vroom Perfecting Hondas 2026 F1 powertrain is not so easy, says racing boss Getting the new F1 hybrid right is a challenge. Jonathan M. Gitlin Feb 11, 2025 12:55 pm | 1 Takuma Sato of Japan and Koji Watanabe of Japan and Honda during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on April 5, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. Credit: Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images Takuma Sato of Japan and Koji Watanabe of Japan and Honda during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on April 5, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. Credit: Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAcura provided accommodation for Ars for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.DAYTONA BEACH, FloridaThe North American road racing season kicked off in fine form a couple of weekends ago with the annual Rolex 24 at Daytona. This year, Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe was invited as the Grand Marshal, and his attendance at the race gave Ars a chance to talk racing with him, including an update on the company's F1 endeavors, which next year see it team up with Aston Martin. As we found out, it's going to be hard work.At the beginning of last year, Honda rearranged the corporate structure around its motorsport activities. Honda Performance Development, which was responsible for developing Honda and Acura racing cars in IndyCar and IMSA, rebranded itself as Honda Racing Corporation US, a move that has meant closer collaboration between the teams in California and Japan, aligning everything under one overall bossWatanabe.The ARX-06 at Le Manswith Takuma Sato?Given that our roundtable with Watanabe and Vice President of HRC US Kelvin Fu took place during an endurance race, I asked whether the new corporate structure for racing would make a Le Mans program for the ARX-06 more feasible. Until now, the fact that the ARX-06 is branded as an Acura has been a stumbling blockAcura is a US-only brand, so it makes sense to race it in IMSA, but Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship are global events, and such a car would probably need to be labeled asand therefore paid for byHonda."I always answer the question with the same answer: Personally, I am really interested in going to Le Mans, but for now, there's no official decision," Watanabe said. But there might be light at the end of that particular tunnel. "In the future, we'd like to participate in Le Mans and WEC. But for now, no decision."As a follow-up, I wondered if we might ever see double-Indy 500 champion and ex-F1 driver Takuma Sato behind the wheel of the Acura (or Honda) sports prototype. There were about a dozen former F1 drivers on the grid at Daytona this year, and while his former F1 teammate Jenson Button picked WEC over IMSA this year, his enthusiasm for the hybrid Hypercar/GTP categories in those two series is a ringing endorsement.According to Watanabe, never say never. "Takuma told me if we participate in Le Mans, he wants to be a candidate for the race team," he said. HRC President Koji Watanabe waves the green flag to start the Rolex 24. Credit: Honda F1Honda has had a very long, if on-and-off, involvement in F1. It built its own car and engines for the sport between 1964 and 1968, winning twice before leaving until 1983, when it returned just as an engine supplier. But what engines! The Williams F1 team used Honda engines between 19831987, racking up 23 wins and two constructor's championships in the process.Team Lotus also gained access to Honda's engines in 1987, winning two grands prix that year. But when Ayrton Senna departed to McLaren in 1988 he also brought Honda engines to that team, which won 44 races between 1988 and 1992. All told, Honda engines won every championship between 19881992.After an unremarkable 1991 with Tyrell, Honda left the sport for several years before coming back in 2000 as the engine supplier for British American Racing, a team it would eventually buy and operate as a factory outfit until the global financial crisis of 2008 caused it to change its plans. That team became Brawn F1 and then the Mercedes-AMG team.Honda's next return to the sport was in 2015 with McLaren, but success eluded the company until it paired up with Red Bull Racing in 2019. The next two years saw 16 wins, as well as a 17th courtesy of Red Bull's B-team, then known as Alpha Tauri. But at the end of the 2020 season, Honda decided to exit the sport again, which was justified at the time as necessary so that the company could focus those resources on alternative powertrains instead. Ayrton Senna was one of a number of F1 champions to be propelled there by Honda power. Credit: Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty Images Red Bull and Alpha Taurinow called Racing Bullscontinued to use the same Honda powertrains but rebadged as Red Bull Powertrains, albeit still in cooperation with Honda.Then, in 2024, we learned that Honda had changed its mind. As we've covered in the past, in 2026, a new powertrain formula is coming into F1. This ditches the expensive and not very road-relevant MGU-H (which recovers waste energy from the turbocharger) in place of a much more powerful MGU-K (an electric motor/generator that can power the wheels or regenerate energy under braking) and a larger battery.The new rules have been extremely attractive to carmakers. In addition to causing Honda to reconsider its exit, Ford is also coming back (developing the hybrid system for Red Bull Powertrains), and both Audi and Cadillac are also entering the sport, although the American brand won't have its own engines ready until 2028.Audi and Cadillac will both count as new engine suppliers, so they are allowed some extra development resources. However, Honda is counted as an existing manufacturer and doesn't get any special treatment.I asked how the work was progressing: "Not so easy, we are struggling, now we are trying our best to show the result next year," he said. "Everything is new. [The] motor is new, [developing] 350 kWit's a very compact one that we need. And also the lightweight battery is not so easy to develop. Also the small engine with big power. So everything is very difficult, but we try our best."Getting it right will be vitalalthough Aston Martin now has the advantage of legendary designer Adrian Newey among its staff. Newey is on record saying that the 2026 rules have a "big chance" of being an engine formula, where each car's aerodynamics are far less important, unlike today's situation.Trickle-downOEMs go racing to raise their profile and sell more cars, but they also do it as a way to learn how to make their products better. Honda and HRC are no exception to that. But concrete examples of technology transfer from track to road are rare these daysit's more about cross-pollination between engineers."There is a group within Honda that shares technical information yearly. It's not just the racing; it's all across Honda, so I think there's been some interest in the technology and software we've developed," Fu said. "Whether it trickles down to road cars... it's a big jump from a race car to road cars, but I think some of the fundamental technical ideas can propagate down there.""From the F1 project, we can learn how to improve the hybrid system itself, and of course, we can learn how to create high-efficiency batteries and motors for the future. That's why we decided to reparticipate in Formula 1," Watanabe said.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. 1 Comments

TechnologyWith an investment of AU$1 billion, PsiQuantum is planning to build a photonic quantum computer with a million qubits, far larger than any in existence today - and the firm says it will be ready in just two years 11 February 2025 A PsiQuantum silicon wafer containing thousands of quantum devicesPsiQuantumOn a large table in front of me is some of the worlds most advanced photonic hardware, which may soon drive one of the great technological revolutions of our time. I can see tiny microchips that look like precious jewels, with nanoscale patterns that make them glow like rainbows, along with detectors, filters and switches connected by fibre-optic cables, laid out on smartphone-sized circuit boards. These are the fundamental components of a massive photonic quantum computer that could be up and running in just a few years though to

Treat herbs like flowers by keeping them hydrated.Plant herbs in water. marcin jucha/Shutterstock Simply Recipes suggests cutting off the stems of tender herbs, like parsley, cilantro, and basil, and ensuring the leaves are dry before dropping them in a small cup of water. Then, place a loose plastic bag over the herbs for optimal freshness preservation. The herbs should stay fresh for up to two weeks.For hard herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage, Ree Drummond of Food Network's "The Pioneer Woman" suggests rolling them loosely in a damp paper towel before placing them in a resealable plastic bag.They should stay fresh for up to two or even three weeks, depending on the herb.The acid from citrus fruits can help preserve other fruit slices.A little lemon juice can help keep avocados from browning quickly. Boontoom Sae-Kor/Shutterstock Food52 said that lemon juice can help keep sliced avocados fresh.Whether you're keeping half an avocado for later, or want to enjoy some pre-sliced avocados on a salad you're having for lunch, swipe a little lemon juice on it to help prevent premature browning.If you're only using half of an avocado, it's best to leave the side with the pit intact for storage because it'll help keep that part of the fruit fresh.Keep unripe avocados out of the fridge.Avocados can be tricky to store. iStock/Getty Images Although ripened avocados keep best in the fridge,unripe fruitshould be stored on the countertop.Still Tasty, a website that provides information about the shelf life of foods, recommends storing avocados at room temperature until they're ripe to keep them fresh longer.Don't wash produce before storing it in the fridge.Added moisture speeds up the decaying process. New Africa/Shutterstock Healthline says storing freshly washed fruits and vegetables in the fridge can actually significantly reduce their lifespan.Adding moisture to the produce speeds up it's decaying process, so wait to wash it until you're ready to eat it.Certain produce items need to be stored separately from one another.Some fruits and veggies shouldn't be stored together. Sean Gallup/ Getty Images Fruits and vegetables produce different gases, which can cause non-similar produce to go bad quickly.To avoid this, it's important to store highly gaseous produce, like apples, bananas, and avocados, by themselves. Less gaseous produce, like broccoli, carrots, and potatoes, can be stored with each other, but should still be kept away from the others.Other produce, like bell peppers, berries, and kale, can be stored pretty much anywhere.Keep celery fresh by storing it in aluminum foil.Celery in foil can stay crisp for a week. Shutterstock/mama_mia The Kitchn suggests wrapping whole celery stalks in tin foil before putting them in the crisper drawer of the fridge.Avoid cutting or washing stalks before storing and make sure everything is tightly wrapped to ensure it stays as crisp as possible.Tomatoes should be stored differently depending on their freshness.You shouldn't keep tomatoes in the fridge. iStock PopSugarsays there are a few different ways to store tomatoes depending on their freshness.Unripened green tomatoes belong in a paper bag with the stem facing down, whereas ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature, separated from each other, and away from sunlight.You can put an overripe tomato in the fridge to prevent it from ripening more, but you should let it sit out a few minutes before cooking with it to restore its flavor. Healthline warns that storing tomatoes in the fridge can actually cause them to lose flavor and nutrients.Berries are especially susceptible to moisture damage.Berries can last longer than you think. iStock Like with all produce, you should wait to wash berries until you're actually ready to eat them. This is especially important for these fruits because they are extremely delicate, and added water can lead to early molding.The Kitchn suggests soaking them completely in water and then leaving them in a colander (or any well-ventilated container) on a shelf in your fridge. It's best to keep them out of the crisper drawer.Cheese shouldn't be tightly wrapped in plastic or tin foil.Opt for cheese paper or wax paper instead. Shutterstock Ken Monteleone, the owner of Fromagination Cheese Shop, told Business Insider the best way to store cheese is by carefully wrapping it in cheese paper (wax paper or parchment paper can also suffice) and then placing it in an unsealed plastic bag."The paper creates a barrier between the cheese and the plastic, while the plastic keeps it from getting dry," he said.Adam Brock, the director of food safety and quality at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, also told BI that pungent cheeses should not be stored next to aromatic foods, like citrus fruits, because they can absorb each other's flavors.Dairy belongs on the middle or bottom shelf of the fridge.Don't store milk in the door of the fridge. Shutterstock / Andrey Armyagov Your milk and creamer may have found homes in the fridge door, but Real Simple's food reporter Kimberly Holland says dairy products should actually be on the middle or bottom shelf.Since people open and close a fridge regularly, the temperature of the door can be inconsistent, which means your milk could spoil a lot quicker.The middle and bottom shelves, especially near the back of the fridge, tend to keep the most consistent temperature.Eggs also belong on a shelf of your fridge, not in the door.Eggs need consistent temperatures. thatadon phusitphiyanan/Shutterstock Your fridge door isn't doing you any favors when it comes to keeping eggs fresh, either.Eggs.ca recommends storing them on a shelf in the back of your fridge for a more consistent temperature.Keep your meat in the freezer.Meat can only be stored in the fridge for a few days. LADO/Shutterstock If you have no intention of eating your store-bought meat within a few days of purchasing it, you can keep it fresh by storing it in your freezer.The USDA recommends only storing uncooked poultry parts in the freezer for nine months (whole uncooked poultry can stay for a year) and uncooked meat for two months to a year, depending on the cut.Don't store your coffee in the freezer.Coffee beans don't belong in the freezer. Noor Khamis / Reuters The National Coffee Association says coffee should be used as soon as possible after it is roasted for the freshest taste, so freezing beans isn't ideal.The beans are very susceptible to absorbing moisture, which can easily lead to freezer burn. The best storage method is an air-tight container in a dry, dark place like a pantry.Leafy greens should be stored with paper towels.Leafy greens like kale have a relatively short shelf life. stacey_newman / iStock Katelyn Nolan Shannon, a research and development chef at Sweetgreen, told BI that greens like kale and lettuce stay freshest when they're washed, dried, and wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel.After that, they can then be stored in a large, loosely-sealed plastic bag."The plastic bag acts as a barrier and assures that the paper towel won't freeze to the shelf or drawer in your fridge," she said.Ginger is easy to keep fresh.Ginger can last a long time if you know how to store it. nattul/Shutterstock The Kitchn says the ultimate way to keep ginger fresh is to put it in a resealable plastic bag with all the air pushed out and store it in the fridge's crisper.Never store bread in the fridge.The fridge can turn bread stale. Caroline Cakebread/Business Insider Epicurious says putting your bread in the fridge makes it go stale faster, sothe best way to keep bread fresh is to store it at room temperature on your counter or, better yet, invest in a bread box.The site also recommends freezing your bread to keep it fresh for up to three months if you don't plan on eating within a week or so.If you go for the freezer method, it's best to cut the loaf into slices or sections first because continuously defrosting and re-freezing bread will diminish the bread's flavor and texture.Keep pineapples out of the fridge.Whole pineapples don't belong in the fridge. HisWondrousWorks/iStock Australian pineapple producers Pure Gold Pineapples recommend storing whole, unripened pineapples on your countertop until they achieve your desired color.Keeping uncut pineapples at room temperature is ideal so they can continue to ripen, but once you cut them, the chunks should be stored in the fridge to avoid browning.Mushrooms are best kept in the fridge.They'll stay fresher for longer when cold. iStock Food Network says the best way to store mushrooms is by removing them from the container they were sold in.Once you wash them to remove excess dirt, dry the mushrooms thoroughly, wrap them in paper towels, and store them in a paper bag in your fridge for optimal freshness.This story was originally published in September 2018 and most recently updated on February 11, 2025.Read more:

Warfare experts rate 14 scenes from "Lord of the Rings" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" and judge how real they are.Archer Jim Kent ("Grizzly Jim") analyzes the archery by Legolas in "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers." Blacksmith Neil Kamimura rates forging scenes from "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." Jousting world champion Shane Adams rates the horseback fight scene from Helm's Deep for accuracy. Medieval fortification expert Michael Fulton looks at the Minas Tirith fortress defense scenes from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Ancient warfare historian Roel Konijnendijk analyzes the battle tactics depicted in the Siege of Gondor and "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."Archery expert Grizzly Jim has been practicing archery for over 20 years and has traveled across Europe for archery events and demonstrations.Shane Adams has 20 jousting world championships. He hosted the History Channel show "Full Metal Jousting" and the jousting reality show "Tilt."Tobias Capwell is the curator of arms and armor at The Wallace Collection in London.Michael Fulton is an assistant professor of medieval history at Western University in Ontario, Canada.Neil Kamimura owns and operates the forge T Kamimura Blacksmith in Hawaii.Roel Konijnendijk is a historian of ancient warfare at Lincoln College, University of Oxford. He specializes in classical Greek warfare.You can find Follow Grizzly Jim on Instagram here.You can find Roel Konijnendijk on Bluesky here.You can find Neil Kamimura on Instagram here.For more information about Tobias Capwell and The Wallace Collection, you can visit the Wallace Collection website.You can find more information about Shane Adams and Extreme Jousting here.Michael Fulton's medieval warfare books can be found here.Show more

A new study has found that two-thirds of Brits are stocking up on retro tech - and it's not just millennials clinging to the good old days, as a quarter of Gen-Z have also got in on the actionTech16:57, 11 Feb 2025Pringles have found Brits are stocking up on retro tech(Image: Pringles / Cover Images)Brits are rekindling their love for vintage games, dusting off old favourites and retrieving them from the attic. This trend has led to the opening of a pop-up repair shop dedicated to reviving these nostalgic items.As Brits swap their smartphones for flip phones, two-thirds (66%) are stocking up on retro tech, with digital cameras and DVD players among the top throwback purchases. But it's not just millennials yearning for 'the good old days'.A quarter of Gen-Z (24%) have also jumped on the bandwagon, snapping up retro gaming consoles. Many believe that older games surpass today's high-tech offerings, according to a poll by Pringles, which is launching a Retro Console Clinic offering free repairs on the nation's beloved old-school gaming consoles.The study reveals that people are seeking ways to disconnect from the online world, with a whopping 78% of Brits appreciating how vintage gadgets allow them to escape the incessant buzz of their phones. Furthermore, 89% of gamers find that retro gaming provides a break from the internet, and almost three-quarters (74%) find it much more relaxing.Pringles have launched a Retro Console Clinic to bring life back to classic tech(Image: Pringles / Cover Images)But the nostalgia doesn't stop at gaming. We're a nation smitten with all things retro, as evidenced by over 11million posts under the #nostalgia hashtag on TikTok.This trend also extends to television and music, with over half of us (59%) favouring the comfort of rewatching classic sitcoms over streaming the latest films, and more than six out of 10 preferring 90s tunes to today's chart-toppers. A spokesperson for Pringles stated: "We at Pringles and the gaming community share a passion for fun and connection."We cant wait to welcome gamers and their classic gaming gear to our Retro Console Clinic." Pringles is set to launch the Retro Console Clinic on the 11th and 12th of February at the Four Quarters Elephant Park in London.Article continues belowThis free repair shop for gaming consoles from the 90s and 00s allows adults to bring in their old consoles for a free MOT. Gaming enthusiasts can either book a ticket for a full consultation or drop in for expert care advice.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Civilization 7 is out now, and fans have wasted no time in digging through its files, revealing a slate of potential DLC updates that could include a whole new AgeTech16:43, 11 Feb 2025Civ 7's 'Ages' system could lend itself to DLC updatesCivilization 7 is finally here, and it's a fitting continuation of a series that's predicated on begging you for "one more turn", but as Civ fans know, there's always more DLC.The series has offered a whole bunch of additional updates in terms of post-launch content including full expansions and new Civilizations, but as Creative Director Ed Beach told us, the new Ages system that marks a considerable shakeup for the long-running series is "very nicely modular".With that in mind, enterprising fans have been digging through the game's files now that it's out and may have found hints at upcoming additions.Posting on the Civ subreddit, one fan mentions a community member that found a file within the game's files, which include new leaders, Civilizations, and even a new Atomic Age.If there was one complaint we had in our review of Civilization 7, it was that the game is capped at three Acts, culminating in launching a rocket into space.With prior Civ titles going beyond, it's exciting that the Atomic Age could be forthcoming, and would tie into Beach's comments to us.So what's coming? According to the leak, Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Sayyida al Hurra and Whina Cooper are the new leaders, while the new nations are the Ottomans, maori, Tonga, Iceland, and even a Pirate Republic.How will your Civilization change from one Age to the next?Some aren't convinced, though. "Sometimes stuff hidden in the files is just cut content. And a civ called "Pirate Republic" would have been cut for a reason," one said."Honestly Civ is so unhinged from history at this point that I hope we start getting even 'hypothetical' future Civs," another commenter added.Article continues belowIt'll be interesting to see if any of this comes to fruition, but with the game only fully launching today, there's still some time before we'll know for sure.In our 4.5 star review, we said "Civilization 7 will likely grow to be the game I spend the most time with this year, but even sans Gandhi its a polished, slick 4X strategy game that continues to lineage of prior games while offering brave changes for veterans."For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

How much would you pay for just one of these tins? (The Pokmon Company)Following the launch of a new set of Pokmon trading cards, GAME has been spotted selling small card tins on its website for over 30.Whenever a fancy new product thats expected to be popular comes out, you can always count on scalpers to hoard them up and sell them second-hand at an inflated price.Scalping became such an issue for the PlayStation 5 that Sony had to implement an anti-scalper policy in Japan. Nintendo is also aware its new Nintendo Switch 2 console will become a target for scalpers and is simply planning to increase production as a countermeasure.However, while scalpers are typically independent individuals, you dont often hear scalping accusations against a professional retailer. But thats precisely whats happened with GAME and the newest set of Pokmon trading cards.Last month, The Pokmon Company released a new Prismatic Evolutions expansion for the Pokmon trading card game, which added over 175 cards. Unsurprisingly, the cards are reportedly hard to come by and have been quickly selling out.GAME is currently selling Prismatic Evolutions mini tins that only launched recently. A single tin costs 10.99 and contains two booster packs, a coin, and a card featuring special art, with fans encouraged to collect all eight tins to form a larger picture.Despite the tins small size, though (GAMEs website even describes them as Pokmon favourites in the palm of your hand), GAME classifies them as an oversized delivery, meaning youll be charged an extra 19.99 in delivery costs.Ergo, a single tin will set you back nearly 31. Whats more, this is the only delivery option available, so you cant opt to save money by picking up your order from your local GAME store. The delivery fee is almost twice as much as a tin (GAME)According to a Eurogamer report, anonymous staff members have claimed this isnt a mistake on GAMEs part and that the business is scalping its own supplies.More TrendingWhats more, staff also alleged that too much of GAMEs stock is only available online, with what little Pokmon cards the actual stores do have turning up late, resulting in a lot of disgruntled and angry customers who were told theyd arrive at launch.Were constantly taking the brunt of abuse from customers and the company itself, said one staff member.The thought of charging such ludicrous prices for Pokmon cards will seem ridiculous to non-fans, but this has been a common issue for years. In 2021, for example, people were buying multiple McDonalds Happy Meals to collect limited Pokmon cards and then sell them for hundreds of pounds.The Prismatic Evolutions situation is just as bad in the US as well. Theres already video footage of people getting into physical altercations over the new card sets with one another at a Costco. People really want these cards (The Pokmon Company)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

For new PlayStation 5 owners, this is a perfect first game to experience (Sony)Ahead of the newest State of Play, yet another PlayStation 5 leak has dropped, and this one is for a new console bundle.Sony has finally announced a date and time for its next State of Play, which promises multiple new reveals and updates on upcoming PlayStation 5 games.While games will be the focus of the showcase, it sounds like Sony is also prepping to launch a new PlayStation 5 bundle in the coming weeks. And unlike the Monster Hunter Wilds bundles that are only slated for a Japanese release, this one is expected to be made available in Europe and North America.As for whats included, it should come as no surprise that Sony is apparently looking to push Astro Bot, which won Game Of The Year during The Game Awards 2024.This leak comes courtesy of Dealabs billbil-kun, who has accurately leaked new hardware and gaming related announcements in the past. Just a couple of months ago, they claimed Split Fiction, the next game from It Takes Two developer Hazelight Studios, would launch on March 6 and was swiftly proven right at The Game Awards 2024.According to billbil-kun, the bundle comes with a standard PlayStation 5 console, which is the one with a built-in disc drive for playing physical games. However, rather than a physical copy of Astro Bot, it includes a download code for a digital copy of the game instead.More TrendingAn exact release date and price arent known, but billbil-kun believes the bundle will come out around March 13. As for the price, billbil-kun estimates it could cost between 474 and 499, which is approximately 394 to 416.This would actually make it cheaper than buying a regular PlayStation 5 through the PlayStation Direct store, which Sony sells for 479.99. Although thats because it comes with a DualSense controller whereas this Astro Bot bundle doesnt.It wouldve been nice if the new bundle also included the special Astro Bot controller that launched alongside the game last September. Sony only ever made a limited quantity, though, so it soon completely sold out.If the bundles out in just a months time, Sony will no doubt announce it in the coming weeks. Maybe even during or shortly after the upcoming State of Play. Did you ever manage to snag one of these controllers? (Sony)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

