SpaceSuzie Imber is a co-investigator for the BepiColombo mission, currently on its way to Mercury. She explains how it will cast new light on the planet's many oddities, from its massive core to its epic solar storms 13 January 2025 Paul RydingAs planets go, Mercury is a world of extremes and one that doesnt always make a great deal of sense. Its iron core is absurdly and inexplicably huge. Despite its searing temperature, it has ice trapped at its poles. It is also pummelled every day by wild solar storms the likes of which Earth only experiences once a century.Suzie Imber hopes she can help us get to know the planet a little better through her work as a co-investigator with Europe and Japans BepiColombo mission, which last week made its final and closest flyby of Mercury, helping it to slow down before it enters orbit in 2026. Imber, based at the University of Leicester, UK, is an expert on space weather and says her studies of Mercury could help us prepare for the worst solar storms here on Earth. She was also, in 2017, the winner of the BBCs Astronauts: Do you have what it takes?, a gauntlet that pitted contestants against the rigours of space travel.Imber told New Scientist why she is so excited about sending a mission to Mercury, what we hope to learn about this intriguing planet and whether she might one day venture out to the final frontier herself.Jonathan OCallaghan: Why are we returning to Mercury now?Suzie Imber: There are loads of reasons. From a high-level perspective, its a pretty unexplored planet. Weve had three flybys and one orbital mission NASAs MESSENGER, which orbited between 2011 and 2015 but the more we learn,

Nike plans to launch new running shoes this year.In 2024, Nike trailed competitors like Asics and Adidas in running shoe launches.BMO analysts remain optimistic about Nike's 2025 lineup despite past performance challenges.Nike's shoe competitors were on a tear in 2024, so expectations are high for the sportswear giant this year.Most footwear brands launched six or more shoes in 2024, according to data from BMO. Asics, Adidas, Brooks Running, and Hoka led the way in running shoe launches in 2024, but Nike had fewer than six.As part of its moves to improve sales, Nike is getting back to basics. That includes redefining itself as a "running brand." To keep up with the competition, it will have to prove that in 2025.Asics launched new models or updated existing performance running models 11 times last year, while Adidas and Brooks launched or updated 10 and nine models, respectively, according to BMO. Nike only updated its current running shoe lineup and released no new models.Nike said it will launch the Pegasus Premium in late January and the Vomero 18 on February 25. The Vomero Plus, Premium, and the new Structure model will come "later in 2025."With this running lineup, retail analysts at BMO say its launch schedule in 2025 "looks more promising." Its new product line received a positive response from consumers and industry watchers when it was announced at The Running Event, a trade show held in November,"We believe NKE's inflection is a question of 'When' compelling product begins to roll in rather than 'If,'" BMO analysts wrote.Brands like On Running and Hoka have been growing in popularity over the past few years. Brooks' Q2 2024 North American sales grew 19%, a quarterly record for the brand, according to data it collected from research firm Circana.Nike brought veteran employee Elliott Hill out of retirement to take over as CEO in October, and he has his work cut out for him. Revenue for the Nike brand only grew 1% last year, with the key North America region providing a drag.However, the company has acknowledged that it will take time to see its desired results."A comeback at this scale takes time, but we see early wins from momentum in key sports to accelerating our pace of newness and innovation," Matthew Friend, executive vice president and CFO, said during the Q1 earnings call.

Nintendo will reportedly reveal the Switch 2 this week following a spate of 'leaks' of the new hardware, with the company apparently focused on the console and not gamesTech16:55, 13 Jan 2025Updated 16:55, 13 Jan 2025Nintendo Switch 2 is coming, but when?After a series of leaks, it appears the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal is just days away, as one insider suggests the console will be revealed on Thursday, January 16.Nintendo recently broke its silence around the console, claiming that a CES leak from accessory manufacturer Genki is "not official", and reportedly sent lawyers to make contact.We've already heard it'll potentially use AI upscaling for 4K visuals and have magnetic controllers, and maybe come with an OLED display at launch.Now, we may have our first idea of when to expect a more official look at the console, even if games may fall by the wayside this time.As spotted by VGC, podcaster Nate the Hate has claimed the Switch 2 reveal plans are coming very soon indeed.I can share with you that Nintendo Switch 2 will be revealed in the coming week I have been told Switch 2 will be revealed on Thursday, January 16 just a few days from now, they explain, but if you're looking for the first glimpse of next-gen Mario, you may be disappointed.Ive heard that the reveal itself is going to focus almost exclusively on the console itself. There is not going to be any presence of games."There could be a game shown running on the screen, depending on how the trailer is put together, but software is not going to be a focus.So that's the reveal date, but what about the release? According to Nate the Hate, there's a chance the company will launch the Switch 2 in May or June, and that it'll be packed with third-party ports.We've already covered one AAA game making the jump, but it could include Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and Metal Gear Solid Delta the latter of which still doesn't have a release date on any platform.Article continues belowAt this point, we're on the edge of our seats, so here's hoping Nate the Hate is on the money.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

Ready for Nintendo to announce things everyone already knows about it? (Reddit)A reliable insider claims to know when the Nintendo Switch 2 will be revealed and if theyre right it will be very soon.Ever since Nintendo said it would unveil the Nintendo Switch 2 before April 2025, fans have been trying to narrow down a precise date for its reveal.Towards the end of 2024, a few sources alleged it could happen in the first half of January. Thats a theory thats been emboldened by the constant spate of leaks, which have included a logo and Switch 2 related listings at retailers.The latest rumour now points to an exact date for a formal Switch 2 announcement and, if accurate, its happening this very week.When is the Nintendo Switch 2 being announced?In his most recent podcast, noted insider Nate the Hate claimed a Switch 2 reveal will take place this Thursday, January 16.Nate the Hate is certainly one of the more reliable insiders out there. In the past, he accurately predicted a date for one of the 2023 Nintendo Directs and was among the first to suggest Microsoft would begin porting Xbox games to other platforms.As for what to expect from the reveal itself, Nate says hes heard it will focus almost exclusively on the console itself, meaning there may not be any new game announcements. You can hear his full comments from the 17:56 mark in the video below.Nate does say he considers the details hes heard incomplete, arguing it wouldnt make sense for Nintendo to show no games running on the Switch 2 whatsoever.He posits that we could see a few seconds of a Switch 2 game playing on either the console screen or a TV (be it an unannounced title or an enhanced Switch game), but if games are otherwise absent, maybe dont be too surprised about it.It would make some sense for Nintendo to take this approach. After all, the announcement for the original Switch in 2016 similarly focused more on demonstrating the hardware itself.However, as Nate and his co-host YouTuber Modern Vintage Gamer have pointed out, that reveal still teased several games running on the hardware, such as The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and the at-the-time unannounced Super Mario Odyssey. Remember this from 2016? (Nintendo)Even if the Switch 2 reveal shows very few, if any games, Nate added, based on what hes heard, a software showcase should follow in late February or early March.Again, this would be almost identical to how Nintendo handled the original Switchs announcement. A more thorough showcase of the consoles line-up of games arrived a few months after the hardware reveal, with the Switch itself releasing a couple of months after that in March 2017.When will the Nintendo Switch 2 be released?As it stands, Nintendo has not provided any sort of launch window for the Switch 2, although its safe to assume itll be out this year.Most recently, accessory company Genki said it would be releasing Switch 2 accessories at the same time as the console, in April 2025. For what its worth, Nate the Hate has also said April is possible, but everything hes heard points to a May or June launch.More TrendingYou may have noticed another reveal date rumour for the Switch 2 doing the rounds recently, from purported insider Average Lucia Fanatic.They suggested a January 17 reveal for the console (only a day off from Nate The Hates prediction) followed by a March 3 release, with Mario Kart 9 and a Red Dead Redemption 2 port among the launch titles.Average Lucia Fanatics claims were met with the doubt though, when they said the Switch 2 would cost $400 in Canada, which is far too cheap. That price is tantamount to 228, which is less than the original Switch.The rumour was dismissed as fake for that and other reasons and Average Lucia Fanatic later admitted in a Discord message that they made all their claims up. A new Mario Kart has been commonly theorised as a possible launch title for the Switch 2 (Nintendo)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

By Passant Rabie Published January 13, 2025 | Comments (0) | The Kenyan space agency is still investigating the origin of the metallic ring that fell onto a village. Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images Its been two weeks since a chunky metal ring crashed onto a village in Kenya, but authorities are still unable to pinpoint where it came from. The fallen object raises concern over how hard it is to trace space debrisand hold those responsible accountable. The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) is still investigating the origin of a mysterious object that fell from the sky onto Mukuku Village in Makueni County during the early hours of Monday, December 30, 2024. As of today, however, the origin of the oval-shaped fragment remains a mystery. Although it was initially assumed that the ring was discarded space debris, theres little evidence that ties it to a specific rocket or satellite. The metallic ring is approximately 8 feet (2.5 meters) wide, and weighs about 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms). Early assessment suggested that the object is a separation ringa component used to connect payloads to rockets during launch, ensuring they are placed in orbit before the ring falls back to Earth. Separation rings are generally designed to burn up upon reentry through Earths atmosphere, or break up into smaller fragments that fall in uninhabited regions of the ocean. In a statement posted on X, the Kenyan space agency denied rumors that the Indian Space Research Organization was responsible for the object, dismissing claims that there will be compensation to the residents of the village. The Kenya Space Agency and relevant authorities are handling the matter to ensure a thorough and accurate assessment. We advise the public to remain cautious about such reports and await official findings, KSA wrote on X.Another culprit was later named, object 33155 (2008-034C), an Ariane SYLDA adapter from flight V184. The SYLDA is a hollow shell placed over one payload so that another payload can be placed on top, and this particular one launched on July 7, 2008. Following its launch, the SYLDA was left in a geostationary transfer orbit and reportedly reentered on December 30 (the same day as the ring incident), according to the Space Forces orbital tracking unit.Again, this is mere speculation. Space Force ability to track objects at such very low inclinations is poor once the objects reach a low altitude orbit, which explains the lack of tracking in the final week, Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, an expert in space tracking, wrote in a blog post. This means we cant really be confident about when and where it reentered, especially if Space Forces estimate is really just an extrapolation of data from a week previously. The lack of evidence has prompted McDowell to question whether this object even fell from space. It was suggested that the ring is space debris, but the evidence is marginal, he added. I am not fully convinced that the ring is space debris at all.Marco Langbroek, an astrodynamics lecturer at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands, agrees that the metal ring likely did not come from an Ariane rockets SYLDA adaptor. That said, he does point to other evidence suggesting it is space debris. Apart from the metal ring in the pictures, other fragments looking consistent with space debris, for example what looks like carbon wrap and isolation foil, were found several kilometers away from it, Langbroek wrote in a blog.The ongoing mystery over where the metallic ring came from highlights the growing risk of falling space debris, the origin of which can sometimes be hard to track.In March 2023, a two-pound cylinder-shaped object crashed through the roof of a home in Florida. The object was later identified as a fallen piece of a massive pallet of old batteries that NASA had tossed from the International Space Station in March 2021, sending it flying through Earths atmosphere. The family whose home was affected sued NASA for property damage. If the space debris goes unclaimed, however, then there will likely be no repercussions for whatever damage was caused. On average, 200 to 400 human-built objects reenter through Earths atmosphere every year, so the chances of space junk ending up in inhabited areas is slim, but still not zero. The regulations that govern these sort of incidents are not entirely solid. The 1972 Liability Convention states that the launching country is liable to pay compensation for any damage caused by its space object, whether in orbit or on Earth. However, the convention stipulates that a company or institution is only liable for its space debris if it was negligent in some way, but it fails to define what would constitute as negligence in that case.Things become even less clear when it comes to unclaimed pieces of debris, as evident by the mysterious ring that fell in Kenya. Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Passant Rabie Published January 10, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 8, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 7, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 6, 2025 Isaac Schultz and Passant Rabie Published January 4, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 2, 2025

Lake House / Gilda Meirelles ArquiteturaSave this picture! Pedro MascaroHousesBrazilArchitects: Gilda Meirelles ArquiteturaPhotographsPhotographs:Pedro MascaroMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The owners of this house, with a beautiful view of the lake and the forest in Quinta da Baroneza, have always been fans of the work of the Gilda Meirelles Architecture office. When they found a ready-made residence that had been tailored for another resident who needed to move, they fell in love at first sight. Over time, the large family began visiting the house more frequentlyon weekends, holidays, and during vacationsand realized they needed more space to comfortably accommodate everyone, including for entertaining occasional guests. Thus, they acquired additional neighboring lots, totaling an area of 1,300 m.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The new plan consisted of expanding and improving the garden and leisure areaswhich now include a beach tennis court with support, a game room, and a home theaterand service areaswhere a kitchen, dining room, and staff quarters were added. In the pool area, all the finishes and coveringswhich had already worn out over time and usewere redone. Additionally, a new suite was included at the residents' request, where sliding doors with wooden slats open directly to a breathtaking view of the Baroneza lake. The renovation approach was to remodel part of the lot to create a new entrance, now possible with the increase in area. The slope of the land was utilized to almost hide the garage beneath the new beach tennis court.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Being a country house, designed as a temporary refuge from urban life, the landscaping, signed by Alex Hanazaki, plays an important role in highlighting and emphasizing the architecture. Since the original project had been done by the same office and the owners liked it very much, the architects maintained the style, modernizing the finishes and adding new roofs and volumes. The chosen colors and the option for wooden frames and stone cladding were specially selected to ensure fluidity between architecture and the countryside, the forest, and the landscape. The biggest challenge, which ultimately became its greatest quality, was the integration of the old project with the new. The standout feature is how the house appears to have been designed all at once, and once completed, we cannot distinguish what already existed from the new part.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on January 13, 2025Cite: "Lake House / Gilda Meirelles Arquitetura" [Casa do lago / Gilda Meirelles Arquitetura] 13 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025577/lake-house-gilda-meirelles-arquitetura&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You'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

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Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 2 pm ET 11 am PT 7 pm UTCSpecial guests Director Victor Danell and VFX Supervisor Jacob Danell join us to discuss how the team behind the indie film "UFO Sweden" used a creative mix of cutting-edge AI techniques and specially-made custom glass lenses to tell the sci-fi/adventure story. Find out how AI tech and SynthEyes 3D camera tracking allowed the Swedish actors to record their lines in English and seamlessly comp it over their original performances.Learn about Crazy Pictures: https://crazypictures.se/ VFX Studio: https://www.emberlight.se/project/ufo-sweden Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zItxcPH20_I Giveaway Alert! Watch live to win an annual subscription to SynthEyes ($295 value) or the complete Boris FX Suite ($1295 value)! Head over to www.borisfxlive.com for details. Stay in the Loop: Dont forget to subscribe and hit the bell to stay updated on future live streams, interviews, and tutorials.Useful Links:Product page: https://borisfx.com/products/syntheyes/ Join us on Discord: https://www.borisfxdiscord.com/ #BorisFX #LiveStream #syntheyes

Tattoos from the pre-Columbian Chancay culture of coastal Peru. These tattoo scales are on the forearm of mummified human remains seen under white light. Kaye et al. 2025ShareLasers are typically used to remove tattoos from the skin with mixed results. These tight beams of light can also reveal the ink that once decorated 1,200-year-old pieces of mummified skin. Using a newly developed laser technique, an international team of researchers identified the intricate tattoo designs on mummified human remains that date back to Perus Chancay culture. The findings are detailed in a study published January 13 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.Humorous pottery and complex tattoosThe Chancay culture was a pre-Hispanic civilization that lived in the valleys of present day coastal Peru from about 1000 to 1470 CE. It was likely absorbed by the Inca Empire, when this larger and more powerful group expanded into Chancay land.Chancay pottery was not particularly ornate and most artifacts are simple black-on-white pieces with colors. Some Chancay vessels also depict humorous scenes. Like the Inca, Ancient Egyptians and some cultures from Europe, the Chancay practiced both tattooing the skin and mummification, which preserved body ink. These tattoos appear to be surprisingly more complex than the designs seen on their pottery.Art and location of the Chancay culture. (A) Drawing of a human ceramic figure depicted with body art similar to the mummified remains in Fig. 2. (B) Example of textile art. (C) Location of modern Chancay along the coast of Peru. Artifacts from Arturo Ruiz Estrada Archaeological Museum Collection. CREDIT: Kaye et al. 2025. Mummy meets laserIn the study, the team used a new technique originally developed to study dinosaur fossils called laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF).Our imaging work involved scanning a laser line back-and-forth over the mummified human remains in a dark room, Michael Pittman, a study co-author and archeologist from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, tells Popular Science. This caused the skin of the remains to glow in the dark, vividly backlighting the otherwise hidden details of the original tattoo.LSF was developed by Pittman and study co-author Thomas G. Kaye from Foundation for Scientific Advancement in Arizona. When applying it to the tattooed and mummified skin, it allowed them to see exceptionally fine-line tattoos with incredibly narrow details. The tattoos depict intricate shapes and geometric designs. According to Pittman, some of the tattoos in the study even exceed the artistic precision that is seen in known examples of Chancay pottery, textiles, and rock art.We were most surprised by just how detailed the Chancay tattoos could be, says Pittman. The 0.1 0.2 millimeter lines we discovered are finer than any line a standard #12 modern tattoo needles can produce, so the level of skill and effort that was required from the Chancay artist really blew our minds.Unknown symbolismWhile this study expands scientific understanding of Chancay artistic expression, it raises larger questions about the role of tattoos. These markings may have been used as status symbols or as spiritual emblems.The significance of the tattoos we studied is still being actively studied, but in revealing such unexpectedly detailed tattoos, we show that the Chancay went to special lengths to design and produce certain tattoos suggesting that the significance of their tattoos probably varied, says Pittman.Applying this laser technique to other ancient mummified remains from around the world could offer more insight to ancient tattoo arts.We plan to image other ancient tattoos from around the world using this new technology as we believe it opens up an exciting new frontier to finding other impactful insights into the history of this important artform, says Pittman.