Let's talk USB-C chargers. Not the big, powerful GaN models that can power laptops and charge a multitude of devices simultaneously, but the sort of charger that someone might need for their smartphone or tablet. You know, the sort of thing that once might have been included with a new device, but is often now eliminated to increase profits.So let's take a look at a selection of the best USB-C chargers on the market for your smaller devices.What is the best USB-C charger right now?I've been testing chargers ranging from small USB-Cs up to large portable power stations for years. It's difficult to distill down a shortlist of the best USB-C chargers, but based on my previous testing, research, and user reviews, I've got a roundup of the best. My pick for the best USB-C charger overall is the Anker 313 45W USB-C charger, thanks to its great value and compact size. But if you're in the market for something more powerful, check out the rest of my picks for top USB-C chargers. Sort by All The best USB-C chargers of 2025 Show less View now at Amazon The Anker 313 is a charger that's about as good as they get. This compact 45W charger can output the full 45W to Samsung devices that support Super Fast Charging 2.0 (you will need a compatible 5A/100W E-Marked SUB-C-to-USB-C cable to pull this off).What's more, this charger is 30% smaller than other 45W chargers that don't feature fold-away prongs.This charger has over 5,000 ratings on Amazon and scores an excellent 4.8/5.0, which makes it an easy pick for the best USB-C charger overall.Anker 45W features:1x USB-C | 45W max output| Inputs: 110-240V Pros Great value Compact, with fold-away prongs Reliable Cons Less power than some of the other options available The Anker 313 is a charger that's about as good as they get. This compact 45W charger can output the full 45W to Samsung devices that support Super Fast Charging 2.0 (you will need a compatible 5A/100W E-Marked SUB-C-to-USB-C cable to pull this off).What's more, this charger is 30% smaller than other 45W chargers that don't feature fold-away prongs.This charger has over 5,000 ratings on Amazon and scores an excellent 4.8/5.0, which makes it an easy pick for the best USB-C charger overall.Anker 45W features:1x USB-C | 45W max output| Inputs: 110-240V Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon More power is always better, right? Not so when it comes to chargers. I've included this alongside the Anker 313 because, for most, a 45W is more than enough power. But those who might want to charge a laptop or other power-hungry device will benefit from the extra power offered with the 315 and see the larger size and higher cost as a worthwhile trade-off.If you need that extra power, this charger has it. It can charge a 13-inch MacBook Pro's battery from zero to 50% in 38 minutes.The reviews for this USB-C charger on Amazon are again excellent, with the charger scoring 4.8/5.0.Anker 315 67W features:1x USB-C | 67W max output| Inputs: 110-240V Pros Full 67W of power Fold-away prongs Cons Pricier than others Bulky if you don't need the extra power More power is always better, right? Not so when it comes to chargers. I've included this alongside the Anker 313 because, for most, a 45W is more than enough power. But those who might want to charge a laptop or other power-hungry device will benefit from the extra power offered with the 315 and see the larger size and higher cost as a worthwhile trade-off.If you need that extra power, this charger has it. It can charge a 13-inch MacBook Pro's battery from zero to 50% in 38 minutes.The reviews for this USB-C charger on Amazon are again excellent, with the charger scoring 4.8/5.0.Anker 315 67W features:1x USB-C | 67W max output| Inputs: 110-240V Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon Need both USB-C and legacy USB-A? This Ugreen option is a great charger for you, combining the best of both worlds.If you use just the USB-C port, this charger can support a full 35W draw. If you connect two devices, the USB-A port supports up to 7.5W, while the USB-C port's capability drops to a maximum of 25W.The charger is nice and compact, featuring fold-away prongs. It's great for traveling or throwing into a bag for charging while away from the home or office.Ugreen is a premium hardware maker, and the reviews reflect this. Owners highlight how lightweight, durable, and powerful the charger is, and give it a 4.7/5.0.Ugreen Nexode 35W features:1x USB-C + 1x USB-A | 35W max output | Inputs: 100-240V Pros One legacy USB-A port Fold-away prongs Cons The value of USB-A is diminishing Need both USB-C and legacy USB-A? This Ugreen option is a great charger for you, combining the best of both worlds.If you use just the USB-C port, this charger can support a full 35W draw. If you connect two devices, the USB-A port supports up to 7.5W, while the USB-C port's capability drops to a maximum of 25W.The charger is nice and compact, featuring fold-away prongs. It's great for traveling or throwing into a bag for charging while away from the home or office.Ugreen is a premium hardware maker, and the reviews reflect this. Owners highlight how lightweight, durable, and powerful the charger is, and give it a 4.7/5.0.Ugreen Nexode 35W features:1x USB-C + 1x USB-A | 35W max output | Inputs: 100-240V Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon Do you need a bunch of chargers for your home or office? Few people want to spend $30+ on a charger if they need to buy a lot of them, but what about spending $12 on four chargers and still getting a decent-quality unit?This is what you get with this CXX pack -- four cheap and cheerful chargers that are on par with what you'd expect from a charger shipped with a mid-tier or budget smartphone.I'm normally wary of cheap chargers, but these have passed all my safety tests, so I'm confident in recommending them. And don't take my word for it -- these scored a strong 4.6/5.0 on Amazon.CXX 20W features:1x USB-C + 1x USB-A| 20W max output | Inputs: 100-240V Pros Price works out at $3 per charger USB-C and USB-A Cons Prongs don't fold Power output drops considerably when using both ports Do you need a bunch of chargers for your home or office? Few people want to spend $30+ on a charger if they need to buy a lot of them, but what about spending $12 on four chargers and still getting a decent-quality unit?This is what you get with this CXX pack -- four cheap and cheerful chargers that are on par with what you'd expect from a charger shipped with a mid-tier or budget smartphone.I'm normally wary of cheap chargers, but these have passed all my safety tests, so I'm confident in recommending them. And don't take my word for it -- these scored a strong 4.6/5.0 on Amazon.CXX 20W features:1x USB-C + 1x USB-A| 20W max output | Inputs: 100-240V Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon There's an impression among the general public that Apple gear is expensive, and on the whole, that's not incorrect. But Apple makes what is probably the best-engineered 20W USB-C charger, and you can pick it up for only $15.Sure, it's only 20W, only has a single port, and the prongs don't fold away, but it's a fantastic charger that will last you years.And with over 218,000 reviews and a rating of 4.8/5.0, it's clear that it's a winner among users.Apple 20W features:1x USB-C | 20W max output | Inputs: 110-240V Pros Apple quality Simple and straightforward A charger that will last years Cons Single USB-C port Only 20W, so only suitable for smaller devices There's an impression among the general public that Apple gear is expensive, and on the whole, that's not incorrect. But Apple makes what is probably the best-engineered 20W USB-C charger, and you can pick it up for only $15.Sure, it's only 20W, only has a single port, and the prongs don't fold away, but it's a fantastic charger that will last you years.And with over 218,000 reviews and a rating of 4.8/5.0, it's clear that it's a winner among users.Apple 20W features:1x USB-C | 20W max output | Inputs: 110-240V Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best USB-C charger? The Anker 313 USB-C charger is my pick for the best USB-C charger overall. It's inexpensive, and the 45W output is enough for most people's needs. I like this one so much that I normally have a few with me to gift people who are in need of a charger for their smartphone or tablet.USB-C ChargerPricePortsMax PowerMax Single Port Power OutputMultiple Port Power OutputAmazon RatingAnker 313 45W$201x USB-C45W45WN/A4.8/5.0Anker 315 67W$251x USB-C67W67WN/A4.8/5.0Ugreen Nexode 35W$171x USA-C & 1x USB-A35W35WUSB-C: up to 25W | USB-A: up to 7.5W4.7/5.0CXX 20W (4-pack)$121x USA-C & 1x USB-20W20W15W max4.6/5.0Apple 20W$151x USB-C20W20N/A4.8/5.0 Show more Which is the right USB-C charger for you? Choose this[topic keyword]If you wantAnker 313 45WA decent all-round USB-C charger. This has enough power for smartphones and tablets.Anker 315 67WAnother great USB-C charger. This one has even more power at its disposal, and will even work for laptops.Ugreen Nexode 35WA charger that's also good for legacy devices. This one has both USB-C and USB-A ports for full flexibility.CXX 20W (4-pack)A bunch of cheap chargers at a decent price. These work out at $3 a unit and are perfect for smartphones and tablets.Apple 20WAn Apple-branded charger. This is a great charger, and you can pick it up for only $15. Show more Factors to consider when choosing the best USB-C charger There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a USB-C charger:Power output: The wattage of the charger determines how quickly it can charge your device. Higher wattage chargers can deliver more power and as such charge devices faster (but only as fast as the device can draw the power). Also, while lower-wattage chargers are perfect for smartphones and tablets, higher wattage chargers (60W and above) are needed for laptops.Ports: Consider how many devices you need to charge simultaneously. Some USB-C chargers come with multiple ports, including USB-A ports, which can be useful for charging older devices. Multi-port chargers can be handy and reduce the need for multiple chargers, but can add unnecessary bulk and cost if you don't need them.Build quality: Choose chargers from reputable brands, as these are going to adhere to safety standards. Poor-quality chargers can bring risks such as overheating, short-circuiting, and even causing fires. It's a good idea to look for certifications such as UL, ETL, CE, or FCC to ensure the charger meets safety regulations (but be aware that these can be fraudulently printed onto poor-quality chargers). Show more How did we choose these USB-C chargers? Every year I test dozens of chargers, both in the test lab and in real-world conditions, and there are certain things I look for in a charger if it is to make it onto my recommended list:First, does it do what it says it will do?This isn't as easy as plugging it in to see if it will work, but I also test the charger under heavy and sustained loads (because even a poor-quality charger might be able to work for a few minutes). I also test single port load and multi-port loads to make sure these are in line with the specs. To get a passing grade, a charger needs to output the rated power for several hours.Is the charger safe?I carry out several electrical safety tests, and also thermal measurements -- because no one wants an overheating charger in the home.Is it robust?Can it handle being plugged and unplugged repeatedly? Are the ports good quality? Can the charger handle being dropped and kicked about, because this is the sort of abuse it's going to get in day-to-day use, especially if it's a travel charger.In addition to that, I've also carried out extensive research into USB-C chargers, taking into consideration user reviews, competitor analysis, and the like. While I can do a good job on testing the charger in front of me, user reviews and ratings can tell me a lot about the quality of a product over time and also how it performs over longer time scales. (For more on our testing process, check out how we test portable power stations.) Show more Can I use my old USB-A cables with a USB-C charger? Yes. To do this you will need a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter likethisorthis. Bear in mind this is yet another thing you need to carry (and potentially lose), and you might be better off upgrading your cables or buying a charger that has both ports. Show more What wattage USB-C charger do I need? As a rule of thumb, I tend to stick with the following:For smartphones and tablets: 18W - 35WLaptops: 60W+ Show more When it comes to chargers, how hot is too hot? When I'm testing devices, I have set 45C/113F as the point at which I start to have concerns. This is the temperature at which things stop feeling hot and people start feeling pain, according to thesafe "no injury" temperature range chart.TheASTM C1055(the Standard Guide for Heated System Surface Conditions that Produce Contact Burn Injuries) states that the average person can touch objects up to 60C/140F for up to five seconds without sustaining irreversible burn injuries. Show more Are there alternative USB-C chargers worth considering? Need a few more options to choose from? Here are a few that didn't make it to the main list, but are still excellent chargers. Show more Further ZDNET Tech Coverage Smartphones Smartwatches Tablets Laptops TVs Other Tech Resources ZDNET Recommends

Since its founding in 1902, Tbaytel has become the largest independently owned telecommunications provider in Canada. The company is keeping Northern Ontario connected with a wireless network that covers over 300,000 square kilometersa territory the same size as countries like Norway and Poland.As a regional telecommunications provider, Tbaytel must address typical issues faced by customers in rural areas often lacking reliable, high-speed Internet or cellular connectivity. Network outages, slow speed, and inconsistent performance can hinder productivity and daily life.Canada's Tbaytel has made sizable investments in robust network infrastructure and has a sharp focus on proactive maintenance and quick response to service disruptions.gettyOur mission is to ensure connectivity for all communities in order to foster regional growth and help people develop business opportunities, said John Blanchette, director of finance at Tbaytel. He was speaking on a recent panel highlighting how Tbaytel utilized SAP cloud ERPPart of the companys mission is to ensure digital inclusivity and provide an exceptional customer experience through advanced, competitively priced communication solutions. To achieve the mission, Tbaytel has made sizable investments in robust network infrastructure and has a sharp focus on proactive maintenance and quick response to service disruptions. Tbaytel is in the process of expanding infrastructure to provide fiber-optic Internet, LTE, and 5G coverage across the territory it serves.Our goal is to enhance the lives of everyone in our neighborhood, and we take pride in supporting the local economy, Blanchette explained. Were delivering a telecommunications infrastructure that supports economic growth.Businesses in smaller markets often have a hard time finding telecom providers that understand their unique needs. Tbaytel offers tailored solutions such as managed IT services, business Internet, and secure communication tools, along with personal relationships with small business owners. The company offers dedicated support for small and medium-sized enterprises with competitive pricing for mobile, Internet, and flexible packages with bundled services.Modern technologiesBlanchette highlighted some of the challenges regarding technology.Our legacy systems hindered our ability to adopt automation and AI, and we were having difficulty focusing on strategic initiatives due to outdated processes, he explained. Our ERP struggled to communicate with other tools, creating data silos, and our complex workflows were slowing down our ability to make informed decisions in real time. And, due to resource constraints, we were prioritizing network support over ERP maintenance.All these challenges emphasized the need for a modern, integrated financial solution to support Tbaytels goals. The company decided to partner with SAP and NTT DATA to modernize its financial and operational systems through cloud ERP.A long-term SAP partner specializing in midmarket solutions, NTT has supported several Canadian telcos, including Tbaytel, since 1997. NTT specializes in supporting smaller clients in the midmarket that most people aren't familiar with. We help these customers understand how SAP brings tremendous value, and of course we provide the services, the implementation, and long-term support to ensure their success, said Jason Mausberg, managing director of NTT, on the same panel.NTTs expertise spans migration from on-premise systems to cloud ERP for businesses of varying scales, making it the perfect partner for a telco like Tbaytel.Blanchette and Mausberg went on to explain how the transition to SAP cloud ERP solutions are helping Tbaytel stay agile and competitive while addressing financial and operational challenges. They also discussed the broader implications of modernizing financial systems.Need for simplificationTbaytels transformation was driven by the need for simplification. Basically, cloud ERP reduces the complexity of managing IT infrastructure, and standardized solutions enable faster deployments with minimal internal resources.The company can now focus on core operations while shifting resources from ERP maintenance to customer-centric and network-focused initiatives. To keep things even simpler, Tbaytel opted for a greenfield implementation, creating a new system from scratch in the cloud. This approach enabled the company to build a modern, streamlined ERP environment tailored to their evolving needs.Last but not least, cloud ERP is helping the company prepare for the future. It allows for integration of emerging AI technologies for trend prediction, profitability analysis, and enhanced decision-making. The company is now able to explore AI-driven tools for customer support, predictive analytics, and service optimization. It now has access to real-time data and analytics services to improve customer decision-making and operational efficiency.By addressing these challenges, Tbaytel is not only providing reliable telecom services but also empowering communities and businesses in the region to thrive in a digitally connected world.Having streamlined its own operations to improve service delivery, Tbaytel can now better support businesses and customers in migrating to modern platforms, including cloud-based solutions and next-generation telecom services. Its continuous success has enabled Tbaytel to support the City of Thunder Bay, where it is headquartered, with an annual contribution that has increased to $18 million over the years.Our commitment since our inception has been to help the people in the neighborhood connect to the world. After a century of working with our customers to provide technology that delivers the best possible experience, were going stronger than ever, said Blanchette. Stay tunedwere just getting started!Follow me on LinkedIn.

Huge change coming to Play StoreNurPhoto via Getty ImagesGoogles mission to narrow the gap between Android and iPhone will intensify this year, at least as far as the security and privacy of its billions of users is concerned. But you might miss out. And worse, you might find that some of the most important apps you use every day stop working. As 2025 begins, you may need to buy a new phone to ensure you dont get caught out within the next few weeks.This mission is not newbut it has never been as critical as now. Coming not long after the overdue cull of lower quality, higher risk apps on Play Store, Google is also finally clamping down on sideloading. This remains a key difference between Android and iPhone, albeit Play Protect has already been extended to cover apps from any source. SamsungAndroids leading OEM, has gone even further to eradicate sideloading, at least for its mainstream users.But there are two critical updates that take your security even further, which is timely given the worsening threat landscape. The downside is that both mean you need a fairly new phoneand one update confirmed by Google will actually stop apps working on your phone if you dont. That Play Store change is already underway and will be fully deployed within weeks.A many as 750 million Android phones still run obsolete versions of the OSwhich means no security updates. But for the rest, the good news is that Android 15 should be available on devices as far back as Samsungs S21s, Pixel 6s and other devices of a similar age. That will open up new security options, albeit key updates including live threat detection will be restricted to newer devices. This uses on-device AI to flag threats in real-time. Its hard to overstate how important an update this is.MORE FOR YOUEven so, if you are running an older device, the bigger issue youll have is the one confirmed by Google just a few weeks ago. This is a critical change coming to Android as Google actively combats bad actors who try to deceive users or spread malware, and giving you tools to combat abuse.For the first time, Google will encourage developers to restrict their apps depending on the age and update-status of the OS on your phone. Apps that use Play Integrity features have seen 80% less unauthorized usage on average compared to other apps, Google says, as it updates the technology that powers the Play Integrity API on all devices running Android 13 and above to make it faster, more reliable, and more private for users... making greater use of, hardware-backed security signals making it significantly harder and more costly for attackers to bypass.In short, this will give apps with higher security needs, like banking and finance apps, governments, and enterprise apps, more ways to tailor their level of protection for sensitive features, like transferring money. This means if youre running Android 12 or older, you may find your apps stop working.Taken together, all these updates should push all 750 million users running aged and even obsolete versions of Android to upgrade. A line has been drawn in the cyber sand as Android continues its game of iPhone catch-up. And its now getting more serious. We have just seen the same with Samsungs One UI 7 beta, which is all about security and again raises the bar even higher for its own users.My recommendation is to ensure you are running Android 13 at a minimummore than 30% of Android users need to upgrade. And for those concerned about a mobile threat landscape now being fueled by new AI tricks, you should ensure you can move to Android 15 with its new level of defenses.Google has told developers the Play Store change means their apps can respond differently on devices running Android 12 and lower than to the enhanced definition on devices running Android 13 and higher. Remember, its not just whats on your phone thats air riskits everything and every person your phone connects to that might be the wrong side of the line now being drawn.These updates have already started to rollout but will apply universally from May 2025.

Forward-looking: For almost five decades, the humble barcode has been found on the packaging of almost every consumer item in the world. But there's a push to get rid of them within just two years, replaced by QR-style 2D barcodes. GS1, the global non-profit organization that develops and maintains standards for supply chain communication, including barcodes, aims for widespread adoption of QR-style codes by 2027 through its Sunrise 2027 initiative.The 2D versions of barcodes look like squares or rectangles containing many small, individual dots QR codes are one version and can hold a lot more information, which is encoded on both the horizontal and vertical axes.That extra information could be invaluable to stores. Retailers will, for example, be able to immediately respond to product recalls and identify faulty items. In addition to viewing prices, sellers will be able to see when food is nearing its expiry date and offer discounts. The codes can also greatly improve inventory control.QR code iterations over the yearsConsumers can benefit from the 2D codes, too. Scanning one could lead to instructions on how to recycle items in compliance with environmental laws. The codes can also give access to loyalty points, games, and coupons. // Related StoriesSomething else the QR-style codes can do is offer extra information on ingredients and allergens. That would help those with conditions such as celiac disease much food packaging fails to disclose the risks of ingredient cross-contamination.On a practical level, items could have several small 2D codes printed on their packaging, meaning crumples and tears wouldn't prevent products from being scanned, as is often the case with barcodes.Despite the environmentally friendly recycling information contained in the 2D codes and the fact they have been found to reduce food waste by up to 40%, there are concerns over the greater demands the extra data will place on cloud computing resources. If every product starts coming with a slew of data attached to it, their carbon footprint will increase. There are also the costs of redesigning packaging to consider.Since they were first used to label car parts in Japanese factories in 1994, the popularity of QR codes has continued to increase, and their use exploded during the pandemic.Several major US companies are now transitioning or actively supporting the shift from traditional barcodes to QR codes, including Procter & Gamble, The J.M. Smucker Company, and Wegmans Food Markets.Even if all retailers make the move to 2D codes, barcodes will likely continue to be used in manufacturing and warehousing.

Something to look forward to: The memory industry is known for its conservative approach, often favoring incremental improvements over revolutionary changes. But as we look toward the end of the decade, it seems likely that the world will see the emergence of 3D monolithic stacked DRAM. The only questions that remain are what form it will take and when it will be ready for mass production. While flash memory has made significant strides in capacity through monolithic 3D processing, DRAM has faced challenges in achieving a similar 3D architecture. The primary obstacle has been the need for a sufficiently large means of storing charge, typically in the form of a capacitor.The most straightforward approach to increasing data storage on a single-layer DRAM chip is to reduce the cell size. However, the vertical capacitor in traditional DRAM designs creates very thick layers, making stacking difficult. To address this, some efforts are focused on running the capacitors horizontally, while others aim to eliminate the capacitor altogether."DRAM is following in the steps of NAND by evolving to three dimensions in order to build more storage per unit area," said Benjamin Vincent, worldwide senior manager of semiconductor process and integration at Lam Research. "This is good for the industry because it pushes the technological envelope for memory, and because more bits per square micrometer mean production costs decrease."It's important to note that 3D DRAM can refer to two distinct concepts. One already in production is High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM). However, HBM is a stacked-die memory, not a monolithic die like 3D NAND flash.The development of a monolithic 3D DRAM chip could provide an immediate boost if employed in the HBM architecture, Daryl Seitzer, principal product manager for embedded memories at Synopsys, told Semiconductor Engineering. "When commercially viable 3D DRAM is available and die stacking challenges such as thermal management have been further addressed, this would be good news for HBM providers as it introduces memory density and energy efficiency improvements that will be impactful for data center and AI applications," he said.One approach to optimizing DRAM cells involves shrinking feature sizes through advanced lithography techniques. The most recent steps toward footprint reduction pit EUV patterning against traditional ArF SADP and SAQP processes for cutting-edge 2D DRAM, according to Daniel Soden, business development manager at Brewer Science. // Related StoriesSamsung is working on a new cell architecture that aims to achieve an area efficiency of 4F2 (where F is the minimum feature size). This design employs a vertical-channel transistor and moves from the current 6F2 cell to 4F2. However, it will require new materials, including ferroelectrics, and high precision to build.Another promising direction involves laying the capacitor on its side to create thinner layers suitable for stacking. Lam Research has proposed several ideas for achieving this, including flipping the cell, sliding the bit line, and employing gate-all-around (GAA) transistors. "Etch and deposition experts may be shocked at what our simulations propose," Vincent said. "For example, trenches with 30nm critical dimensions and 2m depth are considered to be etched and filled in our architecture."Researchers are also exploring capacitor-less DRAM designs. One alternative involves gate-controlled thyristors, while another employs a floating body similar to the floating gate used in flash memory. Neo Semiconductor has proposed a commercial technology using a floating-body cell with dual gating. "Based on simulations, this mechanism can increase the sensing margin and data retention," Andy Hsu, CEO and co-founder of Neo Semiconductor, said.While these advancements are promising, it's important to note that 3D DRAM is not just around the corner. All current efforts will require many years of development and evaluation before they have commercial traction. "New architectures are always more challenging than implementation of existing methodologies," Soden said.

According to Honor the new Magic7 Lite has a special, industry-first battery inside it, making it slightly more interesting than your average mid-range smartphone, but what is new about it? The Magic7 Lite has a silicon-carbon battery instead of the more common lithium-ion battery, which allows for a greater capacity without increasing physical size.The Magic7 Lites silicon-carbon battery has a whopping 6,600mAh capacity, and Honor estimates this will return nearly 26 hours of video playback on a single charge, plus it will reliably operate in both hot and cold environments. Using its AI technology, Honors software will squeeze a 50 minute call out of the remaining 2% of the battery, emphasizing its usefulness in emergency situations. Using silicon can also assist with efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels.Recommended VideosWhile interesting, dont read too much into the whole industry-first statement, as silicon-carbon batteries have been doing the rounds for a while, and what Honor appears to mean is its the industrys first silicon-carbon battery with such a large capacity. Honor itself has already put silicon-carbon batteries in phones, such as a 5,600mAh cell in the Honor Magic 6 Pro, while Vivo used a silicon anode in the battery inside the Vivo X200 series, and we expect the trend to continue in 2025.Please enable Javascript to view this contentWhat about the rest of the Magic7 Lite? It represents the first of Honors new Magic7 series to be announced in Europe (dont expect a U.S. release though), and the thin and light phone 189 grams and 7.98mm thick comes in two different finishes, Titanium Black and the eye-catching Titanium Purple. Honor claims the body is capable of withstanding drops from two meters, and theres IP65M dust and water resistance for further durability. The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen has a 120Hz refresh rate and 3840Hz Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) dimming.RelatedOn the back is a 108-megapixel main camera and a 5MP wide-angle camera, and inside is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 8GB of RAM. The Snapdragon chip was also used in the Magic6 Lite, which also had the same camera system, making it unlikely to appeal to owners of its year-old predecessor. Its also arriving with Android 14 installed and not the latest Android 15 software.The Honor Magic7 Lite will be released in Europe and the U.K. on January 15 for 399 British pounds, or around $500.Editors Recommendations

Status-quo videos are still proliferating on the Chinese-owned app. Madison Avenue remains upbeat just weeks before potential U.S. ban.

Reverse-engineering the Stone Age Inside the hands-on lab of an experimental archaeologist Beyond flint-knapping and tossing spears with atlatls, Kent State University's Metin Eren has a vision for his field's future. Jennifer Ouellette Jan 2, 2025 7:00 am | 0 Metin Eren has spent more than 20 years honing his flint knapping skills. Credit: Jennifer Ouellette Metin Eren has spent more than 20 years honing his flint knapping skills. Credit: Jennifer Ouellette Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreBack in 2019, we told you about an intriguing experiment to test a famous anthropological legend about an elderly Inuit man in the 1950s who fashioned a knife out of his own frozen feces. He used it to kill and skin a dog, using its rib cage as a makeshift sled to venture off into the Arctic. Metin Eren, an archaeologist at Kent State University, fashioned rudimentary blades out of his own frozen feces to test whether they could cut through pig hide, muscle, and tendon.Sadly for the legend, the blades failed every test, but the study was colorful enough to snag Eren an Ig Nobel Prize the following year. And it's just one of the many fascinating projects routinely undertaken in his Experimental Archaeology Laboratory, where he and his team try to reverse-engineer all manner of ancient technologies, whether they involve stone tools, ceramics, metal, butchery, textiles, and so forth.Eren's lab is quite prolific, publishing 15 to 20 papers a year. The only thing were limited by is time, he said. Many have colorful or quirky elements and hence tend to garner media attention, but Eren emphasizes that what he does is very much serious science, not entertainment. I think sometimes people look at experimental archaeology and think its no different from LARPing, Eren told Ars. I have nothing against LARPers, but its very different. Its not playtime. Its hardcore science. Me making a stone tool is no different than a chemist pouring chemicals into a beaker. But that act alone is not the experiment. It might be the flashiest bit, but that's not the experimental process.It takes years to develop the practical hands-on skills required to do research in experimental archaeology, and this influences how Eren chooses his students. Eren himself is a master flint-knapper, deftly producing all manner of Stone Age blades from chert. One of his students was a musician who decided to study the pitches and octaves produced from the percussive aspects of flint-knapping."We look for people with unique skillsmusic, woodworking, tattooingbecause those are things we cant teach in a four-year undergrad or a two-year masters program," he said. "They come in with the skills, we teach them the science. These students didnt think that their more utilitarian skills were academically valuable, and suddenly theyre publishing in the scientific literature. Metin Erens experimental archaeology lab features a ballistics range, stone-weapon creation, and pottery-making. Eren comes from a long line of medical professionals, but Im not a big fan of blood, he said. History and science were more his forte growing up in northeast Ohio, and in high school, he asked the curator of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Brian Redmond, if he could join Redmonds dig. This was usually reserved for grad students, but Redmond consented, and Eren racked up hours of practical fieldwork before college, where he naturally majored in archaeology. He joined the lab of the late Ofer Bar-Yosef as a freshman.He soon became interested in experimental archaeology. He would hear archaeologists describing how a given artifact probably worked or what it meant to the culture, and Eren would wonder how they knew that, given the dearth of evidence. This was the spark that ignited his interest in experimental archaeology. It was Bar-Yosef who encouraged Eren to learn flint-knapping skills. In the process, Eren figured out a new method by which to measure how stone tools were resharpened and tested his hypothesis. That work turned into his first published peer-reviewed paper while still a junior in college.For graduate studies, he chose Southern Methodist University near Dallas, Texas, specifically to work with David Meltzer. It was during his first post-doc at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, that he met biological anthropologists Stephen Lycett and Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel, who ignited his corresponding interest in evolutionary theory within the context of his archaeological pursuits. And he continued to refine his flint-knapping skills under mentors Bruce Bradley and the late Robert J. Patten.Flint-knapping is equal parts art and science, which I learned firsthand as Eren guided me while making a Stone Age hand axe out of the random chunks of chert Eren keeps in buckets in his lab. It requires striking very specific areas of the target chunk with a rock with just the right amount of force to chip off shards. These shards, in turn, can be used as sharp edges for cuttingand they are very sharp indeed. Goggles and a leather pad for one's lap are among the crucial safety implements when flint-knapping. Even so, injuries are common and can be severe, as detailed in a 2023 paper.Physicists have been studying how cracks propagate for decades; Eren's 25+ years of flint-knapping experience allows him to precisely predict which parts to strike to chip off what he needs so that the axe can take shape. The task becomes more challenging in the later stages, when one is trying to chip off smaller and smaller shards to refine the shape. Eren typically switches to using bone when it comes to fine-tuning the edges.I can make a knife out of a rock Using bone instead of a rock to fine-tune the edges. Jennifer Ouellette Using bone instead of a rock to fine-tune the edges. Jennifer Ouellette Voila! A replica Acheulean hand axe. Jennifer Ouellette Voila! A replica Acheulean hand axe. Jennifer Ouellette My first attempt at a Stone Age hand axe wasn't quite as impressive. But it worked! Jennifer Ouellette My first attempt at a Stone Age hand axe wasn't quite as impressive. But it worked! Jennifer Ouellette Voila! A replica Acheulean hand axe. Jennifer Ouellette My first attempt at a Stone Age hand axe wasn't quite as impressive. But it worked! Jennifer Ouellette Even the shards can be used as handheld cutting tools. Jennifer Ouellette Buckets of rocks, antlers, and chunks of chert for future flint-knapping. Jennifer Ouellette Achievement unlocked! Experimental archaeology is not without its challenges, particularly when one's area of expertise is the Stone Age. Theres so much that doesnt preserve, said Eren. Sure, he can make a stone blade and use it to cut things, but there are no surviving examples of, say, a wooden handle that may (or may not) have been attached.And if there was such a handle, How long was it? What wood was it? Did they finish it in any way? What adhesive did they use?" said Eren. "These are all variables that dont preserve but that influence the function of that knife. It's inherently difficult to determine precisely how accurate their experiments really are because of this, which he has dubbed the Poltergeist of the Unpreserved, because it haunts me as an experimental archaeologist.Another key concept is what Eren calls "the Prevalence of Equifinality." Say a Clovis point is found near a mammoth in a position in between the ribs. Many archaeologists would conclude that the Clovis point killed the mammoth; it serves as the proverbial smoking gun. That might seem like a reasonable interpretation, except now we know that Clovis points also functioned as knives, said Eren. So its also possible that the mammoth was already dead, and people just used the point to butcher the animal. Two processes, hunting and scavenging, are yielding the same archaeological results.In the 1980s, an archaeologist named George Frison famously went to Zimbabwe and threw spears tipped with Clovis points into (dead) elephants to see where they penetrated. Not only were the points remarkably effective at penetrating the hides and rib cages of the elephants, but when he studied the resulting microscopic striations on the points, other Clovis points found at different sites also showed the same striations, suggesting that the points were definitely used for hunting purposes.Then a student from Zimbabwe came to Erens lab and wanted to test Frison's findings. So they made a batch of replica Clovis points attached to spears, but they threw them into the grass rather than into dead elephants. They ended up with the exact same microscopic striations. So maybe a point found near a mammoth had been used to kill the mammoth, or maybe it was used to skin an already dead mammoth or hunt a rabbit two weeks beforeit just happened to be there, lying in the grass, when the mammoth died and decayed on top of it. Butchering a Bison with Clovis points and tools. That said, Frison was correct that Clovis points are remarkably effective toolsnot just for hunting but for butchering. Eren's lab recently collaborated with five hunters affiliated with MeatEater (an outdoor lifestyle company). They have a popular podcast and YouTube channel, as well as a former Netflix series. Eren wanted to test how well Clovis points and large handheld shards worked for butchering, and the MeatEater crew obliged by using Eren's tools to butcher a bison, capturing the experience for their YouTube series (see video above).While the Clovis points needed frequent sharpening and broke easily, the hunters were surprised at how well they functioned as butchering tools. They gained a greater appreciation for the ingenuity of their Stone Age counterparts and were listed as co-authors on a paper published earlier this year describing the results of the experiment.Target practiceMost of Eren's students (and the occasional visiting journalist) get the chance at some point to throw point-tipped spears at a hunting target outside on campus, using an attached atlatl or spear-thrower. This ingenious handheld rod-shaped device employs leverage to launch a dart or spear. Versions have been developed by several different ancient cultures, including Aztec, Maya, Greek, Roman, and Australian aboriginal designs.And as Eren's colleague Michelle Bebberan expert in ceramics and pottery (who also participated in the frozen feces study)discovered in 2023, the atlatl is essentially the great equalizer between women and men. She noticed that her male students struggled more than female students to pick up the crucial whip action required because they were so accustomed to relying on strength and turned it into a blind test. She found that, unlike the javelin, the atlatl equalizes the velocity of female- and male-launched projectiles. It's not even exclusively a gender difference, according to Bebber, since children, older men, or injured men would also have benefited from its use.Although throws made with the atlatl are faster, the javelin has more kinetic energy because of its higher mass. Eren also experimented with throwing from different heights, renting a scissor lift for the purpose. "We wanted to understand how much more velocity and kinetic energy does gravity lend to these projectile weapons as you get higher," said Eren. Eren's lab regularly makes replica spears for target practice. Jennifer Ouellette Eren's lab regularly makes replica spears for target practice. Jennifer Ouellette A handy target. Jennifer Ouellette A handy target. Jennifer Ouellette Eren demonstrates proper form when throwing a spear with an atlatl. Jennifer Ouellette Eren demonstrates proper form when throwing a spear with an atlatl. Jennifer Ouellette A handy target. Jennifer Ouellette Eren demonstrates proper form when throwing a spear with an atlatl. Jennifer Ouellette Eren's shots are the ones that hit the mark. Mine? Not so much. Jennifer Ouellette Eren displays different kinds of tipped spears. Jennifer Ouellette A closer look at the different heads. Jennifer Ouellette Running a ballistics test with the spears. Jennifer Ouellette He found that the javelin increased not only in velocity but kinetic energyalmost a 200 percent increase in impact energy by 9 meters in height. But the atlatl decreased as the height increased. "If you are throwing down, the lever is deactivated," Eren explained. "And because the darts are so light, they have higher velocity when traveling horizontally, but once the lever is deactivated, the wind can make it go sideways, producing more drag. That had never occurred to us, that the atlatl actually has a major cost if you are firing downward.This might explain why Neanderthals, for example, never developed a version of the atlatl. They often hunted in hilly areas and would have gained more advantage from a thrown javelin. "They did the evolutionarily optimal thing," said Eren.Eren also conducts a variety of controlled ballistics tests in the lab. He has a crossbow apparatus set up in the lab designed to shoot short distances at a target. One such study was designed to test a 1970s hypothesis about whether some stone blades once had some sort of wood or bone backing on the flat, dulled edge (as opposed to the sharp cutting edge), which would have increased adhesion.Eren's lab members shot backed and unbacked specimens of this stone tool hacked into wooden shafts with the crossbow and measured how well they stuck together. It didnt quite go as planned. The backed specimens, which were supposed to stick better, all blew off, like stone rain, said Eren. That experiment, plus a second round of tests, clearly demonstrated that backing does not increase adhesion relative to non-backing.More recently, Eren has ventured into forensics, publishing his first paper on bullet ricochet marks earlier this year. He was inspired by ancient fossilized footprints at White Sands National Park that date back to 22,000 to 24,000 years old. There is an ongoing debate as to whether the footprints were made by humans. (Eren falls on the skeptical side of the debate.) He was pondering those footprints while practicing at the shooting range and noticed all the ricochet marks on the wall and floor from less skilled shooters. He found himself wondering what caliber of gun had produced them and soon realized there hadnt been any forensic studies on whether one could distinguish between bullet ricochet marks. Colleague Michelle Bebber specializes in ceramics and pottery, complete with an in-lab kiln. Jennifer Ouellette Colleague Michelle Bebber specializes in ceramics and pottery, complete with an in-lab kiln. Jennifer Ouellette Pottery projects in the works. YouTube/Kent State Pottery projects in the works. YouTube/Kent State Colleague Michelle Bebber specializes in ceramics and pottery, complete with an in-lab kiln. Jennifer Ouellette Pottery projects in the works. YouTube/Kent State A few replicas of ancient pottery. Jennifer Ouellette A few replicas of ancient pottery. Jennifer Ouellette Bebber's replica Jomon vase. Jennifer Ouellette Bebber's replica Jomon vase. Jennifer Ouellette A few replicas of ancient pottery. Jennifer Ouellette Bebber's replica Jomon vase. Jennifer Ouellette Most criminals are terrible shots," said Eren. "They dont practice. And ricochet marks are present at crime scenes quite often while the casings arent. So he conducted a controlled ballistics experiment with large sample sizes of five different calibers and shot the guns at different angles and distances into cement (a common urban material). He then used digital software to determine the outlines of the ricochet marks, followed by machine learning to see if one could distinguish between calibers. The answer was clear: You cant. Or at least Eren couldnt, and his conclusion ably demonstrated the scientific value of null results.The bigger pictureThese aren't just isolated academic questions for Eren. While archaeology has its roots in discovery-based science, Eren firmly believes the field needs a theoretical framework to transform it into a question-based science. He's particularly interested in cultural evolution, particularly how technology and culture evolve. "Culture is operationally defined as socially transmitted information," he said. "Chimps have culture, birds have culture. This isnt a unique thing to humans, but were very egotistical, and we like to think were special."In fact, most of the books in Eren's office concern evolutionary theory. Over the last 20 years, weve been undergoing a synthesis of culture and evolutionary theory," Eren said. "Its been shown time and again that culture evolves via Darwinian evolutionabsent the gene. For that, you only need three ingredients: variation, inheritance, and some kind of sorting mechanism.Experimental archaeology is well suited to testing such a theoretical framework. Its very difficult to talk about evolution and how phenomena evolve if you dont understand how stuff works, said Eren. If you dont understand whether this change in this variant is functional or not, you cant distinguish between drift and selection, which is the basis of evolutionary theory."This, for Eren, is the central conflict. "Any evolutionary science that deals with the past will always remain inference," he said. "Archaeologists have this tendency to pick their one pet thing and then impose it on all the variation that we see. What we really need to do is lean completely into evolution and biology and realize there could be multiple sources of variation that are influencing the things that we dig up out of the ground. And our job is to figure out how they interact to create that phenotype of the artifacts.Eren also sees a great need for more replication studies in his chosen field, even for that infamous frozen feces paper, which was primarily meant to bring the question out of the world of myth and legend and into the realm of science. "Imagine if youre a geneticist studying fruit flies and you do one study and nobody repeats it," he said. "There is a tradition in archaeology and anthropology where something is published and then its just gone, when really that should be the beginning.In my opinion, experimental archaeology is the future of the field," said Eren. "The archaeological record itself is a finite resource. We already have 200 years of excavated data in museums. So what do we do when all the sites are gone? Its this: experimental archaeology. Weve been digging stuff up for 200 years, and we barely have an understanding of how any of it works.Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior reporter at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 0 Comments

Water, power, sewage, banking, education, you name it -- all these life essentials have something in common: they rely on information technology. Increasingly complex andinsecuretechnology. Meanwhile, threat actors have the means to launch ever-rising numbers of attacks on critical applications. The revelation this past August of the huge data breach at National Public Data of Americans Social Security numbers, and other personal data, is a stunning Exhibit A.The number of reported vulnerabilities has skyrocketed over the last 10 years. In fact, the number of new software vulnerabilities cataloged in the federal National Vulnerability Database has increased an average of 29% per year over the last seven years.Every year sets a record high, and with the introduction of malicious code-writing and security hole-finding AI models, theres no reason to think that trend will reverse.The federal government's contribution to cybersecurity has thus far been through guidance and influence or by wielding its purchasing power as a huge IT consumer. Those have some value but clearly aren't having much impact.The public is quite unaware of how low the bar is presently set in software security. Modern software is never written entirely from scratch. Instead, developers use an assembly approach that pulls together existing code packages, often using open-source software built and maintained by developers not beholden in any way to the company making the final product.Related:As security vulnerabilities and active malware become increasingly common, all companies find themselves shouldering increasing security risk. Such government organizations as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have spent a great deal of time, money, and effort over the last few years trying to convince software vendors to adopt basic security practices and Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs).A vendor's SBOM tells the customerwhatis in the software -- but not whether the contents are secure.CISAs actions have not moved the needle at stopping breaches. US cybercrime costs reached an estimated $320 billion as of last year.Between 2017 and 2023, costs grew by over $300 billion.Companiessaythey're doing more about cybersecurity, but breaches continue, and the private market is not correcting poor behavior. Stock charts barely register a blip when companies report breaches now. Congress has not yet stepped in, hampered, perhaps, by an inadequate understanding of the issue.Related:Urgent action is, consequently, needed.Government stepped in to protect our food and medicine by establishing the Food and Drug Administration, intervened to make our automobiles safer by establishing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and acted to ensure job safety by establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.When new technology or industrial development has threatened public health and safety, the government has created new regulatory bodies to protect that health and safety.And according to public polling, while Americans may be largely dissatisfied with the federal government in broad terms, they still desire it to help keep the populace safe, including providing protection from unsafe products.The upshot is that Congress should establish a new regulatory body to evolve the guidance currently provided by CISA and presidential executive orders, coupled with oversight powers based on an expanded definition of critical software and hardware. What specifically defines critical here will of course need to be determined, but the current definition in use by CISA simply does not provide a sufficient scope to ensure Americas cybersecurity. The current patchwork of industry self-regulation -- with each federal department doing their best to oversee their respective industry areas -- leaves too many gaps and will not even scale to the challenges we already face.The new regulatory bodys charter should establish enforceable minimum standard security practices for private companies that are deemed critical to the nation. Those standards should go beyond CISAs currently used definition of critical infrastructure, which doesnotinclude companies essential to our everyday lives, such as Microsoft, Google, payment providers, and cybersecurity firms like CrowdStrike. Related:This new regulator will also need the power to audit companies against those standards, selectively publish findings publicly, share findings with other regulators such as the SEC, establish fines, and in egregious cases, be able to pull products from the market. These powers follow the established scope of current agencies, such as the FDA and NHTSA. Without these powers of regulation over essential software, any new agency will be reduced to providing guidance and our nation will continue to be at risk.As CISA is already under the Department of Homeland Security, the above could be accomplished either through expanding their jurisdiction and giving them the above powers and responsibilities, or through the establishment of a new agency.The need for robust cybersecurity regulation and oversight has become essential if we are to protect American citizens, companies, and governments from cyberattacks. Our unpredictable technological and geopolitical environments will demand no less.

Inhabitants of the Marshall Islandsa chain of coral atolls in the center of the Pacific Oceanrely on sea transportation for almost everything: moving people from one island to another, importing daily necessities from faraway nations, and exporting their local produce. For millennia they sailed largely in canoes, but much of their seafaring movement today involves big, bulky, diesel-fueled cargo ships that are heavy polluters. Theyre not alone, of course. Cargo shipping is responsible for about 3% of the worlds annual greenhouse-gas emissions, and at the current rate of growth, the global industry could account for 10% of emissions by 2050. Marshallese shipping represents just a drop in the ocean of global greenhouse-gas pollution; larger, more industrially developed countries are responsible for far more. But the islands have been disproportionately experiencing the consequences of human-made climate change: warming waters, more frequent extreme weather, and rising sea levels. All this has created a sense of urgency for people like Alson Kelen, who lives and works in Majuro, the islands capital. Hes the founder of Waan Ael, a Marshallese canoeing organization that is focused on keeping the regions ancient and more environmentally sustainable maritime traditions alive. In doing so, he hopes to help his nation fully decarbonize its fleets. Efforts include training local youths to build traditional Marshallese canoes (to replace small, motor-powered speedboats) and larger sailboats fitted with solar panels (to replace medium-size cargo ships). He was also an advisor on construction of the Juren Ae, a cargo sailboat (shown at right) inspired by traditional Marshallese vessels, which made its maiden voyage in 2024 and can carry 300 metric tons of cargo. The Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation hopes it offers a blueprint for cleaner cargo transportation across the Pacific; relative to a fuel-powered cargo ship, the vessel could decrease emissions by up to 80%. Its a beautiful big sister of our little canoes, says Kelen. Though hyperlocal, Kelens work is part of a global project from the International Maritime Organization to reduce emissions associated with cargo shipping to net zero by 2050. Beyond these tiny islands, much of the effort to meet the IMOs goals focuses on replacing gasoline with alternatives such as ammonia, methane, nuclear power, and hydrogen. And theres also what the Marshallese people have long relied on: wind power. Its just one option on the table, but the industry cannot decarbonize quickly enough to meet the IMOs goals without a role for wind propulsion, says Christiaan De Beukelaer, a political anthropologist and author of Trade Winds: A Voyage to a Sustainable Future for Shipping. If you take time into consideration, wind is indispensable, he says. Studies show that deploying wind power on vessels could lower the shipping industrys carbon dioxide emissions by 20%. What wind does is it effectively cuts out a few uncertainties, says De Beukelaervariables such as the fluctuation of fuel prices and the costs from any carbon pricing scheme the industry may adopt. The IMO is technology agnostic, meaning it sets the goals and safety standards but lets the market find the best ways to attain them. A spokesperson from the organization says wind propulsion is one of many avenues being explored. Sails can be used either to fully power a vessel or to supplement the motors as a way of reducing fuel consumption for large bulk carriers, oil tankers, and the roll-on/roll-off vessels used to transport airplanes and cars worldwide. Modern cargo sails come in several shapes, sizes, and styles, including wings, rotors, suction sails, and kites. If weve got five and a half thousand years of experience, isnt this just a no-brainer? says Gavin Allwright, secretary-general of the International Windship Association. Older cargo boats with new sails can use propulsive energy from the wind for up to 30% of their power, while cargo vessels designed specifically for wind could rely on it for up to 80% of their needs, says Allwright, who is still working on standardized measurement criteria to figure out which combination of ship and sail model is most efficient. There are so many variables involved, he saysfrom the size of the ship to the captain steering it. The 50th large vessel fitted with wind-harnessing tech set sail in October 2024, and he predicts that maritime wind power is set to boom by the beginning of 2026. COURTESY OF OCEANBIRD Hard wings One of the more popular designs for cargo ships is a rigid saila hard, winglike structure that is placed vertically on top of the vessel. Its very much like an airplane wing, says Niclas Dahl, managing director of Oceanbird, a Swedish company that develops these sails. Each one has a main and a flap, which creates a chamber where the wind speed is faster on the outside than the inside. In an aircraft, that discrepancy generates lift force, but in this case, says Dahl, it propels the ship forward. The wings are rigid, but they can be swiveled around and adjusted to capture the wind depending on where its coming from, and they can be folded and retracted close to the deck of the ship when it is nearing a dock. One of Oceanbirds sailsthe 40-meter-high, 14-meter-wide Wing 560, made of high-strength steel, glass fiber, and recycled polyethylene terephthalatecould help cargo ships reduce fuel use by up to 10% per trip, according to the companys calculations. Oceanbird is installing its first set of wings on a cargo vessel that transports cars, which was scheduled to be ready by the end of 2024. Oceanbird, though, is just one manufacturer; by late 2024, eight cargo vessels propelled by hard wings were cruising around the world, most of them generalized bulk carriers and oil tankers. COURTESY OF CARGOKITE Kites Other engineers and scientists are working to power cargo vessels with kites like those that propel paragliders. These kites are made from mixtures of UV-resistant polyester, and they are tethered to the ships bow and fly up to 200 to 300 meters above the ship, where they can make the best use of the constant winds at that altitude to basically tug the boat forward. To maximize lift, the kites are controlled by computers to operate in the sweet spot where wind is most constant. Studies show that a 400-square-meter kite can produce fuel savings of 9% to 15%. The main reason for us believing in kites is high-altitude winds, says Tim Linnenweber, cofounder of CargoKite, which designs micro cargo ships that can be powered this way. You basically have an increasing wind speed the higher you go, and so more consistent, more reliable, more steady winds. COURTESY OF BOUND4BLUE Suction sails Initially used for airplanes in the 1930s, suction sails were designed and tested on boats in the 1980s by the oceanographer and diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau. Suction sails are chubby metal sails that look something like rotors but more oval, with a pointed side. And instead of making the whole sail spin around, the motor turns on a fan on the inside of the sail that sucks in wind from the outside. Cristina Aleixendri, cofounder of Bound4Blue, a Spanish company building suction sails, explains that the vent pulls air in through lots of little holes in the shell of the sail and creates what physicists call a boundary layera thin layer of air blanketing the sail and thrusting it forward. Bound4Blues modern model generates 20% more thrust per square meter of sail than Cousteaus original design, says Aleixendri, and up to seven times more thrust than a conventional sail. Twelve ships fitted with a total of 26 suction sails are currently operating, ranging from fishing boats and oil tankers to roll-on/roll-off vessels. Bound4Blue is working on fitting six ships and has fitted four alreadyincluding one with the largest suction sail ever installed, at 22 meters tall. COURTESY OF NORSEPOWER Rotor sails In the 1920s, the German engineer Anton Flettner had a vision for a wind-powered ship that used vertical, revolving metal cylinders in place of traditional sails. In 1926, a vessel using his novel design, known as the Flettner rotor, crossed the Atlantic for the first time. Flettner rotors work thanks to the Magnus effect, a phenomenon that occurs when a spinning object moves through a fluid, causing a lift force that can deflect the objects path. With Flettners design, motors spin the cylinders around, and the pressure difference between the sides of the spinning object generates thrust forward, much like a soccer player bending the trajectory of a ball. In a modern upgrade of the rotor sail, designed by the Finnish company Norsepower, the cylinders can spin up to 300 times per minute. This produces 10 times more thrust power than a conventional sail. Norsepower has fitted 27 rotor sails on 14 ships out at sea so far, and six more ships equipped with rotor sails from other companies set sail in 2024. According to our calculations, the rotor sail is, at the moment, the most efficient wind-assistive power when you look at eurocent per kilowatt-hour, says Heikki Pntynen, Norsepowers CEO. Results from their vessels currently out at sea suggest that fuel savings are anywhere between 5% to 30% on the whole voyage. Sofia Quaglia is a freelance science journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic, and New Scientist.