With the holiday season upon us, it's the perfect time to refresh our ultimate gaming monitor buying guide. This comprehensive overview highlights the top displays across key categories, including 4K, 1440p, ultrawide, high-refresh-rate, and 1080p monitors, all based on our extensive testing.It's worth mentioning that before updating this guide, we recently went deep into a few specific categories: 4K gaming monitors, budget 1440p monitors, and best value options. So if you want even more thoughts, and even more recommendations, those dedicated articles are worth checking out. But if you're not settled on a category yet and want a broad overview of the best monitors on the market, this is your starting point.These recommendations are based on extensive hands-on testing. Nearly every monitor on this list has been put through its paces by us, with full reviews available here at TechSpot or at Monitors Unboxed on YouTube. Whatever your gaming needs, this guide is packed with options to help you make the right choice.Best 1440p Gaming MonitorAsus ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG 27"In numbers Price: $549 on AmazonFor those after the ultimate 1440p gaming monitor, we currently recommend the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDMG. This is their new glossy WOLED monitor offering a 27-inch panel size, 1440p resolution, and 240Hz refresh rate with adaptive sync. For most gamers after a high-end, brilliant gaming display, the XG27AQDMG offers an excellent range of features and performance at a solid, though high-end price.There are a few reasons why we recommend this specific model. First, it's an OLED, so it features individual pixel control and elite response times, making it particularly well-suited to HDR gaming. Its transition speed at 240Hz results in motion clarity that's roughly equivalent to 360Hz LCDs, and these benefits are seen at lower refresh rates as well, making it highly versatile for all sorts of gaming, whether we're talking singleplayer or multiplayer.The HDR performance on offer is very good, leading to excellent image quality particularly for single player experiences. We get deep zero-level blacks and tight control over highlights, which produces clean HDR imagery free of zone artifacts. This particular WOLED has decent brightness too for both high and low APL content, in addition to a glossy coating that preserves good black levels and is free from coating grain.The XG27AQDMG is relatively affordable as far as OLEDs are concerned, slotting in at $650 to $700. Yes, that's still an expensive price tag overall, but this Asus model is better than its competitors, which start around $600, particularly for brightness.Alternative ChoicesSome alternate choices to consider are as follows. Get the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP if you want a 1440p 480Hz OLED with the best motion clarity on the market and are willing to pay $1,000 for the privilege. It's expensive, but truly stunning for multiplayer gaming.Get a 360Hz QD-OLED like the MSI MPG 271QRX, Dell Alienware AW2725DF, or Gigabyte Aorus FO27Q3 if you want a slightly higher refresh rate than the XG27AQDMG but don't want to go all the way up to 480Hz. Typically, they cost about $50 to $100 more than the Asus model, and this group of QD-OLEDs all offer similar performance.Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDPWith that said, we would generally only recommend OLED for content consumption, such as gaming or watching videos. There is a risk of permanent burn-in with OLEDs, exacerbated by static content like you would see when using productivity apps and web browsers. For mixed use cases, or situations where you primarily use your display for work, it's difficult to recommend an OLED right now.On a BudgetFor budget 1440p gamers, there are two paths we would consider at the moment. The first path is HDR gaming, and for that, we recommend the AOC Q27G3XMN. It's a 27-inch 1440p 180Hz VA LCD with 336-zone local dimming, and at just $280, it's one of the cheapest and best entry points to HDR gaming on the market right now.It absolutely destroys most monitors advertised to support HDR, which mostly only have pathetic, useless edge-lit dimming. While below an OLED in terms of HDR performance, the Q27G3XMN offers reasonable full-array dimming capable of producing deeper blacks and a higher-than-standard contrast ratio.AOC Q27G3XMNPeak brightness is in the 1,300-nit range too. However, for gamers after the best motion clarity, this VA LCD isn't the best in that area, so it's a trade-off between contrast capabilities and speed. We also had some concerns over backlight zone flickering. But generally, if you have just $300 to spend and want a true HDR gaming monitor, this AOC display is the way to go.The second path to consider is if you just want a budget, bang-for-buck 1440p monitor and don't care too much about HDR. The golden price zone for these displays right now is between $180 and $230 we just wouldn't pay much more than that for a 1440p mid-refresh non-HDR monitor right now.Dell G2724DOur go-to option that we think generally offers the best value is the Dell G2724D, which can be purchased for a little under $200 most of the time. It's a 27-inch 1440p 165Hz IPS that typically performs as well as more premium offerings.Buy the Dell if you want a balanced experience between all areas, well-optimized response times on average, and good viewing angles. It won't blow you away with its capabilities, but it's an excellent entry point to 1440p at an astonishing price.Other products to consider depending on the price include the MSI G274QPF-QD, Gigabyte M27Q series, LG 27GP850 and 27GP83B, and even the Asrock PG27QFT2A if you want to get a cheap, somewhat compromised yet still functional display. All of these products, we think, are good in various ways and have received positive reviews or recommendations. Back to top Best 4K Gaming MonitorChoose Your Favorite 4K OLEDIn numbers Price: $1,220 on AmazonThe ultimate 4K gaming monitor right now is one of the many 4K OLEDs that hit the market in the first half of 2024. OLED brings lightning-fast response times and individual pixel control, resulting in excellent HDR gaming. When you step up to 4K, you get a higher resolution, better text clarity, and a larger panel size, making these displays some of the best on the market overall.There are two main 32-inch 4K 240Hz OLED panel variants available today: QD-OLED and WOLED. The best choice for you will depend on your preferences. For example, QD-OLEDs are generally glossy, and WOLEDs are usually matte. QD-OLEDs typically have wider color gamuts and higher color brightness, but WOLEDs tend to have stronger brightness in brighter scenes and include dual-mode functionality that allows them to run at 1080p 480Hz. There's no correct choice here, and we don't believe one panel is clearly superior to the other; they offer different features and characteristics.The good news is that you can't really go wrong picking a 4K OLED. Almost all of the 4K models we've tested perform very well, and especially among the QD-OLED pack, the various options perform very similarly.Dell Alienware AW3225QF 32" Curved 240Hz QD-OLED4K QD-OLEDIf you decide to go with a QD-OLED, we can recommend all of the options mentioned below simply because they all use the same panel and it's an excellent panel for gaming.To make a choice here, it's best to focus on any specific features you'd like, such as Dolby Vision or unlocked color modes, as well as pricing in your region: the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM, the MSI MPG 321URX, the slightly cheaper MAG 321UPX, the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, and the Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2P, plus the slightly cheaper FO32U2. You should also consider the Samsung Odyssey OLED G80SD that we haven't tested.4K WOLEDThere are also the 4K WOLED options to consider, which are typically more expensive than the QD-OLED models but offer dual-mode 1080p 480Hz functionality. If you think you'd use dual mode, for example in fast-paced competitive games, then grab a WOLED like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP.It's also a great monitor, a little different from the QD-OLEDs, but it certainly gives you that high-end 4K OLED experience that should blow you away with its motion clarity and HDR presentation.Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDPThese 4K OLEDs start at around $900 and can reach upwards of $1,400, so they are not going to be for everyone. But luckily, there are still a bunch of great, budget-oriented 4K LCDs to choose from if you want to enter the 4K ecosystem for more like $400 to $500.These lower-cost models are great choices because they're versatile, featuring a nice balance between gaming and productivity performance, and being an LCD, they won't burn in over time when displaying static apps and content. You won't get true HDR for $400, but there are still plenty of reasons to choose something in this category.Budget 4K ChoicesTwo main budget options we think are worth considering are the Gigabyte M27U and the LG 27GR93U. Typically, the M27U is a little cheaper, coming in at $400, whereas the LG model is ~$30 more expensive.Both are balanced monitors offering motion performance in line with today's IPS LCDs: the M27U at 160Hz and the 27GR93U at 144Hz, both 27 inches in size. There's a wide gamut experience on offer, decent factory calibration, and of course the excellent resolution of a 4K panel that's well-suited to productivity work as well as gaming. There are no areas of performance that especially stand out, but no deal-breaking flaws either.Gigabyte M27UThe LG model is a little better tuned from the factory and supports hardware calibration, so in our opinion, it's the slightly better model overall. LG also offers a larger variant, the 32GR93U, which we'd recommend if you're interested in a 32-inch panel size rather than 27 inches.On its best days, it will set you back $520, which is a fair price, and like the smaller variant, it's an excellent, versatile display with a nice large size that's well-suited to productivity work.LG 27GR93U Back to top Best High-Refresh MultiplayerAsus ROG Swift PG32UCDP | Asus PG27AQDPIn numbers Price: $879 on AmazonMuch of what we discuss in these monitor buying guides is geared towards versatile gaming monitors or categories that mostly benefit single player gamers, like HDR. But if you're a multiplayer gamer, and all you do is enjoy competitive shooters and the like, what you're after is going to be very different from people that want a display to enjoy excellent graphics or to use for part-time productivity.So this time we're adding a dedicated category for multiplayer monitors.The key features to look out for multiplayer gaming are refresh rate, response times, motion clarity, and input lag. Higher refresh rates are clearly better for competitive games as they lead to smoother gameplay, better clarity, and lower latency. Fast response times reduce ghosting and blur, and features like backlight strobing can take clarity to the next level.If you're not interested in using backlight strobing due to its complexity and downsides, the best monitors for motion clarity right now are 480Hz OLEDs.Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDPYou can get this either through a 1440p 480Hz WOLED like the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP, or a 4K 240Hz WOLED with 1080p 480Hz dual mode, and here we recommend the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP.Both are truly excellent products with elite motion clarity equivalent to a theoretical 700Hz LCD. This level of clarity is accessible with full adaptive sync variable refresh rate and HDR compatibility, if you want to use those features, and input latency is really low, which makes them fast and responsive to use.Outside of the "best of the best" OLEDs, multiplayer gamers will also benefit from most other OLEDs on the market that feature a refresh rate of 240Hz or higher. A 240Hz OLED is simply faster and clearer than a 240Hz LCD, and 360Hz is a step up again.How much refresh rate you need will depend on the games you are playing and how many FPS your PC can output there's no difference in clarity between a 240Hz OLED and 360Hz OLED when both are run at 200Hz for 200 FPS but at any given refresh rate, an OLED will produce the best clarity. You can't really go wrong with any of the 1440p OLED options we mentioned earlier, including the Asus XG27AQDMG or cheaper models like the AOC AG276QZD.Budget OptionsFor more budget-conscious multiplayer gamers that want something bang for buck, we'd consider a 1440p 240Hz LCD. You really don't need HDR for multiplayer as many titles don't even support it, in which case the lack of HDR in these LCDs is perfectly fine.Motion clarity won't be as good as an OLED, but at 240Hz you'll generally still be treated to low input lag and a nice fast experience. Like we mentioned in the 1440p section, we'd recommend the MSI G274QPX or the LG 27GR83Q in this category, which can be found for a little over $300.The Esports NicheIf you want the absolute best motion clarity and are willing to enable backlight strobing, this is where we start getting into niche high-refresh 1080p TN monitors.Backlight strobing improves motion clarity through pulsing the image, inserting black frames, and a bit of trickery the best implementations like ULMB2 and DyAc+ work really well, especially in conjunction with high 360Hz and 540Hz refresh rates. But there are also downsides, like how it requires a very specific setup for the best experience with locked frame rates and variable refresh disabled. It's a pro-level feature.BenQ XL2566KOur picks here are the Asus ROG Swift Pro PG248QP, priced at a whopping $730, as well as the comparatively more affordable BenQ XL2566K at $550. Both are 24-inch 1080p TN LCD monitors. The Asus option goes up to 540Hz and the BenQ up to 360Hz, both offering elite-tier backlight strobing support.The main benefit of going with the Asus PG248QP here is the higher refresh rate for better motion clarity and input lag, as well as its elite ULMB2 backlight strobing technology. It's the clearest, fastest LCD we've tested so far, though its stupidly high price tag is very off-putting. The BenQ XL2566K isn't quite as fast, but it's cheaper, and its DyAc+ backlight strobing tech also performs very well.As both the Asus and BenQ options use TN panels, they are designed exclusively for high-performance gaming and not visual quality. They have atrocious viewing angles and are nothing special when it comes to other aspects of image quality, like contrast ratio or color gamut. But for competitive shooters where you need to see your enemies with extreme clarity? They're awesome for that. Back to top Best UltrawideAlienware AW3423DWF 34" QD-OLEDIn numbers Price: $649 on AmazonWhile we have tested more ultrawide gaming monitors since the last time we recommended this Alienware monitor, our opinion remains that the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is the best in this category. At just $700 - $800 these days, the AW3423DWF is rarely beaten for value, and thanks to the latest suite of firmware updates, it also offers excellent performance.This Alienware is a 34-inch 3440x1440 165Hz QD-OLED, bringing benefits like elite response times and per-pixel control. This panel can hit up to 1,000 nits of brightness for small elements and just looks great displaying HDR content, making it highly suited to single player gaming, especially with the immersive ultrawide format.It's not the fastest OLED going around these days now that we have 360Hz and even 480Hz options, but the speed of OLED does allow it to punch above its weight relative to an LCD operating at the same refresh rate.The DWF model is well-calibrated and has decent SDR brightness. The subpixel layout of this QD-OLED panel isn't ideal for text quality, and like with all OLEDs, there is a risk of permanent burn-in. The glossy screen coating is divisive, offering benefits in low ambient light environments but struggling in brighter conditions.Solid Ultrawide CompetitionThere is more competition in this category now though. Newer QD-OLED offerings have increased the refresh rate to 240Hz, but typically this comes with a price premium. We weren't overly impressed with the Gigabyte MO34WQC2, for example, which is retailing for its lowest ever price of $900, a near 30% premium over the Alienware.Gigabyte MO34WQC2There's also the MSI MPG 341CQPX, which is a bit cheaper than the Gigabyte, but we haven't tested it. As for WOLED ultrawides, we'd rule them out primarily due to their aggressive 800R curve, which we're not huge fans of, as well as their weaker text rendering and higher price tag. With that said, WOLED is the only way right now to get larger panel formats such as 39 inches and 45 inches.Also worth mentioning, if you want a super-ultrawide panel, there are 49-inch 5120x2160 QD-OLED panels available at up to 240Hz, providing a 32:9 aspect ratio which is the equivalent of two 27-inch 1440p panels stitched together side by side.Samsung Odyssey OLED G95SCOur lukewarm recommendation in this category remains the Samsung Odyssey OLED G95SC, or the G93SC, at $1,200 and $1,000 respectively. Back to top Best 1080p MonitorAOC 24G4In numbers Price: $124 Not much has changed in the 1080p monitor category over the past few years. These days, the main reasons to choose a 1080p monitor are either to get one of the cheapest displays available or to opt for a super high refresh rate model designed for serious competitive gaming. For anything that falls between these two extremes, we believe 1440p monitors offer better bang for your buck.In the budget category, we recommend the AOC 24G4, also known as the 24G4X in some regions. This is a newer, better version of the 1080p AOC monitors we've been recommending for some time now, such as the 24G2SP and 24G2. It also outperforms similar budget monitors like the Gigabyte G24F 2, and at around $125, we can't see any better or more reliable choices.The AOC 24G4 is a 24-inch 1080p 180Hz IPS LCD monitor that, relative to its predecessor, features improved response time tuning and a higher refresh rate. It's not an outstandingly fast display, but it offers a good contrast ratio, wide color gamut, great factory calibration, and low input lag.This ends up creating a nice overall package that delivers a strong balance of motion performance and color quality. It's common in this price range for one of those aspects to be neglected, but that isn't the case with the 24G4, which is why it's a solid entry-level monitor choice.If you're after a premium monitor for esports gaming, as we mentioned in the multiplayer section, we'd recommend either the Asus ROG Swift Pro PG248QP or the BenQ XL2566K. Both are 24-inch 1080p TN LCD monitors that offer elite-tier backlight strobing support for excellent motion clarity in competitive titles.Viewing angles and color performance are pretty bad on these monitors, but they do a fantastic job at improving clarity to make shooting enemies easier. Back to top

NASA Rocket Engine Fireplace - 8 Hours in 4KIf you like the idea of a festive log fire crackling away in the cozy confines of your home but you dont actually have one to enjoy, then you can always hop onto YouTube and hit play on a virtual log fire.Recommended VideosIf that doesnt jingle your bells, then how about something a little different like a virtual fireplace with four roaring rocket engines.RelatedIn a somewhat bizarre twist on the usual winter fireplace scene, NASA has shared an eight-hour video yes, eight hours of a rocket engine fireplace, complete with a cozy glow and relaxing roar. The space agency adds that the unique fire is guaranteed to blow your guests away, though hopefully not literally.The footage is in glorious 4K, so its sure to look great on any big-screen TV, though for the best effect be sure to turn your homes heating dial all the way up to 11.Just what you need for the holidays, NASA says in comments accompanying the video, The coziness of a crackling and roaring rocket engine!It adds: Technically, this fireplace packs the heat of the SLS rockets four RS-25 engines and a pair of solid rocket boosters just enough to get you to the moon! (And get through the holidays with your in-laws.)NASAs SLS rocket, which on its debut flight launched the Orion spacecraft on its epic voyage toward the moon in 2022s Artemis I mission, packs a colossal 8.8 million pounds of thrust when it leaves the launchpad.As a little extra for space fans, NASA has also added two framed pictures to its illustration one showing an image of the Orion capsule flying through space, and the other featuring the Artemis logo. Happy holidays!Editors Recommendations

Scientists examining a rock sample from outer space thought theyd hit the jackpot recently when they discovered that it was teeming with life. But they soon learned that the microbes actually originated on Earth.Getting the chance to examine extraterrestrial material has to be on the bucket list of every scientist working in the field, but as the team at Imperial College London learned, the activity is fraught with challenges.Recommended VideosThey were researching a sample of material from the distant Ryugu asteroidgathered during Japans Hayabusa2 mission in 2019 before being brought to Earth in 2020.RelatedThe asteroid sample was then divided up among various groups of scientists around the world, paving the way for an array of tests that might uncover evidence of microbial life on the material. Such an exciting discovery could imply that life on Earth might have originated from extraterrestrial sources, or that life can survive and spread across the solar system.The Ryugu samples were of course treated with great care, with scientists deploying strict contamination controls such as hermetically-sealed transportation and nitrogen-purged clean rooms to limit the chance of contamination.But despite the special measures, the researchers at Imperial College London ended up finding signs not of alien life but terrestrial life instead.In a recent study titled Rapid colonization of a space-returned Ryugu sample by terrestrial microorganisms, the researchers noted that while initial analysis of the material showed no sign of contamination, rods and filaments of organic matter resembling known terrestrial microbes were found on the samples surface within a week of exposure to Earths atmosphere.While the discovery wont have provided the thrill that the researchers must have been hoping for, its still a vitally important one as it shows that even with careful handling, contamination of such highly prized material can still occur, indicating that even more robust safeguards need to be put in place for research work of this nature.The teams discovery doesnt necessarily mean that all of the Ryugu samples in various labs around the world are also contaminated, but it does mean that any claims about the discovery of extraterrestrial life on the material will come under even greater scrutiny than might otherwise have occurred.Editors Recommendations

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HARD TO DETECT. HARD TO DISINFECT Found in the wild: The worlds first unkillable UEFI bootkit for Linux "Bootkitty" is likely a proof-of-concept, but may portend working UEFI malware for Linux. Dan Goodin Nov 27, 2024 2:21 pm | 21 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOver the past decade, a new class of infections has threatened Windows users. By infecting the firmware that runs immediately before the operating system loads, these UEFI bootkits continue to run even when the hard drive is replaced or reformatted. Now the same type of chip-dwelling malware has been found in the wild for backdooring Linux machines.Researchers at security firm ESET said Wednesday that Bootkittythe name unknown threat actors gave to their Linux bootkitwas uploaded to VirusTotal earlier this month. Compared to its Windows cousins, Bootkitty is still relatively rudimentary, containing imperfections in key under-the-hood functionality and lacking the means to infect all Linux distributions other than Ubuntu. That has led the company researchers to suspect the new bootkit is likely a proof-of-concept release. To date, ESET has found no evidence of actual infections in the wild. The ASCII logo that Bootkitty is capable of rendering. Credit: ESET Be preparedStill, Bootkitty suggests threat actors may be actively developing a Linux version of the same sort of unkillable bootkit that previously was found only targeting Windows machines.Whether a proof of concept or not, Bootkitty marks an interesting move forward in the UEFI threat landscape, breaking the belief about modern UEFI bootkits being Windows-exclusive threats, ESET researchers wrote. Even though the current version from VirusTotal does not, at the moment, represent a real threat to the majority of Linux systems, it emphasizes the necessity of being prepared for potential future threats.A rootkit is a piece of malware that runs in the deepest regions of the operating system it infects. It leverages this strategic position to hide information about its presence from the operating system itself. A bootkit, meanwhile, is malware that infects the UEFIshort for Unified Extensible Firmware Interfacein much the same way. By lurking undetected in the firmware that resides on a chip and runs each time a machine boots, bootkits can persist indefinitely, providing a stealthy means for backdooring the operating system even before it has fully loaded and enabled security defenses such as antivirus software.The bar for installing a bootkit is high. An attacker first must gain administrative control of the targeted machine, either through physical access while its unlocked or somehow exploiting a critical vulnerability in the OS. Under those circumstances, attackers already have the ability to install OS-resident malware. Bootkits, however, are much more powerful since they (1) run before the OS does and (2) are, at least practically speaking, undetectable and unremovable.The Bootkitty sample ESET found is unable to override a defense, known as UEFI Secure Boot, that uses cryptographic signatures to ensure that each piece of software loaded during startup is trusted by a computer's manufacturer. Secure Boot is designed to create a chain of trust that prevents attackers from replacing the intended bootup firmware with malicious firmware. When Secure Boot is enabled, if a single firmware link in that chain isnt recognized, the device won't boot. The Bootkitty execution flow Credit: ESET The image above summarizes the key parts of the Bootkitty execution flow. They are: Execution of the bootkit and patching of the legitimate GRUB bootloader (points 4 and 5 in Figure 6) Patching of the Linux kernels EFI stub loader (points 6 and 7 in Figure 6) Patching of the decompressed Linux kernel image (points 8 and 9 in Figure 6).Despite working on a handful of Ubuntu versions, Bootkitty contains flaws and limitations in crucial functionality required for it to run in real-world infections on a wider based on machines. One imperfection resides in the way the bootkit modifies the decompressed Linux kernel. As shown in the chunk of Bootkitty code displayed below, once the kernel image is decompressed, Bootkitty simply copies the malicious patches to the hardcoded offsets within the kernel image. A chunk of Bootkitty code Credit: ESET The result: due to the lack of kernel-version checks in the function shown in [the figure above] Bootkitty can get to the point where it patches completely random code or data at these hardcoded offsets, thus crashing the system instead of compromising it, ESET researchers explained.Additionally, the inability to defeat Secure Boot limits infection opportunities to devices that (1) dont enable the defense or (2) have already been compromised by the same attacker to install a self-signed cryptographic certificate. Further, Bootkitty leaves a trail of artifacts behind that make discovery relatively easy. That undermines a key bootkit advantage: stealth.As ESET notes, the discovery is nonetheless significant because it demonstrates someonemost likely a malicious threat actoris pouring resources and considerable know-how into creating working UEFI bootkits for Linux. Currently, there are few simple ways for people to check the integrity of the UEFI running on either Windows or Linux devices. The demand for these sorts of defenses will likely grow in the coming years.Dan GoodinSenior Security EditorDan GoodinSenior Security Editor Dan Goodin is Senior Security Editor at Ars Technica, where he oversees coverage of malware, computer espionage, botnets, hardware hacking, encryption, and passwords. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, cooking, and following the independent music scene. Dan is based in San Francisco. Follow him at here on Mastodon and here on Bluesky. Contact him on Signal at DanArs.82. 21 Comments Prev story

Shake a tail feather Teaching a drone to fly without a vertical rudder We can get a drone to fly like a pigeon, but we needed to use feathers to do it. Jacek Krywko Nov 27, 2024 1:08 pm | 9 Pigeons manage to get vertical without using a vertical tail. Credit: HamidEbrahimi Pigeons manage to get vertical without using a vertical tail. Credit: HamidEbrahimi Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreMost airplanes in the world have vertical tails or rudders to prevent Dutch roll instabilities, a combination of yawing and sideways motions with rolling that looks a bit like the movements of a skater. Unfortunately, a vertical tail adds weight and generates drag, which reduces fuel efficiency in passenger airliners. It also increases the radar signature, which is something you want to keep as low as possible in a military aircraft.In the B-2 stealth bomber, one of the very few rudderless airplanes, Dutch roll instabilities are dealt with using drag flaps positioned at the tips of its wings, which can split and open to make one wing generate more drag than the other and thus laterally stabilize the machine. But it is not really an efficient way to solve this problem, says David Lentink, an aerospace engineer and a biologist at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. The efficient way is solving it by generating lift instead of drag. This is something birds do.Lentink led the study aimed at better understanding birds rudderless flight mechanics.Automatic airplanesBirds flight involves near-constant turbulenceWhen they fly around buildings, near trees, near rocks, near cliffs, Lentink says. The leading hypothesis on how they manage this in a seemingly graceful, effortless manner was suggested by a German scientist named Franz Groebbels. He argued that birds ability relied on their reflexes. When he held a bird in his hands, he noticed that its tail would flip down when the bird was pitched up and down, and when the bird was moved left and right, its wings also responded to movement by extending left and right asymmetrically. Another reason to think reflexes matter is comparing this to our own human locomotionwhen we stumble, it is a reflex that saves us from falling, Lentink claims.Groebbels intuition about birds reflexes being responsible for flight stabilization was later backed by neuroscience. The movements of birds wings and muscles were recorded and found to be proportional to the extent that the bird was pitched or rolled. The hypothesis, however, was extremely difficult to test with a flying birdall the experiments aimed at confirming it have been done on birds that were held in place. Another challenge was determining if those wing and tail movements were reflexive or voluntary.I think one pretty cool thing is that Groebbels wrote his paper back in 1929, long before autopilot systems or autonomous flight were invented, and yet he said that birds flew like automatic airplanes, Lentink says. To figure out if he was right, Lentink and his colleagues started with the Groebbelss analogy but worked their way backwardthey started building autonomous airplanes designed to look and fly like birds.Reverse-engineering pigeonsThe first flying robot Lentinks team built was called the Tailbot. It had fixed wings and a very sophisticated tail that could move with five actuated degrees of freedom. It could spreadfurl and unfurlmove up and down, move sideways, even asymmetrically if necessary, and tilt. It could do everything a birds tail can, Lentink explains. The team put this robot in a wind tunnel that simulated turbulent flight and fine-tuned a controller that adjusted the tails position in response to changes in the robots body position, mimicking reflexes observed in real pigeons.We found that this reflexes controller that managed the tails movement worked and stabilized the robot in the wind tunnel. But when we took it outdoors, results were disappointing. It actually ended up crashing, Lentink says. Given that relying on a morphing tail alone was not enough, the team built another robot called PigeonBot II, which added pigeon-like morphing wings.Each wing could be independently tucked or extended. Combined with the morphing tail and nine servomotorstwo per wing and five in the tailthe robot weighed around 300 grams, which is around the weight of a real pigeon. Reflexes were managed by the same controller that was modified to manage wing motions as well.To enable autonomous flight, the team fitted the robot with two propellers and an off-the-shelf drone autopilot called Pixracer. The problem with the autopilot, though, was that it was designed for conventional controls you use in quadcopter drones. We put an Arduino between the autopilot and the robot that translated autopilot commands to the morphing tail and wings motions of the robot, Lentink says.The Pigeon II passed the outdoor flying test. It could take off, land, and fly entirely on its own or with an operator issuing high-level commands like go up, go down, turn left, or turn right. Flight stabilization relied entirely on bird-like reflexes and worked well. But there was one thing electronics could not re-create: their robots used real pigeon feathers. We used them because with current technology it is impossible to create structures that are as lightweight, as stiff, and as complex at the same time, Lentink says.Feathery marvelsBirds feathers appear simple, but they really are extremely advanced pieces of aerospace hardware. Their complexity starts with nanoscale features. Feathers have 10-micron 3D hooks on their surface that prevent them from going too far apart. It is the only one-sided Velcro system in the world. This is something that has never been engineered, and there is nothing like this elsewhere in nature, Lentink says. Those nanoscale hooks, when locked in, can bear loads reaching up to 20 grams.Then there are macroscale properties. Feathers are not like aluminum structures that have one bending stiffness, one torque stiffness, and thats it. They are very stiff in one direction and very soft in another direction, but not soft in a weak waythey can bear significant loads, Lentink says.His team attempted to make artificial feathers with carbon fiber, but they couldnt create anything as lightweight as a real feather. I dont know of any 3D printer that could start with 10-micron nanoscale features and work all the way up to macro-scale structures that can be 20 centimeters long, Lentink says. His team also discovered that pigeons feathers could filter out a lot of turbulence perturbations on their own. It wasnt just the form of the wing, Lentink claims.Lentink estimates that a research program aimed at developing aerospace materials even remotely comparable to feathers could take up to 20 years. But does this mean his whole concept of using reflex-based controllers to solve rudderless flight hangs solely on successfully reverse-engineering a pigeons feather? Not really.Pigeon bombers?The team thinks it could be possible to build airplanes that emulate the way birds stabilize rudderless flight using readily available materials. Based on our experiments, we know what wing and tail shapes are needed and how to control them. And we can see if we can create the same effect in a more conventional way with the same types of forces and moments, Lentink says. He suspects that developing entirely new materials with feather-like properties would only become necessary if the conventional approach bumps into some insurmountable roadblocks and fails.In aerospace engineering, youve got to try things out. But now we know it is worth doing, Lentink claims. And he says military aviation ought to be the first to attempt it because the risk is more tolerable there. New technologies are often first tried in the military, and we want to be transparent about it, he says. Implementing bird-like rudderless flight stabilization in passenger airliners, which are usually designed in a very conservative fashion, would take a lot more research, It may take easily take 15 years or more before this technology is ready to such level that wed have passengers fly with it, Lentink claims.Still, he says there is still much we can learn from studying birds. We know less about birds flight than most people think we know. There is a gap between what airplanes can do and what birds can do. I am trying to bridge this gap by better understanding how birds fly, Lentink adds.Science Robotics, 2024. DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.ado4535Jacek KrywkoAssociate WriterJacek KrywkoAssociate Writer Jacek Krywko is a freelance science and technology writer who covers space exploration, artificial intelligence research, computer science, and all sorts of engineering wizardry. 9 Comments Prev story

Nathan Eddy, Freelance WriterNovember 27, 20245 Min ReadCienpies Design via Alamy StockAs IT pros prepare for the demands of 2025, top certifications in cloud computing, security, and data management come bundled with impressive salaries as businesses embrace multi-cloud infrastructure, advanced IT security, and AI.A Skillsoft report suggests certified professionals frequently hold management roles, with nearly one in five tech leaders reporting that certified employees bring an additional $30,000 or more in value annually to their organizations.The study put the AWS Certified Security - Specialty role in the top spot, with certified professionals earning over $200,000 annually -- a notable $40,000 increase from last year.Other high-ranking certifications include Google Clouds Professional Cloud Architect, with average earnings just above $190,000, and the Nutanix Certified Professional in Multicloud Infrastructure at $175,000.The report indicated security credentials continue to hold value, particularly with the CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) and Cisco Certified Network Professional - Security certifications, which bring in averages of $171,000 and $168,000, respectively.These credentials focus on managing risk, ensuring data privacy, and securing IT infrastructure, key areas as companies work to support new deployments in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.Related:Skillsoft CIO Orla Daly says it was no surprise that security certifications, particularly AWS, are at the top, given the increasing number of cyber threats companies are dealing with.There continues to be a growingrecognitionof the importance of cybersecurity in today's digital landscape, she says via email.She points out both cloud and infrastructure certifications made the list again, an unsurprising result consideringthe meteoric rise of AI across industries.Cloud and infrastructure are expected to see significant growth as thebackbone to take advantage of AI and drive increasedautomation, Daly says.Daly notes that while Skillsofts list doesnt contain any AI-specific certifications, those in security, privacy, cloud, and infrastructure all play essential roles in supporting AI tools.In the certification world, it often takes time for certifications to gain traction, she explains.Right now, what is being seen in areas like AWS Security at the top is that organizations are still preparing for large-scale AI rollouts.Ultimately, its a mix of certifications being a bit slower to evolve and adjacent skills rising in criticality, Daly says.Related:Certifications: More Important Than EverFrom the perspective of Kausik Chaudhuri, CIO at Lemongrass, certifications are more important now than theyve ever been.The report makes it clear that professionals and employers are placing greater value on these credentials, he says via email.For employees, having certifications is a surefire way to boost salary potential and job performance and companies see certified employees as more productive and efficient.He adds that having certifications can mean an increase in salary and job security for an employee.Its more than just a resume booster though -- it's about keeping your skills relevant and showing your worth in todays competitive market, Chaudhuri says.Daly notes certifications are not just a testament to one's knowledge but also a commitment to continuous learning and staying updated with the latest technologies.The value of certifications in todays workplace lies in the need for specialized skills and the assurance that certified individuals bring to a role, Daly says.She adds that hiring practices are changing with a noticeable move toward skills-based hiring -- approach focusing on the specific skills and competencies that candidates bring to the table.Related:They are then matched organizational and positional needs, rather than solely on their educational background or previous job titles.The combination of evolving attitudes towards certifications and the move towards skills-based hiring reflects a broader trend in the job market, where tangible achievements and recognized credentials are highly valued, Daly says.Executive Buy-In, Career Growth FocusPaul Farnsworth, CTO of DHI Group, says the knowledge required to earn certifications can prove invaluable to an organization.Tech professionals interested in securing executive buy-in for the time and funds necessary to earn certifications should explain to their managers that the knowledge will ultimately make them more effective team members, he says.For example, a tech professional interested in securing AWS or Azure certifications could suggest that doing so will allow them to better operate the organizations cloud infrastructure.Managers are always interested in moves that will prove a net positive for their organizations effectiveness--and bottom line, he says.To get executive buy-in for funding or time off for certifications, Chaudhuri says its important to show how these new skills align with the companys goals.Point out how these certifications can tackle key challenges, fill skills gaps, or advance important projects like AI initiatives, he says.It also helps to have some data ready to prove the productivity and cost benefits.Pitch it as a smart investment for the company and suggest a plan that wont interfere with day-to-day responsibilities, he explains.Finding the Right Career CertsChaudhuri says figuring out which certifications and skills to pursue for career growth doesnt have to be overly complicated -- start by looking at whats hot in the industry, for example cloud computing, AI, or cybersecurity.Check job listings for roles youre interested in to see what credentials employers are seeking, he says. Talking to peers, mentors, or industry leaders can give you a better idea of whats worth pursuing.Farnsworth says by taking a strategic approach that combines personal goals with real-time industry insights, IT professionals can select certifications that will propel their careers forward while remaining adaptable to industry changes.He adds that by connecting with others in their desired field, IT professionals can gain an understanding of the types of skills or certifications that add value and those that may be unnecessary.Mentorship can also guide them towards the skills they might need that go beyond formal qualifications, Farnsworth says.About the AuthorNathan EddyFreelance WriterNathan Eddy is a freelance writer for InformationWeek. He has written for Popular Mechanics, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine, FierceMarkets, and CRN, among others. In 2012 he made his first documentary film, The Absent Column. He currently lives in Berlin.See more from Nathan EddyNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeReportsMore Reports