Elon Musk admitted he cheated at video games to get high scores, a transcript of a private online conversation he had shows, seemingly concluding a fiery scandal over the billionaires outlandish claims to be a globally-ranked player.Musk has regularly bragged about his gaming rankings. He told the podcaster Joe Rogan last year that he was in the top 20 players in the world for the fiendishly difficult action role-playing game Diablo IV.His claims have raised questions about how the worlds richest man could find time to compete internationally. He would need to have played hundreds of hours in between running businesses including Tesla Inc, X and SpaceX, as well as his growing political activity alongside Donald Trump.Two games Musk says he has high scores in, Diablo IV and Path of Exile 2, are notoriously hard to compete in. Some players spend most of their waking hours grinding through dungeons and battling monsters and other fantastical creatures to make their virtual characters more powerful.An answer to Musks unlikely gaming prowess was provided in a video posted on YouTube on Sunday by the top Diablo player NikoWrex, which showed what he said was a direct message conversation with Musk on X.In the conversation, Musk admits to account boosting, a cheating practice in which people get other players to power up their characters. This is usually done by paying them to play for hours.Have you level boosted (had someone else play your accounts) and/or purchased gear/resources for PoE2 [Path of Exile 2] and Diablo 4? asked NikoWrex. Musk responded with a 100% emoji. He later added: Its impossible to beat the players in Asia if you dont, as they do!skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionThe Guardian could not independently verify the transcript, but Musk reposted the video to his X account and had previously interacted with NikoWrex on X in early January to discuss Path of Exile 2. In his video, NikoWrex, whose Instagram account says is called Nick Hayes, showed that Musk follows him on X.He said in the video that Musk had permitted him to publish their conversation. The Guardian has contacted Musk through X for comment.Uproar about Musks alleged video game prowess exploded after his comments on Rogans podcast in November, and further scrutiny came at the beginning of the year when he did a livestream of his Path of Exile 2 character on X.High-level players with deep knowledge of the game said Musk made rookie mistakes that no expert would make, including walking straight past valuable items that would help his character.After being called out, Musk began to fight the allegations publicly, getting into arguments with prominent gamers. At the end of the conversation with NikoWrex, Musk claimed to be a living god of video games.The Canadian musician Grimes, who has three children with Musk from a previous relationship, tweeted in his defence on Saturday, saying she had seen with her own eyes how he was a top Diablo player in the US. There are other witnesses who can verify this, she said.On Monday, further allegations of cheating were levelled when Musks Path of Exile 2 character was seen as active in the game while Musk was in Washington attending Trumps inauguration.

Keys, phone, wallet. Those are the words we utter to ourselves as we slap our pockets to make sure we have everything we need before leaving the house. Well, what if we could cut those words down from three to two? This smart lock from Aqara can be unlocked with a touchscreen keypad as well as a fingerprint scanner and even with your Apple Watch or iPhone. That means you can leave your house keys behind. The smart lock is normally priced at $230 but right now you can get it for 43% offbringing the price down to just $130. Thats a savings for $100.See at AmazonUnlock Your Door With Your iPhoneThe door lock is a smart lock after all and can be fully integrated with your Apple Home. You can simply tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to your door to unlock it, and it even works when your Apple device is out of power. No locking yourself outside because you forgot to charge your phone in the morning. Additionally, you can control guest access in Apple Home. This is super helpful if you have a contractor renovating your bathroom or a dog sitter watching your furry friend when out of town.The smart lock can be configured to unlock with its high-precision fingerprint reader. You can program the reader to recognize up to 50 fingerprints or remotely configured password via the Aqara Home app if you have the Aqara Zigbee 3.0 hub. The hub will also allow for even greater integration into a wide range of smart home setups and automations. For example, when someone rings your video doorbell, you can view who is at your door and then unlock it remotely from your couch.The auto-lock features uses a built-in gyroscope to lock as soon as you close it so you never have to worry about accidentally leaving with the door unlocked. The locking sound can also be muted as not to disturb your familys sleep if youre arriving home late at night.The battery-operated smart lock is powered by four AA 1.5V batteries which come included. They should last up to eight months before needing replacement. A USB-C port can be used for emergency charging. The lock is made of a zinc alloy and has an IP65 rating to protect from dust and water, plus it can withstand temperatures between -31F to 151F so it wont fail on your when the weather gets rough.Right now, you can save $100 on the Aqara smart lock. Get it for just $130.See at Amazon

Theres a better way for parents looking to limit their kids digital footprint and offer better tracking than stuffing an AirTag in a shoe heel. Samsungs new kid-friendly smartwatch experience lets parents set who their kids can text, what apps they can use, and even view their location on Google Maps through their Galaxy Watch. The features should work with any Galaxy Watch with LTE connectivity, whether the ultra-expensive Galaxy Watch Ultra or last years Watch 7. The watch feature adds to the existing Google Family Link app,lettingparents set screen time limits and location alerts for their kids phones. If your kid uses one of the Galaxy Watch 7 lines using Wear OS 5 and LTE, you can now use the app to set who your children can call or text while on the watch itself. You can monitor their location through the watch, approve apps, and put it to limit usage during certain times of the day, such as if a kids supposed to be neck-deep in a book rather than flicking through their watch. The update to Googles Family Link app will let you set app limits or lock down times when they can use their device. Image: Google Google Family Link will let parents block apps even after theyre installed. The watch-centric features will roll out over the coming weeks. Google is also promoting a selection of apps suitable for youth, including a Rubiks Cube game and Marvel HQ: Groove with Groot. There are a few more kids-friendly watch face apps, like Unicorn Academy and Rebel Girls Watch Faces. Children can still install the full gamut of apps on the Play Store with parental approval. These watch features are all tied to the Galaxy Watches, at least at launch. We wouldnt be surprised if they made their way to Googles own Pixel Watches with LTE connectivity soon enough.Its yet another means of limiting screen time for kids, though, of course. Other options forkids-centric wearables, like the Fitbit Ace, are more focused on step tracking anda mix of kid-friendly games.The Apple Watch also hasfor kids features that let you pair your kids devices with a single iPhone. This lets adults manage who their children can call, track their whereabouts, and restrict apps during school time.

Akhaldaba Private House / MUA Architecture & PlacemakingSave this picture! Giorgi MamasakhlisiHousesAkhaldaba, GeorgiaArchitects: MUA Architecture & PlacemakingAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:400 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2023 PhotographsPhotographs:Giorgi MamasakhlisiManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Miele, Santa & Cole, Gervasoni1882, Kamarastone, VitrA, Zannotta Lead Architects: Devi Kituashvili, Gogiko Sakvarelidze, Maria Pelangia, Marita Rurua More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in the village of Akhaldaba, Georgia. The building is a two-story individual residential house with a pool. Following an analysis of the landscape and the site, our goal was to create architecture that harmoniously blends with the environment. On one hand, by integrating the client's wishes and needs into the design, and on the other, through the functional distribution of spaces, we developed an architectural form that ensures the synergy of content and functionality.Save this picture!Considering the challenging terrain, the functions were distributed into three programmatic blocks. The orientation and interconnection of these blocks were defined not only by their functional relationships but also by their orientation and integration with the landscape. The shifting directions of the blocks created semi-open spaces that connect with the surrounding landscape. Thus, the building consists of three interconnected blocks linked by internal staircases, forming a cohesive whole.Save this picture!Due to the level differences, which mimic the curves of the landscape, the terrain alteration is minimal. The architecture of the building is organic, blending into the environment over time; from the interior, views open toward the road and the ravine.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The pedestrian entrance to the residential house is on the northwest side, with a few steps leading to the building's main entrance, which also includes a greenhouse. From this space, there is access to the daytime zone, which leads further into the bedrooms, distributed across two floors. The roof of the common area features a terrace and a pool, accessible by two routes: one from the second floor of the bedroom zone and the other via an external staircase from the yard. The rough-textured concrete faade of the outer perimeter also serves as a load-bearing structure. The windows and doors are framed with green aluminum. Climbing plants on the building's walls further enhances the integration of the structure into the landscape.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on January 22, 2025Cite: "Akhaldaba Private House / MUA Architecture & Placemaking" 22 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025893/akhaldaba-private-house-mua-architecture-and-placemaking&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

During the pandemic, life was all about survival. We humans were constantly in fight or flight mode to avoid getting sick while protecting our families from illness, surviving financially, and agonizing about how this would impact our kids. Since then, our society has never fully recovered. Weve gone from racial protests to political strife, climate disasters, and the lasting mental health repercussions of isolation from one another for far too long.As a result, says Aditi Nerurkar, a lecturer at Harvard University and author of The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience, around 96 percent of us are facing at least some level of burnout, the mental exhaustion caused by chronic stress.Chronic stress has become the new normal, says Nerurkar. And it manifests in the body in many different ways.Read More: The Biology of Stress in Your BodyHow Do You Know If Youre Too Stressed?Caused by longterm activation of the bodys fight or flight response, which causes stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to remain elevated in the body, our stress response can lead to both physical and mental health symptoms.For some, stress can cause aches and pains, headaches, digestive issues, shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and issues with memory and focus. Other mental health symptoms might include getting lost in negative thought loops or thinking catastrophically, a thought pattern that imagines the worst possible outcome to a situation.You might replay something upsetting over and over again or rework a problem in a way that doesnt help with problem-solving, says Jennifer L. Taitz, a clinical psychologist and author of Stress Resets: How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes.You might also do things to take the edge off in the short term, like procrastinating or having a cocktail, when in the long term, these strategies can backfire, says Taitz.How To Do a Stress ResetThe goal in doing a stress reset is getting out of flight or flight mode, which is run by the amygdala, the small almond-shaped structure deep in the brain thats responsible for your survival. When the brain is running normally, its centered at the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain just above the forehead thats responsible for complex behaviors, emotions, and thoughts.The reason you reach for calorie-dense comfort foods, alcohol, or your phone when youre stressed is because the amygdala is designed to meet your pressing needs, not your future needs, and its unable to think in the long term.Setting Digital BoundariesNerurkar says that one of the first steps that you should take when its time for a stress reset is setting digital boundaries. Doom scrolling through your phone on news sites or social media amps you up. Still, were more likely to want to doom scroll when we feel stressed.When we were all cave people living in tribes, you had a night watchmen who would scan for danger while the rest of the tribe slept, says Nerurkar. But in modern times, were our own night watchmen and we scan for danger by scrolling through our phones.Even though it makes us feel worse, when were stressed, we keep doing it. While we might call it mindless scrolling, it has a very negative impact on the brain.Nerurkar recommends gray scaling your phone or turning it on black and white mode, especially at night. Keep your phone off your nightstand so you dont scroll first thing in the morning, which can set the tone for the day, or right before bed, which can disrupt your sleep.Protect Your Sleep At All CostsSleep is vital to controlling stress levels, and so often, were quick to sacrifice it. Avoid waiting until your kids go to bed and then scrolling through your phone. This, says Nerurkar, is called revenge bedtime procrastination, a product of our hustle culture that causes us to stay up late into the night because we crave time alone. As a result, we dive deep into our devices late into the night. The next day comes like a slap in the face. Were exhausted, which puts us back into survival mode.By scheduling brain breaks during the day, amounting to several 10-minute breaks where youre at rest, walking, stretching, reading a book, etc., you can avoid revenge bedtime procrastination because you wont feel as out of breath at the end of the day.Stop MultitaskingThis, says Nerurkar, is one of the most important tools for reducing stress because multitasking is a myth. It weakens the prefrontal cortex and reduces productivity, cognition, memory, and your ability to solve complex problems, she says.Its a fallacy that has led us astray for far too long. So, no matter what youre doing whether its writing, reading, eating, or talking on the phone do only that. You can also try time blocking instead, spending 15 minutes on one task, taking a short break, and starting on task number two. And then move onto tasks three and four with breaks in between.In the end, the human body was not made to take on modern-day stress levels. It was meant to escape the saber-toothed tiger and then chill out, or hunt the mammoth and then relax. And if you dont take steps to allow your fight or flight system to normalize, youll eventually pay the price.Article Sources:Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Aditi Nerurkar, a lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard University and author of The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More ResilienceJennifer L. Taitz, a clinical psychologist and author of Stress Resets: How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in MinutesNational Review of Neuroscience. Stress signaling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and functionSara Novak is a science journalist based in South Carolina. In addition to writing for Discover, her work appears in Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, Sierra Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, and many more. She graduated with a bachelors degree in Journalism from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. She's also a candidate for a masters degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University, (expected graduation 2023).

Spravato must be taken while supervised by a medical professional. Credit: Alicia Windzio / DPA / GettyShareJohnson & Johnson has announced the FDAs approval of a first-of-its-kind, esketamine nasal spray called Spravato for the standalone treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), PTSD, and similar psychiatric conditions. The decision builds on previous FDA approval for the drugs treatment when combined with additional oral antidepressants. While Spravatos underlying mechanisms remain unclear and only be available to certain qualifying adults, the new option could soon provide help for many in the US dealing with treatment-resistant depression.Over 21 million Americans report depression-related issues. Of those, an estimated one-in-three people dont see improvement after using many of the most common prescription offerings. However, medication involving the anesthetic, ketamine, has shown promise in recent years for treating these hard-to-resolve depressive symptoms. But these often rely on intravenous administration in supervised settings like hospitals and clinics, which limit their accessibility for many patients. Meanwhile, some critics continue to voice concerns about lingering long-term health questions and unregulated clinics. Licensed medical providers have also faced dwindling supplies as a result of increased demand.Treatment-resistant depression can be very complicated, especially for patients who do not respond to oral antidepressants or cannot tolerate them. For too long, healthcare providers have had few options to offer patients much-needed symptom improvement, Bill Martin, Johnson & Johnsons Therapeutic Area Head in Neuroscience, said in a statement on January 21st.Researchers including Martin have spent years studying an alternative to direct ketamine IV injections and shots. This treatment is delivered through a nasal spray and relies not on ketamine, but one of its two primary components called esketamine. The end result, Spravato has since been approved in 77 countries and prescribed to over 140,000 patients. As of Tuesday, the US is now also one of those countries to allow it as its own treatment without any additional prescriptions.Like many other antidepressants, Spravato works as a non-selective, non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Where it differs, however, is its ability to travel through a different brain pathway affecting the neurotransmitter, glutamate. An imbalance in a persons glutamate levels can lead to exhaustion, concentration issues, and clinical depressive problems.The FDA fast-tracked Spravatos approval through its Priority Review process after receiving results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the medication. Volunteers were sorted into two groupsone that received the prescribed medication, and another control group given a placebo. Participants took a commonly used 10-question survey known as the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale before and after the 28-day trial to contextualize their overall mental health state. 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.At the end of week four of the trial, just 7.6-percent of the placebo group reported a MADRS score indicating remission, compared to 22.5-percent of those taking Spravato. According to Johnson & Johnson, Spravatos safety profile as a standalone treatment was consistent with the existing body of clinical and real-world data when used in conjunction with an oral antidepressant, adding that researchers also didnt identify any new safety concerns.Spravato is taken by the user under the supervision of a healthcare provider in a clinic. Because reported side-effects include temporary nausea, vomiting, and tiredness, healthcare supervisors require a patient to wait a short period of time before clearing them to leave. Patients are also advised against driving for the rest of the day, and are required to have someone take them home after each treatment. Other side effects potentially include temporarily increased blood pressure, mental haziness, and bladder problems.Although the data indicates Spravato (and, by extension esketamine) helps many patients with treatment-resistant depression, researchers still arent sure how it technically works. But with most users reporting only mild-to-moderate side-effects and the FDAs approval, Spravato may offer a new option for the many Americans who have long struggled with drug-resistant depression.

Sennheisers HD 599 open-back headphones were already a great deal at $199, but right now Amazon has them for just $99, which is borderline ridiculous. Open-back headphones are basically the exact opposite of noise-canceling headphones. The earcups arent fully enclosed, which allows them to integrate your music into the ambient sound happening around you. Its an amazing experience that fancy audiophiles love. Its like having Dire Straits performing right in your living room. This is even lower than the price we saw on Black Friday for these, so go grab them while theyre still in-stock.Sennheiser Consumer Audio HD 599 Open Back Headphone, Ivory $96 (was $199)SennheiserSee ItSennheiser considers these headphones the start of its audiophile line, which goes up into the thousands of dollars. The HD 599 employs Sennheisers engineered transducers use aluminum voice coils, which you can brag about to your friends with regular headphones. These are wired headphones, so no Bluetooth built-in, but you will find both a 3.5mm jack and a 6.3mm jack so you can plug it into just about anything with a headphone port including turntables. The open-back design really is something if youve never experienced it. You wont want to listen to music any other way. SENNHEISER HD 569 Closed Back Headphone $96 (was $149)SennheiserSee ItIf youre looking for a more traditional closed-back headphone, the HD 569 is also on-sale with a deep discount right now. These are very similar to the 599s, only they provide a more immersive sound thanks to the sound isolation provided by the closed backs. More headphone dealsSennheiser Consumer Audio HD 400S Closed Back, Around Ear Headphone $49 (was $69)Jabra Evolve2 65 UC Wireless Headphones with Link380a $149 (was $301)Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds with ChatGPT Integration $87 (was $97)Nothing Ear Wireless Earbuds with ChatGPT Integration $114 (was $159)Soundcore Q11i Wireless Over-Ear Bluetooth Headphones by Anker $35 (was $49)Skullcandy Indy ANC In-Ear Noise Canceling True Wireless Earbuds $45 (was $119)The post These $199 open-back Sennheiser headphones are just $96.99 right now appeared first on Popular Science.

NewsAstronomyGalactic chaos at cosmic noon may have stunted Milky Way planet formationThat may be why the galaxys oldest stars have fewer planets than ones in our neighborhood Stars in the Milky Ways central thin disk (brightest region in this image from the Gaia spacecraft) have more planets than stars above and below that plane.DPAC/GAIA/ESABy Lisa Grossman1 hour agoThe Milky Way keeps its planets close to its chest. Stars in a thin, flat disk bisecting the galaxy have more planets on average than stars in a thicker, enveloping disk and astronomers now think they know why.Stars that currently live in the galaxys thick disk were born during a time of galactic chaos, says MIT astrophysicist Tim Hallatt. The stars violent upbringing hindered their ability to grow and retain planets, he and astrophysicist Eve Lee, formerly of McGill University in Montreal, report January 22 in the Astrophysical Journal.

Nature, Published online: 22 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00101-7A multi-ancestry genome-wide study of 158,036 people with bipolar disorder and 2,796,499 control individuals identified 298 genomic regions associated with the disease. Variations in 36 genes were linked to the condition, and this variation was enriched in certain neuronal cell populations. The genetic architecture underlying bipolar disorder varied with subtype and how cases were identified.

Nature, Published online: 22 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00143-xHuge analysis identifies regional variations in the criteria that institutions use to move researchers up the ranks.