It crashed by over 90 percent almost immediately.Family AffairFollowing the launch of two meme coinsby president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump last week, scammers were happy to follow suit and grift their way to millions.A fake meme coin named after Trump's youngest son Barron, dubbed Official Barron Meme, took off on Monday, soaring to a valuation of more than $400 million before crashing by more than 90 percent just minutes later, as Cointelegraph reports.It was a textbook example of a rug pull, with scammers cashing in on rampant hype and speculation, only to abscond with millions by leaving gullible investors high and dry (countless other unofficial meme coins also capitalized on the excitement surrounding the president and his wife's dubious crypto schemes,with more limited success.)In many ways, it's exactly the kind of headlinethat actual crypto execs are afraid of as Trump embraces the scammiest side of the tech. The largely unregulated industry has been watching in horror as Trump continues to undermine its legitimacy with naked cash grabs.Unserious BusinessTrump's family has had to ward off a wave of crypto scams, with Eric Trump dispelling rumors on X-formerly-Twitter last week that an official "USA Coin" could be "released in a week."Other tokens like FreedomCoin (FREED), TrumpCoin (DJT), and Save America (DJT) added to the confusion, making the rounds despite having no actual affiliation with the president.In short, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the crypto industry reacted with pure disbelief when Trump announced his own meme coin, with influencers questioning the ruse's legitimacy."If its a hack, then this is going to severely mute Trumps bullishness on crypto right as he takes office (bearish)," BecauseBitcoin founder and CEO Max Schwartman tweeted shortly after Trump's legitimate announcement last week.The president had to double down, assuring investors that $TRUMP was indeed his official meme coin. So far, the token and $MELANIA are the only verified meme coin projects with actual ties to the family.In many ways, the damage has already been done. Now that Trump has set the tone by launching his own meme coin, the crypto industry is understandably concerned about where things are headed, especially as far as crypto regulation is concerned."I really was kind of bummed out when I saw it," crypto venture capital firm Dragonfly partner Tom Schmidt told ABC News. "It just felt very grifty and cheap.""Now, on the cusp of getting some liberalization of crypto regulations in this country, the main thing people are thinking about crypto is, 'Oh, its just a casino for these meme coins,'" Trump supporter and crypto investment firm Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter added. "It does the opposite of validating us, it makes it look completely unserious."More on the grifts: Actual Crypto Execs Disgusted by Trump's Memecoin Cash GrabShare This Article

AI tech leaders are stumbling over themselves to kiss the ring of newly-minted president Donald Trump.Earlier this week, Trump announced a $500 billion AI infrastructure deal, a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and UAE-backed investor MGX.The companies involved in the project, dubbed "Stargate," are committing a combined $100 billion, with the plan to ratchet that up to a full half trillion over the next four years.Noticeably absent from the ranks is xAI, which was started by Trump's tight confidante Elon Musk, who subsequently blasted the participantsfor not "actually" having the money to invest.OpenAI Sam Altman, however, has since shot back, prolonging a years-long feud between the two dramatic billionaires."Wrong, as you surely know," Altman wrote. "Want to come visit the first site already under way?""This is great for the country," he added. "I realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role I hope you'll mostly put [America] first."It doesn't take much reading between the lines to suggest Musk is feeling left out by the deal. He and Altman have been caught up in a bitter rivalry that started years after they cofounded OpenAI together, with Musk later departing the project under a dark cloud.Could the latest kerfuffle be a sign of what's still to come? How will Trump contain the "Succession"-like squabbling between the two tech billionaires while fuelling his latest infrastructure project? Where does Stargate leave his own close relationship with Musk?Earlier this week, OpenAI hailed the project as an important step forward in the development of generative AI."More compute leads to better models, better models enable us to build better products," OpenAI chief product officer Kevin Weil told the Wall Street Journal in Davos, Switzerland.How exactly OpenAI will be involved in the construction of AI infrastructure in the US remains unclear, and Weil refused to rule out the possibility of the company entering the AI chipmaking industry."This infrastructure will secure American leadership in AI, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and generate massive economic benefit for the entire world," OpenAI boasted in a statement on X-formerly-Twitter. "This project will not only support the re-industrialization of the United States but also provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies."Regardless of whether generative AI will turn out to be a major source of profit, a lot of money is at stake. Stargate is a massive bet that could lead to either a major windfall for AI companies, or huge losses.But Altman's intrusion into Trump's affairs has clearly rattled Musk, an entrepreneur who launched his own competing venture, called xAI, in 2023.And now that one of his closest confidantes is striking deals with one of his oldest nemeses isn't sitting well with him.Despite his snide remarks, Altman pulled some punches."I genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time," he wrote.Share This Article

Sarah Michelle Gellar has quipped that she would require a lot of plastic surgery to play Buffy again.The 47-year-old actress gained global attention after starring as Buffy Summers on the iconic supernatural series Buffy the Vampire Slayer between 1997 and 2003.And with whispers of a revival, the Cruel Intentions star has shed light on whether she would reprise the role, admitting its likely they would choose someone younger.She told WHO magazine: I would need a lot of plastic surgery because I dont think I look like a teenager. I don't know if I would approach playing her any differently really. Buffy is such a beautiful character. That never changes, but I think they will get someone younger if she does come back. But if people think that I can still save the world and kick butt, Im OK with that!20th Century Fox20th Century Foxloading...READ MORE: 13 TV Shows Brought Back After CancelationAsked where she sees Buffy today, she said: Im asked that a lot but Im still not really sure. I like to think shes living a good life, a peaceful life, without having to do all the slaying she used to. But Im happy with how we ended things with Buffy. I loved playing her and I feel proud of what she stood for, what she still stands for. She wasnt just the girlfriend or the token female ... all things we take for granted in film and television now. I feel like Buffy was a part of that positive change.Gellar, who has two children with husband Freddie Prinze Jr., has watched back the show with her brood and is very proud of the role that transformed her life.Asked if she ever revisits the program, she said: Ive watched a few with my kids, yeah.They love it. I'm proud to watch it with them. Buffy changed my life. A lot of times when you start a show at a young age, you get stuck, but I didn't have that. Buffy grew ... she went to college and then essentially, she became a mother. She was a mother to all the slayers. I never felt like I was trapped because I got to do so much. And then I got to play all these other characters.Get our free mobile app10 TV Revivals That Were So Bad They Ruined Their Original ShowsFiled Under: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle GellarCategories: TV News

Time zones: EST (UTC -5), CST (UTC -6), GMT (UTC +0), CET (UTC +1), EET (UTC +2)Who We AreAt Nutrient, were revolutionizing how the world works with documents. Our tools transform static files into intelligent, secure workflows, empowering businesses to innovate faster and smarter. Trusted by thousands of organizations across 80 countriesincluding Fortune 500 companies and public sector leadersour products streamline processes, accelerate digital transformation, and unlock new possibilities.Whether youre optimizing APIs, enhancing user experiences, or helping us build our website, joining Nutrient means contributing to solutions that impact nearly one billion end users worldwide.Your Role at NutrientWere looking for someone passionate about web development. Specifically, someone that is curious about working on a modern tech utilizing the latest AI tooling to build websites that combine usability, accessibility, with pixel perfect visual design. We are looking for a developer that gets joy out of having impact, increasing productivity of themselves and their team, and creating functional and attractive digital experiences that provide a great user experience for everyone.What Youll Work OnOwn front-end and back-end architecture and implementation of our web properties. We prefer static pages, using Tailwind and Markdoc.Serve as lead programmer, act as liaison with cross-functional teams, and routinely collaborate with graphic designers to develop websites.Help us migrate off of webflow by porting our current websites and guides to a modern Astro.build, Next.js, Tailwind, and Markdoc tech stack.What Youll BringGood knowledge of web technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, React.js. Next.js, Javascript/jQuery, HTTP, REST, PHP, Cookies, DOM).Familiarity with UI frameworks (e.g., Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS).Familiarity and regular use of AI assisted IDEs like Cursor, Windsurf, Co-Pilot, etc.Manage and prioritize multiple concurrent projects, meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.Have good communication skills and enjoy working with a passionate team and experience working on a globally distributed team.Have a well-rounded approach to problem solving, and understand the difference between when to apply a fix and when to refactor to remove a specific class of bugs.Experience integrating with various Marketing technologies and tools/APIs (e.g., Hubspot, Google Analytics, Salesforce, etc).Who Thrives HereAt Nutrient, were not just hiring for skills were hiring for mindset. The people who thrive here are:Collaborators: You collaborate openly, listen actively, and prioritize team success over ego.Hungry Learners: Rapid learning fuels progress and career growth.Curious Thinkers: You dig deep to uncover the why, valuing understanding over simply being right.Self-Starters: You take action without waiting for direction, turning obstacles into opportunities with creativity and persistence.Owners: You take responsibility for solutions and outcomes, always looking for ways to improve whats within your control.Doers: Youre energized by progress, motivated to create meaningful impact, and eager to tackle challenges.If youve made it this far: give us your argument on why Tailwind is the best and which one you hate with a passion.Why Youll Love Working HereAt Nutrient, we tackle complex challenges to build tools and solutions that reshape how businesses and developers experience and interact with documents. Our culture is centered around continuous growth and collaboration, ensuring every team member has the opportunity to learn, innovate, and drive meaningful change at our company.We are a globally distributed company, backed by Insight Partners. We embrace a low-meeting culture and prioritize asynchronous communication to provide flexibility and focus. Working hours overlap with most of the team across the US, Europe, and Asia.We offer competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and an annual global retreat to celebrate achievements and foster connections. Past retreats have taken place in locations like Croatia, Spain, and Greece.Nutrient believes in equal opportunity, we employ people from many different cultures and countries. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, skill sets, perspectives, as well as providing our employees with a work environment free of harassment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other non-merit factor. We are especially interested in receiving applications from individuals who are underrepresented in the tech industry.

Time zones: EST (UTC -5), MST (UTC -7), ART (UTC -3), UTC -4, UTC -4:30, UTC -3, UTC -2, SBT (UTC +11), GMT (UTC +0), CET (UTC +1), EET (UTC +2), MSK (UTC +3)Cortes 23 is revolutionizing the life insurance industry through our proprietary instant decision platform. We combine cutting-edge technology with insurance expertise to deliver innovative digital insurance solutions. Our platform leverages advanced analytics and real-time data integrations to provide immediate underwriting decisions while maintaining rigorous risk management standards.Compensation range: $45,000 - $85,000 USDYou areAn experienced software engineer with expertise in building both front and back-end services. You excel at building robust and scalable systems, and writing clean and maintainable code!Joining our team means collaborating with a small but growing group of skilled software engineers. You'll play a key role in shaping the evolution of our systems architecture while fostering a culture of innovation, quality, and support.What you'll do...Collaborate closely with the CTO to implement features and improvements.Take shared ownership of our front and back-end architecture, ensuring performance, scalability, and reliability.Build and maintain a high-quality code base using Typescript, NextJS, Pulumi (with SST) and the event-driven architecture.Actively participate in engineering team discussions, explaining your solutions clearly while remaining open to feedback and suggestions.What you already have...Hard skills:2+ years experience as a software engineer.JavaScript knowledge: Understanding of common APIs and how to use them effectively.TypeScript knowledge, including: built-in and custom utility types and advanced types (e.g., map-types).React knowledge: Hooks, React principles, and best practices.Relational databases: Experience designing, querying, and optimizing databases like MySQL.AWS: Hands-on experience with AWS services such as S3, Lambda, and CloudWatch.Soft skills:The ability to explain your solutions clearly and respectfully - a clear and concise communicator!Passionate about your work!Reliable and hold yourself and your work to a high standard.Know the difference between simple and easy.Willingness to write documentation.Interview ProcessCall ScreenCoding Problem InterviewTake-Home AssignmentDeep-Dive InterviewInterviews with key members of our teamWhat youll get from usRemote forever!Casual work environmentOpportunity to work with a growing and international teamIn-person team meet-ups with our entire global team twice per year! Related Jobs See more Full-Stack Programming jobs

"Polar vortex" sounds cool. It's like "bomb cyclone" or "firenado." It seems like the sort of phenomenon that would be responsible for the record-breaking blast of cold, snow and wintry conditions that reached all the way to the Gulf Coast this week. The polar vortex is a real thing, but it may not be to blame for the extreme chill that rocked normally warmer regions of the country.Unusual winter storms and frigid temperatures smacked a large region of the US from Texas to Florida. Snowfall and cold triggered flight cancellations and school, business and road closures. The National Weather Service issued its first-everblizzard warningfor some areas around Lake Charles, Louisiana on Jan. 21. Parts ofHouston reportedly received snowfallof up to 6 inches. Enlarge Image NOAA's Goes-East satellite captured a view of the historic winter storm in the southern US on Jan. 21. NOAA/NESDIS/STARThe NWS office for Mobile, Alabama posted an official snowfall measurement of 5.4 inches on Tuesday afternoon, breaking the one-day record of 5 inches set in 1881. Snow was still falling and reached 7.5 inches for the day. The NWS social media team described that total as "insane." Nearby Pensacola, Florida saw similar snowfall. It's natural to look north to the cold Arctic for answers as to why the Gulf Coast took a polar bear plunge into such icy weather.What is the polar vortex? Enlarge Image The polar vortex can ride with the jet stream and push cold air into the US under certain conditions. NOAA Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. As the name suggests, the polar vortex is associated with our planet's north and south poles. It's an area of lower pressure and cold air at each pole."Weather forecasters examine the polar vortex by looking at conditions tens of thousands of feet up in the atmosphere; however, when we feel extremely cold air from the Arctic regions at Earth's surface, it is sometimes associated with the polar vortex," the NWS said in an explainer.The polar vortex can be connected to bouts of extreme cold in the US, but the conditions have to be right. The polar vortex can expand and push south with the jet stream a narrow current of air that flows high up in the atmosphere from west to east. Notably, a polar vortex struck the US in 2019, launching a volley of Star Wars Hoth jokes about the cold.Did the polar vortex cause the cold?The Arctic blast that caused Gulf Coast residents to shiver this week wasn't necessarily an example of the polar vortex going on the attack.Amy Butler and Laura Ciasto with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration run a polar vortex blog on NOAA's Climate.gov site. The scientists examined the polar vortex last week prior to the Arctic blast. At the time, Butler and Ciasto spotted some potential stretching of the polar vortex. But there was another factor in play."Additionally, a strong ridge of high pressure has been building up simultaneously near Alaska, which can also help force the jet stream to dive down south over the continental US and bring cold Arctic air with it, independent of the polar vortex," Butler and Ciasto wrote.A NOAA video showed what the ridge looked like:The cold Arctic air hanging out over Alaska took a dive down to the south."I think the ridging over Alaska is playing a larger role in the cold air outbreak," Ciasto told CNET. "The stratospheric polar vortex is not as stretched as it was last week so the connection we pointed out in our last post is less relevant now."While the Gulf Coast caught a chill, Alaska experienced an area of high pressure and milder temperatures, according to Erica Grow Cei, NWS public affairs specialist and meteorologist."This in turn displaces the Arctic air that normally sits over our northernmost state at this time of year, and the Arctic air moves downstream southeastward toward the continental US," Grow Cei told CNET.The polar vortex can be a powerful source of winter weather, but it's not the only cause of severe cold and snow in regions better known for warmth and sunshine. The Gulf Coast states are still digging out of the snowdrifts, but at least warmer temperatures are on tap heading into the weekend.

Samsung's putting a lot more eggs in its AI basket this year. The Korean electronics giant is offering minimal hardware updates to its flagship mobile phones in favor of embedding the capabilities more deeply into its Samsung One UI 7 software (in beta since early December) and Android 15. The new Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra are mostly vehicles for it, with a new processor to boost performance and bigger batteries to compensate. Plus an upgraded ultrawide camera on the Ultra.For more from the event as it happened, see our archived live blog. This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products. AI Select analyzes what's on your phone's screen and provides recommendations. Lisa Eadicicco/CNET Galaxy AI Samsung differentiates its AI from being an agent -- reactive -- to being more of a proactive "companion."Some of the new tools which become available with the S25 line include: AI Select, which monitors your screen to make helpful suggestions.Cross-app actions, where holding down the power button while in voice search lets you expand a query to add subsequent actions to perform, even using multiple apps.Complex natural-language search comes to its photo gallery (to classify and serve up images) and help (to find the settings you need based on specific problems).Now Brief on your lock screen summarizes overnight and upcoming information pertinent to your day based on your habits.Now Bar is a persistent widget on the lock screen with real-time information that doesn't require unlocking the phone.Improvements include: Combining and analyzing every piece of data on your phone to proactively make suggestions across Health, Wallet, SmartThings and more.Circle to Search adds sound recognition to its screen-based queries.Generative Edit should be faster and more accurate at moving, resizing and removing unwanted objects, plus it can recognize shadows.Portrait Studio improves its stylized portrait rendering.Samsung says the new features will come to older models subsequent to the S25 line, which includes them at launch along with Android 15. Read more:Samsung Galaxy S25 Series: The Biggest New AI FeaturesSamsung says the battery life has extended quite a bit across all the phones, which is what most people care about, anyway. The S25 Edge, as teased during the event. Samsung/Screenshot by CNETWe also were treated to a throwaway brief teaser for the S25 Edge, an ultraslim model ostensibly priced below the Ultra... possibly a counter to the rumors of the ultraslim iPhone? AT&T tells CNET's Eli Blumenthal that it will carry the new phone, but gives no further details. So it is coming the US. Lisa Eadicicco/CNET Galaxy S25 Ultra Once you filter out AI, there aren't that many differences between the S25 Ultra and the last-generation model. Samsung's updated it to look a little more like its smaller siblings, features a slightly bigger 6.9-inch screen -- the bezels are just smaller, so the phone itself isn't larger -- and upgrades the processor to its custom version of the 3nmQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Eliteand accompanying chipset.The chip runs at a higher frequency than the standard version -- and therefore hotter -- so the phone incorporates expanded cooling. Additionally, Samsung has upgraded the sensor in its ultrawide camera to 50 megapixels.The S25 models are also the first phones with Google's Project Astra tech -- screen-sharing and live video with Gemini so that you can show Gemini what you want to ask about.It starts at $1,300 and you can preorder it now and it ships Feb. 7.Read more:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Gets a Bigger Screen and More AI $1,300 at Samsung Watch this: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Hands-On: A Bigger Screen and More AI 07:31 Celso Bulgatti/CNET Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus Like the S25 Ultra, Samsung's betting on AI to put a shine on the new Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus -- that and some new colors, including navy, icy blue, mint and silver shadow, as well as online exclusives blue black, coral red and pink gold. Like the Ultra they get upgrades to the Snapdragon 8 Elite to feed the AI beast, but the Ultra's runs at a higher frequency.The cameras remain the same, with Samsung hoping to give them a bigger boost via updates to its AI processing for better noise analysis in videos and enhanced ability to differentiate between motion and still elements to boost its automatic adjustments.The S25 Plus incorporates a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display and 4,900 mAh battery, in contrast to the S25's 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display and 4,000 mAh pack. Those seem to be the only differences between the two. The Galaxy S25 starts at $800, while the S25 Plus starts at $1,000 and preorders are open now. They also ship Feb. 7.Read more: Hands On: Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus Are More of the Same, With AI Hogging the Spotlight $800 at Samsung Watch this: Samsung Galaxy S25 First Look: AI Everywhere 04:43

January 22, 20252 min readHeres What Caused the Rare, Record Florida SnowA perfect confluence of an Arctic air outbreak and a low-pressure systemthat pulled inmoisture from the Gulf of Mexico brought rare, record snow to the Gulf CoastBy Andrea Thompson edited by Dean VisserCar drives on snow after snowfall on January 22, 2025 in Tallahassee, Florida. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty ImagesIn scenes more reminiscent of Milwaukee or Boston, Gulf Coast cities from New Orleans to Pensacola, Fla., found themselves blanketed under drifts of snow. Palm trees had powdered-sugar-like coatings on their fronds, and golden beach sands were dusted in white.Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport shattered its previous snowfall record, with eight inches coming down on Tuesday, says Hannah Lisney, a meteorologist at the National Weather Services New Orleans/Baton Rouge office. The previous record, from December 31, 1963, was 2.7 inches. Likewise, Florida looks to have set a new state snowfall record, with 8.8 inches reported in the city of Milton in the states panhandle. The previous record of four inches was also set in Milton on March 6, 1954. Tuesday was a wild day, says Jason Beaman, a meteorologist at the NWSs office in Mobile, Ala.The rare southern snow was the product of a confluence of events that included cold Arctic air colliding with abundant ocean moisture, somewhat akin to a Gulf of Mexico version of what meteorologists call lake effect snowa phenomenon that usually describes the notoriously bitter winter weather in the Great Lakes region.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 Gulf Coast frequently sees low-pressure systems spin up over the Gulf, push northward and skim along the coast, Lisney says. Usually that means rain because of the abundant moisture such systems can pull from the warm Gulf waters. But the Arctic blast that preceded this particular low-pressure system meant that all that moisture became snow. The timing just matched up perfectly to where we just got that Arctic air mass move in a couple of days ahead of time, Beaman says. And the difference in temperature between the warm, moist air that was pulled aloft and the deeply entrenched cold air amplified the snowfall, he says. Snowfall rates were as high as one to two inches per hour. Thats good snow no matter where you go, Beaman says.Sous chef Eric Walker engages in a snowball fight outside the Bourbon House Restaurant in the French Quarter on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.Michael DeMocker/Getty ImagesIn the lake effect snow that is common around the Great Lakes, cold air from Canada pushes down over the lakes when they are still relatively warm and not yet iced over. The cold air causes water from the lakes to evaporate, which slightly warms the air above the waters surface, making it rise. As it rises, it cools again, causing the moisture in it to freeze and fall as snowusually on places like Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, N.Y.With the storm along the coast of the Gulf yesterday, the direction of air flow in the low-pressure system meant the storm funneled in moisture from the Gulf to keep the snow fallingand falling and falling.Though the snow was a delight for many coastal residents who have been more accustomed to sweltering heat, the conditions do pose a danger. The snow melts some during the day and then refreezes at night when temperatures plummet, meaning icy road and sidewalk conditions await in the morning. But in the coming days, the snow is expected to thaw as temperatures rise to more seasonable levels.

OpinionJanuary 22, 20256 min readScientific Americans 10 Most Anticipated MicrohistoriesComing Out in 2025Scientific American'sBrianneKane can't wait to check out these fascinating deep dives into 'micro' topics that reveal big insights about science and societyBy Brianne Kane edited by Jeanna Bryner Andrzej Wojcicki/Science Photo LibraryThe new year can be a clean slate, giving us an opportunity to reinvent ourselves as someone who reads more. While were trying to predict what this year will bring, its important to keep one thing in mind: there are some great books coming out this year. Diving into microhistory, nonfiction books that seek to address larger questions by diligently focusing on a narrow or micro subject, can help cut through the noise. They can be a fun and easy way to become an at-home expert while checking at least one thing off your resolutions list.Below Ive compiled a collection of 10 upcoming microhistories that Im most looking forward to in order of publication.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.Creature Needs: Writers Respond to the Science of Animal Conservationedited by Christopher Kondrich, Lucy Spelman and Susan TacentUniversity of Minnesota Press, January 2025(Tags: Environment)Creature Needs is described by its publisher as a polyvocal call to arms about animal extinction and habitat loss from more than three dozen contributors, ranging from poets to scientific researchers. The book itself is not even 200 pages and is split into six parts, each of which represents a basic need: air, food, water, shelter, and so on. There are very few books that combine work across literary genres while focusing on a simple message: We must save our one and only precious Earth.Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apartby Nicholas CarrW. W. Norton, January 2025(Tags: Technology)This book might finally convince you to stay off social mediaor at least get the apps off your phone. Nicholas Carr, author of the 2010 book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, introduces a new generation of readers to an old problem: technology is weird, pretty bad, and it doesnt always go according to plan. From simple messaging apps to generative artificial intelligence, Carr explains how the recent superbloom of technology presents serious downsides to our basic communication skills and ability to understand one another. We were never meant to live in online comment sections. In under 300 pages, Carr promises to bring readers along into the murky waters of our ever expanding technological landscape.Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trashby Alexander ClappLittle, Brown, February 2025(Tags: Garbage)You may have heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a loose raft of tens of thousands of tons of plastic debris. But do you know what happens to batteries, clothes or even food when you throw them in the trash? Author Alexander Clapp traveled across continents, jungles and trash heaps to bring to life the real, multi-billion-dollar story of what happens to our garbage. Introducing readers to people like recycling gangsters and whistleblowers, Clapp presents a frank, and frankly gross, examination of who is making money off what we throw away. He has too many journalism awards to list in his bio, so Im optimistic this 400-page microhistory will be fun, funky and, of course, leave no dumpster undived.Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breatheby Carl ZimmerDutton, February 2025(Tags: Air)Each day, you inhale 2,000 gallons of air! Thats one astonishing fact that gets weaved through Carl Zimmers Air-Borne, which is described by its publisher as an odyssey through the living atmosphere and through the history of its discovery. This book promises to ask and answer questions such as: How do you conduct experiments on air quality, and how was Amelia Earhart involved? From airborne espionage and bioweapons to our latest understanding of COVID, Zimmer aims to lead readers on an exciting, surprising and eye-opening journey into the atmosphere.The Franklin Stove: An Unintended American Revolutionby Joyce E. ChaplinFarrar, Straus and Giroux, March 2025(Tags: Benjamin Franklin)We all know Benjamin Franklin invented many devices we still use today, but this book focuses on just one, the Franklin stove, and why he hoped it would change our understanding of the environment forever. Pardon the pun, but Franklin seems to have seen the forest through the trees here: he was concerned about the ever-expanding deforestation he was witnessing and wanted to adjust the flow of heat and air in our homes in the hopes of understanding more about our atmosphere. In over 400 pages, the book looks to be a fascinating and scholastic collection of research and hypotheses from a Harvard professor of early American history.A History of the World in Six Plagues: How Contagion, Class, and Captivity Shaped Us, from Cholera to COVID-19by Edna Bonhomme Atria/One Signal Publishers, March 2025(Tags: Pandemics)While the urge to hide under the covers persists, it is time we expand our understanding of major illnesses to prepare for the future and this seems to be the book to do it. Edna Bonhomme follows the policy highs and lows that changed the course of six devastating diseases: cholera, HIV/AIDS, the 1918 flu, sleeping sickness, Ebola and COVID. Bonhomme seems to cover the hidden and obvious ways these pandemics exacerbated existing social ails, embedded discrimination tactics and long-held biases across these diseases. Described by its publisher as a literary account of humankinds battles with epidemic disease, this more than 300-page book looks like it will have us sitting up, masking up and planning ahead.Slither: How Nature's Most Maligned Creatures Illuminate Our Worldby Stephen S. HallGrand Central Publishing, April 2025(Tags: Snakes)Simply put, if you have never understood Indiana Joness phobia or are currently chatting about snake safety in your local Facebook group, this might just be the book for you. As the publisher notes, snakes have been praised and feared for millennia, but few books attempt to combine the breadth of the ecological, cultural and historical importance of these animals for the at-home reptile admirer. The early rave reviews from best-selling animal-loving authors such as Leila Philip (author of Beaverland) and Sy Montgomery (author of The Soul of the Octopus) make me think this might be the next favorite among my fellow nature nonfiction readers.Earthly Materials: Journeys through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrationsby Cutter Wood Mariner Books, April 2025(Tags: Bodily Excretions)Im so excited to tell everyone I know all the disgusting facts I expect to learn from this book. The publisher explains whether it is blowing its nose, mopping sweat from its brow, or excusing itself to the restroom, the human organism is essentially porous, which is hysterical, disturbing and fundamentally true. With nearly 400 pages broken into 13 chapters, this book isnt for the squeamish. Hopefully for the rest of us, well find out where all the urine in major cities goes and what mucus has to do with our understanding of natural selection, among other freaky facts. I hope this book leads readers like a modern Ms. Frizzle shrinking us down to check out our glands, organs and membranes all the while enjoying some scientifically backed poop jokes.The Story of Astrophysics in Five Revolutionsby Ersilia Vaudo. Translated by Vanessa Di StefanoW.W. Norton, April 2025(Tags: Astrophysics)The best microhistories take a ginormous subject and seamlessly boil it down to a few key points, either points in time or points of interest. In this book, Ersilia Vaudo aims to take the entire field of astrophysics and bring our attention to five incredible discoveries. In poetic prose, Vaudo brings readers from Isaac Newtons discovery of the laws of gravity to Edwin Hubbles revelation that our universe is expandingeven including the antiparticles physicists are still not sure about. Physics can be a knotty subject that many find hard to wrap their head around, but this book might finally do just that in a breezy 200 or so pages.Foreign Fruit: A Personal History of the Orangeby Katie GohTin House, May 2025(Tags: Oranges)This book sounds like it perfectly sums up the best parts of a great microhistory: a niche topic youve always loved (everyone loves oranges, from emperors to school children) written by a relatively new and talented writer (the publisher copy says she grew up queer in a Chinese-Malaysian-Irish household in the north of Ireland I personally can't wait to hear her take on food and culture). Described by its publisher as a book with both research and a meditative, deeply moving encounter with the orange and the self. This is the book Im most looking forward to shaking me out of my winter shivers and bringing me back to springtime sweetness with some citrus and adventure.

Don't Nod delays second half of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage for 'optimisation and refinement'Now coming in April.Image credit: Don't Nod News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 22, 2025 Life is Strange creator Don't Nod is delaying the second half of its upcoming narrative adventure Lost Records: Bloom & Rage by a month, with Tape 2 now set to release on 15th April.Lost Records: Bloom & Rage marks the first time since 2020's Twin Mirror that Don't Nod has revisited the narrative adventure genre that put it on the map, and it follows the story of four high-school friends across two timelines. One half recounts the group's hazily nostalgic "magical summer" of 1995, while the second timeline picks up 27 years later, when the friends reunite to "confront the long-buried secret that made them promise to never speak again."It's a tale that'll also be split across two releases, with Tape 1 ("Bloom") launching for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 18th February. Part 2 ("Rage") was previously scheduled to launch a month later on 18th March, but Don't Nod has now announced it's pushing Tape 2's release back an additional four weeks, to 15th April.Lost Records: Bloom & Rage trailer.Watch on YouTubeIn a statement detailing the delay, the studio said it had made the decision in order to "allow for additional optimisation and to give the team the necessary time to refine the experience for players and enhance the storytelling for a truly immersive continuation of the journey."Both parts of Lost Records were originally due to launch last year, but Don't Nod announced it was shifting their release into 2025, ostensibly to avoid Square Enix's Life is Strange: Double Exposure. "Let's give both titles the space they need to be enjoyed by our players within the large community we have built," Don't Nod boss Oskar Guilbert said at the time.As previously announced, both halves of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - which Don't Nod says should provide a total of around 10-12 hours playtime - will be available through a single purchase. The game's usual price is 35.89/39,99/$39.99 USD, but the studio has also now confirmed a limited-time launch discount of 10 percent.Eurogamer's Tom Phillips spoke to Don't Nod about Lost Records in 2024. Since then, the studio has admitted its most recent titles - Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden - failed to meet sales expectations, leading to potential job losses as it embarked on a "reorganisation project to ensure the company's long-term future" amid "deteriorating" financial results. Employees later announced strike action in response to the studio's redundancy plan.