A frame of a homemade video shows tourists caught by the first of six tsunami rolling towards Hat ... [+] Rai Lay Beach, near Krabi in southern Thailand, following a 9.2-Richter submarine earthquake on December 26, 2004.AFP via Getty ImagesAt 7:58 am local time on December 26, 2004 an earthquake of moment magnitude Mw9.19.3 ruptured a over 1,500kilometers long section of the seafloor off the western shores of the island of Sumatra (Indonesia).It was the third strongest earthquake ever recorded, after Chile 1960 and Alaska 1964 (Mw 9.5 and 9.2 respectively). The earthquake started on the Great Sumatran Fault, a fault system linked to the subduction of the Indian Plate underneath the Sunda Plate. The earthquake propagated along the fault northwards taking ca. 8 to 10 minutes to travel the entire faultthe longest length and duration of any such recorded event.The rupturing fault created an approximately 20 meters (or 65 feet) high new scarp on the seafloor, which in turns caused the water displacement and a series of six tsunami moving both east towards Sumatra, and west towards Sri Lanka, India and Africaeventually reaching the Atlantic and Pacific.According to the official data by the United Nations, casualties were in excess of 126,000, with 94,000 people still missing. The tsunami displaced more than 1.5 million people and more than 100,000 houses were destroyed in Aceh alone, the Indonesian province located nearest to the earthquake epicenter.The lack of tsunami early warning systems in the Indian Ocean before the 2004 tsunami had made the disaster's impact worse. There were no seismic stations covering the entire area and no systems to warn the coastal populations in time.MORE FOR YOUThe 2004 earthquake triggered over 6,000 aftershocks in the first 10years, two of which were Mw8.6 and Mw8.4 events, that ruptured much of the remaining Sumatran subduction zone. Seismic gaps, where no earthquakes occur, highlight the need for enhanced preparedness in this region as tectonic tensions continues to build up.Advancements in earthquake and tsunami science since 2004 have prompted improvements in coastal protection, early warning systems and risk communication. However, challenges persist especially at locations near the tsunami source. Here, warning time between the detection of an earthquake and the first tsunami waves reaching the coast can be only minutes.Future communication efforts should ensure the public understands that no warning system is perfect, and it is safest to evacuate when there is any indication of a potential tsunami.The study, "Insights into tectonic hazards since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami," was published in nature reviews earth & environment and can be found here.

When it comes to built-in TV speakers, youll be hard-pressed to find a pair of drivers that deliver the volume, clarity, and soundstage that a more robust audio system can provide. Were talking about soundbars and full surround sound configurations. And while some of these home theater components can cost hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, every once in a while, an amazing discount creeps its way into our crosshairs. As luck would have it, we came across this doorbuster sale when looking through Best Buy deals:Right now, when you purchase the Samsung B Series 2.1ch Soundbar at Best Buy, youll only pay $100. At full price, this soundbar once sold for $280.Plug-and-play connectivity is the name of the game with any soundbar purchase, and the Samsung B Series couldnt be easier to hook up to your TV. With just one digital optical connection (or Bluetooth TV connection), whatever components are wired to your TV will output sound through the Samsung B Series. Expect bold sound quality with powerful low-end support, too, thanks to the included wireless subwoofer!RelatedThe Samsung B Series also includes a Bluetooth input, allowing you to stream music and other device audio from a phone, tablet, or PC to your Samsung soundbar. Were also glad to see a Night Mode for reduced volume when others are trying to sleep, as well as a Voice Enhance feature for louder, more precise dialogue.As a Best Buy doorbuster, theres a good chance well wake up tomorrow to find the Samsung B Series out of stock, so today is definitely the best day to buy! Take $180 off the Samsung B Series 2.1ch Soundbar when you purchase at Best Buy, and be sure to check out our lists of the best soundbar deals and best Samsung deals for even more discounts.Editors Recommendations

If a new home theater setup is in your 2025 plans, allow us to draw your attention to this incredible Samsung TV offer: For a limited time, when you purchase the 77-inch Samsung S84 Series OLED, youll only wind up paying $1,800. Yes, that sounds like a lot, but when you consider this TV usually sells for upwards of $3,000, the savings become all the more apparent.We also have an entire list of Samsung deals for you to look through, which could save you money on a new phone, tablet, or TV.With its wide color gamut, excellent contrast levels, and impeccable motion clarity, the Samsung S84D is a godsend for those looking to score a massive TV for a great price. Thanks to the self-emissive engineering that goes into an OLED screen, the S84D Series manages to pull off some very convincing 4K upscaling. With Samsungs Real Depth Enhancer onboard, the S84D is constantly optimizing the image to provide as much detail as possible.RelatedThe S84D Series is a phenomenal gaming TV, too. Thanks to FreeSync Premium support, Samsungs Motion Xcelerator Turbo tech, and the TVs native 120Hz refresh rate, youll be treated to low input lag and fast response times when hooking up a console or gaming PC to this bad boy. Were also glad to see that the S84D Series is compatible with Dolby Atmos and supports Samsungs Object Tracking Sound Lite feature for enhanced audio.Apps and screen mirroring are handled by Samsungs Tizen OS partnership. The Tizen UI is easy to navigate and packed with features, plus access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. While we wish this TV were as cheap as it is today all the time, thats just not the case. We have to take advantage of a deal when we see one!Order the Samsung 77-inch S84D Series OLED today for only $1,800, and be sure to check out our lists of the best Samsung TV deals and best OLED TV deals for even more discounts on top brands.Editors Recommendations

Despite all the claims, playing video games wont rot your brain. More and more studies have shown that playing video games in moderation, of course comes with its own set of benefits, including improved coordination, better spatial recognition, and much more. Now a new study suggests that in addition to cognitive buffs, gaming can actually help improve your mental health.In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, Japanese scientists found themselves with a bit of a natural experiment on their hands. Retailers had created a randomized lottery to fairly distribute Nintendo Switch consoles, and this lottery allowed the scientists to study the link between gaming and overall mental well-being. The study analyzed 97,602 responses from gamers between the ages of 10 and 69, according to The Brighter Side.Recommended VideosAccording to the report, Nintendo Switch ownership was linked with an improvement in mental health by 0.60 standard deviation units, while the PlayStation 5 only increased mental health by 0.12 units.Games Done QuickThat sounds like medical jargon, but it boils down to this: There is a noticeable effect on mental health when gaming, and this study suggests that Nintendo might have an edge in that category. Of course, the Switch is loaded with a lot of lighthearted, feel-good games, while the PlayStation 5 has a reputation for focusing more heavily on story-driven narratives.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe study also revealed that age and biology both play a role. Adolescent female participants felt greater changes in mental health with a Nintendo Switch than a PlayStation 5. The lead researcher, Hiroyuki Egami, said: Our findings challenge common stereotypes about gaming being harmful or merely providing temporary euphoria. Weve shown that gaming can improve mental health and life satisfaction across a broad spectrum of individuals.RelatedThe study is interesting and could help further fuel the shift thats already happening: the idea of gaming being promoted as beneficial, rather than the waste of time it was thought of in the 1990s. Lets be clear: playing a video game wont be a cure for what ails you, but the boost in mood and social aspects can act as a balm.Editors Recommendations

A popular morning call-in show focused on life in Kabul. Even in the middle of a war-fractured country, locals valued local news.

July 2018: Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos began dating after meeting at Lindsay Lohan's beach club in Mykonos, Greece, according to People magazine.Lindsay Lohan. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP Boulos grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where his family owns the automotive conglomerate SCOA Nigeria"I wasn't there when they met," Lohan told People magazine at the premiere party for her MTV series, "Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club," in 2019, adding that she knew both Tiffany Trump and Boulos but didn't know exactly how they met.September 2018: They made their first public appearance together at New York Fashion Week.Michael Boulos and Tiffany Trump at New York Fashion Week. Noam Galai/Getty Images Boulos joined Tiffany Trump in the front row of the Taoray Wang show during New York Fashion Week. November 2018: Page Six reported that the two were dating, and that Tiffany Trump had introduced Boulos to her family over Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago.The Trump family celebrated Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago in 2018. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images "Tiffany is happy she has so far been able to keep things with Michael under the radar," an unnamed source told Page Six. "But she introduced him to her family at Thanksgiving, and he comes across as a very intelligent young man from a great family. There was no mention of the president's unfortunate comment about African nations."In January 2018, Donald Trump reportedly referred to African nations and Haiti using an expletive during a meeting with lawmakers. He denied the reports, writing on X that the language he used was "tough" but that the widely reported remark was "not the language used."January 2019: Boulos made his first appearance on her Instagram.Tiffany Trump. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump posted an Instagram photo of her and Boulos in the Red Room of the White House at Christmastime. Boulos also shared a photo with her at a White House Christmas party, captioned, "Christmas vibes are the best vibes," in a post that no longer appears on his page. February 2019: They attended New York Fashion Week with Tiffany Trump's mother, Marla Maples.Michael Boulos, Tiffany Trump, and Marla Maples at New York Fashion Week. Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Taoray Wang As they had the year before, Tiffany Trump and Boulos sat in the front row of the Taoray Wang show.April 2019: Boulos joined the Trump family for Easter services at the Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida.Donald Trump and Melania Trump with Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos on Easter. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Tiffany Trump shared a photo of herself and Boulos, as well as snapshots with her father, Donald Trump Jr., and Kimberly Guilfoyle, on Instagram. The photos are no longer available on her Instagram page. May 2019: They stepped out together at the Cannes Film Festival.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at Cannes Film Festival. Pierre Suu/GC Images Public records showed that the three-night trip to France, during which the couple stayed at the Marriott Jesta Fontainebleau hotel, cost taxpayers at least $20,000, Quartz reported."For operational security reasons, the Secret Service cannot discuss specifically nor in general terms the means, methods, resources, costs, or numbers we utilize to carry out our protective responsibilities," a Secret Service spokesperson told Quartz.June 2019: They flew to Orlando for a rally kicking off Donald Trump's 2020 campaign.Members of the Trump family at Donald Trump's 2020 campaign kickoff rally. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images "With every ounce of heart and mind, and sweat and soul, we're going to keep making America great again, and then we will indeed keep America great," Donald Trump said in his speech. "I will keep it so great. Better than ever before. We're going to keep it better than ever before. And that is why tonight, I stand before you to officially launch my campaign for a second term as president of the United States." August 2019: Tiffany Trump wished Boulos a happy birthday on Instagram, writing that he fills her life with "so much joy, kindness and laughter!"Michael Boulos and Tiffany Trump. Mandel Ngan/Getty Images "Happy Birthday, @michaelboulos," she captioned a photo of her and Boulos. "You fill my life with so much joy, kindness and laughter! Thank you for always putting a smile on my face!"September 2019: Boulos joined his girlfriend to hear Donald Trump speak at the UN.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the UN. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Boulos sat behind Tiffany, who was seated beside Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle. November 2019: They greeted guests at the national Thanksgiving turkey pardoning event in the Rose Garden of the White House.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the national Thanksgiving turkey pardoning. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images How the turkey pardoning tradition started is still a bit of a mystery, but the White House traces it all the way back to President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.December 2019: They celebrated New Year's together at Mar-a-Lago.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at a New Year's celebration at Mar-a-Lago. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Trump's other children were in attendance, as well as his then-lawyer Rudy Giuliani. July 2020: Trump and Boulos waved to crowds gathered at Mount Rushmore for Independence Day fireworks.Michael Boulos, Tiffany Trump, Eric Trump, and Lara Trump at Mount Rushmore. Tom Brenner/Reuters They were joined by Eric Trump and Lara Trump. August 2020: They attended the funeral of Donald Trump's brother, Robert.Members of the Trump family on the White House North Portico following the funeral of Robert Trump. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Robert Trump died on August 15, 2020, at the age of 71."He was not just my brother, he was my best friend," Donald Trump said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace." August 2020: Tiffany Trump and Boulos attended the Republican National Convention, where she gave a speech.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the 2020 Republican National Convention. Evan Vucci/AP Tiffany Trump spoke on the second night of the RNC in support of her father and mentioned her recent graduation from Georgetown Law School."Like so many students across the world, I graduated from law school during the pandemic," she said. "Our generation is unified in facing the future in uncertain times. And many of us are considering what kind of country we want to live in. As a recent graduate, I can relate to so many of you who might be looking for a job. My father built a thriving economy once and believe me, he will do it again."October 2020: They arrived in Nashville to watch the final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the Nashville International Airport. Tom Brenner/Reuters The debate featured plexiglass barriers between the candidates to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and a mute button to prevent them from talking over each other. November 2020: They joined Donald Trump at the White House to watch the election results come in.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the White House on election night. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images The Trumps watched election results in the East Room of the White House. January 2021: The couple announced their engagement on Instagram the day before Trump left office.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos departed Washington, DC, on Inauguration Day. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP The day before Biden's inauguration, Tiffany Trump shared an Instagram photo of her and Boulos standing in the White House Colonnade."It has been an honor to celebrate many milestones, historic occasions and create memories with my family here at the White House, none more special than my engagement to my amazing fianc Michael!" she wrote. "Feeling blessed and excited for the next chapter!"Boulos also announced their engagement on Instagram, writing, "Got engaged to the love of my life! Looking forward to our next chapter together."Boulos proposed in the White House Rose Garden with a diamond ring worth $1.2 million, People magazine reported. July 2021: Trump and Boulos, who moved to Miami after her father's presidency, were spotted in Mykonos.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos in Florida. Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters Tiffany Trump and Boulos vacationed in Mykonos, where their relationship began, over the summer.May 2022: Tiffany Trump and Boulos chose Mar-a-Lago as their wedding venue.Mar-a-Lago. Steve Helber/AP Page Sixreported that Donald Trump and his ex-wife, Tiffany's mother November 2022: Tropical Storm Nicole made landfall north of Palm Beach days before the wedding, putting their wedding plans in jeopardy.Tropical Storm Nicole floods streets in Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Days before the wedding, Mar-a-Lago and its surrounding coastal residential areas were under mandatory evacuation orders because of the storm.A Mar-a-Lago employee confirmed to Business Insider that the club had reopened on Friday, November 11, just in time for Trump and Boulos' welcome dinner. November 2022: Tiffany Trump and Boulos' wedding proceeded as planned.Preparations at Mar-a-Lago ahead of Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos' wedding. MEGA/GC Images Tiffany Trump wore a sparkling long-sleeved wedding dress from Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab, a likely nod to Boulos' Lebanese heritage. The couple exchanged vows under a gazebo decorated with cascading bouquets of pastel-colored flowers.In an Instagram post, Tiffany Trump described the wedding as "The most magical day." May 2024: Tiffany Trump and Boulos attended the closing arguments of Donald Trump's hush-money trial in New York City.Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos with other Trump family members at the Manhattan Criminal Court. Julia Nikhinson-Pool/Getty Images Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. The former president denies ever having sex with Daniels and has called the trial a "witch hunt."July 2024: They attended days two and four of the Republican National Convention.Corey Lewandowski with Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos at the Republican National Convention. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Unlike in 2020, Tiffany Trump did not speak at the 2024 Republican National Convention. October 2024: While speaking at a campaign event, Donald Trump announced that Tiffany Trump and Boulos are expecting their first child.Donald Trump at the Detroit Economic Club. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Speaking to a crowd at the Detroit Economic Club, Donald Trump shared the news while acknowledging the presence of Michael Boulos' father, businessman Massad Boulos, at the event."He happens to be the father of Tiffany's husband Michael, who's a very exceptional young guy, and she's an exceptional young woman," he said. "And she's going to have a baby, so that's nice."November 2024: In the days leading up to the presidential election, Tiffany Trump and Boulos appeared at campaign events in Michigan and Pennsylvania.Donald Trump with Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Tiffany Trump delivered a rare speech in Reading, Pennsylvania, telling the crowd, "Hello, we love you, we support you, and my father's here fighting for you and he's never gonna let you down, so please vote. Let's get this country back on track." November 2024: Tiffany Trump and Boulos celebrated Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election.Trump family members on election night. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Tiffany Trump and Boulos joined other Trump family members and associates at the campaign's election night watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida. December 2024: Trump chose Boulos' father, Massad Boulos, to serve as a senior advisor on Middle Eastern affairs.Michael Boulos. Jeenah Moon for The Washington Post via Getty Images In a Truth Social post, Donald Trump described Massad Boulos as "an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world.""He has been a longtime proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community," he wrote in part.Trump's description of Massad Boulos as an "accomplished lawyer" may not be accurate.Although Massad Boulos listed a law degree from Texas Southern University on his LinkedIn profile, a Business Insider investigation found that he does not appear to be licensed to practice law in any of the countries where he's lived.Massad Boulos was also widely reported to be the billionaire owner of Boulos Enterprises and told The New York Times in December that his company was worth billions. However, Boulos Enterprises is owned by a different Boulos family. The small automotive company Massad Boulos runs, SCOA Nigeria, is worth about $865,000.Massad Boulos later told The New York Times that he was referring to his father-in-law's companies when asked about his business. Massad Boulos' wife, Sarah Fadoul Boulos, is the daughter of wealthy Lebanese businessman Michel Zouhair Fadoul, who runs The Fadoul Group's conglomerate.In an email to Business Insider, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt called media reports examining Boulos' credentials "fake news.""The truth is Mr. Boulos is a highly respected businessman who has proudly served as the CEO of some of his family's group of companies based in West Africa for more than 27 years, and his family has employed tens of thousands of people around the globe," Leavitt said.

A video shows people emerging from the wreckage of Wednesday's Azerbaijan Airlines crash.A 2015 study from Time Magazine found lower fatality rates in the rear section of aircraft.Pilot actions and the circumstances of the crash impact survivability across all seat areas.Video footage of survivors emerging from the wreckage of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed Wednesday raises questions on how it's possible to survive such a catastrophic event. At least 29 people survived the crash in Kazakhstan, and 38 people died.The survivability of any plane crash largely depends on the circumstances of the accident. It's not yet known what caused the Azerbaijan crash, or how nearly half the people on board survived.In general, however, seating arrangements and the actions of crew on board can contribute to survivability.Specifically, seats in the rear of a plane the section from which the Azerbaijan survivors were emerging are historically the safest, data shows.Federal data analyzed by Time Magazine in 2015, which looked at 17 crashes between 1985 and 2000 that had both survivors and fatalities and seat maps available, found the back third of the aircraft had a fatality rate of 32%.The aft middle seats had the lowest fatality rate at 28%.That compares to the 39% fatality rate in the middle third section and the 38% fatality rate in the front third section. The study found the highest fatality rate was in the middle section aisle seats at 44%.The report followed a 2007 analysis by the science and technology magazine Popular Mechanics.It analyzed 20 crashes dating back to 1971 and found the survival rate in the aft section was 69%, which is a 31% fatality rate. The middle section and front sections had survival rates of 56% and 49%, respectively.The rear seats can experience less G-forceThe back of the plane may be safer because, when a plane crashes, the front and middle sections often absorb much of the impact energy.This can allow the back of the aircraft to remain more intact during head-on collisions with water or terrain, even if the rear portion separates from the plane.The sole four people who survived a Japan Airlines crash in 1985 were seated in the aft section when the plane slammed into a mountainside. 520 others died.A Delta Air Lines crash in 1985 in Texas saw 27 survivors, most of whom were seated in the back of the aircraft. The aft section broke free during impact.In 2012, the Discovery Channel purposefully crashed a Boeing 727 into the desert with test dummies on board to analyze survivability.They found that the middle and aft sections were the least fatal, with the front section experiencing 12 times the force of gravity. The middle and aft sections experienced a G-force of eight and six, respectively.Crew actions can increase survivabilityPilot handling and cabin crew responses can also improve the chances of surviving a plane crash.Azerbaijan Airlines president Samir Rzayev spoke about the pilots' "heroism" to reporters on Wednesday. Both died in the crash."While this tragic accident brought a significant loss to our nation, the crew's valiant dedication to their duties until the last moment and their prioritization of human life have immortalized their names in history," Rzayev said, according to the Report, an Azerbaijani news agency.Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger is one of the more famous examples of pilots whose quick decision-making is credited with saving lives.In 2009, Sullenberger's US Airways plane lost engine power over New York City. He responded by ditching the aircraft in the Hudson River because there were no runways in gliding range. All 155 passengers and crew survived. Survivors in rafts next to the sinking Miracle on the Hudson aircraft. Bebeto Matthews/AP Images Decades earlier, a United Airlines plane crashed in Iowa in 1989 due to an engine failure and subsequent hydraulics loss, meaning aircraft control was severely limited.The pilots kept the landing gear down to absorb some of the crash shock and maintained relative control of the plane as it crashed. 184 of the 296 passengers and crew survived.Flight attendants have also been credited for saving lives. During a fiery Japan Airlines runway collision in January, flight crews' quick response and communication were cited for the successful evacuation of all 379 people on board.There is no universal safest seatFederal authorities say there is no safest seat on a plane because every crash is different and depends on factors like how the plane impacted the ground and whether there was a fire.Sully's water landing is an example of how the back of the plane could be most at risk after landing because it was taking on water with no exit doors available so those passengers were among the last to exit.In the United crash in Iowa, most of the survivors were in the rows behind first class but in front of the wings. They likely lived because of how the plane hit the ground and broke during landing, allowing people to more easily escape. Some people who did not perish on impact died due to smoke inhalation, an NTSB investigation found.In 1977, a Pan Am and a KLM Boeing 747 collided in Tenerife, Spain, killing 583 people and becoming the world's deadliest plane crash. However, 61 people seated in the front section of the Pan Am plane survived. Everyone survived the fiery Japan Airlines crash in January. STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images The KLM jet hit the middle and aft sections of the Pan Am aircraft, causing the front of the Pan Am jet to be less severely damaged and allowing people to escape via an opening near the left wing.Despite the different outcomes of the varying air crashes over the decades, flying is the safest mode of transportation regardless of where you sit thanks to strict safety laws and improvements in aircraft design.A 2020 National Transportation Safety Board survivability report found that 1.3% of people involved in commercial airline accidents between 2001 and 2017 died, down from 4.7% between 1983 and 2000.

YouTube creators are increasingly optimizing their content for TV screens.There was an uptick in 4K videos and creators earning revenue from TV viewership this year.YouTube exec Kurt Wilms broke down the top performing content on the big screen.2024 was a breakout year for watching YouTube on the big screen.YouTube said this month that creator earnings from TV were up more than 30% year over year, and the share of videos uploaded in 4K was up over 35%.Kurt Wilms, senior director of product management at YouTube, said more creators are making highly produced, episodic content. Wilms leads teams responsible for YouTube's "living room" efforts."2024 was the year of living room," Wilms told Business Insider. "Creators across the board, no matter what content they're making, are leaning into optimizing their content for the biggest screen."Historically, many creators thought their audiences would be watching on a mobile phone and didn't expect them to watch for an hour or two in one sitting, Wilms said. But now, creators are no longer limited to thinking about making content in bite-sized pieces.Michelle Khare, who has 4.8 million subscribers, is an example of a YouTube creator focused on episodic content. Her "Challenge Accepted" series is divided into episodes and seasons. She also categorizes her content on YouTube and organizes similar-themed videos into playlists, which makes it easier to watch them all at once on a TV screen."One of the things that has happened throughout 2024 is content that's maybe traditionally viewed on television, like sports and kids' content, is performing well for us on the TV," Wilms said. "It's gained a lot of momentum."In YouTube Studio, creators can see their analytics related to how different videos performed across devices such as mobile, web, and TV."I would assume for most creators over time they're going to see a shift and TV viewership pick up," Wilms said. "I just think that's an overall industry trend and viewing trend that's going to happen."Looking ahead, Wilms said his team is thinking about how to better enable features that let the audience interact with creators more easily on the big screen. Kurt Wilms is senior director of product management at YouTube. YouTube Here are 3 high performing types of content on the YouTube app for TVs, according to Wilms:Watch-along sports contentA popular search term for sports-related content on YouTube is "watchalong," which is what creators call commentary-related videos for live events, including sports."You can come before a game to see the news, the predictions, the clips, the interviews, all leading up to a game," Wilms said. "When the game's going on, you can see real-time reaction highlights and commentary on the plays. Then, when the game is over, you can see all the official highlights and pundits talking about what they thought of the game."NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone subscribers can watch two to four streams together based on program start and end times with a feature called multiview.Wilms said next year, his team would continue to pilot a feature called "watch with," where the viewer can watch both an event and a creator at once on screen."Watch with was born out of this idea that creators are commentators," Wilms said. "We're in the early stages of development on this feature. But we think it's going to be amazing for creators and viewers."Content geared to kidsKids' content also performs well on TV, Wilms said."I think because one of the big value props of YouTube on the big screen is the ability to co-watch it with others, whether it's friends or family," Wilms said.In the last year, the Ms. Rachel YouTube channel, which has 12.8 million subscribers, had one of the platform's highest watch times on TVs, the company said this month.Last year, YouTube combined YouTube and YouTube Kids into one app for the living room. Now, YouTube is rolling out a feature for TVs called Parent Code, which allows parents to set a PIN code to access adult-focused content on the app.Long-form video podcastsYouTube creators are redefining what a podcast is.Traditionally, a podcast was thought of as an audio-only experience. But now, many creators make video podcasts that resemble a talk show format."With video podcasts in the living room, you can put it on your TV and watch or listen to it while you do something else hands-free," Wilms said.Wilms said viewers generally choose to watch content on the big screen over a mobile phone or a computer for three main reasons: they are dedicated fans of a creator; they want to watch content with others; or they are at home and watch while they do something else, like clean or make dinner.

One of the most secretive elements about Robert Eggers Nosferatua reimagining of a silent film that famously lifted its plot from Draculais what Count Orlok would look like. Before the film hit theaters, marketing material showed the vampire played by Bill Skarsgrd only in silhouette or shadow. This was couched in discussion of how freakishly terrifying the character would appear on-screen, but now that the movies out, audiences are also taking note of a surprising grooming choice. Obviously its that mustache! In a spoiler-y interview with Variety, Eggers was asked why Count Orlok has such distinctive facial hair. As is often the case with this writer-director, it started while he was doing extensive research ahead of production.To try to make a more scary vampire than weve had in quite some time, I went back to the folklore, he told the trade. Its something that I like anyway, but the early folk vampire was written about by people who believed that vampires existed. There was going to be some good stuff there, and the vampire of folklore is a putrid, walking undead corpse. That led to, he explained, wondering What does a dead Transylvanian nobleman look like?From there, Eggers said, he figured that meant this complex Hungarian costume with very long sleeves, strange high-heeled shoes and a furry hat. It also means a mustache. No matter what, theres no way this guy cant have a mustache. Try to find a Transylvanian person whos of age who can grow a mustache that doesnt have a mustache. Its part of the culture. If you dont want to bother Googling, think of Vlad the Impaler. Even Bram Stoker had the sense to give Dracula a mustache in the book. So there you have it: its a culturally appropriate choiceas you can see, other characters in the film, including Willem Dafoes Prof. Von Franz, also rock stachesand its one Stoker himself took into consideration while working on the 1897 novel that started it all.Nosferatu is in theaters now. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Thomas Maxwell Published December 26, 2024 | Comments (0) | OpenAI and Microsoft define AGI as AI software that can generate $100 billion in profit. Stefano Guidi/Getty OpenAI and Microsoft have a secret definition for AGI, an acronym for artificial general intelligence, or any system that can outperform humans at most tasks. According to leaked documents obtained by The Information, the two companies came to agree in 2023 that AGI will be achieved once OpenAI has developed an AI system that can generate at least $100 billion in profits. There has long been a debate in the AI community about what AGI really means, or whether computers will ever be good enough to outperform humans at most tasks and wipe out major swaths of the economy.The term artificial intelligence itself is something of a misnomer because much of it is really just a prediction machine, taking in keywords and searching large amounts of data without really understanding the underlying concepts. But OpenAI has received more than $13 billion in funding from Microsoft over the years, and that money has come with a strange contractual agreement that OpenAI would stop allowing Microsoft to use any new technology it develops after AGI is achieved. OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit under the guise that its technology was supposed to benefit humanity. The idea behind cutting off Microsoft once AGI is attained is that AGI would cause harm to humanity in the hands of a for-profit company. In exchange for investing billions in a nonprofit, Microsofts current agreement with OpenAI guarantees it a slice of profits until it reaches a predetermined cap somewhere in the tens of billions; the cap is meant to ensure most profit goes back to building products that benefit humanity, supposedly.As has been well documented at this point, OpenAI is no longer interested in this non-profit model, because the structure makes it difficult to raise more money and compete against other AI players. Since October, The Information says Microsoft and OpenAI have been negotiating changes to their arrangement, which also includes the tech giant serving as OpenAIs exclusive cloud hosting provider. Microsoft and OpenAI have been on diverging paths for some time now. It was recently reported that the latter has begun incorporating AI models developed in-house into its 365 Copilot product in order to improve cost and efficiency. It doesnt make sense for Microsoft to continue relying on OpenAI, an independent company, for technology that it believes will be the backbone of its productivity software going forward. Microsoft needs proprietary tech.OpenAI, for its part, is far away from achieving $100 billion in profit on technology whose true value remains speculative, which means it would likely have to keep giving its technology to Microsoft for a long timenot great when it looks like they are headed towards being competitors. And handing over large amounts of its revenue makes it less attractive to new investors, which it will need as it continues to burn cash. Getting rid of the cloud hosting agreement could also allow OpenAI to negotiate better hosting costs with an alternative provider.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published December 26, 2024 By Thomas Maxwell Published December 23, 2024 By AJ Dellinger Published December 23, 2024 By Thomas Maxwell Published December 23, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 23, 2024 By Thomas Maxwell Published December 20, 2024