By Todd Feathers Published February 11, 2025 | Comments (0) | The ChatGPT app logo displays on the screen of a smartphone Photo by Bloomberg/Getty Images When asked about its political perspective, OpenAIs ChatGPT says its designed to be neutral and doesnt lean one way or the other. A number of studies in recent years have challenged that claim, finding that when asked politically charged questions, the chatbot tends to respond with left-leaning viewpoints. That seems to be changing, according to a new study published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications by a group of Chinese researchers, who found that the political biases of OpenAIs models have shifted over time toward the right end of the political spectrum. The team from Peking University and Renmin University tested how different versions of ChatGPTusing the GPT-3.5 turbo and GPT-4 modelsresponded to questions on the Political Compass Test. Overall, the models responses still tended toward the left of the spectrum. But when using ChatGPT powered by newer versions of both models, the researchers observed a clear and statistically significant rightward shift in ChatGPTs ideological positioning over time on both economic and social issues. While it may be tempting to connect the bias shift to OpenAI and the tech industrys recent embrace of President Donald Trump, the study authors wrote that several technical factors are likely responsible for the changes they measured. The shift could be caused by differences in the data used to train earlier and later versions of models or by adjustments OpenAI has made to its moderation filters for political topics. The company doesnt disclose specific details about what datasets it uses in different training runs or how it calibrates its filters.The change could also be a result of emergent behaviors in the models like combinations of parameter weighting and feedback loops that lead to patterns that the developers didnt intend and cant explain. Or, because the models also adapt over time and learn from their interactions with humans, the political viewpoints they express may also be changing to reflect those favored by their user bases. The researchers found that the responses generated by OpenAIs GPT-3.5 model, which has had a higher frequency of user interactions, had shifted to the political right significantly more over time compared to those generated by GPT-4.The researchers say their findings show popular generative AI tools like ChatGPT should be closely monitored for their political bias and that developers should implement regular audits and transparency reports about their processes to help understand how models biases shift over time. The observed ideological shifts raise important ethical concerns, particularly regarding the potential for algorithmic biases to disproportionately affect certain user groups, the study authors wrote. These biases could lead to skewed information delivery, further exacerbating social divisions, or creating echo chambers that reinforce existing beliefs.Daily Newsletter

When people think of the video gameMortal Kombat, a few iconic characters instantly pop to mind. Scorpion and Sub-Zero, of course. Raiden. Sonja. Liu Kang. Basically everyone from the first game. And while several of those characters were in the 2021 film adaptation, a major star was missing until now. Mortal Kombat II, the sequel to the 2021 remake, opens in October and our first look is here. But its not a still from the movie or even a poster for the movie itself. Its a movie poster from the world of the movie, for the one and only Johnny Cage. Hes played by none other than Karl Urban of Dredd, Star Trek, and The Boys fame. Take a look. The full teaser poster Warner Bros. For anyone playing catch-up here, Johnny Cage is a Hollywood actor turned Mortal Kombat contestant from the original 1992 video game. The 2021 movie, starring Lewis Tan (Cobra Kai), Hiroyuki Sanada (Shogun), and others, ended with a tease of Tans character Cole Young (invented for the movie) saying hes going to Hollywood to find Cage. So, we all knew a sequel would feature the character. Urban was cast in the role in 2023 and now, finally, we have our first look. The previous film was actually pretty awesome, much better than anyone expected it to be. It has fun action, great reverence for the game, is beautifully shot, and is very, very violent. Thats why despite it only being a moderate hit during its pandemic release, Warner Bros. decided to make this sequel. That films director, Simon McQuoid, is back, as are most of the surviving cast members. All of which you get from the credits on this poster, which breaks the illusion of this being just a poster for Johnny Cages Uncaged Fury. No, its really the teaser poster for Mortal Kombat II, and its coming October 24. 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.