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SAVE $230: As of April 11, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is on sale at Best Buy for $419.99, 35% off its list price of $649.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung - Galaxy Watch Ultra Titanium Smartwatch 47mm LTE - Titanium Silver $419.99 at Best Buy
$649.99 Save $230 Get Deal

If you're an outdoorsy person and this warmer weather has you itching to get back out on some adventures, you'll want a smartwatch that can keep up with you. While some of the more premium smartwatches come with hefty price tags, occasionally you can score some nice deals on various models. At the moment, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has been marked down over $200 at Best Buy, which is well worth taking advantage of.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has been marked down from its list price of $649.99 to $419.99, allowing you to keep $230. This discount has been applied to multiple color options as well, so you can choose between the titanium silver smartwatch with a dark gray marine band, the titanium gray smartwatch with an orange marine band, the titanium white smartwatch with a white marine band, and the titanium gray smartwatch with a dark gray marine band.

SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wrist

This smartwatch is a perfect fit for people with a very active lifestyle, as its durable build can handle any adventure you take it on. It boasts a wide variety of health and fitness features to help you stay on top of your goals as well, including an Energy Score that shows you how ready you are to take on the day based on stats related to the previous day's sleep patterns, heart rate, and steps. In our hands-on review, we noted that, "It can reportedly handle temperatures between -4 and 131 degrees Fahrenheit, and it can tolerate deep-sea diving and other challenging environments."

If you've been looking for the ultimate smartwatch upgrade, this deal on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is worth a look.

Looking for more smartwatch deals? There are a couple more Samsung options on sale right now that are worth a look. Also at Best Buy, you can save on the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch7 right now, and at Amazon, the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is 20% off at the moment.

“How do we navigate this new uncertain climate?”

Two years ago, a star on its deathbed was charged with a heinous act — eating a planet — in a system 12,000 light-years away from Earth. 

But new evidence has emerged in the case that astronomers say exonerates this elderly Milky Way star of the crime. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration of NASA and its European and Canadian space counterparts, a team observed that while the planet did die in the belly of a stellar beast, it didn’t go down the way they once thought. 

Rather than the star bloating into a red giant that then swallowed the Jupiter-sized world, the planet’s orbit had slowly shrunk, bringing it ever closer to its star. Eventually, the planet collided with the star.

It all boils down to culpability, and it seems, at least in this case, the distant planet essentially jumped down the star's throat.

"So the star actually did eat the planet, just not in the way we initially thought," Ryan Lau, an astronomer at the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, told Mashable, "and it was maybe more the planet's fault."

SEE ALSO: Is there any hope for Earth after the sun dies? A glimmer. An artist's depiction of a planet grazing a star just before being completely engulfed. Credit: K. Miller / R. Hurt (Caltech / IPAC) illustration

In the past, astronomers have found evidence of stars that have consumed planets, sometimes by doing a sort of post-mortem autopsy on what's left of the dead star. But research previously published on this particular event in the journal Nature presented the first direct evidence of a star engulfing a planet as it happened. 

The incident was first seen five years ago as a sudden bright flash of visible light, which scientists named ZTF SLRN-2020. Later, they noticed that the star had already started to glow in infrared a year earlier — a clue that there was dust nearby, possibly in the wake of a destroyed planet.

They thought the star had turned into a red giant, a late stage in a star’s life when it grows much larger and can swallow nearby planets. Scientists have suggested it's likely the fate of the sun and Earth. But the new data from Webb revealed a twist: The star hadn't brightened as it would if it had indeed expanded. 

That meant the star stayed about the same size — and the planet, roughly the size of Jupiter, came to it. Over millions of years, the planet edged closer and closer. Eventually, it grazed the star’s outer atmosphere until it was completely reeled in. The results and new conclusions are published in The Astrophysical Journal. 

The collision caused a giant explosion, creating a swirling disk of gas and dust. By studying the aftermath, Webb detected molecules like carbon monoxide around the star.

"The planet eventually started to graze the star’s atmosphere. Then it was a runaway process of falling in faster from that moment," said Morgan MacLeod of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, in a statement. "The planet, as it’s falling in, started to sort of smear around the star."

As a Jupiter-sized planet passes through its star’s atmosphere, its orbit shrinks, eventually colliding and spewing material into a ring around the star. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Ralf Crawford illustration

Unlike giant stars that explode into a supernova and collapse into a black hole, a medium star like the sun suffers a more tortured end by dying slowly. A so-called "planetary nebula" — a confusing misnomer because stars cause them, not planets — is a phenomenon made from the molted layers of an elderly star. Such spectacular clouds of gas and dust occur when a star withers away as it loses nuclear fuel.

Astronomers expect this is the future of the sun in about 5 billion years, though scientists still have a lot to learn about these events. 

It would be impossible to watch a single star go through its entire lifecycle for obvious reasons: That would take billions of years, said Paul Sutter, a professor at Stony Brook University and author of How to Die in Space, in a 2022 interview with Mashable. But experts have been able to predict this kind of death for some planets by studying many stars at different intervals and how they interact with their surroundings at each age.

"It's like taking a snapshot of everyone on the Earth in one moment. You can't capture one person's lifetime, but you can see people being born, you can see people playing soccer in elementary school, and you can see people getting married. You can see people dying, getting sick," said Sutter, who wasn't involved in the new study. "You can reconstruct the life cycle of a person by putting together all these separate pieces, so we have a general picture of how stars evolve and how they live."

Webb's investigation of the gas in the aftermath prompts more questions for researchers about what actually transpired once the star swallowed the planet. Scientists hope to find and study others to collect more data.

In order to make the ultimate Saxon-style protein shake, you need a few key ingredients.

Appearing on The Tonight Show in the clip above, Saxon himself (aka The White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger) demonstrates how it's done, from the copious quantities of protein powder to the slightly unnerving laughter.

Chef's kiss.

SAVE $30: As of April 11, the Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds are on sale at Amazon for $149, 17% off their list price of $179.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds $149 at Amazon
$179 Save $30 Get Deal

Warmer weather has arrived, and if you're spending more time outdoors, it's nice to have a pair of earbuds to keep you company. If you're looking to buy some new ones, there are some great deals to check out right now. One of our picks from our list of the best earbuds to buy in 2025, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, are actually on sale at Amazon, so you can enjoy high-quality sound at a lower price.

The Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds are on sale right now for $149 at Amazon, 17% off their list price of $179. This deal applies to multiple colors as well so you can choose between the black earbuds, chilled lilac, or white smoke. They're currently listed as a limited time deal, though, so if they catch your eye there's no better time than now to add them into your virtual shopping cart.

SEE ALSO: Enjoy some music outside with the Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker (2nd Gen), now 20 percent off at Amazon

Boasting excellent sound quality and noise-canceling features, the Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds will completely immerse you in the sounds you're listening to. As mentioned before, we consider them the best mid-budget pick in our roundup of the best earbuds, saying, "The QuietComfort’s sound quality is just phenomenal. With these earbuds, listening to Ethel Cain’s A House in Nebraska immersed me in the orchestrations. When Brick House by The Commodores came on, the earbuds elevated the snappy drum beats so that I may have been listening live."

On top of their sound quality, they also offer up to 8.5 hours of battery life so you can listen to your favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks for longer between charges.

Treat yourself to some new earbuds with this deal on the Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds at Amazon.

If you're curious to see more earbuds on sale right now, you can also save on the Beats Studio Buds + at Amazon and the Sony WF-C700N earbuds have been discounted there as well.

When colossal asteroids rock Earth, it's not all doom and gloom.

The menacing asteroid that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs left a colossal marine crater in what's now the Yucatan Peninsula. But after analyzing deeply drilled rock core from the impact site created by the six-mile-wide asteroid, geologists have found compelling evidence that life soon thrived in the basin following the seismic episode.

The asteroid's impact stoked nutrients and chemicals to be released from beneath the seafloor, a process called hydrothermal activity. Similar activity naturally occurs today in the deep sea, where hydrothermal vents emit superheated chemical-rich fluid into the water, feeding unique colonies of life, including huge tubeworms, crabs, fish, microorganisms, and beyond.

"This study reveals that impact cratering events, while primarily destructive, can in some cases also lead to significant hydrothermal activity,” Steven Goderis, a researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium who co-authored the study, said in a statement. “In the case of Chicxulub, this process played a vital role in the rapid recovery of marine ecosystems.”

SEE ALSO: NASA dropped a new report. It's a wake-up call.

The research was published this week in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications.

The colossal impact event, which triggered a mass extinction event over much of Earth's land and ocean environments, also filled the present-day Gulf of Mexico with nutrients for at least 700,000 years, the researchers concluded.

In the core drilled from the impact site, called "Chicxulub crater" (which you should Google for a novel Google-created search result), researchers found a ratio of the metallic element osmium that is associated with asteroid remnants. When the asteroid struck this region, its pulverized particles — which contained osmium — mixed beneath the seafloor and were emitted into the water, before eventually settling back down on the seafloor. When scientists drilled into the ocean bottom, they brought up this ancient seafloor, revealing that hydrothermal fluid containing asteroid remnants flowed into the gulf for hundreds of thousands of years.

The impact, which precipitated widespread hydrothermal activity, ultimately created a nutrient-rich oceanic bath, the researchers say.

A graphic showing how the environment in the Chicxulub crater following the impact could have spawned rich hydrothermal activity in the enclosed Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Sato et al. A gravity anomaly map of the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatan Peninsula. Credit: NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission

"After the asteroid impact, the Gulf of Mexico records an ecological recovery process that is quite different from that of the global ocean, as continuous hydrothermal activity has created a unique marine environment," Honami Sato, an earth scientist at Japan's Kyushu University who led the research, explained.

If such a cataclysmic event could create extremely habitable conditions on a region of Earth, the same might happen on other worlds, too. It could happen on ocean moons, or in a related way, perhaps even on desert worlds. Mars, for example, is a planet bombarded with meteor strikes. Such impacts could melt the plentiful water ice in parts of Mars' subsurface, creating an inviting environment for microbes to thrive.

The risks of an asteroid impact

Fortunately for us earthling land-dwellers, the odds of a cataclysmic space rock impact are exceedingly small. Here are today's general risks from asteroids or comets both tiny and very large. Importantly, even relatively small rocks can still be threatening, as the surprise 56-foot (17-meter) rock that exploded over Russia and blew out people's windows in 2013 proved.

• Every single day about 100 tons of dust and sand-sized particles fall through Earth's atmosphere and promptly burn up.

