The RISD Museum highlights the fragile beauty and striking designs of centuries-old examples of wallpaper from the collection of a French-American couple, purchasedin 1934.

A show at the New York Historical spans centuries in its examination of urbanites nonhuman companions and their shifting roles in the citys society and culture.

a fresh puzzle Fast radio burst in long-dead galaxy puzzles astronomers Result "challenges existing theories that tie FRB origins to phenomena in star-forming galaxies." Jennifer Ouellette Jan 22, 2025 1:06 pm | 5 The new ability to pinpoint sources of fast radio bursts places one recent burst in a surprising location. Credit: Gemini Observatory The new ability to pinpoint sources of fast radio bursts places one recent burst in a surprising location. Credit: Gemini Observatory Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreFast radio bursts (FRBs) are puzzling phenomena because their details are so difficult to resolve, and observations to date have been inconsistent. Astronomers added another piece to the puzzle with the detection of an FRB that seems to originate in a dead galaxy that is no longer producing new stars, according to a new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, along with a related paper on the event from scientists at Northwestern University.As we've reported previously, FRBs involve a sudden blast of radio-frequency radiation that lasts just a few microseconds. Astronomers have observed over a thousand of them to date; some come from sources that repeatedly emit FRBs, while others seem to burst once and go silent. You can produce this sort of sudden surge of energy by destroying something. But the existence of repeating sources suggests that at least some of them are produced by an object that survives the event. That has led to a focus on compact objects, like neutron stars and black holesespecially a class of neutron stars called magnetarsas likely sources. Only about 3 percent of FRBs are of the repeating variety.There have also been many detected FRBs that don't seem to repeat at all, suggesting that the conditions that produce them may destroy their source. That's consistent with a blitzara bizarre astronomical event caused by the sudden collapse of an overly massive neutron star. The event is driven by an earlier merger of two neutron stars; this creates an unstable intermediate neutron star, which is kept from collapsing immediately by its rapid spin.Last July, astronomers looked specifically at the properties of polarized light emitting from these FRBs, yielding further insight into the origins of the phenomenon. The analysis supported the hypothesis that there are different origins for repeating and non-repeating FRBs. And earlier this month, a rare burst provided indications that FRBs likely originate near a star and that they share a feature with the emissions of pulsars, another subtype of neutron star. That burst was also consistent with a magnetar's intense magnetic fields being the key to driving these events. However, it's still possible that more than one type of event produces something that looks like an FRB.A surprising sourceFRBs are of particular interest because they can be used as probes to study the large-scale structure of the universe. That's why Calvin Leung, a postdoc at the University of California, Berkeley, was so excited to crunch data from Canada's CHIME instrument (Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment). CHIME was built for other observations but is sensitive to many of the wavelengths that make up an FRB. Unlike most radio telescopes, which focus on small points in the sky, CHIME scans a huge area, allowing it to pick out FRBs even though they almost never happen in the same place twice.Leung was able to combine data from several different telescopes to narrow down the likely position of a repeating FRB, first detected in February 2024, located in the constellation Ursa Minor. When he and his CHIME collaborators further refined the accuracy of the location by averaging many bursts from the FRB, they discovered that this FRB originated on the outskirts of a long-dead distant galaxy. That throws a wrench into the magnetar hypothesis because why would a dead galaxy in which no new stars are forming host a magnetar?It's the first time an FRB has been found in such a location, and it's also the furthest away from its galaxy. CHIME currently has two online outrigger radio arrays in placecompanion telescopes to the original CHIME radio array in British Columbia. A third array comes online this week in Northern California, and according to Leung, it should enable astronomers to pinpoint FRB sources much more accuratelyincluding this one. Data has already been incorporated from an outrigger in West Virginia, confirming the published position with a 20-times improvement in precision."This result challenges existing theories that tie FRB origins to phenomena in star-forming galaxies, said co-author Vishwangi Shah, a graduate student at McGill University. The source could be in a globular cluster, a dense region of old, dead stars outside the galaxy. If confirmed, it would make FRB 20240209A only the second FRB linked to a globular cluster.V. Shah et al., Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2025. DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ddc (About DOIs).T. Eftekhari et al., Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2025. DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad9de2 (About DOIs).Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 5 Comments

Two similar overlaid patterns create what are called moir patterns, which may be related to superconductivity in some atom-thick materialsRICHARD GERMAIN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYA mysterious form of superconductivity has been found in a twisted crystal, which could help researchers better understand how to make super-efficient electronics.Superconductivity is a rare property that lets some materials conduct electricity with no resistance. We only know of materials that are superconductors at low temperatures or extreme pressures, but a very high or room-temperature superconductor could transform the worlds energy systems by allowing us to send limitless energy over vast distances.Read

HealthThe hormonal changes of puberty, the menstrual cycle and menopause can all affect our sleep, but there are also subtler ways that hormones and sleep interact 22 January 2025 Emir Memedovski/ Getty ImagesIt may come as no surprise that hormonal upheaval say, during puberty or menopause can play havoc with sleep. But our hormones influence sleep all the time, not just during big changes. Whats more, we are starting to see that this relationship goes both ways: as much as our hormones affect how we sleep, how we sleep influences our hormones.A better understanding of this relationship could improve both our sleep and our general health. But, like a lot of relationships, it is complicated.This article is part of special series investigating key questions about sleep. Read more here.There are two basic processes that regulate sleep. The first, known as process S, keeps track of how long we have been awake through the build-up of the neurotransmitter adenosine, a by-product of cellular metabolism. Once enough has accumulated, like sand piling up at the bottom of an hourglass, the pressure to nod off becomes difficult to resist. The second, called process C, is driven by our circadian system, the rhythms of activity in almost all our cells timed to Earths 24-hour cycle of day and night.Process C, which is largely regulated by exposure to light, manages this through the release of two key hormones, melatonin and cortisol. Produced by the pineal gland during the dark hours, melatonin tells the parts of the brain that control sleep that it is night, so we fall asleep at the appropriate time. Cortisol picks up where melatonin leaves off, spiking in the morning and boosting our alertness to rouse us out of bed.Hormones change all the timeProduction of these hormones

As a frequent solo traveler, I prefer booking Airbnb stays over hotels.When I book an Airbnb for a solo trip, I say it's for two guests so hosts don't know I'm alone.Sometimes booking for two costs extra, but I'm willing to pay more because it makes me feel safer.Cozy cabins, luxury apartments, unique tiny homes including a converted wine barrel in Switzerland and a repurposed lifeguard tower in Miami I've booked them all through Airbnb.As a travel reporter, I've stayed in accommodations throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. I often opt for Airbnbs over hotels because they tend to offer more unique experiences, such as sleeping in a treehouse in Ontario's wine country.Usually, I travel solo. I've taken overnight trains in the US and Europe, spent seven nights on one of the world's largest cruise ships sailing the Caribbean Sea, and traveled by rail to Niagara Falls, Montral, and Quebec City. On these trips, I explored new cities and unique accommodations all by myself.Now that I'm a seasoned solo traveler, I have many practices to ensure I feel as safe as possible when traveling alone especially in other countries.When it comes to staying in Airbnbs solo, my best tip is to book for two people The reporter stays at a tiny-home hotel in Germany that she booked through Airbnb. Joey Hadden/Business Insider When I make an Airbnb reservation, I simply change the number of guests from one to two. Then, in my message to the host, I always say that I may have a friend joining me for my trip.This way, my host doesn't think I'm traveling alone. Creating the illusion that I have someone else with me makes me feel more comfortable falling asleep at night in a stranger's place.Booking for two sometimes comes with an additional fee, depending on the Airbnb.For example, when I traveled to Rome and booked two nights in a livable art sculpture Airbnb, the price was $102 a night for one person and $145 a night for two people. In this case, a companion did end up joining me for the stay. But even if they hadn't, I would have been fine paying the additional fee to feel more secure about staying there alone. Inside the livable art sculpture Airbnb that the reporter booked for a trip to Rome. Joey Hadden/Business Insider Solo travel can be daunting, especially when you're booking accommodation with an individual rather than directly through a company like you would at a hotel.But after all my unique Airbnb experiences, I think it's worth booking them even when I'm alone. And booking for two makes me feel a little safer.

The economy will probably head into a recession in a few years, Kenneth Rogoff says.The Harvard economist thinks a slowdown is coming in the second half of Trump's term.The downturn will be influenced by factors like a slowing business cycle and tariffs, he suggested.President Donald Trump's plan to engineer America's next economic boom will probably come up short in the coming years, according to Harvard University economist Kenneth Rogoff.The Harvard professor and former International Monetary Fund chief economist said he believed the US economy would likely slow and enter a downturn in the second half of Trump's term as president. That outcome will be influenced by a number of policies Trump suggested he would implement, Rogoff said, speaking to Yahoo! Finance on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Tuesday."I think the most likely scenario, with what I think are the most likely policies being passed, are strong, and then a slowdown into recession the second half of his term," Rogoff said. "It's just tough within the cycle not to do that."Rogoff highlighted some of Trump's policies that could weigh on the economy. The president has promised to loosen regulation in the financial sector, a move that could potentially lead to "trouble down the road," Rogoff said."And also, when you goose up the economy with these policies, most of which are not structural, they're really demand policies, you're going to get that effect," he added of the potential for an economic slowdown.Rogoff pointed to Trump's tariff plan, with the president promising to levy tariffs on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico as soon as February 1.Economists have said the tariffs could lead to higher inflation and higher interest rates, an idea Trump has pushed back on. Trump levied tariffs during his first term as president without a significant inflation increase. However, his proposals for tariff policy in his second term are more expansive, explaining the difference in inflation forecasts.Rogoff said the inflationary impact of the tariffs could be minor, though he believed the tariffs themselves would make markets nervous and could harm growth. "The inflationary impact is not a big deal, quantitatively," Rogoff said. "More worrisome is that it's chaotic, it hurts these animal spirits that he's benefiting from. It actually leads to slower growth."Trump has promised to "reignite explosive economic growth" over his four years in office, adding in his inauguration speech that tariffs could lead to "massive amounts of money" pouring into the US.Wall Street is bullish that Trump's push to loosen regulation for businesses could boost growth. But any pro-growth policies from Trump will likely still be outweighed by "counterproductive" policies, Rogoff said, speaking in a separate interview with Bloomberg at the event.Interest rates are also much higher than they were when Trump first took office in 2017, which is a wrinkle in any plans to juice the economy beyond already fairly robust levels of growth. "Every campaign promise practically is something counterproductive I mean, you can go to the tariffs, social security being not taxed, and on and on and on," Rogoff said. "He has a lot of constraints that he didn't face the first time. So I don't think you can expect quite the boom we got the last time," he later added.Other forecasters have also issued downbeat outlooks for what could happen during Trump's presidency. Steve Hanke, another top economist, said the US could slip into a recession as soon as Trump's first year in office.

Firefighters around Los Angeles have been making steady progress against the massive, fast-moving blazes that erupted around the city this month. The containment perimeters around the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire are growing, but the risk of another explosive wildfire remains high amid dry conditions and high winds. The wildfires have so far killed at least 28 people, charred more than 63 square miles, and destroyed more than 15,000 homes, offices, and shops. Wildfires are a fact of life in California. Theyre a natural phenomenon, clearing decaying vegetation, restoring nutrients to the soil, and helping new plants germinate. But their mounting devastation is a result of human decisions: More homes and businesses going up in wildfire-prone regions means a greater likelihood of igniting a blaze, and more destruction when one starts burning. Suppressing natural fires and not trimming back vegetation near structures means more fuel can build up. And as the climate changes, the weather in California is likely to see greater swings between rainfall and drought, enhancing the conditions that promote wildfires. The current blazes erupted after a sequence of record rainfall, record heat, record dryness, and high winds landed on one of the most populated parts of the country. The recent wildfires are on track to be the costliest blazes on record. The fires will only worsen Californias ongoing housing crisis and could reshape the makeup of the city as wealthy residents rebuild and poorer Angelinos are forced out. The scars of these fires will be borne by the region for years. As Voxs Rachel Cohen wrote, To merely restore what was lost which will take years even with potentially rushed permitting approvals wont be enough to stem the mounting crisis.RelatedOn the other hand, the fact that so many human factors are contributing to the rising destruction from wildfires means that there are decisions we can make to alleviate the harm. And as the flames die down and residents return, this moment presents an opportunity to think more holistically about reducing wildfire risk in Los Angeles and other fire-prone regions. Theres a lot that we can do as residents and homeowners to really change that trajectory and make small, often inexpensive actions that can make a big difference in changing the outcome when our buildings are exposed to the pathways of wildfire, said Yana Valachovic, a fire scientist at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network studying resilience in the built environment. I spoke to her just as she was leaving Los Angeles after investigating the wildfire damage up close. She told me that she observed that the destruction was not simply a function of the materials used to build homes, but how they fit into their neighborhoods, how they interact with nature, and the sophistication of the firefighting response. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Umair IrfanFor people watching the fires from afar, one question keeps coming up as they see photos of the destruction: Why are so many houses in Los Angeles made out of wood? Yana ValachovicFrom what I saw on both the Eaton and Palisades fires, we were largely looking at homes where the framing could be made of wood, but the exterior envelope was largely made of a stucco or stucco-like product. To me, it doesnt matter what its framed in, whether its wood or metal, its really about how the design, the materials, the installation, and the maintenance that has taken place. All those elements need to work together. No one single product is going to save a home in the face of wildfire.Umair IrfanSo wood isnt necessarily a bad choice in a fire-prone region?Yana ValachovicIm a licensed professional forester, so I will share my bias that I do like wood. We grow a lot of trees in California. It is our available natural resource, and I think its important to be able to use what you have in your community. The wood itself is combustible, but there are treatments that can make it fire-resistant. We have to think about this from a climate viewpoint and a natural resources viewpoint too. The environmental footprint of building with cement is pretty high. It takes a lot of energy to make cement, and we generally have to ship it from somewhere else, adding to the transportation footprint. Building materials made from wood are produced in California. Their environmental footprint is smaller, and through careful forest management, they really can be a very important sustainable resource that can also increase the resiliency of our forests.People are really excited about mass timber construction and what the potential is for reducing fire exposure in multistory buildings.But there are broader questions around what do we build with, where do we build, how do we build. Theres no clear winner that checks every box in terms of resiliency, environmental impact, and sustainability.Umair IrfanIs it true that at some point, any material can burn?Yana ValachovicI just want to step back for a second. Its not just the building and how its constructed; its the coupling between the vegetation and other combustibles how those directly touch or surround the building that make a substantial difference in fire risk.There are three types of fire exposures that buildings experience. One is the direct flame contact, which means that the fire is moving through some kind of combustible material. That can be wildland vegetation. It can be planted vegetation. It can be dry grass. It can be wood mulch. I think what the majority of people think about, this wall of flames that just slams at the house. The second component in fire exposure are embers, which are pieces of burning debris. They move all over and around a structure, and its pretty easy for them to find a pathway in to create new spot fires. For example, you leave the dog door open. The garage has a gap around it. Theres an open window, or a window that breaks. Those are all pathways for fire to get in.We can do things that help harden the structure so that its less vulnerable to embers. We can upgrade our vents so that the vents are not of a size that are capable of letting an ember get inside to combust something.Then the third element is something called radiant heat. Radiant heat is not directly in contact; its just the heat thats transferred through the air that causes a failure in the structure. When you get all that radiant heat, what you see is the glazing that helps hold the windowpanes starts to melt, or the heat is so intense that it breaks the glass.So, its a little more complex than just how the exterior building is finished, in wood or non-wood. It has to do with interrupting all those three pathways. I saw all three pathways lead to fires in the past few days.Umair IrfanCan you say to what extent improved building codes had an effect on which homes survived? Did newer homes under higher standards fare better?Yana ValachovicTheres some analysis work that needs to be done.In California, in 2008, we started to implement a specific component of the California building code called chapter 7A. Its focus is specifically on improving fire resilience of the exterior components of the structure, not interior sprinklers, not about how to control fires from within. So, since 2008 or so we have had a whole new population of buildings in high fire hazard severity zones that are built to a higher standard.Unfortunately, I didnt get to see any of those buildings in my two days that I was out, but Im really looking forward to the broader data collection to be able to see how those performed overall. Thats one of our key questions: Do the codes work? How well do they work? Do they need any more modifications? Umair IrfanI did see some viral photos of individual homes that survived while the rest of the neighborhood burned down. There was one in particular that looked like it was paneled with wood. What do you make of that?Yana ValachovicI didnt get a chance to see that building, but by and large that structure implemented many of the things that were talking about. It has another advantage: It has very shallow eaves. The eaves dont overhang very much. Why that matters is that when a spot fire does occur, it starts to create its own heat, and you get an eddy effect, which is like a wind circulation pattern. That really puts pressure under the eave area. If your under-eave areas are pretty shallow, then theres not a lot of area to be exposed.Its like a short brim hat versus a wide brim hat. The wide brim hat gives you more sun protection, but its got a lot more area where you can get fire circulating its heat up and underneath.Umair IrfanWhat is it thats preventing every home from using the best practices for fire resilience, beyond building codes?Yana ValachovicI just think its peoples lack of awareness. Also, most people dont build new homes. They mostly buy from the existing housing stock or from someone else you know has put in a subdivision. I think the challenge is actually getting into the building community and the design community to help them understand.We have an opportunity now after these fires to build back stronger and incorporate the best available information around so that homes are better prepared for these types of exposures.Umair IrfanAs youre heading out, was there anything you saw that was surprising or counterintuitive?Yana ValachovicThere are two things that really surprised me, and Ive done half a dozen research projects like this in events with fire loss. I expected to see more evenness in ember exposure. Why that matters is that I saw a number of buildings that survived, and what I concluded was part of the secret to their success was they just didnt get as much exposure to embers, meaning that the wind didnt bring embers everywhere consistently. The micro-topography really mattered in this. I think the temptation is going to be to say, Oh well, that house had all the right ingredients and protections, and I wish I could say so. What I observed is that there was just a variety of types of exposure.I also observed that there was more firefighting response than I had anticipated. Based on the media, theres so much discussion about lack of water availability, and not enough resources. But I saw a lot of great work that the firefighters did and they impacted the majority of homes that I saw that survived through both small and big actions. Umair IrfanWhat were some of the small and big actions?Yana ValachovicA small one would be disrupting the fire from coming down a neighbors wood fence and then connecting to neighbors fences. A lot of these homes didnt have a big distance between the edge of one house on the edge of the next house. Thered be a gate that would kind of close off the walkway on either side of the house. So there were folks that cut down wooden gates in particular to make sure that the fire didnt run at the building. Firefighters were moving from house to house breaking those connections. In other places, a little bit of water went a long way just to stop the progression.The big thing was having firefighting resources available to begin with. I think responders were moving quickly and efficiently through neighborhoods to help people in that situation. There are so many more resources in Southern California than other places Ive been.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games announces major shake-up as founder retiresAdam StarkeyPublished January 22, 2025 5:40pmUpdated January 22, 2025 5:41pm An end of an era for Insomniac (Sony Interactive Entertainment)The studio behind Ratchet And Clank and Spyro The Dragon will soon be led by three people, as founder Ted Price retires after 30 years.Insomniac Games has created some of the most popular franchises in gaming, between Spyro The Dragon and Ratchet And Clank.The studio, founded by Ted Price in 1994, worked closely with PlayStation for many years, including the Resistance series on the PlayStation 3. It was later acquired by Sony in 2019 following the success of Marvels Spider-Man, which has spawned several sequels since. Now, over 30 years later, Price has announced his retirement from the games industry, with three people set to take over as co-CEO at Insomniac Games.In an announcement on Sonys website, Price said he revealed the news to the Insomniac team last week, and will officially retire at the end of March.I actually made this decision last year, he wrote. For me, after over 30 years of leading Insomniac, I felt it was simply time to step aside and let others pave the way for our team.During the past, I had the opportunity to work with the senior leadership team at Insomniac to create a succession plan that I know will provide the continuity, stability and strong leadership necessary to deliver more of what our fans cherish over the next several decades. Ted Price officially retires in March (Sony/Insomniac)Following his retirement, Price will be replaced by Chad Dezern, Ryan Schneider, and Jen Huang as Insomniacs co-studio heads.As detailed on a PlayStation blog, Dezern joined Insomniac in 1998 as an environment artist and has been the studios head of creative since 2017. Schneider began during the PlayStation 2 era, where he became the teams first community director, while Huang joined the studio eight years ago as chief financial officer.Rounding off his announcement, Price added: Finally, Im confident that under the combined leadership of Chad, Jen, and Ryan, Insomniac will continue to deliver the industry-defining games that players have come to expect from us while making a positive and lasting impact on peoples lives for decades to come.Prices departure comes after several notable exits at PlayStation, namely Shuhei Yoshida and former Sony Interactive Entertainment president Jim Ryan. His retirement also comes after a turbulent period for Insomniac Games, with the studio hit by layoffs last year and a massive hack, which outed the studios future plans, in December 2023.More TrendingWhile its unclear if this leadership shift will impact Insomniacs output moving forward, the studios next game is set to be Marvels Wolverine, which was announced way back in 2021. Big changes at Insomniac Games (YouTube)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

A Barbarian joins the roster (Warner Bros.)The co-creator behind Mortal Kombat has implied support for Mortal Kombat 1 will continue, as players try to figure out how to encounter a mysterious pink ninja.Following the huge sales of Mortal Kombat 11, its clear Mortal Kombat 1 has fallen short of expectations.Mortal Kombat 1 hit four million sales last year following its launch in September 2023. While it has some time to catch up, its very unlikely that it will top its predecessors Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat X, which surpassed 15 million and 12 million copies sold respectively.The games underwhelming reception sparked rumours of cancelled DLC plans, but series co-creator Ed Boon has suggested there might be more still to come.In a thread on X, Boon recapped various updates for Mortal Kombat 1 following the release of new DLC fighter Conan The Barbarian. Amid these posts, he shared a clip of a fatality from the next confirmed DLC fighter, T-1000 from Terminator 2, with a somewhat vague caption.With Conan getting into players hands, we are excited to keep trucking forward with future DLC, Boon wrote.While the keep trucking forward is clearly a pun on the fatality shown in the clip, its unclear if the future DLC mention is simply referring to T-1000 or plans for additional characters in a potential Kombat Pack 3. As you might expect, fans are hoping for the latter.While Im well aware that this could PURELY be talking about the T-1000, the cadence screams that they arent done, one X user wrote.Elsewhere in the thread, Boon confirmed Mortal Kombat 1 has surpassed five million copies sold, an increase of one million since last August.He concluded with a mysterious ninja oath message, which seemingly relates to a long-rumoured pink ninja character called Floyd (Pink Floyd, get it?) that some players have encountered following the Conan update.As detailed by dataminer thethiny, Floyd shows up in a secret fight which is preceded by a rainbow animation with the text You Found Floyd. Based on the video, it seems Floyd is an amalgamation of all the ninja characters, similar to Chameleon in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.https://twitter.com/thethiny/status/1881959728756191322At the time of writing, players havent figured out what triggers the fight. Thethiny said Floyd showed up after doing a bunch of Floyd challenges in the Towers mode, but the uncertainty around the requirements has even spawned a fan-made spreadsheet.Floyd isnt playable in Mortal Kombat 11, but defeating the pink ninja does unlock a new Field stage according to players. Some dataminers have also found Floyds assets in the games files, so their existence isnt some crazed online theory.More TrendingAfter Mortal Kombat 1, its unclear what developer NetherRealm is working on next, but Injustice 3 has been teased several times in the past. Mortal Kombat 1 hasnt taken off like expected (Warner Bros.)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy