This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Why handing over total control to AI agents would be a huge mistake Margaret Mitchell, Avijit Ghosh, Sasha Luccioni, Giada Pistilli all work for Hugging Face, an open source AI company. AI agents have set the tech industry abuzz. Unlike chatbots, these groundbreaking new systems can navigate multiple applications to execute complex tasks, like scheduling meetings or shopping online, in response to simple user commands. As agents become more capable, a crucial question emerges: How much control are we willing to surrender, and at what cost? The promise is compelling. Who doesnt want assistance with cumbersome work or tasks theres no time for? But this vision for AI agents brings significant risks that might be overlooked in the rush toward greater autonomy. In fact, our research suggests that agent development could be on the cusp of a very serious misstep. Read the full story.OpenAI has released its first research into how using ChatGPT affects peoples emotional wellbeing OpenAI says over 400 million people use ChatGPT every week. But how does interacting with it affect us? Does it make us more or less lonely? These are some of the questions OpenAI set out to investigate, in partnership with the MIT Media Lab, in a pair of new studies. They found that while only a small subset of users engage emotionally with ChatGPT, there are some intriguing differences between how men and women respond to using the chatbot. They also found that participants who trusted and bonded with ChatGPT more were likelier than others to be lonely, and to rely on it more.Chatbots powered by large language models are still a nascent technology, and difficult to study. Thats why this kind of research is an important first step toward greater insight into ChatGPTs impact on us, which could help AI platforms enable safer and healthier interactions. Read the full story. Rhiannon Williams The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Genetic testing firm 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy protection Following months of uncertainty over its future. (CNN)+ Tens of millions of peoples genetic data could soon belong to a new owner. (WSJ $)+ How to delete your 23andMe data. (MIT Technology Review)2 Europe wants to lessen its reliance of US cloud giants But thats easier said than done. (Wired $)3 Anduril is considering opening a drone factory in the UK Europe is poised to invest heavily in defenseand Anduril wants in. (Bloomberg $)+ The company recently signed a major drone contract with the UK government. (Insider $)+ We saw a demo of the new AI system powering Andurils vision for war. (MIT Technology Review)4 Bird flu has been detected in a sheep in the UK Its the first known instance of the virus infecting a sheep. (FT $)+ But the UK is yet to report any transmission to humans. (Reuters)+ How the US is preparing for a potential bird flu pandemic. (MIT Technology Review)5 A tiny town in the Alps has emerged as an ALS hotspotSuggesting that its causes may be more environmental than genetic. (The Atlantic $) + Motor neuron diseases took their voices. AI is bringing them back. (MIT Technology Review)6 Firefly Aerospaces Blue Ghost lunar lander has completed its missionAnd captured some pretty incredible footage along the way. (NYT $) + Europe is finally getting serious about commercial rockets. (MIT Technology Review) 7 How the US could save billions of dollars in wasted energy WSJ $) 8 We need new ways to measure painResearchers are searching for objective biological indicators to get rid of the guesswork. (WP $) + Brain waves can tell us how much pain someone is in. (MIT Technology Review)9 What falling in love with an AI could look like Its unclear whether loving machines could be training grounds for future relationships, or the future of relationships themselves. (New Yorker $)+ The AI relationship revolution is already here. (MIT Technology Review)10 Could you walk in a straight line for hundreds of miles? YouTubes favorite new challenge isnt so much arduous as it is inconvenient. (The Guardian)Quote of the day Blockbuster has collapsed. Its time for Netflix to rise. Kian Sadeghi pitches the company they founded, DNA testing firm Nucleus Genomics, as a replacement for 23andMe in a post on X. The big story This towns mining battle reveals the contentious path to a cleaner future January 2024 In June last year, Talon, an exploratory mining company, submitted a proposal to Minnesota state regulators to begin digging up as much as 725,000 metric tons of raw ore per year, mainly to unlock the rich and lucrative reserves of high-grade nickel in the bedrock. Talon is striving to distance itself from the mining industrys dirty past, portraying its plan as a clean, friendly model of modern mineral extraction. It proclaims the site will help to power a greener future for the US by producing the nickel needed to manufacture batteries for electric cars and trucks, but with low emissions and light environmental impacts. But as the company has quickly discovered, a lot of locals arent eager for major mining operations near their towns. Read the full story. James Temple We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + Who are fandoms for, and who gets to escape into them? + A long-lost Klimt painting of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona has gone on display in the Netherlands.+ Feeling down? These feel-good movies will pick you right up.+ Why Gen Z are dedicated followers of Old Money fashion.

2025-03-24T14:23:45Z Read in app Sam Nivola and Patrick Schwarzenegger in "The White Lotus" season three. Fabio Lovino/HBO This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Each season of "The White Lotus" has featured an eye-opening sex scene. Sam Nivola, who plays Lochlan, said the controversial sex scene in season three was the first of his career. Nivola said the show's creator, Mike White, helped him interpret the intimacy co-ordinator's "stale" language.Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "The White Lotus" season three.Sam Nivola, who plays Lochlan on season three of "The White Lotus," said the show's creator Mike White helped him understand the intimacy co-ordinator's sometimes "stale" language when filming a controversial incest scene. In episode five, Lochlan kisses his older brother Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) during a drinking game. As they try to piece together their night of drink, drugs, and partying, flashbacks in episode six confirm that Lochlan had sex with Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) while pleasuring Saxon with his hand. Recalling filming the first sex scene of his career, Nivola told Variety that having White on set helped cut through any confusion between him and the intimacy co-ordinator. "They're always using anatomically correct vocabulary that feels stale and awkward. I'd be like, 'I don't know if I can grasp the shaft,' and then Mike would be like, 'Just jerk him off.' And I'd be like, 'OK, that I understand.' I do think intimacy coordinators are a great innovation," he said. Nivola also said: "Yeah, I was totally nervous. I'm a very anxious person, so I'm always nervous, especially on a big job like that. Doing the sex scene was nerve-racking, and we were on a boat, and I get seasick, so that was fucking stressful."The actual scene itself went smoothly. Mike White was sort of calming about it, and I really trusted Patrick and Charlotte."There has been plenty of debate surrounding the use of intimacy coordinators in recent years. Jenefer Odell, who was an intimacy coordinator on Netflix's "Sex Education," previously told Business Insider that her role allows actors to have more autonomy when shooting films scenes involving sex and nudity. However, some stars feel that coordinators can hinder creativity. Last week, Gwyneth Paltrow said she felt "stifled" by them when filming with Timothee Chalamet.Mike White said he wants to make gay sex "transgressive again."The scene is part of a trend in "The White Lotus" where sex is used as a point of self-reflection for characters.In the first season, a member of staff at the hotel is surprised when he walks in on the hotel manager Armand (Murray Bartlett) with his face in a concierge's butt.In season two, Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) walks in on Quentin (Tom Hollander) having sex with Jack (Leo Woodall), who had been falsely introduced as his nephew. Sam Nivola in "The White Lotus" season three. Fabio Lovino/HBO In a conversation with Variety in 2022 after season two aired, Mike White, the show's creator,"There's a pleasure to me as a guy who is gay-ish to make gay sex transgressive again. It's dirty men are having sex and you have this 'Psycho' music underneath. It just amuses me."I just think transgressive sex is sexier. I guess I'm old school. There's this Gothic vibe of walking through a haunted hotel or haunted house and people are having sex behind closed doors," he said.

2025-03-24T14:14:34Z Read in app This Chinese-language Bible from the early 19th century sold for 56,280, or about $73,000. Bonhams This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? A Chinese-language Bible donated to a UK charity thrift store sold for $72,902 at auction.The Bible, dated between 1815 and 1822, was initially valued at $777-$1,036.Oxfam workers said they were shocked at how much the rare book sold for.When a team of volunteers at a charity thrift store specializing in secondhand books discovered a Chinese-language Bible among a pile of donations, they suspected it might be worth some money.However, they were in disbelief when it eventually sold at auction for 56,280, the equivalent of $72,902. The money will go to the charity.Nick Reeves, the manager of the Oxfam charity bookstore in Chelmsford, England, said in a press statement that two of their volunteers found the book while rummaging through a pile of donations and "suspected it could be worth something."It was taken to an auction house in London, where specialists initially valued it at between $777 and $1,036.But when the bidding started, the price kept climbing, attracting a final price far exceeding the initial valuation almost $72,000 above the upper estimate."When it finally ended, I was in complete shock," Reeves said. "We were absolutely speechless."It turned out that the book was the first known complete printed Bible translated into Chinese, the auction house, Bonhams, said in its listing.Ian Falkingham, Oxfam's Donated Goods Strategy Lead, told Business Insider that "we could never have expected it."Falkingham told BI that every donation is meaningful to Oxfam, but it is "extra special" when something of this value comes along.The Bible, the first-known translation into Chinese, was jointly translated by John Lassar, a Macao-born Armenian scholar of Chinese, and Joshua Marshman, a Baptist missionary in India who studied the language under him.The book is dated from between 1815 and 1822."The Lassar and Marshman Chinese translation of the Bible was an exceedingly rare item, which we could not trace at auction previously," said Lorenza Gay, an associate specialist in books and manuscripts at Bonhams.The Bible was sold last Thursday after two weeks of intense bidding, and was among two dozen books auctioned at Bonhams that week that had been donated to various Oxfam stores.In total, the books raised over $135,000 for the charity, and included the sale of a first edition of Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" for $21,542 and a signed copy of Roald Dahl's "Matilda" from 1989, which sold for the equivalent of $2,983.Falkingham said of Oxfam: "We are the largest chain of secondhand bookshops in Europe, and you really never know what books might be donated, who they might be written by, or how much they will be worth."

