Most Americans see economic difficulty as the reality for 2025, according to a new Gallup poll.Republicans have a much rosier view of the US economy headed into the new year.Nearly eight-in-ten Republicans (78%) believe 2025 will be a year of economic prosperity in the US.Most Americans are predicting economic difficulty and international discord in 2025, but Republicans are expressing broad economic enthusiasm weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to begin his second term, according to a new Gallup survey.In the new poll, 56 percent of respondents said they believed that the coming year would bring economic difficulty, while 44 percent felt it would bring prosperity. And regarding international conflicts, roughly two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents foresee a year of political conflict, versus the 32 percent of respondents who see 2025 as a more peaceful year.A majority of Republicans, buoyed by Trump's victory and the conservative agenda that'll be pursed by the forthcoming GOP-controlled Congress, had positive sentiments on virtually every economic and foreign policy topic.Nearly eight-in-ten Republicans (78%) polled believe that 2025 will be a year of economic prosperity in the US, compared to 40% of independents and 15% of Democrats. And 63% of Republicans believe that 2025 will be a largely peaceful year on the international front, compared to only 28% of independents and a scant 8% of Democrats.On other economic issues, Republicans are energized.Among GOP respondents, 88% believe the stock market will climb in the new year, compared to 65% of independents and 46% of Democrats. (Overall 66% of respondents believe the stock market will rise in 2025, compared to 33% who believe it will decline.)And 87% of Republicans believe prices will increase more reasonably in 2025, compared to 46% of independents and 23% of Democrats who share a similar view.In 2024 under President Joe Biden's tenure in office the S&P 500 rose 23.3% percent. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had a nearly 13% gain in 2024.The November election was defined by the state of the economy, with Trump making inroads with broad swaths of voters over inflation and affordability concerns.Biden last summer stepped aside as the Democratic presidential nominee in part because a poor debate performance against Trump, but one of the president's biggest challenges was his difficulty in selling his economic agenda to an American public that endured noticeable price increases during the COVID-19 pandemic.When Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, she sought to orient her campaign around economic concerns, laying out proposals to provide tax deductions for small businesses and offer $25,000 in down-payment support for some first-time homebuyers. She fell short in the swing states notably in the "blue wall" as Trump retained an advantage on economic issues throughout the campaign.With Trump returning to the White House, Republicans who were largely pessimistic about the economy under Biden are now much more jubilant about what 2025 will offer.The Gallup survey was conducted from December 4-15 among 2,121 adults.

Before the Times Square ball was invented, people would gather downtown at Trinity Church to hear the bells chime.People in New York City would celebrate the new year by listening to the bells at Trinity Church. Roy Rochlin/Contributor/Getty Images Before the ball's invention, people in New York City would gather outside Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan to hear the bells chime at midnight, PBS reported.But after The New York Times moved offices to Midtown's Longacre Square promptly renamed Times Square in the early 1900s, the company started a midnight firework display to encourage people to celebrate farther north.The fireworks were later banned by the city's police department, so Adolph Ochs, then-owner and publisher of The New York Times, commissioned the company's chief electrician, Walter Palmer, "to find a new light display," PBS reported. The first Times Square ball dropped in 1907 to ring in 1908 and was made of iron and wood.The first Times Square ball dropped in 1907. Universal History Archive/Contributor/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Palmer was inspired by a 19th-century maritime method of timekeeping, which involved dropping a ball at a certain time to help mariners ensure their timepieces were accurate, PBS reported.The first Times Square New Year's Eve ball was built by Jacob Starr, an immigrant metalworker. It weighed 700 pounds, measured 5 feet in diameter, and featured 100 light bulbs.Artkraft Strauss, Starr's company, was in charge of lowering the ball at midnight with an elaborate pulley system. When it dropped for the first time to ring in 1908, it started a tradition that remains more than 100 years later. In 1920, the ball was redesigned and made of wrought iron.Crowds of people gathered in Times Square on New Year's Eve in 1926. Bettmann/Contributor/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Midway through the '20s, a less heavy ball replaced the original iron and wood one.The new ball weighed 400 pounds and was made of wrought iron, per Times Square's website. In 1942 and 1943, no ball was dropped in Times Square due to World War II.New York City participated in a dim-out to ring in 1943. Bettmann/Contributor/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images 1942 and 1943 are the only years to date that the Times Square ball was not dropped to ring in the new year.At the time, the US was engaged in World War II and New York City participated in a dim-out to protect the city from attacks, according to the Museum of the City of New York.The dim-out didn't keep crowds away, though, on New Year's Eve, people still gathered in Times Square. In 1955, the ball was recreated and made entirely of aluminum.The aluminum Times Square ball was used from 1955 until 1980. David Handschuh/AP Photo The new ball was made of aluminum and only weighed 150 pounds, which is the lightest it's ever been.It was used until 1980, as seen in the photo above, behind Russ Brown, then-superintendent of One Times Square.From 1981 to 1988, the aluminum ball was transformed into an apple.Then-Mayor of New York City Ed Koch tested the "Big Apple Ball" in December 1981. Lederhandler/AP Photo From 1981 to 1988, the Times Square ball was transformed into the "Big Apple Ball," complete with red light bulbs and a green stem to resemble an apple for the "I Love New York" marketing campaign, according to Times Square's website. When the campaign ended, the ball returned to its white light bulbs along with a few upgrades.The "I Love New York" campaign ended after 1988 and the ball returned to its traditional state. Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo The traditional aluminum ball returned in 1989 and was upgraded in 1995 to include aluminum skin, rhinestones, and strobes.But perhaps the most important upgrade was the addition of computer controls that lowered the ball at midnight.The aluminum ball dropped for the last time in 1998. Ahead of the year 2000, the Times Square ball was completely transformed and redesigned using crystal.The ball was redesigned for the year 2000. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/Staff/AFP via Getty Images To celebrate the turn of the millennium, the ball was redesigned by Waterford Crystal.Each year, some of the 2,688 crystal panels are replaced; these new panels are designed and hand crafted to reflect a theme, Reuters reported in 2022. For the ball's 100-year anniversary in 2007, it was upgraded with LEDs.The Centennial Ball featured more than 9,500 LEDs. Curtis Means/Contributor/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images In 2017, the 2007 ball known as the Centennial Ball was displayed at Ripley's Believe It or Not in Times Square.At the time, Stacy Shuster, then-director of marketing and sales at Ripley's New York, told Untapped New York that the 2007 ball featured 672 Waterford crystal triangles and 9,576 Philips Luxeon LEDs.In 2008, the "Big Ball" was created to sit permanently atop One Times Square.The Times Square ball is visible year-round. Noam Galai/Contributor/Getty Images The ball can be seen on display year-round, just like it was here in July 2020. 2020's New Year's Eve ball was another showstopper despite the major changes to the tradition.In 2020, no crowds were present to watch the ball drop. COREY SIPKIN/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images In 2020, Times Square was closed to the public on New Year's Eve due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the ball was still the star of the show.The ball weighed 11,875 pounds and was 12 feet in diameter. As well as the usual 2,688 Waterford Crystals, it had 32,256 LED lights and displayed 16 million vibrant colors.2021's ball drop was also scaled back, only allowing 15,000 spectators in comparison to its usual 58,000 people, and in-person viewers were required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination.The ball was updated as a part of Waterford's "Gift of Wisdom" design for 2022. Now, the Times Square ball will complete its final drop before being replaced in 2025.The Times Square ball will be replaced in 2025. Alexi Rosenfeld/Contributor/Getty Images This year's ball includes crystal triangles with two new designs, according to Times Square 2025 organizers: the "One Times Square" crystal design and the "Ever" crystal design.The One Times Square design "features long linear cuts with a circle near the top" to represent the pole and building where the ball drop takes place.Meanwhile, the Ever design "consists of three pairs of interlocking rings surrounded by diamond facets that provide the setting for the letter E" in honor of One Times Square becoming a new destination for vow ceremonies in 2025, according to organizers.Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown (which owns One Times Square), told CBS that the current ball "will go onto the lower floors of the building as part of an immersive arts and culture exhibit" and that the new iteration will be "much more digitally interactive."

Donald Trump recently appointed Sriram Krishnan to an AI advisory role.Krishnan came to the US from India in 2007 and became a US citizen in 2016.Indian tech workers initially praised his appointment, but have grown concerned by MAGA criticism.Anuj Christian's green card was approved in 2019, a decade after he first came to the US as a graduate student from India. Since then, he's been waiting to receive it, one of thousands trapped in a lengthy backlog created by America's byzantine immigration system.Earlier this month, Christian was hopeful for the first time in years. Just before Christmas, Donald Trump announced that Sriram Krishnan, a first-generation Indian American, would serve as a senior White House policy advisor for AI. Krishnan is set to work closely with Trump's new "crypto czar" David Sacks, an early investor in Facebook, SpaceX, Uber, and Palantir.For Christian, Krishnan's appointment felt personal. "Sriram has personally been through the immigration system," said Christian, who runs an immigration reform group called FAIR. "Someone who has personally been through this issue is close to the president now. That has never happened before."From Chennai to Silicon ValleyKrishnan arrived in the US in 2007 from Chennai, India, to begin a six-year stint at Microsoft. From there, he climbed the ranks of Silicon Valley, holding senior roles at Yahoo, Snap, Facebook, and Twitter. In 2020, he moved to venture capital, becoming a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz.Along the way, Krishnan became a US citizen in 2016, a milestone that eludes many legal immigrants from India. The green card backlog, a byproduct of per-country caps on employment-based permanent US residency, has left thousands of skilled workers from India in limbo. Wait times can now exceed beyond a lifetime.Krishnan's appointment comes with a unique resonance for those impacted by this system. He has spoken openly about the challenges of navigating US immigration and has advocated for raising the country-based green card caps. These calls for reform have been a recurring theme of The Aarthi and Sriram Show, a podcast he hosts with his tech entrepreneur wife Aarthi Ramamurthy.MAGA backlashKrishnan's visibility and advocacy have turned him into a lightning rod for MAGA followers, though. In the days since Trump's announcement, the technologist has faced hate speech and racism directed not just at him but also at Indians and legal immigration in general. Krishnan declined to comment.The backlash began with a tweet from far-right activist Laura Loomer, who criticized his appointment as "deeply disturbing" and said it conflicted with Trump's "America First" agenda.Loomer accused Krishnan of advocating to "remove all restrictions on green card caps" and enabling foreign workers to take jobs from American STEM graduates, citing Silicon Valley's reliance on international talent as a threat to domestic innovation. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who was Trump's initial pick for attorney general, accused "tech bros" of engineering "an immigration policy."H-1B visa debateRahul Menon, an Indian-born engineer from Rhode Island and host of Area51, a podcast about immigration, believes hate speech directed at Krishnan reflects broader misconceptions about skilled immigrants in the US."They just assume we are here to steal everyone's jobs," Menon told Business Insider. "If people understood the process of getting through an H-1B and the number of hoops you need to jump through, it's insane. The hate that Sriram is getting is just the beginning. You just need a thick skin to do the job."Some of the scorn has been directed at H-1Bs, a common visa type that Silicon Valley companies and tech outsourcing firms use to hire foreign workers in the US. This particular system is also overwhelmed by huge volumes of applications for a limited number of slots each year. Bloomberg News uncovered a scheme earlier this year, known as "multiple registration," that manipulates the H-1B program and prevents what it described as legitimate talent from accessing these skilled-worker visa-based opportunities.Recent optimismMenon noted that optimism around addressing the green card backlog has been steadily growing, fueled by statements from high-profile figures. During a June appearance on the All-In Podcast hosted by VCs including Sacks, Trump expressed support for granting green cards to all US college graduates. Trump also recently voiced support for H-1B visas.Menon sees Krishnan's appointment as the latest in a series of developments boosting morale among advocates for US immigration reform."It started with Trump saying that, then with Vivek, and now with Sriram it's the cherry on top," Menon said, referring to Vivek Ramaswamy, another Trump advisor whose parents immigrated from Kerala, India. Ramaswamy has repeatedly called for the H-1B lottery system to be replaced with a selection process based on merit."AI stands for artificial intelligence, not American Indian"Others remain skeptical about Krishnan's ability to influence immigration policy in his new role.Sacks addressed the speculation directly in a tweet: "Sriram has been a US citizen for a decade. He's not 'running America.' He's advising on AI policy. He will have no influence over US immigration policy." The post appeared aimed at calming criticism from MAGA loyalists and quelling hope among some Indian immigrants that Krishnan's appointment would lead to immediate changes.Ash Arora, a partner at VC firm LocalGlobe, and a friend of Krishnan and his wife, Ramamurthy, cautioned against reading too much into Krishnan's role when it comes to immigration reform."Sriram has been hired for AI and AI stands for artificial intelligence, not American Indian," she told Business Insider. "I'm not sure whether Sriram will have a say in immigration matters, but the optimism about legal immigration being fixed, in my opinion, is misguided."Ultimately, Krishnan is an AI policy advisor, Area51's Menon said. "I'd like to hope things will change. But let's not count our chickens before they've hatched."

Its baaaack! After making its debut in August, Horrors Greatest has returned for more clips and chat about horrors most beloved sub-genres. Season one dug into Stephen King adaptations, giant monsters, Japanese horror, horror comedies, and tropes and clichs (with an emphasis on slasher films)leaving plenty of room for more. This time, its animal attacks, film scores, hidden gems, space horror, and killer dates. A lot of the talking heads repeat; its pretty clear Horrors Greatest filmed both (or who knows how many) seasons back to back, and the list of interviewees again includes David Dastmalchian, Kate Siegel, Joe Hill, As before, the editing is brisk and the clips well-curated, with stop-motion interludes and in-episode asides that break up the discussion in fun ways. One example is the dueling lists of best and worst horror-movie pets in the Animal Attacks episode; you can guess where Cujo falls on that ranking. Though there is some overlap between episodesJaws comes up a lot, for instancetheres enough to cover that Horrors Greatest doesnt feel like its repeating itself or stretching itself too thin. Tananarive Due admits her admiration of Event Horizon in the Space Horror episode. Image: Shudder Since season one focused on slightly more obvious categories, season two is able to get even weirder, which allows Horrors Greatest to traverse some less-familiar turf. This is a bonus for the viewer who gets the chance to learn about more offbeat films, as well as a bonus for the talking heads, whoespecially in the Hidden Gems episode, which is a fun inclusionget to enthuse about overlooked favorites, which include a lot of vintage and international selections, as well as should-be cult classics.The strongest episodes are probably Animal Attacks, which delves into how Jaws launched a wave of copycats but also inspired a taste for films that blend serious-minded environmental concerns and nature strikes back themes with, like, alligators leaping out of sewers and PCP-crazed zoo animals; and Hidden Gems, though that might just be my excitement over seeing praised heaped upon the relatively obscure likes of Lets Scare Jessica to Death and The Psychic. That episode in particular feels like youre getting cant-fail viewing recommendations from a friend who has seen every movie, except that friend is Shudder (and indeed, a lot of the titles are available to stream there after you finish Horrors Greatest). Killer Dates might be the least successful, just because it has the murkiest through-line. It bobs from Carries prom nightmare to Get Outs meet-the-parents nightmare to the fact that movies like Terror Train and Jennifers Body have hook-ups and relationships and romance elements existing alongside their body counts. It just doesnt feel as cohesive as the other episodes, which works against it.Along those lines, by widening its focus a bit, Horrors Greatest season two does tend to drift beyond what many fans might consider strictly horror. Theres a lot more sci-fi included, even outside the Space Horror episode, and the show makes some assertions that might be controversial to some. You may be able to expand your definition of horror to include, as Horrors Greatest would like you to, the 1985 Martin Scorsese film After Hours, about one mans hellish night out in New York City. Or you may not, especially when there are so many Im horror, and proud of it types of films left out of the conversation. Perhaps thats why weve got fingers crossed for a third season? The five-episode second season of Horrors Greatest begins today, December 31, on Shudder, with weekly rollouts Tuesdays through January 28. 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.

Thaden School / Marlon Blackwell ArchitectsSave this picture! Timothy HursleyBentonville, United StatesArchitects: Marlon Blackwell ArchitectsAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:110000 ftYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2021 PhotographsPhotographs:Timothy HursleyManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: American Fiber CementMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. A private school with a public purpose, Thaden School is a new independent middle and high school in Bentonville, Arkansas. The school's unique curriculum combines academic excellence with learning by doing and features three signature programs: Wheels (where the fields of physics and mechanics come alive through the construction and use of bicycles and other wheeled machines), Meals (where biology, chemistry, and community come alive through the growing and preparation of food), and Reels (where narrative and visual communication come alive through the production of film and video).Save this picture!Through its partnerships with nearby community organizations in the visual and culinary arts,bicycling, and community service, the school will provide students with opportunities to learn bothon and off campus. The school's "whole student/whole body" pedagogy will feature learningopportunities both indoors and outdoors.Save this picture!Campus Plan. The campus plan unifies two separate plots by creating a "shared street" on which automobiles, pedestrians, and cyclists can coexist. On either side, campus buildings use a strategy familiar in Arkansas, with long narrow buildings oriented to control the exposure to the intense southern sun and to allow natural ventilation at the eave. These long forms are strategically bent to prevent long internal corridors and to frame gathering spaces outside. The campus itself is a teaching tool as a productive landscape for agriculture and a restorative landscape that addresses flooding and restores native ecosystems.Save this picture!The project is a multi-phased implementation of a comprehensive master plan created incollaboration with Eskew Dumez Ripple, landscape architects Andropogon, and engineering firmCMTA. Marlon Blackwell Architects designed 6 out of 7 buildings on the campus, completedbetween 2019 and 2021.Save this picture!Buildings.Thaden House (2019).The original home of pioneering aviator Louis Thaden, for whom the school is named, has beenrelocated to the northeast corner of the campus, serving as a gateway from the corner of Eighth andC Streets. The exterior is carefully preserved and reconstructed to reflect its original appearance,complemented by a new detached washroom, positioned to the south of the house to create a courtconfiguration common in early twentieth-century Ozark farmsteads. The interior opens to revealthe historical construction and create a grander entrance and boardroom. The smaller wing is ameeting room and gallery, and the second level is reconfigured to house a private archive of thehistory of the house and the Thaden family.Save this picture!Reels Arts and Administration Building (August 2019). The new Art and Administration Building houses the signature Thaden School program, Reels, and includes classrooms, wet labs, and administrative spaces. Designed to respond to the environmental challenges of water collection and daylighting, the undulating roof also frames entries and connects various landscapes. Visible from almost everywhere on campus, the distinctive roof pitches and rolls provide daylight and ventilation. Sited on the northeast corner of the campus, a large entry porch leads to the campus center, the Thaden Performance building, and a courtyard shared with Thaden House.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Co-located with the Reels program, the administration remains connected to the activity of the campus and provides a supportive and nurturing environment for first-year middle-school students. Inside, classrooms and wet labs are divided by bars of service spaces that include storage, restrooms, and a mechanical area. A daylit corridor connects the various labs and is lined with student learning and study spaces, creating a dynamic and collaborative learning environment.Wheels Science and Fabrication Building (August 2020). Home to the signature Wheels program, the Science and Fabrication Building creates a public presence for the school by linking the campus to Bentonville Square. Situated west of the 2 student commons and south of the Thaden Performance building, the building opens to the east to create a sense of entrance and arrival. A canopy along Main Street acts as a "billboard" for the campus and creates an outdoor workspace for the Wheels lab. Similar to the Arts and Administration Building, the Wheels building roof is a performative response as much as it is a figural expression.Save this picture!The linear plan of the Wheels building allows for a simple distribution of programs along its spine, while signature programs anchor the east and west ends. Covered areas extend student work spaces out of the building, connecting with the outdoors and displaying activity to the campus and the community. The maker space is located in the student commons, where the students and their work are always on display. A large central corridor widens to accommodate student collaboration and study spaces lit from above with a consistent level of daylighting throughout the year.Save this picture!Bike Barn (May 2020).Sited on a berm on the eastern edge of the campus next to the soccer field, the cyclo-cross, and thepump track, the Bike Barn is integrated into a network of pedestrian pathways that connect ThadenSchool to a larger system of trails that extend throughout northwest Arkansas. By reconfiguringthe profile of an Ozark gambrel barn to maximize the height below the trusses, a variety of sportscan be accommodated, including volleyball, basketball, and cycling, while also providing bikestorage and support facilities. A local manufacturer fabricated the trusses, which were developedcollaboratively using local materials and expertise.The exterior walls are clad in locally sourced cypress and finished with a combination of red painttraditionally used on barns or a clear finish that protects the wood. On the west side, a deep porchfaces the soccer field and provides shelter and shade for spectators. Except for storage and lockerrooms, the entire space is naturally ventilated through a mix of open joints in the cypress boardsiding, vented skylights, and a series of roller doors that open to the surrounding landscape.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Performance (November 2021). As envisioned in the campus master plan, Performance is situated on the northwest corner of the main campus and, by virtue of its location, is highly visible to the public and serves as an inviting hub for community connection while maintaining campus security. The building supports a wide variety of educational programs in the performing arts, including music, drama, and film, all with ready access to a world-class performance venue. The versatile and efficient allocation of space advances the school's mission and identity as a stage for improvisation, experimentation, and imagination. A generous loggia and expressive canopy create a strong and welcoming street edge. They extend well beyond the main body of the building and lead to a skylit entryway. Other than the glazing on each side revealed when the multicolored metal shell lifts, only one large window in the 3 performance halls punctuates the exterior shell. Looking out to the campus and the original Thaden House, this monumental window is even larger on the interior, which brings soft, indirect light into an otherwise sealed performance hall. With direct connections from the stage to the back of the house, the performance hall is a versatile and professional venue for creative performance.Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Bentonville, Arkansas, United StatesLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on December 31, 2024Cite: "Thaden School / Marlon Blackwell Architects" 31 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/987700/thaden-school-marlon-blackwell-architect&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save?Thaden / Marlon Blackwell ArchitectsYou've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Nature, Published online: 18 December 2024; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08231-0Lunar rock and zircon ages were reset by a remelting event driven by the Moons orbital evolution, reconciling existing discrepancies in estimates for the formation time of the Moon and the crystallization time of its magma ocean.

Nature, Published online: 18 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04128-0Materials that store thermal energy can be used to gather and retain large amounts of the renewable energy that is generated by wind and Sun. The creation of materials that are highly thermal-energy dense can now be achieved by combining two components that work together to simultaneously undergo a solid-to-liquid phase transition and a dehydration reaction.

Nature, Published online: 18 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04109-3A battery-like technology uses a metal called tantalum to create an equivalent of digital 0s and 1s.

The first analysis of extreme calving events in Antarctica finds no correlation with climate change, highlighting the significance of common, smaller calving events for ice loss and instability.

In a lot of RPGs, and especially ARPGs like Path of Exile 2, Death penalties can be a real hindrance. When you die in Path of Exile 2, you can immediately respawn at the nearest Checkpoint if you are in the campaign, or return to the Ziggurat Refuge when mapping out the endgame Atlas.