The former CEO of Cadence Design Systems, steps in as the semiconductor manufacturer has lost market share.

Inspired by the curious collections that were the precursors to modern museums, the Museum at FIT highlights garments witty, strange and startling in a delightful exhibition.

The museum devotes an exhibition to an often overlooked era of Chinese bronzes, emphasizing both the artistic and political stakes of producing these astonishing works.

Surprisingly good Large study shows drinking alcohol is good for your cholesterol levels There are many risks from drinking, but high cholesterol doesn't seem to be one. Beth Mole Mar 12, 2025 6:29 pm | 0 Group of friends toasting with beer on the terrace during hot summer days. Credit: Getty | SimpleImages Group of friends toasting with beer on the terrace during hot summer days. Credit: Getty | SimpleImages Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreDrinking alcohol is bad in many ways; raising a glass can raise your risks of various health problems, such as accidental injuries, liver diseases, high blood pressure, and several types of cancers. But, it's not all badin fact, it's surprisingly good for your cholesterol levels, according to a study published today in JAMA Network Open.Researchers at Harvard University led the study, and it included nearly 58,000 adults in Japan who were followed for up to a year using a database of medical records from routine checkups. Researchers found that when people switched from being nondrinkers to drinkers during the study, they saw a drop in their "bad" cholesterolaka low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or LDL. Meanwhile, their "good" cholesterolaka high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or HDLwent up when they began imbibing. HDL levels went up so much, that it actually beat out improvements typically seen with medications, the researchers noted.On the other hand, drinkers who stopped drinking during the study saw the opposite effect: Upon giving up booze, their bad cholesterol went up and their good cholesterol went down.The cholesterol changes scaled with the changes in drinking. That is, for people who started drinking, the more they started drinking, the lower their LDL fell and higher their HDL rose. In the newly abstaining group, those who drank the most before quitting saw the biggest changes in their lipid levels.Specifically, people who went from drinking zero drinks to 1.5 drinks per day or less saw their bad LDL cholesterol fall 0.85 mg/dL and their good HDL cholesterol go up 0.58 mg/dL compared to nondrinkers who never started drinking. For those that went from zero to 1.5 to three drinks per day, their bad LDL dropped 4.4 mg/dL and their good HDL rose 2.49 mg/dL. For people who started drinking three or more drinks per day, their LDL fell 7.44 mg/dL and HDL rose 6.12 mg/dL.For people who quit after drinking 1.5 drinks per day or less, their LDL rose 1.10 mg/dL and their HDL fell by 1.25 mg/dL. Quitting after drinking 1.5 to three drinks per day, led to a rise in LDL of 3.71 mg/dL and a drop in HDL of 3.35. Giving up three or more drinks per day led to an LDL increase of 6.53 mg/dL and a drop in HDL of 5.65.The good and the badFor reference, the optimal LDL level for adults is less than 100 mg/dL, and optimal HDL is 60 mg/dL or higher. Higher LDL levels can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and other health problems, while higher HDL has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease. Though some of the changes reported in the study were small, the researchers note that they could be meaningful in some cases. For instance, an increase of 5 mg/dL in LDL is enough to raise the risk of a cardiovascular event by 2 percent to 3 percent.The researchers ran three different models to adjust for a variety of factors, including basics like age, sex, body mass index, as well as medical conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, and lifestyle factors, such as exercise, dietary habits, and smoking. All the models showed the same associations. They also broke out the data by what kinds of alcohol people reported drinkingwine, beer, sake, other liquors and spirits. The results were the same across the categories.The study isn't the first to find good news for drinkers' cholesterol levels, though it's one of the larger studies with longer follow-up time. And it's long been found that alcohol drinking seems to have some benefits for cardiovascular health. A recent review and meta-analysis by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that moderate drinkers had lower relative risks of heart attacks and strokes. The analysis also found that drinkers had a lower risk of all-cause mortality (death by any cause). The study did, however, find increased risks of breast cancer. Another recent review found increased risk of colorectal, female breast, liver, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus cancers.In all, the new cholesterol findings aren't an invitation for nondrinkers to start drinking or for heavy drinkers to keep hitting the bottle hard, the researchers caution. There are a lot of other risks to consider. For drinkers who aren't interested in quitting, the researchers recommend taking it easy. And those who do want to quit should keep a careful eye on their cholesterol levels.In their words: "Public health recommendations should continue to emphasize moderation in alcohol consumption, but cholesterol levels should be carefully monitored after alcohol cessation to mitigate potential [cardiovascular disease] risks," the researchers conclude.Beth MoleSenior Health ReporterBeth MoleSenior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technicas Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 0 Comments

Pressing pause Sonos streaming box is reportedly canceled. Good riddance. Opinion: The long-rumored Sonos streaming box wasn't a good idea anyway. Scharon Harding Mar 12, 2025 6:13 pm | 1 Credit: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Credit: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreSonos has canceled plans to release a streaming box, The Verge reported today. The audio company never publicly confirmed that it was making a streaming set-top box, but rumors of its impending release have been floating around since November 2023. With everything that both Sonos and streaming users have going on right now, though, a Sonos-branded rival to the Apple TV 4K wasnt a good idea anyway.Bloombergs Mark Gurman was the first to report on Sonos purported streaming ambitions. He reported that Sonos device would be a black box that cost $150 to $200.At first glance, it seemed like a reasonable idea. Sonos was facing increased competition for wireless speakers from big names like Apple and Bose. Meanwhile, Sonos speaker sales growth had slowed down, making portfolio diversification seem like a prudent way to protect business.By 2025, however, the reported plans for Sonos streaming box sounded less reasonable and appealing, while the market for streaming devices had become significantly more competitive.A saturated marketIn February, The Verge, citing anonymous sources, reported that Sonos was now planning a streaming player that would cost between $200 and $400. Thats a lot to charge in a market where most people have already found their preferred platform. Those who want something cheap and dont mind ads settle for something like Roku. People who hate ads opt for an Apple TV box. There are people who swear by their Fire Sticks and plenty who are happy with whatever operating system (OS) their smart TV arrives with. Sonos would have struggled to convince people who have successfully used some of those streaming devices for years that they suddenly need a new one that's costlier than alternatives, including some smart TVs. In the US especially, the TV OS market is considered heavily saturated, presenting an uphill battle for newcomers.Without Sonos ever confirming its streaming device, it's hard to judge what the company would've offered to lure people to a new streaming platform. Perhaps the Sonos box could have worked better with Sonos devices than non-Sonos streaming devices. But vendor lock-in isn't the best way to try to win new customers. That approach would also force Sonos to test if it's accrued the type of customer loyalty as a company like Apple. Much of the goodwill needed for such customer loyalty was blatantly obliterated, though, during Sonos' botched app update last year.According to The Verge, Sonos box didnt even have a standout appearance. The publication said that by February 2025, the box was deep into development, and about as nondescript as streaming hardware gets.Viewed from the top, the device is a flattened black square and slightly thicker than a deck of trading cards, The Verge reported at the time, citing images it reviewed.Among the most appealing planned features was unified content from various streaming apps, like Netflix and Max, with universal search across streaming accounts." With the growing number of streaming services required to watch all your favorite content, this would be a good way to attract streamers but not necessarily a unique one. The ability to offer a more unified streaming experience is already being tackled by various smart TV OSes, including Samsung Tizen and Amazon Fire OS, as well as the Apple TV app and sister streaming services, like Disney+ and Hulu.A potentially ad-riddled OSTheres reason to suspect that the software that Sonos streaming box would have come out with wouldve been ad-coddling, user-tracking garbage.In January, Janko Roettgers reported that ad giant The Trade Desk was supplying Sonos with its core smart TV OS and facilitating deals with app publishers, while Sonos worked on the streaming boxs hardware and user interface. The Trade Desk makes one of the worlds biggest demand-side platforms and hasnt made streaming software or hardware before.Sonos opting for The Trade Desk's OS would have represented a boastful commitment to advertisers. Among the features that The Trade Desk markets its TV OS as having are a "cleaner supply chain for streaming TV advertising and cross-platform content discovery, something that Sonos was reportedly targeting for its streaming hardware.When reached for comment, a Sonos spokesperson confirmed that Sonos was working with The Trade Desk, saying: "We dont comment on our roadmap, but as has been previously announced we have a long-standing relationship with The Trade Desk and that relationship continues."Sonos should take a moment to regroupIts also arguable that Sonos has much more important things to do than try to convince people that they need expensive, iterative improvements to their streaming software and hardware. Sonos bigger focus should be on convincing customers that it can still handle its bread and butter, which is audio devices.In November 2023, when word first dropped about Sonos reported streaming plans, there was no doubt that Sonos understood how to make quality speakers. But last year, Sonos tarnished its reputation by rushing an app update to coincide with its first wireless headphones, the Sonos Ace. The apps launch will go down as one of the biggest app failures in history. Sonos employees would go on to say that Sonos rushed the update with insufficient testing, resulting in Sonos device owners suddenly losing key features, like accessibility capabilities and the abilities to edit song queues and playlists and access local music libraries. Owners of older Sonos devices, aka long-time Sonos customers, were the most affected. Amid the fallout, hundreds of people were laid off, Sonos market value dropped by $600 million, and the company pegged initial remediation costs at $20 million to $30 million.At this point, Sonos best hope at recovering losses is restoring the customer trust and brand reputation that it took years to build and months to deplete.Sonos could also use time to recover and distill lessons from its most recent attempt at entering a new device category. Likely due to the app controversy associated with the cans, the Ace hasnt been meeting sales expectations, per a February report from The Verge citing anonymous sources. If Sonos should learn anything from the Ace, its that breaking into a new field requires time, patience, and incredible attention to detail, including how long-time and incoming customers want to use their gear.Of course, financial blowback from the app debacle could be more directly behind why Sonos isnt releasing a streaming box. Additionally, Sonos saw numerous executive changes following the app fiasco, including the departure of the CEO who greenlit the streaming box, Patrick Spence. New executive leaders, including a new chief product officer and chief marketing officer, could have different views on the value of Sonos to enter the streaming market too.Sonos' spokesperson didn't answer Ars' questions about Sonos' reported plans to cancel the streaming box and whether the decision is related to the companys app woes.Sonos may have dodged a bulletUltimately, it didnt sound like Sonos streaming box had the greatest potential to disrupt other TV streaming platforms already settled into peoples homes. Its possible Sonos had other products that werent leaked. But the company would have had to come up with a unique and helpful feature in order to command a high price and compete with the likes of Apples TV 4K set-top box.Even if Sonos came up with some killer feature or app for its streaming box, people are a lot less likely to gamble on a new product from the company now than they were before 2024s app catastrophe. Sonos should prove that it can handle the basics before attempting to upcharge technologists for new streaming hardware.Sonos streaming ambitions may only be off the table for now, new CEO Tom Conrad reportedly told employees today, per The Verge. But its probably best that Sonos focus its attention elsewhere for a while.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 1 Comments

A two-atom-thick layer of bismuth sandwiched between two layers of molybdenum disulphideLuojun DuSheets of metal just two atoms thick can be produced by squashing molten droplets at great pressure between two sapphires. The researchers who developed the process say the unusual materials could have applications in industrial chemistry, optics and computers.Last year, scientists created a gold sheet that was a single atom thick, which they dubbed goldene after graphene, a material made of a single layer of carbon atoms. Such materials have been described as two-dimensional, as they are as thin as chemically possible. AdvertisementBut making other 2D metals hadnt been possible until now. The new technique, developed by Luojun Du at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues, can create 2D sheets of bismuth, gallium, indium, tin and lead that are as thin as their atomic bonds allow.To squeeze the metal, the researchers used two extremely flat sapphire crystals with a thin layer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as the jaws of a vice. They placed powdered metal between these jaws, heated it up to 400C until it formed a droplet, then crushed it at an enormous pressure of up to 200 megapascals. The metal was compressed until it was a few atoms thick or, in the case of bismuth, just two then allowed to cool. When the pressure was removed, the 2D metal was sandwiched between the MoS2 sheets, which then slipped away from the sapphires.Du says the process was conceived eight years ago, but only recently bore fruit when the team discovered that the MoS2 layers kept the thin metal sheets stable. A single layer of free-standing metal atoms is simply unstable from a thermodynamic point of view. Therefore, we [had to] develop entirely new techniques, says Du. The process seems simple, but it works.The latest science news delivered to your inbox, every day.Sign up to newsletterAs well as making extremely thin layers of atoms, the researchers were able to fine-tune the squeezing pressure and make metal plates three, four or more atoms thick with precision.2D metals could have unusual properties that help scientists explore macroscopic quantum phenomena and superconductivity, says Du, and may lead to ultra-low power transistors, transparent displays for computers and extremely efficient catalysts for chemical reactions.One issue is that the MoS2 encapsulating the metal sheet cant be easily removed. Du says this may be problematic for some applications, but experiments suggest they dont affect electrical conductivity, so they wouldnt prevent the 2D metal being used in electronic devices.Journal referenceNature DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08711-xTopics:

2025-03-12T21:25:49Z Read in app Ayo Edebiri and Elon Musk. Arturo Holmes/Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Ayo Edebiri called Elon Musk an "idiot" on her Instagram story for spreading a fake casting rumor.The rumor claimed Edebiri was being eyed for a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.Musk shared the fake info on X, writing, "Disney sucks." Edebiri said it triggered online attacks."The Bear" star Ayo Edebiri has some choice words for DOGE overseer Elon Musk after he helped spread a fake casting rumor last year that she said triggered a slew of attacks against her."Just remembering when I got some of the most insane death threats and racial slurs of my life (idk if it's the #1 moment, but for sure top 3) for a fake reboot of a movie I had never even heard of because of this man LMAO," Edebiri wrote on her Instagram story Tuesday night."So not only is he double s**g h**l-ing fascist, he's an idiot," she added, alluding to gestures that Musk performed at President Donald Trump's inauguration rally that many interpreted as Nazi salutes; "seig heil," meaning "hail victory" in German, was a rallying cry adopted and popularized by the Nazi party. (After his gesture sparked backlash, Musk told Joe Rogan he is "not a Nazi.")Edebiri also shared a screenshot of the rumor in question, which was circulated last February by the X account @unlimited_ls, which is dedicated to sharing political news and "social injustice" from a conservative angle.The rumor claimed that Edebiri was being eyed as a "replacement" for Johnny Depp in a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.Depp last starred as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fifth installment of the franchise, "Dead Men Tell No Tales," released in 2017. He was set to appear in a sixth film, but according to court testimony, plans for "Pirates of the Caribbean 6" were scrapped after Depp's ex-wife, Amber Heard, wrote an op-ed about domestic abuse. A screenshot of Ayo Edebiri's Instagram story from March 11, 2025. Ayo Edebiri/Instagram Musk reshared the rumor on his own X account, writing, "Disney sucks." The original post has since been deleted, but Musk's is still live.The person who runs @unlimited_ls shared a reaction to Edebiri's criticism on Wednesday morning, calling the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor "unhinged.""Ayo Edebiri waited over a year to address rumors and credible reports circulating in Hollywood from trustworthy sources. And, of course, she attacks Elon Musk," the post reads.The @unlimited_ls user also clarified that their original post with the unverified rumor was deleted by mistake."I never made any claims; I clearly stated 'reportedly' because it was the latest information coming from credible Hollywood sources," they wrote in a follow-up post. "And yes, I am a HUGE fan and supporter of Mr. Musk. He has my loyalty for LIFE, and I don't say that lightly."The casting rumor about Edebiri was not reported by any reputable trade publications; it seems to have originated with Daniel Richtman, a self-styled Hollywood insider who shared unverified details on his Patreon.Richtman's blog post was picked up by Comic Book Resources, but the rumor gained more traction in the wake of Musk's repost, finding its way onto film blogs like JoBlo and ComingSoon.net.After the post by @unlimited_ls went viral, Richtman chimed in to say its framing was disingenuous. "There's no 'Replacing Depp' or anything like that. She's only the 'Type' they're looking at for the lead in one of the planned spinoffs," he wrote.Outrage over the claim that Edebiri, a Black woman, would be "replacing" Depp, a white man, seemed fueled by the ongoing right-wing backlash to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, also known as "DEI," which are designed to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sexuality, or other protected classes.Many opponents of DEI have conflated antidiscrimination efforts in the workplace and government with Hollywood's recent push for more inclusive casting. Female actors who've joined major movie franchises in the last decade, including Kelly Marie Tran ("The Last Jedi") and Brie Larson ("Captain Marvel"), have recounted similar experiences with sexist and often racist abuse on social media.Musk has long been a vocal opponent of diversity initiatives in the corporate world, even before the second Trump administration officially launched its anti-DEI campaign.As Business Insider reported, Musk's DOGE office has recently been working to pause and, in some cases, entirely cut government programs by flagging keywords like "equity," "gender," and "gay."Representatives for Edebiri and Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

2025-03-12T21:22:30Z Read in app According to the US Senate Finance Committee, Leon Black transferred $170 million to Jeffrey Epstein's accounts. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters, New York State Sex Offender Registry This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Billionaire Leon Black gave more money to Jeffrey Epstein than known, Senate committee says.According to the US Senate Finance Committee, he transferred $170 million to Epstein's accounts.Black has said he paid the accused sex trafficker for tax advice. Sen. Ron Wyden is skeptical.Billionaire Leon Black was more responsible for Jeffrey Epstein's vast fortune than previously known, according to a Senate committee investigation.Black, the billionaire financier and former CEO of Apollo Global Management, transferred $170 million to the Epstien's coffers over the course of five years, US Sen. Ron Wyden said in a letter to the US Justice and Treasury departments this week not $158 million, as previously reported.An investigation commissioned by Apollo's board appears to have missed $12 million in transfers, which were discovered by investigators working on the US Senate Finance Committee.The Apollo investigation, conducted by the law firm Dechert LLP, led to Black's resignation in 2021 from the investment firm he cofounded.It also wasn't clear why the bank handling the $170 million in transfers didn't raise any flags until months after Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges in 2019, Wyden wrote."The Bank did not make filings related to the Black and Epstein transactions until seven years after the transactions began in 2013," Wyden wrote. "In fact, the Bank first reported the payments from Black to Epstein more than eight months after Epstein was arrested on charges of sex trafficking involving underage girls."Wyden, a Democratic lawmaker representing Oregon, asked US Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to hand over documents related to the transfers by March 27, including from the trove of "Epstein documents" that Bondi promised to make public.Black's relationship with Epstein came under scrutiny amid the accused sex trafficker's 2019 arrest and jail suicide. Epstein left an estate worth around $630 million around the time of his death, some of which has since been paid to compensate his victims.According to the investigation commissioned by Apollo, Black paid Epstein for financial advice, including strategies that saved him around $600 million in estate and family trust tax payments. Epstein also helped manage issues related to Black's vast artwork collection, his yacht, and private jet, according to the Dechert report. The report also said Epstein and Black had a falling out in 2016 when Epstein believed he deserved more money.In his letter, Wyden expressed skepticism that the advice from Epstein who dropped out from college would be worth anything close to $170 million Black paid over five years."For his services Epstein was paid amounts that far exceeded what Black paid other professional advisors involved in his tax and estate planning, which includes some of the most high-priced legal counsel in the nation," Wyden wrote. "At an annualized rate of $23 to $26 million per year, Epstein's compensation was higher than the median CEO pay for Fortune 500 companies."One of Epstein's accounts that received money from Black, Financial Trust Company Inc., was previously used for Epstein's sex-trafficking operation, according to evidence filed in Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-trafficking trial.Bank records made public in the trial of Maxwell who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking girls to Epstein for sex show that Epstein used the business to pay Maxwell. He transferred $30.7 million to Maxwell in the years they were together. Over $7 million of those funds were spent on a helicopter that accusers said Maxwell used to ferry girls to Epstein's private residence in the US Virgin Islands.In 2023, Black later paid $62.5 million to settle claims from the US Virgin Islands Attorney General's office related to "how Jeffrey Epstein used the money Black paid him to partially fund his operations in the US Virgin Islands," according to a copy of the settlement Wyden made public.Representatives for Black, Apollo Global Management, and Dechert LLP didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.Wyden's scrutiny of Black could complicate the Senate confirmation process of the Trump administration's nominees.President Donald Trump, who was friends with Epstein, selected Black's son, Benjamin Black, to lead the US International Development Finance Corp, also known as the DFC.According to Reuters, Trump has considered converting the DFC into a sovereign wealth fund, which he said could buy TikTok.The younger Black has also proposed repurposing funds from USAID, which was gutted by Elon Musk's DOGE initiative, to fund the DFC. Under Black's plan, the DFC would invest in developing nations to advance foreign policy goals rather than spend the money on aid.

The next phase of Elon Musks plan to entangle his companies with the workings of the federal government is well underway. That entails not only President Donald Trumps photo op with a Tesla in front of the White House but also, surprisingly, the future of your internet connection. More specifically, Musk is making moves that could change the way millions of Americans access the internet by boosting Starlink, the satellite-based internet company operated by his company, SpaceX, of which he is the founder, CEO, and major shareholder. Starlink and other space-based internet projects work by beaming internet service from satellites in orbit down to Earths surface, as opposed to wired broadband internet, which typically relies on fiber-optic cable. Satellite internets major advantage is that, with a few exceptions, it can work almost anywhere on the planet. Its drawbacks including slow speeds, high latency, and spotty reliability mean that fiber internet is better for the vast majority of people right now. In the last week or so, the Commerce Department said it plans to rewrite the rules of a $42 billion high-speed internet initiative in a way that would benefit Starlink. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) meanwhile granted Starlink a waiver that will make its new service, which lets phones connect to satellites, more powerful, as satellite competitors urged the agency to rein in Musks company, which they say is anticompetitive.Musk affiliates have also reportedly instructed government agencies to start using Starlink, and the General Services Administration is already doing it, apparently without oversight. SpaceX confirmed that its leasing Starlink kits to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), amid reports that the agency might cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon and award it to Starlink instead. The company denied that it was trying to take over the contract.There are billions of dollars at stake here, but this isnt just about the money. (Musk doesnt really need it.) Some people are worried that these developments represent the early steps of a power shift in the telecom industry, one that could result in the worlds richest man deciding how the nations communications network works. We have never before had a situation where the owner of a major communications company is inside the government. This is a very unusual situation.In addition to hacking away at the federal government in his unelected position as the head of DOGE, Musk could also become the single individual who is the dominant force in telecom policy, according to Blair Levin, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and former chief of staff at the FCC. Whats more, the US telecommunications system is key to national security, and Musks business interests might not always line up with Washingtons.We have never before had a situation where the owner of a major communications company is inside the government. This is a very unusual situation, Levin said. Its very troubling.Some of this must sound hyperbolic. Its also hypothetical for now. Ive been writing about Starlink since before it launched its first batch of satellites in 2019, and from bringing remote parts of the world online to connecting Ukrainian soldiers at war, theres no doubt that the technology is incredible. But if recent events are any indication, the Trump administration plans to advantage Starlink in ways that benefit Musk more than the people who need better internet service. It also opens the door for Musk to become a much bigger power broker in the telecom world and have more of a say in how you get online.Elons space internet is not better than Earth internet yet Its tempting to think Starlink is the future of internet service. Its very easy to set up, which is a huge deal to anyone who lacks broadband access soldiers in Ukraine, for example, or farmers in rural America. But Starlink is not the same as the fiber-based broadband thats become the gold standard for internet access. For a number of reasons, space internet isnt as fast, as reliable, or as cheap as terrestrial broadband. Thats why Congress prioritized companies that lay fiber-optic cable with the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which provides federal funding to bring high-speed internet access to as many as 8 million Americans who have never had it, as part of the 2021 infrastructure bill. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick now wants to make the program technology neutral, a change that would increase Starlinks chances of getting grants. Whereas Musks company was on track to receive a little over $4 billion under the old rules, Starlink could now get between $10 billion and $20 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.If the Commerce Department goes through with the proposed changes to the BEAD program, its implementation would be delayed more than one expert told me it would be by at least a year. Which is ironic given that Republicans made delays in BEADs rollout a talking point during the 2024 election. This process involves digging miles of trenches for tubes of cables that connect far-flung parts of the country. It takes time and costs money, but this infrastructure would last for decades.It is truly a historic opportunity to get fiber to a lot of these places, Drew Garner, director of policy engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, told me. Well probably never have another opportunity like this.Starlink dishes are easy to set up, but they dont offer the same speed and reliability as fiber. Cate Dingley/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSome argue that Starlink and other satellite-based internet companies could get people online more quickly and without the expense of laying fiber. Starlink already has more than 7,000 satellites in orbit and is trying to add more. But its unclear how quickly Starlink could actually add more users, since the company already has a waiting list for people to sign up because its network is at capacity. Thats not to mention the fact that, for now, Starlink is neither faster nor cheaper than terrestrial broadband. Starlink delivers download speeds of 50 to 100 Mbps, while the FCC defines broadband as 100 Mbps. The average download speed in the US is about 275 Mbps. Starlink also currently charges customers $80 a month for its Residential Lite service, while the average US internet bill is $78 a month.This is what makes the Trump administrations apparent preferential treatment of Musks company so frustrating. Its a poorer solution that takes longer and doesnt result in savings for most Americans. Musk posts Starlink into the FAAWe dont yet know how things will shake out with BEAD. The Commerce Department could change its mind, and the broadband infrastructure expansion could break ground in a few states this spring. However, the Trump administration is already starting to use Starlink in unusual ways.The FAA, like many federal government agencies, is dealing with massive staff cuts at the behest of Musks Department of Government Efficiency. Just days after 67 people died in a midair collision near Washingtons Reagan Airport, Musks staff urged FAA staffers to accept buyout offers, which more than 1,300 of them did, according to the Atlantic. DOGE also ended up firing about 400 FAA employees. When Musks team tried to lay off air traffic controllers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy finally intervened.At the same time and operating on orders from Musk himself a SpaceX engineer started to deploy Starlink technology on FAA systems. Musk posted on X that the Verizon communication system to air traffic control is breaking down very rapidly, that the situation is extremely dire, and that he would send Starlink dishes to the rescue. The FAA has since confirmed that its reviewing the $2.4 billion Verizon contract and testing Starlink equipment at several locations, including in Alaska, New Jersey, and Oklahoma. Musks posting-fueled intervention at the FAA is a scary one. Almost single-handedly, the billionaire threw cold water on a contract with Verizon, one that will affect the safety and security of Americans. Although its not clear if Starlink will indeed take over this particular contract, we have a glimpse at what it looks like for a singular bureaucrat one that sells satellite dishes that dont always work to call the shots.If youre downloading stuff to your house in a rural area, and your speed drops because the system is oversubscribed, thats annoying, said Harold Feld, senior vice president of Public Knowledge. If youre the FAA, and your speed drops because the capacity is oversubscribed, thats deadly.Project 2025s surprising role in all thisElon Musk and DOGE, which is run by employees of Musks companies, certainly appear to be operating within the federal government to promote the best interests of those companies. The why of it all will take some time to figure out. Less than two months into Trumps second presidency, were too busy keeping track of whats even happening, especially where Musk is involved.As for Starlink and Elon Musks apparent ambitions to dominate the US telecom industry, the FCCs cooperation is essential. And Brendan Carr, the agencys new chair, happens to be a big Elon Musk fan. Carr first made contact with Musk on X, where the two exchanged complaints about Democrats denying Starlink broadband subsidies and blamed Kamala Harris for rolling BEAD out too slowly. Carr was also the author of the chapter on the FCC for the big report published by the Heritage Foundations Project 2025. In it, he argues against terrestrial broadband expansion and in favor of accelerating the development of satellite technology, like Starlink. Starlink constellations look spectacular after they launch, but each satellite only lasts five years in orbit. George Rose/Getty ImagesOne of Project 2025s main goals is to dismantle the administrative state, and in Musk, the right found a key ally. Musk has also found an opportunity: When the bureaucrats are all fired, someone still has to make decisions, and its easier to move quickly without any oversight. Across the world, people are setting Tesla dealerships on fire to protest Musks gutting of the federal workforce and hoping to tank its stock. But whats happening more quietly with Starlink, the Commerce Department, and the FCC shows that the multibillionaire isnt just interested in making money. Hes consolidating power in Washington and helping determine what the future will look like.Selling cars is one thing, but taking control over Americas telecommunications network is another. Musk is not there yet, but we have already seen Musk use Starlink specifically to intervene in military operations abroad he prevented Ukraine from launching a surprise attack against Russia in 2022. That sets a scary precedent for what the future holds.Elon Musk has been pretty cavalier about his ability to turn on or turn off Starlink to influence policy decisions, Garner, from the Benton Institute, told me, referring to a series of recent posts on X from Musk about cutting off Starlink access in Ukraine. Its not just scary that Musk is becoming more powerful in the telecom industry. It is uniquely terrifying that he alone could decide to bring networks down. And that might be an even more important development to keep our eyes on than the Tesla ad he produced in front of the White House.A version of this story was also published in the User Friendly newsletter. Sign up here so you dont miss the next one!See More:

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here.Welcome to The Logoff. Today Im focusing on the Trump administrations move to cut the Department of Educations staff by half. Before we dive in, a request: If youre enjoying The Logoff, please consider forwarding it to a friend (or text them this sign-up link: https://voxdotcom.visitlink.me/MFBxDE.) I really appreciate it.Whats the latest? The administration Tuesday night laid off 1,315 Education Department workers. The cuts, combined with previous staff reductions, mean the agency will be about half the size it was when Donald Trump took office seven weeks ago.What does the Education Department do? Among many tasks, the department is responsible for:Distributing billions of dollars of federal funding to schools and school districtsInvestigating violations of students civil rights Managing the $1.5 trillion student loan portfolioCollecting crucial research data about students and schools to inform policymakingWill it keep doing all of that? The administration defended the cuts by saying theyd improve efficiency and keep the organization focused on its core missions. Critics say thats simply not possible at the new staff level: some or all of its functions will suffer. Whats (possibly) next? Multiple outlets have reported that Trump was planning to try to close the department by executive order. Its not clear if these cuts replaced that move, or if theres more to come. But Trump would need Congress to eliminate the department entirely, and he doesnt have the 60 Senate votes hed need to do it.Whats the big picture? Conservatives have long had a vendetta against the Education Department. Gutting it wont affect what schools teach thats controlled at the state and local level but, through understaffing, Trump can make it difficult for the department to enforce laws and help schools, districts, and anyone with a student loan. The consequences may be quiet, but they could be enormous.And with that, its time to log off...A confession: I know that I really need to learn more about artificial intelligence, but I sometimes feel like Im so far behind in the conversation that I avoid it entirely. Thats why Im so excited about Voxs new podcast series, Good Robot, which both provides a great introduction to the topic and dives into the big questions that surround it (starting with: Is AI going to mean humanitys end?). The first episode came out today (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and elsewhere), and I hope youll get to enjoy it. Thanks so much for reading, and Ill see you back here tomorrow.See More: