The El Capitan supercomputer at the Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryGarry McLeod/Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryThe top spot in the league table of the worlds most powerful computers has changed hands, with one supercomputer built for US national security research ousting another.Top500, the definitive list of the most capable computers, is based on a single metric: how fast a machine can solve vast numbers of equations, measured in floating-point operations per second, or FLOPS. A machine called Frontier built in 2022 was the first publicly acknowledged to have reached the exascale a billion billion FLOPS. AdvertisementFrontier was created by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to carry out nuclear weapon simulations, but also to work on a range of complex scientific problems such as climate modelling, nuclear fusion simulation and drug discovery.Now, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California has created El Capitan, which is capable of 1.742 exaFLOPS, more than any other supercomputer.The machine has been built in collaboration with the National Nuclear Security Administration, an arm of the Department of Energy dedicated to developing nuclear weapons science under tight security. The agency was formed in 2000 after the discovery that nuclear secrets had leaked to China from the Department of Energy.El Capitan will essentially provide the vast computational power necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the US nuclear deterrent without having to carry out physical nuclear testing. LLNL claims that complex, high-resolution 3D simulations of nuclear explosions that would take months on Sierra, its most powerful system until now, will be done in just hours or days on El Capitan.Topics:computing

Recorded on November 19, 2024 Whats Next for Mixed Reality: Glasses, Goggles, and More. Speakers: Mat Honan, Editor in Chief, and James O'Donnell, AI hardware reporter. We are barreling toward the next big consumer device category: smart glasses. After years of trying, augmented-reality specs are at last a thing. Facebook recently showed off its Orion smart glasses, and Snap has introduced its second-generation pair. The Pentagon is also working on mixed-reality headsets that can be used on the battlefield. Hear fromMIT Technology Revieweditor in chief Mat Honan and AI hardware reporter James ODonnell for a conversation about where our AR experiences are heading. Related Coverage

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. How the largest gathering of US police chiefs is talking about AI James ODonnell The International Association of Chiefs of Police bills itself as the largest gathering of its type in the United States. Leaders from many of the countrys 18,000 police departments and even some from abroad convene for product demos, discussions, parties, and awards. I went along last month to see how artificial intelligence was being discussed, and the message to police chiefs seemed crystal clear: If your department is slow to adopt AI, fix that now. From the expo hall, talks, and interviews, it seems theyre already enthusiastically heeding the call. Read the full story. This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. Roundtables: Whats Next for Mixed Reality: Glasses, Goggles, and More After years of trying, augmented-reality specs are at last a thing. If you want to learn more about where AR experiences are heading, join our editor-in-chief Mat Honan and AI hardware reporter James ODonnell for a Roundtables conversation streamed online at 2pm ET/11am PT today. Its for subscribers only but good news: this week our subscriptions are half price. Dont miss out! Read more about mixed reality: + We interviewed Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus, about his plans to bring mixed-reality goggles to soldiers. Heres what he had to say. + The coolest thing about smart glasses is not the AR. Its the AI. + Snap has launched new augmented-reality Spectacles. Heres what we made of them. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The FBI is investigating threats texted to Latino and LGBTQ+ people They claim recipients will be deported or sent to a re-education camp. (WP$)+ ICE can already sidestep sanctuary city laws through data-sharing centers. (Wired$)+Trump has confirmed he plans to use the military for mass deportations.(NYT$)2 Chinese tech groups are building AI teams in Silicon Valley Despite Washingtons best efforts to stymie their work. (FT$)+How a US ban on investing in Chinese startups could escalate under Trump.(Wired$)3 How Apple will cope with looming tariffsThe fact CEO Tim Cook already has a relationship with Trump will surely help. (Bloomberg$)4 Two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea have been disrupted It looks like Russia is trying to interfere with global undersea infrastructure. (CNN)+A Russian spy ship had to be escorted out of the Irish Sea last weekend too.(The Guardian)5 An AI tool could help solve math problems humans are stuck onIts a good example of how blending human and machine intelligence can produce positive results. (New Scientist$)+This AI system makes human tutors better at teaching children math. (MIT Technology Review) 6 Robots still struggle to match warehouse workers on some tasks For all the advances robots have made, picking things up and moving them around remains a big challenge. (NYT$)+AI is poised to automate todays most mundane manual warehouse task.(MIT Technology Review)7 Perplexitys AI search engine can now buy stuff for you How long until Google follows? (The Verge)8 Dozens of states are begging Congress to pass the kids online safety actIt has currently stalled in the House of Representatives due to censorship concerns. (The Verge)+Roblox is adding more controls to let parents set daily usage limits, block access to certain game genres, and more.(WSJ$)+ Why child safety bills are popping up all over the US9 The US Patent and Trademark Office banned staff from using generative AIIt cited security concerns plus the fact some tools exhibit bias, unpredictability, and malicious behavior. (Wired$)10 NASA might have killed life on MarsA new paper suggests that adding water to Martian soil might have been a bad move. (Quartz$)+ The ISS has been leaking air for 5 years, and engineers still cant agree why.(Ars Technica)Quote of the day We are bleeding cash as an industry. Thomas Laffont, co-founder of investment firm Coatue Management, says venture capital firms are struggling to make money amid a boom in AI investments, theWall Street Journalreports.The big story How mobile money supercharged Kenyas sports betting addiction BRIAN OTIENO April 2022 Mobile money has mostly been hugely beneficial for Kenyans. But it has also turbo-charged the countrys sports betting sector. Experts and public figures across the African continent are sounding the alarm over the growth of the sector increasingly loudly. Its produced tales of riches, but it has also broken families, consumed college tuitions, and even driven some to suicide. Read the full story. Jonathan W. Rosen We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet 'em at me.) + I just learned a pertinent word for this season:abscission. + Only some people will getthis but if you're one of them, youll enjoy it.+ Why Late of the Pier were one of the mostexciting UK bandsof the 2000s.+ Whether you call them crisps or chips, theyre goddamndelicious.

In court on Tuesday, defense lawyers said a raid on Sean 'Diddy' Combs' jail cell was improper.Photos of Combs' handwritten to-do list should never have been given to prosecutors, a lawyer said.The lawyer said he may now seek dismissal of the case or recusal of the entire prosecution team.Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs warned they may seek to have his sex-trafficking case dismissed because prosecutors caught a glimpse of a handwritten "to-do list" the rap mogul kept in his Brooklyn jail cell.The to-do list jotted by Combs on a white legal pad, to memorialize jailhouse conversations with his attorneys was secretly photographed and then returned to his cell by Bureau of Prisons officials during a late October raid, a lawyer for Combs alleged during a hearing in federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday.News that prosecutors had gained possession of the writings was first revealed this week.The writing on 19 pages from the list, "are in the heartland of attorney-client material," attorney Marc Agnifilo told US District Court Judge Arun Subramanian, his voice angry, as Combs sat to his left, nodding "yes."Before them on the defense table was a four-inch stack of folders and paperwork from Combs' cell, including the actual to-do list, Agnifilo told the judge. The lawyer waved some of the papers in the air as he spoke."The government now knows potential defense witnesses for a May 5 trial," well in advance of when witness names must be shared, the lawyer complained. "It's giving them an insight into the defense, and they should not have it."During their turn to speak, prosecutors presented a far different description of the 19 pages, alleging instead that they are evidence of Combs' ongoing attempts to use his cash and influence to obstruct justice.There were two highly incriminating errands among Combs' to-do list tasks, Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik told the judge at Tuesday's hearing and neither are protected by attorney-client privilege, she said.One "relates to the defendant paying a potential witness to, quote, 'find dirt' on a potential victim," Slavik alleged.The second involves Combs' plan for "following up with a paralegal to determine if a witness was paid off or not," she said.Indeed, if these two excerpts do somehow relate to attorney-client communications, "they would fall under the crime-fraud exemption," Slavik added. By law, attorney-client privilege does not protect communications involving criminal activity.These to-do list excerpts are now key evidence in an ongoing grand jury investigation into possible obstruction of justice charges, and could become part of a potential new indictment, she said."I think it's clear that this material is outside the defense defending a criminal case," the prosecutor told the judge of the to-do list excerpts.Combs built a multi-million-dollar fashion and recording empire and was one of the first, and richest, hip-hip entrepreneurs. He has been held without bail since mid-September, when he was arrested and accused of a decades-long pattern of physical and sexual violence against multiple victims, including during elaborate parties called "freak-offs."At the close of the hearing, the judge asked both sides to prepare written arguments explaining why the 19 pages are, or are not, privileged.He instructed the prosecution team to meanwhile delete the photographs of the 19 pages from their records, at least until a privilege determination can be made.The judge also told the prosecution team to ask prison officials to retain copies of the surveillance video from the search of Combs' cell.Tuesday's hearing revealed new details of the raid itself.The BOP conducted the raid on Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center without alerting prosecutors beforehand, in order to recover contraband relating to their own investigation into Combs and others at the jail, Slavik told the judge.Prison officials photographed, then replaced, Combs' paperwork. After the sweep, the officials followed the required procedure for handling potentially sensitive, attorney-client material.Photographs were given first to a so-called filter team, a separate group of US attorneys not connected to the Combs prosecution. The filter team then extracted all attorney-client material before passing the remaining photographs along to the Combs prosecutors, Slavik told the judge.Combs is due back in court on Friday, when his defense team will make a third argument for bail. Prosecutors cannot refer to Combs' disputed to-do list tasks in opposing bail, the judge ordered.

Jon Collins-Black has hidden five treasure chests across the US for a public hunt.The chests contain valuable items like a Casascius bitcoin, an emerald, rare Pokmon cards, gold, and more.Collins-Black spent five years planning the treasure hunt and wrote a book with clues.Jon Collins-Black once dreamt of finding treasure of his own. Now, he's hidden five treasure boxes in locations around the US and he wants people to find them.Collins-Black, a California-based musician turned entrepreneur, told BI that he made a tidy sum from early bitcoin investments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he embarked on a project: Secure a hoard of treasure, then send people off to search for it, hoping they'll enjoy the journey.Collins-Black told BI that there are now five chests four smaller ones and one large box hidden across the US.He said that none of the chests are buried or placed on private land, and reaching the boxes does not require dangerous stunts.He wrote all the clues one needs to find these treasure chests into a book, "There's Treasure Inside." Collins-Black said finding these leads in the text will require a close reading and a sharp but open mind.Collins-Black secured most of the pieces of treasure at auction and through antique dealers over the last five years. There are pieces like a Casascius bitcoin the first physical bitcoin ever made; a green Columbian emerald; a 2002 Shining Charizard Pokmon card; antiques from a shipwreck; George Washington's jelly glass, and more. BI has viewed the receipts for Collins-Black's purchases at auction.He told BI he had a "loose budget" for the treasure's value. Based on the price he paid for the items at auction, he estimated that the total value of the stash, at press time, is between $2 and $3 million. But frequently fluctuating items like bitcoin could change the chests' worth."I was actually trying to figure out what the sweet spot would be as far as how big to make this without making it too big," Collins said. "I didn't want people to go too crazy."All five treasure chests are also puzzle boxes, Collins-Black said but if one finds the chest, instructions are placed with it outlining how to open the boxes, so people don't have to destroy them.Only he knows where the chests are, so quizzing his family members and his publisher won't help. He placed the boxes around the country himself, hiking over a hundred miles on his trips.Collins-Black said he doesn't think he'll regret giving this money away."If bitcoin goes to $500,000 or $1 million, or these treasures are worth $10 million in five to seven years and someone finds them, and then I think I'll just celebrate that and be happy for it," Collins-Black said."There were definitely a couple of items where people were like, 'Are you sure you want to put that in the treasure?'" he added. "But at the end of the day, I think I'll just be excited for whoever finds it."Collins-Black told BI that he doesn't have a favorite treasure in the lot, but he does have a soft spot for the emerald which he calls a "beautiful" thing to look at.Treasure hunts have long captured popular attention, from the $350 million-grossing 2004 movie "National Treasure" togeocaching, a real-world game in which people hunt for "caches" of information using GPS devices.Art collector Forrest Fenn hid a chest filled with gold, jewels, and other valuables in the Rocky Mountains in 2010 and Collins-Black set out to look for it.Collins-Black wasn't successful in his hunt. After a decade-long search, Fenn's chest wasfinally found in 2020.While Collins-Black has gone out of his way to hide the boxes, he does not want the mysteries to outlive him. In eight or 10 years, he might release more clues."I don't have this desire for me to be long gone, and they're to be the 'Legend of the John Collins-Black treasures,'" he said. "I don't want to drag it on forever."

One of my colleagues has a theory: If you know the Rizzler, you might not have been surprised that Kamala Harris lost the presidential election. If the name Big Justice doesnt sound familiar, the results from the election may have been a total shock.Back in March, a Florida-based father-and-son duo named A.J. and Big Justice posted a TikTok expressing their enthusiasm for Costco Wholesale and its food court items. The pair as well as their extended universe of relatives and non-relatives, like the Rizzler have since become viral sensations, cementing their internet celebrity status with an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.The Costco Guys, the Rizzler, and this whole kind of straight-bro-coded mediaverse is a stand-in for how siloed media consumption on the left has gotten, says Voxs senior politics reporter Christian Paz. As a result, Paz suggests, some progressives may have missed a bit of the political evolution the country was going through.It asks the question: Does the rise of the Costco Guys who are in no way explicitly political help explain a cultural landscape shaped by straight bros that presaged a Donald Trump win? Or is their presence on the internet something more innocuous, a throwback to the early days of YouTube when regular people would go viral and get airtime on Ellen? The answers are a little complicated. A history of the Costco Guys cinematic universe While they officially became viral sensations back in March, the Costco Guys celebrity has been years in the making. Originally from New Jersey, the familys patriarch, Andrew Befumo (a.k.a. A.J.), was a professional wrestler who went by the American Powerchild Eric Justice before he retired and went into mortgage lending. About a decade ago, he started a family YouTube channel, featuring his wife Erika, his daughter Ashley, and his son Eric (a.k.a. Big Justice), called All Befumod Up. The channel featured the sort of mundane if heartwarming content you might see on a slice-of-life reality show, like cooking meals, attending an Avengers screening, and singing Christmas songs. Since 2022, Befumo has mostly been making videos on TikTok (@a.j.befumo) with Eric who he nicknamed Big Justice after his wrestling persona with occasional appearances from Ashley and Erika, The Mother of Big Justice. Early videos show the father and son attending baseball games and reviewing local restaurants using their food review scale known as the boom meter. Delicious foods get a boom! Underwhelming or flat-out gross foods get a doom! which is rare.They also recorded themselves running regular errands, like going to retail chains, with an unusual amount of enthusiasm. However, its that level of excitement in depicting the suburban, middle-class experience thats part of their draw. While many famous vloggers are filming tropical vacations and helicopter rides, the Costco Guys treat a trip to Party City like a special occasion. These videos raked up hundreds of thousands of views and earned them some sponsorship deals. However, it wasnt until this past spring that their affinity for Costco would give them a ticket to internet stardom. On March 1, they posted their own version of the viral Were X, of course we Y trend about their love for the wholesale chain. Were Costco guys, says Big Justice at the beginning of the video. Of course we go shopping while eating a chicken bake. By July, they released a Beastie Boys-esque theme song, featuring Erika and Ashley, called We Bring the Boom that now has 14.4 million views. Since then, theyve incorporated Costco and their extremely limited food court menu into much of their content, having guests rate the stores double chunk chocolate cookie and come with them on shopping trips. Theyve released several remixes of We Bring the Boom, including a Christmas edition most recently. Ashley and Erika also emerged from the background of A.J. and Big Justices videos, creating their own page in October, @ashleyandmamajustice, where they mostly rank and review desserts. Despite how normal these guys seem, viewers still feel like theyre watching something off-kilter and idiosyncratic. They have a wide-eyed, unflinching gaze almost like theyre being held hostage and forced to read off a teleprompter when staring into the camera. While you could argue that their zeal is earnest, their mannerisms are unnatural and stilted. The rap songs are inarguably cringe. In the months since their initial virality, the Costco boys label has extended beyond the Befumo family to include some of their most frequent collaborators. Most notable among them is the Rizzler (a.k.a Christian Joseph), a kid influencer whose father began posting videos of him on TikTok in 2020. His father dubbed him the Rizzler, based on the slang term rizz thats short for charisma. Hes since popularized the rizz face, a half-serious-half-smirking look similar to the alt-right meme/pose known as the Chad face or more broadly the Gen Z Lip Sync Face. A.J. said in an interview that a TikTok of the Rizzler joking around while wearing an ill-fitting Black Panther costume led him to contact the Rizzlers father about collaborating. Other frequent guest stars include cousin Angelo, who may or may not actually be related to the Befumo family, and a TikTok dancer named Jersey Joe who posts videos dancing to Jersey Club music. Do the Costco Guys really belong to the bro internet?Since their rise to prominence, the Costco Guys have earned a questionable reputation on social media as alleged Trump supporters if not avatars for an increasingly MAGA-fied internet. The evidence is mostly superficial. They live in Florida. They spend much of their time in the big-box stores closely identified with the suburban American experience. Their logos and merch prominently feature the American flag. Theres a lot of stuff about their content that is seemingly Republican-coded, says EJ Dickson, senior culture writer at The Cut. The main one is that theyre part of a demographic of white men in a state that overwhelmingly voted for Trump. The other aspect is the American flag imagery very early on in their career. Actually, when A.J. was working in the mortgage industry, he was making content in front of an American flag. Other examples are more eyebrow-raising. Their fanbase at least based on their accounts commenters leans heavily white and male; comments on one Costco Guys livestream featured rows upon rows of the N-word in all-caps. Logan Paul knows about them. Unlike Paul, though, the Befumo family has largely and intentionally avoided politics in their journey to fame. In an interview with internet reporter Taylor Lorenz, A.J. said that theyve been approached by presidential candidates to collaborate but that political content was not in their wheelhouse. Possible political affiliations aside, Dickson, who profiled A.J. and Big Justice for Rolling Stone in July, doesnt think this accounts for all of their popularity. I do think people genuinely enjoy seeing this guy and his kid just being goofy and making this incredibly silly content together, says Dickson. A lot of people think their content is charming in its way. She also argues that their videos may be more subversive than progressives online give them credit for: a father and son spending an immense amount of time together, showing each other affection and bonding over food. She compares them to bona fide right-wing personality Andrew Tate, who built his brand in the thrall of his domineering and withholding father. The fact that A.J. is monetizing time with his family has not gone without criticism. A behind-the-scenes video of A.J. sternly directing Big Justice in a video made the rounds in August and reinforced the assumption by some that hes a stage dad. Still, the image of fatherhood he promotes is adoring and hands-on. Even though [A.J.] performs masculinity with the way he looks and the workouts, hes kind of doing the opposite by virtue of just clowning around on camera and spending a lot of time with his kid, says Dickson. Regardless, the Costco Guys do ultimately exist in a lineage of influencers and celebrities that draw straight, white, right-leaning male fans. Several moments this year have shown, from the conservative appropriation of Sydney Sweeney to the overnight success of Hawk Tuah Girl, that its not totally up to public figures to decide who they appeal to.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Nearly three years into Russias full-scale invasion into Ukraine, the Biden administration gave Ukraine the green light to strike deeper into Russia using US-supplied longer-range missiles.The Ukrainian military quickly put that permission to use: On Tuesday, it attacked a weapons depot about 70 miles from Ukraines border. The US and NATO allies have hesitated to provide sophisticated weapons like the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) that Ukraine used in that attack, fearing Russian retaliation against NATO sites or even nuclear escalation. Raising that specter on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new version of the countrys nuclear doctrine, which would theoretically make it easier for Russia to use nuclear weapons in this conflict. The new doctrine specifically allows for a nuclear strike in response to a strike with conventional weapons like the longer-range missiles Ukraine now has permission to use if those attacks involved the participation or support of a nuclear power, likely referring to the US and other NATO countries. Throughout the war, Russian leaders have threatened to use the countrys nuclear weapons in the conflict if they believed they were necessary. That has led Ukraines allies to be cautious about the amount of aid theyve offered, and has led to limits on what Ukrainian troops can do with those weapons.Ukraines new ability to use longer range missiles to strike Russian territory and Putins confirmation of new nuclear rules have again raised the question: Could Russias war in Ukraine escalate into a nuclear conflict?Throughout the war, experts have downplayed Russias appetite for nuclear conflict. But the rapid escalation of the conflict in recent weeks, and particularly Russias new nuclear doctrine, could mean that possibility is closer than before. Since the beginning of Russias invasion into Ukraine, Putin and other officials have made statements, both explicit and oblique, that Russia might be pressed to use nuclear weapons. Most experts agree that the risk of Russia using such weapons is low, but its not negligible. A previous version of the doctrine Russia updated on Tuesday said the country would tap into its nuclear arsenal only under four circumstances: receiving credible data of a ballistic missile attack; nuclear or other WMD attack against Russia or its allies; attacks on Russian nuclear infrastructure; or conventional weapons attacks that threaten the very existence of the Russian state. Under the new doctrine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated attacks like Ukraines on Tuesday could trigger a nuclear response.That change shouldnt be taken as a response to Ukraines strike, however, Samuel Charap, distinguished chair in Russia and Eurasia policy and senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, told Vox.The new doctrine has been in the works for a long time, Charap said. The timing may be tied to the attack of decision, but the substance has been brewing for a while.Putin and other officials have not, it seems, made major preparations to actually use nuclear weapons. However as the war continues, Putin and his officials threats have become clearer and have involved actually demonstrating nuclear capacity. As recently as July, Russia and Belarus held joint military exercises that demonstrated Russias tactical nuclear capabilities.Initially, the US and NATO responded to Russias threats with caution, denying Ukraine weapons or placing restrictions on their use. But over the past three years, as little has come of Putins threats of nuclear war and of war with NATO, Western countries have given Ukraine access to increasingly sophisticated weapons systems. Besides the risk of nuclear war, Ukraines allies have had to balance concerns that they might be more directly drawn into the conflict. Though Ukraine is not a member of the NATO military alliance, Putin has previously warned that permission to use longer-range missiles (like those used Tuesday) inside Russia would be considered a NATO attack on Russia.US officials speaking to the Associated Press said they had anticipated a response from Russia, but that Russian officials warnings were viewed as inflammatory rhetoric, and would not provoke any change in US action. That suggests the US does not believe theres much danger in Russia using its nuclear capabilities in the near term.Russia never explicitly, on the official level, warned that they would use nuclear weapons in response to X, Y, or Z, Charap said. The only explicit red line that theyve ever drawn was on the use of long range, US [or] Western weapons to strike into Russia that has now been crossed. So I can imagine people will expect their response, and it will not just be with words. After 1,000 days of the war, the conflict appears to be approaching an impasse. Theres no clear path to decisive victory for either side. Each side is deploying new tactics to try to gain an advantage: Ukraine with longer range missiles; Russia with recruits from North Korea. And now, Russia and the US seem to be simply responding to each others escalations: Russia put North Korean troops on the battlefield, the US responded by authorizing the use of longer range missiles, and Russia released its new nuclear posture. That sort of behavior is both reckless and dangerous, Charap said.You are in a spiral that is the definition of a tit-for-tat dynamic, where your actions are driven not by your goals, but by countering what the other guy is doing, Charap said. That only goes in one direction continuing to up the ante. The spiral dynamic just continues until somebody gets out of control or somebody decides to stop it. Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

