January 19, 2025A Mixed Bag for Private Spaceflight, a New Spider Species and the Health Risks of AlcoholWe discuss a big week for commercial spaceflight, a red dye ban and a scary spider species in this news roundup. Anaissa Ruiz Tejada/Scientific AmericanSUBSCRIBE TO Science QuicklyApple | Spotify | RSS[CLIP: It Doesnt End Here (Instrumental), by Nehemiah Pratt]Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For Scientific Americans Science Quickly, Im Rachel Feltman. Lets kick off the week by catching up on some science news you might have missed.Last Tuesday a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services committee released a new draft report on alcohol. The review of existing data tied just one drink a day to increased risk of liver cirrhosis, oral cancer and esophageal cancer. The committee also found that alcohol use was associated with a higher risk of death from seven types of cancer. And this isnt the first time that the health effects of alcohol have made headlines in 2025: earlier this month Surgeon General Vivek Murthy argued that alcoholic drinks should come with cancer warning labels.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The report did find some counterintuitive connections, too: people who had one drink a day had a lower risk of ischemic stroke than people who didnt, and women who consumed one, two or three drinks per day had a lower risk of diabetes. But these apparent benefits are fickle. The lower risk of ischemic stroke, for example, can disappear if people even occasionally drink four or five servings in one sitting. And women who consumed two alcoholic drinks per day may have had a lower risk overall of diabetes, but they also had significantly higher risks of ischemic stroke and liver disease.So the details might seem kind of confusing, but the takeaway is simple enough: you definitely shouldnt take up drinking as a way to improve your health or use supposed benefits youve read about to justify your intake. The World Health Organizations stance is that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for your health. Of course, we all do plenty of things that arent, strictly speaking, good for us. But judging by this new report, we should try to be mindful of how alcohol fits into the big picture of our lifestyles. There will no doubt be headlines in the future saying that, for example, red wine is good for x, y or z, but those headlines really never mean you should drink more alcohol than youre currently drinking.Meanwhile, last Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, beverages and ingested drugs. The dye, which is made from petroleum, was rejected for use in cosmetics and topical drugs back in 1990 after lab testing on rodents showed it could have carcinogenic effects in high doses. Food manufacturers will have until January 2027 to reformulate their products without Red Dye No. 3, and companies that make ingested drugs will have until January 2028.Advocacy groups filed a petition for the FDA to ban Red Dye No. 3 in 2022, and the agency has concluded that the dye does violate something called the Delaney Clausea part of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that keeps the FDA from authorizing any additive shown to cause cancer in humans or other animals. But we should note that, according to reporting from Stat News, the mechanism by which the dye causes cancer in male rats isnt actually applicable to humans.[CLIP: Let There Be Rain, by Silver Maple]Feltman: In other public health news, a team of more than 50 experts publishing in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal argued last week that the current diagnosis of obesity is flawed. The use of body mass index, or BMI, as a determinant of health has been on the chopping block for a while now, and these researchers propose focusing on more precise measurements of excess body fat. Theyre also suggesting that people who meet the definition for obesity but who do not have any of the conditions that can sometimes be associated with higher weight, like diabetes or heart disease, be put in a separate category from folks who are already dealing with those health problems. The researchers say this will help physicians provide more nuanced care, though its not really clear how this would address the existing issue of weight stigma in medicine. If you want to learn more about how size bias impacts health care, check out our November 8 episode on the subject.And now for some space. Last Wednesday a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched with two new lunar landers in tow. The two landers were created by two different private companies and were released into slightly different orbits.[CLIP: The Farmhouse, by Silver Maple]Feltman: One of the SUV-sized landers is from the Japanese startup ispace. The other comes from Texas-based Firefly Aerospace. Dubbed the Blue Ghost lunar lander, its carrying payloads for 10 different NASA experiments. Blue Ghost is expected to reach the lunar surface in about 45 days.That wasnt last weeks only commercial space win. On Thursday morning Blue Origins New Glenn rocket launched for the very first time. The rockets upper stage made it into orbit, which made the launch technically a success. But Blue Origin didnt quite manage the extra credit portion of their exam: they tried and failed to land the rockets reusable booster on a ship waiting in the Atlantic. But given that New Glenn was originally supposed to take off back in 2020, this SpaceX competitor is probably happy to take the win.Circling back to SpaceX, it wasnt all sunshine and rainbows for them last week, either. On Thursday afternoon the company ran the seventh test launch of its Starship vehicle. The second stage of the megarocket, which was carrying a test payload of mock satellites, exploded a few minutes after takeoff. According to a social media post by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, some kind of leak was likely the culprit, and the company plans to go ahead with another launch next month.Well wrap up with something pretty wild. Have you ever thought about spiders in Australia and been like, Nah, thats not big or venomous enough for me? Well, scientists have got you covered.Last Monday researchers announced the discovery of a new species of funnel-web spider. Its a close relative of the Sydney funnel-web spider, which is known for painful bites that can cause serious illness and even death. This new species, which scientists have nicknamed Big Boy, can growyou guessed italmost twice as long as other funnel-web spiders and it also has bigger fangs and venom glands. So have fun with that, Australia![CLIP: Theme music]Feltman: Thats all for this weeks news roundup. Well be back with another episode on Wednesday.Science Quickly is produced by me, Rachel Feltman, along with Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Subscribe to Scientific American for more up-to-date and in-depth science news.For Scientific American, this is Rachel Feltman. Have a great week!

Digseum is a treat for anyone who's finished their Animal Crossing museumAnd a bit about trowel envy.Image credit: Rat Monthly Feature by Christian Donlan Contributing Editor Published on Jan. 20, 2025 Digseum is a new clicker game - one of those games where you click madly on things while the numbers go up - that Steam recommended to me last week. The timing was perfect. I'd just finished installing the final art work in my Animal Crossing museum, and here was a brand new museum to fill with trinkets and doodads pulled from the earth.DigseumPublisher: Rat MonthlyDeveloper: Rat MonthlyPlatform: Played on PCAvailability: Out now on PC.Pulling trinkets and doodads from the earth is very much what Digseum is about. So far, it's very simple and pleasant going. You have a museum, and the more exhibits you have means the more visitors you have, which means the more money you get flowing in. You find things to exhibit by clicking on grids of earth and uncovering the stuff under the surface. You're hemmed in by stamina, which means you can only swing your pickaxe so many times in one session, so finding buried objects in even a small grid quickly becomes a bit like a game of Battleships. You learn to punch speculative holes all over the earth in the hope of finding something that glints.Then the loop kicks in. Find multiples of the same exhibit and it levels up, which means more visitors, which means more money. That money, meanwhile, can be spent on improving stamina, how many holes your pick opens with a single swing, and how easily it bites into the earth. You can also pay for marketing, which improves visitor flow, and you can buy new plots to dig in, which means new exhibits etc etc. Digseum. | Image credit: Rat MonthlyPretty soon all the numbers are going up, and everything you spend money on just makes the numbers go up faster. It's elegant, as clickers tend to be, but it's also more than elegant. By chucking in the Battleships-style digs, players get a better sense of the role that luck plays, I think.But it also does more than that. Silly as it all is, the digs really deliver on the fantasy of being an archaeologist or a treasure-hunter, swinging your pick and maybe finding something cool. My sister trained as an archaeologist years ago and talked with real fondness about the moment you saw something in the earth you had just disturbed. She said the thing she liked to dig up the least was teeth - an animal jaw would give her nightmares for days. And she said archaeologists are often so tightly packed into their intellectual worlds they develop all these strange fascinations, like trowel envy. Trowel envy related to how much you envy a more experienced archaeologist whose excavation trowel is more thoroughly worn down than yours.I'll be honest: I haven't thought of trowel envy in many years. But that's just one of the delights of this compact and ingenious clicker. If you have a few minutes to burn, or if like me you're mourning a recently completing Animal Crossing museum, maybe give it a look.Code for Digseum was purchased by the author.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Diablo 4 Season 7, otherwise known as Season of Witchcraft, is ready to begin. This is an exciting new chapter for the game that is set to introduce a flurry of Witch Doctor skills to D4, albeit without the class. The release date and time countdown for when Diablo 4 Season 7 will start is nearly over, and theres plenty to look forward to including more free and premium rewards, new runes, and big updates.Diablo 4 Season 7 release dateThe release date for Diablo 4 Season 7, Season of Witchcraft, is January 21st. This is confirmed on the games official X account.Below is everything touted for the new D4 chapter:Witchcraft powers:Harness 25 different powers across different schools of witchcraft:Eldritch (firebat servants)Psyche (vengeful spirit)Growth & Decay (poison frog servant)Lost (Piranhado)The Headrotten (new enemies)HeadhuntsOccult gems (Seasonal socketables)Enhanced Whispers (more powerful rewards)The armory (save & swap builds)QoL updates:Welcome back boosterClass quest updateGreater affix updateNew uniques and legendaries:8 new unique items8 new legendary affixesRunes:Three new runes15+ updated runesFree battlepassPremium battlepassNew petAccelerated battlepass new emoteImage credit: BlizzardWhen does Diablo 4 Season 7 start?The release time for when Diablo 4 Season 7, Season of Witchcraft, will start is 10AM PT/1PM ET/6PM GMT on January 21st. This start time comes courtesy of Blizzards Master The Occult overview.Ahead of the upcoming chapters launch, Blizzards Rod Fergusson said in an interview that future expansions wont, and shouldnt be, isolated stories. The developer also responded to criticism against D4 and the series direction by saying players are too consumptive and dont actually want classic Diablo to return.Diablo 4 Season 7 release time US10AM PT on Tuesday, January 21st1PM ET on Tuesday, January 21stDiablo 4 Season 7 start time UK6PM GMT on Tuesday, January 21stCountdownBelow is a visual countdown to when D4 Season of Witchcraft will start:Battle Pass rewardsAs per usual, the new D4 chapter will have a free and premium battle pass. There are 90 rewards in total, and this is split into 28 free tiers, and 62 premium tiers.Per Blizzard, the free tiers include ernable Smoldering Ashes that can be spent on the following Season Blessings:Urn of Whispers:Boost the chance to receive a Greater Collection from Whisper rewards.Urn of Masterworking:Boosts the chance for existing sources to drop additional Obducite.Urn of Rot:Boost the amount of Restless Rot dropped by slain Headrotten. Use Restless Rot to upgrade your Witchcraft Powers.As for the premium battle pass, there is the Grand High Witch Armor set to unlock. There is also the Nightwinder Mount and Nightwinder Mount Armor, which unlocks at tier 90.New runesBelow are the three new runes for Diablo 4 Season 7:New Ritual RunesNagu Legendary Rune100 Offering generated.Maintain at least 1 active Summon for 5 seconds, gaining Offering for each up to 6 Summons.Igni Legendary Rune25 Offering generated.Stores offering every 0.3 seconds. Cast a non-Basic Skill to gain the stored offering. (Up to 500 Offering).New Runes of InvocationChac Rare RuneCosts 20 Offering220% weapon damageInvoke Druid Lightning Bolts, striking a nearby enemyOverflow: Spawn more Lightning BoltsD4 Season of Witchcraft updatesBlizzard has outlined some general updates for Diablo 4 arriving as part of Season of Witchcraft. For one, the Tree of Whispers has a new and better layout that will stick around past the end of Season 7.The developer is also making each Class mechanic quest completion account based. This means Once youve completed the Class specific quest once, itll be completed for any new Character of the same class. It also means Youll unlock your specific Class mechanic at the Level where the Class mechanic quest would have become available.In addition to the above, Blizzard is improving Greater Affixes. Per Blizzard, When a unique item has more Greater Affixes, the minimum roll of the unique power will be increased per Greater Affix.Check out the full patch notes to see all the Season of Witchcraft changes.For more Diablo 4, Elon Musk has confirmed hes a D4 and Path of Exile cheat.Diablo 4Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Action RPG, RPGSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Join Polygon Runway as he models and animates a wireless pods product in Blender.Source

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Real Slop HoursOne of the worst Resident Evil games could be coming to current-gen consoles, if a new ESRB rating is accurateThough it seems more like a remaster than a remake.Image credit: Capcom News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 20, 2025 Desperate to play Resident Evil 6 on modern consoles? No? Well, a new rating suggests you might be able to anyway.I'm not going to sit here and pretend like Resident Evil 6 is a widely beloved entry in the survival horror series. It's not! By this point, the games really had jumped the shark, leaning way too much into the action, and away from the survival part that the series started off with. But, no matter how bad it gets, Resident Evil fans pretty much always love Resident Evil, so there might be some of them out there that wish they could play it on their Xbox Series X or S. As it turns out, they might get that wish. It seems that over on the ESRB's website, as spotted by VGC, that the game has a new rating specifically for the Xbox Series line of consoles, which obviously includes the X and the S.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. The rating doesn't reveal anything in particular, it just explains some of things that justify its Mature 17+ rating (and slightly humorously notes that "the word 'f**k' appears in the game"), it's just the mention of the Xbox Series that's the interesting thing. Resident Evil 6 was originally an Xbox 360 and PS3 title, having been released in 2012, later receiving Xbox One and PS4 ports in 2016 alongside 4 and 5, some graphical improvements, and all of its DLC. Resident Evil 5 and 6 also received Switch ports in 2019. This new ESRB rating doesn't make mention of a PS5 release, but you can probably assume that it would get one too, and it would be odd if 6 got a re-release but 5 didn't.This might also come as a bit of a disappointment to some fans though, as it does seem to imply this will be another remaster as opposed to a full on remake like other entries in the series have received. Not much to be done about it! So we'll all just have to wait for Capcom to make an announcement, if there is one coming at all.

While Halo's arrival is reiterated.A new claim states that Blizzard's Diablo 4 may currently be in development for Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 hardware.This comes from eXputer writer 'eXtas1s' who, in a newly uploaded video (thanks, VGC) states that the game will likely make its way to the new console in 2025 while also reiterating Nate the Hate's previous Switch 2 claims regarding Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Flight Simulator.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Zomatos quick-commerce business, Blinkit, is accelerating its expansion in India, but it expects losses to continue piling up as competition intensifies in Indias instant delivery market.Blinkit now aims to have up to 2,000 dark stores (small warehouses in residential areas that exclusively service online orders), a year ahead of its previous forecast. The company had more than 1,000 such stores by the end of the quarter ended December, beating its own projections by one quarter.Blinkit added 368 stores and 1.3 million square feet of warehousing space in the last two quarters, and the acceleration led to losses of 1.03 billion ($11.9 million) in the third quarter of its current financial year. JPMorgan believes Indias quick-commerce industry has entered land grab mode, with companies pursuing aggressive strategies around store rentals, product discounts and loyalty programs. The bank wrote in a note that other major players including Zepto, the No. 2 name in this market are expanding their dark store networks sharply ahead of schedule as well.Quick-commerce firms, which deliver groceries, household goods, beauty and wellness products and, of late, even smartphones and laptops to customers within 10 to 15 minutes, are cannibalising the e-commerce market in India. Their sharp growth has forced established e-commerce businesses to overhaul their supply chains in response to shifting consumer behavior.As we continue to bring forward store expansion, our networks may have to carry a greater load of under-utilized stores, which will impact near-term profits in the next one or two quarters, said Akshant Goyal, Zomatos chief financial officer. These investments, he added, will likely result in growth remaining meaningfully above 100% through FY25 and FY26.The strategic shift comes amid intensifying competition. Zepto, backed by Lightspeed, StrepStone and Glade Brook, raised more than $1 billion last year. Zomato also raised $1 billion in November last year through a qualified institutional placement.Meanwhile, Amazons chief competitor, Flipkart, also launched a quick-commerce service last year, setting up more than 100 dark stores. Amazon began piloting its own quick-commerce service in India last month, while Swiggy, which operates the No.3 quick-commerce platform in India, went public late last year in what was 2024s largest tech IPO.The biggest impact of the intensifying competition has been the acceleration in customer awareness and adoption of quick commerce, said Albinder Dhindsa, who leads Blinkit. He compared it to food deliverys early days, when heightened competition led to higher customer acquisition investments across the industry.While Blinkits core customers remain loyal they accounted for one-third of the platforms gross order value in December the company said competitive pressure is affecting its margins. The company expects its current store network investments to eventually yield strong returns once the business achieves greater scale.The expansion comes as Zomatos core food delivery business reports slowing growth: the division grew by 17% in the third quarter compared to a year earlier, while quick commerce shot up by 120%.

Italian 3D printing company CRP Technology has introduced advanced post-processing solutions designed to combine Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Vapor Smoothing and CNC machining.This development aims to improve the quality and performance of its proprietary Windform composite materials, addressing the demands of industries such as motorsport, aerospace, and automotive. Building on nearly three decades of expertise in additive manufacturing and material science, CRP Technology has developed over 12 high-performance thermoplastic composites.Each material, reinforced with carbon or glass fibers, is engineered for lightweight durability and exceptional mechanical performance. By integrating advanced Vapor Smoothing, CRP achieves results comparable to injection molding while retaining the benefits of additive manufacturing in Windform.Scale mock-up of a drone 3D printed in Windform SLS, finished with Vapor Smoothing for an ultra-smooth aerodynamic and aesthetic finish. Photo via CRP Technology.Maximizing component performance combining AM and CNC machiningWere pioneering a new era in motorsport design by leveraging the power of Additive Manufacturing, CNC machined sections and advanced Vapor Smoothing techniques. Our project focuses on producing intricate, water resistant and lightweight components taking benefits on the use of multiple materials and pushing the boundaries of engineering, says CRP Technology.Precision Perfected: Vapor Smoothing ensures flawless surface finishes on 3D printed Windform parts, including intricate internal details. Image via CRP Technology.Perfecting surface and enhancing performancesVapor Smoothing Technology implies the exposure of parts to solvent vapors under tightly controlled conditions allowing for the creation of a polished, glossy surface and the sealing of micro-porosities. This process boosts water resistance, increases durability, and improves mechanical properties such as elongation at break and impact strength.As explained by CRP, this professional process follows a structured approach, starting with the selection of parameters based on the geometry and specific Windform material used for the part. This refined approach further amplifies the already high performance of each Windform material. Solvent vapor is then introduced into a chamber, where it condenses on the surface, refining its texture and mechanical properties. A drying stage completes the process, ensuring parts are ready for immediate use without further post-processing.Moreover, aerodynamic performance is also optimized, which is critical for motorsport and aerospace applications. Achieving consistent color uniformity through Vapor Smoothing eliminates the need for additional painting, resulting in reduced production costs and component weight.Incorporating CRPs CNC machining and manual polishing further refines the global CRP production process. Precision finishing is achieved by addressing complex geometries and areas that are difficult to reach, such as internal cavities and undercuts, CRP states.Perfect Intake Manifold: For engineers seeking the pinnacle of performance in 3D printed intake manifolds, Expert Vapor Smoothing and CNC machining offer an unparalleled solution to the already accurate Windform parts. Image via CRP Technology.A tailored solution for high-performance applicationsCRP Technologys Vapor Smoothing services offer tailored finishing solutions to meet diverse needs and budgets. Direct Vapor Smoothing provides immediate surface enhancement for Windform parts, addressing essential finishing requirements efficiently.For components where aesthetics and design are critical, the Manual Finishing combined with Vapor Smoothing option delivers premium surface quality, producing flawless finishes that eliminate the need for additional painting, reducing both costs and weight.Stand-alone Vapor Smoothing is available for parts manufactured using SLS or Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technologies, offering expert quality assessments with preliminary setup testing to ensure optimal results tailored to specific project demands.The before-and-after closeup demonstrates the effectiveness of Vapor Smoothing. Image via CRP Technology.One notable example of CRPs Vapor Smoothing includes the development of a custom flange and plexus using Windform materials, demonstrating CRPs ability to deliver reliable solutions for high-performance applications.By combining SLS-printed parts with CNC machining and Vapor Smoothing, CRP created components with improved water resistance and shock absorption, capable of withstanding demanding conditions. We count on the precious partnership with High Performance CNC machining company CRP Meccanica, vital for seamless integration of traditional and modern manufacturing expertise.In addition to above features, environmental safety is also prioritized throughout the Vapor Smoothing process. Residual substances are captured in specialized chambers to prevent contamination and ensure compliance with sustainability standards.With its advanced post-processing methods, CRP Technology aims to enhance the quality and performance of Windform composites, addressing the needs of precision-driven industries with a focus on efficiency and sustainability.Who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards?All the news fromFormnext 2024.To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook.While youre here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion, debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays.Featured image shows a scale mock-up of a drone 3D printed in Windform SLS, finished with Vapor Smoothing for an ultra-smooth aerodynamic and aesthetic finish. Photo via CRP Technology.