By Thomas Maxwell Published February 21, 2025 | Comments (6) | The federal government is getting rid of all the EV charges installed on government property. Mario Tama/Getty As part of its continued efforts to own the libs, or get rid of anything President Trump does not like or understand, the General Services Administration is gearing up to remove electric chargers from all federal properties nationwide. The agency says the hundreds of chargers and estimated 8,000 plugs available for federal workers to charge their cars are not mission critical. The agency, which manages buildings owned by the federal government as well as vehicles, will also offload any EVs purchased under the Biden administration. The move, while malicious, is not surprising considering the GOPs general disdain for electric vehicles and the green energy movement, or wiping just about anything enacted by the prior administration. President Trump has railed against EV mandates and is fighting to override Californias heightened emissions standards and requirement that all cars sold in the state be electric by 2035. President Bidens signature Inflation Reduction Act included significant funding to help supercharge the clean energy transition, including money for public chargers across the country and, importantly here, $975 million for the GSA to upgrade federal buildings across the country with emerging and sustainable technologies. But that is all out the window now, despite the fact that President Trumps right-hand man, Elon Musk, runs a $1 trillion electric car company. Runs might be a stretch, however, as Musk seems to be focused on his government job these days, power tripping and ignoring his family pleas on his own social media app, X. And he does not seem to care much about selling cars anymore, either. Tesla is now an AI robotics company or will be, maybe. As GSA has worked to align with the current administration, we have received direction that all GSA owned charging stations are not mission critical, reads an email from the GSA viewed by The Verge. The official guidance directs federal workers to begin shutting off chargers, though the GSA needs to cancel network contracts first. Once that is complete, chargers will be taken out of service and turned off at the breaker, seemingly noted in the email to emphasize just how much they want the chargers gone. Musk, being in charge of President Trumps DOGE cost-cutting effort, seems likely behind the effort. That would seem counterintuitiveMusk made his name building an electric car company that he once said would help move the world to a green future. Anything that supported that mission, including the success of competing car companies, was welcome, according to him.But we are long departed from those days. Musk today is in favor of getting rid of EV subsidies and tax credits, even as China eats Americas lunch in electrification and is spreading its cars around the world. Some have speculated that because Tesla is already profitable on a per-car-basis, his company would fare better than competitors who still can use any support they can get to scale. In a similar vein, perhaps Musk is fine with getting rid of chargers because it would help keep Teslas Supercharger network front-and-center. Coincidentally, the Trump administration early this month paused $3 billion in funding earmarked for public chargers. If we are being charitable, there is one case to be made for getting rid of chargers on government property, which is that reporting has suggested they are not very good. Reports have circulated around the web claiming many of the chargers located at federal buildings are of the slower Level 2 variant, and utilize CHAdeMO or similar defunct charging plugs. Getting rid of them might make some sense if they were not being used, or were frequently broken.Another reason to get rid of them would be the fact that Musk and President Trump are trying to fire federal workers in droves, so they will not have as many people around soon anyway. Still, it would be nice to actually see real functional charging equipment on federal property, but it does not seem likely they will be coming back soon.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Lucas Ropek Published February 21, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 21, 2025 Adam Kovac and George Dvorsky Published February 21, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 20, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 20, 2025 By Adam Kovac Published February 20, 2025

Ten years ago, I wrote an article for this site called How the Hell Is This JPG of Han Solo Worth $225? The article was about a new app from the card company Topps called Star Wars Card Trader in which fans could open packs and trade digital cards from a galaxy far, far away. At the time, it was novel and weird. This was before NFTs were a thing. Before most people had even heard of crypto. The idea that someone would spend $225 to own an image of Han Solo they could simply look at anywhere was still quite foreign and people were fascinated. I know that for a fact because, in the years since that article, literally dozens of people have told me they read it and got hooked on Star Wars Card Trader. When I hear that, I usually apologize because I know just how deep that obsession can go. I not only remain hooked on the app in 2025, but Im in as deep as ever. You see, Star Wars Card Trader is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, and in addition to bringing back all manner of old-school cards, that aforementioned JPG of Han Solo sold for $120 just this week. Clearly, this thing is still going strong, except maybe not quite as strong. So whats been happening? Like many apps you have on your phone, Star Wars Card Trader can be used in two ways. You can use the free currency to buy packs and collect cards casually, or you can spend money to gain access to packs with better and rarer cards. When I started back in 2015, I was a free guy. I wasnt going to spend real money for a digital card I didnt actually own. And that mindset is why, around 2018, I stopped playing. All of the coolest cards were only available if you spent money and it just didnt interest me. I was out. The full Vintage Han Solo card, worth $225 then and $120 now. Image: Topps/Lucasfilm Fast-forward two years. An email from Topps rekindled my interest and, like many people during the pandemic, I fell back into collecting hard. I quickly decided to focus my collection on my favorite things in Star Wars: Han Solo in Hoth gear and Han Solo in Carboniteand looking at what was released in the years I was away, I realized I missed a lot. In that time, Topps had introduced cards called Gilded which had a gold, silver, or bronze border and were only available in card counts of one, two, or three. Other variants had similarly low counts, meaning there were Han Solo (and every single other character) cards only one or two people in the world could own. This, as a collector, was incredibly enticing. Like with any kind of collecting though, that kind of level of rarity means one thing: money. And thats when my whole perspective changed. Once I started spending money and acquiring newer, rarer cards, it was like finding a wormhole into a new world. I quickly found there were high-end players on the app who spent A LOT on the game. And not just $225 on a single card. Im talking thousands of dollars on individual cards and maybe tens of thousands on in-app currency. That was literally the only way they could have amassed some of the rare, impressive collections they had and I wanted some of that for myself.But how to get it? Well, money of course. But also, the help of something that had slowly developed over the years: a passionate fan base. When I returned to the app, I found a growing, bustling community of collectors I could interact with off the app, about the app. Facebook and Discord became must-visit places in order to talk with other users about new cards, evaluate trades, and gain encouragement when it came to achieving a big goal. Without the help of the Star Wars Card Trader online community, I wouldnt have fallen back in so deep. A sampling of my Hoth Han cards. The top two rows are 1cc until the silver, then theyre all 2cc. Image: Topps/Lucasfilm Best of all, it all worked. In the past five years since returning to the app, I can safely say I have probably the best Han Solo, and definitely the best Hoth Han and Carbonite Han, digital card collection in the entire world. Did it cost me thousands of dollars over the years to acquire it? Yes. Did it also require me to be diplomatic, persuasive, and sometimes even investigative to find users and cards that seemed otherwise unattainable? Also yes. That drive to collect cards of my favorite characters is largely why I have remained so invested while so many others have slipped off.And make no mistake, there has been a slip-off. As things stand, the app is not what it was at the beginning nor is it even what it was during the pandemic. The team behind the app, who were once available and engaged with the fan base, has disappeared. Some sets are incredible and beautiful, while others are lazy and ugly. Big-money spenders have inflated values out of range for most and tricked casual users into believing their cards are worth more than they actually are. The whole thing has become a crapshoot, and many of the apps biggest fans who I met online have long since cashed out. And yet, that iconic Han Solo card has only dipped slightly: $225 in 2015, $120 today. One of the new Vintage cards and my personal favorite. Image: Topps/Lucasfilm Part of that is probably because Topps has, for the anniversary, gone back to basics. Its reintroduced the original sets that fans loved at the very beginning. That includes Vintage, the series the Han Solo was a part of. Now though, its in multiple variants (see above) and some are even rarer. And, because of those multiple variants, Vintage cards have been selling out in minutes on a Saturday morning when they go live on the app. Its created a nice blend of nostalgia for what the app once was, mixed with the more pointed and rare collectibles that have become most peoples focus.Ten years later, not only has the idea of collecting a digital card become a bit more normalized, but doing it in Star Wars is still as fun as ever. At least for me. There have been peaks, valleys, and plenty of embarrassing moments Id rather not discuss where Ive spent more money than I care to admit, but I really love my Star Wars card collection. And, unlike most collections, this one comes with me wherever I go. Its on my phone and I can mess with it anytime I want to. Star Wars Card Trader is still available in all the app stores. Download it and check it out but be warned. It can be addictive. And if youre hoarding 2025 cards, send me Millennium Falcon. Im DarthGerm. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By AJ Dellinger Published February 21, 2025 | Comments (0) | ChatGPT logo appears on a smartphone display Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto (Getty Images) Haishan Yang, a Ph.D. student enrolled at the University of Minnesota, was expelled last year for allegedly using artificial intelligence tools to write his essays. He denies the accusations, claiming that his professors are engaged in a conspiracy against him, according to local Minneapolis NBC affiliate KARE11, and is suing the school over its decision, as it cost him his student visa. At issue for Yang is a preliminary exam he completed remotely while traveling in Morocco during the summer of 2024. The exam required Yang to complete three essays over the course of eight hours using his notes, reports, and booksbut not AI. While Yang contends that he wrote out his answers, his educators disagree. A panel of four professors tasked with reviewing his responses said Yangs essay answers included involved concepts not covered in class, acronyms that are allegedly not commonly used in the field but do regularly appear in ChatGPT-generated answers, and extremely similar formatting and content spotted when comparing Yangs essays to answers provided by ChatGPT when given the same essay questions as prompts. Yang claims the responses were similar because ChatGPT was likely pulling from the same material that he was, but he also believes the professors edited the ChatGPT responses to make them read more like his answers.Both Yang and the professors hold that there is important context outside of just these essay responses that factor into the ruling. On Yangs end, he claims the professors have been out to get hima notion that his advisor backs, for what its worth, telling the review panel, I never have seen this level of animosity directed at a student. According to Yang, he had his financial support cut off by the university for what it claimed was poor performance and disparaging behavior during his time as a research assistant and was told by the graduate director that he should simply quit. He appealed that decision and won, getting his funding back and an apology from the school.As for the professors, they noted that these essays were not the first time Yang was accused of using AI to complete his work. A year earlier, Yang submitted a homework assignment with text in his answer that read re write it (sic), make it more casual, like a foreign student write but no ai. Yang said he used AI to check his English but not to generate answers, and he was ultimately given a warning but did not receive further punishment. Yang lost his case in front of the universitys panel, so now hes going to try it in court. In January, Yang filed state and federal lawsuits against his professor and the University of Minnesota, accusing them of manipulating evidence and lack of due process. According to KARE11, Yang said he did use ChatGPT to write the lawsuit filings.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published February 20, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 20, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published February 15, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 14, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published February 13, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published February 11, 2025

The Wheel of Time is preparing to crank back up again, with the first three episodes arriving March 13 on Prime Video; like seasons one and two, itll run eight episodes, with a weekly drop after the premiere through April 17. That mini-binge may be enough to plunge you back into Robert Jordans world (after yesterdays amuse-bouche: the limited-time early release of the seasons fiery first 11 minutes), but if you need a reminder of where season two left off, io9s got you covered. First, though, here are some Wheel of Time explainers weve shared in the past: The io9 Guide to Wheel of Time, which digs into the epic Robert Jordan book series that provides its source material, as well as Everything to Remember About Wheel of Time Ahead of Season 2, which explains the premise of the series and goes over the main characters that were introduced in season one. That post also details the events of season oneincluding the reveal that Rand alThor is the Dragon Reborn, destined to face off with the Dark One in a Last Battle that will either end or save the world. That 2023 post also notes something thats worth re-iterating: you dont have to read the Robert Jordan books to enjoy the series. But the creators of the Prime Video adaptation (led by showrunner Rafe Judkins) do sprinkle in Easter eggs for longtime fans, while making sure to explore the finer points of the lore for newcomers. What happened in The Wheel of Time season two? Seanchan damane and suldam. Prime Video Following season ones climactic showdown with the Dark Onein the form of his fiercest representative, the Forsaken named Ishamaelthe Two Rivers friends were mostly scattered across different lands. Rand, fearful that he might hurt his loved ones because channeling the One Power has a way of driving men mad, told Moiraine to spread the word that didnt survive the fight at the end of season one. Hes now in Cairhien, working at an asylum and spending his nights with an alluring innkeeper named Selene. (Hes still in love with Egwene, but circumstances being what they are) His disguise is a shaved head, not that anyone whos not in league with the forces of darkness would recognize him. Unfortunately for Rand, Selene turns out to be Lanfearanother Forsaken. Shes still carrying a torch for the last Dragon after 3,000 years, and isnt going to give up her hold on Rand without a fight. Eventually, Moiraine turns up in Cairhien and lets Rand know his new squeeze is very bad newsthough Lanfear, who tends to put her own agenda first, does help Rand, Moiraine, and Rand escape the city when Siuan Sanche tries to ensnare Rand, viewing him as a weapon only the Aes Sedai should have access to.At the White Tower, Nynaeve and Egwene are in training to be Aes Sedai; both are known to be powerful channelers, especially Nyneave, though as of yet shes unable to control her abilities. Despite that, she endures the harrowing test required of Novices to become an Accepted. Another Novice, the young royal Elayne Trakand, is assigned as Egwenes roommate, and the newly minted trio escape the tower together on a rescue mission to find Perrin after Liandrinan Aes Sedai whos secretly in league with the forces of eviltells them hes been captured. However, Liandrin ends up kidnapping the girls and presenting them to the Seanchan, a sinister invading force that enslaves women connected to the One Power and uses them as damane, instruments of war. Nynaeve and Elayne escape, but Egwene is put through endless torture as her assigned handler (or suldam), Renna, tries to break her spirit and bring her to heel. Rand and Selene. Prime Video Meanwhile, Perrins own entanglements with the Seanchan come after hes been on a quest to find the Horn of Valere, an essential artifact that was stolen by a Darkfriend at the end of season one. He also learns hes a Wolfbrother, with a unique connection to wolves as well as the ability to glimpse the future, and encounters Aviendha, a fierce Aiel warrior, who pledges to help him after he saves her life. The remaining member of the Two Rivers group, Mat, starts off the season imprisoned in the White Tower as he tries to shake off the lingering effects of the cursed dagger that nearly ruined him in season one; he befriends Min, a fellow prisoner with the gift of foresight, who warns him of her vision that hell eventually kill Rand.As for Lan and Moiraine, they spend much of season two on shaky ground after Ishamael severed Moiraines connection to the One Power at the end of season one. Moirainewhos been banned from the White Tower, on top of her complicated personal and political relationship with Siuan Sanchehas to do a lot of soul-searching to figure out who she is without her magic, though she does remain firmly committed to shepherding Rand along the path to his destiny. Lan and Nyneave find time to realize theyre in love with each other, in a storyline that doesnt get too much traction. In maybe the seasons most cathartic moment, Rand realizes Moiraine hasnt lost her connection to the One Powershes merely been knotted off from itand hes able to restore her abilities just ahead of the finale. What happened at the end of The Wheel of Time season two? Prime Video All roads lead to Falme, where the main charactersplus all the newbies we met this season, including Elayne and Aviendhareunite at last, and everyone works together to fight Ishamael. This time hes vanquished, in a reverse of the season one finale. Teamwork! That is a very simplified description of all the insanity that takes place in the finale, including (but not limited to) Egwene murdering Renna and reclaiming her agency and burgeoning powers; Mat blowing the mythical Horn of Valere, summoning dead heroes from the past to help with the battle against the Seanchan; and Rands status as the Dragon Reborn finally being broadcast to the world at large.At the very, very end of the episode, Lanfear meets another Forsaken, Moghedien, who gleefully tells her all the Forsaken are now releasedone last parting gift from Ishamaelwhich can only mean trouble for everybody as the Last Battle approaches. What can we expect from The Wheel of Time season three? Prime Video Prime Video has yet to put a timetable on The Wheel of Time, but its not yet been renewed past season threewhich means we may or may not be about to see Rand finally fighting that potentially world-ending Last Battle. No pressure!Heres the official description of whats to come: In season three, as threats against the Light are multiplying, Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) and Rand alThor (Josha Stradowski) embark on a perilous journey to the Aiel Waste to uncover the true fate of the Dragon Reborn. With the Forsaken in hot pursuit and Rands corrupted power growing stronger, Moraine must prevent the Dragon from turning Dark no matter the cost. Book readers have even more to go on, knowing that season three will adapt events from The Shadow Rising and The Fires of Heaven, the fourth and fifth books in Jordans series. Plus, we know there will be even more new characters joining the action, including some played by confirmed genre favorites, including Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Expanse) as Elaida aRoihan, an Aes Sedai who advises Elaynes mother, Queen Morgase Trakand of Andor (Dune: Prophecys Olivia Williams). The Wheel of Time season three premieres March 13 on Prime Video. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Cloud storage has been one of the better advancements of the last 15 years. The ability to access any of your documents, photos, videos, or file of any type wherever you are is no short of a miracle. Some folks still dont have a firm grasp on what exactly cloud storage is. In short, its just saving stuff to someone elses computer. But thats hogwash. Just save it to your own computer and do the same thing yourself. Right now, you can get this UGreen NASync 2-Bay desktop for a solid 15% discount, getting it for only $297down from $350.See at AmazonMy parents will never understand this fairly simple techno babble, but the cloud is just some companies servers which you can access when online. The problem with this comes to trust. No matter how much these big companies tout security, it will always be a concern to the end user when youre leaving your precious data in the hands of someone else. Plus what happens to your files if the company goes under? Now dont get me wrong, I dont think Google is going anywhere anytime soon, but its a concern nonetheless. Also what if Google decided to reduce its capacity per user, or increase its fees? Its better to just take matters into your own hands.Your Own Personal Cloud StorageThe UGreen NASync desktop has two bays supporting up to 24TB each, with the option to install two additional compact SSDs of 8TB each. So you can feasibly hit a capacity of 64TB of personal cloud storage. Its powered by a 12th gen 4-core Intel processor and the network port utilizes 2.5GbE, allowing for transfer speeds of up to 312.5MB/s. You can download movies and large files in mere moments.You can easily access you NAS from multiple devices, syncing and backing up all your files so you never have to worry about losing anything. Then remotely access your NAS from anywhere you have an internet connection.The NAS also acts as a media streaming hub. The high-speed network ports allows for seamless streaming of any of your movie or TV show files from any device including your phone, laptop, tablet, and more. The NAS also has HDMI output, so when youre home, you can watch movies on your TV while cutting out streaming entirely.For a limited time, you can get the UGreen NASync 2-Bay desktop for just $296a 15% discount from its standard price of $350 which saves you $54.See at Amazon

By Thomas Maxwell Published February 21, 2025 | Comments (0) | Apple will pull end-to-end encryption feature from UK following government order to build a backdoor. Justin Sullivan/Getty Good work, Britain. Owners of Apple devices in the United Kingdom will be a little less safe moving forward as the company pulls its most secure end-to-end (E2E) encryption from the country. The move is in response to government demands there that Apple build a backdoor into its iCloud encryption feature that would allow law enforcement to access the cloud data of any iPhone user around the world. Apple has for many years marketed its products as being the most safe and secure personal electronics available on the market. Being a key pillar of the brand, Apple has consistently pushed back against government orders around the world to decrypt confiscated devices or build similar backdoors into its products. The most famous instance was when, under President Trumps first administration, Apple refused Department of Justice demands to unlock an iPhone used by the attacker in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. The FBI eventually paid a third-party Australian firm a reported $900,000 to identify an exploit chain and crack open the device. Following its decision to pull E2E cloud encryption from the UK, Apple on Friday told Bloomberg that enhancing the security of cloud storage with end-to-end encryption is more urgent than ever before and that it remains committed to offering our users the highest level of security for their personal data and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the future in the United Kingdom. The UK order asked Apple for access to global user data under the countrys Investigatory Powers Act, a law that grants officials the authority to compel companies to remove encryption under a technical capability notice. Building a backdoor into any encryption product defeats the purpose, essentially rendering the security moot. If there is a backdoor, Apple and privacy advocates have long argued, then bad actors and authoritarian states will be able to find and exploit those backdoors or demand Apple provide access. The entire purpose of end-to-end encryption is that nobody, not even Apple, can access a users sensitive data. Backdoors are an inherent vulnerability. End-to-end encryption of iCloud, formally called Advanced Device Protection, covers data storage, device backups, web bookmarks, voice memos, notes, photos, reminders, and text message backups. The way ADP works, data is stored in the cloud but can only be decrypted locally on a users device, using a key stored in the Secure Enclave security component built physically into Apple devices. Bloomberg reports that Apple will not remove end-to-end encryption for other features including iMessage, FaceTime, password management, and health data. So all of that is safe for now.With todays move, Apple is essentially saying that it would rather pull the E2E encryption altogether and inform customers they will be less safe, rather than build an open door for the UK government. It is a shrewd move by Apple even though consumers there will no longer have the same amount of security as others around the globe. Of course, because no security is entirely bulletproof, hackers and law enforcement groups still manage to find ways to penetrate iPhones, and doing so is a billion-dollar business for companies like Israels NSO Group, which supplies iPhone cracking software to governments around the world. It is essentially playing a cat-and-mouse game with Appleeach time hackers find an exploit, they are able to take advantage of it for a limited time before Apple plugs the hole. ADP was intended as a way to make it tougher for nefarious actors to access certain data, though it makes it more difficult for users to recover their content if they lose their devices.NSO Group and other firms claim they only sell their exploits to governments and law enforcement and prohibit the software from being used to spy on dissidents or journalists. But reporting over the years has put those claims in significant doubt, as NSOs software has been linked to hacks of journalists around the globe, including Jamal Khashoggi, whose devices were monitored leading up to his brutal assassination by Saudi intelligence agents. If you live in the UK, you will need to manually disable ADP during an unspecified grace period to keep your iCloud account. Bloomberg says that Apple will release feature guidance on this process sometime soon.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Florence Ion Published February 20, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published February 19, 2025 By Florence Ion Published February 19, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 18, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 14, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 13, 2025

At the beginning of the year, Samsung announced a refresh to its flagship lineup of smartphones at its Unpacked event, introducing consumers to the new Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25+, and S25. They are finally available on Samsungs website and the tech company is offering a generous trade-in deal. Customers can save up to $1,200, which includes up to $900 in instant trade-in credit and up to $300 in Samsung Credits, knocking off a considerable percentage from the upfront price.See Galaxy S25 Ultra at Samsung.comSee Galaxy S25 Series at Samsung.comSamsung Galaxy S25 UltraThe premium Galaxy S25 Ultra is available in a handful on options with varying storage capacities. Samsung has dropped the 128 GB model of the previous generation, now breaking down the phone into a 256 GB option ($1,300), a 512 GB option (1,420), and full 1 TB option. However, right now Samsung has reduced the price of the 512 GB model and the 1 TB model down to the price of the version preceding it, essentially offering customers a free storage upgrade.Additionally, youll receive between $60 and $100 in Samsung credit which can then be put toward accessories such as the Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watches, which are also up to 40% off when pre-ordering the new phone. So yeah, its discounts and free credits out the wazoo. That means the 1 TB version is essentially $300 off.Now pair all of those savings with trading in your old phone which can get you as much as $1,200 toward the new Samsung S25 Ultra. Insane.What You GetThe S25 Ultra is Samsungs new flagship smartphone with all the bells and whistles. Powered by Galaxy AI, a number of features are seeing some vast improvements over its predecessor.The camera makes use of a 50MP Ultra Wide lens to capture the full breath of whats in front of you. And using Galaxy AI, the camera is able to sense your environments lighting to capture accurate skin tones and textures to bring every portrait to life without any extra editing needed. Recording video is effortless with Night Video and Audio Eraser. You can now capture vibrant videos even in lowlight settings and minimize any unwanted noises while shooting thanks to Galaxy AI.The screen measuring in at 6.9 inches is capable of sharper visuals and brighter colors than ever before.Across the whole family of Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25+, and S25 smartphones are a set of color variants exclusive to ordering from Samsungs website. You can secure the S25 Ultra in Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Black, or Titanium Pinkgold. Go ahead and save up to $,1200 on your new phone.See Galaxy S25 Ultra at Samsung.comSee Galaxy S25 Series at Samsung.com

Hasbro unveiled new action figure releases based on the Spider-Man video game franchise on todays Marvel Legends Fanstream. Venom, Peter Parker, and Miles Morales headline the releases with the variant looks from the games. Each six-inch figure features over 20 points of articulation and game-authentic accessories for posing as if youve taken your player out of the game and into real life. This launch also includes Kingpin, Spirit Spider, Black Cat, and a new release of X-Force figures. Take a look at the gallery to see the figures and their product details, courtesy of Hasbros press release. Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Venom Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the Marvels Spider-Man 2 video game. The Venom figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 4 accessories, including alternate head, alternate hands, and symbiote FX. Approx. retail price $60; pre-order February 27 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available Summer 2025.Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Peter Parker Black Suit Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the MarvelsSpider-Man 2 video game. The Peter Parker Spider-Man figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 5 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands and web accessory for dynamic poses. Approx. retail price $25; pre-order February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available summer 2025.Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Miles Morales Upgraded Suit Style Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the Marvels Spider-Man 2 video game. The Miles Morales Spider-Man figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 4 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands. Approx. retail price $25; pre-order February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available summer 2025. Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Miles Morales Boriqua Suit Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the MarvelsSpider-Man 2 video game. The Miles Morales Spider-Man figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 5 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands and web accessory for dynamic poses.Approx. retail price $25; pre-order February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available summer 2025. Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Peter Parker Anti-Venom Suit Style Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the Marvels Spider-Man 2 video game. The Peter Parker Spider-Man figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 6 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands and web accessory for dynamic poses.Approx. retail price $25; pre-order February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available summer 2025. Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Black Cat Felicia Hardy Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the Marvels Spider-Man 2 video game. The Felicia Hardy figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 3 accessories, including alternate hands. Approx. retail price $25; pre-order February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available summer 2025.Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Miles Morales Brooklyn 2099 Suit Hasbro This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the Marvels Spider-Man 2 video game. The Miles Morales Spider-Man figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 6 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands and web accessory for dynamic poses. Approx. retail price $25; pre-order February 25 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers; available summer 2025. Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Spirit Spider Hasbro Spirit Spider, a version of Peter Parker infused with the power of souls, uses his Spirit Fire suit to channel waves of ethereal energy This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance in the Marvels Spider-Man video game. The Spirit Spider figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 4 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands. Approx. retail price $25; pre-order March 13 at 1 p.m. ET exclusively on Walmart; available summer 2025.Marvel Legends Series Gamerverse Kingpin Hasbro When the feared Kingpin, who controls Marvels New York Citys organized crime families, is incriminated by Spider-Man, a mysterious new menace comes to power This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the characters appearance inthe MarvelsSpider-Man video game. The Kingpin figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and posable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 4 accessories, including alternate head, alternate hands, and cane. Approx. retail price $40; pre-order March 27 at 1 p.m. ET exclusively on Amazon; available summer 2025.Marvel Legends Series X-Force X-23 & Warpath Hasbro X-Force, a covert team of mutants, has tasked X-23, a clone of Wolverine trained as an assassin, and Warpath, a powerful hero with superhuman strength and speed, to end a mutant-fearing religious sect called the Purifiers once and for all. Bring the excitement and wonder of the Marvel Universe to your collection with the Hasbro Marvel Legends X-Force X-23 & Warpath Two-Pack figure set! These collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figures are detailed to look like the characters from Marvels X-Force and X-Men comics. The X-23 and Warpath action figures feature over 20 points of articulation with premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 9 accessories: X-23 features 4 alternate hands and alternate head; Warpath features 2 alternate hands and 2 knife accessories. Approx. retail price $50; pre-order March 12 at 1 p.m. ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating Fan Channel retailers; available summer 2025. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer may soon make a TV comeback with Sarah Michelle Gellarand the cult-classic series will always be the most beloved version of Buffys story. But in 1992, five years prior to fans becoming obsessed with Sunnydale and the Scoobies, a different version of Buffys story hit the big screen. The same broad strokes are there; the script is by (now-disgraced) Buffy series creator Joss Whedon, and it follows a chipper blonde named Buffy saving the world from monsters. But its got a flavor all its own, and it remains both a time capsule of 1990s teen culture as well as a surprisingly timeless story. You already know from the perfectly descriptive title, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer has more than a few elements of satire stuffed into its storytelling. It opens with a preface set during Europe: The Dark Ages that establishes the mythology well be working with here: throughout history, watchers train slayers uniquely equipped to battle the blood-sucking forces of eviluntil the slayer dies, and the next is chosen, and the process starts anew. A close-up of the slayers wooden stake cuts to a shot of a cheerleader shaking her pom-poms at a high-school basketball game, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer is off. We probably dont need it, but its amusing anyway to be informed that this is Southern California: The Lite Ages. Whedon may have penned the screenplay, but Buffy was directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, and its not hard to imagine that having a woman behind the camera helped inform the movies approach to its central character, as well as her friend group. When we first meet them, the girls (Kristy Swanson as Buffy; Michele Abrams as Jennifer; Paris Vaughan as Nicki; and a pre-fame Hilary Swank as Kimberly) come across as superficial airheads, shopping together at the mall and using slang that still fits even a decade after Valley Girl, a movie that Buffy tips its hat to in multiple ways. But we soon see theres a ruthless competitiveness lurking just below the surface; their interactions are often catty to the point of being mean-spirited, and you can sense early on theres not much loyalty in this little tribe. That theme becomes even more overt when Buffy meets Merrick (Donald Sutherland), the watcher to her slayera man who couldnt be more out of place in the Lite Ages, and who squelches his very reasonable doubts about Buffy being capable of fulfilling her destiny and devotes himself to helping her succeed. 20th Century Studios Merrick has no choice but to stay on his missionits his destiny too, a fact we learn in a heartbreaking speech that makes you glad Sutherland signed on for this one and brought all his gravitas alongand Buffy soon warms to his strange man. The fact that her friends are toxic, her boyfriend is a giant jock stereotype, and her parents couldnt be more checked-out (Stay away from the jag is how her dad bids farewell when they scamper off on their latest getaway), means that shes secretly grateful someone is taking her seriously for once. Buffys self-actualization expands when she meets Pike (Luke Perry, delightfully cast against type as a burnout at the height of his hunky Beverly Hills, 90210 fame), who puts aside his own mixed feelings about Buffy once he gets to know her. (That he witnesses her incredible vampire-staking reflexes only increases his admiration.) In turn, Buffy puts aside her own initial judgment of Pike as a grimy loser, and realizes how refreshing it is to be noticed for more than just her good looks. You want this odd couplethe popular cheerleader and the weirdoto get together, but the movie doesnt rush into getting there. Their relationship does cement itself after subverting two high-school movie tropes, however: a makeover sequence (his), and a high-school dance (hers, overrun by a plague of hungry fang-bangers). And speaking of vampires, Buffy the Vampire Slayers most campy delights come with Rutger Hauer as big bad Lothos, and Paul Reubens (post-Pee-wees Playhouse, and just post his tabloid-sensation arrest) as his oily underling. The biggest problem Buffy has are the plot holes surrounding its confusing and underbaked loreLothos meets the slayer and its no big deal, but its game over if he learns her name? Why doesnt he just kill her on his first opportunity rather than holding back because she is not ready?but if you dont think about it too much, its easy enough to put those aside and simply enjoy the performances. 20th Century Studios Though Buffy the Vampire Slayer is very much a product of 1992the fashions, the music, the lack of cell phonesits a story that could fit into nearly any decade. The TV show, which ran from 1997-2003 and is poised for a comeback over 20 years later, made that clear, but these are evergreen themes: an unlikely hero who rises from an even more unlikely place, a supernatural threat that only this chosen one can vanquish. A mismatched romance that works in spite of itself. A mentor and a student drawing strength and knowledge from each other. While Swansons political views have become more notable than her acting roles lately, and Perry, Reubens, Hauer, and Sutherland have all passed on, the main factor that makes Buffy feel dated are the faces you see pop up in the smaller parts: Hilary Swank, already mentioned, laying down perfect bimbo insults (Get out of my facial!) years before her Oscar wins. David Arquette (pre-Scream) is Pikes buddy, Benny, who has a funny scene in which he emerges from a photo booth and all the pictures show up blank because hes a vampire. Thomas Jane (The Expanse) is credited as Tom Janes in a bit part as Pikes mechanic friend. Stephen Root (pre-News Radio and Office Space) flexes his awkward-guy persona as Buffys school principal. There are also cameos (or blink-and-youll-miss-them appearances) by Ben Affleck, Ricki Lake, Seth Green, Alexis Arquette, and probably more, frankly. Plus, Buffy is still funny as hellthe lines are zippy, as much as it makes a person cringe to hat-tip Whedon, and the physical comedy is still there too. Reubens endless death scene is one for the ages, and surely nobody realized in 1992 how ruefully humorous that young Republicans joke that comes during the films end-credits reel would hit all the way in 2025. 20th Century Studios Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streaming on Prime Video. You can also stream the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series on Disney+. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The MAGA movement, which has sought to align itself with the principle of freedom of speech, sure isnt too happy about criticism of its newly unelected bureaucrat, Elon Musk. Indeed, a federal attorney in Washington D.C., who was recently appointed by Trump, has launched a new initiative designed to prosecute those who threaten Musk and other public employees. This week, interim US Attorney Ed Martin announced Operation Whirlwind, which is a new initiative to prosecute threats against public officials, the Washington Post writes. The name of the initiative appears to reference a comment made by Chuck Schumer in 2020 (close to half a decade ago) when, amidst the Supreme Courts deliberation over whether to ditch womens constitutional right to an abortion, Schumer said that the federal justices had released the whirlwind and would pay the price. Schumer subsequently apologized for the harsh rhetoric which, all things considered, is really not that bad next to a lot of the stuff Trump has said. Martins Whirlwind was also apparently inspired by him having learned of threats against those working with the Department of Government Efficiency, the government demolition effort being led by Trumps first buddy, Elon Musk. We are the DC US Attorneys office; we are the guardians of federal workers, Martin wrote in a note circulated throughout his office. You and I must do whatever possible to assure government work is safe for all involved. We must protect our cops, our prosecutors, our DOGE workers, the President, and all other government employees from threats against our nation. To hear a Trump-aligned prosecutor talk about being the guardian of federal workers is somewhat hilarious, given the fact that Trump and DOGE are currently decimating the federal workforce and laying siege to the very notion of public sector work. Martin is probing top elected officials over their hostile rhetoric against conservative figures. Martin recently sent letters to elected Democrats over their criticism of Musk, DOGE, and the Supreme Court. Those letters were sent to Rep. Robert Garcia (D-California) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York), the Post reports.A portion of one letter, sent to Rep. Garcia, and provided by the Washington Post, reads as follows: At this time, I respectfully request that you clarify your comments from February 12, 2025. During a live interview with CNN, when asked how Democrats can stop Elon Musk, you spoke clearly: What the American public wants is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy. This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a dick and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry. We take threats against public officials very seriously. I look forward to your cooperation with my letter of inquiry after request. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please respond by February 24, 2025. First off, calling Elon Musk a dick is a no-brainer. In fact, dick is a rather tame descriptor for what Musk is. Others have found much more colorful ways to describe his essence.Secondly, it would appear that Martin doesnt understand freedom of speech, is being disingenuous, or did not pass high school English. Indeed, Martin should knowas most viewers of that interview dothat Garcia was not literally talking about weapons, just as he was not literally suggesting that members of Congress are in a bar fight with the President. Instead, the bar fight and the weapons were both what speakers of the English language call metaphors sophisticated rhetorical constructions in which, as Merriam-Webster has put it, a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. Garcia, in a statement to the Post, said he had not received a copy of the letter: No reasonable person would view these comments as a threat, and its interesting that the letter was sent to The Washington Post, yet we have not received it. We are living in a dangerous time, and elected members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. By the afternoon, Garcia posted the full letter on social media. Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor and University of Michigan law professor who was interviewed by the Post, noted that it was a fair inference that these letters are designed more to chill free speech than to seek clarification, as they purport to do. The surge in threats against public workers and lawmakers is real, although its somewhat bizarre to see MAGA attempting to reframe itself as the standard-bearer on this issue. The current President has notably referred to his political enemies as vermin and scum and has repeatedly threatened to jail or destroy them. Threats against members of Congress are reportedly at an all-time high. The homes of six Democratic lawmakers were reportedly targeted with bomb threats this past Thanksgiving, and others have been subjected to swatting attacks, mailed threats, and other intimidation efforts that, unlike Garcias recent remarks, were literal, not metaphorical.

Theres a very specific niche of Greek mythology geeks who think about the gods and goddesses at least once a day. Yes, its our Roman Empire, and with the news that Christopher Nolan (Interstellar) is going to meticulously assemble the grand myth of The Odyssey for the big screen with quite the epic cast, were so ready for it to be our time. Most recently, weve gotten a smattering of adaptations here and therebig swings resulting in misses, like Netflixs Kaos starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus (which was ahead of its time), and little swings that have catapulted new visions of the Persephone and Hades myth to great heights, as seen in Rachel Smythes Lore Olympus and the Hades video games. Many of the tales original texts have been revisited and reinterpreted from the patriarchal-leaning translations; theres also a trend of turning to other versions of the myths that have long existed but havent been as widely told, bringing new foundations to the stories we thought we knew. For one, Persephone having more agency as the Queen of the Underworld by choice has been a popularly embraced take on her lore. And were ready see it happen more often along with other favorites. Hades and Persephone Revisiting the tale of Hades, the ruler of the Underworld, and his Queen Persephone, goddess of Spring, has become a popular favorite in the YA romantic literature crowd. It garnered Lore Olympus a huge following both in digital downloads on Webtoon and in physical print. Really its all thanks to its creator Rachel Smythes gorgeously artful comic, which retold the couples courtship as a meet-cute through Persephones lens as she fell in love with Hades, welcoming her fate willingly. And theres of course the gaming crowd, who are obsessed with their heroic kids: son Zagreus (the main character in Supergiant Games first Hades release) and daughter Melinoe (who leads Hades II). Both properties draw from unearthed texts that give different interpretations of Hades and Persephones stories about their marriage and the children they had that contradict the stories as theyve long been told. You know the one, where he stole her from her mother, and lets her come back to earth in the spring. We prefer a Persephone with agency and would love to see her story on screen as she gets her king and has her super-powered kids. For now we wait on the Jim Henson Companys animated adaption of Lore Olympus, but the tease Webtoon did with Sydney Sweeney (Immaculate) makes us wish for a live-action movie too.Orpheus and Eurydice Most recently seen in Netflixs Kaos as the uniting core story in the affairs between the gods and mortals, the song of Orpheus and Eurydice is a tragic one if you recall. The streamers attempt at a modern day re-telling of the myths of Mount Olympus gave it a satisfying change, but the nature of the real storys lesson is what outlasts all other attempts at updating it.Thats why we hope that the stage musical adaptation Hadestown (there he is again, the scoundrel king) is the next big musical to hit movie screens. Anas Mitchells concept album got the Broadway treatment by show director Rachel Chavkin, and it debuted at a time that could not be more timely for the myths themes of survival, division, and sacrifice. It also starred Penny Dreadfuls Reeve Carney and breakthrough performer Eva Noblezada (Yellow Rose), who could still star in a big screen version of this if it got fast-tracked. Their performances as Orpheus and Eurydice are so beloved, they and the original cast are reprising their roles in an upcoming West End run, which will allegedly be filmed. So at least theres that! On the indie radar Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is starring in a post-apocalyptic, gender-bent take on the myth called Odessa for Hulu. Hercules The first thing I breathed a sigh of relief about when the Russo Brothers went back to Marvel involved Disneys upcoming live-action adaptation of Herculeswith the hope that Guy Ritchie drops out of it too. If the studio can strike now before its too late, it would be smart to nab a two for one with Wickeds Jon M. Chu as director and Ariana Grande as Megara. Wed be seated and ready just as long as that is done correctly, along with casting the best triple-threat Black actresses and singers for the muses.Now I know youre wondering why Im specifically talking about Disneys Hercules and not Hercules and his 10 tasks ordered by the gods. Well, do you remember Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson? Or The Legend of Hercules starring Twilights Kellan Lutz? Nope? Exactly. I do remember the songs of the Disney classic, and with Chus hand, more of Hunk-ules legend could be used to expand the story, just like the director did with Wicked. Eros and Psyche Webtoon The Greek myth of Eros (Cupid) and Psyche is pretty much the blueprint for all versions of the Beauty and the Beast story archetypes. Beautiful girl is sent by family or townsfolk to take care of a scary monster who ends up treating her better than they did, and they get jealous; curiosity gets the best of her and the monster is revealed to be god-tier hot or, you know, a real god. The real myth has more tragedyand again, we loved the layers it was presented with in Lore Olympus, which encouraged Psyches heroism as a major factor in her role. Wed like to see this myth taken back to its roots as a core love story for a new series; think Bridgerton but make it Greek myths in the ancient times with detailed costuming.Medusa Netflix Justice for Medusa! For whatever reason, Medusa keeps getting featured in adaptations such as Kaos as a small side character or antagonist, which thankfully was remedied in favor of her being depicted with more complexity in Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. Her story as a mere monster to kill on some other mans quest needs the Wicked treatment; she doesnt have to be a victim of circumstance but a powerful figure who can stone the patriarchy. And she needs to have her tale re-told. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Well, that didnt take long. It hasnt even been a year since Inside Out 2 took over Frozen 2s spot atop the list of highest-grossing animated movies of all timeen route to becoming 2024s highest-grossing movie worldwide, full stop, though Deadpool & Wolverine did make a run for it. The top movie of 2025 is still to be decided, but that animated list has a new champ: Chinas Ne Zha 2, which has racked up $1.7 billion to date. This stat comes from Deadline, which notes Ne Zha 2 is also rocketing its way up the all-time highest-grossing list; its at number eight (Inside Out 2 now sits at number nine), though itll take some doing for any movie to dislodge the James Cameron trio (plus a certain Avengers flick) that currently hold the top four spots. The trade further notes that Ne Zha 2 is the first movie made outside of Hollywood to cross the billion-dollar mark. Heres the films synopsis from the AMC Theaters website, a good place to start if you want to see if Ne Zha 2 is playing in a theater near you: After the heavenly lightning, although Ne Zha and Ao Bing survived by becoming Spirits, they would soon dissipate completely. Taiyi plans to rebuild Ne Zha and Ao Bings mortal bodies with the Seven-colored Precious Lotus. However, during the process of reconstruction, numerous obstacles arise. What will become of the fate of Ne Zha and Ao Bing? Have you seen Ne Zha 2 yet? Do you recommend it? Let us know below! Update: The four top-grossing films of all time reference has been updated to correct an error, which io9 regrets. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By AJ Dellinger Published February 20, 2025 | Comments (4) | Twitch logo appears on a phone screen that sits above an illuminated keyboard. Ralf Liebhold (Shutterstock) The Internet is foreveruntil it isnt. On Wednesday, Twitch announced that it will implement new limits on archived video Highlights and Uploads that users can store on their account. The new rules, set to take effect on April 19, 2025, will set a 100-hour storage limit on saved videos. Any account with more than 100 hours of content will need to manually remove highlights and uploadsincluding unpublished content that is saved to the channel but not publicly accessibleor be subject to an automated purge of content that Twitch will carry out. The company says it will delete content with the least views, until they are under the limit. The streaming service was pretty transparent about the fact that money is the reason for the change to its archive rules: The storage of this content is costly, Twitch said, reasoning that cutting down on saved Highlights and Uploads helps us manage resources more efficientlyand continue to invest in new features and improvements. According to the company, just 0.5% of creators on the platform have exceeded the 100-hour storage limit, but that still amounts to potentially millions of hours of content that will be unceremoniously deleted, all to benefit Twitchs bottom line. Highlights were introduced as a way for creators to pick the most important moments of their own stream and curate a reel of their best content. While Twitch claims that the feature hasnt been as effective at driving engagement as it had hoped, The Verge points out that the speedrunning community has relied on Highlights to save record-breaking runs. SummoningSalt, a well-known YouTuber who creates documentaries on various speedrunning histories said on Bluesky that Twitchs decision to limit storage marks a really sad day for speedrunning.Another speedrunner, MrJimmysteel25, tweeted that for their community, highlights were never about discovery or engagement but about preserving history. People use highlights to archive, and youre destroying YEARS of speedrunning and other communites history. Users can download and save their own Highlights, but this presents a local storage problem. And the fact that Twitch has imposed this limit as a means of cost savings leaves open the possibility that an additional crunch could come if, at any point in the future, Twitch needs to juice its bottom line. It shouldnt be lost in this whole situation that Twitch is owned by Amazon, which operates the largest cloud storage platform in the world. Its just another reminder that when you trust history to a corporation, itll only preserve as much as it can monetize.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published January 3, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published November 26, 2024 By Harri Weber Published October 7, 2024 By Oscar Gonzalez Published June 28, 2024 By Oscar Gonzalez Published June 24, 2024 Levi Winslow, Kotaku Published April 22, 2024

Over the years, critics and everyday people have come to identify media as Lynchian, in reverence for how video games, movies, and TV shows evoke the dream-like quality of the late auteur David Lynch. Although most media described as Lynchian takes its inspiration from seminal works like Twin Peaks through referential nods, no show completely embodies the ephemeral vibe of Lynchs opaque-yet-piercing style of storytelling quite like the similarly influential shojo anime series Revolutionary Girl Utena. The story Revolutionary Girl Utena, animated by J.C. Staff, is a 1997 anime adaptation of Be-Pas and Chiho Saitos manga series of the same name. The story follows a tomboy princess named Utena Tenjo who, after the death of her parents, encounters a prince who gifts her a rose ring and promises to meet her again in the future. Rather than resign herself to being a princess, Utena decides to live up to the idea of being like the prince who saved her. This inevitably leads Utena to become involved in a series of duels with student council members at her school for the right to the Rose Bride, a girl named Anthy Himemiya. While her classmates squabble over ownership of Anthy to gain the power she wields to achieve some ambiguous notion of world revolution (objectifying and abusing her in the process), Utena takes up arms (by drawing a sword from Anthys chest) to liberate the Rose Bride from her cruel destiny. J.C. Staff At first glance, Revolutionary Girl Utena appears to be a flowery fantasy series, with much of the rhythm in the first half of its season devoted to repetitive weekly battles. Without fail, each episode features her adversaries grappling with a vice emblematic of a deadly sin before challenging Utena to a duel. Utena, in a similar manner, ascends a lavish spiral staircase to a caucus anthem with lyrics proclaiming birthrights and destiny; undergoes a fantastical, magical girl transformation; and defeats them (most of the time). Sandwiched between and behind these beats are goofy verging on absurdist anime-isms: eating spicy curry results in a Freaky Friday body-swapping; Utena dunks on the boys in basketball as onlookers judge her for being a boy-girl; and the student council schemes while glamorously exposing their peacock chests to the heavens while ghost-riding the whip to the tune of sensual jazz. Like Twin Peaks, Utena establishes a comforting yet off-kilter rhythm that threatens to become aimless. Its overarching mysteries give way to non-sequitur antics, removing any sense that the show is pressed for time to answer anywhere its going. When Utena really starts feeling like its one of those Its about the journey and not the destination romps, it cranks things up to 11 with a genuinely revolutionary final stretch of episodes. J.C. Staff Finding meaning in the absurd Similar to Agent Dale Coopers arrival in the sleepy town of Twin Peaks as it grapples with themysterious death of Laura Palmer, Utenas volley of duels serves a double meaning. Each duel is a character study unto itself where the students of Ootori Academy, including Utena herself, are stuck in time and forced to adapt or die. Not in the literal sense (mostly), but in the metaphorical way of letting go of idolized memories of people and the past they wished would last forever and move forward. Everyone has rose-tinted glasses, preventing them from confronting the illusions proliferating their nostalgia-rich school terrarium. Rather than have Utena play prince by saving Anthy and her adversaries, she pushes them to save themselves. Going from a fluttering shojo fantasy series to an existential meditation on par with Neon Genesis Evangelion is no small feat, but Utena does so gracefully. How it achieves this feat comes from the anime, in true Lynchian fashion, relaying its themes in an evident and roundabout fashion. Much of the former occurs in repetitive line deliveries accompanied by a YouTuber-esque red arrow pointing or dinging at objects the show wants audiences to focus on in a given scene. The latter goes full theater through a play-within-play interlude where silhouettes of two ladies act out seemingly tangential asides that tie directly back into the animes themes of love and revolution. While the show gives viewers much to chew on with its heavy-symbolism approach to doling out information, it is also heady with its interpersonal dialogue. J.C. Staff Whenever characters in Utena feel some way, they express it aggressively. Theyll shout all the air out of their lungs, callously jab at each others insecurities, or hold their tongue in such an obvious way that their silence speaks volumes. Although the English dub can easily be accused of being as wooden and awkward as the actors in Twin Peaks, youre never confused by the truths and motivations that drive its characters to achieve their goals. Everything is laid bare for all to see, even if the players dont realize the truths staring them in the face. As the series treks out of its mid-season lull and barrels toward its Who Killed Laura Palmer arc in its Black Rose arc, the show pulls off an astounding feat: transforming irritable and bratty characters like Nanami into some of the series strongest characters, making them complex voices of reason. Sunrise/Crunchyroll Timeless Influence Visually, Utena has been referenced in anime, Western cartoons, and comic books like Sailor Moon, One Piece, Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist, She-Ra, Steven Universe, and Scott Pilgrim. The series also served as the core premise of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, which is evident when you consider that anime writer Ichiro Okuouchi contributed to both anime (and Code Geass). Utenas unassuming character design and premise are one of animes best honey traps. Despite its modest appearance, Utena is a shojo series that stands shoulder to shoulder with prominent josei and seinen series like Nana and Berserk. Similar to the aforementioned titles, Utena does not shy away from exploring abusive relationships, struggles for autonomy, and the non-linear steps toward recovery. Its relationships, even those between Utena and Anthy, are messier than they appear. Its sibling relationships, many of which are rife with brother-sister complexes, are even more disturbing. The entire series is overwhelmingly captivating and teeming with gripping twists and revelations.While many a Utena fan will attest to the necessity of multiple rewatches and supplemental YouTube video essays to digest the series depth of metaphors, foreshadowing, subtle visual clues that hint at characterization, and where its sequel film (Adolescence of Utena) falls in the equation, like any Lynchian work, seeking concrete and clinical intent behind the why to its artistic and narrative choices matters far less than the gut feeling you have as you walk away from the shows 39th episode. You can glean any array of meanings from the anime, be it butting against the patriarchy, not-so-subtle queer representation, or how seeking comfort in nostalgia will stifle revolutions of the heart. No matter how you look at it, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a Lynchian anime that was both ahead of its time and timeless. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

OpenAI may be preparing to slap a new coat of paint on ChatGPT with an updated AI model, GPT-4.5, as early as next week. If thats not enough to get users excited, the Sam Altman-led company is on the path toward its ultimate model while trying to hint that this next step will finally achieve AGI. Spoiler alert: it wont. Based on anonymous sources, the Verges Tom Warren first reportedthat OpenAIs next model could hit the scene sometime this month. Microsoft reportedly plans to host the companys new model next week, though it may be longer before either company makes any official announcement. More importantly, for the next big thing, We may see the GPT-5 model as early as May, according to The Verge. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a post on Xon Feb. 12 thatChatGPT users will get unlimited chat accessto the standard intelligence setting of GPT-5 when it eventually drops, completely for free. GPT-5 will also integratethe o3 reasoning model for better fact-checking capabilities, which will be pretty important considering OpenAIs leadership has indicated they want to make the next big GPT release as widely availableas possible.Microsoft has a good reason to want GPT-5 in May. Microsoft Build is the companys annual developer conference on May 22. Last year, Microsoft debuted the Copilot+ line of PCs with their set standard for on-device AI processing. The tech giant has been modifying its Copilot experience, adding extra features over time while sticking its chatbot UI in every 365 app, Github, Dropbox, and into Windows 11 itself. Altman only offered some vague promises of how it will structure access to GPT-5. Current Plus subscribers will access a higher level of intelligence of GPT-5, while big-money Pro subscribers will run it at an even higher level of intelligence. We have a clearer idea about the companys current AI products, like Deep Research, which are made for producing long-form reports based on prompts and some clarifying questions. OpenAI has promised to release that feature more widely, but youll still have to deal with a chatbot that is more prone to citing Wikipedia than hard, fact-based research.GPT-4.5, or Orion, is the companys last non-chain-of-thought model. That relates to the idea that AI can break down a larger problem into more immediate steps, which AI developers claim mirrors how humans handle reasoning. With o3 integrated with GPT, OpenAI may start to make claims about reaching some milestone for AGI, or artificial general intelligencean algorithm that can actually think. Of course, Altman and the companys definition of AGI differs from what most people would call intelligent. Color me skeptical about whether the next big GPT model is truly revolutionary. It may hit new reasoning benchmarks, but the big question is whether it creates new, tangible results that change how most people use and/or abuse the chatbot. If GPT-5 is more capable and efficient, as OpenAI suggests, it doesnt necessarily mean well finally find a new use case for AI.Less than a month ago, OpenAI and many other AI-centric companies were put on the back foot by DeepSeek, an AI model from China created for a fraction of the cost to develop GPT-4o, though with similar or better benchmarks than the leading models. OpenAI and Microsoft accused DeepSeek of copying their homework (a laughable irony considering GPT is trained on a mountain of copyrighted text taken without permission). The ball is now in OpenAIs court and needs to prove it has the stuff with GPT-4.5 and GPT-5. Thats not necessarily for the sake of regular users but for investors.

By Isaac Schultz Published February 20, 2025 | Comments (1) | 2024 YR4 as seen by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. Image: ESO/O. Hainaut et al. The potentially hazardous asteroid 2024 YR4 caused consternation over the last few weeks as its odds of hitting Earth in 2032 dramatically rose. Now, those odds have plummeted to near-zero, as astronomers calculations of the asteroids path have been updated to indicate that Earth is almost certainly not in the space rocks plans. Almost. According to NASAs Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the asteroids current chance of hitting the planet in 2032 is 0.28%, or a 1-in-360 shot. That is a far cry from just earlier this week, when models had the asteroids impact probability at a staggering 3.1%, or 1-in-32 odds. Its safe to say were out of the woodsbut perhaps still in the backyard of uncertainty? A beleaguered analogy, but suffice it to say that the odds are not zerobut the sudden plummet from such a (relatively) high probability is a sigh of relief. Though 2024 YR4 isnt a gigantic asteroidits size estimates range from 130 to 300 feet wide (40 to 90 meters)it still is large enough to destroy a large city or region if hit Earth. It just wouldnt cause a global cataclysm. Hardly reassuring stuff. The asteroids impact probability made it a 3 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, which measures the danger posed by asteroids. Torino 3s have a 1% or greater chance of collision capable of localized destruction, according to CNEOS. Since the asteroids impact odds are now 1-in-360, the asteroids Torino risk is rated 1, meaning a routine discovery in which a pass near the Earth is predicted that poses no unusual level of danger. Current calculations show the chance of collision is extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or public concern. When 2024 YR4s odds rose earlier this week, it became more hazardous than the head-turning asteroid Apophis, which was one of the most hazardous asteroids when discovered in 2004, but was found in 2021 to not be at risk of hitting Earth for at least a century.The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) first spotted 2024 YR4 just after Christmas, when the rock was 515,116 miles (829,000 kilometers) from Earth. Within a month, the asteroids odds crept up to a 1.2% chancewhich sounds small, but is still a serious number when were talking about the chances of an asteroid with the potential to raze an entire city or region on our verdant little world. The odds kept growing, from a 1.58% chance of impact on February 2 to a 2.2% chance of striking on February 10. But as experts told Gizmodo, this steady movement in the odds was expected. Thats because, as astronomers narrowed the range of potential paths for the asteroid, Earth remained in it. So while the total pool of paths shrank, Earths placement in the path meant its footprint covered more of the total possible area. Now, the asteroids potential path window has shrunk enough that it seems very unlikely that the rock will hit Earth.The asteroid is moving away from Earth, but will swing by the planet in 2028 with a first potential impact in 2032. By April, astronomers expect the asteroid to be too faint for even the largest ground-based telescopes to see, so it was critical for researchers to make as many observations of the object as possible before thentime was of the essence to make educated guesses about its impact probability. 2024 YR4 still poses the slightest risk to Earth within the next 100 years, but recent estimates from space agency experts suggest theres much less to worry about now.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Adam Kovac Published February 19, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 19, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 18, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 17, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 17, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 12, 2025

By Thomas Maxwell Published February 20, 2025 | Comments (7) | A new WSJ report suggests advertisers are returning to Elon Musk's X to avoid litigation or possible regulatory problems. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Musks nearly $300 million gamble on the re-election of President Trump continues to show dividends. A new report in the Wall Street Journal suggests that advertisers are returning to X in order to avoid being added to an ongoing lawsuit by the company or see their own business dealings targeted by the Trump administration. The report starts by noting that a major advertising agency called Interpublic is currently seeking to merge with rival Omnicom for $13 billion. While that might have stoked normal anti-trust concerns under the Biden administration, as a consolidated marketer would have more leverage to seek favorable ad prices, it appears that X sees it as an enviable opportunity to strike a quid pro quo deal: A lawyer at advertising conglomerate Interpublic Group fielded a phone call in December from a lawyer at X. The message was clear, according to several people with knowledge of the conversation: Get your clients to spend more on Elon Musks social-media platform, or else. Advertisers abandoned Twitter, now X, in droves immediately following Musks $44 billion purchase of the company, while they waited to see how Musks loosening of content moderation would play out. Musk famously told corporate executives including Disney CEO Bob Iger to go f**k themselves over their cessation of spending, saying they were directly silencing free speech by opting out of the service. It is important to understand in context that X has never been a great place to advertise, with an audience much smaller than the likes of Google, Facebook, or Amazon; and comparatively crude targeting abilities. The last year before Musk took over the company, Twitter reported annual revenue of $5.1 billion, far below its rivals. Furthermore, advertisers tend to be risk averse, seeking to appear alongside safe content so as not to appear to be endorsing harmful material like Nazi imagery. X has added some tools that are supposed to let advertisers avoid being placed around questionable content, though being on the platform at all could be seen as an indirect endorsement. But Musk won the gamble of a lifetime, so X does not need to be a good place to advertise. CEOs across industry have been lining up to placate President Trump, and by proxy that means Musk as well. Musks growing power in Washington includes using X as a megaphone to move legislators in whatever direction he sees fit, with President Trump essentially giving Musk the remit to slash entire agencies and make policy on his ownDOGE was Musks own idea. When he posts, Republican lawmakers follow. Directing lawmakers to scrutinize deals like the Interpublic-Omnicom merger could be as easy as throwing off a quick post.Recent reports suggest that Xs revenue remains far below where it was immediately prior to Musks acquisition, raising into question whether advertisers are returning to previous spending levels or are merely tossing X some token dollars. It may well be the latter: We now see brands returning in quite significant numbers, because the easiest route is to just spend a minimum viable amount on the platform, said Ebiquitys Schreurs. Not because they want to advertise there and run their ads adjacent to the content on X, but because they are afraid of legal and political ramifications of not doing so. Following Musks takeover of X and the sudden drop in advertising, the company sued a group of advertisers claiming collusion. An industry group called GARM was created and outlined a series of safety guidelines brands should use to decide whether to advertise on a platform; X said it targeted the company directly.Whether the case has merits or not, X has dropped advertisers from its lawsuit when they have shown a willingness to restart spending on its platform, and the Journal reports that CEO Linda Yaccarino has directly implied new advertisers could be added to the lawsuit if they do not buy ad packages: One ad-buying executive said Yaccarino brought up Xs antitrust litigation during their recent discussion and detailed Xs intention to find out which agencies and advertisers colluded to withhold spending from X. The Journal has reported that the likes of Amazon, Apple, and Verizon have recently returned or are planning to return to X. Musks $44 billion deal to buy Twitter once seemed like the worst business deal ever, but may end up being the best. He has managed to quickly spin up a related AI company that uses Xs data for training, and can now seemingly get an endless supply of cash from investors seeking to be close to power. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that X is looking to raise new funding at its original $44 billion purchase price after the valuation of the company had been slashed for years.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published February 20, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 19, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 18, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published February 18, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 18, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 13, 2025

One of the worlds richest people is already playing with his latest toy. Thursday morning, news broke that the James Bond franchise, which was already owned by Amazon due to its 2022 purchase of MGM, was changing creative leadership. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, whose families had been controlling the franchise for 60 years, retained ownership but are passing creative control to Amazon. The move instantly sparked all sorts of speculation and debate about the massive corporation owning such a crucial piece of pop culture and the head of Amazon was more than happy to weight in. Whod you pick as the next Bond? Jeff Bezos tweeted soon after the news. The question sparked all manner of fans flooding him with ideas, especially fans of Henry Cavill, who auditioned for the role back in 2005. Cavill, for the record, is currently 41 years old, which is about the age the last several Bond actors were when they took over the role. Whoever sips the next shakenbut not stirredmartini aside, the fact that Bezoshas a role to play in this feels hugely disconcerting. Part of the reason why the Bond franchise has remained so beloved is the high quality demanded by its producers. Now, under Amazon, even if they cast Cavill or another fantastic actor, theres every chance the franchise will get watered down: too many spinoffs, too many brand deals, not enough consideration. Look what has happened to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC, Star Trek, you name it in the past few decades. Once a major corporation takes hold, it squeezes those brand names for everything theyre worth. And, in the end, while some good things do come of that, theres also the danger of oversaturation and a dip in quality. Which, obviously, has happened in basically all of those cases. And, in all of those cases, at least there were still some strong creative voices in the room: Kevin Feige, James Gunn, Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, etc. People with experience telling stories. Not Jeff freaking Bezos.Let us know what you think about this all below. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The desire to further yourself through constant learning is admirable, but if you have a full-time job or many of the other commitments that come with everyday living, keeping your nose buried in book after book just isnt an option. Headway Premium has taken those books over 1,500 of them with more being added every day and boiled each of them down to 15 minutes of the most essential and useful information.See at StackSocialAt that rate, youll be shocked how many incredible books on as many topics as you want youll be able to absorb over a lifetime. And a lifetime of Headway Premium is on sale for 80% off right now at StackSocial, dropping the $300 list price to just $60. Better still, use the code LEVELUP20 at checkout to take another 20% off the sale price, giving you a lifetime of learning for just $48.Learn While You EarnEven if you devote time every day to reading the best nonfiction bestsellers, youre only going to get through so many of them thanks to your already busy life. But when those books are broken down into 15-minute professionally narrated summaries that you can listen to on the Headway app anytime, suddenly youre absorbing all of that knowledge in a fraction of the time. And once you sign up and answer a few questions about your goals and interests, Headway will curate your selections for you.Learning on the go with Headway is fun, too the app has a game-like experience where you can track your progress and earn achievements while you master new skills. The Headway book summaries are downloadable so you can take them anywhere and listen offline. Just 15 minutes of your commute time, workout time, or even during a walk can be spent absorbing actionable insights and tips from over 1,500 bestselling nonfiction books.Millions ServedOver 20 million people have downloaded Headway, which has been recognized as the App Stores App of the Day four times in a row in 2023 and earned an Apple Editors Choice award. That speaks volumes to the popularity and effectiveness of a Headway subscription, and its also an alarm for you there are 20 million people out there improving themselves every day. Dont get left behind!A lifetime subscription to Headway Premium is just $60 right now at StackSocial, and when you use the code LEVELUP20 at checkout that price comes down even more, to just $48. Order now and get your instant redemption code via email, and start your lifetime of curated learning right away.See at StackSocial

Martha Wells' award-winning sci-fi book series will soon be a streaming series, co-created by Chris and Paul Weitz and starring Alexander Skarsgrd.

Sound is 50% of the movie-watching experience. You can have the best picture in the world available, but it wont leave its full impact if the audio is just coming out of the TV. The best way to improve your home audio for watching movies, football games, and big budget TV shows without breaking your own budget is with a soundbar. Youll find a soundbar to be a significant enhancement to what the built-in speakers you TV is working with which usually sound tinny and weak in comparison. You deserve to immerse yourself fully in your media.JBL has carved a name for themselves in the sound industry with its powerful Bluetooth portable speakers, but thats not all the company makes. Take for instance this JBL 5.1 channel soundbar surround sound system. Its going for 57% off which brings the price down from $600 to just $260. Thats one hell of a savings.See at Best BuyCinema Sound Right in Your Living RoomWith five full-range drivers and two 1-1/4 tweeters, the sound bounces up to the ceiling and back down to you so you hear the sound coming from all directions like you are right there at the stadium or in the fray or the action yourself.The soundbar uses 300 watts of total system power and produces crystal clear audio. The 10-inch subwoofer delivers powerful, pulse-pounding bass when you want it so you can get the best viewing or gaming experience possible. Plus, its wireless so you dont need to worry about any lose cables around your living room when finding the optimal location to set it up. The soundbar itself is also mountable so you can get it up off to top of your media center and on the wall to join your TV if thats also mounted.The JBL soundbar allows for HD passthrough, so connecting to your TV wont even take up the limited HDMI ports you have, since youre removing one and adding one when choosing this JBL system. We all know how precious those HDMI ports can be. The soundbar also has ports for optical, and USB. AirPlay and Chromecast are supported so you can stream music or anything else from your phone to your JBL surround sound system. No need to bust out the JBL Clip when youre hanging out in the living room.For a limited time, you can get the JBL Bar 5.1 channel soundbar system for over half off. The price is down from $600 to just $260 at the moment.See at Best Buy

The markup on Nvidias $2,000 GeForce RTX 5090 and $1,000 RTX 5080 GPUs has reached new heights. Cards fly off store shelves as soon as theyre posted online, and then they end up on eBay and other reselling platforms at a 50% or 150% markup. Nvidias new plan to help you get an FE card for the base price involves entering your name in a raffle and hoping your name gets drawn out of a hat. Nvidias process is very simple. As noted on its official forums Wednesday, anybody with a Nvidia account before Jan. 30 can access this form. You can select either one or both GeForce RTX 5090 or RTX 5080, then hit the button to enroll. Nvidia did not state how many Founders Edition GPUs it will have in stock, though the lucky winners should get notified via email if theyre selected next week. Note, youll still need to cough up the $1,000 or $2,000 to own Nvidias top-of-the-line Blackwell cards, but this may be the only way some PC gamers may hope to grab one at the base price. Nvidias program issimilar to what other OEMs have landed on, specificallyZotac, with its Discord-based raffle to let users buy a card at MSRPrather than at a markup. Other AIM cards from Asus and MSI have increased in price by upwards of 18% since the RTX 5090 launch in January. The r/nvidia subreddit has continued to record 5090 prices, jumping by $300 to $400. The MSRP RTX 5080 16G Ventus 3X from MSI went from $1,000 to $1,139. Meanwhile, MSIs RTX 5090 32G Vanguard SOC Launch Edition jumped by $310 to $2,689. Meanwhile, resellers pawn these same GPUs on eBay for over $4,000. Some OC models are running for close to or over $6,000. The direct-to-consumer model shouldnt be the first way companies should think to beat scalpers. Because manufacturers cant control the wide breadth of online retailers, the best way to avoid price gouging is to have enough stock that scalpers cant purchase all of them. Nvidia was warning about low stock values even before launch, and physical retailers found they only had a paltry number of GPUs to sell to customers. When Nvidia launched the RTX 5090 on Jan. 30, online stock sold out in less than 30 minutes. Feb. 20 marks the launch of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, a card we thought was solid at $750 for 4K gaming. Then again, youd be lucky to find it for $750. Were already seeing certain markets planning to sell non-OC cards for over $900 and some OC variants for over $1,000. At that price, you may as well wait to buy the RTX 5080 (as if its even possible to purchase that card at MSRP). Well update this story if the stock situation for that card is as dire as the cards more powerful siblings. Nvidia already pushed the launch of the RTX 5070 back to March 5.For its part, Nvidia shared multiple links with Gizmodo for stock-clocked 5070 Ti cards at MSRP before the launch date.However, checkingallthoselinks now lists the cards as out of stock at the time of publication.This situation is not tenable, and even if Nvidia launches another priority access scheme for the 5070 family, it wont be enough to meet the overall demand. We dont suggest anybody buy a card for $600 to $3,000 above MSRP, no matter how many frames you think youll get in Cyberpunk 2077.

With less than 0.04 inches of rainfall each year, cities in Chiles barren Atacama Desertone of the driest places in the worldcollect their water from ancient underground water sources. Now, researchers have identified another simple method that could help address water scarcity. An international team of researchers in Chile has tested the viability of a water-collection method that could be straight out of Dune: fog harvesting. The technology also brings Star Wars to mind, namely the moisture farmers of Tatooine. The practice could bring significant relief to people living in poor, informal settings without access to a stable water source, according to the study, published today in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science, The collection and use of water, especially from non-conventional sources such as fog water, represents a key opportunity to improve the quality of life of inhabitants, Virginia Carter, an expert in sustainable development at the Universidad Mayor and first co-author of the study, said in a Frontiers statement. Carter and her colleagues conducted their study in the rapidly-growing municipality of Alto Hospicio, where around 10,000 people live in informal settlementsonly 1.6 percent of which are connected to water distribution networks. The team used simple fog collectors: very fine nets, or mesh, held aloft by two poles. Moisture in the air condenses into droplets on the material, which then flow into a gutter and into a water tank. Though their methods are not quite as innovative as sci-fi stillsuits that recycle urine into drinkable water (that currently seems reserved for space exploration), the fog collectors are passive systems that dont require electricity or other energy to function. By showcasing its potential in Alto Hospicio, one of Chiles most stigmatized yet rapidly urbanizing cities, this study lays the groundwork for broader adoption in other water-scarce urban areas, said Nathalie Verbrugghe, an engineer at Universit libre de Bruxelles and another first co-author of the study.Carter, Verbrugghe, and their colleagues revealed that 38.61 square miles (100 square kilometers) could yield between 0.05 and 1.32 gallons (0.2 and five liters) of fog water per 10.76 square feet (one square meter) per day. August and September were the peak months for fog water collection, with researchers gathering up to 2.64 gallons (10 liters) per 10.76 square foot (one square meter) per day. This research represents a notable shift in the perception of fog water usefrom a rural, rather small-scale solution to a practical water resource for cities, Carter explained.The researchers estimate that a relatively small area of mesh could collect enough water to irrigate Alto Hospicios green spaces. Scaling up the system with larger fog collectors could even provide enough water to meet the weekly needs of the citys informal settlements. They also suggest that fog water could be used for soil-free farming, potentially producing up to 44 pounds (20 kilograms) of leafy greens each month. The researchers do point out some shortcomings to their analysis.Their promising results came from fog collectors in higher altitudes outside of the citys limits, so their regular use would require significant distribution infrastructure in addition to large storage systems. Other key prerequisites include fog density, suitable wind patterns, and well-oriented elevated landforms. Additionally, since fog is seasonal in many regions, this variability should be considered, said Verbrugghe. In fact, Carter emphasized that fog can serve as a complementary urban water supply, and not a comprehensive solution to water scarcity. However, the team still hopes to encourage policymakers to integrate this renewable source into national water strategies, concluded Carter. This could enhance urban resilience to climate change and rapid urbanization while improving access to clean water.While fog harvesting alone will not solve water scarcity, it ultimately represents an innovative and sustainable water collection method that could one day become an important tool in desert communities water management.

By Isaac Schultz Published February 19, 2025 | Comments (1) | The flooded area as seen on February 17. Image: Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. A large winter storm system that moved across the East Coast over the weekend caused serious floods in Tennessee and Kentucky, as seen in newly released NASA satellite images. The images show the Mississippi Rivers serpentine path in western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas and Missouri. They also show the rivers and water bodies east of the Mississippiin Tennesseeinundated by up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain over a 48-hour period. A state of emergency was declared in Tennessee after a levee failure near the town of Rives, on the Obion River, which is the overflowed waterway in the top-right of the above image. It was a wild week for weather. More than half the states were hit with winter weather advisories, while 11 states received flash flood watches. On the west coast, California was slammed with mudslide-triggering rains. The serious flood conditions in Tennessee and Kentucky were severe enough to be visible from space. NASAs Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on the agencys Landsat 9 captured false-color images of the rivers in western Tennessee on February 17. NASA used specific color bands in the images to help viewers distinguish between water, land, and vegetation. According to a National Weather Service summary, the majority of the rain fell on Valentines Day, and at least a dozen river sites had crests within the top five recorded crests. In Kentucky, 30 flood warnings and 47 flash flood warnings were issued, as well as 11 severe thunderstorm warnings and two tornado warnings. More than 300 roads were closed and tens of thousands were without power.According to NASAs Earth Observatory, a U.S. Geological Survey water gauge in Obion, Tennessee, recorded a staggering water level of 39.8 feet (12 meters) yesterday. Any water level above 34 feet (10.4 meters) is considered a flood stage. Hydrographs showing affected rivers in Kentucky are also available on the services website. Cloud cover over the state prevented satellites from capturing similar images north of Tennessee, where some of the most destructive flash flooding happened.Thats not all Mother Nature wrote for the area. According to the weather service, flurries and snow showers are expected in western Kentucky today, with temperatures only creeping into the lower 20s days after the severe floods. The snowy conditions are also expected in southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published February 18, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 17, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 17, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 12, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 12, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 11, 2025

Its been a couple years waiting for the return of HBOs seminal adaptation of Naughty Dogs post-apocalyptic, cinematic trauma simulator The Last of Usnot unlike waiting for the next chapter in a video game saga. But now, after a long, long time, we finally know:The Last of Us is back April 13. In a new press release HBO confirmed that the seven-episode sophomore season will begin just a couple of months from now in the 9 p.m. ET/PT slot on the cable network on Sunday, April 13, with episodes simultaneously releasing to stream on Max. To mark the news, three new posters were also released, featuring Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and series newcomer Kaitlyn Dever as Joel, Ellie, and Abby, respectively. The Last of Us Season 2 Release Date Posters HBO HBO HBO Season two will pick up five years after the events of The Last of Us debut season, which ended with Joel making the controversial decision to save Ellie from a Firefly facility where she had been taken for experimentation to develop a potential cure to the cordyceps virus that had ravaged the world, based on her own immunity. Beginning to adapt the events of Naughty Dogs own 2020 video game sequelThe Last of Us Part II, the season will follow Joel and Ellie as they come into conflict with not just with the ever-evolving apocalyptic world around them, but also each other. Aside from its truncated episode count, the only other certain thing we know about season two so far is that it will only cover part of the events ofPart II, rather than completely adapting the game as season one did for the first game. The Last of Us had initially planned to only run for three seasons, but in splitting its take onPart II across multiple seasons, the opportunity for more than just a second and third season has remained on the table. We dont think that were going to be able to tell the story even within two seasons [two and three] because were taking our time and go down interesting pathways which we did a little bit in season one too, showrunner Craig Mazin said in an interview with Deadline last summer. We feel like its almost assuredly going to be the case thatas long as people keep watching and we can keep making more televisionseason three will be significantly larger. And indeed, the story may require season four.What that means for where season two pauses the story? Well, game fans have been speculating about that almost as long as weve been waiting for season twp. At least now we know that we dont have much longer to wait before we start finding out ourselves. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency claims to be fighting the scourge of government waste and fraud and, this week, DOGE claimed that it had already saved taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. However, in an ironic twist, it would appear that the claims being made by Musk and DOGE about their own activities appear to be, themselves, fraudulent. Despite recently claiming that it had already saved Americans $55 billion, the information on DOGEs website only accounts for $16 billion, onlookers have noted. Worse, about half of those savings appear to have been attributable to an accounting error. Indeed, amongst the so-called savings that DOGE recently posted about on its site was an alleged $8 billion contract for a diversity program being operated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. However, the New York Times has now reported that the actual cost of the program was $8 million. In other words, it was a thousand times smaller than DOGE had initially claimed it was. The DOGE website was subsequently edited several times, in a series of comical, floundering changes, that sought to correct the recordbut only after the discrepancy was reported by the press. It appears that the original error may not have been DOGEs, as the federal contracting database in which the diversity program appeared originally listed it as an $8 billion program. However, a savvy observer would have known this was an error, given the fact that most government agencies have budgets that are nearly equivalent to such a figure. DOGE appears to have duplicated the error on its site, before repeatedly editing the information. The New York Times breaks down DOGEs subsequent website edits like so: The DOGE website initially included a screenshot from the federal contracting database showing that the contracts value was $8 million, even as the DOGE site listed $8 billion in savings. On Tuesday night, around the time this article was published, DOGE removed the screenshot that showed the mismatch, but continued to claim $8 billion in savings. It added a link to the original, outdated version of the contract worth $8 billion. By Wednesday morning, DOGE had updated its list to show $8 million in savings, though it did not acknowledge the error or explain how it might affect its calculation of total money saved, which remained unchanged. A loss of $8 billion in savings would represent nearly 15 percent of the total savings claimed by DOGE. Even the $8 million is an upper bound on the amount saved by canceling the contract. Since $2.5 million had already been spent on the contract, according to data on USAspending.gov, that suggests that canceling it saved $5.5 million at most. From this, it seems sorta safe to assume that the people running DOGE are either deceptive con artists or morons or both. Indeed, this isnt the first time something like this has happened. Other questionable claims have been made by Musk and DOGE on a routine and ongoing basis, many of which have been easily debunked. Bloomberg notes that while DOGE has promised to upload its work in a digestible and fully transparent manner with clear assumptions, consistent with applicable rules and regulations, their work has been largely shrouded in secrecy and its less-than-optimal accounting raises questions about the reliability of their self-reporting and their level of accountability. In recent weeks, some legal attacks have attempted to slow DOGEs rampage through the federal government, though many of those efforts have run into roadblocks. Last week, 14 state attorneys general sued the White House, alleging that Trump had violated the Constitution by appointing Musk. The litigation asked for a restraining order against DOGE to limit the initiatives destructive scope. However, on Tuesday, federal judge Tanya Chutkan made the decision not to issue the order, claiming thatfor some reasonMusks mass firing of civil servants and hun-like behavior vis-a-vis federal databases did not rise to the legal definition of irreparable harm that such an order required. This, despite the fact that the backers of the new administration have openly stated that irreparable harm is exactly what they intend to inflict upon the government.That said, while Chutkan has denied the restraining order, AGs attached to the case remain optimistic and say they feel good about it overall. The casewhich is ongoingpresents the opportunity to legally investigate what the government is doing with DOGE, they say, and the probe could ultimately reveal whether Trump has violated the constitution via Musks appointment. Musks fingerprints are all over DOGE. Many staffers have previously worked for Musk or his companies, and Musk and Trump have both openly stated that Musk is responsible for leading the initiative. Despite this, White House lawyers recently made the outrageous claim that Musk is not actually in charge of DOGE. Indeed, as part of the legal defense against the state AGs lawsuit, government attorneys claimed that Musk is simply advising the president as a special government employee. Musk has no actual authority to make government decisions himself, Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, recently claimed.If it is true that Musk is an SGE, it would mean that he is beholden to some laws and regulations that its not clear hes following. David Dayden, of The American Prospect, recently made the point that SGEs are only allowed to work a total of 130 days a year, which would mean that Musk would have to leave government by May 30th. Of course, there always seems to be a loophole that allows the Trump administration to get its way. More recently, Musk has begun talking about a DOGE dividend, which he claims would allow DOGE to send the money that the organization has saved directly to the American public. Such gestures seem to suggest that Musk and others running the administration view the American public as a moronic rabble that can be easily manipulated via the spectacle of free money. The proposal is also somewhat reminiscent of Musks legally questionable payments to petition signers during the presidential election. Americans cheering Musks destruction of the government in the name of efficiency likely have a limited understanding of what the government does or how it contributes to the truly efficient operation of the country. This sarcastic tweet sorta says it all:

While the jury is still out on whether or not Marvel is back after the mixed reception of the not-so-brave and not-so-new Captain America film, things are continuing on the upswing in the animation department. Marvel Animations latest romp, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, has been must-watch weekly television on Disney+. This is saying a lot since its been vying for comic book fans attention by streaming against the likes of Prime Videos Invincible season three. Amid the long-standing discourse over whether superhero fatigue is real or not, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has been a reminder that there are still good stories to tell, even if theyre not entirely new. With a season in the history books and two more on the horizon, heres everything we fanciedand everything we werent too hot onabout the show. Liked: The banger opening theme Regardless of our pending reservations about Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, its opening theme is catchy as hell. While its not passing the corporate-engineered rap allegations sonically, its been a fun time humming along to it week to week. It also doesnt hurt that the opening title sequence flexes the most captivating imagery in the show while neatly dovetailing into a unique comic book-style cover for every episode.Liked: The tone Marvel Animation Despite its cel-shaded look, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manfelt pitched toward a slightly older audience than recent cartoons featuring (or starring) the character. Sometimes it was the swears peppered throughout episodes; other times, it made clear in no uncertain terms that characters were getting killed or extremely hurt. Its a small thing, but it helped make the show feel like its own thing tonally, and hopefully means itll grow up alongside its cast in future seasons. Liked: The compelling Spider-friends drama Marvel Animation The shows onset made it feel like Peter Parker would be navigating a grating rut with his best friend Nico Minoru and new best friend Harry Osborn. To our surprise, the show didnt dish out the typical drama that often comes with hiding secret identities. Instead, it offered a layered serving of drama that touched on the trio butting heads over preconceived notions about their economic differencesand the hurt that comes with being the last person to be let in on a secret. It also succeeded in weaving believable conflict between the trio while having them act like people you could envision yourself watching a movie and gossiping with.Liked: It told an actual small-scale Spider-Man story Marvel Animation As soon as Spider-Man got slotted into the MCU, Peter Parker was fast-tracked into world-ending conflict after world-ending conflict. Hes up to the task of handling his own alongside the Avengers, but its become the bane of many a Spider-Man fans existence to see Parker become Iron Man Jr., with nano-machine technology and other gizmos manufactured by the billionaire philanthropist being the focal point of the hero in place of his own genius. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man acted as a re-do of the MCU by taking a stab at his introduction into the universe while keeping the overall stakes to a more personal, impactful level. Peter gets to figure out the kind of hero he wants to be while gaining a reputation with the everyday folks he saves. If things inevitably escalate to more catastrophic levels, the show has already established its footing as a grounded Spider-Man tale. Its not a big ask but its a welcome change of pace given the multiversal direction the MCU is heading toward. Liked: Scorpion Marvel Animation Mac Gargan is a Spider-Man villain who pops up pretty regularly, but it still felt like he needed the right arena to really let him shine. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manmay be the big break ol Scorpions been waiting for; reimagining him as a gang leader looking to muscle in on the One-Tenths turf gives him a different energyit immediately makes him threatening to the non-superpowered characters like Lonnie. When he gets his suit and cuts through his enemies, he becomes a pretty effective baddie, and provides more tension in a way the shows earlier villains didnt.Liked: Norman Osborn Marvel Animation The live-action Spider-Man movies havent touched the Green Goblin since Willem Dafoe first got harassed by his own mask back in 2002, but the characters been a key part of Peters growth into a hero throughout animation. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is clearly having fun making him Peters surrogate dad in a similar way to Tony Stark in the MCU movies, but with a more skeptical stance on how helpful Norman truly is. Seeing Norman try to subtly twist Peter for his own ends or mold him into the son he really wants makes for some of the meatiest character moments for them both. And being voiced by Colman Domingo doesnt hurt, either. Didnt Like: Peters spider-quips Marvel Animation It takes a lot of skill to craft a character whose quips annoy his adversaries without splash-damaging viewers in the process, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man never quite nailed it. While its easy to chalk Peters half-baked quips with him still getting a handle on the whole hero thing, its not like the show wasnt making Peter a funny guy whenever he was barely keeping his identity under wraps from his friends or bemoaning the challenges of balancing an internship and school life. Any time Peter fought any bad guy in the show, it felt like he rattled off a volley of low-hanging fruit of quips, hoping one of them would land. Unfortunately, Parkers pulled punches hit their mark more often than his comedic chops.Didnt like: The animation took some getting used to Marvel Animation Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Mans 3D animation style didnt quite please the eye as well as the animation seen on X-Men 97or Marvels What If? There is a charm to watching a show that looks like a feature-length video game cutscene, but there are also moments where characters in wide shots stood like cardboard cutoutsand a lot of the action sequences in the show failed to live up to the wow factor of the shows opening sequence. Its not a bad-looking show, but its not exactly spectacular-looking either. Hopefully, subsequent seasons will get more juice by sprucing up the look. Didnt like: All the MCU creep Marvel Animation Much of the charm of the 90s Spider-Man cartoon is that it gave fans time to get to know Parker before other heroes made cameos, introducing their respective quirks into Spider-Mans world. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man adopted a backward-forward approach to the 90s shows modus operandi by positioning Spider-Man as the small fish in the MCU, just like the movies, and it kinda sucked to watch. While some cheeky appearances like Charlie Coxs Daredevil created interesting dynamics on screen, the shows dogmatic attempt to recreate Phase Three of the MCU as the backdrop of the entire story did more to service referential moments to the good old days than service the Spider-Man show. Despite its name, the show desperately wants to expand its lens to the grander MCU, making Parker sometimes feel like a bit player in the first season of his new show.Its too short Marvel Animation For the most part, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man juggled its characters well, and it did feel like time was passing with each episode. But the shows release structure didnt entirely take this into account: while weeks have passed in-show for Peter and friends, it can feel jarring for the audience to hop from one episode to the next and see relationships have fractured or grown in sizable ways. This is especially true of Lonnies arc with the One-Tenth, where he feels trapped into joining them one week and treats them like theyre his new best friends the next. You can watch all 10 episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man on Disney+. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Tickets are now on sale for Universal Horror Unleashed, opening this summer in Las Vegas immersive entertainment hub AREA15. The Universal Destinations and Experiences satellite interactive station brings Halloween Horror Nights to a year-round venue just off the Strip with monsters in tow beginning August 14, hot off the heels of Epic Universes opening. The attractions first major featured franchises include the Universal Monsters, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist: Believer, and a HHN fave in Scarecrow: The Reaping. So get those Summerween plans started to kick off the season in Vegas with Leatherface, the Universal Monsters, and friends. From the looks of it, its sure to be a killer way to beat the heat, with haunted houses, thrilling entertainment (Jack the Clown!), and spooky dining. The experience will be joining AREA15s other offerings, including Meow Wolfs Omega Mart. Heres a preview: It was previously announced that the year-round attraction will host limited runs of houses inspired by Universal Studios horror properties and Horror Nights original canon characters as seen at Universals theme parks. Were hoping some of our favorite all-timer haunts (Universal Studios Floridas Slaughter Sinema and Universal Studios Hollywoods Alien vs. Predator, for starters) get featured down the line. As opening date approaches, were excited to learn more about the themed dining and drinks that will no doubt homage the studios legacy in horror past and present. You know HHN Easts cult fave pizza fries cannot be excluded from the menu. And speaking of cult, its such a gas to see Jack the Clown all over the teaserthe HHN icon deserves the limelight and to have more people know his name.Tickets are now on sale through Universal Horror Unleasheds official site. They start at $69 to go through the haunts once and $99 to have unlimited access to them. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

NordVPN turns 13, so lets wish it the happiest birthday! We say this because NordVPN doesnt accept gifts. Its the opposite, as it gifts its loyal user base for its own birthday, with two exclusive incentives.Users can save up to 72% on NordVPNs 2-year plans and get up to 1 year of NordVPN Prime for free on top. This means you pay for a 2-year plan and get 3 years instead!Lets see whats in store for this fiery NordVPN celebration.See At NordVPNGet Up to 1 Year of NordVPN for FreeWell first explain its free VPN deals.The VPN offers four plans the Basic one is the least expensive but doesnt come with a free offer. On the flip side, we have three more packages:Plus at $4.39/mo (70% off) + 6 free monthsComplete at $5.39/mo (70% off) + 6 free monthsPrime at $8.39/mo (72% off) + 12 free monthsThe first two, when bought, grant you 6 free months of NordVPNs corresponding plans. For example, if you get Plus, youre awarded 6 free months of Plus, etc.Plus and Complete plans offer Threat Protection Pro and NordPass or NordPass + NordLocker respectively. Finally, theres the Prime plan the star of the show.This plan is equipped with all of the above plus NordProtect, for additional identity theft protection and cyber extortion insurance. At $8.39/mo, its 72% off and comes with a free year on top.NordVPN Basic: The Cheapest Birthday DealIf youre in it for the VPN only, the Basic plan may be your ideal pick.NordVPN graces us with a 70% discount on this plan, which drops the price to only $3.39/mo or $81.36 upfront for 24 months. Its way less expensive than Plus.However, you dont get 6 or 12 free months and NordVPN doesnt include other extras. Despite that, we think this is a brilliant deal because the VPN alone has many features.Some of them are:7,300+ servers in 118 countriesStreaming and torrenting allowanceUnlimited bandwidthDouble VPNNo-logging policyKill switchApplications for all devices10 simultaneous connections, and more.At this price, NordVPN is one of the best affordable VPNs. Not to forget its 30-day money-back guarantee, which permeates each plan.With it, you can test the VPN and be refunded in 30 days if you want.You dont need to explain your reasons and answer tedious questions.Its time to let NordVPN gift you its best birthday deal. If youre dead-set on this phenomenal VPN, now is the time to get up to 3 years of subscription for a two-year price. Dont wait until the next birthday.Get NordVPN Basic at $3.39/mo

By Adam Kovac Published February 19, 2025 | Comments (0) | Jared Isaacman is the likely next administrator of NASA. Polaris Dawn If Jared Isaacman becomes NASAs administrator, as hes likely to do, the agency will prioritize Mars over the Moon under the Trump administration, judging by some of his first public comments on the matter. Jared Isaacman has been active on social media since Trump named him as his choice to become the U.S. space agencys next administrator, which he did in early December. But the astronaut mostly stuck to posting about flying planes, his payments company Shift4, and retweeting images of space without comment. On February 16, he offered a glimpse at what NASA could focus on over the next four years. Retweeting a photo of Mars, Isaacman said the imagery makes him feel energized about the future. He thinks its so important for people to understand the profound implications of sending humans to another planet, he added. When I see a picture like this, it is impossible not to feel energized about the future. I think it is so important for people to understand the profound implications of sending humans to another planet: We will develop groundbreaking technologies in propulsion, habitability, https://t.co/vEG2KHU3eS Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) February 16, 2025 The post appears to indicate that a crewed trip to Mars will become a key priority for NASA, an agency beset by uncertainty since Trumps election. Like many other governmental bodies, it seems major cuts are on their way, in addition to widespread layoffs. Boeing, a major NASA contractor, is preparing to lay off hundreds of employees connected to its space division, citing expected revisions to the Artemis program. During his inaugural address, Trump did make a reference to planting an American flag on Mars, but didnt mention the Moon. NASAs Artemis program has been beset by numerous delays and cost overruns. Artemis 2, which would see U.S. astronauts orbiting the Moon, was originally scheduled for November 2024, but is now scheduled for April 2026. The next mission, which would put boots on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo program, was supposed to blast off later this year, but now wont take place until at least the middle of 2027.The whole point of Artemis, aside from returning to the Moon after so long, is to develop the requisite technologies, skills, and experience for a future Mars mission. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has complained that Artemis is a distraction, and that the wiser approach is to tackle Mars directly. Having a direct line to the White House, Musk is likely to influence the future direction of NASA. And with Isaacman potentially heading the space agency, the future of the Artemis program is now in serious doubt. Until his X post, Isaacman largely avoided commenting on what he envisions as NASAs priorities. One exception was a 45-minute fireside chat at the Space Force Associations Spacepower Conference on December 11. During that talk, Isaacman said he believes its a necessity for the United States to put humans on the Moon and Mars, noting the development of tech for those voyages could shift the entire balance of power here on Earth. In his X post, Isaacman elaborated, saying crewed missions to Mars will contribute to advances in systems, countermeasures, and pharmaceuticals to sustain human life in extreme conditions, and will ultimately result in economic, technological, and societal benefits for all humankind. This achievement will enable humanity to survive beyond Earth, serving as a hedge against catastrophic events that have shaped our planets past and will inevitably happen again, he wrote. It is a critical step in overcoming the Great Filter, a reference to the notion that all intelligent civilizations in the universe get wiped out by catastrophes before theyre able to sufficiently master space travel.During the conference appearance, Isaacman didnt mention any specific policies or programs he would choose to explore as NASAs new leader, but he did point to a need to beef up the research on the effects of space travel on the human body. Its a field he said could take on increased importance if Space Force Guardians (yes, thats what military and civilian Space Force personnel are called) are to travel to the Moon or Mars in large numbers in the future. He also made a point to praise SpaceX, the private company that has become an integral part of the United States space strategy, and is on the receiving end of around $22 billion in government contracts. Musk, as head of DOGE, has faced criticism over potential conflicts of interest due to the significant government contracts awarded to his companies. The White House has said Musk will self-police on any conflicts of interest. Isaacman has his own connections to SpaceX, having flown on two private space voyages that launched atop the companys rockets, including the Polaris Dawn mission in September. The billionaire nominee also singled out several other contractors for praise at the conference, including Jeff Bezos Blue Origin and Rocket Lab.The rise of the commercial space industry will allow the U.S. to really figure things out and take risks, he said. While Musk has said a crewed flyby of Mars could launch as soon as 2028, Isaacman wouldnt commit to that timeline. In a reply to a comment, he wrote that he is on the outside, learning and eager for the opportunity to contribute to this grand endeavor, adding that the decision on such a mission is up to the Senate. No date has yet been set for Isaacmans confirmation hearing, but given how even Trumps most controversial (and, in some cases, totally unqualified) picks have sailed through, theres little to suggest he will face any major opposition.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published February 19, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 19, 2025 By Ed Cara Published February 19, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 19, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published February 19, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 18, 2025