Amy Carlson built a devoted following online with a blend of mystical narratives and 21st-century social-media obsessions. True believers called her “Mother God.”

it's not terrible “We’re in a race with China”—DOT eases autonomous car rules Domestic AVs can now get FMVSS exemptions for no rearview mirrors or steering wheels. Jonathan M. Gitlin – Apr 25, 2025 10:12 am | 64 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more The US Department of Transportation issued revised rules for autonomous and partially automated vehicles on Thursday. Despite fears that the Trump administration would roll back safety regulations as it has for air and water standards, crashes involving autonomous or partially automated vehicles must still be reported to the government. And now, domestic autonomous vehicle developers will be able to benefit from exemptions previously only offered to foreign companies. "This administration understands that we're in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn’t be higher," said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a statement. "As part of DOT's innovation agenda, our new framework will slash red tape and move us closer to a single national standard that spurs innovation and prioritizes safety," Duffy said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is keeping its Standing General Order, which requires manufacturers of autonomous or partially automated vehicles to report crashes that occur with such systems on public roads. Crashes using either autonomous driving systems or a partially automated system like GM's Super Cruise or Tesla's Autopilot must be reported within 10 days if anyone involved was killed or taken to hospital, if a vulnerable road user was hit, if the airbags deployed, or if the vehicle had to be towed away from the crash. For crashes where none of those conditions are satisfied, NHTSA has to be notified within 15 days if other conditions are met, including a property damage threshold, as well as if another vehicle was involved. NHTSA is also opening up exemptions for some federal motor vehicle safety standards for US-based manufacturers. "This exemption promotes innovative designs, such as prototype vehicles, through an iterative review process that considers the overall safety of the vehicle along with the purposes for which the exemption is requested," NHTSA wrote in a letter to the industry. So robotaxis without side-view mirrors or a steering wheel should now be easier to deploy on US streets. The news was welcomed by the automotive industry. "This technology works. It will help improve safety on the roads and increase mobility," said Alliance for Automotive Innovation President and CEO John Bozzella. "But the ability of AV developers, investors, automakers and consumers to reach their full potential has been hamstrung by government inaction. It’s time to move to the next phase of autonomous driving in America, and that requires—urgently requires—a regulatory framework and a pathway to finally and fully deploy AVs in the country." Hopefully there are still enough experts left at NHTSA to handle the paperwork. Earlier this month, dozens of people directly responsible for regulating autonomous vehicle safety were dismissed at the order of Elon Musk, who counts being CEO of Tesla—which is subject to numerous NHTSA safety investigations, many involving partially automated driving—among his many day jobs. Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 64 Comments

James M. Connolly, Contributing Editor and WriterApril 25, 20254 Min ReadInk Drop via Alamy StockIn the adoption of new technology, there has always been the need for tradeoffs. For every opportunity, there has been a cost, a need to achieve the good by understanding the bad. The early computers offered efficiency, but they raised fears of depersonalization; PCs threatened IT security; the internet connected the world but enabled cybercrime. In the end, nobody wanted to go back to typewriters, rotary dial phones, and adding machines. Somehow humanity has found ways to balance the negative and positive side of each emerging technology. Today, artificial intelligence offers a prime example of the good/bad, plus/minus equation. AI promises to make work easier, cure diseases and solve global problems. Yet, we know about the risks: Biased data, lack of transparency, loss of jobs, and more. Recently, a new concern has emerged: AI models require so much electrical power that the energy demand seems ready to bring down the global grids. The irony is that some experts say AI actually has the potential to help achieve greater sustainability by finding answers to multiple energy issues. We recently launched a special report on this topic in which we investigated the thorny issues surrounding the true cost of AI. For example, what’s the price tag CIOs have to pay in the short term and what’s the cost to their business -- and to society -- in the long-term? And over the past year or so, InformationWeek writers have examined the energy dilemma that AI raises. The articles in this Quick Study share the thoughts of key experts in the AI and energy fields. They can help you and your IT organization understand the two sides of the AI energy issues.  