Multiple spacecraft captured the moon's shadow sweeping across North America at more than 1,500 mph during the 2024 total solar eclipse, as millions of people looked up to witness totality.

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Mathematicians Solve Decades-Old Geometry Problem About Spinning a Needle That Had Long Puzzled the Field A new proof solves the “Kakeya conjecture” in three dimensions, opening up a new set of possibilities for mathematics, from computer science to cryptography Hong Wang, one of the paper co-authors, presents her work on the Kakeya conjecture. David Song / NYU Mathematicians have finally solved a geometry problem that has puzzled the field for decades. By wiggling a needle around while spinning it, you can minimize the amount of space it moves through, compared to the larger circle traced by turning it around its center. Claudio Rocchini via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 3.0 The question was proposed by Japanese mathematician Sōichi Kakeya in 1917. It sounds simple: How can you rotate a needle by 360 degrees in a way that minimizes the amount of space it moves through? One option would be to rotate it from its center, tracing out a circle with its two ends. But there are smarter ways to go about it. You could also wiggle the needle back and forth while turning it, in a way that forms a triangle with curved edges instead. “It’s just a problem about how straight lines can intersect one another,” explains Jonathan Hickman, a mathematician at the University of Edinburgh who was not involved in the new work, to Joseph Howlett at Quanta Magazine. “But there’s such an incredible richness encoded in it—an incredible array of connections to other problems.” Tracing either the circle or the curvy triangle assumes the needle is sitting flat on a desk, in two dimensions. But if you hold the needle up in 3D space and try to rotate it in all directions, the task becomes much harder. To minimize the space it moves through, you’ll need an infinitely narrow needle—and creative math. This puzzle led to the Kakeya conjecture: It states that the number of dimensions of the traced shape will always match the number of dimensions of the space it’s in. While experts thought this, too, sounded simple, it has taken decades for them to prove it in 3D. Now, mathematicians Joshua Zahl at the University of British Columbia in Canada and Hong Wang at New York University have found the answer to how the needle can move in three spatial dimensions. Their work was recently published as a 127-page preprint article, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, on the arXiv server. “The paper is perhaps the biggest breakthrough in mathematics of the current century,” says Nets Katz, a mathematician at Rice University who was not involved in the work, to New Scientist’s Alex Wilkins. “It completely resolves a problem that has been attacked by a variety of techniques by a number of the leading figures in the field, most of whom obtained only modest partial results.”Researchers had already proven how the needle could move in one and two dimensions—they figured out one dimension quickly, since nothing can rotate in 1D. Mathematician Roy Davies proved the conjecture in 2D in 1971. But whether a 3D proof existed had remained an open question. “People understood what’s going on [in Kakeya-adjacent problems] really well in two dimensions, but we lacked the tools to study higher dimensions,” says Wang to Quanta Magazine. “So, I feel like this was necessary. It needed to be done.” The pair of mathematicians built on previous work by Katz, which established an outline for how the conjecture might be proved in three dimensions. They worked systematically to eliminate each possibility where the number of dimensions of the traced shape would be less than three, writes Scientific American’s Manon Bischoff. Understanding the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture can help solve a whole other array of mathematical problems. “This result is not only a major breakthrough in geometric measure theory, but it also opens up a series of exciting developments in harmonic analysis, number theory and applications in computer science and cryptography,” says Guido De Philippis, a mathematician at New York University who was not involved in the research, in a statement. The next problem for mathematicians to face will be solving the four-dimensional Kakeya conjecture. But with the proof in three dimensions already achieved, the next step might come more easily. “I really think there’s a critical mass of ideas to really revolutionize the whole field coming from here,” Hickman tells Quanta Magazine. “It’s a very, very exciting time.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

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OnePlus has announced its Red Rush Days Sale in India. The special discount sale will start on April 8 and end on April 14 on the OnePlus India website, Amazon and other retail stores. Several new OnePlus smartphones, including the OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R, OnePlus 12 series, OnePlus Nord 4, and OnePlus Nord CE 4, are confirmed to receive price cuts during the sale. The OnePlus Buds Pro 3, Watch 2R, and OnePlus Pad 2 will be available at discounted prices. Customers can avail discounts on ICICI bank cards and up to Rs. 7,000 as an exchange bonus during the sale. OnePlus Red Rush Days Sale Smartphone DealsAs part of the Red Rush Days Sale, OnePlus is offering an instant bank discount of Rs. 5,000 on the OnePlus 13 and Rs. 3,000 on the OnePlus 13R for purchases made using ICICI bank credit cards and EMI transactions. The 16GB RAM + 512GB storage variant of the OnePlus 13R is available with a temporary price cut of Rs. 2,000. Buyers can avail an exchange bonus of Rs. 7,000 on the OnePlus 13 and up to Rs. 4,000 on the OnePlus 13R. Further, there are no cost EMI options for up to 24 months.The OnePlus 13R can be grabbed for Rs. 39,999 in the ongoing sale, down from the original launch price of Rs. 42,999. The OnePlus 13 is listed with a starting price of Rs. 64,999 instead of the launch price of Rs. 69,999.Price of the OnePlus Nord 4 starts at Rs. 22,999 during the sale (including Rs. 4,500 bank discount), down from the original rate of Rs. 29,999. Further, shoppers can avail a temporary price discount of up to Rs. 500. The OnePlus 12 is available for an initial price tag of Rs. 56,999, down from Rs. 64,999.The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite starts at Rs. 16,499 (including a Rs. 1,500 bank discount), down from the actual rate of Rs. 19,999. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is available from Rs. 19,999 (including Rs. 2,000 bank discount) instead of Rs. 21,999. It also gets a temporary price cut of Rs. 1,000.OnePlus Red Rush Days Sale Deals On Earbuds, Tablets, Smartwatches Besides smartphones, audio products, including OnePlus Buds Pro 3 and OnePlus Buds 3, are listed with discounted price tags of Rs. 10,999 (original price Rs. 11,999) and Rs. 4,699 (original price Rs. 5,499), respectively.The OnePlus Pad 2, which launched at Rs. 39,999, can be bought for Rs. 34,999. Besides the Rs. 2,000 instant bank discount, an additional exchange bonus of Rs. 5,000 is available, and students can get a special discount of Rs. 1,000. The OnePlus Pad Go is available for Rs. 17,999, down from the actual launch price of Rs. 19,999. Shoppers can get a Rs. 1,000 price discount and a Rs. 1,000 student discount.OnePlus Watch 2, which launched for Rs. 24,999, is listed for Rs. 19,999. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Watch 2R is available for Rs. 15,999 instead of Rs. 17,999.The Red Rush Days Sale will be live on OnePlus.in, the OnePlus Store app, OnePlus Experience Stores, and Amazon from April 8. The sale will be available across other channel partners such as Reliance Digital, Croma, Vijay Sales, Bajaj Electronics, and others. REVIEWKEY SPECSNEWSDesignDisplaySoftwarePerformanceBattery LifeCameraValue for MoneyGoodBig, bright display Excellent performance Long lasting battery Versatile camera setup Longer software supportBadNo wireless charging Lowlight performance still not greatRead detailed OnePlus 13R reviewDisplay 6.78-inchProcessor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Front Camera 16-megapixel Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel RAM 12GB, 16GBStorage 256GB, 512GBBattery Capacity 6000mAhOS Android 15Resolution 2780x1264 pixelsREVIEWKEY SPECSNEWSDesignDisplaySoftwarePerformanceBattery LifeCameraValue for MoneyGoodSlim IP68 and IP69-rated design Magnetic accessories Sharp 120Hz display Plenty of AI features Buttery smooth software performance Great battery life Fast wired and wireless chargingBadAI image editing tools aren't impressive Accessories need the magnetic case to functionRead detailed OnePlus 13 reviewDisplay 6.82-inchFront Camera 32-megapixel Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel RAM 12GB, 16GB, 24GBStorage 256GB, 512GB, 1TBBattery Capacity 6000mAhOS Android 15Resolution 1440x3168 pixelsREVIEWKEY SPECSNEWSDesign and comfortTracking accuracySoftware and ecosystemBattery lifeGoodGood battery life Lightweight design with IP68 rating Fast wired charging Excellent performance Can also record short napsBadNo MIL-STD-810H certification No case size options Limited strap options Watch faces need an overhaul Soft speaker for Bluetooth callsRead detailed OnePlus Watch 2R reviewStrap Material SiliconeDial Shape RoundDisplay Type AMOLEDIdeal For UnisexMore OnePlus Smartwatches REVIEWKEY SPECSNEWSDesignDisplaySoftwarePerformanceBattery LifeCameraValue for MoneyGoodTall display is great for work and play Seamless connectivity with OnePlus smartphones Comfortable typing experience Stylo 2 experience is unique Software is packed with features Immersive 6-speaker soundBadAverage cameras Works better with OnePlus smartphones Keyboard?s trackpad needs workRead detailed OnePlus Pad 2 reviewDisplay 12.10-inchProcessor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoCFront Camera 8-megapixelResolution 2120x3000 pixelsRAM 12GBOS Android 14Storage 256GBRear Camera 13-megapixelBattery Capacity 9510mAhMore OnePlus Tablets REVIEWKEY SPECSNEWSDesignDisplaySoftwarePerformanceBattery LifeCameraValue for MoneyGoodIP65 rated Vibrant 120Hz QHD+ display Excellent battery life Fast wired and wireless charging Smooth and bloatware-free software Quality primary and telephoto cameras Good for gamingBadMinor quality issues Ultra-wide angle camera could be better Low light selfies are below averageRead detailed OnePlus 12 reviewDisplay 6.82-inchProcessor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Front Camera 32-megapixel Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 64-megapixel + 48-megapixel RAM 12GB, 16GBStorage 256GB, 512GBBattery Capacity 5400mAhOS Android 14Resolution 1440x3168 pixels For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Further reading: OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R, OnePlus Red Rush Days sale, OnePlus Red Rush Days Nithya P Nair Nithya P Nair is a journalist with more than five years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in business and technology beats. A foodie at heart, Nithya loves exploring new places (read cuisines) and sneaking in Malayalam movie dialogues to spice up conversations. More Related Stories

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First officially confirmed to be in development close to three years ago, the Death Stranding movie has found its director. According to a Deadline report, the movie based on Kojima Productions’ 2019 title is going to be directed by Michael Sarnoski, who is best known as the director of 2024’s A Quiet Place: Day One. Sarnoski also directed 2021’s Pig, and the upcoming The Death of Robin Hood. The report also adds Lars Knudsen and Ari Aster’s Square Peg have joined the project as co-producers. It was previously confirmed that the Death Stranding movie would be co-produced by A24 and Kojima Productions. Game director Hideo Kojima has also previously confirmed that he is “deeply involved” in the movie’s production, supervising, plotting, and more. Read more on that through here. Death Stranding has been played by over 20 million people to date across all platforms. Its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, launches for PS5 on June 26.

Nintendo rocked the video game world last week with the unveiling of its new console the Switch 2, its price and, most surprisingly, a driving cow. The Switch 2, releasing on June 5, will cost $450 for just the console and $500 for a bundle that comes with “Mario Kart World,” the latest entry in the racing series. Gamers were overjoyed at the first official information on Nintendo’s next console, but the high price (the Switch launched at $300 in 2017) left many dismayed. The Switch 2 news also came amid President Donald Trump’s rollout of U.S. tariffs that have caused the stock market to drop and prices of many goods to increase. On Friday, Nintendo paused Switch 2 pre-orders “in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions” in the U.S. The June 5 launch date is unchanged, but U.S. gamers will have to wait a bit longer before they can pre-order a console. Related Stories Outside of the price, “Mario Kart World” made headlines for being the biggest iteration of the popular racing series. With 24 racers on a track, more than 50 characters to choose from and a massive open-world to drive around, it’s Nintendo’s most expansive “Mario Kart” game ever. Out of all the characters, however, the Moo Moo Meadows cow went viral online for its surprising inclusion in the roster. Popular on Variety With Variety, Devon Pritchard, executive vice president of sales, marketing and communication at Nintendo of America, discussed the Switch 2 reveal and what to expect at its launch. How did the unveiling of the Switch 2 go over at Nintendo? It was incredibly exciting to see the reactions of people that were able to see the Nintendo Direct or be here and have the hands-on with the different titles. When “Mario Kart World” was announced it was quite loud. Seeing the smiles and the really positive reactions from everyone just made it a momentous day for us. Speaking of “Mario Kart World,” what did you think of the cow going viral online? With “Mario Kart World,” “Donkey Kong Bananza,” “Metroid Prime 4:Beyond,” you saw this powerful gameplay and franchise-firsts. “Mario Kart” never looked like it looks in “Mario Kart World,” whether it’s a cow or some of the other features, like Knockout Tour or Free Roam. Seeing the joy brought to how we’re looking at those franchises and how they’re continuing to evolve is really exciting. We enjoyed as well the conversation around the social connections that Nintendo Switch 2 is bringing with game chat. The Switch 2 so far has “Mario Kart,” “Donkey Kong,” “Mario Party” and “Metroid” games on the way. How does Nintendo look at its console lineups to make sure its classic characters are represented? When you think of the world of Nintendo and how many characters and worlds there are, we’re just excited by the opportunities we have to share what’s ready. You have “Mario Kart” and the Mushroom Kingdom for folks, and Donkey Kong has his day and his moment. With “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond,” we spent time getting it ready. It’s a long time coming for this title, so we’re excited to share that as well. The lineup has “The Legend of Zelda” Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Kirby and all the third party partners. When you look at this entire slate of the Nintendo Switch 2 lineup, you have really diverse genres of games, but also the different characters and worlds that we’re going into. “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” is the best-selling game ever on the Switch. What are the expectations for “Mario Kart World”? As we thought about “Mario Kart World,” it was more about what this game could showcase with the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s this vast, interconnected playground, and you’ve got things that you love. It’s about bringing new experiences to the “Mario Kart.” It’s a well known and beloved franchise, but for the first time, you’re going to Free Roam, where you’re able to go and tour your kart around the world. Now we have Knockout Tour, where 24 people are going to be able to determine who the best player is. It was this idea of, how do we bring what’s known and loved, and how do we also expand the experience? We also brought in game chat. You have the ability to bring in 12 of your friends through audio, and up to four with video with compatible cameras, and you’re going to be able to have a different kind of experience that you can only have on the Nintendo Switch 2. What has Nintendo learned about launching a console since the Switch came out in 2017? Is there anything the company is doing to make sure there aren’t console shortages at launch? We are working to ensure a study supply. That’s one important part for us. We also have a strong slate of titles, both in the first party and third party. I don’t know that those are as much learnings as opportunities that we see with Nintendo Switch 2. This proposition of powerful gameplay and a social experience together is a really unique aspect of Nintendo Switch 2 that we’re focused on. I don’t know that it’s a difference between the Switch and Switch 2, but this concept of a next generation platform is the idea of having an all new Joy-Con 2 controller that can also play as a mouse. It’s bringing mouse functionality into games. It’s having game share, game chat. As we look at that next generation experience, it’s all new with Nintendo Switch 2.