The Sound Burger is back from the '80s to bring portability and a new listening experience to vinyl records. Currently, it's $25 off on Amazon.

Marvel Cosmic Invasions features many of Marvels most iconic characters like Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine in solo or co-op beat 'em up action.

Forward-looking: British startup Pulsar Fusion has unveiled its ambitious nuclear fusion rocket concept, Sunbird, designed to dramatically shorten interplanetary travel times. Developed in secret over the past decade, the project aims to cut the journey to Mars in half and reach Pluto in just four years. With ground testing scheduled for 2025 and an orbital demonstration planned for 2027, Sunbird could mark a bold leap forward in next-generation propulsion technology. Unlike conventional chemical rockets, Sunbird relies on nuclear fusion a process that replicates the energy production at the core of stars to propel spacecraft. Rather than operating independently, these fusion-powered vehicles are designed to attach to larger spacecraft, towing payloads efficiently across vast interplanetary distances.Fusion propulsion builds on Pulsar Fusion's prior collaborations with major academic institutions. In 2023, the company partnered with the Universities of Southampton and Cambridge on UK Space Agency-funded projects exploring integrated nuclear fission systems for electric propulsion."We have recently commissioned not one, but two of the largest space propulsion testing chambers in the U.K., if not all of Europe," said CEO Richard Dinan. "Pulsar is now an international space propulsion testing powerhouse, and we have ambitious plans to expand rapidly."The company's immediate focus is progressing toward in-orbit testing. Components of Sunbird are scheduled for demonstration later this year as Pulsar Fusion pushes forward with its goal of achieving nuclear fusion in space by 2027. The broader vision includes deploying a fleet of heavily shielded spacecraft stationed in orbit to support missions for international partners, potentially enabling routine travel between Earth, Mars, and beyond.Nuclear fusion offers transformative potential over traditional energy sources such as nuclear fission or fossil fuels. While fission splits heavy radioactive elements like uranium into lighter ones, fusion combines light elements typically hydrogen under extreme temperatures and pressures. The result is a process that generates four times more energy than fission and millions of times more than fossil fuels, all while producing no dangerous radioactive waste.Despite its promise, sustaining fusion reactions on Earth remains difficult due to the immense energy input required. // Related StoriesDinan argues that space presents a more favorable environment for fusion, thanks to its natural lack of atmospheric interference. "It's very unnatural to do fusion on Earth," Dinan told CNN. "Space is a far more logical, sensible place to do fusion because that's where it wants to happen anyway."The Sunbird's design capitalizes on this advantage by using linear reactors rather than the circular tokamaks commonly employed on Earth. These reactors utilize strong magnetic fields to heat plasma, creating the conditions necessary for fusion using trace amounts of fuel, such as helium-3.Unlike Earth-based reactors that rely on neutron interactions for heat, Sunbird would produce protons as "nuclear exhaust," directly propelling the spacecraft. While this method is inefficient and costly for terrestrial energy generation, it is well-suited for space travel, where reducing fuel mass and achieving high speeds are crucial.Dinan likened Sunbird's functionality to urban bike-sharing systems: reusable vehicles stationed in orbit that rendezvous with spacecraft mid-journey to replace inefficient chemical engines with fusion-powered alternatives. This concept could dramatically shorten interplanetary missions, enabling trips between Earth and Mars in under six months and journeys to Jupiter or Saturn in just two to four years.Initial demonstrations will begin with testing circuit boards in orbit later this year, followed by a small-scale linear fusion experiment in 2027 to validate the underlying physics. If successful, full-scale Sunbird vehicles could be operational within five years.Sunbird's potential extends beyond interplanetary travel. It could also support asteroid mining missions, cutting round-trip times from three years to as little as one or two.Other organizations are pursuing similar paths. Helicity Space, for example, has secured an investment from Lockheed Martin to develop its own fusion engine, while NASA and General Atomics are advancing fission-based reactors for potential crewed Mars missions, with tests scheduled for 2027.Experts outside Pulsar Fusion recognize the transformative potential of fusion propulsion, despite its technical challenges. Aaron Knoll of Imperial College London told CNN that while energy output must exceed input for Earth-based power generation, space propulsion benefits from any net energy since it directly boosts thrust efficiency. However, miniaturizing the reactor and support systems remains a key engineering challenge.Bhuvana Srinivasan from the University of Washington emphasized the dramatic advantages fusion propulsion could offer, even for lunar missions. With its high thrust and efficiency, it could enable single-trip deployments of entire lunar bases, complete with crew. She also highlighted the possibility of using fusion-powered missions for resource extraction, such as harvesting helium-3 from the Moon a critical fuel for future fusion reactors.Unlocking fusion propulsion, she added, would not only extend humanity's reach into deep space but could also bring wide-ranging benefits. "Exploration of planets, moons, and solar systems farther away is fundamental to our curious and exploratory nature as humans while also potentially leading to substantial financial and societal benefit in ways that we may not yet realize."

Google has just officially announced the roll out of a powerful Gemini AI feature that means the intelligence can now see.This started in March as Google began to show off Gemini Live, but its now become more widely available.Recommended VideosBefore you get too excited though, at this stage at least, its only available on the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25.RelatedUp until now Gemini has been a little limited, albeit in an impressive way. Its been able to understand voice, images, PDFs and even YouTube videos. Now, thanks to Project Astra, Gemini can see whats on your screen too.This means you can simply give the AI access to your screen and then ask questions about whats going on for you and it will be able to understand and answer.Perhaps even more usefully, you can share your rear camera with Gemini to talk about what youre seeing in the physical world too.Sound familiar? Yup, this is very similar to the tech Apple Intelligence was being teased as getting last year. Yet Apple has been rumoured to be struggling with this release and we may have to wait until iOS 19, or longer, before we see it arrive on iPhones.While the release is limited right now, it will soon be available to all Gemini Live subscribers using Android devices.One way to open this is to launch the Gemini overlay and select the Share screen with Live.Another way is to launch Gemini Live then select the screen share icon.In either case there is a small red timer icon at the top of the screen to show youre being viewed and listened to by Gemini Live, that you can tap into for more details.The whole experience is a bit like being on a call with a real person blurring the lines between human and AI ever further.Editors Recommendations

Levies on Chinese goods have created worst three-day rout for iPhone maker in about 25 years.

Nvidias chief executive is not an easy boss, but he recognized that the companys chips could power innovations in artificial intelligence.

"Our lives are the sum of our choices." The gangs back to wrap up a mission in MI: Final Reckoning trailer "If we want to bring the world back from the brink, we have to deal with him." Jennifer Ouellette Apr 7, 2025 2:28 pm | 0 Credit: Paramount Pictures Credit: Paramount Pictures Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn more Tom Cruise is back for what may (or may not) be his final turn as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible: Final Reckoning. After giving CinemaCon attendees a sneak peek last week, Paramount Pictures has publicly released the trailer for Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the eighth installment of the blockbuster spy franchise starring Tom Cruise as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, and a sequel to the events that played out in 2023's Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning.This may, or may not, end up being Cruise's last film in the franchise; everyone's being pretty cagey about that question. But the trailer certainly gives us everything we've come to expect from the Mission Impossible films: high stakes, global political intrigue, and of course, lots and lots of spectacular stunt work, including Cruise hanging precariously mid-air from a 1930s Boeing Stearman biplane.(Spoilers for Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning below.)For those whose memory of Dead Reckoning's plot is dim, Hunt and his team became embroiled in a global chase to find the two keys capable of controlling a rogue sentient AI dubbed The Entity. Both were needed to unlock a chamber aboard a Russian stealth submarine that contained The Entity's source code, so the possessor of those keys would be able to control or (preferably) destroy the AI. Hunt managed to acquire the two keys and fled by paraglider, reuniting with his BFF and fellow field agent Benji (Simon Pegg), intending to complete the mission and shut down The Entity.Given that Final Reckoning is a continuation of that film, naturally Cruise and Pegg aren't the only returning cast members. Also reprising their roles are Ving Rhames as IMF computer technician Luther Stickell; Hayley Atwell as thief-turned-IMF agent Grace; Vanessa Kirby as black market arms dealer Alanna Mitsopolis (aka the White Widow); Esai Morales as Gabriel, an assassin who serves as The Entity's liaison; Pom Klementieff as Gabriel's fellow assassin who joined forces with Hunt after Gabriel betrayed her; Angela Bassett as former CIA director and now US President Erika Sloane; Henry Czerny as former IMF director Eugene Kittridge, who now heads the CIA; and Rolf Saxon as CIA analyst William Donloe.Mark Gatiss and Indira Varma also return as the heads of the NSA and DIA, respectively. Additions to the cast include Mariela Garriga as a woman from Ethan's past; Nick Offerman as the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis as US intelligence agents Jasper Briggs and Degas, respectively; Frederick Schmidt as Alanna's brother Zola; and Holt McCallany as the secretary of Defense. Janet McTeer and Hannah Waddingham will also appear in as-yet-undisclosed roles.Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 23, 2025. It's one of the most expensive films ever made, with an estimated budget of about $400 million, so Paramount needs a big box office take to turn a profit. Dead Reckoning, despite critical raves and a global box office of $571 million, was deemed a disappointment, so that gives you an idea of just how high the bar to profitability could be. Then again, Final Reckoning won't be going up against the "Barbenheimer" juggernaut that dominated the industry in the summer of 2023. Here's hoping Hunt and his IMF team are up to the task. Credit: Paramount Pictures 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

ZodiAq, a bacteria-inspired underwater robotAnup Teejo MathewAn underwater robot can delicately propel itself in any direction with its 12 flexible arms, inspired by the flagella of bacteria. Its creators claim it can carry out underwater inspections without endangering humans or wildlife, as propeller-driven robots would.Flagella are tiny, hair-like protrusions found on many bacteria that can spin clockwise or counterclockwise to create propulsion. [Bacteria] have something called a biological motor, which rotates this elongated structure, and this elongated structure produces thrust, and thats how bacteria is propelled, says Anup Teejo Mathew at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi,

Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong in formation exercise in the South China Sea Sun Xiang/Xinhua via Getty Images 2025-04-07T18:39:19Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Tariffs are an attempt by Trump to reorder the global economy away from China manufacturing.Taiwan and TSMC are at the heart of the current system of interconnected, global supply chains.Ben Thompson warns that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would make last week look tame.In a world already shaken by economic shocks from the pandemic to sweeping tariffs there's one scenario that would dwarf them all: a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.This is the hypothetical Ben Thompson floats in the latest edition of Stratechery, a newsletter widely followed by tech industry insiders.An invasion wouldn't just be a military conflict; it would be a systemic rupture in the global economic order that underpins everything from iPhones to inflation forecasts.Thompson reckons China would prevail militarily. The larger story isn't about who controls Taipei it's about what happens when the world's most essential supply chains are shattered. Taiwan isn't just any island; it's home to TSMC, the company responsible for manufacturing the most advanced semiconductors on Earth. Take that away, and the modern tech ecosystem buckles taking with it the digital infrastructure of daily life.This is so important that there's even a theory quietly discussed among global security experts that Taiwan could threaten to destroy its giant chip fabs as a way to deter China from invading.Thompson argues that regardless of who wins militarily, the economic result is the same: China, the global factory, is effectively cut off. Taiwan's chip output vanishes. Global trade grinds lower. Inflation surges. Markets tank.Recall the 2020 COVID supply chain chaos or last week's market turmoil from Trump's tariff barrage now magnify that impact exponentially."A war over Taiwan," Thompson wrote on Monday, "would put all of these to shame."Is war the only answer to resetting the system?Of course, it's not clear if, or when, China would invade Taiwan. And even if it did invade, it would face challenges, according to defense writer Michael Peck.But what's particularly striking is Thompson's framing: War might not just break the system it might be the only way to reset it. The post-World War II economic order, rebooted by Bretton Woods and supercharged by China's entry into global markets, is showing its age. The US traded industrial capability for cheap goods and ballooning deficits. American manufacturing jobs vanished, supply chains lengthened, and the economic resilience of the US heartland hollowed out. (These are the areas where JD Vance's anti-globalization message really resonates, by the way.)Trump's tariffs clumsy, politically divisive, and economically painful might still be preferable to waiting for a war to force change. As Thompson notes, the current system can't be fixed without a stomach for hard trade-offs, and America seems unwilling to take the hit until it's forced to.So we return to the Taiwan question if China invades, or how close we come. The prudent path, Thompson suggests, may be to pull China deeper into economic interdependence, betting that shared prosperity can delay or prevent disaster. But if that gamble fails, the cost won't just be measured in GDP it'll be in decades of lost stability, broken industries, and a new global order forged not in peace, but in fire.Recommended video

Sabrina Carpenter has been confirmed as the next big guest in Fortnite Festival, and she'll headline Season 8 here's all we know about the Espresso singer's appearance so farTech15:59, 07 Apr 2025Sabrina Carpenter comes with jam tracks and dance emotesLooks like the leaks were correct Sabrina Carpenter is coming to Fortnite. It may have started as a survival game before shifting to a battle royale, but as Epic's megahit expands to include other genres, Fortnite Festival has become one of the tentpole attractions.Now, joining performers like Eminem, Lady Gaga, and Metallica, Sabrina Carpenter has been confirmed to be joining the mode in Season 8.Article continues belowAfter eagle-eyed players spotted the singer's microphone in the game, Epic Games has finally confirmed the news, including all new Jam Tracks, Dance Emotes, and outfits inspired by the star.Sabrina lands in Fortnite tomorrowWere gonna keep this short n sweet: Two-time GRAMMY Award winning global superstar Sabrina Carpenter will bring her eccentric brand of pop to Fortnite Festival Season 8, starting April 8!" a press release explains."From two Sabrina Carpenter-inspired outfits to themed accessories and all-new Jam Tracks, this season turns it up!"The following tracks will be available as Jam Tracks in Fortnite, is your favourite included?Please Please PleaseJunoNonsenseTasteEspressoFeatherDance emotes will be available, too, including the Taste Emote and Please Please Please Emote.Given Carpenter's wide array of outfits, we were waiting to find out just what will be included with the update. Epic has confirmed that she'll be sporting a "yellow embellished babydoll inspired by the one she wore on her most recent tour designed by Victorias Secret in collaboration with celebrity stylist Jared Ellner as well as jewelry designed by Maison."Fans won't have to wait longThat's not all, she'll also have a 'Tour-Ready' outfit that "includes a skirt and boots inspired by the ones Sabrina wore on tour, which were designed by Ludovic de Saint Sernin and Michael Schmidt Studios respectively."Sabrina Carpenter arrives in Fortnite Festival on April 8, so you don't have to wait long.In many ways, Fortnite Festival has become a spiritual successor to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, and is developed by the team behind both, Harmonix.Article continues belowElsewhere, the game now includes user-created experiences, as well as curated titles like LEGO Brick Life and Rocket Racing.For more on Fortnite, check out the game's interesting way of dealing with cheaters going forward, as well as this awkward apology video from one who was caught.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.