This one revs to 9000 Weight saving and aero optimization feature in the 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 Among the changes are better aero, shorter gearing, and the return of the Touring. Jonathan M. Gitlin Jan 29, 2025 6:01 pm | 12 The Porsche 911 GT3 is to other 911s as other 911s are to regular cars. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin The Porsche 911 GT3 is to other 911s as other 911s are to regular cars. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn morePorsche provided flights from Daytona Beach to Valencia and accommodation so Ars could drive the new GT3. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.VALENCIA, SPAINA Porsche 911 is rather special compared to most "normal" cars. The rear-engined sports car might be bigger and less likely to swap ends than the 1960s version, but it remains one of the more nimble and engaging four-wheeled vehicles you can buy. The 911 comes in a multitude of variants, but among driving enthusiasts, few are better regarded than the GT3. And Porsche has just treated the current 911 GT3 to its midlife refresh, which it will build in regular and Touring flavors.The GT3 is a 911 you can drive to the track, spend the day lapping, and drive home again. It's come a long way since the 1999 originalthat car made less power than a base 911 does now. Now, the recipe is a bit more involved, with a naturally aspirated flat-six engine mounted behind the rear axle that generates 502 hp (375 kW) and 331 lb-ft (450 Nm) and a redline that doesn't interrupt play until 9,000 rpm. You'll need to exercise it to reach those outputspeak power arrives at 8,500, although peak torque happens a bit sooner at around 6,000 revs.It's a mighty engine indeed, derived from the racing version of the 911, with some tweaks for road legality. So there are things like individual throttle valves, dry sump lubrication, solid cam finger followers (instead of hydraulic valve lifters), titanium con rods, and forged pistons. I've always liked GT3s in white. I've always liked GT3s in white. This is the 911 GT3 Touring. Porsche This is the 911 GT3 Touring. Porsche As you might be able to tell by the grin, this car is most enjoyable to drive. Porsche As you might be able to tell by the grin, this car is most enjoyable to drive. Porsche This is the 911 GT3 Touring. Porsche As you might be able to tell by the grin, this car is most enjoyable to drive. Porsche For this car, Porsche has also worked on reducing its emissions, fitting four catalytic converters to the exhaust, plus a pair of particulate filters, which together help cut NOx emissions on the US test cycle by 44 percent. This adds 3 lbs (1.4 kg) of mass and increases exhaust back pressure by 17 percent. But there are also new cylinder heads and reprofiled camshafts (from the even more focused, even more expensive GT3 RS), which increase drivability and power delivery in the upper rev range by keeping the valves open for longer.Those tweaks might not be immediately noticeable when you look at last year's GT3, but the shorter gearing definitely will be. The final drive ratios for both the standard seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox and the six-speed manual have been reduced by 8 percent. This lowers the top speed a littlea mostly academic thing anyway outside of the German Autobahn and some very long runwaysbut it increases the pulling force on the rear wheels in each gear across the entire rev range. In practical terms, it means you can take a corner in a gear higher than you would in the old car.There have been suspension tweaks, too. The GT3 moved to double front wishbone suspension (replacing the regular car's MacPherson struts) in 2021, but now the front pivot point has been lowered to reduce the car diving under braking, and the trailing arms have a new teardrop profile that improves brake cooling and reduces drag a little. Porsche has altered the bump stops, giving the suspension an inch (24 mm) more travel at the front axle and slightly more (27 mm) at the rear axle, which in turn means more body control on bumpy roads. Credit: Porsche New software governs the power steering. Because factors like manufacturing tolerances, wear, and even temperature can alter how steering components interact with each other, the software automatically tailors friction compensation to axle friction. Consequently, the steering is more precise and more linear in its behavior, particularly in the dead-ahead position.The GT3 also has new front and rear fascias, again derived from the racing GT3. There are more cooling inlets, vents, and ducts, plus a new front diffuser that reduces lift at the front axle at speed. Porsche has tuned the GT3's aerodynamics to be constant across the speed range, and like the old model, it generates around 309 lbs (140 kg) of downforce at 125 mph (200 km/h). Under the car, there are diffusers on the rear lower wishbones, and Porsche has improved brake and driveshaft cooling.Finally, Porsche has made some changes to the interior. For instance, the GT3 now gains the same digital display seen on other facelifted 911s (the 992.2 generation if you're a Porsche nerd), similar to the one you'd find in a Taycan, Macan, or Panamera.Some people may mourn the loss of the big physical tachometer, but I'm not one of them. The car has a trio of UI settings: a traditional five-dial display, a more reduced three-dial display, and a track mode with just the big central tach, which you can reorient so the red line is at 12 o'clock, as was the case with many an old Porsche racing car, rather than its normal position down around 5 o'clock. And instead of a push button to start the car, there's a twisterif a driver spins on track, it's more intuitive to restart the car by twisting the control the way you would a key. You can see the starter switch on the left of the steering wheel. Porsche You can see the starter switch on the left of the steering wheel. Porsche There are various wheels available for the 911 GT3, with the lightest being the ones made from a magnesium alloy. Porsche There are various wheels available for the 911 GT3, with the lightest being the ones made from a magnesium alloy. Porsche The cabin ergonomics are really rather good. Porsche The cabin ergonomics are really rather good. Porsche There are various wheels available for the 911 GT3, with the lightest being the ones made from a magnesium alloy. Porsche The cabin ergonomics are really rather good. Porsche Finally, there are new carbon fiber seats, which now have folding backrests for better access to the rear. (However, unless I'm mistaken, you can't adjust the angle of the backrest.) In a very clever and welcome touch, the headrest padding is removable so that your head isn't forced forward when wearing a helmet on track. Such is the attention to detail here. (Customers can also spec the car with Porsche's 18-way sports seats instead.)Regular, Touring, Lightweight, WiessachIn fact, the new GT3 is available in two different versions. There's the standard car, with its massive rear wing (complete with gooseneck mounts), which is the one you'd pick if your diet included plenty of track days. For those who want a 911 that revs to 9 but don't plan on spending every weekend chasing lap times, Porsche has reintroduced the GT3 Touring. This version ditches the rear wing for the regular 911 rear deck, the six-speed manual is standard (with PDK as an option), and you can even specify rear seatstraditionally, the GT3 has eliminated those items in favor of weight saving.Of course, it's possible to cut even more weight from the GT3 with the Weissach Pack for the winged car or a lightweight package for the Touring. These options involve lots of carbon fiber bits for the interior and the rear axle, a carbon fiber roof for the Touring, and even the option of a carbon fiber roll cage for the GT3. The lightweight package for the touring also includes an extra-short gear lever with a shorter throw. The track mode display might be too minimalist for road drivingI tend to like being able to see my directions as well as the rpm and speedbut it's perfect for track work. Note the redline at 12 o'clock. Porsche The track mode display might be too minimalist for road drivingI tend to like being able to see my directions as well as the rpm and speedbut it's perfect for track work. Note the redline at 12 o'clock. Porsche Being able to remove the headrest padding so you can wear a helmet in the car is a great touch. Porsche Being able to remove the headrest padding so you can wear a helmet in the car is a great touch. Porsche Like the 911 Carrera T, the GT3 has no rear seats. But they are now an option for the GT3 touring. Porsche Like the 911 Carrera T, the GT3 has no rear seats. But they are now an option for the GT3 touring. Porsche Being able to remove the headrest padding so you can wear a helmet in the car is a great touch. Porsche Like the 911 Carrera T, the GT3 has no rear seats. But they are now an option for the GT3 touring. Porsche Although Porsche had to add some weight to the 992.2 compared to the 992.1 thanks to thicker front brake discs and more door-side impact protection, the standard car still weighs just 3,172 lbs (1,439 kg), which you can reduce to 3,131 lbs (1,420 kg) if you fit all the lightweight goodies, including the ultra-lightweight magnesium wheels.Behind the wheelI began my day with a road drive in the GT3 Touringa PDK model. Porsche wasn't kidding about the steering. I hesitate to call it telepathic, as that's a bit of a clich, but it's extremely direct, particularly the initial turn-in. There's also plenty of welcome feedback from the front tires. In an age when far too many cars have essentially numb steering, the GT3 is something of a revelation. And it's proof that electronic power steering can be designed and tuned to deliver a rewarding experience.The cockpit ergonomics are spot-on, with plenty of physical controls rather than relegating everything to a touchscreen. If you're short like me and you buy a GT3, you'll want to have the buckets set for your driving positionwhile the seat adjusts for height, as you raise it up, it also pitches forward a little, making the seat back more vertical than I'd like. (The seats slide fore and aft, so they're not quite fixed buckets as they would be in a racing car.)The anti-dive effect of that front suspension is quite noticeable under braking, and in either Normal or Sport mode, the damper settings are well-calibrated for bumpy back roads. It's a supple ride, if not quite a magic carpet. On the highway, the Touring cruises well, although the engine can start to sound a little droning at a constant rpm. But the highway is not what the GT3 is optimized for. On a dusty or wet road, you need to be alert if you're going to use a lot of throttle at low speed. Jonathan Gitlin On a dusty or wet road, you need to be alert if you're going to use a lot of throttle at low speed. Jonathan Gitlin The GT3 Touring ditches the gooseneck rear wing for an active rear spoiler, like lesser 992-generation 911s. Jonathan Gitlin The GT3 Touring ditches the gooseneck rear wing for an active rear spoiler, like lesser 992-generation 911s. Jonathan Gitlin I don't know about you, but I think the car looks a lot better when the active spoiler is in the down position. Porsche I don't know about you, but I think the car looks a lot better when the active spoiler is in the down position. Porsche The GT3 Touring ditches the gooseneck rear wing for an active rear spoiler, like lesser 992-generation 911s. Jonathan Gitlin I don't know about you, but I think the car looks a lot better when the active spoiler is in the down position. Porsche On windy mountain roads, again in Normal or Sport, the car comes alive. Second and third gears are perfect for these conditions, allowing you to keep the car within its power band. And boy, does it sound good as it howls between 7,000 and 9,000 rpm. Porsche's naturally aspirated flat-sixes have a hard edge to themthe 911 RSR was always the loudest race car in the packand the GT3 is no exception. Even with the sports exhaust in fruity mode, theres little of the pops, bangs, and crackles you might hear in other sports cars, but the drama comes from the 9000 rpm redline.Porsche asked us to keep traction control and ESC enabled during our drivethere are one-touch buttons to disable themand given the muddy and dusty state of the roads, this was a wise idea. (The region was beset by severe flooding recently, and there was plenty of evidence of that on the route.) Even with TC on, the rear wheels would break traction if you were injudicious with the throttle, and presumably that would be the same in the wet. But it's very easy to catch, even if you are only of moderate driving ability, like your humble correspondent.After lunch, it was time to try the winged car, this time on the confines of the Ricardo Torno circuit just outside the city. On track, the handling was very neutral around most of the corners, with some understeer through the very slow turn 2. While a low curb weight and more than 500 hp made for a very fast accelerating car, the braking performance was probably even more impressive, allowing you to stand on the pedal and shed speed with no fade and little disturbance to the body control. Again, I am no driving god, but the GT3 was immensely flattering on track, and unlike much older 911s, it won't try to swap ends on you when trail-braking or the like. The landing was not nearly as jarring as you might think. Porsche The landing was not nearly as jarring as you might think. Porsche Jrg Bergmeister gives very good 911 taxi rides. Jonathan Gitlin Jrg Bergmeister gives very good 911 taxi rides. Jonathan Gitlin Yes, the cage and rear wing obscure your rearward vision quite significantly. Porsche Yes, the cage and rear wing obscure your rearward vision quite significantly. Porsche Jrg Bergmeister gives very good 911 taxi rides. Jonathan Gitlin Yes, the cage and rear wing obscure your rearward vision quite significantly. Porsche After some time behind the wheel, I was treated to some passenger laps by one of my favorite racing drivers, the inimitable Jrg Bergmeister. Unlike us journalists, he was not required to stay off the high curbs, and he demonstrated how well the car settles after launching its right-side wheels into the air over one of them. It settles down very quickly! He also demonstrated that the GT3 can be plenty oversteer-y on the exit of corners if you know what you're doing, aided by the rear-wheel steering. It's a testament to his driving that I emerged from two passenger laps far sweatier than I was after lapping the track myself.The GT3 and GT3 Touring should be available from this summer in the US, with a starting price of $222,500. Were I looking for a 911 for road driving, I think I might be more tempted by the much cheaper 911 Carrera T, which is also pared to the bone weight-wise but uses the standard 380 hp (283 kW) turbocharged engine (which is still more power than the original GT3 of 1999). That car delivers plenty of fun at lower speeds, so it's probably more useable on back roads. Credit: Porsche But if you want a 911 for track work, this new GT3 is simply perfect.Jonathan M. GitlinAutomotive EditorJonathan M. GitlinAutomotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 12 Comments

Website blocking Democrat teams up with movie industry to propose website-blocking law Proposed US law slammed as "censorious" and an "Internet kill switch." Jon Brodkin Jan 29, 2025 5:45 pm | 43 Credit: Getty Images | Yuichiro Chino Credit: Getty Images | Yuichiro Chino Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreUS Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) today proposed a law that would let copyright owners obtain court orders requiring Internet service providers to block access to foreign piracy websites. The bill would also force DNS providers to block sites.Lofgren said in a press release that she "work[ed] for over a year with the tech, film, and television industries" on "a proposal that has a remedy for copyright infringers located overseas that does not disrupt the free Internet except for the infringers." Lofgren said she plans to work with Republican leaders to enact the bill.Lofgren's press release includes a quote from Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). As we've previously written, the MPA has been urging Congress to pass a site-blocking law."More than 55 nations around the world, including democracies such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have put in place tools similar to those proposed by Rep. Lofgren, and they have successfully reduced piracy's harms while protecting consumer access to legal content," Rivkin was quoted as saying in Lofgren's press release today.Lofgren is the ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and a member of the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet.Bill called censorious site-blocking measureAlthough Lofgren said her proposed Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act "preserves the open Internet," consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge described the bill as a "censorious site-blocking" measure "that turns broadband providers into copyright police at Americans' expense.""Rather than attacking the problem at its sourcebringing the people running overseas piracy websites to courtCongress and its allies in the entertainment industry has decided to build out a sweeping infrastructure for censorship," Public Knowledge Senior Policy Counsel Meredith Rose said. "Site-blocking orders force any service provider, from residential broadband providers to global DNS resolvers, to disrupt traffic from targeted websites accused of copyright infringement. More importantly, applying blocking orders to global DNS resolvers results in global blocks. This means that one court can cut off access to a website globally, based on one individual's filing and an expedited procedure. Blocking orders are incredibly powerful weapons, ripe for abuse, and we've seen the messy consequences of them being implemented in other countries."The Re:Create Coalition, which advocates for "balanced copyright" laws, said that Lofgren's bill "would give Big Content the Internet kill switch it has sought for decades."Lofgren's bill would impose site-blocking requirements on broadband providers with at least 100,000 subscribers and providers of public domain name resolution services with annual revenue of over $100 million. The bill has exemptions for VPN services and "similar services that encrypt and route user traffic through intermediary servers"; DNS providers that offer service "exclusively through encrypted DNS protocols"; and operators of premises that provide Internet access, like coffee shops, bookstores, airlines, and universities.Lofgren released a summary of the bill explaining how copyright owners can obtain blocking orders. "A copyright owner or exclusive licensee may file a petition in US District Court to obtain a preliminary order against a foreign website or online service engaging in copyright infringement," the summary said.For non-live content, the petition must show that "transmission of a work through a foreign website likely infringes exclusive rights under Section 106 [of US law] and is causing irreparable harm." For live events, a petition must show that "an imminent or ongoing unauthorized transmission of a live event is likely to infringe, and will cause irreparable harm."Blocking ordersThe proposed law says that after a preliminary order is issued, copyright owners would be able to obtain orders directing service providers "to take reasonable and technically feasible measures to prevent users of the service provided by the service provider from accessing the foreign website or online service identified in the order." Judges would not be permitted to "prescribe any specific technical measures" for blocking and may not require any action that would prevent Internet users from using virtual private networks.Lofgren's summary said a court could issue a preliminary order if the following requirements are met:The foreign website or online service is identified by domain name, IP address, or similar identifier.The petitioner has attempted to serve notice to the website's operator.The petitioner has notified service providers that facilitate access to the infringing website.The operator is outside the US or cannot be determined to be within the USThe website is primarily designed for infringement, has no commercially significant purpose other than infringement, or is intentionally marketed for infringing use.The petitioner has attested under penalty of perjury to the accuracy of its claims and has a substantial interest in enforcing its rights.The operator of a foreign website or online service would have 30 days to appear in court and contest a preliminary order.Lofgren: Bill respects First AmendmentLofgren argues that foreign piracy websites "present a massive and growing threatcosting American jobs, harming the creative community, and exposing consumers to dangerous security risks." She says her bill "is a smart, targeted approach that focuses on safety and intellectual property, while simultaneously upholding due process, respecting free speech, and ensuring enforcement is narrowly focused on the actual problem at hand."In addition to the MPA, Lofgren's office said the bill also has support from the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the Authors Guild, the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the Copyright Alliance, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).Lofgren's press release argues that the bill respects the First Amendment because "every blocking order must go through a US court, requiring clear evidence, due process, and judicial oversight to ensure fair enforcement and prevent censorship." By targeting only foreign piracy sites, it "ensures that lawful US platforms, mixed-use sites, and independent creators remain unaffected," the press release said.Public Knowledge said the bill would give copyright holders too much power. "The entertainment industry already has unprecedented power to control Americans' access to the Internet; they have the legal authority to force Internet service providers to disconnect subscribers based on mere accusations of copyright infringement," Rose said.Rose was referring to lawsuits filed by copyright holders alleging that ISPs haven't adequately fought piracy on their networks and failed to terminate repeat infringers. ISPs have fought the lawsuits, telling the Supreme Court that they shouldn't have to aggressively police copyright infringement on broadband networks. ISPs also say that the mass terminations of Internet users demanded by record labels would hurt people "who did not infringe and may have no connection to the infringer."Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 43 Comments

Rapid integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning is reshaping traditional tech roles, while making many legacy skills obsolete. Organizations are placing a premium on professionals with advanced technical expertise and refined soft skills, such as collaboration, analytical thinking, and innovation.This shift is especially evident in areas like data science, cybersecurity, and AI/ML, where demand for specialized roles and skills continues to rise, according to the IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index from Foote Partners.Emerging interdisciplinary roles, such as AI model auditors and machine learning engineers, also indicated a need for a more diverse skill set to navigate these transformative technologies.In data science, expertise in areas like data strategy, architecture, and governance for AI systems is seeing a significant rise in value, with skills like Apache Flink and predictive analytics earning premium pay.Similarly, cybersecurity professionals with knowledge of AI-powered tools, security architecture, and machine learning models are commanding higher salaries, as are those with certifications such as GIAC and NIST.IT professionals must focus on adaptability and continuous learning to stay relevant, says Ram Palaniappan, CTO of TEKsystems Global Services.Related:He explains that AI is changing the entire application architecture and topology through the continuous advancement of technology from GenAI to agentic AI.Roles like prompt designers, AI/ML engineers, AI ethicists, and NLP specialists are emerging as critical, so developing skills in areas like AI governance, machine learning engineering, and natural language processing is essential.Assessing IT Skill SetsTanja Podinic, senior vice president of AI programs for ContractPodAi, says IT professionals must reassess their skill sets and understand their value in a rapidly changing landscape.The shifting market will demand more creative and critical thinking, she says. However, technological and process-oriented skills are not everything.As technology is increasingly integrated into new areas, soft skills will also grow in importance.Emotional and social intelligence, strong communication, teamwork, and leadership skills are among the key attributes that make IT pros invaluable assets to organizations.Podinic explains that as professionals continue to face new challenges, they need to develop skills that support innovative problem-solving and effective data analysis.Related:These abilities will be pivotal as AI and machine learning reshape industries, she says.HP chief commercial officer Dave McQuarrie says within the next five to 10 years, integrating AI in daily tasks will become as fundamental in the workplace as email is today. As the significance of traditional skills shifts, leaders must focus on upskilling their teams or risk falling behind, he explains via email. While implementing mandatory AI training programs is a positive initial step, it is insufficient on its own.He adds that businesses cannot simply check a box and expect employees to navigate these changes independently.There is a significant need and opportunity for leaders to engage with their workforce and fulfill their AI training needs, McQuarrie says.Soft Skills and CertificationsPalaniappan says skills like business process management, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and creativity should not be neglected.These are the traits that complement technical skills and are difficult to automate, he says. Look out for all opportunities to leverage technology to complement the work is going to be the future.He says the challenge is to create long-term and holistic training programs that keep up with the rapidly evolving speed of digital evolution, especially in the AI arena.Related:Certifications and formal training programs are becoming more essential for IT professionals, particularly for those looking to enter fields like AI and machine learning, he explains.Certifications validate foundational knowledge of ML models, algorithms, and data management, which are critical for building careers in areas like ML engineering.Investing in Training, UpskillingPodinic says continuous learning and skill development are crucial, and a key factor will be having a mindset that is open to change. Professionals must remain flexible and have the agility to adapt to new tools and methodologies, while also embracing changes to their roles and responsibilities, she says.Beyond maintaining technological literacy, its about staying up to date on emerging tech trends will help ensure the relevance of IT roles.Accepting the change and joining the journey will be critical for success, Podinic says.She recommends that organizations develop strategic upskilling plans that identify key focus areas, set clear goals, and establish specialized training programs to foster professional growth.From her perspective, the key component of any upskilling initiative is leadership and its support. Business leaders must not only understand the critical importance of upskilling but actively champion it, Podinic says.Companies must also focus on creating an ecosystem of continuous learning, creating a sandbox for exploring different tools and offering employees opportunities to develop both technical and soft skills.Leadership must take a proactive approach to identify and address gaps, fostering a culture where innovation and education are a part of daily operations.Reskill or Rehire?Ornella Casagrande Rizzi, learning and development coordinator at Indicium, has a simple mantra: Reskill where possible, hire where necessary.Upskilling or reskilling are strategies that companies need to prioritize for numerous reasons, she says in an email interview.Besides avoiding the risks associated with hiring externally, upskilling and reskilling are excellent ways to foster a culture of learning by effectively teaching employees how to learn and shaping them into lifelong learners.This ensures the staff is better prepared for the dynamic changes brought by emerging technologies while also remaining loyal to their company, Rizzi says.Palaniappan says he agrees that matching these skills alongside industry needs is a great way to start building out a program in these specialized areas.Upskilling initiatives should be tied to measurable business outcomes, ensuring employees not only gain knowledge but also understand how to apply it to real-world challenges, he says.

Ice crystals cant stick to polar bear furAsifphotographer1/ShutterstockPolar bears have a hidden-in-a-plain-sight superpower that anyone who has watched a wildlife documentary could have spotted: ice doesnt stick to their fur.This has long been known to Indigenous peoples of the Arctic, who have utilised this property of the fur, but only now has it been noticed and studied by scientists. Bodil Holst at the University of Bergen in Norway and her colleagues have shown that the ice resistance of polar bear fur is due to natural oils secreted onto the hairs, rather than a property of the fur itself. AdvertisementHolst is a physicist who studies the properties of surfaces. Her interest in polar bear fur began when, while watching a TV quiz programme, she saw that the bears barely show up on infrared cameras because they are so well insulated. That means the temperature of their outer fur is below freezing, Holst realised, but she had never seen a polar bear in wildlife films that was coated with ice, even after swimming in sub-zero waters.And then I thought, well, how come freezing is not a problem? How come you dont get accumulation of ice on the fur under these circumstances? she says.This is, after all, a problem for many other land mammals in cold environments, from musk ox to bearded polar explorers. Holst asked researchers at Norways Polar Research Institute if they knew why polar bear fur doesnt ice up. None did, but they decided to investigate together. Unmissable news about our planet delivered straight to your inbox every month.Sign up to newsletterHolst and her colleagues obtained samples of polar bear fur from Svalbard in Norway and compared them with human hair. They found that the force required to remove ice from polar bear hair was a quarter of what was needed for human hair meaning the bears can easily shake any ice off.Washing polar bear fur removed its ice resistance, suggesting that the oily coating on the hairs is the key to its properties. This substance, known as sebum, is secreted by glands connected to hair follicles.Polar bear sebum lacks a substance called squalene that is commonly found in sebum, especially in aquatic mammals, the team found. It also contains some unusual fatty acids. These could be unique to polar bears, but we cant be sure of that, as so few studies have looked at the composition of animal sebum, says Holst.Arctic peoples such as the Inuit have traditionally prepared polar bear fur in a way that preserves the sebum, unlike methods used for other furs. They have also used the fur in ways that make use of its ice-resistant properties.For instance, Inuit hunters in Greenland are known to have placed small pieces of polar bear fur under the legs of the stools used by hunters, to stop them sticking to ice. They also strapped polar bear fur to the soles of boots while stalking animals, to avoid the noise made by ice-coated surfaces.Holsts team is now exploring potential applications, such as creating environmentally friendly ski waxes that dont contain the long-lasting fluorocarbon compounds currently used to prevent icing.A hair wax based on polar bear sebum could also help people who work in cold environments. I had not thought about that application, but absolutely, that should work, says Holst. I think youve just given me a new idea.Journal reference:Science Advances DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads7321Topics:

Chemicals can leach from black plastic utensils into food during cookingBig Joe/ShutterstockI recently threw away my trusty black plastic spatula after a scientific paper claimed that such utensils may contain dangerous levels of flame-retardant chemicals. It turns out the researchers had a misplaced decimal point, and the concentration of chemicals wasnt nearly as close to safety limits as was originally stated.Regardless, the work still found some level of fire retardants in 85 per cent of 203 common household items. But how risky is this, if at all, to our health?

President Donald Trump is threatening significant tariffs on manufacturers in China.China could pull out tools to protect its economy, some developed during the first Trump term.Beijing may ratchet up trade restrictions or change its monetary policy.China is President Donald Trump's prime target for a trade war again. But China already put its boxing gloves on.In his first term, Trump slapped high tariffs on a range of Chinese goods. This time, the President has pledged blanket tariffs of 60% on Chinese imports. On January 21, Trump threatened 10% tariffs on China that could come as soon as February.But four years of Trump 1.0 has given China plenty of time to formulate its strategy and countermeasures."Depending on the range of such new US tariff measures, China is likely to respond to significant US tariff hikes by imposing retaliatory tariff countermeasures on US imports," Rajiv Biswas, an international economist and the author of "Asian Megatrends," told Business Insider.As Zhu Min, an economist and former Chinese central bank official, said at a at panel session on January 22, "China understands much better now" what a Trump presidency brings.This is how China could respond:Limiting raw materials for high-tech productsThe US-China rivalry is firmly in its tech phase, with Beijing's new economic growth areas of electric vehicles, solar cells, and lithium batteries in the spotlight.The Biden administration had already limited the export of high-tech chips to China. There could be more curbs on the way targeting China's AI development especially after US markets were spooked by DeepSeek's new model."I expect a continuation of the strict US prohibition on exporting advanced semiconductors to China," Olivier Blanchard, the research director for AI devices at tech research firm The Futurum Group, told Business Insider. "The AI race between the US and China doesn't stop because of a change in US administrations."In the battle against the US for global tech supremacy, China has the upper hand in at least one critical area: rare earths, the raw materials in tech products ranging from semiconductors to industrial magnets to some solar panels.China which has long dominated the rare earths market has been tightening its grip for more than a year.In December, China announced that it was banning the exports of gallium, germanium, and antimony key minerals used in the making of chips, fiber optic cables, and weapons to the US, citing national security.The end game is about tech supremacy. Some analysts are comparing the US-China race to a new Cold War."The heart of the issue is concern about how China will use AI chips for military applications and surveillance," Chris Tang, a UCLA professor and expert in global supply chain management and the impact of regulatory policies, told BI in November. "It's a different type of Cold War."Tried and tested methodsChina could also return to tried-and-tested methods of financial policy maneuvers and import controls."China could weaken its currency against a strong dollar to support its exports, while carefully managing the pace of depreciation via its daily renminbi fixing rate and a variety of other administrative tools in the currency market," wrote Betty Wang, a lead economist at Oxford Economics, on November 12 a week after Trump won the presidential election.Last month, China shifted its monetary policyapproach from"prudent" to "moderately loose" which would boost liquidity and lending. In September, China launched an aggressive stimulus package to boost the markets.In trade,A tariff exclusion mechanism in the January 2020 US-China trade deal has kept American soybeans flowing to China, albeit at lower levels. China's policies could change if Trump imposes high tariffs on Chinese goods.The US accounted for 20% of China's soybean imports in 2024, down from 40% in 2016."In a scenario where China imposes retaliatory tariffs on US soybeans in 2025, the impact would again likely be a substantial economic loss for the US soybean industry due to lower US domestic soybean prices and declining US soybean exports to China," Biswas, the economist, said.Other agricultural imports from the US could also be subject to more restrictions, said Biswas.Beyond exports and imports, China is likely to turn inward to strengthen domestic consumption through fiscal stimulus as authorities try to engineer a turnaround for its flagging economy.The country will also double down on its status as the world factory floor, especially in high-tech manufacturing, to retain its competitiveness, said Zhu, who was a former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund."We focus on competitiveness regardless of what happens outside China. We'll be able to survive," Zhu said at the World Economic Forum.Trump and Beijing are both weighing a trade warTrump appears to prefer avoiding tariffs to resolve the US' trade disputes with China."We have one very big power over China, and that's tariffs, and they don't want them," the president told Fox News in an interview that aired Thursday. "And I'd rather not have to use it. But it's a tremendous power over China."On Sunday, the White House walked back its 25% tariff threat against Colombia after making a deal on migrant transportation.Meanwhile, most analysts expect continued economic challenges in China this year due toflagging consumer confidence which means Beijing would prefer not to have to engage in a trade war, too."Differences and frictions need to be handled through dialogue and consultation," said Mao Ning, the spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, on Friday. "Trade and tariff wars have no winners and are in the interest of no one, still less the world."Should the two powers still end up in a trade war, China will have more leverage this time around because it's now less reliant on the US, wrote Lynn Song, the chief economist for Greater China at ING, on Thursday.The US accounted for 14.6% of China's exports in 2024 down from 18.2% in 2017. That opens the possibility for "more aggressive retaliation from China if it is pushed into a corner," wrote Song, citing expert controls and more targeted tariffs on large American companies."The world has changed a lot since the first trade war broke out in 2018," he added.

This year will be pivotal for Meta's relationship with the government, Mark Zuckerberg said.The Trump administration defends US tech companies, the Meta CEO said during the company's earnings call.He also doubled down on Meta's shift from fact-checkers to community notes.Mark Zuckerberg said 2025 will be a "big year" for redefining Meta's relationship with the federal government.The tech CEO made the comment during Meta's earnings call on Wednesday as the tech giant reported that it beat revenue estimates for the fourth quarter."This is also going to be a big year for redefining our relationship with governments," Zuckerberg said. "We now have a US administration that is proud of our leading company, prioritizes American technology winning, and that will defend our values and interests abroad. I'm optimistic about the progress and innovation that this can unlock."Zuckerberg and his company have been working to maintain a positive relationship with President Donald Trump's administration.The company donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration, and Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, attended the inauguration ceremony alongside a slew of other tech moguls."Facebook is used by more than 3 billion monthly actives, and we're focused on growing its cultural influence, and I'm excited this year to get back to some OG Facebook," Zuckerberg said on the earnings call. "I think we're going to build some awesome things that shape the future of human connection."Meta announced earlier this month that it was replacing its fact-checkers with community notes, a style of content moderation similar to what Elon Musk's X has in place."I believed in free expression for quite a while," Zuckerberg said on Wednesday. "People don't want to see misinformation, but you need to build an effective system that gives people more context. What we found over time is that the community notes system, I think, is just going to be more effective than the system that we had before."The decision prompted praise from some business leaders, but also came with some controversy. The International Fact-Checking Network's director, Angie Holan, told BI the fact-checking on Facebook "was never about censorship but about adding context to prevent false claims from going viral."

Universal Studios Hollywoods Star Trek food leads the pack of uniquely bizarre (but on brand) drinks and munchies inspired by different fandom universes for Fan Fest Nights 2025. The after-hours FFN (like Halloween Horror Nights) will invite fans to experience their favorite franchises on every level: experiences, sights, in-universe merch, and tasty treats. This years slate of FFN will include offerings from Star Trek, One Piece, Nintendos Super Mario Bros., Harry Potter, Back to the Future, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Dungeons & Dragons. But we really have to hand it to Universal Creative for going beyondwith the Ceti Eel Margarita. Yes, those Ceti eels from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. io9/Gizmodo The margarita makes absolute sense since some tequilas still have a worm in the bottle for better flavor, but the here the Trek universe version comes with a hint of ear crawling danger. Its shudder worthy thinking of the scene where Khan gets one buried under Chekovs skin to torture him. We cant wait to try this at the event and will let you know if its ear-bleeding spicy. Other Trekdishes will include the Klingon Targ Legs in a hearty rice bowl, my favorite of the menu items we got to try at a press event earlier this week. On the dessert side of things there will be a Tribble Truffle Trio. You can see a few more options in the images below. io9/Gizmodo Following closely behind in the weird but cool foodie category are One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen. io9/Gizmodo Yes, GUM GUM Devil Fruit will be available in Mexican concha form. We werent able to taste this one but are so excited by the detail that went into bringing this stretchy power confection to life. Heres the rest of the One Piece food, which is sadly missing a Sanji touch. io9/Gizmodo And last but not least, treats inspired by the many curses of Sakuna from Jujutsu Kaisen on Yujis body, like churros for hands, a spiky pink frosted haired brownie cake, and the signature mouth of the entity. io9/Gizmodo Try these treats out for yourself as part of the special menus only available during Universal Studios Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

WhenStar Trek: Section 31 beamed onto Paramount+ last week, it did so with a bit of a malfunctionand landed with an almighty thud. The firstStar Trek movie (streaming or otherwise) in years was immediately scathed by many critics, and now fan reactions have been similarly unkind, warpingSection 31 right into first place on the most unglamorous of lists. As Forbes reports,Section 31 now holds the honor of being the worst-rated Star Trek project, TV series or film, on critical aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, both in terms of both a rating from critics and from user input. Heres the full breakdown of both film and TV series ratings: Star Trek Movie Rotten Tomatoes Ratings Star Trek: The Motion Picture:52% critics, 42% audience Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: 86% critics, 90% audience Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: 79% critics, 68% audience Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home:81% critics, 81% audience Star Trek V: The Final Frontier:23% critics, 25% audience Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: 83% critics, 83% audience Star Trek: Generations:47% critics, 57% audience Star Trek: First Contact: 93% critics, 89% audience Star Trek: Insurrection:55% critics, 44% audience Star Trek: Nemesis: 38% critics, 49% audience Star Trek (2009): 94% critics, 91% audience Star Trek Into Darkness: 84% critics, 89% audience Star Trek Beyond: 86% critics, 80% audience Star Trek: Section 31: 20% critics, 17% audience Star Trek TV Series Rotten Tomatoes Ratings Star Trek: 92% critics, N/A audience Star Trek: The Animated Series: 94% critics, 81% audience Star Trek: The Next Generation: 92% critics, 90% audience Star Trek: Deep Space Nine:91% critics, 89% audience Star Trek: Voyager: 76% critics, 80% audience Star Trek: Discovery:91% critics, 33% audience Star Trek: Lower Decks: 91% critics, 73% audience Star Trek: Picard:89% critics, 57% audience Star Trek: Prodigy:97% critics, 88% audience Star Trek: Strange New Worlds:98% critics, 79% audience Across the entire franchise, just one other entry comes even remotely close toSection 31 here in the form of the much-maligned Final Frontier (whatdoes God need with an extra Secret Spock Sibling?), in terms of either critical reaction, audience reaction, or potential disparity between those two ratings. Of course, as always when discussing Rotten Tomatoes, there are several caveats to remember: the first is that Rotten Tomatoes ratings are not a test score, but an average percentage of how many people gave a film or show a positive critique, numerically valued or otherwise: Section 31 isnt the equivalent of a 2/10, instead that merely one in five critics rated it positively. Its also important to acknowledge that its a flawed system, especially when contrasting historical data prior to its launch in 1998 with data collected for contemporary material. This is even more of a case when it comes to audience ratings which suffer from a similar lack of reliable historical data as well as the issue that, prior to multiple recent attempts at overhauling how they are verified and collated, they were infamously repeatedly manipulated as part of review bombing harassment campaigns by a myriad of third parties and grifters in the culture war. (Case in point, Star Trek: Discoverys overwhelming disparity between critical and audience scores on the above list, a show that repeatedly faced bad-faith and racist backlash over the course of its run.) For as important as the site has become in both the entertainment industry and, for better or worse, the way people discuss media online, taking anything particularly definitive, positive or negative, comes with the acknowledgement of its flaws. All that said though, there probablyis something to take fromSection 31s largely negative reaction across both audiences and critics alike. Not only does it stand out within the oeuvre of Star Treks current streaming era (regardless of what detractors ofDiscovery say about producer Alex Kurtzmans shepherding of the franchise, by and large the majority of contemporary Star Trek has been received rather well), but it speaks to the long-simmering controversy of just what aStar Trek project that centers Section 31a concept that was controversial from the moment it was introduced in Deep Space Nineshould look like. Going in, the movie had a high expectation to justify any potential glamorization of an infamously insidious group, one whose very existence was seen as tantamount to a wholesale rejection of Star Treks broader utopian aims. Instead, it took an arguably even worse stance than that glamorization in simply doing nothing at all with the opportunity, saying little about either Section 31 as an entity or even reallyStar Trek more broadly.Star Trek stands at a bit of a crossroads that its modern age hasnt really seen in quite a while. The recent conclusions ofPicard,Discovery, andLower Decksarguably the flagships that defined the franchises boom in the streaming eraas well as the uncertain future of Prodigy after its controversial uncoupling from Paramount+, leavesTrek in a strange place.Strange New Worlds, one of the most warmly received projects of this era now stands with just a handful of upcoming projects, and, as has been the case since Beyonds release, whatever the hell is going on withStar Trek movies remains so nebulous Captain Janeway could go look for coffee inside of it all.Trek neededSection 31 to prove that it could thrive in the streaming movie format as it navigates this moment of uncertaintyand the final frontier still could, but it wouldve been much better served if it hadnt started with such a fundamental misfire of an idea. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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