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Okta just squashed a particularly unusual bug in its software.
The digital security management company posted a bug fix report to its website (as spotted by The Verge) letting users know that a glitch in the system that theoretically allowed bad actors to gain access to accounts had been ironed out. Sounds normal enough, right? Well, here's the kicker: The bug could've allowed someone to log into an account without entering the password as long as the username was 52 characters or longer.
SEE ALSO: Largest U.S. healthcare data breach exposes medical records of 100 million customers"During specific conditions, this could allow users to authenticate by only providing the username with the stored cache key of a previous successful authentication," Okta wrote.
It should be re-emphasized that this is no longer a concern for Okta users. The bug has been fixed. Unfortunately, it existed in the system for about three months, as Okta's report said the software had been affected since July until someone noticed on Oct. 30. That's a very long time for such a vulnerability to be present, but it's unclear at this point if anyone was negatively affected by it.
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 MashableHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, November 2, 2024:
AcrossThermometer reading, for shortThe answer is Temp.
The answer is Oreo Pie.
The answer is Moo Deng.
The answer is BTW.
The answer is ECG.
The answer is I'm okay.
The answer is Cine.
The answer is Axed.
The answer is Tomb.
The answer is Erotica.
The answer is Meowmix.
The answer is Pod.
The answer is Peeked.
The answer is Inca.
The answer is Eggy.
The answer is One.
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 GamesAre 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.
The Pittsburgh Panthers and SMU Mustangs football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Pittsburgh vs. SMU football kickoff time and networkThe Pittsburgh vs. SMU football game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT start on the ACC Network on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Best streaming services for Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh vs. SMU football game on the ACC Network.
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 Louisville Cardinals and Clemson Tigers football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Clemson. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Louisville vs. Clemson football kickoff time and networkThe Louisville vs. Clemson football game is scheduled for a 8=7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT start on ESPN on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Best streaming services for Louisville vs. Clemson 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 Louisville vs. Clemson football game on ESPN.
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.
Go to the FuboTV website to check if ESPN is available in your zip code. If it is, you can access ESPN with the FuboTV Pro plan, which offers an introductory rate of $59.99 for the first month and a regular rate of $79.99 per month.
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.
Can ChatGPT tell you where to vote or even how to vote?
With the presidential election swiftly approaching, it seems we all need a search engine to tell us what to do. Most voters in 2022 confirmed that they still use search engines to find election information, and one information systems expert, Varol Kayhan, told The Guardian, "We're at the mercy of Google when it comes to what information we're able to find."
Does the same go for ChatGPT?
People use ChatGPT as a search engine similar to how they use Google Search — and OpenAI knows it. The company recently announced that it has put a search engine inside ChatGPT apps and websites for that very reason.
However, there are limitations to what search engines can provide. For instance, The Guardian found that Google has a problem with confirmation bias. If you ask, "Is Kamala Harris a good Democratic candidate," the results will be positive. If you ask, "Is Kamala Harris a bad Democratic candidate," the results will be negative. ChatGPT Search appears to be a bit wider in its evaluation based on Mashable's research — if you ask either question, it lists "strengths and challenges" or "strengths and criticisms."
This line was at the bottom of both questions — positive or negative:
"Ultimately, the assessment of Harris as a candidate depends on individual perspectives and priorities. Her candidacy brings both historic significance and policy experience, but she faces challenges in approval ratings and electoral competition."
While you might get more information in the response from ChatGPT, you also get fewer links. And there are still some very real issues that ChatGPT and OpenAI face when it comes to election bias. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, which asked ChatGPT about voting eligibility criteria, voting locations, methods of voting, and current congressional candidates in the state of Illinois, it is still "important to exercise discretion regarding its applications, especially when there are significant implications on our democracy."
"It is easy to mislead users when solely relying on unconfirmed sources, such as ChatGPT and other chatbots, for answers," the policy center's report reads. "The bot has limitations of prompt length and information training and often does not answer with complete or consistent information. We would caution users to check ChatGPT answers with reliable resources such as government websites or their local election boards."
While the capabilities of using AI to share election information are "promising," the report states that there is "much room to grow and refine for ChatGPT to be useful to voters."
There are also questions ChatGPT simply can't answer for you. We asked the system all of the questions listed on the FAQ website for the Board of Elections in the City of New York. Out of 23 questions, ChatGPT failed to provide a concrete answer for 12 inquiries, replying, "I'm sorry, but I cannot provide specific details about voting in the United States. I recommend visiting CanIVote.org, where you'll find the latest information from your state or local election authority."
It's right, but it could be more helpful.
This kind of response didn't happen by accident. In January, ChatGPT maker OpenAI planned to stop the spread of election-related misinformation by banning people from using ChatGPT to impersonate candidates or governments, misrepresent how voting works, or discourage people from voting, the Associated Press reported. It digitally watermarked AI images using its DALL-E image generator to slow or stop the spread of misinformation. It partnered with the National Association of Secretaries of State to ensure answers were accurate and to send people to CanIVote.org, a nonpartisan website that directs constituents to the websites of their state and local election officials.
"In an effort to reach a broader audience, NASS has collaborated with OpenAI to direct ChatGPT users to CanIVote.org when an election-related question is asked," Maria Benson, the Senior Director of Communications for NASS, told Mashable. Benson added that CanIVote.org could answer voters' questions about how to register to vote, their voter registration status, finding their polling place, the valid forms of ID, information about absentee and early voting, information for overseas voters, provides an election officials directory and gives information how to become a poll worker.
As a reminder, the election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. As ChatGPT will tell you, you should head to CanIVote.org for any information you might need.
The Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan State Spartans football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Indiana vs. Michigan State football kickoff time and networkThe Indiana vs. Michigan football game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT start on Peacock on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Best streaming services for Indiana vs. Michigan State football gameThe game will be available to stream exclusively on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.
Exclusive streaming: Peacock Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium Get DealThere are two tiers to NBC’s Peacock streaming service. The Premium plan is $7.99/month, and the Premium Plus at $13.99/month.
The advantage of the Premium Plus plan is no ads, but that doesn’t apply to live sporting events. Also, the Premium Plus plan provides 24/7 access to your local NBC channel.
Peacock also offers a full year for the price of 10 months if the full year is paid upfront. Those rates are $79.99 for the Premium plan and $139.99 for the Premium Plus plan.
College students can get Peacock’s premium plan for $1.99/month. Students can get more information at PeacockTV.com/students.
The Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs football teams go head-to-head this weekend at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Florida vs. Georgia football kickoff time and networkThe Florida vs. Georgia football game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT start on ABC on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Best streaming services for Florida vs. Georgia 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 Saturday's Duke vs. Miami football game on ABC.
Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get DealFor fans looking to stream games, Sling TV’s Orange & Blue Plan is a solid option. At $55 per month, it provides 46 channels, including ESPN3, which simulcasts ABC games. New subscribers can take advantage of getting the first month for $35.
Sling TV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.
FuboTV 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.
After the free trial, college football fans can access channels like ABC for the Florida vs. Georgia football game with FuboTV’s Pro plan at a rate of $59.99 for the first month. The Pro tier’s regular rate is $79.99 per month.
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 Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT.
SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Oregon vs. Michigan football kickoff time and networkThe Oregon vs. Michigan football game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT start on CBS on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Best streaming services for Oregon vs. Michigan 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 Saturday's Oregon vs. Michigan football game on CBS.
Most affordable: Paramount+ Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ Get DealIf you want to watch just CBS or just the Oregon vs. Michigan football game, Paramount+ offers a solution.
New subscribers to Paramount+ get a seven-day free trial. Then for the Paramount+ plan that includes live streaming CBS, you need the Paramount+ with Showtime tier, which is $12.99/month. If you choose the annual plan, it is $119.99 for a year, saving about $2.99/month.
For students, Paramount+ will give you a 25% discount.
Most Channels: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get DealWith FuboTV, new subscribers can enjoy a seven-day free trial and more than 250 live TV channels, along with the ability to simultaneously stream on 10 devices.
College football fans who want access to CBS for matchups such as the Oregon vs. Michigan football game will want the FuboTV Pro tier, which has a one-month introductory rate of $59.99 and then a regular rate of $79.99 per month.
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.
TL;DR: Live stream Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The NBA season is up and running, with a lot of interesting storylines already developing. Something that has caused a lot of conversation in the early stages is Joel Embiid's insistence on resting his body whenever he feels like it. That's a shame for fans, but Philadelphia won't care if they end up making the playoffs with a healthy Embiid.
The Philadelphia 76ers meet the Memphis Grizzlies in the next matchup. Both teams have started inconsistently this season, so if the playoffs are to become a reality, they'll need to build some momentum.
If you want to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies?Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 2. This game takes place at the Wells Fargo Center.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies for freePhiladelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies is available to live stream for free on Ran.de in Germany.
If you're traveling outside Germany during this game, you might need to use a VPN. These tools 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 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies 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 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies 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 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies 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 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.
Historically, if you wanted a pair of earbuds with good noise cancellation, impressively balanced sound, decent battery life, and the ability to switch between your devices with ease, you were looking at a price tag of at least $200 or so. Likely more.
That said, the tides are starting to change. This past September, Apple released its first non-Pro model of noise-cancelling earbuds, the AirPods 4, for $179.99. Now Bose has entered the ring with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, with a price tag of $179 flat, which makes them $120 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.
SEE ALSO: I'm in love with my new Bose noise-canceling earbuds and I want everyone to know itThe Ultra earbuds from Bose are some of the Mashable staff's favorite on the market, and I've tested my fair share of the QuietComfort line: I owned the QuietComfort II headphones as my personal headphones for years, tested the QuietComfort 45 headphones, and the QuietComfort Ultra headphones for Mashable's headphones buying guide.
With all of the above headphones, I found they lived up to their name: I could easily wear them all day, and appreciated that their active noise cancellation worked to make the world around me quiet. With that in mind, I had to see how the latest addition to the QuietComfort line stacked up.
The sound and battery life are hard to beatRight away, I was impressed by the sound quality of these earbuds. While I wouldn't consider myself the harshest audiophile in the world, I found that the lows, mids, and highs of songs came through balanced and clear, becoming only the tiniest bit muddled at higher volumes. They sounded as great with the The Marías Tiny Desk performance as they did with Chappell Roan's Austin City Limits set, and as someone who loves the sound of live music but not always the experience of going to see it, I appreciated what these earbuds could do.
SEE ALSO: Why is the internet fighting over Chappell Roan?The companion app does have an equalizer, with five presets and the option to save a custom setting, but it's good news that these earbuds sound solid out of the box — it was genuinely hard for me to tell the difference in balance with the equalizer on, whether I was listening to classic rock or piano concertos. If you have more sensitive ears than mine, you might notice more of a difference — at the very least, the equalizer was easy to adjust.
Choose between five equalizer presets. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Or make your own custom settings. Credit: Screenshot: BoseThe battery life, on the other hand, I truly have no notes about. I use the first-generation AirPods Pro as my usual earbuds, and I have for a couple of years, so I'm used to noise-cancelling earbuds holding on for about four hours (or less) before needing to juice up in their case. In my three weeks of testing these earbuds, that didn't happen to me once, despite my best efforts to wear the battery life down.
It was hard to make a dent in the battery life. Credit: Screenshot: BoseI kept them connected to two devices every time I had them on, wouldn't bother putting them back in the case if I stopped playing audio for a bit, and had noise cancellation on at all times. At most, I probably got five hours of active use of the headphones in a day, and I ended up with battery life to spare.
The Bose QuietComfort earbuds live up to their name, for the most partAll-day battery life means less if the earbuds that battery is powering can't promise comfortable all-day wear.
SEE ALSO: Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the most comfortable headphones I've ever wornFor me, that was a promise that Bose more than delivered on. Although, it took a few tries to find the right combo of ear tip and stability band sizes for the earbuds to fit snugly but comfortably in my ear. I usually switch to the small ear tips as a rule, and that worked well here, but the medium stability band worked better for me — the small one was too big, and made my ear sore within an hour of wear, while the medium one gave me basically no soreness. Swapping out the bands was easy, with a small notch in the earbud making it clear which way to orient the band. Once they were in, I never had an issue with them moving.
Different ear tips and bands allow you to find a comfortable fit for your ear. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable Credit: Bethany Allard / MashableMaybe this doesn't seem like such a big deal to some, but as someone who struggles to find earbuds that actually stay put, even when I'm sitting still, I was kind of wowed these Bose earbuds stayed in place. This might just apply to my weird ear shape, but if you're someone who doesn't like the fit of AirPods, these may work way better for you.
My combo fit my ear amazingly. Credit: Bethany Allard / MashableI will caveat my amazement with the fact that earbud fit can vary from person to person. Mashable Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino tried out these earbuds and found that the stability band regularly came loose when she took the earbuds out. For her ears, she found that compared to the QC Ultra earbuds, these standard QC earbuds were nowhere near as secure or comfortable. (Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth also found the Ultra earbuds to be incredibly comfortable, giving him no ear fatigue during up to seven hours of wear). All this to say, always try on earbuds when you can and take advantage of return policies wherever possible.
The active noise cancellation didn't impress, but it did the jobWhere Mangino and I agreed was on the active noise cancellation — it's serviceable, especially for the price point, but it's certainly not at the same level as Bose's other headphones. Still, considering the next cheapest pair of QuietComfort headphones or earbuds are $120 more expensive, the noise cancellation did seem to meet the price point.
SEE ALSO: We’ve tested tons of noise-cancelling headphones and these are the ones we’d take on a planeThat's not to say it was bad — it was certainly better than other earbuds I've used in slightly cheaper price ranges, and it's definitely helped if you're playing music while using it. With ANC on, I could make out the words of my boyfriend talking in the next room over from me, but just barely. With music, his voice all but disappeared. To compare, when I tested the Bose QuietComfort Ultra over-ear headphones last year, his voice was nearly completely drowned out with just the noise cancellation and no music.
The touch controls worked a little too wellThere are some earbud features that should be defined by ease, like connecting via Bluetooth. There are others that I would prefer to have a bit of friction, and at the top of that list is touch control. I want touch controls to be intuitive but not terribly sensitive, and unfortunately, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds fall firmly in the latter category.
These earbuds not only responded to the lightest tap of my fingers, but also — get this — the strands of my hair. It took a good 10 minutes into the first walk I took with these to figure out why my music kept pausing, until I realized the slightest sway of my hair against the earbuds was activating the touch response (it wasn't even breezy out).
The flat outer surface can be used for touch controls, but it does its job too well sometimes. Credit: Bethany Allard / MashableThough there is a lot of customization available for the touch controls via the app (more on that a little farther down), there isn't a way to fully toggle the touch controls off — as in, you don't hear a soft beep that something has touched the earbud surface. Though that's not unheard of, when earbuds are this sensitive, I not only want but need that option, so I can go for a walk without a) stopping to toggle touch controls off and b) continuing to have my music punctuated by the beeps of my earbuds because my hair happened to brush over them.
Bose's Bluetooth connection strugglesAs I mentioned above, the Bose QC II headphones used to be my personal pair — operative phrase being "used to be." While I loved how comfortable they were and thought the ANC more than did the job for me, as someone who switches between my laptop and phone for audio frequently, I started looking at other headphone brands.
Because I luckily test headphones for a living, I was able to see firsthand if this was just an issue with an older model of Bose headphones. But both the Bose QC 45s and QC Ultras had trouble seamlessly switching between devices, often requiring me to turn off the headphones for minutes at a time before attempting to switch devices, or in more egregious cases, forgetting the headphones from my device and reconnecting them all over. Other Mashable shopping reporters have encountered the same issues when testing at least two separate pairs and models of Bose headphones.
SEE ALSO: We tested the best Bose headphones of 2024All this to say, I wasn't waiting with bated breath the first time I switched the Bose QuietComfort earbuds from my phone to my laptop, and though I had my fingers crossed, the same issues came up. In three weeks of testing, I've forgotten and reconnected these headphones at least as many times. I've paused my phone audio, counted to 10, and hit play on my laptop only for the audio to start, play for a few seconds, and then pause.
I became well acquainted with these two screens over the course of three weeks. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Credit: Screenshot: BoseAt best, this connection issue is annoying, and at my least generous, I'm inclined to say Bose needs to stop claiming their headphones and earbuds have multi-point pairing until they figure this out. More affordable model or not, at $179, I not only expect better, but I have tested better for cheaper.
The earbuds also struggled to reliably connect when I was wearing one earbud, whether that be a product of just putting one in, taking one out momentarily, or putting one down for an indefinite amount of time. In the latter two cases, I figured it was likely due to the auto-pause feature built into the earbuds — this likely won't be an issue for the majority of users, but if like me you often wear one earbud, it's definitely something to be aware of.
The app could use some workSpeaking of struggles, let's talk about the Bose QuietComfort earbuds app. For some reason, this is not the regular Bose headphones app, but its own dedicated app, just for these earbuds. And for some reason, Bose decided to make 12 different panels you have to click into, making it much busier visually than the standard Bose app.
The Bose QCE app landing screen. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Versus the regular Bose app. Credit: Screenshot: BoseSimply put, there is no need for 12 separate menu panels in any headphone app. While you do get a fair amount of customization with the earbuds app, with touch controls, voice controls, and low latency audio settings, there is overlap that makes it feel like panels could have been easily consolidated, with some feeling like they were missing information.
For instance, the multipoint menu lets you toggle multipoint pairing on and off, but it doesn't let you see or switch between specific devices like the other Bose app. The battery prediction section is a neat idea, but conveys similar information as the battery indicators up top — and you can't find information on the battery life left on the case anywhere, which feels like it would've been more useful than having two separate measures of the earbud battery life.
The multipoint pairing menu in the Bose QCE app. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Versus the regular Bose app. Credit: Screenshot: BoseOn a final design note, I didn't love how the panels opened to a half-screen menu — it just made the experience of adjusting settings feel visually busier than necessary. Also, this app didn't need two separate menu items, "Bose" and "Stories," linking out to the Bose website.
Bose QuietComfort vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbudsAs I mentioned up top, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are one of the Mashable staff's favorite pair of earbuds — and our top pick for the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market.
When you're shelling out the $299 for the Ultras, here's what the extra $120 gets you:
Top-of-the-line noise cancellation
Spatial audio
A secure and comfortable fit
Up to six hours of battery life
In comparison, here's what you get with the standard QuietComfort earbuds:
Decent, but not amazing noise cancellation
Customizable touch controls with the companion app
A good fit depending on your ear shape
Up to 8.5 hours of battery life
At the end of the day, while the Bose QuietComforts do have some issues that I'd rather not see on a pair of $179 earbuds, they also sound much better than I'd expect at this price point and have excellent all-day wear potential, both in comfort and battery life.
If you're looking for the best noise-cancelling Bose has to offer, you likely won't regret investing more. On the other hand, if you're trying to get earbuds that sound as good as they can under $200, with exceptional battery life added in, picking up the QuietComfort earbuds is an easy choice.
Bose QuietComfort earbuds $179.00 at Best BuySorry to disappoint, but if you're looking for a quick list of easily identifiable and foolproof ways for detecting AI-generated videos, you're not going to find it here. Gone are the days of AI Will Smith grotesquely eating spaghetti. Now we have tools that can create convincing, photorealistic videos with a few clicks.
Right now, AI-generated videos are still a relatively nascent modality compared to AI-generated text, images, and audio, because getting all the details right is a challenge that requires a lot of high quality data. "But there's no fundamental obstacle to getting higher quality data," only labor-intensive work, said Siwei Lyu, a professor of computer science and engineering at University at Buffalo SUNY.
That means you can expect AI-generated videos to get way better, very soon, and do away with the telltale artifacts — flaws or inaccuracies — like morphing faces and shape-shifting objects that mark current AI creations. The key to identifying AI-generated videos (or any AI modality), then, lies in AI literacy. "Understanding that [AI technologies] are growing and having that core idea of 'something I'm seeing could be generated by AI,' is more important than, say, individual cues," said Lyu, who is the director of UB's Media Forensic Lab.
Tweet may have been deletedNavigating the AI slop-infested web requires using your online savvy and good judgment to recognize when something might be off. It's your best defense against being duped by AI deepfakes, disinformation, or just low-quality junk. It's a hard skill to develop, because every aspect of the online world fights against it in a bid for your attention. But the good news is, it's possible to fine-tune your AI detection instincts.
"By studying [AI-generated images], we think people can improve their AI literacy," said Negar Kamali, an AI research scientist at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, who co-authored a guide to identifying AI-generated images. "Even if I don't see any artifacts [indicating AI-generation], my brain immediately thinks, 'Oh, something is off,'" added Kamali, who has studied thousands of AI-generated images. "Even if I don't find the artifact, I cannot say for sure that it's real, and that's what we want."
What to look out for: Imposter videos vs. text-to-image videosBefore we can get into identifying AI-generated videos, we have to distinguish the different types. AI-generated videos are generally divided into two different categories: Imposter videos and videos generated by a text-to-image diffusion model.
Imposter videosThese are AI-edited videos that consist of face swapping — where a person's entire face is swapped out for someone else's (usually a celebrity or politician) and made to say something fake — and lip syncing — where a person's mouth is subtly manipulated and replaced with different audio.
Imposter videos are generally pretty convincing, because the technology has been around longer and they build off of existing footage instead of generating something from scratch. Remember those Tom Cruise deepfake videos from a few years ago that went viral for being so convincing? They worked because the creator, Chris Ume, looked a lot like Tom Cruise, worked with a professional Tom Cruise impersonator, and did lots of minute editing, according to an interview with Ume from The Verge. These days, there are an abundance of apps out there that accomplish the same thing and can even — terrifyingly — include audio from a short sound bite that the creator finds online.
That said, there are some things to look for if you suspect an AI video deepfake. First of all, look at the format of the video. AI video deepfakes are typically "shot" in a talking-head format, where you can just see the heads and shoulders of the speaker, with their arms out of view (more on that in a minute).
To identify face swaps, look for flaws or artifacts around the boundaries of the face. "You typically see artifacts when the head moves obliquely to camera," said digital forensics expert and UC Berkeley Professor of Computer Science Hany Farid. As for the arms and hands, "If the hand moves, or something occludes the face, [the image] will glitch a little bit," Farid continued. And watch the arms and body for natural movements. "If all you're seeing is this," — on our Zoom call, Farid keeps his arms stiff and by his sides — "and the person's not moving at all, it's fake."
If you suspect a lip sync, focus your attention on the subject's mouth — especially the teeth. With fakes, "We have seen people who have irregularly shaped teeth," or the number of teeth change throughout the video, said Lyu. Another strange sign to look out for is "wobbling of the lower half" of the face, said Lyu. "There's a technical procedure where you have to exactly match that person's face," he said. "As I'm talking, I'm moving my face a lot, and that alignment, if you got just a little bit of imprecision there, human eyes are able to tell." This gives the bottom half of the face a more liquid, rubbery effect.
Tweet may have been deletedWhen it comes to AI deepfakes, Aruna Sankaranarayanan, a Research Assistant at MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, says her biggest concern isn't deepfakes of the most famous politicians in the world like Donald Trump or Joe Biden, but of important figures who may not be as well known. "Fabrication coming from them, distorting certain facts, when you don't know what they look like or sound like most of the time, that's really hard to disprove," said Sankaranarayanan, whose work focuses on political deepfakes. Again, this is when AI literacy comes into play; videos like these require some research to verify or debunk.
Text-to-image videosThen there are the sexy newcomers: the text-to-image diffusion models which generate videos from text or image prompts. OpenAI made a big splash when it announced Sora, its AI video generator. Although it's not available yet, the demo videos were enough to astonish people with their meticulous detail, vivid photorealism, and smooth tracking, all allegedly from simple text prompts.
Since then, a bunch of other apps have popped up that can transform your favorite memes into GIFs and imaginative scenes that look like they took an entire CGI team with a Disney budget. Hollywood creatives are right to be outraged about the advent of text-to-image models, which likely trained on their work and now threaten to replace it.
Tweet may have been deletedBut the tech isn't quite there yet, because even those Sora videos likely required some slick and time-intensive editing. Sora's demo videos consist of a series of quick edits, because the technology isn't good enough yet to create longer videos that are flawless. So you can be alert, especially, to short clips: "If the video is 10 seconds long, be suspicious. There's a reason why it's short," said Farid. "Basically, text-to-video just can't do a single cut that's a minute long," he continued, while adding that this is likely to improve in the next six months.
Tweet may have been deletedFarid also said to look out for "temporal inconsistencies," such as "the building added a story, or the car changed colors, things that are physically not possible," he said. "And often it's away from the center of attention that where that's happening." So, hone in on the background details. You might see unnaturally smooth or warped objects, or a person's size change as they walk around a building, said Lyu.
Tweet may have been deletedKamali says to look for "sociocultural implausibilities" or context clues where the reality of the situation doesn't seem plausible. "You don't immediately see the telltales, but you feel that something is off — like an image of Biden and Obama wearing pink suits," or the Pope in a Balenciaga puffer jacket.
Context clues aside, the existence of artifacts is likely to decrease really soon. And Wall Street is willing to bet billions of dollars on it. (That said, venture capitalism isn't really known for reasonably priced valuations of tech startups based on sound evidence of profitability.)
The artifacts may change, but good judgment remains.As Farid told Mashable, "Come talk to me in six months, and the story will have changed." So, relying on certain cues to verify whether a video is AI-generated could get you into trouble.
Lyu's 2018 paper about detecting AI-generated videos because the subjects didn't blink properly was widely publicized in the AI community. As a result, people started looking for eye-blinking defects, but as the technology progressed, so did more natural blinks. "People started to think if there's a good eye blinking, it must not be a deepfake and that's the danger," said Lyu. "We actually want to raise awareness but not latch on particular artifacts, because the artifacts are going to be amended."
Building the awareness that something might be AI-generated will "trigger a whole sequence of action," said Lyu. "Check, who's sharing this? Is this person reliable? Are there any other sources correlating on the same story, and has this been verified by some other means? I think those are the things the most effective counter measures for deepfakes."
Tweet may have been deletedFor Farid, identifying AI-generated videos and misleading deepfakes starts with where you source your information. Take the AI-generated images that circulated on social media in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Most of them were pretty obviously fake, but they still had an emotional affect on people. "Even when these things are not very good, it doesn't mean that they don't penetrate, it doesn't mean that it doesn't sort of impact the way people absorb information," he said.
Tweet may have been deletedBe cautious about getting your news from social media. "If the image feels like clickbait, it is clickbait," said Farid before adding it all comes down to media literacy. Think about who posted the video and why it was created. "You can't just look at something on Twitter and being like, 'Oh, that must be true, let me share it.'"
If you're suspicious about AI-generated content, check other sources to see if they're also sharing it, and if it all looks the same. As Lyu says, "a deepfake only looks real from one angle." Search for other angles of the instance in question. Farid recommends sites like Snopes and Politifact, which debunk misinformation and disinformation. As we all continue to navigate the rapidly changing AI landscape, it's going to be crucial to do the work — and trust your gut.
A little over a decade ago, astronomers found a large gap between two belts circling Vega, hinting that the nearby star probably hosts several exoplanets.
Then in 2021, other researchers saw what they believed was perhaps a signal of a Neptune or Jupiter-like gas giant orbiting extremely close to the star. Surely, they thought, when the ultra-sensitive James Webb Space Telescope launches into space, they'll finally get the definitive proof of a planet.
But after pointing Webb at the target, and gathering more data from the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA scientists have not seen what they thought they'd find. The latest observations seem to suggest that the 1997 sci-fi film Contact, based on an older book by Carl Sagan, could have had it right after all — that there's nothing out there around Vega but a swirl of debris.
"The Hubble and Webb observations together provide so much more detail that they are telling us something completely new about the Vega system that nobody knew before," George Rieke, one of the researchers based at the University of Arizona, said in a statement.
SEE ALSO: Scientists propose a bold new reason for Betelgeuse's volatile behavior In this artist's rendering, a disk of gas and dust sweeps around a young star. Astronomers look for lanes carved into the disk, a possible sign of orbiting planets. Credit: NASA / ESA / STScI / Leah Hustak illustrationVega, set in the summer constellation Lyra, is about 25 light-years, or 150 trillion miles, away from Earth. It's an A-type star: young, robust, and spinning much faster than the sun. This thing, about 450 million years old, is 40 times brighter than the sun, beaming sizzling blue-white light. Its swift rotation, fully turning every 16 hours, makes it a challenging target for scientists, who want to track its motion and look for tugs from potential planets.
The new study, to be published as two papers in The Astrophysical Journal, was based on a highly detailed look at Vega's 100-billion-mile-wide debris disk, which faces Earth. In the past, this disk was thought to be a circle of planet-forming material; indeed, in our own solar system, planets emerged from such a disk once centered on the sun, though now that disk is long-gone.
"The Vega disk is smooth, ridiculously smooth."Astronomers were shocked when Webb and Hubble showed nothing to suggest any large planets were busy at work, plowing away dust, which would be typical in a star system that's Vega's age, only about 10 percent of the sun's. Usually these nubile stars are surrounded by lots of dust, enriched by frequent collisions of asteroids and comets.
Hubble detects material the size of smoke particles, and Webb can pick up particles as miniscule as a grain of sand, according to NASA. Yet neither showed signs of worlds pushing and clearing dust away, a clue scientists seek when trying to determine if a star has planets. The discovery of a pancake disk without obvious traces of planets is forcing them to rethink why Vega's system isn't what they expected, and it could offer new insights into planet formation, generally.
Vega, the fifth-brightest star in the sky, as seen by Hubble, left, and Webb. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / S. Wolff / K. Su / A. Gáspár"It's unlike other circumstellar disks we've looked at," said Andras Gáspár, another member of the research team, in a statement. "The Vega disk is smooth, ridiculously smooth."
Despite its smoothness, the disk does appear to have a slight, subtle gap far out from the star, about double the distance of Neptune from the sun. The researchers say that rules out the possibility of planets down to at least the mass of Neptune.
Ironically, Vega is renowned for opening the eyes of astronomers to the idea that other stars could host planets, and that the material orbiting a star — seemingly the building blocks for making planets — could host life.
"Vega continues to be unusual," said Schuyler Wolff, lead author of the study, in a statement. "The architecture of the Vega system is markedly different from our own solar system where giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn are keeping the dust from spreading the way it does with Vega."
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Are you feeling stagnant at your current job? Here's a fact that might finally inspire you to switch to cybersecurity: there are about 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs out there, and some of those companies are willing to pay top dollar for experts who can protect their businesses from cyber threats.
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Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story dives into the unsettling true crime saga of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. In the latest chapter from frequent collaborators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, Monsters revisits the tale of the two brothers accused of brutally murdering their parents, citing years of abuse at the hands of their father, José.
The nine-episode series and subsequent but separate Oct. 7 documentary, The Menendez Brothers, has taken the platform by storm, breathing new life into a case that first captivated audiences in the late '80s — and still dominates CrimeTok. According to The Wrap, the documentary alone drew 22.7 million views, instantly becoming Netflix’s most-watched film worldwide, while Ryan Murphy’s dramatization pulled in over 52 million views in its first month.
SEE ALSO: The best true crime TikTok accounts of 2022The actual Menendez brothers trial might feel like ancient history, taking place as it did in the pre-internet era of 1993 through 1996, but these recent releases have triggered a renewed interest in the case. That, along with new evidence, has prompted the Los Angeles District Attorney to ask for the brothers' life sentence to be reexamined so they can have a chance at parole.
So, if you’re intrigued by this notorious story, here’s everything you need to know about who the Menendez brothers are, what happened back then, and where they are now.
Who are the Menendez brothers? Erik Menendez, left, and is brother Lyle, in front of their Beverly Hills home. Credit: Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesLyle and Erik Menendez were born to José Menendez and Kitty Andersen, a seemingly typical power couple who met in college in Illinois before starting their family. The two moved to New York in 1963, where their first son, Lyle, was born in 1968. Erik followed two years later, arriving in 1970 after the family settled in New Jersey.
José’s ambitious career path saw him rising through the ranks at Hertz, then RCA Records, eventually landing as CEO of Live Entertainment. This promotion brought the family to Calabasas, California, in the early '80s. But by 1988, the Menendez family relocated to Beverly Hills due to the brothers' neighborhood burglary spree — swiping an estimated $100,000 in cash and jewelry.
During this time before the murders, the brothers alleged that they suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of José, a "relentless perfectionist," and that their mother was an alcoholic who enabled the abuse. They allege that it started when they were young children with their father, who turned his attention to Erik after Lyle had turned six. An older cousin of the brothers, Diane Vander Molen, also supported their claims, telling ABC in 2017 that Lyle had told her of the abuse when he was 8, back in 1976.
Murphy’s dramatization leans heavily into this aspect of the Menendez family story, painting an unflinching picture of the brothers’ alleged trauma. However, the show’s creative liberties have sparked a backlash: Family members have publicly slammed the adaptation as "a phobic, gross, anachronistic, serial episodic nightmare," accusing it of being a "grotesque shock drama."
Erik also responded to the show through his wife Tammi on X (formerly Twitter).
Tweet may have been deletedMurphy's other series in the Monster anthology, The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, received similar complaints — especially from family members of Dahmer's victims.
SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Dahmer' backlash highlights ethical issues in the platform's obsession with true crime The Menendez brothers' murder and trialOn Aug. 18, 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez purchased two shotguns from a local gun shop. Two days later, on the night of Aug. 20, they confronted their parents, José and Kitty, who were watching TV. The brothers claimed a heated argument broke out, culminating in a violent confrontation. Lyle and Erik would later argue that they acted out of self-preservation, fearing their father intended to kill them that night.
According to their accounts, the catalyst for the murders came weeks prior when Erik confided in Lyle about the years of alleged abuse he had endured. This revelation led to several confrontations within the family, with José allegedly threatening to kill them if they dared speak out. This alleged fear for their lives became central to their defense, framing the murders as a desperate act born from years of trauma and intimidation.
Erik Menendez, left, and his brother Lyle, wearing jail outfits, are led into courtroom. June 15, 1990. Credit: Larry Davis / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesImmediately after the murders, Lyle and Erik Menendez say they waited for police, convinced that the noise from the gunshots would have prompted a neighbor to call 911. When no one arrived, they took matters into their own hands, disposing of their clothes and the shotguns before heading to a festival at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to establish an alibi.
When they returned home and found the house still undisturbed, Lyle made the 911 call himself, tearfully telling officers that their parents had been murdered and suggesting that the killings might be connected to the Mafia. Remarkably, though unsurprisingly, the responding officers failed to conduct routine procedures like testing the brothers for gunshot residue, allowing them to slip under suspicion — for a time, at least.
In the months following the murders, while police chased leads on a supposed mob connection, Lyle and Erik Menendez dove into their new multimillion-dollar inheritance with reckless abandon. They indulged in luxury apartments and high-end business ventures and splurged on Rolex watches, designer clothes, and sleek sports cars. Their lavish spending spree even put them in the public eye; the brothers were spotted courtside at a New York Knicks game, where they were inadvertently immortalized on a Mark Jackson trading card.
SEE ALSO: Untangling true crime: Inside the ethics of Hollywood's greatest guilty pleasureAfter spending up to $1 million in the months after the murders, police began to suspect Lyle and Erik Menendez of a financial motive. However, family members argued their lavish spending was nothing new. Despite their newfound freedom from their parents, Erik’s guilt led him to confess to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. When Oziel’s mistress, Judalon Smyth, learned of the confession and later split from him, she reported it to the police, resulting in the brothers' arrest in 1990.
The first trial in 1993 captivated TV audiences as Lyle and Erik Menendez claimed they acted in self-defense, believing their lives were at risk after enduring years of abuse from their father. Their accounts were backed by family members, including cousin Andy Cano and aunt Joan Vander Molen. Although each brother was tried separately, both trials ended with hung juries, leaving the case unresolved.
In their 1996 retrial, a stricter judge limited testimony regarding the brothers' abuse allegations. This time, the outcome was definitive: Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted on two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, resulting in life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Can Lyle and Erik Menendez be granted clemency?Today, Lyle and Erik Menendez are serving life sentences, originally in separate prisons, though they were reunited in 2018. Both brothers are married and have filed multiple appeals over the years.
In 2023, they sought a new hearing after former Menudo member Roy Rosselló alleged that José Menendez had sexually assaulted him during his time at RCA Records. Rosselló detailed on the Today Show, after the release of the 2017 Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, that José drugged and assaulted him when he was 14 at the Menendez home in New Jersey.
With this new evidence, the brothers' lawyer argues that Lyle and Erik should have been convicted of first-degree manslaughter rather than murder — a charge that could have led to their release years ago.
In 2024, fresh evidence and renewed public interest from Netflix’s Monster series spurred Los Angeles DA George Gascón to review the Menendez brothers’ case. On Oct. 24, Gascón recommended that Lyle and Erik be resentenced to 50 years, noting that because they committed the crime under the age of 26, they should have been eligible for parole under current guidelines.
If a judge accepts this recommendation, the brothers could be free for the first time in over 25 years.
Science fiction can run the gamut from far-flung space adventures to journeys to the bottom of the ocean. The genre can introduce us to awe-inspiring robots, horrific extraterrestrials, or harrowing experiments. Whether the sci-fi ranges from the mostly true to the truly outrageous, there's always fun to be had in this sandbox. But how to pick which to watch?
Hulu's got a wide selection of movies, but how to know the best from the rest? We've got you covered.
Here's the best sci-fi movies now streaming on Hulu.
1. The Creator Credit: 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.Writer/director Gareth Edwards broke onto the sci-fi scene in a big way with the 2010 invasion thriller Monsters. Since then, he's taken big swings at some of sci-fi's flashiest franchises, such as 2014's Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In this wildly ambitious 2023 offering, he and screenwriter Chris Weitz have carved out a world all their own, one in which humans and AI robots are at war. John David Washington stars as a soldier whose allegiances are challenged when he meets Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), a robot unlike any he's seen before. She's a child, and she could well be the path to a future of coexistence — as long as they can survive the attacks of the relentless Colonel Howell (Allison Janney). Full of jaw-dropping visuals, including a terrifying warship, The Creator is a gift to sci-fi fans. But beyond the film's dazzling futuristic flourishes, the emotional story at its core is what will keep you hooked. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
SEE ALSO: 'The Creator' review: A stunning reminder we need more original sci-fiHow to watch: The Creator is now streaming on Hulu.
2. MelancholiaIn this haunting exploration of hopelessness, Kirsten Dunst plays a reluctant bride facing the end of the Earth. A compelling blend of apocalyptic stakes and deep, precise understanding of grief make Melancholia an all-time great perspective on what it means to confront nothingness. It’s certainly the most cynical title on this (or really any) list, but offers a nihilistic catharsis for audiences who seek that sort of thing. Come for the promise of some truly stunning visuals, stay for the unique atmosphere you can really only get here. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Melancholia is now streaming on Hulu.