The Problem Confronting the AI Energy Drain Artificial intelligence technology is working its way into nearly every aspect of modern life. But what are the energy costs? Can they be reduced? The AI Power Paradox The energy needed to train AI models is draining the power grid. But AI may also be key to sustainable energy management. AI Driving Data Center Energy Appetite As organizations scramble to integrate AI platforms into their businesses, the impact on data center energy requirements is skyrocketing, with future demand certain to rise. Will Future AI Demands Derail Sustainable Energy Initiatives? As AI use grows, so will its energy demands. How will power-hungry AI deployments affect sustainable energy initiatives? Pulling Back the Curtain: The Infrastructure Behind the Magic of AI Here’s a look at the “magic” behind artificial intelligence development, which requires density in design, strategic land selection, and power availability. Possible Solutions AI, Data Centers, and Energy Use: The Path to Sustainability The increasing use of AI and data centers is leading to a surge in energy consumption, posing risks for energy, tech, and data companies. It also presents an opportunity for these companies to decarbonize, build trust, and reduce long-term costs. Accenture Makes $1B AI Power Play with Udacity Purchase The company will use Udacity to build out its LearnVantage business to focus on AI-fueled technology training. Supercharging AI With the Power of Quantum Computing How can we supercharge artificial intelligence? Through the power of quantum computing and its potential to pave the way for a more sustainable and efficient future with AI. Clean, Lean Data Is the Cornerstone of AI Sustainability Messy data is making AI inefficient and hampering its sustainability. So why aren’t more organizations doing a better job of optimizing their data for AI? Sustainable AI: Wishful Thinking or Corporate Imperative? With the increasingly popular use of AI in the enterprise, it becomes crucial to ensure that these technologies are harnessed in a climate-neutral way. Infrastructure Sustainability and the Data Center Power Dilemma Microsoft’s plan to tap into a reactor at Three Mile Island to power data centers fuels questions about how far our voracious appetite for energy might go. A Sustainability Spin to the Issue How AI Impacts Sustainability Opportunities and Risks AI can be used to drive sustainability initiatives, yet the technology itself has an environmental cost. How can we strike a balance? AI and the War Against Plastic Waste Plastic waste is one of today’s most complex environmental challenges, and people are putting AI to work to understand it and solve it. Embracing AI for Competitive Edge and Social Impact AI is revolutionizing business by enhancing operational efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness, while also addressing global challenges like healthcare and sustainability. It enables companies to thrive while contributing to broader societal impact. AI Will Make Cars and Trucks Smarter, Faster, and Safer AI promises to revolutionize driving. Here's a look at what's coming down the road, and how AI can help make cars safer and more energy efficient. SAP’s Sophia Mendelsohn on Using AI to Scale Sustainability How GenAI can be put to work to free up ESG professionals and connect the dots on resource planning within the enterprise. About the AuthorJames M. ConnollyContributing Editor and WriterJim Connolly is a versatile and experienced freelance technology journalist who has reported on IT trends for more than three decades. He was previously editorial director of InformationWeek and Network Computing, where he oversaw the day-to-day planning and editing on the sites. He has written about enterprise computing, data analytics, the PC revolution, the evolution of the Internet, networking, IT management, and the ongoing shift to cloud-based services and mobility. He has covered breaking industry news and has led teams focused on product reviews and technology trends. He has concentrated on serving the information needs of IT decision-makers in large organizations and has worked with those managers to help them learn from their peers and share their experiences in implementing leading-edge technologies through such publications as Computerworld. Jim also has helped to launch a technology-focused startup, as one of the founding editors at TechTarget, and has served as editor of an established news organization focused on technology startups at MassHighTech.See more from James M. ConnollyReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

Sharing a quantum computer could put you at risk of hackingBlackJack3D/Getty Images Hackers may be able to “vandalise” other people’s results on a quantum computer, say researchers, who warn that the problem will only get worse as devices become larger and host more users simultaneously, unless manufacturers plug the security gap. Sharing access to expensive computing hardware is a common practice, whether on classical supercomputers or exotic quantum chips. Classical devices often run multiple programs for many different users at once, but there are security measures in place to prevent one user from affecting another.

We tried chocolate chip cookies from Mrs. Fields, Crumbl, and Insomnia. Ted Berg 2025-04-25T16:07:01Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? My kids and I tried chocolate chip cookies from Mrs. Fields, Crumbl, and Insomnia. All the cookies were good, but the one from Mrs. Fields was our least favorite. The Crumbl option was good, but the one from Insomnia Cookies was definitely my favorite. Few desserts are more classic than a warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. It's a sweet treat that's not too messy, rich, or indulgent, and it's easy to whip up a batch at home.However, I have 7- and 4-year-old children, and keeping up with the cookie demand can be extremely labor-intensive. Sometimes, home-baked desserts just aren't possible.So, I was curious to see which dessert chain serves up the best-tasting chocolate chip cookies. To find out, I bought cookies from three national brands: Crumbl, Insomnia Cookies, and Mrs. Fields and took them home to taste-test with my kids.Here's how we'd rank them from worst to best.The cookie from Mrs. Fields was our least favorite The Mrs. Fields cookie wasn't bad, but I preferred the others more. Ted Berg Mrs. Fields is the most established of the cookie brands we sampled. The company was founded in Palo Alto, California, in 1977 by Debbi Fields. Today, the company has 250 locations around the world.The cookie from Mrs. Fields was the smallest of the three I tried but also the least expensive ($2). Perfectly round and evenly cooked, I thought it looked like a slightly larger version of a chewy Chips Ahoy cookie. Nothing was unappetizing about its appearance, but it was easily the least exciting of the three.When I took a bite, I noticed it had a bit of crunch around the outside. Nothing about the flavor was unpleasant — it was sweet, probably the least salty of the three cookies, and soft on the inside.However, I found the inside was soft and a bit gummy, which I didn't love. It also had the smallest portion of chocolate chips of the three we tried.My kids were careful to note that they loved all three cookies, but we all ranked this one as our least favorite.The Crumbl cookie was good, but I prefer the brand's other flavors The cookie from Crumbl was huge. Ted Berg Of the three cookie brands I stopped at, Crumbl is the newest. Founded in Logan, Utah, in 2017, the chain now has over 1,000 locations across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.I have a lot of experience with Crumbl cookies, so I knew what to expect: an enormous, soft cookie served warm and loaded with thick chunks of chocolate.The semi-sweet chocolate chunk cookie cost $5, but it was big enough for several people to share. Most of Crumbl's offerings are visually compelling, and this one certainly would've made for the best Instagram post of the three.My 4-year-old, who values softness in a cookie, called this her favorite of the group. It was so thick that, to me, it seemed more like a blondie than a proper cookie.It was also so soft and mushy inside that it felt like it bordered on being underbaked. There was a ton of chocolate, and the creamy, melty, semi-sweet chunks seemed like the highest-quality chocolate in any of the three cookies.However, the cookie itself was a bit bland — sweet with a touch of salt — and the size was not much of a draw for me.My 7-year-old and I agreed that this was the second-best of the three we tried. Overall, it was good, but I've enjoyed other Crumbl cookies more than this one. The version from Insomnia Cookies was my favorite I loved that the version from Insomnia Cookies had a nice crunch to it. Ted Berg The first brick-and-mortar Insomnia Cookies location opened in Syracuse, New York, in 2006. True to its name, Insomnia caters to night owls, offering cookie delivery until 3 a.m.The brand now has over 300 locations in the US, Canada, and England.I made semi-frequent late-night stops at Insomnia after one opened up in my old neighborhood about 15 years ago, before I had children. However, it had been a long time since I had tried one, and I didn't know if it would match my memory.The $3 price tag seemed reasonable, and this cookie looked a bit darker than the others, making it seem richer and more appetizing.Insomnia's chocolate chip cookie was easily my favorite of the three we tried. It had the best flavor, with an almost caramel-like combination of vanilla and brown sugar, and hefty chocolate chunks.It also had the best texture, with a nice crunch on the outside and a soft and gooey center. I'd definitely order from Insomnia Cookies again. Recommended video

President Donald Trump has never had any trouble finding women to enthusiastically embrace his agenda. In the electorate, 45 percent of women voted for him; non-college-educated white women and white evangelical women are among his most loyal supporters. At the White House, women stand at his side as he speaks from the podium, sporting what has come to be known as “Republican” makeup and Mar-a-Lago face. That’s despite the fact that both Trump and the MAGA movement are characterized by a vindictive, nostalgic, unapologetic misogyny. Some Trump supporters openly fantasize about how his improbable promise of bringing manufacturing jobs to the US might drive women out of the workplace and force them to become solely wives and mothers, while Trump himself has been found civilly liable for sexual assault.This time around, the most visible women of Trump’s administration are Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Noem has made a meal out of the spectacle of the Trump administration’s spree of lawless deportations, shooting video after video dressed in full military gear and full makeup as she warns migrants that she plans to personally hunt them down and lock them up. Meanwhile, Leavitt, who at 27 is the youngest press secretary ever appointed, presents a softer look, with her blonde waves and form-fitting suits, even as she berates the press from her podium and bars unfriendly outlets from the pool as if she’s disciplining insolent teenagers.The dichotomy Leavitt and Noem are building speaks to a familiar problem among conservative women in politics. As Rebecca Traister put it in 2024, “The questions facing the women of the American right are tricky. Are they supposed to be cutthroat or cute? Cold enough to kill a dog or warm enough to bake an apple pie?”Leavitt and Noem are currently embodying two very different visions of MAGA femininity, each having selected a different path to the same goal: figure out how to wield power on behalf of and stay in the good graces of Donald Trump. They’re each walking a perilous tightrope, staking their careers and reputations on furthering the political goals of a man and movement that implicitly promises to send them straight back into the kitchen. Whether they manage to succeed and make it through four years of the Trump administration remains to be seen. In the meantime, we’ll see their images broadcast endlessly in videos and photographs, showing us their best guesses at how a MAGA woman should present herself.Kristi Noem in 2025. As secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, Noem is one of the most visible women in the Trump administration. Ivan Valencia/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesKristi Noem’s costumed security theaterNoem has spent much of her young term as Secretary of Homeland Defense in front of the camera, often to disturbing effect. In March, Noem posted to X a video of herself touring CECOT, the infamous and human rights-violating El Salvador prison to which the Trump administration has been sending deportees in defiance of court orders. In it, Noem stands, somber and polished, before a cell crowded with silent, shirtless prisoners. The men are crammed into the frame behind her like living props, as she warns, “Know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people.” The casual dehumanization of the prisoners behind her is as characteristic of the particular aesthetic Noem is cultivating as her glossy blowout. On her social media feeds, she poses next to ICE agents on raids in uniform and full glam, as she refers to the migrants she says should be deported as “dirtbags” and “the worst of the worst.” Similarly, in a series of TV ads that ran both domestically and internationally earlier this year (paid for by the Department of Homeland Security with a $200 million budget), Noem stands all made up in a power suit in front of a line of American flags, thanking Trump for securing the country’s borders and once again warning undocumented immigrants against entering the US. The image she’s presenting is a sort of glamazon sheriff, ready to protect the old West from marauders by any means necessary, the lawbook be damned. In other iconography, she nods to her previous career as a rancher, posing with a cowboy hat and a fixed glare at the horizon line. The image she’s presenting is a sort of glamazon sheriff, ready to protect the old West from marauders by any means necessary, the lawbook be damned. Noem has relied on elaborate costume work before. In 2024, as governor of South Dakota — and rumored frontrunner for Trump’s VP slot — Noem released a series of ads promoting open jobs in South Dakota. One after another, she donned the uniform of a highway patrol officer, nurse, and welder, explaining with a playful wink to the camera that she was just filling in. “Freedom works here” was the tagline. It’s one of the ways Noem signals that she is a politician in the same mode as Trump: one who governs by spectacle as much as by policy. Frankfurt school philosopher Walter Benjamin wrote that fascism transforms politics into aesthetics. Rather than change the structures that oppress the masses, Benjamin writes, the fascist merely offers the masses a spectacle that gives them the impression that their desires have been met. Noem’s flashy performance of security theater tells her followers that she is keeping them safe, even as she strips migrants, selected nearly at random, of due process and condemns them to a lifetime trapped in an El Salvador prison. Noem did not always look like this, exactly: Her shifting aesthetic has been well documented in the political press. When she first took national office in 2011 as South Dakota’s representative, she looked like what she was: a strikingly pretty Midwestern mom, with a Rachel haircut and hoop earrings. She kept cutting her hair shorter over the next few years, as many women politicians do — up until Trump took office in 2016. In 2010. Bill Clark/Roll Call for GettyIn 2014. Pete Marovich/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIn 2017. Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIn 2020. Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThen, abruptly, Noem’s hair became dramatically longer, sun-kissed with blonde highlights and curled into TV-friendly barrel ringlets. Her face seemed to reshape itself, taking on the high cheekbones and frozen forehead characteristic of Fox News hosts. One of the most telling aspects of Noem’s makeover was also one of the most infamous. In March 2024, Noem posted a lengthy infomercial-like video to Twitter thanking a Texas-based dentist’s office for adjusting her teeth. The whole thing so much resembled an advertisement that Noem was sued by a consumer advocacy group, although the case was later dismissed. “I want, when people look at me, [for them] to hear the words that I say, and not be distracted by something that I’m wearing or how I look, or even my appearance,” Noem said in the video, by way of explanation for why she wanted to “fix” her smile so badly. “I want them to focus on my thoughts and ideas.” Noem seems to believe that in order to make her appearance less disruptive — and her gender less disqualifying — her femininity must actually be amplified. Fitting into Trump’s favored aesthetic is a baseline requirement. By disciplining her face and body and teeth and hair to meet a near-parodic standard, Noem appears to be attempting to be so good at being a woman that she is granted the chance to hang like one of the boys — to inhabit the masculine archetype of the sheriff at least some of the time because she looks so feminine doing it. Kristi Noem holds the US flag riding a horse during the Monster Energy Team Challenge in 2020, when she was governor of South Dakota. Chris Elise/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesNotably, Noem has critics on the right who don’t appear to think she’s fully pulled it off. “Just stop trying to glamorize the mission and put yourself in the middle of it as you cosplay ICE agent, which you’re not,” said Megyn Kelly in April. Kelly continued: “She is an administrative policy person appointed by Trump because she was very loyal to him. Fine, but stop with the glam.”“Conservatives need a distinct aesthetic, but this one isn’t it,” mused the right-wing culture warrior Christopher Rufo in April. “Agency head shouldn’t pretend to be an operator, feels fake. The message is persuasive — arresting criminal aliens — but the aesthetic draws all the attention away from the content. The subtext here is that Noem does not want you to notice what she is doing, but to notice *her.* This doesn’t advance the policy. It’s vanity.” Noem’s spectacle, in Kelly and Rufo’s formulation, is too much of a spectacle, too ham-handed, so false as to give itself away. Her over-the-top glamour makes it so feminine as to be unserious, even for those who approve of her message.Nonetheless, Noem appears to be nailing the brief for her most important audience. “You’re not allowed to say she’s beautiful,” announced Trump of Noem approvingly last summer, “so I’m not going to say it.”Press secretary Karoline Leavitt has berated the press from the podium in the past and sparred withe reporters. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesKaroline Leavitt’s big brass bandWhen Christopher Rufo decried Noem’s ICE photo op, he outlined what he thought the correct aesthetic for the moment should be. “A successful American aesthetic would be ticker tape, brass bands, jets spraying the red, white, and blue,” Rufo wrote. “It’s a feeling of bright optimism.” The woman in the Trump administration currently playing that brass band is press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Leavitt has not, as Noem has, needed to redevelop a whole extant political and aesthetic style to fit the Trumpist mold. She spent her college years writing pro-Trump editorials for her school’s newspaper, and her first internship after graduating was at the Trump White House press office during his first administration. She built her public persona in the service of Trump, and he rewarded her with a very high-profile position in response. If the frisson of Noem’s self-presentation comes from her military machismo played against her glamorous good looks, Leavitt’s comes from the authoritativeness she adopts on the press podium played against her palpable youth. Her voice still retains the flavor of a young woman’s uncertainty, no matter how stridently she addresses the press corps or how flagrantly she lies. She seems more comfortable filming TikTok-style videos for the White House social media accounts, addressing the camera with an influencer’s cheerful “Hey, guys!”“Trump’s newest press secretary is radiant, blond and apple-cheeked — as if one of Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonnas had been styled for a Fox News hit,” wrote the Washington Post of Leavitt in January. “Her delivery is righteous, if a bit smug. God gives everyone gifts, Leavitt believes; hers is public speaking. And for roughly a half hour, once or twice a week, she delivers Trump’s word to a room filled with professional skeptics.”Leavitt’s rapport with the press may be combative, but within the media-hostile landscape of the Trump White House, she’s still the good cop, which is perhaps to say, the nice girl. The Washington Post notes that her office door is open to reporters and that she peppers her emails with “friendly exclamation points.” Still, “good cop” sometimes plays as junior partner. The large, luxurious office that traditionally goes to the White House press secretary is, in the current administration, occupied by (male) deputy chief of staff for communications Taylor Budowich. Leavitt’s office, down the hall, is less than half the size, an issue of which she has never complained in public. If the snub hurts her ambition, she does not show it. Karoline Leavitt arrives to the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesOne frequently-told anecdote about Leavitt sums up the classic conservative persona she’s playing with. Last summer, she went on maternity leave from her role as Trump’s campaign press secretary. Three days after giving birth, holding her son in her arms, she turned on the television in time to see an assassin’s bullet narrowly miss Trump’s head. “I looked at my husband and said, ‘Looks like I’m going back to work,’” Leavitt told the right-wing blog Conservateur last fall. (The husband in question is 32 years older than her.) The publication dubbed her a “Wonder Woman” for her decision to return to the office just four days post-partum. The heroic young (white) mother is a classic Republican trope, and Leavitt’s blonde hair and blue eyes equip her to embody it to the fullest. Leavitt’s motherhood feminizes her work in the same way that Noem’s makeover feminizes hers, making her unthreatening to an ideology that aims to undo the advances that allowed women to work in the first place. But where Noem’s glamour carries troubling notes of vanity for her critics, Leavitt’s motherhood can be positioned as selfless, traditional, Americana. Strikingly, though, what keeps coming up in profiles of both Leavitt and Noem is the idea of “sacrifice,” as though their different modes of femininity offer each woman the chance to showcase her submission to Trump. Leavitt gave up recuperation and time at home alone with her young child to serve as Trump’s press secretary. Noem remolded her body in the image of the women with whom Trump surrounds himself. If they are each trying to play out a right-wing archetype, they do so before Trump on bended knee.What should a MAGA woman be? Overtly feminine, certainly. Ambitious, perhaps, but submissive, too. What is most important, always, is an unfailing loyalty to Trump.That, in the end, is the heart of the spectacle of Noem’s militaristic videos and Leavitt’s scolding and lies. What they are selling is whatever they think that Trump thinks a woman should be.See More:

Video games and movies are getting closer and closer together, but a new report has suggested Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney will star in an adaptation of this year's Split FictionTech15:09, 25 Apr 2025Updated 15:11, 25 Apr 2025Split Fiction is one of 2025's most critically-acclaimed games(Image: Hazelight Studios/EA)After years of flops and middling adaptations, movies and TV projects based on video games have never been better.OK, so the Borderlands movie wasn't great, but The Last of Us' TV show, Cyberpunk 2077's Edgerunners animation, and The Super Mario Movie are all great — and that's to say nothing of the trilogy of Sonic movies and box-office smash The Minecraft Movie and its viral 'Chicken Jockey' moment.‌That pipeline doesn't look set to slow down just yet, either, as a new report has suggested Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney is being lined up for a leading role in an adaptation of 2025's Split Fiction.Article continues belowSweeney is one of Hollywood's rising stars(Image: Getty Images)That's not to discount the fantastic games that have already launched in 2025, of which one of our favourites so far is Split Fiction.According to Variety, Sweeney will star in the project, which will be helmed by Jon M. Chu, who recently directed the musical adaptation Wicked.‌Adding even more star power to the mix, the script is being penned by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who were screenwriters on Deadpool & Wolverine — one of 2024's biggest box office success stories.Split Fiction is likely to be one of GTA 6's biggest rivals for Game of the Year(Image: Hazelight Studios/EA)‌In the game, two writers are thrust into a world where their creations come to life. With two protagonists, Variety says there is no word on whether Sweeney will play sci-fi writer Mio, or fantasy author Zoe, and also doesn't give any indication as to who she'll star opposite.Jon M. Chu has directed Wicked, In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians and more(Image: Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine I)The movie will be produced by Story Kitchen, which has previously worked on the Sonic movie trilogy, and marks the second project Sweeney is attached to based on a video game after reports of an OutRun movie earlier this week which she will produce but not star in.Article continues belowAs for the game itself, the co-op title is an adventure that exceeds even the scope of its predecessor It Takes Two, earning top marks in our review. We said: "I could write about Split Fiction for another few thousand words and still not cover everything that made me smile."As with 2024's Astro Bot, it's bursting at the seams with a Nintendo-like playfulness, an excited child opening a toybox to show you everything it can, and yet with a more measured pacing that stops it running out of breath."For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Nintendo Switch 2 small print causes confusion over upgrades and game-key cards Adam Starkey Published April 25, 2025 11:51am Updated April 25, 2025 11:51am Higher resolution, exclusive to Jamboree TV (Nintendo) Nintendo has been muddying the water again when it comes to the Switch 2 launch line-up, as visual upgrades for Super Mario Party Jamboree come with a strange caveat. Nintendo’s messaging around the Switch 2 has been a mess ever since its big reveal earlier this month, and while the company finally offered some clarification around game prices in the UK this week, a whole new can of worms has now opened concerning game-key cards. If you’re unfamiliar, game-key cards are presented as an alternative way to buy and share physical games. Unlike normal physical Switch titles, which come with the game data on the cartridge, these cards are used as a key to download the game from the Nintendo eShop. Once it is downloaded, you then play the game by inserting the card into your system. These game-key cards aren’t tied to your Nintendo Account, so they can be shared or resold like normal physical games, but the lack of game data on the cartridge, coupled with the reliance on an online store, has raised some eyebrows among physical collectors. The bad news is, a big chunk of the Switch 2 launch line-up has adopted this method. As highlighted by Gematsu, almost all physical third party Switch 2 games in Japan, except Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, use game-key cards. Only Nintendo’s first party games, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, use standard game cards. It appears to be a similar situation in the West, albeit with some differences. Pre-orders on UK retailer Smyths show Hitman World Of Assassination – Signature Edition, Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition, and Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster all use game-key cards. Meanwhile, Amazon listings in the US show the likes of Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Sonic X Shadows Generations, and Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess all carry the game-key card logo on the box – so it’s likely this will apply in the UK too. Notably, indie publisher Marvelous has released a statement (via Nintendo Life) to clarify the physical editions of Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma, Story Of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, and Daemon X Machina Titanic Scion in the West will have the full game on the cartridge – unlike Japan where it is a game-key card. These key cards are presumably a cheaper way for developers to distribute physical games, and while it does offer advantages over buying digitally, old school physical collectors will be perturbed by the amount of Switch 2 games already adopting this approach. It appears these game-key cards haven’t eliminated a greater evil: the dreaded ‘code-in-a-box’. According to a listing on US retailer Best Buy, physical copies of EA’s Split Fiction on Switch 2 will not include any game card at all, which means you won’t be able to resell it. Overall, while many might not be bothered by these differences, as digital downloads are around 90% of all sales nowadays, the lack of consistency across physical versions isn’t exactly reassuring for those who prefer boxed copies, especially as they’re the most consumer-friendly option. The ever expanding grey areas concerning the Switch 2 have carried over to the upgraded versions of Nintendo’s first party games too. While these include the full game on the cartridge, users on ResetEra have spotted some small print to suggest the improvements aren’t quite as comprehensive as previously thought. According to Nintendo’s website, the Switch 2 version of Super Mario Party Jamboree, which comes with the added Jamboree TV mode, supports up to 1440p resolution when docked to the TV. However, a disclaimer at the bottom states this upgraded resolution is for ‘Jamboree TV only’. This implies the improved 1440p resolution only applies to the new game mode, and isn’t an upgrade across Super Mario Party Jamboree at large. An Amazon UK listing appears to support this, with the 1440p docked resolution and 1080p resolution in handheld and tabletop modes being listed as ‘Jamboree TV only’. More Trending This is probably because Jamboree TV has been built as a separate entity, but it feels very low effort when Nintendo is asking for £16.99 to upgrade to the Switch 2 version. This edition does boast a ‘visually enhanced and improved frame rate’ across the board, so there are some blanket upgrades, but it is still an odd caveat to throw into the mix – especially as it’s only being brought up now. This wrinkle has sparked concern for other Switch 2 Edition games, with Kirby And The Forgotten Land, which comes with a Star-Crossed World expansion, also boasting ‘improved graphics and frame rate’ – although without any small print as of yet. This version, which is set to launch on August 28, also costs £16.99 to upgrade or £66.99 physically. Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games which do not feature any new content, such as The Legend Of Zelda remasters, have cheaper upgrades of £7.99 each. When coupled with the furore around the price for Mario Kart World, and confusion around prices for games at large, it’s clear Nintendo has a task on its hands communicating all this information to the average consumer – even if it clearly hasn’t slowed down pre-orders. What to look out for on the box (Nintendo) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. 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A common bacteria in our gut might be stirring up more trouble than we knew. A study out this week has found evidence that a mutagenic toxin produced by some strains of Escherichia coli can trigger early onset colorectal cancer. Scientists at the University of California San Diego led the research, published Wednesday in Nature. They found a link between exposure to the toxin, called colibactin, and colorectal cancers more likely to happen in young adults. The findings could help explain why the rate of early onset colorectal cancer has mysteriously risen in recent years, though more research is needed to confirm a causative connection, the researchers say. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer, with roughly 150,000 Americans diagnosed with it every year. It’s also the second most leading cause of death by cancer, killing around 50,000 Americans annually. As with many types of cancer, the incidence and death rate of colorectal cancer has been steadily declining over time. However, this decline isn’t equally distributed, since the incidence of colorectal cancer has been increasing in young and middle-aged adults. According to the American Cancer Society, rates of colorectal cancer among people younger than 50 have increased by 2.4% per year between 2012 and 2021. Scientists aren’t sure why these cancers have become more common in younger Americans, though some research has pointed the finger at processed foods, higher obesity rates, and other lifestyle factors. But this new study appears to add another suspect. The study researchers weren’t specifically looking to unravel this mystery; they were more interested in understanding why some parts of the world have higher reported rates of colorectal cancer than others. To do so, they analyzed the genetic signature of colorectal cancers taken from nearly 1,000 people across the world. These samples included people with both late and early onset cancer. Colibactin is already known to cause mutations in our cells that could raise the risk of cancer, and past studies have linked it to colorectal cancer. But the researchers were surprised to find that colibactin-related mutations were about three times more commonly found in the early onset cancers they studied compared to the late onset cancers. They also found molecular evidence that these colibactin-related mutations tend to show up early in a tumor’s development, suggesting they play a vital role in fueling these cancers. Coupled with other research showing that colibactin-related mutations often appear in the first ten years of life, the authors argue that this toxin could be a major instigator of early onset colorectal cancer. “These mutation patterns are a kind of historical record in the genome, and they point to early-life exposure to colibactin as a driving force behind early-onset disease,” said senior study author Ludmil Alexandrov, a researchers specializing in cancer genomics at UC San Diego, in a statement from the university. The researchers note that colibactin may still only be one big piece of a larger puzzle. They note that colibactin-related mutations were rarely found in more rural parts of the world. So it’s possible that other environmental factors like diet or antibiotic use are encouraging the growth of colibactin-producing E. coli bacteria in the gut in places like the U.S. Outside of colibactin, there might be other exposures that could explain higher cancer rates in different countries. But the team’s findings do provide fertile ground for future research, and could possibly even lead to interventions that could slow or reverse the rise in early onset colorectal cancer. The researchers are already hoping to study whether probiotics might be able to eliminate these more harmful E. coli stains, and they’re trying to develop early detection tests that can screen for colibactin-related mutations. All of this work, however, is contingent on further funding. And the researchers are quick to note that the U.S. government under President Donald Trump has aggressively limited funding from the National Institutes of Health in recent months—the same sort of funding that might go to important cancer research like theirs. “If NIH funding cuts impact our ability to do this work, that will be, in my opinion, a substantial hit to cancer research not just in the U.S., but globally,” said Alexandrov. “Our funding has allowed us to collaborate with cancer researchers around the world, collecting and analyzing large datasets from patient samples in multiple countries. That kind of scale is what makes discoveries like this possible.”

TAM TAM Installation FuoriSalone / Alvisi Kirimoto + PartnersSave this picture!© Giuseppe Miotto - Marco Cappelletti Studio Architects: Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2025 Photographs Photographs:Giuseppe Miotto - Marco Cappelletti Studio Lead Architect: Alvisi Kirimoto More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. During Fuorisalone 2025, the international studio Alvisi Kirimoto participates in the Exhibition Event Cre-Action by Interni with the installation TAM TAM. Temple, Action, Movement. The artwork brings to life the historic courtyard of Università degli Studi di Milano 'La Statale,' inviting visitors to engage in reflection and collective action. Inspired by the exhibition's theme, which fuses Creativity and Action, Alvisi Kirimoto reimagines the classical temple not as a static monument, but as a living organism in continuous evolution. The installation, measuring 6 x 6 x 5 meters, features six columns of varying diameters—dynamic elements that visitors can move and rearrange, reshaping the space in real-time.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The artwork draws on the classical principles of firmitas, utilitas, venustas, combining them with the concepts of flexibility and participation. Traditionally, symbols of stability, the columns become a tangible metaphor for the changing nature of human relationships: "With TAM TAM. Temple, Action, Movement, we started with the idea of the Temple, transforming it into a dynamic organism that adapts and responds to the needs of those who inhabit it. For us, architecture is not just about form, but about relationships and sensory experience. Our goal was to create a space in constant transformation, one that fosters interaction and allows each visitor to become an integral part of its evolutionary process. Architecture thus becomes an open dialogue, a continuous encounter between the individual and the environment that hosts them, where context and experience intertwine in mutual transformation." - Junko Kirimoto, co-founder of the Alvisi Kirimoto studio, explains.Save this picture!Save this picture!The complexity of TAM TAM - Temple, Action, Movement unfolds in the interplay between space and human relationships. On one hand, architecture, despite its modifiable nature, guides the visitor: the arrangement of the columns, their dimensions, and the voids they create implicitly suggest pathways, pauses, and areas for interaction. But by moving the columns, those who walk through the installation not only change its configuration but also intervene in the network of relationships it implies: a corridor defi ned by the columns expands into a collective space, similar to a square, or narrows to define more intimate and secluded areas. Ultimately, human choices—continuous and ever-changing— define the shape and meaning of the space. Architecture proposes, people respond, and reinterpret, and within this dynamic tension between space and action, the installation's true nature is revealed. An architecture that does not impose but engages in dialogue; that does not dictate, but invites transformation through human interaction. The white of the structure embodies the concept of possibility like itself, as if it were a blank page waiting to be written. By stripping away colors and unnecessary decorations, Alvisi Kirimoto shifts the focus to the installation's dynamic elements — the movement of the columns, the gestures of the visitors, the voids that are created and fi lled — to highlight the essence of the space, the purity of the forms, and, above all, the core of the human experience.Save this picture!In line with a design approach focused on material life cycles, TAM TAM. Temple, Action, Movement is made from recycled plastic through a collaboration with COREPLA — National Consortium for the Collection, Recycling, and Recovery of Plastic Packaging, acting as a strategic hub between citizens, municipalities, and companies. The Consortium pursues a clear public interest: to manage the lifecycle of plastic packaging effectively. By bringing together approximately 2,500 companies from the plastic packaging supply chain, COREPLA works to achieve the recycling and recovery targets set by the European Union. At the end of the event, the artwork can become an itinerant project, while its materials will be repurposed into new products, giving the installation a second life.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less About this office Published on April 25, 2025Cite: "TAM TAM Installation FuoriSalone / Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners" 25 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1029443/tam-tam-installation-fuorisalone-alvisi-kirimoto-plus-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