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Astronomers suspect that in the first second after the universe formed, the very first black holes also formed. These tiny though profoundly dense objects — think of an atom-sized particle wielding the mass of a mountain — are dubbed "primordial black holes." But there's a problem: There's still no evidence they've ever existed.
Now, scientists have proposed a novel idea: Perhaps the proof is in front of us, here on Earth.
In new research published in the journal Physics of the Dark Universe, researchers conclude the ancient objects could have left observable proof in the form of microscopic tunnels, or even in hollowed-out objects beyond our planet like asteroids. Though the chance of finding micro-tunnels on Earth is likely small, they may be present in places around us, like the rocks, glass, and metal of buildings — particularly old buildings.
"The most difficult thing to see is what stands right in front of your nose," Dejan Stojkovic, a professor of physics at the University at Buffalo who coauthored the research, told Mashable.
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.Black holes are almost unimaginably dense. If Earth was (hypothetically) crushed into a black hole, it would be under an inch across. Today, many black holes form following the collapse of massive objects like stars, notably after violent supernova explosions. The objects themselves aren't rare: There are probably 100 million rogue black holes wandering our Milky Way Galaxy alone.
But looking for the first black holes in space has been fruitless. While astronomers can spot large black holes with telescopes — because these objects accrete large amounts of rapidly spinning matter around them that radiate bounties of energy — primordial black holes are too small to accrue such matter. What's more, black holes are believed to emit a type of energy called Hawking radiation, which should be especially intense in small black holes, but that hasn't been detected either. Yet physicists theorize they must be out there.
"Direct observational evidence for small black holes still does not exist, but according to our theories of the early universe, they should be produced generically without invoking any exotic physics," Stojkovic said.
"The most difficult thing to see is what stands right in front of your nose."So Stojkovic proposed the unique idea of using microscopes to look for tiny tunnels on Earth, created by small, though forceful, primordial black holes. (They would leave holes like a speeding bullet traveling through a wall of glass.) Looking in older materials provides the best odds, simply because such things have been around for ages and have had more opportunity for a black hole impact. It's also much cheaper to look for tunnels than building a new, extremely sensitive detector, especially in a scientific field where funding is tight and deeply competitive — even for NASA.
Old stone homes in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Credit: Jason Wells / Loop Images / Universal Images Group via Getty Images An alleyway in Fitzrovia, London. Credit: Alexander Spatari / Getty Images"Examining old materials for microscopic tunnels should be only a small fraction of the cost of building a dedicated astrophysical detector [which usually costs millions and even billions of dollars]," Stojkovic explained. "Any place on Earth is a priori equally likely to be hit by a small black hole."
The chances of finding a tunnel is "very small," he noted, but such is the reality of sleuthing for evidence left by these ancient, elusive, and minuscule particles. Stojkovic noted that physicists are also hunting for extremely rare "magnetic monopoles" — another hypothesized particle — with expensive detectors. Sure, it's proven hard to find a magnetic monopole, but the scientific payoff would be huge.
However thrilling it would be to discover a black hole micro-tunnel on our planet, the researchers also suggest looking elsewhere in our solar system. More specifically, at relatively small objects like a moon or asteroid with a liquid core (Jupiter's moon Ganymede, for example, has a liquid core). A primordial black hole speeding through space could impact such an object, use its strong gravitational power to soak up the core, and ultimately, after escaping, leave just a hollow crust.
The lifetimes of differently sized primordial black holes. A primordial black hole the size of Mt. Everest would live 1 billion times the present age of the universe, NASA said. (The universe is some 13.8 billion years old.) Credit: NASASuch a hollowed-out object, the researchers calculated, couldn't be larger than about one-tenth of Earth's radius (meaning some 400 miles) or it would collapse. Crucially, telescopes can reveal an object's movement and mass. "If the object’s density is too low for its size, that’s a good indication it's hollow,” Stojkovic said separately, in a university statement.
These are indeed novel ideas. But the unsuccessful quest for primordial black holes might require offbeat thinking. I asked Stojkovic if anyone before had attempted to look for these micro-tunnels on Earth.
"Not that we are aware of," he said. "Perhaps nobody thought of it yet."
Stir of Echoes deserved better than it got. In 1999, the harrowing horror-thriller starring Kevin Bacon boasted a unique spin on the haunted house formula. Set in Chicago's South Side and centering on a blue-collared man with rock star ambitions who is plagued by ghostly visions, the film avoided well-worn tropes of fretful suburban housewives besieged by poltergeists.
