Abstract Technology Binary Code Dark Red Background. Cyber Attack, Ransomware, Malware, Scareware ... [+] ConceptgettyWhat would you do if you discovered your email or bank account had been hacked today, right this minute? It is a terrifying thought but one that is becoming increasingly common.Home users are prime targets because they often lack the robust security measures found in businesses. Hackers exploit the fact that individuals are more likely to use weak passwords, reuse them across multiple accounts, and fall for phishing scams. Additionally, home networks are typically less secure, making them an easier entry point for attackers.Typical hacker attacks often begin with deceptive instant messages or emails designed to steal your login credentials or install malicious software. However, these attacks often unfold in ways you least expect.For example, even if you avoid clicking on suspicious links, images embedded in emails can also carry malicious code. Attackers may use urgent language to manipulate you into calling a fake phone number they control, or they might call you directly, impersonating officials from trusted organizations.Even non-clickable website URLs can be dangerous. Hackers may use encoded or subtly altered web addresses that, when copied and pasted, redirect you to a phishing site.Unexpected scenarios include:QR Code Scams: Tampered QR codes can lead to malicious sites or unauthorized payments.Bluetooth Exploits: Public Bluetooth use risks data theft.Wi-Fi Eavesdropping: Unsecured Wi-Fi exposes your data to hackers.Supply Chain Attacks: Compromised software updates may install malware.Deepfake Attacks: Fake videos or audio trick victims into sharing sensitive data or money.The good news? You can prepare. In this guide, I will break down the steps you can take to secure your digital life and stay one step ahead of the hackers.Strengthen Your DefensesMORE FOR YOUIt may seem obvious, but it is essential to emphasize because it is often overlooked: practice safe online behavior! Avoid phishing scams, suspicious links, unsafe websites, and unknown email attachments. Be cautious not only with unsolicited communication but also with messages from friends or relatives; they may sometimes get hacked and unknowingly send you malicious links.Now, lets move on to specific tips.Yes, it is a hassle, but reset all passwords for all online accounts right now. Change your passwords every few months, ensuring they are strong and unique.Always use different passwords for each account to limit exposure in case of a breach.Check for inactive Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all accounts and activate it wherever possible.Use different email accounts for different purposes. For example, one email can be used for important accounts like banking and another for less critical accounts, such as entertainment or subscriptions.Search for exposed personal information. Google yourself, check data breach sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, MyLife, and Have I Been Pwned, use tools like Nortons Dark Web Monitoring or Experians services to spot your data on the dark web, and review online discussions or forums for exposed details such as your email or location.Regularly review your credit reports for signs of fraud or unauthorized activity.Regularly check for outdated apps and operating systems on all devices and install updates promptly. Configure devices and software to update automaticallyOn supported devices, use Lockdown Mode to restrict functionality during potential threats.Close inactive online accounts and uninstall apps you no longer use.Limit apps to only the permissions they truly need, especially for sensitive data like location.Use trusted antivirus solutions to protect your devices from malware.Review and adjust privacy and security settings across all accounts. Set up alerts for account logins and transactions. On social networks, control who can see your posts, profile details, and tagged content. Avoid oversharing on social platforms.Use filters to reduce phishing attempts and spam. In Gmail, go to Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses > Create a New Filter, then specify criteria like keywords, sender addresses, or attachments, and choose actions like automatically deleting or sending them to spam.Secure your home network by using a strong, unique Wi-Fi password, enabling WPA3 encryption, and turning off remote management.Use external drives or cloud services to back up important files. Automate backups where possible.Final ThoughtsYes, security may not always be convenient, but it is a small price to pay compared to the devastating consequences of losing your identity, money, or something even more valuable.

Holiday travel and the associated crowds like the one seen here at the Tom Bradley International ... [+] Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on December 26, 2024, will help the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) travel and spread too. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Getty ImagesLooks like yet another end-of-the-year COVID-19 surge is happening. But this year it seems to be getting a whole lot less attention than such COVID surges in previous years. Thats helped earn this latest upswing the following nickname: the silent COVID-19 surge. But this doesnt mean that you should simply stay in an enjoy the silence mode and be lulled into a false sense of security. Failing to take appropriate precautions could leave you open to getting COVID, both the long and the short of it.XEC Variant Has Become Dominant In COVID-19 SurgeIt shouldnt be too surprising that the colder and drier weather is bringing a surge this time of the year as it has had each year since 2020. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 just keeps doing what it does oh-so-well: it just keeps mutating and mutating and mutating, resulting in more and more variants. Leading the charge now silentlybecause viruses dont talkis the XEC variant of the SARS-CoV-2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the XEC variant has comprised 45% of SARS-CoV-2 infections from December 8 through December 21. In second place was the KP.3.1.1 at 24% followed by the LP.8.1 at 8%. None of the rest of the alphabet soup of FLiRT family descendants constituted more than 5% of the bunch.Wastewater Surveillance Data Suggests COVID-19 SurgeThe number one indication that a COVID surge is happening right now is from a number two thing: wastewater surveillance, which is basically testing samples of poop-filled sewage water for the virus. A CDC map of the U.S. shows that in the December 8-14 time period, wastewater viral activity of SARS-CoV-2 activity in wastewater samples was measured to be either high or very high in 21 states. Thats after many states remained at moderate-to-low levels throughout much of the Fall.While wastewater surveillance is far from a complete waste, the accuracy of wastewater surveillance does depend on where and how often samples are taken. Just because measured SARS-CoV-2 activity is low doesnt necessarily mean that virus isnt spreading substantially among the human population. There can be a substantial delay between people getting infected and the virus being detected in wastewater. Additionally, its never a good idea to rely on a single measure for anything. Thats kind of why dating profiles have more than just height listed on them.Lack Of Comprehensive And Proactive Surveillance Data System Makes It Difficult To Detect COVID-19 SurgeThese days its actually a whole lot harder to figure out when and where theres a COVID surge. If you go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID Data Tracker, the first things that youll find are four measures. The first is the test positivity rate listed as 5.6% for the week ending December 14, 2024, which is higher than the 5.1% from the previous week. This no longer has the accuracy that it may have had back in 2020 when a lot more testing was going on and being reported. Also, youll notice that its been two weeks since that week so that value isnt exactly up to date.MORE FOR YOUThe other three measures listed are:The percentage of all emergency room visits that received a COVID-19 diagnosis: This was 0.7% for the week ending December 14, which was the same as the week prior. These numbers may not be very accurate because its not clear how many people visiting the ER are getting tested for COVID these days. Moreover, ER data has always been an after-the-surge-has-already-been-occurring-for-a-while measure. People wont go to the ER until after they develop severe enough symptoms, which can be one to two weeks after they got infected.The number of hospitalizations per 100,000 people in the population: This was 1.6 for the week ending November 30 and down from 1.7 the week prior. But the week ending November 30 is even more out-of-date than the week ending December 14. Hospitalization data have the same aforementioned weaknesses that ER data do.The percentage of all deaths that were due to COVID: This was 1.1% for the week ending December 14 up from 0.8% the week prior. This is also an after-the-surge-has-already-been-occurring-for-a-while measureAdditionally, these three measure are sort of like overly large shoulder pads, skinny jeans and oversized logo clothinga bit out of date as the primary measures. The nature of COVID has changed since the earlier pandemic days. As more and more people have gotten more and more exposure to the spike protein through vaccination and infection, peoples immune systems are less virginal to the virus and instead know how to better handle SARS-CoV-2. This probably has helped more severe acute COVID-19 outcomes less and less likely.That doesnt mean that the SARS-CoV-2 is no longer a significant threat. A SARS-CoV-2 infection continues to bring the risk of long Covid. The exact risk is not known because long Covid hasnt been aggressively followed. In fact, the number of current long Covid cases is not really since the U.S. never really developed an effective surveillance system for long Covid.Youve also probably heard the term silent but deadly. Just because the risk of death from COVID-19 is now lower than it was in the early years of the pandemic doesnt mean that it cant happen. This is especially true if your immune system is weaker.How To Protect Yourself During This Silent COVID-19 SurgeOf course, not talking about COVID-19 doesnt mean that it has gone away. The trouble, though, is many people are acting as if COVID has gone the way of the sweater vest and not taking enough precautions, you know all those things the pandemic was supposed to teach us. These include:Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly: Remember to lather up with soap for at least 20 seconds, which is the amount of time it takes to since from the start to the end of the first chorus in the song I Touch Myself, as Ive written previously for Forbes. This remains important not just against SARS-CoV-2 but also against the multitude of other pathogens out there, including the flu.Staying home when youre sick: You are not that important for work or that party, certainly not important to get everyone else sick.Practicing appropriate social distancing: If that coughing stranger wants to sidle up to you to talk about psychedelics, crypto or whatever, keep your distance.Keeping indoor spaces well-ventilated with air purification: This can include using a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filter to remove harmful particles from the air.Wear a face mask when and where the risk is higher such as crowded public indoor locations: Sure, some political and business leaders have managed to politicize the heck out of face masks. But N95 masks are designed to block virus particles, and scientific studies have supported the effectiveness in reducing the risk of transmission.Getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine: The protection offered by vaccination tends to begin waning at the four to six month mark. Plus the vaccine from previous years targeted much earlier version of the virus.Again, the 2024 edition of the end-of-year COVID-19 surge may not be getting attention from political leaders. But as history has shown, just because political leaders dont talk about something doesnt mean that it isnt a problem.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTrue small Pro flagships are hereThe future is even more excitingI hope this trend continuesWeve had companies try making small phones in the past, but they couldnt stand the test of time. Apple tried the small iPhones with the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 13 mini, but like most small phones, they were plagued by bad battery life and saw underwhelming sales despite the much-beloved pocketable size.But 2024 redefined what small means in flagship phones. This was a year when compact devices finally stopped playing second fiddle to their larger siblings, but theres still one missing piece that needs to be addressed.Recommended VideosPrakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsFor years, small Pro flagships have been treated like a second thought in terms of specs. For instance, Apple limited the new 5x telephoto camera to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, while the iPhone 15 Pro featured older optics. In terms of numbers, both these phones had a 48MP main plus 12MP ultrawide plus 12MP telephoto camera. The zoom lens featured the same aperture, and the new 5x optical zoom was limited to only the Pro Max phone.RelatedOn the Android side, the Galaxy S24 doesnt have the same camera setup as the Galaxy S24 Ultra similar to the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. On Samsung, you get an extra periscope telephoto camera with the Ultra, while the vanilla Pixels have had the zoom lens missing for years without a small Pro Pixel phone.Phone companies have gatekept the best optics for their most expensive big phones. So you had to choose between having the best cameras or the small form factor. But things changed in 2024.Apple and Google made flagships that retained the optic prowess of their bigger siblings while retaining a smaller size. Both iPhone 16 Pro phones now sport the same primary, ultrawide, and telephoto cameras with the same software feature set.Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe new Google Pixel phones also had the same tactics. The company introduced a new XL modelwhile the Pixel 9 Pro shrank in size this year. It allowed Google to deliver three Pixel 9 phones, out of which the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL featured the same camera system but differed in size and price.In 2024, you could finally have the best camera system on smaller phones. This meant spending at least $100 less and not going for an inconvenient phone size when prioritizing the optics on your next phone. But these small phones arent the same size as the compact phones from yesteryears.Size is relative. It took small phones getting bigger for brands to give us true Pro flagships in a compact size. Im not complaining, though. In my opinion, a 6.3-inch display is the perfect form factor for a pocketable phone. Its not too small to compromise on the battery life and display, and not so big it cant fit in your pocket. I liked the Xiaomi 14 for the same reason.I remember shifting from the iPhone 14 Pro Max to the iPhone 14 Pro and then to the iPhone 15 Pro and missing an all-day battery life. For years, Ive wanted a comparatively small phone to last me an entire day. The current-gen compact flagships arent there yet, and thebattery life of the iPhone 16 Pro has only worsened with each update. But both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro are getting there. The bigger phones still last longer, but now you dont have to compromise on specs to get the phone size that fits your liking.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsThe iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro have reached a point where you get the best camera system, but the battery prowess is still lacking. The main culprit is using older battery tech. To take an example from outside the U.S., Vivo also delivered a small Pro flagship in 2024.The Vivo X200 Pro Mini featured the best cameras in a 6.3-inch screen form factor while also packing a big 5,700mAh battery thats likely to last you longer than the Apple and Google phones with much smaller cells. Comparatively, the Galaxy S24 packs a 4,000mAh battery, while the Pixel 9 Pro has a 4,700mAh battery.For context, the Vivo X200 Pro Mini offers a larger battery than the biggest Pixel phone. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 5,060mAh battery, while the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 5,000mAh cell. This is only possible because of the latest innovation in battery tech, which gave us silicon carbon batteries.I havent tested this particular mini Vivo phone, but I have some experience with silicon carbon battery-equipped phones, including the Honor Magic V3, Oppo Find X8 Pro, and Vivo X200 Pro. These have lasted me at least a day, even on heavy usage, and up to 1.5 days on medium use. Ive been pleasantly surprised by not having to charge my phone twice a day. And even when needed, I can get a full charge within an hour, thanks to super-fast charging from these Chinese brands.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsBoth Apple and Google made us believe its possible to have true Pro flagships with the best camera systems, but the only way for a small phone to have an on-par battery life with bigger phones is with silicon carbon batteries. Thats because these are more energy-dense and can hold more battery capacity in a smaller size. Thus, cutting the weight and delivering a better battery life for each charge. I hope U.S. phone manufacturers embrace this battery innovation next year.Looking ahead, Samsung is unlikely to introduce the same camera setup on its Galaxy S25 as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but this is a trend that I hope will continue. 2024 proved its possible to deliver true Pro features in a compact size.While Samsungs Galaxy S25 might not follow this trend, Apple, Google, and especially Vivo have shown whats achievable. With silicon carbon batteries paving the way, 2025 could be the year small flagships truly come into their own. Imagine having a globally available phone with flagship cameras and great battery life in a 6.3-inch screen form factor. I hope this dream becomes a reality next year.Editors Recommendations

Keanu Reeves would do John Wick 5In a recent interview with CBS News, Reeves was asked about reprising the titular assassin in John Wick 5. Reeves is not opposed to suiting up one final time. However, the 60-year-old is unsure if his knees can withstand the physical toll required to make an intense action movie.Recommended VideosYou can never say never, Reeves said. My knees right now are saying, I cant do another John Wick. So my heart does, but I dont know if my knees can do it.Please enable Javascript to view this contentJohn Wick: Chapter 4 was supposed to serve as the franchises finale. At the end of the fourth film, Winston Scott (Ian McShane) visits Wicks gravestone, located beside the one for his wife, Helen. Wick presumably died from his injuries sustained from the duel in Paris. As Winston walks away, Wicks dog is looking at something in the background. Could be this be Wick himself?From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025) Official Trailer - Ana de ArmasDirector Chad Stahelski spoke about the ambiguous ending and how it opens the door to a fifth movie.RelatedThere was a different way to do [the funeral scene], and we wanted it to be a little bit more mysterious. Thats why you see the puppy look up at the end [during that scene], Stahelski said. So, we did one test screening, and the audience revolted pretty hard about [the alternate ending]. So we thought that we nailed it the first time, and to the studios credit, they didnt even blink.While the status ofJohn Wick 5remains undecided, Reeves will play the hit man at least once more in the spinoff movie, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Ana de Armas stars as Eve Macarro, the titular ballerina who trains to become an assassin with the Ruska Roma.Ballerinatakes place during the events ofJohn Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum.From the World of John Wick: Ballerinaopens in theaters on June 6, 2025.Editors Recommendations

Escape from RTO Tech worker movements grow as threats of RTO, AI loom Advocates say tech workers movements got too big to ignore in 2024. Ashley Belanger Dec 28, 2024 7:00 am | 3 Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIt feels like tech workers have caught very few breaks over the past several years, between ongoing mass layoffs, stagnating wages amid inflation, AI supposedly coming for jobs, and unpopular orders to return to office that, for many, threaten to disrupt work-life balance.But in 2024, a potentially critical mass of tech workers seemed to reach a breaking point. As labor rights groups advocating for tech workers told Ars, these workers are banding together in sustained strong numbers and are either winning or appear tantalizingly close to winning better worker conditions at major tech companies, including Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft.In February, the industry-wide Tech Workers Coalition (TWC) noted that "the tech workers movement is far more expansive and impactful" than even labor rights advocates realized, noting that unionized tech workers have gone beyond early stories about Googlers marching in the streets and now "make the headlines on a daily basis."Ike McCreery, a TWC volunteer and ex-Googler who helped found the Alphabet Workers Union, told Ars that although "it's hard to gauge numerically" how much movements have grown, "our sense is definitely that the momentum continues to build.""It's been an exciting year," McCreery told Ars, while expressing particular enthusiasm that even "highly compensated tech workersare really seeing themselves more as workers" in these fightswhich TWC "has been pushing for a long time."In 2024, TWC broadened efforts to help workers organize industry-wide, helping everyone from gig workers to project managers build both union and non-union efforts to push for change in the workplace.Such widespread organizing "would have been unthinkable only five years ago," TWC noted in February, and it's clear from some of 2024's biggest wins that some movements are making gains that could further propel that momentum in 2025.Workers could also gain the upper hand if unpopular policies increase what one November study called "brain drain." That's a trend where tech companies adopting potentially alienating workplace tactics risk losing top talent at a time when key industries like AI and cybersecurity are facing severe talent shortages.Advocates told Ars that unpopular policies have always fueled workers movements, and RTO and AI are just the latest adding fuel to the fire. As many workers prepare to head back to offices in 2025 where worker surveillance is only expected to intensify, they told Ars why they expect to see workers' momentum continue at some of the world's biggest tech firms.Tech worker movements growingIn August, Apple ratified a labor contract at America's first unionized Apple Storeagreeing to a modest increase in wages, about 10 percent over three years. While small, that win came just a few weeks before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) determined that Amazon was a joint employer of unionized contract-based delivery drivers. And Google lost a similar fight last January when the NLRB ruled it must bargain with a union representing YouTube Music contract workers, Reuters reported.For many workers, joining these movements helped raise wages. In September, facing mounting pressure, Amazonraised warehouse worker wagesinvesting $2.2 billion, its "biggest investment yet," to broadly raise base salaries for workers. And more recently, Amazon was hit with a strikeduring the busy holiday season, as warehouse workers hoped to furtherhobble the company during a clutch financial quarter to force more bargaining. (Last year, Amazon posted record-breaking $170 billion holiday quarter revenues and has said the current strike won't hurt revenues.)Even typically union-friendly Microsoft drew worker backlash and criticism in 2024 following layoffs of 650 video game workers in September.These mass layoffs are driving some workers to join movements. A senior director for organizing with Communications Workers of America (CWA), Tom Smith, told Ars that shortly after the 600-member Tech Guild"the largest single certified group of tech workers" to organize at the New York Timesreached a tentative deal to increase wages "up to 8.25 percent over the length of the contract," about "460 software engineers at a video game company owned by Microsoft successfully unionized."Smith told Ars that while workers for years have pushed for better conditions, "these large units of tech workers achieving formal recognition, building lasting organization, and winning contracts" at "a more mass scale" are maturing, following in the footsteps of unionizing Googlers and today influencing a broader swath of tech industry workers nationwide. From CWA's viewpoint, workers in the video game industry seem best positioned to seek major wins next, Smith suggested, likely starting with Microsoft-owned companies and eventually affecting indie game companies.CWA, TWC, and Tech Workers Union 1010 (a group run by tech workers that's part of the Office and Professional Employees International Union) all now serve as dedicated groups supporting workers movements long-term, and that stability has helped these movements mature, McCreery told Ars. Each group plans to continue meeting workers where they are to support and help expand organizing in 2025.Cost of RTOs may be significant, researchers warnWhile layoffs likely remain the most extreme threat to tech workers broadly, a return-to-office (RTO) mandate can be just as jarring for remote tech workers who are either unable to comply or else unwilling to give up the better work-life balance that comes with no commute. Advocates told Ars that RTO policies have pushed workers to join movements, while limited research suggests that companies risk losing top talents by implementing RTO policies.In perhaps the biggest example from 2024, when Amazon announced that it was requiring workers in-office five days a week next year, a poll on the anonymous platform where workers discuss employers, Blind, found an overwhelming majority of more than 2,000 Amazon employees were "dissatisfied.""My morale for this job is gone..." one worker said on Blind.Workers criticized the "non-data-driven logic" of the RTO mandate, prompting an Amazon executive to remind them that they could take their talents elsewhere if they didn't like it. Many confirmed that's exactly what they planned to do. (Amazon later announced it would be delaying RTO for many office workers after belatedly realizing there was a lack of office space.)Other companies mandating RTO faced similar backlash from workers, who continued to question the logic driving the decision. One February study showed that RTO mandates don't make companies any more valuable but do make workers more miserable. And last month, Brian Elliott, an executive advisor who wrote a book about the benefits of flexible teams, noted that only one in three executives thinks RTO had "even a slight positive impact on productivity."But not every company drew a hard line the way that Amazon did. For example, Dell gave workers a choice to remain remote and accept they can never be eligible for promotions, or mark themselves as hybrid. Workers who refused the RTO said they valued their free time and admitted to looking for other job opportunities.Very few studies have been done analyzing the true costs and benefits of RTO, a November academic study titled "Return to Office and Brain Drain" said, and so far companies aren't necessarily backing the limited findings. The researchers behind that study noted that "the only existing study" measuring how RTO impacts employee turnover showed this year that senior employees left for other companies after Microsofts RTO mandate, but Microsoft disputed that finding.Seeking to build on this research, the November study tracked "over 3 million tech and finance workers employment histories reported on LinkedIn" and analyzed "the effect of S&P 500 firms return-to-office (RTO) mandates on employee turnover and hiring."Choosing to only analyze the firms requiring five days in office, the final sample covered 54 RTO firms, including big tech companies like Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. From that sample, researchers concluded that average employee turnover increased by 14 percent after RTO mandates at bigger firms. And since big firms typically have lower turnover, the increase in turnover is likely larger at smaller firms, the study's authors concluded.The study also supported the conclusion that "employees with the highest skill level are more likely to leave" and found that "RTO firms take significantly longer time to fill their job vacancies after RTO mandates.""Together, our evidence suggests that RTO mandates are costly to firms and have serious negative effects on the workforce," the study concluded, echoing some remote workers' complaints about the seemingly non-data-driven logic of RTO, while urging that further research is needed."These turnovers could potentially have short-term and long-term effects on operation, innovation, employee morale, and organizational culture," the study concluded.A co-author of the "brain drain" study, Mark Ma, told Ars that by contrast, Glassdoor going fully remote at least anecdotally seemed to "significantly" increase the number and quality of applicationspossibly also improving retention by offering the remote flexibility that many top talents today require.Ma said that next his team hopes to track where people who leave firms over RTO policies go next."Do they become self-employed, or do they go to a competitor, or do they fund their own firm?" Ma speculated, hoping to trace these patterns more definitively over the next several years.Additionally, Ma plans to investigate individual firms' RTO impacts, as well as impacts on niche classes of workers with highly sought-after skillssuch as in areas like AI, machine learning, or cybersecurityto see if it's easier for them to find other jobs. In the long-term, Ma also wants to monitor for potentially less-foreseeable outcomes, such as RTO mandates possibly increasing firms' number of challengers in their industry.Will RTO mandates continue in 2025?Many tech workers may be wondering if there will be a spike in return-to-office mandates in 2025, especially since one of the most politically influential figures in tech, Elon Musk, recently reiterated that he thinks remote work is "poison."Musk, of course, banned remote work at Tesla, as well as when he took over Twitter. And as co-lead of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk reportedly plans to ban remote work for government employees, as well. If other tech firms are influenced by Musk's moves and join executives who seem to be mandating RTO based on intuition, it's possible that more tech workers could be forced to return to office or else seek other employment.But Ma told Ars that he doesn't expect to see "a big spike in the number of firms announcing return to office mandates" in 2025.His team only found eight major firms in tech and finance that issued five-day return-to-office mandates in 2024, which was the same number of firms flagged in 2023, suggesting no major increase in RTOs from year to year. Ma told Ars that while big firms like Amazon ordering employees to return to the office made headlines, many firms seem to be continuing to embrace hybrid models, sometimes allowing employees to choose when or if they come into the office.That seeming preference for hybrid work models seems to align with "future of work" surveys outlining workplace trends and employee preferences that the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) conducted for years but has seemingly since discontinued. In 2021, CTA reported that "89 percent of tech executives say flexible work arrangements are the most important employee benefit and 65 percent say theyll hire more employees to work remotely." The next year, which apparently was the last time CTA published the survey, the CTA suggested hybrid models could help attract talents in a competitive market hit with "an unprecedented demand for workers with high-tech skills."The CTA did not respond to Ars' requests to comment on whether it expects hybrid work arrangements to remain preferred over five-day return-to-office policies next year.CWA's Smith told Ars that workers movements are growing partly because "folks are engaged in this big fight around surveillance and workplace control," as well as anything "having to do with to what extent will people return to offices and what does that look like if and when people do return to offices?"Without data backing RTO mandates, Ma's study suggests that firms will struggle to retain highly skilled workers at a time when tech innovation remains a top priority for the US. As workers appear increasingly put off by policieslike RTO or AI-driven workplace monitoring or efficiency efforts threatening to replace workers with AISmith's experience seems to show that disgruntled workers could find themselves drawn to unions that could help them claw back control over work-life balance. And the cost of the ensuing shuffle to some of the largest tech firms in the world could be "significant," Ma's study warned.TWC's McCreery told Ars that on top of unpopular RTO policies driving workers to join movements, workers have also become more active in protesting unpopular politics, frustrated to see their talents apparently used to further controversial conflicts and military efforts globally. Some workers think workplace organizing could be more powerful than voting to oppose political actions their companies take."The workplace really remains an important site of power for a lot of people where maybe they don't feel like they can enact their values just by voting or in other ways," McCreery said.While unpopular policies "have always been a reason workers have joined unions and joined movements," McCreery said that "the development of more of these unpopular policies" like RTO and AI-enhanced surveillance "really targeted" at workers has increased "the political consciousness and the sense" that tech workers are "just like any other workers."Layoffs at companies like Microsoft and Amazon during periods when revenue is increasing in the double-digits also unify workers, advocates told Ars. Forbes noted Microsoft laid off 1,000 workers "just five days before reporting a 17.6 percent increase in revenue to $62 billion," while Amazon's 1,000-worker layoffs followed a 14 percent rise in revenue to $170 billion. And demand for AI led to the highest profit margins Amazon's seen for its cloud business in a decade, CNBC reported in October.CWA's Smith told Ars as companies continue to rake in profits and workers feel their work-life balance slipping away while their efforts in the office are potentially "used to increase control and cause broader suffering," some of the biggest fights workers raised in 2024 may intensify next year."It's like a shock to employees, these industries pushing people to lower your expectations because we're going to lay off hundreds of thousands of you just because we can while wemake more profits than we ever have," Smith said. "I think workers are going to step into really broad campaigns to assert a different worldview on employment security."Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 3 Comments

MindMaking ambitious goals for the year ahead can set you up for disappointment, so try embracing the concept of kaizen instead, says David Robson 27 December 2023 Parradee Kietsirikul/Getty ImagesAFTER our joyful revelling comes the inevitable season of good intentions. When we make our New Years resolutions, we often set ourselves ambitious goals to run a half-marathon, learn a language or write a novel. One reason these resolutions often fail is that our focus is too wide we think about the reward at the end of the journey, not considering the little steps that we need to take to get there. Then we end up feeling defeated and dejected as we fail to make the progress we want.Perhaps we should all try to apply the Japanese concept of

The US said it has "early indications" that suggest Russian air defenses downed a passenger plane.An Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed while trying to land after diverting to Kazakhstan, killing 38.Experts pointed to damage to the plane before it landed, suggesting it had been hit by a missile.A White House official said the US has seen "early indications" that the fatal crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane was caused by a Russian air defense system.White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that the US has "seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems."Kirby did not provide further details, but he said Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan were investigating the incident and that the US had offered to assist if needed.When pressed for more information on whether the US had seen intelligence that pointed to the involvement of an air defense system, Kirby said the short answer was "yes" but that he would "leave it at that."The Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 plane was en route to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, from Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, on Wednesday.Flight 8243 then changed course over Russia and was trying to reach Kazakhstan's Aktau airport when it crash-landed.Kazakh authorities said 38 people died, including the pilots, and 29 others survived. The crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Meiramgul Kussainova/Anadolu via Getty Images The airline's president praised the pilots' "heroism" and said the crew's dedication to their duties and prioritization of human life had "immortalized their names in history."Russian air defenses have been active around Grozny as Ukrainian drones have targeted the area as part of Ukraine's fightback against Russia's invasion.Multiple experts and reports have pointed to Russia likely being behind the crash, citing the plane's erratic route as well as photo and video evidence of the aircraft that show holes in its fuselage and tail while it was still in the air.Oliver Alexander, an OSINT analyst, said in a message to BI that "at this point, I don't think there is enough available evidence to conclusively say what exactly happened (type of missile etc)."But he said "all the evidence I have seen points to the aircraft being hit by shrapnel from an air defense missile which severely damaged the elevator and rudder controls."Sources with knowledge of Azerbaijan's investigation told The Wall Street Journal that Russia had redirected the aircraft from its airspace and jammed its GPS system.Azerbaijani sources with knowledge of the country's inquiry also told The New York Times that Azerbaijani officials believed a Russian Pantsir-S air defense system had damaged the aircraft.Rashan Nabiyev, Azerbaijan's minister of digital development and transportation, told the country's media that "preliminary conclusions by experts point at external impact," the AP reported."The type of weapon used in the impact will be determined during the probe," he added.Azerbaijan Airlines said on Friday that a preliminary inquiry had blamed both "physical and technical external interference" but did not give any details.Multiple airlines said after the crash that they would suspend flights to Russia and avoid Russian airspace. Most Western airlines have already been doing so since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.The Kremlin has refused to comment on reports that Russian weaponry caused the crash.Speaking at a news briefing on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Currently an investigation is in progress. Any air incident should be investigated by specialized aviation authorities.""It would be wrong to build any hypotheses before the panel of inquiry presents its conclusions. Of course, we cannot do that. No one should do it," he added.Russia's civil aviation authority pointed to a bird strike as a possible cause of the crash.After a missile system shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet in 2014, international investigators concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had likely given the system to separatists who used it.All 298 people who were on board flight MH17 were killed.

Here are the worst movies of Nicole Kidman's career.Some movies Nicole Kidman has starred in didn't impress the critics. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters 10. (tie) "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (2023)Nicole Kidman in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Warner Bros. In the panned sequel to the 2018 DC Comics movie "Aquaman," Kidman returns as Atlanna, Aquaman's mother and the former queen of Atlantis. One critic said the movie "spectacularly misfires."Rotten Tomatoes score: 33% 10. (tie) "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus" (2006)Nicole Kidman in "Fur." River Road Entertainment Critics didn't get this movie, in which Kidman plays the famed photographer Diane Arbus, saying it wasn't nearly as daring as its subject.Rotten Tomatoes score: 33% 8. (tie) "Practical Magic" (1998)Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in "Practical Magic." Warner Bros. Though audiences weren't into Kidman and Sandra Bullock playing sisters descended from witches, the movie has since found a following and a sequel is in development.Rotten Tomatoes score: 26% 8. (tie) "The Stepford Wives" (2004)Nicole Kidman in "The Stepford Wives." Paramount Pictures This adaptation of the famed 1972 novel didn't sit well with critics. In this version, Kidman plays a TV executive who moves to the quaint Connecticut town of Stepford and quickly realizes nothing is what it seems.Rotten Tomatoes score: 26% 6. "The Goldfinch" (2019)Nicole Kidman and Ansel Elgort in "The Goldfinch." Warner Bros. This adaptation of the beloved book of the same name was criticized for being boring and flattening its characters into broader ideas.Rotten Tomatoes score: 24% 5. "Bewitched" (2005)Nicole Kidman in "Bewitched." John Bramley/Sony Pictures In this meta remake of the classic TV series, Will Ferrell plays an actor cast in the remake of "Bewitched," only to find out that his wife (Kidman) is, in fact, a witch. Unfortunately, critics complained the movie wasn't genuinely funny.Rotten Tomatoes score: 23% 4. "The Invasion" (2007)Nicole Kidman in "The Invasion." Peter Sorel/Warner Bros. Entertainment If you haven't figured out yet, remakes and Nicole Kidman don't mesh. Here she stars opposite Daniel Craig in a remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." It didn't turn out well.Rotten Tomatoes score: 20% 3. "Just Go With It" (2011)Nicole Kidman in "Just Go with It." Columbia Pictures Kidman shows off her comedic chops in this Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston rom-com, but the movie was panned as clich and predictable.Rotten Tomatoes score: 19% 2. "Queen of the Desert" (2015)Nicole Kidman in "Queen of the Desert." IFC Films Werner Herzog cast Kidman in this forgettable biopic on British archaeologist Gertrude Bell.Rotten Tomatoes score: 18% 1. "Trespass" (2011)Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman in "Trespass." Millennium Entertainment Kidman teamed with Nicolas Cage for this dull crime thriller in which they play a married couple who are taken hostage by extortionists.Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%Here are Nicole Kidman's best movies, according to critics.Nicole Kidman. Christopher Polk/Getty Images 10. (tie) "Boy Erased" (2018)Nicole Kidman and Lucas Hedges in "Boy Erased." Focus Features Kidman plays a Baptist parent who forces her gay son (Lucas Hedges) to take part in a conversion therapy program.Rotten Tomatoes score: 80% 10. (tie) "The Hours" (2002)Nicole Kidman in "The Hours." Paramount Pictures Kidman won a best actress Oscar for her portrayal of famed author Virginia Woolf.Rotten Tomatoes score: 80% 6. (tie) "The Others" (2001)Nicole Kidman in "The Others." Miramax This supernatural thriller stars Kidman as a mother with two photosensitive children who believe ghosts are in their house (or are they really the ghosts?).Rotten Tomatoes score: 84% 6. (tie) "Lion" (2016)Nicole Kidman in "Lion." Transmission Films Kidman plays the adoptive mother of an Indian boy who was separated by his family back in India and reconnects with them 25 years later.Rotten Tomatoes score: 84% 6. (tie) "Dead Calm" (1989)Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill in "Dead Calm." Warner Bros. This Australian thriller stars Kidman and Sam Neill as a couple sailing through the Great Barrier Reef when they come across a man (Billy Zane) fleeing a sinking ship. Things get complicated from there.Rotten Tomatoes score: 84% 5. "Rabbit Hole" (2010)Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart in "Rabbit Hole." Lionsgate Kidman stars alongside Aaron Eckhart in this drama as a couple grieving after the death of their child.Rotten Tomatoes score: 86% 4. "To Die For" (1995)Nicole Kidman in "To Die For." Columbia Pictures/screenshot Kidman scored a Golden Globe win for her portrayal of a small-town weather reporter who wants her husband Larry (Matt Dillon) killed and enlists a high school boy Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix) who has the hots for her to do the deed.Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% 3. "The Northman" (2022)Nicole Kidman in "The Northman." Focus Features In this Viking tale from Robert Eggers, Kidman plays the Queen mother to a prince, played by Alexander Skarsgrd.Rotten Tomatoes score: 90% 2. "Flirting" (1990)Nicole Kidman in "Flirting." Warner Bros In one of the final Australian-produced films Kidman made before jumping to Hollywood, she plays one of the lead roles in this coming-of-age drama set in a New South Wales boarding school.Rotten Tomatoes score: 96% 1. "Paddington" (2014)Nicole Kidman in "Paddington." StudioCanal In the first movie based on the beloved children's book character, Kidman plays evil taxidermist Millicent Clyde, who is on the hunt for Paddington.Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.Happy end of 2024! It's our last Saturday edition of Business Insider Today, so we're doing something special. Instead of a regular dispatch from me, here's a look at some of our favorite lifestyle reads from the year. Until next year.On the agenda:Rob McElhenney is already on to the next thing.American homes are shrinking, and hallways are getting left on the cutting-room floor.Young men are getting testosterone boosts to feel stronger, sharper, and anxiety-free.Boquete, Panama, was once home to rainforests and coffee farms. Now, thousands of expats call it home.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.Rob McElhenney is betting on himself Sheryl Nields for BI Rob McElhenney is an actor, writer, showrunner, and entrepreneur. In today's entertainment landscape, multi-hyphenate celebrities are everywhere, but not every workhorse can create the longest-running live-action American sitcom, as McElhenney did with "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."To McElhenney, every story is a business and every business is a story. As his "Welcome to Wrexham" costar and co-owner Ryan Reynolds told BI this year, "If you need to overcome a problem or manifest a miracle, tell Rob it's impossible."Disappearing hallways Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI The costs of buying and building a new home have skyrocketed in the past decade. In 2024, houses in the US were both smaller and more expensive than those built 13 years ago, census data show.As they downsize projects, homebuilders are trying to maximize essential living spaces. That means the usual connective tissue between rooms the hallway has gotta go.All T'd up Edmon De Haro for BI Once taboo, it's now become a point of pride for men to proactively track their testosterone levels and confront dips. Prescriptions for testosterone-replacement therapy have dramatically increased across the US over the last two decades, rising 20% from 2016 to 2019.The trend tells a story of a new kind of gender-affirming care but for cisgender men. Testosterone is prescribed to treat a set of vague symptoms for men hoping to feel "better," though it's not exactly clear what it does or who needs it.A retiree's paradise Monica Humphries/Business Insider It's not uncommon to see Americans especially those around retirement age in Boquete, Panama. The town's year-round cool temperatures and affordable cost of living have given it the reputation of being one of the best places to retire.However, Boquete was once known for its coffee plantations and annual flower festival. Situated about 4,000 feet above sea level, the quiet town was a getaway for Panamanians living in nearby towns, where temperatures can reach the 90s.What we're watching this weekend"Squid Game": Netflix's Korean-language series is back with season two this week, three years after it debuted on the streamer and became a pop culture phenomenon."Your Friend, Nate Bargatze": Grammy-nominated comedian Nate Bargatze returned to Netflix for his third stand-up comedy special."Doctor Who: Joy to the World": The latest installment of the annual "Doctor Who" Christmas special is available on Disney+, starring Ncuti Gatwa and "Bridgerton" actor Nicola Coughlan.See the full list iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI What to shopBelow-freezing outerwear: Canada Goose's puffer coats are expensive for a reason, and it's because they can stand the test of extreme cold. We used the brand's Cold Room to try them out here's why they're worth the hype.Laptop backpacks: Backpacks are best for posture and overall back health because they distribute weight more evenly than totes or messenger bags. These are the best laptop backpacks for workday warriors.Best hair dryers: Spoiler alert: our top pick is the Dyson Supersonic. But you don't have to pay hundreds to score a worthwhile model we've rounded up the best hair dryers across a wide range of price points.More of this week's top reads:Where the richest people in the world spend the December holidays.A writer has been to 15 European countries. She said to skip the crowds in Italy and Spain go to this less-visited gem instead.First time flying first class? Here are etiquette tips to avoid being the most annoying person in a premium cabin.Everything we know about Christopher Nolan's 'Odyssey' film.BI's Mikhaila Friel and her family of eight spent $25,000 on an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. She said they ended up disappointed.A gut-health scientist and trained chef shares four easy, tasty ways she eats more fiber.Meet the people living in famous homes from movies and TV shows, from 'Home Alone' to 'Breaking Bad.'The six red wines a sommelier is buying right now.The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York.

Theres no getting around the fact that its been a dire year for the planet. This year is likely to be the hottest year humans have ever experienced, with global average temperatures more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) higher than the era prior to the widespread combustion of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gas emissions reached a record high. Coal, oil, and natural gas consumption shows no signs of slowing down, and demand for light, heat, movement, and computation is only growing. The record-breaking temperatures worsened deadly and destructive disasters around the world: Canadian wildfires forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of people, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, and a horrific heat wave in Pakistan killed hundreds of people. The oceans warmed to astonishing levels. Even Antarctica experienced a heat wave. And in the United States, the worlds second-largest greenhouse gas emitter and the worlds largest oil and gas producer, the incoming presidential administration is at best going to ignore climate change and at worst actively reverse policies for limiting warming. But this year, humanity also saw some of its efforts start to pay off. Technological advances and economies of scale have made clean energy more affordable. There are more tools to anticipate, warn, and respond to extreme weather. The devices in our homes do more with less. The solutions to climate change arent all new either. Indigenous practices around food, wildfires, and housing are gaining recognition as tactics for limiting warming and coping with the consequences. Weve also seen natural systems adapt to rising temperatures and help mitigate warming in surprising ways. Some plants and animals are surviving, even thriving, in diverse ecosystems closer to us than we may have realized. Taken together, its still a mixed picture.The urgency for addressing climate change has never been greater, but the curve of greenhouse gas emissions is starting to flatten out and could soon bend downward. Humanitys actions (or inaction) over the next few years will lay the foundation for the climate in the middle of the century and beyond. Even if we miss our specific temperature goals on climate change, limiting warming is not out of our hands yet. Solar power deployment is exceeding even the most optimistic forecasts. Justin Paget/Getty ImagesThat renewable energy continues to gain ground is hardly a new story, but the expansion of solar power in the past year has been stunning. Last year set a record in worldwide solar energy deployment and this year is on track to beat it by 29 percent, defying projections. And the sun is still rising on solar, a pillar in the push to decarbonize the power grid. Umair IrfanStaghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis. Jenny Adler for VoxEarth has been hotter before, but today temperatures are rising so fast that many plants and animals cant adapt. New research suggests that a rise of 2.7 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average the track were on now, barring new policies or pledges would threaten half-a-million species with extinction.But even within this bleak reality, there are pockets of resilience. Over the summer, I visited a coral reef in the Caribbean thats bounced back from past warming-induced bleaching, in part due to an abundance of parrotfish. And in May, I visited a global salamander hot spot in southern Appalachia, where these amphibians seem to be defying worst-case climate projections. Even in some of the most urban areas you see some wildlife thriving. Climate change will indeed kill off many species, and thats devastating. But Im inspired by the many stories of animals and ecosystems that keep holding on often with the help of humans. Benji JonesOur homes are a major front in the campaign to curb climate change. About a quarter of all the energy in the world is used at home. Half of that goes toward heating and cooling, while a quarter power appliances. This hardware has been getting more energy efficient over time, but some of these devices have proved less reliable and convenient to use. The good news is that washers, dryers, furnaces, water heaters, and stoves that use less energy and do their jobs better are also available and getting cheaper. A cleaner future can also be a comfortable one. UIRachel Victoria Hillis for VoxSatellite-based internet is one of those technologies that sounds far-fetched and a bit fantastical. But thanks to companies like SpaceX and Viasat not to mention airlines eager to provide in-flight wifi its very much a reality. There are now constellations of satellite beaming connectivity down to the Earths surface, connecting even the most remote areas. And whats extra incredible about this technology is that it can also keep us connected in the event of a disaster.You might not realize it, but many of the latest smartphones can connect directly to satellites, making it easy to text or even make phone calls during emergencies. People in North Carolina quickly discovered how valuable this upgrade could be in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Many iPhones became lifelines by becoming satellite phones after flooding took out cellphone towers. Sadly, this wont be the last time a climate disaster devastates infrastructure, but at least, technology is making the aftermath that much more manageable. Adam Clark EstesAlexandra Bowman for VoxUnder-covered by national media for too long, Indigenous communities hold some of our societys most innovative solutions to climate change. Faced with the threat of sea level rise, the Shinnecock Nation has an ambitious strategy of buying back land that was forcibly taken from them. Their effort to reclaim their ancestral territories is radical in the context of history but by regaining control over their land, the Shinnecock are not only securing a buffer against rising seas but also reasserting their cultural sovereignty. The story reveals how the tribes quest to restore justice offers a model for other Indigenous communities grappling with dispossession and climate change.The feature is part of a multipart series exploring Indigenous solutions in the face of extreme weather and climate change, including the power of Indigenous food systems and the importance of fire management techniques practiced for millennia by Indigenous people that promote healthy forests and reduce catastrophic wildfires. The entire series is well worth your time. Paige VegaWhats not to like about a school bus? Theyre yellow, friendly, always down for a field trip. However, the vehicles that ferry our kids to school also tend to be terrible in terms of emissions, due to their aging diesel engines. Theyre also a fantastic candidate for electrification, which is exactly why some school districts are converting their entire fleets into EVs. This year, Oakland, California, became the first to deploy an all-electric fleet of school buses, with the vehicles batteries also giving power back to the grid when theyre not moving.There are half-a-million school buses on the road, comprising the largest public transportation system in the United States. And with electric school buses costing about $350,000 a piece, replacing every vehicle is a huge task. Thanks to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the federal government is providing $5 billion for the conversion, and many states are offering funding of their own. It will take years to replace all of the diesel buses on the road, but the electric buses should pay for themselves, since they can operate at a fraction of the cost of their fossil fuel-powered counterparts. An added bonus: Theyre much quieter, which is great for post-field trip chats. ACEOakland Unified School District buses. Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThis year, Mexico inaugurated a former climate scientist as its president. Claudia Sheinbaum campaigned on maintaining and advancing many of the policies of her predecessor, Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador. However, she also emphasized she wants Mexico to transition to cleaner energy. Its a tall order given that Mexicos government still depends on revenue from its national oil company, the countrys power grid is deteriorating, and Sheinbaum has promised to keep energy affordable for ordinary Mexicans. But Mexico has extraordinary potential for clean energy across wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power and now has the political will to harness it. UIThis year, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, marine biologist and co-founder of the nonprofit think tank Urban Ocean Lab, rose as one of the most influential voices on how we might collectively address climate change without falling into despair or getting mired in false hope. Her new book, What If We Get it Right?, is not blindly optimistic. The point isnt that everything is fine. The point is that we have to act as though the future is a place we actually want to live in not centuries into the distant future but now and in the decades to come.According to Johnson, there are already many concrete climate solutions. If we were motivated by a belief in a better tomorrow, not a worse one, we would implement more of those solutions (and find new ones). If youre someone looking for inspiration, or reasons to feel hopeful or, even better, for guidance on what to do and where to start start with our conversation with Johnson. PVCat Willett for VoxA perennial question on the climate beat is: Is there anything I can do to help address climate change? It makes sense: For those who grasp the science of climate change and see the inability of government action to address it, it can feel pretty hopeless. Climate change is such a systemic issue not one that any single person can solve on their own. But in addition to the major, systemic change we need, there are simple things that any person can incorporate into our daily lives such as eating 10 percent less meat that can add up and have the potential to make a huge difference.Vox contributor Cat Willet explored the potential of rewilding a movement that encompasses efforts on wide swaths of landscape and can include things like returning apex predators like grizzly bears back to an ecosystem. Cats comic puts rewilding in the context of an urban lifestyle. She looks to the concept for lessons on what small things all of us can do, such as plant native flowers or vegetables or grasses, in our own backyards or even on our apartment balconies, to be more mindful of the nature that surrounds us. I found her story inspiring and approachable. PVYouve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: Climate