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TL;DR: Watch Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2024 Copa America for free on Sportitalia. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Mexico have returned to the 2024 Copa America for the first time since 2016, when they reached the quarter finals. They've played in two World Cups since then and always have the potential to surprise opponents on the international stage. Ecuador meanwhile are looking to improve on their performance at the 2021 Copa America, where they dropped out at the quarter-final stage.
It's almost time for the quarter finals again, with the knockout stages of the 2024 Copa America just days away. Some teams have already advanced. But where will Mexico and Ecuador stand in Group B after this deciding fixture?
If you want to watch Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2024 Copa America for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.
When is Mexico vs. Ecuador?Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2024 Copa America kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on June 30. This fixture takes place at the State Farm Stadium, Phoenix.
How to watch Mexico vs. Ecuador for freeMexico vs. Ecuador in the 2024 Copa America is available to live stream for free on Sportitalia.
Sportitalia is a free streaming platform. Based it Italy, it's technically geo-blocked, which means viewers outside Italy can't access it. There's a way around the geo-restrictions, however, if you use a VPN. VPNs are handy tools that allow you to hide your IP address and connect with a secure server in Italy. By doing this you'll be able to watch the 2024 Copa America on Sportitalia wherever you are around the world.
Access free live streams of Copa America by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Italy
Visit Sportitalia
Watch the 2024 Copa America for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming aren't actually free to use. So how can you watch the 2024 Copa America at no cost? There's a handy workaround. VPN providers offer deals that include free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. All you need to do is sign up and take advantage of these trial periods. That way you won't spend anything in the long-term, but you'll have enough time to watch every 2024 Copa America fixture.
What is the best VPN for Sportitalia?ExpressVPN is the best choice for unblocking Sportitalia to stream live sport for free, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Italy
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 for a limited time — that's an overall saving of 49% off the standard price. That deal includes an extra three months with no additional cost, plus an entire year of unlimited data backup via the cloud, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Mexico vs. Ecuador for free with ExpressVPN.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for June 30's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.
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.
Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Will Ferrell's character in the 2003 film Elf.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter D appears twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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 Wordle #1107 is...
BUDDY.
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.
Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 June 30's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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.
Tweet may have been deletedEach 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.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers 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.
Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Truism
Green: Ways to heat the grill
Blue: Types of trees
Purple: Putting together a hot tub
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Old Saying
Green: Grill Fuel Sources
Blue: Trees
Purple: Hot Tub Components
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
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 Connections #385 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayOld Saying: ADAGE, CHESTNUT, MAXIM, SAW
Grill Fuel Sources: CHARCOAL, ELECTRIC, GAS, WOOD
Trees: ASH, CHERRY, EBONY, GUM
Hot Tub Components: FILTER, HEATER, JET, PUMP
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.
Twitch streamers, will you be receiving a Bleed Purple Statue?
Among YouTube creators, one surefire way to show you've made it is if you've received a YouTube Creator Award. These are physical plaques that YouTube sends to channel owners who've hit certain subscriber milestones.
At Twitchcon Europe 2024 in Rotterdam on Saturday, Twitch announced its own version of these physical awards: Twitch Streamer Achievement Awards.
SEE ALSO: YouTube demonetized Dr Disrespect over allegations from earlier Twitch banThe awards will be given out under Twitch's Streamer Achievement Program. Unlike YouTube, which bases awards on subscriber milestones, Twitch is focusing on rewarding creators for viewership milestones.
Twitch streamer award eligibilityTwitch streamers who hit certain viewership numbers based on hours watched will receive a Bleed Purple Statue.
Tweet may have been deletedLike YouTube's version of the program, there will be three different milestone tiers that Twitch streamers can hit which will reward them with three different versions of the Bleed Purple Statue.
Let's compare the two programs:
Over on YouTube, channels that hit 100,000 subscribers receive a Silver Creator Award. Once a channel hits 1 million subscribers, they are eligible for the Gold Creator Award. The final award is the Diamond Creator Award, which YouTubers receive when their channel hits 10 million subscribers. (YouTube also did create a special edition award that they gave to MrBeast when his channel hit 200 million subscribers.)
In order to receive a Bleed Purple Statue, Twitch streamers must hit 5 million hours watched on their channel. If they hit 50 million hours watched on their channel, there is a Marble version of the award. Hitting a whopping 250 million hours watched on their channel nets them a Chrome version of the award.
Tweet may have been deletedTwitch streamer LittleBigWhale was the first to receive a statue live at Twitchcon Europe, where Twitch first unveiled all three versions of the award.
According to Twitch, eligible creators will receive invitations to accept their Bleed Purple Statue later this summer.
Since being banned from Twitch four years ago, streamer Dr Disrespect has amassed millions of subscribers at his new home on YouTube.
However, now that the reason behind his Twitch ban has become public, Dr Disrespect may have to find yet another new platform to stream on.
YouTube has confirmed that it has suspended Dr Disrespect, whose real name is Herschel "Guy" Beahm, from its Partner Program, effectively demonetizing his channel.
SEE ALSO: The Dr Disrespect allegations and fallout, explained"We have suspended DrDisrespect’s channel from the YouTube Partner Program following serious allegations against the creator," reads a statement provided to news outlets by a YouTube spokesperson. "This action means the channel is no longer able to monetize on YouTube."
What did Dr Disrespect do?Beahm aka Dr Disrespect was a popular Twitch streamer until he was banned from the platform in 2020. For years, the reason for his ban was unknown to the public.
Then on June 21, a former Twitch employee seemingly confirmed why Dr Disrespect was exiled from the platform where he had millions of followers: The streamer had allegedly been exchanging inappropriate messages via Twitch with a minor.
Tweet may have been deletedThe potential reason behind Dr Disrespect's 2020 Twitch ban quickly became a trending story online. Forced to address the issue, Beahm first attempted to brush off the allegations before issuing a second statement confirming that he did exchange "inappropriate" messages with a minor via a since-shuttered Twitch messaging feature.
Tweet may have been deleted"Were there twitch whisper messages with an individual minor back in 2017? The answer is yes," Beahm posted on his @DrDisrespect account on Elon Musk's X. "Were there real intentions behind these messages, the answer is absolutely not. These were casual, mutual conversations that sometimes leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate."
Why was Dr Disrespect demonetized on YouTube?Even though Beahm's inappropriate conduct with a minor occurred on Twitch, his confirmation of the allegations meant that YouTube now had a legitimate reason to suspend him from the company's own monetization program.
"Our Creator Responsibility Guidelines are clear that if a creator’s off-platform behavior harms our users, employees, or ecosystem, we may take action to protect our community, including by suspending monetization," reads YouTube's statement on the demonetization of Dr Disrespect's YouTube channel. "While these behaviors are rare, they can cause widespread harm to the YouTube community, and potentially damage the trust among creators, users, and advertisers.”
It's unclear just how much Beahm will lose due to his Dr Disrespect channel being demonetized. Estimates from YouTube analytics platform SocialBlade place the channel's revenue at as much as six figures per year. However, these estimates don't account for Beahm's losses as a result of losing exclusive partnership deals.
While Beahm says Twitch ended up paying him out for the partnership deal that the two parties had as part of the settlement, a Rolling Stone report found that Beahm lost out on a potential similar deal with YouTube.
Former YouTube head of gaming partnerships, Ryan Wyatt, told the news outlet that the company couldn't independently confirm the allegations years ago. But, the rumors YouTube had heard concerning Beahm's inappropriate interactions with a minor resulted in the company dropping any pursuit of a partnership deal with the streamer.
Now, we know that those rumors were true. As a result, Beahm not only lost any sort of exclusive deal with YouTube, but also basic creator monetization on the Dr Disrespect YouTube channel.
It's finally the weekend — time to treat yourself with some deals.
Between Amazon's 4th of July deals and early Prime Day savings, there are plenty of great deals to be had — and even more are on the way as we head toward the holiday and the mega sale event. If you want to avoid actual Prime Day chaos at all costs, you'll be happy to know there are plenty of live deals to shop already. And we've rounded up the best of the best.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on June 29. Be sure to check out our selections from June 27 and June 28 as well — many of those are still live and worth adding to your cart.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (64GB) $239.90 at AmazonIf you need a tablet to take on the go for gaming, streaming, and maybe getting some work done, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite could be a great fit for you — especially at $90 off. This convenient tablet only weighs 1.03 pounds, yet it has a large 10.4-inch screen and a 14-hour battery life. It's got a crustal-clear screen, Dolby Atmos surround sound, and even comes with an included S Pen so you can take notes or sketch to your heart's content. Right now, it's only $10 above its lowest price ever, so you know it's a good buy.
Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Video Doorbell + 3 Outdoor 4 smart security cameras (4th gen) with Sync Module 2 $119.99 at AmazonPrime members, this special deal is for you. Grab a Blink video doorbell plus three Outdoor 4 security cameras for under $120, this security bundle's lowest price ever by far. See who's at your door even when you're not home with a 1080p HD live view and two-way audio, plus infrared night vision after the sun goes down. The Outdoor 4 cameras can automatically alert you when they detect motion, and the included AA batteries will keep the cameras going for two years. In a season of a lot of travel and time away from home, there's no price on peace of mind.
Opens in a new window Credit: Traeger Traeger Grills Pro 34 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker $474.99 at AmazonSun's out means hamburger buns out. Become the grill master you've always wanted to be this summer with am electric Traeger wood pellet grill and smoker on sale for its lowest price ever. Leave messy charcoal behind for good and get that barbecue taste that only wood grilling provides. Grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue food on 884 square inches (that's eight chickens or 40 burgers) at up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Your stomach will thank you.
Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia INSIGNIA 50-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote $189.99 at AmazonGrab this 50-inch smart Fire TV at its lowest price yet. It has a 4K Ultra HD resolution display, DTS Studio Sound with two-speaker playback technology to immerse you in the action, and easy access to popular streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more. Alexa comes built-in, so you never have to type in a pesky password again.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
YouTube has really been pushing its users to join YouTube Premium lately. The main selling point for most is the ad-free YouTube experience — ad-free without having to use an ad blocker, that is, and the company has recently been cracking down on ad blocker use.
But YouTube seems to realize it's not just the ad-free experience that will attract potential paying Premium subscribers.
SEE ALSO: YouTube is reportedly talking to major labels for AI music dealsYouTube announced a slew of new features this week for its YouTube Premium subscribers. Those updates include a jump ahead feature, a new picture-in-picture option, as well as a number of "experimental" features. Plus, YouTube also hinted at some upcoming updates too, such as new subscription plan options. Let's break it down.
Jump aheadYouTube has always allowed users to skip to any part of a video in the YouTube player. Now, YouTube Premium subscribers will have an even easier time skipping to the parts of a video that are popular among the broader YouTube audience.
With jump ahead, YouTube Premium subscribers just need to double tap the right side of a YouTube video and then click the "jump ahead" button that shows up. After that, YouTube will automatically bring the user to the part of the video most commonly skipped to. YouTube says the feature is powered by its internal watch data and AI. Heads up, though. According to YouTube, not all videos will display this feature.
Picture-in-picture YouTube ShortsPicture-in-picture video is not new to YouTube. But, apparently, users previously couldn't use the picture-in-picture option with YouTube Shorts.
Now, shortform video on YouTube can be viewed via picture-in-picture while users multitask within other apps. Unfortunately, it does seem like this new YouTube Premium feature is only available on Android devices.
Why would someone want to watch a YouTube Short, which is less than one minute long, with picture-in-picture? Well, this new feature appears to autoplay YouTube Shorts while users use other apps on their Android device. For the passive consumption video addicts out there, this could be a killer feature.
New "experimental" featuresFor the month of July, YouTube is letting YouTube Premium subscribers exclusively try out three upcoming YouTube updates before everyone else.
Until July 15, YouTube Premium users can opt-in to test out Shorts Smart Downloads, which automatically downloads recommended YouTube Shorts videos to their device for offline viewing. This test feature is currently only available on Android devices.
YouTube is also testing another Android exclusive feature within the YouTube for Android app called Conversational AI. Premium users can "ask" AI questions about certain videos they're watching. Based on the users' prompts, Conversational AI will provide answers and recommend content while the video plays. YouTube Premium subscribers can try this feature out until July 31 and YouTube is asking users to provide feedback as to whether the AI provides helpful information.
For non-Android owning YouTube Premium users, YouTube has a redesigned watch page to test out. The new watch page brings a YouTube video title and description as well as the comments left on it over to a new sidebar on the right-hand side. The focus of the new watch page is now on the video content as well as a selection of recommended video content that now appears directly under the video player. Premium subscribers can try out the new watch page until July 8.
Tweet may have been deletedBy going to youtube.com/new, YouTube Premium users can opt-in to test these features out now.
More YouTube Premium updates comingIn a separate post about the YouTube Premium updates in the YouTube Help forums, the company hinted at some upcoming updates. These updates include more Premium controls and download options.
YouTube also mentioned that the company is also exploring adding additional Premium plan options for users. YouTube said it would expand "existing offers to more regions" as well as introduce entirely new plans. Plus. the post also mentioned "exploring ways" for Premium subscribers to share "benefits" with friends.
YouTube could be exploring family plans or multi-member options. Or the company could be talking about something completely different. With YouTube's newfound focus on YouTube Premium, it seems we could be finding out exactly what they're talking about very soon.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for June 28 SEE ALSO: 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for June 28Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, June 29, 2024:
AcrossThermometer reading, for shortThe answer is TEMP.
The answer is COLORS.
The answer is AWESOME.
The answer is KEG.
The answer is TIA.
The answer is ERASERS.
The answer is SNEAKY.
The answer is TOMS.
The answer is TOWERS.
The answer is ELEGANT.
The answer is MOS.
The answer is PROTEAM.
The answer is CAKE.
The answer is SMIRKS.
The answer is EASY.
The answer is SEO.
Scientists analyzing samples NASA brought back from an asteroid got a surprise detection that may mean the space rock was once part of a long-gone ocean world.
What the team found was water-soluble magnesium-sodium phosphate in mottled stones — a mineral no one expected because it didn't show up in any of the data the spacecraft collected when it was at the asteroid Bennu. Phosphate compounds are key for all known life, forming the backbone of DNA.
The new study's findings, published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science, are part and parcel with the "trickster asteroid," nicknamed as such for baffling scientists every step of the OSIRIS-Rex mission.
"The presence and state of phosphates, along with other elements and compounds on Bennu, suggest a watery past for the asteroid,” said principal investigator Dante Lauretta in a statement.
SEE ALSO: What does a meteorite taste like? Someone found out and bottled it. This Bennu particle, about a millimeter wide, reveals a bright crust of phosphate under a microscope. Credit: Lauretta & Connolly et al. (2024) Meteoritics & Planetary ScienceNASA's $800 million OSIRIS-Rex mission, short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security Regolith Explorer, launched in 2016. The robotic spacecraft completed its 4-billion-mile trip when it dropped the capsule from 63,000 miles above Earth onto a patch of Utah desert last year. It's the first U.S. mission to grab a sample of an asteroid. These are the most significant space souvenirs NASA has obtained since the Apollo moon rocks, gathered between 1969 and 1972.
NASA selected Bennu for the mission because it has a very remote chance of hitting Earth in the coming centuries. Learning about the asteroid could be helpful in future efforts to redirect it.
But the team also chose Bennu because it is chock-full of carbon, meaning it might contain the chemical origins of life. Some of its mineral fragments could be older than the 4.5 billion-year-old solar system. These grains of stardust could have come from dying stars or supernovas that eventually led to the formation of the sun and planets.
NASA has made the asteroid Bennu samples collected during the OSIRIS-Rex mission available to scientists around the world for research. Credit: NASA / Erika Blumenfeld and Joseph AebersoldAll forms of Earth life have specific chemicals in their makeup, such as amino acids and sugars. Scientists have known that asteroids hold molecules believed to be the precursors to these chemicals. That's why many suspect space rocks were responsible for bringing them to the planet through collisions in ancient cosmic history. By studying the Bennu samples, they hope to gain more insight into how these ingredients could have evolved.
"What I want to know is how do you go from a simple carbon molecule, like methane, which is a natural gas, to something like amino acids, which make our proteins, or nucleic acid, which makes up our genetic material," Lauretta said last year.
His dream discovery would be evidence of amino acids starting to link together through chemical bonds to form a chain, known as a peptide, signaling protein evolution.
Bennu is the shape of a droplet and made of gravel and boulders barely held together by their own microgravity. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / University of ArizonaThe mission succeeded in bringing home about a half-cup of crushed rocks and dirt. So far researchers haven't been disappointed with their bounty.
The sample is rich in nitrogen and carbon, essential ingredients for life. The team's early analysis has found lots of clay minerals, particularly serpentine. This is similar to the type of rocks found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth, where geologists think the recipe for life may have begun for our planet.
The magnesium–sodium phosphate in the Bennu sample resembles sodium phosphates on Enceladus. This Saturn moon is wrapped in a saltwater ocean under ice and known to shoot enormous geysers into space. Similar phosphate-enriched fluids are found in Earth's soda lakes, such as Last Chance and Goodenough in Canada.
The OSIRIS-Rex sample return capsule after it landed on Earth. Credit: NASA / Keegan BarberIn the new OSIRIS-Rex paper, scientists suggest a "possible link" between Bennu and Enceladus, but this idea would require more investigation to prove. The research on the sample has only begun to scratch the surface.
"These findings underscore the importance of collecting and studying material from asteroids like Bennu," Lauretta said, "especially low-density material that would typically burn up (if it were to enter) Earth’s atmosphere."
Watch out, Martians.
Meteorites slam into Mars five times more than planetary scientists thought, a finding published in the journal Nature Astronomy. This makes impacts on the Red Planet about a daily occurrence. A 26-foot-wide (8-meter) crater forms almost each day, and a nearly 100-foot (30-meter) crater is created once a month.
Previous estimates of these Martian impacts largely came from studying crater imagery on the moon and from Mars-orbiting craft. But unprecedented seismic data — detected by NASA's now-defunct InSight lander — showed objects regularly impacting the surface.
"This rate was about five times higher than the number estimated from orbital imagery alone," Géraldine Zenhäusern, a seismologist at ETH Zurich in Switzerland who co-led the research, said in a statement.
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills."While new craters can best be seen on flat and dusty terrain where they really stand out, this type of terrain covers less than half of the surface of Mars," Zenhäusern added. "The sensitive InSight seismometer, however, could hear every single impact within the landers’ range."
(And much, much larger rocks have, over millions of years, slammed into Mars: NASA estimates there are over a quarter-million impact craters about the size of Arizona's famous Barringer Crater, which is some 4,000 feet across. And there are over 43,000 Martian craters larger than three miles wide.)
NASA’s InSight lander detected the marsquake created by this impact in December 2021. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona The Insight lander's seismometer seen on the Martian surface. Credit: NASA / JPL-CaltechThe InSight lander's sensitive seismometer was designed to detect Martian temblors, called "marsquakes," and it succeeded in detecting over 1,300 such quakes, including a "monster" temblor. But when a meteorite strikes Mars' surface, the signal is distinct. "Where a normal magnitude 3-quake on Mars takes several seconds, an impact-generated event of the same size takes only 0.2 seconds or less, due to the hypervelocity of the collision," ETH Zurich explained. "By analyzing marsquake spectra, a further 80 marsquakes were identified that are now thought to be caused by meteoroid strikes."
Mars is far more susceptible to meteorite impacts than Earth. When objects do collide with Mars, the Martian atmosphere is just 1 percent the volume of Earth's, meaning these space rocks are less likely to heat up and disintegrate. What's more, the Red Planet is much closer to our solar system's asteroid belt, a region teeming with millions of asteroids.
Understanding how impacts affect Mars is crucial for future human and robotic exploration. Impacts leave new Martian craters about every day. But that's not the whole story. The greater "blast zones" are some 100 times bigger in diameter, which poses a risk to any potential colonists or infrastructure.
Mars is an inhospitable world today, beyond the regular meteorite strikes. The planet is 1,000 times drier than the driest desert on Earth. It has an elevated radiation environment ("about two and one-half times that in the International Space Station," according to NASA), and provides little radiation protection from solar storms.
But we know Mars wasn't always this way. A protective atmosphere once shielded the planet, and it harbored vigorously gushing rivers, and expansive lakes.
UPDATE: May. 11, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EDT Two top picks in this story have shifted after senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart was able to hands-on test CES 2024 releases from Roborock and Eufy in her own home.
Nearly any robot vacuum can sufficiently clear a tile or hardwood floor of the hair and crumbs blowing across it like tumbleweeds. But for a robot vacuum to work on carpet, much more suction power and concentrated airflow is required to uproot the debris embedded in those fibers.
Do robot vacuums work on carpet?Yes, several robot vacuum cleaners do a pretty phenomenal job on carpet and rugs. In fact, the best robot vacuum brands like iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and Shark have been mastering the art for several years, particularly honing in on pet hair pickup and combatting hair tangling in the brush.
For homes with varying floor types and a notable amount of foot traffic, buying the cheapest robot vacuum you can find will likely create more hassle than it's worth. Every time that bot gets stuck on a rug corner or welcomes you home to pet hair still visibly clinging to the living room carpet, you'd probably rather just do the job yourself — but rest assured that that's not an inevitable experience with every robot vacuum.
SEE ALSO: How to choose a robot vacuum in 2024: Consider these 5 features before buyingThe best robot vacuums for carpet have powerful suction, of course, aided by brush roll systems designed to dig into multiple pile heights to pinch hair and large chunks while simultaneously inhaling fine debris that a weaker robot vac would pass right over. A majority of our top picks also use automatic suction adjustment to customize cleaning based on floor type, and all current picks either come with a self-emptying dock (or at least offer the option) to mitigate the frequency of trips to the trash bin.
And if a robot vacuum has mastered carpet — the hardest floor type to tackle — these models will undoubtedly ace the hard floors in your home. In 2024, most of the robot vacuums with market-leading carpet cleaning are just as advanced at mopping.
The Mashable team is on a continuous mission to narrow down those options for you. We've hands-on tested dozens of robot vacuums on several pile lengths of carpets, rugs, and bath mats in a variety of home layouts. Here are our favorites for every carpeted situation in 2024.
Apple's iPads dominate the market. Even with the plethora of tablets from other retailers, iPads are still our favorite. With the 2024 release of the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air, it's clear that Apple is positioning its tablets as a laptop alternative.
Sure, they're great for streaming or reading on the go, but at this point, you can do anything on your computer on an iPad. Whether you want to illustrate or edit videos, iPads will help you do it. Recent developments in the Pro and Air models are also setting them up to be gaming devices.
But since there's not just one iPad to choose from, finding the right tablet isn't so straightforward. Mashable's reporters have hands-on testing experience with the best iPads, so you can figure out which one is for you.
Which iPad model should I buy?Which iPad model is best for you purely depends on your needs. Do you want something that has enough storage and speed for streaming? Do you want to use it to read? Do you want it as your primary workstation? All of that should factor into your decision.
The best iPad for most people is the iPad Air 2024. It has the latest tech and solid performance, but is also in the middle of the range in both price and capability. You can find iPads that are even more advanced or some pared down. Read on for Mashable's list of the best iPads for 2024:
Cowabunga, dudes and dudettes! Let's slide on our favorite scrunchies and some totally tubular leg warmers and, like, head to the mall to veg out with a new movie!
Oh, wait. All of the malls are now decrepit shells where only the rats live? That's not so cowabunga. Well, we'll make due with this bitchin' list of movies from the 1980s that can currently be found on streaming. Just don't forget those leg warmers. They always come in handy.
1. The Breakfast Club Credit: Universal / Kobal / ShutterstockAs Andrew McCarthy's recent documentary Brats (now streaming on Hulu) made extremely clear, you can't make a list of 1980s movies without including ones that star The Brat Pack and/or were directed by John Hughes. Of course, The Breakfast Club fulfills both of those criteria with flying colors. Setting into stone the high school archetypes that every high school movie since has been grappling with in, The Breakfast Club showed us what happened when "The Jock" (Emilio Estevez), "The Nerd" (Anthony Michael Hall), "The Basket Case" (Ally Sheedy), "The Criminal" (Judd Nelson), and "The Princess" (Molly Ringwald) all stopped being polite and started getting real while trapped together in Saturday detention. As they slowly learn to see one another's common humanity beyond the roles that they've found themselves pigeonholed into, the film is achingly sincere — just like most high school kids are. Just ignore the world's worst make-over sequence (justice for Sheedy!), pump your fist in the air, and don't you forget about them.
How to watch: The Breakfast Club is now streaming on Netflix.
2. HeathersThe yin to The Breakfast Club's yang, director Michael Lehmann's darkest of dark comedies riffs on all of the types that the John Hughes movies defined, only with any lingering sincerity torn asunder by blistering satire. As the proto-Mean Girls, Heathers sets itself right within a clique of the school's most popular girls — the titular Heathers — who are so vicious they could've made "tough guy" Judd Nelson curl into a ball and weep in ten seconds or less.
Winona Ryder stars as Veronica, who at the film's start is circling the periphery of the Heathers, not quite sure she belongs. She is named Veronica, after all. Because, yes, the Heathers are all named Heather; there's Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk), and savage queen bee Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), the illustrious wordsmith behind immortal lines like, "Fuck me gently with a chainsaw."
Enter bad boy J.D. (Christian Slater doing his absolute best Jack Nicholson), who turns Veronica's indecision into action — specifically the action of homicide, as he begins offing the Heathers and their dipshit jock boyfriends one by one, with savagely hilarious results. We often (somewhat facetiously) say that they can't make movies like this anymore, but it truly is difficult to picture a mainstream comedy about teens murdering one another now that the gun lobby's allowed our schools to turn into actual Battle Royale recreations. So, go enjoy this one!
How to watch: Heathers is now streaming on Prime Video.
3. Something Wild Credit: Orion / Kobal / ShutterstockVastly underrated within director Jonathan Demme's impressive oeuvre, this 1986 arthouse favorite stars Jeff Daniels as Charlie, a snooze of a New York investment banker who desperately needs to undo his tie and let loose a little. Enter the most manic of manic pixie dream girls, a black-bobbed Melanie Griffith as Audrey, who lightly kidnaps him, jumps his rattled bones, and takes him on a wild road trip across Long Island. (Long Island? Seriously? Yes, just Long Island.) Turns out Audrey is sort of, kind of being hunted down by her sinister ex Ray (a very scary and also hot Ray Liotta). And somehow Demme threads together light screwball comedy with genuine thriller elements, and still sticks an improbable landing. Sexy, funny and legitimately wild stuff.
How to watch: Something Wild is now streaming on Tubi.
4. CruisingSet in New York City's gay leather scene, William Friedkin's 1980 serial killer thriller drew understandable controversy when it was released, as it riled those understandably hungry for positive gay representation in cinema. However, in today's post-Will & Grace world, there's been plenty of gleaming-teeth positive gay representation. So it's a little easier to see beyond Cruising's seediness to its visceral virtues. Friedkin crafted one heck of a scary ride with Cruising, which sees Al Pacino play a detective going undercover into NYC's BDSM scene to catch a crazed maniac who's brutally — and I do mean brutally — murdering gay men.
SEE ALSO: A beginner's guide to understanding Dom/sub dynamicsCruising is fully immersive in its time and place, immortalizing bars like the Eagle's Nest and the Hellfire Club forever; save pornography, nobody was peering into these places circa 1980. Where else were mainstream audiences learning about the hanky code, much less fisting? The tension between terror and desire comes across palpably by Friedkin; the film feels less homophobic to me than it does a dissection of homophobia. It's very much a portrait of its exact moment's mindset. And the eeriness of it immediately presaging the AIDS crisis adds yet another level of darkness.
How to watch: Cruising is now streaming on The Criterion Channel.
5. 48 Hrs.While Eddie Murphy's other '80s buddy cop movie, Beverly Hills Cop, turned out to be the more successful franchise, financially speaking — indeed, 2024 has a fourth entry on tap, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — I've always been Team 48 Hrs. myself. Directed by genre legend Walter Hill (Warriors) and co-starring Nick Nolte at his hilariously gruffest, 48 Hrs. sees San Francisco cop Jack Cates (Nolte) forced to team up with fast-talking convict Reggie Hammond (Murphy) in order to catch Hammond's old partner in crime, one bad dude named Ganz (James Remar).
Considered by most to be the buddy cop movie that invented (or at least popularized) the genre still going strong today, Nolte and Murphy share a monstrously infectious chemistry in these roles. Hill delivers a genuinely action-packed vehicle that gives Murphy free range to flex his comedic chops, turning it into a simultaneously comic romp for the ages. It's the perfect mix.
How to watch: 48 Hrs is now streaming on Paramount+.
6. Working Girl Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockMike Nichols' effervescent 1988 romantic-comedy stars Melanie Griffith (her again!) as Tess, a Staten Island Gal Friday who's tired of being used and abused by the high-powered Manhattan execs that she toils under. Quitting one job because she keeps getting manhandled, Tess thinks she's struck gold when she lands a gig working for a woman; unfortunately, that woman is the ruthless climber Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver, brilliant), whose betrayals manage to cut even deeper.
When Katharine breaks her leg on a business skiing trip and is trapped overseas while she recovers, Tess takes over in her absence and works her own damn way up the ladder. That the big shot Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford at peak hotness) just happens to be standing at the top of said ladder is a bonus I think none of us could or would refuse. With stellar support from a sleazy hot Alec Baldwin and an epically hair-sprayed Joan Cusack, Working Girl tackles and tears apart the corporate world that was at the heart of so much '80s culture with a zany vengeance.
How to watch: Working Girl is now streaming on Hulu.
7. Die HardWhile the subject of whether or not Die Hard counts as a Christmas movie has proven to be an annual conversation in and of itself, its role as a definitive 1980s action classic has never been in dispute. But in 1988, there was actually a lot of uncertainty surrounding the concept of Bruce Willis as an action star. That smirking dude from Moonlighting? Really? That point of view seems impossible to imagine after decades of Willis proving he's an ace at action, but this was the age of those big lunks Schwarzenegger and Stallone. Then Bruce came along and changed all of that, so now our action heroes could be human-sized and funny. And thank goodness.
SEE ALSO: Why you should stream 'Moonlighting' right nowFor the first out of what would end up being five turns, Die Hard sees Willis as John McClane, an NYPD detective who finds himself trapped inside the Los Angeles skyscraper where his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) works after it's been taken over by a gang of terrorists. The leader of said gang is the man, the myth, the legend Hans Gruber, played by the man, the myth, the legend Alan Rickman, with his own malevolent smirk for the ages. And so McClane fights to save his wife and defeat the terrorists, all while director John McTiernan shoots the claustrophobic hell out of it. And lo! Unto us was born a (Christmas) action classic.
How to watch: Die Hard is now streaming on Hulu.
8. Beetlejuice Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockYou can't talk about the 1980s without including Tim Burton, who burst out of the gate in 1985 with the comedy classic Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and then went and invented the superhero blockbuster as we've come to know it with his Batman movie four years later. Nestled in between those two is what feels much more like a definitive Burton film — perhaps even The Definitive Burton Film — 1988's weirdo afterlife masterpiece Beetlejuice.
Winona Ryder (her again!) stars as Lydia Deetz, a teen goth girl who's just moved out of NYC and into a small town fixer-upper with her artistically inclined parents Charles and Delia (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O'Hara, the one true god). The only problem is the place is haunted by its former tenants, a desperately sweet couple named Adam and Barbara (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who recently met their sad end in a covered bridge-related car accident.
SEE ALSO: Watch 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' trailer: Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are backAdam and Barbara want these awful people out of their house immediately, but they don't have much luck haunting them out on their own. So they decide to summon a feisty poltergeist by the name of Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), who's supposedly really good at this sort of thing. Unfortunately for everybody, Mr. Juice has plans of his own, and soon enough all Hell and its stripey sandworms are breaking loose. Awash in strange and surreal Burton-esque lunacy, Beetlejuice is totes the ghost with the most.
How to watch: Beetlejuice is now streaming on Prime Video.
9. ManhunterFive years before Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs would slurp up all of the 1992 Academy Awards with a nice bottle of chianti, director Michael Mann first introduced us — cinematically speaking — to the cannibal psychiatrist to end all cannibal psychiatrists in this 1986 film. And while I can't and don't want to knock Lambs, Manhunter is a beautiful and scary beast all its own.
Based on Thomas Harris' book Red Dragon (which would get adapted into another movie in 2002, as well as play out across a season of the TV series Hannibal), Manhunter stars William Petersen as FBI agent Will Graham, who is on the hunt for a serial killer nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy." And much like Clarice Starling would eventually have to do, Graham is forced to use the skills of the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (played by Brian Cox, aka Daddy Succession) to help him work the case.
Only Mann's third feature film, after Thief and The Keep, Manhunter is a tropical terror show; it feels as if a nightmare has descended upon an episode of Miami Vice. Bonus points for Tom Noonan's creeptastic turn as serial killer Francis Dollarhyde, one of the scariest ever committed to celluloid.
How to watch: Manhunter is now streaming on The Criterion Channel.
10. RoboCopIf we're talking about definitive 1980s directors, there's no way we can't carve out a space for Paul Verhoeven, who saw right through the glitz of this money-obsessed American decade into its blackest of hearts. Of course, giddy, over-the-top filmmaker that Verhoeven was and still is, he packaged up this messaging in a hilariously mordant satire called RoboCop, a brutal excavation of the decade's copaganda streak that never stops kicking unholy amounts of ass along the way.
Peter Weller plays Alex Murphy, an upstanding family man and cop whose goodness gets him blown to literal smithereens while out patrolling the streets of dystopian Detroit. Luckily (or unluckily depending on your perspective) for Murphy, the police department has been outsourced to a tech corporation called Omni, and he wakes up not dead but kinda stuffed into a robotic body, which they're now testing out as a new way to police the streets.
Hyper-violent as they come, RoboCop takes all its ideas to such gore-soaked pop extremes that it's easy enough to find yourself bludgeoned into acquiescence while watching it. But make no mistake, this is a lacerating satire, one that only feels more terrifyingly prescient with each passing year. (Check those robot dogs now patrolling most major cities as the lights in our libraries flicker off.) Like Leonard Cohen, Paul Verhoeven also saw the future, baby, and it was murder.
How to watch: RoboCop is now streaming on Max.
TL;DR: Power up your iPhone quickly with the Speedy Mag wireless charger, on sale for just $34.97 through July 21.
Opens in a new window Credit: Electronic Avenue Speedy Mag Wireless Charger for iPhone (black) $34.97 at The Mashable ShopIf you’re tired of dealing with a tangle of cables every time you need to charge your iPhone, there’s a gadget for that.
The Speedy Mag wireless charger promises to change the way you power up your iPhone. With a price drop to just $34.97, you can save 71% off of the usual price of $119, no coupon required, through July 21.
Designed specifically for iPhone 12 and newer models, the Speedy Mag is designed to charge your phone quickly and conveniently without the mess of wires. Simply place your phone on the charger, and let the powerful built-in magnet and metal plate do the rest.
The Speedy Mag is built to enable you to just stick it to the back of your iPhone, with no need for additional cables or adapters for it to work, allowing you to position your device however you want. The built-in magnet and metal plate provide a secure connection to your phone, so you can pick it up and use it without disrupting the charge.
Built-in safeguards promise to protect your phone from overcharging, ensuring a safe and reliable power-up. Rapid-charging technology is designed to get your phone back to full power fast, too.
The Speedy Mag measures just 0.5 inches high, 5 inches long, and 3 inches wide, making it handy to slip into a bag or pocket while still charging.
Upgrade your charging game today and take advantage of this limited-time offer when you purchase the Speedy Mag wireless charger for only $34.97 through July 21 at 11:59 p.m. P.T. No coupon is needed for this price drop.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Secure a lifetime subscription to a Matt's Flights Premium Plan for just $79.97 (reg. $1,800) through July 21.
Opens in a new window Credit: Matt's Flights Matt's Flights Premium Plan Lifetime Subscription $79.97 at The Mashable ShopIt's not too late to plan your summer getaway. If you've been holding off because of a tight travel budget, Matt's Flights might be able to help you save up to 90% on both domestic and international flights.
A Matt's Flights Premium Plan lets you customize flight deals to your area or desired destination, so you'll be notified about exclusive deals on flights at your selected departure and arrival cities. And you can score a lifetime subscription to save on plane tickets for just $79.97 (reg. $1,800) through July 21.
Dig up your passport and get ready to explore the world with some help from Matt's Flights. This lifetime premium plan is promised to be like your own personal aviation analyst, with the Flight Fare Fairy sending mistake fares and super-low prices to your email inbox so you can book deals that would otherwise be hard to find.
This premium-level membership offers five times more deals than the free membership and an unlimited amount of custom search requests, so you'll receive even more opportunities to satisfy your wanderlust. Aside from helping you shave money off your airline tickets, you'll also have access to travel planning support from Matt himself. He offers one-on-one support for flight and travel planning 24 hours a day, so your dollar goes even further.
This offer is good for one device, either desktop or mobile, and updates are included.
Save big on flights with this lifetime subscription to a Matt's Flights Premium Plan for just $79.97 (reg. $1,800) through July 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed for this price drop.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Get a dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 high-speed flash drive (1TB), price-dropped to $74.97 (reg. $109.99) through July 21.
Opens in a new window Credit: UGR Tech Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive (1TB) $74.97 at The Mashable ShopHaving easy access and sharing capabilities for all of your important files is a serious issue when you’re constantly on the move.
A dual USB-C and USB-A 3.2 high-speed flash drive (1TB) could be a game-changer for storing and sharing large files. And you can get one sale through July 21 for $74.97 (reg. $109.99).
This flash drive doesn’t require any software installations or configurations and is built to be easy to use. Just plug it into your device and you can start to load your files. With 1TB of storage capacity, you should have plenty of space for large files, media, and documents. The advanced chip technology offers enhanced reliability and performance.
Weighing just 3.84 ounces, this dual flash drive makes an easy travel companion. It comes with a metal case for extra protection so you can stow it away safely in your bag or pocket. Designed with durability in mind, it's built to be waterproof, dust-proof, and resistant to damage from drops. Rest easy knowing your files have that triple protection.
Share, store, or transfer data faster with its fast 20-30MB/S read and write speed. The flash drive is compatible with most devices including PCs, laptops, Android phones, car stereos, smart TVs, etc. Be sure your device has an updated operating system of Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11, and 10.6 and above for Mac.
You can get this dual USB-C and USB-A 3.2 high-speed flash drive (1TB) for just $74.97 (reg. $109.99) until July 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed for this price drop.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: This 7-inch touchscreen wireless car display is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it's on sale for $79.97 (reg. $139.99) through July 21.
Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart 7-inch Wireless Car Display with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Compatibility & Phone Mirroring $79.97 at The Mashable ShopDriving an older vehicle has its charm, but technology has come a long way since many of these cars first hit the road. If you’ve ever wished your car could keep up with the latest in-car tech, there’s good news.
You can add modern convenience to your vehicle with a 7-inch wireless car display that features compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and phone mirroring, for just $79.97 (reg. $139) through July 21. This sleek device is designed to be easy to install and might just transform your driving experience.
One of the most valuable things is its compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These systems allow you to connect your smartphone wirelessly to the display, bringing your favorite apps and functions to your car’s dashboard. This gives you a digital hub like the more modern cars on the road. You can even use the phone mirroring feature for a user-friendly interface that mirrors your smartphone’s layout.
Whether you’re navigating with maps, streaming music, or staying connected through calls and messages, the HD touchscreen is designed to have almost everything at your fingertips. In addition, voice control through Siri or Google Assistant should let you keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
The best part is that you can do it all on a 1024 x 600 resolution touchscreen that supports 1920 x 1080P and most video and audio file formats.
Don't miss the chance to get this dash display for your older car at a reduced price. The 7-inch touchscreen wireless car display is on sale for $79.97 (reg. $139.99) through July 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed for this price drop.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Get a 4K dual-camera drone with intelligent obstacle avoidance for just $64.97 (reg. $119) through July 21.
Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart 4K Dual-Camera Drone for Beginners with Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance $64.97 at The Mashable ShopPlanning some big outings this summer? If you're spending time outdoors, you can make sure you have proof of your adventures with drone footage. If you've been putting off getting into drone photography because it seems too complicated, this 4K dual-camera drone is a great option because it's designed with intelligent obstacle avoidance and other features for easier flying and image capturing.
Equipped with two cameras, this device is built to help beginners achieve clear drone photography without any prior drone experience. And you can currently save $54 off the usual price and get one for $64.97 if you order by July 21.
This remote-controlled drone comes equipped with an HD 4K 90-degree front camera and a 120-degree wide-angle bottom camera. The optical flow positioning helps it capture activities down below as it hovers while it snaps away.
Built with drone newbies in mind, this model has a one-key start and stop to make taking off and landing much easier. Gesture control is designed to allow you to make hand motions from below to take photos or videos, and the three-way obstacle avoidance is built to prevent your drone from collisions. It's a good learning tool for aspiring drone photographers and kids alike.
The foldable and adjustable design should be handy for taking it along on your adventures, or simply for when you want to pack it away.
Get the 4K dual-camera drone for beginners with intelligent obstacle avoidance for only $64.97 (reg. $119) through July 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed for this price drop.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
We're halfway through 2024, so it's time for a roundup of the most recent and best listening opportunities available in the form of the podcast. This time, we've got everything from nostalgic rewatching to journeys into the darkness of the human mind to interrogations of history. You'll find well-known favorites with new seasons, like Slow Burn and Long Shadow, plus some debuts onto the scene in the form of neat packages, like Three.
So peruse our list, and get ready to spend the second half of the year inside your latest obsession.
1. Again With ThisA great rewatch podcast enables a listener to engage with their nostalgia, while also making sure they don't take it too seriously. Again With This is hosted by Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting, co-creators of Television Without Pity and Previously.TV; this podcast returns us to the days when our TVs brought us the weekly magic that was Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and most recently, Dawson's Creek. Ariano and Bunting revisit every episode with an unflinchingly shrewd eye toward the details we either never noticed or pretended we didn't see (i.e., the felonious relationship between young Pacey Witter and his teacher). Prepare to see the blush fall off the rose of your youth, and get ready to laugh boisterously in public.
How to listen: Again With This is available on Spotify.
2. The Secrets We KeepIs there something you've never told anyone? What would it take for you to reveal that secret? In this five-part series from New England Public Media, host Karen Brown talks to folks about the secrets they have around topics considered taboo, including abortion, money, and sexuality, and how keeping their secrets has impacted their lives, especially for those who come to occupy the political stage. Here's a podcast that can help us feel less alone as we ask ourselves the question: Do we ever have a responsibility to tell our secrets?
How to listen: The Secrets We Keep is available on Spotify.
3. ThreeOn July 6, 2012, 16-year-old Skylar Neese disappeared into the woods in Wayne Township, Pennsylvania, across the state line from her home in Star City, West Virginia. In December 2012, Neese's best friend, Rachel Shoaf, confessed that she, along with Neese's other best friend, Sheila Eddy, had stabbed Neese to death that night in July. Created and hosted by journalists Justine Harman and Holly Millea, Three is a 10-episode series about the events that led up to Neese's murder. Harman and Millea interview Skylar's family and close friends, as well as investigators on the case, about the chilling dynamic at the heart of this teen triangle — and how it reached its sinister pinnacle.
How to listen: Three is available on Spotify.
4. Radio RentalRemember, if you can, the sound of a videotape sliding into a VCR (if you don't know what I'm talking about, here you go). If that sound makes you feel nostalgic and ready to watch some movies that will make your blood curdle, do yourself a favor and listen to this horror-comedy podcast. In it, Terry Carnation (Rainn Wilson) is the owner of Radio Rental, an '80s video store that houses a collection of strange, scary, and true stories told from the point of view of the people who experienced them. In each episode, Carnation narrates the goings-on inside the store — sometimes there's a void; sometimes a creepy little girl; almost always his very vocal cat, Malachi — setting the scene for tales of the macabre. So grab your fanny pack, get comfortable in your beanbag chair, and don't forget to rewind.
How to listen: Radio Rental is available on Spotify.
5. How to Know What's RealWhat are the things we've come to believe? Why do we believe them, even if and when we know we're constantly confronted with false information every second of the day? Join The Atlantic's Andrea Valdez and Megan Garber as they investigate how our brains process avalanches of disinformation and how we can become more critical. They tackle the idea of "prebunking," how not to perpetuate the spread of bad information, the role of emotion in getting us to click that link, and how your Vanderpump Rules addiction could be impacting your real-life relationships. In a world where we don't always know what to believe, Valdez, Garber, and their expert guests are here to give us the tools to read between the lines.
How to listen: How to Know What's Real is available on Spotify.
6. Hidden BrainHidden Brain is a podcast about human behavior — namely, why we do the things we do, even when we can't explain them. Host Shankar Vedantam dives deep into loneliness, trying too hard, feeling empty, balking when it comes to political conversations, and more. Every episode is a clever and comforting opportunity to glimpse the reasoning behind our most common, and complicated, experiences of being humans.
How to listen: Hidden Brain is available on Spotify.
7. Long Shadow: In Guns We TrustAccording to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 134 mass shootings in the first four months of 2024. In the most recent season of Long Shadow, host Garrett Graff contemplates how we got here. Starting with the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, Graff traces the origins of the Second Amendment, the rise of the NRA and its response to widespread gun violence, as well as the impact on a generation of kids who were raised with lockdown drills. This season will surprise you, as it answers questions you didn't know you had about guns in the U.S. and why, when it comes to keeping each other safe, we can't seem to get out of our own way.
How to listen: Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust is available on Spotify.
8. Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs"Hope is getting your ass kicked and getting back up," says California State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, setting the tone for the latest season of Slate's Slow Burn. Host Christina Cauterucci and her guests take a close look at the Briggs Initiative, the first-ever referendum on gay rights. The 1978 ballot proposition sought to ban gays and lesbians from working in California public schools, igniting the burgeoning violence against the LGBTQ community and inspiring generations of activists in a fight for their jobs, their chosen families, and their futures.
How to listen: Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs is available on Spotify.
9. Second SundaySecond Sunday is a podcast that illuminates the universal inside the particular. Hosts Darren and Esther delve into the experiences of being queer inside the Black church. Every episode features a guest with perspective on how to hold complicated ideas and feelings. How do you not only stay, but flourish, in places where you aren't accepted for who you are? When do you hit the eject button, if ever? How do we take care of ourselves? In season two, Darren, Esther, and their guests examine what it looks like to explore faith outside of a traditional church setting, with creative voices imagining identity and religion beyond rigidity.
How to listen: Second Sunday is available on Spotify.
10. Embedded: SupermajorityThe latest season of Embedded, NPR's documentary podcast, takes us to Tennessee, where host and reporter Meribah Knight follows three conservative moms as they confront the state legislature after the 2023 shooting at The Covenant School, only to learn that the very same political structures that have seemingly been on their side for years actually have no interest in helping them. As we know, politics and identity go hand in hand, and this season will go on to reveal what happens when events make us question who we are, what we believe, who we can trust, and how we can make change.
How to listen: Embedded: Supermajority is available on Apple Podcasts.
The universe may teem with tiny alien microbes.
After all, scientists suspect such primitive organisms could even dwell nearby on other worlds in our very solar system — in briny oceans beneath shells of ice. We can't be sure, of course. Microbes can't beam us any messages. (Though we have plans to look for them.)
But scientists have been getting a clearer picture of why no far-off intelligent civilizations — among the trillions and trillions of planets in the universe — have called us, or why we haven't picked up even a hint of their existence. A compelling new idea, published in the journal Scientific Reports, shows how challenging it would be for a planet to gradually evolve intelligent, communicating life. Such a world, they argue, would need both oceans and continents, and the surface must be in geologic motion (which we call "plate tectonics") for at least some 500 million years.
When other factors are considered — such as the fraction of hospitable planets that host any life at all and how long a signal-emitting civilization might last — the possibility of many active, communicating civilizations in space looks implausible.
"It's like winning the lottery," Taras Gerya, a geophysicist at the research university ETH Zurich in Switzerland and an author of the study, told Mashable. "It can be so rare that we don't have much of a chance to be contacted," added Gerya, who coauthored the study with Robert Stern, a geoscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas.
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.Estimates of the number of advanced communicating civilizations in our galaxy range widely, but are generally high. They all use an elegant, simple formula, called the Drake Equation (shown below), to guide the prediction. The Drake equation itself, created by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, doesn't predict anything — but calculates an answer based on several inputs. A recent proposal suggests there should be at least 36 civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy. Drake surmised there could be some 10,000 civilizations scattered around our galaxy — which would make for a bustling, Star Wars-like realm.
"It's like winning the lottery."The new research estimates, however, are considerably lower.
"It can be as low as only four out of 10,000 galaxies having one civilization," Gerya said. "But having one or two per galaxy is still not impossible," he added.
Indeed, this galaxy has at least one. But other galaxies might not be so lucky.
An artist's conception of the exoplanet Kepler-186f, an Earth-size world 500 light-years away orbiting in its solar system's "habitable zone," meaning the planet could host liquid water. Credit: NASA Ames / JPL-Caltech / T. Pyle The scarcity of alien civilizationsIt's not unusual for experts to suspect that communicating civilizations are scarce. Pascal Lee, a senior planetary scientist at the SETI Institute, an organization researching the origins and prevalence of life in the universe, thinks the number of intelligent, communicating civilizations in our galaxy, which NASA estimates has some 100 to 400 billion stars (and many more planets), is around one.
"It's not too surprising that we could be alone in our galaxy," Lee, who had no role in the new research, told Mashable.
Both Lee and the new study have separately focused on a specific component of the Drake Equation, which they find dramatically lowers the likelihood of a communicating civilization: It's the variable "fi" (pronounced "f sub i"), which SETI describes as the fraction of life-bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.
Here's the Drake equation with the important variable fi:
N = R∗ × fp × ne × fl × fi × fc × L
N = the number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy that can communicate
R∗ = the average rate of star formation in our galaxy
fp = the fraction of those stars with planets
ne = the number of planets around each star harboring suitable environments for life
fl = the fraction of planets where any life emerges
fi = the fraction of planets with life that develops intelligent life / civilizations
fc = the fraction of civilizations with technology to emit detectable signs of their existence
L = the average length of time a civilization produces signs of their existence
What made Earth special, the new research argues, isn't just that it harbored the relatively pleasant conditions for temperate oceans to exist among sprawling continents. The outer part of Earth also operated geologically for hundreds of millions of years — meaning the tectonic plates that make up our planet's crust gradually moved, altering the continents and seas. These conditions stoked the biological evolution that eventually spawned our civilization, the researchers say.
But these planetary factors occurring together, which they propose make up the fraction of planets that develop civilizations (fi), is probably an extreme rarity (for example, it's probably uncommon for a planet to have the right recipe of materials, size, and gravity for plate tectonics to occur). The researchers estimate it's a range between under 0.00003 to 0.002 percent of all planets. That means, quite optimistically, two out of 1,000 planets where life actually emerges might develop a civilization.
A deep view of the cosmos captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Every object, except for the six-pointed foreground stars, is an entire galaxy. Credit: ESA Webb / NASA / CSA / A. MartelWhy might shifting plates on Earth's surface, such as the Pacific and North American plates, be so critical to the evolution of advanced communicating civilizations? Imagine two planets with large continents and oceans: one with a billion years of plate tectonics, and one without. On the planet with no movement, like Mars when it harbored seas, the land masses do not move. Everything is largely static. "As a result, life stays as is or evolves very slowly," Gerya explains. "You're happy as is, so why should you evolve?"
Yet dramatic changes in continents — and their coastlines, climates, and beyond — drive species to evolve. "That's what plate tectonics does," Gerya emphasized. "It's always pushing complex species to change." On Earth, during the Neoproterozoic Era (around 1 billion to 540 million years ago), modern plate tectonics "dramatically accelerated" the emergence of complex species, the authors argue. "Species are pushed toward adaptations or dispersal," Gerya said. "It creates a very dynamic situation."
After 3 billion years of microbes dominating Earth, the first fossil record of animals appears during this period. The seas teemed with life. The first dinosaurs emerged. Sharks, reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals came into existence.
"That's what plate tectonics does. It's always pushing complex species to change."This was the start of the long, uncertain highway towards a civilization. We arrived, but not long ago: human civilizations have only been around for some 5,500 years.
Yet the long-lived tectonics argument is far from the only thing, or things, that might have allowed rare intelligent life to eventually blossom on Earth.
"The problem is we don't know what factually allowed life to really emerge and become intelligent," said SETI's Lee, emphasizing there are a number of intriguing possibilities.
Plumes of water ice shooting out of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The briny ocean below could potentially sustain life. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSIA giant asteroid wiping out most dinosaurs (but not the avian ones!) may have helped the human cause. In the aftermath of the cataclysmic event, mammals and burrowing animals could now dominate a surface largely devoid of dinosaurs. "They became the apex predators on the surface of Earth, and eventually led to us," Lee noted. Some have made the argument that our unusually large moon (relative to Earth) is responsible for creating the balanced environs needed for life to thrive. The gravitationally-influential moon stabilized our world's chaotic spin, so it would no longer wobble dramatically over time, like on Mars, igniting climate chaos. Or, perhaps, the reason it took so long for intelligent life to evolve on Earth was simply because for eons there was no evolutionary need for life to become smart enough to build interstellar-voyaging craft and beam signals through space.
"Dinosaurs never needed to come up with a radio telescope or an FM radio," Lee said. (Dinosaurs persisted for 165 million years. Our species has been around for some 300,000 years, and only invented the lightbulb 145 years ago.)
"Dinosaurs never needed to come up with a radio telescope or an FM radio."Indeed, it might be that our world is exceptional. Perhaps, on average, only one communicating civilization exists in a galaxy at any one time. Or four for every 10,000 galaxies. Or somewhere in between. The only certainty we have is a communicating civilization, for all of its woes and flaws, exists on Earth. And it's achieved great things.
"It would be a big loss for the universe if our civilization failed," Gerya said.
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