The Supreme Court’s Republican majority certainly seems eager to make taxpayers fund religious education. Over the past few decades, the Court has slowly expanded the ability of religious schools to access public money. Most recently, in Carson v. Makin (2022), the Court held that states that provide tuition vouchers that pay for private education must allow those vouchers to be spent on religious private schools. Thus far, however, the Court has tolerated the separation of church and state in public education. That separation could be eroded in a case the Court will hear oral arguments for on the last day of April, however. That case, Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond concerns a proposed Catholic school — St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School — which seeks to become the first religious public charter school in the country, dealing a severe blow to separation of church and state in public schooling in the process.Traditional public schools are state-owned institutions that are operated by the state. Private schools are owned and operated by someone other than the government. Charter schools are a kind of hybrid institution that are created by states and have always been understood to be part of a state’s public school system, but that are often operated by third parties under strict state control.As Oklahoma argues in its brief, both a 1994 federal law and the laws of 46 states not only classify charter schools as public institutions, they also require them to be nonreligious.St. Isidore rejects this classification, and it challenges a state constitutional provision forbidding the state from spending public money “for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion.” St. Isidore and key officials within Oklahoma ask the Court to bypass this constitutional prohibition by reclassifying the state’s charter schools as private entities.Because Carson already established that states must fund religious schools if they offer subsidies to private educational institutions, the Oklahoma case turns on whether charter schools count as public institutions, as the state’s law classifies them, or whether they are private entities that the state contracts with to educate some students. The former would maintain the prohibition against religious charter schools, and the latter stance would destroy it.A key precedent in this case is Lebron v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation (1995), in which the Supreme Court warned that “Government-created and -controlled” entities must be classified as part of the government, otherwise the Court’s notorious pro-segregation decision in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) “can be resurrected by the simple device of having the State of Louisiana operate segregated trains through a state-owned Amtrak.” Given this precedent, if government-created and -controlled entities are public, then Oklahoma’s charter schools should count as public schools. Under Oklahoma law, the state’s charter school board “shall have the sole authority to sponsor statewide virtual charter schools in this state,” and the state exercises considerable control over charter schools.But precedent has about as much influence over this Supreme Court’s religion decisions as the works of Tchaikovsky have over Egyptian hip-hop. Just one month after Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation gave Republicans a supermajority on the Court, Barrett joined four of her Republican colleagues in overruling a decision governing worship services during the pandemic that was only a few months old. And that was the first of many decisions remaking the Court’s approach to religion.So it remains to be seen whether these justices will care what the Court said in Lebron, or even whether they will honor their recent declaration in Carson that public schools are permitted to remain “strictly secular.”Not that long ago, the Constitution was understood to forbid states from funding religious institutions. As the Supreme Court said in Everson v. Board of Education (1947), “no tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion.”This strict rule against using taxes to fund religion hasn’t been the law for at least the last two decades, however. In Zelman v. Simmons Harris (2002), the Court considered whether a state may voluntarily choose to create a private school voucher program where the vouchers may be spent at religious institutions. In a 5-4 decision, most of the justices concluded that a state could choose to fund religious private schools if it wanted to, so long as parents ultimately got to decide whether to send their children to one of these schools.Zelman, however, merely established that the Constitution is neutral on the question of whether states should fund private religious schools. Under its regime, states retained the right to only fund public education, or to provide subsidies to secular private schools but not to religious institutions.Carson, meanwhile, was the culmination of three Supreme Court cases that abandoned Zelman’s neutrality toward religion in favor of mandatory funding for religious schools. Carson did not go so far as to hold that states must provide tuition vouchers to religious institutions. But it did establish that, once a state sets up a school voucher program, “it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.”Still, even Carson emphasized that its rule is limited to states that fund private education. A state, Carson held, is still allowed to “provide a strictly secular education in its public schools.”Thus, the Oklahoma case now turns on whether charter schools count as public or private. If they are public, then Oklahoma and the nearly four dozen other states with charter schools may continue to operate them as they always have been operated — as strictly secular. If they are private, then Carson mandates that the state must fund religious charter schools.Under existing law, St. Isidore will be a public school if it is allowed to openLebron suggests that an entity is public when it is both government-created and government-controlled. More recently, in Biden v. Nebraska (2023), the Court determined that a Missouri corporation that services billions of dollars worth of student loans is “an instrumentality of Missouri” because it “was created by the State to further a public purpose, is governed by state officials and state appointees, reports to the State, and may be dissolved by the State.”The question of whether the state created St. Isidore is somewhat fraught, and if the school does open it can fairly be said that it has two parents. In a brief supporting religious charter schools, the Trump administration points out that the corporate entity that will operate St. Isidore “originated as a private non-profit corporation, conceived of and incorporated by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.” But while it’s true that private parties brought this corporation into being without state involvement, beyond the fact that corporations are chartered under state law, this corporate entity is a hollow shell without the state. Oklahoma law provides that virtual charter schools like St. Isidore cannot exist without sponsorship from the Statewide Charter School Board. It forbids ordinary private schools from becoming charter schools. And it provides that St. Isidore will not be “considered established” until it receives state sponsorship.A school like St. Isidore, in other words, is not “created” until the state of Oklahoma says so.Once an Oklahoma charter school is created, moreover, the state exercises tremendous control over it. Under state law, the state charter school board provides “supervision, services, and oversight of the operations of statewide virtual charter schools.” Charter schools are subject to the same testing, health, safety, civil rights, insurance, and disability rules that govern ordinary public schools. They may be audited by the state, and are subject to “the same reporting requirements, financial audits, audit procedures, and audit requirements as a [public] school district.” Charter schools generally must provide an “academic program aligned with state standards.” And they are annually evaluated by the state charter school board under a detailed framework laid out in an Oklahoma statute.Indeed, some of the state laws governing what is taught at Oklahoma charter schools are quite granular. One statute, for example, provides that all charter schools “shall provide instruction in cursive handwriting for students in the third through fifth grades.”Finally, the state of Oklahoma may shut down charter schools entirely for poor student performance, bad fiscal management, or for “other good cause.” The state also ranks public and charter schools by performance and may shut down any charter school that ranks “among the bottom five percent (5%) of public schools in the state.”St. Isidore, in other words, cannot be created without the state. It fulfills the kind of “public purpose” imagined by Nebraska — providing a free public education to Oklahoma students — and it “is governed by state officials and state appointees, reports to the State, and may be dissolved by the State.” All of that suggests that St. Isidore, if it is allowed to exist, will be a public school.And, on top of all of that, Oklahoma’s charter school laws are part of a web of state and federal laws that have always understood charter schools to be public entities and that require them to be secular institutions. Nothing in the Constitution has changed since this web of laws was enacted. The only thing that’s changed is that the Supreme Court now has a Republican supermajority that frequently overrules precedents in order to require more state funding of religion.What are the stakes in this case?For fans of the First Amendment, the constitutional stakes in this case should be fairly obvious. That amendment forbids the government from establishing a religion, a provision that has historically been understood to forbid the government from entangling itself with religious institutions like a parochial school — although the Roberts Court, in its zeal to wipe away its predecessors’ work on religion, may have tossed this principle out as well in a 2022 decision.Since Zelman permitted states to fund religious private schools voluntarily, moreover, the Court has emphasized the importance of parental choice. It’s one thing for the state to subsidize religious education that families choose for themselves. It’s another thing altogether, at least under a First Amendment that guarantees everyone the right to freely practice their own faith, for the state to mandate that children attend a religious school that does not align with their family’s convictions.But if religious public schools — or even, as St. Isidore requests, religious schools funded and controlled by the state, which are newly classified as “private” — can exist, they risk crowding out traditional schools that offer a secular education. And should that happen, parents could find themselves with few options other than their local religious charter school, essentially eliminating choice and forcing families to send their children to schools that promote religions they do not identify with.Imagine a neighborhood where nearly all of the families share a particular faith — let’s say a neighborhood of Orthodox Jews. If the government opens an Orthodox Jewish school in this neighborhood, most of the local parents are likely to opt into that school, starving the area’s traditional public school of funding and resources. (Public schools, including charter schools, typically receive funding based on how many students they enroll.)Now imagine that a family that belongs to a Reform Jewish synagogue moves into that neighborhood. That family is likely to feel pressured to send its children to the Orthodox school because it will offer a better education than the under-resourced secular school.The other question raised by St. Isidore’s request is: What happens if religious charter schools were to deny constitutional rights to students? According to a student/parent handbook published online, another private school operated by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City expels students if they or their parents disagree “with Catholic faith and morals.” The school also bans “advocating for, or expressing same-sex attractions.”Private religious schools may demand that their students comply with the tenets of a particular faith, so long as the school complies with anti-discrimination laws and similar legal restrictions. But public schools are bound by the Constitution — the Supreme Court has said that public school students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate,” for example. If charter schools are reclassified as private, that means that all of their students could lose access to their constitutional rights.The Court’s Republicans have been eager to usher in a bold new social experiment, where the idea of separating church and state fades away, and taxpayers are forced to pay for the religious practices of their neighbors. It remains to be seen whether this experiment is compatible with the principle that every American is entitled to a free public education that does not interfere with their own religious beliefs. Oklahoma may provide the answer.See More:

Bloober Team has revealed a first look at gameplay of Cronos: The New Dawn, a new atmospheric survival horror title due to launch later this year — check it out belowTech17:00, 16 Apr 20252025 is shaping up nicely for horror fans(Image: Bloober Team)Silent Hill 2 was long considered an "untouchable' game that simple couldn't (and maybe shouldn't) be remade.Article continues belowAnd, while some doubted Polish studio Bloober Team should be given the keys to such an iconic title, the team responded with one of 2024's best surprises.‌Now, the team behind Layers of Fear, Observer, Blair Witch and The Medium is back with another new IP with Cronos: The New Dawn.With a unique mechanic, gorgeous world to explore and what appears to be more of a focus on combat, here's all we learned from the latest update.Cronos looks intense(Image: Bloober Team)Article continues belowCronos: The New Dawn will launch this year on Xbox Series X and S, PS5, and PC via Steam, and is set across two time periods - the ruins of a post-apocalypse, and 1980s era Poland."Cronos: The New Dawn thrusts players into the decaying district of New Dawn, inspired by real-life Nowa Huta," a press release explains.‌"You play as a Traveller, an agent of the mysterious Collective, emerging from a dystopian future to dive back into time and extract key people before they perish in the apocalypse.""As you explore a world on the brink of annihilation, you’ll encounter grotesque enemies known as the Orphans — twisted, body-horror monstrosities born from humanity’s darkest nightmares."Those 'Orphans' definitely look pretty unsettling in the gameplay trailer, while our Traveller will need to use their weapons to keep them at bay.‌That's important, because enemies left unchecked will eventually be absorbed by other enemies, growing more powerful through the "Merging" mechanic that makes each foe stronger and faster.Don't let them merge!(Image: Bloober Team)Jacek Zięba, Co-Director and Producer, said via a press release “Imagine this: a distorted mix of sci-fi, time travel, retro-futuristic dread, and body horror—all set against the gritty backdrop of 80s Poland. What a ride, right? And whatever you do… don’t let them merge.”Article continues belowWojciech Piejko, Co-Director and Designer, added “How do you fight them? Fire! Burn the fallen before they merge with living creatures. The merge changes the game, adding a whole new layer of strategy to combat. Push your survival instincts to the max.”For more on upcoming horror titles, be sure to check out the reveal of Ritual Tides from ex-Rockstar developers.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Xbox boss vows Switch 2 support again but there’s still no sign of it Adam Starkey Published April 16, 2025 5:06pm Updated April 16, 2025 5:06pm Support is coming, but when? (Nintendo/Microsoft) Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has said he’s a ‘big believer’ in Nintendo, as he addresses questions about the company’s support for the Switch 2. The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct showcased an impressive amount of third-party support from the likes of Ubisoft, CD Projekt, Capcom, EA, Square Enix, and Sega, but one company was notably absent from the line-up. Microsoft has only published a couple of games on the Switch, as part of its multi-platform pivot, namely Grounded and Pentiment, plus the two Ori games five years ago. As of yet though, the company hasn’t announced any games for the Switch 2. Rumours suggest Microsoft Flight Simulator and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are planned for the system but nothing has ever been announced… and that hasn’t changed this week. Earlier this year, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed Xbox games would be coming to the Switch 2, but without explicitly naming any titles – and that has happened once again in a new interview. Asked by Variety if they have any plans for projects on the Switch 2, Spencer replied: ‘So we’ve been supporting Switch 1, I want to support Switch 2. Nintendo has been a great partner. We think it is a unique way for us to reach players who aren’t PC players, and who aren’t players on Xbox. ‘It lets us continue to grow our community of people that care about the franchises that we have, and that’s really important for us to make sure we continue to invest in our games. ‘I’m a really big believer in what Nintendo means for this industry and us continuing to support them. And getting the support from them for our franchises, I think, is an important part of our future.’ When asked if the Switch 2 makes Microsoft ‘antsy’ to announce Xbox’s future hardware, Spencer stated that he was focused ‘on our communities and the player base that we’re building’ – but didn’t make any mention of its upcoming handheld. Halo is rumoured for Switch 2 (Microsoft) ‘I get inspired by what a lot of different creators do and other platform holders,’ he added. ‘But I believe in the plans that we have.’ ‘Obviously, we’re evolving what it means to be Xbox and meeting players in so many different places. There are 3 billion people who play video games on the planet and I get up every morning and think about how Xbox can be more relevant to the 3 billion people who play. ‘And that’s through making sure we’re leading in how our games and our platform features can be available in as many places as possible, whether that’s Cloud, whether it’s people playing on PC, whether it’s people playing on console. ‘So we’re really driven by trying to grow our franchises and our platform to be an important part of gaming for as many of those 3 billion gamers as we can reach.’ While Xbox keeps talking about supporting the Switch 2 it’s odd that we haven’t seen any tangible support yet – especially as you’d think the company would want some kind of presence around the console’s launch. Especially as Forza Horizon 5 is released on PlayStation 5 at the end of April. More Trending By comparison, other companies like Ubisoft might not have any games available on the system at launch, but they have announced a port of Star Wars Outlaws for 2025 – clearly signalling their intentions for the format. It’s especially odd as bringing Call Of Duty to Nintendo consoles was one of the key arguments Microsoft used to justify its purchase of Activision Blizzard (even though Call Of Duty has been on plenty of Nintendo formats in the past). Perhaps Microsoft is waiting for the reveal of this year’s Call Of Duty, which often happens in late spring, or they might confirm some Switch 2 titles during the Xbox summer showcase on Sunday, June 8. If that’s the case though Spencer didn’t even hint at it, reinforcing the idea that Microsoft isn’t quite as enthusastic about multiformat releases in practice as it is in theory. The Switch 2 is nearly here (Nintendo) 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

Science & technology | Plastic and healthMicroplastics have not yet earned their bad reputationThere are worrying signs. But more thorough studies of their health effects are comingPhotograph: Fredrik Naumann/Panos Pictures Apr 16th 2025IN 2018 A TEAM of Austrian scientists discovered tiny fragments of plastic, known as microplastics, in stool samples from people in several countries. Since then, such particles have been found in human blood as well as organs, including the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart and even the brain. They have also turned up in the placenta and breast milk. And, according to some recent studies, the amount making its way into the body is increasing.Explore moreThis article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Mixed bag”From the April 19th 2025 editionDiscover stories from this section and more in the list of contents⇒Explore the editionReuse this content

In 2020, a group of scientists came up with an explanation for strange inconsistencies in Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. They suggested that ice-encrusted mushballs rain down during intense thunderstorms on the gas giant. At the time, however, the notion of ammonia-packed slushee hailstones seemed too weird to be true, so they spent the next several years trying to prove it wrong. But Jupiter’s mushballs could not be denied. New research confirmed the bizarre phenomenon not only exists—it could be taking place on all gaseous planets of the solar system. In the recent finding, reported in the journal Science Advances, planetary scientists at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) confirmed that hailstorms of mushballs, accompanied by fierce lightning, occur on Jupiter. The mushballs—slushy orbs of ammonia and water encased in a hard shell of water ice—deliver ammonia to deeper layers of Jupiter, unmixing its atmosphere. UC Berkeley graduate student Chris Moeckel and astronomy professor Imke de Pater co-authored the study, which is currently under peer review. They admit they initially thought the theory was too elaborate to be true. “Imke and I both were like, ‘There’s no way in the world this is true,’” Moeckel said in a statement. “So many things have to come together to actually explain this, it seems so exotic. I basically spent three years trying to prove this wrong. And I couldn’t prove it wrong.” A cross-section of Jupiter’s upper atmosphere (the troposphere) reveals storm depths along a north-south slice across the equator. Blue areas show higher-than-normal ammonia levels, while red indicates lower concentrations. Image: Chris Moeckel, UC Berkeley Jupiter is known for its stormy weather, featuring cyclones, anticyclones, large storms, and ammonia-rich plumes that engulf the planet. The planet’s atmosphere is primarily made of hydrogen and helium gas with trace amounts of ammonia and water. Violent storms within Jupiter’s tumultuous atmosphere are generating the mushballs and shallow lightning, according to the new research. These mushballs are created by thunderstorm clouds located around 40 miles (64 kilometers) beneath Jupiter’s cloud tops. The thunderstorm clouds carry water ice all the way up toward extreme altitudes that are sometimes above the visible layer of clouds. Once they’re at the top, ammonia acts like an antifreeze, melting the ice and combining with it, eventually forming a slushy ammonia-water liquid that is then coated with water ice, thus creating a mushball. Graphic showing how violent storms on Jupiter—and likely on other gas giants—can produce mushballs and shallow lightning. © NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/CNRS The idea of mushballs was first presented as an explanation for a long-held Jovian mystery: why ammonia is missing from parts of Jupiter’s atmosphere. According to the paper, the mushballs rise up through the atmosphere until they become too heavy and fall back down until they evaporate. In doing so, the mushballs redistribute ammonia and water from the upper atmosphere to layers deep below the clouds, creating areas of depleted ammonia that are visible in radio observations of Jupiter. “So you have, essentially, this weird system that gets triggered far below the cloud deck, goes all the way to the top of the atmosphere and then sinks deep into the planet,” Moeckel said. This results in the chemical composition of the cloud tops not necessarily reflecting the composition deeper in Jupiter’s atmosphere. The researchers behind the study created the first 3D visualization of Jupiter’s upper atmosphere, which confirmed that mushballs do exist. In fact, the slushy hailstorms could exist on other giant planets like Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Using observations from the Juno spacecraft’s Microwave Radiometer, the Very Large Array, and the Hubble Space Telescope, the researchers were able to probe the depth and impact of weather on Jupiter. The 3D visualization showed that, while the majority of the weather systems on Jupiter are shallow, taking place around 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) below the visible cloud deck of the planet, other weather events go much deeper into Jupiter’s stratosphere. “Every time you look at Jupiter, it’s mostly just surface level,” Moeckel said. “It’s shallow, but a few things—vortices and these big storms—can punch through.” The study concludes that the shallow weather events on Jupiter cannot explain the depletion of ammonia in the deeper parts of Jupiter’s atmosphere. Instead, the interplay of large-scale events, such as plumes and vortices, combined with storm-scale phenomenon, such as the mushball hailstorms, may be responsible for depleting Jupiter’s atmosphere. Missions sent to Jupiter and other distant planets of the solar system can only see the upper atmospheres, which is “actually a pretty bad representative of what is inside the planet,” Moeckel said. “The turbulent cloud tops would lead you to believe that the atmosphere is well mixed,” he added. “If you look at the top, you see it boiling, and you would assume that the whole pot is boiling. But these findings show that even though the top looks like it’s boiling, below is a layer that really is very steady and sluggish.”

Isola Apartment / ArchiplanstudioSave this picture!© Nicolò Panzeri•Milan, Italy Architects: Archiplanstudio Area Area of this architecture project Area:  45 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2025 Photographs Photographs:Nicolò Panzeri Lead Architects: Diego Cisi More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The small 45 sqm apartment is located on the ground floor of a characteristic Milanese "casa di ringhiera". The project's goal is to maximize comfort without compromising aesthetics, offering up to five sleeping places through smart space optimization.Save this picture!Save this picture!The living area, cozy and versatile, features a sofa bed, while a fully concealed kitchen allows the space to be transformed, hiding any trace of its technical function when used as a sleeping area. The master bedroom includes a third bed, cleverly integrated above the wardrobe, making the most of the apartment's height without cluttering the room.Save this picture!Save this picture!Every piece of furniture has been custom-designed, shaping the small spaces with precision and meticulous attention to detail.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this office MaterialSteelMaterials and TagsPublished on April 16, 2025Cite: "Isola Apartment / Archiplanstudio" 16 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1029033/isola-apartment-archiplanstudio&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

Learn how to create stunning VFX materials in Unreal Engine quickly and efficiently! In this tutorial, we'll cover the secrets to creating amazing visual effects materials from scratch, without spending hours on tedious tweaking. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, this video will show you how to unlock the full potential of Unreal Engine's material editor and create breathtaking VFX materials in no time. Get ready to take your Unreal Engine projects to the next level! FAB - https://www.fab.com/sellers/CGHOW Whatsapp - https://bit.ly/3LYvxjK Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/Ashif NFT - https://opensea.io/CGHOW Twitter - https://twitter.com/cghow_ 👉👉 If you Liked it - http://bit.ly/2UZmiZ4 Channel Ashif - http://bit.ly/3aYaniw Support me on - paypal.me/9953280644 #cghow #UE5 #UE4Niagara #gamefx #ue5niagara #ue4vfx #niagara #unrealengine #realtimevfx ●Visit - https://cghow.com/ Unreal Engine Marketplace - https://bit.ly/3aojvAa Artstation Store - https://www.artstation.com/ashif/store Gumroad - https://cghow.gumroad.com/

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Home saunas can provide many health benefits, including detoxification, improved circulation, stress and pain relief, weight loss, and more. They might even offer general relaxation, depending on the person. But getting to the spa or gym for a sauna session is not always convenient. Not to mention, those visits can get expensive. Fortunately, you can get all the benefits without ever having to leave your house with one of the best home saunas—like our best overall, the BOTARO Maxxus Saunas Seattle Infrared Sauna. Home saunas tend to use one of two different methods to achieve sweat-inducing temperatures. First, there is traditional steam, which heats the air around you to bring up your body heat. With portable saunas, this steam is typically generated by an external steamer pot that feeds into a sauna tent. The second employs infrared technology that uses electromagnetic radiation to warm your body directly rather than heating the air. This type of heat penetrates deeper into the body and is believed to impact and heal deep tissue. Whichever you decide on, it’s essential to know what you’re buying—which is why we’ve gone ahead and done the research to compile a list of the top home saunas on the market today. Best overall: BOTARO Maxxus Saunas Seattle Infrared Sauna Best for indoors: SereneLife Full Size Portable Steam Sauna Best 2-person: Dynamic Andora Low EMF Far Infrared Sauna Best outdoor: Sunray 3-Person Outdoor Sauna Best budget: Durasage Oversized Portable Steam Sauna How we chose the best home saunas We chose two high-end infrared models for those with the space to commit to a full sauna setup and three budget-friendly steamer pot options with collapsible storage that practically anyone can use in their homes. Not everyone can spring for the luxury models. We surveyed dozens of models with dense online research to find picks that would strike the right balance of features, simplicity, and price. We considered outside opinions as well as known and often-reported issues. The entries on our list have been well-received by users at virtually every level. The best home saunas: Reviews & Recommendations Outside of the health benefits of a home sauna, it’s nice to have a piece of self-care available to you when you need or want it. Sometimes, a warm bath is not enough! So get a home sauna, fill up that water bottle, and get to sweat. (Just get an inflatable or above-ground pool for when it’s warm out and you’ll complete the luxuriation equation.) Double-paneled reforested Canadian hemlock wood provides optimal heat retention. Pros Double-paneled Canadian Hemlock wood Six total heating panels MP3 connection and built-in speakers Cons Not quite big enough for two people Requires dedicated space Specs Dimensions: 41.3 x 47.2 x 74.8 inches Weight: 230 pounds Materials: 100% Canadian Reforested hemlock Wood Why it made the cut: This low EMF infrared carbon option operates more efficiently than ceramic heaters and maintains safer temperatures than traditional rock and water steam. The BOTARO Maxxus Saunas Seattle Infrared Sauna is the best infrared sauna and the closest thing you’ll get to a spa experience in your own house. This sauna pairs double-paneled, reforested Canadian hemlock wood with low EMF infrared carbon materials for maximum energy efficiency. Unlike ceramic heaters, you’ll never have to replace the six heating panels—of which there are two located on the rear wall, one on each side wall, one under the bench, and one on the floor. It also operates at a maximum temperature of 140 degrees, which is safer than the 200-degree temperatures traditional rock and water saunas can create. Though it does take some space to set up, the sauna plugs into any dedicated 15-amp 110-volt outlet, and no special wiring is required. It can also be installed just about anywhere, including on carpeted floors, basements, master baths, or the garage. Though the sauna is marketed as accommodating two people, you may find that it’s a better fit for just one. But that’s a small concession when considering the added bells and whistles, such as an interior reading lamp, MP3 aux connection, and built-in speakers (even the most sweat-resistant headphones for working out aren’t made for sauna conditions). All you need is a few feet of square footage and a nearby outlet to use this portable sauna. Pros Easy access, full-sized design Fully collapsable for easy storage Energy-efficient Cons Not tall enough to fully stand up No internal zipper Specs Dimensions: 35.4 x 35.4 x 70.9 inches Weight: 27.8 pounds Materials: Cloth, plastic Why it made the cut: You’ll love this large-capacity, full-size sauna with a collapsible design that can be easily folded into a closet for storage when not in use. Unlike other portable saunas that require the user to sit on a chair with a hole to poke their head out, the SereneLife Full Size Portable Steam Sauna is large enough that you can fit your entire body inside with an easy-access “sit-in” design. Yet, it still includes a small window and convenient hand-access zippers, so you can use your phone or read a book or magazine while getting your sweat on. When you’re finished, the unit is collapsible and can be easily stored in a closet. With a 1600-watt high-power heating element and a four-liter capacity steamer, this sauna is also energy efficient while having the ability to reach the maximum temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit quickly. Additionally, the included wired remote control makes it simple to set the timer and heat settings from inside or outside the unit. Despite its full size, some users may find it challenging to stand up and get out of, particularly since you cannot open the zipper from the inside. It’s also worth noting that there is no on/off switch, so you have to plug and unplug the back of the sauna to turn it on. And if you’re looking for a sitting sauna where your head pokes out, check out our other portable sauna picks. Catch some steam as a team. Pros Control panel with LED display Tempered glass door and side windows Fully assembled within an hour Cons Pricier than comparable models Small gap at the bottom of the glass door Specs Dimensions: 47 x 43.1 x 74.4 inches Weight: 319 lbs. Materials: Natural reforested Canadian hemlock wood Why it made the cut: A variety of unique features and easy assembly sets this premium, natural, reforested Canadian hemlock wood home sauna apart from the pack. Despite its extra-large size, this large, two-person sauna assembles in just one hour, which is faster than an Ikea coffee table. But it’s the special touches that really take this home sauna above and beyond, such as a wide, clear tempered glass door with side windows, built-in MP3 aux connection with speakers, and a soft touch control panel with an LED display that sets temperature and time. It also features 10 different ambient light settings, a towel rack, a magazine rack, and a water holder. Yes, the price tag is a bit steeper than similar models—but its features and build quality go a long way in justifying its price. It can reach a maximum temperature of a wonderfully uncomfortable 140 degrees.  Sunray Grandby 3 Person Pros 7-year structural warranty Fits three people Durable construction Handsome design Gets to temperature in less than 15 minutes Cons Not as powerful as some other outdoor models Specs Dimensions: 69” W x 47 D x 83” H Materials: Canadian hemlock Type of Heat: Far infrared Why it made the cut: This relatively spacious sauna is fast, reliable, and easy to install. Your outdoor space still counts as part of your home, and this outdoor sauna fits nicely into a backyard or patio. It relies on far infrared heat and warms up in 15 minutes. It heats up to a maximum temperature of 140 degrees F, which is typical for this type of sauna. And at less than $3,000, it’s cheaper than most other models in its class. Despite its (relatively) lower price, it comes with tons of creature comforts, including lighting, cup holders, and even a Bluetooth wireless speaker system. It’s relatively simple to install, even if you’re not that experienced, and the ceramic heaters should last a good long time before they need serious maintenance or replacement. Yes, it’s an investment, but it’s also a lot better than trudging all the way to the gym to get a sweat going. Dual pockets and doubled zippered openings help keep your hands free. Pros Dual pockets and zippered openings Extra space than most portable saunas Produces steam up to 212 degrees Cons Can take a while to heat up Specs Dimensions: 33 x 31.5 x 41 inches Weight: 15.72 pounds Materials: Polyester, PVC Why it made the cut: With a ceramic steam generator and chair, this sauna kit includes everything you need to set up and enjoy a complete spa experience at home. Read a book, flip through a magazine, or scroll on your phone during a sweat session with the Durasage Oversized Portable Steam Sauna, thanks to dual pockets and two zippered openings that allow you to keep both hands free for other things, like reading or scrolling on social media. Unlike competitor products, this sauna tent is slightly larger to provide a roomier fit. You can even put a towel over the top hole and sit on the floor for a completely immersive sauna experience. The powerful 1.8-liter steam generator uses a plastic reservoir and ceramic heating element to vaporize water up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, creating an internal temperature ranging from 110 to 115 degrees. It takes about 15 minutes to start producing steam from the time the unit is plugged in and turned on; however, customers report that it works great once you allow the sauna to heat up entirely. The steam generator hose could be slightly longer, so it could sit on the side instead of behind the sauna, but it’s not a deal breaker. Things to consider before buying the best home saunas When deciding whether a home sauna is the right fit for you, several considerations exist. Size First, you must ask yourself if you have the space in your home to use and store this type of product. If you live in a small house or apartment, a collapsible portage sauna tent that works with a steamer pot is almost certainly your best bet. Full-sized models can take up as much space as small rooms, while collapsible models can easily fit in a closet or under a bed when they’re not in use. Materials If you’re fortunate to have extra space in a basement, garage, or master bath and are serious about sweating, you may want to consider a full-sized unit constructed out of natural reforested Canadian hemlock wood. The tents typically employ insulated fabric to keep in heat and prevent liquid from soaking through. Heating method If space and expense are not an issue, the type of heating method is another component that can weigh into your home sauna buying decision. Both traditional steam and low EMF far infrared both have their pros and cons. An infrared sauna will give you more of a cleansing effect when it comes to the material you’re sweating out. However, because these units heat the body with radiation, it’s important to check the EMF levels the saunas emit. In addition to ensuring that the body doesn’t take on too much radiation, this type of sauna may not be suitable for people with certain types of heart conditions or hypotension. That said, it’s a good rule of thumb to check with your doctor before starting any kind of new health regimen. FAQs Q: How much does a home sauna cost? The portable picks and prefabricated kits on this page range from budget to luxury and can cost from a little more than $100 to a little less than $3,000. It’s another story if you want a professional one installed in your home. Those can range from $3,000 to $6,000 on average, after parts and labor, but hitting $10,000 (or more) isn’t out of the question. Q: Are home saunas expensive to run? The cost of running a home sauna varies depending on the type of sauna you choose. For example, traditional saunas that use steam typically take at least 10 minutes to an hour to fully heat up, and the total wattage can generally be calculated using cost per kilowatt. On the other hand, infrared saunas are usually more cost-effective since they do not require time to warm up, and the heating elements use less power, even if these saunas are initially more expensive. Q: Do saunas have any adverse effects? Though there are many health benefits to using home saunas, there are also potential side effects and risks to consider. These effects can range from mild to moderate heat discomfort and light-headedness to hypotension, transient leg pain, and airway irritation. These potential risks are why it’s important to check with your doctor before using if you think you may be at risk for any of these conditions. Final thoughts on finding the best home saunas Best overall: BOTARO Maxxus Saunas Seattle Infrared Sauna Best for indoors: SereneLife Full Size Portable Steam Sauna Best 2-person: Dynamic Andora Low EMF Far Infrared Sauna Best outdoor: Sunray 3-Person Outdoor Sauna Best budget: Durasage Oversized Portable Steam Sauna It should come as no surprise that our pick for the overall best home sauna is the BOTARO Maxxus Saunas Seattle Infrared Sauna, which is the closest thing to a genuine spa experience without having to leave your house. Yet, it doesn’t come with quite as high a price tag as the Dynamic two-person home sauna. That said, we understand that not everyone has the space or the budget for a complete home sauna setup, which is why our second pick is the Durasage Oversized Portable Steam Sauna. Not only does it achieve the primary goal—to make you sweat—but it conveniently folds up for easy storage when not in use.

News Neuroscience Early Parkinson’s trials revive stem cells as a possible treatment In two small clinical trials, stem cell therapies caused no apparent trouble in the brain Injections of cells (shown here frozen in vials) may help restore missing nerve cells in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease. Mark Tomishima By Laura Sanders 2 hours ago Two small clinical trials revive hope for an old idea: Cells injected into the brain might replace the nerve cells that die in Parkinson’s disease. The studies, published April 16 in Nature, represent early steps for stem cell therapies that aim to replace these dead cells in the brain — and stop Parkinson’s and the movement problems, tremors and rigidity that it brings. In both trials, scientists injected cells derived from stem cells that would go on to become specialized neurons that pump out the chemical messenger dopamine. These are the crucial cells in the brain that die in Parkinson’s disease, a relentless neurological disease that is estimated to affect over 8 million people worldwide. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.