Its R-rating allowed writer/director David Koepp, best known for scripting the blockbuster Jurassic Park, to create a gritty film, fleshed out with jolting splashes of gore, a sweaty sex appeal, and a harrowing message about sexual politics at its core. But just five weeks before Stir of Echoes would hit theaters, The Sixth Sense debuted.
SEE ALSO: What to Watch: Best Scary MoviesKoepp's terrific movie earned good reviews and a modest box office, but it was overshadowed by The Sixth Sense, in part because both involve a psychic boy who can see dead people. However, this superficial commonality ignores all the ways Stir of Echoes is extraordinary. Thankfully, over the years, fans have found the frightening film, relishing its textured tale of terror, which has led to a 4K release on Blu-ray and digital, complete with special features.
To toast Stir of Echoes' glossy re-release, Mashable sat down with Koepp via Zoom to dig into his influences both personal and cinematic, the alarmingly timeless message at the film's core, and what he thinks of The Sixth Sense.
Stir of Echoes brought ghost stories to the city. Credit: LionsgateWhile Koepp counts horror classics like Steven Spielberg's rural Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Tobe Hooper's suburban-set Poltergeist as inspiration points, he yearned to tell a ghost story that spoke to a community he identified with. "It's the whole reason I wanted to do it," Koepp said of adapting Richard Matheson's 1958 novel, titled A Stir of Echoes.
After making his directorial debut with The Trigger Effect — a thriller that Koepp describes as "straight out of my therapy sessions" — he hungered to "do a scary movie." But he didn't connect to the suburban Southern California setting of Matheson's novel. Plus, that scenario seemed played out by the 1990s. "In ghost stories, it's always some really good-looking people in a really beautiful house — because you want to shoot the beautiful house," Koepp said. "And I get it. But I wanted to see [a ghost story] in an environment I hadn't seen."
Koepp cites Roman Polanski's devilish Rosemary's Baby, which he calls one of his "favorite movies," as an influence, as the setting — a "creepy old apartment in New York City" — gave the film's demonic twists a fresh appeal. Beyond that, he explained, "I wanted it to be something I knew, because I wanted authenticity." This led him to the South Side of Chicago, where his mother was raised.
"Big Irish family, 10 kids, and very working class," he said of that environment, which he frequently visited in his own childhood. "And that neighborhood in the movie is very much like where she grew up, where I went a million times as a kid. And I was like, I know that area. I know how to make that feel real. And I like those people, and I don't see those people in this kind of movie."
The effect in Stir of Echoes is an intense closeness. Whether Kevin Bacon's haunted Tom Witzky is walking to a ballgame alongside his gruff but affable neighbors, searching for clues during a block party, or barging in on the family next door with a troubling epiphany, the audience is aware of how close — geographically and emotionally — the Witzkys are to their neighbors. And that makes Tom's mounting suspicions of them all the more gut-churning.
Stir of Echoes takes on toxic masculinity. Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockOften stories of haunted homes center on a mother, who is typically seen as inherently more receptive to the needs of others — including the dead. Stir of Echoes instead sets Tom up as a self-centered man who chafes against the obligations of being a father and husband. He complains to his wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe) about how he expected to be something more than a line worker for the telephone company, clinging faintly to his dreams of being a rock star. And at the start, he seems at best vaguely aware of his five-year-old son Jake (Zachary David Cope), who begins the movie talking to an unseen specter.
"I wanted him to feel thwarted," Koepp said of Tom, "and be at the stage in life where he starts to think, 'Uh oh. I think this is all there is. And I think this is as far as I'm going to go. And that's surprising to me, because I always thought I might be special.' I think we can all relate to that. And I think you can relate to that no matter your level of success, because you think, 'Well, didn't I deserve a little more?'"
In a classic monkey-paw twist, Tom gets what he wants — to be special — but not in the way he wants it. After ignoring the concerns of his pregnant wife and the complaints of his outspoken sister-in-law, Tom's mind is opened by the latter through a bit of hypnotism as a party trick. Now, Tom is keenly aware of another female force in his house, the ghost of a murdered girl named Samantha Kozac (Jennifer Morrison), whose corpse lies in the walls.
And as much as Tom is terrorized by the grisly visions that reflect Samantha's violent end, he's elated to chase down the mystery only he can solve. "I think if something like this did happen in our lives," Koepp said, "it would be pretty damn exciting and interesting, and you'd want to kind of hold on to it as long as you could."
