Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe devil isnt in its detailsA slow, bumpy rideSince The Sims initially launched in 2000, there has yet to be a game that has rivaled it in the life simulation genre. Now 25 years later, Inzoi is throwing its hat into the ring. Inzoi (styled as Inzoi) is a realistic life simulation game published by Krafton that is making a serious play to court avid Sims players, perhaps more than any attempt before it. Thats a lofty goal, but is it one that Inzoi can truly live up to?Ive spent a decent amount of time tinkering around with the playtest version of Inzoion PC just before its early access launch. After customizing my Zoi down to the finest details, building a house with my horrible design skills, and living out different lives, I can say for certain that Inzoi is at the cusp of something special. Its not all the way there yet, but from what Ive played, this early access version has the building blocks of something that could someday be an incredible life simulation game.Recommended VideosInzoi is a realistic life simulation game that has players creating a single Zoi or a family and living out their lives. Think of it like The Sims but with a lot more creative tools, granting players the ability to fine-tune their Zois clothing, home, and the entire city they live in. Start a family, have children, grow old, die, and the cycle repeats. While the early access version is missing features such as pets and pools, it offers others missing from its competition such as the ability to drive a car and move a Zoi around manually.RelatedYou cant fault an early access game too much for missing features and quality-of-life issues, but if youre putting a price tag on it, theres a lot that players should know when hopping into this early build of Inzoi. Lets start with the Zoi creation menu. Without a doubt, this is one of the most realistic character creators ever (so long as you have a PC that can run it smoothly). Theres a significant amount of details on the face I could fiddle with to make an entirely unique Zoi. I could have spent hours on it.inZOI StudioThe collection of hair and clothing is decent enough that provide a vast array of options. Its nice to have full control over the color with a wheel, and that wheel carries over into the interior decorating.A major gripe with The Sims 4 is its lack of a color wheel, so thats just one small way that Inzoi feels like its looking to win over fans with itshundreds of color options. Currently, there arent a ton of fabric or pattern options when it comes to furniture, wallpaper, or flooring, but you can alter the size of the pattern and its direction to make more unique designs.While the creation suite is impressive, the true backbone of this entire game will rely on how good the simulation gameplay is. Although it takes inspiration from the Sims franchise, Inzoi sets itself apart in how players interact with their characters. The dialogue options between Zois are more detailed than I imagined theyd be, giving a better variety to gameplay between Zois. Whether Im trying to become best friends or worst enemies with another Zoi, I can choose vague options like Discuss Hairstyles or specific ones like Claim that this world is not real and even Talk about the cat you saw in front of your house.Im not sure how fine-tuned every dialogue choice is in terms of the effects they have on a relationship, but there are multiple dialogue branches I can sort through to make it easier to say exactly what I want. I can even decide on certain relationship dynamics depending on what relationship level Im at. When attempting to grow my Zois relationship with their partner, I had the chance to say that they wanted to grow even closer instead of saying they felt they were growing apart.inZOI StudioFor an early access release, there are a surprising amount of things my Zois can do within the world. Skills like painting, programming, or cooking give my Zois something to do during their downtime, and there was a lot to interact with when they left home. On my Zois day off, I enjoyed walking around town to discover I could try my luck with a lottery ticket or a claw machine. Events will occasionally pop up too that can offer places to go and meet other Zois who are playing the guitar or painting a canvas.With three different cities to choose from, its already fun to explore locations like Bliss Bays amusement park which resides beside the beach littered with towels to tan on and live music to listen to occasionally. Although I enjoyed watching my Zoi play carnival games and tan on the beach, there was a whole spot on the map presented for beach volleyball without the ability to engage in the sport. Its a good start, though this is a game that players could be invested in for a decade. I need to see more to get a sense of how stale Inzois current content could become, and how long it will take for fans to lose interest in whats available.While its a good start, Inzoi is far from perfect in its early state. Theres a lot that it lacks that will hopefully be fixed by its full release. The biggest gripe I had while playing was how slow the timing was. If youre a Sims player who hates how fast the days go by and wants a slower-paced game, Inzoi could be a good fit for you. This was fine up until it came time for my Zois to sleep. Until the clock struck midnight, the clock wouldnt speed up. After playing for two hours, only around three in-game days had passed.The slowness of time could be felt when taking on jobs, too. While waiting for my Zoi to finish work, I had to pull out my phone and wait around five minutes until they were done because of how slow time crawls by. This is one of those issues that may just be the game working as intended, but other quality-of-life features can easily be fixed throughout early access.inZOI StudioThis ranged from Zois only being able to cook a one-portion meal to placing wallpaper and flooring feeling like an unnecessary chore. The wall and floor painting especially made me feel like I was missing a feature that couldve made it a lot easier, but unless you paint each closed-off room with the same floor and wallpaper, its convoluted and time-consuming.My first impressions of Inzoi are mainly positive, though, as this life simulation game shows a ton of potential with the ideas its playing around with. There are still many quality-of-life issues that leave me wondering how long Inzoi could keep the attention and goodwill of players like me who love the genre. It also begs the question of how worthwhile it is to play in early access and if its easier to wait until the full game is out.After spending hours playing out the life of my Zois, I can tell that Inzoihas the perfect pacing for life-sim fans who want slower and more methodical gameplay. Time goes by a lot slower, but in return, you get intricate customization and realistic graphics. Theres a huge audience looking for that type of gameplay, and for just $40, Inzoi will hopefully hit with that crowd if it can grow in early access.Inzoi launches into early access for PC on March 27.Editors Recommendations

