After decades of lobbying, the US government has finally started taking action to warn consumers about the hazards of ultra-processed foods: your potato chips, granola bars, cereal, frozen pizza, even many types of store-bought bread. As I reported last year, there is mounting scientific evidence linking such ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, to disorders that range from obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure to depression, anxiety, and autoimmune disorders. Precisely what is classified as a UPF isnt perfect and the category can sometimes be too broad, as my colleague Marina Bolotnikova explained in December, but theres still a growing consumer desire for clarity about what were buying and eating. This story was first featured in the Future Perfect newsletter.Sign up here to explore the big, complicated problems the world faces and the most efficient ways to solve them. Sent twice a week.Earlier this year, in an effort to combat the rising burden of these chronic diseases, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under former President Joe Biden proposed a new policy that would require food producers to add new nutrition labels to the front of most packaged foods, warning consumers about the high fat, sodium, and sugar content typically found in UPFs. New Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr., will likely continue this work; he has called UPFs poison, and has promised reform.A handful of countries in Latin America and Europe have already introduced similar front-of-package nutrition labels. In 2020, Mexico passed a law that required a variety of warning labels on all packaged foods and beverages; the labels include black stop-sign shaped figures that indicate if the product has excessive sugar, sodium, or saturated fats. Chile was the first country to pass such a law back in 2012. The UK has a similar system in place, but companies are not legally required to add the warnings to their products. The US may be late to the nutrition-warning game, but the good news is that similar efforts in other places have been effective in raising consumer awareness of UPFs nutritional hazards and in pressuring manufacturers to make healthier products. These labels enable consumers to make more informed decisions about what they eat without infringing on their rights to eat what they want. But while nutrition experts have welcomed the FDAs proposed policy change, the addition of warning labels to packaged goods hasnt been shown to reduce the very real burden of chronic diseases. For that, well need systemic change. Are warning labels effective?Much of the real-world evidence describing the impact of front-of-package nutrition labels comes from Latin American countries. They have long been pioneers in UPF research and regulation, in part because of their high burden of chronic diseases linked to UPF consumption but also because of how the spread of UPFs pushed out traditional foods, explained Vanessa Couto, a public health nutrition researcher at the University of So Paulo in Brazil. In some 30 Latin American countries that have added front-of-package nutrition warnings, public health researchers have found that well-designed labels can help consumers be more informed about whats in the products they buy. We see people shifting toward healthier options, avoiding less healthy options, explained Marissa Hall, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. We also see where labeling can help people understand whats in their food and which products are high in nutrients of concern.One 2024 study of almost 3,000 households in Chile found that consumers purchased significantly fewer products labeled as high in sugar, calories, sodium, and fat, amounting to an estimated 36.8 percent reduction in sugar consumption, a 23 percent reduced calorie intake, a 21.9 percent reduction in sodium, and a 15.7 percent drop in saturated fat consumption. But not all studies report these impacts. Another study in Brazil, found that while a Warning: ultra-processed food label significantly improved the ability of consumers to identify what products were UPF, it did not influence their purchasing intentions or perceptions of healthfulness.The other benefit of nutrition labels on packaged foods is that it creates a market pressure for UPF manufacturers to make healthier foods, Hall explained. After Chile implemented its warning label law, the proportion of UPF products that were high in sugar dropped from 80 to 60 percent while products high in sodium dropped from 74 to 27 percent. Similar schemes in New Zealand and the Netherlands that allowed companies to display a logo indicating a products healthfulness if it met certain nutritional requirements also prompted companies to swiftly reformulate products. One study found that there was a 61 percent reduction of salt in cereal products in New Zealand while 20 percent of products were reformulated in the Netherlands after the labeling schemes were introduced. The FDAs proposed nutritional labels arent the same as those used in Latin America. In Chile and Mexico, companies are required to use bold, black stop-sign shaped icons on the front of a package, which communicate whether the product is high in fat, sugar, or sodium. If a package has three stop signs, then it is high in all three. The FDAs version consists of small, black-and-white boxes similar to existing nutritional facts boxes that already appear on the back of packaged foods, though theyll be placed on the front. These boxes will indicate if a product contains low, medium, or high levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. Food and Drug Administrations proposed front-of-package nutritional labels. /FDAFront-of-packaging warning labels used in Chile indicating that foods are high in calories, sugars, salt and saturated fat/ Chilean Ministry of HealthSo the US labels could show that a product is high in salt but low in sugar and then leave it to the consumer to decide if that is good or bad. Contextualizing percentages can be helpful, but comparing such trade-offs isnt always intuitive. Im concerned that it might be confusing for people to understand an overall products healthfulness when theyre making sense of all these different nutrients, Hall said. Others have been far more critical of the FDAs proposed nutrition labels. Sen. Bernie Sanders said the labels were pathetically weak and must be substantially improved. He suggested that UPF warning labels should more resemble the FDA-mandated warning labels on cigarettes that explicitly state smoking causes fatal lung disease, heart disease, cataracts, bladder cancer, and a list of other conditions. (Earlier this year, a federal judge in Texas blocked an FDA mandate to require graphic warnings of smokings health risks.)While warning labels improved consumer awareness in studies, this hasnt translated into overall improved health outcomes. Chile introduced nutrition warning labels in 2012, but obesity rates have continued to rise from about 68 percent in 2010 to 79 percent in 2022. The Chilean government even introduced other measures to reduce UPF consumption; for example, by increasing the tax on sugary beverages from 13 percent to 18 percent in 2014. In Mexico, which introduced labeling mandates in 2020, childhood obesity rates dropped slightly from 38.2 percent in 2020 to 37.3 percent the following year, but the number of people with diabetes increased from 15.7 percent in 2020 to 18.2 percent in 2022.It may simply be too soon for public health officials to observe improvements in obesity and other chronic disease rates. Whats clear is that we will need more than nutrition labels to create a food environment that allows everyone to eat healthy nutritious foods. What more needs to be done to make America healthy againWhile studies in Latin American countries have reported that front-of-package warning labels on UPFs are effective at improving awareness among consumers, this is really only one small step in the right direction. To actually reduce UPF consumption and improve health, we would need true systemic change. More than 20 million Americans live in food deserts without consistent access to healthy foods. These areas tend to be low-income and rural communities where there is a shortage of food retailers and a lack of transportation to get there. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are, on average, more than twice as expensive as UPFs per calorie, according to one study. True success would require improving health education in schools, raising the quality of school lunches, and ensuring that everyone can actually afford fresh, healthy foods a tall order in a country that has long prioritized profits over health and safety.It remains unclear what might happen to the FDAs proposed legislation under the Trump administration. Kennedy seems keen to take on UPFs as part of his Make America Healthy Again crusade he currently wants the FDA to ban certain additives, dyes, and chemicals currently used in UPF. What do experts recommend? Aside from mandating warning labels on packaged goods, the FDA needs to also regulate other marketing claims that UPF companies make on their products, Hall argued. For instance, many products claim to be 100 percent all natural, which Halls research has shown makes many consumers incorrectly assume the product has no added sugars. But this can be false because there is no standard or even legal definition of natural.Nutritional labels on UPF, along with other policy changes such as banning certain food dyes, is just the beginning. It takes small steps, Baker said. And while she and many are hopeful that Kennedys food is medicine outlook will usher in change, many fear that the Trump administrations federal staff and budget cuts will hamper efforts. Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Vox is set to kick off Good Robot, a narrative audio series hosted by acclaimed podcast host Julia Longoria, digging into the hype and the potential horrors of artificial intelligence. In four episodes, Longoria traces the rise of the technology and the ideologies of the people making it to help listeners understand its implications for their own lives and for humanity. The series will air over two weeks on Unexplainable, Voxs science and mysteries podcast, starting March 12. Longoria, a Murrow Award winner who has created some of the most critically acclaimed audio documentaries of the last decade, will become a permanent co-host of the popular show, joining the roster of longtime Unexplainable listener favorites Noam Hassenfeld, Byrd Pinkerton, and Meradith Hoddinott. Good Robot was produced in collaboration with Future Perfect, Voxs section exploring the worlds biggest challenges, and features Future Perfect reporters Sigal Samuel and Kelsey Piper, who have spent years covering artificial intelligence and the players and the companies vying to shape the technology for Vox. Samuel and Piper are among the guides for Longoria, a normie in the world of AI expertise and a newcomer to grappling with what AI can do. Also guiding her: Sneha Revanur, the Gen Z AI advocate known as the Greta Thunberg of AI, and AI pioneers-turned-critics, like AI ethicist Margaret Mitchell and the OpenAI whistleblower Daniel Kokotajlo.The more I immersed myself in the AI world, it began to feel less like tech reporting and more like an examination of a series of religions where belief (or not) in a someday superintelligent AI drives investment and innovation, Longoria says. The disagreements in the field of AI over what we should worry about ended up feeling like a meditation not on how to build the best robots on Mars someday, but on how to be a good human on earth now.Longoria quickly bumps into the dividing line between two camps in the AI industry: One is trying to develop a superintelligent AI based on theories of rationality and logic, and is gravely worried that efforts to build good robots will have apocalyptic consequences. The other influential group of technologists says those fears about the future are getting in the way of the real dangers these robots already present. Unexplainable is already one of the most unique and compelling podcasts out there for listeners who want to understand and engage with big and mysterious questions about our world, and Julia, who has a long track record of making the confusing compelling, is a tremendous addition to the team, said Vox publisher and editor-in-chief Swati Sharma.We are thrilled that Julia is launching her tenure on Unexplainable with this collaboration with Future Perfect, bringing unparalleled expertise on AI from the reporters and editors there to Unexplainables audience, said Vox managing editor Natalie Jennings. The series was developed by Katherine Wells, Voxs former editor-at-large, and edited by Diane Hodson, who edited some of 2024s podcast breakout hits, including Wonderys Hysterical and Crooked Medias Empire City. Good Robot will drop between March 12 and March 22 in the Unexplainable podcast feed. More on the series and Voxs AI reporting is at vox.com/goodrobot. See More: Vox Press Room

All was quiet at the County Archives Museum, until a woman erupted from one of the toilets. Clad in full scuba gear, she would have gone unnoticed as she weaved among the usual visitors a bored gaggle of schoolchildren, tourists, and a yeti were it not for a beady eyed security guard. The woman, it turns out, was a member of an infamous crime syndicate, renowned for breaking into museums, stealing priceless exhibits and slipping back into the sewers like a well-renumerated goldfish. As my security guard tackled the thief, the museums prehistory expert neatly sidestepped the fray and departed for a far-flung corner of the Earth, soon to return with a prized relic of the ancient world. Burglars get caught; museums just hire better qualified thieves and send them on expeditions.This is the kind of whimsical satire that Two Point Studios trades on, making delightful and irreverent management games that poke fun at very serious establishments: hospitals, universities, and now museums. Here, as the curator of the countys timeworn institutions, you must protect profit first and history second. Easier said than done when theres so much to manage: you must hire experts to source and maintain exhibits, assistants to run front-of-house, janitors to scrape stubborn substances from floors, and security guards to handle donations and play whack-a-mole with criminals.Tour routes must be carefully plotted and decorated to impress, thus generating buzz and convincing visitors to make a donation. Different visitor types like different things: sage professors crave knowledge from well-placed information stands, while hyperactive children just want something that goes beep. To please pint-sized punters, you need to research and build kid-friendly interactive displays in the workshop, paying for the materials through any fundraising means necessary, whether that be loans, gift-shop sales, or advertising deals with local businesses. Its a beautifully detailed operation that suggests the developers have paid close attention to human nature, and how to mirror it in an intriguing game-loop.You can imagine that the curators atthe British Museum scratch their heads over the same challenges (save the scuba thieves). Some visitors barrel straight through, pausing just long enough to take a selfie with the most popular exhibit, while others will spend hours in the gift shop. Two Point does a spectacular job of simulating the challenge of satisfying diverse crowds despite the fact that here, your audience includes literalMuseum themes range from the expected prehistoric, aquatic, botanical to the