3. Gone in the NightMissing Stranger Things? Then you'll appreciate this trippy thriller starring Winona Ryder as a middle-aged botanist whose romantic getaway with her younger beau (John Gallagher Jr.) goes sideways thanks to some unexpected guests. Out of the film's 2022 SXSW debut — back when it was called The Cow — we raved about Gone in the Night, cheering its dizzying blend of sci-fi thrills and rom-com charm. "Through all these twists and genre turns, Ryder is our reliable guide. She deftly dances through the demand for a wry joke, a wistful smile, a worried glance," I wrote in my review. "With savage wit and sophisticated twists, Gone in the Night is a must-see, whether you treasure great thrills or whether you rightly worship at the temple of Winona Ryder." — K.P.
How to watch: Gone in the Night is now streaming on Hulu.
4. Sea FeverCraving a mix of science fiction and folk horror? Then you'll relish this excellent indie from writer/director Neasa Hardiman. Set aboard an Irish trawler, Sea Fever follows Siobhán (Hermione Corfield), a marine biology student assigned to survey any marine life this fishing crew comes across. But when something strange surfaces, the superstitious crew and the academic outsider are at odds over how to react. Whichever side you're on, you'll relish the tension as characters scramble to make sense of the ocean's unknowable possibilities. Though this low-budget affair doesn't boast the flashy monsters of studio flicks, Hardiman delivers enough glimpses and teases that you'll definitely be hooked. And the crackling cast, which includes Connie Nielsen, Dougray Scott, Olwen Fouéré, Jack Hickey, and Ardalan Esmaili, shares a chemistry that makes you feel a part of the crew, for better or worse. — K.P.
How to watch: Sea Fever is now streaming on Hulu.
5. Alien Credit: Robert Penn / 20th Century Fox / Kobal / ShutterstockAlien isn't just one of the best space movies of all time — it's also one of the best movies of all time, full stop. Thanks to Ridley Scott's direction and visual design led by Swiss artist H.R. Giger, this science-fiction horror film is genuinely creepy and claustrophobic, taking our intrinsic fear of dark and narrow corridors and using it to masterful effect.
In a lot of ways, Scott's sci-fi behemoth set a template for future space movies. The sense of isolation, the rapidly diminishing crew, the fear of AI, the body horror — all of these are tropes we've seen cropping up again and again over the years, including in some of the other films on this list. And while many of these descendants deploy those ideas well, few have managed to make the same gory splash that Alien did. (As a side note, Aliens — the second movie in the franchise — is also very much worth a watch).* — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
How to watch: Alien is now streaming on Hulu.
7. Something in the DirtCo-directors/co-stars Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead play Los Angeles neighbors who are drawn together by a glimpse of the supernatural in this Sundance favorite. Something in the Dirt uses a cerebral sci-fi premise to explore the complicated bond between its heroes. Here, a frustrated loner and a happy-go-lucky drifter find unexpected community and purpose by happenstance. Naturally, they decide to make a documentary about their findings. Thus, this movie is revealed to be a mockumentary, where the crew keeps quitting, the re-enactments become increasingly (and purposefully) sketchy, and the answers to its big questions aren't guaranteed. The result is a film that is trippy, unsettling, and sometimes sharply funny.* — K.P.
How to watch: Something in the Dirt is now streaming on Hulu.
8. Crimes of the Future Credit: NEONNow into his sixth decade of making movies, director David Cronenberg proved with 2022's Crimes of the Future that he's still got that wow-slash-ick factor that turned his last name into an adjective. In an unspecified near-future, the government's struggle to control its populace through our bodies has reached a new level of weirdness thanks to people like Saul Tenser (Cronenberg muse Viggo Mortensen), a performance artist who has the ability to sprout new organs willy-nilly thanks to "accelerated evolution syndrome."
Aside from Saul, who is in constant discomfort because of his syndrome, most humans don't feel pain or get sick, possibly due to some kind of genetic mutation. Thus, Saul's performance art with his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux) consists of eroticized surgery; she removes his errant organs on stage for a rapt live audience. Cut and repeat.
Plot-wise, the twosome find themselves drawn into a bizarre murder mystery involving a young boy who'd somehow developed the ability to consume and fully digest plastic, and a burgeoning underground movement of people eager to make a similar leap up the evolutionary chain themselves. Politics, sex, surgery, the fellating of open wounds, furniture that looks like it would give H.R. Giger a headache — this is as classic Cronenberg as it gets. And did I mention it's all played to be deadpan hilarious? If you're unsure, just watch the comedic tour de force that Kristen Stewart is giving as a whacked-out government employee, and she'll clue you in. — Jason Adams, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Crimes of the Future is now streaming on Hulu.
9. Planet of the Apes (1968)Three astronauts, including the ever-blustering George Taylor (Charlton Heston), wake up from deep hibernation when their spacecraft crash-lands on an unknown planet hundreds of light years away from Earth. They quickly realize just how bizarre this new world is, where humanoids are ruled by a race of talking gorillas on horseback. Taylor, revealing he can speak the apes' language, quickly finds himself the pet project of chimp scientist Zira (Kim Hunter) and her fiance Dr. Cornelius (Roddy McDowall). But nobody puts Charlton Heston in a corner, baby, and soon enough he's sparked a man-versus-ape revolution.
SEE ALSO: 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' review: A worthwhile sequel and the start of a brand-new sagaThe story is probably familiar to you, given they've been making and remaking these movies for decades. But the original is still the best as far as I'm concerned. Yes, the monkey suits are primitive compared to the latest films' cutting-edge CGI. But you just can't beat the original shock ending, even if the past six decades of pop culture have gone out of its way to spoil and dilute it. Not even Heston and his "damn dirty apes" blather can ruin the film's fun; indeed, a big part of the enjoyment comes from laughing at his straight-man-as-camp performance, which manages to make those rubbery monkey masks truly seem more lifelike. — J.A.
How to watch: Planet of the Apes (1968) is now streaming on Hulu.
10. The HostThe best thing that Parasite director Bong Joon-ho does in his 2006 giant monster movie The Host is toss the rules of Giant Monster Movies out the window right at the start. After a brief prologue that hilariously blames everything horrible that's about to happen on the United States government, this South Korean rollercoaster ride kicks into high gear with its giant amphibian-like monster leaping out of a river and terrorizing an enormous crowd of people in the brightest of broad daylight. There's no waiting an hour for a quick glimpse of a monster's elbow in this one!
From there, we insinuate ourselves with a food vendor named Park Gang-du (legend Song Kang-ho) and his family, including his teen daughter Hyun-seo (Go Ah-sung) and his kick-ass archery expert sister Nam-joo (Bae Doona). During its attack, the monster snatches Hyun-seo and takes her down to its sewer-based lair, and the rest of them must come together to figure out how to rescue her. The film is action-filled, yes, but also contemplative with regards to modern Korean society, filled with the sort of off-kilter tension that we've now come to expect from the Oscar–winning director. — J.A.
How to watch: The Host is now streaming on Hulu.
11. DualAn existentially deadpan sci-fi allegory about the emptiness of modern living, Dual stars deadpan queen Karen Gillan as an unhappy young woman who soon finds even more reason to be unhappy – namely, that she's dying. In order to spare the feelings of her boyfriend Peter (Beulah Koale) and mother (Maija Paunio), she takes the advice of her doctor and agrees to be cloned; once she dies, her clone can step in and take her place, and her loved ones won't have to mourn at all. Sarah just has to spend some of her final remaining months teaching said clone how to be her, is all.
Unfortunately, Sarah's "loved ones" are kind of fed up with Sarah's bullshit and quickly come to like her less-moody clone much better. When Sarah finds out her doctor was wrong and she's going to live after all, her clone and Sarah's family team up to force Sarah into the titular duel, wherein the original person and their redundant clone have to fight each other to the death. After all, you can't have two of the same person walking around. That'd be nuts!
As Sarah trains for the battle with a combat expert (Aaron Paul), the act of suddenly having to care about her own survival awakens something in her. And writer/director Riley Stearns (The Art of Self-Defense) mines the mundane malleability of human existence for all its worth in this flatly affected, funny-between-the-lines satire. What separates us from not-us turns out to be not much at all in Stearns' hands — just some spit and sadness. But mostly spit. — J.A.
How to watch: Dual is now streaming on Hulu.
12. The AbyssJames Cameron's 1989 underwater epic The Abyss sees a ragtag group of oil drillers (led by Ed Harris as Bud) team up with a feisty scientist named Lindsey (played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) — who just happens to be Bud's ex-wife, cue drama — and a group of SEALs to find out what the heck happened to a submarine that suddenly sunk beside a deep ocean trough. Quickly, they discover there is a totally different and mysterious presence in the area, some sort of glowing life form that can bend and shape water to its will.
Unfortunately, this bonding between lifeforms is interrupted as all hell breaks loose, as it's wont to do in action movies. SEAL team leader Coffey (Michael Biehn) begins to feel the effects of high-pressure nervous syndrome, which is making him increasingly paranoid and dangerous. From there, the movie becomes a race against time with our good guys trying to stop the crazed-out Coffey from full-on nuking the friendly sea creatures.
There are famously two cuts of the film; the cut that you'll find streaming on Hulu is the shorter one and not the special edition, but don't worry — this is James Cameron we're talking about, so "shorter" still means a full two hours and 20 minutes of awe-inspiring action filmmaking with thrilling visuals. Ones that still to this day hold (dare I say) water. — J.A.
How to watch: The Abyss is now streaming on Hulu.
13. Dune Credit: Warner Bros / Moviestore / ShutterstockA twisted space opera on a scale basically heretofore unseen, Denis Villeneuve's first Dune movie lays the Arrakis-set groundwork solid as a rock. Balancing the epic against the intimate with fine-tuned precision, Villeneuve nails the overripe tale of the Atreides clan (daddy Oscar Isaac, mother slash space witch Rebecca Ferguson, and baby boy Timmy Chalamet) clashing with the diabolically pasty Harkonnens, all over the trippy worm poop called "Spice" that fuels that galaxy.
And now that we've seen Part Two, the impossible has been realized: The massive 2021 film suddenly feels kind of small in comparison? Because Dune and Dune: Part Two are basically two halves of one really long whole, it's difficult to just watch one without the other. But thankfully both films are now streaming, with the second one over on Max. So, go ahead and make a (literal) day of it. Zendaya will thank you. (Because she's barely in the first one.) — J.A.
How to watch: Dune is now streaming on Hulu.
14. IdiocracyThe most prophetic science-fiction film ever made! Unfortunately. King of the Hill creator Mike Judge's 2006 comedy Idiocracy imagines an America 500 years in the future, where the non-stop consumption of sports drinks and an innate distrust of education has turned the populace into a rabble of drooling morons who vote for an egotistical reality TV star to be their president. Cringing yet?
Chosen by the modern-day military because of their unimposing averageness, librarian Joe (Luke Wilson) and sex worker Rita (Maya Rudolph) are guinea pigs in an experimental suspended-animation test. But right after they're frozen, the military base is closed. Joe and Rita are forgotten about as society decays around them; they're accidentally woken up 500 years later and immediately confronted by the stupidest future imaginable.
Idiocracy has proved with time to be the satire we deeply needed — in fact, earned — once the optimistic futurism of the past gave way to the infuriating realities of our anti-intellectual present. At least Judge made it funny, which is more than we can say for the real world! — J.A.
How to watch: Idiocracy is now streaming on Hulu.
15. UnderwaterSpeaking from personal experience, everybody who loves Underwater feels like a disciple spreading its gospel, since the movie came out in January 2020 only to quickly and undeservedly sink like a stone under the storm called Covid. Starring Kristen Stewart as an engineer on a science station drilling into the depths of the Mariana Trench when an earthquake pops off, Underwater could best be described as "Alien set underwater." Except there have been loads of movies that could be described as "Alien set underwater" before, and none of them were anywhere near this much fun.
Because of course that earthquake isn't quite just an earthquake. And before you know it, KStew and her bad-ass bleached-out buzzcut is tussling with all sorts of deep-sea monsters. Her fellow crew members — including Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr., and Mamoudou Athie — make for a pretty lovable bunch too, so it's pretty scary as people start getting snatched into the inky darkness by who-knows-what. All hail Underwater, king of the underwater Alien ripoffs! — J.A.
How to watch: Underwater is now streaming on Hulu.
16. Total RecallAn adaptation of Philip K. Dick's short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," this futuristic trash classic from director Paul Verhoeven stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Douglas Quaid, a bored construction worker with big arms and bigger dreams. His dreams are about the planet Mars specifically, which is in the process of being colonized. So Quaid decides to spice up his life, implanting memories of an exciting vacation to Mars that he doesn't in reality have the time or money to actually afford.
Unfortunately, in the middle of the procedure Quaid's brain goes haywire, and he finds himself sucked into an over-the-top, planet-hopping lifestyle of muscle and mayhem. Is this secret agent alter ego the real him, or are the false imprinted memories tricking him into thinking so? Verhoeven leaves it all tantalizingly elliptical while riffing on real-world politics with copious sleaze in that juicy way only he (and perhaps David Cronenberg) have ever really successfully managed. Total Recall feels like everything great and everything terrible about the 1980s stuffed into a single 1990 film. — J.A.
How to watch: Total Recall is now streaming on Hulu.
17. Poor Things Credit: Searchlight PicturesEmma Stone deservedly won a second Oscar for her outrageous performance as Bella Baxter, a full-grown woman with a baby's brain implanted in her skull by a mad (but sweet) scientist (Willem Dafoe) in Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos' typically outré and feminist riff on Frankenstein. As Dr. Godwin Baxter watches Bella develop with scientific curiosity, she goes from a food-spitting toddler to a sex-obsessed young woman at seeming lightspeed. Spurred on mainly through her encounters with a series of clueless and daffy men (played by Ramy Youssef, Mark Ruffalo, Jerrod Carmichael, and Christopher Abbott) Bella traverses the globe — as imagined through Lanthimos' hallucinogenic and wholly unrealistic visuals — in her horny quest for self-actualization. And like Dorothy Gale before her, she finds her way home again, a wiser woman of the world, with only a few corpses left in her wake. — J.A.
How to watch: Poor Things is now streaming on Hulu.
SEE ALSO: 'Poor Things' screenwriter Tony McNamara on the flawed humanity of Bella 18. The FacultyRobert Rodriguez's alien-invasion cult classic The Faculty is basically The Thing meets The Breakfast Club as written by Scream's Kevin Williamson. A group of disparate high schoolers get tossed together as they confront some slimy little body-snatchers from mean green outer space. There's the nerd (Elijah Wood), the bad boy drug dealer (Josh Hartnett), the basket case (Clea DuVall), the princess (Jordana Brewster), the jock (Shawn Hatosy) — all your stereotypical bases are covered.
SEE ALSO: Josh Hartnett compares his new role in 'Trap' to his character Zeke from 'The Faculty'The aliens start out by taking over the brains of the teachers first, played by an absolutely wild collection of actors — Famke Janssen, Salma Hayek, Robert Patrick, Bebe Neuwirth, Jon Stewart, and Piper Laurie, just for starters. This cast is stacked! From there, it's a showdown between the folks in charge and the rebellious kids getting closed in on from every side. Honestly, the anti-establishment vibes feel very innocent — late '90s in the most nostalgic of ways. That's why I think this movie's aged so well; its invasion is sweetly endearing! — J.A.
How to watch: The Faculty is now streaming on Hulu.
19. The FlyJeff Goldblum has made a career out of playing sexy smarty-pants whose overconfidence does them in; think Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park, Jack in Invasion of the Body Snatchers… Really, it's very nearly every character he's played! But none have been more poignant than Dr. Seth Brundle, a character whose itty-bitty wings fly him too close to the sun in David Cronenberg's masterful 1986 remake of The Fly. Because before you know it, the hot doc is barfing up acid on his romantic rival's extremities and everything's gone to heck.
Inventing a container that transports matter from one location to another with the flip of a simple switch, Brundle's fatal oversight is just not making sure any bewinged insects can swoop inside as the pod's door closes. Suddenly finding his DNA combined with that of a housefly, Seth's human matter starts mutating at a rapid rate, which really puts a quick kibosh on his blossoming romance with the whip-smart, kind reporter (Geena Davis) who's got an exclusive on his story. It turns out that The Fly is in actuality a doomed romance with real heart… and even realer disgusting puddles of goop. — J.A.
How to watch: The Fly is now streaming on Hulu.
20. Palm Springs Credit: Jessica Perez / HuluThis is a tremendously charming time-loop rom-com that one-ups Groundhog Day by allowing both members of its romance to loop through time together. Palm Springs stars Andy Samberg as Nyles and Cristin Milioti as Sarah, two strangers who meet at a desert wedding, hook up that night, and then find themselves sucked into a vortex of the same day playing out over and over again on repeat. Directed by first-timer Max Barbakow, the movie lets the twosome go through the ups and downs of this wild and wacky adventure together — bonding, fighting, blowing shit up — as they try to figure out whether it's best to stay stuck, or if they should maybe see what tomorrow offers.
As solid a metaphor for relationship-building as they come, Palm Springs uses its lo-fi sci-fi gimmickry to ease out lovely little truths about what we should want from one another as we pass through the cosmos. Samberg and Milioti make for a super-charged, charming pair, proving this genre is hardly dead; it just needs some sparks of imagination and chemistry to rejuvenate it. — J.A.
How to watch: Palm Springs is now streaming on Hulu.
21. Donnie DarkoA coming-of-age tale knee-deep in metaphysics, Richard Kelly's 2001 classic remains memorable today for a ton of reasons. First and foremost, it made for a note-perfect introduction to the wonders of Jake Gyllenhaal (unless you were a really big Bubble Boy fan). The future Road House star plays Donnie, a moody high-schooler who's been sleepwalking and having doom-laden visions of a gigantic bunny rabbit (played by Gregg Araki regular James Duval). His parents (Holmes Osborn and Mary McDonnell) and his therapist (Katharine Ross) don't seem to understand, and talking through his issues only seems to exacerbate them.
SEE ALSO: 20 years later, 'Donnie Darko' feels finally fit for our timesOther unhelpful adults include an unfriendly teacher (Beth Grant, who utters the immortal line, "Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion!") and her self-help guru sidekick (Patrick Swayze, the original Road House flavor). The only person who gets Donnie is the new girl in town (Jena Malone), but her arrival seems already too late. Donnie's fate has been decided before this story has even begun. But Kelly's ingeniously twisty script, feeling etched out of our collective teen-movie subconscious, has a ton of goth-tinged fun skipping and swerving toward that dark ending anyway. — J.A.
How to watch: Donnie Darko is now streaming on Hulu.
22. No One Will Save YouBrynn (Kaitlyn Dever) is a seamstress who lives alone in a small town. She mainly keeps to herself, locked up inside her childhood home; from the little we see of her going out in public, it seems as if the townspeople want nothing to do with her. Then one fateful night someone does come knocking, but unfortunately it's not a kindly neighbor with pie — nope, it's a great big bug-eyed space invader instead. Brynn manages to fight the alien off, but it's just the first of many, as she finds herself (and eventually everywhere within running distance) overtaken by the intergalactic buggers. Why can't the movies ever let introverts just be?
Nearly wordless from start to finish, this second film from writer/director Brian Duffield (who also wrote Underwater, see above) is definitely stronger in its first two-thirds as we watch the ever-stellar Dever fight off the invaders while dealing with her myriad sadnesses. The trumped-up Twilight Zone silliness of its last act is maybe a bit much, but there's still more than enough to love here, including Dever's performance, its deeply creepy monsters, and a tremendous score from Joseph Trapanese that manages much of the otherwise silent film's heavy lifting. — J.A.
How to watch: No One Will Save You is now streaming on Hulu.
SEE ALSO: 'No One Will Save You' review: Alien home invasion horror without the tension 22. Prey Credit: David Bukach / 20th Century StudiosThe best Predator movie since John McTiernan's 1987 original, this 2022 prequel shoots us back in time to the pre-colonized plains of 18th-century America, where a tribe of Comanche warriors now have the honor and distinction of facing down the extraterrestrial hunter with the really weird mouth. And Arnold Schwarzenegger wishes he could kick this much alien butt.
Amber Midthunder plays Naru, a young woman who's being trained to be a healer but in the time-tested mold of all the Mulans before her, really just wants to kick ass like her brothers get to. She definitely gets her chance too, once the Predator drops down into the woods surrounding their colony and starts annihilating everything with a pulse. From there, it's the explosive and bloody showdown that you expect, but it's also a hella lively one. Prey might not reinvent the wheel, but it sure did reinvigorate a dead franchise. — J.A.
How to watch: Prey is now streaming on Hulu.
23. Infinity PoolJames (Alexander Skarsgard) is a rich author who heads off to an exclusive resort on an otherwise poverty-stricken island with his partner Em (Cleopatra Coleman). While they're chillaxing by the pool, they meet another gorgeous and wealthy couple named Gabi (scream queen Mia Goth of the X trilogy) and Alban (Jalil Lespert), and soon enough the foursome go wild in the way of the privileged. By which I mean, exploiting the locals, obviously — until the locals bite back. Let's just say that cloning, murder, and orgies are all involved, and a whole lot of all three of those things at that.
The third film from Brandon Cronenberg (yes, son of David) proves once again that his genetically enhanced apple didn't fall far from the body-horror tree, as the same obsessions that have dominated his father's work — namely, the intermingling of sex, science, and violence, oh my — are in plentiful display all over Infinity Pool. A true mind-fuck in all the sexiest and most disturbing ways you can imagine, and about a dozen more ways that you can't. — J.A.
How to watch: Infinity Pool is now streaming on Hulu.
24. RoboCopDirector Paul Verhoeven spent his boom years in Hollywood making fun of the vulgar stupidity of American culture, and oh! How we ate it right up! RoboCop, his wicked 1987 satire about our love affair with state-sanctioned violence and gun culture, is definitely the meanest of them all. Peter Weller plays a cop named Murphy who works the squalid, militarized streets of futuristic Detroit, where not even an extremely violent death will let him set down his gun and badge.
Unfortunately for him, a nefarious (is there any other kind?) corporation has bought up and privatized the police departments. So when Murphy inevitably gets blown to bits, they just slap his leftover body parts and remaining consciousness into a robotic exoskeleton and send him right back on his merry way to shoot up more gangbangers. Bleak, violent, and extremely entertaining, RoboCop — like so much of Verhoeven's prophetic work — keeps steering way too terrifying close to reality over the decades since its release. But don't let that stop you from hooting and hollering when that guy gets doused in acid and explodes into goo! — J.A.
How to watch: RoboCop is now streaming on Hulu.
25. Super 8In 2011, director J.J. Abrams poured all of his Spielbergian, Gen-X obsessions into this sci-fi romp centering that perennial fave: the gang of kids who ride their bikes around town to solve a mystery and save the day. In this case, it's an alien attack set off by a train derailment, which is also truly one of the best action sequences in the past 20 years. Anyway, this crack-up accidentally frees a top-secret space monster that the government had been experimenting on, all of which our trusty kids unfortunately happen to catch on film since they were making a movie right near the tracks when it all goes down.
From there, the gang — played by Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, and token girl Elle Fanning — finds themselves tangled up with sinister government types on top of all of those alien shenanigans. Plus, Alice (Fanning) gets kidnapped by the monster, and they must rescue her, all while sorting out their adolescent feelings. We're pretty used to this formula after several seasons of Stranger Things. But would Stranger Things have happened without Super 8 first? Would there be a Super 8 without The Goonies and Stand By Me and E.T. before that? Honestly, I could keep going until I got to the silent cowboy serials that inspired Spielberg's inspirations. Point being, this is some quality sci-fi fun with a strong lineage. — J.A.
How to watch: Super 8 is now streaming on Hulu.
UPDATE: Oct. 31, 2024, 2:24 p.m. EDT This article was updated to reflect the latest streaming options.
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