If used properly, a tablet can be a portal to education or entertainment for your child, just like the Gameboy COLOR was for you back in the day. But, nonetheless, picking out a tablet for your kids isnt easy. And right now a quirky deal that makes both the Amazon Fire HD 8 and Amazon Fire HD 8 Pro just $85 makes the decision even more confusing, right? Not necessarily.Both of these tablets, which originally cost $140 each, are discounted by $55 today, and its pretty clear which one is best for your child. If you have a younger child, the regular version makes more sense and if you have an older child the Pro version makes more sense. The naming convention is awful, but thats how it is. Tap the buttons below to see the tablets yourself and keep reading to see how to shop these deals.If both the regular Fire HD 8 and the Fire HD 8 Pro are the same price, then the Pro is the way to go, right? In fact, the two tablets are essentially the same. 13 hour battery lives, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 8-inch HD resolution, etc. Each even comes with a 6-month subscription to Amazon Kids+ for ad-free educational and entertainment content. Both are even have similarly high ratings from Best Buy customers. Listening to descriptions of the tablets alone is enough to leave anyone thinking they are the same. However, the Pro version also includes some built-in web browsing with guardrails (and easy-to-use parental controls), as well.RelatedIn fact, in a complete reversal of what we usual tell growing children, it is (mostly) what is on the outside that counts. The regular version has a thicker protective casing with younger colors and themes like Disneys Cars and Disney princesses, while the Pro version has a slimmed-down look and themes (like Marvel heroes) that fit older kids. As you read our Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet review, which praises the device for its easy setup and curated content, keep this in mind the Pro version is going to be largely the same, but with more ability to use the internet and a more mature theme.Grab either one of these tablet deals today by tapping the correct button below. Remember, each tablet is just $85 today following a $55 discount from the usual $140. The regular version is recommended for kids 3-7 and the Pro for kids 6-12, but you can make your own decision based on the wants and needs of your child.Editors Recommendations

The Japanese investment holding company said that the purchase would help to enhance its capabilities in key artificial-intelligence areas and accelerate its growth initiatives.

getting to the "point of no return" Hints grow stronger that dark energy changes over time Latest DESI results fall short of discovery threshold but strengthen evidence for dynamical dark energy. Jennifer Ouellette Mar 19, 2025 6:00 pm | 1 DESI maps distant objects to study dark energy. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. Tafreshi DESI maps distant objects to study dark energy. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. Tafreshi Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreLast year, we reported on an exciting hint of new physics in the first data analysis results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)namely that the dark energy, rather than being constant, might vary over time. Granted, those hints were still below the necessary threshold to claim discovery and hence fell under the rubric of "huge, if true."But now we have more data from DESI, combined with other datasets, and those hints have gotten significantly strongerso much so that Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki of the University of Texas at Dallas, who co-chairs one of the DESI working groups, said that "we are getting to the point of no return" for confirming dynamical dark energy. Ishak-Boushaki and several other DESI team members presented their results at the American Physical Society's Global Physics Summit today in Anaheim, California. Several relevant papers have also been posted to the physics arXiv.Einsteins cosmological constant (lambda) implied the existence of a repulsive form of gravity. (For a more in-depth discussion of the history of the cosmological constant and its significance for dark energy, see our 2024 story.) Quantum physics holds that even the emptiest vacuum is teeming with energy in the form of virtual particles that wink in and out of existence, flying apart and coming together in an intricate quantum dance. This roiling sea of virtual particles could give rise to dark energy, giving the Universe a little extra push so that it can continue accelerating. The problem is that the quantum vacuum contains too much energy: roughly 10120 times too much.So the Universe should be accelerating much faster than it is if the dark energy is, essentially, the cosmological constant. Still, all the observations to date indicate that it's constant. The best theoretical fit thus far is known as the Lambda CDM model, which incorporates both a weakly interacting cold dark matter and dark energy. One alternative theory proposes that the Universe may be filled with a fluctuating form of dark energy dubbed quintessence. There are also several other alternative models that assume the density of dark energy has varied over the history of the Universe.In its earliest days, the Universe was a hot, dense soup of subatomic particles, including hydrogen and helium nuclei, aka baryons. Tiny fluctuations created a