Heads still roll 25 years later in the Tim Burton classic Sleepy Hollow. Revisit all of the eerie magic behind Industrial Light & Magics work that brought Washington Irvings folktale to life and reintroduced audiences to one of cinemas greatest on-screen monsters, the headless horseman.By Adam BerryThe headless horseman pursuing Ichabod Crane in the Western Woods. (Credit: Paramount)On October 5th, 1949, the Walt Disney Studios released a feature film that reimagined two classic pieces of literature through the guise of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949). While the first half retells the whimsical story of Kenneth Grahames The Wind in the Willows (1908), it is the second half that left a long-lasting impression on young audiences as they were introduced to American writer Washington Irvings eerie folktale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820).Released just in time for Halloween that year, this feature would go on to be recognized as one of Disneys classics due to its memorable songs, beautiful animation, and the unforgettable visualization of Irvings ghostly antagonist, the headless horseman. The unsettling imagery of a headless man riding horseback with a sword in one hand and a flaming jack-olantern in the other allowed the legend to evolve as film versions were passed down to new generations. 50 years later, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow would once again evolve on screen, and explore the story in new ways, re-introducing audiences to Irvings horrific tale of the undead horseman.To take this classic into a tangible world, a highly imaginative and visual mind was necessary to capture the fantastical elements of this story while rooting it in a sense of reality. Tim Burton, director of such films as Beetlejuice (1988)Edward Scissorhands (1990),American Cinematographer, I was really familiar with the original story because Id seen the Disney cartoon. I actually didnt read the source novel until after I had read the script. Burtons own history with Disney, including attending the California Institute of the Arts on a Disney scholarship, and working at Walt Disney Studios as an animator on projects such as The Black Cauldron (1985),Sleepy Hollow.Concept art by Scott Leberecht depicts an eerie atmosphere shrouded in fog on the road to Sleepy Hollow.(Credit: Paramount & ILM)Burtons vision was to create a fantasy world that felt real in which the headless horseman could exist. The aesthetic needed to emulate, but not copy, the atmosphere of the classic Hammer Studios horror films such as Dracula (1931)Frankenstein (1931) with their moody and gothic tones that left the audience in a state of unease. With that being said, Italian director Mario Bavas Black Sunday (1960) was the core inspiration for the film, giving Sleepy Hollow (1999) a classic movie feel while adding elements that were pictorial and synthetic.To achieve his vision of what Sleepy Hollow needed to look like, Burton knew there had to be a balance between the use of traditional special effects and digital visual effects. Digital technology is very interesting and certainly has its place in filmmaking, but when youre watching a movie like Black Sunday you really feel as if youre there, said Burton. While he was resistant to using visual effects at first, he relied on the artists at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to help realize the full scope of his vision, particularly when it came to bringing the headless horseman into existence as a living, breathing creature.ILM visual effects supervisor Jim Mitchell was tasked with solving how the horseman could exist in the film as a real man without having to rely on older methods. Tricks like having the coat propped up on the actors shoulders didnt work as the proportions were wrong, eliminating the appearance that the horseman was indeed a man. Mitchell said, Tim and I knew that something just wasnt going to be right with that approach. We eventually decided that our Headless Horseman would be an actual person riding the horse and flailing his axe around, except that wed just digitally erase his head.The most complex shots for ILM involved removing the horsemans head. There were about 300 horseman shots altogether, with ILM creating 220 and Londons Computer Film Company contributing the rest. To convincingly convey that the horseman was real, the ILM team innovated a special blue hood for stunt actor Ray Park to wear during action sequences that the ILM artists could later isolate and erase from the shot. Blue was used as it is easily keyed from the plate so the effects team could restore the background in place of the head.The headless horseman claims his next victim. (Credit: Paramount)To fill the space where the actors head was taken out, a clean background plate of the sequence was shot, but the artists noticed that one element was still missing as the horseman has a large cape with a collar around his neck. It was not only necessary to replace the background where his head would have been, but to also make a digital collar in the computer that was then matched to his movements, shared computer graphics artist Sean Schur in Paramount Pictures Behind the Legend documentary. By using actors and replacing heads digitally, the horseman presents as a living and breathing creature.Achieving this effect was particularly challenging during fight sequences with actors Johnny Depp and Casper Van Dien as their faces would be blocked out by the horseman actors blue hood. Once ILM erased the horsemans head, they would also have to go back and eliminate the other actors heads as well. Mitchell shared, I would have Johnny or Casper go through the same actions without the Horseman in there, and wed just put their head into any frames where the horsemans head was blocking theirs. Its a tricky process, but it was actually pretty effective.Equally as challenging were the beheading scenes throughout the film. Creature effects artist Kevin Yagher created prosthetic heads of the actors for use in these pivotal moments while ILM was able to digitally recreate the scene using a series of three plates to blend together and form one cohesive shot. Using the scene in which the menacing Lady Van Tassel (Miranda Richardson) decapitates her bewitching sister as an example, Richardson would be filmed going through the motions of swinging her axe to dead air, then the prosthetic head flying off the body of her sister would be filmed separately, and finally the digital capture of that scene would be created. Once all three plates were finished, ILM would blend these together to make a seamless sequence for each beheading, making it feel all the more real for the audience. This was not an easy task for the artists as the film has ten decapitation sequences.Concept art by Scott Leberecht shows ILMs approach to depicting the headless horsemans return to hell. (Credit: Paramount & ILM)Burton wanted to convey suspense and a sense of impending doom throughout the film and tasked ILM with a series of subtle visual effects shots that added to the unsettling feeling when the horseman would appear. Most notable is the disturbing scene where the horseman pursues a family at their home. Killian (Steven Waddington) sits at his table with a crackling fire, which spontaneously erupts into larger flames seconds before the horseman crashes down the door. Sequence Supervisor Joel Aron shared, I took the skull, which is the headless horsemans skull, so I pulled up the eyebrows giving it this demonic look with a strong forehead, curling up the corners of the mouth and bringing the jaw around to continue to sculpt what would be the fire so that I knew when the fire would come off it would have an irregular shape. Its a blink-and-you-will-miss-it effect, but if you look closely you can see 13 demonic faces emerge within the flames in a quick flash which is meant to indicate that evil is present. Its so subtle that it was intended for audiences to question whether they really saw the faces or not.Natural elements were also added and utilized to punctuate the horsemans presence.The subtle introduction of thick fog and flashes of lightning appear every time the horseman gallops toward his next victim in pure cinematic fashion. Sleepy Hollow was shot mostly on location in a small town called Marlow, just outside of London, which meant the environment presented Burton with an ideal setting for the gloomy atmosphere. These elements could be viewed by some as cheap tricks in a major film but the use of heavy smoke for fog makes the atmosphere more haunting and interesting. In the Western Woods set and at some of the other locations, you can definitely see the smoke it looks like the fog they used in the old Frankenstein and Mummy movies, said director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki.While using smoke allowed the filmmakers to get a consistent movie look, it presented challenges for the ILM team as once they were finished adding actors heads back into the shots they would also have to build back in the foggy backgrounds and natural elements in each scene. The big problem for us was [that] every shot involving the horseman also had lightning and fog, explained Jim Mitchell, which was constantly moving and always changing, as opposed to trees and buildings, which are rigid. Whenever lightning hit the Horseman, we had to make sure that when we replaced his collar or any other parts of his suit that his head was blocking, we put the same lighting effect on it.To simplify this, Mitchell asked Burton and Lubezki to shoot the scenes as though the actors heads were already removed despite the level of complexity it would add for the ILM team to ensure the elements moved organically with the actors as they rushed through the fog, or horse hooves galloped through the settled leaves on the ground. There are all kinds of things wed prefer to stay away from when were doing this type of work, but if you lose those [atmospheric] touches, all of a sudden its not the same sort of visual, and it doesnt have the same power, concluded Mitchell.The headless horseman emerges from the tree of the dead. (Credit: Paramount)This is especially apparent during a highly intense scene mid-film when the protagonists discover the tree of the dead, which is the horsemans resting place and gateway to hell. The combination of the natural elements like fog and tree leaves with digital effects cemented the believability of this scene as the horseman enters from the base of the tree in a bloody and terrifying fashion. There were multiple plates used to build this effect. Firstly, a blue screen plate of the horse and jumping rider was shot. Next, a background shot of the forest environment, with the tree of the dead and actors standing close to where the horse emerges. Finally, a shot of the fog and leaves being disturbed creates the effect of the horseman jumping out of the tree. ILM didnt have a bluescreen shot of an actual horse, so they had to create one in the computer, as well as the headless horseman, which are both digital elements. Similarly to the decapitation sequences, artists layered all of these separate plates on top of each other to form the singular shot making a scene that might have been unrealistic feel very believable instead.It has been 25 years since its initial theatrical release, and rewatching Sleepy Hollow you can witness firsthand how ILMs work remains timeless and able to reach new generations. The eerie and suspenseful atmosphere that Sleepy Hollow pulls audiences in and stands as a formidable achievement of classic Hollywood filmmaking, adding another iconic cinematic monster with the headless horseman, who is equally as feared standing next to other horror icons such as the unnerving Count Dracula, and misunderstood Frankenstein monster. Washington Irvings The Legend of Sleepy Hollow lives on through the visionary work of artists from each generation. For Burtons retelling, ILM wielded the eerie magic that gave life to the undying legend of the headless horseman.Adam Berry is the Studio Operations Manager for the ILM Vancouver studio. His passion for film led Adam to ILM in 2022, coming from an extensive career across different sectors of the hospitality industry including cruise ships, luxury hotels and resorts. If hes not at the movies or traveling to new destinations, you can find Adam staying active and exploring Vancouver.

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From charging a laptop from the RV or making sure the fridge stays cold when the power goes out, a portable power station can be a piece of handy, though costly, equipment. Luckily, with Black Friday fast approaching, the deals are cropping up left and right, and that includes this exclusive offer from Wellbots to save 40% off Ugreen portable power stations and solar panels. To get the deal, you'll need to enter the exclusive offer code BFCNET40 at checkout. That brings the price down in a hurry. See at Wellbots There are dozens of items to choose from, like the Ugreen PowerRoam 1,200-watt portable power station, regularly priced at $649. Enter the code BFCNET40 and the price drops down to just $389. At only 25 pounds, this portable power station can keep all your devices charged off grid, and then some. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.Add the Ugreen PowerRoam 100-watt solar panel to your cart along with the BFCNET40 offer code and instead of paying $129, you'll pay only $77. Or add a bundle of two of the same panels and pay $149, a $100 discount. Read more: Best Smart Home Gifts for 2024There are many other options, including the 2,400-watt Ugreen PowerRoam power station, which comes with a handle and wheels to make it easier to move. This mega station usually costs $1,249 but the offer code will knock $500 off the price, lowering it to $749. Not to mention you'll get free shipping on your purchases. Read more: 23 Great Tech Gifts Under $100Looking for more savings ahead of Black Friday? Check out these great early Black Friday deals under $100 and under $50. And if you're in the mood for some holiday shopping, we've rounded up the best unique gifts to give that person in your life who already has everything. Read more: Best Gifts Under $300 for 2024Why this deal mattersThough Wellbots does have some Black Friday offers and small discounts on the site for Ugreen power stations and panels, such as $10 off, nothing compares with the price drop you get when you enter that offer code of BFCNET40. If you're serious about having a backup power source or you want to gift one, now's the time. More shopping deals from CNET CNET is always covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on theCNET Deals page, and sign up for theCNET Deals Textto get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the freeCNET Shopping extensionto your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers. And peruse ourgift guide, which includes a full range of ideas for birthdays, anniversaries and more. See at CNET

November 15, 20243 min readClimate and Conservation Ballot Measures Approved Even in Places Trump WonFour counties in Florida that voted for Trump also voted to conserve open space, reduce flood damage and protect habitatBy Avery Ellfeldt & E&E NewsA Cypress Lake Cove in Lake County, Central Florida. Stephen Vincent/Alamy Stock PhotoCLIMATEWIRE | President-elect Donald Trump won nearly 70 percent of the vote in Floridas Clay County last week.Another big winner in the Republican county near Jacksonville was a ballot measure that will increase taxes by $45 million to fund projects that will improve water quality, protect wildlife and reduce damage from floods.Nearly two dozen conservation- and climate-related ballot initiatives were approved on Election Day in states from Florida and Georgia to California and Colorado. The measures aim to expand parks, preserve natural areas and prepare communities for the impacts of climate change.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today."This is not a partisan issue," said Pegeen Hanrahan, associate director of conservation finance at the Trust for Public Land, a non-profit that advocates for conservation- and climate-focused ballot measures. We see wins in red states and in blue states."Many of the initiatives passed in Democratic areas such as Denver, which approved a measure to install and improve air conditioning in public schools. The city saw saw record-breaking temperatures this fall. Several measures won the support of voters in states and counties that backed Trump, who has called climate change a hoax and has promised to scrap pollution regulations and President Joe Biden's climate policies and programs.The success reflects a growing recognition among residents and officials that global warming poses a rising risk to people, property, budgets and tax bases and will get worse absent intervention.Everybody, regardless of their political leanings, understands that and is willing to make these kinds of investments, said Justin Marlowe, who directs the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago. Its an economic development strategy.Hanrahan said her organization tries to address the impacts of climate change" through ballot measures. "In some places we dont discuss the direct cause of those impacts," Hanrahan said.The Clay County measure was listed on the ballot as the Land Conservation Referendum to Protect Water Quality, Wildlife Habitat, Forests and Farms.Four measures were approved by Florida counties that backed Trump.In Lake County, near Orlando, voters passed a measure to preserve natural areas, improve water quality and protect wildlife habitat. The county will pay for the work by issuing $50 million in bonds that it will pay back through an increase in property taxes that will cost the average homeowner $21 a year for 20 years, according to a Trust for Public Land analysis.The Clay County measure has similar aims and authorizes the county to sell bonds that could cost the average homeowner up to $33 per year, according to the trust. A referendum in Osceola County south of Orlando authorizes $70 million in bonds to renew a land conservation program.Voters in Martin County north of Palm Beach approved a measure with similar objectives. But instead of selling bonds, the county will raise its sales tax by half a cent for the next decade to raise $183 million.None of the Florida measures mentions climate change. And thats intentional.We're not out there talking about climate change a lot, said David Weinstein, western conservation finance director at the land trust. We're talking about the worst effects of climate change, and that's what resonates with voters.Nonetheless, the ballot measures aim to fund projects capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing communities for climate impacts or both.The main benefit of doing land protection for climate is that obviously natural lands absorb carbon, absorb flood waters [and] create a habitat that is healthier for movement of wildlife, said Hanrahan of the land trust.Other approved ballot measures aim to reduce wildfire risk in Colorado, preserve forests in Illinois, and fund parks, community centers and more in New Mexico.California voters approved four related ballot measures including one that mentions climate multiple times. Proposition 4 earned 58 percent of the vote and authorizes the state to issue $10 billion in bonds to finance projects aimed at preventing wildfires, providing safe drinking water and protecting California "in the face of significant threats from climate change.As climate impacts intensify, Marlowe of the University of Chicago expects ballot measures that address climate change to become more common and to remain popular with voters."There are estimates that say were going to have to borrow twice as much money as we currently borrow every year to keep up with" climate impacts, Marlowe said. If youre a mayor, or a city council or a city manager or a chief finance officer, you cant wait for action from Washington."Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2024. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

November 15, 202410 min readThe Arecibo Message, Earths First Interstellar Transmission, Turns 50In 1974 we beamed a radio transmission into space that changed the way we think about our place in the cosmosBy Nadia DrakeThe Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico transmitted the most powerful known interstellar message in 1974. The facility's iconic 1000-foot-wide dish that beamed out the signal collapsed in 2020. American Photo Archive/Alamy Stock PhotoA half-century ago humanity sent its first postcard to the stars, carried by a narrow beam of radio waves.It was November 16, 1974a turbulent time on planet Earth. The cold war was reaching its crescendo, and the world economy was still sputtering from a Middle East oil embargo that was imposed the previous year. The U.S. had retreated from its crewed forays to the moon but was still fighting in Vietnam, and the resignation of scandal-plagued President Richard Nixon was still reverberating. The Beatles had effectively disbanded earlier yet would officially do so before years end. (John Lennons solo singleWhatever Gets You thru the Nighttopped the U.S. charts that very day.)Against that dark background, this first-ever interstellar transmission was both a literal and figurative ray of light. Astronomers had already started eavesdropping on the heavens, hopefully awaiting murmurs from beyond that would break our seeming cosmic solitude. But this was something differentan intentional summons, perhaps an invitation for communion with hypothetical beings among the stars. Sent using a powerful radio transmitter at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, it signaled the start of an age that is still unfolding, in which our rapidly changing technological civilization confronts an uncertain fate beneath a silent sky and grapples with how to present itself.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Composed in binary codea string of 1s and 0swhats now known as the Arecibo message has become an icon of the 20th-century space age in the 50 years since it left Earth. Youve almost certainly seen it at some point, even if you didnt recognize it for what it was. Arrange its digits in a grid with the right dimensions, and the transmission yields a two-dimensional image that tells of us humans, our home in the solar system and the instrument that relayed the message skyward.I think of the Arecibo message in this grand tradition of attempts at communicating with ET or transmitting things into space that are fundamentally messages, at least in part, to Earth as well, says Rebecca Charbonneau, a science historian at the American Institute of Physics. But, she says, its more than that.Human beings are very visual creatures, and we need something visual and beautiful to help channel feelings of spirituality and wonder, she says. And I think, in some ways, the Arecibo message is an icon in that old traditiona visual representation of something that makes us feel small in an expansive and sublime kind of way.But just as it symbolizes some sort of transcendence, today the Arecibo message is also a poignant reminder of fragility and loss. Since the message left Earth, the telescope that sent it fell into neglect and eventually collapsed. And the Arecibo messages designer, my father Frank Drake, died. A few months ago, while rummaging through some of Dads old papers, I found an early penciled in draft of the messagealong with his musings about the information he wanted to convey and correspondence surrounding its creation. Id of course known of Dads role in sending the message for most of my life, but it was the first time Id seen any of the work that went into making it. And when I shared an image of the draft on social media, the response was more fervent than I had anticipated, with many folks channeling Indiana Jones: That belongs in a museum! (A sentiment with which I agree.)The Arecibo Message as it appears when its 1,679 bits are properly aligned on a grid (left), an annotated illustration explaining its components (center), and a photograph of the message's recently discovered hand-drawn first draft (right).SPL/Science Source (left and middle); Frank Drake (right)Those images are seared in the mind of anybody who thinks about this stuff or is aware of the history, says David Grinspoon, senior scientist for astrobiology strategy at NASA. It was a very hopeful gesture, and the motivation is transcendent in that it was not for national gain or personal gain. It was like, Hey, humans on Earth, we can do this.With a Little Help from My FriendsDespite its fame, the Arecibo message was not the first deliberate, designed transmission from Earth.That honor belongs to what is now known as the Morse message, which in 1962 used Morse code to transmit three words in Russian. Designed by three Soviet scientists and sent using a planetary radar complex at Yevpatoria in Crimea, the Morse message was never meant to be received by aliensunless any of them (improbably) happened to be living on its inhospitable target, the planet Venus. It never even left the solar system. Rather the transmission bounced off Venus and came right back to Earth, where its nationalist sentimentsthe words mir (which can mean peace or world), Lenin and USSRwere received by its intended audience: us.Ive seen people claim this was the first case of messaging extraterrestrials, Charbonneau says. I dont think you can do that because its very clear from the content of the message that it did not have an extraterrestrial audience in mind.But, she notes, the Soviet scientists sent the message to commemorate the integration of a new radar array at their facility. Their gut instinct was to send a message into space, she says. And thats what happened with the Arecibo message as wellto commemorate the Arecibo upgrades.Completed in 1974, those upgrades transformed the Arecibo Observatory into a world-class facility for radio astronomy. They included a powerful radio transmitter, as well as a gleaming aluminum surface for the telescopes 1,000-foot-wide reflector dish. To celebrate those accomplishments, Dadwho was at the time director of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, which ran Areciboinvited more than 200 people to a ceremony at the observatory, scheduled for November 16 of that year. The transmission would conclude the celebration, demonstrating the nations newfound interstellar reach to the gathered VIPs and the world.A few months before the ceremony, Dad had begun designing the message. It wasnt his first; years earlier, hed composed a 551-bit binary message, just for fun, and sent it to the handful of people whod attended a historic 1961 meeting about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Properly arranged into a grid, those 0s and 1s would form an image that included a human, our solar system, and oxygen and carbon atoms. But only one of the recipientsengineer and technology magnate Bernard Oliverfigured out how to decode it. (Oliver notified Dad with a binary reply of his own: a coded image of a martini glass, complete with an olive.)For the Arecibo message, Dad constructed his grid as the product of two prime numbersa rectangle measuring 23 by 73for a total of 1,679 bits. And then, as he got to thinking about what, exactly, to say, he asked for input from his colleaguesmost of whom demurred. Now, somewhat paradoxically, in less than half a century the exact authorship of a message meant to travel for thousands of yearswhich individuals contributed whatseems to have already been lost to the mists of history. But we know with certainty that Dad was its primary architect and that he worked closely with (among others) Richard Isaacman, then a graduate student at Cornell University. Isaacman offered some suggestions that he recalls Dad adopting, such as making modifications to the binary numbers on the messages top row and offsetting the planet Earth to indicate that its our home.I didnt ascribe a lot of importance to it at the time. I just thought it was really cool, says Isaacman, who today is retired from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center and divides his time between Maryland and Hawaii. But it was a tech demo that crosses a line into a regime with very profound philosophical implications.Here Comes the SunDad targeted a globular cluster of stars called Messier 13 (M13), or the Great Cluster in the constellation of Hercules, because it would conveniently be overhead at the time of the ceremony (nestled in a sinkhole, Arecibos giant dish was not fully steerable). In about 25,000 years, Dads message will reach M13or at least part of it, because the majority of the clusters thousands of stars will have moved out of the telescopes beam by then. But anyone whos around to detect the Arecibo transmission, and who figures out how to decode it, will have a blueprint telling them a lot about us: what we look like, which chemical elements and biomolecules make up our DNA, what our planetary system is and how many of us existed in 1974. Dads transmission concluded with a binary encoded representation of the Arecibo dish itself.In some ways, it was kind of a love letter to the telescope, says Kathryn Denning, an anthropologist at York University in Ontario, who studies the scientific search for life beyond Earth. And thats beautiful. But this text, this object, this performance has meant so many different things to different people.As Dad closed the ceremony on November 16, he told the audience what was about to happenthat they were about to end the proceedings with a very important beginning.Our Earth, at the present time, on our frequency, is an unbelievable sight. It is presently 10 million times brighter than the sun, he said. Anyone who looks in this direction is going to see our star brighter than any other star has ever been, except those others who may have sent intelligent signals.And then Representative John Davis of Georgia gave the go-ahead to personnel in the Arecibo control room by paraphrasing a quote from Daniel Webster that hangs in the House of Representatives. Let us develop the resources of our land and see whether, in our day and time, we might not perform something worthy to be remembered, he said. And I think this day we have.Bernie Jackson, a heliophysicist now at the University of California, San Diego, had programmed the message into the computer and pushed the button that began the transmission. Outside, speakers blasted audio as the message left Eartha simple translation of those 0s and 1s into two audible tones. The speakers warbled for nearly three minutes, and by the time the transmission stopped, its first bits were nearly at the orbit of Mars.What they were hearing was what we might hear from another world, Dad told me when we discussed the message on its 40th anniversary. It had the aura of human beings doing something marvelous that involved the whole cosmos.Across the UniverseDads transmission was, in some ways, from a more innocent time that was less plagued by cosmic paranoia. Few people opposed it for the seemingly remote possibility of summoning malevolent alien invaders to Earth. But even so, not everyone was particularly pleased with the experiment, and over the past 50 years, a lively debate has sprung up regarding the ethics of interstellar messaging. Some opponents consider it a dangerous practice that might attract the attention of civilizations bent on destruction; others are more concerned with who gets to decide what we send, in addition to what we actually say.Now that we know about exoplanets and potentially habitable planets within several light-years, its not as outlandish to think that there could be a consequence of sending something and that we could, in our lifetimesor in the lifetimes of our close descendantsreceive something back, Grinspoon says. But Im still of this optimistic mindset that if we did get the response to something, it would be the most wonderful thing evernot just cool but potentially transformative in a really needed, exciting and hopeful way.Frank Drake, the visionary astronomer who designed the Arecibo message and helped begin the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence.Ramin Rahimian for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesBut such worries havent kept Earth quiet. Every day we release into the cosmos our own technosignatures of all sorts, any number of which could conceivably be discerned with the appropriate toolkit across interstellar distances. And since the Arecibo transmission, at least two dozen additional intentional messages have been loosed upon the sky. These include additional transmissions sent from Yevpatoria, a Beatles song, a Doritos advertisement and a series of signals to the TRAPPIST-1 system of seven tantalizingly Earth-size planets. Today, Denning notes, the ability to send interstellar transmissions is no longer limited to government-operated facilitiesand its likely that we dont even know of all the messages that have been beamed from Earth. And maybe, despite the narrative in Liu Cixins The Three-Body Problem, thats not a bad thing?If everybody in the galaxy keeps quiet, we never figure out if we are alone, says Jonathan Jiang of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who, along with his colleagues, has designed an upgraded version of Dads interstellar memo. Communication is the key to figuring out whether theres anybody out there.Hello, GoodbyeIn the end, if we receive an answer to the Arecibo message telling us that we are not alone, it wont happen in our lifetimeor even in the next millennium. Traveling at the speed of light, it will take that message some 25,000 years to reach the outskirts of M13 and at least another 25,000 years for any potential reply to reach Earth. Will there really be anybody here to reply to? Denning asks. I dont know if thats a question they would have asked, apart from the nuclear war aspect.That Dad and others were even considering a project that might unfold on such an extended timescale reflects a maturity in thinking that was perhaps a bit unusual for the 1970s, Grinspoon says.That forces you to imagine our own longevity in a way that almost nothing else makes us think of, he says. What else do we do that we have to think of the consequences 50,000 years in the future?Searching for life beyond Earth is, in some sense, an exercise in optimism. It requires that you imagine there is something, or someone, to be foundand that we humans are capable of making that discovery and reacting accordingly. As some have said, as long as we are listening for whispered signals from distant civilizations, announcing our own presence is a moral obligation. (And Jiang also told me that making cosmic messages can be an exercise in helping humankinds moral advancement, pushing us to grow out of the conflicts that now so consume and threaten our world.)But the messages we send to the cosmos, even the Arecibo message, are fleeting. From afar, they are Earth revealing itself for mere instants, as some beaming declaration that briefly outshines the sun and most everything else on some snippet of the electromagnetic spectrum. And then the planet goes back to black, just another silent world among billions in the Milky Way.With my father having fallen silent, too, I sometimes find solace knowing theres some small part of him still out there, forever traveling. Frank Drake never left Earth, yet his messageour messageis now 50 light-years away. More than 1,000 star systems reside in that volume of space, a vastness so easily lost in our galaxys billions-strong stellar swirl. In that murk, we know of only a few that are in the transmitters beam, although so far no one has echoed in reply. Chances are, none ever will. But that didnt stop Dad from searching, or from seeking some cosmic connection. Too many secrets remain hidden among the stars. And we still have so much to say.

Half-Life 2 just got a special 20th anniversary update with a new documentary, commentary, and moreGame free for next few days.Image credit: Valve News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 15, 2024 Half-Life 2 is officially 20 years old this weekend, and to mark the occasion Valve has released a special anniversary update, bundling in a brand-new documentary, commentary, the previously separate Episodes 1 & 2, and more. Oh, and the game's free to keep over the next few days.Valve's seminal shooter sequel, which charts the continuing adventures of bespectacled scientist Gordon Freeman and his deeply erotic love affair with a prising tool, released into the world on 16th November, 2004. It was immediately heralded as a classic of the genre, and Valve has done everything in its power not to release a numbered sequel since.But now, 20 years on, Valve is in a celebratory mood, and - much as it did when the original Half-Life reached the big two-five last year - it's released a special anniversary update introducing bonus material, previously separate bits of DLC, and a whole range of tweaks.Or you can watch the Half-Life 2 documentary right here.Watch on YouTubeThere is, for starters, a new documentary created by Secret Tape. "It's about a lot more than just the making of a game," explains Valve in its announcement. "Running out of money. Getting hacked, and an early version being leaked online. Being sued by our publisher. Trying to build Steam. It's all in there!" It's also unearthed a number of old presentations from across Half-Life 2's development, which it's shoved on its anniversary website.Additionally, Valve has recorded a brand-new Half-Life 2 commentary for its latest update, and it's also permanently bundled Half-Life 2: Episode One, Episode Two, and Lost Coast - all previously available separately - together with the base game. That's alongside the addition of integrated Steam Workshop support, meaning everyone can browse and download player-created content from directly within the game.But that's still not the end of it. Valve says every map has been looked over by its level designers to "fix longstanding bugs, restore content and features lost to time, and improve the quality of a few things like lightmap resolution and fog". It's also added new graphics settings meaning players can now choose between the original launch day blood and fire effects or those introduced in Half-Life 2's later episodes; it's updated gamepad controls and aim assistance, and it's also possible to play with only the highest detail models in High Quality mode. Full patch notes, if you're curious, can be found in Valve's announcement.All the above is now available as part of Half-Life 2's free 20th anniversary update on Steam. And if you don't already own a copy of Half-Life 2, it's free to download and keep on Valve's platform, provided you pick it up before Monday, 18th November at 6pm in the UK.

Sony reportedly discounting PlayStation 5 Slim by "at least" 75 in Europe ahead of ChristmasAnd PSVR2 down by 200.Image credit: Sony / Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 15, 2024 Following Sony's seemingly premature announcement earlier this week it'll be knocking $70 off the PS5 Slim Digital Edition in the US ahead of Christmas, reliable leaker Bilbil-kun has claimed similar discounts are coming to Europe soon - including a PSVR2 price cut of a whopping 200.Writing for Dealabs, Bilbil-kun (who has a proven track record when it comes to PlayStation leaks) says Sony's European Black Friday discounts will run from Friday, 22nd November, until 12th December, with both the PS5 Slim Standard Edition and PS5 Slim Digital Edition being reduced by "at least" 75 during that time. That may rise to 80 in some countries.If the claims are accurate, that means it'll be possible to pick up a Standard Edition PS5 Slim for 474.99 instead of usual 549.99, while the Digital Edition will fall to 374.99 from 449.99.Digital Foundry reviews the PlayStation 5 Pro.Watch on YouTubeThat's not the end of the PlayStation discounts, however; Bilbil-kun also reports a massive 200 price reduction of for PSVR2, bringing it down to 399.99 from the usual 599.99. Additionally, the PSVR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain Pack, which includes the VR headset and a Horizon Call of the Mountain code, will fall from 649.99 to 399.99. There's no word of UK pricing for any of this yet, but it shouldn't be long before all is revealed.All this, of course, follows Sony's recent announcement its console hardware has seen a significant drop in sales, falling to 6.2m units sold compared to the 8.2m shifted in the same quarter last year. Whether the recently launched PlayStation 5 Pro will help gives those numbers a notable boost remains to be seen. "The truth is, the standard PS5 is still the best choice for most people," Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter said in a recent appraisal of the new console, "but for the core enthusiast looking for the best possible experience, the Pro option is there for you, albeit with a substantial premium."

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThe Russian government is looking at a possible ban of Stalker 2 in the region as the Ukranian-made survival game approaches its November 20th launch. Russian officials are investigating the upcoming release to see whether or not the title features extremism or anti-Russian sentiment.Stalker 2 faces Russian banReported by RIA Novosti, a Russian state-owned news outlet, State Duma Deputy Anton Gorelki revealed that the game is facing possible bans depending on its content. If the title is found to hold any content that is seen as anti-Russian, it will be swiftly banned in the country.Furthermore, gamers who are found to play or purchase the game via the use of a VPN or other means will be punished by the Russian government if the game does get banned.Via VGC, gamers found playing the banned game, if it does receive a ban, will be treated as if they are supporting a hostile force. The Russian government also claims that supporting an anti-Russian video game may even be classed as an act of terrorism. This activity could result in a fine, prison sentence or some other form of punishment.At the time of writing, the game is being investigated by Russian officials for content that justifies terrorism, extremist rhetoric and anti-Russian speech.Developed by Ukranian developer GSC Game World, many of the games developers have stayed in the war-torn region as Russia continues to decimate the country while others moved to new offices in the Czech Republic. A Making Of documentary by Microsoft revealed the terrible conditions the studio has faced while making the game.Stalker 2 is set to release on Xbox Series consoles and PC on November 20, 2024. The game also launches in Xbox Game Pass on Day One. No PS5 release date has been confirmed for the game.Related TopicsSTALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The First Descendant Season 2 is less than a month away. On socials, Nexon has been teasing additions to TFD via the second chapter, but now they have fully pulled the curtain aside through a pre-recorded developer commentary. Here you will find The First Descendant Season 2 release date along with the confirmed new playable characters, new Ultimate, and the official roadmap. Ahead of the S2 reveal, Nexon announced a lot of exciting additions for TFD fans to anticipate. Nexon is adding jiggle physics soon with appropriate options, and the developer is also conducting a rework for an appealing character that is massively popular within the community. In addition, right now players can redeem a new code for massive rewards in celebration of Nexons 30th anniversary. We only have to wait a few weeks for The First Descendant Season 2 release date to arrive, and now we officially know the roadmap, new characters, and upcoming Ultimate. The First Descendant Season 2 release date The First Descendant Season 2 release date is December 5th. This was confirmed by Nexon before their pre-recorded developer commentary. S1 was a lot of fun with the introduction of Hailey and Ultimate Freyna, and S2 should be even better as we are getting two new Descendants instead of just one, and we are getting another Ultimate that should supersede Freyna. In addition to these new big additions, Nexon is adding a new Vulgan Legion Boss. Its described as Much bigger than the other Vulgus, and, not only is it bigger, but its weapons change for each phase, making for varied combat.Per the developer commentary, it fights with a handgun and shield, but, when the phase changes, it splits the shield in two and uses it as a melee weapon. Then, for the final phase, it pulls out two handguns and uses both of them to fight. TFD Season 2 new charactersOne of the new playable characters for The First Descendant Season 2 is Keelan. This is the male who superficially resembles the MARVELs Blade because of his shades and style. In the developer commentary, it was revealed Keelan is a Descendant assigned to H.O.U.N.D, a search unit mainly deployed in Void Operations. They are a specialized search unit tasked with searching and, if necessary, seizing control of spaces found in the Void. As for gameplay, he has Toxic abilities that can be used while airborne, and can pierce enemies with his dash skill. Arguably the best aspect of the Season 2 reveal is that players will be able to recruit a German shepard dog companion named Fellow. You will be able to interact with the dog through various means such as petting, shaking hands, and high-fives. There are also other bizarre, but great, interactions like playing the conga.As if a dog companion wasnt enough, you will also be able to customize them in four different compartments: fur, body skin, torso attachments, and head attachments. Nexons other new Descendant for Season 2 is a female named Ines Raya. She is someone who works with Kaleen, and she uses the Electric attribute. She is also a character who specializes in AoE combat. Nexon confirmed she has a different body type like Hailey, too, and she will be added in week 7, meaning she will not be playable right away unlike Kaleen. Image credit: NexonNew UltimateThe new Ultimate is Sharen and it will have two skins. There is a default skin and then another that thankfully does not come with a helmet or mask. During the commentary, the devs said the skin resembles something from science fiction, like Ghost in the Shell. For Sharen, there will be two new Ultimate skill modules. The first module is Area Supression, and this enhaches her AoE abilities and grants her the ability to throw shortswords in a 360-degree circle around her. The other module is called Ambushed. It increases the effectiveness of stealth by increasing her movement speed and reducing the cooldown of skills used while in stealth. In addition, if you kill an enemy while in stealth, it re-triggers stealth, so you have a mechanic that almost allows for infinite stealth. Image credit: NexonThe First Descendant Season 2 roadmap The First Descendant Season 2 roadmap is as follows: December: Void Vessel Main Story Season 2 Battle PassShop Item Improvement Keelan Ayodele Fellow Weapon Rebalance Descendants Rebalance Ultimate Reactor 3-5 Enhancement Ultimate Reactor Optimization Three-tier Weapon Hammer and Anvil Target Reward Infiltration Random Matching Outpost 2nd Improvement Hard Special Operation Ultimate Sharen/Sharen story High Shape Stabilizer Customizing Improvement New skins/Christmas skins January: Ines Raya Void Inner Core Void Erosion Control Weapon Core Unleash Lunar New Year skins February: Hot Spring Theme Skins Valentines Day Skins More Content Coming SoonImage credit: NexonFor more The First Descendant, we have a guide to thebest skills and loadout for Viessa, along with thebest skills, gear, and mods for the hugely popular Bunny. We also have a guide forFreynaalong with fundamentaltips for beginners.The First DescendantPlatform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Adventure, RPG5VideoGamerRelated TopicsThe First Descendant Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

The Pottery Barn Black Friday sale is one of our favorites every year. And while were anxiously awaiting details of the official sale to shop, you can get a head-start on savings with the brands current end-of-season sale. Right now, you can score up to 50% off thousands of items in-store and online, including furniture, decor, bedding, tabletop and glassware, holiday decor, and more for a limited time. Go ahead, its time to up the ante on your interior design era.Best Early Pottery Barn Black Friday DealsDream Modular Sofa Chaise Sectional, $5,596 $4,614Flynn Recycled Glass Floor Lamp, $399 $319Jake Upholstered Swivel Stool, $399 $300Mahalia Handwoven Wool Rug, $899 $719Lennox 6-Drawer Dresser and Topper Set, $1,599 $1,399Keep scrolling to find all the early Black Friday sale finds were eyeing and adding to our carts from Pottery Barn. Whether youre looking to overhaul your living room with new, high-quality furniture or just spruce it up with a piece of fun decor here and there, your inspiration awaits.Shop by CategoryFurniture DealsPottery Barn Dream Modular Sofa Chaise SectionalPottery Barns Dream Modular Sofa Chaise Sectional, a 2022 Seat Week winner, is on sale for nearly $1,000 off. Favorite features include crisp and clean lines and breathable fabrics that are meant to give you retreat vibes without having to leave your living room, according to AD contributor J. Nailah Avery.Flynn Recycled Glass Floor LampThis mouth-blown floor lamp, with its streamlined silhouette and tumbled brass details, is really just too cool. Even more, we love that its $80 off!Turner Square Arm Leather Sofa Chaise SectionalAnother sectional worth checking out, this square-arm leather design is available in several different leather shades and finishes.Irving Roll Arm Leather ArmchairThis classic leather armchair has thick, plush cushions youll sink into after a long day at work. You can customize the color of the leather and a design with or without nailheads to fit your spaces aesthetic.Jake Upholstered Swivel StoolFor small spaces, its key to have extra seating that doesnt take up a lot of real estate. Were partial to this comfy but sturdy (and sizable!) swivel stool. You could always use it as seating for a bathroom vanity, or as a footstool. There are dozens of fabric swatches to choose from too.Home Decor DealsMercury Glass Tree ClochesYour space will be merry and bright when you include these glass tree cloches in your decor this holiday season. The whole at the bottom allows you to include lights underneath for a glowing display.Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig TreeIf your regional weather isnt conducive to gardening year-round, you can keep these lifelike fiddle leaf trees in your home for some extra greenery. Whats more, theyre made from upcycled materials for an eco-conscious addition to your home decor.Mahalia Handwoven Wool RugIt is an unfortunate fact of life that rugs, something most of us need in one form or another, are expensive. And theyre one of the few items we would not recommend going cheap on. Luckily, the early Black Friday Pottery Barn sale has quality textiles at really reasonable prices, this hand-tufted wool rug being case in point. Over $100 off, it is available in two shades and three sizes to fit your home with ease.Hammered Nickel Ice BucketA classy ice bucket is another must for the host in charge. You wouldnt want your guests sitting around with lukewarm holiday cocktails would you? This hammered-nickel ice bucket is even smarter than it looksit has an internal reserve for the melted ice to keep it away from the fresh stuff.Pottery Barn Kids DealsWaverly Table LampWe think this adorable lamp can be styled outside of a kids room. With a ceramic and iron base and a scalloped linen lamp shade, this lighting would be wonderful for any room with whimsical design in your home.Silver Rope HamperA great option for diapers or toy storage, this wicker basket would be a great fit in any nursery or kid room. Its also charming enough that you could leave it out in grown up spaces without it feeling out of place.Lennox 6-Drawer Dresser & Topper SetThis dresser meets changing table is a must-have for any little ones bedroom furniture. Right now you can score this one from Pottery Barn at a discount. Its available in walnut and white colorways.Crepe Paper DaisiesSome wall art for their room is an excellent way to cheer up their space. These springtime flowers are made of crepe paper and can be mounted on the wall.