January 21, 20255 min readEarth Sings with Mysterious Chorus Wavesand Deep Space Does, TooPeculiar bursts of energy called chorus waves have been detected in deep space far from our planet, suggesting they could pose problems for long-distance space travelBy Jonathan O'Callaghan edited by Lee BillingsSplit-second pulsations rippling through Earths magnetic field called chorus waves have been linked to auroras much like this one, seen from the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit. But new results show chorus waves can occur much farther away from our world, in deep space, potentially posing risks for interplanetary travel. NASA/UPI/Alamy Stock PhotoThousands upon thousands of kilometers overhead, two powerful belts of radiation encompass our world. Here particles trapped in Earths sprawling magnetic field whiz around at close to the speed of lightfast enough to pose grave dangers for any spacecraft or astronauts that hope to traverse them. Some of the deadliest particles, known as killer electrons, reach such high speeds from acceleration by peculiar perturbations in Earths magnetic field called chorus waves, so named for their sonic resemblance to birdsong. These chorus waves have long been thought to occur only close to Earth and other planets. And in principle, steering clear of them could allow safer, less radiation-riddled space voyages except that new results suggest such waves are far more common in deep space than anyone realized.Writing in the journal Nature, Chengming Liu of Beihang University in China and his colleagues report that they found chorus waves using NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, four satellites flying in formation that the agency launched in 2015 to study Earths magnetic field. These waves werent very close to Earth at all, however. Instead they appeared at a distance of 165,000 kilometers (100,000 miles) from our planet, about three times as far from Earth as any previously detected chorus waves. That places them in the trailing tail of our planets bubblelike magnetosphere, far from where many researchers had assumed they must form.Its a very important paper, says James Burch of the Southwest Research Institute, who is principal investigator of the MMS mission and a co-author of the study. This could be occurring anywhere in the universe where theres a magnetic field, which is just about everywhere.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.Listen to an audio reconstruction of a chorus wave here:Chorus waves, or more specifically, whistler-mode chorus waves, are as fascinating as they are confusing. They are small bursts of energy that last just a few tenths of a second and produce an unusual chirp in frequency when they are converted to audio. They sound very much like birdsong at dawn, says Richard Horne, a space weather expert at the British Antarctic Survey, who studies the phenomenon. Thats how they got their name. The tiny fluctuations we perceive as chorus waves are produced by plasma instabilities, unstable distributions of charged particles flowing along Earths magnetic field lines. Because they can interact with the high-energy particles trapped in our planets geomagnetic grip, we realized in the late 1990s and early 2000s that they play a major role in forming Earths radiation belts, says Horne, a peer reviewer of the new Nature paper who wrote an accompanying commentary.The discovery of chorus waves happened by accidentand not in space but on Earthwhen World War I radio operators overheard them emanating from thunderstorms. People were listening for enemy transmissions, and they instead heard this chorus of birds, says Allison Jaynes, a space weather physicist at the University of Iowa, who was not involved with the study. It turned out later they were listening to chorus waves produced by lightning.Since then the waves have been spotted on every other planet of the solar system that possesses any semblance of a magnetic field: Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They have even been found on Venus, which lacks a magnetic field; there they have formed from transient fields created by solar wind barreling into the planets atmosphere.Collectively, all these previous detections suggested a rather simple prerequisite for making chorus waves: a dipolar magnetic fieldone with north and south directionality, like the two ends of a bar magnetthat curves its magnetic field lines around a planet, such as Earth. This curved dipolar configuration allows for chorus waves to propagate from pole to pole, producing a chirp. Because of their great distance from Earth, however, the chorus waves in the latest results sort of remove the curvature element, says Daniel Ratliff, a plasma physicist at Northumbria University in England, who was not part of the study. And yet you still get these very clear, rising tone features.That points to another mechanism for chorus wave productionnamely, changes in the frequency of the magnetic field. These frequency changes can give rise toand can also arise fromhigh-speed electrons that move through a magnetic field with minimal curvature, spawning chorus waves as a result. This paper suggests the origin of chorus emissions is frequency variation, says Yoshiharu Omura of Kyoto University in Japan, who was not involved with the study. Even so, Omura and Ratliff note, both processes might still play a role.This alternate pathway is important because it would mean that chorus waves were not limited to the curved magnetospheres of planets and stars but were free to form anywhere out in space with a magnetic field. Space is full of high-energy particles [such as cosmic rays], but this could be contributing to those that are already there, Burch says. If you try to go from Earth to Mars, you need a lot of shielding [from radiation]. This is a new source of energetic electrons that we didnt know about that can occur everywhere. So it should be looked for.Liu and his team also found evidence for associated effects called electron holes, essentially gaps in a chorus wave caused by electrons bunching together as it propagates along Earths magnetic field. The resonance generates waves, and you get these kinds of holes, Horne says. And that is a critical observation, made possible thanks to the unique data available from the MMS mission.Magnetic reconnectiona process in which the magnetic field lines of Earth and the sun snap together, releasing bursts of radiationis also thought to be linked to chorus waves, supplying some of the high-energy particles that the waves can then essentially supercharge. Lius results suggest this process is taking place rather far away from Earth, Omura says. This linkage may mean that closely monitoring the incoming solar wind could help scientists better predict the production of chorus waves around Earth and other planets, potentially improving space weather forecasts.That means understanding chorus waves could be crucial for ensuring future missions to the moon, Mars and other deep-space destinations arent embarking on doomed swan songs. If youre pumping electrons up to very high energies, you want to know, for crewed spaceflight and spacecraft assets, how many of these killer electrons are in the magnetosphere, Jaynes says. Chorus waves are very important to understand that. Knowing more about them could tell us more about when it is safe to fly in these regions of space. We want to predict when and where theyre going to happen, Ratliff says, so that we know when and where it might be too dangerous for operations.

Ciri as Witcher 4 protagonist 'really, really interesting for all kinds of reasons', says Geralt voice actorA Rivia derci.Image credit: CD Projekt/Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 22, 2025 Two and a half years after The Witcher 4's announcement, CD Projekt finally gave it the big reveal treatment late in 2024, confirming Ciri to be the focus this time around. And now Doug Cockle - voice of former series protagonist Geralt of Rivia - has had his say, calling the switch to a new main character, a "really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons".Speaking to Eurogamer shortly after The Witcher 4's reveal last year, CD Projekt called Ciri's promotion to lead "really exciting" in terms of the opportunities it opened up, "by just virtue of who she is [and] what we can do with her in terms of the gameplay as well." And it turns out that's a sentiment Geralt voice actor Doug Cockle shares."I'm really excited," he recently revealed to IGN. "I think it's a really good move. I mean, I always thought that continuing the Saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons. But mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done."The Witcher 4 world premiere trailer.Watch on YouTubeOf course, Cockle is now confirmed to be returning as Geralt in The Witcher 4, despite the character's demotion - although it's not currently clear how substantial a role he'll play. The actor had already let slip he'd be "part of" the new game last August- earning himself a bit of a slap on the wrist from CD Projekt - and it was finally made official when Geralt popped up at the end of December's reveal trailer to utter a gravelly, "See you on the path".Unfortunately for impatient sorts, The Witcher 4 is likely still some considerable way off (CD Projekt's hasn't even announced a release year yet), but fans can, at least, get a fresh Cockle fix much sooner. The actor is reprising the role of Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's upcoming animated movie The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep, which joins the streaming service on 11th February.

Elsewhere on the property, there are two additional homesa four-bedroom, two-bathroom option and a two-bedroom, one-bathroom residence. Theres also a 2,420-square-foot barn, a chicken coop, horse and cattle pens, and a garden. Sarah Hedrick holds the listing.Asking $14 million, a new town house in The 74The 74 condominium is located at 201 E 74th St, between 74th and 3rd in New York City.Photography Courtesy of Elad GroupFor those who want the convenient amenities of a luxury tower with the sprawl of a single-family dwelling, a town house affiliated with a condo building can be the ideal fit. This newly listed town house on the Upper East Side is located around the block from The 74, but still offers the same design prowess and amenities of its sister building.The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom residence was designed by Craig Copeland of Pelli Clarke & Partners, marking the firms first-ever town house design. Stained ash wood cabinetry and millwork provides a serene, Scandinavian-style living environment. Numerous outdoor spaces are available for homeowners, including a rear garden with a grill station, multiple smaller terraces, and a rooftop terrace large enough for a fire pit and outdoor dining area.With The 74 town house, we had a rare opportunity to design a ground-up residence on New Yorks Upper East Side, drawing inspiration from the neighborhoods rich architectural history. Through the design process, we aimed to cultivate a visual dialogue with the neighborhood by drawing inspiration from the qualities of Manhattan Deco, Craig Copeland, Partner, Pelli Clarke & Partners, told AD PRO by email. The result is a bold, sculpted facade crafted from pleated white terra-cotta and red sandstone, which echoes the architectural language of the surrounding buildings.Douglas Elliman Development Marketing is handling sales for The 74.New DevelopmentsThe Well announces its second residential real estate projectThe Well Coconut Grove is set to be located at 2855 Tigertail Ave, Miami.Rendering Courtesy of The Well Coconut GroveWith the concurrent ascendancy of self care and branded residences, its only natural that the two would crossover. In 2023, New York wellness destination The Well announced its first residential real estate project, developed with Terra and located on the Bay Harbor Islands in Miami. Now The Well and Terra are announcing their second collaboration: the Well Coconut Grove.Units will span one- to four-bedrooms, starting at 960 square feet and reaching up to 4,200 square feet. All residents will have access to a range of niche wellness amenities, including hyperbaric chambers, crystal cave relaxation lounges, and other highlights that move beyond the typical sauna and cold plunge offerings at the average luxury condo.We really value the partnership we've found with Terra, says Kane Sarhan, cofounder and chief creative officer of The Well. Now, in bringing The Well to Coconut Grove, we have an opportunity to build a truly unique community where people can live their happiest, healthiest lives.Prices start at $1.5 million. Sales are being handled exclusively by Douglas Elliman Development Marketing.

Fair game Reddit wont interfere with users revolting against X with subreddit bans Hundreds of Reddit communities are currently considering disallowing X. Scharon Harding Jan 22, 2025 3:59 pm | 85 Credit: Silas Stein/Getty Credit: Silas Stein/Getty Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreReddit is staying out of the current revolt against social media website X and, to a lesser degree, Meta, on its platform.Since Tuesday, hundreds of subreddits have discussed and/or implemented bans against the site formerly called Twitter, as reported by 404 Media. Dozens of subreddits have already agreed to disallow the sharing of any links to X, with moderators (volunteer Reddit users) agreeing to enforce the bans.The trend seemed to start among subreddits focused on sports-related topics, like the subreddits for the NFL, the Vancouver Canucks NHL team, and the Liverpool Football Club, as reported by Mashable. However, as of today, subreddits of various topics are discussing X bans. Reddit users in support of X bans like the one instituted by r/londonontario have pointed to various reasoning, including not being able to see tweet links without having an X account, Elon Musk appearing to make a Nazi salute at the presidential inauguration on Monday (as cited by r/Christianitys and r/newjersey's bans, for example), and general dislike for Musk and/or how he runs X.Yesterday, the mods of r/Seahawks, for example, enacted a rule that bans sharing links to X but allows X videos that aren't AI-generated, per a post from one of the subreddits moderators yesterday: we feel that social media platform owners and investors have a responsibility to remain out of the political, social and economic media forum for the benefit and neutrality of they're [sic] business and services they provide. The internet has never been a place of free speech and it never will be. We are all accountable for things we do and say. We would hope you all understand the dynamics of this decision and stay to talk Seahawks football.Reddit wont interfereArs Technica reached out to Reddit for a response to X bans and whether such bans could be interpreted as breaking any of Reddits rules. Reddit users will recall that when moderators were recently viewed by Reddit as breaking Reddit rules at scale (by making subreddits read-only or private in protest of Reddits new API access rules and pricing), Reddit responded by removing moderators that refused to re-open protesting subreddits. This time, though, moderators' actions are aboveboard.A Reddit spokesperson told Ars that decisions to ban or not ban X links are user-driven. Subreddit members are allowed to suggest and institute subredditrules, they added.Notably, many Reddit communities also prohibit Reddit links, the Reddit representative pointed out. They noted that Reddit as a company doesnt currently have any ban on links to X.A ban against links to an entire platform isnt outside of the ordinary for Reddit. Numerous subreddits ban social media links, Reddits spokesperson said. r/EarthPorn, a subreddit for landscape photography, for example, doesnt allow website links because all posts must be static images, per the subreddits official rules. r/AskReddit, meanwhile, only allows for questions asked in the title of a Reddit post and doesnt allow for use of the text box, including for sharing links.Reddit has a longstanding commitment to freedom of speech and freedom of association, Reddits spokesperson said. They added that any person is free to make or moderate their own community. Those unsatisfied with a forum about Seahawks football that doesnt have X links could feel free to make their own subreddit. Although, some of the subreddits considering X bans, like r/MadeMeSmile, already have millions of followers.Meta bans also under discussionAs 404 Media noted, some Redditors are also pushing to block content from Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta properties in response to new Donald Trump-friendly policies instituted by owner Mark Zuckerberg, like Meta killing diversity programs and axing third-party fact-checkers.The r/antiwork subreddit, which has 2.9 million members, said today that its banning content from X, as well as all Meta platforms, due to Metas new content policy allegedly openly encouraging bigotry. It also banned platforms affiliated with the CCP, [or the Chinese Communist Party], such as TikTok and Rednote."The Reddit movements reflect a polarized society set into intense discourse amid the presidential election and inauguration of Trump, the growing role of Musk in the US government, and related policies. Since Reddit is a platform moderated by volunteer users, Redditors will continue to seek control and have much say over how conversations flow on their favorite subreddits.At this early stage, we don't know if Redditors' efforts will have any significant impact on X, Facebook, Instagram, or its owners, which already have deep relationships with notable parties and whose sites have become information resources that people rely on. The NFL, for instance, has content deals with X and Reddit and uses Threads. The Verge reported today that NFL teams arent allowed to have Bluesky accounts, with the NFL having already told the Patriots team to take down its Bluesky account. Many first responder entities rely on X for sharing critical information, too.Advance Publications, which owns Ars Technica parent Cond Nast, is the largest shareholder in Reddit.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 85 Comments

In 2015, the blogging site Tumblr launched a GIF discovery feature called Tumblr TV as an experimental product. Now, with the U.S. TikTok ban leaving the fate of the short-form video app uncertain, Tumblr has decided its finally time to launch Tumblr TV, which has since evolved to support video, to all its users as one of its standard features. The company on Tuesday announced the products graduation from its experimental projects home known as Tumblr Labs, explaining how the tab would become available to everyone. New users will see the tab in a fairly prominent third position in the app. Meanwhile, existing users will be able to toggle Tumblr TV on or off in their Dashboard Tabs configuration settings, Tumblr said.The decision to promote the video product from an experiment to a core feature nearly 10 years after its creation has a lot to do with the demand for TikTok alternatives in the wake of the U.S. law that banned the app and others with Chinese ownership in the country. Though enforcement of that ban is currently on hold after President Trumps intervention, its still unclear whether TikTok will agree to a deal despite its many suitors to keep the app live in the U.S. after the 75-day deadline extension is up.Like many apps, Tumblr noted it saw a surge of users joining its service on the day of the TikTok ban on January 19, a company spokesperson told TechCrunch. As a result, the blogging service saw a roughly 35% increase in iOS app installs and a 70% increase in new users joining Communities, a feature that allows users to join various groups focused on specific interests.In fact, some newcomers even established Tumblr Communities, like TikTok Repository, aimed at those who wanted a place to back up and share their TikTok videos. Another Community, TikTok Refugees, was active with both new and returning users, the company said. As a competitor to TikTok, however, TumblrTV falls short. Though the company made many improvements while the service was a Labs feature including the addition of lightbox support, improved scrubbing, and video support the final product doesnt feel all that much like TikTok, where original creator content dominates.Tumblrs video feed does allow for vertical swipe-based navigation within its channels (like Art or Sports) when viewed on mobile, similar to TikTok. But the GIFs featured in this full-screen viewing mode are naturally grainy, while many of the videos featured arent formatted for vertical viewing because they were never recorded for a vertical video app in the first place. Still, the company hopes that a video feed could make TikTok users feel a little bit more at home if they decide to move to Tumblr. Of course, with TikTok back online in the U.S. for the time being, the demand for a backup app is likely waning.

Scale AI is facing its third lawsuit over alleged labor practices in just over a month, this time from workers claiming they suffered psychological trauma from reviewing disturbing content without adequate safeguards.Scale, which was valued at $13.8 billion last year, relies on workers it categorizes as contractors to do tasks like rating AI model responses. Earlier this month, a former worker sued alleging she was effectively paid below the minimum wage and misclassified as a contractor. A complaint alleging similar issues was also filed in December 2024.This latest complaint, filed January 17 in the Northern District of California, is a class action complaint that focuses on the psychological harms allegedly suffered by 6 people who worked on Scales platform Outlier.The plaintiffs claim they were forced to write disturbing prompts about violence and abuse including child abuse without proper psychological support, suffering retaliation when they sought mental health counsel. They say they were misled about the jobs nature during hiring and ended up with mental health issues like PTSD due to their work.They are seeking the creation of a medical monitoring program along with new safety standards, plus unspecified damages and attorney fees.One of the plaintiffs, Steve McKinney, is the lead plaintiff in that separate December 2024 complaint against Scale. The same law firm, Clarkson Law Firm of Malibu, California, is representing plaintiffs in both complaints. Clarkson Law Firm previously filed a class action suit against OpenAI and Microsoft over allegedly using stolen data that was dismissed after being criticized by a district judge for its length and content. Referencing that case, Joe Osborne, a spokesperson for Scale AI, criticized Clarkson Law Firm and said Scale plans to defend ourselves vigorously.Clarkson Law Firm has previously and unsuccessfully gone after innovative tech companies with legal claims that were summarily dismissed in court. A federal court judge found that one of their previous complaints was needlessly long and contained largely irrelevant, distracting, or redundant information, Osborne told TechCrunch. Osborne said that Scale complies with all laws and regulations and has numerous safeguards in place to protect its contributors like the ability to opt-out at any time, advanced notice of sensitive content, and access to health and wellness programs. Osborne added that Scale does not take on projects that may include child sexual abuse material.In response, Glenn Danas, partner at Clarkson Law Firm,told TechCrunch that Scale AI has been forcing workers to view gruesome and violent content to train these AI models and has failed to ensure a safe workplace. We must hold these big tech companies like Scale AI accountable or workers will continue to be exploited to train this unregulated technology for profit, Danas said.Topics

FOLKS, a Pitch Black company, has welcomed FuseFXs teams in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, and Vancouver under the FOLKS umbrella. Anew Burbank, California FOLKS office has also been opened.FOLKS and FuseFX have worked as sister brands within Pitch Black, and the consolidation allows all teams to leverage shared capabilities, technology, and talent to provide cutting-edge visual effects artistry across North America.FOLKS presence in the United States is an incredible opportunity to work with top-tier talent, drive innovation, and build lasting partnerships like never before, " said Amlie Poitras, President of FOLKS. We cannot wait to deepen our relationships with our clients by being on the ground and by working closely with the talented people who are driving the future of the VFX industry. We are very excited about what is to come.Johnny Fisk has been named Executive Vice President. A Los Angeles native with decades of experience in VFX and animation, Fisk most recently served as President of FuseFX.FOLKS is now better equipped to provide efficient, seamless VFX services that meet the highest standards for their clients across the globe, said Sbastien Bergeron, CEO of Pitch Black. This is just the beginning of an exciting year as we continually evolve Pitch Blacks global creative capabilities across our 13 locations and brands, including FOLKS, Rising Sun Pictures, and El Ranchito. We cannot wait to see where it takes us.Source: Pitch Black Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Cinema 4D PolyFX Transition or Reveal Effect!In this tutorial Ill show you a really fun transition or reveal effect in Cinema 4D using the PolyFX. A perfect transition for sci-fi, HUD elements, Logos and moreHuge shoutout to Arturo. Check him out here: www.arturowong.comGet this free model, used in the tutorial, in our freebies section.Head to the Freebies Cinema 4D PolyFX Transition or Reveal EffectWell learn about the Cinema 4D PolyFX which will break your object into little pieces which will grow on for the reveal. Its perfect for sci-fi style stuff, or technology animations, or HUD items, or you could reveal logos with it.The other important part of this tutorial is showing you how to use a proxy object to apply the animation onto first. This will allow you to dial it all in quickly before adding the effects to your high resolution object. I hope you learn something new!Want More Quick Tips?If you want more of these, head to our YouTube channel, leave a comment, and subscribe!Leave a Comment and Subscribe Here

Stone & Webster, established in 1893 by MIT graduatesCharles StoneandEdwin Webster, was a national leader in electrification and power generation, and provided services in engineering, construction, environmental remediation, infrastructure, and plant operation for industrial clients. After the Boston Redevelopment Authority acquired and demolished sections of South Station for redevelopment, Stone & Webster decided to relocate their offices to this new site. Los Angeles-based architectural firmWelton Becket & Associates, designed the office building in a late International-style, which serves as a counter to the masonry and classically designed, South Station nearby. The steel frame with metal and glass skin and boxy form are effective at delineating the building from its neighbor, but is not pedestrian-friendly at the ground level as the raised ground floor is lined at the sidewalk by concrete steps. The building is now largely leased to Fidelity Investments.

The magic wand spells and air gestures are no longer supported by the S25 Ultra's S Pen - and probably future models. Here's why.