A 2023 satellite image captured a pair of peculiar phenomena painting parallel swirls in the sea and sky around Norway's Bear Island, which is surrounded by extremely radioactive waters left behind by a doomed Soviet submarine.

Aside from a crafting table, you won't use any other utility block more in the early-mid game of Minecraft than a furnace. The furnace is used to smelt items using a fuel source, which creates different items that you might not be able to find anywhere else. To see how to craft your own furnace, check out the guide below.Making a Furnace in MinecraftA furnace only requires a single crafting ingredient and you can acquire that material within your first few minutes in Minecraft. You can see the full crafting recipe for the furnace below:At a crafting table, place eight stone blocks (cobblestone is easiest) in every box but the middle one.This is all that's needed to create a furnace. You can interchangeably use stone blocks, so you don't have to have eight of the same kind.The crafting recipe for the furnace in MinecraftAnd that's all there is to crafting a furnace in Minecraft. You need a wood pickaxe to mine the stone from any nearby source and a crafting table to place the blocks in. It's perhaps the easiest utility block to make in Minecraft aside from the crafting table. It's strongly recommended to make more than one furnace, however, as you can place different materials in separate furnaces to make more materials you may need.Continue Reading at GameSpot

In much of Star Wars media, it is shown that male Jedi are more common than female. However, more recently, this has slowly been changing. Projects such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Ahsoka have aimed to put the spotlight on the most powerful women Jedi in the modern Star Wars universe.

Hi,I am trying to compile following shader code written for DX12_1 feature level with shader model cs_5_1.Hitting following error - X3664 vs_2_0 does not support synchronization operations I tried to change shader model from VS_studio HLSL properties but didn't worked.I have Intel GPU with DX 12_1 feature level support. Shader code // Input texture Texture2D<float> inputTexture : register(t0);/

Hi everyone! Time to level up this Lunar New Year! Purchase a new PlayStation5 and stand to win prizes such as PS5 Digital Edition 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle, PlayStation Portal Remote Player, PlayStation Store gift cards, Sony Bravia TV and more.View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageFrom 17th January to 2nd February, there will be discounts on PlayStation 5, PS VR2, DualSense wireless controllers, PULSE Elite Wireless headset and PULSE Explore wireless earbuds, applicable in participating retailers (https://www.playstation.com/local/retailers/).View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageFrom 17th January 17th February 2025, purchase a PS5 console, submit the entry form and stand to win rewards in participating countries/regions* including the grand prize of a Sony Bravia TV. Additionally, entrants who own PS Plus Membership during campaign period will qualify for special prizes that include PS5 Digital Edition 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle, DualSense Wireless Controller Monster Hunter Wilds Limited Edition and PlayStation Portal Remote Player.You can find more details of the campaign here: https://www.playstation.com/en-id/local/campaigns/level-up-new-years-play. * Participating Countries/Regions means South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand).Please see below for full details of Level Up New Years Sale 2025.IndonesiaPlayStation 5 ConsolesOriginal SRPPromotion SRPPlayStation5IDR 9,699,000IDR 8,919,000PlayStation5 console Digital EditionIDR 8,199,000IDR 7,419,000PeripheralsOriginal SRPPromotion SRPPlayStation VR2IDR 10,599,000IDR 7,319,000PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundleIDR 11,499,000IDR 7,319,000DualSense wireless controller (White, Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, Starlight Blue, Gray Camouflage)IDR 1,359,000IDR 1,159,000DualSense wireless controller (Volcanic Red, Cobalt Blue, Sterling Silver, Chroma Pearl, Chroma Indigo, Chroma Teal)IDR 1,449,000IDR 1,249,000Pulse Elite Wireless HeadsetIDR 2,499,000IDR 2,179,000Pulse Explore Wireless EarbudsIDR 3,599,000IDR 3,129,000

Even though Path of Exile 2 will be a little more forgiving in a patch coming later this week, the developers at Grinding Gear Games arent sure how easy to make its post-campaign dungeons.The most common complaints are being addressed in patch 0.1.1 this week: Monsters will leave behind fewer deadly explosions and endgame bosses can be attempted more than once. Item quality will also be improved, which should help players survive the campaign and create more powerful character builds as they reach the games most difficult dungeons.But the punishment for dying in an endgame dungeon, or map, isnt changing yet. Maps will still kick you out after one death, forfeiting all the time and materials you invested into them as well as some of your experience toward the next level up. Hours of progress can disappear in a flash, and anyone not interested in that will have to wait a big longer for a solution.Grinding Gear Games Jonathan Rogers and Mark Roberts were asked in a follow-up interview on Sunday by streamers Darth Microtransaction and GhazzyTV if players will ever get to retry a map after dying. To me, I feel like to be a game you have to have some level of failure [thats] possible, Rogers said. The experience penalty, he explained, is to communicate to players that they may not be ready to tackle harder maps. But I mean maybe thats the wrong way to look at it, Im not sure.Theres a few axis and I think theyre just a bit too severe when all combined together, Roberts added. He thinks the transition from the games directed campaign into the create-a-dungeon endgame is too hard for most people and needs to be smoothed out. But I need to think about it certainly a lot more and get a little bit more analytics on it as well and actually see what the actual problems are.The developers said plenty of things contribute to the problem and that the team is having regular discussions on how to tackle it. In the meantime, however, they want to see how the new patch plays out and focus on the major class balance changes coming afterward. The studio plans to start a new league (read: season) while the game is still in early access, giving players the opportunity to make new characters and test new features. The first league, which is expected to be on its way soon, will come alongside a substantial update to the game and maybe a few of its unreleased classes too.

Identity theft is worse in some ways than other forms of fraud, because it can remain undetected for a long time. There were 726,396 cases of ID theft overall in the first three quarters of 2024 alone, and its a crime that can happen to anybodyincluding your children.You might think you dont have to worry about your kids being victims of identity theft because theyre too young and dont have any credit to stealbut you would be wrong. Of those 726,396 cases of ID theft, 17,559 (2%) involved people under the age of 19. The key is your kids Social Security numberonce a thief has that, they can create financial accounts using whats called synthetic identity theft, combining your childs information with fake details.You might be proactive about protecting your kids from online scams and other more obvious threats, but you also need to protect them from identity theft. Check their credit reportYour first step is to check to see if your child has a credit report alreadythey shouldnt, unless youve opened up an account for them or added them as an authorized user to one of your own credit cards to establish their credit. You can check this at all three credit reporting bureaus by printing out forms (Equifax, Experian) and mailing them in, or filling out an online form (TransUnion).If your child has a credit report and you havent taken any steps to give them a financial history, they might be a victim of identity theft. You should immediately freeze their credit, then take the additional steps listed below to help protect them and their future finances.Consider freezing their creditEven if your child doesnt have a credit report, you should go ahead and freeze their credit. Depending on their age, your children may not need to use their credit score for years, so theres little sense in leaving them vulnerable to identity theft.All three credit bureaus have mechanisms for parents and legal guardians to freeze the credit of a minor (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), and if no credit report exists they will create one and then freeze it. This involves printing out a form or writing a letter and mailing it to the bureaus, along with some copies (not originals) of supporting documentation to prove you have the authority to request the freeze, including your drivers license or other government-issued ID, both your own birth certificate and the childs birth certificate (or other proof that youre legally authorized to request the freeze, such as a foster care certification or court order), your and your childs Social Security cards, and proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, etc.).Minors can sometimes request this freeze themselvesExperian will accept freeze requests from children 14 years old and up, and TransUnion and Equifax will accept requests from children age 16 and older.Once the freeze is confirmed, you can leave it in place until your children are older or until they need to apply for credit. Youll receive information about how to thaw the credit reports when theyre confirmedstore that information safely so you can access it easily when you need it.What to do if your child has a fraudulent credit reportIf you discover that your child has a credit report, do three things right away:Request a copy of the report and contact every account listed there to let them know the account is fraudulent. Get written confirmation that the accounts were the result of identity theft and were closed.Freeze your childs credit report, as noted above.Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at identitytheft.gov. The FTC will help you create a recovery plan and point you to the appropriate government resourcesfor example, if you need to report a misused Social Security number or need assistance establishing that your child wasnt involved in a criminal enterprise as a result of the identity theft.

Youve probably heard the statistics about indoor air being more polluted than outdoor air. Cleaning products, pet dander, cooking emissions off-gassing furniture and decor they all contribute. Letting in fresh air from outside is the quickest way to clear things up, but if thats not possible due to wildfires, extreme weather, allergies or just plain bad air quality an air purifier can help clean the air you breathe. With their combination of filters, fans and sensors, these helpful devices remove particulate matter, VOCs, dust, dander and even smells from the air. We tested a handful of well-reviewed options to find the best air purifier for most people, along with a few alternatives and even an air purifying plant. What an air purifier can and cant do There are three key categories of air pollution that adversely affect the quality of the air you breathe: volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and carbon dioxide. VOCs are emitted gasses that can come from cleaners, off-gassing plastics, paint, solvents, fragrances, cooking food and, ironically, air fresheners. VOCs are most closely related to odors you can smell. High levels can irritate your breathing passages, cause headaches and may become cancer-causing over time. Air purifiers with activated charcoal components can help clean VOCs from the air. Particulate matter is usually discussed as PM2.5 and PM10, with the numbers indicating particle size in microns. This is dust, dirt, mold, smoke and, again, emissions from cooking food. Higher levels of PM can lead to respiratory irritation, allergy symptoms, respiratory infections and potentially lung cancer. Air purifiers that include a HEPA or particle filter can help remove airborne particles from your space. Carbon dioxide is what humans and pets breathe out. Elevated levels can cause dizziness and lethargy. But no air purifier can reduce CO2 levels because the molecules are so small. Plants can help to some extent, but really the only solution is opening a window or otherwise ventilating the space. There are no federal standards for air purifiers, but the state of California does require all air cleaners sold in the state to be certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). All of our top picks here have met that certification. What to look for in an air purifier HEPA filters and other filter types An air purifier isnt an overly complicated device. Smart modes and app connectivity aside, theyre not much more than a filter and a fan. The latter pulls air through the former to capture particulate matter and other unhealthy elements so you dont breathe them in. The type of fan can make some difference it should be powerful enough to pull in air quickly, but also quiet enough on its low speed so it can unobtrusively clean all day long. Filters, on the other hand, are more varied. Most have two or more layers, typically a pre-filter, an activated carbon component and sometimes a particle or even a true HEPA filter. The pre-filter is made from a fine mesh that captures big stuff like pet hair and larger chunks of dust. Sometimes this part is separate from the more technical filters which means you can remove and clean it without needing to swap out the whole thing. For all-in-one filters, you can vacuum the outside of it to remove larger particles. An activated carbon or activated charcoal layer is extremely porous, tightly packed coal that presents a vast amount of microscopic surface area to the passing air. Gaseous chemicals, VOCs and other molecules become lodged in the crannys and stick. This is the layer that gets rid of odors. Nearly all types of air purifiers include a particle filter. Some of those can be called "true HEPA" (high-efficiency particulate air) filters meaning they conform to the standards set out by the DOE. Particle filters are made up of pleated masses of ultrafine fibers that force air to take a convoluted path in order to pass through. This traps and absorbs tiny molecules of smoke and dust, allergens like dander and pollen, and some viruses and bacteria. Since all of these air filters physically trap particulates, theyll eventually fill up and become less effective. Most manufacturers recommend replacing the filter every six months, while others claim a year-long life span. Most smart air purifiers will let you know in the app when its time to replace. When youre considering a units cost, be sure to factor in the expense of replacement filters, which you may end up buying twice a year. Room size Air purifiers list their cleaning capabilities in terms of room size and frequency of air exchanges, sometimes listed as clean air delivery rate (CADR). For example, a smaller one might say it can exchange the air in a 500-square-foot room twice per hour. So that model should be able to pass all of the air in a 250-square-foot room through the filter every 15 minutes, but a 1,000-square-foot room would probably be outside its effective range. Of course, theres no standard for manufacturers to adhere to when it comes to these calculations, but typically, larger air purifiers can handle large rooms. Where you put the machine makes a difference, too. Since it requires airflow to effectively clean air, somewhere close to the middle of the room and at least a foot away from furniture, walls and other potential blockages is ideal. Thats not always practical, so aim for getting it as close as you can to the center of your space while maintaining a one-foot clearance all around. Controls In our testing, we focused on Wi-Fi-connected smart air purifiers with companion apps that can monitor air quality and adjust the fan settings as needed. Within the apps, you can control auto-clean settings, set timers and schedules and check the health of the filter as well. Most will remind you when its time to get a replacement, and let you order one directly from the manufacturer through the app. You can also see the current and historical readings from the internal air quality (AQ) sensor. Most determine air quality through an optical particle meter, though some brands like Dyson and Molekule also include chemical sensors for VOC measurements. When levels of particulates become elevated, the fans switch up to high speed to move more air through until the quality improves. Most smart purifiers also work with voice assistants, so if asking Alexa to turn on your air purifier makes your life easier in some way, you can do so. If you dont want to talk to an AI or grab your phone to control your purifier, getting a unit with simple on-board controls is a good idea. These can be as basic as buttons with indicator lights or as elaborate as a touchscreen panel. At minimum, its good to have a way to control the fan speed and turn on or off auto mode on the device itself. Design As we mentioned, sticking the device as close to the middle of the room is helpful for getting the best performance. That means youll be looking at it a lot, so design considerations matter. Most purifiers are cylindrical towers with fan vents up top. Units meant for larger rooms are not small, weighing between 12 and 20 pounds and reaching two feet tall (or in the case of the Dyson Purifier Cool, three and a half feet). Some, like Coways Airmega IconS, take on more furniture-like designs to blend in. Others, like Dyson's, are conspicuously designed to stand out. When an air purifier just isnt enough The most striking bit of knowledge I picked up from testing air purifiers is how effective opening windows can be on indoor air quality. What took an air purifier a half hour to clear out took mere minutes when I opened my front door and a few windows. Every variable measured by the air quality sensors, including VOCs, PM, and particularly CO2 levels (which air purifiers cant alleviate), improved dramatically after exposure to fresh air significantly faster and better than any machine we tested. Even on very cold or very hot days, it might be worth it, even if your doors and windows are only open for a few minutes. True, my HVAC system had to work a little overtime afterwards, but venting a room was the most surefire way of getting air quality quickly back in the green. Of course, if the air outside is unhealthy from wildfire smoke or run-of-the-mill pollution, or if you're dealing with seasonal allergies, throwing open the windows wont work and an air purifier might be the best way to consistently clean things up. How we test air purifiers My living room is not a science lab; theres far too much pet hair for that to be the case. Still, I went beyond just turning stuff on and sniffing the air by acquiring two consumer-grade indoor air quality monitors that performed well in laboratory assessments, the Element from Element from Awair and the uHoo Smart Air Monitor. I conducted burn tests in this medium-sized room by measuring the ambient air quality, then burned a brick of pion incense for twenty minutes and measured the air again. Then I ran one purifier at its highest speed for thirty minutes and recorded levels, then ran the unit on the lowest setting for a half hour and remeasured. I made note of the sound levels using a simple iPhone app to compare one machines noise level to the next. Over the course of a month, I used each unit in different scenarios (such as in the basements where the cat litter boxes are) and tried out each devices smart features, controls and auto modes. I also just lived with them and evaluated how they fit into everyday life. As new purifiers come on the market and as we become aware of other units that seem worthy of inclusion, such as Blueair well continue to test them and update this guide accordingly. Best air purifiers for 2025 Other air purifiers we tested Sensibo Pure At $229, and nearly always on sale for $130, I had the Sensibo Pure pegged as a contender for a budget pick. Unfortunately, replacement filters are $99 unless you subscribe to automatic shipments and many of the app features are behind a paywall as well. Its not certified by CARB and underperformed many of the other units in the burn test, though it did return the air back to a good rating according to the air monitors after 30 minutes. The design is inoffensive, its not overly loud and it does integrate with Sensibos smart AC devices, so if youre already happy with one of those, this may be a decent option. Dyson Purifier Cool Like all Dyson products, this air purifier is dripping with design. It looks like no other unit on the market and its up to you to decide whether you like that or not. I was indifferent to the looks, but appreciated the slick and informative app, which not only displays indoor air quality, it also shows what conditions are like outside, using a clever house graphic to differentiate the two sets of numbers. I also like that it detects VOCs as well as particulates and the auto mode seemed to read the room accurately. The air coming out of the fan did indeed feel cool, though at first had a strong plastic odor. Unfortunately, it was the lowest performing unit during two separate burn tests and had repeated connectivity issues. Molekule Air Pro The Molekule Air Pro comes from a brand that pays keen attention to aesthetics. It and the app have that Instagrammable, muted-modern look that countless clothing and bedsheet brands emulate these days. That style doesnt come cheap as the Air Pro costs over $1,000 and requires $140 filters. The company came under fire for and had to stop making many of its claims about its filtration system, which may have led to it filing for bankruptcy in 2023. Molekule is still able to tout its patented photoelectrochemical oxidation, which the company says destroys pollutants at a molecular level. In my tests, it performed almost as well as the others in improving VOC and PM2.5 levels. But its also very loud: When auto mode kicked the fan into high gear, it would make me tense. Also, I found the unit often indicated bad or very bad levels when my two monitors indicated the air quality was actually pretty good.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-air-purifier-120040002.html?src=rss

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