Every year, Apple adds additional privacy features that make its products the most secure in the world. Most recently, in iOS 18, Apple added the ability to limit Contacts access to only the select connections you choose. The company also developed its new Apple Intelligence AI system with privacy at its core.Yet there are still several privacy enhancements Apple could make across its devices to ensure that more of our data remains safe from prying eyes. Here are four top privacy features Apple should add to its devices, software, and services in 2025.Lock apps on Apple TVThe Apple TV set-top box is one of the best devices Apple makes (the TV app, on the other hand, still needs plenty of work). Unfortunately, the Apple TV, still lacks the privacy protections that Apples other devices offer. The most glaring privacy oversight on Apple TV is the inability to lock individual appsor access to the device itselfbehind a passcode.Anyone who has access to your living room can access all the digital goods on your Apple TV. When you turn on the Apple TV, there is no login screen where you need to enter a passcode to access the operating system and all its apps. This means that anyone can access all your Apple TV data simply by picking up the Siri Remote.And this doesnt just include your streaming apps. The Apple TV also has the Photos app, just like the one on your iPhone, so anyone with access to your Apple TV can see all the photos youve saved in your iCloud Photos Library. Right now, the only way to stop this is to decline to enable iCloud Photos on your TVbut that means you lose the best screen in your house for viewing your pics.Apple should do what it did with apps on iOS 18: Let users lock the Apple TV and its individual apps behind a passcode.End-to-end encrypted emailBack in 2022, Apple turned iCloud into a digital Fort Knox by allowing users to enable Advanced Data Protection on their iCloud account. Advanced Data Protection encrypts most of your iCloud data end-to-end, which means that no onenot even Applecan access the majority of the data you have stored there unless they know your password.The problem is that not all iCloud data is encrypted end-to-end, including iCloud emails. And since iCloud emails (those sent from an @iCloud.com email address) are still not end-to-end encrypted, nefarious bad actors could gain access to them and read their contents. If the iCloud emails were end-to-end encrypted, any hackers would only see gibberish even if they did breach iClouds servers.There is, of course, a valid reason that Apple hasnt implemented end-to-end encryption for iCloud emails: if you sent an end-to-end encrypted iCloud email to the user of another email service (like Gmail), they wouldnt be able to unencrypt the message because Gmail (and other major email providers like Yahoo and Outlook) doesnt support end-to-end encrypted emails.Still, in 2025, Apple should lead the charge when it comes to bringing end-to-end encryption to emails and, with it, spur others in the industry to do the same so end-to-end encrypted emails can be sent and accessed from any email account you use.Limited Calendar accessOne of the best privacy features in years arrived with iOS 18 last fall. Thats when Apple finally added the ability to grant apps access to only the address book contacts you chose rather than your entire address book. This selective access means that companies, including social media giants, cant see everyone you knowincluding sensitive contacts like health professionalswhen requesting access to your contacts.Yet apps can still request access to all your calendars, which hold valuable data about you, including when youll be somewhere. Your only options are to deny apps access entirely, allow them to add new events only, or give them full access to read all your calendar events. Nowhere is there an option to let an app access only some of your calendars (such as your work calendar but not your personal one).In iOS 18, Apple gave us incredibly granular privacy controls over our address books, helping to keep our contacts safe from prying eyes and nosey apps. Heres hoping this level of privacy comes to Calendars in 2025.Lock individual iMessage chatsFor years, Apples Messages app has led the industry when it comes to privacy. Apple Messages was one of the first to offer end-to-end encrypted chats, for example. And in iOS 18, the Messages applike nearly every other app on the iPhonecould be locked behind a passcode or biometric scan before someone could access its contents. However, the Messages app still cannot lock individual chat threads behind a passcode.Locking specific chats behind a passcode may seem a bit redundant if you can already lock the entire app behind a passcode, but there is a strong use case for adding more fine-tuned options with this privacy feature.Anyone with young children will know that they will frequently ask to borrow a caregivers phone to text someone, like their parent who is at work. Locking specific chats behind a passcode can ensure that your child cant accidentally text your boss. Locked chats could also ensure that someone couldnt gain access to any 2FA codes your bank or other services text to you, and that someone with access to your Messages app couldnt see any texts you receive from sensitive contacts, such as healthcare providers.

Nintendos announcement of the Switch successor is imminent. Just how imminent is anyones guess with the company stating that it would reveal info on the console before the end of its fiscal year in March. Rumors regarding the new Switch have been circulating for more than a year, but with less than two months to go until the promised deadline, and in the absence of any real information from Nintendo itself, speculation about the console, its specs, physical profile, and more have reached a fever pitch. So before the official reveal, heres everything we think we know about Nintendos next console.The only concrete, Nintendo-confirmed piece of information we know about the new console is that itll be backwards compatible with the Switch. Everything else has come by way of leaks and info supplied by third-party manufacturers. Late last year, one such manufacturer, Dbrand, debuted its Killswitch carrying case meant for the Switch 2. According to Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz, the Killswitch is based on the actual dimensions of the new console obtained from a 3D scan of the real hardware. But in an interview with The Verge, he declined to say exactly how or where Dbrand obtained such information.Dbrands render of its Killswitch 2 case. Image: DbrandIf the Killswitchs design is indeed derived from the real thing, the new console will be larger than the Switch OLED with an 8-inch screen, and feature a kickstand that will span the length of the console similar to the OLED model. That the new Switch will be larger than previous iterations is supported by leaks and info from other accessory manufacturers as well as the idea that the Joy-Con controllers will attach via magnet instead of sliding and snapping into place. The new controller design will also incorporate magnets in the joysticks to combat against the dreaded Joy-Con drift that plagues the Switch even now.CES 2025 provided even more fodder for the rumor mill, with accessory manufacturer Genki showing off a 3D printed mock-up of the console on the show floor. In an interview with The Verge, Genki CEO Eddie Tsai went into detail about what he knows about the new Switch reaffirming rumors regarding its larger size, magnetic Joy-Con, and more.While theres a lot of speculation and potential evidence about what the new console will look like, theres less circulating about what it can actually do. Beyond an alleged photo of the consoles motherboard, there hasnt been much out there about the consoles hardware specifications. Because Nintendo has never made consoles at the bleeding edge (or, honestly, even the cutting one) of graphics or processing power, its hard to guess how well the console will perform or what additional features, like a microphone, itll have.Though the consoles internals remain a mystery, we do know that itll be backwards compatible with Switch games. We can also reasonably guess at least one game thatll be a launch title: Metroid Prime 4. Announced in 2017, and undergoing a change of studio and a development reboot two years later, Nintendo debuted gameplay footage for the first time last year and shared a soft launch window of 2025. When Twilight Princess launched in 2006, it debuted on both the GameCube and served as a launch title for the Wii. Breath of the Wild was also cross-gen, debuting on the Wii U while launching with the Switch in 2017.At CES 2025, The Verge saw a 3D printed mockup of the Nintendo Switch 2, here it is next to the Steam Deck. Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergeKnowing that the new Switch and Metroid Prime 4 both launch in 2025 and with Twilight Princess and BotW as examples, its speculated that the reason for Metroid 4s long stint in development hell was, at least in part, because the game was being tooled for both the Switch and its successor. Also, you just cant have a new Nintendo console without a Mario game. Super Mario Odyssey was a Switch launch title, and though theres been other new releases like Super Mario Wonder, there hasnt been a new, standalone (put down your pitchforks Bowsers Fury fans) 3D Mario game since then. Its all but assured one will be announced with the new Switch. The recently announced Pokmon Legends: Z-A is also a good launch title candidate as Nintendo curiously worded the games debut trailer with releasing simultaneously worldwide on Nintendo Switch in 2025.For all the rumors and reasonable guesses supported by increasingly convincing evidence, its helpful to remember that at the end of the day, were still talking about Nintendo. The company has always tread a separate and unpredictable path from the other two major console manufacturers and that oddball strategy has mostly worked very well. Though the company is not immune to the same layoffs and delays (the Switch 2 was originally pegged for a 2024 release) plaguing its peers and indeed has its own manifold issues with how it treats and pays its employees and contractors, of the major publishers, it seems to be the one that is best navigating the current crisis ravaging the industry.It is folly trying to predict what Nintendo will do, and that applies to its new console. All we can count on is that its coming soon, and when it arrives, itll be big.

New renders of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series have appeared in a leak from Android HeadlinesGalaxy Unpacked event later this month. The most obvious change here is that Samsung has tweaked the design of the S25 Ultra, rounding off the phones corners a bit.From the renders, it looks like youll be able to get the non-Ultra S25s in light blue, dark blue, light green, and silver. The Ultra will come in black, gray, and two silvery colors with either a white or blue tint. Heres a gallery of some of the images, but be sure to head over to Android Headlines for the rest:1/30Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Image: Android Headlines1/30Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Image: Android HeadlinesApart from the new colors, the non-Ultra phones are almost indistinguishable from the S24 line. But one finer detail thats changed is the way the camera bumps seem to nod at the look of a traditional camera lens barrel that flares out at the end. Internally, look for a CPU bump from Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chips to new Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile processors, but not much else. You can read more about the internals in a separate specs leak that Android Headlines also published yesterday.Stay tuned for our coverage of the next Galaxy Unpacked event on January 22nd, at which we expect the company will reveal plenty of details about these phones. Naturally, you can bet it will talk about new AI features, too. Maybe by then, Ill have stopped thinking about connecting to compatible ships through Matter with SmartThings.

Blue Origin is preparing for one of its biggest launches yet. On Sunday, the Jeff Bezos-owned commercial space company will attempt to send its 320-foot-tall New Glenn rocket into space for the first time.The launch comes after almost a decade of development, and its outcome could threaten the dominance of Elon Musks SpaceX not only in the commercial space industry but also in the satellite internet business. Heres an overview of what you need to know about the New Glenn flight and how to watch it live.What is New Glenn, and why is it important?First announced in 2016, Blue Origins New Glenn rocket is meant to shuttle cargo, satellites, and, in the future, people into space. The New Glenn is named after John Glenn, the first NASA astronaut to enter the Earths orbit.Its first stage is powered by seven of Blue Origins powerful BE-4 engines, which run on liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen. Blue Origin aims to reuse New Glenns first stage for at least 25 missions, as its designed to touch down vertically on a sea-based platform following launch, allowing the company to retrieve it.The rockets upper stage is disposable and carries Blue Origins payload. Its capable of sending 13 metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit and 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit. Blue Origin says New Glenn is also engineered with the safety and redundance required to fly humans. Though Blue Origin initially aimed to launch New Glenn in 2020, its inaugural flight kept getting pushed back due to issues with the development of its BE-4 engine and other technical mishaps.RelatedAs pointed out by NPR, New Glenn has a similar carrying capacity to SpaceXs Falcon Heavy rocket, but it stands out with a larger, 23-foot-wide cargo bay. If New Glenns launch is successful, it could heat up its rivalry with SpaceX as both companies vie to secure lucrative government contracts. New Glenn is also key to Amazons Project Kuiper satellite internet initiative. Though the companys first set of satellites is scheduled to launch aboard SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket this year, Blue Origin will eventually launch Project Kuiper satellites aboard New Glenn, rivaling SpaceXs Starlink. Amazon plans to send 3,236 Project Kuiper satellites into space, which is still far fewer than Starlinks growing constellation of more than 6,000 satellites.What to expect from New Glenns first launchNew Glenn is set to take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a three-hour launch window opening on January 12th at 1AM ET (10PM PT). The launch was originally scheduled for January 10th, but it was pushed back due to a high sea state in the Atlantic. During this uncrewed launch, New Glenn will have the Blue Ring Pathfinder on board, a payload consisting of a communications array, a power system, and a flight computer. It will test the companys Blue Ring spacecraft, which will help support missions with refueling, hosting, data relay, and cloud computing capabilities. The goal is for New Glenn to reach orbit, while anything beyond that, like landing its reusable booster is a bonus, according to Blue Origin CEO David Limp.The Blue Ring Pathfinder will be aboard the New Glenn during its first launch. Image: Blue OriginThis is our first flight and weve prepared rigorously for it, Jarrett Jones, the senior vice president of New Glenn, said in a statement. But no amount of ground testing or mission simulations are a replacement for flying this rocket. Its time to fly. No matter what happens, well learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next launch.How to watch New Glenns launch liveBlue Origin will likely stream the launch live from its website and YouTube channel. Well embed the stream below once it becomes available.

GameFromScratch.comPython Game Engines in 2025Today we have compiled a list of the best Python game engines, frameworks and language bindings for game development in 2025. This is the first in a series of posts exploring the game engine options available for the most popular programming languages. We will eventually have similar guides for C#, []The post Python Game Engines in 2025 appeared first on GameFromScratch.com.

There's thousands of opinions on the best PC gaming setup, and mine will probably be different to very other user on reddit. In today's UK deals, I've found some bargains that are tried and tested by myself from brands I trust. Some are on sale, some are just good value for money with amazing customer service. UK Deals: My Tried And Tested PC Gaming SetupMaingear's MG-1 prebuilt gaming desktops, for example, are built by hand and comes with free and unlimited customer service. Not sure about how to upgrade a component? Give them a call. Yes it ships from the US, but I wouldn't trust another company the way I trust Maingear. Acer Predator products are solid, and there's a great deal on their RGB gaming desk right now at Currys, with a gaming chair at a solid price that does everything it needs too. Add Ducky's One 3 keyboard, another trustworthy brand i've used for years with a 27-inch AOC curved gaming monitor and your laughing.ACER Predator RGB Gaming DeskACER Predator Rift Lite Gaming Chair199.99 at CurrysMaingear MG-1 GoldDucky One3 Classic Black SF RGB Brown Cherry MX Switch Keyboard - UK LayoutAOC Gaming C27G2ZE - 27 Inch FHD Curved MonitorACER Predator RGB Gaming DeskACER Predator RGB Gaming DeskAcer Predator RGB Gaming Desk is made for gamers who want a setup that is as stylish as functional. For 199, you get a solid, steel-framed desk that looks great and has features to keep your battle station tidy. The RGB lighting with three different modes adds some atmosphere to your gaming sessions, and the built-in headset hook means you won't be tripping over your headphones every time you need them. Plus, there's a drink holder, so no more worrying about knocking over your energy drink during intense matches. And with cable cut-outs on the sides, your wires won't look like a tangled mess.ACER Predator Rift Lite Gaming ChairACER Predator Rift Lite Gaming ChairGreat value chair that matches gaming desk199.99 at CurrysAcer Predator Rift Lite Gaming Chair is all about comfort, and for good reason. Whether you're gaming, working, or just chilling, this chair has your back (literally). With high-density molded foam, removable headrests, and lumbar cushions, it's built for long hours. The backrest reclines to 155, so you can kick back between games. You can also adjust the height, seat angle, and armrests to get everything right. It's sturdy, too, with a steel frame that holds up to 150 kg, ensuring you're all set for however long your gaming sessions last.Maingear MG-1 GoldMaingear MG-1 GoldPricing is $1,449. UK price listed is for Mastercard exchange rateMAINGEAR MG-1 Gold isn't messing around. This is if you want top-tier performance in a sleek, understated package. For $1,449 (around 1220), you get an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X processor, and 16GB of RGB DDR5 RAM (with an option to boost it to 32GB). It's enough to handle AAA games and whatever else you throw. You can even double your storage with a 2TB SSD. The whole setup screams "future-proof," with the Boost button to ramp things up even further. It's basically begging to run the latest games in high settings.Ducky One3 Classic Black SF RGB Brown Cherry MX Switch Keyboard - UK LayoutDucky One3 Classic Black SF RGB Brown Cherry MX Switch Keyboard - UK LayoutDucky One3 Classic Black SF is a solid choice if you want a mechanical keyboard that's functional and feels great to type on. For 104.99, you get a 65% layout with Cherry MX Brown switches that offer a smooth, tactile feel without being too loud. It's got hot-swappable switches, so you can change things up if you like, and the RGB backlighting makes it look sharp. Plus, the PBT keycaps add some durability, so it'll stand the test of time. This is it if you want a no-frills, reliable keyboard that looks good and performs well.AOC Gaming C27G2ZE - 27 Inch FHD Curved MonitorAOC Gaming C27G2ZE - 27 Inch FHD Curved MonitorAOC Gaming C27G2ZE is the monitor you want if you're serious about gaming and don't want to spend a fortune. At 178.97, you get a 27-inch curved screen with a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time, which means buttery-smooth gameplay. The AMD FreeSync Premium support ensures minimal screen tearing, and the FHD resolution delivers crisp visuals for all your games. It's got all the specs you need to level up your gaming experience without emptying your wallet. Whether you're into FPS, racing games, or strategy, this monitor has you covered.Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Sakamoto Days faces an uphill battle as it premieres on Netflix. How can the animated exploits of Taro Sakamoto possibly improve upon the uncommonly detailed and choreographed action that swirls around the titular retired hitman in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump? The answer, based on the series premiere, at least, is that they cant: While the episode finds some excitement in Sakamotos particular brand of violence, other action sequences are hampered by a lack of imagination. Just as troublesome: It can be hard to tell when this Sakamoto Days is trying to crack wise, and when its putting on a straight face. But while it doesnt exactly get out of the starting blocks as a remarkable anime adaptation, Sakamoto Days does lay the foundation for what could one day be a must-watch show.Rather than follow its protagonists escapades as an equally feared and revered assassin, Sakamoto Days wisely goes the way of John Wick by fast-forwarding straight to his retirement, a life of domestic bliss alongside the love of his life, Aoi, and their daughter, Hana. To further cement that Sakamotos days of contract killing are behind him, hes put on some weight and runs a quaint convenience store in a quiet neighborhood. Unfortunately, this abrupt retreat doesnt go unanswered, and now he must protect his family from other hitmen and former colleagues like the clairvoyant assassin Shin.In contrast to shonen series that take themselves too seriously (like, in my opinion, Jujutsu Kaisen and Solo Leveling), Sakamoto Days strikes a visual balance between the physical comedy of Jackie Chans output in the 1980s and the grittiness of more conventional crime dramas. Similar to how placing Chan in an amusement park funhouse might stoke our anticipation for how hell use the objects around him nailed down or otherwise to dispatch his foes, the premiere of Sakamoto Days primes us to expect Sakamoto to make novel use of his surroundings. It best threads the action-comedy needle in two thrilling scenes: One where Sakamoto swiftly mows down a group of gangsters in a smoky, dimly lit warehouse, and the other where he blocks a bullet by spitting a gumdrop at it. But theres a hit-or-miss quality to this balancing act, sometimes resulting in tedious, uninspired hand-to-hand combat where Sakamoto haphazardly teleports around the screen and effortlessly defeats his opponents with lackluster punches. The tension between the two sides of Sakamoto Days personality isnt helped by stiff, monotone performances that make it hard to tell when the show is trying to be serious and when it's making a joke. This is especially true of Sakamoto, whether hes portrayed by Matt Mercer (in the English dub) or Tomokazu Sugita (in the Japanese dub). Much of this stems from the character not having much to say in the premiere; outside of subtle behaviors primarily played for laughs and a heavy supply of expository narration, Sakamoto mostly speaks in half-committal utterances that we only hear because Shin is reading his mind. This dims the star power of Mercer and Sugitas performances. Granted, this is the very first episode, the character theyre playing ought to still have some mystique to him at this point, and the series is based on a manga that burns slowly in its early chapters. But theres almost no variation between their delivery in comedic and dramatic scenes. The lines are less blurry when it comes to the dynamic between Shin and the Sakamotos. Throughout the episode, Shin turns from a cold, calculating assassin to an adopted member of his former mentors carefree family, who are hilariously unvexed by either mans past life as a hitman.Sakamoto Days GalleryConsidering Sakamoto Days is slated to be released in parts with part one comprising 11 episodes and part two slated to debut in July time will tell if the anime will hit its stride in later episodes or if they'll be more the same from whats showcased in its premiere. Regardless, theres the seeds of something extraordinary here thanks to the endearing chemistry of the characters. Hopefully, the anime will flesh out the contours of its lead before the punchline of him being an overweight ex-hitman becomes stale.

For a limited time, Apple is offering (at least) two new sign up bonuses for Apple Card. Apple Card typically comes with no sign up bonus, unlike most rewards credit cards. If youre interested in Apple Card, this could be worth jumping on!Apple ran two similar limited time offers back in August, and the offers are the same this time around. Both offers are running until January 13th, so you only have 2 days left to think about it.Offer 1: $100 after $500Apple is advertising this first offer across social media, requiring new customers to spend $500 in the first 60 days of account opening. Afterwards, you earn $100 in Daily Cash, which can be deposited to your Apple Cash account, or your Apple Card Savings account which currently earns 3.9% APY. Unlike some other credit cards, this offer is not a statement credit, so youre technically free to spend this $100 as you please.If interested, you can sign up at this link before January 13th, to lock in this special offer.Offer 2: $300 after $1500This second offer is a targeted email, sent to customers with the subject Preview your new Apple Card credit limit offer.With this offer, you earn $300 Daily Cash after spending $1500 on your new Apple Card in your the 60 days of opening. Similar to the last offer, you can use this Daily Cash as you please, it isnt a statement credit.Its worth checking your email to see if Apple targeted you for this offer. If not, you can try checking this link, though its unlikely to show anything special for you. Once again, users have until January 13th to consider.If youve been looking to get Apple Card, now would be a good time to do so!My favorite iPhone accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Feeling old yet?Fossil Out BoyTwo "Punk" and "Emo" fossils and we don't mean elder members of the music circles that once enjoyed greater cultural cachet are challenging scientists' understanding of the evolution of mollusks. The scene, folks, is not dead.As detailed in a study published in the journal Nature, the researchers created 3D models of the 430 million year old specimens, revealing strikingly complex features that suggest an early group of mollusks called aculifera weren't as primitive as once believed.To their modern human eyes, however, the scientists saw a superficial resemblance to the hallmarks of certain outsider subcultures."Punk in particular, with its spiky appearance, clearly resembles a rebellious punk rocker and we thought Emo complemented it well," said lead author Mark Sutton, a paleontologist at Imperial College London, in a statement about the work. If you squint hard enough, you might see "emo" looking bangs.Petrified KennedysThere are over 100,000 species of mollusks, making it one of the most diverse groups in biologyas it comprises everything from octopusesto squids to snails to clams. It follows that we still don't have a perfect picture of its family tree and its hundreds of millions of years of evolution.Officially named Punk ferox and Emo vorticaudum, these latest mollusk remains were recovered from a notable fossil site located on the England-Wales border, home to many ancient specimens that once dotted the seafloor.Finding them, especially in such good condition that details of their soft tissue could be gleaned, was a godsend. "We don't know much about aculiferans, and it's unusual to find out we've suddenly got two," Sutton told The New York Times.Sutton and his team created 3D models of Punk and Emo through a combination of x-ray scans and photographs. The x-rays revealed the internal structures, while the photographs were taken as the researchers carefully shaved off external layers of the fossils, documenting each step of the way."We grind away a slice at a time, take a photo, repeat at 20-micron intervals or so, and basically destroy but digitize the fossil as we go," Sutton told the NYT.Funeral for a FriendWith the breathtaking accuracy of the digital models, the researchers discovered that both fossils possessed smooth undersides strong evidence that they were seafloor dwellers.In particular, Punk possesses a ridge-like "foot" a trait shared by no other extant mollusks. It also has long, Liberty-spike-looking spines, and gills similar to those of another class of mollusks called chiton.Likewise, Emo has long spines that resemble worm-like mollusks, too, but it also boasts shells and a top-to-down flattened body similar to chitons. Because it was found in a folded posture, the researchers believed that Emo moved like an inchworm. How Punk traversed the seafloor, though, is unclear."This is really giving us an almost unprecedented window into the sorts of things that were actually around when mollusks were getting going," Sutton told the NYT. "It's just this little weird, unexpected, really clear view of what was going on in the early history of one of the most important groups of animals."Share This Article

Image by Warner Bros.While we're not quite living in "The Matrix" at least in a falsifiable sense it seems that something comparable to the film's legendary slowed-down "bullet time"sequencecan, under the right circumstances, happen in real life.In an essay for The Conversation, psychology lecturer Steve Taylor of England's Leeds Beckett University argues that these so-called "time expansion experiences," or TEEs for short, could well be an "evolutionary adaptation" meant to help us survive during extreme experiences.During his research into the phenomenon, the English psychologist has spoken with dozens of people who've experienced TEEs. He believes that 85 percent of all people have had at least one, and that most of us experience them either during accidents, when playing sports or exercising, or in altered states of consciousness brought on by meditation or hallucinogens.As Taylor explains in a post on the Leeds Beckett website, his interest in the phenomenon began after a 2014 car accident he was in with his wife when, as his vehicle was hit by a large truck, "everything went into slow motion.""I looked behind, and the other cars seemed to be moving incredibly slowly, almost as if they were frozen," he wrote. "I felt as though I had a lot of time to observe the whole scene and to try to regain control of the car."That sense of slowed, detailed perception of one's surroundings and the clarity of mind that accompanies the decisions made within those split-second moments seem to characterize TEEs. As the psychologist explains in The Conversation, he was surprised to be so calm at the time and that calmness, which others report feeling during TEEs, suggests that they aren't mere adrenaline responses.During his research, which Taylor documents in his new book "Time Expansion Experiences," the scientist encountered a theory suggesting that this time-slowing effect is simply a trick of memory. Because people become hyper-aware during emergency situations, that theory posits, their perception becomes acute, and that acuteness is then "encoded in our memories"as they recollect the incident.Taylor and the majority of other people who have had TEEs, however, feel certain that they had "extra time to think and act"in the moment, as things were happening, and not just in retrospect."Time expansion allowed complex series of thoughts and actions that would have been impossible if time had been passing at a normal speed," he wrote inThe Conversation.As with so much of human perception, TEEs remain somewhat inexplicable but for those who have ever experienced "Matrix"-style bullet time know that it feels very real regardless.Share This Article