rippling pattern through that early ionized plasma, which froze into a three-dimensional place as the Universe expanded and cooled. Those ripples, or bubbles, are known as baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO). It's possible to use BAOs as a kind of cosmic ruler to investigate the effects of dark energy over the history of the Universe. DESI is a state-of-the-art instrument that can capture light from up to 5,000 celestial objects simultaneously. That's what DESI was designed to do: take precise measurements of the apparent size of these bubbles (both near and far) by determining the distances to galaxies and quasars over 11 billion years. That data can then be sliced into chunks to determine how fast the Universe was expanding at each point of time in the past, the better to model how dark energy was affecting that expansion.An upward trendLast year's results were based on analysis of a full year's worth of data taken from seven different slices of cosmic time and include 450,000 quasars, the largest ever collected, with a record-setting precision of the most distant epoch (between 8 to 11 billion years back) of 0.82 percent. While there was basic agreement with the Lamba CDM model, when those first-year results were combined with data from other studies (involving the cosmic microwave background radiation and Type Ia supernovae), some subtle differences cropped up.Essentially, those differences suggested that the dark energy might be getting weaker. In terms of confidence, the results amounted to a 2.6-sigma level for the DESI's data combined with CMB datasets. When adding the supernovae data, those numbers grew to 2.5-sigma, 3.5-sigma, or 3.9-sigma levels, depending on which particular supernova dataset was used.It's important to combine the DESI data with other independent measurements because "we want consistency," said DESI co-spokesperson Will Percival of the University of Waterloo. "All of the different experiments should give us the same answer to how much matter there is in the Universe at present day, how fast the Universe is expanding. It's no good if all the experiments agree with the Lambda-CDM model, but then give you different parameters. That just doesn't work. Just saying it's consistent to the Lambda-CDM, that's not enough in itself. It has to be consistent with Lambda-CDM and give you the same parameters for the basic properties of that model."These latest results cover the first three years of collected data, spanning almost 15 million galaxies and quasars. Once again, the DESI data alone was consistent with Lambda CDM, i.e., the dark energy is constant. And once again, when combined with other datasetsfrom CMB, supernovae, and weak gravitational lensing studiesstrong hints emerged that dark energy might be changing over time. The confidence level ranges from 2.8 to 4.2 sigma, depending on the combination of datasetsjust shy of the five-sigma threshold.This might strike the average citizen as an incremental advance, but the reality is more complicated. "The DESI data itself is not incremental" said Percival. "We now have three years of data rather than one year of data. That is substantial, not just because of an increased area but because we've increased the overlap. The way we do the survey is we build up plates on the sky, and, after three years rather than one year of operations, we have a lot more of those overlaps filled in. So our data is a lot more complete in the sense that we've gone down to the full depth that we expect to get to in more patches. Consequently, our BAO measurements themselves are a lot better. They're between a factor of two and three better depending on exactly this balance between area versus depth." A slice of the DESI data mapping celestial objects from Earth (center) to billions of light years away. Credit: Claire Lamman/DESI Collaboration Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal of Scotland, told Ars that these new results give scientists much more confidence in DESI's analysis. She was surprised at the excitement over last year's first results, since, "whenever there's a first data release, the scientific community always takes the results with a pinch of salt," she said. But DESI made their data public, and other scientists have been making their own analyses over the last year; it has stood up to that close scrutiny."The really strong significance for dynamical dark energy comes from the combination of the DESI standard ruler, the BAO plus the supernova data," she added. "That's two different ways of measuring the expansion rate of the Universe. By combining those two things together, you get this strong detection of dynamical dark energy."The next step for the DESI collaboration is to analyze five years' worth of data to see if the upward trend toward the 5-sigma threshold for discovery holdsperhaps even surpassing that threshold, which would be very exciting indeed. That will likely not happen for another two years, per Percival. Should 5 sigma be reached, Heymans said astronomers should expect to see similar results in data from the Euclid Space Telescope, which is slated to do a similar experiment to DESI, at higher redshift, in the near future."It opens up a huge range of possibilities," said Percival of the implications should it be confirmed that dark energy changes over time. "It will keep theorists happy for many years to come. As a scientist you want to sit a little bit on the fence. But if this is right, this is the next step after the discovery of dark energy. Lambda works. Now, Lambda doesn't work. It means there's a lot more information that's accessible about this process. I think people were worried that everything would show that it just exactly agrees with Lambda. But if there's actually things happening to how the acceleration is changing within detail, that's exciting because we can get a handle on the physics.""There's no fundamental underpinning for what could be causing that dynamical dark energy and that does make me anxious," said Heymans. "It's like the observers are throwing the gauntlet back to the theorists. It'd be nice to be able to explain two dark entities with one fell swoop. I am excited about cracks in the cosmological model because this way is pushing the theoretical community to think outside the box to think of new ideas. And maybe that will solve the whole dark entity conundrum, which is why we're all here."Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 1 Comments

Vengeance has a price Its Ana de Armas vs. John Wick in new Ballerina trailer "This is your fate and you cannot change it." Jennifer Ouellette Mar 19, 2025 5:34 pm | 0 Credit: Lionsgate Credit: Lionsgate Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn more Ana de Armas stars as an assassin in training in From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Lionsgate dropped a new trailer for Ballerinaor, as the studio is now calling it, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, because what every film needs is a needlessly clunky title. There's nothing clunky about this new trailer, however: It's the stylized, action-packed dose of pure adrenaline one would expect from the franchise, and it ends with Ana de Armas' titular ballerina facing off against none other than John Wick himself (Keanu Reeves).(Spoilers for 2019's John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum.)Chronologically, Ballerina takes place during the events of John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum. As previously reported, Parabellum found Wick declared excommunicado from the High Table for killing crime lord Santino D'Antonio on the grounds of the Continental. On the run with a bounty on his head, he makes his way to the headquarters of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate, led by the Director (Anjelica Huston). That's where we learned Wick was originally named Jardani Jovonovich and trained as an assassin with the syndicate. The Director also trains young girls to be ballerina-assassins, and one young ballerina (played by Unity Phelan) is shown rehearsing in the scene. That dancer, Eve Macarro, is the main character in Ballerina, now played by de Armas.Huston returns as the Director, Ian McShane is back as Winston, and Lance Reddick makes one final (posthumous) appearance as the Continental concierge, Charon. New cast members include Gabriel Byrne as main villain the Chancellor, who turns an entire town against Eve; Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Nogi, Eve's mentor; Norman Reedus as Daniel Pine; and Catalina Sandino Moreno and David Castaneda in as-yet-undisclosed roles. This was Lance Reddick's final appearance as the concierge Charon. Lionsgate This was Lance Reddick's final appearance as the concierge Charon. Lionsgate Anjelica Huston returns as Director of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate. Lionsgate Anjelica Huston returns as Director of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate. Lionsgate Norman Reedus plays a mysterious man named Daniel Pine. Lionsgate Norman Reedus plays a mysterious man named Daniel Pine. Lionsgate Anjelica Huston returns as Director of the Ruska Roma crime syndicate. Lionsgate Norman Reedus plays a mysterious man named Daniel Pine. Lionsgate Eva seeks revenge for the killing of her father. Lionsgate Face off: the syndicate sends their best to take out Eva. Lionsgate The first trailer dropped last September and focused heavily on Eve's backstory. We saw Winston recruiting a young orphaned Eve with some scenes of her learning boxing, martial arts, and gun and knife skills. She then started looking for her father's killer and naturally encountered some opposition, requiring her to fight a lot of nasty people with a flamethrower. Finally, she came face to face, albeit briefly, with Wick.Wick gets a lot more screen time in this latest trailer. It opens with a voiceover by Eve's mentor, Nogi. "In Slavic mythology, the Kikimora is a spirit that exists in the shadows," Nogi says. "To those with darkness in their hearts, she can be vengeful. But to the innocent, she can be a protector. It's up to you to choose." Eva is inclined to choose vengeance and checks into the Continental looking for the tribe whose members bear a telltale mark on their forearms. Winston warns her of the danger: "Needing to know is what got us cast out of the Garden of Eden. Are you prepared to be cast out again, Eve?" She's more than prepared and stocks up on weapons to go "hunting" for "large game."But she's walked into something much larger than anticipated. Her effectiveness with the flamethrower is seen by the Chancellor as a declaration of war, so the Director sends Wick to "solve the problem." Is Eva any match for the Baba Yaga?From the World of John Wick: Ballerina hits theaters on June 6, 2025.Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 0 Comments

Ebrahim Alareqi, Principal Machine Learning Engineer, IncortaMarch 19, 20254 Min ReadCagkan Sayin via Alamy StockTechnology is transforming every industry, but the biggest roadblock isnt the technology itself -- its communication. Engineers and executives often dont speak the same technical language, which means big ideas get lost in translation, budgets get wasted, and projects fail before they even get off the ground. Thats where what I like to call tech translators come in. They connect the dots, helping technical teams and leadership stay aligned.I know this struggle all too well. At my previous job at Volvo, I led AI initiatives and saw firsthand how technical ideas were misunderstood in executive meetings, leading to misalignment and missed opportunities. This experience highlighted the need for better communication between technical and business teams. Recognizing this challenge, I decided to deepen my understanding of business by pursuing an MBA, which gave me the tools to communicate technologys impact in a way that resonates with executives. That decision completely changed my approach, and its why I believe tech translators are critical to every company investing in data and technology.If you want to future-proof your career and make a bigger impact, heres how you can become an indispensable tech translator.1. Learn the business basicsRelated:Too often, tech teams build amazing solutions that never get adopted because they dont tie back to business priorities. Understanding core business principles -- finance, operations, and strategy -- helps you connect the dots between technology and real-world results.At Volvo, my team worked on an AI-powered recommendation system for the online cars configurator. While we focused on accuracy and relevance from a technical perspective, business leaders cared more about cost savings and efficiency. Once we demonstrated how much the system could reduce stockout of cars, it became a priority.My tip: A few online business courses, some reading on corporate finance, or even an MBA can go a long way in strengthening your ability to bridge the gap between technology and business. In this case, knowledge is power --and connection.2. Be a bridge between tech and strategyBeing a tech translator means having a foot in both worlds. You need to understand the business objectives while also keeping up with technical developments. That means showing up to both business strategy meetings and technical standups.At my current company, I work with product managers, engineers, and marketing teams. I help marketing craft messaging thats both engaging and accurate while ensuring our data and automation strategies align with business needs.Related:My tip: Sitting in on meetings outside your core team -- whether it's product roadmap discussions, business reviews, or shadowing sales calls -- can help you understand customer pain points and the bigger business picture. Offer to explain technical projects to business leaders and vice versa.3. Make technology understandable through storytellingEven the most technical discussions benefit through storytelling.Humans remember stories more than raw data, and in a room filled with both technical engineers and business leaders, finding the right balance is key.For example, rather than simply stating, We reduced processing time from weeks to days, tell the story of a customer who struggled with inefficiencies, how a specific integration challenge was solved, and what that meant for their business.This approach maintains technical depth while making a tangible impact.My tip: Structure technical discussions as narratives.Whether its a case study, an engineering challenge, or a breakthrough, frame the details within a story that connects the dots for everyone in the room.4. Stay ahead of tech and business trendsTechnology is evolving fast and staying relevant means keeping up with both technical advances and business trends. I balance deep dives into research with staying plugged into industry conversations to make sure I see the full picture.Related:I run internal knowledge-sharing sessions where we break down new trends and discuss how they apply to our business.My tip: Staying ahead means keeping up with research papers, following business news, and participating in industry forums. Engaging with different perspectives can provide valuable insights into emerging trends. Consider exploring a mix of sources -- hackathons where young developers adopt zeitgeist technologies, technical blogs, leading tech publications like MIT Technology Review, and innovation-focused communities. Following influential thinkers on social media and monitoring leaderboards on platforms like Hugging Face and Hacker News can also help you stay ahead. The more perspectives you have, the better.The most successful professionals in the data-driven future wont just build systems.Theyll be the ones who can explain them, align them with business goals, and push them into real-world use. Becoming a tech translator isnt just a nice skill -- its a game-changer for your career.For companies, the message is clear: If you dont have tech translators, youre wasting your technology investment. For individuals, the opportunity is huge. Master these skills, and youll be indispensable in any data-driven organization.About the AuthorEbrahim AlareqiPrincipal Machine Learning Engineer, IncortaEbrahim Alareqi is a principal machine learning engineer at Incorta. With a PhD in Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering and an MBA, he specializes in making data science and business strategy work together. Connect with him on LinkedIn.See more from Ebrahim AlareqiWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

Star trails over the Mayall Telescope in Arizona, which houses the Dark Energy Spectroscopic InstrumentLuke Tyas/Berkeley LabDark energy is one of the most mysterious features of our universe we dont know what it is, but it controls how the universe is expanding, as well as its ultimate fate. Now, a study of millions of celestial objects has revealed that we may have been thinking about it all wrong, with potentially dramatic consequences for the cosmos.This is the biggest hint we have about the nature of dark energy in the approximately 25 years since we discovered it, says Adam Riess at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. AdvertisementThe result comes from three years worth of data gathered by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) in Arizona. By combining this data with other measurements, such as maps of the cosmic microwave background radiation and supernovae, the DESI team has concluded that dark energy may have changed over time directly contradicting the standard model of cosmology, called lambda-CDM.This is the cutting edge of human knowledge, says DESI team member Will Percival at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Were seeing something amazing with the whole universe.DESI is mounted on a telescope and works by measuring the red shift of light emitted by distant galaxies, or how the wavelengths of that light are stretched as it travels through the universe. From this, researchers can determine how much the universe has expanded during the lights journey and calculate how this expansion is changing. So far, the team has analysed light from nearly 15 million galaxies and other bright objects in the sky.Untangle the weirdness of reality with our subscriber-only, monthly newsletter.Sign up to newsletterFor decades, physicists have agreed that the universe is expanding at a fixed rate of acceleration, a cosmological constant known as lambda that has been interpreted as the push of dark energy. But in April 2024, DESIs measurements showed the first hints that the universe may actually be accelerating less quickly over time making the cosmological constant not so constant.Riess, who isnt on the DESI team, says that at the time he wasnt sure whether the finding would persist with more data. In fact, it has only gotten stronger. Its very exciting to me that it appears that [the team] did not find any problem in the analysis after another year, and after theyve added more data. If anything, the result is more significant, he says.That said, the finding still doesnt meet the 5 sigma statistical level that physicists conventionally use to mark a discovery as genuine, rather than a statistical fluke. The current analysis reaches at most 4.2 sigma, but team member Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki at the University of Texas at Dallas says the team believes that, as DESI keeps taking data, the result should reach 5 sigma within two years. This result about dark energy is something that we did not expect to happen in our lifetime, he says.One reassurance, says Ishak-Boushaki, is that the finding doesnt rely only on data from DESI, but also on several other surveys of the universe. Riess compares the situation to a multi-legged stool, where breaking one leg or removing one dataset doesnt make the conclusion fully crumble.Assuming the legs hold, the universe could look very different from our current picture of it. If dark energy keeps becoming weaker, the universe may reach a state where it is expanding at a constant rate instead of faster and faster, says Ishak-Boushaki. Some dramatic scenarios also become more plausible, such as the big crunch, where the cosmos starts contracting instead of expanding and eventually collapses in on itself, he says.The exact future of the universe remains an open question, and DESI isnt the only tool researchers are using to answer it. Riess points to several other surveys of the universe, such as NASAs Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile, which are designed to help shed light on the true nature of dark energy.While mathematical models for a universe with changing dark energy still need to catch up with these observations, Percival says he expects future theoretical work will help design even more experiments that will directly test our assumptions about this mysterious force.As far as theoretical models, Pandoras box just opened. We were stuck with a cosmological constant, says Ishak-Boushaki. We are not stuck anymore.Topics:

2025-03-20T00:17:12Z Read in app SoftBank said it is paying $6.5 billion in cash for Ampere Computing.ai KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? SoftBank said it's acquiring chip designer Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion in cash.Ampere will operate as a subsidiary, keeping its name and headquarters in Santa Clara.SoftBank's CEO said the deal was part of its commitment to AI innovation in the US.SoftBank is acquiring Ampere Computing, a Silicon Valley-based chip design start-up, for $6.5 billion in cash, the company said in a statement Wednesday.SoftBank said that under the agreement Ampere will keep its name and headquarters in Santa Clara, California, and operate as a subsidiary of the company."The future of Artificial Super Intelligence requires breakthrough computing power," Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SoftBank, said in a statement. "Ampere's expertise in semiconductors and high-performance computing will help accelerate this vision, and deepens our commitment to AI innovation in the United States."Renee James, the founder and CEO of Ampere, said in a statement, "With a shared vision for advancing AI, we are excited to join SoftBank Group and partner with its portfolio of leading technology companies."The deal is expected to close in the second half of the year, the statement said.Business Insider has reached out to Ampere for comment. SoftBank did not provide additional comment when reached by BI.SoftBank's investments in AI also include Stargate, a $500 billion joint venture with OpenAI, as well as Oracle and other investors. The project, announced in January, aims to invest the large sum in AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years.Son, SoftBank's CEO, appeared at the White House alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, and President Donald Trump when the project was announced.

2025-03-19T23:38:01Z Read in app A potent attack on Iran's nuclear sites would likely require heavy firepower and bombers like the Northrop B-2 Spirit able to carry it. Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot/US Air National Guard This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Israel would need US help if it set out to destroy Iran's underground nuclear sites.The operation would require repeated cruise missile strikes and heavy, bunker-busting bombs.There are limits to what the US and Israel could accomplish in a short air campaign.Iran can enrich enough uranium for a nuclear weapon within weeks. The options to stop Iran from getting a bomb, if it so chooses, are through a nuclear deal like the one President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018 or with overwhelming military force."There are two ways Iran can be handled, militarily or you can make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal," Trump said in a March 6 interview with Fox News. The US, he said, has "a situation with Iran that's going to happen very soon, very, very soon."Early signs of a deal were inauspicious. Trump dialed up the pressure on Iran after US strikes on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen over the weekend, warning in a Monday Truth Social post that "every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN."Israel could attempt pre-emptive strikes, but they would likely need US airpower in what would be a major escalation if they aimed to demolish Iran's underground facilities for weapons-grade uranium, according to military analysts.To wipe out Iran's nuclear facilities, US and Israel would need to carry out repeated strikes with stand-off weapons like cruise missiles, Ryan Bohl, a senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at the risk intelligence company RANE, told Business Insider.Such strikes could also require the Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The B-2 is the only aircraft that can carry the US's 15-ton GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the largest US bunker buster, and one of the most powerful non-nuclear bombs. A B-2 notably bombed hardened underground weapon sites belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in October."It would be a major milestone in the history of warfare should we see a joint Israeli-US strike on Iran," Bohl said. "It would give us insight into how such (American-made) systems might also perform against, say, Russia and China, whose systems are in some ways similar to that of Iran's."The United Nations Security Council discussed Iran's enrichment of uranium near weapons-grade level in a closed meeting on Wednesday. The US accused Iran of "flagrantly" defying the council over its rapid uranium enrichment. The Juniper Oak exercises were the largest joint exercises in US-Israeli history. They included aircraft like Israeli Air Force F-16s. Senior Airman Jacob Cabanero/US Air Force Amid the back and forth between the Trump administration and Iran, a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortess bomber drilled with Israeli Air Force F-35 stealth jets and F-15 fighters. Both air forces have drilled on numerous occasions in recent years in preparation for a possible attack against Iran.The largest-ever exercise was Juniper Oak in January 2023, when American and Israeli F-35 stealth jets, drones, and US strategic bombers dropped over 180,000 pounds of live munitions."Juniper Oak gave us insight into how a maximum escalation scenario might play out with joint Israel-US operations," Bohl said. Why Israel would likely need US bombersIsrael's fighter fleet consists of fourth-generation American-made F-15 and F-16 jets and more advanced fifth-generation F-35s made by Lockheed Martin. Israel doesn't have heavy bombers capable of carrying large bunker-buster munitions.The two primary targets of any strikes would be the Natanz and Fordow underground enrichment facilities. Natanz is deep underground and shielded by reinforced concrete in the central Isfahan province. Satellite imagery taken in 2023 indicated Iran has dug tunnels near the site too deep for even the GBU-57 to damage effectively. Fordow is the country's second uranium enrichment facility, which Iran dug inside a mountain to build near the holy city of Qom.US-Israeli airstrikes would have to be part of a larger, complex campaign that also targets Iranian air defenses and ballistic missiles with air and ship-launched munitions, drones, cyberattacks, and possibly limited special operations raids, according to Nicholas Heras, senior director of strategy and innovation at the New Lines Institute.Israel already inflicted widespread damage on Iran's Russian-made S-300 air defenses during its October 26 airstrikes. Another round of strikes, especially with American participation, could prove much more devastating."Iran is on the back foot defending its airspace," RANE's Bohl said. While Iran's antiquated air force is outclassed and outgunned by the USAF and IAF, there are still limits to what the latter's cutting-edge airpower can achieve, especially if America and Israel are reluctant to conduct a long campaign. And if a US-Israeli campaign does not broadly target Iran's military arsenal, Tehran could mount substantial retaliation. For years, the country has possessed the largest arsenal of ballistic missiles in the region. While these missiles failed to inflict significant damage during Iran's April and October 2024 attacks against Israel, they could still menace US bases in the Middle East or force Israel to expend more of its expensive and finite high-altitude Arrow anti-ballistic missile interceptors in order to fend them off.Iran has had decades to prepare for such an attack.It's possible "Iran is able to weather the worst of it and rebuild," since bombs and missiles can fail to destroy all of the Iranian centrifuges used to enrich uranium, Bohl said. Either way, a joint air assault against Iran could prove unprecedented."Without a doubt, a joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran's nuclear program would be one of the largest, and certainly the most technologically advanced, in human history," New Lines Institute's Heras said.Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist and columnist who writes about Middle East developments, military affairs, politics, and history. His articles have appeared in a variety of publications focused on the region.

Assassins Creed Shadows top three Creed (Ubisoft)The Thursday letters page asks whether the Nintendo Switch 2 will have a touchscreen, as a reader gets excited about Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukExpect the expectedI was going to say Assassins Creed is not really the sort of series I can imagine most people getting excited about but thats probably part of its appeal. Its kind of like a cosy game but with action and stabbing. You know what youre getting, the graphics are good, and you can kind of play it on autopilot.I realise that doesnt sound like a ringing endorsement but thats the perfect sort of game for relaxing with, as far as Im concerned. Or at least I assume thats what Shadows is like, but it doesnt sound like from your review that its any mad invention of the concept, which is exactly what Id assume.I know you ranked all the mainline games recently but where would you put Shadows, now that youve played it? It sounds like its probably the best of the modern games? Or maybe the best ever? Given how much I enjoyed Valhalla Im sure Ill like this one. Plus, you can never accuse Assassins Creed games of not being good value for money.CranstonGC: Wed say its the best post-Assassins Creed Origins game, yes. So thatd put it at number three in our list.Second time luckyI cant believe how excited I am for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition today. As a gamer since the NES days, I cant remember having this much anticipation over a game release. Its the first time I wished Id bought online, so it would download in the morning, and I wish to take the day off.Xenobalde Chronicles X was the last game I played on the Wii U and only stopped when, post-game, I got locked in a mission against something way too powerful and I couldnt get out of it and Ive been hoping it would be ported to the Switch since it was released. It seems the perfect game to see me into the Switch 2.Kinetic induction (NN ID)PS: Regarding game shops, I have got my last few from Currys. The last few have had 10% off, so Ive had Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Zelda, and this for less than 40 each.Missing in actionTheres a lot of talk at the moment about what Capcom might do with all their Monster Hunter money, which is probably a flawed concept in itself because the obvious thing is that theyll just plough it back into more Monster Hunter (and gold-plated executive bathrooms).But rather than Dino Crisis or Onimusha what Id like to see come back is Devil May Cry. Im confused as to why we havent heard about a new game already as I wouldve thought wed get one anyway, since as far as I know Devil May Cry 5 was a success.Its been so long Im going to guess that they were working on something and cancelled it. Capcom do this a lot, with Resident Evil 2 and 4 both having got a fair way before they realised it wasnt working, and I think this is the sign of a good publisher/developer.Even so, its about time we had some new action with Dante and friends. Its over six years since the last one but it feels like longer.WinstonEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukLight more firesThat was an astonishing figure, to learn that Ubisoft has 18,000 employees, only to iterate essentially the same game again.Iteration isnt necessarily a bad thing, though, Im currently bashing, smashing, and crunching all the various beasts of Monster Hunter Wilds a series which moves forwards only gradually but which deepens its gameplay every time.Speaking of iteration, and also numbers of employees I suppose, Im also looking forward to Hello Games next endeavour: Light No Fire; less of a bankable hit than Monster Hunter Wilds but I think theyre on to something again (if only they can tone down the hyperbole this time!) with the one big world.Have we had any news about that recently? I remember seeing some wild speculation that it was nearly ready for launch when they dropped the trailer. High spirits, no doubt.Shambling RegGC: There dont seem to have been any updates since December 2023, but weve no reason to believe theres a problem.As if by magicIt looks like Inbox magic has struck again, because despite the developer not saying a word about it for ages theyve suddenly announced that early access for Wreckfest 2 will begin on Thursday. So thats pretty spooky timing.Its only on PC and while the Steam page hasnt been updated as I type this, apparently itll be 24.99. That seems more than reasonable to me, although itll go up 20% after two weeks, so its a kind of introductory offer.There will be console versions but only after the early access is done. Looks like three tracks plus the testing grounds, plus four cars and a bunch of race types with the option of bots. All sounds good to me, so well done to that reader for wishing that into existence.TacleGC: We hate to spoil the magic but the date seems to have been announced a month ago but not, we think, the other details.Touching thoughtNintendo are known for usually keeping costs as low as possible for their consoles. With the touchscreen barely (or never) used by the vast majority of Switch games, since itd prevent people playing in docked mode, I have a sneaky suspicion theyre going to drop touchscreen capabilities for the Switch 2.Have Nintendo ever confirmed or denied this?ttfp saylow (gamertag)Now playing: Shady Part Of MeGC: Nintendo hasnt confirmed or denied anything, other than the Switch 2 exists and its backwards compatible. Although that feature may be the primary reason they keep the touchscreen.Slow learnersThe only positive I can take for that (laughably bad) AI generated trailer is that everyone immediately realised what it was, complained, and the publisher got so embarrassed they unlisted the video and threw the developer under the bus.As you say though, I bet that wont put anyone off in the slightest and well see it happen again and again, until someone has the brainwave that trying to save a few dollars on making a normal trailer isnt worth ruining the reputation of your game and making everyone hate you. Why that isnt obvious from the start I couldnt say.BoycieBackground musicI agree with the recent discussions regarding video game music and that it is increasingly trying to encapsulate that big screen vibe. Although since Halo back on the original Xbox this has been going on for a long time. But ultimately it does seem to be what kind of game you prefer.I cant say I ever really hum any large game soundtracks, unless it has songs involved, like in Cyberpunk 2077. Otherwise, all big games are mainly background music to invoke atmosphere and tension but you wont remember it.The remake games like Resident Evil 2 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake are all highly reimagined music scores already recognisable from the retro years. But in the world of film and triple-A games, the film score rarely gets remembered unless its John Williams or Hans Zimmer.But traditional gaming soundtracks are still there in Japanese role-players on Switch or Steam. Disco Elysium has a great soundtrack, from the band Sea Power, which is stunning and very poignant to listen too. Cult Of The Lamb is always playing in my head, as well as the awesome Stardew Valley.I think ultimately games like Alan Wake and Assassins Creed may have one or two memorable tunes but otherwise itll be the back-up to whats happening on-screen with the players interactions. But if done well, many film score composers say if you dont notice the music, they have done their job well.So dont worry, traditional gaming soundtracks are still being produced, but more on the indie side of things. Listening and watching the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth score at the Royal Albert Hall, and the scores at The Games Awards, just shows that the more interesting and memorable of gaming music still has a massive part to play in the entertainment world.AlucardInbox also-ransMario Kart: Double Dash!! Super Smash Bros. Melee, F-Zero GX, and Fire Emblem would be awesome GameCube titles to add to the Switch!IsaacJust for an update, its now 3,648 days since the release of Bloodborne and the last time Sony seemed to give a damn about the game (if they even cared then, I dont exactly remember wall to wall adverts.LomaxMore TrendingEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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