The Trump administration’s announcement of widespread tariffs has thrown the stock market into a tailspin, increasing the odds of a recession. This economic turmoil could have far-ranging implications, and some Americans’ first question — and the outcome they believe they have most control over — is how to handle their retirement savings and other investments. While recent losses to your 401(k) account may inspire panic, experts caution most people (basically anyone not nearing retirement or recently retired, in which case the advice may vary) from making drastic changes to their investment strategy. The current financial situation is propelled by fear, says Meir Statman, a professor of finance at Santa Clara University and the author of A Wealth of Well-Being: A Holistic Approach to Behavioral Finance. While selling stocks during a downturn may feel satisfying in the short term and scratches the itch to take some sort of action, Statman says you need to rely on more than intuition in making significant financial moves. “Surely I wish I sold my stocks on Tuesday of last week, but I didn’t, and I cannot sell them now at last Tuesday’s price,” Statman says. “I know that in all likelihood, I’ll be making the wrong decision, and that wrong decision is going to cost me if I get out now.”The most sound financial guidance will also be the most familiar: Stay the course, don’t let emotions be the sole driver of your decisions, and look to the past as a guide.“It’s much easier said than done to distract yourself and not look at your retirement account, not trade at a time of heightened volatility,” says Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst at Bankrate, “but often the best step to take is to do nothing at all.”How emotions impact financial decisionsSeeing losses in your portfolio elicits the same fight-or-flight response as other physical or psychological threats, says Danielle Labotka, a behavioral scientist at investment research firm Morningstar. So it’s natural to want to pull your money out of the stock market. But in order to invest well, you need to act against this impulse.“Our brain says, ‘This is really bad. It feels really bad. You need to do something, get out,’” Labotka says. “The problem with that is that investing requires us to be patient. It requires us to stick to plans long term. It requires us to persevere when things are difficult and stay the course.”Both long-term and short-term financial decisions are driven by a mix of emotion and logic, Statman says. But it is important not to let feelings outweigh reason. Recent stock losses have prompted emotional reactions — fear, uncertainty, anger. At the same time, the logical thought process assumes the market will continue to fall based on how it has behaved over the past week. To prevent losing more money, people of course think it’s time to sell their stocks. “The best days in the market often come on the heels of the worst days in the market and nobody’s going to ring a bell when it’s time.”— Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at BankrateHowever, taking the time to pause and consider the ramifications of your actions may deter you from making short-sighted financial moves. Selling low typically results in a loss and you could come to regret that choice later on. It is also difficult to gauge the best time to buy and you may miss the upward trajectory. “Studies have shown that missing the best days in the market significantly reduces your long-term rate of return,” McBride says. “But the thing is, the best days in the market often come on the heels of the worst days in the market, and nobody’s going to ring a bell when it’s time for the market to turn around.”Each downturn feels uniquely scary — but think through long-term financial decisions While it is impossible to predict the future, looking at history can provide comfort. After each market crash over the last 150 years, the market not only recovered but continued to grow.Each moment of economic instability has a unique catalyst — currently, a budding international trade war — so it’s difficult to make direct comparisons to the downturns caused by the pandemic or the bursting of the dot-com bubble, McBride says. But it can still be beneficial to understand overall trends. “Look back at the past and say, ‘Yes, this feels bad, yes, it may be bad for a while. Who knows?” Labotka says. “But history tells us that it will end.”But because no one can predict the exact details of our financial future — which tariffs will be implemented, which will be walked back, how the market will respond — the best way to cope with the unknown, experts say, is to do nothing, at least for the time-being.This can be particularly distressing advice while watching the numbers in your retirement or investment accounts dwindling. But experts agree to try to keep this news out of mind as much as possible. Try limiting how much financial information you consume, deleting investment apps from your phone, or consulting with a financial adviser who can manage your investments for you.It’s best to create some distance between your knee-jerk impulse and action, Labotka says. Consider what has changed for you financially since the tariffs were announced — “not what has changed in the markets,” she says. This involves thinking about why you’re investing. Maybe that’s to better support your loved ones in the future or to donate to worthy causes. Then, think about your financial goals: to retire by 65 or to pay for your kids to go to college. If those motivators and goals haven’t changed, neither should your strategy.“Most likely, your financial plan already accounts for the fact that you’re going to have these days in the market where things go horribly awry,” Labotka says, “and therefore you should stick with the plan, because the plan already accounts for it.”“Most likely, your financial plan already accounts for the fact that you’re going to have these days in the market where things go horribly awry, and therefore you should stick with the plan.”— Danielle Labotka, behavioral scientist at MorningstarIf you do need to make adjustments to your financial plan, Labotka says to increase your cash savings. However, don’t divest your stocks just to put that money in the bank. Instead, see where you can cut recreational spending or tighten your budget to offer more of a savings cushion. You may also choose to put a little less money toward your 401(k) and instead put it into a savings account. (But do not stop contributing to your retirement fund altogether.) Older adults, meanwhile, should shift to a more conservative investment strategy to minimize the level of volatility they’re exposed to.Get used to uncertaintyIt’s okay to acknowledge how the current economic situation is impacting your feelings, Labotka says. If you fail to properly deal with your fear, anxiety, discomfort, or anger, you may rush to eliminate unpleasant emotions with rash decisions. “When you do that, you’re going to be inflicting harm upon your future self,” Labotka says. “Because in the moment, you’re going to feel relieved, but in the future, you’re going to be like, ‘Wow, I really lost out on a lot of money because I panicked in the moment and sold so that I could feel good then.’”As counterintuitive as it may seem, getting comfortable with economic uncertainty can help you better prepare for when it inevitably happens again. Resist the urge to act quickly and take the long view. “Investment horizons, especially for something like retirement, are measured in decades, not days, not weeks, not months,” McBride says. “We can’t let shorter events or volatility distract us from the real prize.”See More:

The fallout from the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement continues, as pricing is finally confirmed for upgraded versions of Switch 1 games — but they could cost you dearlyTech13:15, 08 Apr 2025Breath of the Wild was one of the best games of all time - and it launched alongside the Switch(Image: Nintendo)At a special Nintendo Direct event on April 2, the company revealed the Switch 2, its pricing, and its launch lineup.One of the most exciting tidbits was confirmation that the Switch 2 will be able to play upgraded versions of Switch 1 titles, meaning that while Mario Kart World will headline the initial rollout, there are a wealth of iconic titles to replay or check out for the first time.‌Article continues belowWe'd be lying if we said 4K visuals on Zelda duo Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom weren't a big factor in preordering the new console, but they'll be joined by "Switch 2 Editions" of Super Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and more.Now, however, preorder pricing has been confirmed — and it's steeper than we imagined.It still feels like magic that Tears of the Kingdom runs on the Switch(Image: Steam)‌While we already knew Switch 2 editions of Switch 1 games would cost $80 in the United States, preorder information confirmed today that physical versions of Super Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land and both 3D Zelda titles will set UK gamers back £66.99.While the games can be played via backward compatibility, Switch 2 owners will need to fork out for improved visuals and fresh features — although this amount is yet to be confirmed by Nintendo.If users are subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online, they can get the Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrades for free.‌Mario Kart World is expensive(Image: Nintendo)Much of the community sentiment since the Switch 2 reveal has been fans taking umbrage with the price. The system will cost £395, with Mario Kart World retailing for £75 — albeit discounted when purchased with the system.Pairs of Joy-Con controllers will retail for £75 (the same as the new Pro controller), while the new Nintendo Switch 2 camera will set players back £50.Article continues belowOther information to trickle out since the event have included news that the system's new Joy Con controllers are redesigned from the ground up, but won't have Hall Effect sticks to negate drift, while the 'C' button will seemingly be useless without a Nintendo Switch Online membership.That's on top of President Trump's tariffs causing havoc for Japanese gaming companies.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

One of the worst video games ever made has just been re-released on PC Michael Beckwith Published April 8, 2025 1:45pm Updated April 8, 2025 1:45pm Yes, this is actually what the game looks like (Margarite Entertainment) Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing has made a comeback nobody wanted, but at least it looks like it works this time. The problem with video games being labelled as the worst ever made is that it makes people curious to try them out. Rather than being quickly forgotten, some are more famous than genuinely good titles and get remastered surprisingly often. We’ve seen it happen before, with the remaster of infamous FMV game Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties, while Atari has threatened to do more with Bubsy the Bobcat – despite the character not having a single good game to his name. Despite all this, it’s still a shock to see Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing make a return; an announcement so ludicrous that when its trailer debuted on April 1, many understandably mistook it for an April Fool’s joke. In case you’ve never heard of it, Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing launched on PC in 2003 and, as the name suggests, is a racing game where all the vehicles are semi-trucks. The idea is that you race rival truckers to deliver cargo, while also avoiding law enforcement. Despite this being how the game was advertised, anyone unfortunate enough to play it quickly discovered that not only were there no cops to avoid, but the other racers just sat in one place and never moved. This isn’t an exaggeration. Big Rigs fundamentally didn’t work, making it impossible to lose; especially since there was no collision detection, meaning you can drive right through the environments. Combined with the lack of a time limit, the game was effectively a sandbox title – except with nothing to do. Big Rigs quickly became infamous, especially after popular internet critic The Angry Video Game Nerd published a video on it in 2014 (be warned, his video contains very strong language). Big Rigs was developed by Stellar Stone and published by GameMill Publishing, though this Steam re-release comes from Margarite Entertainment, which claims to have obtained the rights to the game. ‘We hold worldwide rights to some of the most classic games, including Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing, and we are eager to present these exceptional games to an emerging audience,’ reads Margarite’s website, which also expresses eagerness to obtain the rights to more old games. More Trending Any price is probably too much for Big Rigs, but at least it’s only being sold for £4.99. Until April 22, you can also get it at a discount of 20%, though that only knocks it down to £3.99. We have to believe that Margarite is in on the joke, since the Steam listing includes out-of-context quotes from negative reviews and a direct link to Big Rig’s Metacritic page, where it has an average critic score of 8 and all the positive fan reviews are clearly meant as a joke. Even so, the trailer indicates that Margarite hasn’t simply ported the original game and has now got Big Rigs working as intended. Other racers actually move now, although it remains to be seen if that’s the only thing that’s been fixed. Although that does seem to remove the only reason for actually playing the game, because if it’s not a broken mess then it’s just a very dull, low budget racing game. You’re winner indeed (Margarite Entertainment) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign 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

It seems like new tablets have been dropping like rain lately, each one trying to one-up the other. As the tech wars escalate, however, so do the prices, and if you’ve been watching the news over the past week, this might not be the time for big splurges. So when Amazon keeps the price of the 10th Gen iPad just a buck above its all-time low, that’s a deal worth jumping on. This 30% off deal brings you the 10th Gen iPad in its maxed-out 256GB form to you for just $350. It’s a savings of $150 off the regular retail price of the stalwart of Apple’s tablet lineup. This is the iPad model we like to call the Goldilocks tablet — it’s not too big, not too small, not too pricey, and not overly cheap. Everything about the 10th Gen iPad is just right. See at Amazon Just Plain Solid The overview of the 10th Gen iPad’s features checks all the boxes for a tablet you’ll use every day. It sports a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen that goes edge-to-edge, a new 12MP Landscape Ultra-Wide front camera and a 12MP rear camera, 4K video, Wi-Fi 6E, and the powerful A14 Bionic processor chipset to drive them all. The headline, of course, is the $350 price tag, which really stands out when you line it up with the $999 starting price of the iPad Pro, the $599 tag on the iPad Air, and even the iPad Mini’s $499. The features of the 10th Gen iPad stand up with its pricier cousins, with USB-C charging, compatibility with the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard Folio, and 10-hour battery life. The biggest difference is the price. Not the Newest, But Maybe the Best? The 10th Gen iPad was released in 2022, and there have literally been dozens of tablets released since then, by Apple and its many competitors. And yet, the 10th Gen iPad still stands very high on the best-of lists, and that’s due to its combination of processing power, top-end features, and price. It runs the latest version of iPadOS, has all of the essential iPad apps, and the industry-best Apple Liquid Retina screen. Amazon’s 30% sale on the 10th Gen iPad, available in four colors, lands it a mere dollar above its all-time lowest price, and well below its regular $500 retail price. It’s also an incredible price considering this is the fully-loaded 256GB version of the 10th Gen iPad. We’re not sure when that price is going to go back up, so hit Amazon now just to be safe. See at Amazon

Carved in Stone: Tuff, Basalt, and the Architecture of ArmeniaSave this picture!"Divers" by David Martin at the Yerevan Cascade Complex. Image by Besides the Obvious via Shutterstock.Tucked away between the majestic peaks of the Caucasus and the enchanting landscapes of the Near East, Armenia is a small yet fiercely proud nation, shaped by rugged mountains and ancient volcanoes. One of the world's oldest countries, its roots stretch back to the 6th century BCE, standing at the crossroads of empires—Persian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman. Yet, through centuries of upheaval, Armenia has held onto its distinctive identity, carved into its language, architecture, and rich cultural traditions—earning it the evocative title, "the land of stones." And stones, quite literally, tell Armenia's story. As the first nation to embrace Christianity in 301 CE, faith has left its mark not just in spirit but in stone—shaping the country's iconic churches and monasteries. The land is home to seven active and extinct volcanoes—Ara, Aragats, Alages, Arteni, Gegham, Porak, and Tskhouk-Karchak—standing as a testament to the region's seismic history. Their eruptions gifted Armenia an endless supply of volcanic rock, particularly tuff and basalt, the backbone of its architecture. Durable, practical, and rich with history, these stones aren't just building blocks—they're the foundation of an enduring legacy. Save this picture!Tuff and Basalt: A Story of Two StonesTuff is a rock forged from volcanic ruptions, geothermal activity, and sedimentary deposits. When magma meets the surface or mineral-heavy waters dry up, tuff forms, locking in layers of carbonate and silica. Armenian tuff, forged from volcanic ash, comes in three distinct types—travertine (a limestone cousin), volcanic tuff, and felsite—each shaped by billions of years underground. Its natural porosity grants it exceptional properties—water resistance (depending on the type), thermal insulation, and soundproofing—making it a versatile material for both building blocks and cladding tiles. This volcanic "sponge" has been a go-to building material for centuries. The Romans, for instance, employed tuff in everything from roads to the Colosseum and even the Servian Wall of Rome. Its durability makes it well-suited for homes, keeping interiors cool in summer and warm in winter. The churches and buildings around Lake Sevan, built in the early 15th century, still stand strong despite extreme weather swings from -40°C to +40°C.In Yerevan, Armenia's 2800-year-old capital, tuff, limestone, basalt, and marble, form the city's architectural backbone. With its natural color palette—ranging from delicate pinks to rich, earthy hues—no two tuff buildings look the same. Each stone, with its unique shade and texture, holds a story, making Armenia's architecture as timeless as the rock itself.Save this picture!Save this picture!Interestingly, while Yerevan is famously known as the "Pink City" for its tuff-clad buildings, Gyumri—Armenia's northern gem—boasts a darker, more varied palette. The largest deposits of tuff are found near Artik, just outside Gyumri, and they come in an impressive 28 natural shades, including beige, brown, red, orange, lilac, black, and, of course, the iconic pink. These varieties include: Ani Tuff – Light shades, the lightest variety. Artik Tuff (Pink Tuff) – A blend of pink, lilac, and violet hues. Yerevan Tuff (Hoktemberyan-Gyumri) – Rich shades of black, brown, and red. Byurakan Tuff – Notable for its stone inclusions, minerals, and colorful spots. Felsite Tuff – A unique variant with distinctive features. Save this picture!Save this picture!Basalt, by contrast, is a dense volcanic rock formed by the rapid cooling of lava. Its resilience and strength made it a favored material for ancient builders. In fact, basalt was used in ancient Egypt for sarcophagi and statues, and in modern times, it remains a vital construction material, valued for its durability, heat resistance, and soundproofing qualities. Basalt's universal appeal is further evidenced by its presence on Mars, Venus, and the Moon, making it one of the most common volcanic rocks in the cosmos.Located just 23.3 km east of Yerevan, the Garni Gorge is a protected natural monument, famed for its basalt columns, shaped by the winding Goght River. The vertical cliffs are composed of perfectly formed hexagonal columns, a result of lava cooling unevenly—a stunning natural phenomenon known as the "Symphony of the Stones." Overlooking this gorge stands the first-century AD Temple of Garni, the only pagan temple still standing in Armenia. Built using basalt in the Ionic style, the temple is adorned with classical reliefs that grace its pylons, offering a glimpse into Armenia's rich ancient heritage.Save this picture!Save this picture!From Christian Churches to Soviet Brutalism to Modern ArchitectureIn the 9th century, Armenians began carving Christian symbols into tuff, giving rise to the iconic khachkars (cross-stones). Tuff's light texture and malleability made it the perfect medium for conveying Christian symbolism, and as a result, many churches and monasteries feature intricate carvings, domes, and cross-shaped layouts. Though many khachkars were lost during the Armenian Genocide, some of the finest examples remain, scattered across Armenia and beyond.At the heart of Armenian Christian architecture is the Armenian Apostolic Church, best exemplified by the Etchmiadzin Cathedral and the country's 4,000+ churches, many built from volcanic stone. Medieval monasteries like Geghard and Noravank symbolize both faith and resilience, while the ancient city of Ani showcases tuff's artistic potential. Armenian churches are famous for their pointed domes, mirroring the volcanic cone of Mount Ararat. These domes rise atop cylindrical drums with polygonal exteriors, featuring narrow windows, vaulted ceilings, ornate frescoes, and finely-cut tufa shingles—a design both practical and symbolic. Arches and sculptural details provide both structural integrity and aesthetics.Save this picture!Save this picture!Fast forward to the Soviet era, and Armenia's architecture took a sharp turn. Under Alexander Tamanyan, Yerevan's master plan took shape, leading to cultural landmarks like the Yerevan Opera House and Republic Square. The 20th century ushered in a wave of stark, utilitarian Soviet structures—Yeritasardakan Metro Station (Arch. Stepan Kyurkchyan), Republic Square Metro Station (Arch. Jim Torosyan & Mkrtich Minasyan), and the Cascade Complex (Arch. Sargis Gurzadyan, Jim Torosyan & Aslan Mkhitaryan) defined this era. But Armenian Brutalism had a twist—while the world saw raw concrete as cold and uninviting, Armenian architects infused it with pink tuff's warm, earthy hues. Hence, rigid geometry met natural elegance, welcoming twist to the otherwise imposing concrete forms. Save this picture!After the Soviet Union's collapse, Armenia embraced its independence by distancing itself from its Soviet past—renaming places and forging a new cultural identity that blended old influences with a unique, modern vision. In postmodernism's context of pluralism, Armenian late modern architecture blends traditional, national, and contemporary influences. While Armenia boasts plenty of post-Soviet and postmodern architecture, there are many examples to really compare and trace the evolution. New landmarks, like the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Gyumri and the AYB Middle School, are popping up, all while paying tribute to the country's rich stone heritage. Through it all, tuff remains ever-present—quietly watching empires rise and fall.Save this picture!Save this picture!Preserving the Past, Building the FutureIn the heart of Yerevan, at the corner of Arami and Koghbatsi streets, master craftsman Hambik carves intricate khachkars from tuff. Passersby can pause and witness the delicate artistry that forms a deep connection between the master and the stone, a timeless craft passed down through generations. Today, both tuff and basalt continue to play a vital role in Armenia's modern architecture, as the nation strives to preserve its ancient buildings while embracing new developments. The modern construction dilemma in the country? Finding a way to preserve centuries-old architecture while blending it with fresh, innovative design. It sounds like a tough challenge, but there's a rising determination to tackle it with real care and creativity.Save this picture!It's easy to assume a country would build with the materials it has in abundance. But in Armenia's case, the story runs deeper. A nation that has endured both political and natural upheavals, Armenia always finds a way to rise again—just like tuff itself, forged in fire, weathered by time, and standing strong as a national treasure. Image gallerySee allShow less About this authorTatevik AvetisyanAuthor••• Cite: Tatevik Avetisyan. "Carved in Stone: Tuff, Basalt, and the Architecture of Armenia" 08 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028300/carved-in-stone-tuff-basalt-and-the-architecture-of-armenia&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 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

Gartner Identifies 12 Disruptive Technologies for Future Business Systems By John P. Mello Jr. April 8, 2025 5:00 AM PT ADVERTISEMENT SMB Software Companies: Playbook for Expansion & Growth Proven strategies to scale your company, grow market share, and win more customers. Download the free playbook today. AI will become the new UI, spending will increase to counter disinformation, and increased use of Earth intelligence gathered from space will be disruptive technologies in the near future, according to a report released Monday by global technology research firm Gartner. The three technologies were among 12 that Gartner predicted would define the future of business systems. Technology leaders must prioritize these over the next five years, as they present competitive opportunities in the near term and will eventually grow to become standard throughout businesses, Gartner contended. “Technology leaders must take action now to gain a first-mover advantage with these technologies,” Gartner Vice President Analyst Bill Ray said in a statement. “Innovative advancements like generative-AI-enabled code architecture, disinformation security, and Earth intelligence will provide the differentiation needed to help enterprises pull ahead of the pack in terms of data and product offerings.” AI Replaces Staid UI Gartner maintained that gen-AI solutions using free-form text and multimedia inputs/outputs will displace the conventional form-oriented sequential UI in established enterprise applications and enable new user scenarios. A user interface provides a way for a human to navigate and communicate with a machine naturally, explained Sandi Besen, an applied AI researcher at IBM and Neudesic, a global professional services company. “Since language models enable a system to communicate with humans natively through voice, text, or visually, we might not have as much need for a ‘user interface’ the way we know it today,” she told TechNewsWorld. “If you can interact with the computer using natural language, you don’t really need a secondary UI,” said Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst of the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm in Bend, Ore. “The AI becomes your user interface,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Much like you don’t need Windows to talk to someone else, you won’t need a UI to interact with your computer.” Besen pointed out, however, that some things are still difficult to control, like input validation, without a UI. “We are seeing the emergence of a ‘dynamic UI’ that adapts based on the inputs the user needs to provide the LLM rather than forcing the user to follow a predefined flow,” she said. Gartner Vice President Analyst Ray Valdes added in a statement, “To remain competitive, traditional enterprise application software vendors will need to refactor applications to serve composable gen-AI solutions that are invoked on demand via textual and multimodal prompts.” Because of that, Gartner predicts that by 2029, more than 50% of user interactions linked to enterprise business processes will leverage large language models to bypass the UI layer in traditional enterprise applications, up from less than 5% today. New Interest in Disinformation Security Gartner also predicts that by 2030, at least half of enterprises will have adopted products or services to address disinformation security, up from less than 5% in 2024. It explained that disinformation security is an emerging discipline focused on threats from outside the corporate-controlled network. It includes a suite of technologies, such as deepfake detection, impersonation prevention, and reputation protection, that can address disinformation to help enterprises discern trust, protect their brand, and secure their online presence. “Attackers are using AI to impersonate executives, manipulate communications, and erode confidence in what people see and hear online,” said Patrick Tiquet, vice president for security and architecture at Keeper Security, a password management and online storage company in Chicago. “For enterprises, this means protecting infrastructure isn’t enough,” he told TechNewsWorld. “They also need to secure the people behind it, ensuring digital interactions remain authentic and trusted.” Ishpreet Singh, chief information officer at Black Duck Software, an applications security company in Burlington, Mass., explained that the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence technologies, such as deepfakes, generative AI, and automated bots, enables malicious actors to create highly realistic and targeted false narratives at unprecedented scale and speed. “These sophisticated disinformation campaigns can quickly influence public perception, distort market realities, and undermine organizational credibility, directly threatening brand value and long-term stakeholder trust,” he told TechNewsWorld. Gartner Senior Director Analyst Alfredo Ramirez IV added in a statement: “Disinformation attacks use external infrastructure like social media and originate from areas with limited legal oversight. Tech leaders must add ‘disinformation-proofing’ to products by using AI/machine learning for content verification and data provenance tracking to help users discern the truth.” Earth Intelligence for Business Insights Gartner also predicts that by 2028, 80% of major Earth surface assets globally will be monitored by active satellites. Earth intelligence uses AI to analyze satellite, aerial, and ground data to monitor Earth’s assets and activities, providing insights for decision-making, it explained. “That doesn’t mean maps and charts,” Ray said. “Earth intelligence is delivering numbers on global nickel production, theme park revenue, and the health of wheat crops, to name just a few.” Earth intelligence also includes accurate weather forecasting. “Weather events can adversely impact logistics and supply chains, so being able to better predict them should allow companies to more effectively assure their operations,” Enderle noted. “In addition,” he continued, “weather events can put sites, customers, and employees at risk, so having a better predictive tool will allow companies to better protect these assets.” Given the breadth of applications, Gartner maintained that Earth intelligence is applicable to all industries and enterprises. Defense has been the first adopter, but improvements in data quality and analysis techniques have rapidly expanded the use cases. “Earth intelligence applies to every business,” Ray added. “Enterprises can gain an early advantage by creatively and strategically applying Earth intelligence to significantly enhance specific functionalities of existing systems or to compete via net new capabilities.” Disruptive Dozen Gartner organized its Disruptive Dozen into four categories: Application, Infrastructure, Data, and Security. Application disrupters include intelligent simulation, AI-composed applications, and polyfunctional robots. “Polyfunctional robots will be capable of performing an increasing number of jobs currently done by humans,” Enderle said. “Putting in place the support structure for these robots and programs to retrain or eliminate the then redundant employees will require a great deal of planning, time, and effort and will certainly disrupt operations during implementation, particularly if the site is unionized.” Infrastructure disrupters include algorithm-aligned silicon, low power/high compute, and sensor fusion. Among the data disrupters are Earth intelligence, hypersynthetic data, and domain language models. “Hypersynthetic data will make creating LLMs far easier and faster,” Enderle said. “However, the potential for this data to be unreliable increases significantly the farther you get from data with a more factual foundation. Quality has suffered significantly during the AI rollout, and hypersynthetic data could increase that exposure significantly.” Besen explained that domain language models are LLMs trained extensively within a “domain” of knowledge rather than on general data like GPT-4o. “They will be important, particularly for tasks that require a very deep understanding of specialized subjects like biology or chemistry, and which don’t require knowledge or the ability to reason outside their specific domain,” she said. “A domain model for biology might be excellent for interpreting patient symptoms and explaining a physician’s diagnosis to a user — but not helping them plan their upcoming travel itinerary.” Security disrupters include digital ethics, disinformation security, and preemptive cybersecurity. “Preemptive cybersecurity stands out because it shifts security from reaction to prediction,” Tiquet explained. “As threat actors increasingly weaponize AI and automation, waiting for an alert is no longer enough,” he continued. “Preemptive systems use AI-driven insights to uncover vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and anomalies before they’re exploited.” “It’s a disruptive change because it forces organizations to rethink traditional tools and adopt continuous, intelligent threat anticipation across every layer — from endpoints to identities to cloud workloads,” he said. Singh added, “This forward-looking approach is especially critical in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, where the increasing complexity of interconnected systems — including IoT devices, cloud services, and remote work platforms — creates a broader and more intricate array of security challenges.” John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. Leave a Comment Click here to cancel reply. Please sign in to post or reply to a comment. New users create a free account. Related Stories More by John P. Mello Jr. view all More in Emerging Tech

One of the best things about baseball season is the food. There is no sign of spring quite like enjoying a cold drink and a hot dog with thousands of fellow fans inside a stadium. This tradition is bound to put a hole in your wallet, but do you know what it might cost you health-wise?A new survey conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult reveals that although 88 percent of Americans have eaten a hot dog in their lifetime, much less are aware of the specific health concerns surrounding processed meats. “Tens of millions of Americans could eat hot dogs this baseball season, but most of them are unaware that doing so raises their risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases,” said Noah Praamsma, a nutrition education coordinator, in a press release. Health Risks of Eating Hot DogsLarge quantities of hot dogs are consumed every year, with 20 million being eaten during baseball season alone. Hot dogs are also categorized as processed meats and carry with them the many health risks associated with that food type.Processed meats are any meat that has been preserved or modified, usually using techniques like smoking, salting, curing, or adding preservatives. These techniques are often used to extend a meat’s shelf life or to add or change the flavor. Common processed meats include bacon, ham, deli meats, sausages, and, of course, hot dogs.Along with links to obesity and heart disease, the main problem with processed meats is their link to cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), processed meats are now classified as carcinogenic.Processed Meats and Cancer More specifically, there is an established link between eating processed meats and colorectal cancer. The more someone consumes processed meats, the more their risk for colorectal cancer increases.This link is especially alarming due to the dramatic rise in colorectal cancer diagnoses and deaths in the U.S. In the 1990s, colorectal cancer was the fourth leading cause of cancer death in America. Now, it is the leading cause of cancer death in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 40 and 49.Concerningly, there has also been a drastic increase in colorectal cancer deaths among young Americans. It is also the leading cause of cancer death in men 20-39 and the third leading cause of cancer death in women of the same age bracket. It’s important to note that indulging in the occasional ballpark dog won’t give you cancer. The problem occurs when processed meats become part of a daily diet. Consuming only 50 grams of processed meat a day, the equivalent of a single hot dog, will increase colorectal cancer risk by 18 percent.Unaware of Health RisksThe survey, conducted in March of 2025 and involving 2,204 U.S. adults, revealed that 57 percent of respondents had eaten a hot dog at a baseball stadium, but almost all of them didn’t know or fully understand the associated health risks.For 51 percent of respondents, the risks were something they’d heard of, but they didn’t know the specific details. Another 30 percent were completely unaware of the health risks. The team behind the survey isn’t advocating for people to never eat a hot dog again. Instead, they hope to increase awareness of the risks of consuming processed meat so that Americans can make an informed decision about their next stadium snack.In a promising result, 40 percent of those surveyed said they’d be open to trying a plant-based hot dog, and 63 percent agreed that baseball stadiums should offer plant-based options for those fans who are trying to make healthier choices. What can you do if there are no plant-based dogs at your next baseball outing? Another stadium favorite may be the answer. “If veggie dogs and other plant-based options aren’t available, opt for roasted peanuts – a staple at baseball stadiums,” Praamsma said in a press release. “Peanuts are packed with disease-fighting plant protein and can be protective against colorectal cancer.”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:Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult. Baseball and Hot Dogs Survey As the marketing coordinator at Discover Magazine, Stephanie Edwards interacts with readers across Discover's social media channels and writes digital content. Offline, she is a contract lecturer in English & Cultural Studies at Lakehead University, teaching courses on everything from professional communication to Taylor Swift, and received her graduate degrees in the same department from McMaster University. You can find more of her science writing in Lab Manager and her short fiction in anthologies and literary magazine across the horror genre.

I don’t need another cooking competition or fake dating show in my queue. I want deep dives on ancient civilizations, black holes, unsolved crimes, and space exploration. Netflix? Not cutting it. But this documentary streaming service I found? Let’s just say I’ve finally found my binge-watching match. When I heard that MagellanTV also charged no subscription fees—and didn’t run irritating ads throughout the content—I was sold. Instead of all the BS, anyone can get lifetime access to MagellanTV for $199.99 on Popular Science (reg. $999). TV made educational?!? Yup, I’ve been able to actually make my brain smarter, all by streaming with MagellanTV. I haven’t run out of content yet, either—there are over 3,000 docuseries and documentaries to dive into on virtually any topic. I’m partial to history, crime, and culture, but there are plenty of solid options if you’re into science, tech, war, and more. I won’t spoil all of the platform’s offerings—you’ll have to grab a subscription to check it out!—but I’ve been loving titles like The Unsolved Killings of Jack the Ripper, Burnout: The Truth About Work, and John F. Kennedy: Making of a President. Another thing I love about MagellanTV is that when I’m feeling indecisive about what to watch, I can turn on a documentary playlist and let it choose something totally new for me. The platform also adds new content weekly. Plus, unlike Netflix, I can share the service with my friends and family. MagellanTV lets me share my account and stream on up to five different devices.  Get your MagellanTV lifetime subscription here for $199.99 and never feel tied to streaming service fees again. StackSocial prices subject to change. MagellanTV Documentary Streaming Service: Lifetime Subscription – $199.99 See Deal What makes this deal special If you’ve ever canceled a streaming subscription out of frustration (or price hikes), you’re not alone—subscription fatigue is real. That’s what makes MagellanTV’s lifetime membership such a standout. For a one-time price, you’re getting unlimited access to a content library that actually feeds your brain, not just your impulse to binge. No monthly charges, no ads, and no fluff content. It’s a rare chance to permanently ditch subscriptions while gaining thousands of high-quality documentaries.

News Climate Solar geoengineering moves into the spotlight as climate concerns grow Depending on whom you ask, it’s potentially dangerous, promising or uncertain The debate over solar geoengineering is heating up as Earth's temperature rises. Ryan Noeker/500px/Getty Images Plus By Carolyn Gramling 19 seconds ago Earth’s average temperature is continuing to tick inexorably upward as the world’s nations stall at reducing their atmosphere-warming emissions. In the face of that grim future, strategies to try to turn down the planet’s thermostat are gaining traction. One strategy in particular — solar geoengineering, which aims to cool the planet by reflecting solar radiation back into space — may be having a moment in the sun. Depending on whom you ask, it’s potentially highly dangerous, highly promising or highly uncertain. There aren’t any real guidelines. But, with the future of emissions restrictions also highly uncertain, some researchers say solar geoengineering needs to be on the table. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.

Nature, Published online: 08 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00994-4Researchers jubilant over swift ministerial response to rule they say would hamper international recruitment.