Some people stress about naming a pet, vacillating between Steve and Spot and Bark Twain. Naming a child is even more fraught because parents generally dont want their offspring to carry a burdensome name, one that lends itself to taunt-prone nicknames, or initials that spell something heinous (use your imagination on that one).Naming a car isnt always a cakewalk, either. Case in point: The poor Chevrolet Nova has been mocked for decades as the urban legend spread that the name resulted in low sales in Spanish-speaking countries. The name Nova was said to translate to no va, or doesnt go. However, as linguistics experts point out, that doesnt jive with Spanish language rules anyway. The myth has persisted, but its not true.Unless its a car made by Christian von Koenigsegg or Mate Rimac, the vast majority of vehicles on the market are named by committee, so there is more research and less pressure on one person to bear the blame. Some automakers take the easy way and give their cars alphanumeric soup monikers. For instance, Mercedes-Benz names its cars by class from A to S. The brands S-class stands for the German word sonderklasse, meaning special class. In between, there are three-letter names like the GLA, GLB, and so on. Heres a name that seems like its as long as the number Pi: 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4Matic. The car is so fun to drive and it gets such excellent fuel efficiency, though, you can forget about the name and just focus on the ride.Naming a car usually requires a processJessica Fini, the assistant vice president of Communications for American Honda, says the company holds brainstorming meetings with key product planning members and other marketing, communications, and sales executives a few years out from the launch of a new vehicle. In that set of meetings, team members share the overall concept of the vehicle and describe its overarching traits.Once the list of brainstormed names are compiled, they take a vote and poll again with the top name choices. Then the top three names are handed over to the legal department for background checks, meaning they are tasked with making sure other brands dont already use them or have them on reserve, and they check to ensure the word doesnt mean something negative in another language.Usually when we submit three names, there are a couple we cannot use so one comes out the winner, Fini explains. If all three are rejected, we go back to the longer list and re-submit.Fini says Hondas words generally tie to a meaning. The Prologue, for example, is the automakers first mass-market EV (a prologue, or introduction, to a bigger selection). The Passport SUV is an adventure car, and passports are tied to adventures. Honda does have a few acronyms, like the CR-V: Comfortable Runabout Vehicle.The new Honda Prologue represents a beginning for the brands all-electric line. Image: Honda Toyota also uses the acronym naming convention. RAV4 stands for Recreational Active Vehicle with four-wheel-drive. Lexus RX stands for Radiant Crossover (X). Personally, I prefer the Crown, named for the Japanese word kanmuri (also kamuri), meaning crown.The etymology of car namesHyundais performance-focused names like N Line and N models pay homage to Hyundais Namyang research and development center and the Nrburgring racetrack, emphasizing precision engineering. Meanwhile, models like the Elantra (from elan, meaning energy) and Sonata (inspired by musical harmony) convey their unique personalities through language, says Elijah Kim, Hyundai senior group manager for market sensing and research.Hyundais vehicle naming strategy is a carefully crafted blend of geography, symbolism, and innovation, designed to evoke an emotional connection with drivers, Kim explains. Many models draw inspiration from real-world locations, such as Santa Fe, Tucson, and Kona, each reflecting a sense of adventure and lifestyle.L-R: The Palisade, Tucson Hybrid, and Kona. Hyundais Kona and Tucson are named for places, while Palisade stands for strength and protection. Images: HyundaiThe Palisade, symbolizing strength and protection, reinforces its role as a spacious and family-friendly SUV. Merriam-Webster defines the word palisade as a fence of stakes especially for defense, further elevating the sense of safety. Kim says as Hyundai embraces electrification, the IONIQ series merges ion and unique to signify a forward-thinking approach to mobility.With each name, Hyundai isnt just branding a carits telling a story, shaping how drivers perceive and connect with their vehicles, Kim says. As the industry moves toward intelligent, electrified transportation, Hyundais naming strategy will continue evolving, blending science, technology, and imagination.No one knows that better than Lamborghini, which has created an entire product line named for bulls that fought for their lives in the arena. The Miura is a breed of Spanish fighting bulls, Murcilago was a bull that reportedly fought off 28 sword strokes. The newest model named for a fighting bull, the Temerario, means fierce and courageous, according to Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann.The Lamborghini Temerario got its name from a fighting bull, true to the brands Raging Bull theme. Image: Kristin Shaw / Popular Science This story is part of Popular SciencesAsk Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something youve always wanted to know?Ask us.

Its 2025, and converting files from one format to another should only take a few clicks. But it often becomes a whole lengthy process requiring uploads to unsecured online converting apps that can put your personal information at risk. Stop the digital conversion gymnastics with a lifetime license to PDF Converter Pro. Usually, this PDF conversion license is $99.99, but right now, its down to $23.99 when you use code SAVE20 at checkout.PDFs dont have to be frustratingPDF Converter Pro works with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, HTML, PNG, and JPG files. It even maintains your original layouts, images, and hyperlinks even after conversion without losing quality.Have an event flyer saved as a PDF that you want to update the dates and location on? Convert the PDF into a Microsoft Word file. Adjust color or graphics when you convert to PNG or JPG. If you need to go the other way, you can convert it to a PDF. Open Word, Excel, PPT, or images to save as a PDF. Use a batch process to convert multiple PDF documents at once.If you have scanned images saved as a PDF, the built-in optical character recognition (OCR) software extracts text and can create an editable version of the scanned image with the original format.OCR can identify text from several languages. All those ancient hard copies can finally become digital documents you can edit again.Have an image file in a PDF you need to use elsewhere? A single click can extract JPGs and PNGs from the file.Adjust the size of a PDF to make it easier to save or send by compressing it. Password protection and encryption can be used to protect saved or shared files. Similarly, unlock a PDF with PDF Converter Pro.Get better quality PDF conversions with more tools to format them when you get the lifetime license to PDF Converter Pro for $23.99 with coupon SAVE20.StackSocial prices subject to change.PDF Converter Pro: Lifetime License $29.99See Deal

The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted a 'rogue' cosmic object barrelling through our galaxy without a star, and covered in clouds of iron and magnesium minerals.

RTThe Hollywood ReporterSony is behind a new adaptation of #StarshipTroopers from 'District 9' director Neill Blomkamp. The project is not a remake of Paul Verhoevens 1997 film, but rather will go back to the 1959 novel as source material http://bit.ly/41xKr7B

RTNEOMECHANICA

Some gamers may have seen them quacking around on their favorite gamer channel on YouTube or Twitch. Others may even have a couple dozen of these quacky duckies ready to invade the nearest bathtub. One thing is certain: fans of all kinds can appreciate these TUBBZ vinyl ducks as a fun new way to experience and adore their favorite characters.

After years of development and a couple of last-minute delays, Assassin's Creed Shadows is finally upon us, with the game set to release on March 20. Given how long franchise fans have been crying out for a mainline Assassin's Creed game set in Japan, it seems destined to go down as one of the series' biggest and most highly anticipated releases to date.

Wanderstop managed to make me feel emotionally attacked while making tea, and I love it. If youre looking for a cozy game to indulge in this weekend, whether indoors or in the pseudo-spring weather outside, Wanderstop is a great fit and its discounted to $22.49 through March 18 on Steam as part of the Steam Spring Sale (was $24.99).Wanderstop gives you a chance to engage in typical cozy tasks like reading books, making tea, and decorating your cute little shop, but the narrative and design decisions provide some interesting wrinkles. As you progress through the story, youll find that Wanderstop has a lot to say on topics like burnout, being present, learning to let go, and working through tough feelings. If Animal Crossing is your friend who always agrees with your bad takes, Wanderstop is the therapist who challenges your negative self-talk.And just in case Wanderstop isnt your cup of tea, weve also rounded up a short list of other games discounted during the Steam Spring Sale that you might want to check out.

When youve devoted years of your life to covering Street Fighter 2 history, its nice knowing youre not alone. So when I heard about the documentary Here Comes a New Challenger a few years ago, I was excited to see another take on the greatest game of all time.Now available for free on Tubi, the movie takes a broad look at the game and its impact, featuring former Capcom staff such as Yoshiki Okamoto and Yoko Shimomura as well as those who were involved in the games broader cultural footprint, like Steven E. de Souza (who directed the 1994 live-action movie), Paul Davies (who wrote about the game in the media), and Mick McGinty (who drew the games Western box art).In an effort to spotlight game-related books and documentaries, Polygon is running an email interview series with the people behind them. We previously connected with Julian Rignall about his not-quite-an-autobiography The Games of a Lifetime, Paul Vogel about his Housemarque documentary The Name of the Game, and Lewis Packwood about his obscure game hardware book Curious Video Game Machines. Below, we have Here Comes a New Challenger director Oliver Harper discussing how the film came about, what he had to cut, and the challenges involved with putting game history on camera.Polygon: How did the idea for this kick off originally?Oliver Harper: The documentary In Search of the Last Action Heroes which had I directed before Here Comes a New Challenger had a section on Street Fighter the movie, and being a huge fan of Street Fighter 2 since it arrived in arcades I naturally really enjoyed covering the Van Damme film, which is a guilty pleasure of mine. So when it came time to think of what I would do next, I thought Street Fighter 2 would be a good direction to go. Having been a YouTuber for over a decade providing retrospectives on movies I grew up on and even video games, I was fully aware of the retro scene and knew the game still had a strong following.There had been a couple of documentaries on Street Fighter 2 but they didnt really appeal to me, as they focused more on the competitive side of things, which is very important to the history of Street Fighter but in reality its a very niche side of the game because I never knew anyone who played or competed professionally in tournaments. It wasnt a thing unless you lived in London and visited arcades on a regular basis. So I wanted my documentary to focus its impact on the general gamer, who enjoyed it on their SNES and Mega Drive and read the gaming magazines to get their fix, got hyped for the live action movie and ended up disappointed and found joy in discovering the animated movie thus making it more accessible to a larger audience.One of the challenges I ran into on the book was that people often had different memories or different versions of stories of what happened behind the scenes at Capcom. But we didnt interview all the same people. Did you run into that much on the film?During the early stages of writing the questions for the interviewees, I had read your articles for Polygon on the development of the games to cross check what was said historically about the making of Street Fighter 2 and the various updates. I also went through all the old video game magazines from the USA and UK to make sure things were matching up. Most of the errors we encountered [were] with interviewees remembering dates and names incorrectly so we had to work around that or remove a section entirely because it didnt make sense or it was inaccurate with a few details.I also found Capcom to be one of the pickier companies in what they were willing to participate in and how much they wanted to control what former employees said. Did you deal with Capcom much for the film?We didnt deal with Capcom at all during the making and marketing of the documentary. I was informed early on that they were aware of the crowdfunding for it through a colleague of mine, but I had no direct contact with the studio throughout the whole production. Once we had finished the documentary and were in talks with some distributors, one had reached out to Capcom and they surprised me by saying both Capcom USA and Japan had seen the documentary and loved it. So the distributor was free to do what they wanted with it. It wouldve been cool if Capcom had publicly supported it or told people that they enjoyed it, but as it was unofficial and not commissioned by Capcom I understood they couldnt do that.Favorite thing you had to cut from the film?We had a section on video game magazines that dealt with comparisons between the USA and the UK and how they shared information. I was a big fan of Computer & Video Games magazine, which Paul Davies had edited during I think its best years, and they wanted to mimic what the Japanese magazines were doing. And Games Master [was] more in favour of copying the American publications, so you saw this bias towards different franchises. CVG were still in support of Street Fighter whereas Games Master had shifted to Mortal Kombat. It was an interesting discussion but we couldnt really find a place for it to fit.There was also a discussion on the drug taking on Street Fighter the movie. Troubled productions are often very interesting people love some drama but during the process of legal clearance it was suggested we remove those details to not upset anyone, and play it safe.Final thoughts looking back?Im very happy with the documentary. I managed to cover everything I wanted to, we managed to achieve a lot on a small budget, [and] my crew did an amazing job shooting additional b-roll to provide a lot of variety visually to the documentary. I didnt want to just do a talking head then a clip from the video game for its entire run time. I wanted people to be visually engaged with it along with the story.Of course, we were restricted somewhat by a run time. I wanted the audience to be able watch it in one go and not have it be a 4-to-5 hour documentary that people struggle to watch and have to return to over a couple of days, as the pacing becomes clunky and you fall into the problem of people losing interest.There [were] of course people I wanted to interview but things didnt work out due to time or budget restrictions. There [were] some cases that people didnt want to be on camera. Its far easier for someone to commit to an interview if its via email and not having the stress of a camera team turn up around their house or office. Others had a bad experience with Street Fighter in the case of the arcade port of the live action movie, and they didnt want to drum up the past. Which I felt was fair enough but more voices involved in that game wouldve been great.I hope more fans of Street Fighter 2 check out the documentary. On release we didnt have the marketing muscle to get it in front of the fans, so I do believe a lot of the fanbase [is] unaware of it so hopefully they will discover it and have a nice trip down memory lane.