Stir of Echoes hits harder after the Weinstein scandal was made public. Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockNearly 20 years after Stir of Echoes hit theaters, the New York Times published an investigative report that broke open decades of allegations against movie producer and sexual predator Harvey Weinstein. While rumors and whisper networks had floated for years around Hollywood, the revelation came as a shock to the nation at large. Watching Stir of Echoes now, in the MeToo era, you can see Tom having the soul-rattling realization that many men in America have had to face as rape culture has become a more publicly debated topic.
The ghost girl in his home was not just killed; her corpse was hidden due to a "boys will be boys" attitude that claims to preserve the community, but only serves to poison it. However, Koepp rejects the idea that the movie was ahead of its time.
He says of the men in his movie, several of whom are killers or accessories after the fact, "They accept the neighborhood structure because that's how it always has been. The protection of the male jocks, the football players, that was nothing new… I grew up in rural Wisconsin, and the guys on the football team got away with whatever they wanted to get away with." He continued, "The men in the neighborhood banding together to protect [the jocks], and the women pretend[ing] they didn't see that? It was pretty obvious that that's what was going on to anybody who wanted to talk about it."
In Stir of Echoes, Tom's quest to find out what happened to Samantha nearly gets him killed to preserve the jocks' — and the block's — secret shame. But ultimately, Samantha has a happy ending; her killers and their accomplices are exposed, and her spirit is restored, able to walk home whole.
To Koepp, ghost stories are timeless, because "their premise is fundamentally hopeful." He explained, "If you accept that there's a ghost in the house, you are saying, 'Hey, great news. There's something after we die.' And who doesn't want to think that? So the darkest ghost story you can possibly conceive is ultimately hopeful."
Moving on from Stir of Echoes vs. The Sixth Sense Credit: Moviestore / ShutterstockIn the special featurettes on Stir of Echoes' new Blu-ray and digital release, Koepp recounts how he warned Stir of Echoes' distributor, Artisan Entertainment, that The Sixth Sense was set to open weeks ahead of his movie.
"It was fairly early on in post [production]," Koepp says in the Lionsgate-produced interview, "we heard about this other movie. Sixth Sense had been around town; people had read it. So we got a copy of the script and read it. And we told Artisan… 'There's this movie, it's got a psychic kid. It's got ghosts, set in urban Philadelphia, and it's got Bruce Willis in it. We should come out before that. They're coming out in August.'"
In response, Artisan told Koepp, "We're not worried. It looks soft." He went on matter-of-factly, "That movie came out and was a phenomenon."
In our interview, Koepp recalled his frustration over one critic — who should know better about how long it takes to put a movie together — who suggested that Stir of Echoes was copying The Sixth Sense, even though it opened just the month before. "Some review in some reputable publication started with the sentence, 'It's amazing how quickly Hollywood emulates success.'" Koepp shared. "I was like, yeah, but five weeks, really?"
The experience still stings Koepp. "You don't wish to think of your movie in terms of any other movie. Your movie is your movie. I was frustrated by the experience of not being able to come out first."
So, what did Koepp think when he saw The Sixth Sense. "I just haven't seen it," he admitted. "I hear it's terrific. I should watch it sometime."
Stir of Echoes will be released on 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital on Dec. 10.
The No. 17 Clemson Tigers and the No. 8 SMU Mustangs will face off in the ACC Championship this week at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The match will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, and is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The winner will likely earn the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoffs, along with a first round bye. Clemson moved into the championship game after No. 12 Miami lost last week to Syracuse. This is Clemson's opportunity to make the 12-team CFP format, which could take SMU out of the running altogether.
The Tigers are coming off a loss to the University of South Carolina, while the Mustangs have won nine straight games. ESPN analytics are giving SMU a nearly 54 percent chance to win, and the betting odds are also favoring the Mustangs by two points.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Clemson vs. SMU football kickoff time and networkThe Clemson vs. SMU football game is scheduled for a 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT start on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Sean McDonough is expected to do the play-by-play, while Greg McElroy will join him in the booth as the analyst.
The CFP committee will reveal the playoffs bracket on Sunday on ESPN. The show starts at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
Best streaming services for Clemson vs. SMU football gameYou need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Clemson vs. SMU football game on ABC.
Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get DealSling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.
Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
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The No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions and the No. 1 Oregon Ducks will face off in the Big Ten Championship this week at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The match will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, and is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The winner will likely earn the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs, along with a first round bye. Oregon has not been dethroned atop the CFP rankings, and is the only FBS team still undefeated.
But, losing this game wouldn't necessarily eliminate either team from the CFP either. The loser will most likely take the No. 5 seed.
Oregon, being the only undefeated team left, hasn't lost. Penn State has won four of their last five. ESPN's analytics are giving the Nittany Lions a nearly 54 percent chance to win, but the betting odds currently favor the Ducks by 3.5 points.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Penn State vs. Oregon football kickoff time and networkThe Penn State vs. Oregon football game is scheduled for a 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT start on CBS on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Brad Nessler is expected to do the play-by-play, while Gary Danielson will join him in the booth as the analyst and Jenny Dell will do the sideline reporting.
The CFP committee will reveal the playoffs bracket on Sunday on ESPN. The show starts at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
Best streaming services for Penn State vs. Oregon football gameYou need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Penn State vs. Oregon football game on CBS.
Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get DealSling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.
Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get DealFuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period.
FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
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Astronomers detected hundreds more new worlds beyond the solar system this year and worked to better understand what makes them tick.
The number of confirmed exoplanets — planets that don't orbit the sun — is up to 5,788, according to NASA, with thousands of additional candidates under review. All these worlds exist in our galaxy, though scientists believe they detected one planet outside the Milky Way in 2021.
Keep in mind the growing tally is a tiny sampling of planets in space. With hundreds of billions of galaxies, the universe probably teems with many trillions of stars. And if most stars have at least one orbiting planet — well, don't let your heads explode with the math.
No two alien planets are alike, each harboring its own distinct chemistry and conditions. There are water worlds, planets with multiple sunsets, volcanic worlds, rogue worlds, and planets with clouds unlike anything found in Earth's skies.
SEE ALSO: Scientists haven't found a rocky exoplanet with air. But now they have a plan.With the powerful James Webb Space Telescope, getting to know these worlds is getting easier. The leading infrared space observatory spends about a quarter of its time studying exoplanets. By analyzing another planet's atmosphere, scientists can tell a great deal about a world, including whether it could be hospitable to life.
Webb will soon begin a massive study of rocky worlds outside the solar system, specifically to discover if exoplanets orbiting near small cool stars could have air. The campaign, first reported by Mashable, will take a closer look at a dozen nearby-ish planets over the next two years.
Here are some highlights from the exoplanets studied over the past year.
A toxic stink-bomb of an exoplanet Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to peer into the atmosphere of an exoplanet 35 light-years away from Earth. Credit: NASA / Ames Research Center / Daniel Rutter illustrationAstronomers found a planet that probably reeks of burnt matches and rotten eggs, the odors associated with two gases identified in its atmosphere: sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. But no one's nose will likely ever get close to this world, 35 light-years away in the constellation Volans, to find out. The planet, L 98-59 d, likely has a molten or volcanic surface.
Earth's atmosphere is filled with nitrogen, oxygen, and traces of water vapor. Venus has a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide, and Mars has a thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide. Based on the terrestrial worlds humans are familiar with, no one expected to find a similar type of planet with so much sulfur.
An exoplanet with a mysterious sibling Tweet may have been deletedA "super-Earth," a world somewhat larger than our own, orbits a star about 137 light-years away from the sun. What has intrigued astronomers about it is that it resides in the habitable zone around its small reddish star. The zone, sometimes referred to as the Goldilocks zone, is the region around a host star thought to provide the right surface temperature for liquid water to exist on a planet.
But perhaps even more exciting than this world, dubbed TOI-715 b, is its potential sibling: a smaller, more Earth-size planet. Scientists plan to study it as well.
A confirmed exoplanet at Barnard's star A confirmed exoplanet orbits Barnard's star every three days. Credit: ESO / M. Kornmesser illustrationBarnard's star, one of the closest stars to the sun, has been a target of exoplanet searches for over a century, with a storied past of false positives.
Scientists have finally found a world orbiting the star and confirmed it with multiple follow-up observations. They estimate this planet, Barnard b, to be about 20 times closer to its star than Mercury is to the sun, with a surface temperature of about 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
A tamer Venus-like exoplanet Scientists estimate the average surface temperature on Gliese 12 b could be about 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC) illustrationScientists say they've found the nearest temperate Earth-size world to date: Gliese 12 b, a so-called exo-Venus, meaning a rocky planet outside the solar system about the size of Venus.
"Temperate" and "Venus" may seem contradictory to those who know about Earth's neighbor. It's a hot, toxic planet, with sulfuric acid rain and volcanoes. Unlike the real Venus, which is about 900 degrees Fahrenheit because of a runaway greenhouse effect, researchers think Gliese 12 b's surface could be an average of 107 degrees.
A sauna-like exoplanet Scientists say they've discovered and confirmed the first "steam world." Credit: NASA / ESA / Leah Hustak / Ralf Crawford illustrationA team of scientists are calling a new planet detection the first direct evidence of a "steam world" — that is, an exoplanet blanketed in wet heat.
The planet, GJ 9827 d, is about 100 light-years away from the solar system in the constellation Pisces. It's about twice the size of Earth and has an atmosphere almost entirely composed of water vapor. Before now, such worlds were only theorized.
A roiling half-lava exoplanet Astronomers discovered a third exoplanet in a solar system 73 light-years away. Credit: NASA / JPL-CALTECH illustrationScientists found an exoplanet just a little larger than Earth, around a star much like the sun. But that's pretty much where the similarities end. The planet, HD 63433 d, is one-tenth Earth's age, exponentially hotter, and likely burbling molten lava on one side. A year on this world would fly by in just four Earth days.
This is considered the smallest and closest "young" exoplanet so far, at only 73 light-years away. Astronomers estimate it's about 400 million years old, which is ancient on a human timescale, but a mere whippersnapper compared to our 4.5 billion-year-old home planet.
An exoplanet that resembles an eyeball? The James Webb Space Telescope has observed exoplanet LHS 1140 b, which could be an icy world akin to Jupiter's moon Europa, left, or it may have a bulls-eye ocean facing its star. Credit: B. Gougeon / Université de Montréal illustrationA new study revealed a small exoplanet could be an icy orb like Jupiter's moon Europa or have a liquid ocean about half the size of the Atlantic Ocean facing its star. If the latter were true, the water might even be a crisp 68 degrees Fahrenheit at the center.
The exoplanet, LHS 1140 b, is about 48 light-years away from Earth, in the constellation Cetus. Scientists believe it is probably rocky and could have other similarities to our planet.
A glowing terrestrial exoplanet A rocky planet covered in molten lava orbits close to its star. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Dani Player (STScI) illustrationIn a star system 66 light-years away, scientists spotted a world riddled with so many volcanoes, it would glow red-hot like campfire embers. A researcher even described the finding, HD 104067, as "Io on steroids," referring to the most volcanic world in our solar system, one of Jupiter's moons, Io.
HD 104067's robust volcanic activity is caused by two other nearby exoplanets exerting strong gravitational forces and distorting its orbit into an egg shape. All that squeezing and tugging generates heat and inner geological activity.
A very young exoplanet The young exoplanet IRAS 04125+2902 b passes in front of its star. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / R. Hurt / K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC) illustrationThis next exoplanet is a newborn baby. The huge planet, roughly 430 light-years away, is just 3 million years old.
Usually such nascent worlds are surrounded by debris, making them nearly impossible to observe. But astronomers got a window of opportunity with IRAS 04125+2902 b (yup, that's its name). Something — perhaps a companion star's gravity or a cosmic collision — has caused the disk to warp, revealing the planet in its infancy.
Right now the planet appears as wide as Jupiter but much lighter. Scientists think that means its atmosphere is inflated and will shrink down to a super-Earth or mini-Neptune as it matures.
A rocky exoplanet with an atmosphere? Super-Earth 55 Cancri e might have an atmosphere. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech illustrationWhen astronomers say they are on a quest to find a rocky planet with an atmosphere, they're not talking about mood lighting and soft jazz. They're looking for a world that resembles our own in a crucial way, and scientists say super-Earth 55 Cancri e might be the best bet: Temperature readings have revealed it's not as scorching hot as expected, perhaps because energy is being redistributed by an atmosphere.
NASA has called Earth's own atmosphere its security blanket. Without it, the type of life flourishing here wouldn't exist. It holds oxygen in the air, filters out ultraviolet radiation, and allows liquid water to pool on the surface.
This finding wouldn't mean 55 Cancri e, about 41 light-years away, is an exit plan for humans — far from it. Its orbit is so tight around its star, the world is probably covered in lava, with one side in constant darkness. Still, proof of an exoplanet with an atmosphere orbiting a red dwarf star would bode well for the idea that others are out there.
Want more of the best of 2024? Join Mashable as we look back at all the viral TikTok songs, internet slang, movies, memes, hyped up hardware, dating trends, social media apps, and more that have delighted and amazed us so far this year.
We all have that one friend who treats their pet like it’s their child or best friend (or both). If you have one or more pet-obsessed buddies and are struggling to find them a last-minute gift for the holidays, we suggest getting them something that will also benefit their animal companion.
The best gifts for pet owners range from useful pet tech like pet cameras and GPS collars, to enrichment toys, comfy beds, and more. There are a whole lot of great pet products out there for every dog mom, cat dad, and every type of pet owner in between.
Below, we’ve pulled together a group of fantastic gift ideas for the pet owner in your life and we’re confident you’ll discover something here that your recipient will love. Now, go make your fellow pet parent’s day (and their pet’s day, too).
The No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 2 Texas Longhorns will face off in the SEC Championship this week at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The match will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, and is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
Currently, Texas is poised to take the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoffs. But, most likely, both teams will be part of the 12-team playoff format.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Georgia vs. Texas football kickoff time and networkThe Georgia vs. Texas football game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT start on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Chris Fowler is expected to do the play-by-play, while Kirk Herbstreit will join him in the booth as the analyst. Both Laura Rutledge and Holly Rowe will do the sideline reporting.
The CFP committee will reveal the playoffs bracket on Sunday on ESPN. The show starts at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
Best streaming services for Georgia vs. Texas football gameYou need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Georgia vs. Texas football game on ABC.
Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get DealSling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.
Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get DealFuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period.
FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
The No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones and the No. 15 Arizona State Sun Devils will face off in the Big 12 Conference Championship this week at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The match will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, and is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
The two will battle it out despite a four-way tie atop the Big 12, leaving BYU and Colorado on the outside looking in.
The winner is pretty much guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoffs, but the seeding is yet to be determined, and it's out of the hands of any Big 12 team to determine it. If Boise State wins on Friday in the Mountain West championship over UNLV, the winner of the Big 12 likely becomes the No. 12 seed in the newly implemented 12-team playoff format. But, if Boise State loses, the winner of the Big 12 should move into the No. 4 seed.
Arizona State has won five straight games to earn its spot in the championship, while Iowa State has won three straight games. But, it can't be overlooked that the Sun Devils took a major loss off the field last week when star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson left the game in the third quarter with a collarbone injury. Tyson has been ruled out indefinitely.
ESPN's analytics have Iowa State leading with a 55 percent chance to win the game, but the betting odds currently favor Arizona State by 2.5 points.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Iowa State vs. Arizona State football kickoff time and networkThe Iowa State vs. Arizona State football game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT start on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Joe Tessitore is expected to do the play-by-play, while Jesse Palmer will join him in the booth as the analyst and Katie George will do the sideline reporting.
The CFP committee will reveal the playoffs bracket on Sunday on ESPN. The show starts at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
Best streaming services for Iowa State vs. Arizona State football gameYou need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Iowa State vs. Arizona State football game on ABC.
Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get DealSling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.
Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get DealFuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period.
FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
Dating is a competitive game, and you should do everything you can to give yourself a chance of success. Looking your best and smelling fresh is a good place to start, but nothing shortens your odds of success like signing up to a dating site.
The problem with this tactic is that there are just so many dating sites out there to consider, each with a different set of features that will suit some people better than others. It's difficult to know which site is best for you, and you could easily spend hours researching all of the sites on offer without a definitive answer.
We know that you don't have time for all of that, so we've set out to make things a little easier for you.
What are the benefits of using dating apps?By subscribing to a dating site, you're shortening your odds of finding a connection. It's as simple as that.
Dating sites and apps let you get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals, and provide the opportunity to test out a potential relationship on an app before actually meeting in real life.
SEE ALSO: Best hookup apps and dating sites to find casual sex with no strings attachedSubscribing to dating apps and sites is also a way less intimidating way of meeting someone compared to a face-to-face situation. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you face your fears from the comfort of your own home.
Is online dating worth the hassle?Sentiments aside, we have some hard data to back our reasoning for Why Online Dating Is Worthwhile™: Statista predicted that the online dating audience will grow to 53.3 million by 2025, compared to 44.2 million users in 2020. A study from Stanford released in 2019 asserted that online dating is officially the most common way for couples to meet, rounding out at nearly 40 percent of couples having first met online.
This pre-pandemic prediction came before the COVID-era dating app sign-ups surge. Though people are eager to get back to doing as many things IRL as possible now, dating apps are still a great place to find someone, whether you want a relationship or are just looking to get nasty.
And yes, though there are algorithms that dictate what profiles pop up on your screen, we firmly believe that the stars aligning still comes into play. After all, the person who signs up on the app and is looking for love at exactly the same time you are is up to fate and the universe, proving that online dating romance is very much alive and well.
Because it's not 2007 anymore, the need for mobile-friendly online dating isn't just a millennial thing — people over 40 don't have time to sit around at their home desktops, either. Dating sites that are older than most members of Gen Z (like Match and eharmony) have been forced to give serious attention to their smartphone counterparts if they don't want to be outgrown.
However, that statistical promise still requires patience and a game plan, the game plan is choosing the dating app with features that best fit your lifestyle — and the lifestyle of the type of person you're looking for. Are you looking for an app strictly for sex or an app more serious than Tinder but less serious than eharmony? Or maybe, you'd just really love to find an app where queer women aren't relentlessly sexualized by creeps and pestered by unicorn hunters.
Should you use free dating apps?The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are good examples of free apps with massive networks of users.
The bad news is that a lot of free apps simply don't cut it. You get what you pay for with dating sites and apps, and for the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up the cash.
You can still find something worth your time with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading. Paid sites provide access to premium features that give you the best chance of finding something special.
What is the best dating site?We're sorry to break it to you like this, but there isn't a single dating site that is better than the rest. Instead, there are a lot of sites and apps with similar features and packages, and the best option for you really comes down to your own set of preferences.
To make the decision process a whole lot easier for everyone, we have lined up a selection of the most popular sites in the dating game, including leading sites like Match, and Eharmony. All you need to do is pick a favourite from the bunch.
These are the best dating sites in 2024.
The online world can be a dangerous place, with hackers, viruses, and surveillance software lurking in every corner of the web. We're not trying to scare you, but have you ever considered just how much of your personal data is exposed to this sort of thing whilst you're browsing? If not, you probably should. You might be surprised by the results.
Your data is seriously valuable stuff these days, and everyone is looking to get their hands on it. Once you come to understand that the internet is insecure, it's perfectly normal to feel a little concerned about how much of your data is up for grabs. There's no need to panic though, because there is a simple and effective way that you can stay protected.
To stay safe online and keep all of your data and personal information secure, you really should consider investing in a VPN.
What is a VPN?VPNs provide protection for your data and identity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address (digital location). All of your activity is untraceable and secure because everything passes through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside is protected against online threats. This means that hackers, governments, and your internet service provider will be unable to access any of your information.
Do you need a VPN?Investing in a VPN is one of the best ways to ensure your safety and anonymity online. VPNs are vital tools in the fight against scammers and cybercriminals, but there's another reason you might consider these security services. And it has nothing to do with security.
SEE ALSO: The best VPNs for remaining anonymous onlineVPNs can be used to unlock streaming services from around the world, including the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. How do they do this? It's actually a really simple process, and it can significantly boost your content options. All you need to do is open up your preferred VPN, connect to a server from another country in order to spoof your IP to another address, and then head to your preferred streaming site. This process tricks the site into thinking you are based in another country, meaning you can watch all that great content that is normally blocked.
VPNs are really useful for cybersecurity and streaming, which means they should be a worthwhile investment for just about everyone.
What should you know before subscribing to a VPN?Selecting a VPN that is right for you is not easy, because there are a lot of options all offering similar packages. To make the decision a little simpler, we have highlighted a selection of the most important things to consider before making any sort of purchase:
Connection speed — This is absolutely vital whether you're looking to use a VPN for online security or streaming. It's normal for a VPN to result in a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant.
Encryption — We know that a lot of people will be using VPNs for streaming, but these services are primarily designed to provide cybersecurity, so encryption is important. The best VPNs will offer powerful protection for your data, meaning that everything is unreadable and untraceable.
Number of connections — You should seek out a VPN that offers multiple simultaneous connections, so you can stay protected on all your devices at the same time. This is also beneficial for large families or households with multiple people likely to be online at the same time.
Privacy policy — The best VPNs should be very clear about how they handle, store, and use your data. These practices should be laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren't super clear, you should look elsewhere.
Server network — The best VPNs provide access to thousands of servers located all around the world. This is useful as you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming, shopping, or browsing.
There are plenty of other things that are worth considering, like bandwidth, apps for certain operating systems, and customer support, but these are probably the most important features to keep in mind.
Should you use free VPNs?With free versions of popular VPNs and free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan, why would you ever pay? As with most things in life, you get what you pay for with VPNs.
There tends to always be a catch with free versions, and it's normally in the form of limited data usage. If you're just an occasional user, these plans will work fine. But if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials are a little bit different: they come with everything you get in a paid plan, but obviously they don't tend to last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn't a long-term solution.
To gain access to advanced security features without limitations on usage, you need to pay up. The best VPNs are generally the most expensive, but there are plenty of cheap plans out there, especially if you're willing to commit to a lengthy contract.
What is the best VPN?There are a lot of VPNs out there, and we recommend taking some time to carefully access all your options. Once you have established exactly what you need, you can turn your attention to finding the best deals on all the top VPNs.
We have reached out to partners in order to line up a list of the best deals on the most popular providers, to help you save big. You can find all the best deals on the likes of ExpressVPN, NordVPN, PureVPN, and more.
These are the best VPN deals in 2024.
10% OFF TARGET GIFT CARDS: Until Dec. 8, Target Circle members can save 10% on Target gift cards. Sign up for Target Circle for free to take advantage of this offer.
Opens in a new window Credit: Target Target Circle Members: Get 10% Off Target Gift Cards Learn MoreThe holidays are coming up fast, and if you're still trying to track down some gift ideas before it's too late, Target is here to help alleviate some of the stress of shopping. If you're a Target Circle member (and if not, you can sign up here for free), you can save 10% on Target gift cards from Until Dec. 8.
This weekend-only event is a great opportunity to pick up gift cards for friends, family, or even pick up a little something for yourself. According to Target's website, gift cards can be purchased either in store or online and "the discount will be automatically applied to Target GiftCards at checkout for Target Circle members." You can also purchase up to $500 in Target gift cards through this offer, if you really want to stock up before the holidays.
SEE ALSO: The latest Apple AirPods 4 are at their lowest-ever price on AmazonThe beauty of an offer like this is the fact that Target Circle is completely free to join. Once you sign up, you can start taking advantage of the 10% off discount right away. And Target Circle, in general, is worth it if you're a frequent shopper there. Alongside offers like this, Target drops very nice deals for its Circle members fairly frequently that you can see on the 'Target Circle Deals' section of the website. This includes various BOGO offers and discounts on everything from clothing to tech to home supplies.
Again, this 10% off Target gift cards offer only lasts until Sunday, Dec. 8 for Target Circle members, so act fast to pick out your favorites or sign up here to join in the fun.
And if you still have more holiday shopping to do, there are actually a few Cyber Monday deals still floating around. While they won't stick around for long, it's worth having a look through our roundup of the best Cyber Monday deals still live to see if one of your favorites is still available.
TL;DR: Live stream Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks is one of the most interesting NBA matchups this weekend. We know that the Raptors are not exactly lighting up the league this season, but it's going to be fascinating to see how they cope with the offensive talents of the Mavericks.
If you want to watch Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks?Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 7. This game takes place at the Scotiabank Arena.
How to watch Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks for freeToronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks is available to live stream for free on Ran.de in Germany.
If you're traveling outside of Germany during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this free live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks for free on Ran.de 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 Germany
Visit Ran.de
Watch Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for the NBA?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Germany
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 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Toronto Raptors vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, 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 the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. 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.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 7 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Taking a moment
Green: Opposing effort
Blue: Parks and fields
Purple: It's all relative
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Break in the action
Green: Stop
Blue: MLB stadiums
Purple: ____ time
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 today's Connections Sports Edition #75 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todayBreak in the action - INTERMISSION, PAUSE, SUSPENSION, TIMEOUT
Stop - BLOCK, PREVENT, STUFF, THWART
MLB stadiums - CHASE, ORACLE, TARGET, WRIGLEY
____ time: EXTRA, GARBAGE, STOPPAGE, WINNING
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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 7 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 7 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Prepare to be eatenThese words are common cooking methods.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedWords are ways to prepare a certain type of food.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is HotPotato.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for December 7Mashed
Baked
Scalloped
Fried
Roasted
Fondant
HotPotato
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
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