Flip phones are officially making a comeback--especially with companies like Google and Android releasing multiple quality models like the recent Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Google Pixel 9 Pixel Pro Fold. If you hopped on the trend by purchasing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, it may be wise to invest in a quality case to make your device last. Samsung makes official Galaxy cases, which will absolutely fit your phone, but come at a premium price. Other brands like Spigen make specialized cases designed to handle everything from dropping your phone on a sticky bar floor to protecting its folding hinges. Countless brands offer slim, stylish cases that allow you to show off your personal style.Also: Galaxy Z Fold 5 reviewWhat is the best Galaxy Z Fold 5 case right now? The Spigen Slim Armor Pro is my pick for the best Galaxy Z Fold phone case overall, due to its slim form, hinge protection, and camera protector. I've extensively researched many other brands and styles of Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases to help you find the best protection and fashion cases. Keep reading below to find out more about the Samsung slim S-Pen case and my other picks. Sort by All Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases of 2025 Show less View now at Amazon The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is already pretty bulky, so my pick for the best case protects the device utilizing a slim finish to make it easier to hold and put in your pocket.The slim case features grips on the side to prevent accidental drops, and a slight lip over the lenses offers camera protection. An essential feature is the hinge protection--after all, you want to maintain the Galaxy Z Fold 5's ability to fold.The case also has MagSafe capabilities for wireless charging and can hold a magnetic wallet. Overall, it provides a sleek design without being an eyesore like some protective cases.Users on Reddit say this might be the best case they have tried for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and recommend it the most over other options. However, at $65, it remains a pricier option.Spigen Slim Armor Pro features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Abyss Green, Black, Black Pen, Sierra Blue | Screen protector: No | Hinge Protection: Yes | Drop protection: Air cushion technology Pros Hinge protection Side grips Camera protection Cons No screen protector Pricier The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is already pretty bulky, so my pick for the best case protects the device utilizing a slim finish to make it easier to hold and put in your pocket.The slim case features grips on the side to prevent accidental drops, and a slight lip over the lenses offers camera protection. An essential feature is the hinge protection--after all, you want to maintain the Galaxy Z Fold 5's ability to fold.The case also has MagSafe capabilities for wireless charging and can hold a magnetic wallet. Overall, it provides a sleek design without being an eyesore like some protective cases.Users on Reddit say this might be the best case they have tried for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and recommend it the most over other options. However, at $65, it remains a pricier option.Spigen Slim Armor Pro features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Abyss Green, Black, Black Pen, Sierra Blue | Screen protector: No | Hinge Protection: Yes | Drop protection: Air cushion technology Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less The official Samsung-branded S-Pen case is guaranteed to fit your new Galaxy Z Fold 5. It's made of durable, molded TPU plastic for protection against everyday wear and tear and minor bumps and scratches.It also comes packaged with an S-Pen and extra pen nibs to keep your stylus handy and functioning properly. One Best Buy reviewer said, "The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 Slim S Pen Case has truly impressed me with its sleek and functional design. The slimmer S Pen and case combination is a game-changer, making it more portable than ever without compromising on usability. " The slim S-Pen case is available in three colors, so you can match your phone's color or show off your style. The only downside is that it doesn't have a built-in screen protector.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S-Pen case features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Sand, Graphite, Icy Blue | Screen protector: No | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: NA  Pros Guaranteed to fit Galaxy Z Fold 5 Includes S-Pen and extra nibs Hard case Cons No built-in screen protector Not moisture resistant The official Samsung-branded S-Pen case is guaranteed to fit your new Galaxy Z Fold 5. It's made of durable, molded TPU plastic for protection against everyday wear and tear and minor bumps and scratches.It also comes packaged with an S-Pen and extra pen nibs to keep your stylus handy and functioning properly. One Best Buy reviewer said, "The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 Slim S Pen Case has truly impressed me with its sleek and functional design. The slimmer S Pen and case combination is a game-changer, making it more portable than ever without compromising on usability. " The slim S-Pen case is available in three colors, so you can match your phone's color or show off your style. The only downside is that it doesn't have a built-in screen protector.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S-Pen case features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Sand, Graphite, Icy Blue | Screen protector: No | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: NA  Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Casetify If you want to show off your Galaxy Z Fold 5's unique blue color, a clear or sheer case will be your best friend. One Casetify reviewer noted that this case is "well designed, [making it] easy to install and remove [your] phone, [and is] unique and lightweight." This clear Impact case from Casetify offers 4 feet of military-grade drop protection and Casetify's proprietary EcoShock material, giving you a security blanket against minor drops and scuffs. The case is also compatible with wireless charging, so you can free yourself of tangled cords to power up your phone without having to remove your phone case. Casetify Impact Case features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Clear - black, sheer - polar blue | Screen protector: No | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: 4 feet  Pros Military grade drop protection Clear case that highlights the color of your phone Cons $72 Only two color ways If you want to show off your Galaxy Z Fold 5's unique blue color, a clear or sheer case will be your best friend. One Casetify reviewer noted that this case is "well designed, [making it] easy to install and remove [your] phone, [and is] unique and lightweight." This clear Impact case from Casetify offers 4 feet of military-grade drop protection and Casetify's proprietary EcoShock material, giving you a security blanket against minor drops and scuffs. The case is also compatible with wireless charging, so you can free yourself of tangled cords to power up your phone without having to remove your phone case. Casetify Impact Case features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Clear - black, sheer - polar blue | Screen protector: No | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: 4 feet  Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon If you hate heavy, bulky phone cases that sacrifice ease of use for protection, the Spigen Thin Fit Pro is a great, lightweight alternative. One Amazon reviewer wrote that the case "fits like a glove" and "has a molded curved edge around the camera lenses and it's perfect, get a protection glass separate and it fits right around it like it's meant to be." Like the Samsung Slim S-Pen case, the Thin Fit Pro is made of molded TPU plastic for a sure fit and a low profile that's easier to slip into a pocket or small bag. The matte finish helps keep your phone looking great by resisting fingerprint marks and everyday wear and tear. It's also thin enough to allow wireless charging without removing the case from your phone first. It's even compatible with Samsung's Power Share feature, which allows you to charge your Samsung wireless devices with your phone.Spigen Thin Fit Pro features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Crystal clear, Frost Grey | Screen protector: No | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: NA  Pros Lightweight and low-profile Fingerprint and scratch-resistant matte finish Wireless charging and Power Share compatible Cons No built-in screen protector Not water resistant If you hate heavy, bulky phone cases that sacrifice ease of use for protection, the Spigen Thin Fit Pro is a great, lightweight alternative. One Amazon reviewer wrote that the case "fits like a glove" and "has a molded curved edge around the camera lenses and it's perfect, get a protection glass separate and it fits right around it like it's meant to be." Like the Samsung Slim S-Pen case, the Thin Fit Pro is made of molded TPU plastic for a sure fit and a low profile that's easier to slip into a pocket or small bag. The matte finish helps keep your phone looking great by resisting fingerprint marks and everyday wear and tear. It's also thin enough to allow wireless charging without removing the case from your phone first. It's even compatible with Samsung's Power Share feature, which allows you to charge your Samsung wireless devices with your phone.Spigen Thin Fit Pro features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Crystal clear, Frost Grey | Screen protector: No | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: NA  Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon The i-Blason Cosmo proves that protecting your Galaxy Z Fold 5 doesn't have to be a dull affair. This eye-catching phone case comes in three colors: Marble Pink, Purple, and Ocean Blue. Each color scheme integrates pink or yellow gold accents and a textured, faceted design on the hinge protector to either show off your personality or blend in with your aesthetic office supplies. The case is also impact-resistant for drops up to 10 feet, giving you peace of mind for your new phone. One Amazon reviewer noted, "I had my doubts as I unpacked the case, but after dropping it from my pocket onto a concrete driveway and the only damage being a small crack to the protective screen and scratched plastic, I can say this case is the OtterBox for the Fold." It also has a built-in screen protector and an integrated slot for storing your S-Pen stylus.i-Blason Cosmo features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Marble pink, marble purple, ocean blue | Screen protector: Yes | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: 10 feet  Pros Unique designs 10-foot drop resistance Built-in screen protector Cons Pricey Not moisture resistant The i-Blason Cosmo proves that protecting your Galaxy Z Fold 5 doesn't have to be a dull affair. This eye-catching phone case comes in three colors: Marble Pink, Purple, and Ocean Blue. Each color scheme integrates pink or yellow gold accents and a textured, faceted design on the hinge protector to either show off your personality or blend in with your aesthetic office supplies. The case is also impact-resistant for drops up to 10 feet, giving you peace of mind for your new phone. One Amazon reviewer noted, "I had my doubts as I unpacked the case, but after dropping it from my pocket onto a concrete driveway and the only damage being a small crack to the protective screen and scratched plastic, I can say this case is the OtterBox for the Fold." It also has a built-in screen protector and an integrated slot for storing your S-Pen stylus.i-Blason Cosmo features: Case style: Hard case | Color: Marble pink, marble purple, ocean blue | Screen protector: Yes | Water resistance: N/A | Drop protection: 10 feet  Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 case? The best case for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the Spigen Slim Armor Pro, which offers a slim form factor, hinge protection, and camera protection.Buy this Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 case...If you need...Spigen Slim Armor ProThe overall best option with a slim but protective form factor, hinge protection, and camera protection.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S-Pen caseAn official Samsung case. This case is made by Samsung and guaranteed to fit the Galaxy Z Fold 5.Casetify Impact CaseThe best clear case you can buy with military-grade drop protection.Spigen Thin Fit ProA lightweight case for your Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Spigen Thin Fit Pro features a low profile that's easier to fit into your pocket or bag.i-Blason CosmoAn ultra-stylish case for your Galaxy Z Fold 5. The i-Blason Cosmo comes in three colors with marble, rose gold, or yellow gold accents. Show more Which is the right Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 case for you? When shopping for a new phone case, it's best to consider what level of protection you need. Not only will this help prevent you from overspending or buying something you don't need, it can also help you anticipate career or life changes where you may need more or less phone protection.If you work outdoors or in manufacturing, or are just notorious for destroying phones, it's best to opt for a very rugged phone case like the SupCase Unicorn Beetle Pro. These types of phone cases are often tested against military standards for shock, drop, and moisture resistance, so you can have more peace of mind.But if you work from home or just want to keep your phone from getting scratched and cracked from everyday use, it may be better to opt for a thinner, more lightweight (and often less expensive) case. These tend to have lower profiles that are easier to slip into your pocket, but also sacrifice protection via built-in screen protectors and water resistance.Buy this Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 case...If you need...Spigen Slim Armor ProThe best overall option for drop protection and colorway availability. This case is tested against military durability standards for drop, shock, and moisture resistance.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S-Pen caseAn official Samsung case. This case is made by Samsung and guaranteed to fit the Galaxy Z Fold 5.Casetify Impact CaseThe best clear case you can buy with military-grade drop protection. Spigen Thin Fit ProA lightweight case for your Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Spigen Thin Fit Pro features a low profile that's easier to fit into your pocket or bag.i-Blason CosmoAn ultra-stylish case for your Galaxy Z Fold 5. The i-Blason Cosmo comes in three colors with marble, rose gold, or yellow gold accents. Show more Factors to consider when choosing a Galaxy Z Fold 5 case We've spent many hours testing phone cases, from big names like Casetify and Samsung to lesser-known brands, to show you that you have many options. The phone case your grandma recommends you try might be the worst phone case you've ever had, which is why it's essential to consider these factors before you buy:Durability: Most people may only care about the aesthetic of a phone case, but if you're looking for a case that's meant to protect your phone from drops, cracks, and scratches, then the SupCase Unicorn Beetle Pro case and Casetify Impact Case are your best options. Material: Phone cases have, no doubt, come a long way. And with time, companies have been able to source the best materials, including silicone, leather, plastic, metal even recyclables such as cardboard or paperboard (each with pros and cons). If you're looking for quality sourced materials, check out DBrand genuine leather skin for Galaxy Z Fold 5.Features: Who doesn't like a convenient stylus pen holder, built-in stand or my personal favorite, a wallet holder, as an added feature to a phone case. If you're looking for beyond basic protection and style phone case, the i-Blason Cosmo comes with a built-in screen protector as well as an integrated slot for storing your S-Pen stylus.Design: Just like your eyes eat first when eating, you could say the same about phone cases. When choosing a phone case, it's also important to consider its style and design, after all, you're most likely carrying it around with you 24/7. Our picks in that case would be OCASE or Casetify.  Show more How we test the phone cases The ZDNET team spends weeks with a phone case, using it in many environments like the office, outdoors, grocery stores, or at home. We do so to test how well a phone case can perform in various environments, as each environment tests the durability and protection.Although you can test phone cases with just a simple drop from various heights, you should conduct your own testing in your frequented environments to see how they hold up. At the end of the day, the only way to know if a phone case works for you is to try it on your own phone. Show more How do I choose the right Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 case? Before you buy a phone case, there are a few things aside from the design to keep in mind. When putting together this list of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases, we kept these criteria in mind:Cost: When it comes to phone cases, you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to "rugged" models. I've made sure that each case featured in this list has features and protection properties that are worth the price.Protection level: Not all phone cases are created equal. If you work a trade, in manufacturing, or spend a lot of time outdoors, it's better to opt for a rugged case. Whereas office professionals and casual mobile users may only require minimal phone protection.Compatibility: There is no worse feeling than getting your hands on a brand new phone and case for it, only to discover that your case doesn't fit. I've thoroughly researched each featured product to make sure that is designed to fit the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Show more Will a Galaxy Z Fold 4 case fit my Galaxy Z Fold 5? Unfortunately, no. This is because Samsung re-designed the rear camera arrangement, moving the flash from below the lenses to right next to them. If you try to force your Galaxy Z Fold 5 into a case meant for a previous generation, you may risk damaging your phone. Show more Does the Galaxy Z Fold 5 come with a pen? The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 doesn't come packaged with an S-Pen stylus, unfortunately. While Samsung has never included an S-Pen with previous versions of the Galaxy Z Fold, it's still a bit irksome to need to spend extra money on a must-have accessory. Show more What is the point of a folding smartphone? While Samsung has a whole page dedicated to trying to convince you to make the switch to a folding smartphone, the biggest draw is what made flip-phones so ubiquitous in the late 90s and early 00s: They're easier to fit into your pocket. A folding smartphone is a unique solution to the demand for bigger and better screens on our mobile devices while balancing screen size with portability and practicality.A foldable phone also lets you take selfies and group pictures without having to contort yourself into uncomfortable angles for the perfect shot or asking strangers to take family photos. With the larger, unfolded screen, you can also multitask in several apps to streamline your workflow. And a foldable phone brings back the satisfaction of snapping your phone shut to end an irritating call. Show more More Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases to consider Further ZDNET Tech Coverage Smartphones Smartwatches Tablets Laptops TVs Other Tech Resources ZDNET Recommends

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Bottom line: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered doesn't officially support mods. However, that hasn't stopped fans from experimenting – and finding that quite a few legacy mods for the original 2006 release still work with a bit of manual effort. Users on Reddit and the Bethesda Game Studios Discord noted that several classic .esp files function more or less as intended when dropped into the Remastered version. Ars Technica confirmed it through basic testing, using a 2008 mod to add overpowered gear to the starting prison cell. Getting these legacy mods working isn't as streamlined as with the Oblivion Mod Manager, but it's not hard either. Players have found that dragging the file into the same directory as the downloadable content – Content/Dev/ObvData/Data – and adding the filename to the Plugins.txt list enables them in-game. Simple tweaks, cheats, and visual changes often function as intended since the "heart" of the remaster is the original Oblivion engine. More complex mods with new assets are less consistent, sometimes causing crashes or graphical glitches when they conflict with the Unreal 5 visual overhaul. The lack of official mod support is surprising, especially given this newly discovered legacy mod compatibility. Bethesda published the remaster, but Virtuos handled the development. The studio likely didn't have time to implement a full modding interface, prioritizing a stable core experience at launch instead. Mod support could still come in a future update. Skyrim, for example, didn't see official mod tools on PlayStation until years after release. Of course, that was largely Sony's fault. However, even on PC and Xbox, they arrived later. Given how central modding has always been to The Elder Scrolls community, it's hard to imagine Virtuos or Bethesda ignoring the demand completely. Virtuos is probably more concerned with fixing launch bugs, which some players have already reported. The foundation is there, considering some legacy mods work and new ones already showing up on Nexus Mods – like UI tweaks or faster-walking NPCs. Official tools or better integration could easily arrive in a future update. In the meantime, players who know their way around a directory folder are already reinstalling old favorites. The fact that a remastered game running on Unreal Engine can still recognize content made nearly 20 years ago is a testament to how deep modding hooks ran in the original. Whether intentional or not, the same community that kept the original Oblivion alive is already shaping its second life. // Related Stories

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has captured what’s believed to be the first orbital image of the Curiosity rover “on the move.” The remarkable photograph, enhanced to bring out the details, clearly shows the tracks created by Curiosity’s six wheels as it rolls across the red planet’s barren landscape, with a tiny speck denoting the rover itself.  “NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has never been camera shy, having been seen in selfies and images taken from space. But on February 28 … Curiosity was captured in what is believed to be the first orbital image of the rover mid-drive across the red planet.” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is overseeing the Curiosity mission, said in a post. Recommended Videos The image was taken by the MRO’s HiRISE (High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera, with the tracks calculated to be about 1,050 feet (320 meters) in length. Curiosity is shown close to the base of a steep slope, which JPL says the rover has since ascended. The vehicle, which arrived on Mars in 2012, drives using a combination of remote commands from Earth and onboard autonomy, with JPL engineers working alongside scientists to plan each day’s trek. Related NASA said the tracks will probably remain visible “for months” before martian winds erase them. “They represent roughly 11 drives starting on February 2 as Curiosity trucked along at a top speed of 0.1 mph (0.16 kph) from Gediz Vallis channel on the journey to its next science stop,” JPL said.  NASA’s rover has been spending its time studying whether Mars ever had environmental conditions suitable for microbial life. It’s also been gathering data on the planet’s climate and geology, and analyzing the environment in preparation for future crewed missions. MRO orbits Mars at an altitude ranging from about 155 to 196 miles (250 to 315 kilometers), with its primary mission goals to study Mars’ geology and climate, search for signs of water, and support other Mars missions by relaying data and scouting potential landing sites for future missions. Curiosity isn’t the only NASA rover trundling across the martian surface. The more advanced Perseverance rover has been on the red planet since arriving there in a spectacular touchdown — captured on hi-res video — in 2021. On a clear night, you can view Mars up until November. So the next time you spot it, pause for a moment to consider that on that distant planet, NASA has a couple of rovers tootling about, performing science research dreamed up by humans all the way back here on Earth.  Editors’ Recommendations

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Adding up Reusable rockets are here, so why is NASA paying more to launch stuff to space? Something appears to be broken in how NASA procures launch services. Stephen Clark – Apr 24, 2025 7:15 pm | 15 File photo of a Falcon 9 rocket launch with NASA's Crew-6 mission. Credit: SpaceX File photo of a Falcon 9 rocket launch with NASA's Crew-6 mission. Credit: SpaceX Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more In an era of reusable rockets and near-daily access to space, NASA is still paying more than it did 30 years ago to launch missions into orbit, according to a study soon to be published in the scientific journal Acta Astronautica. Launch is becoming more routine. Every few days, SpaceX is sending another batch of Starlink Internet satellites to orbit, and other kinds of missions fill up the rest of SpaceX's launch schedule. SpaceX, alone, has ample capacity to launch the handful of science missions NASA puts into space each year. If supply outpaces demand, shouldn't prices go down? It's not so simple. NASA is one of many customers jockeying for a slot on SpaceX's launch manifest. The US military is launching more missions than ever before, and SpaceX is about to become the Pentagon's top launch provider. SpaceX already launches more missions for NASA than any other rocket company. Commercial satellites and SpaceX's own Starlink missions also fill up the launch schedule. So far this year, more than 70 percent of SpaceX's launches have deployed Starlink satellites or Starshield spacecraft, a military version of the Starlink platform for the US government. So, there's a lot of demand, even if NASA's missions make up only a fraction of SpaceX's launch business. Cost vs. price Financial information from NASA suggests the agency's payments for launch services are increasing, according to a paper authored by Moon Kim, a research analyst for NASA's strategic investments division. The report is set to be published in the July issue of Acta Astronautica, a peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the International Academy of Astronautics. Adjusted for inflation, the prices NASA pays for launch services rose at an annual average rate of 2.82 percent from 1996 to 2024, the report says. "Furthermore, there is no evidence of shift in the launch service costs trend after the introduction of a new launch service provider in 2016." The new launch service provider mentioned here is SpaceX. NASA's Launch Services Program, which books rocket launches for the agency's science missions, used a Falcon 9 rocket for the first time in January 2016. Before then, United Launch Alliance was the only launch provider capable of hauling NASA's heaviest satellites to orbit. The Launch Services Program brokers launch contracts for NASA's interplanetary probes, space telescopes, and climate research satellites. Launches to transport crews and cargo to the International Space Station are booked through a separate account. For nearly 40 years, NASA's policy has been to launch its robotic science probes on commercial rockets whenever possible. Government officials realized in the 1980s that NASA's Space Shuttle would be more expensive to fly than anticipated. After the Challenger accident in 1986, NASA launched most of its satellites on expendable rockets, like the Atlas, Delta, and Titan launch vehicles that traced their lineages to the 1950s. A Delta II rocket built by Boeing lifts off June 10, 2003, with NASA's Spirit rover heading for Mars. Credit: NASA Newcomers entered the launch business in the 1990s. Orbital Sciences debuted its air-launched Pegasus vehicle, which became the first privately developed rocket to reach orbit. SpaceX introduced its small liquid-fueled Falcon 1 rocket in the 2000s, and then the larger Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets in 2010 and 2018. The Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are partially reusable, holding the promise that SpaceX's rockets would bring about a sharp reduction in the cost of launch. Indeed, they have. SpaceX is the first company to recover and reuse an orbital rocket's first stage booster and payload fairings. These two elements represent about 70 percent of the total cost of a Falcon 9 launcher. Reusability and processing improvements at SpaceX's factory and launch sites have significantly reduced the cost of each Falcon 9 launch. "At one point, SpaceX had publicly said that it was $28 million," said Caleb Henry, director of research at Quilty Space, in a live event hosted by Ars last year. "We believe today that they are below $20 million per launch and actually lower than that... I would put it in the mid-teens for how much it costs them internally." SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 booster for a record 27th mission earlier this month. "As they can amortize the cost of the booster over a greater number of missions, that only helps them with their business case," Henry said. Kim uses NASA's pricing data as the benchmark in his paper because the exact costs incurred by launch providers for each flight are proprietary. "For the launch industry, privatization was expected to lead to more efficient resource allocation, resulting in lower launch prices and thus increasing launch demand," Kim writes in a summary of his report. These efficiencies include economies of scale, increased production, and competitive pressures, all of which were expected to drive down prices as the industry reached an "equilibrium." These expectations have not borne out. "The results indicate that NASA's launch service cost is not decreasing," Kim writes. Let’s get to the numbers Over the last few years, SpaceX cited inflation as the reason for steadily increasing the price of a dedicated Falcon 9 launch, from $62 million, to $67 million, and now to $70 million. This suggests SpaceX is selling launches at a significant markup, although the Falcon 9's list price still undercuts the company's competitors. The complete text of Kim's paper hasn't been published yet, but a summary of the report is available online. The study results "show limited effects of the competitive market" on launch prices, and recommends NASA reassess its policies to foster more competition. Companies charge the US government more for launch services than they do for commercial customers. By paying more, NASA and the Space Force get priority on launch schedules, and government engineers have access to internal company data for oversight purposes. NASA and Space Force missions sometimes have special requirements, such as strict payload cleanliness specifications or augmentations to place satellites into unique orbits, meaning they often can't launch on rideshare missions, which offer cut-rate prices for missions that can fly on them. NASA's Europa Clipper mission began with a fiery launch on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. Credit: SpaceX While launch prices are not publicly available for every NASA mission since 1996, Ars found launch prices paid by NASA for most of the agency's mediun and large science missions from the late 1990s through the mid-2000s. Today, these missions would likely launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. Here's a sample with contract values adjusted for inflation from the date of launch to reflect 2025 dollars: • 1998: Deep Space 1 — Delta II rocket — $86 million • 1999: Mars Polar Lander — Delta II rocket — $88 million • 2001: Mars Odyssey — Delta II rocket — $96 million • 2003: Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers — two Delta II rockets — $87 million per launch • 2004: Swift — Delta II rocket — $90 million • 2005: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter — Atlas V rocket — $147 million • 2007: Phoenix Mars lander — Delta II rocket — $132 million Launch prices for NASA missions soared after the late 2000s, following the creation of United Launch Alliance through a merger of the Atlas and Delta rocket programs developed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The merger eliminated competition for most of NASA's launch contracts until SpaceX's Falcon 9 became available for NASA science missions in the mid-2010s. Here's a sample of missions as examples of the rising costs, with contract values adjusted for inflation from the time of their award to reflect 2025 dollars: • 2009: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter — Atlas V rocket — $220 million • 2012: Radiation Belt Storm Probes — Atlas V rocket — $226 million (averaged from a bulk buy) • 2014: Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 — Delta II rocket — $191 million (averaged from a bulk buy) • 2016: OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission — Atlas V rocket — $252 million • 2017: TDRS-M data relay satellite — Atlas V rocket — $179 million • 2017: JPSS-2 weather satellite — Atlas V rocket — $224 million • 2018: InSight Mars lander — Atlas V rocket — $220 million • 2018: ICESAT-2 — Delta II rocket — $134 million Again, the missions listed above would likely launch on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets if NASA awarded these contracts today. So, how do SpaceX's more recent Falcon 9 prices compare? Let's take a look. These contract values are adjusted for inflation from the time of their award to reflect 2025 dollars: • 2016: Jason 3 oceanography satellite — Falcon 9 rocket — $114 million • 2018: Transiting Exoplanets Survey Satellite — Falcon 9 rocket — $118 million • 2020: Sentinel-6A — Falcon 9 rocket — $126 million • 2021: Double Asteroid Redirection Test — Falcon 9 rocket — $86 million • 2021: Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer — Falcon 9 rocket — $62 million • 2022: Surface Water and Ocean Topography — Falcon 9 rocket — $148 million • 2024: PACE Earth sciences mission — Falcon 9 rocket — $99 million • 2025: SPHEREx astronomy mission — Falcon 9 rocket — $99 million And here are a few future launches NASA has booked to fly on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Some of these contracts were awarded in the last 12 months, and those have not been adjusted for inflation. The others reflect 2025 dollars: • 2025: Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe — Falcon 9 rocket — $134 million • 2025: Sentinel-6B — Falcon 9 rocket — $101 million • 2027: NEO Surveyor — Falcon 9 rocket — $100 million • 2027: JPSS-4 weather satellite — Falcon 9 rocket — $113 million • 2027: Compton Spectrometer and Imager — Falcon 9 rocket — $69 million There are a few other things worth noting when we chart NASA's launch prices. One is that SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, used for NASA's heaviest missions, costs more than a Falcon 9 rocket. For example, two identical weather satellites launched in 2022 and 2024 on ULA's Atlas V and SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket for $207 million and $178 million, respectively, again adjusted for inflation. It's also instructive to compare NASA's launch prices for the agency's three newest nuclear-powered space missions. These spacecraft use plutonium power generators, and their launch vehicles require an additional level of safety certification. NASA paid ULA the equivalent of $307 million in 2025 dollars for the launch of the Curiosity Mars rover in 2011. NASA's Perseverance Mars rover launched on an Atlas V rocket in 2020 under a launch contract with ULA valued at $323 million in 2025 dollars. NASA is developing the Dragonfly helicopter for launch to Saturn's moon Titan in 2028, and the agency awarded SpaceX a $257 million contract last year to launch it on a Falcon Heavy rocket. A reusable Falcon 9 booster after landing on a SpaceX drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Credit: SpaceX Reaching an equilibrium NASA is paying SpaceX less to launch its newest missions than the agency would have paid ULA to launch them on Delta II or Atlas V rockets a decade ago. That's the good news. However, despite its mastery of rocket reuse, SpaceX is charging NASA nearly as much for future Falcon 9 launches (an average of $103 million) as it did over the last decade (an average of $107 million). And the latest average Falcon 9 prices for NASA are higher than those of the expendable Delta II rocket more than 20 years ago. Meanwhile, ULA hasn't launched a NASA science mission since 2022, and hasn't won a contract with NASA's Launch Services Program since 2019. ULA's Atlas V rocket is nearing retirement, and the company's replacement, the Vulcan, only became eligible to compete for NASA launch contracts last year. This means NASA has lacked competition among US launch providers for several years. ULA's Vulcan and Blue Origin's New Glenn rockets are now operational, and they should soon contest SpaceX for NASA launch contracts. But Vulcan and New Glenn lack the long record of reliability of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, and their prices are murky. The best data available on ULA's Vulcan launch prices comes from the US Space Force. Between 2020 and 2023, the Space Force awarded dozens of launch contracts to ULA and SpaceX. Those deals average out to $120 million for ULA and $114 million for SpaceX. Earlier this month, the Space Force doled out nine more launch orders for an average of $214 million to ULA and $121 million to SpaceX. These numbers are comparable to NASA's recent launch prices and likely foretell SpaceX and ULA pricing trends for the rest of the decade. Despite the promise of competition, NASA may have to wait for the next generation of launchers, such as SpaceX's Starship, to come online for another step-change in launch prices. Stephen Clark Space Reporter Stephen Clark Space Reporter Stephen Clark is a space reporter at Ars Technica, covering private space companies and the world’s space agencies. Stephen writes about the nexus of technology, science, policy, and business on and off the planet. 15 Comments

A 110-million-year-old fossil of the hell ant Vulcanidris cratensisAnderson Lepeco At more than 110 million years old, a fossil excavated in Brazil is the oldest undisputed ant fossil ever discovered. The finding adds to evidence that the first ants evolved on the supercontinent of Gondwana in the southern hemisphere before spreading across the rest of the world. “We have evidence they were in South America, they were in Gondwana, during their early evolution,” says Anderson Lepeco at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. Lepeco came across the fossil in a large collection delivered to the university’s zoological museum. The specimens all came from the Crato Formation in north-east Brazil, which formed during the Lower Cretaceous Period. He immediately suspected this fossil was from an extinct group of insects called hell ants. “That head shape was similar to one species we found in Burmese amber,” he says. “This gave me the hint.” Hell ants are particularly interesting because they represent a transitional “stem lineage”, says Lepeco – they are more closely related to the wasp-like common ancestor of all ants than to the species alive today, although they did have ant-like social structures. Unmissable news about our planet delivered straight to your inbox every month. Sign up to newsletter When the fossil was 3D scanned, this revealed other characteristics that identified it as a hell ant. For instance, it had forklift-like mandibles that may have enabled it to skewer other insects. In fact, it is this gruesome feature that gave the hell ant group its name. The researchers named the new hell ant species Vulcanidris cratensis, in recognition of the Brazilian entomologist Maria Aparecida Vulcano. Based on the rock strata in which it was found, the researchers suspect the fossil is about 113 million years old, 13 million years older than the previous oldest known ant fossil. “Before our new fossil, the earliest ants known as fossils were from France and Myanmar,” says Lepeco. Finding such an ancient hell ant in South America aligns with genomic evidence suggesting ants first evolved in the southern hemisphere before dispersing throughout much of the rest of the world and establishing the dominant ecological role they maintain today. Journal referenceCurrent Biology DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.03.023 Topics:

Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images 2025-04-25T00:18:02Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Take a look at any Gen Z or Gen Alpha's bag — chances are, multiple charms are hooked onto it. The hottest trend of late is bag charms: Cute keychains and figurines that can be hooked on zips and straps. From showcasing personality to being a marketing tool for brands, here's why everyone's crazy about them. Gone are the days when the clickity-clack of stilettos used to signal a woman's entrance into a room. It's now replaced by the clickity-clack of the dozen charms she's hooked onto her handbag.Bag charms — small, decorative keychains — are quickly making their way onto the clasps of Gen Zers' bags. From miniature stuffed toys and cute figurines to beaded chains and even tiny framed pictures of their favorite artists, bag charms vary dramatically in size and form.For some, the charms just help to spice up an otherwise boring bag. For others, the importance of the charms goes much deeper — they are an extension of their personality, as much a fashion choice as their clothing."Whether they're adorning the 'it bag' of the moment or a thrift store find, Gen Zs and Gen Alphas see their bags as a blank canvas to display their personalities and personal style," said Carol Davidson, an NYC-based image consultant."It's adornment, sure, but also a way of sharing oneself with others," she added. "A cluster of charms gives others a snapshot of how someone sees themselves and how they want others to see them."Retail brands are hopping on the trend, with everyone from KFC to Balenciaga releasing bag charms to get the Gen Z buy-in. Celebrities at Paris Fashion Week had charms swinging from their bags.Here's a look at the hottest Gen Z trend of late.A modern take on 'Birkinifying' bagsDavidson said one likely origin of the bag charm trend was the death of Jane Birkin, the late British actor and model who was the muse and namesake of Hermès' most popular luxury bag, the Birkin."'Birkinifying' is officially a thing, originating with Jane Birkin herself. She was admired for her unique sense of style and love of fashion, but also for not taking it all too seriously," Davidson told BI."She was one of the first — if not the first - to adorn her large, well-worn bags with charms, scarves, and trinkets. Since her death in 2023, we've seen the re-emergence of this '00s trend," she added.Gregory Scott Angel, an assistant professor of fashion at Parsons School of Design, said the punk style of the 1980s could have been a predecessor to the bag charm trend, a style characterized by a "number of piercings, jewelry, and visible identity."Angel likened charms to emojis."The charms are a big identifier with people's personality. These charms could be associated with comfort, but for the most part, I see them as identifiers, the same way we use emojis to communicate with people," Angel said.A new way to vibe checkLow Zhi An, a 23-year-old tutor and avid charm collector from Singapore, put it bluntly: "If you have no bag charms, you have no personality."Low said she probably has over 50 charms in her collection. Although she's spent up to 40 Singaporean Dollars, or about $30, on a single charm, her favorite is one she got for free at Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour concert in Singapore."I got this small keychain from this little girl, and I just thought it was really, really cute. It just happened to have my favorite song on it, Gold Rush," Low, 23, said. Low Zhi An said she's collected about 50 bag charms to date, the most expensive being SG$40. Low Zhi An Low, who is also a die-hard K-pop fan, said that her most expensive charm was a green star plushie keychain tied to an album from her favorite group, NCT.The charm has a Near Field Communication tag, which, when brought near a phone, immediately lets the user browse and stream the album online.She also has several charms with photos of her favorite K-pop celebrities, like Yeonjun from the boy band Tomorrow X Together.Yeo Wen Qing, a recent communications graduate, said her journey collecting bag charms started young, when she kept the small keychains and knickknacks she got from Kinder Joy sweets or McDonald's meals.Now, Yeo says she has more than 10 charms, at least one on each bag she owns.For Yeo, seeing what bag charms a person has is a litmus test of their personality and whether she'll be able to "vibe well with them.""If I see that person has a bag charm of a Labubu, I will know that person buys into trends, maybe buys a bit too much into trends," she said. Labubu, a furry plushie toy with serrated teeth made by Chinese toymaker PopMart, has taken Asia and, increasingly, the West by storm.She added that if she sees someone with a charm of an "obscure" cartoon or anime character that she loves, she finds it easier to approach them.Gwen Lim, a Gen Zer who works in campaign marketing in Singapore, collects bag charms on her travels. She said they serve as souvenirs of her trips and remind her of good times with her friends. Gwen Lim's bag, with fresh charms from her recent trip to South Korea Gwen Lim Lim, 23, said charms also serve a very utilitarian function for her.In Singapore, where a handful of bag brands like Charles & Keith and The Paper Bunny reign supreme and trends spread like wildfire, many people carry similar bags. Hanging charms are her way of differentiating her bag from the masses.Lim's charms are also little vehicles for her beauty products. She said beauty brands in South Korea often package their products into bag charms. Lim is a fan of bag charms that house beauty products, like the Fwee Pudding Pot blush in the blue case. Gwen Lim Even fashion stylists are getting in on the bag charm trend.Edith Chan, a Madrid-based stylist, said she's gotten her clients, who are mainly entrepreneurial women in their 30s, to get in on the bag charm trend. She said even tying a scarf onto their bag helps them make their bag unique to them.Major retail brands are hopping on the bag charm bandwagonRetail brands, from fashion to food from across the board, are making bag charms to get the buy-in of the younger consumer base. In Singapore, KFC debuted limited-edition bag charms of the beloved Japanese cat character Mofusand wearing hats shaped like egg tarts, chicken drumsticks, and an upside-down fried chicken bucket.Over to haute couture, in November, Balenciaga introduced a "Charms Bar" in some of its stores worldwide, which allows customers to personalize their bags. One of the charms it sells is the $895 "Le City Micro Bag Charm," a tiny replica of its $2,900 Le City Medium bag.Angel, the professor from Parsons, said charms are "free marketing" for big brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier."In a competitive market, it helps luxury brands solidify brand loyalty with their existing base while providing an accessible entry for aspirational consumers," Davidson, the image consultant, said.Chan, the stylist, said the charms are a big way brands are drawing in younger customers."These brands always go to the young people," she said. "It's one way to nurture this generation to make them brand loyal." 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Almost immediately after he began his second term, President Donald Trump ordered the military to ban transgender people from serving in the US military. Under the Defense Department’s policy implementing this order, the military was supposed to start firing trans service members on March 26, although those firings were halted by a court order.That court order, in a case known as United States v. Shilling, is now before the Supreme Court. The Trump administration’s primary argument — that it’s not banning trans military personnel, but merely banning service by people with gender dysphoria — is nonsensical, and the Court has repeatedly rejected similar arguments in the past. According to the American Psychiatric Association, gender dysphoria refers to the “psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity” that is commonly experienced by transgender people. The government may no more recharacterize a ban on trans service as a ban on gender dysphoria than it could defend Jim Crow by recharacterizing it as a series of laws targeting people with high levels of melanin.Nevertheless, so long as the Court follows its long history of showing extreme deference to the military, it seems exceedingly likely that the Trump administration will prevail in this case.It is well-established that the government cannot evade a ban on discrimination by claiming that it is merely discriminating based on a trait that closely correlates with a particular identity. As the Supreme Court said in Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic (1993), “a tax on wearing yarmulkes is a tax on Jews.”Yet, while the Trump administration’s brief in the Shilling case is poorly argued, the Court is almost certain to reinstate the trans military ban, in part because the case is little more than a sequel to a fight that already played out in the first Trump administration.During his first term, Trump’s government issued a similar ban on transgender military service — although the first-term ban did contain some exceptions that are not part of the second-term ban. Lower courts halted the first-term ban, but the Supreme Court voted 5-4, along party lines, to reinstate that ban in 2019. The Court has only moved further to the right since 2019, and Republicans now have a 6-3 supermajority among the justices.The Supreme Court has long held that judges should defer to the militaryIt’s not clear that the first-term decisions reinstating the ban were wrongly decided under the Supreme Court’s precedents. The Court has long permitted the military to engage in activity that would clearly violate the Constitution in a civilian context.As Judge Benjamin Settle, the district judge who blocked Trump’s second-term ban, explained in his opinion, this ban is likely to do considerable harm to the United States.In Goldman v. Weinberger (1986), for example, the Court held that the military could ban Jewish service members from wearing yarmulkes while in uniform. As the Court explained, its “review of military regulations challenged on First Amendment grounds is far more deferential than constitutional review of similar laws or regulations designed for civilian society.” The military, Goldman reasoned, “must foster instinctive obedience, unity, commitment, and esprit de corps,” and that justifies imposing restrictions on service members that would normally violate the Constitution.The Court has even held that the military may engage in explicit sex discrimination — a fact that is highly relevant to the Shilling case because the Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) that discrimination against transgender workers is a form of illegal sex discrimination. In Rostker v. Goldberg (1981), the Court upheld the federal law that requires men, but not women, to register for the draft. While this kind of explicit sex discrimination would be unconstitutional in virtually any other context, Rostker explained that the courts owe extraordinary deference to Congress in matters of “national defense and military affairs.”Given these precedents, the plaintiffs challenging Trump’s transgender service ban always faced an uphill climb. And that’s doubly true because the Court’s current majority has not been particularly sympathetic to constitutional claims brought by trans litigants.As Judge Benjamin Settle, the district judge who blocked Trump’s second-term ban, explained in his opinion, this ban is likely to do considerable harm to the United States. The named plaintiff in the Shilling case is Commander Emily Shilling, a pilot with 19 years of military service who has flown 60 combat missions. Shilling alleges, without any contradiction from the government, that the Navy spent $20 million to train her. All of that expertise will now be lost to the US military.But the Constitution does not forbid the government from self-harm. And the Supreme Court’s precedents permit the military to discriminate in ways that other institutions cannot, which is bad news for people targeted by Trump’s transgender service ban.See More: