As comets approach the center of the Solar System, they send off trails of gas and dust. (Credit: Nazarii_Neshcherenskyi)NewsletterSign up for our email newsletter for the latest science newsThere arent many comets that are visible to observers without binoculars or telescopes. But one may be coming, and coming soon. Dubbed the "New Years Comet" for its imminent arrival, Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is currently traveling closer and closer to the center of our Solar System, and is set to come closest on Monday, January 13, 2025. The comet will theoretically be brightest to observers on and around that date, with the best chances of catching it being in the Southern Hemisphere. A Southern SpectacleObserved for the first time in April 2024, the comet will come within its closest proximity to the Sun and Earth on Monday, January 13, 2025, when it will travel within 8.3 million miles of the Sun and 8.7 million miles of Earth. Thats so close that the comet may appear brighter than the stars. In fact, the comets perihelion, or its closest proximity to the Sun in its orbit, is three times closer than Mercurys. At the time of its perihelion, Comet C/2024 G3 may shine about as brightly as Venus, at around negative 4.5 magnitude. But although the comet may be brighter than any other in 2025, it will not be visible to all. Thats because the comet is positioned to be seen better by viewers in the Southern Hemisphere than those in the Northern Hemisphere.Catching the CometAccording to the Planetary Society, the best sightings of the comet are anticipated in the Southern Hemisphere in mid- to late January 2025, when Comet C/2024 G3 will appear in the sky immediately after sunset around the constellation Capricornus.At that time, observers in the Southern Hemisphere may be able to spot the comet above the western horizon, in a similar area of the sky as the setting Sun. In mid-January, the comet will appear closer to the setting Sun but brighter, while in late January, it will appear farther from the setting Sun but dimmer.While Southern-Hemisphere observers may be able to view Comet C/2024 G3 without binoculars or telescopes, observers ability to see the comet will depend on a number of factors, including their vision and location, as well as the weather. The comets appearance in a similar area of the sky as the Sun also adds difficultly for observers, who should take care to avoid staring at the Sun. If you are a Southern-Hemisphere observer hoping to see the comet this January 2025, look for a darker location, far away from cities and other producers of light pollution, where the western horizon will be visible. (Another option is checking out the comet online, through the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, which may be an altogether better sighting.) Brief But BrightA cosmic clump of frozen dust and ice, Comet C/2024 G3 may be born from the frozen leftovers of the Solar Systems formation. According to the Planetary Society, the comet probably originated in the Oort Cloud, a collection of comets and comet-like objects that surround the Solar System, orbiting the Sun from afar. As comets travel along their orbits and come closer to the Sun, they start to thaw, spewing gas and dust into a shimmering, sunlit trail. These trails, called comet tails, stretch millions of miles across the black backdrop of space, making a stunning sight for observers on Earth, as long as they are bright enough to be spotted. While some comets survive their travels around the Sun, others do not, spouting so much gas and dust that they disintegrate, breaking apart as they approach perihelion. Analysis of Comet C/2024 G3 suggests that its current trip around the Sun isnt its first, improving its chances of survival.If the comet survives, it should shoot around the Sun, then towards the outer Solar System once again, following its approximately 160,000-year orbit. While its trip around the Sun will certainly be brief, it may be bright, too, bringing potentially brilliant views to those who catch them.Article Sources:Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:The Planetary Society. How to Spot Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)NASA. Comets NASA. Oort CloudSam Walters is a journalist covering archaeology, paleontology, ecology, and evolution for Discover, along with an assortment of other topics. Before joining the Discover team as an assistant editor in 2022, Sam studied journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Stack CommerceShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more As a Minnesota native, I cant stand listening to the meteorologists winter weather predictions. Theyre basically never right. Either they say well get a foot of snow, and we get squator vice versa. I recently canceled plans because they warned everyone of freezing rain and icy roads, and guess what? It was a beautiful winter day.Thats why Im shutting off the news and downloading this real-time weather radar app. I know we all have free weather apps on our phones, but Weather Hi-Def Storm Watch Plus has future-generated forecasts, so you can actually make plans. Use code FESTIVE30 at checkout to get lifetime access for $27.99 (reg. $39.99) until January 12.I may have missed out on a day of thrifting and a pizza buffet with my friends because of some guy on TV, but never again. Now, I can see a 10-day forecast that shows snowfall, winter storm conditions, and temperatures.On the day of my plans, I can open map overlays to see icy road conditions and snowfall on a map. Anyone whos had to drive to work on the day of a blizzard knows how critical this information is before trekking their way to the office.Im also pumped to use this weather radar app in the summer. You already know Im from Minnesota, so I need to maximize every day of warm weather with outdoor activities. Any information about incoming rainfall and lightning alerts will be so clutch.Code FESTIVE30 expires January 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Get your Weather Hi-Def Storm Watch Plus lifetime subscription for $27.99 (reg. $39.99).StackSocial prices subject to change.Weather Hi-Def Radar Storm Watch Plus: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal

A new analysis of the 6,000-year-old stone circle known as Rujm el-Hiri (also Gilgal Refaim) in Golan Heights suggests that it was not built to observe the heavens.

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For years, Gearbox Software's Borderlands franchise has been one of the biggest names in the gaming industry. While its 2024 movie may not have lit the world on fire, the video game series has seemingly gone from hit to hit, with the highly anticipated Borderlands 4 looming on the horizon. It remains to be seen if the studio can capture players' attention once more, but if they can, then there's no telling where the series will go from here. Unfortunately, the Tiny Tina's Wonderlands series may not be following.

Out of all the Straw Hats, Zoro is definitely the one with the strongest resolve. His ability to remain calm under pressure and assess situations with precision speaks to a mind as disciplined as his swordsmanship. As a warrior, Zoro has clearly trained not only his body but also his psyche to withstand the chaos of life on the Grand Line in One Piece.

A credible insider has outlined three more major Xbox games that may show up on PlayStation 5 this year. Xbox is already treating PlayStation users to a couple of day one first-party game releases in 2025, but it seems the company is also digging into its back-catalog with multiplatform intentions.

The Apothecary Diaries wasnt just my favorite anime of 2024, but my favorite show altogether. Based on the light novel series of the same name, The Apothecary Diaries is a perfect blend of medical procedural and period drama, sprinkled with a delicious slow-burn romance between one of my favorite tropes of grumpy girl and flirty guy. Its so damn good, and every episode immediately made me want to queue up the next one.Fortunately, the second season kicks off this week. Unfortunately, because the episodes drop weekly, I cant binge them all at once. But if you havent seen this anime yet, you have the perfect opportunity to catch up on all of season 1 and have a nice backlog of season 2 to dig into. I envy you![Ed. note: This essay contains some setup spoilers for The Apothecary Diaries.]The Apothecary Diaries takes place in a fictional country thats basically patterned after Tang dynasty China and follows Maomao, the adopted daughter of an apothecary, who studies medicine herself. She works in the red-light district, often helping courtesans and other brothel workers. After being kidnapped, shes sold into indentured servitude, working in the Imperial Palaces rear palace, where the emperors concubines live. Initially, she keeps her head down, but when a medical mystery arises, Maomao cant help but poke her nose into solving it. She catches the attention of Jinshi, the eunuch who runs the rear palaces administration, who ends up promoting her to a lady-in-waiting and taste tester to one of the emperors favored concubines.For the most part, the show takes on a new mystery every episode, usually focused on some sort of medical malady or mysterious death. Since its a period piece, those medical puzzles often have compelling twists that modern viewers might not expect (for instance, Maomao uses cocoa beans to brew a powerful aphrodisiac, which definitely would work on people who havent tried chocolate before). The mysteries themselves are intriguing, and Maomaos particular approach morbid fascination combined with tenacious curiosity makes them even more fun. Shes all too eager to experiment with poisons and examine sick patients and dead bodies.Slowly, the medical mysteries build up to political intrigue. Through Maomao, we learn more about the drama going on in the emperors palace, from the rivalries between concubines to military geniuses with secret motives. That intrigue extends past the palace and into Maomaos previous life, especially after she learns about her fathers secret connection to court life. Its the sort of plot that comes to a shocking head in the first seasons finale, but looking back its evident that it was all seeded in from the beginning. All of those seemingly disjointed medical puzzles weave into greater mysteries and political plots at hand.But what really makes The Apothecary Diaries so dang wonderful is Maomao herself. Shed rather not get caught up in court politics, thank you very much. But nothing gets her going like a good medical mystery and a chance to test out new medicine and poisons. She swoons over the prospect of getting her hands on rare healing ingredients, but bristles when the concubines try to dress her up. Shes also incredibly intelligent, and when she isnt gushing over poisons and remedies, shes coolly analyzing her surroundings and calculating her next move.Maomao is a gem of a character, and because shes so distinct, her relationships with the other characters shine even more. She talks candidly with the concubines about their lives (and even gives a sex talk to two of the newer ones). She understands the order of the Imperial Palace means that she needs to keep her head down and be respectful of her superiors, but at the same time, shes not afraid of them when it comes to voicing or defending her findings.But the juiciest relationship is the one she has with Jinshi, whos just as cunning as she is. He maintains a flirtatious and carefree demeanor, but in reality, he carefully schemes behind the scenes to advance his own position and balance some secret duties. Hes also completely smitten with Maomao, even though she thinks hes silly. But every time she glares at him, he melts a little. They have wonderful banter, both of them hiding bigger secrets from each other.The first season ended with some of those big secrets coming to light, setting up some rich ground to dig into for the next season. The Apothecary Diaries is the type of show where each episode answers a bunch of questions, then immediately asks a dozen more which is what makes it the type of show that had me eagerly clicking next episode the moment the end credits rolled. And theres no better time to watch it than now, with a whole season to dive into and more coming out week by week. I cant wait for more medical mysteries, more political intrigue, and more Maomao.The Apothecary Diaries is available to stream on Crunchyroll. The first episode of season 2 is out now, with new episodes premiering on Fridays.

A new Donnie Yen movie is always a must-see event for action fans. After wowing audiences in 2023 with his role as Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4 and his wuxia epic Sakra (which he directed and starred in), as well as his memorable semi-recent turns in Rogue One and the Ip Man series, the Hong Kong legend is back with The Prosecutor, once again as both star and director.Yen will be the first to tell you that this movie is a departure from his usual subject matter The Prosecutor is primarily a courtroom drama, although the star and director of course added his signature eye for action and skill at screen fighting to the mix. Loosely based on a true story, the movie follows a former police officer who trades in his badge to start a new career as a prosecutor. But the justice-driven lawyer quickly winds up at odds with his new boss and co-workers when he believes the person they are prosecuting is innocent.While it may not fully deliver on the thorny conflicts set up by its intriguing premise, The Prosecutor is nevertheless a highly competent and engaging genre exercise, mixing grounded, high-octane action sequences with the standard court-drama genre. Polygon spoke with Yen on Zoom about how the project came together, how he was convinced to take it on, and how new technology affords new opportunities for old-school ways of filming action.This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.Polygon: What interested you about The Prosecutor?Donnie Yen: I was not interested at all. In the beginning, when the company presented it to me, I said, I have no idea how to do this movie. I do action movies. Thats my world. Why do you want me to do this? And they just thought two things. One, they really felt how I live as a person they know me, its my friends would make me perfect for that role.Secondly, these are companies Ive worked with several times in the past, like on the Ip Man series. And they said, Oh, we were prepping for the other movies, Ip Man 5 as well as Flash Point 2. Were going to produce these films, and the audience wants to see these films. But youve never done a film like [The Prosecutor]. Lets give it a try.So it took two months for me to be convinced. I said, I really have to think of an angle to do this movie. We watch tons of them, these kinds of sophisticated courtroom scenes. Im going to do a film combining the two elements. First, of course, is my core audience. They want to see Donnie Yen action. How do you combine them?Two, I dont want to create a world where people get caught in the realism of the case itself, then all of a sudden you have people flying around and kicking. I wanted to use the case as more of a driving force of the motion. So when a persons in the action, the audience can feel the emotion behind it. Ultimately, what I want to say is, the film is about driving the audience to synchronize their emotion with how I want them to react, so they get excited and emotionally attached to the story, rather than the subject itself. We had to put the action scenes in diligently we couldnt just throw in a bunch of action scenes. The audience needs to believe the characters need to go to those action moments, so they were very carefully planted.Something that stuck out to me about this film and Sakra is how you combine old-school martial arts film techniques with new technology drones, POV action sequences, and more. What is your philosophy on combining the two, and what excites you about it?I just call it the technique of telling a story through stylized camera work. In the old-school martial arts movies, we didnt have those kinds of choices. We had one camera, a still camera, and you just go about doing your fighting. Back in those days, there were no computers. I used to cut my film with the old-school film slicers. And now, of course, we are dealing with modern technologies AI, phones, and everything.I do not like to depend on technology unless its really necessary. There was a scene in the middle, in a nightclub with drone shots, and it was all real, not even one bit of CGI to enhance. I prepped the directions, choreographed the movements. We spent a whole day shooting that and half of the night going over it with the stuntman. And then the second half of the night is having the drone cameraperson test the shot. And I got the shot. Thats what I wanted, to go back to basics. So what Im trying to say is, when it comes to filmmaking, I still believe in old-school real emotion, whether its an [intellectual] expression of emotion or a physical expression of emotion. They have to be real to be convincing, so the audience can be engaged with your storytelling.Youre using the new technology thats available to you, but youre still focused on wanting it in-camera, because you want it to feel real.Absolutely. You have to. Shots come to me during the script process. Ill be going over a script with my writers or actors, and shots are already being formed in my head. Its kind of like a musician. Maybe because I play piano or something. Some sort of musical rhythm that I have in my head brings these images out.The Prosecutor is now playing in theaters.

Do you like your Instagram algorithm, but hate that it's missing political posts from accounts you don't follow? You're in luck: Starting this week in the U.S. (and next week for the rest of the world) Meta is going to start adding political content to your recommendations on Instagram and Threads by default. If you're thinking, "Hey, didn't Instagram have the exact opposite approach to this situation last year?" you'd be right. In February of 2024, the company announced it would explicitly not suggest political content from accounts you didn't follow. Unless you actively sought out this content, you could browse the app in peace, left to check out whatever interests you have outside politics.However, it is no longer February 2024. January 2025 is a much different place for Instagram, Meta, and the U.S. As Mark Zuckerberg drastically changes policies surrounding what you can say on Meta's platforms, Instagram (and, by extension, Threads) are making changes as well. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, took to Threads to announce the changes, stating that while he still doesn't believe Meta should be showing political content to people from accounts they don't follow, "a lot of people have been very clear that they want this content." View on ThreadsIndeed, it seems my Instagram settings have already flipped over, while my Threads settings have yet to. (But I have no doubt they will.) Without intervention, you'll likely start seeing more political content that may anger, upset, worry, or frustrate you. Luckily, there is something you can do about it.Removing political content from your Instagram and Threads feedsLet's start with Instagram: Open your profile, then tap the hamburger menu in the top right. Scroll down to the "What you see" section, then choose "Suggested content." Here, tap "Political content," and you'll find three options: Standard, the default, which shows "some" suggested political content; See more, which shows you more political content, if that's your jam; and See less, which is the option you want. Despite the option having "less" in the name, Instagram says it will not share political content with you when it recognizes it, so it should be enough to remove most of the content you'd come into contact with. If it's not, however, back out of this page, then tap the toggle next to Snooze suggested posts in feed. This will remove this type of content from your feed for the next 30 days. It's not perfect, but at least you have a month of peace. Credit: Jake Peterson These options should be present in much the same way on Threads, but reaching them is a bit different. Again, head to your profile, then tap the hamburger menu. Only this time, choose "Account," then "Political content." Right now, I still see the old Suggest political content setting, which is off by default.