outlandish haunted, extraterrestrial, apocalyptic. Previous instalments in the Two Point series forced your institutions to stay siloed (it would have been odd, after all, for a sports university to install a wizarding magic department). But the very nature of museums requires a joyful mishmash of curiosities, allowing you to build wildly varied exhibits across unique locations. The aquarium, for instance, offers expeditions that yield the prehistoric bones of sea creatures, or cursed booty from creepy sunken pirate ships. This means your collection stays useful, rather than languishing in a forgotten inventory menu, and progression feels consistently rewarding.History repeating itself Two Point Museum. Photograph: Two Point Studios/SEGAThis is easily the best-looking Two Point game yet, even the simple act of placing objects has been improved, with priceless artefacts wobbling precariously as you move them. Floors gleam with the reflections of those walking across them, shadows slant dramatically through windows, and vending machines cast an almost heavenly glow. This new lighting enhances Two Points signature cartoonish style, preserving its charm while elevating the spectacle. A hallmark of any great management game is empowering the player to create something that boasts form and function.Prehistoric items have been here for thousands of years, announces the museums public address system. Same, you may think, as you adjust the colours of your gift shop counter to match your new tiles. Yet, as you step back to admire the result, not a second feels wasted. Two Point Museum takes all the lessons from the previous games and builds on them to make a thoughtful and hugely entertaining contribution to the management sim genre.

Final Fantasy and Magic The Gathering will cross over later this year, and it might end up being the first in a series of big partnerships between Wizards of the Coast and Square EnixTech14:06, 05 Mar 2025Wizards of the Coast has tied 16 games into one set(Image: Wizards of the Coast/Square Enix)Magic The Gathering fans might be a little torn between the game's dedication to a series of crossovers called 'Universes Beyond', but there's no arguing that it's got more eyes on the tabletop game.We've seen sets from sister franchise Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer 40,000, Transformers, Doctor Who and more, with gaming crossovers including Assassin's Creed, Fallout, and even some Fortnite cards.The Final Fantasy set got a full reveal last month, with Spider-Man cards being shown not long after, but it sounds as though Square Enix and Wizards of the Coast might not be done just yet.I'm curious to see how Wizards works in MMO-like mechanics to the FF14 deck(Image: Wizards of the Coast/Square Enix)In an interview with GameSpot, lead game designer Gavin Verhey and Wizards of the Coast's franchise vice president seemed relatively confident Square Enix could come to cardboard again."I don't think there's ever an end to any partnership," Shepard told the outlet."Even if the product is done and we don't reprint it anymore because the term of the contract expired, we still stay in contact.""So much like any other partnership, we can revisit it like we revisit our own worlds. I'm not confirming something is in the works here, but it's likely a matter of when not if."Cloud and Sephiroth can do battle in cardboard forms(Image: Wizards of the Coast/Square Enix)Given this partnership took years to come to fruition, don't expect anything to happen soon, with the pair suggesting it's been cooking for four years."It takes so much time and conversation," Shepard said. "From the first reveal like we did recently, to the set's launch, and then to any post-launch plans like reprints and everything else.""Universes Beyond partnerships can be five, six, sometimes seven-year relationships depending on the pipeline."Give Square Enix holds the keys to Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts, there's plenty of potential options although the latter may be tricky with Disney Lorcana also laying claim to Disney characters.What game franchises would you want to see adapted to Magic The Gathering, Square Enix or otherwise? Let us know in the comments personally, Monster Hunter would make a great choice.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is getting closer to a full reveal, and one expert has predicted it'll outsell all of its rivals when it arrives, potentially setting a new sales record for this generationTech14:02, 05 Mar 2025The Switch 2 is coming, but when?The Switch 2 will get a full reveal in just 28 days (but who's counting?), with an April 2 Nintendo Direct to reveal the console's launch lineup, pricing, and all-important release date.While we don't know if reports it'll be available in Russia are true just yet, one expert has weighed in on the potential success of the Switch's successor and its potential release date.Hideki Yasuda, analyst at Toyo Securities, reported via the Japanese version of Gamesindustry.biz that the Switch 2's launch could eclipse that of the PlayStation 5, the console currently dominating this generation.Expect a whole host of news on April 2As translated by Google, Yasuda said they expect the console to launch in July, which is later than the prevailing June release window theory, but still ties into the idea we'll be spending our Summer playing the new Mario Kart.Yasuda also claimed that Nintendo is currently amassing mountains of Switch 2 stock to avoid supply constraints given the incredible demand.If Nintendo executes this plan successfully, this could completely shatter the industrys widespread belief that game consoles must be released during the year-end sales season to succeed., Yasuda explained.This is the Switch 2, but there's still plenty we don't know about it yetThe original Nintendo Switch sold under 3 million units in its first quarter since launch (2.74 million), while PS5 hit 4.5 million in three months despite launching during a global pandemic.Yasuda's idea that the Switch could fly off shelves is perhaps not that farfetched, either. With the first Switch, there were plenty of doubters suggesting Nintendo was a spent force after the disappointing Wii U generation, but the Switch has cemented itself as one of the best-selling consoles of all time with over 150 million units sold just a few million behind the Nintendo DS (154 million), and around ten million behind the PS2 (around 160 million).Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Gears Of War collection coming to PS5 this year without multiplayer say sourcesAdam StarkeyPublished March 5, 2025 1:59pmUpdated March 5, 2025 1:59pm Dom and Marcus are having a comeback (Microsoft)The long-rumoured Gears Of War collection will be released this year according to various insiders, as Gears Of War: E-Day looks set for 2026.While it was once one of Microsofts biggest franchises during the Xbox 360 era, Gears Of War has wained in popularity over recent console generations.The last mainline instalment was 2019s Gears 5, which was followed by spin-off Gears Tactics in 2020. After a five-year downspell though, Microsoft appears to be revving up momentum behind the franchise again, with the announcement of prequel Gears Of War: E-Day.It seems this isnt the only way Microsoft is planning to revive the series, with multiple insiders claiming Gears Of War: E-Day will be preceded by the long-rumoured Gears Of War remaster collection this summer.Rumours of a Gears Of War collection have existed for years, but this latest round of gossip originates from known Xbox leaker eXtas1s. In a YouTube video, he claimed Gears Of War E-Day is not ready to come out in 2025, despite prior reports, but Microsoft is instead planning to launch a Gears Of War collection this year.There are no details around the collection itself, but its said the current plan is to announce it during this years Xbox Games Showcase (which usually happens in June), before it releases later this year.While eXtas1s has a spotty record of late (he was correct around Forza Horizon 5 coming to PlayStation 5,but wrong about Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3+4), these claims have been expanded upon by X user DetectiveSeeds.In a post on X, they claim a Gears Of War collection will be released in early to mid August and that it will be PS5 Pro enhanced, suggesting it will come out on Xbox and PlayStation 5 consoles at the same time.This information apparently comes from a listing on the backend of the PlayStation Store, but there are no screenshots to support it.I have been told NO multiplayer PVP, campaign focus only, they added, before admitting that they didnt know whether that also means that campaign co-op has been cut.While this might be surprising considering multiplayer is a big draw for Gears Of War, this has been a trend among modern remasters as seen with Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered and Mass Effect Legendary Edition.More TrendingIts no doubt a cost-cutting measure but perhaps also an attempt to keep attention on Gears Of War: E-Days inevitable multiplayer options.There are no details on the games included in the collection but it will presumably encompass the main trilogy at least, and possibly the prequel spin-off Gears Of War: Judgment.Microsoft has not announced a release date for Gears Of War: E-Day but several reports claimed it was originally on track to come out in 2025. If it has been pushed back to next year though, this would line up with Gears Of Wars 20th anniversary in 2026.If reports around Microsofts next gen console are to be believed, Gears Of War: E-Day could even be a launch title for its next console, alongside Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Gears Of War: E-Day might be out in 2026 (Microsoft)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

You know things are getting bad when sales for these two slip (Activision/EA)Video game hardware sales in the UK dropped significantly in 2024, as EA Sports FC 25 and Call Of Duty both see a decline.While there were plenty of great games in 2024, its hard to argue that it wasnt a year the industry at large would rather forget.The lack of major titles, coupled with aging hardware, led to a drop in console and software sales around the world. When you add in widespread layoffs and several high-profile failures, like Concord and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, 2024 was a tumultuous time, saved only by unexpected successes like Helldivers 2.A report from the Entertainment Retail Association provides a better look at the overall picture for 2024, from a UK perspective, and while it lines up with these downward trends, theres an increase in one particular area.According to data in the associations newly published annual yearbook, software revenue across digital and physical dropped by 4.4% year-over-year, to 4.61 billion. This was mostly driven by a huge 34.5% drop in physical sales to 322 million, while digital sales were down 1% but took up the lions share with 4.29 billion.For the bigger picture on hardware, sales were down 25.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year, with just under 2 million games consoles sold overall. This was led by the PlayStation 5 with around one million sales (down 21.1%), while the Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch both sold around 500,000 units each, down 29.1% and and 27.6% respectively.None of this is particularly surprising (remember that the UK is the Xboxs biggest market outside the US and traditionally Nintendos smallest) but in contrast to the rapidly falling hardware numbers there is growth when it comes to console subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass.According to the data, console subscriptions grew by 12% in 2024 to 560 million. This is reflected in the mobile/tablet subscription space too, with subscriptions up by 13% to 85.6 million in value. Xbox is pushing for Game Pass over its own consoles (Microsoft)As for the most popular subscriptions, PlayStation Plus is leading the charge with 53.6%, with Xbox Game Pass in second at 33.6%. Steam and Amazon are listed as having 23.2% and 16.8% of digital subscribers respectively, while Nintendo Switch Online has 13.6%.This is surprising, as generally video game subscriptions are understood to have stalled worldwide, with little or no growth. However, these figures are based on revenue, not number of subscribers, and may simply reflect the fact that both Microsoft and Sony have raised their prices recently. The other key takeaway is that, while most areas were down, mobile gaming revenue saw an increase of 2.6% year-over-year to 1.58 billion. This was mostly driven by a 2.1% increase in spending across mobile microtransactions and DLC to 1.5 billion, but full game sales were also up 3.1% to 46.2 million year-over-year. Should Call Of Duty: Warzone is also in trouble at the moment (Activision)Overall, the smartphone is the most popular device to play games on, at 36.2%, ahead of video game consoles (24.9%), PCs (18.8%), handheld game consoles (8.7%), and tablets (6.6%).As for what games sold the most, unsurprisingly EA Sports FC 25 came out on top in combined physical and digital sales, followed by Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Hogwarts Legacy.More TrendingHowever, sales of the games were down compared to the previous entries. EA Sports FC 25 was down to 2.1 million sales, compared to 2.4 million for EA Sports FC 24 in the same period during 2023, while Black Ops 6 sold 1.2 million copies, which is 76,000 fewer than Modern Warfare 3 in 2023.It had already been reported that, on a worldwide basis, sales were down for EA Sports FC 25, but the decline for Call Of Duty is surprising. Modern Warfare 3 was widely criticised for its sub-par quality and yet Black Ops 6 has been much more warmly received and is overall the fast-selling entry in the series.To add to the gloom, only nine games in the top 20 actually came out in 2024, and one of those was The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered.While 2024 was overall a bit of a downer, there is hope 2025 will see things pick up once again thanks to the much anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and GTA 6.Top 20 best selling games in the UK in 2024 (digital and physical)EA Sports FC 25Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6Hogwarts LegacyEA Sports FC 24Grand Theft Auto 5Helldivers 2Red Dead Redemption 2Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2Tom Clancys Rainbow Six SiegeElden RingFallout 4Mario Kart 8 DeluxeWWE 2k24Astro BotThe Last Of Us Part 2 RemasteredGrand Theft Auto OnlineUndisputedSuper Mario Bros. WonderF1 24Emailgamecentral@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

Seismologists know a lot about the mechanics of earthquakes and why they occur. Whats more difficult to determine, however, is how to predict future earthquakes. And while associating earthquakes with solar or lunar activity might sound like a conspiracy theory, recent research suggests a possible link between the Suns heat and seismic activity. Researchers in Japan discovered that computer models incorporating Earths surface temperatures simulated past earthquakes more accurately. Their study, published Tuesday in the journal Chaos, reveals that the Suns impact on Earths surface might influence our planets seismic activity. If validated, these results could revolutionize earthquake prediction and, as a consequence, our ability to prepare. A 2022 study by some of the same authors had previously established that solar activity, including sunspots, impacts seismicity on our planet. However, the mechanisms by which the Sun can affect seismic activity on Earth are still unknown, the researchers wrote in the recent study. Here, we examine the hypothesis that one of such influences is through heat. Illustration of the analyzed earthquake catalogs, with earthquakes represented as semi-transparent red dots and plate boundaries in black. Chaos, AIP Publishing, OpenStreetMap, https://www.openstreetmap.org/ The researchers concluded that heat affects Earths seismicity by comparing earthquake data with solar activity and the planets surface temperatures. They found that incorporating surface temperatures into earthquake simulations improved their accuracy, especially for shallow earthquakes. This implies that the temperature of Earths crustwhich is itself influenced by the Suns heatis somehow involved in seismic activity. They also cited seasonal variations in earthquakes as further evidence.Solar heat drives atmospheric temperature changes, which in turn can affect things like rock properties and underground water movement, Matheus Henrique Junqueira Saldanha, a co-author on the study and a computer scientist at the University of Tsukuba, said in an AIP Publishing statement. The journal Chaos is published by AIP Publishing. Such fluctuations can make rocks more brittle and prone to fracturing, for example and changes in rainfall and snowmelt can alter the pressure on tectonic plate boundaries. While these factors may not be the main drivers of earthquakes, they could still be playing a role that can help to predict seismic activity, he continued. Researchers from Japans National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology also took part in the study.Additionally, the strong link between surface temperatures and shallow earthquakes makes sense, since heat and water mostly affect the upper layers of the Earths crust, Junqueira Saldanha explained. The connection between solar heat, surface temperature, and earthquakes could hold important implications for earthquake prediction and protecting people in seismically active regions. Its an exciting direction, Junqueira Saldanha concluded, and we hope our study sheds some light on the bigger picture of what triggers earthquakes.

President Donald Trump has unleashed economic warfare on two of Americas most closely aligned trading partners (and political allies): Mexico and Canada. On Tuesday, the Trump administration put into effect its long-threatened tariffs on consumer goods from both of those countries, with the President claiming that the tariffs were necessary to stem the tide of illegal immigrants flowing into the United States. In response, those countries have instituted many of their own retaliatory tariffs and economic punishments on American products, including some targeted at Trumps political partner, DOGE douchebag Elon Musk. On Tuesday, Rob Ford, the premier of Ontario (Canadas most populous province), announced the termination of a $100 million contract with Musks satellite company, Starlink. Its done, its gone, Ford said at a press conference, referencing the Starlink deal. We wont award contracts to people who enable and encourage economic attacks on our province and our country. Additionally, Ford said that American companies would be forbidden from bidding on the $30 billion worth of procurement contracts that are annually paid out by the provinces government. U.S.-based businesses will now lose out on tens of billions of dollars in revenues, Ford said. They only have President Trump to blame. At the same time, a former high-ranking official has proposed instituting a blanket tariff on Musks car company, Tesla. We are going to go after American stakeholders who matter to the White House. I have proposed a 100 percent tariff on all Teslas, Chrystia Freeland, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, recently announced. Freeland recently stepped down from her post to run for the slot of Canadian prime minister. I am calling on all the countries that are affected by this tariff to join us, and our retaliation will target specific Trump constituencies, Freeland added.Its the latest sign that a decent chunk of Canadians hate Musk. Some 230,000 Canadians also recently signed a petition aimed at revoking Musks Canadian citizenship (Musk has Canadian citizenship because his mother, Maye Musk, was born in Saskatchewan). The petition accused the billionaire of attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty. In response to the petition, Musk tweeted that Canada was not a real country, presumably inspiring more animosity against himself and his companies. Musk is also hated by many Europeans (largely due to the billionaires meddling in EU nations politics), and by millions of Americans, and, presumably, by people from many other parts of the world. Recently released statistics showed that Tesla sales were plummeting across European nations, as well as in Californiawhich had previously been the companys stronghold. The EV makers sales in Australia are down 70 percent.Additionally, Tesla has suffered a growing onslaught of vandalism ever since Musk became a prominent fixture of the Trump administration. Dealerships across the U.S. have been vandalized, shot up, and set on fire, and a growing protest movement is taking aim at the companys bottom line.

RIOS and Field Operations to Transform Chicagos West Side and United Center Area into a Mixed-Use NeighborhoodSave this picture!The 1901 Project Master Plan Aerial View Designed by RIOS - render. Image Studio LadderThe United Center arena in Chicago, designed by HOK Sport (now Populous), Marmon Mok, and W.E. Simpson Company, was built between 1992 and 1994. With a capacity of over 20,000 seats for sports and general events, it includes more than 6,000 parking spaces in lots surrounding the arena. These parking lots span approximately 55 acres (over 22 hectares) in Chicago's West Side (1901 W. Madison Street). A new master plan, named the 1901 Project, aims to transform this space into a mixed-use neighborhood. Led by design collective RIOS, with contributions from landscape architecture studio Field Operations, this long-term, multi-phase project aims to connect neighborhoods by creating new public spaces and infrastructure on a metropolitan scale. The proposal recently received approval from the Chicago Plan Commission.Save this picture!Save this picture!According to the United Center Joint Venture, the design draws inspiration from Chicago's motto, Urbs in Horto (City in a Garden). The 1901 Project includes housing, retail, entertainment, and public open spaces across more than 55 acres of privately owned land surrounding the arena, transforming a previously enclosed area into an interconnected, open neighborhood. The project's client describes this $7 billion private investment as a "catalytic development" intended to activate the district year-round as a destination to live, work, and play. It represents a major shift for an underutilized area of Chicago, which currently serves primarily as a parking zone for event-driven automobile traffic.Save this picture!Save this picture!In contrast to its current function, RIOS emphasizes that the new development would incorporate historical urban features and restore pedestrian activity. The firm highlights walkability as a key principle, incorporating open pedestrian spaces, including a park and walking paths, as part of an integrated urban design strategy. According to Sebastian Salvad, Creative Director and Partner at RIOS, the project features "a network of plazas and paseos that echo the city's pre-automobile urban fabric", linked by a continuous elevated park draped over the district's rooftops. More than 10 acres of the masterplan are reserved for integrated public spaces accessible for everyone, including the signature elevated park designed by Field Operations. Related Article How Can Cities Cool down Large Urban Car Parks? Following approval from the Chicago Plan Commission, the project's next steps include review by the zoning committee and final consideration by the Chicago City Council. If approved, construction of the first phase is expected to begin in spring 2025. This initial phase includes a 6,000-seat theater-style music hall designed by RIOS, an elevated park spanning more than 10 acres (around 4 hectares), redesigned parking facilities, bike lanes, pedestrian paths, and a mix of hospitality and retail buildings. Future phases of the project plan to introduce housing, an expanded multi-modal transportation infrastructure, and targeted projects focused on the enhancement of public spaces established in the first phase. The United Center estimates the project's full completion within 10 years.Save this picture!Save this picture!The project represents an update to one of Chicago's largest infrastructural spaces, adapting it to contemporary environmental and urban needs. Large surface parking areas, which in the U.S. have been estimated to occupy approximately 5% of the land, have been identified as contributors to urban heat islands. The redevelopment of these spaces has been increasingly explored in urban regeneration efforts, often in comparison to land designated for housing construction. New approaches to parking infrastructure can be seen globally, such as the laminated wood garage by Herrmann + Bosch Architekten or the use of rammed earth in the Neuenburg am Rhein parking garage by MONO Architekten. Designs such as these aim to enhance human interaction in spaces originally designed for cars while mitigating their socio-environmental impact.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorCite: Antonia Pieiro. "RIOS and Field Operations to Transform Chicagos West Side and United Center Area into a Mixed-Use Neighborhood" 05 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027619/rios-and-field-operations-to-transform-chicagos-west-side-and-united-center-area-into-a-mixed-use-neighborhood&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream