Call of Duty is riding a wave of goodwill at the moment, and it's poised to reintroduce the series' controversial jetpacks starting tomorrow — but only in one very specific gameTech13:34, 22 Apr 2025Call of Duty Mobile is adding jetpacks(Image: Sledgehammer Games / Raven Software)Call of Duty fans are living the dream at the moment. Not only has Warzone's Season 3 update brought back the Verdansk map pretty much just as you remember it, but we're expecting classic games in the series to hit Game Pass any day now.Even if rumours of Modern Warfare 2 and 3 (the original ones, not the 2022 and 2023 games) being ported doesn't pan out, it's a good time to be a Call of Duty fan it seems.‌Naturally, attention will soon turn to 2025's Call of Duty entry, which is expected to be another go-around for Black Ops, acting as a sequel to 2012's (excellent) Black Ops 2 that'll be set in the near future. Still, with 2026's game expected to bring back jetpacks and wall-running, you might be able to get the practice in much sooner.Jetpacks are back in Call of Duty starting today, but not quite how you remember them.CoD Mobile is leaning into futuristic warfare(Image: Sledgehammer Games / Raven Software)Article continues belowCall of Duty Mobile may not be the first game in the series you think of if you've been playing on PC and console, but it's pretty darn great.It's also packed with classic CoD characters, weapons, and maps, that make it a sort of one-stop-shop for series fans to play with, and tomorrow sees it launch its new season dubbed 'Infinity Realm'.A new map is focused on moving across the environment in a race-like structure, using (you guessed it) jetpacks. But that's not all.‌The update brings some Black Ops 3 vibes(Image: Sledgehammer Games / Raven Software)CoD Mobile's battle royale will also add Fortnite-aping jump pads for added verticality.‌Younger gamers might not remember the way the Call of Duty community reacted to additional movement options when Advanced Warfare debuted in 2014.That game added an exosuit which allowed for quick dodging and higher jumps, and was generally received well. A year later, Black Ops 3 added in the ability to wall-run, and it led to a killer multiplayer suite.Sadly, another year later and fans were yearning for a return to "boots on the ground" gameplay, leaving Infinite Warfare (2016's entry) torn asunder when it was revealed.Article continues belowIn the years since, fans have started to warm to the idea, but for now, they'll need to grab their phone to jump into CoD Mobile's Infinity Realm for some trigger-happy platforming.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

PS6 handheld may need patches to run PS5 games properly claims insider Adam Starkey Published April 22, 2025 2:26pm Updated April 22, 2025 2:26pm The PlayStation Portal has been a big hit (Sony) The rumoured PlayStation portable will likely only play PS5 games, as a leaker claims to have additional information. The next generation of consoles is increasingly looking like it will become a war of handheld devices, as Microsoft and Sony both look to compete against the Nintendo Switch 2. Microsoft has confirmed some kind of Xbox handheld is in the works, alongside its next generation console, but the picture is less clear with Sony. The company launched the PlayStation Portal for the PlayStation 5 to considerable success, and several rumours since indicate another handheld is in development to coincide with the PlayStation 6. Whether this is another PlayStation Portal or a successor to the PS Vita are unclear, but a new rumour suggests it might be more closely tied to the PlayStation 5 than Sony’s home console. According to leaker KeplerL2, who previously revealed accurate specs for the PS5 Pro console, the next PlayStation handheld will ‘definitely run’ PlayStation 5 games but ‘not at the same resolution/FPS’ as the home console. In response to someone who asked if current gen games will require patches to run on the handheld system, KeplerL2 replied: ‘[As far as I know] it has shader binary compatibility so it should ‘just work’ but performance may not be great without a patch.’ This suggests PlayStation 5 games will require some kind of update to properly function on the device, in the same vein as the Steam Deck Verified label on Valve’s portable. If the next Sony handheld runs PlayStation 5 games at a lower resolution, this suggests PlayStation 6 games (assuming they are a sizeable upgrade) will likely not run on the system at all – or if they do they’ll be a significant downgrade. If Sony is looking to emulate the PlayStation Portal though, it’s possible PlayStation 6 titles could run on the device via remote play instead, while the downgraded PlayStation 5 games could potentially operate without being tethered to an internet connection. More Trending Nothing has been announced about any new PlayStation handheld, so it’s entirely possible none of this happens, but the amount of rumours suggests Sony is cooking up some kind of portable device. We’ll just have to wait and see if it can run games without a home system. Earlier this year, the same leaker claimed the PlayStation 6 will launch in late 2027. If this is true, and a handheld is planned for around the same time, it’s likely any portable device will not be a massive improvement over the Switch 2 or Steam Deck, unless it carries a hefty price tag. The Switch 2 can run current gen games but, based on footage we’ve seen of Star Wars Outlaws, they are noticeably downgraded. Other current gen games are confirmed for the system too, including Split Fiction and Borderlands 4, but we’ll have to see how they perform when the new console launches on June 5, 2025. Beyond any potential handheld, Sony’s biggest challenge is convincing people to upgrade to a PlayStation 6, at a time when many people haven’t even made the jump from the PlayStation 4. Is Astro Bot on the move a big selling point? (Sony Interactive 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

Steel Seed – it’s amazing how good indie games can look now (ESDigital Games) A new double-A indie game tries to blend elements from two of gaming’s most successful franchises, in a unique new sci-fi adventure of its own. These days triple-A game development budgets regularly stray into the hundreds of millions, which means anything less than a massive hit can be enough to send studios into bankruptcy. For publishers, there’s an increasing sense that the future of games may not be a headlong rush towards blockbuster hits at any cost. A less stressful approach may be to make games that don’t have to sell like Call Of Duty just to break even. It turns out you can make perfectly entertaining games that don’t take 150 hours to play, work perfectly fine without hiring Idris Elba as a voice actor, and for which you don’t have to spend multiple man-years in a motion capture studio. It’s not that everything needs to be a pixel art cosy farming sim, but with a more modest vision you can still create great entertainment without having to bet your future on every release. Steel Seed is part of this new wave of mid-budget games. While it may not spend the kind of money CD Projekt does on making a new Witcher title, it’s certainly not short of ambition, its twin inspirations being Halo and Assassin’s Creed. Set in a post-eco disaster future, where every human’s consciousness has been uploaded into an industrial grade AI, you’re Zoe, a cyborg woman tasked with rebooting our species. Zoe’s dad was the scientist that came up with the idea and, along with repopulating humans, you’re also trying to bring him back, as he uploaded himself along with everyone else. To do that you need to make your way through a succession of huge, robotic landscapes that look like a cross between Halo and the high-tech Cauldrons from Horizon Zero Dawn. The sense of scale is fantastic, with vast, ancient machinery stretching above you, and in every direction as far as the eye can see, dwarfing your cyborg warrior in every way. Your job, in these gigantic metal landscapes, is to work your way through rooms full of alert robot guards, in a manner that will be familiar to anyone who’s spent time with Assassin’s Creed. This means using stealth and cover to pick your way towards patrolling bots, before silently creeping up behind them and stabbing them with your miniature lightsaber. If you mess that process up and get spotted you’ll raise the alarm, which rapidly sees you swarmed by robo guards. As in Assassin’s Creed, you can sometimes fight your way out of those situations, but sticking to the shadows is always your best bet. To aid in your stealth there are ground level ‘glitch fields’, which stand in for tall grass, completely hiding Zoe if she’s crouching. You also have a hovering drone companion called Koby, who you can use to scout the way ahead, looking for concealed paths, and tagging enemies and their patrol routes so you don’t cause any accidental alerts. As well as observation, you can also unlock Koby’s offensive powers. They start with a simple blast, that you can trigger during open combat to give you a chance of stunning opponents, but more useful are the lethal mines you unlock as you start to open up the game’s skill trees. They start off causing alerts each time they go off, although you can eventually access silent ones as you gain experience. Koby’s other useful addition to your offensive capabilities is hacking. When you creep up behind a robot or gun turret, rather than simply knifing them, you can instead hack them to fight briefly on your side. In the case of turrets that’s quite a powerful option, letting you clear substantial portions of the game’s often very large rooms with minimal effort. You’ll also spend plenty of time in traversal, figuring out how to get around the game’s oversized topography, your marked destination often in completely the opposite direction from the way you need to head in order to get there. While this can sometimes feel like being horribly lost in Halo’s bewildering Library levels, you do always manage to muddle your way through. If you ever wondered what a sci-fi Assassin’s Creed would be like (ESDigital Games) Your quest is to find and unite the four shards that hold your long dead dad’s personality, taking you into the game’s four distinctive biomes to achieve your goal. To enable plot exposition along the way, Zoe chats to Koby, whose R2-D2 style beeps and boops are the only reply to her musings. The voice acting is serviceable, even if the cockney father doesn’t sound like most people’s idea of a theoretical physicist, but the story is fairly nonsensical. It’s riddled with ludicrous acronyms for the various programs and AI entities you encounter and much of the documentation you find as you explore is poorly translated into English, rendering it a little bizarre (developer Storm in a Teacup are Italian). Unfortunately, some of the action is similar stilted by budgetary constraints. While its great fun picking your way through some of the game’s gargantuan chambers, full of patrolling enemies, there are quite a few points where that fun breaks down. Sometimes a crash will force you to repeat a room, which can be frustrating if everything had previously gone perfectly. Other times, the slightly unpredictable timing of the button prompt for a stealth kill can trip you up, alerting foes and sometimes getting you killed for something that doesn’t feel totally like your fault. Worse are the wobbly set pieces. Often taking place amongst collapsing, exploding pieces of giant machinery, you’ll need to jump, wall run, and glide your way through them, in lengthy chains of interactions that are not always well signposted. The result is you have to repeat those sections over and over again until you finally stumble across the route the game intended. Far from feeling edge-of-the-seat, these sections tend to be equal parts dull and infuriating. More Trending There are also balancing issues. One of the techniques you unlock is a sweeping sword strike triggered by pressing both attack buttons together, which uses up four of Zoe’s energy bars in a single special move. Its underwhelming effect is compounded by the fact that it’s easy to set off accidentally, using up energy you’d otherwise spend on healing, sometimes ruining your chances of completing a level or boss fight. Some checkpoints are weirdly far apart, leaving you to repeat time consuming sections for no obvious reason, and there’s no confirmation pop-up when you save. It’s entirely fair to say that none of these issues are catastrophic, but many are irksome. And along with the wonky script, occasional glitches, and misfiring set pieces, undermine Steel Seed’s ambitions. With its majestic scenery; rooms full robot guards to be worked through, like huge moving puzzles; and seemingly impassable traversal challenges, Steel Seed’s mix of stealth, combat, and platforming is a winning combination. So it’s a pity not all of it works as intended, its dozen or so hours runtime peppered with moments of mild irritation, that slowly chip away at your enjoyment. Steel Seed review summary In Short: An ambitious and visually arresting double-A adventure, that blends Assassin’s Creed’s stealth with Halo’s epic scenery, but which is compromised by a litany of minor technical issues. Pros: Big ideas, spectacular views, and interesting combinations of landscapes and enemies to pick your way through. A decent sized adventure with a large skill tree to unlock. Cons: Kinetic set pieces don’t work as intended. The story gets bogged down in its own complexity and you may wish you’d never unlocked some of its abilities. Score: 6/10 Formats: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, and PCPrice: TBAPublisher: ESDigital GamesDeveloper: Storm in a TeacupRelease Date: 22nd April 2025Age Rating: 12 Traversal isn’t as fun as it should be (ESDigital Games) 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. 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Sony has wanted to remake 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer for a decade, and it finally got its wish. Part reboot, part sequel to the originals, the new film keeps the same basic premise while hoping to get in on that legacy sequel craze that turned Scream into a franchise again. Set again in the town of Southport, a group of teenage friends find themselves being knocked off by a mysterious killer with a hook hand. The teens themselves soon realize it’s connected to a car accident from the previous summer they were involved in and never owned up to for fear of punishment—but what’s worse than being killed by someone with a grudge? Apparently, the only ones who can help them make sense of this whole thing are Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.), survivors from the first two films. The first two I Know What You Did Last Summer movies were followed up by a direct-to-DVD movie centered on a group of unconnected kids in Colorado, followed by a one-season show on Prime Video based more on the 1973 novel than the movies themselves. Do Revenge director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson got the gig for this new movie after her pitch, and may be looking to pass the torch from Julie and Ray to whoever survives this one. After all, summer never ends, and neither do slashers. Also starring Madelyn Cline, Tyriq Withers, Chase Sui Wonders, and Jonah Hauer-King, the new I Know What You Did Last Summer releases July 18. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

No one likes to vacuum. If they say they do, they’re lying to you. It’s a chore that’s never really enjoyable. Who wants to push around a stick vacuum and suck up dirt all day? It hurts your arms, sometimes it’s too loud for the time of day you’re doing it. And most of all, it takes up too much time. It’s finally time to let the robots handle the vacuuming. And while they’re at it, they can go ahead and mop as well. Amazon has a great deal right now that can make just that very thing happen. Today, head to Amazon to get the Roborock Q5 Pro+ Robot Vacuum and Mop for just $300. That’s $400 off its normal $700 price, and you’re getting a discount of 57%. Think about how much of a deal that is. And stop thinking about it for too long, because it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s time to pounce and make sure you get one for your home now since this is such a good deal. See at Amazon Handle all the housework with this vacuum and mop combo This robot vacuum can handle just about whatever mess you need it to, with 7 weeks of hands-free cleaning, as touted by Roborock itself. It has a 2.5-liter dust bag so it can hold plenty of dirt, hair, and other debris from your home, and it can go empty it on its own as it travels back to its base. You can rest assured it can suck plenty of “goodies” out of the floor too, with 5500Pa of suction and different modes to choose from so you can make sure it’s as efficient as possible while cleaning. It uses LiDAR to get around your home and avoid obstacles too, so you can set it up to do its rounds and it’ll do it all on its own. But if you have hard floors in addition to carpet, you’ll especially appreciate its ability to mop. It can swap between the two modes so you can have it handle two different tasks on its own as it trades off the work back and forth by itself. Just assign it the hard flooring you want cleaned and it’ll handle the job. Life is too busy these days to spend every extra moment dealing with the kind of cleaning bots are suited for. Pick up this robot vacuum and mop combos at its lowest price and spend the rest of your day lounging around. You deserve it. See at Amazon

Liceo Montale Pontedera School / Colucci&PartnersSave this picture!© Carlotta Di SandroSchools•Pontedera, Italy Architects: Colucci&Partners Area Area of this architecture project Area:  4080 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2025 Photographs Photographs:Carlotta Di Sandro Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:  Celenit, GONZAGA, Kone, Mitsubishi Electric, Novoferm, SANDRINI METALLI, Schüco, Sugaroni Lead Architects: Giuseppe Colucci, Giulio Colucci, Matteo Becucci, Federico Benvenuti More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The project aims to rethink school spaces, moving beyond the traditional model of classrooms and corridors, which is often rigid and fragmented. The goal is to create an environment where architecture fosters learning, socialization, and a sense of belonging, transforming the school into a learning landscape in which every space becomes an integral part of the educational experience.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!At the core of this concept is the principle of clusters-groupings of classrooms, laboratories, and communal areas organized by grade level. This system provides students with a broader and more dynamic environment than a single classroom, encouraging interaction and collaboration. Large glass partitions between spaces reduce physical and visual separation, making the building a shared place where knowledge extends beyond the boundaries of individual classrooms.Save this picture!Beyond the cluster concept, another key element of the project is the articulated pathway that runs through the building. Instead of following a rigid, linear trajectory, it develops dynamically and fluidly, guiding students on a continuous spatial discovery. Glazed volumes arranged along an ideal axis create visual connections that stimulate curiosity and encourage movement. One's gaze can catch glimpses of activities taking place in other spaces, fostering a sense of connection and openness. This approach transforms the ideal parallelepiped of the building into a composition of volumes and voids, where unoccupied spaces become relational areas — places where students can pause, interact, and learn outside of traditional classrooms. The design concept does not rely on arbitrary subtraction or addition of volumes but follows a spatial strategy that shifts and reorganizes elements functionally.Save this picture!Save this picture!Within this logic, even outdoor spaces become part of the educational system. The terraces, for example, serve not only as areas for socialization and outdoor study but also fulfill technical functions, such as fire prevention, demonstrating how integrated design can meet functional needs without compromising architectural quality. Another fundamental aspect is materiality. The choice of brick was driven by the desire to establish a connection with the surrounding context. As a continuous and highly tactile element, brick emphasizes the volumetric composition of the building, clearly translating floor plan variations into volumetric changes.Save this picture!Save this picture!Although the building's mass is substantial, the use of brick lightens its perception due to its artisanal nature: each unit is unique and different from the others, generating a vibrant variety of details. From a distance, the building appears solid and compact, while up close, it reveals its irregularities, creating a play of shadows and surfaces that enhances its dynamic character.Save this picture!This material choice also serves as a metaphor for students* growth journey: like them, the school is imperfect and ever-changing, constantly evolving. The entire project is guided by a clear and coherent principle: to create a school environment capable of adapting to contemporary educational needs, offering flexible, stimulating, and inclusive spaces. Architecture thus becomes an educational tool, capable of welcoming. inspiring and supporting students in their journey of growth-not only academically but also personally and socially.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 officeColucci&PartnersOffice••• MaterialBrickMaterials and TagsPublished on April 22, 2025Cite: "Liceo Montale Pontedera School / Colucci&Partners" 22 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1029275/liceo-montale-pontedera-school-colucci-and-partners&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

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › Jackery, Bluetti, Anker, EcoFlow Portable power stations have become increasingly capable and can be a game changer whether you’re camping, in need of backup electricity, or simply want a convenient, mobile power source. But they certainly aren’t cheap, so you want to make sure you choose a model you can count on. We named the Bluetti Elite 200v2 best overall because it’s such a well-rounded, versatile unit, but there are several other great options out there depending on your needs. How we selected the best portable power stations I’ve been using portable solar gear since way back in the 1990s when it was just shy of useless, but over the past decade the tech has progressed by leaps and bounds. Today I regularly use portable power stations for a wide range of purposes, from camping to home backup to powering my work devices on the go, so I know what makes one model stand out from another. This firsthand experience has informed over a decade of reviewing power stations and solar equipment for top consumer guides like Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Thrillist, and more. For this list, I tested dozens of units from the top brands as well as many up-and-comers, checking to see how they fared for tasks like charging a laptop, powering the lights and portable fridge in my van conversion, and using electric tools off-grid. My opinion was bolstered by input from Popular Science editors as well as reviews from actual customers. The models below were selected based on factors like capacity, performance, features, portability, and durability, and are the best portable power stations across a range of categories. Best portable power station overall: Bluetti Elite 200v2 Best portable power station for camping: Anker Solix C800 Plus Best portable power station for off-grid living: EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra Best portable power station for homes: Bluetti AC500 Best portable power station on a budget: Ampace Andes 300 Best portable power station for high capacity: Jackery 5000 Plus Best portable power station for rugged use: Generac GB2000 The best portable power stations: Reviews & Recommendations The power stations included on this list span a wide range of budgets, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. We have picks to suit a variety of scenarios, from charging a few devices to off-grid camping to emergency home backup. Based on extensive testing, we are confident that these are the best portable power stations of 2025.  Best portable power station overall Bluetti Elite 200v2 Nick Hilden Specs Storage capacity: 2,073Wh Input capacity: 1,800W Output capacity: 2,600W (3,900W surge) Dimensions: 13.8 × 9.8 × 12.7 in Weight: 53.4 lbs Why it made the cut: Small but powerful, the Bluetti Elite 200v2 delivers the capability and versatility to suit just about any mobile power need. Pros Fast charging High output Ports a’plenty Very compact Cons Somewhat heavy for its size Bluetti has been among the leaders of the portable power space for a while now, but with the Elite 200v2 they’ve surged to the head of the pack, providing a station that is about as well-rounded as it gets. In terms of performance, the Elite 200v2 is impressively cutting edge. Its 2,073Wh LiFePO4 battery offers plenty of capacity for general use, from charging a few devices to keeping a high-draw appliance going for impressively long: it kept my electric grill going for about an hour.  It provides ample output, and its TurboBoost fast charge will have it from flat to 100% in a little over 90 minutes via wall socket. Bluetti’s new Charger 1 DC adapter makes car port charging far faster and more effective than with most competitors, charging the unit over 4 hours of driving. And 1000W solar input capacity means it can handle as large a solar array as you’re likely to throw at it. I’m also a big fan of its compact, perfectly boxed design. It’s easy to fit into a trunk or van conversion, and while it is surprisingly heavy for its size, sturdy integrated handles make it easy to move around. App control allows for monitoring and adjustment from afar, and it has no shortage of ports spanning AC, USBs A and C, and a 120W car port.  This is a real “no notes” situation. The vast majority of people looking for a reliable, intuitive, moderate-capacity power station will be more than satisfied with the performance and portability of the Elite 200v2. Best portable power station for camping Anker Solix C800 Plus Nick Hilden Specs Storage capacity: 768Wh Input capacity: 1,440W Output capacity: 1,200W (1,600W surge) Dimensions: 14.61 x 8.07 x 9.96 in Weight: 24 lbs Why it made the cut: Compact and lightweight with a decent capacity and unique lantern, the Anker Solix C800 Plus is perfect for camping. Pros Great size to capacity ratio Multi-setting camp lamp Good input/output rates Cons Not large enough for an RV If you’re looking for a decent-sized power station that will keep a few devices going while venturing into the great outdoors, the Anker Solix C800 Plus offers an excellent balance between portability and capacity along with some camp-friendly features. Its shoebox size and slight 24 pound weight make it easy to pack along, yet its 768Wh capacity is plenty to keep a few devices charged and your camp lit. Speaking of which, its nifty collapsable lantern makes for a great addition to your campsite. Multi-setting and stored in the station body, it’s a smart feature I haven’t seen anywhere else. With good port offerings, a quality app for remote control, and relatively high input and output rates, it checks pretty much all the boxes. You’ll need to look for something larger if you’re hoping to power an RV, but for general camping purposes it’s a very well-thought-out power box. Best portable power station for off-grid living EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra Nick Hilden Specs Storage capacity: 6144Wh (expandable up to 90KWh) Input capacity: 5,600W (expandable up to 16.8KW) Output capacity: 7,200W (expandable up to 21.6KW) Dimensions: Inverter 27.2 × 18.9 × 8.4 in / Battery 26 × 18 × 8 in Weight: Inverter 70lbs / Battery 111.8lbs Why it made the cut: Massively expandable beyond any portable power station out there, the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra is for serious off-grid living.  Pros Super expandable Huge input/output rates Fits into wider EcoFlow ecosystem Cons Very expensive While portable power stations have been marketed as a renewable electricity alternative for a while now, their ability to truly power an off-grid lifestyle was largely overhyped—they simply didn’t offer the performance necessary for reliable long-term electrification. The EcoFlow Delta Flow Ultra, however, is more than capable of delivering on the promise. Expandable up to a whopping 90KWh capacity with input rates of up to 16.8Kw and outputs up to 21.6Kw, it can gobble up as much solar as you can throw at it, power appliances of any draw, and provide backup power for over a month to the average sized household. It also integrates into the wider EcoFlow smart home, off-grid ecosystem, which can allow you to build a off-grid setup of unrivaled capability.  But none of that comes cheap. The base inverter/battery combo starts out with a high price tag, and expanding it to its full potential will make costs soar. But if you’re serious about building a reliable, capable off-grid system, it’s a worthwhile investment. Best portable power station for homes Bluetti AC500 Nick Hilden Specs Storage capacity: 2764.8Wh (expandable up to 16.6KWh) Input capacity: 4,500W  Output capacity: 5,000W (10,000W surge) Dimensions: Inverter 20.5 x 12.8 x 14.1 in / Battery 20.67 × 12.87 × 8.23 in Weight: Inverter 66.2lbs / Battery 65lbs Why it made the cut: With plenty of expandable capacity and output, the Bluetti AC500 is perfect for helping your home weather the storm.  Pros Expandable  Intuitive use Plenty of ports Cons Pricey Sometimes you aren’t looking to take your house totally off the grid, but still want a power station capable of keeping your home going through a few hours or even days of blackout. To that end, I recommend the Bluetti AC500, which when paired with the B300K batteries offers more than enough storage capacity and output ability to keep the lights on while powering essential appliances. I also really like that it’s more intuitive to use than most other whole-house power stations. While it can be integrated into your home power system for automatic switchovers in the event of an outage (which requires a home integration kit that should be installed by an expert), it’s also simple enough to just plug and use as needed without more extensive home modifications.  Expanding it to its full capacity does get pricey, but even its single battery storage is enough to keep on the lights and necessities. Stacking batteries to its full potential, however, will provide ample juice for several days.  Best portable power station on a budget Ampace Andes 300 Ampace Specs Storage capacity: 266Wh  Input capacity: 100W  Output capacity: 300W (450W surge) Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 9.6 in Weight: 8.2lbs Why it made the cut: Affordable yet capable, the Ampace Andes 300 is a solid budget pick for charging devices. Pros Compact and lightweight Good port variety USB-C chargable Cons Modest capacity and output Portable power stations do not tend to be cheap, and those that are typically disappoint. The Ampace Andes 300, however, is surprisingly capable considering its sub-$200 price. It’s as compact as can be, and its 266Wh capacity is plenty for charging a few devices and lights while off the grid. It has six port options, and is maybe the only power station I’ve seen that can charge via USB-C. The build quality is better than you normally see at such a low cost, its digital display provides an abundance of information, and it can be monitored and adjusted via app.  Sure, it’s not big enough to do any heavy power lifting, but for such a decently sized, versatile, highly portable battery, it’s a bargain.  Best portable power station for high capacity Jackery 5000 Plus Nick Hilden Specs Storage capacity: 5040Wh  Input capacity: 4,000W Output capacity: 7,200W (14,400W surge) Dimensions: 25 x 16.5 x 15.5 in Weight: 134.5lbs Why it made the cut: High capacity as a standalone unit and highly expandable, the Jackery 5000 Plus is ideal when you need a big box of power. Pros Large capacity on its own Expands up to 60KWh Decently portable Cons Very heavy We’ve already looked at a couple of power stations with massive storage potential, so why does the Jackery 5000 Plus take our slot for high-capacity specifically? Because unlike most other big power boxes, the 5000 Plus can offer plenty of juice as a standalone unit without additional batteries. This makes it perfect for lugging around camping or to an off-grid worksite without having to mess with a bunch of extra gear. At the same time, its ability to expand to 60KWh is no slouch. With its high output capability and fast charging, it’s a perfect unit for use around the home or with an off-grid solar setup. It’s pretty heavy, but with its wheels, telescoping tow grip, sturdy handles, and single-piece design it’s still fairly portable. The perfect pick when you need plenty of portable power. Best portable power station for rugged use: Generac GB2000 Nick Hilden Specs Storage capacity: 2,106Wh  Input capacity: 468W Output capacity: 1,600W (3,200W surge) Dimensions: 16.8 x 15.1 x 10.4 in Weight: 43lbs Why it made the cut: The Generac GB2000 is plenty burly for the great outdoors.  Pros Rugged durability Sturdy grab handle Wireless charging pad Cons Slow charging Generac has long been known for crafting rugged gas generators, and they’ve applied that same dedication to durability with their new line of portable power stations. With a solid exterior and sturdy lunchbox-style handle, it feels more like a substantial power tool than a piece of electronic equipment. This makes it ideal for the great outdoors, whether you’re camping or working with power tools. Its 2,106Wh capacity is more than enough for most day-to-day uses, and its high output rate means it will power most devices, tools, and small appliances.  Its only glaring issue is its relatively slow charging speed. Four hours when plugged into a wall outlet is fairly sluggish these days. But beyond that, it’s perfect if you need a power station that can take some bumps around the campsite.  Things to consider before buying a portable power station There are a lot of portable power stations and solar power generators on the market right now, and while they tend to look fairly similar at a glance, they vary wildly in terms of quality and capability. When making such a high value purchase, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to ensure you’re getting the best unit for your situation.  How much power can it store? Above all else, a portable power station must offer enough capacity to meet your mobile power needs. This is measured in Watt-hours (Wh), with one watt-hour being the equivalent of one watt flowing over the course of an hour. Most people will likely want a station that holds several thousand Wh, but that doesn’t mean the unit will provide power for several thousand hours. You’ll likely need to use far more watts than one an hour, so ultimately how long your station’s charge will last will be determined by what you plug into it. It’s easy to predict how long a generator will last when you use it to power one thing. For example, if you were to power a 100-watt bulb using a power station with a capacity of 500 watt-hours (Wh), it would stay lit for 5 continuous hours. Add a portable fridge that requires 50 watts per hour, your phone which uses 18, a mini-fan that uses three…you get the picture. Typically speaking, the more capacity, the better. A growing number of brands also offer expandable models, which can be stacked and daisy-chained to add-on batteries that can increase their capacity to well over 10,000Wh. These are usually geared toward home backup power. Charging capability Most portable power stations can be recharged via solar, a wall or car socket, or in some cases a combination of both. Solar allows you to top off when off the grid, but tends to charge somewhat slowly, especially in subpar sun conditions. Plugging directly into the wall will give you the fastest power-up. I’ve found that car sockets, however, are unreliable and often outright useless. Whichever method you choose, a particular model’s recharging speed will be throttled by its input capacity, which is measured in Watts (W). A power station with a max input of 100W, for example, can take in a continuous flow of up to 100 watts. Most of the models included below offer well over 1000W. Output capability Any portable power station worth your money will have a high output capacity so you can charge many devices, even if they require a lot of juice. A generator’s maximum output should be much higher than its max input. While a particular model might only be capable of taking in a few hundred watts at any given moment, it will usually put out exponentially more. At a minimum you’re going to want a generator that can put out several hundred watts, though I typically recommend looking above 1000. Most of the models below produce several thousand. The best portable power stations should also offer a variety of output plugs, including AC outlets, USB-A, USB-C, and even 12 volt DC outlets like the one in your vehicle dash. This ensures that you can charge several devices at once no matter what plug they use. The number of ports you’ll need will vary depending on how many devices you need to power, but it should have at least a couple of AC outlets and a few USB-A ports. Portability The larger the capacity, the heavier the unit. What is or isn’t portable depends largely on how you plan to use it, but you can expect to find a model that is well suited for your situation as these days they come in all sizes.  If you’re camping, converting a van, or otherwise on the go, you’re probably going to want to compromise some capacity in favor of portability. That means looking in the 800-3000Wh range, which with current technology will weigh somewhere between 10 and 60 pounds and will be no larger than 2-3 stacked shoeboxes. Larger models will often have handles or wheels to help with moving around. On the other hand, if you expect to use your power station closer to home and will either never move it or only move it occasionally, portability becomes less of an issue. In that case you can look for a higher capacity battery that is heavier and harder to move. These can weigh as much as 140 pounds, but they usually have wheels and handles. Durability As with any product you expect to last, durability and all-around quality craftsmanship is essential. This is especially true if you plan on lugging your generator around on camping and road trips. A lot of subpar power stations are made from cheap components and flimsy plastic that doesn’t feel like it will hold up under the rigors of the road. Durability isn’t something you can determine by reading a spec sheet off the internet. You’ve actually got to take the generator out, use it a bunch, and see how it holds up. I’ve verified the durability of these recommendations via a combination of my own actual field tests and reviews culled from countless real product owners. FAQs What size solar generator should I get? It’s easy to underestimate how much capacity you need. A thousand watt-hours might sound like a lot, but if you’re going to, say, power a converted van with a portable fridge, lights, and occasional phone and laptop top-off, that thousand watt-hours will go faster than you expect. I used a setup like this and know from personal experience that you should always overestimate how much power you’ll need. A generator with a capacity under 1,000 Wh can keep electronics charged. A larger one with 1000-1500Wh should be the minimum for road trips where you’ll need it to last multiple days between full charges. For a house or worksite where you expect to use some serious energy—like a full-sized refrigerator or power tools—you’re going to want to start looking at the biggest possible power stations that can be daisy-chained to external batteries.If you want to get precise, there is an equation:1. Estimate how many hours you’ll need to power various devices. For example, if you want to power two light bulbs for two hours: you need four hours of operation.2. Add up the total wattage necessary: the two bulbs are 60 watts each, so you need 120 watts.3. Multiply these together to find the total watt-hours needed: 4 x 120 = 480. So, in this you’d need at least a 500Wh solar generator. That might sound like a lot for two lightbulbs, but keep in mind that in most situations you won’t realistically be powering 60-watt light bulbs for hours on end. You’ll be charging phones and laptops for an hour here or there, cooling a fridge that kicks on and off every once in a while, using power tools in short bursts, and whatnot. How many years will a solar generator last? Most modern generators are rated to last upwards of 25 years. The best-designed power stations are pretty sturdy, with few to no moving parts, so they should likely keep kicking for a long time, provided that you care for them properly. I’ve been pretty rough with a few of mine, and they show no signs of stopping. Can I run my house on solar power only? These days, absolutely. Just a few years ago I would have said such capabilities were severely limited, but the latest generation of whole-home power stations are capable of providing enough storage to electrify your home for as long as a month. This typically requires that you install some form of integration unit in your home that plugs into the power station and can even switch power automatically in the event of a blackout.  Final thoughts on the best solar generators Best portable power station overall: Bluetti Elite 200v2 Best portable power station for camping: Anker Solix C800 Plus Best portable power station for off-grid living: EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra Best portable power station for homes: Bluetti AC500 Best portable power station on a budget: Ampace Andes 300 Best portable power station for high capacity: Jackery 5000 Plus Best portable power station for rugged use: Generac GB2000 We’re living in a “golden age” for portable solar generators. When I was a kid and my family was playing around with solar gear while camping in the ‘90s, the technology wasn’t capable of charging many devices so it wasn’t all that practical.  By contrast, the solar generators we’ve recommended here are incredibly useful. I’ve relied on them to power my work and day-to-day needs while road-tripping all over the country. They’re also great when the power goes out. When a windstorm cut the power at my house for a couple of days, I was still working, watching my stories, and keeping the lights on.  We haven’t even scratched the surface in terms of the potential offered by portable, reliable, renewable, relatively affordable power. What we can do now is already incredible. The potential for what may come next, though, is truly mind-blowing.

A disintegrating planet orbits a giant star. “The extent of the tail is gargantuan, stretching up to 9 million kilometers long,” says Marc Hon, a postdoc in MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. Credit: Jose-Luis Olivares / MIT Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Inside the Pegasus constellation, a planet is disintegrating into boiling chunks of rock and evaporating minerals. Its dramatic final days aren’t due to cataclysmic surface events, but rather the proximity to its star. With a 30.5-hour orbit and a position about 20 times closer than Mercury’s distance to our sun, BD+05 4868 Ab more resembles a comet than a planet, with a debris tail as much as 5.6 million miles long. “The extent of the tail is gargantuan… roughly half of the planet’s entire orbit,” Marc Hon, an MIT postdoc at the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, said in a statement. Discovered by accident using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), Hon and colleagues detail BD+05 4868 Ab’s final days in a study published April 22 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. “We weren’t looking for this kind of planet,” Hon explained. “We were doing the typical planet vetting, and I happened to spot this signal that appeared very unusual.”An orbiting exoplanet’s signal typically features a brief, regularly repeating light curve dip that indicates it’s passing in front of a host star. BD+05 4868 Ab’s brightness takes much longer to return to its normal measurement. This implies a long, trailing formation that continues to block host starlight. Each orbital rotation’s light dip also varies, indicating that the formation is dynamically shifting in size and composition. Although the transit shape resembles a long-tailed comet, the composition doesn’t align with that kind of space object. “It’s unlikely that this tail contains volatile gases and ice as expected from a real comet—these would not survive long at such close proximity to the host star,” said Hon. “Mineral grains evaporated from the planetary surface, however, can linger long enough to present such a distinctive tail.” Astronomers have only identified three disintegrating planets before BD+05 4868 Ab, all of which were detected over a decade ago using data collected by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope. The newest find is the most violent example yet, with the longest tail and deepest transits of the four known examples. “That implies that its evaporation is the most catastrophic, and it will disappear much faster than the other planets,” said Hon. “Faster” is often relative when dealing with cosmic events, and BD+05 4868 Ab’s case is no exception. Even losing an estimated Mount Everest’s worth of material with every orbit, it will still take 1–2 million years before the planet is completely destroyed. Until then, conditions on BD+05 4868 Ab will remain pretty hellish: surface temperatures reach an estimated 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Such constant, punishing heat also means the entire planet is likely covered in boiling magma as its mineral grains continue to evaporate into space. “This is a very tiny object, with very weak gravity, so it easily loses a lot of mass, which then further weakens its gravity, so it loses even more mass,” explained Avi Shporer, a study co-author at the TESS Science Office. “It’s a runaway process, and it’s only getting worse and worse for the planet.” According to Shporer, it’s pure luck that astronomers detected BD+05 4868 Ab when they did. “We got lucky with catching it exactly when it’s really going away,” said Shporer. “It’s like [it’s] on its last breath.”

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01237-2The international community has a golden opportunity to start reining in the escalating, mostly ignored global burden of chronic kidney disease.

Nature, Published online: 22 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01224-7Defend scientific integrity and academic freedom