• Every year, on average, an "automobile-sized asteroid" plummets through our sky and explodes, according to NASA.

• Impacts by objects around 460 feet (140 meters wide) in diameter occur every 10,000 to 20,000 years.

• A "dinosaur-killing" impact from a rock perhaps a half-mile across or larger happens on 100-million-year timescales.

SAVE $361.99: As of April 11, Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition 51mm smartwatch is available for $738 at Amazon. That’s 33% off its regular price of $1,099.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire Edition (51mm) $738 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $361.99 Get Deal

I want a smartwatch that doesn’t just count steps and look vaguely sporty. I want something that could double as my wilderness survival kit if it had to. Garmin’s epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire is exactly that and it’s currently $738 at Amazon, which is $362 off the usual price of $1,099.99. That’s not a casual discount. That’s the kind of cut that could replace half your gear bag.

This thing is unapologetically overbuilt, and I mean that in the best way. A scratch-resistant sapphire lens, titanium bezel, and a 1.4-inch always-on AMOLED display that somehow looks crisp even when you're drenched in sweat. It’s designed for larger wrists, sure, but it’s not clunky. It’s confident.

SEE ALSO: Live your Kawaii gamer dreams with this discounted Logitech POP ICON keyboard and mouse combo

One of my favorite ridiculous-but-useful features? The built-in flashlight. Not a metaphorical one. An actual LED with strobe modes. Try navigating a campsite or fumbling with gear in the dark and tell me that’s not genius.

Then there’s the training tech. Hill score and endurance score features track how strong you are on inclines and how all your workouts stack up into real-world stamina. Garmin has basically turned this thing into a wearable sports psychologist with its 24/7 health tracking, sleep insights, and morning reports that synthesize your readiness for the day like some kind of wrist-mounted oracle.

• Price: $738.00 $1,099.99

• Retailer: Amazon

• Size: 51mm

• Display: 1.4-inch always-on AMOLED

• Lens: Scratch-resistant sapphire

• Bezel: Titanium

• Battery Life: Up to 16 days (384 hours)

• Health Features: HRV, Pulse Ox, advanced sleep tracking, morning report

• Fitness Features: Hill score, endurance score, strength training, running power

• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB

• Compatibility: Android and iOS

• Extras: Built-in flashlight, GPS, touchscreen, notifications, gesture control

It even tracks wrist-based running power, strength workouts, and has pacing tools dialed in for race day. So yes, you’re covered if you’re running a trail marathon or just want your smartwatch to flex harder than you do.

I think if you’ve been circling the idea of upgrading to a true performance smartwatch, this is the kind of deal that makes it a whole lot easier to say yes.

SAVE $369.96: As of April 11, Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is available for $129.99 at Woot. That’s 74% off its original list price of $499.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Harman Kardon Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 $129.99 at Woot
$499.95 Save $369.96 Get Deal

I’ve been side-eyeing high-end Bluetooth speakers for a while now, waiting for one to dip low enough that I could justify it without guilt. This? This is that moment. Harman Kardon’s Onyx Studio 8 is $129.99 at Woot right now, down from a wild $499.95. That’s a 74% discount, which feels like a typo they forgot to fix.

In my opinion, Onyx Studio 8 is what you get when audio engineers and interior designers actually talk to each other. The thing looks good enough to live on a bookshelf without screaming “tech bro” and sounds like you accidentally bought something for professionals. It’s got that warm, punchy low-end Harman Kardon is famous for, and the kind of clarity that makes even your sad playlist sound cinematic.

SEE ALSO: Live your Kawaii gamer dreams with this discounted Logitech POP ICON keyboard and mouse combo

It also has self-tuning, which I did not realize was a feature I needed until now. Power it on in a new room and it recalibrates to its surroundings automatically. No fiddling, no settings, no pretending you understand what “acoustic phase optimization” means. Just turn it on, and it sounds great.

Battery life clocks in at eight hours, and it can pair with two Bluetooth devices at once. If your partner insists on hijacking the playlist mid-dinner party, now they can. You’ll regret it, but they can. The anodized aluminum handle doubles as a base, which makes it genuinely portable and not just “portable” in the sense that you could move it but probably won’t.

• Price: $129.99 $499.95

• Retailer: Woot

• Condition: New

• Color: Black

• Battery Life: Up to 8 hours

• Connectivity: Bluetooth

• Special Features: Self-tuning, dual-device pairing

• Design: Anodized aluminum handle/base, premium materials

• Eco-Friendly: Recycled plastic, FSC-certified packaging

• Warranty: 1-year Harman Kardon manufacturer limited warranty

• Shipping: Free for Prime members (excludes Alaska, Hawaii, and PO Boxes)

It even earns a few eco points thanks to recycled materials and soy ink packaging. Not saying this will singlehandedly save the planet, but it’s nice to know your speaker has a smaller footprint than your streaming habits.

For $129.99, this is one of those “add to cart before someone notices the mistake” kind of deals. I want it, and I don’t even need another speaker. That’s how good it is.

Even before the threat of President Trump’s tariffs, there were questions about the company’s inability to make good on new ideas.

Some 22,500 miles above Earth, a spacecraft filled with thruster fuel will gas up two orbiting Space Force assets.

The high-altitude endeavor, undertaken by the orbital servicing enterprise Astroscale U.S., is slated to occur in the summer of 2026, the company announced this week. This Department of Defense-funded mission will see Astroscale's 660-pound craft refuel a satellite with the propellant hydrazine, then maneuver to a fueling depot to fill up with more fuel, and then refuel another asset. (All the involved assets haven't yet been revealed by the Space Force.)

But it will be the first time a Space Force craft will be refueled in space. Such a fuel shuttle could keep spacecraft in orbit longer and eliminate the need for any craft to suspend its mission to retrieve thruster propellant. It's a novel type of full-service gas station.

"This changes fundamentally how we do things in space," Ian Thomas, Astroscale U.S.' Refueler Program Manager, told Mashable.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

After launching, the refueled craft will travel to a region called geostationary orbit, which is a unique place around Earth where spacecraft orbit at same rate Earth is rotating — meaning they stay locked in the same position relative to our planet. There, Astroscale's craft will carefully approach its first Space Force satellite target, called Tetra-5, and transfer fuel. The refueler will then thrust away and inspect the scene with a specialized camera to ensure no valuable fuel is leaking. Then, the refueler will fly to a nearby fuel depot, or gas station, and attach and pull fuel from the depot before traveling to its second refueling target.

"This changes fundamentally how we do things in space."

"The point of the mission is to make sure all the different parts are viable and work," Thomas explained. "You have a fuel depot, a client, and us."

How Astroscale's refueler, "ASP-R," will approach and refuel spacecraft in orbit around Earth. Credit: Astroscale U.S.

For an outer space operation, while certainly not simple, it's relatively efficient once the refueler arrives at a spacecraft running on empty. "It is definitely longer than refueling your car but it's something that can be done in a matter of hours," Thomas said.

You've probably noticed that most spacecraft, whether satellites or NASA deep space probes, are fitted with solar panels. These are invaluable, as they provide power to a craft's computer systems, cameras, and beyond. But they can't provide propellant to move and reorient craft, avoid high-speed space junk, or keep a satellite from naturally getting dragged into Earth's atmosphere. That's why refueling is vital.

"The paradigm we had doesn't hold up anymore."

If a spacecraft can be refueled, engineers can design missions that aren't limited by fuel. The revolutionary, $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope, for example, has finite fuel, and its mission (while still lengthy) is limited to some 20 years.

"The paradigm we had doesn't hold up any more," Thomas emphasized.

An artist's conception of Astroscale's refueler orbiting Earth. Credit: Astroscale U.S. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This isn't Astroscale's first orbital rodeo. In a separate mission intended to deorbit large pieces of space debris (called Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan), the company has already closely approached a large rocket stage to test close proximity maneuverability and reconnaissance; next up, an Astroscale spacecraft will use a robotic arm to bring the large 36-foot-long spent rocket stage down to Earth, in 2028.

But before then, the company may prove that running a fuel depot in Earth's orbit isn't just feasible; it could redefine how expensive orbiting spacecraft — whether used for national security, communications, or science — operate in space.

"If you run out of fuel, you run out of life," Thomas said.

TL;DR: Experience muscle relief and better recovery thanks to the Turonic G5 Deep Tissue Massage Gun, now $109.99 (reg. $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: TREBLAB Turonic G5 Deep Tissue Massage Gun $109.99
$199.97 Save $89.98 Get Deal

Since summer is just around the corner, you may be spending more time in the gym than usual. If that's the case, and you've got the tight muscles to prove it, let the Turonic G5 Deep Tissue Massage Gun provide some much-needed relief. Right now, it's $90 off and just $109.99 for a limited time. 

Give your muscles some TLC

Feeling rough after a workout? You can get instant muscle relief for knots and swellings without spending a fortune at the spa thanks to the Turonic G5 Deep Tissue Massage Gun. In fact, for less than most massages cost, this gun can provide continuous relief after every gym session. 

There are five intensity modes to choose from — from 1,200 to 3,200RPM — and switching between them is as easy as pushing a button. 

The deep percussion massage can reach sore spots in 11mm depth, providing not only relief but a whole host of health benefits — like improving blood flow and allowing you to relax. 

Looking to target different areas of the body? That's no problem for the Turonic G5 Deep Tissue Massage Gun; it has seven replaceable heads ready to help different muscle groups. 

This massage gun operates with 45dB, so it's super quiet, and you can unwind while you use it. The long battery life ensures you're not always scrambling for the charger, as it works for up to eight hours on a single charge. 

Get your summer body without sacrificing comfort thanks to the Turonic G5 Deep Tissue Massage Gun, now $109.99 (reg. $199). 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Let The Windows PowerShell Certification Bundle teach you how to use PowerShell for automating and managing Windows systems, now for just $19.99 (reg. $78).

Opens in a new window Credit: Vijay Saini The Windows PowerShell Certification Bundle $19.99
$78 Save $58.01 Get Deal

Who doesn't want to take something off their to-do list? Automation can help lessen your workload, and it's a growing trend in the world of IT. 

If learning how to automate and transitioning to a career in IT sounds tempting, The Windows PowerShell Certification Bundle can give you a well-rounded education on the topic. Right now, these six informative courses can be yours for just $19.99 — less than $4 each. 

Master PowerShell and receive certificates of completion from these six courses

Let PowerShell teach you the ins and outs of automation, PowerShell scripting, and more with these six courses taught by established IT professional Vijay Saini.

Automation is Saini's specialty, so he has the background to walk you through courses geared toward beginners, like the Anybody Can Script course. In that one, you'll learn how to create and use scripts and get lessons on the fundamentals of automation for simple tasks.

Learn Python-based GUI automation with GUI Automation Using Python, which helps you tackle web scraping and browser tasks. And then once you get a good foundation in Windows PowerShell, you can move on to courses like the Advanced Scripting and Tool Making course, which teaches advanced scripting techniques, database interactives, and how to create graphical user interfaces using PowerShell.

You'll earn a certificate of completion after every course you work through, which is great to add to a résumé or LinkedIn profile. 

Make your professional life a little easier with The Windows PowerShell Certification Bundle, now only $19.99 (reg. $78) for a limited time. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: You don't need to be a professional to make music — just get lifetime access to Supermusic AI for only $39.97 (reg. $319) through April 27 to make studio-quality tunes.

Have you ever wanted to create your own song? You don't necessarily need Hozier's lyric-writing skills or vocals like Billie Eilish. As long as you've got an idea for a song or even snippets of lyrics in your notes app, you could bring them to life without ever stepping foot in a studio or knowing how to play the piano.

Bring your musical ideas to life with Supermusic AI. Think of this tool as an AI music generator — it works similarly to AI article and image generators you've probably already fiddled with. Just enter your prompt and ideas and have a complete song created with a catchy melody and powerful vocals with lifetime access to Supermusic AI, now only $39.97 (reg. $319).

It's your chance to create the next summer anthem 

Supermusic AI might just turn you into the next Grammy-winning artist or producer, thanks to how its innovative “prompt-to-song” feature lets you craft unique songs in minutes. You have complete control over your music generation — choose the style, input your ideas, and watch as AI transforms them into studio-quality tracks.

Check out how easy it is to create a hit that rivals Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso:"

• Input your song idea or paste your lyrics if you have them.

• Select the genre you'd like your tune to be, whether that's pop, rock, country, or R&B.

• Click the 'generate' button and voilá! You just created a song with AI.

Something that's tricky about AI is how sometimes, the results might feel not-so human. But, you might just be surprised at your end result and how realistic the vocals sound. Listen to some hits that've been created with Supermusic AI:

• Bootless Follies

• Dino Robbery Rhapsody

• Moira the Kitty Cat

Just keep in mind that your subscription only lets you generate about 100 songs every month.

Ready to give your favorite artists a run for their money?

Create songs with prompts by grabbing this Supermusic AI lifetime subscription, now just $39.97 (reg. $319) through April 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Supermusic Supermusic AI: Lifetime Subscription $39.97
$319 Save $279.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Bring your note-taking into the 21st century with this lifetime subscription to My Notes AI Pro Plan for just $39.99 (reg. $299).

Still sharpening your pencil and taking copious notes in meetings like you did as a kid? It's 2025, and it's time to update how you log information. My Notes AI changes the note-taking game, and right now, you can score a lifetime subscription to their Pro Plan for just $39.99. 

My Notes AI is like your personal note-taking assistant

Put down that pen. My Notes AI not only takes notes for you, but it can summarize them so you catch all the important points... no hand cramping required.

Let it listen in on your lectures, meetings, or brainstorming sessions, or upload an audio file and have it transcribed and summarized after the fact. It also works for Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams meetings. 

My Notes AI takes the notes and then turns the transcriptions into helpful summaries, boiling down action items so you don't have to. And once it's done, it's easy to export the transcriptions or summaries and share them with friends, fellow students, or colleagues. 

Your notes are all organized in custom folders for topics, dates, or projects once transcribed and summarized for easy access. 

Though it uses advanced technology, My Notes AI has an easy-to-use, intuitive interface that works on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. 

After you get the hang of My Notes AI, you can unlock the premium features like unlimited transcription, meeting recordings, instant AI summaries, and advanced organization tools. 

Let My AI Notes handle all your note-taking from now on for just $39.99 (reg. $299) with this lifetime subscription.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: With Bytes My Notes AI Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription - AI Note Transcriber & Summarizer $39.99
$299 Save $259.01 Get Deal

After conjuring up a nightmarish vision of a possible future conflict with last year's Civil War, director Alex Garland's latest film, Warfare, takes viewers back to the frontlines of a very real, not-so-distant fight — the Iraq War, circa 2006. It's both a tribute to the bravery shown in the face of battle by a group of young Navy SEALs and a brutal slog that immerses audiences into the gritty reality of war, viscera and all.

SEE ALSO: Watch Alex Garland, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton break down the tense experience of filming 'Warfare'

Co-written and co-directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, an Iraq War veteran, Warfare starts off as a normal day for a group of Navy SEALs, as they relax and watch music videos for fun before scouting out into enemy territory for a stake-out to ensure another troop's safety. Only it quickly becomes clear this isn't a typical day. Worrisome sightings of local men looking in their hidden direction quickly become a warning of things to come. Soon, unseen assailants throw grenades and shoot in their direction. After one of their own, Elliot (Cosmo Jarvis), is hurt, the group of Navy SEALs led by Erik (Will Poulter) attempt to evacuate him, only to be hit by an IED, leaving more severely wounded and the rest of them in shock. It looks like time is running out as more enemy combatants circle their position and backup is several long minutes away. 

Warfare reconstructs battleground reality from the memories of those who experienced it. Credit: Murray Close / A24

Warfare is based on Mendoza's own memories of a specific ordeal during his tour of duty in Iraq. Through interviews with other members of his troop, Mendoza and Garland pieced together a snapshot of war from different perspectives into one narrative timeline of events, as if the audience were shadowing this troop through their mission gone awry. Even with an ensemble who might look the same under their fatigues, helmets, and tactical gear, they each have a position to hold and a role to play. Eventually, a few main characters emerge, with personalities that shine through in a time of crisis. Cinematographer David J. Thompson's camera floats through the cramped and crowded space of the stake-out, alternating the view from different perspectives. 

One of the first standout characters is Jarvis' character, Elliot, a cocky sniper who's injured early on before surviving an even deadlier explosion that nearly claims his life. A young Mendoza (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Reservation Dogs), risks his life to bring Elliot out of harm's way in the hopes he might be saved. The movie version of Mendoza is a scrappy communication officer whose gear looks bigger than he is, but he emerges as one of the fearless warriors, caring for his fallen comrade as others try desperately to defend the post. Although Erik begins the movie as a steady leader for his team, the carnage left behind by the IED leaves him shaken and needing another's help. Once the first wave of relief arrives, Jake (Charles Melton) steps in as an officer in charge to start calling the shots and rally the wounded troops back to safety. The cast also includes Taylor John Smith, Joseph Quinn, Noah Centineo, Michael Gandolfini, Kit Connor, and Evan Holtzman.

Mendoza, who previously collaborated with Garland on developing the battle scenes for Civil War, meticulously recreates both the chaos and order these men lived through. Thompson captures the fear and pain on the faces of the young cast but also their resolute determination to survive; there are plenty of wide-eyed stares and clenched jaws as they endure rounds and rounds of bullets. The goal of Warfare is accuracy, not a romanticized or sanitized version of war but immersing audiences into the heart of the maelstrom — the details that don't always make it to the brief dispatches on a nightly news broadcast, the memories not all veterans feel comfortable discussing. 

The in-the-moment story leaves no room for the bigger picture.

War movies have always been a part of cinema history. The first-ever Oscar winner was the 1927 film Wings, which follows a romance through the trials of the first World War. The original 1930 version of All Quiet on the Western Front also tried to show the grim details and mental toll war takes on soldiers. During the Vietnam War and after the collapse of the Hays Production Code in the late 1960s, filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola and Stanley Kubrick were able to examine the brutality of war with movies like Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket. While these films critiqued the loss of life and innocence, there were always movies that immortalized various real-life incidents throughout U.S. military history for rousing patriotic entertainment, such as Black Hawk Down and 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's stunning 'All Quiet on the Western Front' trailer finds humanity amid the horrors of war

In these more nationalistic visions, it's a very clear case of "us versus them," rooting for the men under our flag and damn the rest. There's little to no context for why these young men ended up in such a precarious position that risked their life and limb; no attempt to explain the politics that led them to that fateful day. War is just a part of life, a product of its time.

At a rapid-fire 95 minutes, Warfare covers just that one moment in all its excruciating detail. While the no-holds-barred honesty of injury and danger can feel overwhelming, in a sense, the film still functions like a traditional war movie in its "us versus them" approach. There's little consideration given to the Iraqi residents whose home is taken over by the Navy SEALs and nearly leveled by the end, or the Iraqi interpreters working with the team who end up becoming gruesome cannon fodder when the IED drops. Far from a nuanced story, Warfare hits viewers square in the face with violence and little else. I didn't properly time it, but it felt like a third of the movie's runtime featured someone screaming for help or in pain. I winced at the sight of limbs dangling like broken dolls, soaked beet-red from blood. 

War is hell, and if you had any other such notions, Warfare should help set the record straight. But is that all there is? Maybe I missed some meaning behind the nerve-shattering brutality. Warfare might be so honest as to work as an anti-recruitment film, combatting the polished ads the armed forces like to run during sports broadcasts. While it's admirable Mendoza and Garland stitch together this agonizing portrait of the perils of war, its demands on young soldiers, and the merciless reality of combat, I was unsure how to feel about it. It doesn't deliver the rah-rah patriotic highs nor does it critique the Iraq War that led them to that day. After the film ends, there's behind-the-scenes footage of Mendoza and Garland with many of the veterans who survived the ordeal, revisiting their past in a recreated set hundreds of miles away from where they almost met their end. Maybe there can be healing in revisiting the not-too-distant past for these vets, but Warfare doesn't offer the same catharsis for civilian viewers. 

Warfare opens nationwide April 11.

Set over the course of one eventful party, The Uninvited functions much like a play — kind of like what its characters, A-list actors coming together for a garden party, used to perform together back when they were coming up. It's a three-act ticking time bomb in which everything could unravel at any minute.

Writer-director Nadia Conners' script is made for actors to sink their teeth into, and The Uninvited sees just that, with some of Hollywood's top talent playing some of Hollywood's top talent. With Walton Goggins (who is married to Conners), Pedro Pascal, Elizabeth Reaser, Rufus Sewell, and Lois Smith, you can't really go wrong.

SEE ALSO: 10 Sundance movies you should know about now

What eventuates is a night of home truths, revelations, and musings on our past selves, all set within the realm of a luxurious Hollywood home — and all the expectations that come with such a life.

What is The Uninvited about? Helen (Lois Smith) is the film's unexpected guest. Credit: Foton Pictures

Throwing an expensive, catered party at their lush Hollywood home, former actor Rose (Elizabeth Reaser) and A-list Hollywood agent Sammy (Walton Goggins) are a married couple who know they'll have to be on their game for the next few hours. Sammy has deals to close, pitches to deliver, and new clients to scoop up — including Rose's ex, movie star lothario Lucian (Pedro Pascal).

Then, just as the celebrities arrive — including Sammy's current number one client, Gerald (Rufus Sewell), and glamorous ingénue Delia (Eva De Dominici) — an unexpected guest turns up in the driveway. Helen (Lois Smith) is an elderly woman who says she used to live in Sammy and Rose's house; she shows signs of confusion and fragmented memory as she enters their home.

Between taking care of Helen, making sure their young son stays upstairs in bed, and pouring honey into the ears of their influential partygoers, Rose and Sammy have many spinning plates to attend, heated conversations to be furiously whispered in their home's alcoves, and secrets to suppress.

The Uninvited is an actors' movie. The cast, including Rufus Sewell, eat up Nadia Conners' script. Credit: Foton Pictures

Conners' script allows the characters to slowly peel away truths about themselves and their connections with one another through mostly uncut scenes. Goggins and Sewell, as Sammy and Gerard, enjoy the most playfully scripted characters. For Sammy, his Hollywood career hangs in the balance, and Goggins brings his characteristic electricity to a desperate character clinging by his nails to the American dream. Seeing sharp-suited Sammy slowly unravel is truly a privilege; I would watch Goggins try and break into and out of his own bathroom, or watch Goggins and Sewell preach about creativity on a child's balcony over cocaine, every day of the week. Sewell's insufferable drug-fueled ascension into an actor's God complex is one of the funniest moments in the film.

As characters reveal themselves to one another, the stakes get higher, and Rose and Sammy draw begrudgingly closer to their most authentic selves — selves they've buried in Hollywood glitz and networking. But it's Sammy's total reliance on Rose for clout, for socialising energy, and for unconditional love (in that order) that sees their relationship strained.

Walton Goggins and Elizabeth Reaser have chemistry for days. Credit: Foton Pictures

For Rose, the sudden reappearance of Lucien brings up a significant identity crisis, sharpening her focus on the acting career she left behind, the heartbreak she endured, and her disconnection from motherhood. Conners' frank script gives her ample room to reflect. Reaser authentically builds a character mourning her past self while finding strength in maturity, creating a nuanced, grounded portrait of a complex woman the men in this film constantly put on a pedestal as a muse.

One such man? The truly perfectly cast Pascal as Lucien, Rose's all-consuming former lover. Here, the internet's boyfriend becomes the ultimate ex, the one Sammy needs to woo to represent, the one who broke Rose's heart, the one who turns up to the party newly sober and full of "unresolved feelings." Moving through the party in an outstandingly L.A. silk shirt as he delivers Conners' finely crafted construction of a Hollywood heartthrob out of rehab, Pascal convincingly plays the "one who got away" with flirtatious, romantic gumption. This understandably causes Rose sudden and not entirely unwelcome feelings of nostalgia every time their eyes meet — when he's not talking closely with young A-lister Delia.

Pedro Pascal as Lucien? 11/10 casting. Credit: Foton Pictures

One of Conners' through-lines of The Uninvited is Hollywood's obsession with youth. Rose perpetually compares herself physically and professionally to Delia (an understated performance by De Dominici), who initially rudely dismisses her host as a homemaker, though the two gradually find camaraderie. (Some of these moments feel somewhat shoehorned in.) In the first scenes of the film we see Rose standing in front of her bedroom mirror, focusing on her flaws — a sequence explained by her revelation that she retired from acting after being rejected for parts for being "too old."

And within this sense of generational difference and Hollywood artifice stands a character who sees it all plainly, despite appearing to experience the opposite. As Helen, Smith presents a woman whose memories may be fractured, but whose mind is sharp enough for her to act as a neutral commentator to the party drama. For the duration of the film, exactly what's going on with Helen becomes Rose's main priority, while Sammy sees their uninvited guest as a problem to be solved. Small fragments of Helen's life arise throughout the night, and her family's traumatic past begins to inform some of Rose and Sammy's issues. Meanwhile, Conners positions Helen as someone who manages to cut through the bullshit and deliver uncomfortable truths to complete strangers. It's a role Smith plays with complexity, nuance, and a deadpan humour that keeps the film afloat.

The Uninvited almost tries to do an It's a Wonderful Life. Walton Goggins quite literally asks if that's what happening. Credit: Foton Pictures

As the realities of Rose and Sammy's life come out over the course of the film, it's clear The Uninvited is taking cues from the master of the self-assessment genre, It's a Wonderful Life (inspired by the original master, the Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol). In fact, at one point, a very high Sammy exclaims to Helen that the amount of reality checks he's being delivered in one night is, in fact, an IRL version of Frank Capra's 1946 classic (in which James Stewart's character is shown by his guardian angel what life would be like for his loved ones if he never existed, giving him a new appreciation for his life).

The Uninvited doesn't push this concept quite as far as that, but the one-location nature of the film's life-changing revelations and unfinished business dabbles in the same realm. It's not a party I'd want to attend, given everything that happens, but it's one that's crucial to the characters in accepting that life doesn't always turn out the way you thought it might. Perhaps the most welcome non-guest of all, Helen, should be a must at all gatherings. 

The Uninvited premieres in New York City on April 11.

Each passing year of life is bound to bring new memories, some nuggets of wisdom, and the unsettling awareness of at least one more spot in your home that isn't being cleaned as often as it should be. Spring cleaning acts as our universal reminder to actually tackle the tasks we've been putting off.

What should be included in spring cleaning?

Most people can agree that a spring cleaning is a deeper, more exhaustive clean than what's covered in a weekly tidying routine, even if there are differences in approach on a more granular level. Spring cleaning goes beyond the quick once-over you give the kitchen and bathroom with your emotional support disinfecting wipes, hitting the spots that aren't as visible or easy to reach.

The list of corners in the home that hasn't been touched in a while gets long quickly, and getting overwhelmed by your cleaning to-do list is a recipe for giving up on all of them. To avoid checklist decision paralysis, the first order of business in a spring cleaning is to clean up the checklist itself.

SEE ALSO: The Roborock Saros 10R aces one thing that most other robot vacuums can't

The easiest way to do this is to pick a task or two in each room that you know you've been putting off. The crusty inside of the microwave? The cat puke stain on the couch? The space underneath any piece of furniture? It could be as simple as de-cluttering your chaotic cabinet of cleaning products so that getting out the Windex isn't a daunting task in itself.

Based on the spring cleaning we've conducted in our own homes, we have some ideas of where to start. Our checklist ranges from deep cleaning of larger appliances to automated floor care. We've also included several cleaning hacks for under $10. To tackle your annual deep clean, here are 10 of our favorite hands-on tested spring cleaning products to send you into the new season with a fresh start.

Ideally, these products will minimize your cleaning dread so much that you don't mind keeping up with the list throughout the year — ultimately setting you up for a less-daunting spring cleaning next year.

SAVE $300: As of April 11, IK Multimedia iLoud Precision MTM Linear Phase Studio Monitor is available for $599.99 at Amazon. That’s $300 off its usual price of $899.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: iLoud IK Multimedia iLoud Precision MTM Linear Phase Studio Monitor $599.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $300 Get Deal

Let me just say it: most "pro" studio monitors priced under $600 make promises they can't keep. They either sound like a wet sock in a tin can or they're allergic to bass. But IK Multimedia's iLoud Precision MTM? This one earns its stripes, and then some. At $599.99, down from $899.99, it's 33% off right now at Amazon, and I think that's a steal for something this powerful.

I want to be clear: this isn't just another nice-looking monitor with a fancy name. It's a 175-watt beast loaded with a 2.5-inch ultralight paper mid-woofer and a 1.5-inch dome tweeter that delivers crispy highs and tight, distortion-free lows. We're talking a frequency response that stretches from 45 Hz to 30 kHz, which means you’re hearing every detail your last mix completely ignored.

SEE ALSO: Live your Kawaii gamer dreams with this discounted Logitech POP ICON keyboard and mouse combo

What really sets it apart, though, is the brain inside. There's a 96 kHz DSP system and ARC room calibration built in, plus a calibrated mic included in the box. So yeah, I don’t need to stack up foam panels like I'm building a soundproof pillow fort anymore. The included X-MONITOR software even lets me fine-tune EQ profiles from my laptop, because twisting knobs is so last decade.

If you’re mixing, mastering, or pretending to do both for clout, this thing delivers. It peaks at 119 dB, stays crystal clear even when pushed, and manages to sound expensive without turning your wallet into a haunted void.

• Price: $599.99 $899.99

• Retailer: Amazon

• Processor: 96 kHz DSP

• Power: 175W RMS

• Frequency Response: 45 Hz to 30 kHz

• Tweeter/Woofer: 1.5-inch dome tweeter, 2.5-inch mid-woofer

• Connectivity: XLR

• Audio Output Mode: Stereo

• Extra Features: ARC room calibration, X-MONITOR software, USB and mic included

• SPL: 119 dB peak, 105.5 dB continuous

• Made in: Italy

I think $599.99 for this level of engineering is generous. If you’ve been teetering on the edge of a studio upgrade, this is one of those rare deals that’ll make your audio life better without asking you to sell a kidney.

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, April 11, 2025:

AcrossBad things to see tumbling down a mountain on their own

• The answer is Skis.

When repeated, "If ya know what I mean ..."

• The answer is Wink.

When repeated, "If ya know what I mean ..."

• The answer is Nudge.

Provide funding for

• The answer is Endow.

Quartet of awards won by Whoopi Goldberg, for short

• The answer is EGOT.

DownSuccessfully pulled off, as a deal

• The answer is Swung.

Li'l tyke

• The answer is Kiddo.

Gold brick

• The answer is Ingot.

Distort, as data

• The answer is Skew.

French word before a maiden name

• The answer is Nee.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Spectrum.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

GAMUT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A solid building material.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 11, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

STONE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To move sneakily.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 11, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SLINK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A kid.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 11 Hurdle Word 4 answer

CHILD

Final Hurdle hint

To bet.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

WAGER

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