Are we going back to Kratos youth? (Sony Interactive Entertainment)Sony will launch a God Of War side story in 2025, according to a source, as the series looks set to return to Ancient Greece.The future of God Of War was left on an open-ended note after God Of War Ragnark and its Valhalla DLC, with no clear indication of what could come next.The ending of God Of War Ragnark left open the possibility of a separate adventure led by Atreus, with rumours of a half-sequel, but other possibilities have also been suggested, like a pivot to Ancient Egypt or a return to Ancient Greece with a young Kratos.A new rumour has given further credence to the latter, claiming that a new game set in Greece will launch this year.The news comes from notable insider Jeff Grubb, who posted an update on Bluesky after God Of Wars 20th anniversary went by without any news of a new game, or the rumoured remastered collection of the original trilogy.Returning to his own post about the rumours of a remastered collection, Grubb wrote: Everyone keeps asking about this, so Ive tried to find out more: theres still a Greek God Of War thing coming out this year, but its not a remaster collection. Its a new side story project.He added: I was never told about a remaster collection, but I asked a source about the rumours (that I saw were focused on a collection) and they told me that nothing God Of War would happen at the State Of Play but something could show up at the anniversary.In the replies to the post, Grubb clarifed this project is a video game which is separate to God Of War Ragnark, so it wont be additional DLC. He doesnt have any information on when it could be announced, but if it is out this year, the next likely possibility is a future State Of Play or during Summer Game Fest in June.The side story description makes it sound like a standalone spin-off similar to Spider-Man: Miles Morales or Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.The previous rumour around a return to Ancient Greece the period of the original God Of War trilogy suggested it would revolve around a younger Kratos in a storyline about the relationship with his father, aka Zeus.More TrendingWhile this new rumour doesnt make any mention of it being a prequel or involving Kratos at all, it is perhaps the logical assumption, if true.Kratos history has been pretty well covered in various prequels already though, between God Of War: Ascension and 2008 PSP game God Of War: Chains Of Olympus, so its difficult to imagine what new ground they could cover.The jump back to Ancient Greece does make some sort of sense after God Of War Ragnarks Valhalla DLC though, which featured multiple callbacks to the Greek trilogy.Also, a new God Of War project would fill a significant gap in Sonys 2025 release slate, with only Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Ghost Of Ytei confirmed for this year. Old man Kratos might be over (Sony Interactive Entertainment)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.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. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Like its previous surveillance cameras, Philips Hues next smart home product isnt changing colors or brightening the waning light of smart home tech. Instead, the company may be looking a little red in the face after it self-leaked an upcoming Ring-like smart doorbell for its Hue Secure products. Based on what little we know about Philips Hues upcoming doorbell, it may be relatively barebones and may need a physical power connection at all times. One Philips Hue user spotted that the company listed a secure doorbell under its no QR code menu for products you cant connect to without establishing a Bluetooth and WiFi connection. Writers at the smart home blog Hueblog shared screenshots of the supposed device and its connectivity requirements. Philips Hues latest supposed security product looks to be very standard, with a camera on the upper portion and the doorbell control on the bottom. Unfortunately, the images dont offer much insight into the doorbells specs, especially the size of its camera sensor. Most doorbell cameras from brands like Blink and Ring offer 1080p head-to-toe video of your porch. Both of those camera setups also work off of motion detection, something Philips Hue already has built into its Hue Security cameras and outdoor spotlights. Theres also the bummer possibility that there wont be battery-operated option. The leak suggests the product needs to be properly wired for power. In that case, users will need to physically wire it into their home. Gizmodo reached out to Philips Hue for comment, but we did not immediately hear back. At the very least it could be cheaper than doorbells with batteries. Rings battery-operated doorbells cost twice as much as those with wired-only connections. But it also means Philips Hues model will be useless for anybody who lives in a rented property or in an older home without those wired connections already in place.I only wish Philips Hue would do something different with its outdoor security suite. Judging by the leak, theres not much to get excited about with this iteration of an already staid design. Why not get weird with it? Why not have a doorbell that strobes with light, as excited as a puppy whenever a delivery person drops off another package. I say, lets make our porches look as fun as our living rooms.

The whole of time and space, anything and anywhere, and it seems like the biggest thing on the mind ofDoctor Whos latest companion,Andors Varada Sethu, is Earth. But before she gets back home, it looks like shes going to be whisked on some weird and wonderful adventures across, time, space, and yes, even some relative dimensions too. The BBC and Disney have dropped a new trailer forDoctor Whos return next month, give us our best look yet at what to expect from the latest season of the show. We get to see what looks like a good chunk of the first episode that sees Sethus new companion, a nurse named Belinda Chandra, whisked into the Doctors orbitbut we also do get to see a few intriguing teases of adventures to come. One big thing that seems to tie this all together?Something has happened to the Earth. As much as Belinda wants to get home, it seems like through a mix of issues with the TARDISeven moreso than usualand something far sinister, since it seems like other humans across the future have no idea that the planet exists, the Doctor and Belinda are going to have to take the long way round to get back. Thevery long way round. At least so far that extended trip back looks pretty fun! Theres some killer teases here: new monsters, new dangers, endless new looks for Gatwa to save the day in. We even get another fleeting glimpse at Alan Cummings animated new villain Mr Ring-a-Ding, who seems to get the Doctor and Belinda themselves in on the 2D action too.Doctor Who returns to Disney+ around the world, and the BBC in the UK, on Saturday, April 12. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Villa Sidonius / Stempel & Tesar ArchitektiSave this picture! Filip lapalArchitects: Stempel & Tesar ArchitektiAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:322 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Filip lapalManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Air-Lux, Gaggenau, Kaldewei, Vibia, Alape, Grohe, M&T, Axor, Desalto, Desiree, Huppe, JABLOTRON, KFF, Kef, LAGO, REHAU, RIHO, Stiebel Eltron, SunFurl, Tecomat, +2More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!ernoice's villa district is a spectacular collection of unique family homes at the northern and western foot of Babka Hill that stand out from their surroundings as one approaches on the road from Prague. Since the villa district dates back to the early twentieth century, it is home to Art Nouveau and First Republic villas. After 1989, ernoice once again became a popular place to construct showcase residential buildings, including in this neighborhood. The locality possesses a strong character that is not defined by any one architectural style as much as by the buildings' grandeur and scale. Located on steep plots of land, the houses stand out above a path carved into the hillside and lined by the gardens' retaining walls. Villa Sidonius was not going to be any different.Save this picture!Save this picture!The villa's steep property is located on the northern, shaded side of the terrain and is one of the steepest and highest in the neighborhood. This comes with several advantages but also disadvantages and challenges for the project. Without a doubt, the site's greatest asset is the beautiful view of the Berounka Valley, the hills of the Bohemian Karst, and the Prague skyline in the background. For this reason, the architects have attempted to bring this view into all the living spaces from the best possible angle. The northern slope suffers from a lack of sun, which for most of the day only shines on the highest part of the property an area that is difficult to reach along the steep slope. The architects were thus faced with the question of how to build the house as high as possible on the property while still providing ease of access.Save this picture!Their plan, which eliminates these disadvantages while working with these challenges and maximizing the property's merits, was founded on the concept of hanging houses. The winning form was a bridge-like structure on pillars. The building thus resembles a steel footbridge placed on a steep slope, where it has been turned to face the best northern views and southern sun. The prefabricated steel structure consists of an external load-bearing section made of HEB 300 profiles, which bridges the eighteen-meter distance between the monolithic reinforced concrete pillars, and of an internal constructional infill primarily consisting of IPE 160 profiles, which serves as a load-bearing framework for the windows, roof, and floors. The building is a structural, architectural, and technological experiment. There was neither the space nor the desire to design a house using traditional methods; instead, the goal was to find solutions that would push the envelope and test the latest technological products and equipment on the market, such as Swiss air-lux windows with patented air-assisted seals and a heating and cooling system with heat pumps to ensure a comfortable indoor climate all year round in a house with low heat storage capacity.Save this picture!The building is entered via an underground tunnel from the garage, where one will also find a studio and a fitness area. The tunnel leads to the foot of one of the pillars, where an elevator takes residents to the residential level, passing an intermediate stop with access to the service room. The home's heart is a cozy living room with a kitchen and dining area. From here, one can access the south-facing terrace, which connects the house with the vegetated terrain and the sunny upper part of the garden with a swimming pool. The protruding parts of the "bridge" contain two different worlds: the world of children's rooms on one end and the primary bedroom with bath and views on the other.Save this picture!Save this picture!Close collaboration with the landscape architect Vladimr Sitta led to the idea of a slate slope with birch trees a novel solution that is in harmony with the building's overall architectural design. Some of the design aspects, such as the pool and related elements, were the result of this joint effort between the architect and landscape designer. The house is the essence of a unique creative process, which involves not only architects but also a large team of specialists in the design and production of individual parts of the building. The owner of the house also occupies an exceptional position, whose involvement in the entire process of preparation and construction significantly influenced the overall result.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on March 24, 2025Cite: "Villa Sidonius / Stempel & Tesar Architekti" 24 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028194/villa-sidonius-stempel-and-tesar-architekti&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Architects, Take Note: The Future of Parking Is RoboticSponsored ContentSave this picture!Courtesy of MPSystemIn the world of urbanization, space is becoming a scarce commodity. Cities are bursting at the seams, with limited space for both private and public development. This creates a need for a shift towards more efficient urban planning that would combine aesthetic design with high functionality. MPSystem robotic parking offers the perfect solution by combining function and architectural design freedom.Freedom of DesignOne of the most compelling aspects of robotic parking is the freedom it offers architects in the design process. MPSystem's team of experienced engineers offers free consultation & layout design of the parking area, and collaborates directly with the architects during the design stage ensuring the final solution is fully optimized.By being present in the design process from an early stage, MPSystem fully customizes the product and adapts it to fit the needs of the project, allowing seamless integration of the parking area into various architectural styleswhether sleek modernist facades, heritage buildings, or more organic, green designs.This provides the architects with a creative space to reimagine the role of parking within their projects, turning a traditionally utilitarian space into an opportunity for creative exploration, making parking an integral part of the building's identity.Save this picture! Urban Integration & Functionality With successful implementations across residential, commercial, and public buildings, MPSystem integrates the parking area into the city without disrupting its architectural vision. The fully customizable system offers a flexible solution that can be incorporated into the design of virtually any building type, from high-rise residential complexes where land value is at a premium, to large-scale commercial developments that need to maximize floor area.The integration of MPSystem technology reduces the visual clutter and land waste of traditional parking garages, while maximizing usable space for other urban functionswhether that's retail, office space, or public parks. By providing an option of compact storage both bellow and above ground, with a ceiling height just high enough to fit the cars, MPSystem provides an opportunity to developers and architects to rethink the allocation of space.Save this picture!Save this picture!User ExperienceMPSystem takes a user-centric approach to design, making time and efficiency the main goal behind their product development. The "Drop & Go" feature, in combination with various access control options, allows users to quickly and easily leave their vehicle on the platform while the robots take care of the rest. The remote monitoring SCADA system and access control can be integrated into a waiting area, offering real-time parking and car retrieval updates for a seamless user experience.Save this picture!Save this picture!Free consultation and layout design can be requested through an Online Layout Form or by directly contacting the MPSystem team.Image gallerySee allShow lessCite: "Architects, Take Note: The Future of Parking Is Robotic" 24 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027900/architects-take-note-the-future-of-parking-is-robotic&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Long before astronomers discovered the first exoplanet in 1992, the idea of worlds orbiting distant stars captivated the minds of academics and dreamers alike. As far back as the 16th century, philosopher Giordano Bruno speculated about an infinite universe filled with countless stars, each surrounded by its own planets. Today, with more than 5,800 confirmed exoplanets, astronomers are finding that some of these worlds are astonishingly strange, defying even the wildest predictions. Some exoplanets rain molten iron, others are largely composed of diamond. Some worlds orbit two suns and some orbit no star at all. From boiling-hot gas giants to worlds with bizarre weather patterns, here are five of the weirdest exoplanets scientists have discovered so far.1. WASP-76 b: The Planet Where It Rains Molten IronImagine a world where the weather forecast includes showers of molten iron. WASP-76 b, located roughly 640 light-years from Earth, is a gas giant that orbits its star so closely that its dayside reaches blistering temperatures of around 4,350 degrees Fahrenheit (2,400 degrees Celsius). And at such extreme heat, metals like iron turn to vapor.Because the planet is tidally locked, one side of WASP-76 b permanently faces its star while the other remains in eternal darkness. Powerful winds whip the vaporized iron from the scorching dayside to the much, much cooler nightside, where it condenses and falls as molten iron rain. This unique atmospheric process makes WASP-76 b a top contender for one of the most hellish exoplanets ever discovered. 2. HD 189733 b: The Glass Rain PlanetIf WASP-76b sounds dangerous, HD 189733 b might be even more nightmarish. Located about 64 light-years away, this gas giant is a deep azure blue, much like Earth. But dont let its color fool you this world is anything but hospitable. HD 189733 b experiences devastating storms with winds that reach 5,400 mph (8,700 km/h) more than 20 times faster than the winds of the strongest cyclone ever recorded on Earth. But what really sets the planet apart is its rain. Instead of water, silicate particles in the upper atmosphere condense into molten glass, which then pelts the planet in a sideways onslaught, thanks to its intense winds. The deep blue hue of the planet is due to the way these silicate clouds scatter blue light. 3. Kepler-16 b: The Real-Life TatooineScience fiction fans have long dreamed of planets with two suns. And Kepler-16 b, located roughly 250 light-years away, is the real deal. Discovered in 2011, this exoplanet defies the traditional solitary planetary orbit by circling two stars much like the fictional Tatooine from Star Wars.Despite its cinematic allure, Kepler-16b presents a harsh and frigid environment, with surface temperatures averaging around negative 100 degrees Fahrenheit to negative 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The planet is roughly comparable to Saturn in mass and size, but Kepler-16b's location and conditions offer little prospect for habitability. 4. WASP-193 b: The Cotton Candy PlanetConfirmed in 2023, WASP-193 b is one of the lightest, fluffiest planets ever observed. Roughly 1.5 times the diameter of Jupiter but containing only 14 percent of the mass, this gas giant has an incredibly low density, earning it the nickname "cotton candy planet."The planets airy composition remains a mystery. But scientists suspect that its bloated atmosphere, composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, may be the result of intense heating from its parent star, which the world orbits once every 6.2 days. Nonetheless, its extreme puffiness challenges existing models of planetary and atmospheric formation and structure, making it a prime target for follow-up observations by the James Webb Space Telescope. 5. SIMP J01365663+0933473: A Magnetic Rogue Planet SIMP J01365663+0933473, located approximately 20 light-years from Earth, is a fascinating celestial object that blurs the line between planet and brown dwarf. With an estimated mass of about 12.7 times that of Jupiter, it resides near the threshold where deuterium fusion occurs, the defining process of brown dwarfs. This strange world is free-floating, not bound to any star, and boasts a surface temperature of around 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. What further sets SIMP J01365663+0933473 apart is its powerful magnetic field, measured to be some 4 million times stronger than Earths. This intense magnetism produces spectacular auroras, detectable through radio emissions, even without the help of a parent star's solar wind. Scientists think one possibility is that the auroras are driven by an orbiting planet or moon interacting with the brown dwarfs intense magnetic field. A Universe Full of Strange WorldsThe discovery of thousands of wildly different exoplanets has forever changed our understanding of the cosmos. While our solar system follows certain predictable patterns, the worlds orbiting distant stars continue to defy all expectations. From raining molten glass to orbiting two (or zero) suns, these planets prove that nature can be far stranger than we ever imagined.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:The Schools' Observatories. The First DiscoveriesNASA. WASP-76 bNASA. HD 189733 bNASA. Kepler-16 bCornell University. Kepler-16: A Transiting Circumbinary PlanetNASA. WASP-193 bThe Astrophysical Journal. The Strongest Magnetic Fields on the Coolest Brown DwarfsNational Radio Astronomy Observatory. VLA Detects Possible Extrasolar Planetary-Mass Magnetic PowerhouseJake Parks is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in covering science news. He has previously written for Astronomy magazine, Discover Magazine, The Ohio State University, the University of Wisconson-Madison, and more.

A senior fisherman in Sant'Antiocho, Sardinia, Italy.Image: Getty Images For years, the so-called blue zonesregions where people reportedly live longer, healthier liveshave intrigued scientists and the public alike. In places like Okinawa (Japan), Ikaria (Greece), Ogliastra (Sardinia) and Nicoya (Costa Rica), residents lead a lifestyle that features natural movement, purpose, stress-reducing routines, mindful eating, a plant-based diet, moderate alcohol consumption, faith, family, and strong social ties. Researchers say these habits contribute to remarkable longevity.But do blue zone residents really live longer? Or is their legendary lifespan more myth than science?People [in blue zones] reach age 100 at 10 times greater rates than in the United States, according to a 2016 paper co-authored by Dan Buettner, an American explorer and journalist who coined the term blue zones. But Saul J. Newman, PhD, currently a research fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Aging in the United Kingdom, has cast doubt on the reliability of the data behind these claims.In a 2019 preprint published on bioRxiv, Newman uncovered a startling pattern: when U.S. states introduced birth certificates, recorded cases of supercentenarianspeople living past 110plummeted by up to 82 percent. Newman concluded that the striking concentration of centenarians and supercentenarians in blue zones may actually have little to do with healthy lifestyle factors, and is more likely the result of errors and fraud in record-keeping.Newman pointed out that many blue zones share unexpected characteristics: low incomes, low literacy, high crime rates, and shorter-than-average national lifespansfactors that, logically, should reduce longevity, not extend it. The hypothesis that these relatively low literacy rates and incomes are generating age-reporting errors and pension fraud, and therefore remarkable age records, seems overlooked, he wrote.In 2024, Newman doubled down with another preprint, in which he highlighted a statistical red flag in blue zone data. Supercentenarian birthdates are concentrated on days divisible by five: a pattern indicative of widespread fraud and error.In a joint statement issued in October 2024, multiple leading blue zone researchers strongly rebutted Newmans critique, arguing that he overlooked the rigorous age verification and statistical analysis involved in identifying blue zones.In the case of Sardinia, for instance, the ages of centenarians in blue zone villages were cross-checked using multiple sources: civil status databases dating back to 1866, handwritten church records from the 17th century onward, and a complete genealogical reconstruction of village inhabitants from 1866 onward.Not only were the birth and death dates of each centenarian confirmed, but those of their siblings were also cross-checked, the researchers wrote. This allowed us to rule out any possible identity switches, such as the case of a false supercentenarian that was rigorously eliminated from our Sardinian centenarians database.Similarly, in Nicoya, Costa Rica, blue zone researchers did not rely on self-reported age, but used birth dates drawn from the countrys civil registry.They also dismissed Newmans claims about birthdate patterns or age heaping, noting that no such issues have appeared in their datasets.In response to Newmans statement about high levels of crime and poverty in Sardinias blue zone, the researchers noted that broad regional statistics were not representative of the small rural villages that formed the blue zone.While they refute Newmans concerns about inaccurate age data, blue zone researchers have acknowledged that the longevity advantage these regions once held may be slipping away.In 2023, demographer Luis Rosero-Bixby, PhD, published a study revealing a troubling shift in Nicoya, Costa Rica: people born after 1930 in Nicoya are no longer living unusually long lives. The study found that while Nicoyan men born in 1905 had 33 percent lower mortality rates than the rest of the country, those born in 1945 actually had 10 percent higher rates.Okinawas once-unmatched longevity is also declining, according to a 2024 paper by demographer Michel Poulain, PhD. While the older generations still experience significant longevity benefits, the younger generations show higher mortality rates compared to mainland Japan. Researchers attribute the decline in Okinawas longevity rates to the arrival of modern diets and transportation.This decline in longevity among newer generations suggests that extreme longevity hotspots are probably transient, according to Rosero-Bixby. While people in these areas may have lived longer than average until recently, this advantage is rapidly vanishing.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.