House of DavidAmazonIt may be getting completely lost among the larger pop culture conversation surrounding the most popular shows on TV, but Amazon Prime Videos House of David is quietly putting up solid numbers for the streaming service, behind only its two monster shows, Reacher and Invincible, both in the middle of airing new seasons.House of David is an adaptation of well, the Bible. Its a rare, Christianity-based series on a high profile streaming service, and its further proof theres a market for such a thing. Weve only seen shows like this with any amount of traction a few times before. The highest-profile one would be The Chosen, also on Amazon, which has clearly realized theres a larger market for this type of production. The Chosen has run for four seasons now, and if there is something emblematic of this trend, it would be the fact that this does not have enough critic reviews for a Rotten Tomatoes score, but it has a 97% audience score, and an incredible 9.2/10 on IMDB. Theres quite the disconnect there.House of David does havefive critic reviews in, giving it a 60%, but the show has an 89% audience score. Not quite as well-received as The Chosen. House of David may return for season 2, but its not clear yet if thats going to happen.Amazon Top 10AmazonHouse of David cast the totally unknown Michael Iskander as David, where this is his first credited role. It also stars hulking bodybuilder Martyn Ford as all-important David foe, Goliath, where that confrontation will be the season finale. At 68, tattooed and exploding with muscle, Ford is something to behold. The only name I recognize from this cast list is Avatars Stephen Lang as Samuel. Aylet Zurer is Queen Ahinoam. You might not know her, but she was Supermans mother in Man of Steel, way back when.There is a big market for Christian, Bible-based series. Its just that we dont often see them produced in Hollywood. Amazon seems to be starting to understand the market for this, plus they are widely watched paired with what has to be a relatively small budget compared to other series. Though, perhaps we should have seen this lesson learned back in 2004 when The Passion of the Christ made $611 million worldwide. Even Darren Aronofskys trippy, mostly Biblically-inaccurate Noah made $359 million in 2014.I would expect to see Amazon, or even other streaming services, start to find more content in the Bible given its vast amount of stories, potentially low cost and obvious level of audience interest. For now, it seems to mainly be Amazon who get it.Follow me , and .Pick up my sci-fi novels the and

A partner with a secure attachment style makes love feel easy and rewardingeven during rocky ... [+] patches. Heres how to tell if you have one.gettyTrue love shouldnt feel like walking on eggshells. It shouldnt feel like a constant test of loyalty, a game of guessing whats really on your partners mind, nor a balancing act between feeling close and giving space. Instead, at its best, love should feel safe.This sense of safety (or lack thereof) is usually the product of ones attachment style. Those with a secure attachment style bring a pervasive sense of trust, emotional maturity and stability to their relationshipssomething that can feel quite refreshing if youve consistently been with people who struggle with high levels of insecurity.If youve ever wondered whether your partner comes from such a secure space, here are three key signs that they do.1. Theyre Okay With Missing YouFrom a psychological standpoint, secure attachment is built on trust. As classic research from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests, securely attached individuals are far more trusting of their partners than others. They understand that relationships dont require permanent proximity to remain strong and view their partners social life as separate from their own, without feeling threatened by it.For instance, say youve been looking forward to a night out with your friends all week. You and your partner have spent plenty of time togetherbut tonight, you just want to kick back and enjoy yourself.An anxiously attached partner might bombard you with texts throughout the nightasking when youre coming home or worrying that youre having too much fun without them. They might say something like, I just dont get why you want to go without me, or Are you sure you wont forget about me while youre out?On the other hand, an avoidantly attached partner might pretend they dont care at all, but later, you notice theyre cold and withdrawn. Instead of admitting they missed you, they might act distantalmost as if theyre punishing you for enjoying yourself.However, all that a securely attached partner would say is, Have a great time! Send me a picture if you guys do something fun. I cant wait to hear all about it when you get home.Thats it. No guilt-tripping, no last-minute attempts to change your mind, no silent treatment later on. Simply put, a secure partner feels safe and trusting enough to go a few hours without you. They have no problem with missing you because they remember that no matter how much fun you have without them, theyll always be the one you return home to.This security extends beyond nights out with friends. It means they trust you when you travel for work, when you take on new personal projects and when you build new friendships outside of the relationship.They dont view your independence as a threat; instead, they know it as a sign of a healthy, balanced partnership. And when you return home, they welcome you with open armsnever suspicion.2. They Excel At Communicating EffectivelyPicture yourself on a particularly rough day. Something at work upset you, and youre quieter than usual. An anxiously attached partner might keep asking whats wrongeven when you say youre not ready to talk.If you stay quiet, they might assume theyve done something wrong and start spiraling, asking, Is it me? Did I say something? Are you mad at me? Before you know it, youre managing their emotions instead of your own.An avoidantly attached partner, on the other hand, might register that something is off, but they wont really do anything about it. They might avoid eye contact, leave the room or pretend not to notice your distress.They figure, If they want to talk, theyll say something, completely disregarding the importance of emotional attunement. If they make any attempt at all, itd likely be a half-hearted You okay?, which they drop as soon as you say Im fine or I dont want to talk about it.In contrast, a securely attached partner notices that this situation isnt necessarily about them and recognizes the need for tact. Instead, they say, Hey, I can tell that youre out of sorts today. I want to be there for you, but I cant if I dont know whats wrong. When youre ready, lets talk about it together?Their tone is warm and open, and theres no pressure. If you say yes, they listen attentively; if you say no, they respect your space but remind you theyre there if you change your mind.This respectful yet attentive nature is one of the most rewarding results of a secure attachment stylenamely, according to 2015 research from Frontiers in Psychology, emotional availability.In theory, this refers to the ability to be open and willing to work towards maintaining a healthy emotional connection. And in practice, this means that emotionally available partners dont shy away from emotional depth. Theyre unafraid of tough conversations and dont rely on mind games or passive-aggressive hints. Instead, they communicate with directness and care.This kind of emotional security is a holy grail in partnerships. It means fewer misunderstandings, fewer cold wars and fewer moments where you feel like youre talking to a brick wall. Instead, you feel truly seen and heardeven when youre not saying anything.Secure partners read between the lines when they need to, and listen actively when theres something they need to hear.3. They Dont Make Conflict DramaticPsychologists have long observed that secure individuals handle conflict in a way that strengthens relationships rather than weakening them. As research from The American Journal of Family Therapy demonstrates, securely attached partners are experts in verbal engagement, self-disclosure and open-ended discussions.In other words, they view disagreements or conflict as an opportunity to gain invaluable understanding of their partnernot as something that threatens the entire relationship.For example, say you have to bring up something thats bothering you. Perhaps your partner said somethinga joke or a fleeting statementthat inadvertently hit an exposed nerve, hurting your feelings. You sit them down and say, Hey, I just wanted to talk about something. When you said that thing earlier, it really hurt my feelings.An anxiously attached partner will likely over-apologize to the point that youll end up comforting them. Oh my God, Im the worst! I always mess up! Do you even love me anymore? By the end, you realize the whole conversation was about their fears of abandonmentand your feelings are still very much unaddressed.An avoidantly attached partner, conversely, would probably respond defensively, saying, Youre overreacting. It was just a joke. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? They shut down the conversation before it even begins, which only serves to make you feel as though your hurt is unjustified.In comparison, a securely attached partner would never roll their eyes, turn it into an argument or immediately try to make it about themselves. Instead, they listen until youve finished explaining your side.Only once youre done would they say something along the lines of, Wow, I didnt realize that came off that waybut after hearing your perspective, I totally understand why youd be upset. Im really sorry, and thank you for telling me.Once the serious part of the conversation is over, they might even use humor or affection as a form of an olive branch. Theres no bitterness or resentmentonly the desire to reconnect and move forward.They never resort to childish silent treatments, and they wont start explosive fights over minor issues. Moreover, neither of you feel like youre walking on eggshells to avoid triggering one another. Instead, problems are addressed, solutions are foundand, most importantly, both of you walk away feeling understood and stronger than where you started.Do you feel as securely attached to your partner as they do to you? Take this science-backed test to learn more: Relationship Satisfaction Scale

Facepalm: Those who still own DVDs or have movie collections from the 2000s should check them for Warner Bros. logos and see if the discs have rotted. Unfortunately, many affected titles aren't available in other formats, and the company cannot replace all of them, increasing the risk of many classic movies and TV shows becoming lost. Film collectors recently discovered that potentially hundreds of Warner Bros. DVDs released between 2006 and 2008 have become unplayable due to laser rot. The company has promised to replace some affected titles, but others may become much harder to find through official channels.Warner Bros. has confirmed the issue and advised customers with damaged discs to contact customer support. However, the company will only replace titles that are still in print. Unfortunately, many affected DVDs are either out of print or locked behind licensing restrictions.Users on the Steve Hoffman music forums have compiled an extensive list of approximately 200 known affected titles, many of which include classic movies and TV shows spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s.Notable examples include Blade Runner, several seasons of the 1950s Superman live-action TV show, Animaniacs, Batman: The Animated Series, Looney Tunes, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Tales From the Crypt, Popeye, The Wizard of Oz, and many more. No cases of rotting Blu-rays have been reported so far. Some DVDs won't play at all, while others may stop or skip at certain points.Some damaged titles have been re-released on Blu-ray or made available on streaming services, but many have not received new editions since their original DVD releases in the 2000s. Titles that exist only on DVD and cannot be reprinted are at risk of being lost. Cinephiles may also argue about differences in transfer quality between later versions, claiming that the lost DVDs were the definitive editions. // Related StoriesPhysical media has become a refuge for film buffs as streaming services routinely remove content from their catalogs. Warner Bros. has already drawn widespread criticism for deleting unreleased films like Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme.However, users have long understood that optical discs are not foolproof. Various factors such as format, manufacturing processes, and storage conditions can make some discs unreadable after one or two decades. Common causes include scuffs, exposure to ultraviolet light, chemical reactions with contaminants, oxidation of the reflective layer, and the de-bonding of adhesive layers.Those concerned about losing DVDs to disc rot should consider backing them up and periodically making new copies. Fortunately, DVDs are easier to copy and backup than Blu-rays with a PC optical drive and the right software.

The big picture: A recent analysis of emissions data from the Carbon Majors database has revealed a troubling trend: emissions from the world's largest oil, gas, coal, and cement producers increased in 2023 compared to the previous year. This rise is particularly alarming given the overwhelming scientific evidence linking greenhouse gas emissions to catastrophic global warming. The data indicates that over 50 percent of these emissions can be attributed to just 36 high-emitting companies, with state-owned enterprises playing a significant role.In 2023, 93 companies in the database increased their emissions, including 50 investor-owned firms. State-owned enterprises dominated global emissions, with 16 of the top 20 state-owned emitters contributing 52 percent. Chinese companies were particularly prominent, accounting for 23 percent of global fossil fuel and cement-related CO emissions, maintaining their lead from the previous year.Cement emissions saw a significant rise, with four of the five companies experiencing the greatest relative increases in emissions being cement producers: Holcim Group, Heidelberg Materials, UltraTech Cement, and CRH.Biggest CO emitters in the fossil fuel industry (2023 data)State ownedAramco (Saudi Arabia)1,839Coal India (India)1,548CHN Energy (China)1,533NIOC (Iran)1,262Jinneng Group (China)1,228Investor ownedExxonMobil (US)562Chevron (US)487Shell (UK)418TotalEnergies (France)359BP (UK)347The Carbon Majors database has been instrumental in advancing climate accountability worldwide. It has been used as evidence in legal cases and regulatory actions, including supporting Climate Superfund laws in Vermont and New York.The database has also been referenced in efforts to quantify the role of fossil fuel companies in exacerbating extreme weather events and in legal advocacy for potential criminal charges against fossil fuel executives. // Related StoriesThe top five state-owned emitters Saudi Aramco, Coal India, CHN Energy, National Iranian Oil Co., and Jinneng Group were responsible for 17.4 percent of global CO emissions in 2023. Meanwhile, the top five investor-owned emitters ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP accounted for 4.9 percent of global emissions.If Saudi Aramco were a country, it would rank as the fourth largest emitter globally, while ExxonMobil's emissions are comparable to Germany's.The dataset, which spans emissions from 1854 to 2023, reveals that 67.5 percent of anthropogenic industrial CO emissions since the Industrial Revolution can be traced to 180 corporate and state-producing entities.The International Energy Agency has emphasized that new fossil fuel projects initiated after 2021 are incompatible with achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, an increasingly urgent goal as global emissions continue to rise.To meet the internationally agreed target of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C, global emissions must decrease by 45 percent by 2030. However, with emissions still on the rise, the challenge of mitigating climate change remains daunting.

The hero shooter genre has been around for years but really started hitting its stride in the latest console generation. A lot of the best PS5 games are still narrative-focused games, but more and more of the best FPS games are starting to crack that list, with hero shooters being especially popular. These games give more personality and depth to your normal run-and-gun experience with unique characters that have their own movesets that add new layers to the gameplay. This makes it so games are determined by more than just who has the best aim and reflexes. Thanks to most of them being cross-platform games, hero shooters are easy to jump into and find matches with, but first, you need to find the right one for you. Here are the current best hero shooters you can play on PS5.There are also a ton of upcoming PS5 games that could be the next big hero shooter phenomenon.Recommended VideosRelatedEditors Recommendations

When it comes to bright and colorful TVs, one brand you can always rely on is Samsung. A longstanding titan in the AV marketplace, Samsungs award-winning QLED and OLED models have been keeping folks happy for years on end, and as luck would have it, we came across a fantastic offer on one of Samsungs biggest and best for 2024:Right now, when you purchase the Samsung 75-inch QN800D 8K QLED directly through Samsung, and a few other retailers, youll only pay $3,300. Mind you, thats a $500 discount off the TVs $4,000 MSRP. This is one of the final deals of the Discover Samsung Spring Event, ending on Sunday!One of the main selling points of the QN800D is the future-proofing youll get by investing in 8K technology. At this point, the resolution is still in its infancy, with not much in the way of content being offered, but Samsung had bigger plans for the increased pixel count. Thanks to powerful picture processing and 8K upscaling, the QN800D does a phenomenal job of enhancing lower-res media, giving all your favorite movies, shows, and games a polish!RelatedOther noteworthy picture features include Quantum Matrix Pro with Mini LED and Samsungs AI Motion Enhancer, which works alongside the TVs native 120Hz refresh rate to deliver impeccable motion performance. And thanks to HDMI 2.1 connectivity, VRR and ALLM support, and the TVs built-in Game Mode, the QN800D is an excellent choice for PS5, Xbox, and PC gamers, too.Apps, casting, and smart home controls are made possible by the TVs Tizen OS system, a UI and entertainment platform for everything from Netflix and Hulu to AirPlay 2.The Discover Samsung Spring Event end this weekend, so if you want to save $500, we recommend buying pronto! We also suggest having a look at our lists of the best 8K TV deals, best Samsung TV deals, and best QLED TV deals for even more markdowns on top-selling TVs!Editors Recommendations

Women have broken barriers and changed the TV landscape through many firsts and iconic roles.Diahann Caroll was the first Black woman to win a Golden Globe.Ali Wong became the first Asian woman to win a Primetime Emmy award for a leading role.If the idea of someone holding the title of "first to..." in 2025 seems far-fetched, think again.Despite being over two decades into the 21st century, American society is still reaching new milestones for the representation of women in entertainment, especially in television.In the last 10 years alone, we've seen Zendaya become the first Black woman to win the Emmy award for outstanding lead actress twice, Jodie Whittaker become the first female Doctor on "Doctor Who," and Ali Wong become the first Asian woman to win an Emmy for a leading role.And in July 2024, Lily Gladstone and Kali Reis became the first Indigenous women to be nominated for acting Primetime Emmys.So, in honor of Women's History Month, here's a list of 45 groundbreaking women's contributions to television history.Betty WhiteBetty White was one of the first women to be nominated for an Emmy. NBC/Getty Known as the "first lady of television" and "queen of the small screen," Betty White made her debut in 1939. She was the first woman to produce a national TV show and to star in a sitcom thanks to her variety show, "Life with Elizabeth" (1953-1955). She was also one of the first women to be nominated for an Emmy.She's best known for her roles on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977) and "The Golden Girls" (1985-1992), both of which earned her Emmys. She made many appearances on game shows and even hosted a few like "Just Men!" (1983); White became the first woman to win an Emmy for outstanding game show host.She won another Emmy for her episode of "Saturday Night Live" in 2010where she hosted and drew in over 12 million viewers. She then won a Guinness World Record for having the longest TV career as a female entertainer, spanning around 80 years.After her death on December 31, 2021, White's legacy lives on, especially through the many female TV entertainers she's influenced and inspired.Carol BurnettCarol Burnett broke into comedy when it was dominated by men. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images "The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978) was a variety and comedy series that featured Burnett and other comedians performing various sketches. Her infectious presence, slapstick comedy, and signature ear tug were favorites across the nation. It was cited as one of the best sketch-comedy TV shows by Rolling Stone in 2020.Burnett had a pool of entertainers like Betty White, Lucille Ball, Cher,and Sammy Davis Jr. guest star on her show, too.Her contributions to comedy and TV have been so great that the Golden Globes created the Carol Burnett award in 2018, which has been given to Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Norman Lear, Ryan Murphy, and Ted Danson.Mary Kay StearnsMary Kay Stearns' pregnancy in 1948 was written into the show, making her the first pregnant character onscreen. CBS Photo Archive/Contributor/CBS via Getty Images The first ever sitcom broadcast on network television was "Mary Kay and Johnny" (1947-1950) and starred real-life couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns. They were the first small-screen married couple to share a bed, which was taboo and uncommon, and wasn't seen more consistently for another decade.In 1948, Stearns was pregnant, so it was written into the show, making her the first onscreen pregnant character.Stearns died in 2018 at the age of 93.Lucille BallLucille Ball was the first woman to own a production company. CBS/Getty Images From her start on the comedy "I Love Lucy" (1951-1957), Lucille Ball changed the world of television many times over. When "I Love Lucy" premiered, she advocated for her Cuban husband, Desi Arnaz, amidst the racist mentalities surrounding interracial relationships.The real-life and on-screen couple created their show and filmed it in a new format: live in front of a studio audience and with three cameras rolling rather than one. Ball even helped invent syndication and was successful with "I Love Lucy" being filmed on tape, rather than being broadcast live.Ball made TV history (similar to Mary Kay Stearns) with her second pregnancy being written into her character's storyline. In 1953, the subject almost wasn't allowed on TV, and the word "pregnancy" wasn't used either. The episode where the character gave birthwas also aired the same night the actress actually gave birth, and a record-breaking near 72% of homes with television sets tuned in to watch, MeTV reported.After co-founding Desilu Productions in 1950, divorcing Arnaz in 1960, and buying the company from him in 1962, Ball became the first woman to own and run a major television production company. It went on to produce "The Lucy Show" (1962-1968), "Star Trek" (1966-1969), and "Mission: Impossible" (1966-1973).She died in 1989 at 77 years old.Donna ReedDonna Reed was the first actress and female character to be the lead in a married dynamic on a family sitcom. ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images While "I Love Lucy" primarily focused on the wife in the married duo, "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-1966) was the first family sitcom to do the same.Donna Reed, who lived until 1986, was an Academy Award winner before she had her own TV show and helped develop the series. Reed's impact of placing the focus on the wife rather than the husband, and touching on controversial and important topics like women's rights, was all groundbreaking during the 1950s.Roxie RokerRoxie Roker was part of an interracial couple on "The Jeffersons" when it was still controversial. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Roker, who died in 1995, played neighbor Hellen Willis in the "All in the Family" (1971-1979) spinoff series, "The Jeffersons" (1975-1985). The Black actress was married to a white man on the show (and also in real life), making her part of the first Black and white interracial couple on TV.This came at a time when there were still strong prejudices against interracial relationships. But Helen and Tom were a strong and positive representation of what love could look like.Nichelle NicholsNichelle Nichols had one of the first interracial kisses on TV in "Star Trek" in 1967. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images One of the first and most significant interracial kisses on TV was on "Star Trek" (1966-1969). In 1967, on an episode entitled "Plato's Stepchildren," Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) kisses Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols).Although interracial kisses had been seen between white and Asian characters on TV, this was the first with a white man and Black woman. Nichols made history, first breaking the typecast for Black actresses and second for being part of this significant kiss and moment in TV history. She died in 2022 at the age of 89.Marlo ThomasMarlo Thomas was the first lead whose character was single, living on her own, and without children to be portrayed on TV. ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images The first sitcom to focus on a female lead who was single was "That Girl" (1966-1971). Living on her own, unmarried, and without children, actress Marlo Thomas' real-life experience matched that of her character, Ann Marie.Despite few women being leads on TV before this, they were typically wives and mothers. Thomas helped represent and normalize independent, single women.Mary Tyler MooreMary Tyler Moore helped showcase the lives of single, career-oriented women. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Mary Tyler Moore's most notable contributions to TV were through her role as Mary Richards on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977). A single, 30-something-year-old woman who was career-oriented and freely dated, Moore's character was distinctly different from the typical TV housewife.She was a role model for women entering the workforce in the '70s, and was also sex-positive, something that wasn't highly represented. In one episode, it was likely the first time birth control was mentioned on television, with Richards' mother telling her, "Don't forget to take your pill," The New York Times reported.She died in 2017 at the age of 80.Candice BergenCandice Bergen's character, Murphy Brown, gained attention from the vice president when she decided to raise her child on her own. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images On "Murphy Brown" (1988-1998), Candice Bergen'scharacter decided to raise her child as a single mother in the 1992 season finale. This caused a debate that even prompted Vice President Dan Quayle to comment.On May 19, 1992, Quayle delivered a speech during his re-election campaign with George W. Bush, where he added, "It doesn't help matters when prime-time TV has Murphy Brown, a character who supposedly epitomizes today's intelligent, highly paid professional woman, mocking the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone and calling it just another lifestyle choice," The Washington Post reported.This turned Quayle into the butt of the joke and only heightened Bergen's profile. After already winning two Emmys for her role, Bergen won a third after the pregnancy episode and after Quayle's speech the actress sarcastically thanked him as she accepted the award.Bea ArthurBea Arthur used comedy to tackle feminist topics. Martin Mills/Getty Images It's not a shock that in 1972, a year before Roe v. Wade was originally decided, abortion was a highly sensitive and controversial topic, especially to be discussed on TV. So, on the sitcom "Maude" (1972-1978), when Bea Arthur'slead character became pregnant at 47 years old when she was already a grandmother, an abortion storyline was highly taboo.Over the course of the two-part episode, Maude decided to go through with an abortion. This sparked protest, but it also made Arthur an icon for the feminist movement.Arthur, who died in 2009, continued to take roles that defied societal and gender norms, ageism, and that touched on feminist topics, most notably as Dorothy in "Golden Girls" (1985-1992).Cicely TysonCicely Tyson was the first Black actress to have a continuing role in a TV drama and pledged not to take stereotypical parts. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Cicely Tyson became the first Black woman to star in a TV drama in "East Side/West Side" (1963-1964). She played a social worker's secretary. While her character's job wasn't revolutionary for women, her representation was revolutionary for Black women. Tyson is also widely reported to be one of the first Black women to wear her natural hair on TV.She told Parade magazine in 1972 that she refused to play a drug addict or a maid, according to the National Portrait Gallery."I won't play that kind of characterless role any more, even if I have to go back to starving," Tyson said.The trailblazer died at 96 years old on January 28, 2021.Diahann CarrollDiahann Caroll was the first Black actress to win a Golden Globe. NBC Television/Getty Images Diahann Carroll was the first Black female lead on TV in a non-stereotypical role. On "Julia" (1968-1971), Carroll was a nurse, widow, and single mother. Single mothers weren't typically represented on TV, so her role broke boundaries.In 1969, Carroll became the first Black actress to win a Golden Globe for her performance in "Julia," the Golden Globes reported.Earlier in her career, she also became one of the first Black actresses nominated for an Emmy.Carroll died in 2019 at the age of 84.Debbie AllenDebbie Allen was the first Black woman to win a Golden Globe for best actress in a television series musical or comedy. Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images The legendary choreographer, actor, director, and producer starred as Lydia Grant in the film and television adaptation of "Fame," which ran from 1982-1987.While appearing on the show, Allen became the first Black woman to win a Golden Globe for best actress in a television series musical or comedy in 1983, an award that wouldn't belong to a Black woman again until 34 years later when Tracee Ellis Ross won for her role in "Black-ish."She also served as the show's lead choreographer, winning two Emmys for outstanding achievement in choreography in 1982 and 1983, respectively, and later became its director.Allen's career has progressed to include a large range of acting, directing, producing, and choreography credits which range from projects like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Insecure" to "Dolly Parton's Christmas On The Square."Allen has won a total of five Emmys, receiving a total of 21 nominations, Emmys.com reported.Some of her other achievements include five NAACP Image Awards, four honorary doctorate degrees, one of which came from her alma mater Howard University; entry to the Television Academy Hall of Fame, a Governors Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Pauline FrederickPauline Frederick was the first female full-time news correspondent on ABC. Graphic House/Getty Images Frederick, who died in 1990, had many significant firsts in her career and made impactful differences in the world of news for women. In 1948, she became the first full-time female news correspondent on ABC. This early success broke ground for other newscasters. She went on to work for NBC, where she covered the United Nations for 21 years.In 1976 she made history again when she was the first woman to moderate a televised presidential debate. This transformative moment was for Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford's campaigns.Barbara WaltersBarbara Walters was the first female co-anchor on ABC. ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images After writing and producing women's interest stories on the "Today" show, Walters became its first female co-anchor in 1974. She also became the first female co-anchor for ABC's "Evening News" in 1976.She created the daytime talk show "The View" in 1997, which gives other female voices a platform and is still on the air. Walters' popularity with viewers and interviewees furthered her success. She also appeared on other shows like "World News Tonight" and "20/20" until her retirement in 2014.In 2022, she died at the age of 93.Katie CouricKatie Couric was the first female newscaster to be a solo anchor on network TV. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Couric made TV history when she became the first woman to be a solo anchor for an evening news broadcast.Following in the steps of Barbara Walters, Couric co-anchored for years before taking the helm in 2006 with "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" (2006-2011).Oprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey was the first woman to own, produce, and host her own talk show. Ron Galella/Getty Images Not many people are known worldwide by their first name alone or are as successful as the one and only Oprah.Winfrey was the first woman to own, produce, and host her own talk show with "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986-2011). In 1987, she won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding talk show, an award she'd win three more times throughout her career.Her success helped revolutionize talk shows and helped her create an empire. Winfrey started her own TV network, OWN, in 2011.She became the world's first Black billionaire and now has an estimated net worth of $3 billion, Forbes reported.Ellen DeGeneresEllen DeGeneres came out as gay on her sitcom, making waves years before she hosted a successful talk show. ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images DeGeneres' character on the sitcom "Ellen" (1994-1998) came out as gay in 1997. She was the first actress to do this, and the coming out was also in sync with DeGeneres' real-life announcement of her sexuality, which was shared on an iconic Time magazine cover on April 14, 1997."The Puppy Episode," where she came out, aired on April 30, but it caused a stir among conservative organizations and sponsorsbefore it was even broadcast. The groundbreaking two-part episode became a phenomenon, though, with an outstanding number of views.However, "Ellen" had "parental advisory" warnings on the following episodes and was canceled after its fifth season in 1998. Both DeGeneres and Laura Dern, who guest-starred on "The Puppy Episode," couldn't find work for a couple of years after the episode.DeGeneres had a revival and new phase of her successful TV career, though, with her talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (2003-2022). She's beloved by audiences and uses the tagline "be kind to one another," although accusations by guests and crew members in 2020 painted a less-than-kind picture of the host. In a letter to staff that July, DeGeneres said she was "disappointed to learn" that people working for her did not feel happy or respected.The showended in 2022 after running for 19 seasons.Kerry WashingtonKerry Washington was the first Black actress in 40 years to star as the lead of a drama. Craig Sjodin/Getty Images Kerry Washington played Olivia Pope, a White House communications director, on the acclaimed political drama "Scandal" (2012-2018). She was the first Black female lead in a network TV series since 1974, when Teresa Graves played a police officer on "Get Christie Love!"Washington's performance highlighted the importance of seeing Black women in multidimensional leading roles. Washington won her first BET Award for best actress in 2013 for her role.Viola DavisViola Davis is an EGOT winner. Mitch Haaseth/Getty Images While Viola Davis is perhaps best known for her work on the big screen, she made great strides on TV, too. Starting at the age of 49, Davis played the role of a lawyer and criminal law professor in "How to Get Away with Murder" (2014-2020).Davis became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for lead actress in a drama series in 2015.In 2018, Davis' "How to Get Away with Murder" and Kerry Washington's "Scandal" had a monumental crossover episode, bringing two powerhouse actresses and characters together.Davis has received an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar, and a Tony Award.Alfre WoodardAlfre Woodard was the first actress to play a Black female US president on TV. Steve Granitz/Getty Images Alfre Woodard was the first Black actress to play a US president on TV in "State of Affairs" (2014-2015). Her role mimicked actual possibilities and her real-life experience of previously working in politics.She has also been widely recognized for her work since the 1980s, winning a Golden Globe and four Emmys, and earning nominations for two Grammys, a BAFTA, and an Academy Award.Lynda CarterLynda Carter played one of the first female superheroes. ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images In 1975, Lynda Carter took on the role of Wonder Woman, becoming one of the first female superheroes on television. (Cathy Lee Crosby previously played the character in a TV movie of the same name).Carter led the series until 1979 and is still considered one of the most iconic actresses to have played the part, with the role not welcoming a new face until 2017 with Gal Gadot.Carter also appeared in a post-credits scene in Gadot's "Wonder Woman: 1984."Jodie WhittakerWhittaker played the first female Doctor on "Doctor Who." Astrid Stawiarz/Stringer/Getty Images for BBCAmerica Jodie Whittaker made history in 2017 when she became the first woman to play the Doctor in "Doctor Who."Her episode debut brought in the biggest "Doctor Who" audience in over a decade, with 8.2 million viewers, Bustle reported; and she quickly became a fan-favorite.Whittaker helped design her character's costume and decided to make it comfortable and gender non-specific, specifically with fans in mind, according to an interview with Radio Times.She leftthe series in 2022.

2025-03-08T14:16:02Z Read in app Chad Biagini is the president of Excel Search & Advisory. Excel Sports Management This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Jobs are opening up in the sports industry as teams expand and money flows into the industry.Excel Search & Advisory broke down some of the most in-demand senior positions in sports right now.Senior marketing jobs are hot, as are positions in women's sports.More jobs are opening up in sports as new and emerging leagues find their footing and private equity flows into the sector.Sports teams, in particular, are creating more jobs. They're looking for executives and senior staffers in key areas like marketing and revenue, Chad Biagini, president of Excel Search & Advisory, told Business Insider.Excel Search & Advisory is the executive search arm of sports agency Excel Sports Management. The firm, previously called Nolan Partners, has been around for about 20 years. It helps sports teams, Olympic federations, and media companies fill senior leadership roles on and off the field.Biagini broke down the most in-demand senior positions he's seeing in sports right now and the best ways to land them.Chief marketing officers are "essential" across sports right now, he said. Historically, most teams focused on fans in the local market where they played. Now, their fans can be worldwide. Marketing leaders are critical to this development.Companies are increasingly turning to marketing talent from major consumer brands outside the industry, such as Airbnb, Marriott, and Microsoft."Sports teams more and more are realizing that they are media companies and that they are in a war of trying to get customers and revenue against other big brands, both in and outside of sports," Biagini.Demand is also growing for commercial and revenue chiefs and similar senior roles in sports, Biagini said. That can include leaders focused on areas like ticketing, partnerships, and experiences. Sports companies are finding talent for these roles in adjacent sectors, like media, entertainment, gaming, or even hospitality or consulting.The recent flood of private equity into sports teams and other businesses is largely driving this emphasis on marketing, commercial, and revenue roles. "As private equity comes into more sports teams, most of them are looking and recognizing, if we invest a certain amount of capital, we can significantly grow the valuation by investing and fueling the current success," Biagini said.The rise of women's sports is creating a slew of new jobsAs women's sports become more mainstream, the category is also creating more jobs. "Women's sports is hot right now, too," he said. Biagini has helped place C-suite executives at women's teams in European soccer, the National Women's Soccer League, and the WNBA. He's also seen more general manager roles open up recently across the WNBA and coaching jobs in the NWSL.Some of the growth is coming from expansion teams in these leagues and in soccer clubs in Europe, as well as other areas of women's sports."That's also creating a whole new slew of jobs," Biagini said.He said the rise of women's sports is attracting new talent, too. "A few years ago, attracting talent to that space wasn't the same as it is," said Biagini. "Now you have people hungry and eager and enthusiastic about moving into women's sports."Sports teams lead in job growthLooking across the industry, Biagini said he's seen sports teams grow the most in terms of head count and overall compensation. Biagini said he's seen some league offices, meanwhile, start to cut back in some roles in the last 12 months, such as in their internal consulting and talent acquisition divisions. Sports media, he said, has been the hardest hit from a jobs-growth standpoint, as some roles are being outsourced to independent contractors, and the industry is facing competition from streaming and digital.In the competitive world of sports, networking strength is it's one of the most important skills job candidates could have."Build relationships with people," said Biagini. "Relationships don't go well if you're only asking them for favors and you're not actually investing back. The best relationships are ones where people invest in each other."

In 2012, astronaut Ron Garan did an AMA on Reddit. In between questions about aliens (he didnt see any in space) and where his coffee came from (recycled urine), he responded to a question about why we should accept the risks of a future mission to Mars. Garan quoted a colleague: If the dinosaurs had a space program, theyd still be here.Putting aside the unlikelihood of giant reptiles with brains the size of walnuts developing their version of Apollo 11, the point here is that the dinosaurs were almost certainly wiped out by a nearly 6-mile-wide asteroid that struck the Earth with the destructive power of billions of Hiroshima-scale nuclear bombs, causing an impact winter that cut off sunlight and led to drastic cooling far beyond what most dinosaurs could survive.The dinosaurs, of course, could do nothing about the killer asteroid, other than presumably waving their tiny arms at the oncoming doom. But if they did have a space program and yes, now Im imagining a T. rex in a space suit, swaggering to a rocket like John Glenn in The Right Stuff they might have been able to detect that incoming asteroid decades in advance, and done something to avert their doom.Humans, though, are in a better place as shown by the recent news over an asteroid called 2024 YR4 that briefly appeared to be threatening the Earth. Killer asteroids, briefly explainedThe Chicxulub asteroid that likely wiped out the dinosaurs wasnt the first time a massive asteroid collided with the Earth. An asteroid 12 to 16 miles wide hit the planet more than 2 billion years ago, in what is now Vredefort, South Africa, while another 6 to 10 miles wide hit what is now Sudbury, Ontario 1.85 billion years ago. More recently, a 130-foot-wide space rock exploded 6 miles above Siberia in 1908, creating a blast strong enough to knock over 80 million trees. The Earth exists in a cosmic shooting gallery, and while truly civilization-threatening strikes of the kind seen in movies like Deep Impact are incredibly rare, they do happen. And given enough time, they will happen again. Until very recently, were a Chicxulub-sized asteroid to find itself on a collision course with Earth, we wouldnt have been able to do much more than the dinosaurs did. The result would be global firestorms, massive earthquakes, and potentially megatsunamis, followed by an impact winter that would wipe out the global food supply. Very bad stuff.But were not helpless anymore.Project IcarusLike a lot of cool things, the field of asteroid defense began with a bunch of kids at MIT with brainpower to spare. In 1967, MIT professor Paul Sandorff asked his class to imagine that a real-life asteroid called Icarus, which astronomers had already identified, would hit the Earth in the near-future and it was their job to devise a way to save the world. (In real life, the asteroid came within 4 million miles of the Earth 15 times the distance between our planet and moon, but a close shave by cosmic standards.)So was born Project Icarus. The students created a plan to launch six Saturn V rockets, each carrying a 100-megaton nuclear warhead, at the asteroid. The warheads would detonate near the asteroid and create enough force to alter its trajectory and miss the Earth.For all its careful engineering, Project Icarus was largely science fiction; among other inconveniences, the largest nuclear bomb ever made only had a force of 50 megatons. Our space science was so rudimentary at the time that we had no way to reliably identify potentially dangerous asteroids very far in advance, and no real way to deflect them.But Project Icarus put the idea of asteroid defense out into the public. The discovery of the actual Chicxulub crater in 1990, confirming the likely cause of dinosaurs demise, and the sight of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet walloping Jupiter in 1994, convinced Congress to take the threat of killer asteroids seriously. In 1998, Congress directed NASA to detect and catalog within 10 years at least 90 percent of what are called near-Earth objects (NEOs) that were more than a kilometer wide.NASA and its partners hit that goal with time to spare, and so in 2005, Congress directed the agency to identify at least 90 percent of all NEOs 140 meters or wider not big enough to end the world, but big enough to destroy a city. Though over 18,000 NEOs have been identified, about 40 every week, there may be a million or more out there. That mission continues.Do look upThe recent scare over the asteroid known as 2024 YR4 made this search for killer asteroids so we can knock them off course a bit less academic. (When NEOs are discovered, they are initially given a name that reflects the year of identification, followed by letters and numbers that indicate the order it was identified that year, starting with AA. But the discoverer does get to propose a formal name for it, provided its less than 16 characters and meets the approval of the International Astronomical Union, which is cool.) 2024 YR4 was discovered on December 27 of last year by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) a NASA-funded asteroid detection program with telescopes around the world at its station in Chile. With an estimated diameter of 130 to 300 feet, it wouldnt be a world-ender, but it could cause severe local damage if it were to collide with the Earth. Which was worrying, because early calculations suggested it had as much as a 3.1 percent chance of striking our planet on December 22, 2032.3.1 percent may not seem like much of a risk its about the same chance as flipping a coin five times and getting all heads or all tails but it was three times higher than that of any other large known asteroid. For skywatchers this was a big deal. So they swung into action, pulling in data from observatories run by NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency. Asteroids do offer us the opportunity to stave off at least one kind of planetary disaster because, like all objects in space, they follow a clear and largely predictable orbit. An asteroid impact happens when the orbits of the object and the Earth intersect, like two cars trying to merge onto the highway. Get enough data, do some math, and scientists can figure out with astounding precision whether the Earth will suffer a cosmic fender bender decades into the future.Once the new measurements were taken and the math was done, the probability of YR4 hitting the Earth began to decline, eventually falling to just 0.004 percent. Crisis, such as it was, averted. But while YR4 wont be obliterating any cities, it did provide an invaluable test for planetary defense science one we passed.Planetary defenseNow, what would happen if a big asteroid was confirmed to be on a collision course impact path with Earth? While our asteroid detection systems are way ahead of our asteroid defense systems, there are some options, at least theoretically.Project Icarus had already figured it out back in the 1960s: You dont need to destroy an asteroid to protect the Earth you just need to give it a slight nudge. Treat it like the eight ball on a pool table, and knock it away. The cue ball in this analogy would be something known as a kinetic impactor a spacecraft that crashes into the asteroid with enough force to alter its orbit.We know this can work. On September 26, 2022, NASAs Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) collided with the tiny asteroid Dimorphos, more than 7 million miles from Earth. DART was a success, shortening Dimorphoss orbit by 32 minutes. DART wasnt perfect. The collision also unleashed a swarm of boulders, demonstrating some of the unintended consequences of smashing something into a space rock at roughly 14,760 mph. As the science writer Robin Andrews pointed out on X, DART was proof of principle at best, and not yet something we could use on an asteroid like YR4 if we needed. Of course, a much bigger asteroid that would actually threaten the whole planet would require far, far more force to deflect, and technology we dont yet have. (No, we cannot yet send up oil drillers with a nuclear bomb, like Bruce Willis in Armageddon.) But still. Thanks to brilliant space scientists, international collaboration, and yes, even an act of Congress, our species is closer to being able to permanently protect itself from a natural existential risk that has obliterated the dominant species in our planets past. If thats not good news, I dont know what is. A version of this story originally appeared in the Good News newsletter. Sign up here!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:

By Margherita Bassi Published March 8, 2025 | Comments (4) | Researchers develop a small battery powered by nuclear waste radiation. D5481026, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Unlike burning fossil fuels, nuclear power plants release very few greenhouse gases. Theyre safer than theyve ever been, and currently generate around a fifth of the U.S.s electricity. However, nuclear power plants produce hazardous waste, and scientists are still searching for effective ways to manage this dangerous byproduct. What if we could do more than just store itwhat if we could use it to create more energy? Inspired by this idea, researchers in Ohio have developed a small battery powered by nuclear waste. They exposed scintillator crystalsa material that emits light when it absorbs radiationto gamma radiation, which is produced by nuclear waste. The crystals light then powered a solar battery. The study, published January 29 in the journal Optical Materials: X, demonstrates that background levels of gamma radiation could power small electronics, such as microchips. Were harvesting something considered as waste and by nature, trying to turn it into treasure, lead author Raymond Cao said in an Ohio State University statement. He is the director of Ohio States Nuclear Reactor Lab. The team tested the battery prototype with cesium-137 and cobalt-60, common radioactive byproducts of nuclear reactors. Using cesium-137, the battery produced 288 nanowatts of power, while cobalt-60 generated 1.5 microwattsenough to power a small sensor. Though this might seem like a small victorya standard 10W LED light bulb requires 10 million microwattsCao and his colleagues argue that their approach could be scaled up to power technology at the watt scale (as opposed to microwatts) or even higher. Such batteries could be used in environments where nuclear waste is produced, such as nuclear waste storage pools. They have the potential to be long-lasting and require little to no routine maintenance.The nuclear battery concept is very promising, said Ibrahim Oksuz, co-author of the study and an Ohio State mechanical and aerospace engineer. Theres still lots of room for improvement, but I believe in the future, this approach will carve an important space for itself in both the energy production and sensors industry. The researchers also noted that the structure of the scintillator crystals may affect the batterys energy output, theorizing that larger crystals absorb more radiation and emit more light. A solar battery with a larger surface area can also absorb more light, and consequently produce more energy.This two-step process is still in its preliminary stages, but the next step involves generating greater watts with scale-up constructs, Oksuz explained. Currently, scaling this technology would be expensive, and more research is necessary to refine the findings. Nevertheless, the study proves that with enough ingenuity, one persons waste can really be another persons treasureor in this case, a source of energy.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Margherita Bassi Published January 15, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published December 21, 2024 By Adam Kovac Published September 10, 2024 By Kyle Barr Published June 6, 2024 By Maxwell Zeff Published March 11, 2024 By Lucas Ropek Published February 1, 2024