appears in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

To scientists, the biggest surprise from the study may be that this strip of land didn't initially form at the bottom of a lake. It began earlier when magma deep underground cooled. As its temperature dropped, it formed olivine, a mineral common in volcanic rocks. Much later, after erosion exposed the rocks at the surface, carbon dioxide–rich groundwater began to seep into their cracks. That interaction led to threads of carbonate minerals. Over time, the surrounding rock wore away, leaving only the crack fillers standing.

Perseverance investigates rocks and takes samples in the margin unit on Sept. 6, 2024, as it climbs the rim of Jezero Crater on Mars. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

Then, researchers found evidence of a later episode of water that could have been from the lake. 

"Turning olivine into carbonate can leave silica behind, and we see more of that silica in rocks that sat below the water line," said Eleni Ravanis, a co-author and planetary scientist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

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The rocks preserve other signs of the lake. In some places, water appears to have broken and moved pieces. The researchers found layered rocks that could reflect activity along the lake's shore, as well as a jumbled deposit that resembles mud and rocks carried by a rush of water. 

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In one particular part of the strip of land, Perseverance detected mineral veins of calcium sulfate and fluorite. Those minerals hint that the site experienced yet a third wet episode involving hot water passing through the volcanic rocks, a bit like a hot spring system. 

This water history matters in the search for ancient life. Scientists want to know what kind of water existed, what chemicals it carried, and whether it created environments where microbes could get the necessary food to live. The Perseverance team can determine the order of these ancient water episodes, but not when they happened. 

Regardless, a place that was repeatedly wet gives life more chances to emerge and more chances to leave behind evidence. The rover has collected samples from the formation, which could shed more light on the environment if NASA can figure out how to get the extraterrestrial material back to Earth. Congress killed future funding for the Mars Sample Return mission in January. 

"If there is one thing I have learned after 10 years working with Mars rovers, it is that Mars constantly throws surprises at you," Bedford said. "It is very rare that things are as we expect them to be from orbital data."

SAVE OVER $300: As of Sept. 26, the Sony 65-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K TV is on sale for $1,698 at Amazon. That's $301.99 off its full price of $1,999.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony 65-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K TV $1,698 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $301.99   Get Deal

If you're in the market for a big deal on a big TV, there's no need to wait for Amazon's October Prime Day (which runs Oct. 6-7). We've spotted a good deal on one of the biggest and best TVs that Sony has to offer.

The Sony 65-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K is a recently debuted TV designed to compete with flagship monster TVs from LG and Samsung. Reviewers have been positive about this TV so far, and it's now marked down by 15% ahead of Prime Day, joining a line of Amazon deals on tech and other devices.

As of Sept. 26, the Sony 65-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K is priced at $1,698, a $301.99 saving on the regular list price of $1,999.99.

The Sony 65-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K is especially good for a home cinema experience. It uses OLED display technology — generally accepted as the best display tech for laser-sharp 4K and vivid colors — with support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, all of which crank up to a cinema-like experience.

It runs on the Google TV operating system, giving you access to all your favorite streaming apps — not to mention the Sony Pictures Core app, featuring a collection of IMAX Enhanced Sony movies.

Upgrade your home cinema for less when you buy the Sony 65-inch Bravia 6 OLED 4K TV for over $300 off — now priced at $1,698.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)