The global gaming phenomenon Minecraft is coming to the real world for the first time in a global deal to open themed rides, attractions, hotel rooms and retail outlets, starting with the UK and US.Minecraft has struck a deal with UK-headquartered Merlin Entertainments Europes largest theme park operator and the second biggest globally after Disney which runs more than 135 attractions in 23 countries including Alton Towers, Legoland, Sea Life, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye.Under the terms of the deal, Merlin will invest more than 85m ($110m) in the first two attractions. They are due to open in the UK and the US in 2026 and 2027, in either an existing theme park or as new city centre attractions.Over the longer term the two companies plan to expand the strategic partnership, which is called Adventures Made Real, to other countries and territories.Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time, with 140 million players each month, in territories as disparate as Antarctica and Vatican City, and there are more than 1.3tn videos posted by game players on YouTube.Merlins partnership with Minecraft is called Adventures Made Real. Photograph: Merlin and TM & Mojang ABWe are everywhere digitally, Merlin is everywhere physically, said Kayleen Walters, the vice-president, franchise development, for gaming at Microsoft, which acquired the Minecraft maker Mojang for $2.5bn in 2014. It is about how do we expand Minecraft beyond the game. Mojang and Microsoft are experts on Minecraft and the brand, Merlin are the experts on location-based experiences; it is a shared vision.Minecraft is on something of a brand extension boom: a much-delayed film is due for release next April, featuring Hollywood stars including Jason Momoa and Jack Black, and earlier this year Netflix announced plans to release an animated series based on the game.For Merlin, the Minecraft partnership has the potential to be its biggest deal since it struck a deal with Lego to buy its four Legoland theme parks in 2005.In recent years, Merlin has been upping its strategy of focusing on deals with crown jewel intellectual property owners to drive the popularity of its parks and attractions, in the same way Hollywood studios do with blockbuster franchises.A Minecraft Movie is due for release next April. Photograph: Warner Bros.In 2022, Merlin struck a deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to bring the $2bn Hollywood film franchise Jumanji to its parks, with a range of rides and attractions opening at Chessington in the UK last year.Earlier this year, Merlin announced an expansion of its Peppa Pig deal to create rides and attractions in Duplo-themed areas at a number of its parks.When we look for partners we look for the right people, scale and community, said Scott ONeil, the chief executive of Merlin Entertainments. We are in 23 countries, what brands can play at that level, you have to be one of the biggest brands in the world. We have partnered with the number one toy brand, Lego, the number one toddler brand, Peppa Pig, and now in Minecraft the biggest video game. Bringing Minecraft to life is going to be one of the greatest joys; this is just the beginning; our aspirations are very big.Last year, Minecraft became the first single video game to pass 300m sales, well ahead of other top-selling global titles including Grand Theft Auto V (205m), Nintendos Wii Sports (83m) and PUBG: Battlegrounds (75m).skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Business TodayFree daily newsletterGet set for the working day we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionTetris and the Super Mario franchise have sold more copies but Minecraft, which was launched in 2011, is the only single game to have reached that mark.Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time. Photograph: Iurii Vlasenko/AlamyIn 2020, Minecraft moved to make its educational-themed worlds available for free, to help pupils no longer able to attend school because of the Covid-19 pandemic.The company, which said it wanted to do its part to help keep young minds sharp and stimulated, made 12 digital lessons available, including a game about generating power from renewable energy sources and an interactive lesson about ancient Greece.In 2015, Minecraft was given to every secondary school in Northern Ireland for free as part of a cultural technology festival, which was government funded, the first time it had been distributed across an entire region.In 2019, a consortium led by the family that controls the Lego toymaking empire agreed a 6bn takeover of Merlin.The consortium is 50% owned by Kirkbi, the private investment company of the Kirk Kristiansen family, the inheritors of the Lego fortune. The other 50% is owned by the private equity company Blackstone and CPPIB, the Canadian pension fund.

The fast-growing childrens gaming platform Roblox is to hand parents greater oversight of their childrens activity and restrict the youngest users from the more violent, crude and scary content after warnings about child grooming, exploitation and sharing of indecent images.From Monday, Roblox will grant parents access to a dashboard on their own phone showing who their child is interacting with, how long they are spending on Roblox each day and to make sure they are accurately recording their age.It will also restrict users under nine to games rated mild, with access to moderate content allowed only with parental approval. Mild content might involve unrealistic blood or unrealistic violence whereas the blood would look realistic for moderate violence.Preteens will also be blocked from chat functions outside of games as part of a worldwide tightening of the rules on the most visited online destination among British eight- to 12-year-olds after Google, Metas Instagram and Facebook, and TikTok.The moves comes after a short-seller last month alleged it had found child sexual abuse content, sex games, violent content and abusive speech on the site. In the UK, Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science and technology, told parliament: I expect that company to do better in protecting service users, particularly children.Robloxs millions of brightly coloured user-generated gaming worlds are enjoyed by 90 million daily users worldwide, according to the $3bn (2.4bn) annual revenue Silicon Valley company.Children using Roblox can choose from 6m games and experiences devised by users, and play with friends and strangers who are able to message them in real time.Already the company runs automated software that clamps down on texts that aim to lure children off the platform and vets the images, audio, video and the 3D models for content that breaches community standards.The most popular games last week included the dressing-up game Dress to Impress and the angling game Fisch. But there are also games themed around depression, violence and some which are described as racism simulators.Last month, Hindenburg Research, , described Roblox as an X-rated paedophile hellscape, replete with users attempting to groom our avatars, groups openly trading child pornography, widely accessible sex games, violent content and extremely abusive speech all of which is open to young children.It revealed it took a short position in Roblox shares, while the gaming platform described the claims as misleading and said safety and civility was foundational to the company.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionOn 16 October, the MP Mike Reader told parliament about a constituent who was a volunteer moderator and had identified and banned over 14,000 accounts involved in child grooming, exploitation and sharing indecent images as part of a group.Kyle responded: Companies releasing products into our society should see that as a privilege, not a right. I have high expectations, on behalf of this country, to ensure that safety is baked in from the start.Restrictions to prevent under-13s accessing new Roblox games that are awaiting maturity ratings will begin on 3 December. From Monday, under-13s will also be prevented from using games that use chalkboard writing as these attract teens drawing things that may be inappropriate for our youngest audience, said the chief safety officer, Matt Kaufman.Explaining the new parental controls, Robloxs senior product manager, Dina Lamdany, said: Parents will be able to view their childs screen time over the last week, as well as set daily limits on that screen time. In addition, from that same dashboard, parents will be able to view their childs friends. We hope that this will encourage parents to have conversations with their kids about who their child is spending time with on Roblox.

League of Legends is bringing a whole host of fresh changes for players entering the Rift, including new Arcane skins, buffs and nerfs for multiple Champions, and big ARAM changes.