Table of ContentsTable of Contents10. Fires on the Plain (1959)9. Dunkirk (2017)8. Casablanca (1942)7. The Cranes are Flying (1957)6. The Pianist (2002)5. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)4. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)3. Saving Private Ryan (1998)2. Schindlers List (1993)1. Come and See (1985)War has always been one of the most consistent sources of inspiration for filmmakers around the globe, with World War II, in particular, becoming the subject of numerous movies showcasing a variety of perspectives. These films attempt to capture one of the most devastating conflicts in history in historically accurate and often deeply personal ways, with many being hailed as timeless pieces of cinema that have gone on to educate and move countless viewers.From the unbelievably disturbing Come and See to the heart-wrenching Schindlers List, the best WWII movies portray unimaginable atrocities with profound sensitivity. These award-winning works successfully depict critical stories and moments from one of the most pivotal periods of the 20th century, ensuring that the cost and horrors of war are never forgotten.Recommended VideosDaiei FilmSet in the final days of World War II, Fires on the Plain tells the story of a tubercular Japanese soldier who, after being dismissed from his unit and hospital, wanders the desolate Philippine island of Leyte. Private Tamura (Eiji Funakoshi) struggles to survive during the waning period of the war, and he meets fellow soldiers with much worse predicaments, including insanity and starvation that leads to cannibalism. Tamura flees his own troop in a desperate bid to stay alive, only to find more horrors as he wanders around the foreign country.Related10 best movies of the 1990s, rankedDirected by Kon Ichikawa based on Shhei okas 1951 novel titled Nobi, the 1959 Japanese war film initially received mixed reviews but has been re-evaluated as a critical entry in the genre. Fires on the Plain asks what happens when the dust settles and the soldiers find themselves dying far from home, with the slow-burn drama films focus on Tamuras story making it a standout WWII movie that deserves more recognition.Warner Bros. PicturesDunkirk chronicles the titular evacuation of World War II, using three perspectives land, sea, and air to tell various stories about the chaos unfolding across France. The 2017 film doesnt use the typical narrative structure, choosing instead to show a variety of situations to capture the soldiers collective struggle for survival. These moments include desperate characters trapped in a sinking boat as well as RAF pilots risking their lives to protect soldiers on the beach.Primarily relying on music and cinematography and featuring little dialogue, director Christopher Nolan masterfully builds suspense and dread over the films nearly two-hour runtime. Hans Zimmers Oscar-winning score helps heighten that tension, with the composers work on Dunkirk among the greatest in his career. The film thrusts audiences into the mess and unpredictability of war, with its overlapping timelines intentionally crafted to highlight the raw fear and confusion the soldiers felt during the evacuation.Warner Bros. PicturesIn director Michael Curtizs legendary romantic drama Casablanca, Rick Blaines (Humphrey Bogart) life changes when his former lover Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) unexpectedly enters his bar in the titular Moroccan city. Ilsa arrives with her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a Czech resistance leader being hunted by the Nazi regime. Initially reluctant to help, Rick is soon roped into their predicament when he has a passionate affair with Ilsa. He soon has to make an iconic, difficult choice at the airport.Casablanca is a beloved classic for a reason, with its flawless screenplay and mesmerizing performances still discussed and referenced today. Aside from being one of the best romance movies of all time, the 1942 film is also an important work in the war genre. Beyond being filmed and set during World War II, Ricks final decision underscores a powerful message about refusing to stay on the sidelines, even if it is the more comfortable choice.Warner Bros.The Cranes Are Flying is a Soviet war film that follows the young couple Veronika (Tatiana Samoilova) and Boris (Aleksei Batalov), whose lives are shattered when Boris volunteers for the army. As war devastates Moscow, Veronikas life is upended amidst the bombings and other emerging threats, notably from Boris opportunistic cousin, Mark (Aleksandr Shvorin). After years of hardship, a guilt-inducing relationship, and an unexpected new family member, Veronika learns the terrible truth she didnt want to accept about Boris fate on the front lines.Georgian-born Soviet director Mikhail Kalatozov captures the wars widespread damage to the Soviet psyche, which was known as the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union. A critical haunting scene from the film contrasts the overhead flight of cranes, symbolizing hope, with Veronikas despair, questioning the cost of victory in the war. The Cranes Are Flying would have a historic win at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the only Soviet film to take home the Palme dOr.Path DistributionBased on the harrowing true story of Holocaust survivor Wadysaw Szpilman, director Roman Polanskis adaptation of the autobiography recounts how the gifted Polish-Jewish pianist (played byThe BrutalistsThe Pianist portrays how Szpilman, once a celebrated musician, barely survives after his family is sent to the death camps. The protagonist then scrapes by in the ruins of the ghetto that was once a thriving community, getting by on what he can find, with some help from kind-hearted individuals around him.There are no overt heroes in The Pianist, with the film avoiding sentimentality in favor of a raw and intimate glimpse into one mans struggle for survival amidst overwhelming odds. Szpilmans journey is heartbreaking, especially given the stark change in his position as a beloved pianist in his city who is then forced into dehumanizing circumstances. Adrien Brody took home the Oscarfor Best Actor for his performance, which he prepared for by isolating himself for months, breaking up with his girlfriend, letting go of his apartment and car, losing 30 pounds, and even taking piano lessons for four hours per day.Columbia PicturesThe Bridge on the River Kwai tells the gripping story of British POWs forced to construct a railway bridge over the titular river by their Japanese captors in Burma. The stoic British officer Colonel Nicholson (Star WarsAlec Guinness) leads his men with the same discipline and rigor they trained for to be in the military, all while clashing with the equally determined Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa). Despite their captor-captive relationship, Nicholson becomes obsessively committed to building the bridge as a symbol of British strength, inadvertently aiding the enemy. Meanwhile, Shears (William Holden), an American prisoner who escaped the camp, is coerced into returning with a mission to destroy the bridge, leading to a tense showdown.Nicholsons final realization accompanied by a dramatic What have I done? reflects his loss of perspective, which the film builds up to with its almost three-hour runtime. Director David Lean is a master of epics, and he infuses the 1957 movie with the ambitious sets and meticulous attention to detail he became known for. The Bridge on the River Kwai may tell a fictional story, but its a riveting one that explores the madness and obsession that comes with war, especially before an inevitable defeat.TohoThe most recognizable animated film in the war genre, Studio Ghiblis Grave of the Fireflies tells the heart-wrenching story of two siblings, Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi) and Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi). Directed by Isao Takahata, the movie depicts the siblings experiences during the final months of World War II in Japan, where theyre left to fend for themselves after their mother dies in an air raid. As they move from one frightening location to the next, the siblings can only rely on each other. But with food becoming more scarce and structures collapsing around them, things look grim.Grave of the Fireflies has earned a reputation for being among the saddest animated movies ever, especially thanks to its unforgettable and tear-jerking ending. Ghiblis signature hand-drawn gorgeous frames make the emotional events in the film even more hard-hitting, easily cementing it as the studios most tragic tale. The 1988 movie points out the human cost of war, especially those young innocent lives who are left forgotten in the destruction.Paramount PicturesSteven Spielbergs Saving Private Ryanstarts with one of the most brutal and realistic depictions of war ever captured on film: the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach. Amid the deaths and disarray, Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his team survive, only to be given the daunting task of tracking down a lone survivor somewhere in war-torn France. Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) is alone in hostile territory after his three brothers died in combat, and its up to Millers squad to find and rescue him before the enemy combatants run into him first.Saving Private Ryan is among the most popular war movies that showcased painfully accurate graphic portrayals of D-Day and what its like to be a soldier. Spielberg would spend a considerable amount of time and money perfecting that infamous opening sequence, using $12 million of the $65 million production budget and employing around 1,500 to get it right. The 1998 movie would be a massive success, becoming a box-office hit and influencing numerous subsequent works in the genre.Universal PicturesAnother masterpiece from Spielberg thats never absent from any discussion of the best war movies of all time is Schindlers List. Based on the astonishing true story of Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson), the film follows the German industrialists transformation from a war profiteer into a brave humanitarian. Schindler is horrified by SS-Untersturmfhrer Amon Gths (Ralph Fiennes) cruelty in the Paszw concentration camp. The protagonist decides to help, and Schindler saves more than a thousand refugees by having them work in his factories during the Second World War.The films unsettling story is fittingly told in black-and-white, with Spielberg approaching it like a documentary to make it feel more authentic. Neeson is impeccably cast as the courageous Schindler, whose performance became a worthy tribute to the real-life figure. After its premiere in 1993, the film would shock the world, with countless tears shed for the young girl in the red coat and several other moments that underscored both the unbelievable loss and awe-inspiring bravery in Schindlers story.SovexportfilmCome and See is a one-of-a-kind anti-war film centered on the Nazi German occupation of Belarus. Directed by Elem Klimov, it follows a boy named Florya (Aleksei Kravchenko), who discovers a rifle and naively joins the Soviet resistance against his familys wishes. Florya then finds himself in one traumatizing situation after another, including a ruthless massacre of a village where people are burned alive, as well as the demise of his own family.Aside from exploring a side of World War II not often seen in cinema, Come and See stands out for its use of hyper-realism and surrealism to create a visceral viewing experience that replicates the deep fear and helplessness Florya experiences. His torturous arc that shows the jarring ways his youth and naivety are ripped from him is almost too disturbing to watch at times, driving home the films anti-war message. The Soviet-era movie was banned for eight years before Klimov could fully produce it, and time has done nothing to take away from the provocative and powerful work that any fan of the genre should see at least once.Editors Recommendations

Ford Motor named Marin Gjaja as chief strategy officer, part of a broader leadership change.

This delightful dish of slow-roasted fish, pea pure and spicy cucumbers brings brightness to the depths of winter.

Expect delays Americans likely to pay more, wait longer for online orders from China US now taxing every little cheap online order from China. Ashley Belanger Feb 5, 2025 1:13 pm | 5 Credit: UCG / Contributor | Universal Images Group Credit: UCG / Contributor | Universal Images Group Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIt's been a confusing 24 hours at the US Postal Service (USPS) after the Trump administration imposed new tariffs on China that eliminated a loophole allowing low-value Chinese packages into the US duty-free.On Tuesday, the USPS abruptly stopped accepting all inbound packages from Hong Kong and China. This briefly halted personal shipments from China, as well as online deliveries from China-based companies. That included blocking orders from online marketplaces increasingly popular with Americans like Alibaba, Temu, and Shein, as well as China-based retailers selling cheap goods on Amazon.But by Wednesday morning, the USPS reversed the temporary policy, posting an international service notice clarifying that the USPS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) "are working closely together to implement an efficient collection mechanism for the new China tariffs to ensure the least disruption to package delivery.""Least" is doing a lot of work in that statement, as it remains unclear how many deliveries could still be disrupted by USPS and CBP's inspection process change.According to Wired, the e-commerce industry was immediately "thrown into chaos" by the USPS changes. One Canadian trucking company owner, identified only as Daniel, told Wired that many trucks were turned away at the US border yesterday, with his own trucks sometimes only passing through if drivers agreed to dump all packages from China.Sorting through "thousands of small parcels" to find the China shipments was "arduous," Daniel noted, but CBP appeared intent on monitoring every truck."They were actually going through the trucks and randomly checking the packages," Daniel told Wired.Trump has ordered CBP to check shipments for illegal drugs, accusing China and other trade partners of flooding the US with fentanyl. CBP reported that the US was bombarded with more than 1.36 billion low-value shipments last year, making it harder to detect illicit shipments. That's nearly 10 times more packages exploiting the "de minimis" loophole than in 2015. In 2024, Temu and Shein together shipped an estimated 30 percent of packages that entered the US daily, The Washington Post reported.Previously, platforms paid no extra costs on those shipments if they were valued below $800. But now, Chinese importers will be subject to a regular 16 percent tariff, a 7.5 percent Section 301 duty specifically for goods from China, and the latest 10 percent tariff, Wired noted. And experts have no idea yet how those taxes will impact the prices of Chinese goods shipped to the US.Everybody caught off guard by sudden USPS changeAmericans who love spinning wheels on sites like Temu for deals may be in for a rude awakening, as may shoppers who considered platforms like Temu a cheaper alternative to Amazon.According to Modern Retail, a media brand tracking the latest trends in the retail industry, part of the problem overwhelming CBP and USPS could even be savvy online shoppers ordering the same item from both Amazon and a rival Chinese platform, trying to get the best of both worlds. Through the reported scheme, shoppers figured out that they can get items faster through Amazon but cheaper through Chinese platforms, so they simply return the item arriving later from the Chinese platform to Amazon, securing a refund at the higher price and enjoying more savings.As the number of incoming packages continued to spike, officials have increasingly warned that something must be done to stop Chinese platforms like Temu and Alibaba from exploiting the de minimis loophole and "outmaneuvering regulators to grow a dominant US market presence."Trump's sudden removal of the loophole for China followed through on a Biden administration effort to curb de minimis imports, which the Post noted would have occurred after a weeks-long rule-making process. But Trump's move caught many parties off guardChinese platforms, their customers, and US customs officials who weren't prepared to implement new screening processes.The USPS says it will be working with CBP to screen packages, collect new tariffs, and monitor every inbound package, as Americans will likely continue to order cheap goods from China as long as they remain cheap.Kate Muth, executive director of the International Mailers Advisory Group, which represents shippers and logistics firms, told the Post that the halt on inbound packages from China triggered an "expectation" that "youll be paying more as a consumer, and it may take a little longer to reach you," but until the screening process is finalized, the threat of increased prices and delays seemingly still looms. One financial analyst, Yin Lam, warned in a CNBC report that checking every package "is difficult" and "will take time," posing a "significant challenge" for the USPS and CBP.If Chinese sellers decide to raise prices to cover the new costs of shipping goods into the USor if deliveries simply take too longAmericans may stop using any platforms offering the same item at a potentially similar cost that could arrive sooner from Amazon.Both Temu and Shein have already shifted their business models to keep more inventory in the US, but so far, they have not commented on the potential impacts of new tariffs on their platforms.China urges Trump to stop politicizing tradeChina has responded to tariffs by launching investigations into Google, Nvidia, and, reportedly, Apple. Additionally, China has threatened to sue the US through the World Trade Organization. But China seems to already be growing tired of the tit-for-tat in the escalating US-China trade war. Lin Jian, a spokesman for Chinas Foreign Ministry, promised this week to defend Chinese businesses and urged Trump to "stop politicizing economic and trade issues.""China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," he said.On Tuesday, Rep. Jason T. Smith (R-Mo.), the House Ways and Means Committee chair, issued a statement defending restricting Chinese platforms from exploiting the de minimis rule."The Ways and Means Committee has spent significant time investigating the use of de minimis by China and other nations to undermine our trade enforcement tariffs and skirt compliance with US law," Smith said. "The effect of increased abuse of the de minimis privilege has been to deny the US Government collection of billions of dollars in additional revenues while unfairly disadvantaging American manufacturers."But the top Democrat on Smith's committee, Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), told the Post that Congress should be driving trade policy to ensure changes aren't rushed without adequate safeguards."The one consistency of Trumps trade war is the lack of foresight," Neal said. "This would be easily avoidable if anyone knew what they were doing and proves yet again why our trade policy must come from the Congress."Ram Ben Tzion, cofounder and CEO of a digital shipment vetting platform called Publican, told Wired that for the shipping industry watching and waiting to see what happens next, "this is the administrations version of moving fast and breaking things."Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 5 Comments

Flipping customers After a wrenching decision by NASA, private lunar lander finds a new customer "When VIPER was removed, that was definitely a setback. Our team felt that." Eric Berger Feb 5, 2025 10:00 am | 7 Astrolab's FLIP rover as seen with Astrobotic's Griffin lander. Credit: Astrolab Astrolab's FLIP rover as seen with Astrobotic's Griffin lander. Credit: Astrolab Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreLast year was not a good one for a lunar lander company based in Pittsburgh named Astrobotic.In January, the company's very first spacecraft finally launched after years of delays, carrying dozens of payloads, scientific instruments, and time capsules. But within hours of launch, the Peregrine spacecraft developed a propellant leak in its propulsion system. Although the Astrobotic engineering team fought valiantly, they could not control the leak long enough to attempt a lunar landing. Instead, operators returned it to Earth's atmosphere, where it burned up.This immediately raised questions about Astrobotic's next mission. Its second spacecraft, Griffin, would be larger. The company had received a large "task order" from NASA to use this lander to deliver the VIPER robotic rover to the south pole of the Moon in 2025 worth more than $300 million. However, NASA officials were concerned that, after Peregrine's problems, the significantly more ambitious Griffin lander might fail.So in September, citing rising costs for VIPER and uncertainty about Griffin's readiness, NASA canceled the mission. It was a huge blow to the lunar community, although in recent months there has been some effort to revive VIPER. Regardless, Griffin no longer had a payload."It was a tough year," John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic, said in an interview. "Certainly the challenges we had with Peregrine were unexpected, and a big setback. Then of course when VIPER was removed, that was definitely a setback. Our team felt that."Reviving GriffinHowever, all was not lost. NASA had committed to the contract and said Astrobotic could fly a mass simulator to the Moon. The goal of the space agency's "commercial lunar" program is to stimulate the development of a lunar economy, and having spacecraft capable of taking small- and medium-sized cargo to the Moon is a big part of that."This is helping to build the ecosystem of the Moon," Thornton said of bringing the Griffin capability online.However, in lieu of a mass simulator, Astrobotic wanted to see if it could find a more useful payload. So as the company's engineers pressed ahead with the Griffin mission, Thornton went to the lunar industry and asked if anyone else needed a ride.This was not a sure thing with the launch happening fairly soon. Moreover, Griffin is a fairly large vehicle, about as tall as an adult human and nearly 15 feet (4.5 meters) wide. It can carry more than half a ton (650 kg) to the lunar surface, making it the largest lunar lander since Apollo. Larger vehicles are coming, such as Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mk 1 lander, and SpaceX's Starship, but both of these are likely to reach the Moon later than Griffin, which could launch within the next 12 months.As Astrobotic faced a difficult year in 2024, a small company in California named Venturi Astrolab was having a better go of things. In April Astrolab was one of three companies selected by NASA to work on designs for a lunar rover that can be used by astronauts and function autonomously when no crew is around. This will provide mobility to astronauts as part of NASA's Artemis program.A new customerAstrolab is developing a large rover, named FLEX, designed to be transported to the Moon by Starship. In 2023, Astrolab announced an agreement with SpaceX to land the commercial FLEX rover on the Moon as soon as December 2026. Initially, Astrolab did not intend to fly a prototype rover to the Moon, but that changed when a slot on Griffin became available, said Jaret Matthews, founder and chief executive of Astrolab."We have long resisted the plan to develop a shoebox-sized rover," Matthews said. "What was unique about this opportunity was the scale, with more than half a ton of payload capacity."The company will therefore design a half-ton rover called FLIP as a testbed for tires, wheel actuators, batteries, flight software, and more technology that Astrolab needs to demonstrate on the surface of the Moon, with its harsh environment. FLIP is intended to operate through the lunar night, using full-scale batteries. The goal is to survive one, "if not many," lunar nights, Matthews said. Astrolab will operate FLIP for as long as it is possible.NASA has asked the lunar rover companies for their full-scale vehicles to be operable for years, so the FLIP rover will carry several experiments toward this end. For example, it will have sensors to quantify the rate at which lunar dust accumulates on surfaces, and test how well its wheel actuators are sealed off from dust.Eric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 7 Comments

The Yamna people were ancient herders who came from what is now UkraineAdariukov Oleksandr/ShutterstockA huge trove of genetic data has revealed the origins of a mysterious people who were the ancestors of all modern Europeans. This crucial population was formed when multiple groups mixed in the region north of the Black Sea, in what is now Ukraine.Modern humans (Homo sapiens) arrived in Europe in three waves. The first were hunter-gatherers, who arrived from about 45,000 years ago. They were followed by farmers who came from from the Middle East around 9000 years ago.Read

Manipulating a type of neuron may make snacks easier to resist5m3photos/Getty ImagesNeurons in the brains of mice tell them to stop eating when theyve had enough food and since people probably have the same cells, we might one day manipulate them to help treat obesity.The major question that we were seeking to answer was how the brain senses and responds to different signals, says Alexander Nectow at Columbia University in New York. AdvertisementTo learn more, he and his colleagues used a type of molecular profiling to distinguish between different cell types in the brains of mice. In the dorsal raphe nucleus a part of the brainstem linked to functions including eating, mood and sleep they came across cells that produce a hormone called cholecystokinin, which helps regulate appetite.To study what these cells are sensing to kick them into action, the researchers measured their activity as the mice went about their day. Every time the animals went for a bite of food, the activity ramped up and then decayed, says Nectow. We are able to show that these neurons sense things like the smell and sight of food, the taste of food, the sensation of food in the gut and the neural hormones that are released in response to food in the gut, and leverage that information to actually terminate a meal.Next, the researchers used a technique called optogenetics, which involves engineering the neurons so they could be switched on and off with light. When they used light to activate them, the mice slowed down their eating. The more intense the activation, the faster the animals slowed and then stopped. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday.Sign up to newsletterBecause the neurons sit in the brainstem, an ancestral feature that is similar across vertebrates, Nectow thinks we probably also have them. Even though we havent confirmed it, my guess would be that humans have these neurons, certainly.The team also found that the mouse neurons could be activated by a compound called a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, a type of drug used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, the most familiar being semaglutide, sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy.If these neurons have the same function in people, we could in theory modulate them to control eating habits in those with obesity or even combine this approach with GLP-1 based drugs, to achieve greater weight loss, says Nectow.Understanding the circuitry that governs the cessation of eating is particularly important in environments of almost ubiquitous food availability, says Jeff Davies at Swansea University, UK. The authors used an elegant method to identify these important cell populations.Journal reference:Cell DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.01.018Topics:obesity

Boom Supersonic broke the sound barrier in a test flight of its XB-1 jet last week, marking an early step in a potential return for supersonic commercial flight. The small aircraft reached a top speed of Mach 1.122 (roughly 750 miles per hour) in a flight over southern California and exceeded the speed of sound for a few minutes. XB-1s supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived, said Boom founder and CEO Blake Scholl in a statement after the test flight. Boom plans to start commercial operation with a scaled-up version of the XB-1, a 65-passenger jet called Overture, before the end of the decade, and it has already sold dozens of planes to customers including United Airlines and American Airlines. But as the company inches toward that goal, experts warn that such efforts will come with a hefty climate price tag. Supersonic planes will burn significantly more fuel than current aircraft, resulting in higher emissions of carbon dioxide, which fuels climate change. Supersonic jets also fly higher than current commercial planes do, introducing atmospheric effects that may warm the planet further. In response to questions from MIT Technology Review, Boom pointed to alternative fuels as a solution, but those remain in limited supplyand they could have limited use in cutting emissions in supersonic aircraft. Aviation is a significant and growing contributor to human-caused climate change, and supersonic technologies could grow the sectors pollution, rather than make progress toward shrinking it. XB-1 follows a long history of global supersonic flight. Humans first broke the sound barrier in 1947, when Chuck Yeager hit 700 miles per hour in a research aircraft (the speed of sound at that flight's altitude is 660 miles per hour). Just over two decades later, in 1969, the first supersonic commercial airliner, the Concorde, took its first flight. That aircraft regularly traveled at supersonic speeds until the last one was decommissioned in 2003. Among other issues (like the nuisance of sonic booms), one of the major downfalls of the Concorde was its high operating cost, due in part to the huge amounts of fuel it required to reach top speeds. Experts say todays supersonic jets will face similar challenges. Flying close to the speed of sound changes the aerodynamics required of an aircraft, says Raymond Speth, associate director of the MIT Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment. All the things you have to do to fly at supersonic speed, he says, they reduce your efficiency Theres a reason we have this sweet spot where airplanes fly today, around Mach 0.8 or so. Boom estimates that one of its full-sized Overture jets will burn two to three times as much fuel per passenger as a subsonic planes first-class cabin. The company chose this comparison because its aircraft is designed to deliver an enhanced, productive cabin experience, similar to whats available in first- and business-class cabins on todays aircraft. That baseline, however, isnt representative of the average traveler today. Compared to standard economy-class travel, first-class cabins tend to have larger seats with more space between them. Because there are fewer seats, more fuel is required per passenger, and therefore more emissions are produced for each person. When passengers crammed into coach are considered in addition to those in first class, each passenger on a Boom Supersonic flight will burn somewhere between five and seven times more fuel per passenger than the average subsonic plane passenger today, according to research from the International Council on Clean Transportation. Its not just carbon dioxide from burning fuel that could add to supersonic planes climate impact. All jet engines release other pollutants as well, including nitrogen oxides, black carbon, and sulfur. The difference is that while commercial planes today top out in the troposphere, supersonic aircraft tend to fly higher in the atmosphere, in the stratosphere. The air is less dense at higher altitudes, creating less drag on the plane and making it easier to reach supersonic speeds. Flying in the stratosphere, and releasing pollutants there, could increase the climate impacts of supersonic flight, Speth says. For one, nitrogen oxides released in the stratosphere damage the ozone layer through chemical reactions at that altitude. Its not all bad news, to be fair. The drier air in the stratosphere means supersonic jets likely wont produce significant contrails. That could be a benefit for climate, since contrails contribute to aviations warming. Boom has also touted plans to make up for its expected climate impacts by making its aircraft compatible with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a category of alternative fuels made from biological sources, waste products, or even captured carbon from the air. Going faster requires more energy, but it doesnt need to emit more carbon. Overture is designed to fly on net-zero carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), eliminating up to 100% of carbon emissions, a Boom spokesperson said via email in response to written questions from MIT Technology Review. However, alternative fuels may not be a saving grace for supersonic flight. Most commercially available SAF today is made with a process that cuts emissions between 50% and 70% compared to fossil fuels. So a supersonic jet running on SAFs may emit less carbon dioxide than one running on fossil fuels, but alternative fuels will likely still come with some level of carbon pollution attached, says Dan Rutherford, senior director of research at the International Council on Clean Transportation. People are pinning a lot of hope on SAFs, says Rutherford. But the reality is, today they remain scarce [and] expensive, and they have sustainability concerns of their own. Of the 100 billion gallons of jet fuel used last year, only about 0.5% of it was SAF. Companies are building new factories to produce larger volumes of the fuels and expand the available options, but the fuel is likely going to continue to make up a small fraction of the existing fuel supply, Rutherford says. That means supersonic jets will be competing with other, existing planes for the same supply, and aiming to use more of it. Boom Supersonic has secured 10 million gallons of SAF annually from Dimensional Energy and Air Company for the duration of the Overture test flight program, according to the company spokespersons email. Ultimately, though, if and when Overture reaches commercial operation, it will be the airlines that purchase its planes hunting for a fuel supplyand paying for it. Theres also a chance that using SAFs in supersonic jets could come with unintended consequences, as the fuels have a slightly different chemical makeup than fossil fuels. For example, fossil fuels generally contain sulfur, which has a cooling effect, as sulfur aerosols formed from jet engine exhaust help reflect sunlight. (Intentional release of sulfur is one strategy being touted by groups aiming to start geoengineering the atmosphere.) That effect is stronger in the stratosphere, where supersonic jets are likely to fly. SAFs, however, typically have very low sulfur levels, so using the alternative fuels in supersonic jets could potentially result in even more warming overall. There are other barriers that Boom and others will need to surmount to get a new supersonic jet industry off the ground. Supersonic travel over land is largely banned, because of the noise and potential damage that comes from the shock wave caused by breaking the sound barrier. While some projects, including one at NASA, are working on changes to aircraft that would result in a less disruptive shock wave, these so-called low-boom technologies are far from proven. NASAs prototype was revealed last year, and the agency is currently conducting tests of the aircraft, with first flight anticipated sometime this year. Boom is planning a second supersonic test flight for XB-1, as early as February 10, according to the spokesperson. Once testing in that small aircraft is done, the data will be used to help build Overture, the full-scale plane. The company says it plans to begin production on Overture in its factory in roughly 18 months. In the meantime, the world continues to heat up. As MITs Speth says, I feel like its not the time for aviation to be coming up with new ways of using even more energy, with where we are in the climate crisis.

10. Tom BradyBrady won Super Bowl XXXVIII when he was 26 years old. Andy Lyons/Staff/Getty Images Age: 26 years, 5 months, and 29 days oldOf course, Tom Brady made this list twice. The New England Patriots legend won his second Super Bowl with the team in 2004, defeating the Carolina Panthers 32-29.9. Jim McMahonMcMahon was 26 when he and the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX. John Iacono/Contributor/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images Age: 26 years, 5 months, and 5 days oldJim McMahon was part of the star-studded 1985 Chicago Bears lineup, which included Walter Payton, Richard Dent, and William "The Refrigerator" Perry when they defeated the Patriots 46-10 to win the franchise's only Super Bowl in January 1986.McMahon rushed for two touchdowns, becoming the first quarterback to do so in the Super Bowl.8. Terry BradshawBradshaw won Super Bowl IX in 1975 at age 26. Sylvia Allen/Contributor/Getty Images Age: 26 years, 4 months, and 10 days oldTerry Bradshaw won the first of his four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1975 in a 16-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He would go on to win again the following year, as well as in 1979 and 1980.7. Troy AikmanAikman was 26 when he won Super Bowl XXVII in 1993. Owen C. Shaw/Contributor/Getty Images Age: 26 years, 2 months, and 10 days oldTroy Aikman helped the Dallas Cowboys usher in a new era. Despite the team finishing 1-15 during his rookie season in 1989, the team rebounded just a few years later to beat the Buffalo Bills 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII in 1993. Aikman threw for 273 yards, including four touchdowns, and earned the title MVP. It was the first of his three Super Bowls with the Cowboys franchise.In a 2022 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Aikman's agent, Leigh Steinberg, recalled telling him after the game that his life would never be the same now that he was "Troy Aikman, Super Bowl MVP, superstar."6. Joe MontanaMontana was 25 when he won Super Bowl XVI. Focus On Sport/Contributor/Getty Images Age: 25 years, 7 months, and 13 days oldJoe Montana's first of four Super Bowl wins came in 1982 in Super Bowl XVI. He was named MVP in the San Francisco 49ers' 26-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, an honor he'd receive twice more in his career.5. Joe NamathNamath was 25 when he won Super Bowl III in 1969. Focus On Sport/Contributor/Getty Images Age: 25 years, 7 months, and 12 days oldJoe Namath and the New York Jets defeated favorites, the Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts), 16-7 to give the team their first and only Super Bowl win to date at Super Bowl III in 1969. Namath was named MVP.4. Russell WilsonWilson was 25 when the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Kevin C. Cox/Staff/Getty Images Age: 25 years, 2 months, and 4 days old.Russell Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl title in 2014. He threw for more than 200 yards, including two touchdowns, in a dominating 43-8 performance over Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII.After the game, Wilson told Fox Sports reporter Pam Oliver, "In the beginning of the season, I told the guys, 'Hey, you know, why not us?' You know, we believed that we could get here; we had the talent, we had the coaching staff, we had the best fans in the National Football League, and we wanted to win it all."3. Tom BradyBrady won his first Super Bowl at 24 years old. JEFF HAYNES/Staff/AFP via Getty Images Age: 24 years and 6 months oldThe seven-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Super Bowl MVP had to start somewhere. Brady's first Super Bowl celebration came after the Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams (now known as the LA Rams) 20-17 in 2002's Super Bowl XXXVI.2. Patrick MahomesMahomes was 24 when he won his first Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2020. John W. McDonough/Contributor/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images Age: 24 years, 4 months, and 16 days oldDuring the 2019-2020 season, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1970. He had two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown to help the Chiefs beat the 49ers 31-20, and he became the youngest quarterback ever to win the Super Bowl MVP award."I mean, obviously, I've had a good start to my career," Mahomes told reporters at the time.That win was the first of his three Super Bowl titles with the team so far.1. Ben RoethlisbergerRoethlisberger was 23 when he won Super Bowl XL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. JEFF HAYNES/Staff/AFP via Getty Images Age: 23 years, 11 months, and 3 days oldPittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl in NFL history thanks to the team's 21-10 defeat over the Seahawks in 2006's Super Bowl XL.

Kenneth Graham, 57, lost his home and all of his belongings in the Eaton fire.Graham paid $163,000 for the house in 1996 and has spent hundreds of thousands on renovations since.He said that while he's insured, he'll need to postpone retirement to help cover rebuilding costs.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kenneth Graham, 57, the Forestry Superintendent of Pasadena, whose Altadena home was destroyed in the Eaton Fire. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.I've been with the City of Pasadena's Urban Forestry team since 1989 and have worked through every season since then.We always prepare for storms, some of which are mild, but this one ended up being one of the largest windstorms I've encountered in my 36-year career.I worked all night into the morning, and on my way home, I got a call informing me that my house was on fire.My house was behind a three-story building that had burned to the ground, along with the apartments next door and five neighboring properties. When I reached my place, I saw it, too, had been destroyed.I bought my house in 1996 to create a lasting legacy for my family that could be passed down through generations.My home was about 75% paid off, and I was all set to retire but this devastating setback has delayed my plans by at least four years.I was working during the fireAs the Forestry Superintendent, I lead a team of 16 city employees, including four arborists and three contract service teams.We're responsible for maintaining over 60,000 trees throughout the city overseeing tree planting, removal, and trimming. We also respond to citywide emergencies, such as the recent windstorm.When the Palisades and Eaton fires started, we were already tracking the weather report and knew a windstorm was coming though we didn't know how severe it would be.Over 300 trees fell, blocking roads and damaging houses, cars, and private property. The situation was urgent, especially with traffic disruptions and people trapped in their homes or cars. A tree that's fallen. Courtesy of Kenneth Graham I was assigned the midnight to 6 a.m. shift and worked about 18 to 19 hours. We cleaned the streets throughout the city, requiring a lot of coordination to make sure everyone could safely leave and return to their homes.My entire life burned downWhen I got to my Altadena neighborhood, the whole block was on fire, and there were no fire trucks in sight.My family had evacuated with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Everything our home, three classic cars, family photos, furniture, jewelry was lost. My mom had just passed away, and we lost her pictures and my father's ashes.The damage from the fire totals over $1 million. I have insurance, but it doesn't replace everything. Graham's dog, Dallas, survived the wildfires. Courtesy of Kenneth Graham There is some good news: One of my two dogs survived the fire. She was scraped up pretty badly, but he was alive.I was building a legacy with my home, now I'm hopping between AirbnbsI purchased the home for $163,000 and renovated it into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom. Over the years, I invested several hundred thousand dollars into the property.I added an extra bedroom, resurfaced the pool, retextured the entire house, remodeled the kitchen and bathroom, installed hardwood floors, and updated the air conditioning and plumbing. We had also recently spent about $15,000 on an asphalt overlay for the driveway.At first, my wife, daughter, her husband, child, and I were staying in a hotel, but we are now moving from Airbnb to Airbnb week to week.It's hard to secure permanent housing because everything has gone up three times its normal price, and landlords want you to have three times the monthly rent and a high FICO score.My home is destroyed, but I'm determined to rebuildRight now, I'm using the savings I had set aside for retirement just to survive. I'll likely have to go back to work for at least a few years to make it happen.I visited my house the other day, and it looks like we'll have to wait a long time before we can move back in. What's left of Graham's home. Courtesy of Kenneth Graham Still, I really love our neighborhood. It was the perfect place to raise my family and be close to my job. It was a peaceful, close-knit community with wonderful neighbors there was so much to appreciate.Moving back to Altadena and rebuilding my home will take a lot of money and years.'Everything changed in just 1 day'Normality in my life feels like a long way off.Throughout the day, memories pop into my head, and I realize, "Wow, that's something I lost." It's hard to cope.What keeps me going is seeing so many others facing the same struggles. Knowing that a lot of other people are in the same situation makes this experience much easier.My Forestry crew has also been a great support, keeping me and my family grounded and helping us stay on our feet. They started a GoFundMe for us, and we've raised $34,000 so far. Graham (far left) and his Forestry crew. Courtesy of Kenneth Graham The way they've rallied behind me has been truly beautiful.I'm not considering moving away from Altadena. I'm invested in the area.It's just strange not being able to quickly go home. It feels like everything changed in just one day. I used to be able to get to work in seven minutes or less, but now, because I am living further away, there's traffic, and I don't even want to deal with it.It's a different life now.That said, I do have hope. I've been through many struggles before and won't let this one defeat me. I'm determined to prevail, return to Altadena, and reclaim my life.