By Ed Cara Published December 30, 2024 | Comments (5) | A 3D illustration of norovirus particles. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Theres one potential party guest that you definitely want to steer clear of this New Years Eve: norovirus. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that outbreaks of norovirus are being reported across the U.S. According to the CDCs latest surveillance, there were 91 norovirus outbreaks reported nationally during the first week of December, which is up substantially from previous weeks. The data only provides a limited snapshot of how widespread norovirus truly is throughout the U.S. right now, but 2024 was an especially bad year for getting sick with the stomach bug. Though norovirus is often associated with cruise ships, its a prolific source of gastrointestinal misery everywhere. The highly contagious virus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., typically sending people to their beds and toilets with diarrhea, vomiting, and other flu-like symptoms that last for up to three days. While cases are rarely life-threatening, about 100,000 Americans are hospitalized as a result of it annually. Like many other diseases, norovirus took a bit of a break during the early years of the covid-19 pandemic, thanks to increased social distancing. As peoples lives and social habits have largely returned to usual, however, norovirus and other germs have made an unwelcome comeback. But 2024 has been an outlier even compared to typical trends.According to the CDC, there were 495 norovirus outbreaks reported in the U.S. between August and December this year, which is higher than the 363 norovirus outbreaks reported during those same months in 2023. Cases of norovirus can occur any time, but the disease tends to peak between November and April in the U.S. And reported outbreaks so far this season are higher than the range observed during the same time period in past recent seasons, dating back to 2012. These reports are just part of the picture. The CDCs surveillance system only includes outbreaks reported by health departments in 14 states (a full list can be viewed here). And most cases of norovirus go unreported in general, since people usually just wait out their symptoms without seeking medical attention. So outside of outbreaks clearly traced to a specific food source (such as a recent outbreak involving certain oysters), it can be difficult to tell when and where norovirus is currently striking.Another important factor is our limited immunity to norovirus. There are several types of disease-causing norovirus circulating at any one time, and being recently infected by one strain might not protect you from the others. Our immunity to a specific strain also tends to wane over time as well, perhaps lasting as little as a few months for some unlucky people. People can take steps to minimize their risk of spreading and catching norovirus, however. If youre currently having or recently experienced vomiting and diarrhea, for instance, you should avoid direct contact with people if possible and consistently wash your hands with soap and water. You should not use hand sanitizer instead, since the viruss physical structure makes it resistant to alcohol. And you should avoid preparing food for others for a while even after you feel better, since the virus can be shed in poop for two weeks or longer.While it might be hard to ward off a party pooper ignoring these tips, you can reduce your risk of catching norovirus from food. You should always wash fruits and vegetables and cook your shellfish thoroughly. You should regularly clean your kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces, especially after preparing shellfish. And you should thoroughly wash your hands after handling uncooked food, since norovirus or other foodborne germs could be transmitted by your hands inadvertently touching your mouth later. There are scientists and pharmaceutical companies working on norovirus vaccines, with some about to reach late-stage clinical trials. So with any luck, the nightmare of norovirus will someday be a distant memory.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Ed Cara Published December 16, 2024 By Ed Cara Published December 4, 2024 By Ed Cara Published November 18, 2024 By Ed Cara Published November 14, 2024

In the past decade or so geek culture has expanded into the mainstream with more inclusive ways to express your fandom love. Once only marketed through black t-shirts with logos slapped on them or collectible toys, merch has undergone a massive shift. In 2024, repping your fandom became even easier than ever before, thanks to collections inspired by sci-fi and fantasy worlds in nearly every conceivable fashion and lifestyle arena. Between all the bold casual cosplay, subtle streetwear, and even luxury makeup and perfume, there was constantly a collaboration in the wings waiting to go viral. Thats not even mentioning movie popcorn buckets which were also insane this yearso much so they warranted their own post. This year also had some more daring moments with its mountains of fandom merch. Keep reading to see how things got way more experiential and experimental thanks to the stream of unhinged products and social media-driven events. There was a whole month of Nickelodeon celebrating SpongeBob SquarePants by doing Krabby Patty Kollabs at burger destinations nationwide, timed to the shows 25th anniversary. But the Wendys version felt the most authentic to the shows depiction of the type of burger youd get in a fast food place under the sea, especially compared to the elevated foodie stunt versions (they were cool, but Mr. Krabs would never). Wendys brought back the square meat patty for the occasion, and that was genius; it hit double the nostalgia factor so I found myself ordering this one more often. Speaking of food, Deadpool & Wolverine did a pizza line (which is on brand for the merc with the mouth) with DiGiornos that had mixed results. It wasnt the wildest of the Deadpool placements; there were also those Heinz ketchup and mustard bottles, and the bonkers bootylicious Xbox controllers. On the cuter side of things around Halloween, we got the Universal Monsters x Care Bears collection which mashed up the adorable bears with a spooky twist through classic bear plushes, Funkos, and makeup. The plushes are hard to find at their regular price points now, with third party sellers shilling them for questionable prices. I still covet the Creature From the Black Lagoon Bear. For Gen Z goths, Pottery Barn came out with a creepy cute Wednesday collectionfeaturing a Nevermore dorm vibe. We were particularly tickled by the thought of the Thing shaped pillow, which sold out in a snap. Pottery Barn While the above collection is very limited at this point, Dr. Martens still has some of its Wednesday capsule available online. Docs and The Addams family? The perfect match for any goth kids (and kids at heart) shoe collection. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Martens (@drmartensofficial) In the realm of beauty products, our favorite clever match came in the form of Rihannas Fenty x Arcane line inspired by the characters on the Netflix show. The very in-depth collection drew from the leads sense of style and power with a quality makeup capsule from our sci-fi dreams. Anime and fellow Netflix fave One Piece has been featured in a number of fun collections inspired by the Straw Hat Crew, but the most uniquely unhinged was the Casetify collab that turned tech accessory covers into the Devil Fruits from the show. Particularly fun were the Gum Gum fruit headphone cases. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CASETiFY Co-Lab (@casetify_colab) And for Cowboy Bebop fans, Logic dropped a collab with Crunchyroll featuring streetwear fits inspired by the looks of the animes characters and their signature iconography to make you feel like you fit into the world of the classic cartoon. Crunchyroll While Deadpool & Wolverine dominated the shelves for the first half of the year, Wicked took over fall. There was an incredible range of pink and green at every price point, much of it seemingly aimed at Wicked fans whove been waiting 20 years for merch that goes beyond any online theater shop. Eighth grade me with the grey shirt that read Defy Gravity in the tiniest of green-printed letters would be shocked at how many Wicked things adult me got this year, and shed also be very proud. Did I really need the Wicked x Con-Air hair rollers? Yes. Did I really drop an undisclosed amount of change for the Beis x Wicked luggage? Yes, I can use it for work travel. Do I stay up at night haunted by the fact that I was not able to get the Elphaba Stanley tumbler from Target? Yes, and I foolishly check at random hours for a re-stock because goodness knows the wickeds lives are lonely.More Wicked merch is guaranteed to come thanks to 2025s Wicked: For Goodthough were all still waiting forsome sort of official meta Holding Space for Defying Gravity' release. Target The end of the year has brought a few notable collabs that have left me intrigued at what 2025 will bring. Nosferatu came with the most absurd of all, including a vampire coffin bed that was more expensive than a limited edition Nosferatu coffin-coffin to be buried in. Plus, theres also a Nosferatu fragrance collab with Heretic, for those who care to give off the scent of a ghost wandering through a flower-filled funeral parlor. Speaking of bats and the winter chill of the end of year holidays. Uno continues to release unhinged versions of the card game including a Batman: The Animated Series version with chaotic Joker cards for more card-slamming across the table.And Walton Goggins has pulled a Baby Billy Bible Bonkers with his own Walton Goggins Goggle Glasses, perfect for hitting the slopes despite the head-scratching reasons behind just why he came up with this, because the official commercial feels like performance art. (To be honest, we cant wait for an official Fallout collab called Walton Goggins Ghoul Goggle Glasses). And Squid Game season two gets some deeply eyebrow raising collabs with McDonalds in Australia. If fans buy an adult Squid Game Happy Meal theyll get a shot at an exclusive McDonalds Squid Game Green Player Tracksuit or $100,000 if they can carve out their very own Dalgona candy and scan it into the MyMaccas App. Audiences stateside were a little baffled by the Dominos Emergency pizza ad during their binges of the show because thats some chilling late-stage capitalism tone deafness. Theres also official collabs with Puma with new track suits as well as shoes and a tech accessory drop through Casetify. At least with the former you can don gear that will identify your vote to end or continue the games if you were in it, but lets be realwere all in the game. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Nature, Published online: 19 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04164-wA commanding examination of the factors that play into womens mental ill health should prompt soul searching by readers of all stripes.

Nature, Published online: 19 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04163-xFor centuries weve linked what we consume to how we feel about ourselves.

Nature, Published online: 19 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04244-xWe investigate how ancient humans ran and hear from climate scientists who are rising to the challenges of an impending Trump presidency.

Anime compilation films have existed for decades as a unique movie format. They consist of movies that compile or condense content from a TV anime series into a feature-length film, sometimes with added scenes, re-edited content, or improved animation, depending on the circumstances, but typically cutting out filler and 'unnecessary' content to get an anime's story out in less time. These films have played a pivotal role in shaping the anime landscape, offering fans a new way to experience already beloved stories while introducing casual viewers to expansive franchises in a more digestible format before anime hit the mainstream.

An unfortunate long-range hit from a zombie in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 ended one player's attempt to clear the Social Distancing challenge in an extremely frustrating way. The seemingly random nature of the hit underscored some of the problems facing players that tackle some of the toughest Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 challenges.

When they debuted in Helldivers 2, Firebomb Hellpods introduced another anarchic layer to the live-service PvE shooter. Missions like Eradicate or Blitz can take advantage of Firebomb Hellpods as their incendiary impact lays waste to all beneath them, and yet they can often do more harm than good if a squad is uncoordinated and calling in stratagems or Reinforcements in the vicinity of other players. Still, Helldivers 2 struck gold with this premise as pods in general have been underutilized apart from various colorway patterns and were in need of a refurbishment that could make them more exciting in gameplay.

Hi! I'm adding AngelScript to my simple engine, which has a class like so:class Transform3D{ glm::vec3 get_pos() const { clear_dirty(); return pos; }private: glm::vec3 pos;}class Node3D : Node{private: Transform3D transform;public: Transform3D& get_transform();}auto transform_to_str(const Transform3D* trans) -> std::string{ // just show the pos for now return glm::to_string(trans->get_pos());} I registered

Artificial intelligence made big moves this year as did the robots the technology is working behind.From Silicon Valley to India, Boston to Japan, here are some of the autonomous machines and robotics technologies, powered by NVIDIA AI, that offered helping hands in 2024.Clearbot Tidies Up Ocean LitterHong Kong- and India-based Clearbot, a member of the NVIDIA Inception program for cutting-edge startups, is making a splash with its autonomous trash-collection boats enabled by the NVIDIA Jetson platform for edge AI and robotics.With plastic making up at least 85% of marine waste across the globe, Clearbot aims to remove waste from waterways before it gets into the seas.The startups autonomous ocean vessels are equipped with two cameras one for navigation and another for waste identification of what boats have scooped up.Clearbot trained its garbage- and obstacle-identifying AI models using NVIDIA accelerated computing. The energy-efficient NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX system-on-module allows the battery-powered water-cleaning boats to collect for eight hours at a time.Figure Unveils Latest Humanoid RobotSilicon Valley-based Figure introduced its Figure 02 conversational humanoid robot that taps into the NVIDIA Omniverse platform and accelerated computing for fully autonomous tasks.New human-scale hands, six RGB cameras and perception AI models trained with synthetic data generated in the NVIDIA Isaac Sim robotics developer simulation platform enable Figure 02 to perform high-precision pick-and-place tasks required for smart manufacturing applications.The company recently tested Figure 02 for data collection and use-case training at BMW Groups Spartanburg, South Carolina, production line.Figure is a part of NVIDIA Inception and among the initial members to join the NVIDIA Humanoid Robot Developer Program, which provides early access to advanced tools and computing technologies for humanoid robot development. This includes the latest releases of NVIDIA Isaac Sim, Isaac Lab, NIM microservices, OSMO, Jetson Thor and Project GR00T general-purpose humanoid foundation models.ORBIT-Surgical Researchers Prep Robots for SurgeryThe ORBIT-Surgical simulation framework developed by researchers from the University of Toronto, UC Berkeley, ETH Zrich, Georgia Tech and NVIDIA helps train robots that could augment the skills of surgical teams while reducing surgeons cognitive loads.It supports more than a dozen maneuvers inspired by the training curriculum for minimally invasive surgeries.Presented at this years ICRA robotics conference in Japan, the needle-moving robotics research based on Isaac Sim and Omniverse also introduced benchmarks for one-handed tasks such as picking up a piece of gauze, inserting a shunt into a blood vessel and lifting a suture needle to a specific position.The benchmarks also include two-handed tasks, like passing a threaded needle through a ring pole.Zordi Robots Grow Strawberries IndoorsBoston-based autonomous agriculture startup Zordi with farms in southern New Jersey and western New York is tapping into robotics to grow strawberries indoors.Autonomous greenhouse systems can support regional markets across the globe, cutting down on the carbon footprint for transportation and providing fresher, better-tasting fruits grown more sustainably.Zordi uses two types of robots within its operations. One is a scouting robot for gathering information on plant health using foundational models, the other a harvesting robot for delicately picking and placing fruits and handling other tasks.The startup is exploring NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin modules for gathering sensor data and running its AI models.Cutting-edge companies werent the only ones to drive major robotics advancements this year. For example, high school and university students are developing robot guide dogs for the visually impaired and training robots to perform 1,000 household chores.Learn more about the latest in generative AI and autonomous machines including NVIDIAs three-computer approach to robotics by joining NVIDIA at CES, running Jan. 6-10 in Las Vegas.