Between the Andes Mountains and the Amazon, a verdant pocket of land known as Alto Mayo supports roughly 280,000 peoplebut despite decades of human encroachment and deforestation, scientists have discovered it also hosts a staggering level of biodiversity.In June and July 2022, researchers led by the nonprofit Conservation International made a 38-day expedition to the Alto Mayo region of Peru and uncovered 27 new species. The previously unknown creatures include four mammals, eight fish, three amphibians and ten butterflies, the team writes in a 474-page report published Friday.In a region with high human population densitywith settlements dotted between scribbles of rivers and towers of forested mountainsthese finds were unexpected.People had been operating under the assumption that with so much human influence, there wouldnt be very high biodiversity, Trond Larsen, senior director for biodiversity and ecosystem science at Conservation International, explains to Annie Roth of the New York Times. But we found the exact opposite. / Researchers discovered this new species of tetra fish (Knodus sp.) with colorful fins. Conservation International / Robinson Olivera / Likely to be endemic to San Martin in Peru, this species of skipper butterfly (Aguna sp.) was discovered on the expedition. Conservation International / Gorky Valencia / Teams discovered a frog that is potentially a new species. It belongs to the gladiator tree frog genus, named for a bony, dagger-like structure on males' feet used to fight other males for mates or nest access. Conservation International / Frank CondoriAmong the most surprising new finds were an exceedingly rare amphibious mouse, a narrow-mouthed frog and a bizarre blob-headed fish for which the function of its unusual head remains a mystery, according to a statement from Conservation International.The discovery of the amphibious mouse with webbed feet was particularly shocking and exciting, Larsen tells Graeme Green of the Guardian.It belongs to a group of carnivorous, semi-aquatic rodents, for which the majority of species are exceedingly rare and difficult to collect, giving them an almost mythical status among mammal experts, he adds. We only found this amphibious mouse in a single unique patch of swamp forest thats threatened by encroaching agriculture, and it may not live anywhere else. Researchers discovered this amphibious mouse (Daptomys sp.), belonging to a group of semi-aquatic rodents considered among the rarest in the world. Conservation International / Ronald DiazBut the other findings are also unusual. The blob-headed fish is technically a bristlemouth armored catfish with a bulbous noseand it is, by all accounts, strange. Prosanta Chakrabarty, an ichthyologist at Louisiana State University who was not part of the expedition, speculates that the nose might have a role in sensing underwater prey, though its function remains a mystery.The presence of weirdos like this catfish, he tells the New York Times, goes to show you how many fish species there still are to discover. A newly discovered species of bristlemouth catfish (Ancistrus sp.), this creature has odd spikes on either side of its head. Conservation International / Robinson Olivera Western scientists had never seen a fish with such an enlarged, blob-like head, but the Indigenous Awajun people who worked on the expedition were familiar with the creature. Referred to as a blob-headed fish (Chaetostoma sp.), it's a type of bristlemouth armored catfish, but the purpose of its blob remains a mystery. Conservation International / Robinson OliveraIn total, the expedition recorded 2,046 species, 49 of which are listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and at least 34 of which appear to live only in Alto Mayo and its surrounding San Martin region. Among the rarest finds were two critically endangered primates: the Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkey and the San Martin titi monkey.Theres a lot of agriculture and land conversion going on in the area, Reynaldo Linares-Palomino, a tropical biologist at the Smithsonians National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute who was not part of the expedition, tells the New York Times. Despite that, this team still managed to document new species, which is exciting.But, Linares-Palomino adds, the existing conservation initiatives are not enough.In recent years, Alto Mayo has made the news as the site of controversial conservation work. When companies buy carbon credits to offset their emissions, their money often goes to green initiatives like reforestation. Disney, for instance, spent about 40 percent of its carbon offsets between 2012 and 2020 in Alto Mayo, in theory cancelling out rising emissions from cruise ships and theme parks, Patrick Greenfield reported for theGuardian in 2023. A river twists and turns through the Alto Mayo forest. Trond LarsenFrom one perspective, Alto Mayo was a success story, with corporate-funded conservation efforts stopping more than 8,000 acres of forest from disappearing during that time period, according to the Guardian.But this model of conservation can reportedly come at a cost to humans in the relatively densely populated region. In some cases, residents, often poor, smallholder farmers, are asked to sign voluntary conservation agreements regulating their land use. In other cases, residents told the publication they had been forced off their land by authorities.They told us to get our things ready and leave, Abel Carrasco, a 39-year-old coffee farmer whose house was demolished in 2021, told the Guardian. They said its a protected forest, nobody can be here.Some residents express frustration that international corporations, nonprofits and the Peruvian state are letting the cost of conservation fall on some of the countrys most vulnerable populations.They build the roads, and then they get mad when people come here, Jose Gilmer Vasquez, an Alto Mayo resident who unwittingly moved into the protected region in the 1990s, told Blanca Begert for Sapiens in 2021. Where are we supposed to go? A section of the forest seen from above has been logged and is now used for agriculture. Trond LarsenConservation International acknowledges that the livelihoods of Alto Mayos residents can unintentionally rely on land-use practices that run counter to the best interests of the rare species in the region. Around the turn of the 21st century, many local people rented land to migrant farmers to earn a living, leading to deforestation.Communities didnt deforest their land because they wanted toit was out of necessity, Diego Dourojeanni, who leads Conservation Internationals work with the Indigenous peoples of the Alto Mayo, says in another statement. While it helped in the short term, it became clear that this practice came at a steep cost to resources, food security and the ecosystem services like clean water that the forests provide. AnAmazon wood lizard (Enyalioides laticeps) sighted on the expedition Trond Larsen A clearwing butterfly (Oleria sp.) seen on the expedition Conservation International / Marlon DagIn these conditions, landscape restoration and conservation initiatives become ethically and politically fraught, and questions around how the land should be managed are complex. But efforts like the 2022 expedition, the team argues, show that the region is not yet a lost causeand that it has many further natural wonders that can still be saved.We need to keep documenting the diversity of organisms around us if we want to understand what is happening and the best ways to manage our environment, Linares-Palomino tells the New York Times.Dourojeanni points out that its really, really hard to compete with agricultural drivers of deforestation. But he remains optimistic that communities will value the forest and its biological riches for more emotional reasons, rather than just for incomes sake.Its not too late yet, he says in the statement. If we do the right thing, people and nature can co-exist on this landscape.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Animals, Conservation, Discoveries, Fish, Forests, Frogs, Indigenous Peoples, Mammals, New Research, Peru, Rainforest, Reptiles, South America

A couple of months ago, we saw the Sony WH-1000XM4 drop to $129.99, which was an absolute steal for the last-gen noise-canceling headphones. That deal predictably sold out in a heartbeat, and theres no telling whether well see it that low again, but Amazon is selling them in black for $178.20 (about $170 off), which would be an all-time low if not for said outlier. You can also pick them up in other colors for $198 right now, though that price is frequently available these days.RelatedThe newer Sony WH-1000XM5 have leapfrogged the heap as the best noise-canceling headphones for most people in our book, but the XM4 remain a great pair of headphones if youre looking to save some money. They feature phenomenal audio quality and noise cancellation, which keeps them in the big leagues occupied by newer sets. They also have nice quality-of-life features, including a foldable design and multipoint Bluetooth support, the latter of which allows you to connect them to two devices simultaneously. The XM5s improved microphones make them the better buy if you frequently take calls while using your headphones, but not so much that we would dissuade you from saving more than $100 by going for the older pair.Read our Sony WH-1000XM4 review.Sony WH-1000XM4$178$35049% off$178$178$35049% offSonys WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones still offer plenty of bang for your buck with excellent ANC, lively sound, and lengthy battery life. Theyre not the companys latest, but they remain an excellent buy.More Monday deals and discountsIf you want to try something a little different to play games on Xbox and PC, RIGs Nacon Revolution X controller might be worth checking out. Amazon is selling it in white for an all-time low of $39.99 (50 percent off) when you clip the on-page coupon. You can customize the weightiness of the wired gamepad, change its analog stick shafts and toppers, remap all of its buttons (including its four back buttons), and set thumbstick sensitivity and trigger dead zones using the companion app. It doesnt have Hall effect sticks and its build quality doesnt quite match that of the best Xbox controllers; however, those are fair tradeoffs at this price.The newly released Insta360 Link 2 is pretty expensive, but you can get it for a new low of $179.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Adorama right now. The 4K webcam is overkill for the average work needs, but its rotating head can be fun for content creation, dynamic presentations, or just to ensure youre always centered in the frame. The Link 2 builds on the original with magnetic mounting, the ability to recognize and reframe multiple people in a scene, improved gestures, and stronger noise cancellation.The budget-friendly Sony ZV-1F is a modest step above a smartphone for basic vlogging needs, and now the camera is going for a new low of around $348 ($151 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Sonys online storefront. It has a 20mm-equivalent fixed focal length lens with a 20-megapixel sensor and decent low-light performance, and records up to 4K at 30 frames per second or 1080p at up to 120fps. It also has an articulating display to help frame your shots, plus eye autofocus like some of Sonys pricier cameras (but with a less effective contrast-detect autofocus system). The ZV-1F is not a great stills camera as you cant shoot RAW photos, but itll do if all you need are quality clips and YouTube thumbnails.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is suing Walmart and payroll service provider Branch Messenger for alleged illegal payment practices for gig workers. The bureau says Walmart was opening direct deposit accounts using Spark delivery drivers social security numbers without their consent. The accounts also can come with intense fees that, according to the complaint, would add either 2 percent or $2.99 per transaction, whichever is higher. It also says Walmart repeatedly promised to provide drivers with same-day payments through the platform starting in July 2021 but never delivered on that.The Bureau alleges that for approximately two years starting around June 2021, defendants engaged in unfair, abusive, and deceptive practices in violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, including by requiring Spark Drivers to receive their compensation in Branch Accounts, opening Branch Accounts for Spark Drivers without their informed consent or, in many instances, on an unauthorized basis, and making deceptive statements about Branch to Spark Drivers.Walmart made false promises, illegally opened accounts, and took advantage of more than a million delivery drivers, said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra in a statement. Companies cannot force workers into getting paid through accounts that drain their earnings with junk fees. The agency sued both companies in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota.Spark delivery workers have been complaining about Walmarts Branch Messenger account requirements for years, which forced workers to use these accounts with no option to direct deposit to a preferred credit union or local bank. Walmart allegedly told workers theyd be terminated if they didnt accept the Branch accounts.

SFML, the Simple and Fast Multimedia Library just released SFML 3. It has been over a decade since the SFML 2 release, and the 3.0.0 branch has been in development for over 3 years. The highlight feature of SFML 3 is the migration to C++ 17 (in fact C++ 17 is now required). Part of this migration includes a move away from custom data structures and to using standard C++ versions instead.Details of the SFML 3 release from the SFML forum:After close to 12 years since the last major version of SFML came up, its time for an upgrade!Three years in the making, withover 1100 commits, 41 new contributors, and a lot of time invested, we want to thank each and everyone who helped make SFML 3 a reality.A massive thank you to Thrasher, who relentlessly pushed SFML 3 forward and has by far contributed the most time and effort-wise, with over 500 pull requests to his name alone! A special thank you also to SuperV1234 for laying the foundation early onto which SFML 3 was built. HighlightsSFML hasfinallybeen updated to support and use C++17 The test suite has been massively expanded to 57% code coverage OpenAL has been replaced withminiaudioNew and improved event handling APIs Scissor and stencil testing And moreSeethe changelogfor more details.Key LinksSFML Release AnnouncementSFML 3 Full Change LogSFML 3 Migration GuideSFML HomepageSFML GitHubYou can learn more about SFML, SFML 3.0 release and their move to C++ 17 in the video below.

The theatrical version of the Superman trailer hit cinemas late last week, playing ahead of the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King. And in it fans are seeing ever so slightly more of the DC supervillains Superman is set to face in the movie itself.The debut trailer for Superman offered a good look at Nicholas Hoults Lex Luthor, a blink-and-youll-miss-it moment in which we see Mara Gabriela de Faras The Engineer / Angela Spica, and an enemy who battles Superman in an empty baseball stadium (Cleveland Guardians' Progressive Field in real life).The theatrical version includes a brief shot of Luthor flanked by The Engineer and Ultraman, who, it turns out, was the character taking on Superman in the stadium.The Ultraman we see here has the trademark U on the front of his uniform, but there are few other notable features. The characters body is concealed by his suit, so we cant see his face. He wears a pair of goggles that cover his eyes, giving away little.This shot in the theatrical trailer tallies with set photos that showed a cuffed Superman being led down a street by Ultraman, The Engineer, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag. Sr, as well as some soldiers. So were now starting to get a clearer picture of what Superman is up against here, although how all these characters link to Lex Luthor remains a mystery.These supervillains arent the only enemies Superman is set to face. The trailer shows two huge monsters, one a fire-breathing, skyscraper-sized kaiju that looks a bit like an axolotl, the other an energy beam-firing floating tentacle ball monster.The trailer kicks off with a surprisingly vulnerable Superman lying prone on a snowy surface, battered, bruised, and bleeding. Who was powerful enough to do this to Superman? Perhaps it was the work of Ultraman. In the DC comics, Ultraman is an evil alternate version of Superman who shares the same Kryptonian superpowers, except Ultraman is depowered by sunlight and powered up by kryptonite.The shot in the theatrical trailer could be showing the villainous trio entering Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Fans are speculating that Superman tries to intervene but the fight doesn't end well for him, resulting in the state we see him in at the start of the trailer.Generally speaking, Superman has help from a number of DC superheroes, including Edi Gathegis Michael Holt / Mister Terrific. The theatrical trailer also includes a new, closer look at Mister Terrifics mask. And lets not forget Krypto the Superdog, who rescues Superman after his beatdown, Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl, and Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner / Green Lantern.Superman hits theatres on July 11, 2025, and is the first film in the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. IGN has an explainer on all the DC Heroes and Villains in the new trailer, comments from James Gunn on Krypto actually being a pretty terrible dog in the movie, thoughts on how Superman is about hope, and more.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Gladiator 2 makes its digital debut tomorrow, December 24, Paramount has announced.Director Ridley Scotts big budget sequel made over $416 million at the global box office, and now heads to digital just in time for Christmas. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release, meanwhile, is set for March 4, 2025.The digital and 4K Ultra HD releases include over 100 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, as detailed below. That includes deleted scenes, although there's no information yet on what those deleted scenes are. Gladiator 2 digital bonus content:A Dream That Was Rome: Origins Director Ridley Scott and producers delve into the history behind Gladiator II and how the story developed over many years before coming to the screen.What We Do In Life Echoes In Eternity: The Cast Take an inside look into Ridley Scott's casting process.In The Arena: Filmmakers Go behind the scenes as the cast and crew journey to Malta, Morocco, and the UK for the epic production.To Those About To Die, We Salute You: Combat Discover how Ridley Scott and his team combined choreographed combat with cutting-edge visual effects to take the action to a whole new level.Building An Empire: Post-Production Join the filmmakers for insights into the fascinating process of crafting the finished movie, which includes a scoring session led by composer Harry Gregson-Williams.The Making Of Gladiator 2 Explore how Ridley Scott, the cast, and crew worked to bring Gladiator 2 to life.Deleted ScenesThe Gladiator 2 4K Ultra HD release. Image credit: Paramount Pictures.Gladiator 2 launched in the U.S. alongside Wicked as one half of Glicked, although the double-bill failed to match last years phenomenally popular Barbenheimer box office behemoth. Still, Gladiator 2 appears to have done well enough, despite its $250 million production budget and estimated $100 million marketing budget.IGNs Gladiator 2 review returned an 8/10. We said: Gladiator 2 finds strength and honor in a familiar story, with enough fresh perspective to feel relevant and an unmissable Denzel Washington supporting turn which practically screams are you not entertained!?' "Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Space Marine 2 modders have once again answered players prayers by putting the axe from Secret Levels Warhammer 40,000 episode into the game.The Secret Level Warhammer 40,000 episode, called And They Shall Know No Fear, is a sequel to Space Marine 2 and stars protagonist Titus as he battles alongside his brothers to defeat the forces of Tzeentch. But while Titus appears in the animation as he looks in Space Marine 2, the episode also features a weapon players have yet to see in-game.It sounds innocuous, but the action scene in which this mystery Power Axe is used steals the show. We see it wielded with brutal efficiency to tear apart cultists and Tzaangors. Theres even a super cool moment in which a Space Marine bashes the helm of the axe in order to shift it into the upright position in his glove.After the release of Secret Level, Space Marine 2 fans let it be known that they wanted to see developer Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Entertainment add the axe to the game, expanding upon the arsenal of weapons already at their disposal. So far, neither has indicated plans to do so.Modders, as they so often do, have stepped into the breach. Astartes 2.0, from Space Marine 2 modder Warhammer Workshop, has just released a new update that adds the much-anticipated Power Axe, inspired by Secret Level, to the game, as well as the Chain-Axe and the Space Kings Hate Mace complete with its unique heraldry. (Space King is a fan-made Warhammer 40,000 parody.)Generally, the Astartes overhaul mod adds loads of new content, including lore-accurate Space Marine classes, reworked combat, and even new missions. Space Marine 2 has a thriving modding scene that makes a significant number of improvements and changes to the record-breaking third-person melee / shooter hybrid. IGN has reported on Space Marine 2s modding scene a number of times, shining a light on everything from more in-depth customization to a fix for one of the games biggest problems.Officially, Space Marine 2 is now up to Patch 5, although Focus has already talked about what to expect from Patch 6 and 7, both due out in 2025. The Year 1 roadmap for Space Marine 2 includes new content up to Season 4, which is set to kick off at some point in 2025 (we're currently in Season 2). Space Marine 2 is set for long-term support, and dataminers have uncovered information on cosmetics set to hit the game up to Season 9. IGN has reported on the availability in-game of what looks like a Battle Barge expansion set to hit Space Marine 2 with Season 3.In September, Saber Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits told IGN how the breakout success of Space Marine 2 had changed everything for the company. Eagle-eyed fans have spotted the Space Marine chapter now all-but confirmed to get a cosmetic pack after the Dark Angels, too.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

This article contains spoilers for Dune: Prophecy season 1.Come princess, Valya Harkonnen Emily Watson) tells Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) in the final scene of The High-Handed Enemy, the sixth and final episode of Dune: Prophecy. The path to our enemy begins here.Here, of course, is Arrakis, which isnt a huge surprise. The desert planet has always been at the center of Frank Herberts novels. But Dune: Prophecy isnt based on Frank Herberts work, at least not directly. Instead, it draws inspiration from the expanded universe novels by Franks son Brian Herbert and co-writer Kevin J. Anderson, especially the Schools Trilogy.Prophecy takes place a few decades after those books, in a period not directly explained in any of the novels. As such, we have an idea of where the series will go for season two, but no hard answers. Of course, given the series emphasis on schemes and plotters, we dont want anything more than guesses, attempts to glimpse the secret hand forever lurking in the shadows.Whose Eyes Do We See In Valyas Vision?One of the main drivers of Dune: Prophecy has been the titular prediction, the coming of Tiran-Arafel, who will enact a reckoning on the Sisterhood. For most of the first season, that reckoning has come from Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), the abandoned son of Tula Harkonnen and Olly Atriedes. But in the finale, Valya sees inside Desmonds mind to get a glimpse of the threat.There, the same glowing eyes that have haunted the Sisterhood changes into scientific equipment that gives Desmond the fear-eating nano-machines he uses to burn people alive, but not much more. Theres a hooded figure running the equipment, but we never see its face.However, the books do give a few ideas about the person behind the eyes. The idea of a nano-virus, combined with the series interest in the use of nano-machines, points to Omnius or Erasmus, major Thinking Machine villains in the prequel books by Brian Herbert and Anderson. Omnius is the collective hivemind of all the AIs in the universe, and did use a virus to debilitate the human armies before the Battle of Corrino. Erasmus started the human resistance when he killed Serena Butlers child, and still exists in the Mentat School during the Schools Trilogy.However, the Dune movies take place 10000 years after Prophecy, and there arent many Thinking Machines around any more. The powers that be at Warner Bros. may prefer for their TV show to help do world-building for the movies, which would suggest that Ixians or even the Bene-Tleilax transformed Desmond Hart. Weve heard talk about the Tleilaxu in Prophecy before, an order devoted to genetic engineering, but the Ixians are relatively new (though one did help Keiran Atreides rebellion).Ixians continue to study technology, despite the fallout of the Butlerian Jihad. As such, they tend to be ostracized from the rest of the universe, which means that they dont do quite as much plotting as other groups. Still, they do get involved with universal conflicts and play a role in later Dune stories, so they cannot be counted out.The Folly of Natalyas ReignBy the end of Prophecys first season, Javicco (Mark Strong) is dead and Natalya (Jodhi May) reigns as Empress, with Desmond Hart as her bashar. On one hand, the change makes sense, as Javicco showed himself to be a weak emperor. But for all of her confidence, its not clear that Natalya understands the larger forces controlling Hart, nor that the Sisterhood still plans to put Ynez on the throne.In short, theres no sign that her reign will go any better than her husbands. Like Javicco, Natalya doesnt really show up in any of the Dune books, which means that the series will have some wriggle room to tell new stories about her. That said, her absence in the lineage also means that she wont have much of an impact, certainly not enough to tear rule away from the Corrino family.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!So while Natalya might get some big victories in season two, shes ultimately like any other leader in the Dune universe, weak in the face of destiny.Lila and the SisterhoodLike Natalya, Lila (Chloe Lea) seems to enjoy a position of power at the end of Prophecys first season. Sort of. Lila isnt Lila anymore, having died trying to access her genetic memories. She came back less as Lila and more as an amalgam of Raquella, Valyas teacher and one-time Mother Superior of the Sisterhood, and Dorotea, the rival that Valya murdered.In The High-Handed Enemy, we see Dorotea in primary control, but instead of chasing after Valya, she spends her time gathering acolytes to her anti-Thinking Machine beliefs. Going all the way back to Frank Herberts books, the war against the machines has always been described in more ideological and dogmatic terms than in military terms, even as the prequel series made it literal. So it does track that the series would deal with belief instead of action.However, the books tend to portray those beliefs as self-consuming, too rigid for their own good. Lila may be able to gain strength in the Sisterhood by stoking the fires of Butlerian fears, but its hard to believe that will give her long-term power, especially when the other Sisters discover the Thinking Machine Anirul hidden on Wallach-IX.What Is Valyas New Plan?For as much as she talked about pieces on the board and other schemer metaphors, Valya kind of sucked as a strategist. So its no surprise that she ends up losing in season one of Prophecy, escaping to Arrakis with Ynez and Keiran.Valya still wants to put a Sister on the throne, namely Ynez. Even though shes now segregated from the rest of the Sisterhood, she likely has some true believers who can help her, but nothing like her cohort before. She even lost her face-dancing acolyte Theodosia, one of her more versatile allies. Still, she has Ynez and connections enough to continue working toward that goal, even on the desert planet.The bigger question is about her other plan. Although she began the series saying that she wanted a Sister as Emperor, continuing Raquellas dream, Valya spent most of the season plotting the downfall of the Atreides, an anger fueled by what she considers a betrayal by Vorian Atreides. The last episode involved a vision of her beloved brother Griffin blaming her, and not Vorian, for his death. And she does have Ynezs lover Keiran Atreides with her on Arrakis, so perhaps that quest is done.Then again, you can never tell with Valya.Will Salusa Secundus Survive Season Two?As weve said, Dune: Prophecy takes place largely in a no mans land between books. That space allows the show to carve out its own storylines, but it is bound by explicit events before and after the shows present.Which isnt a bad thing. While Prophecy wants to tell its own stories about its own characters, it also wants to have some of the weight that comes from connections to major events in the Dune mythos. The biggest event available with them is the destruction of Salusa Secundus. As seen in the show, Salusa Secundus is the seat of the Corrino empire, a beautiful and verdant planet befitting the ruler of the known galaxy. But in Herberts Dune and in the movie adaptations, Salusa Secundus is a rainy wasteland, where the Sardaukar grow stronger by training in its harsh environment.What happened? The books dont say, exactly. Were told that House Tantor goes rogue during the reign of Hassik Corrino III and uses atomics against the planet, effectively destroying it. But theres enough hearsay and wriggle room for Dune: Prophecy to put a slightly different spin on the events. Will Natalyas reign and Valyas move for Ynez bring things to such a boil that they get House Tantor to do the unthinkable? Will history misremember Desmond Harts powers as atomics, hiding the fact that he did the attack? Will Desmonds secret masters reveal themselves, resulting in the destruction of the planet?These are huge questions for Dune: Prophecy to work with in its second season.All of Dune: Prophecy season 1 is available to stream on Max.

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Honey is a popular browser extension owned by PayPal thats at the center of a big new controversy. As a new investigative video outlines, the extension thats meant to save users money not only misses key discounts, but also intentionally redirects affiliate funds away from creators.Video claims Honey scams users out of best deals and creators out of revenuePayPal Honey is a browser extension youve probably heard of, if not installed and used during this holiday shopping season. Its available on Chrome, Safari, and more and has grown popular for good reason.Honey promises to provide the best deals and coupons for any product you purchase online, all with just a simple clickbut its now at the center of a big controversy.As documented in a multi-year investigative video, Honey appears to have two major issues:Intentionally not providing the best dealssomething thats key to its user promiseand stealing revenue from creators by removing their affiliate linksEssentially, YouTube channel MegaLag explains how Honey employs a variety of tactics through which it not only scams users out of finding the best deals and actually saving money, but it also steals key affiliate revenue from creators by replacing their affiliate links with its own.Heres the full video:No official PayPal response yet on Honey controversyPayPal has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the video, but many of the details exposed by MegaLag seem particularly hard to refute. Especially because in at least one case, PayPal provided confirmation to MegaLag that the extensions behavior was working as intended.Unfortunately, for a browser extension that seemed to promise so much to users at so little cost, the old adage seems proven once more: if its too good to be true, it probably isnt true.What do you think of the Honey controversy? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel